Free Drink Friday #3: Highland Brewing Company Gaelic Ale

Welcome back to Free Drink Friday here at the Point Blank Critic.

Today I want to introduce you folks to the Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, North Carolina.  They grew out of a heavy Scottish-American influence that was common here in western North Carolina.

This Gaelic Ale is a treat from the moment you open it.  If you're a beer geek like I am, your first instinct will be to inhale the aroma.  This will be enough to sell most people on this ale as you will be overwhelmed with the complexity of the hops used in this brew.

I recommend that you pour this beer into your favorite pint glass.  You're going to want to see the amber color.  I promise you won't be disappointed.  I've seen little so appetizing.

When you first taste it, you will feel the aroma being enhanced by the sweetness of the malt.  The finish is a dry bitter hop that will leave you craving more.

And, getting more shouldn't be a problem.  I'm putting a full 6 of these into my 6 pack.

I think I need another.

The Point Blank Critic

Society: Alexander Central High School

I'm angry tonight.  A special kind of anger that occurs when something I love, like my family, is attacked by something I despise, like North Carolina public schools.

I have had my own bouts with these institutions.  My past is wrought of injustices from the school system.  My extended family contains many dedicated public educators.  I know the system.  I've been abused by it before.  It has beaten me before.  Only once.  I've beat it ever since.

This latest abuse, however, is a mistreatment of one of my cousins who is a senior in high school.  I don't want to mention the specific high school at this time to protect myself until I've done more research, but I do want to make sure other people can voice their opinions to them as well.  It is Alexander Central High School in Alexander County, North Carolina.

What are they doing that is so bad?  It seems that this school will begin using a senior project system within the next year or two.

This is a stupid thing in my own opinion, but that's not what I'm here to discuss.

See, my cousin, being a senior now, wasn't subject to this yet.  Until he returned to school for the spring semester, that is.  He entered his senior english class, pretty much the only class he needs to pass for his graduation to be assured, and found out that his class is one of three senior english classes chosen to pilot this senior project idea.

That isn't fair for a number of reasons.

1. He and his classmates did not receive any fair warning that this would be the case this semester.  Some classmates have already scheduled dual enrollment in college courses or worked out internships for other class programs.  This comes as a huge, unexpected burden to kids who are already going to be stressed out by graduation, college, and the real world looming on the horizon.

2. It doesn't affect everybody.  All these kids deserve to be treated the same as the other classes.  No classes in the fall semester had to do this.  And, as a pilot it should be optional.  The only benefit they get is not having to take a final.  Something which was already achievable by not missing class, or some other means.

3. It is apparently dangerous.  This is my least favorite part of something I despise in its entirety.  All these children have to get a waiver signed by their parents saying that if they get injured while working on this project, the school is not to be held liable.  If they do not provide this waiver, they automatically get a 0 on the grade for this project and fail the class.

I wouldn't sign it.  I don't think it should be legal to require this, if it even is legal!

This school is a public institution!  They can not require parents to sign away the safety of their children with the only other option being failing and missing an on-time graduation.  They need to offer an alternative for parents who refuse this.

My uncle has contacted the school system already to inform them of an extreme depression that this has set on my cousin.  This kid has already been in counseling to help him deal with emotional problems originating at school, and has just started to enjoy his time there.  Now they set this on him and sink him lower than he's been before.

What is their reply?

Nothing.

They have not replied to this family with a depressed child.  Are you outraged now?  Yea, I thought so.  I expect to be submitting an editorial similar to this to the local paper there to make the public aware of this, but if you wish to also voice your opinion, I will provide email links to officials below.  Thank you for any support you offer us in fighting this injustice.

The Point Blank Critic

Contact to express an opinion on this: Superintendent Jack Hoke and/or Principal Iva Leviner

LOLCats Bible

The oddest cultural phenomenon of late is the LOLCat. Cute kitties with bad internet grammar and important statements to make.

Why is this so entertaining? Is it the cute animals? We all love cute animals. The statements themselves, though, carry some serious power. In a language referred to as Kitty Pidgen, among other names, these statements reflect kitten baby-talk merged with post-modern internet jargon.

Now, I have become aware of a project of translation involving this pop culture language. This project hopes to translate the Holy Bible into Kitty Pidgen.

I don't know how to react to this. But, I want a copy of it when it's done. Go check out their website, which is a wiki, and maybe help translate some verses if you're good with Kitty Pidgen.

