Beer Review - Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale

B-Daddy here. Yesterday we had a little barbecue and Dean brought by one of my favorite beers, Bear Republic's Red Rocket Ale. Someday I'll get around to a top 10 beer list, like Max, but this ale would certainly be on it. (Off the top of my head, I would also include Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Avery Salvation Golden Ale, Delirium Tremens, Alpine Ale, Shiner Bock and Highway 78 Scotch Ale.) Bear Republic also makes an excellent IPA, Racer 5.

As you can see from the picture, Red Rocket pours a dark amber-brown, with a head that is full but disappears quickly. But don't let that fool you, it's full of flavor. It has just a hint of sweetness to balance much more hoppiness than expected from an amber ale. Red Rocket is fairly complex, and always takes me a few sips to absorb all of the different flavors embedded. At 6.8% ABV, its not too boozy so its a nice companion to a bbq meal especially steak. Although not a San Diego beer, it is from California, Healdsburg to be specific. Craft beer is one of the few growing industries in our state, and also the least regulated, figure that.

Song For Columbus Day

Thank you for this song Jesse.

Men Bond With Fists

Dave and Mike were great friends, they'd been buds for years. Dave loved a martial arts video game and practically lived it at times. Mike would occasionally rib him about it, but played the game with gusto because he enjoyed Dave's enthusiasm.

One night, drinking beer at a party, Dave went ninja on Mike. He was steely eyed as he sized up Mike and started throwing some kicks and punches. They weren't connecting as yet, but soon started to as Mike got into the mood of the play acting.

Soon everyone was watching as Dave and Mike fought and tussled. Finally, after they both had drawn blood, they landed on the ground laughing and whooping in a primal way. They got up, dusted off and got another beer feeling more like brothers than ever. Why do men bond with fists?

Women would most likely never speak to each other again if there was any kind of physical violence. I wonder at this seemingly strange rite of passage and encourage any comments to enlighten me.

Beer Review - Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock

B-Daddy here, with a beer review to go with yesterday's restaurant review of Gordon Biersch. Since I have been drinking pale ales of late (Alpine Ale and Mirror Pond), I thought I would go with a lager with my steak at Gordon Biersch restaurant. I am not the biggest fan of GB, but since they brew on premise, I thought the freshness would help.

This beer poured a little darker than the blonde it is advertised to be. (An aside about "blondes" the beers, not the women. I have noticed that they seem too be used to confuse. For instance, Shiner Blonde is actually a Pilsner.) The beer poured a nice medium golden color, with a decent head. It was both maltier and hoppier than anticipated, since my main bock is Shiner Bock. It had a bit of "biscuit" flavor, which was fine under the circumstance, although I am normally not a fan. It was very drinkable, and I didn't really notice its slightly above average 7% ABV. I ended up having two pints and having a great evening out with the family.

Restaurant Review - Gordon Biersch

Gordon Biersch is a fine restaurant. Our favorite location for Gordon Biersch is in convenient Mission Valley.  The atmosphere is excellent, with it's dark wood and leather like booths. It has private dining as well as two patios. The kitchen is off to the side, fully visible, with competent chefs cooking your meal in a clean environment. I noticed the chef's cooking pizza in a wood fired oven. The food is of high quality with a nice variety, ranging from delicious pizza to steak or seafood. It is a brewery/restaurant so it has excellent fresh beer on tap. The waitresses are friendly, attractive and attentive. Treat yourself and a friend or two to some fine food and brew, at Gordon Biersch.

Music for today

This is a great song by an awesome lady.

Tip - Sliding glass doors

If the sliding glass doors are hard to push, try and adjust the rollers. The adjustments are either on the sides of the door or on the bottom rail of the door. You may have to remove the door and clean the track. Use silicone spray to lubricate the tracks.

Nurses Station - Eggs

While eggs contain cholesterol, they also contain lecithin which may provide enough good cholesterol (HDL's) to counteract the bad cholesterol (LDL's).

On a Preachy Note

The emergency rooms, and police stations get busy every weekend, with a plethora of young men. They have imbibed too much alcohol, or overdosed on some new party drug. Why do so many young dudes feel compelled to over drink, over drug, or both?

