Beer Tasting

So this past Saturday evening offered my a test-run into a little possible side project for me. I put together and ran a beer tasting session, and really enjoyed it.

As nerdy as it sounds, my folks held a show at their house for a local potter. My mom is also a potter (with a degree in fine arts/ceramics from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit) and has a shed in the yard where she throws pots (all joking aside). They invited a very talented local potter, Jon Whitney, who put a beautiful representation of his work on display for purchase. He also borrowed my mom's studio and did a few demos on throwing pots (all jokes aside). Go check out his web site; his art is gorgeous and functional.

To break things up a bit, they offered both a wine and beer tasting. Of course, since I am putting together different programs for beer tastings, they asked me to try it out.

Given the October timeline and theme (lots of German-style food at the party), I figured I'd do a German beer tasting. I chose four very different beers that were different from what everyone thinks of in terms of German beer (Warsteiner, St. Pauli Girl, Heineken): Atwater Brewery's Maibock, Atwater Brewery's Oktoberfest (Bloktoberfest), Paulaner's Hefe Weizen and Ayinger's Celebrator.

This tasting was a come-and-go-as-you-please setup, so I repeated myself a lot. In the future, I'd sort of like to try it all at once. But for a reception-style party, it made a ton of sense to be flexible. As people approached, I did a brief explanation (with a write-up) about the 4 ingredients of beer and their interplay. I also supplied a write-up of each of the 4 beers I brought that was essentially a simplified version of the BJCP guidelines for each of those beers (including appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel and overall impression as well as history and commercial examples). Next to each sensory category, I left blanks so people could write their own impressions and the challenge was to see if they could see, taste and smell each of what is prescribed as well as simply be aware of what they are tasting (That's what I tasted...I just couldn't put my finger on it)..

As for order, I began the evening walking people from the Maibock to the Hefe to the Oktoberfest and then the Doppelbock. But part way through it occured to me to swtich it up just a bit. I started people with the Hefe (as the delicate clove and banana esters could go missing if one started with a stronger beer), then the Oktoberfest. Then I gave them the Maibock followed by the Doppelbock on the understanding that a Maibock and a Doppelbock are in the same "family" category in the BJCP Guidelines (a bock is a bock, be it Mai, Doppel, Traditional or Eis) so people could get a sense of the evolution of the bock. People were surprised at some of the similarities between a very light and a very dark beer.

Apparently, my spot was a pretty popular hangout. People left knowing and appreciating just a bit more about various types of beer and at the very least commented that they expanded their horizons of German beer beyond the pilsner.

With one solid tasting under my belt, along with the requisite self-critique of what I could do better, I'd really like to find more opportunities to branch out and do this more often.

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"Make sure your seatbacks and tray tables are in their upright... oh, forget it, we're all going to die anyway"

Travelling is usually an enlightening experience. This was certainly true of my recent three-day trip to visit my sister in New York City. Some of the gems I can share with you:

• If your flight is delayed due to poor weather at your destination airport, but later the airline cancels the delay and declares that they are going to "give it a shot", beware.
• If you are on such a flight, and the pilot orders the flight attendants to take their seats and suggests that passengers tighten their seatbelts, and the flight attendants reminds you that the "barf bags are in the seat pocket in front of you," you're in for a ride.
• People lose ALL sense of humor when their plane hits turbulence.
• New York is an absolutely fascinating town. And by town, I mean large-ass megalopolis. So much to see and do, and not just in Manhattan. I highly recommend it.
• New York cabbies must be some of the most skilled drivers in the world. I imagine it's what the Blue Angels would look like if they were talking on a cell phone in a foreign language while flying.
• If you are a visitor in New York City, you will stand out. There is no way to avoid it.
• The East River has a specific smell. It's like Justice Stewart's definition of pornography... I can't define it, but I know it when I smell it.
• The people of New York have a reputation for being assholes, but I didn't find that to be the case. Except for Jets fans on Sundays. They are, as one might guess, unbridled dickheads.
• Make sure that your flight isn't scheduled for the one day where it might be difficult to get to the airport.
• Arrive early for any flights out of LaGuardia. The security lines can snake back and forth around the entire Departures section. It's like the lines at Cedar Point, only without the fun ride at the end. Unless, of course, you end up on one of the flights I mentioned earlier.
• On a 7:30 a.m. flight, worry more about the 60-year-old guy next to you than the 6-month-old in the seat in front of you. Both of them will sleep through the flight. But only the 60-year-old will snore like a lumberjack the whole way.
• The three days you leave Michigan will always, ALWAYS be the nicest few days of the month weather-wise.

