Leasing News

Western Association of Equipment Leasing July Seattle Regional Workshops---‘Anatomy of a Lease: How to Make Things Go Right that Sometimes Go Wrong”---received enthusiastic acclaim from the more than 200 member and guests who attended. , Bob Jacobson, Tri-Continental Leasing Corp., Sunnyvale, CA, makes his presentation.

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Shown above are panelists Steve Gilyeart, Esq. Torbenson, Thatcher, Yung, Blacklow & Gilyeart; Jacobson; Larry Blazek, Pentek Leasing, Inc., San Jose, CA; and Bob Wright, Colonial-Pacific Leasing Co., Clackamas, OR. Below, attendees in Seattle concentrate on

the material.

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September, 1984, WAEL Newsline

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Classified Ads----Leasing Industry Attorneys

( These attorneys have much experience in representing all sides regarding

leasing and financing.)

California - statewide: CA "ELA"

5-attorney creditors rights law firm, in biz 25 yrs +, specialize all aspects of creditor representation. Primarily represent equipment lessors & funders, plus collection and creditor rep. in bankruptcy. Email:phemar@hemar.com

California - statewide: Encino, CA. "ELA"

24 Attorney AV-rated Law firm representing the Leasing Industry for over 25 Years. We specialize in Lease-enforcement, collection and representation in Bankruptcy Court. email:sjenkins@hemar-rousso.com

Los Angeles -statewide: CA "ELA "

Practice limited to collections, bankruptcy and problem accounts resolution. Decades of experience. 10-lawyer firm dedicated to serving you. Call Ronald Cohn, Esq. (818)591-2121 or email. Email: rrcohn@aol.com

NY Metro and National: Hackensack, NY

Attorney specializing in equipment lease matters for at least 10 years with a 50-State operating network of attorneys experienced in leasing matters. Email:wuscher@uqur.com "ELA"

National: http://www.leaselawyer.com/

Full staff of attorneys and legal assistants work with Group Leader Barry S. Marks to ensure prompt, cost-effective responses to client needs: Email:bsm@blik.com

Northern California - Statewide: CA "EAEL" "ELA" San Francisco expertise at San Rafael, CA prices; practice limited to equipment leasing and finance with 22 years experience, testimonials. Ken Greene, Esq. 415-721-7900 kgreene100@aol.com

(If you are an attorney who specializes in the leasing industry, and belong

to a leasing association, post information for readers and their clients to

employ your services at: http://65.209.205.32/LeasingNews/PostingFormAttorney.htm

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Leasing News eMail Edition Up-Grade

The second group of the “45 Day Free” trial is up. Our up-grade allows

readers to click on the headline and go to the story directly, view pictures,

plus access the website with the click on the mouse.

The free “text version” where you scroll to the stories is sent out early

morning, and the up-grade, what we call the “html” version is sent

out at 8am, California time.

http://www.leasingnews.org/addme-mailing-list.htm

The subscription is $49.95, and goes to the attorney bills we pay

to print facts that some people do not want divulged. Last year,

we had over $300,000 returned by brokers and leasing companies

taken as “deposits” or “advance rentals.” While we made many

lessees, and vendors happy, we also created some enemies; some

have sued us for printing the “alert” or “complaint.”

Leasing News 2002 Complaints Bulletin Board Year-End Report

http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/LN_2002_BB_Complaints.htm

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Abacus Leasing Sues Leasing News—up-date

http://www.utdallas.edu/police/wavs/DragnetJob.WAV

Paul I. Perlman of Hodgson Russ Attorneys, LLP, Buffalo, New York was hired to present our side as to the posting of the Bulletin Board Complaint.

We have received a Judge assignment (Judge Donna Siwek) and the date for the oral argument of the motion was to be May 8, 2003 at 9:30 a.m. in the County of Erie, New York.

