Dedicated to our Internal & External Customers, the future of our … · 2014-03-28 · inspections, brake jobs, tire changes and more while braving the elements. Furthermore, they

OLD MAN WINTER 2014

It certainly has been a long winter so far. The first measurable snowfall in Chicago on No-vember 11, 2013 was much earlier than usual. Unfortunately, Mother Nature has not let up since. Across the Midwest, and through the Northeast, there has been repeated heavy snowfall measur-ing much higher than average. In addition, this year’s Farmer’s Almanac projects that in 2014 the winter will be colder than normal. The coldest periods this season occurred in early to mid and late December, but similar temperatures are projected to return again in early to mid and late February. January has been no walk in the park either and, with no letup in sight, we are all best off to grin and bear it. Throughout all of this, The Custom Companies has kept up business as usual. Even though it has been tough, all of the employees have been great about making it to work and providing our customers the world class service they expect and deserve. There are, however, a few departments that deserve high praise. These, of course, are all of the departments that require working outdoors in these elements. Special thanks go out to all of the drivers, everyone on the dock, and spotters. We must also not forget the security staff and the OS&D team that spends time on the dock. But a special thank you goes out to Jeff Howard and the maintenance department for keeping the fleet up and running through it all. Jeff and his four man team has gone above and beyond to keep both Custom and CDN equip-ment on the street. Even in subzero temperatures, the maintenance team has worked outside from 6:00am to 10:30pm. They have worked all day jumpstarting CDN units while still doing inspections, brake jobs, tire changes and more while braving the elements. Furthermore, they stay well into the night prepping Custom units to keep them running. To quote Kathie Chadderdon, the Maintenance Coordinator, “…I have been here walking thru 3 foot snow helping to start these trucks. I have wondered; while everyone else is warm and cozy in their homes, does anyone really understand what these guys go thru to get the job done?”The extraordinary efforts put in by these departments are definitely not overlooked and are great-ly appreciated. Sincere thanks to all of you!

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com

VOL. IX No. 1 • February / March 2014Dedicated to our Internal & External Customers, the future of our company.

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Old Man WinterCARB ComplianceTMW SoftwareConcealed Carry Groundhog DayJunk FoodSales SeminarValentines DaySportsRecipesPresidents DayCredits

DIESEL PRICES

+ $0.012

Experience The Difference

Ho Ho Ho, Can you believe Custom is 28 years old?? The success and endurance of the Company is because of the dedication and hard work of the Custom Family Team! And also look for Perry’s Moustache hidden somewhere within this issue. If you find it, email your re-sponse to [email protected] before Friday, March 21st for your chance to win a gift card!So Happy Birthday Custom Family! Here’s to another 28 years of World Class Transportation Services!! Thank you,NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE


VOL. IX No. 1 • February / March 2014

Did You Know

?The 3rd Monday in February is Presidents’ Day!Did you know that there have been 44 US Presidential adminis-trations, but only 43 Presidents? Grover Cleveland served for two non-consecutive terms making him our 22nd and 24th Presi-dent.• The shortest Presi-dent was James Madi-son at five feet two inches.• The tallest President was Abraham Lincoln at six feet four inches.• The youngest Presi-dent elected to office was John F. Kennedy at 43 years old. How-ever, Theodore Roos-evelt was the youngest President to hold of-fice when at the age of 42 he was sworn in after McKinley’s death.• The oldest President was Ronald Reagan who began his first term at age 69.• Franklin D. Roosevelt is the only President to serve more than two terms.• William Henry Harri-son served as President for the shortest amount of time – 31 days. He died of pneumonia a month after his inaugu-ration.• Thomas Jefferson was fluent in English, Latin, Greek, French, Span-

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CUSTOM CARES CHARITIES by Tom MrozI’d like to thank the many people of the Custom Family who donated cash to help the survivors of the massive Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated a major portion of the Philippines East Coast. A little over $250 was raised and Custom Cares added to your contributions to allow us to make a $500 donation. Caryl M. Stern, President of UNICEF, sent us a “Thank you… Your gift arrived at a critical moment in aiding UNICEF’s ability to deliver emergency relief for the terrible destruc-tion caused by Typhoon Haiyan”… “14 million people have been affected, of which at least 5.9 million are children…” Again, thanks to all of you that helped.Also, with Perry Mandera’s approval, we allowed a number of our workers to help pack contain-ers with clothing and supplies, so they could be shipped to the Philippines. A big thanks to Perry and to all that helped.The Walter and Connie Payton Foundation also sent us a Thank You for the 8 boxes of toys we donated towards their annual Toy Drive. This was a new record for us this year. Thanks to every-one who helped put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas! Perry Mandera also donated space to the Foundation in the A wing where many people were busy at night sorting through all the toys to give to the needy children. Rob Reynolds, one of our drivers, volunteered his time to drive a tractor trailer to 87th and West-ern for the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots drive. Thank you Rob, and thank you Perry for providing the transportation.As you know, Perry also sent out his annual Christmas message to all of us asking if they knew anyone who was in desperate need for help. There were over 20 requests sent to him and he re-sponded to each and everyone with a monetary gift from Custom Cares to help them out over the holidays. Thanks Perry!

CARB Compliance in CaliforniaThe California Air Resources Board, also known as CARB or ARB, is the “clean air agency” in the government of California. Established in 1967 when then-governor Ronald Reagan signed the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, CARB is a department within the cabinet-level California Environmental Protection Agency. California is the only state that is permitted to have such a regulatory agency, since it is the only state that had one before the passage of the federal Clean Air Act. Other states are permitted to follow CARB standards, or use the federal ones, but not set their own.The stated goals of CARB include attaining and maintaining healthy air quality; protecting the public from exposure to toxic air contaminants; and providing innovative approaches for complying with air pollution rules and regulations.The governing board is made up of eleven members appointed by the state’s governor. Half of the appointees are experts in professional and science fields such as medicine, chemistry, physics, meteorology, engineering, business, and law. Others represent the pollution control agencies of regional districts within California - Los Angeles region, San Francisco Bay area, San Diego, the San Joaquin Valley, and other districts.The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is now requiring owner-operators and compa-nies that dispatch vehicles to verify that each contracted vehicle is in compliance with the California Truck and Bus Regulation or has reported compliance to CARB. This requirement applies to all motor carriers, not just those based in California. The compliance deadline was

