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Truck/Trailer Industry
National Account Manager

5+ year proven track record, located in either Texas or upper Mid-West markets,
estab. relationships to produce min. $750k
a month, for more information, click here.
To apply click here.

  

Tuesday, November 8, 2005

Headlines---

Welcome New Readers
    Classified Ads- Collector/Controller/Contract Admin.
        QuikTrak Moves Hennessee to Administrative Leave
Loans without Income Proof Debut in Marketplace
    Popular Wins Motion "Not to include NorVergence"
        Classified Ads---Help Wanted
Top Stories--- October 31-November 4
    Cartoon---Bills
        Odds and Ends---
CIT Quantifies Exposure to Independence Air, Inc.
    LCA Receives Approval for Utah Industrial Bank
        LeaseTeam/ Lease Sales Manager One 2.8 Upgrade
JCB Finance Chooses Vision Commerce Front End
    News Briefs---
        You May Have Missed---
Sports Briefs---
    California Nuts Briefs---
        "Gimme that Wine"
Restaurant Review-"Dizz's As Is," Laguna Beach, CA
    Today's Top Event in History
        This Day in American History
            American Football Poem-Bill Parcels

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

Welcome New Readers

While most who read Leasing News go to the web site first, many still join our mailing list. Our goal is to print daily from Monday to Friday, but most often it is only three or four times a week, so when you are on the mailing list, you are informed that the new edition is available.

We go to "press" when we think there is enough equipment leasing news to do so.

Readers on our mailing list also get notices of major events from time to time.

We welcome the new readers and hope you enjoy and find informative Leasing News. Subscription is free. Please ask a colleague to subscribe.

[headlines]

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

Classified Ads- Collector/Controller/Contract Administrator

Collector

Collector: Boston, MA .
Challenging position where my skills, professional experience, organization, leadership, strategic thinking, creativity, energy, passion, competitive nature will enable me to define opportunities and personal development.
Email: bernd.janet@verizon.net

Collector: Jacksonville, East Brunswick, FL.
13 years experience with collection, recovery, re-marketing and legal on commercial loans and leases. Expertise with distressed portfolios, Six Sigma trained. Willing to relocate.
Email: RichardB12364@aol.com

Controller

Controller: Seattle, WA
CPA w/ Sarbanes Oxley/ 15 years management exp. as CFO/ Controller/5 yrs w/ PWC Extensive exp providing accounting/ tax guidance for the equipment lease industry. Willing to relocate.
Email: bltushin@hotmail.com
RESUME

Controller: Southeastern, MI.
Controller & Management experience w/ equip lessors &broker. MBA, CPA w/ extensive accounting, management, securitization experience with public and private companies. Willing to relocate.
Email: Leasebusiness@aol.com

Controller: Uniondale, NY
I have a strong multifaceted background in all areas of lease accounting combining my years as a Controller of leasing companies and as Vice-President of Leasing for a NY Bank.
Email: awinitt@hotmail.com

Contract Administrator

Contract Administrator: New York, NY.
10+ years in equipment leasing/secured lending. Skilled in management & training, documentation, policy and procedure development & implementation, portfolio reporting. Strong work ethic.
Email: dln1031@nyc.rr.com

Contract Administrator: Portland, OR.
6+ years small ticket leasing/financing. Documentation/funding Policy development &implementation, management &training, process mapping, customer service, broker, vendor, portfolio experience.
Email: susanc777@hotmail.com

For a full listing of all "job wanted" ads, please go to:

http://216.66.242.252/AL/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm

To place a free "job wanted" ad, please go to:

http://216.66.242.252/AL/LeasingNews/PostingForm.asp

[headlines]

### Press Release ##########################

QUIKTRAK MOVES MATT HENNESSEE TO INDEFINITE ADMINSTRATIVE LEAVE

Beaverton, Ore. - November 7, 2005. Today, QuikTrak Board of Directors unanimously voted to place Matt Hennessee on indefinite administrative leave status from his position as president, CEO and director.

The move was prompted by personal issues of which company officials had been unaware prior to this past Friday, November 4, 2005. Greg Froomer, a QuikTrak senior vice president and company co-founder, has been appointed interim president and CEO.

"Matt Hennessee has led QuikTrak during his six-and-one-half year tenure. However, the recent developments concerning Mr. Hennessee's personal issues - about which we learned for the first time on Friday morning - have caused us great concern as they relate to integrity, a value which is core to QuikTrak and our culture," stated Donald Froomer, QuikTrak chairman and company co-founder.

(Full story are reported in Monday's edition :)

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/November%202005/11-07-05.htm#abuz

About QuikTrak

QuikTrak is the leader in providing technology-based inspection and inventory auditing services for financial institutions, manufacturers, and leasing firms throughout the U. S., Canada, and internationally. Utilizing a network of over 1500 inspectors worldwide, QuikTrak is able to provide the industry's fastest, most accurate and reliable service. Founded in 1991, QuikTrak offers services to many of the world's leading financial institutions, including several Fortune 500 companies. Headquartered in Beaverton, Ore., the 15-year old company employs 75 Oregonians.

