HWX, with Adam Carolla

The Hinderaker-Ward Experience (HWX) returns for a special Memorial Day weekend edition. John Hinderaker of Power Line and Brian Ward of Fraters Libertas reunite to discuss the BIG issues of the day, including:

 * the IRS scandal, the Benghazi Scandal, the AP wiretap scandal

 * the ability of any political scandal to break though to masses in the modern era

 * scandal fatigue

 * Scandal featuring Patty Smyth (not really)

We're also joined by the great Adam Carolla. He's an actor, a comedian, the #1 podcaster in America, a vinter, and for our money, the funniest guy in show business. He's also a Republican leaning libertarian in Hollywood and we talk about his outlook and experiences in Los Angeles.

Many ways to hear the podcast, including over on the mothership at Ricochet.  You can be sure to never miss an episode by subscribing via iTunes or Feedburner.  Or just use the player embedded in the upper right hand corner of this web site.  If all of these fail, send me an email and I'll come to your house and read from a written transcript.  Hope you enjoy.

Beer of the Week (Vol. CLXXV)

Another edition of Beer of the Week sponsored as always by the sunny folks at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits who can help find the wine, whiskey, and beer you need to bring cheer to celebrate the unofficial beginning of summer in style.

Last month, I had a post noting the news that Minneapolis based Finnegans Charitable Beer Company had recently joined the canned beer revolution. In recognition of my efforts to spread the word about the change to cans and a contest they were sponsoring to promote it, the good folks at Finnegan’s saw fit to drop off a couple of twelve-packs of their newly canned product.

If I were among the class of objective, unbiased, straight down the middle professional journalists I might have to refuse such a generous offer as it could raise the appearance of impropriety. But since I’m merely one among the vast unwashed mass of bloggers I feel no need to adhere to such scribbling standards. As long as I properly DISCLOSE-DISCLOSE-DISCLOSE, the fact Finnegan’s has kindly supplied me with a sample of their product sans charge should in way call in question my credibility or ability to provide a fair and accurate review of their beer.

And so without further ado let’s get to our Beer of the Week, Finnegans Blonde Ale.

12 pack of 12oz cans sells for $11.99. Simple design with gold and white colors and Finnegans’ angelic shamrock.

STYLE: Blonde Ale

ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 4.6 %

COLOR (0-2): Light gold and clear. 1

AROMA (0-2): Grassy with a little honey. 2

HEAD (0-2): Bright white color. Good volume and retention. 2

TASTE (0-5): Bready malt with yeast and light hop provide well balanced flavors with a bit o’ honey. Finish is crisp and dry. Good carbonation. It has a light body and is very drinkable. 3 AFTERTASTE (0-2): Lingers nicely. 2

OVERALL (0-6): Finnegan’s Blonde Ale is a simple, straightforward beer that’s well made. It’s easy drinking, refreshing yet has just enough flavor to keep you interested. A good warm weather beer and it’s for a good cause. 3

TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 13

Take It Back

Time is running out to purchase your tickets to Take Back the Tundra with Hugh Hewitt:

General Admission & VIP still available!

GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS

Event starts at 7:00pm, first come first serve seating

Doors open at 6:30pm

VIP TICKETS

Steak Dinner at 5:30pm

VIP seating at event 7:00pm

Today is in fact the last day you buy VIP tickets. The event is next Tuesday, May 28th at the Marriot Minneapolis Northwest. Hugh will be joined by an all-star panel of former and current Northern Alliance bloggers including Brian “Saint Paul” Ward and yours truly. It’s not exactly clear what specific duties we will be performing although it must be important since we’ve asked to wear black pants, white shirts, and bow ties.

Get your tickets now and don’t be stingy with those tips.

How They Rate

The annual update of the Fraters Libertas Beer Ratings list has been completed. There are now 802 beers included from around the world. That geographic reach now spans thirty-two countries and forty-one of these United States.

Here’s a map of the countries covered:




That’s only about 14% of all the countries in the world, but in terms of area it’s obviously much larger.

And here’s the coverage by state:




The gap with the six states in the mid-South stands out and it’s probably going to take some work to close. Connecticut, Nevada, and North Dakota should prove easier to target and find beers to rate. Here’s a list of possibly options for each of the states that are currently missing from the rating roster.

Arkansas-Diamond Bear Brewing

Connecticut-Thomas Hooker Brewing Company

Kentucky-West Sixth Brewing

Nevada-Big Dog's Brewing Company

North Dakota-Fargo Brewing

Oklahoma-Choc Brewing

Tennessee-Yazoo Brewing Company

Virginia-Legend Brewing

West Virginia-Bridge Brew Works

One of the ongoing debates among craft beers aficionados is over which states brews the best beer. Here’s a list of the states by ratings average (minimum twenty beers rated):

Pretty clear advantage to California especially when you consider the number of beers.