January 1, 2014, meaning that owner-operators had four months to either retrofit their vehi-cles or buy a compliant new one. After January 1, motor carriers are not able to dispatch non-compliant owner-operators or they risk losing contracts and disrupting service. According to Ironman Parts & Services, “The available pool of owner-operators with 2010 engines or retrofits is small. Therefore, the possibility of replacing any non-compliant owner-operators will be difficult and also put the fleet at a loss of trained and dedicated owner operators.” To help owner-operators, fleet events are being held throughout California to make sure drivers have detailed information on what steps to take, how to apply for financing to retrofit their trucks, and what requirements they will face. Depending on the circumstances, a fleet was able to submit a single purchase order by August 31, 2013, for all of its owner-operators to extend the retrofit deadline by four months to May 1, 2014. Fleet owners are encouraged to contact CARB for more details and are also encouraged to engage with their owner-opera-tors immediately. Additional information revision added on August 28, 2013: The compliance deadline of January 1, 2014 refers to small fleet trucks exceeding 26,000 pounds hauling on California highways. Small fleet is defined as one to three diesel trucks with some exceptions. Owning one to three trucks, regardless if the operator contracts loads or is in a leasing arrangement, classifies as a small fleet. However, having more than one truck changes the required report-ing and deadlines slightly. As a single truck owner, the PM filter requirement deadline for 1996-06 model engines is January 1, 2014. This accounts for most of the trucks operating in California at this time. The issue for owner-operators lies with the fact that the diesel par-ticulate filter retrofit can cost as much as $20,000. If this seems like an unworthy investment, the only other option is to purchase a truck with an EPA-compliant 2007 model engine. Un-fortunately, either route will only get you down the road until January, 2023. At that time, all heavy duty diesels will be required to have 2010 model engines or newer. Older trucks, with pre 1994 engines must replace the engine with a 2010 model by 2015. By 2016, trucks with 1994 or 1995 engines must also upgrade to the 2010 or newer model.



ish, and Italian. He also learned to speak several Native American dia-lects.• Herbert Hoover and his wife learned Chi-nese so they could have private conversations.• George Washington donated some of his own silver spoons and forks when our new country needed sil-ver and gold to make money.• Warren G. Harding once gambled and lost all the White House china on one hand of cards.• Franklin Pierce was arrested for running over a woman while driving his carriage in Washington, DC. The charges were later dropped.• Ulysses S. Grant was arrested for speeding while driving a horse and buggy in Wash-ington, DC. He had to pay a fine of $20 and walk back to the White House.• Dwight David Eisen-hower liked playing golf so much he had a put-ting green built on the White House lawn.• Gerald Ford also loved golf, but spectators had to watch carefully because the President was known for conking people on the head with his wild shots.• James A. Garfield could write Greek with one hand and Latin with the other!• Andrew Johnson’s family was too poor to send him to school. His wife taught him to read and write.Continues on Page 8

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TRUCKLOAD BROKERAGE & TMWWithin the next few months the Truckload Department will be rolling out a new operating sys-tem: TMW. TMW has a high standing within the industry and is used by the leaders in trans-

portation management. The system will allow departments to be more efficient, and proactive in meeting the needs of our clients and partners, by improving communication and helping to overcome common obstacles encountered in the transportation industry. The dispatch team will have access to matching capabilities, lane

history, and the latest carrier postings on one screen within seconds. Rate confirmations will be sent with one click through multiple channels (email, fax, etc.). Visibility into loads in transit will also be improved. Our AutoTrack department will have the necessary tools to foresee issues and resolve them before they impact transit. Order entry, along with the building of loads, will take a fraction of what it takes now, as shipment history and use of warehouses will be saved, revised, and edited with ease. In short, TMW will streamline operations to allow the Truckload Department to be a modern, efficient, hard-hitting competitor at the forefront of the transportation industry!



FEBRUARYBIRTHDAYS

Ignacio MolinaDarrell NelsonTony CrawfordJoe KlikasSalvador LagunasTom MrozAdalberto FrancoJose BenitezGerman MelendezChris MoranTravell KnightCathy BonomoHugo QuezadaDanyel EgelandGlenn CastilloKristine BelicaNeil SpecterKathie ChadderdonTom DunajPeter MudiyappanElvis VargasBruce DunlapStephen FloresRosendo PadillaJohn TrevinoJohn SantoroPedro AntunesJose LaraGeorge MacielRobert ReynoldsFrancisco HuertaRon PearceElvira SmajicBruce LaracuenteTom Keegan

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CMS Contributes to the CureIn January, Choice Direct Logistics’ Choice Management System (CMS) launched a campaign with Custom Cares Charities, Inc. to Contribute to the Cure with Susan G. Komen. CMS custom-ers can now follow a link through the CMS website to contribute to the cure campaign. The Custom Companies has long supported charities, organizations, and individuals whose ini-tiatives align with the company mission in an effort to give back to the community and care for those in need. The CMS contributes to the cure campaign is just one way that we are integrating our community work into our everyday lives. We hope that the increased visibility will encour-age everyone to consider taking steps to give back to the community. Please see the full range of Charities that Custom Cares supports and donate to our initiatives at www.customcares.com.

