Is it wrong to drink scotch while you're brewing beer?
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
It's Brew Night again
It's cooled off here in So. Cal. so it's time to brew. I've been putting this off for weeks now. Every time I think of brewing, it's gotten hot this fall. Now I think that it's finally winter. (I really need to invest in a 'fridge; however, She Who Must Be Obeyed frowns upon the notion.)
Tonight's brew is an improved version of Pooh's Blustery Ale. I am tweaking the recipe with Simcoe and Amarillo instead of using just Chinook. I wanted more of a citrusy (Is that a word?) character. I've also added a little lactic acid to the water for a light color. If I've done this right, the SRM color should be ~5...
Which looks more Pooh-ish to me. My last two shots at this recipe were darker than I wanted. I also messed up the water salts. I'm using a spreadsheet from John Palmer this time to set the amounts as well as the acid amount.
The grain bill is unchanged. The hops are now ½ oz. of Chinook for 75min., ½ oz. of Simcoe for 30min., and 1 oz. of Amarillo at knock out. I've also bumped up the honey to 1¼ pounds.
Tonight's brew is an improved version of Pooh's Blustery Ale. I am tweaking the recipe with Simcoe and Amarillo instead of using just Chinook. I wanted more of a citrusy (Is that a word?) character. I've also added a little lactic acid to the water for a light color. If I've done this right, the SRM color should be ~5...
Which looks more Pooh-ish to me. My last two shots at this recipe were darker than I wanted. I also messed up the water salts. I'm using a spreadsheet from John Palmer this time to set the amounts as well as the acid amount.
The grain bill is unchanged. The hops are now ½ oz. of Chinook for 75min., ½ oz. of Simcoe for 30min., and 1 oz. of Amarillo at knock out. I've also bumped up the honey to 1¼ pounds.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Space Madness!!!
The Mystery Missile, which was really a jet's contrail, was caught by a weather satellite...
The "missile" was really an eastbound flight coming up over the horizon toward observers in the L.A. area. The blue arrow above shows the contrail. Note that it is fatter on its west end and narrower the further east it goes. Obviously, the source of the trail is moving from west to east, not east to west as some missile maniacs would have you believe.
In this view...
You can see far more twisting and distortion at the "base" of the "plume" than would be seen from a missile. The trail at the bottom of the image could not have been left seconds earlier, as would be the case for a rocket motor. It was laid down minutes earlier and upper level winds have had time to blow it around. We see this with jet contrails, not rocket motor exhaust. Also, the "plume" never got out of the reddened light of the sunset. Missile plumes get bluer as the rocket gets out of the light of the sunset.
The "missile" was really an eastbound flight coming up over the horizon toward observers in the L.A. area. The blue arrow above shows the contrail. Note that it is fatter on its west end and narrower the further east it goes. Obviously, the source of the trail is moving from west to east, not east to west as some missile maniacs would have you believe.
In this view...
You can see far more twisting and distortion at the "base" of the "plume" than would be seen from a missile. The trail at the bottom of the image could not have been left seconds earlier, as would be the case for a rocket motor. It was laid down minutes earlier and upper level winds have had time to blow it around. We see this with jet contrails, not rocket motor exhaust. Also, the "plume" never got out of the reddened light of the sunset. Missile plumes get bluer as the rocket gets out of the light of the sunset.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
It gets worse for Democrats
The Washington Post reports that, as a result of the Party's strong performance in State legislative contests, the GOP can draw nearly half of new House districts. The 2010 census numbers translate into new Congressional district boundaries next year, after new legislatures have been seated. The GOP dominates far more State legislatures and Governorships than ever before. Making things worse is the passage of Prop. 20 here in CA. This proposition takes the redistricting process out of the hands of the Democrat dominated legislature and puts a non-partisan commission in charge. The Dems won't be able to Gerrymander districts like they did in 2001.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Reid won, but who lost?
Fox News is projecting that Harry Reid has beaten Sharron Angle in Nevada. But who's the real loser? Why none other than Chuckles Schumer! I'm sure that Chuckles was measuring Reid's office for new drapes, but those plans may be dashed. Also dashed are any hopes Chuckles had for advancing new anti-gun laws as Senate Majority Leader.
Monday, November 01, 2010
Redcloak's California Voter Guide - Senate
U.S. Senate: Carly Fiorina
What can one say about Barbara Boxer's long term of service in the Senate? Pretty much nothing. She's kept the dust bunnies off of her chair, but that's about it. She's been a big nothing; a waste of space; a zero.
What can one say about Barbara Boxer's long term of service in the Senate? Pretty much nothing. She's kept the dust bunnies off of her chair, but that's about it. She's been a big nothing; a waste of space; a zero.