[headlines]

### Press Release ##########################

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

Loans without Income Proof Debut in Small Business Deal

ABSnet

A recently completed small business loan securitization was the first to include loans that don't require proof of income. The $312.3 million Lehman Brothers Small Balance Commercial 2005-2 deal, closed Oct. 28, included a 12% concentration of these loans. Future deals may increasingly include the loans as the line between small business owners and individuals blurs, according to Weili Chen, director in Standard & Poor's new assets group.

Chen pointed to a couple of factors driving the change. "Number one, the income review is expensive and number two, at [the small business loan size] lenders think personal credit is more important," he said. The deal's average loan size was $800,000, and the top three industries were business services, manufacturing and wholesale trade.

Exactly how large a component of future securitizations no-income loans will become remains to be seen, but market participants are optimistic. "Now that one deal has been done successfully, I suspect it will open up the spigots for others," said Barry Reiner, ceo of Bond Street Capital, a West Palm Beach, Fla.,-based firm that originates small business loans.

[headlines]

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

Popular Leasing Wins Motion "Not to include NorVergence"

"The Circuit Court of St. Louis County granted Popular Leasing's Second Motion for Reconsideration of the court's previous order regarding joining NorVergence as a party. In light of the bankruptcy proceedings involving NorVergence in New Jersey, the St. Louis court found "that NorVergence has no interest relating to the subject of the action [in Missouri] and is not, therefore, a necessary and indispensable party."

In short, the St. Louis court agreed with Popular Leasing that Popular does not have to bring NorVergence into the ongoing cases.

The court order only applies to the "attached list" of cases referenced in the order. Unfortunately, I have not received a list of those cases. I requested and received a copy of the order from Popular Leasing's counsel after my review of the file at the courthouse did not reveal any order on the second motion for reconsideration. Although I wish the court would have denied Popular Leasing's Second Motion for Reconsideration, I do not view it as a major setback.

The Circuit Court has already dismissed a large number of Popular Leasing's lawsuits for lack of personal jurisdiction and will be conducting a hearing on November 14 to determine whether to dismiss another large number of cases. The cases that were previously dismissed were those in which the defendants had no contacts with the State of Missouri and the Equipment Rental Agreements were signed on behalf of NorVergence by NorVergence V.P. Edward Lucas. The court will next decide whether to extend the first dismissal order to cases in which the defendants had no contacts with the State of Missouri and the Equipment Rental Agreements were signed by a Popular Leasing employee on behalf of NorVergence. I believe there is a good chance that the court will rule in the defendants' favor after the November 14 hearing, because it would be unfair for a court to hold that when Party A agrees to enter a contract with Party B and, unbeknownst to Party A, Party B allows Party C to sign and accept the contract, Party C's mere signing of the document in Missouri justifies haling Party A into court in Missouri. If that were the law, inconvenient for a like Hawaii and Alaska might become litigation havens.

Ronald J. Eisenberg, Esq.
Schultz & Little L.L.P.
640 Cepi Drive, Suite A
Chesterfield, MO 63005
(636) 537-4645
(636) 537-2599 (fax)

http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Popular_Leasing_Order.pdf

[headlines]

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Classified Ads---Help Wanted

Administration Manager

Administration Manager

Five Point Capital, a well established and growth oriented commercial equipment financing company, is seeking an Administration Manager to lead its Funding and Documentation departments. Seeking those with 5+ years management experience and skilled at leading, mentoring and retaining employees. Small ticket funding experience a plus. Proven ability to maintain and enhance lessor/funder relationships.

Location: San Diego, CA. Send resume and salary history to: HR@FivePointCapital.com
  

Leasing Sales Manager

  
Leasing Sales Manager

Develop & lead sales force in a fast track
company. Our phenomenal growth provides this great opportunity, 5+ years exper. working w/brokers. Relocate to beautiful
San Antonio, Texas. resumes@swcreditlender.com

National Account Manager

  
Truck/Trailer Industry
National Account Manager

5+ year proven track record, located in either Texas or upper Mid-West markets,
estab. relationships to produce min. $750k
a month, for more information, click here.
To apply click here.

