2004 Rippon Vineyards Pinot Noir

**2004 Rippon Vineyards Pinot Noir (New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Lake Wanaka)** The nose had cherry, rhubarb, earth, spice, and oak. The palate was soft, but a bit tannic, and had earth, spice, cherry, and a slight oak finish. (88 pts.)

2003 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova

**2003 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)** The nose had toasted chili pepper, raspberry, cherry, and leather. The palate was soft, and had chili, cherry, black currant, and a leather finish. (92 pts.)

Best of the Best - Flight Two

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=6478) I tasted today:

* **2006 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja - Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja** The nose had coffee, spice, oak, raspberry, and pepper. The palate was very smooth, and had berry, coffee, and licorice. (93 pts.)
* **2003 Tommaso Bussola Valpolicella Classico Superiore Tb - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classico Superiore** The nose had cherry, chocolate, figs, and spice. The palate had cherry, figs, spice, and a chocolate finish. (92 pts.)
* **2004 Château de Carles Haut-Carles - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac** The nose had stone, dirt, blueberry, and blackberry. The palate had blueberry, rocks, blackberry, and floral notes. (91 pts.)
* **2006 Seven Hills Vintage Red Ciel du Cheval Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain** The nose had blackberry, black currant, spice, and a touch of oak. The palate was ripe, and had black currant, blackberry, and vanilla. (90 pts.)
* **2005 Veraison Black Bart Marsanne - USA, California, Napa Valley** The nose had peach, honey, citrus, and floral notes. The palate was creamy and rich, and had honey, citrus, and a finish that reminded me of glue. (88 pts.)

Best of the Best - Flight One + Bonus

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=6466) I tasted today:

* **2004 Fess Parker Syrah Rodney's Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County** The nose had blackberry, pepper, raspberry, smoke, and earth. The palate was soft, rich, and chewy, and had smoke, earth, and blackberry. (91 pts.)
* **2005 Darioush Shiraz Caravan - USA, California, Napa Valley** The nose had coffee, pepper, orange, and blackberry. The palate was soft, and had espresso, black currant, and jam. (91 pts.)
* **2005 Atalayas de Golban Ribera del Duero - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero** The nose had plum, dried leaves, candied fruit, and vanilla. The palate was slightly tannic, and had plum jam, earth, spice, and a touch of oak. (90 pts.)
* **2007 Ecker Muskateller Gelber Muskateller - Austria, Niederösterreich, Donauland** The nose had floral notes, honey, and cinnamon. The palate had nutmeg, floral notes, spice, and a honey finish. (88 pts.)
* **2001 Gianni Paoletti Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley** The nose had black currant, cherry, cedar, and vanilla. The palate was a bit thin, but had spice, black currant, and oak. (85 pts.)
* **2005 Australian Domaine Wines Shiraz Solitary Block - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley** The nose had earth, licorice, black currant, and raspberry. The palate was rich, and had earth, blackberry, raspberry, oak, and spice. (91 pts.)
* **N.V. Marc Hébrart Champagne Premier Cru "Cuvee de Reserve" - France, Champagne** The nose had apple, pear, yeast, and floral notes. The palate had apple, bread, pear, and stone. (89 pts.)

2006 Blackstone Winery Merlot

**2006 Blackstone Winery Merlot (USA, California)** The nose had cherry and raspberry, some spice, and a vanilla finish. The palate was a bit tannic, but had raspberry, oak, and a spicy cherry finish. (81 pts.)

2004 Luigi Bosca Gala 2

**2004 Luigi Bosca Gala 2 (Argentina, Mendoza)** The nose had black currant, chocolate, dirt, cherry, and vanilla. The palate was rich and juicy, and had black currant, earth, chocolate, cherry, and a nice pepper and oak finish. (90 pts.)

Military Dictatorship

The Pentagon is prepared to squash civil unrest at [home](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/pers-d23.shtml).

>In other words, a sharp intensification of the unfolding capitalist crisis accompanied by an eruption of class struggle and the threat of social revolution in the US itself could force the Pentagon to call back its expeditionary armies from Iraq and Afghanistan for use against American workers.

Are Unions Finished

It's sad that the UAW has become [a union in name only](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/pers-d22.shtml).

>What remains of the historical past of the UAW and the rest of the official unions as workers’ organizations is a purely terminological remnant. In the social role they play, they are organizations through which the demands of the government and the corporations are imposed on the workers. They in no way carry out even the elementary tasks historically associated with unions—mitigating the exploitation of the working class by improving wages and working conditions.