At the time, we offered to try and settle the matter in an amicable manner,

as we did ask Matthew Burke to present his side or to find a channel

to remove Leasing News from the dispute as we were only reporting

on the facts received. An extension by the attorneys representing

Abacus requested a two-week extension, which was granted until May 22.

http://www.utdallas.edu/police/wavs/Dragnetfreeze.WAV

Readers not familiar with the story, please go here:

http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/abacus.htm

http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/abacus-letter.htm

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Z Resource Major Acquisition

Z Resource Captive Services, a subsidiary of Z Resource Group, has completed the purchase of certain assets from a NYSE traded firm for the acquisition of an operating division that provides staffing solutions to the captive vendor marketplace, Larry Hartman, Managing Director said. Hartman headed Rockford Industries for 18 years, before its sale to American Express.

"We are bound by confidentiality in our sale agreement, " he explained." I cannot name either of the two parties."

The business unit reportedly employs over 50 people and provides staffing and administrative services to one of the world’s premier technology firms. As part of the transaction, William Vinnicombe, who has been responsible for this business unit for the past 5 ½ years, will join Z Resource Captive Services as the President and CEO and will operate in San Jose, California. Before joining the firm, he worked for American Express managing and developing large captive vendor relationships (perhaps that is the division acquired. Mr. Vinnicome would not

deny nor confirm.)

The goals of this unit are to continue to support the existing client relationships with Z Resource Captive Services while developing additional growth opportunities within Z Resource Group’s recruiting and consulting space.

Larry Hartmann, Managing Director of Z Resource Group, stated,"We are very pleased to complete the acquisition of this business unit. The core functions provided by this unit are aligned nicely with our value proposition in the recruiting and staffing markets. Having Bill Vinnicombe join our senior team arms us with another strong industry talent and an important West Coast presence.

"While these are tough times in financing and leasing for jobs, especially

recruiters, we specialize in niche marketplaces, where client engage

us for key administrative people, plus sales and retention."

Hartman described the marketplace as "...definitely a buyer's market.

When we look for a candidate, they now want to visit with seven or

more applicants...We try to focus on our client's needs and present

the best slate to them and this acquisition will help us tremendously."

William Vinnicombe, President, related, "I developed and managed this operating division over the past 5 ½ years. I look forward to continue servicing the needs of our major client with the 50+ valued employees. As we expand the scope of our offerings, it will be exciting to integrate Z's retained recruiting and consulting services with this business unit."

About Z Resource Group

Z Resource Group is recognized as one of the fastest growing Executive Search, Staffing and Consulting firms in the United States. The company is entering its fifth year of providing value added services to the financial services, health care and technology & telecommunications markets.

Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Z maintains branch offices in New York/New Jersey, downtown Philadelphia, Brentwood, Tennessee and in San Jose, California. For more information, Contact Larry Hartmann at 201-560-9900 or visit our web site at www.zrgroup.com. William Vinnicombe can be reached at 650-967-5376 or wvinnicombe@zrgroup.com

William Vinnicombe, President Z Resource Captive Services

Bill Vinnicombe is the President of Z Resource Captive Services, a subsidiary of Z Resource Group. Bill brings over 23 years of high technology captive finance and technology experience to the Z. Prior to joining Z, Bill worked for American Express managing and developing large captive vendor relationships Prior to the acquisition of Rockford Industries by American Express in 1999, Bill was the President of the Technology Finance Division at Rockford. This division specialized in providing consulting, staffing and funding services to a broad range of high technology companies, from start-ups to Fortune 100’s.

Prior to joining Rockford in 1996, Bill was the President of Newcourt Financial USA and was the first employee hired by Newcourt in the United States. Bill set the stage for future U.S. growth for Newcourt in his role at President of this unit. In his role, Bill was responsible for developing and implementing the business plan which established Newcourt as one of the premier customer lease financing funding sources in the U.S.

