No Joke! Tazi Presents The History Of April Fool's Day (And Recommends The Museum of Hoaxes Blog!)

Dear Readers:

I recently came across an old copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica while sniffing around the bookshelf for a good place to nap - a la Fredrick the Literate. Being the curious cat that I am, I pulled out the first book in the series - subjects beginning with the letter "A" - and started reading about the history of April Fool's Day. I did not know that humans needed a special day to play pranks on people. We cats do it all the time, regardless of the occasion. Anyhow, in lieu of a full blog review, I have decided to share my new-found knowledge with you!

My man, Frederick!

There are many tales of the origin of April Fool's Day. The most widely believed is that it dates back to the mid-1500's, when the Gregorian calendar was adopted in England; switching the feast of the New Year from March 25 - April 1 (a week long celebration in honor of the Spring Equinox, which actually makes sense) to January 1, a single day in the middle of the winter. News traveled slowly back then and, as now, people were not fond of change. Because of this, there were still many who insisted on celebrating the New Year on April 1. Those who celebrated on January 1 would then make fun of those celebrating the New Year on April 1, and would often play good-natured jokes on them. Although this historical event popularized the April 1 date as a day for pranks, it is not what originated it.

As far back as the mid-5th century (1,000 years earlier) the Persians (now Iraqis) celebrated their own New Year with the celebration of Sizdah Bedar (literal translation: getting rid of 13) which falls on the 13th day of the New Year and the final day of celebration, generally April 1. It is a day to play pranks on each other and to be festive and joyful; and is actually one of the older holiday traditions still active in the world today. It is believed that this tradition was carried from Persia (Iraq) by European traders, who found the practice befitting their own celebration on that date.

April Fool's Day is a holiday celebrated by many countries throughout the world; especially those in Europe, where the celebration often takes on a life of its own with the media getting involved to assist in the perpetrating of jokes and hoaxes. Perhaps the most famous April Fool's Day hoax was the one about the Swiss Spaghetti Harvest, reported as actual news by the highly reputed BBC News, the perpetrators of the joke.

To go with all the meatballs, ja!

For more interesting tales of April Fool's Day jokes, check out the blog The Museum of Hoaxes. The British are also responsible for what might also be the longest running April Fool's Day joke: sending people to the Tower of London to witness the annual Washing of the Lions. Started in 1698, the prank continued to fool citizens right up through the mid-19th century; when, presumably, communications had improved through the printing of newspapers.

However you decide to spend your April Fool's Day - whether you try to convince someone that the restaurant chain Taco Bell has purchased the naming rights to the Liberty Bell (and is renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell) or you decide to try and shut down your downtown business district, have fun doing it! And for more ideas on various hoaxes to pull, check out The Museum of Hoaxes multi-blog article on The Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes of All Time - each hoax intro leads to a full-page article (no joke!) that will keep you busy all day, leaving your cat the entire day to nap on top of your Sunday newspaper. It's a win-win situation!

Snuggles,
Tazi


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day History And Trivia

Dear Readers,

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! 

Whoever laughs can kiss my Irish!
Whoever did this can kiss my...

A favorite holiday among many, I thought I would celebrate by sharing some Saint Patrick’s Day history and Irish trivia with you!

Did you know…?

In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a religious holiday celebrated with reverence, not excessive partying. 

St. Patrick was a 5^th century British-born Roman; as a teenager, he was captured by Irish invaders and spent six years as a slave before escaping and returning to England, only to return to Ireland as a missionary after completing his studies for the priesthood.

The name “Patrick” is derived from the Latin “Patricius”, meaning “father figure”. Saint Patrick took the name upon his ordination to the priesthood. His given name was Maewyn Succat.

Saint Patrick’s feast day is March 17^th, commemorating the day he died in 461.

It is said that Saint Patrick “drove the snakes out of Ireland” and this is figuratively true. The snake is the pagan symbol of wisdom; in bringing Christianity to the Emerald Isle, Saint Patrick drove out the old wisdom of her people. Additionally, the snake is a Christian symbol of Satan and evil incarnate – also something Saint Patrick worked to quash.

Over 30 million Americans claim Irish ancestry; worldwide, over double that number (70 million) can claim a link to the Emerald Isle – that is more than ten times the actual population of Ireland!
In America, Irish ancestry ranks among the top 5 ancestries in all but two states – New Mexico and Hawaii!

Although New York City boasts the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade, Boston boasts the oldest. In fact, it hosted the very first Saint Patrick’s Day parade ever held anywhere in the world – in 1737!

Guinness Brewery estimates that 13 million pints of their product will be consumed on Saint Patrick’s Day!

While Ireland is famous for its potatoes, the vegetable is not native to Irish soil; it was imported from the North American continent.

The first President of the Irish Republic (Eamon De Valera) was American by birth!

The colors of the Irish flag – orange, white, and green – stand for the Protestants (orange) of Northern Ireland; the Catholics (green) of the main isle (Eire, or the Irish Republic); and the peace (white) that will hopefully reign between them on a permanent basis.

Enjoy your Saint Patrick’s Day, however you choose to celebrate it! Erin go bragh – or, in English, Ireland Forever!

Snuggles,

Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

A Short History Of Valentine's Day...Along With Some Triva

Happy Valentine’s Day, Readers!

