The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
VILLAGE OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED – MONDAY SEPT 4TH, 2017 – LABOR DAY
September 3, 2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, All Village offices will be closed on Monday, September 4, 2017 in observance of Labor Day. There will be no garbage or recycling pickup on this day and the Recycling Center will also be closed. All offices will reopen on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 8:30 a.m.
….The problem with weekends after Labor Day is that everyone has pushed past summer and is I to soccer practice and birthday parties and lacrosse and cross country, you name it. Weekends are booked from the moment the school bell rings. Sad, but true……
Glen Rock pool is open after Labor Day on weekends. Correct me if I am wrong.What about adults who want to use Graydon Sept. weekends. Oh, I get it , I am a senior who would love Graydon open anytime in Sept. after Labor Day, but I don’t count. Why is it always the kids and not the adults and NEVER the seniors who are taken into consideration for fun things. That crappy senior center, with dottering exercise classes and trips where the main event is a fattening lunch, SCREW THAT. No healthy senior would join that. I sure in hell wouldn’t. And I am in my mid seventies.
Who barbecues
Barbecues have been a White House tradition since Thomas Jefferson. Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, hosted the first barbecue at the White House that featured Texas-style barbecued ribs. Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter hosted a “pig pickin’” for about 500 guests including visiting foreign dignitaries. Ronald and Nancy Reagan also were avid barbecuers who entertained with barbecues at their ranch. George H. Bush, 41st president, held a barbecue for Members of Congress annually on the South Lawn of the White House, a tradition continued by his son, President George W. Bush. However, that tradition was interrupted on September 12, 2001, the day after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Secret Service agents, who had evacuated the White House a day earlier, cancelled the barbecue and the White House kitchen released 700 pounds of beef tenderloin to feed the hundreds of rescue workers who had traveled to Washington.
When we barbecue
The most popular holidays for barbecuing are, in order, July 4th (76 percent), Memorial Day (62 percent), and Labor Day (62 percent).
What we barbecue
According to HPBA’s 2013 survey data (the most recent year this data was collected),
The most popular foods for cooking on the grill are, in order: burgers (85 percent), steak (80 percent), hot dogs (79 percent) and chicken (73 percent).
The side dishes most commonly prepared on the grill are, in order, corn (41 percent), potatoes (41 percent), and other vegetables (32 percent).
The most popular flavors of barbecue sauce are hickory, followed by mesquite, honey, and then spicy-hot.
How we barbecue
There are about as many styles of barbecuing as there are opinions – everyone’s got their own! Generally speaking, though, there are barbecue styles that dominate in different regions of the country. In the Carolinas, they can’t agree whether sauce should be vinegar, mustard or tomato based, but they can agree on the meat the sauce goes on – pork. In the Deep South, Georgia, Florida, and parts of Louisiana, you’ll find that Cajun cuisine has had a strong influence. Regardless of whether you’re barbecuing beef brisket, pork ribs, rabbit, or trout, chances are your taste buds will get a kick from a spicy marinade, sauce, or rub. In other parts of the South, pork also rules. In sunny California, lighter fare such as salmon is king of the grill. The Midwest is a barbecue hotbed – if you can’t find a meat and sauce combination you like in Kansas City, you can’t find it anywhere.
Our Utensils
Nearly half of all owners own the most basic grilling accessories (cleaning brush, tongs, glove/mitts), and many plan to purchase more specialized accessories in the year ahead, such as:
Pizza stone (14%)
Fish or broiling basket (14%)
Cedar or other cooking planks (14%)
Motorized rotisserie (12%)
Grill woks (11%)
Our Fuels
Ellsworth B. A. Zwoyer of Pennsylvania patented a design for charcoal briquettes in 1897. After World War I, the Zwoyer Fuel Company built charcoal briquette manufacturing plants in the United States with plants in Buffalo, NY and Fall River, MA.
There are stories circulating that Henry Ford invented the very first briquette in 1920 with the help of Thomas Edison. However, the 1897 patent obviously predates this and Ford and Edison both knew Zwoyer.