Redcloak's California Voter Guide - Statewide offices
Governor: Meg Whitman
I'm old enough to remember Jerry Brown's first turn at the wheel... Never again!
Lieutenant Governor: Gavin Newsom
No, I haven't been smoking crack. Abel Maldonado is a whore. He's one of a handful of Republicans who helped to pass the largest tax increase in American history. While the rest of the GOP in Sacramento stood firm against the tax increase, Maldonado sold us out. (If you just can't bring yourself to vote for "Any Threesome" Newsom, vote for the Libertarian candidate, Pamela Brown.)
Secretary of State: Damon Dunn
Controller: Tony Strickland
Treasurer: Mimi Walters
Attorney General: Steve Cooley
Kamala Harris is an anti-gun wingnut. Cooley isn't all that friendly to gun owners, but he isn't openly hostile.
Insurance Commissioner: Dave Jones
As with Abel Maldonado, Mike Villines is a whore. He's another Republican turncoat who voted for the largest tax increase in US history. (And if you can't stomach voting for a Democrat, vote for Libertarian Richard Bronstein.)
I'm old enough to remember Jerry Brown's first turn at the wheel... Never again!
Lieutenant Governor: Gavin Newsom
No, I haven't been smoking crack. Abel Maldonado is a whore. He's one of a handful of Republicans who helped to pass the largest tax increase in American history. While the rest of the GOP in Sacramento stood firm against the tax increase, Maldonado sold us out. (If you just can't bring yourself to vote for "Any Threesome" Newsom, vote for the Libertarian candidate, Pamela Brown.)
Secretary of State: Damon Dunn
Controller: Tony Strickland
Treasurer: Mimi Walters
Attorney General: Steve Cooley
Kamala Harris is an anti-gun wingnut. Cooley isn't all that friendly to gun owners, but he isn't openly hostile.
Insurance Commissioner: Dave Jones
As with Abel Maldonado, Mike Villines is a whore. He's another Republican turncoat who voted for the largest tax increase in US history. (And if you can't stomach voting for a Democrat, vote for Libertarian Richard Bronstein.)
Redcloak's California Voter Guide - The Propositions
OK... So it's been a while. I hope, however, that you will find this worth the wait.
Some of these are no-brainers and some will require some explanation. But first, a few general rules...
19 "Legalize it!" YES
Your opinion of recreational drug use isn't what's at question here. The real question is whether or not the State should continue to participate in the Nation's failed drug war; but only with regard to marijuana.
The Drug War is a failure, pure and simple, and we all suffer as a result. Do you feel safer having to obtain permission to purchase decongestants? How many times have you read of botched drug raids that ended in the deaths of innocent, law abiding citizens? And what have we gained by surrendering our freedoms and safety? Nothing. Drug use continues unabated. Let's at least get the State out of the marijuana prohibition business.
20 Redistricting YES
You simply cannot trust elected officials to draw their own district boundaries. This has never been true in the American experience. The 200-year old term "Gerrymandering" is taken from the name of a politician, Elbridge Gerry. Today, some California Congressional districts make for stranger beasts than any Gerry may have envisioned.
21 Save the parks or Bambi, or some such line of bull crap NO
It's a tax increase. See rule 1 above.
22 Prevent raiding of local funds by Sacramento YES
This is kinda like a rule 2 situation. Keeping Sacramento's dirty fingers out of the cookie jar is a good thing.
23 Suspend AB 32, the Global Warming Suicide Pact. YES!!
This is the most important proposition on the ballot and a no-brainer. Religious fanatics in Sacramento expect the rest of us to present ourselves a sacrifices to their goddess Gaia. AB 32 would crush the State's economy. It kills jobs. It hurts people. And for what? The myth of Man-made Global Warming. While it would be better to repeal AB 32 altogether, at least this gets the razor a little further from our wrists.
24 Increase taxes on businesses NO
See rule 1 or rule 2 above. Sacramento, in an inexplicable fit of sensibility, cut taxes for some businesses in the State, helping to save or create jobs. The public employee unions want those taxes reinstated. Call it saving a tax cut or preventing a tax increase, but the effect is the same. By keeping your boss from getting screwed, you save your own job.
25 "Balanced" budgets NO
The flaw with this proposition is that it makes it easier for the whores in Sacramento to spend our money. It now takes a 2/3 majority to pass a budget. The whores love to pork up the budget with all manner of give-aways to their whore-mongering friends in the public employee unions and other special interests. When they try this, it becomes harder to get 2/3 of their members to go along. Getting 1/2 to bend over is a much easier task.
26 2/3 vote to raise "fees" YES
"Fee" increases are the latest way the whores in Sacramento have of sneaking around Prop. 13's 2/3 vote requirement to raise taxes.