Anyone else have recent travel advice?

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Video of the Week (but not every week) #7

A funny little one never seen before. Say what you want about the beer, but Bud Light commercials are pretty darn funny.

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Beer Prices to Rise!

I can handle $3.00 a gallon gas and another 6% to get my palm read, but for God's sake when will it end?

Now beer is going up?

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The Most Important Issue to Voters is...

Bullshit. The Onion is usually pretty funny, but this is so true. Scary, but true.

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How NOT to judge beer...

Unlike Smitty, I have no official beer-tasting training. I don't know the subtle differences between a bock and a dopplebock. And I don't know the right gravity for an American Pale Ale.

However, I do know a few things:

• If you hold a beer-judging event, and Old Style, Old Milwaukee Light, PBR, and Coors Lght are involved, you need to reconsider some things.
• If you hold a beer-judging event, and those beers WIN... you need to leave. right now.

And yet, I offer you solid proof that people like Smitty (and soon Colin) need to smack the rest of these amatuers off the stage...

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Schadenfreude

You ever seen someone berate someone else with such exacting language that you can't help but feel rotten....and you're not even the one being yelled at?

Enter Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez (U.S. Army - Retired). Last Friday, at the Military Reporters and Editors luncheon briefing, General Sanchez took the press corps to task first, then Congress and the President. He doled-out shame like candy at Halloween.

For a transcript, look here.

And he is right, in my estimation. He is right to berate the press folks for dishonesty and self-aggrandizement. And he is equally right to dismantle Congress and the Preznit for...well...exactly the same thing.

Some gems:

LET ME REVIEW SOME OF THE DESCRIPTIVE PHRASES THAT HAVE BEEN USED BY SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE MADE MY PERSONAL INTERFACES WITH THE PRESS CORPS DIFFICULT:

"DICTATORIAL AND SOMEWHAT DENSE",

"NOT A STRATEGIC THOUGHT",

LIAR,

"DOES NOT GET IT" AND

THE MOST INEXPERIENCED LTG.

IN SOME CASES I HAVE NEVER EVEN MET YOU, YET YOU FEEL QUALIFIED TO MAKE CHARACTER JUDGMENTS THAT ARE COMMUNICATED TO THE WORLD

Okay. So far, so good. Call them out for their personal attacks. But it gets cooler.

THIS IS THE WORST DISPLAY OF JOURNALISM IMAGINABLE BY THOSE OF US THAT ARE BOUND BY A STRICT VALUE SYSTEM OF SELFLESS SERVICE, HONOR AND INTEGRITY. ALMOST INVARIABLY, MY PERCEPTION IS THAT THE SENSATIONALISTIC VALUE OF THESE ASSESSMENTS IS WHAT PROVIDED THE EDGE THAT YOU SEEK FOR SELF AGRANDIZEMENT OR TO ADVANCE YOUR INDIVIDUAL QUEST FOR GETTING ON THE FRONT PAGE WITH YOUR STORIES! AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOUR MEASURE OF WORTH IS HOW MANY FRONT PAGE STORIES YOU HAVE WRITTEN AND UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF YOU WILL COMPROMISE YOUR INTEGRITY AND DISPLAY QUESTIONABLE ETHICS AS YOU SEEK TO KEEP AMERICA INFORMED.

Heh. Take that....everyone.

ALL ARE VICTIMS OF THE MASSIVE AGENDA DRIVEN COMPETITION FOR ECONOMIC OR POLITICAL SUPREMACY. THE DEATH KNELL OF YOUR ETHICS HAS BEEN ENABLED BY YOUR PARENT ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH POLITICAL AGENDAS. WHAT IS CLEAR TO ME IS THAT YOU ARE PERPETUATING THE CORROSIVE PARTISAN POLITICS THAT IS DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY AND KILLING OUR SERVICEMEMBERS WHO ARE AT WAR.

That says it all.

