David Harsanyi on the government's latest efforts to take on parental responsibility:
And if Washington can't dictate calorie counts in school vending machines, or tax soda pops, or force elementary schools in Topeka to stock their cupboards with USDA-approved nutritional fare, then, really, why do we have a federal government in the first place?
As we speak, legislation is wiggling through Congress that would ban candy and sugary beverages in local schools--bake sales, a la carte lunches, Halloween goodies, birthday cupcakes--and stipulate that suitable chow be offered. It's legislation that can't be stopped. It's for the children.
Michelle Obama--no doubt driven by the best of intentions--went on to take food manufacturers to task, asking them to "rethink the products" they produce because business, apparently, should be a clearinghouse for ethically sound groceries rather than a place that manufactures frozen pizza.
The passage of health care reform will only speed this process along. After all, if the government is now responsible for your children's health care, then they have a stake in ensuring that your kids do everything they can to stay healthy. That includes, but is not limited to eating right and exercising. Today, concerned parents will sometimes elect to send their kids to "fat camps" to try to help them lose weight. Tomorrow, it may be the government who decides that your children are in need of nutritional reeducation.
UPDATE: Okay, nutritional reeducation camps may have been a bit over the top, but do we really want the government dictating what kind of food our kids can eat and telling producers what they can and cannot sell based on whether it's deemed to be "good for them"? As a parent this concerns me on two levels.
The first is that the government is seeking to usurp what has traditionally been a parental responsibility. The second is that my kids are already pretty picky eaters the way it is. The last thing we need is the government telling a food producer that they can no longer sell the only kind of chicken nuggets my kids will eat because they're not "healthy" enough. Our family is still trying to recover from a fire at an Eggo plant last year that lead to the Great French Toast Drought of Aught-Nine. The last thing we need right now is Uncle Sam mucking about and making this situation even worse.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Ching For King
The burning question being asked all over Minnesota House District 15B these days is:
"Mr. Banaian: your campaign seems to have the momentum of a runaway freight train. Why are you so popular?"
Indeed the King Banaian for House campaign has officially left the station and is picking up steam as it rolls toward the November election. In order to keep that locomotion going, fuel is required. And when it comes to political campaigns, that fuel is money. Money for advertising, money for lawn signs, money for literature, and money to purchase Armenian Brandy for bloggers who've been on board the campaign train from the start. Okay, maybe not that last one so much, but the reality of politics today is that cash is king. And King needs cash.
You can make now make a donation to help King quest to represent in the House through Pay Pal (LINK UPDATED 4/8) or by dropping a check in the mail to:
King Banaian for House
P.O. Box 1572,
St. Cloud, MN 56302
Sorry Atomizer, but donations are capped at $500 a person. But seriously, local races like King's are where a little cash can go a long way. Ideally, we'd like people to give as much as they can, but we know that everyone is feeling a little strapped these days. So instead of asking you to give 'til it hurts, how about simply asking you to throw twenty bones in? Twenty dollars might not seem like much, but if we can get 500 folks to chip in twenty clams each, King could raise ten grand, which in a local House race is a nice little war chest to help fight the good fight.
I dropped my twenty at Pay Pal a short time ago. Four-hundred-ninety-nine small donors to go to keep the train moving.
"Mr. Banaian: your campaign seems to have the momentum of a runaway freight train. Why are you so popular?"
Indeed the King Banaian for House campaign has officially left the station and is picking up steam as it rolls toward the November election. In order to keep that locomotion going, fuel is required. And when it comes to political campaigns, that fuel is money. Money for advertising, money for lawn signs, money for literature, and money to purchase Armenian Brandy for bloggers who've been on board the campaign train from the start. Okay, maybe not that last one so much, but the reality of politics today is that cash is king. And King needs cash.
You can make now make a donation to help King quest to represent in the House through Pay Pal (LINK UPDATED 4/8) or by dropping a check in the mail to:
King Banaian for House
P.O. Box 1572,
St. Cloud, MN 56302
Sorry Atomizer, but donations are capped at $500 a person. But seriously, local races like King's are where a little cash can go a long way. Ideally, we'd like people to give as much as they can, but we know that everyone is feeling a little strapped these days. So instead of asking you to give 'til it hurts, how about simply asking you to throw twenty bones in? Twenty dollars might not seem like much, but if we can get 500 folks to chip in twenty clams each, King could raise ten grand, which in a local House race is a nice little war chest to help fight the good fight.
I dropped my twenty at Pay Pal a short time ago. Four-hundred-ninety-nine small donors to go to keep the train moving.
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Does The Press Wear A Funny Hat?
The recent efforts by "truth-seeking" journalists to leave no rock unturned in hopes of finding any thread that remotely connects Pope Benedict XVI to "cover-ups" of sexual abuse by Church authorities has demonstrated once again that the only thing that matches the levels of their invective against the Catholic Church is their ignorance of the Church and its workings. They frame the unfolding "scandal" with the same familiar narrative structure that they have so often employed with politicians. The problem with this approach--one of many--is the Pope is not a politician and serving as an effective Pope is not a popularity contest best measured by approval ratings. They've also been quick to pounce on anything that reinforces the story they want to tell and reluctant to report facts that contradict the conclusions they're all too eager to reach.
