This, folks, is a nightmare at the doorstep of the North Carolina DOT. On one of the busiest thoroughfares in the country, Interstate 40, a 50-foot tall by 100-foot long section of a hillside simply gave way after a rainy and wet fall so far. This is in rugged terrain, difficult to navigate and difficult to traverse, in the Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains of the Appalachians. There are cliffs, steep ridges, slopes, and gullies. Add to that the tangled undergrowth of mountain laurel and rhododendron, and you have the recipe for at least a month's workby NC DOT and all the other agencies and firms that will be attempting to 'get a piece of this job.'

Right away, you can see a complicating factor to the repair. The rock dips towards the road. If material is taken away from under this rock, then the rock may slide right down to where you've already moved debris. The rocks are either poorly consolidated and highly weathered sedimentary rocks, or highly weathered metamorphic rocks. Add these factors up, and you have the recipe for another small disaster waiting to happen.

Only minor injuries reported so far. Thanks to WATE television in Knoxville, Tennessee, from whom I gathered this photo.

I make it a point to lead folks in the right direction. This particular wonderful item, I didn't even need to think twice to decide the veracity of its goodness. For all the Rangers out there, for all of you who believe in the one true Gateway meat (and Loofah, Spam will NEVER supplant it), I present to you an ideal BACON product - bacon jam!

I would love to try it on English water crackers, or regular saltines. It would even go GREAT on an English muffin with egg and cheese. THANKS and a shout out to the genius managing editor of the Black Rock Beacon, Mitch, for posting a link for investigative purposes:

skilletstreetfood.com/baconjam.htm

The price may be steep, but it sure beats the living hell out of that nasty Underwood potted meat product.