Many of the guys face peer pressure to get drunk. Quantity becomes more important than quality. Instead of enjoying a nice local brew, they down as much cheap beer as possible with the intention of passing out or puking everywhere.  It's not manly to get slithered. Most people find a drunk obnoxious and distasteful to be around. Trouble has a way of finding those who are drunk. It is a known phenomenon. Don't be influenced by inebriated friends to over drink. Stay with your convictions. Always have someone who is not drinking do the driving, or eat and drink over a period of time, before getting behind the wheel.

Doing drugs is a no brainer. Just don't do it. They may make you feel good for a short time, but are lethal on your young buff bode. You are usually taking something that is mixed with, God knows what other chemicals. Contrary to what your friends tell you, most drugs are highly addictive. They are also illegal and not worth the price you will pay. Many of the drugs out there cause impotence if taken long enough. Not very manly, is it? Illegal drug taking is a lose, lose situation. Real men are in control and aware of their surroundings, be that kind of guy.
 

This is a classic

The Doors had so many hits, but this is one of my favorites! Excellent video also.

A Code for the Workplace

B-Daddy here. Let's face it, no matter what else we have going on, those of us fortunate enough to have a full time job in these tough times, spend a big chunk of our lives at work. Yet little is written about conduct in the work place and how to deal with the inevitable stresses of working with other people. I will say right up front, my perspective is that of a manager. I have had some sort of management responsibility for almost 30 years. But I believe my observations are universal.

My views on work place behavior derive from my Christian belief. The other book that influenced me, and which I believe conforms to those principles is The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Jesus said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." This forms the basis of the how one should approach colleagues, subordinates, superiors, customers and suppliers in the work place. What about when they behave badly, one might ask. Let me be clear.

The rules of right conduct are too important to make exceptions for the bad behavior of others.

So what does this mean in practice? I will give you some personal examples and hope that those I am referring to don't read this blog.

You have a colleague who is always bringing up some short coming of yours or your team whenever you have a staff meeting with the boss. It is intended to make you look bad, so he will look good. How do you respond? If you get defensive and start to argue, how does that help your boss? Does she want to be a referee? So you politely ask more specifics of the issue, tease out the extent to which you may in fact have responsibility and deal with it. When the same behavior occurs week after week, month after month, your boss eventually understands who is the real problem. If she doesn't, then you should probably be looking for other work. (The best time to get a job, is when you already have a job.) Ultimately, you want to work in an organization that rewards your performance fairly.

You have a subordinate who didn't like the fact that you were brought in from the outside to manage the group. Early on, you feel obligated to issue him a letter of caution for his failure to deal with a festering personnel matter. His response is to publicly question your competence and authority and complain about you to his own subordinates. How do you respond? You answer any real issues he may have head on, and explain your vision for the team. After a while, you privately ask him to be more respectful in public. In the evaluation cycle, you are fair. You note where he has done well and where not. When his performance improves, you note it. Five years later, when a reorganization removes him from your direct reporting chain, he complains long and loud to senior leaders who will listen that he is being unfairly treated because you will no longer be his supervisor.

Your supervisor's boss and indeed all the senior management in your organization seem to have only a vague understanding of the key principles needed to run the business effectively. They are always changing strategic direction and can't seem to settle on a fixed vision for your business model. You might quit and look for other work, and indeed, self-preservation might so dictate. Alternately, you could review the methods and tools used for strategic decision making and propose improvements. Because you care deeply about the success of the organization, not just your own, you put your personal reputation on the line to show what best practices exist in other similar firms. You proceed indirectly, so that you are not attacking their lack of strategic direction directly. By focusing them on the requirements for strategic decision making, you are getting their attention focused more appropriately. They can't help but have to be more clear about their decision making processes. If successful, you have changed the whole organization.

