WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO (SHORT VERSION)

Attending Contagion of Miasmatic Review's Beer Tasting. Pleasant surprises included the very delicious Xingu and - I can't believe I'm saying this - Budweiser's Clamato Chelada, which tasted very much like salty, spicy tomato juice, and very little like Budweiser or clams. Which is a good thing.

The beer tasting was neatly organized and quite efficient this year. Now that Contagion has the hang of it, you really owe it to yourself to attend the next one. It's a very good time.

He asked me to make suggestions for improvement, and I have little to offer. The only possibilities I can think of are a second rinse bucket that's not near the pouring station, and possibly a second person helping with pourings. Depending on attendance, these might become necessities next time.

Around the internet, a few discoveries:

Cake Wrecks - "When professional cakes go horribly, hilariously wrong" (via Dave of Sheldon Comics).

Bacon-flavored vodka.

My First Dictionary - really wrong (via Lynn of Violins & Starships)

Bacon sandwich cures hangover.

This Is Why You're Fat - Hard-core calorie porn (via Lynn of Violins & Starships). NSFW if you work in the fitness industry.

Fun With Microwaves from LoadingReadyRun - the Christmas lights are the best.

If you're not following my Capitalist Propaganda series at IMAO, you're missing out big time. It's cartoons & instructional videos made back when people weren't ashamed to say nice things about America. There's even a few modern items, too.

Chart of Federal government spending, 1967 to 2007 - Anyone who talks about spending cuts is full of shit. The number has never gone down. The only thing that's changed is the rate of increase from year to year.

Star Trek: Phase II - Serious actors, small budgets, good intentions, guest appearances by Sulu & Chekov. Nice homage to the original series.

Portrait of the artist as a child.

The difference between your ideal weight and your happy weight (via Lynn of Violins & Starships) - my advice is to go for the latter. Very thought-provoking. If you hate your scale, please read this.

The NeoCube - Want.

RolCats - English Translations of Eastern Bloc Lolcats (as a former Cold Warrior, I find these allusions to Communist propaganda particularly delightful).

Pledge Fabric Sweeper - FINALLY! Something that actually picks up pet hair! But disposable at $5 a pop? I don't think so. I cut a flap in the top so I can empty it. Use a sharp knife and cut slowly. That plastic is brittle.

Is this racist?

Is this?

Who got more halo pictures - Bush or Obama? (inspired by the Scott Adams Blog)

I'm Shakespearioidal.

"If We Were 5 Years Old, We Would Know How to Protect the Environment" - which is why we don't let 5 year olds vote.

FingerStache - dumbest thing I've ever heard of.

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake - I haven't tried this yet because Beloved Wife keeps baking cookies for me, but it's on my to-do list.

Splicd - a web site that allows you to link a particular portion of a YouTube video instead of the whole thing. (via Physics Geek)

Boxes of aluminum foil have locking tabs that keep the roll in the box - WHY DID NO ONE EVER TELL ME THIS???

Pandora - internet radio that plays only stuff you like. Set up personalized stations based on similarity to an artist or a song. Make tons of different stations to suit your various moods. And yeah, it's free.

Tips for choosing a personal lubricant.

"Trimming the bush to make the tree look taller" - Grointastic shaving tip video from Gillette.

Finally, for those who caught the May 28th Fred Thompson Show and heard this at the 13 minute point:

[Download audio clip (900kb)]

Yes, that was me that Jeri was referring to.