Natural lump charcoal costs a bit more than charcoal briquettes, but it burns hotter, which means you use less – and partially burned natural lump charcoal can be reused. Briquettes work better for long cooking periods and they produce more consistent heat.
It’s easy to check how much propane is remaining in your tank. When using a gas grill, be sure to regularly check how much propane remains in your tank. There are several accessories on the market that can easily monitor your propane level without lifting the propane tank. Better yet, keep a full, spare propane tank handy so you never run out of fuel.
Barbecue History
There is no definitive history about how the word “barbecue” originated – or why it’s sometimes used as a noun, verb, or adjective. Some say the Spaniards get the credit for the word, derived from their “barbacoa” which is an American-Indian word for the framework of green wood on which foods were placed for cooking over hot coals. Others think the French were responsible, offering the explanation that when the Caribbean pirates arrived on our Southern shores, they cooked animals on a spit-like devise that ran from “whiskers to tail” or “de barbe a` queue.”
Competition barbecuing is one of the hottest hobbies in the country with hundreds of cook-offs held throughout all 50 states. The biggest and most famous are Memphis in May and The American Royal in Kansas City. Both cities stake their claim to being the barbecue capital of the U.S.
https://www.hpba.org/consumers/barbecue/fun-facts-about-barbecue
In Government, Every Day Is Labor Day
If there’s a day of the year to notice the paradox of organized labor, Labor Day is it.
Ira Stoll | September 1, 2014
here’s a day of the year to notice the paradox of organized labor, Labor Day is it.
The paradox is this: even as private sector unionism has declined, public sector unionism is in some ways more influential than ever.
The numbers tell the story. Among private sector employees — the ones who work for for-profit companies or non-profit organizations that are not part of the government — the percentage who belong to labor unions plummeted to a mere 7.5 percent last year, from 23.3 percent in 1977, according to UnionStats.com. By the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics’ more restrictive accounting, a mere 6.7 percent of private sector workers were in unions in 2013.
Among government workers, it’s a whole different story: 40.8 percent of local government workers — teachers, police, firefighters, librarians — belong to unions, according to the BLS numbers. The public sector rate drops to 35.3 percent (38.7 percent by the UnionStats.com numbers) if you include state and federal employees — postal workers, corrections officers. That’s so much higher than the private sector that it’s almost a tale of two labor movements — one, in the private sector, that is diminishing to irrelevance, and another, in the public sector, that retains substantial clout.
https://reason.com/archives/2014/09/01/in-government-every-day-is-labor-day
Economy no savior for Dems
Democrats are running out of time for an economic savior.
They have long predicted that an economic turnaround would be the elixir that helps them retain control of the Senate in November.
But with just a handful of big economic reports left before Election Day, the economic picture is largely in place. And while the outlook is bright, voters continue to hold a dim view of their own financial prospects.
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“There are still a lot of families playing catch-up,” said Jared Bernstein at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. “It’s got to be awfully hard for the typical voter to figure out what Congress had done to help the economy move forward. It’s a lot easier to figure out what they’ve done to screw things up.”
Broadly speaking, the economy has made gains in the last several months. The unemployment rate has held steady or dropped every month for over a year, and new data shows the economy grew this spring at its fastest rate in more than 12 months.
But the good news isn’t resonating with the public.
A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released earlier this month found 71 percent of people blamed Washington for the economy’s woes, and dissatisfaction mainly fell on incumbents overall, rather than on a particular party.
That poll found roughly half of voters believe the economy is still in a recession, even though the economic decline ended in June 2009.
Similarly, Gallup’s index of economic confidence has remained unchanged for all of 2014. People are actually less confident about the economy now than they were in January, when the unemployment rate was nearly half a percentage point higher.
With just two months to go before the midterm elections, there are just a handful of major economic indicators due before ballots are cast, including a pair of jobs reports.
With so little time left, it appears increasingly unlikely that views will change enough to boost the chances of Democrats, who are trying to escape the gravity of President Obama’s flagging poll numbers.
Some researchers argue the economic recovery has not been felt widely, with the majority of the gains going to people on the top of the income scale.
Read more: https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/216287-economy-no-savior-for-dems#ixzz3C5WJ63Vb
The Real Maguire – Who Actually Invented Labor Day?
