Archive of entries posted on 16th February 2015

Wisdom of the Day: Education Water Alive Shades Laughs

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Washington’s Birthday (2015)

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George WashingtonEvery year, I do this. And, since 2015 is a year, I’ll do it this year. And today is the day. You know what today is, right?

If you said “Presidents Day,” you need to be beat with a stick. With knots in it so it hurts really bad. And, if the stick breaks, another stick needs to be used. Until we’re all out of sticks. Because you should know by now that it’s not “Presidents Day.”

Today is Washington’s Birthday.

Now, I know, George Washington’s birthday is actually February 22nd. That’s not until Sunday. But, there is a federal holiday called Washington’s Birthday, and it’s to honor George Washington. And the name of that holiday is … Washington’s Birthday.

So, why does everybody call it Presidents Day? Well, not everybody does. I don’t. And, I hope, you don’t either. But there are a lot of folks running around loose that call it Presidents Day. But that doesn’t make it Presidents Day. It’s still Washington’s Birthday.

This day is set aside to honor the first President of the United States, George Washington. He was instrumental in the founding of this nation, and if anyone deserves a holiday, it’s him.

Washington’s Birthday was the fifth national holiday established, after New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. It was one of the holidays picked for a Monday observance in 1971 when they started screwing around with federal holidays, and making some fall on a Monday. Along with Washington’s Birthday, the holidays Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day were also moved to Mondays. The first four holidays and Veterans Day kept their regular days.

If you want one of “those people” that are always correcting others for things … you know, like I’m doing right now … and you want a link to throw at people, use this link to United States Code 5 U.S.C. 6103.

Why am I like this about Washington’s Birthday? That’s the wrong question. The right question is: why aren’t you?

George Washington has his own day. And Americans need to recognize that. It’s not often the government gets stuff right. This is one of those rare times. Don’t let regular folks screw that up.

Random Thoughts: College and Stupid, Racist Stories

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But without Jon Stewart, who will gently massage our biases?

Anyone actually watch NBC News? Does anyone know for certain Brian Williams actually works for them?

The new Hitman movie looks kind of neat. I thought the first attempt at a Hitman movie was pretty forgettable.

Shouldn’t you assume someone who made a successful career without going to college is smarter than the average person who went to college?

We’re beginning to treat a college degree like a baptism, as if there’s some moral difference in having one.

Full Disclosure: I have a college degree and am very very smart.

I have a useful degree in electrical engineer, but I really don’t see why it should take 4 years to learn enough to get a job in that field.

For so much of the education system, we should start over from scratch and ask, “What exactly are we trying to accomplish here?”

I learned a couple useful things in college that help me as an engineer today. I didn’t $100,000 worth of things.

Only a tiny fraction of my useable knowledge came from college and was blown away by what I learned my first year on the job.

Computer programming is one of the more useful degrees, but really seems like a year of basics followed by apprenticeship would be better.

If the point of college is to give you knowledge and skills you’ll need for a job, even the best schools really suck at that.

I don’t anything about becoming a doctor or a lawyer, but four years of college to learn tech skills is idiotic.

Tech degrees are different. If someone has a masters, you get wary. If they have a doctorate, you assume they can’t do anything practical.

I will teach my dog to wag his tail when evolution is mentioned and then he will be a smart dog.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg also found out that when you drink enough, the Constitution talks to you and tells you what it really means.

I got a one star review for the Audible version of my novel. “stupid and a little racist.” That’s not a good review!

Best I can tell, my story is racist because Islam gets mentioned in it and Islam is now a race.

And he didn’t like the action scenes? Everyone else liked the action scenes. The guy must be a weirdo.

I got some good advice early on: If anyone is ever critical of your work, obsess on that criticism until you tire yourself out.

Anyway, I just want to counter this libel. My story is not stupid or racist. Your face is stupid and racist.

Anyway, promotion for my novel Superego starts soon, so expect to hear a lot more about it. And it is awesome.

AND THE VOICE ACTOR DIDNT JUST PHONE IT IN HE DID A GREAT JOB!

I haven’t tired myself out yet.

And the female characters weren’t goofy! Again, you’re mistaking things for your face!

My favorite SNL sketch is the one where the guy is like, “I’m Doug, and I’m outta heeeere.”