  

These ads were designed by Maria-Martinez Wong. Let her construct and design your ad with the goal to keep your costs down.
maria@leasingnews.org

[headlines]

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

Top Stories--- October 31-November 4

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

(1) ELA Holds Firm on Conference Cancellation Policy

---- Fleming to Retire

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/October%202005/10-31-05.htm#ela

(2) Impact of the three Hurricanes on the Leasing Industry

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/November%202005/11-02-05.htm#impact

( 3) Ira Romoff: Sovereign Buys Independence Bank

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/November%202005/11-02-05.htm#ibc

(4) SunBridge Capital joins the "Funder" List

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/November%202005/11-04-05.htm#funder

(5) Exclusive Interview with Gary H. Souverein, Pawnee Leasing

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/November%202005/11-04-05.htm#gary

(6) Two New Healthcare Equipment Leasing Studies Provide Comprehensive Overview and Details of Healthcare Financing Marketplace

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/October%202005/10-31-05.htm#health

(7) Alco Leasing Joins the "Funder Only" List

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/October%202005/10-31-05.htm#funder

(8) Sales Makes it Happen---"The New Sales Professional "

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/November%202005/11-02-05.htm#sales

(9) Illinois courts dismiss IFC suits v. NorVergence customers on jurisdiction and res judicata grounds

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/November%202005/11-04-05.htm#ifc

(10) ELA may Return Portion of Boca Raton Registration to Non-Attendees

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/November%202005/11-02-05.htm#ela

[headlines]

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[headlines]

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

Odds and Ends---

NAELB Now number 702 Members

2005 NAELB Board of Directors

"NAELB (National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers) Regional Conference here in Atlanta Nov. 4-5 had about 160 attendees and over 75 were "funders?". Mostly super brokers pretending to be real funders. Most were looking for B, C and D level credits. They looked like dogs waiting under the table for scraps. Heather Von Bargen announced at Saturday's lunch that we had 695 members so she gave a special deal to join so we were at 702 members when the conference ended. Headlines---NAELB breaks membership goal of 700 members"

(Leasing News Advisory Board member Fred St. Laurent is compiling a full report. This does not come from him, but another reader, and it is abbreviated. Editor )

---

Another Sierra Cities????

                     from the archives:
                        Thomas J. Depping Drinking Coca Cola in his Sierra Cities office

Former Sierra Cities/First Sierra founder Thomas J. Depping and now chief funder raiser for Main Street Bank in Texas, is reportedly actively seeking acquisitions. Allegedly he is offering a little cash upfront and the right to buy stock at the "founders" price with the statement that the real payoff will be in 4-6 years when Main Street goes public. Leasing News hopes to have an interview with Mr. Depping about the growth of Main Street.

---

Barry Drayer-R.W. Professional

Speaking of sierra Cities/First Sierra, Depping's old time friend Barry Drayer of RW Professional, one time master of the medical lease, under house arrest the last few years for what prosecutors described as nationwide bank frauds that could total $200 million, has reportedly filed personal and business bankruptcy. This has not been confirmed, nor has it been proved in a court of law that that Lease payoffs were never returned to the bank, a good number of leases were double-dipped, and others did not exist at all, it is claimed.

Prosecutors said that the company, the RW Professional Leasing Corporation, concocted elaborate schemes using up to 100 rented mailboxes as far away as California to send phony checks, sham invoices, bogus leases and other false documents to banks in various states. Based on those documents, the banks lent RW millions of dollars to buy equipment and lease it out, prosecutors said.

The alleged schemes included multiple loans from different banks for the same medical equipment and loans for equipment that was never bought or leased, prosecutors said. American Express Business Finance and a group of community banks also have a $30 million law suit pending the outcome of this trial. The actual man behind the scenes was allegedly Barry Drayer, who reportedly had a similar problem with Old Kent Funding, CIT Financial, and Sierra Cities.

As last reported, http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/RW_update12.htm, the October 25 trial was postponed when the lead prosecutator was replaced as he evidently moved on to a better job. An inside source says that everyone but Barry Drayer and Steve Barker had taken a plea bargain deal. Supposedly even Barry Drayer's sister, Rochelle Besser, the "dummy" president of the company, has agreed to testify against him. Insiders keep saying that the delay is his old trick of stalling, waiting for witnesses to change, prosecutors to move on, and everyone to just get too tired to pursue. The problem here may be he is now out of "chump change," even having to endure a public defender (his second one, too, as the case goes on and on, since June 20, 2001.)

---

"Every week one of my lessee's, or vendors, tells me a story of a broker who lied re: the rate, tricked them with the residual, etc.... They are almost always in So. Cal - recent companies have been; ******, *******. ******. *******.... Can something be done?? Maybe an article from you would be helpful?? This deceptive practice hurts us all!!

"Feedback??"

(It is true, the great percentage of complaints do come from companies in Southern California, primarily Orange County area, and they make the complaint bulletin list or alert list.

Also, we resolve many complaints with such Orange County companies, including some major ones, too.

Leasing News has written about the Southern California, specifically the Orange County phenomena, and the main feedback we received was from the good guys located there: not to "red line" the geography.

Any legitimate complaints should be forwarded to Leasing News.

We will contact the lessee, get their side, and then confront the leasing company. We do not shy away from investigating them as holding of deposits or advance rentals is definitely is not good for the leasing business at all. Editor)

---

"This seems like the most information packed issue of Leasing News I've ever seen. In particular, I think a lot of people will benefit from the downloadable forms and the "Top 10" articles access is a great idea as well. Congrats on a job well done."