The overall average rating for the 802 beers is 13.06 and you see from this chart that the distribution is not a perfectly normal one.

The updated ratings also include links to the one-hundred-seventy-eight reviews of Beers of Week made possible by the fine folks at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits.

802 beers down, only 182 more to go to crack one thousand. Stay thirsty my friends.

Let Them Play (If They Want)

Jason Gay, who was recently blessed with the birth of a son, has an insightful piece in today’s WSJ on Building a Child Sports Prodigy (Kidding):

I don't care if he plays anything. I want him to do what he wants. Of course: He may be falling behind. It may already be too late to produce a sports prodigy. We may have to cross the Brazil World Cup off the list. The Rio Olympics, too. He needs 10,000 hours. Isn't that the formula? Five figures of solid sports commitment—and boom—he's being overpaid by the Yankees.

Let's get an hour of practice done right now in the crib. Boom. Only 9,999 more to go.

Should I get him a coach? Does he need off-season training camps? A swing guru? A nutritionist? A nutritionist for his swing guru? Do I have any idea what I am getting myself into? My friends with older kids, it seems they are always either A) driving the car to a game, B) driving home from a game, or C) standing on a sideline at a game. They are soccer dads and hockey moms or in long, complicated relationships with lacrosse. They talk about travel teams like they're the chicken pox.

I love this and I am scared by this. I adored playing youth sports. But later on I was an umpire and referee for youth sports. I had parents run me down after games and yell at me. I learned curse words I didn't even know were curse words.

I was a referee for USA Hockey for a few years and can relate to this. The best of the job was being on the ice with the kids. The worst part was the parents and sometimes the coaches.

If you ever see me yell at a Little League umpire, just wrap me with duct tape and leave me in the dugout.

I want to approach it the right way. Is the right way even possible? Have fun, don't take it too seriously, forget who won five seconds after it's over. I want him to space out in the third quarter or forget to hit the cutoff man and have it be no big deal. I want the games to be funny. Like they are with the Mets.

Or maybe I need to push. He's not playing winter baseball or summer basketball. His spiral isn't perfect. Nick Saban has yet to make an offer. Coach K isn't interested. Should I be worried? His bench press is iffy. His vertical leap is unknown. I've timed him in the 40. He just lies there, sleeping, dreaming about milk.

This is the struggle that parents, I think especially dads, face with kids and sports. You really do want them to just have fun, but there’s also that nagging worry that not pushing-at least a little bit-is going to result in them missing out on opportunities. It can be a tough line to walk.

I'd say third-round pick at best. Maybe second if the Jets get desperate.

It's my fault. I don't give him much of a head start. I wasn't much of an athlete as a kid. I spent a zillion years in youth soccer and never once scored a goal. I raced cross-country and specialized in last place. I cannot teach him how to hit a curve. I can teach him how to catch a pop fly with his face.

But if he wants to play, he should try everything. Don't specialize. Experiment. Try baseball. Try badminton, volleyball, wrestling, lacrosse, squash, hockey, swimming, skateboarding, cricket, crew, anything. Try tennis, because it's the game my Dad taught me, and still teaches, 40 seasons in, at the high school not far from where I grew up. I bet his grandpa makes him try playing with a wooden racket just once. To give him respect for how they used to do it.

Try basketball, just to learn how to spell H-O-R-S-E.

Try golf, just to be humbled.

Try running, because it's so beautifully simple. You can run anywhere you go on the planet.

Try cycling, because when you really get pedaling, it feels like you're flying.

Try yoga...well, he's already tried yoga. Baby yoga classes, with his mom. This is what happens when you live in Brooklyn.

But I don't mind if he doesn't try any of these things. I want what any parent wants. I want him to be happy. I want him to find his own way.

Those goals are so simple and so sweet and yet at times they’re easy for parents to forget despite the best of intentions. Best of luck Jason.

Beer of the Week (Vol. CLXXIV)

Another edition of Beer of the Week sponsored as always by the fun-loving folks at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits who can help find the wine, whiskey, and beer you need to bring cheer to any occasion. But since this is American Craft Beer Week you probably want to focus your imbibing in that area.

