Glibertarians.com 2019 Archive

Blog

  • Tuesday Morning Links

     

    Good morning my Glibs and Gliberinas!  And what a glorious morning it always is!

     

    Key figure in Mueller report described as having connections to Russian intelligence is a State Department intel source.

     

    DOJ review of Trump surveillance is “broad in scope and multifaceted”.

     

    The beatings will continue until morale improves.  It was a good run YouTube, time to move on.

     

    Amash resigns from House Freedom Caucus.

     

    Connecticut restaurant closed after fluid from decomposing body leaks from upstairs apartment.

     

    Pence defends refusal to allow embassies to mindlessly social signal.

     

    That’s all I got for today.  I’ll leave you with a song and move along with my day.

  • SP’s Guide to Insufferable Politeness: Lesson 1

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    The noun “etiquette” describes the requirements of behaviors according to conventions of society. It includes the proper conduct that is established by a community for various occasions, including ceremonies, court, formal events and everyday life. ~ Robin Bickerstaff Glover

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    The Australian Glib Book of Etiquette is a very slim volume. ~ Paul Theroux

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     Well, there is etiquette and then there are manners. Not the same thing at all.

    Think of etiquette as the collection of principles for why one uses manners: courtesy, respect, kindness. If one seeks to treat others kindly and put them at ease, one will rarely go wrong in a big way, and will likely be forgiven for a lapse in manners such as using the wrong knife in a formal setting.

    However, I like to think about etiquette and manners as means to control minds and hearts…no rusty tin can lids required!

    At finishing school one is taught the niceties of manners, but the main emphasis is on creating an impression of oneself in the minds of others. Consider this your invitation to Glib Finishing School.

    Ready?

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    Situation

     

    You are invited to a dinner party. Along with the usual details, the hostess has indicated that it is not a formal affair and gives an impression that it’s really more a gathering akin to an open house with no set end time.

    You promptly reply that you are delighted to be invited and will attend.

    You ask the standard question all Glibs of good breeding ask: What may I bring?    

    The hostess replies, “Thank you for asking, but there is no need for you to bring anything.”

     

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    What do you do?

     

    Do you: 

    A) Take your hostess at her word and not bring anything

    B) Bring the dish known as your specialty

    C) Bring flowers from the grocery store around the corner

    D) Bring a small thoughtful gift

     

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    SP’s Suggestion

     

    It depends on your relationship with the hostess.

    In the long ago, olden times, one would of course bring a small thoughtful gift in spite of the request not to do so, unless the hostess was a close family member. It was considered very bad manners to arrive empty-handed. Remember hostess gifts?

    However, things have changed. It is now perfectly acceptable to take your hostess at her word and bring nothing but a positive attitude and anticipation of an enjoyable event.

    But, wait.

    Remember that I said this is a chance to create a positive impression of oneself? If the hostess is a business acquaintance, valued member of your social network, or someone new whom you would like to cultivate, taking something that is small and useful, that creates no work for the hostess, is a good plan.

    Such as:

    A bottle of decent wine (no Two Buck Chuck); a pretty floral arrangement already in a vase (this can even be flowers from your garden);  a small pot of herb plants or a spice blend in a pretty jar; a selection of nice cheeses or nuts.

    Just be cognizant that the hostess may or may not use your offering during that event. If there is already a set menu or wines selected to go with the menu, don’t be offended that your gift isn’t put into immediate use. Remember, you are trying to create a favorable impression.

    Be gracious. Once you have given a gift, what happens with it is completely up to the recipient.

    What not to bring:

    A dish that needs oven or refrigerator/freezer space; flowers in a plastic wrap from the grocery store; several bottles of ingredients for your specialty cocktail; a CD of your favorite “dinner music” by Kraftwerk; finger foods that need some kind of preparation beyond plating. 

     

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    Pro Tip

     

    If you know the hostess is crazy about her pet, bringing a small, token gift for the pet may win you even more points than something for the hostess herself!

     

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    N.B.