Regards,

Ken

Kenneth D. Goodman, CLP
Goodman & Associates
"The Equipment Leasing Experts"
Marketing - Consulting - Litigation Support
24137 Grayston Drive - Lake Forest, CA 92630
888/852-7560 - fax 949/583-7275
www.leasegood.com
ken@leasegood.com

(Thank you for the compliment, and perhaps as important, taking out a banner ad. We appreciate the support. Editor )

[headlines]

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

CIT Quantifies Exposure to Independence Air, Inc.

NEW YORK, -- CIT Group, Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a

leading provider of commercial and consumer finance solutions, disclosed its current financing relationship with Independence Air, Inc. Today, Independence Air, with its corporate parent, Flyi, Inc., announced that the airline, Flyi and certain of their respective affiliates had filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

Under existing lease agreements, Independence Air has operating leases on four recent vintage, CIT-owned aircraft.

CIT's total exposure is approximately $135 million. Management believes, based on its current assessment of lease equipment carrying values and Independence Air's credit exposure that the Independence Air filing will not have a material adverse impact on our financial results.

About CIT:

CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a leading commercial and consumer finance company, provides clients with financing and leasing products and advisory services. Founded in 1908, CIT has nearly $60 billion in assets under management and possesses the financial resources, industry expertise and product knowledge to serve the needs of clients across approximately 30 industries. CIT, a Fortune 500 company and a component of the S&P 500 Index, holds leading positions in vendor financing, factoring, equipment and transportation financing, Small Business Administration loans, and asset-based lending. With its Global Headquarters in New York City and Corporate Offices in Livingston, New Jersey, CIT has approximately 6,000 employees in locations throughout North America, Europe, Latin and South

America, and the Pacific Rim. For more information, visit

http://www.cit.com .

SOURCE CIT Group, Inc.

[headlines]

### Press Release ##########################

Lease Corporation of America
Receives Approval for Utah Industrial Bank

Lease Corporation of America has received approval from the State of Utah and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to form LCA Bank Corporation. According to John B. Kemp, Chairman of the Board of Lease Corporation of America, the bank will provide a stable source of funding to supplement Lease Corporation of America's traditional funding sources. Timothy V. Talbert, currently a senior vice president with Lease Corporation of America, will be president of the bank which will be located in Park City, Utah.

Based in Troy, Michigan, Lease Corporation of America has funded in excess of $405 million of equipment leases involving more than 45,000 transactions since its inception

Lease Corporation of America, founded in 1988, is a private multi-million dollar full service commercial leasing company providing financial solutions for distributors and manufacturers of equipment, funding for a select group of equipment lease brokers and delivering quality assets to financial institutions and other investors throughout the United States. Since its inception, Lease Corporation of America has funded in excess of $405 million of equipment leases involving more than 45,000 transactions.

For more information about LCA Bank Corporation, please contact Senior Vice President Timothy V. Talbert at (248) 743-5192 or

(800) 800-8098 ext. 5192

ttalbert@leasecorp.com

[headlines]

### Press Release ###########################

LeaseTeam, Inc. Announces Lease Sales Manager One 2.8 Upgrade

Omaha, Neb. -- LeaseTeam, Inc. has introduced a major upgrade of its Lease Sales Manager One product. Lease Sales Manager One is a Web-based, front-end automation solution which allows equipment finance companies of all types to streamline processes and improve performance.

The latest upgrade, which is free to existing customers, offers a number of enhancements to increase operating efficiency, including an improved navigational framework; streamlined document generation and management; and more flexible work queue and database querying tools.

To learn more about LeaseTeam products, please call a Business Development Manager at 800-531-5086.

LeaseTeam, Inc

4139 S. 143rd Circle
Omaha, NE 68137
402.493.3445
www.leaseteam.com

[headlines]

### Press Release ###########################

JCB Finance Company Chooses Front-End Application System From Vision Commerce

Savannah, GA - JCB Finance Company, the retail finance subsidiary of JCB Inc., has successfully installed a web-based front-end application system from Vision Commerce. JCB, Inc., headquartered in Rocester, Staffordshire, UK manufactures over 180 models of machinery serving the construction, agriculture and ground care industries in more than 150 countries over 4 continents.

Based in Savannah, JCB Finance processes applications from its network of distributors across the United States. Using a business model introduced in January, 2004, it matches a customer's credit quality with six (6) national scope funding sources to ensure the highest possible level of credit acceptance in the fastest time. This system will help JCB Finance improve their transaction processing speed and create efficiencies throughout its operations.

Tony Whitehurst, General Manager at JCB Finance, says "The company selected Vision Commerce for its ability to streamline front-end processes, improve internal efficiencies, and to enhance services to its distributors and customers. The automation of the application process, combined with system generated e-mail and paper based communications has led to dramatic improvements in service quality. This has been particularly important as the last 2 years have seen sales of JCB equipment outpace the growth in the construction equipment market in North America.

