Seeing as flipping off "the man" and being non-conformist is hip again, I refuse to fill out this MySpace style bulletin question line. I would like to say that I used to use the picture booth at Frizzy's and get pictures with each and every girl I dated at the time. After I realized that this was horrible and assholish I stopped, but now I really want to go back and just get pictures of myself sans arm candy before I have to cut my hair.
When I was spellchecking the word "philanderer" I realized that www.philanderer.com is a site for married people who want extramarital affairs. This is what makes me incandescent with rage (thanks european football writers! mmm flowery language)... some straight people actually suggest that allowing gay people to marry (or have a civil union) ruins the sanctity of marriage. Sorry, I think straight people are fucking it up just fine all by ourselves. Here is some cynicism for you - are the people behind www.philanderer.com gay or straight? Straight, of course. This is not as if there is some nefarious gay cabal pulling the strings behind www.philanderer.com in order to ruin the holiest of marital holies. Its so damn ridiculous and upsetting - the next time I see or hear of an amendment to "protect marriage" I'm going to fucking snap. I don't recall any outrage when Ted Kennedy and Chris Dodd were busy making a waitress sandwich a few years ago. In fairness to Uncle Ted and Mr. Dodd though, Ted's wife was probably drunk somewhere and we aren't seeing either men try to write bigotry and sexual persecution into law either. The hypocrisy needs to stop; we should simply accept people for who they are. For me, sites like the philanderer site illustrate exactly why some of these judgmental, hypocritical, sadomasochist assholes should police their own before EVER attempting to bother gay people.
I am travelling for the first time in 4 months tomorrow, but only for one day. We're going to Toronto to visit a facility that makes "bodywear" - if this is Canadian for "clothes" I'll let you guys know tomorrow. The odds are high that I won't be able to privately interview workers to see if they have any problems - most factory workers in Canada are of Middle Eastern/Eastern European/Asian descent. Is there anybody around that can give me a crash course in Punjabi?
Your "RINO" for life,
Josh
Joshua's Journal
My Podcast Link
02/06/2007 00:42 #38036
Son of a bitch01/29/2007 14:16 #37909
12-year old boy gets sex changeBefore I get into the subject matter - Barbaro is off to the glue factory. Apparently they euthanized him today.
Yep - a 12-year old in Germany got a sex change. The only thing preventing him/her from getting the phallus removed is that by law one must be 18 years of age to undergo the procedure.
There are a number of disturbing elements to this story, none of which involve the complicated psychological issues that this young fella has had growing up.
So then, (e:josh), what is bothering you about this topic?
1. This is being paid for by taxpayers through their national health service because "the condition qualifies as an illness." If this is true, then why does the doctor who is treating the teenager state that the patient is not suffering from an illness? At best, the science at hand has no answer to this question because countries such as Germany are so consumed by political correctness that they are frozen from debate. Regardless, this is something that taxpayers should never have to foot the bill for.
2. To undergo such a thing, two independent psychiatrists have to "confirm that the child is indeed transsexual" before approving a sex change. By what method could anybody realistically prove such a thing? At some point science and medicine is getting thrown out the window in exchange for sociopolitical dogma.
3. Doctors simultaneously claim that treatment should be pursued as soon as possible in cases such as Tim/Kim (the patients names), yet they also admit that the long-term ramifications of such therapy on a 12-year old is not well understood. This qualifies as medicine in Europe?
4. 12-year olds lack the maturity and sophistication to make decisions on a multitude of things, the least of which are more sobering and final than a sex change. How on earth could doctors have allowed such a thing to occur, particularly with a pre-pubescent? This constitutes an egregious failure on the part of the doctors. What was the reasoning behind the doctors insistence on pursuing a sex change? That to let the patient reach puberty in his state would permanently damage his personality. Excuse me while I smoke enough dope to trick myself into believing such rubbish.
I'm generally a "live and let live" kind of guy - I'm not particularly interested in the sexual diversity of the world outside of the thought that people should be allowed to pursue whatever they like. 12-year olds getting sex changes, on the other hand, is an entirely different story.
Yep - a 12-year old in Germany got a sex change. The only thing preventing him/her from getting the phallus removed is that by law one must be 18 years of age to undergo the procedure.
There are a number of disturbing elements to this story, none of which involve the complicated psychological issues that this young fella has had growing up.
So then, (e:josh), what is bothering you about this topic?
1. This is being paid for by taxpayers through their national health service because "the condition qualifies as an illness." If this is true, then why does the doctor who is treating the teenager state that the patient is not suffering from an illness? At best, the science at hand has no answer to this question because countries such as Germany are so consumed by political correctness that they are frozen from debate. Regardless, this is something that taxpayers should never have to foot the bill for.
2. To undergo such a thing, two independent psychiatrists have to "confirm that the child is indeed transsexual" before approving a sex change. By what method could anybody realistically prove such a thing? At some point science and medicine is getting thrown out the window in exchange for sociopolitical dogma.
3. Doctors simultaneously claim that treatment should be pursued as soon as possible in cases such as Tim/Kim (the patients names), yet they also admit that the long-term ramifications of such therapy on a 12-year old is not well understood. This qualifies as medicine in Europe?
4. 12-year olds lack the maturity and sophistication to make decisions on a multitude of things, the least of which are more sobering and final than a sex change. How on earth could doctors have allowed such a thing to occur, particularly with a pre-pubescent? This constitutes an egregious failure on the part of the doctors. What was the reasoning behind the doctors insistence on pursuing a sex change? That to let the patient reach puberty in his state would permanently damage his personality. Excuse me while I smoke enough dope to trick myself into believing such rubbish.
