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LABOR DAY: celebrating American Workers

8/31/2025

Today in the United States September 1 is celebrated as Labor Day: The last bastion of summer; the last big hurrah; the three-day weekend of barbeques and beaches before autumn sets in. The holiday is meant to honor the American worker -- The average Jacks and Jills who go to work every day, make living, raise families, and making this country function. But it didn't begin as fun and games and backyard BBQues.

THE ORIGINAL LABOR DAY
Back in the 19th century, while some children in white danced around May poles to celebrate spring, other children worked in coal mines and performed other hard-labor. The Second Industrial Revolution witnessed numerous workers dying every day from long hours and terrible working conditions, and everyone breathed the smoke-filled air belching in black clouds from industrial smoke stacks.

Workers began to grumble about working conditions, and labor organizations sprang up both in Europe and America. In 1866, the National Labor Union was formed in the US as people become vocal about their rights, the need for safer conditions, and shorter work hours.

THE HAYMARKET RIOTS
Chicago had been a center of work-related agitation for some time, and a railroad strike in 1877 had ended in violence. In 1884, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions (FOTLU) chose to hold their national convention in Chicago where they issued an ultimatum that after May 1, 1886, the legal work day would be eight hours.

Two years later, when that FOTLU deadline approached, “an estimated quarter million workers in the Chicago area became directly involved in the crusade to implement the eight hour work day, including the Trades and Labor Assembly, the Socialistic Labor Party and local Knights of Labor,” according to an archived synopsis published by the Industrial Workers of the World in 1993. msn.com/en-us/the-real-history-of-may-day/

Image Source: www.pixels.com

The generally quiet demonstration broke out in violence on May 3 at McCormick Reaper Works, where police and demonstrators clashed and set off a vicious scuffle that left several workers dead.
The next day, a large crowd gathered at Chicago’s Haymarket Square to protest the previous day’s killings. At first, the proceedings were civilized, and even Chicago mayor Carter Harrison attended. Then someone in the crowd threw an explosive at the police. In reaction, law enforcement officers fired indiscriminately into the crowd which included workers and their own police officers.

Chaos and violence ensued between police and demonstrators with by-standers in between. At least 7 policemen were killed and sixty others injured. Sources claim as many demonstrators and civilians were killed and injured (without giving any statistics).

Reliable witnesses testified that all the pistol flashes came from the center of the street, where the police were standing, and none from the crowd. Moreover, initial newspaper reports made no mention of firing by civilians. A telegraph pole at the scene was filled with bullet holes, all coming from the direction of the police.
The Eight Men Convicted of Murder -- Haymarket affair in Chicago
I mage Source: pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/chicago-eight

The friction between United States authorities and the labor move-ment continued from there. Eight anarchists were arrested and con-victed for murder for throwing the explosive at the police, even though only three were even present at Haymarket and those three were in full view of all when the bombing occurred. In 1889, May Day was chosen as the date for “International Workers’ Day” to commemorate the men convicted of the Haymarket affair murders, and the struggle for an eight-hour working day.

THE PULLMAN STRIKE
The Pullman Strike was two interrelated strikes in 1894 that shaped national labor policy in the United States during a period of deep economic depression.

The Pullman Strike occurred in Illinois on May 11, 1894. Without going into the gory details, three thousand railroad workers went on a wildcat strike without the authorization of their union because of the way George Mortimer Pullman, founder and president of the Pullman Palace Car Company, treated his workers.
Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pullman_Strike

Ultimately, in trying to subdue the riots, thirty people were killed by the US Military and US Marshalls (some sources say hundreds, other say just a few). President Grover Cleveland made peace with the labor people, but fearing further conflict, the US Congress voted to approve rush legislation establishing Labor Day a national holiday. On June 28, 1894 (only a few days after the end of the strike), President Grover Cleveland signed into law a piece of legislation that created a national Labor Day Holiday in early September.

