SFoodie is among the throng regretting SF City Attorney Dennis Herrera’s successful effort to pressure Coors into removing essentially all of the active ingredients (caffeine, taurine, guarana, and ginseng) from their energy drink Sparks.

When Herrera, emboldened by success, enlisted other government lawyers to pursue purveyors of energy drinks both with and without alcohol, SFoodie responded as Americans traditionally have to Prohibitions past– he retreated to his bath-tub, and brewed up a batch of home-made Sparks:

The [resulting] drink was reverse-engineered from a vintage can of caffeinated Sparks and rigorously tested via blind taste-test by SFoodie and four people who agreed to come over to the author’s house and drink this stuff, plus two random guys on the street who should be applauded for their daring and general zest for life.

The results? It’s virtually impossible to tell the difference between Bathtub Sparks (or Not Sparks, or Moonshine Sparks) and real Sparks. Between tastings, palates were cleansed with beer.

A side-by-side comparison. The one that looks more like urine is the actual Sparks.

Actual testimony:

“God, that’s so f**king gross.”

“This is actually hurting my stomach.”

“I’m buzzed, I’ve got so much caffeine in my body.”

“This is the best day of my life.”

In other words, it tasted just like Sparks.

Bathtub Sparks

2 pieces Pez candy, one yellow, one pink
1 can King Cobra
1 can Red Bull

Crush the Pez until reduced to a fine powder. Transfer the powder to the bottom of an empty glass. Pour in equal parts King Cobra and Red Bull. Don’t be alarmed when the foaming begins; it will subside. Adjust for flavor.

More at SFoodie.

As we reach for the rush, we might raise it in a toast, as it was on this date in 1582 that the Pantheonic William Shakespeare, then 18, posted a £40 bond in Stratford-Upon-Avon for his license to marry Anne Hathaway (then 26)… Their first chid, Susanna, came quickly (six months later:  What, Egg!  Young fry of treachery! , followed in two years by twins.

Mrs. Shakespeare

Greatest city on the planet;  Boulder, Colorado!

By Michael Hughes November 25, 2009

We have so much to be thankful for; we live in the most beautiful Colorado town on the planet.  We have enviable weather where many people walk or bike to work or class.  The blue skys, the crisp mornings, the wonderful running, biking, hiking, climbing are awsome .  World class restaurants, chefs and foodinistas.  Life is supposed to be fun!  Boulder!

Parts of the movie “Sleeper,” with Woody Allen, were filmed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and at the clam shaped “spaceship” house along I-70.

Running, walking and bicycling are so highly regarded in Boulder that sometimes the city plows the Boulder Creek path before they plow the streets! Priorities!

The well known television show Mork and  Mindy utilized a house in Boulder on Pine St. for the exterior shots of the characters home.

Baseline Road is a significant east-west route to both Boulderites & cartographers, as it marks the 40th parallel on world maps. The total length of Baseline Road is about 38 miles.

A 1992 survey by the Centers for Disease Control found that Colorado had fewer overweight people per capita and more people who exercise than any other state.  Because we have numerous opportunities to workout and move our bodies.

A Colorado Daily poll found that seven out of ten Boulderites own bicycles. Another guidebook states that Boulder’s bicycle count is approximately 93,000 – almost equal to the total population!

The Chautauqua Auditorium is an all-wood structure built in 1898. In the evening, when the Colorado Music Festival musicians stop playing, you can often hear the rafters-dwelling owls hooting along with the music.

The Flatirons got their name by pioneer women who said they looked like flat, metal irons used to iron their clothes.

Flagstaff Mountain was named for the flagpole that sits on top of the summit, which was visible when Boulder was first settled, as it was a completely treeless plain.

Scott Carpenter, a NASA astronaut, grew up in Boulder. He named his space capsule after his home on Aurora and 7^th St. The capsule was Aurora 7.

The University of Colorado at Boulder’s buildings are built with red sandstone, quarried in nearby Lyons.

With Coors, Anheuser-Busch, this area has become the largest beer-producing area  in the world. Not to mention the microbreweries (Boulder Beer, Walnut Brewery, Left Hand, nearby Oskar  Blues and many more).

