I also mocked up this one, but it seemed a little quiet.
Who's in?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Sci-Fi Wednesday
Jim Rudoff usually hosts a Sci-Fi Friday dinner party at his place. He's participating in another benefit ride soon so I'm hosting a Sci-Fi Wednesday fundraiser this week. 20 bucks gets you dinner, booze, and a big screen blu-ray viewing of Serenity.
I also mocked up this one, but it seemed a little quiet.
Who's in?
I also mocked up this one, but it seemed a little quiet.
Who's in?
Friday, July 23, 2010
PeeDeeBeeDee
Yesterday was PeeDee's birthday. And my Dad's. Happy birthday to Paul Day and Papa John!
Paul Day loves cake.
Fans of Strangers with Candy know who else loves cake.
Paul Day loves cake.
Fans of Strangers with Candy know who else loves cake.
life's a Stinson
Gabriel Gracita invited a few of up to his new place overlooking Stinson Beach last weekend, which sort of turned into a comedy of errors. To being with, the typical 30-minute trip took me over two and a half hours, mostly due to tourists clogging the way the the Golden Gate and have no clue how to approach or enter through a toll plaza, that does not collect tolls northbound anyway. I wasn't sure what to expect at the beach as during the trip the various neighborhoods and highways I crossed ranged from broiling to sub-zero. I've never had to pop over to a friend's house and have to alternately run the AC and the heater along the way.
It was a "bring your meat" cookout, but Gabriel managed to break his stove the night before, and the grill became non-functioning. So it was a lot of boys with raw meat. Oh look! Wine.
. 
Of course, with the many mile stretch of 1 merely inches from the cliff's edge and a cold, watery death below, more than one glass was not advised for the drivers returning to the City.
Of course, absence of courses did not mean that a good time was not had by all. I don't know where Brian pulled this wig from, but it was nice for Gabriel to have the same do as his dog.
. 
I thought Brian looked rather like Bruce Vilanch. Buddah got in on the action too.
While the grill would heat up but not actually cook anything, it really just became a large dehydrator, turning the veggie kabobs into shriveled skins and the sausages into jerky. Much later, sometime, one of the grill's burners did catch, and cooked briefly but fiercely, reducing everything inside to its carbon elements.
. 
As a final comment in passing, I wanted to note that Gabriel had moved into this place just a week or so prior, and is only staying for seven months until the new owner razes the site for a multi-million dollar new home. Whenever someone displays their video collection, I am reminded of the old theory that you canjudge tell a lot about a person by their DVD collection.
I was a little disturbed by all the SVU box sets, but singularly taken with the Thundercats box set. It's right there below Wonder Woman and above Shallow Hal. Make of it what you will. Gabriel says that Lion-O is what made him gay.
It was a "bring your meat" cookout, but Gabriel managed to break his stove the night before, and the grill became non-functioning. So it was a lot of boys with raw meat. Oh look! Wine.
. Of course, with the many mile stretch of 1 merely inches from the cliff's edge and a cold, watery death below, more than one glass was not advised for the drivers returning to the City.
Of course, absence of courses did not mean that a good time was not had by all. I don't know where Brian pulled this wig from, but it was nice for Gabriel to have the same do as his dog.
. I thought Brian looked rather like Bruce Vilanch. Buddah got in on the action too.
While the grill would heat up but not actually cook anything, it really just became a large dehydrator, turning the veggie kabobs into shriveled skins and the sausages into jerky. Much later, sometime, one of the grill's burners did catch, and cooked briefly but fiercely, reducing everything inside to its carbon elements.
. As a final comment in passing, I wanted to note that Gabriel had moved into this place just a week or so prior, and is only staying for seven months until the new owner razes the site for a multi-million dollar new home. Whenever someone displays their video collection, I am reminded of the old theory that you can
I was a little disturbed by all the SVU box sets, but singularly taken with the Thundercats box set. It's right there below Wonder Woman and above Shallow Hal. Make of it what you will. Gabriel says that Lion-O is what made him gay.
rate that quake
Via my Facebook feed, friends were having betting pools regarding the quake rating before it got posted to the USGS site. I love San Franciscans who are that jaded. I think quakes are cool, and do that sort of sideways glance to see how long the shaking lasts before determining if I need to get up and do something about it. Other I know, who shall remain unnamed, get all Chicken Little with every little quake. (Which I suppose is ironic as it is the earth falling, not the sky.)Ramirez reported that the ratings in his pool ranged from a high of 5.1 to a low of "that was just a fat guy walking by."
Shilpa commented that when you've experienced a BIG quake, all these little tremors are nothing. We both find earthquakes interesting. "Shilpa, "It's interesting, tectonic plates shifting and all of that." I am more of the mind, "It's interesting—the earth moved. It was like, I had it right there, and now it's moved!"
Skot Land had the best comment for all of the Nervous Nellies on Facebook: "Skot Land is laughing at all of you making such a big deal out of a 3.5 earthquake. As a native Californian, let me put it to you this way: a 3.5 is the equivalent of getting a hand shake when you were expecting to get laid."
country pride
There's a sausage joke in there somewhere.
I finally went through a batch of photos the other night and got around to uploading some pics from this year's Pride. Muni again was a big mess of FAIL (two hours to get five stops? An influx of a half a million commuters on a Sunday and Muni doesn't plan for it?), so spent most of Pride Sunday volunteering at the book check at the Sundance Saloon stage. It was a hot and sunny Pride, as usual, and a lot of fun.
...... 
...... 
I finally went through a batch of photos the other night and got around to uploading some pics from this year's Pride. Muni again was a big mess of FAIL (two hours to get five stops? An influx of a half a million commuters on a Sunday and Muni doesn't plan for it?), so spent most of Pride Sunday volunteering at the book check at the Sundance Saloon stage. It was a hot and sunny Pride, as usual, and a lot of fun.
