Leasing News - information, news, education and entertainment for the commercial bank, finance and leasing industry

######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release” and was not written by Leasing News nor information verified, but from the source noted. When an article is signed by the writer, it is considered a “by line.” It reflects the opinion and research of the writer.

Please send a copy of Leasing News to a colleague and ask them
to subscribe. It’s easy. All they have to do is put “subscribe” in
the subject line and email: kitmenkin@leasingnews.org

Position Wanted---Senior Management
Seeking New Opportunities

Each Week Leasing News is pleased, as a service to its readership, to offer completely free ads placed by candidates for jobs in the industry. These ads also can be accessed directly on the website at:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm

Each ad is limited to (100) words and ads repeat for up to 6 months unless the candidate tells us to stop. Your submissions should be received here by the end of each week.
Please encourage friends and colleagues to take advantage of this service, including recent graduates and others interested in leasing and related careers.

Senior-level leasing executive accomplished in sales, finance, operations and marketing. Seeking new opportunity to capitalize on my strategic, ideation, communication and analytical strengths to identify opportunities, formulate solutions and articulate strategies that inspire cross-functional teams to enhance corporate performance and shareholder value. Adept negotiator of multi-million dollar lease program agreements and contracts. Driver of increased sales productivity, incremental revenue, operating expense reductions and customer acquisition/retention.
reg.lindholm@gmail.com

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for appraisals and equipment valuations provided by Ed Castagna)

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Archives: August, 2002--Comdisco expects QIII $68M Loss
Many losses follow due to $300 Million leases/loans with Dot Coms

(5/2002) re-organization plan filed with SEC. (2/2002) Loses $216 Million in First Fiscal Quarter; Comdisco To File Reorganization Plan by April 15, 2002. (2/2001) Deal falls apart with Tyco Financial; Wins Approval to Sell Leasing Units to GE Capital. (11/15/2001)Comdisco, Inc. and 50 domestic U.S. subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois on July 16, 2001. The filing allows the company to provide for an orderly sale of some of its businesses, while resolving short-term liquidity issues and enabling the company to reorganize on a sound financial basis to support its continuing businesses. Simultaneous with the filing, Comdisco also announced sale of business to Hewlett-Packard Company for $610 million. Closing of that the proposed sale of substantially all of its Availability Solutions transaction is subject to a court-supervised auction process. (8/2001) Comdisco lays off 450 more, 3rd Quarter shows $168 million loss.

TODAY

Comdisco Holding Company, Inc. does not have significant operations. The company is a successor company to Comdisco, Inc., which emerged from bankruptcy under the plan that became effective in August, 2002. Its post-bankruptcy operations are limited to an orderly run-off or sale of its remaining assets. Comdisco Holding Company, Inc. was founded in 1969 and is based in Rosemont, Illinois. Reported one Employee as of 12/11/14
http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/snapshot/
snapshot.asp?ticker=CDCO

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Data Analytic Online Lenders/Our Next Industry Meltdown
Fed Chair Asks Cobra Capital for a Survey
By Dale R. Kluga

Janet L. Yellen
Federal Reserve Chair

Today for the first time ever, I voluntarily submitted to the possible threat of industry regulation and completed a survey for The Federal Reserve Bank. My motivation to put Cobra on the national regulatory radar screen is entirely contrary and counter-intuitive to my published and well-known criticism of bureaucratic and overzealous government regulatory agencies. Agencies like the Fed and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which in many cases enforce economically adverse and entirely useless policies which have served only to punish innocent small business job creators while allowing the trillion dollar dangerous banks to materially increase their size and concentration relative to our country's GDP and financial assets, respectively.

Prior to 1996, I was a commercial banker for 15 years having operated under intense regulatory scrutiny when I started my first job in 1981 at the blue blood, complacent and somewhat stuffy Continental Illinois National Bank in Chicago. CINB was the largest bank failure in U.S. history when we ultimately failed in 1984 despite our designation a year earlier as the best managed global institution by Institutional Investors. Many of us, former Continental Bank employees, sarcastically refer to ourselves today as "ex-cons" as in "ex-Continental Bank employees, (not formerly imprisoned ex-convicts like some of the high rate lenders and scammers in our finance company industry). Those legitimately imprisoned former true ex-convicts from our industry will soon be joined by a new breed of smoke and mirror players some of which operate under the current and highly in vogue "data analytics’ online lender" finance company models. The current sweetheart target of the sexy, outrageously expensive and counter-intuitive Private Equity Funds, Hedge Funds and BDC's lust for egregious yields and camouflaged terms which are entirely un-sustainable.

Here is the problem I have with all the un-sustainable “online/data analytics” models - most of them will heap destruction upon our industry (again) which ends up burning the legitimate and small independents like Cobra who are cast in the shadow of these bad operators while they rape the profits from their clients and create another implosion and even greater regulatory overreaction.

Like in 2000 and again in 2008, the desperate banks will overreact again and start calling everyone’s loans, not just the bad operators. It is only for this reason that I have filled out the Fed's survey and support limited regulation of our industry to vet the crooks and egregious actors from our industry. Because the true independents who do not rely upon "hot" money from Wall Street have figured out how to do it the ethical way. We don’t make a killing, but we do make a good living. Unfortunately, we almost expect the next round of bad operators to screw it up all over again. Then, we independents with traditional credit models are forced to deal with the carnage of future suspicious lenders who got burned by the online sharks.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen Survey Request: PDF

Dale R. Kluga
President
Cobra Capital LLC
2831 W. 83rd Street
Darien, Illinois 60561
630-985-3500 Office
Email: dale@cobrallc.com
Web: www.cobrallc.com

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Leasing Portals
(Business to Business including Finance/Leasing)

Perhaps the earliest such portals date to when Netscape came on line. Today Google, Yahoo, Opera, Bing, and others provide these searches for free. Portals led those seeking leasing and loans direct to sources. Only one appears active on the Internet today.

http://www.businessfinance.com/

The website states "Search over 4,000 sources of Business Finance and get your free matched list in seconds"
http://www.businessfinance.com/aboutus.asp#axzz3bqWFvQI2

The main page touts small business loans:

Small Business Loans    2,105 sources
Equipment Finance         317 sources
Working Capital           192 sources

Plus
Equity Investments      1,121 sources
Commercial Finance         178 sources
Commercial Mortgages     232 sources

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

New Hires---Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Cathy Acciarito was hired as Direct Sales Manager at Creekridge Capital, Minneapolis, Minnesota; based in Greater Philadelphia area. Previously, she was Region Finance Manager, Philips Medical Capital, A Philips Healthcare and DLL partnership (November, 2004 – December, 2014); Vice President, Healthcare Financial Services, GE Capital (November, 1999 – November, 2004); VP, MHS, Picker International (July, 1996 – August, 1999); Vice President, Picker Financial Group (March, 1992 – April, 1996); District Manager, US Leasing (1986 – 1992); District Manager, CPT Corporation
(1983 – 1985). Organizations: Healthcare Financial Management Association, Starting July 1999. Awards, Philips Pinnacle Board (January, 2012). Ranked #1 in the country for Philips Medical Capital volume as a % to quota with $28MM booked. Philips Pinnacle Board (January, 2009).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cacciarito

Randa Clay was hired by Susan Carol Associates Public Relations Agency as an Associate, specialist in web design and marketing; based in Dallas, Texas. "For Susan Carol Associates, she was the web producer for several of the agency’s clients in the equipment leasing and finance industry. These projects included several blogs and business sites as well as an e-commerce company website with interactive tools and dynamic content. Clay will work with the agency’s team on integrated communications services that provide clients with a one-stop resource for all PR, marketing, advertising and web needs. “There is a real synergy, efficiency, and cost-savings in selecting an agency that puts it all together,” said Susan Carol, the PR firm’s president. “Randa fits well in our culture because of her collaborative nature and goal-oriented approach to work.” Previously she was a Freelance Graphic Designer (January, 2006-August, 2015); Circulation & Database Manager, Daigger (2004 – 2005); Marketing Coordinator, Alliance Data (March, 1997 – August 2003). Education: University of North Texas, M.M., Voice Performance (1992 – 1994). University of North Texas, B.M., Voice Performance (1988 – 1992).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/randaclay

Jason Gerdes was announced as Direct Sales Manager, Creekridge Capital, Minneapolis, Minnesota; based in Peninsula, Ohio. He joined the firm June, 2015. Previously, he was Region Finance Manager Philips Medical Capital (1996 – 2014). Awards: Pinnacle Award, Philips. Multiple Pinnacle Award winner for sales performance. Education: The University of Akron, Master of Business Administration (MBA), Finance (1994 – 1997). Bryant University, Bachelor of Science (BS), Economics (1990 – 1992).
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jason-gerdes/52/188/865

Renee Hazard hired as Senior Portfolio manager, Targeted Lease, Buffalo, New York. Previously, she was Vice President of Broker Relations, Blue Bridge Financial, LLC (December, 2010 – July, 2015); Broker Rep, Evans National Leasing (April, 2003 – 2010). Languages: English. Spanish. Organizations: NAELB Association & NEFA Membership Committee Starting April, 2004. Education: SUNY at Buffalo, Bachelor's degree (2000 – 2004).
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/renee-hazard/70/a05/80a

Kristina (Shain) Ickes was hired as VP of Credit & Operations, Americorp Financial, Birmingham, Michigan. "In this management role Ickes will be responsible for day-to-day credit review and decisions, syndication packaging of transactions, lender relations and development, overseeing operations and daily contact with the sales team. Previously, she was Director, Credit & Syndication, TIP Capital, a Crestmark Bank Company (January, 2010 – August, 2015); Credit Products Officer, Banc of America Leasing (May, 1999 – June 2009). Education: Davenport University, BBA, Accounting (1997 – 2004).
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/kristina-ickes/23/785/b85

James Paterson was hired as Vice President, Business Development, Commercial Services, CIT; based in the greater Los Angeles, California area. Previously, he was Managing Partner, Ocean Capital Partners (August, 2007 – July, 2015); Associate, Jefferies (March, 2006 – July, 2007); Assistant Vice President, GE Capital (January, 2004 – March, 2006). Organizations: University of Western Ontario, Richard Ivey School of Business, Member of the Alumni Board of Directors, starting February, 2011: Seafield Resources Inc. (TSX: SFF), Member of the Board of Directors (December, 2009 – June, 2011). Additional Organizations, PE Week Wire. Education: University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business, MBA, Finance (1997 – 1999).
The University of Western Ontario, Richard Ivey School of Business,
Honors Bachelors in Business Administration, Accounting and Finance
(1991 – 1994).
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/james-paterson/0/a3a/507

Adam Peterson was promoted to Vice President of Business Development at Channel Partners Capital, Maple Grove, Minneapolis. He joined the company in April, 2009, and last position was as Senior Account Executive. Education: Gustavus Adolphus College, Bachelor of Arts, Financial Economics (2007 – 2010).
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/adam-peterson/1a/111/a91

Ross Reida was hired as Director of Finance Programs at Building Energy Inc., Portland, Oregon. "I am excited about this new job and will be making calls next week to start reconnecting with funding sources." Previously, he was VP National Accounts, Specialty Markets Group, TIP Capital (May, 2012 – August, 2015); Energy Finance Program Manager, GridPath Capital (June, 2011 – April, 2012); Equipment Leasing Portfolio Manager, Sequent Asset Management, Inc. (July, 2008 – December, 2011); President, Advantage Business Capital, Inc. (February, 1996 – July, 2008). Languages: German
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossreida

Melissa Scott was hired as Sales Manager, Healthcare Sales Channel, Minneapolis, Minnesota; based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Previously, she was MidAtlantic Regional Sales Manager, GE Capital, (January 2013-August 2015); Expatriate Assignment Consultant, Cartus (July 2011–December 2012); Administrative Services Manager, City of Danbury (November 2009–July 2011); Senior Asset Manager, New Stream Capital (June 2007–November 2008); Vendor Finance Account Manager, GE Healthcare (June 2001–June 2007). Languages: Spanish. English. Certifications: Six Sigma - Green Belt, GE Capital (Starting June, 2003). Volunteer: Christmas Project through GE Capital @ Salvation Army (December 2014–Present).
Education: Western Connecticut State University, Bachelor, Business Administration; Supervisory Management (1997–2001). (January 2009) Producer - Life, Accident/Health, Lic. No: 002324212. January, 2004: General Electric Green Belt. Western Connecticut State University, Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Supervisory Management (1997–2001).
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/melissa-scott/34/104/995

Mark L. Stauffer was hired for Marketing in the Signature Bank Lease Financing Division, Minnetonka, Minnesota. "Stauffer will work closely within a diverse range of industries including a focus on telecom and technology. Prior to joining Signature Bank, Stauffer worked with GE Capital and Bank of America."

Robert E. Wagner was announced as senior vice president of Business Development Northpoint Commercial Finance, Alpharetta, Georgia. He joined the firm May, 2015, based in the greater Portland, Oregon Area. "Wagner will be responsible for further growth of the Northpoint core industries and accelerated expansion into the technology sector and other revolving credit markets. Additionally, Wagner will manage the expansion of Northpoint’s asset-based lending business in the middle and lower middle markets nationally." Previously he was Managing Director, Wells Fargo Capital Finance formerly Castle Pines Capital September 2010 – May 2015. He began working at Textron Financial, April, 2004 as Vice President Business Development; promoted January, 2006 as Senior Vice President, National Sales Manager; May, 2007, Senior Vice President, General Manager; May, 2008-Sptember, 2009, Division President, Textron Financial. Prior he was Vice President Business Development, GE Capital (February, 2001 – March, 2004); Vice President Business Development, Conseco Finance (March, 1995 – February, 2001); Account Executive, Deutsche Financial Services (March, 1988 – February, 1995). Education: University of California, Los Angeles, BA, Economics (1984 – 1988).
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/robert-e-wagner/16/2b1/52b

Big-bank settlement tab climbs over $132 Billion
By Chris Vanderpool
SNL Financial Exclusive Report

Big settlements with regulators have become a rarer sight as the banking credit crisis fades further into memory. The tally for credit crisis and mortgage-related settlements now stands at $132.15 billion for the six largest bank holding institutions by total assets, according to data compiled by SNL Financial. The figure marks an additional $3.72 billion since SNL's previous analysis in August 2014.

