Château de Calage Coteaux du Languedoc, $6

At my local Fresh & Easy I picked up a Château de Calage Coteaux du Languedoc for all of $6 last week. Coteaux du Languedoc's are a blend of Syrah, Grenache with a touch of Mourvèdre, though the earlier vintages (1991 and 2007) from Calage apparently had no Mourvèdre content. $6 for a applellation Coteaux du Languedoc made me pause and think, what was wrong with this wine? So I picked up only 1 bottle, imagining poor storage, heat affected, or some other calamity.

Earlier this week for lunch I paired it with Amy's Cheese Enchiladas on Tuesday, Thai food Wednesday, and finished it off with fresh sliced cucumbers & celery with hummus today, and damn was it tasty! Smooth, but not lacking tannins. Dark and rich without being bitter or significantly oaky. Raspberries & cherry notes without being overly fruity. I'll be buying this in quantity going forward. Merveilleux.

Yeah, and once again, that dern guv-mint regulation and control 'raises it's ugly head', guiding French wine producers to make Consistently Delicious vintages available to global consumers.

Quelle horreur!

National Language?

I saw this rather funny cartoon today.

Ooh doe he you ee guh doe dee he ah chaw la gee gah woe knee he sss dee, wah doe.
[Please use the Cherokee language, thank you.]

Abaachii miizaa - [The Apache language]
Ha annsi? - How are you?
Doo ansi. - I am fine.
Iheedn - Thank you
Magaanii - White Man

Do you speak Cheyenne?
Nets hesen stsehe?
He speaks English.
Eve'ho'enestse.

Reminds me of a T-shirt I saw in Sedona last weekend:

US Airways & United Headed to Bankruptcy, Again

I heard on the radio this afternoon that "Tempe based US Airways", United Airlines, and American are very likely headed for bankruptcy again as they continue to operate in the red, posting consistent losses every quarter. In the 2 passports I filled from 1999 to 2002, and the 1 platinum and 3 gold frequent flyer status I used to have, I can say unequivocally, that all three of these airlines repeatedly treated me as a 2nd or 3rd class citizen. NW, Delta, Continental, Dragon Air, SW China Air, Singapore Air, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, British Air, Air France, Austrian Air, and Alitalia all treated me fairly, professionally, equitably. Quantas did not do well inside Australia, but were OK over the Pacific. Southwest has treated Dr. Desert Flower reasonably well as she's flown them (I have not yet).

In my perspective, airlines that suck and treat their customers poorly, like US Scare, United, AA, and Quantas Should go out of business, or get bought out by competitors. There's way too much capacity in the US airline market currently (just look at the massive numbers of planes in storage), and when there's companies like SW who have (for the most part) happy repeat customers, and Delta & NW who understand how to treat their frequent fliers well, why should incompetent, surly, inefficient, and un-friendly airlines continue to operate? [surly, as defined by having peanuts angrily thrown at me on a US Air regional flight by a flight attendant who was so pissed off to have to be flying at 6am, after I dared to ask her if I could have any peanuts after she passed me by twice, giving me none, while slapping down peanuts and paper towels on other surprised passenger's tray tables over rural Western Pennsylvania, for example]

If the Federal Government tries to "bail out" these failing airlines, I might just join the fringe libertarian protesters in downtown Tempe picketing against such a plan.

Polygamy Primer (for Law Enforcement & Human Services)

I saw this interesting link on KJZZ's home page this afternoon.

Mexican Fence Post Cactus Steroids?

The GIANT Mexican Fence Post cactus in my front yard is the main organic feature of my property. I thought that the previous owners had splurged and planted a massive cactus. No. I chatted with a neighbor yesterday who told me that his puny 6 ft tall cactus and the Canadian snow bird's across the street 8 ft tall cactus and my 20 ft tall giant were all the same size when planted 5 years ago by the builder. My somewhat obstreperous neighbor (he owns hot rods that he's built, and expresses strong opinions without reservation) told me how my home's original owner used to be out in the mornings, "puttin' somethin' on it that made it grow so damn big!"

So perhaps my predecessor here in west Phoenix had concocted some brew of plant steroids, tweaked Just Right. This weekend, I'll have to remove several new buds before they turn into Large Arms that make some of the main stalks lean even more precariously than they are leaning now.

The Return of Archie

While eating leftover homemade Thai food at lunch today (first time I used actual peanuts as a stir fried ingredient, yum!), I noticed my buddy Archie (or his son, Archie Jr), hovering outside the sliding glass door, checking me out to see if I was an aggressive predatory threat. He perched up on the shaded wire hanger I never had the inertia to take down last year, and pugnaciously chased away all other hungry males from the full nectar feeders.

I don't understand why people express a disdain for bird watching, especially if it is passive ("hey, look, there's a cool bird") sort of watching. I can understand having an antipathy perhaps for donning binoculars, field guide, mosquito repellent or sun block and actively hunting for them in a forest or under-brush maybe, if that's not your cup of tea. Ornithophobia has never been my thing.

