Them Wacky Tobacky boys are at it again

From the Louisville Courier-Journal (boy I sure would like to link to the local story in Messenger-Inquirer but their sites requires a subscription)

HIV inhibitor grown in tobacco plants

But yesterday, Louisville's James Graham Brown Cancer Center announced that one of its scientists had used Kentucky tobacco plants to cheaply grow a potent, protein-based drug that inhibits HIV.

If clinical studies prove successful, the product, likely a preventive gel, could be on shelves around the world as early as 2015, providing a crucial method of reducing new HIV infections in places such as sub-Saharan Africa, according to Kenneth Palmer, who conducted the study.

"There's a big need for an effective, female-controlled intervention to protect from HIV," said Palmer, a senior University of Louisville scientist.

This is by far the biggest results to come from the Owensboro Cancer Research Program. The research behind this story was published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (article here) and the research has picked up a good amount of attention from the science community and has been commented on in Nature (article here). For those of you not playing along at home the Proceedings of the National Academy and Nature are two of the top five journals to publish research in. This is the type of attention that top-notch research from the big institutions get and the little ole' labs up at the hospital are doing it. Maybe there is something to this plant-made pharmaceutical stuff.

Bonus points go to the authors for making the research open access, meaning you don't need a subscription to see the article.

Three Strikes and this weekend is over!

Yeah, the curmudgeon is in a horrible mood. In the rollercoaster of life, I am mid-loop. Unfortunately, its those little details that really get on my nerves right now and this weekend's adventures didn't help too much. I kind of changed up my weekend routine a little and visited some places that I haven't been to in a while and I realized why.

First off - Red Lobster - you didn't bring me my baked potato with my meal. You said they were behind and that it would come. I finished my meal, my plate was taken away, and I didn't get my baked potato or offered an alternate. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BEG FOR FOOD THAT I ORDERED. Your saving grace - those buttered biscuits.

Maloney's Rocca Bar - decent service, thats after you wait 20 minutes for the waitress to notice you have joined a table that already has drinks. Sorry, but there are too many other bars out there like you. I will not put forth the effort to make it to your establishment if your wait service can't put for a little extra effort themselves.

The Blind Parrot - Wow! Talk about a nosedive! When the Parrot first opened, it used to be a decent little place to go for a few drinks, maybe to enjoy the outside patio, maybe throw some cornhole. The crowd was a decent lot, not to old, not to young, mainly the young professional friday-after-five type. The dance floor was usually occupied with only one or two cougars (that a lady 40 and above looking for a younger male), can't say that I joined them in dancing but there was always the opportunity.

Fast forward to this weekend. I was met at the door by "Big Daddy" the bouncer demanding three dollars for a cover charge. When I got into the bar, I immediately could tell this wasn't the old blind parrot. The best way to describe the place and its clientele was like a strip joint without the nakedness. I really felt out of place having a college degree and my hat on straight. The old DJ with his computer full of mp3's pumping out the cougar enticing tunes had been replaced by a real (wannabe) DJ with his two turntables and thankfully no microphone. In addition, I guess the Fire Marshal had already gone to bed for the night because there was no way that place should have had that many people in it. Needless to say, I won't be going back anytime soon.

One shining point to the weekend was the performance of those HILLTOPPERS. Sure, they lost in the second round to Gonzaga, but they put forth one hell of an effort in both games and proved they could play with the best of them. If things had gone just a little differently, they could have been in the sweet sixteen two years in a row. We'll see you next year in the final four!

Now That's Bluegrass - Iron Horse!

I warned you earlier, my taste in bluegrass music is a bit eccentric. I think this selection may ease you into my world with a little less shock. Don't worry, the real good stuff.

I actually ran across this band on iTunes and have since dug around a little on youtube and their website.

Iron Horse Bluegrass is a group that was formed back in 2000 out of the Muscle Shoals area and specialize in covering heavy metal and rock tunes, bluegrass style. They have released several CDs covering groups such as Metallica, Guns & Roses, and Ozzy Osbourne. It appears that they do a little touring mainly in the Alabama and North Carolina area. So, sit on down and have you a listen to this:

The farmers are getting itchy

Does the person you are talking to seem to shift around in his seat alot lately? Does the sound of a diesel engine make them look quickly out the window? Does your conversation about the NCAA tournament suddenly shift to fertilizer prices? Chances are, you are talking to a farmer.

Just a week or so from now, a significant chunk of the population here in Daviess county will disappear, unreachable by phone or text, not seen in the local restaurants or wal-marts. No, aliens haven't performed a mass abduction, the farmers are going to the fields.

