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VENDOR SALES SPECIALISTS
LEASING SALES PROFESSIONALS

Like selling vendor programs and large transactions?
Enjoy international financing programs?
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Actress/Singer "Cher" born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946 El Centro, California. At 17, Sonny and Cher had their first hit "I've Got You, Babe" in 1965. She had a television, movie, and music career: "Mask," "The Witches of Eastwick," and "Moonstruck," for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1988. Her hit dance single "Believe" is her biggest-selling recording and was the best-selling single of 1999. In 2008, she returned to the stage appearing at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
http://www.cherworld.com/

Headlines---

Classified Ads---Asset Management
    Three Amigos: McDonald-Romoff-Schwartz
      Top 25 Most Influential Leasing People
Why HL Leasing Was Not Licensed
    by Christopher Menkin
What Happened? $77.5 Million Gym Ponzi
    Certified Leasing Professional Survey
      Classified ads---Help Wanted
ELFA Smart Brief
    Password Generator
Sales makes it Happen---by Robert Teichman, CLP
    "Sales Isn't Just for the Salesperson"
      May 20, 2005 Started Banner Ads
News Briefs---
    Latest John Otto/HL Leasing Story
    Trustee Sues Hedge Funds Over Losses to Madoff
You May have Missed---
    California Nuts Brief---
      Sports Briefs---
        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---Asset Management

Asset Management

Massachusetts, MA
Started in credit and collections 30 years ago with a private agency. My skills are negotiating with Attorney's, Insurance Companies & Large & small companies.
cityofpa@earthlink.net | Resume

Minneapolis, MN
16 years leasing experience from micro to large ticket market, variety of equipment. Most recently calling on vendor telecom dealers in Upper Midwest.
golfadm@yahoo.com

United States
Multi- talented individual looking to relocate back to mainland. Over 20 years of experience in Asset Management, Venture Leasing, Operations and Senior Management Positions.
RESUME | Email: dan@ggpglobal.com

United States
Portfolio Management/Collections/Workouts. 12 yrs + management $1B lease portfolio, administration, EOT negotiations, buyouts, extensions, workouts, collections, bankruptcy, property valuation/ litigation, results orientated:
portfoliomgt007@yahoo.com

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

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Howard M. Schwartz, principle owner of Unicyn Financial Corp. (est. 1980) and Unicyn Funding Group, Inc. (est. 1993), is reentering the equipment leasing industry under the name of Unicyn Financial Services, LLC.,


Fred McDonald

He is being joined by his former number one man, Fred MacDonald, former President of Unicyn Funding Group, Inc. who was serving as Director of Commercial and Industrial Funding for LEAF Corporation.


Ira Romoff

Ira Romoff is coming out of retirement to get on board.

Ironically on April 5, 2006 Ira was leaving ICB Leasing as its director as Sovereign had purchased the bank. This happened in the past. The same day LEAF announced the acquisition of Unicyn Financial Companies of Closter, NJ for an undisclosed amount.

Unicyn Financial Companies is an independent lessor that has been in the business for 26 years. The company's focus has been the healthcare market in the small to middle ticket areas. Unicyn maintains an extensive field sales force with offices in Cloister, NJ, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. The company's strength has been their ability to perform for vendors and end users by creating unique solutions to financing needs.

Ira Romoff has been in touch since he retired from One World Leasing Co-Op.

"Retirement has proved to be too difficult to tolerate," he wrote in a recent email." Although my golf game improved - I was able to reduce my handicap by several strokes - too often I awoke on Monday mornings with nothing to do. I missed the camaraderie, the customer/salesman/vendor dance, the daily ebb and flow of the leasing business.

"I will be joining Howard Schwartz and Fred MacDonald at a reconstituted lessor, Unicyn, one of my old customers. They share the urge to get back in the game after selling out some years ago. We'll be a small ticket and middle market lessor specializing in the medical field. My immediate responsibility will be to set up a syndication relationship with a funding source still interested in "A" paper non-recourse financing.

"If I behave poorly in the coming weeks and months to come, know at least that I'll be spending my time doing what I like, even if my handicap goes back up a bit."

www.unicyn.com

Howard M. Schwartz
201.669.4700 ext. 203

Fred MacDonald
fmacdonald@unicyn.com
201.669.4700 ext. 208

Ira Z. Romoff
IRomoff@Unicyn.com
Unicyn Financial Services, LLC.
Phone: 201-669-4700 ext. 250
Fax: 866-521-6320
110 Chestnut Ridge Road

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Top 25 Most Influential Leasing People

Over 100 names have been nominated, including several who sent in a list of people, but without a description or why they should be nominated. Many have sent in friends or contacts of companies they do business with, but with not much of a description or why they would be considered "influential" in the leasing industry.

To not turn this into a "popularity contest," those who make the nomination are not named. To be considered, a couple of sentences of why you are nominating the person should be sent along with the name. The person needs to be "qualified" as to why:

"Influential" as "a person whose actions and opinions strongly influence the course of events" {Online Dictionary}.