I'm generally a "live and let live" kind of guy - I'm not particularly interested in the sexual diversity of the world outside of the thought that people should be allowed to pursue whatever they like. 12-year olds getting sex changes, on the other hand, is an entirely different story.
metalpeter - 01/29/07 19:41
First of all I do belive that there is Genderdismorphia and i do belive that it is real. It sounds like this kid has all the social aspects of a girl playing with barbies and whearing dresses. There are two problems I have with this decision. The first is that If i understood this correctly the kid hasn't hit puberty yet. There arn't enough studies to know what will happen when hair starts growing and the kid starts choking the chicken. He may love his cock and want to have a cock and still be one of the girls. But if he gets female hormones this won't happen and he will only know the women side.
The second thing that bothers me about genderdismorphia is that I don't think it is really a dieasee. We classify it a dieasse becuase whe as a society have soicietal norms for what makes a women and what makes a man. Yes I do understand that there is a chromsome differance and that can be checked for. So since a guy likes to wear a dress and play with dolls he is considered a girl. But why can't a guy play with dolls. In fact guys do play with dolls for example Spawn Dolls, Transformers, Gi Joe Dolls, G.I Joes (little ones), Wrestling Figures. All of those are just Masculine versions of those and we call them action figures but they are no differant. When a girl is born we give them girly stuff and boys sports and war stuff and trucks are the toys they are given. Our society decides what is a girl and what is a boy. Maybe we will stop indoctornating our kids and We can clean up the grade schools and high schools and get the indoctornation out of them as well.
Don't take what I'm saying the wrong way. I do think that there are really stright women in guys bodies and vice versa and they should have the freedom to get an operation to fix that and that health insurance should cover it. Once you start saying that there are things that arn't cosmetic that it shouldn't cover you start to go somewhere you don't want to wind up at. But I also belive that this kid is to young physicaly. I can't say emotionaly because I don't know him. But from the article he hasn't hit puberty and he needs to go through all the changes first.
First of all I do belive that there is Genderdismorphia and i do belive that it is real. It sounds like this kid has all the social aspects of a girl playing with barbies and whearing dresses. There are two problems I have with this decision. The first is that If i understood this correctly the kid hasn't hit puberty yet. There arn't enough studies to know what will happen when hair starts growing and the kid starts choking the chicken. He may love his cock and want to have a cock and still be one of the girls. But if he gets female hormones this won't happen and he will only know the women side.
The second thing that bothers me about genderdismorphia is that I don't think it is really a dieasee. We classify it a dieasse becuase whe as a society have soicietal norms for what makes a women and what makes a man. Yes I do understand that there is a chromsome differance and that can be checked for. So since a guy likes to wear a dress and play with dolls he is considered a girl. But why can't a guy play with dolls. In fact guys do play with dolls for example Spawn Dolls, Transformers, Gi Joe Dolls, G.I Joes (little ones), Wrestling Figures. All of those are just Masculine versions of those and we call them action figures but they are no differant. When a girl is born we give them girly stuff and boys sports and war stuff and trucks are the toys they are given. Our society decides what is a girl and what is a boy. Maybe we will stop indoctornating our kids and We can clean up the grade schools and high schools and get the indoctornation out of them as well.
Don't take what I'm saying the wrong way. I do think that there are really stright women in guys bodies and vice versa and they should have the freedom to get an operation to fix that and that health insurance should cover it. Once you start saying that there are things that arn't cosmetic that it shouldn't cover you start to go somewhere you don't want to wind up at. But I also belive that this kid is to young physicaly. I can't say emotionaly because I don't know him. But from the article he hasn't hit puberty and he needs to go through all the changes first.
uncutsaniflush - 01/29/07 16:40
Not only did I read the article you linked to, I've also read this :::link:::
Let's see where to do start:
1. It is my understanding that performing gender re-assignment surgery under the age of 16 or 18 depending on the country is illegal. However, hormone therapy is legal. Otherwise, it would not be done and the German government would not be paying for.
2. The "illegality" of the surgery is a non-issue because it has not been performed.
3. Laws are capricious and arbitrary. Just because something is legal doesn't make it necessarily morally right. And, in the same vein, just because something is illegal doesn't make it morally wrong. Just look at the abortion and drug laws in this country - both sides insist theirs is the morally right side and that the other side is morally wrong.
4. The problem with logic is that if one starts with false premises, one will end up with false conclusions. But the syllogism will be logically sound. I'm not saying your premises are necessarily false. I'm saying that I don't have enough data since I've not met the child or talked to the family or to the doctors to verify your assumptions.
5. I think it is fairly clear that you were criticizing the German government with your statement "Regardless, this is something that taxpayers should never have to foot the bill for." To me that means that you were trying to protect the German taxpayers from footing the bill for things they shouldn't. But I'll accept that you don't want to protect the German taxpayer.
6. I can't say that any specific 12 year old should or shouldn't have a sex change or even drink alcohol without knowing the person involved. I think some people are more mature at the age of 12 than others are at the age of 60. There isn't a switch in the brain that automatically makes a person mature at 18 or 21 or any other arbitrary age. In Germany the legal drinking is 16 or 18 depending on the beverage. In the U.S., the drinking age is 21. In Ontario, it is 19. And a few countries such as China don't have a minimum drinking age.
Minimum ages for drinking and anything else are arbitrary standards that assume that everyone is exactly the same. Some people are no better equipped to drink alcohol at the age of 60 than they are at the age of 12. And I think the same holds true for gender-reassignment surgery.
And, personally, I don't see a problem (in general terms) with a 12-year-old having a glass of wine with dinner with his parents.
And contrarywise, I think it is just as bad for a 60-year-old and a 12-year-old to go out on a multi-day bender.
7. And last but not least, I assume that the doctors and family involved are caring individuals who have the best interests of the child involved. I also assume that they know more about the specifics of this than the rest of the world. Thus, I assume that they are doing the right thing for the child.
You obviously don't make the same assumptions that I do. For the child's sake, I hope you are wrong and I am right.