Today is one of my favorite holidays! What’s not to love about expressing love for one another and eating chocolate? Plus, my black fur looks stunning in both red and pink! In honor of both this holiday and Pope Benedict XVI’s announcement that he will be resigning at the end of the month, I have decided to look into the history of this holiday, named for a Catholic saint!

According to Catholic.org, there are fourteen saints named Valentine, Valentin, or Valentina, and even one Pope named Valentine! Luckily for my research, only one of these Saint Valentines are celebrated on February 14^th; St. Valentine of Rome. Even the Church itself cannot confirm that he is the St. Valentine associated with lovers and love and that naked baby with the cross bow, but since today is his feast day I am going to run with it, although there is not much to tell: St. Valentine was martyred on February 14^th, around the year 270, under the Roman Emperor Claudius for assisting Catholics in their plight against the Romans and for refusing to renounce his Catholic faith. It was a common fate among Catholics who lived during the time of the early Roman Empire.

Another tradition of the Roman Empire was the Feast of Lupercalia on February 15^th, which was essentially an ancient (around 730 B.C. is when it is reported to have started) mating ritual where men essentially drew a woman’s name from a hat and romanced her in the Roman tradition – which, if you have ever watched Spartacus on STARZ, you understand to mean fornicated with her at every opportunity. Catholic priests were horrified by this tradition and many of them would substitute the name of a saint for the name of a local woman – thus explains one Valentine’s Day tradition, expressing love for the object of your desires and affection; it was just one more (successful) attempt to Christianize the pagan holidays of the time. (Seriously, does anyone still celebrate Lupercalia?).

Another reason St. Valentine is associated with love and marriage is the reason he was martyred; the assistance he gave to Catholics – in direct opposition to the Roman Emperor Claudius II – was to marry them. Emperor Claudius II felt that unmarried men without children made the best soldiers because, as is true today, men without loved ones are thought to be better in combat since it is presumed that they will concentrate all of their thoughts on battle and not on their wives and children back home. In ancient times, unmarried men without children were also considered disposable; if they died in battle, they died a hero’s death without leaving a widow and children in need of financial assistance. Apparently, Roman leaders were not the sentimental sort. With this logic in mind, Claudius II is said to have passed a law forbidding young men to marry; Valentine disobeyed that law and married young sweethearts anyway, which led to his imprisonment and untimely death.

It is rumored that while Valentine was in jail, he himself fell in love with the jailor’s daughter (this was allowed in the early Catholic Church, as priests were allowed to marry back then). On the eve of his execution, St. Valentine purportedly wrote a letter expressing his eternal love for the young woman, signing it “from your Valentine”. The tradition that follows from this legend is the giving of Valentine’s Day cards. A NicholasSparks novel could not possibly have a sadder or more enduring ending! But wait, there’s more!

But first an animated recap of the story thus far...

It was under Pope Gelasius (492 – 496) that February 14^th was declared the Feast day of St. Valentine and celebrations of love and affection were outlawed by the church, having been deemed unchristian in spirit, since they were rooted in the feat of Lupricalia, which was still widely celebrated. It was not until the Middle Ages that Valentine’s Day expressions of love regained their popularity, which some credit to the British Duke, Charles of Orleans, who sent his wife a Valentine’s greeting while imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415. (What is it about love letters from prison that bring out the romantic in people?). This love letter – a poem, actually – is the oldest known written Valentine in existence and is preserved as a part of the Manuscript Collection of the British Library in London, England. Knowing this makes me feel like less of a pack-rat for saving all of my past years’ Valentine’s cards!

By the 1700’s it became popular among people of all social classes to exchange Valentine’s Day sentiments, although they were not written down due to the high rate of illiteracy that plagued society and the even higher costs of printing and postage. In 1840, the mass-produced Valentine was created when American Esther A. Howland created greetings out of lace, ribbons, and other fancies that caught consumers’ eyes. She presumably sold them, as these materials were not cheap. It was not until the early 1900’s that printed Valentine’s were commonly exchanged, popular due to the decreased cost of printing and the Victorian era tradition of not publicly expressing affection for another. Today, Valentine’s Day sees an estimated one BILLION greeting cards sent and exchanged, making it the second most profitable holiday for Hallmark, American Greetings, and the like (Christmas is first).

As my Valentine’s gift to you, dear readers, I will leave you with some fun, trivial facts (followed by my opinion) about this day to pass along to the ones you love. (Hey, it’s cheaper than buying a card!).

FACT: 85% of Valentine’s Day cards are purchased by women.

Tazi’s Opinion: Many of these are purchased on behalf of their cats

FACT: In Korea, single people who do not receive Valentines eat black noodles to mourn their relationship status

Tazi’s Opinion: It’s good to know that Americans don’t have a lock on such pathetic behavior.

FACT: Teachers receive the most Valentine’s Day card than any other demographic; children are second

Tazi’s Opinion: Those 3” x 2” pieces of cheap cardboard that kids are forced to exchange with everyone in the class should not count!

FACT: The heart is associated with Valentine’s Day because the ancients believed that the heart is where the soul (and the source of emotions) resided.

Tazi’s Opinion: The pancreas would make a better choice, since it actually is heart-shaped…unlike the heart.

FACT: During the 19^th century, doctors prescribed chocolate as a cure for heartbreak and loneliness

Tazi’s Opinion: I think this is a great idea! I also think that citizens should be able to write off the cost of Godiva confectioneries as a medical expense on their tax returns.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

Snuggles,

Tazi

With gracious thanks to History.com and MyDearValentine.com for statistical information and fact verification.

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

New Year's Wishes (And Resolutions) From Tazi-Kat!

Dear Readers,

I have a New Year's wish for you! It is similar to last year's wish for you, with updates to reflect the changing times!

May your year be filled with good health, good friends, and good luck. May you always remember to appreciate the happy times, and each other. May sadness fade with the support of friends, family, and community; and may outpourings of love and compassion salve the bitter sting of tragedy.

And belly rubs! I also wish you belly rubs!

May work be plentiful, but not overwhelming; may your pockets be so full of coin that you do not hesitate to share with those less fortunate; and may there always be time at the end of the day to enjoy some quality time with your loved ones (including belly rub time!)

May your cup of life always be full, and its contents ever sweet; may all of your dreams come true, and your nightmares fade with the dawn. (Belly rubbing a cat can help to accomplish this end!).

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, blessed 2014 that is full of abundance, joy, and plenty of belly rubs!

The kitten has spoken!

Snuggles to all,

Tazi-Kat

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Black Friday Plans Make Some People Blue

Dear Tazi:

Every year my family loves to have a big, traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all of the trimmings. Sadly, money is very tight for me this year because I lost my job and had to take a position making less than I was; because of this, I am planning on shopping the night away at all of the Black Friday sales that Thanksgiving evening. In order to do this, I will have to sleep Thanksgiving Day. I realize that this is less than ideal, but it is truly the only way I will be able to give my two children (both teenagers) the kind of Christmas they deserve – one with lots of presents under the tree! I want this Christmas to be extra special for them because their father (my ex-husband) got remarried this year to a woman half his age and the kids are pretty upset about it.

When I told my mother about my shopping plans, she hit the roof! She told me that Thanksgiving is about family, not shopping, and that Christmas is about love, not presents. She accused me of trying to buy my children’s love with fancy gifts and told me that she had better see me at her table on Thanksgiving or I can forget coming around for Christmas.

Tazi, I think my mother is being unreasonable. I will still be sending the children to celebrate Thanksgiving with the family, so they will not be missing out; my kids will be spending Christmas Day with their father, so I will be all alone if my mother banishes me from her table for trying to do right by my kids and giving them the best Christmas ever in a year full of downers. I told my Mom that she was not seeing the big picture, and she responded that “there are none so blind as those who will not see”. I don’t think it’s right for her to start shaming me with Bible verses, especially since she knows I don’t go to church. I think that was just another one of her digs. How “Christian” is that? Can you think of a way to make my Mom see reason and to let me go about my life without shutting me out of hers?

Signed,

Mama’s Girl

Dear Mama’s Girl:

Your mother is being overbearing in her demands and is holding you an emotional hostage in order to get her way…but while I disagree with her methods, I cannot say the same for her philosophy on how holidays should be spent. There is a reason why the Federal government has declared days like Thanksgiving and Christmas national holidays; it is so families can take the time off of work – without retaliation – in order to spend those days with their loved ones. (While I wish they would recognize major celebratory days of non-Christian beliefs, too, that is another argument).

Your plan to spend Thanksgiving shopping has more holes in it than a Babybel Swiss!

I am beholding the power of cheese!

To start, you mention that you want to give your children the “best Christmas ever” but seem to think abandoning them on Thanksgiving is no big deal. In a year of hardships it is more important than ever to count your blessings and hold fast to family. Dumping your children on your family to spend the day sleeping and shopping is not going to make them feel important and loved, regardless of what you buy them.

Second, by shopping on Thanksgiving you are denying store employees of the privilege (some would say right) to spend Thanksgiving with their families. This year Thanksgiving also happens to fall on the first full night of Hanukkah, so to be forced to work this day would be doubly offensive to those of the Jewish faith.

Third, I will add that Christmas is about different things to different people, but it is not about buying someone’s love through expensive gifts that you call ill afford to purchase. I understand your children are not looking forward to spending the day with their father and his new wife, but ruining their Thanksgiving in order to accomplish your plan for Christmas cheer is the wrong way to go about solving the problem.

Fourth, I want to mention that your mother was not quoting the Bible, but referencing 17^th century Presbyterian minister Matthew Henry (1662 – 1714), who popularized this little known English proverb of unknown origins. Another Old English proverb is “wanting to eat your cake and have it, too” which seems to be what you want from your mother – approval to miss Thanksgiving and her open arms at Christmas. You realize that come Christmas you will need your Mom…has it occurred to you that maybe she needs you at Thanksgiving to make her holiday complete? If you want to go ahead with your Thanksgiving shopping plans you must do so without my blessing. I say that there will be enough sales between now and Christmas to equal the offerings of Black Friday.

Snuggles,

Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

A List Of Thankfuls - Tazi's Annual Thanksgiving Message

Dear Readers:

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States of America, a day we set aside each year to give pause and think about the blessings in our lives. Whatever your personal beliefs about the holiday - political, religious, or a lack of either - today is a day to give appreciation for those who make our lives special. Today, I would like to use this space to offer praise to those who make my life special; and thanks for the things that make me a happy kitty!

