...each East Austin Gentrifist is, in his or her own way, a kind of Columbus: Making assumptions passed on projections of the real estate market, alternately worshiping or shaking their fist at the spate of new condominiums, depending on their particular deities—‘discovering’ new parks and stores, trying to understand the strange speech and habits of the natives, semi-aware that their very presence contains a pathogen of tax hikes that threaten to exterminate the indigenous population....

Here are our favorites posts for Columbus Day week: We like haiku, and honoria in ciberspazio has written one about painting. It's Shanntastic! attended the Texas Conference for Women. She heard Martha Stewart "talk about her new kitchen and what color of shells she enjoys." Good times. Speaking of color, Translucence reminds us to think pink this month. GlennM from Lone Star Democracy Builders Association enjoyed doing voter registration at Fiesta. Emma's mommy at......

As we approach that inane holiday Monday (Columbus Day) and prepare to "celebrate" the "discovery of our country" in 1492, we felt it would be appropriate to revel in this little bit of musical comedy irreverence about that war we were lied into and the disingenuous way in which some people celebrate their patriotism/absolve their guilt. And who better to lead us in a bit of Friday morning foot-tapping than Austin's own Asylum Street Spankers..........