J. Howard Miller's Poster

Certainly, one of the more readily recognizable icons of labor is “Rosie the Riveter,” the indefatigable World War II-era woman who rolled up her sleeves, flexed her arm muscles and said, “We Can Do It!” But, truth be told, this isn’t the original Rosie.

In 1942, as World War II raged in Europe and the Pacific and the song “Rosie the Riveter” filled radio waves across the home front, manufacturing giant Westinghouse commissioned artist J. Howard Miller to make a series of posters to promote the war effort. One such poster featured the image of a woman with her hair wrapped up in a red polka-dot scarf, rolling up her sleeve and flexing her bicep. To many people, this image is “the” Rosie the Riveter. But it was never the intention to make this image “Rosie,” nor did many Americans think of her as “Rosie.” The connection of Miller’s image and “Rosie” is a recent phenomenon.

The “Rosie” image popular during the war was created by illustrator Norman Rockwell for the cover of the Saturday Evening Post on May 29, 1943 — the Memorial Day issue. The image depicts a muscular woman wearing overalls, goggles and pins of honor on her lapel. She sports a leather wrist band and rolled-up sleeves. She sits with a riveting tool in her lap, eating a sandwich, and “Rosie” is inscribed on her lunch pail.

Norman Rockwell's Rosie the Riveter

The magazine cover exemplified the American can-do spirit and illustrated the notion of women working in previously male-dominated manufacturing jobs, an ever-growing reality, to help the United States fight the war while the men fought over seas.

The cover was an enormous success and soon stories about real life “Rosies” began appearing in newspapers across the country. The government took advantage of the popularity of Rosie the Riveter and embarked on a recruiting campaign of the same name. The campaign brought millions of women out of the home and into the workforce. To this day, Rosie the Riveter is still considered the most successful government advertising campaign in history.

Since then, the J. Howard Miller “We Can Do It!” image has replaced Norman Rockwell’s illustration as “Rosie the Riveter” in the minds of many people. Miller’s Rosie has been imprinted on coffee mugs, mouse pads, and countless other items, making her and not the original “Rosie” the most famous of all labor icons.

Article courtesy of the US Dept. of Labor. For more info, click here.

As we move closer to fall, families often find themselves spending more time together outdoors. Below are a few suggestions for outdoor activities the whole family will love!

Make family dinner an outdoor event – Have a picnic or grill out for dinner one night during the school/work week for unexpected outdoor fun.

Go for a walk or a hike – Find a trail through the woods, at a local park or around the neighborhood. Be sure to allow ample time for children to explore and observe nature along the way.

Go camping in the backyard – Pitch a tent, create a backyard “campfire” to sing songs around, tell stories by flashlight and sleep in sleeping bags under the stars. (Just make sure that rain isn’t in the forecast!)

Go on an insect exploration – Look for interesting insects around your backyard. Buy a bug house and collect lightning bugs or crickets for children to observe. For more fun tips on how to get kids interested in insects, click here.

Hold a scavenger hunt – Make a list of items to find or activities to complete. The list might include things like collecting leaves or flowers, shooting a basket with a basketball, finding a hidden item, rolling in the grass, etc.

Run relay races – Set up goal lines and host relay races with family and friends. You can also set up a fun obstacle course!

A nationwide telephone survey of homeowners shows Florida is the worst state for bug problems, with Louisiana, Texas, California and Georgia close behind. The survey, conducted in June, shows a whopping 90 percent of homeowners said they have experienced an insect infestation of one kind or another. The most common invaders? Ants, termites and cockroaches.

While Florida placed No. 1 overall as the worst state for bugs, it also ranked third-worst for bed bugs, behind New York and California. The least amount of bug problems were reported in Washington, D.C. The next most favorable reports came from South Dakota, Connecticut, Idaho and New Hampshire.

