On this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, starting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. As always, this most American of holidays will be marked by parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country.
Patriotic Places
30 Number of places nationwide with "liberty" in their name. The most populous one is Liberty, Missouri (26,232). Iowa has more of these places than any other state: four (Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty).
Eleven places have "independence" in their name. The most populous of these is Independence, Missouri, with 113,288 residents.
Five places adopted the name "freedom." Freedom, California, with 6,000 residents, has the largest population among these.
There is one place named "patriot" - Patriot, Indiana, with a population of 202.
And what could be more fitting than spending the day in a place called "America"? There are five such places in the country, with the most populous being American Fork, Utah, with 21,941 residents.
Fourth of July
Barbecue Cookout
As with many holidays, the 4th of July celebration includes food, drink and the realization of how fortunate we are as a nation.
More than 66 million
Number of Americans who said they have taken part in a barbecue during the previous year. It's probably safe to assume a large number of these events took place on the Fourth.
Although we do not have a fixed menu for the celebration of the Fourth, you can almost count on traditional favorites such as hamburgers and hot dogs, chicken, ribs, garden salads, potato salad, chips and watermelon. Following is a summary of where these foods come from:
There's a 1-in-6 chance the beef on your backyard grill came from Texas. The Lone Star State is the leader in the production of cattle and calves.
The chicken on your barbecue grill probably came from one of the top broiler-producing states: Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, North Carolina and Mississippi.
The lettuce in your salad or on your hamburger probably was grown in California, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of USA lettuce production.
Fresh tomatoes in your salad most likely came from Florida or California, which, combined, produced more than two-thirds of U.S. tomatoes. The ketchup on your hamburger or hot dog probably came from California, which accounted for 95 percent of processed tomato production last year.
As to potato salad or potato chips or fries, Idaho and Washington produces about one-half of the nation's spuds.
For dessert, six states - California, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Arizona and Indiana - combined to produce about 80 percent of watermelons last year.
Fourth of July Fireworks
$128.8 million The value of fireworks imported from China, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imports ($135.6 million) in 2002. U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, amounted to $13.5 million, with Germany purchasing more than any other single country ($5.0 million).
Imports of U.S. Flags
$7.9 million The dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags in 2002; more than half of this amount ($5.2 million) was for U.S. flags made in China. This was down from the 2001 dollar value of U.S. flag imports ($51.7 million), but still considerably higher than the total for 2000 ($747,800). That was the last full year prior to 9/11.
$646,452 Dollar value of exports of U.S. flags in 2002. Japan was the leading customer, purchasing $86,189 worth.
125,000 Number of U.S. flags flown over the U.S. Capitol last year at the request of House and Senate members. On July 4 alone, 1,200 were flown over Washington, D.C. (From the U.S. Capitol Flag Room.)
$272 million Annual dollar value of shipments of fabricated flags, banners and similar emblems by the nation's manufacturers, according to the latest economic census (1997) for which there is published data.
Coming to America
32.5 million The number of foreign-born residents in the United States in 2002; they accounted for 11.5 percent of the nation's total population.
More than 1-in-3 foreign-born residents were naturalized U.S. citizens.
Six states had estimated foreign-born populations of 1 million or more: California (8.8 million), New York (3.6 million), Florida (2.8 million), Texas (2.4 million), New Jersey (1.2 million) and Illinois (1.2 million).
Among the foreign-born population, 52 percent were born in Latin America, 26 percent in Asia, 14 percent in Europe and the remaining 8 percent in other regions of the world, such as Africa and Oceania.
State Park Lakes & Beaches
66 million Number of visits in a recent year to our national parks - a particularly scenic locale for a July 4th picnic. There were 766 million visits in a recent year to another popular picnic venue - state parks or recreation areas. Those in California (80 million), Ohio (59 million), New York (56 million), Washington (48 million) and Illinois (44 million) recorded the highest number of visits.
You may or may not be able to picnic there, but a visit to a national historical site is a particularly fitting way to celebrate our nation's heritage. In a recent year, about 72 million people flocked to national historical sites and 24 million to national monuments.
The British are Coming!
"The British are coming! The British are coming!" These days, this cry applies to tourists rather than "redcoats." Nearly 5 million tourists from the UK visited the United States in a recent year, more than from any other country except Japan.
$74 billion Dollar volume of trade last year between the United States and the United Kingdom, making the U.K., our adversary in 1776, our sixth-leading trading partner today.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by The Activerain Network and it's members and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of JenniferDahl and American Southwest Realty Group JenniferDahl and Ameriloan.
