In 2011 I was challenged by others in my Air Force Civil Engineering unit to a team building activity. After 20 minutes of droll debate we decided the government was going to pay us for a day off at The Incline in nearby Manitou Springs, CO. Its a hiking trail converted from a railway in 1907. Technically, it was on private property at the time but nobody pays attention to that. Its like the beach, you can’t just like…own the beach, man (sarc). 28 year old me was not last, and finished the 3/4 mile trail with a 2000’ elevation change in about an hour. What did I do to celebrate at the end?
When I got to the top of the mountain I shouted, “DRAGO.”
This is my review of Boulevard Rum Barrel Aged Pecan Pie Imperial Brown:
Rocky IV begins where Rocky III leaves off with Rocky once again retaining the Heavyweight Belt with the help of his friend, Apollo Creed. Meanwhile a Soviet Army Captain named Ivan Drago arrives in the US as part of a diplomatic envoy, who’s trainer and wife publicly challenge any American fighter to a bout with Drago. Anybody can fight him, really. Are there no volunteers to step in the ring with the 6’5”, 240 lbs Soviet champion? He just wants to prove himself amongst the best fighters in the wor—
Oh here we go, former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed will come out of retirement to volunteer! He does so out of boredom, and we later find out a sense patriotism since this is clearly about “us vs. them.” Unfortunately, Apollo didn’t take the exhibition fight all to seriously, clearly putting more effort into his entrance into the arena. Drago subjects him to probably one of the more brutal displays of violence against black bodies ever put on screen, and kills Apollo while he was on his feet.
If he dies, he dies. (Sorry, this was too obvious for the article title)
Rocky then agrees to an exhibition fight with Drago. Unfortunately, he must do so in Moscow, as Drago received death threats from what I assume is Black Lives Matter. Rocky will not only be fighting pro bono, he must also foot the bill for travel and accommodations at his training camp in …Siberia…all while being monitored by the Soviet government. Drago on the other hand had the best training center, equipment, and implied steroids that could be procured by what we assumed was a 1980’s communist society on par with our own. Hollywood is indeed run by fools and pedophiles. The entire spectacle with absolutely nothing on the line would be broadcast worldwide on Xmas Day!
Rocky arrives to a crowd booing him under the watchful eye of the Soviet politburo. Somehow Rocky manages to win over the crowd, Gorbechev himself, and still win by knockout against a 6’5”, 240lbs behemoth. He kind of had to; no way was he going to win by decision.
Is this really an Xmas movie? Yes, because the Die Hard haters want to tell me Lethal Weapon is an Xmas movie because it takes place on Xmas. Never mind the fact that unlike Die Hard all of the events in this movie can take place any other time of the year. The fact that it was Xmas being integral to the plot of Die Hard doesn’t factor in at all with these people. I’m just using their asshole logic. Can it be made today? Absolutely, they’re still making sequels to the Rocky franchise and even have a spinoff featuring Apollo’s illegitimate son as the main character. Although now that I think about it, the timelines for the spinoff make it difficult to suspend disbelief, because for Apollo to spawn Adonis Creed before he died, Adonis would have to be in his mid to late 30’s when his movie began…
This one certainly wins the award for longest beer name of the year. Brown ales have a tendency to be on the malty end with littke hops to back it up and this one is no different. Does this mean I need to reach for the white girl beer alarm? No. There’s enough character here from the rum barrel finish that the only real complaint I have is that it reminds me of Whaler’s Rum—remember that stuff from college you used as a panty dropper at parties? That stuff worked great as a mixer didn’t it!? Maybe I should reach for the white girl beer alarm. All I will say, is there is a reason I never drank Whaler’s straight, so YMMV. Boulevard Rum Barrel Aged Pecan Pie Imperial Brown: 2.2/5 13.5% abv
This one certainly wins the award for longest beer name of the year. Brown ales have a tendency to be on the malty end with littke hops to back it up and this one is no different. Does this mean I need to reach for the white girl beer alarm? No. There’s enough character here from the rum barrel finish that the only real complaint I have is that it reminds me of Whaler’s Rum—remember that stuff from college you used as a panty dropper at parties? That stuff worked great as a mixer didn’t it!? Maybe I should reach for the white girl beer alarm. All I will say, is there is a reason I never drank Whaler’s straight, so YMMV. Boulevard Rum Barrel Aged Pecan Pie Imperial Brown: 2.2/5 13.5% abv
I won’t remember Whaler’s Rum.
The beer looks good.
I’ve been to Boulevard’s tap room in Kansas City. It wasn’t as good as I expected, though you could get some experimental beers that weren’t available elsewhere. Those were OK.
At least they’re experimenting
The “Pecan Pie” part makes me think it might be too sweet.
Are you pulling the white girl beer alarm?
Hey! That’s my alarm!
Tell him to get his own.
Good Lord. I should have bought one if these when I had the chance decades ago for $5k. At the time I thought it ridiculous. MS I hope you have better luck in your collection!
https://www.wsj.com/finance/rolex-watch-secondhand-market-3ddb113e?st=ifpKd1&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Good lord!
With a name that long…
Pass.
The best part f Lethal Weapon is when the house blows up and all the kids start yelling, “Do it again! Do it again!”
