Making something from nothing, and nothing from something

Posted on January 20, 2015 by vagabondh — Leave a comment

I have been in awe of many things over the last few months. Some of them were good things, others, not so much.

A new puppy, a family gathering, friends at the holidays. No one loves you like your dog, no matter if they are 13 weeks or 13 years old. Getting together with family to share food and drink, reminisce about the years gone by and watch the next generation of children play with the next loyal and loved family dog. Nothing but life happening but that is something.

Then there is the news. I can’t watch most news on television anymore. They pound and sensationalize the angle of the news they want as their brand over and over and over. There is, however, some content in there that is important. The delivery though, would make you want to harm yourself.

If you watched the tragic events in Ferguson, Missouri unfold with an impartial eye it was an astounding thing. First reports from the scene included an amazing eyewitness statement in the background behind a reporter that just happened to largely support the officers statement of events. (If you saw the piece you know what I am talking about, and if you didn’t I can’t guide you to it, sorry.)

Not that it should matter, but the eyewitness just happened to be black (in a largely black neighborhood, imagine that). If you read the autopsy report and saw the physical evidence details it’s pretty clear that, by and large, it generally supports the officer’s account of events. Sorry, but if there is no ax to grind that’s what you see. Our system can only use the supportable facts, the evidence, in prosecuting any citizen. It’s a tragedy for all the original “cast”, but it is what it is.

However, that wasn’t enough tragedy for that neighborhood. History repeats itself and steps on those who have little. The black community was boiling from past wrongs, from a feeling of oppression by a racist system, from frustration, for a lot of reasons I imagine. This was a spark, right or wrong. So, once again, a black neighborhood is the victim of looters and vandals, helping nothing. And making something from nothing. Nothing indicated a bad police shooting. Sorry again if you disagree.

I didn’t say that there isn’t a pattern or a problem, nor that all police shootings and “self-defense” shootings are justified, nor that bias against blacks (and other minorities) doesn’t exist. The Justice Department report was damning to the government officials and institutions of Ferguson. Those are topics that should be discussed now, more than ever, before another tragedy happens to bring it to the front page. There is no place for posturing, for deception, for sensationalizing, for serving an agenda in that discussion and it’s naive to think that all those things aren’t part of what you see in the media. The economic and cultural differences are real, the facts are too.

In the end, we are more divided than united, no problem was solved. In my mind the cause of “equality for all” is diminished when events like this unfold, where facts are a casualty, emotions rule the newscasts and opportunists further agendas with the blood of a dead man or boy. All the marches in the world will not turn into real change without honest discourse. Discourse without recrimination and anger for wrongs, real or imagined. That’s not one sided – it’s every side of the equation that can easily find an ax to grind.

Speaking of marches, I was in awe of the response to the violence in Paris at Charlie Hebdo and the market. That was something. The part that awes me is the LACK of response by the world. While pundits debate whether the POTUS should have attended or not (wow), the Islamic world laughs at all of us, at this display of inaction. We are making nothing out of something with the lack of a unified, resolute plan of action against the violence of Islam all across the globe.

It’s a “few radicals doing all the violence” – you think?
Name the places you know Islamic terrorists have murdered and maimed in the name of Allah. Anyplace you can think of, at any time in memory. OK, only during your lifetime. (History buffs were gearing up for dissertations.) How many do you think there are? Certainly you remembered the US, as so many want to transfer the blame for the violence to our shores and our foreign policies. While they weren’t recent we’ve suffered multiple attacks, in fact two separate attacks at the same location – the World Trade Center.

I hope you heard about these. Did you remember Canada? Indonesia? Lebanon? Iraq? Iran? Syria? Nigeria? Chad? The Sudan? Israel? Tanganyika? The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)? The Central African Republic (CAR)? Pakistan? Yemen? Somalia? Afghanistan? Uganda? India? Cameroon? The Philippines? Libya? Uganda? Egypt? Australia? Saudi Arabia? Thailand? Bosnia? Chechnya? Bangladesh? UAE? Tunisia? China? (Really, China.), Kenya? Morocco? Mali?

OK, so that’s a long list, eh? Must be going back a long time? Not so much. Those countries, and lets not forget France, suffered acts of violence resulting in death at the hands of Islamists IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS OF 2014. It doesn’t include acts of war like we have in Syria, except where non-combatants are massacred (like in Syria). That’s one quarter of the year, 90 days. I saw at least one additional country named on Sept 30th, but I didn’t want to go through the other 275 days to complete the list. I didn’t forget Great Britain, Spain, Germany and others who have been attacked in the past, just wanted to make a point. The source list is here. I Google’d the question “Where have Islamic terrorists attacked?”, and that site has details of the attacks including those killed and wounded. Think about it. If you are curious, they list attacks back to 9/11/01, but I think it would take a while to read it all, if 2014 was an indicator.

