It’s a delightful Sunday, and I think I’ll go for a walk before the temperatures exceed 120°. SP is in the next room sleeping it off, I’m on my third cup of coffee and ready to wash the car, paint the house, dig a canal to Matamoros, and develop a Unified Field Theory. But first… links.
Old Guy Music is my bit of affirmative action and cultural appropriation- let the white guys play a hard bop rendition of a bossa nova classic. And they do, the solos here are nuts. And SP observes that Bill Watrous was in… an awkward phase. But holy shit, what playing!
I received my BIF package a couple weeks back, and this was certainly a good one. (H/T to that magnificent bastard: IoBot). Extra props for the packing, I had to get the “big ass” knife out to get these out of the packaging. I will eventually go through all but wanted to focus on one in particular.
This is my review of Rockaway Brewing Company “Bungalow Nights” Habanero Imperial Stout.
This shoudn’t go together, should it? Maybe.
Chilies are believed to be first cultivated in Mexico or Central America and were eventually cultivated and incorporated into various cuisines around the world due to the Columbian Exchange. The Columbian Exchange in this case is not drug related, other than perhaps tobacco or if you happen to be one of those freaks that eats chillies to polish their rocks.
These people do exist, and there are a variety of reasons for doing it: people get pleasure out of pain which results in an endorphin rush, they might simply like the taste, the health benefit, or just for the challenge between friends. In my case it was typically for bragging rights between me and several cousins as to who could drink the most hot sauce. A custom recently alluded with regard to a certain fake Mexican. Unfortunately, that tended to leave us devoid of hot sauce and left the adults in a precarious position. Due to my grandmother’s allergy to chillies (it closes her airway) if anybody wanted a hot taco at a family gathering it could only come in the form of hot sauce added after the fact.
There are two ways to determine how hot a chilli pepper can be. The first are Scoville units, which is an objective measurement of the amount of capsicum in the pepper. The other? Eat it and find out if one is hotter than another. For reference, the common jalapeño is around 3500 Scoville units, while a bell pepper is 0–an habanero is a rather intimidating 100,000…
Classic.
On that scale we find this pepper isn’t the highest or even particularly high. That honor goes to the Carolina Reaper, which is a hybrid of the ghost pepper and the Red Habanero. While it may sound like weapons grade pepper spray at 1-2 million Scoville units, the cops spray people with 5 million.
While I have reviewed a chilli beer before, this one is quite a bit different. Unlike the Sriracha beer, this one has a heavier stout to back it, and much as I found out when I experimented with habaneros in salsa, a little bit goes a long way. The imperial stout is heavily roasted with a lot of chocolate and and notes of dark fruit. The peppers give it an interesting mouthfeel with a tingling sensation on the tongue followed an overwhelming stout. Even though it may not be my first choice, I might even go so far as to say I enjoyed drinking it but beware—this is not for everyone. Rockaway Brewing Company “Bungalow Nights” Habanero Imperial Stout: 3.5/5.
Unlike most of you assholes, I didn’t get a 4 day weekend and I am resentful. So no entertaining anecdotes, personal stories, dirty jokes, or trenchant observations. Just links.
Old Guy Music features birthday boy Louie Bellson blasting his way through a standard, and not only keeping up with Oscar Peterson, but maybe driving him a wee bit…
STEVE SMITH TIRED. HIM MAKE RAPE QUOTA FOR MONTH. BUT ONLY BECAUSE LUCKY. TOUR BUS DRIVER GET LOST, PARK NEAR CAVE AND TRY GET GPS SIGNAL. PASSENGERS GET STEVE SMITH SIGNAL. BY SIGNAL, MEAN RAPE.
