red beer and yellow sky

I almost missed a beer day!  Can you believe it?  I put off getting more beer all week, thinking the further away places had later hours on Saturday anyway.  That's what Google told me!  Google lies!  My first stop was closed, only open in the mornings on Saturdays, but the bar/store La Buena Pinta doesn't miss a chance to collect customers.  I picked up Spanish beers, getting ready for Beer Week, although maybe I should have grabbed a German one too...Film Fest and Beer Week will overlap.  The other thing was the crowds.  There's an important soccer game tonight and people were gathering at strategic locations to see it with their fellow fans.  La Buena Pinta and its environs is not exactly one of those.  So, onto the bus we piled.  And at every stop, more piled on and few got off.  Since I got on at the first stop I was fortunate to get a seat, and in a place where I could see a hot guy, with his friends on their way to one of those strategic locations I bet.  A nice view makes a long, crowded journey more bearable.

Anyway, one of my finds this evening is a nice red IPA, local brew.  I've seen the bottles before, but I don't remember ever trying one.  Today's the day, then.  Mad Red sounds like it should be a good pun, but the brewery is Mad Brewing, and it's a red ale.  Actually, maybe it's a great pun.

No flash - the color comes out better

It's a rusty red ale, lightly headed and a bit pungent.  Like some other reds, it has a top note of sweetness, maybe even a hint of cinnamon, but the base flavor is still ale-y bitter.  One might think a beer so snappy wouldn't be as welcome on a chilly and rainy day, but it's actually very nice.  Refreshing, and energizing in the face of drippy streets.  There's kind of an odd aftertaste after about half a glass, something similar to some herb I can't quite identify.  It's not as spicy as saisons can be, and I don't always appreciate that anyway, but it is a pleasant little tweak.  I'm more than satisfied with my pick today.  It's even stopped raining.  The sky gods must approve.

Supplier: La Buena Pinta
Prince: ~€2.70 (should I learn to demand receipts?)

a tale of decisions - i decide it might continue

That evening Edmund reminded the Prince that he had a decision to make, if he wanted another visit with the Seer.  The Prince sighed with impatience and said, "Very well," then stood to proclaim his decision in as royal a manner as possible.  "I have decided," he proclaimed, "to ask Meleneche, daughter of Count Jacob of the New Meurells, if she would consider giving me her hand in marriage."

The Advisor blinked in irritated surprise.  "If she would consider, my lord?  Isn't that cheating just a bit?"

The Prince sighed again and said, scratching his head, "Look Edmund, the Seer said I had to decide on some unimportant thing.  A marriage is important, especially for a prince, so I can't actually make that decision myself, can I?"

"But you admit the decision is important, and then you foist it onto somebody else's head - "

"Tut, tut, Edmund," said the Prince, as he strode to his personal door at the end of the meeting hall, "A decision has been made and that's all that was necessary.  Tomorrow we shall revisit the Seer."  And he breezed through his door before his Advisor could raise another doubt.

They set off after breakfast, just a small party of guards, the Prince, the Advisor, and the Count's daughter.  Edmund had suggested bringing her along just to prove that the Prince wasn't pulling anyone's leg about his decision, and neither of them protested, much.  They arrived at the door of the Seer's hut, calm and untroubled by their traveling.  The Seer seemed surprised when she opened the door, although she covered it quickly.  "Come back for another try I suppose, David," she harrumpfed, and led them to the divining circle.

"Could you please remember to call me 'my lord' or at least 'Prince David'?"

"No time for titles," she snapped, and tossed the stones rather abruptly and without preparation, in the Advisor's opinion.  She stared at the fallen stones for a moment.  Then she bent down to peer more closely at them.  "Huh."

Prince David was getting agitated.  "Well, what is it this time?"

The Seer puckered her lips and thought, then spoke slowly, "You do not take decision making very seriously.  Not the best trait for a prince to have."

"I try not to interfere in things that are working," answered the Prince testily.

"Yes, well," the Seer now sat back on her heels and stared at the ceiling, "You'd best get a little practice in for when things get bad.  A leader has to lead, not just wear pretty jackets."  Here she gestured at the Count's daughter's ruby velvet coat.  "Even unimportant decisions should be made with an eye to their consequences."

