What makes something a “beginner’s beer”?

Posted on July 25, 2010 by Taliesin

To my way of thinking, it’s truly lamentable that soda is so ubiquitous in the world today.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a bit of soda now and again.  But back in the day, not every drink was so loaded with sugar/sweetness… back in the day, manufacturers worked to stimulate various types of taste buds.  Bitterness, for example, was common.  Not so today.

Now we come to the wonderful world of beer, which is mostly underappreciated these days.  This, I feel, is due to the abovementioned prevalence of soda as a primary beverage.  Beer is not something most people immediately enjoy.  It requires some work to acquire the taste, compared to soda, but once acquired, it’s definitely worth it.

So what makes a good beginner’s beer?

It’s going to be different for different people.  Generally speaking, a beginner beer is going to be light on the bittering hops.  Styles like the IPA and even some pale ales will overwhelm the taste of most people. It’s going to be way too bitter for most. Even something like a brown or amber ale might contain enough bittering hops so as to make it unpalatable to the beer novice.

So what does that leave? Plenty!

Lager styles, like a marzen, or bock, are an excellent beginners style.  Lager styles typically rely on the noble hop varieties to lend aromatic hope notes, such as citrus, cut grass, floral, and even a resin or line aroma,  without adding a great deal of bitterness. The lighter lager styles like the blonde bocks or Czech-style pilsners make perfect summer beers, while the doppel bocks, eisbocks, and tripel bocks make great winter warmers.

Another great beginner beer is a wheat beer.  These beers have had a portion of their grain bill changed from barley to wheat.  They tend to be sweet,  with subdued citrus notes.  They make a great style to add fruit to,  because they can have fruity notes to their flavor profile. Try a wheat beer with a wedge of lemon squeezed into it and left floating.  (Mind the seeds.)  It’s a very refreshing treat on a hot day.  Also a great beer to cut your teeth on.

Whatever beer you “learn” on,  I cannot recommend enough that you DO cultivate an appreciation for good beer.  There is a world of great flavor to experience once you do.

Posted in Beer Brewing/Drinking | Leave a comment

Lodi Beer Company… verdict=awesome!

Posted on July 14, 2010 by Taliesin

I never really expected to find something this awesome in Lodi of all places.  If you happen to be in Lodi, you NEED to try this place.

I started with the Eisbock, went to the English Brown,  and ended up with the IPA they had on tap.

The Eisbock was rich, malty.. in short,  exquisite.  No discernable hop character. And surprisingly little alcohol burn.  They’ve let the beer mellow, which is a hard thing to do with something as tasty as an Eisbock.

Jumping to  the English Brown was quite the gutsy move. The hop character was markedly pronounced,  though it’s possible that can be attributed to the lack in the Eisbock.  In any event, the brown was perfect. Something I have noticed with many breweries is often there’s a common flavor throughout their entire line of beers.  Not so with Lodi Beer Company.

The final beer I tried was the IPA.  Perfect, just like all the others.  No time to go into detail, but it was really quite amazing.

To conclude,  LBC was amazing.  Go there as  soon as possible.

Also,  this entire post was written on my phone.  :)

Posted in Beer Brewing/Drinking, Technology | Leave a comment

Objectivism, and why I cannot accept it…

Posted on May 9, 2010 by Taliesin

I just got done reading The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.  For those who don’t know, The Fountainhead is a novel in which Ayn Rand presents her philosophy, entitled Objectivism.  There is a compelling story as well, which I enjoyed.  And Mrs. Rand would definitely balk were she to hear me say that she used the novel as a vehicle to present Objectivism, since she has stated that she wrote the story for the story’s sake, and presenting Objectivism was just ancillary.  However, one cannot ignore the presentation of her philosophy just because it’s a compelling story.  Objectivism is presented as the only real solution to the world’s ills, as well as the tacit philosophy as anyone who has created anything worth creating.  This is a brief explanation as to why I cannot accept her philosophy as my own.

First off, let me say that I intended to embrace Objectivism.  I set out to learn more about it, and to determine whether Rand’s philosophy was a compatible view for Christians to hold, despite her atheism.  I determined that while I can certainly agree with it on many points, it is overall incompatible with true Christianity.

