Why return to Républica Dominicana in February 2009?

As you may know or may have read on these very pages, Chris went on a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic last February. He is returning this coming February. Recent hurricanes have battered the island, with flooding finally occurring after Hurricane Ike. Flooding will only bring about more disease, distress, and general uneasiness to Barahona. How could a return trip NOT be taken to help out in any way possible?

Here are some of the places Chris went to 7 months ago, and what they look like as of just a few days ago. Click to enlarge.

Come waste your time with me

We're both getting very excited for our upcoming Belgium/Germany excursion!!!! A matter of just one more weekend to get through and we are GONE! There's no other person I'd want to dawdle around Europe with than with Kimberly. So, in a flurry of sentimentality, Waste, this beautiful song by Phish (left-leaning hippies in Marvin the Martian t-shirts) warmly expresses how Chris feels tonight and always. And what better locale than Germany for this video to be recorded? I love this song. Come waste your time with me in Europe, Kimberly.



Don't want to be an actor pretending on the stage
Don't want to be a writer with my thoughts out on the page
Don't want to be a painter 'cause everyone comes to look
Don't want to be anything where my life's an open book

A dream it's true
But I'd see it through
If I could be
Wasting my time with you

Don't want to be a farmer working in the sun
Don't want to be an outlaw always on the run
Don't want to be a climber reaching for the top
Don't want to be anything where I don't know when to stop

A dream it's true
But I'd see it through
If I could be
Wasting my time with you

So if I'm inside your head
Don't believe what you might have read
You'll see what I might have said
To hear it

Come waste your time with me

So if I'm inside your head
Don't believe what you might have read
You'll see what I might have said
To hear it

Come waste your time with me

Smile and grin at the change all around

Thought about posting the angry Olbermann Special Comment from last night's Countdown program.

Thought about posting some dreary recollection that can only re-open a wound and not allow it to heal.

Thought about posting something angry myself.

Then I thought, why not just post a thrilling performance from the 9/11 Concert for New York featuring one of Chris's all-time favorite bands. Yes, of all-time. Let these old geezers show the whippersnappers how it's done. And just look ahead to the future and allow the healing to continue...

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

OK, so for a matinee today, the new computer-animated Clone Wars movie was the recipient of expendable income. Heard some ups and downs concerning it; but hey, it's Star Wars and the flock must pay alms to the feet of George Lucas. The trailer looked promising:



The differences were vast. Warner Bros. was the parent company of this one, NOT 20th Cenutry Fox. So no famous drumbeat, horns, and strings to introduce the film. That was a little strange. No John Williams involved with the musical score, but rather a Kevin Kiner who bastardized the main theme, along with rearranging other Williams-ish numbers to suit his own liking. (And yet the music in the trailer above is strictly Williams. Odd.) Meh, not so impressed. And finally, no crawling synopsis floating off into the distance; no "It is a period of civil war..." type notes. Instead, a cheesy Gary Owens wannabe announcer giving a little background to why the hell we're fighting a war in this film.




The Separatists need open space lanes near Hutt territory, if they could sway the Hutts to prevent the Republic from traveling through, it would seriously dampen the Republic's ability to reach the Outer Rim. A scheme is hatched to kidnap Jabba the Hutt's son and blame it on the Jedi, thereby bringing the Hutts to the Separatist cause. Anakin receives a new Padawan learner, Ahsoka; an anorexic orange girl in a tube top who brings the most annoying character to the screen since Jar Jar Binks. No mention is made of Ahsoka in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith so she surely leaves the scene sometime soon. I can already not wait for her to die a grisly death and be removed from the Star Wars Universe. A couple of her gems: Jabba's baby boy is nicknamed "Stinky". Anakin is referred to as "Sky Guy". The venerable R2-D2 is referred to as "Artooey". She must go down, and she must go down hard.

Being such a huge Star Wars fan did not save this film from being dull and drab. The battle scenes were exciting, with more computer-aided starships and blasts and whatnot like the "regular" movies. But once you put a human on the screen....crap. Utter crap. Might as well have put wooden marionettes on the screen. No flexibility, no movement, no flow. It's almost as if the animators WANTED to take a shortcut and make an awful looking film when it comes to humans. Clone troopers, space scenes, dogfights? All fantastic. The human element? Drivel. Crap.

Infuriating.

The animated (i.e. actual cartoon) series on Cartoon Network from 2003-2005 was superb. We shockingly have the entire series on two DVD's. "Modern" animation with free-flowing body structures and exaggerations like elongated necks. But this movie....this was a travesty. Sadly, the weekly cartoon series that starts October 3rd will feature the same type of computer animation featured in this film. I'm just not a fan. Wooden marionettes.

That being said, we'll still set it on the TiVo Season Pass and record every episode. Why? Because we're junkies. Lying in our own filth in a back alley somewhere begging for more Star Wars. And our dealer George Lucas laughs all the way to the bank.

For the movie? This 1 hour, 40 minute trailer for the upcoming TV series? It garners a low, low House of Gordon score. A Wait for HBO score. Disappointing.

Trent Reznor...twice in 73 days

August 22, 2008 - Cleveland, OH
November 3, 2008 - Greens-freaking-boro, NC !!!!!!!!

The day before the presidential election. I can only imagine what he'll have to say...

More tour dates were added to the tour, and some The Spiral fan club seats went on sale at 5:00pm. A glitch in remembering our online MusicToday ticket sales password resulted in some sucky seats for Greensboro: Section 109, Row B, seats 1-2. Row B!!!! Oh the humanity.....

Somehow we'll muddle through.

Inconsistent beliefs.

This is about a week old, but it was searched and searched for this afternoon. After reading the comments concerning Fox News's "centrist" and "non-politcal agenda" rumblings in the "MSNBC, i.e. pansies" post below, some points needed to be brought to light concerning the mouthpiece of the Grand Old Party.