Most recently, on July 31, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. agreed to pay nearly $270 million to settle a lawsuit led by the NECA-IBEW Health & Welfare Fund of Illinois concerning crisis-era residential mortgage-backed security investments. Goldman recently raised its cost estimate for current legal proceedings to approximately $5.9 billion in excess of reserves, up from its previous estimate of $3.8 billion, according to the company's Aug. 3 Form 10-Q.

In contrast, Wells Fargo & Co. only marginally boosted its expected litigation costs, noting in its Aug. 5 second-quarter Form 10-Q that the high end of its range for probable and estimable losses related to legal matters was $1.4 billion, compared to $1.2 billion for the previous quarter.

Morgan Stanley received the brunt of recent settlement costs, agreeing to pay $2.6 billion to resolve claims by the U.S. Justice Department and U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California in February. According to a Form 8-K filed that month, the event ultimately caused Morgan Stanley to increase legal reserves for this settlement and "other legacy residential mortgage-backed securities matters" by approximately $2.8 billion and revise its operating income from continuing operations for fiscal 2014 downward by $2.7 billion.

Morgan Stanley also reached a $95 million dollar settlement in September 2014 related to claims of "false and misleading statements" made about certain mortgage-backed securities. The lawsuit was brought about by the West Virginia Investment Management Board and the Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi.

According to an April 19 Wall Street Journal report, Morgan Stanley is also involved in a potential settlement with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman that could reportedly see the company pay out at least $500 million to settle claims related to mortgage securities.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. was hit with more than $969 million in documented fines in 2015. The company's most recent settlement was announced July 17 for $388 million and concerned residential mortgage-backed securities that were offered during 2007. On May 27, Judge Laura Swain approved JPMorgan with a $500 million settlement from a class-action suit that accused Bear Stearns of selling nearly $18 billion in faulty mortgage-backed securities. In addition, the company settled claims with Dexia SA in relation to $1.6 billion in mortgage-backed securities, although terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

When considering the costs of the credit crisis and mortgage-related settlements, analysts also examine the amount of loans that are "put back" after being sold by the originating bank. In addition to litigation reserves, as of the first quarter of 2015, the six largest bank holding companies reported a combined $13.19 billion in representation-and-warranty reserves for one- to four-family mortgage loans sold or securitized, largely unchanged from $13.34 billion in the linked quarter.

In 2014, the largest six bank holding companies repurchased approximately $2.10 billion in closed-end one- to four-family loans previously sold, compared to $15.22 billion in 2013 and $7.81 billion in 2012.

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Fernando's View
By Fernando F. Croce

A pair of acclaimed biopics ("The End of the Tour" and "Straight Outta Compton") hits the box-office, while new DVD releases offer romantic drama ("Aloha"), unclassifiable sci-fi ("Hard to Be a God"), and a vintage art-house favorite ("Day for Night").

In Theaters:

The End of the Tour (A24): Following in the steps of last year's "Foxcatcher," this Sundance-approved biography likewise features the acclaimed dramatic debut of a comic actor, namely Jason Siegel. Siegel plays the later author David Foster Wallace, who in 1996 published his most famous novel "Infinite Jest." As part of the publicity tour, he agrees to a five-day interview with "Rolling Stone" magazine reporter David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg). The profile piece soon turns into a road trip as the two very different men head off into the wintry Midwest for a journey of junk food, cigarettes, and unexpected personal discoveries. Directed by James Adam Ponsoldt, who had previously shown a gift for weaving tales of delicate emotional beats ("Smashed." "The Spectacular Now"), the film is a thoughtful, often funny and ultimately poignant portrait of fame, creativity and friendship.

Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures): The rags-to-riches shwobiz subgenre gets an adrenaline shot in this electric biopic about the controversial hip-hop group N.W.A. Starting with their origins in the mid-1980s, the film charts their ascension from the mean streets of Compton, California, as Ice Cube (played by O'Shea Jackson, Jr.), Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins), Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell), MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) and DJ Yella (Neil Brown, Jr.) use their innovative, confrontational music as a way of moving out of the ghetto. As their first album becomes a hit, they enter the records business and, with the 1990s fast approaching, see their bonds challenged by ambition and personal crises. Chronicling a rise and fall narrative that plays like a vibrant and potent vision of the American Dream, director F. Gary Gray's film is one of the season's most provocative releases.

Netflix Tip: "End of the Tour" is the latest example of comedy actors trying their hand at drama. So check out Netflix for earlier examples, which include Jerry Lewis in "The King of Comedy" (1983), Robin Williams in "Dead Poets Society" (1989), Adam Sandler in "Punch-Drunk Love" (2002) and Jim Carrey in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."

On DVD:

Aloha (Sony): Though it didn't score with either critics or audiences, this romantic comedy-drama from Oscar-winner Cameron Crowe ("Almost Famous") deserves a second look on DVD. Bradley Cooper stars as Brian Gilcrest, a military constructor who's trying to make amends for past mistakes by returning an Air Force base in Hawaii. There, he oversees the launching of a private satellite organized by an eccentric billionaire (Bill Murray) while reconnecting with a now-married old sweetheart, Tracy (Rachel McAdams). As if those matters weren't enough, Brian must also deal with the affections of Allison (Emma Stone), the smitten young pilot who's been assigned to chaperone him during his island stay. Though not without contrivances, Crowe's latest still offers the director's trademark earnest cheer, as well as a supporting cast that includes John Krasinski and Alec Baldwin.

Day for Night (Criterion): The most beloved of the filmmakers to emerge from the French New Wave, François Truffaut scored a Best Foreign Language Picture Oscar with this crowd-pleasing comedy-drama set behind the scenes of a movie production. Set in a Nice studio, the story charts the many ways the film production of a romantic story goes comically awry both in front and behind the camera. There's Julie (Jacqueline Bisset), a British actress recovering from romantic problems of her own; Severine (Valentina Cortese), a histrionic diva prone to on-set outbursts; and Alexandre (Jean-Pierre Aumont), an aging leading man with a secret or two. Watching them all is the director Ferrand (played by Truffaut himself), whose job it is to keep things together. A treat for movie-buff, the movie showcases Truffaut's trademark tenderness and love of cinema. With subtitles.

Hard to Be a God (Kino Lorber): Based on the 1964 novel by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, this one-of-a-kind Russian sci-fi epic is the final film completed by the late director Aleksei German. Taking place in a faraway planet that resembles a dank medieval land, the story follows a batch of scientists from Earth conducting a study. Among them is Don Rumata (Leonid Yarmolnik), whose outrage at the cruelties all around him clash with the group's decision to remain detached observers. When he goes on a rescue mission against the local tyrant, however, Don finds himself sinking deeper and deeper into this bizarre world. Creating its own unforgettably visceral universe, German's film mixes past and future in a vision worthy of Russian sci-fi classics like "Solaris" or "Stalker." With subtitles.

German Shepherd Dog & Australian Shepherd Mix
Naperville, Illinois Adopt-a-Dog

Buford
Male
Senior
Large

"Buford is a friendly, mellow, gentle soul. He is a very handsome older dog who has spent most of his life outdoors and would prefer to gracefully retire in a warm home where he will be surrounded by creature comforts and a loving family. Buford is very kind to those he meets and will be a great companion to anyone who opens their heart to this handsome gentleman.

