A Northwest Holiday

I'm a day late, but that's only because I went RUNNING out yesterday to get me some frosty delicious goodness. That's right, yesterday Deschutes Brewery tapped the first kegs of Jubelale. ("Tapped" is obviously a bit of a misnomer as I was able to buy some the same day at Fred Meyer, but hey, I've exaggerated a time or two).

A few years ago, I had no idea what Jubelale was. I was working in the beer business and having a "meeting" with one of my co-workers in town from Nebraska when he got a text message that made him jump out of his chair, grab his keys and all but shout, "DUDE, let's go, they just tapped the Jubel," and run out the door. Seriously.

So the point is, it's good. Really good. And I've got to say that this year's blows last years out of the water. I recommend you grab six and grub and settle in to watch USC beat the sad, sad piss out of OSU tomorrow (while somehow wishing both teams could lose/settle in for a nice 10 year span of irrelevancy a la UW).

On a side note, I am glad the Jubelale is good. I had a bit of a falling out with the folks at Deschutes the week before. My GF recently brought over a couple bottles of this year's reserve, "the dissident." Although I don't want to get into a big beer snob love note for this beer, I must say, it is a treat. It's a Flanders style brown brewed with wild yeast and then aged separately for 18 months. It's some serious fancypants shit but boy oh boy does it come out well.

So, I ran not walked down to Deschutes to grab more just a couple days later only to find they had COMPLETELY SOLD OUT. I was disappointed to say the least, until I walked into Thriftway the next day to find an ample supply sitting untouched on their shelves. Anyway, do yourself a favor, if you can, get your hands on a bottle of this before it's gone. It's not like anything you've had before and is 100% worth it. Get it at Thriftway on Olson and Garden Home in SW Portland.

Shameless Self Promotion

Despite a bit of a lag during summer, we are happy to say the QLE is back in action. We will continue to do our best to post regularly and strive ever to be entertaining (or at least pass on the work of others who are entertaining).

I must also point out that we LOVE the 5 of you who religiously check the blog. I know it's hard to spell and occasionally a bit obtuse but hopefully still fun. The goal, however, is to continue to pass it on! With Applesauce and @TweeterCarrie at the Web 2.0 conference, we've been pointed toward some new tools to make sure that you can keep up to date with us (and pass us on to your friends - share the love!).

You can sign up with Feedburner using the form on the right. It will send you an email (one a day) when we have new content. If we're slacking, no email, so send Meeps a text and bust his balls. If you don't, you could miss something REALLY funny, like Charles Barkley's 50 most famous quotes. You can also use your RSS feed right in your Outlook to receive updates when new posts go up.

Other ways of sharing - Twitter, Delicious, Facebook, "Follow" the blog (also a link on the R side), or just email it to people. Any other suggestions, feel free to pass them on.

If you're reading this, chances are, everything is fine.

If you're reading this, that means that the world has not ended, the moon has not disappeared (that I can tell) and no destructive dark matter or universe devouring black holes have been created... Yet. If you need any further proof, you can click on the following site from a particle collider watchdog (seriously click on it, it's funny) www.hasthelhcdestroyedtheearth.com.

What is the LCH? It's a 17 mile underground tunnel that scientists are going to use to smash particles into each other in an attempt to re-create the beginning of the universe. OK, so that doesn't make a ton of sense, maybe we'll turn to Wikipedia to explain what it is. That doesn't help a ton either. Well, regardless, it's a huge machine and it does something big and potentially scary (to some people).

From my understanding we're not out of the woods yet. Today they sent a particle one way around the 17 mile loop - soon they will be sending one each way to make them crash into each other for the real "subatomic fireworks."

I listened to a clip from the countdown, it went something like this: "3... 2... 1... LAUNCH WAHOO IT WORKED!" It didn't take very long for the subatomic particle to go 17 miles at near the speed of light. Pretty anticlimactic to me, but the scientists were stoked (after 25 years and $80 Billion who can blame them).