Palin's outstanding governor qualifications, vs. Kaine's paltry governor qualifications.

Palin's pregnant daughter left alone as personal matter, vs. Spears teen pregnancy a result of pinhead parents.

Gender cards, victimizations, disrespectful family attacks. Oh my!

Consistently inconsistent, these righties are...

NIN pictures from Cleveland.

Finally.

08.22.08, Gund, er, Quicken Loans Arena. Row 1, seats 9-10.

Fuzzy, hazy, frankly crappy pics from Kimberly's phone. But anyways, you get the perspective we had during another awesome NIN show: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21177580@N08/sets/72157607193311917/

Two official pics from Cleveland on the NIN Flickr site:

MSNBC, i.e. "pansies"

MSNBC, the left-leaning network and home of Keith Olbermann, has sent Mr. Olbermann to his room and removed him and Chris Matthews from hosting political news events. David Gregory will now host debate nights and election night from behind the desk. Pressure from the "liberal media" such as Fox News and coexistent whining from the Republican National Commitee resulted in this change. Call the waaaaaaaaambulance. Too bad Keith was never a P.O.W., that seems to soften any criticism and can be used as a constant rebuttal to the naysayers.

The skinny:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jlhzoRPoTjgeV9vNrGXaMN2AUGLwD932MSBG0

MSNBC says Olbermann, Matthews won't anchor
By DAVID BAUDER

NEW YORK (AP) — MSNBC is replacing Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews as co-anchors of political night coverage with David Gregory, and will use the two newsmen as commentators.

The change reflects tensions between the freewheeling, opinionated MSNBC and the impartial newsgatherers at NBC News. Throughout the primaries and summer, MSNBC argued that Olbermann and Matthews could serve as dispassionate anchors on political news nights and that viewers would accept them in that role, but things fell apart during the conventions.

Gregory, the veteran Washington hand, will anchor MSNBC's coverage of the presidential and vice presidential debates and election night, network spokesman Jeremy Gaines said Sunday. The change was first reported by The New York Times.

The tipping point appears to have come during the GOP convention when Olbermann criticized MSNBC for showing a Sept. 11-themed video prepared by the Republicans.

MSNBC executives, who had publicly defended their anchors' roles while privately monitoring them throughout the political season, made the change over the weekend after discussions with Olbermann. Despite the controversy around him, Olbermann has been a hero with left-leaning viewers and keyed MSNBC's growth among coveted young viewers.

During her acceptance speech last week, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin talked about the "Washington elite" not accepting her qualifications for the job. Some delegates on the convention floor began chanting, "N-B-C, N-B-C."

Olbermann began to have difficulty keeping his opinions in check, or simply stopped trying.

He sarcastically dismissed GOP pundit Pat Buchanan on the air after Buchanan said the Republicans had been enlivened by the entrance of a conservative Republican.

"Those reading US Weekly with the picture of her and her youngest daughter with the word `scandal' written across it won't be so happy," Olbermann said.

He expressed little sympathy at another point when GOP anger at rumors over the Internet about Palin were being discussed.

"We'll see if people feel sorry for unfounded rumors on the Internet," he said. "If that's the case, Senator Obama's probably standing up and cheering and waiting for people to feel sorry for him."

Perhaps most embarrassing, Joe Scarborough was discussing positive developments in John McCain's campaign at one point when Olbermann was heard on an offstage microphone saying: "Jesus, Joe, why don't you get a shovel?"

Scarborough, a former Republican congressman and host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," got in another nasty on-air exchange with MSNBC reporter David Shuster, and Matthews snapped at Olbermann on-air when it appeared Olbermann was criticizing him for talking too much.

All the drama made MSNBC a punch line when top NBC anchor Brian Williams appeared on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" last week. "Is there no control?" host Jon Stewart asked him. "Is it Lord of the Flies?'"

A sheepish Williams said that every family has a dynamic of its own.

"But does MSNBC have to be the Lohans?" Stewart said.

Olbermann was in Denver during the Democratic national convention, but performed his co-hosting duties for the GOP convention in a New York studio. NBC President Steve Capus said the decision was not political, that Olbermann had been sent back to anchor coverage of Hurricane Gustav.

MSNBC's decision comes just before Olbermann's "Countdown" show is set to air, on
Monday, his interview with Barack Obama. That will put Olbermann in direct competition with his nemesis, Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly, who interviewed Obama last week and is airing a portion of it Monday in the same 8 p.m. EDT time slot.

Bite the hand that feeds you, MSNBC. As Keith vocally proclaimed his opposition to the current admnistration, his (and the network's) ratings rose. This demotion, along with the double standard of righties spewing vitriolic hate and lefties criticizing the administration but the righties keeping their place within the "liberal media", is mind-boggling.

Nothing is more patriotic than dissent. Grow a spine, MSNBC.

Trent Reznor speaketh

9-8-08: Short Break

I'd like to thank all of you who attended the first leg of the Lights In The Sky tour. If you missed it, check the schedule - we'll be playing through the rest of this year. If you've seen it, come back - we'll have some new tricks up our sleeve on this next leg. We're very proud of this show and it's been exciting (and quite the challenge) for us to present it to you.

Oh, and it was quite a surprise to get back home, turn on the television and discover we've apparently won the war in Iraq! Yeah, some woman from Alaska said so - apparently that troop surge was all we needed! That's good news, because I was starting to think all the shame and embarrassment I've felt as an American citizen traveling abroad the last few years wasn't going to pay off in the end. Now I can rest easy knowing we've successfully spread FREEDOM - AND we've stopped evildoers in their tracks.

Nobody wants anyone preaching their opinions at them - particularly a musician - but PLEASE get involved and pay attention to what's happening during this election and try to see through the clutter to the substance of what is or isn't being said.

