Happy Columbus Day

[oblongmelon]

I'm off to the parade....
ciao!

[kimchicowboy]

and i'm off to work.

have a good one you gov't workers! :P

[Sirrich3]

Must be nice to have a DAY OFF!
I owe, I owe...Its off to work I go!

[BigJon]

I'm working today...and I live in Columbus!

[cadetevon]

I'm working and I'm a state employee. :(

[DarkFury]

Happy "I just discovered your backyard... now I'm giving you the day off" Day. :D

[MikeD]

Off today!

Hanging with the kids, heading to the park for some quality time together...

[guiseppewv]

I'm at work today too!!!! :(


I'm working and I'm a state employee. :(

You got the shaft.

[captainhook]

awww shucks... I'm also at work. sighs...

[zippyjuan]

Ah- another chance to throw in one of the chalk drawings from Little Italy. The sponsor of this one is Carribean Cruise Lines and that is why their name is at the top.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v243/JeffryZ/PICT0208.jpg

[Grimm]

Given a choice between having Columbus Day being a real, federaly recognized holiday and Talk Like a Pirate Day being a recognized holiday, I would chose to have Talk Like a Pirate Day.

[oblongmelon]

Given a choice between having Columbus Day being a real, federaly recognized holiday and Talk Like a Pirate Day being a recognized holiday, I would chose to have Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Say that to the wrong person and you'll have the CSJ crawling all over you. And you'd deserve it I might add. How insulting.

[ialsohaveadream]

Say that to the wrong person and you'll have the CSJ crawling all over you. And you'd deserve it I might add. How insulting.
Celebrating Columbus Day is insulting to some groups, too. Native Americans aren't too keen on the guy, as you might imagine.

[oblongmelon]

Celebrating Columbus Day is insulting to some groups, too. Native Americans aren't too keen on the guy, as you might imagine.

mmmkayyy..here we go with the Native American saga again..get over it..You'd be drinking tea with your mummy and daddy in jolly ol England if it wasn't for Cristoforo Columbus....

[Grimm]

Say that to the wrong person and you'll have the CSJ crawling all over you. And you'd deserve it I might add. How insulting.
Sorry. I apologize for having a sense of humor. Please just put me on ignore Obby so I don't offend you in the future.

[ialsohaveadream]

mmmkayyy..here we go with the Native American saga again..get over it..You'd be drinking tea with your mummy and daddy in jolly ol England if it wasn't for Cristoforo Columbus....
(self-edited snip)
For the record, if Columbus hadn't gotten here, someone else would. And even if that weren't true, I'd most likely be in Romania or Germany with mummy and daddy...but I don't see how that would be soul-crushing. :shrug:

[nickel]

why do you guys have to bring negativity into a "Happy Columbus Day" thread?

leave it alone already.

[oblongmelon]

Sorry. I apologize for having a sense of humor. Please just put me on ignore Obby so I don't offend you in the future.

Let's see if you have the same "sense of humor" when days like Kwaanza, and and the Chinese Lantern Festival roll around..
And watching you put your excessively large foot in your mouth is far more interesting than putting you on ignore.

[nickel]

i know!!! im a student @ Columbus high and we have school!!! :2far:
that's just wrong. :P
all of our schools/fed employees have Columbus Day off, and always have as far as i can remember.

[ialsohaveadream]

that's just wrong. :P
all of our schools/fed employees have Columbus Day off, and always have as far as i can remember.
I didn't have it off.

I have Veteran's Day off, though. So I'll have a holiday soon. :)

[DarkFury]

Say that to the wrong person and you'll have the CSJ crawling all over you. And you'd deserve it I might add. How insulting.
Who are the "CSJ"? :shrug:

[nickel]

I didn't have it off.

I have Veteran's Day off, though. So I'll have a holiday soon. :)
you aren't in NY dear. go New England!

[oblongmelon]

The Commission for Social Justice (CSJ) is the anti-defamation arm of the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), the biggest and oldest national organization for men and women of Italian descent in the United States.