I am thankful for:

My Mommie, who rescued me from the shelter when I reached out to her - literally. More dead than alive when the shelter brought me in, I would huddle in the back of my cage; fearful of everyone. When she walked in, something about her attracted me. My instincts told me she would be a good Mommie, so I rushed forward; stuck my paw through the cage; hooked my claws into her sweater; and pulled her close to me. We have been inseparable ever since.

My Co-Mommie, who is actually my Grand-Mommie, but she does not like being called that. Every night, after a long day of napping (on my part, not hers) she provides a lap for me to curl up in and cuddle. I love my evening snuggles!

I don't bite when given snuggles, but belly rubs are another story!

Every morning, Co-Mommie wakes early to keep me company and take care of my needs. She claims that she wakes early to get ready for work, but I know the truth: she just wants some alone time with me, before my nap schedule kicks in for the day.

My Daddy, who was promoted from "Uncle Person" after leaving work to let me in when I got locked out and it was threatening rain.  How many men do you know would punch-out of work to rescue their girlfriend's cat from the impending rain?  Exactly!  Now you know why he is my very favorite person in the whole, wide world, and I know that he feels the same way about me! How could he not? He comes over every day just to visit with me! (He claims he comes by to see my Mommie, but I know better!).

Or maybe Daddy just knew the consequences of wetting a cat!

For something my humans call "treats". I am not sure why they taste so much better than my cat cereal (what my humans call "dry food") but there is something about them that makes me want to gorge myself...and then throw them all up on the rug to make room for more!

Pancakes are Mommie's favorite, and so I loves them, too!

For cat-nip; and for the fact that humans have yet to discover how awesome it is!

For soft blankets, on which I take my naps, and for those holes in the walls and floors where warm air blows out of when it is cold. What a great invention!

Whoever invented these things was a genius!

For all of you, who read my column; write me letters; and leave me comments. I truly enjoy writing this column; and thank you for letting me be a part of your life!

Once upon a time, I was an abandoned kitty; left on the streets to fend for myself in the cold and the snow. Now, I am safe and warm; pampered and attended to; surrounded by people who care about me, who love me no matter what (even when I jump on their pool table in the middle of a game!).

Do YOU want to be the one to tell "Morris" to move?

I have a lot for which to be thankful...and it is my hope, dear Readers, that you do as well! A Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Snuggles,
Tazi

P.S. Reduce, reuse, recycle! Think globally and act locally by giving your turkey scraps to the cat in your life!

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Fun Halloween Facts From The Black Cat!

Greetings, Readers!

A Happy Halloween/All Hallow's Eve to all who celebrate!  Here in America, Halloween is a big deal - it is the second highest retail grossing holiday in the country, second only to Christmas!  In honor of this time of excess (and chocolate - lots and lots of chocolate!) I present to you today some fun facts about the history of Halloween and its traditions!

1. Trick-or-treating evolved from the ancient Celtic tradition of putting out food to appease spirits who roamed the streets during Samhain, a sacred festival that marked the end of the Celtic calendar year. Ireland is generally accepted as the birthplace of Halloween!

2. Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Celtic Samhain holiday.

I is scary!  RAWR!

3. Trick-or-treating dates back to the Middle Ages! “Souling” is a medieval Christian precursor to modern-day trick-or-treating. On Hallowmas (November 1, now known as All Saints Day), the poor would go door-to-door offering prayers for the dead in exchange for soul cakes, a sweet and tasty treat!

4. Because Protestant England did not believe in Catholic saints, the rituals traditionally associated with Halloween were originally associated with Guy Fawkes Day on November 5th!

Remember, remember the 5th of November...

5.  A Rhode Island man holds the record for world's largest pumpkin, which weighed in at 2,009 pounds (911 kg).  It is the first pumpkin ever recorded to break the one ton mark!  (Sorry, not a Halloween History fact; being a Rhode Island native, I had to brag!).

6.  Halloween is not a universally celebrated holiday (France sees it as an American celebration).  In Mexico, the days following Halloween - All Saints Day and All Souls Day - are celebrated as Los Días de los Muertos, the Days of the Dead.  Teng Chieh or the Lantern Festival is how Halloween is celebrated in China. Animal shaped lanterns are hung around houses and in the streets to help spirits back to their earthly homes. 

7.   In 1950, Philadelphia-based trick-or-treaters traded in a sweet tooth for a sweet action. In lieu of candy, residents collected change for children overseas and sent it to UNICEF. Subsequently, the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF program was born.

8.  Bobbing for apples actually started as part of the entertainments of the Roman tradition of harvest festivals that honored Pomona, Goddess of the Harvest.

9.  In most countries that celebrate Halloween, black cats are thought to be unlucky as they are thought to be witch's familiars.  In England, the same is thought about white cats, instead of black cats.

I subordinates to nobody!

10. Legend has it that the jack-o’-lantern began with an Irish man named Jack, who was too stingy to be allowed into Heaven and too much of a troublemaker to join the Devil in Hell. When Jack died, the Devil threw him a lighted coal, which Jack placed inside a turnip he was eating. To this day, Jack continues to use the coal to light his path as he searches for a final resting place.


Gracious thanks to RandomFacts.com and MSN.com for their fun facts about Halloween!  

Snuggles and a Happy Halloween from the Black Cat!!


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

A Labor Day History Lesson From Tazi

Dear Readers:

Happy Labor Day! Are you enjoying your day off? Or are you receiving overtime wages for working today? Either way, I suggest that you thank a union member – it was their fight that brought the benefit of paid holidays, overtime wages, and this day of appreciation to the people.

