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Business Development Officer-
Golf Industry

Located in SE region of U.S.

This opportunity with VGM Financial Services (affiliate of TCF Financial Corp.) offers rewards for selling vendors & leasing programs to golf car & turf equipment manufacturers, dealers/distributors & golf clubs. You'll work with VGM Club, largest buying group in golf industry, to facilitate eqpm't financing needs of member courses. BS & 5 yrs vendor/leasing sales exp. req'd, including golf industry eqm't financing. Send resume & letter to: jclark@vgmfs.com
  

Monday, May 8, 2006

No Socks Day

(see other calendar events )

Headlines---

Classified Ads---Sales
    Pictures from the Past---1993
        Teichman/Chairman Advisory Board
IFC Credit Corp. Perjury Hearing
    "Broker/Lessor" List-up-dated
        Top Stories--May-1-5
            Cartoon---
Leasing Assoc. Spring Conf.-Up-date
    Leasing volume in Czech Up
        News Briefs---
You May have Missed---
    Sports Briefs---
        California Nuts Briefs---
"Gimme that Wine"
    Calendar Events--
        Top Event in Today's History
            This Day in American History
                Baseball Poem

######## surrounding the article denotes it is a "press release"

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Classified Ads---Sales

Domaine Carneros-photograph by Nanci Kerby *

Bakersfield, CA.
I have an extensive sales and management background in equipment leasing. My work history exhibits my major strength in small ticket equipment leasing.
Email: pangress@msn.com

Boston, MA.
Middle market originator, construction/Trucks / Trailers w/ 8 years in territory, looking for company / bank with competitive products
Email: mrichlease@comcast.net

Cedar Rapids, IA.

Formally trained in Credit, Collections, & Sales with regional bank. Seeking sales or sales management. Over ten years in SM, vendor and end user.
Email: mjrprime@yahoo.com

Central, NC.
7 yrs.equip leasing &finance; specialist in heavy construction equip for 2-top-5-specialty finance/lease companies, NC &VA territories. $10-15MM annual funding. Downsized in 2002, now independent broker with varied customer base.
Email: sunriseleasing@aol.com

Dallas, TX.
17 years of experience in vendor sales. Solid book of business. Can hit the sales ground running in Dallas/Ft. Worth. Can Start ASAP
E-mail: whomadewho12@yahoo.com

Denver CO.
Experienced Equipment Leasing Broker looking for a in house leasing company. Can bring a book of business with me or develop new territory where needed.
Email: Steven@eagle2.net

Detroit MI
Motivated self-starter w/5 yrs sales exp. IT leasing. Excellent communicator w/strong negotiation/biz dev. skills. Six-sigma certified w/ Fortune 50 company/book of business.
Email: playmakers1@sbcglobal.net

East Central Florida
20+ years experience in all areas of leasing; sales, credit, operations, syndication. Currently independent seeking position with direct middle market lender in regional capacity
email: southernleasing@bellsouth.net

Fresno CA.
Account Exec/Manager. 7+ years Leasing Sales: underwriting/contract, complex transactions, hi-tech, government, direct & vendor leasing. Captive & syndicator environments. Expert deal closer. Will send resume.
Email: dsp559@pacbell.net

Greensboro, N.C.
Seeking direct & broker sales w/major finance companies in NC or southeast market. Small to mid-ticket range. Stable &family oriented. Will have series 6,63,65 license shortly.
Email: kc1492@aol.com

Kansas City, MO.
20 years Senior Sales/Management experience in small ticket/government leasing. Program Management experience, managing 12Reps. Credit Auth to $50K. Success in soliciting and maintaining accounts.
Email: dhundley1@kc.rr.com

Los Angeles CA.
5 years experience structuring off-balance sheet finance solutions on computer and medical equipment. Perform detailed competitive analysis and market research. I uncover leads and sell.
email: barretthawk@hotmail.com

Mission Viejo, CA.
Account Sales Executive with 10 years of leasing experience looking for company to bring existing customer base.
Email: makelly21@hotmail.com

Montgomery, AL.
Individual with 10 years advertising sales exp. & 7 years insurance sales exp. Wants independent contractor situation in Alabama.Work with leasing company or broker.334-281-5200
E-mail: billmcneal2003@yahoo.com

Nashua, NH.
10+ years sales experience small & mid-ticket hi-tech & telecom in a captive and vendor environment. Seeking new sales opportunity in New England.
E-mail: RPepa@aol.com

Newport Beach, CA.
Direct sales rep. in the middle market w/22 years experience various types of equipment. Leasing/ financing from medical equip. to mfg. equip.. Strong closer.
E-mail: pauldriscoll1@lycos.com

Philadelphia , PA.
Seeking an open opportunity to advance in the automotive, commercial leasing & finance industry.
Email: alexe362002@yahoo.com

Philadelphia, PA
25 years in Healthcare and seeking an opportunity to represent a lender for dental/medical funding in the Northeast to Mid-Atlantic states.
email: mitutz@msn.com

Portland, OR.
"Exp. In direct sales and sales mgmt.I love Portland, but decent here jobs are few. Willing to be re-located, would like to work for you.
Email: pthygeson@netscape.net"

Prairie Village, KS.
Have substantial deal flow and database of broker referral sources. Generated and closed over $22M LY. Seeking exclusive relationship w/direct founder.
Email: fiergl@aol.com

San Francisco Bay Area, CA.
10+ yrs in middle market leasing. Seek direct lessor only. Transaction size from $500M to $10.0MM. Client base: printing, food, retail, manufacturing.
Email: edm173@sbcglobal.net

San Francisco Bay Area, CA.
Currently employed Vendor Program "Hunter", with complex program development experience. Also skilled at program management. Technology to yellow iron assets. Extensive national rolodex.
Email: VdrPgmBizDev@aol.com

SF Bay Area, CA.
15+ yrs--mid mkt. $500M to $10.0MM. Seeking role w/ captive or global leasing firm. large book to bring with me! Debt, tax, 1st amendment, etc.
Email: lac4002@yahoo.com

Southern California
Equipment Financing Professional with strong background in Sales, Management, Marketing & Operations. Will consider relocation for Senior Sales or Management position offering dynamic growth opportunity.
Email: natsif@hotmail.com

For a full listing of all "job wanted" ads, please go to:
http://216.66.242.252/AL/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm

To place a free "job wanted" ad, please go to:
http://216.66.242.252/AL/LeasingNews/PostingForm.asp

[headlines]

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Pictures from the Past---1993 Silicon Valley Regional Meeting

1993
Silicon Valley Regional Meeting

"Face To Face With Lenders" hosted by Kit Menkin
Western Association of Equipment Leasing


Standing, left to right:  Mary Ann Gianni, FS&I; Bob Teichman, New
England Capital Corp; Ron Mitchell, ITT Capital Finance; Dick Andrus, California Thrift & Loan.