It is important to remember, when the list exceeds 25, there will be a point when the top 25 on the list will be finalized; meaning not everyone nominated will make the top 25.

Send nominations to: kitmenkin@leasingnews.org

(Kit Menkin not eligible for this as he is the editor, and thanks those who considered him.)

New Nominees:

Jim Adler-Jim created a lease document that was the most widely used in the industry while at Colonial Pacific Leasing Corporation. All lenders accepted it and many lessors made it their standard document.

John C. Deane---Founder of The Alta Group, the major independent "think tank" to the leasing industry, with principals and associates all over the world; past president of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, active in it as well as the Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation. He has served as the CFO and president of several major financial corporations. Highly respected and his opinion carries much weight in the industry world wide.

Bruce Kropschot-created the channel by which leasing company's could sell to each other. Influential, yes, his focus on the leasing marketplace allowed him to obtain specialized knowledge on how to evaluate a leasing company, which continues today

Charlie Lester- Charlie has always been an innovator in our Industry and gave his time freely to help the small broker understand the business and succeed. He helped lead the organization and success of National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers at its inception. When Charlie had LeasePro, he was always the ultimate creditable person at all times and the word integrity was born with him. With his organization of LPI, he again plotted his course and success followed and his true honesty prevailed.

Ben Millerbis/Brad Peterson-They created a unique funding mechanism whereby a lender turn downs would automatically be transferred to Pentech for review. This created an additional funding mechanism that allowed a broker to obtain an approval from a reliable source without having to search other lenders. This business had incredible growth in a very short period of time and were it not for the current credit crisis they still would be growing.

Walter Rabin-created a platform that went from zero fundings to over $1.4B in the last 10 years. All Points Capital is a dominate funding source for the broker community, especially in the Northeast.

Others have sent in "more" description for those nominated.

Descriptions up-dated:

Thomas Depping
John Kruse
Jim Merrilees
David Murray

List (does not include new nominees until the next edition)

Thomas Depping, founder of Sierra Cities and Main Street Bank; organized a large company by combining many smaller successful operations into one; major influence in securitization and how business is conducted, perhaps revolutionized the way business is done today in the private label program. What he did prove is acquiring a bunch of smaller, independent leasing company's with a strong management team is failure which did influence a course of events but in a negative way.

John Kruse, System 1/Capital Stream, instrumental in the first low cost software for brokers and small lessors to keep track of leases, contact management, as well as automatically type contracts of many leasing companies, unheard of in its day and quite inexpensive. Developed private label programs for the one person office to compete with much larger operations. The program grew for use with medium sized lessors and new owners wanted it to reach a more lucrative client usage. He is also known for introducing the automated front end system to the small brokerage industry but he copies the AOL model and gave the program away thinking people would come back to him for more.

Jim Merrilees, now with QuikTrak, first to develop a "wide area network" BLISS before the days of the internet. Steered the Pegasus dealer program, and under his watch a computer credit scoring profile for both vendor and broker business in a highly quick process. The internet version of BLISS, BLISSnet, was created long after Jim had left the company. Where I see Jim's "influence" is through his contribution to the issues found in the industry.

David Murray, co-founder Direct Capital/Preferred Lease, founded the first telemarketing company based on computer program information, copied by many today, hiring college students and young people to follow a script, then selling the leases off in groups to funders. He copied the Transleasing model for using a leasing credit card. He was innovative in that he sent everyone a "pre-approved" card in a mass marketing campaign. Trans only used it for doctors they had done a deal with before through an internal credit line. This was very innovative but the business failed badly when they forced their growth on Advanta and took advantage of the weak credit underwriting.

Paul Weiss, best known buyers of capital equipment portfolios beginning in the 1980s, working on innovative financing structures and finding new ways to structure transactions that had considerable residual value upside. In partnership with Beau Clarke, Weiss acquired ICON Capital in 1996 and introduced the first sizable portfolio acquisition strategy to a public fundraising vehicle. ICON became one of the largest independently owned leasing company; the largest public leasing program sponsor in that industry's history, changing the way that industry operating and causing many imitators who were unable to match ICON's dramatic success.

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Why HL Leasing Was Not Licensed
by Christopher Menkin

In the agreement with investors, HL Leasing, 3439 W Shaw Ave Fresno, CA 93711, says it was licensed. The company was never licensed, according to the California Department of Corporations, and founder John Otto certainly knew why. His company Heritage Pacific Leasing, Inc., at the same address was licensed by the California Department of Corporations.

"In addition to the lending authority provided by the law, the California Finance Lenders Law provides limited brokering authority. A "broker" is defined in the law as "any person engaged in the business of negotiating or performing any act as broker in connection with loans made by a finance lender." Brokers licensed under this law may only broker loans to lenders that hold a California Finance Lenders license."
http://www.corp.ca.gov/FSD/lender.asp

Now why was it important for John Otto to have one company licensed and not the other? First, the licensed company processed primarily agriculture equipment leases, and according to UCC filings research, discounted them to Bank of the West Leasing in the San Francisco Bay Area, using a private label program. Bank of the West approved the leases and paid a "commission" to Heritage Pacific Leasing.

