Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Nocturnal Ramblings

Dang, it's been a long time since I posted. Sorry. I either haven't had the chance, or upon having a chance, couldn't think of anything worth posting. Go figure. For lack of anything coherent, tonight I'll just add a conglomeration of thoughts.

First, I've been spending my surfing time reading Order of the Stick. It's incredibly entertaining, especially if you're a gamer. LOTS of in-jokes and D&D references. Check it out.

Okay, something that has been bothering me is GAS PRICES. Oh for the days when our Commander in Chief wasn't a war monger and encouraged people to CONSERVE our resources, rather than showing our "support" and "patriotism" by paying whatever was asked at the pumps without question. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the major oil conglomerates reported incredible profits in the third quarter. Yep, that's right. They're making a killing, while passing the cost of business on to you, the consumer.

Speaking of Jimmy Carter, my all-time favorite president and human being since Ben Franklin (yes that was a joke, about the BF being a president...he should have been, but he was too smart to take the job), one of my favorite comedians, Kathleen Madigan, had a bit about Ross Perot...hang on, I'm getting there...where she said that in an interview, Carter was asked his opinion of new presidential-hopeful Perot. Carter responded with a bunch of negative comments about Perot. Madigan summed it up perfectly saying, "If Jimmy Carter calls you an asshole...you're probably an asshole." Carter ismy favorite past-president largely because of everything he did AFTER leaving the Oval Office. Seriously, how many world leaders do you know of who spent their post-ruling years building houses -- with their own hands -- for the needy?

Anyway, our current political climate of war, being outright lied to, and being hated by the world just leaves me yearning for the innocent days of my youth.

Next topic: Magic Hat Brewery
(err, don't bother with their website; I just discovered that it's a clunky, obtuse, flash-animation disaster)
These guys have been my favorite beer company since I stumbled upon their brewery the last time I was in Vermont, about five years ago. Their beer was (and is) good, but I have to admit that they won me over for life with thier seasonal beer of that summer. It was and herbal brew called A Beer Named Sue. Hell yeah. Johnny Cash fans in Vermont. We got a new Harris Teeter near where I work and they carry Magic Hat's beer. Right now I am enjoying the refreshing taste of their Fat Angel. Mmm. Seriously, this is some of the best tasting beer I've ever sampled. Slightly bitter, crisp, light, and satisfying.

With that, I'm off to refill my glass. Talk to you again soon.

Wait..parting thought. Drinking beer is first and foremost meant to be a social event, especially when it's good beer. Tell me about YOUR favorite beer. What do you like, what do you hate? I recently pointed out to a coworker that while I AM a beer connoisseur, I am decidedly not a beer snob. I'll come out and admit that my favorite "cheap" beer is Budweiser. But that comes from a well-trained, discerning palatte. Did you know that, unlike many blue-collar beers, Bud has a faint nutty flavor? See...that's discerning. Your turn.

Playing on XM: Robert Earl Keen

5 comments:

  1. Did you know that Jimmy carter's brother Billy brewed beer inthe late 70s? I've actually tried some. I will say that 30 year old beer is NOT worth opening a can for. Seriously.

    Jimmy carter is my favorite X-President as well. I always liked him, even when I was a kid. Back then it was because he made for funny pictures in Mad Magazine and because my Dad liked him, but as I grew up I realized that they guy was probably the only really honest president we've had for decades. Regardless of the decisions he made, for better or worse, the guy was truthful.

    And onto beer. I'm a Guiness man. Primarily because it's one of the few beers that doesn't give me a migraine, but also because I've always liked it. I like beer, and like a lot of different kinds, but that's the one I always came back to for flavor. As for cheap beer, I like either Rolling Rock or Corona. RR because that's what my dad and grandfather always drank and it was what I used to sneak a bottle now and then, and Corona because it's what I drank in college when I was drinking cheap. I've always been a beer snob, I hate Bud with a passion, and dislike most of the other American water-type beers. While friends were pounding Hams Black Label and 40s of Schlitz, I was sipping my Sam Adams or making black & tans with Guinness and Harp. I'd like to try one of those Magic Hat brews, maybe I'll pick some up for the guys next time we game.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, I remember Billy Beer. And I too learned everything I know about politics from Mad Magazine. I think it has served me well.

    Mmm...Guinness. Smooth and sexy. There's a reason it doesn't give you a migraine. Guinness is the healthiest beer made today. It has fewer calories than all except the new ultra-light, low-carb pee-water beers. It also has the highest anti-oxidant content of any beer. And guess what...Guinness has a low alcohol content. Go figure. I'll have to see if I can find the news article validating all this.

    I'm sorry you grew up with Rolling Rock. Ick. My father raised me on Miller and Old Milwaukee. Yeah, I grew up hard. It's been a long time since I had a real black & tan. Last time was at Monticello Brewing Company...now THAT was a brew pub. Now I have to go pour one out for those guys. I still have one of their growlers hanging around somewhere...empty, of course.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous1:22 PM

    Beer Named Sue. Best. Beer. Name. Evar.

    I don't really drink beer. Actually, I don't really drink alcohol at all. I do enjoy a nice cider from time to time, Woodchuck Granny Smith is my favorite. I never drank when I was in college or high school, so I missed out on "drinking to get drunk" which is when you aquire your taste for bad beer, which is when you learn to differentiate from the good stuff.

    Sarah loves beer. She likes Guiness a lot, but her favorite is Shiner Bock. She's a big Fat Tire fan as well.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous9:37 PM

    I'm not sure if I would put an aftertaste of some guy's sweaty nuts in the plus column for Budweiser. :)

    I've yet to find a beer I like. At 30 I'm not sure if I will, but I've been trying lately to stretch myself a bit more and try some of the beers folks have recommended to me when I've told them about my experience of beer. I have found that I can drink Corona. I don't particularly like it, but I can swallow it without being in obvious physical discomfort, which is more than I could say of any of the beers I'd tried previously. Guiness has been recommended to me but I haven't tried it yet.

    Yes, I was a complete dork growing up... and in some ways I still am, for instance, I apparently am such a dork that at 30 I still don't know how to inhale anything. So everybody else gets the good drugs (or alcohol) -- I just get to watch from the sidelines.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ack! After reading your post, Ike, I had to go brush my teeth. Yeah, after having my Connecticut-brother-in-law live with us for over six months, I can just about tolerate Corona now too. If I have to.

    Hey, beer's not for everyone. That's why god had the alcohol industry invent pussy-boy wine coolers.

    I need a beer.

    ReplyDelete