Friday,
July 2,2004 Headlines--- Bank
of the West Equipment Leasing Expands AssetControl
Lays Off Half Staff? Norvergence
investigated for failing to pay its employees Free
Exhibit Opportunities At Equipment Leasing Showcase Trucker
strike continues – latest action seen in Savannah “Fin
Pac” Sold to Allied Capital Resource
America's LEAF Financial Acquires Premier Lease Services Biz NACM
Credit Manager's Index (CMI) for June 2004-Stable Growth LaSalle
Systems Leasing Relocates MB Financial Center, Rosemont GATX
Corporation Completes Sale Info Leasing Assets Cisco
Sets Guinness Record World's
Highest Capacity Internet Vienna(R)
Beef Breaks Record for World's Longest Hot Dog Happy
Fourth of July from the Editor ######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press
release” ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Classified
Ad----Syndicator Syndicator:
Overland Park, KS. Top Syndicator from single deal to portfolios. 20+ yrs exp. Available for contract work or full time position. Nationwide contacts. E-mail:
FFLLeasing@aol.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bank of the West Equipment Leasing Expands As reported in Leasing News about promotions and expansions: http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/BOW_New_program.htm we have it on excellent authority that there are many positions opening
up in many departments. Brokers and others asked us for the address and telephone number
of Bank of the West: Bank of the West Equipment Leasing 201 N. Civic Drive Suite 360B Walnut Creek, CA 94596 USA Office Phone: (888) 244-0551 Fax: (800) 473-9878 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AssetControl Lays Off Half Staff? “AssetControl is laying off at least half the staff today (July 1).
They are not going to process any more third party business, only Textron.
I hear that Textron is getting back into the leasing business.” (from a reliable source-name
with held ) Norvergence investigated for failing to pay its employees note: There also is a video
on the story This is from the New Jersey Star-Ledger Dated June 17,2004 Internet company
restores service By Joseph R. Perone, Star-Ledger
Staff About 10,000 high-speed
Internet customers of NorVergence were without service yesterday after
the Newark telecommunications company failed to make a payment to its
network carrier, Qwest Communications. NorVergence Chief Executive
Peter Salzano said the company failed to make a payment to Qwest for
the phone lines his company leases. "We had some financial matters
that needed to be cleared up," he said. "Qwest had turned
off some of our circuits nationally. This was a working capital issue." Salzano said his company
made a payment to Qwest to restore service. "They received what
they needed to receive," he said, "and they are turning us
back on." Confused customers initially
were told yesterday the NorVergence network was having technical problems.
"Their customer service lines were busy for three hours,"
said Steve Riess, a head-hunter in Chicago. "I haven't had Internet
service since 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. Qwest spokesman Claire
Mylott said there were no outages within the Qwest network, and cited
a "confidential customer matter" in declining further comment. Leasing News has received
many customer and other complaints regarding Norvergence, which have
been fielded by management as “normal” complaints “as any telephone
company would receive about service.”
Leasing News was able to resolve some of them. Here is one story: http://www.leasingnews.org/Weekly%20Report/Weekly_Report-10-15.htm and a response from Robert
J. Fine http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/October%202003/10-17-03.htm#nove -------------------------------------------------------------------- Free Exhibit Opportunities Introduced At Equipment Leasing Showcase ATLANTA, GA - - The Lessors
Network announced it would no longer require exhibitor registration
fees starting with the Lessors Network Fall Showcase, scheduled August
25-26 from the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead. Subject to space limitations on a first come basis, registered attendees
can reserve exhibit space without additional cost, represent a key marketing
opportunity for companies targeting equipment lessors. In the past, Lessors Network showcases have served as a high profile
networking forum for industry professionals representing an elite list
of companies including: Allegiant Partners ~ American Appraisal... ~
Amsource Capital... ~ Anderson Young Associates ~ AssetControl Corporation
~ Associates First Capital ~ Bank of America ~ Banc of America Vendor...
~ Bancroft Leasing - ~ Bank One Leasing Corp. ~ Bankers Leasing Company
~ Bell & Howell ~ Boeing Capital Corp. ~ Burr Wolff LP ~ Caterpillar
Financial... ~ Chase Equipment Leasing ~ CIT Equipment Financing ~ CIT
Technology Finance ~ Citicapital ~ Citibank International ~ Collateral
Specialists Inc. ~ Commercial Leasing Corp. ~ Commonwealth Capital Leasing
~ Daimler Chrysler ~ Decision Systems, Inc. ~ De Lage Landen ~ Dell
Financial Services ~ Deutsche Financial Services ~ eCredit.com ~ eOriginal,
Inc. ~ ePlus Group, Inc. ~ Equilease Financial Ser... ~ Equity Technologies
... ~ Experian ~ Fair, Isaac and Company ~ First Citizens Bank... ~
First Fleet Corporation ~ Fleet Capital Leasing ~ Fortran Group... ~
GATX Capital ~ GE Capital ~ GE Capital Fleet ~ Services ~ GE Capital
Rail Services ~ Global Tech ~ GMAC Commercial Mortgage ~ Government
Leasing Company ~ IBM Global Financing ~ Information Leasing Corp. ~
International Decision Sys. ~ JLG Industries, Inc. ~ John Deere Credit
~ Key Equipment Finance Group ~ KeyCorp Leasing ~ KPMG Consulting LLC
~ LaSalle Systems Leasing ~ Leasecomm ~ LeasePartners Capital ~ Malvern
Hill Associates LLC ~ Marlin Leasing Corp. ~ M/C Leasing ~ McCue Systems
Inc ~ MicroBilt Corporation ~ MRC Rail Services ~ NAEDA ~ National Leasing
Group ~ NCR Corporation ~ Oracle Credit Corporation ~ ORIX Financial
Services Inc. ~ ORIX Public Finance ~ PNC Leasing, LLC ~ Premier Lease
& Loan... ~ RBS Lombard, Inc. ~ Republic Financial Corp ~ RVI Group
~ SAP America ~ SG Cowen Securities... ~ Siemens Financial Services
~ Sony Financial Services ~ SouthTrust Leasing ~Sun Trust Leasing Corp.