Wouldn't it be great to feel proud of this country for a change? Seems like it's within reach.

OK - I got it out of my system. Thanks for reading.

posted by Trent Reznor at 7:24pm

The Night of the Iguana

Saturday night was the first performance in our 2008-09 Triad Stage season pass schedule: Tennessee Williams's The Night of the Iguana. A ramshackle hotel on the Mexican Pacific coast near the jungle in the early 1940s hosts a vertiable gaggle of folks down on their luck: a widowed hotel manager, a defrocked minister, a hopeless painter and her 97-year old poet grandfather. The only characters having a good time here were actually German vacationers celebrating radio reports of the burning of London during the Battle of Britain. Two Mexican "hotel boys" capture an iguana from the jungle, tie it to the hotel, and fatten it up in hopes of slaughter and a good meal. The iguana lurches against the rope, making a grinding, sanding noise. The iguana is at the end of its rope, what is its future? And what of the characters and their respective ropes?

A little long. Chris enjoyed the first act, but not the second. Kimberly was exactly the opposite. And least we both agreed dinner at 1618 West Seafood Grille was delicious beforehand.

Apfelwein

Not really a "brew" day today, but more of a "ferment day" in the Gordon household. One of the online homebrew forums Chris frequents is homebrewtalk.com, a message board on all things homebrewing-related. There is an enormous thread on there concerning a German hard cider called "Apfelwein"; literally, "apple wine". Apparently quite tasty and ridiculously easy to make.

But first, a little meat smoking along with the faithful vermin, one of which has been going deaf for quite some time now as you can plainly tell from the video. A hefty pork tenderloin with a spicy rub on it and apple juice in the smoker's pan. Apple juice and pork to complete today's theme.



So, on to the apfelwein. We are going to Germany very shortly, and this easy recipe figures to be a nice "welcome home" beverage to remind us of our trip once we return. The skinny:

Five gallons (that's right, FIVE) of 100% apple juice. Earth Fare in Greensboro was the destination to get some pure organic apple juice. Then it was a trip to Triad Homebrew Supply to get two pounds of dextrose. Generally, in homebrewing, 3/4 cup of dextrose is utilized right before bottling to "prime" the carbonation within the bottle. This recipe uses a whole two pounds. Also, from Triad Homebrew, we got a packet of dry wine yeast. Either Red Star Montrachet or Lalvin K1V-1116 can be used. Then just for shits and giggles, 4 cinnamon sticks would be added also. The recipe Chris had did not call for cinnamon sticks, just as a garnish if warmed when consumed. So why the hell can't we add it to the 5-gallon carboy? Poof! Chris tinkering yet again.











One-half gallon from each of two of the gallon bottles are poured into the carboy, then 1 pound of dextrose is added to each of the half-empty apple juice bottles. Shake like hell to dissolve. The juice froths up a tad with all the sugar in it and all the shaking. The pour everything in the carboy and sprinkle in your dry yeast packet.

Add your 4 sticks of cinnamon directly into the carboy.










Then it sits for 6 weeks in the carboy (in this case, right next to the Maple Pumpkin Ale settling out). The carboy is filled pretty much to the top with no fear; there won't be a huge head of krausen rising up to overtake the carboy and pop the airlock off. Just a simple film of bubbles involved. After 6 weeks of sitting, we carbonate as usual with 3/4 cup dextrose and let it sit in the bottles for 3 weeks to bubble up.




Easy.

Should be a good "cold winter's night by the fire" beverage later this year.

Pop the Cap, as we know it, is no more.

Sadly, the final Pop the Cap beer dinner occurred while we were in Denver. A huge chapter comes to a close. The evolution of a grassroots campaign to battle stereotypes, religious fervor, and ignorance has come to an end. The official Pop the Cap organized movement is no more.

However, as with all ends, there is a beginning. Sean, our fearless leader, is taking the plunge into opening a brewery. Sites, names, and cities were all discussed and entertained in the past. Soon, something concrete with bricks and mortar and big shiny stainless tanks will come into being. And finally, an official name: Fullsteam Brewery.

A local brewery utilizing all local ingredients [edit 9/4 "when possible"]. I'll be interested to see how this plays out. (Sean, if you ever need a gallon freezer bag of Gordon-grown Cascade hops, I'm your man.)

The story:
http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/1193808.html

Beer lobbyist group disbands

Founder Sean Wilson has built network of brewers, will open his own brewery

After 5 1/2 years heading a beer industry advocacy group called Pop the Cap, Sean Wilson of Chapel Hill is disbanding the nonprofit group and moving on to a new beer-related venture. Wilson started Pop the Cap in February 2003 to lobby the state legislature to drop the law capping the alcohol content of beer at 6 percent.

In August 2005, the group succeeded, when new legislation went into effect and cleared the way for craft beers -- speciality beers brewed in small batches -- to have higher alcohol content.

Since then, Wilson, 37, shifted the group's focus to improving the state's beer culture and raising awareness of craft beer, dubbing his new effort Pop the Cap 2.0.

But, "it turned into a hobby, and I'm not a hobby kind of guy," he says.

Besides changing the state law and offering North Carolina brewers more flexibility, Wilson and Pop the Cap connected the state's brewers into a network that didn't exist before, said Robert Poitras, owner of the Carolina Brewery, with locations in Chapel Hill and Pittsboro.

"He was really our quarterback," Poitras said. "It's been good for the whole North Carolina beer scene."

Now Wilson will help out with the newly founded N.C. Brewers Guild and is working on opening his own brewery in Durham.

Wilson's establishment, called Fullsteam Brewery, will focus on "Southern agricultural brewing," using local ingredients and grains.

Though a specific site has not yet been selected, Wilson said the brewery could open within nine months.

