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VENDOR SALES SPECIALISTS
LEASING SALES PROFESSIONALS

Like selling vendor programs and large transactions?
Enjoy international financing programs?
Prefer the advantages of a commission only environment with the security of health and welfare benefits?

CLICK HERE to find out how to have fun again.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Physician/Scientist Robert Koffler Jarvik born May 11, 1946 Midland, Michigan, best known as the inventor of the artificial heart Jarvik-7. His business ventures to produce the heart failed, and he is still working on the project. Perhaps best known for his TV Lipitor ads, where last February he ceased being a spokesman for the company, questioning that he was still an active physician, further, the ad depicted Jarvik performing certain physical tasks — such as rowing — that he actually never performed on camera. Instead, the ad employed a body double for Dr. Jarvik in these instances.
http://www.drugs.com/news/pfizer-voluntarily-withdraws-lipitor-advertising-featuring-dr-robert-jarvik-7815.html

Headlines---

Classified Ads---Sales Manager
    Classified ads—New: just added
Heritage Pacific Leasing, Fresno, California
by Christopher Menkin
Bank Beat—Bank of the West/Bremerton bank fails
    Leasing News Top Stories--May 4--May 8
        Alexa Report on Media/Association Web Sites
An Advertising Campaign Works on Leasing News
    Classified Ads---Help Wanted
        NAELB New Board of Directors
Leasing 102 By Mr. Terry Winders, CLP
Customer Contact
    Classified ads—Asset Management
Dream Team planner known for Leasing Deals
    Rising Credit Card Losses Bank Challenge
News Briefs---
    You May have Missed---
        California Nuts Brief---
"Gimme that Wine"
    Today's Top Event in History
        This Day in American History
Baseball Poem
    SuDoku
        Daily Puzzle
GasBuddy
    Weather, USA or specific area
        Traffic Live----

######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release”

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Classified Ads---Sales Manager

Sales

Cherry Hill, NJ
College grad seeking entry level sales position for equipment leasing and financing in small to mid-size ticket markets. Have 6 months experience in the industry and self-motivated. Contact Matt at 609-280-2178 or
email at mkuzan@gmail.com
Chicago, IL
Sales Executive or Senior Manager, with responsibility for leasing capital equipment in support of transactions based on current market values, market potential and economic trends.
tomvolk53@hotmail.com

Fort Myers, Florida
Very experienced and strong skills with both Captive and Specialty Sales and  Sales Management. Over 20 years, will relocate and travel- successful and team player . 
e-mail: tuger01@hotmail.com

Fresno, CA
Aggressive, competitive self-starter w/successful vendor/direct equipment
leasing and asset-based lending experience seeks return to leasing industry
after successful stint in business banking sales.
Email: dsp559@hotmail.com
Resume

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.334-590-5133
E-mail: billmcneal2003@yahoo.com

Open
Many years of successful experience in niche leasing. Seek position with bank or other self-funded entity. Position and/or location secondary to company profile.
Email: David34983@comcast.net

Orange County, CA
19+ years of successful marketing to the broker/lessor community representing one funding source owned by several parent companies.
Email: oc49ersteve@sbcglobal.net

Oklahoma
Over 30 years of financing experience, resume posted at www.geocities.com/bobbybenmoore, phone 580-351-2531

Pittsburgh , PA
Aggressive self starter looking for leasing position w/10 plus yrs sales exp., plus banking experience 814-227-4592
mwiser500@hotmail.com
Texas/Oklahoma
15 year lease vet looking for plact to take business.great references. all major equipment types. open to compensation. please contact if interested.
E-mail: bankingdallas@yahoo.com

Sales Manager

Bayville, NJ
Dedicated individual seeking a account management position, 3 years leasing experience and 15+ years sales experience. Resume furnished upon request,
email Frank at weag4th@gmail.com .

[headlines]

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Classified ads—New: just added

Sales

San Francisco
I am seeking a commission only structure w/established firm with a niche program / product. 30 years equipment leasing successful sales experience.
tbroman@comcast.net. 650-574-2873

For a full listing of all “job wanted” ads, please go to:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm

To place a free “job wanted” Leasing News ad:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted-post.htm

ELFA Career Center: Job Seekers ( free ):
http://careers.elfaonline.org/search.cfm

 

[headlines]

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Heritage Pacific Leasing, Fresno, California

by Christopher Menkin

John Otto's company Heritage Pacific Leasing, Fresno, California was reportedly sold to a group with the escrow to close in early April. Leasing Note holders have been contacting Leasing News to learn if there is any news why they have not been paid on their notes that they hold on leases serviced by Heritage Pacific Leasing, particularly who is purchasing the company so they may contact them about this.

One of the investors told Leasing News that investors had approximately $20 million in this lease. They were allegedly made physicians and others in the medical field, prime credits.
None of the investors Leasing News spoke to had ever seen the lease contract or even the name of the leases they were investing in.

“We provided funds to John Otto in a Loan Agreement and he provided Leases as collateral for our investment with him, “One investor said who had about a million dollars in leases along with a friend.
“The leases he provided were, supposedly, ones he had purchased from American Express at a discount, but we never saw the leases themselves, just the lease number as listed on our Agreement.  These Leases were again supposedly, seasoned leases with American Express and they sold them to John but they (AMEX) continued to service the leases. Theoretically, Amex received the lease payments and forwarded John his amount, which he then forwarded to us after taking whatever income off the top.  The rates that most of our loans with him were paying was 9% simple interest paid monthly, with a three year balloon.” 

It was interesting that the investors spoken to were referred by friends who had invested. It appears they were paid 9% simple each month, and at the end of the term, could realize their money back, sometimes with an additional 2% profit, or reinvest the money. Rates would vary, Leasing News was told, based on the creditworthiness and ranged from 9% to 12% simple interest, paid monthly. Most were “American Express” leases that Mr. Otto had purchased, Leasing
News was told, but some were agricultural equipment.

An investor Leasing News spoke with informed him that American Express Business Finance was sold October, 2004 to Key Equipment Finance and 36 month contracts would have expired in 2007. He
was under the impression “America Express” was still in the equipment leasing business. He repeated a good friend has made several leasing contract investments with John Otto and all were paid on
time until April of this year.

Through out the years several potential investors called Leasing News,
finding stories about John Otto and Heritage Pacific by using Google.
Most of the inquiries concerned leases that Heritage Pacific was
funding themselves to be underwritten by the investor.

Otto, of course, is well-known in the equipment leasing industry.
After IFG Leasing broker up, many of the officers split their geographic
regions and opened Heritage Pacific Leasing; some opened up
companies under different names. Many of them were quite active
in the Western Association of Equipment Lessors. This one was sold to
Mr. Otto, who at one time had several interests in several leasing
companies, including his own entity in Southern California.

