Just Another Day Off?? What is Labor Day all about?

Happy Labor Day!

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.

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.

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 them developed the movement 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.

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.

Women's Equality Day - August 26th

Women’s Equality Day commemorates 26th August 1920 when votes to women officially became part of the US constitution. This day marks a turning point in the history of the struggle for equal treatment of women and women’s rights.

 

In 1920, the day stood for the result of 72 years of campaigning by a huge civil rights movement for women. Prior to movements like these, even respected thinkers such as Rousseau and Kant believed that woman’s inferior status in society was completely logical and reasonable; women were ‘beautiful’ and ‘not fit for serious employment’.

 

Over the last century, great women have proved these views wrong as the world has witnessed just what women are capable of achieving, from the likes of Rosa Parks and Eleanor Roosevelt fighting for civil rights and equality to great scientists such as Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin and Jane Goodall. The last century has shown more than ever what both women and men are capable of achieving, given the opportunity.

 

Today, women’s equality has grown to mean much more than just sharing the right to the vote. Organizations such as Equality Now and Womankind Worldwide continue to work to provide women across the globe with equal opportunities to education and employment, pushing against suppression and violence towards women and against the discrimination and stereotyping which still occur in every society.

 

So on Women’s Equality Day, let the men do the dishes and the women do the DIY, think about supporting women’s empowerment projects in developing countries, stop thinking about men and women as separate beings with separate roles and start thinking about treating people as equals.

 

Why are Women STILL Paid Less than Male Counterparts?

Pay discrimination is a silent offense. Women know when they’re being harassed and abused, of course, and they can often tell if they’re being discriminated against in hiring and promotion—all they have to do is count the men with lesser skills and credentials doing jobs they still aspire to. But in many workplaces, discussing pay is frowned upon; in some, it’s a dismissible offense. So, like Ledbetter, women often don’t know when they’re getting paid less than men. So they don’t complain. So the problem continues.

President Kennedy promised America would put a man on the moon and would stop pay discrimination against women. One of those happened. The Equal Pay Act that Kennedy signed in 1963 prohibited “discrimination on account of sex in the payment of wages by employers engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce.” Yet nearly half a century later, in the first three months of 2012, women still earned only 82.2 percent of what men earned. That’s comparing the “usual median weekly earnings” of full-time employees. Comparing annual pay of full-time, year-round workers, women earned only 77 percent of what men earned in 2010.
The latest hope for closing the gap died on June 5, when Senate Republicans filibustered a bill to make it easier for employees to share information about their pay. Three days later a federal judge in San Francisco said he was “seriously concerned” that lawyers for 45,000 female employees of Wal-Mart Stores in California haven’t shown enough evidence to file a sex-discrimination class action. There has been progress toward gender parity since Kennedy’s day, but for many women, not enough.

The gender pay gap, around 40¢ to the dollar in the early 1960s, shrank rapidly in the 1980s and early ’90s. It has narrowed by only 4¢ since 1994 and less than 1¢ since 2005, even though younger women have caught up to and surpassed men in education. What’s more, pay difference actually grows as a woman’s career progresses, adding up to hundreds of thousands of dollars on average over a lifetime. Catherine Hill, head of research at the American Association of University Women, found that among college graduates, the pay gap grew from 20¢ on the dollar one year after graduation to 31¢ by the 10th reunion.

Only some of the pay gap is the result of discrimination by employers. Men crowd into high-paying fields like engineering, while women dominate lower-paying fields like education and social service. And women are more likely than men to fall off the career track when they have children. They take time off and lose skills, or they opt for less-demanding jobs so they can spend more time at home. Most fathers, in contrast, manage to skate through parenthood without the slightest harm to their careers. Employers could offer family-friendlier policies on leave and flextime, but they can’t be blamed for dads who don’t do enough around the house.

Leaving on a Jet Plan ...

National Aviation Day is observed in the United States on August 19 each year to celebrate the history and development of the aviation. It coincides with the birthday of Orville Wright who, together with his brother Wilbur, made significant contributions to powered flight.

Biplanes, such as the example pictured above, played an important role in aviation history. The Wright brothers used a biplane design to build the Wright Flyer.

