Monday, March 31

Warm Beer...A Thing of the Past


Personally, I enjoy an ice cold beer. But there are many people around the world that believe warm beer is where it's at. Well, room temperature beer might be a more appropriate description for some.

Perhaps it is tradition. History tells us that hot beer or "mulled" beers and ales were preferable centuries ago and most likely still today somewhere. But there were many reasons for hot beer. Unconventional equipment and ingredients were used and caused the beer to become less than tasty. So spices were added and the beer was heated. Mulled beers were especially popular around the winter season.

After all, we enjoy a number of drinks hot and cold. Ice and hot tea or even coffee is enjoyed around the planet.

So thank God that there are goofy dudes out there that live to make the every day guy just a bit happier.

One such man is 22 year old student from Albany, New Zealand named Kent Hodgson.

Good old Kent was sitting around the barbeque with some mates one day; when they were struck with an unfortunate situation. Warm beer! So Kent got to thinking and developed The Huski.

Here, i'll let The New Zealand Herald tell you more,

"You have plastic cooling cells which are pressed down into the dock which houses the liquid carbon dioxide. The liquid CO2 expands and is pressurised into dry ice in the base of the cooling cells ... in a moment."

"You then pop it into your drink and then proceed from there as you normally would."

They go on to talk about how the dry ice has a cooling capacity of almost four times that of the same amount of regular ice. And how the cooling is instant and lasts a long long while.

Thank you Kent for your contribution to the evolution of mankind. And every time I am cursed with a warm beer. I will curse you for not getting a patent and marketing this thing here in America where I can purchase it at my local Wally World.

Thursday, March 27

Bad News for Beer Bellies


I am sure we all know of at least one person with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. And some of us will no doubt succumb to the same fate.

One good thing about having Alzheimer's is that it's hard remember that you even have something wrong with you in the first place. Now. I am not poking fun at the innocent souls out there that can't remember where they parked their car and end up on the wrong side of the tracks resulting in needless rapes and robberies.

My uncle, who has cancer, delighted me with a joke about Alzheimer's and cancer to expose the level of spirit he still has towards this cruel world.

A guy goes to the doctor because he doesn't feel so well. The doctor pokes and prods and tells the man to come back in a week to check on his results. A week later the man shows up to a empathetic doctor. " I have horrible news." Says the doctor to the man. " You...you have Alzheimer's disease and cancer." The man looks at the doctor as if relieved and replies, " Oh thank god doc. For a minute there I thought you were going to tell me I have cancer."

Well, now there's hope. It is simple. Slim down.

Besides the many problems that come with obesity, Alzheimer's disease and forms of dementia are linked as well. But a report by study author Rachel Whitmer of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California says that beer bellies are now a threat.

Not overall obesity, but just big round midsections. Here's some info from ABCnews.com,

"Analysis found that compared to people in the study with normal body weight and a low belly measurement, participants with normal body weight and high belly measurements were 89 percent more likely to have dementia; overweight people were 82 percent more likely if they had a low belly measurement, but more than twice as likely if they had a high belly measurement; obese people were 81 percent more likely if they had a low belly measurement, but more than three times as likely if they had a high measurement."

So here's my opinion. If I end up with a bulging belly resulting from a diet of delicious foods and beers along with minimal exercise. So be it. But then again. If I have a great life full of bratwurst and budweiser and then I get Alzheimer's? I would most likely end up in a home of some sort, eating granola and drinking prune juice, lacking the wonderful memories of flavor and laziness.

Funk dat!

Tuesday, March 11

BBQ Security....wait what?


Never has BBQ been so scary!

Well, there are a few in Atlanta, Georgia that might think twice about looking at a rib smoker the wrong way. And for damn good reason too.

Meet "Bum-bot."

This modified hunk of authority was constructed by neighborhood bar owner Rufus Terrill. It's sole purpose is too rid the parking lots and driveways around the area of night stalking hoodlums. These homeless souls, drug dealers and even horny folk seem to love the darkness the area provides. Mr. Terrill and others say the block is used for making drug deals, urinating, defecating, and prostitution.

The debris finds it's way to a nearby playground and daycare center. So this engineer by trade, turned hero, built the solution from scratch and it seems to work.

CNN.com describes this hickory smokin' savior for us,

"It's a barbecue smoker mounted on a three-wheeled scooter, and armed with an infrared camera, spotlight, loudspeaker and aluminum water cannon that shoots a stream of icy water about 20 feet."

So Terrill gets to play with his homemade remote control security guard, eat Barbecue when he's hungry, yell at hobos, chase of drug dealers, and do a great deed for his community. By operating an establishment that serves refreshing alcoholic beverages. Haha, just kidding.

That sounds like a great guy to hang with for a weekend or two..... three. And I suppose that a Port-A-Pottie could take care of these problems. Only because it makes a nice comfy place to sleep, do drugs, have sex or take a dookie. But that wouldn't be as fun would it.

Check out a video of the "Bum-bot" in action here.

Friday, March 7

Mustache March


Okay. Every guy has been humiliated in one way or another. That buddy that sharted at the bar or your pal that just can't keep his liquor down and attempted two in a row. Only to regurgitate it on the poker table.

Well now there is away to enjoy a certain lighter side of humility in that of growing a goofy mustache. Thats right gentlemen. Put away those razors and trimmers. It is Mustache March.

Now this somewhat new event has a bigger meaning than meets the eye. There is an annual event held in Milwaukee that hosts a chili cook-off and a mustache judging charity fundraising event. March 31st, 3:30-8:00 PM at Hanson Dodge Creative. They're located at 220 E. Buffalo St. in Milwaukee.

The awards include most fitting, most disturbing, a preexisting class winner, a best of show, and a hilarious dirtlip award. And here is a section of MustacheMarch.com's manifesto,

"Our goal is threefold. Revive a once-glorious grooming practice, humiliate ourselves in the process, and raise some cash for a worthy cause."

I've started mine. Have you?