Robert Redford was a janitor at The Sink, before moving on to become famous!

Boulder has more used bookstores per capita than any other city in the country.

Boulder’s going to the dogs! Recent visitor counts to Boulder Mountain Parks found a ratio of 1 dog to every 5 visitors.

Every year, Boulder Mountain Parks core area receives 1.8 million visits.

In 1967, Boulder became the first city in the United States to tax itself for funds to be used specifically for the acquisition, management and maintenance of Open Space.

The Hotel Boulderado was named by combining Boulder and Colorado so no visitor would ever forget where they had stayed.

Best of Boulder

Boulder has won more accolades than any other city in America for its recreation, culture, health, business climate and overall quality of life.

2008

America’s Smartest City – Forbes magazine, February 2008

The West’s Greenest Restaurant – The Kitchen – Sunset magazine, March 2008

Top 10 World’s “Greener Cities” – Urban Land Green magazine, Spring 2008

#5 in “Top 25 Best Green Places to Live” – Country Home magazine, April 2008

Top Pick for Food & Wine Vacations – Organic/Veggie – Orbitz, April 2008

Top 25 Destinations in the US – TripAdvisor, April 2008

Top 100 Destinations in the World – TripAdvisor, April 2008

#3 in “Top 10 Cities for Masters Runners” – Masters Athlete magazine, May 2008

The 10 Brainiest Places to Retire – US News and World Report, May 2008

#8 in “Top 25 Small Cities & Towns for Art” – AmericanStyle magazine, June 2008

America’s Top 5 Cities for Cycling – Bicycling magazine, June 2008

2007

#8 in “Top 10 Cities for Artists” – BusinessWeek, February 2007

Top Triathlon Town – Inside Triathlon magazine, April 2007

#7 in “Top 25 Best Green Cities” – Country Home magazine, April 2007

#5 in “Best Cities for Empty-nesters” – Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, June 2007

Top 10 Hottest New Restaurants – Bon Appetit magazine, June 2007

#8 in “Top 25 Small Cities & Towns for Art” – AmericanStyle magazine, June 2007

#3 in “Top 10 Rooftop Bars” – Sunset magazine, July 2007

#6 in “Top 10 Farmers’ Markets” – EatingWell magazine, August 2007

Best Places to Retire – US News and World Report.com, August 2007

#1 “Top Small-City College Destination” – Denver Business Journal, October 2007

#4 “11 Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities in the World” – Virgin Vacations.com, Nov. 2007

Top 10 Best New Restaurants – 5280 magazine, December 2007

Contact me today if you or anyone you know needs real estate help….
e-Mail michael.hughes@sothebysrealty.com Direct 303-359-6627 Website:www.bolderrealestate.com

My most recent summer was uneventful: I did not have a job, did not intern, and did not travel. But it was actually very memorable.

The world cannot stress it enough but it really is important to place yourself in a circle of friends in which you totally feel comfortable. I happen to have a Brotherhood back home that I really cherish. Everywhere I go, I brag about this group even though they are all far from perfect; I really thank God or whoever else that arranged my life for placing this group of mammals into my life. Anyway, I was able to have an unforgettable summer because I was around these hooligans.

From past experience, I have found a great way to check whether you really are blessed with friends that you trust and feel comfortable with: No matter what kinds of problems you have and whether you decide to tell your friends about them or not, if you are able to genuinely smile and have fun with them through it all- you are set. Countless times, I relied on my Brotherhood when I was feeling down. This is probably why some of them crowned me as the most approachable friend and the one who is “always there.” I abuse them. One of them also once said that I was the only one that maintained a rather close and positive relationship with everyone within the camaraderie. They have no idea how proud and happy I was to hear that. Also, if I am not mistaken, my pussy-ass-self was the only one in the Brotherhood to shed tears so far (See how comfortable I am with ya’ll). So…I am sorry to say but if you don’t have one of these friendships, you are missing out on about 50% of what a ‘Good Life’ should be. It is a very desirable thing in our world because loneliness and depression are the two most painful feelings next to the Seppuku.

