17 Sunday Jul 2016
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Turkey may be going to hell and three cops are dead in LA. That is all the comment I have on that.
Me, I’m recently arrived back in Cigar Nirvana for a little R&R.
Last week I had the high privilege of visiting Town Centre Tobacco and Wine in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. What a great place! An excellent selection of cigars, wine, and craft beer in a first class setting.
Now I’m comfortably back at Davidoff, Tampa.
Maximus time.
Ahh. I think that will be all for today.
Cheers,
Perrin
14 Thursday Jul 2016
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If one can spare a few minutes from the important Pokemon crash test, then one may use a quick, six-step test to determine one’s oxygen-use based fitness level. Then one can extrapolate ones “real” age. Note: make sure you properly choose English or metric values. And, try to be honest…
CLICK HERE to take the easy test, courtesy of the Daily Mail.
The end result will be your VO2Max level. Mine is 47. What does that mean?
Check out this chart:
My 47, for my age, falls into the high-end of the “excellent” range; I’m one point away from “superior”. I suppose the cigars are holding me back…
A 47 would also be an excellent score for a twenty-something and “good” for a teenager. What’s my physical age? I really can’t calculate it with specificity but I’ll just say “28”. (There are other, more in-depth tests available if one looks for them).
Out of curiosity I went back and took the test from my (unhealthy) specs, circa 2012. Oddly, despite my heavy weight then and my relative inactivity, my score was almost the same. The test is age sensitive and aerobically oriented. I was younger then and I have always had a low resting heartbeat.
The little weights help too.
At any rate, I’m happy to be aging in reverse. Sometimes I’m told I look younger than I am and sometimes I feel it. How about you?
13 Wednesday Jul 2016
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Seduction: the act of, or something that, attracts or charms (to lead astray).
For over a decade the extraordinary charm and quality of the smokes from Kaizad Hansotia and Gurkha have attracted my attention and lead me astray from the ordinary, the bland, and the boring.
My Gurkha Seduction, a 6×5 Toro, graciously led me astray from the sweltering heat of a 102℉! day in the sun (and that was not including a heat index). With the world in danger of melting around me, I was happy to settle in for a medium-bodied ride through cigarland.
That shrub behind me burst into flames whilst I puffed and sweated away.
This stick has the looks to seduce any smoker. It’s a solid beauty – dark, oily, a little veiny. Hansotia and company always go above and beyond with design and presentation too. Take a look at the work of art of a band here:
The burn was even and the draw light and easy. The gray ash, if a little flaky (could have been the heat – I was flaky too…), formed well and stayed in its place.
The flavoring began a bit slowly, though about an inch in, the experience mellowed and a deep earthiness flowed, mixed with cedar and spice. The smoke was not too sweet, nor too spicy. For the end of a HOT day, it was just right. In cooler climates this one would pair wonderfully with a morning (or evening) coffee as it holds its own hints of espresso.
My imagination tells me the coffee taste comes from Columbia. The best coffee beans come from Columbia and so does the rich Corojo filler tobacco. The package is bound up in Dominican Olor (said to be the D.R.’s “native” leaf) and wrapped in a shiny Habano leaf from Ecuador.
The smoking experience was as tempting as the name suggests. It was solid though a little lighter than what I normally go for. As I said above, I was happily lead astray here. Speaking of…
Don’t you be led astray; order your Seduction from my friends at Cigars City – the world’s finest selection and pricing! I had to do a double-take when examining the prices Anthony allows on these babies. One normally associated a Gurkha with the $10 – 15 range. Somehow CC manages to cut that pretty much in half. Think about it, you get a world-class cigar for what has become almost a value stick price. That’s attractive and charming!
12 Tuesday Jul 2016
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Animals, blogging, nature, Perrin Lovett, perrinlovett.me, writing
Last night I typed up a short piece about losing a Facebook friend. It was just a rambling expose of thoughts, without any of my usual opinions and revelations. (As a friend put it not too long ago: “Perrin’s blog: government bad.”). I was blown away by the high traffic this short post generated – more than many of what I consider good, in-depth articles.