"We think Buford would enjoy to live out his retirement in a quiet home without babies or toddlers, but he's a gentle dog who would do well with children 6+."

A.D.O.P.T. PET SHELTER
420 Industrial Drive
Naperville, IL 60563
630.355.2299

Adopt a Pet
http://www.adoptapet.com/

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Leasing Conferences 2015
Save the Date

2015 Eastern Regional Meeting
September 11-12, 2015
Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Atlanta, GA

"Registration is now open to join your fellow leasing professionals for the NAELB 2015 Eastern Regional Meeting to be held September 11th and 12th in Atlanta, Georgia. With one and a half days of educational sessions, exhibits and networking, the Eastern Regional Meeting is a wonderful opportunity to connect with your peers and learn new and innovative ways to grow your business."

The 2015 Eastern Regional Meeting will
include sessions on the following topics:
1. Building a Stronger Broker Community
2. Marketing Tactics
3. Alternative Revenue Solutions
4. Packaging Deals
5. Analyzing Financial Statements

Registration/Agenda/Showcase/Exhibits

Partial Agenda:

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
Panel will include: Matt Evans, Marks & Associates, P.C., Brian Huey, LeaseSource Financial Services, Inc., Joe Leonard, Oakmont Capital Services, Mike Miller, NCMIC Finance Corporation, Matt Mosley, Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc.

THE NAELB VALUE PROPOSITION
Sheri Bancroft, Mike Parker and Pete Sawyer, NAELB Board Members

BUILDING A STRONGER BROKER COMMUNITY
Scott Wheeler, Wheeler Business Consulting
Author of “Call to Action”
His new book will be available to purchase

MARKETING TACTICS
Jacklynn Manning, Fora Financial

EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOLUTIONS
Panel will include: Chuck Brazier, TradeRiver USA (Supply Chain Finance), Beth Malin, Pinnacle Specialty Capital (Factoring and Purchase Order Finance), Jeff Schubert, RapidAdvance (Working Capital Loans) and Chris Mitchell, Hitachi Business Finance (Asset Based Lending) This session will introduce the equipment professional to a myriad of alternative forms of financing and show how these products can benefit both the equipment finance professional and their clients. Each of the lenders on this panel has a different solution for helping a client’s cash flow. They will highlight opportunities for increasing the broker’s revenue and enhancing the overall client relationship by positioning the broker as a single source for all of their client’s financial needs, while simultaneously providing additional options to help close more equipment deals. Presenters will be given 10 minutes each to discuss the products in a purely informational format and ten minutes for questions will be provided.

ACKAGING FOR SUCCESS/ANALYZING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Chris Knauf, Knauf Consulting & Joe Upson, Heritage Global Capital
This session will provide comprehensive, educational information to assist you in closing more transactions by teaching you to prepare solid packages and submitting them to funders in formats that will better guarantee approvals. Topics will include help in identifying funder specialties, required documents and formats. The second portion of this session will provide
detailed information to help you become more knowledgeable in analyzing financial statements.

Canadian Finance and Leasing Association
Annual Conference 2015
September 16 - 18, 2015
Gatineau - Ottawa

Registration
https://www.cfla-acfl.ca/2015/06/22/registration-for-cfla-2015-national-conference/

Program
https://www.cfla-acfl.ca/files/public/CFLA_Conference_2015-Program.pdf

Hilton Hotel Registration
http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/Y/YOWOVHF-CRB-20150914/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

2015 Funding Symposium
10/7/2015 to 10/9/2015
Wed through Friday
J W Marriott Atlanta Buckhead Hotel
3300 Lenox Road Northeast
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
United States
Contact: Kim King
KKing@NEFAssociation.org
Phone: 847-380-5053

Early Bird Pricing through August 31st

Full Information including pricing, schedule, and reservation:
http://nefassociation.site-ym.com/events/event_details.asp?id=594672&group=#

2015 54th Annual Convention
10/25/2015 - 10/27/2015
JW Marriott Hill Country
San Antonio, TX

Brochure with Schedule of Events
http://www.elfaonline.org/cvweb_elfa/cgi-bin/documentdll.dll/view?DOCUMENTNUM=1147

Keynote Speakers
http://www.elfaonline.org/events/2015/AC/spkrs.cfm

Attendees
http://www.elfaonline.org/events/2015/AC/attend.cfm

ELFA President and CEO Woody Sutton invites you
to connect, engage and grow in San Antonio! (1:43)

The 2015 Fall Conference will be held at the Loews Don CeSar Hotel in St. Pete Beach, FL on November 4 through November 6, 2015.

2015 Western Regional Meeting
November 13-14, 2015
Doubletree by Hilton Anaheim - Orange County
Anaheim, CA

CFA
71st Annual Convention
November 11 - 13, 2015
JW Marriott Austin
Austin, TX

More Information
http://cfa.connectedcommunity.org/convention/home

EXPO NJ Super Regional
11/15/2015 to 11/16/2015
Sunday/Monday

Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe
100 Frank Burr Blvd
Teaneck, New Jersey 07666
United States

Contact:
Kim King, NEFA Sr. Association Coordinator
KKing@NEFAssociation.org
Phone: (847) 380-5053

News Briefs----

NorthWest Winds expected to whip up fires like a ‘bellows on the fireplace’
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/northwest/thursday-fire-update-smoke-blankets-okanogan/

Greece Makes Payment to European Central Bank, Avoiding Default
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/21/business/international/greece-bailout-debt.html?ref=business&_r=0

Vehicle Q2 delinquencies drop to lowest level in 2 years
http://www.autoremarketing.com/subprime/q2-delinquencies-drop-lowest-level-2-years

The car is becoming the next major battleground for digital media companies
http://www.businessinsider.com/growth-in-the-connected-car-market

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

--You May Have Missed It

Microsoft Beats Out Salesforce as Most Widely Used Cloud App for Businesses
http://recode.net/2015/08/20/microsoft-beats-out-salesforce-as-most-widely-used-cloud-app-for-businesses/

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer

Choose Olive Oil as a Healthy Alternative
Cook as the Mediterraneans Do
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=123

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Baseball Poem

Haiku is an ancient Japanese verse form which requires a poem to be three lines long. The first and third lines of the poem should contain five syllables, and the middle line should contain seven syllables. Good haiku poems usually incorporate a reference to nature, particularly to the season of the year. This makes haiku a perfect form of poetry for expressing thoughts of baseball, since baseball is so intimately connected to the seasons.
The six winners will each receive a copy of Line Drives: 100 Contemporary Baseball Poems, a new anthology published by Southern Illinois University press in 2002, and co-edited by the Hall of Fame's own research director, Tim Wiles.