Essentially, Objectivism says that the world’s ills will be solved if mankind is entirely selfish to pursue their own ends.  It is juxtaposed against collectivism (socialism), which subjugates the self; suppresses the ego in an effort for all to become selfless.  In collectivism, the good of the many is placed over the good of the one, in a way that squelches individuality, self-worth, and many other fine traits. In Objectivism, the greatest creators did so because they wanted to please themselves in their work.  When a painter painted, he did not consider what the world would think about his creation.  When the architect designed, she did so with no care to how the public would receive the aesthetic design.  Ultimately, all the needs of the world will be met when every man pursues his own selfish ends.  Not to exploit others, but merely to please himself with his work.  I’m sure I’m over-simplifying it, and possibly even misstating Objectivism, but this is what I took away from it.

In Objectivism, there is no room for religion.  In Rand’s way of thinking, when considering any religion that seeks to promote serving one another, you ought to look for the power which is receiving the service.  When one promotes giving to God, one ought to look at who is taking that money.  When food or drink offerings are made, who is taking the food and drink?  Essentially, Rand might say, religion is merely a way for a power to enslave many people.  This is where Objectivism fails in the face of Christianity.

Regardless of what Rand thinks about this, Jesus explained that we DO have a responsibility to our fellow man. We OUGHT to feel charity (not pity, but compassion) for those among us who need it.  In true Christianity, one does this out of love for God and love for man. Jesus commanded that we help and serve one another; not to subjugate the self, but to fulfill what man is capable of. Jesus said that when we help the least of our brethren, we are helping Him. It was a command of God.  Essentially what Rand does not see is that we were created, as a close friend told me, to be social creatures.  Rand’s philosophy does not take into account love, as defined by God.  She is free to define love however she likes, but the Lord already has a definition, and His wins.  Love serves others, not necessarily hoping for something in return, but simply for the service itself.

I know there are those who say I have Rand’s philosophy all wrong, and that’s fine. When it comes to economics, Rand is right on. The truly free market is allowed to maintain an even keel when everyone serves their own ends. The profit motive is a strong one, and it truly turns the wheels of economic prosperity.  When it comes to a purely economic or individual liberty perspective, I agree with Ayn Rand.  We ought to be free to pursue our own interests.  As long as we are not quantifiably infringing upon the liberties of others, the government ought to have no say in how we are to live our lives.  These are important aspects of freedom, and these are the principles upon which our country was founded. This is where I agree with Objectivism.  However, I would classify myself as a Libertarian politically, and a Christian socially.  We DO have an obligation to serve our fellow man…individually.  This is not to be relegated to the church as a body, or to the government as a power. We are our brothers’ keepers, and if we all lived understanding that, with love in our hearts for God and for fellow man, the world would certainly be a better place.

The Lord does not promote slavery, contrary to what Ayn Rand would have us believe.  When He turns our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh, regardless of the state of our nation, only then are we truly free.

Posted in Faith, Fiction, Literature, Politics | 3 Comments

Will the people wake up?

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Taliesin

I don’t know the answer to the above question, but I’m all-too-afraid the answer is no.  If they can be distracted enough by reality TV, sports, and whatever tidbits get leaked to the news, I am very much afraid that the people will accept whatever is fed them with little to no protest.  As long as the government can keep people from thinking about the Constitution, all will be well for the statists in the world.

A friend of mine listens to a radio show and caught this discussion about liberty, and set it to some of his own grooves.  I’m not going to say I agree with this 100%, but if well-known, non-political radio hosts are talking this way, I can only hope that mid-town America is at least thinking a little this way.  Have a listen and feel free to comment. (Warning, there is some language.)  Also, the rest of his music can be listened to at http://www.omnifarious.tv

And for the record, I believe they’re discussing the angry man who flew a plane into the IRS building. One of the things that pisses me off is that everyone discussed this guy for a few minutes, but no one really wanted to talk about what he wrote about in his final letter. They talked about ranting, about rambling…they called it a diatribe. No one, however, wanted to deal with the reality of what he wrote about.  No one wanted to deal with ideas.  His actions were reprehensible.  That’s simple enough. But what about the situations that DROVE him to this?

Regardless, no one will discuss.

Posted in Politics, Rants | Leave a comment

Hops of Wrath from Dust Bowl Brewing Co. in Turlock, CA!

