Brooklyn Brewery Goes Big

Brooklyn used to be the epicenter of brewing beer in the United States. From the late 1800s through the mid 1950s, Brooklyn was home to dozens of major brewers, but from the 1950s through 1987, there wasn't a single successful commercial brewer located in the borough.

That all changed with Steve Hindy's Brooklyn Brewery.

The brewery has run a successful business expanding its operations to the point where much of its product is actually brewed in upstate New York because of a lack of capacity in Brooklyn.

Within the next few weeks, the acquisition and soon to be opened expanded brewery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn will add 16,000 sf of space to their operations.

It's amazing to see the gradual growth of the craft brewing industry in Brooklyn that reaches back into the borough's heritage and history. Moreover, it's good beer and has revitalized a moribund beer scene in the City.

In fact, the current recession may have played a role in enabling the brewery to expand. Businesses that are on solid fiscal ground can afford to expand because they can take advantage of lower real estate prices and other business costs.

Let's just hope that the expanded brewery doesn't compromise on the taste and quality of its products.

Just the Beginning

Higher prices for beer? Say it isn't so.

Beer prices will rise as the demand for biofuel increases. For beer lovers in Germany, farmers are switching from barley to crops that are currently in favor for biofuel production. Beer lovers are getting hit every which way: not only is the cost for barley increasing because of less supply, but the costs for food are also increasing. Even the UN has realized that biofuels aren't the cure to the "problem":

However, in its first major report on bioenergy, the United Nations tried to temper enthusiasm over biofuels last week, warning that the diversion of land to grow crops for fuel will increase prices for basic food commodities.

That is what happened in Mexico, when increased demand for corn to make ethanol in the United States pushed up the price of tortillas.

The German government subsidizes biofuel crops at the rate of $24.60 per acre, according to the Agency for Renewable Energies, part of the Agriculture Ministry.

Barley production in Germany went down by 5.5 percent in 2007, according to the Bavarian Farmers Association. On the other hand, the production of corn for biofuel more than doubled last year and the production of rapeseed for biofuel grew by 3.4 percent.

Biofuels, which reduce the emission of greenhouse gases believed to cause global warming, have been seen by many as a cleaner and cheaper way to meet the world's soaring energy needs than with greenhouse-gas emitting fossil fuels. European leaders have decided that at least 10 percent of fuels will come from biofuels by 2020.

The problem with that is that there simply isn't enough corn to go around for the already existing demand - food and food products. Prices have spiked for many corn-based products in the US and Mexico. It's even caused a shortage in tequila production. As a result of the increased demand and limited supply, prices have jumped on everthing from beef to soda to bread and everything else that is derived from corn and corn products.

Sugar cane, which is behind the biofuel produced in places like Brazil offers a better alternative to ethanol based on corn, but the US tarriffs on the sugar cane limit its availability here in the US because it is an ongoing remnant of protectionism for the US sugar industry and US agrobusinesses that have obtained ethanol production credits.

That has got to come to an end.

Biofuels may be a partial solution, but they only delay the problem since you have ongoing costs associated with the biofuel. For every acre of a former food crop now dedicated to fuel production, you're not only increasing costs for foodstuffs, but increasing the likelyhood of food shortages, distribution problems, and price spikes.

Those most affected by the run on biofuel? The very people who can least afford it - the poor and those living in the Third World.

Open up the market to allow sugar cane based ethanol to enter the market and stop the ethanol subsidies for companies like ADM. The market distortion caused by the existence of the subsidies and tarriffs has increased the prices of foodstuffs and done next to nothing to actually reduce reliance on petroleum based gasoline.

Also, consider the fact that ethanol produces less energy per gallon than a gallon of gasoline, which translates into higher production, distribution, and use costs that are often ignored by the proponents.

Reprisals

Israel has started to go after the Palestinian terrorists and the terror-masters who have been firing rockets into Israel. A helicopter fired three missiles at a Hamas controlled building, killing at least four people:

An Israeli helicopter fired at least three missiles into the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah on Wednesday, killing at least four people, Palestinian officials said.

Hamas said the missiles struck one of its military buildings in the town. The Israeli army confirmed its aircraft fired on southern Gaza, but did not give details.

Palestinian officials said the strike killed at least four people and injured 14 others, including one critically. Palestinian rescue officials said several people were buried under rubble after the strike.