Why do we want to make nothing out of something with them? Policemen are scrutinized with care after killing one person, but this “religion” kills non-believers by the hundreds or thousands every year. Women seem to be a favored target and children are fair game to them. Yet we don’t want to act, even in self-defense. An Eric Rudolph “radical” bombs abortion clinics and we condemn Christianity, but what do we have to see before we condemn what Islam is and does.

We are making nothing out of something else : our freedoms. Of religion, of speech and of dissent. Women should be the loudest opposition to our indifference, as they will lose any rights they have and will be oppressed, even mutilated, in the name of Allah, for Islam. Your freedom of religion ends when it infringes on others freedoms, or when Islam rules your neighborhood.

You are what you do, and Islam might be a “Religion of Peace” at the end, when all are believers or dead, but what they do now is what they are now. Put a name to it that fits. More people are everyday, with every act of violence, with each atrocity and every beheading of an innocent.

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I didn’t complete this post until March 3rd (it was started on January 20th) and a new method of murder on video by Jihad John and his ilk has arrived: Burning infidels alive. How barbaric is that? But then, consider the source. Civilians beheaded en mass for the crime of being Christian in an Islamic region of the world. Do you think enough is enough yet? I recently saw the Charlie Rose interview of Bill Maher, where (I can’t believe I am saying this!) Maher explained that the threat posed by Islam is real. If I said the same things I’d be labelled a redneck bigot by Bill’s biggest supporters. Watch his interview – the whole thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2KYR30RRbU  (OK skip forward to the 8 minute mark for the relevant opinion. It ends about the 14 minute mark if you are too busy to hear it all.) In fact, go to You Tube and search “Bill Maher on Islam” and (I hate to say this) you will hear the facts about Islam. I may end up a fan of his….or not.

A war is raging whether we acknowledge it or not. Our troops have “Rules Of Engagement” to avoid causalities among non-combatants, ISIL/ISIS/ Boko Haram (“Western education is forbidden”)/ Al Queda (Islam by any name you prefer) burns and beheads men, women and children who are nothing but “non-combatants”.

I am not rushing to judgement, and I carefully consider these words I post. I cannot ignore the facts that are the news of almost everyday. We must let those who are believers in Islam, who claim it’s a religion of peace stand against the murdering horde that commits barbaric acts in the name of Islam. They can reclaim their “peaceful” religion if the choose. For me I have to say, we are at war. It’s time to be adult about it and act. The time for wishful thinking has ended.

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Hello, I am calling from Windows and your computer is infected…

Posted on November 8, 2014 by vagabondh — Leave a comment

That opening line, or something like it, has greeted my ears many times in the last few months. If you should get such a call, please remember that Windows would not be calling anyone – Microsoft maybe, but not “Windows”.
I take that back, unsolicited calls from Microsoft would be really, really rare.

The aim of the calls is to gain access to your PC under the guise of correcting some issue so grievous that it has come to the attention of the Behemoth of Redmond, Microsoft. It is a simple matter of you visiting a website and downloading and running a small program and then giving them permission.

Once you allow them in with “remote control” software, they pretty much could do anything to your PC. They might not do anything to it. They might collect data – your documents, spreadsheets, your web browsing history and cookies (and perhaps that document you created with all your passwords and vital information like Social Security number, Drivers License number, date of birth, passport number, bank account numbers and PIN’s….if you are brave enough to keep such a file on your system). Sooner or later they will find “the problem” they will be able to correct – for a fee. Security certificate (whatever the heck that is!), software license key, whatever they think will convince you that you have been the victim of malware or a hacker and get you to submit a payment to them to correct this terrible problem. Lucky for you they are on the job to save your bacon!

I recognized the ploy right away and have toyed with the vermin several times. If I am idle and bored, taking up the time of a fraudster/predator/con artist/thief seems somehow a service to my fellow man. Which of my computers is infected? What IP address is it on? IS the computer on right now? Don’t know? Goodbye!

What sort of person could do this to another? Maybe a person not so different from the one who thinks it’s OK to “pirate” (steal) a copy of a program or music. It’s simply a matter of degree, both are dishonest acts, one simply “more” dishonest than the other. Perhaps the caller is not of our culture – in one religion in particular, non-believers are not considered as human and deception, abuse and even death to the infidels is not only encouraged but mandated. Hmmmm, what was that accent he spoke with? Could it be?