Now to get to the point, one summer night, we all randomly went to a shady handball court and sat down with some beers. After trying to figure out why we were there for a couple of minutes, we decided to have a constructive criticism session. It was probably the most deep and productive thing we as a group ever accomplished. By the end of the night, it became very emotional: bringing up negative traits, yelling, etc. Oh, and the Sapporo and Coors helped us out big time. Anyway, I will not mention what I said about others and what went on about the others because I am not a gossiper like you. However, I will share what they said about me. They had two things to say. I knew it was coming.

1. “You are the only one in our group who doesn’t tell us shit. There are so many times when we just want to know what the hell is going on in your life but you just brush it off by saying something light and not saying what is really up. You don’t give an effort to keep us updated about your life. We tell you shit, but you don’t really return. Also, why do we have to hear your relationship with girls from someone else all the time.”
I knew this one was coming and I for sure knew they were going to bring up the girl situation. Although I tried fixing this, I honestly think I will not be able to change much in this aspect. I strongly prefer keeping my thoughts and problems to myself. It may seem like I do not trust them but it really is not. I was a lonely child and had an independent lifestyle ever since my early school years so I have gotten too used to it. Let me just say, half the time, my parents too have no idea. But for the girl situation I must apologize. I really should be introducing my girlfriend to them when I have one. I do not really know how to explain it but I must have gotten really carried away with the “just us two, boy and girl” concept. However, from now on, my girlfriend will become their sister and they will become her brothers.

1. “You treat different people differently. You only act nice and take time out to get to know people only when you feel that you can receive something from them.”
Ummmm….why would I want to befriend someone who will not provide me with anything. What they said is true but I really did not know that they noticed that. I believe I am nice to everyone. It is not like I am cold to certain people but it is indeed true that I take time out to get to know people who can possibly help me out. But don’t look at me differently now. I don’t try harder with people who can give me money and power. Maybe a little but I try harder with people who I believe can give me everlasting friendship. I don’t just friend any random guy on the block. It is actually really hard to become my best friend. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever get another best friend. I have a couple and they are set in stone and there is no more room. But, I do try harder with people who I think would advance my reputation. Do you not? If not, you must really be heaven sent. When it comes to love, I choose someone who would give me love back. Simple as that. However, if something does go wrong, we are not going to be friends. It just is not possible. We would have to completely leave each other’s lives. This is why life is scary and memories kill.

Keep your same gender friends close at all times because they can never break your heart and leave like an opposite sex can. They will always be there~

(Oh and these clowns are like my brothers)

Je le dis souvent sur ce blog : les grandes entreprises doivent faire plus d’effort pour communiquer leurs bons coups en matière de philanthropie corporative. Malheureusement, par humilité, manque de temps ou absence de vision, peu d’entreprises “bouclent la boucle” et prennent le temps de communiquer les diverses activités sociales qu’elles mènent.

Molson Coors fait exception à cette règle car elle a pris la peine de lancer son blog Molson Coors in the community qui existe depuis Mai 2007 et qui parle de toutes les implications sociales de l’entreprise.  Le blog est génial, très dynamique et publié dans les deux langues. On ne peut que féliciter l’équipe qui est derrière ce blog ainsi que l’entreprise qui a su donner à ses employés la latitude nécessaire pour mener cette activité de communication. Selon moi, les bénéfices en terme d’image corporative sont évidents. Mais je suis convaincu également que les employés eux-mêmes ainsi que ceux qui contribuent en matière de contenu au blog sont plus motivés et se entent plus fiers de travailler chez Molson Coors grâce à ce projet.

Molson Coors représente définitivement un exemple à suivre!

Still the only thing fresh in this town is the manure.   The stagnation of inherited inbred ideology lingers with this aire.  To some, this night of memorabilia is their only experience of a dream.  Long lost hopes, from the gates of a requiem walking hand in hand with a Coors light and some road kill at their side.  For others, it was like the day after their cousin married outside of their race… being careful with their words, afraid to ask real questions…  None the less, no real care to take a step out.

After the bar was spit up on by the drooling outsiders, the classmate’s reunited and separated once again into their old cliques. 