"Things are going to get bad, is that what you see?" asked the Prince expectantly.

The Seer shook her head and rose creakily to her feet, "Things always get bad, it's the way of the world.  The trick is being ready to ride out the flood or shovel off the snow when it comes, not get buried in it."

"You sound just like my father," the Prince mumbled.  Yet again he left the Seer's hut unsatisfied.  His entourage kept silent all the way home, for fear of provoking his wrath.

He was still angry the next morning at breakfast and all the servants walked on porcelain eggshells.  Meleneche entered the dining hall and he stood gallantly while she made her way to her chair, sat, and was served an assortment of meats and jams.  She picked up her fork and knife, and paused, looking at him expectantly, whereupon he sat down himself.  "Very chivalrous," she commented.

"Just as a husband should be, isn't that so?"

Meleneche chewed a succulent mouthful of lamb as she considered.  "I think I would rather my husband had a head on his shoulders than chivalrous pride."

The Prince threw down his napkin in disgust, banging his own cutlery on the table.  "Everyone is determined to get on my bad side these days!" he shouted and stormed out of the room.

Edmund the Advisor gracefully approached the Count's daughter as she continued her breakfast in peace and said calmly, "I do wish you'd be more careful when he's in a mood,  He is the Prince, you know."

"And I am the daughter of the Count of the New Meurells, and granddaughter of the Rayjeen of Thamuth."

The Advisor raised his eyebrows.  "Your mother's mother, I gather.  No wonder you have such a character.  Which I say in no manner to offend," he added hastily, met with a gaze just as fiery as Prince David's.

"He said I would decide to marry or not," said the woman, "I think I have decided.  I am a court woman, but I shall be no prince's wife.  I will request the post of huntmaker."

"It's not been a woman's post before."

"Should I care?  You saw my trophy, got my first morning here."

"Yes," Edmund muttered, and shuffled away, for the first time in all his years as Advisor to the Prince feeling very unsure of himself and his world.

Prince David was not upset, exactly, when told of the Count's daughter's decision.  "I gave her the choice myself," he said.  He did seem mildly surprised, and a bit concerned, perhaps wondering at last if being a prince was good enough to be a husband too.

He hesitated to give her the huntmaker's post because, as Edmund had told her, no woman had held it yet, but the Prince was something of a modern man who did not worry much about traditions.  He had been impressed with her first hunt on his lands, and in the end the post was hers.  A small ceremony was held in which he draped over her a sash which read "Hunt-Maker to the Royal House" and she made a short bow that could have shown either disdain or nervousness.  The Prince chose not to notice.

She took up her new post without fanfare, apart from the small ceremony, which raised eyebrows among the other courtiers.  They were used to pomp and celebration, even from huntmakers, so the simplicity of the Count's daughter's takeover was something to talk about.  Meleneche seemed to ignore the wagging tongues completely, naturally causing them to wag even more.  Prince David also paid no heed.  Edmund the Advisor said nothing, but worried that this might cause the courtier's to lose respect for the Prince's decisions, and eventually affect the view of him held by the people themselves.  However, time passed and the novelty wore off the situation.  Meleneche was just the Huntmaker, not "that strange woman who thinks she's the Huntmaker".  She began building a reputation for herself with a steadiness that might appear deliberate, if one did not know her and her nervously modest personality.

I Do Solemnly Swear

There is very little that has not been studied and scrutinized about language, but swear words come close.  Of course, we have examined the words, we have created specialized dictionaries, and taken down data on the usage of the terms, but they have not enjoyed the place of honor that the rest of the English vocabulary has.  We examine and share the histories of words, but swear words, like slang, has not been taken as seriously.  They are considered inappropriate in many social situations, and have been often unprintable as well.  Yet, there may by no other word class that is so close to our emotional state.  In fact, studies indicate that swear words are kept in a different place in the brain than the rest of our vocabulary.  This placement allows the words to stimulate the production of pleasurable chemicals when used, which may explain why we let fly with a hearty "Damn it!" or "Shit!" just after receiving an injury - we are unconsciously directing the body to dull its own pain.

