The 2012 Miss America pageant is slated for Saturday, Jan. 14 — broadcast live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. But it’s never too soon to start studying the contestants. Luckily, the Miss America organization put videos from each hopeful Miss on its website. In fact, pageant fans can even vote for their favorite contestant between now and Jan. 12.

In the spirit of introducing this year’s crop of 53 contestants, Zap2it (An entertainment blog) will be featuring five (or so) in regular posts between now and Jan. 12.

Check out the first 5 contestants at Zap2it.com !

If you’d like to buy a state flag to support your favorite contestant, check out our selection at Flags.com!

Our Favorite Holiday Movies:

Miracle on 34th Street (1991 Version)
It’s a Wonderful Life
Charlie Brown’s Christmas
A Christmas Story
The Holiday
Elf
The Santa Claus Series
Eight Crazy Nights

Track Santa’s progress with the NORAD website!

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and nights. It starts on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, which coincides with late November – late December on the secular calendar.

In Hebrew, the word “hanukkah” means “dedication.” The name reminds us that this holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 BCE.

On a lighter note:

Last year, just before Hanukkah, Miriam, a grandmother was giving directions to her grown up grandson who was coming to visit with his wife. ‘You come to the front door of the condominium complex.  I am in apartment 2B.’

Miriam continued, ‘There is a big panel at the door.  With your elbow push button 2B. I will buzz you in. Come inside, the elevator is on the right.  Get in, and with your elbow hit 2.  When you get out I am on the left.  With your elbow, hit my doorbell.’

‘Grandma, that sounds easy,’ replied Jonathan, the grandson, ‘but why am I hitting all these buttons with my elbow.’

To which she answered, ‘You’re coming to visit empty handed?’

Want to know how to play the Dreidel Game? Check out:  http://joi.org/dreidel/index.shtml

Click here for the Most Beautiful & Unique Christmas Trees in the World

Christmas Songs for Children                        Hanukkah Songs for Children

January

3 Jan Iowa caucuses

10 Jan New Hampshire primary

14 Jan Nevada caucuses

21 Jan South Carolina primary

31 Jan Florida primary

February

7 Feb Colorado and Minnesota caucuses, Missouri primary

11 Feb Maine caucuses

28 Feb Arizona and Michigan primaries

March

3 Mar Washington caucuses

6 Mar Super Tuesday:

• Georgia primary
• Massachusetts primary
• Ohio primary
• Oklahoma primary
• Tennessee primary
• Texas primary
• Vermont primary
• Virginia primary
• Alaska caucuses
• Idaho caucuses
• North Dakota caucuses
• Wyoming caucuses

10 Mar Kansas and US Virgin Islands caucuses

11 Mar Hawaii caucuses

13 Mar Alabama and Mississippi primaries

20 Mar Illinois primary

24 Mar Louisiana primary

April

3 Apr Washington DC, Maryland and Wisconsin primaries

24 Apr Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island primaries

May

8 May Indiana, North Carolina and West Virginia primaries

15 May Nebraska and Oregon primaries

22 May Arkansas and Kentucky primaries

June

5 Jun California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota primaries

26 Jun Utah primary

August

27 Aug Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida

September

3 Sept Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina

October

3 Oct Presidential debate in Denver, Colorado

11 Oct Vice-Presidential debate in Danville, Kentucky

16 Oct Presidential debate in Hempstead, New York

22 Oct Presidential debate in Boca Raton, Florida

November

6 Nov General election

January 2013

20 Jan Presidential inauguration

Source

We joined both groups back in the early 90′s when we opened up our first  flag shop in Manchester, MD.  Our duty to the National Independent Flag Dealer Association (NIFDA) is to sell only American made American flags and state flags.  We’ve extended with all American made international flags, military flags, civilian service flags, advertising flags, in ground flagpoles, nautical flags, and more.  In fact if it is possible to manufacture it within the U.S. without charging an arm and a leg, we will always sell the American made version.

The North American Vexillogical Association (NAVA) and Federated International of Associations Vexillogical (FIAV) are flag fans and researchers.  They’re members that have day-to-day jobs; some also in the flag industry.  These great people can tell you what year, what event, and what location a flag is from.  They study the designs, textiles and symbolism.

Our connection with NAVA allowed us a unique experience at the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Jennifer Locke Jones, Chair of the Armed Forces History Division, invited NIFDA and NAVA members into the archives of the museum.  Together they helped identify information about flags that the museum was unable to uncover by themselves.   It was such a surreal experience for us all.