Smallest Red Sox fans
With shirts too wide for shoulders,
named "ARCIAPARR."
--Kurt Blumenau, Emmaus, PA

The field is empty
The baseball game has ended
No more cheering crowds
--Mary Catherine Harmon, Milford, NY

Ball falls harmlessly
Dark October night cool, crisp
Last man coming home
--Patrick Lethert, Woodbury, MN

Bonds swings the maple,
Pac bell is aroar, the long
winter is no more.
--Perry Dugger, Madisonville, KY

My fifty-third spring;
Once again I carefully
Oil up the old mitt.
--Larry Bole, New York, NY

Pitchers and catchers
Report in February
Spring training begins
--James Bernhardt,
(Submitted without place information)

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Sports Briefs----

Reports from the NFL's settlement hearing with Tom Brady are out, and it sounds like the NFL got crushed
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/reports-nfls-settlement-hearing-tom-175716170.html

Jim Harbaugh's return brings hope, pride back to Ann Arbor
http://www.sacbee.com/sports/article31627037.html

Receivables Management LLC
John Kenny

• End of Lease Negotiations & Enforcement
• Third-Party Commercial Collections

john@jkrmdirect.com | ph 315-866-1167
www.jkrmdirect.com

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for investigative
reporting provided by John Kenny)

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

California Nuts Briefs---

Central Valley sinking fast in drought, NASA study shows
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article31527953.html

How Much Of California’s Drought Was Caused By Climate Change? Scientists Now Have The Answer.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/08/20/3692972/quantifying-climate-change-in-californias-drought/

Huge new office complex planned for north San Jose
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_28675560/new-office-complex-planned-north-san-jose

Sonoma Native Aaron London Wins Bon Appetit
Best New Restaurant 2015
http://www.biteclubeats.com/sonoma-native-aaron-london-wins-bon-appetit-best-new-restaurant-2015/

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

“Gimme that Wine”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8

How to Become a Wine Connoisseur
http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-become-a-wine-connoisseur-1440070091

Richest French wine chateau owners revealed
http://www.decanter.com/wine-news/richest-french-wine-chateau-owners-revealed-271238/

Hopes rise for 2015 Port wine harvest
http://www.decanter.com/wine-news/hopes-rise-for-2015-port-wine-harvest-268920/

Free Mobile Wine Program
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2010/2_26.htm#mobile