Not only did I read the article you linked to, I've also read this :::link:::
Let's see where to do start:
1. It is my understanding that performing gender re-assignment surgery under the age of 16 or 18 depending on the country is illegal. However, hormone therapy is legal. Otherwise, it would not be done and the German government would not be paying for.
2. The "illegality" of the surgery is a non-issue because it has not been performed.
3. Laws are capricious and arbitrary. Just because something is legal doesn't make it necessarily morally right. And, in the same vein, just because something is illegal doesn't make it morally wrong. Just look at the abortion and drug laws in this country - both sides insist theirs is the morally right side and that the other side is morally wrong.
4. The problem with logic is that if one starts with false premises, one will end up with false conclusions. But the syllogism will be logically sound. I'm not saying your premises are necessarily false. I'm saying that I don't have enough data since I've not met the child or talked to the family or to the doctors to verify your assumptions.
5. I think it is fairly clear that you were criticizing the German government with your statement "Regardless, this is something that taxpayers should never have to foot the bill for." To me that means that you were trying to protect the German taxpayers from footing the bill for things they shouldn't. But I'll accept that you don't want to protect the German taxpayer.
6. I can't say that any specific 12 year old should or shouldn't have a sex change or even drink alcohol without knowing the person involved. I think some people are more mature at the age of 12 than others are at the age of 60. There isn't a switch in the brain that automatically makes a person mature at 18 or 21 or any other arbitrary age. In Germany the legal drinking is 16 or 18 depending on the beverage. In the U.S., the drinking age is 21. In Ontario, it is 19. And a few countries such as China don't have a minimum drinking age.
Minimum ages for drinking and anything else are arbitrary standards that assume that everyone is exactly the same. Some people are no better equipped to drink alcohol at the age of 60 than they are at the age of 12. And I think the same holds true for gender-reassignment surgery.
And, personally, I don't see a problem (in general terms) with a 12-year-old having a glass of wine with dinner with his parents.
And contrarywise, I think it is just as bad for a 60-year-old and a 12-year-old to go out on a multi-day bender.
7. And last but not least, I assume that the doctors and family involved are caring individuals who have the best interests of the child involved. I also assume that they know more about the specifics of this than the rest of the world. Thus, I assume that they are doing the right thing for the child.
You obviously don't make the same assumptions that I do. For the child's sake, I hope you are wrong and I am right.
joshua - 01/29/07 15:41
Secondly - I almost forgot. Its important to understand that in most European countries, as the article highlights, sex changes are actually illegal for those under 16 years of age. It doesn't take a rocket scientist (or even a doctor) to understand that a sex change for a 12-year old is inappropriate, but since you wondered and I'm not really sure if you read the article anyway, I thought I would toss that tidbit of info in there.
Secondly - I almost forgot. Its important to understand that in most European countries, as the article highlights, sex changes are actually illegal for those under 16 years of age. It doesn't take a rocket scientist (or even a doctor) to understand that a sex change for a 12-year old is inappropriate, but since you wondered and I'm not really sure if you read the article anyway, I thought I would toss that tidbit of info in there.
joshua - 01/29/07 15:34
I don't pretend to be a doctor, but none of my takes on the contradictions in their own statements are flawed logically.
If you are inclined to believe that a 12-year old is physically, mentally and emotionally capable of making a decision about a sex change operation then surely a 12-year old should be able to make decisions about things like drinking alcohol, correct?
Its called bad stewardship. Which is quite clearly the crux of my opinions outside of the taxpayer funded aspect of this story.
You'll have to excuse me - I've gone over my own article a couple times now and I've yet to see where I've offered to protect German taxpayers. I'm CRITICIZING them. That is fairly clear.
I don't pretend to be a doctor, but none of my takes on the contradictions in their own statements are flawed logically.
If you are inclined to believe that a 12-year old is physically, mentally and emotionally capable of making a decision about a sex change operation then surely a 12-year old should be able to make decisions about things like drinking alcohol, correct?
Its called bad stewardship. Which is quite clearly the crux of my opinions outside of the taxpayer funded aspect of this story.
You'll have to excuse me - I've gone over my own article a couple times now and I've yet to see where I've offered to protect German taxpayers. I'm CRITICIZING them. That is fairly clear.
uncutsaniflush - 01/29/07 14:56
Wow (e:joshua)!!! It amazes me that upon the basis of reading an article online, you think that know better than the many people (family and health professionals) who actually know the child involved.
You have every right, of course, to your opinion. And for all I know, you might even be right. But in general terms, I would not trust your medical diagnosis skills without a concurring diagnosis from someone who has actually examined the patient.
Personally, I'm not a doctor, I haven't studied gender identity, and I haven't spoken to the child or his family or his doctors. I don't feel that I have enough information to make a judgment about this.
As to the taxpayers of Germany, I don't think they need an American to protect them. If the German taxpayers think this is wrong, they can choose to do something about it.
Wow (e:joshua)!!! It amazes me that upon the basis of reading an article online, you think that know better than the many people (family and health professionals) who actually know the child involved.
You have every right, of course, to your opinion. And for all I know, you might even be right. But in general terms, I would not trust your medical diagnosis skills without a concurring diagnosis from someone who has actually examined the patient.
Personally, I'm not a doctor, I haven't studied gender identity, and I haven't spoken to the child or his family or his doctors. I don't feel that I have enough information to make a judgment about this.
As to the taxpayers of Germany, I don't think they need an American to protect them. If the German taxpayers think this is wrong, they can choose to do something about it.
01/31/2007 20:00 #37941
Beer Review #3 - Southern TierCategory: beer review
I'm so sorry about delaying the latest beer review - in all honesty, (e:jason) and I procured the beer we wanted to review but ended up getting drunk off of it - and you'll understand why in a minute. As a result I didn't want to write a review of a beer that could be based on cloudy, inaccurate judgment - that wouldn't be honest. So, after repeated quaffings, here you are!