If you are looking for fireworks near Prosper, TX, come celebrate your patriotism with the City of Frisco and Pizza Hut Park on Saturday, July 4 beginning at 4 p.m.
The City of Frisco's 8th Annual Frisco Freedom Fest happens this year on Saturday, July 4 beginning at 4 p.m. We are located at the southeast and northeast corners of the Dallas North Tollway and Main Street in the heart of Frisco. All your family favorites are back this year. Admission to Party in the Plaza activities are free including the Community Stagewith homegrown soloists, bands and dancers.
The Children's Expowill feature jump houses, two Euro bungee rides, face painting, strolling entertainers, a 25 foot rock wall, games and a chance to write a letter to U.S. troops. The Hometown Heroes Exhibit showcases the men and women of our Frisco Police and Fire Departments along with all the equipment they use to help keep our community safe.
Come hungry! The Taste of Friscoalso returns featuring food from local restaurants with a variety of choices to satisfy your taste buds.
The night is topped off with the Fireworks Extravaganza. No Independence Day is complete without an amazing show of color in the night sky. Frisco's fireworks display is the biggest in North Texas. The extravaganza isFREE and viewable from the area around Pizza Hut Park & Simpson Plaza at City Hall. Fireworks show should began around 9:40.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by The Activerain Network and it's members and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of JenniferDahl and American Southwest Realty Group JenniferDahl and Ameriloan.
Frisco, TX is home to so many attractions, you could never get bored! Whether you are planning a trip for 1 or 100, Frisco, TX has it all! Come on down!
FRISCO SPORTS!
Whether you enjoy hockey, baseball, soccer, arena football or golf, Frisco invites you to enjoy them all in our incredible sports venues! Catch the Dallas Stars hockey team practicing at the Dr Pepper StarCenter, the Frisco RoughRiders baseball at Dr Pepper Ballpark, or experience golf at one of our challenging courses. Cool off inside the Deja Blue Arena for a Texas Tornado hockey game or Frisco Thunder Arena football game, or enjoy the spectacular new Pizza Hut Park and an exciting FC Dallas major league soccer game.
FC Dallas 6000 Main Street Frisco, TX 75034 (214)979-0303 or 888-FCD Goal (323-4625)
Professional soccer at its best is played in Frisco at Pizza Hut Park!
Catch the action of up-and-coming baseball players as the Frisco RoughRiders play in the beautiful Dr. Pepper Youth Ballpark. This AA Texas Rangers team offers a night of family fun in a setting that pleases kids of all ages. Ballpark tours available upon request.
Frisco and The Dr.Pepper StarCenter welcome the action packed IFL (Intense Football League) and the Frisco Thunder for its second season in Frisco.
TexasTornado 2601 Avenue of the Stars Frisco, TX 75034 972.335.9800
Cool off inside the Deja Blue Arena at the Dr Pepper StarCenter with a Texas Tornado Junior A hockey game.
Golf Courses
Frisco is home to three unique golf courses: The Trails of Frisco, The Tom Fazio course at The Westin Stonebriar and Plantation Golf Club. Each offers a challenge to the avid golf enthusiast. In most instances, the courses can accommodate your tee time requests.
You can also Shop 'til you drop at Stonebriar Centre, one of the largest malls in the Southwest. The mall features an ice rink, 24-screen theatre, major department stores including Nordstrom's, Dave & Busters, Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, a carousel and a western themed kid's soft playground. Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday 12noon-6pm. 972-668-6255
Another great place to visit in Frisco is IKEA, the world's leading home furnishings retailer offers 10,000 home products, 52 different room settings, 4 model homes, supervised play area for kids and a Swedish restaurant.
Several exciting and unique festivals take place in Frisco each year. Enjoy Frisco Freedom Fest on July 4th, featuring local and headline entertainment and an abundance of fun family activities. Lone Star Storytelling Festival with nationally renowned story tellers in October of each year; and one of the best light shows choreographed to music throughout December with Christmas in the Square at Frisco Square. Call 877-463-7472 for more information.
A collection of public and private art can be found throughout Frisco. The Texas Sculpture Garden & International Art in Hall Office Park is surrounded by lush landscape, water features and a walking path, and is the largest private collection of contemporary Texas Sculpture that is open to the public without charge. Additional sculptures can be found in Central Park and The Centre at Preston Ridge that celebrate the western heritage of Frisco. Hall Office Park buildings are open Monday-Friday 8am-5pm. 972-377-1100.
