Happy Presidents' Day

Here's to Presidents' Day.

The holiday was originally celebrated as Washington's Birthday, and was orignally celebrated on George's actual birthday, 22 February. It has since expanded to honor not only Washington but Lincoln, who was also born in February and is arguably a more admired figure in American history (not to say that GW was any slouch ... he rocked as well!)

In 1968, to increast the number of three-day holidays afforded to Federal employees, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was signed into law. Most germanely, it set Washington's Birthday as the third Monday in February (of course, regardless of the actual date of Washington's birth).

During the 1980s (saith Wikipedia) the holiday sort of evolved through commercial pressure into a combined celebraton of Washington and Lincoln (born 12 February). It's not officialy Presidents Day on the Fedreral level actually, that's still Washington's, and not every state celebrates it the same: some call it "Washington and Lincoln Day", and in Virginia it's even known as "George Washington Day".

I imagine that no matter what day they call it, it's White Sale Day all over the nation. Money talks, baby.

But I suggest you use Presidents Day as an inspirational theme. Today, find out about Presidents. Find out what they're really supposed to do (not what the Right Wing or compliant faux-liberal press tell you). Go use an actual book in an actual library that doesn't look like it has an agenda. Teach yourself one interesting thing about United States Presidents that doesn't skew left, or skew right.

Learn about the Executive Branch.

Arm yourself with your own Central Intelligence.

(This offer not available to FOX News viewers. Well, actually it is, but you won't take us up on it, and if you do, you'll just screw it up. Sorry. That's just the facts there.)

The Week In Public Testimony

In a titanic battle for the ages, SuperLars goes up against The Mayor:

Meanwhile, over at Metro, someone meant to speak out against (for? we can't tell) the Columbia River Crossing:

Seriously, I don't get the protest here. Is the protester for it? Against It? For having tape on the mouth in public?

Foteaux ripped off from here.

Are Portland TV Broadcasts Still Going Digital on the 17th? (updated)

While we are amused that the DTV switchover effective date has been moved off to June, we are cognizant that the only thing that's changed is that the date has moved.

17th of Feb has always been a deadline, not a requirement.

We don't know what Portland's station constellation are going to do. Could go either way, in these parts.

Updated: We've visited 12, 8, 6 and 2's webs, all of them either have a countdown clock that is still set at 12 days or a policy that stands at shifting to all-dig on the 17th. We'll keep an eye on that. But, as of now, you poor schmendricks that waited till the last minute to get a coupon, suck it up.

You can go to Retrevo if you're on the coupon waiting list. They match people what have and don't need to people what don't have and need.

LynnS at OMI says KGW and KPTV will be making the swtich on the 17th and scheduled. (Scroll to the bottom of the post)