The history of Labor Day is an interesting one, and today I will be sharing it with you so when you kick back with a hot dog and your favorite beverage at the barbeque, you can impress people with your immense knowledge of this celebratory day!

The actual origin of Labor Day is in historical dispute, but evidence leads to the belief that in 1882 a union machinist named Matthew McGuire suggested the idea of a holiday honoring American workers. What is historically factual is that the Central Labor Union of New York is responsible for the sponsoring and planning of the first Labor Day in America. Unlike today, it was not a day of festivities but a day of demonstrations – complete with a picnic lunch, as was customary with any large gathering of the time.

Why the need to demonstrate? As history shows, the 19th century was not a time of fair labor laws and workers rights. Even though unions existed, they were far from the powerful and respected organizations they are today. From the Industrial Revolution of the 1800’s until 1913, when the 16th amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed to institute an income tax, Industrial “Robber” Barons held the purse-strings of the American economy and workers were bound to the rules they set, working in deplorable conditions for twelve hours a day, seven days a week.

Andrew Carnegie and the Homestead Strike of 1892

Never forget the horror of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
Children were not excused from labor back in those days; in fact, child labor was preferred as children could be paid less money than their adult counterparts and were more able to fit into small spaces to fix jammed machinery. Although Americans like to think of themselves as the collective protectorate of our nation’s young, the truth of the matter is that it was parents who sent their children to work instead of school, with both the expectation and blessing of the American public.

In spite of efforts in the early 20th century to improve child welfare by ending child employment it was not until the Great Depression when child advocates and union members combined forces to push for the passing of labor laws to enforce mandatory education of children up to the age of 16. It was reasoned that if a child is in school full time they will be unable to hold full-time employment, thus creating much needed job openings for adults and forcing employers to pay increased wages.


The argument against education was an argument against unions!

In 1883, the second Labor Day was celebrated; keeping with the original date chosen for the celebration it was held of September 5th – a Wednesday. It was not until 1884 that Labor Day took on its traditional date of the first Monday in September. The Central Labor Union of New York, still the only celebrant of Labor Day, encouraged other unions to hold similar celebrations and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in several industrial cities throughout America. Since Labor Day was not an officially recognized holiday participants were docked a day’s wages for being absent from work – an attempt by employers to discourage participation in what was seen as undesirable union activity.

Once introduced, the idea of Labor Day spread quickly and by 1886 a bill had been introduced in the New York state legislature to make Labor Day an official state holiday. The bill did not pass (New York City being the home of Tammany Hall) but early the following year the state of Oregon was the first to declare Labor Day an official state holiday. Even back then, the West was known for its progressiveness. Over the next several years, 23 more states passed legislation making Labor Day an official holiday and in 1894 Labor Day became an official Federal holiday with the passage of law by the 53rd Congress.

Originally, the celebration of Labor Day was designed to focus on parades and festivals as a celebration of and reward to hard-working Americans, but like any large gathering of the citizenry it soon attracted politicians and took on a more serious bent. As large industrial centers grew into the cities we now know, it became difficult for municipalities to continue to host such large-scale celebrations as their planning and execution disrupted the commerce that continued to take place. At this point Labor Day celebrations moved to the smaller cities, and eventually brought forth the backyard barbeques and park-based picnic celebrations we now know.

Today we must ask; has the significance of Labor Day been lost as union membership dwindles? This Labor Day, we face protests as those who call themselves “the 99%” fight to call attention to the plight of the shrinking middle-class. Have the “robber barons” of the prior century reappeared in the form today’s CEO’s? Or has the dynamic of the American workforce changed; with even CEO’s being forced to work like slaves, chattel to the stockholders, for exorbitant compensation but no leisure time to enjoy it? Have we as Americans become so beholden to our luxuries that to go without them is considered an inconceivable poverty? Have our first world problems left us blind to true suffering?



Ummm, isn't Twitter corporate?

Has the role of the union changed from one that looked out for the worker to one that looks out for the union bosses and their cronies? So often I hear from everyday workers who complain that their union dues do nothing but take a chunk of much needed money from their paycheck; they feel as though their unions are not representing them but lining the pockets of their leadership. Is this true? Or it is simply the complaints of one who thinks as a child; who would argue that Mommy and Daddy are mean because their allowance is not inflated beyond what their chores have earned them?

I am just a little kitty, and do not pretend to know the answers to such great big questions; but I think a national debate is in order. I offer up my comments section as the forum! In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this history lesson. I will now be resting from my labors of dictating this column to my Mommie and celebrating the day by taking an extra long nap! How will you be celebrating?

Snuggles,
Tazi

P.S. Remember that people in the service industries - from emergency to entertainment - will be working today so you can enjoy your day off. Please do not make lame jokes at their expense; if you do, I will have to paw slap you!

Sources: Historical information courtesy of the U.S. Department of Labor, History.com, and PBS.org; videos via YouTube.

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Happy Mother's Day From Tazi Kat!

Dear Readers:

Today is

Mother's Day

a day to celebrate those who have given us life - be it from their womb, from their hearts, or from both. As a cat, I never got to know my birth Mommie; but I have a wonderful adoptive Mommie for whom I live and breathe. My Mommie has several woman who chose to mother her, and I am certain there are those who look to her as a Mommie-figure, too.

