REMINDER: YOUR SUBMISSIONS ARE ENCOURAGED | | |
1. To start this week, I want to wish everyone out there who's working hard a happy Labor Day. You are appreciated, and you deserve a relaxing three-day weekend for all the work you do.
2. In the Next Gen, I have a new update on William George and the Import Genius Research Roundup newsletter, including a Pulitzer Center webinar where William shares his expertise on analyzing shipping data.
3. This week, I have the final post for the summer in my classic cartoon series, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, featuring two forest friends from Frostbite Falls, Minnesota.
4. An American journalist, solo hiking in Norway, had a small mistep on a mountainside that turned into a fall and six days of surviving incapacitated and alone before being rescued.
5. In Photography, PetaPixel has announced the finalists of their 2025 Ocean Photographer of the Year competition. I have a couple of samples, but you'll want to click through and see all of the stunning photos that made the cut.
6. I have another Reader Submission this week from Julie Woosley, who sent us pictures and videos of a momma bear catching pink salmon for her cubs in Alaska last week. This week, she has sent the Flock her own ocean photograph, capturing a pod of Orcas in a beautiful shot.
7. The University of Arizona begins the 2025 football season this Saturday with its opening game against the University of Hawaii's Rainbow Warriors. I'll be at the game, cheering the Wildcats on.
8. In the Pet's Corner, it's a trio of Luly Ortega's Eskies—all relatives of my own Zuri & K2.
| | Now, to this week's Flock. | | People who work hard need to be applauded, regardless of their job title; it is the workers around the world who contribute to society and keep global economies going. This coming Monday, Labor Day in the U.S, and Labour Day in Canada, is the day set aside to do just that. A three-day weekend to symbolically cap off the summer and give workers a day of rest and time to spend with their families, get outside, have a picnic, or attend one of the many local parades in their honor. Showing workers appreciation is not unique to the United States and Canada; over 160 countries observe a national holiday to honor workers with a day of rest, solidarity, and celebration. The most common is International Workers' Day, celebrated on or around May 1st. Here is a sampling of how workers are honored around the world. | | Labor Day Around the World | | | | |
United Statesof America
Labor Day
First Monday in September
Labor Day is still celebrated in cities and towns across the United States with parades, picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays and other public gatherings, especially over the long Labor Day weekend. For many Americans, particularly children and young adults, it represents the end of the summer and the start of the back-to-school season.
Source: History.com
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Canada
Labour Day
First Monday in September
Many people see the first Monday in September as an opportunity to take a late summer trip, perhaps to their country cottage, or enjoy the company of family or friends at picnics, fairs, festivals and fireworks displays. For teenagers and other students, the Labour Day weekend is the last chance to celebrate with a party or to go on a trip before school re-opens for the new academic year. Canadian football fans may spend a large proportion of the weekend watching the Labour Day Classic matches live or on television. The Labour Day Classic consists of three games between high ranking teams in the Canadian Football League. One match is played on the Sunday before Labour Day and two on Labour Day.
Source: Time and Date
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Mexico
Dia del Trabajo
May 1st
On May 1, Mexico celebrates Labor Day, or as the locals call it, Día del Trabajo. This is not to be confused with Cinco de Mayo, which is also in May and which you may be familiar with as involving U.S. beer commercials and confused Americans in sombreros. May 1 is the day Mexico honors people who work with their hands, their backs and, very often, without thanks. The plumbers. The bus drivers. The street sweepers. The teachers who still show up even though their schools have no chalk. It is, in essence, a holiday for the underappreciated. So, of course, most of them don’t get the day off.
Source: Mexico News Daily
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United Kingdom
May Day Celebrations
First Monday in May
In the UK, May Day has a long history and combines traditional spring festivities with labor rights observances. While it isn’t always celebrated on May 1, the country observes May Day on the first Monday of May as a public holiday. Some cities hold rallies organized by trade unions and workers’ associations, highlighting workers’ achievements and advocating for labor rights. Additionally, traditional May Day customs like Morris dancing and Maypole dances also take place in villages and towns, blending both spring celebrations and labor observances.