This means the leases were written on Pacific Heritage Leasing documents and then sold "non-recourse" for a discount payment up front. Heritage Pacific Leasing had to be licensed because Bank of the West will only do business with a licensed lender/leasing company whether considered a "broker" or a "direct lender."

Leases with bargain purchase options or that are generally discounted are "capital leases" which qualify them as a "loan" to the State of California. The state requires a license as noted in the second paragraph of this article.

In addition to the license, the company fills out an application to apply and everyone who owns more than 10% or who is an officer or director is required to be listed on the statement of information. A criminal past will disqualify the application. More importantly, John Otto knew that the licensee is subject to filing an annual financial statement, considered public (sole proprietors may request their financial statement not be made public.)

The financial statement includes all loans and by category, interest rate, and is used for statistical purposes. A copy of the report follows. Here is a page as an example:

In addition, licensees are examined at random every four years. The licensee pays for the examination, including their travel expense. From my personal experience at American Leasing, when it was active, they make an appointment, come in, shows you their authority, and asks to see your personal property tax statements. Lessors file personal property tax forms with the various counties, collect the tax as owners of the equipment from the lessee, and then pay the county. Some companies bill monthly payments on the personal property tax. The lessor is generally the one who collects the personal property tax, but often a "back office" or third party or funder of the lease may also perform this function.

In the American Leasing example, the examiner chose 25 leases from the personal property tax list at random over $25,000 in equipment from various counties, and wanted to review them, asking several questions. He not only checked numbers, but addresses, looked at residuals, and seem to know what he was looking for. When this was satisfactory, he asked for the two previous year personal property tax lists, chose ten from each year, and went through those folders verifying contracts, purchase options, interest rates, and also checking to see if personal property was paid as well as sales tax. (There is sales tax when an item is purchased and sales tax when it is sold.)

HL Leasing did have a California seller's permit, but it lapsed January 30, 2007, according to the State Board of Equalization. This was getting close to the time he let most everyone go at Heritage Pacific Leasing.

A search in the California Secretary of State found no American Express or any Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings except for a few discounted in 2005. That means no leases were recorded as being "secured." It most likely means there were no leases.

To sum this up: John Otto was not licensed because:

--If he was licensed, he would have to submit financial statements under penalty of perjury. His financial statements were, of course, false, because there were no leases. And if he was truthful, he would have two sets of books.

--If he was licensed, he would have to submit to an annual examination, which generally occurs. The auditor could discover the Ponzi scheme. Heritage Pacific Leasing was licensed and in business since 1984.

--If he was licensed, he would be subject to personal property tax inspection. Depending on how the company was structured, he also may have to disclose personal finances and other data, which if truthful could get him caught, and if false, could get him arrested.

In addition, to deal with other banks and financial institutions, meaning to purchase their portfolio or leases, he would have to produce his license just as he did for leases discounted to Bank of the West by Pacific Heritage Leasing, Inc.

Whether state and federal income taxes were paid by HL Leasing or John Otto is not known at this time. Whether all the money was spent and/or used to make the interest payments ( remember, for twenty years it appears the only income was the principal investment. HL Leasing did make interest payments, and did pay back principal when requested, but the money was in reality the principal. It most likely is all gone.

Since HL Leasing investors are "unsecured" creditors, they will be paid last, after all employees and employee claims, all city, county, state, and federal taxes, attorney fees, trustee fees, secured creditors, if any, then unsecured creditors. It may also be that assets are in trusts or foundations.

Tom McCurin, attorney who was first approached, and quoted in the news, believes those investors who have $200,000 or less, should wait to see developments. He believes an investigation into assets and availability should be a determining factor when it is advantageous for a group to proceed in litigation.

"I early on predicted the HL Leasing case may be headed to Receivership," McCurin said. "Both the SEC and the DOC have concurrent jurisdiction, but it appears as though the SEC has passed, and the ball is now firmly in the hands of the California Department of Corporations. (Reportedly Karen Patterson of the Department of Corporations was given the case by the SEC. Editor)

"I would hope, budget crisis aside, that a Receiver will get appointed quickly and will freeze assets, conduct financial inquiries as to the disposition of assets and money, and will sue those insiders who have received disbursements over the past few years. Of course, the problem with any Receivership is that the investors lose individual control over their fate, and can not direct the Receiver. And the investors are also at risk from the same fraudulent conveyance law used against the principals, a double edged sword if there ever was one...Because the investment in the leases is non-existent, Trustees and Receivers often take the position that any such monthly disbursement of "interest" or "profit" is nothing more than a disguised fraudulent conveyance. Depending on the jurisdiction and who files the claim (Trustee or Receiver), there may be defenses to the Trustee's claims."