Author Jim Collins, who wrote Good to Great, talks about "level 5" leadership. A level 4 leader is someone like Jack Welch, an intellectual superstar whose personal talent drives his company's success. From the linked article:

We eventually came to call these remarkable people "Level 5 leaders."The term "Level 5" refers to a five-level hierarchy. Level 1 relates to individual capability, Level 2 to team skills, Level 3 to managerial competence, and Level 4 to leadership as traditionally conceived. Level 5 leaders possess the skills of levels 1 to 4 but also have an "extra dimension": a paradoxical blend of personal humility ("I never stopped trying to become qualified for the job") and professional will ("sell the mills"). They are somewhat self-effacing individuals who deflect adulation, yet who have an almost stoic resolve to do absolutely whatever it takes to make the company great, channeling their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company. It's not that Level 5 leaders have no ego or self-interest. Indeed, they are incredibly ambitious—but their ambition is first and foremost for the institution and its greatness, not for themselves

Look how closely this mirrors what Paul says in Philippians Chapter 2:

³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

While Paul is discussing the church, and Collins is discussing one's company, both are saying that true greatness accrues to putting the good of the larger group first, indeed with great purposefulness. This is at the core of right conduct in the work place; applying one's full intellect and effort to good of those around you and the organization itself, is the best path to true success.

An Old Song I Used To Hear As A Child

This song used to play on the radio as my family and I traveled to Lake Ontario with our little trailer. We camped at Fair Haven in upstate New York. I remember the radio blasting away in the station wagon, as my brothers and I fought in the back seat of the car.

Product Review - Flameless Candles With Timer

Like romantic evenings with candlelight? Your girl and you won't have to worry about lighting the place on fire if you invest in some flameless candles. I advise the candles with a timer because you don't have to worry about forgetting them and using up all the battery power you have in them.

Nurses Station - Lifting

It may be funny to lift your 250 pound friend, but be careful. Young men can get hernias. When working out with weights, you should wear a weight lifting belt. They can also be useful when helping a buddy move. Don't be afraid to wear it lifting heavy objects. Always lift with your legs, not your back. Don't bend, keep yourself erect and use the legs to lift heavy stuff.

Zombies, A Weird Obsession

The woman is screaming as the beefy hero shoves her behind himself. He cocks his sawed off shotgun to blow the head off a gibbering, decaying zombie. Everyone knows they keep coming unless you dismantle the head. The hero, and the scantily clothed woman run for some abandoned building to hole up in, preferably with lots of ammunition and provisions to sustain them for a while. This scene has been played out so many times. We have to wonder how it can still titillate teens and twenty-somethings, who flock to theaters and big screen televisions to catch every gory second.

They actually have a zombie soap opera now called The Walking Dead.  The young men I know and admire can be found glued to their seats, watching this horrific show. I am always amazed and somewhat alarmed by their fascination with zombies. What is it about zombies that attracts young males? The zombies are already dead, which dehumanizes them and makes them fair game. They crave human flesh and if you are bitten you will turn into a zombie, so they must be killed. It becomes a twisted kind of sport, to see how many zombies you can kill, and also, how many ways you can do it. Maybe it does make some kind of warped sense, there is a lot of anger out there in this politically correct world. Young males are notorious for the pent up aggression they so often carry because of raging hormones, and the stresses of today's society. It helps release the pent up rage, having someone to annihilate

The concept of zombies originated from Haitian voodoo belief. A person who practiced such evil could raise the dead. The dead would be mindless killing machines at your command if you had the power to raise them. Hollywood's first movie about zombies was the 1968 film, Night of the Living Dead. Since this movie was released their have been countless zombie movies through the years. I myself can not watch them as they terrify me, but maybe they do serve a purpose in society for the young men who watch them.

Cher, Always A Hit In My Book

Treat Guys Right

You're on the freeway and some poor schmoe wants to cut in front of you to make his exit. Let the guy in, wouldn't you want the same consideration?  Aren't there too many impatient, angry drivers on the road already? Two guys are out on the town are having fun, until they see two other macho men, sizing them up and giving a hard look. They bristle, and glare daggers back. Why not just look at the dudes and say, "how's it going." Why do men treat other men badly? This is a more common practice among young women, so why imitate a bad habit that the weaker sex is infamous for.

Doesn't it just come down to manners, and deciding to take the higher road? If some guy is looking at your girl, you should feel proud to be with her. This is, of course, not relevant when some guys is crude and rude to your woman. I've seen too many bad situations get ugly just because some guy was admiring another guys gal. Sometimes other guys act like idiots, you can nod, smile, and ignore the snarky comment, or you can act like the idiot. Introducing oneself with a handshake creates a good connection with another guy.