February, 2008 without any notice, Leasing News was told he let his entire Fresno operation sales staff go including Rick Gatelli, CLP, the president, and Charlie Litt, Senior Vice-President. Ron Mitchell, too. John Otto, the owner, CEO, confirmed that he has rejected an offer to sell the company to Rick Gatelli, CLP, Charlie Litt, and John Estok, CLP, formerly of IFC Credit Corporation and First Portland Corporation were bidders at the time. Otto told Leasing News at the time he had another suitor and is considering it, but does not need to sell the company. He divested himself of his investment in Pentech Financial, Campbell, California, in 2007, he confirmed, and as readers know closed down Centerpoint Leasing after CEO was convicted of theft. Otto was the major investor in the company.

Leasing News hopes to have an interview with Mr. Otto for the next edition.

[headlines]

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Bank Beat—Bank of the West/Bremerton bank fails

Bank of the West, San Francisco, the fifth largest bank in California, parent of Bank of the West Leasing and Trinity Vendor Finance, surprised all with an $85 million loss for the first quarter.
First the good news, deposits were up, and the FDIC thanked the bank for operational management to protect the depositors of FDIC Deposit Insurance National Bank of Greeley (DINB), formed when they closed New Frontier Bank, Greeley, Colorado, for 30 days,

Now the bad news, revenue was also down 15.7% the first quarter to $770.6 million, which operating expenses rose 3.3%. While their parent has been supporting Bank of the West and First Hawaiian Bank, the largest in the island, BNP Paribas reports in its financial statement it wants to reduce operating expenses for BancWest Corp. by 100 Euro a year. In addition to cutting “unnecessary services and projects,”
400 employees from the band will be let go.

BNP Paribas Chief Executive Baudoin Prot said at a French press conference the retail banking businesses outside of its main French and Italian markets were among its hardest hit divisions in the quarter, especially its U.S. retail bank BancWest

Prot blamed the skyrocketing cost of risk in the quarter compared to a year earlier for the bank's profit slump. This was mainly a problem for the bank in the United States and Ukraine, as the economic downturn caused rising delinquency rates on some of the bank's loan portfolios.

660 Branches (one foreign) 06/30/08

http://www2.fdic.gov/idasp/main.asp

(BNP Paribas Profit Drops 21%/Comments Bank of the West)
http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/bnp-paribas-profit-drops-21/


http://www.kitsapsun.com ((LARRY STEAGALL | KITSAP SUN)

Westsound Bank, Bremerton, Washington became the 33rd bank to fail. Kitsap Bank, Port Orchard, Washington, to assume all of the deposits, except those from brokers, of Westsound Bank.
As of March 31, 2009, Westsound Bank had total assets of $334.6 million and total deposits of $304.5 million. Kitsap will not assume the approximately $9.4 million in brokered deposits. The FDIC will pay the brokers directly.

Kitsap Bank will purchase $49.3 million of assets comprised of cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities and loans secured by deposits. Cost to its Deposit Insurance Fund will be $108 million.

According to the Kitsap Sun, "Westsound Bank got into trouble during the run-up of the housing market, when it made high-end home construction loans that didn’t require income verification.

"The loans were based on a program offered by the former Countrywide Financial Corp. But after authorities questioned the loans, Countrywide pulled its program and left Westsound without an exit strategy.

"The turmoil that followed included a cease-and-desist agreement with the FDIC and much of the Westsound leadership left.

"Terry Peterson was hired as president in 2008 and tried to institute a three-year turnaround plan. But the losses continued. For all of 2008, Westsound lost $33 million.

"In early April of this year, a statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by WSB Financial Group, parent of Westsound Bank, stated the company had substantial doubt about its ability to continue."
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2009/pr09069.html

List of Bank Failures:
http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/banklist.html

[headlines]

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Leasing News Top Stories--May 4--May 8

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-04-09.htm#top10

Here are the top ten stories opened by readers:

(1) Archive -- May 6, 2004
Byrne Takes Back Balboa Capital

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-06-09.htm#arch

(2) Bulletin Board Complaint
IFC Credit, Morton Grove, Illinois

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-08-09.htm#bbc

(3) The $40,000 Church Kiosk
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-04-09.htm#kiosk

(4) Leasing 102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP
Residuals vs. Purchase Options

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-04-09.htm#102

(5) Pugent Sound reason for $18.3MM Y/E Loss
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-04-09.htm#pug

(6) Super Broker List---up-dated
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-06-09.htm#broker

(7) Three Banks Singled Out "Need Improvement"
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-06-09.htm#three

(8) Marlin: “The Axeman Cometh”
by Christopher Menkin
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-08-09.htm#marlin

(9) Tough Deals get Done at Dakota
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-08-09.htm#deal

(10) (Tie)
Bank of West loses $85 million
http://www.mercurynews.com/businessheadlines/ci_12319276?nclick_check=1

(10) (Tie)
Leasing Partners Capital merges with Latitude
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-06-09.htm#lpc

Due to technical reasons these three are not counted in top stories read by readers:
Leasing News Extra
BofA's Lewis: Down, but not out
http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/30/news/companies/bofa_lewis/

Leasing News Extra
Marlin Layoffs
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-07-09.htm

Leasing News Extra-cartoon restored
Cartoon—Dan Dyer, George Pelose, Joe Dyer
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202009/05-08-09.htm#toon

[headlines]

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Alexa Ranks Leasing Media Web Sites

Rank
5/9/2009
4/9/2009
 
WEBSITE NAME
1.
184,423
173,566
  www.leasingnews.org  Leasing News
2.
604,213
650,379
  www.monitordaily.com Monitor Daily
3.
621,586
635,103
  www.ibaa.org Ind Community Bankers of America
4.
778,316
786,226
  www.elfaonline.org Equipment Leasing and Fin. Association
5.
885,421
1,254,863
  www.lessors.com  eLessors Networking Association
6.
1,086,036
1,156,476
  www.naelb.org* National Assoc. of Equip Leasing Brokers
7.
1,597,512
1,598,364
  www.nefassociation.org National Equipment Finance Association
8.
1,990,058
2,196,774
  www.Worldleasingnews.com World Leasing News
9.
2,116,659
2,677,261
  www.leasinglife.co.uk The Journal for Asset Finance
10.
3,301,144
4,303,842
  www.executivecaliber.ws  Exec Caliber-Jeffrey Taylor
11.
3,463,243
3,053,544
 

www.cfa.com  Commercial Finance Association

12.
3,746,604
3,941,861
  www.iicl.org  Institute of International Container Lessors
13.
5,208,085
4,366,792
  www.clpfoundation.org   CLP Foundation
14.
6,381,863
16,726,238
  www.aglf.org  Assoc of Government Leasing  Financing
15.
6,985,617
8,495,942
  www.leasefoundation.org Equip. Leasing & Fin Fndn
16.
10,128,665
13,307,021
  www.nationalfunding.org The National Funding Assoc
17.
15,069,206
14,354,852
  www.leasingnotes.com Leasing Notes
18.
21,060,724
20,426,716
  www.leasecollect.org Lean -Lease Enforcement Att Net
19.
21,160,776
20,527,618
  www.leaseassistant.org Lease Assistant
20.
No Data
No Data
  www.Leasingpress.com Leasing Press