In today's WSJ, William McGurn has a piece on this shoddy journalism called The Pope and the New York Times:
A few years later, when the CDF assumed authority over all abuse cases, Cardinal Ratzinger implemented changes that allowed for direct administrative action instead of trials that often took years. Roughly 60% of priests accused of sexual abuse were handled this way. The man who is now pope reopened cases that had been closed; did more than anyone to process cases and hold abusers accountable; and became the first pope to meet with victims. Isn't the more reasonable interpretation of all these events that Cardinal Ratzinger's experience with cases like Murphy's helped lead him to promote reforms that gave the church more effective tools for handling priestly abuse?
That's not to say that the press should be shy, even about Pope Benedict XVI's decisions as archbishop and cardinal. The Murphy case raises hard questions: why it took the archbishops of Milwaukee nearly two decades to suspend Murphy from his ministry; why innocent people whose lives had been shattered by men they are supposed to view as icons of Christ found so little justice; how bishops should deal with an accused clergyman when criminal investigations are inconclusive; how to balance the demands of justice with the Catholic imperative that sins can be forgiven. Oh, yes, maybe some context, and a bit of journalistic skepticism about the narrative of a plaintiffs attorney making millions off these cases.
That's still a story worth pursuing.
In today's WSJ, William McGurn has a piece on this shoddy journalism called The Pope and the New York Times:
A few years later, when the CDF assumed authority over all abuse cases, Cardinal Ratzinger implemented changes that allowed for direct administrative action instead of trials that often took years. Roughly 60% of priests accused of sexual abuse were handled this way. The man who is now pope reopened cases that had been closed; did more than anyone to process cases and hold abusers accountable; and became the first pope to meet with victims. Isn't the more reasonable interpretation of all these events that Cardinal Ratzinger's experience with cases like Murphy's helped lead him to promote reforms that gave the church more effective tools for handling priestly abuse?
That's not to say that the press should be shy, even about Pope Benedict XVI's decisions as archbishop and cardinal. The Murphy case raises hard questions: why it took the archbishops of Milwaukee nearly two decades to suspend Murphy from his ministry; why innocent people whose lives had been shattered by men they are supposed to view as icons of Christ found so little justice; how bishops should deal with an accused clergyman when criminal investigations are inconclusive; how to balance the demands of justice with the Catholic imperative that sins can be forgiven. Oh, yes, maybe some context, and a bit of journalistic skepticism about the narrative of a plaintiffs attorney making millions off these cases.
That's still a story worth pursuing.
The Shape of Fears to Come
Now that global warming seems to cooling off as our environmental panic du jour, the WSJ's Bret Stephens opens it up to his readers to speculate on what sky will be the next to be claimed to be falling:
Given the inescapability of weather, it's no wonder global warming gripped the public mind as long as it did. And there's always some extreme-weather event happening somewhere to be offered as further evidence of impending catastrophe. But even weather gets boring, and so do the people who natter about it incessantly. What this decade requires is a new and better panic.
Herewith, then, I propose a readers' contest to invent the next panic. It must involve something ubiquitous, invisible to the naked eye, and preferably mass-produced. And the solution must require taxes, regulation, and other changes to civilization as we know it. The winner gets a beer and a burger, on me, at the 47th street Pig N' Whistle in New York City. (Nachos for vegetarians.) Happy panicking!
At first blush, this may seem like an invitation to take candy from a baby (although usually getting beer from a journalist is more like blood from a turnip). After all, a good part of the public seems increasingly willing to buy into whatever environmental catastrophe is being peddled at the time.
However, when you think about all the scares that have already been foisted on us, you realize there aren't that many options still out there. In addition to the weather, we've also been told to worry about rain (acid), the sun (harmful UV rays), the sky (ozone depletion), the air (polluted), the water (contaminated), and the ground (radon gases). And then there's the unseen dangers posed by power lines, cell phones, TV/radio antennas, and microwaves that have been a boon for Big Tinfoil. Fertilizer, genetically modified crops, carbon dioxide, pesticides, lead paint, DDT, artificial sweeteners, irradiated meat, charcoal grills, and pretty much every chemical ever identified? Bad, bad, bad! We've also been regularly told that we're on the verge of running out of oil, water, land, trees, food, and minerals. Because we've got too many people and the population of the earth in ___ (insert year) will become unsustainable for humanity.
Given all that we've been told to fear already, what else is there for environmental scare-mongers to throw at us next? Nothing immediately comes to mind, but the lure of a burger and beer on Bret Stephens should provide some powerful motivation.
Given the inescapability of weather, it's no wonder global warming gripped the public mind as long as it did. And there's always some extreme-weather event happening somewhere to be offered as further evidence of impending catastrophe. But even weather gets boring, and so do the people who natter about it incessantly. What this decade requires is a new and better panic.
Herewith, then, I propose a readers' contest to invent the next panic. It must involve something ubiquitous, invisible to the naked eye, and preferably mass-produced. And the solution must require taxes, regulation, and other changes to civilization as we know it. The winner gets a beer and a burger, on me, at the 47th street Pig N' Whistle in New York City. (Nachos for vegetarians.) Happy panicking!
At first blush, this may seem like an invitation to take candy from a baby (although usually getting beer from a journalist is more like blood from a turnip). After all, a good part of the public seems increasingly willing to buy into whatever environmental catastrophe is being peddled at the time.