Alcohol only increases the risk of fights and this kind of idiotic behavior. That is why you need to drink responsibly. So many drunken brawls end up in tragedy. The college behavior of drinking as much as possible is outdated and ridiculous. Show some class. Have a good time and treat those around you with respect and good manners. The golden rule may seem like a cliche but it is the best rule put forth so far. 

Tip - Bananas

If a green banana is placed next to a ripe banana, it will ripen more quickly. Unpeeled bananas will last longer if stored in the refrigerator in a sealed jar.

Kick Ass Christie

Tiger Lily's Island does not usually get into political discussions but this is too good to ignore. I think Chris Christie is a man's, man.

Song For This Week

Where has this kind of talent, class and style gone to?

Product Review - Pineapple Corer/Slicer

If you like fresh pineapple you must get a pineapple easy slicer. It makes it so easy to extract all the juicy fruit, and you can get creative with the empty pineapple shell. Maybe even make a drink in it. One of my favorite things about summer is all the delicious fruit, that is in season. Don't miss out.

Nurses Sation - The Crud

Seems to be some crud going around. Sore throat, congestion, aches and pains, etc. Get yourself some 5000 mg powdered vitamin C and mega dose yourself three times a day, ( a level teaspoon). Chew some Tums as the C might upset your stomach.  Take Echinacea 400mg three times a day. Gargle with salt water after eating three times a day. Drink some of the Herbal Celestial tea, such a Raspberry Zinger or Sleepytime, instead of coffee or soda. Get as much rest as possible and you should shake it fairly fast.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl, The Phenomenon

The guys come into my casa, laughing and happy.  I am busy, but they're hungry, handsome faces are irresistible. I make up some sandwiches enjoying the uplifting atmosphere they create with their charm and clowning.

With their bellies full they wander into the living room for a little video game playing. They decide to play Super Smash Bros. Brawl as the Call of Duty video game is just about worn out. The four of them settle down with controllers. The game is on.

Their voices are animated, they laugh, shout and yell, YEAH! As time passes, their voices get a bit louder. They seem to be getting upset. I wonder how this can happen, they are having fun, aren't they? I glance in and see Mario taking a whipping from Snake. Link, (who I always thought was cute, the older version of him, of course) is being annihilated by a pink blob, called Kirby. At different times weird Pokemon show up and ruin someone's chance of victory. The guys, at this point do not seem very happy with each other.

Eventually I look out the front window and see one of the guys running around in the front yard screaming and acting like some kind of neanderthal. I cannot believe how this game transforms these young men into raging bulls. The guy that is really good, (because he plays every chance he gets between finals) is resented, even though loved like a brother at any other time.

I am always amazed when I confront them and ask, "why do you play a game that enrages you." They look at me truly amazed and say, "are you kidding, we love smash bros." Confused I wander off, thinking that this must be some manly rite of passage that I cannot understand. Go Link, you sexy elf!

Tip - Schuck that corn

It's summer time, and corn on the cob is a favorite. Don't make a mess shucking your corn. Spread a few sheets of newspaper, (not the sports page) on a counter top or table top. Shuck your corn over it. Put the shucked corn in the sink to be rinsed. Wrap up the newspaper, toss in the garbage, and the mess is gone. Enjoy!

Love this song

These guys may campy to some of you but they did have quite a few hits.

Old Man - Take A Look At My Life

Dad and Grandpa are great, but they are not the guys you turn to when you have problems. Dad will be judgmental, and yell because you screwed up. He will rattle on with his outdated opinions. Grandpa was around when dinosaurs roamed the earth. How can he understand your dilemmas, when he cannot even operate the computer you gave him. There may be validity to this, but there are good reasons to rethink turning to older men for advice.

If father is unreachable, old gramps may be more helpful than you think. Although related, there is a different dynamic between the two of you. Being around for a while gives a guy experience. You may think your plight is new and original, but most likely, it just isn't. Older men have been through that, and more. Don't sell short the wisdom they spent a lifetime attaining.