Last, but not least, and my personal favorite attractions, 10 day spas conveniently located throughout the city, with each offering unique treatments, upscale environments, and pricing for every budget. There is even a kid's day spa. Call 877-463-7472 for more information.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by The Activerain Network and it's members and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of JenniferDahl and American Southwest Realty Group JenniferDahl and Ameriloan.
One of my dear friends' very talented son-in-law designed this awesome shirt and it is being sold on 91.7 The Truth, radio station here in Dallas. I told him I would pass along the information for those of you who might be interested. Thanks and God Bless!
The artwork for this t-shirt represents that which is written in Revelation 19:11-16 and Jeremiah 23:5-6
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is asked of you to please forward this e-mail to your church, family and friends.
For it is written,
Isa 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
2Co 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by The Activerain Network and it's members and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of Jennifer Dahl and American Southwest Realty Group Jennifer Dahl and Ameriloan.
I usually do these on Friday, but it was tough gettin up this Monday morning, so I'd thought I'd share some cute and funny things I found to get me going...
ENJOY AND HAVE A GREAT AND PRODUCTIVE DAY YA'LL!!!
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by The Activerain Network and it's members and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of Jennifer Dahl and American Southwest Realty Group Jennifer Dahl and Ameriloan.
I had a show this weekend for DahlHouse Designs at Third Monday Trade Days in Bowie, and when I do that show, I always stay with my friend Lisa, at her dad's, Larry Mahan's, ranch. For those of you who don't know the name, Larry is a legendary rodeo cowboy, who now has a clothing line of western wear and appears occasionally as a television commentator. Still to this day, just a good ole boy!
He's redecorating this particiular house on the ranch, himself, and doing a great job I might add, and this time while I was out there, I saw a sign he had just bought on his front porch that I loved and had to share! (And yes, some really do talk like this down here! ;)
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by The Activerain Network and it's members and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of Jennifer Dahl, American Southwest Realty Group and Ameriloan.com. Jennifer Dahl, American Southwest Realty Group and Ameriloan.com are not responsible for the accuracy or content provided by The Community.
American Southwest Realty Group - Realtor/Partner - Jennifer Dahl
My friend and owner of Ameriloan Mortgage Corporation, Rob Bramer and I started this company in January 2009. With all of our areas of experitise and a total experience of over 60 years in lending and real estate, we strive to make your real estate transaction as simple as possible. Our committment is that we will keep our clients informed every step of the way...surprises are not in our vocabulary! When buying or selling a home, it's way too important not to use a someone knows the market like Texas REALTORS®. As a Texas REALTOR®, I look forward to helping you in all of your real estate needs and helping you find your piece of Texas, with some peace of mind.
* Interior Decorating * Home Staging * Home Sales * Handmade Natural Candles * Hats * Antiques * Collectibles
DahlHouse Designs is based on the belief that our customers' needs are of the utmost importance. Our entire team is committed to meeting those needs. As a result, a high percentage of our business is from repeat customers and referrals.
At DahlHouse Designs, we specialize in home decorating, staging, home sales, accessories, hats, art, candles, antiques and collectibles.
We are focused on providing high-quality service and customer satisfaction - we will do everything we can to meet your expectations.We would welcome the opportunity to earn your trust and deliver you the best service in the industry.
With a variety of offerings to choose from, we're sure you'll be happy working with us. Look around our website and if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to contact us. We hope to hear from you atwww.dahlhousedesigns.vpweb.com.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by The Activerain Network and it's members and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of Jennifer Dahl and American Southwest Realty Group Jennifer Dahl and Ameriloan.
I just became a shareholder in me2everyone and I never had to pay a single penny for the shares! It can only be described as the gold-rush for 2009. This company is going to be huge and shares will soar in value over the coming months! You can register for free and it never has to cost you a single penny!
me2everyone is going to be a cool new virtual world where you can meet friends, chat, shop, play, watch videos, create an art gallery, open a virtual newspaper, play the free inworld lottery and make money from your own online store! You and everyone you know make the decisions, shape the world, create real incomes and share in the profits. It's a new place where you meet new people or invite your friends. Learn new skills or expand your business. Find the love of your life or help the planet.
Membership is free and every member automatically becomes a shareholder in me2everyone Limited. Personally I have 1000 shares in the venture I'm going to increase my shares very soon. This is an excellent chance for all of us to make some real progress in 2009 and beyond! Please don't miss it.
