Unhappy Valley

Samuel Adams Boston Lager remains one of my favorite beers. "Our original beer, brewed with Bavarian Noble hops. The balance of malty sweetness and hop spiciness in this brew sets the standard for all Samuel Adams beers." This American classic is a nice amber color, not too light or too dark. It poured with about two fingers of a cream colored head and has a nice hoppy smell to it. Not too sharp, but enough to notice. Sweet on the front and bitter on the back, but not overpowering with either. It is truly a good compliment to a variety of foods and occasions.

I wanted to talk about Penn State and the scandal late last week, but I was out of town and couldn't find a convenient time to write. It has maybe become a little stale already, so please forgive me if you are already tired of hearing about this. Let's first state that this is an absolutely horrible situation. That being said, I want to look at it from a few different angles.

Mike McQueary - Let's get a perspective at his life first. He was born in State College, where Penn State is located. I think it safe to assume he grew up a Nittany Lion. He played QB there from '94-'97 and set a couple school records. He couldn't make it in the NFL so he returned to Penn State as Graduate Assistant in 2000, and has been the Wide Receivers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator since 2004. I think it safe to say that Penn State was a huge part of his life. In 2002, McQueary reportedly witnessed former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky sodomizing a ten-year-old boy. Let that sink in for a moment.

Now lets examine who Jerry Sandusky was to him. In 1975 when McQueary was born Sandusky was a former Penn State Defensive Lineman who was now a coach. During McQueary's playing days from '94-'97 Sandusky was the Defensive Coordinator for the Nittany Lions, and is considered one of the most notable Assistant Coaches to never become a head coach.

So, back to 2002, a man McQueary probably respected a great deal, who worked for a program I am sure McQueary worshiped, was in front of him performing a vile act. It had to be a huge shock. Many people, myself included, wonder how he could have walked away without removing the child from that situation. He reported it up his chain of command as Pennsylvania law required and left it at that. It may have sounded like I was preparing to defend Mike McQueary, and I am not. I do, however, think that the emotional impact of the situation needs to be taken into account when judging him.  While McQeary may currently be safe from criminal prosecution, I can easily see some civil penalties of negligence on his part. More should have been done by McQueary, however I think it very plausible that McQueary was lied to about proceedings. Perhaps he was told that he could not speak of it publicly until an investigation was completed. Maybe he was even threatened if he spoke. Such thing are hopefully taken into account when and if he faces criminal or civil punishment.

Joe Paterno - I try really hard to see a silver lining with Joe Pa. Maybe McQueary was not clear on what he exactly saw when he reported it to Paterno. Maybe Paterno misunderstood the severity of it. Maybe Paterno did not realize the extent or the depth of the abuse. I try to rationalize it any way possible, because I find it unfathomable that Paterno knew the truth and did so little. Yet that becomes more and more undeniable the more we hear. I am not going to try and organize the facts at this point - there are plenty of articles that do that already - but there was not just a single incident with Sandusky, He is being charged with 40(!) counts of sexual abuse over a 15-year period. It feels to me like a good-ole-boy favor to try and keep Sandusky's dark secret for, and I hate to say this, the good of the football program. I am a huge college football fan, but the thought of something like this being swept under the rug for the sake of a program sickens me. As huge as Paterno was for Penn State, I find his negligence to be gross. Again, Paterno may be currently safe from criminal prosecution, but I think he may get lambasted in civil court.

Penn State - The institution of Penn State should be ashamed of itself. That the administration let something like this go on under their noses is beyond reprehensible. Their negligence is beyond gross. They willfully ignored a bad situation and let it fester on their campus. The only way they could have not known is because they didn't want to. If I could pump more venom into my words I would. It is a true shame to see such a proud program, which everyone believed was the last bastion of Things Done Right in the money grab that has become college football, immolate. A head coach that was loyal. Players that acted right. High graduation rate for their athletes. Players that became coaches at their old school. All burnt up in the fire and destruction of this story.

I leave you with a few things:
This article from the NY Times - the last sentence is powerful.
Jerry Sandusky's Autobiography is titled "Touched". I'm sorry, but that's horribly funny.

I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.

Magic Hat #9 "A beer cloaked in secrecy. An ale whose mysterious and unusual palate will swirl across your tongue and ask more questions than it answers. A sort of dry, crisp, refreshing, not-quite pale ale. #9 is really impossible to describe because there's never been anything else quite like it." It really describes itself well. A golden amber color, it unfortunately poured without much head and what was there was a simple white in color. MH9 carries a complex smell to it - slightly hoppy, slightly fruity, slightly sweet. There is a distinct sharpness at the front of the tongue that finishes off in a really smooth fruity note that is perfectly balanced by what I first thought of as bitterness, but after reflection is better described, as by the brewer, as a dryness. I am typically not a fan of fruity beers, but this one is a different breed and is one of my favorites. I can't really say what fruit might be in it, if any, and I think that adds to the flavor and mystique of the drink.