There are good reasons in listening and trusting grandpa. First, he has your best interests at heart. Second, you can most likely be assured that he will keep conversations between the two of you, confidential. He is at a stage in his life where he will feel honored to be needed in this way.

As my Aussie side of the family would say, give it a go. You could be very happy that you did. 

Beer Review - Palmetto Amber Ale

B-Daddy here. I was on travel this week to Charleston, SC. We had an after work social at California Dreaming and I asked about the local beer. The barkeep only had one suggestion, the amber ale pictured at right. I was surprised, and he added he add one more, a Pale Ale from Palmetto Brewing, but the delivery hadn't come in. To be honest, I thought a restaurant with pretensions to be Californian out to have more than Miller, Bud Light, Blue Moon, and Widmer Hefeweizen on draft. In fact, other than the one local beer, even the bottled line up was rather ordinary, as Mrs. Daddy's Aussie cousins would say (translation, pretty poor.) The only thing the restaurant really had going for it was a great view of Charleston harbor.

Regardless, I always try to sample the local beer, and this was going to be my one shot. Palmetto Amber Ale pour a dark copper with not much head. The barley is roasted a little darker than a standard amber. took my frist sip and was a little surprised. Fred one of our local hosts had warned me the beer would be bitter; but while it was definitely more hoppy than your average amber, it was not near as hoppy as expected. The beer also had a nice rich malty taste to it, that went down well. Alcohol content seemed about average. This beer was tasty enough to order a second one to go with the overcooked wings and soggy nachos. (The croissants, however, were delicious.)

My final gripe was that they kept the ale ice cold and served it in ice cold pint glasses. I had to let the beer set a while so I could taste it.

Overall, considering that I sampled Palmetto Amber Ale from the bottle, I was very pleased with this local beer. I give it a solid B. Given the richness, they could have easily balanced with more hops.


FTC Disclaimer: I may or may not have received valuable consideration in the form of swag, jack and/or coin to endorse these products. I am not saying and have the right not to do so.

Product Review - Samsung Epic Smartphone

B-Daddy here. Tigerlily's phone has been eligible for an upgrade since 2006 (she had a Motorola i90c), so today we went shopping at the Sprint store today and picked up a handsome Samsung Epic. No points for guessing which phone pictured is newer.

This is a great phone that costs only $150 with a two year contract. You can read other reviews of the technology whiz bang, I wanted to focus a little on the operational aspects of having this phone linked with Google.

This is our first try at linking a smart phone to calendar, email, facebook, etc. We went with Google's Android OS rather than the iPhone because it seemed to make the integration with Gmail and Google calendar easier. My wife had been using our Roadrunner account for her main email and Entourage as her software client, but I was having a difficult time figuring out how we were going to synch that with the new phone. It was easier just to start over with a new Google account. We also linked Apple's mail program and iCal to the Google account. This will make keeping the synchronization much easier. This is what is meant by the cloud.

Of course, Mrs. Daddy isn't all that interested in that mundane stuff, she is busy using the camera, downloading "Angry Birds" and testing out the GPS enabled navigation. Which begs the question, why did my GPS device cost as much as this Samsung phone, but does only one application? But it points out the larger issue, that these smart phones are a replacement for multiple devices, maybe even a computer. Except for screen size, most of what we really want to do on our computer we can do on the phone.

Exit question: When will someone build a monitor that connects to a smart phone to overcome its only disadvantage?

The only drawback this phone is that the battery drains quickly when your having fun.


FTC Disclaimer: I may or may not have received valuable consideration in the form of swag, jack and/or coin to endorse these products. I am not saying and have the right not to do so.

This Music Is A Companion To My Previous Post

Put the kids to bed and ROCK! What a lovely way to burn.

Sex, The Importance Of Being Sexual, Not Earnest

I appeal to married men and women at this time. Sex is an important part of your life, it's a plain fact. Keep it alive and going strong from day one. Sex is more than an act, it bonds you together physically and spiritually. You may say, hey no problem, if you are newlyweds. Alas, as time goes by and babies come and grow, things definitely change. Most couples who stay for the long haul, (and that is what marriage SHOULD be about), have some dry spells. DO NOT let these dry spells sabotage your marriage. Stay the course and work on your sex life. Women most likely have the biggest struggle. I know women are sick of the books espousing, putting on the sexy negligees and seducing their husbands but there is some meat, (excuse the expression), to this. You have to be dedicated in keeping your sex life alive.  