 

Ever since man first saw a bird fly, man has wanted to fly. The first attempts were efforts to fly like a bird by attaching feathers to their arms and flapping. Those attempts were unsuccessful.

 

Hot Air Balloons

The first successful air flight was in a hot air balloon. In 1783 a few men invented the first flying machine by making the hot air balloon. A hot air balloon is a balloon filled with heated air. Since heated air is lighter than cool air, the balloon would rise into the sky. The pilot would ride in a basket attached to the balloon and control the height by adding and subtracting more heat.

The problem with hot air balloons is that you can not go the way you want. If the wind is blowing west, that means you would have to go west, too. During the Civil War hot air balloons were used by the armies to look at enemy troops.

First Airplanes

The first airplane that was flown was a glider. A glider is a non-motorized flying machine (and very hard to control.) Early gliders were launched from high places like cliffs and floated on the wind to the ground.

A man named Sir George Cayel made the first glider that actually flew. His first glider didn't have passengers or a pilot. It was too small and could not fit anyone in it. He made another that flew his coachman across a small valley. This glider was not launched from a cliff.

During 1890 while Orville and Wilbur Wright were working in a bicycle shop, the Wright Brothers got interested in flying. They learned that bicycles that were closer to the ground were faster. They read all the books they could find about airplanes to learn more. They then began building gliders near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The Wright Brothers improved the glider. In 1899 they made a large, two wing kite. After experimenting for a while on unmanned gliders, they made a glider where the pilot would control the airplane in the air. After working on glider experiments they found out how to steer a plane while in flight by developing a rudder (the tail of the plane) and flaps on the wings. With the rudder and the flaps, the pilot could control the direction of the airplane and the height.

In December of 1903, the Wright Brothers became the first people to successfully fly a plane with a person in it. The plane flew one hundred twenty feet and flew only about twelve seconds. They had three successful flights that day, but Wilbur made the longest flight of 892 feet and stayed up for about 59 seconds. In 1903 the Wright Brothers made their first powered airplane that they named the "flyer." It was a biplane (two winged plane) that had a 12 horse power engine that they had built themselves. The wings were 40 feet wide, wooden, and covered with cotton cloth. The pilot would lay on the lower wing on his stomach and steer the plane. In 1908 the Wright Brothers finally made a plane that could fly for more that one and a half hours.

Improvements to Airplanes

In 1843 William S. Henson, an inventor, patented plans for an airplane after trying to build a model airplane. When those plans failed he gave up on airplanes. His friend, John Stingfellow, tried making a model off of Henson's model and succeeded. The plane launched, but could only stay in the air for a short time.

In 1890 Cl`ement Ader took off on the first steam powered plane (a plane with an engine, unlike the glider) that he had built himself. What was very unlucky about that was he could not fly it because he could not control it. Around the same time another inventor, Hiram Maxiam, built a steam powered flying machine. He tested his airplanes, but never really got them off the ground because they were too heavy and he could not control the flight.

During 1894 Samuel Langley flew a steam powered plane and went 0.8 kilometers in one and a half minutes. Once Langley made another airplane, he got a pilot to steer once on October, 7 and once on December, 8, but sadly the plane crashed in a lake.

U.S Army Lieutenant Thomas E. Selfridge was the first person killed in a plane crash. The military wanted to see how good the Wright Brothers` airplane was for flying. On September 17, 1908, Selfridge went up in a plane with Orville Wright. When they were 75 feet in the air a propeller broke. The plane crashed, which killed Thomas and left Orville injured, but the Wright Brothers still did not give up. In 1909, they got a contract from the military to build the first military plane.

In 1911, Calbriath Rodgers made the first flight across the United States. He flew from Sheepshead Bay, New York to Long Beach, California. During the 84 days of flying, Rodgers crashed at least 70 times. He had to replace almost every part of the plane before he reached Long Beach. All together this journey took 3 days, 10 hours, and 24 minutes of time spent in the air.  WOW, that makes Southwest Airlines seem like a great airline!

Airplane travel has improved a great deal since the first efforts of the Wright Brothers. Airplanes now travel thousands of miles at altitudes of more than 7 miles, carrying over three hundred passengers. Those passengers rest in comfortable seats instead of on their stomachs like Orville did. Jet engines have replaced propellers and speeds are greater than 600 miles per hour. Not even the Wright brothers could have imagined what air travel would be like today.

Oral Health is a Window to Your Overall Health ... National Smile Week!

Don't Delay - Get to Your Dentist Today!!

 

Your oral health is more important than you might realize. Get the facts about how the health of your mouth, teeth and gums can affect your general health.

 

Did you know that your oral health can offer clues about your overall health — or that problems in your mouth can affect the rest of your body? Understand the intimate connection between oral health and overall health and what you can do to protect yourself.

 

What's the connection between oral health and overall health?

Like many areas of the body, your mouth is teeming with bacteria — most of them harmless. Normally the body's natural defenses and good oral health care, such as daily brushing and flossing, can keep these bacteria under control. However, without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can reach levels that might lead to oral infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease.

In addition, certain medications — such as decongestants, antihistamines, painkillers and diuretics — can reduce saliva flow. Saliva washes away food and neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, helping to protect you from microbial invasion or overgrowth that might lead to disease.

Studies also suggest that oral bacteria and the inflammation associated with periodontitis — a severe form of gum disease — might play a role in some diseases. In addition, certain diseases, such as diabetes and HIV/AIDS, can lower the body's resistance to infection, making oral health problems more severe.

What conditions may be linked to oral health?

Your oral health might affect, be affected by, or contribute to various diseases and conditions, including:

• Endocarditis. Endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of your heart (endocardium). Endocarditis typically occurs when bacteria or other germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and attach to damaged areas in your heart.
• Cardiovascular disease. Some research suggests that heart disease, clogged arteries and stroke might be linked to the inflammation and infections that oral bacteria can cause.
• Pregnancy and birth. Periodontitis has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight.
• Diabetes. Diabetes reduces the body's resistance to infection — putting the gums at risk. Gum disease appears to be more frequent and severe among people who have diabetes. Research shows that people who have gum disease have a harder time controlling their blood sugar levels.
• HIV/AIDS. Oral problems, such as painful mucosal lesions, are common in people who have HIV/AIDS.
• Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis — which causes bones to become weak and brittle — might be linked with periodontal bone loss and tooth loss.
• Alzheimer's disease. Tooth loss before age 35 might be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.
• Other conditions. Other conditions that might be linked to oral health include Sjogren's syndrome — an immune system disorder that causes dry mouth — and eating disorders.

Because of these potential links, be sure to tell your dentist if you're taking any medications or have had any changes in your overall health — especially if you've had any recent illnesses or you have a chronic condition, such as diabetes.

How can I protect my oral health?

To protect your oral health, practice good oral hygiene every day. For example:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
• Floss daily.
• Eat a healthy diet and limit between-meal snacks.
• Replace your toothbrush every three to four months or sooner if bristles are frayed.
• Schedule regular dental checkups.

Also, contact your dentist as soon as an oral health problem arises. Remember, taking care of your oral health is an investment in your overall health.

Everyone Can Make a Difference!

International Youth Day: Change your world, the time is now!

 

Did you know this year is the International year of youth? Well, you do now. The year will officially end on 12 August: International Youth Day.

International Youth Day is an awareness day recognised by the United Nations, aiming to draw attention to youth issues around the world. Initiated in 2000, International Youth Day is celebrated on 12 August each year.

 

While the mission of the Global Changemakers programme is to empower youth during all 365 days of the year, together with our partners we wish to celebrate International Youth Day by encouraging more people worldwide to become active in their local communities.

We encourage people to do something that will benefit their communities by 12 August 2013.

 

This can range from helping out your neighbours to organising an awareness concert, from a flash mob to a beach clean-up.

 

Commit to action

Anyone can participate, including you! Simply start by logging your commitment on the UN International Year of Youth Calendar of Events page. The title of your event should include ‘Change your world’ at the beginning . Here you can also get the IYY stamp: print, sign and send the logo waiver form to the UN Programme on Youth in order to be able to use the UN IYY logo for your activities.

 

Next, immediately navigate to our Facebook page. Here you will have the opportunity to upload photos and videos. Make sure to cross link to this Facebook page from your online accounts and websites. On International Youth Day we will make sure to celebrate all projects, magnified through media, to show the world what youth can do. The five projects with the most likes will be presented at our next Youth Summit.

 

Don't know where to start?  http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/orgs.jsp is a wonderful site that matches what your interests to where the needs are in your local area.

 

 

Garage Sale Gold ... It's National Garage Sale Day!

You’ve almost finished sifting through those long-abandoned knickknacks — er, treasures — in the basement, right? Are the signs all ready to go? How about the price tags?

 

Surely, you haven’t forgotten that National Garage Sale Day is less than two weeks away.

Yep, on Aug. 10 — National Garage Sale Day is always the second Saturday in August — we celebrate the coming together of those with belongings they no longer want and those with a want for belongings they don’t have.

 

Make no mistake: Garage sales are big business — even if the average selling price of goods at such events is a mere 85 cents.  Take 85 cents here and 85 cents there, and, pretty soon, you have $4,222,375. That’s the total revenue that U.S. garage sales generate each week, according to the website StatisticBrain.com.

 

“Running a yard sale is not rocket science,” J.D. Roth notes on his tip-filled website GetRichSlowly.org. “But if you put a little effort into creating an environment where it is pleasant to browse and easy to find treasures, you’ll make a lot more money.”

 

Preparation is critical, Roth maintains. And being prepared, he adds, means a whole lot more than simply making sure the merchandise is neatly arranged and the cash box is filled with coins and small-denomination bills. (No one, after all, wants to lose a sale just because of an inability to break a $5 bill.)

 

Roth suggests that proper preparation starts with figuring out why the sale is being held in the first place.  “Are you selling things to make money or to get rid of them? This question affects everything you do, from how you price things to how willing you are to negotiate. Surprisingly, you can often make more money (and get rid of more junk) by pricing things low.”

 

No. 2 on Roth’s recommended to-do list: advertise. Ads should be placed in local newspapers and on websites five or six days before the sale. Neighborhood signs should be eye-catching, simple and, above all, readable.

“It’s best to use big, bold text like ‘HUGE SALE’ with an arrow pointing the right direction

Consumer Reports offers these tips:

• Schedule your garage sale to coincide with a local event that’s likely to generate extra traffic near your home.
• Place the items with the broadest appeal close to the street to grab attention and lure potential buyers up the driveway.
• Sort clothing into categories — by gender, season and age group, for example — and display those items, if possible, on hangers.
• Keep a mirror handy if you’re selling accessories.
• Place fresh batteries in items that require them and keep a power source handy so shoppers can try out electronics and other plug-in appliances.

August - Celebrate National Golf Month!

It’s been said that the modern game of golf has its roots in 15th-century Scotland, although ancient forms have been traced back to the Roman Empire and even the Ming Dynasty. In any case, no one could’ve imagined the way the game, including golf carts, caddies, lush fairways and premiere club houses for lounging and dining, has evolved over time. But, you can bet those early golfers would’ve enjoyed being carted around a picturesque golf course before heading back to the club house for some rest and refreshments!

 

If you’re feeling the itch to head to the fairway or hit the driving range, make sure to pack up the clubs and go because August is National Golf Month. Not only is the weather perfect for a few rounds, but there are plenty of outstanding golf courses in the Bay Area ... Here are a few suggestions:

TPC Harding Park - San Francisco

 

TPC Harding Park offers two impressive courses that are open to the public – Harding Park and Fleming 9. The combined 18 hole Harding Park and Fleming 9 hole courses create not only a challenging experience for each golfer, but also a scenic one, while amidst lush vegetation, towering, unique Monterey Cypress trees, and tranquil Lake Merced. TPC Harding Park has been honored as "#13 Municipal Golf Course in the United States," as well as the "#24 Best Course to Play in California," by Golfweek Magazine. Golf Digest Magazine has also named it as, "one of the Best Places to Play," ranking it a 4.5 star golf course. Since its recent renovations in 2005, TPC Harding Park has been honored to host the WGC-American Express Championship in 2005, the President's Cup in 2009, and the Champions Tour Charles Schwab Cup in both 2010 and 2011. Spanning over almost a full century, and enduring a Herculean journey, TPC Harding Park is proud to say the course has returned to its 1920s' former glory.