I hope this is the start of an extended and comprehensive offensive against Hamas and Fatah, though the fear is that Hizbullah will get back in the game along Israel's northern border just as they did last year. Just as everyone's attention is drawn towards Gaza, Hizbullah may attempt yet more rocket attacks or missions to capture Israeli soldiers to be used as pawns to wear down Israeli resolve.

Hamas once again ambushed a Fatah convoy, and the death toll in the Palestinian civil war continues to grow:

Hamas gunmen killed five of their own combatants in an ambush on a Fatah vehicle that had been carrying Hamas detainees, Fatah officials said Wednesday.

Also killed were two members of the Fatah-affiliated Preventive Security force that had been guarding the detained Hamas members, the officials said.

The exact circumstances of the incident were not immediately clear. Hamas radio reported that a Hamas man was killed in another clash.

Four days of intense Palestinian infighting in the Gaza Strip has killed 41 people.

Early Wednesday morning, Hamas gunmen executed six Fatah bodyguards as the Gaza Strip slid further into chaos.

With Hamas and Fatah killing each other and going after each others' leaders, you would think that they wouldn't have time to go after Israelis, but sadly that isn't the case.

The rockets continue falling, and there's no end in sight.

Meanwhile, an Israeli billionaire has taken it upon himself to help evacuate the Israeli city of Sderot, which has been the focus of the kassam rockets fired from Gaza by the Palestinian terrorists.

The billionaire responded to the letter by sending eight buses to the town, in order to take residents out of harm’s way to hotels in Beer Sheva and Ashdod; he also pledged to aide in the fortification of homes in the town.

Batia Katar, head of Sderot's local parent committee, told Ynet that residents continued to sign up for a space in the buses in order to be evacuated as soon as possible. Families with children are the first to be evacuated.

“Everyone says they are grateful to Gaydamak, but that the State of Israel should have done this,” Katar said, “People want to overthrow the government because of the disgrace they are experiencing.”

People should definitely be questioning the actions of the Olmert government, which has failed in its basic task of defending Israel against its enemies. Permitting rockets to rain down on Sderot on a regular basis is not only intolerable, but has been allowed to go on for far too long.

The victims from yesterday's rocket attacks have been receiving treatment at nearby hospitals, and they have been enduring a situation that no one should have to endure.

So, why did Hamas fire on Sderot yesterday? Was it to deflect criticism by other Arabs and Palestinians for going after Fatah onto Israel? That idea has merit, but I think it boils down to the unending hatred Hamas has towards Israel's very existence. They cannot engage even in the concept of taqiya - lying to further Islamic goals and wear their hatred on their sleeves.

UPDATE:
Hamas and Fatah continue fighting, and one incident involved a gunfight at the home of a Fatah official. The NYT reports:

The renewed factional violence threatens the survival of the Palestinian Authority’s two-month-old unity government, which was created under a power-sharing agreement between Hamas and Fatah.

On Tuesday, Hamas militants attacked Palestinian Authority security forces loyal to Fatah, killing nine people, according to Fatah officials. That attack was on troops of the Presidential Guard, which is loyal to the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, and appeared to be a direct challenge to his authority.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel met with King Abdullah II of Jordan in the Jordanian port of Aqaba on Tuesday. David Baker, an official in Mr. Olmert’s office, said the leaders had a “warm and productive meeting” in which they discussed promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and bolstering Mr. Abbas and other moderates.

But the continuing violence in Gaza is raising serious doubts about the viability of the joint government. The Palestinian information minister, Mustafa Barghouti, said on Tuesday, “If this government falls, it means the collapse of the Palestinian Authority and with it the end of all agreements.”

If the PA collapses that could be a good thing considering that the PA has never actually lived up to any of its obligations to make peace with Israel. They've harbored terrorists and condoned terrorist activities from within their midst. Hamas would likely emerge as the power to deal with as Fatah is on the ropes and lacks the manpower and equipment to fight in Gaza.

UPDATE:
More rockets continue to slam into Sderot as the Israeli government authorizes reprisal attacks against the terrorists launching those rockets against Israel. One Israeli woman was badly injured by the latest barrage of rocket. As for the Israeli government, Olmert says that Israel can't keep ignoring the rocket attacks. I wonder how Israel could have ever ignored them in the first place. Every rocket that landed inside Israel without a response showed that Israel was willing to accept a certain level of violence. Hamas, Fatah and the other terrorist groups knew this - and wondered just how far they could push Israel. Even now, the Israeli response is limited despite the claims that they promise harsh responses. The disconnect between the acts and deeds are again exploited by the terrorists and when the reprisals do come, Israel will be accused of using disproportionate force to defend itself by shills for the Palestinians and the media that ignores the ongoing violence perpetrated by the terrorists from Gaza.