While most sources, even the Department of Labor, credit Peter McGuire with the origination of Labor Day, recent evidence suggests that the true father of Labor Day may in fact be another famous union leader of the 19th Century, Matthew Maguire.
According to legend, Peter McGuire stood before the New York Central Labor Union on May 12, 1882, to suggest the idea of setting aside one day a year to honor labor. McGuire believed that Labor Day should “be celebrated by a street parade which would publicly show the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations.”
Peter McGuire was a young, though well-respected, union leader. A child of immigrants, he quit school at an early age to go to work. In 1881, he founded the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, which would become the largest trade union of the time. Later, McGuire would join with his friend, Samuel Gompers, to found the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Through the AFL and the Carpenters, McGuire led the great strikes of 1886 and 1890, which would eventually result in the adoption of the eight-hour workday on the nation’s agenda.
Recently, however, evidence uncovered at the New Jersey Historical Society in Newark reveals that another respected union figure of the day, Matthew Maguire, may quite possibly be the man behind the creation of Labor Day.
In the 1870s, Matthew Maguire led several strikes, most of which were intended to force the plight of manufacturing workers and their long hours into the public consciousness. By 1882, Maguire had become the secretary of and a leading figure in the Central Labor Union of New York.
According to the New Jersey Historical Society, after President Cleveland signed into law the creation of a national Labor Day, The Paterson (N.J.) Morning Call published an opinion piece entitled, “Honor to Whom Honor is Due,” which stated that “the souvenir pen should go to Alderman Matthew Maguire of this city, who is the undisputed author of Labor Day as a holiday.” This editorial also referred to Maguire as the “Father of the Labor Day holiday.”
So why has Matthew Maguire been overlooked as the “Father of Labor Day”?
According to The First Labor Day Parade, by Ted Watts, Maguire held some political beliefs that were considered fairly radical for the day and also for Samuel Gompers and his American Federation of Labor. Allegedly, Gompers did not want Labor Day to become associated with the sort of “radical” politics of Matthew Maguire, so in a 1897 interview, Gompers’ close friend Peter J. McGuire was assigned the credit for the origination of Labor Day.
https://www.dol.gov/laborday/history-maguire.htm
President Grover Cleveland
Labor Day stems from deadly labor strike, but few Americans know the history
A labor movement in Chicago in 1894 left 30 Pullman workers dead, and later spurred Congress and President Grover Cleveland to pass a bill creating Labor Day. But the history of this holiday is rarely taught in schools, and there are few full-time labor journalists to write about working class communities.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Sunday, August 31, 2014, 7:31 PM
WASHINGTON — Monday is the day to celebrate the American worker and his sacrifices and economic and social achievements.
You do know that, right?
If you don’t, you’re not alone.
Few recall the bloodstained origins of this holiday as we fire up the grill, throw on the burgers and dogs and turn on the U.S. Open tennis or maybe the Yanks, Mets or another ballgame.
And, in a sign of the times, the Sunday morning network news shows didn’t even offer their usual, token pre-Labor Day weekend spot for the head of the nation’s labor movement.
“No,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka when I asked him. “No invitations this year.”
I told the former mine worker-turned-lawyer that there seems to be a precious lack of understanding of the holiday’s origins.
In fact, it stems from an awful confrontation in Chicago in 1894 that saw federal marshals and the Army kill 30 striking Pullman railroad strikers.
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/history-labor-day-forgotten-article-1.1923299
Village Hall Labor Day Holiday Closure – September 1st
In observance of Labor Day on Monday, September 1st – Village Hall and the Stable offices will be closed. Sanitation and Recycling Services will not be collected on September 1st.
One giant leap: Whale sightings off Jersey Shore up dramatically
AUGUST 29, 2014, 7:26 PM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014, 10:34 PM
BY SCOTT FALLON
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
While it hasn’t become Cape Cod just yet, the number of whale sightings around New Jersey has increased substantially this year, suggesting that the state’s coastal waters are now clean enough to sustain humpbacks, finbacks and other species during their feeding season.