I thank you for your patronage and I apologize if my story broke bad news to some of you. I got some emails and messages about the death in question.
More, I think, is due now on the creation of that post – not of its nature or origin but rather the environment in which it was written. I can work wherever there is internet connectivity (or decent cell reception) – most places: the house, cigar shops, the gym, coffee houses, bars, hotels, etc. Sometimes, most times, I like working outside. Last night’s posting about Facebook was developed in a garden shed. I do some of my best work there, hot in the summer, cold in the winter.
Day or night I tend to get visitors in the shed. These are mostly flying insects though the occasional cat or bird may drop by. With the exception of mosquitoes, their company is welcomed by me.
Last night, while I typed away about a man I’d never actually met, I heard a scratching, scrambling noise above my head. The shed has a loft, a big shelf near the ceiling. The building is less than well secure so it’s possible for all manner of critters to enter.
As the bumping and scrapings continued and intensified I began to ponder what sort of beast I was working with. It was very dark so all I had to work with was auditory information and imagination. Based on observation, I decided it must be either a rat or a squirrel up there, bumping around. I even contemplated the possibility of a raccoon.I don’t mind any of these varmints but then it occurred to me – what if it, whatever it is, is rabid?
I actually don’t mind sick animals (they never bother me; I feel bad for them) but I did not want a Jerry Clower story breaking out either. Still, I pecked away. Nothing happened. Whatever was up there seemed as at home with me as I was with it.
The Humane Society.
Upon completing the stories of the evening I prepared to exit. I turned on the light and looked up. What I had taken in my mind to be mammalian turned out to just be two slender, black beetles. They buzzed away rather stupidly trying to fly through the roof. Given the small size of their brains – with less mental horsepower than even the average politician – this was not surprising. I left them where they were, figuring they’d eventually make it out or make some spider very happy.
This is another of those stories without a central theme, moral or otherwise. I just thought it, for some reason, worth relaying.
Happy Tuesday!
11 Monday Jul 2016
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Several years ago when I was new to Facebook I did what most digital denizens do – I went looking for people I knew or had known. I happened across this one profile, let’s call him “Andy” (because that was his name). This person had the same first and last name as I guy I went to elementary school with many moons ago. He lived in the same small Mississippi town where I grew up and was about the right age. I couldn’t quite make out Andy from his picture but I was sure it was him.
It was not.
It turns out there were two men in the same town with the same name (first and last). “New” Andy graciously accepted my friend request. Then, soon thereafter, I unequivocally discovered my old friend – the real person from my past. We too, of course, became friends on FB.
So, there I was with two Andys. From time to time I saw postings from the “new” guy. We never interacted as far as I can remember but we stayed “connected”. He seemed like the kind of fellow I would like anyway. I suppose the feeling was mutual. I once pondered whether he was actual friends with any of my old friends over there. Maybe he was even friends with my old Andy. I never thought to ask anyone about it.
Just the other day I read (on Facebook) that Andy had passed away at an all too early age. At first I had that gut-wrenching feeling that I had lost another childhood friend. I’ve lost a few now and know the feeling. Maybe you do too. If not, I’m glad for you.
Further reading revealed it was “new” Andy whom had died. I was happy my old friend is still with us but I wasn’t relieved. I had still lost a friend. Other people I known in the real world and who were FB friends have also died but for some reason this incident was a little more sobering than those.
It seems that everyone who knew the new Andy in real life really liked him. His passing saddened them understandably. I started thinking about him as if I had known him (in person) all those years.
If this rambling is going anywhere, it’s here: I did know him, even if intangibly and on-line. He was my friend. I’m sorry he’s gone. I feel like I’m being selfish for being sorry as I’m sure he’s now in a much better place.
So, all of this social media does actually have a higher purpose, a human purpose, I suppose. I’m glad I knew my new friend even as little as I did and for the relatively short time I did. This is his eulogy from me.
Rest in peace, buddy.
