While yes, technically not in Idaho, Owyhee Reservoir on the Idaho-Oregon border is pretty damn close.
One of my favorite places to hit up, but it was really, really hot this weekend. Hot to the tune of about 10 bags 'o' ice every 12 hours in order to keep the beer coolers cold -- but the water was perfect.
A good read for this gorgeous summer morning in the Valley.
Camping and BBQ. A weekend just doesn't get much better than that. I smoked 30 chicken legs and a dozen bratwurst in the new smoker, turned out pretty good for an amateur -- far better than my last foray into smoking.
I picked up this smoker this past week for our excursions up north, I figured camping was the best time to do some BBQ experimentation as we've got plenty of time -- might as well have some slow cooked grub. I was actually very impressed with this Char-Broil smoker, it maintained a temperature of 220 degrees spot on for about 2 and a half hours.
Well, I guess unless you've been living under a rock, you already know this. A couple days ago it reared its ugly head in a very public fashion in Rupert, Idaho.
Serephin @ 43rd State Blues, Tara @ The Political Game, here and here.
Obama supporters say Idaho radio host made racist comments
RUPERT, Idaho — An alleged racial slur against Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has sparked criticism against a southern Idaho radio station, with some in the community calling for the show to be canceled.
Obama supporters allege a conservative talk show host on Rupert, Idaho-based KBAR AM this week referred to the Illinois senator as the "black Negroid Barack Hussein Obama."
Others also say a guest on Zeb Bell's show called Obama's mother "trailer trash" who has a fixation on black men.
[...]
You have no idea how many times that I still hear (well, you probably do) that Obama is a Muslim, that he's going to raise taxes on white people, that he's going to push for reparations, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are going to be in his Cabinet, etc... etc... Just read the comments from the Statesman's story to get a glimpse into the bowels that are Conservative Idahoan's minds.
Rest assured this kind of dimwitted, racist, buffoonish jackassery is going to continue until the November elections. Then it'll just get worse once Obama is President and it dawns on the Idaho black helicopter crowd that there is an African American sitting in the White House.
Just another day in Idaho.
Updated
Sisyphus @ 43rd State Blues is kicking ass and telling ya' who to contact.
Our enjoyment of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival.
Idaho Shakespeare Festival
We went to see the Idaho Shakespeare Festival's All's Well That Ends Well Sunday evening. Compared to previous seasons, when the heat was unpleasant, this was a very nice change. We took the opportunity to eat a picnic in the little park that adjoins the open air theater; we had never noticed this before.
I'll note that last Sunday's showing of All's Well That Ends Well was "family night".
While we do indeed make it a habit to frequent the Idaho Shakespeare Festival over the course of the summer, we tend to enjoy the "Wine & Orgy Night"*. This is when they lay out massive sheets of Saran Wrap inside the amphitheater grounds and everyone lathers up in baby oil, the misters pump out red wine and people swap partners and bodily fluids while the play commences in the background. Of course, during this showing the cast is in the nude.
*You must know the secret code to get into this showing.
The last couple of weeks there has been a lot of press over the wineries in Canyon County. While Snake River Valley Viticultural region does indeed encompass more than just Canyon County, it's important to note that most of the regions wines are produced in Canyon County.
While it's pretty certain that Eagle will continue to stamp their little feet and whine that they deserve to be the "Napa Valley" of the Treasure Valley, it just isn't so. A helpful note for Eagle: building a few vineyettes in the backyards of some McMansions does note make one a wine hub. There are many reasons why people have been growing wine grapes on the west and south side of the valley for so many years and avoided the Valley's sandy northern foothills.
Although I will say that regardless of the pretentiousness or motivations, the more vino in the valley, the better.
The Oregonian - Idaho wine region yearns for recognition
Idaho Statesman - Canyon County looks to become wine attraction
Idaho Statesman - Wine advice: Take a tour of Idaho's wine country
Idaho Press-Tribune - Groups market Canyon County wineries
Make sure you get out there and support your local wineries, heck take a guided tour with Snake River Cuisine Tours, or just take a drive on your own. Just make sure you get out there, because the vines are starting to turn green.