~ Susan Carol Assoc. ~ Textron Financial Corporation ~ The Alta Group
~ Toyota Financial Services ~ Transamerica Equipment... ~ Transamerica
Public Finance ~UCC Direct Services ~ United Capital ~ UPS Capital ~
US Bancorp ~ Vendor Financial Services ~ Vision Financial Group ~ Wachovia
Leasing & Equip... ~ Wells Fargo Equipment Finance Inc. To learn more about the Lessors Network Fall Showcase, visit the
Lessors Network web site at www.lessors.com.
ABOUT THE LESSORS NETWORK: The Lessors Network is a sales & marketing network facilitating
new business development opportunities within the corporate and municipal
equipment leasing markets. Networking showcases are traditionally held
from the Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta each spring and fall. Website programs
and services provide free access to news, events and important resources
facilitating funding/syndication, technology and outsourcing services
exclusive to the equipment leasing & finance markets. Additional information can be viewed at www.lessors.com
Contact: John O. Semon semon@lessors.com Trucker strike continues – latest action seen in Savannah Landline Magazine (The official magazine of
the independent owners-operators association ) Strikes continued at the nation’s ports as hundreds of independent
truckers protested rising fuel costs, anti-union laws, unfair wages
and inadequate surcharges to offset the cost of fuel. The latest activity was reported at the Port of Savannah, where about
a dozen people stood outside the port’s entrance in protest. Truck traffic
was down about 15 percent from last Monday, port officials told The
Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Savannah Cartage Inc. has relied only on its company drivers the
past two days, because the independent drivers they contract with haven't
reported for work, according to WTOC-TV in Savannah. “We're very concerned about it," the company's Kurt Hutchinson
told the station. "I'm sure a lot of the other companies are too,
big or small. It's going to have an impact as each day progresses.” Meanwhile, sources told Land Line there is speculation that some
carriers are offering incentives to get a few drivers to work. But,
overall there more truckers shut down on June 30 than there were on
June 29. For example, the port of Charleston, SC, reported slower-than-normal
traffic. About 50 demonstrators carried placards and signs outside port
terminals there. In the meantime, independent truckers, who get paid by the load,
have called for the strike to continue through the July Fourth holiday
weekend. About 200 independent truckers demonstrated Monday at Port
Newark, which is outside New York City and one of the busiest U.S. container
ports. Officials also reported trucker protests at ports in Boston,
New Orleans and Miami. Owner-operators are considered independent businesspeople and are
forbidden by federal price-fixing laws from negotiating or banding together
to talk with employers. "The only bargaining leverage that these guys have is to withhold
services or to threaten to withhold services," said Todd Spencer,
executive vice president of the Missouri-based Owner-Operator Independent
Drivers Association, which has more than 111,000 members. Talk about a strike has been rumored for more than two months. This
latest action stems from protests that began in early May in Los Angeles
and spread to other ports in Virginia and Oakland, Meanwhile, OOIDA is using its lobbying muscle to push for meaningful
surcharge legislation. The association believes that with today’s high
fuel prices, every shipper should be paying a fuel surcharge adequate
to cover costs. “For any middleman to pocket all or part of the surcharge is a fraud
on the shipper and truck owner that should be punishable by law,” Spencer
said. OOIDA has asked lawmakers in Washington, DC, to pass fuel surcharge
legislation that will provide a permanent fix to this problem. While
some legislators may still be hesitant to offer a legislative fix, OOIDA
says, the choice to ignore high fuel prices that bankrupt truckers comes
with perils for more than just small-business truckers. “The entire economic recovery for the nation may well be set back
or stalled,” Spencer said. “Port drivers have been among the most abused
in years. Steamship lines and railroads have taken full advantage of
their bargaining position to beat these guys down bad. It’s not surprising
they are angry. And, it’s shameful the only way their legitimate concerns
will be addressed is when they threaten drastic action.” --------------------------------------------------------------------- “Fin Pac” Sold to Allied Capital Yes, Virginia, it's true, "Allied Capital Announces Agreement
to Purchase Financial Pacific Company.
Terey Jennings, CLP, vice-president,
sent us a copy of the press release:
Announcement to Brokers Method: via e-mail
To: FP Brokers and Lessors From: Ted A. Brownrigg Date: July 1, 2004 We are pleased to announce Allied Capital Corporation has agreed to purchase Financial Pacific Leasing with the expected closing date in August. The press release from Allied Capital is below. We will continue to provide the unique products and high quality service you have learned to expect from Financial Pacific Leasing. If you have any questions just contact your FP Broker Representative. Allied Capital Announces Agreement to Purchase Financial Pacific Company Washington, DC, June 30, 2004 – Allied Capital Corporation (NYSE:ALD) today announced that it has agreed to purchase Financial Pacific Company (FinPac), a specialized commercial finance company focused on providing leases for business-essential equipment to small businesses nationwide. The total transaction amount is expected to be approximately $94 million, which includes closing costs and is subject to adjustments. Allied Capital intends to provide both subordinated debt and equity financing for the transaction. The purchase is scheduled to close in the third quarter and is subject to certain closing conditions and regulatory approvals. “Under the direction of an experienced management team, FinPac's disciplined, conservative approach to underwriting has made the company a leader in small business finance,” said Edward Ross, Managing Director at Allied Capital. “We look forward to adding FinPac to our portfolio because we believe the company has strong financial dynamics and the opportunity to prudently grow its asset base.” About Allied Capital
Allied Capital is the nation's largest business development company and provides long-term debt and equity investment capital to companies in a variety of industries. The company also participates in the real estate capital markets as an investor in non-investment grade commercial mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligation bonds and preferred shares. The company is headquartered in Washington, DC. For more information about Allied Capital, please visit the web site at www.alliedcapital.com, call Allied Capital Investor Relations toll-free at (888) 818-5298, or e-mail us at ir@alliedcapital.com. For all media inquiries, please contact Allied Capital's Marketing Department at (202) 331-1112. About Financial Pacific Company Financial Pacific Company is a specialized commercial finance company, which provides lease financing to small businesses nationwide through a network of independent brokers. FinPac's portfolio of $200 million in lease assets covers over 25 categories of equipment, including industrial, food service, data processing, vehicles, trailers, construction, and maintenance equipment. The company, which was founded in 1975, employs over 120 professionals and is headquartered in Federal Way, WA. The company's current majority owner is Windward Capital Partners, L.P. For more information, please visit www.finpac.com. Forward-Looking Statements