2006 Sanford Chardonnay

**2006 Sanford Chardonnay (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County)** The nose had apple, pear, melon, and vanilla. The palate was crisp and rich, and had pear, melon, spice, and a little butter on the finish. (85 pts.)

Merlot and Chardonnay

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=6421) I tasted today:

* **2005 Stuhlmuller Vineyards Chardonnay Reserve, Estate Bottled - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley** The nose had candied fruit, stone, citrus, and tropical fruit. The palate was fat, and had butter, pear, apple, and citrus. (92 pts.)
* **2005 Northstar Merlot Columbia Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley** The nose had blackberry, plum, raspberry, cherry, and vanilla. The palate had blackberry, raspberry, cherry, oak, and a mint finish. (90 pts.)
* **2006 Groth Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa Valley** The nose had apple, pineapple, spice, and a hint of vanilla. The palate was rich and creamy, and had toast, pineapple, and citrus. (88 pts.)
* **2006 Gemtree Vineyards Chardonnay Citrine - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale** The nose had bread, pear, and citrus. The palate was very smoky, and had lime, bread, and pear. (88 pts.)
* **2003 MacRostie Merlot - USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros** The nose had black currant, spice, and vanilla. The palate had black currant, blackberry, and spice. (87 pts.)
* **1999 Château La Couspade - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru** The nose had spice, earth, cherry, and a little oak. The palate was a bit thin, and had cherry, earth, and spice. (87 pts.)
* **2006 Summers Merlot - USA, California, Napa Valley** The nose had herbs, currant, toast, and plum. The palate had black currant, spice, and oak. (86 pts.)
* **2005 Rubicon Estate / Niebaum-Coppola Merlot - USA, California, Napa Valley** The nose had dirt, black currant, plum, cherry, and spice. The palate was soft, and had black currant, cherry, and spice. (91 pts.)
* **2006 Staglin Family Chardonnay Salus - USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford** The nose had pear, apple, butter, spice, and stone. The palate had apple, nuts, butter, spice, and toast. (90 pts.)

I Bet They Are Scared Now

[Occupation at the New School](http://socialistworker.org/2008/12/19/occupation-at-the-new-school)

A Slap In The Face

Why do politicians think they need to pander to the [religious right](http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/12/18-7)?

Day Of Reckoning?

If you're still not sure whether Bush and Co. should be investigated for [war crimes](http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/12/18-5), think about this quote from Thomas Paine in Common Sense:

>A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.

Here They Go Again

If you read the following two articles, it becomes quite clear what is going on with auto bailout:

* [Why the UAW and the Democrats are pushing economic nationalism](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/pers-d18.shtml)
* [Bush administration stalls on bailout](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/auto-d18.shtml)

The ruling class is trying to keep the working class from banding together to fight them. And the best way to do that is to use race, religion, or nationality to divide us. It is time for us to stop failing for this trick. Our interests are not the same as the elite's. It time for us to start working with our working class brothers and sisters to fight these crooks.

2007 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard

**2007 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands)** The nose had lots of cherry cola, some forest floor, brown spice, and a hint of vanilla. The palate was rich, with good acidity, and had mushroom, cherry, spice, and a slight oak finish. (88 pts.)

Revisionist History

Scott Ritter has a good article about [Dick Cheney's Fantasy World](http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/12/17-3).

Obamanomics

Obama's economic team is made up of many of the people at the heart of the [current crisis](http://socialistworker.org/2008/12/16/intro-to-obamanomics).

>The key is how working people mobilize to make their demands felt on the political system. If there isn't pressure from below, the political establishment--under a President Obama, as under a President Bush--will try to put the interests of Corporate America first, whatever the exact tactics they decide to use.

Let The Trials Begin

Now that Cheney has [admitted to war crimes](http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/12/16-1), when will the impeachment hearings start?

>Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that he was directly involved in approving severe interrogation methods used by the CIA, and that the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, should remain open indefinitely.

US Belligerence Will Continue Under Obama

Obama campaign adviser Dennis Ross says the [Bush administration has been too lenient](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/gate-d16.shtml) with Iran.

>The threat of a new eruption of US militarism in the Middle East under the Obama administration demonstrates that the driving forces are not malevolent individuals but the fundamental economic and strategic interests of US imperialism.

Corruption Is The Name Of The Game

If you think corruption in politics is a rare occurrence, you might want to read [this](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/schu-d16.shtml).