We saw many archived flags that day, but one of the most interesting was a flag they had just received. It’s origin was Louisiana. This flag was actually belonged to Benjamin Franklin Butler, major general in the Union Army during the Civil War. It had flew for years, had a number of repairs, and came to them in a paper bag.  Once restored it will be displayed at the museum.  Jennifer gave us permission to show images of this flag but these images belong to her and we ask that you do not copy them from our site, even for personal use, without her permission.

We toured almost the whole museum while at the Smithsonian for the day.  Other highlights were the Star Spangled Banner Flag made by Mary Pickersgill in 1813. This flag was the inspiration for our National Anthem.

Lastly we saw a few artifacts from September 11, 2001 in the Price of Freedom Exhibit.  Below you’ll see a steel column assembly from the 17th floor of the World Trade Center’s south tower.  The sight of these assemblies is just a glimpse of the total amount of destruction which took place that day.  It is both sad and angering to think that such an act could have actually taken place.

From the wreckage of the Flight 93, these artifacts were displayed. An Airfone almost mangled beyond recognition and the identifications cards of Patrick Dunn.  Patrick was a Navy commander working at the Pentagon the day of disaster.  He was one of the first Pentagon victims laid to rest at Arlington. At his passing his wife was 2 months pregnant with their first child.  This story makes me tear up at not only the overall tragedy and its everlasting sting, but how this one hero never got to meet his child.  His loving wife, left to love that child for the both of them.

Bryan Meckes, EMS Supervisor, Alexandria Virginia Fire Department

Back at the Embassy Suites in Alexandria, NIFDA members met to discuss important issues in our industry.  These include Congressmen making campaign money by selling flags, the effects of Asia imported flags, flag markets international, and changes in flags and/or codes. It was at this time that we were so very fortunate to meet three of Alexandria’s finest.  Dr. Jeffrey Lindsey: Assistant Fire/EMS Chief, Michael Cahill: EMS Supervisor, and our guest speaker Bryan Meckes: EMS Supervisor.  Bryan was a first responder to the Pentagon on September 11th. He was rushed to the scene where he was able to save many lives but teared up in response to the ones he lost.  That day he told us, he heard cheering from behind him.  When he turned around he saw an officer had pulled an American flag from the rubbish and hung on a fence near by.  It’s moments like these that demonstrate how strong we are and how powerful our flag is as a symbol of that strength.

All in all it was a great trip and as usual we learned a lot.  If you have any interest in learning more about these organizations or any questions regarding this article, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

U.S. Supreme Court

June 17, 2011

Education: Constitutionality of state law mandating recitation of Pledge of Allegiance in public school classrooms – Certiorari Denied

Denying certiorari, the United States Supreme Court has let stand a First Circuit decision that the New Hampshire School Patriot Act, which requires the state’s public schools to set aside a time during each day for a voluntary, teacher-led recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. In so ruling, the Court of Appeals considered the text of the statute as a whole, as well as context and circumstances. There was no claim that a student was required to advance a belief in theism or monotheism, nor was there any claim that a student was even encouraged by the faculty to say the Pledge if the student chose not to do so. Although the Pledge includes the words “under God,” the principal or primary effect of the Act was not the advancement of religion, the court found. Instead, the primary effect of the Act was the advancement of patriotism through a pledge to the American flag as a symbol of the nation.

In their petition for a writ of certiorari, the plaintiffs, a national association of atheists and agnostics, and a New Hampshire family comprised of atheists and agnostics, contended that, whether the family’s children participated or not, there remained implicit in each Pledge recital the message that the religious views of the children and their parents were wrong. While acknowledging that every federal circuit court that has addressed a state pledge statute has rejected the claim of unconstitutionality, the petition noted that the bases for those rulings were remarkably diverse and reflected the “disarray” of the Supreme Court’s Establishment Clause jurisprudence. Each of the federal appellate courts’ approaches also would have validated “one Nation under Jesus” or “one Nation under Protestantism,” the petition asserted, adding that the diversity of arguments appeared to be “nothing more than the proverbial mud being tossed in the hope that some [would] stick.” (Case below: Freedom From Religion Foundation v. Hanover School Dist., 626 F.3d 1 (C.A.1-N.H. 2010).)

Freedom From Religion Foundation v. U.S.

2011 WL 1322972

(U.S.)