"There's still a lot of work to do [for the beer industry in North Carolina], but we need to be more politically organized, and I can't do that," he said. "I'm just a beer fan. It's time to move on."

sue.stock@newsobserver.com or (919) 829-4649

An exciting adventure to say the least! From the Fullsteam website, here's a peek of the upcoming libations:

On tap:
Experiment - Pomegranate Saison
Control - Fullsteam (our flagship Carolina Common)
Control - English Beat IPA
Control - Belgian Golden

In the tank:
Experiment - Miso Ginger Stout (If it tastes good, next time around we'll make our own miso from local organic soybeans.)

In our heads:
Experiment - Fuzz Buzz (Carolina peaches, heirloom rice)
Experiment - King Kudzu (kudzu cider)
Experiment - Scuppernong Lambic
Experiment - 200 Mile (beer made from ingredients all grown within 200 miles of Durham...we don't yet know if this is possible!)

"Experiment"? "Control"? What the heck does that mean? Let's go back to the Fullsteam website for clarification:

We’re developing two lines of beers.

Control beers are easy drinkin’ session beers. Low in alcohol (under 5 percent alcohol by volume). Well-known, traditional styles like Pale Ale, Mild, Porter, and Stout. Think English pub. Everyday ales. Beers you could drink a few of in the course of an evening, without denting your pocketbook or your head. Inspirations include Young’s and Fullers.

Experimental beers? Well, they’re our own mad creation. Not bound to tradition or to style. Sometimes higher in alcohol. Uses local ingredients in the brewing process — anything from persimmon to heirloom rice to spruce pine. No tobacco, smarty-pants. (We get that question a fair amount). Inspirations: Russian River, Lost Abbey, Stone, New Glarus, Dogfish Head…but with our own Southern Ag twist.

The goal is to serve two needs: the Control when you want a no-nonsense, everyday beer that embraces tradition…and the Experiment for when it’s time to check out something genre-busting: radical Southern brewing.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BREWERY!

Rundown of the week.

One of us saw it live in the arena, one of us saw it live on television. Either way, we were both excitedly in Denver for the following:

Friday 08.29.08

The airport is crammed with conventioneers trying to make it out of town. The pundits and anchors scurry to return to their regular broadcast centers in time for the Friday evening telecasts. The Gordons bypass this anxiety by staying another day in Denver. (Well, Chris bypasses it anyway. Kimberly is staying since she flies to Minneapolis on Sunday.)

Destination today for a free day of sightseeing? The Denver Art Museum:

Located across the street from the Denver Public Library:
Nifty.

Then it's back to Boulder to pack. One last time to hit up downtown Boulder and enjoy their original brewpub, Walnut Brewery. Tasty wares and crafty libations. Chris's final night in Colorado. Saturday, it's an early flight out from DEN-CLE-GSO. The dogs cry and screech upon his return. And sadly, they look around and sniff for Kimberly. Fret not l'il doggies, mommy'll be home later in the week....

Thursday 08.28.08

The big day. Obama's acceptance speech tonight. Goosebumps.

In the morning, a rare Kimberly AND Chris sighting at another breakfast discussion: the National Journal's daily convention briefing at the Tattered Cover bookstore. From left to right in the photo: Chris Matthews (of MSNBC), Joe Trippi (of the John Edwards campaign), Andrei Cherny (former Gore and Kerry speechwriter), Stanley Greenberg (co-founder with another Chris man crush James Carville of Democracy Corps.), Bill Daley (national Obama campaign co-chair), and moderator Ron Brownstein of the National Journal. A lively discussion of the recent goings-on, easily dominated by the cantankerous Chris Matthews. "Let me finish," was a common statement by the MSNBC anchor. Classic. A good time.

After, we (Kimberly and Chris) were supposed to meet at the Starz Green Room, where various films and political documentaries were shown. Hooray! An event to do together! We RSVP'd for tickets for a film dissecting Obama's spine-tingling 2004 Democratic convention speech. Chris got to the Green Room first, then the news struck via text message:

Kimberly snagged a ticket for Mile High Stadium.

It was discussed the previous day that if a ticket were to be acquired, she would give it to Chris so "he could experience the inside of the convention too". Kimberly all week had gained access to each day's events at the Pepsi Center; she had gained access to delegate- or lobbyist-only events during the day; at night she had gained access to parties or dinners hosted by various top-notch Democratic party luminaries. The crux of the matter was this: lobbying and the vast exchange of money for access sits in direct opposition to what Chris feels politics should be. Senator Obama does not and will not take lobbyist money. Chris and Kimberly frequently butt heads over the core of this matter. "This presidential candidate's platform is opposite what the lobbying cohorts are trying to accomplish." vs. "This is how the current game is played, so to push legislation through the game must be played this way until it is changed." Chris was heartbroken when a mere FIVE tickets from North Carolina were distributed for access to "Joe Q. Public" for Mile High Stadium. The chance of then receiving a ticket via lobbying efforts that run counter to one's personal political and/or ethical stance was tormenting. Chris stated that unless there were TWO tickets available to Kimberly, one for each, he would go; but not go alone. Kimberly found this mind-boggling. She wanted Chris to experince what she was fortunate to, and yet he stubbornly refuses...

The time is nigh, Chris is waiting for Kimberly at the Starz event, and Kimberly states she has one ticket. But the Starz event would have to be forfeited to go NOW directly through security at the stadium. Texts are sent back and forth arguing the matter. Chris would LOVE to go, but frankly not THIS way. Not from a lobbyist. Kimberly is even more bewildered. It is stated that as it is general admission, Chris would not in fact have to interact with the lobbyists. The ticket would just get him in and he can sit wherever he wants within the sections involved. Finally, in a bout of acquiescence, Chris says he'll take the ticket and to meet Kimberly soon to make the ticket exchange.