We wanted to highlight a local brewery which I think is absolutely
fantastic, with some exceptions depending on the variety. For example, they make a Tripel that I really, really dislike. However, I wanted to take two of their Imperials to highlight how quality brewing can mask alcohol content and bitterness, and ultimately makes for deceivingly drinkable beer. To illustrate this, and to get you lords and ladies drunk, we've selected two different styles - the Heavy Weizen and the Unearthly Imperial India Pale Ale.
About the brewery - the brewery is located in a small manufacturing space in the town of Lakewood, NY - about 3 miles from my childhood home in Jamestown. The people that run this outfit are very laid back and hippie-ish - the brewery actually has a small pub in it so Jay and I always make a point to stop by and have a few pints... and usually fill up a growler with their fabulous Porter. God I love that beer - it makes most other porters (to my palette anyway) taste watered down. They are very friendly and tours are available - having toured the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis I think this is a great way to kill an afternoon and learn a little bit about America's favorite drink. Their web site - - gives you a feel about the hip artistic design of the bottles and all the information you'd ever want about the beers themselves.
Before anybody accuses me of homerism - if the beer sucked I'd just come right out and say it. Their beer definitely doesn't suck and at worst it's better than most commercially produced "specialty" beers. Some of their varieties are better than others, and I've tried every single one, so if you have a question about a specific variety of Southern Tier just leave a comment or ask me if you catch me on the street!
Southern Tier Heavy Weizen - Imperial Unfiltered Wheat Ale
8.0% ABV, 38 IBUs - available most places locally in 22 oz. bottles, or if you can find it, it is available on tap as well. I know that as of last
week Heavy Weizen was on tap at Cole's, so if you are out and about you may see it.
This beer is a variation on the traditional hefeweizen (hefeweiss, weissbier, wheat beer, sometimes white beer) that you'll find from brands such as Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Franziskaner and the like. Its a traditional German variety that has a flavor derived from the special top-fermenting yeast that lends its distinct flavor. Two traditional flavors that people associate with hefeweizen are banana and clove, although many beers brewed in this style
have a citrus tone as well. To call a beer a "hefeweizen" is to assume that the beer has remained unfiltered - this leaves the body of the beer cloudy and when poured into a proper glass reveals a unique look. Americans traditionally love to put citrus in this style of beer, although purists absolutely hate this idea and feels it takes away from the head and the citrus tone inherent in the brew. I have a tight-assed compromise explanation on what is proper here, but I will save it for last.
Putting it simply, Heavy Weizen slots somewhere between Blue Moon and a traditional hefeweizen. I compare it to Blue Moon, but Blue Moon is a Belgian-style wheat ale and rather than a German hefeweizen. They are both wheat beers but I promise that if you taste both side by side you'll understand that Hefeweizens are usually a tad sharper in flavor, have more carbonation and have a more consistent golden color.
When you look at Heavy Weizen, it has a dense, hazy golden color with a slight reddish/orangish hue to the center of the glass. If you smell the beer before you sip it, you'll notice a spicy side to the beer that lends itself more towards the Blue Moon side of things. Heavy Weizen reveals more of the hefe side of things as you drink and get into the glass. Bananas, cloves, wheat, yeast and less acidic citrus dominate the muted but very well established flavor combination - this is a very easy to drink beer. Wheat beers in the German style are well known for their refreshing quality in the summertime; in this beer you have that same quality but to a lesser extent. Mid level carbonation, slight spiciness, twice the alcohol content and general mouth feel of the beer make it less so. Despite the alcohol content, there is only a slight boozy quality to the brew; the cleverly balanced flavors and heavier mouth feel (relative to hefeweizen, that is) match up well and only towards the aftertaste to you notice a deceivingly slight kick.
We wanted to highlight a local brewery which I think is absolutely
fantastic, with some exceptions depending on the variety. For example, they make a Tripel that I really, really dislike. However, I wanted to take two of their Imperials to highlight how quality brewing can mask alcohol content and bitterness, and ultimately makes for deceivingly drinkable beer. To illustrate this, and to get you lords and ladies drunk, we've selected two different styles - the Heavy Weizen and the Unearthly Imperial India Pale Ale.
About the brewery - the brewery is located in a small manufacturing space in the town of Lakewood, NY - about 3 miles from my childhood home in Jamestown. The people that run this outfit are very laid back and hippie-ish - the brewery actually has a small pub in it so Jay and I always make a point to stop by and have a few pints... and usually fill up a growler with their fabulous Porter. God I love that beer - it makes most other porters (to my palette anyway) taste watered down. They are very friendly and tours are available - having toured the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis I think this is a great way to kill an afternoon and learn a little bit about America's favorite drink. Their web site -
- gives you a feel about the hip artistic design of the bottles and all the information you'd ever want about the beers themselves.Before anybody accuses me of homerism - if the beer sucked I'd just come right out and say it. Their beer definitely doesn't suck and at worst it's better than most commercially produced "specialty" beers. Some of their varieties are better than others, and I've tried every single one, so if you have a question about a specific variety of Southern Tier just leave a comment or ask me if you catch me on the street!
Southern Tier Heavy Weizen - Imperial Unfiltered Wheat Ale
8.0% ABV, 38 IBUs - available most places locally in 22 oz. bottles, or if you can find it, it is available on tap as well. I know that as of last
week Heavy Weizen was on tap at Cole's, so if you are out and about you may see it.
This beer is a variation on the traditional hefeweizen (hefeweiss, weissbier, wheat beer, sometimes white beer) that you'll find from brands such as Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Franziskaner and the like. Its a traditional German variety that has a flavor derived from the special top-fermenting yeast that lends its distinct flavor. Two traditional flavors that people associate with hefeweizen are banana and clove, although many beers brewed in this style
have a citrus tone as well. To call a beer a "hefeweizen" is to assume that the beer has remained unfiltered - this leaves the body of the beer cloudy and when poured into a proper glass reveals a unique look. Americans traditionally love to put citrus in this style of beer, although purists absolutely hate this idea and feels it takes away from the head and the citrus tone inherent in the brew. I have a tight-assed compromise explanation on what is proper here, but I will save it for last.
