Random News: September 5, 2022

DISCLAIMER: Zak's Random News is very random and doesn't cover many things, and not everything may be accurate, because I'm just some guy. Go find a real news source.

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Good morning. It’s September 5, 2022, and it’s a Monday, albeit a national holiday Monday in the USA. Here are various things that I might be writing next…

• What is Labor Day?
• I’m glad you asked.
• Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.
• Oregon was the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday in 1887.
• It became an official federal holiday in 1894.
• Do you like Labor Day weekend? Thank a liberal. Do you like weekends at all? Yes, we made those happen too. Do you like not being forced to work 16 hours per day without any days off until you die? Do you like your young children not being forced to work in brutal conditions? Yeah, those were all liberal concepts.
• You’re welcome.
• Just note: plenty of labor leaders died, got the shit kicked out of them, or got arrested to fight for the rights of working people. If it was up to the corporations who generally control things, you’d never have any rights at all as an employee.
• So really, thank them.
• Moving on.
• Liz Truss is set to become the new prime minister of the UK. She’s yet another conservative, as were the previous three. Truss will be under pressure to deliver on her campaign promises to lower cost-of-living (good luck with that). 
• Queen Elizabeth will formally appoint Truss as Britain’s prime minister on Tuesday.
• The west of the US is still in the midst of a brutal heat wave. Yesterday was hopefully the worst of it, though it seems to be extending into today thus far.
• I don’t like sweating. I don’t see how you people who live in constant high humidity go on living like that. Also, this is that very rare time here at the beach that I am deeply jealous of those with air conditioning. It’s only about two weeks total out of 52 each year, but they are a shitty two weeks.
• We are still under flex alert, which means if the grid is getting taxed, power could go out at any time. Hey, at least they warn ya, I guess.
• From the Sports Desk… yup, this is the week. The 2022 NFL season starts on Thursday September 8 with the Buffalo Bills at the Los Angeles Rams.
• For those of you so inclined, tomorrow (Tuesday Sep 6) at 5PM SLT, I’ll be doing a live music show at Hotel Chelsea in Second Life. I try not to be a political guy at my shows, not much anyway. I just play music and hope people have a good-ass time. That’s it.
• And now, The Weather: “Falling by the Wayside” by T. Evann.
• Today in history… Louis XIV's Superintendent of Finances is arrested in Nantes by D'Artagnan, captain of the king's musketeers (1661). Tsar Peter I of Russia imposes a tax on beards for all men except the clergy and peasantry (1698). First Continental Congress assembles in Philadelphia (1774). The Siege of Fort Wayne begins when Chief Winamac's forces attack two soldiers returning from the fort's outhouses (1812). Sam Houston is elected as the first president of the Republic of Texas (1836). The first United States Labor Day parade is held in New York City (1882). A group of youths affiliated with the fascist National Socialist Movement of Chile are executed after surrendering during a failed coup (1938). Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg constitute Benelux (1944). Cassius Clay wins the gold medal in the light heavyweight boxing competition at the Olympic Games in Rome, later changing his name to Muhammad Ali (1960). Squeaky Fromme attempts to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford (1975). The Space Shuttle Discovery lands after its maiden voyage (1984). 
• September 5 is the birthday of king Louis XIV (1638), composer Johann Christian Bach (1735), poet Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy (1817), hydroelectric power innovator Lester Allan Pelton (1829), outlaw Jesse James (1847), pianist and composer Amy Beach (1867), baseball great Nap Lajoie (1874), composer John Cage (1912), actor/comedian Bob Newhart (1929), est founder and probable weirdo Werner Erhard (1935), folk musician John Stewart (1939), actress Raquel Welch (1940), singer-songwriter Al Stewart (1945), all time greatest vocalist in the history of the world Freddie Mercury (1946), singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III (1946), drummer Buddy Miles (1947), cartoonist Cathy Guisewite (1950), actor Michael Keaton (1951), drummer Brad Wilk (1968), guitarist Dweezil Zappa (1969), and director/musician Liam Lynch (1970).

As I said, it’s Labor Day. I’m going to try and not work, which is difficult as a business owner. But in the spirit of saluting working people across the country, I will do my best to sit on my ass and relax. I hope your holiday (if American) or regular old Monday (if not) is fun. Enjoy your day.