Lacking any real truth, with manipulating, superficial honesty, they go back and forth with attacks on each other and those they feel threatened by.   Curtness and lack of propriety in their values and morals with each breath out, they seem to be warm and cozy in their disgusting dialog.  The pot calling the kettle black.  Gossiping about gossipers.  Tragedy of life being so pitiful is the only reality here that is spoken, though the directors of this play haven’t the faintest idea of how the script is as old as their addicted, handed down, rewinded and rewinded ”original ideas” that they all share and pretend are so original.  Each actor plays the part of enabling this to continue, playing ignorant and growing older. 

 I sit to wait for the tow truck.  Keys in the trunk, sister in His bed.  The one exception I saw all night and I offered her to him, best indeed.  To keep myself from a weakness that could bring this place… this heap of a town closer to me.  I doubt there would be any power from him, but I stay careful of tragedy and a trip into hell.

Denim & Dazzle was a fashion/jewelry show Boule, hosted by Delta Eta. The items consisted of a “hold the date” card and a mailer invitation.

This campaign was to support the Southern University Jaguar Nation, and highlight the Coors Light can innovation(when the mountains turn blue on can, the beer inside is cold).

Trick Daddy & Erin Lynn

These were printed in the Memphis University’s gameday magazine for both football and basketball.

After analyzing some current trends within the beer industry, here are some key challenges that brands like Budweiser and Coors are now facing in recent months.

1. Distribution wholesalers are consolidating

• Fewer distributors means distributions have more negotiating power breweries

short-term solutions: negotiate and leverage your network

• Evaluate whether maintaining relationship is worth losing the value of the product

long-term solutions: invest in ownership of distribution network

• This way the beer companies can take ownership over prices

2. Commodity prices are increasing for barley

• Brewers across the world are hiking prices to compensate for lower sales volumes

Note : Combined with the strong preference for beer brands, the stronger the product’s equity with the consumer, the greater the ability to pass input- cost increases to the consumer. Since barely is affecting all of the beer brands, they are all likely to increase their prices.

-cc

I’ve been going to quite a few more drinks events lately.  A few weeks ago, it was a wine tasting at Bibendum, this past Monday I went to a sake cocktail sampling at Tsuru with Qype and on the 10th, Elements 8 is hosting A Rum Do for the second year in a row (the first one was legendary).  This past weekend, however, was mostly spent mixing at home. With beer.

Beer is not huge for women in the UK, and honestly it’s not something I really go for either.  There a few that I like, but if I’m out in a restaurant or at the shop, I almost always go for wine. If I’m at a bar, it’s either wine or cocktails.  Beer just doesn’t even make it into my thought process.

However, there is a small, but growing movement out there that’s bent on changing that perception. With beertails – traditional cocktails made with beer.  Last week I received a beer cocktail starter kit* that included 2 bottles of Blue Moon (an American wheat beer), 2 bottles of Coors Light (a VERY American beer whose typical drinkers like this sort of thing), 2 bottles of Kasteel Cru (a beer made from Champagne yeast), a bunch of little airplane-sized liquor bottles and a recipe sheet.

I tried three concoctions: an Amber Mojito, a Kru Woo and something I named Lady Marmalade

An Amber Mojito is essentially a mojito, but mixed with Coors Light instead of soda water.

I made a huge mess making this. HUGE. Mint carnage, burned  simple syrup, beer head spilled all over the countertops.  It was a nightmarish process for one drink.  I simply do not have the mad skills to make a mojito at home. That said, I could see how the beer could work as a mojito base. It tasted like a mojito, but with an extra kick.  I wondered if it would make sense to use Corona though?

A Kru Woo is Kasteel Cru with peach scnapps and cranberry juice.

The Kasteel is much more like Champagne, but with a slightly beery taste. Honestly, I preferred it by itself without all the girly accessories. Still very good.

The Lady Marmalade.  I completely made this one up. It’s just Blue Moon with Cointreau floated on top.