INCOMING!
Still it’s possible that very intelligent and tech savvy types might be fooled. Given the correct circumstances might it be you? You don’t have to be a victim, simply refuse to accept any incoming call as valid until a reasonable and understandable explanation is given, and NEVER let anyone you do not know operate your computer remotely. If there is any doubt, SAY NO!

If you went to a website or you called for support, and the rep wants to remote control your system to resolve that problem, it’s probably safe. If a support rep wants to clean up your computer for you, especially for a fee, I would pass. If someone claiming to be from “Windows” or Microsoft or your computer maker called you out of the blue, no remote control. Period. Think! How would they know how to call you, how would they know you needed help? Have you ever sat on hold for a long time trying to get support? If these big companies are so under-supporting customer calls, how would they ever hire enough employees to call customers that have not called in? Does the conversation seem like the normal support call? Did they give you a name? Did they confirm a call back number? Did they give you their number? Did they verify your serial number? Never volunteer these types of info to a caller, make them say them and you can confirm correct info or hang up!

If someone calls me for support I often use a tool I have purchased called TeamViewer to remotely access their computer to address problems. They called me and either know me or had a trusted recommendation to call me. A client who is new to me should be wary, but they can see my website and I can give them a callback number and references. I am legitimate and have no problems with building trust in these ways.

So, “just say no” to incoming callers who claim to be from “Windows”, to callers who tell you your computer is infected, and anyone you did not call (and I mean “this” time) who wants to remotely control your system!

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Ahhhh, the sweet smell of meat over fire!

Posted on October 1, 2014 by vagabondh — Leave a comment

To be honest, the fire shouldn’t actually touch the meat, and I can’t really see the fire inside the grill that often, but I know it’s there. The Weber Genesis E-330 was delivered two weeks ago today. I must admit I followed the directions by doing the “leak check” they recommend, but don’t tell anyone! No problems with leaks were expected, and none were found. I was even able to properly align the gas valve body for the left burner properly, thanks to the folks at Lowes and Weber. They were very gracious about assisting me with that, and I was ready to cook.

The first night I cooked some sweet Italian sausage and some “smoked” beef sausage. I had intended to cook some Omaha Steaks brand boneless center cut pork chops as well, but the weather began rolling in with the afternoon wind and rain. More about the chops later.

I had some hickory wood chips soaking in water for the Charcoal Companion Stainless Steel V-Shape Smoker Box For Gas Grills (see my previous post), and I loaded it and placed it between the left burner and the sear burner. I preheated the grill to 500 degrees according to the temperature gauge in the cover and was ready to cook. The glorious scent of hickory wood smoke had just started when the preheat was completed.

Most of the grills I have had produced an uneven heat, especially “front to back”, but side to side as well to different degrees. The beef sausage was two large rather long “links”. These were ideal for one test I had in mind. The beef sausage was long enough that I could lay them in  different grate openings and discover the evenness of the heat from the front to back of the cooking area and, by moving them around, from side to side. Each time I turned them I was careful to make the turn and reposition them on the grates to evaluate a different area, and let them remain for the same amount of time. The results were controlled but “real life” – not some laboratory scientific method test, but it let me learn the grill. The beef sausage was evenly cooked, and though I did cook it a bit more than it needed, it was juicy and flavorful. Even heat to cook on, what a concept! The rain brought some wind with it as well, but the heat was still even!

The sweet Italian sausage was a different test. The beef sausage was fully cooked, so the grilling was for a finish and flavor (and of course my test). The Italian sausage was uncooked and cooking completely without  drying it or overcooking the outside was the task at hand. To complicate things a bit, thawing the sausage in the refrigerator had not finished, and each link had a frozen “side”. I love a challenge.  I separated the links and cooked them on the “warming rack” while preparing the beef sausage, placing them with the frozen side down. When the beef sausage was done and moved to the side, I brought the Italian sausage to the main grate and put a crisp finish on the outside. The flavor, with the added smoke, was terrific! I will serve those sausages more often. I may even endeavor to partially thaw them the same way in the future!

There was a fair amount of grease from these items. The design of the grill has the drippings landing on “flavorizer” bars (the v shaped and porcelain coated tents that shelter the burners from the drippings) where they are vaporized and add flavor to the food. Then next landing point is the bottom of the firebox where porcelain coated “grates” allow the grease a path to the porcelain coated grease tray. The portion of the grease that reached the grease tray then dripped down into the handy disposable drip pan liner which sits in the drip pan which sits in a cut out in a shelf. Whew, sounds complex but it is brilliantly simple. The pull out grease try is simple to clean up. Pulling out the drip pan is easy and allows you to simply toss the liner when needed. The liner is made of disposable aluminum. You could substitute heavy duty foil instead of buying the liners, or let the drippings fall in to the pan and clean it more frequently.  The wood chip ashes were contained within the stainless steel “V-box” , so the grill cleaned up easily. To be honest, this grill is simple to clean by design, and because of that I will no doubt clean it up regularly. No wonder these grills have the reputation of lasting much longer – it’s easier to care for them!