Posted on April 3, 2010 by Taliesin

Today, I had the privilege of tasting Dust Bowl Brewing Co.’s IPA, the Hops of Wrath. For starters, Don Oliver is by no means an inexperienced brewmaster. He’s been homebrewing for a couple decades now, I believe, and the beers of his I’ve been privileged to try have been STUNNING…..all of them. :) So when I saw the Hops of Wrath at my local Save Mart in Oakdale, I couldn’t help but grab a bottle. I had a feeling that this was Don’s beer, as his dad had told me that he was opening a brewery in Turlock. I was ecstatic!

Now, the beer:

Appearance: The beer pours like a pale with a nice head that had some staying power. Even now, after it’s been sitting for a bit, there’s a thin layer of foam, with nice lacing on the sides of my glass. The color was pale amber, which you’d expect for an IPA. In short, it’s pretty. :)

Aroma: Served cooler than room temp, but not cold. This beer appears from the aroma to be extremely well-balanced. I can smell sweet malty notes mixed with some floral/citrus from the hops. In all, not overly-hoppy in the nose, which bodes well for for the flavor. This beer is not hops kicked up to 11, which makes for a more traditional IPA. (Nose is slightly stuffy, sadly.)

Mouthfeel: Since the beer is not overly alcoholic, it’s not as chewy as more extreme IPA’s would be. Not watery, by any stretch of the imagination, but very drinkable. Also not syrupy, which bodes well for the flavor.

Taste: A very balanced blend of hops and malt! American brewers have tended to the extreme ends of hoppiness and alcohol lately. Stone is a good example of this. Those are great beers, but this leans more toward the traditional IPA side of things with aromatic and flavorful hops. It’s really tasty, bursting with the resin-y hop flavor associated with excellent IPA’s. Plenty of malty sweetness to balance it. If you want to taste more hops in this beer, I think it could be served colder. I prefer balance, so I served it more cellar temp which let the hop notes play second fiddle to the excellent maltiness! Still, the finish is all hops. The hop flavor loves to linger on the back of the tongue to remind you that you are drinking the Hops of Wrath. If they don’t hit you in the front of the palate, just wait a minute!

Overall: This beer is VERY drinkable. Served colder, the hop notes would be more prominent, but they’re not missing at all. I spent the evening drinking some Noble Pils from Sam Adams, so I’ve been enjoying hoppiness all evening. This beer was the perfect closer to a great day! Well-balanced is the key to this tasty beer, something that takes skill to hit. A lot of people make IPA’s, and they war with who can use the most hops, or the highest alpha-acid hops. Someone who balances perfectly with malt possesses skill, and I look forward to seeing what comes from Dust Bowl Brewing Company!

DRINK LOCAL! SUPPORT DUST BOWL!

Posted in Beer Brewing/Drinking | 2 Comments

Concerning the Census…

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Taliesin

And I quote:

Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. – 14th Amendment, Section 2, U.S. Constitution

…and…

The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. – Article 1, Section 2, U.S. Constitution

In short, the Census exists to count the people, for the purpose of determining the number of Representatives (1 for each 30,000 people, by the way.)

Just so there’s no confusion as to why I quoted two entirely separate sections of the Constitution, the 14th Amendment modifies the language of Article 1, Section 2, to remove the determination that only 3 out of every 5 slaves would be counted for the purposes of representation.

Why, then, does the Census need to figure out how much I commute to work, whether I missed work last week, and what time I leave for work?  Are they planning on robbing my house? If I commute for work, does that mean I count for more or less people when it comes to determining the number of representatives for the state of California?  These questions are silly.  This question is not: Why do they need to know this?

Answer: They don’t.  I’ll tell them the numbers of people in my household.  If they want to send a Census worker, I’ll reiterate my answer, in case they couldn’t read it.  I’m enclosing this section of the Constitution with my form.

Posted in Politics, Rants | 1 Comment

Starting up a Pencil and Paper RPG Campaign again…

Posted on February 23, 2010 by Taliesin

I want to work on the campaign today while I’m at lunch, but I don’t really have anything to do on it. So I decided to write about it.

Pencil and Paper gaming (P&P) has always been something I have always really enjoyed. Something about the complexity of rules, the enjoyment of fantasy, and the triumph of good over evil (yeah, Gabe) has always interested me. Before I really knew what D&D was, I was intrigued.  When I learned what gaming was, I took to it fairly quickly, filling the role of GameMaster or referee because no one else would.  (Aside from Battletech, which was always Derek’s bag, of course.)

