Bert

How long has this brand been out? I cannot believe it is not cathing on better. All Tell liked it too but I don't think he remembers enjoying it hahahahahahaha.

I have always assumed bourbon is dilluted at seperate stages in production ie after distilling, after aging, etc. See the below: Bourbon is distilled below 160 proof, aged at no more than 125 proof, and can't be diluted below 80 proof. (In the U.S., proof is twice the ABV. So 80 proof is 40% ABV, 100 proof is 50% ABV, etc.)

Interesting how Beam uses Makers as an entry into markets for their other products ie, if you want Makers, you WILL carry our other brands. At first I could not understand not raising the price but it does make sense how that could cause another product to start replacing Makers as a standard and that Makers would not longer demand its presence in bars and restaurants.

Really? That seems like very poor inventory management. You are basically tying up cash in inventory for about five months. Is there a reason for this? Ie distilleriers only pour from barrels twice a year for some reason?

I finally tried Benchmark last weekend. It has replaced Old Forrester as my best bang for the buck bourbon. That bourbon tastes like it should cost 50% more than it does. It should be flying off the shelf.

Boston's sandal-wearing Cardinal O'Malley getting papal buzz - U.S. News Another US Cardinal being mentioned as a Papal possibility. I really like Cardinal Sean. I used to read his blog often, I may have to catch up tonight.

Centuries ago it would have been unheard for a general not to come from an extremely prominent and wealthy family. It was assumed only those from such backgrounds had the ability ot lead an Army. American brought that mindset from Europe. I would assume it was some time around the Mexican American War/Civil War/Spanish American War would be the time frame where it was acceptable for a person of average background to reach the highest levels in the military.

I vehemently disagree with the views of Nambla (North American Man Boy Love Association) but I don't hate any of their members/supporters, I think they are twisted in the head but I don't hate them.

I wonder who our poorest presidents were going into the presidency. I know several died bankrupt but what about going into the presidency?

I knew Washington was our wealthiest president but I didn't realize he was 500 million (in 2010) wealthy. I read that his salary was $25,000 which was 2% of the federal government's budget.

Unfortunately there are some goof ball Catholics who do believe this. Pretty much all of them are Sedevacantists. Sedevacantist comes from the phrase "Sede Vacante" which translated literally means "vacant seat". In regards to to the church, a period of Sede Vacante means that the position or chair of the pope is vacant due to the pope's death or as will happen Feb 28th, resignation. Sedevacantists believe that Vatican II was heresy and the popes since Vatican II have been heretics and therefore are not valid popes so in their view, the pope's chair has been empty since the mid 1960's during Vatican II. One of the issues Sedevacantists disagree with Vatican II about is the idea of salvation is impossible for non Catholics. The Catholic Church has never officially held this position but there were many in the church leadership who did and the issues was being argued for centuries. Those in favor of no salvation for non Catholics saw there numbers start declining in the late 1700's/early 1800's and it was at Vatican II that the church officially pronounced that the view that non Catholics cannot receive salvation was heresy. Sedevacantists are validly baptised Catholics. Where they differ from 99.9999999999% of Catholics is that they are not in communion with the pope. Out of the 1.3 billion Catholics, I believe world wide Sedevacantists numbers may not surpass 10,000 so they are not very common.

This is somewhat similar to the University of Notre Dame inviting President Obama to speak at the University in some ways. Before the 2008 election, the leaders of the Catholic Church in the US said there are five political issues where the Church's views do not waiver They are 1) abortion, 2) embryonic stem cell research, 3) human cloning, 4) gay marriage, 5) I cannot remember the fifth, sorry. Obama holds views which contradict the church on all five. By Notre Dame inviting Obama, I believe the School leadership could have given the impression that opposition to these five issues is if not acceptable, atleast tolerable. That is why I felt the school was mistaken even though they stated they disagreed with Obama's views on those issues, their actions could sway some of the luke warm faithful that such issues are OK. Some will say people should be just as upset about Bush speaking at Notre Dame due to his views on War and the Death Penalty. However, unlike the positions above, the Catholic Church does not hold that War and the Death Penalty are ALWAYS wrong, there are instances where war and the death penalty can be morally justified. Extremely rare with the Death Penalty but possible.

I believe the state puts pressure on UofL to accept everyone who applies forcing them to accept students who should not even have graduated high school much less get accepted to college. This really doesn't helpt those studetns at all and really hurts the school as a whole.

Cardinal Dolan's aw shucks type of personality is what has made him so popular. Some think such a persona would keep him out of papal consideration due to it not being dignified enough. Who knows.

Yahoo took the video down, sorry about that.

Good interview with NY Cardinal Dolan Cardinal Dolan ?Somber? Over Pope?s Resignation | Watch the video - Yahoo! News

Actually that would have been funny and would have thrown the insult right back at them.

I feel pretty safe saying that the students were not chanting USA to celebrate their heritage rather to assert the hispanic students were not really American.

I am thinking this type of shots at foreign born or first generation born students is what the student section in this high school is doing.

When they were playing another team in Kentucky? If that is the case with this school then I have no problem with it but since there was not mention of this team being so patriot at games leading up to this, it sounds like more like jabbing at immigrants.

My assumption is that this school does not chant "USA" at all their games but at this game against what I read is high school with a large population of children not born in the US or are first generation born in the US and the chant to give the notion that the Hispanic kids are "less than American". I would say such action is inappropriate. Saying that, if my assumption is incorrect, and they chant it at every game (which I doubt) then I take back my assertion.

This article has researched some of our questions. Papal resignation Explainer: Is Benedict still infallible? Does the ex-pope get a pension? What about his Twitter account? - Slate Magazine I didn't realize he would have to be renamed a Cardinal, I thought you took that title to the grave. Interesting. My guess is he will be named a cardinal the same day as the new pope is elected. I would be surprised if he does not go back to Bavaria in Germany, I would think he misses his home country. The exception would be if he believes he will die soon. No since in going back just to pass and then the church has to take you back to Rome for your funeral and burial. I am glad the article mentioned infallible and added that at no time was he ever infallible during his papacy and he never once considered making an ex cathedra statement. Infallibility has to be one of the most misunderstood belief in the church even amongst practicing Catholics.

I laugh about his back-slapping style that may be too American for some. Cardinal Dolan is certainly a leader whose position does not afffect how he looks at himself and others. Dolan and the Archbishop of Louisville have often been referred to as "smiling conservatives" in that they hold to the Church's teachings but when teaching the faith and defending it, do so in a friendly, diplomatic fashion which leaves those who disagree with them still respecting them. Benedict XVI was sometimes thought to be a little harsh, similar to Archbishop Chaput who used to be Denver's Archbishop but I believe he is now I believe Philly's Archbishop. Cardinal Raymond Burke was also thought be similar to Benedict XVI and Chaput. Most popes have head a prim and proper way of holding themselves. Dolan would be a much more relaxed pontiff.

Interesting. I was always under the impression that the 2005 election was pretty much a sure thing for Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) and if not him, the Cardinal from Africa who was the Prefect for the Sacraments. I think his name was Cardinal Francis Arinze? Something like that? Sounds like the best chance for a non European this time is the Cardinal over the Archdiocese of Sao Paulo Brazil.

To concede the election?? I seriously doubt that lolol.