     

    All of the preceding regarding what to bring can be disregarded if you are on a Family Rules status with the hostess. You know the level of formality likely to be involved, you know the likes and dislikes and habits of the hostess, and probably most of the other guests.

    So feel free to grab that six-pack of PBR and some stale chips and generic salsa. She already knows the kind of low class person you are.

     

     

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    And, finally…

     

    Don’t forget that it’s always thoughtful to send a thank you note, email, or text after the event, no matter your relationship with the hostess. If it’s like some of the previous Chez OMWC/SP parties, you might want to also include a playful, “Oops, my bad” when you text us from the county lockup.

     

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    Next time, join me for how to write an excellent thank you note.

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  • Monday Afternoon Links

    Hey guys, happy Monday. I’ll bet you’re all surprised they let me out of prison on Saturday. I know I was! Just kidding. But seriously, fuck prison. Everything is standing around and waiting for the Man. Even when you go to visit. Also, I took my kids to see a movie this weekend, and everyone was well-behaved and sat through the whole thing. Not like the bitch next to me who had her phone out the whole movie and was talking with her kid like they were in their living room. Fucking hate going to the movies. But it was one of those dine and watch places, so I had a drink to get me through it.

    The worst part about this is Russian “airport security” is far less intrusive than here in the “freedom loving” US.

    Terminators are coming!

    Well I’m sure this report on diet will confirm everybody’s biases.

    Being on an open tech ecosystem has its pluses and minuses.

    A little bit of fun from the Geto Boyz. Bushwick Bill never got to do his Phuck Cancer tour, but fuck cancer

  • A History of Bolt Guns, Part Six

    Today in Bolt Guns

    Let’s take a highly condensed look at the state of the bolt gun market as it stands today.

    Remington

    The Remington 700 SPS

    Winchester got first billing last time, so this time we’ll give it to Remington.

    The Remington 700 is still going strong, offered in a variety of configurations from wood-stock sporters to full-up Tacticool.  The great old BDL is still for sale, along with the lower-priced, blind-magazine ADL.  And Remington is still offering the carriage trade, $2400 Model 700 200th Anniversary Limited Edition Model 700, of which rifles only 2,016 have been made.  Remington even offers a muzzle-loader on the Model 700 action, in which the bolt opens to allow a 209 shotgun primer to be placed into the breech for ignition.

    Remington also offers the light and handy little Model 7, a short-action, light-barreled carbine in several varieties with wood, laminate and synthetic stocks.  I considered one of these rifles for Mrs. Animal and handled several although I didn’t take the chance to shoot one.  It’s a neat little rifle and would be great for close-quarters work, as they handle quickly and point very naturally.

    The Model 783 is something new.  This rifle started out life as the Marlin X-7 rifle and was absorbed into Big Green when Remington acquired the old lever gun manufacturer.  The 783 and continues that weapon’s floating bolt head, detachable box magazine and small ejection port, which makes for a very strong receiver.  The 783 more or less fills the role once held by the old Model 788.

    Winchester

    The Immortal Model 70

    This great old company now offers two bolt rifles.  The first is of course the Rifleman’s Rifle, the Model 70, now only offered with the blade ejector and controlled-feed claw extractor.  An improved trigger was recently added.  You can get this fine old rifle in Super Grade with a French walnut, American black walnut, or fine blonde maple stocks.  Stainless versions are offered, with wood or synthetic stocks.

    If you’re on a budget Winchester has the XPR, a push-feed, synthetic-stocked, no frills hunting rifle.  The XPR, like the Remington 783, departs from the traditional Model 70 with its 3-lug bolt, detachable magazine and slide safety.

    One thing I find interesting about Winchester is that they have eschewed the Tacticool craze in their bolt guns.  While Remington offers several Tacticool varieties of the Model 700, Winchester’s rifles are sporting rifles, pure and simple.  Mind you I’m not saying that’s good or bad, but it’s interesting, speaks somewhat to the new Winchester’s marketing strategy, and honestly, makes me like that company just a little bit more.

    It’s probably a bit odd that I don’t have a Model 70 in the rack.  If I could find a Safari-grade, pre-64 rifle in .375 H&H, I might just be tempted to buy it – if I could get it for a price that wouldn’t put me in Mrs. Animal’s sights.

