Happy Saturday ! It appears that WordPress has fixed my blog, so before it breaks again here is another country to challenge you.
@kelseyinlondon
Month: August 2019
The History of Labor Day in America
History of Labor Day
Labor Day 2019
On September 2, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor celebrates and honors the greatest worker in the world – the American worker. Labor Day 2019 is the 125th anniversary of Labor Day being celebrated as a national holiday.
Labor Day: What it Means
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
Labor Day Legislation
The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed in 1885 and 1886. From these, a movement developed to secure state legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887. During 1887, four more states – Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York – created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.
Founder of Labor Day
More than a century after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.
Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.”
But Peter McGuire’s place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.
The First Labor Day
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.
By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday.
A Nationwide Holiday
The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.
The character of the Labor Day celebration has changed in recent years, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem. This change, however, is more a shift in emphasis and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics, and government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers, radio, and television.
The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership – the American worker.
https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history
WordPress Doin’ Me Wrong !
Things are not going well in my blogosphere today. I’ve not been able to log into WP until now and it seems I’ve only had 2 visitors to my blog all day (it’s 2:21 pm Chicago time). Come on WP. I’m apologizing now for all of the posts that have been sent to me that I haven’t gotten and responded to. To all who have tried to visit my blog and failed, thank you for trying. I’m just going to post this and call it a day.
But, it’s Friday, the weekend, so I’m wishing all of you a fantastic weekend filled with love, laughter and fun. Remember to keep creating, whatever form that takes. Bye !
Labor Day Crossword
From: https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/labor-day-word-search-kids-puzzles-2809181
| ACROSS 4 Monday through Friday 5 Worker holiday 6 Holiday month 7 Outside lunch 11 Profession 14 Do with a tent 15 Branch of production 16 Workers 17 Cookout |
DOWN 1 Autumn 2 Saturday and Sunday 3 Travel 6 Kids go after Labor Day 8 Cooked over fire 9 Amount earned 10 Special day off 12 Laborers 13 Holiday day of week |
8 Signs You Share Way Too Much on Facebook
You don’t think twice before updating
Sure, posting about your anniversary is fine, but posting about every date night is drawing the line. And yes, your hamster knows some adorable tricks, but do you really need to post every single video? Read on for some clear signs that you’re on the verge of becoming an oversharer.
While a social media cleanse might not be as trendy as juicing or doing the Whole30, it might just be what your Facebook pals ordered. If you’re updating your online friends with your every random thought, the last photo you took on your smartphone, or haphazardly sharing a link that you haven’t even read yet, it’s time to execute some editing skills ASAP, if for no other reason than your own privacy. “People often forget that what they post today is still going to be around tomorrow and for years to come. Social media is also unpredictable and not private, so be mindful about what you’re sending out there because chances are it can come back in the future and bite you in the butt,” psychologist and author Dawn Michael, PhD says. “On Facebook, for instance, they take your past and send you an update a year (or two or three or several years later) about what you were doing at that time, called ‘On This Day.’”
You post more than four times a day
If you have wondered yourself if you’re posting too much, you probably are. Julie Spira, cyber expert and author of The Rules of Netiquette asks, would you pick up the phone to call someone 5 to 6 times a day and leave a message? Probably not. “You’re oversharing when your posts exceed four on a given day. Think about the habits of those who log on in the morning and at night,” she says. “If it takes them 12 posts of yours to get to someone else’s, they might just start hiding your feed and get turned off.” Instead, take a break for a day and don’t feel required to post every single day, she says.
You post minute-by-minute updates from your trip
A vacation is not only a luxury, but often times, a privilege that many people save up for months (or years!) to take. That’s why Spira says that if you’re posting hour-by-hour updates of the beautiful, expensive vacay you’re on, you’re oversharing—and being slightly annoying. “Sure we’d love to see the turquoise water in the Caribbean, but if you post an album and keep adding to it all day long, there’s only so many posts that will look different,” she explains. “It’s important not to be the bragger on Facebook, so those who don’t have the luxury of vacation time don’t feel badly about themselves.”
You have taken the ‘social’ out of social networking
At their core, social media platforms were not designed to be inwardly-facing, but instead, a collaborative space to connect with others. So if all of your posts are about yourself and never about anyone else, or you never comment, like, or engage with other people’s post, you might come across as an oversharer. “For every four posts you publish, three should not be about you,” Spira says.
You post photos of your stuff
While an engagement ring might be the only exception (as long as you don’t provide a daily ring update, that is), bragging about the luxury items you have can often be perceived as tacky, and well, unnecessary information. Oversharing this info not only could make you a target for theft, but it could come across selfish to people who don’t understand your intentions. “It can look boastful bragging to post material items that one has over and over again. People are really not that interested to see what you have, how much, and too often,” Dr. Michael explains. “Instead of sharing something special, it becomes oversharing and obnoxious.”
