skip to main |
skip to sidebar
As I look at the electoral landscape of 2008, it is difficult not to despair of hope for the future (look, I got two Obama buzz-words in the first sentence!). Conservatives have no real voice in the presidental sweepstakes and haven't really since February or before. It is now July and it's anyone's guess as to who will eventually be our next president. Obama is up by a few points in the current polls, but the lead is fairly insignificant when you reflect that Reagan (80 & 84), Bush 41, and Bush 43 (00 and 04) were all behind by more at this point in their respective contests and emerged victorious. If McCain does win, he is likely to have no coattails and will have to deal with a Congress more antagnostic than any a Republican has faced since 1981.
There were other, more qualified candidates, but they never seemed to be able to get a vibrant message to a large enough group of voters. But today I want to reflect on the one that got away...the candidate that could have been, but just didn't want to be...Condi Rice. For whatever personal reasons, she had no interest in running and that has been to our detriment, I believe. In her, we would have had "a perfect storm" of a candidate--someone who could negate the history-making aspect of either an Obama or a Hillary candidacy.
It is my opinion that most people on the right side of the aisle are more ideologically motivated and will not switch their vote dependent upon the race or gender of the opposing candidate. I don't believe that liberals hold to this same standard--to wit, I think that if the Republican candidate were female, she would peel off a certain percentage of liberal Democrat voters who want to see a female win, even if the candidate were pro-life, pro-gun, anti-tax, anti-big-government, etc. I think that if the Republican candidate were black, you would see the historically monolithic black vote splinter--I think a black Republican candidate would attract as much as 25 or 30 percent of the black vote, instead of the normal 8 to 12 percent.
With Condoleeza Rice being both black and female, I believe she would peel off a significant amount of both black and female voters who would normally vote Democrat and would win by a rather large margin. I think she would be up over the Democrat candidate in the polls right now by at least 15 percent and maybe more. In short, I think she would be a shoe-in for winning in November...but we'll never know.
It's all one man's opinion and pure speculation at this point.
I was disgusted to hear over the weekend the latest in the long line of stupid, leftist moves by the legislature and governor of the People's Republic of California. Governor Schwarzenegger (formerly a film star who gave the illusion of having gonads) signed into law a bill that bans trans-fats from all restaurants in the Golden State by July 1, 2009. Those of a more conservative leaning have long been suspicious of Arnold, but most of us voted for him anyway, thinking that he could not possibly be worse than Gray Davis, our last illustrious governor. Unfortunately, we were wrong--even though his party affiliation is still Republican, he is fast becoming the most extreme leftist this state has ever seen--probably moreso than Jerry Brown, in fact! He refuses to consider the option of expanding off-shore drilling if the opportunity arises (i.e. Congress gets out of the way); believes in the oft-debunked theory that global warming is man-made and therefore we should do something about it; is on the verge of going back on his pledge to not raise taxes; has declared that what California needs is "more, more, more" programs and hand-outs; and now he is in agreement with the leftist legislature that the government should be able to tell you what you can and cannot eat. It's time for Arnold to go--from the Republican party, from the state, maybe from the country.
5-1/2" x 54 ring
I have had this stick in my humidor since last November. I picked it up at the Big Smoke in Las Vegas and my friends who had smoked it remarked so much on its strength that I was afraid to give it a try; I was waiting for the right time--a time when I wasn't going to smoke a second or third cigar and a time when I wasn't rushed or pre-disposed to being knocked flat by a powerful smoke.
This cigar is so dark, it's almost black; it has a nice oily sheen and a toothy wrapper. The pre-light aroma is sweet and cocoa-y (is that even a word?). After cutting it, the cold smoke shows a great draw with hints of blueberry flavor. I lit this up outside during the afternoon and it was sunny, making it hard to tell if I got an even light from the beginning, but I don't think I did. I had uneven burning right from the start and this didn't go away throughout the entire stick. Disappointing, but, again, hard to know if it was because of the uneven lighting or a construction problem--I'll give the cigar roller the benefit of the doubt at this point, though.
The first portion of the cigar shows just where this stick is going: is has a full body with thick smoke. The flavors most prevelant are leather and earth. By the half-way mark, the true power of the cigar is starting to kick in; some leathery hints remain, but they are joined by some chocolate. At the last third, the stogie starts to show some spice and nuttiness, as well as more of the earthiness that was present early on.
Overall, this is a very strong cigar. I was not quite able to finish it off. Definitely not a cigar for beginners--unless you want to scare them off smoking for the rest of their lives!
Rating: 90
6.1" x 52 ring
I'll have a more thorough video review of this stogie up in the next few days, but for now, a few notes about it...
According to the literature, this cigar features aged ligero filler inside a Brazilian maduro wrapper. It promised an "explosion of spice, fading into a smooth, chocolately richness complemented by a distinct woody character."
