No poetics this time. Had some good southwest style food last night, and went to Manhattan to a bar called Ginger Man. Great selection, but the price per beer will make you poop. I spent 12 bucks on a Rochefort 10.

It's amazing how people more or less ignore each other. I had forgotten about that. People wear their iPods like shields on the train. Some homeless guy got our attention and pulled his lip over his face, like it was a sandwich bag.

I'm really happy to see my friends. For various reasons I had not been able to make it to New York, but I'm glad I came. Met my buddy's newborn daughter Alexa last night, and tonight I will meet another friend's baby. We're having a little family night before we go out.

Only one more day here. Tomorrow at this time I will be on my way to JFK, ready to come back to you all. I don't know if I really would live here - maybe if I had a shit ton of dollars and were able to live somewhere neighborhood-y. If only Buffalo could get its collective shit together, and actually promote even a shred of private sector growth.

Still want to see some good jazz here. Maybe next time.

The dollar rules all
You've got it all or nothing
Something is missing

Not to be a big complainer, but I really am ready for my vacation. It isn't a full vacation, but I'm ready to leave tomorrow. Ugh, did I mention we have a meeting at 9 AM today at work? 9!! Why!?

I think that Seasonal Disorder is coming on. I want to sit on a beach or under a tree. I'm going to enjoy the shit out of this spring and summer, I'll tell you that much! Looking back last summer I didn't play golf at all. That has to change immediately.

New York looms - it's been forever. I hope the city doesn't suck the energy out of me. My friends have some things planned out and I believe it should be a great time. I'm going to spend lord knows how much money on booze and women if they have anything to do with it.

I also am hoping to meet up with my friend Janine, who I haven't seen in a long time after she moved to NYC. She saw me at my absolute worst some years ago, didn't judge, didn't throw me under the bus. She would sit and listen to me when I was a major wreck. I've never forgotten how nice she was - and how do you thank or repay someone for that? If I could I would get her a diamond.

Meeting now. God help me. Have a good humpday, peeps.

EDIT: Phew, meeting wasn't the end of the world, although now I feel like I have been punched in the kidney for some reason. I wanted to add that if I get the chance, I might just go to Wall Street and rub the bull down, in the hopes that I become a millionaire, and that our economy really doesn't go circling the john.

So, what's it like? A classier version of a strip joint? Or what? I've never been before but will be initiated soon. Looking forward to having a good time.

.....an American city almost perished. Thank Allah/Gaia/Darwin that we are still here today after one of the most horrible days in American history.

Yes, friends, it is another Belgian. This time, we are having a look at a sibling of my favorite beer of all time, the St Bernardus Abt 12. This one is the Prior 8 - a Beligan Dubbel - one that my coworker swears is superior to its well regarded older brother. He is categorically full of shit, but this is not to say it is an unworthy drop.

With no further hesitation, here is the Prior 8:



The picture is crap because I took it on my Motorola Razr. Trust me on this, it is a dark brown with hints of red, although not as murky as the Abt 12. It fizzes gently, and offers an aroma of caramel and malt.

By the way, if you are going to drink this beer, or the Abt 12, or any of the Belgians I am inclined to like, please do us all a favor and take it from a goblet like the one in my picture. Gracias. Oh, and buy it at Consumer's - but more on that later.

Okay, now to the payoff. How does it drink? Well, your nose's mama didn't raise no fool. Strong flavors of caramel and malty goodness await you. Other reviewers have claimed hints of cocoa and fruits such as apricot and fig, but my palate has been muted by God knows how many cigarettes.

There is a slight warming sensation like you would get with the Abt 12, or for that matter, a Port wine. This is one of my all time favorite moments in alcohol. It weighs in at a stout 8% ABV, and delivers a happy drunk that is consistent from the first few sips until the last gasp. This is one fantastic brew.

I picked this up while at Premier Gourmet, while Josh fucked around for some coffee dripper and associated beans (good coffee, but more on that another time). Premier charges $8.99 for this bottle and a whopping $10.49 for the Abt 12. You can get the same products at Consumer's for $7.99 a bottle (the Abt 12 chilled no less - I DARE YOU to open one of these up warm). Why would you not go to the cheaper place?!? I have hung out with young Mr. Notarius on an occasion or two, and the first opportunity I get I am going to bitch to him about it.