You don’t filter photos of your kids
Hands down, your baby is totally adorable. And yes, you’ve probably had to back-up the storage on your phone more times than you can remember because you snap so many sweet photos of your wee one. But does your best friend from high school’s ex-husband really need to see your babe in a tub with a Santa Claus bubble beard? Probably not. Martinez warns that not only is oversharing photos of your children annoying to those who don’t have children, can’t have children, or don’t care for children, but it puts your kids at risk, too. “Never open your children up to social media,” Nikki Martinez, PsyD says. “Do not share frequent pictures of them, and make sure that you are controlling the group who can see them when you really want to share something.”
People who used to like your posts have disappeared
We all have that one person—Hi, mom!—who never fails to like each and every single thing we do both online and offline. And you also probably have a few friends you haven’t connected with in forever that somehow know everything about you and react to all of your posts. But when those folks start to disappear? You know you’ve been posting way, way too much. “Notice people disappearing from your feed? Have not seen a post from someone in a while, but they are still on your friends list? They never comment or react to anything anymore? They have likely hidden your posts,” Dr. Martinez says. “This is their nice way of trying to not hurt your feelings by blatantly deleting your as a friend, but quietly allowing themselves to not have to see your posts anymore. If this starts to become a semi-regular happening, maybe stop and ask yourself why.” Ready to give cutting back on posting a try?
You’re posting intimate details about your sex life
While sex is less taboo than it’s ever been, especially with mainstream culture and media ethics, there is always a time and place for dirty talk and it’s never, ever on Facebook—or any other social media for that matter. What you do behind closed doors with your significant other should stay there. Freely sharing this info on social media without considering the other person is a big social media mistake. Dr. Michael says you put your relationship (or could-be partnership) in danger. And well, you could gross some people out, too.
Good advice from Readers Digest to keep you safe on-line.
Hurricane Bromeliads
One of Florida’s prettiest flowers:
Hurricane Bromeliads, Torch or Flaming Torch Bromeliads.
Botanists call them Billbergia pyramidalis.
Bucket List Challenge–Germany
@kelseyinlondon
A Simple (?) Iced Mocha
Ingredients
- 3 cups brewed coffee
- 3 cups chocolate milk
- 1/2 cup nesquik chocolate milk mix
- 4 tablespoons whipped cream optional garnish
Instructions
-
Pour coffee into an airtight pitcher. In separate container mix up chocolate milk,you can add or take away chocolate if needed. Pour chocolate milk into container with coffee, screw on lid tight, shake until well mixed. Store in refrigerator until needed. Should last all night!
Nutrition
Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 510mg | Potassium: 807mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 54g | Vitamin A: 915IU | Calcium: 455mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Tried this recipe?
(Me, I’m impatient. I’d just put everything in a blender, add a copious amount of ice, and blend away. Then, add gobs of whipped cream, and enjoy. Just remember, this recipe is for 2 servings, OK ? Otherwise you’ll be drinking 26 grams of fat. Ugh ! Gotta share this one)
Harley Announces a Trike For 2020
Wow. A Harley Trike. They said it would never happen. They said it was sissified. Well. here it is and it looks pretty cool. At about $50k, it should be. The CVO Tri Glide will be rolled out in limited production for 2020.
I wonder if it will have the same Harley sound that we have come to know and hate, uh, love. Sorry. Many of us have sensitive ears and can hear that familiar roar of a Harley from blocks away. This one looks tame though. Happy trails !
These Are the Hardest Questions on the U.S. Citizenship Test
It’s no secret that the United States is a country of immigrants. Despite recent political moods, the nation has a long history of welcoming foreigners from all over the world. Up to 780,000 people become American citizens every year.
They need to meet several requirements, one of which is knowledge of U.S. history and government. This is done by taking a citizenship test. But there are no surprises. A United States Citizenship and Immigration Services officer randomly selects 10 questions from a list of 100, and reads them in English to the would-be citizen, who must answer at least six correctly.
Some questions are easy — who is the president of the United States or what are the two main political parties. Others, however, can make even citizens think twice. In fact, just 36% of Americans would pass a multiple choice test with questions from the civics test, according to a 2018 national survey conducted by Lincoln Park Strategies, an analytic research firm.
The good news is that, even though some questions have multiple correct answers, a person only has to know one. No one will have to, for example, memorize all 56 people who signed the Declaration of Independence.
To compile a list of the 21 hardest civics questions in the naturalization test, 24/7 Tempo reviewed several sources, including a 2011 study by Paula Winke, a professor at Michigan State University who studies language and language testing, a 2018 national survey conducted by Lincoln Park Strategies, an analytic research firm, and two online guides for the U.S. citizenship test. The questions on the following list are in no particular order, but all of them were considered the most difficult by these sources.