However, when you think about all the scares that have already been foisted on us, you realize there aren't that many options still out there. In addition to the weather, we've also been told to worry about rain (acid), the sun (harmful UV rays), the sky (ozone depletion), the air (polluted), the water (contaminated), and the ground (radon gases). And then there's the unseen dangers posed by power lines, cell phones, TV/radio antennas, and microwaves that have been a boon for Big Tinfoil. Fertilizer, genetically modified crops, carbon dioxide, pesticides, lead paint, DDT, artificial sweeteners, irradiated meat, charcoal grills, and pretty much every chemical ever identified? Bad, bad, bad! We've also been regularly told that we're on the verge of running out of oil, water, land, trees, food, and minerals. Because we've got too many people and the population of the earth in ___ (insert year) will become unsustainable for humanity.
Given all that we've been told to fear already, what else is there for environmental scare-mongers to throw at us next? Nothing immediately comes to mind, but the lure of a burger and beer on Bret Stephens should provide some powerful motivation.
Monday, April 05, 2010
The Way God Intended
The last outdoor major league baseball game I attended in Minnesota was on September 30th, 1981 at Metropolitan Stadium. It was also the last Twins game at the Met. After the contest ended, I joined the mob that clambered on to the field in search of souvenirs. Somewhere in my sport memorabilia archives, I have a jar that still contains some infield dirt that I scooped up that day and a ripped piece of the canvas that covered the outfield wall.
I also had the "privilege" of attending the first regular season Twins game at the Metrodome the following spring. Between then and now I've suffered through all the indignities of indoor baseball. At times, I grudgingly put up with these artificial conditions as the price to be paid for seeing the local nine in action. At other times--especially on those all too few splendid days of summer--I chose not to spend my time indoors watching baseball as it most certainly was not meant to be played.
It's been a long drought, one that I am happy to say came to end last Saturday. Thanks to Atomizer and his well-placed connections, my eldest son and I were able to attend the exhibition game against the Cardinals at Target Field. Saint Paul and his lovely bride were also the beneficiaries of Atomizer's privileged position as one of the architects of the ballpark and they shared the view from seats next to ours:
Okay maybe they were a little close to the Bob Uecker section, but under the blue skies and warm sunshine at Target Field, there truly ain't a bad seat in the house. With temps in the fifties and bit of a brisk wind, being in the sun definitely made a difference. And our vantage point of downtown was better than in other areas of the ballpark.
The only downsides were that our view of the big scoreboard was skewed:
And the left fielders would disappear from view on well-hit balls. Which at times might be a blessing when Delmon Young is fielding the position for the Twins. It also probably was better not to be within actual earshot when Atomizer and the other members of the "Mortenson Construction Choir" belted out the National Anthem before the game:
The park itself is a beauty. Good aesthetics and attention to detail create a pleasant visual atmosphere. It's not a cookie cutter stadium and definitely has character. Most of all it's built for baseball, which means not only that the dimensions of the field flow seamlessly into the stands, but that the seats are actually set up to watch the game. From a practical standpoint, the open concourses, comfortable seats, good variety of food at plenty of concession stands, and easily accessible bathrooms make for a enjoyable fan experience.
It was my son's first ball game ever and he seemed to have a great time, even if he really didn't know what was going on down on the field most of the time. Four-year-olds aren't exactly renowned for their attention spans and the fact that he last through seven full innings without getting too antsy is a testament to the ballpark's appeal. Rumors that he chucked an empty water bottle in the deck below us are greatly exaggerated. If anyone in our section would be capable of such loutish behavior, past history would tend to point to Saint Paul as the prime suspect.
There's been some whining about the parking situation, but we found it more than manageable with just a modicum of planning. After consulting a map of downtown parking options, I chose the ramp on 11th and Harmon. Yes, it's a bit of a hike, but on a nice day what's wrong with walking downtown? You get a bit of exercise, have an easier exit after the game, and save a spot of change. We paid just $4 to park as opposed to the thirteen clams that Saint Paul shelled out to park in one of the ramps near Target Center. I also saw surface lots charging $5 and then $10 and $15 as you get closer to field. Now, this was a Saturday and I imagine it will be dicier on weekdays, especially for day games. But still, if you do your homework and come up with a couple of parking options beforehand, it should not be a big deal.
My only complaint from Saturday--other than the limited selection of good beers--is that you run into some "can't get there from here" frustration at Target Field. Once you're safely inside the turnstiles, it's fairly easy to move about the ballpark. But before you gain admittance, it can be challenging to get from point A to point B or in our case on Saturday from Gate 34 to Gate 6. Some of this comes with the territory of having a ballpark built on a small footprint in an urban area. It's not going to be as easy to get around the outside as the Dome was. But again, with a bit of planning and forethought, this shouldn't be a big deal to work around.
And work around it I will. After twenty-seven years inside, Twins fans can finally enjoy baseball outside in all the natural elements again. Saturday afternoon reminded me once more just how much fun that can be.
UPDATE: Yes, we did boo the legislators before the first pitch. On a bipartisan bias too, we didn't hold back for the Republicans. Sadly, we seemed to be among the few fans who cared about the legislators one way or another. I suppose when you're in a beautiful ballpark anticipating an afternoon of baseball, abject apathy to politicans is only natural.
I also had the "privilege" of attending the first regular season Twins game at the Metrodome the following spring. Between then and now I've suffered through all the indignities of indoor baseball. At times, I grudgingly put up with these artificial conditions as the price to be paid for seeing the local nine in action. At other times--especially on those all too few splendid days of summer--I chose not to spend my time indoors watching baseball as it most certainly was not meant to be played.