Our featured beer this week is the first to appear here from Clown Shoes Beer which is produced by Mercury Brewing in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Clown Shoes’ approach to brewing and business reflects their name:

Something’s happening, and it involves clown shoes and beer. Clown Shoes? Very long story, but to condense it a group of us submitted the name to the Beer Advocate contest that resulted in The Wrath of Pecant. Our submission didn’t crack the top 5. This burned me up inside. While driving one day the epiphany came: I could make my own Clown Shoes beer. In no way did I expect to create a brand, figuring it would be one batch of beer for fun and then done. But folks are digging the brews and a group of us are having a great time. Clown Shoes has come to mean a lot to me on a lot of levels. Clowns are questionable but the shoes make me laugh. They remind me about humility and to find humor in life. Our mission now is to produce beer without pretension while being free and a little crazy. We hope you enjoy the beers and this site.

The first of what will likely be many Beer of the Week from Clown Shoes is Tramp Stamp: Belgian India Pale Ale:

Like a stamp on a tramp, this beer is about not so subtle seduction. Soft but complex malts, Chambly yeast, sweet orange peel, Columbus, Amarillo, and Centennial hops have merged to create a bodacious Belgian IPA.

220z brown bomber bottle sells for $6.99. The label has an orange background with a rendering of the namesake tramp and her marking.

STYLE: Belgian IPA

ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 7.0%

COLOR (0-2): Copper brown and obscure. 2

AROMA (0-2): Pepper and candied sugar. 2

HEAD (0-2): Light tan color, small foamy bubbles, good volume, and lacing. 2

TASTE (0-5): Like the aroma, there are strong flavors of pepper and candied sugar along with a nice orangy zest. Bready caramel malts blend well with yeast and grassy hops which provide a bitter finish. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, the body is medium, and it’s rather drinkable. 4

AFTERTASTE (0-2): Rich follow through that lasts. 2

OVERALL (0-6): This is quite a good beer. Sometimes Belgian IPAs can go too far on the Belgian side (yeast, pepper, candied sugar) and not enough on the IPA. Tramp Stamp strikes the right balance and is a good combination of interesting and tasty flavors. 4

TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 16

Right to be Wrong

The March edition of First Things contained an excellent piece by Gilles Bernheim on the connections between Homosexual Marriage, Parenting, and Adoption :

I have written in light of the French debate. Whether legal rights concerning homosexual parenting and adoption are extended or limited, it is also clear that LGBT activists will use homosexual marriage as a Trojan horse in their greater efforts to deny natural sexuality, to erase sexual differences and replace them with orientations that make it possible to leave behind the “straitjacket of nature” and to pursue the destruction of the heterosexual foundations of our society.

There would be no courage and no glory in voting for a law based more on slogans than on arguments, in conforming to the dominant political correctness out of fear of being anathematized, and in hiding behind a question such as: “Even if there is no reason to pass a law, why is it a problem if we want to pass one?” The problem with the proposed law is the harm it portends for our society as a whole, and this solely for the benefit of a tiny minority. This harm consists in the irreversible scrambling of three things: genealogies, by substituting “parenting” for fatherhood and motherhood; the status of the child, who would go from being a subject to being an object to which others have a right; and sexual identity as a natural given, which would have to give way to orientation as an individual expression, in the name of the struggle against inequality, perverted into the elimination of differences.

The point that gay marriage confers benefits to a few at the expensive of many is one often overlooked in the debate on the matter. Despite widespread misperceptions, the reality is that somewhere between 1%-2% of Americans are actually gay. And among this group, the number who actually wish to get married in a very real and legal binding sense is small (check the stats in states and countries where gay marriage has been legalized). So we’re making fundamental changes to an institution that’s been one of the bedrocks of modern civilization in order to satisfy the demands of a minority of an already tiny minority of the population.

That’s exactly what the DFL controlled legislature and Governor Dayton did in Minnesota this week. One of the more amusing aspects of the debate leading up to the vote was the challenge issued by supporters of gay marriage that those who oppose it would end up “on the wrong side of history.” Firstly, many of the same people laying down this challenge and suddenly embracing the importance of history had previously demonstrated little respect for or understanding of it. Secondly, the notion that popular opinion at this particular point in time was inarguably correct and that what people had believed for thousands of years was obviously wrong is a perfect example of the conceit of progressive modernity and laughably narrow minded.

The idea that charging us with the crime of “being on the wrong side of history” would be a stinging indictment of opponents of gay marriage is also silly. Oh no, I’m not on “the wrong of side of history” as defined by Democrats in Minnesota in May 2013, am I? How will I go on with my life? Guess what? Social conservatives have been on the “wrong side of history” on abortion for the last forty years. I think somehow we’ll survive being on the “wrong side of history” on gay marriage too. In fact, I’m going wear it as a badge of pride. It never felt so right to be so “wrong.”