>According to the Times: "Senator Schumer plays an unrivaled role in Washington as beneficiary, advocate and overseer of an industry that is his hometown's most important business"—i.e., the bankers who have plunged the US and world economy into the greatest crisis since the Great Depression.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=6387) I tasted today:

* **2006 Mitolo Shiraz G.A.M. - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale** The nose had blueberry, violets, cherry liqueur, spice, and coffee. The palate had blackberry, cherry, floral notes, spice, and a blueberry finish. (92 pts.)
* **2005 Blackbilly Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale** The nose had smoke, blueberry, beef fat, and a touch of oak. The palate had black currant, blackberry, and a nice bacon finish. (90 pts.)
* **2006 Hewitson Shiraz Ned & Henry's - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley** The nose had black cherry, blackberry, meat, spice, and a bit of dirt. The palate had earth, blackberry, raspberry, spice, and a floral finish. (90 pts.)
* **2005 De Lisio Grenache - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale** The nose had raspberry, black currant, cherry, and some perfume. The palate had sweet raspberry, black currant, spice, oak, and a floral finish. It was good, but a little hot. (90 pts.)
* **2006 Gemtree Vineyards Shiraz Uncut - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale** The nose had raspberry, plum. oak, spice, and some cherry. The palate had spice, raspberry, plum, and a cherry finish. (89 pts.)
* **2006 Noon Eclipse - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale** The nose had lots of perfume, earth, floral notes, cherry, licorice, and raspberry. The palate was rich, and had earth, lavender, licorice, raspberry, and cherry. (93 pts.)
* **2006 Shirvington Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale** The nose had toast, oak, spice, blackberry, cherry, and floral notes. The palate was a bit too light, but had black currant, toast, spice, and raspberry. (89 pts.)

Too Bad They Will Never Be Prosecuted

The Senate panel's report on the [Treatment of Detainees in US Custody](http://levin.senate.gov/newsroom/supporting/2008/Detainees.121108.pdf) is available as a PDF. You can also [read](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/tort-d13.shtml) an analysis of the panels finding.

The Real Crisis Of The US Auto Industry

The only thing they care about is keeping the working class as poor as possible without hurting their [profits](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/auto-d12.shtml)

>The ongoing debate over the auto bailout has demonstrated the conspiracy of the automakers, the two big business parties and the UAW against the autoworkers. All insist that workers must pay for a crisis that they did not cause, in order to restore the auto companies to profitability so they can once again be a lucrative source of income for corporate executives and big investors who are responsible for the financial catastrophe.

They Won But They Lost

It's sad that workers had to take over a factory to get the benefits they were legally entitled to instead of using that energy to get what they really [needed](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/pers-d12.shtml).

>The quick settlement—coming after the workers received the verbal support of several Democratic Party politicians, including President-elect Barack Obama—reflected an attempt to get ahead of any broader struggle, to contain it before it got out of hand.

And He Said It With A Straight Face

After almost 8 years of failure, how can Bush be so [unrepentant](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/bush-d11.shtml).

>Given the events of the last eight years, the Bush Doctrine deserves to be thrown on the scrap heap of history together with the doctrines of aggressive war propagated by Nazi Germany 70 years ago. He and other leading figures in his administration deserve to be tried for war crimes as well as crimes against the US Constitution. What then is to explain his seeming confidence in claiming vindication for his appalling record? No doubt it is a well-founded conviction that under the incoming Obama administration, the Bush Doctrine—whatever tactical modifications may be made—will remain essentially intact as the foundation for US imperialist policy on a global scale.

He's Reaching Too Far Across The Aisle

Why does Obama keeping picking all these [losers](http://www.gregpalast.com/obamas-way-to-go-brownie-moment/) for cabinet positions?

>We thought Obama would go a very different way. You'd think the studious Senator from Illinois would avoid repeating the Bush regime's horror show of unqualified appointments, of picking politicos over professionals.

I never thought that.

Who Are The Taliban?

Here is a nice [analysis](http://socialistworker.org/2008/12/09/who-are-the-taliban) of what is going on in Afghanistan.

Kangaroo Court

Is this the [example](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/guan-d10.shtml) we wish the rest of the world to imitate?

>They are being prosecuted for war crimes in what amounts to a drumhead military tribunal, set up under the Military Commissions Act passed by the US Congress in 2006. The legislation set up a kangaroo court system in which defendants can be prosecuted on secret evidence, as well as hearsay evidence and confessions extracted through torture. The defense attorneys and military officers appointed by the Pentagon are denied access to much of the evidence as well as to witnesses for the prosecution. A number of the officers assigned to the commissions have resigned in protest, denouncing the system as a travesty of justice designed to rubber stamp the prosecution’s indictments.