LABOR DAY IN THE US
Since 1882, various states and cities had been celebrating their own versions of Labor Day at different times of the year, but this action set the date for a national holiday and moved the event away from the May 1 “Workers’ Day”, the recognized date for radical labor protests in Europe.

The US. Congress feared the holiday would be associated with nascent Communist, Syndicalist and Anarchist movements and would appear to celebrate the labor riots of 1884, the Haymarket Affair in 1886, and other May Day riots. Everything is political, isn't it?

LABOUR DAY AND INTERNATIONAL WORKER’S DAY
International Worker's Day recognizes the International Labor Movement and is celebrated on May 1 in at least eighty countries in the world, including most of Europe.
May 1 continues to be the day for protesting labor and other issues in these countries.

World Map showing May 1 Celebrations
Image Credit and Source: www.officeholidays.com
Red = Labour Day; Lt. Green = May Day, or Spring Celebration

In 80+ countries people celebrate Labour Day with a protest.
Labour Day protests in Indonesia
Image Source: www.en.tempo.com

In the United States we celebrate Labor Day by kicking back with a beer.
Image Source: www.camtrader.ca

JUST SAYIN!
□
Sources:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/09/03/what-is-labor-day-and-why-do-we-celebrate-the-holiday-what-to-know/70667832007/
https://medium.com/@iluv2run5k/5-surprising-facts-about-labor-day-99add55260c4

https://www.learnreligions.com/beltane-rites-and-rituals-2561678
https://www.livefromtheloungepodcast.com/post/ep-10-history-of-labor-day-pullman-strike-of-1894
www.thefreedictionary.com/May+Day
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/history-of-may-day
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day
https://nationaltoday.com/may-day/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/445082375663782263/
https://www.vintagechicagopostcards.com/2020/11/haymarket-square-clash-between-police.html
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/chicago-eight-anarchists
https://daily.jstor.org/how-labor-lost-may-day/
https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1851-1900/The-first-Labor-Day/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/the-real-history-of-may-day/ar-BB1g7fq4?fullscreen=true&cvid=0c753a732e594f5293cc01dae5656548#image=1
https://www.telesurenglish.net/multimedia/Workers-Right-Groups-Commemorate-May-Day-Worldwide-20190501-0013.html
https://thenewamerican.com/traditional-may-day-protests-in-france-become-violent-riots/
https://www.newindianexpress.com/galleries/world/2017/may/01/may-day-in-pics-protesters-worldwide-demand-better-work-conditions-higher-wages-100415.html

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MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS

8/16/2025

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The trick to making good decisions successfully is to make informed decisions. In other words, set goals, gather information, analyze alternatives in relation achieving the goals, making a choice of which option to implement, and analyzing the results.

WHAT IS THE DECISION MAKING PROCCESS?
“Decision-making is the process of selecting the best course of action from a set of alternative options to
achieve a desired goal or objective.” www.geeksforgeeks.org/
▲ Image Source: Dreamstime.com
Unfortunately, that’s not the method of decision-making most people employ in everyday life. Overall, it is appalling how many choices are made without knowing the desired goal or getting the facts first. Day-to-day decision making is too frequently driven by mood, impulse, hearsay, bias, limited time, and habit.

“When you look at all possible sources of information with an open mind, you can make an informed decision based on facts rather than intuition.” www.psychologytoday.com

That does not imply that informed decision making discounts gut instincts, intuition, or even hearsay. The perception of others, whether true or not, is still a fact that may need to be considered. These are pieces of information used in the analysis necessary to determine the final action. The point is that the decision should not be based on those things alone without considering the other facts.

P.S. A “good” decision requires implementation, even if that is deciding to do nothing. That is always a choice.

THE NATURE OF DECISION MAKING
Every step in life is a choice, even how we react to and feel about things, situations, and people. Most of them humans make without even having to think of it as a decision.