Blue Moon is a wheat beer. And wheat beers go well with citrus flavours (Bell’s Oberon, anyone?). So I figured Blue Moon would go just swimmingly with orange liquor in it. I was right! It was delish. Much more a summer drink. I would be very happy to drink it again.

The verdict?

If there’s anything I’ve learned from this experiment is that you have to be careful with beer cocktails.  Essentially with every cocktail, you’re taking out the only non-alcoholic part of the recipe (soda water, diet coke, whatever) and replacing it with beer.  And what’s the second half of that rhyme, ‘Beer before liquor….’? It could get messy.

I can see a future for beer cocktails, but convincing the masses isn’t going to be easy.  I bet it’s the kind of drink that you wouldn’t necessarily order if you didn’t know what you were getting, but if a friend ordered one and you tried it – you’d probably end up getting one yourself too. I’m going to keep an eye out, but I haven’t seen anywhere in London that does them. If you know of a place, leave a comment, and I’ll check it out because lord knows I’m never ever making a beer mojito again.

*I received the beer cocktail set to try for free from the lovely Laura on behalf of Coors, but was not paid for this post in any way. Any reviews I ever do on this blog are entirely my own views – good or bad.

Good morning everyone and HAPPY FRIGGIN’ FRIDAY!!!

Thank you to everyone who made it out last week for my birthday and thank you for all the well wishes! It was a great weekend! And happy birthday this week to my sister, Jenny!

CDT >>> CST
Don’t forget that Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend! Wind your clocks back 1 hour before you go to bed (or pass out) Saturday night.

Titans
If the Titans lose again this weekend, it will be with Vince Young at the helm. Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams wants more of Vince Young. He’s getting just that with his winless team switching from veteran Kerry Collins back to the 2006 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Jeff Fisher announced the expected move Thursday following practice for the 0-6 Titans, and Young got the news from his coach in the morning. Fisher insists it was an organizational decision resulting from the team’s winless start and that he won’t play musical chairs with the position. We’ll see.

Free rides from Miller/Coors
Miller/Coors is offering its first Halloween “free ride” program, and the beer maker will debut it in Nashville on Saturday. Beginning at 7 p.m., the Metro bus system will offer free rides on 15 of its most popular routes. The free rides will last as late as 1 a.m. on some routes. Miller/Coors is compensating the Metro Transit Authority for the rides. Free-ride programs have been offered for many years in Nashville for other holidays, such as St. Patrick’s Day and New Year’s Eve.

Miller/Coors has had free transit rides for those holidays for two decades in St. Paul, Minn., and Milwaukee, providing more than 1.8 million rides. It expanded the ride program through mass transit to the Kentucky Derby in Louisville this year, said Diane Wagner, manager of alcohol responsibility for Miller/Coors. The company’s Nashville distributors suggested a Halloween ride because there are so many events downtown Saturday, including the Halloween 5K run and the Miller Lite Hustler Hollywood’s Nightmare in Music City as well as a busy night at restaurants and bars, parties and neighborhood celebrations. DET Distributing is the local sponsor of the free rides.

Halloween has evolved into a holiday for adults as well as children. Some celebrants undoubtedly overdid it: Last year, Nashville police made 38 arrests for driving under the influence over the Halloween period, which was a Friday night. The main goal is to encourage people to plan a safe ride home from their celebrations, whether that means the free bus rides, a cab, or a designated driver, Wagner said.

Everyone have a happy Halloween and a great weekend!

Stephen R. Schermerhorn
Poppin’ these bottles
Touchin’ these models

Tuesday is much better than Monday. Today was more of a creative day, with some intern delegation to boot. As I type I am “project managing”, which is something just like those construction guys you see leaning on their shovels while one guy works. So boxes of mags are en route to LA, custom social media integrated websites are being built, and the coors fridge is officially on empty. Off to the liquor store so I can keep my “project managing” on track. Check it.

Well this is just what I’d suspect from the bunch in Washington, D.C.

Numbers don’t add up on insurance profit claims by Congress

Quick quiz: What do these enterprises have in common? Farm and construction machinery, Tupperware, the railroads, Hershey sweets, Yum food brands and Yahoo?

Answer: They’re all more profitable than the health insurance industry.

