Sorry if the title is misleading.
This post doesn't refer to some juicy scandal about a president - or even involve trashy talk about a president or presidential candidate (sorry ;-) No, I'm talking about actual trash.
You see, last night I didn't put the trash out because I didn't see the usual neighbor-trash on the curb. I figured no collection in the morning due to the holiday. That was that.
Then, as I left this morning - lo and behold - there was quite a bit of neighbor-trash out at the curb. I thought to myself, "Oh, OK, there must be trash collection after all".
Hummm...
How do we form our opinions and make decisions? Because of observations? Assumptions? Because someone else thinks or does something?
Today, we can make our own informed decisions like never before. We're armed with the information we need when we need it. I could have jumped on the city's website to know the answer instead of guessing or making a decision based on what the neighbors did.
Alert! Is this all I can think about on Presidents' Day? Trash?!
I took some of my own medicine and jumped on a keyboard. A few clicks reminded me about the origin of the holiday. It dates back to the 1880s, when George Washington's birthday was first celebrated as a federal holiday. "Washington's Birthday" was changed to "Presidents' Day" in 1971 - due, in part, to the proximity of Lincoln's birthday in February (Washington is February 22nd and Lincoln is February 12th) - not to mention the fact that retailers in the U.S. already named the holiday "Presidents' Day" for themselves anyway.
To think... I live in a country where I am fortunate enough to have my trash removed for me.
I also live in a country odd enough that the power of retail defines how we celebrate the legacy of our leaders.
Oh: The answer to the trash removal? I guess I'll find out when I get home.
craig arthur james 2012
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