Applying the Pareto Principle (also known as the 80-20% Rule) to decision making, 80% of the results come from 20% of the decisions made. That makes sense because a majority of decisions we make are automatic, without thinking, particularly when the situation is familiar and we have information and experience to rely on (although that can be misleading at times). Image Source: www.linkedin.com/decision-making-marcin▲

The point of this principle is to recognize that most things in life are not distributed evenly, including decisions. And, of course, to realize that what we might consider “big decisions” are not necessarily the most important ones.

Big or miniscule, effective decisions are:
1) Goal-oriented;
2) A Dynamic Process;
3) An ongoing process;
4) An intellectual or rational process;
and
5) Involves alternatives.
◄www.geeksforgeeks.org/

THE PROBLEM WITH INFORMED DECISION MAKING
The biggest problem with making informed decisions is the “becoming informed” part.

Even with all the wisdom of the internet at our fingertips, it still takes time and effort to learn enough about whatever it is we need to know. In fact, there is so much out there it is hard to know who to believe. The up side is that once you’ve made certain basic decisions, you don’t have to make them over and over, at least until something changes.

THE STEPS TO INFORMED DECISION MAKING
1. Identifying the problem or decision to be made.
First, pin down the problem/decision to be made, then define the desired goal or outcome of the decision. Incorrectly identifying the problem or decision can derail your efforts from the get-go. Goals associated with the decision need to be quantifiable and feasible.

2. Collecting the information
Once you know what decision is to be made and the goal, collect the facts and information. Don't get caught up in information overload, which can complicate the process. Only gather facts pertinent to the decision to be made, not everything there is to know about the subject. Non-substantial “facts” like intuition or public opinion can be significant also.

3. Discover and Evaluate Alternatives
Equipped with a goal/problem and pertinent data, identify alternative courses of action, assess them in relation to what you need to achieve, the risks, and how much risk you are willing to take, and potential outcomes: i.e. the pros and cons of each potential decision. Remember to consider how the decision is likely to affect others.

4. Select the Best Alternative

5. Implementation and Follow-up
After a set period, which was determined in the first step, revisit your decision to evaluate its effectiveness. Did it achieve the intended goal? If the answer is yes, document the successful strategies for future reference. If not, take this as a learning opportunity to refine your decision-making process for future endeavors

TIPS ON MAKING BETTER DECISIONS
Fortunately, most personal and professional choices have few or no long-term, negative consequences. However, sometimes a person has to make a decision that will have a profound impact on their future—from who they marry to where they live to how they manage their professional career.” www.psychologytoday.com
◄ image source: dreamstime.com

● Plan but be flexible and open minded. During the decision-making processes, new ideas and facts may be revealed, suggesting that adjustments need to be made.

● Avoid Overconfidence can interfere with good judgment. Behavioral studies show that people tend to overestimate their performance and the accuracy of their knowledge.

● Identify and Understand the risks, There is a degree of risk with every decision we make. Identifying those and understanding how much risk you are willing to take is essential. Being a good decision-maker sometimes requires being willing to take a risk. Poor decisions can be the result of having grown accustomed to your habits and don’t think about the danger or harm you’re causing.

● Identify and evaluate your habits (in relation to the decision to be made) and consider which might be harmful or unhealthy and impede the goal you are trying to achieve. For example, if the goal is to save money on groceries, consider changing your habit of shopping only at a particular store and shop at a different location or at several locations rather than just one store.

● Reframe the problem. The way the question is posed plays a significant role in how you’ll respond and how you’ll perceive your chances of success.
For example, “Imagine two surgeons. One surgeon tells his patients, ‘Ninety percent of people who undergo this procedure live.’ The other surgeon says, ‘Ten percent of people who undergo this procedure die.’ The facts are the same. However, research shows people who hear "10% of people die" perceive their risk to be much greater." www.verywellmind.com/

● Evaluate past mistakes. Recognize your biases and emotions that affect choices and • challenge your preconceptions. www.verywellmind.com/

THE FEAR OF MAKING DECISIONS
No kidding. This is a real phobia with a scientific name: Decidophobia

According to Aimee Daramus, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist, "Decidophobia is the fear of making a wrong decision. Most of us have a little anxiety about some decisions, but someone with decidophobia will feel intense, paralyzing fear about even everyday decisions.” www.verywellmind.com/decidophobia

Decidophobia is classified as a specific phobia, under the umbrella of anxiety disorders. The mental health profession defines a specific phobia as an extreme, irrational fear of a specific object or situation that doesn’t actually pose any danger. Well, I would think certain decisions do pose a danger, but no one asked me for my opinion.
There has not been much research on this phobia, so scientists don’t know how common it is, but studies do indicate that 12.5% of all adults in the US will experience a specific phobia in their lifetime.