Not only physical pain provokes the reaction of swearing.  We are also apt to shoot off the few curses with under stress emotionally.  Anger and fear present us with a loss of control over our own feelings, and the release of chemicals in the brain can at least make us feel as if we still have some modicum of self-control.  Naturally, like all drugs or pleasurable activities we should be aware that overuse can dull the effects.

This can also be seen in another use of swear words, a more social one, which is the use of swear words to indicate the register of discourse.  Obviously, swearing shows the level of formality to be quite low, and can also put the listeners off balance, giving the speaker some leverage over the conversation.  There is also a sense of gravity that can come with a well-placed swear, again because of the connection to emotions.  Swearing can give the sense that what is being said is "real" and heartfelt.  Of course, the taboo still applies, and even American presidents have been criticized when caught on recordings dropping an s-bomb.

Interestingly, words change in their levels of vulgarity and offense over time, becoming more acceptable or less, sometimes dropping out of the lexicon almost entirely.  It would appear that the neutral terms we use for "dirty" body parts, which come from Latin, have replaced the old neutral terms used into the Middle Ages in England.  That is, they replaced the old words as everyday terms, but the old words are still with is - as vulgarities.  Other swear words develop different levels of toxicity related to the taboos at large in society.  While English-speaking society was more wrapped up in religion, blasphemy was a stronger category of swearing, but today in our more secular countries, we have returned to the taboos of excretion and sex for our swearing power.  The words that pack the biggest punch are extremely interesting from a sociolinguistic perspective, as they clearly point to society's fears and triggers.  By knowing what words are "forbidden", or at least inappropriate, we know what concepts are not welcome.

While we try almost desperately to reduce the impact of the foul words we might hear or read, to any who pay attention it is clear that swearing fills a communicative need.  As one comedian once stated, the equivalent of fuck off is most certainly not go away.  Besides the previously mentioned physiological and conversational effects, swear words as interjections alert those in hearing distance that something has gone wrong.  It projects pain, fear, or stress to others in case help is required.  The uses of swear words can be divided up into categories, the strength of the words can vary, but it appears that human language has a basic need to express anger, stress, or informality, to the point that most languages have a special set of vocabulary segregated from the rest.  We try to keep a lid on "bad" words.  What we might really be trying to stave off is bad experience.

sex and beer and rock and roll

When you see a beer called Sex Museum, there's no way you don't pick it up.  At least to get a look at the label, just in case there's ... a surprise.  Spoiler, there isn't, but still.  You'd think the name refers to an actual sex museum, since so many European cities seem to have one, but no.  There's a band called Sex Museum, and apparently they have been around for quite some time.  Good for them, they deserve a beer in that case.  They're not bad either, although I must admit I have heavier tastes in music.  I don't suppose Sex Museum Ale will be all that heavy either, just what you look for on a summer weekend.

Stay open to new angles!

It's an interesting orangey gold color, off-white head, slightly sweet smell.  There's a little bit of spice, to be expected from session beers.  Also as expected, there's that sour Belgian taste, right off the bat.  It's not too heavy, like lambics or abbey styles, but there's an unmistakable lightness that wafts over the tongue and right down the throat with a little twist.  It's not very flowery or perfumy, but I suppose that wouldn't actually go so well with the name.  It's a good pick-me-up beer on a warm night, so just what the season is starting to call for.  The spicy sourness is refreshing, staying light and crisp without any descent into stickiness or syrupiness.  Oh, how will I beat this during Beer Week?  And German films?  Surely, there will be a stout or two that catch my fancy.

Here's to everyone who's ever had disappointing sex!  So, to everyone!

