Monday Musings...

With early morning temps like these, can winter be far off?
Welcome to another Monday, and this one being COLUMBUS DAY.
 ((...yawn...)).
*** First off, I don't begrudge old Chris Columbus for discovering "something", but (our) AMERICA wasn't really what he went and found.

He FOUND the CARIBBEAN (even though it wasn't really lost to begin with).

I much prefer Leif Ericson Day, because at least HE came a lot closer.
Here's the WIKI on CC:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus
And the WIKI for Leif Ericson:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leif_Ericson

Now, you can decide for yourselves WHO really discovered America (that meaning US and not SOUTH America).

Weird thing is, Calvin Coolidge, back in 1925, stated to the crowd of around 100K at the Minnesota State Fair that it was in fact Leif Ericson who discovered AMERICA.

In 1964, our Congress authorized and requested that the President proclaim October 9th as Leif Ericson Day.

So, why still with the Chris Columbus gig, hmm?
Didn't see ANY ads for Leif Ericson Day SALES...did you?
I mean, COLUMBUS DAY really didn't even take place until 1906...in (of all frigging places)...COLORADO!
Here's THAT WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_day
Get this, in 2007, Dane County Wisconsin supervisor, Ashok Kumar (?) replaced Columbus Day with...(ready for this?)...

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY...
((...WTF???...))
Berkeley , CA started it all with the same "observance" back in 1992 (that explains a lot about THAT city...lol).
Suffice it to say that we "indigenous people" should stick more to HISTORY, than what makes some feel good...don'cha think?
*** As is our "tradition" on Fridays at the "Fortress", the lovely Mrs. Bobby G. gets to "cook", and by that I mean she stops on the way home and gets us something to eat (yay, I get ONE day off a week...lol).

This past Friday was one "for the books", however...
Being from Philly, I LOVE good pizza...grew the hell UP on it, actually. Hard not to living back there.
And, as with most pizza aficionados, we prefer the BASICS...lots of cheese, pepperoni, sauce, garlic and the hot ITALIAN (rope) sausage, cut thin.
Maybe some mushrooms now and then, but pretty much the "standard fare"...
And that works damn well.
Nowadays, when you stop by places like Pizza Hut, you can get ALL sorts of combos for toppings, and that bugs the crap outta me.

A "Hawaiian" pizza?
With pineapple?
Or a MEXICAN pizza...with jalapenos and salsa?
Are you f$cking KIDDING ME?
That's not only barbaric to a real pizza lover...that's downright TREASONOUS!

So, you can imagine my "displeasure" when Wifey brings home a "Mediterranean" pizza...(???).
Feta cheese, diced tomato and SPINACH...
(Gag me with a freaking pizza slicer, will 'ya? That's like putting MAYO on a damn HOT DOG)
Spinach belongs in a SALAD...ditto for feta cheese and tomato (feta does go nice with GYROS, too).
Needless to say that the slices she brought home to me wound up in the garbage...and I made myself PANCAKES instead.
And a cautionary warning was issued that WHENEVER I am to be the recipient of PIZZA...it will be ONLY of a TRADITIONAL type.
So, if Wifey wants her speciality pizza, she can still have it, but it better not cross our threshold for MY dinner (right, Sweetie?).
Moving on...
*** That mouse alongside your computer is running on "borrowed time".

Coming to a computer system at YOUR home or office in the near future...more technology.
(what else?)
Here's the article I found on this:
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121008/BIZ07/310089964/1031/BIZ

Wow...a "gesture-based" technology...
Now, who'da thunk?
I guess I've been WAY AHEAD of THAT curve for years, because I'm ALWAYS GESTURING to MY computer...LOL.

(it's called the middle-finger salute)
Touch-screen tech is fast replacing the venerable mouse as the pointer-mover of choice these days, but something called The Leap is supposed to use hand motions, so you don't even HAVE to touch any screen...imagine that.
And here's the article to prove it:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2147940/Leap-Motions-Leap-eliminates-need-keyboard-mouse-advance-motion-control-technology.html

That's why I'm stocking up on "mice" - cheap as I can get 'em.
I just got me a cell phone...
And I ALSO just made the jump from a trackball mouse to an OPTICAL mouse...sheesh!
Will you puh-lease gimme a damn break here, folks!
*** Lastly today, I am not a technophobe...at least not in the purest sense.
I like what works...and what works well with a modicum of longevity to it, and I think most others feels the same way.
Face it, some technology we DO need...like electricity and the methods to produce it and allow it to come into our homes, businesses and anywhere else. It's damn near right up there with FIRE in mankind's brief history in all of time.
And yet, with all the modern contrivances we have today, I STILL have a turntable for my LP RECORDS.
I'm one of those that remembers what it was like to have less technology...and STILL survive.

Imagine...a ONE-SPEED bicycle....or a car without an FM radio, power locks and windows, or air-conditioning.
How about an alarm clock WITHOUT an iPod "dock"?
What about ANALOG wall clocks? Anyone recall watches that you HAD TO WIND UP?
CRT televisions and incandescent light bulbs...we had them ALL, and THEY WORKED.
Most of these items became real cheap and easy to replace, too.
Today, they are relics of our past, dinosaurs of a bygone era, and yet in some circles they command prices far exceeding their original cost.
Why do you think that IS, anyway?

I think a lot of folks WANT to retain that time...as it WAS; capture that part of their (and our) past that proved we could make things that had staying power, and not something that was "here today and gone tomorrow", as a LOT of our technology is quick becoming.
And, from a historical standpoint, maybe such remembrances only serve to keep our feet on the ground, and our heads out of the clouds,.where many people today prefer to reside.
We should not pursue such things frivolously, for none of us "common folk" can keep up financially with all the changes to our technologies...we'd go broke in a week!
We should rather temper our pursuits with what our NEEDS dictate, and remember our past in the process.
I think that's a good way to save money, save angst, and especially save face.

Have yourselves a great week.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...

Stay SAFE out there, America.