Here's some gems of his assessment of Iraq:

AFTER MORE THAN FOUR YEARS OF FIGHTING, AMERICA CONTINUES ITS DESPERATE STRUGGLE IN IRAQ WITHOUT ANY CONCERTED EFFORT TO DEVISE A STRATEGY THAT WILL ACHIEVE "VICTORY" IN THAT WAR TORN COUNTRY OR IN THE GREATER CONFLICT AGAINST EXTREMISM. FROM A CATASTROPHICALLY FLAWED, UNREALISTICALLY OPTIMISTIC WAR PLAN TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S LATEST "SURGE" STRATEGY, THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS FAILED TO EMPLOY AND SYNCHRONIZE ITS POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND MILITARY POWER. THE LATEST "REVISED STRATEGY" IS A DESPERATE ATTEMPT BY AN ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS NOT ACCEPTED THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REALITIES OF THIS WAR AND THEY HAVE DEFINITELY NOT COMMUNICATED THAT REALITY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AN EVEN WORSE AND MORE DISTURBING ASSESSMENT IS THAT AMERICA CAN NOT ACHIEVE THE POLITICAL CONSENSUS NECESSARY TO DEVISE A GRAND STRATEGY THAT WILL SYNCHRONIZE AND COMMIT OUR NATIONAL POWER TO ACHIEVE VICTORY IN IRAQ.

The rest is an elaboration on exactly that point. But be assured, his angst is directed at who was in charge when we invaded...and the Congress that is in charge now. And the Preznit.

There are some keys in his discussion, including disdain for the "coalition" that's been put together. It was hasty, as he put it, and is under-resourced, especially as the coalition members withdraw. And they withdraw, in his estimation, because we have no plan other than individual political gain.

Go read it in its entireity.

Then let's discuss.

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October-Long Oktoberfest

In recognition of the best holiday save for St. Patrick's Day (I am more Irish than German, after all), I am embarking on an all-Oktoberfest October for beer reviews.

Last week's was the ever-charming Sam Adams Oktoberfest. But for this week, we head to one of Germany's proudest breweries: Hacker-Pschorr, which dates all the way back to 1417.

This lovely German pours a gorgeous light amber color, bordering towards copper. It yielded a thick, off-white, 2-finger head. The lovely, fragrant foamleft a beautiful, small, tight lacing down the glass as it poured down my throat. Under that thick head is a sharp, crystal-clear beer. FOrget seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. I want to see it through Oktoberfest-colored glasses!

The scent of this beer, especially right after the pour, brings tidings of great joy. Great, sweet caramel and toffee right up front and dominant throughout. I caught some mildly sharp fruit like a tart apple, all balanced by a hint of roastiness. I'm sure there was a hop presence in there, but really, my nose was in the mood for the malt.

Man, these Germans can brew. Before I really got into brewing and tasting different beers, my impression of German beers was Heineken and St. Pauli Girl. Boy did I miss a whole universe of big, tasty beers. This offering from Hacker-Pschorr is one of my favorites. It is chock-full of big caramel and sweet malt, which gives the beer the impression of being sugary-sweet. I get some bread crust taste as well; a neutral sweetness to balance what could otherwise be a pretty cloying sweetness. Ah, balance; the true art of German beers. There's the slightest hint of noble hops, earthy and grassy, to lend more counter-point to the malt. But in the true form of this style of beer, it has a beautiful, simple malt flavor. Oktoberfest is all about the malt.

I'd call this beer, despite the maltiness, a medium-light bodied beer, smooth and refreshing. It is a little watery, but I'm not gonna knock it.

While Sammy A certainly offers a well-balanced beer, you just can't beat the source. We sure like the ability of an American brewery to emulate their German forbearers, but if you want to taste what the Germans are quaffing as we speak, go get this beer.

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How to Beat Your Wife

Continuing with the Mid-East theme, here is a video on the rules for beating your wife. Don't hit her in the face, don't leave bruises or draw blood, don't do it front of your kids. In other words, don't leave any evidence. While we certainly had this happen in our country's history, I find it appalling that this is still acceptable in some places.