Putting it simply, Heavy Weizen slots somewhere between Blue Moon and a traditional hefeweizen. I compare it to Blue Moon, but Blue Moon is a Belgian-style wheat ale and rather than a German hefeweizen. They are both wheat beers but I promise that if you taste both side by side you'll understand that Hefeweizens are usually a tad sharper in flavor, have more carbonation and have a more consistent golden color.
When you look at Heavy Weizen, it has a dense, hazy golden color with a slight reddish/orangish hue to the center of the glass. If you smell the beer before you sip it, you'll notice a spicy side to the beer that lends itself more towards the Blue Moon side of things. Heavy Weizen reveals more of the hefe side of things as you drink and get into the glass. Bananas, cloves, wheat, yeast and less acidic citrus dominate the muted but very well established flavor combination - this is a very easy to drink beer. Wheat beers in the German style are well known for their refreshing quality in the summertime; in this beer you have that same quality but to a lesser extent. Mid level carbonation, slight spiciness, twice the alcohol content and general mouth feel of the beer make it less so. Despite the alcohol content, there is only a slight boozy quality to the brew; the cleverly balanced flavors and heavier mouth feel (relative to hefeweizen, that is) match up well and only towards the aftertaste to you notice a deceivingly slight kick.
codypomeray - 02/13/07 23:31
hey do you guys still have alternative brews on sheridan? i think thats where it is at least. they had all of these "alternative brews" hence the name, bottled and tap if i remember correctly. they also sold some really nice cigars that you were able to smoke there. i am luck because i have a dive pub down the street that was converted into an ale house for a few years and had some really nice beers on tap. now i have to go to a couple places in the city, and rockville centre. though these places have REALLY nice brunch specials on sat and sunday. love the beer review man. spot on
hey do you guys still have alternative brews on sheridan? i think thats where it is at least. they had all of these "alternative brews" hence the name, bottled and tap if i remember correctly. they also sold some really nice cigars that you were able to smoke there. i am luck because i have a dive pub down the street that was converted into an ale house for a few years and had some really nice beers on tap. now i have to go to a couple places in the city, and rockville centre. though these places have REALLY nice brunch specials on sat and sunday. love the beer review man. spot on
jenks - 02/01/07 19:12
magic hat does another cool thing- apparently they make custom microbrews... or at least one. Yesterday's, a brewpub/restaurant in Newport, has a ton of beers on tap, including a bunch of cool local brews I don't find anywhere else, and then their own brew- Y27- which is made for them by Magic Hat.
magic hat does another cool thing- apparently they make custom microbrews... or at least one. Yesterday's, a brewpub/restaurant in Newport, has a ton of beers on tap, including a bunch of cool local brews I don't find anywhere else, and then their own brew- Y27- which is made for them by Magic Hat.
joshua - 02/01/07 09:10
Ha Mike - let me know what you think of this one.
Flying Bison Aviator Red is a decent beer - they have a Scotch Ale variety that you can get at local bars and Consumers that knocks me on my ass every time and has a better flavor than some of the other Scotch Ales I've tried before. Actually Consumers seems to have some decent stuff on tap, and I am a fan of growlers anyway, so I might review some specialty keg beer soon.
Magic Hat Brewing Company does the coolest thing - they create unique one-off brews and release them in kegs, then encourage drinkers to rate it on their website. They call it "Rate the Mystery Beer" - the variety I saw was called "Batch 376."
If it was Aviator Red that you had, the Heavy Weizen in comparison has less bite and is generally a more mellow beer. I don't want to discourage you though - by mellow I don't mean flavorless, and if you like Blue Moon and wheat beers in general I think you'll appreciate this one.
Oda - where outside of Jamestown? Chautauqua County is my homeland!
Ha Mike - let me know what you think of this one.
Flying Bison Aviator Red is a decent beer - they have a Scotch Ale variety that you can get at local bars and Consumers that knocks me on my ass every time and has a better flavor than some of the other Scotch Ales I've tried before. Actually Consumers seems to have some decent stuff on tap, and I am a fan of growlers anyway, so I might review some specialty keg beer soon.
Magic Hat Brewing Company does the coolest thing - they create unique one-off brews and release them in kegs, then encourage drinkers to rate it on their website. They call it "Rate the Mystery Beer" - the variety I saw was called "Batch 376."
If it was Aviator Red that you had, the Heavy Weizen in comparison has less bite and is generally a more mellow beer. I don't want to discourage you though - by mellow I don't mean flavorless, and if you like Blue Moon and wheat beers in general I think you'll appreciate this one.
Oda - where outside of Jamestown? Chautauqua County is my homeland!
oda - 01/31/07 21:57
i adore southern tier beer, and i'm glad that you got to to sample it multiple times. i first bought it when i was visiting my mom, who lives outside of jamestown, because i saw that it came from lakeview and i figured that i should try the local beer. i wasn't expecting it to be so great. i usually try to buy phin & matt's extraordianry ale, but i've loved all of the kinds i've tried. thanks for your review!
i adore southern tier beer, and i'm glad that you got to to sample it multiple times. i first bought it when i was visiting my mom, who lives outside of jamestown, because i saw that it came from lakeview and i figured that i should try the local beer. i wasn't expecting it to be so great. i usually try to buy phin & matt's extraordianry ale, but i've loved all of the kinds i've tried. thanks for your review!
mrmike - 01/31/07 20:35
You're doing a valuable public service my friend. This one goes on the shopping list, hopefully will wash away the ordinariness of some of the Flying Bison I had last week. It tasted somebody was trying to imitate Killians. Still can't decide if that was worth doing or not.