Illinois’ Concealed Carry Law The State of Illinois recently became the 50th state to pass a concealed carry law – the Firearm Concealed Carry Act (“FCCA”) – which will soon allow a properly licensed individual to carry a firearm. The FCCA lists certain, limited locations at which concealed carry is prohib-ited in all circumstances and also allows property owners who do not fall within the limited ex-ceptions to prohibit concealed carry on property under their control. However, the FCCA does not specifically authorize an employer to prohibit concealed carry and leaves many questions with respect to employers’ rights and responsibilities unanswered. Under the FCCA, an individual licensed to carry a concealed weapon may not knowingly carry a firearm on or into certain types of property, such as, to name the most common: elemen-tary school buildings or parking lots; pre-school or child care facilities or parking lots; buildings or portions of buildings under the control of local or state government, including the courts; hospitals, mental health facilities, or nursing homes and their parking lots; public bus or train stations, airports and their parking lots; buildings and parking under the control of an establish-ment that receives more than 50% of its gross receipts from the sale of alcohol; public parks and athletic facilities; and buildings and parking controlled by colleges or universities. In addition, the FCCA provides that;“the owner of private real property of any type may prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms on the property under his or her control.” To do so, “the owner must post a sign…indicating that the firearms are prohibited on the property, unless the property is a private residence.” The FCCA requires that the sign prohibiting firearms must be 4 inches by 6 inches and “clearly and conspicuously posted at the entrance of a building prem-ises, or real property” and shall be “of a uniform design” established by the State Police. Even if the building, facility, or property is of the type exempted above or has other-wise been designated by the property owner as prohibiting concealed carry, the licensee “shall be permitted to carry a concealed firearm on or about his or her person within a vehicle into the parking area and may store a firearm or ammunition concealed in a case (which includes glove compartment or console) within a locked vehicle or locked container out of plain view within the vehicle.”

Here at Custom, all firearms will be prohibited.


VOL. IX No. 1 • February / March 2014Page 5

FEBRUARYANNIVERSARIES

The Custom CompaniesJames KunceGail AbdallahAndy KolodziejczykWes JarzabekPedro AntunesVictor GurrolaAlfredo RodriguezEfrain Serrano RiveraEric DomingoAdam GonzalesSteve HolowkaDanielle PitsenbargerVicente SanchezDon WeinerTom BiskupRocco AbbinanteWilliam AshbyLuis VenturaAustin KizzeeTim BrownRaul MojicaBrenda Perez

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Alberto Munoz LAX Dockman

Custom University IILeadership & Management Forum

Custom University 2 kicked off on 2/05/14. This portion of Custom Unniversity will be dealing with the many intricacies of managing, and leading our employees/work-ers to higher levels of achievement in their daily job activities. Mr. Mandera has always been a believer in education of our employees/workers. The Management forum will focus not only on continuous management improvement, but also improving the overall quality of our internal communications and ultimately creating new and improved syner-gies to provide world class service to our extremely Valued Customers.

Any questions regarding these sessions or The University please contact John Santoro

February 2 is Groundhog Day!Every year we awaken a slumbering groundhog named Punxsutaw-ney Phil to ask for his expertise on whether or not Spring will come early. If he sees his shadow, you better hunker down for 6 more weeks of winter weather. However, if Phil doesn’t see his shadow, spring is coming!

Why on Feb. 2nd? Because it’s considered to be the middle of win-ter. It falls halfway between the winter solstice (December 21) and

vernal equinox (March 20). It’s also around the time that groundhogs end their hibernation.

How did the tradition start? The U.S. version of Groundhog Day began in 1887. However, the tradition started long before that. Romans used to look to hedgehogs during the first few days of February to forecast weather conditions. Germans adopted the Roman tradition, but when they migrated to Pennsylvania, there were no hedgehogs to be found. So they used a groundhog!

Fun Facts: • Since the ceremony started in Punxsutawney, PA, in 1887, the groundhog has “seen his shad-

ow” roughly 90% of the time.• According to the National Weather Service, Punxsutawney Phil is right only 40% of the time.• Groundhogs are also known as Woodchucks.• Groundhogs are not “hogs.”• Woodchucks do not chuck wood.• PETA petitioned in 2010 to have Punxsutawney Phil retired to a sanctuary and replaced with

an electronic groundhog.

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THE

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IES •

CUSTOM UNIVERSITY



MARCHBIRTHDAYS

Austin KizzeeErick LucenaEnoch PalaciosMilton AyalaJustin YagerSteve BartoloneLisa SmithMiguel OcampoSimon Tapia SandovalLinda Dieboldt Tina MinerJonathan SchmittArmando OrtizTony CrespoPaull DunnMarie PodolakJose GarciaGuy AnspachOsmond JosephLaura FinfrockJames CampbellAraceli ArballoJose FabianJose GualitoJon DuJardinDarryl CherryWes JarzabekKris LarsonRuben Medina Manolito RomanDan WalshOscar BolanosJoe MartinezArjel CastilloAgostino ChiaramonteMentor EleziMary HolowickiSilvester WhiteRamon BadeaPedro Escanio

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How to Stop Craving Foods That Make You Fat!How often have you heard people say that they’re addicted to cer-tain foods?They very well might be. Food addictions are just as real as addic-tions to drugs or alcohol, just not as obvious. The reason that most diets fail is that they don’t address the changes in brain chemistry caused by food that can be more powerful than the effects of cocaine.Last year, the Scripps Research Institute released a groundbreaking study that found that rats given diets of bacon, sausage, chocolate and cheesecake had sharp rises in dopamine and sero-tonin, neurochemicals that affect the brain’s pleasure centers.Later, when the researchers withheld these foods and tried to put the rats on a nutritious diet, the rats refused to eat, almost to the point of starvation. The rats even chose to endure painful shocks to get the sweet and fatty foods. They were literally addicted—and it took two weeks for their brains to return to normal. Rats addicted to cocaine, on the other hand, recovered normal brain functions in just two days.Bottom line: An addiction to food can be harder to overcome than drug addiction.CHEMISTRY AND WEIGHT GAINMost people who are overweight don’t experience more hunger than anyone else. They eat too much as a form of self-medication, unconsciously trying to balance levels of the two brain chem-icals that are disrupted by unhealthy foods…Dopamine is the neurochemical that produces excitement and other high-energy feelings. When you eat foods that are high in fat, such as red meat, french fries and cheesecake, you experience a surge of dopamine. It feels good, but the “high” is short-lived. As dopamine levels decline, you may feel listless, sad or depressed. The quickest way to offset the negative feelings is to eat more high-fat foods…and the up-and-down cycle continues.Serotonin is somewhat different, but just as addictive. It’s a “calming” neurochemical that pro-motes feelings of optimism and hope. It’s the primary target of most antidepressant medications. People who consume a lot of sugar or carbohydrates made primarily from white flour (pasta, crackers, white bread) or a combination of sugar and white carbs (cookies, cakes, doughnuts) have increases in serotonin that make them feel good. But, as with dopamine, the effects are tem-porary unless you keep eating these foods.BREAK THE CYCLETraditional diets mainly deal with calorie restriction. They rarely work because they fail to ad-dress the addiction that causes people to overeat in the first place. Important steps…Know your pitfalls. These are the thoughts and activities (and foods) that ultimately lower levels of dopamine and/or serotonin and make you crave another “fix.” Examples: A stressful meeting at work that makes you anxious will increase cravings for sugar or carbohydrates (for the sero-tonin boost). Spending the night alone in front of the television can lead to loneliness that makes you crave both sugar (for the serotonin boost) and fat (for the dopamine).Just about everyone with a weight problem engages in what’s known as emotional eating. When you realize that you’re eating ice cream every night because you’re lonely or that you’re digging into bags of chips or other snacks when you get anxious or frustrated, you’ll be less likely to in-dulge in this behavior.Increase “booster activities.” These are activities that increase and help maintain healthier levels of serotonin and dopamine. You can tailor these activities to increase levels of either one of these substances. Examples…