http://www.tpc.com/tpc-harding-park

 

Presidio Golf Course - San Francisco

The prestigious Presidio golf course opened for public play in 1995 and has quickly gained a reputation as one of the nation's top public courses. Located just minutes from downtown San Francisco, this 18-hole course plays 6,500 yards of challenging golf winding through beautiful Eucalyptus and Monterey Pine trees in The City's trademark hills.

Designed with tight fairways and strategically placed bunkers, this 18-hole "hilly" golf course offers a unique challenge for golfers of all abilities. Orginally designed by Robert Wood Johnstone, the course was expanded in 1910 by Johnstone in collaboration with Wiliam McEwan and redesigned and lengthened in by the British firm of Fowler & Simpson in 1921.http://www.presidiogolf.com/

 

Sharp Park - S. San Francisco

Sharp Park has been called a "treasure of international golf architecture, by one of history’s great artists." What makes this course so special is not just its unique design heritage, but that it is a public course--a public course in a spectacular setting, loved and played by a diverse group of residents and visitors to San Francisco and the Northern Peninsula. Men, women and children of all ages, ethnicities, and lifestyles gather for exercise, companionship and competition in a highly accessible and affordable setting.
http://sharpparkgc.ghinclub.com/

 

Lincoln Park Golf Course - San Francisco

With its majestic views of the Golden Gate and the Pacific Ocean, Lincoln Park Golf Course has always been a beautiful public asset to be treasured. Numerous renovations over the past century have added an interesting element to a course, which was once a burial ground and is presently the surrounding home of a beautiful art museum.

 

At the turn of the 20th century there were no municipal golf courses in San Francisco or in any of the surrounding communities. The general public, who did not have access or were unable to afford the country club setting for golfing recreation, began to press the City to set aside some public land to be groomed as a public golf course. At this point in time, the parcel of land now referred to as Lincoln Park was a cemetery named Potter’s Field. Like many cemeteries of that era, it was ethnically divided into various sections. What is presently the 18th fairway of the golf course was a burial ground, primarily for the city’s Italian community. The area that now constitutes the 1st and 13th fairways was the Chinese section of the cemetery, and the high terrain at the 15th fairway and 13th tee was a Serbian resting place.

 

At the beginning of 1902, Jack Neville and Vincent Whitney approached John McLaren, San Francisco’s steward of public parks, about the prospect of constructing a municipal golf course. Jack Neville at the time was considered one of the finest amateur golfers in the country and would go on to design such classic golf courses as Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterrey and Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles. Vincent Whitney was a member of the Olympic Club and owned the Whitney Building, which stood for years on lower Geary Street. Both of these men were wealthy members of private clubs but were very instrumental in starting San Francisco’s first municipal golf course. John McLaren encouraged Neville and Whitney to try their hand at constructing some golf holes that the Potter’s Field site. At the time golf was still considered a game to be played on links land as near to the ocean as possible, and Potter’s Field, despite it being an existing cemetery, was considered a good site. By the end of 1902 a three-hole layout was completed on the hilly, wind-swept, and almost treeless land. These three holes occupied what are presently the 1st, 12th and 13th holes of the modern course.

 

The popularity of the new links, which were free to the public, led to the expansion of the course and the eventual removal of the cemetery. Lincoln Park, named after Abraham Lincoln, became a full 18-hole course in 1917. It was at this point that the first City golf tournament was played at the Lincoln Park Golf Course. During the 1920s, the cost to play at Lincoln Park was $ 2.00 per month for the full 18. Herbert Fowler, who worked on Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in Scotland, added nine of those holes and redesigned the course in the early 1920s. The course was redesigned again in the 1960s by Jack Fleming, who assisted Dr. Alister Mackenzie in the construction of some of the Bay Area’s greatest courses, including Cypress Point, Pasatiempo and, of course, Sharp Park.

http://www.sfpublicgolf.com/LincolnPark.htm

 

Poplar Creek - San Mateo

Originally built in 1933 as a way to aid unemployed laborers during the Depression and named San Mateo Municipal, the course is home to the San Mateo County Championship and the O'Brien Junior Tournament, which has had such notable past winners as PGA Tour Professionals Johnny Miller, Keith Clearwater, and Mark Lye.