Seated, left to right:  Bill Pratt, The CIT Group; John Haenselman, Belvedere Equipment Finance; Jim Richter,
The Manifest Group, and Pat 
O'Rourke, Security Financial Services.

[headlines]

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Teichman, Chairman Leasing News Advisory Board

(A picture from October 22, 2003 regional meeting of the United Association of Equipment Leasing: now president Victor Harris, Esq., on the left, and most current photograph of Bob Teichman, on the right. See Pictures from the Past above for 1993 photograph.)

Robert "Bob" Teichman, CLP, was appointed chairman of the Leasing News Advisory Board. In this capacity, he will represent Leasing News at conferences and events. He is the longest serving advisory board member, and according to publisher Christopher Menkin, is very active in discussing new ideas and concepts of the internet trade publication.

Bob Teichman, CLP was born in New York. After attending the High School of Music & Art and the New York College of Music, he received his undergraduate degree from Columbia College. He pursued his graduate studies in Geneva, Switzerland.

He has been in the leasing business for 43 years. He started in automotive leasing in 1963 in sales, then moved into equipment leasing in the late 1960's. For over 20 years he provided funding for leasing companies as an officer of both bank and non-bank lenders. Along the way, he started several successful leasing companies. His company, Teichman Financial Training, located in Sausalito, California, was founded in 1998 and provides lease education and consulting services to lessors, lessees, funders, brokers and other members of the financial community as well as to government agencies. He is currently a Senior Advisor to the US Agency for International Development for their project in Ukraine to develop the Ukrainian equipment leasing industry.

He is active in the United Association of Equipment Leasing ("UAEL"). For three years he was the Chairman of their Education Committee with responsibility for the Certification Program and Educational Programs. He was also a member of other committees including the Standards Committee. Bob recently finished serving his fourth year as a member of UAEL's Board of Directors.

Bob is a frequent speaker at leasing industry events, and has written articles for UAEL's Newsline and other industry publications. He is a co-author of the Leasing Professional's Handbook.

He is currently Vice President of the CLP Foundation and serves on the Board of Directors.

Bob Teichman, CLP

Teichman Financial Training
3030 Bridgeway, Suite 213
Sausalito, CA 94965
Tel: 415 331-6445
Fax: 415 331-6451
e-mail: BoTei@aol.com

Leasing News
Chairman, Advisory Board
   
Bob Teichman, CLP Teichman Financial Training, Sausalito, CA.
   
Advisory Board
   
Bob Baker, CLP. Wildwood Financial Group, Ellisville, Missouri
Edward Castagna Nassau Asset Management, Westbury, NY.
Steve Crane, CLP Bank of the West, Walnut Creek, CA.
Phil Dushay Global Financial Services, Manhattan, NY.
Steve Gabriel Porter Novelli-Advanced Tech Division, Campbell, CA
Ken Greene, Esq. Larkspur, California
Theresa M. Kabot, CLP Kabot Commercial Leasing, Seattle, WA.
Robert S. Kieve Empire Bradcasting, San Jose, CA.
Bruce Kropschot Kropschot Financial Services, Vero Beach, FL.
Fred St. Laurent SFBI Recruiters, Atlanta, GA.
Andrew Lea, M.A. McCue Systems, Inc. Burlingame, CA.
Armon L. Mills, CPA San Diego Business Journal, San Diego, CA.
Dan Pulcrano

Metro Newspapers, San Jose, California

Steve Reid, CLP Pacific Capital Bank, Santa Barbara, CA.
Shawn D. Halladay The Alta Group, Salt Lake City, UT
Ginny Young Brava Capital, Orange, CA.
Publisher/Editor
Christopher "Kit" Menkin
 

[headlines]

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IFC Credit Corp. Perjury Hearing

by Christopher Menkin

The second part of the perjury hearing held in the court of Superior Judge Sally Montgomery in Dallas, Texas, has concluded regarding testimony from IFC Credit Corporation officers in a case regarding a NorVergence lease with Specialty Optical dba S.O.S. A ruling is expected this week.

Judge Sally Montgomery

County Court-at-Law 3

Judge Montgomery ruled earlier for the NorVergence lessee ".... properly cancelled the Lease with NorVergence. IFC takes nothing on it's counterclaim. SOS shall recover court costs and reasonable attorney fees in the amount of $45,000.00 for trial, $30K for appeal, and $15 K for a petition for review to the Supreme Court of Texas, and $15K for responding to any unsuccessful appeal by IFC to the Supreme Court of Texas in the event the petition for discretionary review is granted per the parties stipulation."

Due to the effort of being fair in the reporting of this perjury hearing, centered around previous testimony on money owed, hold backs, and other legal opinions. One side stated it was "viewpoint" in not revealing what was "actually owed, less holdbacks," or at worst, a "misstatement" or "misunderstanding." The other side states the issue is legal perjury. The actual act must meet specific guide lines and the definition varies by state.

In Texas, the charge is very serious with (a) punishment by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 10 years or less than 2 years.