Supplier: Más Que Cervezas
Price: €2.50

it's fitting for the towel

Who knows when I'll get another chance to travel to a Land of Good Traditional Beer?  I mean, there's plenty of good beer here now, but it's a very recent thing.  There's also plenty of German and English and American beer to be found, and good American beer, but not much from the Czech Republic.  Pilsner Urquell is on tap in a number of places, but it's just not the same here.  I check the beer stores, of course, but they tell me Czech beer just doesn't travel very well.  All we get are the kind of standards - Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen, Krušovice - and they're ok, but not like the smaller names.  *sigh*  Well, there was something new this time.  At first I thought it had been mislaid on the shelf, since the name is so obviously English, but the label declares it brewed in the Czech Republic.  For an English concern, but still.

Pivo, samozřejmě

Queen Bohemian Lager is a sort of homage to a great rock band, one of several in fact.  The only beer, though.  I'm not sure what connection the band had to the country, other than the song of course, but I'm not going to complain too much.  Any time a Czech beer gets into my hands is a good time.

Even if it's just having a laugh

It has the bitter, puffy smell of a traditional beer, and the traditional dark gold color, and the traditional white, bubbly head.  The taste is very subtle at first, just a touch sweet even, but then slides down into beery bitterness.  There's also a grassy background to it, like many German beers have.  The sweetness disappears fairly quickly, leaving later sips and gulps more bitter and pils-y, very pleasant and relaxing. 

Supplier: Más Que Cervezas
Price: €2.25

"I Am Not Charlie"

done! May 15, 2016
 
When the offices of the humor magazine Charlie Hebdo were attacked, there was general condemnation for the attackers.  It was only natural; they were behaving irrationally, reacting to critical words and pictures with violence, murderous violence.  The killers only showed themselves as another group of representatives of humorless fundamentalism and up-tight self-concern.  The cartoons were harsh, even tasteless, to be sure.  We must remember, however, that in a free society, many people will disagree with us and we with them.  There will be ideas and statements we simply do not like.  Yet, ideas should be tolerated as mere ideas, and only actions condemned or labeled as harmful.  This is also part of a free society, the ideal of tolerance for the habits of others.  Still, it was not long before criticisms of the seemingly blind support began to be heard.  They were not loud, for the most part.  Many were dismissed as mere apologetics for Complete Tolerance.  It may be, though, that while those murdered in the offices were victims of cruelty and stupidity, they should not be held up as martyrs.

The main issue with the case is tolerance, namely, religious and cultural tolerance.  The killers were thought to represent the Muslim population, and Charlie Hebdo was well-known for its attacks on religion in general, not just Islam.  The Catholic Church might protest, but only a Muslim would take the road of violence, is that not so?  Some pointed out that the critiques of the Church and its priests were even more vicious than any cartoon portraying a Muslim.  The editors of the magazine claim to be attacking irrationality, which no religion can exist without.  They are not attacking religion per se, nor Muslims in particular, and if the faulty thought process they are attacking is a fundamental basis for somebody's faith, so much the worse for that person.  While we have freedom of speech, nobody has freedom from criticism.  Why, then, was it a group of Muslims that took up arms to avenge their hurt feelings?  The Conventional Wisdom is that Islam is an inherently violent religion, moreso than any branch of Christianity (at least today), or any other creed.  One need only look at conflicts in Asia, specifically India and Thailand, to see how poorly Muslims get along with their neighbors of other faiths.  Hindus and Buddhists are not by nature violent religions, we think, and their conflicts with Muslims only serve to highlight the incompatibility of this faith with tolerance and respect for others.  But even if this were true, is it enough of an explanation?  If Islam is so naturally violent, why is there not even more violence, more often?  How can they sit still, even for an instant?  Can there be no other factors involved?