Bill was involved in the formation and management of Hewlett-Packard’s customer lease financing operation. This was followed by business development and sales management positions with GE Capital, US Leasing, and Chase Manhattan Leasing.

Bill is a graduate of the University of California, Davis with a BS degree in Agricultural Economics and Business Management. Bill also has an MBA degree in Accounting/Finance from the University of California, Los Angeles.

2014 Churton Avenue Suite A

Los Altos, California 94024

Tel: 650-967-5376

Email: wvinnicombe@zrgroup.com

http://www.zrgroup.com/images/larry_final.jpg

Larry Hartmann, Managing Partner

Larry joined the company in December 2001. For the past three years, Larry has been the Executive Vice President of American Express Business Finance with the responsibility for business development and sales. From 1984-1998, Larry was the founder of Rockford Industries, Inc. a Nasdaq traded specialty finance company which focused on providing specialized financing programs and sales support for the health care and information technology markets. While at Rockford, the company was recognized as an INC. 500 growth company. Later, the company received a major equity investment from Sun America Life Insurance, which led to a successful IPO and Nasdaq listing (NASDAQ: ROCF). At the time of the sale of the company to American Express, the company had total assets exceeding $250 Million and offices in 18 states. Additionally, Mr. Hartmann is an active trustee/ board member for the Equipment Leasing Association Foundation, a leading industry trade organization. Larry is a graduate of the Cal State Fullerton Business School.

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GlobalTech Portfolio Services and Tax Partners Form

Strategic Leasing Alliance

(Atlanta, Georgia )Tax Partners and GlobalTech Portfolio Services, a loan and lease service provider, announced today an alliance agreement under which GlobalTech clients can outsource their sales and use tax

compliance to Tax Partners. As part of the alliance,

GlobalTech has created a data interface that facilitates a

smooth and easy transition for Global Tech clients to use Tax

Partners. GlobalTech customers now have access to a full

range of outsourced back office functions, allowing them to

focus on their core competencies instead of administrative and

accounting tasks, including tax compliance.

"Lessors want and need to focus on what they do best -

originating leases and managing their leasing portfolio," said

John Richie, CEO of Taxpartners, "Both GlobalTech and Tax

Partners understand this and offer a complete back office

leasing solution for these companies. By providing an easy,

seamless way for lessors to reduce risk and increase control of

their compliance function, we are enabling our clients to focus

on their customers instead of on paying their taxes."

Please visit our website at www.taxpartners.com

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Cartoon---Audit

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ELFF Fund Raising Campaign

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation recently began its annual fund

raising campaign

In 2003, the Foundation continues its success in providing FREE studies and

reports you need to succeed! Some of our 2003 projects include:

* Development of IFC and State of the Industry Reports;

* Development of intellectual property leasing case studies for corporate

and academic use;

* Support of an interactive Internship Program;

* Publishing bi-annual issues of the Journal of Equipment Lease Financing;

* and ongoing research studies and analysis.

We hope to count on your corporate and individual support this year. To

make a contribution, simply link to the Foundation website at

http://www.leasefoundation.org/Gifts/ or mail a donation to: Equipment

Leasing and Finance Foundation, 4301 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 550 Arlington,

VA 22203. Foundation donors are recognized in many ways throughout the

year, including acknowledgement at ELA's Annual Convention.

Thank you for considering a generous contribution today!

Sincerely,

Lisa A. Levine

Executive Director

Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation

4301 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 550

Arlington, VA 22203

www.leasefoundation.org

703-527-8655

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DVI, Inc. Announces Memorandum of Understanding with De Lage Landen

JAMISON, Pa.----DVI, Inc. (NYSE:DVI), an independent healthcare financier, announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with De Lage Landen, a global provider of vendor finance programs to manufacturers and distributors of capital goods and services, with a view to forming a joint venture company to operate in the Asia/Pacific region.

It is anticipated that the joint venture company will commence operation in July 2003 and will focus exclusively on providing medical equipment financing throughout the Asia/Pacific region.

DVI will combine its established presence in the Asia/Pacific region, specialized knowledge and extensive relationships with medical equipment manufacturers with De Lage Landen. This is a wholly owned subsidiary of the global Netherlands based "AAA" rated Rabobank will bring vendor finance expertise in Healthcare thereby offering DVI the opportunity to provide its customers with comprehensive solutions.

Michael A. O'Hanlon, President and Chief Executive Officer of DVI, commented that the joint venture will be well positioned to take advantage of the emerging opportunities throughout the region.

De Lage Landen is an international provider of high-quality asset based financing products. The company, headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, has offices in 20 countries throughout Europe, the Americas, Australia and New Zealand.

De Lage Landen specializes in asset financing and vendor finance programs internationally, with a focus on the following industries: Agriculture & Food, Healthcare, Office Equipment, IT, Telecommunications and Material Handling & Construction Equipment. Domestically a broad range of leasing and trade finance services are distributed via local Rabobanks and directly to the market.

In 2002, De Lage Landen grew its net profit to $94 million and its balance sheet total to $12.9 billion. Additional information is available at www.delagelanden.com.

DVI is an independent specialty finance company for healthcare providers worldwide with $2.7 billion of managed net financed assets. The Company extends loans and leases to finance the purchase of diagnostic and other therapeutic medical equipment directly and through vendor programs. DVI also offers lines of credit for working capital backed by healthcare receivables in the United States.

CONTACT:

DVI, Inc.

John F. Schoenfelder, 877/219-1001

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Financial Federal Corporation Announces $200 Million Institutional Unsecured Term Financing

NEW YORK---Financial Federal Corporation (NYSE:FIF) announced that its major operating subsidiary, Financial Federal Credit Inc., issued $200 million of term debt to thirteen institutional investors; three of the investors are new to the Company's credit group.

The Company received $115 million and chose to delay funding on the remaining $85 million until June 30, 2003 to more closely match the maturities of existing term debt. The proceeds are expected to be used to repay debt and for general corporate purposes. The financing includes $112 million of fixed rate and $88 million of floating rate unsecured senior notes with principal due at maturity in five and seven years.

The Company has converted $62.5 million of the fixed rate notes to floating rate by entering into interest rate swaps with a large U.S. bank. The fixed rate notes were priced at 1.55% over comparable treasuries, and the floating rate notes and swaps are priced at 0.96% to 1.15% over three and six month LIBOR.

Financial Federal Corporation specializes in financing industrial and commercial equipment through installment sales and leasing programs for manufacturers, dealers and end users nationwide. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.financialfederal.com.

CONTACT:

Financial Federal Corporation

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Ofek Capital Corp. -OFCC- Reduces its Current Shares Outstanding by 8.25%

TORONTO----Ofek Capital Corp. (Pink Sheets:OFCC) has cancelled and brought back to the treasury 2,735,000 of their issued and outstanding common shares. The return represents approximately 8.25% of the Company's capital stock.

The Company notes this is a significant step in reducing shareholders dilution and enhancing shareholders value. Shareholders can be confident that Ofek Capital remains committed to significantly increasing shareholder value through acquisitions, streamlining profitability, reducing the number of shares outstanding, share buy back programs, senior exchange listings and full financial disclosure.

Ofek reiterates its commitment to pursue listing on the OTCBB and the BBX once it becomes available.

About Ofek Capital - http://www.OfekCapital.com

Ofek Capital is a North American financial services company that operates within the sub-prime lending and financing market. Ofek believes that the sub-prime market is the most lucrative niche in the financial services industry.

Ofek Capital subsidiaries include: AJM Leasing, Mortgage Bankers of North America, Venture Capital, and SecondaryMarkets.