UPDATE:
Meryl Yourish points out a few stories that aren't getting the kind of play that they should. Journalists are trapped inside a building while Hamas and Fatah are shooting it out in front and Hamas set fire to an apartment building housing a Fatah leader.

UPDATE:
There are indications that Hamas or Fatah may have gotten their hands on longer range missiles and rockets - sufficient to hit Ashkelon. The Palestinian terrorist threat now is that they'll fire on Ashkelon if Israel goes into Gaza because of the Sderot rocket attacks.

Every day that this goes on is another day that Hamas and Fatah gets to continue plotting for that very outcome, and Israel loses its tactical and strategic advantages.

The Time Blog has more on the disintegrating situation in Gaza including the dozens of journalists trapped in a building because Hamas and Fatah were busy firing rockets and guns at each other and couldn't care less about who else was around or civilian casualties. Of course, the writer couldn't help but try to blame Israel for the Palestinians problems - par for the course.

Others blogging: Jewish Current Issues and Boker Tov Boulder notes some Hamas propaganda circulating in Ramallah.

Super Bowl Madcap Recap

Did someone say commercials? I knew you could. They were a mostly uninspired bunch, though your mileage might differ. Apparently the NYT attempted to discern that the commercials were about the ongoing war in Iraq based on the level of violence seen in the commercials this year.

No commercial that appeared last night during Super Bowl XLI directly addressed Iraq, unlike a patriotic spot for Budweiser beer that ran during the game two years ago. But the ongoing war seemed to linger just below the surface of many of this year’s commercials.

More than a dozen spots celebrated violence in an exaggerated, cartoonlike vein that was intended to be humorous, but often came across as cruel or callous.
For instance, in a commercial for Bud Light beer, sold by Anheuser-Busch, one man beat the other at a game of rock, paper, scissors by throwing a rock at his opponent’s head.

In another Bud Light spot, face-slapping replaced fist-bumping as the cool way for people to show affection for one another. In a FedEx commercial, set on the moon, an astronaut was wiped out by a meteor. In a spot for Snickers candy, sold by Mars, two co-workers sought to prove their masculinity by tearing off patches of chest hair…
Then, too, there was the unfortunate homonym at the heart of a commercial from Prudential Financial, titled “What Can a Rock Do?”

The problem with the spot, created internally at Prudential, was that whenever the announcer said, “a rock” — invoking the Prudential logo, the rock of Gibraltar — it sounded as if he were saying, yes, “Iraq.”

Funny, but there's always cartoonish violence in Super Bowl commercials. But this is the New York Times we're talking about. They see Iraq in their dreams (and nightmares) and can't escape talking about everything in a prism of Iraq.

As for the game itself, congrats to the Colts for getting the job done. I actually did a pretty good job predicting the outcome. I noted that the Colts defense would get the job done - including an interception run back for a TD. I noted that the Bears offense wouldn't show up, and Grossman was awful. I didn't foresee Hester running back the opening kickoff for a 92 yard TD, which was amazing since it was the first time in Super Bowl history that the opening kickoff was taken back for a TD.

That was about the only highlight for the Bears, who never seemed to be able to get out of their own way. Too many fumbles and missed opportunities. The Bears defense couldn't get off the field, which is a credit to the Colts game plan which maximized a ball control offense that spread the ball around and gave Addai many opportunities to catch short yardage passes for good gains. The Colts simply had too much on both sides of the ball, and overwhelmed the Bears in every aspect other than the special teams.

Peyton finally gets the monkey off his back, and has a ring to go with all his achievements during the regular season.

Sad Anniversary

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the July 7 London bombings. Islamic terrorists detonated bombs on a number of subways and buses across the city, killing 52 people. Their names are as follows:

Liverpool Street/ Aldgate Circle line train: 7 victims
Lee Baisden, 34, accountant from Romford (East London)
Benedetta Ciaccia, 30, business analyst born in Rome and living in Norwich
Richard Ellery, 21, camera shop worker from Ipswich
Richard Gray, 24, tax manager from Ipswich with a wife and two children
Anne Moffat, 48, marketing executive for the Girl Guides from Harlow
Fiona Stevenson, 29, criminal lawyer from Danbury, Essex
Carrie Taylor, 24, from Billericay, Essex, who worked for the Royal Society of Arts

Edgware Road tube station: 6 victims
Michael Stanley Brewster, 53, from Derby
Jon Downey, 34, HR Systems Development Officer of Wolverton, Milton Keynes
David Foulkes, 22, newspaper trainee from Oldham
Colin Morley, 52, facilitator and marketing professional from Finchley
Jennifer Nicholson, 24, from Bristol and the University of Reading
Laura Webb, 29, of Islington (North London)

Piccadilly line train (King's Cross St Pancras / Russell Square): 26 victims
James Adams, 32, from Peterborough, a Christian Deacon at Breton Baptist Church
Samantha Badham, 36, from Tottenham, partner of Lee Harris (q.v.)
Lee Harris, 30, from Tottenham, partner of Samantha Badham (q.v.); died over a week later.
Phil Beer, 22, hairstylist from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
Anna Brandt, 42, originally from Poland, of Wood Green (North London)
Ciaran Cassidy, 22, shopkeeper from Finsbury Park (North London)
Rachelle Lieng Siong Chung For Yuen, 27, of Mill Hill (North London), originally from Mauritius.
Elizabeth Daplyn, 26, manager at University College Hospital who was living in Highgate (North London)
Arthur Edlin Frederick, 60, of Seven Sisters (North London)
Karolina Glueck, 29, IT consultant, originally from Poland
Gamze Gunoral, 24, student originally from Turkey living in North London
Ojara Ikeagwu, 55, social worker from Luton
Emily Jenkins, 24, office worker from Richmond upon Thames (South West London)
Adrian Johnson, 37, Burberry product technical manager from Nottinghamshire
Helen Jones, 28, accountant of Holloway (North London). who grew up near Lockerbie, Scotland.
Susan Levy, 53, of the village of Newgate Street, Hertfordshire
Shelley Marie Mather, 26, receptionist with dual New Zealand and Irish nationality living in London
Michael Matsushita, 37, tour guide born in Vietnam who grew up in The Bronx, New York City, USA
James Mayes, 28, of Islington (North London)
Behnaz Mozakka, 47, Iranian biomedical officer from Finchley (North London)
Mihaela "Michelle" Otto, 37, dental technician from Mill Hill (North London)
Atique Sharifi, 24, Afghan refugee from the Taleban working in a pizza takeaway
Ihab Slimane, 19, waiter from Lyon, who moved to Finsbury Park (North London) a couple of months before the attacks.
Christian "Njoya" Small, advertising worker from Walthamstow (East London)
Monika Suchocka, 23, accountant from Archway (North London), originally from Poland
Mala Trivedi

Tavistock Square bus: 13 victims
Anthony Fatayi-Williams, 26, an oil executive from Nigeria, grandson of that country's former Chief Justice
Jamie Gordon, 30, of Enfield (North London)
Giles Hart, 55, a BT engineer from Hornchurch (Essex)
Marie Hartley, 34, of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire
Miriam Hyman, 32, picture researcher from Hampstead Garden Suburb (North West London)
Shahara Akhter Islam, 20, from Plaistow (East London)
Neetu Jain, 37, Software Developer from Hendon (North London)
Sam Ly, 28, originally from Melbourne (Australia); died 15 July 2005 in hospital
Shayanuja Parathasangary, 30, Sri Lankan-born postal worker of Kensal Rise (North London)
Anat Rosenberg, 39, was an Israeli expatriate.
Philip Stuart Russell, 29, of Kennington (South London)
William Wise, 54
Gladys Wyndowa, 51, a cleaner from Chadwell Heath (East London)

National Review marks the occasion with reprinting their July 7, 2005 article - Courage Under Fire. Al Qaeda marks the occasions with a video release.

Further Down the Spiral

We're finally going to see Gov. Corzine's budget plan in its totality later today. It's not going to be pretty.

But we've already got one bit of bad news - the legislature rubber stamped Corzine's plan to refinance the transportation trust fund. Forget about doing the fiscally prudent step of properly funding the fund. The Governor and Legislature determined that raising the 10.5 cent per gallon tax was too unpalatable, so they decided that refinancing the fund was the better way to go.

Never mind the fact that it will cost even more in the long run - $17 billion over the next 30 years. What a bargain. [That's sarcasm for those whose sarcasm detectors aren't functioning properly.]