STEVE SMITH COMPLAIN TO CRYPTID LOCAL 701. BUT THEM NO CARE. THEM THINK MERGE INTO SEIU (SCARY ENTITIES IN UNIONS). STEVE SMITH THINK IT TIME GET OUT. STEVE SMITH WRITE CHEESE PERSON, ASK HELP. HIM SEND BACK TO READ JANUS OPINION. THAT GOOD ADVICE, BUT STEVE SMITH NO WORRY ABOUT PAY MONEY SEIU, HIM NO WANT CRYPTIDS IN UNION! SHOULD BE FREE DO THINGS WANT ON OWN. SO STEVE SMITH CALL FOR MEETING.
SEIU SEND GOONS.
GOONS
AFTER STEVE SMITH RAPE GOONS AND THEY RUN AWAY, MEETING CALL ORDER. STEVE SMITH WANT VOTE SET DECERTIFY CRYPTIDS LOCAL 701. SHOP STEWARD OBJECT. STEVE SMITH STILL OBJECTION. BY STILL OBJECTION, MEAN RAPE SHOP STEWARD. GET VOTE SET, BUT LEADERSHIP SAY THEY STOP STEVE SMITH. WONDER WHAT THEM DO? MAYBE THEM DO THIS, DISTRACT STEVE SMITH.
BUT YOU COME HERE LINKS TIME. STEVE SMITH GIVE LINKS, THEN GO THINK WHAT DO.
Hey guys, I hope no one here is as hungover as my wife. She had an excellent 4th of July, and I suspect the first hour or so of the 5th were pretty fun, too, but now… Grumpy.
Slate grudgingly admits that the whole 4th of July thing was not quite the third act of The Wall.
Modern day slavery in the UK. Insert Polack joke… well, its really not funny.
Kayaking is a fun and safe recreational activity enjoyed by people at all levels of fitness and mobility. Kayaking can be done on almost any body of liquid water, but I’m going to focus on flatwater and stillwater paddling since that is the entry point and maximum level of attainment for most people. Kayaking is a good low-impact exercise and enables fishing, nature photography, and camping. Nothing beats the relaxation of a day on the water.
The most frequent question I get from people who have never kayaked is: “Do I have to learn how to flip the boat back up?” No. Ideally you won’t turn over, but if you do you swim free. Which inevitably leads to domanda numero due: “Do I have to be strapped in?” Again, the answer is “no.” Recreational kayaks are designed for easy exit – they have large cockpit openings and ample, unobstructed under-deck space. Plus, there is a new class of sit-on-top, self-draining kayak where no part of you is enclosed at all. To complete the trifecta of answers to questions I am frequently asked by non-boaters – no, they are not as tippy as you probably think; kayaks are designed to keep your center of gravity low which stabilizes things nicely.
“The kayak was first used by the indigenous Aleut, Inuit, Yupik and possibly Ainu hunters in subarctic regions of the world.” And those dudes were totally badass hunting seals and contending with orcas in frigid waters in boats made of hide and bones. Modern kayaks are almost exclusively made of rotomolded polyethylene plastic, with a small number of specialty boats made of fiberglass or wood.
Kayakers sit with their legs stretched out ahead of them and use a two-bladed paddle; as opposed to canoeists who kneel, or sit with legs tucked under, and use a one-bladed paddle.
The author in a sit-on-top boat designed for whitewater use, hence the straps and helmet.
Ideally your first kayak experience should be in the company of two or more experienced paddlers. Kayak enthusiasts often have extra boats and gear and will outfit you for your first trip. Etiquette tip – spring for beers afterwards for your guides and outfitters. Offer to serve as a shuttle monkey or lunch bunny if you want a second invite.
There are kayak rental concessions at/near various lakes and rivers, some of which offer guided trips. These people are very conscious of their liability and will not put their customers in harm’s way. If your first kayaking experience is with other inexperienced paddlers, start with a one or two hour rental on a quiet lake in a party of three or more people all of whom should know how to swim even though you will use the PFD (life vest) you are issued.
So, you do a trip and you have fun and decide to buy your own kayak. The type of kayak you should purchase depends on the type of kayaking you’ll be doing. If you’re going to be paddling on ponds and smaller lakes (collectively, stillwater) then you can get by with a cheap department store boat for around two hundred dollars. Inexpensive recreational kayaks can also be safely used on rivers with no rapids (flatwater), or on Class I-II whitewater – caution or instruction recommended for the latter.
