Hello, Did you Know? There’s No Place Like Seat 16E Sincerly, Penny The Internet has created more informed consumers, but it still can’t cure an illness, protect you in a lawsuit, or help ensure that the biggest investment you’ll ever make is a good one. 10 Surprising Facts About the Fourth of July Everyone loves Independence Day, the quintessential American holiday, full of parades, picnics, and ... surprising facts? You bet! Be the life of the party--share a few of these tasty nuggets of knowledge with your fellow picnickers this year. 1. Independence Day commemorates the formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. However, it was not declared a legal holiday until 1941. 2. Fireworks were made in China as early as the 11th century. The Chinese used their pyrotechnic mixtures for war rockets and explosives. 3. Uncle Sam was first popularized during the War of 1812, when the term appeared on supply containers. Believe it or not, the U. S. Congress didn't adopt him as a national symbol until 1961. 4. There are many precise rules for taking care of the American flag. And speaking of flag traditions, we're sorry to report that contrary to legend, historical research has failed to confirm that Betsy Ross sewed the first flag. 5. Not all members of the Continental Congress supported a formal Declaration of Independence, but those who did were passionate about it. One representative rode 80 miles by horseback to reach Philadelphia and break a tie in support of independence. 6. The first two versions of the Liberty Bell were defective and had to be melted down and recast. The third version rang every Fourth of July from 1778 to 1835, when, according to tradition, it cracked as it was being tolled for the death of Chief Justice John Marshall. 7. The American national anthem, the "Star-Spangled Banner," is set to the tune of an English drinking song ("To Anacreon in Heaven"). 8. The iron framework of the Statue of Liberty was devised by French engineer Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel*, who also built the Eiffel Tower in Paris. 9. The patriotic poem "America the Beautiful" was published on July 4, 1895 by Wellesley College professor Katharine Lee Bates*. 10. Father of the country and architect of independence George Washington held his first public office at the tender age of 17. He continued in public service until his death in 1799. HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
There has been much debate in the media lately about why the Internet hasn’t made buying homes more like buying an airline ticket. This is really a ridiculous notion, when you examine it, because homes are nothing like airline tickets. Here are 10 ways they differ:
9. Nor will you be paying for it for 30.
8. All the seats are the same (except perhaps for the dreaded middle).
7. There are no schools for your children on that flight from New York to LA.
6. You don’t have to worry about whether your furniture will fit in that aisle seat.
5. The only inspection involved when you fly takes place at airport security.
4. If your seatmates are encroaching on your space, you only have to put up with them for a few hours.
3. You don’t have to get a lender’s approval – complete with three years of W-2s, a list of assets, and a credit history report – to take that trip to Maui (although with today’s gas prices?).
2. Once you buy your ticket, it’s unlikely the airline will decide the deal’s off.
1. Most people don’t get emotionally attached to their seat.
Talk to Penny!
