Opt Out

As much as I disagree with what I think the end result of the health care debate will be, I just have to smile and shake my head in admiration at the introduction of the state Opt Out clause. Andrew Sullivan touches on it here.

Those are some pretty sweet tactics.

Marvin

You know that my primary goal is to ensure that you are entertained. Why else would I post about cheese, running, politics, and economics? They are all topics that make one smile and in some instances chuckle. So it is with great sadness that I bring to you Mark Thoma, who published a piece about monetary policy, the Fed, and international reserves as they pertain to the financial crisis, over at The Economist's View, which was then republished at The RGE Monitor.

Mark, sadly is lacking in the entertainment department. However, he more than makes up for it in the "Damn, he's probably right." department.

"Bag Check"

Dedication

Most of the time, I have no idea what I'm doing. Saturday, November 7th will be no different. It's my first triathlon. It will also mark the 18 month mark since the last time I swam laps in a pool. Should be interesting. Here's hoping my four weeks of training pay off.

The Cheese Is For Me

Had dinner at Vivat Bacchus last night. They had a cheese room. A whole room in a restaurant dedicated to cheese. Stinky, stinky cheese. Mmmmmmm. So for dessert:

Comte - an unpasteurized cow's milk cheese. Pretty mild and a cheese I like to use to cleanse the palet if I'm out of fruit.

St. Maure - an aged goat cheese wrapped in ash. I'm a big fan of hardened goat cheeses with creamy centers. Very nice.

Fourme d'Ambert - Wow. Simply wow. A French blue. When I tasted it, the fruity aftertaste completely shocked me. Apparently they inject the cheese with a sweet wine. A sweet blue? Amazing.

"Cheap Laughs"

Even though Christopher Hitchens most likely thinks I'm an idiot, I still can't get enough of his writing. The man has some serious chops. His latest piece in The Atlantic on Jon Stewart's rise to the top of the news heap is definitely worth reading.

Not a money quote. Simply my favorite quote of the article:

"Franken very often refers to himself as a “satirist,” which is a piece of hubris that comes to him too glibly and naturally. One wants to say, on hearing or reading such a claim, “Actually, sunshine, we’ll be the judge of that.”"

Cheese Log

Capra Valtellina - an aged, semi-hard goat cheese. It's mild and a little nutty.

Blacksticks Blue - a soft, but not creamy blue cow cheese from the U.K. It's orange, which is unusual. Pretty smooth initially with a nice blue aftertaste.

Robiola Bosina - a very soft cheese from Italy made with both cow's and sheep's milk. Has a velvety rind with a buttery, sweet inside.