Here in America, Mother's Day was first celebrated in the early 1900's as a campaign by Anna Jarvis to recognize the hard work of mothers everywhere. By 1911 the holiday was celebrated in almost all of the individual states, and on May 8, 1914 the second Sunday in May was declared Mother's Day by federal decree. The history of Mother's Day does not start or end here, though.

As far back as the Ancient Greeks and Romans celebrations to the mothering goddesses have been offered in praise and gratitude. In the Middle Ages, the British celebrated Mothering Sunday as a part of their Lenten observances; and here the States Julia Ward Howe (author of the Battle Hymn of the Republic) was the first on record to suggest continuing this tradition of honoring mothers as part of a campaign for a pacifist government - after all, it was the sons of mothers who were going to war.

Today, Mother's Day is celebrated world-wide, much to the joy of florists, card manufacturers, and purveyors of brunch and fine jewelries; so on this day, I gently nudge you to take the time to offer your love and appreciation to the woman - or women - that your heart calls "Mom" (English)...or "Makuahine" (Hawaiian)...or "Mami" (Spanish)...or "Mueter" (Swiss German)...or [insert word for "Mother" here].

Snuggles,
Tazi

P.S. A huge thank you to Mother's Day Celebration.com for the wonderful information posted about this special day!

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi's Corner #38 - In Observance Of Easter

Dear Readers:

Today Christians around the world celebrate the Feast of Easter (with the exception of Orthodox Christians, who will celebrate it next week). Religion is a topic that can bring out controversy, with arguments both for and against. It is for these reasons that I have chosen the particular essay that I am reprinting today - because it debates not the belief in a deity, but argues the numbers who hold a belief in one man.

To my Jewish readers, I wish you a blessed Passover....to my Christian readers, a Happy Easter...to those of other beliefs or no beliefs at all, I wish you a joyous Sunday!

Snuggles,
Tazi

One Solitary Life

by  Dr. James Allen Francis

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself...

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Repost: Tazi's Corner #36 - Tazi Recommends Some Cultural Blogs

Dear Readers:

As I am sure you all know, tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, but did you know that Wednesday is another Feast Day dear to the hearts of my hometown: St. Joseph's Day! Being from a city that has both strong Irish and Italian roots, I am honoring both Feast Days today with the blog recommendations that I recommended last year. Both offer a rich and detailed view of the cultures and histories that are celebrated during these two holidays. Please take the time to check them out!

The Go Ireland Blog
the featured blog of GoIreland.com
offers so many interesting and informative blogs on a variety of topics - from political to human interest - that I could not resist. Featured for St. Patrick's Day was a blog on the health benefits of Guinness, which made such a strong argument I am thinking of asking my Mommie to pour some of hers in my water dish! Another blog of interest was done as a picture blog, with a poster graphic illustrating the theme 10 Irish Inventions That Changed the World. Raise your hand if you knew the Irish created chocolate milk? The blog is an offshoot of an Ireland Tourism website, so many of the blogs are primarily related to tourism and things to do in Ireland, but they feature some great pictures and offer an interesting view into the Irish culture and history (check out Historic Sites of Dublin or the 7 Wonders of Ireland to see what I mean!). The site is categorized with a table of contents running down the right sidebar of the page, so it is easy to navigate your way around the page and find exactly what you are looking for - from Irish Culture and Irish Food and Drink (including recipes) to Irish Geneology blogs that offer tips on how to trace your Irish family tree! Even if you are not Irish, there is something on the Go Ireland blog for everyone to enjoy and explore.

If Irish food and culture is not your thing, check out

The Italian Blog
by Daniele, Lori, and Jay

The authors are REAL Italians, who are from (and still live) in Italy! The blog is (mostly) written in English, so you do not need to speak the language to enjoy this blog. The theme of the blog is Italian culture - daily living, recipes, history, and holidays - told from the point of view of your average Italian citizen.

Hailing from one of the many Little Italy regions here in the United States but not actually being Italian myself (I am American Short-Hair), I found this blog fascinating! When I saw the headline "Not Only Mafia" I thought I was going to read an article dispelling the stereotypes of Italians pictured in The Godfather and Goodfellas, so I was surprised to discover it was an informative article on a museum in Calabria that is featuring the documentation of many other criminal enterprises that go under the radar, thanks to the focus on the mafia. The museum site is in Italian, but easily translated if you have Google Chrome.

In the blog post "Sometimes You Just Need to Be Hungry" the authors give a brief but hypnotic review of a little cafe in Siena. The description paints a picture of what it is like to spend the afternoon "among culture and art", seeking to wind down with a pleasant meal. Though short, the blog gives the reader a sense of what it is like to live in Italy and participate in their culture. As a cat, I have to say I am liking the relaxed atmosphere much better than the hustle and bustle of American living!

The Italian Blog will keep you occupied as you jump from the funny little jokes they post, like the picture and translation of a humorous Help Wanted sign they saw in a village near Torino to their praise of the coffee break, an apparent universal love of humans everywhere! I would suggest that you take a coffee break right now! You know the drill: Put down that Sunday paper (so kitty-cat can nap on it), grab a mug of your favorite caffeinated brew, and check out the Go Ireland blog and The Italian Blog. Consider it your daily dose of culture. You're welcome!