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

US/International Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/

Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm

[headlines]
----------------------------------------------------------------

     1680 – In the Pueblo Revolt, Pueblo Indians took possession of Santa Fe, in what is now New Mexico, after driving out the Spanish. They destroyed almost all of the Spanish churches in Taos and Santa Fe.
    1781 - The jury in Great Barrington, MA granted Elizabeth Freeman (1742-1829), known as Mum (or “Marm”) Bett, her freedom, thus becoming the first slave to be emancipated in the so-called free world. The wife of her owner, Colonel John Ashely of Sheffield, MA, tried to hit her own sister with a hot iron and Elizabeth Freeman interfered and received the blow on her arm, where she was scarred for life. She ran away to the home of lawyer Theodore Sedwick, whom she had seen at the Ashley house discussing the rights of man with a group of Sheffield notables, and obtained his help in suing for her freedom. She died December 28, 1829, and was buried in the Sedgwick family plot.
    1831 - You probably read about this in history as there were many such rebellions but one of the first on this large scale took place in Southampton County, VA. It was led by Nat Turner (1800-31), an African-American slave and religious visionary who believed that he was divinely chosen to lead his fellow slaves to freedom. With seven accomplices, Turner killed his owner Joseph Travis, and the Travis family in their sleep, then led more than 70 followers in a two-day revolt in which 55 to 60 whites were killed. State militiamen and armed whites confronted the rebels near Jerusalem, VA, and killed as many as 100 slaves, a number of whom had not taken part in the rebellion. Turner escaped, but was caught six weeks later and hanged on November 11.
    1856 - America's first consul to Japan, Townsend Harris, arrived in Shimoda.
    1858 – The first of seven debates between Illinois Senate candidates, Republican Abraham Lincoln, and Democratic Senator Stephen Douglas, occurred in Ottawa, IL. At the time, U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures; thus Lincoln and Douglas were trying for their respective parties to win control of the Illinois legislature. Newspaper coverage of the debates was intense. Major papers from Chicago sent stenographers to create complete texts of each debate, which newspapers across the United States reprinted in full, with some partisan edits. Newspapers that supported Douglas edited his speeches to remove any errors made by the stenographers and to correct grammatical errors, while they left Lincoln's speeches in the rough form in which they had been transcribed. In the same way, pro-Lincoln papers edited Lincoln's speeches, but left the Douglas texts as reported. The debates previewed the issues that Lincoln would face in the aftermath of his victory in the 1860 Presidential election. The main issue discussed in all seven debates was slavery. After losing the election for Senator in Illinois, Lincoln edited the texts of all the debates and had them published in a book. The widespread coverage of the original debates and the subsequent popularity of the book led eventually to Lincoln's nomination for President by the 1860 Republican National Convention in Chicago.
    1863 - Confederate raider William Clarke Quantrill (1837-65) launched a predawn terrorist raid on Lawrence, Kansas, leaving 150 civilians dead and much of the town ruined. Quantrill had been denied a commission in the Southern army for his barbaric approach to war. Many say he was a “bandit,” and was in the war for what he and his men could steal and pilfer.
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/QQ/fqu3.html
http://jessejamesvirtualmuseum.com/quantrill.htm
    1863 - Paper money fractional currency was issued from this date to May 27, 1863, in denominations of 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents, and 50 cents. They are collection items today. The bills were originally issued with perforated edges, but later were cut plan. They were also known as “postage currency,” as they depicted postage stamps. They were receivable in payment for all dues to the United States less than $5 and were exchangeable for United States notes by any assistant treasurer or designed U.S. Depository in sums not less than $5.
    1866 - Birth of Civilla D. Martin (1866-1948), teacher and songwriter, in Nova Scotia. A pastor's wife, she penned, in 1904, the hymn, "Be Not Dismayed”, “Whate'er Betide" (a.k.a. "God Will Take Care of You").
    1874 - Popular 19th century preacher Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887) was accused by Theodore Tilton of committing adultery with his wife. The resulting trial ended in a 9-3 hung jury decision, in Beecher's favor.
    1878 - The American Bar Association was founded in Saratoga, New York to store all the attorney jokes. They ran out of room a few years later, giving birth to other state and local bar associations to store their records; now available on CD Rom. Also available at
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/att_jokes.htm
(These are mostly from attorneys, including the great, late stand-up comic, leasing law expert Jeff Wong, Esq.)
    1879 - The first telephone exchange opened for business, Galveston, Texas.
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/print/TT/egt2.html
    1883 - Rochester, MN was hit with an F5 tornado killing 31, injuring 200, and wrecking 1351 dwellings. This led to the creation of the Mayo Clinic. One-third of the town was destroyed, but the Mayo family escaped serious harm. The relief efforts began immediately with a temporary hospital being established at the city dance hall, and the doctors Mayo (W.W. and Will) as well as other local doctors, were extensively involved in treating the injured who were brought there for help. Mother Alfred Moes and the Sisters of St. Francis (a teaching order) were called in to act as nurses despite having been trained as teachers and with little if any medical experience. After the crisis subsided, Mother Alfred Moes approached W.W. Mayo about establishing a hospital in Rochester wherein Dr. Mayo agreed to work. Soon others local doctors agreed to work in the hospital as well. On September 30, 1889, St. Mary’s Hospital was opened by the Sisters. Dr. W.W. Mayo, 70 years old, was one of the consulting physicians at the hospital.
    1887 - Mighty (Dan) Casey struck-out in a game with NY Giants. Thayer’s poem, “Casey at the Bat” was published in 1888.
    1888 – William Burroughs (1857-98) patented the adding machine
    1896 - Author Roark Bradford (1896-1948) was born in Lauderdale County, Tennessee. He wrote fiction and folklore based on childhood contacts with African-American preachers, musicians, and storytellers on the plantations.
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/rbradf.htm
    1897 – Oldsmobile became part of GM.
    1904 - William (Count) Basie (1904-84), who led one of the top big bands in the world for more than 45 years, was born in Red Bank, New Jersey. His mother taught him to play the piano and he started performing in his teens. Dropping out of school, he learned to operate lights for vaudeville and to improvise accompaniment for silent films at a local movie theater in his home town. By 16, he increasingly played jazz piano at parties, resorts and other venues. In 1924, he went to Harlem, where his performing career expanded; he toured with groups to the major jazz cities of Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City. Basie became stranded in Kansas City while touring with a vaudeville show in 1927. He was originally a drummer. When the pianist was sick, he sat in. He was known for playing short riffs, called in the trade, “composer piano,” and brought his drum, rhythm skills to the piano. He then joined the Blue Devils led by bassist Walter Page. (Page became part of the Basie famed rhythm section: Freddie Green on guitar and Jo Jones on drums. While the drummer changed during the years, Green and Page were with the band until they died. ) Kansas City was where jazz was “hot”. He then joined the best band at the time led by the famed Bennie Moten, a “riff band” of renown. When Moten died in 1935, Basie took over. By 1937, when the Count Basie Orchestra made its New York debut, its personnel included such jazz stars as tenor saxophonists Lester Young and Herschel Evans, trumpeter Buck Clayton, Basie's former employer Walter Page on bass, drummer Joe Jones and singer Jimmy Rushing. Originally there was no music written and the “riffs” were improvised per sections, very similar to Dixieland music, but in saxophone, trombone, trumpet sections. Most of it was “ad lib.” In the late 1940's, when big band jazz was over, Basie scaled down to seven men. In the early 1950's, with the help of new composers such as Quincy Jones, Frank Wes, and singer Joe Williams, the big band started up again. He was perhaps Frank Sinatra's favorite band and the new generation of musicians was the finest in the land. Lambert-Hendricks-Ross had many hit records with Basie tunes put to words. The Count from Red Bank, New Jersey led his band almost continuously until a few months before his death of cancer on April 26th, 1984. (Please see: “postscript”)
http://www.harlem.org/people/basie.html
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_basie_count.htm
http://www.countbasietheatre.org/
    1908 - On the third try, Senator Gabby Street, the ballplayer, not the legislator, caught a ball thrown from the top of the Washington Monument. Scientists estimated the 555-foot drop the ball traveled had a force between 200 and 300 pounds.
    1912 - Arthur Rose Eldred (1895-1951) of the Oceanside, NY, troop became the first American Eagle Scout.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/aug21.html
    1918 - A tornado struck Tyler, MN, killing 36 persons and destroying most of the business section of the town resulting in a million dollars damage.
    1922 – Curly Lambeau (1898-1965) and the Green Bay Football Club were granted an NFL franchise.
    1924 – Two of the early great television sportscasters were born on the same day: Jack Buck (1924-2002) in Holyoke, MA and Chris Schenkel (1924-2005) in Bippus, IN.
