09/01/2008 @ 1:00am PST Monday, September 1st! Happy Labor Day! Labor Day stats, and take our life quiz to find out what's important in yours, plus Sarah Palin video - VP nominee and 1988 sportscaster! "BUZZ" James Gandolfini weds in Hawaii, and "Dark Knight" sets a new box office record! "PHOTO GALLERY" (1970) KHJ Boss Jocks ride the first Rose Parade radio station float!
The first observance of Labor Day is believed to have been a parade on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, probably organized by Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary. By 1893, more than half the states were observing a "Labor Day" on one day or another, and a bill to establish a federal holiday was passed by Congress in 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill soon afterward, designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day.
Employee Benefits
82% - Percentage of full-time workers age 18 to 64 covered by health insurance
79% - Percentage of workers in private industry who receive a paid vacation as one of their employment benefits. In addition 79 percent of workers receive paid holidays.
18 percent have access to employer assistance for childcare.
fewer than 10 percent have access to subsidies for commuting, telework opportunities and adoption assistance.
11 percent have access to long-term care insurance.
$40,668 and $30,724 - The annual median earnings, respectively, for male and female full-time, year-round workers.
7.3 million - Number of workers who hold down more than one job. So-called moonlighters comprise 5 percent of the working population. Of these moonlighters, 3.8 million work full time at their primary job and part time at their other job, and about 293,000 work full time at both jobs.
10.3 million - Number of self-employed workers.
20.3 million - Number of female workers in educational, health and social services industries. More women work in this industry group than in any other. Manufacturing was the most popular industry among men, with 11.3 million workers.
28% - Percentage of workers 16 or older who work more than 40 hours a week. Eight percent work 60 or more hours a week.
15.8 million - Number of labor union members nationwide. About 13 percent of wage and salary workers belong to unions, with New York having among the highest rates of any state 25 percent. North Carolina has one of the lowest rates, 3 percent.
4.5 million - The number of people who work at home.
24.3 minutes - The average time it takes to commute to work.
More Than 100 hours - The amount of time the average American spends commuting to work each year. (This exceeds the typical two weeks of vacation time taken by many U.S. workers over the course of a year.)
2.0% - Percentage of workers nationwide who face “extreme” commutes to work that is, they spend 90 or more minutes traveling to their jobs.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT ON THIS LABOR DAY, 2008!
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America Contest. 4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here' s another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with
Easier?
Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones who care.
SARAH PALIN, THE REPUBLICAN VP CANDIDATE'S SPORTCASTER PAST!
MORE OF SPORTCASTER SARAH PALIN AT KTUU-TV, ANCHORAGE, IN 1988!
SOME INCREDIBLE HURRICANE GUSTAV FOOTAGE AS IT STARTS TO ROLL IN!