Snuggles,
Tazi

P.S. I also suggest another favorite of mine, Closet Cooking, which has been running Irish recipes all week. I am dying to try the Bacon-Guinness-Chocolate-Pancakes! Sigh...I can practically hear my arteries slamming shut!


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tweet Your Christmas Stories To @TaziKat!

Dear Readers,

Since it is Christmas Eve I will be celebrating with my family and the large bag of kitty snax I see hidden in the far reaches of the Christmas tree; for some reason, my humans thought I would not go after them if they were tucked away there!  Such Christmas fools!

I will get those kitty snax, even if it kills the tree!

I would like to wish you all a very relaxing holiday, and to those who do not celebrate, a relaxing day off tomorrow, courtesy of America's Judeo-Christian traditions. Speaking of which, are any of my Jewish readers going to a "Matzo Ball" this year?

I doubt I will be able to sleep a wink tonight; I will be on the lookout for Santa! I plan on attacking the big guy and digging through his toy sack for just the right gift for Mommie. Do you think she will like a big bag of Skittles candy? She got a four-pound bag last year (that's 7 and 1/2 kilos, my Canadian friends!) and it seemed to go over very well! I love chasing them around the floor, almost as much as I love chasing chipmunks around the house! Speaking of chipmunks, Mommie was not amused with the dead chipmunk I gave her a few  Christmases ago. Personally, I thought it was the best Christmas gift ever!

I plan on attacking the real Santa, too!

What, dear readers, is the best gift you have ever received for the holidays? What is the worst gift you have ever received? Please, share your stories with me! Just this once, I will not mock your crazy human behavior of buying the wife a crock pot for Christmas! I receive so many letters with tales of woe; today I would like to hear your tales (tails?) of happiness and laughter! You can comment here at the end of the column, or comment on Facebook or on Twitter, with the hash-tag AskTazi, or by direct tweet to @TaziKat. I look forward to hearing what you have to say!

I am off to bed now...the quicker you fall asleep, the quicker Santa comes to your house, you know!

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi's Corner #72 - Let's Create An American "Boxing Day" Tradition!

Dear Readers,

Approximately 250 years ago (237 1/2, to be exact) the American Colonies declared their independence from all things British and over the next few decades created what it now known as the United States of America. Such was their desire to form a new culture that they chose to separate themselves from all things British - a great irony, when one considers the United States' obsession with the British royal family - including British traditions. It is one such tradition I wish to speak upon today, and ask that we put our own, "American" twist to it; that tradition is Boxing Day.

Boxing Day traditionally occurs on December 26th, the day after Christmas and is a day to celebrate those who provide services and therefore must work on Christmas Day. Originally house servants were given this day off to celebrate the Christmas holiday with their own families (having served their employers on Christmas) and were given a boxed gift from their employer as a token of appreciation (thus the name, "Boxing Day"). Modern Boxing Day celebrations include taking part in eccentric sporting activities, like swimming the English Channel; spending time with family; or even shopping the post-Christmas sales. Essentially, Boxing Day has turned into a day of further celebration and indulgence...but what if it could be something more?

Gosh I love Boxing Day...

Among Catholics, December 26th is the much forgotten Feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr (and the day celebrated in the carol Good King Wenceslas), a day to bring alms to the poor. I like this tradition much better, and would ask that you consider starting your own Boxing Day tradition in this vein, regardless of your religious affiliation (or lack thereof).

Each December, millions of dollars are spent on presents - toys, clothes, games, electronics, you name it! I ask, is any of this stuff going to replace the things you already have or is it simply going to be added to your stockpile of stuff? Wouldn't it be nice if you could box up your "old" while putting away the "new" and donate it to charities that provide for those in need? Instead of boxing up the Christmas ornaments, why not spend this day boxing sweaters you will no longer wear because you have several new ones? What are you planning on doing with that "old" gaming system now that you have a new XBox One or PlayStation 4? How much do you expect it will fetch on eBay? Why not donate these items to the Salvation Army? You could even get a receipt for the tax deduction!

This year, let's make Boxing Day about extending the true meaning of Christmas - sharing; caring; and giving of ourselves to others, not of overindulging in sweet treats, alcohol, and football.

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

EXTRA EDITION: Remembering Pearl Harbor

Dear Readers,

Today is the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor bombings. There is a lot of controversy about whether or not to "celebrate" this day in light of the U.S. actions that ended World War II; however, I do not believe that remembering those lost to armed conflict is in and of itself "celebrating" - nor do I believe such losses are something to celebrate, regardless of who has fallen or on which side of the U.S. border they lived.

I ask that for a moment, you pause to remember not the cause of the attack on Pearl Harbor nor the retaliatory military actions taken by the United States, but the memory of those who died on December 7, 1941. May remembering that human lives were lost help us to remember to pause in our anger towards others and work towards non-violent solutions.

Snuggles,
Tazi


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi’s Corner #65 – The Commercialization Of Christmas (Quiz)

Dear Readers:

Now that Halloween has passed the Christmas decorations are going up in earnest and the complaints that Christmas has become too commercial (and that Hanukkah, as one reader put it, “gets shafted”) are flying fast and furiously. People are screaming that we skip right over Thanksgiving and large retailers from Target to Nordstrom are listening by waiting until the day after Thanksgiving to put up the Christmas decorations. The truth is they are up before Thanksgiving is actually over; you just don’t actually see them until the stores open their doors at Midnight on Black Friday, the first official minute after Thanksgiving (which ironically forces employees to give up their holiday to come in and decorate).