Tom McCurnin
Barton, Klugman & Oetting
350 South Grand Ave.
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Direct Phone: (213) 617-6129
Fax: (213) 625-1832
Email: tmccurnin@bkolaw.com

Visit our Web Site at: www.bkolaw.com


HL Leasing Investor Blog
http://johnottohlleasing.blogspot.com/

Heritage Pacific California Financial Division License: http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Heritage_license.pdf

California Department of Corporation HL Leasing: http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Corporation_HL_Leasing.pdf

California Application for Additional Finance License http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Form_multiple_leases.pdf

California Application for Finance License http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Application_license.pdf

Instruction for California Annual Report Finance License http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Instruction_for_Report.pdf

Annual Report California Finance Lenders License http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Annual_Filing.pdf

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What Happened? $77.5 Million Gym Ponzi Scheme

April 18, 2004:
Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch accused Cameron J. Lewis of operating a pyramid scheme by using money from newly enlisted schools - not grants or donations - to make token reimbursements to schools that signed up early to buy or lease fitness equipment. Many of the schools were left unable to pay off bank loans or satisfy leasing terms.

600 schools in 20 states reportedly bought $77.5 million worth of weight machines, treadmills and other equipment with much of it leased from various leasing companies.

The National School Fitness Foundation filed for bankruptcy in June, 2004.
http://www.ihpra.org/nsffupdate2.pdf

Cameron J. Lewis and his wife filed personal bankruptcy, which was settled September 2, 2004, paying about $2,000 in creditors, keeping his residence which had a first mortgage on it. Ironically Lewis had filed a chapter 7 December 9, 2000 in Oregon, claiming no assets; declared bankrupt on February 1, 2001.

May 7, 2007 Lewis and his father were sentenced to five years in jail: others found guilty, too
http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/246868/

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Certified Leasing Professional Survey



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Classified ads---Help Wanted

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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ELFA Smart Brief

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) has replaced their ELTnews Daily with a new up-dated daily newsletter, free to members and non-members.


Kenneth E. Bentsen, Jr.
President, ELFA

"We know your time is valuable, so this new format features a short synopsis of news stories, providing you with an overview at a glance, " ELFA President Kenneth E. Bentsen, Jr. said. "It is one more benefit to help ELFA members and friends stay abreast of the people, policies and news affecting our industry, and to continue to advance industry growth."

The issues have many news items not covered by Leasing News or other on line trade publications, descriptions to the stories are well-written and to the point, and evidence a lot of work went into not only producing ELFA Smart Brief, but the choice of articles. Highly recommend you subscribe.
     Kit Menkin, editor/publisher, Leasing News

Sign up for a daily briefing on equipment finance news, FREE.

    Email

    By submitting this form, you will receive a daily e-mail newsletter from ELFA SmartBrief.

    • Stay up to date with news, research, and more
    • Spot trends and act on them first
    • Get news that matters to you and your business
    Get up to speed. Sign up today.

    ELFA SmartBrief brings you the latest news for equipment finance professionals. Our editors handpick key articles from hundreds of publications, do a brief summary of each and provide links back to the original sources.

     

    In other words, we do all the research...and you get the news you need, without the fluff.

     

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    Password Generator

    It is recommended not to use your birthday, street address, or wife's name for a password, or even a "easy" phrase. Robots find them very easily.

    A free password generator with many features will generate secure, random password examples for you to use. When you save it, do not put under an index word that says "Passwords," but another name you will remember, making it even more difficult for a hacker to find. You should also print the list out and save in case of computer or back-up failure.

    Free Password Generator
    http://strongpasswordgenerator.com/

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    Sales Make it Happen

    Sales Isn't Just for the Salesperson

    by Robert Teichman, CLP

    Finally, the equipment is verified, the deal is booked, the vendor and the salesperson are paid, and the documentation department closes the file. Now the customer will be the responsibility of the billing department for the rest of the lease. Right?

    Wrong!

    Success in the equipment leasing business depends on continuing to increase the number of transactions written. You can achieve that by writing many new deals, and constantly trying to find new customers, or you can reach the goal by developing and improving relationships you have already established.

    Many salespeople in our business believe that equipment leasing is a "deal" business. It isn't. It is "relationship business." Studies have proved time and time again that it is far easier and less costly to sell to existing customers than to develop new ones.

    But how do you maintain relationships when most companies buy equipment only occasionally? Certainly, you stay in close touch with your customer. You call your contact person often. You know when the company makes decisions on its capital budget and you contact them then. But did you know that your documentation officer can be your best friend? After all, it is usually the documentation person who is the last one to talk to your customer when the lease is booked.

    Since some leases take considerable time to close, your customer may have decided to get some more equipment by then. During the last conversation when the lease closes, the documentation officer could ask if the customer is satisfied with the service, and could then ask if the customer has any additional equipment financing needs. You might be surprised to learn that more equipment is on its way.

    Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that selling is not limited to the salesperson. Closing a deal requires the cooperation of Sales, Credit and Documentation. And while the salesperson acts as the Relationship Manager, the other members of the Production Team do their part to help retain the customer's good will and promote future business.

    In a successful equipment leasing company, everybody sells.

    Bob Teichman, CLP
    Teichman Financial Training
    "Education & training for leasing and financing personnel"
    BoTei@aol.com

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    May 20, 2005 Started Banner Ads

    Before this date, Leasing News was primarily a text version. When it converted to HTML, it not only brought up being able to use photographs, graphics, illustrations, but "display advertising."

    In the internet trade, they are referred to as "banners."

    The goal was to position banner ads in stories that the advertisers would reach the most readers. At the same time, negative stories would not contain their ad.

    Pricing Information
    Price Ad Size Pixels Size Term
    $395.00 6.5W X 1.5 H 468W X 180H 21 days
    $595.00 6.5W X 2.5 H 468W X 180H 21 days
    $750.00 6.5W X 4" H 468W X 288H 21 days
    $850.00 6.5W X 5" H 468W X 360h 21 days


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    News Briefs----

    Latest John Otto/HL Leasing Story
    http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090519/BUSINESS/905190308/-1/rss

    Trustee Sues Hedge Funds Over Losses to Madoff
    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/business/19madoff.html?_r=1&ref=business

    Shawn Johnson Winner Dancing with the Stars
    http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-dancing_0520gd.ART.State.Edition1.3dfba82.html

    Tavern on the Green bidding light
    http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/05/19/Tavern-on-the-Green-bidding-light/UPI-47601242758546/


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    You May have Missed---

    'Idol' Final Raises Extra Question
    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/arts/television/19idol.html?ref=television

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    Sports Briefs----

    Santa Clara still mulling 49ers deal
    http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/19/BAQN17NENR.DTL&tsp=1

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    California Nuts Briefs---

    Voters say "no way" to budget ballot measures
    http://www.sacbee.com/1095/story/1876258.html

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    “Gimme that Wine”

    Remembering Mondavi
    http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2009/05/16/opinion/editorial/doc4a0e286a911b7944354388.txt

    Idaho wineries get accolades at prestigious wine summit
    http://www.idahostatesman.com/entertainment/story/770775.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/

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    Today's Top Event in History

        1951-The first "Ace" to fly a jet was Captain James Jabara of Wichita, KS, a member of the fourth Fighter Interceptor Wing, who shot down his first and sixth enemy Mig Jet airplanes this day in 1951 over Sinjuiju northwest Korea. He eventually defeated 15 Migs over Korea and became the second triple jet ace. ( the first Triple jet ace was Captain Joseph Christopher McConnell,Jr., who shot down 16 MiG-15s. He shot down three in one day, May 18. He completed 106 missions in Korea. His neighbors built him a house in Apple Valley, CA, known as Appreciation House. He was killed August 24, 1954 at Edwards Air Force base, CA, while testing a new plane, an F-86H.)

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    This Day in American History

        1638- Dorchester, MA voted to establish a property tax to support public schools: “It is ordered the 20th of May,1639, that there shall be a rent of twenty pounds a year for ever imposed upon Tomsons Island to be paid by every person that hath property in the said island according to the proportion that any such person shall from time to time enjoy and possess there.”

        1704-Elias Neau founds school for slaves in New York His real name was Elias Naud. He was from France,  a seaman who sallied to Haiti before arriving in New

        1768- Dolley Madison, a widow, married James Madison.  During the British invasion of Washington, D.C., in the war of 1812 she escaped with valuable state papers from the White House before it was burned by the British.   Strong-willed, she hung her wash in the east room of the White House to show her disdain for those who thought the presidency was royalty. She was a noted and charming hostess in the complex game of Washington society.   She acted as hostess for George Washington and reportedly her charm and social grace was a great aid in Madison being nominated for President. http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/dm4.html
    http://www.vcdh.virginia.edu/madison/exhibit/index.html

        1775-North Carolina. Commemorates claimed signing of a declaration of independence from England by citizens of Mecklenburg County. There is quite a controversy of this event.  Historian Allan Nevins, apparently with good reason, says it was a fraud. It was not put into written form until 1800, it wasn't a county clerk on the basis of his memory of the event.  Mecklenburg does figure in the developing schism with Great Britain.  In May 1775 some resolutions were passed denying the authority of the king in North Carolina. But there was no mention of independence.” Some North Carolinians, smarting over the Mecklenburg fraud, maintain that they still deserve recognition as the first to declare Independence. The claim is based on a meeting in Halifax, where the delegates to the Congress were instructed to “concur with the delegates of the other Colonies in declaring Independency.”  The meeting was held in April, 1776.  North Carolinian James Street insisted that this “ was the first explicit declaration by any Colony in favor of complete separation from Britain.” Street,” The Revolutionary War(1954),pg.79).

