Big Leather Couch

Happy Monday all...

Growing up, our next door neighbors were Al & Helen Blank. A real great couple who always had smiles on their faces. There kids, Larry and Anita were both older. Anita was about 2 years older then me and Larry was 5-6 years older (if I have those numbers wrong, please let me know Anita and/or Larry - I am 52 now).
Anyway, my dad received an email from Anita and forwarded it to me. As I have been so busy with the tournament at Little League, I have not had time to read it until today.
Wish I had this when I did my July 4th posting... some interesting tidbits about those 56 men who banded together to ensure their thoughts on liberty were recorded:

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed
the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large
plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of
Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the
seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died
in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family
almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in
hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett,
Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis
had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George
Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and
she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled
for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year, he
lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.
A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed,
rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had
security, but they valued liberty more.

Standing talk straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration,
with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each
other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you
a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British. We
were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government!

Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July Holiday and silently thank these
patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid. Remember: Freedom is never free!

I hope you will show your support by please sending this to as many people as you can.
It's time we get the word out that patriotism is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of July has more
to it than beer, picnics, and baseball games.

Liked that a lot and had to share..Thanks Anita.

Well, we are through the first 4 days of the District Tournament. Concession has been hopping.
First lesson of the day kids...ADVERTISING WORKS!
For years we have sold cheesesteak hoagies. We use Rib-eye (told you that already...didn't I!?!)... The last three years, sales have gone down actually and - if not for the fact that I love them - they might have been gone from the menu next season!
In 2003, we sold 97 during regular season and 68 post-season (total 165).
In 2004 - this struck me.. 71 in regular season, 71 in post season (total 142).
Last year we sold 58 regular season, 21 post-season for a dismal 79 total.
This regular season we only sold 35 of them! That is less then 1 box.
So, just before this tournament began, I redid the signs we have near the order window. I decided to be more specific about the cheesesteak sandwiches. So, I made them "RIB-EYE CHEESE STEAKS" ... "Made with thinly sliced rib-eye steaks and covered with melted cheese sauce, Philly-Style" ... It also says, "We Do Not Use Steak-Umms" NOTE: Steak-umms are a beef product that looks like thin sandwich steak, and probably has to contain some beef...but....
so, since then...we have sold...in 4 days...108 Cheese Steak Sandwiches.
For the full post season (12 days) we've sold 127. First 8 days were 8-year old softball...and they are not big buyers in general.
Bottom Line- ADVERTISING WORKS!
Making some good money for the league also...
Thursday (2 games) earned over $1,200;
Friday (2 games) was $1,300+;
Saturday (2 games) included a run to Sam's for more french fries and other items...ran out of food already! Total was a tad shy of $1,400;
Sunday: the killer day...4 games - 12 hours on site, 99% of them at the grill... $1,900+ ... still not our record though. That was on July 11, 2004 and the register was $2,523.00. That was the Sunday of this same tournament. The difference yesterday was two-fold. We had two games that were lop-sided prior to their starting, so many times the opposing team's fans will not come out in force for a game like that Secondly, three of the games yesterday were decided early by the 10-run rule. So, we probably lost 2 hours of selling.

I KNOW I AM RAMBLING>>>>but that is why I set this place up ... no?

Bwahahahahahahaha - see what little sleep and cooking so many cheesesteaks will do to you!

Remember .. Nets For Malaria - UNFoundation.org/malaria - find the big SI's Nothing But Net logo ... Or call 202.887.9040. Every cent goes to buying nets to place over the beds of children in Africa to stomp out Malaria. PLEASE HELP.

Keep that spark of insanity kids...It helps keep you an individual.

June 11, 1776, five men meet in secret...their goal, to draft a resolution by which the 13 colonies would break from rule by the British. These five men (John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston & Roger Sherman), decided that Mr. Jefferson would write the original draft. When he was done, Franklin and Adams made some minor changes and these changes were incorporated prior to presenting the document to the Continental Congress on June 28, 1776.
John Trumbull's famous painting is usually incorrectly identified as a depiction of the signing of the Declaration. What the painting actually depicts is the five-man drafting committee presenting their work to the Congress. Trumbull's painting can also be found on the back of the U.S. $2 bill.