Do you see the hypocrisy here? Are you a part of the problem or a part of the solution? After researching the matter until I was thoroughly exhausted (and keep in mind that cats get exhausted quickly and easily) I came up with the following quiz for you to take – and send to your friends to take – to see if you are a part of the reason that Christmas* has become so commercialized:

*I do not mean to leave out my Jewish brethren, but this year Hanukkah starts the day after Thanksgiving and is completely left out of the annual madness. Feel free to have fun with this quiz just the same; I included an option for you on every question! No offense is meant to my Atheist, Wiccan, Muslim, and other readers of non-traditional American beliefs either; have fun pointing out the hypocrisy that has taken over the season.

The Commercialization Of Christmas Quiz

By Tazi J. Kat

1.       If you send them, when do you buy your Christmas cards:

a.       Before Thanksgiving, as soon as I see them for sale, so I can have them signed, sealed, and ready to deliver the weekend after Thanksgiving

b.      Sometime between Christmas and New Year’s (you can get a great sale price after the holiday!)

c.       I am Jewish. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find Happy Hanukkah cards among all this Christmas stuff???

2.       Your wrapping paper is decorated with pictures of:

a.       Santa Claus, Christmas trees, skating penguins, and other winter themes

b.      The Madonna and Child, scenes from a manger, and other religious pictures

c.       I’m Jewish! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find wrapping paper with Menorahs on it among all this Christmas stuff???

3.       It’s sometime between Midnight and 6:00 AM on Black Friday and lucky you, you have the day off from work! Where are you?

a.       Out shopping – this is when you get the best sales on the best stuff! It will all be gone by 8 AM!

b.      At home, sleeping. There’ll be other sales between now and Christmas

c.       I’m Jewish! I’m at home preparing the big feast I am hosting tonight, in celebration of Hanukkah. (Incidentally, my gift shopping is long done; thanks for all the Hanukkah sales, retailers!)

4.       To you, the meaning of Christmas is:

a.       An opportunity to spend time with my loved ones and to show love through the giving and receiving of presents (we have to have presents!)

b.      A celebration of my religious faith

c.       A day off with pay, thanks to the religious-bias of the Federal holiday system that requires me to take personal days to observe Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (yep; I’m Jewish!)

5.       You wish people…

a.       “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings”; I don’t want to offend anyone and besides there are several holidays happening in December

b.      “Merry Christmas”, since America is overwhelming Christian, but will stand corrected if the person celebrates something else and wish them a “Happy ______”

c.       Would recognize that not everyone celebrates the Christian holidays and that the Judaic culture has contributed a great deal to the American culture – like that bagel and schmear they are eating

6.       You take your Christmas tree down:

a.       The day after Christmas – the holiday is over

b.      Sometime between January 1 and the day after the Feast of the Epiphany – Christmas is 12 days long

c.       I don’t have a Christmas tree to take down (but my menorah comes down the day after Hanukkah ends)

7.       What are your thoughts on 24/7 Christmas songs on the radio:

a.       I love them and look forward to them starting in mid-November

b.      I think they should hold off until Christmas week, and even then I switch the station to one that plays a mix of music

c.       Why in the world are Barbara Streisand and Bette Midler (two nice Jewish girls!) singing Christmas songs? Oy vey!

8.       Do you take your kids to see Santa at the mall?

a.       Yes; in fact, we go to the Santa parade and breakfast every year to watch him arrive

b.      Yes, but usually not until mid-December, if at all. Christmas is about Christ, not Santa!

c.       Hey, Santa! I’m Jewish! 

9.       On Christmas Eve/Day, do you attend religious services?

a.       No. My kids are young and really wouldn’t understand the meaning of it. Maybe when they are older, but then again I haven’t been to church in years so maybe not

b.      Always, without fail, unless I am sick in bed which means I am also too sick to celebrate Christmas

c.       Do you really need to ask? 

Bringon the Chinese food and pay-per view!

10.   The day after Christmas you feel:

a.       Let down. So much work went into it and now it’s all over for another year

b.      Contented. Christmas has a way of filling my soul with faith and warn feelings

c.       Hung over. Let me tell you, I had a wild time at this year’s Matzo Ball!

BONUS QUESTION!

11.   Do you own an Elf on the Shelf?

a.       Yes, and I move it faithfully every night! I even pull it out for other holidays, too!

b.      No/My answer may as well be no for all the attention I pay to it.

c.       I am so glad that Hanukkah has not been co-opted by the retailers!

If you got:

Mostly A’s: You are part of the problem about which so many people are complaining. If you are one of the complainants you need to, as Michael Jackson suggested, start with the man in the mirror and make that change. If on the other hand you are happy just the way you are you may want to keep that opinion to yourself lest Bill O’Reilly and his FOX News followers come after you with pitchforks and flaming clubs.

Mostly B’s: You are doing your best to keep Christ in Christmas, and have the right to complain that the holiday has become far too commercial. Your next step is to write or email retailers and let them know that you will not stand idly by as they turn your Advent period into a three-ring circus. To stay silent is to give your blessing.

Mostly C’s: I thank you for staying with me this far! I hope your Hanukkah preparations are going smoothly and that your Festival of Lights is a joyous one! (Only two weeks to go – have you finished your shopping yet? Can you save me a honey puff or two?).

Snuggles,

Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.