MARCHANNIVERSARIES

Tom BoyleMarc InmanBruce SchallerJohn AngelopoulosDonna RobinsonEric PociusMike DulgheriuRuss KrezelMike DuncanDale BurtWalter GustafsonFransisco PelayoFrank OsbornePete SchmitSteve CoffeySilvester WhiteEnoch PalaciosIzabella CzarnewiczSean McLaughlinScott Ten BroeckOscar AcevesRosendo PadillaMentor EleziGuy AnspachAgostino ChiaramonteJuan LunaDan MasonJustin MajorShawn StruchenOrlando ManimtimDan WalshLucasz KisloMiguel GutierrezPam HanleyBruce WisdomBruce DunlapJonathan KofoedRoger KulpaDavid RozkuszkaPaul GaleDawid KlimczukTravell Knight

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For more dopamine. Being active and social are the best ways to boost dopamine. Go to a mu-seum or an art opening. Clean the house while listening to loud music that makes you want to dance. Cook a new, healthful dish. Go dancing.For more serotonin. Cultivating relationships and being kind help increase serotonin. Ask a co-worker how he/she is feeling. Call a friend or loved one just to say “I’m thinking about you.” Give someone a compliment. Play with your dog or cat.Detox gradually. Just as smokers are more likely to successfully quit when they use nicotine patches or gum, you’ll find it easier to give up addictive, high-calorie foods when you replace them with healthier foods that also help balance brain chemistry.Many of the foods that you already know are healthy will increase serotonin and dopamine. These include…

•Whole grains•Beans•Lean meats, such as chicken and turkey•Low-fat dairy, such as cottage cheese and yogurt•Healthy snacks, such as unsalted nuts, popcorn and fresh fruits.

Important: It takes at least 10 “exposures” to a healthy food before you’ll start to crave it in the same way that you once craved un-healthy choices.Identify risk times. How many times have you sat down in front of the TV with a full bowl of snacks and emptied it by the end of the show—without even being fully aware that you were eating? Most food addicts snack or binge after 6:00 pm, when they are relaxing at home. This is known as mindless eating, and it’s a common behavior of food addicts. People often eat mindlessly in the car as well.Important: Plan other activities during your own high-risk times. If you tend to snack in the evening, use that time for something else, such as straightening the house or calling friends. It is also helpful to have ready-to-go healthy snacks, such as air-popped popcorn or sliced fruit, for quiet nights when you’re reading or watching TV.Allow occasional “slips.” We all have special treats that we don’t want to give up. For me, it’s but-tery movie-theater popcorn. For someone else, it might be ice cream or soft drinks.In my experience with thousands of patients, those who achieve a healthy relationship with food—those who eat when they’re hungry or simply to enjoy a particular food, rather than to fulfill emotional needs—can enjoy up to two servings daily of a pitfall food and still maintain a healthy weight.To be safe: Don’t exceed 300 calories per serving. This might be, for example, half a Big Mac or a small order of fries.It’s not weak to occasionally give in to cravings. As long as your life is full of healthy serotonin- and dopamine-boosting foods and activities, you’ll have these cravings only occasionally.Bottom Line/Personal interviewed Mike Dow, PsyD, clinical director of therapeutic and behav-ioral services at The Body Well integrative medical center in Los Angeles and host and psy-chotherapist of the TLC series Freaky Eaters. He is a member of the California Psychological Association and the International Society of Eating Disorder Professionals. He is author of Diet Rehab: 28 Days to Finally Stop Craving the Foods That Make You Fat (Avery). www.DrMikeDow.


VOL. IX No. 1 • February / March 2014 Page 8

• Benjamin Harrison had the White House wired for electric-ity, but because he was afraid of getting shocked, he would not touch the switches!• Lyndon B. Johnson used to go through the White House at night to turn off any lights that weren’t needed. He didn’t want to waste the taxpayers money!

Fun Facts about the Irish• 34 million Ameri-cans have Irish ances-try, according to the 2003 US Census. That’s almost nine times the population of Ireland, which has 4.1 million people.• Nine of the people who signed our Dec-laration Of Indepen-dence were of Irish origin, and nineteen Presidents of the United States proudly claim Irish heritage -- including our first President, George Washington.• Some American towns have “Irish” names. You could visit: Mount Gay-Shamrock, West Virginia; Sham-rock Lakes, Indiana; Shamrock, Oklahoma; Shamrock, Texas; Dublin, California and Dublin, Ohio.• The harp is the sym-bol of Ireland. The col-or green is also com-monly associated with Ireland, also known as “the Emerald Isle.”• The Irish flag is green, white and or-ange. The green sym-bolizes the people of the south, and orange,

Facts about loveWhen did it all start?There are various theories on the origin of Valentine’s Day, but the most popular dates back to the time of the Roman Empire during the reign of Claudius II, 270 A.D. Claudius didn’t want men to marry during wartime because he believed single men made better soldiers. Bishop Valentine went against his wishes and performed secret wedding ceremonies. For this, Valentine was jailed and then executed by order of the Emperor on Feb. 14. While in jail, he wrote a love note to the jailor’s daughter, signing it, “From your Valentine.” Sound familiar?More Valentine’s Day-related history• The ancient Romans celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia on Feb. 14 in honor of Juno, the queen of the

Roman gods and goddesses. Juno was also the goddess of women and marriage.• Many believe the X symbol became synonymous with the kiss in medieval times. People who

couldn’t write their names signed in front of a witness with an X. The X was then kissed to show their sincerity.

• Girls of medieval times ate bizarre foods on St. Valentine’s Day to make them dream of their future spouse.

• In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They would wear this name pinned onto their sleeves for one week for everyone to see. This was the origin of the expression “to wear your heart on your sleeve.”

• In 1537, England’s King Henry VII officially declared Feb. 14 the holiday of St. Valentine’s DayChocolate• Casanova, well known as “The World’s Greatest Lover,” ate chocolate to make him virile.• Physicians of the 1800s commonly advised their patients to eat chocolate to calm their pining for

lost love.• Richard Cadbury produced the first box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day in the late 1800s.• More than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold for Valentine’s Day.• Over $1 billion worth of chocolate is purchased for Valentine’s Day in the U.SFlowers• 73 percent of people who buy flowers for Valentine’s Day are men, while only 27 percent are wom-

en.• 15 percent of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.• Roses• The red rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love.• Red roses are considered the flower of love because the color red stands for strong romantic feel-

ings.• 189 million stems of roses are sold in the U.S. on Valentine’s Day.• California produces 60 percent of American roses, but the greater number sold on Valentine’s Day

in the U.S. are imported, mostly from South America.• Approximately 110 million roses, mostly red, will be sold and delivered within the three-day Valen-

tine’s Day time period.Greeting CardsApproximately 145 million valentines are sent in the U.S. each year according to estimates by the U.S. Greeting Card Association. That’s second only to Christmas with 1.6 billion units, and is followed by Mother’s Day with 133 million units.Women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.Over 50 percent of all Valentine’s Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the holiday, making Valentine’s Day a procrastinator’s delight.Teachers will receive the most Valentine’s Day cards, followed by children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets.And... More fun facts about Valentine’s DayIn addition to the U.S., Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, France, Aus-tralia, Denmark and Italy.The most fantastic gift of love is the Taj Mahal in India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his wife.



the people of the north. White represents the peace that brings them together as a nation.• The name “lepre-chaun” has several ori-gins. It could be from the Irish Gaelic word “leipreachan,” which means “a kind of aque-ous sprite.” Or, it could be from “leath bhro-gan,” which means “shoemaker.”Fun Facts about Clovers• According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the highest number of leaves found on a clover is 14.• One estimate sug-gests that there are about 10,000 regular three-leaf clovers for every lucky four-leaf clover.• Legend says that each leaf of the clover means something: the first is for hope, the second for faith, the third for love and the fourth for luck.

FIT FACTS: MELT YOUR ICY MOOD EVEN AS THE MERCURY DROPS

As if the post-holiday letdown wasn’t chal-lenging enough, biol-ogy plays a few more cruel tricks on you dur-ing the winter months. With shorter days, your brain and body soak up fewer of the sun’s rays. As a result, your pineal gland doesn’t produce the sleep hormone melatonin on the cor-rect schedule, throwing off your normal sleep routine and your mood.

SMARTPHONES Is flexible glass the future? The next big thing for smartphones might be flexible screens, said Heather Kelly in CNN.com. LG and Samsung are both pushing new smartphones that fea-ture an OLED display on a “curved” screen. “Several companies have shown proto-types of flexible displays before, but so far there haven’t been any mass-market bendy phones.” Samsung’s model, the Galaxy Round, has already rolled out in South Korea, while LG’s model will hit stores next year. And Apple is rumored to have simi-lar technology in the works for its iPhone. Flexible screens and curved displays could be “a dramatic shift” for smartphones, whose design “has pretty much stagnated” since Apple introduced “the keyboard-kill-ing iPhone” in 2007. Bendy phones are supposed to be thinner and lighter than traditional glass displays, and manufacturers say they’re also more durable. And as phone-makers shift toward wearable tech, such as smartwatches, flexible display technology “could prove extremely useful in the new wave of small screens.” Will Samsung’s and LG’s curved devices “reinvent the current smartphone paradigm?” asked Kit Eaton in Fastcompany.com. Probably not. For starters, they won’t really be “bendy.” Like OLED televisions, they’ll have a permanent curve. But “the world probably isn’t ready for a fully bendable phone,” anyway. That’s fine, because it’s the screen technology that counts. Imag-ine car instrument panels built out of bendable glass, which “bend and flex over the contours to make for better readability.” In the near future, flexible glass technology will migrate to wear-able devices like smartwatches or Google Glass, and in the long run, enable the creation of new personal devices. “What LG and Samsung are doing is setting themselves up as core suppliers for other manufacturers who will use their screen and battery tech in new devices – the best of which probably hasn’t been dreamed up yet.” I wouldn’t get too excited, said Mark Rogowsky in Forbes.com. Despite the advent of new curved screens, many technical challenges remain before the “flexible future” arrives in earnest. For example, there’s “the invisible, but critical, touch-screen layer that rests on top of the display.” Making one “that works reliably atop” truly flexible glass isn’t easy. Not to men-tion that for a truly flexible smartphone, gadget-makers will need “a flexible circuit board and a flexible battery, too.” There are downsides to curved screens, too. While they might “contour more closely to one’s face and some pockets,” they might be harder to type on and suffer from distortion from certain viewing angles. And “don’t hold your breath” waiting for roll-up screens. Those distant technologies are wonderful in theory, but “it’s still not entirely clear they solve real-world problems that existing devices don’t’.”



