Since A Beer Review...

..is the last thing on Smitty's mind due to being under the weather, a little review is in order.

Read more...

Do as I say, not as I do

I have been away on vacation for the past 10 days and will probably do a write up on what it was like. For the most part, I have avoided news and didn't have internet access. I have been trying to catch up and found this article on student loan repayment for House and Senate Aides.

This program has been around for a while, but was recently modified to include taxpayer funded repayment for staffers make up to $168,411. As the article points out:

The move to boost the income cap was made just a month after the House voted 328-93 in March to slap a 90 percent tax on bonuses for executives from companies that took bailout money from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

This only amounts to 12.6 million per year, which is only a tiny fraction of the budget, but this just seems to be a poor use of money at this time. I can understand that the House and Senate want to attract the most talented people, but is this really necessary? From what I can tell, these are good jobs which receive thousands of applicants. I find it hard to believe that they are unable to attract decent employees.

I think that taxpayer funded loan repayments are a good thing, but should only be used when it can be shown that the public is being served. I would rather this go towards repaying the loans of doctors that are serving in areas where there is a shortage of physicians or people that work for legal aid. How about using to help teachers that agree to teach where there is a huge demand?

Read more...

I hate liberals.

I am a liberal, but I really hate liberals. I think I might need therapy.

When the Republicans were kicking our butts in election after election by making the case that liberals looked down on others, they were right. We drove our smugmobiles, were isolated from reality by our textbook-driven theories of how the world should work vs. how the world does work.

We laughed at people who turned and voted for George Bush.

Liberals are anti-corporate, but seems very susceptible to corporate advertising and trends. Example: They love Toyota for the Prius, but forgive Toyota even though nearly every other car and truck they make gets worse mileage than a competitor.

We claim to support better health care, a clean environment, a secure retirement and on and on, but are so gullible that we bought into the whole free-trade, pro-capitalistic corporate crap that has lowered our standard of living, destroyed unionized labor, moved production to dirty manufacturing facilities, and otherwise undermined everything we as liberals stand for. For what? Short term corporate profits, and no better conditions for our fellow humans overseas.

Sorry this isn’t a piece of literary genius. I just felt like ranting.

Have a nice day.


R.I.P. Teddy.

Read more...

The Last of a Dynasty

Rest in peace, Teddy.

Orrin Hatch: "Today America lost a great elder statesman, a committed public servant, and leader of the Senate. And today I lost a treasured friend."

Nancy Reagan: "Given our political differences, people are sometimes surprised by how close Ronnie and I have been to the Kennedy family...In recent years, Ted and I found our common ground in stem cell research, and I considered him an ally and a dear friend. I will miss him."

Pelosi: "Rooted in his deep patriotism, his abiding faith, and his deep concern for the least among us, no one has done more than Senator Kennedy to educate our children, care for our seniors, and ensure equality for all Americans."

Obama: "For five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts."

Despite being born into incredible privilege, Teddy Kennedy spent his Senate career fighting for the least of us.

Read more...

10 Tons of Iron

I had the distinct pleasure of sampling another of ATK-Contributor Sopor's beer from Mt. Pleasant Brewery: Steam Engine Stout. I count myself lucky that a real pro shares his beers with me. He asks merely for an honest review.
The beer promises much through its appearance: a deep opaque black poured lazily into my pint glass, leaving sticky wine-like legs down the sides as it poured. The beer took-on a coffee complexion; dark black with russet-brown highlights. The head was a cappuccino-tan, thin, dissipating quickly but leaving patches of that tan head across the top of the beer.

The aroma held as much promise. The first to hit my nose was chocolate, fading immediately to roasted malt and coffee. As it warmed up, it took on a slight molassesy-sweet character and a touch of an alcohol burn. Very inviting stout, completely unintimidating.

The flavor started with a baked bread and roasted coffee theme, adding a hint of bitter chocolate and a little smoke. Though those flavors were present, they were thin. Under a veil of astringency and grain husk, they were a little more difficult to discern. But despite the slight medicinal taste, those flavors were indeed still there and hinted at a beer with huge potential to be a go-to beer.

The mouthfeel was a tad watery-thin, but had a slick oiliness that reminds me of my favorite Brit porters. The carbonation level was perfect; enough to clean my tongue between quaffs but not too much to sting or too little to fall flat.

All in all, the beer is drinkable. Its flaws ae not fatal nor are they insurmountable. As I said above, this beer really wants to be a go-to beer in my fridge. Maybe an oxidation issue, maybe a malt profile issue to boost the body a bit. I will drink this beer again as-is, and I know Colin seeks only to improve!

Thanks again...

Read more...

More Smart Conservatism

Following the article I posted below by Bruce Bartlett, it seems there has been a series of back and forth between Bartlett and Washington Monthly's Steve Benen regarding the media and it's poor handling of the wackos at the health care town hall meetings.

In his first post, Barlett makes the case that the media should have laughed these nut balls off the air.

“One reason this isn't happening is because the media don't treat Republicans as if they are discredited. On the contrary, they often seem to be treated as if they have more credibility than the administration. Just look at the silly issue of death panels. The media should have laughed it out the window, ridiculed it or at least ignored it once it was determined that there was no basis to the charge. Instead, those making the most outlandish charges are treated with deference and respect, while those that actually have credibility on the subject are treated as equals at best and often with deep skepticism, as if they are the ones with an ax to grind.”

As ATK readers know from the debates over the last week or so, I don't buy into the argument that Fox is a counter to an otherwise lefty media. Bartlett does a good job summing up my opinion as well as his in the following post.

He states:

"The Fox News channel is a pure conservative/Republican network that does not pretend to be anything else. Personally, I have no problem with that. The problem is that the rest of the media is no longer liberal. It has moved to the center across the board. This has created an imbalance that requires a Fox-like network that is as liberal as Fox is conservative. MSNBC seems to be trying to fill this role, but very half-heartedly for reasons I am unclear about."

I know of Barlett, but not well. I am guessing I would not agree with many of his economic policies. That is OK, because as much as I might not agree, I can respect him for being introspective and forthright. When I talk to people like this, it makes me more likely to examine my own beliefs and opinions.

Read more...

Reading Assignment

Mr. Furious pointed me to a good article in the Daily Beast, written by Bruce Bartlett, who is described as one of the original supply-siders, and a leading Republican economist.

In The GOP’s Misplaced Rage, Bartlett lays the blame of the current economic woes, including the recession and deficit right where it belongs. He goes on to say that the wacko, 22-percenters screaming at the health care town halls, have no one to blame, but the guy they love the most: George W. Bush. He even goes on to say that - gasp! - tax increases won't damage the economy.

Take a gander.

Read more...