It's been a long drought, one that I am happy to say came to end last Saturday. Thanks to Atomizer and his well-placed connections, my eldest son and I were able to attend the exhibition game against the Cardinals at Target Field. Saint Paul and his lovely bride were also the beneficiaries of Atomizer's privileged position as one of the architects of the ballpark and they shared the view from seats next to ours:
Okay maybe they were a little close to the Bob Uecker section, but under the blue skies and warm sunshine at Target Field, there truly ain't a bad seat in the house. With temps in the fifties and bit of a brisk wind, being in the sun definitely made a difference. And our vantage point of downtown was better than in other areas of the ballpark.
The only downsides were that our view of the big scoreboard was skewed:
And the left fielders would disappear from view on well-hit balls. Which at times might be a blessing when Delmon Young is fielding the position for the Twins. It also probably was better not to be within actual earshot when Atomizer and the other members of the "Mortenson Construction Choir" belted out the National Anthem before the game:
The park itself is a beauty. Good aesthetics and attention to detail create a pleasant visual atmosphere. It's not a cookie cutter stadium and definitely has character. Most of all it's built for baseball, which means not only that the dimensions of the field flow seamlessly into the stands, but that the seats are actually set up to watch the game. From a practical standpoint, the open concourses, comfortable seats, good variety of food at plenty of concession stands, and easily accessible bathrooms make for a enjoyable fan experience.
It was my son's first ball game ever and he seemed to have a great time, even if he really didn't know what was going on down on the field most of the time. Four-year-olds aren't exactly renowned for their attention spans and the fact that he last through seven full innings without getting too antsy is a testament to the ballpark's appeal. Rumors that he chucked an empty water bottle in the deck below us are greatly exaggerated. If anyone in our section would be capable of such loutish behavior, past history would tend to point to Saint Paul as the prime suspect.
There's been some whining about the parking situation, but we found it more than manageable with just a modicum of planning. After consulting a map of downtown parking options, I chose the ramp on 11th and Harmon. Yes, it's a bit of a hike, but on a nice day what's wrong with walking downtown? You get a bit of exercise, have an easier exit after the game, and save a spot of change. We paid just $4 to park as opposed to the thirteen clams that Saint Paul shelled out to park in one of the ramps near Target Center. I also saw surface lots charging $5 and then $10 and $15 as you get closer to field. Now, this was a Saturday and I imagine it will be dicier on weekdays, especially for day games. But still, if you do your homework and come up with a couple of parking options beforehand, it should not be a big deal.
My only complaint from Saturday--other than the limited selection of good beers--is that you run into some "can't get there from here" frustration at Target Field. Once you're safely inside the turnstiles, it's fairly easy to move about the ballpark. But before you gain admittance, it can be challenging to get from point A to point B or in our case on Saturday from Gate 34 to Gate 6. Some of this comes with the territory of having a ballpark built on a small footprint in an urban area. It's not going to be as easy to get around the outside as the Dome was. But again, with a bit of planning and forethought, this shouldn't be a big deal to work around.
And work around it I will. After twenty-seven years inside, Twins fans can finally enjoy baseball outside in all the natural elements again. Saturday afternoon reminded me once more just how much fun that can be.
UPDATE: Yes, we did boo the legislators before the first pitch. On a bipartisan bias too, we didn't hold back for the Republicans. Sadly, we seemed to be among the few fans who cared about the legislators one way or another. I suppose when you're in a beautiful ballpark anticipating an afternoon of baseball, abject apathy to politicans is only natural.
Separated at Birth?
From "The Office," geeky paper salesman Andrew Bernard and...
...from Fox News, geeky political salesman Glenn Beck?
...from Fox News, geeky political salesman Glenn Beck?
Saturday, April 03, 2010
To Boo or Not to Boo?
I see from Chad's post that today's festive Twins exhibition game at the sparkly new Target Field will be turned into a bona fide boopportunity.
Far be it from me to interject negativity into what should be a grand day at the ball park, rain or shine. But I didn't invite these ego tripping politicians into what should be an entirely non-political event.
The legislators responsible for funneling hundreds of millions in tax dollars to subsidize the Twins are now being given a once in a lifetime honor and special access to the game by the Twins. This is what people with common sense call "the appearance of impropriety". Even if you like the idea of public money going to professional sports stadiums, the spectacle of those who made it happen personally benefitting from their decisions is malodorous. For a politician to gleefully accept this offer, this flaunting of ethics in front of tens of thousands of the public, tells you how much they think the voters care about what happens to the public's money.
It also remains to be seen who the "legislators who contributed to the creation of Target Field" are specifically. The greatest credit has to go to the four members of the Hennepin County Board of Supervisors who provided the barest 4-3 majority to let the countywide sales tax to kick in. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to: Peter McLaughlin, Mike Opat, Randy Johnson, and Mark Stenglein.
As they're not technically legislators, maybe they're saving their rapturous curtain calls for a World Series game or something.
The Minnesota state legislature did provide a key vote in approving this funding source. The results from the House of Representatives are listed here. The results from the Senate here.
Among the noteworthy names voting yes, please give a hardy Minnesota cheer to current gubernatorial candidates: Matt Entenza, Margaret Anderson Keliher, and Tom Rukavina.
Note that two other gubernatorial candidates will not be invited by the Twins to take bows and receive special favors. They voted "no" and are relegated to watching from the stands along with the hoi polloi: Tom Emmer and Marty Seifert.