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Non-binding Idiocy

Not wanting to be upstaged by the Senate's "outrage" at Moveon.org's NYT ad, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a measure 27-21 on Wednesday evening calling the killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in WWI, a genocide. Turkish foreign policy advisor Egeman Bagis has responded by saying that, "yesterday some in Congress wanted to play hardball. I can assure you Turkey knows how to play hardball." There is a good chance that this response would include closing off that country to US planes and supplies. In addition, it would hurt our relations with Turkey, who is also a member of NATO and an ally.

I am not condoning the conduct of Turkey, but I have a hard time understanding what this is supposed to accomplish and seriously doubt the wisdom of doing this when we already have enough strained relationships in that part of the world. I see it as a huge waste of time, and an insult to the people that elected them to work. How much lower can their approval rating go? The Democratic leadership said they would bring it to the House floor if it made it out of committee. Bush is trying to to convince them otherwise. If I were paranoid, I'd say they were doing this just to make him look bad (as if he needs any help in that area), but I'd like to think they weren't that petty.

...One can dream.

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Breaking News: Leon Sucks

As expected, Leon Drolet announced his list of recall candidates this morning, as reported in MIRS:

Today, Michigan Taxpayers Alliance (MTA) leader Leon DROLET said that there will be 10 initial recall efforts launched against lawmakers over the next few days in response to the recent 2008 budget deal - which included a tax hike and tax expansion.

The list includes five Republicans and five Democrats who voted for the tax increase/expansion measures - three GOP Senators and some surprises - particularly the fact that the list includes House Speaker Andy DILLON (D-Redford Twp.) and Senate Education Committee Chair Wayne KUIPERS (R-Holland).

In addition to Dillon and Kuipers the initial recall attempts will be launched against: Rep. Steve BIEDA (D-Warren), Rep. Marc CORRIVEAU (D-Northville), Rep. Robert DEAN (D-Grand Rapids), Rep. Ed GAFFNEY (R-Grosse Pointe Farms), Rep. Mary VALENTINE (D-Muskegon), Rep. Chris WARD (R-Brighton), Sen. Valde GARCIA (R-Howell) and Sen. Gerald VAN WOERKOM (R-Muskegon).

And while I am happy that my boss is not on the black-list, I am still disgusted by the whole thing. I'll post more about this in the near future when I'm less busy.

*** UPDATE ***

Okay, I'm back to bitch some more. My problem with this whole thing is very simple:

• Voters selected Representatives to make decisions for them.
• Representatives made decisions for them.
• Voters got pissed.

Huh?

Everyone knows the rules to this particular game; every two years, the voters in a district pick a person as their representative. Any person. It's entirely up to them. Think the guy in office right now is doing a good job? Vote for him again. Think your drunk-ass neighbor with the mullet could do a better job? Tell your friends to support him. Want to vote for a trained chimpanzee? Knock yourself out. But once that person is picked, that's your guy for two years.

Of course, voters don't always make a wise decision. The person they pick might turn out to be a complete liar. Or an idiot. Or a dick. Or they might just not see eye-to-eye with their constituents often enough. That's why the system has a built-in return policy. Don't like it? Bring it back after 730 days for a full refund.

Simple rules. Clear-cut. Did these people not get the memo? Am I out here in left field, or do people agree with me?

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Iran, and Why Michelle Malkin is Going to Destroy The Right

So today, I am a total whore for ripping-off stuff from Balloon Juice, but Mr. Cole has some excellent stuff up there today.

I was torn. I wanted badly to type something up about the SCHIP fiasco, why I think Bush is evil for his veto and some House Republicans (some, not all) are totally spineless for trying...really trying to defend his shitty position. Not wanting a piecemeal solution...health care not being run by bureaucrats...bullshit. SCHIP needs expansion. And Malkin, that shrill mouthpiece of the totally misguided Right (versus the more responsible, if not compassionate, Right), totally screwed up the Frost family incident that could have turned into a positive for the Republicans on the SCHIp front. Read it here. Then read this from Ezra Klein's site about what has happened to the Right. Anything I could add would be paltry. These guys do it right.

But then I ran across this gem on Cole's site. It's about Iran. I have long wanted to post something coherent and cogent about Iran, how it plays in the Middle East and how it may come out of the Iraq War debacle.

Suffice it to say, Ahmadinejad is a dickhead. I can't say it any better than Columbia University's President Lee Bollinger. The link goes to a transcript of Bollinger's "introduction" of Ahmadinejad (which apparently I may be one of few poeple who thought it was a great thing what Lee did), as well as to Ahadinejad's incoherent remarks after that.