So anyway, breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate a little today that our universe wasn't whiped out while you slept, or, if you like to worry, just wait for the next big bang...

Goji Berry. En Vogue In 2009

Recently, it seems that we as consumers have been bombarded with a hot new berry or fruit every year. Theses berries tote health benefits galore and social superiority aplenty.

In 2006 it was the campaign for the Blackberry (not the mobile device). 2007 we saw the rise of the Pomegranate . In '08 it was Acai (AH-SA-EEE). Be sure not to get that wrong phonetically at whole food or else risk a verbal lashing by the dude with spacers in his ears in the produce department.

I've been hearing rumblings within the health conscious community, Diageo, Jamba Juice cashier and grocery network that next year we are going to see a full court press for the Goji berry.

What really kills me about this is that its seemingly arbitrary and every yearly winner seems to burst on the scene as the best antioxidant, along with the highest amount of physically allowable daily recommended vitamins in the world. There are nutrients in these berries that haven't even been invented yet.

WTF is a BJD?

Have you ever said to yourself, "Hmm, I sure wish dolls looked more lifelike. I think I'd really like a two foot tall DOLL that more accurately mimics a human being, including realistic, movable joints." Well, if you have, here's what you've been looking for, the Ball Jointed Doll.


Oh, I'm sorry, you'd like something far creepier? Well, we've got the answer for you - google BJD Doll and you'll see numerous sites of people who photograph BJDs in provocative poses.


I love NPR because you never know what you'll hear. Sure, you can find some predictable left-leaning political coverage and endless discussion of the Israel/Palestine conflict, but every once in a while they will drop a pop culture story on you that just should not be missed (they also have great music).

Today, I was lucky enough to be listening to NPR's story on BJDs and boy oh boy did it make my drive home better. Click through to NPR.org and listen to or read the story about BJDs. Of course, I strongly recommend listening so you can hear the women who collect these dolls say crazy shit like:

"I have one 15-year-old girl who is my love," she says. "I have ordered for her a boyfriend who is a boxer and a physicist who will take good care of her. I've also ordered a vampire for her ... I couldn't resist."

Nelly - Hot in Herre

Juxtaposed to Radiohead, Nelly is on the other side of the music genius spectrum. We all jammed out to this track and we all know the lyrics. This was THE defining college fratastic classic. Banging Pharrell beat. Great sleazy video. Easy to remember hook and call backs. Its got it all. HOT IN HERRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEE

Free iPod

No, this post is not going to be full of spam, no you don't have to forward this to 100 friends (although passing on the QLE to friends IS recommended), but if you've got some spare time this week and don't mind doing a little finagling, a free $150 new toy awaits.

Go to the Key Bank website for terms conditions, etc. Basically it goes like this - get free checking, use your debit card and make two $100 bill payment transfers (cell phone bill, pay your credit card you've been meaning to pay anyway) and voila, a shiny new Nano shows up in the mail. The caveat, of course, is that you must keep the account open 6 months (or get slapped with a $25 fee - still a good deal!) and it will take a while to get your award, but for the grand total cost of $0 it's a smoking hot deal. There are two kickers:
1. You have until Friday to get the deal done (which I believe is as easy as applying online)
2. You will have a 1099 INT (basically telling the IRS you got this banking benefit) - but you can work that out with your tax adviser.

To take it one step further - if you're one of the many distressed by GoMusic.ru no longer taking VISA (chalk another one up for the recording industry), but don't want to give some site from Russia your bank account number - especially with they way THEY are taking things over lately (too soon?), then in theory you could use your Key Bank account as a "buffer" - putting money in there to get yourself cheap, high quality music but not giving them access to your big 3 figure savings account.

Quote of the Day

Dick Durbin, the other Senator from Illinois and the majority Whip, on rising oil prices...

"In two days, the price of oil rose $16," said Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., at a joint hearing of two Senate panels on oil speculation Tuesday. "Did I miss something, was there some war in the Middle East?"