-- Ofek leases used cars through its Ontario subsidiary, AJM

Leasing

-- Mortgage Bankers of North America, a California subsidiary,

anticipates offering traditional mortgage banking services in

24 states

-- Venture Capital Corp. is currently evaluating a number of

equity involvements, funding and investment prospects. Upon

completion of proper due diligence, Ofek will move forward

with Venture Capital selections and expects its choices to

enhance the Ofek balance sheet benefiting shareholder equity

and value

-- SecondaryMarkets, a California subsidiary, anticipates the

development of a proprietary, patent pending, automated

submission and lending approval software system. It will be

state-of-the-art and capable of generating immediate loan

approval from multiple loan providers

CONTACT:

Emerson Gerard Associates, West Palm Beach, Fla.

Jerry Jennings, 561/881-7318

mediareply@egaplus.com

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Chapman and Cutler and Gnazzo Thill Combine Forces To Grow Financial Services Law Firm; Unique Concentration

SAN FRANCISCO and CHICAGO--

Deal Enhances Firms' National Financial Legal Practice, Marks Chapman and Cutler's West Coast Entry

Chapman and Cutler, a leading financial services law firm, announced that it is joining forces with Gnazzo Thill, PC, a San Francisco-based law firm with a sophisticated finance practice. Gnazzo Thill, which was sought-after by several national full-service law firms, was attracted to Chapman and Cutler because of the firms' shared focus on the financial services marketplace. Gnazzo Thill's ten lawyers will enable Chapman and Cutler to step into an established office in San Francisco. The transaction is expected to become effective on June 1, 2003.

By adding a San Francisco presence, Chapman and Cutler enhances its ability to deliver a full spectrum of financially oriented legal services to world-class domestic and international banks, insurance companies, investment banks, other capital providers, issuers and governmental entities.

In joining Chapman and Cutler, the attorneys of Gnazzo Thill enhance their ability to offer clients an extended range of legal services relevant to finance transactions, including public finance, investment fund products, as well as bankruptcy and other financial related litigation.

"This expansion into the West Coast and the addition of the highly skilled attorneys of Gnazzo Thill strengthen our position as a national financial services law firm focused on providing clients the highest level of financial legal counsel," said Rick Cosgrove, Chief Executive Partner of Chapman and Cutler. "We are thrilled to partner with a firm that has the level of sophisticated financial experience that Gnazzo Thill possesses. Our expansion into the West Coast is a major step - but not the final step - in our plan to enhance our national presence."

"Our decision to join forces with Chapman and Cutler was based largely on our shared vision to continue offering clients a highly focused and sophisticated level of legal counsel in complex financial transactions," said Melanie Gnazzo, co-founder, Gnazzo Thill. "We have often competed with Chapman and Cutler in the past - now we can leverage our shared commitment to developing innovative legal strategies on behalf of clients that set prevailing standards in the financial services market."

The combination of the two firms provides a number of synergistic benefits, including:

-- Depth of expertise in complementary areas - Both firms boast a

strong focus in the areas of banking, leasing, structured

finance, tax and bankruptcy law. As a result, the combined

firm has deepened and expanded resources for providing legal

counsel on a comprehensive range of complex financial matters.

-- New opportunities in public finance - Chapman and Cutler is a

leading public finance law firm, overseeing a high volume of

municipal finance transactions annually. For 12 consecutive

years, the firm has ranked first in the nation in the total

number of transactions it has supervised as bond counsel. This

expansion into the West Coast provides a platform to expand

into California's large public finance market.

-- Enhanced client service - The transaction allows the combined

firm to better serve existing clients in a wide range of

financial legal services. In addition, the two firms share a

number of large institutional clients, allowing each firm to

further strengthen those long-standing relationships.

"This represents a major milestone in our firm's 90-year history, and we are extremely pleased with the partner we have found in Gnazzo Thill," said Cosgrove. "Perhaps what is most satisfying to me is the strong culture the two firms share. Both firms employ a philosophy based on putting clients first and creating a collaborative environment for our attorneys. As a result, we will become one firm with a common vision and unmatched experience in financial legal services."

About Chapman and Cutler

Since its founding in 1913, Chapman and Cutler has been focused on finance. The firm is one of the country's preeminent law firms in the areas of banking, bankruptcy, corporate finance, financial litigation, public finance and securities. The firm has consistently been recognized in the industry for developing innovative and practical solutions to complex financial law matters. Chapman and Cutler is headquartered in Chicago. Additional information can be obtained at www.chapman.com.

About Gnazzo Thill

Gnazzo Thill was founded in 1992 (as Giancarlo and Gnazzo) and engages exclusively in a transactional practice focused on finance law. The firm is highly regarded and has earned a national reputation for its work in the areas of commercial lending and leasing, corporate and structured finance, tax, restructuring and workout matters. Additional information can be obtained at www.gtfinancelaw.com.

CONTACT:

Chapman and Cutler

Rick Cosgrove, 312/845-3738

Steve Clark, 312/845-3799

Gnazzo Thill

Melanie Gnazzo, 415/541-0500

David Thill, 415/541-0500

Weber Shandwick Worldwide

John Corey, 312/640-6797

Aaron Schoenherr, 312/640-6775

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Spam Solutions Hard to Find

By Roy Mark, Internetnews.com

WASHINGTON -- An overflow crowd at the opening session of the Federal Trade Commission's Spam Forum Wednesday was quickly disabused of any notions that there are any simple answers to stopping the plague of unsolicited e-mail. The morning panelists, which included representatives from AOL, Microsoft and the Direct marketing Association (DMA), couldn't even agree on the definition of spam.

The only real point of agreement was that action is needed now before, as FTC Chairman Timothy J. Muris said, the flood of spam destroys the benefits of e-mail. What that action should be, however, was a contentious point.

U.S. Senators Conrad Burns (R.-Mont.) and Ron Wyden (D.-Ore) said strong federal legislation is ultimate solution, but Silicon Valley Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D.Calif.) urged a much lighter federal touch. Christine Gregoire, the Washington state attorney general, wanted to know why weaker federal laws should pre-empt tougher state sanctions. Other panelists sliced and diced proposed federal legislation into a host of conflicting opinions and approaches.

Burns and Wyden are the co-sponsors of the CAN SPAM Act (Controlling the Assault of Non- Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act), which calls for unsolicited e-mail marketing messages to have a valid return address. The legislation would also mandate e-mail marketers be required to remove customers from their mailing lists if requested.

The bill gives more legal ammunition for ISPs to take spammers to court, allows the FTC to impose fines, and gives state attorneys general the power to bring lawsuits.

Lofgren's proposed legislation is called the REDUCE Spam Act (Restrict and Eliminate Delivery of Unsolicited Commercial E-mail). The bill would create a bounty for the first person who reports a particular spammer and establishes criminal penalties for fraudulent spam. Lofgen also wants unsolicited e-mail to have labeled subject lines, such as ADV.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), who is speaking at the afternoon session, has proposed legislation to create a national "do-not-spam" registry under the FTC's auspices and would also force Internet advertisers to put an ADV tag in the subject line of any unsolicited piece of e- mail. Burns and Wyden's bill contains no subject line labeling requirement.

"Burns-Wyden is a good first step," said Brian Arbogast, corporate VP of Microsoft's Identity, Mobile and Partner Service Group. "We also need to give states and ISPs more private right of action and require ADV labeling."

Robert Weintzen, president of the DMA, which has long opposed legislation targeted at direct marketers, added, "We think Burns-Wyden is the way to go and we need to get on with it."

Gregoire, whose new state anti-spam law has survived a series of legal attacks, said Burns- Wyden "is not tough enough" and contains too many loopholes.

"If we allow a crazy quilt of state laws, the spammers will play the states off each other," Wyden said.

