Monday Miscellany - Odds, Ends and Personals

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Good morning, Byters, on this long weekend in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.

Does anyone know why it’s a long weekend? Does anyone care? Or is it JAH? Just another holiday?

The day is called Labour Day, also known as Eight Hours Day in Tasmania and May Day in the Northern Territory, and it commemorates the granting of the eight-hour working day for Australians. It also recognises workers’ contributions towards the nation’s economy. It is an annual public holiday and its date varies across the states and territories:

Monday, March 2, 2015 (Western Australia)

Monday, March 9, 2015 (Victoria)

Monday, March 9, 2015 (Tasmania)

Monday, May 4, 2015 (Northern Territory)

Monday, October 5, 2015 (Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia

Holidays such as Australia Day and Anzac Day mean something, Christmas and Easter are traditional holiday periods that (in my view at least) are becoming secularised and less celebrated in the religious manner. The need for a holiday for Labour Day has gone the way of buggy whips and moustache wax. I recognise the argument that we should honour those who secured the better working conditions and working hours that we enjoy today, but does not a holiday where the bulk of the population doesn't know what it is for diminish that?

I wonder how many people though it was a long weekend because the AFL and NRL Grand Finals were on?

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From Arthur, in respect of the old Sydney pics, one showing a sign for Nock & Kirby’s:

Great stuff brings back memories I remember Knock and Kirbys store corner Market and George street as a kid of about 12 – 13 years old back in 1955-1956. I used to go there and they used to hand out keys and if your key opened the lock, you won the prize. I think it was a car but don’t quote me. Also I note the painter on the bridge has no safety harness - how times have changed. Keep up the good work. Yiasou A.T

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From Byter Rosie:

Beautiful photos. The photo of the man painting the bridge gave me palpitations! Can't help but think that the re-introduction of the trams is going to cause sooooo many problems. They were removed for a reason. A bus can still be moved if broken down. A broken down tram will bring the city to a stand-still. 

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Byter Brett B sent me lists of October observances but because the lists are so lengthy I have omitted same. Thanks for thinking of me, Brett.

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Officers with the Lakeview Police Department arrested a man after he left an El Lago restaurant without paying his tab.

According to a police report, an employee at Gabacho's Mexican Restaurant in the 4400 block of NASA Parkway called police to report the theft.

When officers responded, they learned that the man was seen walking toward a vacant building on the other side of the road after leaving the restaurant.

Police checked the area and found an open door in the back of the building. An officer went inside and called out, "Marco."

The man's name was not Marco, detective Tim Dohr said. Instead, "the officer was trying to inject some humor into the situation."

Police found the suspect after he responded, "Polo."

The restaurant manager declined to press charges for the theft.

5 August 2015

http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/baytown-news/article/Public-Safety-Roundup-Man-skips-tab-found-in-1812692.php 

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1993:

Auxiliary Officer Todd Johnson was accidentally shot and killed during the demonstration of a disarming technique, Officer Johnson having invited another officer to shoot him in the stomach.  

The officer who disarmed Officer Johnson was unaware that Officer Johnson had reloaded his weapon when he thought the training had concluded. The other officer took the weapon from Officer Johnson, pointed it and fired, killing Officer Johnson instantly. 

Four days later, while showing another officer what had happened, Auxiliary Captain Richard Shurtz re-enacted the shooting.  He had forgotten to unload his .357 Magmum and accidentally shoots himself in the stomach.  He dies in a car crash whilst driving himself to hospital.