BAC records

There was a woman who was recently arrested and blew a .55
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/1227072harper1.html?link=rssfeed
Now, the legal limit in the states is .08….that’s a realllly drink lady. I didn’t even know you could get that drunk-really, I thought you went into a coma at .30. Learn something new every day, huh?
She is not the Drunkest Person in the Land, however, she is in 2nd place, to a guy who blew .69.
To give you an idea of how drunk you need to be to do that, there was a guy I knew who rear ended a semi because he didn’t see it (yes, you read that right) and he blew .21. So that’s three times as drunk as you need to be to miss a semi truck and run smack into it.

Holy crap, drunkards.

Michael, step away from the plastic surgeon.....

I saw this picture....it appears MJ had another plastic surgery procedure. Michael, step away from the plastic surgeon. Please. Just say no. Your face is going to fall off.

Best show to watch while working out....

The Biggest Loser. It makes sense, but really, if you're going to work out and it on that day, plan your workout for that hour because I guarantee those people will be working out harder than you and it will push you to kick up your intensity. I'm trying to use a few lbs and watching those people scream and push themselves hard and lose got me an extra 8 minutes and I worked harder during the workout too. If you work out at home, TIVO it and watch it while you walk or whatever...really.

Transporter Caps

So, I was looking at hats the other day and saw one titled St. Louis Cardinals Transporter Adjustable Cap. Transporter???

I went on my day and at various times I thought what a weird name…"transporter". Then I thought of the style of the hat and it clicked. It’s a trucker hat…and they are trying to be PC. How funny. Oh no, Sir, its not a “trucker hat”…with all due respect it’s a TRANSPORTER hat. Like people are transporting things using flying carpets and flying carpet drivers are wearing these hats. Heh. No, call it what it is.... a trucker hat.

Turning the bend on Shiraz

You know, I’m really turning the bend on Shiraz. I don’t know if I just had really bad shiraz or the less acidic stuff just eluded me, but I’m digging Shiraz and Syrah lately. Last night we had a yummy Shiraz- the Jim Barry Lodge Hill Shiraz…..

"Situated in the cool uplands of the North Mount Lofty ranges about 50 km north of Adelaide, the vineyards of Jim Barry were established in Clare in 1959. This is a family run winery are committed to producing quality wines through an innovative approach to viticulture and winemaking technology.

In 1977 when Jim Barry first purchased the Lodge Hill property, his intention was to devote the entire area to Riesling. However, there was a small area which had a gentle slope facing north, capturing the warmer conditions of the elevated site and he decided that it was an ideal place to grow a premium Shiraz.

Aged in French and American oak the Lodge Hill Shiraz is a brilliant deep red color with purple hues. It delivers complex and fascinating aromas of black cherry, liquorice and mint. The palate is rich, dense and full bodied, with ripe dark cherry fruit, velvety tannins, sweet vanillin oak and a long, juicy finish."

It really was nice. Not that spicy, not that oakey, good balance, long finish. Had it with steak and it was yummy. Their website isn't functional-it says we're out crushing grapes...ha ha. It was $36 at a restaurant but it looks like it goes for about $12-15 retail. Its really a nice wine for that price.

Mega wineries surprise me with cheap blends....

Ahh…the mega wineries. Usually predictable, but sometimes not always predictable in a good way. But occasionally I get surprised, so when I saw the 2005 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Vinetta and 2004 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Meritage Red, both for under $12, at the grocery store, I couldn’t help but pick them up. Although fair warning, the Mondavi starts off with a near zero finish but, with like 20 mins in a decanter, it all sudden gets a finish. Still a short one, but about what you’d expect for a $15-ish wine. The Kendall-Jackson was actually pretty decent. I might even say it’s under priced- I’d pay close to $20 for it. Here’s some info on each:

Vinetta:
Blend Percentage: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 11% Petite Sirah, 5% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc
Winemaker's Notes
Robert Mondavi Private Selection 2005 Vinetta is a blend of the five class Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Produced from choice Central Coast and North Coast grapes, it offers lavish dark plum, black cherry and blackberry aromas, a smooth, plush texture, succulent mid-palate flavors and an impressively long finish bolstered by beautifully integrated tannins and savory oak tones. Enjoy this delicious red wine with grilled rib-eye or porterhouse steak, lamb chops, osso bucco and flavorful cheeses.
Tasting Notes
"The 2004 Meritage has aromas of blackberry, black licorice and violet. On the palate, juicy black cherry, along with cassis, espresso and pomegranate are well balanced with generous, round tannins. In a word, this wine is plush." – Randy Ullom, Winemaster

K-J Meritage Red:
"Meritage," pronounced like "heritage," is a combination of the words merit and heritage.
Only Meritage Association members may use this terminology. The association was founded in 1988.
Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and a splash of Cabernet Franc from several counties including San Benito, Napa and San Luis Obispo.
Artisan winemaking techniques, such as cold soaking and extended maceration, were used to enhance and simultaneously, soften the tannins, deepen the color and intensify the flavors.
Handcrafted in small individual lots throughout the winemaking process – boutique winery style, for flavor distinction. Coastal San Benito County adds blackberry, dried cherry and cocoa flavors. Napa benchland vineyards provide cassis and licorice flavors with generous, round tannins.

Wine Statistics
Composition: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc
Growing Regions: 23% San Benito County, 22% Napa County, 15% San Luis Obispo County, 13% Sonoma County, 10% Mendocino County, 11% Solano County
Barrel Aging: 9 months in 56% French (53% new) and American oak

$90 gas cap or $6 gas cap??

St. Louis has emissions testing. Its "supposed to keep the air clean". Whatever-it has much more the appearance of a way to get more money. I really wish they'd just tack the testing fee onto our registration fee and leave it alone, versus making people jump through hoops to get their car tested. However, here's a tip that recent experience has taught us, if your car, which appears to be performing fine and isn't trailing out black smoke, fails emissions testing, and they offer to tell you WHY it failed for a mere $90 diagnostic cap, tell them to shove the diagnostic machine up their ass and go directly to an auto parts store and get a new $6 gas cap. That what we did and since they re-test it for free, we went back and voila! the car passed. How insanely easy and cheap. In fact, I might just say if your vehicle has 70K miles on, hell, spring for the gas cap BEFORE you take it to emissions....save yourself the second test.

Peirano Estate Vineyards

We recently had 2 wines from Peirano Estate Vineyards Heritage Collection : the Chardonnay and the Six Clones Merlot. Sorry, just not crazy about them. But if you like what I like to call "french funk" in your wines, the aroma you find in a lot of bordeauxs and rhones, you might like merlot. (I think its also referred to as barnyard aroma, but whatever) We just didn't love either one. The Chardonnay had a wierd mineral buttery thing going on not really either but the presense of both, so I don't think my non-chard lovin friends would even like it. Sorry Peirano Estate.