JUST SAYIN’

Sources:
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/business-studies/6-steps-of-decision-making-process/
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/business-studies/decision-making/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/decision-making
https://www.verywellmind.com/habits-for-better-decision-making-4153045
https://www.verywellmind.com/decidophobia-symptoms-causes-diagnosis-and-treatment-5222087
https://www.simplypsychology.org/pareto-principle.html
https://www.truworthwellness.com/blog/10-steps-for-quick-great-decisions/
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/5-tips-for-lightning-fast-decision-making.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/decidophobia

https://www.linkedin.com/onboarding/start/profile-location/new/?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fpulse%2Fpareto-analysis-8020-rule-effective-decision-making-marcin-majka-91g9f&source=coreg

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GROCERY SHOPPING TIPS

8/1/2025

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The trick to doing anything successfully is to make informed decisions. In other words, set goals, gather information, analyze alternatives in relation achieving the goals, and choose between options.

◄ Image Source:www.istock.com

Overall, it is scary how most people make choices without getting the facts first. We may put extensive time and research into picking the best car to buy or buying other big-ticket items (although we may not) but day-to-day decision making is too frequently driven by mood, impulse, hearsay, and limited time.

Grocery shopping is just another activity where many uninformed decisions are made, and those may cost us a lot of money and affect our long-term health.

The problem with making informed decisions is the “becoming informed” part. Even with all the wisdom of the internet at our fingertips, it still takes time and effort to learn enough about whatever it is we need to know. In fact, there is so much out there it is hard to know who to believe. The up side is that once you’ve made the basic decisions, you don’t have to make them over and over, at least until something changes.

I have been grocery shopping for many years, as have most of you, and I’ve learned some lessons the hard ways. I also researched this subject. Hopefully these tips can help.

PLAN AHEAD
There are three components to consider when planning your grocery shopping strategy: Cost, Time, and Quality. Most choices are based on these, and there are always compromises.

● What are your shopping goals?
Think about it. Knowing what you are trying achieve helps you plan. Most of the time it is about eating healthy and saving money, but not always. Ask yourself what you want to achieve.
• Take less time? • Be convenient?
• Save money?             • Eat well?
• Eat healthy?              • Save gasoline?
• Recyclability?             • Reduce waste?

● Think about where you grocery shop; consider alternatives
You can often get what you need cheaper by switching stores or going to several different retailers.
• Do you know which stores and online retailers have the best prices?
• Are you open to making multiple stops when grocery shopping?
• Do you plan a route? [Try to buy perishables and frozen foods at the last place you shop.]
• Are you open to buying from online retailers?

According to AARP. since the pandemic, food prices are up 25 percent. A recent nationwide study showed that shopping at Aldi was marginally cheaper than Walmart ($1.52), and Target came in third. www.aarp.org/cheapest-groceries

● Think about the way you cook
• What kind of foods do you buy?
• Do you appreciate less expensive foods? Food doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive to
  be good and healthy.
• Do you cook large portions and use your leftovers?
• Are you willing to substitute recipe ingredients when you have something suitable handy?
• Know you don’t need to buy everything organic
• Prewashed, chopped and cut fruits and veggies cost you more
• Take a serious look at the beverages you buy. They really run up the bill.

