Happy Birthday George Washington

[NoPasaran]

Commander of the Continental Army

President of the Constitutional Convention

First President of the United States

First in War
First in Peace
First in the Hearts of his Countrymen

[Burma Jones]

1. Also, figuring for inflation, the wealthiest of all Presidents

[Bucky]

If Kerry is nominated, let's hope he loses that last title

But yeh, Washington was sort of a Bill Gates-type figure (well, a little less ruthless in business). He endlessly experimented with different business ventures and business models. He detested tobacco as a cash crop and was very interested in promoting America as a financially self reliant nation. Much of our prosperity as a country devolves from his influences as both a business leader and as a politician.

[silverlib]

2. I always remember this day fondly..

In the sixth grade on this date, many, many, many years ago, I was sent to the principle's office for the first time.

Standing outside by an open window of my classroom with a classmate (no air-conditioning in those days) I was overheard my my teacher saying that I wished I was George Washington and she was the cherry tree. I spent two weeks with break suspensions.

Ahh, the beginning of my protest days.

[david_vincent]

3. The farce that is "President's Day"

There used to be Lincoln's birthday, and Washington's birthday, and both were recognized and celebrated. Kids could learn something about the history of their country and learn to appreciate that history a little.
But someone decided that Americans shouldn't have 2 holidays like this in February, because we had to preserve the commercial sanctity of Valentine's Day. So now, no one knows when Washington or Lincoln were born. Instead, we have a meaningless "President's Day" that teaches kids nothing about their nation except that Americans should never, ever, EVER hope to have the cosmic luxury of 3 holidays in a single month, even if one of them is a concocted put-up job for the benefit of florists and greeting card companies.
There's a reason why America has the most productive workforce in the world. We also have the fewest legal holidays in the developed world...
"Arbeit macht frei"