Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Funkengroovin Wednesday - Around Town in Connecticut

Yes, VB knows it's late, but it is still Wednesday in the US of A.

According to Boston.com, the Boston Jewish Film Festival (Nov. 5-16), will be showing, Yishai Orian's "The Beetle." Yet, when VB went onto the official site, she could not find the film listed nor the director. What gives!? VB would appreciate any information on this, as she will be back in the area, and would love to see a viewing.


(Below): This is a farming community. Everyone (okay, almost everyone) parks their cars on grass.


(Below): While VB was taking pictures of shade tobacco, this little thing buzzed by.


(Below): Vanagon L, as seen at Suffield Auto Sales. It's been there for awhile now.







NEWS:

You may assume there are photos at every link, but there may not necessarily be.

Anyone keeping up with MadMen already knows the answer to this question: What Should Don Draper Drive? Well, he bought a Cadillac, tried to keep it immaculate, and then his wife puked in it.

ARE TOWNS REALLY SAFER WITHOUT TRAFFIC LIGHTS?

Top five redneck baby-daddy cars

We're gonna have a safety-data party tonight!
"As of today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a database of serious accidents involving possible product or equipment failure. That information, known as Early Warning data, has been in use by NHTSA for five years but until today was not available to the public."

Maybe if Bristol Palin and her baby-daddy saw this (beware, more of the Rotten), they would have "abstained" (For real. This car would turn anyone off)!
New VW minivan helps you make a virtual baby
"A more intriguing angle is the Routan BabyMaker 3000, which -- contrary to how it might sound -- is not a handsome, virile android but a mini-website where prospective parents can input digital photographs of themselves. The software then melds their pixels as if they were genes, resulting in a picture of what the fruit of their union might look like.

In an ideal world, there would be a link to the BabyMaker 3000 site, but it doesn’t go live until later this month. And the intrepid Dan Neil will soon be testing the VW Routan, so keep an eye out for that too, all you fertile folk."

Don’t Box Me In, Double-Parker (Full article at the link.)
"Then right before alternate side ended, the driver showed up. Emboldened, I got out and made cranking motion so she would roll down the window."

'“Thanks for boxing me in,” I said. “Because of you I had to wait an hour.”

She gave me a shocked “who, me?” look.

“How was I supposed to know?” she said.

“Exactly,” I replied. “You didn’t leave a phone number on your car.”

Now she looked indignant. “A phone number?” she said. “What do you mean? Everybody does it.”'

From Jalopnik, with amazing photos as usual: 1987 Volkswagen Vanagon Synchro

Flower Power: Run Your Ride on a Wild Weed (Cool Bus Photo)
"The folks at Biodiesel Magazine say stinkweed is an ideal biodiesel feedstock because its seeds yield 36 percent oil when crushed. They should know: After all, they work for Biodiesel Magazine. John Fox, president of Innovation Fuels, says the company is testing the plant and its seeds and so far things look good, even if they smell bad. "We're really pleased with the oil," Fox said, adding that stinkweed oil has excellent cold-flow properties."

Carbon Footprints and Vintage VWs. Being Green is No New Thing.
"Vintage VWs:
Instead of plopping down $23,000 for a new Prius, find an original VW Bug (http://www.airheadparts.com/page.asp?recid=28) that has been completely refurbished for a few grand. And in four to five years guess what, the Beetle will be worth more than the Prius. The Prius's "new technology' will get old quick while the Beetle is an appreciating collector car. Or find one and fix it up yourself. Use to be the American way, to refurbish and maintain our own things. I recently restored a vintage VW. Parts where easily found (an outfit in my own little town - Airhead Parts (http://www.airheadparts.com) had everything) and the satisfaction of doing most of it myself was the best part. But any high mileage used car is better than new (and my "Love Bug" gets very good gas mileage)."

Snail Car Is Born When Math, Dreams Collide
(Quite funky. Many photos.)
"OAKLAND, California -- In a project that would make Franz Kafka grin, a 40-year-old bug has metamorphosed into a snail."

Car Talk: Here's the Thing: Short-lived VW car is a rolling death trap
"Tom: The Bug was not a safe car to begin with, and the Thing was basically a Bug without the added structural protection of a roof. So it was a death trap, in my opinion, Bradley. And I agree with your mom. I wouldn't want any of my kids driving around in this Thing."

Interlochen man bitten by Volkswagen bug
'"My peak is right now, I have over 60 Beetles in various shapes. Some are drivable, some need to be repaired, but a lot are just for parts," said March, who says his wife claims if he had a dollar for every part, he would be a millionaire.'

What Happens to Reno's Iconic VW Bug?
"The City of Reno decided to remove a sculpture of a giant bug- made out of a VW Beetle from an old city building."

Break-up of the Beetles: Mexico City ends affair with VW minicabs

VW Beetle taxis on way out in Mexico City
"In Cuba, the Volkswagen Beetle is called the "little egg." In France, it's known as the "ladybird." Here, the vehicle is called el vocho, converted into tens of thousands of green-and-white taxis that have filled the capital's congested streets for at least half a century. But if the city government has its way, the emblematic vochos will drive off into history."


Tomorrow VB returns to Egypt for a month, with one week involved in entertaining relatives. VB doesn't recall where she spotted this video, as it's been quite a while, but it is hysterical. Does it remind you of anyone you know? Whenever VB has to return to expat status, leaving this bucolic town along the Connecticut River, always makes her queasy (for more reasons than just one.) In addition, since she's blogging she don't hang out with the "Wives Club" anymore. They apparently all know VB's business, her husband's rank, and all the company business and gossip, to boot! Getting caught up in all that can make your life one miserable hell. Blogging is much more fun.

French and Saunders - Expatriate Wives #2

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