Since April, dozens of whales have been spotted from Sandy Hook to Cape May chasing down schools of small fish sometimes within a mile of New Jersey’s shoreline.
“They seem to be staying in the same area all season long, which is something we haven’t really seen before,” said Amy Bergeron, a marine biologist with the Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center, which runs tours along New Jersey’s southern coast. “Some are not even a mile out. We know they come here for the food, and you’re seeing huge batches of bait fish close to the shore.”
As of last week, the Cape May center had 37 whale sightings, compared with 15 through October last year. And Gotham Whale Watch, a group of “citizen scientists” who catalog marine mammals in New York and as far south as Monmouth County, has reported 57 whale sightings so far up from 43 in 2013.
The news has drawn thousands onto whale-watching boats hoping to see the majestic mammals gliding through the ocean and perhaps even glimpse a humpback leaping out of the water. It has also prompted authorities to issue alerts to boaters fearing whales are coming too close to shore.
Academics are treating the reports cautiously, since most of the sightings come from groups associated with local whale-watching boats. But some environmental officials and marine biologists say the reports should be taken seriously.
“It’s tough to definitively say there are more whales in an area without more baseline information,” said Jackie Toth Sullivan, a marine mammal scientist and adjunct professor at Richard Stockton College. “That being said, an increase certainly seems plausible given the amount of anecdotal reports coming in from boaters, whale-watching boats and beachgoers alike this season.”
Beginning in April, thousands of humpback whales usually pass New Jersey dozens of miles off the coast during their annual migration up the East Coast from their winter mating and birthing grounds in the West Indies. Many congregate around Cape Cod to feed on the abundant sea life near a large underwater plateau in Massachusetts Bay or head farther into the North Atlantic for food.
Cleaner waters affect the bottom of the food chain allowing plankton to flourish closer to shore. That in turn provides a food source for small bait fish like menhaden. And whales like nothing more than to scoop a school of menhaden into their mouths for lunch.
Even though an estimated 23 billion gallons of raw sewage spills from hundreds of outfall pipes into New Jersey’s rivers and bays each year, the state’s coastal waters are considered the cleanest they have been in decades.
New Jersey ranked third in best water quality out of 30 states last year with 3 percent of water samples exceeding pollution standards, according to a report by the National Resource Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/one-giant-leap-whale-sightings-off-jersey-shore-up-dramatically-1.1078310#sthash.SJTBWb7q.dpuf
Labor Day exhausted: 40-hour work week grows to 47-60 hours
BY PAUL BEDARD | AUGUST 29, 2014 | 12:04 PM
TOPICS: WASHINGTON SECRETS JOBS LABOR WORK REQUIREMENTS
The old “9 to 5” work week is becoming about as obsolete as the American Dream.
A new Gallup poll finds that economically-stressed Americans are now working an “average” of 47 hours, with a growing number clocking 60 hours or more.
“Adults employed full time in the U.S. report working an average of 47 hours per week, almost a full workday longer than what a standard five-day, 9-to-5 schedule entails. In fact, half of all full-time workers indicate they typically work more than 40 hours, and nearly four in 10 say they work at least 50 hours,” said Gallup, based on their 2014 Work and Education survey.
Full time workers:
— Less than 40 hours per week, 8 percent.
— 40 hours, 42 percent.
— 41-49 hours, 11 percent.
— 50-59 hours, 21 percent.
— 60 hours or more, 18 percent.
Gallup said that salaried workers are putting in more hours, on average five hours more per week, 49 vs. 44 for hourly workers.
https://washingtonexaminer.com/american-dream-turned-nightmare-40-hour-work-week-grows-to-47-60-hours/article/2552623
there is no substitute for hard work, Thomas Edison
Labor Day has arrived and with it comes the unofficial end of summer and the back-to -school routine.
A Labor Day Message from Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan
For those who enjoy summer, you have my sympathy on its imminent demise; for those who enjoy the brisk fall weather and football games, I share your anticipation. For the children who are going back to school, all I can say is that I am sure your parents are thrilled that you will be continuing your education.
