lummi island wine tasting sept 27 ’19
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Friday Breads
Note: Our baker is away for three weeks in the northern Baltics in search of new breads and pastries. So…next Bread Friday won’t be until (gulp!) October 11th!
Don’t worry, though, the shop will be open on this Friday and Saturday as usual, so come by and celebrate the end of this year’s Ferry Drydock!
( note: Breads must be pre-ordered by Wednesday for pickup here at the wine shop at our Friday wine tasting, 4-6pm. Planning a visit to the Island? Email us to get on the mailing list!)
Making Jet Fuel from Air
Any general, off-hand thinking about the effects of jet travel on climate make us think about the impossibility of flying without paying a big price in environmental damage. Any of today’s jet airliners uses thousands of pounds of fossil fuels per hour to get aloft and fly us thousands of miles. At any given moment over a million people are airborne across the world. And it is hard to imagine how to lower the carbon footprint for jet travel.
Recent research (watch video) has been exploring methods for extracting CO2 from the atmosphere and using it to make jet fuel (which, btw, is more like kerosene than like gasoline). The various experimental systems use solar energy and high temperatures to convert carbon dioxide and water into hydrogen and carbon monoxide, also known as synthesis gas (syngas). It sounds a lot like reverse breathing; instead of inhaling oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide, it breathes in CO2 and exhales syngas which can be used for anything, especially aviation fuel. (watch another video)
Lots of big investors (like Bill Gates) have put $$ into researching this idea, and several pilot projects are underway. This is an encouraging sign that economic incentives for innovation in climate stabilization are getting the attention of investors and will soon bear fruit!
Mar a Lago Update: Bribery Vs. Extortion
Bribery is about exchanging something of value to influence the actions of an individual holding a public office or legal duty. There are at least two parties involved; one which wants the favor, and one with the means to provide it. Both solicitation and acceptance constitute crimes regardless of whether the solicitation results in the receipt of a valuable gift.
Similarly, extortion is the gaining of property or money by threatening any kind of force, violence, property damage, or other harm if a particular action is not carried out. Extortion is a felony in every state.
In the case of the Tweetster’s now World-Famous telephone conversation with the new President of Ukraine, until recently (no one could have made this up) a well-known comedian in Ukraine, it is perhaps harder to figure out whether the obvious Crimes implied in the conversation would better be called Bribery or Extortion. What IS clear is that whatever you call it, it totally qualifies as “bribery” as used in the Constitution of the United States to define an Impeachable Offense.
Since the news broke (was it only Yesterday…?) about the Tweetster’s phone conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky, the new Ukrainian President (maybe he has a Thing for anyone named Vladimir…?), the airwaves have been Overloaded with endless Right and Left Wing Punditry about the decision of the House of Representatives to upgrade their Investigation a notch closer to an actual Impeachment resolution.
Everything that is going on in the media right now about these latest developments is reminiscent of the testimony of the Tweetster’s long-time personal lawyer Michael Cohen’s warnings: “Mr.Trump did not directly tell me to lie to Congress. That’s not how he operates,” Cohen said in his opening statement. “He doesn’t give you questions, he doesn’t give you orders — he speaks in a code. And I understand the code because I’ve been around him for a decade.”
As Everybody Knows, the point of this kind of code among Crime Bosses is to avoid leaving explicit evidence lying about; in other words, maintaining what everyone in Politics calls, “Plausible Deniability.” The unsurprising Takeaway from these events is that as a group, Republicans have no underlying Ethic. On the contrary, they will do anything, say anything, and dissemble about their fluidity on any particular value except Holding Power.
Dog help us…!
Washington Post Tweetster Lie Count to date: 12,000 as of 6/10/19
This weekend’s wine tasting
Villa Sparina Gavi di Gavi ’13 Italy $17
Bright golden color. Scent of overripe pears, spices, citrus fruit and aromatic herbs; Well balanced notes of honey and butter; full-bodied and savory. And a wine bottle worth saving!
La Croix Belle Caringole Rosé ’17 France $12
Syrah-Grenache blend; intense nose of rose petals and garrigue; palate of cherries and raspberries with notes of dried rosemary and thyme and a citrus accent on the crisp finish.
Carmen Carmenere ’17 Chile $16
Aromas of fresh berries, baking spices and chocolate get this wine going; full bodied yet balanced, with toasty black fruit flavors with grip and intensity; full bodied yet balanced, with blackberry, herbal plum and spices.
Capcanes Mas Donis Old Vines ‘15 Spain $12
Velvety mouthfeel and texture; wild red and black berry flavors, with cherry, spices and herbs; medium to full-bodied with soft and velvet tannins and nicely refreshing finish.
Juggernaut Hillside Cabernet ’16 California $19
Huge, rich, and opulent, with complex flavors of chocolate, coffee, blackberries, cassis, mint, and velvety tannins. New French oak adds notes of vanilla and toast; concentrated, rich, and smooth on the palate.
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2072 Granger Way