SPORTS WITH DANIEL LEACHU.S.’s Best off National Team

Sochi, Russia, the host city of the 2014 Olympic Games sits on the Black Sea in the southwestern part of Russia. From Feb. 7th to Feb. 23rd all of the world’s best will be gathered in this seaside town to compete for a chance to win a meteor infused gold medal in one of the fifteen winter sports at this year’s competition.The 2014 winter games will be the first Olympics hosted in Russia since the breakup of the USSR in 1991 and in preparation no expense seems to have been spared. In fact, the cost of this year’s Olympic Games is already more than the past twenty-one winter Olympic Games combined making it the most expensive Olympics in history. It is sure to be an event to remember. Be sure to tune in and root for these athletes who have worked so hard to compete at these games.List of Winter Olympic SportsAlpine skiing Figure skating Short track speed skating Biathlon Freestyle skiing Skeleton Bobsleigh Ice hockey Ski jumping Cross-country skiing Luge Snowboarding Curling Nordic combined Speed skating

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Since humans don’t have the luxury of hi-bernating, we have to find other ways to bust through the winter doldrums. Consider these options:

Light TherapyFor some people, increasing daily ex-posure to sunlight provides relief. Try spending more time outdoors. Take a long walk outside at lunch-time or go sledding on the weekends. If you can swing it, a vacation to a warmer climate can give you a boost. If not, you may feel happier just by rear-ranging your home or office to face a window during the day.

For others, especially people with full-blown winter depression, structured light ther-apy resets the brain’s circuitry and restores proper rhythms.

ExerciseWorking out does more than strengthen your heart and mus-cles. Moving your body sparks chemical reactions in your body that boost your mood. Pick an outdoor sport – think cross-country skiing – and you’ll double the benefit by soaking up more than sunshine too.

Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity four-to-six days per week. Even smaller amounts of exercise may help you feel better.

WWE steps into The Squared CircleBy Daniel Leach

On February 22, 2014, the WWE Network will go live on every connected device. Being con-nected to the WWE Network will allow pro wrestling fans to take advantage of pay-per-view television, pre and post commentaries on weekly syndicated programs, and access to WWE’s vast video library. All for only $9.99 a month!No sports, much less sports entertainment promotion has come close to offering anything similar to what the WWE network has put on the table. Although this spells victory for fans of sports entertainment; Lisa Marie Varon, owner of The Squared Circle (a sports entertainment themed res-taurant), has reservations about what it could mean for future business.Though The Squared Circle’s busiest nights are Monday, Wednes-day and Thursday, Lisa and other members of The Squared Cir-cle’s staff did express concerns regarding how the launch of the WWE Network will affect their weekend business. More specifi-cally their Pay-Per-View nights!“We are a pro wrestling themed sports bar.” Lisa states “We have access to all pro wrestling Pay-Per-Views from all of the promotions. But the WWE is king and their Pay-Per-View events are our biggest draw.”Before the launch of the WWE Network, fans that want to see their exclusive Pay-Per-View broad-casts (without having to plan a get-together to share the costs) would pay anywhere from $30-$60 for just one. Monthly access to the WWE Network will include all the Pay-Per-Views, further en-couraging fans to enjoy WWE programming from the comfort of their homes. Even though The

Sea…Hawks Super Bowl!By Daniel LeachSUPERBOWL XLVIIIThe Seattle Seahawks became Super Bowl XLVIII Champions winning 43-8, capping off one of the great-est defense routes in Super Bowl history. While they aren’t the most impressive defensive NFL team, even fans of the 1985 Chicago Bears and the 2000 Baltimore Ravens need to include the 2013 Seattle Seahawks in the conversation for the best defensive Super Bowl performance ever. People need only to reflect on how good Peyton Manning, and the Denver Broncos offense, were leading up to the Super Bowl to really open one’s eyes to what the 2013 Seattle Seahawks were about to accomplish at MetLife Stadium. Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks on their 1st Super Bowl victory!Future of NFC West In my mind, the most talented team in the NFC this year was the San Francisco 49ers. However, once they knew they had to face “The 12th Man” in Seattle, I knew it was in the bag. The 49ers and the Seahawks are still very young and will be playoff contenders next year for sure. It’s really too bad for the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams! They really showed im-provement in defense and ball control. These teams could easily be winning teams provided each played for a different division!Security Issues Shortly after the United States expressed security concerns over the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith of the Seattle Seahawks had his press conference interrupted by a trespasser. Smith sat stunned as Matthew Mills rushed up to view of the cam-era, took the microphone and said a quick sentence before security took notice and chased Mills out. While there is a bit of irony to be had here, this issue of big event security is really no laughing matter. In fact, it’s scary that with all of the guards surrounding the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos for this Super Bowl event, someone could make his way into an offi-cial press conference. Mills was arrested for criminal trespassing. After making bail, Matthew Mills spoke to the press and explained how he got through multiple layers of security at Super Bowl XLVIII. “I just said I was running late for work and I had to get in there. It was that simple,” Mills said. “I didn’t think that I’d get that far. I just kept getting closer and closer. Once I got past the final gate and into the stadium, I was dumbfounded.”That isn’t exactly reassuring.



Vitamin DAmericans’ vitamin D levels peak in the sum-mer and drop in the winter. It’s no wonder: Your skin produces the so-called “sun-shine vitamin” when exposed to the sun’s rays. These dips in D may alter the amount of the neurotransmit-ter dopamine in your brain, dragging down your mood.

Some studies suggest that vitamin D supple-ments improve mood. Your doctor can help you determine if this strategy could work for you. You can also get more vitamin D through your diet by eating oily fish or drinking fortified milk or orange juice.

Squared Circle will also enjoy the discount price, along with the other WWE Network perks, Lisa Marie Varon worries whether the WWE fan base will still continue to support their restaurant.“WWE Network is a great idea,” said Lisa, “but I don’t know yet how the long standing fan base will react. And these people are the ones that make up the majority of our business.”Lisa has also made plans to incorporate their theme to include UFC, Pride and other mixed martial arts Pay-Per-View events. However, should the WWE Network be a success, the mixed martial arts world might follow suit.“I’m not worried about that yet,” Lisa laughs. “We’ll get to that road when we come to it. We got a lot more to offer than just access to sports entertainment. We serve really great food too!”