You're doing a valuable public service my friend. This one goes on the shopping list, hopefully will wash away the ordinariness of some of the Flying Bison I had last week. It tasted somebody was trying to imitate Killians. Still can't decide if that was worth doing or not.
jenks - 01/31/07 20:29
damn joshy, you're making me thirsty!
damn joshy, you're making me thirsty!
01/30/2007 10:52 #37920
My Photogenic FatherI like to balance controversial posts with relatively innocuous ones, so here we are.
I know that I said I was going to go wild like a lumberjack but unfortunately I hate how my beard is shaping up, so I'm very tempted to shave it. I'd take a picture but I broke Jason's camera and have yet to replace it. At least my lumberjack hair is still going well - I told my grandmother what I was doing and she almost teared up right on the phone. I said, "Don't worry grandma - if it looks bad I'll cut it, but if I let it grow out and it looks good you'll like it!"
All of this talk about iPod deaths is really scaring me. Seriously... if I lost my iPod I would just about die. Its amazing how companies can essentially create a need for something that people will eventually not want to let go. If I lost my iPod and were broke, I'd seriously eat rice and beans for a month if it meant that I could replace my iPod.
What do people put on their iPods? For me its about 16GB of music and podcasts. I generally subscribe to the following podcasts - Chelsea FC, The Beautiful Game, From Our Own Correspondant (BBC), 606 (BBC), This American Life (Chicago Public Radio, very highly rated and the way they tell stories is intriguing), Left, Right and Center (KCRW Santa Monica, one of the better political debate shows), Meet the Press, some kind of Buddhist podcast and a cast about the rulers of the Byzantine Empire. I feel like I'm forgetting some, but I am definitely a podcast enthusiast. If anybody knows some good ones let me know!
The title of this journal entry may be confusing to some, since I actually haven't mentioned my father yet, but the phrase is a bit of an inside joke between my brother and I. Dad absolutely hates getting his picture taken.
Nevertheless, my dad is the coolest mofo alive - at least in my eyes. Here is what happens when you mix my father and a Mac at his friends house. Here he is, the Big Kahuna, the hardcore liberal, El Rey, El Matador -
As far as I'm concerned this is the greatest picture of him in existence, possibly with the runner up being -
Dad is a fairly indimidating guy, which unfortunately casts a shadow on his very keen but very dry sense of humor. He insists he's funny, and if you disagree he'll roll you up, light up and smoke you!
In other news of the type that I never really talk about -
Thomas Pynchon, an author who some of you may be familiar with through novels such as The Crying of Lot 49, has released a new novel titled Against The Day. It is nearly 1,100 pages long and supposedly sports around 100 characters. Anybody for winter reading with a flowchart and many annotations? Haha.
I do my best to keep the cynical side of me at bay, but reading some of the reviews of the book just killed me.
Example 1: Thanks to the army of Pynchonites who maintain the "Against the Day" wiki on wikipedia the reader has a wealth of information and reviews available to help in gauging and appreciating this book. However, and I doubt whether this is any coincidence, Pynchon has written the kind of book that leaves every reader out there alone in the middle of the desert, ocean, or sky to make up her or his own mind.
Darn those books that leave you hanging and force you to think!
Example 2: I can't give this book five stars. It does seem that the author has taken on too much, at least for my Updike-trained sensibilities.
What a fucking literary nerd thing to say - I sincerely dislike these kinds of people. Lets name drop another author to make myself look well read - after all, you know, if you think this book is difficult you CLEARLY should have tried Joyce's Finnegan's Wake! I can't help myself guys, these sort of people kill me.
In all seriousness, I look at my bookshelf every day and feel as if I've been ignoring it. I stopped reading Brian Greene's The Fabric of the Cosmos about a third of the way through and essentially I have stopped reading any books since then. I recently got some unsolicited mail from a conservative book club but I have no inclination to read 90% of it - for somebody that is supposedly a neocon sympathizer I have a very low tolerance for Ann Coulter, or for that matter David Corn on the other side. In other words, I'm on a search for something new, maybe something that isn't to pretentious that has won an NBA or a Nobel. Hard task, that.
Speaking of the neocon thing, I recently heard of some kind of "neocon meter" where you can take a test and be evaluated on how much of a neocon you are. I'm a little curious so if I can find the test I'll link it - I wonder exactly how far into the negative some people might be.
EDIT: I took the test here - - the page is extremely jacked up and the programmers will hate it.
Here are my results - apparently I'm not a neocon but in truth two of the questions didn't really suit me - my likely answer would have been a combination of a couple of the answers.
Realist
Realists…
Historical realist: President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Modern realist: Secretary of State Colin Powell
I know that I said I was going to go wild like a lumberjack but unfortunately I hate how my beard is shaping up, so I'm very tempted to shave it. I'd take a picture but I broke Jason's camera and have yet to replace it. At least my lumberjack hair is still going well - I told my grandmother what I was doing and she almost teared up right on the phone. I said, "Don't worry grandma - if it looks bad I'll cut it, but if I let it grow out and it looks good you'll like it!"
All of this talk about iPod deaths is really scaring me. Seriously... if I lost my iPod I would just about die. Its amazing how companies can essentially create a need for something that people will eventually not want to let go. If I lost my iPod and were broke, I'd seriously eat rice and beans for a month if it meant that I could replace my iPod.
What do people put on their iPods? For me its about 16GB of music and podcasts. I generally subscribe to the following podcasts - Chelsea FC, The Beautiful Game, From Our Own Correspondant (BBC), 606 (BBC), This American Life (Chicago Public Radio, very highly rated and the way they tell stories is intriguing), Left, Right and Center (KCRW Santa Monica, one of the better political debate shows), Meet the Press, some kind of Buddhist podcast and a cast about the rulers of the Byzantine Empire. I feel like I'm forgetting some, but I am definitely a podcast enthusiast. If anybody knows some good ones let me know!