    There are, of course, lots of other bolt guns on the market.

    The Other Guys

    It should come as a surprise to no one that I’m a fan of Browning products.  While the modern-day Browning and the modern-day Winchester share their corporate owners, their bolt gun offerings are quite different.

    The Browning A-bolt has been discontinued, but the general pattern of the action lives on in the AB3 and, to some extent, the X-bolt, both of which shares the earlier rifle’s three locking lugs and 60-degree bolt throw.  Both rifles feature detachable magazines, but while the AB3 uses the traditional style box magazine, the X-bolt uses a new design, a rotary magazine roughly like that of the Savage 99.

    While both rifles have good reputations, I haven’t fired or handled either, so can’t offer any personal recommendation.  Ruger bolt guns, on the other hand, I am more familiar with, and I have to say my experiences have been positive.

    Of all the American manufacturers, Ruger probably has the largest lineup of bolt guns.  Ruger’s supply covers a very wide range, so I’ll mention a couple I find particularly interesting.

    The latest version of the basic Model 77 platform is the Hawkeye Standard Rifle.  Like the original M77, it uses an updated, modernized version of the 98 Mauser action, but unlike the original M77 it uses a Winchester-style three position four-and-aft safety.  It comes in a good variety of calibers and finishes.  Ruger sells cheaper rifles on the same basic action, but the American has a cleaner finish and is available with some good wood furniture.

    Ruger Gunsite Scout.

    An interesting variant on the M77 is the Gunsite Scout, made to the concept first floated by the late Colonel Jeff Cooper.  This bolt gun has an 18” barrel, muzzle brake, a Picatinny rail allowing for an intermediate eye relief scope, a ten round detachable magazine and either a laminated wood or synthetic stock.  Unlike the late Colonel Cooper, I see little application for this rifle in a modern military, but it is even so a short, handy rifle; five round mags are available to meet most state’s hunting rifle restrictions.  The Scout was first put out in .308 Winchester and .243 Winchester but is available now in the thumping .450 Bushmaster, which would make an interesting brush gun.  If they only made it in .358 Winchester, I would probably own one by now.

    Both rifles, along with most of Ruger’s stable, are available in left-handed versions for you southpaws.

    Mossberg may be better known for their shotguns, but after some experimentation that old family-owned company offers a couple of good bolt guns.  The Mossberg Patriot is a standard push-feed bolt gun offered in traditional wood furniture as well as synthetics.  The bolt body is cut with spiral flutes for some reason; the Patriot also has a good, clean externally adjustable trigger unique to Mossberg.  Also available is the MVP, which mates the Patriot action to a synthetic stock and detachable, AR-pattern magazines.  If you live in a jurisdiction that is hostile to AR-pattern rifles, you can at least get a bolt gun to use your stockpile of AR magazines.

    And then we have Savage.  Their entry into riflery may have been the Model 99 lever gun, but we have already discussed their 110 bolt gun.  Savage these days seems to be in competition with Ruger for the biggest variety of bolt guns for sale; they still offer the 110 in a great variety of finishes and calibers but also the Axis bolt gun and the Savage 11 hunting and 12 target rifles.  Like the original 110, Savage offerings tend to be robust, reliable and affordable.  Better, their more recent offerings are more attractive than the original, clunky 110, but only the 11 and 111 Hunter rifles feature wood stocks.

    I’ve only scratched the surface of standard domestic bolt gun offerings, but I wanted to take a little space to describe some upscale offerings as well.

    The Semi-Customs

    The Cooper.

    Up in Kalispell, Montana, there is a company making high-end bolt guns based on what is essentially a 98 Mauser action with a Winchester 70-style fore and aft safety.  Their basic model, the American Standard Rifle, starts at about $1,500; the price of the fancier models rises rapidly from there.  I’ve toyed with the idea of buying their American Legends Rifle in my favored .338 Win Mag, and in so doing gain a rifle that for all intents and purposes is a brand-new pre-64 Model 70 Winchester.  But given our pending move north to the Great Land, I may instead look at The Alaskan, a stainless steel and synthetic rifle made for wet, cold climates.  One of these in .375 H&H would be good medicine for big bears and moose.