Women, I realize we go through different phases in our lives, babies, menopause, alien metamorphoses or whatever. This aside, giving our men what they want and crave is not only good for a marriage, it fulfills a deep spiritual alliance. Men often times express their love sexually. We are sexual creatures by nature and we can not let a lethargic attitude upset the balance in marriage. I guess in plain words, don't say no to him even if you aren't in the mood. If your man is any good, a few maneuvers will have you squirming like a snake.

Men, you have a great part in this as well. Don't be a jerk. She is not going to look like a twenty-one year old after having two babies. Don't be critical, be encouraging. Even if she doesn't look that hot at the moment, she can again with your help. Remember, you are in this for the LONG HAUL. Women are capable of incredible feats. We can turn things around quite well if we put our minds to it. We just need a loving partner that spurs us on, not a overgrown teenager, looking at every good looking woman that passes by. That kind of behavior erodes your partner's desires toward you as well as her confidence in herself.

Make a decision to have sex twice a week or whatever number you BOTH agree on. Stick to this even if this idea offends your spontaneous nature. Believe me your man will not worry about this because he will be happy. You can bloody well put red marks on the calendar and he won't give a rats ass, as long as you follow through. The important thing is that you both connect in this way on a regular basis.

Beer Review - Alesmith Anvil ESB

B-Daddy here. Today's beer review is one of my favorite beers, that I continue to savor with a variety of meaty dishes. As you can see from the picture, I am talking about Alesmith's Anvil ESB. For the uninitiated, ESB means extra special bitter, from the days in England when most beers tended to be sweeter stouts and porters. An ESB was a lighter beer with light carbonation, and certainly more bitter than a stout. By today's California standards for IBUs, an ESB is not especially bitter.

Alesmith's entry into this category is its flagship beer. It has a nice dark copper tone, with a bit of head and not too much carbonation. It has a very nice nutty taste that always tempts me to drink it too quickly. I like to drink this ale out of a pint dimple mug, the traditional English drinking glass for bitters. Even tough it is a bitter, my palette has become so used to west coast IPAs that I find this to be a little sweet, mainly due to its maltiness. (Kids, that's probably not a word.) However, I would also say that this entry has more hops than its English cousins. For me, that makes the almost perfect beer, sweet, malty but with just enough bite from the hops.

Available, at Keil's and your fine local liquor stores.

Johnny Depp, This Song Is For You

Love you Johnny. Although you did a great mad hatter, Ive got to say, Jack Sparrow is my favorite character.

Nurses Station - Brown Rice

Eating more brown rice is good advice for improving overall health. It is full of good vitamins and also good for your complexion. To ward off pimples and other facial blemishes, eat brown rice and drink eight glasses of water a day.

Tip - Lose the Fat When Baking

In MOST recipes applesauce can be used to replace fat almost on a one to one substitution basis. If the recipes calls for 1 cup of oil, you can use 1 cup of applesauce especially in baked goods.

Product Review - Geoffrey Bean Shirts

Don't settle for less, get Goffrey Beene dress shirts. They have lasting power and you'll look like a stud in them. More importantly, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO IRON THEM. There are some laundering rules you need to follow for these shirts as well as for other dress, non-wrinkle shirts.

Always sort similar colored dress shirts together and wash them in cold or warm water. Don't put them in with a bunch of other clothing, do them separately. Be gentle about the amount of detergent you use, you don't need much.
Put no more than four shirts in the dryer, at a medium heating cycle. Include two bounce sheets. Have hangers standing by when the buzzer goes off. Get off your butt as soon as the ten minutes have gone by. Take the shirts out and shake them away from any hard surfaces, avoiding the breakage of buttons. Hang them on good hangers, Joy Mangano hangers are the best. Button up the first two buttons and make sure your shirts are well hung, ( excuse the expression, please).Give them half an hour hanging on a doorway before putting them in the closest so the wrinkles will all fall out. Now, hang them away and you can be assured that you will look good at your next meeting, you handsome guy.

