Wednesday, May 20, 2015

SERVICE, DUTY, HONOR, COURAGE AND SACRIFICE


This Memorial Day we honor and remember our military heroes who died in combat or as a result of injuries sustained during battle and thank them and their families for their sacrifice.

On Memorial Day, flowers are traditionally placed on soldiers’ graves.  Many people will wear poppies in remembrance.  The red flowers represent the blood of fallen soldiers.  Many veterans service organizations annually distribute these crepe paper poppies, called “Buddy Poppies,” that have been assembled by hospitalized veterans in exchange for donations to help needy and disabled veterans. 


The poem below was written in 1915 by John McCrae, a World War I soldier and medical officer. Today Flanders Fields, the site of World War I battlefields, is home to thousands of poppies.  It remains a fitting tribute to all who died for our country in conflicts past and present around the globe.


In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.



Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields. 

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK - MAY 4 to 8, 2015

The website of the U.S. Small Business Administration states: “Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year.” This week is set aside to “highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they’re working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness.”

Doris Wong started her business in 1967, and it is still making valuable contributions to the legal community. For decades the talented professionals on her staff have been preserving verbatim testimony for trial; and although the method, machine shorthand, has basically remained unchanged, the technological advancements have drastically altered how their services are delivered. Today the gold standard is providing an instantaneous, almost error free, realtime feed. This has meant a huge investment by Ms. Wong and all the members of her staff in cutting-edge technology and an unceasing commitment to the lawyers and litigants we serve to deliver the most accurate and timely transcripts possible.

As Ms. Wong states: “I am proud to say that my firm is celebrating its 48th year in a very challenging, competitive and changing business. We are doing this by embracing and offering all the technological changes in the field of court reporting – and, indeed, we have led the way in many of them – and also by continuing to provide the best service possible to every client, large and small.”

The role small businesses play in today’s economy is crucial. Doris O. Wong Associates, Inc., is proud of its contribution and is pleased that small businesses are receiving the recognition this week they are so deserving of.