JCB Finance needed a system that had multi-tasking functions. Users can work in several applications simultaneously without having to save data first. Also, it provides a true customer master record, assuring the most recent information is available. Vision was chosen for their responsiveness and ability to tailor their system to the demands of our business model. JCB Finance believes that continuing to work with Vision will allow it to make further improvements to their service and assist them in their quest to be a true sales aid to JCB and its network of distributors."

Linda Lundergan

Vision Commerce, Inc.
2050 Bluestone Drive
St. Charles, MO 63303
866-707-9929 ext. 314
linda@visioncommerce.com
www.visioncommerce.com

[headlines]

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

Consumer credit shows slight drop in September

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/fed/2005-11-07-credit_x.htm

Newspaper Daily circulation Down 2.6%

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/08/business/media/08paper.html?pagewanted=all

Herald's circulation declines

Daily figures fall 4%, Sunday sales off 14% at struggling tabloid

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2005/11/08/heralds_circulation_declines/

Gasoline prices drop for fifth straight week

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20051107-1356-gasolineprices.html

Holiday blitz begins early

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2005/11/08/holiday_blitz_begins_early/

[headlines]

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

You May Have Missed

ROYAL VISIT TO THE BAY AREA

A green day by the bay for royals Couple see organic garden in Berkeley; attend events in S.F.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/11/08/PRINCE.TMP

Beach Blanket' blows away royal couple

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/11/07/MNGH0FK7641.DTL

[headlines]

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Sports Briefs----

Colts 40, Patriots 21

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2005/11/08/
colts_clobber_patriots_40_21/

Boston Globe Reiss's Pieces-after the game

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

Eagles say Owens won't return this season

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/1105/07owens.html

Eagles-T.O. saga had to end badly-Philadelphia Daily News

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/13108108.htm

[headlines]

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

California News Briefs---

Up-Hill Battle for the Terminator

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=
2005-11-08T010649Z_01_SCH803960_RTRUKOC_0_US-SCHWARZENEGGER.xml&
archived=False

[headlines]

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

"Gimme that Wine"

Delia Viader of Viader Vineyards in Deer Park, who lost practically all her wine, including her 2003 cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc blend.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/02/national/02vallejo.html?pagewanted=all

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/10/27/WIGV7FE0U91.DTL

Wine Compound Attacks Alzheimer's Agent
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=
000581B2-EE9B-136B-AE9B83414B7F0000

Sensors provide fast sample analysis for wine makers
http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?n=63722-foss-wine-winescan

100,000 BOTTLES OF NOVELLO WINE OPENED EACH DAY IN ITALY
http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200511041834-1226-RT1-CRO-0-NF30&page=
0&id=agionline-eng.bnessitaly

[headlines]

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Restaurant Review

Dizz's As Is
2794 Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA
(949) 494-5250

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?city=Laguna%20Beach&state=CA&address=
2794+S.+Coast+Hwy.&zip=92651&country=us&zoom=8

This is the "in" restaurant in Laguna Beach, where all the locals make it a habit (they pronounce the name of the restaurant with two syllables: Diz-iz's), plus celebrities...and weekends it is always packed. During the summer, you better know someone to get a table. Or be ready to stand at the bar for over an hour or more to get a table. I don't think they take reservations, but you can try.

But you can get lucky by going early, or late. Parking is horrible. You will be lucky to get a spot on the highway, let alone a side street.

The restaurant is the combination of two houses on the corner lot and hasn't changed since the father started it many years ago, in the forties. The menu hasn't changed much either, and the desert is still the best you have ever had ( you will find out when you go here.)

The menu is old fare, old style, with courses explained in plastic individual folders passed to all when you arrive. The table cloth is plastic with movie star pictures below (most have come to the restaurant.) You choose the main course and it is like "price fix" menu with first house-made pate and a glass of vermouth.

Once seated, the service is excellent, run by the son, who when you get to know him will tell you the kitchen crew hasn't changed in years (they have a generous IPO and salary), and when the last chef retired, they bought him a house. (my in-law is a Laguna Beach real estate agent and we never have a reservation, but get seated every time we arrive with her and her husband.)

The food is fantastic. Real down home, old style that you never tire.

While there are some top and expensive restaurants in this beach town, "Diz's As is" certainly is my favorite.

[headlines]

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

Today's Top Event in History

1993 - Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11 was released. The operating system boasted improved support for NetWare and Windows NT, and slipped in numerous architectural changes to improve performance and stability (changes that later found their way into Windows 95).

[headlines]

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

This Day in American History

1519- After landing on the Yucatan peninsula in April, Spaniard Hernan Cortés and his troops marched into the interior of Mexico to the Aztec capital and took the Aztec emperor Montezuma hostage. Going against the governor's orders, he took 800 Spaniards on eleven ships, landing on what is now Vera Cruz on the east coast of Mexico., Marching to meet the Aztecs, he persuaded thousands of Indians to join his forces. He had horses, muskets, pistols, steel swords, and armor. The Indians thought he was from God, or maybe he was God. His military triumphs led to 300 years of Spanish domination of Mexico and Central America. He brought horses to our continent (more on that when we write about Coronado ) and his troops were the first to "invade" what is now the United States, actually exploring parts of what we now call New Mexico. In one village, after an uprising against their visit, he cut off the right foot of every male adult so they would not attach them again.
1775- Mail franking privilege allowing free use of the mail was granted to members of Congress and private soldiers in service. Regulations of January 9, 1776, provided that soldiers' mail was to be franked by the officer in charge. On April 3, 1800, free franking of mail during her natural life was granted to Martha Washington.
1837- The first college for women in the United States was founded as Mt. Holyoke Seminary in South Hadley, Massachusetts. While many colleges for women became coeducational institutions in the 1970's and 1980s, Mt. Holyoke remains a women's college.
1861-The Trent Affair. The United States almost went to war over the capture of a British ship supposedly bringing supplies to the confederacy.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/nov08.html
1870 - The first storm warning was issued by the U.S. Signal Corps Weather Service
1883 - Birthday of painter Charles Demuth (1883-1935)
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/D/demuth.html
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/demuth_charles.html
http://www.demuth.org/
1884 - Samuel Sidney McClure established McClure's Syndicate in New York City, the first newspaper syndicate.
1887- Gas lighting brought many fires the end of this century. Though Boston had experienced several damaging fires, the worst one started on this Saturday evening in a dry-goods warehouse. Spreading rapidly in windy weather, it devastated several blocks of the business district, destroying nearly 800 buildings. Damage was estimated at more than $75 million. It was said that the fire caused a bright red glare in the sky that could be seen from nearly 100 miles away. The Boston fire came one year, one month and one day after the Great Chicago Fire of Oct 8, 1871.
1889 - Montana became the 41st state in the United States. Helena is the capital of Montana; the western meadowlark is the state bird and the bitterroot is the state flower. Of course, this has nothing to do with some of Montana's bitter history, its most notorious event: The Battle of Little Big Horn (Custer's Last Stand).
1889 --Birth of Oswald J. Smith, Canadian clergyman. Founder of the People's Church of Toronto, Smith also authored a number of books and composed more than 1,200 hymns, including "The Song of the Soul Set Free."
1900- birthday of Margaret Mitchell, American novelist who won a Pulitzer Prize (1937) for her only book, Gone with the Wind, a romantic novel about the Civil War and Reconstruction. Gone with the Wind sold about 10,000,000 copies and was translated into 30 languages. Born at Atlanta, GA, Mitchell died there after being struck by an automobile Aug 16,1949.
1900 - Theodore Dreiser's first novel, Sister Carrie, a realistic book, was published by Doubleday & Company. Worried about the immorality of the book, and suffering public pressure, the publisher pulled the book off the stands. Depressed, Dreiser was unable to write another novel for over a decade.
1904-Theodore Roosevelt was reelected president of the United Sates. Charles W. Fairbanks was elected vice president. The electoral vote was Roosevelt, 336; Alton B. Parker, Democratic candidate, 140. The popular vote was Roosevelt 7,628,834; Parker, 5,884, 401; Eugene V. Debs, Socialist candidate, 402,460; Dr. Silas C. Swallow, Prohibition Party, 259,257; Thomas E. Watson, People's Party, 114,752. The Republicans carried Missouri for the first time since the Civil War in what was the biggest election victory since 1872. They maintained a 57-33 majority over the Democrats in the senate and picked up 43 seats in the House for a 250-136 majority.
1906-Cameraman Fred A. Dobson began filming The Skyscrapers of New York atop an uncompleted skyscraper at Broadway and 12th Street, the first documentary of the changing of a metropolitan landscape due to the innovation of steel girders.
( lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/nov08.html )
1907-Birthday of actress Katherine Hepburn,. Academy Awards for Morning Glory (1932), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? (1967), The Lion in Winter (1968) and On Golden Pond (1981). Nominated eight more times for her work in such movies as The Philadelphia Story (1940), and The African Queen (1951).
1927-singer Chris Connor birthday
http://www.ddg.com/LIS/InfoDesignF96/Ismael/jazz/1950/Connor.html
1929 -- Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) opens, New York City.
http://www.moma.org/about_moma/
1932-Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president of the United Sates in a Democratic landslide. John Nance Garner was elected vice president. Roosevelt carried all by seven states with 472 electoral votes to 58 for Herbert Hoover. The popular vote was Roosevelt, 22,821,857; Hoover 15,761,841. Norman Thomas, Socialist, 881,9951; William Z Foster, Communist, 102,785; Verne L. Reynolds, Socialist Labor 33,276; William D. Upshaw, Prohibition, 81,869; Jacob S. Coxey, Farmer Labor, 7309. In congressional elections the Democrats gained 13 Senate seats for a 60-35 majority. In the House the Democrats gained 90 seats for a 310-117 majority, with five seats going to minor parties.
1938-The first state legislator who was an African-American woman was Crystal Bird Fauset of Philadelphia, PA, elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Her term of office began on December 1,1938 and she was sworn in and assumed her seat on January 3, 1939. She later became Assistant Director for the Works Progress Administration in Pennsylvania and served as a race relations advisor to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. She chairperson of the Philadelphia Negro Woman's Democratic League and a member of the board of trustees of Cheyney State Teachers College and the board of directors of the Small Business Opportunities Corporation of Philadelphia. She died on March 27, 1965
http://www.afsc.org/about/hist/2003/crystal_bird_fauset.htm
1939 - Frank Sinatra had his last recording session with the Harry James Band. "Every Day of My Life" and "Ciribiribin" were recorded. If you listen to these records today, you will not be able to identify Sinatra as he sounded more a "crooner" without the phrasing or rhythm in the 1950's and forward.
1949-Birthday of Bonnie Raitt, singer, songwriter. Grammy award winner. Her mother was a pianist. Daughter of actor, John Raitt
1950-The first pilot of a jet fighter to win a dogfight in the Korean War was First Lieutenant Russell John Brown of Pasadena, CA, the pilot of an Air Force F-80, who destroyed a MiG-15 over Northern Korean in jet-versus-jet combat.
1952-Maurice "Rocket" Richard of the Montereal Canadiens became the leading career goal scorer in the National Hockey League with his 325 th career goal in a 6-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
1953 - Residents of New York City suffered through ten days of smog resulting in 200 deaths.
1954- Dave Brubeck makes "Mime" Magazine cover for "Take Five." Louis Armstrong was the first jazz musician to make Time's front page in 1947.
1954 - The American League approved transferring the baseball's Philadelphia Athletics team to Kansas City, Missouri. Charles O. Finley of Chicago, Illinois would eventually tire of Kansas City and relocate the A's to Oakland, California.
1955---Top Hits
Autumn Leaves - Roger Williams
Moments to Remember - The Four Lads
I Hear You Knocking - Gale Storm
That Do Make It Nice - Eddy Arnold
1956 - Cecil B. DeMille's cinema classic, The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner, premiered in New York. It later won an Oscar for Best Special Effects, and received a Best Picture nomination.
1959 - Elgin Baylor, the Minneapolis Lakers' "Big E", scored 64 points to set a National Basketball Association scoring mark. The Lakers defeated Boston 136-115.
1960 - John Fitzgerald Kennedy was elected president of the United States. Sen. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, was the second youngest man ever to win the nation's highest office. Sen. Lyndon Baines Johnson, Democrat from Texas, was elected vice president. The electoral vote was Kennedy, 303, Nixon, 219, and Senator Harry F. Byrd, 15. Kennedy won 49.7% and Nixon $49.6% of the popular vote making the election one of the closest in U.S. history. In congressional elections the Democrats took a 65-35 majority in the senate. In the House they lost 20 seats but kept a majority of 263-174.
1963---Top Hits
Sugar Shack - Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs
Deep Purple - Nino Tempo & April Stevens
Washington Square - The Village Stompers
Love's Gonna Live Here - Buck Owens
1963-Dick Clark's traveling Caravan of Stars opens its fall 1963 tour in Teaneck, New Jersey. The bill features Bobby Vee, Brian Hyland, the Ronettes, Little Eva and the Dovells among others.
1964 - Judy Garland and daughter, Liza Minnelli gave a joint appearance at the London Palladium. The program was shown on television in the United States, and was recorded on the LP, "Live at the London Palladium" that became a classic for Capitol Records.
1965 - The daytime soap opera, Days of Our Lives, starring MacDonald Carey as Dr. Tom Horton, premiered.
1965- "Days of Our Lives" premiered on television. This popular daytime serial, like many others, has gone through many changes throughout its run. It expanded from 30 minutes to an hour; it went to number one in the ratings and slipped to nine out of 12 in the 1980s; and it dropped or de-emphasized older characters, which angered its audience. The soap is set in Salem and centers around the Horton and Brady families. Notable cast members included Mary Frann, Joan Van Ark, Susan Oliver, Mike Farrell, Kristian Alfonso, Carry Marshall, John Aniston, Josh Taylor, Wayne Northrop, John DeLancie, Andrea Barber, Deidre Hall, Thaao Penghlis, Jason Bernard, Marilyn McCoo, Charles Shaughnessy, Peter Reckell, Francis Reid, Patsy Pease and Genie Francis.
1966- The first US Senator who was African-American to be elected by popular vote was Edward William Brooke, the attorney general of Massachusetts, who was elected by a popularity of 439,000 votes. A graduate of Howard University and Boston University Law School, the liberal Republican Brooke served in the Senate for twelve years, until he was defeated by Paul Tsongas in 1978. Brooke was instrumental in developing the legislation that would become the 1970 Housing and Urban Development Act. He now lives in Miami, Florida.
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000871