Another year, another Mountain Brewer's Beer Fest to put in the books. Good times... although this year was definitely the coldest (and damn that never ending wind!) that we've ever endured out there, it was still a really good time.
Got to meet up with some fellow Idaho bloggers and drink some mighty fine brews; what more could you want in a weekend?
More pics down below.
Continue reading "2008 Mountain Brewer's Beer Fest in Idaho Falls" »
Sadly; Michael Deeds reported last week in the Idaho Statesman that the Old Boise Brewers Beer Festival has been canceled this year because "... a slow economy, too-few sponsors and the lack of a suitable location". Sad news indeed for Boise imbibers -- but all hope isn't lost for good, they are looking to put it on in '09. We had a great time last year, although last year we were pretty beat after visiting The Reef mid-festival and then heading to the Front Door to close it out.
Not that Boise doesn't have a second, smaller, if not more wacky option. New Belgium Brewery's Tour de Fat will be riding (literally) into town on August 23rd. Looks like you can pick yourself up your very own New Belgium Brewery Fat Tire bike for $500.
But of course, the granddaddy of the Idaho beer festivals, The Mountain Brewers' Beer Festival in Idaho Falls is of course a green light for next weekend the 7th of June. The biggest beer festival in Idaho, The Mountain Brewers' Beer Festival has hundreds of beers from over 80 breweries this year. We've always had a good time at this festival. And for those of you that like to hang around these 'tubes, you're bound to see some of the guys from 43rd State Blues. $20 bucks for all-you-can-drink northwest brews for 6 hours. It's a long trek from the Valley to Idaho Falls, but it's worth it.
And you can't forget, with all three of these festivals, not only do you get to have a good time drinking with your fellow brew lovers, but they are all benefits for various local charities.
Updated
Boise Weekly has a story about the Mountain Brewers Beer Festival in Idaho Falls this weekend.
You have to know that someone is making a killing by shipping 6,700 tons of sand from Kuwait to Idaho.
Kevin Richert of the Idaho Statesman has an interesting post up about anonymous bloggers, “commenters” and online civility in general on the web. In his piece, he (and also Steve Ahrens over at the Idaho Business Review) call on bloggers and commenters to use their real names if they want credibility in this online world.
Richert:
Ahrens might not have known it, but he hit on a raw nerve in our internal discussions. Some of my newsroom colleagues openly dislike our online comments — and the anonymous rhetorical food fight that seems to follow every sensitive or controversial story. And a couple have questioned why I quote anonymous bloggers and commenters on our Opinion pages, in our daily "Other Voices" feature.
[...]
If I had the answers, I would be an anomaly in our industry. I will admit I put more stock in bloggers and commenters who identify themselves — which is why, when I post comments on my blog or others, I always identify myself.
Journalist have their names, they build them up and sell them, that's what they do -- nothing wrong with it, it is their chosen profession. They get paid to write stories, columns, blog posts and attach their names to them. We do what we do because we feel passionate about what we write about, be it sports, local, state or national politics, beer, wine or an infinite list of other subjects. We mostly do it for free and have other "real" jobs, which is where you see the anonymity come into to play, especially when you're a Liberal in this red of a state.
I'm kinda/sorta anonymous, a lot of people know who I am, but most don't. I don't take a lot of steps to protect it, but I don't advertise it either. I just don't think that who I am has that much bearing on what I write about -- that and death threats (yep, it has happened) really aren't that cool either. But there are a few bloggers in Idaho who require anonymity to write, that's just the nature of our state and what they write about. Do they deserve any less credibility? I don't think so. I think they bring insight into subjects that the rest of us don't have; they have credibility in my eyes because I choose to give it to them.
A novel idea would be placing credibility in what one writes not who they are. Actually, first off, think about why you give anyone credibility on the internet. One thing that is important to realize about about blogging or bloggers is that anyone can, and will do it. The same demographics of liars, thieves and bullies that exist in the real world also exist in this digital one. If there is one thing you can ever teach someone about the internet it is this; "just because it is on the web, doesn't mean it is so". That is Web 101.