I’ve already blogged about the history of our group, which we’ve always called Catastrophic Fumble, and the games we’ve enjoyed.  One of the games we enjoyed most was Hackmaster, and with the new version being out for a year or so, our group is actually switching to it.

Starting a P&P campaign is always difficult for a couple different reasons.  For one, it’s hard to shake the feeling that all the pre-work you’re doing is going to be for nothing, as getting a busy group of people together on Game Day is always difficult.  On the other side, designing an adventure carries the pitfalls of scope creep, and too much ambition.  :)

In this case, the adventure is designed, and it stayed short…avoiding scope creep.  The game day is planned and scheduled, and everything appears to be coming along!!!

The Technology

The other thing that can make gaming difficult is when you remain in California, and your players have moved to Pittsburgh, PA; Tennessee, and Washington State.  That little fact makes it difficult to get a group together around a table.  The Internet, however, has provided a virtual table, which should allow us to get together to have a good time playing some Hackmaster.

We’re using a software called MapTool, which provides a networked table, allowing everyone to see the map, as well as the NPC’s and Objects they can interact with.  The neat thing about this software is that it controls what they can see based on lighting conditions, light sources, and the location of each token.  There are a couple little kinks here and there, but on the whole, it’s a pretty solid piece of software.

Couple this with Skype for voice chatting, and we’re going to be getting together the middle of next month to play Hackmaster, spread out over the whole United States!

I’m excited, and if I think of it, I’ll post how it goes!

Posted in Pen and Paper RPG's | Leave a comment

On Celebrating Christmas…

Posted on December 21, 2009 by Taliesin

Potential Spoilers Ahead Concerning Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, and Maybe Even The Tooth Fairy…be forewarned.

I find it interesting that people, who on a regular basis don’t bother with the Lord Jesus Christ, suddenly shift into being radical Christians when it comes to the “reason for the season”. I don’t have a problem with it, necessarily.  It doesn’t actually affect me when people attempt to “put the Christ back in Christmas”.  In my mind, He never really left it, despite what many liberals seem to desire.  Ultimately, Christ will not be defeated by liberals.  That’s not why I wrote, though.

I’ve been thinking a lot about whether or not Christians ought to celebrate Christmas, and more to the point what aspects of Christmas we should celebrate.  My mental meanderings have a point, in that I am wondering what we should emphasize and tell my son as he grows up. What do we want to teach him, and should cultural icons be an emphasis? I have to admit that among all the things I considered teaching my children, whether or not to emphasize or ignore Santa Claus never really entered my mind.

To begin, we all know that Jesus of Nazareth was most likely NOT born on December 25th, right? I’ve heard many theories as to why this date was chosen for Christmas, from pagan goddess worship, to a feast for Bacchus (the Roman god of wine and intoxication), to a sun-worship festival, etc.  Of course, December 25th is very near the Winter Solstice (which was today in the Northern Hemisphere, by the way), and the winter solstice certainly would have been a commonly celebrated festival time in pagan areas.  Whichever event you favor, it’s likely a more plausible reason for the choice of December 25th to remember the birth of Christ than the actual birth of Christ.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell people that it was extremely common in the early church for missionaries to appropriate pagan festivals in order to begin where the people celebrated to teach the Gospel.  Many early church fathers felt that the celebration of the Christ Mass on December 25th was adulterating the church, and should not be so. The question should be asked, however, does it matter what day Christ was actually born?

My short answer is “no”. The need for Christ to come is demonstrated by our sin, and His birth was certainly necessary.  Commemorating the incarnation of Christ with a celebration is certainly not out of line, and can be used to teach our children many things about Christ and our need for Him.  However, the coming of Christ is often celebrated more assiduously than the day commemorating His death and resurrection (today called Easter), which certainly seems to me to be a little backwards.  Christ was born, sure.  But it is not His coming that frees His people from the bondage of sin.  It is His active obedience and resurrection that saves His people from their sins.  But I digress…

What about the cultural decorations and trappings?  Santa Claus?  The Christmas Tree? Gifts? One can spiritualize it all, to be sure.  I see nothing wrong with putting up a pretty tree and decorating it with colorful ornaments and lights.  God is the Father of Lights, and every good and perfect gift comes from Him, we are told in the Scriptures.  Salvation is certainly a free gift to any who would trust in Christ, and while our gifts pale in comparison to what our Savior paid for what He freely gives His people, we can use the gifts we give to point to Christ.  The Gospel never fades…never loses its luster or relevance.  Mankind is always in need of salvation.  The Good News is…dare I say it…evergreen, is it not?  One can spiritualize anything, if one looks hard enough, as I said.

What about Santa Claus?  My thinking on this might change someday, but I think Santa Claus is one tradition that we will not be passing on to Iain. A harmless story, a fable, a pain-free deception…harming no one?  Well, it is a deception, for one.  I don’t really see a point.  Everyone eventually learns that Santa Claus is not real.  (I did warn against spoilers above.)  What is the point of deception?  Fun?  I’m all for fun, but I would like to teach my son gratitude and appreciation for the gifts he’s been given by family and friends.  I would like that appreciation and gratitude to be directed accurately.  The more I think about it, the whole folklore surrounding Santa Claus (he sees you when you’re sleeping…he knows when you’re awake…he knows if you’ve been bad or good) is ascribing qualities to something not God which only belong to God.  Essentially, we’re creating an idol, and venerating it for its omniscient and omnipresent powers.  Now…adults don’t believe in Santa, but what are we doing to our kids?  Are they more interested in getting to know Jesus, or more interested in their letter to Santa Claus?  Are they more interested in pleasing the God of their Creation or in being good so Santa doesn’t bring them a lump of coal?

Another teachable thought is the fact that Nicholas of Myra (known as Saint Nicholas) was a real Bishop in the Church, who apparently participated in the Nicene Council of the Church (and even more interestingly got into a scuffle with a fellow Bishop who wanted to deny the deity of Christ at said council), and who had a penchant for gift-giving.  Looking at the examples of godly men who have gone before is definitely a worthwhile pursuit, and to my thinking infinitely preferable to raising a godly man on a pedestal, giving him attributes which belong to God alone.

What about Iain ruining other kids’ fun?  Well, I plan to teach Iain that people enjoy believing in Santa Claus as a game, but that he’s to respect others and not attempt to spoil their fun. (At least, provide spoilers for them, as this author has done.)  ;)

I’m not really interested in arguing whether or not I believe a fairy tale as ephemeral as Santa, himself, in the person of Jesus Christ.  I’ve had that discussion time and time again.  If that’s your only purpose in commenting on this post, save it.  Go name-call somewhere else.  Accept that you just wasted however much time reading this post, and say “that’s X minutes of my life I’ll never get back.” If, however, you’re interested in discussing whether I’m overreacting as a parent or potentially damaging my son, that is an interesting discussion. I just can’t see how it’s not a lie, how it’s not disrespectful of Christ and His sacrifice, of God and His attributes, and of my son.  Harmless fun, I’m down for.  The enjoyments of the simple things the Lord has graciously gifted us, I’m a fan of. Teaching my son of the love and sacrifice of Christ, I am looking forward to. In the end, however, I just don’t see the loss of Santa Claus in our house as…well…a loss.

(Not that I feel I need this disclaimer, but I might as well throw it up there.  I am not looking down upon, criticizing, or otherwise frowning upon parents who do the whole Santa Claus thing.  Up until recently, I figured I’d do the same, and only recent, careful reflection and discussions with godly men has convinced me that my energies might be better spent elsewhere in raising MY child.  I capitalize “MY” there, because I am not attempting to convince everyone that they should do the same.  This post is something I’ve been wanting to write to provoke thought.  If you read it, and you decide that you plan to or will continue to do the whole Santa thing, I can say nothing about it.  So don’t be offended at this post, thinking that I’m commenting on anyone else’s job as a parent.  My parents did the whole Santa thing, and I am not the worse for it.  I have a different focus than they did, and that’s really all there is to it.)

Posted in Faith | Leave a comment

The father of a close friend is passing away today.

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Taliesin

It’s possible that he has already passed.  I saw him this Thanksgiving, and he had his ever-present smile on his face when he saw me, though he was already not doing terribly well. Dick was a gracious and kind man, and the world is poorer without him in it.  As always those who remain on this earth have things left unsaid.  This is what I wish I would have said to Dick when I saw him that Friday night.