...... ...... three point five
but almost below my feet. That was a noticeable shove. Epicenter was just off shore, about 40 blocks and a hundred yards west of here.
necrophilia versus beastiality
That's pretty much the "Edward versus Jacob" Twilight challenge. I cannot tell you how much I hate the Twilight books, not so much for the story per se, but for the terrible, terrible writing. Undeadly God awful. And Stephen King is with me on this. How is this such a runaway money-maker?
Oh, right.
While Stephanie Meyer can't write for crap, this guy who made this is a genius.
Oh, right.
While Stephanie Meyer can't write for crap, this guy who made this is a genius.
I just wanna dance with somebody
that is, somebody who loves me.
Brain Farts is a great weekly outlet to chill and enjoy myself, surrounded as I am by witty people such as Pollo Del mar, Skot Land and the Shilpa. And we have begun to really enjoy taking in an hour or so of 80s dancing down the street afterward at Trigger's Testarossa Mondays.
We get so emotional.
Brain Farts is a great weekly outlet to chill and enjoy myself, surrounded as I am by witty people such as Pollo Del mar, Skot Land and the Shilpa. And we have begun to really enjoy taking in an hour or so of 80s dancing down the street afterward at Trigger's Testarossa Mondays.
We get so emotional.
cover me
My sister-in-law Emily's family has a wonderful old house on Pickwick Lake, and we've had some amazing family vacations there. I also love the area for taking photos, and shared some with Emily's mother Pat. Pat was particularly impressed with some of my shots, and continues to compliment my eye toward the place. These are some of hers and mine favorites:
....... 
For Mother's Day this year, I printed out several 8x10s of my best shots and sent them in a suitable frame to Pat. She was so touched that I thought of her (I could not admit that I was two years late in finally getting around to having them printed and finding the perfect frame), she sent me a thank-you gift.
...... 
Of course, now I needed to send a thank-you note for her thank-you note and this could quickly have gotten out of control. I sent an e-mail with the pic of me in the hat instead.
So a big shout out to Pat! The Hardcastles are a bit, well, much for Pat's good sensibilities and I love that she loves me even though I am often far, far too much. Sometimes too much can be just right.
Maybe not in a parent, but certainly in an uncle.
....... For Mother's Day this year, I printed out several 8x10s of my best shots and sent them in a suitable frame to Pat. She was so touched that I thought of her (I could not admit that I was two years late in finally getting around to having them printed and finding the perfect frame), she sent me a thank-you gift.
...... Of course, now I needed to send a thank-you note for her thank-you note and this could quickly have gotten out of control. I sent an e-mail with the pic of me in the hat instead.
So a big shout out to Pat! The Hardcastles are a bit, well, much for Pat's good sensibilities and I love that she loves me even though I am often far, far too much. Sometimes too much can be just right.
Maybe not in a parent, but certainly in an uncle.
all you care to eat
I remember laughing with fraternity brother Brad Griffin in college when we passed a Shoney's and they had changed their sign regarding certain specials and "food bars" from "All you can eat" to "All you care to eat." We pondered how many backwoods folks out for a night on "the town" to Shoney's would pause and consider before fetching another plate, "Do I really care for another helping of deep fried meat and macaroni and cheese?"
I was reminded of this when I stopped in Walgreen's on the way home the other day and they had moved their discount DVD bin to the entrance of the store. I saw a Hairspray DVD set for only $3.99 and thought that was a bargain compared to what I paid for mine.
The sticker on the back clarified things for me. These were used DVDs, probably ditched from a rental chain somewhere. Except they were not marked as "used" exactly...
. 
...rather "previously enjoyed."
I was reminded of this when I stopped in Walgreen's on the way home the other day and they had moved their discount DVD bin to the entrance of the store. I saw a Hairspray DVD set for only $3.99 and thought that was a bargain compared to what I paid for mine.
The sticker on the back clarified things for me. These were used DVDs, probably ditched from a rental chain somewhere. Except they were not marked as "used" exactly...
. ...rather "previously enjoyed."
we all scream for gelato
Hey Castro types, what happened to the great gelato place Naia?
It's seems to have vanished.
It's seems to have vanished.
F-Market
while we are making our way through the "four days of icy fog/three days of sunny summer" cycle here in SF, it also helps to be in the right part of the City. Locals know that some areas are much brighter and warmer than others.
While Linda was getting her new tranny (sounds like a bad children's book), I had to take Muni to the dentist's office across town, which included a ride down the Embarcadero and back on the F Market. While the N-Judah was remarkably efficient, I did have to wait 45 minutes for an F to arrive at the Ferry Building, which is bad for tourists and commuters alike.
While the F is unreliable, it can be very pretty. Especially in good weather.
While the Ferry Building and the farmers' markets were enjoying some warm breezes and sunny skies,
The vista westward filled me with dread for the cold marine layer there waiting.
Brrr.
While Linda was getting her new tranny (sounds like a bad children's book), I had to take Muni to the dentist's office across town, which included a ride down the Embarcadero and back on the F Market. While the N-Judah was remarkably efficient, I did have to wait 45 minutes for an F to arrive at the Ferry Building, which is bad for tourists and commuters alike.
While the F is unreliable, it can be very pretty. Especially in good weather.
While the Ferry Building and the farmers' markets were enjoying some warm breezes and sunny skies,
The vista westward filled me with dread for the cold marine layer there waiting.
Brrr.
It's summer in San Francisco!
Which means that backyard barbecues and parties look like this:
. 
We're wearing parkas over here.