Who Is He Kidding?

[Obama calls for “shared burdens” in US economic crisis](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/obam-d08.shtml). If there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that rich never share anything when it comes to their money during times like these.

>If one examines his language carefully, and thinks through the implications, Obama has spelled out a program that is tailored to serve the class interests of the US financial aristocracy at the expense of working people.

Education Costs Are Going Up

The best way to control the working class is to keep them [ignorant](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/educ-d08.shtml).

>A chart in the study displays US household income, separated into quintiles, from lowest to highest. For each quintile, average college costs as a percentage of income are compared from 1999-2000 and 2007-2008. For the lowest income quintile, the percentage of household income represented by average college costs leaped from 39 percent in 1999-2000 to 55 percent in 2007-2008, essentially putting college education out of reach for these families. For the second lowest income quintile, the figure increased from 23 percent to 33 percent of household income. In the fourth and fifth quintiles, the percentage increase was only 4 percent and 3 percent, respectively. The latter figures underscore the tremendous growth of inequality over the last decade.

2002 Castell del Remei Costers del Segre Gotim Bru

**2002 Castell del Remei Costers del Segre Gotim Bru (Spain, Catalunya, Costers del Segre)** The nose had cherry and wet earth, a bit of spice, and oak at the end. The palate had lots of dirt mixed with some cherry, a little wood, and a spicy finish. (87 pts.)

Champagne and Cabernet

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=6348) I tasted yesterday:

* **2005 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley** The nose had blackberry, pepper, black currant, tea, and floral notes. The palate had blackberry, tea, violets, pepper, and black currant. (94 pts.)
* **N.V. Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Cuvée St. Anne - France, Champagne** The nose had lots of fresh baked rye bread, some stone and honey, and a little citrus at the end. The palate was crisp and very dry, and had honey, rye bread, stone, and a finish of apple. (93 pts.)
* **N.V. Gaston Chiquet Champagne Cuvée de Réserve - France, Champagne** The nose had licorice, bread, citrus, and stone. The palate had bread and apple, a little lemon, and a mineral and honey finish. (93 pts.)
* **2005 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley** The nose had blackberry, chocolate, black currant, spice, and oak. The palate had blackberry, cherry, spice, and oak. (90 pts.)
* **N.V. Paul Goerg Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne** The nose was very floral, and had bread, honey, and apple. The palate was rich, and had yeast, apple, minerals, and a slightly sweet floral finish. (88 pts.)
* **2001 Vilmart Champagne Grand Cellier d'Or 1er Cru - France, Champagne** The nose had yeast, lemon, apple, vanilla, and floral notes. The palate had vanilla, coconut, lemon, apple, spice, and bread. (91 pts.)
* **2005 Oakville East Cabernet Sauvignon Exposure - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville** The nose had black currant, mocha, plum, cherry, and vanilla. The palate had plum, mocha, black currant, cherry, and oak. (90 pts.)

The Truth Is Coming Out

Even the New York Times says that [Obama’s campaign promises about the Iraq war](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/pers-d06.shtml) was a lie. Of course, the so called liberals aren't complaining at all.

>This is a rather delicate way of saying that Obama's anti-war rhetoric was from the outset deliberately misleading, designed to con the millions of Americans who went to the polls with the aim of voting to stop the war.

Obama named “Marketer of the Year”

[Obama named “Marketer of the Year”](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/obad-d06.shtml)

I think this says it all.

Will Obama Listen To Them?

Veterans of the war on Afghanistan [speak out](http://socialistworker.org/2008/12/04/challenging-myths-good-war).

The Disillusionment Has Begun

This is a great example of how our political system [fails us](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/geor-d04.shtml), and how it will continue to do so unless we make some radical changes.

>It is likely, in fact, that Obama had little desire to achieve a 60-vote supermajority in the Senate, since the "threat" of a Republican filibuster serves as a built-in excuse for the Democratic administration to repudiate its campaign promises to end the war in Iraq, provide jobs and move towards universal access to health insurance

They Won't Be Able To Afford The Vehicles They Build

As usual, the [people responsible](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/auto-d04.shtml) will not be the ones paying the price.

>In a similar manner to the 1979-80 Chrysler bailout—but on a much larger scale—they are using the threat of mass unemployment to wrench concessions from auto workers and set a precedent for imposing the cost of the economic crisis on the backs of the entire working class.

Propping Up The “War On Terror”

Don't these guys ever get tired of [bullying](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/pers-d04.shtml) the world?

