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In business since 1958, DLC is an independent funding source servicing the $10K-250K market in 11 western states. |
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Kit Menkin is going on vacation to Chicago and then
to New York, and for the interim, Leasing News will be edited by
Maria and Brian Wong. We will not be printing any new advertising
for this period, but will consider after August 8th . Kit Menkin. Editor
Headlines---
Vacation Editions Announcement
Classified Ads---Doc. Manager/Finance/legal
Names of 1600 NorVergence lessees in Judgment
IFC Credit Takes NorVergence Wallop
Missouri Court Denies Popular Leasing appeal
Sept. 19-21 ELA Lease Accountants Conference
Letters---We get eMail
Federal Reserve Economic “Beige Report”
MicroFinancial $200,000 Loss 2nd Quarter
Dash. then and Now-- riverine assault force
News Briefs---
"Gimme that Wine"
Today's Top Event in History
This Day in American History
Baseball Poem--Rolfe Humphries
######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release”
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Classified Ads---Doc. Manager/Finance/legal
| Documentation Manager: New York, NY. 10+ years in equipment leasing/secured lending. Skilled in management & training, documentation, policy and procedure development & implementation, portfolio reporting. Strong work ethic. Email: dln1031@nyc.rr.com |
Finance: Austin, TX. |
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Email: pal108381@comcast.net Transaction Summary Website: www.tlgattorneycpa.com |
Finance: Orange County, CA |
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Finance: San Jose, CA. |
Legal: Los Angeles, CA Experienced in-house corporate and financial services attorney seeks position as managing or transactional counsel. Willing to relocate. Email: sandidq@msn.com |
For a full listing of all “job wanted” ads, please go to:
http://216.66.242.252/AL/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm
To place a free “job wanted” ad, please go to:
http://216.66.242.252/AL/LeasingNews/PostingForm.asp
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Names of 1600 NorVergence lessees in Judgment
Randy Brook, senior Federal Trade Commission attorney, was primarily responsible with a team of other FTC attorneys in obtaining the $47 million judgment that affected 1600 NorVergence lessees.
After writing the exclusive story, and breaking the news before a press release was issued about it (actually another reporter was working on it for a New Jersey paper, who tipped us off, but due to the time difference, and our rapport with Mr. Brook, we were able to get this “scoop,” ) NorVergence lessess and leasing companies involved wanted to know who was on the list, so we asked FTC attorney Randy Brook:
“The FTC can't release consumer names, even under FOIA. Sorry,” he responded.
We pleaded to help those who were concerned, and that it might affect their negotiations not only with leasing companies, but also those going to court, who are reaching the time limit to agree to the various attorneys generals settlements in their states.
“I don't know how the bankruptcy ‘list of creditors and debtors' relates to the FTC judgment, he responded. “ For example, a consumer may be a "debtor" for some contract that is not an ERA (equipment rental agreement.) NorVergence got its customers to sign all at once a package of contracts, mostly small, with the "rental" rental actually covering most of the cost of services. A consumer who did received services prior to the bankruptcy but had a balance owing on any of those smaller service contracts could be a ‘debtor'. That same consumer, being dunned by a finance company for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, may have filed a proof of claim and also be a creditor.
“If anyone has emailed you and says a finance company is demanding payment on an ERA, then I would have to assume that the ERA was assigned to the finance company and not immediately covered by the FTC judgment. If it was a partial assignment (e.g., for 2 out of 5 years), then the ERA would be void as of the date that it would otherwise revert to NorVergence. Also, the finance company would not be entitled to claim 5 years of payments if it was only entitled to 2 years of the contract.
“I don't see how anyone immediately affected by the judgment could be asked to pay on an ERA. The trustee has all those contracts (somewhere in the warehouse of files) and he has never tried to collect on them. The affected consumers, therefore, have received no requests for payments on the ERAs from anyone for over a year.
“The consumers who did receive actual services prior to bankruptcy may be receiving requests for payments for those services but not on any ERA. Access Integrated received permission from the bankruptcy court to collect these amounts.
“We have not made any decision yet about contacting the 1,600 immediately affected. Since no one has been or will be collecting on those ERAs, there doesn't seem to be any urgency.”
In the bankruptcy docket, attached to the early IFC motion for relief from stay, are two lists of several hundred consumers whose contracts IFC claimed a lien on. Leasing News was told by a reliable source these are all equipment rental agreements not assigned to any finance company, and therefore covered by the FTC judgment.
(copy of motion, includes complete list of ERA lessees.)
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Norvergence.pdf
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IFC Credit, Morton Grove, Illinois Takes NorVergence Wallop
Hall, Estill, Hardwick, Gable, Golden & Nelson, P.C won a judgment from the NorVergence bankruptcy court where IFC agreed to a "no payment" release of all claims against the setting plaintiffs in return for a dismissal of those plaintiff ex-NorVergence customers' claim against IFC.
Steven D. Cundra, Esquire Hall, Estill, Hardwick, Gable, Golden & Nelson, P.C., Washington, DC. told Leasing News, “We filed an Objection to IFC's lift stay motion on October 18, 2004 on behalf of a NorVergence "Fraud Victims" group (see attached). We then filed an Adversary Action against IFC, the Norvergence Trustee, Charles Forman and Access IT (to which the NorVergence "Accounts Receivable" were pledged in February 2002) on November 1, 2004. See Complaint and Amended Complaint attached. These actions caused IFC to withdraw its Lift Stay Motion until the Adversary Action was litigated. IFC then agreed to the "no payment" order entered by the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court on May 31, 2005 (see attached).
Hall, Estill, Hardwick, Gable, Golden & Nelson also has another lawsuit with IFC brought on behalf of other ex-NorVergence customers. This was confirmed with Mr. Cundra.
“Yes, this is true,” he responded. “ This group was added on May 19, 2005 in the same Adversary Action. This group consists of ex-NorVergence customers that were sued by IFC in Illinois. We expect a decision in this part of the action soon. However, IFC presently contends that they are out of the lawsuit, as pertains to all plaintiffs, and do not have to defend. (See letter to Evan Salan, IFC counsel, from the undersigned, dated July 20, 2005).”
Steven D. Cundra, Esquire
Hall, Estill, Hardwick, Gable, Golden & Nelson, P.C.
1120 20th Street, N.W.
Suite 700, North Building
Washington, D.C. 20036-3406
(202) 973-1203 (Direct Dial)
(202) 973-1200 (Switchboard)
(202) 973-1212 (Fax)
(202) 255-3841 (Cell)
SCundra@HallEstill.com (E-Mail)
Both Rudy Trebels and Gary Trebels of IFC Credit Corporation were asked for a comment.
Latest, 2.5mb, large download, with letters, e-mails, amended
list naming all the other NorVergence lessees involved
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Salan_Response_with_Exhibits.pdf
first, November 9, 2004
Objection of Fraud Victims to IFC's Motion for Relief from the Automatic Stay
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Fraud_Victims_to_IFC_Motion.pdf
Diversified Aerospace Services Complaint
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Declaratory_Complaint.pdf
Amended Diversified Aerospace Services Complaint
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Amended_Complaint.pdf
Settlement, May 31,2005 Diversified Aerospace Services Complaint
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Orde_Approving_IFC_Settlement.pdf
IFC Credit
8700 Waukegan Road
Suite 100
Morton Grove, IL 60053
USA
“IFC provides broker funding services through its Pioneer Capital Corporation subsidiary for transactions $5K to $150K, and on a direct basis for transactions over $150K for a wide range of hard equipment and software. IFC also seeks to purchase receivable and/or residual portfolios over $1MM.”
Web Site
The “Story Credit” lists the company as having 106 employees, considering transactions from $250,000 to $15,000,000+
Pioneer Capital
15303 Dallas Parkway
Suite 505
Addison, TX 75001
USA
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Missouri Court Denies Popular Leasing appeal
“The three-judge panel in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County has denied Popular Leasing motion for reconsideration of the court's previous order regarding joinder of NorVergence. The court is giving Popular Leasing 60 days (I believe from July 21 or 22) to bring NorVergence into the suits in St. Louis County. This means Popular Leasing must go to the bankruptcy court in NJ and seek relief from the automatic stay. It's good news for the defendants, but the court still did not indicate what it will do if NorVergence cannot be joined.”
Ronald J. Eisenberg, Esq.
Schultz & Little L.L.P.
640 Cepi Drive, Suite A
Chesterfield, MO 63005
(636) 537-4645
(636) 537-2599 (fax)
The original story about the ruling by the Missouri Court, which the appeal concerned:
A three-judge panel in St. Louis County Circuit Court, Missouri, has ordered the addition of a bankrupt telecommunications company in New Jersey to more than $30 million “cost to lessor “ contract disputes.
Over 100 pending breach-of contract suits involving Norvergence leases were purchased by Popular Leasing USA of Baldwin, Missouri, a subsidiary of Banco Popular North America (BPNA.) They claim the lease payments should continue to be made.
The defendants have many issues, stating NorVergence should also be named in the legal dispute, as the contracts are fraudulent.
"The court finds in the absence of NorVergence Inc. (that) complete relief cannot be accorded among those already parties," judges Melvyn W. Wiesman, Barbara Wallace and Ellen Levy Siwak ruled. "Based upon the oral argument of counsel, the court finds it feasible to join NorVergence as a party."
“The effect of a court order adding NorVergence on the industry of "buying and selling of contracts would be devastating," Popular Leasing USA Attorney Randal Scherck said in his original arguments, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. " It sets a dangerous precedent,"
Daniel V. Conlisk, the attorney for approximately 75 of the lessees, argued that his clients need to add NorVergence Inc. of Newark, N.J., even though the company is in bankruptcy proceedings as he claims they were the victims of fraud by NorVergence and perhaps the cause why his clients no longer are making leasing payments regarding contracts the companies signed with NorVergence for Internet, telephone and cell-phone service.
Randall F. Scherck, lawyer for Popular Leasing USA, argued that such an order from them was not necessary as their cause centered around enforcing the "stream of payment" of the leasing contracts.
Scherck acknowledged that Popular Leasing purchased the leasing contracts from NorVergence and denies that Popular Leasing USA was involved in any alleged “fraud.”
One of the arguments centers around the alleged high-tech, next-generation network accelerator called "The Matrix", allegedly costing $1500 new and $500 used. NorVergence salesmen claimed the product was a "spectacular innovation" which would channel telephones, Internet and cell phone service onto single line.
Most of the leases had listed only one Matrix device, although some had two, but all the “cost to lessor” were quite different. It appears no one at Popular Leasing USA caught the description being the same in funding of the over 100 leases, obtaining insurance certificates or filing personal property tax reports or UCC forms, despite the many different prices of the lease contracts they purchased.
Customers were reportedly told they'd get unlimited service if they would sign leases and pay fixed-price bills monthly. When "The Matrix" turned out to be a decidedly low-tech machine - basically a router - charges of fraud were filed and by June of last year, NorVergence was in bankruptcy.
Conlisk position is they were fraudulent contracts, adding that the defendants also had the right to examine the relationship between NorVergence and Popular Leasing in the preparation of the lease contracts, evidently as the cause to cease making the “stream of contract” payments.
In a related story, according to a press release : “ Popular Leasing U.S.A., announced that it has expanded its Capital Markets Group to include a Commercial Finance Division, complementing the group's existing Healthcare and Technology Division.
“Headed by Kevin Ward, the division will deliver financing solutions for mid- and large-ticket ($100,000 to $10 million) equipment transactions. Additionally, the unit will expand its current portfolio acquisition and vendor program finance initiatives for construction, manufacturing, printing and other industries.
“'Our expansion into the commercial equipment arena is the next logical step to meet our aggressive growth goals by making available attractive financial products and services geared to industry-specific needs and requirements,'” said Ward, formerly of Sierra Cities. ‘Addressing our customer's needs has lead to our continued development of value-added products and services, and we remain committed to helping them expand their businesses and achieve their goals.'
“ With direct, vendor and manufacturer programs available, Popular Leasing's Commercial Finance Division will offer master lease lines of credit, sale and leaseback transactions, and equipment portfolio purchases. Its equipment specialties include machine tools, packaging and food processing, material handling, plastics, mobile and tower cranes, telecommunications, rail maintenance, and information technology.
“The new division will be headquartered in Ewing, N.J., with offices in Littleton, Colorado, and Rio Verde, Arizona. About Popular Leasing U.S.A. Popular Leasing is a subsidiary of Banco Popular North America. Established in 1996, Popular Leasing is now the 32nd largest bank-affiliated leasing company in the U.S., with a focus on medical and commercial markets in all 50 states, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Headquartered in Ballwin, Missouri, Popular Leasing has a network of 15 sales offices in nine states. For further information, contact Popular Leasing at 800-829-9411 or visit www.popularleasingusa.com .
“ About Banco Popular Banco Popular North America is a subsidiary of Popular, Inc., which, with more than $40 billion in assets, is ranked among the country's 30 largest bank holding companies. BPNA operates over 135 branches in California, Texas, Illinois, New York, New Jersey and Florida, as well as 130 financial services stores under the name of Popular Cash Express. Banco Popular was named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2005 by FORTUNE Magazine and ranks among the top 10 Small Business Administration lenders in the country. Banco Popular was founded 112 years ago in the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.”
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"Open to Non-Members"
September 19-21 ELA Lease Accountants Conference
"If you are planning to attend the ELA Lease Accountants Conference, scheduled for September 19-21, 2005 at the JW Marriott Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana, complete conference details including hotel and conference registration, are now available online: http://www.elaonline.com/events/2005/leaseaccts/ This premier event includes programming for both new and seasoned accounting professionals. Special bonus: Two pre-conference workshops on accounting for commercial vehicle fleet leasing and leases involving real estate have been added to the program. These workshops are scheduled on Monday, September 19, 2005 from 9:00 am – Noon and are free to all fully-registered conference attendees. If you wish to attend one of the workshops, simply check the appropriate box on the conference registration form.
The full conference agenda includes sessions that address:
Doing business in a changing corporate environment: understanding the regulatory, tax and accounting impact Current & emerging developments at the FASB and how they impact lease accounting The impact of the SEC report on off-balance sheet arrangements on leasing Current status and outlook of proposed FASB standards related to off-balance sheet accounting and financial reporting for securitization implementation and interpretive questions Update on the latest developments in accounting for cross-border transactions Changes in the accounting treatment of tax benefits in leverage leases."
For complete details, including registration information, please go here: http://www.elaonline.com/events/2005/leaseaccts
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Letters---We get eMail
"While I may not have any breaking "leasing" news but for those who know me this is big news.
“ I was finally married on June 18, 2005. Anyone who knows me would have never thought I would have the time to get married and find someone who could put up with me and my independence. Well, I am here to say for all of you who had bets that at age "47" I would never get married I say PAY UP PEOPLE. “
“AND..... for anyone who has given up on the prospect of finding someone, here is an interesting twist of fate.
I met my husband when we were 13 years old at a Dude Ranch Resort in Wisconsin. Our parents still go there and thirty some odd years later we were re-united and now we are married.
Just a fun little story of possible ‘Fate'.
All the Best.
Susan M. Adamatis now Susan M. Rusch
susana@netlease.com
--
“During the 1990's Champion Credit originated leases on its own paper and funded those leases with a variety of funding sources. The sources were all primary funding sources and not parties that re-brokered their paper.
“ Several of those sources either closed shop or were acquired (Tilden, Col-Pac, Wasco, EAB). In our assignment documents it has been clear that Champion owned the equipment and that we were discounting only the rental stream; not the residual. In a few instances the portfolio servicing was transferred (as an example, from Tilden to Col-Pac to GE Iowa) and at the end of the lease term the holder of the paper has released UCC's and offered title to the end-user. I have heard that while this is not a frequent event, it is also not uncommon.
“Our current focus is a situation where the holder held a security deposit and negotiated an early buy-out with the lessee where the holder agreed to terminate the UCC's, convey title, pay-off the lease from the security deposit and send the end-user a refund for the balance. All of that happened except the formal bill-of-sale was never issued. We sued the lessee for the residual and had to dismiss the suit as they were able to show documentation substantiating that the holder made on offer, the lessee accepted and paid off the lease by applying part of their security deposit. Title passed; the bill of sale was apparently a formality.
“ The funder has offered a small payment and refuses to acknowledge they gave away our title. I'm curious as to how many other leasing originators this has happened to. My e-mail address is david-rab@Comcast.Net and I would appreciate hearing from people. Please let me know the size of your residual, the funder who compromised your residual, who the original funding source was and whether you were listed as the original lessor on the lease documents.”
david-rab@Comcast.Net
--
Original Messag Comment about \"Bad Boys\" Bill Hanson and Ron Fisher of CMC and Conrad & Associates,
"Any info on Ty & Bill Hanson of Conrad & Associates, Carlsbad Ca. 92008. I think my investment of 50k is no more. Got $500 a month or 12% return for 2004. Got January 05, but none for this month. All phones etc off!!! Sold me a Promissory note.
"Can you recommend any authority to call?
"Thanks John Berner 631-235-8168"
For anyone who wants to find them, Mr. (NOT Dr - he is a fake) Fisher spends a lot of his time at his Gulf front Condo in Florida, 1100 Pinellas Bayway, #H4, St. Petesburg, FL 33715. He and Mr. Hanson are easily found while they live in luxury, keeping a large yacht while scamming others out of millions. Go find them!
Bouver@aol.com
--
“Thanks for the Story Credit lender table. EXTREMELY helpful. Just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate the info.”
http://www.leasingnews.org/Story_Credit/Story_Credit.htm
===
"Kit, how are you? Hope all is well. Have you ever given any thought to getting “rid of” the history and wine sections of your newsletter? My opinion – and also of those that I spoke to – is that is info that takes up too much space, with obviously no relevance to leasing.
Now that you have “so many” ads taking up space, it's very difficult to actually find the industry info in the body of the newsletter.
Len Baccaro, Vice President
American Equipment Finance
258 King George Rd.
Warren NJ 07059
lbaccaro@aefllc.com
(Thank you for your feed back...
(You may have been more aware of our banner ads as this edtion was shorter in "stories" due to Second Quarter "The List" being printed.
It was long. In fact, the edition on a "kb" size was one of the longest we have issued.
(I am sorry that you find the ads bothersome. I know others who don't like the "Classified Ads" at the top.
( Did you know the most read section is always our "Classified Ads"
---our web trend shows almost 20% always readers open this article first, and "Help Wanted" is second," whereas other stories are usually lower .We know when a story is popular, as we get the percentage from the web site of how many open it and the amount of time they spend reading it. It is rare that they are first opened before the ads.
(I think the banner ads are highly read, too, although relatively new.
We don't have a count on them.
(While the Day in American History is not as popular as others, it is at the bottom of the edition, right above the Baseball Poem, the last two, on the edition. It is well out of the way. I don't know why it would bother you in this bottom position, after all the news. I have been writing the history for ten years (it started out as an e-mail signature), and there are about eight hours or more that I have been put into each one by myself. I try to also up-date them each year, a project I do on Saturday's, and if not, each night when I finish the edition. It has been getting too long, I know, so now we also have "Today's Event in History" right above it.
I think it is important to know your American history. I am very proud of our country, even with its mistakes and difficulties in the past. It is what has made our character.
(You also didn't mention the baseball poem, which is the least read on our site, less than a dozen. It was first suggested by a vp of GE Capital, who reads it every day during his lunch break. I have to write publishers for permission and also find the baseball poems in books that I buy, pick the ad, put it in place. It takes a lot of work to do this one section. We know have a collection of baseball poems that ranks with the best on the web site---something we never intended, and I know not many read it daily. As I said, it is the “least” read on our web site.
(We have over 25,000 readers, thus the increase in ads, which help pay for the work involved. We do not make any enough money just to be for web master work, not even counting my time, as I work for free here, plus have "donated" other expenses.
(----And you also don't like the wine section, also near the bottom of the edition. We have readers who like “This Day in American History” and send comments to us all the time, plus it gets “hits”...and the wine section has quite a following. When we have mentioned certain wines, the wineries call us to thank us for the orders they have gotten from our web site.
( I put the wine section together myself. The San Jose Mercury News approached me a few years ago to write a wine column, but I told them I didn't have the time to write even a few sample columns to hold. You may not know it but I was in the wine business in the early 1970's and have been collecting wine since I was legally able to do so. I have also been president of wine society and similar groups. I have a reputation when visitors come for dinner or a visit at our house for serving very good wine, which I also donate to local charity events and am well known in the area for doing this. I put this section together myself, not a service.
In addition, I very much enjoy writing both these features, perhaps my two top favorites.
I suggest if you don't like them, to just skip them. When I open any printed newspaper, I certainly don't read all that is written, or even a good portion of it. I think you should view us that way, too.
If you don't like a section, don't read it. As important, I am sorry you don't like the two sections I enjoy most putting together every day.
Kit Menkin)
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Venture Capital Investing Rises 19% to $5.8 Billion 2nd Quarter
http://www.nvca.org/pdf/05Q2MTEmbargoFinalR1.pdf
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Federal Reserve Economic “Beige Report”
Summary
http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/default.htm
Economic Report on each district:
Boston
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/1.htm
New York
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/2.htm
Philadephia
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/3.htm
Cleveland
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/4.htm
Richmond
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/5.htm
Atlanta
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/6.htm
Chicago
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/7.htm
St. Louis
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/8.htm
Minneapolis
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/9.htm
Kansas City
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/10.htm
Dallas
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/11.htm
San Francisco
www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/12.htm
Full Report:
http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2005/20050727/FullReport.htm
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#### Press Release #####################
MicroFinancial $200,000 Loss Second Quarter
(The net loss year to date ending June 30, 2005 was $2.9 million versus a net loss of $10.6 million for the same period last year.)
WOBURN, Mass.--, 2005--MicroFinancial Incorporated (NYSE: MFI) a financial intermediary specializing in vendor based leasing and finance programs for transactions in the $500 to $15,000 range, today announced financial results for the second quarter and the six months ended June 30, 2005.
The net loss for the quarter was $0.2 million, or ($0.02) per share based on 13,584,524 shares, compared to a loss of $5.9 million or ($0.45) per share based on 13,182,666 shares in the second quarter of 2004.
Revenue in the second quarter of 2005 was $10.2 million compared to $15.8 million in the second quarter of 2004. Revenue from leases was $1.1 million, rental income was $6.4 million, and other revenue components contributed $2.7 million for the quarter.
Total operating expenses for the quarter declined 59.3% to $10.4 million from $25.6 million in the second quarter of 2004, driven primarily by a lower provision for credit losses due to lower delinquent portfolio balances. The second quarter provision for credit losses decreased to $1.5 million from $14.2 million in the second quarter of 2004, while net charge-offs decreased to $2.3 million versus $19.7 million in the comparable period of 2004. Sequentially, amounts greater than 31 days delinquent on June 30, 2005 decreased to $21.6 million from $23.6 million on March 31, 2005. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased 14.0% to $5.9 million from $6.8 million in the second quarter of last year. Interest expense declined 5.4% to $0.6 million, as a result of lower debt balances. Depreciation and amortization expense declined 37.4% to $2.5 million for the quarter, due to a decline in the number of rental and service contracts as well as the fact that a greater percentage of these assets are fully depreciated.
Cash received from customers for the quarter was $14.6 million compared to $22.5 million during the same period in 2004. Sequentially, cash and cash equivalents improved to $23.5 million at June 30, 2005, compared to $18.0 million at March 31, 2005.
Richard Latour, President and Chief Executive Officer said, "We increased our new vendor relationships significantly, which reflects our enhanced sales and marketing efforts and our new direct leasing program. Going forward, we'll continue to focus on our plan to rebuild the origination business through TimePayment Corporation."
As part of the Company's new business development effort in the second quarter of 2005, 136 new vendors were approved, which represents a 103% increase from 67 new vendors in the first quarter and brings the total number approved since July 1, 2004 to 242. During the second quarter the Company sourced 951 applications, resulting in $1.5 million in lease originations, compared to 594 applications and $1.1 million in lease originations in the first quarter of 2005. This is an increase of 60% in applications and 33% in lease originations. Approximately 59% of the applications were processed utilizing the Company's proprietary Internet-based credit approval system.
The net loss year to date ending June 30, 2005 was $2.9 million versus a net loss of $10.6 million for the same period last year. The net loss per share year to date was ($0.22) based on 13,420,592 shares.
Year to date revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2005 decreased 37.8% to $21.0 million compared to $33.8 million during the same period in 2004.
Total operating expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2005 declined 50.8% to $25.3 million versus $51.4 million for the same period last year. The provision for credit losses declined $20.3 million to $7.3 million year to date as compared to the same period last year. Selling, general and administrative expenses declined $1.9 million to $12.2 million and depreciation and amortization expenses declined 39.9% to $4.9 million. Interest expense declined 46.3% to $0.8 million year to date. Headcount at June 30, 2005 was 99, down from 120 for the same period last year. Year to date net charge-offs declined to $12.4 million as compared to $39.3 million for the same period last year. Year to date cash from customers was $30.7 million.
#### Press Release #####################
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Dash. then and Now-- riverine assault force
When he graduated from the Great Lakes, Illinois Naval School
Center, part of boarding party off South American
Second from left, knelling, part of boarding party-Kuwait, primarily
Second from right, top, duty with the Pakistani Navy in Middle East
“I had hoped to catch up with my son in Norfolk, Virginia, on my trip back east for a 50 th wedding anniversary of our neighbors (they are from Chicago) and then to see our youngest, in New York, Katie, who's birthday is August 4 th , but he informs me he is now in North Carolina under a US Marine Commander in special training. They work pretty hard, he says, in over 100 degree heat, and high humidity, reminds him of Kuwait. He has been to several special training facilities, under a brand new unit. In one, he said he arrived with orders and no one on the base knew about the unit and didn't know where to send him, but he checked in until they found him. He said it is not a secret, but very new. He wasn't complaining, he was bragging. He knows his way around the Navy, doesn't take any guff, and really appears to be enjoying his new assignment. He likes it so much he volunteers for extra duty!!!
Since the navy's budget was cut so drastically, and they were told by the Pentagon to come up with a “new way of doing things, rather than keep building ships,” the admirals have responded. My son volunteered for this. He is as “gung ho” as you can get. He is unique as he is a “second class diver ( the next class are the professionals, full time,) chief electrician, rated expert in light weapons, and on his own swims five miles a day and runs the same, plus works out, too, in his spare time.
He also has a lot of tattoos, and the young girls seem to love him for it, although I was not in favor of the many tattoos. I also really would like to see him get married, but he said he doesn't have time for it as he is in the navy!
This is from the US Navy Times, therefore public, and for those interested, it explains this new unit:
Kit Menkin
River read y
Navy expeditionary plan seeks ‘sailor with a bayonet in his teeth'
By Andrew Scutro
Navy Times staff writer
The Navy wants in.
Naval war planners have been ordered to build a riverine assault force that's capable of taking the fight directly to insurgents, upriver from the sea.
Those orders come from the top.
In the works right now are three riverine warfare squadrons; a battalion of Marine-like naval infantry; a civil affairs battalion; detachments to train foreign navies; teams to exploit information gleaned in maritime interdiction operations; foreign area officers who specialize in certain cultures and regions; and various enhanced intelligence and identification mechanisms.
Roll it all together, and it's a Navy for fighting insurgencies from fresh water or close to it.
“If it's in the maritime domain, we should own it,” said a senior Navy official who briefed defense reporters in the Pentagon on July 13.
Outgoing Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vern Clark initiated the service's new war on terrorism plans. Incoming CNO Adm. Mike Mullen approves.
Hard-charging sailors who have been looking for a direct action role in the terror war will surely be stoked.
“We need to create a sailor with a bayonet in his teeth, ready to go ashore and mix it up,” the Navy official said.
Those sailors and their equipment will be trained to fight in river country or ashore in myriad maritime locales.
The move is more than an administrative shuffle. The orders for new forces will require retooling of current and future budgets as well as ongoing force reduction assumptions.
“We want to make sure that we have the personnel to do these missions,” the official said. He added that CNO wants planners to quickly identify capability requirements to ensure the Navy doesn't cut sailors who have the skill sets that match the new plan.
Most specifics, however, remain elusive.
But while the plans are conceptual for now, one thing is clear: Warriors are wanted.
From leak to wide distribution
The Pentagon briefing followed a July 7 leak of a memo from the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations outlining the Navy's new plans for fighting the Global War on Terrorism.
Indicating the widespread nature of the program, the GWOT memo has been distributed to the manpower, intelligence, operations, logistics, programs, resources and reserve force shops on CNO's staff. It also went to Fleet Forces Command, as well as the commander of Naval Facilities Engineering Command and the 1st Naval Construction Division, the Seabees.
The most pressing requirement will be to get Navy river patrol forces into Iraq to replace Army and Marine units now conducting that mission. The Marine Corps has decommissioned its Small Craft Company, leaving a gap on the near horizon.
The Navy official was not able to provide a date when a riverine force might deploy to Iraq's inland waterways, but plans for building such a unit no later than fall of 2006 are required by Aug. 24.
The riverine component calls for establishing three squadrons, one active and two reserve. Early concepts call for 220 men and 20 boats per squadron. Manning remains undefined, but typically a unit of that size has been led by a commander.
It's not clear what kind of boat will be used, but the official said both the Marine Corps' Small Unit Riverine Craft and a boat already used by Naval Special Warfare forces, the Special Operations Craft-Riverine, are being considered. The Marines have also deployed a menacing, heavily armed boat called the Riverine Assault Craft.
“If you're going to fight a counterinsurgency, you need to be able to control the riverine environment. You need to be able to interdict the flow of insurgents and supplies in the river environment,” he said. “And we don't have the capacity to do that in the single company the Marine Corps has or in the organization that Special Operations Command's got. It's a gap in capability.”
Concepts for a 700-man battalion of naval infantry — called a Navy Expeditionary Combat Battalion — stem from demands being placed on the Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result, amphibious assault ships have set to sea without Marines aboard.
“The capability we are used to having with the Marine Corps is not deploying with us right now,” the official said.
The official said the Navy Expeditionary Combat Battalion could engage in ground combat. As the official put it, the naval infantry will be more combat-oriented than masters at arms, but not as elite — or therefore rare — as SEALs.
Picture a Navy force on the ground in a maritime domain as was in Indonesia during the tsunami relief, but prepared more specifically for hostilities.
“We need to better distribute the combat power we have in the Navy to be in more places at one time,” the official said.
This battalion — and others that might follow — would embark with carrier strike groups and expeditionary strike groups. They would also expand Navy ability to board potentially hostile vessels during Maritime Interdiction Operations.
“We're looking at all these options and trying to determine what's the right kind of sailor to do this mission.”
Civil affairs, too
In addition to combat power, some of the forces needed for fighting an insurgency are civil affairs forces to handle assessment and reconstruction of infrastructure. For example, Seabees have been used heavily in this role in Iraq, specifically in the aftermath of the Marine assault on Fallujah in the fall of 2004.
“If we had a civil affairs battalion, we could insert it right into the tsunami relief process. We didn't have one,” the official said.
Finally, a critical part of any Navy effort to get into the brown water will be successful relations with the locals. The proposed Foreign Area Officer program for all services, akin to current Army and Marine Corps programs, will fit that bill, the official said.
Those sailors will serve as attachés, on staffs as needed and along with Navy expeditionary forces. The FAOs will be surface warfare officers, submariners and aviators who choose the program or have existing, appropriate skills.
Along with FAOs, sailors assigned to expeditionary training teams will also need cultural and language expertise.
‘I would have gone riverine'
The Navy official said he has some experience with operations in the North Arabian Gulf, where a contingent of sailors now provide oil platform security and maritime interdiction forces.
In a follow-up interview with Navy Times, he offered that the sailors he encountered there are as gung-ho as any he's known. But to use them for these new units would be “robbing Peter to pay Paul,” he said. Volunteers for expeditionary service will be needed from all over the Navy.
And for officers, these new units will offer the kind of chance at early command the official wishes he'd had 15 years ago.
“I think a junior officer will look at this as a great opportunity to lead and face these challenges,” he said. “If riverine was an option for me, I would have gone riverine.”
Whether or not the Navy continues on it current course for drawdown, the Navy's new expeditionary forces will undoubtedly be popular billets in the fleet.
“We're going to have no problems getting these organizations manned,” the official said.
(He sent me an e-mail he was in a new training facility, North Carolina, with a Marine Division Commander!!!)
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News Briefs----
Economic Activity Expands on Retail Sales
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2005/07/27/AR2005072701343.html
Several Indicators Point to Brisk Economic Growth
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/28/business/28econ.html ?
Mortgage “Risky Cities” Chart of Possible Price Decline
http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/housing/
2005-07-27-housing-risk-chart.htm
Oracle interested in Indian banking software company
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/
2005/07/28/BUoracle28.DTL&type=business
Major Reform of Telecom Act Proposed
http://www.internetnews.com/infra/article.php/3523411
Nine out of Ten Teens Use the Internet/66% of Americans on Line
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050727/D8BK01800.html
Study: California Will Need More Water in 25 years
http://www.sacunion.com/pages/california/articles/5670/
As canned tuna sales dive, companies plan ad blitz to reel buyers back in
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/
20050727-9999-1b27tuna.html
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“Gimme that Wine”
Quality of “cheap” wine improving says NY wine critic Eric Asimov
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/27/dining/27wine.html
Grape Networks, Inc., Announces the World's First Web Enabled Commercial Application of a Wireless Mesh Sensor Network for Vineyards
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=
news_view&newsId=20050726005904&newsLang=en
Horse Heaven Hills, Yakima, Washington
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2002402197_wine26m.html
Champagne, Napa join forces to protect wine labels
http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&
storyID=2005-07-26T225543Z_01_N26195595_RTRIDST_0_
FOOD-WINE-ALLIANCE.XML
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Today's Top Event in History
1868-14 th amendment ratified, former slaves become United States citizens.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul28.html
This Day in American History
1746-Thomas Heyward birthday, American Revolutionary soldier, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Died Mar 6, 1809.
http://virtualology.com/thomasheyward.com/
http://www.colonialhall.com/heyward/heyward.asp
http://www.charlestonmuseum.org/heyward.asp
http://www.jaspersc.org/pointsofinterest2.html
1777-Vermont enacted the first universal voting rights to freemen without restriction as to property or wealth. The state constitution adopted at a general convention at Windsor, VT., permitted all freemen who were natural-born citizens over 21 years of age to elect officers and to be elected to office.
1841- Forces from the national bank movement received a glimmer of hope as the Senate narrowly passed the Fiscal Bank Bill. An initiative of the embattled Whig party, this bill called for the creation of the Fiscal Bank of the United States, a federal financial institution to be located in the District of Columbia. The bank's starchy name barely disguised the ideological intent of its inventors: the Whigs sought nothing less than the revival of the Second Bank of the United States, the ill-fated institution that Andrew Jackson had putatively killed in the name of states' rights earlier in the 1830s. The bill to establish a Fiscal Bank of the U.S. was introduced in the Senate, an approved this day by the Senate and the House, August 6. For a brief spell during the summer of 1841, it looked as though the Whigs would have their day; however, despite the Fiscal Bank Bill passing through the House in early August, the legislation--and its Whig advocates--was doomed to failure. On August 16, President John Tyler, a staunch state supporter, announced that he was vetoing the bill. The legislation bounced back to the Senate, but the Whigs failed to marshal sufficient support to override Tyler's veto.The Whig leadership was enraged by Tyler's veto. They believed Tyler had agreed to sign the bill and that he had reneged on a promise
1858-Four British and American ships spliced a telegraph cable together on this day in 1858, then set sail for home the following day. The cable was laid out until the ships reached Ireland and Newfoundland. The cable, which stretched more than 1,950 miles and was laid as deep as two miles under the ocean in some places, established transatlantic telegraph communication, and an initial message was exchanged by President James Buchanan and Queen Victoria in August. However, the cable's weak signal was insufficient for regular communication and service ended on September 1.
1864-Confederates under General John Bell Hood make a third attempt to break General William T. Sherman's hold on Atlanta. Like the first two, this attack failed, destroying the Confederate Army of Tennessee's offensive capabilities. Hood had replaced Joseph Johnston as commander of the Army of Tennessee on July 18, 1864, because Johnston had failed to keep Sherman away from Atlanta. Upon assuming command of the army, Hood quickly scrapped Johnston's defensive strategy and attacked Sherman, first on July 20 at Peachtree Creek, and then on July 22 at the Battle of Atlanta. Both failed, but that did not deter Hood from making another attempt to break the Union hold on the important Southern city. When Sherman sent General Oliver O. Howard southeast of Atlanta to cut the Macon and Western Railroad, one of the remaining supply lines, Hood sent Stephen D. Lee's corps to block the move. Lee attacked at Ezra Church, but the battle did not go as planned for the Confederates. Instead of striking the Union flank, Lee's corps hit the Union center, where the Yankee troops were positioned behind barricades made from logs and pews taken from the church. Throughout the afternoon, Lee made several attacks on the Union lines. Each was turned back, and Lee was not able to get around the Union flank. The battle was costly for an army that was already outnumbered. Lee lost 3,000 men to the Union's 630. More important, Hood lost his offensive capability. For the next month, he could do no more than sit in trenches around Atlanta and wait for Sherman to deal him the knockout blow.
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/ga018.htm
http://www.civilwarlandscapes.org/cwla/states/ga/ez/ez.htm
http://www.southernartcreations.com/cwbf6g.html
1868-14 th amendment ratified, former slaves become United States citizens.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul28.html
1900 -- Louis Lassen of Louis' Lunch in New Haven, Conn., reportedly created the hamburger sandwich when he tossed a grilled beef patty between two slices of white bread for a customer in a hurry.
http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/patc/hamburger/
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/HamburgerHistory.htm
1901-Birthday of Rudy Valle. American singer, saxophone player and radio idol of millions during the 1930s. Born Hubert Prior Vallee, at Island Pond, VT, the crooner used a megaphone to amplify his voice and introduced his performances with the salutation, "Heigh-ho-everybody!" Vallee appeared in a number of movies, including How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Among his best-remembered songs are "I'm Just a Vagabond Lover," "Cheerful Little Earful," "Say It Isn't So" and his signature song, "My Time Is Your Time." Vallee died at age 84 at North Hollywood, CA, July 3, 1986. 1891-Birthday of blues singer Mary McBride, Algiers, LA
1903-The Saint Luke Penny Savings Bank, Richmond, VA, was founded by the first bank president who was a woman, Maggie Lena Walker, the daughter of an African-American salve. It had a paid-in capital of $25,000. The first day's deposits exceeded $8,000. the bank later became the Consolidated Bank and Trust Company. She died December 15, 1934.
http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/walker-ml.html
http://www.search.eb.com/women/articles/Walker_Maggie_Lena.html
http://www.nps.gov/malw/details.htm
http://www.vahistorical.org/education/maggiewalker.htm
1904-brithday of Ikey Banjo” Robinson, Dublin VA. Died Oct 25, 1990
http://www.jazzbanjo.com/jbartist/artists/bikey.htm
http://www.redhotjazz.com/ikeywc5.html
http://www.rainerjazz.com/Interpreten/Robinson_I_003.htm
http://www.venerablemusic.com/JazzN-ZRecordPages/DOCU_1508.htm
1914-World War I beings. Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife were assassinated at Sarajevo, Bosnia, by a Serbian nationalist June 28, 1914, touching off the conflict that became WWI. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia July 28, the formal beginning of the war. Within weeks, Germany entered the war on the side of Austria-Hungary and Russia, France and Great Britain on the side of Serbia.
1907- Birthday of Leon Prima trumpet New Orleans LA, died 1985. Older brother of Louis Prima was also a trumpeter & band leader; Leon ran several Bourbon Street night spots, including the Shim Sham Club (229 Bourbon Street) and the 500 Club (whose house band was led by Sam Butera - before Sam headed to Las Vegas to join Louis Prima's band in 1954)
http://www.lib.umd.edu/LAB/JERRYLEE/bands/fi/00000032.html
1924-Birthday of tenor sax player Corky Corcoran, Tacoma,
WA Died October 3, 1979.
http://shopping.yahoo.com/shop?d=product&id=1927148788
http://www.thejukejoint.com/corkycorcoran.html
http://www.classicjazzguitar.com/albums/artist_album.jsp?album=897
http://icg.harvard.edu/~lab80/handouts/themole.html
1929-birthday of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. She studied at Vassar, the Sorbonne, and George Washington University before marrying John Kennedy. She was basically a shy and retiring person who was hounded by the paparazzi. She was particularly admired for her dignified elegance and cool composure after the assassination (Nov. 22, 1963) of her husband President John F. Kennedy. She is buried next to JFK and her first son at Arlington cemetery. She became a working editor for a major publishing company and raised her two Kennedy children away from the public eye and away from scandal.
(lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul28.html )
1930 -114ø F (46ø C), Greensburg, Kentucky (state record)
1931-Congress makes "The Star-Spangled Banner" our 2nd national anthem
http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm065.html
1932- Some 15,000 unemployed veterans of World War I marched on Washington, DC, in the summer of 1932, demanding payment of a war bonus. After two months' encampment in Washington's Anacostia Flats, eviction of the bonus marchers by the US Army was ordered by President Herbert Hoover. Under the leadership of General Douglas MacArthur, Major Dwight D. Eisenhower and Major George S. Patton, Jr (among others), cavalry, tanks and infantry attacked. Fixed bayonets, tear gas and the burning of the veterans' tents hastened the end of the confrontation. One death was reported.
1933- The first singing telegram, said to have been delivered to singer Rudy Vallee on his 32nd birthday. Early singing telegrams often were delivered in person by uniformed messengers on bicycle. Later they were usually sung over the telephone.
1934- 118ø F (48ø C), Orofino, Idaho (state record)
1936-Birthday of bassist Jim Hughart Minneapolis MN
http://www.jazzatfitzgeralds.com/hughart.html
http://www.jazzography.com/gallery/Jimmy_Hughart.html
http://rewards.artistdirect.com/music/artist/card/0,,446232,00.html
1938 -For the second consecutive day, Hank Greenberg hits two homers in one day. The Tiger first baseman will hit two home runs in the same game a record setting eleven times during the season.
1939 - Accompanied by the Victor Young Orchestra, Judy Garland sang one of the most famous songs of the 20th century. The song "Over the Rainbow," recorded for Decca Records, became Garland's signature tune and will forever be linked with the singing actress. For those who don't know, "Rainbow" was featured as the musical highlight of the hit movie, "The Wizard of Oz".
1941 - Judy Garland, 19, married composer David Rose, 31, in Las Vegas on this date. It was Garland's first marriage.
1943-Birthday of William Warren “Bill” Bradley, former US senator , presidential candidate, and Basketball Hall of Fame forward, born Crystal City, MO.
1945---Top Hits
The More I See You - Dick Haymes
Dream - The Pied Pipers
Sentimental Journey - The Les Brown Orchestra (vocal: Doris Day)
Oklahoma Hills - Jack Guthrie
1949-Birthday of Vida Rochell Blue, former baseball player, born Mansfield, LA.
1951-“Sammy Kaye” television show premiers. CBS's musical program hosted by bandleader Sammy Kaye swayed audiences to swinging tunes on Saturday nights.
1951- "Come On-a My House" by Rosemary Clooney topped the charts and stayed there for 8 weeks.
1953---Top Hits
Song from Moulin Rouge - The Percy Faith Orchestra
April in Portugal - The Les Baxter Orchestra
I'm Walking Behind You - Eddie Fisher
It's Been So Long - Webb Pierce
1954 - "Billboard's" top spot on the pop singles chart went to The Crew Cuts with "Sh-Boom." The song was a cover of a rhythm and blues recording by The Chords, it would stay at the #1 spot for seven weeks. Many people consider this song to be the first rock 'n' roll record. It wasn't the first ... rock and roll had made it to the music scene long before this. In fact, The Boswell Sisters recorded a song titled, "Rock and Roll" in 1934. However, "Sh-Boom" was the first rock 'n' roll record to make it to the top of the pop charts. (The Chords' version became the first rock-related hit in Great Britain.) Purists consider "Rock Around the Clock" to be the first, true #1 rock 'n' roll hit. However, it didn't hit the top of the charts until one year after "Sh-Boom".
1954 - Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland was released in theaters. The animated film took five years to complete at an estimated cost of $3 million (1951). Elia Kazan's powerful film, On the Waterfront, starring Marlon Brando, premiered in New York. It later won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.
1956- "I Almost Lost My Mind" by Pat Boone topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.
1956-"I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" by Elvis Presley also made it to the top of the charts and stayed there for a week.
1957- Jerry Lee Lewis makes his television debut on "The Steve Allen Show." Lewis is booked for two more appearances.
1958 - Three years after "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" reached #1, Cuban- born bandleader Perez Prado was again at #1 with "Patricia". Because of his Latin inspired instrumentals, Prado was known as the Mambo King.
1961---Top Hits
Tossin' and Turnin' - Bobby Lewis
The Boll Weevil Song - Brook Benton
Yellow Bird - Arthur Lyman Group
Heartbreak U.S.A. - Kitty Wells
1962- Tommy Roe's "Sheila" enters the Hot 100 at #93. It will top the charts by September 1.
1964-Spacestone Ranger photo's from the moon. Unmanned moon probe transmitted back to Earth 4,308 close-up photographs of moon.
1969---Top Hits
In the Year 2525 - Zager & Evans
Crystal Blue Persuasion - Tommy James & The Shondells
My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
Johnny B. Goode - Buck Owens
1972-Spacelab 3. Alan L. Bean, Owen K. Garriott and Jack R. Lousma started 59-day mission in the space station to test man's space flight endurance. Pacific splashdown Sept 25.
1973 - Exactly one year after their first date, television's "Six Million Dollar Man", Lee Majors, married "Charlie's Angels", Farrah Fawcett. On the campus of the University of Texas, newly Farrah Fawcett-Majors was deemed one of the 10 most beautiful. Farrah and Majors are no longer married.
1973-One of the largest rock festivals of all time is held at the Watkins Glen raceway. More than 600,000 show up for one day of music with the Grateful Dead, the Band and the Allman Brothers.
1976- Steve Miller Band's "Fly Like an Eagle" goes gold, on its way to platinum. The album features huge hits as the title track (which makes it to number two), "Rock'n Me" (goes number one later in the year), "Jet Airliner" (#8 in 1977) and "Take the Money and Run" (#11 this month).
1977---Top Hits
Looks like We Made It - Barry Manilow
I Just Want to Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb
I'm in You - Peter Frampton
It was Almost like a Song - Ronnie Milsap
1979- Cubs' slugger Dave Kingman becomes the sixth player in major league history to hit three home runs in one game twice in one season. The Mets win the game, 6-4.
1984 - In Southern California, the 23rd Summer Olympic Games opened at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The head of the United States Olympic Committee, Peter V. Uberroth, welcomed 7,800 athletes from 140 nations in 3-1/2 hour long opening ceremonies.
1984- Pete Rose passes Ty Cobb as the all-time single leader as he collects his 3,053rd off Steve Carlton in a 6-1 Expo victory over the Phillies.
1985---Top Hits
Everytime You Go Away - Paul Young
Shout - Tears For Fears
You Give Good Love - Whitney Houston
Love Don't Care (Whose Heart It Breaks) - Earl Thomas Conley
1988 - Thunderstorms drenched Wilmington, NC, with 3.33 inches of rain, bringing their monthly total 14.46 inches. Seven cities in Michigan and Minnesota reported record high temperatures for the date. Marquette, MI, hit 99 degrees, and the record high of 94 degrees at Flint MI was their tenth of the month
1991-Dennis Martinez of the Montreal Expos pitched a perfect game, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers,2-0, in Dodgers Stadium.
1994 - Coincidences abounded in major league baseball. Kenny Rogers tossed major league's 14th perfect game in history on what was three years to the day since the previous time this same event happened. This time it was in an American League game where Texas beat California, 4-0. Ten years before on September 30, 1984, the same two teams played when the 11th perfect game was pitched. Mike Witt was the pitcher and the winning team was reversed.
1995- Yuma, Arizona reaches its all-time high with 124.
1996 - A pipe bomb hidden in a backpack exploded during evening festivities at the Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia, killing 2 people and injuring more than 100. The explosion occurred around 1:00 a.m., which doubtlessly prevented more Olympic visitors from being killed or injured.
1996--"You're Makin' Me High" by Toni Braxton topped the charts and stayed there for a week.
1998- Sammy Sosa hits his first career grand slam establishing the mark for most career homers before hitting a grand slam (246).
1998 - Monument Records released the Dixie Chicks' country single "Wide Open Spaces".
1999- Pete Townshend plays at the Supper Club in New York to showcase his upcoming album, Pete Townshend Live: A Benefit For Maryville Academy. Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder joins Townshend on stage to perform a number of songs including "Magic Bus," "Heart To Hang Onto" and the Pearl Jam classic, "Better Man."
2000- Toronto skipper Jim Fregosi wins his 1,000th game as a big league manager as the Blue Jays beat the Mariners, 7-2.
2002-- During his induction speech at the Hall of Fame ceremonies in Cooperstown, with the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow playing in the background and a copy of 'The Wizard of Oz' in his hands, Ozzie Smith compares his baseball career to Dorothy's away trip from Kansas. Citing the recipe for his success during his 19-year career with Cardinals and Padres, the 47-year-old tells the crowd he had the mind to dream, which the Scarecrow cherished, a heart to believe, which the Tin Man wanted, and courage, which the Lion lacked, in order to persevere.
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Baseball Poem
Baseball Poem
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Polo Grounds
Rolfe Humphries
Time is of the essence. The rhythms break,
More varied and subtle than any kind of dance;
Movement speeds up or lags. The ball goes out
In sharp and angular drives, or long slow arcs,
Comes in again controlled and under aim;
The players wheel or spurt, race, stoop, slide, halt,
Shift imperceptibly to new positions,
Watching the signs according to the batter,
The score, the inning. Time is of the essence.
Time is of the essence. Remember Terry?
Remember Stonewall Jackson, Lindstrom, Frisch,
When they were good? Remember Long George Kelly?
Remember John McGraw and Benny Kauff?
Remember Bridwell, Tenney, Merkle, Youngs,
Chief Meyers, Big Jeff Tesreau, Shufflin' Phil?
Remember Mathewson, Ames, and Donlin,
Buck Ewing, Rusie, Smiling Mickey Welch?
Remember a left-handed catcher named Jack Humphries,
Who sometimes played the outfield, in '83?
Time is of the essence. The shadow moves
From the plate to the box, from the box to second base,
From second to the outfield, to the bleachers.
Time is of the essence. The crowd and players
Are the same age always, but the man in the crowd
Is older every season. Come on, play ball!
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