UPDATE: Looks like my timing on this was impeccable. The same day that I post a link and excerpt from an article that appeared in a magazine two months ago, it is revealed that parts of the article were plagiarized:

The first thing to say is that this affair can’t be interpreted as an example of progressives hunting down dissenters. Bernheim took a strong stand on a controversial issue, but it wasn’t his opposition to gay marriage that precipitated the scandal. It was his dishonesty. These transgressions of basic academic integrity were uncovered by Jean-Noël Darde, a plagiarism watchdog, not a gay activist.

The second thing to say concerns plagiarism. One of the perversions of our era is to make a god of intellectual property. Most commentators described Bernheim as “stealing” words and sentences. This is wrongheaded. Plagiarism is a sin against truth, not property. It’s first and foremost a kind of lying, not a kind of stealing. He violated our trust by speaking in a voice that was not his own, which is why in this and other cases of plagiarism the writer loses intellectual and moral authority broadly.

A third thing to say concerns the man. In my years of teaching, I had to deal with plagiarism many times. Now and then a cynical young person tried to get by with the minimum of work. But most of the students who plagiarized did so because they were desperate or scared, or both. I could tell because it was so obvious, and thus pathetic and pitiable. And indeed, when I confronted students I found that there was almost always a great deal of pathos in the background: psychological crises, terrible fears of failing, a consuming sense of hopelessness in the face of the assigned material.

Bernheim’s plagiarism seems to be of this sort. Now that I’ve reviewed some of the details, I can’t believe he believed he could get away with it. (I am, in fact, somewhat embarrassed that I didn’t grow suspicious when the French rabbi sounded so much like John Paul II when talking about sexual complementarity and transcendence.) Please join me in praying for Rabbi Bernheim. From my reading of the evidence in this affair (what’s so hard about citing someone?), it seems he certainly needs it.

The final thing to say is that I’m sorry. The essay’s arguments aren’t any less true for having been plagiarized. But we allowed the magazine to be a vehicle for falsehood. The lie was in the byline. “Homosexual Marriage, Parenting, and Adoption” was not in any proper sense by Gilles Bernheim. I apologize to you for publishing an essay that betrayed your trust in the integrity of First Things.

Amen to the point that the fact that they were plagiarized doesn’t diminish the impact of the arguments. It’s a shame that Rabbi Bernheim’s plagiarism has clouded the clarity of the message.

A Block That Needs A Cop

While the world’s gaze seems perpetually trained on the Middle East for fear that events there may lead to a wider war, the real tinderbox is likely in Asia. In addition to North Korea nukes, the territorial disputes that China has with several countries, there are also less noted animosities that threaten the stability of the region and the global economy. Anti-Korean Voices Grow in Japan :

As Japanese nationalism is fueled by friction with neighbors over territories and World War II legacy issues, hostile demonstrations against the country's Korean residents are gathering steam, raising concerns among political leaders and setting off soul-searching among Japan's largely homogeneous population.

While attendance at the rallies is small and such extreme actions are far from entering the mainstream of Japanese politics, the demonstrations of nationalist activists using hate speech and intimidation have grown in size and frequency in recent months. One target has been the central Tokyo neighborhood of Shin-Okubo, known for Korean restaurants and shops selling South Korean pop-culture goods. Starting in February, groups of 200 or so demonstrators have descended on its busy weekend streets, waving Japanese flags and carrying signs that read "Roaches" and "Go Back to Korea." They shouted in unison: "Let's Kill Koreans," language that passersby told local television they found shocking.

If there ever was a time and place where America’s leadership was needed it’s right now in Asia. To seek to defuse the North Korean threat, to reassure those nations threatened by an increasingly aggressive China, and to bring mutual American allies like South Korea and Japan together-despite their differences-are all vital roles that America is uniquely suited to play. Unfortunately, despite the Obama Administration’s much heralded “pivot” toward the region that was announced in 2009, the reality is that once again President Obama seems content to “lead from behind” and let events unfold or unravel as they may with no real attempt to direct their course. Such a hands-off approach only increases the likelihood that countries in the region will seek their own solutions to satisfy their own self-interest. Given the history of the area and the tensions that continue to increase today, it’s also one that could to lead to a conflict that’s in no one’s interest including the United States.

What About the Ninos?

If you thought teachers unions in America were a problem, they’re nothing compared to their colleagues south of the border. In today’s WSJ, Mary Anastasia O-Grady explains how would be teachers are holding the state hostage (literally):

Mexican students studying to be teachers released a hostage on Wednesday—in the municipality of Nahuatzen—due to concerns about his health. But they continue to hold five others. The students are supported by the Michoacán State Teachers Organization, which warned that the remaining captives, who are state policemen, would be freed only when a demand for 1,200 new teaching jobs is met.