If you are looking for something really good in 2009: something that changes your view on the world, then you really have to spend just one minute and look at this website.
PS: More than 350 people signed up every hour during the first 2 days and the owners expect 100m+ over the next 3 years!! Be in now and get ready to share the wealth! :)
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by The Activerain Network and it's members and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of Jennifer Dahl, American Southwest Realty Group and Ameriloan.com. Jennifer Dahl, American Southwest Realty Grou[ and Ameriloan.com are not responsible for the accuracy or content provided by The Community.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by The Activerain Network and it's members and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of Jennifer Dahl and American Southwest Realty Group Jennifer Dahl and Ameriloan.
Many people lose their homes because they are too ashamed to act, or they go into denial about the seriousness of the problem. To prevent foreclosure, be decisive and explore all solutions. Contact your lender at the number on your statement at the first sign of trouble-even if you have not missed a payment but you think you might have to in future. Your lender will make notes about your phone call in your account file. Reputable lenders and loan servicers should view your contact as an indication that you are committed to fixing the problem rather than avoiding it. The lender may begin discussing possible solutions to your payment problem.
If you have already missed a payment and have not contacted the lender yet, do so immediately. Do not ignore letters or calls from the lender! The longer you wait to act, the fewer options you will have.
QUICK TIP #2: Use your assets
Do you have assets-a second car, jewelry, a whole life insurance policy-that you can sell for cash to help reinstate your loan? Can anyone in your household get an extra job to bring in additional income? Even if these efforts don't significantly increase your available cash or your income, they demonstrate to your lender that you are willing to make sacrifices to keep your home. If you can predict you'll have serious, irresolvable payment problems in the foreseeable future that could lead to foreclosure, consider selling your home before you go into default.
QUICK TIP #3: Dos and don'ts for homeowners facing foreclosure
Don't:
Run from the problem
Sign anything that you do not fully understand.
Deed your property over to anyone. Signing your home over to someone else does not relieve you of your mortgage obligation.
Let someone assume the loan without the lender's permission and without their formally releasing you from liability for the mortgage.
Move out of your house because someone promises to make the mortgage payments for you.
Do:
Call your lender, real estate professional or property management company
Get financial counseling
Be suspicious of anyone who contacts you with a loan or service they promise will solve your money troubles and save your home.
Avoid high-pressure lenders, or those who encourage you to pay an upfront fee for any service or loan, borrow more than the value of the home, or take on a loan without considering your ability to make the payments.
Get all terms and promises in writing.
Be on the lookout for terms that change or are not disclosed at the beginning of the loan process.
Avoid any refinancing loan with exorbitant fees, a stiff prepayment penalty, an excessively high interest rate, or a balloon payment due. (If you're not sure whether the loan you're being offered includes any of these abusive terms, have someone you trust review them for you.)
SOURCE: Sandy Wright - Marketing and advertising executive, graphic designer and the lead singer in the band, Maddy Rose and SoulMix....www.lyricmarketing.com
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by The Activerain Network and it's members and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of Jennifer Dahl and Century 21 Judge Fite Company. Jennifer Dahl and Century 21 Judge Fite Company are not responsible for the accuracy or content provided by The Community.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
The City of Frisco's 8th Annual Frisco Freedom Fest happens this year on Saturday, July 4 beginning at 4 p.m. We are located at the southeast and northeast corners of the Dallas North Tollway and Main Street in the heart of Frisco. All your family favorites are back this year. Admission to 
You can also Shop 'til you drop at Stonebriar Centre, one of the largest malls in the Southwest. The mall features an ice rink, 24-screen theatre, major department stores including Nordstrom's, Dave & Busters, Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, a carousel and a western themed kid's soft playground. Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday 12noon-6pm. 972-668-6255 
the world's leading home furnishings retailer offers 10,000 home products, 52 different room settings, 4 model homes, supervised play area for kids and a Swedish restaurant. 
Last, but not least, and my personal favorite attractions, 10 day spas conveniently located throughout the city, with each offering unique treatments, upscale environments, and pricing for every budget. There is even a kid's day spa. Call 877-463-7472 for more information. 
............................................
your own online store! You and everyone you know make the decisions, shape the world, create real incomes and share in the profits. It's a new place where you meet new people or invite your friends. Learn new skills or expand your business. Find the love of your life or help the planet.
... 
;)
;)