Feeling Good And Recommending Two Blogs

Tiger Lily is feeling quite nice tonight. Ain't nothing wrong with imbibing some choice brew, partying with family and having a great time at home. Life is good in this country. We are blessed, and lest we forget this, just turn on the news. You will be transported into the stone age with violence and misery flashing before your eyes.

I believe in personal responsibility and character. A man should stand by his word and be willing to take on the good fight. Unfortunately, entitlements, not innovation seem to be the style of the day.

Although I have concerns, I believe in the resilience of the American people. I would like to recommend the following blogs to the few readers I have. Please check out Beers with Demo and The Liberator Today for a fair perspective on what is happening in this misguided world. Keep an open mind and always investigate both sides of the issues that incite you.

As I turn from my computer and head for bed, I bid you adieu. We Americans have, and always shall, prevail.

Song For David

This song is for a talented artist in my family. He is fun to be with and brings a smile to me face. I love you Daaaviid!

Restaurant Review - Offshore

Offshore Tavern & Grill is a great place to go for food and Grog as well as for watching sports. They have have a full bar and a decent selection of beer and wine. High definition televisions dot every wall. The energy from the crowd is palpable when a big game is on so go a little early on those days to get your spot. It might be a bit noisy but some fans don't mind this. Located at 2253 Morena Boulevard it's off interstate 5. In the large outside patio you can watch the cars and trains go by feeling good about being out of the rat race for a spell.

Product Review - Tend Skin

Do you suffer from ingrown hairs or occasional break outs. It's no fun to have red rash-like bumps from shaving when you want to look good for the girl you just got up the courage to ask out. Tend Skin can help you. This product is great, it noticeably reduces the appearance of razor bumps, ingrown hairs and pimples. Ladies can also use this item after shaving their legs. The feedback given by men who use this product is that it is worth the price.

Nurses Station

Summer is coming and the hot days are ahead. Stay hydrated especially when working out. Drink Gatorade to replenish the electrolytes your body loses. If you cramp up after exercise or later in bed after an active day, always have some bananas on hand. They will deliver potassium to your bloodstream and most likely help with the cramping.

Tip - Dusty Computer And TV Screens

A used dryer sheet can be used to clean computer and television screens. The screens will attract less dust.

Share Your Man

Rick and Jay are going hiking and decide to call Andy. They haven't seen much of Andy since he met Ashley. Rick whips out the old cell phone and goes for it. Andy answers and starts to hem and haw when asked to join the jolly hikers. Well I guess we could go although Ash doesn't really like hiking. Rick suggests that Andy come alone. Andy is reluctant to even suggest this to Ashley. The whole thing is a mess as far as Rick and Jay are concerned. They make some comment about Andy being on a tight leash and laugh as they decide to blow Andy off.

Many men know the signs of the overbearing babe. She does not like to share her man with anyone, no with friends, parents or anyone else who might occupy his time. She tags along inappropriately at guy type functions. She gets pissy when he goes out with his friends. She seems insecure and demanding.

Women, do you want your man to turn out like the Paul Rudd character in I Love You, Man, kind of wimpy and effeminate because he never hangs with other guys.  Eventually, you will kill the man that excited you in the first place and you'll be looking for Fabio. You want the dude who slays the giant bug, the one who hunts down and eliminates the rat. You do not want him standing on the chair next to you screaming when the rat darts out at you. 

Guys, you need to explain to your woman that you love her and she has nothing to fear. Tell her it is healthy to spend some time with your bros doing the masculine stuff that makes you the man you are. Be reasonable about the amount of time spent without her. If she fights you about it and still won't share, you might think about your decision to be with her in the first place.

Beer Review - Highway 78 Scotch Ale - MAX Update

This is an update to a previous beer review. I am adding a brief take on one of my favorite beers from Max, Official Beer Reviewer at Beers With Demo.