Source: Mayflower Cruises & Tours
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Germany
Tag der Arbeit (Day of Labor) / International Workers' Day
May 1st
Germany observes International Workers’ Day on May 1 as a public holiday, where it is known as “Tag der Arbeit” (Day of Labor). The day typically involves marches organized by labor unions, political speeches, and rallies advocating for workers’ rights. Cities like Berlin host large gatherings where workers, activists, and the public participate in a day of solidarity. While it has political undertones, it’s also a festive day for many, with families enjoying the spring weather in parks and public spaces.
Source: Mayflower Cruises & Tours
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France
Fête du Travail (Festival of Labor)
May 1st
In France, May 1 is a national holiday known as “Fête du Travail.” Similar to Germany, it includes labor union rallies and marches across major cities, especially in Paris. An interesting tradition in France is the gifting of Lily of the Valley flowers on May 1 as a symbol of good luck and happiness. This custom dates back to the 16th century and is now intertwined with Labor Day festivities, making it a unique blend of springtime celebration and labor solidarity.
Source: Mayflower Cruises & Tours
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Australia
Labour Day
First Monday in March: Western Australia
Second Monday in March: Victoria, Tasmania
Fourth Monday in March: Christmas Island
First Monday in May: Northern Territory, Queensland
First Monday in October: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and South Australia
Many people use the Labour Day holiday as part of a long weekend where they can relax, spend time with friends or family members, play or watch sport, have barbecues. Some people plan a getaway trip to a coastal region, the mountains or the countryside where they can engage in various activities such as picnics, wine-tasting at a winery, bush-walking, or camping.
Source: Time and Date
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Japan
Labor Thanksgiving Day
(Kinrō Kansha no Hi)
November 23rd
Today, Labor Thanksgiving Day is a public holiday in Japan, marked by various events and activities. Schools and companies often organize ceremonies to honor workers, and children create crafts and cards to express their gratitude. It’s a day for families to come together and reflect on the importance of hard work and community.
Source: Agoda.com
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2. The Next Gen: William George Updates
| | On August 19th, William participated in a Pulitzer Center webinar hosted by the center’s Rainforest Investigation Network focused on tracking critical minerals and their role in the buildout of electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels, where William shared his expertise on ways to use Indonesian, US, and Panama Canal data to derive insights that any one source would provide. | | How To Report on the Green Transition and Critical Minerals | | I periodically receive a Research Roundup newsletter from the Import Genius research team, headed up by the Flock’s favorite Next Gen shipping data analyst and roving correspondent, William George. In the newsletter, team members post their picks for important recent trade-related stories in the news. I always pay special attention to William's pick and have included it here. | | Trump hikes India tariffs to 50% for buying Russian oil
The president's order comes hours before dozens of other tariffs are about to snap into effect.
| From NBC News, By: Steve Kopack, August 6, 2025 | | |
President Donald Trump said he was doubling tariffs on India from 25% to 50%.
In an executive order, Trump says "I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil" and due to those purchases, imports of Indian goods into the United States "shall be subject to an additional ... rate of duty of 25%."
The order says that the newly announced 25% will stack on top of the 25% Trump says he will hit India with on Wednesday night, when his sweeping global tariffs go into effect on most U.S. trading partners. The additional rate will take effect within 21 days.
A 50% tariff on India would be among the highest on any trading partner in the world. The only countries with tariffs as high as India's is set to be are Brazil at 50%, Syria at 41%, Myanmar at 40% and Switzerland's which is set at 39%.
