"I hate those holidays that fall on a Monday where you don't get mail, those fake holidays like Columbus Day. What did Christopher Columbus do, discover America? If he hadn't, somebody else would have and we'd still be here. Big deal." John Waters
In 1492 he sailed the ocean blue and now five hundred and eighteen years later we are still celebrating him in the form of a holiday. Today is Columbus Day. Read all about it here:
http://www.wilstar.com/holidays/columbus.htm
Now here is an article you are probably not dying to read:
http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/happy-coffins-make-funerals-less-grim/19656424?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl5%7Csec3_lnk3%7C176695
This comes from sometime poster Snugpug's hometown. I'm not sure what to think about the article except that anything to make grieving easier is just fine with me.
I've met people that thought I was from outer space. I've met people that I thought were from outer space. Maybe there are people out there wanting to send me there. There are some people I wouldn't mind sending there. Now according to the following article we aren't that far from being able to do that:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101011/ap_on_sc/us_space_tourism
The questions for the day. Do you agree with John Waters? (No). Are you going to look into purchasing a happy coffin (No, I'm being cremated.) Would you like to travel to outer space? (Not really.) Would you like to send someone else to outer space in your place. (As long as they couldn't come back the Reverend Fred Phelps and his ilk that protest at soldiers' funerals.) You don't even have to answer the questions today if you don't want to, if you would prefer to just comment on the articles feel free.
Enjoy the holiday and remember no mail today.
TODAY'S WHO AM I?
I was born in 1842 and died in 1911 and am considered the foremost female industrial and environmental chemist in the United States in the 1800s, pioneering the field of home economics. I graduated from the second oldest secondary school in the state where I was born. I was the first woman to be accepted into any school of science and technology. I was also the first female instructor at the college I chose to attend and the first American woman to earn a degree in chemistry. I was a "pragmatic" feminist, as well as a founding "ecofeminist" who believed that women's work within the home was a vital aspect of the economy. I was born into a family of modest means which prized education. I taught, tutored, and cleaned for years, finally saving $300 to enter Vassar College earning my bachelor's degree two years later. After failing to find suitable employment as an industrial chemist after graduation I continued my education. When I entered the new school it was stated "it being understood that my admission did not establish a precedent for the general admission of females" I would have been awarded the college's first doctoral degree but the institution balked at granting this distinction to a woman, and did not award its first doctorate until several years later. After I was married with my husband's support I remained associated with the institution volunteering my services as well as contributing $1,000 annually to create programs for female students. My interest in the environment led me to introduce into English the word ecology which had been coined in German to describe the "household of nature". If you don't know who I am by now I'd be surprised but just in case you should think about FOOD MATERIALS AND THEIR ADULTERATIONS. That should answer the question, Who Am I?
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4 comments:
I agree with John Waters. I'm not against holidays, bring 'em on, my mail isn't that important anyway. But I'm really not that interested in celebrating Columbus, who was a vicious and cruel slavemaster. He and his men and those who followed them effectively wiped out a whole indigenous population that didn't take kindly to being slaves or having their women raped and forced into prostitution. He didn't really even "discover" America. Not a guy I want to celebrate.
Happy coffins? The mind boggles. For me, a plain pine box, or cardboard would do, and cremate the lot.
I can sort of see a wish to go into space for some adventurous people, notably those who can spend $200K for a ticket. For me, though I'd love to see the view from up there, I think I'll settle for photos. I'll go along with a one-way ticket for Fred Phelps. I'd even chip in.
Hi Pat
He also went to jail for various other offenses. And he didn't discover Americal, I join you in not wanting celebrate this thug.
I'm hoping that by the time we can take a taxi to outerspace the cost will be down to normal ranges.
Then we can form a collection to send Fred Phelps there. Since the ship in the article seats six I can think of five others to send there with him.
Bill
I never could bring up the article by Waters - it kept timing out. However, while I'm all for holidays, I do think we've rather a lot of them and not all of them solidly based. Mail, I could care less about. The bank was open. Don't know about gov't offices. IF we're going to insist on all these holidays, I'd happily trade some of them for celebrating some of the women you've featured in "who am I?" (G>
Coffins? I think they're highly overpriced and I think the whole funeral thing, while it may bring closure, is designed to be grim and mournful, not a celebration of the person's life. Like you, coffins aren't an issue, as I plan to be cremated. And if there's a memorial service, I want the line dancers doing the Elvis routine, people sharing silly stories about my life and a gathering afterward with a jam session playing country and old rock and lots of wine and shrimp and cheese and crackers.
Yeah, I can think of some folks I'd like to send to outer space, but only if it was on a one-way ticket. Fortunately, there aren't many, not that I ponder the question, but a couple politicians are right up there at the top of the list.
Hi DR
I also like Holidays but there were so many great men and women in history that if we honored them all we would have 365 holidays. Gov't offices were closed today. I can think of many of those woman in Who Am I that deserve a holiday more than Columbus and as much as Martin Luther King.
I think the best way for closure it to celebrate a person's life not mourn their death. I also want a memorial celebrating my life and where people are laughing and enjoying each other. Then they can all carry pickets signs reading "kiss his ash" and march to the IRS. Cheese, crackers, cinnamon bears (my favorite candy), and good hot dogs would be served.
Bill
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