>If there is a connection between the Mumbai attacks and those of September 11 it is to be found in the American response. Seven months after the planes flew into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, Rice described those tragic events as "an enormous opportunity" to "create a new balance of power." Washington now sees a similar opportunity arising from the carnage in India to pursue its interests in South Asia.

Was Leon Trotsky Right?

A nice analysis on the life and writings of [Leon Trotsky](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/aaas-d01.shtml)

>Social being does, in the final analysis, determine social consciousness. If, as seems very likely, the deepening crisis compels on the part of historians a reexamination of long-standing and discredited assumptions, and, with it, a more critical attitude toward the existing forms of society, then I suspect that we will soon be witnessing a renewal of intense scholarly interest in the life and work of Leon Trotsky.

2004 Truchard Pinot Noir

**2004 Truchard Pinot Noir (USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros)** The nose had a lot of cherry and spice, a little cola in the middle, and some earth and vanilla at the end. The palate was very soft, with good acidity, and had cherry, forest floor, spice, and a pretty good cola and oak finish. (88 pts.)

Hungry Americans

Are we even aware of how many people [go hungry](http://socialistworker.org/2008/11/26/americas-hidden-hungry) in the U.S.?

>...the scale of America's hidden hunger crisis should make everyone ask how it is that a government that can find billions of dollars each week to spend on the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and hundreds of billions more on a bailout for Wall Street can't afford to feed its own citizens.

2007 Beaulieu Vineyard Pinot Grigio

**2007 Beaulieu Vineyard Pinot Grigio Coastal Estates (USA, California)** The nose had peach and lemon, some floral notes, a little spice, and chalk at the end. The palate had lemon, floral notes, stone, and some peach on the finish. (84 pts.)

Wine Spectator Top 100

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=6296) I tasted yesterday:

* **2006 Bodega Colome Malbec Estate - Argentina, Salta, Calchaquies** The nose had boysenberry, plum, dirt, and figs. The palate had currant, boysenberry, fig, spice, and coffee. (94 pts.)
* **2005 Niepoort Douro Vertente - Portugal, Douro** The nose had raspberry, cherry, mocha, and vanilla. The palate was rich, and had raspberry, cherry, plum, and spice. (92 pts.)
* **2005 Château Pipeau - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru** The nose had rosemary and black currant, cherry, smoke, and vanilla. The palate had black currant, smoke, spice, oak, and cherry. (92 pts.)
* **2004 Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Estate Bottled Santa Cruz Mountains - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains** The nose had spice, butter, orange jam, pineapple, and stone. The palate had stone and perfume, citrus, apple, and buttery finish. (91 pts.)
* **2006 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico** The nose had blackberry, violets, and earth. The palate had cedar, spice, cherry, and earth. (89 pts.)
* **2005 Byron Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley** The nose had lots of buttered apples and a little marshmallow. The palate was full of butter, with some apple, spice, and oak. (89 pts.)
* **2005 Outpost Zinfandel - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain** The nose had dirt, raspberry, cherry, and spice. The palate was hot, and had black currant, spice, raspberry, and oak. (89 pts.)
* **2006 Achaval-Ferrer Malbec Finca Altamira - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, La Consulta** The nose had boysenberry and blackberry. The palate was a little thin, but did have blackberry, boysenberry, oak, and spice. (92 pts.)
* **2005 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Evenstad Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley** The nose had raspberry and spice, cherry, and some coffee. The palate was rich, and had cherry, mocha, raspberry, spice, and oak. (90 pts.)

2004 Heron Merlot

**2004 Heron Merlot California (USA, California)** The nose had raspberry, cherry, mocha, and vanilla. The palate was soft with lots of cherry and raspberry, a little chocolate in the middle, and a spicy oak finish. (87 pts.)

Why I have No Reason To Give Thanks

I got a kick out of reading The Progressive Report's [17 Reasons To Give Thanks](http://pr.thinkprogress.org/2008/11/pr20081126/index.html). I found these 4 interesting.

>We're thankful we'll soon have a president who will hit the ground running instead of a president who is running the country into the ground.

The article they point to is [here](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/25/obama-we-must-hit-the-ground-running/), but I would read [this analysis](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/nov2008/obam-n26.shtml) before you get too thankful.

>We're thankful we live in a center-left America rather than "Hannity's America."

I'm not sure I would agree that America is center-left, but it doesn't really matter since the people in charge are closer to Hannity than they are to the center.

>We're thankful that we're moving closer towards a complete withdrawal from Iraq.

If they think the US is going to honor any [Status of Forces Agreement](http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/56182.html), they don't know their [history](http://lefti.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html#4352016616787044344) very well.