In fact on the way, to work this morning I passed three hot young men who looked very much like French tourists. They were finishing their coffees and pastries with knapsacks and guidebooks in hand walking to the outbound N stop. I chuckled when I realized at first I thought they were all on the same sports team and were perhaps were visiting as a club, but they were actually all wearing matching black "SF" jackets merchants sell to travelers unprepared for the arctic chill of July in San Francisco.
. We're wearing parkas over here.
In fact on the way, to work this morning I passed three hot young men who looked very much like French tourists. They were finishing their coffees and pastries with knapsacks and guidebooks in hand walking to the outbound N stop. I chuckled when I realized at first I thought they were all on the same sports team and were perhaps were visiting as a club, but they were actually all wearing matching black "SF" jackets merchants sell to travelers unprepared for the arctic chill of July in San Francisco.
comicbook nerds
I love my people.
Via Towleroad and JoeMyGod, the Comic-Con goers have a fun time laughing the Phelps "Got Hates Fags" folks out of town.
I love that the Westboro Baptist Church "protest" practice has become its own meme for competitive satire. Now it's all about who can make the more clever/ridiculous sign, using mockery of bigotry to favor freedom and equality. My favorites in this clip are "Is this thing on?" and "Have you seen my keys?" Comic/geek awesomeness shows up in "Odin is God," which does reasonably pre-date that whole Christianist thing, and "Hallo, My name is Inigo Montonya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
Maybe racism and homophobia really is a boggart. Laughing at it defeats its power.
Other awesome photos here and here.
Via Towleroad and JoeMyGod, the Comic-Con goers have a fun time laughing the Phelps "Got Hates Fags" folks out of town.
I love that the Westboro Baptist Church "protest" practice has become its own meme for competitive satire. Now it's all about who can make the more clever/ridiculous sign, using mockery of bigotry to favor freedom and equality. My favorites in this clip are "Is this thing on?" and "Have you seen my keys?" Comic/geek awesomeness shows up in "Odin is God," which does reasonably pre-date that whole Christianist thing, and "Hallo, My name is Inigo Montonya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
Maybe racism and homophobia really is a boggart. Laughing at it defeats its power.
Other awesome photos here and here.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Let's hear it for the boy, let's give the boy a haaaaaand
Thought controlled bionic prosthetic arm, developed by the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University and funded by DARPA. Very cool. Steve Austin's entire overhaul only cost six million dollars. DARPA has just funded the designers an additional $35.6 million to begin testing with human subjects.The arm has the same range of motion and weight as a typical human arm, with motion controlled by a neural interface, as well as sensory feedback. For quadriplegics, this could change everything.
Tik Tok Marty McFly
All mimic memes aside, tow this is the best music video for Ke$ha's Tik Tok.
MMmmm. Flux capacitor goodness.
Actually, I think "The Flux Capacitors" would be a good name for a band.
MMmmm. Flux capacitor goodness.
Actually, I think "The Flux Capacitors" would be a good name for a band.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
magic words
I love dogs! I love code words! (Shiver me timbers! Halle Berry!) And I think I love this guy too.
I think if I get a dog and/or a dungeon, my safe word should be my dog's name so he'll come a-runnin' if I need him.
I think if I get a dog and/or a dungeon, my safe word should be my dog's name so he'll come a-runnin' if I need him.
And in amuzing headline news
Please read this news headline aloud three times fast:
Chinese Cock Soccer Has PETA Crying Fowl
While I may be turning 40 next month, clearly I am still 12 years old at times.
Chinese Cock Soccer Has PETA Crying Fowl
While I may be turning 40 next month, clearly I am still 12 years old at times.
why yes, actually. I would like to join a vigilante punctuation posse
Via Passive Aggressive Notes, two great signs that look great together. Now while I am one of the many grammarians who react violently to the rogue apostrophe, it's the typographic sign that resonates even deeper. I suppose I really am a designer more than I am an editor.
Can we now talk about the gratuitous use of exclamation points? Nothing makes a "thank you" feel more sincere than it being shouted.
Can we now talk about the gratuitous use of exclamation points? Nothing makes a "thank you" feel more sincere than it being shouted.
Monday, July 19, 2010
stuff we all get
I've started seeing this online more and more and it is irking Mister Language Person (well, just me, as proxy for Mister Language Person). Please take note: "Schwag" is not a word. It's not like it's from Yiddish or anything. The word for stuff is SWAG. Actually, it's the word for free stuff. It's an acronym for Stuff We All Get.
If you are handing out gift bags or freebies, it's swag, not schwag. Stuff for sale is not really swag either, it's stuff for sale.
SWAG: Stuff We All Get.
Remember that.
If you are handing out gift bags or freebies, it's swag, not schwag. Stuff for sale is not really swag either, it's stuff for sale.
SWAG: Stuff We All Get.
Remember that.
If you are anti-abortion/pro-life
then you should really be for gay marriage. Or just gays. And for sex education for that matter. If you really want to stop abortions, you should be focusing on stopping unwanted pregnancies, not torturing pregnant women.
But this, from Political Loudmouth Dot Com, is just awesome.
Their other unexpected signs supporting gay marriage are also great:
But this, from Political Loudmouth Dot Com, is just awesome.
Their other unexpected signs supporting gay marriage are also great:
be afraid to go back into the water
The "normal" amount of oil and petroleum in Gulf beach water is none. With all the modern crap, and the BP disaster, a chemist guessted that there would be maybe 5 ppm (parts per million).
Local news in Alabama tested water and sand on the beaches of Gulf Shores where children were playing and found at over 12 times that much in the water and over 42 times that much in the sand. The sample taken near booms off shore? Testing that water for oil caused the sample to explode.
And the GOP and Teabaggers are continuing to chant "Drill, Baby. Drill!"? The environmental and economic impact of this will be catastrophic for the region. How long before the parade of dying children? Voting republican is not about fiscal policy. Hasn't been in years. Can Republican voters and Teabaggers be so hateful of minorities and gays that they will cling to the GOP and the Right despite the corruption, damaging rhetoric, and outright ecological, financial and overall devastation?
