I've no idea who Lou Dobbs is or what he stands for...

[waider]

...but I'll vote for his Paddy's Day idea... (wait, is that the sound of a knee jerking I hear?) (and, of course, there's the fine, FINE collection of reasoned debate quoted here)

Comments

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

I question the celebration of Saint Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo in the US when they're probably not the primary festive days in their home countries.

[waider.livejournal.com]

Not sure I follow. St. Paddy's is pretty much the primary festive day in Ireland, despite my curmudgeonly whining.

Well, unless you count Saturdays. And Friday night. And Thursday for students (who are all on the bus home on Friday, you see). And other days ending in 'y'.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Ah, i thought you guys might celebrate something more recent, like, i dunno, maybe something to do with Michael Collins. I'm pretty sure Cinco de Mayo is not the primary festive day in Mexico.

[waider.livejournal.com]

Dude. St. Patrick is a semi-mythical figure from over 1,000 years ago who nicely straddles the pagan and christian philosophies and can thus be celebrated by pretty much everyone without too much grumbling. Collins was assassinated by his fellow countrymen in a war that (all too literally) set brother against brother and still generates strong feelings in certain quarters since it happened within living memory.

We may be belligerent drunks, but we're not quite dumb enough to declare a national holiday that'd most likely result in a fresh outbreak of hostilities.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Clearly, my grasp of Irish history is about as firm as Bush's grip on reality. Ick.

[dr-strych9.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm getting really damned tired of the Ireland-is-a-nation-of-belligerant-drunks construction. If the rest of the world could handle its beer like the Irish do, then we would have World Fucking Peace.

[waider.livejournal.com]

Hey, I've been out drinking here on a Saturday night. We are belligerant drunks, and not all of us can handle our beer, either. Are you picking a fight? Hmm? I'll show you a thing or two, once I've finished this keg, dammit.

[dr-strych9.livejournal.com]

and not all of us can handle our beer, either

No, but a lot of you can. Have you been to America lately? None of us can handle our fucking beer. It's pathetic.

[waider.livejournal.com]

I wonder if I could get paid to train people. You know, like one of those Time Management, Inc. seminars, except with beer.

[eejitalmuppet.livejournal.com]

Given that you "lost a pub" the last time you visited me, maybe I should put in for a training job, too... ;)

[waider.livejournal.com]

That's part of the training. "How to suffer microamnesia on account of your alcholic hijinks, and MAKE A STORY OUT OF IT."

[candice.livejournal.com]

My friend Richard and I have this story about losing my car in the french quarter one night...

[eejitalmuppet.livejournal.com]

It has to be said that your inebriation was also nicely concealed until you got out of the lost pub, and I suddenly realised that I was steering for two . . .

Also, happy birthday, dude.

[kirinqueen.livejournal.com]

Hey, some of us can.

[waidesworld.livejournal.com]

Including the elder waide....

Is Thursday still Thursday?

[mopti.livejournal.com]

Is Thursday still a mad student evening since McDowell shut the pubs at 11.30?

[jwgh]

Not only did I go to Ireland for Saint Patrick's Day, I ordered a green milkshake. And I have the pictures to prove it, dammit.

I was searching for 'I'm not a racist' earlier but all I could find was people using the phrase to accuse other people of racism; I'm glad you were able to find some fine authentic specimens in the wild.