1 May?

[Dyngo]

In Sweden we have a been under social-democratic rule for almost 70 years.
Good and bad things have come from this I guess (depending on perspective).
Today a rightwing coalition is ruling (four parties joined together).

And there's a lot of celebrating the 1 may (labourday?), even though its getting lesser for each year. (its marked as a "sunday" in the calendar) It should be noted that its mostly the Socialdemocrats and most of the Union organizations (and the more leftwing parties) that do parades and demonstration march's in Sweden. Maybe a few neonazi's trying to make their voice heard as well, as some sort of anti-demonstraton against..well, pretty much everything.

My question is to you guys living in the US. Is their any 1 May celebrating at all or is all such things banished? And to you other guys not living in US or Sweden, hows the 1 May status in your country?

 

[Naeya]

As far as I know, May 1st is just May Day here in the States. Evidently also called "Loyalty Day."

Labor Day in the States is in September.

 

[Dyngo]

Interesting. I was referring to the socialist and labour movement.
Seems like the labour Day in US is something else, atleast is founded on different values (back in the days socialistic values was a problem in US, I guess.. I wounder if it still is?).

In Sweden we also celebrate the pagan holiday usually the day before May 1 and we call it Valborg (based on the old celtic Beltane) . A day the youth of Sweden shows how much they can (or can't) drink .

 

[Tyrson]

I prefer the much more ancient form of the holiday, Beltane, the friskiest day of the year. 2 That's at least what the Celtic Reconstructionists, Wiccans, and other neo-pagans celebrate.

 

[HJ-Diviana]

All I know is that last night I had this incredibly messed up April's Fools Day dream.

I just can't remember what happened. Just that it did.

Hilarious that it happens a month later.

 

[WatchMaker]

My question is to you guys living in the US. Is their any 1 May celebrating at all or is all such things banished?

No offense, but that made me giggle. America is your "boots on the cofee table" country, for better or for worse. But yea.. Only May holiday I look forward is the 5th.

 

[Dyngo]

...at least I made someone giggle

 

[HJ-Pinnelipe]

Today, on the first of May, I do nothing more than send out more applications and resumes and go to College Mathmatics 2 class, where I try to stay awake for three hours until the teacher runs out of things to talk about and sends us home early.

 

[Thaos Nightwind]

Do you have any idea how funny it was to read that and look at that avatar??

 

[Tyrson]

You're still distracted by that, too?

o.o

 

[blur]

Are you interested in Australia, Dyngo, or just the US?

 

[Naeya]

I'd be interested in what's celebrated in Australia, as well as anywhere else, really.

 

[blur]

Probably the best background to it in Australia is here:
The Beginnings of May Day in Australia

These days, however, we have a Labor Day holiday... but it's celebrated on all different days through the year. I believe the Northern Territory is the only area (ie: it's not a state; it's a territory) in Australia to still do it on May 1:
http://goaustralia.about.com/cs/eventsfestivals/a/laborday.htm

Cheers

 

[Kuzzle]

Huh. I didn't know any place celebrated anything on May first.

 

[blur]

Well now you do.

Hero's Hall... it's the education you never got (tm)(c).

 

[Dyngo]

Thanks Blur. Interesting stuff.
Is there still demonstrations and stuff going on these days, or is this (pretty much like in Sweden) something that only a few people still do...

Is there a left(-ish)wing or rightwing goverment in Austrailia?

 

[Luciro]

May Day was indeed the same holiday of sorts. Mostly just a spring time town to town event affair.
But yeah, boots on the table as long as they're clean and center right.

 

[HJ-Diviana]

Well now you do.

Hero's Hall... it's the education you never got (tm)(c).

I swear the education systems here need a complete revamp.

There are things that people a few years older than me don't know, like how many pints are in a quart, and how many quarts are in a gallon.

Or how many centimeters are in a meter (this should be an easy one).

The illiteracy rates here are ridiculous. I have thoughts on how to make things better, but I doubt anyone would listen.

 

[Kuzzle]

I swear the education systems here need a complete revamp.

There are things that people a few years older than me don't know, like how many pints are in a quart, and how many quarts are in a gallon.

Or how many centimeters are in a meter (this should be an easy one).

The illiteracy rates here are ridiculous. I have thoughts on how to make things better, but I doubt anyone would listen.

If you haven't noticed, pretty much all systems here need a complete revamp.

Uh... Two pints per quart, four quarts per gallon? I have no idea. We never really studied that, we just had a couple of the questions on a math paper when I was little.

I want to say 100, with the Millimeter being 1,000... Right? I don't know. I was never good at the metric system.

Illiteracy is an unforgivable crime. How someone can simply not learn how to read is beyond me. How someone could do that to their children... likewise, unforgivable. How someone can live with that much idiocy on their shoulders... I just don't understand. According to my father, when he goes to fire training,(He puts out planes if they crash) they cover all of the material orally, because some of the people from the other towns don't even know how to read. I don't think I could deal with that. I say we should stop making accommodations for fools - If they really want to fail, I say we let them.

I don't even understand how someone could make it through grade school, let alone high school, without being able to read. I couldn't make it through high school, though all tests pretty much say I have ground to openly mock those around me. *grumble* Those that make it simply because they do not cause trouble(A.K.A. kiss some serious ass) annoy me greatly. Demeanor will never compensate for academic shortcomings, though the opposite should hold true.

Bah! You people know my tolerance for foolishness. It's not something that should be tested, I think. I imagine everyone's tolerances as walls... They hold, but can only withstand so much. Time, the elements, and the foibles of man wear upon them, as the scratches of a knife wear upon the bark of a tree. In time, these walls are mended, but the scars can never truly be erased... Sorry, I get like that sometimes. Nonsense...

 

[Naeya]

On the topic of education, here's a little tidbit from the daughter of a teacher.

My mom taught calculus. She got her degree in Art and history. With no demand for an art teacher, long ago she got certified to teach secondary (high school level) math as well.

At her last teaching position before she died (2004), I remember stories of how the administration of the school pretty much dumbed down the system. She taught at the high school I went to, all 4 years I was there. Things were "ok" I suppose, though there were people making it to high school without things like basic math skills (addition, subtraction, etc). Some rule about only being able to hold people back for 2 years or something. A time frame, not if they actually LEARNED something and managed to pass.

After I graduated and went off to college in 2000, she would still regale me with the tales of idiocy (on the part of those in administration). The teachers were not allowed to give students a 0 on an assignment, even if the assignment was never turned in! They got at least a 50 even if they didn't do a blasted thing. They were also not allowed to assign homework!!!! All of the assignments had to be able to be completed during class time, or no dice! NO HOMEWORK? How in the hell are these kids ever going to be prepared for college? No college professor will hold your hand, not assign homework, and make sure you are going to pass no matter what!

Our school was pretty high up on the academic scale (though being in Texas... athletics - cough - FOOTBALL - cough - was actually the primary focus). It's really sad to see that the reason we ranked so high on our levels (pass/fail) is that no one was really allowed to fail. The teachers were asked to adjust all of their grades so it made the school look better with less failure rates.

/sigh

And my husband wonders why I do not want to be a teacher. I don't think I could stand for my powers to be so defined and neutered. How can you help someone learn when you are forced to water down the curriculum and hold their hand like they are 5 years old and just starting school? Where is the challenge and when does the babying stop?