    A step up the price and fanciness ladder will get you another Montana production from the Cooper Firearms company.  Their Model 21 (.17 Fireball through .300 Blackout) and Model 22 (.22BR through .35 Whelen, including belted magnums) Classic rifles carry a ½ MOA accuracy guarantee, AA Claro walnut stocks, hand-cut checkering and a detachable box magazine for quick reloads.

    Kimber is a company known for some fancy 1911 clones, but they also produce some high-end bolt guns.  The Kimber bolt action, like the Montana, is a well-made clone of the pre-64 Model 70.  Kimber offers their Traditional and Dangerous Game versions with fine walnut furniture, along with the likes of the Hunter and Mountain series with synthetic stocks.

    Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, more great bolt guns are being cranked out.

    Around the World

    Advertising themselves as Das Original, Mauser is still in the bolt gun game, producing their Mauser 12 bolt gun.  It’s interesting that this latest Mauser lacks the classic big claw extractor of the classic Model 98, but the M12 is gathering a good reputation as a solid, smooth reliable rifle, especially in those European nations where the peasantry is still allowed to own firearms.

    Best of all, though, is the fact that Mauser still – still, after almost 120 years – offers a Model 98 sporting rifle.

    The M98 Expert. I have to show this one page width.  Boy howdy do I want one.  I really, really want one.

    The new Model 98 presents that classic action in both standard and magnum versions, featuring a fully milled action, a cold hammer-forged barrel, plasma nitride finish on the steel parts, a three-position safety and a gorgeous European walnut stock.  The Magnum version features a beefy square-bridge, double cross-bolted action and one of the highest capacities in a dangerous-game bolt gun; six shots in the .375 H&H, five in the .416 and .450 Rigby calibers.  And if you really want to drop some bucks into a beauty, Mauser offers the 98 Standard Diplomat with Grade 7 walnut furniture, guaranteed to cause excess salivation in anyone who loves fine guns.

    Mind you these rifles start at the $7-8,000 range, so much as I’d love to own one, it’s probably not in the cards any time soon.

    The Blaser R8.

    Mauser isn’t the only German manufactory to produce bolt guns I can’t afford.  Blaser produces their pricey R8 and R93 bolt guns, which couldn’t be more different than the great old Mauser.  The Blaser is a straight-pull bolt gun, very fast in operation, and with one big advantage:  The action has no ejection port, instead opening the top of the action when the bolt is withdrawn.  This is a neat feature in a hunting rifle, as when the action is in battery it is sealed up, with no way for moisture or dirt to get in and gum things up.  The Blaser action is also shorter than traditional bolt guns, allowing for a shorter overall length with a standard barrel.  Combine that with a smooth, simple trigger and coil spring throughout, and you’ve got an innovative, well-made sporting rifle.

    Still, tradition has a place in the gun world, and across the Channel, the Brits are big on tradition.  Rigby offers three classes of bolt guns, all on 98 Mauser actions:  The Highland Stalker, The Big Game, and The London Best.  Were I suddenly discovered to be a long-lost heir of John Rockefeller – unlikely, as the Animal family tree is already pretty well documented, and not a billionaire in the bunch – I would be interested in The London Best, hand-fitted from end to end, with Grade 7 Turkish walnut and London Best oil finish, hand-blued and hand-fitted.  Given that one of these costs as much as a good-sized house, I suspect I will have to keep wishing.

    The Rigby London Best. I have to show this one page width too. I really, really love this rifle.

    Holland & Holland is still in the game as well.  H&H today still offers the what they call “The Bolt Action Magazine Rifle” (those Brits just aren’t big on euphemistic names) in standard and magnum versions.  Like the Rigby, Holland & Holland rifles are based on Model 98 actions; like the Rigby, they are hand-built and hand-fitted, with high-grade walnut stocks; like the Rigby, I can’t afford one, and neither can you, so we’re going to have to settle for looking longingly at the pictures.

