Saudi Arabia Builds Dystopian Nightmare City, Is Rewarded For It

What do you do when you have absolute power and near-infinite money? If you're Saudi Arabia, you build NEOM, a "smart" city which will feature The Line, a giant 170-kilometer long building stretching in a straight line across the desert. Yes, you read that right. Over 100 MILES long. One gigantic building with all the luxury and expense oil money can buy. If that sounds like something out of a George Orwell (or Aldous Huxley) novel, congratulations, you have more self-awareness than the Saudis. 

If you'd like further evidence that life is just a big cosmic joke, go no further than this announcement: Saudi Arabia will be hosting the 2029 Asian Winter Games at NEOM and The Line. Saudi Arabia. A country that is essentially nothing but baking-hot desert. That country. They're going to host a major winter sports competition. There is no possible punchline I can add to this. 

Beer of the Week

The beer: Kanc Country

Brewed by: Woodstock Inn Brewery, North Woodstock, Vermont

Description (from the website) (trust me, it's down there): "Big, rich, robust porter with roasty notes balanced out with real NH maple syrup sweetness. Maple syrup made right next door at Fadden’s Sugar House."

Would I buy it again?: This is a winter seasonal beer, but it's perfect for a cool fall evening with that distinctive autumn crispness in the air. The maple syrup matches very well with the porter, making for a hefty beer with just the right amount of sweetness to it. So yes, I would buy it again.