The information contained in this press release contains forward-looking statements. These # # # Since the announcement of Financial Pacific seeking an IPO, Leasing
News has followed up with the underwriters, who kept saying it was waiting
approval at the Security Exchange Commission. Evidently the “Fin Pac” board of directors decided to take a direct
offer, as the press release states. No
one is talking about what really happened. Here is a background on the company up to the seeking of the IPO: http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Fin_pac_prosp_avail-1.htm
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------ #### Press Release
########################## Resource America's LEAF Financial Acquires the Business
of Premier Lease Services, L.C. PHILADELPHIA--(--Resource
America Inc. (NASDAQ:REXI) announces today that its wholly owned leasing
subsidiary LEAF Financial Corporation ("LEAF") has expanded
its lease origination capability and assets under management with the
acquisition of the business of Premier Lease Services, L.C. of West
Des Moines, IA. The acquisition includes both a portfolio of small ticket
leases with a value of $34 million bought on behalf of its investment
partners and numerous vendor finance relationships as well as experienced
origination personnel. After this acquisition, LEAF will manage approximately
$150 million of leases for its own account, for institutions and third
party investors. LEAF management believes that the additional origination
capability purchased in this acquisition should enable it to originate
over $200 million of additional lease assets for its investment vehicles
in calendar 2005. Premier Lease Services, L.C. is a commercial equipment finance
company that specializes in small-ticket equipment leasing and originates,
funds, services, and acquires leases in all 50 states. Through established
relationships with key equipment vendors such as Maytag, Dixie-Narco
and Sears Commercial Appliance, it has originated over $190 million
in equipment leases since 1996. In all, over 600 manufacturers, dealers
and distributors of equipment to commercial enterprises have taken advantage
of "partnering" with Premier. Crit DeMent, Chairman and CEO of LEAF, said, "We are pleased
to welcome Doug Fisher and the other Premier Lease Services team members
to the LEAF family. Premier's strategy of originating business through
vendors fits well with the LEAF business model and we are excited by
the potential of this synergistic combination. Not only does this enhance
our origination capability but our investment partners will benefit
from the quality of the assets generated by the Premier channel."
LEAF Financial Corporation is a commercial leasing company headquartered
in Philadelphia, PA. LEAF's business model is to originate small ticket
equipment leases by reaching the small to mid sized business market
by forming strategic marketing alliances and other program relationships
with equipment vendors, commercial banks and other financial institutions.
After origination, LEAF manages the leases for its own account, institutions,
and individual investors through investment partnerships and other investment
vehicles. LEAF Financial Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Resource America Inc. (NASDAQ:REXI). Resource America Inc. is a specialized asset management company
that uses industry specific expertise to generate and administer investment
opportunities for its own account and for outside investors in the equipment
leasing, financial services energy and real estate industries. For more
information please visit our website at www.resourceamerica.com
or contact investor relations at pschreiber@resourceamerica.com. CONTACT:Resource America, Inc., Philadelphia Investor Relations: Pamela Schreiber, 215-546-5005 Facsimile:
215-546-5388 SOURCE: Resource
America, Inc. #### Press Release
######################### NACM Credit Manager's Index (CMI) for June 2004:
Stable Readings Indicate Continued Growth COLUMBIA, MD: - The
National Association of Credit Management (NACM) has released its Credit
Manager's Index (CMI) for June 2004. The CMI, a monthly survey of the
business economy from the standpoint of credit and collections, was
launched in January 2003 to provide financial analysts with another
strong economic indicator. Overall, there was
very little change in June's aggregate readings for the CMI and its
subcomponents. The CMI-Total Index fell 0.1, the manufacturing component
rose 0.5, and the service sector dropped 0.7. The bottom line is that
the economy continues to grow at a good clip. The CMI survey asks
credit managers to rate favorable and unfavorable factors in their monthly
business cycle. Favorable factors include sales, new credit applications,
dollar collections and amount of credit extended. Unfavorable factors
include rejections of credit applications, accounts placed for collections,
dollar amounts of receivables beyond terms and filings for bankruptcies.
A complete index
including results from the manufacturing and service sectors, along
with the methodology, is available at: http://www.two.leasingnews.org/loose_files/CMI_June2004.pdf The National Association
of Credit Management (NACM), headquartered in Columbia, Maryland supports
more than 25,000 business credit and financial professionals worldwide
with premier industry services, tools and information. NACM and its
network of Affiliated Associations are the leading resource for credit
and financial management information and education, delivering products
and services which improve the management of business credit and accounts
receivable. NACM's collective voice has influenced legislative results
concerning commercial business and trade credit to our nation's policy
makers for more than 100 years, and continues to play an active part
in legislative issues pertaining to business credit and corporate bankruptcy. Contact: Norma Heim, NACM 410-423-1842 ###
Press Release ######################### LASALLE
SYSTEMS LEASING RELOCATES TO MB FINANCIAL CENTER, ROSEMONT CHICAGO/ROSEMONT,
IL – ( LaSalle Systems Leasing, a subsidiary of MB Financial Bank,
N.A., has relocated to the new MB Financial Center at 6111 N. River
Road in Rosemont. The
new facility provides expanded office space for LaSalle Systems Leasing,
which provides creative and flexible lease alternatives primarily
in the high technology arena. Historically their focus has been in
the operating lease (off balance sheet) financing and has evolved
into providing new and used equipment solutions as well as web based
services to customers. MB
Financial will consolidate a number of its administrative and operating
departments in the new MB Financial Center during the coming months. MB Financial has been making significant improvements
to the Class-A, 11-story office building and adjacent 800 vehicle
parking structure located in the greater O'Hare corridor. MB
Financial, Inc. is a Chicago-based financial holding company which
is traded on the NASDAQ as "MBFI." MB Financial has more
than $4.9 billion in assets. Information about MB Financial can be
found at www.mbfinancial.com.