The title of this journal entry may be confusing to some, since I actually haven't mentioned my father yet, but the phrase is a bit of an inside joke between my brother and I. Dad absolutely hates getting his picture taken.
Nevertheless, my dad is the coolest mofo alive - at least in my eyes. Here is what happens when you mix my father and a Mac at his friends house. Here he is, the Big Kahuna, the hardcore liberal, El Rey, El Matador -
As far as I'm concerned this is the greatest picture of him in existence, possibly with the runner up being -
Dad is a fairly indimidating guy, which unfortunately casts a shadow on his very keen but very dry sense of humor. He insists he's funny, and if you disagree he'll roll you up, light up and smoke you!
In other news of the type that I never really talk about -
Thomas Pynchon, an author who some of you may be familiar with through novels such as The Crying of Lot 49, has released a new novel titled Against The Day. It is nearly 1,100 pages long and supposedly sports around 100 characters. Anybody for winter reading with a flowchart and many annotations? Haha.
I do my best to keep the cynical side of me at bay, but reading some of the reviews of the book just killed me.
Example 1: Thanks to the army of Pynchonites who maintain the "Against the Day" wiki on wikipedia the reader has a wealth of information and reviews available to help in gauging and appreciating this book. However, and I doubt whether this is any coincidence, Pynchon has written the kind of book that leaves every reader out there alone in the middle of the desert, ocean, or sky to make up her or his own mind.
Darn those books that leave you hanging and force you to think!
Example 2: I can't give this book five stars. It does seem that the author has taken on too much, at least for my Updike-trained sensibilities.
What a fucking literary nerd thing to say - I sincerely dislike these kinds of people. Lets name drop another author to make myself look well read - after all, you know, if you think this book is difficult you CLEARLY should have tried Joyce's Finnegan's Wake! I can't help myself guys, these sort of people kill me.
In all seriousness, I look at my bookshelf every day and feel as if I've been ignoring it. I stopped reading Brian Greene's The Fabric of the Cosmos about a third of the way through and essentially I have stopped reading any books since then. I recently got some unsolicited mail from a conservative book club but I have no inclination to read 90% of it - for somebody that is supposedly a neocon sympathizer I have a very low tolerance for Ann Coulter, or for that matter David Corn on the other side. In other words, I'm on a search for something new, maybe something that isn't to pretentious that has won an NBA or a Nobel. Hard task, that.
Speaking of the neocon thing, I recently heard of some kind of "neocon meter" where you can take a test and be evaluated on how much of a neocon you are. I'm a little curious so if I can find the test I'll link it - I wonder exactly how far into the negative some people might be.
EDIT: I took the test here -
- the page is extremely jacked up and the programmers will hate it.Here are my results - apparently I'm not a neocon but in truth two of the questions didn't really suit me - my likely answer would have been a combination of a couple of the answers.
Realist
Realists…
- Are guided more by practical considerations than ideological vision
- Believe US power is crucial to successful diplomacy - and vice versa
- Don't want US policy options unduly limited by world opinion or ethical considerations
- Believe strong alliances are important to US interests
- Weigh the political costs of foreign action
- Believe foreign intervention must be dictated by compelling national interest
Historical realist: President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Modern realist: Secretary of State Colin Powell
01/24/2007 13:01 #37848
Another post!I have some things that I wanted to say to you guys, and I didn't want to create a post that was twice the length of my usually very long journal entries.
I would apologize for the length of my journals but I'm not sorry!
Music
For fun the other night I checked out New World Record on the web to see what their staff picks have been. I know, incredibly lazy considering that literally could spit on NWR from my porch, but hey - leave me alone. Anyway, after sampling dozens of albums I came away with a half dozen that I thought would suit me. One of the bands that did not come from a NWR recommendation is called Stars of Track and Field - I know I've mentioned them in my journal before. If you like (or love!) The Postal Service then I would highly, highly recommend this band. You can enjoy Centuries Before Love and War for the time being until The Postal Service releases their new album, which is due out this year.
Passports
Do it now if you don't have a passport. If my some miracle you don't already know, the Depts. of State and Homeland Security have implemented new rules for air travel if you are entering the United States from anywhere in the western hemisphere. Canadian citizens - this is true for you as well so be prepared. You can read more about it here -
What is particularly relevent are the requirements that will be implemented next year - if you want to cross the border and return you will be REQUIRED to have a passport. While this isn't finalized yet, you don't want to be the guy or gal that waits last minute and gets royally shafted. I've gone through this process before, and for those of you who are a little unsure about what to do or are intimidated by the process, here is what you do -
1) Get informed - - this site will detail any and all questions about what you need.
2) Complete the application either by traditional methods or by using the Dept. of State online form then printing it out.
3) Collect your birth certificate, photo ID, $92, passport photos (I did mine at Wal-Mart for $10 when I got an oil change once) and the application and bring it to a local passport acceptance facility. Aka the Post Office. A note about the pictures and identification - there are specific rules for the photos and additional information for those who were not born in the United States so be sure to have everything in proper order before you go to the Post Office.
4) Submit your cash and the other stuff for review. They will mail your birth certificate back to you, if I remember correctly.
5) Wait between 4-8 weeks for your passport to arrive by mail
The US government is now issuing e-passports, which look identical to the other tourist passports with one major exception - there is a microchip implanted into the cover that holds a digital photograph that can be compared with your actual face at immigration with the use of facial recognition technology, as well as other things. For more information, check out this link - - the new passport pages are actually really cool looking.
You can expedite your application, like I had to do because of a pressing need to go overseas for work, but generally its going to end up costing you nearly twice as much. If you aren't in a hurry then don't bother with the expedited service.
Cool Web Sites
I have to share some interesting sites with you, if you haven't seen or heard of them yet.