At the absolute minimum you will also need: a PFD (aka life vest, and yes you really, really need one), paddle (you notice I put this behind PFD on the list, right?), whistle or air horn, and a broad-brimmed hat. Appropriate footwear is sandals with ankle straps (no flip-flops), water shoes such as Nike Aquasock, or wetsuit booties. Always have with you water, sunscreen and a snack. Usual outdoor safety and first aid equipment, but Glibs know this already.
Please don’t buy a cheap polyvinyl inflatable kayak, aka pool toy. These things are truly POS, puncture easily and are not durable. There is a better class of inflatable made of rubberized fabric, but those cost as much as a rigid boat; they do have the advantage of portability and compact storage.
If you want to do bigger water, want to take long trips, or haul lots of gear then you’re going to need a bigger, more durable boat than they sell at department stores.
A Tarpon model 130T (thirteen-foot, tandem) sit-on-top recreational boat. Two drain pipes in the rear cargo compartment, four in the front of the cockpit. The ridges are molded-in footbraces to accommodate various leg lengths.
If you want to do long downriver trips, or haul lots of gear then I recommend a sit-on-top, self-draining recreational kayak such as Wilderness Systems’ Tarpon line of boats. These boats are sturdy, stable and durable. Recently Wilderness replaced the rubber cargo hatches with hard plastic hinged hatches – much more durable and reliable. The drain pipes go all the way through from the top deck to the bottom deck without letting water into the space between decks. Perhaps counterintuitively, the drain pipes add a huge amount of structural integrity to the hull. These boats can do up to Class III whitewater, and can even surf a bit, but they are not nimble.
Obligatory Stirring Kayak Anecdote: During rescue operations in chilly whitewater I had two men in a one-person, sit-on-top boat, exceeding the rated cargo capacity by over one hundred pounds. Although the boat sat low in the water and the cockpit was partially flooded, the kayak remained floatworthy and maneuverable; when the extra man got out of the boat the water drained out within ten seconds and full floatworthiness was regained.
The only disadvantage to self-draining kayaks is that they are slower than traditional kayaks – the drain holes add drag. And while you sit higher in the water in a sit-on-top than in a conventional kayak, the designers compensate for that by making these boats extra-wide for added stability. The drain pipes also provide an easy way to secure the kayak against casual theft using a chain or cable lock.
Another Anecdote: One of the recreational boaters I’m trying to get to level-up has long been wary of trying my sit-on-top. Once she finally tried it she was impressed by the stability generally solid character of the craft to the point of jealousy.
If you want to do Class III+ whitewater and be able to surf (including ocean waves) and do tricks then you will need a whitewater kayak – these are made of thicker plastic than cheap recreational boats and have internal supports to keep them from being crushed like a soda can in rough water. You will need to learn to roll – contact your local paddling club, Parks and Rec (SLD), or YMCA about rolling classes which are often conducted in pools. Expect to spend $1,200-$1,600 for all new whitewater kayak, PFD, paddle, skirt and helmet. Whitewater boats are short, and by design easily tip and spin.
If you are going to do long treks on open water (ocean, sea, bay, sound, great lakes, etc) you will probably want a sea kayak. These boats are long and narrow, relatively stable, but don’t turn well. Many deepwater paddlers learn to roll in case they are swamped by waves or wakes. Some sea kayaks are equipped with sailing rigs, retractable keels for speed and tracking, and outriggers for stability.
There are also a few pedal-powered kayaks on the market where the pedal rotation powers underwater flaps which help propel the boat; paddles are used for turning and maneuvering, and for additional propulsion. Pedal drive boats are not recommended for water with lots of vegetation, underwater obstructions, etc. Some of those pedal units are removable.
Fiberglass boats are great if you are a competitive whitewater kayaker, competitive flatwater racer, squirt boater, or want to make your own boat. They are certainly light, but break in situations where a polyethylene boat would bend or dent.