Local news in Alabama tested water and sand on the beaches of Gulf Shores where children were playing and found at over 12 times that much in the water and over 42 times that much in the sand. The sample taken near booms off shore? Testing that water for oil caused the sample to explode.
And the GOP and Teabaggers are continuing to chant "Drill, Baby. Drill!"? The environmental and economic impact of this will be catastrophic for the region. How long before the parade of dying children? Voting republican is not about fiscal policy. Hasn't been in years. Can Republican voters and Teabaggers be so hateful of minorities and gays that they will cling to the GOP and the Right despite the corruption, damaging rhetoric, and outright ecological, financial and overall devastation?
I checked in three times last night.
Why ThinkGeek remains one of my favorite all time sites: This new t-shirt, which I immediately ordered.
If you get it, you get it.
Update: I just checked and just this morning (after the ThinkGeek announcement e-mail) there are now six "Your Mom"s registered around SF. I am tempted to check into all of them.
If you get it, you get it.
Update: I just checked and just this morning (after the ThinkGeek announcement e-mail) there are now six "Your Mom"s registered around SF. I am tempted to check into all of them.
a strong black tea
the Tea Party is openly angry, racist, and heavily armed. Their platform openly calls for their people to take arms against the government if they don't get their way. Their rallies are now full of nuts with very large assault rifles and other guns. They, and Fox news of course, call themselves "patriots."
A wise young man asked, "What if the Tea Party were black?"
Can you imagine if there were hoards of angry black people storming the public parks, calling for the overthrow of the government, forced removal of a president, and armed to the teeth?
"Fox and Friends" would shit a brick. Would Rush and Hannity and Palin all rush to their sides? Do you think park police and the National Guard would not be called in within seconds to quell such a racist, vocally angry armed mob?
I mean, only if they were black.
(I have to give voice to one of my biggest pet peeves here: It is NOT "What if the Tea Party was black?" It's were. WERE. Why is that so hard to grasp?)
A wise young man asked, "What if the Tea Party were black?"
Can you imagine if there were hoards of angry black people storming the public parks, calling for the overthrow of the government, forced removal of a president, and armed to the teeth?
"Fox and Friends" would shit a brick. Would Rush and Hannity and Palin all rush to their sides? Do you think park police and the National Guard would not be called in within seconds to quell such a racist, vocally angry armed mob?
I mean, only if they were black.
(I have to give voice to one of my biggest pet peeves here: It is NOT "What if the Tea Party was black?" It's were. WERE. Why is that so hard to grasp?)
Friday, July 16, 2010
DANCE for your GIRL
The absolutely superlatively fabulous amazing human being, Close Personal Friend and Original Fag Hag Suzan Revah is having a birthday this week, and she and the equally Fabulous Joanna will be rocking it the fuck OUT tonight at the EndUp. You gotta love a girl who can get her own poster and event at an historic gay dance club for her birthday.
She is your public dancer, a dancer for awesome.
Feel the love.
Happy birthday Suzan!
She is your public dancer, a dancer for awesome.
Feel the love.
Happy birthday Suzan!
I could go for a banana.
New research seeks to find what makes us human by looking at what makes chimps not.
Yes, I am that big a nerd. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the precipitate.
The genetic codes of chimps and humans are 99 percent identical. Measured by differences in DNA, the chimp, Pan troglodytes, is the closest living relative to our own species, Homo sapiens. The comparison to an ape might make a few people squirm, but researchers now are happily comparing chimps and humans more closely than ever before.Okay, before recent DNA mapping modern tech, the typical number bandied about used to be 98%. hence this shirt I bought from Think Geek. Which was also awesomely appropriate to the recent cub/bear/fur-centric dance party last week called SF Zoo.The goal is to find out more about ourselves. What is it about our genes that enables us to develop uniquely human capabilities? And what can we learn about familiar human vulnerabilities that we do not share with our primate cousins? The secrets are in the DNA, scientists believe.
Yes, I am that big a nerd. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the precipitate.
traditional marriage
Women who are against marriage equality (same-gender, same-sex marriage) should have theirs revoked as well. It wasn't that long ago that those "liberal activists" in Massachusetts argued that a woman's right to exist as a citizen (and gasp hold property or have any legal custody of her own children) should persist when she got married. The traditional American definition of marriage demands that a woman has no rights other than as a subordinate of her husband. (And a married woman can't vote. It's for her husband to decide what she thinks.) Nevermind the very recent "traditional" definition of marriage in America which prohibited citizens of different races or origins to legally wed. "Gay marriage" is not redefining "marriage," and the legal concept of marriage has hardly ever been immutable.
I'm sick of this shit. The Teabaggers need to get dunked and thrown in the compost pile with the rest of their rhetoric.
But at least there is constant satire to qualm my frustration.
I'm sick of this shit. The Teabaggers need to get dunked and thrown in the compost pile with the rest of their rhetoric.
But at least there is constant satire to qualm my frustration.
Let's all go to the movies
where the villains are scary because they're gay. And gays must be evil. Why, look at all these creepy, faggy villains.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
seriously, it's time to break up with your filter-tipped boyfriend
Last year research showed that smoking not only causes cancer, but effectively destroys the genes that enable people to fight any kind of cancer. And now, more news that "smoking cigarettes damages 323 different human genes."
Put the pack down, and step back.
Put the pack down, and step back.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Want
Time for some early Christmas shopping!
The term "bootlegging" comes from the prohibition era practice of hiding liquor in one's boot legs to get past the law.
Now, boots are optional with the "spandex ankle concealer." Although women should consider a shorter skirt.
. 