Also of note to 6th District voters, voting yes for the government to take hundreds of millions of dollars from the public and channel it to a preferred special interest, DFL endorsed candidate Tarryl Clark. Voting no, let the people keep their money and spend it on the entertainment they chose: Michele Bachmann.
That's not to say that support for Twins funding was a purely partisan affair. Among the "yes" votes, and potentially taking their bows Saturday afternoon, are Republicans like Laura Brod, Dave Senjem, and Steve Sviggum. In terms of booing options, there's something for everybody.
Will the people boo or just sit on their hands, or even applaud these legislators, while the political classstinks up this place of honor takes their bows and throws out the first pitch? Knowing Minnesotans as I do, I predict the latter.
1:02 p.m. -- Ceremonial first pitches by legislators who contributed to the
creation of Target Field
Far be it from me to interject negativity into what should be a grand day at the ball park, rain or shine. But I didn't invite these ego tripping politicians into what should be an entirely non-political event.
The legislators responsible for funneling hundreds of millions in tax dollars to subsidize the Twins are now being given a once in a lifetime honor and special access to the game by the Twins. This is what people with common sense call "the appearance of impropriety". Even if you like the idea of public money going to professional sports stadiums, the spectacle of those who made it happen personally benefitting from their decisions is malodorous. For a politician to gleefully accept this offer, this flaunting of ethics in front of tens of thousands of the public, tells you how much they think the voters care about what happens to the public's money.
It also remains to be seen who the "legislators who contributed to the creation of Target Field" are specifically. The greatest credit has to go to the four members of the Hennepin County Board of Supervisors who provided the barest 4-3 majority to let the countywide sales tax to kick in. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to: Peter McLaughlin, Mike Opat, Randy Johnson, and Mark Stenglein.
As they're not technically legislators, maybe they're saving their rapturous curtain calls for a World Series game or something.
The Minnesota state legislature did provide a key vote in approving this funding source. The results from the House of Representatives are listed here. The results from the Senate here.
Among the noteworthy names voting yes, please give a hardy Minnesota cheer to current gubernatorial candidates: Matt Entenza, Margaret Anderson Keliher, and Tom Rukavina.
Note that two other gubernatorial candidates will not be invited by the Twins to take bows and receive special favors. They voted "no" and are relegated to watching from the stands along with the hoi polloi: Tom Emmer and Marty Seifert.
Also of note to 6th District voters, voting yes for the government to take hundreds of millions of dollars from the public and channel it to a preferred special interest, DFL endorsed candidate Tarryl Clark. Voting no, let the people keep their money and spend it on the entertainment they chose: Michele Bachmann.
That's not to say that support for Twins funding was a purely partisan affair. Among the "yes" votes, and potentially taking their bows Saturday afternoon, are Republicans like Laura Brod, Dave Senjem, and Steve Sviggum. In terms of booing options, there's something for everybody.
Will the people boo or just sit on their hands, or even applaud these legislators, while the political class
Friday, April 02, 2010
Beer of the Week (Vol. XLIX)
Another edition of Beer of the Week brought to you by the faithful folks at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits who can help bring some life into your Easter Weekend.
Some may think it a tad sacrilegious to continue the Beer of the Week series on a day as holy as Good Friday. But there's no reason that beer and Christianity can't be compatible. From the Patron Saints of Beer to the monks who used strong beer to see them through their Lenten fast, Christians and beer have a long history together.
If the monks were looking for a hearty Lenten beer today, they might find this week's beer to be a good fit. From Big Sky Brewing in Missoula, Montana we have Bobo's Robust Porter.
Plain brown bottle. Label is has the standard big Sky look with a less than robust looking scrawny mutt in front of snow capped mountains and big blue sky.
Beer Style: Porter
Alcohol by Volume: 6.2%
COLOR (0-2): Deep black. How much more black could it be? None more black. 2
AROMA (0-2): Roasted malt with some chocolate and coffee. 2
HEAD (0-2): Voluminous, foamy brown. Good lacing. 2
TASTE (0-5): Similar to the smell with roasted malt flavor followed by chocolate and coffee. Some light hop bitterness as well. Medium bodied with a creamy mouthfeel. 4
AFTERTASTE (0-2): Silky smooth and dry. 2
OVERALL (0-6): Porter is one of my favorite styles and this is definitely a good one. Sometimes porters--like a good dessert--can be too rich to the point where they almost leave a sour finish. They might taste good after the first sip, but by the time you reach the bottom of the glass, you've had more than enough. That's not the case with Big Sky's Robust Porter. It's well-balanced and combines fairly strong flavors with a nice smooth finish. 4
TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 16
May all of you enjoy a blessed Easter. And if you gave up beer for Lent this year, may you especially enjoy the end of your long fast.
Some may think it a tad sacrilegious to continue the Beer of the Week series on a day as holy as Good Friday. But there's no reason that beer and Christianity can't be compatible. From the Patron Saints of Beer to the monks who used strong beer to see them through their Lenten fast, Christians and beer have a long history together.
If the monks were looking for a hearty Lenten beer today, they might find this week's beer to be a good fit. From Big Sky Brewing in Missoula, Montana we have Bobo's Robust Porter.
Plain brown bottle. Label is has the standard big Sky look with a less than robust looking scrawny mutt in front of snow capped mountains and big blue sky.