MB Financial operates through MB Financial Bank, N.A. in Illinois
and Union Bank, N.A. in Oklahoma. Contact: Karen
Perlman Jeffrey
D. Bierig 312-633-0260 847-509-5777 kperlman@mbfinancial.com jbierig@minkuspr.com ###
Press Release ######################### GATX
Corporation Completes Sale of Information Technology Leasing Assets CHICAGO,
J GATX Corporation (NYSE:GMT) today announced that it completed the
sale of substantially all the assets and associated non-recourse debt
of its information technology (IT) leasing business, GATX Technology
Services, to CIT Group, Inc. The terms of the transaction were not
disclosed. The net book value of the IT assets sold, including non-recourse
debt, was approximately $520 million. Brian
A. Kenney, chief financial officer of GATX Corporation, stated, "Both
parties worked closely together to complete this sale ahead of the
original schedule. I look forward to focusing our full attention on
capitalizing on the opportunities in GATX's franchise rail and air
businesses." The
agreement to sell these IT assets was previously announced on April
15, 2004. COMPANY
DESCRIPTION GATX
Corporation (NYSE:GMT) is a specialized finance and leasing company
combining asset knowledge and services, structuring expertise, partnering,
and capital to provide business solutions to customers and partners
worldwide. GATX specializes in railcar, locomotive, and aircraft operating
leasing. Investor,
corporate, financial, historical financial, photographic and news
release information may be found at www.gatx.com.
SOURCE:
GATX Corporation GATX
Corporation Robert
C. Lyons (Analysts
& Investors), 312-621-6633 or Rhonda
S. Johnson (Analysts
& Investors), 415-955-3211
####
Press Release ####################### Cisco Systems Sets Guinness World Record with the World's Highest
Capacity Internet Router Ability to Download
the Entire Printed Collection of the U. S. Library of Congress in 4.6
seconds (Newstream) -- Cisco Systems, Inc. on July the 1st announced that
Guinness World Records has certified the Cisco Carrier Routing System
(CRS-1) as the highest capacity Internet router ever developed at 92
terabits (92 trillion bits per second) of total throughput, designed
to afford up to 100 times more capacity than previously available. The
Cisco CRS-1 becomes the first networking technology to be recognized
by Guinness World Records, which is the authority on record-breaking
achievement around the world. Cisco's CRS-1, announced
in May 2004, is a new class of routing system designed for telecommunications
service providers to deliver next-generation data, voice and video services
over a converged Internet Protocol (IP) network. This system is ideally
suited for large-scale, high-bandwidth applications such as video on
demand, online gaming, and real-time interactive services. The IP router,
introduced by Cisco in 1984, is the foundation of the public Internet
and one of the most important technologies of the past 20 years. "Cisco is proud
to have Guinness World Records recognize the Cisco CRS-1 as the world's
highest capacity Internet router," said Tony Bates, architect of
the CRS-1 and vice-president and general manager of Cisco's Carrier
Core and Multiservice business unit. "The technological advancement
of the CRS-1 will provide the capability for Internet services and applications
that have never before been available on such a large scale. Millions
of people can now look forward to a new suite of exciting, multimedia
services both at work and home." Cisco's innovative
and breakthrough routing system achieves the greatest level of speed
and network capacity ever attained. The technological advancement of
the CRS-1, for example, could make possible the delivery of high-bandwidth
services and applications to entire nations. The CRS-1 with 92 terabits
of bandwidth capacity, when augmented by adequate network and transmission
capacity, would be capable of the following: Download the entire
printed collection of the U. S. Library of Congress in 4.6 seconds,
as opposed to a dial-up modem transfer rate of 56 thousand bps which
would take 82 years 1 billion people
at the same time could play an online game, using real-time voice &
chat Give 872Kbps broadband
connection to every household in the United States (105,480,101 households)
15 million people could watch quality video on demand simultaneously,
which requires 6Mbps (6 million bits per second) per user The population of
Phoenix, Ariz. (1.3 million) could download a 4 MB song instantaneously.
With today's technology, only 9,200 people could download the same song
at once Approximately 12,415 people could download a 7.4 GB movie in
one second The entire global population (6.4 billion) could have a simultaneous
phone call using Voice-over-IP technology "As the world
advances technologically, it is important that we recognize the innovations
that will revolutionize global communications," said David Hawksett,
science and technology editor at Guinness World Records. "As soon
as we saw the numbers, we were delighted to create a brand new category
to acknowledge Cisco Systems and this great achievement in networking
technology." The Cisco CRS-1 complements
Cisco's existing portfolio of routers that support the world's largest
carrier and enterprise networks. The new routing system is the result
of Cisco's proven 20-year track record in routing innovations through
focused research and development programs. The Cisco CRS-1 provides
carriers with high-performance core routing capabilities, and rounds
out Cisco's existing carrier-class routing portfolio, which is ideally
suited to deliver cost effective and innovative IP services. For information
about the Cisco CRS-1 Carrier Routing System and Cisco's routing strategy,
visit: www.cisco.com/go/crs
Availability and
Pricing The Cisco CRS-1 is
currently in field trials now with carriers and service providers worldwide
and will be available in July 2004. The starting system list price is
$450,000 USD. #### Press Release
######################## Vienna(R)
Beef Breaks Record at Taste of Chicago for World's Longest Hot Dog,
Measuring a Whopping 37 Feet, 2 Inches VIENNA BEEF WORLD’S LONGEST HOT DOG Vienna(R) Beef breaks
record at Taste of Chicago for world’s longest hot dog, measuring a
whopping 37 Feet, 2 inches. Local youth groups helped dress the Chicago-style
hot dog starting with 1 gallon yellow mustard, 1 gallon bright green
relish, 4 pounds of chopped white onions, 140 tomato wedges, 70 Vienna
Kosher pickle spears, 140 sport peppers and finishing a whole lot of
celery salt. The Chicago-style hot dog recipe starts with a Vienna all-beef
hot dog served on an S.Rosen’s poppy-seed bun, also made in Chicago.
(PRNewsFoto)[AS] (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040701/CGTH021
) CHICAGO, -- To celebrate National Hot Dog Month, Chicago-based Vienna(R)
Beef assembled the world's longest hot dog, measuring 37 feet, 2 inches.