Yep, it's looking more and more like spring around here and the locals farmers are going stir crazy just waiting to get into the fields. The ground is still a little spungy but the fertilizer spreaders have been running continuously and the spra-coupes have come out of winter hibernation. Tobacco plants are being seeded in greenhouses (they start their lives in greenhouses to get started before being transplanted to the fields). It won't be long, maybe a week or so, until the first corn crops are planted around here.

Its always fun this time of year to poke a little fun at the local farmers. Just tell one that a neighbor down the road has already started planting on the back forty. The farmer will inevitably spout off something about it being to early or too wet or something, but you can see the steam coming from their ears because they aren't the first and you can see the wheels turning as they try to figure out if they have some ground dry enough to get started on. Of course, you hear every year of that one farmer who pulls his planter up and down the road with no real intentions of doing anything just to get his neighbors riled up.

Just being around these guys even makes me a little anxious this time of year. I am not a farmer nor in any way connected with traditional agriculture, but I do get that urge to just do something. Usually, I put in a few weeks of extra-long hours at work (thats partially why the blog posts haven't been so forthcoming). Its also when I seem to get itchy to move on to greener pastures job-wise, for example, see exhibit A.

Anyways, its always refreshing for me to see the tractors moving up and down the road, it means winter is over. It also means being stuck behind a vehicle doing 10mph on a 55mph stretch of highway.

Now for the curmudgeon to put on his straw hat and give the farm report:

Talk amongst the farmers seems to be that this year will be a struggle to make a profit. Inputs, seed, fertilizer, etc. . .are still priced high while grain prices are sinking due to the economy. Of course, anytime you talk to a farmer they are having a hard time making any money, but they all seem to live pretty comfortably.

The downtown development master plan is having an effect on farmers too. All those tractors and equipment have to be insured, and if you'll remember correctly, the city and county just doubled the tax they put on this insurance in order to fund bonds for the downtown project.

A 92.5 acre tract of good-dirt, non-flooding, farmland just outside the city limits (between Keller Road and Fisher Road for those playing along at home) sold at auction for $9400 an acre just last week. Apparently, the new owners plan on planting an orchard full of trees growing money.

And thats the curmudgeon farm report for today, tune in next time. . .

How 'bout them Hilltoppers - part 2

Hey all you wildkitten fans, it's okay, there's plenty of room on the bandwagon, you can join in.

For those of you who don't follow Hilltopper basketball, yes, those beloved Hilltoppers made it to the big dance and will face Illinois in the first round.

In honor of this event, I present to you a couple of clips (that I didn't make) of Big Red, the Hilltopper mascot hanging around campus.

Spring shows it's face (finally)

We've (finally) had some good weather. The past week or so has seen highs in the 60's and 70's. Of course, we've had a few thunderstorms to go along with it. It looks like spring will go back into hiding later in the week but the warm days we've had have been much appreciated. The farmers around here, of course, are about to crawl out of their skin waiting to get into their fields but thats another story.

The nice weather has put the Curmudgeon in a thankful mood. I've got to be thankful that my job is pretty secure. With the economy going into the tank, I don't think I could be in a more secure setting work-wise. Thankfully, this depression (yes I'm calling it a depression) has not caught up yet with my workplace. As a matter of fact, while the world has been going to hell-in-a-handbasket, the past three years has been the most productive time of my life. This past year, I've had more work than I knew what to do with and to be honest, I was fast approaching burn-out, but with the vacation and forcing myself to slow down, the burn-out has been averted for now. The next few months look to be just as busy if not busier (there is even a slight possibility of the project I'm working on going into warp speed, meaning I get crazy busy). Thats not a bad place to be.

Of course, with all this going on, I have put together a pretty impressive little package of experience and there are some other pastures out there that are looking pretty green. Yes, there are actually still some green pastures out there, at least in the industry I work in. If I wasn't afraid that we were on the fast track to revisit the stone age, I wouldn't be so concerned about trying to jump the fence. So, here I stand with a secure job but one I think I am quickly outgrowing. Do I stay put and ride this depression out, or do I try and make the jump?

More Burgoo

The art of making Burgoo goes hi-tech???

What to do with all that stimulus money

Now that our congresscritters have decided to spend $800 billion of my (well most of it ain't mine personally) money. City leaders across the state have dollar signs in their eyes making plans to get some of that government cheese. Local leaders are not exempt and have started dreaming.

The funding of the bypass extension mentioned in the story is a reputable use of the money I guess. Let's face it, if the bypass extension isn't built, we'll end up with a new hospital in the middle of a cornfield.

So the 'ole Curmudgeon got to thinking, what other projects could we use that money for? Re-defining the term "shovel-ready project" I present to you my list:

1) $80 million for downtown development - build a big fire pit downtown and burn the $80 million, matching the results for the $80 million we are already going to spend.

