Jet Cannon

Damn The Torpedoes!

Food and Drink / By

Vine Pair reports that, “during the first half of World War II, the U.S. utilized steam-powered torpedo engines on its Pacific theater-based submarines, each of which was fueled by 180-proof grain alcohol. Without other alcohol aboard the subs to indulge in, the sailors quickly turned to the high-proof torpedo fuel, combining it with pineapple juice to smooth its burn. And thus, Torpedo Juice was born.”

That’s not the end of the story by any means.  Read it here.  Meanwhile, to honor Torpedo Juice, how about a simple rum and pineapple?!

– Jet Torpedo Cannon

 

Photo: National Maritime Museum

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Tip Fatigue

Food and Drink / By

Seems every business asks for a tip these days or their card reader does.  We’ve seen a 30% option!  To Insure Promptness?  At a fast-food restaurant??  Vine Pair notes that “there’s an increasing belief that social approval is a bigger driver for tipping than gauging the level of service.”

Most of Europe just builds a 15 percent tip into the price.  So, here, someday, maybe.

– Jet Cannon

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Scientists Say Extending Healthy Life Is Good

Fitness / By

Scientific American recently reported on an aging re-focus.  Here’s a link and below is an excerpt.

 

“We’re now saying our focus should be on extending healthy life rather than just length of life, and slowing aging is the tool to do it,” says Jay Olshansky, a longevity expert at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

For now, one way to extend healthspan is through unsurprising preventive maintenance. Experts recommend checkups, staying on top of cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and following guidelines such as those from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition for body fat percentage, lean body mass and bone density. “Know where you are so if something needs to be tweaked you can take steps to do that,” says Matt Kaeberlein, founding director of the University of Washington Healthy Aging and Longevity Research Institute and now chief executive officer of Optispan, a health tech company.

Those steps are also familiar: common-sense nutrition, sleep, exercise and social connection are the four main factors. “The reason those things work is because they modulate the biology of aging,” Kaeberlein says. For example, regular low- or moderate-intensity exercise helps to prevent cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. How much extra health can these steps get us? “Ten years is probably pretty realistic,” Kaeberlein says.

There’s some tips, kids.  Write ‘em down.

– Jet Cannon

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If The Shoe Fits

Fitness / By

Are we getting in our steps? Hope so. Therefore, it may be time to replace the shoes. It’s always good to have plenty of tread and that new-shoe cushiness wears down after awhile. Watch for nice price reductions as we approach and hit Black Friday. Happy shopping!

  • Jet Cannon

Banging Our Head Against The Wall

Recipes / By

Today, November 8th, is…wait for it…. National Harvey Wallbanger Day!  There’s a fun story behind it including Laguna Beach, surfers, and bartenders all according to National Day Calendar.  Our favorite tidbit:

Q. Harvey Wallbanger sounds like a good name for a band. Is the name taken?
A. It was. Kind of…musicians Jeremy Taylor, Christopher Prurves, Johnny Griffiths, Neil “Reg” McArthur, Richard Allen and Harvey Brough founded Harvey and The Wallbangers in the 1980s.

Meanwhile, the cocktail is easy to make.

3 parts vodka, 1 part Galliano and 6 parts orange juice. Pour it into a highball glass and garnish it with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry

– Jet Cannon

Photo:  A Couple Cooks

Aging More Better

Fitness / By

AARP just wrote about “Super Agers” and their secrets to a healthier, longer life. Though not well-kept “secrets” their tips are a good reminder of what we should be doing.

 

  • Control blood sugar and blood pressure
  • Talk to friends. A lot.
  • Avoid stress
  • Prioritize sleep
  • Protect vision and hearing
  • Choose more demanding exercise e.g. walk fast versus just walking
  • Feed the brain with puzzles, music, books, games, travel, lectures

 

AARP membership includes all kinds of good information and benefits for seniors. It’s also inexpensive to become a member.

  • Jet Cannon

 

  • Photo: Freepik
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Seeing The Lighter

Cannabis / By

Ohio became the 24th state to legalize marijuana.  Finally seeing reason?  More like they were tired of next door Michigan collecting all the tax revenue as Ohioans trekked across the border (no wall) to buy their weed.  The answer is money.  What was the question?

– Jet Cannon

Live Classical Rock

Food and Drink, Music / By

We’ve written about vinyl parties where you invite friends over, select a classic album to play beginning-to-end, and serve a cocktail that fits the mood.  There’s even a book called Booze and Vinyl which makes suggestions for the album, accompanying beverage for both sides A and B, plus appetizer ideas to go with.  For example, the Eagles Hotel California calls for a Beachcomber Cocktail for side A and a Mojito for side B.  Now take that concept to a live show.  The Black Jacket Symphony has spent the last 15 years performing 40-some classic albums, note-for-note.  We just saw them perform Hotel California before adding Eagles hits following intermission.  The cast included four excellent guitarists nailing guitar harmonies while the vocal harmonies were spot-on.  Several songs included a violinist and a viola. They take their covers seriously. The venue was a perfect 700-seat acoustically-excellent setting complete with cocktail bars in the lobby.  Next year Black Jacket will take on Dark Side of the Moon and we would expect it will be note-for-note stunning.  Here’s their website.  If you have the opportunity and enjoy live classic album rock as we used to consume it, check out their tour schedule. 

– Jet Cannon 

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Beer And Baseball

Food and Drink / By

Beer made its way into the ballpark in the 1890’s, in plenty of time for the first World Series in 1903. That year the Boston Americans played the Pittsburgh Pirates in a nine-game series. Boston won it in eight. General admission could be had at many games for a quarter. Today, beer and baseball go together like…. well… beer, baseball and hot dogs!

  • Jet Cannon

Are Energy Drinks Safe For Buzzed Boomers?

Caffeine / By

Play it safe.  No.  Especially if one has medical conditions as many of us do. Most anything fun is risky for us at our age.

Panera Bread is being sued over ‘Charged Lemonade’ energy drink after 21-year-old woman with a heart condition dies.  As Yahoo reports and suggests, “This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle.” 

Energy drinks usually have a lot more caffeine than is found is coffee, tea or soft drinks hence the added risk.  For generating energy, consider a nap but…. See warning above!!

– Jet Cannon

Alien Secretion

Food and Drink / By

Your team not in the World Series?  Neither is ours.  Here’s some cocktails to fit the mood but, based on the ingredients, we’re not sure they’d help.  Depends on preferences, we suppose.

Loser – Pepsi, whiskey, beef broth, espresso liqueur 

Sore Loser –  bourbon, peach liqueur, sherry, pernod and bitters

Suffering Bastard – Ginger beer, bourbon, mint, lime juice, angostura bitters

The Suffering Bastard is also known as an Alien Secretion.  Might have to try that one.

– Jet Cannon

Photo: Tipsy Bartender

When It Rains, Kill The Pain

Recipes / By

Is it raining where you are?  It is where we are.  Regardless, couldn’t we all use a tiki drink to bring the tropics to the La-Z-Boy?  How about a Painkiller?  To make it right, go the extra mile or two and use fresh fruit.  It’s worth the effort (reward mantra = La-Z-Boy).

Painkiller

  • 2 ounces quality dark rum
  • 4 ounces fresh pineapple juice
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 ounce cream of coconut
  • Garnish: nutmeg, freshly grated
  • Garnish: pineapple wedge

Use a shaker to mix, pour over crushed ice and you’ll be singin’ in the rain!  

– Jet Cannon