The next night I was rained out, but on Friday night I prepared the Omaha Steaks boneless pork loin chops. This kind of lean meat is difficult to cook (by any method) because it is very lean and has little fat in the meat to keep it from drying out, and because it must be cooked thoroughly to safely eat it. I usually avoid it for grilling as my wife is so much better at cooking this in the kitchen. It would be an excellent test.  Seasoned with a little salt, pepper and garlic powder (Paula Dean’s “House Seasoning”) it was placed on the preheated grill with the smoke box in place. Turned once on the main grate after a little sear, I placed it on the upper rack and lowered the fire to medium. The thermometer showed 350 degrees once it stabilized. About 15 minutes later I pulled them off, still concerned that they may not be completely cooked. After they rested for 5 minutes and we cut into them to check, they were properly “done” and still juicy! I may just do them again! And the taste was excellent!

Still , I had not done beef, and that was important to me. The sale flyer from Western Beef arrived and touted $5.99/pound Whole Beef Rib sections. For those not familiar with this term, it is a 10-25 pound section of meat that included the beef normally used for “Prime Rib” roasts and “Rib Eye” steaks. Perfect. Because of the nature of this cut, there is usually a fair amount of waste with bone and fat, but I found their offerings to be trimmed fairly well for a bone-in cut. A 20 pound selection in the cryo-vac netted out to about 17 pounds ready to cook. Eleven bone in 1.25″ thick steaks and one bone in “standing rib roast” about 5 or 6 pounds. That roast will make for a good holiday dinner – if it lasts that long!

Ah, the Rib Steak and Rib Eye Steak  (there is a difference I have read), my personal favorite! Often the steak folks mean when they say “delmonico” or club steak, sometimes crowned the most delicious, flavorful or juiciest – call it what you wish but by all means eat it!  I like to add a touch of garlic to mine, via garlic cloves blended with olive oil or granulated garlic power. Not much else is needed, and I don’t like adding salt to meat before or during cooking. We have prepared three of the eleven steaks so far and I have to say I have done a great job preparing them, as well as eating them! (I think I just hurt my arm patting myself on the back…)  I have to admit the petite sirah and zinfandel in my inventory has dropped a bit since this grill arrived, but they go oh so well with the beef! You might say I have been “Spellbound”. (I could not resist!)

The Weber gets hot, hotter than any grill I remember, and that makes the initial sear easy. The Weber is consistent (with a quality thermometer in the hood) and that makes the cooking easy. The smoker box adds the hint of wood smoke so well, and the clean up is easy.

Tonight I will try Salmon Milano (from Costco). I have had this before and it was terrific prepared in the oven. How it will fare prepared on the grill remains to be seen.

Later!

EDIT: I failed to mention the mini sweet peppers we roasted on the grill for the steaks and the salmon. Brushed with the oil/garlic blend and roasted until some dark “char” marks, we had a sweet and tender side dish! A new favorite!

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It’s raining. Still.

Posted on October 1, 2014 by vagabondh — Leave a comment

(NOTE: I started this post in July, but sadly it is still current – weather and otherwise!)

Well, it’s raining still. I think I will see algae growing on the walks in a few more days.

I received a bottle of Spellbound Cabernet Sauvignon for Fathers Day, and I liked it! What is so surprising is that I don’t like Cabernet Sauvignon as a rule. Something  about the taste puts me off and I just avoid them if possible. This one was a gift, so I could not practice “Sauvignon avoidance” as I normally would. I m glad I didn’t.

New, delicious wines from NakedWines.Com have arrived and I an anxious to try them, but I’ve been pretty busy. Soon…

I continue to be amazed by the politicians in this country. We can’t be a nation of laws if no one enforces the laws. You can’t cry out for protection, demand the “justice” system do it’s job if the law i a moving target. I am particularly concerned about the disregard for law, any law, that is justified by platitudes like “compassion” and “charity”, or that say it’s “for the children”. If we permit anyone in power to selectively enforce existing laws for these reasons we risk have subjective justification for behaviors and actions become institutionalized.

You might happen to agree with this situations’ flow, but think of how the shoe may fit if you didn’t. I love children. I don’t want any of them to suffer, so don’t hang a label on me because we disagree on the sanctity of the law.