27 Let the whores in Sacramento draw their own district boundaries NO
Does this really require an explanation? See Prop. 20 above.
Some of these are no-brainers and some will require some explanation. But first, a few general rules...
- Rule 1: A tax increase or bond measure, no matter its supposed purpose, gets a NO vote. We're all taxed more than enough and the State already has plenty of our money to wallow in. Two corollaries to this: Anything that makes it harder for the whores in Sacramento raise our taxes gets a YES vote. Anything that makes it easier to raise our taxes gets a NO vote.
- Rule 2: Any tax cut, no matter who benefits, gets a YES vote. Taking money away from the whores in Sacramento is a good thing, even if your tax liability doesn't change.
19 "Legalize it!" YES
Your opinion of recreational drug use isn't what's at question here. The real question is whether or not the State should continue to participate in the Nation's failed drug war; but only with regard to marijuana.
The Drug War is a failure, pure and simple, and we all suffer as a result. Do you feel safer having to obtain permission to purchase decongestants? How many times have you read of botched drug raids that ended in the deaths of innocent, law abiding citizens? And what have we gained by surrendering our freedoms and safety? Nothing. Drug use continues unabated. Let's at least get the State out of the marijuana prohibition business.
20 Redistricting YES
You simply cannot trust elected officials to draw their own district boundaries. This has never been true in the American experience. The 200-year old term "Gerrymandering" is taken from the name of a politician, Elbridge Gerry. Today, some California Congressional districts make for stranger beasts than any Gerry may have envisioned.
21 Save the parks or Bambi, or some such line of bull crap NO
It's a tax increase. See rule 1 above.
22 Prevent raiding of local funds by Sacramento YES
This is kinda like a rule 2 situation. Keeping Sacramento's dirty fingers out of the cookie jar is a good thing.
23 Suspend AB 32, the Global Warming Suicide Pact. YES!!
This is the most important proposition on the ballot and a no-brainer. Religious fanatics in Sacramento expect the rest of us to present ourselves a sacrifices to their goddess Gaia. AB 32 would crush the State's economy. It kills jobs. It hurts people. And for what? The myth of Man-made Global Warming. While it would be better to repeal AB 32 altogether, at least this gets the razor a little further from our wrists.
24 Increase taxes on businesses NO
See rule 1 or rule 2 above. Sacramento, in an inexplicable fit of sensibility, cut taxes for some businesses in the State, helping to save or create jobs. The public employee unions want those taxes reinstated. Call it saving a tax cut or preventing a tax increase, but the effect is the same. By keeping your boss from getting screwed, you save your own job.
25 "Balanced" budgets NO
The flaw with this proposition is that it makes it easier for the whores in Sacramento to spend our money. It now takes a 2/3 majority to pass a budget. The whores love to pork up the budget with all manner of give-aways to their whore-mongering friends in the public employee unions and other special interests. When they try this, it becomes harder to get 2/3 of their members to go along. Getting 1/2 to bend over is a much easier task.
26 2/3 vote to raise "fees" YES
"Fee" increases are the latest way the whores in Sacramento have of sneaking around Prop. 13's 2/3 vote requirement to raise taxes.
27 Let the whores in Sacramento draw their own district boundaries NO
Does this really require an explanation? See Prop. 20 above.
Friday, July 02, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Useless but hysterical...
I just noticed that YouTube has added a new control to their viewer. There's now a little soccer ball on the control panel. Click it and you get droning vuvulzelas added to the video's soundtrack.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Copycats!
Per existing California law...
834b. (a) Every law enforcement agency in California shall fully cooperate with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service regarding any person who is arrested if he or she is suspected of being present in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws.So it looks like Arizona was merely copying their trend-setting neighbor to the west. What's next Gov. Brewer? A bill to change the Suns' colors to purple and gold?
(b) With respect to any such person who is arrested, and suspected of being present in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws, every law enforcement agency shall do the following:
(1) Attempt to verify the legal status of such person as a citizen of the United States, an alien lawfully admitted as a permanent resident, an alien lawfully admitted for a temporary period of time or as an alien who is present in the United States in violation of immigration laws. The verification process may include, but shall not be limited to, questioning the person regarding his or her date and place of birth, and entry into the United States, and demanding documentation to indicate his or her legal status.
(2) Notify the person of his or her apparent status as an alien who is present in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws and inform him or her that, apart from any criminal justice proceedings, he or she must either obtain legal status or leave the United States.
(3) Notify the Attorney General of California and the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service of the apparent illegal status and provide any additional information that may be requested by any other public entity.
