another saturday night

Well, I don't ain't got nobody - hmm, triple negative - but I felt it was worth recording that batch 8, a Coopers Aussie Bitter, tastes OK after the minimum secondary fermentation period of two weeks. So any visitors from Canberra or Taiwan can get a reasonable brew here. Followed up that stubbie with one from (I think, I keep forgetting to colour code the crown seals so I can tell 'em apart) batch 7 that also tastes OK, thus proving that to the untutored and/or undiscerning tongue, after one stubbie anything tastes OK...

The papers are full of tales of bastardry that I could recount, analyse and become vituperous about, but it wouldn't get us too far. The unfolding tragedy in the US as George W Bush admits some role - as I understand it - in the leaking of information to the media about a serving US spy (Valerie Plame) because her husband (George Wilson) had caused his administration distress by telling the truth about the nonexistence of Nigerian nuclear material being bought by Saddam - are you with me still? - has a reached a new phase with another of the band of crooks, one Lewis 'Scooter' Libby admitting he authorised (?) the leak under orders. It all smells very much like Watergate and, if there still any justice in the world, it will end up the same. Here's hoping.

Today's picture come to you courtesy of model cars of Raceland and I include it just because it tickled my fancy. A lovely French family going on holidays on a Saturday night - as you do.

...and in late breaking news, the Rolling Stones have agreed to leave a number of very naughty songs - well they were deemed naughty by some people when they were first released - off their playlist for China because it will set back the Glorious Revolution by several centuries. "Let's Spend the Night Together", "Brown Sugar", "Honky Tonk Women" and "Beast of Burden". I can understand the last - don't want those pesky several billion peasants to figure out where they fit in the Great Socialist Paradise Scheme of Things, do we?

Actually, having had Sticky Fingers on the lo-fi this morning so I could play along, I have to admit that Brown Sugar is the most perfect amalgam of racism, misogyny, class stereotyping and sado-masochism that I think has ever been represented in one short piece of popular culture. A triumph! Such fun to bellow at the neighbours "hear him whip the women just around midnight." That'll keep 'em in line.

Update: Actually, the problem here is that in between typing "update" and sitting again at the computer, I've cooked and eaten dinner, had a short conversation with father and now I've utterly forgotten what the update was about. In this interim period we've had the ubiquitous Rodent on our very own Pravda - it really is just a *Howard Administration mouthpiece nowadays - announcing the money for medical training after the obligatory reference to "strong economy". You gotta admire the self-control: he never gets off message: only the Liberals can bring you a strong economy. Relentlessly campaigning.

And now we're getting double demerit points for speeding in Queensland, so we've had the relevant Minister sounding very serious as one does when discussing very important topics such as this. The fact that double demerit points hasn't worked anywhere else is no barrier - if you can't work your way through a policy problem, your ever-ready bureaucrats will have an off-the shelf diversion remedy.

Ah, now I remember the update - actually batch 7 stills tastes like shit.

* Used to be known as the Australian Government: now the Howard Administration. Sounds somehow more appropriate. Gives you reassurance that they're in control.

This post brought to you by the strong economy.

NB: this is not a strong economy.

After update update: on second thoughts, they're German. Not because Raceland is a German based company, but because of the hat. And the sideburns. And the suitcase.