howard zinn: you can't be neutral on a moving train

I just watched a documentary about Howard Zinn called Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train.

It was an excellent documentary (sans Matt Damon's occasional narrations). Zinn has become one of my heroes.

I'd highly recommend it to people interested in American history, especially through a progressive point of view.

way to go, vermont!

From the Associated Press: "Vermont on Tuesday became the fourth state to legalize gay marriage — and the first to do so with a legislature's vote."

Nice. As Bob Dylan would say, "The times they are a-changin'."

way to go, iowa!

According to the New York Times, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled today that a 1998 state law limiting marriage to a man and a woman was unconstitutional. The unanimous decision means that same-sex marriage is now legal in Iowa, making it the first Midwestern state, and the third in the country, to legalize same-sex marriage.

And even if the state of Iowa isn't as progressive as the ruling might imply, I'm heartened by the justices' opinion, which said:

"We have a constitutional duty to ensure equal protection of the law. ... If gay and lesbian people must submit to different treatment without an exceedingly persuasive justification, they are deprived of the benefits of the principle of equal protection upon which the rule of law is founded."

Truer words were never spoken.

duchesse de bourgogne

What a surprising beer. The flavours were crisp and well-pronounced, but conflicting, although not necessarily in a bad way.

Overall, it struck me as fruity, tart and quite acidic, with a hint of sweetness and a sour finish. But it was also refreshing, not unlike sparkling apple cider.

I actually bounced between liking and not liking this beer between each sip. It’s not bad, though, just takes some getting used to.

I’d recommend this beer to people who like crisp, fruity beers, or hard cider, and don’t mind a little sourness or the taste of apple cider vinegar.

rogue's shakespeare stout

Today, I tried a bottle of Rogue's Shakespeare Stout that I picked up at the corner store, which, I have discovered, has a pretty impressive selection of beer.

Overall, this beer was slightly bitter with hints of dark chocolate and toasted malt, but unlike the last few beers I have tried (Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout and Ninkasi’s Believer Double Red), the hops definitely stood out a bit more this time.

The flavours were crisp and earthy, but not as well-blended as I would have liked. It also had a bitter, semi-dry finish. Nevertheless, it was highly drinkable and surprisingly smooth.

I would definitely recommend this to people who like to sip dark, slightly bitter beers with a touch of sweetness.

1337 hax0rs pwn d4l4i 14m4

Wow. Even the Dalai Lama gets h4x0r3d.

ninkasi's believer double red

Today, I sampled a bottle of Ninkasi's Believer Double Red, and while it's definitely not like any of the few reds I've had before, I really enjoyed it.

It has an intense hoppy bitterness that blends into a smooth malty finish. The malt also adds a hint of caramel sweetness that ties it all together nicely.

All in all, this beer has strong, complex flavours that are surprisingly well-balanced. I'd highly recommend this to people who like to sip a rich, well-balanced beer that's bitter yet sweet.