(b) In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the third degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/pe.toc.htm

Judge Montgomery ruled earlier for the NorVergence lessee ".... properly cancelled the Lease with NorVergence. IFC takes nothing on it's counterclaim. SOS shall recover court costs and reasonable attorney fees in the amount of $45,000.00 for trial, $30K for appeal, and $15 K for a petition for review to the Supreme Court of Texas, and $15K for responding to any unsuccessful appeal by IFC to the Supreme Court of Texas in the event the petition for discretionary review is granted per the parties stipulation."

IFC Credit Corporation, Morton Grove, Illinois, has stated they will be appeal the ruling, although the actual ruling has further to their company. To seek $11,000 now outstanding, the ruling cost them $45,000 in judgment plus their own attorney fees and costs of officers testifying in Texas. The appeal will most likely cost them another $30,000 in penalties and fees for the defendant's attorneys, as per Judge Montgomery's ruling, plus their attorney and testimony costs, including more depositions, if required.

IFC Credit stated in one deposition they had $14 million in NorVergence lease contract costs (whether this includes hold backs, evidently was not stated at this specific declaration in testimony, but was revealed in cross examination of a specific lease contract with Specialty Optical dba S.O.S. which discovered the fact in the examination of IFC Credit Corporation account records for the specific lease.)

It appears the Federal Trade Commission has made similar requests in its "Civil Investigative Demand" regarding accounting of leases, plus insurance ( both forced and those provided by lessee) and personal property tax claims on the leases.

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

[headlines]

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"Broker/Lessor" List-up-dated

1+1 Funding, LLC EPS Funding Group Music Gear Capital
1st Choice Leases EquiCapital N-1 Technologies
1st Independent Leasing, Inc. Equipment Leasing Specialists, Inc. National Technology Lsg, Corp.
42 North Structured Finance, Inc. Evergreen Leasing Partners, LLC Nationwide Bus. Capital, LLC
ABCO Leasing, Inc. Excellease, LLC Nationwide Funding
Access Capital Group Fidelity Leasing New Way Leasing Corp.
Accord Capital Group, Inc. First Fleet Corporation Nibarger Associates
Advance Fin. Services of CA, Inc. First Equity Lending Nighthawk Leasing, LLC
Advantage Business Capital, Inc. First Leasing, Inc. Nolan Leasing & Financial, Inc.
Affiliated Financial Services First Opinon Leasing Northern Atlantic Financial
Ajava Systems, Inc. F.I.T. Leasing NorthStar Funding Group
Allco Finance Group Five Piont Capital, Inc. Odyssey Equipment Fin. Co.
Allleasing FMC Leasing, Corp. Omega Commercial Funding
Alpine Leasing Ford Financial Services, Inc. Orion First Financial, LLC
Amano Business Credit Fortress Financial Group Overland Capital Corporation
American Capital Group Fortune Financial, Inc. Pacifica Capital
American Equipment Fin. LLC Forum Leasing PaddyMark
American Financial Partners FundGuard Paramount Fin. Services
American Industrial Leasing Co. Foundation Equipment Lease Park Western Fin. Corp.
American Investor Services Fox Enterprises, LLC Partner Financial & Assoc., Inc.
American Lesefund, Inc. Fralin Leasing, Inc. Pavilion Capital Leasing
American Leasing, LLP Funding Well Capital, Inc. Pentech Financial Services, Inc.
Ameriquest Asset Services GamePlan Financial, Inc. Piper, Jaffray & Company
Anchorage Leasing, Inc. Genoa Financial Group, LLC PMC Financial Services Group, LLC
Approved Financial Generation Leasing Premier Capital, LLC
Aquarious Capital Group Genesis Commercial Capital Principle Lsng & Fin., Inc.
Ascente Financial, Inc. Glendale Leasing Services Priority Leasing, Inc.
Atlas Small Business Finance Inc. Global Capital Finance Reliant Capital, Inc.
Autrey Capital Group Global Financial Group, LLC Ritalia Funding, Inc.
Aztec Financial, Inc. Gold Creek Leasing, LLC Robinson Brasswell Consulting Srvs
Bach Business Credit, Inc. Golden West Financial Services Rockford Capital Leasing
Bankers Capital GreatAmerica Leasing Corp. SBC
Bankers Healthcare Group, Inc. Greenleaf Leasing Services, LLC Scottsdale Financial Services
Beneficial Capital Leasing, Inc. GSF Advisors Seattle Leasing Company
Bision Commercial Leasing Corp. Harbor Financial Services Securities Equipment Lsg.
Blue Street Capital, LLC Holbrook Capital Funding, LLC SFC Capital Group
Bob New, Inc. Honor Capital Group, LLC Shamrock Equipment Financing
Burhill Financial Services iBank Sharpe Equipment Leasing, Inc.
C4 Capital Corporation IME Sierra Leasing Company
Can-World Finance Services Impact Leasing Solutions, Inc. Sierra Valley Leasing
Canfield Capital Corporation Independent Equipment Company Smart Leasing Group
Capital Funding Group Independent Leasing Group Snider Leasing Corp
Capital Network Leasing Corp. Indian Ink, Inc. Southern California Leasing
Carreden Capital Incorporated Industrial Financial Services, Inc. Specialty Funding Group
Carriage Capital Insight Financial Corporation Spring Leasing Corp.
CBC Group Insight Global Finance SSA Capital
CDR Equipment Leasing, Inc. Integra Leasing, Inc. Strada Capital Corporation
CFI Accounts Services Integrity Leasing Solutions, Inc. Stoddard & Associates
CFI Financial Services International Lease Center, Inc. Straight Financial, Inc.
Charter Capital Kabot Commercial Leasing, LLC Sun State Capital Corp.
Chase Industries, Inc. Kenco Equipment Lease Company TEAM Equipment Leasing, Inc.
Chesterfield Financial Corp. Keystone Equipment Finance Techlease LLC
CJM Leasing Corp. Kinetic Capital, LLC Technology Capital, Inc.
CK Leasing, LLC Knightsbridge Capital TEQlease
ClearView Financial, Inc. Lease Servicing Center, Inc. Tetra Corporate Services, Inc.
Clune & Company Leaseone The National Companies
CMG Managment Services, LLC Leasewell Capital Solutions, LLC Tommel Financial Services, Inc.
CNC Associates Leasing Management Associates Triad Leasing & Financial, Inc.
Corporate Capital Leasing Grp, Inc. Leasing Options, LLC Triangle Equipment Leasing
Corporate Leasing Associates Lewis and Clark Leasing, Inc. Trident Leasing Corporation
CPS Commercial Mortgage LIA TriStar Capital, LLC
Cromwell Capital, LLC Lion Capital, LLC TSS Financial
Cypress Financial Corp. Manufacturers' Lease Plans Tucker Capital, Inc.
David Steed Company Marquise Equipment Leasing Tyler Glenn Company
Dealers First Financial Inc. McCommon Leasing Company Union Equity Corp.
Dear Finance Group, LLC McKey Financial Service, Inc. United Lsng Assoc. of American, LTD
DEBMAR Capital, LLC Mercer Financial Services Universal Equip. Lsng Co., LLC
Denali Capital Corporation Meridian Finance Group Vision Capital Corporation
Direct Capital Corporation Mesa Financial Services, Inc. Warren Capital Corporation
Diversity Capital MidAtlantic Financial, Inc. West LP
DL Leasing, Inc. Midwest Equipment Capital, LLC Willamette Fin. Funding Srvcs, LLC
DLC Leasing Company Millennium Leasing & Financial Willow Wood Group, LLC
Dooling Lease Management Corp. Moceri Leasing, Inc. Wright Group, Inc.
eLease Montana Commercial Credit, LLC. Young Electric Sign Company
Enable Capital Corporation Montgomey Street Financial  
Ensign Capital MPG Leasing  

