We usually like to keep our beer and our politics separate. Especially since mixing in politics tends to taint the flavor of even the best brews. But sometimes the collision of worlds is unavoidable as in the case of this e-mail from an anonymous reader:
Alliance for a Better Minnesota has an office in the building where I work. As I was leaving tonight, two people went into the Alliance offices, each carrying a case of beer. The beer was Grain Belt Premium.
This is what a "Better Minnesota" is supposed to look like? Grain Belt Premium? I for one would be more than happy to pay more for a better Minnesota...
...beer.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
What Boys Want
With all the distractions and disruptions brought about by the ubiquitous digital devices of the day, it's no wonder that parents worry about their children enjoying the same sort of carefree childhood experiences that they did. But firsthand experience with three young boys has taught me that these fears are mostly overblown. For while it's easy to see how much things have changed, when you stop and think about it for a moment, you realize how much things are really still the same. Consider the following list of items which capture the fancy of boys (at least my boys) today much in the same manner as they did when I was a lad and as they have for at least the last sixty years:
Pirates
Knights
Dragons
Dinosaurs
Sharks
Tractors
Trucks
Trains
Planes
Rockets
Robots
Balls
Guns
Tools
Throw in timeless toys like Legos, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, blocks, and puzzles and you realize that while much has changed in our world, what animates and excites the imagination of young boys are essentially the same things that always have and, God willing, always will.
Pirates
Knights
Dragons
Dinosaurs
Sharks
Tractors
Trucks
Trains
Planes
Rockets
Robots
Balls
Guns
Tools
Throw in timeless toys like Legos, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, blocks, and puzzles and you realize that while much has changed in our world, what animates and excites the imagination of young boys are essentially the same things that always have and, God willing, always will.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Separated at Birth?
THE ELDER RIBBITS: The resemblance is uncanny, with the main difference being that Kermit projects a far more masculine appearance than our Commander in Chief.
We'd All Love To See The Plan
Rally Funnels Anger Toward Washington (WSJ-sub req):
Attendees on Saturday packed nearly a mile of the Mall at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, in an event that carried the tone of a religious revival. Many at the event said in interviews that they were drawn by a sense of deep disenchantment over the country's direction, alarm over government spending and a sense that the country's political system was broken.
The program, which was organized by Mr. Beck, the conservative Fox News commentator, featured three hours of religious and patriotic speeches but offered few details on how to fix the country's problems.
No matter what your view of Glenn Beck is, you have to admit that the man has been able to tap into the zeitgeist of America's political and cultural landscape. The list of media personalities who could draw a couple of hundred thousand people together for a rally is a very short one: Rush Limbaugh, Oprah Winfrey, Brian "Saint Paul" Ward. Beck's ability to bring such a throng together and the popularity of his shows and books demonstrates conclusively that he is on to something with his message that the country is on the wrong track and that we must return to our core principles and values.
But as much as I sympathize with the sentiments of discontent that Beck and his fans share, I regard this rally and the whole "movement" which Beck appears to be trying to lead with the same skeptical ambivalence that I have toward the Tea Parties. Yes, we're all mad as hell and we're not gonna take it anymore. We want the country to return to its roots with the Constitution as our guidepost for the proper role of government and as the safeguard of our individual liberties. We share a vision of where we want America to go. But what seems to be missing in the Tea Parties and the Beck rally on Saturday is any clear call to how we get there.
History-changing movements are based on common beliefs being translated into concrete action. The Tea Parties and Beck appear to have formed a very broad and loose consensus on what's wrong and what needs to change. However, there's been precious little agreement of how best to achieve this change. There are political, cultural, and, with Beck, religious components to this burgeoning movement. Clear paths forward have not developed in any of these areas.
Politically, the Tea Parties are definitely having an impact. But what that impact will be remains unclear. Should the Tea Parties seek to turn the Republican Party more toward their views? What does that mean from a policy and position standpoint? Should they become a third party? Being against President Obama's policies and the expansion of government is fine, but at some point you need to decide and define what you are for. I don't see much of that with Beck or the Tea Parties.
When it comes to cultural, it's easier to see what Beck's end game is. By "educating" Americans on the country's history, he hopes to change the mindset that people have on what America is and what it means to be an American. Considering the damage that has been done here in the last fifty years, it's an admirable--if extremely uphill--effort. His work and that of the Tea Parties in bringing the Founders and their works (the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Federalist Papers) back into the conversation and explaining their relevance today is where I find the most common cause.