David G. Mayer's Business Leasing and Finance News is not included in the Alexa report list as it does not have its own individual site and Alexa finds Patton Boggs, LLP Attorneys at Law.  The rating is not valid as it includes all those who visit and communicate with the law firm.  When Business Leasing and Finance News has its own individual web site, it will be included in the Alexa survey.

*It should be noted that NAELB web site "list serve" requires logging onto their site, meaing their e-mails are counted as a visit to the site, whereas they are "list serve" communication.  These are technically visits to the web site, but primarily to use "list serve."

The Alexa tool bar works on most browsers.
They are partnered with Google.

You may download their free tool bar A graph and analysis of the last three months are available.


(Leasing News provides this ad “gratis” as a means
to help support the growth of Lease Police)

[headlines]

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An Advertising Campaign Works on Leasing News

Most of the banner ads that you see on Leasing News are from advertisers who sign up for a six month or one year lease banner contract. It is not only to get the discount,
but to make a campaign.

Several have been advertising for several years because the banner ads get them results, attention for the company and services, and what they are seeking.

The editor tries to place banner ads where they will be read by those the advertisers want to reach, rather than placed at random. News stories that will have an “ill” effect are avoided as best as possible. Often it is the position of the banner ad that attracts more response.

To learn more, send kitmenkin@leasingnews.org an email with the most convenient time to speak with you about what banner ads can do for your company on Leasing News.

kitmenkin@leasingnews.

[headlines]

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Classified ads---Help Wanted

Leasing Account Executive

LEASING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Seeking an experienced Leasing Professional who has:
  • a proven track record in the middle market arena
  • experience w/ customer & vendor programs
  • Home State Leasing Corporation, a subsidiary of Home State Bank, N.A., has been serving the needs of our clients since 1915.

    Sales


    Sales
    San Clemente, California

    The iFinancial Group is looking for highly motivated individuals with experience originating equipment lease transactions .  We offer a relaxed work environment, provide leads and offer above industry standard commission. Call Todd Clark 888-852-5155 x223
    email: tclark@ifinancialgroup.com

    Ten years providing financing nationwide



    VENDOR SALES SPECIALISTS
    LEASING SALES PROFESSIONALS

    Like selling vendor programs and large transactions?
    Enjoy international financing programs?
    Prefer the advantages of a commission only environment with the security of health and welfare benefits?

    CLICK HERE to find out how to have fun again.

    [headlines]

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    [headlines]

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    Leasing 102
    by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP

    Customer Contact

    One of the most important duties any leasing company has is to stay in contact with their Lessees. There are a number of ways to do this but I have always liked the equipment inspection the best. Your lease agreement should carry language that gives you the right to inspect your equipment on a periodic basis to determine if it is in the correct location for property taxes and if it has been maintained according to industry standards. In addition you will get an opportunity to quiz the equipment operator or manager about the company’s condition and future equipment needs. They usually are more open than management and it will give you a subject matter to discuss the next time you visit the company instead of just asking for additional business. Needless to say that it also helps discover problems early.

    Another way to stay connected is to send your contact a monthly greeting card that tells them how much you appreciate their business and always include a business card that they can stick in the drawer.

    I am also a fan of putting a sticker or a label on the equipment that states “this equipment is owned by ABC leasing company, telephone number (large letters) 123-456-7891. If your name and number is on the equipment and the label is done in proper taste, or looks classy, you will be the first one they call with additional business. If they have to look you up or forget your name chances are new business will get away from you.

    You should keep a log on each call you make so you can make notes to yourself about when they are going to a trade show or what time of the year they make equipment decisions. Always have two or three contacts at each company so when one is busy you can go on to someone else and do not waste your time. I say this because I like just dropping in to visit my customers instead of making an appointment because they usually can give me 5 minutes and rarely say no whereas calling on the phone gives them a chance to say no.

    In addition always discover the birth date of the bosses secretary or assistant and send her flowers from the leasing company. The dividends are enormous.

    Always keep a record of the vendor’s salespersons name that sold your lessee the equipment and stay in contact with them just like you do a lessee. They will be the first person the lessee will call for additional equipment needs and the quicker you know, the longer you will have to work on it.

    If you have tickets to a sporting event or a race or anything of interest then find a lessee or a vendor to give them to. It does not always server your purpose to go with them, sometimes you gain the same value with the gift and it is cheaper for fewer tickets. It is better to do this when nothing is under consideration so it does not look like a bribe and the lessee likes it better but they have long memories...
    If you are going to a trade show find out if any of your lessees are going and ask to meet them there and buy them a beverage and offer to introduce them to a couple of your vendor contacts. This helps you on both sides and will show dividends in the long run.

    Regardless of how you do it you must stay in contact with your current lessee’s for all kinds of reasons. In today’s market knowing about problems early can help save the day or give you a chance to minimize the damage before it becomes a disaster.

    One last note; Inform your funding source of your contacts so they feel you are on top of any problems early to take some of the burden off their shoulders and they will prefer to do business with you in the future because you are looking like a partner instead of a broker.

    Mr. Terry Winders, CLP, has been a teacher, consultant, expert witness for the leasing industry for thirty years and can be reached at leaseconsulting@msn.com or 502-327-8666.
    He invites your questions and queries.