We need a slogan. Or code phrase. Give a gal a leg up? Shoot me in the leg? She's got legs, and she knows how to booze them?
Yeah. That one's a winner.
Via World of Wonder.
The term "bootlegging" comes from the prohibition era practice of hiding liquor in one's boot legs to get past the law.
Now, boots are optional with the "spandex ankle concealer." Although women should consider a shorter skirt.
. We need a slogan. Or code phrase. Give a gal a leg up? Shoot me in the leg? She's got legs, and she knows how to booze them?
Yeah. That one's a winner.
Via World of Wonder.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Tuesday morning feels like Saturday
Because we tend to rock it out on Monday nights with the one-two punch: Brain Farts Trivia with Pollo Del Mar at the Lookout followed by Testarossa 80s night with Bebe Sweetbriar at Trigger down the street. Our little core (and competitive) trivia team is picking up some groupies, and last night Skot Land and I were joined by the lovely and talented Jeff and Brian and the always-cycling-so-grope-his-backside-if-you-can Jim Rudoff. (Shilpa arrived for the Lightning Round.)
The theme for Brain Farts last night was blue. And appropriately enough (and unintended), the Testarossa theme was the Smurfs—bar staff in body paint and a free drink if you used "smurf" in a sentence with a bartender.
Skot and I were alone for the first round of trivia and cleaned up with a perfect score. Including our name: Picasso's Blue Period Scared His Gynecologist.
Brain Farts with Pollo Del Mar, every Monday night at 8:00 at the Lookout. Become a fan.
Skot and I were alone for the first round of trivia and cleaned up with a perfect score. Including our name: Picasso's Blue Period Scared His Gynecologist.
Brain Farts with Pollo Del Mar, every Monday night at 8:00 at the Lookout. Become a fan.
Friday, July 09, 2010
B&T
If you're local, you've heard that the Mehserle verdict (BART cop who shot a handcuffed Oscar Grant on New Year's Eve) came down yesterday. It has been the central focal point for Oakland race related conversations for somet ime, and the verdict announcement was expected to be a flashpoint. Businesses closed early, some Oakland shops boarded their windows, and people braced or prepared for rioting regardless of the verdict. Personally, I find rioting stupid (Um, that mom and pop corner store you're burning had nothing to do with the crime or the penalty, and they are part of your community too.) But again, I completely sympathize with the White Night riots, so maybe I'm just withdrawn from this one.
I am not alone in bemoaning the "bridge and tunnel" (B&T) element that crashes and ultimately ruins SF public fun times. The gay high holy day of Halloween has had to be canceled for the masses of non-locals and their tendency toward violence, mayhem, and murder. This year's Pink Saturday was also overwhelmed by the B&T youth, and of course some of the stupid thugs came armed and shot a bunch of people.
However, those who are offended by the B&T characterization point out, rightfully so, that the suspected shooter (now known not to be the shooter) was from Bayshore, a scary neighborhood to be sure but still in the 415. I know many lovely people who do need to take a bridge or a tunnel or two to get to the City. I don't count them as "bridge and tunnel" necessarily, probably because the B&T appellation is necessarily pejorative. But yeah, we have a nice community here, and we tend to look after each other. Interlopers bring the trouble and I'd just as soon they have their own parties instead of crashing ours. I don't like that there is this "us versus them" mentality within me, but there it is. I've made peace with it because this is my extended family, chosen though it may be, and we have had to protect our own from predators from some time now, and that threat still exists. I'll stop resenting the intrusion of "them" when the "us" are finally free (free from violence and free from political and legal discrimination).
But that's not the point of this particular rant. I, like many SFers, have a bad habit of denegrating the B&T, well deserved or not. Local reliable online news source The SF Appeal has some interesting numbers regarding the post-verdict Oakland riots (arguably sensationalized by television media):
Photo from the SFist: Police hold a demonstrator during a protest in Oakland, Calif., after a guilty verdict for Johannes Mehserle, Thursday, July 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
I am not alone in bemoaning the "bridge and tunnel" (B&T) element that crashes and ultimately ruins SF public fun times. The gay high holy day of Halloween has had to be canceled for the masses of non-locals and their tendency toward violence, mayhem, and murder. This year's Pink Saturday was also overwhelmed by the B&T youth, and of course some of the stupid thugs came armed and shot a bunch of people.
However, those who are offended by the B&T characterization point out, rightfully so, that the suspected shooter (now known not to be the shooter) was from Bayshore, a scary neighborhood to be sure but still in the 415. I know many lovely people who do need to take a bridge or a tunnel or two to get to the City. I don't count them as "bridge and tunnel" necessarily, probably because the B&T appellation is necessarily pejorative. But yeah, we have a nice community here, and we tend to look after each other. Interlopers bring the trouble and I'd just as soon they have their own parties instead of crashing ours. I don't like that there is this "us versus them" mentality within me, but there it is. I've made peace with it because this is my extended family, chosen though it may be, and we have had to protect our own from predators from some time now, and that threat still exists. I'll stop resenting the intrusion of "them" when the "us" are finally free (free from violence and free from political and legal discrimination).
But that's not the point of this particular rant. I, like many SFers, have a bad habit of denegrating the B&T, well deserved or not. Local reliable online news source The SF Appeal has some interesting numbers regarding the post-verdict Oakland riots (arguably sensationalized by television media):
The SFist cleverly points out: "A scant 25% of said arrested protesters were from the city of Oakland. Something to think about, San Francisco, the next time you bemoan bridge-and-tunnel crowds."10:20 AM: The Alameda County Sheriff's Department has released a revised number of arrests from last nights demonstrations in Oakland, and, per commenter Briana's request, we have some demographics.