Moments later, all parties have been informed that the lobbying team wants to go together....and it is stated that their apprentice Kimberly is going with them. Now. Right now.

The roller coaster of emotion is complete. Bitter to confused to acceptance up to excitement and finally crash-landing back BELOW the depths of bitter.

Fine. Kimberly will go with the upper crust of the political machine. Fine.

Chris makes his way to the film instead.

Because of the timeframe between the film's ending and the squeeze to get through security at the stadium, the Obama film has been CANCELED. When it rains, it pours. Chris droops below bitter all the way down to despondency. What. The. Fuck.

As a consolation, one of the "delegate-only" Gugenheim filmings of the 30-minute 1968 documentary RFK Remembered is being shown in its place; one that we could not successfullyRSVP to as we were not delegates. This shorter film would give people plenty of time to make it to the stadium and through security. As a consolation, RFK's wife Ethel and one of their daughters Kerry are in the theater and Kerry makes a brief statement after the showing; so all is not in fact lost.

A watch party was planned at Wynkoop Brewing (with $1 off pints of Obamanator), so that is where Chris viewed the acceptance speech of (hopefully) the next president of the United States of America. Wondering if he'd be able to even hear anything, Chris was pleased when the bar dropped to "library quiet" whenever a speech was made: MLK III, Bill Richardson, Al Gore, Joe Biden, all the speeches.

A twist and turn of events, and we both were in town to witness history; albeit in strangely differing ways. Again, a different week than what we had planned....

Wednesday 08.27.08

Another early morning breakfast panel discussion on the roof of the Denver Athletic Club. This time, the trifecta of Illinois representative Rahm Emanuel, former South Dakota senator Tom Daschle, and forever man crush presidential historian Michael Beschloss. Chris is a HUGE Beschloss fan. Huge. Second time he's seen him "live", the first was during a forum here at Guilford College. Now, in Denver discussing "the impossible job" of the presidency. Giddy. Rep. Emanuel arrived late, Sen. Daschle had to leave early. A revolving door of elected officials whose itineraries and schedules I cannot even fathom following during this hectic week.

Here's a gaggle of videos from this morning's engaging discussion. Much more lively than Madame Speaker's. Pelosi is never on the verge of dropping an F-bomb like Emanuel is...


Almost an F-bomb in that last one. I love Rahm Emanuel.

During this, Kimberly was at a Democratic Senate Campaign Committee breakfast. Chris's "girlfriend" from the Pop the Cap descent-upon-Raleigh days is Kay Hagan, former state senator (and supporter of Pop the Cap) now running for U.S. Senate vs. that no-good worthless Elizabeth Dole. Chris was hoping to hop over the 3 blocks to see her, but alas, Ms. Hagan was not in attendance. Crap. No rekindling of the puppy love flames for Chris. Afterwards, once both our breakfasts were done, Kimberly and Chris BOTH (shocker!) were able to go out to lunch to Denver Chophouse. Huge ass burger for Kimberly, more meatloaf (this time the non-buffalo-at-Wynkoop variety) for Chris. Tasty. And frankly quite novel to see our spouse during the day while in the same city.

After lunch, Chris took an hour plus drive north up I-25 to Ft. Collins, CO and the home of New Belgium Brewing Co. New Belgium is a leader in self-sustaining practices; from wind power to supply their ENTIRE electricity needs, to recycling, to promoting the bicycle as a means to moving yourself around town (I mean, look at the "parking lot" of bikes outside the brewery!), to utilizing microbes to treat their waste water and reducing the load on the city's wastewater plant from the brewery by 98%. Kudos to New Belgium. Now if only we could actually GET their beers locally in NC!

Too bad Chris needed to get back into town for today's big convention speech of the night, because traveling to New Belgium entails driving directly past TWO other Ft. Collins breweries. On the same street! Fort Collins Brewery and Odell Brewing. Rats. If only there was more time....

Tuesday 08.26.08

Tuesday was a busy day.

Early, early, early into Denver for a 7:30am check-in on the roof of the Denver Athletic Club for "Convention Conversations" sponsored by Politico.com, Yahoo!, and The Denver Post. Breakfast panel discussions with political leaders concerning the election. Chris had RSVP's for today and tomorrow to see some political folks and get his political junkie fix.

Muffins, bagels, fruit, coffee, juice, water, and then....Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.




Afterward, it was close enough to the capitol that Chris walked over and strolled the parks and grounds. But first, more coffee at a Starbucks underneath the daily newspaper offices. Ahhhh. OK, energized again. There is a huge stately golden dome on the building, but sadly Chris was on the wrong side of the morning sun. The other side with the sun behind would have been better photogenically, but for once I was not going to go completely out of my way just to get a good snap.

From here, it was a jaunt up to Union Station to see what there was to see. MSNBC had their "base" near there for their telecasts. Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, Chuck Todd, etc. were broadcasting live from there. Up close and almost personal while Chuck Todd was on the air. So close that Chris was broadcast live over the land on MSNBC again (remember the Greensboro Obama town hall where a stage-seated Chris was on MSNBC seemingly every night for a week) as a background head behind Chuck. Neato.

After watching live television, without the bonus of hearing what was being said in Chuck Todd's earpiece, and on the way to Union Station, an energetic man in a hot pink shirt stops Chris. "Is that an official Obama shirt from the website?" Why yes it is, good sir. And this starts the ball rolling in our interaction where it is learned he is a CNN "iReporter" who video blogs the convention. Would it be OK to ask Chris some questions? What the hell, why not? Here is the give and take with the excitable Jose Williams, "MrMan" the CNN iReporter in front of the MSNBC tower:



Afterwards, it was to Union Station to see the trains and just generally explore. Huge trains outside:

And much to Chris's surprise, tiny trains in the basement of Union Station! How cool is that?!?!