Oh, almost forgot...Last week Big Brother Brian asked my opinion of Stone’s collaboration with Green Flash and Pizza Port Carlsbad, Highway 78, a big boozy Scotch Ale. I think it’s one of the best collaborations that Stone has had in awhile. Big, boozy, sweet, but very well balanced and not too over the top… ok maybe a little over the top, but it is a Stone beer. Would you expect anything less?

B-Daddy here. I was at the High Dive today with Dean, letting San Diego State give me a heart attack by allowing a second overtime against Temple, in March Madness action. Looking for a second ale to fortify me, and help me resist the temptation to order more food, I noticed Highway 78 Scotch Ale on the board, indicating it was on tap. (We previously discussed why we always go for the beer on tap.) The wait staff helpfully explained that this beer was the result of collaboration between local brewers Green Flash, Pizza Port and Stone. I have always been a big fan of Belhaven Scottish Ale, so I was curious to see what our local award winners had cooked up.

They didn't disappoint. The beer had a nice dark amber pour, with an average amount of head. (I am not a big fan of a lot of head.) As one would expect for a scotch ale, it had plenty of malty sweetness and I had to struggle to slow down and enjoy it. As one would expect from our local brewers, it also had more hoppiness than a traditional scotch ale. However, the hops were balanced well with the malt, making for a very nice beer. I was a little surprised that they chose to pour the beer into a tulip glass, maybe Max can explain, as I normally would enjoy this ale in a standard pint glass. Maybe it was the alcohol content, which pushes 9%, and the tulip glass delivered less volume. Regardless, this was a highly enjoyable beer, a longtime import favorite improved by our local brewers. Overall grade: A-.

Good Grooming Counts

Sara showers, perfumes up and spends forty minutes applying her makeup until it is just right. Clothes are strewn on the bed as she tries on several outfits before deciding on one. She looks into the mirror and nods as the doorbell rings. When she opens the door Paul is standing there, smiling in his tee shirt, jeans and ratty looking sneakers. She is not very impressed but likes him enough to try to overcome the frustration. When she steps out the door he leans into her and says, I know you will love the place I'm taking you to. She is aware of his body odor and is too shocked to say anything about it.

When they arrive at the restaurant, Sara is impressed and lets Paul know he made a great choice. After they are seated, the waitress approaches to take their drink orders. The waitress wrinkles her nose as she turns to go. Sara finally speaks up, Paul, it would have been nice if you had showered and dressed up a little. Paul instantly bristles and feels insulted. She should like him just the way he is. If she doesn't, then she has the problem.

This scenario is not unusual and Paul is wrong. Women should accept the personalities traits of the men they date, bad grooming not being one of them. Neither body odor nor greasy hair are attractive. Showering, shaving and looking nice is a sign of respect towards the woman you are with. It is also part of being a gentlemen, which seems to be a vanishing breed in our society.

Tip - Pancakes

Do you like your pancakes nice and light. Try replacing the milk with apple cider. Also for crispy french toast add a pinch of cornstarch to the egg mixture. Don't throw leftover pancakes or french toast away, freeze them and a few days later pop them into the toaster for a nice breakfast.       

Product Review - Coleman Latern

Be ready for the Zombie Apocalypse. You want to be sure to see them when they come. Use the Coleman LED Quad lantern. It is a wonderful product for indoor or outdoor use. It has four removable panels with 24 LED lights total. You can distribute a panel to four people or keep all the panels on the lantern and produce 190 lumens of light. My husband loves this lantern and uses it camping. It will scare off zombies, werewolves or any other monster as it looks like a UFO landing when you turn it on. 

Restaurant Review - Cafe Coyote

Cafe Coyote is a wonderful restaurant with traditional Mexican food in Old Town, San Diego, California. This restaurant sits in the midst of Old Town with all the historical sites nearby. The food is good and they have over one hundred different Tequila's. The Margarita's are large and delicious. Of the many fine dishes offered, I recommend the fish taco's as I believe they might be the best in town. The prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is somewhat busy but nice. You have many choices of where to sit, outside, inside, near the bar or upstairs overlooking the many shops of Old Town. They have a fried ice cream dessert that makes your mouth water. The staff is attentive and friendly and there are Mariachis cruising around if you care for that sort of music. After you dine I recommend walking around Old Town to enjoy the historical places scattered in between the colorful shops.