    Previous #102 Columns:
    http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Leasing_102/Index.htm

    [headlines]

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    Classified ads—Asset Management

    Asset Management: Atlanta, GA
    premier provide accounts receivable management functions from 3rd Party contingency collections to Portfolio Purchasing. Contact George Elliott, National Account Manager. 678-694-9063,
    www.westassetmanagement.com

    Asset Management: Boston, MA
    Nationwide appraisals, remarketing, audits, inspections and more! Over 15-years industry experience and dedicated to deliver personal, prompt, professional services.
    Call Chris @ 508-785-1277. Email:chris@dovermanagementgroup.com

    Asset Management: Minneapolis, MN
    NetSentric provides services to leasing companies: Inspection, Appraisals, Auditing, Warehousing, Repossession, Asset Management, Repairs, Remarketing and Field Service for Electronics and Computing Technology.
    Email: jcahill@netsentricinc.com

    Asset Management: Monroe, NC
    Recover a greater return on your investment.  We specialize in the woodworking, pallet, sawmill and forestry industries.  Carolinamachinerysales.com/ Melinda Meier (704)288-1904 x103
    Asset Management: Nationwide
    BUYER/LENDER BEWARE. Don't sign anything until Collateral Verifications Inc. goes onsite, knocks on the door and gets the facts.
    http://www.i-collateral.com
    Email: mark@i-collateral.com

    Nationwide
    Seasoned and fair priced workforce is at your service for all lease collections, repossessions, and asset liquidations, appraisals.  Call Nassau Asset Management 800-462-7728   dcastagna@nasset.com  

      Asset Management: Orange City, FL
    We help Lessors Liquidate un-wanted Assets valued at $750,000+. It's an effective method of Liquidating Assets such as Jets, Planes, Helicopters, Freighters, etc.
    Eric R. Sanders
    Tel  386-789-9441
    www.ValuedAssetSales.com
    www.The-RandolphCapital.com
    EQPMNTLEASING@aol.com

    Asset Management: Oxnard-Hollywood Beach, CA
    20 Years Exp. w/Equity Analysis/Placement- Residual Forecasting Methodologies Computer Equipment Assets. Portfolio Mgr. Two Major Leasing Companies/Strong Analyst Background w/Leading Info Services Firm.
    E-mail: GregoryMLorenz@aol.com 
    Asset Management: NorthWest Sequent provides collateral recovery, remarketing, and storage services to lenders with assets located in the greater Pacific Northwest. Professional services at reasonable pricing. Contact rossr@sequentam.com  

    Leasing Industry Outsourcing
    (Providing Services and Products)

    All "Outsourcing" Classified ads
    (advertisers are both requested and responsible to keep their free ads up to date):
    http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Outsourcing/Outsourcing.htm

    How to Post a free "Outsourcing" classified ad:
    http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Outsourcing/Outsourcing-post.htm

    [headlines]

    #### Press Release ##############################
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    News Briefs----

    Dream Team planner known for Leasing Deals
    http://www.rrstar.com/communities/x2133278573/Dream-Team-planner-known-for-deal-making

    Rising Credit Card Losses Are Next Challenge for Banks
    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/11/business/11credit.html?_r=1&ref=business

    [headlines]

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    You May have Missed---

    Europeans buying U.S. vacation homes
    http://www.bankrate.com/finance/real-estate/europeans-buying-u-s-vacation-homes.aspx

    [headlines]

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    California Nuts Briefs---

    Power tool may have sparked Santa Barbara wildfire
    http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/10/national/a193459D85.DTL&tsp=1

    [headlines]

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    “Gimme that Wine”

    Upstart Niagara wine beats world's best
    http://www.thespec.com/article/562441

    Screw cap wines uncork tradition
    http://www.examiner.com/x-6887-Northern-California-Wine-Examiner~y2009m5d7-
    Screw-cap-wines-uncork-tradition

    Los Gatos California Winemaker Don Blackburn Dies
    http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Features/0,1197,5047,00.html

    Distilleries are the new toast of Washington
    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009201758_localliquor10.html

    Building Wine Tourism in the Northwest
    http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=news&content=64345&htitle=Building
    %20Wine%20Tourism%20in%20the%20Northwest

    Cheers! Vt. wineries now can sell products on site
    http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/05/05/ap6382833.html

    Wine Prices by vintage
    http://www.winezap.com
    http://www.wine-searcher.com/
    US/International Wine Events
    http://www.localwineevents.com/
    Winery Atlas
    http://www.carterhouse.com/atlas/\
    Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
    http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm
    The London International Vintners Exchange (Liv-ex) is an electronic exchange for fine wine.
    http://www.liv-ex.com/

    [headlines]

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    Today's Top Event in History

        1961-President Kennedy approves sending 400 Special Forces troops and 100 other US military advisers to South Vietnam. On the same day, he orders the start of clandestine warfare against North Vietnam to be conducted by South Vietnamese agents under the direction and training of the CIA and US Special Forces troops. Kennedy's orders also called for South Vietnamese forces to infiltrate Laos to locate and disrupt communist bases and supply lines there.

    [headlines]
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    This Day in American History