In the health care debate, Democrats and their allies have gone after insurance companies as rapacious profiteers making “immoral” and “obscene” returns while “the bodies pile up.”

Ledgers tell a different reality. Health insurance profit margins typically run about 6 percent, give or take a point or two. That’s anemic compared with other forms of insurance and a broad array of industries, even some beleaguered ones.

Profits barely exceeded 2 percent of revenues in the latest annual measure. This partly explains why the credit ratings of some of the largest insurers were downgraded to negative from stable heading into this year, as investors were warned of a stagnant if not shrinking market for private plans.

Insurers are an expedient target for leaders who want a government-run plan in the marketplace. Such a public option would force private insurers to trim profits and restrain premiums to compete, the argument goes. This would “keep insurance companies honest,” says President Barack Obama.

The debate is loaded with intimations that insurers are less than straight, when they are not flatly accused of malfeasance.

They may not have helped their case by commissioning a report that looked primarily at the elements of health care legislation that might drive consumer costs up while ignoring elements aimed at bringing costs down. Few in the debate seem interested in a true balance sheet.

But in pillorying insurers over profits, the critics are on shaky ground. A look at some claims, and the numbers:

The claims

“I’m very pleased that (Democratic leaders) will be talking, too, about the immoral profits being made by the insurance industry and how those profits have increased in the Bush years.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who also welcomed the attention being drawn to insurers’ “obscene profits.”

“Keeping the status quo may be what the insurance industry wants. Their premiums have more than doubled in the last decade, and their profits have skyrocketed.” Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, member of the Democratic leadership.

The numbers

Health insurers posted a 2.2 percent profit margin last year, placing them 35th on the Fortune 500 list of top industries. As is typical, other health sectors did much better – drugs and medical products and services were both in the top 10.

The railroads brought in a 12.6 percent profit margin. Leading the list: network and other communications equipment, at 20.4 percent.

HealthSpring, the best performer in the health insurance industry, posted 5.4 percent. That’s a less profitable margin than was achieved by the makers of Tupperware, Clorox bleach and Molson and Coors beers.

The star among the health insurance companies did, however, nose out Jack in the Box restaurants, which only achieved a 4 percent margin.

UnitedHealth Group, reporting third quarter results last week, saw fortunes improve. It managed a 5 percent profit margin on an 8 percent growth in revenue.

Van Hollen is right that premiums have more than doubled in a decade, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study that found a 131 percent increase.

But were the Bush years golden ones for health insurers?

Not judging by profit margins, profit growth or returns to shareholders. The industry’s overall profits grew only 8.8 percent from 2003 to 2008, and its margins year to year, from 2005 forward, never cracked 8 percent.

The latest annual profit margins of a selection of products, services and industries: Tupperware Brands, 7.5 percent; Yahoo, 5.9 percent; Hershey, 6.1 percent; Clorox, 8.7 percent; Molson Coors Brewing, 8.1 percent; construction and farm machinery, 5 percent; Yum Brands (think KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell), 8.5 percent.

JacksonSun.com

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According to Twitter “eBay/Paypal and MillerCoors are donating a cent per hashtag (via tweet, Facebook update, or blog post).”  I’m helping them out and you can too by clicking on the badge above.  You could be helping someone you know.  I am.

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Ten Reasons (That Anyone Can Understand) Why New York Should Say No to Upstate Natural Gas Drilling.

1.  You need water to make beer.

2.  Even a cold bath is better than one that leaves you with boils.

3.  Casino-Resorts without (a) hot tubs (that don’t leave you with boils), or (b) good beer (I’ve heard Adirondack is infinitely superior to Coors) tend to go bust.

4.   Milk is good for your teeth.

5.  Mountains are good for your soul.

6.   When the animals go, we’re next.

7.   It’s hard to create jobs in a place where you can’t drink, bathe, feed animals, or wash clothes in the water.

8.  It’s hard to keep jobs downstream of a place where you can’t—oops! Correction.  It’s hard to keep jobs in a place whose reservoirs hold water that can’t be drunk, bathed in, or used for any human or animal purpose.

