It is time to remember our fathers. I would like to thank my father, father-in-law, and older brothers for positive influences in my life. The first paragraph is from Vanguard. The last section is Father's Day trivia. In the middle is my section. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!
Vanguard
Inflation showed signs of decelerating and the pace of retail sales weakened, giving more evidence that economic growth has slowed recently. At the same time, some data (including the widely followed leading economic indicators and new housing starts) suggested that the economy is still making headway despite the challenges it has faced in recent months. For the week ended June 17, the S&P 500 Index rose less than one-hundredth of a percentage point to finish at 1,272 (for a year-to-date total return, including price change plus dividends, of about 2.0%). The yield of the 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell 5 basis points to 2.94% (for a year-to-date decline of 36 basis points).
Happy Father's Day
If you have been following the debt ceiling negotiations, you have seen that retirement benefits are being looked at very intently. One of the best gifts you can give this year is a contribution to a retirement account. I made the same statement about Mother's Day. Helping someone have more resources in retirement is a wonderful thing.
Father's Day Trivia
Father's Day is a celebration of fathers inaugurated in the early twentieth century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving, special dinners to fathers, and family-oriented activities.
The first observance of Father's Day actually took place in Fairmont, West Virginia on July 5, 1908. It was organized by Mrs. Grace Golden Clayton, who wanted to celebrate the lives of the 210 fathers who had been lost in the Monongah Mining disaster several months earlier in Monongah, West Virginia, on December 6, 1907. It's possible that Clayton was influenced by the first celebration of Mother's Day that same year, just a few miles away. Clayton chose the Sunday nearest to the birthday of her recently deceased father. Unfortunately, the day was overshadowed by other events in the city, West Virginia did not officially register the holiday, and it was not celebrated again. All the credit for Father's Day went to Sonora Dodd from Spokane, who invented independently her own celebration of Father's Day just two years later, also influenced by Jarvis' Mother's Day. Clayton's celebration was forgotten until 1972, when one of the attendants to the celebration saw Nixon's proclamation of Father's Day, and worked to recover its legacy.
The celebration is now held every year in the Central United Methodist Church – the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was torn down in 1922. Fairmont is now promoted as the "Home of the First Father's Day Service". A bill to accord national recognition of the holiday was introduced in Congress in 1913. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson went to Spokane to speak in a Father's Day celebration and wanted to make it official, but Congress resisted, fearing that it would become commercialized. US President Calvin Coolidge recommended in 1924 that the day be observed by the nation, but stopped short of issuing a national proclamation. Two earlier attempts to formally recognize the holiday had been defeated by Congress. In 1957, Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith wrote a proposal accusing Congress of ignoring fathers for 40 years while honoring mothers, thus "[singling] out just one of our two parents" In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.In addition to Father's Day, International Men's Day is celebrated in many countries on November 19 for men and boys who are not fathers.
Showing posts with label Father's Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Father's Day. Show all posts
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Normal Volatility and Father's Day
Happy Father's Day to all of the Fathers, you have a very important job. This newsletter will be relatively short with a weekly review from Vanguard, weekly observations, and finally Father's Day facts.
Vanguard Weekly Review.
The Conference Board's latest report on leading economic indicators suggests that the U.S. economy continues to expand, but at a subdued pace. Meanwhile, prices fell for both consumers and producers in May, signaling that inflation is likely a distant threat at this point. Housing starts also slipped last month after the government ceased offering tax credits to first-time home buyers. On a positive note, production in our nation's factories continues to surge. For the week ending June 18, the S&P 500 Index rose 2.4% to 1,117.50 (for a year-to-date total return—including price change plus dividends—of about 1.2%). The yield of the 10-year U.S. Treasury note stayed at 3.24% again for the week (for a year-to-date decrease of 61 basis points).
Weekly Observations:
This week the Volatility Index, VIX, returned to a normal range. Because of this the potential for large downside moves has been removed and accounts have been returned to a normal position. Last week, on my trip to Chicago it has become obvious that business has improved and people are travelling, a very bullish sign.
The most important news this week was the right people are talking about reducing the national debt. While this is very important for the long term future, it does indicate an upcoming reduction in government employment keeping the unemployment rate stubbornly high. With ths said, the jobs statistic to focus on will be hours worked and job growth in the manufacturing and service sectors.
Father's Day Trivia:
The idea of Father’s Day was conceived by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Wash., while she listened to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. A day in June was chosen for the first Father’s Day celebration — June 19, 1910, proclaimed by Spokane’s mayor because it was the month of Smart’s birth.
The first presidential proclamation honoring fathers was issued in 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Father’s Day has been celebrated annually since 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed the public law that made it permanent.
Vanguard Weekly Review.
The Conference Board's latest report on leading economic indicators suggests that the U.S. economy continues to expand, but at a subdued pace. Meanwhile, prices fell for both consumers and producers in May, signaling that inflation is likely a distant threat at this point. Housing starts also slipped last month after the government ceased offering tax credits to first-time home buyers. On a positive note, production in our nation's factories continues to surge. For the week ending June 18, the S&P 500 Index rose 2.4% to 1,117.50 (for a year-to-date total return—including price change plus dividends—of about 1.2%). The yield of the 10-year U.S. Treasury note stayed at 3.24% again for the week (for a year-to-date decrease of 61 basis points).
Weekly Observations:
This week the Volatility Index, VIX, returned to a normal range. Because of this the potential for large downside moves has been removed and accounts have been returned to a normal position. Last week, on my trip to Chicago it has become obvious that business has improved and people are travelling, a very bullish sign.
The most important news this week was the right people are talking about reducing the national debt. While this is very important for the long term future, it does indicate an upcoming reduction in government employment keeping the unemployment rate stubbornly high. With ths said, the jobs statistic to focus on will be hours worked and job growth in the manufacturing and service sectors.
Father's Day Trivia:
The idea of Father’s Day was conceived by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Wash., while she listened to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. A day in June was chosen for the first Father’s Day celebration — June 19, 1910, proclaimed by Spokane’s mayor because it was the month of Smart’s birth.
The first presidential proclamation honoring fathers was issued in 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Father’s Day has been celebrated annually since 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed the public law that made it permanent.
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