An occasionally regular roundup of news items that piqued our interest along with a little color commentary.
Starting with a little Pop Culture watch today: I have to say I was less than thoroughly disappointed when I heard that Guillermo del Toro was not going to direct The Hobbit. I always thought Peter Jackson did such a great job with Lord of the Rings that he should be the one to direct the "prequel" (kind of a stupid word, isn't it?). Apparently he finally agrees!
Reflecting a couple of the extremes of my music-loving self, I am curious to pick up both new releases from Josh Turner and Ozzy Osbourne. Turner has a voice that is just awesome...almost Johnny-Cash-awesome! And Scream is supposed to be the best Ozzy disc since No More Tears which was so long ago I was barely out of high school!
Turning to tech, Apple sold 1.7 million iPhone 4's in three days...1.7 million...in three days...I have no words. Oh, wait...I do...although I am fairly satisfied with my Droid, I still hope for a Verizon iPhone one day.
In what can only be called good news for those of us who believe in the Constitution, 48% of U.S. citizens polled see the government as a threat to individual rights; unfortunately, 37% feel the opposite and 15% apparently can't find their asses with both hands to make a decision one way or the other. (That was "off-color" commentary right there!) In even better news for those who love liberty (and their lives in the case of a home-invasion), the Supreme Court invalidated Chicago's draconian gun control laws, making it legal for Chicagoans to own a handgun for personal protection against the gangsters that don't worry about whether they have a legal right to own a gun.
Straddling the line between cigars and politics, Joe over at ubicigar wrote a great article on why New York's cigar tax increases are destined to fail. Jerry (The Great Torpedo) posted a video review of the revival of the 7-20-4 brand by K.A. Kendall; sounds like one to look out for. Our friends at Toasted Foot reviewed the former Cigar of the Year, Casa Magna Colorado; in my opinion, potentially a great stick if the consistency were better, but no CotY candidate really. And the Stogie Guys took a look at the Oliva Master Blends 3; I really would like to get my hands on these for a test-drive, but sticker shock keeps pushing me away.
The big cigar event this month happened once again in Pennsylvania, where Famous Smoke Shop held their annual Cigar Expo. I did not go, but it seems like half the other cigar blogs on the 'net had someone there. Stogie Guys. Cigar Reader. A Cigar Smoker. Stogie Review. Ben and Chris from Night Tight Ash were also on hand, but nothing about their trip had posted at the time I wrote this. Just a thought...if I'm not mistaken some of these guys got "press passes" for the event which entitled them to wander around, talk to manufacturers, and eat whatever food was being served. It did not include any actual cigars from Famous...the package that the paying ticket-holders got. It seems to me that if the Tiki Bar is ever lucky enough to be awarded press passes to one of these events...I want the cigars, too! I'll buy a ticket AND have a press pass! Best of both worlds, baby!
And speaking of babies...a heart congratulations to Walt from Stogie Review and his wife, Lindsay, who welcomed their new daughter to the world over the weekend.
And speaking of babies...a heart congratulations to Walt from Stogie Review and his wife, Lindsay, who welcomed their new daughter to the world over the weekend.
I like this post. Cigar reviews are good, but I like to hear others thoughts on current events also.
ReplyDelete160,000 Android devices are now activated everyday http://bit.ly/azUzjp
ReplyDeleteWhile it will take Android 11 days to surpass 1.7 million, Android continues to sell at Sprint and Verizon stores all over town. You can only buy the iPhone in the Apple store, right?
Once the hype of the iPhone dies down, Android will become the dominant OS in the cell phone market... Stay tuned!
I would have to agree that a Verizon iphone would be awesome. 1.7 million iphones sold is one heck of a profit for them but didnt alot of the have some sort of issues out of box
ReplyDeleteDale,
ReplyDeleteYou could be right...maybe Android will end up the dominant phone OS. Of course, people thought that about PalmOS, Windows Mobile (or whatever it's called these days), and Blackberry, too. I don't have a crystal ball, but what I do see is that everyone tends to follow Apple's lead in this area at this point. My feeling is that until Android stops following and starts really leading by innovating in the way that Apple has for the last 3 years, they will not grab the "mind-share" that Apple continues to command, even if they do sell more phones.
AHaught,
Thanks. As noted in the "About" section (accessed just below the logo at the top of the page) I never intended the Tiki Bar to be just about cigars...although that subject does grab more space here than any other. It is a job to be able to combine other thoughts, ramblings, passions, and obsessions with the cigar content...after all, it's what we all do when we get together to herf, isn't it?
The 7-20-4 is a very good smoke, you need to pick some up and try them. Yeah one reason right now I would never go to a iPhone is because of AT&T, will never use them. But as of right now even with the new phone selling so fast the king of the smartphone is still the BlackBerry by volume. But the Droid are coming out with some crazy fast phones!
ReplyDeleteOh and Ozzy's last good album was "Bark at the Moon" LOL.
tx_tuff
Love this post, agree with AHaught. I love cigars but I also like to read about other things in the world. This is what sets your site from all others you have a little bit of everything. Also enjoyed your "off-color" commentary.
ReplyDeleteI love my Droid also. I am an anti-Iphone person. proof in my blog: http://averageguychronicles.blogspot.com/2010/06/another-iphonereally.html
ReplyDeleteWow, someone who listens to Josh Turner and Ozzy??? OMG, I thought I was the only one!
ReplyDeleteReally enjoy this segment fellas - a great mixture of pop, news, cigar stuff, and general personal interest. Keep up this segment, really dig it - a different approach to round up posts.
ReplyDeleteKeep your droid and Android OS. I think you'll be happier in the long run.
ReplyDelete