Anheuser-Busch is jumping on the organic food bandwagon with a couple of new beers.

People who might buy Wild Hop and Stone Mill are “more affluent, highly educated, more high-end shoppers” who buy organic, says Patrick McGauley, a vice president for product development at the St. Louis headquarters.

“I’m not describing a Bud Light drinker,” he says. “I’m describing a new customer.”

Seems more like a knee-jerk reaction to the organic food fad sweeping the nation.  Hopefully the beers will taste better than the rest of the product line.

Male drivers waste six million hours a year

I always ask for directions when necessary btw.  But that rarely happens since I diligently print out a map before we leave.  In color.  At high resolution.
Damn this belgian pale ale I’m drinking is good….

We used to microwave
But now we just eat nuts and berries

I’m a little sheepish to admit that only recently was I introduced to the world of podcasts. I’d like to blame it on the fact that I had a G1 iPod that had run out of room - and that managing our joint collection of songs on iTunes (and having to constantly delete all the Helmet off of my list every time we synced up our respective iTunes) was to blame. But actually, I’m discovering that it was more my own ignorance - and that dangerous hesitance to Try Something New.

But since that time, I’m happy to say that I’m a convert. Democratization of media aside, I’m absolutely floored with what I can listen to and watch in the comfort of my luxury coach ride into the city each day. I get fashion reports, decorating tips, and the Bollywood top 10. I can catch up on all the ski jumping competitions I missed during the Olympics, watch the director’s commentary of a movie we just watched - and what’s really cool - listen to college lectures.

The same day that Kyle introduced me to podcasts, he showed me how to download lectures from $tanfurd faculty. And gosh darnit, I’m loving them. I’m continuing to learn about science. I’m meditating to the Dalai Lama. I’m even falling asleep to guys that would rival Tricky Dicky Dalven. But for the first time that I can remember, I’m learning what I want to learn, when I want to learn it - and how I want to learn it.

Now, don’t think that I’ve crossed over to the way of the red tree. Kyle discovered that Cal offers free video podcasts of its classes. And what these lack in content (they’re mighty boring), they make up for in just sheer implementation-coolness. Instead of being a simple video recording of a lecture, they actually appear to be professionally directed (or at least amateurly directed by aspiring film students), so that they cut in and out of shots, focusing in on what you really should be paying attention to.

Which got me thinking to just how cool it would be to be a student right now. I mean, who needs a notebook when you’ve got your laptop? And with these videos, there’s no need for a tape recorder or even a notebook, when you can rewatch a lecture online anytime you want. I’ve got to wonder if discussion groups are all driven by blogs and chat rooms. And of course, there’s that whole cell phone thing, which didn’t exist when I was a student - we actually had to plan to meet with friends.

Then again, if it’s so much easier to stay in touch and on top of your classes, you’ve got to wonder if the midterms are that much harder now too…

Silly Yahoo! news stories

Woman Gets Beer From Her Kitchen Faucet

Oh yes I know the muffin (wo)man
That lives on (Curtis) Drury (Street) Lane

This morning we had no cereal, barely enough milk, definitely no OJ, and no bread. And we were definitely not going out to eat breakfast. So I made muffins with the buttermilk I had left over from last week. Not half bad. These were blueberry streusel.

Here is a good analysis of how Battlestar Galactica and BitTorrent have destroyed the economics of broadcast TV. The vast majority of my TV consumption is via Tivo and occasionally DVD. This has actually conditioned me to get upset when I’m subjected to advertising. On the rare occasion where the Tivo missed the broadcast of a show or it’s taking too long to come out on DVD I have downloaded it using BitTorrent. And I don’t feel guilty one bit. In my mind the 30 second spot is just something to breeze right over. I find authors suggestion for using the bug as advertising payload, while not novel, to be the best hope that producers have to monetize their content.

Why didn’t I think of this?!

I think it’s one of those de ja vu things

I’m going on 31 (this month). Surprising for me, I’m not scared about the whole age thing. I recently had one of those “eureka!” moments where I reflected on my 20s - and ended up relieved that the next decade of my life was going to be totally different. Yes, the fun, the friends, the social life, the easy job - they were awesome. Then again, the lack-of-money, the lack-of-house, the lack-of-stable-relationships, the lack-of-career-aspirations - heck, the lack of LIFE aspirations: not such good things. I’m looking forward to a decade of change, and I know that it will change for the better.

But still, I also feel strangely immature. It’s the parents. I’m trying to figure out how they, at the same age, did it? Cause, gosh darnit, I’m… so… very… tired… all the time. Each day is a memory before it really begins, and I’m scared that the next time I look up - I’ll be going on 41 (and no, the problem is not vitamins, exercise, or attitude). I’ve heard it doesn’t slow done.

When they were in their 30s, my parents must have been superhuman. They married early, had a kid early, were separated by a 13 hour time difference early. By the time they were 30, they had immigrated, had another kid, and moved to the equivalent of hicksville where there were no other ex-pats. In their 30s, they raised two kids, took care of a house, tended a garden, and looked after an aging parent - all while working 2 full time jobs with commutes that were at least 45 minutes each way. Granted, they didn’t have the world’s wonder dog, Bailey, but I just don’t get it. Don’t get how they did it. Don’t understand why I don’t have the same stamina. And I’m left wondering if I’m just lazy, or if life just requires more now that everything is so connected.

Regardless, I have an overwhelming amount of respect for them - and for anyone else that turns what could be life’s rat race into a tortoise’s stroll.

It should be ready fully carbonated in about two weeks, but since I’ve got a couple other kegs to finish first it will be a while before it gets tapped.  This batch was kind of experimental since I used a off beat malt extract (english light) and warrior hops instead of magnum.  I had some of the previous batch a couple weekends ago and from what I can recall it was better than this one.  Maybe some time will allow the flavors to mellow a bit.  We’ll see. 7.5% ABV

You know a movie is bad when the only positive thing a reviewer can comment on is the belly button of the lead actress:

Otherwise, the music is hideous and the acting is flat, but there is one interesting thing: Jovovich has her midriff exposed throughout the movie, and the girl has an absolutely fascinating belly button. Her navel is an innie, not an outie, but just below the surface it suddenly pops up; it’s like a raised fist in the belly button world. Defiant.

Anyway, we saw Ultraviolet so you won’t have to. It was awful. Next time, you go, OK?

Several reviewers commented that this movie was a ripoff of Equilibrium which was actually a pretty good movie.