It's nice to have "someone" to eat lunch with from time to time, when you work at home everyday. =)

T.R. Reid's "The Healing of America"

Has anyone read this book yet? I've heard good things about it, but have not yet had the chance to consume it. [I am hoping my literary ravenous friends Jill or Ron or Matt or others may have already devoured & digested this tome].

The AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE SH*THEEL

[From Dr. Zaius a few days ago]

I AM AN AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE SH*THEEL

this morning I was awoken by my alarm clock powered by electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the US department of energy. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the municipal water utility. After that, I turned on the TV to one of the FCC regulated channels to see what the national weather service of the national oceanographic and atmospheric administration determined the weather was going to be like using satellites designed, built, and launched by the national aeronautics and space administration. I watched this while eating my breakfast of US department of agriculture inspected food and taking the drugs which have been determined as safe by the food and drug administration.

At the appropriate time as regulated by the US congress and kept accurate by the national institute of standards and technology and the US naval observatory, I get into my national highway traffic safety administration approved automobile and set out to work on the roads build by the local, state, and federal departments of transportation, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the environmental protection agency, using legal tender issed by the federal reserve bank. On the way out the door I deposit any mail I have to be sent out via the US postal service and drop the kids off at the public school.

After spending another day not being maimed or killed at work thanks to the workplace regulations imposed by the department of labor and the occupational safety and health administration, enjoying another two meals which again do not kill me because of the USDA, I drive my NHTSA car back home on the DOT roads, to my house which has not burned down in my absence because of the state and local building codes and fire marshal's inspection, and which has not been plundered of all it's valuables thanks to the local police department.

I then log on to the internet which was developed by the defense advanced research projects administration and post on freerepublic.com and fox news forums about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the government can't do anything right.

[Very Well Put!] [origin links here]

Prescient Observations, on Juan Williams' pedigree

Back in June I ranted against how NPR called Juan Williams as "NPR Contributor". Today, on Diane Rehm, he was properly introduced as "Juan Williams of Fox News." Good, it only took 2 months for DRS to get it right.

Sadly, Diane broke her hip while tripping over her dress yesterday... another argument for higher dress hems! I hope she does not go the route of Frau Barritz, from my sophomore year in High School - an octogenarian HS German teacher who tripped over her grand child, broke her pelvis, and never recovered. We DID get some interesting substitutes that year though!

Inappropriate, Unwise, and Wrong

Today I heard on NPR News that a Scottish Trade Minister described the "hero's welcome" that convicted mass murderer & Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi got in Tripoli last night as "Inappropriate, Unwise and Wrong". Well, sorry Scotland, but your "compassionate decision" to release this guy in time for Ramadan, was "Inappropriate, Unwise and Wrong". What else did you expect? House arrest, without prior guarantees? really? I'd always thought the Scots were a more savvy ethnic group than that, and not so remarkably naïve.

If al-Megrahi really WAS NOT guilty, then who in Libya was offering up leads to, investigations of, support for, finding who the "real culprits" were? What over-whelming exculpatory evidence was shown pre- or during trial? Oh wait, there wasn't any.

I've flown over Scotland in 747s, 777s, 757s, 767s, AB-321s, AB-330s, and I've found it really hard to put out of my mind, that in the cargo hold, there might be some plastique planted into a jam box, or suit case, or shampoo bottle by a mis-guided jihadist that'll kill me and everyone around me. That makes it quite hard to feel bad for a Libyan dieing of prostate cancer who was convicted in a western court of mass murder.

Marchese De Petrri Il Valore Chianti Riserva 2003, yum

Enjoyed a wonderful $6 Trader Joe's bottle of Chianti this week, Marchese De Petrri Il Valore Chianti Riserva 2003. Full bodied, subtle floral notes, smooth, delicious. I enjoyed a glass with some mushroom & cheese tortellini Tuesday, several handfuls of cashews on Wednesday, and I'll be finishing it off tonight with the bacon wrapped turkey mignons I've been defrosting. Six bucks? Well worth it.

Photovoltaics Not Insignificant For Much Longer

Earlier this month, Richard M Swanson had an interesting article in Science "Photovoltaics Power Up". What caught my eye, was the 2nd page, wherein he said "the PV industry installed more than 2 GW of PV power plants in Spain during 2008. Construction times for 2 GW of conventional generation would be 10 to 15 years." The Spanish, and Germans, have taken the lead in renewable energy power plants. Heck, even here in Arizona and in Nevada, the Spanish are building large scale solar facilities.

Meanwhile, here in America, it's "Drill Baby Drill" by our domestic energy corporations.

Youtubes, The Internets, Big Trucks, The Google, Mooses, Sheeps

Too funny, from Kent Jones!
"I used The Internets to find Poppy with The Google "

Murdoch, you've studied Goebbels Very Well

Wow, liberal pollsters Rasmussen (sarcasm intended) put out a report yesterday on Health Insurance Reform, "that 57% oppose the plan if it doesn't include a government-run health insurance plan to compete with private insurers." That's a majority of Americans.