    European companies seem to be determined to produce expensive bolt guns, but in Japan, a company called Howa is aiming at the middle-class trade.  Howa has a history in martial arms, having produced Arisaka rifles during World War II and copies of the M1 Garand and M1 Carbine after the war for the Japanese Self Defense Forces.  Nowadays they produce the M1500 bolt gun; Howa bolt guns have been imported into the U.S. as the Smith & Wesson 1500 and now under Howa’s own name.  Mrs. Animal once owned a Howa 1500 rifle in .270 Winchester; it was a decent, solid push-feed bolt gun, nothing fancy but certainly reliable and reasonably accurate, regularly turning in 1.5 MOA groups.

    Again, I’ve barely scratched the surface of the non-U.S. bolt gun market.  Doing the topic justice would make a fair-sized book.  But we’re not done yet; the modern Tacticool craze hasn’t left the bolt gun market behind.

    The Tacticool Stuff

    I commented earlier that Winchester seems to have eschewed the hardcore Tacticool market, and that I like that about them – I do.  But other American gun companies have shown no such restraint.

    The Remington 700 is available with what that company calls a “Tactical Chassis,” with an adjustable, telescoping stock, a Picatinny rail running from the dear of the action to the front of the fore-end, a pistol grip and a muzzle brake.

    Mossberg offers the MVP, which we discussed previously, in a Tacticool version with (again) an adjustable stock, a Picatinny rail atop the action and, like the sporter version, the ability to use AR-style magazines, something unique among bolt guns.

    Ruger has their Precision Rifle series, in standard and magnum calibers.  This piece, as the other Tacticool offerings, offers an adjustable stock, an abundance of Picatinny railage, and a muzzle brake; but the Precision has the look of a dedicated sniper piece.  Personally, I’ll stick with my M77 Mk IIT for long-range riflery, but given Ruger’s reputation, I don’t doubt this piece would likewise get the job done at extended distances.

    The Savage 110 Tactical.

    Savage offers tactical versions of their 110 bolt gun, most notably the 110 Tactical with their AccuFit stock and AccuFit adjustable trigger, a barrel threaded for suppressors and a 10-round detachable magazine.

    There are, of course, many more.

    It’s been a while since the bolt gun market was given a book-length treatment.  It certainly merits one; were my personal bandwidth a little less crowded, I might consider taking the project one.  Meanwhile, I hope I have at least given you a good thumbnail sketch here.

    And Then This Happened

    Another series draws to a close.

    I’ve noted previously the omission of Roy Weatherby from this series.  People either seem to love Weatherby’s work or hate it, and while I admire his marketing acumen and his innovation with the old Mark V action and his stable of high-velocity, proprietary cartridges, I didn’t care for the flashiness of the first couple of generations of Weatherby rifles.  I also don’t care for the direction the company has gone now that old Roy is gone.  But that’s a story for another day.

    So, what’s next?  Honestly, I don’t have another six-part history in me for a few weeks, at least.  But I have the Weatherby piece and at least one more Profile in Toxic Masculinity in the works, as well as a couple more (hopefully) amusing tales of my mis-spent youth in northeast Iowa.  So, stay tuned!  I find I really enjoy bringing all you folks this stuff and will try to keep up the pace to the extent my meat-space workload and my aging and partially fossilized brain allows.

  • Monday Morning Links

    Lunch today?

     

    I don’t think any of us wants to be here today, so we will go ahead and try to make the best of it with some links. Mondays, huh?

    • I am not sure why this was published. Who – some guy. What – got shot. Where – in a city in Sweden. Why – a bit vague on that (or, maybe the Swedish cops are becoming more like their American colleagues). When – today. Very little information gets passed along. Congrats Reuters.
    • The family that gets shot together….uh, gets, um. Well. Happy Times in Chicago. Note who was the “first responder” in this case (hint: not the cops or paramedics).
    • “Snog.fm“?
    • Pleasepleaseplease let this happen.

     

    Go Forth and Free Cascadia, because the water…or whatever you are supposed to do.