Since the middle 1960's the course has averaged nearly 100,000 rounds per year, making it one of the most popular golf courses in northern California.

The course was closed in April, 1999 for a complete renovation and new routing plan. In July, 2000 the course re-opened with a new look and a new name - Poplar Creek - landmarking the flow of Poplar Creek through the golf course.http://www.poplarcreekgolf.com/course/

 

San Jose Municipal Golf Course - San Jose

For over 40 years San Jose Municipal Golf Course has been called home to thousands of south bay golfers. With a tremendous location near the major freeways of 101,880, & 280 this hangout is easy to get to. A straight forward layout with open fairways on flat terrain offers a pleasant experience for golfers of all abilities. It’s the perfect course if you like to walk. A course that is always in excellent condition, the championship yardage has been increased with construction of several new tee boxes. From the tips “the muni” plays well over 6700 yards. While not the punishing round featured at some of the newly designed courses (that’s a relief), San Jose Municipal Golf Course is sure to provide a challenging, enjoyable day of golf.

http://www.sjmuni.com/page.php?page_id=2455&name=Course_Information

National Night Out - August 6th!

Get to Know Your Neighbors!

National Association of Town Watch (NATW) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and promotion of various crime prevention programs including neighborhood watch groups, law enforcement agencies, state and regional crime prevention associations, businesses, civic groups, and individuals, devoted to safer communities. The nations premiere crime prevention network works with law enforcement officials and civilian leaders to keep crime watch volunteers informed, interested, involved and motivated. Since 1981, NATW continues to serve thousands of members across the nation.

 

The introduction of National Night Out, “America’s Night Out Against Crime”, in 1984 began an effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. NATW’s National Night Out program culminates annually, on the first Tuesday of August.

 

NATW’s Executive Director, Matt Peskin introduced National Night Out in 1984.The first National Night Out took place on Tuesday, August 7th 1984. That first year, 2.5 million Americans took part across 400 communities in 23 states.

 

National Night Out now involves over 37 million people and 15,000 communities from all fifty states, U.S. Territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide.

 

The traditional “lights on” campaign and symbolic front porch vigils turned into a celebration across America with various events and activities including, but not limited to, block parties, cookouts, parades, visits from emergency personnel, rallies and marches, exhibits, youth events, safety demonstrations and seminars, in effort to heighten awareness and enhance community relations.

Peskin said, “It’s a wonderful opportunity for communities nationwide to promote police-community partnerships, crime prevention, and neighborhood camaraderie. While the one night is certainly not an answer to crime, drugs and violence, National Night Out represents the kind of spirit, energy and determination to help make neighborhoods a safer place year round. The night celebrates safety and crime prevention successes and works to expand and strengthen programs for the next 364 days.”

 

Fremont National Night Out Info: http://fremontpolice.org/index.aspx?nid=168

 

San Mateo National Night Out Info: http://www.cityofsanmateo.org/index.aspx?NID=1781

 

San Jose National Night Out Info:

http://www.sjpd.org/BFO/community/crimeprev/nationalnightout.html

What is International Beer Day? Get your mugs ready ...

Uniting the World One Beer at a Time!

International Beer Day (first Friday in August) is a global celebration of beer, taking place in pubs, breweries, and back yards all over the world -- It's a day for beer lovers everywhere to raise a toast to our brewers and bartenders, and rejoice in the greatness of beer!

 

That’s right, folks. Come this August 2nd 2013, Makers, Lovers and Sellers of beer all around the globe now have another reason to raise their frosty mugs. Along with hundreds of bars, restaurants, pubs and breweries worldwide, we have declared the aforementioned International Beer Day!

