Comic for Monday, October 9th, 2006

Posted: 7:31 am, Monday, October 9th

My own feelings toward Columbus Day are not nearly as psychotic as Jen's there. I find it a little silly that we still celebrate it, but I guess it's kind of turned into an Italian-American heritage day, which I'm OK with. I have a hard time getting too much of a jolly feeling going about a guy who wrote,

They... brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things, which they exchanged for the glass beads and hawks' bells. They willingly traed everything they owned... They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features... They would make fine servants... With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.

and

As soon as I arrived in the Indies, on the first Island which I found, I took some of the natives by force in order that they might learn and might give me information of whatever there is in these parts.

I know this was SOP in those days, and only begrudge Columbus as much as I would anyone else from those days, but, still, it's odd that we celebrate him to this day. That all said, I'm pretty psyched to not have to put pants on at any point today. Whoo-hoo!

How 'bout dem Tigers? In other baseball news, we were rooting for the Cards, anyway, for 15's mental health, but 2.0 upped her rooting intensity when I told her that the weird emblem on the Padres' arms was the Swingin' Friar. She wasn't a fan.

Oh, we saw the Departed last night. It's pretty awesome. One of the big goals in my life is to never have anyone bust a glass over my head - evidently, this is a twice-daily occurrence in Scorsese's world. Eee. Anyway, DiCaprio has worked off whatever scorn I heaped upon him for starring in Titanic. He was awesome in this. Also, the cast is not to be believed - it was like twenty minutes before someone showed up that I didn't recognize. And Martin Sheen worked some Notre Dame references in there.

That's all I'm droppin' for today. I'll be around from time to time, but I've got the house to myself today and hope to get some work done. It's supposed to be 81 out, which is awesome, but my throat is sore and I'm trying to not succumb to whatever has been assaulting my immune system for five or six days now, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to soak up any of that Indian summer sun. (Indian summer on Columbus day - there's got to be some irony there, right?)

bullfrog

Please visit

No, thank you.

cut off from the world from Thursday night until Sunday night, the first thing I hear getting into my car is how wonderful it was that the Tigers went out and celebrated with their fans after defeating the Yankees . . . the perfect ending to an incredible weekend. What happened to the 'greatest lineup ever?', the one that went in with just about no injuries? Delicious. Simply Delicious. The Curse of Mattingly lives on. Zero

I am ridiculously excited about the NLCS already. Granted, you'd have to be an idiot to pick the Cardinals to beat the Mets, but still! The underdog thing seemed to work for us this last series...

My favorite was the article from the Times that referred to them as the Atlanta Braves. How quaint, how apropos!

How to tell Scorcese can direct: Mark Wahlberg's character had the potential to be as annoying as Vince Vaughn in Made and he came off as humorous and likeable.

Avoided Made, but, yeah, Wahlberg was pretty damned good in the Departed.

Also, I went through a good three-quarters of that flick thinking the love interest was the girl from Scrubs.

I hear that roosevelt jr hight school altoona pa is quite an institution.

Hmm, particularly disgusting comment spam today.

I don't get Columbus Day. I've never had the day off in my years of schooling and work, and plus it's another excuse for Italians to beat their chests and say how great they are (because they NEVER do that on a regular day). Great at what? Fascism, organized crime and tomato sauce? Bully for you!

The goofiest thing is that Columbus had to be bankrolled by the Spanish, so, really, it should be Spanish American heritage day, or something.

But the Italians gave us Dante. That goes a long way in my book.

Hey, I referred to the Yankees as this millenia's Atlanta Braves weeks ago in the sox blog. Man, if the Times starts referring to them as 'the Goatfuckers' we may have to put together a joint lawsuit.

Zero

Please visit

I also thought she looked like the girl from Scrubs! Thought I was the only one.

If the Times starts referring to them as the Goatfuckers, I retire. I've achieved all I could dream of and more.

At times like these i wonder when Pete's fear of baboons will rear it's head again. Plot gimicks are fun.

Revised picks. For some reason, I'm seeing a Tony LaRussa World Series. That's right, A's versus Cards. And somehow two earthquakes happen, once in Oakland and another near St. Louis (New Madred fault).

Now watch me be absolutely wrong, and this turns into a Mets - Detroit final. And a riot breaks out should Detroit wins.

It is is Indigineous People's Day here in Berkeley. It is unclear to me whether it is a celebration, but you don't have to put money in the parking meters. So you have the day off (or are at work without pants). Only in New York. Seriously, I think it is a fairly New York centric holiday--elsewhere I've lived Columbus Day seems to have the significance of Flag Day or less. It must be because of the high concentration of chest-beating Italians in the NY area. (There are plenty of Italians here, but they are more of the the sip wine on the veranda sort.)

As far as I can tell, I'm the only one home from work today (I did eventually put pants on, though). We only started getting Columbus Day off last year, when our CEO realized he was Jewish and didn't particularly care about having Good Friday off.

"Dusty, would you like to kiss me on the veranda?"

"No, the lips are fine."

Dynamite Three Amigo's quote. Everyone except me has the day off in DC as well. I think thats because I am a subcontracter and we are seen as scum by government people. Then again most of us (subcontrators) have college degrees in things that arent English, Poli Sci or International Affairs...

Hey now! I was an English major.