The history of Labor Day is too, too boring to detail, but: President Grover Cleveland  in 1894 signed the bill recognizing the first Monday of September as Labor Day, providing a new holiday for federal workers.  If he looks a bit rotund to you, he had a Body-Mass Index of 34.6, #2 to Howard Taft at 42.3.  Want to know your BMI?  Look to the right, scroll to near the bottom, stop at Calculate Your Body-Mass Index, insert those details, and the odds are high you will be a lot lower than Cleveland.  The NFL always kicks off their season the Thursday after Labor Day, which this year features the Ravens visiting Chiefs in Kansas City on September 5. While there will be picnics, a few parades and the like, this three-day weekend is the official end of the summer, where consumers spend a lot of money, only next to the Christmas season, and travel. 10,000 workers in 24 cities  are striking this weekend  against Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt hotels. Presi...

I don't feel particularly spiritual today, so will turn to sports.  The NFL season officially starts on September 5, so one more weekend of pre-season games remains.  This opener on September 5 will be held on a Thursday in Kansas City as a Super Bowl rematch between the Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens at 8:20PM EDT on NBC.   Which leads me to ESPN Fantasy Football.  I have drafted one team, and plan to add two more.  If you're interested,  click on ESPN  and play for FREE.  If this is new to you, I'll provide some advice. Join a Public League Click on Beginner. For Scoring, either reception option should be okay. For Draft Type, Snake would be easier.  This is the method where the computer assigns you your draft position, and the draft snakes along. Click on Draft Now to decided when you want to do the drafting. Then Join a League. The time shown is your home time. There will be ten teams in your league. While you wait, you can adjust the d...

I remember the first air flight I ever took.  I must have been around 10 years old, and it was from Honolulu to Kahului.  Visited relatives.  One cousin is now a doctor living in New York City, married to a psychiatrist.  Saw Hayden Mango for the first time.  It was large, beautiful and sweet.  I was only familiar with Common and Chinese Mangos.  Anyway, yesterday was my final day on Maui.  I had a small adventure.  Make it tiny.  I walked from the Pride of America all the way to Maui Mall, for the primary purpose of tasting Guri-Guri. Lunch of pork cutlet and pasta fagioli soup, with beer and a rose wine. Off I am to have Guri-Guri. Found Tasaka Guri Guri...and it was closed for Labor Day. But I had to have something, so went elsewhere and ordered a lychee boba.  This is that drink from Taiwan with tapioca balls. Found a table with a view of the Pride of America. Walked back to the ship. The ship left Kahului before sunset for Hilo...