The CSJ was founded in 1979 to fight the stereotyping of Italian Americans by the entertainment, advertising and news industries. It also collaborates with other groups to ensure that people of all races, religions and cultures are treated with dignity and respect.
The CSJ monitors the entertainment, advertising and news industries, contacts offending parties by letter and/or telephone and alerts other Italian American organizations, e-mail networks and concerned individuals to the problem so that they too can take action.
Through its Positive Image Program, the CSJ regularly informs the media and general public about Italian American achievements, contributions, history and culture.
As part of its Positive Image Program, the CSJ conducts research, produces studies, teaching tools, pamphlets, exhibits and other materials on the achievements and contributions of Italian Americans. Sample inventory of CSJ Positive Image materials:




The Medal of Honor exhibit: Italian American war heroes The Una Storia Segreta exhibit (courtesy American Italian Historical Association) on the WWII internment of Italian Americans "Columbus: Fact vs. Fiction," a 12-page booklet on Columbus's role in history The Sons of Italy Italian Festival Directory of more than 300 festivals in 23 states How-to kit: "Start Italian in Your School" "OSIA Italian Language Enrollment Report" on the status of Italian studies in the United States
Book marks, posters, pamphlets and brochures on Italian Americans in many fields

The CSJ conducts campaigns at both the community and the national level that support cultural and social issues of importance to Italian Americans. (Legislation, commemorative stamps, Columbus Day/Heritage Month, etc.) To achieve its objectives, the CSJ engages in community and government relations as well as in grassroots campaigns and fund-raising efforts. However, given its non-profit status, the CSJ cannot offer legal advice or assistance in lawsuits.

A whole lot of people who would be pissed over the fact that Grimm questioned why the day should be celebrated-and they are NOT kidding....
let me give you an example..there was a little movie out called SHARK TALES..the CSJ got pissed over the derogatory use of stereotypical Italian type characters in the movie that they went after the Director, the Studio that produced the movie, and the theaters who supported the showing of it..not only that-they boycotted Burger King, Coke, and a few other sponsors who promoted the movie as well--while the cost was little (cost of stamps, stationary and appearances by officers of the Organization in various locations, the loss to the Movie -as-a whole was tremendous.

[Nija]

A whole lot of people who would be pissed over the fact that Grimm questioned why the day should be celebrated-and they are NOT kidding....
let me give you an example..there was a little movie out called SHARK TALES..the CSJ got pissed over the derogatory use of stereotypical Italian type characters in the movie that they went after the Director, the Studio that produced the movie, and the theaters who supported the showing of it..not only that-they boycotted Burger King, Coke, and a few other sponsors who promoted the movie as well--while the cost was little (cost of stamps, stationary and appearances by officers of the Organization in various locations, the loss to the Movie -as-a whole was tremendous.

Yeah, breaking the record for DVD's/VHS sold when it was released ($80 Million with 6 Million units sold) (http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2005-02-15#film2), they sure seemed hurt by the boycott.

What else is there? Oh, how about this: in a disappointing showing it's opening weekend, it only made $49.1M, placing it in the number 1 slot (http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2004-10-04#film1) The boycott sure seemed to have an impact.

And in a final, depressing showing, it only made 159.7 Million Dollars in 2004 (http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2005-01-04#film1) (before DVD & VHS sales) boycott and all.

Wow. 'Shark Tales' really got shown there...

[bachviet]

Too bad only government workers have a day off.

[ialsohaveadream]

Too bad only government workers have a day off.
Ahem.

*SOME* government workers had the day off.

[bachviet]

Ahem.

*SOME* government workers had the day off.
You got shafted. :P

[guiseppewv]

why do you guys have to bring negativity into a "Happy Columbus Day" thread?

leave it alone already.

:stupid:

[oblongmelon]

Yeah, breaking the record for DVD's/VHS sold when it was released ($80 Million with 6 Million units sold) (http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2005-02-15#film2), they sure seemed hurt by the boycott.