The most noteworthy aspect of Saturday's "Restoring Honor" rally was the heavy religious content. Beck billed the event as "non-partisan" and from the reports I've read, it seems to have been a pretty accurate description. Far from calling the crowd to political action, Beck and other speakers were urging a return and recommitment to God and faith. While this is certainly a message the country needs to hear, I question why Beck is delivering it. This gets back to the question of what he's trying to accomplish. Does he want to change the political situation? Does he want to change the cultural perception and understanding of American history? Or does have want to lead some sort of modern Great Awakening to revive religious fervor in America? Does he even know?
THE ELDER ADDS: One further thought on why I'm lukewarm to the Tea Parties and the Beck rally on Saturday. There seems to be a strong emotional element to these events that involves group affirmation of invidual views. There's nothing inherently wrong with this per se, except that it's usually something that you see far more on the left than the right. There are good reasons why conservatives have shied away from these activities in the past and criticizied the left's zeal for them.
Attendees on Saturday packed nearly a mile of the Mall at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, in an event that carried the tone of a religious revival. Many at the event said in interviews that they were drawn by a sense of deep disenchantment over the country's direction, alarm over government spending and a sense that the country's political system was broken.
The program, which was organized by Mr. Beck, the conservative Fox News commentator, featured three hours of religious and patriotic speeches but offered few details on how to fix the country's problems.
No matter what your view of Glenn Beck is, you have to admit that the man has been able to tap into the zeitgeist of America's political and cultural landscape. The list of media personalities who could draw a couple of hundred thousand people together for a rally is a very short one: Rush Limbaugh, Oprah Winfrey, Brian "Saint Paul" Ward. Beck's ability to bring such a throng together and the popularity of his shows and books demonstrates conclusively that he is on to something with his message that the country is on the wrong track and that we must return to our core principles and values.
But as much as I sympathize with the sentiments of discontent that Beck and his fans share, I regard this rally and the whole "movement" which Beck appears to be trying to lead with the same skeptical ambivalence that I have toward the Tea Parties. Yes, we're all mad as hell and we're not gonna take it anymore. We want the country to return to its roots with the Constitution as our guidepost for the proper role of government and as the safeguard of our individual liberties. We share a vision of where we want America to go. But what seems to be missing in the Tea Parties and the Beck rally on Saturday is any clear call to how we get there.
History-changing movements are based on common beliefs being translated into concrete action. The Tea Parties and Beck appear to have formed a very broad and loose consensus on what's wrong and what needs to change. However, there's been precious little agreement of how best to achieve this change. There are political, cultural, and, with Beck, religious components to this burgeoning movement. Clear paths forward have not developed in any of these areas.
Politically, the Tea Parties are definitely having an impact. But what that impact will be remains unclear. Should the Tea Parties seek to turn the Republican Party more toward their views? What does that mean from a policy and position standpoint? Should they become a third party? Being against President Obama's policies and the expansion of government is fine, but at some point you need to decide and define what you are for. I don't see much of that with Beck or the Tea Parties.
When it comes to cultural, it's easier to see what Beck's end game is. By "educating" Americans on the country's history, he hopes to change the mindset that people have on what America is and what it means to be an American. Considering the damage that has been done here in the last fifty years, it's an admirable--if extremely uphill--effort. His work and that of the Tea Parties in bringing the Founders and their works (the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Federalist Papers) back into the conversation and explaining their relevance today is where I find the most common cause.
The most noteworthy aspect of Saturday's "Restoring Honor" rally was the heavy religious content. Beck billed the event as "non-partisan" and from the reports I've read, it seems to have been a pretty accurate description. Far from calling the crowd to political action, Beck and other speakers were urging a return and recommitment to God and faith. While this is certainly a message the country needs to hear, I question why Beck is delivering it. This gets back to the question of what he's trying to accomplish. Does he want to change the political situation? Does he want to change the cultural perception and understanding of American history? Or does have want to lead some sort of modern Great Awakening to revive religious fervor in America? Does he even know?
