Most of us have this federal holiday off, but do you know the meaning behind it? According to the United States Department of Labor “Labor Day, the First Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.”

This day has been observed for more than 100 years, beginning on Tuesday, September 5, 1882 in New York City. The first Monday in September was chosen for the holiday by the Central Labor Union as they urged similar organizations in other cities to follow in their footsteps in celebrating a “workingmen’s holiday”. But this holiday wasn’t passed into legislation, by only 23 states at the time, until 1894 when Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

So what does this day mean to you? Yes it is a day off of work where you can enjoy the end of summer, if you’re in cooler climates, or maybe an excuse to lay low and do nothing all day, but maybe this Monday should be about the work you contribute on a daily basis. Whether you’re a student, working professional, in the military, stay-at-home parent, or unemployed, this holiday is to celebrate what you contribute to the country and businesses that surround you.

So whether you’re attending the local parade, or catching up on work, even though that’s missing the point(!) take a moment to remember that because of those that have “labored” before us we have a day to celebrate our daily tasks and hard work.

Happy (early) Labor Day all!

- By J. Mason

For the bookworms and wordsmiths out there I wanted to share a great site I recently found, www.readprint.com. The purpose of this site is to offer over 8,000 free online versions of books (fiction and non-fiction), essays, plays, poetry, and short stories. So you can read to your heart’s content, without having to go out to the bookstore and buy the book.

Once you get to Read Print you’ll notice 4 major search options to choose from; Online Books, Authors, Quotes, and Volunteer. Online Books will show you the more popular books accessed as well as top authors to narrow down your search. Authors just allows you to search by author. Quotes is a neat section where you can look up famous lines from great writers, and volunteer is all about sharing the word of the great benefits of Read Print to people you know.

Other cool things to consider with this site, they have a reading mode! Though still seemingly in its beta stage of development it does the trick. Once you’ve found the book/novel you want to read you can click on “reading mode” and the rest of the site is blacked out so all you see is the text from what you’re reading. It tries eliminating distractions on what would normally deter you from getting through the first page of words online. 

You don’t have to sign up to take advantage of the perks of reading volumes of great novels for free. This site is very social too; allowing you to share the page or book you’re reading with followers and friends.

- By J. Mason

Like many people I know, I need a cup of coffee at the start of the day to get my brain functioning. And then another cup possibly later in the day…when we’re hitting that stretch before check out time at work. There are a lot of conflicting studies on coffee’s affect on the body and brain; whether it’s good for your or not. I’m not a doctor, so I can’t say which study is  more correct, but I can say I enjoy my coffee, and now I have more reasons for it…

Recently posted by Gary L. Wenk, Ph.D. on Psychology Today was whether drinking coffee could make you more intelligent. There were no promises of added smarts, but it did note that a “surprising predictor of intelligence is finger-tapping speed, which turns out to be influenced by the level of dopamine in the brain.” In plain terms, those that tap their fingers fast usually think fast also. Wenk also points out that “increased processing speed correlates with their IQ score.”

So when you think about it, stimulants such as coffee speed up your body processes, especially the dopamine release in your brain which will speed up your thinking. But before you start funneling coffee for an added boost for studying there is a downside…According to Wenks’ report, our brains are already at capacity for speed. In fact, the neural processing of our brains is already a ‘few extra action potentials per second away from a full-blown seizure’. As per usual advice, coffee is good taken in moderation. Read more about Wenks’ report >

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel…it is advised that coffee does in fact help us perform some tasks better. The small amounts consumed at a time can help our brains be more efficient and take off some of the lag we have at times from lack of sleep or motivation.

So the next time you’re feeling a bit sluggish, don’t feel guilty about a cup of coffee. It could help you finish that paper you’ve been working so hard on, or jog your brain for a better discussion post idea.

- By J. Mason

How do you get up in the morning? Do you hit the snooze button so many times on your phone that it just gives up? If so, maybe you should invest a little money into a more traditional means up getting up, an alarm clock that you can’t make calls from; a.k.a. not your cell phone.

If waking up isn’t a problem how about your laptop overheating, chronic wrist pain from using a mouse, or trying to read in the dark. There are several techy solutions for these common complaints…these “nice to haves” are a good indulgence every now and then.

Try out some of these geeky gadgets for simple, but cool, solutions to everyday problems:

• Clocky: GET UP! These cute little alarm clocks are more pesky than they seem. The concept is that they roll a few feet away after you press the snooze; making you get up to stop that annoying alarm sound. Great for people who ignore the signal to get up in the morning, or for those that need to get up after a quick study break nap.
• Belkin Laptop Cooling Pad: Not only does it cool off your overworked laptop, but it raises the screen so you don’t have to break your neck; it also protects your thighs if you tend to do your studies upright on your couch.
• Vertical Ergonomic Mouse: Many of people have chronic pain in the wrist. This may occur more frequently with those in front of a computer screen more, like an online student. Here’s a solution, a mouse to alleviate the pain induced by repetitive movements.
• Book Lights: A must-have for nights spent burning the “late night oil”. Instead of an overhead light, these easily clip onto your book and luminate what you need to see; allowing others to sleep peacefully. Try an eco-friendly version with LED’s!
• Roll-Up Keyboard: Who doesn’t need a keyboard you can roll into a burrito so you can take it anywhere you need to? This one tops the list of geeky gadgets of things that would be great to have as a student; they even have them in blue and pink!
• PowerSquid Surge Protector: The days of bulky rectangular cord jungles are nearing an end, here’s a sleeker and more modern version of where you plugin everything.

Since you spend so much time online why not indulge in a few things that can make the experience more enjoyable. Indulge in your techy side for some of these nearly irresistible items.

- J. Mason