2) $125 million for tourism - Fund a research project to clone Bill Monroe and bring a revival to Bluegrass music (double points because the project involves high tech industries).

3) $5 million for the agriculture industry - Renovate the Riverpark center into a big tobacco barn - maybe then it would get some use.

4) $10 million for local charities - Fund gold plated burgoo kettles for all the local church cooking teams. Yeah, lets add some bling to our burgoo.

5) $10 million for a new marketing/branding strategy for the city - we know $50,000 won't do it.

6) $1 or so million for road improvement - change the signs on the Natcher and Audobon parkway so that the rest of the country will think Interstates run to Owensboro - wait, check that, project already in progress.

7) $6 million for traffic flow improvement - fund a 3 acre expansion of the Big Dipper parking lot.

8) $4 million for local agricultural initiatives - tap into local expertise in plant biotechnology to cross a tobacco plant with a tomato to make a tomato that's addictive (credit The Simpsons for this idea).

9) $50 million for tourism - build two new hotels and a convention center to set empty, the old empty ones are getting pretty run down.

10) $12 million for airport expansion - extend and strengthen runways so they can accommodate a 747 in anticipation of the wild success Allegiant Airways will have with their new service.

11) $9.2 million for an automotive industry bailout - build a factory to make UHaul trucks to accommodate the demand of people moving out of the city.

12) $100 million for new job creation - build 50 new fast food restuarants with jobs that pay minimum wage. Why fix what ain't broke?

13) $20 million for technology infrastructure - Vastly increase the population's access to the internet by providing free dial-up access.

14) $750,000 for a local history project - Hire a detective to figure out just who was behind the "Merger Stinks" skunk (you are truly old school if you remember that one.

15) $20 million for a new entertainment district - District to be anchored by a 3,000 seat "Vegas-style" showroom. John Brennan signed to a multi-year contract for two shows a night, five nights a week. Velvet Bombers to perform on dark nights.

16) $48 million for public health - Install moving walkways the entire length of the Green-belt to encourage its use. Remaining money to be used to make streets and sidewalks more "Rascal" friendly.

17) $60 utility infrastructure upgrades - Kenergy to research wireless power transmission technology, won't have to deal with all those pesky downed power lines when the next disaster hits.

18) $250 stimulation of the automobile industry - Release copious amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere causing an increase in global warming, allowing Don Moore to run his "It's Hot Don" commercials year round.

19) $2 billion for improvement in government relations - The entire city of Owensboro will be moved between Louisville and Lexington so we can be inside the golden triangle.

That's all I got, the peanut gallery is open if you have any "shovel-ready" projects to suggest.

A Curmudgeonly Restaurant Review - PizzaRoma South

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The Curmudgeon is going to start his restaurant reviews with one of my top, if not THE top pick for good eats in Owensboro.

PizzaRoma South, 3011 Fredrica Street, just closed in on their first year at their new location.

The food itself is something to write about. They have a good selection of Pizza, Subs, a Salad Bar, a small selection of Beer, and Wine. I haven't made it there for lunch in a while, but the place has a great and reasonably priced all-you-can-eat pizza lunch buffet. Yes what better setup can you have for your afternoon nap at work than a belly full of pizza. They have also recently recruited a former chef from the Big-E, Chef Gil, to put together a Sunday Brunch deal. The brunch deal features omelets made to order and I believe is available from 11:00 or so in the morning through lunch. Like any pizza place, they offer delivery, call 'em up at (270) 684-0611‎.

What puts this place over the top is the service. If you visit the place a couple of times, they are going to know your name and probably what you eat. This place is a tight-run ship. Management pays attention to the details and your food will be right. The waiters and waitresses there are extremely friendly, the best-trained in town, and are the hardest working. When you eat there, bring along a couple of extra dollars for the tip, the workers there will deserve it.

Pay attention to the outdoor sign when you come in. The owner has some strong opinions and is not afraid to voice them.

In addition, this is a small, locally owned business, that alone should be reason to support the place. Over the years, the PizzaRoma franchise has built a well-deserved tradition in Owensboro.

The next time you are trying to think of somewhere to eat, well heck, the next time you eat period, try PizzaRoma South. They are located right across from KWC and tell them the Curmudgeon sent you.

Yeah, this review may sound more like an advertisement but I received not monetary gain for my writings (I should probably be paying them). A great place like this deserves all the promotion it can get.

A Curmudgeon blog pick - Western Kentucky Weather

Just stumbled across this neat little blog.

This site is managed by a community college student in Hopkinsville interested in, of all things, Western Kentucky Weather.

The site is called, of all things, Western Kentucky Weather

Now the Curmudgeon has someone else to blame for all this %$#!#$#@! weather we've been having.