Above is a "static" list of the up-dated "Broker/Lessor" list. Now at 228, this group is divided into two web site pages due to its length.

The main page, you can click on the name of the company and it will take you to the listing, or you may scroll the first page, then click next. You may also click on the footnote, or go to the full footnote page.

http://www.leasingnews.org/Brokers/broker_Lessor.htm

http://www.leasingnews.org/Brokers/broker_Lessor2.htm

http://www.leasingnews.org/Brokers/broker_Lessor-footnote.htm

We have another fifty "broker/lessors" to add, at this time, and as time allows, this list will again be up-dated. In the meantime, "broker/lessors" who fill out the form, we will add them we received, as per our qualification process for this category, instead of the next "up-date." We welcome all "broker/lessors" who qualify to complete the listing form.

[headlines]

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Top Stories--May-1-5

Here are the top ten stories most "opened" by readers last week.

(1) Archives from the Past---May 2, 2000
#1-Kropschot Announcement
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-02-06.htm#1

(2) Broker Requirements of Allegiant-Partners
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-05-06.htm#broker

(3) NorVergence Scandal Getting "Warmer"
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-02-06.htm#norv

(4) May 2 Marlin CEO & Pres each sell 22,862 shares *
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-05-06.htm#marlin

(5) Sales Makes it Happen-by T. Winders, CLP
"Probing Questions/Equipment Leasing"
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-03-06.htm#sales

(6) Archives from the Past---May 2, 2000
#2 -- Bennett 30 Year Sentence
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-02-06.htm#2

(7) Luke Sentenced to prison for bank fraud
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-02-06.htm#luke

(8) How Dana Point got its Name
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-03-06.htm#dana

(9) Beckman-Coulter Leasing Change
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-05-06.htm#beck

(10) T-bills hit a five year high
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-03-06.htm#tbill

*These two stories followed the sale of stock story, and there was not indication they were in the top ten, but should be considered, although not as "popular" with the readers in being read here:

Marlin Business Services Corp. Reports 20% Increase in First Quarter Net Income
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-05-06.htm#marlin1

Fitch Upgrades Marlin Leasing Receivables VII, LLC, Series 2003-1
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202006/05-05-06.htm#fitch

[headlines]

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[headlines]

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Leasing Association Conferences --- Spring 2006

May 11 8:30am-3:30Pm
The Ohio Vehicle Leasing Association
50th Year OVLA Convention
Holiday Inn-West
Columbus, Ohio

$120 first NVLA member, $100 each thereafter
Non-Members $100
Price to go up May 9th

Theme:" Building your lease portfolio using
the internet."

To register, please go here:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/CNV_RegFrm2.pdf

Dick Lightener, Exec.VP
The Ohio Vehicla Leasing Association
1-800-369-5633
ovla@uautolease.com

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National Vehicle Leasing Association

June 7-10
Annual Conference and Exposition
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center
Grapevine, Texas

www.nvla.org

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One of the most popular UAEL events as it is the Grand Opening of the International Balloon Festival, titled: "Out of the Blue." UAEL will provide early morning transportation between the Embassy Suites Hotel and the mass ascension of hundreds of hot air baloons from 7am to 10am.

The Funding Source and Service Provider Expositon will be held Friday, October 6, after the event. Educational sessions and the Annual Bsuiness Meeting will be held on Saturday, October 7.

More information at: www.uael.org

Schedule of the International Ballon Festival:
http://www.aibf.org/scripts/index/list_events_total.php

You can see the balloons from the Embassy Hotel, where UAEL
has booked rooms. Register early as this is a popular event.
Click here for the hotel:
http://embassysuites.hilton.com/en/es/hotels/index.jhtml;jsessionid=YRSAQP3J
RBD14CSGBIVMVCQKIYFC3UUC?ctyhocn=ABQEMES

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Equipment Leasing Association

45th Annual Convention
October 22-24
JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa
Palm Desert, CA

www.elaonline.org

[headlines]

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Leasing volume in CR up a fifth to CZK 24bn in Q1

praguemonitor.com

Prague, (CTK) - The leasing volume of movables provided by members of the Czech Leasing and Financial Association (CLFA) grew by 20 percent to CZK 24 billion in the first quarter and the volume of consumer loans provided by the companies rose by 18 percent to CZK 7.76 billion, according to stats released by the CLFA today.

Leasing thus after a longer period of time grew faster than consumer loans.

CLFA members have a 97 percent share in the leasing market.

The volume of leasing was falling in 2004 and at the beginning of last year, while in the second half of last year it returned to a growth trend.

In 2005, the volume of leasing of CLFA members grew by 4 percent to CZK 113 billion.

The fall in leasing services was caused by 2004's change in the law on VAT which abolished lower VAT for car leasing.

CLFA vice-chairman Milan Gerza sees the reason for the change in the trend in the second half of last year in finding new commodities for the financing through leasing.

"A moderate real growth in leasing will continue also this year," Gerza said two months ago.

Against the first quarter of last year, the share of leasing of cars and light utility vehicles grew from 44.7 to 47.4 percent and the share of leasing of heavier lorries fell from 31 to 26.4 percent.

The share of leasing of machines grew moderately from 21.9 to 23.1 percent. The share of leasing of computers and office equipment fell from one to 0.8 percent. The share of used cars in the overall leasing of vehicles stood at 15.4 percent, while in the same period of last year it was 15.7 percent.

Among Central and East European countries, the Czech Republic ranks first in leasing, and in the whole of Europe it was closely behind the top ten.

The share of leasing in the financing of machines and equipment stands at roughly a third, double the European average.

List of largest Czech leasing companies by volume of newly signed deals (in CZK bn):

Company Q1 2006 Q1 2005
CSOB Leasing 3.75 3.07
CAC Leasing 2.48 2.93
SkoFIN 2.19 1.99
VB Leasing 1.89 1.51
SG Equipment 1.55 1.32
Source: CLFA

[headlines]

### Press Release ###########################
--------------------------------------------------------------

News Briefs----

Wachovia to Acquire Golden West Bank for $26 Billion
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/08/business/08cnd-bank.html?hp&ex=1147147200&en=
ee20a22a15723e80&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Consumers slow their borrowing
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20060506-9999-1b6calbrfs.html

Rising Expenses Have Consumers Feeling Pinched
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/06/AR2006050601343.html

College-loan rates set to climb July 1
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002977458_studentloans07.html

Country Singer Carrie Underwood Graduates
http://www.accessatlanta.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Recordings/People_Underwood.html

'American Idol' Finalists Visit Graceland
http://www.accessatlanta.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Recordings/
American_Idol_Graceland.html

'M:I3' Earnings Disappoint on 1st Weekend
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/05/07/entertainment/e210758D44.DTL

[headlines]

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You May have Missed---

It's always 'OPEN HOUSE' as real estate goes online

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-05-07-real-estate-online_x.htm

[headlines]

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Sports Briefs----

Bonds Hits 713th Homer
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/08/GIANTS.TMP

Bonds won't sign 713th home run ball for fan
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/05/07/sports/s223044D65.DTL

Marleau stays hot, propels Sharks to win
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/hockey/nhl/san_jose_sharks/14525329.htm

[headlines]

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California News Briefs---

Schwarzenegger takes Congress and the White House to task for failing to enact an immigration strategy and says they are to blame for the protests.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-immig6may06,0,2500711.story?coll=la-home-headlines

California Episcopalians elect bishop-Not Gay
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002977713_bishop07.html

[headlines]

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"Gimme that Wine"

Dashiell Hammett's ghost possesses good values
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/04/WIGJIIJFPF1.DTL&hw
=wine&sn=003&sc=531

Gina Gallo Honored for Excellence in Winemaking
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId
=20060504005959&newsLang=en

Number of U.S. Wineries Tops 5,300
http://www.winebusiness.com/SalesMarketing/webarticle.cfm?dataId=42349

Increasing U.S. demand poses new opportunities, and retailers of every stripe are boosting their selections
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/index.html

Lambics: Beers Gone Wild---Eric Asimov
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/03/dining/03beer.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/

US/International Wine Events
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Calendar Events This Day

Czech Republic: Liberation Day

Commemorates the liberation of Czechoslovakia form the Germans in 1945.

Europe: V-E Day

Victory in Europe Day commemorates unconditional surrender of Germany to allied forces. The surrender document was signed by German representatives at General Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquarters at Reims to become effective, and hostilities to end, at one minute past midnight, May 9, 1455, which was 9:01pm EDT on May 8 in the U.S. President Harry S. Truman on May 8 declared May 9, 1945 to be "V-E Day." A separate German surrender to the USSR was signed at Karishorst, near Berlin, May 8. In Russia, May 9 is a National holiday observing the defeat of Nazi Germany in WWII and to honor 20 million Soviet people who died in that war. Hostilities ceased and the German surrender became effective at one minute after midnight on May 9, 1945.

France: Victory Day

Commemorates the surrender of Germany to Allied forces and the cessation of hostilities in 1945.

No Socks Day

If we give up wearing socks for one day, it will mean a little less laundry, thereby contributing to the betterment of environment. Besides, we will all fee a bit freer at least for one day. www.wellcat.com

Senior Citizens Day

Slovakia: Liberation Day

Commemorates the liberation of Czecholovakia from the Germans in 1945.

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Today's Top Event in History

    1945- Stalin refused to recognize the document of unconditional surrender signed at Reims the previous day, so a second signing was held at Berlin. The event was turned into an elaborate formal ceremony by the Soviets who had Inst some 10 million lives during the war. The surrender documents set one minute past midnight, which was 9:01pm EST in the U.S: May 9., and although it was first officially declared V.E. Day ( Victory in Europe ), it later became to be observed on May 8 as it was actually celebrated in the United States.

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This Day in American History

    1783-the first salute fired by Great Britain in honor of an officer of the United States was fired when General George Washington and Governor George Clinton arrived at the British ship Ceres, commanded by Sir Guy Carleton, in New York Harbor to arrange for the British evacuation. When they departed, 178 guns were fired in honor of Washington's rank. New York was evacuated by the British on November 25, 1783.
    1784 -A fatal hailstorm hit Winnsborough, South Carolina. An account was found in the South Carolina Gazette: "hailstones or rather pieces of ice measured about 9 inches in circumference: it killed several people, plus a great number of sheep, lambs, geese, and the feathered inhabitants of the woods without number". Piles of hail were reported still in existence 46 days later.
    1792- British Captain George Vancouver sights, names Mount Rainier WA.He named it in honor of his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier.
http://www.oregonpioneers.com/vancver.htm
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Rainier/Locale/framework.html
    1816-- The American Bible Society was organized in the Dutch Reformed Church on Garden Street in NY City. The non-profit society was instituted to promote wider circulation of the Scriptures by publishing Bibles without notes or comments.
    1829-birthday of Louis Moreau Gottschalk, American pianist of international fame who toured the US during the Civil War. Gottschalk composed for the piano combining American and Creole folk themes and rhythms in his work. Born at New Orleans, LA, he died Dec. 18, 1869, at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
http://www.louismoreaugottschalk.com/
http://www.viridianaproductions.com/ameori.htm
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=407
    1835-- Augusta Jane Evans Wilson birthday; U.S. novelist whose work is critically described today as sentimental and overblown, woman-stuff, but it sold very well in the mid 19th century. The unstated fact is that more than just women read her works. A Civil War report states that a Union general ordered all copies of her book , Macaria, in the possession of his troop was to be burned and the soldiers forbidden to read it. Heady actions for a book that only women read! Macaria was written in support of the Confederate position.
http://search.eb.com/women/articles/Wilson_Augusta_Jane_Evans.html
http://www.lib.usm.edu/~archives/m152.htm
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/WW/fwi49.html
    1862- In a major engagement in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of the Civil War, General Stonewall Jackson's rebel forces repulsed an attack by Union forces at McDowell, VA.
    1846-Zachary Taylor victory at Palo Alto protects the new state of Texas as five days later the U.S. declares war against Mexico. On May 8, near Palo Alto, and the next day at Resaca de la Palma, Taylor led his 200 soldiers to victories against much larger Mexican forces. Poor training and inferior armaments undermined the Mexican army's troop advantage. Mexican gunpowder, for example, was of such poor quality that artillery barrages often sent cannonballs bouncing lazily across the battlefield, and the American soldiers merely had to step out of the way to avoid them. Following his victories at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, Taylor crossed the Rio Grande and took the war into Mexican territory. During the next 10 months, he won four battles and gained control over the three northeastern Mexican states. The following year, the focus of the war shifted elsewhere, and Taylor's role diminished. Other generals continued the fight, which finally ended with General Winfield Scott's occupation of Mexico City in September of 1847. Zachary Taylor emerged from the war a national hero. Americans admiringly referred to him as "Old Rough and Ready" and erroneously believed his military victories suggested he would be a good political leader. Elected president in 1848, he proved to be an unskilled politician who tended to see complex problems in overly simplistic ways. In July 1850, Taylor returned from a public ceremony and complained that he felt ill. Suffering from a recurring attack of cholera, he died several days later.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/may08.html
    1884-Harry S. Truman's birthday is a holiday in Missouri. He was the 33rd president of the United States, succeeded to that office upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt April 12, 1945. He was the last of nine presidents who did not attend college. Affectionately he was nicknamed "Give 'em Hell Harry" by admirers.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/ht33.html
    1886 - Dr. John S. Pemberton first sold his secret elixir: Coca Cola. It was originally used for medicinal purposes. receiving $2300. The patent had a very slight ingredient called Cocaine in it. The new makers decided to eliminate it, as it could not be tasted . Nevertheless, the drink was to become a "staple" of world soda's.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/may08.html
    1893-birthday of Francis Desales Ouimet, American amateur golfer who is credited with establishing the popularity of golf in the US. Born at Brookline, MA, his golfing career began as a daddy. In 1912, at age 20, he generated national enthusiasm for the game when he became the first American and first amateur to win the US Open Golf Championships. He won the US Amateur Championships in 1914 and 1931, and was a member of the US Walker Cup team from its first tournament in 1922 until 1949, serving as the non-playing captain for six of those years. In 1951, he became the first American to be elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland. Quiment died at Newton, ,Sept.2, 1967.
    1905-birthday of trumpeter player Red Nichols.
http://www.redhotjazz.com/redn.html
http://www-music.duke.edu/jazz_archive/artists/nichols.ernest.red/01/back.html
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0052809
    1910- Birthday of Mary Lou Williams, U.S. arranger, composer , and pianist birthday; known as the "Queen of Jazz." A child prodigy, she toured while still in elementary school. Her piano playing was outstanding. She wrote a number of well known jazz tunes and is considered a main contributor to the development of bebop. She arranged and created music for most of the big bands from Duke Ellington to the Dorseys. She converted to Catholicism after an emotional crisis while she was touring in France and went into a retreat. She composed several masses and religious music but she returned to the jazz/swing stage. Mary Lou Williams was artist in residence at Duke University.
http://www.duke.edu/~lmr/
http://www.eyeneer.com/Jazz/Williams/
http://kennedy-center.org/programs/jazz/womeninjazz/1stlady.html
http://www.duke.edu/~lmr/
http://www.eyeneer.com/Jazz/Williams/
    1911- the birthday of perhaps one of greatest blues guitarist Robert Johnson. Born at Hazelhurst, MS, and murdered at age 27, Aug 16, 1938, at Greenwood, MS (poisoned by a jealous husband, they sing), in his short life Johnson was a master blues guitarist, a singer and songwriter of great influence. He developed a unique guitar style of such skill that it was said he acquired his ability by selling his soul to the Devil-the film Crossroads is based very loosely on this myth. Johnson's only two recording sessions captured for us the classics "Sweet Home Chicago," "Cross Road Blues," "Me and the Devil Blues" and others. Johnson was inducted posthumously into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
http://www.blueflamecafe.com/index.html
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MUSIC/rjhome.html
    1915 -the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY, was "Regret, Harry Payne Whitney's chestnut filly. She ran the mile and a quarter in 2 minutes, 5.4 seconds to win the 41 st Kentucky Derby. There were 16 starters.
    1924- Arthur Honegger's "Pacifica 231" premieres.
http://arthur-honegger.com/anglais/index.htm
    1926 -- Founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters by A. Philip Randolph & Milton P. Webster.
    1926-birthday of Don Rickles, comedian, actor, one of my favorites, still performing today, New York, NY.
http://www.delafont.com/comedians/Don-Rickles.htm
    1931-Birthday of Stan Beckman, landscape artist.
www.stanbeckman.com
    1939-Clay Puett, installed a two-stall working model of his new electric starting gate for horse races at Hollywood Park, Inglewood, CA. The first full-size gate was used at Bay Meadows Race Track, San Mateo, CA, on October 7, 1939. The gates were equipped with a bomb-release type of lock operated by solenoids. The front doors when closed formed a V and opened outwards by means of springs.
    1940- Singer Rick Nelson was born in Teaneck, New Jersey. His parents, Ozzie and Harriet, had a popular radio show, and Ricky joined the cast at the age of eight. The show moved to TV in the 1950's, and as a result of its popularity, Ricky Nelson gained a recording contract. "A Teenager's Romance" and "I'm Walkin' " was a double-sided hit for him in 1957. Nelson had more than 35 records on the Billboard Hot 100 chart until 1963. Among them - "Stood Up," "Poor Little Fool" and "Travellin' Man." In the late '60s, he became Rick instead of Ricky, and turned to a more country-oriented style. His autobiographical song "Garden Party" was a top- ten record in 1972. On New Year's Eve, 1985, Nelson, his fiancée and five members of his Stone Canyon Band were killed in a plane crash in northeastern Texas.
http://www.ricknelson.com/
    1941 - Gene Krupa with Anita O'Day record "Let Me Off Uptown" (Okey)
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/3898/film3.html
"Say, Roy, Have You Ever Been Uptown?"
http://www.anitaoday.com/
http://www.drummerman.net/
    1942- the Battle of the Coral Sea began, which greatly impeded Japanese expansion and introduced a new form of naval warfare. None of the surface vessels exchanged fire---the entire battle was waged by aircraft. The victory gave people at home much optimism and renewed faith as the US lost a their first air craft carrier, destroyer and tanker. The Lexington Aircraft carrier was commanded by Rear Admiral Frederick Carl Sherman, which took tow bombs and two aircraft torpedoes. Some 150 men were killed. The Japanese lost seven warships, including a carrier, and the loss changed their war plans, as outlined in "Victory at Sea."
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/coralsea/coralsea.htm
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/WW2Timeline/coral.html
http://users.pandora.be/dave.depickere/Text/coral.html
    1943-birthday of Toni Tennille, singer ( with husband Daryl Dragon made up Captain and Tennille), born Montgomery, AL.
http://www.tonitennille.net/
    1945- Stalin refused to recognize the document of unconditional surrender signed at Reims the previous day, so a second signing was held at Berlin. The event was turned into an elaborate formal ceremony by the Soviets who had Inst some 10 million lives during the war. The surrender documents set one minute past midnight, which was 9:01pm EST in the U.S: May 9., and although it was first officially declared V.E. Day ( Victory in Europe ), it later became to be observed on May 8 as it was actually celebrated in the United States.
    1946- Glenn Gould first appeared as a pianist with orchestra. He played the first movement of Beethoven's "Concerto Number Four" with the Toronto Conservatory of Music Orchestra. Gould was only 13 years old at the time.
    1949 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Riders in the Sky," Vaughn Monroe.
    1952---Top Hits
Blue Tango - The Leroy Anderson Orchestra
Blacksmith Blues - Ella Mae Morse
Anytime - Eddie Fisher
Easy on the Eyes - Eddy Arnold
    1954-World-record holder William Parry O'Brien of the US became the first shot-putter to clear 60 feet with a throw of 60 feet, 65 ¼ inches, at a meet in Los Angeles. O'Brien won gold medals at the 1952 and 1956 Olympics and a silver medal at the 1960 games.
    1958-Ernest Green becomes the first Black person to graduate from Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.
    1959-birthday of Ronald Mandel "Ronnie" Lott, Hall of Fame football player, born Albuquerque, NM.
    1960---Top Hits
Stuck on You - Elvis Presley
Sink the Bismarck - Johnny Horton
Sixteen Reasons - Connie Stevens
He'll Have to Go - Jim Reeves
    1961 - The Metropolitans change their name, to play in the Polo Grounds the following year, to the Mets.
    1962 - "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" opens at the Alvin Theater in New York starring Zero Mostel. The hit lasts for 964 performances.
http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Lobby/4320/
    1966-Frank Robinson of the Orioles became the only player ever to hit a home run out of Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. His long drive over the left-field wall, Against Luis Tiant of the Cleveland Indians, traveled an estimated 451 feet.
http://www.primenet.com/~jpmill/bball/robf.htm
    1966-The St. Louis Cardinals played their last game in old Busch Stadium, formerly known as Sportsman's Park, losing to the San Francisco Giants, 10-5. They opened new Busch Memorial Stadium on May 12.
    1968---Top Hits
Honey - Bobby Goldsboro
Tighten Up - Archie Bell & The Drells
Young Girl - The Union Gap
The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde - Merle Haggard
    1968-Jim "Catfish" Hunter of the Oakland Athletics pitched a perfect game, defeating the Minnesota Twins, 4-0. This was the first regular-season perfect game in the American League since Charlie Robertson turned the trick in 1922.
http://www.hertfordbaptist.org/hunter.html
    1969 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In," The 5th Dimension.
    1970-The Beatles 13 th album, Let It Be, was released in the United Kingdom on this date. The album zoomed on this date. The album zoomed to number one on the record charts. It was the last album the Beatles made together.
    1970-The New York Knicks won their first NBA title, defeating the Los Angels Lakers, 113-99, in Game 7 of the finals. The Knicks were let by injured center Willis Reed, who limped onto the court to score the game's first two baskets, and guard Walt Frazier, who scored 36 points.
    1976---Top Hits
Welcome Back - John Sebastian
Right Back Where We Started From - Maxine Nightingale
Boogie Fever - Sylvers
My Eyes Can Only See as Far as You - Charley Pride
    1977 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "When I Need You," Leo Sayer.
1979 Radio Shack releases TRSDOS 2.3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-DOS
    1981 -thunderstorms moved through Tarrant and Dallas Counties in Texas. It would become what one insurance expert called "The Worst Hailstorm In American History". 100 plus mph straight line thunderstorm winds caused damage in Western Tarrant County. 2 homes were destroyed and many more were damaged. Baseball and softball size hail damaged roofs. Insurance estimates indicated the hail and wind damage in Tarrant and Dallas Counties would exceed 179 million dollars and uninsured losses would exceed 200 million dollars. These figures made it the worst severe thunderstorm in American weather history until 1990.
    1984---Top Hits
Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) - Phil Collins
Hello - Lionel Richie
Hold Me Now - The Thompson Twins
I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes - The Oak Ridge Boys
    1985 - Larry Bird scored a career-high 43 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 130-123 win over the Detroit Pistons.
    1987 - Twenty-eight cities in the northwestern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. The record high of 95 degrees at Redding CA was their fifth in a row, and the record high of 102 degrees at Hanover WA was just one degree shy of their record for May.
    1988 - A major tornado outbreak occurred over the central U.S. 57 tornadoes touched down with the majority of them in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The 22 tornadoes in Iowa was the most in one day for the state. There were over 200 reports of damaging winds and large hail. One of the tornadoes in iowa was on the ground for 67 miles from Bloomfield To Conesville.
    1988 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Anything for You," Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine. The song is the group's first No. 1 hit.
    1988------Top Hits
Anything For You- Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
Shattered Dreams- Johnny Hates Jazz
Wishing Well- Terence Trent D'Arby
One More Try- George Michael
Pink Cadillac- Natalie Cole
    1989-An early version of Prodigy's commercial online service, the company's "videotex" service began experiencing intermittent outages, as the company began rolling the service out nationally. Prodigy had introduced its services in limited markets in October 1988. About 55,000 subscribers had joined the service, a joint venture of Sears and IBM.
    1992 - A vigorous upper level low pressure system stalled out over the Carolinas for the past 3 days unloaded tremendous amounts of snow over the western North Carolina mountains above 4000 feet. Mt. Pisgah (elevation 5721 feet) recorded an incredible 60 inches over the 3 day period, tying the all-time single storm snowfall record for the state. Mt. Mitchell (elevation 6684 feet) was buried under 30 inches of very wet snow. On the previous day, the Greenville-Spartanburg Weather Service Office in Greer, South Carolina had snow mixed with rain, making this the latest date and the first time in May that snow had fallen at this location.
    1993 - Aerosmith's "Get a Grip" enters The Billboard 200 top pop album chart at No. 1., becoming the group's highest-debuting album and highest-charting album ever. The group's previous highpoint was "Rocks," which peaked at No. 3 in 1976.
    1993------Top Hits
Freak Me- Silk
That s The Way Love Goes, Janet Jackson
Informer- Snow
Love Is (From "Beverly Hills, 90210")- Vanessa Williams/Brian McKnight
    1995 -thunderstorms with torrential rains struck the New Orleans, Louisiana area. Audubon Park Recorded 8.5 Inches Of Rain In Only 2 Hours. Several Locations Had Over 14 Inches Total Ending Early On The 9th. 5 People Were Killed In The Flooding And Damage Exceeded One Billion Dollars.
    1997-Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams formally presented Capt. Betty P. Kelepecz with a commander's badge, making her the highest-rankingfem ale officer LAPD history. Kelepecz earned a law degree and become an attorney while rising through the department's ranks, is noted as an effective leader and administrator. Just before Kelepecz's promotion, an internal report confirmed former Det. Mark Fuhrman's allegations that a group of male officers in the West Los Angeles police station repeatedly harassed female colleagues.
"We didn't see it as harassment back then, we saw it as playing along, doing what you needed to do to survive," Capt. Kelepeecz said. "Some male officers would say to me, 'I don't think you belong on the job.' " She said that the attitudes of some of her male colleagues toward women during the early part of her career would not be tolerated in today's LAPD. She recalls enduring inappropriate and demeaning comments and even outright hostility as a young officer. At the time of Kelepecz's promotion, LAPD was 17.3% female.
http://www.lapdonline.org/c_o_s/kelepecz_b_bio.htm
http://www.nawlee.com/bpkelepecz.html
    1998 --Cardinal Mark McGwire reaches the 400th career home run mark. Big Red's historic milestone comes in 4,727 at-bats (127 less at-bats than Babe Ruth) which is the least plate appearances ever needed to reach the mark.
    1998------Top Hits
Too Close- Next
My All, Mariah Carey
You re Still The One- Shania Twain
Everybody [Backstreet s Back]- Backstreet Boys
Truly Madly Deeply- Savage Garden

NBA Finals Champions This Date

•  New York Knicks

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Baseball Poem

THIS IS THE DAY

by Tim Peeler

When every relationship and previously
Understood concept feels tenuous.
Albeit the gravity grows weak
And the voices that rise
Are not the sanguine few
You remember as wise, the coaches
That actually "knew" something
Beyond the roar of their anger-

Now your days on the field
Are gone or have slipped
Into the churn and become
Sweet buttered memories,
Not the indecisive hell
Of rounding second not knowing
Where the ball was and the
Third base coach hollering
At a player on the bench
While they trapped you in
A rundown.

You recall
The running outfield catches
Of a sunny childhood, not the
Dark liner lost in the lights till
It roared toward you
Like a car with one headlight.
Memory is the shaky tightrope
You wrap your dreams around;
And faith in the past, the balance
To get you through this day.

From
"Waiting for Godot's First Pitch."

with permission of the author

www.mcfarlandpub.com

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