This Day in History

You'd probably have to be living under a rock to not know about the hit musical, Hamilton, which chronicles the life of founding father Alexander Hamilton. What you may not know is that today was the day of his famous duel with Aaron Burr.

Hmm, should I be worried that I just took a "Which Hamilton character are you?" quiz and got Alexander Hamilton?

Juno and Jupiter

In 2011, NASA launched a probe to Jupiter, which they named Juno. Sidenote: In Roman mythology, Juno was Jupiter's wife. Yes, they sent his wife to check on him.

That probe arrived at Jupiter on July 4. Here's a great GIF that shows how Juno got there.

You can find out more about Juno and see what she sends back here.

Underwritten Female Characters

I encountered this great video on Facebook this morning:

The video references one of the great contributions to film theory, the Bechdel test, which I've mentioned in a previous blogpost, but never delved into what exactly it means.

The Bechdel test (actually developed by Liz Wallace and publicized by Allison Bechdel) is based on the following questions. In a movie:

1. Are there at least 2 female characters?
2. Do those characters talk to each other?
3. About something other than a man?

A simple test that many movies fail. The test was revised with the addition that the two female characters should have names. As many have pointed out, it's a rather low bar for movies and passing it doesn't mean that women are being portrayed in realistic ways. They can still be "underwritten" even if they talk about something other than men. After all, the video above even passes the Bechdel test.

A New Map of the Human Brain

:) not really

Hope everyone had a happy 4th. Back to regular posts tomorrow!

Brickside Brewery

Today I visited a new brewery in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan: Brickside Brewery

A small outfit in Copper Harbor, I've been seeing their billboards around town and stumbled on their taproom by accident. I tried three samples while I was there: the U.P. IPA, Park Bench Porter, and Stone Ship Stout.

The IPA was crisp and hoppy, with a little bitterness. Not "soapy" like some IPAs (I actually like the soapiness, like you find in Zombie Dust, but my husband doesn't like that taste; if you're like him, and generally don't like IPAs, this is a good one to try).

The Porter had a nutty flavor, kind of like a pecan or hazelnut ale. Good sipping beer.

The stout was bittersweet with a little blackberry. Good but not the best stout I've had.

They sell samples and pints in the taproom, as well as two choices in growlers: glass and steel. The steel one is about three times the cost initially, but I'm told keeps the beer cold for hours. A couple sitting next to me took one to the golf course and it stayed cold the whole time.

They also decorated the bar with quotes, including one of my favorite beer quotes:

On the Rocks

Today, I visited the Michigan Technological University mineral museum, where I learned about some of the indigenous metals and minerals, particularly copper.

Yes, that's one piece of copper. The museum had lots of interesting specimens. For instance:

As well as this giant geode:

And a shot from inside:

Afterward, I hung out with my family and their dog, Teddy:

Who decided he wanted to drive at one point:

"Get in loser, we're going shopping." (Actually, I took the picture at the start of a yawn, hence the face.)

Tonight, I'll work on figuring out the perfect beer-s'more pairing.

Back in the UP Again

Yesterday, we drove to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan again, this time for Independence Day. On our way through Milwaukee, we once again saw the Koss billboard, which they've updated in honor of the holiday:

We hit a storm a little more than halfway, at which point, the temperature dropped about 20 degrees. We also pass by an eagle's nest - sitting atop a transmission tower - every time we drive up, but I actually got a picture this time:

Finally, after we arrived and unloaded the car, we went to see the Glenn Miller orchestra with family:

Of course, they had to perform this one:

The show was at the Calumet Theatre, which was built in 1907. Around the proscenium of the stage are murals of the five muses: