"National Holidays and the end of the civil war" written by Paul on estrip.org

02/21/11 07:00 - ID#53676

National Holidays and the end of the civil war

In reference to the holiday comments on (e:heidi,53668).

My union celebrates the following holidays.

1. New Year's Day
2. Lincoln's Birthday
3. Washington's Birthday
4. Memorial Day
5. Independence Day
6. Labor Day
7. Columbus Day
8. Veterans' Day
9. Thanksgiving Day
10. Christmas Day
11. Election Day
12. Martin Luther King Day

I know, why do we still celebrate both Lincoln and Washingston's birthday in the same month when everyone else had moved onto Presidents day, if that. I really wish they would drop Christmas and replace it with a non-religious holiday. Its not like there are not float holidays, personal days and vacation time people could use to cover there religious holidays. Then the union would not look biased toward christians.

I guess this was the first time I really considered, "What is a national holiday?" One thing that seems to be a glaring oversight is the lack of an end of the civil war/ US reunification day to celebrate the end of the civil war.

According to wikipedia, the last shot was fired April 9th, 1865. Maybe this year I will use one of my float holidays and celebrate that instead. I also read the president of the confederacy was captured May 10, 1865. You think I would know seeing as I did a whole 4th grade presentation on Jefferson Davis, lol. Man that was so long ago.

Speaking of so long ago, I realized the other day that it has been more time since I was 17, than the time from birth to 17.

metalpeter writes at 07:39:26 02/22/11 - Comment #60871: Where I work there is no union... Each year we have a set number of holiday days..... Of course what days you get off changes based on when the holiday falls.... Yes there have been years when we worked New Years eve..... It works out to the same amount of days each year... This year we got MLK off but not because it was MLK we get Presidents day off but do to a shut down they moved that day to MLK......

libertad writes at 08:46:35 02/21/11 - Comment #60847: Christmas is hard to say is completely religious for me in the context of our culture. Even the anti-Christmas, Jews, can admit that it is hard to escape. I hope that doesn't sound anti-semitic cause it wasn't the way I intended it to sound. I enjoy having Christmas as a paid holiday. I was raised with it and it is nice that it is one of the few holidays that I am actually given the day off. I think that it is also nice for people who don't celebrate it to have a day of peace and quiet as well. I totally don't mind random days off. It just sort of makes sense that so many people in our culture want this day off, why not give it to them?

Days off at universities can be even more complicated. Could you imagine if Christmas was an actual day that people needed to report to class? The absenteeism would be so high it would be ridiculous. I think it is easier for everyone for it to be a planned day instead of one where everyone pretends that they are ill or have to prove or feign some type of religious attachment to the day.

As far as the other holidays, they could cut 2 and 3 in my opinion, I definitely let the union know that I didn't think we should have any more days off. From what I have been told, you should voice your complaints with the union otherwise they will not know what you want.

OMG, I almost forgot, I think Columbus day is so idiotic. That should be the first to go. You should also be aware that you could work those days if you wanted to and they would give you holiday pay I believe. At least in my union/department you can and are expected to work most of them. I opt to take a day off at my choosing.

In general, I think people need more days off. Not necessarily us, but just people in general. If state/federal/unionized workers lost their days off, it would only lower the bar for most everyone else.

tinypliny writes at 08:11:21 02/21/11 - Comment #60846: "National Holiday" encompasses a ton of concepts in India. We have a scarce set of days that mark when India became independent, became a Republic, Gandhi's birthday etc. And then we have a HUGE set of religious holidays that are actually decided by prominent religious representatives because they have no standard days and the ancient Indian calendar varies so much from the Anglican calendar. According to the Indian constitution India is first and foremost secular - which means we place as much or even more importance on respecting our diversity. In fact, it is only during the "religious" holidays that attendances suffer the most, not the government-related holidays.

heidi writes at 07:40:29 02/21/11 - Comment #60843: me, too, (e:flacidness).

According to this federal site, :::link::: :

Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed the last Monday of May. It originally honored the people killed in the American Civil War, but has become a day on which the American dead of all wars, and the dead generally, are remembered in special programs held in cemeteries, churches, and other public meeting places. The flying of the American flag is widespread.

flacidness writes at 07:27:56 02/21/11 - Comment #60842: I'm glad they recognize MLK day :)

Permalink: National_Holidays_and_the_end_of_the_civil_war.html
Words: 242
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/21/11 07:17

Category: church of the ascension

02/21/11 04:36 - ID#53672

Church of the Asenscion Plow Damage

Now that the snow is melting and the giant pickup truck is still plowing the freakin sidewalk - it is a disaster.

Is the convenience of not shoveling worth dealing with the amount of damage they will need to repair in the spring.

They already barely had any grass from the tracker/rider lawnmower tear up and their inability to rake leaves.

The ruts and piles are like a foot deep.

Permalink: Church_of_the_Asenscion_Plow_Damage.html
Words: 79
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/22/11 02:22

Category: rave

02/21/11 01:53 - ID#53671

Illegally dancing in Utah

I know this was quite a few years back but I seriously can't believe this scenario. Kids having a rave in Utah. In comes 90 army men in helicopters with dogs, tear gas and machine guns.

If this is the kind of response for an "illegal" dance party, imagine how they would react to actual protest against the government.

I wonder if the response would be any different now that everything is so recorded and insta-published to the web. Seriously, just imagine the cost of having 90 army men, helicopters, firearms, tear gas and dogs. I bet it cost tens of thousdands of dollars.

Permalink: Illegally_dancing_in_Utah.html
Words: 109
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/21/11 01:53

Category: wants

02/20/11 11:16 - ID#53664

Things I want

Notice there is no computer technology on here. I am so super satisfied with my computing and mobile phone environment right now.

~~The generation 2 living color bulb from phillips~~ . Too bad they are so freakin expensive. Lumens.com is such a fuckin scam. I have been watching the price of this product like a hawk. Stores seem to charge between $150-$190 dollars for it. They now have this presidents day sale with 50% on Philips lighting in which they jacked the price up to $417 and then took 50% bringing it to $208 - more that the price of it anywhere else.

~~Tickets to WEMF.~~ Aug 12, 13, 14th - Andy C will be there and so will Keith, Terry and I!! The full lineup is here

A vacation somewhere warm. I was kind of thinking New Orleans for Mardi Gras but I am not sure I can handle it. I think I might rather want a relaxing vacation in Florida.
A Bicycle - a functional strong one with back pedal ability

paul writes at 09:44:53 03/01/11 - Comment #60979: A seller on Amazon.

tinypliny writes at 01:45:39 03/01/11 - Comment #60977: Whoa. Where did you get that price?!

paul writes at 11:14:20 02/28/11 - Comment #60975: Ordered the gen 2 livingcolors light!! A supposedly new one just not in the box for $109.00.

heidi writes at 12:07:36 02/21/11 - Comment #60823: Isn't there someone living somewhere warm you'd like to visit? You don't have to go for two weeks, you could spend one at home noodling and nerding and one out having relaxing fun.

(Really, I'm just jealous that you have time off. I'm really looking forward to July 28.)

tinypliny writes at 01:33:01 02/21/11 - Comment #60819: +1000. Live on a beach in florida for a fortnight and never go inside. Think of all the coconut water you can have in the sun!! :-)

flacidness writes at 01:00:31 02/21/11 - Comment #60817: Haha don't waste a vacation, you definetly need one
If you just wanna relax then I wouldn't suggest new orleans fort mardi gras because its gonna be fast paced but ALOT of fun. If you just want to lay back in the sun with some peace then go to the beach in florida. :)

paul writes at 12:32:40 02/21/11 - Comment #60815: I am going nuts trying to decide between stressful but exciting vacation in new orleans for mardi gras and relax on the beach in florida dull. In reality I will probably just end up sitting at home.

flacidness writes at 12:15:48 02/21/11 - Comment #60814: I wanna go so bad Ajay tells me about them all the time. I wanna go with you guys I'm gonna nab a ticket in a couple days.

paul writes at 12:13:15 02/21/11 - Comment #60812: 2008 was the last year for it. (e:terry) and I went but then they brought it back now in 2011. Tickets started at $150 :::link::: but they already bumped up to $175. They eventually go up to $250.

tinypliny writes at 12:10:34 02/21/11 - Comment #60811: That freak of a lamp has been on my wishlist for the past couple years now and the lowest I have seen the 2nd gen light was some days back when Amazon "reduced" it to 149.99. The sales are a joke. I almost bought it several times. The actually ordered it and then canceled the order the next day before it went to the shipping phase... SO TEMPTING! One of these days, I will just get it and feel awfully foolish at having spent a fortune on it.

flacidness writes at 11:49:55 02/20/11 - Comment #60810: That thing if really pretty. Whatever it does. August 14th is my birthday I wanna go to WEMF, isn't it the last year for it? Are tickets on sale yet?

Permalink: Things_I_want.html
Words: 185
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/28/11 11:09

Category: linux

02/19/11 04:31 - ID#53651

Blueproximity - a taste of the future

This is pretty neat. Once you install bluezproximity on fedora you can set it to listen for the proximity of a specific bluetooth device - say your cellphone - and lock and unlock the screen.

The beats having to type your password over and over again as you run to grab water, a printout, talk with someone, etc. The downside is if you leave you phone at your computer or someone steals your phone they can pretty easily get in.

That being said it translates real well with the concept of ID cards that you scan to get in a building. People can always steal those too.

I am pretty sure that apple and google are already integrating this into their respective products as we speak.

To get it simply, "sudo yum install blueproximity"

Permalink: Blueproximity_a_taste_of_the_future.html
Words: 136
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/19/11 04:31

Category: food

02/19/11 11:23 - ID#53647

A hot sauce I can tolerate

I found this at salsaritas. Its a pretty yummy smoked chipotle hot sauce. I think I will buy some if they have it at Wegmans.

Permalink: A_hot_sauce_I_can_tolerate.html
Words: 27
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/19/11 11:23

Category: linux

02/18/11 07:16 - ID#53644

Dear Fedora 14

I love you. I feel like I don't tell you this enough. This morning I tried to install ubuntu on a secondary drive and it was a nightmare to get stuff working. Then I just popped in you live CD and overwrote everything with a working OS in like 5 minutes. It was fantastic.

tinypliny writes at 02:19:50 02/19/11 - Comment #60773: Heh - true, and good catch. I will probably end up ditching lubuntu as well... System76 has told me that changing OSes does not affect their warranty (just makes it tougher for them to replicate problems if I have any).

paul writes at 11:37:50 02/18/11 - Comment #60770: (e:tinypling), that was ubuntu and I was your tech support. The brightness just worked on Fedora, right?

uncutsaniflush writes at 07:57:08 02/18/11 - Comment #60766: I created some free space on my Zareason box. I was thinking of trying out some other distro this evening since I actually have some free time. And I was seriously considering Fedora. And along comes your post. I'm d/ling Fedora 14 right now.

tinypliny writes at 07:28:56 02/18/11 - Comment #60765: If you hadn't walked me through the brightness change steps, it would have taken me a few hours to work up the courage and finally do it but I think I would have got there eventually in a few hours. ;)

tinypliny writes at 07:27:39 02/18/11 - Comment #60764: I guess I don't really that much support. I am usually okay at figuring out things on my own... Maybe I shouldn't be listening to my bro. :/ (Quick, bury this comment before he sees it...)

paul writes at 07:23:13 02/18/11 - Comment #60763: I seriously never have any trouble with Fedora. Anything I ever wrote about was because I was doing crazy things that a normal user would not be doing. How much OS support do you really need?

tinypliny writes at 07:19:53 02/18/11 - Comment #60760: Hehehe - you know I agree. Ubuntu is a nightmare sometimes. I am trying out Lubuntu but sometimes it throws spanners into the works as well. The only thing is I can't get support if I install Fedora and run R on top of it - as opposed to Ubuntu which key support people (eg. more techy family members) have and can troubleshoot for me if I have troubles.

Permalink: Dear_Fedora_14.html
Words: 53
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/18/11 07:16

Category: food

02/18/11 09:54 - ID#53638

Family bowl

Its the name I gave my new favorite egg and chicken bowl. I paired it with an artichoke heart salad.

Permalink: Family_bowl.html
Words: 24
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/18/11 09:54

Category: church of the ascension

02/18/11 09:52 - ID#53637

Church of the ascension parking and plow

Now that the snow is finally melting you can see how much of the grass they had been plowing and parking on.

Update: here you can see what matthew is talking about.

They also stopped putting their trash bins in their corral which has lead to this:

Permalink: Church_of_the_ascension_parking_and_plow.html
Words: 53
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/22/11 02:20

Category: computers

02/18/11 09:50 - ID#53636

3am computer drama

When I first got a second harddrive for my laptop I decided to use dd and clone the current one instead of starting from scratch. This was never really an issue because I booted separately from the BIOS and the two shared no data.

Then yesterday at 1am I was testing with lvm when I decided to try and mount the second encrypted drive on the first. Needless to say this cause major drama and they have the same everything. I tried to change the volgroup name on the second one and it changed it on the first one too. This ended up leaving both systems a bit trashed. It was really late and I was so tired. Luckily, I had a boot disk and was able to resolve the issue from there.