  • Sunday Evening Mostly Open Post

    See? We do plan here at Glib HQ. Sorta.

    I will point out that, as always, there is a nice mix of contributing writers and topics coming up this week, not that you can see the topics because I’m pressed for time and that’s all the coming attraction info you are getting! Deal with it.

     

    You may now proceed to treat this post as you do all others…as an open post! Have a great evening, Glibs.

  • IFLA: The “A Day Early” Edition of the Horoscope for the Week of June 9

    So this week we have an actual sign in the heavens.  It’s a double leg through Jupiter (retrograde)–which isn’t exactly the best linkage you can have.    One leg involves the Earth and the Sun, the other is the Moon with Mars and Mercury.  Now that first one means “trouble at home, domestic discord.”  The second has the primary meaning of “Drama!” but also has clear implications of infidelity by a male, a soldier receiving bad news, and/or a lie starting a fight.  Usually you should try to figure out which leg is the event and which leg is the influences leading to it, but in this case I don’t think it matters much.

    It’s most likely that a Gemini will be the cause of the above drama rather than the victim of it.  Mars and Mercury in Scorpio means we will get some clarification about something that has been a problem up until now (and boy do I have a candidate for a long-standing issue that needs figuring out).  You will need to work a bit on your self control with the moon in Leo amping up any tendencies towards moodiness.  Venus is transiting between Taurus and Gemini, so if your fantasy is a hookup with twin dudes, this is a great week to make it happen.

    The cards agree:  This week is all about the dudes.  Only two cards of a feminine nature were shown, and they were both reversed.  Not so good for women in authority.  This week, remember the motto of of Clan Gordon: “By Courage, not Craft.”  Indirection and stratagems are contraindicated.

    Gemini:  8 of Coins, reversed – voided ambition, usury, vanity

    Cancer:  Ace of Wands – Creation, invention, enterprise, birth

    Leo:  King of Wands – Honest conscientious man, countryman, friendly dark man

    Virgo:  3 of Swords – Removal, absence, delay, division, rupture

    Libra:  Page of Wands – Dark young man, lover, envoy, postman.  For men, this indicates favorable testimony will be given concerning you.

    Scorpio:  Judgment, reversed – Weakness, simplicity, deliberation, sentence

    Sagittarius:  8 of Wands, reversed – Jealousy, internal dispute, pangs of conscience, quarrels

    Capricorn:  Queen of Swords, reversed – Malice, bigotry, prudery, deceit, artifice

    Aquarius:  The Hierophant, reversed – Understanding, concord, over-kindness, weakness

    Pisces:  Ace of Swords – Triumph, excess in everything, great force in love and hate.

    Aries:  The Magician, reversed – Physician, mental illness, anxiety

    Taurus:  Knight of Wands, reversed – Rupture, interruption, division, discord

  • Sunday Morning Perfunctory Links

    I’m exhausted, I’m overwhelmed with work and house stuff, and I have to get out to the trails extra early in order to avoid becoming a crispy critter. And not much is really happening in the world. And Sunday morning is our slowest time. So this one is gonna be phoned in. Hey, Spud gave you a treat last night, think of this as a kind of a counterbalance.

    In fact, I’ll only note one birthday and that will be at the end. We’re going right to news, such as it is.

     

    Insufficient panic. WE ONLY HAVE 11.5 YEARS, PEOPLE!!!!!

     

    Insufficient panic. WE’RE GOING TO DIE TODAY!!!!

     

    Insufficient panic. WE’RE GOING TO DIE BY THE END OF THE CENTURY!!!!!

     

    Iowa Glibs should feel privileged to have so much greatness in their midst.

     

    “I was just looking for pussy.”

     

    Heh heh heheh, her name is Hornaday.

     

    Fuck TSA, piece of shit useless agency. Thanks a lot, W, I hope there’s a woodchipper in your future. We owe you that.

     

    My old stomping grounds. Such fine management.

     

    Insert Polack joke here.

     

    Yes, today’s birthday is the guy who pretty much defined electric guitar. His solo on this song is… breathtaking.

  • Saturday night links of mangia, mangia!