Beer Style: Porter Alcohol by Volume: 6.2%
COLOR (0-2): Deep black. How much more black could it be? None more black. 2
AROMA (0-2): Roasted malt with some chocolate and coffee. 2
HEAD (0-2): Voluminous, foamy brown. Good lacing. 2
TASTE (0-5): Similar to the smell with roasted malt flavor followed by chocolate and coffee. Some light hop bitterness as well. Medium bodied with a creamy mouthfeel. 4
AFTERTASTE (0-2): Silky smooth and dry. 2
OVERALL (0-6): Porter is one of my favorite styles and this is definitely a good one. Sometimes porters--like a good dessert--can be too rich to the point where they almost leave a sour finish. They might taste good after the first sip, but by the time you reach the bottom of the glass, you've had more than enough. That's not the case with Big Sky's Robust Porter. It's well-balanced and combines fairly strong flavors with a nice smooth finish. 4
TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 16
May all of you enjoy a blessed Easter. And if you gave up beer for Lent this year, may you especially enjoy the end of your long fast.
Boo Birds?
On Monday, Saint Paul had a post on politics and first pitches that closed with him wondering:
On the local front, I've not seen any reports about politicians making appearances at the Twins opener in Target Field. I can only image the reception an Al Franken, Betty McCollum, or Jim Oberstar might get. It might be worth them trying to horn in on the limelight, just to hear the reaction. I doubt they will be there though. Not a good fit and they know better than to openly subject themselves to public opinion like that. For them, the people may have to save their boos for the next time they encounter them on a ballot.
Since both Saint Paul and I will be attending tomorrow's exhibition game against the Cardinals, I was curious about who might be tossing the opening ball at Target Field before the tilt:
1:02 p.m.--Ceremonial first pitches by legislators who contributed to the creation of Target Field
Ah yes, those brave legislators who helped make it all happen. Usually those folks are so humble and retiring that it's difficult to get them to come forward and take credit for anything so it's nice to see them get a chance to be recognized for all their hard work. They are the real heroes.
Of course as a taxpayer in Hennepin County who happens to be, you know, ACTUALLY PAYING for the stadium I might have chosen a different crew for opening pitch duty. Such as a randomly selected group of residents of Hennepin County who have and will continue to, PAY FOR the beautiful little ballpark that all Twins fans will surely enjoy.
As to our noble and wise legislators, maybe instead of basking in the glory and getting kudos for the role they played in making Target Field happen, they could spend a little time on the other side of the equation for a change. Instead of throwing out the first pitch at Target Field, how about standing next to a cash register at one of the many Target stores in Hennepin County and explaining to shoppers why they should be happy to pay more sales tax to fund Target Field? Don't think we'll see that happening any time soon.
One final question: would it hypocritical to boo the legislators who contributed to the creation of Target Field while personally enjoying the ambience and atmosphere of the ballpark at the same time? I have a hunch that tomorrow we may just find the answer.
On the local front, I've not seen any reports about politicians making appearances at the Twins opener in Target Field. I can only image the reception an Al Franken, Betty McCollum, or Jim Oberstar might get. It might be worth them trying to horn in on the limelight, just to hear the reaction. I doubt they will be there though. Not a good fit and they know better than to openly subject themselves to public opinion like that. For them, the people may have to save their boos for the next time they encounter them on a ballot.
Since both Saint Paul and I will be attending tomorrow's exhibition game against the Cardinals, I was curious about who might be tossing the opening ball at Target Field before the tilt:
1:02 p.m.--Ceremonial first pitches by legislators who contributed to the creation of Target Field
Ah yes, those brave legislators who helped make it all happen. Usually those folks are so humble and retiring that it's difficult to get them to come forward and take credit for anything so it's nice to see them get a chance to be recognized for all their hard work. They are the real heroes.
Of course as a taxpayer in Hennepin County who happens to be, you know, ACTUALLY PAYING for the stadium I might have chosen a different crew for opening pitch duty. Such as a randomly selected group of residents of Hennepin County who have and will continue to, PAY FOR the beautiful little ballpark that all Twins fans will surely enjoy.
As to our noble and wise legislators, maybe instead of basking in the glory and getting kudos for the role they played in making Target Field happen, they could spend a little time on the other side of the equation for a change. Instead of throwing out the first pitch at Target Field, how about standing next to a cash register at one of the many Target stores in Hennepin County and explaining to shoppers why they should be happy to pay more sales tax to fund Target Field? Don't think we'll see that happening any time soon.
One final question: would it hypocritical to boo the legislators who contributed to the creation of Target Field while personally enjoying the ambience and atmosphere of the ballpark at the same time? I have a hunch that tomorrow we may just find the answer.
Thirty-Four Bottles of Beer...
It's hard for a local beer lover not to get excited when you see a story with the headline Target Field opening day roster includes 34 beers. Thirty-four beers to choose from to enjoy at the beautiful new outdoor ballpark? Can't get much better than that, can it?
However, as is so often the case, the devil is in the details:
Budweiser, an Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. brand, has sponsored the Twins for more than two decades, and it's no surprise that the stadium carries Budweiser, Bud Light, Bud Select, Bud Light Lime and Bud Light Wheat.
I've yet to try Bud Light Wheat, but based on past experience with the brand I'm pretty confident in saying that we're off to an 0-4 start.
Other Anheuser-Busch-owned brews will be available, such as Michelob Golden Draft, Michelob Golden Draft Light, Michelob Ultra, Michelob AmberBock, Rolling Rock, Shock Top and O'Doul's Amber.