Sgt. JD Nelson says that there were 78 arrests (earlier reports said 83) at last night's protests, 66 of which were on misdemeanor offenses that will be "cited out" (that is, the folks will be released with tickets) today. Of those 78, he says that
-- 19 were from Oakland
-- 28 were from the Bay Area, outside of Oakland
-- 19 were from California, but not the Bay Area
-- 12 were from out of state
So, about a quarter of the arrestees were from the area in which they were protesting, which backs up Briana's assertion that people should be careful about "assuming that looting is 'typical of those people in Oakland.'"
Photo from the SFist: Police hold a demonstrator during a protest in Oakland, Calif., after a guilty verdict for Johannes Mehserle, Thursday, July 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
down in the mouth
Hey kids. I've had a terrible toothache, well, wisdom tooth socket ache, all week and it has left me less than fun feeling. So little silly on the blog. Once the ibuprofen kicks in I may have something for you.
It is an odd time here in SF. All my far-flung friends are complaining about the lava-level temperatures where they are, and escaping to fun weekends on the Ocoee or Rock Island. Here is SF, I'm wearing long sleeves, fleece, and wishing I hadn't forgot my hat. My vacation fun is now pfft with the transmission repair. I also may have never been identified as a member of the class in a class action settlement for just this issue. So not really a supper happy fun July here.
Snark to return shortly.
It is an odd time here in SF. All my far-flung friends are complaining about the lava-level temperatures where they are, and escaping to fun weekends on the Ocoee or Rock Island. Here is SF, I'm wearing long sleeves, fleece, and wishing I hadn't forgot my hat. My vacation fun is now pfft with the transmission repair. I also may have never been identified as a member of the class in a class action settlement for just this issue. So not really a supper happy fun July here.
Snark to return shortly.
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
repair or replace?
Estimate is in to replace the BMW transmission: "Yeah, you've got no reverse. This is a really common problem and we deal with it all the time. Here's the deal: [technical jargon here]. Without complications it will cost $3,500 to fix."
I keep finding more stories online. This has apparently passed the numbers that usually trigger a recall, but BMW doesn't give a shit. I think the transmission busting while driving is a pretty serious safety issue. There are class action suits filed. Not that helps me any today.
Christopher Land is the walking encyclopedia of the modern automotive industry and helped me immensely. If I get a new car, it'll be the Mazda 3 Touring. Want.
So, do I sacrifice the trade-in value (Bluebook trade-in $6,200) and just abandon the car (with the nice new $1,000 audio system I just installed) and start paying off a new car, or do I just eat the $3,500 and go along my merry way.
Considering the state budget cuts which slashed my paycheck and savings, I'm leaning toward repair and getting a new car next major catastrophe.
I can certainly think of other things I would like to spend $3,500 on. Vacation? Unfuckingbelievable 40th birthday party?
Update: The new tranny ran me around $3,500, and the other maintenance this week added another $1,000 to that, and in six months I'll need new breaks and an O2 sensor. The birthday party/new computer/savings budget is pretty busted.
I keep finding more stories online. This has apparently passed the numbers that usually trigger a recall, but BMW doesn't give a shit. I think the transmission busting while driving is a pretty serious safety issue. There are class action suits filed. Not that helps me any today.
Christopher Land is the walking encyclopedia of the modern automotive industry and helped me immensely. If I get a new car, it'll be the Mazda 3 Touring. Want.
So, do I sacrifice the trade-in value (Bluebook trade-in $6,200) and just abandon the car (with the nice new $1,000 audio system I just installed) and start paying off a new car, or do I just eat the $3,500 and go along my merry way.
Considering the state budget cuts which slashed my paycheck and savings, I'm leaning toward repair and getting a new car next major catastrophe.
I can certainly think of other things I would like to spend $3,500 on. Vacation? Unfuckingbelievable 40th birthday party?
Update: The new tranny ran me around $3,500, and the other maintenance this week added another $1,000 to that, and in six months I'll need new breaks and an O2 sensor. The birthday party/new computer/savings budget is pretty busted.
filmaker has a really good eye
the other one is bionic.
I'm resisting "he's got his eye on you" jokes. Ooops.
Via Laughing Squid: "Canadian filmmaker Rob Spence lost his one of his eyes in a shooting accident when he as as a teenager. He teamed up with Kosta Grammatis to add a tiny wireless video camera to his prosthetic eye as part of the Eyeborg Project, where they are trying to create a live video feed from Rob’s bionic eye so that people everywhere can see what he sees."
The "Eyeborg Project." That's just cool. And so much more interesting than my average day.
I'm resisting "he's got his eye on you" jokes. Ooops.
Via Laughing Squid: "Canadian filmmaker Rob Spence lost his one of his eyes in a shooting accident when he as as a teenager. He teamed up with Kosta Grammatis to add a tiny wireless video camera to his prosthetic eye as part of the Eyeborg Project, where they are trying to create a live video feed from Rob’s bionic eye so that people everywhere can see what he sees."
The "Eyeborg Project." That's just cool. And so much more interesting than my average day.
Eyeborg Phase II from eyeborg on Vimeo.
BMW "no reverse" transmission problem apparently very common
Well, misery loves company but I'd just as soon have a working vehicle. It turns out that there are scores of complaints on BMW's automatic transmissions. And the "getting into the car, popping it into reverse and only having the engine rev" scenario is an excruciatingly familiar tale.
From the ArticleBase entry BMW "No Reverse" Transmission Problem:
Checking around teh interwebs, there are many such references to bad beemer transmissions.
By the way Bad Beemer Trannies sounds like a really, really bad adult film.
This is particularly bad news from Consumer Affairs:
And under the article at Consumer Affairs titled "BMW Automatic Transmissions Prone to Failure' Owners face repair bills up to $7,000," they note
Update: There is even a website devoted to this BMW flaw that has been calling for a recall for years! No Reverse dot org. It seems that BMW knows this is a potentially fatal flaw, but will not issue a recall or offer repair assistance.