The Zebra Longwing butterfly, Florida's official state "bug"

The top 10 buggiest states are:

1. Florida

2. Louisiana

3. Texas

4. California

5. Georgia

6. New York

7. Mississippi

8. Alabama

9. Missouri

10. South Carolina

Read more: Florida worst state for bugs

Think again. Bed bugs are no laughing matter… even though they played a role in NBC’s hit show “30 Rock” in November when Alec Baldwin’s character Jack had a bed bug infestation of his own. He was humorously ostracized at work, forced to take the subway instead of the company car and heckled by his coworkers for having “a bad case of the chew-daddies.”

While watching the Nightly News on NBC last night, another story ran on these little creatures. (Click here to view.) Turns out that the population of bed bugs has risen 500% in recent years and that one out of four hotel rooms has had an infestation.

From the National Pest Management Association’s site pestworld.org, below are some FAQ’s on bed bugs:

Why are bed bugs so hard to treat?
Bed bugs should not be equated with filth or sanitation problems – in hotels or in homes. Bed bugs are very elusive, transient and nocturnal pests. They can live for a year or more without eating and can withstand a wide range of temperatures. Bed bugs can be controlled with vigilance, constant inspection and treatment by a professional.

Why are bed bugs an issue for hotels, visitors and homeowners?
Bed bugs leave itchy, bloody welts on human skin. Once inside a hotel or home, bed bugs spread rapidly from room to room – through pipes, in vacuum cleaners, on clothing and luggage. In a hotel, bed bugs can even spread to neighboring rooms.

Are bed bugs just in beds?
Bed bugs are not just in beds. They can be in chair cushions, sofas, behind electrical outlets, cracks and crevices around baseboards, or even behind picture frames. In other words, they can live pretty much anywhere.

What can you do to protect yourself from bed bug infestations?
When staying at a hotel, inspect the mattress, bedding, headboard and nightstands thoroughly. And when returning from a trip, check your luggage and clothing.

My coworkers and I were swapping stories yesterday about kids and bugs and I was reminded of how fascinating these little creatures can be – not only to adults, but especially to children. Unlocking the door to a miniature universe of wonder can be as simple as just poking around under a rock or in the grass.

You and your little explorer can try these fun ideas, courtesy of Scholastic:

1. Plant a butterfly garden. In a sunny spot out of the wind, plant blooming varieties like geraniums and hydrangeas, plus plants that provide food for larvae such as Mexican milkweed. Find out what else the butterflies in your area need at butterflywebsite.com.
2. Listen! Catch a non-stinging insect that makes noise in a paper cup. Crickets and flies are good candidates. Cover the cup with waxed paper and hold it on with a rubber band. Now place your ear against the paper and listen.
3. Do the worker-bee waggle! Honeybees “dance” to communicate the location and distance of a nectar stash to the other bees. Talk with your kids about this fascinating communication, and then make up your own version.
4. Take an umbrella out on a sunny day. Place it open upside down under a leafy, low-hanging branch. Shake the branch like you mean it — then identify what lands in your umbrella with an insect book or online.

Tools for the Trade
These items will make your child feel like a real scientist:

• Butterfly net
• Tweezers (only for dead specimens)
• Observation jar (punch holes in the lid of a clean jar)
• Magnifying glass
• Notebook for recording thoughts and sketches
• Bug and spider identification book like Simon & Schuster Children’s Guide to Insects and Spiders (Simon & Schuster, $23; ages 9 to 12) or Don’t Squash That Bug: The Curious Kid’s Guide to Insects (Lobster Press, ages 4 to 8, $15)
• Click here to visit Massey’s bug database 

Massey provides pest prevention services for residential and commercial properties, but not all insects are harmful! Have fun exploring!

Happy first day of summer! It is odd saying that, considering how hot the temperatures have been recently…

With the onset of summer comes plenty of opportunities for celebrations with family and friends. Don’t let pesky flies invade your summer events! Here are a few tips to keep flies at bay while you are entertaining at home:

• Cut down on the amount of light that surrounds your home in the evenings, as flies are attracted to most white and ultraviolet lights. (Closing your blinds helps with this, too.)
• Use amber bug light bulbs outside of the home instead of white or clear bulbs. The amber bulbs attract 100 times fewer flies than other bulbs.
• Products labeled for use on flies can be used on hedges and barrier plants between the lake and the home where hundreds of flies rest before they head toward the home.
• Since flies are attracted to UV light, place UV light zapper traps at the far end of the property near the lake to draw the flies away from the yard back out to the lake. Do not place the traps near the home or the flies will be drawn up through the yard to the home.
• During outdoor parties, rent large fans to direct flies away from the event.  

