- Monks and beer seem like a natural fit…right? No one
thinks of the dudes with shaved heads in brown robes and doesn’t automatically
think of the stereotypical home brew guy who likes to make his own craft beer
and then tell everyone how awesome and distinct his brand of brew is. In truth,
Trappist
monks have been brewing beer in Europe for centuries and the concept simply has
never caught on the way it should in the United States…until now. Thanks to the
Trappist monks at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Mass., brewskis and men of God
are intermingling in the U.S. of A in a big way and it’s all in the name of
keeping the doors of their monastery open. For six decades and counting, the
monks relied on jams and jellies to support the monastery, but their business
model became an outdated relic and they realized the "expense line was
rising at a faster rate than our income," Friar Issac said. At that point,
the friars sat down and honestly assessed their situation. They elected to
embrace their heritage and start their own brewery. It was no simple endeavor
and putting the plan into motion took some time. The brewery finally opened for
business earlier this year, becoming the first Trappist brewery outside of
Europe. Its operations are based on sustainability and green practices, with
the spent grain from the brewing process used by local farmers as animal feed
and compost. The installation of solar panels on the brewery’s roof will
further augment the enviro-friendly approach and Friar Isaac noted that the entire
process is actually very in sync with the monks' "quiet, meditative way.” "We
really brew on the practical level to sustain a way of life," he said.
"Plus it brightens up Sunday suppers,” he said……….
- Twitter is used for a lot of destructive and damaging
activities – it’s about time someone found a way to utilize the social media
site for something productive. Mississippi
State athletic director Scott Stricklin and his Kansas State counterpart John
Currie treaded new ground this week by turning some good-natured Twitter banter
into a home-and-home football series to be played in Manhattan, Kansas, in 2018
and in Starkville, Mississippi, in 2019. "It takes a pretty savvy
partner," Stricklin said. "John's a pretty sharp guy. It was kind of
a fun way to do it. There's a younger generation of guys out there that
communicate through these mediums." The back and forth commenced Friday
when Currie, participating in a Chillin For Charity video, was challenged by
Stricklin to contribute to the charity. The charity itself was a good enough
purpose for some playful, productive banter, as all of its proceeds go to the
Kay Yow Foundation, which raises money for breast cancer research and is named
in honor of the former North Carolina State women's basketball coach. Currie
challenged Stricklin and other ADs to contribute and at the end of the video,
he addressed Stricklin. “We think that Mississippi State ought to come here at
Bill Snyder Family Stadium and play a little football sometime,” Currie said. He
tagged Stricklin in his post and since the two had already had preliminary
discussions in the past about a possible series, both decided it was time to
take the chance in front of them. Stricklin’s initial offer for games in 2016
and 2017 didn’t work, but the later dates proved to be feasible for both. "Mississippi
State and Kansas State are two of the leading research universities in the
country," Stricklin said. "Even though we're land-grant universities,
we're both tech-savvy. You have to be able to run with the advance crowd."
For once, Twitter wins the day……..
- Canada has produced some truly…umm, memorable music over
the years. Loverboy, Barenaked Ladies, Bryan Adams…the list goes on and on and
on. So how is the next great Canadian musical icon supposed to emerge if the
powers that be in Winnipeg are going to stifle his or her talents on one of the
primary places where the world could hear a joyful song? Yes, Winnipeg’s
executive policy committee has approved a new transit bylaw Wednesday that says
if a person sings on a city bus, they could be fined $100 for their offense. t.
The committee actually voted to pass several transit rules along with the
tickets-for-tunes policy, including fines for not paying bus fare, carrying a
firearm, urinating, and spraying graffiti on a city bus, but the new singing
rule is the one rightfully garnering the most attention. This overreaching rule
not only bans singing on buses, but provides for the same fine for passengers
who play an instrument or offer any live musical performance on a city bus
without permission from Winnipeg Transit. The troubadours of Winnipeg are
squarely in the crosshairs of The Man here and the committee clearly doesn’t care
what the public thinks because an initial public poll showed that 76 percent of
respondents did not agree with the rule change. The ass-hatted among the
respondents noted that loud music and singing can disrupt others' rides, as
well as the driver's concentration, but these people are ass hats. “The intent
of the proposed Transit by-Law is to provide improvements to Transit safety and
security, and to provide a mechanism to manage disruptive behavior on the
Transit system,” Winnipeg Transit director Dave Wardrop said, adding that the
rule could be tweaked. “With some revised wording, we expect that the purpose
of the proposed by-law will be clearer that the intent is not to limit freedom
of expression.” Should the rule stand as is, perhaps it’s time for Wippipeg
wannabe rock stars to channel their inner Rosa Parks and take the fight to the
filthy, stained, gum-caked floors of their primary mode of transportation……….
- Josh Homme does not appreciate being labeled
the guy who changed Arctic Monkeys' sound. Homme, who worked with the band on their third
album “Humbug” and also provided backing vocals on the track “Knee Socks” on
their much-praised release “AM” last year, has heard the suggestions that he
was responsible for the band’s altered sound to a more plodding, heavy style on
recent albums. "I think there's a misconception that I slowed them down or
weirded them out when we worked together," Homme said. "They've been
playing this dangerous game of changing on every record, reaching like a rock
climber for their next grip. I just love them as people." That’s good news
because caring about a band as people doesn’t happen often enough and in no way
does it sound like overly praising show business talk that doesn’t have much
actual weight behind it. Homme is correct when he says that Arctic Monkeys have
altered their sound significantly from album to album and each of their four
releases has sported a different approach as they have gone from quirky
indie/alternative band from Sheffield, England to mainstream indie favorites
whose music consistently appears on soundtracks for commercials and TV shows.
As for Homme’s primary band, Queens of the Stone Age, the plan is reportedly to
begin work on a follow-up to last year’s “Like Clockwork,” with Homme insisting
the band has "more than enough songs" for a new album………
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