Taste Test: Old Grand-dad

 A couple of days later, another bourbon... one that I'm about halfway through.

Selection:  Old Grand-dad

Price:  ~$30, which makes it very affordable.  But it's hard to get.  My usual hangout seems to only have a few bottles a month

Proof:   114 Proof (57% ABV)

Thoughts:   There's a honey-like taste to this bourbon.  The taste is sugary, and it lingers for a while.  A proof of 114 is on the higher end for bourbon, and it is noticeable.  But it's not nearly as abrasive as the Forester.  

Conclusion:   I like it.  The price point is very good for the quality.  It's not a favorite but I'll add it to the rotation when I can find it.

Taste Test: Old Forester, Signature Brand

I'm not a beer person.  Alcohol-wise, I prefer scotches and bourbons.  I've picked up a couple of new bottles to try.  And what good is having a blog if not to offer your opinion on subjects no one asked you about?

So here's my thoughts on trying a new bourbon.

Selection:  Old Forester, Signature Brand

Price:  $20.99, which makes it very affordable

Proof:   100 Proof (50% ABV)

Thoughts:   The initial taste is caramel.  Not the smoothest bourbon I've ever had.  There is a bit of a burn from drinking it that lingers.  It's not unpleasant (I've had much worse), but if you're not used to drinking whisky I wouldn't start with this one.  Adding some water thinned out the kick a bit.

Conclusion:   For the price, it's good.  If you like having a bit of a kick, it's worth checking out.  This isn't going to make my regular rotation of drinks but I can see why people like it.

NBA Playoff Predictions

The play-in games are completed, and the NBA Playoffs are set:

My initial thoughts:

- The East is down to three teams- 76ers, Nets and Bucks

- The West will be a brawl- I can make good arguments for five of the teams, and could even make a decent case for the other three.  Whoever emerges from there will be battered and bruised

- As much rest as LeBron and Davis had during the season from injuries, I still think they are recovering from the shortened offseason of last year.  

- The Smart move is the 76ers.  But I also think the Bucks NEED a run more than any other team.  Every other team either has players who have already won (Lakers, Nets with Durant and Kyrie) are young enough to believe they'll be back (76ers, Mavericks, Suns), or have an injury that could explain why they faltered (Nuggets, Jazz).  If the Bucks don't have a deep playoff run... where do they go?  More than any other franchise, they should be feeling the pressure.

And I think they'll succeed.

1st Round:

Eastern Conference:

76ers (1) over Wizards (8), 4-1

Nets (2) over Celtics (7) , 4-1

Bucks (3) over Heat (6) , 4-2

Knicks (4) over Hawks (5) , 4-3

Western Conference: 

Jazz (1) over Grizzlies (8) , 4-1

Lakers (7) over Suns (2), 4-3

Nuggets (3) over Trail Blazers (6) , 4-0

Mavericks (5) over Clippers (4) , 4-3

2nd Round:

Eastern Conference:

76ers (1) over Knicks (4), 4-2

Bucks (3) over Nets (2), 4-3

Western Conference: 

Jazz (1) over Mavericks (5) , 4-2

Nuggets (3) over Lakers (7) , 4-3  

Conference Finals:

Eastern Conference:

Bucks (3) over 76ers (1) , 4-3

Western Conference: 

Nuggets (3)  over Jazz (1), 4-2

NBA Finals:

Bucks (3) over Nuggets (3), 4-2

Your 2021 NBA champions...  

MLB 2021 Thoughts

Yeah, I know... season's already started.  But some late predictions and comments- trying a different format:

It's like rooting for Amazon or Apple...

If I had to bet money on the World Series, I'd go: Dodgers over Yankees, 4 games to 2.  Dodgers clearly have the most talent in the league- which doesn't mean they are a lock to win.  But if I had to bet, they are the team to go with.

The American League is far more wide open.  I could see seven teams getting hot and winning (Yankees, Rays, Blue Jays, Twins, White Sox, Astros).  But the Yankees have had horrible luck the pasy few years in terms of injuries.  If they stay healthy (big If), they are the most likely to come out of the AL

Team I'm rooting for to win it all this year:  I'm a Cubs and Indians fan, and don't think either will make the playoffs (in fact, I think the Indians might be one of the worst teams in the AL).  I like teams that never won the World Series in my lifetime, which gives me two candidates- the San Diego Padres and the Tampa Rays.  Tampa has had a ton of sports riches, but I'm still bitter about 1984, so let's go Rays.