After visiting the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey yesterday in Maitland, it’s easy to see why Massey Services is proud to support this amazing organization.

From caring for injured birds and continuing research and scientific programs to connecting people with nature, the Center soars as one of Central Florida’s hidden gems. Opened in 1979, the Center has treated over 12,000 injured or orphaned raptors and released more than 40% of these birds back into the wild. The Center handles the largest volume of eagles, owls, falcons, hawks and kites east of the Mississippi River, and remains a leader among all North American rehabilitation centers for specialized eagle care.

In addition, the Center provides environmental education programming to over 20,000 local students, teachers, and visitors annually, while promoting a culture of conservation toward birds of prey and their habitats. A nationally renowned research institute, the Center is a leading voice in the ongoing fight to save endangered and threatened birds of prey.

It has often been said that our future is intertwined with the fate of birds. If that is true, then it is crucial that we join forces with the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey to not only care for injured or displaced raptors, but also to shape our future.

If you would like to visit the Center or are wondering how you can help, please click here for more information or call 407-644-0190.

As Theodore Roosevelt, 26^th U.S. President and Honorary Audubon Vice President, said, “Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources…the history…the romance, for your children and your children’s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.”

Our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Harvey L. Massey was recently presented with a very special award from Florida Citrus Sports – the Howard Palmer Award. This honor is given annually to a member of the community who, without regard for personal recognition, has maintained a long and active relationship with Florida Citrus Sports, continuously supporting and contributing to the success of the organization. This award is the organization’s highest service honor and recognizes a “lifetime” of service to Florida Citrus Sports. Congratulations Mr. Massey!

Mr. Massey has been involved with Florida Citrus Sports for nearly 25 years and has held various positions within the organization such as president (1998-99) and chairman (1999-2000). He currently serves as president of the Florida Citrus Sports Foundation, while his son Tony, President and Chief Operating Officer of Massey Services, presently serves on the Florida Citrus Sports Executive Committee.

For more information on Florida Citrus Sports, visit fcsports.com.

Massey Services has been committed to providing environmentally responsible services for over 20 years and constantly works to produce new initiatives to protect the environment. Being green is part of Massey’s past…and future.

Here are five simple things you can do at home to go green- while also saving money: 

1. Conserve Energy – turn off lights, televisions, radios, etc. when not in use or when leaving a room.
2. Conserve Water – turn off the water when brushing teeth and try to take shorter showers. Inspect your irrigation system frequently to ensure sprinkler heads are intact and not just gushing water.
3. Recycle – items that can be recycled include aluminum cans, glass jars and bottles, plastic soda bottles, plastic milk jugs, newspapers and magazines, junk mail, office/printer paper, plastic grocery bags and cardboard.
4. Think Before You Buy – make a conscious effort to purchase things that will last. This practice reduces the number of items that quickly break and end up in the trash.
5. Reduce – limit the amount of pre-packaged and disposable products you use. Try buying everyone in the family a reusable water bottle instead of using bottled water, soda and juice or buy snack items in bulk and package them in small reusable containers.  

We hope that your family will adopt these simple practices to help conserve our natural resources, save money and keep our planet clean.

Massey Services truly believes in giving back to the local communities that we serve. Today team members went casual for a good cause. All who wanted to wear their favorite pair of jeans to work were encouraged to donate a few bucks to Junior Achievement. We ended up raising over $350 in just ONE DAY! Great job team!

JA is dedicated to educating students on workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. And it’s an organization that we are proud to cheer on - in more ways than one. Massey supports JA not only through Jeans Days, but also with an annual Bowl-a-Thon for Team Members and volunteer programs that utilize Massey’s finest to teach students in local schools through experiential, hands-on programs.

For more information about JA and how you can get involved, visit http://www.ja.org