>We're thankful for the progressive mandate to govern.

He may have a progressive mandate, but the question is will he follow through? If my post earlier today concerning Obama's appointments are any indication, the answer is no.

When Will We Learn?

I've written here many times about how the Obama administration is looking less and less like the vehicle of change that he promised, but I think it bears [repeating](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/nov2008/pers-n26.shtml).

>Barack Obama's vague campaign promises of "change" are rapidly evaporating as the key positions in the next administration are filled with veterans of the US political establishment. Far from ending war abroad and social reaction at home, Obama's choices underline the essential continuity with the policies of the Bush administration.

Even those in the "Establishment" knew that the "change" he talked about was really no change at all, which it why he was able to get elected.

>Far from bringing an end to US militarism as tens of millions of American voters hoped for, the Obama administration is preparing to consolidate a US presence in Iraq and escalate the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The prospect of a dangerous new war looms as Obama's advisers lay out their plans for confronting Iran.

>For those in the US establishment, Obama’s emerging foreign policy comes as no surprise. As the Stratfor think tank commented yesterday: "Obama's supporters believed that Obama's position on Iraq was profoundly at odds with the Bush administration's. We could never clearly locate the difference. The brilliance of Obama's presidential campaign was that he convinced his hard-core supporters that he intended to make a radical shift in policies across the board, without ever specifying what policies he was planning to shift, and never locking out the possibility of a flexible interpretation of his commitments."

>The foreign policy heavyweights who supported Obama for president clearly hope to extend this "brilliance" in duping people onto the world stage as the US continues to aggressively pursue its economic and strategic interests in the Middle East and internationally.

2005 Peregrine Hill Chardonnay

**2005 Peregrine Hill Chardonnay (USA, Texas)** The nose had apple, citrus, spice, and vanilla. The palate was crisp, and had lots of butter, some apple and citrus, and a spicy finish. This was not my style of chardonnay. (82 pts.)

Bailout Hypocrisy

If it wasn't obvious to you before, the governments handling of the [two bailout](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/nov2008/pers-n25.shtml) requests shows exactly whose interest they are looking out for.

>All are agreed: When it comes to Wall Street, no limits will be placed on the amount of taxpayers' money that will be doled out with no strings attached. For the auto industry, however, any government aid is too much, unless it is paid for through merciless concessions imposed upon its workers.

But even more insidious, not only are they not looking out for us, they actually want to take away everything the working class has struggled to achieve.

>In the impending bankruptcy of the auto companies, the ruling elite sees an opportunity to carry out a massive attack on living standards, working conditions and social benefits, thereby forcing the working class to pay for the crisis.

2006 Robert Mondavi Winery Merlot Private Selection

**2006 Robert Mondavi Winery Merlot Private Selection California (USA, California)** The nose had raspberry, chocolate, black currant, spice, and vanilla. The palate had lots of raspberry and chocolate, a little spice, and an oaky finish. It was better than I expected it to be. (85 pts.)

Thanksgiving Wines

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=6211) I tasted yesterday:

* **2007 Dönnhoff Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe** The nose had oranges, peach, and stone. The palate had peach, citrus, and a slight mineral finish. (91 pts.)
* **2007 St. Urbans-Hof Riesling - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer** The nose had apricot, floral notes, and minerals. The palate was a little sweet, and had floral notes, stone, apricot, and finish of tropical fruit. (90 pts.)
* **2005 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot d'Alsace - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC** The nose had peach, apple, stone, and spice. The palate had minerals, spice, citrus, and a chalky finish. (89 pts.)
* **2006 Amity Vineyards Pinot Blanc - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley** The nose had stone, melon, tropical fruit, and pineapple finish. The palate was rich, and had lots of minerality, tropical fruit, and a smoky finish. (88 pts.)
* **2007 Shooting Star (Jed Steele) Aligoté - USA, Washington** The nose had peach, pineapple, stone, and floral notes. The palate had sour apple. minerals, and a floral finish. (87 pts.)
* **2005 Dierberg Pinot Noir Estate Grown - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley** The nose had blackberry, raspberry, and earth. The palate was soft and slightly sweet, and had blackberry, raspberry, cherry, and a earthy finish. (91 pts.)
* **2006 McKinlay Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley** The nose had cherry, raspberry, and earth. The palate had forest floor, earth, and cherry. (89 pts.)
* **2007 Foris Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley** The nose was dominated by rose petals, but also had raspberry, cherry, and a little earth. The palate had raspberry, roses, cherry, and some oak on the finish. (87 pts.)
* **2006 Domaine Jean-Jacques Girard Bourgogne - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne** The nose had forest floor, cherry, and some minerals. The palate had cherry, raspberry, earth, and a mushroom finish. (86 pts.)
* **2008 Georges Dubœuf Beaujolais Nouveau - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Beaujolais Nouveau** The nose was very earthy, but it also had some raspberry and cherry. The palate was very bitter and oaky. It did have some raspberry and cherry, but not much. (79 pts.)
* **2006 Bergström Pinot Noir Bergström - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills** The nose had grilled meat, rose petals, raspberry, and cherry. The palate was soft, and had raspberry, cherry, earth, and a finish of roses. (93 pts.)
* **2006 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir Cahill Lane - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley** The nose had cherry, earth, and raspberry. The palate had raspberry, spice, cherry, and earth. (91 pts.)