The Vienna hot dog was more than twice as long as the 16-feet, 1-inch dog
the company made last year, also at the Taste of Chicago. At 37 feet, 2 inches,
this year's dog also beat the current world record of 34 feet, 5.25 inches
made by students from the University of Pretoria and displayed at the
Sonop Hostel, Pretoria, South Africa, on Oct. 18, 2003. Vienna Beef is the
official hot dog of the Taste. The 37-foot and 2-inch hot dog was set in a record-breaking S.
Rosen's bun. "This year we broke our own record and
all others known to date," said Jane Lustig, vice
president of Vienna Beef. "Chicago
hot dog lovers witnessed the giant feat today
near Buckingham Fountain and America's Dog," she said. Vienna obtained some extra help in its record attempt. Local youth
groups helped dress the
Chicago-style hot dog. Members of The Latin School of Chicago's band were
on hand to keep the beat. The Chicago-style hot dog recipe is famous all over the world.
It starts with a Vienna all-beef
hot dog, which is made only in Chicago, steamed and served on a poppy-seed
bun, also made in Chicago. Hot
dog experts refer to the condiment process
as "dragging it through the garden," starting with yellow mustard, bright
green relish, fresh chopped white onion, two tomato wedges, a kosher
pickle spear, two sport peppers and finishing with a dash of celery salt. Assembling the world's longest hot dog, which weighed about 17-1/2
pounds, required: -- 7 assemblers, who were chosen from youth and children's groups attending the festivities -- a record-breaking S. Rosen's bun with an estimated 125,280
poppy seeds -- 1 gallon of mustard -- 1 gallon of bright green relish -- 140 tomato slices -- 4 pounds of chopped onions -- 70 Vienna Kosher pickle spears -- 140 sport peppers -- a whole lot of celery salt Vienna Beef will donate the equivalent amount of food that makes
the world's longest hot
dog to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a not-for- profit food distribution
center feeding hungry people in Cook County. Fun Frankfurter Facts -- Americans will enjoy 150 million hot dogs on July 4th alone
and consume more than 2 billion hot dogs during the rest of the
month with the summer's total at 7 billion. -- Vienna Beef produces 750,000 hot dogs a day, using 60,000
pounds of beef per day. -- Chicago is home to 1,800 hot dog stands serving Vienna Beef
- totaling more than the top five major fast food chain outlets in Chicago combined. -- Chicago ranked No. 4 on the list of the top 10 US Hot Dog
Eating Cities in 2003. -- The Chicago-style hot dog dates back to 1893 when two young
immigrants brought their frankfurter recipe from Austria-Hungary to Chicago's World's Fair/Columbian Exposition. The newfangled hot dog sandwich quickly became Chicago's favorite treat. It wasn't long before
the entire country discovered Vienna. About Vienna(R) Beef Vienna(R) Beef, 2501 N. Damen Ave., remains a family-run business,
which began operations
in 1893 in Chicago. The Chicago-style
hot dog hasn't changed and neither has Vienna
Beef's commitment to quality. Customers
know that Vienna Beef means
goodness throughout, from the 100% domestic beef and sweet brisket trimmings
to the high-tech processing and old-world hickory smoking, all prepared in the
company's USDA Establishment #1 approved facility. Vienna Beef hot dogs are
sold at hot dog stands and restaurants; ballparks; zoos; and country clubs, as
well as grocery, warehouse clubs and convenience stores. Customers know the
"V" means pure Chicago flavor, without a single unnatural additive or undeserved
compliment. About S. Rosen's A Chicago tradition since 1909, S. Rosen's has a proud reputation
for baking the best tasting
deli rolls, buns and breads. S. Rosen's rolls, buns and breads bring
a traditional deli taste to hot dogs, Brats and Italian Sausage sandwiches.
S. Rosen's is a truly delicious way to make a sandwich special. Its parent
company, Alpha Baking, produces three million hot dog buns a day during the
peak summer season. About America's Dog With locations at Buckingham Fountain and Navy Pier, America's
Dog is owned and operated
by brothers Manolis and George Alpogianis.
In addition to the traditional --
and best-selling -- Vienna Beef Chicago-style hot dog, America's Dog offers
13 different options including the Milwaukee Dog, the Baltimore Dog and
the Atlanta Dog. Hours at the
Buckingham Fountain location are 10:00 a.m. to
11:00 p.m. every day. ### Press Release ######################## _______________________________________________________________ This
Day in American History 1776-
the Continental Congress, Philadelphia, PA, having a quorum, voted to
adopt a resolution introduced
June 7, 1776, by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia: “Resolved, That these
United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent
States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown,
and that all political connection between them and the State of Great
Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved. That it is expedient
forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances.
That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective
Colonies for their consideration and approbation.” This resolution prepared
the way for signature and adoption, July 4,1776, of the Declaration
of Independence. http://www.stratfordhall.org/rh-letter2.htm http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/bdsds/lee.html http://www.richardhenrylee.net/ 1777-
slavery emancipations was enacted into law by Vermont: “ No male person
born in this country or brought from over sea, ought to be holden by
law, to serve any person as a servant, slave or apprentice, after he
arrives to the age of twenty-one years, nor female, in like manner,
after she arrives to the age of eighteen years, unless they are bound
by their own consent, after they arrive to such age, or bound by law,
for the payment of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like.” 1778- Cyrus Griffin of Virginia, the president of the Congress, announced that the Constitution had been ratified by the required nine states (the ninth being New Hampshire June 21, 1788), and a committee was appointed to make preparations for the change of government. 1822-Perhaps
one of the events that slowed those advocating freedom was the ceremony and
significance of the hanging of Denmark Vesey.
He was the planner of what would have been the biggest slave
revolt in US history. Denmark
Vesey was executed at Charleston, SC.
He had been born around 1767, probably in the West Indies, where
he was sold at around age 14 to Joseph Vesey, captain of a slave ship.
He purchased his freedom in 1800.