06 Wednesday Jul 2016
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The Diesel Wicked Belicoso Review
“Diesel Wicked” – the name sounds like something a Massachusetts trucker would exclaim as he eases up I-93 towards Andover: “Diesel is wicked expensive! I need a cigar!” Something like that. Make no mistake, this is one wicked awesome smoke. It’s another terrific offering from A.J. Fernandez; a limited run while the unique, ass-kicking leaves last. Check out the whole Diesel line.
I’ve smoked cigars going up 93 myself; just over the NH border there’s this happy little place called Two Guys – the perfect place to relax before or after a meal at the Red Tavern. Wait … they closed the Tavern some years back. (I digress as usual). Anyway, I enjoyed my Wicked 6 X 56 torpedo one recent evening after a run by the river. Just prior to dusk it still felt hot as hades even while drinking half-frozen water. Anyone else would have been laid out by this strong, full-bodied baby. There’s nicotine in this stick. You can feel it working the magic; it’s a physical endeavor as much as a flavor experience. You actually know you’re smoking a cigar! Now, let me skip ahead straight to the flavors.
I was at an event one time which mainly featured flavored cigars. The rep went on and on about perfume, potpourri, berries, and flowers. I finally asked him if he had any tobacco flavored cigars. We shared a tense laugh. No such problems here – the Wicked is a tobacco product that tastes like tobacco, good tobacco! It all stems from the wonderful balance of ligero filler from the hills of Nicaragua bound up with some of Esteli’s finest. The wrapper is a maduro, a dark, oily, rugged-looking broadleaf from Pennsylvania. This combination packs a punch and a kick. It’s strong but not overpowering – dignified if a little less than smooth – like an overpriced, late model diesel pickup truck.
That unmistakable tobacco flavor is made of hearty tones of wood and earth. The smoke is deep and heavy right off. It’s a down and dirty smoke – a wicked smoke – all in a very good way. I also detected the essence of leather and fresh ground pepper. Hints of not-so-hot (but definitely there) spice kept the session amped up. When I finished (and this one is a real fingernail burner) I was nearly dizzy but I could have almost fired up a second stick. Does “Mmmmmm……” describe it well enough?
The cigar itself was very well-built, being both dark and shiny and of very stout construction. In fact, I initially had some misgivings based on the touch and feel test. I thought there had to be too much leaf packed in there. I was wrong – don’t always trust your gut. The draw was deceptively easy given the tightness of the construction – a tribute to the roller and to A.J.’s quality assurance.
The light up went off without a hitch (I used a single match). All that thick tobacco not only made for delicious smoke but also for a long smoke. The entire time, start to finish, she burned absolutely perfectly. I probably puffed along slowly for about two hours without once needing to address any canoeing or irregularity. Not surprisingly, given the robust stature of the cigar, it burned slowly (and I had been running so I was dead tired and of no help via additional puff power). A tight, chalky white ash formed and held on until summoned to the ashtray. This might be a good candidate for your next long ash event.
I’ll bet it’s a good candidate for just about any event. I would say any smoker could handle it but I have experience and a heart. If you’re just taking up the hobby save this one for later in your tenure. Otherwise, approach it slowly and with a little caution. I didn’t write “ass-kicking” above without reason. Seasoned vets, smoke away! The Wicked might go well with a strong single-malt or a good bourbon. I’d recommend a couple of ice cubes in the glass and maybe one should keep the cold water handy, as I did. Yes, I will match any cigar with the appropriate beer. In this case it would have to be a strong, dark beer – maybe that’s better left until after the weather cools a bit. Hot here. Maybe I should move to New Hampshire or … naah.
**Looking for a wicked read – order The Happy Little Cigar Book on Amazon!**
The Diesel Wicked – a wicked good cigar whether the weather is wicked hot or wicked cold. For wicked low prices on Diesels and other premium cigars please visit the good folks at Cigars City. Cigars City? Now that sounds like a place I could move to. Sounds like wicked fun.
02 Saturday Jul 2016
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false flag, fear, government, Machiavelli, movies, politics, The Prince, Zootopia
Most movies do not appeal to me. I generally take in the theater at the suggestion of and in the company of my daughter. Before I get into this column let me review the movies I’ve seen lately.