Change I Don't Believe In

I realized a long time ago that the Democratic Party offers no hope for the working class. How many times will we be lied to before [we wake up](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/nov2008/pers-n22.shtml)?

>What is taking shape is a government that represents continuity with the last eight years far more than change. Its personnel and the policies with which they are identified spell a continuation of wars of aggression abroad and domestic policies that defend the interests of America's financial elite at the expense of the broad mass of working people.

Is This What They Mean By Transparency?

This why Guantánamo should be [closed now](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/nov2008/guan-n22.shtml).

>Apart from a brief initial opening session, the entire hearing before Judge Leon was conducted behind closed doors, without any opportunity for public scrutiny of the evidence or the proceedings. The petitioners themselves were barred from attending, seeing the evidence, or even consulting their lawyers. Two gave statements via video links from Guantánamo.

Piracy Paranoia

I have to say I've been reluctant to purchase digital versions of movies. I already buy almost all my CDs in digital format, but I buy a lot of DVDs and was worried about having enough disk space to store them. Plus, although I may occasionally watch movies on my laptop, I prefer to watch them on my HDTV. Since I plan on buying a new MacBook Pro next year, I'm glad I haven't made the switch to [digital movies](http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/11/apple-adds-copy.html).

Pre and Post Workout Nutrition

Does keeping up with all the new fitness and nutrition studies have your head spinning? Never fear. Will Brink will straighten it all out for you in [this](http://www.staleytraining.com/articles/other/religion-of-pre-post-workout-nutrition.htm) article.

>Now I didn’t write this article to confuse you, but to demonstrate that the optimal strategy for increasing strength and LBM in response to resistance training is not as cut and dried as you are often led to believe. However, it’s also probably simpler than you are led to believe, as the human body is far more adaptable to the types of protein it receives as well as the amounts it receives.

Bringing Freedom And Democracy To The World

I'm sure most Americans couldn't care less about the injustices being done in our name at Guantánamo, but I found the whole process disturbing. Unfortunately, I doubt things will get much better when the [next administration takes office](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/nov2008/guan-n21.shtml).

>In practice, the CSRTs [Combatant Status Review Tribunals] had prevented detainees from gaining access to lawyers and deprived them of an opportunity to present evidence or witnesses in their defense or to see or hear classified evidence against them. In 2007, US intelligence veteran Lt. Col. Stephen Abraham, who worked on the tribunals, denounced them as nothing more than a front to rubber-stamp the military’s prior designation of detainees as enemy combatants

2005 Heron Cabernet Sauvignon

**2005 Heron Cabernet Sauvignon California (USA, California)** The nose had lots of raspberry and vanilla, a little cherry, and a touch of earth at the end. The palate had lots of oak, along with raspberry, spice, cherry, and some dirt on the finish. Not too bad for the price. (86 pts.)

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same

For those you that thought the Obama administration is going to live up to the changes that the campaign promised, you are in for a [rude awakening](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/nov2008/pers-n20.shtml).

>...what is being prepared are cosmetic changes behind which these same methods will be employed once again to pursue US interests abroad and suppress social unrest and class antagonisms at home.

Do The Wealthy Contribute Anything To Society?

If you have ever wondered why the rich are rich and the poor are poor, you may want to read [The source of their riches](http://socialistworker.org/2008/11/19/the-source-their-riches).

>The truth is, capitalist investors perform no useful function in society. They are not designers; they are not engineers; they are not planners or managers; they do not make anything; they do not transport anything; they do not create anything. As Frederick Engels wrote many decades ago, "the existence of the 'retired' shareholding capitalist" has become "not only superfluous, but a perfect nuisance."