| | 3. Cartoons: The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle | | Now here’s something we hope you’ll really like. For the final post in my classic cartoon series, I’m choosing The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, which ran from 1959 through 1964 and continues today in syndication. Presented in a variety show format set against a backdrop of the Cold War, each week the show would feature the duo foiling the plots of rivals Boris and Natasha from the fictional nation of Pottsylvania, followed by regular features. The show was one of the first network cartoons designed to appeal to both adult and youth audiences. The show was known for its intelligent writing, which included political commentary, cultural satire, and sometimes sophisticated puns. | | Now Here's Something I Hope you'll Really Like... | | "Bullwinkle was a magnificent marriage of concept, writing, performing, and direction," observed June Foray in 1991. Foray would know, having served as the voice of Rocket J. Squirrel since the cartoon's inception in 1959. A one-time radio performer, Foray was hired for the long-running gig by Jay Ward, a Harvard Business School graduate who created Rocky and Bullwinkle in the late 1950s. Ward, who had no background in writing or animation, relied on a staff of creative types led by writer and vocal stylist Bill Scott, who became the voice of Bullwinkle J. Moose. Others who worked on the show included Allan Burns, a talented comedy writer who would go on to help create The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the 1970s. | | Bullwinkle's Best Worst Puns | | The program they created, originally titled Rocky and His Friends, followed the adventures of Bullwinkle J. Moose, a good-natured, if slightly dim, antlered mammal, and his resourceful cohort Rocky the Flying Squirrel. But this was no ordinary cutesy animal cartoon. Bullwinkle episodes were leavened with generous helpings of topical humor, including Cold War satire in the form of Boris and Natasha, dastardly spies from a nebulous Eastern Bloc nation called Pottsylvania. In a typical series plotline, Boris and Natasha attempt to sabotage the U.S. economy by counterfeiting America's most indispensable currency, the cereal box top. "Serial" became an operative term for the show itself, as the storylines carried over from week to week in the manner of old-time adventure movies. | | Mr. Peabody Adopts His Pet Boy Sherman - 1959 | | There were additional segments of the program as well, including "The Adventures of Dudley Do-Right," about a stolid mountie; "Fractured Fairy Tales," a send-up of the Brothers Grimm and company; and "Mr. Peabody's Improbable History," which followed the exploits of a pedantic pooch who can travel back in time to great moments in the past. All the elements of the show incorporated the same dry humor, reliance on puns, and disdain for the "fourth wall" separating the characters from the audience. Thus unlike most cartoons, Rocky and Bullwinkle could keep the attention of both children and adults alike. | | 4. Hiking: Injured Hiker Survives Six Days Alone on Mountainside | | If you’re out hiking in the mountains, always be prepared and carry some extra food, water and clothing along with you. A small mistake can lead to big trouble, as it did for the subject of this next story, who took a tumble while hiking in the mountains of Norway. If you do get into trouble, never give up. Think of your family, get creative, stay calm, and persevere. | | Missing Hiker Was Stranded for 6 Days After Falling Down Mountain. What His Wife Told Him When They Reunited
“Being trapped on that mountain gave me a chance to see what I would regret if I died,” said journalist Alec Luhn
| | From: People, By: David Chiu, August 22, 2025 | | |
The American journalist who was found alive earlier this month after he disappeared on a solo backpacking trip in Norway is opening up about what he did to survive.
Alec Luhn, a climate journalist who has written for The Atlantic, The New York Times and The Guardian, was on a four-day solo backpacking trip in southern Norway’s Folgefonna National Park when disaster struck.
Speaking with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Luhn says that on July 31, the first day of the hike, he ended up taking a wrong step, which caused him to fall down the side of a mountain.
“I just remember sliding down the mountain at first, and then spinning down the mountain, rolling down the mountain, and then just pinballing down the mountain,” he said.
The fall left him with a broken femur and a fractured pelvis.
“My left foot was just flopping around with no direction,” Luhn said. “I was basically immobilized.”
As if all that wasn't bad enough, his backpack had also ripped open, which meant, among other things, that his cellphone was gone.
On the first few days, the weather was decent, but he struggled with a lack of water. Not only was he thirsty, but it became difficult to swallow the granola bars and peanuts he had on him…
What gave Luhn hope and the will to survive was his family. "That’s when I called on God and called on the universe to bring me back," he added.
“I spent a lot of time thinking about my wife and my family and how silly it was that here I was possibly going to die because I wanted to do a cool hike around this glacier,” he added while speaking with The Washington Post. “Being trapped on that mountain gave me a chance to see what I would regret if I died."
After launching a search, two days later, the Norwegian Red Cross announced that Luhn was “found alive near Folgefonna” and was being “transported for medical treatment.” The organization said Luhn was conscious, but tired when he was found that morning, according to CNN.