Am I special cause I write about things I enjoy on the internet? Not at all. Do I think that what I have to say is important? Not really, and most often someone has said it better and more eloquently than I ever could. Does anything I say have any weight? Mostly not, I'm just a random guy who pays 15 bucks a month to a blogging service so people can read what I have to say. I'm still sittin' here trying to figure out why people read what I write in the first place -- Lord knows it is not my grammar or spelling or wanton wit. I just started doing it in '04 and have kept at it -- it just so happens that I enjoy it. Some Idaho bloggers have been doing it for much longer than I have, and operating just fine without nonsense like a "blogger code of ethics".
I find it funny now that the newspapers are starting to expand into the online world they are the ones calling for rules and changes in how the blogosphere operates. It's like the kid on the block who is demanding the rules to the neighborhood tag game be changed so he doesn't get pushed and get grass stains on his knees.
(sorta off the subject)
On that note I do applaud the expansion of the print media into the digital world. I've come to enjoy The Spokesman-Review's HBO and Eye on Boise. D.F. Oliveria' s Huckleberries Online is one of the better journalist-run blogs, and of course, Betsy Russell's Eye On Boise is the go-to blog about all things Idaho Legislature. I'm also a pretty big fan of the Idaho Statesman's new online presence. I enjoy reading Kevin Richert's blog Commentary, I also enjoy Michael Deeds' Words & Deeds and Patrick Orr's The Beer Nut.
Now I do understand the Statesman's staff's displeasure with allowing comments on stories, but rest assured, because of the page views it surely generates it is most likely not going anywhere, and it probably shouldn't. I will say that the Idaho Statesman's comment sections are filled with the most inane, bigoted, racist vile that I've seen on any local website. But ya know what? There are a lot of inane, bigoted racists that still live in Idaho. Being allowed to post comments anonymously has taken how they talk in their own homes and backrooms into a public forum -- I think that is a good thing; it let's people know racism and a host of other feelings are still well and alive. That's just a part of the wild west of the 'tubes, mean stupid people say mean and stupid things. You either ignore it or let it eat at you, it is really a pretty simple choice.
Of course it hasn't been all successes for Idaho newspapers trying to make their mark on the web; the Idaho Press-Tribune is continually trying and stumbling to get their site to take hold, but I'm confident they'll figure it out. They did just introduce a new feature "Valley Chatter", we'll have to see how well that goes over. However The Idaho State Journal has just been a miserable failure at their online endeavors. It is definitely not a cakewalk.
(back on the subject)
In short; the only credibility or weight you bring to a subject is the credibility or weight readers are willing to give you -- whether you're anonymous or not. The brilliant thing about the web is that there are no rules -- that's the way it has always been and that's the way it should remain. It continues to be a vastly interesting and entertaining social experiment, one that is fun to observe, and be a part of.
I'm just waiting for it to hit the 80's and stay there (ok, if I'm gettin' picky; 76), yes stay there, I'm not looking forward to August when we hit the triple digits. 100 + degrees seems to make the Idaho Shakespeare Festival not as much fun.
At least I got some yard work in this past weekend; although I need to get my herbs in the dirt this week.
Idaho Statesman has a great read on something that we need more of; community-supported agriculture. It is a good read if you're into that sorta thing.
First it was the black helicopters providing cover for the FBI's excursion into North Idaho, then it was stickers on the back of signs on the interstate directing the UN's Global super-duper-troops into secret bases right in our back yards.
Now they want your kid's fingerprints...
And they've come to take your precious little 4th grader's fingerprint under the guise of making the lunch lady's job just a tad bit easier. Sinister I tell ya.
KTVB:
Mountain Home kids get meals with touch of a finger
MOUNTAIN HOME -- It’s a sign of the times - hot lunch is going hi-tech in Idaho.
The lunch tickets many of us are familiar with could soon be a thing of the past, replaced with finger scans. It’s already being done in some Mountain Home schools.
Four schools in the Mountain Home School District are using the finger scan program right now and the rest of Mountain Home's schools will install the scan system by next fall.
The goal is to get children through the lunch line faster.
[...]