In 1818 Vesey and others began to plot an uprising, he held secret
meetings, collected disguises and firearms and chose a date in June,
1822. But authorities were warned, and police and the military were
out in full force. Over the
next two months, 130 blacks were taken into custody, 35, including Vesey,
were hanged and 31 were exiled. As
a result of the plot, Southern legislatures passed more rigorous slave
codes. http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/1861jun/higgin.htm 1863-The
second day of the battle of Gettysburg. Both armies faced each other in a parallel
line one mile apart. General Longstreet basically holds back, disagreeing with
General Lee orders, as Longstreet waits.
Lee sends in his best, his right
hand fighting force, the price of the South,
J.E.B.Stuart. The delay by Longstreet
changes the course of the battle. The
time gives the Federal troops time
to organize and position themselves. In his book, Longstreet says these reports
are incorrect, especially about specific orders to attack. This battle was never
planned, but was stumbled into as General Lee was on his way for a surprise
attack on Washington, D.C. Several generals died this day in battle, and
Longstreet has his version of what happened. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul02.html
http://www.nps.gov/gett/getttour/day2.htm http://www.pekin.net/pekin108/edison/projects/jon.htm http://home.sprynet.com/~carlreed/HuntDay2.html http://www.civilwarhome.com/longstreetgettysburg2.htm http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/2471/Gettypictures.html 1864-Congress
established the National Statuary Hall, formerly the Hall of the United
Sates House of Representatives in the Capital at Washington, DC. Each state was invited to contribute marble or bronze statues of
its most distinguished citizens. http://www.virtualology.com/hallofusa/nationalstatuaryhall/ http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/dmla/press/2002/03-11.htm 1890—The Sherman Act was enacted by Congress. Also known as the Antitrust law, it was “ an act to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies. “ It provided that “every contract combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several states, or with foreign nations, is hereby declared to be illegal.” http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/foia/divisionmanual/ch2.htm http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0844878.html The census recorded
a population of 62,947,714. The
center of population was placed at 20 miles east of Columbus, Indiana. The melting pot character of New York City
was reflected in statistics revealing that there were half as many Italian
New Yorkers as Neapolitans in Italy, as many German New Yorkers as Germans
in Hamburg, twice as many Irish New Yorkers as Dubliners, and two and
half-half times as many Jews as were living in Warsaw. It would not
be until shortly after the turn of the century
that immigration laws would slow down the mix. 1881-
President James A. Garfield was shot as he entered the railway station
at Washington. DC. He died Sept 19, 1881, never having recovered from
the wound. The assassin, Charles J. Guiteau, was hanged June 30, 1882.
(bottom half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul02.html
) 1904-Jean Rene Lacoste, tennis player and clothier born at Paris, France. Lacoste, known as the Crocodile, was one quarter of the great French tennis players in the 1920’s known as the Four Musketeers. He won Wimbledon and the US championship twice each, the French Open three times and was ranked No. 1 in the world in 1926-27. He designed the first shirt specifically for tennis, a loose-fitting cotton polo shirt that soon became the standard. He adorned the Lacoste shirt with a small crocodile, the first apparel logo. Died at St. Jean-de-Luz, France, October 12, 1996 http://www.tennisfame.org/enshrinees/jean_lacoste.html 1905-birthday
of bandleader, saxophonist Harland Leonard, Kansas City, MO http://www.umkc.edu/orgs/kcjazz/jazzfolk/leonh_00.htm http://www.umkc.edu/orgs/kcjazz/jazzfolk/leonh_02.htm http://www.jass.com/tom/next/lists/harlan.html 1908-birthday of Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American on the U.S. Supreme Court, born at Baltimore, MD. For more than 20 years, he served a director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. He experienced his greatest legal victory May 17,1954, when the Supreme Court decision on Brown v Board of Education declared an end to the “separate but equal” system of racial segregation in public schools in 21 states. Marshall argued 32 cases before the Supreme Court winning 29 of them, before becoming a member of the high court himself. Nominated by President Lyndon Johnson, he began his 24-year career on the high court. Oct 2, 1967, becoming a voice of dissent in an increasingly conservative court. Marshall announced his retirement June 27, 1991, and he died January 24, 1993, a t Washington,DC. http://www.ai.mit.edu/~isbell/HFh/black/events_and_ people/html/001.thurgood_marshall.html 1917-W.E.
B. Dubois, Marcus Garvey, and James Weldon Johnson of the NAACP, led
a silent march down Fifth Avenue at New York, following the previous
day Saint Louis race riots ( reported in yesterday’s A Day in American
History ) Between 20 and 75
blacks were killed, and hundreds more were injured. 1921-Jack
Dempsey successfully defended his heavyweight championship against French
contender George Carpentier. The challenger staggered Dempsey in the
second round, but the “Manassa Mauler” recovered and knocked out Carpentier
in the fifth round. The fight
grossed $1,789,238, boxing’s first million-dollar gate, as 80,000 fans
took their seats in a specially-built outdoor arena in Jersey City,
NJ. 1930-PianistAhmad
Jamal (Fritz Jones ) birthday http://www.portsmouthnh.com/jazznight/ahmadjamal.html http://www.jazzine.com/artists/ahmad_jamal.phtml 1939-birthday
of singer Paul Williams, Birmingham, AL http://members.aol.com/maaalumni/index.html http://www.angelfire.com/stars/classictemptations/index.html 1941—Gene
Krupa Band with Roy Eldridge record “ Rockin’ Chair.” (Hoagy Charmichael first wrote and sang this, and Jack Teagarden later had a hit in the late 1920’s. It later became his signature
song. ). 1943-First
Lieutenant Charles Hall of Brazil, In, became the first Army pilot who
was African-American to shoot down an Axis airplane in World War II
when she shot down a German FockeWulf 190 over Sicily. He was flying a Warhawk as part of a fighter
squadron escorting bombers. The squadron commander was Lieutenant Colonel
Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr., who later became the first Africa-American
general of the Air Force. http://www.nasm.si.edu/features/blackwings/hdetail/detail_story.cfm?id=44 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6947 http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/integrate/chron3b.htm 1944-
impresario Norman Granz presented the first Jazz at the Philharmonic
concert at the Philharmonic Auditorium in Los Angeles. The series, which
later toured the US and Canada, presented the best mainstream jazz artists,