That's not what this post is about. We all know he's a jerk.

What it is about, and what the Balloon Juice article from John Cole is about, is Iran's role in the Middle East. This is really important stuff. Go read it. Then come back.

Seriously. Go read it.

Back? Good. Let's talk.

Listen to Trita Parsi's interview on the Diane Rehm Show, here (yes, I know some of you hate her voice, but Jesus she does a good interview). Very interesting insites.

Here's what I get out of his interview and thoughts on Iran: they are acting, as any country would, in their own self-interest. It is not in Iran's self-interest to allow Shiite-on-Shiite violence to continue. Equally it is not in their self-interest to allow the Americans to set up another Sunni government in Iraq. And Iranian intervention is helping to create a Sunni minority. As America leaves, it is in Iran's interest to manage the situation rather than break it down further. They don't want or need chaos. They need an ally.

So as John Cole puts it, "So if Iran isn’t a crazy suicidal state committed to destroying Americans at every turn, what exactly is it?" Conside the following points drawn from Parsi:

• Iran’s and Israel’s interests more or less overlapped for most of recent history. Both countries feared Arab hegemony and supported the Kurds as a counterbalance to Iraq. For example, Israel intervened on Iran’s behalf while the revolutionaries still had American hostages.
• Invading Iraq presented a serious problem for Israel and it offered a golden opportunity for Iran. Iran would certainly ally with Iraq’s now dominant Shiites, leaving Israel with few counterbalancing options that don’t involve violence. Stuck with an impoverished chess position, Israel’s best option now involved convincing the US to attack first and hope for a more friendly Iran when the dust settles. Overhyping the threat from IEDs, nuclear programs, military aid etc. all fit this strategy.

I have to say that I agree with Cole's conclusion as well; that the balance of power previously held in the Middle East with Iraq acting as a more moderate counterpoint between Israeli-Iranian power struggles was completely upset, more or less at our doing and Israel's request. The solution now is violence.

And as Cole, this is not to call Israel or the U.S. into question as good or evil, just nations looking out for their best interests. That's just diplomacy, folks. (There is a great book called On the Origins of War and the Preservation of Peace by Donald Kagan I read some time ago. It discusses diplomacy moving to and eventually becoming war as arising from one of three principle factors: Fear, Interest and Honor. We're seeing that theory at play here. How Clausewitzian: war is but diplomacy by another means).

Does that then mean Iran purely and simply wants to destroy the U.S.? I am not so sure any more. I think they're just trying to best-position themselves as the seat of power in the new Middle East. Does that excuse Alleged Iranian-backed killings of U.S. troops? No. But it also doesn't mean it's us they're after per se. It's their own best interest. But with Bush's continual insistence, backed by General Petreaus's comments, that Iran's agenda is purely and simply anti-U.S., it puts us in a position where we have to use violence against Iran rather than figure out how we leverage each other's position for this "New Middle East."

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Why My Cat Must Die

I used to like my cat. So did Mrs. Smitty.

But now, our cat must die.

His trick, you see, is to lull us to sleep. Then, promptly at 3:00 a.m. every single morning for the last 5 months he meows and howls at the top of his kitty lungs. Right at the bottom of the stairs.

We have tried everything. In fact, this little shit, if we close our bedroom door, he stands outside our bedroom door and does it.

If we leave our bedroom door open so he will just come the Hell in, he will howl until one of us gets out of bed and yells at him. Then he'll plod up the stairs, jump on the bed and go to sleep.

Every morning.

3:00 a.m.

5 months straight.

I know what I want to do.

Any advice?

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Beer Reviews Are Back!

Nights are cold, days are getting cooler. I learned back when I was in the Marines that Northern Michigan, aroung Grayling and Gaylord, has roughly the same geography, landscape and weather as Germany and some of the Baltic states (we learned this as we geared-up for deployment to Bosnia). Why do I bring this up in a beer review?

Quite simply, because the Fall weather here is the the Fall weather the Germany has, which was the weather back on October 12, 1810...the first Oktoberfest!