"It's so much faster than having a roster system where every child has to tell me their name and I had to find them on a list, this way they just touch and they're gone. It's great," said Karrie Knox, East Elementary School kitchen manager.
Not everyone in Mountain Home is quite as impressed with the program. Administrators say about one percent of students do not use the system because their parents fear their child's identity may be compromised by the finger scan.
District officials don't believe that will happen and say all of the student's information is deleted at the end of the school year.
And the finger scan is not as detailed as a fingerprint; rather it's more like a vague picture of a child's index finger.
How would you like to be that kid?
Try explaining your parent's latest case of paranoid delusions to your best friend in 4th grade and not get made fun of. It's bad enough you have to defend that damned Hypercolor t-shirt that you thought was cool.
Now, Lord forbid we make the lunch lady's job any easier... or give your little ragamuffin 7 extra minutes to enjoy his "haystacks" and "cinnamon knot".
[...]
It wasn't long and I was making my way around the front yard trimming the grass. About 10 minutes later one of my neighbors across the street came and and started mowing his lawn. 10 minutes after that another neighbor came out and started mowing his lawn. Within 5 minutes, the next door neighbor was also out mowing his lawn. Damn, talk about having to keep up with the Jones!
Sounds like my neighborhood yesterday.
Idaho Press-Tribune and the end of the world.
Make sure you support your local farmers. Visit Local Harvest to find a producer located nearest to you.
Canyon Bounty Farm, my place to go for veggie and herb starts will be opening up the greenhouse on April 19th this year. All of their nursery starts are certified USDA organic and they have a huge selection of heirloom veggies.
There was also a good interview with owner Beth Rasgorshek in an issue of The Cutting Edge, the newsletter for Seeds of Change -- it's from last year but still a good read.
For me? Herb-wise my staples are mint, basil, cilantro, parsley, thyme, oregano, chives and rosemary. I'll also be picking up some jalapeño, serrano, and ancho chilies. Later in the season I'll get some of their heirloom tomatoes for some Insalata Caprese, a summertime favorite of mine.
...wearing your skateboarding hat to get a pedicure and getting your picture in the newspaper.
Sums up the whole of Eagle rather nicely.
I noted while catching up on my Bloglines that there were a couple of posts in the Idaho blogosphere that included some pictures.
Alan from IdaBlue had an interesting Sunday and also some pics from the Frank Church Banquet this past Saturday. The Larry Grant campaign also has a pic up from the FCB at Red State Rebels. I'm guessing that more of the Idaho bloggers who went to the banquet will also be posting some pics here shortly.
Rep. Nicole LeFavour went down the Texas to help canvas for Barack Obama and posted a couple pics.
My wife and I took a quick jaunt with some friends to Jackpot, Nevada and I managed to grab a few pictures myself.
Most of these were taken while we were in transit, so quality may not be up to par.
The Idaho Statesman was kind enough to remind us all that there are stupid people in every income bracket.
Getting directions to that unfamiliar place just got a whole lot easier.
Google's Street View, where you can see a ground level image of any location has finally come to the valley. Not only does it help with directions, you can literally see what a building looks like before you get there, and you never know what Google's cameras caught.
Playing around with seems like some really slow moving pointless video game -- but pretty cool none the less. Sadly for us 2C folk, Google quit taking pictures right as they entered Nampa, but almost all of Meridian, Eagle, Boise and Kuna are available for your direction picture pleasure.
...and neither did I.
The "Buy Idaho" program has a blog. I'll be damned.
I guess I should say they have a blog that is updated regularly, there is a difference between having a blog and having one that hasn't had any posts for 6 months, I don't really count those ones.
It's about time...
Seeing how we are in the habit of applying Band-Aids, can I get a blue Smurf one?
I promise to write Obama '08 on it.
Mininr firms seek exemption
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Phosphate-mining companies including Monsanto Co. and J.R. Simplot Co. want the Legislature to bar Idaho regulators from forcing them to restore mineral-tainted groundwater beneath their operations to its natural condition once they shutter their mines.The mining industry says that standard is impossible to meet.