So, I don't know if any of you follow technology outside of the consumer realm, but I have come across a few videos that are absolutely amazing.

So, that is Big Dog. A quadrupedal robot that can balance and move through rough terrain. That doesn't read near as amazing as it sounds in my head. Blows my mind. Ready for more?

Enter PETMAN. A self-balancing, freely-moving robot.

Holy.

Shit.

Currently under development for the testing of chemical protective clothing, but it does not take a genius to think of giving it some AI, hands, and eyes. Be prepared, my friends. The minute this guy meets Watson, it's Game Over.

So, where DO we go from here?

Bison Organic Chocolate Stout is the drink of the evening. Label description: "A richly textured and roasty stout with a boost of bitter and charismatic flavor from the addition of cocoa powder in the mash." Too dark to see through, as a stout should be. Poured with a good two fingers of a cream colored head. I find the smell to be a bit difficult to describe, given my lack of experience as a beer sommelier, other than to call it "roasty" and nutty. It has an even bitterness throughout the taste, slightly sharp at the front with the cocoa really coming out in the aftertaste. I had thought to lead with a more patriotic beer, like a Sam Adams Boston Lager, but had a few of these left over from the weekend and couldn't pass up the opportunity to share it. Sam is a regular in this household and I will have plenty of opportunity to talk about him.

Isn't the top 1% just the unavoidable end result of Capitalism? Don't get me wrong, I think Capitalism is the way to go, but isn't this where it eventually leads? The more money you have the easier it is to make more of it. I think a change in the tax structure is definitely over due, though I am not sure what the answer is. I think the wealthy should pay more, though I do not believe their contribution needs to necessarily be equal by percent to the middle class. I like the idea of a consumption tax, and there are ways to offset its burden on the poor. I am also a strong supporter of campaign finance reform, though I am less educated (see: not at all) on its finer points and how it can be changed. I also think politicians should be limited to a single term per position. That should allow greater access for more people to become involved in our government, and maybe disrupt the cycle of Old Washington.

The Occupy Wall Street movement is in its second month and doesn't appear to be going anywhere - and I mean that in more than one way. I support them, while not financially or personally, as I have not donated or attended, but spiritually. I get what they are saying. I just don't see it getting fixed through any means currently being employed. The peaceful protests and what it has inspired across the globe is phenomenal. But now what? Our politicians aren't going to regulate Wall Street because Wall Street is too big of a campaign contributor. Washington and Wall Street will just ignore the protests until they dissipate, which they will once winter really starts kicking in. Once winter ends we are full steam ahead into an election year with the only candidates having a chance being the ones with the big contributors and deep pockets. The Occupy movement is decentralized and politely refuses to have demands. They expect our politicians to notice them and begin the change, but as previously stated, our politicians are bought and paid for already. I don't know what it takes to make this happen, but maybe it is time for the Occupy movement to select speakers and leaders and become a real political party.


This is an important time in our American history. I encourage everyone, as I sit here in my chair and drink, to get involved. That doesn't necessarily mean you need to go Occupy. Just have an intelligent conversation about it. Talk with people that have differing views on the problems and solutions. Argue about it (non-violently). Discuss. Then when it comes time - vote.

Welcome. Here is my blog.

Tonight I sip on a Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale. Label Discription: "This copper-colored ale is crafted with roasted malts, Belgian sugar and a touch of wheat for a rich caramel flavor and a smooth toffee finish." It is a nice dark amber and poured with about two-fingers of head that quickly dissolved, which is unfortunate, as the head of a beer can further add to the smell and taste. You can smell the sweetness and a slight hoppiness. The tastes of caramel and toffee are blended nicely with a slight bitterness on the back of the tongue that balances it all. The Fall and Winter brews are my favorites and this one is nice, despite the disappointing head.

I like beer. Not in a drink-until-I-pass-out kinda way, but in a stimulate-the-senses kinda way. Good beers have great depth in their color, smell, and taste. I have a small collection of bottles and would like to start collecting tap handles too. Why blog about it? Well, I have a desire to begin home brewing my own concoctions. If I want them to improve and begin refining my skill, I need to keep a log of what I do and how it comes out. I have no desire to keep a "beer diary" as such, but I have found inspiration from two friends.

Brave New Food  is a blog detailing my friend Ginny's adventures in cooking. Her recipes are often new and different and it is fun to hear about her inspirations and anecdotes.

Reprehensible Harm is an opinion blog by my friend Cory. He shares his opinions and "humble commentary" on current events.

I see myself borrowing (see: stealing) from each: giving an account of my creations while offering my opinion on a random topic. My creations may be a bit delayed, as I have yet to start any actual home brewing, but there are plenty of beers currently in existence that I enjoy and would love to share. That should appropriately fill the time until I start and the gaps in between brews.

My only hope is that you all enjoy the adventure as much as I do.