9.  Wyoming was once a beautiful state.

10.  And I haven’t heard that it’s become the jobs capital of the country.

Six Reasons Why New York Should Say Yes to Natural Gas Drilling

1.  I can take my one-time drilling lease payment and rent a trailer (maybe) somewhere a whole lot warmer than Upstate New York.

2.  Those stupid dairy cows really build up a stench.

3.   Coors is okay by me.   (Better not drill in Colorado.)

4.  Mountains make me carsick.

5.  Those stupid, rich, New Yorkers—don’t they just buy bottled water?

6.  They don’t use water to make diet soda, do they?  Regular?

About the program from their website:

#BeatCancer is a social media experiment and movement created by Everywhere, a social media communications and content company based in Atlanta, Georgia. The idea was spawned by Managing Partner, Tamara Knechtel. “We were headed to BlogWold in Las Vegas with a few of our clients, including Jermain Dupri. We new we’d be in a hotbed of major bloggers and twitterers and Don Lemon and I were talking about how the power of social media should be used for more than just marketing products. If Ashton Kutcher could get a million followers, couldn’t we take on a social cause through social media? My business partners who’ve watched as I’ve struggled with cancer suggested we try to beat cancer through social media. Thus #BeatCancer was born.” Knechtel immediately reached out to Rick Calvert, organizer of BlogWorld, and Guinness World Records to see if they could compete to set a record for the distribution of the largest mass message through social media. Both agreed and in no time, others joined in the movement providing sponsorship support.

In a 24-hour period of time starting Friday, October 16th at 9 am (PDT) and lasting until Saturday, October 17th at 9am (PDT) people all over the internet stratosphere will be asked to send tweets and Facebook status updates and to blog using#BeatCancer in their posts. Ebay/Paypal and MillerCoors Brewing Company will donate a penny ($0.01)* for every Twitter message, Facebook update or blog post that includes the phrase #BeatCancer. All money will be donated to non-profit cancer organizations including SU2C (Stand Up to Cancer), Alex’s Lemonade, Bright Pink, and Spirit Jump. All of the non-profits are 501 (c)(3) organizations and accredited by The American Cancer Society. A listing of all organizations and a live stream of postings can be found at www.beatcancereverywhere.com.

This is, by far, one of my favorite social media programs to date. It was launched today at Blogworld 09. If you remember, I attended Blogworld 08 back when I was an ignorant little driveling blogger and had no idea how cool this world could really be.

If you are a blogger, twitterer or just one of my crazy friends with a Facebook page, you can join this movement by simply clicking on the link above and following the directions on their site.

Here’s to you Tamara Knechtal, for turning your nightmare around and using your craft to change the world, 1 penny at at time. Good luck in breaking the world record.

Again, the Social in Social Media strikes again.

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visit Leaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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The Armstrong Beer Debate.

It’s not about the bike, it’s about the beer. As Joe Lindsey pointed out in his always hilarious Boulder Report, Lance Armstrong has three mugs of beer going at once. An impressive stunt, not unlike climbing Alpe d’Huez with several chimps on your back — only a superstar could pull that off.

In one hand, he’s got a pen and signed contract for a lucrative sponsorship deal with Anheuser Busch’s Michelob Ultra. In the other hand, he’s holding a Coors Light while trying to convince Colorado Governor Bill Ritter to bring the old Coors Classic stage race back to life, despite a massive hole in the state budget. Bike race, fund bankrupt schools, bike race, fund bankrupt schools, and the winner is….

And in his third hand — yeah, you knew Lance was super human — he’s dumping out a glass of Shiner Bock, his favorite Texas beer. The one he guzzles in the off-season unless, suddenly, there’s a multi million dollar deal for Michelob Ultra — see hand number one.

That’s plenty of suds to juggle and Twisted Spoke is sure that Radio Shack boss and buddy Johan Bruyneel is also pushing a big Belgian style ale toward Lance. Four hands on Armstrong? With a name like that anything is possible.

But let’s shove the money off the table and focus on the beer. Michelob, Coors and Shiner Bock are the wrong choices. As usual, the savvy Bruyneel is the closest to knowing the right beer choice for Lance. A step back for a moment — not from the bar, from said question.