● Plan meals for the week in advance of shopping

● Make a list and stick to it
“Grocery stores are expertly designed to boost spending,” says Melissa Cid, a consumer savings writer with MySavings.com. “You're stepping into a meticulously crafted system built to extract as much money from you as possible.” www.aarp.org/cheapest-groceries
◄ Image Credit: Shutterstock.com
Image Source: www.moneysmartguides.com

Because grocery stores make a lot of money off impulse purchases, they use tricks to make you buy extra items you didn’t need with tactics like placing essentials like milk and eggs at the back of the store, forcing you to walk past a lot of other products.

● Prepare a customized grocery list for yourself
This can save time and effort, and help prevent forgetting things. Organize the items you buy regularly by the stores where these are the best buys. Put the brand name and other key details on your shopping list so you get exactly what you want every time.

• Read store sale ads and coupons
Supermarkets advertise sales to attract customers; look in the local paper, on the store’s website, and often on the store’s app if they have one. But often these discounted items are strategically placed next to name brands that are expensive or marked up. Find coupons for good quality deals. Stock up on cleaning products, nutrient-rich foods, and other staples that you’ll definitely use, preferably those with longer shelf lives. ▲ Image Credit: Walmart
Image Source: www.flyersmartcanucks.ca
● Don’t go shopping when you are hungry

THE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
This is where everything can go south for the winter; it is the real test of shopping savvy.

● Stick to your list and avoid impulse buying (Experts can’t say this often enough)
● Buy whole foods
● Buy in bulk when possible
Some stores have bulk bins with dry foods such as grains, beans, nuts, and seasonings, and the price is usually lower. Don’t buy in bulk anything you won’t use up during the shelf life, and be sensitive to the amount of storage space you have available.

● Lean to read the labels and do it regularly
By preparing a pre-printed shopping list, you can add brand names when you find the product you want and list it for whichever store has the best price. Pay attention to unit price.
Image Credit and Source: Shutterstock.com ►

● Shop for produce that’s in season
The consumer pays more for fresh produce that is “misted”, not only for the misting system itself and the water, but also water increases the weight. You pay by the pound, so shake out the water from your produce before you get to checkout.
◄ Image Source: www.producebusiness.com

● Buy cheaper cuts of meat
Look for: chuck steak, pork, top sirloin steak, whole chicken, ground meat or poultry. Large inexpensive cuts of meat can be used in several different meals during the week. Less expensive cuts of meat are great to use in casseroles, soups, stews, and burritos.

● Replace meat with other proteins
Eating less meat may be a good (and healthier) way to save money. Try using other protein sources a few times a week, such as: legumes, hemp seeds, eggs, and canned fish. Also, most of these have a longer shelf life.

● Buy Frozen Fish
Experts say there is no difference in the quality and taste, and in most cases the product has been frozen on the fishing vessel long before it gets to the store and sold as “fresh”. The reduced price tag on frozen fish is due to the increased shelf life and has nothing to do with the nutrition or quality.

● Buy generic and store brands
The generic and store brands are often made by the same manufacturer as the name brand competitors but at a lower price. You may have to hunt for them at first.

● Buy frozen fruits and vegetables
Frozen produce is usually cheaper, just as nutritious, available all year, and usually sold in large bags, so you can take out only what you are going to use.

● Stock up on sales
Don’t buy something you haven’t planned using just because it is on sale.

● Avoid buying highly processed food
Highly processed foods cost more and are high in sodium and/or sugar.

● Avoid individually packaged foods

● Make adjustments to your cart before you check out
Use your list or phone to keep a running tally of purchases. Also, look at your cart and ask yourself if there’s anything you don’t really need…or something your kids slipped in. Studies show that people who use self-checkout tend to spend less.

NOW, HERE’S THE THING!
Grocery stores, like other retailers, want you to spend lots of money, and everything about the physical environment is designed is to boost sales, from the placement of items to the size of shopping carts to the music playing overhead. aarp.org/money/supermarket-secrets

Your supermarket wants you to deviate from your list. Impulse buying means big bucks for grocery stores. They use all kinds of tricks to encourage it in store design, lighting, music, and placement of items. Essentials like milk and eggs are located at the back of the store, forcing you to walk past a lot of other products. Ordering groceries online and picking them up at the store can help cut down on impulse buys.