The Point Blank Critic

DVD Extra: Futurama Math Lecture on Bender's Big Score

For me, learning math is fun. I think math is just plain sexy. You like integers? I do.

And, so do the writers who create Futurama. They are a bunch of extreme geeks. Their numbers include several PhD's in sciences. And, they use math jokes. A lot.

Often in Futurama, the professor may be working on some complex equation to solve the episode's latest conflict. All the math used, is a reference to real theories and their placement and subtle reference is always thought out in the context of the episode. More than that though, even numbers used in minor roles, such as the number of the ship Nimbus, has a meaning to them.

So, on the dvd for Bender's Big Score, there is a special treat for math lovers like myself. They bring in Dr. Sarah Greenwald, a math professor from Appalachian State University here in North Carolina, to give a lecture on the math found in these episodes. It's interesting stuff. She even uses the show to bring up math concepts in her classes. Her website lists some of her research and assignments.

So, if you love math and Futurama, you should check out this special feature on the disk. It's hot.

I'm going to buy a Klein glass now. I'll write about my source for one when it happens.
The Point Blank Critic

Toys: Lego

What is your favorite toy from early childhood? Lincoln Logs? Action figures? Toy cars?

Whatever it was, chances are you also got a chance to play with one of my favorites, Lego blocks. Building toys, such as Lego, are excellent ways for children to develop motor skills along with critical thinking and spatial relationship skills. I don't think I'd be where I am today without these wonderful little bricks of plastic.

In the last several years, Lego has been getting more complicated as they build new pieces and shapes to fit some of their tie-in products such as their Star Wars model sets. But, I remember having maybe 10 brick shapes excluding the Lego men. Some of the first sets I remember having crazier custom pieces were the western set. My brother practically had a whole cowboy town set up in our basement. We spent hours building stuff, and maybe even longer cleaning up afterwards.

Childhood. I miss it.

Lego may be feeling the same way, however. Today marks the 50th birthday for Lego. I'm not sure if they mean the 50th anniversary since going on sale, or founding the company, or what. But, if they're celebrating, I want to join in. I might just go buy a new set this afternoon! Maybe you should too. Remember your childhood, for just a little while.

The Point Blank Critic

Sports: The World Cup

Soccer is complicated.

Far more complicated than many people in the United States realize.  We have our national league with teams at big cities, and people sometimes feel a little hometown pride in it.  A few people realize, however, that there's a deeper world to this whole soccer thing.

Football is the worlds most popular sport.  It is played all around the globe, and is followed with the fierceness of fans with loyalty rivaling the same intensity seen for sports teams in the US.  With hundreds of teams in the world, and many many different leagues and divisions, most Americans have a hard time understanding how it all works, worldwide.

In an effort to help alleviate this, I will try to break down how the ultimate championship of soccer works.  The World Cup.

So, how does the World Cup work?

The world is divided into groups.  These groups are almost split by continent, but not quite.  The groups consist of North, Central America and Caribbean; Asia; Europe; Oceania; Africa; and South America.  Each division has a set of national teams that struggle against each other for the chance to qualify.

The methods behind this are still complex beyond me, and vary between region somewhat.

With about 200 national teams in the running, and only 31 open spots available (as the host nation is automatically qualified as the 32nd team), it's no wonder that the running for the 2010 games began in August 2007.

Once the complicated part is over, a preliminary round begins with the worlds 32 finest teams.  They are divided into 8 groups of 4 who will eliminate half of the teams in each group.  Each group plays 6 games in which each team plays each of the other teams once.  The teams are awarded 3 points for winning, and 1 point in a draw.  The 2 teams with the most points continue to the tournament proper in the top 16 teams.

This part of the tournament is straight forward.  Single elimination tournament, working towards the final championship match.  The losing teams in the final four, however, play a 3rd place ranking match.

The only major change in the tournament is that there cannot be a game ending in a draw.  If, after 90 minutes, the game is tied up, there can be 2 fifteen minute over time periods.  A tie at this point is settled by a 5 shot penalty contest.  Furthermore, if this is tied then they settle it with a 1 shot penalty contest until one team is finally ahead.

Now that you have maybe a little understanding of how this all goes down, you should look up your nations group and see if they can make it to the 32 in the coming months!

See you in South Africa in 2010!

The Point Blank Critic