both in individual sets, and in an all-star jam session. The success
of Jazz at the Philharmonic proved, as Granz said, that there was "money
to be made in good jazz." Granz later formed Verve, one of the
leading jazz labels of the 1950's and '60s 1951--Top
Hits Too Young - Nat King
Cole Mister and Mississippi
- Patti Page On Top of Old Smokey
- The Weavers (vocal: Terry Gilkyson) I Want to Be with
You Always - Lefty Frizzell 1955-
"The Lawrence Welk Show" premiered on television, lasting
for nearly three decades. By high school best friend Warren Luening
played trumpet in the show, who is today a well-known professional studio,
move, and television musician. He is mentioned often in movie titles
and CD ROMs for his solo’s and performance http://207.168.179.75/jazzography/gallery/Warren_Luening.html http://www.trumpetguild.org/news/99aa.htm http://www.flyingpisanos.com/Photos.htm http://www.musicweb-uk.com/pisanos.html http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/appears/0,,460884,00.html http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?ean=13431463320 http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?ean=11105954020 http://www.artistdirect.com/store/artist/album/0,,1080878,00.html
http://www.stp.uh.edu/vol64/146/shobiz/shobiz-index.html http://www.artistdirect.com/store/artist/album/0,,203866,00.html 1956
- Elvis Presley recorded "Hound Dog" and "Don’t Be Cruel"
and “Anyway You Want Me “ for his new record label home, RCA Victor
in New York. It's the first session to feature the Jordainaries, a vocal
harmony quartet. 1957-"The
Andy Williams Show" premiered Mike Post was hired as musical director "in
order to appeal to a younger audience; he introduced the practice of
prerecording band arrangements rather than recording them during the
taping of the show." In 1976, Williams hosted "Andy,"
a syndicated show. 1959--Top
Hits Personality - Lloyd
Price Lonely Boy - Paul
Anka Lipstick on Your
Collar - Connie Francis The Battle of New
Orleans - Johnny Horton 1961—Roger
Maris hits 29th and 30th home run en route to
61 homers. 1963
In one of baseball's most memorable pitching duels, Giants' Juan Marichal
and Braves' Warren Spahn both hurl 15 scoreless innings before Willie
Mays ends the marathon with a homer off Spahnie in the bottom of the
16th giving San Francisco a 1- 0 win. 1964-
President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Acts into law, prohibiting
discrimination on the basis of race in public accommodations, in publicly
owned or operated facilities, in employment and union membership, and
in the registration of voters. The bill included Title VI, which allowed for the cutoff of federal
funding in areas where the discrimination persisted. 1966-
Temperature at Philadelphia, PA soared to 104 1967--Top
Hits Windy - The Association Little Bit o’ Soul
- The Music Explosion San Francisco (Be
Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) - Scott McKenzie All the Time - Jack
Greene 1969-
Reds pitcher Jerry Arrigo ties a major league mark when he hits his
third Brave in the second inning of 9-4 victory. Braves tie the record
hitting five batters in one game. 1975--Top
Hits Love Will Keep Us
Together - The Captain & Tennille When Will I Be Loved
- Linda Ronstadt Wildfire - Michael
Murphey Tryin’ to Beat the
Morning Home - T.G. Sheppard 1976-
Brian Wilson, rehabilitated from drug and other problems, joined the
Beach Boys on stage in Oakland, California for the first time in 12
years. He performed with the group again the following night, and the
event was recorded for an NBC television special. 1983--Top
Hits Flashdance...What
a Feeling - Irene Cara Electric Avenue -
Eddy Grant Every Breath You
Take - The Police Love is on a Roll
- Don Williams 1985-
Astro hurler Joe Niekro notches his 200th career victory. The Niekro
brothers (Joe & Phil) will join the Gaylords (Jim & Gaylord)
as the only brothers to win at least 200 games per pitcher. 1989--Thunderstorms
produced 158 reports of large hail or damaging winds. Evening storms
in northeast Texas produced softball size hail which causes more than
$5 million damage at Allen and wind gusts to 90 mph at Dallas which
injured 8 persons and caused $7 million damage. 1991--Top
Hits Rush, Rush - Paula
Abdul Unbelievable - EMF Power of Love/Love
Power - Luther Vandross The Thunder Rolls
- Garth Brooks 1992-
A cold July day as Saranac Lake, NY drops to 30, East Haven, VT to 29,
West Charleston ,VT 30 1994-Andrews
Escobar, 27 a defender on Colombia’s 1994 World Cup soccer team, was
shot 12 times and killed by an unknown assailant in Medellin, Colombia.
The shooting occurred ten days after Escobar had scored an “own
goal,” kicking the ball into his own net in a 2-1 opening round upset
loss to the United States. Witnesses aid the shooter shouted, “ Goal!
Goal!” as he fired each shot. 1994
-Heavy rains from the remains of Tropical Storm Alberto produces major
flooding across northern and central Georgia. Three day rains exceeded
15 inches at Atlanta., GA, 21.10 inches at Americus, GA. Numerous road
closures and bridge washouts. 30 people were killed and 50,000 were
forced from their homes as 800,000 acres were flooded. Total damage
exceeded $750 million 1997
- "Men in Black" opened in the U.S. It’s a fun-filled sci-fi
tale about a secret organization that’s been keeping track of extra-terrestrial
aliens on Earth for over 40 years. This organization so secret that
when you retire, your memory of it is erased! Agents Kay (Tommy Lee
Jones) and Jay (Will Smith) expose a plot by intergalactic terrorist
Edgar (Vincent D'Onofrio) who has beamed (or whatever) to Earth to assassinate
two ambassadors from opposing galaxies. Complex, but hilarious, but
action packed. Audiences beamed (or whatever) to theatres the first
weekend, spending $51.07 million on the movie. 2002
-Fifty-three major league players hit a record 62 home runs breaking
the mark of 57 established on April 7, 2000. The barrage includes record-tying
dozen hit at Chicago's Comiskey Park by the White Sox and the Tigers,
the same two teams which set the major league record for homers in a
game with 12 at Tiger Stadium in 1995. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Happy
Fourth of July from the Editor July 2, 1776- the Continental Congress, Philadelphia,
PA, having a quorum, voted to adopt
a resolution introduced June 7, 1776, by Richard Henry Lee of
Virginia: “Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought
to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all
allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between
them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for
forming foreign Alliances. That a plan of confederation be prepared
and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and
approbation.” Contrary to widespread misconceptions, the 56 signers did not sign
as a group and did not do so on July 4, 1776. Roads were extremely poor,
travel was very difficult, and there was a war on. John Hancock and
Charles Thompson signed only draft copies on July 4th. It was also not unanimous,
as New York did not agree until July 19th. The signing of the official
declaration occurred Aug 2,1776, when 50 men officially signed the document.