Shock Top is decent. So where does that get us, one for eleven?
There's plenty of room for other brands in the stands, and Miller and Coors products aren't verboten. Fans can purchase Miller Lite, Coors Light, Miller Genuine Draft and MGD 64.
Four more whiffs. Out of fifteen beer varieties listed so far, ONE is drinkable.
Local brews are also available: Finnegans, Schells Seasonal, Summit EPA, Summit Seasonal, Grainbelt Premium and Grainbelt Light. There's also Leinenkugel's Original, Honey Weiss and Summer Shandy.
Sigh. Local brews? From Wisconsin? Obviously, this grouping is an improvement to the previous beers mentioned. Finnegans, Schells Seasonal, Summit EPA, and Summit Seasonal are solid selections, although that could vary depending on what the seasonals are. I still like to quaff an occasional Grain Belt Premium, but I won't try to pretend that it's a good beer. Leinie's Original and Honey Weiss do nothing for me. I am partial to the Summer Shandy, although I'd prefer the Sunset Wheat for a summer offering.
The bigger issue though is what's missing. I know that Surly was considering tapping into Target Field, but they were worried about the price they would have to charge. Looking at what's currently available, I'd be more than happy to pay more for a better beer. Not that the current offerings will exactly be cheap:
Domestic beers are priced at $6 for 12 oz. glasses, $7 for 20 oz. taps and 16 oz. bottles and $8 for aluminum bottles. Premium drinkers will pay an extra 50 cents. Domestic 24 oz. cans are priced at $9.
In addition to Surly, how about Flat Earth, Lift Bridge, and Fulton's? The Twins attract a lot of outstate fans, so why not also offer selections from Lake Superior, Brau Brothers, or Mantorville? Support the local team and enjoy local beer.
Rounding out the beer list is Landshark, Guinness, Heineken, Heineken Light, Stella, Corona, Dos Equis, Samuel Adams and Amstel Light.
While I'm always happy to have Guinness as an option, it just doesn't seem the right fit for a ball game. Stella and Dos Equis are decent imports and the classic Samuel Adams Boston Lager is another solid brew. Again, considering the venue maybe Sam Adams Summer Ale would be a better choice.
So yes, Target Field does indeed offer thirty-four beers for thirsty fans. Unfortunately, according to my calculations, only about ten are actually feasible options for the more discriminating beer drinker. And of those ten, the majority are solid utility beers, not packing the kind of power to knock it out of the park taste-wise. More is clearly not always better.
However, as is so often the case, the devil is in the details:
Budweiser, an Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. brand, has sponsored the Twins for more than two decades, and it's no surprise that the stadium carries Budweiser, Bud Light, Bud Select, Bud Light Lime and Bud Light Wheat.
I've yet to try Bud Light Wheat, but based on past experience with the brand I'm pretty confident in saying that we're off to an 0-4 start.
Other Anheuser-Busch-owned brews will be available, such as Michelob Golden Draft, Michelob Golden Draft Light, Michelob Ultra, Michelob AmberBock, Rolling Rock, Shock Top and O'Doul's Amber.
Shock Top is decent. So where does that get us, one for eleven?
There's plenty of room for other brands in the stands, and Miller and Coors products aren't verboten. Fans can purchase Miller Lite, Coors Light, Miller Genuine Draft and MGD 64.
Four more whiffs. Out of fifteen beer varieties listed so far, ONE is drinkable.
Local brews are also available: Finnegans, Schells Seasonal, Summit EPA, Summit Seasonal, Grainbelt Premium and Grainbelt Light. There's also Leinenkugel's Original, Honey Weiss and Summer Shandy.
Sigh. Local brews? From Wisconsin? Obviously, this grouping is an improvement to the previous beers mentioned. Finnegans, Schells Seasonal, Summit EPA, and Summit Seasonal are solid selections, although that could vary depending on what the seasonals are. I still like to quaff an occasional Grain Belt Premium, but I won't try to pretend that it's a good beer. Leinie's Original and Honey Weiss do nothing for me. I am partial to the Summer Shandy, although I'd prefer the Sunset Wheat for a summer offering.
The bigger issue though is what's missing. I know that Surly was considering tapping into Target Field, but they were worried about the price they would have to charge. Looking at what's currently available, I'd be more than happy to pay more for a better beer. Not that the current offerings will exactly be cheap:
Domestic beers are priced at $6 for 12 oz. glasses, $7 for 20 oz. taps and 16 oz. bottles and $8 for aluminum bottles. Premium drinkers will pay an extra 50 cents. Domestic 24 oz. cans are priced at $9.
In addition to Surly, how about Flat Earth, Lift Bridge, and Fulton's? The Twins attract a lot of outstate fans, so why not also offer selections from Lake Superior, Brau Brothers, or Mantorville? Support the local team and enjoy local beer.
Rounding out the beer list is Landshark, Guinness, Heineken, Heineken Light, Stella, Corona, Dos Equis, Samuel Adams and Amstel Light.
While I'm always happy to have Guinness as an option, it just doesn't seem the right fit for a ball game. Stella and Dos Equis are decent imports and the classic Samuel Adams Boston Lager is another solid brew. Again, considering the venue maybe Sam Adams Summer Ale would be a better choice.