From Wikipedia:

The festival is held on an area named the Theresienwiese (Field [or meadow] of Therese), often called "d’ Wiesn" for short. Beer plays a central role in the fair, with every festival beginning with a keg of beer tapped by the Mayor of Munich who declares "O'zapft is!" (Bavarian: "It’s tapped!"). A special Oktoberfest beer is brewed for the occasion, which is slightly darker and stronger, in both taste and alcohol. It is served in a one-liter-tankard called Maß. The first mass is served to the Bavarian Prime Minister. Only local Munich breweries are allowed to serve this beer in a Bierzelt, a beer tent which is large enough for thousands.

In the year 1910, Oktoberfest celebrated its 100th birthday. 120,000 litres of beer were poured. In 1913, the Bräurosl was founded, which was the largest Oktoberfest beer tent of all time, with room for about 12,000 guests (today, the biggest tent is the Hofbräu-Festhalle, which holds 10,000).

• 12,000 people are employed at the Oktoberfest. Of these, 1600 are waitresses[Barmaids].
• There is seating available for 100,000 people.
• The six Oktoberfest breweries, (Spaten, Augustiner, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu) sold 6.1 million mugs of beer in 2006 (2005: 6.0 - 2004: 5.5 million).
  Roasted oxen: 102
• Sausages: 219,442 pairs
• Roast chickens: 459,279

Now that, my friends, is a big fucking party.

And what do they drink there? Oktoberfest!

And thus, we have today's selection: Sam Adams Oktoberfest.

Next week, I plan to review Hacker-Pschorr's Oktoberfest, but this week wanted to go with a pretty commonly-found beer for anyone wishing to try thsi style that hasn't. And you kinda can't go wrong with Sammy A....pretty consistently good brewery.

This lovely malty concoction poured a lovely deep amber color, hedging somewhere close to coppery. Crystal-clear, with a lovely cascade (upwards) of thousands of little bubbles. Nice creamy off-white head, a little thin, but with amazing retention and lacing like drapes as I quaffed it down.

The beer has a sweet nose, including some absolutely lovely caramelized malts and a nice bready quality. There are some hops, though very faint. They seemed to add a hint of peppery spice and citrus.

Tastewise...here's a beer for a cool autumn day. Creamy, smooth, rich sweetness as that incredible caramel flavor takes center stage and dominates the performance. There is just a hint of bitterness as the hops completely fail to balance the crushing amounts of malt in this beer (but that's what an Oktoberfest is!).

Man this beer goes down nice. The craemy mouthfeel, medium-body and sweetness of the beer just beg for me to keep going, one after another. There is also a sense of sugar to this beer. I can't imagine Sam Adams added actual sugar, but that sensation is there. It finishes a bit on the bitter side, but still so lushly sweet throughout. Drinking this beer, I totally "get" why the Germans love this holiday.

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Leons and Taxes and Business, Oh My!

Well, in the aftermath of the votes that finally went down over the weekend, we're seeing a lot of blowback from the media, voters and the business community. And in this author's completely egotistical opinion, it's horseshit.

Let's start with recall threats levied by former State Rep. and current Still-Sucking-the-Taxpayer-Teat Leon Drolet and other political fringe mouth-breathers. Here's how well-thought-out some of these folks' agenda is:

"There is going to be a price to pay," said St. Clair Shores fast-food manager Diane Lubomski, 48, treasurer of a group targeting Sen. Dennis Olshove, D-Warren. Lubomski's group registered in Macomb County on Aug. 27.

Olshove, however, opposed both tax increases in the state Senate.

Retards.

Drolet, meanwhile has threatened recalls in many districts before a vote was cast and in any district that voted for a tax increase. Well, Leon and his merry band of misguided college freshman hangers-on don't have the money and especially don't have the candidates to pull it off. He is a paper tiger trying to influence votes...but when your best opposition candidate is the mother of one of your former staffers, you're not a serious threat. Parking that damn 12-foot papier mache pig out front of the capitol was more about Leon than it was about not voting for taxes. Write him off, and if there's a recall effort in your district, tell them to fuck themselves. Message to Leon and the anti-tax nazis: police protection is not pork. Higher Education is not pork. Health insurance for poor kids is not pork. Cut what, Leon? Your pension? Maybe we should.