        1502 - Columbus embarked on his 4th voyage with 150 men in 4 caravels. He reached the coast of Honduras after 8 months and passed south to Panama (1503). He returned to Spain Nov 7, 1504, after suffering a shipwreck at Jamaica.
        1647 - Peter Stuyvesant arrived in New Amsterdam to become governor.
        1690 -- In the first major engagement of King William's War, British troops from Massachusetts seize Port Royal in Acadia (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) from the French.
        1807-Birthday of Ira Aldridge, Great 19th century Black actor, famous throughout the world, died 1867.
        1823--Birthday of (Catherine) Sister Irene Fitzgibbon, headed a home for foundling babies whose care had previously been assigned to prisoners or the inmates of poorhouses.
    She established the New York Foundling Hospital, a maternity hospital, a hospital for children, a care facility for children, a hospital for TB patients, and developed a program to give decent care for unwed mothers both before and after birth.
    http://www.catholicity.com/encyclopedia/f/fitzgibbon,catherine.html
    http://www.orphantrainriders.com/otm11.html
        1846 - Congress declares war against Mexico at request of the President James Polk. At the time the entire United States Army numbers only about 6,000 officers and men, eventually expanded to nearly 10,000 by war’s end. The bulk of the force needed to prosecute the war will come from the uniformed volunteer militia (forerunners of today’s National Guard) of the various states.
        1855--The oldest gambling house in San Francisco, the El Dorado closed forever because of a new state anti-gambling law.
        1858-Minnesota entered the Union as the thirty-second state on this day. Known as the "Land of Ten Thousand Lakes," Minnesota is the northern terminus of the Mississippi River's traffic and the westernmost point of an inland waterway that extends through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Atlantic Ocean. The Ojibwe and the Dakota were among the Native peoples who first made this land their home and white settlement of the area began in 1820 with the establishment of Fort Snelling. In 1849, Minnesota became a US territory. The building of railroads and canals brought a land boom during the 1850s, and Minnesota’s population swelled from only 6000 in 1850 to more than 150'000 by 1857. Chiefly a land of small farmers, Minnesota supported the Union in the Civil War and supplied large quantities of wheat to the Northern armies. Originally settled by migrants of British, German, and Irish extraction, Minnesota saw a major influx of Scandinavian immigrants during the nineteenth century. Minnesota’s "Twin Cities" — Minneapolis and St. Paul — grew out of Fort Snelling, the center of early US settlement.
    http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/may11.html
        1862 - The Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia was destroyed by Confederate forces to prevent its capture by Union troops. The Virginia was built from the salvaged hull of the USS Merrimack. Two months prior to its destruction, the Virginia fought several Union ships in what became known as "The Battle of Hampton Roads."
        1864-Attempting to head off Union General Phil Sheridan's cavalry advance on Richmond, one of the South's greatest military strategists, Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry encountered the Federals at Yellow Tavern, Virginia. It was a surprise encounter, not only changing the direction of the war, but Stuart was mortally wounded in the battle and died the following day. The loss of one of its most colorful and effective cavalry leaders was a great loss to the South. It also marked the first time that Sheridan, with Gen. Grant’s approval, was making his first independent cavalry action, surprising Stuart considerably. The battle did accomplish the delay of the Federal advance, delaying it long enough for the Confederates to strengthen the defense at Richmond, and Sheridan was forced to change his plans. After a standoff with the Union ironclad Monitor on Mar 9, the Confederate ironclad Merrimac was destroyed by the Confederate navy on May 11. In the wake of advancing Union troops in the Peninsular Campaign. the South was forced to destroy the valuable vessel and its manufacturing facility to prevent its capture by Union forces. The “History Channel” has an excellent series about these two warships.
        1867-- Jefferson Davis [03 Jun 1808 – 06 Dec 1889] is released on bail from prison where, since being captured on 10 May 1865, he was awaiting a treason trial (which never would take place: the charges would be dropped on 25 December 1868) for having been President of the Confederacy during the US Civil War.
        1885 --Jazz musician "King" Oliver born New Orleans, Louisiana.
    http://www.redhotjazz.com/kingo.html
    http://www.michaelminn.net/armstrong/sessions1/s231005.html
    http://www.amazon.com/King-Olivers-Creole-Jazz-Band/dp/B000005R5L
    #moreAboutThisProduct

        1888-- American songwriter Irving Berlin was born in Russia. He wrote nearly 1,000 songs, and had his first hit in 1911 with "Alexander's Ragtime Band." Many of his best songs came from such Broadway musicals as "Call Me Madam" and "Annie Get Your Gun." Berlin also composed film scores, and many of his stage musicals were adapted for the screen. Among the best known of his songs are "White Christmas," "God Bless America" and "There's No Business like Show Business." On this date in 1988, celebrities from Frank Sinatra to Isaac Stern, Ray Charles to Leonard Bernstein paid musical tribute to Irving Berlin on his 100th birthday. The Carnegie Hall concert ended with all the performers singing "There's No Business like Show Business." Berlin himself did not attend but members of his family were there. Berlin died on September 22nd, 1989, age 101.
        1889 - Major Joseph Wham and group of soldiers, carrying a military payroll of $29,000, were attacked by a dozen outlaws near Fort Thomas, Arizona Territory. After wounding more then half the soldiers and driving off the rest, the outlaws simply walked away with the entire payroll. A posse of lawmen rounded up various suspects who were later charged with the sensational robbery. Most of these suspects were Mormons with political connections and the accused men were defended by the famed lawyer Marcus Aurelius Smith. Major Wham and his men were unable to identify any of the dozen defendants in court and they were all acquitted. It was widely claimed that political pressure from the acting governor allowed the thieves to go free.
        1894 - During the Depression of 1893, the company handed out a hefty round of wage cuts; though the cuts ate up 25 percent to 40 percent of workers' take-home pay, the company refused to lower its rents. In May of 1894, a group of workers implored company chief George Pullman to redress the situation. Pullman promptly fired three of the workers. The rail managers won the support of Federal and state troops, which led to a long and violent skirmish in early July.Pullman and the rail managers soon prevailed over the strikers, many of whom were subsequently barred from working in the rail industry.
        1894--Birthday of Martha Graham, the woman who most embodied the movements of modern dance; who influenced American modern dance as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer. Her career spanned more than 60 years during which she created almost 200 works from solos to feature presentations. Died April 1, 1991
    http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/graham.html
    http://marthagraham.org/center/
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/graham_m.html
        1895--Birthday of American composer William Grant Still, born Woodville, Ms; perhaps the best-known African-American classical composer of the 20th century Died 3 December 1978, Los Angeles, California. Still wrote 8 symphonies, 7 operas and more than 100 other works, included such important works as Levee Land and Sahdji. As the ClassicalMusicDetroit.com site notes, he was a pioneer in many ways: as the first Black person to conduct a major American symphony (the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl in 1936), to have an opera (Troubled Island in 1949) produced by a major company, and to have an opera performed on television (Bayou Legend, posthumously, in 1981).
    http://www.williamgrantstill.com/wgsbiography/
    http://www.shs.starkville.k12.ms.us/mswm/MSWritersAndMusicians/
    musicians/WGStill.html

    http://odyssey.lib.duke.edu/sgo/findaid/stillbio.html
        1898 - Sailors and Marines from USS Marblehead and USS Nashville cut trans-oceanic cable near Cienfuegos, Cuba, isolating Cuba from Spain. The operation was performed close to shore, directly under the guns of the enemy soldiers garrisoned at Cienfuegos. From the heights of the cliffs overlooking the harbor, the enemy began to fire with great ferocity. For more than an hour the small boats with their crews of brave young sailors and Marines endured the dangerous waters, the ever present mines, the crash of large rounds, and small arms fire, to continue their task. In the distance Lieutenant Dillingham turned the Nashville towards the shore, steaming ahead and then turning again to place his warship between the enemy on the shore and the retreating smaller boats of the cable cutting crews and their Marine guards. It was a bold act, exposing his ship to intense enemy fire, but for the badly battered volunteers, it meant the difference between life and death. The wounded were quickly taken aboard the warships for medical care. Many of the men had suffered wounds, several of them repeated wounds, and at least three were critical or fatal. All 52 men, 26 from each of the Marblehead and the Nashville, were subsequently awarded Medals of Honor.
        1901--Birthday of Gladys Rockmore Davis, U.S. artist who has works hanging in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Died 1967.
    http://www.rogallery.com/davis_gladys_rockmore/davisgr-biography.htm
    http://www.artnet.com/artist/652212/gladys-rockmore-davis.html
        1910 - Glacier National Park in Montana was created by an act of Congress. With over one million acres, the park is home to many animals, including wolves, grizzly bears, and mountain lions, and over 1400 plant species.
        1926 -- Birthday of Mort Sahl, comedian, political satirist, beatnic, born Montreal, Quebec, Mort Sahl was one of a kind -- a razor-sharp trailblazer of biting, tremendous popular critical comedy in the 1950s and 1960s.
    http://www.mortsahl.com/
    http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0756340/
        1927 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded. The first Oscars were for films produced in the first year of the Academy: 1927-28. (For the first 6 years, the awards were for films produced during the fiscal year, not the calendar year.) Among the first winners were Emil Jannings and Janet Gaynor for acting, and Wings for best picture.
        1928 - WGY-TV in Schenectady, New York began the first schedule of regular TV programs. WGY offered programming to the upstate New York audience three times a week using the electronic scanning method.
        1937 -- Battle of the Bands between Benny Goodman & Chick Webb, Savoy, NY.
        1938-Birthday of American composer Harvey Sollberger.
    http://music.ucsd.edu/public/fm_music_directory.php?cmd=fm_music_directory_detail
    &query_Full_Name=+Harvey+Sollberger&query_Active_Status=Faculty