The Mexican standoff, now a week old, is only the latest example of a teacher-union rebellion against recent amendments to the Mexican constitution aimed at improving public education.

Institutional Revolutionary Party President Enrique Peña Nieto has made it a priority to fix the broken public-education system. But eager reformers are often tested by politically powerful interests in their first year in office. The teachers believe they can make him back down.

Over the 71 consecutive years that the PRI ruled Mexico until 2000, it earned a reputation for heavy-handedness bordering on repression. Now that it is finally back in power, there is pressure on Mr. Peña Nieto to show that his party is kinder and gentler. This may tempt him to tolerate union violence. But the recent constitutional amendments increase transparency and accountability and depoliticize education. This is the change the PRI needs to show the public it supports.

It's easy to see why teachers are up in arms over the amendments. For the first time ever they will be vetted in a comprehensive process that includes proficiency exams. Lifetime tenure will no longer be guaranteed from the day a teacher graduates from a teaching college. Teachers will not be allowed to pass their tenured posts to relatives, the prevalent practice of selling a teaching post will be outlawed, and promotions will require evaluation. In short, teaching is to be like a real job, where performance matters.

Accountability is a foreign concept for many who go into teaching, which explains why teaching students are part of the rebellion. In April, violence broke out in Chilpancingo, the state capital of Guerrero, when the state legislature refused a request by activists to reject the new evaluation process. Union thugs vandalized property. They also blocked the highway that runs from Mexico City, through Chilpancingo, to Acapulco, with serious economic consequences. Most teachers unions at least pretend to care about their students. Many striking teachers in Mexico just walked off the job, leaving children and parents in the lurch.

Drug cartels, state controlled industries, and corrupt government officials aren’t the only groups holding Mexico back from realizing its potential promise.

Beer of the Week (Vol. CLXXIII)

Another better late than never edition of Beer of the Week sponsored as always by the earthy folks at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits who can help you discover the natural bounty of wine, whisky, and beer that our world provides.

The movement towards organic products has been with us for some time now. Some of it is no doubt quite real and earnest while some of it seems to be more about slapping an organic label on products so that you can charge more for them. I have an uncle who is a farmer and he discovered that while there is a bit of work involved in getting your product certified as “organic” (in his case pigs), once you do it can be quite a lucrative business to be in.

In recent years, brewers have attempted to climb aboard the organic bandwagon. My experiences with beers that claim to be “organic” while limited, has not been good. Most organic beers that I’ve tried either are lacking in flavor or have tastes that so off-putting that it’s been a challenge to finish the product once poured (a challenge that I have proudly overcome in each instance).

So it was some trepidation that I greeted the news that Summit Brewing’s latest Unchained Series offering was going to be an organic brew. Batch 12 Organic Ale:

Presenting Batch 12 in the Summit Unchained Series – 100% Organic Ale. It’s Minnesota’s first USDA-certified 100% organic beer. It’s also the first Unchained batch from new brewer Gabe Smoley. Gabe went all out to make this session IPA as enjoyable as it is sustainable. He even developed his own organic yeast strain (talk about a beer geek). 100% Organic Ale offers up pronounced rose, potpourri and floral hop character with a light malt backbone – making it the perfect beer for Spring. So enjoy this limited-release beer while you can.

For the most part, the beers in the Unchained Series have been of high quality so despite the organic label I was excited to give Summit’s Organic Ale a go.

Six-pack of 12oz bottles sells for $8.99. Standard industrial themed label used in the Unchained Series.

STYLE: IPA

ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 4.5%

COLOR (0-2): Dark ruby red. 2

AROMA (0-2): Fruity hops with a little sweetness. Aroma is good, but light. 1

HEAD (0-2): Tan color, good volume, and excellent lacing. 2

TASTE (0-5): Much more flavor than I was expecting with the low alcohol content. Fruit and floral hop flavors blend well with solid malt backbone. Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth. Good carbonation. Medium-bodied yet very drinkable. 3

AFTERTASTE (0-2): Bitter flavors linger pleasantly. 2

OVERALL (0-6): This doesn’t taste like an organic beer and in my book that’s a good thing. Now, it doesn’t exactly taste like a standard IPA either which is also okay. It tastes more closely resemble those of a pale ale than IPA, but it’s still quite enjoyable. And it packs more flavor than you would expect with the lower ABV which makes it a good choice when you’re choosing to have more than one. 4

TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 14