In legislation introduced this week in the state Senate, the Idaho Mining Association that represents the companies also aims to expand the state Department of Environmental Quality's definition of mining areas to clear the way for the companies to pollute groundwater in perpetuity - provided the pollution stays beneath waste rock piles and processing plants.
The bill comes after the Idaho Mining Association and the Idaho Conservation League, an environmental group, failed to agree last year to proposed new DEQ rules to clarify what must be done to address groundwater pollution beneath open-pit mines. In November, the agency's board postponed the talks until April 2008.
*shakes magic 8-ball*
Indian Creek, my favorite Idaho winery was in the Idaho Statesman yesterday in a story about ports, namely some Idaho ports. It is a pretty good read if you're into Idaho wines or port wine in general. Myself I'm not the biggest port fan in the world, I do enjoy a glass of it here and there, but my wife, well that is another story; she's a port fiend.
One piece of information that I found out after reading the article is that Silver Trail winery out of Kuna also makes a Pinot Noir -- this I did not know, I'm going to have to check it out. I'm always on the quest for a great Pinot (my favorite varietal), those who know me know that Indian Creek's Pinot Noir is by far my favorite Idaho Pinot and I also put it right up with some of the best ones I've had from other regions. Never watered down, never too fruity, always pretty earthy and always just right.
We've been trying to clean up our image for the last couple of years but then something like this comes along which could set us back another 25 years.
ANDERSON, S.C. — A Christian group pledging heavy involvement in government could make an “exodus” to Idaho rather than South Carolina.
According to the most recent issue of the Christian Exodus newsletter, the group’s new target may be Idaho.
“Several Christian Exodus members realize that due to commitments to extended family or other reasons, they will not be moving to South Carolina,” the newsletter stated.
Instead, they may be moving to Gem County in Southwest Idaho.
Christian Exodus, a group of individuals who believe in a literal interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, tempered with a devout Christian faith, had previously called for thousands of similar Christians to move to South Carolina one county at a time, starting with Anderson County. Their goal was to move enough people into the area to influence local elections, and in turn affect state elected officials.
With those key elements in place, the group hoped to either influence national legislation to return to a policy of limited federal government and increased states’ rights, or to secede from the Union of States.
Kind of makes ya wonder why 'Thayne' chose Emmett, huh?
Man, just check out their newsletter (pdf), it is full of classic nutball goodness. There is mention of secession, the establishment in D.C. assassinating Ron Paul if he's elected, a mention of Idaho's own Mr. Pro-Life (you know, the guy that literally changed his name to Marvin Pro-Life -- only in Idaho, sheesh) and other assorted gems.
These are the kind of people that just amaze me. How in this day in age do we have people that are this oblivious to the real world? And we wonder why the rest of the civilized world looks over at us and just giggles under their collective breath when ever the fringe opens their mouth.
Sometimes the thought of just moving away and becoming an audience for the spectacle that is American citizenry seems more and more like a good idea.
Is there anything the intertubes can't do?
Here is an image I grabbed from Hotel McCall's webcam a few moments ago. You can check out their webcam here.
While we are are on the subject of webcams and winter --this is one that keeps me going during these blistery cold days.
We went to Chef Jon Mortimer's Franco Latino in Eagle last night with some good friends and the overall verdict is still... well, out. I won't attempt to pretend to be a food critic but I'll sum up our experience...
All the dishes were pretty so-so with no flavors really standing out and smacking you in face declaring their excellence. I thought my Blackened Rib Steak was a really good and for 26 bucks the price was fair concerning the size of the steak. My wife had the Idaho Trout Roulade (19-) stuffed with spinach and blue crab atop a potato cake and was not impressed with it at all. This dish really lacked flavor, the quality of the ingredients seemed top notch, but again, there just wasn't any flavors standing out.
Also devoured was the Smoked Chicken Relleno (15-) and the Roasted Loin (19-) -- again, no complaints but no high praise either. I also have to say that I'm not a huge fan of the Chef's tasting menu when the Chef isn't there. I think it kind of devalues the excitement of the whole concept.