But before we close the book on Summer 2013, I want to pay to honor to the real meaning of Labor Day – which is to recognize the struggle of workers who built this nation by the sweat of their brow, their brawn, their creativity and dedication.
I want to honor those who have fought for workplace fairness and the legacy they have left for us. We owe a special debt to the men and women of the union movement, who, for decades, struggled to improve workplace safety, fought for honest wages, and the benefits that we all take for granted.
Worker activists in the U.S. began fighting for worker rights and recognition of labor’s value to our nation in the late 1800’s. In 1887 New Jersey became one of the first states to officially recognize a holiday celebrating labor’s contributions. In the middle of the next decade Congress created the first national Labor Day.
Whether you are a card carrying member of a union, or a government or corporate employee — the contribution you are making to your company or organization, and most importantly, to your family, deserves recognition.
Through the last century and into this one, American men and women have led the world in worker productivity and inventiveness. When called upon, as they were in World War II, American workers responded to our nation’s needs.
Today American workers are making quality products that are second to none, and they are leading the way in information age technology products and services.
America’s greatness and its future are found in the men and women who roll up their sleeves every day and do their work with pride and dedication.
Please, enjoy your Labor Day holiday, spend it with family and friends, and recognize the work you do that allows you to live independent lives, contributes to your community, our economy and the future of America.
The History and Symbolism of Labor Day
Observed on the first Monday in September, Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894. Labor Day also symbolizes the end of summer for many Americans, and is celebrated with parties, parades and athletic events. ( https://www.history.com/topics/labor-day )
The History of Labor Day
Labor Day: How it Came About; 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
Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 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 the year 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 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, 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 100 years 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 cofounder 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.
In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a “workingmen’s holiday” on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.
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 undergone a change 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 pay 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/laborday/history.htm
10 recipes for the perfect Labor Day barbecue
Published August 29, 2013
FoxNews.com
While summer may be coming to a close, the end of grilling season is still a long way away. This Labor Day, take advantage of the fact that the old Weber isn’t covered with snow or plastered with rotting leaves. Think about it. You’ve only got a few more weeks before summer is over and the neighbors think you’re crazy for firing up the grill in a blizzard.
To aid in your Labor Day celebration, we’ve come up with a list of recipes that pay tribute to summer and welcome the fall. From barbecued turkey wings to a fall berry cocktail, we’ve compiled all the makings of an epic Labor Day feast. So turn on the grill, loosen that belt and let the Labor Day party begin.
https://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/08/29/10-recipes-for-perfect-labor-day-barbecue/
Labor Day Observance – September 2
In observance of Labor Day, Village offices will be closed Monday, September 2. There will also be no garbage or recycling collection that day. The Recycling Center on E. Glen Avenue will also be closed.
All offices and services resume operation Tuesday, September 2.
Labor Day Message from Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan
September 3,2012
Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan
As we celebrate Labor Day this Monday we are given the opportunity to honor the American worker. It is their efforts that provide us the goods and services we use to make our own lives better.
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. Five years later New Jersey along with five other states became the first in the nation to recognize a Labor Day holiday.
America was built by people who embraced the virtue of hard work. Through the past two centuries men and women toiled in factories, built roads, bridges and dams. They built homes and skyscrapers; cars and trucks, bulldozers and airplanes. They made America an industrial giant and their labor created the great American middle class.
Other men and women have chosen work in public service. Whether it is the police officer, firefighter or EMT, protecting our lives with theirs, a laborer cleaning a park or an office worker helping residents find the services they need: they perform the functions that keep our communities safe, clean and orderly.
America is indeed a nation of workers and all work, however humble contributes to our community and should be honored.
John D Rockefeller once said: “I believe in the dignity of labor, whether with head or hand; that the world owes no man a living but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living.”
In these tough economic times, many of our friends and neighbors are without work or are working for less. Hopefully, by this time next year, America’s economic recovery will gain momentum and all those who are able to work will be rewarded with the dignity of a job.
I promise to re-double my administration’s efforts to reduce the burden on Bergen County taxpayers. We will continue to stretch every dollar so that you may keep more of what you have earned and better enjoy the rewards of your labor.
I wish everyone a happy and restful Labor Day Weekend.