1. Obey local laws. If fireworks are not legal where you live, do not use them.

2. Never try to make your own fireworks.

3. Always use fireworks outside and have a bucket of water and a hose nearby in case of accidents.

5. If you have children, it’s safest to go see a public fireworks display.

6. Soak all fireworks in a bucket of water before throwing them in the trash can.

7. Think about your pet. Animals have sensitive ears and can be extremely frightened or stressed on the Fourth of July. Keep pets indoors to reduce the risk that they’ll run loose or get injured. Also keep them away from insect repellents, alcohol, sun tan lotion, and decorations.

8. Watch out for cops on the roads, don’t drive under the influence.

9. Wear suntan lotion

10. Salute the American flag

• The flag should be lighted at all times, either by sunlight or by an appropriate light source.
• The flag should be flown in fair weather, unless the flag is designed for inclement weather use.
• The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.
• The flag should not be used for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.
• The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard.
• The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.
• The flag should never have any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind placed on it, or attached to it.
• The flag should never be used for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
• When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously.
• The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.
• When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.

Offer expires April 1, 2011 at midnight.

Source

CAIRO, Feb 13 (Reuters Life!) – Egypt’s revolutionary upheaval dampened demand for the clocks, key chains, stuffed animals and other knick-knacks in Ahmed Magdy’s Cairo shop, but one item has sold faster than ever — the national flag.

The red, white and black standard has sprouted everywhere since President Hosni Mubarak was forced to quit on Friday, painted on faces and purses, tacked on walls and army tanks, and waved from farmers’ tractors and the windows of luxury cars.

Sitting in his shop in the market district of Attaba, Magdy pointed to a worn cardboard box as a customer fished out dozens of miniature pennants.

“I only have ones in that size left and I’ll finish them maybe tomorrow,” the 28-year-old businessman said. The more popular bigger sizes were long gone.

Magdy said he had sold around 300,000 flags since protests erupted nearly three weeks ago, although at one point he and his neighbours had to close their shops and guard property from looters after police withdrew from Cairo’s streets on Jan. 28.

Many of the city’s vendors turned to selling the flags after the anti-Mubarak unrest paralysed much of the economy.

Pro-democracy demonstrators took up the banners — which also bear a golden eagle representing Egypt’s 12th-century ruler Saladin — at early protests, waving them, wearing them as bandanas and even using them as prayer mats at a pinch.

Mubarak loyalists adopted the flag next, with thousands marching and waving them at rallies across the capital.

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of revellers celebrating Mubarak’s departure brandished the flag as they flooded Cairo’s streets, dancing, cheering and singing patriotic hymns.

“There’s been huge demand, day and night,” Mohamed Bala, 27, said as he handed out dozens of flags from a wooden table a few streets from Tahrir Square, the heart of the protest movement.

REVELRY

Like many of the other flag vendors quick to spy a market opportunity, Bala said this was not his original job. He used to sell clothing on the street, but was now making quick money.

“Ever since Mubarak left, we’ve been making a lot of money, a lot more than before,” he said.

Across the street, hundreds of people danced to music blasting from speakers and shot flames from aerosol canisters.

Sherif Ibrahim and his mother walked by, with three flags between them. “For us, the Egyptian flag means honour,” he said. I feel extremely proud when I hold it. It’s not just fabric.”

Many vendors said the last time they sold so many flags was after Egypt’s footballers won last year’s Africa Cup of Nations, which also brought hundreds of thousands to the streets.

Understandably, the pride at having ousted one of the world’s most enduring strongmen in just 18 days ran much deeper.

“That (the African Cup) was just a match, you know, but this is a revolution. We feel free now,” Selma Imam, an 18-year-old student said, as she sat with a flag on a car in downtown Cairo.

Many vendors get their flags in Attaba, a labyrinth of narrow alleys packed with goods as diverse as sponges, incense, toy trucks, batteries, cigarette lighters and coconuts.

Retailers like Magdy, who joined early protests, get their stocks of flags from importers linked to east Asian supply chains. When those ran low, rougher, handmade flags crafted in the northern neighbourhood of Cairo appeared as well.

While some flag traders have tried to spin a profit from Egypt’s burst of patriotism, many more were just trying to make up for two weeks without business, he said.

“People were selling tissues, now they sell flags. When the profit from that ends, they’ll move on to something else.” (Editing by Alistair Lyon and Elizabeth Fullerton)