I thought the best part was seeing Patsy Kensit’s boobs.
Explosions and boobs.
Wonderfully wholesome.
a 2000’ elevation change
Which is something like from 6500′ to 8500′. As I recall, Colorado Springs is ~6000′.
Correct
lol Mamdani’s cast of superstars grows.
shocked_face dot gif
Hey kids, remember NYC in the 70s? You’re about too.
But without the class that John Shaft brought to the scene.
dbleage:
Who?
The whimper of whipped dogs, once again.
He’s a bad mother……
Shut your mouth.
Shut yo mouth.
To no surprise the original “Shaft” (1971) beats the remakes.
NYC is ugly in 1971 and the movie throws that up for all to see. The Dago cop and Shaft can joke with each other about their ethnicities. And horror of horrors in 2025 ‘Murica blacks can be shown on both sides of the law.
Plus the theme song….
“Barrel Aged” + “Imperial” + extra flavorings = I’ll get a sampler if it’s on tap at the brewery, but even if it starts out good drinking a full bottle or glass will be a chore around 1/3 of the way through.
This one is certainly that.
Now that we have moved to Santa Fe (technically, Lamy, which is about 20 minutes from Santa Fe), my Saturday beer routine done got blowed up real good. Santa Fe Brewing has a brewpub in El Dorado, which is may 10 minutes from the house (yay!). They open at 3:00 (boo!). At least Happy Hour is from 3 – 6:00 (yay!).
They also don’t have a kitchen, which is OK because there are a couple of good take-out joints (Mexican and Thai) in the same building, and pizza across the way.
What they do have is a wide selection of excellent beer. Currently their winter warmer (Pueblo Igloo) is keeping my growler company – very nice, good roasted barley flavor, no spices. They just ran out of Oktoberfest on tap, but still have some in cans. Their Porter and Stout are excellent, and they have a few Pale Ales that I like (one is labeled an IPA, but the IBU is in the Pale Ale range IMO). Also a barley wine, and a double fistful of others. So I’m good, I just have to get a new routine. The vibe there is just great – lots of regulars, a real neighborhood hangout kind of place. The story (which I believe) is that the owner of the brewery lives around here, and wanted a place where he could go and drink (his) beer, so he put a brewpub not far from his house.
Norm!
Should have mentioned: during Happy Hour, a 1/2 gallon growler fill is $9.00. Which is good and bad.
I have a couple of howlers (half growlers), but when I was bringing home more tap beer, I would much rather go the crowler (32 ounce can sealed at the brewery) than the old jars.
“(one is labeled an IPA, but the IBU is in the Pale Ale range IMO)”
During the summer, my local makes a session IPA in the summer in the 3.5 range. Quite tasty.
Since I can’t remember if I said anything about it—Congratulations on the move!
I’m glad you got to drink good beer MS. Once more in the holiday spirit I will enact your labor and provide an on the nose music link.
https://youtu.be/ZvFj-KPik0g?si=hFz2QIrl-5EJvl7i
I’ll contribute a link.
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/12/the-week-in-pictures-return-to-normalcy-edition-2.php
Crotch tap for the morning.
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/12/rule-no-4.php
I was told we’re rounding up anyone who looks brown and dropping them in South Sudan with no due process.
OK, I’ll publicly admit it: I’ve never seen any of the “Rocky” movies*.
* I’ve seen portions of the first one.
What are you, a communist? Go watch the first one.
I only watched the first one; then had the good sense to stop.
I do however have a picture at the Rocky statue and on the steps.
I haven’t either. I’ve seen 1 movie in the last 30-40 years.
“March of the Penguins”
Life’s too short…
Consequences are for other people, mostly
The head of the Kennedy Center sent a scathing letter this week to the musician who canceled a Christmas Eve concert at the performing arts center after President Donald Trump’s name was added to the building’s exterior.
Richard Grenell, a special envoy during Trump’s first term, blasted Chuck Redd, who has presided over the annual “Jazz Jam” since 2006, for citing the name change as his reason for canceling the event. In the letter, Grenell said the Kennedy Center will seek $1 million in damages for what he called a “political stunt.”
“Your decision to withdraw at the last moment—explicitly in response to the Center’s recent renaming, which honors President Trump’s extraordinary efforts to save this national treasure—is classic intolerance and very costly to a non-profit Arts institution,” the letter read.
He can always plead insanity.
Why should Republicans do anything – all ya’ll Democrats already created the Affordable Care Act!
Maybe you Democrats could try admitting how badly you fucked up before you ask for someone else to bail your sorry stupid asses out?
Why would the Democrats admit anything when they can always blame the Republicans and Orange Man Bad? And have that claim repeated from every news outlet they control?
Why would they need to do anything? Didn’t Obama (PBUH) fix this, just as he lowered the rise of the oceans?
Crocket is thinking bad think, that healthcare still needs fixing.
If somebody can suggest a way for me to plug the internet into my skull and download the whole thing, I would appreciate it.
The more I learn, the less I know.
I don’t recall if there is a user guide in Johnny Mnemonic or Nueromancer.
With the current level of tech? I really don’t want to know how they’re going to turn someone off and back on again to get it working.