        1777-the first treaty between states after the Declaration of Independence was concluded between George and South Carolina at Dwitt's Corner, SC.  Under its provisions, the Cherokees were forced to retire behind a line running southwest through Georgia form the straight part of Pickens County on the North to a point just below the mouth of the Tallulah at the western tip of the state. Since landing on the continent, the natives were moved further and further from their original “homeland.” From an estimated population, some say well into the millions . http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2002/03/mann.htm , the population shrank to several hundred thousand, due primarily to disease brought from the old world to humans and animals.. 1825-Birthday of Antoinette Brown, the first woman minister in U.S. History. A graduate in theology from Oberlin College in 1850, she was refused ordination by a number of churches, but finally accepted by the Congregational Church in South Butler, New York (1852-54.) She married into the renowned Blackwell family (Elizabeth was the first woman physician in U.S. history and her sister Emily, also a physician, was one of the organizers of the first woman's hospital.) Antoinette had six children and abandoned her battles for women's rights. Later she resumed her women's rights activities to become one of the most sought after speakers in the nation. She also published a number of well received books, her last book “The Social Side of Mind and Action” (1915) was written when she was 90. She lived to 96, long enough to see women get the vote. http://www.oberlin.edu/external/EOG/OYTT-images/NettyBlackwell.html
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0935312048/avsearch-bkasin

        1851-birthday of Emil Berliner, Jewish immigrant, who came to the United States in 1870 from Germany and later worked for Alexander Graham Bell's telephone company. In 1877, the year after Graham invented the telephone, Berliner developed an improved telephone receiver. Ten years later, Berliner dramatically improved the phonograph when he developed the flat gramophone record, which quickly replaced Thomas Edison's recording cylinder. He also developed a method for mass-producing records. He also

    invented the microphone among other achievements.
    http://memory.loc.gov/mmem/berlhtml/
    http://www.hebrewhistory.org/factpapers/berliner27-II.html

        1856-revolutonizing communication, David Edward Hughes of Louisville,KY, received a patent on a telegraph ticker that successfully printed type.  He then sold his rights to the Commercial Company for $100,000 on November 1, 1855, a huge sum of money or the day, perhaps the first “dot commer” of the “communication revolution” to follow. The modern teleprinter, telex system and computer keyboards are all direct descendants of this invention

    http://www.acmi.net.au/AIC/HUGHES_BIO.html
        1862- President Lincoln signed the Homestead Act opening millions of acres of government-owned land in the West to settlers or “homesteaders,” who had to reside on the land and cultivate it for five years. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/may20.html

        1872- Madeline McDowell Breckinridge birthday; U.S. social activist who began by organizing and taking part in grassroots movements in her native Kentucky battling for educational and health facilities.   She campaigned for juvenile courts, branched out into fighting political corruption while heading charity organizations and was even instrumental in building a tuberculosis hospital (a disease she suffered from most of her life).   She headed the Kentucky Equal Rights organization which not only successfully passed suffrage in a southern state, but also obtained rights for married women that "allowed" them to keep their own earnings, have joint custody of their own children, etc.

    http://www.womeninkentucky.com/site/reform/m_breckinridge.html

    http://www.womeninkentucky.com/site/reform/motherssphere.html

        1873-Levi Strauss secures the necessary patents for canvas pants with copper rivets to reinforce the stress points. Born in Buttenheim, Bavaria, in 1829, the young Levi Strauss emigrated to the United States in 1847.. He arrived in San Francisco in 1853 with a load of merchandise that he hoped to sell in the California mining camps. Unable to sell a large supply of canvas, Strauss hit on the idea of using the durable material to make work pants for miners. Strauss' canvas pants were an immediate success among hardworking miners who had long complained that conventional pants wore out too quickly. In 1872, Strauss received a letter from Jacob Davis, a customer and tailor who worked in the mining town of Reno, Nevada. Davis reported that he had discovered canvas pants could be improved if the pocket seams and other weak points that tended to tear were strengthened by copper rivets. Davis' riveted pants had proven popular in Reno, but he needed a patent to protect his invention. Intrigued by the copper-riveted pants, Strauss and his partners agreed to undertake the necessary legal work for the patent and begin large-scale production of the pants. Davis' invention was patented on this day in 1873. In exchange for his idea, Strauss made the Reno tailor his production manager. Eventually, Strauss switched from using canvas to heavyweight blue denim, and the modern "blue jeans" were born. Since then, Levi Strauss & Company has sold more than 200 million pairs of copper-riveted jeans. By the turn of the century, people outside of the mining and ranching communities had discovered that "Levi's" were both comfortable and durable. Eventually, the jeans lost most of their association with the West and came to be simply a standard element of the casual American wardrobe.

        1901-pianist Jimmy Blythe born Lexington,KY http://www.allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?UID=8:52:12|PM&p=amg&sql=B10175
        1907 - Forty-one Igorrote, head-hunters and dog-eaters from the wild districts of Bontac providence in the northern part of Luzon, were brought to this country by the steamer Nippon Maru, arriving Friday. Despite the cold air the Igorrotes , almost naked, stood about the steerega deck of the liner and gazed with awe upon the surrounding evidence of civilization. The rumor spread on board tha the head-hunters had been imported by Patrick Calhoun for the purpose of breaking the car strike, but this was denied by R. Schneidewind, who is bringning the Igorrotes to this country.

        1916- Norman Rockwell's first cover for the Post, depicting a boy having to care for his infant sibling—pushing the baby carriage while his buddies set oft to play ball—appeared on the May20 edition. His last Post cover appeared in 1963.

         May 20-21,1927- Captain Charles Lindbergh, 25-year old aviator, departed from rainy, muddy Roosevelt Field, Long Island, NY, alone at 7:52am this day in 1927 in a Ryan monoplane named Spirit of St. Louis.  He landed at Le Bourget airfield, Paris, at 10:24pm Paris time ( 5:54pm NY time, May 21, winning a $25,000 prize offered by Raymond Orteig for the first nonstop flight between New York City and Paris, France (3,600 miles ).  The "flying fool" as he had been dubbed by some doubters became "Lucky Lindy," an instant world hero.

        1920 -The Chicago police, dressed as soldiers and farmers, raid the Wrigley Field bleachers arresting two dozen Cub fans for gambling as Grover Cleveland Alexander blanks the Phillies, 6-0.

        1931-Kenton Lloyd “Ken”Boyer, baseball player and manager, born at Liberty,MO. Boyer was an exceptional third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, winning the National League MVP awards in 1964.  He managed the Cards from 1978 though June 8, 1980. Died at Ballwin,MO, Sept 7,1982.

        1932- Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic this day .

        1941-Harry James records “ You Made Me Love You,” putting the band on top!

        1942-Glenn Miller Band records “ I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo.” Victor.

        1944-The Stan Kenton Band with Anita O'Day records “ And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine.”  

        1944-Singer  Joe Cocker Birthday

     http://www.cocker.com/

         1945- Cher, whose full name is Cherilyn Sarkasian LaPier, was born in El Centro, California. She and husband Sonny Bono enjoyed great success beginning in 1965 with the chart- topping "I Got You Babe." Sonny and Cher became household names with their TV series which ran from 1971 to '75. But a marriage breakup also ended their professional career together. Cher went on to a successful career as a singer and an actress, hitting number one with three singles in the early '70s, "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," "Half-Breed" and "Dark Lady." She revived her singing career in 1988 with two top-20 singles, "I Found Someone" and "We All Sleep Alone." Recently, she scored a hit with the resurrected 'I got you babe' performed with MTV's Beavis and Butthead.

    http://www.cher.com/

    http://www.cherworld.com/

        1948- In front of only 5,001 fans in Chicago, Joe DiMaggio strokes four extra base hits for the fourth time in his career as he hits for the cycle for a second time in a 13-2 rout of the White Sox. The 'Yankee Clipper' paces the Bombers' 22-hit attack with a two home runs, a triple, a double and a single and drives in 6 runs.

        1951-The first “Ace” to fly a jet was Captain James Jabara of Wichita, KS, a member of the fourth Fighter Interceptor Wing, who shot down his first and sixth enemy Mig Jet airplanes this day in 1951 over Sinjuiju northwest Korea.  He eventually defeated 15 Migs over Korea and became the second triple jet ace. ( the first Triple jet ace was Captain Joseph Christopher McConnell,Jr., who shot down 16 MiG-15s.  He shot down three in one day, May 18. He completed 106 missions in Korea.  His neighbors built him a house in Apple Valley, CA, known as Appreciation House.   He was killed August 24, 1954 at Edwards Air Force base, CA, while testing a new plane, an F-86H.)

        1953-In just their 13th game of the season, the Braves, in their first year in Milwaukee, surpassed their total of 1952 attendance of 28,1278, their last year in Boston.

        1954- Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" was released. The record was not a hit until after it was included in the soundtrack of "Blackboard Jungle" the following year.

    http://www.history-of-rock.com/haley.htm

        1956---Top Hits

    Heartbreak Hotel/I Was the One - Elvis Presley

    The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant

    I'm in Love Again - Fats Domino

    Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins

        1957 - A tornado touched down to the southwest of Kansas City and traveled a distance of seventy-one miles cutting a swath of near total destruction through the southeastern suburbs of Ruskin Heights and Hickman Mills. The tornado claimed the lives of forty-five persons, and left hundreds homeless. It was the worst weather disaster of record for Kansas City. About all that remained of one house was a small table and a fish bowl atop, with the fish still swimming about inside the bowl, rather unconcerned.

