Thus Spake Russ

Posted By Russ Emerson on April 8, 2004 at 9:11 am

Victor Davis Hanson pimpslaps Ted “it’s another Vietnam” Kennedy:

Senator Kennedy, the past exemplar of sober and judicious behavior….

Then he gets down to business:

But did he say Vietnam? Apparently the senator thinks that the cause of these medieval fanatics who want to bring the world back to the ninth century will resonate with leftists the same way Uncle Ho’s faux promises of equality and egalitarianism swayed stupid anti-war protesters of the past. Or is the real similarity that, once more, as promoters of anti-Communist realpolitik, we Americans are installing a right-wing government rather than promoting pluralism, elections, and the protection of minorities and women — the “dream” of the 1960s? Or perhaps Kennedy’s comparison revolves around 600 combat dead in Afghanistan and Iraq, the liberation of 50 million from the Taliban and Saddam Hussein, and the emergence of proto-consensual governments in less than two years of hostilities? Does all that suggest to Senator Kennedy that we are embarking on a 12-year war, will lose 50,000 men, and are stymied by a bellicose nuclear China and Russia on the borders of Iraq?

Wait a sec… today is Thursday. Why is Hanson’s column being published a day early?

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Posted By Russ Emerson on April 6, 2004 at 11:37 pm

I almost forgot to mention the Tartan Day grand finalé….
No Tartan Day would be complete without a drop of the single malt scotch whisky.
Tonight’s feature:

• Isle of Jura. Tonight is my first taste-test with this particular distillation.

The verdict:

• Of course it’s good. It’s a single malt.

This whisky is different from most of what I’ve sampled in the past. The aroma… I suppose I would say it’s got a bit of nuttiness to it — it reminds me of Frangelico more than anything else.
The taste isn’t harsh at all – very mild, in fact, compared to other single malts. Single malts are not noted for being smoother than other whiskies — but this was easily the smoothest single malt I’ve tried. No “burn” at all.
I lack the technical training to adequately describe the flavor (sorry, I’m not a “scotch snob” — not yet, anyway) but to my amateur palate, it had a hint of vanilla, some fruitiness, and a certain oak taste. Not very smoky or peaty, certainly not compared to something like Laphroaig.
There’s very little bite to it, and only a slight not-at-all-unpleasant aftertaste.
Yes. I’ll be acquiring more of this in the future.

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