Wooden boats are so very pretty, but they are heavy and expensive. You don’t see many of them in river kayaking as the owners tend to avoid anything that might scrape them up, like rocks.
Buying a used boat is often a good way to break into the sport on the cheap without sacrificing equipment quality. Scrapes and scratches consistent with normal use are fine. Beware of dents, folds, creases, cracks, brittle plastic, dry rotted rubber, etc. Generic replacement nylon carry handles are readily available, but rotted handles are indicative of poor kayak storage. Best time to find a used boat is December through March as people get new boats for Christmas or for Spring.
A single short boat will fit inside a hatchback vehicle with the front seat folded forward. For longer or multiple boats you will need a roof rack, or a pickup truck. A Subaru Outback wagon can easily haul four kayakers with boats and gear for a day trip.
Tonio has been a canoeist since 1985, and a kayaker since 1990. Tonio’s maximum level of attainment was solid Class IV whitewater paddling skills, but he has dialed things back to Class III now that he is older. Tonio loves practicing kayak safety and rescue techniques. Tonio is not a real Italian.
OK, so the hallucinogens haven’t worn off yet. And I have to go back to work today. And it’s cooler than normal, 105°. So don’t tell me it’s a good morning. Well, the one good thing is that the news is still pretty entertaining.
Old Guy Music is old guy Paul Cebar, whom I habitually describe as “The Compleat Musician.” He works in just about every genre, and here’s his funky side.
Tom Woods did a recent show on an article arguing that Taxation was not Theft (link: https://tomwoods.com/ep-1434-taxation-isnt-theft-or-slavery/). I thought it was a rather good episode, however I think Tom misses a point that I would like to add.
First let’s discuss the argument. I would attribute the argument to the original author, however I’ve seen it made by several socialist thinkers and so I don’t know who made it originally. It has come into vogue on the left as a counter talking point to the “Taxation is Theft” mantra. Here is what they say: Taxation isn’t theft because theft implies taking something from someone who has a moral right to something. They then claim that the poor have a stronger moral right to a wealthy person’s property than the wealthy because we have to weigh in a person’s right to eat, have shelter over a person’s right to their property.
Tom does a fantastic job on arguing why such thinking is not only morally bankrupt, but also just unworkable. I’ll leave that for him to discuss in his episode. However, what I am going to say is that even on their own terms, that argument does not justify our tax regime.
First of all this argument would only justify taxing the “rich.” However, our current tax system taxes the poor and wealthy alike. Whether that be gas taxes, sales taxes or FICA taxes, everyone is forced to pay into the system. Now, one could argue that the poorest get more out in direct welfare benefits than they put in, but that is really only true for the poorest group of people. There are plenty of people who would be considered poor that pay into the system rather than get out. Under the argument supplied taxation would not be justified.
A possible second argument is that everyone but the super wealthy in the country receives more than they put in because of all the services that are granted, things like roads, defense, and grants for studies about global warming’s disproportionate effects on women. To some this may seem plausible. But it is entirely beside the point. The argument to justify taxation as not theft only justifies taxation in the pursuit of redistribution of wealth from rich to poor. If taxation isn’t theft because the rich don’t have a moral right to their food in the face of the plight of the poor, it is theft because the government takes the money that should (according to this argument) go to the poor and instead spends it on something else.
Now I can understand why this argument isn’t the first one given by Tom (and other libertarians I’ve heard counter it). But I think it is a particularly strong one because it doesn’t let progressives talk out of both sides of their mouth. On one hand they justify taxation by saying the poor have a moral right to the property, but on the other hand they advocate all sorts of spending and taxation schemes that are still not justified by their logic.
Mexican. Unfortunately, that tended to leave us devoid of hot sauce and left the adults in a precarious position. Due to my grandmother’s allergy to chillies (it closes her airway) if anybody wanted a hot taco at a family gathering it could only come in the form of hot sauce added after the fact.