First, what beer truly reflects Armstrong’s “lifestyle,” matches his product gestalt and defines the most famous endurance athlete in history? The answer lies in the Texan’s legendary devotion to all phases of training as July and the Tour de France draw near.

As Bruyneel and coach Chris Carmichael know, Lance goes into what he calls Elevated Monk Status. A monastic state of pure, unalterable, fiendishly focused dedication to the cause of winning another yellow jersey.

We’ve arrived at the Duh Conclusion: Lance should be drinking the monk’s beer, a Trappist Ale from Chimay, Orval or say, Westmalle. A natural fit considering that Trappist ale originated in La Trappe, France. Le Tour, always Le Tour — Lance knows that. (You think Bernard “Badger” Hinault, winner of five tours, would drink a light beer? Sacre bull-crap, mes amis.)

The racer's brewski.

So yeah, you’re hanging with Lance in his backyard in Austin late next summer. He’s explaining how he nailed that pistelero Contador to the wall and Three Stooge-Slapped little Andy Schleck in the 2010 Tour.

Then he looks at you and says, “yo, grab a few cold monks from the cooler.” Sounds weird but you’ll get used to it. Because a Chimay ale will whomp a watery Coors or limp Michelob. It will put hair on your chest, like a trappist hair shirt. You may even start a Gregorian chant or give your bikes to charity. You may quote old scripture in French or recite threshold data from Lance’s old training logs. Don’t get too carried away, okay?

Twisted Spoke thinks it’s not too late: Lance, drop the Michelob Ultra. The Elevated Monk Status beer is the only way to go.

And so can every company that thinks marketing to women means wrapping their useless products in pink with flowers and boys, dumbing it all down so much your gag reflex is healthy and kicking.  You know what makes me not buy Coors?  I’ve got a palate and a mind for good microbrews and not some shit that’s brewed “cold as the Rockies”.  I drink bourbon and beer not cosmos and bellinis.

The campaign is called the “Bittersweet Partnership” — how aptly named, and how dumb do they think women are?  The Bitter part is highlighted in pink, probably because they think women can’t even handle that word let alone the flavor and the crest is hops growing from a curly-cue heart.  But don’t worry Coors is there to listen and understand your girly feelings about this so-called manly beer — beer goddesses I know aren’t drinking swill and piss out of a silver bullet can.  Pretty sure silver bullet is synonymous with an enema.  Thus, Coors can shove it.  Man that makes me want to bring the motherf***ing RUCKUS!

Downtown Fort Collins, CO

Trout & Bear. Art in public square, downtown Ft. Collins.

Swinging. Art in public square, downtown Ft. Collins.

Cindy tips a guy & his horse over.

Some crazy bikes downtown.

Signage at Wagz, a boutique pet store.

New Belgium Brewery (NBB); Fort Collins, CO

NBB’s ubiquitous Fat Tire bike.

Cindy Lou hulu hoops at NBB

NBB: A testament to sustainability.

NBB’s tap room menu

NBB’s tap room

NBB’s beer shrine

Our tour guide, Miller, explains….

Artistic flair at the base of each kettle

NBB uses used wine casks to make special, limited edition brews.

Lips of Faith: La Folie Sour Brown Ale

Beer bottle artwork

The packaging room; 700 bottles per minute

Sunshine and Abbey

Dinner with friends at White Chocolate Grill

Rolling into Denver from Ft. Collins.

Liquid art … the bar at WCG

LtoR: Corey, Andrea, Diana, Cindy

Cindy Lou’s excited about . . .

DESSERT!

Pike’s Peak Cog Railway depot; Manitou, CO

Posing with an old steam engine.

View of Pike’s Peak through the Fall foliage on the way up.

Looking down the mountain as the train makes the 1-hour journey up.

A view from atop Pike’s Peak – simply breathtaking.

Another fantastic view from atop Pike’s Peak.

14,110 ft., several feet of snow, 28°F … I’m wearing shorts.

Cindy Lou doing Cindy Lou stuff.