    Who doesn’t like a traditional multi-course, Italian dinner?

    Aperitivo.

     

    Antipasto.

     

    Primo.

     

    Secondo e conterno.

     

    Insalata.

     

    Formaggi e frutta.

     

    Dolce.

     

    Digestivo con caffè.

     

  • Another Anniversary….

    Once again, the corporate overlords at Inbev and their marketing wizards decided to try their hand at a premium lager.  You might have noticed their targeted advertisements…on billboards… Much like last summer they put out a limited release to appeal to the more discerning, but unapologetically American crowd.  All 300 of us….

    This is my review of Budweiser Discovery Reserve American Red Lager

    ….that’s 40,000 gallons of Western Slope snowpack from the 1980’s

    This time around they are commemorating a momentous occasion that has a significant anniversary this year…

    No, not this guy.

    Not these guys, either.

    Its the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11.  Yes, the first moon landing is only 15 years away from qualifying for Medicare!  Budweiser isn’t the only ones putting out special products to commemorate what is arguably America’s greatest achievement:  landing cis-gendered men on a rock in space and bringing them back alive.  Obvious companies such as Fisher and as Omega, are marking the occasion given their ties to the space program of the era.  In addition, not so obvious companies like Zippo who makes a product that nobody on a spacecraft would be caught dead with. Montegrappa, who makes a fountain pen that retails for the price one could cross-shop with a pretty awesome car.  Finally, the Royal Australian Mint is also jumping on the bandwagon with a commemorative piece to mark the occasion.

    Okay, maybe the gold coin is worth the price given its tied to the price of gold…

    Okay, I might get the space pen…

    The moon landings and NASA in general seem to at odds with libertarian thought.  On one hand, especially at the time, there was absolutely no commercial impetus for space travel.  Today it is certainly a different story.

    A popular argument for continued tax funding of NASA is the size of the overall budget.  “It’s just 0.5% of the Federal Budget.”  0.5% of the $3.4 Trillion Federal Budget is $18.4 Billion that should be spent down here.   “It only costs $54 per citizen to fund NASA.”  It cost each citizen $0 for Space X to launch a sports car.

    Musk estimated the cost of the space Tesla at $90 million, to which numerous people said “It would be better spent down here.”  Funny how that number pales to the almost $20 billion a year and the $20 billion in failures for NASA.  So many are willing to offer up other people’s money, but when it comes to our own tax dollars, the government never seems answerable.

    With all the nostalgia for NASA taken into account, they really don’t need our tax dollars, just a fund raiser of private donations.  For $1,000 NASA will name a star or planet after you, for a $1 million they will send your ashes up to rejoin the stars from whence we came, and for $1 billion they name the first Martian base after you.

    Great.  So my great-grandkids might die on Mars at the “Michael Bloomberg Center for Human Progress” at Olympus Mons.  Even still, one could argue tax dollars are still paying for Space X, given they are applying today’s guidance systems to rockets perfected in the 1960’s…by NASA, and their biggest customer for the near future are still going to be…NASA and DOD.

    That will certainly change.  Private investment in space based start-ups have already reached billions, asteroid mining is only a few years away, and there are even space blockchains.  A quick answer is of course no, there will be no need for NASA.

    Once you leave a certain distance from Earth how is anybody going to be able to realistically regulate anything?  Ventures in space will likely require levels of interpersonal cooperation between individuals we have not yet considered.  I will however admit even if a government program costing billions of dollars may not have been needed to get us off this rock…ultimately that’s what initially did it.  It is something else that can be added to the list of things better handled by people willing to risk their own fortunes.  Its one thing for us all to fail miserably together on Earth, why do the same thing across the universe?

    Too bad though, in spite of all the nostalgia surrounding the event being commemorated, the beer should be better.  It is not terrible, but the Apollo Astronauts probably won’t trade their whiskey-based cocktails before launch for this.  It is malty, almost too malty—even for me.  It has little body and is otherwise best described as better than that other stuff they make.

    I might get the pen.  Budweiser Discovery Reserve American Red Lager 2.3/5