The presentation of all the dishes was very nice and fitting of the respective entrées. I will also note that all of the dessert martinis (8-) that we had were very good. Between the four of us we had the Almond Joy (the unanimous winner), Ultimate Chocolate, Cheesecake and Grasshopper -- they were all very, very good. Overall we may come back someday, but there are a lot of other good eats that we need to get to before we give Franco Latino a second go around.
Here are two reviews from the Boise Weekly.
food
written by mary freeman, September 01, 2007
I came in once and the food was good, the second time way over priced, not enough food'we went to taco time to get full, for 55.00 you should be full. the next time could not get waited on every one was watching the t.v. I came in Saturday night and no salt or pepper no steak sauce one cup of coffee and no baked potato french fries under the steak so they were all soft and nasty, I have never had potatoes under the steak , I will never come in agin people want a steak baked pot. salad or soup you are way over priced for what you get and you better go to a cooking class and learn how to serve food french fries under the meat I cant believe it, and i asked the waiter where the baked pot. was he said you dont serve baked with the steak. I have never had a steak with out pot. soup or salad I hate soggy french fries. Good luck I hope you make it, this is a big
Hilarious.
New West has a great article up on some of the problems farmers are facing in the west and what some are doing to mitigate those problems, like Meadowlark Farms in Nampa.
It is really worth a read if you're into such things.
People driving like idiots. Some snow, some ice and only some brain cells results in a miserably slow commute for some, and a trip to the hospital or auto repair shop for others.
-- And we's won't kill ya'.
Ya know, us small town folk in Canyon County have been taking our ribbings for quite a few years from them sophisticated-types in Ada County over the level of violence in our beloved county. Well, turns out this year them there intellectuals in the big city have been killin' themselves at a higher level than us be doin'.
Well, not to make jokes out of a serious matter you guys did kill more of yourselves than we did this year. So we'll take our victories whenever or however we can get our hands on them. Granted the good news is that Idaho in general is still a very safe place to live; which bodes well for everyone.
I was actually thinking of writing about this a week or two ago, just because it has seemed this year that there were more murders in Boise than in Canyon County. However I couldn't find the data and was destined to wait until the new year until I could dig into this topic. That being said; a real newspaper beat me to the punch. The Idaho Press-Tribune had a story today on nationwide crime statistics and how Idaho was effected. It did mention that there have been 10 murders in Boise (so far) this year and only 10 in Canyon County.
Good news for all of us is that most violence in the Valley is normally domestic o
r gang related, violence of any type is bad, but random violence has a certain scary tone to it. As of now we are still able to
wander our beloved downtowns relatively unharmed, unscathed and mildly inebriated without fear of being murdered for our wallets or purses. Maybe our statistics have improved because of the "Everyone Wear Rainbow Colors" campaign that was started last year by the County Commissioners in partnership with the Nampa and Caldwell police chiefs. Who knows? 'Cause it seems that even gang violence in Canyon County has dropped over the last year or two.
Overall we still have a predisposition to not killing each other here in Idaho and that is a good thing indeed. Although I fully expect our murder rates to raise as more and more rural Idahoans and Montanans move into the valley. They come here wanting low home prices, take our jerbs and bring their damned rusty 4x4's and think they own the place.
The nerve.
Hey, the good thing we in the Treasure Valley can take from this is that the Nampa-Boise Metro is .09% safer (pdf) than those crazy folk holed up in Idaho Falls. Hmm, now I understand why our friends at 43rd State Blues are always shaking nervously and shouting "who is that!" when they hear random noises.
Got an interesting referral today...
Personally I'd think that a 1980 Chardonnay from Ste. Chappelle might just be little past its prime, but none the less, I'd be game. I have in my possession a 1984 Ste. Chappelle Cabernet Sauvignon (back when Ste. Chappelle was in Washington) that I received as a gift some years ago; I'm still at a loss as to whether or not pop that one open. Right now I'm in the camp of "let's just hold on to it, its probably worth more unopened then it'll be enjoyable". I'm somewhat questioning of the quality of the wine that was coming out of Ste. Chappelle back then, but ya just never know.
But then again, who knows, it might just find itself uncorked this weekend, a wise man once said "there's no better time than now" -- er, something like that anyway.
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