(c) Any legislative, administrative, or other action by a city, county, or other legally authorized local governmental entity with jurisdictional boundaries, or by a law enforcement agency, to prevent or limit the cooperation required by subdivision (a) is expressly prohibited.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Thursday, May 06, 2010
It's official... I quit
...quit the GOP that is.
I'm looking at this sorry crop of candidates we get to choose from here in California and I decided that I don't want to be part of the aforementioned "we". They're a bunch of RINOs all claiming to be the most conservative candidate in the room. Whitman is Aaaahnold in drag. Poizner? I didn't even know that he was a Republican until a few weeks ago. I kid you not: I thought that he was a Democrat! Would a "conservative" give money to John Kerry and Algore?!? Fiorina? Didn't she support Barbara Boxer last time around?
In Sacramento, the biggest tax increase in US history passed because a Republican governor and a few GOP turncoats in the legislature wanted it. Now that governor wants one of these tax hiking stooges as the new lt. governor.
So that's it... No more.
I've been a Republican since I turned 18. Back then, the word "Republican" had a face...
Where did that party go? Where is that GOP now?! Reagan was once a Democrat. He said that he didn't quit the party, the party quit him.
So, perhaps I didn't quit after all...
I'm looking at this sorry crop of candidates we get to choose from here in California and I decided that I don't want to be part of the aforementioned "we". They're a bunch of RINOs all claiming to be the most conservative candidate in the room. Whitman is Aaaahnold in drag. Poizner? I didn't even know that he was a Republican until a few weeks ago. I kid you not: I thought that he was a Democrat! Would a "conservative" give money to John Kerry and Algore?!? Fiorina? Didn't she support Barbara Boxer last time around?
In Sacramento, the biggest tax increase in US history passed because a Republican governor and a few GOP turncoats in the legislature wanted it. Now that governor wants one of these tax hiking stooges as the new lt. governor.
So that's it... No more.
I've been a Republican since I turned 18. Back then, the word "Republican" had a face...
Where did that party go? Where is that GOP now?! Reagan was once a Democrat. He said that he didn't quit the party, the party quit him.
So, perhaps I didn't quit after all...
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Brother, can you spare a dime...
Perhaps Obama can part with a little BP Bling to help clean up his mess in the Gulf of Mexico.
Monday, May 03, 2010
Algore's new digs
HotAirPundit reports on Algore's new digs. It seems that St. Al the Warm has entered the California real estate market in a big way... a $9,000,000 way. Nearby Santa Barbara has a very nice airport that should be more than adequate for Al's private jet.
Sunday, May 02, 2010
That strong ale...
...got stronger!
The latest batch of my strong ale tips the scales at 8.5% ABV. It's still hoppy and sweet; a good balance.
The latest batch of my strong ale tips the scales at 8.5% ABV. It's still hoppy and sweet; a good balance.
Upgrading to Lucid Lynx
I've been using Kubuntu for quite a while now. The latest long term support release is 10.04, Lucid Lynx. I just let the automagical update do its thing and updated my box. It went without a hitch, for the most part. I did have one small problem with Thunderbird, however.
When I tried to start Thunderbird, I got an error saying that "Thunderbird is already running...". Of course, it wasn't. The problem seems to be when the update process tries to set up a new profile rather than using an old one. The old profile gets stored as /.thunderbird.upstream. A new /thunderbird sub-directory is made, but the profile.ini file in mine referred to the old profile that now resides in /.thunderbird.upstream. The problem was fixed by copying the old profile directory into the new /.thunderbird directory.
This is the only glitch I've had thus far.
By the way, I really like what I'm seeing in the latest T-bird.
When I tried to start Thunderbird, I got an error saying that "Thunderbird is already running...". Of course, it wasn't. The problem seems to be when the update process tries to set up a new profile rather than using an old one. The old profile gets stored as /.thunderbird.upstream. A new /thunderbird sub-directory is made, but the profile.ini file in mine referred to the old profile that now resides in /.thunderbird.upstream. The problem was fixed by copying the old profile directory into the new /.thunderbird directory.
This is the only glitch I've had thus far.
By the way, I really like what I'm seeing in the latest T-bird.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
You know...
...this used to be a political blog.
Perhaps the beer is a manifestation of my libertarian streak!
Perhaps the beer is a manifestation of my libertarian streak!
Taste test
OK... The Pooh's Blustery Ale has been kegged and under CO2 for 4 days. It's pretty good! I'm trying it out a little too warm, but the flavor's very good. More malt-forward than my previous beers; ~45 IBUs. It still has a lot of residual sweetness despite fermenting out to 1.005 (O.G. was 1.056.) Some honey bite to it as well and the color is where I wanted it; Pooh-bear colored.
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