"I remember my wife said, 'I'm going to tear you a new one later but for now, I really love you,' " Luhn said.
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5. Photography: Ocean Photographer of the Year
| | Yifan Ling / Ocean Photographer of the Year | | I’ve shared images from PetaPixel’s Northern Lights and Milky Way photography contests in past issues of the Flock. Earlier this month, they announced the finalists of their current Ocean Photographer of the Year competition, and the images are stunning. I’m only showing two here, but you’ll want to click through to view the full gallery of finalists. | | The Awe-Inspiring Finalists for Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 | | From: PetaPIxel, By: Matt Growcoot, August 15, 2025 | | |
The finalists for Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 have been officially revealed, showcasing breathtaking images that celebrate the ocean’s beauty and highlight the urgent need to protect it.
This year’s submissions include extraordinary moments of wild ocean wonder, such as a marine iguana ‘mid-sneeze’, a troupe of skeleton shrimps that has colonised a gorgonian coral, and a spaceship-like jellyfish that appears to be departing Earth’s atmosphere.
“In the midst of a deepening climate and biodiversity crisis on our blue planet, ocean photography has never been more important. These images are far more than just beautiful – they are powerful visual testaments to what we stand to lose, and they remind us of the urgent need for protection,” says Ocean Photographer of the Year director Will Harrison.
| | Sirachai Arunrugstichai / Ocean Photographer of the Year | | “Fuji 268, one of Taiwan’s last fire fishing boats, ignites a fireball to startle sardines in the coastal waters of New Taipei,” says Arunrugstichai. | |
6. Reader Submission: Orcas in the Wild
| | Flock reader Julie Woosley, who sent us the pictures and video of a momma bear catching pink salmon for her cubs in Alaska last week, has shared an ocean photograph of her own with us this week. She took this photo of a pod of Orcas swimming next to the small catamaran she was on. Amazing! | |
7. University of Arizona: Football Season Begins
| | The University of Arizona football team has its first game of the season this Saturday against the University of Hawaii's Rainbow Warriors. Hopes are high for the Cats this year with some off-season transfers bolstering the roster, and an expanded role in the offense for quarterback Noah Fifita. You can watch the game on TNT or stream it on HBO Max at 7:30 p.m. MST. I'll be there watching the game in person. Go Cats! | | Arizona QB Noah Fifita’s improved mobility adds new dimension to UA offense | | From Tucson.com, By: Justin Spears, August 24, 2025 | | |
Noah Fifita has predominantly been a pocket-passing quarterback his entire career.
Fifita’s pocket prowess won’t change in new offensive coordinator Seth Doege’s system, but the third-year starter could give the Arizona Wildcats another dimension with his legs.
Doege “has more drawn-up runs for me than I’ve had in the past,” Fifita said.
“It’s not too much, but I feel like this offense fits me perfectly,” Fifita said. “That’s because he has things that get into space and it allows me to use my legs a little bit. He has definitely challenged me in that area, to use that and think of my legs as a weapon when I need to…
Most of Fifita’s runs last season were improvised. Fifita had seven designed quarterback runs for 40 yards last season, according to Pro Football Focus. He had 29 scrambles (undesigned runs) for 179 yards, along with 12 explosive runs (10-plus yards) and 16 first downs. Fifita was also sacked 29 times.
| | 8. Pet's Corner: Luly's Eskies Kevyn, Katie, and Kelsie | | My dear friend and Flock reader from day one, Luly Ortega, sent this video of her Eskies, Kevin, Katie, and Kelsie—all siblings of my own Eskies, Zuri and K2. | | One closing picture of Kelsie from last year. | | These Flock regulars are always here for you: | | Don't Be Shy: Share Your Stories! | | I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our third year. I'd so love to present them to The Flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story. | | Subscriptions & Idea Submissions
Reminder: Your submissions are always welcomed. | | |
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Your fan and friend,
Beth
| | | The information and materials contained or referenced in this newsletter are for informational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before beginning a new health care regimen. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical advice or care based on anything contained in this newsletter. | | | | |