So yes, Target Field does indeed offer thirty-four beers for thirsty fans. Unfortunately, according to my calculations, only about ten are actually feasible options for the more discriminating beer drinker. And of those ten, the majority are solid utility beers, not packing the kind of power to knock it out of the park taste-wise. More is clearly not always better.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
The Plot's The Thing
If you're looking for elements to make up a good thriller, you usually can't go wrong with the three Ms: medicine, military, and murder. Thomas Jackson manages to combine the three in his first fictional effort Death of a Cure: A Thomas Briggs Novel
.
"Death of a Cure" introduces us to Dr. Thomas Briggs, a Marine surgeon who's a member of an elite military unit that conducts special operations. We first meet Dr. Briggs as he prepares for a rather unusual insertion. The story is told through the eyes of Briggs, who, after completion of the novel-opening mission, learns of the death of his brother, a renowned medical researcher in New York City. Briggs travels to New York to find that police believe his brother committed suicide. He isn't satisfied with that answer and endeavors to learn what really happened to his brother.
After quickly realizing that he's in over his head, he gladly accepts the assistance of his "friend" and FBI agent Marilena Riggatti. As the two of them work to discover the truth, their relationship develops into much more than friendship. Clichéd yes, but pretty well done. There's enough romance and sex to keep you interested without being gratuitous.
Early in the book, you realize that Jackson has a number of hobby horses which he intends to ride hard in his writing. Airport security is one and corporate bureaucracy is another. But the chief focus of the author's ire are non-profit organizations whose mission is to cure diseases. Jackson is obviously highly skeptical of their claims to altruism and a good part of the book consists of Dr. Briggs uncovering the unseemly underbelly of the organization on whose behalf his dead brother toiled.
The strength of "Death of a Cure" lies in the characters. Thomas Briggs is a likeable yet flawed hero. He's far from perfect, especially when it comes to exercising patient or navigating social situations. Even though most of us can't relate to what he does for a living or his background, we can appreciate his limitations and his struggles to overcome them.
The weakness of the book is the plot. At a broad level, it's probably something that could work. The problem is in the way it unfolds. There's not enough mystery or enough thrills to really engage the reader. There aren't any red herrings or dead ends to get stuck on, because it's never really clear who the main suspects are, what their motivations might be, or how it all could tie together. A good mystery encourages you to speculate and keeps you guessing. This does neither. We see the ending coming far too soon and the actions of Dr. Briggs and FBI agent Riggatti leading up to it are implausible.
This being Jackson's first effort at the mystery/thriller genre and because he has managed to craft some appealing characters, I'm willing to give him another chance with the next Thomas Briggs novel. A characters as good as Dr. Briggs deserves a much better plot.
. "Death of a Cure" introduces us to Dr. Thomas Briggs, a Marine surgeon who's a member of an elite military unit that conducts special operations. We first meet Dr. Briggs as he prepares for a rather unusual insertion. The story is told through the eyes of Briggs, who, after completion of the novel-opening mission, learns of the death of his brother, a renowned medical researcher in New York City. Briggs travels to New York to find that police believe his brother committed suicide. He isn't satisfied with that answer and endeavors to learn what really happened to his brother.
After quickly realizing that he's in over his head, he gladly accepts the assistance of his "friend" and FBI agent Marilena Riggatti. As the two of them work to discover the truth, their relationship develops into much more than friendship. Clichéd yes, but pretty well done. There's enough romance and sex to keep you interested without being gratuitous.
Early in the book, you realize that Jackson has a number of hobby horses which he intends to ride hard in his writing. Airport security is one and corporate bureaucracy is another. But the chief focus of the author's ire are non-profit organizations whose mission is to cure diseases. Jackson is obviously highly skeptical of their claims to altruism and a good part of the book consists of Dr. Briggs uncovering the unseemly underbelly of the organization on whose behalf his dead brother toiled.
The strength of "Death of a Cure" lies in the characters. Thomas Briggs is a likeable yet flawed hero. He's far from perfect, especially when it comes to exercising patient or navigating social situations. Even though most of us can't relate to what he does for a living or his background, we can appreciate his limitations and his struggles to overcome them.
The weakness of the book is the plot. At a broad level, it's probably something that could work. The problem is in the way it unfolds. There's not enough mystery or enough thrills to really engage the reader. There aren't any red herrings or dead ends to get stuck on, because it's never really clear who the main suspects are, what their motivations might be, or how it all could tie together. A good mystery encourages you to speculate and keeps you guessing. This does neither. We see the ending coming far too soon and the actions of Dr. Briggs and FBI agent Riggatti leading up to it are implausible.
This being Jackson's first effort at the mystery/thriller genre and because he has managed to craft some appealing characters, I'm willing to give him another chance with the next Thomas Briggs novel. A characters as good as Dr. Briggs deserves a much better plot.
Poor, Poor Pitiful Me
Time for a quick status check on those who represent me and mine in the halls of power.
The President of the United States is Barack Obama.
The Vice President of the United States is Joe Biden.
The leader of the United States Senate is Harry Reid.
The speaker of the United States House of Representatives is Nancy Pelosi.
Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken are my United States Senators.
Keith Ellison is my Congressman.
Ron Latz is my state senator.
And this chowderhead is my state representative.
Representative democracy anyone?
The President of the United States is Barack Obama.
The Vice President of the United States is Joe Biden.
The leader of the United States Senate is Harry Reid.
The speaker of the United States House of Representatives is Nancy Pelosi.
Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken are my United States Senators.
Keith Ellison is my Congressman.
Ron Latz is my state senator.
And this chowderhead is my state representative.
Representative democracy anyone?
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