Christmaslives

Christmas lives It is called Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan. The family-owned business calls itself the world's largest Christmas store. The late Wally Bronner started the business in nineteen forty-five.server recovery softwareWayne Bronner, Wally's son, is president and chief executive of what is now a multi-million dollar corporation.server disaster recovery software He learned the business from an early age. Some of his best memories are traveling to other countriesdata recovery utility with his father to find new products for the store.Bronner's sells more than fifty thousand holiday products from seventy nations. Half of the products cost less than ten dollars.recover lost files Wayne Bronner says demand for small objects to hang on Christmas trees has expanded over the years. People put more time, effort and money into decorating their homes with these hard disk recovery softwareornaments, lights and religious scenes. Bronner's is famous for its nativity scenes which show the birth of Jesus Christ.Michigan has theimage recovery software nation's highest unemployment rate. Bronner's has been affected by the recession, too.cap machine But not in reduced sales.WAYNE BRONNER: "Even though people are spending less, we're having more people visit here. And as a result we've actually had a sales increase." Bronner's success is also linked to community cooperation and investment. Frankenmuth is a town of five thousand people in eastern Michigan's farm country. The town was settled by Bavarian Germans in the eighteen hundreds. It has kept its traditions alive in buildings and restaurants.Bavarian cultural themes and Bronner's huge store bring three million visitors a year. The town is the most popular place for tourists in the state. Bronner's business is aimed at a single day of the year. But that is not too different from other businesses. WAYNE BRONNER: "About half of our business is done in the last quarter of the year, in the last three months. And actually when you contrast that with most retailers, that follows the same pattern."Wayne Bronner says the family's long-term planning and willingness to reinvest profits has grown the company into what it is today. Still, it does not hurt to build a business on a holiday celebrated worldwide. Currently, about two percent of sales are overseas. But Wayne Bronner sees room for growth, especially through the Internet. And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report written by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember. Welcome to THE MAKING OF A NATION -- American history in VOA Special English. Surrender finally came for General Robert E.files recovery software Lee and the Confederacy he had served as a great soldier. It was mostly his military skill and intelligence that kept the South in the field so long. But even his extraordinary skill could not save th 2000 e South from the hard drive recovery softwareindustrial power of the North and its mighty armies -- armies that were well-fed and well-equipped. This week in our series, Stuart Spencer and Leotrue religionScully continue the story of the American Civil War.The last chapter of the bitter four-year struggle came in April eighteen sixty-five. General Grant had pushed Lee's army away from Richmond and nearby Petersburg, Virginia. His Union forces had kept after the Confederates for almost a week. Lee fled westward across Virginia. His tired, hungry soldiers tried to turn south, to reach safety in the Carolinas. But always, Chain Suppliersthe Union army blocked the way. Finally on Saturday, April eighth, Lee's army found it could flee no farther. A Union force at Appomattox Station aluminium die castingblocked any further movement to the west. Early the next morning, Lee tried to break through the ring of Union soldiers that soccer shirtssurrounded his army. But he failed. Nothing was left. Nothing but surrender. The McLean house in 1865 Lee sent a note totrue religion jeans General Grant asking to meet with him to discuss surrender terms. A few hours later, General Grant rode into the crossroads village of shanghai escortAppomattox Court House. General Lee was waiting for shanghai escorthim at the home of a man named Wilmer McLean. Lee rose as Grant walked into the house. Grant did not look like a great military leader, the chief of all Union armies.shanghai escort He was dressed simply. His clothes were the same as those worn by the lowest soldiers in his army. His boots and pants were covered with mud. His blue coat was dirty and wrinkled.beijing escort But on its shoulders were the three gold stars of the Union's highest general. Lee was dressed in his finest clothing. He wore a beautiful gray coat with a red sash tied around it. At his side, beijing escorthe carried an ivory and silver sword. The two generals greeted each other and shook hands. Grant said: "I met you once before, General Lee, while we were serving in Mexico. I have always remembered your appearance.air max90 I think I would have recognized you anywhere."Lee said: "Yes, I know I met you then. And I have often tried to remember how you looked. But I have never been able to remember a single feature."