Later that year, five more signed
separately and one added his name in 1781. July 3, 1776 ,John Adams wrote a letter to his wife “...the Second
day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable Epoch, in the History
of America...celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary
Festival. When the letter was published in the nineteenth century, an
editor changed the date of the letter to July 5, and had Adams advising
his wife that the “Fourth day of July, 1776” would be honored as the
anniversary of U.S. independence. Other newspapers picked up the story.
It made the rounds just as Internet hoaxes do today, and has become
the “traditional date.” Congress made July
4th a legal holiday in1941. As a point of trivia, George Washington ( the second president, but
will leave that for another day in history,) very much disliked July
4th as it reminded him in 1754 that he surrendered Fort Necessity
when attacked by a large French contingent from Fort Duquesne.
This defeat left the French in possession of the Ohio River Valley
and Washington never forgot. It
was the last and most significant of the French and Indian Wars, occurring
when a small force under his command in May defeated a reconnaissance
party of French and Indians near Duquesne.
Unable to proceed against the superior French forces in the fort,
Washington erected Fort Necessity at nearby Great Meadows, only to lose
it on July 4, 1754. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/bdsds/lee.html http://www.richardhenrylee.net/ The yellow flag with
the rattlesnake in parts above "Don't Tread on Me" was the first official
American Flag. It was adopted by Colonel Christopher Gadsden of South
Carolina, who had it approved by the South Carolina Congress. It was
first flown by Commodore Esek Hopkins, commander of the new Continental
fleet, carried a similar flag in February, 1776, when his ships put
to sea for the first time. On January 4,1776 it was flown as he landed
in Bermuda and recognized as an American. This is considered the first
naval battle of the Revolutionary War. If there was a popular
saying in the colonies, it was "Don't Tread on Me." This was
aimed at the British, the Dutch, the French, the Spanish and others
who were fighting to claim the new world as theirs. The settlers were
a mixture, who fled the lifestyle of Europe and wanted to change their
life: freedom, not rule by a monarch ( dictator.)
One of the first things they did was to change the inheritance law.
In Europe, everything went to the eldest son. In America, it was divided
among all the males (and sometimes women were named, too). First of all, social
customs and things were different at the end of the 18th century. Yellow
was not a "warning sign,” as it is today, but the most popular
color for a flag. Rattlesnakes did
not have the meaning that they have today, as the population had not
moved out past Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio, including Louisiana and
Texas, who were not even territories at the time. The rattlesnake was
one of Benjamin Franklin's and New England's favorite symbols. It was
on many flags. There were many farmers
who found the reptile catching rodents, gophers, and they were used
often as symbols on our flags and literature---not the connotation we
have today from Westerns on TV and the movies. As I said, things
were quite different in those days. The early ports of commerce for Europe
was Bermuda. It was also a favorite “pirate” hide out as it was in the
main lane of commerce between the United States and Europe. Christopher Columbus
was very popular as he discovered the area.
One of the controversies
at the Constitution was many wanted to name the county the United
States of Columbus, but a compromise was reached with the capital
to be named the District of Columbia. Esek Hopkins of Rhode
Island was the first Commander-in-chief of the Continental Navy and
severed until January 2, 1778. He also got into trouble with Congress
for interpreting his orders rather broadly in diverting his fleet from
its announced destination of Charleston to the Bahamas, where he made
a successful raid on military stores. His
was the first Naval victory of the Revolutionary War. Congress sacked
him anyway. Some say his real crimes were a hot temper and an unguarded
tongue. Others say he had secret orders. Among his officers was First
Lieutenant John Paul Jones “I have not yet began to fight,” who helped
take New Providence. This was the first American naval victory. Commodore
Hopkins flew on this first and on other voyages the Gadsden flag, designed
by a man from Charleston, Carolina, with a coiled rattlesnake and the
motto ``Don't Tread on Me.'' As an additional
point, military troops of the day carried the Gadsen flag. The official
stars and stripes was to come much later, and in reality, not adopted
and changed to the format we know today where stars represent the states
( not stripes) until the early 19th century. By 1818, the union consisted
of 20 states. A Congressional act on April 4th mandated that the number
of stripes be fixed at 13 and that one new star was to be added for
each new state, the July 4 following its admission. However, nothing
was written about what arrangement the stars should be in. We had the
“Grand Star” flag for a while ( the stars were layered out in the form
of a star) or staggered or not in rows. During the course of the Civil
War, stars were not deleted,
although the states succeeded. Stars also were not added the same year each
state joined the union, as Congress became the body to make the proclamation.
Pledge of Allegiance"
first published in a magazine called "The Youth's Companion."
Authorship was claimed for James B. Upham and Francis Bellamy. In 1939
the United States Flag Association ruled that Bellamy was the author
of the original pledge. The words, "under God" were added
on June 14, 1954. In pledging allegiance to the flag, stand with the
right hand over the heart or at attention. Men remove their headdress.
Persons in uniform give the military salute. All pledge together: “I
pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to
the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.” History has not changed,
but our viewpoint and opinions have such as the first flag, and most
popular was the yellow flag and the rattlesnake was a popular symbol.
Dates that we celebrate today were not celebrated then, and contrary
to popular believe, the constitution meetings were always started with
a prayer ( often a different minister and a rabbi at several meetings, although
most were Episcopalians ) and ended with a prayer, too. We Wish You a Happy Fourth of July Weekend See You Next Tuesday!!! Click on image to see more ---
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