    1928 – Birthday of Art Farmer (1928-99), musician: trumpet, flugelhorn: worked w/Horace Henderson, Johnny Otis, Lionel Hampton Band; recorded be-bop classic “Farmer's Market”; developed musical instrument called ‘flumpet'.
http://members.tripod.com/~hardbop/farmer.html
    1928 - Birthday of bassist Addison Farmer (1928-63), Council Bluffs, IA.
    1931 - Babe Ruth hits his 600th HR (Yanks beat Browns 11-7), becoming the first Major Leaguer to reach that plateau. He finished with 714.
    1935 - Benny Goodman opens at Palomar Ballroom, Los Angeles: regarded as the birth of the Swing Era!!! The Goodman Orchestra played an ecstatically received concert. Until then, the band had been playing the commercial sweet music of the day. But for the Palomar date, Goodman decided to go for broke, playing hot numbers like "Just You, Just Me" and "Air Mail Special." By the end of the 1930's, Goodman was known as the "King of Swing."
    1936 - Birthday of Wilt Chamberlain (1936-99) at Philadelphia, PA. Basketball Hall of Fame center, NBA MVP Award: Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors [1959-65], Philadelphia 76ers [1966-68], Los Angeles Lakers [1968-73]. Chamberlain holds numerous NBS records in scoring, rebounding and durability categories. He is the only player to score 100 points or average more than 40 and 50 points in a season. He also won seven scoring, nine field goal percentage, and eleven rebounding titles, and led the league in assists once. Chamberlain is the only player in NBA history to average at least 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in a season, a feat he accomplished nine times. He is also the only player to average at least 30 points and 20 rebounds per game over the entire course of his NBA career. Chamberlain's impact on the game is also reflected in the fact that he was directly responsible for several rule changes in the NBA, including widening the lane to try to keep him farther away from the hoop, instituting offensive goaltending and revising rules governing inbounding the ball and shooting free throws (such as making it against the rules to inbound the ball over the backboard)   His #13 has been retired by all three teams for which he played. He was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978.
    1938 - Birthday of singer Kenny Rogers, Houston, TX. He was considered one of the highest-paid entertainers in the world in his “hey day.” A 1980's tour with Dolly Parton netted him more than $200,000 a night and two of his palatial homes were once valued at nearly $15 million. After singing folk with the New Christy Minstrels and rock with the First Edition, Rogers began his solo career in 1975. His breakthrough came two years later with "Lucille," which sold millions to both pop and country music fans. Rogers has continued to score million-sellers with his middle-of-the-road country style. Grammy and CMA Award-winning singer: “She Believes in Me”, “Lady”, “Lucille”, “Islands in the Stream” [w/Dolly Parton], “What are We Doin' in Love” [w/Dottie West], “Through the Years”, “We've Got Tonight” [w/Sheena Easton], “You Decorated My Life”, “Coward of the County”, “The Gambler”; groups: The Kirby Stone Four, The New Christy Minstrels, The First Edition; actor: “The Gambler” series.
http://www.delafont.com/music_acts/Kenny-Rogers.htm
    1938 – One of rock ‘n’ roll’s early hit songwriters, Ernie Maresca (1938-2015) was born in The Bronx. He began singing and writing doo-wop.   In 1957, his demo of his song “No One Knows" came to the attention of Dion, who recorded it with The Belmonts, reaching #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 record chart in 1958. Maresca then began songwriting full-time, and recording his own demos. He wrote "Runaround Sue" with Dion (the singer's only US number one hit), and then other big hits with and for him. These included "The Wanderer", originally a B-side which became a US million seller and a UK hit twice over, in 1962 and 1976 on reissue; the song was also a hit for others in the US and UK with Eddie Rabbitt reaching #1 on the country charts in 1988. Maresca also wrote Dion's follow-up hits "Lovers Who Wander" and "Donna the Prima donna”.
    1942 - SMITH, JOHN LUCIAN, Medal of Honor.
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Marine Corps, Marine Fighter Squadron 223, Place and date: In the Solomon Islands area, August-September 1942. Entered service at: Oklahoma. Born: 26 December 1914, Lexington, Okla. Other Navy award: Legion of Merit. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and heroic achievement in aerial combat above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of Marine Fighting Squadron 223 during operations against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands area, August-September 1942. Repeatedly risking his life in aggressive and daring attacks, Maj. Smith led his squadron against a determined force, greatly superior in numbers, personally shooting down 16 Japanese planes between 21 August and 15 September 1942. In spite of the limited combat experience of many of the pilots of this squadron, they achieved the notable record of a total of 83 enemy aircraft destroyed in this period, mainly attributable to the thorough training under Maj. Smith and to his intrepid and inspiring leadership. His bold tactics and indomitable fighting spirit, and the valiant and zealous fortitude of the men of his command not only rendered the enemy's attacks ineffective and costly to Japan, but contributed to the security of our advance base. His loyal and courageous devotion to duty sustains and enhances the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
    1944 - Birthday of Jackie DeShannon, singer, songwriter, born Shannon Lee Myers in Hazel, KY. Her 1965 recording of Burt Bacharach's "What the World Needs Now Is Love" earned four Grammy nominations. And in 1969, "Put a Little Love in Your Heart," a song which DeShannon co-wrote, sold two-million copies. “What the World Needs Now is Love” was another of her big hits. Although her recording career was not successful after the early '70s, DeShannon continued to score as a songwriter. She is co-author of Kim Carnes's 1981 hit, "Bette Davis Eyes."
http://www.swinginchicks.com/jackie_deshannon.htm
    1944 – Dunbarton Oaks Conference, prelude to the UN, began in Washington, DC. The first important step was taken to carry out paragraph 4 of the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which recognized the need for a postwar international organization to succeed the League of Nations. At the conference, delegations from Republic of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States deliberated over proposals for the establishment of an organization to maintain peace and security in the world.
    1947 - The first Little League World Series tourney is held at Williamsport, Pennsylvania. With a .625 team batting average, the hometown Maynard Midgets easily win the tournament, 16-7.
    1949 - A barrage of bottles from the Philadelphia protested a decision by umpire George Barr over a trapped fly ball, resulting in the first forfeiture in the Majors in seven years.
    1951 - Major General Emmett O’Donnell was selected by the owners to be the new commissioner of baseball, but President Truman overruled the decision, stating the officer is needed in Korea in his post as commander of bombers.
    1953 - Major league player representatives Ralph Kiner (NL) and Allie Reynolds (AL) hired labor leader John Norman Lewis at $15,000 per annum to give legal advice to players in their negotiations with the owners.
    1956 - Top Hits
“My Prayer” - The Platters
“Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel” - Elvis Presley
“Canadian Sunset” - Hugo Winterhalter & Eddie Haywood
“I Walk the Line” - Johnny Cash
    1956 - Comics Bill Buchanan and Dickie Goodman have the number three song in America with a novelty tune called "Flying Saucer". The premise of the record was two radio news reporters who ask questions which are then humorously answered with snippets from mid-'50s hits. Buchanan and Goodman were sued by 17 different record companies for copyright infringement, but all were dismissed by a ruling that said the parodies did not infringe on the sales of the original hits.
    1957 - In 1953, Congress adopted a proposal to terminate assistance to non-recognized Indian tribes. Seminole leaders and tribal members began to fight the proposal by drafting a constitution and charter for the Seminole Tribe. These were later approved by the Secretary of the Interior. On this date, a majority of tribal members voted to establish the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Today, 2,200 Seminoles live on five reservations in Florida.
    1959 - President Dwight Eisenhower signed a proclamation admitting Hawaii to the United States. The statehood bill had passed the previous March with a stipulation that statehood should be approved by a vote of Hawaiian residents. The referendum passed by a huge margin in June and Eisenhower proclaimed Hawaii the 50th state. The President also issued the order for a new flag of 50 stars arranged in staggered rows: five 6-star rows and four 5-star rows, the flag to become as it is today Although the Aloha State is made up of a chain of 122 volcanic islands spread out over 1,600 miles, only seven, at the southeastern end of the chain, are inhabited: Hawaii (the Big Island), Maui (the Valley Isle), Lanai (the Pineapple Isle), Molokai (the Friendly Isle), Kauai (the Garden Isle), Niihau (the Forbidden Island), and Oahu (the Gathering Place). Oahu is the home of the state capital, Honolulu, and about 75% of the state's population ... a population that is truly a melting pot of all races and religions. The yellow hibiscus is the Hawaii state flower. The nene or Hawaiian goose is the state bird and the humuhumunukunukuapua'a is the state fish. The state motto of Hawaii is: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono = The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
    1961 – Motown’s first hit was released: “Please, Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes.
    1964 - Top Hits
“Everybody Loves Somebody” - Dean Martin
“Where Did Our Love Go” - The Supremes
“Rag Doll” - The 4 Seasons
“Dang Me” - Roger Miller