Whew, all this activity has left Chris hungry and thirsty. Hmmm, in the land of brewpubs let's hit up another: Denver Chophouse and Brewery. Yum, just like our usual haunt in Washington, DC: the District Chophouse...including their delicious Bourbon Stout.

Lunch in the belly, it was time to head over to go on a brewery tour. Great Divide Brewing Co. No food, just a taproom to order some pints. And directly behind the tap handles? The brewing facility to tour, of course. The usual: big shiny stainless tanks, copper kettles, some wooden barrels. But the most eye-opening of all, the blow-off bucket during active fermentation of their big stout Yeti. You may remember the popped airlock from a recent vigorous homebrewing fermentation here. Well this vigor knocks that vigor completely on its ass:




One of the best taprooms in the country, the COUNTRY, is in Denver: Falling Rock Tap House. Taps upon taps of really fantastic craft beer. "No crap on tap" is the mantra. Delicious stuff. An extremely hoppy IPA from California's Russian River Brewing called Blind Pig IPA was the beverage of choice. Enamel stripping beer. Yum!

Most of the goings on were in the "teens" in Denver: 16th and Wynkoop for Tattered Cover, 18th and Wynkoop for Wynkoop Brewing, 19th and Wynkoop for Denver Chophouse, the entire 16th Street mall, MSNBC's Morning Joe broadcasting live from Sam's Diner on 15th, 14th for the Denver Athletic Club and the Politico breakfast panel discussions. There was a special display of Obama-related artwork all the way over on 30th and Larimer at a warehouse art gallery in an exhibition entitled Manifest Hope. Inspiring and thought-provoking artwork with the good senator as the theme. Intense. Fun. A wonder to behold.


Finally, a nightcap at yet another brewpub, the Breckenridge Blake Street Pub, finishes out a hectic day. Whew.

Monday 08.25.08

The Tattered Cover bookstore, pictured at left, was a home away from home for Chris. Coffee, books, and political ramblings and rumblings all under one roof? Sign me up! The building just SMELLED of books. When you open an old hardcover and stick your nose in the binding, THAT smell. It was wonderful. Getting up early, making the drive into Denver, then waking up completely with good coffee surrounded by books and the granola-types and the pretentious and the learned and the stuffy. Hmmm, what category do I fit in?...

Anyway, it pays to hang around the center of political discourse and whatnot, because look what came home to North Carolina:Neato.

16th Street is a mall downtown where no vehicles are allowed, except for mall buses. Shops and restaurants and boutiques and the like. Blocks and blocks and blocks. Quite a hike from top to bottom, but it was the place to people watch and basically see some of the more, um, "reasonable" people this world has to offer:










Lunch was yet another brewpub: Rock Bottom Brewery on 16th Street. Sure it's a chain, but Rock Bottom always has a soft spot in our hearts, especially when we were chosen to "test out" the service at the Cleveland Rock Bottom right before it opened...and we begged and pleaded and received their recipe for Asiago Cheese Dip and Beer Bread. Yum!

After more sightseeing and browsing, the shining moment of the day: a fundraiser for Al Franken, Democratic nominee for senator from Minnesota. A website that listed all sorts of events for non-delegate, non-lobbying commonfolk had this listed. Being a fellow left-leaning liberal, Chris jumped at the chance to do this. A mere $250 donation to the Al Franken campaign got Chris a ticket to a law office downtown and a private reception with Mr. Franken. Damn, this was so cool. Hors d'oeuvres, wine, and again Fat Tire beer were all complimentary...well, as complimentary as $250 gets you. Before his remarks, a Q&A, and some general socializing and imbibing, he stated he would do something that would "blow our minds away" but he would not tell us what it was until he started to do it. Huh??? So, close to 2 hours of fun, he begins the mind-blowing. Al Franken can draw the contiguous 48 states by memory. Freehand. Pretty cool party trick. Chris may start practicing.

Afterward, it was back to Boulder and a stop at Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery for a fresh dose of Birckenstocks, granola, and hippie. Pretty good beer too. The server was keen on bringing me a sampler based on what beers I enjoy: IPA's, porters, and stouts. Tasty.

Sunday 08.24.08

We sleep in, then make our first trip into Denver. Our destination? Coors Field for the 1:00pm Colorado Rockies vs. the Cincinnati Reds. Tickets for the Club Level again: chop chop, fetch me a weiner and a beverage you foul temptress! Seatside service for lunch. Dogs, a turkey wrap, Cracker Jack, and local icon Fat Tire beer. Rockies won a nail-biter in 12 innings 4-3. Pay for 9 innings, get 3 free!
Afterward, Kimberly had to make it the first of her weeklong nurse anesthesia lobbyist events, so we parted ways for basically the entire week. It turned out in the end to be quite a different visit than we envisioned: Kimberly's days and nights filled with lobbyist activities and dinners and events. Chris's days and nights filled with events for the plebian common citizen, sightseeing, and brewpubs. We both had fun, albeit in completely separate itineraries. It was odd. As stated before, the shadows know your whereabouts and the topics of your conversations, so if you want the skinny from Kimberly on her experiences, you'll have to get it verbally from her. Lobbyists do not want their secrets revealed...

Anyhoo, after the game Chris made his way over to Denver's first brewpub, Wynkoop Brewing Co.. Their first brewpub, and it celebrates their 20th year in business this year. In honor of the DNC, they crafted a German Maibock Lager entitled....Obamanator. Tasty stuff. Pints of Obamanator and a hefty portion of Buffalo Meatloaf and smashed potatoes were consumed readily and with a smile. Our first night in Denver is complete.

Saturday 08.23.08

Day One. Cleveland to Denver.