Critics of the measure said that the plan was an extension of the kind of practices that had put the fund in jeopardy to begin with as it faced insolvency after years of borrowing against it.

"It seems to me that there could have been an alternative that is more fiscally responsible," State Senator Leonard Lance, a Republican from Hunterdon County, said during a debate on the measure moments before the vote was taken. "This is a continuation down the road that we have traveled for at least half a decade, and even before that, of overreliance on debt."

State Senator Anthony R. Bucco, a Republican from Morris County, put it more plainly. "Our grandchildren will be paying for repairs to roads that we will be doing next year," he said.

Supporters of the plan said that while imperfect, the refinancing of the fund's debt was essential to keep the fund running. If the fund ran out of money, as expected on June 30, the state could have lost millions of dollars in federal matching funds.

So, they've resorted to a one-shot, which doesn't actually fix anything but extends the problem for years into the future - making it someone else's problem.

Meanwhile, Enlighten NJ wonders how a 49% increase in school aid can be considered a freeze. Only in New Jersey. Only in New Jersey.

And forget about controlling spending. Spending in the budget is going up 10.4%. That's nearly three times the rate of inflation.

He [Corzine] will ask the Legislature to spend $1.2 billion on property tax rebates, which are mailed in the fall, according to an outline of his budget proposal released Monday.

Mailed out just in time to avoid completely pissing off taxpayers and likely voters. Getting a rebate check in the fall might remove some of the sting of the higher taxes, but it shouldn't. Corzine is playing the Trenton shell game on taxing and spending instead of taking fiscally prudent steps to control costs first and foremost.

To cover the rebates and rising state expenses, the Corzine administration says it needed to raise taxes and fees by $1.8 billion and cut $2 billion from state spending.

Corzine's biggest spending decisions, however, reverse years of shaky financial practices by his predecessors.

He wants to pay $735 million into the state's debt-plagued public employee pension system, the largest payment by any governor in years. Corzine also plans to repay $300 million to the Unemployment Insurance Fund, money that had been raided to balance earlier budgets and put the state in danger of being forced to raise payroll taxes.

Corzine will propose increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent in order to bring in another $1.1 billion. He also will ask the Legislature to add sales taxes to some goods and services now exempt, such as tanning salon treatments and limousine rides.

And then there's the cigarette tax, which would jump another 60 cents to $3 a pack of 20 cigarettes. Of course, sin tax increases are more palatable because not everyone gets soaked on them. Except, of course, those who smoke, drink, or utilize any of the goods or services that will be taxed.

The governor wants to raise taxes on alcoholic beverages and cigarettes. He's calling for a new tax on household water use, and he says people who buy cars with list prices over $45,000 also should pay a new tax.

Lawmakers must approve the fiscal year 2006-07 budget and all of Corzine's tax proposals before July 1.

Despite a growing state economy, Corzine's hands were largely tied because of budget deals made by governors over the years and growing expenses for state services, his top advisers said. "What's staggering about this budget is the amount of [spending] growth we have," Treasurer Bradley Abelow said Monday in briefing reporters.

It's not like Corzine is actually controlling spending here either. He's passing the buck just as all those other governors did, and he's blaming earlier administrations for his fiscal problems (where have we heard that before as well).

Controlling spending would be a good place to start with fixing New Jersey's fiscal woes, but that isn't going to happen this year either. And the budget doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of controlling costs like Medicaid or addressing debt payments, which we already know doesn't matter because Trenton will just refinance and hope the problem goes away with longer amortization of the debt.

So what do these tax increases mean for the average taxpayer? Well, here's some idea:

A family of four would pay about $1,500 a year in sales tax, about $260 more. The new water tax, which would be 4 cents per 1,000 gallons, would cost each household about $3 to $4 a year. Officials said the money would pay for new water system equipment and "infrastructure improvements.''

Others aren't so optimistic.

"This could mean $1,000 in new taxes per person this year," said state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., R-Union, who is running for U.S. Senate. "And that is on top of a 10 percent increase in spending."

Robert Pinard, president of the Beer Wholesalers Association of New Jersey, noted that the proposed tax would hit beer proportionately more than wine and spirits. A 10-cent increase would be a 42 percent tax hike on beer, but 14 percent on wine and less than 1 percent on spirits.

Pinard said the 3-cent tax on a six-pack would likely rise to 10 cents by the time it was passed on to the consumer, due to additional administration costs.