THE ELDER ADDS: One further thought on why I'm lukewarm to the Tea Parties and the Beck rally on Saturday. There seems to be a strong emotional element to these events that involves group affirmation of invidual views. There's nothing inherently wrong with this per se, except that it's usually something that you see far more on the left than the right. There are good reasons why conservatives have shied away from these activities in the past and criticizied the left's zeal for them.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Northern Alliance Radio Network - LIVE at the Fair
The Northern Alliance Radio Network goes LIVE, and in your FACE, Saturday morning at 11 AM. It's the openining of our State Fair broadcasts and John Hinderaker and I will be LIVE from The Patriot Plaza, just off the main Snelling Ave. entrance, near the corner of Dan Patch and Cosgrove. If you're coming out to the State Fair today, be sure to stop on by and say 'que pasa'. We love to meet the listeners and there will be free goodie bags, cool patriot merchandise for sale, and the normal radio excellence going on all day long.
Scheduled guests appearing LIVE today include the proprietor of my favorite ride on the Fairgrounds, the Ye Old Mill (aka, the Tunnel of Love - yowza!), Princess Kay of the Milky Way LVII, Hugh Hewitt, and Generalissimo Duane Patterson. Also, by phone, one of our favorite guests, author Claire Berlinski. The show then culminates with the gala Scotch Egg Eating Contest at about 12:30.
Scheduled guests appearing LIVE today include the proprietor of my favorite ride on the Fairgrounds, the Ye Old Mill (aka, the Tunnel of Love - yowza!), Princess Kay of the Milky Way LVII, Hugh Hewitt, and Generalissimo Duane Patterson. Also, by phone, one of our favorite guests, author Claire Berlinski. The show then culminates with the gala Scotch Egg Eating Contest at about 12:30.
It all starts at 11AM (central). Following us at 1 PM, Mitch Berg and Ed Morrissey. And, don't forget at 9 AM, King Banaian over at the Patriot's sister station, KYRC (Business 1570).
The Northern Alliance Radio Network is heard locally on AM1280 the Patriot, streaming LIVE worldwide at the web site. Call in and join the action at 651-289-4488. And if you're on the Fairgrounds, come on down. Don't you dare miss it.
The Northern Alliance Radio Network is heard locally on AM1280 the Patriot, streaming LIVE worldwide at the web site. Call in and join the action at 651-289-4488. And if you're on the Fairgrounds, come on down. Don't you dare miss it.
THE ELDER ADDS: While I won't be able to make it out for today's sure to be Peabody nominated State Fair NARN broadcast, I will be tuning in as it promises to be one heck of an entertaining show. Listening to Claire Berlinski wisely intone on the state of the world today and Generalissimo Duane sloppily engorge a Scotch Egg presents a fascinating radio dichotomy. And that's just the beginning!
One topic that I hope is broached with Miss Berlinski is here contentious call to Ban the Burqa (National Review-sub req):
Banning the burqa is without doubt a terrible assault on the ideal of religious liberty. It is the sign of a desperate society. No one wishes for things to have come so far that it is necessary.
But they have, and it is.
Sometimes there simply are no good choices. Just ask Duane.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Media Alert
I will be appearing on the Hugh Hewitt Radio Program at approximately 6:20PM (central). HOT topics I'm prepared to talk about include all the Minnesota political races this season, MN State Fair gastronomic recommendations, and the legacy of Bartolo Colon's tenure with the Anaheim Angels. Don't you dare miss it! www.am1280thepatriot.com
Keeper Cell
This has to be the most depressing aspect of the news of the Thwarted Canadian Bombing Attempt (WSJ-sub req):
People who know the three men who were arrested say Messrs. Ahmed and Sher are educated professionals, a profile common to many radical members of groups like al Qaeda in Western countries, says Martin Rudner, a professor emeritus at Carleton University in Ottawa, who specializes in intelligence and national security.
Mr. Sher is a pathologist at St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital in southern Ontario, who moved with his wife and three daughters to London, Ontario, a month ago. Mr. Ahmed is a radiography technologist at the Ottawa Hospital.
Mr. Sher is an avid hockey player who played in Montreal's Muslim Ball Hockey League, and has an award named after him for the most aggressive scorer, says Faisal Shahabuddin, 38, a friend who was captain of Mr. Sher's team. Mr. Shahabbuddin says he can't believe the charges are true.
Dude played hockey and still wanted to wage Jihad? Doesn't give you much hope that some sort of "clash of civilizations" isn't all but inevitable at some point.
People who know the three men who were arrested say Messrs. Ahmed and Sher are educated professionals, a profile common to many radical members of groups like al Qaeda in Western countries, says Martin Rudner, a professor emeritus at Carleton University in Ottawa, who specializes in intelligence and national security.
Mr. Sher is a pathologist at St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital in southern Ontario, who moved with his wife and three daughters to London, Ontario, a month ago. Mr. Ahmed is a radiography technologist at the Ottawa Hospital.
Mr. Sher is an avid hockey player who played in Montreal's Muslim Ball Hockey League, and has an award named after him for the most aggressive scorer, says Faisal Shahabuddin, 38, a friend who was captain of Mr. Sher's team. Mr. Shahabbuddin says he can't believe the charges are true.
Dude played hockey and still wanted to wage Jihad? Doesn't give you much hope that some sort of "clash of civilizations" isn't all but inevitable at some point.
Beer of the Week (Vol. LXVIII)
Another edition of Beer of the Week brought to you by the colorful folks at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits who can help you choose the right drink to seamlessly transition the seasons of life.
Is it really fall already? The back to school sales started on July 5th and classrooms open soon. The Minnesota State Fair--another annual harbinger of autumn--kicked off yesterday. And last week, the appearance of the first beers of fall (mostly Oktoberfests) also delivered an unmistakable signal of the pending seasonal change. It's a been a nice run summer, but it's almost time to hang it up. While we always mourn its passing, we're ready for fall. And the beers it brings.
We kick off the new season of beer with New Belgium's Hoptober Golden Ale:
Five hops and four malts make Hoptober Golden Ale a veritable cornucopia of the earth. Pale and wheat malt are mashed with rye and oats to create a medium-bodied ale with a creamy mouthfeel.
That's one mouth-watering description. Does the beer deliver as advertised?
Standard brown New Belgium bottle and artistic label design. Red and brown colors with heaps of hops framing a mountain scene of characters cavorting around a bonfire.
STYLE: Blond Ale
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 6.0%
COLOR (0-2): Light gold and very clear. 1
AROMA (0-2): Hoppy sweet with a little bit of spice. 2
HEAD (0-2): Bright white. Lots of volume and good retention. 2
TASTE (0-5): Mild hops with citrus flavors and mellow sweetness. Quite a bit of carbonation, medium-bodied, and drinkable. 3
AFTERTASTE (0-2): Smooth and subtly sweet. 2
OVERALL (0-6): A nice change of pace for an autumn offering. Hoptober Golden Ale's balance of bitter and sweet make for a well-rounded beer. It's not going to blow you away with flavor, but it's very solid. A vastly superior product to New Belgium's inexplicably popular Fat Tire. 4
TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 14
Is it really fall already? The back to school sales started on July 5th and classrooms open soon. The Minnesota State Fair--another annual harbinger of autumn--kicked off yesterday. And last week, the appearance of the first beers of fall (mostly Oktoberfests) also delivered an unmistakable signal of the pending seasonal change. It's a been a nice run summer, but it's almost time to hang it up. While we always mourn its passing, we're ready for fall. And the beers it brings.
We kick off the new season of beer with New Belgium's Hoptober Golden Ale:
Five hops and four malts make Hoptober Golden Ale a veritable cornucopia of the earth. Pale and wheat malt are mashed with rye and oats to create a medium-bodied ale with a creamy mouthfeel.
That's one mouth-watering description. Does the beer deliver as advertised?
Standard brown New Belgium bottle and artistic label design. Red and brown colors with heaps of hops framing a mountain scene of characters cavorting around a bonfire.
STYLE: Blond Ale ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 6.0%
COLOR (0-2): Light gold and very clear. 1
AROMA (0-2): Hoppy sweet with a little bit of spice. 2
HEAD (0-2): Bright white. Lots of volume and good retention. 2
TASTE (0-5): Mild hops with citrus flavors and mellow sweetness. Quite a bit of carbonation, medium-bodied, and drinkable. 3
AFTERTASTE (0-2): Smooth and subtly sweet. 2
OVERALL (0-6): A nice change of pace for an autumn offering. Hoptober Golden Ale's balance of bitter and sweet make for a well-rounded beer. It's not going to blow you away with flavor, but it's very solid. A vastly superior product to New Belgium's inexplicably popular Fat Tire. 4
TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 14
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Separated at Birth
Ed "I'm going to torch this [bleep]ing place" Schultz of MSNBC and Milton "if they take my stapler then I'll set the building on fire" Waddams of Office Space
The Business of Business
In Monday's WSJ, Aneel Karani made The Case Against Corporate Social Responsibility:
Executives are hired to maximize profits; that is their responsibility to their company's shareholders. Even if executives wanted to forgo some profit to benefit society, they could expect to lose their jobs if they tried--and be replaced by managers who would restore profit as the top priority. The movement for corporate social responsibility is in direct opposition, in such cases, to the movement for better corporate governance, which demands that managers fulfill their fiduciary duty to act in the shareholders' interest or be relieved of their responsibilities. That's one reason so many companies talk a great deal about social responsibility but do nothing—a tactic known as greenwashing.