Name three of the 13 original colonies
About two-thirds of Americans either incorrectly identified or were unsure of which states were among the original 13, according to a 2018 national survey conducted by Lincoln Park Strategies, an analytic research firm. There are several tips to memorize at least three. Perhaps the easiest one is to remember the three states whose names start with “New.” These are New York, New Jersey, and New Hampshire.
Here are all 13: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
Perhaps an easier question would be “What wasn’t he known for?” You might answer “a scientist and an inventor.” While technically this is not wrong, the answer is not acceptable. Your options are: U.S. diplomat, oldest member of the Constitutional Convention, first Postmaster General of the United States, writer of “Poor Richard’s Almanac,” and started the first free libraries.
A quarter of Americans answered with one of these four options. About 37% said he invented the lightbulb, according to the 2018 survey.
Why did the colonists fight the British?
Some may consider this a tricky question. Maybe most people will go for an answer that focuses on independence, and this is not wrong. It’s just not a direct cause for the war. About 24% of Americans knew the correct answer, according to the 2018 poll.
The three possible correct answers are: because of high taxes (taxation without representation); because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering); and because the colonists didn’t have self-government.
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
There is only one correct answer — World War II — and you’d just have to memorize it if history is not your strong suit. What may help is if you remember he was a general. He led the western Allies’ invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe that began on D-Day.
In the 2018 national survey, 12% of Americans incorrectly thought Eisenhower led troops in the Civil War, and 6% said he was a Vietnam War general.
What does the judicial branch do?
Do the terms separation of powers and the three branches of the government ring a bell? The judicial branch consists of courts — the Supreme Court, federal, state and local. The four possible answers are: reviews laws; explains laws; resolves disputes (disagreements); and decides if a law goes against the Constitution.
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These are the three rights the Declaration of Independence states are inalienable and can’t be taken away or given up. You only need to remember two. Maybe a good reminder would be popular movie “The Pursuit of Happyness,” starring Will Smith.
Who was President during World War I?
There is only one correct answer — Woodrow Wilson. There are no tricks to help you remember. You either know it or you don’t.
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
The Federalist Papers are also known as The Federalist. They were a series of 85 articles and essays published in newspapers arguing for the signing of the new Constitution. There were three authors, who wrote them under the pseudonym “Publius.” So the four possible answers are: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, or Publius.
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
With so much of the news focusing on President Donald Trump, it’s easy to forget who the Speaker of the House is. Currently, it’s Nancy Pelosi. At least you don’t have to know what political party she belongs to (Democratic Party).
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
If the question was just about World War II, the answer might have been tricky. The addition of the Great Depression period is a hint. The correct answer is Franklin Roosevelt.
Name your U.S. representative.
There are 435 possible answers, but only one correct answer per person living in a certain area. You just have to look up who represents your district in the House of Representatives. For example, if you live in Maryland’s seventh district, your representative is Elijah Cummings.
When was the Constitution written?
Maybe this is among the most difficult questions because people automatically think 1776, which was the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. The correct answer is 1787.
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
How often do you hear about the Supreme Court in the news? And even when you do, the justices are rarely singled out (with the exception of Trump’s two nominees.) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is John Roberts. (The only other name that may have been easier to remember is John Smith.)
Who is one of your state’s U.S. senators now?
There are 100 possible answers as there are 100 senators in Congress. Each state has two, and you just have to know one of them. For example, if you live in New York, you can answer either Kirsten Gillibrand or Chuck Schumer.
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
It’s just a number you have to remember and there is no trick to it. The correct answer is 27.
The House of Representatives has how many members?
Maybe there is just something about people and numbers that just makes them hard to memorize. It’s a big House, and it has 435 voting members.
How many Justices are on the Supreme Court?
Another question the answer to which is a single number that you just have to remember — nine. (At least you don’t have to know all justices currently serving on the court.)
What is the “rule of law”?
There are four ways you can answer that are considered correct: Everyone must follow the law; leaders must obey the law; government must obey the law; no one is above the law.
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
One of them is perhaps the most famous river in the country — the Mississippi River. The other one is the Missouri River. (Two rivers named after states and both start with the letter M. It should be easy enough to remember.)
We elect a U.S. senator for how many years?
Again, a question with a simple, singular answer — six years. It’s not difficult to see why some people may find it confusing. After all, presidents are elected for four years, members of the House of Representatives for two, governors for four (except those of Vermont and New Hampshire), and senators for six. Too many numbers to remember…
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
There are four possible answers: to print money; to declare war; to create an army; and to make treaties.
There you have it. The hardest questions found on the U.S. citizenship test. How did you do ?
Images by Getty Images & sweetbabeejay /istock