First on the list - Wii Have A Problem - - this site actually has a damage counter that lists various reported personal injuries and/or destruction to property as a result of playing games on a Nintendo Wii. If you haven't played on a Wii before - let me just say that it requires the use of a "wiimote" that must be tethered to your wrist, for the butterfingered fools out there. Some of the personal injury entries are gruesome and amazing - one guy broke his clavicle playing Home Run Derby, another popped his knee, and the absolute best - one guy reached back violently and accidentally punched his girlfriend in the face. What did she do? She posed with her shiner, a big smile and a "thumbs up" - if this were a Foster's commercial, I'd be saying "KEEPAH!" Shattered TVs, broken glass, broken lamps, obviously fake (coughpatheticattemptstogetnoticedonawebsitecough) submissions - its all chronicled here.
Secondly. SongMeanings - - this is a site that I occasionally use to read what some peoples' collective takes on what song lyrics actually mean. This is a virtual treasure trove of verbal cockfights between people who consider themselves superfans of one band or another, and as a result the arguments and the "I know more than you about this band" approach some of these pathetic nerds are guilty of perpetrating are nothing short of explosive and very comedic. You'll no doubt run into one of these kinds of scenarios if you search long enough, but the site is useful if you've ever wanted insight into a set of lyrics. Over 26,000 artists are catalogued.
I would apologize for the length of my journals but I'm not sorry!
Music
For fun the other night I checked out New World Record on the web to see what their staff picks have been. I know, incredibly lazy considering that literally could spit on NWR from my porch, but hey - leave me alone. Anyway, after sampling dozens of albums I came away with a half dozen that I thought would suit me. One of the bands that did not come from a NWR recommendation is called Stars of Track and Field - I know I've mentioned them in my journal before. If you like (or love!) The Postal Service then I would highly, highly recommend this band. You can enjoy Centuries Before Love and War for the time being until The Postal Service releases their new album, which is due out this year.
Passports
Do it now if you don't have a passport. If my some miracle you don't already know, the Depts. of State and Homeland Security have implemented new rules for air travel if you are entering the United States from anywhere in the western hemisphere. Canadian citizens - this is true for you as well so be prepared. You can read more about it here -
What is particularly relevent are the requirements that will be implemented next year - if you want to cross the border and return you will be REQUIRED to have a passport. While this isn't finalized yet, you don't want to be the guy or gal that waits last minute and gets royally shafted. I've gone through this process before, and for those of you who are a little unsure about what to do or are intimidated by the process, here is what you do -
1) Get informed -
- this site will detail any and all questions about what you need.2) Complete the application either by traditional methods or by using the Dept. of State online form then printing it out.
3) Collect your birth certificate, photo ID, $92, passport photos (I did mine at Wal-Mart for $10 when I got an oil change once) and the application and bring it to a local passport acceptance facility. Aka the Post Office. A note about the pictures and identification - there are specific rules for the photos and additional information for those who were not born in the United States so be sure to have everything in proper order before you go to the Post Office.
4) Submit your cash and the other stuff for review. They will mail your birth certificate back to you, if I remember correctly.
5) Wait between 4-8 weeks for your passport to arrive by mail
The US government is now issuing e-passports, which look identical to the other tourist passports with one major exception - there is a microchip implanted into the cover that holds a digital photograph that can be compared with your actual face at immigration with the use of facial recognition technology, as well as other things. For more information, check out this link -
- the new passport pages are actually really cool looking.You can expedite your application, like I had to do because of a pressing need to go overseas for work, but generally its going to end up costing you nearly twice as much. If you aren't in a hurry then don't bother with the expedited service.
Cool Web Sites
I have to share some interesting sites with you, if you haven't seen or heard of them yet.
First on the list - Wii Have A Problem -
- this site actually has a damage counter that lists various reported personal injuries and/or destruction to property as a result of playing games on a Nintendo Wii. If you haven't played on a Wii before - let me just say that it requires the use of a "wiimote" that must be tethered to your wrist, for the butterfingered fools out there. Some of the personal injury entries are gruesome and amazing - one guy broke his clavicle playing Home Run Derby, another popped his knee, and the absolute best - one guy reached back violently and accidentally punched his girlfriend in the face. What did she do? She posed with her shiner, a big smile and a "thumbs up" - if this were a Foster's commercial, I'd be saying "KEEPAH!" Shattered TVs, broken glass, broken lamps, obviously fake (coughpatheticattemptstogetnoticedonawebsitecough) submissions - its all chronicled here.Secondly. SongMeanings -
- this is a site that I occasionally use to read what some peoples' collective takes on what song lyrics actually mean. This is a virtual treasure trove of verbal cockfights between people who consider themselves superfans of one band or another, and as a result the arguments and the "I know more than you about this band" approach some of these pathetic nerds are guilty of perpetrating are nothing short of explosive and very comedic. You'll no doubt run into one of these kinds of scenarios if you search long enough, but the site is useful if you've ever wanted insight into a set of lyrics. Over 26,000 artists are catalogued.inspiraysean - 01/25/07 17:10
LOL I acquired a passport in 1999 for a trip to Ireland and haven't used it since! It expires in 2009 I believe so I'm covered for now, although prolly renew it in '08, hopefully get to use it at least once in '07, not just for Canada mind you:)
LOL I acquired a passport in 1999 for a trip to Ireland and haven't used it since! It expires in 2009 I believe so I'm covered for now, although prolly renew it in '08, hopefully get to use it at least once in '07, not just for Canada mind you:)
mrmike - 01/25/07 07:42
Thanks for the passport link. I got it underway last night
Thanks for the passport link. I got it underway last night
joshua - 01/24/07 14:45
First!
First!
Just thought you might like to know that the website you mentioned is not the only one that caters to cheating i know there are a few and some of them may even have hints on how not to get caught the one I've got spam for in the past was called Bored wives or something like that, it sounded legit but not sure if it really was.