2013 Update: It appears this problem is not only expensive but VERY VERY common. It's now one of the top search hits that brings people to this blog. So if this happened to you, you are not alone. This week alone there have been more than a dozen hits to this post from Google searches on the topic.
From the ArticleBase entry BMW "No Reverse" Transmission Problem:
This article deals with the reasons behind an unexpected loss of reverse in certain BMW automatic transmission equipped vehicles, specifically the 3 series and 5 series vehicles that use the ZF5HP19 or steptronic transmission. This includes the popular 323i, 323ci, 325i, 328i, 330i, 525i, 528i, 530i, X3 and X5 models well as some others built in the 1999 to present model years.At least he says that the replacement part is durable.
To eliminate confusion, this does not apply to vehicles equipped with the GM 5L40 E transmission, just the ones with the sometimes problematic ZF5HP19. The 5L40 E has some issues of its own that are beyond the scope of this article but are certainly going to be the subject of another.
The failure rate for these transmissions seems to be very high and is expected to become much more of a problem as time goes by.
Typically, the vehicle is working perfectly while driving forward but when it is put in reverse there is a complete and permanent loss of movement to back up.
Checking around teh interwebs, there are many such references to bad beemer transmissions.
By the way Bad Beemer Trannies sounds like a really, really bad adult film.
This is particularly bad news from Consumer Affairs:
BMW owners find themselves facing thousands of dollars in transmission repair bills while the highly profitable German automaker refuses to accept any responsibility for the mounting number of failures.
"We are unaware of any widespread concern regarding the transmission. However, the actual length of life of any given vehicle part is dependent on a number of factors including care, maintenance, use, and climate," BMW AG wrote to the owner of a 2000 3 series sedan.
The complaints being filed with ConsumerAffairs.com are similar and describe a transmission that hesitates or refuses to be shifted into reverse.
"Lost reverse gear on my 2001 330Ci convertible at about 53,000 miles," wrote Don from Dayton, Ohio. "The car has an automatic transmission and repair costs at a local dealership was $4,048," he told ConsumerAffairs.com
And under the article at Consumer Affairs titled "BMW Automatic Transmissions Prone to Failure' Owners face repair bills up to $7,000," they note
The BMW automatic transmission that is failing through the country wins this week's "Lemon of the Week" Award.These articles started in early 2007. This in October 2008:
The transmission failure is one of the most expensive and widespread automobile repair bills plaguing consumers today, according to our readers. The faulty automatic transmission is in use, when it works, in many used BMW sedans across the country.
Consumers from all over the U.S. are reporting the failure. Without notice, the reverse gear stops working in BMWs, many of them the popular 323i luxury sedan.
BMW service centers charge as much as $7,000 to repair the transmission, according to ConsumerAffairs.com readers.
The BMW is favored by car enthusiasts for its handling and the experience it offers behind the wheel. And chances are you'll be happy with the car, as long as it has a manual transmission.I have a message to call the transmission shop back. I am dreading it. I have put less than 20k miles on this car since I bought it.
A BMW with automatic transmission, especially one with a number of miles on it, has produced 163 complaints to ConsumerAffairs.com in the last 12 months. The specific complaint involves the loss of the reverse gear. Kevin, of Baldwinsville, New York, said it happened to his 323Ci at 80,000 miles.
Update: There is even a website devoted to this BMW flaw that has been calling for a recall for years! No Reverse dot org. It seems that BMW knows this is a potentially fatal flaw, but will not issue a recall or offer repair assistance.
2013 Update: It appears this problem is not only expensive but VERY VERY common. It's now one of the top search hits that brings people to this blog. So if this happened to you, you are not alone. This week alone there have been more than a dozen hits to this post from Google searches on the topic.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
no going back now
I stepped out at lunch to run an errand. Just a quick jaunt down to Cliff's for some silliness to send to my niece at camp, stop by the Castro post office, then back. I found parking across the street, pulled parallel, and flipped the shift into Reverse. Rev rev rev. Silly me, I must be in Neutral.
Nope.
No more Reverse.
Hmm. This sinking feeling in my stomach is my spider dollars-and-cents tingling. This instant is going to result in an enormous suckage of time and money.
I could still drive forward, so I drove to my neighborhood garage, careful not to park anywhere I could not pull forward out of.
Crap. Crap crap crap. My transmission is shot. Again. And Cole Garage, the one shop I trust, doesn't do trannys (insert joke here). So I had to get AAA to tow it over to the shop they recommended down in SoMa: Bryant Transmission Repair. Kids in the shop are guessing it will run me $2,500.
Well, shit. I felt better about spending the snowballing sum several months ago by justifying that an amazing new stereo was cheaper than getting a new car. And I blew my recreational savings after Christmas on, well, Christmas gifts, and the subsequent IMAXing of the apartment and installation of the Command Center.
Sure, I would love a new Beemer. Just don't have the cash for it. And as UC employee with salary cuts and furloughs, it's not like I can add a car payment to the budget. I'm turning 40 next month and had started considering buying a home. I'd rather since the savings I have into real estate than transportation.
I did the whole new-car-versus-carshare/taxis debate last time, and with my schedule of spontaneity, Sundance, and socializing, I decided that car share or zip cars wouldn't work for me. Should I bail on the car thing altogether and just be confident in calculating my annual taxi expense to be less than my auto payment and insurance expenses? Although that would make those increasingly frequent trips to Marin a hassle.
I bought Linda in July 2006 and have put less than 20k miles on it. Right now it's at 78k and change. Should a BMW's transmission fail this soon?
Any suggestions as to what new car to buy? Any reputable dealers? Hybrid? I loathe car research and car shopping. I am open to suggestions.