Green Velvet Cake (recipe by the super amazing Bakerella)Ingredients2 1/2 cups all purpose flour2 cups sugar1 Tablespoon cocoa1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda2 eggs1 cup oil1 cup buttermilk1 Tablespoon vinegar1 teaspoon vanilla1 oz green food coloringPreheat your oven to 350 degrees.Directions:Grease your cake pans. Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with whisk. Add in remaining liquid ingredients. Whisk until blended and set aside. Place all dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and stir together well. Now take a deep breath and dump all that food coloring, yes the entire bottle, into the wet ingredients. Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or two until well combined and green as the day is long. Pour the batter into the pans. Baking times will vary based on what you are using. For one 8” cake pan, it was about 22 minutes for me. Once you’ve made your green velvet cake, let it cool. I actually cooled mine and than wrapped it in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for a day before making my cake pops. This was a nice way to break up the time it takes to make these. Cut your cake up, and either shred it with a fork or pop it into your food processor. Now you will want to make your cake balls. You can use a scoop, though I just shape mine by hand. Next you will want to melt your chocolate (I like Merkens or Wilton). I always dip my sticks into choco-late…then I put the sticks into the cake balls, and let the chocolate set up. After the chocolate sets up, I then dip the cake balls into the chocolate, and then cover with pretty pretty sprinkles!



LEPRECHAUN HAT S’MORES by Carrie SellmanIngredientsKeebler® Fudge Stripes™ CookiesLarge MarshmallowsDark Chocolate Candy MeltsGreen Candy MeltsGreen Sprinkles or Cake SparklesDirection:Melt dark chocolate candy in the microwave, in 30 second in-tervals on 50% power. Stir after each heating. Repeat until com-pletely melted. Dip Fudge Stripe Cookies into chocolate, coating completely. Shake off any excess. Set on parchment paper, top side down, until candy coating is completely set.Using a toothpick, dip marshmallow into chocolate and coat almost entirely. Shake off any excess. Set on parchment paper, until candy coating is completely set. Remove toothpick.Melt green candy just as you did the chocolate. Flip marshmallow upside down and insert new toothpick in top. Dip into green candy, just barely, to create a small band of green around the bottom.Coat green candy band with sprinkles or sparkles. Shake off excess.Place marshmallow in center of chocolate covered cookie. Carefully remove toothpick. Touch up the toothpick hole with a small dab of melted chocolate, if desired.To finish the hat, attach a glittering shamrock with a small dab of melted green.

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Bruce Dunlap LAX Air Freight

Errol Chiong LAX Air Freight

German Delgado LAX Dock

Gordon Ramsay's Shepherd's Pie RecipeSERVES 4 (change servings and units)

IngredientsFilling* 2 lbs extra lean ground beef (or lamb)* 2 tablespoons olive oil* 1 large onion, grated* 1 large carrot, grated* 3 garlic cloves, finely minced* 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce* 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste* 1 teaspoon thyme* 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary* 1 cup red wineMashed Potatoes* 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered* water* 1/2 teaspoon salt* 1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half cream* 2 tablespoons butter* salt* 1 cup chicken broth* 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)* 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese (grated-for mashed potato topping)

Directions:1. Prepare the mashed potatoes: • Place potatoes in a pot, add enough water to cover, add salt, cook for 15 minutes or until

tender when pierced with a fork. Drain potatoes and mash (I prefer using a ricer). Warm the cream and butter then add to the mashed potatoes. Season with salt, then beat with a wooden spoon or hand beater for 1 minute until fluffy. Do not overbeat or it might turn gummy.

2. Prepare the filling:.• Add 2 T grated Parmesan cheese. Cover, set aside, keep warm while preparing beef.• In a large skillet, heat olive oil, stir fry beef until no longer pink. Drain off excess grease. Add

onion, garlic, and carrot and stir fry for 3 minutes.• Add worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, thyme and rosemary, cook for 1 minute. Add wine

and simmer until wine has almost evaporated. Add the broth and simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Transfer beef to a deep dish.4. Spoon mashed potato on top of beef. Sprinkle with 1 T grated Parmesan cheese. Fluff with a fork to create peaks.5. Bake in a 400° F oven for 20 minutes or broil until top is brown.



Jeff Pabst CHI Driver

Joe Martinez LAX Warehousing

Julio Loaiza LAX Mechanic



BY: G. SMITHAs a DePaul University Political Science Major, I don’t care what all those “special” sale ads say – there is no such animal or celebration as a national “Presidents’ Day”. It is a myth, popularized by our capitalis-tic society and supporters of many of our poorer and ill-equipped occupants of the oval office… it is in the same category of other falsities of history, like the story about George Washington chopping down

a cherry tree and owning up to it, his throwing of a coin across the Potomac River, and Abe Lincoln being a backwoods simplistic country lawyer… While it is a fact of a nationally observed federal holiday on Feb. 17, 2014, its official name is “Washington’s Birthday.” On that date Our Country is supposed to celebrate the life and legacy of Our First President, who has been referred to in history as “The Father of Our Country”, not the rest of the visages of those guys depicted on Mount Rushmore. If our current President and Senate want to they can give them their own holiday.Alright, I know I am shoveling sand against the tide here, because each and every sale leading up to and including those on 17 Feb-ruary will talk about and emphasize special Presidents’ Day prices. Virtually all of our national mainstream media (notice I did not refer to them as either journalistic or news, that no longer exists) routinely refer to this as Presidents’ Day. It is Presidents’ Day in the popular mind. It just isn’t Presidents’ Day in US law.