I can honestly say the above description (from the website where I purchased the cigar, which shall remain nameless at this time), doesn't really describe the experience very well. Instead, I found no explosion, but definitely the presence of some sweet spice and mild cocoa hints. You might expect a triple ligero cigar to pack some punch, and ultimately, this one does not disappoint in that regard, although it is not a punch you will feel coming. Instead, this cigar disguises itself as a mild-mannered, mellow, medium-bodied smoke with about a medium amount of character, but when you get to that last third, you might just find yourself surprised by the amount of buzz you have received from smoking it. I will have to smoke further samples of these to see if this analysis holds up, though, as this one was plagued by a draw that was a bit on the tight side and that can contribute (through tar buildup) to a more powerful buzz than you might normally expect.
This is the remainder of the reviews that I am transferring over from the old site. It's fun to read what I thought of certain cigars a year and a half ago and see what I think of them today. My tastes have changed in some ways, hopefully becoming more sophisticated, but overall, I think the sticks I liked then, I would like now...
Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Banquet
6.75" x 48 ring
Friday, March 30, 2007
Initial: Wonderful medium-bodied smoke, even lighting, flavorful, not overpowering (90)
Draw: Excellent (95)
Halfway Point: Very nice, easy smoking, cool smoke, not too heavy (90)
Finish: A few bitter notes and a little flavor loss (85)
Remarks: This is a stick that reminds me why I started smoking cigars in the first place. Pleasant aroma with good flavor that does not beat you over the head. No wonder this line of cigars is still my favorite.
OVERALL SCORE: 90
Montecristo Edmundo
5.3" x 52 ring
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Initial: Strong & leathery, earthy, pure tobacco flavor (90)
Draw: Very good (90)
Halfway Point: Pleasant flavor, but not spectacular (80)
Finish: A few minor unpleasant notes (75)
Remarks: This Cuban stick started with some promise but failed to deliver. It is not a bad cigar by any means, but is also not worthy of the legendary status that Cuban cigars have in the world. It would honestly be an exceptional smoke for $4, but the price is utterly unjustified otherwise, as it has very little in the way of character. Many sticks get better as you smoke them, but this one seemed to just get blander.
OVERALL SCORE: 82
Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva Chateau Fuente
4.5" x 50 ring
Friday, February 23, 2007
Initial: Lights well, has some spice (90)
Draw: Excellent (95)
Halfway Point: Nice, a bit of spiciness (90)
Finish: Good, no bitterness (90)
Remarks: A good smoke from beginning to end. A strong maduro cigar with spice and kick.
OVERALL SCORE: 91
Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur 1066 Merlin
5.25" x 50 ring
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Initial: A woody, full-body. Flavor settles after a couple minutes (90)
Draw: Excellent (95)
Halfway Point: Mellow full-body flavor, easy smoking (95)
Finish: Wonderful (98)
Remarks: After a bit of harsh woodiness at the beginning, this settled into a most delightful smoke that ranks among the finest cigars made. There really is not a thing wrong with this stick, from construction to smoking it down to the nubs.
OVERALL SCORE: 94
Natural by Drew Estate
Dirt
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Initial: Hints of sweetness in a mild-body smoke (90)
Draw: Very Good (90)
Halfway Point: Excellent flavor, hints of coffee and chocolate (95)
Finish: Good to the last puff (95)
Remarks: There's a reason this is still my favorite. The flavor is great from beginning to end. There's never a hint of overpowering you. The size is perfect for 20 to 30 minutes of pure smoking pleasure. It's a perfect marriage of the Natural filler and wrapper tobaccos creating a pleasantly sweet taste that's never wussy. Guaranteed not to offend non-smokers in the area.
OVERALL SCORE: 93
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990
5.5" x 50 ring
Friday, February 16, 2007
Initial: Pleasant woody flavor, cap came off almost immediately (80)
Draw: Excellent (95)
Halfway Point: Just a hint of patchouli; still very pleasant (90)
Finish: Some bitter notes toward the end. (85)
Remarks: Very good cigar with some minor flaws. The cap separating from a punched cigar implies poor construction, although there was not expected unravelling problems. It seemed to be cross-contaminated with an Acid, but it didn't happen in my box. It did add a nice note, but it probably wasn't supposed to be there. The bitterness toward the end was not very consistent. Overall, a good smoke with some minor inconsistencies that marred the experience.
OVERALL SCORE: 86
There were other, more qualified candidates, but they never seemed to be able to get a vibrant message to a large enough group of voters. But today I want to reflect on the one that got away...the candidate that could have been, but just didn't want to be...Condi Rice. For whatever personal reasons, she had no interest in running and that has been to our detriment, I believe. In her, we would have had "a perfect storm" of a candidate--someone who could negate the history-making aspect of either an Obama or a Hillary candidacy.