ROMP '09 lineup

The International Bluegrass Music Museum just (a few days ago) released their lineup for this years ROMP and it goes as follows:

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-press
Mike Snider~Dan Tyminski Band
J. D. Crowe & The New South~Steep Canyon Rangers
Bill Clifton~ Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers Grasstowne~Paul Williams & Victory Trio
Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain
Eddie & Martha Adcock~Tom Gray
Roger Sprung~LeRoy Mack McNees
Gloria Bell & Mike Long~Bill Grant~Al Hawkes
Pioneers Jam~Fragment~ Josh Williams Band
Special Consensus~Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike
Ronnie Reno & The Reno Tradition
Williams & Clark Expedition~The Harringtons
Dixie Bee-Liners~Bill Evans & Megan Lynch
The Ozaki Brothers~The Reunion Band
Kentucky BlueGrass AllStars


This lineup is in line with other lineups for ROMP. Dan Tyminski should put on a good show. Doyle Lawson, Bobby Osbourne, and J.D. Crowe are living legends and should probably be put in that category of see them before they retire. The rest of the schedule, well, isn't too impressive to me.

Disclaimer: The Curmudgeon isn't too "up" on the current Bluegrass scene so I may be making a few statements that will come back to bite me but I've been bitten before and still don't have rabies.

I would love to see more acts on this lineup that are pushing the envelope, some more acts that are young and upcoming. Let's face it, if you were to play a drinking game where you took a drink every time a G-run on a guitar was laid out, you would be passed out before the first set was over. The acts are all the same, let's not veer from how Big Mon played it or the big sumbitch is gonna come out of the grave and knock us out.

This lineup is squarely marketed for the older generation, I hope the local drugstores stock up on their geritol and metamucil. Lord help us all if there is a run on oxygen at the local medical supply store. Now sure these old geezers are going to make their trips to Moonlite and drop some coin for the local economy, but I'd watch to make sure they're not stealing the silverware.

Ok, ok, maybe I'm being a little too harsh. But let's comprimise, how about a day that features some younger acts, or maybe some acts that are a little out there. How about some Old Crow Medicine Show, or maybe Hayseed-Dixie, or Iron Horse. Rollin' in the Hay anyone? I wonder what the local authorities would do when all those hippies started blazing it up when Yonder Mountain String Band took the stage? At least bring Hog Operation down from Louisville. I stumbled across a group called No Speed Limit on Youtube the other day, I've only seen grainy web clips and I am hooked.

ROMP is a traditional bluegrass festival and that's fine, but the IBMM should be helping to foster the growth and progression of the music. We've already lost the IBMA to Nashville, who knows what that town will do to the music. It's time for the IBMM to grab that flag, take our music back, and push it into the future!

Picking up sticks on Sunday

I was awakened Sunday morning from my peaceful slumber by quite a racket outside. Looking out the window, I noticed there was a state highway truck and what looked to be a crew of private contractors collecting limbs and storm debris from the side of the road. Now I'm greatly appreciative of the fact that the state is taking care of getting rid of all the storm debris, but do they have to do this on a Sunday?

The last I heard, the State and the Country are in pretty dire straits economically and budget money is perpetually coming up short. Does it make sense now, to be paying that crew to work on Sunday? I don't know what the going rate for a state worker or government contractor is paid for work on Sunday, but I'm willing to bet it is at least time-and-a-half, if not double time.

I know, I know, disaster and all. . .lots of stuff to clean up. . .everyone wants it done quickly. . .but hey, I'm perfectly alright with those limbs setting there until Monday if it means it would save a few bucks. I imagine some of that money for the cleanup is coming from federal funds. Now wasn't it just a week or so ago that our congress-critters decided to spend $800 billion that they didn't have? In times like this, do we need to be spending money on overtime for state workers to pick up sticks?

Meh!

The Rest of the Story - Paul Harvey dead

I can remember listening to Paul Harvey at noon with my babysitter even when I was barely able to talk. There will never be another like him.

How bout them Hilltoppers!

While all those Wildkitten fans sit around and wait to see if their season of mediocrity is enough to get them into The Big Dance, there is another team in Kentucky that is laying a strong claim for a ticket. No, I'm not talking about the U of L, I'm talking about the team that beat the Cards earlier in the season, the Sun Belt Conference regular season champions, THE HILLTOPPERS.

The Hilltoppers have had some impressive wins this season, beating UofL is one of them. They've also had some embarrassing defeats, those being against the University of Evansville and Murray State Wannabe State.

The TOPS future is in their hands, they will probably need to win their conference tournament to assure a spot, but they are looking pretty good.

How bout them HILLTOPPERS!