A cool million for a lame initiative
August 19, 2008 - 4:02 pm — David Rolland

Just got word that the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic nonprofit, donated $1 million to the Yes on 8 campaign. Proposition 8, on the November ballot, would amend the state Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to get married. The Yes on 8 campaign’s press release on the donation said the Knights of Columbus group has a “history of fighting for civil rights.”

So, I ask, why has it now switched to being an organization that fights against civil rights?
Via SD City Beat’s Last Blog on Earth

—

Does the K of C still exist? I thought they were a drinking organization with a Christian problem that died with our grandfathers and my Uncle Gerry with the milky eye.

What kind of dorky, long white socked, feathered hair having, gold wire framed glasses wearing, Chevy driving, PBR drinking kind of guys still belong to that? Seriously pack it in, leave your smoke stained, wide aluminum blinded, darkly paneled, bowling trophy lined walls, discover the internet and find yourself a new Asian wife that weighs under 300 lbs and show yourselves for the hypocrites that you are.

Diesel rush begins: VW Jetta TDI now being delivered

Lovers of both fuel mileage and torque can finally rest easy; Volkswagen of America is now officially selling its 50-State-approved, clean diesel engine in either the Jetta sedan for $21,990 or Jetta SportWagen wrappers for $23,590. Equipped with the six-speed DSG transmission, both Jetta gets an EPA rating of 29 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on the highway. We expect to see better real-world numbers, though we’re a bit wary of VW’s advertising its alternate rating of 38/44 — a number that is impossible to compare with anything else currently available. In any case, the $2,000 premium for the TDI engine will be lessened somewhat by the Fed’s $1,300 tax credit which applies to either TDI model. via Autoblog

—

From being lulled to sleep by Frank’s Eurovan TDI on road trips to the amazing BMW’s we rented while I lived in Germany, I’m sold on diesel technology and these new clean diesels are even more impressive. They are powerful, smooth and a practical alternative to gas powered cars.

Did you know that there are VW Polos sold elsewhere in the world that are getting 74.3 MPG and produce fewer greenhouse gases than some gas/electric hybrids? And that diesel engines have an average life span of 250,000 miles? Let’s just hope the old memories of GM truck diesels in passenger cars haven’t completely destroyed Americans opinions of them.

I’m glad the government is acknowledging the merits of the technology as well. I’ve just never been on board with the (now ten year old) technology of the hybrids sold today. But hopefully this influx of clean diesels will prompt them to up their game.

So it’s a little before 11pm on Sunday night and I’m sitting here (naked if you must know) eating the most sublime truffles; a wedding favor and sweet reminder of a great weekend. Second in a row actually.

I can’t even begin to tell you what I did last weekend. I don’t remember much of it (from age, certainly not alcohol) but this past weekend is pretty clear in my mind still so I figured I’d write something.

It started Friday night with a fun and relaxing picnic in the park with the boys. The perfect wind down for a hectic week that’s becoming pretty typical at the shop. Afterward I stopped in at an impromptu gathering at the neighbears house. Saturday they were officially married in the state of California in front of what must have been more than 100 friends and family. But I’m getting ahead of myself… anyway it was one of those relaxed, comfortable things that you couldn’t plan if you tried. Got to meet several LJ’ers including Mark and John from Omaha and Chris and Dan from Dayton WHO as luck would have it are friends with my sweet monkey Mike!

So Saturday morning met up with the guys for breakfast and headed with the tourists over to Balboa Park (which I love and every time see something new). As luck would have it again we met up with Joe and John from SF who were also in town for the wedding. The whole weekend was like a big gay katamari picking up guys as we went along.

Home then to change and walk over to the wedding. It was the first gay wedding I’ve been to (other than my own) and it was… to gank a phrase from a few others… epic. Flawlessly executed to the point when I got teary it stopped before it effected my contacts. I don’t know how they did it but it was a wonderful day filled with friends, fun and food capped off with another relaxing hang out session at Mikey and Matt’s. I think the whole thing agreed with Dayton boys because before the end of the day they’d extended their trip to leave Monday rather than Sunday morning.

Sunday morning a dozen of us hit Hash House A-Go-Go for breakfast of Flinstonic proportions and I gave the Daytonians a quick tour of Coronado. After that a couple of us hit a play and the local LGBT theater company called Yank! It was quite good and I’d recommend it but it’s run ended on Sunday. Nice intimate venue though and I’m open to seeing other shows there if anyone is game.

After that it was more fun times at Sunday Hole and Pizza Explosion and now here I sit. Tired, happy and feeling (maybe for the first time) that this city, these people, all of it just may have been the right choice for me. I’m careful to count my blessings as the after effects are usually horrendous. But the ducks are all starting to line up and I’m thinking I might stay…for a while…fump fump fump fump fuuump…. (Sorry, the theme for Alice got in there somehow.)

Device

by Matty Sallin, Daniel Bartolini, Hsiao-huh Hsu

WHAT: An alarm clock that wakes you up with the smell and sizzle of cooking bacon.

HOW: A frozen strip of bacon is placed in Wake n’ Bacon the night before. Because there is a 10 minute cooking time, the clock is set to go off 10 minutes before the desired waking time. Once the alarm goes off, the clock it sends a signal to a small speaker to generate the alarm sound. We hacked the clock so that the signal is re-routed by a microchip that in responds by sending a signal to a relay that throws the switch to power two halogen lamps that slow-cook the bacon in about 10 minutes. More on Mathlete

—

*COVET!* (Reminder, my birthday is January 15th.)

My friend Linda blogged about people in her neighborhood…in her neighborhood…they’re in her neigh-bor-hood… sorry, lapsed into Sesame Street there.

Anyway, she calls it “Wisteria Lane” and posted a satellite photo which got me to wondering if the real Wisteria Lane that we just visited could be seen on Google satellite photos and low and behold it can be!

Have a look here to see it… along with a couple of street view pictures and the trivia that the house that was used in the Munster’s is there, too, though I don’t recognize it from the show. I’m sure the tour director talked about it but I was so excited to be on grounds where Jamie Denton treads that I might have blacked out a little.

Also check out the plane crash set that’s just around the corner.

Pop Goes Mr. Bubble
August 6, 2008, 12:50 pm

Yes, it has come to this: The stalling economy and the credit squeeze have claimed the maker of Mr. Bubble, the soapy brew that has enlivened many a child’s bath time.

Via NYT Dealbook Blog

—

Another end of an era. Not sure how often we used it, rather using shampoo or something to make bubbles in the tub, but it’s sad to know it’s going.

(Bonus hat tip to anyone who knows the origin of the title of this post…I think it’s obscure, but it probably isn’t.)