Captain America: Civil War. Rated, by me: B. It was okay as both a superhero movie and as libertarian commentary about obeying your conscious rather than rote orders. Okay it was.
Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. B-. Not bad but not what I’d (we’d) hoped for. Batfleck was awesome! Henry plays a good Supes. Wonder Woman was stunning – the 3 minutes we got of her. There was way too much filler.
The Hobbit: Part Whatever. F. The ghost of Tolkien is looking for Peter Jackson right now like a Nazgul on a ring thief.
Star Wars, Episode Too Many, A New New Hope. C. A PC remake of the original with a wimpy Darth Vader and a bigger Death Star.
Then, just the other day, I ventured into Zootopia. Every once in a while the Disney machine gets one right. I actually enjoyed it! A! It’s no wonder Rotten Tomatoes rated it 98% fresh. Fresh carrots, here, I suppose. Like Star Wars it reminded me of something – not another, older movie about a mammalian metropolis – I recalled a book about political theory.
Disney.
The animation, acting (voice acting) and the flow were all top-notch. The plot was well-developed and unfolded with a suspenseful, surprising rhythm.
Judy Hopps is a small-town bunny with big dreams of becoming a police officer in the big city. She defies the odds and makes the force – the very first rabbit officer. Starting day one she learns all kinds of lessons. She quickly develops her street smarts and cracks the big case.
The city population is roughly 90% herbivores and 10% carnivores. Lately, about a dozen of the carnivores have gone missing. Judy’s sleuthing, aided by a crafty street fox, leads her to their location and a major surprise.
All of the citizens of Zootopia have gotten along fine since forever but there is a lingering , maybe unspoken fear the meat-eaters might, just might go wild. They do. It turns out the missing predators have all mysteriously started acting like wild, violent animals; they go primal. The mayor, a politician’s politician of a lion, realizes what may be happening and has them locked away in a research facility on the outskirts of town.
He and his co-conspirators are arrested. Judy is a hero. But … there is still the problem of the wilding predators. Is it the start of an epidemic? Fear begins to take hold in the city. In the end there is a rational, if uncanny explanation for the savage behavior – the predators have been unwittingly poisoned.
The case is solved. The poison victims are cured. Everyone lives happily ever after and learns important (yes, PC) lessons about inclusion, not jumping to conclusions, and the civilized necessity of overlooking illogical prejudices. Judy’s street fox friend becomes the force’s first fox officer and they end the movies as partners. In and of itself, that would make for a happy ending to a great movie with some pretty decent morals. It’s not just a cutesy animal movie. It features significant societal commentary.
Here’s my special social commentary, all derived from the manner in which the poisoning of the predators was revealed. What was that political book I was reminded of? It was The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli.
Mayor Lionheart’s deputy was an over-worked, under-appreciated sheep. She masterminded the whole predator poisoning, banking on the mayor’s secretive, illegal handling of the matter. It almost paid off for her. She assumed the role of mayor just in time to feed on the city’s (false) fears of a savagery outbreak. The whole missing and drugged carnivore scheme was a false flag event. It was the same kind of deceptive power-play described time and again in The Prince.
Disney.
Given the politically correct undertones of the movie (to me, harmless), one may safely describe the deputy mayor as a “social justice warrior” (SJW) of the lowest kind. She carefully crafted the false flag and manipulated the people in order to gain power – Machiavellian! I even saw Vox Day’s three rules of SJW behavior in action: the story about the predators was a lie; they (Mayor Sheepy and her accomplices) doubled down to save face and hold onto power at nearly any cost, and; they tried to project their insecurity onto Judy.
So, in the very end, Judy ended up cracking an even bigger case, a case of treason. The ultimate moral of the tale is to not trust the government even if you’re a part of it – especially if you are a decent civil servant like Judy.
“It’s called a hustle, sweetheart.” – Judy Hopps, Zootopia.
“Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception.” – Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince.
One more thing – two more things…. Disney did the latent comedic elements flawlessly. They featured an overweight, donut-grazing, goofball tiger of a desk sergeant at police HQ. Classic. And, in Zootopia the DMV office is run by … sloths. Perfect! Old Walt would own this one.