Let’s look at the historical record: Washington’s Birthday has been a federal holiday since 1885. For more than 80 years it was celebrated on Washington’s actual birthday, Feb. 22. This ensured that proponents of, say, Martin Van Buren or Jimmie Carter didn’t try to muscle in on the proceedings.But by the middle of the 20th century some US lawmakers began to agitate for a more generalized rec-ognition of presidential achievement (for those in the majority who were singularly under achievers). In 1968, this desire collided with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, legislation that aimed to shuffle certain US holidays around to create three-day weekends for increased leisure activities and the all im-portant capitalistic sellathon purpose that now permeates our modern life. Had Carl Marx known of TV, it would have become “The Opiate of the Masses” and not The Christian Religion.Early drafts of this proposed updating in the law did indeed change Washington’s Birthday to some-thing some members of Our Congress wanted to call “Presidents’ Day”. This name change was pushed in particular by one of the bill’s main proponents, Rep. Robert McClory. As a Republican from our own “special” State of Illinois, the land of Lincoln, McClory was interested only in stretching the holiday to honor Abraham Lincoln. But the bill stalled in committee. Eventually Rep. McClory dropped his Presidents’ Day proposal to mollify the federal lawmakers across the asile from Virginia, who wanted Washington’s prerogatives preserved, according to the official account of the history of the proposed bill in The Congressional Record and the US National Archives.Anyway, if you don’t want to believe me, look at the “official list published by The US Office of Person-nel Management list of 2014 holidays for federal workers. It says nothing about “Presidents’ Day”. It lists “Washington’s Birthday,” with an explanation. “Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is much sounder from an accurate histori-cal perspective to always refer to holidays by the names designated in our law, a concept that seems to be currently lacking in our national political activities. “It is exceedingly sad that many “revisionist” Americans (many of them charged with “educating” our children) today believe the three-day holiday celebrates all US chief executives.”But we should be sticklers for historical fact and not be “wish it were so’s”. On February 17 true historians will be celebrating all things George Washington. How? I cannot tell a lie, I am going to toss a coin across the Fox River and decimate a wild cherry sucker sprout – behind my garage. I plan to be going after it with a hatchet.

IN REMEMBERANCE OF THE DATE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON’S BIRTH, OUR MOST ABLE AND WISEST AMERICAN PRESIDENT.

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Manuel Conteras LAX Dispatch

Matt Arch CHI Driver

Milton Ayala LAX Dockman



True historical facts:Lawfully titled George Washington’s Birthday, a federal holiday honoring George Washington was orig-inally implemented by an Act of Congress in 1879 (while he was still alive…) for government offices in Washington D.C. (found at 20 Stat. 177) and expanded in 1885 to include all federal offices (23 Stat. 516). As the first federal holiday to honor an American citizen, the holiday was celebrated on Wash-ington’s actual birthday, February 22. On January 1, 1971, the federal holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February by the Uniform Monday Holdiay Act. [3] This date places it between February 15 and 21, which makes the name “Washington’s Birthday” in some sense an erroneous description, since it never occurs on Washington’s actual birthday, either February 11 (Old Style), or February 22 (New Style)

The first attempt to create a generic Presidents Day occurred in 1951 when the “President’s Day Na-tional Committee” was formed by its first National Executive Director, Harold Stonebridge Fischer of California Fischer served in that capacity for the next two decades. The purpose was not to honor any particular President but to honor the office of the Presidency (and all of the sub-performers therein). It was first thought that March 4, the original inauguration day, should be deemed Presidents Day. However, the bill recognizing the March 4 date was stalled in the committee that had authority over all federal holidays, The Senate Judiciary (think they only recommend federal judges?). This committee obviously believed that, because of its proximity to Lincoln’s and Washington’s Birthdays, having three distinct holidays so close together would be unduly burdensome (probably for shoppers, not for ship keepers). The earliest draft of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act did suggest the holiday be renamed to “Presi-dents’ Day” to honor the birthdays of both President Washington and President Lincoln This explains why the suggested date falls between the two, but this is the proposal that failed in committee, and the bill as voted on and signed into law on June 28, 1968, kept the name Washington’s Birthday.By the mid-1980s, with a push from advertisers (and product selling businesses), the term “Presidents’ Day” began its public appearance by way of media commercials. While the birthday of Lincoln, Feb-ruary 12, was never a federal required holiday, some states took the holiday matters into their own hands. Today, about a dozen state governments have officially renamed their Washington’s Birthday observances variously as “Presidents’ Day”, “Washington and Lincoln Day”, or other such designations.In Massachusetts, Washington’s Birthday is celebrated on the same date as the federal one, but its State law directs that their Governor issue a “proclamation” on JFK’s birthday, May 29 to honor Presidents originating from their state: JFK, John Adams, John Quincy Adams and Calvin Coolidge Lincoln is separately recognized in not only Illinois, but also Connecticut and Missouri on his birthdate of Febrauary 12, no matter when that date falls, as a state holiday.Virginia, Washington’s home state the federal holiday date is legally, under their state law, known as “George Washington Day.”Alabama celebrates the third Monday in February to commemorate the birthdays of both George Washington as well as Thomas Jefferson. The third Monday in February is a State declared holiday as well in Arkansas, which is declared to be both “George Washington’s Birthday” and a local heroine, “Daisy Gatson Bates” Day.Completely defying convention, the State of New Mexico celebrated their own “President’s Day”, but, they wait until the Friday following Thanksgiving Thursday, and it is a state government paid holiday… Lastly, under the “Ripleys Believe It Or Not” column, both Flags and American Bunting are used in, hold on to your hat, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA to mark the birthday of George Washington.Today, Washington’s Birthday seems to be much better known as the day in which many stores, espe-cially car dealers, hold sales. Until the late 1980s, retail businesses usually closed on this day. But in the 21’st Century, its seems there are Memorial Day Sales, Christmas Day Sales, Easter Sales, Veteran’s Day Sales, you name the holiday, either secular or religious, and a retailer will try to lure you into buying something. UPS, FED-EX, and most delivery services that are not involved with the U.S. Post Office provide shipping services on all of the previously named days as well. Some public transit systems have also gone to regular schedules on the day. Many (“Liberal” – History altering) colleges and universities hold regular classes and operations on Washington’s Birthday, soon, I’m sure, to include those dates honoring America’s War Dead and Veterans. .It should be observed, however, that many schools avoid the issue by providing “Spring Break” to their students which encompass both Washington’s and Lincoln’s Birthday (and avoid the Easter rush…). For example, Mayor Bloomberg’s New York City school districts began doing so in the 1990s.In 2014 Our Country will be celebrating both Washington’s 282nd birthday and the 82nd anniversary of the rebirth of the Purple Heart medal given to those military members who suffer wounds in the service of Our Country while engaged in combat.

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Victor Garcia CHI Dockman

Roger Peralta LAX Air Freight

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Dedicated to our Internal & External Customers, the future of our … · 2014-03-28 · inspections, brake jobs, tire changes and more while braving the elements. Furthermore, they