Managers who sacrifice profit for the common good also are in effect imposing a tax on their shareholders and arbitrarily deciding how that money should be spent. In that sense they are usurping the role of elected government officials, if only on a small scale.
Privately owned companies are a different story. If an owner-operated business chooses to accept diminished profit in order to enhance social welfare, that decision isn't being imposed on shareholders. And, of course, it is admirable and desirable for the leaders of successful public companies to use some of their personal fortune for charitable purposes, as many have throughout history and many do now. But those leaders shouldn't presume to pursue their philanthropic goals with shareholder money. Indeed, many shareholders themselves use significant amounts of the money they make from their investments to help fund charities or otherwise improve social welfare.
This is not to say, of course, that companies should be left free to pursue the greatest possible profits without regard for the social consequences. But, appeals to corporate social responsibility are not an effective way to strike a balance between profits and the public good.
Managers of corporations who engage in "social responsibility" (and often brag about their efforts) do so in order to look good. Whether they're actually doing good or whether it's really even rightly their place to have their companies do so is almost entirely irrelevant.
Executives are hired to maximize profits; that is their responsibility to their company's shareholders. Even if executives wanted to forgo some profit to benefit society, they could expect to lose their jobs if they tried--and be replaced by managers who would restore profit as the top priority. The movement for corporate social responsibility is in direct opposition, in such cases, to the movement for better corporate governance, which demands that managers fulfill their fiduciary duty to act in the shareholders' interest or be relieved of their responsibilities. That's one reason so many companies talk a great deal about social responsibility but do nothing—a tactic known as greenwashing.
Managers who sacrifice profit for the common good also are in effect imposing a tax on their shareholders and arbitrarily deciding how that money should be spent. In that sense they are usurping the role of elected government officials, if only on a small scale.
Privately owned companies are a different story. If an owner-operated business chooses to accept diminished profit in order to enhance social welfare, that decision isn't being imposed on shareholders. And, of course, it is admirable and desirable for the leaders of successful public companies to use some of their personal fortune for charitable purposes, as many have throughout history and many do now. But those leaders shouldn't presume to pursue their philanthropic goals with shareholder money. Indeed, many shareholders themselves use significant amounts of the money they make from their investments to help fund charities or otherwise improve social welfare.
This is not to say, of course, that companies should be left free to pursue the greatest possible profits without regard for the social consequences. But, appeals to corporate social responsibility are not an effective way to strike a balance between profits and the public good.
Managers of corporations who engage in "social responsibility" (and often brag about their efforts) do so in order to look good. Whether they're actually doing good or whether it's really even rightly their place to have their companies do so is almost entirely irrelevant.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Down In A Hole
The on-going story of the thirty-three miners trapped in Chile is fascinating, especially as details now emerge on how they were able to come together and survive for two weeks before being found (WSJ-sub req). They're still trapped more than a mile beneath the earth, but at least they now have a lifeline to the surface. If you have just spent the last two weeks stuck underground in a tight space with thirty-three co-workers, what would be at the top of your wish list?
The miners also conveyed urgent requests for toothpaste, fruit and beer, according to Congressman Giovanni Calderón.
Sounds like they have their priorities in proper order. The story is far from over as it is being estimated that it will take three to four months before an escape shaft can be safely drilled to reach the miners. Their ability to hang on until then will be a test of human endurance both physically and psychologically. Here's hoping they get all the support (and beer) they need to survive this incredible ordeal.
The miners also conveyed urgent requests for toothpaste, fruit and beer, according to Congressman Giovanni Calderón.
Sounds like they have their priorities in proper order. The story is far from over as it is being estimated that it will take three to four months before an escape shaft can be safely drilled to reach the miners. Their ability to hang on until then will be a test of human endurance both physically and psychologically. Here's hoping they get all the support (and beer) they need to survive this incredible ordeal.