"No, something is going on besides supply and demand, and it could be excessive speculation," he added.

Did he just ask if there was a war in the Middle East then answer "No" to his own question? Good one Dick, and great picture with the corpse formerly known as Joan Rivers.

Summer Drinking Pitfalls

Turns out, this summer, fit is the new fat.  Everyone is getting in shape.  Running, lifting, riding, jumping, playing, swimming - you name it, people are feeling motivated and ready to get that gut into shape for the summer.  One of the biggest motivations?  The plan for most summertime activities involves limited clothing and maximum consumption.  

But, there are potential pitfalls, according to this hard hitting piece in Newsweek: The Summer's Six Most Fattening Cocktails.  This is laugh out loud funny, some high points appear below:

- Drinking ONE mudslide is approximately equivalent to a Carl's Junior Loaded Breakfast Burrito at 820 Calories and 27.2 grams of fat.

- A margarita can get you with an astounding 850 calories.  That's ONE serving.  Ignore the fact that I washed down my recent Enchiladas and 4 baskets of chips dinner with the "48

 ouncer" at LaCostita.  I THINK we've found the problem...

So, what's a summer drinker to do?  Well, Miller has their suggestion: the new MGD Light 64 calorie beer.  That's right - about 1/2 your typical Booo Laiiii so now you can drink twice as much with half the guilt.  Or something like that.

Oh, the other pitfalls?  

Public Urination, assing out at weddings, assing out at company functions, knocking over dart machines, sleeping on railroad tracks, drunk dialing people who are now married, etc. etc.

Good luck this summer.

2 For One Entertainment

Although summer's just getting started, I am ALWAYS looking ahead to winter and the coming ski season.  I guess the fact that we're experience a "Juneuary" in the PNW makes it a little easier to ignoring the pending joy of summer and think about skiing again...

But, June is when Rage Films releases their annual ski film teaser.  A couple of minutes dedicated to sick, new school skiing, amazing cinematography and, as always, the hottest new track.  So, if you've never seen a Rage Films (or are already a fan) check out the teaser for "Such is Life."  As a special bonus, you will be introduced to MGMT with their cut "Time to Pretend."  Now you're in the know.

BYOBW 2008 - Adults Riding Kids Toys = Awesome

It has been said that, among other things, San Francisco is know for its unique and extravagant events, happenings and gatherings. 

Its OK to tie yourself and four of your friends to a shopping cart carrying a keg and run (fall) down the streets of North Beach in the Urban Iditarod. In San Francisco it is also cool, if it is your thing, to suck the cock of your buddy who is wearing nothing but a garter belt and ass-less chaps at high noon during the Dorey "Up Your Alley" Street Fair. 

If it strikes your fancy, its more than encouraged to go on a 16 hour E tab induced dance-a-thon trance session down Market street and in front of City Hall during the Love Parade in October. 

If you are the type of person that likes beer at 6:00AM on a Sunday Morning, the city shuts down the better half SF proper for you to "run" through downtown with 100,000+ of your friends in costume during Bay to Breakers. 

The list goes on and on, but the best and more pure showcase of fun and community may just be at the annual Bring Your Own Big Wheel (BYOBW) race.

The premise is really quite simple. You show up with an old Big Wheel, the classic red one with yellow tire works, or really any variation thereof is acceptable.  As everything in town, you dress up in some sort of Bizzaro (read: throw some shit together at the last minute) attire or garb. You bring some friends and a beer or two and get in line at the top of a ridiculously steep, windy and treacherous hill. Then you push off and careen toward the finish amid the cheers of the estimated 8,000 spectators and the ohs and ahs when that second turn sends you flailing into the guy that getting too close to the action. 

The race this year was moved from Lombard Street (you know, the picturesque, manicured shrub lined tourist trap) to the more precarious and even more curvy Vermont street hill in the Portrero (middle of nowhere) district. New location, but more people. The best part about this event, besides reliving my glory days on Bennington Drive when I'd race Eli Zackheim to defeat on a daily basis, was the fact that is truly was a family and community orientated event. 

