The Average Man

Watch it only if you want a good laugh.

I picked this link up through a Twitter feed I have been following.  If you do not know about Twitter its the hottest social networking application to come down the pike in the last year or so.  Move over Facebook here comes Twitter.

Here is the original link at Twitter its from a guy who is a Craft Brewer (IAACB).

Part II

Father and son resting.

This is what happens when you plan a trip to Costa Rica.  At least this is what my son and daughter in law Channing tell me.  Baby Jamison Asher is resting quietly after a long day at the office.

Later this month Jennifer and I are planning to drive up to San Fransisco to visit the little family and bring our best wishes.

My son called me and left a message on my phone while I was at work a few days ago.  Its really amazing what being a new father will do for a person.  It tends to make you grow up.  For me I had to grow up really fast and I am glad that for this generation they have had a few years to enjoy just being young adults without too much responsibility.

So wake up world here comes “Asher”.

Scarlet Letter American Amber Ale   American-Style Ale
Ingredients: Malt:*7 lbs Pale Malt Extract (unhopped)*1 lb Crystal Malt 40 Lovibond*1 lb Munich Malt*Hops:*1 oz Cascade (60 min)*1 oz Willamette (60 min)*1/2 oz Cascade (35 min)*1/2 oz Willamette (35 min)*1/2 oz Cascade (15 min)*1/2 oz Willamette (15 min)*1 oz Cascade (3 min)*Finings:*1 tsp Irish Moss (20 min)*Yeast:*Wyeast #1056 - American Ale Yeast Instructions: Instructions:*Add 1.5 gallons cold water and the grains(in a bag) to your brew pot.*Take at least 30 mins bringing the water to around 175 degrees F., stirring regularly. *Remove the grain bag.*Remove the pot from the heat (to prevent scorching)and add the extract while stirring.*Replace on heat, bring to a boil, then follow hopping schedule. (All times are given to the end of the boil.)*Comments:*This is one of my favorite recipes. It edges out other beers with it’s fuller body from the amount of Crystal and Munich malts. It’s flavor is definitely American hops, but the Willamette and Cascade combine for nice flavor different than Cascade alone.*This recipe took the Gold Medal in American-style ales in the St. Louis Brews’ 1997 Hoppy Holiday Homebrew Competition, the Bronze (Amer. Ales) in The TRIBE’s 97 St. Vrain Spring Run-Off, and the Bronze (Amer. Ales) in PALE ALES’ 97 Hoppiest Show on Earth Homebrew Competition. by: Brian Rezac

We are living in exponential times she says.  To prove it Karen sent me this short YouTube video.  So watch it and let me know if she is right.

Well it was the night before Christmas when all through the house…..wait a minute.  This is the day before the New Year and the music died.  Remember the song American Pie? It was something like, “Bye Bye American Pie, Drove my Chevy to the Levi but the water was dry.  Good old boys drinking whiskey and rye, something about that was the Day the Music Died.”

I can hear it all now over and over again, “Good old boys drinking whiskey and rye, that was the day that the music died.  Bye Bye American Pie.”

Well today the music really did die in the form of a total Zune Blackout.  December 31st at some time or other all of the original Zune 30 gig sets locked up;  all of the Zunes in the world Locked up.  Really you say, yes and here is the proof.  Follow this link to the thousands of comments on locked up Zune mp3 players today.  Really amazing, its almost enough to make me go over to the dark side.

Our friends at Only Dark Sets have the scoop.  If you are into tech this is a weird one.  Check it out.

On a brighter note.  Tonight marks the end of a terrible 2008 (any Bush Lovers left please leave quickly) and the beginning of an uncertain but hopeful 2009 for many of us.  I am wishing all my gentle readers a warm and wonderful New Year full of unlooked for promise.  As my Pappy use to say, “Its all going to be OK.”

Thanks I needed that!

Scrambled Eggs are really the thing in the morning.  What I like to do is to make a little burrito with salsa and cheese, wrap the whole thing up and set in the cast iron skillet to brown all the edges.  This melts the cheese and gives the tortilla a crispy texture that I really like.

If I have some bacon lying around I will add that to the mix for a real treat.  You know all that fat and protein is good for you.  Whoever made that dumb food pyramid was off the deep end.  More on that later but first watch the video.

My friend Karen recently recommended a book to me, “Good Calories, Bad Calories” by Gary Taubes.  To get an idea of what is the central point of the book you can see the following video.  Overeating and under exercising is not the cause of obesity!  Really?  The book meticulously documents how fat is processed in the body and presents the idea that insulin and blood glucose levels are the driving forces for obesity.  Interesting stuff.

Our President elect Barack Obama, is producing a weekly Youtube broaddast to the little people, us.

There you go….this weeks installment.  What do you think. Is it Presedential?

I took my dad to the mall the other day to buy some new shoes. We decided to grab a bite at the food court. I noticed he was watching a teenager sitting next to him. The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors: green, red, orange, and blue.  My dad kept staring at him. The teenager would look and find him staring every time.

When the teenager had enough, he sarcastically asked, “What’s the matter old man, never done anything wild in your life?”

I quickly swallowed my food so that I would not choke on his response; knowing he would have a good one. And in classic style he did not bat an eye in his response.
‘Got drunk once and had sex with a peacock. I was just wondering if  you were my son.’

This little joke story came from my friend Karen.  Hoped you liked it.

Barack Obama gave a press conference yesterday addressing the financial difficulties that are facing the United States and talked about his transition team. These are important times and the press conference that he gave was deliberate, grave and very much in the presidential mode. I believe that Barack Obama is a “transformational figure” (quote from Colin Powell) and will change the way the people of the world view American politics.

Is there any great news in this press conference. The short answer is probably no. In a longer more thought out contemplation of the event though, one can gather from the tone, the coming administration will be temperate and fair. We gained an appreciation for what is to come in the new administration. The choice of Representative Rahm Emanuel, the Democrat from Illinois for Obama’s chief of staff, is a wonderful balance to the mild and soft spoken Obama. Rahmbo, as he has been called is a tough political operator and should be instrumental in getting Obama’s program through the legislature.

The most important issue facing the United States at the moment is the financial crisis.  President Bush has pledged a smooth transition to the new administration according to to a Fox News report. This is extremely important, any delay in action could cost American jobs and further losses in confidence in our economy.  So with all this happening is it a good time for optimism?  I say yes.  With the new administration and a bipartisan approach to solutions for America’s problems, I see a bright future.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Let us all hope and pray toward this end.

Tonight the World witnessed an American Revolution in the Election of Barak Obama as President of the United States.  This is the redemption for America’s origanel sin.  I am humbled and profoundly moved by this moment in American history.