Update: The new tranny ran me around $3,500, and the other maintenance this week added another $1,000 to that, and in six months I'll need new breaks and an O2 sensor. The birthday party/new computer/savings budget is pretty busted.
Nope.
No more Reverse.
Hmm. This sinking feeling in my stomach is my spider dollars-and-cents tingling. This instant is going to result in an enormous suckage of time and money.
I could still drive forward, so I drove to my neighborhood garage, careful not to park anywhere I could not pull forward out of.
Crap. Crap crap crap. My transmission is shot. Again. And Cole Garage, the one shop I trust, doesn't do trannys (insert joke here). So I had to get AAA to tow it over to the shop they recommended down in SoMa: Bryant Transmission Repair. Kids in the shop are guessing it will run me $2,500.
Well, shit. I felt better about spending the snowballing sum several months ago by justifying that an amazing new stereo was cheaper than getting a new car. And I blew my recreational savings after Christmas on, well, Christmas gifts, and the subsequent IMAXing of the apartment and installation of the Command Center. Sure, I would love a new Beemer. Just don't have the cash for it. And as UC employee with salary cuts and furloughs, it's not like I can add a car payment to the budget. I'm turning 40 next month and had started considering buying a home. I'd rather since the savings I have into real estate than transportation.
I did the whole new-car-versus-carshare/taxis debate last time, and with my schedule of spontaneity, Sundance, and socializing, I decided that car share or zip cars wouldn't work for me. Should I bail on the car thing altogether and just be confident in calculating my annual taxi expense to be less than my auto payment and insurance expenses? Although that would make those increasingly frequent trips to Marin a hassle.
I bought Linda in July 2006 and have put less than 20k miles on it. Right now it's at 78k and change. Should a BMW's transmission fail this soon?
Any suggestions as to what new car to buy? Any reputable dealers? Hybrid? I loathe car research and car shopping. I am open to suggestions.
Update: The new tranny ran me around $3,500, and the other maintenance this week added another $1,000 to that, and in six months I'll need new breaks and an O2 sensor. The birthday party/new computer/savings budget is pretty busted.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
You sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot.
Billed as "The 100 Greatest Movie Insults of all time," it's more like a collection of 100 threats and insults, and necessarily the best. But entertaining nonetheless, especially if you are particularly frustrated at the time.
It's hard to take a break to watch this without returning to your incompetent coworkers sounding like you have Tourettes.
Feel free to leave your favorite colorful insult in the comments.
It's hard to take a break to watch this without returning to your incompetent coworkers sounding like you have Tourettes.
Feel free to leave your favorite colorful insult in the comments.
meme is over, SF appears unscathed
Did any of y'all hear of the ridiculous "bros icing bros" meme/phenomenon? No? Apparently it was really big with the east coast bros (i.e. frat boys at non-academically stressful colleges). It was big. And now it's dead. I read news that it was dead, butthen had to go look up what the hell they were talking about.
Here's the basic sitch: one bro ambushes another bro by presenting him with a Smirnoff Ice an at inopportune time. Bro must knee down and shotgun the Smirnoff Ice regardless of what he's doing or where he is going. If the icee has his own Smirnoff Ice on him, he can ice-block.
Here's the basic sitch: one bro ambushes another bro by presenting him with a Smirnoff Ice an at inopportune time. Bro must knee down and shotgun the Smirnoff Ice regardless of what he's doing or where he is going. If the icee has his own Smirnoff Ice on him, he can ice-block.
Honestly, it seems like this thing was huge. I never heard of it. Gratefully.
Here's the how-to video on YouTube (for a meme to have come and gone, 71 thousand hits isn't all that much. My video of Kevin getting his ass-grabbed in super-tight pants set to two different music tracks has over 50k.) The website Bros Icing Bros dot com was also huge, until Smirnoff itself shut it down, ending rumor that it was all a viral marketing campaign.
Tosh.O had a bit to mark the death of Bros Icing Bros last night on his show.
Cracked magazine though, has the best explanation of this nonsense: Bros Icing Bros: Understanding This Ridiculous Phenomenon. This is awesome, if only for their description of Smirnoff Ice:
Here's the how-to video on YouTube (for a meme to have come and gone, 71 thousand hits isn't all that much. My video of Kevin getting his ass-grabbed in super-tight pants set to two different music tracks has over 50k.) The website Bros Icing Bros dot com was also huge, until Smirnoff itself shut it down, ending rumor that it was all a viral marketing campaign.
Tosh.O had a bit to mark the death of Bros Icing Bros last night on his show.
Cracked magazine though, has the best explanation of this nonsense: Bros Icing Bros: Understanding This Ridiculous Phenomenon. This is awesome, if only for their description of Smirnoff Ice:
There’s a reason Smirnoff Ice was chosen in a drinking game the object of which is not to drink: Smirnoff Ice is terrible. It is Limeade-scented Clown Sweat in a bottle. One flavor of Smirnoff Ice is just Sunshine Punch Kool-Aid mixed with farts. For Raspberry Burst Smirnoff, they put rubbing alcohol and Good n’ Plenty in a blender and flushed it down a prison toilet. It’s like someone wiped their ass with a pear and stapled it to your tongue. One time a convicted rapist fucked a produce section and the result was Pomegranate Fusion Smirnoff Ice. It’s like someone force-fed a fruit cup to a cow and then took it back out four stomachs in. Smirnoff Ice tastes like someone dropped a tube of strawberry lipsmackers into a bucket of cologne. You’d think someone dug up Carmen Miranda’s corpse and fermented it in an old paint can but it’s actually an Ice. If Jolly Ranchers could piss, it would taste like Strawberry Acai Smirnoff Ice."Clown sweat" is my new go to.
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