What else is there? Oh, how about this: in a disappointing showing it's opening weekend, it only made $49.1M, placing it in the number 1 slot (http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2004-10-04#film1) The boycott sure seemed to have an impact.

And in a final, depressing showing, it only made 159.7 Million Dollars in 2004 (http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2005-01-04#film1) (before DVD & VHS sales) boycott and all.

Wow. 'Shark Tales' really got shown there...

You're talking about monetary loss-I'm not. I'm talking about the loss of endorsement of the Italian Communities across the world. And yes, while I did mention that the cost of the boycott to the actual organization was minimal,that was to show that it doesn't take much effort or financial backing to sanction such efforts 'round the globe. It is well known that CARRES (Coalition against racial, religious and ethical stereotyping), put Dreamworks productions "feet to the fire" as it was said..in which the studio was forced to defend the stereotyping in the movie..something they've never had to do before, which brought negative national (and worldwide) attention to the company itself. The MPAA (movie industry's trade association-and very powerful itself), have now added racial, religious, and ethical stereotyping to it's rating criteria-something before never done.

When the movie opened, Movie critics around the world gave negative comments regarding the stereotyping of Italians, including such sources as the Washington Post, the Boston Globe and the Associated Press, which allowed the movie to be reviewed in a negative light by Italians all over the world. DeNiro, who was the voice of one of the Characters had to defend his role in the film, and according to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at the time, DeNiro had his Honorary Italian Citizenship placed on permanant hold. Not a good thing for someone as famous as DeNiro-when your own ancestral lands stalls out your citizenship. His portrayal in various "mob" movies didn't even have the effect that Shark Tales did..one of the reasons for it was because the Mob movies-geared towards adults, wouldn't have the same learning effect as Shark Tales would on children-who would grow up stereotyping all Italians as Mobsters, gangsters and thugs..
When Billion dollar organizations such as Unico, Italian American Foundation, and OSIA and Columbus Citizens Organization band together against defamation, and character assassinations, then it's not a good thing. Movie studios, and large corporations such as the owners of Burger King and Coca Cola may have financial power, but they wouldn't be around without consumer backing..if the well goes dry, the corporations go under. Without consumer support-where would they be? What happens when Corporate sponsors start pulling their funding, and reputations from Movies like Shark Tales? Sooner or later-Companies will realize that racial stereotyping is not something they choose to be associated with....and will back down from supporting those products that promote it.

[Merlin]

So how was everyones holiday? I had to work but things were pretty slow. All in all not too bad of a day.

[oblongmelon]

Mine was glorious..Thank you for asking :)

[cadetevon]

So how was everyones holiday? I had to work but things were pretty slow. All in all not too bad of a day.
Mine was ok. I had to work, but my little guy (10 years old) had the day off so he came into work with me.

[echonrg]

this is a test

[echonrg]

the test worked

[MikeD]

:eek3:

[echonrg]

well at least I figured out that the only way to gain post points is to post in other pages other thana the one I usually post on.

[echonrg]

Welcome Back Everyone Form The Long And Fruitful Weekend

[Markel]

well at least I figured out that the only way to gain post points is to post in other pages other thana the one I usually post on.
Actually, neffing is a way to earn negative postcount and other special "treatment", as posted in the forum rules (http://www.gotapex.com/off-topic/announcements.html):

No Neffing: Neffing is posting about basically nothing in order to drive up post totals. Neffing is frowned upon by members and a person who nefs may find themselves with a reduced post total and unwanted custom rank.
Beware of the wrath of GAM! :eek:

[echonrg]

How Is It That You Use Custom Avatars Miked?

[MikeD]

How Is It That You Use Custom Avatars Miked?

Welcome to the site. :)

Check out these posts (http://www.gotapex.com/off-topic/announcements.html), should have answer to some of the questions you have.

[BigJon]

You always read the instructions before assembling the product. :disa: