Good morning. Today is the 308th day of the year. On this day in 1979, about 500 Iranians seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 90 hostages. They vowed to hold the hostages until the former shah was returned to Iran for trial. The shah, however, died the next year in an Egyptian military hospital. The hostages were released in groups, in 1979, 1980 and 1981. The last group of hostages wasn’t released until immediately after the election of Ronald Reagan as president.

Well-known people who were born today include former first lady Laura Bush, rapper Sean “P. Diddy� Combs, actor Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid) and actress Loretta Swit (“M*A*S*H*�).

FLORIDA COMPANY WANTS TO DUPLICATE Brooklyn Bagels.

The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co., located in Delray Beach, Fla., today announced that it plans to sell hundreds of franchises in 37 states.

The company feels that water is the secret to the perfect New York bagel, and has concocted a water filtration system that it says duplicates the water here.

The company’s first restaurant, which opened last year, features 26 varieties of “Brooklyn bagels� as well as sandwiches and gourmet coffee.

Most real Brooklynites would scoff at such an idea, since only about five types of bagels (“regular,� whole wheat, garlic, onion and egg) are considered authentic. We’re sure the bagel place on Ocean Avenue and Kings Highway, for example, is much better.

JOB ACCESS for Southwest Brooklyn Residents.

The Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corp. (SBIDC) has undertaken a major expansion of workplace services to its community.

In the past nine months, SBIDC has hired new workforce staff for its Sunset Park and Red Hook locations and has placed 71 people into jobs at local companies.

In the coming months, it will be working to fill positions at Phoenix Beverages, a major beer distribution firm that will be relocated to the Red Hook piers.

Josh Keller, the agency’s executive director, commented, “In this climate of high unemployment and uncertainty, SBIDC’s role as a conduit between local firms and residents is more important than ever.�

The Robin Hood and Tiger foundations both provided grants to SBIDC to boost the capacity of its employment program.

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