One possible factor is economic.  We are aware of the riots that broke out some years ago in France, and also in Great Britain, due to the feeling of frustration and abandonment by Muslim youth in those countries.  They were living in ghettos, locked out of the general society.  It is rather more understandable that people fight for their right to participate economically and socially in their civic environment than that they attack that environment based on some holy screed.  In fact, similar social problems have appeared in many countries since the advent of the Industrial Revolution, and while the rioters or protestors may have belonged to the same social - read racial or religious - group, they were not acting on mere ideological whims, at least in the majority of cases.  They were reacting to a situation that deprived them of opportunity and dignified life compared to their neighbors in different groups.  They were discriminated against due to a perceived fault in their person, not manifested in any methodically observed and duly recorded way, but through assumption based on their belonging to their group.  In short, based on racism.  Racism still causes economic inequality in the developed world.  Racism still results in violence at an individual level, as well as societal although it can be harder to clearly demonstrate.  Were the Charlie Hebdo cartoons actually attacking silly beliefs, or were they attacking a group under the assumption that they must all share exactly the same beliefs?  A more recent cartoon showed a projection of the drowned Syrian child, washed up on a Turkish beach, as a common street harasser should he have lived to adolescence.  The warning is clear: All Muslim males are dangerous to (white) women.  Here, then, is a problem: Are we to denounce all Muslim males as culturally dangerous and suspect while excusing the harassment committed by white and/or Christian men as exceptions to a general rule of good behavior?  How does one identify a Muslim with certainty?  It seems that much rests on the color of his skin.  Hmm.  That sounds very familiar.

It is natural to be suspicious of those who are different from us.  We cannot predict their actions with as much accuracy when we do not know their values.  Supposedly, the Abrahamic religions share their basic values, so it should not be a major hassle for members of those religions to adjust to one another.  Unfortunately, in reality it is a terrible hassle.  For one thing, although a religion has its central tenets and directions for behavior, societies and cultures do as well.  Religions develop regional variations to better fit the needs of the adherents.  The question in a modern society is whether people are citizens of their country or members of their community of worship?  The general values should be the same; but it is not hard at all to find details that give rise to bitter disagreement and conflict, even in so-called Christian countries where there are more than one style of Christianity.  A clear example is in the USA where we see the opposition by religious people, based on purely religious reasons, to the fair and equal treatment of those who are not straight, white, cis-men.  At the moment, their fury is concentrated on trans* people, but the focus of their rage can change quite easily.  A good American citizen follows the laws of the land, which include prohibitions against discrimination for impractical reasons.  A good Christian, apparently, discriminates at every opportunity.  It has been noted that the editors of Charlie Hebdo wrote an opinion piece after the Brussels attacks, in which they warned their fellow Europeans that any form of live-and-let-live with the Muslims among them was tacit support for terrorism.  They rejected any effort by Muslims to spread awareness and understanding of their faith in a non-violent way.  They rejected any attempt to simply live a quiet life according to that faith, singling out veiled women as "not allowing" Europeans to be uncomfortable around them.  They also insisted that they were not attacking Muslims as individuals, but left little room for any Muslim to not be an insidious plotter and time bomb for the naïve and tolerant Europeans around them.

The question remains: What are we to do with the patchwork society that has formed around us?  How can we keep the peace between mutually suspicious groups?  Yes, tolerance is necessary.  Also, openness and communication.  We must all feel that we have a stake in maintaining the smooth functioning of society.  We must know that we are part of one group, besides any others we belong to.  Some would say we should consider the entire human race as that group above all others, and perhaps someday we will be able to truly conceive of ourselves as a single global species, setting aside regional customs and traditions.  Unfortunately, for the time being there are too many conflicting values in different cultures for that idea to be feasible.  We can focus on our political units as a start.  Everything starts with baby steps.

I was inspired by:  http://the-orbit.net/literateperversions/why-i-never-have-been-and-never-will-be-charlie/

ride out the storm

The typical spring storms assail us these days.  Dark gray clouds, dark wet sidewalks, dumbasses in dark coats blithely crossing streets against the light without even looking...plenty of things to be a little down about.  Another choice from the resurrected Cervezorama was Guineu's Mr. Petroli.  Imperial stouts always have a place on my beer towel.  This one looks like it has what it takes to fuel some late-night work.

It has a sweet, slightly fruity odor, but you have to pay attention to catch it.  The pouring reveals a rich, black beer, with a dark beige-ish head.  The taste is surprisingly salty, smoky, and ending with a puff of dark chocolate.  A little licorice even sneaks into the aftertaste.  Although a bit demanding at first, it doesn't take too long to mellow out and settle into a regular and pleasing stout, warming, calming and speaking to brighter days to come.

Supplier: Cervezorama
Price: €3.20