Books for Christmas
I received a handful of good books for Christmas. Most of the books are intended to further my exploration of the thought and background of Albert Jay Nock, but I also received a book that I requested for the sole reason that it sounds like fun: The Complete Book of Spirits. It's a compendium of the history, production, and enjoyment of various types of liquor.
I've only had a chance to flip through it and read the first few pages, but I've already gleaned the following interesting information about vodka:
In Russia and Poland vodka has many nicknames, such as 'Hot Water,' 'the Monopolka,' 'the Bubble,' 'Crankshaft,' 'the Bitter Stuff,' 'the White Stuff.' . . . Vodka is made from fermented mash, water, and ethyl alcohol. Unlike other spirits, which are defined by how and where they're made (brandy has to be made from fruit, rum from sugar beets or cane, tequila from the juice of the blue agave; Scotch has to come from Scotland and cognac comes only from France) vodka can be made anywhere from any raw carbohydrates that will ferment.
Good stuff, that. Lots of information that makes you a better conversationalist in informal settings.
Highly recommended book.
Hoopes on Hitchens
Tom Hoopes remembers Christopher Hitchens. It's one of the more moving essays I've seen in the past couple of months. Best excerpt:
“Religion Kills,” says Hitchens, being clever. But then the corpse of Christ says it right back to him from the cross. Hitchens in his book scoffs that yes, if he were approached in the middle of the night by men leaving a prayer meetings in many parts of the world, he would be afraid. Christ answers, “Me too. They arranged my death after prayer meetings.”
Pretty Low
That old Eddie Murphy monologue: "I want to take the Hell Express. 'You shot the Pope? You can go right through.'"
Similarly: A family living near San Jose "returned home Wednesday evening and found the front and back doors open and several gifts, worth about $600, missing, as well as the family" dog. Link.
You shot the pope routine. Go to 30-second mark. Note: R-Rated language:
