|
Independent
Reg. Sales Managers:
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia. Other positions available nationally. Vehicle & Equipment Funder.
Earnings potential is unlimited. Two years outside leasing/finance sales, proven track closing deals. Est. customer base/vendors a plus. Click here for more info.
|
|
|
Friday, March 3, 2006
Headlines---
Correction: Pat Widmar telephone # 847-562-1095
Classified Ads--- Doc. Manager / Finance / Legal
Quail Capital Corp. Joins “Super Broker list”
1st Heritage Bank joins “Funder” list
Marlin Y/E Growth/Utah Industrial Bank (in organization)
BK Trustee Sues Salzano's Son for $1/2 MM
Classified Ads---Help Wanted
Selling Up-"Negotiate Now"-by Steve Chriest
Letters---We get eMail
Range Rover Makes LeaseCompare.com's Top 10
NACM Credit Manager February Index Up and Down
News Briefs---
You May have Missed---
Sports Briefs---
"Gimme that Wine"
Calendar Events
Today's Top Event in History
This Day in American History
Winter Poem
######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release”
Correction: Pat Widmar telephone number is 847-562-1095
(Hopefully, the third time is the charm. editor)
"Randy Green, President and CEO of First Bank of Highland Park, Highland Park, IL, is pleased to announce the appointment of Patricia A. Widmar to Vice President of the Lease Finance Group. In her new capacity, Pat will be focusing her efforts on new business development which will include lease discounting, warehouse lines, and syndication purchases. Pat brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this position and will be located on the Northbrook, IL facility which houses the Lease Finance Group.
“Prior to joining FBHP, Pat was employed by park National Bank (f/k/a Pullman Bank & Trust) as an Assistant Vice President of the Lease Finance Group where she was involved in both operations and business development for nine years. Prior to that, she was employed by Key Bank in the Commercial Lending area for twenty-five years. Pat attended Indiana University at South Bend, IN.”
-[headlines]
---------------------------------------------------------------
Classified Ads--- Documentation Manager / Finance / Legal
To view a larger image please, click the link below.
http://www.leasingnews.org/items/LN_Classified/WG_NassauCo_NY2.jpg
1913, Women Golfers, Nassau County, New York *
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 |
Documentation Manager: Phoenix, AZ
Lease Administrator with exp. in lease administration, doc. & porfolio management for $200M in IT assets. Additional experience financial analysis process improvement/development.
Email: jeg3894@cox.net |
Finance: Austin, TX.
20+ years all facets of lease/finance. Collection and credit management. Equipment & rolling stock structuring. $150k credit authority, $100 million portfolio management.
Email: texmartin@juno.com
|
 |
Finance: Chicago, IL
Experienced in big ticket origination, syndication, valuation and workout.
Twenty five years, MBA, CPA, |
JD, LLM (Tax), structuring specialist. Inbound and outbound transactions.
Email: pal108381@comcast.net
Transaction Summary
Website: www.tlgattorneycpa.com |
Finance: Orange County, CA
25+ years experience large ticket and mid-market commercial finance. Senior manager in operations, documentation, legal, credit, workouts, portfolio management. $2+Billion portfolio. MBA Finance. Juris Doctor.
Email: finance1000@cox.net
|
Finance: San Jose, CA.
15+ years sourcing debt, managing cash and receivables and other treasury functions. Strong background in credit, contract
administration and bankruptcy litigation experience. MBA Finance.
Email: raycis@comcast.net |
Finance: Sausalito, Ca
Sr. Corp. officer, presently serving as consultant, fin. service background, M&A, fund raising, great workout expertise, references
Email: nywb@aol.com |
Finance: Toronto
Long diverse career financial services industry. Executed billions of dollars of leases over 20 years; structuring, executing and pricing US/Canadian transactions. Per Diem or full time.
E-mail: eslavens@eol.ca |
Information System: North Detroit, MI
INFOLEASE EXPERT - 18 years experience. Since being downsized in 2002, working as a consultant for several leasing companies.
Seeking consulting projects nationwide.
email: darwint@prodigy.net |
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://64.125.68.91/AL/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm
To place a free “job wanted” ad, please go to:
http://64.125.68.91/AL/LeasingNews/PostingForm.asp
Spectacular Panorama Image of Women Golfers, 1913
1913
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12” x 36”
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9 x 35 inches, excluding margins
Excellent condition.
Print ID# 800665
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[headlines]
---------------------------------------------------------------
Quail Capital Corp. Joins “Super Broker list”
A -Requires Broker be Licensed | B -Sub-Broker Program | C -Warehouse Line | D -Also a Funder
Rank |
Name
In Business Since
Contact
Website
Leasing Association |
Employees |
Geo
Area |
Dollar
Amount |
Broker Qualify |
A |
B |
C |
D |
3. |
|
15 |
Nationwide |
$10,000 to $10 million, App only $100K
|
Please Call |
* |
* |
* |
* |
(E) Quail Capital specializes in large structured and complex transactions. Mohammed Ahsan began his days at Westinghouse Credit (then Atlantic Federal, Mitsubishi Bank, Bank of CA, First Sierra) funding transactions. He has been in the leasing industry for 25 + years. His partner Jeff Rudin has over 27 years. In addition to equipment leasing, Quail Capital is also involved in Asset Based Lending, Franchise Funding, International Finance, Acquisition Finance and Real Estate Secured transactions.
For full list, please go here:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Super_Brokers/Super_Brokers.htm[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------
1st Heritage Bank joins “Funder” list
“1st Heritage Bank, NA is pleased to announce that Matt Rogers has joined their office in Newport Beach as Vice President of new business development.
“ Matt joins the bank with a long history in commercial lending in southern California.
“ 1st Heritage Bank is the California subsidiary of the $4 billion 1st National Holdings, which also owns 1st National Bank of Arizona, and 1st National Bank of Nevada.
“1st Heritage Bank's lending focus includes not only the traditional commercial and industrial banking market; but it also focuses on providing warehouse lines of credit to lease finance companies, rediscount credit facilities to finance companies, and warehouse lines of credit to the mortgage banking industry.
“ Matt can be reached at (949) 863-9780 x230 or mrogers@fhbankna.com ”
- Warehouse lines for leasing companies and mortgage bankers
- Rediscount lines for finance companies such auto finance and factors
- Commercial Banking
- Lines of Credit and Term Loans
- Acquisition and Development Loans for residential and commercial real estate
- Owner-occupied commercial real estate
- SBA Loans
- Treasury Management and Depository Services
- Wealth Management
Matt Rogers
MRogers@fhbankna.com
Funder - Update
A -Accepts Broker Business | B -Requires Broker be Licensed | C -Sub-Broker Program
| D -"Private label Program" | E - Also "in house" salesmen
|
Name
In Business Since
Contact
Website
Leasing Association
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15. |
1st Heritage Bank, NA
1998
Matt Rogers
714.504.8500 or
949.863.9780 x 230
www.fhbankna.com
N/R (FF) |
35
(2000+ Bank) |
California and Southwest US |
$1MM - $50MM Warehouse Line of Credit |
Warehouse Credit Line to Lease Finance companies |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
(FF) 1st Heritage Bank provides warehouse lines of credit lease finance companies and auto finance companies. Please contact Matt Rogers 714.504.8500 or 949.863.9780 x230.
To view the full list, please go here:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/Funders.htm
[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------
Marlin Year-End Growth/ Utah Industrial Bank (in organization.)
Marlin Business Services Corporation, Mount Laurel, New Jersey filed their 2005 year-end financial statement with the Security Exchange Commission.
In it, they announce the opening of a new office in Salt Lake City, Utah, along with an Industrial bank:
“We also believe that we can increase originations in certain regions of the country by establishing offices in identified strategic locations. Other regional offices are located in or near Atlanta, Georgia, Chicago, Illinois and Denver, Colorado. We expect to open our fourth regional office in Salt Lake City, Utah during 2006. Our Salt Lake City office would also house Marlin Business Bank (in organization) subject to regulatory approval and becoming operational.
Leases per state:
| State |
|
Percentage |
|
|
| California |
|
|
13 |
% |
| Florida |
|
|
10 |
% |
| Texas |
|
|
8 |
% |
| New York |
|
|
7 |
% |
| New Jersey |
|
|
6 |
% |
| Pennsylvania |
|
|
4 |
% |
| Georgia |
|
|
4 |
% |
| North Carolina |
|
|
3 |
% |
| Massachusetts |
|
|
3 |
% |
| Illinois |
|
|
3 |
% |
| Ohio |
|
|
3 |
% |
| All others (none more than 2.5%) |
“Of our 296 total employees as of December 31, 2005, we employed 103 sales account executives, each of whom receives a base salary and earns commissions based on their lease originations. We also employed six employees dedicated to marketing as of December 31, 2005.
| As of or For the Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
2001 |
|
|
| Number of sales account executives |
|
|
103 |
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
84 |
|
|
|
67 |
|
|
|
50 |
|
| Number of originating sources (1) |
|
|
1,295 |
|
|
|
1,244 |
|
|
|
1,147 |
|
|
|
929 |
|
|
|
815 |
|
|
|
|
| (1) |
|
Monthly average of origination sources generating lease volume. |
“We finance over 60 categories of commercial equipment important to our end user customers, including copiers, telecommunications equipment, water filtration systems, computers, and certain commercial and industrial equipment. Our average lease transaction was approximately $9,000 at December 31, 2005, and we typically do not exceed $200,000 for any single lease transaction. This segment of the equipment leasing market is commonly known in the industry as the small-ticket segment.
| Equipment Category |
|
Percentage |
|
|
| Copiers |
|
|
22 |
% |
| Commercial & Industrial |
|
|
7 |
% |
| Telecommunications equipment |
|
|
7 |
% |
| Computers |
|
|
6 |
% |
| Closed Circuit TV security systems |
|
|
6 |
% |
| Restaurant equipment |
|
|
6 |
% |
| Water filtration systems |
|
|
5 |
% |
| Security systems |
|
|
5 |
% |
| Automotive (no titled vehicles) |
|
|
4 |
% |
| Computer software |
|
|
4 |
% |
| Cash registers |
|
|
3 |
% |
| Medical |
|
|
3 |
% |
| All others (none more than 2.0%) |
|
|
22 |
% |
Portfolio Overview
At December 31, 2005, we had 103,278 active leases in our portfolio, representing an aggregate minimum lease payments receivable of $660.9 million. With respect to our portfolio at December 31, 2005:
• the average original lease transaction was $9,032, with an average remaining balance of $6,401;
• the average original lease term was 46 months;
• our active leases were spread among 82,479 different end user customers, with the largest single end user customer accounting for only 0.05% of the aggregate minimum lease payments receivable;
• over 74.5% of the aggregate minimum lease payments receivable were with end user customers who had been in business more than five years;
• the portfolio was spread among 10,927 origination sources, with the largest source accounting for only 1.5% of the aggregate minimum lease payments receivable, and our nine largest origination sources accounting for only 7.3% of the aggregate minimum lease payments receivable;
• there were 70 different equipment categories financed, with the largest categories set forth below, as a percentage of the December 31, 2005 aggregate minimum lease payments receivable:
| Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
2001 |
|
|
|
(Dollars in thousands) |
|
|
| Operating Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total new leases originated |
|
|
32,754 |
|
|
|
31,818 |
|
|
|
30,258 |
|
|
|
25,368 |
|
|
|
23,207 |
|
| Total equipment cost originated |
|
$ |
318,457 |
|
|
$ |
272,271 |
|
|
$ |
242,278 |
|
|
$ |
203,458 |
|
|
$ |
171,378 |
|
| Average net investment in direct financing leases (1) |
|
|
523,948 |
|
|
|
446,965 |
|
|
|
363,853 |
|
|
|
286,589 |
|
|
|
208,149 |
|
| Weighted average interest rate (implicit) on new leases originated (2) |
|
|
12.75 |
% |
|
|
13.82 |
% |
|
|
14.01 |
% |
|
|
14.17 |
% |
|
|
15.82 |
% |
| Interest income as a percent of average net investment in direct financing leases (1) |
|
|
12.90 |
|
|
|
12.91 |
|
|
|
13.09 |
|
|
|
13.65 |
|
|
|
14.56 |
|
| Interest expense as percent of average interest bearing liabilities, excluding subordinated debt (3) |
|
|
4.24 |
|
|
|
3.86 |
|
|
|
4.54 |
|
|
|
5.76 |
|
|
|
7.41 |
|
| Portfolio Asset Quality Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Minimum lease payments receivable |
|
$ |
660,946 |
|
|
$ |
571,150 |
|
|
$ |
489,430 |
|
|
$ |
392,392 |
|
|
$ |
303,560 |
|
| Delinquencies past due, greater than 60 days |
|
|
0.61 |
% |
|
|
0.78 |
% |
|
|
0.74 |
% |
|
|
0.86 |
% |
|
|
1.94 |
% |
| Allowance for credit losses |
|
$ |
7,813 |
|
|
$ |
6,062 |
|
|
$ |
5,016 |
|
|
$ |
3,965 |
|
|
$ |
3,059 |
|
| Allowance for credit losses to net investment in direct financing leases (2) |
|
|
1.39 |
% |
|
|
1.26 |
% |
|
|
1.23 |
% |
|
|
1.21 |
% |
|
|
1.24 |
% |
| Charge-offs, net |
|
$ |
9,135 |
|
|
$ |
8,907 |
|
|
$ |
6,914 |
|
|
$ |
5,944 |
|
|
$ |
4,579 |
|
| Ratio of net charge-offs to average net investment in direct financing leases |
|
|
1.74 |
% |
|
|
1.99 |
% |
|
|
1.90 |
% |
|
|
2.07 |
% |
|
|
2.20 |
% |
| Operating Ratios: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Efficiency ratio (4) |
|
|
43.36 |
% |
|
|
41.63 |
% |
|
|
43.15 |
% |
|
|
44.47 |
% |
|
|
46.79 |
% |
| Return on average total assets |
|
|
2.57 |
% |
|
|
2.54 |
% |
|
|
0.66 |
% |
|
|
1.31 |
% |
|
|
1.04 |
% |
| Return on average stockholders' equity (5) |
|
|
15.96 |
% |
|
|
16.47 |
% |
|
|
9.18 |
% |
|
|
19.63 |
% |
|
|
15.67 |
% |
| Balance Sheet Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
34,472 |
|
|
$ |
16,092 |
|
|
$ |
29,435 |
|
|
$ |
6,354 |
|
|
$ |
2,504 |
|
| Restricted cash |
|
|
47,786 |
|
|
|
37,331 |
|
|
|
29,604 |
|
|
|
24,372 |
|
|
|
16,325 |
|
| Net investment in direct financing leases |
|
|
572,581 |
|
|
|
489,678 |
|
|
|
419,160 |
|
|
|
335,442 |
|
|
|
255,169 |
|
| Total assets |
|
|
670,989 |
|
|
|
554,693 |
|
|
|
487,709 |
|
|
|
374,671 |
|
|
|
281,741 |
|
| Revolving and term secured borrowings |
|
|
516,849 |
|
|
|
434,670 |
|
|
|
393,997 |
|
|
|
327,842 |
|
|
|
245,551 |
|
| Subordinated debt, net of discount |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
9,520 |
|
|
|
9,408 |
|
| Total liabilities |
|
|
558,380 |
|
|
|
464,343 |
|
|
|
413,838 |
|
|
|
350,526 |
|
|
|
261,534 |
|
| Redeemable convertible preferred stock, including accrued dividends |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
21,171 |
|
|
|
19,391 |
|
| Total stockholders' equity |
|
|
112,609 |
|
|
|
90,350 |
|
|
|
73,871 |
|
|
|
2,974 |
|
|
|
816 |
“We access our end user customers through origination sources comprised of our existing network of over 9,200 independent commercial equipment dealers and, to a lesser extent, through relationships with lease brokers and direct solicitation of our end user customers. We use a highly efficient telephonic direct sales model to market to our origination sources. Through these origination sources, we are able to deliver convenient and flexible equipment financing to our end user customers.
“Our typical financing transaction involves a non-cancelable, full-payout lease with payments sufficient to recover the purchase price of the underlying equipment plus an expected profit. As of December 31, 2005, we serviced approximately 103,000 active equipment leases having a total original equipment cost of $932.8 million for approximately 82,000 end user customers.
| Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
(Dollars in thousands) |
|
|
| Average net investment in direct financing leases |
|
$ |
523,948 |
|
|
$ |
446,965 |
|
|
$ |
363,853 |
|
| Salaries and benefits expense |
|
|
18,173 |
|
|
|
14,447 |
|
|
|
10,273 |
|
| General and administrative expense |
|
|
11,908 |
|
|
|
10,063 |
|
|
|
7,745 |
|
| Efficiency ratio |
|
|
43.36 |
% |
|
|
41.63 |
% |
|
|
43.15 |
% |
| Percent of average net investment in leases: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Salaries and benefits |
|
|
3.47 |
% |
|
|
3.23 |
% |
|
|
2.82 |
% |
| General and administrative |
|
|
2.27 |
% |
|
|
2.25 |
% |
|
|
2.13 |
% |
“The small-ticket equipment leasing market is highly fragmented. We estimate that there are up to 75,000 independent equipment dealers who sell the types of equipment we finance. We focus primarily on the segment of the market comprised of the small and mid-size independent equipment dealers. We believe this segment is underserved because: 1) the large commercial finance companies and large commercial banks typically concentrate their efforts on marketing their products and services directly to equipment manufacturers and larger distributors, rather than the independent equipment dealers; and 2) many smaller commercial finance companies and regional banking institutions have not developed the systems and infrastructure required to adequately service these equipment dealers on high volume, low-balance transactions. We focus on establishing our relationships with independent equipment dealers to meet their need for high quality, convenient point-of-sale lease financing.”
Net income was $16.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This represented a $2.7 million, or 20.0%, increase from $13.5 million net income reported for the year ended December 31, 2004. Our increased earnings are primarily the result of growth and improved net interest and fee margins in our core leasing business. During the third quarter of 2005, the Company increased its reserves for expected credit losses based on its initial assessments of exposure to areas significantly impacted by Hurricane Katrina (such as New Orleans). The impact of this increase in reserves was a reduction of approximately $753,000 in net income for the year 2005.
Diluted net income per share was $1.36 for the year ended December 31, 2005 and $1.15 for the year ended December 31, 2004.
|
|
Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2005 |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
(Dollars in thousands) |
|
|
| Interest income |
|
$ |
67,572 |
|
|
$ |
57,707 |
|
| Fee income |
|
|
17,957 |
|
|
|
13,461 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Interest and fee income |
|
|
85,529 |
|
|
|
71,168 |
|
| Interest expense |
|
|
20,835 |
|
|
|
16,675 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Net interest and fee income |
|
$ |
64,694 |
|
|
$ |
54,493 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Average net investment in direct financing leases (1) |
|
$ |
523,948 |
|
|
$ |
446,965 |
|
| Percent of average net investment in direct financing leases: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Interest income |
|
|
12.90 |
% |
|
|
12.91 |
% |
| Fee income |
|
|
3.43 |
|
|
|
3.01 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Interest and fee income |
|
|
16.32 |
|
|
|
15.92 |
|
| Interest expense |
|
|
3.98 |
|
|
|
3.73 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Net interest and fee margin |
|
|
12.35 |
% |
|
|
12.19 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (1) |
|
Excludes allowance for credit losses and initial direct costs and fees deferred. |
For the year ended December 31, 2005, we generated 32,754 new leases at a cost of $318.5 million compared to 31,818 new leases at a cost of $272.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2004. The weighted average implicit interest rate on new leases originated was 12.75% for the year ended December 31, 2005 compared to 13.82% for year ended December 31, 2004. Overall, the net investment in direct financing leases grew 16.9%, to $572.6 million at December 31, 2005 from $489.7 million at December 31, 2004. Returns on average assets were 2.57% for the year ended December 31, 2005 and 2.54% for the year ended December 31, 2004. Returns on average equity were 15.96% for the year ended December 31, 2005 and 16.47% for the year ended December 31, 2004. Our debt to equity ratio was 4.59:1 at December 31, 2005 compared to 4.81:1 at December 31, 2004.
http://www.leasingnews.org/Pages/Marlin_YE_net_inv.htm
full financial filing available here:
http://www.snl.com/Interactive/html.asp?F=2135934.HTML&T=MRLN&Y=10%2DK&D=
12%2F31%2F2005&S=1&V=DMZ6
[headlines]
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BK Trustee Sues Salzano's Son for $1/2 MM
By Detective Kit Menkin
If you didn't get the story sent as an extra yesterday morning to those on our mailing list, we are bringing this story to your attention. This reads like a Soprano's television episode.
We have 28 attorneys general and the District of Columbia taking leasing companies to the wall because they purchased leases based on “service” and not equipment. The FBI is conducting a criminal investigation believing 43 leasing entities were in cahoots (like they sat down at a leasing conference bar and said let's buy all these NorVergence leases, even though they are based on service???). The Federal Trade Commission gets into the act and obtains a $181.7 million default judgment against NorVergence, in Chapter 7 (but where is the money?)
At the same time, the bankruptcy trustee reports creditors have filed nearly $550 million in claims against the firm. But the estate had just $617,500 in assets, plus more than $1 million in unpaid expenses plus past salaries, health, state and federal deductions, not counting what they owe the FTC.
And here we now have Thomas J. Salzano, 23, son of the alleged mastermind of the NorVergence scandal, Thomas N. Salzano, chief managing officer, according to the lawsuit, and his uncle, Peter Salzano, was chief executive, accused of charging trips to bars and clubs, clothing and other personal expenses totaling $268,795 to NorVergence American Express card. Also according to the complaint filed by bankruptcy trustee Charles Forman, Thomas J. is accused of improperly using $200,000 of company money to help buy a house.
This is the latest after the police closed down the Salzano cardboard charity box operation placed at small stores by commissioned salesmen and Salzano gets caught because he reportedly stiffs the landlord who is well connected in Jersey, who called for Salzano's immediate eviction, and enforcing the order, the cardboard box charity operation comes to light of law enforcement eyes.
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202006/03-02-06_Extra.htm
[headlines]
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Classified Ads—Help Wanted
Account Executive
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Account Executive
Seeking an assertive, goal-oriented, profit-motivated Account Executive with sales experience in the equipment finance industry for Irvine , California headquarters. Unlimited earning potential - competitive salary with bonus and commission. Send resumes to llewis@calfirstlease.com or log on to www.calfirstjobs.com/apply_now.htm to apply for position.
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Financial Analyst
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Financial Analyst – Irvine, CA
Calfirst Leasing Corporation is looking for experienced individual with a commercial credit analysis background. This opportunity affords a competitive salary plus great medical and 401k benefits. If you have a minimum of 2 years commercial credit analysis background, please send us your resume to learn more about this exciting opportunity. Send resumes to bbumblis@cfnbc.com.
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Independent Regional Sales Manager
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Independent
Reg. Sales Managers:
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia. Other positions available nationally. Vehicle & Equipment Funder.
Earnings potential is unlimited. Two years outside leasing/finance sales, proven track closing deals. Est. customer base/vendors a plus. Click here for more info.
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Lease Representatives
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Seeking Lease Representatives
in Baltimore, Atlanta,
Charlotte or Raleigh.
In these positions, you will develop and maintain relationships with lease brokers, leasing companies, equipment vendors and direct lessees throughout the Region. Must be knowledgeable in indirect/third party transactions ranging from $15K and up and have the necessary in-market experience. Please apply on-line at www.mandtbank.com.
At M&T Bank, we provide an exciting and challenging work environment where performance and innovative thinking are encouraged and rewarded at every level. With over 700 branches, your career can travel as far as you want to take it!
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Sales Manager
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We're looking for a detail oriented, profit driven Sales Manager with 10 years experience in sales and/or management in the middle ticket equipment finance/leasing industry. Great opportunity for huge earnings potential as we offer a competitive salary with bonus and commission. Send resumes to llewis@calfirstlease.com .
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[headlines]
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Negotiate Now!
By Steve Chriest
How many times have you established an excellent rapport with a prospect, built credibility and trust, and reached an agreement on moving the sale forward, thinking it was a “done deal?” Then, from out of nowhere, the “done deal” bursts into flames during acrimonious negotiations over price, contract terms and other conditions, costs and fees.
Unfortunately, this happens all the time, but you can do something to prevent it from happening again.
Most selling organizations follow a traditional, and flawed, sales roadmap that positions “selling” early in customer interactions and leaves the negotiation of difficult issues, as well as T's and C's, to the technical “experts.” This approach, unfortunately, renders many potential sales vulnerable to surprise failure late in the game.
In most selling situations, negotiating and selling are inseparable - they occur simultaneously. Even minor decisions, like when and where to meet next, or who will attend future meetings, are made by negotiating. Selling and negotiating exist side by side and cannot be artificially separated, which is exactly what happens in many selling situations.
Because of their penchant for avoiding bad news at almost any cost, some salespeople avoid negotiating tough issues with customers. They fear that negotiating difficult issues early in the sales cycle can cause them to lose the sale. Perhaps they don't understand that there is no sale until everyone agrees on how to resolve the tough issues.
Some salesmen rely on their sales manager or even a documentation person to negotiate “issues” such as installation charges, training fees, warranty extension costs and charges for site inspections. The salesperson might even leave it up to a documentation person to break the news that a landlord waiver is required before equipment can be delivered to the lessee.
A good many salespeople have told me that they don't consider themselves to be good negotiators. Somehow they've bought into the notion that negotiating is a special skill that is best used by technical “experts” who are paid to negotiate with customers and to “tell it like it is.”
Understanding the symbiotic relationship between selling and negotiating will help you to better qualify selling opportunities and to facilitate and close more sales. Salespeople who are willing to negotiate the small issues as well as the tough issues early in the sales cycle increase the potential for smoother, quicker and more predictable back-end negotiations.
It just doesn't make sense to spend time, money and talent building goodwill with prospects and customers only to watch from the sidelines as that goodwill evaporates during tense negotiations over important issues. As the goodwill evaporates, so does the potential of repeat business from the lessee and your vendor.
Copyright © 2006 Selling Up TM . All Rights Reserved.
About the author: Steve Chriest is the founder of Selling Up TM (www.selling-up.com), a sales consulting firm specializing in sales improvement for organizations of all types and sizes in a variety of industries. He is also the author of Selling Up , The Proven System For Reaching and Selling Senior Executives. You can reach Steve at schriest@selling-up.com.
[headlines]
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Letters---We get eMail !!!
No NorVergence leases
Add Enterprise Funding to the list of those lessors invited to the NorVergence party and declined. On several occasions, Enterprise had been offered a significant flow of monthly (or "monkey?") business In only a few days of common due diligence (a thorough internet search, company brochures, review of their documents, "what is the equipment?", "why do I have this deal?") we were able to determine that this was not our kind of relationship. I can remember thinking at the time: "I have either missed out on a huge business opportunity or I have just dodged a major fraud in the leasing business."
I congratulate my colleagues that were also able to avoid this mess.
NorVergence has touched us all, however, whether we have caught this virus or not. Capital markets, potential customers, and the investment community will all look at our industry in a different light.
Ours is a great business that not only provides an above average income opportunity to its participants, but fuels the foundation of growth in the U.S. economy
. As an industry, let us not only learn from our successes, but more importantly from our mistakes.
Yours truly,
Mike Coon
Sr. Vice President
mcoon@enterprisefundinggroup.com
PH: 866-774-5050
Fax: 616-774-8740
www.enterprisefundinggroup.com
Charlie Lester back home--
Hi Kit and thank you for the kind words. They are greatly appreciated. I received a number of emails from your readers that I worked with in the mid-90's or earlier. In some cases, we had lost touch and your articles brought us back together. The cards, calls and emails made it almost worth having the operation.
Yesterday was the first day back at work for a few hours with the hope to increase to full time by March 13th.
The total knee replacement operation went great on February 13th and now it is physical therapy at home and exercises, exercises, exercises to strengthen the knee. I have found that P.T. is not physical therapy, but it is pain and torture. I don't know what I would have done without my wife Barbara's help. She has bred and trained dogs and horses so she was fine with extending care and training to an old jackass. On the list of intelligence and learning capability, I finished third after the dogs and horses.
The 10 list of things I leaned regarding a hospital visit:
10. Do not put the Preparation H and your toothpaste in the same drawer.
9. Learn to speak 4 languages prior to admission so you can communicate with at least 50% of the nurses.
8. Do not make sudden movements when you have a catheter installed.
7. Establish “meals on wheels” prior to admission.
6. $27.50 for a urine bottle is a bargain price at 3:30 in the morning.
5. No matter what the true level, the pain level is always 9 when the nurse asks so the drugs keep flowing.
4. Never say no to a physical therapist when they want you to take a walk in the hall. After all, in a week or so, the people you saw you in the hallway will stop pointing and laughing and they never saw your face. Say no and you take two walks a day through the waiting room.
3. There is no wine in the world that goes with grits and greens for dinner in a southern hospital.
2. Do not watch the video tape of your knee operation if you ever want to put weight on your knees again.
1. When both the surgeon and charge nurse visit you after the operation while putting on new rubber gloves and saying we have to check everything---- the only thing you can do is pray and look the other way.
Thanks, Charlie
cel3245@mindspring.com
Discovers “Funder List”
AWESOME, I can't believe that I have been getting your emails for so long and just found the funder list. Great tool! Do you have it in an easy to download format or print?
Thank you in advance for your help.
Scott A. Mills
MAVERICK Leasing...
5883 Wilson Mills Road Suite #100
Highland Heights Ohio 44143
YBuy.com
440-442-YBuy (9289)
Voice & Fax
(It is an HTML edition. You can save in Excel or re-format in word. Please note the other lists, which you can also reach at the top of our "toolbar" in the newsletter edition.)
RW Professional Trial and Guilty Verdict
While I have been following this case for a long time, I still wonder “where did all the money go?”
When the “Cyberco” situation blew up in Grand Rapids, MI. Many large banks and leasing institutions got stung for millions of dollars and when the president of the company committed suicide in his very large elaborate home on the night his offices were raided by the FBI they knew where the money was going. A couple of the officers of that company even fled the country. The case is still pending but the Feds clearly knew where a lot of the money was going.
It amazes me that nobody ever talked about where the money went in the PLS case.
Regards,
Susan M. Adamatis
susana@netlease.com
(Susan was at Old Kent and knows the whole story from the very beginning.
(Look for the sentencing at least three to four months down the road. Barry Drayer stretched this out since he was arrested four years and a trail over a month. He might get 30 years, but out in 12 for good behavior. He'll be 82 then. Editor)
Roy's Restaurants Review
I enjoyed your comments about Roy's Restaurants today. I just wanted to point out that Roy's is now owned by the good folks at Outback. They like to keep that on the QT for obvious reasons.
My wife and I are regulars at the Dallas (actually Plano) location, and have dined at 5 other locations including Kauai, Big Island, San Francisco, Pebble Beach, and Orlando. Of all of the locations we have visited, Dallas is clearly the best in both décor and dining experience. One contributing factor is that each chef has control of the menu, aside from a handful of “standard” Roy's dishes.
My wife and I always order two separate dishes, but have them split each one so that each plate has a small portion of two separate dishes. They are always happy to do that and it makes the dining experience even more enjoyable.
David Leidy
dleidy@flexlease.com
Main: 972.312.0388
Direct: 469.429.2527
Fax: 972.312.0386
CLPs on Lists
I'm pretty old, so I can remember when Leasing News was a small newsletter with a few tidbits of information on the industry. A quick look in the archives at a couple of early 2000 editions confirms that recollection. Now, the darn thing as like the Wall Street Journal – big with lots of info – not counting all the “lists” of broker/lessors, funders, superbrokers and such. You really have built something amazing in a very short time.
Having said that, here's my little “nitpick” of the day: On the broker list – if I'm reading this correctly - column “C” is identified as denoting whether the company has a CLP working for it, yet column C is checked in all 175 or so listings. Since that number is about the total of all active CLPs in the world, something doesn't match up. What happened?
Regards,
Ken
Kenneth D. Goodman, CLP
Goodman & Associates
"The Equipment Leasing Experts"
Marketing - Consulting - Training - Litigation Support
24137 Grayston Drive - Lake Forest, CA 92630
888/852-7560 - fax 949/583-7275
www.leasegood.com - email: ken@leasegood.com
( Yes, Ken goes back to the day when Leasing News wrote about when he and Bob Rodi used to wrestle (they even had sponsors.)
Ken is correct again. These were listings that we researched. Originally we had requested that the forms be sent it with the verification. At Ken's suggestion, we verified all those who we listed from their web sites as being CLPs with Cindy Spurdle. Cindy found three who either had not paid their dues and/or were not re-certified.
In going through this process with Cindy, we came up with an idea to feature a CLP member every three weeks or so to help promote the program: why they became a certified leasing professional, what it meant to them afterwards, and we thought readers would be interested to learn more about this designation. Editor)
Lahti Moves to Cedar Park
I wanted you to know Affiliated Investment Group, Inc., “The Flexible Funding Source” has re-located to Cedar Park, Texas.
We were originally scheduled to move on March 3rd, however, due to the enormous error of SBC/ATT of “porting” our phone numbers a week early, we were forced to scramble and re-schedule everything 3 days earlier than planned. But we worked through it and have moved into our new “world headquarters.”
Since I've been commuting between Dallas and Austin for the last few years, with 2 kids still at the University of Texas, a bride of 28 years that still wants to be with her husband on a regular basis, and the beautiful Texas hill country to look forward to, I truly am excited to be home.
Go Cowboys!!!
Jim
James R. Lahti, CLP
[headlines]
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Range Rover Makes LeaseCompare.com's Top 10
Mercedes-Benz falls off top ten list
(Only the Chevrolet Corvette made it from USA Mfg. and none in the “used.” Further evidence of Detroit's loss of business. Editor)
CINCINNATI----Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS), the leader in online direct-to-consumer auto leasing, released a list of the top 10 most requested vehicles from its popular auto leasing website www.LeaseCompare.com for the fourth quarter of 2005.
For the first time ever Land Rover hit the top 10 with its hot Range Rover Sport model, and Mercedes makes a first by not having a single model represented on the New Car List.
The Top 10 Most Requested Models
New Car Rankings
4th Qtr 3rd Qtr
2005 2005 Make & Model
---- ---- ------------
1 2 BMW 330
2 4 BMW 5 Series
3 1 BMW 325
4 3 Chevrolet Corvette
5 nl(a) Audi A4
6 7 Honda Accord
7 5 Infiniti G35
8 6 Acura TL
9 nl(a) Land Rover Range Rover Sport
10 nl(a) Honda Civic
Used Car Rankings
4th Qtr 3rd Qtr
2005 2005 Make & Model
---- ---- ------------
1 nl(a) Porsche Cayenne
2 2 BMW 330
3 nl(a) Mercedes Benz SL Class
4 7 Mercedes Benz E Class
5 4 BMW 7 Series
6 8 Land Rover Range Rover
7 3 BMW 5 Series
8 1 Porsche 911 Carrera
9 6 Mercedes Benz CLK Class
10 nl(a) BMW 325
nl(a) = not previously listed
A complete list of how every vehicle ranks can be found at
http://www.LeaseCompare.com.
BMW continues to dominate both new and used listings while the red hot Range Rover Sport makes its debut on the New Car List. Also back on the top 10 New Car List is the Honda Civic. Thanks to its all new design and high fuel prices, the Civic is another hot seller. The biggest surprise is Mercedes. It has completely fallen off the New Car List and only three remain on the Used Car List. This is probably due to its recent reliability problems.
"With the volatility of gasoline prices, leasing a car makes sense," says Tarry Shebesta, President of ACS and a certified lease consultant. "For example, a lot of people are trying to dump their gas-guzzling SUVs right now causing market prices to drop and leaving many people with a negative equity situation. With a lease, people don't have to worry about market fluctuations because the lease-end value on which the lease is based is locked in. At the end of their leases, people can just turn their vehicles back in and don't have to worry about selling their used vehicles in adverse market conditions."
LeaseCompare.com is an alternative to dealer leasing and, as the name suggests, provides an interactive tool to instantly evaluate leasing options from a number of sources. Customers can lock in the lease quote they like and apply for credit online. ACS facilitates leases that customers choose from LeaseCompare.com.
About Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (www.acscorp.com)
Based in Cincinnati, Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS) is a leading provider of direct-to-consumer auto leasing through its popular website LeaseCompare.com. Founded in 1989, ACS's mission is to provide services that enhance the experience of buying or leasing a car. ACS achieves this by leading the industry with innovative proprietary technology, superior customer service, and years of industry experience.
-Tarry E. Shebesta, OCLC (Ohio Certified Lease Consultant)
President, Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (www.ACScorp.com)
Vice President, National Vehicle Leasing Association (NVLA)
tes@acscorp.com / 513.527.7700 ext. 11
[headlines]
### Press Release ###########################
NACM Credit Manager February Index Up and Down
The Credit Manager's Index (CMI) continues to mirror developments in the overall U.S. economy, rapid changes from month to month.
“The recent volatility of the CMI is confirmed by the GDP data, which was much weaker than expected in 4Q05, but looks to be very strong in 1Q06, partially because the consumer held off purchases until the new year,” comments Dan North, Chief Economist with credit insurer Euler Hermes ACI. “Other data also indicates that while the economy is strong now, it is likely to weaken after the first quarter as the Fed's tightening takes hold. It takes about a year for Fed actions to work through the economy, so the effects of the tightening, which are reflected in the inverted yield curve, are only beginning to be felt. Similarly, a recent survey indicates widespread optimism for 2006 among CEOs, but at the same time earnings growth for the S&P 500 companies is likely to fall in 2006 to an estimated 6%-7% from 14% in 2005.”
Gains were solid in both the service and manufacturing sectors, with the latter benefiting the most. It was the first increase in the manufacturing sales component in five months, and only the second in eight months.
COMPARISON OF FEBRUARY 2006 TO FEBRUARY 2005
The February 2006 CMI is down 30 points from one year ago; a drop reflected in the overall favorable and unfavorable factors. From a sector standpoint, more variation is displayed among the favorable factors: for example, the favorable factors for the February 2006 service sector showed increases in 75 percent of the factors—while a decrease in 75 percent of the favorable factors was true for the manufacturing sector.
MANUFACTURING SECTOR RESULTS
The manufacturing sector saw modest growth in February 2006. Sparked by an increase in three of the four favorable factors, the overall CMI increased 180 basis points from 52.4 to 54.2 percent. Amount of credit extended displayed the highest level of growth—increasing 650 basis points; followed by new sales, which jumped from 52.9 to 58.8—a 590-point increase.
Service Sector Results
The service sector displayed growth in the same three favorable factors as the manufacturing sector: new credit applications, which jumped 530 points; new sales, which posted a 290 point gain; and credit extended, up 250-points.
Full Report:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/CMI_Feb2006.pdf
The National Association of Credit Management (NACM), headquartered in Columbia, Maryland supports more than 25,000 business credit and financial professionals worldwide with premier industry services, tools and information. NACM and its network of Affiliated Associations are the leading resource for credit and financial management information and education, delivering products and services, which improve the management of business credit and accounts receivable. NACM's collective voice has influenced legislative results concerning commercial business and trade credit to our nation's policy makers for more than 100 years, and continues to play an active part in legislative issues pertaining to business credit and corporate bankruptcy.
[headlines]
### Press Release ###########################
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News Briefs----
Oil Prices Climb Above $63 a Barrel
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Oil-Prices.html
Europeans Again Lift Rates and Hint at More Increases
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/03/business/worldbusiness/03euro.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Sales Slowed for Retailers in February
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/03/business/03shop.html?pagewanted=all
U.S. home prices continue to climb, federal agency says
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002838156_homeprices02.html
http://www.ofheo.gov/media/pdf/4q05hpi.pdf
Bond Issuance Up Slightly In 2005, Helped By ABS
http://www.absnet.net/include/showfreearticle.asp?file=/headlines/1.htm
Katrina blew some convention business this way
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/story/
58C82D85B517CD908625712500151C33?OpenDocument
PAETEC Completes $125 Million Credit Facility with CIT
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/micro_stories.pl?ACCT=683178&TICK=CIT&STORY=
/www/story/03-01-2006/0004311556&EDATE=Mar+1,+2006
Google CEO soothes investors' concerns over ad revenue growth
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2006-03-02-google-outlook_x.htm
We the People' getting around on new colorized $10 bill
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20060302-1248-newten.html
[headlines]
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You May Have Missed
Microsoft Working on Paperback-Sized PC
http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/sns-ap-microsoft-origami,1,5611248.story?
coll=chi-business-hed
[headlines]
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Sports Briefs----
Players Union and the N.F.L. Agree to Extend Negotiations
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/03/sports/football/03nfl.html
Tiger shows way after shooting 64 at Doral
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/pga/2006-03-02-doral_x.htm
[headlines]
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“Gimme that Wine”
Labels Gone Wild
http://www.winemag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications
%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=2918D62F596040
BF8C0118E62B4AF26D
Washington Wine Takes a Top Honor at San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&
newsId=20060301006155&newsLang=en
Argentine winemakers go global
http://www.abqtrib.com/albq/fe_food/article/0,2564,ALBQ_19844_4506307,00.html
Up and Down the Napa Valley Roads
http://www.sthelenastar.com/articles/2006/03/02/columnists/business/iq_3321043.txt
Domaine Chandon Releases Its Premium Carneros Chardonnay With a Screw Cap Closure
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060301/lawfns03.html?.v=1
Sommelier Sees Through Wine Hype
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-wine1mar01,1,5214055.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
Dunne on Wine: Merlot sales growth lags
http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/taste/story/14223768p-15048705c.html
www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/
If you want to know if you got a value for your wine, or what the wine price is today, go to www.winezap.com Type in the vintage (year) and name of the producer with wine type or geographic area, such as 1995 Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac. Even 1995 Lynch Bages will work, or 1999 Viader
[headlines]
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Calendar Events This Day
I Want You To Be Happy Day
A day dedicated to reminding people to be thoughtful of others by showing love a concern, even if things are not going well for them.
Employee Appreciation Day
Florida Admission Day
Became 28th state in 1845
National Anthem Day
Hina Matsuri
Shabbat across America
More than 600 participating synagogues (Conservative, Orthodox, Reform and Reconstructionist) encourage Jews to observe the Sabbath on this Friday Night. www.njop.org
[headlines]
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Today's Top Event in History
1853-A transcontinental railroad survey was authorized by Congress. $150,000 was appropriated to find the most practical railroad route across the country. The survey was to be conduced by the War Department. The iron rails of the railroads were weaving a network of lines around the nation at an ever greater rate. In the 1850 there were about 9000 miles of track, by 1860 more than 30,000. The Pennsylvania Railroad connected Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in 1852. The New York Central came into being in 1853, combining seven short lines between Albany and Buffalo, N.Y., into one. On January 12, 1853, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad began rail service to Wheeling, W.Va., from Baltimore. Rail service between New York and Chicago was available, although not in one continuous line. In 1856 the Illinois Central became the longest railroad in the world, with 700 miles of main line track. The Illinois Central was also the first railroad to which the federal government granted large tracts of public land as a subsidy; it was given 3,736,000 acres.
[headlines]
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This Day in American History
1521—Magellan discovered Guam, today an American protectorate. During his first day off the shores of Guam, Magellan's skiff was taken. In retaliation for the theft, Spanish soldiers burned a village, killed and attempted to kidnap a number of natives and exchanged bullet with sling stones in a skirmish on the shore of Umatac Bay. Angered, Magellan would name the islands "Islas de Ladrones" (islands of thieves) -- a name that would carry for the next 150 years. It should be noted that Magellan was killed in an encounter at the very next landfall in the Philippines, giving some credence to the Chamorro proverb, on revenge. Many explorers met their end in world travel, including some great Portuguese captains who were hero explorers in their day, but todayare not remembered at all.
http://infoplease.lycos.com/ce6/world/A0822005.html
http://infoplease.lycos.com/ce6/people/A0831125.html
http://ns.gov.gu/resolut.html
http://www.justice.gov.gu/Superior/History/hist_02.htm
http://www.pacificworlds.com/guam/visitors/explore.htm
http://www.gov.gu/quipua.html
1744 -Colonial missionary to the American Indians, David Brainerd wrote in his journal: 'In the morning, spent an hour in prayer. Prayer was so sweet an exercise to me that I knew not how to cease, lest I lose the spirit of prayer.'
http://www.cantonbaptist.org/halloffame/brainerd.htm
http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/biorpbrainerd.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0801009766/inktomi-bkasin-20/
102-1682336-8966565
1776 -US commodore Esek Hopkins occupies Nassau Bahamas
http://www.anyflag.com/history/gadsden.htm
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-h/e-hopk-c.htm
http://www.navyhistory.com/Brigatines/Cabot.html
http://www.sentryoveramerica.com/RRD_MA_Navy_Jack.htm
http://www.interesting.com/stories/gadsden/
1791-The first internal revenue law was passed by Congress. Fourteen revenue districts were created and tax of 20 to 30 cents a gallon put on distilled spirits. The legislatures of North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland passed resolutions of disapproval shortly thereafter.
1794-Richard Allen, a Black slave, founded African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and the Free African Society. He preached to both a Black and white congregation.
http://www.brightmoments.com/blackhistory/nrallen.html
http://earlyamerica.com/review/spring97/allen.html
http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/allen/menu.html
1815-War against Algeria was declared by Congress. The dey of Algiers had molested U.S. ships and insisted on payment of tribute. The war would end on June 30 against Algeria and the Barbary Coast pirates when a peace treaty was signed with the dey of Algiers. It was followed by similar treaties with Tunis on July 26 and Tripoli on August 5. The treaties, exacted by Commodore Stephen Decatur, required the pirates to cease their hostile acts, free all American prisoners, and compensate the U.S. for vessels seized. It was the US Navy and the US Marines working together and that's where we get the “from the shores of Tripoli...”
1819-Missouri Compromise Bill introduced to admit Missouri to the Union as a state that prohibited slavery. At the time there were 11 free states and 10 slave states. Southern congressmen feared this would upset the balance of power between North and South. As a compromise, on this date Missouri was admitted as a slave state but slavery was forever prohibited in the northern part of the Louisiana Purchase.
1821-Thomas Jennings becomes the fist Black American to receive a patent, for a dry-cleaning process.
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bljennings.htm
1831-George M. Pullman birthday, designer and manufacturer of railroad sleeping accommodations. George Mortimer Pullman was an inventor and industrialist who became famous for his design and production of the “Pullman” railroad sleeping car. His first attempt at improving railroad sleeping accommodations began in 1858, while working as a contractor for the Chicago & Alton Railroad at Chicago, IL. His initial model was not adopted, but in 1863 a new design was enthusiastically received He secured a patent for the folding berth design in 1864 and one for the lower berth design in 1865. By 1867 Pullman and his partner organized the Pullman Palace Car Company, which became the greatest railroad car-building organization in the world. In 1881 the town of Pullman, IL, south of Chicago, was formed by Pullman to house his employees. Because rents were not lowered when wages were cut, a strike was initiated against Pullman's company in May 1894. Pullman was eventually forced to give up control of all property in the town not directly required for manufacturing. Pullman died Oct 19,1897, at Chicago, IL. This era in history where railroad baron's "ruled" the country was about to end.
1836-Jefferson Franklin Long, a black slave who became a congressman December 22, 1870, born in slavery near Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga., March 3, 1836. Republican. U.S. Representative from Georgia 4th District, 1870-71. Black. Died in Macon, Bibb County, Ga., February 4, 1901. Interment at Lynwood Cemetery, Macon, Ga.
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000419
1843—After lobbying Congress for six years, Samuel Morse received $30,000 to build an experimental telegraph line from Baltimore, MD to Washington, DC. May 24,1844 Morse sent the historic message, "What hath God wrought?" The first internet had arrived.
1845- Florida became the 27th state. The word ‘Florida' comes from the Spanish ‘feast of flowers'.. The capital of the Sunshine State is ... no, not Walt Disney World ... Tallahassee. The state flower is the fragrant orange blossom and the mockingbird is the state bird. Or maybe it The state song, "Suwannee River". The state motto is: “In God we trust.”
1845-A man elected without a party, known as “outcast president” and considered a weak candidate in his last efforts as president is the first to have his veto over-ridden by Congress. He was a compromise candidate for vice- president and became president after William Henry Harrison died of pneumonia on April 4, one month after his inauguration. The veto matter concerned “ an act relating to revenue cutters and steamers,” which provided that no revenue cutter could be built without prior appropriation. President John Tyler vetoed the bill on February 20,1845, arguing that contracts for two revenue cutters had already been arranged, one with a firm in Richmond, VA, and another with a contractor in Pittsburgh, PA. the bill was reconsidered by the Senate and House on March 3, 1845. The Senate overrode the veto without debate by a vote of 41-12, and the House by a vote of 127-30. They didn't like President Tyler, to say the least.
http://www.americanpresident.org/presbios/assets/images/prezbkgd.gif
http://clerk.house.gov/images/bg2.gif
http://www.americanpresident.org/KoTrain/Courses/JT/JT_In_Brief.htm
1847-Alexander Graham Bell birthday, inventor of the telephone, born at Edinburgh, Scotland. Bell acquired his interest in the transmission of sound from his father, Melville Bell, a teacher of the deaf. Bell's use of visual devices to each articulation to the deaf contributed to the theory from which he derived the principle of the vibration membrane used in the telephone. On March 10, 1976, Bell spoke the first electrically transmitted sentence to his assistant in the next room: “Mr. Watson, come here, I want you.” Bell's other accomplishments include a refinement of Edison's phonograph, the first successful phonograph record and the audiometer, and he continued exploring the nature and causes of deafness. He died near Baddeck, Nova Scotia, Canada, Aug. 2, 1922
1853-A transcontinental railroad survey was authorized by Congress. $150,000 was appropriated to find the most practical railroad route across the country. The survey was to be conduced by the War Department. The iron rails of the railroads were weaving a network of lines around the nation at an ever greater rate. In the 1850 there were about 9000 miles of track, by 1860 more than 30,000. The Pennsylvania Railroad connected Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in 1852. The New York Central came into being in 1853, combining seven short lines between Albany and Buffalo, N.Y., into one. On January 12, 1853, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad began rail service to Wheeling, W.Va., from Baltimore. Rail service between New York and Chicago was available, although not in one continuous line. In 1856 the Illinois Central became the longest railroad in the world, with 700 miles of main line track. The Illinois Central was also the first railroad to which the federal government granted large tracts of public land as a subsidy; it was given 3,736,000 acres.
1859-Over 400 men, women and children formerly held by Pierce M. Butler as “slaves” were auctioned in order to pay debts incurred in gambling and the financial crash of 1857-58. Journalist Q. K. Philander Doesticks (Mortimer Thomas) attended the two day sale and wrote about it : “What Became of the Slaves on a Georgia Plantation?,” includes vivid descriptions of the largest “recorded” slave auction in U.S. history. Many of the slave owners in the South had upwards of 40 and 50 slaves who were basically farm labor(plantation.) When the Confederate States of America formed and wrote their constitution, it was made perfectly clear the purpose of the government was to insure slavery was legal in this new sovereign nation.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar03.html
1862- General Pope lays siege in front of New Madrid, Missouri, captures the city in an effort to control the supply route of the Confederates on the Mississippi River.
http://new-madrid.mo.us/riverview.html
http://www.civilwarhome.com/summarynewmadrid.htm
http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/mo/mo012.html
1863-President Abraham Lincoln approved the “ National Academy of Science,” with the mission “to investigate, examine, experiment and report on any subject of science," with experiments and reports paid for by government appropriations.
1863-The Territory of Idaho was carved from four existing territories: Washington, Utah, Dakota, and Nebraska. It included the later states of Montana and Wyoming.
1863-A conscription act, first in the nation's history, was passed by Congress. It called for registration of all male citizens between 20 and 45 years of age and aliens in the same age bracket who had declared their intention of becoming citizens. Conscripts could be exempted from military service by payment of $300 or by providing a substitute.
1863 - Free delivery of mail in cities was authorized by the United States Postal Service.
1865-- Freedman's Bureau created. President Lincoln signs a bill creating the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands. Known as the Freedmen's Bureau, this federal agency oversaw the difficult transition of blacks from slavery to freedom. The Freedman's Bureau was born out of abolitionist concern for freed slaves during the war. Union General Oliver O. Howard served as commissioner for the entire seven years of the bureau's existence. The bureau was given power to dispense relief to both white and black refugees in the South, to provide medical care and education, and to redistribute "abandoned" lands to former slaves. The latter task was probably the most effective measure to ensure the prosperity and security of the freedmen, but it was also extremely difficult to enact. Many factors stymied the bureau's work. White southerners were very hostile to the Yankee bureau members, and even more hostile to the freedmen. Terror organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan targeted both blacks and whites and intimidated those trying to improve the lives of the freedmen. The bureau lacked the necessary funds and personnel to carry out its programs, and the lenient policies of Andrew Johnson's administration encouraged resistance. The compromise of John Tyler's election killed all such programs in the south.
http://freedmensbureau.com/
1865-The first bank for freed African-American slaves was the Freeman's Savings and Trust Company, for the Negro, chartered by Congress. A central bank was established in Washington, DC, with branches n 34 cities. The bank was in operation about eight years, during which time it received deposits amounted to $57 million. The depreciation in security values due to the panic of 1873 caused the trustees to vote to close the bank, the affairs of which were placed in the hands of three commissioners. A CD-rom has been made of bank records which give a rich history of the depositors and their families.” The record of Abner Binford Smith, for example, shows the bank location and date, his parents' names, place of birth, complexion ("very light") and current residence. You also learn he was a 10-year-old boy who "goes to school." Like Abner's parents, John and Mary, many names in the database are incomplete since slaves may not have had surnames. And don't be surprised to find a lot of blank fields— information varies wildly from record to record. You might also discover the name of the plantation, master and mistress, military information and occupation. When looking for African-American ancestors in this database, keep in mind that the Freedman's Bank's 37 branches operated in larger cities in the South, as well as a few Northern cities such as New York and Philadelphia.” There are also many libraries with copies on microfilm and cd-rom. You may find it at your library, or request it.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~fltgs/freedmans.html
http://www.familytreemagazine.com/articles/aug01/freedmancd.html
1877- Garrett Morgan, prolific Black inventor, born. He patented two life- saving inventions, the Safety Hood (an early gas mask) and the first three-way traffic signal. He was also an active campaigner for the rights and welfare of black people. Died July 27,1963.
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/collections/exhiblets/morgan/start.asp
http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1624.htm
1879-The first lawyer who was a woman to be admitted to practice before the Supreme Court was Belva Ann Bennett Lockwood.
1893-Avant-garde artist Beatroce Wood born. She exhibited with the Dada movement but is best known for her ceramics. She had painted oils for years in the Dada style before turning to ceramics in order to match a missing teapot. In addition to pottery, she sculpted in ceramic clay. Her ceramic sculptures were in a whimsical, sensual style. She developed her own distinctive colors and color schemes. She lived to 105 working and painting her pottery daily past 100. Her home west of Los Angeles became a museum-like during his lifetime as hundreds visited daily to view her art. Wood's ceramics are displayed in the permanent collections of major U.S. museums, including the Smithsonian and New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as museums worldwide. Part of her very unconventional love life became the inspiration for the fiction novel (and movie) Jules et Jim written by Henri-Pierre Roche.
1895-Matthew Bunker Ridgway birthday, American Army officer, born at Fort Monrow, VA. As major general commanding the newly formed 82 nd Airborne Division, he led it in the invasion of Sicily in July, 1943 and the invasion of the Italian mainland in 1944. Ridgway replaced Macarthur as commander of the US Eighth Army in Korea in 1951 and succeeded Eisenhower as Supreme Allied Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1952. He became US Army Chief of Staff in 1953. Ridgway died at Fox Chapel, P, July 26, 1993.
1906—Clarinetist Barney Bigard Birthday
http://www.redhotjazz.com/bigard.html
http://atj.8k.com/noartist/atjbigard.html
http://www.worldofgramophones.com/barneybigard.html
This is one of Barney Bigard and Louis Armstrong's best albums:
http://www.buybestmusic.com/reviews1/B000002ADP.html
1911-The first Federal cemetery to contain graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers was opened in Springfield, MO, by act of Congress. Part of it was formerly a Confederate cemetery, maintained by the state of Missouri, which deeded it to the federal government on June 21, 1911. A stone wall separates the graves of the Confederate troops from those of the Union soldiers. The cemetery contains over 3,100 graves.
1911-actress Jean Harlow birthday, Hollywood's first blonde sexpot. Although her film roles always posed her as being able to hold her own with men in a worldly-wise manner, in reality she was a dependent person who was abused. Her fatal liver ailment at age 26 resulted from an earlier beating by a lover. Her striking, frankly sexual beauty radiated on the screen and directors lit her with high spots to emphasize her platinum blond hair.
http://www.jeanharlow.com/
1913- National American Woman Suffrage Association parade held in Washington, D.C., on the day before Woodrow Wilson's inauguration turned into a near riot when people in the crowd began jeering and shoving the marchers. The 5,000 women and their supporters were spit upon, struck in the face and pelted with burning cigar stubs while police looked on and made no effort to intervene. Soldiers had to be called to restore order.
1915 - The now-famous film, "Birth of a Nation", debuted in New York City. The motion picture brought Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh and Wallace Reid to the silver screen in what has frequently been called the greatest silent film ever produced. A 40-piece orchestra accompanied the silent film. The movie, at 2 hours and 40 minutes, was unusually long for its day and used revolutionary filmmaking techniques, including editing, multiple camera angles, and close-ups. However, the film, originally entitled The Clansman, was denounced by the NAACP for its negative portrayal of African Americans. His next picture, “ Intolerance” (1916), took two years to make and featured a complex, interwoven plot examining racism, prejudice, and injustice throughout history. He used much of his own money to finance the $2.5 million film, and its failure ruined him financially. His career foundered for several years after that.
1917---From a flat tax to a new tax levied by Congress on excess profits of corporations, passed this day, an “act to provide increased revenue to defray the expenses of the increased appropriations of the army and navy and the extension of fortifications.” The act provided for taxation of the profits of all corporations in excess of 7 to 9 percent of the capital. The rates were 15 percent; 35 percent of the excess from 15 to 25 percent; 35 percent on the excess from 25 percent to 33 percent and 60 percent on the excess above 33 percent (and this was before depreciation or any other “tax write off.”
The act was repealed by the Revenue Act of 19178, approved on October 3, 1917
1923-Guitarist Arthel “Doc” Watson born Deep Cap, NC
http://www.merlefest.org/DocsBiography.htm
http://www.docsguitar.com/biography.html
1923-Time Magazine first published. The magazine was founded by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden.
http://www.univie.ac.at/Schroedinger/3_96/time01.htm
http://www.time.com/time/
1926-Pulitzer Prize-winning poet James Merrill is born in New York . Merrill was the son of financier Charles Merrill, who founded the brokerage Merrill-Lynch. Merrill served as an Army infantryman during World War II and graduated from Amherst College in 1947. He became one of the most highly regarded poets of his time. Merrill's parents divorced in 1939. The divorce provided him with rich material for many poems, including "Broken Home." Much of his work was autobiographical and explored his family relationships, privileged upbringing, and homosexuality. His poems appeared in Poetry and the Kenyon Review, and his debut book, First Poems, was published in 1951. Thanks to a large trust fund, Merrill traveled widely and owned houses in Greece and Connecticut. In 1966, Merrill won the National Book Award for Nights and Days. A decade later, he published Divine Comedies, which won the 1977 Pulitzer Prize. Divine Comedies was the first in a trilogy of ambitious, book-length poems, some of which were written with the assistance of a Ouija board. He published 12 books of poetry and also wrote plays and novels. A final collection of poems was published after he died of a heart attack in Tucson, Arizona, in 1995.
1927-Bluesman Herman (Junior) Parker was born in West Memphis, Arkansas. Influenced and aided early in his career by Sonny Boy Williamson, Parker cut his first records for the Sun label in 1952. His"Feelin' Good" hit the r'n'b top ten the following year. And Elvis Presley recorded Parker's "Mystery Train" for Sun in 1955. Parker later took his modern country blues to Duke Records, where he had his biggest hit in 1962 - "Annie Get Your Yo-Yo." Junior Parker died November 18, 1971 following eye surgery.
http://www.eharmonica.net/herman_parker.htm
http://www.oldies.com/artist/index.cfm/id/294.html AR
1930 - Bert Lahr from "The Wizard of Oz" and Kate "God Bless America" Smith starred in the opening of "Flying High" at the Apollo Theatre in New York City. The show ran 45 weeks at what is now America's most famous black entertainment theatre.
1931 - On Brunswick Records, Cab Calloway and his orchestra recorded "Minnie the Moocher" for the first time. The song was featured in the 1980 motion picture, "The Blues Brothers", starring John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd. 1931 - The Star-Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key, became the official national anthem of the United States. Despite the fact millions sing the anthem prior to sporting events, civic club meetings, and other public gatherings, it is ranked as the most difficult national anthem on the planet to sing.
1931-- The US Congress recognized Star Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key, as the official national anthem. Despite the fact that millions sing (in a manner of speaking) the anthem before sporting events, civic club meetings and other public atherings, it is still ranked as the most difficult national anthem on earth to sing. While´s Key´s lyrics reflected an enduring sentiment of America during war time of 1812, with its "rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air" over Fort McHenry at Baltimore, MD; the melody goes against most everything musical and the words themselves are quite difficult to remember -- especially those following the first erse.Originally an English drinking song, To Anacreon in Heaven, the melody is next to impossible for most people to sing. Amateur singers embarrass themselves as they attempt to hit the high notes at the end of the song. They do this in the shower and at community events; while professional opera singers and pop music stars go flat, or forget the words, in front of national television audiences. Performers such as Robert Morley, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, Jose Feliciano, Ray Charles and others have had difficulties in musically translating the nation´s anthem. Almost from the moment the song was adopted officially, there has been movement to bring about change. Many would like to see America the Beautiful become the U.S. national anthem.
1934-Bass player Jimmy Garrison born Miami ,FL, He died on April 7, 1976, in New York.
http://www.downbeat.com/artists/window.asp?aid=301
http://www.garrisonjazz.com/Jimmy%20Garrison.html
1934 -- John Dillinger escapes prison with fake wooden pistol
http://www.geocities.com/hydey6/bio.html
1937-Benny Goodman Band opens at Paramount Theater to tumultuous response.
1938-Drummer Gene Krupa plays last date with Benny Goodman, Earle Theatre, Philladelphia,PA.
1938 - A world record was set for the indoor mile run at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, when Glenn Cunningham went the distance in 4 minutes, 4.4 seconds.
1939 - A new craze swept college campuses starting at Harvard University. The fad was goldfish swallowing.
1940-Clarinetist Artie Shaw records “Frenesi,” Hollywood, Ca.
1943-The state of Georgia lowered the lection law to 18 with an amendment to the state constitution. It was approved by popular vote on August 4, 1943, but a 3 to 1 majority. The first election held under this law took place on November 7, 1944. The national voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971, when the 26 th amendment to the Constitution was ratified by the required number of states. It became law on July 5,1971.
1949-- Tucker Folds. While my father Lawrence Menkin plays a small part in the Movie “Tucker,” the man behind the pharmacy counter who serves sodas to Tucker (Francis Ford Coppola was a fan of his “Captain Video,”) the movie was far from what really happened. It is true that after the war there were several new car manufacturers from Ramble to the one founded by Preston “P.T. Tucker.” His car did feature a third headline that rotated with the axle, a “bomb shelter” in the backseat, disk brakes, six exhaust pipes and went from zero to sixty in ten seconds, reaching 120 mph as if it were a race care. It was the prototype, but it never made it to the marketplace as “P.T.” was indicted with thirty-one counts of investment fraud by the Security Exchange Commission. He did produce 51 prototypes, but they never made it to market as the Tucker Corporation went into receivership this day. He wasn't called “P.T.” for nothing.
1950---Top Hits
Dear Hearts and Gentle People - Bing Crosby
There's No Tomorrow - Tony Martin
Music, Music, Music - Teresa Brewer
Chatanoogie Shoe Shine Boy - Red Foley
1951-"Mr. Wizard premiered on television. Don Herbert explained the mysteries of science while performing experiments in front of wide-eyed children, such as myself.
1955 - A truck driver from Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis Aron Presley made his television debut on "Louisiana Hayride". This signaled promoters to send Elvis to New York City where he auditioned for Arthur Godfrey's "Talent Scouts" program. Talent coordinators and Godfrey passed on Elvis appearing on the show. Soon after, he was kicked out of the Grand Ole Opry and told to "go back to driving a truck." In a little over a year, the United States was caught up in Presley-mania.
1957-At the world figure skating championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.,Carol Heiss won the women's singles title and David Jenkins won the men's singles.
1958---Top Hits
Don't/I Beg of You - Elvis Presley
A Wonderful Time Up There/It's Too Soon to Know - Pat Boone
Tequila - The Champs
Ballad of a Teenage Queen - Johnny Cash
1959-- By a vote taken in both bodies, the Unitarian Church and the Universalist Church, along with their fellowships __ the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America merged into a single denomination.
http://www.uua.org/
1959 - The San Francisco Giants baseball team's new home was officially named Candlestick Park. The name was picked in a contest. The contest winner didn't have to look hard, as the National League's least favorite stadium is a few hundred feet from Candlestick Point, on San Francisco Bay.A scandal of the day, developer Haney donated the land to the city with the stipulation that the new park be named Haney Park. But he kept the parking lot, and the city didn't like that, so would not name the new park after him In 1995, Candlestick Park was changed to 3COMM Park, after a small, local computer software developer bid half-million dollars for the rights to the stadium name. After the contract expired and the Dot.com craze had come to a screeching halt, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors did not want to sell the name, even though they had had several offers of $500,000 a year. One of the concerns was the fact the baseball park called Pac Bell Park was to have its name changed, as the lessee of the name had changes its name to Monster Park today.
1962-Jacqueline (Jackie) Joyner-Kersee, Olympic gold medal hepathlete, born East St. Louis, Il. She is the first athlete to win back-to-back gold medals in the Olympic Heptathlons (seven events-the 200-meter dash, 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump, javelin throw, and 800-meter run- held over a two-day period). In 1988 she set a new world record in the Heptathlon and earned the title "World's Greatest Female Athlete." She won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals over four consecutive Olympic Games. By 1996, past her prime and injured with a bad hamstring, JKJK was still able to reach down inside herself for one last attempt at Olympics glory, saying, "I had the rest of my life to recover." She ignored the pain to make the third longest long jump in the competition and add a Bronze as her sixth Olympic medal.
1965 - Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Eleanor Parker starred in the film adaptation of the popular Broadway hit, "The Sound of Music". The musical, about the Trapp Family, was a hit on the Great White Way for over three years and one of the most popular motion pictures of all time. The movie brought instant stardom for Miss Andrews, who went on to star in other singing roles in the theatre, on television, in
1966---Top Hits
These Boots are Made for Walkin' - Nancy Sinatra
The Ballad of the Green Berets - SSgt Barry Sadler
My World is Empty Without You - The Supremes
Waitin' in Your Welfare Line - Buck Owens movies and as a popular recording artist.
1966- Canadian Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay, Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer formed Buffalo Springfield in Los Angeles. The group laid the groundwork for country rock, and several members later found success in Poco and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. When Buffalo Springfield started, it was the house band for the influential Los Angeles nightspot "Whiskey A Go Go". Stephen Stills's composition, "For What It's Worth," gave the band its biggest hit in 1967. Before Buffalo Springfield's third album was released in 1968, the group had broken up, partly because of disagreements between Stills and Neil Young.
1966 - ‘Lightnin' Lou Christie was got a gold record "Lightnin' Strikes". Christie was born Lugee Sacco, and joined The Classics before making his first recording in 1960. In 1961, he recorded as Lugee & The Lions until becoming Lou Christie for a string of hits in 1963. Other songs from Christie's Top 40 appearances include: "The Gypsy Cried", "Two Faces Have I", "Rhapsody in the Rain" and "I'm Gonna Make You Mine". He had a falsetto voice, similar to Frankie Valli's of The Four Seasons. "Lightnin' Strikes" was his only million seller.
1966 - A tornado hit Jackson, MS, killing 54 persons.
1968 -- The Grateful Dead leave the Haight district in San Francisco with a farewell concert before relocating to Marin County.
1969 - The three-man Apollo 9 spacecraft was launched from Cape Kennedy; the main aim of its 10-day flight was to test the lunar module in Earth's orbit.
1971-- U.S. 5th Special Forces Group withdraws. The U.S. Army's 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) departs South Vietnam. The Special Forces were formed to organize and train guerrilla bands behind enemy lines. President John F. Kennedy, a strong believer in the potential of the Special Forces in counterinsurgency operations, had visited the Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg to review the program and authorized the Special Forces to wear the headgear that became their symbol, the Green Beret. Some of my best friends were in this unit and we trained together. The 5th Group was sent to Vietnam in October 1964 to assume control of all Special Forces operations in Vietnam. Prior to this time, Green Berets had been assigned to Vietnam only on temporary duty. The primary function of the Green Berets in Vietnam was to organize the Civilian Irregular Defense Groups (CIDG) among South Vietnam's Montagnard population. The Montagnards--"mountain people" or "mountaineers"--were a group of indigenous people from several tribes, such as the Rhade, Bru, and Jarai, who lived mainly in the highland areas of Vietnam. These tribes were recruited to guard camps in the mountainous border areas against North Vietnamese infiltration. At the height of the war the Green Berets oversaw 84 CIDG camps with more than 42,000 CIDG strike forces and local militia units. The CIDG program ended in December 1970 with the transfer of troops and mission to the South Vietnamese Border Ranger Command. The Green Berets were withdrawn as part of the U.S. troop reductions in Vietnam.
1974---Top Hits
Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
Spiders & Snakes - Jim Stafford
Boogie Down - Eddie Kendricks
Another Lonely Song - Tammy Wynette
1980 - A coastal storm produced 25 inches of snow at Elizabeth City, NC, and 30 inches at Cape Hatteras NC. At Miami FL the mercury dipped to 32 degrees.
1982-The re-formed Mammas and the Pappas, with original members John Phillips and Denny Doherty joined by Phillips' daughter MacKenzie and Spanky McFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang, play the first show of their brief reunion tour. Although Mama Cass Elliot has been dead for almost ten years, they do not change the lyrics to "Creeque Alley" which goes "No one's getting fat except Mama Cass."
1982---Top Hits
Centerfold - The J. Geils Band
Open Arms - Journey
Shake It Up - The Cars
Lord, I Hope This Day is Good - Don Williams
1983 - The last of a series of storms to strike the California coast finally came to an end. Waves fifteen to twenty feet high pounded the coast for two days, and in a four day period up to 18 inches of rain drenched the Los Angeles and Santa Barbara area. On the morning of the first, thunderstorms spawned two tornadoes which moved through the Los Angeles area.
1984-Peter V. Ueberroth elected Commissioner: Major league baseball owners elected Peter V. Ueberroth, president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organzing Committee, to be Commissioner of Baseball to succeed Bowie Kuhn. Ueberroth assumed his duties after his responsibilities with the Olympics were finished, and he remained in office through March 31, 1989.
1985- " Moonlighting, " with Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis premiers. The show frequently broke with a formula by using the how-within-a-show technique, having characters directly address the camera.
1985 - Kevin McHale of the University of Minnesota set a Boston Celtics scoring record this night as he poured in 56 points in a 138-129 win over the Detroit Pistons.
1985-Willie Shoemaker became the first jockey to pass the $100 million mark in career earnings by ridding Lord at War to victory in the Santa Anita Handicap.
1985-“Moonlight” premiered on TV. Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis starred in ABC's comedy-adventure hour with Allyce Beasley as rhyming receptionist Agnes DiPesto. The premise: former model Maddie Hayes (Shepherd) discovers that the Blue Moon Detective Agency is her only remaining asset after her business manager embezzled her wealth. After deciding to keep the agency, she and her sparring partner, wisecracking detective David Addison ( Willis), go off on a series of madcap adventures. The show frequently broke with formula by using the show-within-a-show technique, having characters directly address the camera, shooting sequences in black and white or by going completely off-concept ( as in an episode based on Shakespeare's “The Taming of the Shrew.”) Last telecast on May 14, 1989, the show foundered due to personality conflicts and production delays.
1989 - Wintry weather prevailed from the southern Rockies to the Upper Great Lakes. Neguanee MI received 19 inches of snow, and up to 24 inches of snow blanketed Colorado. Blizzard conditions were reported in Minnesota.
1990---Top Hits
Escapade - Janet Jackson
Dangerous - Roxette
Roam - The B-52's
No Matter How High - The Oak Ridge Boys
1991-Video catches Los Angeles Police Brutality: At 12:45 a.m. robbery parolee Rodney G. King stops his car after leading police on a nearly 8-mile pursuit through the streets of Los Angeles, California. The chase began after King, who was intoxicated, was caught speeding on a freeway by a California Highway Patrol cruiser but refused to pull over. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) cruisers and a police helicopter joined the pursuit, and when King was finally stopped by Hansen Dam Park, several police cars descended on his white Hyundai. A group of LAPD officers led by Sergeant Stacey Koon ordered King and the other two occupants of the car to exit the vehicle and lie flat on the ground. King's two friends complied, but King himself was slower to respond, getting on his hands and knees rather than lying flat. Officers Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Ted Briseno, and Roland Solano tried to force King down, but he resisted, and the officers stepped back and shot King twice with an electric stun gun known as a Taser, which fires darts carrying a charge of 50,000 volts. At this moment, civilian George Holliday, standing on a balcony in an apartment complex across the street, focused the lens of his new video camera on the commotion unfolding by Hansen Dam Park. In the first few seconds of what would become a very famous 89-second video, King is seen rising after the Taser shots and running in the direction of Officer Powell. The officers alleged that King was charging Powell, while King himself later claimed that an officer told him, "We're going to kill you, nigger. Run!" and he tried to flee. All the arresting officers were white, along with all but one of the other two dozen or so law enforcement officers present at the scene. With the roar of the helicopter above, very few commands or remarks are audible in the video. With King running in his direction, Powell swung his baton, hitting him on the side of the head and knocking him to the ground. This action was captured by the video, but the next 10 seconds were blurry as Holliday shifted the camera. From the 18- to 30-second mark in the video, King attempted to rise, and Powell and Wind attacked him with a torrent of baton blows that prevented him from doing so. From the 35- to 51-second mark, Powell administered repeated baton blows to King's lower body. At 55 seconds, Powell struck King on the chest, and King rolled over and lay prone. At that point, the officers stepped back and observed King for about 10 seconds. Powell began to reach for his handcuffs.At 65 seconds on the video, Officer Briseno stepped roughly on King's upper back or neck, and King's body writhed in response. Two seconds later, Powell and Wind again began to strike King with a series of baton blows, and Wind kicked him in the neck six times until 86 seconds into the video. At about 89 seconds, King put his hands behind his back and was handcuffed.Sergeant Koon never made an effort to stop the beating, and only one of the many officers present briefly intervened, raising his left arm in front of a baton-swinging colleague in the opening moments of the videotape, to no discernible effect. An ambulance was called, and King was taken to the hospital. Struck as many as 56 times with the batons, he suffered a fractured leg, multiple facial fractures, and numerous bruises and contusions. Unaware that the arrest was videotaped, the officers downplayed the level of violence used to arrest King and filed official reports in which they claimed he suffered only cuts and bruises "of a minor nature."George Holliday sold his video of the beating to the local television station, KTLA, which broadcast the footage and sold it to the national Cable News Network (CNN). The widely broadcast video caused outrage around the country and triggered a national debate on police brutality. Rodney King was released without charges, and on March 15 Sergeant Koon and officers Powell, Wind, and Briseno were indicted by a Los Angeles grand jury in connection with the beating. All four were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and excessive use of force by a police officer. Though Koon did not actively participate in the beating, as the commanding officer he was charged with aiding and abetting it. Powell and Koon were also charged with filing false reports. Because of the uproar in Los Angeles surrounding the incident, the judge, Stanley Weisberg, was persuaded to move the trial outside Los Angeles County to Simi Valley in Ventura County. On April 29, 1992, the 12-person jury, which included 10 whites and no African Americans, issued its verdicts: not guilty on all counts, except for one assault charge against Powell that ended in a hung jury. The acquittals touched off rioting and looting in Los Angeles that grew into the most destructive U.S. civil disturbance of the 20th century. In three days of violence, more than 50 people were killed, more than 2,000 were injured, and nearly $1 billion in property was destroyed. On May 1, President George H. Bush ordered military troops and riot-trained federal officers to Los Angeles to quell the riot.Under federal law, the officers could also be prosecuted for violating Rodney King's constitutional rights, and on April 17, 1993, a federal jury convicted Koon and Powell for violating King's rights by their unreasonable use of force under color of law. Although Wind and Briseno were acquitted, most civil rights advocates considered the mixed verdict a victory. On August 4, Koon and Powell were sentenced to two and a half years in prison for the beating of King. Unfortunately Rodney King was arrested again for drunk driving as he was evidently an alcoholic.
1991-- Arthur Murray (Moses Teichman) died (yes, the famous dance teacher was our Bob Teichman, CLP, uncle.
1994- Barbra Streisand auctioned off part of her art collection for $5.7-million. The highest price paid at the New York sale was $1.98-million for "Adam and Eve," a 1932 Art Deco painting by Tamara de Lempicka. That was a nice profit for Streisand. She had paid $135,000 for the work a decade earlier.
1996- Apple decided to kill eWorld. It was an online service, which was launched on January 5, 1994 and the first high-profile decision by Apple's new chairman and CEO, Gilbert Amelio, hired earlier in the year (quite a wine collector.) Its share of the global PC market had plunged to about 7.8 percent from 25 percent in 1984. It continued to go down, but has always had a very strong, dedicated following such as BMW drivers possess, perhaps more so.
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Winter Poem
We've Only Just Begun
by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols
We've only just begun to live,
White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and we're on our way.
And yes, We've just begun.
Before the rising sun we fly,
So many roads to choose
We start our walking and learn to run.
And yes, We've just begun.
Sharing horizons that are new to us,
Watching the signs along the way,
Talking it over just the two of us,
Working together day to day
Together.
And when the evening comes we smile,
So much of life ahead
We'll find a place where there's room to grow,
And yes, We've just begun.
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