So how do grocery stores divert us shoppers from our lists? Let me count the ways.

● End-of-aisle sale items don’t save you much money
Andrea Woroch, a consumer savings adviser in Bakersfield, California says these end caps displays are intended to capture attention of the customer with the illusion of a good deal. They may feature a deal on a name-brand product which is not be the cheapest option for that specific type of product.

● The best deals are not at eye level
The first items a shopper sees in a grocery aisle are not the best buys. Less-expensive brands are placed either high or low. Pricey and name brands are at eye level.

● Supermarkets are not always the best place to buy non-food items
Many supermarkets don’t source non-food products like paper goods or cleaning products. The best prices are usually cheaper at big box retailers like Costco, Target, or Walmart. Sometimes online retailers can beat the best store prices. When comparing prices, remember to always look at the cost per unit and number of units, not only the total.

● Free Samples Whet Your Appetite
According to Martin Lindstrom, author of Buyology and Brandwashed, says food sampling is designed to activate your hunger and get the customer to impulse buy.
◄ Image Source: www.pinterest.com

● The background music is intentional
Lindstrom also says, “Background music is a well-known tactic in retail.” One study found playing slower music (72 beats per minute or fewer) in a supermarket resulted in a 38 percent increase in average gross sales.

● The Grocery store’s discount section is usually “hidden”
Stores often discount items in damaged packages. You need to ask an employee if they have a discount section and where it is.

● Bakeries are often located at the front of the store
This is for visual appeal, but the store may also strategically pipe out the smell of fresh baked goods toward the entrance. Some even pipe in the artificial scent of baked goods to trigger cravings. Image Source: www.artpictures.club ►
● Store layout and lighting are strategically designed
Your supermarket will use anything possible to make the products more appealing, even piling apples high on crates
o make the produce look abundant.

Chalk this all up to being a capitalistic consumer society. Like it or not, it is who we are.

YOU KNEW THIS ALREADY
Of course you did!

Anyone who has grocery shopped, particularly for a family, for any length of time is familiar with most of these tricks of the trade. You are probably implementing many of them without even thinking. But we all need to be reminded periodically, and we all fall into habits and patterns that may need changing after a while…but we don’t think about it.

So, take these ideas under consideration and make “informed decisions” about changing some of your grocery shopping habits.

JUST SAYIN’
Sources
https://www.aarp.org/money/personal-finance/supermarket-secrets/?cmp=EMC-DSM-NLC-OTH-WBLTR-2002400-2094121-9328092-NA-06072025-Webletter-MS1-SAPLA-BTN-S08_A-Money&encparam=gEGhXRuXYldudBaLHelHywL+AU5FLAe01RE6k5jyiOA=

https://www.aarp.org/money/personal-finance/cheapest-groceries-walmart-aldi-target/?cmp=KNC-DMP-SAPLA-SPR-RetirementPlanning-Nonbrand-65030-Bing-AldivsWalmartvsTarget-Exact-NonBrand&&msclkid=bee8e520b75916d83d3c8d41d572873f&gclid=bee8e520b75916d83d3c8d41d5

https://thrivemarket.com/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Non-Brand_SEM_Diet_Natural&utm_content=1167683279404316&utm_term=natural%20grocers%20closest%20to%20me&device=c&ccode=acq60fogwp&ccode_force=1&msclkid=dcf4763abc8f103b5f8b1e5bc527634e

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/19-ways-to-eat-healthy-on-a-budget
https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/how-save-money-on-groceries-when-eating-healthy/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/photogallery/superfoods.aspx
https://www.tastingtable.com/1416786/grocery-store-hacks-better-shopping/
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/cooking-skills/shopping/grocery-shopping-tips
https://www.foodrepublic.com/1688814/why-grocery-store-bakery-front/

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LABOR DAY: celebrating American Workers

MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS

GROCERY SHOPPING TIPS

Author R. Ann Siracusa

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