1966 - Actor and future United States President Ronald Reagan was elected governor of California, beating incumbent Governor Pat Brown, former District Attorney of San Francisco. When he first heard Reagan was going to run against him, Brown was noted to say, "Hey, we got a shoo in as they are going to run an actor from Hollywood against me."
1966 - The temperature in downtown San Francisco reached a November record of 86 degrees.
1969- "Wedding Bell Blues" by 5th Dimension topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.
1970---Tom Dempsey of the New Orleans Saints set an NFL record by kicking a 63-yard field goal to give the Saints a 19-17 victory of the Detroit Lions.
1970-im Morrison records the poetry that the other members of the Doors would set to music after his death and issue on the 1978 album, "An American Prayer."
1971---Top Hits
Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
Theme from Shaft - Isaac Hayes
Imagine - John Lennon Plastic Ono Band
Here Comes Honey Again - Sonny James
1971-Sly & the Family Stone have huge hits with "Family Affair" and "There's a Riot Goin' On". The album's title could well describe some of Sly's concerts during this time. Much to his fans' dismay, he's a frequent no-show. Of eighty concerts booked in 1970, he canceled 26 and has ducked out of 12 of forty shows in '71.
1973-The first golfer to earn $100,000 in a contest was Miller Barber of Texas, who won the first prize of $100,000 in 144 strokes in the World Open at Pinehurst, NC, on November 8-17.
1974 -- Lt. William Calley is paroled after serving about three years in "prison" (under house arrest in his apartment) for overseeing the murder of Vietnamese civilians (possibly as high as 500 or more) at My Lai
http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/parton/2/mylai1.html
1978-A bizarre NBA game happened during the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets, when an official assessed three technical fouls against Nets coach Kevin Loughery and player Bernard King The league office ruled that the official had acted in error and ordered the game replayed. It was on March 23, 1979, and Philadelphia won, 137-133. On February 7, however, the 76ers traded Ralph Simpson to New Jersey for Erick Money and Harvey Catchings. So these three wound up finishing the game on March 23 rd as members of the team they had originally opposed.
1979---Top Hits
Pop Muzik - M
Heartache Tonight - Eagles
Dim All the Lights - Donna Summer
You Decorated My Life - Kenny Rogers
1979-The Grateful Dead's "Shakedown Street" LP is released.
1983- Dale Murphy (.302, 36, 121) joins Ernie Banks, Joe Morgan and Mike Schmidt as one of the players who has won the MVP award in consecutive years. The soft-spoken Braves' outfielder receives 21 of the 24 votes cast.
1986 -a new Utah record for wind was set when a wind gust of 124 mph was recorded on 11,000 foot Hidden peak in the Snowbird area
1987---Top Hits
I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany
Causing a Commotion - Madonna
Mony Mony "Live" - Billy Idol
Am I Blue - George Strait
1988-George Bush was elected president of the United States, carrying 40 states. He defeated Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts, the Democratic candidate. The electoral vote was Bush, 426, Dukakis 112. The popular vote was Bush, 47,917,341, Dukakis, 41,013,030. In congressional elections the Democrats gained one Senate seat for a 55-45 majority; in the House they gained 3 seats for a 260-175 majority.
1990- The Gender Gap at the voting booth succeeded in electing Ann Richards as Texas Governor (with 61% of the women's vote) and Barbara Roberts as Oregon Governor with 30% more of the women's vote than her opponent got. Sharon Pratt Dixon was elected the first black woman to head the Washington, D.C. government. Joan Finney who opposed abortion was elected governor of Kansas. Of 85 women who ran for statewide offices, 57 won... all with significant Gender Gap margins...
1991- The new Carol Burnette Show premieres on CBS-TV Her first run on TV lasted from September 11, 1967 - March 29, 1978. My good friend Warren Luening played lead trumpet for her TV show and toured with her. He said he enjoyed every minute as she was a wonderful person to work for and always thoughtful of those around her. What you saw on TV was the way she really was in life, he commented.
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-1025
http://timvp.com/carolb.html
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0302389/
1991 -the first week of November ended in Iowa with the average temperature for the state of 18.3 degrees, a full 24.7 degrees below normal. Easily this was the coldest first week of November ever.
1993 - Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11 was released. The operating system boasted improved support for NetWare and Windows NT, and slipped in numerous architectural changes to improve performance and stability (changes that later found their way into Windows 95).
1994---Top Hits
I ll Make Love To You- Boyz II Men
All I Wanna Do- Sheryl Crow
Another Night- Real McCoy
Here Comes The Hotstepper (From "Ready To Wear")- Ini Kamoze

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American Football Poem

        Man in the Glass

( The poem Bill Parcells is reportedly read often to his players on Monday )

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say

For it isn't your father, mother or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass

Some people may think you're a straight-shootin' chum
And call you a wonderful guy
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest
For he's with you clear up to the end
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of life
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass

 

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