My current experiment in hedonism is cigars. Previous experiments include sex (works), scotch (works), skipping school (works), skipping work (doesn't work), and gin (jury's out). Basically most of these are a kind of one-way potlatch -- a demonstration of power by destroying wealth except, unless you display brands, the display is only to yourself. Anyway, my premise going in is that there's something to it and not a "my kid could paint that" cynicism. Scotch certainly has the complexity and interestingosity that brings me back for more. And you get drunk, so, yay.

Cigars are a different ball of wax because I don't really smoke. I don't much like the bite and I find inhaling obnoxious in the extreme. Anyway, in the interest of science, I compared a couple of cigars to see what they had to offer and what the differences were. Or, really, if the differences were detectable to me.

( Cigar babbling )