Lowered expectations

Ted Rall's column this week is a blistering piece on how Obama, not even receiving a fraction of the criticism of George W. Bush, may end up ultimately being worse for the country than the former president. A sample:

The soaring optimistic rhetoric of the campaign ("yes we can") is no more, replaced by the sober, string-synced cello strains of Yo-Yo Ma. So is Obama's million-dollar smile. The Dour One is demanding patience. And he's getting it, for now: "Most respondents [to the New York Times/CBS News poll taken January 19th] said they thought it would take Mr. Obama two years or more to deliver on campaign promises to improve the economy, expand health care coverage and end the war in Iraq."

Setting the bar low seems to be working. Seventy-nine percent of Americans say they're optimistic about the next four years under Obama.

Sad, pathetic Americans! Like a dog that's been beaten eight long years, they're so psyched about the fact that their new master doesn't drool and speaks coherent English that they'll follow him anywhere. The media is in love with The One and so, therefore, is the public. No one questions him.

The whole column is well worth reading, of course. Also it is certain to bunch of the shorts of many a Kool-Aide drinker out there. It was these first three sentences of the final paragraph however which struck me as the only blemish on an otherwise perfect piece:

Give the man a chance? Not me. I've sized up him, his advisors and their plans, and already found them sorely wanting.

The actuality of course that Ted Rall did give Obama a chance in the same manner as millions of other Americans: Rall voted for Obama. I, however, read the tea leaves during the campaign and opted not to give Obama a chance as I leveraged my vote against him.

Coffee Competition to be held in Cranberry

Just in time for the Super Bowl, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette gives us the road to the Super Cup:

Not everyone can make it to Tampa to watch the Steelers take on the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl. But next weekend, you'll get another chance to watch the home team defend another heavily contested title, and you'll only have to go as far as Cranberry to show your Pittsburgh pride: Feb. 6 to 8, 30 baristas from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C. will be throwing down at the Specialty Coffee Association of America's Mid-Atlantic Regional Barista Competition.

And, since no one stepped up to host the Northeast Regional Competition, it's taking place in Cranberry as well, which means baristas from some of the best cafes in the Northeast, including well-known spots like Gimme! Coffee and Everyman Espresso, will be coming to Cranberry to compete.

This year is the first time the competition has been held in the Pittsburgh area, so coffee lovers will not want to miss this opportunity to learn more about the art of espresso, mingle with all kinds of coffee professionals and watch as baristas put their skills to the test. As an added draw, pastry chefs from a number of Cranberry-area restaurants and bakeries -- including North Country Brewing Co., Springfield Grill, Sweethouse Bake Shop and Fresh Cup Cafe -- will prepare an array of desserts each day, perfect accompaniments to a specialty coffee drink. The chefs also will perform recipe demonstrations each day. Admission to the competition is free, but a ticket to the dessert buffet costs $10 (or $8 if purchased by Feb. 5 from kivahan.com/barista). Proceeds from dessert and coffee bar sales will be donated to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Pittsburgh baristas not only have home team advantage, but they're also the defending champions: Belle Battista, previously of Aldo Coffee in Mt. Lebanon, took home the trophy last year. Of course, that means that for Pittsburgh baristas, the stakes are very high. "Pittsburgh baristas really have to bring it home," said Drew von Arx, 27, a barista at 21st Street Coffee in the Strip District and Downtown, who'll be competing for the first time.

The pertinent information is posted at a sidebar to the article. However, I'm reposting it here with Google Maps linky goodness:

• Where: Pittsburgh Marriott North, 100 Cranberry Woods Drive, Cranberry.
• When: Competition rounds will take place throughout the day from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 6, and Feb. 7; the final rounds will be held between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Feb. 8.
• Cost: Admission to the event is free; Admission to the dessert bar and one beverage costs $10 ($8 if purchased at www.kivahan.com/barista before Feb. 5); specialty coffee beverages, $3 each. All food and beverage proceeds will be donated to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
• More Info: For more information on ???For the Love of Coffee,??? visit kivahan.com/barista or call 724-742-2326