Monday, September 6, 2010

Happy Labor Day

From Wikipedia: The first Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882 in New York City, by the Central Labor Union of New York, the nation's first integrated major trade union. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike.

These days Labor Day is seen as the official "end of summer," celebrated by picnics and cookouts. It's the last hurrah before autumn begins. However you are spending your holiday, I hope you'll enjoy this "last hurrah."

For the writers out there, here's a quote on work to contemplate today.

“a person who works with his hands is a labourer, a person who works with his hands and his mind is a craftsman. But a person who works with his hands, mind and his heart is an artist." 
- Louis Nizer