The tools exist to modify laws and even the Constitution! If you think we need to change the laws, then set to it. Meanwhile we only exist as long as we all respect the law as it is.

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Grilling meat over fire, and other such manly activities….

Posted on September 15, 2014 by vagabondh — Leave a comment
Since 1976, when I bought my first house, I estimate I have bought about 18 grills. I use them maybe 60-70 times a year, usually more than once a week I guess. I never counted the usage.  They last about a year, maybe two, then die.  Usually from rust, being exposed to the elements in Florida. Imagine that, a grill left outdoors! Average cost? I would guess about $200 each. Some for $100, one for $600, most around $200-300. Too much money really. My current CharBroil I paid $199 for on Fathers Day 2013, about 15 months ago. See where this is going do ya? It’s OK, sometimes obvious is good too.
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OK, so Saturday I slow cooked a whole 5.5 pound chicken on the grill. I split it in half, created a peach preserve basting sauce (with white wine and a touch of apple cider vinegar, some garlic powder, some sugar and melted real butter) and slow cooked it for  about 4 hours on the top/warming rack. It came out great. Did I mention I injected some of the plain butter?  Indirect heat using 2 of the 4 burners. Hmmmmmmmm! Came out really good. (I have my cholesterol checked regularly, so no worries.)
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I enjoyed that so much I was gonna prepare a little filet of beef on the grill Sunday (to get the bad taste of the football game outta my mouth….we lost, really lost). So, I walk out to the CharBroil and open the lid, and…?????
Why do I see the ground through the grill? Something is really odd about that…
????
The entire “grease tray” had rusted through in the center, front to back, in an almost straight line. I suppose it didn’t get a good  enough coating of oil and rusted? Isn’t grease like oil on steroids? The plate had folded there enough to fall out of the side slider grooves. Good news is the drip pan (which holds about 2 teaspoons of drippings) and is attached to the bottom middle of the “tray” is still in great shape! Rust killed the last one, the $600 one too, after 2 years and $200 in replacement parts. What ever happened to the cast aluminum bodies on these things? When did they go away?
(Speaking of “cast”, cast iron fry pan did a good job on the steak…..)
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OK, I fix things, so………
I priced the parts I would need to “rebuild it” and it totalled over $100 dollars + shipping and maybe tax, Not just the grease tray, but all the badly rusted operational parts. I decided it would be unwise to invest that sum in a $199 grill. Even then, the igniter, which worked about 1 rainstorm before failing, would not be working. The firebox would be well on it’s way to total oxidation. The sear burner…the main burners…I wasn’t crazy about the grill, but it was serviceable. Paid for too, and that is big.
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I looked around and found another CharBroil at Home Depot that I liked for $325 but it was that same “quality” of construction and short warranty. It was a nice concept, like the $600 one that preceded this one but smaller. I liked that one, except for the part where it rusted out frequently. Oh, and the part where the part that failed most often, the “trough” was backordered, that too. Sorry CharBroil, you are done, put a fork in you.
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 Look to the past to see the future…….
1952: George Stephen, a welder at Weber Brothers Metal Works, cuts a metal buoy in half to make a dome-shaped grill. He uses the top half as a lid that seals in flavor and evenly distributes heat, and adds vents to get oxygen to the fire. The iconic Weber grill is born.

1960s: In a bid to get customers to buy more natural gas, William G. Wepfer and Melton Lancaster of the Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company redesign a charcoal grill to run on bottled propane. The resulting grills are pricier but easier to use and soon become the new backyard favorite.

So, history and longevity guides me to Weber. Reading around, it’s Weber by a long shot for consumer class affordable grills.They are the top of the heap, King of the Hill, Large-and-in-Charge mac-daddy of grills. The last grill you ‘ll ever need to buy.
Thats’ what they say, and I hope they are right!
All this quality carries a price tag though. I figure about 4 “grill units” of investment, based on previous experience.
Weber. Genesis E-330 in Copper, If I can use it for 10 years….
Wait! I get 5% off with my Lowes card, free assembly and delivery…
Still it’s a lot of money for a grill….
(Pause for a New York minute…..)
It’ll be here Wednesday.
🙂
And here’s a dandy item for those who like some “wood smoke” in the taste of grilled foods,

Charcoal Companion Stainless Steel V-Shape Smoker Box For Gas Grills

It sits on the “tents” over the burners, has no holes in the “sides” and will add a bit of smoke without a mess!

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The Internet is forever, right? Maj. L Caudill and the Kloos no one had.

Posted on March 14, 2014 by vagabondh — Leave a comment

OK, Today I finally got the story on a well circulated essay on Society and Gun Rights.  Similar to the “An armed society is a polite society” sentiment (which is attributed to everyone from George Washington to it’s real author, Robert A. Heinlein).

You may  have seen the “letter” in your inbox. Or you may have seen it in a book by Ted Nugent. By the way I try to make sure all my links open in a new window so as not to lose readers….I also show the link as it is used for security reasons. You know why if you are security conscious, if not, don’t worry about it.

First you can read the piece on this blog, by the original author, at this link

https://munchkinwrangler.wordpress.com/2007/03/23/why-the-gun-is-civilization/

It’s worth the read, regardless of your position on “gun ownership”. I have to admit that it seems compelling, especially since we’ve been trying to remove them from private ownership in most countries since about one day after they were invented. How’s that working out so far?

Anyway,  I will use this now properly attributed work as an example.

The content of this blog post was widely circulated on the internet as the work of one Maj. L Caudill, USMC (Ret). It was then attributed that way in Ted Nugents’ “Ted White and Blue” book. The problem is that no “Maj. L. Caudill” wrote it. A fellow named Marko Kloos wrote it on his blog (referenced above).  So Marko sends a demand letter and is paid for usage rights, $400, for the second time since he posted it. Dillion paid him as well.
http://www.dillonprecision.com/docs/Sept_07_gun_is_civilization.pdf

Kloos wrote that piece 7 years ago. The settlement with Nugent was over 4 years ago (Nov. 9,  2009 – see the post here http://munchkinwrangler.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/the-end-of-the-nugent-saga/ ).

So, last month I received another copy of the Maj. Caudill version forwarded by a well meaning friend to 700 people or so. I sort of “Snope-d” it and discovered the true author in about 5 minutes. Granted that was because of the Nugent flap mostly, as it was indexed on Google better than the original post.

So how long will it live? Forever I think.

I get the same emails on a cycle of about 18 months. This Starbucks affront, that politician blunders, some other offense that is outrageous to most of us, or the pending UN Treaty that will make lose our rights. Over and over. The false and the true lie down together on the World Wide Web, never to be clearly identified.

So next time you are going to forward some important email to warn of the next oppressive move by the other political party or the like, spend a minute to verify it “is what it says it is”. Let the forward die with you! Oh, and all you folks sending revealing “selfies” to “friends”, you might find it 50 years hence! That may please some of you, I know.

(The blog Marko writes is worth a read and it’s still active as of this date!)

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Spellbound

Posted on February 27, 2014 by vagabondh — Leave a comment

OK, so I said this would become a wine blog instead of a whine blog.

Spellbound. Great name for a series of wines from the namesake of wine making legend Robert Mondavi. Robert Mondavi, Jr. , grandson of Robert and son of Michael, has hit it out of the park with his Petite Sirah and Merlot varietals. (I’ve seen that medals have been awarded to the Cabernet Sauvignon variety, but I don’t really care for that variety and have never tried theirs.) I wonder if it’s nature or nurture that makes the Mondavi’s such terrific vintners. Read up on this talented family if you get the chance, they have an amazing history.

Back to the “PS” and Merlot: I was lucky enough to find them recently and the 2011 vintage that I discovered is about gone. I do see that the 2012 vintage (which I have sampled and is excellent as well) is available. Rich and smooth with a heavy mouthfeel, and not too much oak, are things I found I liked in the Merlot and the Petite Sirah from this maker. They are both boldly fruit forward, something I like, and probably should be consumed “young”.

The characteristics of these is reminiscent of the 2011 Oak Ridge Zinfandel that one popular source rated a 90 (and while the 2012 vintage of that one is good, it’s “almost” as good as the 2011 IMHO). The wine is reasonably priced at $12-16 a bottle depending on the store, and that’s affordable for everyone to try. If you like Zinfandels, Petite Sirahs and the heavier Merlots, if you can find them, try them! I had a chance to try the PS “cold” – left in a car for hours in cold weather – and it was actually “buttery” at the mid 40’s to low 50’s temp! Live a little and try it!

You know, my list of favorites is growing and the time to drink them isn’t. So many favorites from NakedWines.com as I have previously posted, Now another name in the short list. So much to ponder, I think a nice glass of Spellbound might help. Now, which variety?

 

Cheers!

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The folks at NakedWines.com: Not your ordinary wine club.

Posted on February 17, 2014 by vagabondh — 1 Comment

The folks at NakedWines.com: Not your ordinary wine club.

Like wine? Like to participate in the process? Read on.

This is a new concept where enthusiasts support fledgling winemakers – not all of whom are new to the craft – and benefit by getting the product of their labors at terrific prices. Special occasion wines for everyday table prices. All without risking anything. Sure they want to sign you up, but if you forgive the enthusiasm of the recruiters, there is little to turn you off and nothing to lose!