        1961- A white mob attacked a busload of Freedom Riders in Montgomery, Ala., prompting the federal government to send in United States marshals to restore order.

    http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0520.html

        1964---Top Hits

    My Guy - Mary Wells

    Love Me Do - The Beatles

    Ronnie - The 4 Seasons

    My Heart Skips a Beat - Buck Owens

        1967-Only a week after surrendering the top of the R&B chart to Martha & the Vandellas, Aretha Franklin retakes the top spot with "Respect." A tune that will also be Number One on the pop chart. It was originally recorded and written by Otis Redding who would say he prefers Franklin's version to his own

        1972---Top Hits

    The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack

    Oh Girl - Chi-Lites

    I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers

    Grandma Harp - Merle Haggard

        1973 - Ken Moore beat 4,030 competitors to win the 63rd Bay-to-Breakers footrace in San Francisco, CA. Moore stepped his way to the finish line in 37 minutes, 15 seconds over a course measured at 7.8 miles.

        1978 - Mavis Hutchinson, 53, made it to New York City to become the first woman to run across America. The 3,000-mile trek took her 69 days. She ran an average of 45 miles each day. Now that's what we call a daily workout.

        1980---Top Hits

    Call Me - Blondie

    Ride like the Wind - Christopher Cross

    Lost in Love - Air Supply

    Gone Too Far - Eddie Rabbitt

        1982 - TV's "Barney Miller" was seen for the last time in its original network run on ABC-TV. Hal Linden as Barney, Abe Vigoda as Fish and a talented cast continue to bring the fictional 12th Precinct to TV screens through syndication.

    http://timstvshowcase.com/bmiller.html

    http://www.zxcproductions.com/web/Abe/abe.html

        1985 - The Dow Jones industrial average broke the 1300 mark for the first time. The Dow gained 19.54 points to close at 1304.88.

        1985-The game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cleveland Indians in Cleveland was rained out. Remarkably, this was the first rainout of the season in either league, after a major-league record 485 games had been played without a postponement.

        1985 - Larry Holmes retained the heavyweight boxing title of the International Boxing Federation at Reno, NV by defeating Carl Wilson in 15 rounds. The fight marked the first, heavyweight title fight in Reno since Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries duked it out in 1910.

        1985-Daryl Hall and John Oates headlined a concert for the grand re-opening of the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem. The show benefited the United Negro College Fund and also featured two of the original Temptations, David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick.

        1987 - The Milwaukee Brewers ended a 12-game losing streak by beating the Chicago White Sox by a 5-1 score. The Brew Crew had opened the season winning 13 games in a row.

        1988 - Thunderstorms in the south central U.S. produced wind gusts to 70 mph at Omaha, NE, and wind gusts to 80 mph at Midland and Dallas, TX. Temperatures in California soared into the 90s and above 100 degrees. San Jose CA reported a record high of 97 degrees.

        1988---Top Hits

    Anything for You - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine

    Shattered Dreams - Johnny Hates Jazz

    One More Try - George Michael

    I'm Gonna Get You - Eddy Raven

        1990 - Thunderstorms produced severe weather across the southeastern quarter of the nation through the day and night. Severe thunderstorms spawned six tornadoes, including one which injured two persons at Algoma, MS, and another which injured nine persons at Rogersville, MO. There were 119 reports of large hail or damaging winds. Thunderstorms produced baseball size hail at Houston MO and damaging winds which killed one person at Toccoa GA.

        1995-Don Henley marries Sharon Summerall in Malibu. Among those present and who performed were Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Sting and Tony Bennett.

        2001- Barry Bonds becomes 13th player in major league history to hit home runs in four consecutive at-bats. The Giant outfielder went yard in his final two at-bats yesterday and homers in his first two official turns at the plate today.

    [headlines]

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

    Baseball Poem

    I Dream of a Baseball Star
    by Gregory Corso

    I dreamed Ted Williams
    leaning at night
    against the Eiffel Tower, weeping.
    He was in uniform
    and his bat lay at his feet
    -- knotted and twiggy.

    Randall Jarrell says you're a poet!" I cried.
    "So do I! I say you're a poet!"

    He picked up his bat with blown hands;
    stood there astraddle as he would in the batter's box,
    and laughed! flinging his schoolboy wrath
    toward some invisible pitcher's mound
    -- waiting the pitch all the way from heaven.

    It came; hundreds came! all afire!
    He swung and swung and swung and connected not one
    sinker curve hook or right-down-the middle.
    A hundred strikes!
    The umpire dressed in strange attire
    thundered his judgment: YOU'RE OUT!
    And the phantom crowd's horrific boo
    dispersed the gargoyles from Notre Dame.

    And I screamed in my dream:
    God! throw thy merciful pitch!
    Herald the crack of bats!
    Hooray the sharp liner to left!
    Yea the double, the triple!
    Hosannah the home run!

     

    [headlines]

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

    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

    [headlines]

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

    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

    [headlines]

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

    http://www.gasbuddy.com/
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    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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    [headlines]

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