 

The purpose of IBD is threefold:
1) To gather with friends and enjoy the deliciousness that is beer.
2) To celebrate the dedicated men and women who brew and serve our beer.
3) To bring the world together under the united banner of beer, by celebrating the beers of all nations and cultures together on this one remarkable day.

 

International Beer Day is our chance to let the breweries and bars of the world know how much we appreciate them, all while participating in one of the best activities ever -- drinking beer! Perhaps even more than the beverage itself, International Beer Day is about celebrating the establishments who produce it, sell it and give folks a place to enjoy it.

 

So raise your glass on August 2nd to celebrate these heroes behind each tasty brew. Cheers, and Happy International Beer Day!

 

International Beer Day (IBD) is an August 2 celebration founded in 2007 in Santa Cruz, California. Since its inception, International Beer Day has grown from a small localized event in the western United States into a worldwide celebration spanning 207 cities, 50 countries and 6 continents.

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Beer lover Jesse Avshalomov (Santa Cruz), founded International Beer Day back in 2007, along with a posse of friends and fellow beer advocates (Evan Hamilton, Aaron Araki, and Richard Hernandez) as a celebration of beer and the people who provide it. Consider this Friday, August 2nd to be a beer love-fest. Last year’s event featured 278 official celebrations in 138 cities and 23 countries. This year promises even more recognition worldwide. The story of IBD and its beginnings according to Avshalomov ‘s comments on the IBD website:

“A few years back a group of friends and I decided that there needed to be a day in celebration of all things beer, a day in thanks to the people who produce and provide our favorite beverage. So we invented International Beer Day, convinced our local bar to celebrate on August 5th, made a little website for it, gave thanks to the beer industry, and had a good-ol’ time.

Then we started receiving emails from people who had found the IBD website and held their own celebrations in England and South Africa. We knew then that we needed to take our celebration to the world.

Ever since we’ve been working each year to bring the celebration to more and more people, and this year we’ve hit over 100 celebrations! We’re working super hard to make this year’s celebration Epic, we’ve even had a classy logo and new website designed, so we hope you have yourself an awesome International Beer Day.”

Celebrating this foamy, beer-soaked holiday requires simply a gathering of friends, a fine watering hole, open-mindedness and giving thanks to the myriad brewers across the globe. This is truly one of the least complicated holidays on the calendar. I asked the founders (Avshalomov and Hamilton) just what they’d be consuming on this fabeled day:

 Jesse (founder): I’ll definitely be sipping on a Belgian Tripel. They’re fierce, complex, and flavorful in a way that deserves thorough contemplation. And when you’re not feeling contemplative, they’re still delicious.

 Evan (Co-founder): I’m going to be drinking some black lager. It’s my new favorite beer style… somehow light enough to be refreshing on a hot day, but dark enough to please your tastebuds.
To assist you in procuring the just-right brew for celebrating I’ve compiled a starter list. Last year’s Best Beer In the World, Weinstafen, certainly tops it. But beer, much as with wine, lends itself to such staggering variety that we’d be remiss to drink the same old thing. Make the month of August about trying something new.

Cool Brew To Try:

Share YOUR recommendations for the BEST beer.

Lost Tribes Brew actually has a company mission to revive ancient brewing recipes, dating from over 2,700 years ago, from ten ancient tribes that settled across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Each tribe possessed a special brew recipe that this company strives to reproduce. Try the Lost Tribes Chibuku: According to the wesbite, this one is brewed from a maize like porridge and rare yeasts of the Zimbabwe region. Known for its heavy kick, travelers from around the world venture to the African continent to get a sip.

Weisntephen— A Bavarian wheat beer, Weihenstephan Vitus, gets the nod as the 2011 World’s Best Beer from the World Beer Awards in England. Voted World’s Best Beer (read my story on it here).

Warsteiner—This German brewer crafts a clean pilsner. Nice and smooth, it plays well with others and might be the just-right brew to kick off a hot, steamy August 5^th celebration. Try the Premium Dunkel, a dark pilsner.

Sweetwater 420—I’m an Atlanta girl, and this is a hometown brew…always the just-right note of hops. I confess to a weakness for IPA and this balanced, nicely nutty brew is a dream on draft with fried chicken and grits.