New Book - The Democrats: A Critical History

If you are like me, and believe that the Democratic Party has betrayed ordinary people while catering to big business, then a new book by Lance Selfa, called [The Democrats: A Critical History](http://www.haymarketbooks.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=Haymarket&Product_Code=UHPTD) might be up your alley.

You can read an excerpt, which examines the FDR era, on [SocialistWorker.org](http://socialistworker.org/2008/09/17/labors-unhappy-marriage). I think this quote sums up the way average Americans have been treated:

> BUT HOWEVER much animosity corporate leaders expressed against Roosevelt, his pro–working-class legislation served a larger purpose in salvaging the capitalist system during this enormous crisis by ensuring that the system would not be forced to concede more than was absolutely necessary to contain the class struggle. A remade Democratic Party was the vehicle Roosevelt used to absorb the rising labor movement within the confines of the existing political establishment.

Upgrading From CF5 to CF8

My company recently upgraded one of our servers from CF5 to CF8 and I thought I would share some of the things (that I have found so far) that you should be aware of if you are thinking about upgrading.

1. CF8 is less forgiving when it comes to sloppy/incorrect code. For example, in CF5 the following returns true:
[plain]<cfif FileExists("D:Inetpub\wwwroot\images\image.gif")>[/plain]
, but in CF8 it returns false. That's because of the missing backslash after the colon. It should be:
[plain]<cfif FileExists("D:\Inetpub\wwwroot\images\image.gif")>[/plain]
As another example, consider this, which will run in CF5:
[plain]<cfquery name="order " datasource="datasource">[/plain]
, but in CF8, you get an error because of the space in the name parameter.
2. I had a CFFTP block that would timeout. The connection would open, but when I tried to upload a file, I would get a timeout error. Increasing the timeout (for both the OPEN and PUTFILE) didn't help. I finally fixed it by adding passive="yes" in the CFFTP tag that did the PUTFILE (OPEN had it already).

That's it for now, but as I run across more, I'll post them.

2004 Corte alla Flora Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

2004 Corte alla Flora Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano) The nose had earth, cherry, plum, and spice. The palate had cherry, plum, spice, earth, and a little oak on the finish. (90 pts.)

2006 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing

2006 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Southing (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills)
The nose had cherry, brown spice, forest floor, and a touch of vanilla. The palate was smooth, and had loads of cherry, some spice, and an oaky finish. It was good, but it had more oak than I would prefer. (89 pts.)

Viva Espania!

Here are the wines I tasted yesterday:

• 2004 Bodegas Tagonius Vinos de Madrid Crianza - Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Vinos de Madrid
  The nose had earth, smoke, mushroom, tobacco, blueberry, and blackberry. The palate was smooth, and had tobacco, earth, smoke, blackberry, blueberry, and mushroom. (94 pts.)


• 2003 Cavas del Castillo de Perelada Empordà Finca Malaveïna - Spain, Catalunya, Empordà
  The nose had raspberry, spice, and a vinaigrette aroma. The palate was soft, and had red berries and spice. (93 pts.)


• 2004 Bodegas y Viñedos de Murcia Jumilla Pico Madama - Spain, Murcia, Jumilla
  The nose had smoke, licorice, blackberry, and black currant. The palate had smoke, licorice, black currant, floral notes, and stone. (92 pts.)


• 2006 Jiménez Landi Méntrida Pielago - Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Méntrida
  The nose had grilled meat, barnyard smells, blueberry, and raspberry. The palate was soft and rich, and had currants, bacon, blueberry, and earth. (92 pts.)


• 2007 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja Tres Picos - Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja
  The nose had tobacco and dirt, cherry, blueberry liqueur, and a floral finish. The palate was very soft, and had cherry, blueberry, metal flavors, and a floral finish. (90 pts.)


• 2005 Bodegas Peñalba Lopez Ribera del Duero Torremilanos Cyclo - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  The nose had toast, smoke, vanilla, blackberry, and licorice. The palate was soft, and had smoke, licorice, blackberry, toast, and a floral finish. (92 pts.)


• 2005 Melis Priorat - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
  The nose had earth, raspberry, and floral notes. The palate was silky, and had tobacco, raspberry, spice, and a floral finish. (92 pts.)

Welcome to michaelmurry.org

In case you've happened to stumble on this blog, you may be wondering what you'll find here. You will probably find quite a bit about programming. I've been building web applications in ColdFusion for about 8 years, so I will post about this a lot. I'm also very interested in Ruby on Rails. On the personal side, I enjoy wine and go to tastings almost every weekend. I'm also into fitness and low carb eating, so I will be talking about these thing as well.