Trenton hopes that the sales tax increases and sin tax increases wont affect too many people because they might actually form a group large enough to affect the November elections. Yet, some of these taxes will many people in New Jersey. And businesses will suffer as well, as they'll be pressured to keep prices down to avoid losing customers.

It's business as usual in Trenton, and that might make for an uncomfortable November for New Jersey legislators up for reelection.

UPDATE:
Corzine gave his budget address and it was as advertised:

Corzine's 31-minute address was so sober it was interrupted by applause only three times - including when the governor admitted a "Freudian slip" after saying "tax cuts are a last resort" when he meant to say "tax increases are a last resort."

The governor called for an increase in the sales tax - from 6 to 7 percent - and other tax increases on alcohol, water, luxury cars and cigarettes. Corzine said he decided against an income tax increase over concerns about how it would affect the state's economy.

He also called for $2 billion in restrictions on spending, including elimination of 1,000 state jobs and 75 programs.

"To those who thought my financial background would mean I had some magic bullet in my holster to balance the budget, I am sorry to disappoint you," Corzine said. "My answer is as simple as old-fashioned arithmetic. We can't keep spending more then we take in."

Corzine acknowledged that the proposed $30.9 billion budget increases spending by $2.6 billion over last year, but said the increase "reflects already legislated, mandated, negotiated and inflated costs."

He challenged critics to identify their own spending cuts and said he would not accept more tax increases or one-shot gimmicks, which he said have already brought the state to a "day of reckoning."

Here's a spending cut that would address the problems. As Brian noted in the comments, eliminate the so called property tax rebate program increase and apply the money to pay down the debt. That works towards solves two problems - profligate spending and the ongoing structural deficit.

Exit Stage Left

McHales, a burger and beer joint in the heart of the Broadway theater district has met its end. It was done in by the success of turning around the Times Square district and a condominium complex will be built on its location.

It's a shame. I ate in there once and I left there wondering why I didn't go there more often. The burgers were huge and tasty, and the crowd was a fun bunch. But like many of the other old time bar and burger joints, they're getting elbowed out by newer businesses and housing.

A sign of success for some, an end of an era for others.

Wither the French Riot Coverage

Austin Bay notes that the next few days are critical. If the curfews and increased police presence results in a lessening of violence and criminal activity, then the French may have dodged the bullet. However, if the violence shifts its attention away from torched cars to businesses and other objects, then the French government will be in real serious trouble.

The next three to five days will be critical. If a “second wave” of violence occurs that’s a bad sign, one signaling political support for the rioters and solidifying organization. When will the Left wing commentariat start calling the rioters “the resistance?”

Meanwhile, Chirac says that he has to learn lessons from the riots (does he mean from the rioters?) Here's a quick lesson that should be picked up by most everyone in government. The best way to stop a riot in progress is to do so quickly and with decisive actions before the rioting spins out of control. Reports of violence appear to be decreasing as the police and law enforcement gain control over the situation. Map of the scenes of violence.

One has to wonder why it took so long for the French authorities to gain control over the situation. In the US, we'd be hearing for resignations from everyone from the President all the way down to the head of the agencies responsible for law enforcement. Will that happen in France? Will it even matter?

Now, there's one thing that doesn't quite make sense. We know that thousands of cars have been torched, but relatively few people have been arrested in connection with the violence. What does that say about French justice and law enforcement. These are rioters who got away with destroying property, committing various crimes, and have escaped justice. It is highly likely that they will do it again when given the opportunity.

As for those rioters who were in France illegally, they will be deported.

And just so we're clear, nearly 7,000 cars have been torched in the 2 weeks since the violence started. Chart of the car-nage. No Pasaran also notes that a civil demonstration tomorrow marking the 1st Anniversary of Arafat's death (aka, The air is somehow cleaner and more fit to breathe day) was denied by French authorities.

UPDATE:
Steven Den Beste comments on how this riot may come to an end - it's a battle of attrition that the rioters cannot hope to win because the police can generally count on the military to support them if they get outnumbered. The problem has been the slow response of the police to deal with the rioting, which meant that the number of rioters was not reduced quickly enough to prevent the rioting from spreading. The Brussels Journal notes that the violence is still ongoing, though the media isn't reporting the rioting - though they have to admit that firefighters were called out on numerous occasions to put out car fires.