The cast of winemakers includes some names that wine insiders know well, like Jim Olsen, Randall Grahm, Wayne Donaldson, Daryl Groom, Ken Deis and Derek Rohlffs. (I hope those not mentioned will forgive me! And go ahead and Google the names, you’ll see some heavy hitters!)

Why my “pitching” it?
Because I like the idea, I like the product and I like the people. The people who operate it and the “angels” who fund it. The forums on the site allow interaction with the winemakers and wine enthusiasts, and they are just fun! I have tried 92 different wines in the last 12 months. Yes, I have consumed more wine in that year than in my entire life prior, but there were 365 days…..No I didn’t like it all, but each of us has our own tastes. There was none of it “bad” though I got one bad bottle that was promptly credited back. They will even take care of you if the wine just wasn’t to your taste. Really.

Click on the photo to visit the site. If you consider being an Angel, and have any questions, call them. They want to insure each participant is happy! (What’s an Angel? Try this link for an explanation – I don’t like to type enough to retype it! http://us.nakedwines.com/angels )

If you post a comment with a question I will try to respond, but can’t guarantee it! Those of you that joined because of my enthusiasm, post a comment!

OK, so in this first year I have learned I don’t care for wines with the word “sauvignon” in the name – red or white. I do favor Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Sirah/Shiraz and Tempranillo. There are some whites I like, Chardonnays and gewurztraminer for instance. I have found out my preferences and have learned what I like in wine at this time. I think our tastes change as time goes on, but I’m good where I am. Thanks to NakedWines.com I know where that is! By the way there is a European “division” of the company, so don’t end up at the UK site and confuse yourself. Click on the photo for the US site!

Next time, what do you really know about wine bottle closures? Is a screw top the sign of a bad wine? Is cork a sign of a better wine?

Cheers!

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It is What it is or No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Posted on February 17, 2014 by vagabondh — Leave a comment

Google Voice. It’s been a wonderful tool for me, and many others. I have all my calls on all the phones I use, voicemail to text and /or email conversion, and actual voicemail with archiving. In 2013 I found a nice feature that allowed me to convert my “home” phone to a VoIP connection, and except for an 80 cent per month E911 fee, it was free! Thanks to Google Voice and a $29 adapter from a company called Obihai. The connection is good,  most of the time as good as Ma Bell provided for $40  a month, so happiness was abundant. I even ported my number to Google Voice, so I was able to keep it! That Google Voice, it just keeps getting better and better!

Then, October 31st, 2013,  there is the announcement that the service as I have it will not be available after 15-May-2014. Wow, and I have almost $50 invested in the use of it for the previous 7 months and the next 6.5 months. (It was STILL a very good deal!) This is, I’ve been told, due to a change in Google’s enforcement of their Terms of Service (TOS) of Google Voice. It seems some enterprising companies had figured out a way to make Google Chat (a part of Google Voice)  work in such a way that the Obihai, and many cell phone apps, could provide “free” internet based phone calling to any telephone in the US or Canada. (Some actually charged for the service, talk about brazen! ) You know, like Vonage, but “free”. Unfortunately this violated the TOS of Google Voice, but Google didn’t stop the violators, for undisclosed reasons. Similarly, for undisclosed reasons, Google will enforce the TOS and terminate the mechanism the “violators” were using in May 2014. What ever will all us lucky “free” service users do after mid-May? (I know this is getting long, but the “good deed” part is coming, as is the “punishment part”! Yes, I know Google was doing a good deed, but don’t go there.)

I found a Google Product forum about this change, and, with the long lead time so thoughtfully provided by Google, information was offered as to how to switch my VoIP connection to another provider. The bad news is it’s not “free” anymore. The good news is it’s almost “free”.  I figure I will spend between $3 and $10 a month, total, for that telephone service starting in May. No big deal to most adults, that’s not even lunch money anymore.(My setup is on my home internet, but a solution on a cell phone with iOS or Android can be had the same way for WiFi calling.)

The source of the best guidance was a moderator. The moderator offered guidance and information on VoIP and with some other knowledgeable posters chipping in, I was able to find and vette a replacement service for almost nothing. (This was the good deed part, in case you missed it!) Thanks for the good deed everyone!

Alas, all was not well with everyone reading that forum. Happiness was no longer abundant with everyone. Some posters derided the “solution” oriented posters and pounded the drum about keeping what they had now. Some simply cannot accept that the reality is what it is. Some have even called the helpful solution providers names like “shill” and  “smug, smarmy, condescending apologists toting tiresome, tedious “orthodox capitalist” memes”   for offering logical answers to the protestations they posted. (This is the punishment part, just so you don’t miss it!)  It was like adults trying to explain to a child why they can’t have another persons property. “But WHY?” Then the inevitable “poo-poo head” name calling by the child to the adult. Smarmy? Really?

