Health, News, Politics

How Long Until Gay People Can Give Blood?

Blood donation comes with a ticking sound, a count of the roughly 42 days that whole blood can be banked before it’s no longer usable. Blood banks and hospitals are daily involved in a complex dance to move blood to where it’s needed.

If you are gay, of course, you can pay no attention to donating life-saving blood. Currently there’s a lifetime “deferral” for men who have at any time since 1977 had sex with other men. This is an FDA policy, nothing to do with your local blood bank. Continue reading How Long Until Gay People Can Give Blood?

Arts & Entertainment, Music

The SunBreak’s Picks for Bumbershoot: Saturday

Yep, it’s that time of year. Fall and all that brings is just around the corner. Fortunately, summer has one last hurrah, in the form of Labor Day weekend and three days of arts, music, film, books, theatre, posters, elephant ears, and Seattle Center crowds–or to put it more succinctly–Bumbershoot. Without further ado, here’s some picks, care of The SunBreak’s hive mind. Continue reading The SunBreak’s Picks for Bumbershoot: Saturday

News, Weather

Get Ready for Summer in Seattle This September

The National Weather Service notes that: “As of August 28th, Seatac airport has only had 0.12 inches of precipitation during the month of August. If no more precipitation occurs this month, it will rank as the 6th driest August since 1945.”

Now we’re looking at low-80s for Labor Day Weekend, according to KOMO Weather. But wait, there’s more. We could actually see high temperatures next week that count as high to people outside the Pacific Northwest’s air-conditioned zone–90 degrees even! Continue reading Get Ready for Summer in Seattle This September

News, Transportation, Travel

Delta’s Bigger and Better Sky Club Opens at Sea-Tac

Delta is listening to you, harried, Platinum-Amex-bearing passengers. You said the converted Northwest WorldClub lounge there in Sea-Tac’s South Satellite was too small. Where were the showers? Worst coffee ever.

So Delta invested an estimated $6 to $8 million on an upgrade. The new club, located on the roof of the South Satellite, now offers Delta passengers nearly 8,300-square-feet of elbow room, complete with a full wall of windows to take in the view of Mount Rainier. (Now meaning today, August 31, 2011.) Continue reading Delta’s Bigger and Better Sky Club Opens at Sea-Tac

Eats, Food

This Banquet’s Gonna Bug You

Diners can expect a menu that includes grasshopper kabobs, a cricket-and-pasta salad, bug juice, and other exotic treats. In addition, Café Racer will feature an insect-themed art exhibit and the mounted insect collection of entomologist Don Ehlen, proprietor of The Insect Safari—an independent education program based in Seattle. Continue reading This Banquet’s Gonna Bug You

Business, News

Microsoft’s Mobile OS Took the Summer Off From Selling

Geekwire has the news that the Windows Phone 7 operating system’s share of the smart phone market declined one percent for the three months ending July. That’s while the smart phone market increased in size, up ten percent from the previous three months. Google’s Android system led the way with almost 42 percent, followed by Apple’s iOS with 27. RIM fell to 21.7 percent, while Microsoft dipped to 5.7. Continue reading Microsoft’s Mobile OS Took the Summer Off From Selling

Business, News, Transportation

New Engines to Put Boeing 737 Family on a Fuel Diet

It’s hard to fathom the sheer tonnage of fuel used by air travel. Today’s official announcement by the Boeing Company board that the 737 family will be re-engined, creating a line of 737REs, is frequently being described in terms of percentages: “The U.S.-based manufacturer expects the 737RE’s fuel burn to be 16 per cent lower than the current A320 family and 4 per cent lower than the A320neo family.” Continue reading New Engines to Put Boeing 737 Family on a Fuel Diet