Foxnews, who so quickly loves to quote Rasmussen, DOES NOT COVER THIS. No mention of it whatsoever. Does not fit their pre-determined message. Rupert, yes, you're SO Fair & Balanced.

But don't let the FACTS get in the way of what you want to believe.

My Wallet Votes For Costco and Trader Joe's, Not Whole Foods

Last week, the day before Whole Foods (or as Dr Desert Flower and I call it, "Whole Paycheck") CEO Right Winger John Mackey told Americans that health care reform is not needed, they just need to 'shop at Whole Foods', I went to Costco, and got my favorite Medjool dates, clementine oranges, Mexican mangoes, organic spinach, macadamia nuts, peanuts, cashews, Ketel One Vodka, etc. The smiling, enthusiastic, helpful workers at Costco are consistently friendly and customer centric - I've asked the cashiers upon checkout on several occasions what they think of working at Costco, and universally, they've had very positive responses. It's almost like a cult, but in a good way.

The next day, I get an email from my buddy Matt about Mackey's public statements and previous machinations and then I hear of the fall out from Whole Food's loyal customers, a large percentage of whom are very disillusioned with such anti-progressive, self-serving, CEO comments. Mackey's statements are par for the course, as he tries to prop up his sagging stock, sells off a million dollars of it, and then pisses off his activist customer base. It'll be interesting to see if the activist boycott degrades Whole Foods sales revenue in August & September, or if it's alot of noise without any substance. My money is on Costco and Trader Joe's - where employees are happy and the merchandise is desirable and healthy - and Farmer's Markets. Sprouts is also a good buy, but it's a 8 mile drive for us to get there =\.

Open Carry Laws Do Not = Poke A Badger With A Stick

Arizona has an "Open Carry" law, where you can walk into any public place, carrying a loaded firearm (including places that serve alcohol), as long as it is obviously a weapon - you can't try and conceal it or disguise it as flower bouquet or something innocuous. I've seen people carrying 45s, 357s, and 9mms at Target Stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. It's part of the "wild west" culture out here I guess, ok, I can understand that.

But when the democratically elected, legal President of the United States comes to your state, and visits it's capital, and the Secret Service imposes a 5 mile "no fly zone", deploys roof top snipers, flies in (2) C-130s worth of armoured limousines and decoy vehicles, what inspires a citizen, or 15 citizens, to walk up to the downtown convention center where the President is speaking to the VFW annual meeting with an AR15 over your shoulder? Heck, the Secret Service chased down, detained, and interrogated a pilot who flew from Mesa to Chandler, NOT near Downtown, but within the no fly zone's edge - and KJZZ the radio this morning said that seven pilots were questioned for violating the no fly zone in and around the nation's 5th busiest airport during the President's visit.

So a zealot carrying an AR15 (with a 20 or 30 round standard magazine), into a public area that is under Secret Service surveillance, is like poking a badger with a stick, or trying to lick a spinning fan blade, or shooting a hornets' nest with a paint ball gun, or walking into Peshawar in drag trying to hand out Bibles. These provokers are not a "patriots" as right wing blogs and commentators try to make them out to be. They're just the kind of inhabitants of this country who have too much time on their hands, who try to pick fights in bars (and who I stand up next to, and then they back down and cower for the last 20 years) and who are immersed in their own agendas so deeply that they do not understand view points that are different from their own. If they are truly "patriots" then, Mohamed Atta was a "patriot" too, he "fought passionately for" what he believed in, as was Benedict Arnold, Joseph Goebbels, Timothy McVeigh, and many others. A "patriot" doesn't have to twist their logic into such extreme gymnastics to justify their actions and their ideology.

When a little girl's hemorrhoid operation goes awry

"The hole that they stitched up in Glenn Beck's ass hasn't healed enough for him to stop talking out of it." - Jon Stewart, 13 August 2009

When a little girl's hemorrhoid operation goes awry. Link here.

Renaming recommended, perhaps

President Obama and his family visited the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Parks this last weekend, and that got me looking at lists of national park and recreation area names in the Western US.

Maybe it's time for the state of California and the US Department of the Interior to consider renaming this area, no? I've never been there, and I have no desire to go there, being happily married.

Camel Walk

SCOTS (Southern Culture On The Skids) is playing in the Reno during the annual Reno Air Show this year. My buddies Matt and JoeM and I will enjoying the show. Lil Debbie Lil Debbie! You make me wanna walk... like a camel!

The Tau (Protein) of Repetitive Head Injuries

Greg Miller has an interesting article in this week's Science magazine, where preliminary data is discussed that shows 12 out of 13 brains of former NFL players, as well as 4 former professional wrestlers' brains who all died in their 40s.... have all shown unusually large concentrations of tau proteins. Tau proteins, that are associated with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Yikes.

So the next time you're thinking about beating your head against a brick wall, head butting an opponent in hand-to-hand combat, running into a dolphin, or signing that permission slip for your little kid to play Pop Warner football, think about the tertiary effects once they reach their 40s and beyond. Sure, some with thicker skulls and unusually robust constitutions will over-come it, but I am not going assume I am in that 3rd standard deviation of the general population.