People were behaved and in control. Everyone was smiling and in jovial disposition. Families brought their kids and parents raced along side their sons and daughters next to that hipster doofus from the Mission and that ad exec from the Marina.

All in all a spectacle to behold and embrace. And a second place finish in heat #2 by your's truly. Check out the video montage that some guy w/ too much time on his hands put together.

Dexia Tower - The Quintessential Building

Walking around the corner from the Parisian inspired and cobblestone lined, martyred infested part of Brussels, we were bombarded with the visual of a dancing building. 

Never I my life have I ever seen something like this, let along comprehended that anything of this sort could or did ever exist. It was as if the Daft Punk Pyramid techs took things to the next level and made their next project a few scales larger. 

The 145m high Dexia Tower is comprised of 4200 windows that are each fitted with individually controlled LED bars. Basically, this turns the whole facade of the building into one large video screen. There is no was they retrofitted this, is there?!!?!

The 150, 000 multi-colored LED lights equal one rock star light show. Push play to some Datarock on your iPod, grab an cold Kwak beer, bundle up and your ready for a good 30 mins of entertainment. We were transfixed, this was without a doubt, almost unequivocally, one of the best and most unexpected parts of the trip.

Every LED fixture is controlled independently and every floor can control can be manipulated individually. Coming home from work you can view stock quotes and catch the current and next days weather.

 

As explained on the LAb[au]'s website: "the project displays tomorrow's temperature, cloudiness, precipitations, and wind, by using colors and geometrical patterns to visualize these data. A color-code corresponds to tomorrow temperature compared to the monthly average, liked to a scale of color-temperatures ranging from violet (-6 celcius or colder) all the way up to red (+6 celcius or warmer)." 

Besides being possibly the most awesome building I've ever seen, it also goes down as being the geekiest. 

This wonder of a building begs a few questions?

1. Can you get any work done from the inside with Daft Punk lights blasting all around your office

2. Do the other surrounding buildings have a major inferiority complex? 

3. What kind of astronomical electric bill do these people have?

4. How and when can we can of of these buildings over here in the States?

Check out the video and notice the awesome commentary, "das das bla bla das is so cool, das ist weeeeee!" No, thats not us mocking German tourists, we pulled this off the Internet as Luke accidently blanked his memory chip on the third day of the trip.

Too good to pass up

We have agreed to do out best to avoid commenting on politics here, but this is too good to pass up. If you watched the State of the Union on Monday night, the Democratic response was delivered by Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas - who many say is a front runner for the VP nod on the Dem ticket in '08.

According to Fox News, John Sebelius, the 23 year old son of the Governor, is quite the entrepeneur. He is now selling a board game online called "Don't Drop the Soap." Some noteworthy challenges to the game include trying to avoid being cornered by the Aryans in the shower and trying not to smoke your entire stash in the hole. Much like Monopoly, you also get to choose your token, and your choices in this game notably include a bag of cocaine or a large black man named Anferny flexing in a wife beater and rockign some bling. Well done, John.

Who knows if this is life imitating art, but hello Black Sheep meets Billy Madison? Loser spoiled kid with rich parents makes brilliant personal choices and embarrasses Gubernatorial parent (brother in the movie...) on biggest night of their life? Or, is he a POS D-bag layabout who spends his time and parents money just sitting around, as the picture from his "company" website suggests.

Good work John. And, if any of you have plans for a family trip to the cabin, be sure to pick up a copy of "Don't Drop the Soap" and make sure you save the coke bag piece for Gramma.

Welcome to The QLE

Damn, that title looks good up there. The QLE is the first step toward our larger goal of making a website where you can go to find out what is really going on out there. The idea was spawned by Meeps' constant fear that he might be missing out on something and B Money's fervent love of seeming like an authority on a subject. This might suck, but it could be awesome. Please come back, check in, but most importantly, contribute. Enjoy.