Most interesting team in baseball in 2021:  The Dodgers, on paper, might be one of the greatest teams ever- but I don't think that necessarily makes them interesting.  The Pirates might be one of the worst teams ever- but again, that doesn't make them interesting.

For interesting- how about the Blue Jays?  A young team with a ton of young, second generation players.  Their hitting looks great- their pitching is either really good (Hyun Jin Ryu, Taijuan Walker) or awful- and pitching is highly variable.  

One final thought:  The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires at the end of the year.  Financially, baseball has a lot of problems.  The Dodgers are spending $226 million on their payroll this year, and a quarter of the league isn't spending 1/3 of that amount.  I don't see how this system can continue- but the CBA isn't between the owners; it's between the owners and the players.  There is a good possibility of a strike after this season, and it might be a long one.  I'm not making any predictions- I'm just going to enjoy baseball this year.

RIP Conservatism

The Conservative movement is dead.  Has been for a while- but the latest spending bill really emphasized the point.  There are still people calling themselves (or calling others) 'Conservatives'- but the real Conservative movement- the one championed by Buckley, Goldwater, Thatcher and Reagan- that movement is dead.  

To understand why it died, start with this premise:  The Conservative movement was made up of four platforms, like a chair with four legs**:

1)  Taking a strong opposition to the Soviet Union

2)  Smaller Government

3)  Social Issues

4)  Lower Taxes

Each of those legs got twisted around over time, for different reasons.

Start with the opposition to the Soviet Union.  That leg disappeared in 1989 along with the Soviet Union.  The Conservative movement succeeded- now what?  During the Presidency of George W Bush, it morphed into the US trying to become the World's Policeman, and looking at the Middle East.  But the Middle East was never the existential threat that the Soviet Union represented, and we (the US) could never decide if it was better to act as the World's Policeman or to walk away from the rest of the world when it comes to tyranny.  We still don't know which is better.

The second leg- smaller government- the Conservatives proved they were never serious about it.  It was a great weapon to use against the Democrats- but when the Conservatives actually had the power to shrink government, they never flinched.  They proved that ratchet theory correct- government grows, but never shrinks.  

So now the 'Conservative' movement is now two legs:  Social Issues and Lower Taxes.  Lower taxes is a non-starter:  you'll notice there are no taxes in the 1.9 trillion spending bill (How is it being financed?  Deficits.  Deficits without end).  So that leaves Social Issues

Social issues morphed over time.  The social issues that people were concerned about 60 years ago aren't the same ones as today.  There's still a few hot button issues- abortion and gun control, for instance.  But mainly, both parties use social issues to rev up their voters.  Voters get geared up about the culture war in a way they don't over economic and foreign policy issues.  And the GOP abandoned the high ground on character in 2016.  As the other three legs withered and died, social issues became all that defined the movement.

The Conservative movement dominated the GOP for fifty years.  But it's now dead, and right now the Republican party is a cult of personality for Donald Trump.  I miss the Conservative movement- not only was it the political movement I grew up with, but I don't see anything that on the horizon to replace it.  

Pour one out for Buckley, for Goldwater, for Reagan, for Thatcher, for the intellectuals and politicians who created the Conservative movement.  You may have despised them, but I preferred them to what is available now.

(**The Democratic Party, by contrast, is made up about 50 legs- different factions with different agendas.  This has advantages and disadvantages)

WandaVision Thoughts

 Fair warning:  Spoilers ahead after finishing the season 1 finale of WandaVision...

2021 Topps Baseball Cards

 I'm very discouraged by the state of baseball in 2021.  But I'm also a longtime collector of baseball cards, and seeing the new sets usually bring me joy...

But baseball cards have become unusually hot lately.  Prices have skyrocketed, and cards are being hoarded.  I was lucky to find one booster pack at Target, and can check out the pack of the Topps set.  Here are my comments:

1)  The front of the card isn't my favorite.  I like the white broder and 70th anniversary emblem, but the blue diagonal stripes are a little distracting.  But at least it looks different- unlike other years, you can easily identify it's the 2021 set.

2)  The back of the cards, however... I think they look great.  They are clean and easily readable.  

3)  The new normal is a ton of varaitions and inserts.  The 2021 has 18 parallels of each card- purple to gold foil to celebrating Mother's Day to.... it's an overabundance.  

4)  And inserts... According to Beckett, the 2021 Topps has 31 different kinds of inserts. Again, it's overkill.

I'm glad I got the cards to check them out.  But I have no desire to spend the money to put together a set.  Maybe if I fall in love with a special insert, I'll go out of my way to get that.  But considering most of my favorite players were in the 70's and 80's and have been long retired, I'll most likely focus on those players instead.