So next time there is a dilemma facing  these immature, panacea seeking, “I want it my way” types, perhaps there will be no “solution” providers posting.  I am good with that, but then the others, like me, that benefited from those solutions provided, will lose out as well.

Lets hope the adults in this story continue to be adults, and continue to offer solutions to others. After all, a good deed is a good deed. And children will be children – maybe forever.

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Before you know what happened, it’s happened.

Posted on February 14, 2014 by vagabondh — 4 Comments

I have been thrilled with the blog content this “neighborhood” has delivered to me. I read those with talented authors and am truly awe struck. How is it that these writers haven’t won a Pulitzer? Really, I am so glad I found you all. OK, enough of that.

Watching what is happening around us gets difficult some times. The noise of the competitive information vendors (we used to call them “news outlets” but they have pretty much sold out to the almighty dollar) tugs and pulls and polarizes us. You don’t think they have sold out?

Let’s look at the happiest time of the year for the television moguls – election time. You and I give money to candidates we hope will win, so they can buy advertising. They are called donations because the recipient does nothing to earn them. When an election is hotly contested, the candidates work harder to raise more funds for advertising (obscene amounts really) which end up in the coffers of the information vendors. They hold no allegiance except to money, but do choose the side they wish to make the primary source of revenue. So, if they spin the information in such a way as to attract one side or the other of an issue, then the opposing team also has to respond with advertising dollars to tell their side of the story. No matter how you look at it you are being sold, yes sold, the candidates. But is anyone ever really sold?

You can deny it if you’ve been a loyal supporter of the “X” party or philosophy, but then you are not the target market, you don’t meet the demographic they seek. Only the ignorant and undecided are of interest to the advertisers. They want the undecided voters, the independent voters who actually may be swayed by the sales pitch. Think of it this way: If you always buy a BMW, Lexus or Cadillac, the car ads for other brands won’t sway you because of your predisposition (whatever the reason). If you had a horrible experience with a brand you won’t be swayed by some happy scenes of the “ultimate” driving or luxury machine and beautiful people. Then there are the ignorant voters. They are the real “impulse buyers” in elections. They react to the spin articles, the sound bites and the appeal of clever creatives. No one really knows which tidbit of info will sway them. They might buy the idea that liberals are for the little guy. They might buy the idea that reproductive rights are endangered if the other guy wins. So they get the entire sound bite catalog tossed at them. Something might stick!

So, the election is over and hundreds of millions of dollars are transferred to the media companies. You know, Comcast et al. Comcast owns NBC Universal, and now Time Warner Cable. (The size of Comcast is “mega” and growing for those not enamored of Big Corporate America.) I said hundreds of millions and that might be inaccurate. In Presidential election years it’s no doubt an understatement when you look at the national, state and local races. Not so much maybe in other years. Can we agree it’s a lot of money? So what does the money buy?

Let’s see what a national office holder gets for all that cash. How about the lowly US House member? For starters there’s the $175,000 salary. That is in the top 5% of earners nationally. Or another spin is that it is more than 95% of the population makes. Not a bad prize for something bought with OPM (Other Peoples Money). The OPM also bought a Member’s Representational Allowance (MRA) to support them in their official and representational duties to their district. It a calculated benefit but averaged $1.4 million per House member in 2011 – and it can be used to pay any expense. That should improve the lifestyle a bit. All members of Congress are automatically (without the option of withdrawal) enrolled in the Federal Employees’ Retirement System. They are vested after 5 years (three house terms) and it pays based on the three highest years of basic pay. Pretty good.  (Three terms for a Congressman/Congresswoman and only one for a Senator – doesn’t seem fair somehow.) Additional doses of OPM are needed to maintain the lifestyle and secure the benefits, and most importantly, build the power that multiplies the compensation. So the OPM starts to seem like OPIUM for a reason. All that pomp and ceremony and celebrity – and money and privilege – doesn’t sway the newly installed Representative’s viewpoint – does it?

This pattern is repeated for too many elected officials for good government. How do we fix it? I can hardly tell the difference in results from one side to the other (on a large scale). Is the free press really different from any other business? I miss the fairness doctrine (and I supported abandoning it).

You know, this type of thinking, this subject is depressing.  I think I’ll talk about wine next time……I discovered a nice rich Zinfandel recently…..and a Petite Sirah that fits my tastes “oh so well”…

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