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Labor Day

The Labor Day (official writing in the USA, in some other countries it can be written "Labour Day) is a national holiday of the USA. It has been celebrated on the first Monday in September, since 1894. In some places the people celebrated the Labor Day even before that day as a result of a campaign by an early organization of workers called the Knights of Labor. The reason of its celebration is to honor the nation's working people. The celebration marks the end of the travel season and is celebrated with big parades, picnics or barbecues. Some people take the time to enjoy a last 3-day week-end on the beaches before school begins (although in some, mostly southern states, school already starts before that day, often in July)

In 2009, Labor Day will be celebrated on September 7th.

40 years of Woodstock

Everyone is familiar with Woodstock and what it is all about. But what did really happen in 1969?
The most famous event in rock history took place on a 600-acre farm in the township of Bethel, New York from August 15th to August 18th in 1969.
More than 100.000 tickets were sold for that event, but many more people entered the festival, as fences and gates were never finished. This shows that the organization of that event was not really good and many expected a real disaster. Therefore, it was even more surprising that the festival did not end in a total chaos. Problems occurred from the beginning: Due to different protest the organizers had to look for a new location twice and singers started to fight for high salaries (Jimi Hendrix for example demanded a salary of 30.000 dollar, twice the amount the other artist got) and nobody expected, that so many people would like to attend the festival. By Wednesday, August 13th, the front of the stage was already filled with more than 60.000 people and by Friday, August 15th the roads were so crowed that most artists could only reach the festival by helicopter. It was raining during the night and it seemed like a huge disaster would come up. But than the miracle - which is named after Woodstock - happened: About half a million people celebrated for three days and Rock'n'Roll became one of the biggest symbols of a peaceful gathering of more than 300.000 people and different musical performances.

L.A. Wildfire threatens many Homes

The fires in L.A. keep burning. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visited the fire last week-end and urged residents to move quickly when the firefighters give the order to do so. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department two people resisted the order to leave. They were burned and had to be evacuated by helicopter, after having underestimated the forces of the fire.
Bruce Quintelier, U.S. Forest Service fire information officer said, that the fire is spreading in all directions. The high temperatures and the dry trees are keeping the fire burning. The Angeles Crest Highway, a 67-mile road which reaches an altitude of more than 7,000 feet had to be closed, the fire threatened the city of Acton in the Apple Valley, a high-desert area and the historic Mount Wilson Observatory (founded in 1904) were in danger. UsaToday reports that the fire is one of several that blew up last week when a heat wave and low humidity made ideal conditions for fires.

For more information you can visit the official website of UsaToday.