FYI, a recall of a State Rep would require about 10,000 signatures. Recalling a Senator? Try for 27,000. Want to recall Jenny? Try 950,000 valid signatures. You can't just get anyone to sign, mind you. Registered voters only, just like a ballot initiative. So while Clem the Toothless (who probably doesn't pay the income tax) is pissed the gub'ment is taking his money, if he doesn't vote, he doesn't get to play this game.

I loved how, the day after the vote, many papers insinuated how terrible a small increasein the income tax is. The same papers that urged legislators to get off the stick and "do something" about the revenue problem. Disingenuous pricks...but why would I expect anything else from Michigan's crack media sources?

Speaking of disingenuous, the Small Business Association of Michigan proclaimed their support earlier this year for a Fair Tax. This is an 8- or 9% tax across the board for all services at the time of pruchase. Now faced with a 6% sales tax on a few more services (making Michigan about 22nd in the country in terms of the amount of services taxed), they scream murder. But all they're doing is politicising the issue. From their own support of a Fair Tax, it is obvious they don't care. They're just coming out early for Republicans next election. They asked for a tax on all services, and we gave them a lower tax than what they're asking for on some services. Bullshit.

Don't support recall efforts. Instead, support your local schools, teachers, cops, firefighters, DNR conservation officers and so on. Your new tax is $1 a week. $52 per year. Devastating, isn't it?

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Stick A Fork In It

Well, it's done. Our legislators passed a series of cuts, reforms and tax increases and ended a complete shutdown of the state only 4 hours into it.

Very briefly, the Senate and House gareed to about $400 million in cuts to some state services. This is more than the House wanted but about half of what the Senate wanted. Other than that, our income tax in Michigan increases to 4.35% (from 3.9%) and the 6% sales tax has been extended to other goods and services that are currently sales tax-fee.

Also, the legislature passed continuation budget bills which allow 30 more days to negotiate on the FY 08 budget. Most of the FY 08 budget bills are in their respective conference committees (ask me in the comments for an explanation of conference committees if you want to know) and were simply awaiting the final figures for what this fiscal year's revenues will look like. With the passage of all of the pieces of the deal last night/early this morning, they can now set their targets.

The 6% sales tax bill will raise about $411 million for the general fund and $200 million for the school aid fund. The new services that will be taxed include:
Business service centers

Carpet and upholstery cleaning

Consulting services

Courier and messengers

Document preparation

Investigation, guard and armored cars

Investment advice (but not accounting)

Janitorial

Landscaping (but not lawn mowing)

Office administration

Packaging and labeling

Personal care (but not hair care)

Scenic transportation

Security systems

Service contracts

Skiing (but not golf)

Specialized Design

Tour operators

Transit and ground passenger transport

Travel and reservations

Warehousing and storage

Mini-warehouse and self-storage units

Personal services, which include:

Astrology, fortune-telling, numerology, palm reading, psychic and phrenology

Baby shoe bronzing

Bail bonding

Balloon-o-grams and singing telegrams

Bondsperson

Check rooms

Coin operated blood pressure machines, personal machines, rental locker, and photographic machines

Pay telephones

Comfort station operations

Concierge services

Consumer buyers

Credit card notification

Dating, social introduction and social escorts

Discount buyers

Genealogical investigation

Housing sitting

Personal fitness trainers

Personal shoppers

Porters

Rest room operation services

Shoeshiners

Wedding chapel (but not churches, and wedding planning services

There's some funny shit in there.

The income tax increase will raise about $765 million. This increase will begin to roll back in 2011 and be back to it's pre-passage level of $3.9% by 2015.

On a personal side, I have now been at work 20 of 21 days, incluing weekends. Many of these days, most in fact, were more than 16 hours. I don't grouse; legislators and their families were in the same boat. I guess it boggles my mind that for as long as we have known about the problems we faced, it took 3 weeks of late-night and all-night sessions, and 4 hours' worth of shutting down government, to make it work. This was political brinksmanship at its worst. This weekend, I worked Friday until midnight. They reconvened Saturday afternoon and went through the night without stopping into Sunday, and still through early this morning until a little after 4:00 a.m. That's 40 straight hours. That's bullshit.

But...they did it. It's over.

My boss was kind enough to give me the day off today for all of the work that our firm put into this.

And my wife got to go to work today and earn money.

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