The final score? I forgot how we rated these beers, but I'll give it 4 of 5 Goblets, because it is overall a very worthy beer that delivers on everything most people expect of a Dubbel. It ain't the Abt 12, with all of its banana/clovey/spicy yumminess, but if you want a Dubbel this isn't a bad place to start or finish.

Happy drinking!

Having a religious background is by no means a trump card in the debate over morals, but it also is not a liability or a mental defect. Of all the people I know who have been brought up in this tradition, not too many of them practice their faith anymore, yet they did not turn out to be rotten apples or people to be feared.

There are times when it is very hard for me to justify religious faith as a positive force in the world, because we see the signs all around us that it can be used as a tool for destruction. It is mystifying to me how one of the most effective methods of encouraging harmony, love and unity can also be one of the most destructive tools in our arsenal.

We are very good at creating tools of destruction and methods of segregation, but we are not very good at creating or sustaining social movements which encourage things like harmony, love, mutual respect or a sense of unity. Why does it have to be that way? Not to go all original sin on you, but I think it's because we are not built that way. We prove it all the time, religion or no religion.

So I think you fight bad ideas with good ideas. Hate with tolerance. Disrespect with respect. Follow the example of the best people we have known. Here, we fight the radical religious right with a better vision, provided by people motivated by justice, not by power. (e:Drew) and (e:Janelle) are very good examples of local people who seem to live this way.

If a child is curious and wants to learn more, I see no problem with satisfying her curiosity. I am by means no expert, but in my opinion Tony and Meg are doing this in a responsible way. Remember, she will eventually make her own mind about this stuff just like we did. It will either be very important to her, not very important to her, or used as a springboard for exploration.

Stifling the human mind, or putting a lock on it is probably the greatest sin I can think we can commit against each other. Let's not ever allow that to happen here, whether we are religious or not.

And you guys know me...I'm the last one to gratuitously bollock Christians or Christianity.......but there are some real winners over on the Evangelical right. I don't really talk about it, but I do a lot of debating with people from all over the political spectrum outside of this site.

Tell me this - when someone quotes the Book of Matthew to determine why he has the right to judge and condemn people:

Matthew 7 (King James Version)


15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Why would that person then whine and complain about you being guilty of the sin of omission when you "only" quote parts of Matthew 7 that allude to the exact opposite conclusion?

It is called being a HYPOCRITE, and using the words of Jesus to justify hatred and condemnation of people you don't see eye to eye with. You people already know this, but their version of "faith" is poison.

You know what I think? I think Jesus would share a table with the gays, the junkies, the whores, and everyone else who these assholes condemn. I think Jesus would curse the small-minded fools who pretend to speak on his behalf in this way.

Frankly, I'm done trying to debate them. They are useless. I believe in Social Darwinism to an extent. The radicals on either side can piss off as far as I'm concerned and be relegated to nothing but sideline spectators.

At least for humor, we have the LOLcat Bible!



"At start, no has lyte. An Ceiling Cat sayz, i can haz lite? An lite wuz."

(Also posted on another blog of mine, which I rarely use)

It's getting harder for me to not take it personally when someone's demons overcome them. I wonder what the hell went through Heath Ledger's mind in the last few weeks of his life.

I am not even the biggest fan of his in the world, but in a sense I have walked a mile in his shoes.

I know what it's like to be locked into depression, and to rely on drugs and booze to get you through the day, barely. No sleep, no rest, no relief. And it appears that you are so damned alone and isolated. Your mind is going a million miles an hour.

Why didn't he just get help for his problems? Well, it's not that easy, despite what you may think. Shit, even TALKING about it is difficult. You think about:

- What if people discriminate against me in employment?
- What if this means that girls aren't going to like me?
- What if this distances me from my friends?
- How are people going to view me from now on?

You formulate all of these things and more in your head, reasons to deny yourself the help you need. Getting help was one of the most terrifying and difficult steps for me to make in my life, and I bet it was just as hard for Heath to reach out to people and get over his demons. From what I've read he isolated himself, something I can relate to.

Eventually, you have to decide for yourself, you know, fuck the employers who might discriminate, fuck the women who might not like you for it, and the people who distance themselves from you for it are not your friends. The people who misunderstand are 100% ignorant and their opinions are worthless.

What's more important than any of that crap is for you to be happy and live a good, healthy life. You are who you are, pock marks and all, and that's okay. Maybe if Heath could have seen this in time he would still be with us.

In case you did not see it, Jim Wallis made an appearance on The Daily Show. The interview is up on streaming video (look under "Coming Up Next").