While most of the panelists and speakers supported subject line labeling, Weintzen's DMA said the proposal was the proverbial slippery slope.

"The DMA opposes laws that would require government to classify speech with specific language," the DMA said in a statement released Wednesday. "For example, if the government can force the use of ADV to signify advertisements, then couild it also force the REL for religious matter or POL for political or CHAR for subjects relating to charities?"

Just as the DMA opposed the national "Do Not Call" legislation, it's against Schumers "Do Not Mail" proposal.

"Proposals to create government-operated do-not-e-mail registries would fail to nab spammers," the DMA statement said. "In fact, such a list would only punish reputable marketers who would abide by it what illegitimate spammer is likely to run its list through a do-not-e-mail system."

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News Briefs--

Greenspan Upbeat About Economy

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62474-2003Apr30.html

Greenspan Says Tax Cut Is Not Needed for Growth

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/01/politics/01TAXE.html

Consumer confidence records biggest monthly gain since 1991

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/120/business/Consumer_confidence_records_
biggest_monthly_gain_since_1991+.shtml

Tyco Says Accounting Errors Total $1.3 Billion

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62679-2003Apr30.html

Mobile phone sales rise with new features

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20030430-1417-handsetsales.html

Boycott grinds on against French food, wine, travel

http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2003-04-30-france_x.htm

UAEL Conference in Rancho Mirage

Mark McQuitty of Preferred Leasing/Capital Werks, will be

covering the United Association of Equipment Leasing (UAEL) Spring Education Conference at
Rancho Mirage, California May 1-4.

Mr. McQuitty wrote a three-piece article on "Whatever Happened to Republic

Leasing of Anaheim"

http://www.leasingnews.org/articles.doc/newsletterMcQuitty.htm

Here is his biography when he served as Top Gun Sales Manager

at the UAEL San Diego Conference.

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Highlights---Day in American History

May 1, 1924—Big Maybelle

New Moon, enters this phase at 8:15am,EDT.

The month of May is named for Maia, the Roman goddess of spring and growth.

The first day of May has been observed as a holiday since ancient times. Spring festivals, maypoles and maying are still common, but the political importance of May Day has grown since the 1880s, when it became a workers' day in the US. Now widely observed in countries as a workers' holiday or as Labor Day. (The US and Canada observe Labor Day in September.) In most European countries, when May Day falls on Saturday or Sunday, the Monday following is observed as a holiday, with bank and store closings, parades and other festivities.

This is "Loyalty Day", a tradition started in 1955 during the height of the McCarthy era. Congress passed this in 1955 and amended it in 1958 to occur the first day of May ( also the name of a popular book and movie about this era ).

1820-the birthday of Mary Harris Jones, better known as “Mother Jones,” Irish-born American labor leader. After the death of her husband and four children (during the Memphis yellow fever epidemic of 1867) and loss of her belongings in the Chicago Fire in 1871, Jones devoted her energies and her life to organizing and advancing the cause of labor. It seemed she was present wherever there were labor troubles. She gave her last speech on her 100th birthday. Born at Cork, Ireland, she died Nov 30, 1930, at Silver Spring, MD. http://www.igc.org/laborquotes/mjones.html http://www.mojones.com/info/maryharris.html

1830- Mary Harris (Mother) Jones, Irish-born, American developed into America's foremost labor organizers from a valley of great sadness. Her husband and children died in a yellow fever epidemic in 1867 and just four years later her dressmaking business and all her possessions were destroyed in the great Chicago fire. Yet, through a tortuous journey, she found more great courage within herself to become involved in the labor movement, devoting the next 60 years of her life to bettering working conditions for her fellow workers - and all but abandoning any private social life. An impassioned speaker, she was also an activist and was in the forefront of major labor disputes which included organizing the pitiable children's 1903 march to President Theodore Roosevelt's palatial home to dramatize the plight of child labor; the 1886 Haymarket riots in Chicago; coal mine strikes beginning in 1900 and extending to 1923 when she was 93; led the famous coal miner's housewife brigade which beat back strikebreakers with mops and brooms in 1902. At age 100 she was filmed giving an fervent speech for the labor movement that gives some indication of the power she was able to exert during her remarkable life. Much feared by authorities, she was often arrested and once was even convicted of a faked charge of conspiracy to commit murder that was quickly set aside. She defied thugs and at age 89 fought in the thick of the 1919 steel strike. She was arrested for her labor activities many times and even organized protests within the jails. In the book American Women in the Progressive Era, 1900-1920, Dorothy and Carl J. Schneider wrote:

"... Jones said that every strike she had been in had been won by WOMEN... If arrested, the women took their babies to jail with them and kept them awake and crying all night by singing, until the guards could stand the racket no longer. (In 1907, Greensburg, Pa., Mother Jones tells imprisoned wives of striking miners to 'sing to the babies all night long.') Women (often) persuaded their striking husbands to stay home while they themselves walked the picket lines on the shaky and often- disproved theory that scabs and police would not assault women. They did (assault them); sometimes they killed them."

For more than half a century Mother Jones appeared wherever there were labor troubles: in Pittsburgh during the great railroad strike in 1877, in Chicago at the time of the Haymarket riot of 1886, in Birmingham in 1894, among the anthracite coal miners of Pennsylvania in 1900 1902, in the Colorado coalfields in 1903-1906, in Idaho in 1906, where she was involved in a copper mine strike, in Colorado again in 1913 and 1914, in New York City in 1915-1916, where she was active in the garment- and streetcar- workers' strikes, and throughout the country in 1919 in the nationwide steel strike of that year.

"In 1923, at the age of ninety-three, she was still working among striking coal miners in West Virginia. A passionate organizer, she counted among her more spectacular achievements the leading of a march of miners wives who routed strikebreakers with brooms and mops in the Pennsylvania coalfields in 1902, and the leading of a march of striking child textile workers from Kensington, Pennsylvania, to President Theodore Roosevelt s Long Island home in 1903 to dramatize the case for abolition of child labor. In 1905 she helped found the Industrial Workers of the World."

Women of Achievement and Herstory

http://www.johnshepler.com/articles/mojo.html

1855-When nationally known public speaker and feminist Lucy Stone married Henry Blackwell, a marriage contract written by the bride and groom was read at the wedding that disavowed the gross inequity married women suffered un American law, and the word “obey” was omitted from their marriage vows. A year after the ceremony, the bride further shocked society by taking back her maiden name, which she kept for the rest of her life.

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1852-Birthday of Martha Jane (Calamity Jane) Canary - U.S. frontierswoman and stagecoach driver. CJ joined Buffalo Bill Wild West Show and has been romanticized in movies, fiction stories, and legends. She was reportedly rough mannered (as well most people of the place and era) and as was also common in those days for women without the protection of one man, was a prostitute of sorts.

She frequented bars, was rumored (mostly disproved) to have driven stagecoaches, but she was a crack shot. It is believed that she began roaming the mining areas after she was orphaned at 15. Known as a companion of Wild Bill Hickock, she is buried next to him - more as a tourist attraction since he died many years before she did and their relationship was questionable at best. She toured with several Wild West shows including Buffalo Bill's. She often dressed in men's clothing (also not a particularly unusual thing in the pioneer west for active and poor women). According to some legends (told mostly by herself), she scouted for the army including Col. George Custer. She went to the Black Hills of South Dakota with a geological expedition and stayed in Deadwood after the gold strike there. There she became a companion to Wild Bill Hickock although a rumored marriage probably never took place. The name "Calamity" has been variously explained as being derived from her care of patients during a smallpox epidemic or warnings to men who felt a single woman alone was a plaything to be used as they would. She eventually moved to El Paso and married (maybe). She had a habit of referring to her male companions as husbands. She exhibited herself in