March 18 is Biodiesel Day. Probably.

There is plenty of support among the Usual Suspects for calling Monday Biodiesel Day, the day being selected because it is the anniversary of the birth of Rudolf Diesel (born March 18, 1858 in Paris, France).

With gasoline prices soaring to unprecedented heights, the idea of grow-your-own fuel or, especially, turn-waste-products-into-fuel, becomes increasingly attractive. Of course, if a car passing by is running on oil once used to make french fries, the emissions can make you can fall right off your diet.

But The Blog of Days is never going to be confused with Scientific American. We leave the technical stuff to technical people. But we can support 'em -- especially on March 18.

It's just... well... wouldn't you know the Wikipedia entry on biodiesel fuels suggests that there may be an International Biodiesel Day celebrated on August 10, commemorating the anniversary of that day in 1893 when "Rudolf Diesel's prime model, a single 10 ft (3 m) iron cylinder with a flywheel at its base, ran on its own power for the first time in Augsburg, Germany," burning nothing but peanut oil.

We hate these kinds of controversies, and usually shy away from them. Nevertheless, just this once, we'll pick Monday, March 18 as the one and only Biodiesel Day.

According to some of the Usual Suspects, Monday will also be Awkward Moments Day -- you may have had some this weekend in the course of your Paddy's Day revels -- and Forgive Mom and Dad Day. None of the proponents of this microminiholidayette (including the apparent originators of same) explain precisely what we are supposed to forgive Mom and Dad for, suggesting only that there's not a parent alive who hasn't made mistakes. As the young people say, duh.