Disney.
01 Friday Jul 2016
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Happy July! Now we start the best half of the year, right?
I’m not even checking Viernheim this morning. Maybe later; formulating a theory.
Good morning, internet.
New England inn/Google
28 Tuesday Jun 2016
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“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” – Sun Tzu
If our enemy is a bad, weak, or boring smoke, then the Ruination may be the supreme cigar. Name aside, there is no fighting, just pure enjoyment.
What. A. Cigar. This big brown beauty delivers tons of smoke and flavor right from the first puff. The Ruination packs a punch, both in terms of quality and taste, for a well-sub-$10 stick. By the way, to make sure you get the best price possible for your Man O’ War, consult the good folks at Cigars City, where the advertised sticks are never “out of stock”.
My Robusto boasted a superb draw born of excellent quality and solid construction. As one can easily see from the above photo, this smoke has smooth lines which match its smooth yet energetic taste. This particular size, 5 ½ x 54, is perfect for after dinner enjoyment or while passing a long (well-deserved) lunch break. Take any break and add this masculine masterpiece from master cigar-maker Abdel “A.J.” Fernandez of Tabacalera Fernandez, Esteli (new site under development). It’s a great example of the ages-old Cuban rolling legacy alive and thriving in Nicaragua today.
I would classify my Robusto’s strength as a fuller-medium. Really, for me personally, I’d call it medium, but I call most cigars “medium” – either through my increased fortitude or loss of senses – jury is still out. Anyway, the usual, seasoned cigar smoker should find the Ruination full-bodied but not too strong. If fact, it may be just right for any veteran. (Newbies might need to ease into it to avoid … that unpleasantness … you know what I mean … or you will. Ha ha ha).
The burn began with a slight unevenness which rapidly worked itself out. After the initial light-up the burn was perfect as was the draw – lots and lots of generous smoke, not too hot and none too mild. The ash held on in average fashion – and I didn’t burn myself! Aside from a foolish, self-inflicted blister, I hate nothing more than a poor-burning stick that detracts from the tasting experience. No such worries here.
Rich flavors appeared immediately and developed in wonderful complexity. Underlying everything is the earthy, woody, maybe leathery deliciousness born of the ligero filler from Nicaraguan and Honduras. The binder is a top-notch Nicaraguan and the exquisite wrapper is an oily, deep-brown, sun grown leaf from Ecuador. Happy notes of lively pepper punctuate the hearty smoke culminating in a rich finish both toasty and mildly spiced.
Think of the Ruination as a go-to when you need a great experience of slightly higher power yet of easy handling. I had mine during the evening while watching Lightning Bugs flit about. I dare to venture you might enjoy the smoke accompanied by a stout bourbon, a good single-malt, or even a dark rum. I find most stronger cigars go well with a hefty beer though the Southern ambient evening temperatures run some interference during the summer. Again, those unaccustomed to a little horsepower might be advised to eat a good meal first. You’ll figure it out. There are no wrong approaches in cigar-land. Let this Man O’ War bring you a little peace and happiness one night soon.
Cheers,
Perrin
28 Tuesday Jun 2016
Posted in News and Notes, Other Columns
≈ Comments Off on Another Anniversary and More Silence
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blog, Germany, government, ObamaCare, perrinlovett.me, taxes, terrorism
Today is the four-year anniversary of the article that really started the blog:
It’s 2016 and the Obamacare Tax and Insurance Company Enrichment Act still regularly makes the news – usually for additional premium increases or for doctors bailing from the system or from the profession. All in the name of revenue. You’re welcome.
*****
Viernheim Shooting Update – STILL NOTHING!
Pushing a week and still no word on the shooter’s identity beyond “broken German” and disturbed and rank speculation. “The Darmstadt prosecutor remains silent, because the investigations continue.” I read somewhere they considered him an acute threat. To what, I wonder? The EU? Merkel’s Fourth Reich Unholy Empire? They say ignorance is bliss but this is bothering me…
PERRIN LOVETT 
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