    http://grace.evergreen.edu/~arunc/texts/music/wolpe/wolpe/Harvey_
    Sollberger.html

    http://www.newworldrecords.org/album.cgi?rm=view&album_id=17524
        1941-- rock singer Eric Burdon, who first came to fame with the Animals during the 1960's British invasion, was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England. The Animals hit the top of the charts in both Britain and North America in the summer of 1964 with "House of the Rising Sun." When the original group broke up in 1966, Burdon began billing the band as Eric Burdon and the Animals. They began playing psychedelic songs, such as "San Franciscan Nights" and "Sky Pilot." In 1970, Eric Burdon fronted the funk band War for their number-one hit "Spill the Wine," but by the following year Burdon and War had parted company.
        1942 -- Go Down, Moses by William Faulkner is published.
    http://www.mcsr.olemiss.edu/~egjbp/faulkner/faulkner.html
        1944--*WAUGH, ROBERT T. Medal of Honor
    Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 339th Infantry, 85th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Tremensucli, Italy, 11-14 May 1944. Entered service at: Augusta, Maine. Birth: Ashton, R.I. G.O. No.: 79, 4 October 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy. In the course of an attack upon an enemy-held hill on 11 May, 1st Lt. Waugh personally reconnoitered a heavily mined area before entering it with his platoon. Directing his men to deliver fire on 6 bunkers guarding this hill, 1st Lt. Waugh advanced alone against them, reached the first bunker, threw phosphorus grenades into it and as the defenders emerged, killed them with a burst from his Tommy gun. He repeated this process on the 5 remaining bunkers, killing or capturing the occupants. On the morning of 14 May, 1st Lt. Waugh ordered his platoon to lay a base of fire on 2 enemy pillboxes located on a knoll which commanded the only trail up the hill. He then ran to the first pillbox, threw several grenades into it, drove the defenders into the open, and killed them. The second pillbox was next taken by this intrepid officer by similar methods. The fearless actions of 1st Lt. Waugh broke the Gustav Line at that point, neutralizing 6 bunkers and 2 pillboxes and he was personally responsible for the death of 30 of the enemy and the capture of 25 others. He was later killed in action in Itri, Italy, while leading his platoon in an attack.
        1945--McKlNNEY, JOHN R. Medal of Honor
    Rank and organization: Sergeant (then Private), U.S. Army, Company A, 123d Infantry, 33d Infantry Division. Place and date: Tayabas Province, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 11 May 1945. Entered service at: Woodcliff, Ga. Birth: Woodcliff, Ga. G.O. No.: 14, 4 February 1946. Citation: He fought with extreme gallantry to defend the outpost which had been established near Dingalan Bay. Just before daybreak approximately 100 Japanese stealthily attacked the perimeter defense, concentrating on a light machinegun position manned by 3 Americans. Having completed a long tour of duty at this gun, Pvt. McKinney was resting a few paces away when an enemy soldier dealt him a glancing blow on the head with a saber. Although dazed by the stroke, he seized his rifle, bludgeoned his attacker, and then shot another assailant who was charging him. Meanwhile, 1 of his comrades at the machinegun had been wounded and his other companion withdrew carrying the injured man to safety. Alone, Pvt. McKinney was confronted by 10 infantrymen who had captured the machinegun with the evident intent of reversing it to fire into the perimeter. Leaping into the emplacement, he shot 7 of them at pointblank range and killed 3 more with his rifle butt. In the melee the machinegun was rendered inoperative, leaving him only his rifle with which to meet the advancing Japanese, who hurled grenades and directed knee mortar shells into the perimeter. He warily changed position, secured more ammunition and reloading repeatedly, cut down waves of the fanatical enemy with devastating fire or clubbed them to death in hand-to-hand combat. When assistance arrived, he had thwarted the assault and was in complete control of the area. Thirty-eight dead Japanese around the machinegun and 2 more at the side of a mortar 45 yards distant was the amazing toll he had exacted single-handedly. By his indomitable spirit, extraordinary fighting ability, and unwavering courage in the face of tremendous odds, Pvt. McKinley saved his company from possible annihilation and set an example of unsurpassed intrepidity.
        1946 - Jack Barry, a familiar face on TV game shows, hosted "Juvenile Jury" on WOR Radio in New York City. The show was such a hit after five weeks on the air that it debuted on the Mutual Broadcasting System coast to coast. Maybe Barry became a bit too familiar in 1959. It was "Twenty One", the e1947 - B.F. Goodrich, from Akron, Ohio, announced the development of the tubeless tire. enormously popular show that Barry hosted, that led to the Quiz Show Scandal that rocked television and the U.S. Congress.
        1946--*TERRY, SEYMOUR W. Medal of Honor
    Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, Company B, 382d Infantry, 96th Infantry Division. Place and date: Zebra Hill, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 11 May 1945. Entered service at: Little Rock, Ark. Birth: Little Rock, Ark. G.O. No.: 23, 6 March 1946. Citation: 1st Lt. Terry was leading an attack against heavily defended Zebra Hill when devastating fire from 5 pillboxes halted the advance. He braved the hail of bullets to secure satchel charges and white phosphorus grenades, and then ran 30 yards directly at the enemy with an ignited charge to the first stronghold, demolished it, and moved on to the other pillboxes, bombarding them with his grenades and calmly cutting down their defenders with rifle fire as they attempted to escape. When he had finished this job by sealing the 4 pillboxes with explosives, he had killed 20 Japanese and destroyed 3 machineguns. The advance was again held up by an intense grenade barrage which inflicted several casualties. Locating the source of enemy fire in trenches on the reverse slope of the hill, 1st Lt. Terry, burdened by 6 satchel charges launched an l-man assault. He wrecked the enemy's defenses by throwing explosives into their positions and himself accounted for 10 of the 20 hostile troops killed when his men overran the area. Pressing forward again toward a nearby ridge, his 2 assault platoons were stopped by slashing machinegun and mortar fire. He fearlessly ran across 100 yards of fire-swept terrain to join the support platoon and urge it on in a flanking maneuver. This thrust, too, was halted by stubborn resistance. 1st Lt. Terry began another 1 -man drive, hurling grenades upon the strongly entrenched defenders until they fled in confusion, leaving 5 dead behind them. Inspired by this bold action, the support platoon charged the retreating enemy and annihilated them. Soon afterward, while organizing his company to repulse a possible counterattack, the gallant company commander was mortally wounded by the burst of an enemy mortar shell. By his indomitable fighting spirit, brilliant leadership, and unwavering courage in the face of tremendous odds, 1st Lt. Terry made possible the accomplishment of his unit's mission and set an example of heroism in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.
        1950-- After fans boo him for misplaying a ball, Ted Williams makes an inappropriate gesture three times (once to left, once to center, and once to right) to the Red Sox fans sitting in the outfield stands. During his next at bat, as the booing continues, the Splendid Splinter becomes the Splendid Spitter as Williams steps out of the box to spit at fans to show his displeasure.
        1953 -A devastating tornado, rated f5 on the Fujita Scale, tore through downtown Waco, Texas. 114 people were killed and 597 were injured. Total damage was $41 million. Another tornado (f4) virtually leveled 15 square blocks of San Angelo, Texas with 13 people killed and 159 injured.
        1953 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "The Song from Moulin Rouge," Percy Faith Orchestra/Felicia Sanders.
        1954--Birthday of American composer Jane Ellen
    http://www.classical-composers.org/comp/ellen
        1955---Top Hits
    Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado
    Unchained Melody - Les Baxter
    Honey-Babe - Art Mooney
    In the Jailhouse Now - Webb Pierce
        1955--- With the help of an Ernie Banks' grand slam, the Cubs snap the Dodgers' 11-game winning streak, 10-8. The bases-filled homer will be Mr. Cubs' first of five on the year.
        1957 - The Everly Brothers make their debut on "Grand Ole Opry" in Nashville, Tenn.
        1957 - It's safe bet that San Francisco will have a major league team playing next season, The Chronicle learned. The team will probalby be the New York Giants, who will transfer their long standing feud with the Brooklyn Dodgers to California. The president plan calls for the Giants to move into Seals Stadium for the 1958 season and into a 70,000-seat stadium at South Basin near Hunters Point in 1959.
        1959 - Twenty-three-year-old Carol Burnett made her musical comedy debut in Once upon a Mattress at the Phoenix Theatre in New York City. Only eight years later, the talented comedienne would star in her own Emmy-winning TV musical variety program.