The authorities prefer not to speak about what is going on because they fear copycat actions from disgruntled “youths.” However, when the authorities cut off information, rumours (not all of them unfounded) will fill the news vacuum. Most of the “isolated incidents” in Brussels appear to be taking place in Sint-Gillis, where stones were thrown at police cars yesterday evening. Sint-Gillis is only a few kilometres from the European Parliament. As Elaib Harvey, our friend and roving correspondent in the European Parliament, wrote on his weblog: “Gloriously of course nothing is officially being talked about here in the Palace of Vanity. Nothing official, however the coffee bars are ablaze with rumour.” Yes, this is Europe in the year 2005.

UPDATE:
Sister Toldjah is among a number of bloggers (including LGF) that notes the media is trying to portray the rioters as engaging in civil disobedience. Do we need to break out a dictionary to remind folks that Rosa Parks engaged in civil disobedience by refusing to give her seat up at the front of the bus and that blowing up cars is not civil disobedience under any circumstances. It's rioting, causing mayhem, and destruction of property. Those are criminal activities, not civil disobedience.

UPDATE:
Westhawk makes a very important observation. Has anyone bothered to check on the weather reports for France lately? While the weather was pretty good over the first two weeks of rioting, the weather was expected to deteriorate:

Weather was fine for rioting on Monday night, although it promises to deteriorate into rain and near freezing temperatures in the days ahead. This could reduce rioting op-tempo.

In other words, the rioting may be slacking off not solely because of law enforcement or curfews, but because the weather sucks.

UPDATE:
Hugh Hewitt is noting that French police are concerned that the rioters may seek to cause mayhem in more affluent areas away from the focus of the rioting thus far. Tel Chai Nation notes the anti-France bias at the BBC.

Cross linked to (cross links updated as necessary): Don Surber, Basil's Blog, Euphoric Reality, Freedom Folks, Political Teen, Real Teen, Stop the ACLU,
Stuck on Stupid, and TMH's Bacon Bits. Donegal Express finds some humor in the situation.

UPDATE:
Demosophist links to a Max Boot op-ed on the riots in France that outlines failed experiment that is multiculturalism in France.

The flaw in this perspective is that it ought to be obvious to even the casual observer that the problem isn't that France has assimilated all of its colonial aspirants into the single "idea" of Gaulic Nationhood, but that it has utterly failed to do so. And the reason, as Boot points out, is also rather obvious: It's easier for an individual from an ethnic or religious minority to think of himself as American than French, because being American isn't a matter of ethnicity, while being French... is. The problem is one of identity.

Liquid Musings

In between driving nearly 1,500 miles and seeing the sights and listening to the sounds of nature throughout Washington State, I was able to partake in some fine liquid sustenance (brewpub and winery reviews to follow).

Hale's Ale Brewing Company makes some fine beers (had a sampler) and their food was pretty good too.

Also visited Silver City Brewing Company outside Bremerton. I think I read somewhere that one of the owners or someone related to Silver City is a regular blogger, but can't recall where or when I read that (DL or LGF?). So, if you're that person, please know that I found your food and beer was excellent. Also, the homemade ginger ale was top notch. Definitely worth the trip.

Mrs. Lawhawk and I visited some interesting wineries in Yakima Valley. They ranged from small wineries to major establishments. Hogue Cellars was the largest of the wineries we visited and sampled a bunch of estate and reserve wines (the stuff they don't sell outside the winery). Their tasting room was nicely appointed, but was located in what amounted to a warehouse facility - definitely downscale from most Napa wineries and many Sonoma wineries.

At the other end of the spectrum was Windy Point winery. Good wines, small production, but their tasting room was magnificent. The manager at Claar Cellars said that Windy Point is the beginning of the Sonomaization of Yakima Valley. That could be a good thing - finding the wineries wasn't nearly as easy as in Sonoma Valley. Better signage and advertising throughout the valley would make the experience even easier than it was.

Claar Cellars provided some good tastings, and we bought two bottles, one of which was the Corneauxcopia, which was a blend of several varieties. It was our most expensive wine purchase on this trip, and we'll be saving it for a special occasion.

Of course, finding the wineries was part of the charm of the place. You get to drive throughout the valley and the first thing you notice is that vineyards aren't the dominant crop. In fact, there is no readily apparent dominant crop. Vineyards mix with grazing lands for sheep, cattle, and horses. Farms with other crops, from hops to apples mix in.

*more to come*