On July 2, 1776, independence was declared as outlined in the "Lee Resolution" presented to the Continental Congress by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776, which read (in part): "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."
The full declaration (after some additional rewriting) was adopted at the Pennsylvania State House on July 4, 1776.
The original was signed by John Hancock and Charles Thompson. Then a local printer, John Dunlop spent the evening printing 150-200 copies of the document. The original document never survived but there are about 25 original "Dunlap broadsides" in existence.
On July 19, 1776, Congress ordered a new handwritten copy be produced and signed by all of the original delegates to sign. On August 2, 1776, most of the delegates signed this document, in geographic order of their colonies from north to south, though some delegates were not present and had to sign later. Two delegates never signed at all. As new delegates joined the congress, they were also allowed to sign. A total of 56 delegates eventually signed. This is the copy on display at the National Archives.
The youngest to sign was Edward Rutledge (26). The oldest, Benjamin Franklin (70).

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Today- do not skip over it - read it...this is our freedom

When, in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the Causes which impel them to the Separation. We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence indeed, will dictate, that Governments long established, should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security. Such has been the patient Sufferance so these Colonies; and such is now the Necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The History of the Present King of Great-Britain is a History of repeated Injuries and Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let the Facts be submitted to a candid World. NOTE: * The signers then list 27 grievances against the British Crown. The grievances are directed personally at the King
In every stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble Terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury. A Prince, whose Character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the Ruler of a free People. Nor have we been wanting in Attentions to our British Brethren. We have warned them from Time to Time of Attempts by their Legislature to extend an unwarrantable Jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the Circumstances of our Emigration and Settlement here. We have appealed to their native Justice and Magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the Ties of our common Kindred to disavow these Usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our Connections and Correspondence. They too have been deaf to the Voice of Justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the Necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of Mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace, Friends. We, therefore, the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in GENERAL CONGRESS, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly Publish and Declare, 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; and that as FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of the divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

THE SIGNERS
In order - North to South

• Josiah Bartlett, New Hampshire
• William Whipple, New Hampshire
  
• Matthew Thornton, New Hampshire
• Samuel Adams, Massachusetts
• John Adams, Massachusetts
• John Hancock, Massachusetts
• Robert Treat Paine, Massachusetts
• Elbridge Gerry, Massachusetts
• Stephen Hopkins, Rhode Island
  
• William Ellery, Rhode Island
• Roger Sherman, Connecticut
• Samuel Huntington, Connecticut
• William Williams, Connecticut
• Oliver Wolcott, Connecticut
• William Floyd, New York
  
• Philip Livingston, New York
• Francis Lewis, New York
• Lewis Morris, New York
• Richard Stockton, New Jersey
  
• John Witherspoon, New Jersey
• Francis Hopkinson, New Jersey
• John Hart, New Jersey
• Abraham Clark, New Jersey
• Robert Morris, Pennsylvania
• Benjamin Rush, Pennsylvania
• Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania
• John Morton, Pennsylvania
• George Clymer, Pennsylvania
• James Smith, Pennsylvania
• George Taylor, Pennsylvania
• James Wilson, Pennsylvania
• George Ross, Pennsylvania
• Caesar Rodney, Delaware
• George Read, Delaware
• Thomas McKean, Delaware
• Samuel Chase, Maryland
• William Paca, Maryland
• Thomas Stone, Maryland
• Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Maryland
• George Wythe, Virginia
• Richard Henry Lee, Virginia
• Thomas Jefferson, Virginia
• Benjamin Harrison, Virginia
• Thomas Nelson, Jr., Virginia
• Francis Lightfoot Lee, Virginia
• Carter Braxton, Virginia
• William Hooper, North Carolina
  
• Joseph Hewes, North Carolina
• John Penn, North Carolina
• Edward Rutledge, South Carolina
  
• Thomas Heyward, Jr., South Carolina
• Thomas Lynch, Jr., South Carolina
• Arthur Middleton, South Carolina
• Button Gwinnett, Georgia
• Lyman Hall, South Carolina
• George Walton, South Carolina