The original plan was for BOTH Gordons to be on the same flight to Denver on Saturday morning: 11am out of Cleveland; however, at the last minute (as usual) Kimberly was offered a ticket to hang with her nurse anesthesia lobbying cohorts in Minneapolis for the (gasp) Republican National Convention immediately piggybacking the Democrats in Denver. This changed her original GSO-CLE-DEN-GSO to a more circuitous GSO-CLE-DEN-MSP-GSO. The plane fare was cheaper to just cancel the original CLE-DEN leg and go with a new reservation entirely. This left Chris to land at 1:37pm local time, and Kimberly closer to 11:00pm Saturday.

Everyone and their brother was seemingly in Denver getting a rental car. It took Chris close to 90 minutes to stand in line at Advantage Rent-a-Car to pick up our Hyundai Santa Fe, an SUV with nowhere near the power or pickup of the Cherokee. 90 minutes! Ugh.

Finally, behind the wheel, it was the 40 minute trip from the airport over to Boulder to check in to our hotel. A nice little Courtyard by Marriott directly accessible to the freeway, a Safeway, a Whole Foods, and the Buffaloes of Colorado University. Driving into downtown Denver from the hotel took about 30 minutes, even with rush hour traffic. Quite manageable.

So, finally all settled in, what to do before Kimberly lands? Hit the gas pedal and head northward 15 minutes to Lyons, CO and the Oskar Blues Restaurant & Brewery! After all, they make a fine, fine beer with a fine, fine name (sadly the soon-to-be-mentioned India Pale Ale was NOT on tap, but I asked that they serve a different beer in this glass anyway...because I told them the glass was coming home with me.) The mystery beer Oskar Blues brews? Why, it's:

One full belly, one Gordon glass, and one 6-pack of Dale's Pale Ale cans for the hotel room fridge...time to head over and pick up Kimberly. Unfortunately, her connecting plane in Chicago to Denver was delayed due to, ahem, mechanical problems. Delayed close to two hours. Ugh. Finally, pretty close to 2:00am, both Gordons crash in the bed and pass out. A busy week awaits.

"Lights in the Sky Over North America" - Cleveland, OH - 08.22.08

Another Nine Inch Nails concert. We have lost count.

Wow. What a show.

The Gordons fly up to Cleveland Friday the 22nd on a 2:30pm flight after Kimberly worked 7a-11a...which was more like 12:45pm when all was said and done. A not-so-quick rental car experience at the Cleveland airport left us just a touch over 90 minutes to visit Chris's parents, then it was downtown for the creative Trent Reznor and the umpteenth NIN concert we have seen live.

Incredible.

NIN's fan club The Spiral ticket sales for members got us in the front row, right side of the stage. The entire floor was standing room general admission, so we opted for seats instead. We are OLD after all to continuously go to NIN conccerts. Our approximate seats:

Awe-inspiring light show. Easily the best one yet. Three curtains of lights: one on the far rear wall, one immediately behind the drumkit and keyboards, and a third one that would drape down in front of the bass, Trent, and the guitar. Mesmerizing. Gave a lot of 3-D effects this way with all three curtains dancing about. Wow.

Kimberly has actual photos from our seats on her phone, but is being stingy with them and hasn't shared them with the world yet. Something about being "busy" with "conventions" and the like. Oh well, one day they will grace these pages.

The setlist from the concert:

999,999 - (The Slip)
1,000,000 - (The Slip)
Letting You - (The Slip)
Discipline - (The Slip)
March of the Pigs - (The Downward Spiral)
Head Down - (The Slip)
The Frail - (The Fragile)
Closer - (The Downward Spiral)
Gave Up - (Broken)
The Warning - (Year Zero)
Vessel - (Year Zero)
5 Ghosts I - (Ghosts I-IV)
25 Ghosts III - (Ghosts I-IV)
19 Ghosts III - (Ghosts I-IV)
Piggy - (The Downward Spiral)
The Greater Good - (Year Zero)
Pinion - (Broken)
Wish - (Broken)
Terrible Lie - (Pretty Hate Machine)
Survivalism - (Year Zero)
The Big Come Down - (The Fragile)
31 Ghosts IV - (Ghosts I-IV)
Only - (With Teeth)
Head Like a Hole - (Pretty Hate Machine)

(encore)
Echoplex - (The Slip)
Reptile - (The Downward Spiral)
God Given - (Year Zero)
Hurt - (The Downward Spiral)
In This Twilight - (Year Zero)

All 8 NIN releases were represented with at least one song, and he leaned quite heavily towards the newer CD's: 2007's Year Zero and 2008's The Slip. The performances of the Ghosts tracks were ethereal with a stand-up double bass, xylophone, and uncommon instruments at an industrial rock concert. So very clever and entertaining...all with an amazing light show to augment the experience.

Afterward, we drove down to Stow to crash at Nick and Staci's. Then, the magic happened. A 3:31am text message wakes us from our slumber:

What a great day.

No spitball needed.

Really? It's been 34 years? THIRTY-FOUR????

Spitball pitcher Gaylord Perry in 1974. 20 wins. Since? Not CC Sabathia. Not Greg Swindell. Not Tom Candiotti. Not Bert Blyleven. Not Wayne Garland. But Cliff Lee. 20-game winner, Cliff Lee.

Lee first 20-game winner for Indians since '74

CLEVELAND (AP) -Once inside the clubhouse, Cliff Lee 's teammates popped open champagne and toasted his latest win, his biggest win.

Exactly one year after being brought back from the minor leagues, Lee had something major to celebrate: He's Cleveland's first 20-game winner in 34 years.

''Has a nice ring to it,'' Lee said. ''I like the sound of that.''

Lee, who was sent back to Triple-A last season to work on his mechanics and his mental approach, pitched a five-hitter for his second career shutout and led the Indians to a 5-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.

Lee (20-2) is the first Indian to reach 20 wins since Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry went 21-13 in 1974. The left-hander's milestone win was his ninth straight victory.