        1961-President Kennedy approves sending 400 Special Forces troops and 100 other US military advisers to South Vietnam. On the same day, he orders the start of clandestine warfare against North Vietnam to be conducted by South Vietnamese agents under the direction and training of the CIA and US Special Forces troops. Kennedy's orders also called for South Vietnamese forces to infiltrate Laos to locate and disrupt communist bases and supply lines there.
        1963---Top Hits
    I Will Follow Him - Little Peggy March
    Puff the Magic Dragon - Peter, Paul & Mary
    If You Wanna Be Happy - Jimmy Soul
    Lonesome 7-7203 - Hawkshaw Hawkins
        1964 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "My Guy," Mary Wells. It is the first No. 1 hit for the Motown label.
        1965 - Liza Minnelli opened in "Flora the Red Menace". The musical ran for only 87 performances at the Alvin Theatre.
        1966 - The 1.6 inch snow at Chicago, IL, was their latest measurable snow of record. Previously the record was 3.7 inches on the 1st and 2nd of May set in 1940.
        1968-"The Birds, the Bees and the Monkees," which was certified gold upon its release in April, enters the LP charts at #80. In one week, pushed by the singles "Daydream Believer" and "Valleri," it will jump to #3.
        1969-Beginning of one of the most infamous battles that signified the growing frustration with America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Attempting to seize Dong Ap Bia Mountain, American troops repeatedly scaled the hill over a 10-day period, often engaging in bloody hand-to-hand combat with the North Vietnamese. After finally securing the objective, American military decision makers chose to abandon it and the North Vietnamese retook it shortly thereafter. The heavy casualties in the struggle to take the hill inspired the name “Hamburger Hill.”
        1970 - The Chairmen of the Board received a gold record for the hit "Give Me Just a Little More Time". The Detroit group recorded three other songs in 1970, with moderate success.
        1970 -Lubbock, Texas was struck by a tornado rated f5 on the Fujita Scale. 26 people were killed and 500 were injured. The total damage was estimated at $135 million which was considered conservative. 600 apartment units were destroyed along with 430 houses. 250 businesses were damaged or destroyed. 80 percent of the windows in the downtown area were broken.
        1970-The triple album "Woodstock" soundtrack is released on Cotillion Records. The document of the epochal rock festival will go gold within two weeks.
        1970--The soundtrack L.P. to the original Woodstock festival was released. The three record set featured many of the top Rock artists of the time, including Jimi Hendrix, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Joe Cocker and The Who. The album would go Gold within two weeks.
        1971---Top Hits
    Joy to the World - Three Dog Night
    Never Can Say Goodbye - The Jackson 5
    I Am...I Said - Neil Diamond
    How Much More Can She Stand - Conway Twitty
        1972 - - The Giants trade Willie Mays to the Mets for right-hander Charlie Williams and $50000 cash. The ‘Say-Hey Kid’, who is clearly past his prime, returns the city where he brilliantly began his Hall of Fame career.
        1973 - Charges against Daniel Ellsberg for his role in the "Pentagon Papers' case was dismissed.
        1974-Steely Dan's "Rikki, Don't Lose That Number" is released.
        1974--Three Dog Night's "The Show Must Go On" reaches #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 and #1 on the Cashbox best sellers chart. The song turns out to be the band's final Top Twenty hit and their last Gold single.
        1975 -Eighty thousand turn out in New York's Central Park to celebrate the end of the Vietnam War.
        1978---Brigadier General Margaret A. Brewer became the Marine Corps' first general officer who is also a woman. She was assigned Director of Information, Headquarters Marine Corps. Brewer had been director of the Women Marines, the seventh and last women's director, succeeding Colonel Sustad on 1 February 1973. During Brewer's tenure, the women marine corps was disbanded and all women were made a part of the regular marine corps.
        1979---Top Hits
    Reunited - Peaches & Herb
    Music Box Dancer - Frank Mills
    Stumblin’ In - Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman
    Backside of Thirty - John Conlee
        1979-Peaches and Herb, the sweet-singing soul duo, receive a platinum record for "Reunited," a Number One hit for four weeks.
        1981 - Heavyweight boxing challenger Gerry Cooney, left former champ Ken Norton on the ropes and unconscious after 54 seconds of the first round at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
        1981-- The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Cats" opened in London. The composer had to mortgage his house to help finance the $1.1 million production. Since then, "Cats" has grossed more than one billion dollars in more than a dozen countries, including Canada. On May 11th, 1989, "Cats" became London's longest-running musical, playing its 3,358th performance. And on January 29th, 1996, it set the world record for longevity with its 6,138th performance.
        1985 - Scott Brayton turned in the fastest lap ever at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Brayton was traveling at 214.199 MPH in the third lap of qualifying. Duane ‘Pancho’ Carter grabbed the pole position for that years Indianapolis 500. Carter entered the history books with a speed of 212.583 MPH for four qualifying laps around the 2.5 mile track at Indy.
        1987---Top Hits
    (I Just) Died in Your Arms - Cutting Crew
    Looking for a New Love - Jody Watley
    With or Without You - U2
    The Moon is Still Over Her Shoulder - Michael Johnson
        1988 - Unseasonably warm weather prevailed in the southwestern U.S. Reno, NV, reported a record high of 89 degrees.
        1989-- Roy Orbison was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame at a ceremony in New York. Eric Clapton presented the award to Orbison's widow, Barbara.
        1990 - Unseasonably cold weather followed in the wake of a spring storm in the north central U.S. Seven cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Madison WI with a reading of 29 degrees. Thunderstorms produced severe weather in Kansas, Oklahoma and the northern half of Texas. Severe thunderstorms spawned four tornadoes in Texas.
        1990 - Singer Ritchie Valens ("La Bamba," "Donna") receives a posthumous star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
        1994- The Justice Department approved Novell's plans to purchase WordPerfect Corporation on this day in 1994. Novell also bought Borland's spreadsheet business, in an attempt to create a suite of office applications to compete with Microsoft Office. Novell's ownership of WordPerfect lasted less than two years.
        1997 - U.S. box office receipts to date for the film Jerry McGuire, starring Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr., had climbed to $150,850,000; The English Patient had brought in $76,259,531. Top box office producer on this date, however, was George Lucas's re-released science fiction classic, Return of the Jedi, which had a reported accumulated U.S. box office gross of $308,453,687; trailing behind it was the re-released The Empire Strikes Back, with an accumulated gross of $290,158,751.
        1997 - IBM's supercomputer Deep Blue made chess history by defeating Gary Kasparov, the first time a reigning world champion had been bested in a match by a machine.
        1999 - After two years of work, Columbia Records released Latin heartthrob Ricky Martin's fifth album, a self-titled cross-over to English. This album was a calculated decision, and the album's first hit, "Livin' La Vida Loca" shot to the top of the charts. Martin's third and fourth solo efforts went gold. His fourth album "Vuelve" had sold more than 6 million copies worldwide.
        2003 ---In his last at-bat on the current home stand, 38-year-old first baseman Rafel Palmeiro drives a 3-2 fastball thrown by Indian hurler David Elder to become the second player this season and 19th overall to hit his 500th career home run. The 370-foot shot over the right field wall at The Ballpark in Arlington makes Raffy the first native of Cuba to reach the coveted milestone.
        2004-- After missing yesterday's game to become to become an American citizen, Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez, much to the delight of the Fenway faithful, leads his teammates out of the dugout waving an American flag to celebrate his first day as a citizen of the United States. As the 31-year native Dominican Republic comes to bat America by Neil Diamond is played over the PA system.
        2006-- Hideki Matsui streak of playing in every game since starting his MLB career with the Yankees in 2003 ends at 518 games as the left fielder breaks his left wrist attempting to make a diving catch. The 31-year Japanese star established the big league record for consecutive games to start a career, surpassing Hall of Fame infielder Ernie Banks, who played in 424 contests at the start of his playing days with Cubs from 1953-56.

