I Blame Leaf Blowers

As I was sweeping up the grass clippings from the sidewalk today after mowing and edging my lawn, I thought once again about the one new tool that epitomizes the new American ethic. The ruination of our culture came about not with the advent of hip hop, not with the legalization of abortion, not even when the goverment included Ken Keasey in their LSD research project. Not when reality TV became the rage nor when either Clinton or Bush took the Oath of the Presidency.
No, our downfall started when Home Depot placed their first order for a gazillion leaf blowers.
For only $29, we can simply blow our trash into our neighbors' yards or down the nearest storm drain. Doesn't this seem to be the antheisis of conservative values? What ever happened to assuming responsibility for one's actions? And yet somehow, if I can afford to purchase a device that will shove my trash off my beautiful yard and let someone else deal with it, then all is well with the world.
Global warming? Sure, pal. Let's talk about it tomorrow...
Foreign oil dependency? Right. Sounds bad. I'll think about it while I am dropping $95 into the gas tank of the Suburban...
Illlegal immigration? I am definitely opposed to that. Excuse me while I pay Jose the $30 for him to split with the three other guys that just mowed my yard....Do you know what that greedy teenager down the street wanted to charge me?

So the generation that created Earth Day, Greenpeace and the EPA has gotten lazy. When I was young, it was all about leaving someplace better than you found it - whether it be a gathering of people or the camp site in the woods you discovered. Now, it is fire up the blower and blow that stuff away, I don't want to really deal with it. Not my problem anymore.

Old World Brews

All that money spent to advertise, and then it's not even available for me to purchase.

'Round about the same time I was sampling all the regional independent brews my buddies and I were trying to discover the Old World brew that was eminently drinkable, and was meant to be enjoyed frosty cold. Somehow the English notion that beer was meant to be imbibed at the same temperatures as it was later excreted as a bodily fluid just didn't seem palatable. So skip the Guiness, what else you got buddy?

That's when we discovered a wonderful Danish brew - Carlsberg. When I moved to Texas I could never find it in the Beer Barn. After moving back to CT it was one of the things I anticipated being able to enjoy once again -- like hills, and green grass and snow. But silly me, while I was gone the beer disappeared. Haven't seen it since. But rumor has it that it is once again to be found in the states. Gonna hafta google it.

What's your favorite import beer from the old world? Are you a fan of English/Irish style brews, or is the German/Belgian/Czech stuff more to your liking?

New Music Monday Only 1 Day Late

Only one day behind this week.

Not a new band, but new to me.

Low Stars

Just Around the Corner