''I never lost confidence,'' Lee said. ''I never got down on myself or questioned my abilities. I never once doubted what I could do.''

With a chance to also join Hall of Famers Bob Feller and Bob Lemon as Cleveland's 20-game winners, Lee shut down the hard-hitting, Central-leading White Sox . He gave up two singles to open the first before retiring 21 straight and finishing his fourth complete game.

''That's the best I've seen him throw against us in some time,'' said Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen , whose club dropped into a tie for first in the Central with Minnesota. ''He's a 20-game winner for a reason. We got to him early and had an opportunity. Then he shut us down, just dominated us.''

After he got Carlos Quentin to ground into a game-ending double play, Lee punched his fist into his glove and hugged catcher Kelly Shoppach as fireworks boomed above Progressive Field. And as he has done 19 other times this season, Lee got in line to exchange handshakes with his teammates.

First baseman Ryan Garko flipped the ball to Lee, and he headed to the dugout as a video tribute from Perry and Feller was shown on the stadium scoreboard.

''It's nice to get this behind me and not have to answer questions about matching Gaylord Perry ,'' Lee said in a typically stoic tone. ''I'm glad I got it over with on the first try. It's a good feeling, especially not giving up any runs.''

Lee's 20 wins put a resounding stamp on his turnaround season.

Ineffective for the first fourth months of 2007, Lee had been sent back to the minors last July, a startling downfall for a pitcher who had won 46 games over the previous three years. In his final start before the demotion, Lee was booed off the field and sarcastically tipped his cap at fans who were sick of seeing him.

Now, they can't get enough of Lee.

Since the first day of spring training in '08, he has been in a groove.

''It's a tremendous tribute to him and the work and the commitment he made,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ''These things don't happen by accident.''

He went 5-0 in April and was 12-2 when he took the mound as the AL's starter at the All-Star game in Yankee Stadium. He went 5-0 with a 1.86 ERA in August.

He leads the majors in wins and ERA, and no pitcher has meant more than the laid-back 30-year-old, who has accounted for 30 percent of Cleveland's 66 victories.

The Indians' three-decades-plus drought without a 20-game winner was the longest among non-expansion teams. Tampa Bay, Colorado and Florida have never had a pitcher get to 20 wins, and it's been 30 years since the Montreal/Washington franchise and San Diego had a 20-game winner.

Lee has refused to put emphasis on any start but his next one, and has shrugged off his success with a hey-this-is-my job nonchalance. For weeks, he has downplayed any significance of reaching the 20-win barrier, insisting all he wants to do is give the Indians a chance to win.

Lee has been remarkably consistent, pitching at least five innings in all 27 starts. He has allowed two or fewer runs in 21 of them and hasn't walked a batter 10 times. He has been nearly as good on the road (11-2) as at home (9-0).

His approach has been simple.

''You've got to locate. You've got to work ahead. You've got mix and change speeds,'' Lee said. ''That's the key to pitching.''

Orlando Cabrera and A.J. Pierzynski opened the first with singles. But Lee struck out Quentin and then got Jermaine Dye to hit a hard liner to second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera , who snagged the drive and stepped on the bag for the double play.

Lee gave up two singles in the ninth before he got Pierzynski to fly to left. Chicago's fiery catcher, who slammed his bat down after popping out in the fourth, then stared in Lee's direction. Lee stared back.

''He was chirping from the dugout,'' said Lee, who couldn't recall if he yelled anything back at Pierzynski. ''He gave me a little extra energy. I appreciate that, him giving me a little extra edge.''

Pierzynski denied yelling at Lee.

''I didn't say anything to him the whole game,'' he said. ''I yelled something when I popped up. He pitched a great game and has had a heck of a season. Give the guy credit. Winning 20 games is pretty darn good.''

As the Indians celebrated Lee's win, many of the White Sox remained in their dugout, perhaps upset by the left-hander's posture.

''I don't care,'' Lee said.

I swear, we'll report on Denver soon. Really.

But first, there was a little thing called a "Fantasy Football Draft" that occurred earlier tonight. And of course this takes precedence over all else. Kimberly and Chris are both involved in a 10-team league for mucho dinero. $75 entry fee for each person. $750 in the pot to be divided between division winner, champion, consolation bracket, etc.

The Gordonian teams:

Chris - "Primary Fermentation" (drafted 9th out of 10)
QB Jay Cutler, DEN
QB Vince Young, TEN
RB Steven Jackson, STL
RB Frank Gore, SF
RB Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC
RB Matt Forte, CHI
WR Brandon Marshall, DEN
WR Roy Williams, DET
WR Chris Chambers, SD
WR Santana Moss, WAS
TE Tony Gonzalez, KC
TE Greg Olsen, CHI
PK Rob Bironas, TEN
PK Phil Dawson, CLE
Def Packers, Team Defense, GB
Def Redskins, Team Defense, WAS

Kimberly - "Pierre's and Morton's" (drafted 10th out of 10)
QB David Garrard, JAC
QB Marc Bulger, STL
RB Joseph Addai, IND
RB Fred Taylor, JAC
RB Ronnie Brown, MIA
RB Justin Fargas, OAK
WR Wes Welker, NE
WR TJ Houshmandzadeh, CIN
WR Lee Evans, BUF
WR Vincent Jackson, SD
TE Dallas Clark, IND
TE Todd Heap, BAL
PK Adam Vinatieri, IND
PK Mason Crosby, GB
Def Giants, Team Defense, NYG
Def Buccaneers, Team Defense, TB

The Gordon showdown occurs Week 1 as Kimberly meets Chris in a duel for the ages. However, it's apparently obvious that Kimberly stands no chance for victory. She could state differently; however, she does not post on here so Chris runs the show and makes whatever outrageous claims he desires. Mmmmmwuhahahaha....