    [headlines]

    --------------------------------------------------------------

    Baseball Poem

    Baseball

    Written by Don Angel © in 08-1997

    Published: Baseball Almanac (08-2003)

    The sun is shining bright
    No clouds are in sight
    Pitching would be the key
    Innings one, two and three
    Inning four
    Visitors strike a 1-0 score
    Inning five
    Bats come alive
    Eight batters would come to the plate
    Three runs being the fate
    Being down by four
    The home team needs to score
    A single to left
    Eyeing a base running threat
    The pitcher's attention is slow
    So off to second the runner goes
    On the catcher's attempted throw
    Sailing into the shortstop to low
    Line drive up the middle
    Another run is whittled
    As a result of a homerun
    Now entering the sixth, down one
    Visitors still winning
    Sixth, seventh and eighth inning
    At the start of inning nine
    It is up to the relief to shine
    A strikeout of the side
    Brings the bottom of the ninth in stride
    As the closer comes into put out the fire
    Team members are asked to show their desire
    The batter takes his stance
    Giving the third base coach a glance
    Three balls, two strikes
    Hoping for one he likes
    An umpire's call
    "A ball"
    First base on a walk
    Second base on a balk
    With runner intact, the crowd reacts
    When a feared slugger comes to bat
    Wishing for a seventh game remembrance
    Broadcasters giving those not in attendance
    "It's a long fly,
    and Aloha, means good-bye"!

    [headlines]

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    SuDoku

    The object is to insert the numbers in the boxes to satisfy only one condition: each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 exactly once. What could be simpler?

    http://leasingnews.org/Soduku/soduko-main.htm

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    Daily Puzzle

    How to play:
    http://www.setgame.com/set/puzzle_frame.htm

    Refresh for current date:
    http://www.setgame.com/set/puzzle_frame.htm

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    http://www.gasbuddy.com/
    http://www.gasbuddy.com/GB_Map_Gas_Prices.aspx
    http://www.gasbuddy.com/GB_Mobile_Instructions.aspx

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    Weather

    See USA map, click to specific area, no commercials

    http://www.weather.gov/

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    Traffic Live---

    Real Time Traffic Information

    You can save up to 20 different routes and check them out with one click,
    or type in a new route to learn the traffic live

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