Drive-Bys

Question of the Week:

"I've been a derelict blogger the last couple weeks, but you've been fooking nonexistent! What, did you go to Ireland again and get married?" -- My Norwegian Pal from the North Woods

Ummm... no and no (although the former would be nice) (and the latter is not high on my bucket list... although there's a certain smolderingly hot Italian bartender from one of my favorite Dublin pubs who would at least have me toying with the idea for a day or two if: a) I had enough Black Bush in my system and b) I'd completely taken leave of my senses).

Work has been crazy busy. That Was Then opened, and I've been helping out with front-of-the-house stuff like box office and concessions (including an odd experience with a strange little woman who looked like a character straight out of The Simpsons, but that's a story for another day). This required convoluted train scheduling and extra travel time. I've been up to my eyeballs in biographies -- looooooooooong biographies. I was sick one day. I didn't feel like it a few times. I got distracted a few more times.

Between Mad Mikey and Harper, however, I've been suitably chastised... and it's nice to have been missed.

Now back to my regularly scheduled blogging...
_____

So now it's scientifically proven:

[S]cientists claim to have settled the score once and for all: Guinness tastes better in Ireland than anywhere else.

Experts from the Institute of Food Technologists carried out extensive taste surveys in 33 cities in 14 countries to find the best place for a pint of the black stuff.

And the majority of testers said they enjoyed a pint of plain in Ireland far more than in any other location.

The study, which claims to be the first to scientifically prove that the stout doesn't travel well, used 'non-expert' tasters, each from different countries, to conduct the test.

It took 103 in 71 different pubs where factors such as pub ambience, Guinness appearance, flavour, and aftertaste were all considered.

Using a Visual Analogue Scale which ranks enjoyment from 1-100, Guinness drinking in Ireland averaged a score of 74, compared to just 57 anywhere else.

There's another reason, not raised by this article:

The only place their Quality Team shows up to inspect taps, lines, refrigeration temperatures and the like, and where they'll yank the publican's license if they don't comply with their quality standards is Ireland.

(And I certainly would have volunteered to be a part of that tasting panel!)
_____

Classic Obama -- Asking one Arab nation, which is currently making government protests illegal, to arm another Arab nation's rebels... and being surprised when he doesn't get a response.
_____

_____

Guilty of driving while webbing? You’re not alone. An online State Farm survey found 19 percent of drivers say they use the Web while driving.

As someone who was hit by a taxi driver when he yakked away on his cell phone, may I just say this:

Get the fuck off the phone when you're behind the wheel.

Thank you.
_____

Once again George R.R. Martin toys with my emotions:

The next book in George R.R. Martin’s bestselling A Song of Ice and Fire series has a publication date.

Yes, we swear, after waiting six long years since the release of the last novel in the saga, the fabled Book 5 A Dance With Dragons is close enough to being finished* for Martin’s publisher to set a release date. We have that date, exclusively, along with a first look at the book’s cover art and an interview with the man himself.

A Dance With Dragons will be published by Bantam on July 12, 2011. The manuscript is huge — the publisher estimates the hardcover edition will run more than 900 pages, putting it about the same length as the longest book in the series, A Storm of Swords. Schedule your summer vacation accordingly.

His last book in this series had at least three "firm" publication dates on Amazon.com, and each one came and went whizzing by over the course of more than 18 months.

Yes, I know. You've all seen publication dates before: dates in 2007, 2008, 2009. None of those were ever hard dates, however. Most of them... well, call it wishful thinking, boundless optimism, cockeyed dreams, honest mistakes, whatever you like.

This date is different. This date is real.

I call bullshit. He hasn't even turned in the final manuscript yet... because it's not DONE yet.

Oh, well. At least we now know what the cover will look like.
_____

The good folks at CSN Stores apparently like me and my readers, as they've authorized me to do another give-away. I'm still figuring out just what kind of contest it'll be. In the meantime, start sharpening your wits if you want to win. Stay tuned!