Dick, that summer I worked with you at Christian Berets was a very pivotal summer in my life.  It was that summer that I met my wife, and you were always very gracious to the both of us.  I don’t think I ever told you this, but the things you said to me that summer in the many conversations we had helped shape the early years of our relationship, and both of us will always think very fondly of you.  I am a better husband and father having received your words of wisdom, and your experience applied to the future. Thank you for your kindness and wisdom, and you will be missed.

Lord, please receive this man who served you faithfully for so many years through many pains and trials. I thank you for your saving work in Dick’s life as evidenced by the many fruits that were continually evident in him.  The grace, kindness, and wisdom that he displayed was your work in his life, and through this your people have been blessed, and you have been glorified. His love for the unlovely showed many of us what is required when we aspire to your Son’s example, and his effect on the lives of many of your servants cannot be overstated.  I thank you for the contact that I had with him, and ask that you be with those who remain on this earth after he passes.  May you comfort them in this time of loss, and help us to be there for them as much as possible.

Posted in Random Topics | Leave a comment

PayPal locked my account

Posted on December 8, 2009 by Taliesin

PayPal locked my account.  All because I had the audacity to try BUYING SOMETHING WITH IT!!!  Oh heavens to Betsy.

Yeah, that’s right.  I committed the cardinal PayPal sin of buying something with my PayPal account, and for this grievous offense, they locked my account.  I was at the seller’s site, they forwarded me to PayPal to complete the transaction, I logged in using my user name and password and BOOM!  Account Locked.  PayPal follows this awesome occurrence up with an e-mail indicating that they had reason to believe that a third party attempted to access my account.  But don’t worry, using their Resolution Center, I can fix it!!!  Ok, let’s try that.

Step 1: Confirm your entire credit card number. – Ok, this sounds a little like a scam, but I know I typed PayPal.com into my browser correctly.  So I confirm it.

Step 2: Change your password: Fine, whatever.  Anything to get my account unlocked.  Password changed.

Step 3: Give us your home number.  We’ll call you and ask you for the code we just gave you. – Uh, I’m not AT home.  Cell number?  Nope, PayPal is wise to the ways of cell.  They deny me.  Fine.  I call Kim and let her know that PayPal is calling.  PayPal calls, I have Kim enter the number, aaaaand….”You failed phone confirmation.”  What?  Okaaaaay…What now, PayPal?

Unnecessary Step 1 (For those counting, this is Step 4, but now I’m annoyed): We will send you a letter with a code to your address.  You should get it in 5-7 days.  Then come to the website, and we’ll make you enter the code in the letter, and who knows what else.

5-7 DAYS?  Why, PayPal?  All because I bought something???  Well, your punishment for this offense has convinced me of the silliness of my decision.  I shall not make this mistake again.  My steps are on the straight and narrow now.   (What follows is an actual anthropomorphic conversation I had with PayPal using their website and attempting to get my item bought.  Yes, I tried all of the following with PayPal.)

In fact, can you please cancel my account?

“No, you may not close your account because you have limited access to your account.”

So…I can’t cancel it, thereby avoiding any unauthorized charges from a third party?

“No, you may not.”

So someone can still make charges to my account?

“No, you cannot make a payment using PayPal, either.”

Really?  Well, can I use my credit card to make the payment outside of PayPal…NOT using my limited account?

“No, that is forbidden.”

Why?

“I cannot say, except to tell you it is forbidden.”

Well, can I remove my credit card from my PayPal account so I can use it like a normal credit card?

“No, that also is forbidden.”

So, what CAN I do with my useless PayPal account?

“You may receive money with your PayPal account.”

GREAT!  So if the vendor wants to pay ME to purchase the item instead, we are freaking SET!  How helpful, PayPal!  Thank you!

“You are welcome, and thank you for using (or not) PayPal.”

So, yes, I am currently actually UNABLE to purchase the item I wanted to purchase, because the only method of payment whose terms are acceptable to me that the vendor offers is PayPal.  (Using a Credit Card, etc. sets me up with recurring monthly payments, which I do not want.)  Way to go PayPal.

Morons.

Posted in Rants | 1 Comment