    1965 - The Rolling Stones album, "Out of Our Heads," is number one on the U.S. album chart. Songs off the LP include, "Satisfaction," "Play With Fire" and "The Last Time."
    1965 - A “trick answer:” Lieutenant Colonel Leroy Gordon Cooper, who's first trip was on Faith 7, made his second flight on August 21-29, when he and Lt. Commander Charles Conrad, Jr. made the two-man space flight of 120 orbits in 190 hours 55 minutes 14 seconds in Gemini 5. The first to do this. It was not John Glenn. Cooper was the first astronaut to make two trips into outer space.
   1965 - Barry McGuire's rendition of P.F. Sloane’s "Eve of Destruction" and The Lovin' Spoonful's "Do You Believe in Magic" are released.
    1968 - YOUNG, MARVIN R., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 1st Battalion, (Mechanized), 5th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Ben Cui, Republic of Vietnam, 21 August 1968. Entered service at: Odessa, Tex. Born: 11 May 1947, Alpine, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Young distinguished himself at the cost of his life while serving as a squad leader with Company C. While conducting a reconnaissance mission in the vicinity of Ben Cui, Company C was suddenly engaged by an estimated regimental-size force of the North Vietnamese Army. During the initial volley of fire the point element of the 1st Platoon was pinned down, sustaining several casualties, and the acting platoon leader was killed. S/Sgt. Young unhesitatingly assumed command of the platoon and immediately began to organize and deploy his men into a defensive position in order to repel the attacking force. As a human wave attack advanced on S/Sgt. Young's platoon, he moved from position to position, encouraging and directing fire on the hostile insurgents while exposing himself to the hail of enemy bullets. After receiving orders to withdraw to a better defensive position, he remained behind to provide covering fire for the withdrawal. Observing that a small element of the point squad was unable to extract itself from its position, and completely disregarding his personal safety, S/Sgt. Young began moving toward their position, firing as he maneuvered. When halfway to their position he sustained a critical head injury, yet he continued his mission and ordered the element to withdraw. Remaining with the squad as it fought its way to the rear, he was twice seriously wounded in the arm and leg. Although his leg was badly shattered, S/Sgt. Young refused assistance that would have slowed the retreat of his comrades, and he ordered them to continue their withdrawal while he provided protective covering fire. With indomitable courage and heroic self-sacrifice, he continued his self-assigned mission until the enemy force engulfed his position. By his gallantry at the cost of his life are in the highest traditions of the military service, S/Sgt. Young has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
    1968 – James Anderson, Jr. (1947-67) was posthumously awarded the first Medal of Honor to be awarded to an African-American US Marine.
    1968 – Mickey Mantle hit his 534th career HR to tie Jimmie Foxx for 3d all-time.
    1969 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Honky Tonk Women," The Rolling Stones.
    1971 – Laura Baugh, age 16, won the United States Women's Amateur Golf tournament. She was the youngest winner in the history of the tournament.
    1972 - Top Hits
“Alone Again (Naturally)” - Gilbert O'Sullivan
“Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)” - Looking Glass
“Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)” - The Hollies
“Bless Your Heart” - Freddie Hart & The Heartbeats
    1973 - Although it attracted 41% of the time share, the re-run of the episode which had 47-year-old Maude, played by Bea Arthur in the TV sit-com “Maude”, opting for an abortion, did not have one single commercial sponsor. Several organized religious groups protested the episode and convinced almost 40 TV stations not to carry the show.
    1977 – Hall of Fame 3B Brooks Robinson retired, ending his 23-year career, all with the Orioles.
    1979 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "My Sharona," The Knack. Billboard ranks the song the No. 1 single of the year.
    1980 - Top Hits
“Magic” - Olivia Newton-John
“Sailing” - Christopher Cross
“Take Your Time (Do It Right)” - The S.O.S. Band
“Tennessee River” – Alabama
    1980 - Linda Ronstadt debuted on Broadway in the production of Gilbert and Sullivan's, “The Pirates of Penzance”.    1982 - Relief pitcher Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers became the first pitcher to record 300 saves in his career as the Brewers beat the Seattle Mariners, 3-2.
    1983 - Record high for the state of North Carolina was set when temperatures reached 110 at Fayetteville.
    1984 - Clint Eastwood contributed a hand print and the words, “You made my day,” to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of Mann's Chinese Theatre.
    1984 - Victoria Roche, an ex-patriate reserve outfielder for the team from Belgium, became the first girl to ever compete in a Little League World Series game.
    1986 - The Boston Red Sox made history against the Cleveland Indians. The Red Sox whipped the Indians 24-5 in the worst loss in the Tribe's 85-year history. Greg Swindell made his major-league debut on the mound for the Indians. Dennis ‘Oil Can' Boyd got a 17-run lead for Boston and, luckily, held on for the win.
    1987 - Early morning thunderstorms produced severe weather in eastern Iowa and west central Illinois. Thunderstorms produced wind gusts to 82 mph at Moline, IL and tennis ball size hail at Independence, IA. Rock Island, IL was drenched with 3.70 inches of rain. Total damage for the seven county areas of west central Illinois was estimated at twelve million dollars.
    1987 - Clayton Lonetree, 1st US marine court-martialed for spying, convicted. Lonetree, who was stationed in Moscow as a guard at the U.S. Embassy in the early 1980s, confessed in 1987 to selling documents to the Soviet Union. Lonetree was seduced by a 25-year-old female KGB officer named "Violetta Seina" in that year. He was then blackmailed into handing over documents when he was assigned to Vienna, Austria. These documents included the blueprints of the U.S. Embassy buildings in Moscow and Vienna and the names and identities of U.S. undercover intelligence agents in the Soviet Union. He was tried in a military court and convicted of espionage. His sentence was reduced to 15 years, but he was released in 1996 after serving only nine years.
    1988 - Top Hits
“Roll with It” - Steve Winwood
“Monkey” - George Michael
“1-2-3” - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
“Bluest Eyes in Texas” - Restless Heart
    1989 - Afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced severe weather from Kansas to Minnesota and North Dakota. Thunderstorms in Minnesota produced baseball size hail from Correll to north of Appleton. Thunderstorms in north central Kansas produced wind gusts higher than 100 mph at Wilson Dam. A thunderstorm around Lincoln, NE produced baseball size hail and up to five inches of rain, and Boone, NE was deluged with five inches of rain in an hour and a half.
    1992 - Sacramento, CA hits 90 for the 40th straight days, a record for that city.
    1992 - Ruby Ridge was the site of a deadly confrontation and siege in Idaho between Randy Weaver, his family and his friend Kevin Harris, and agents of the US Marshals Service and the FBI. It resulted in the death of Weaver's son Sammy, his wife Vicki, and Deputy U.S. Marshal William Francis Degan. Weaver resisted the Marshals’ peaceful attempts to execute a fugitive arrest warrant, and the gunfight erupted after several years of negotiations.
    1993 - The soundtrack from "Sleepless in Seattle" hit number one on the "Billboard" LP chart. Other hit albums: #2 "Black Sunday" (Cypress Hill), #3 "Janet." (Janet Jackson), #4 "Zooropa" (U2), #5 "Core" (Stone Temple Pilots).
    1994 - Bruce Springsteen was a surprise participant in a jam session at Marz Bars 'n' Guitars, a 400 seat club in Long Branch, New Jersey. Dion showed up later in the evening to sing his hit "The Wanderer." Springsteen got his start in the early '70s by playing in bars along the Jersey shore. Thus began a new tradition of Springsteen appearing at his old haunts, and today with much citizenship, trying to revive commerce in Asbury Park, New Jersey which is still trying today.
    1995 - Seal's single "Kiss from a Rose" tops the Billboard’s Hot 100. The "Batman Forever" tune is the second Batman movie single to top the charts. Prince went all the way with "Batdance" from the film "Batman" in 1989.
    1996 - The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 was signed by President Clinton, making it easier to obtain and keep health insurance.
    1997 - Hudson Foods Inc. closed a plant in Nebraska after it had recalled 25 million pounds of ground beef that was potentially contaminated with E. coli 01557:H7. It was the largest food recall in US history.
    1999 - Hua Mei, the giant panda cub, was born at the San Diego Zoo weighing a not-so-giant 4.5 ounces. Her parents are Bai Yun and Shi Shi (they arrived at the zoo on Sep 10, 1996 on a 12-year conservation study). Hua Mei was the first panda born in the U.S. in ten years.
    2000 – Tiger Woods won the PGA Championship to become the first golfer since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win 3 majors in a calendar year. He tied the to-par record for the PGA (-18) with Bob May, and won in a playoff. That record was broken in the 2015 PGA when Australian Jason Day won at -20.
    2002 - In longest game ever played in Little League World Series history, Louisville, Kentucky beats Fort Worth, Texas in the US semifinal in 11 innings, 2-1. A record-setting with 49 strikeouts is recorded as Fort Worth's Walker Kelly strikes out 21 in nine two-hit innings and Louisville's Aaron Alvey fans 19 batter over nine no-hit innings.
    2013 – Ichiro got his 4,000 hit between Japan (1,278) and the United States (2,722). He is only the third player to reach the milestone at such a high level, following Ty Cobb and Pete Rose, who both collected all their hits in the Majors.

* Post Script: The Count Basie Band was my favorite since discovering jazz in 1955 with "Joe Williams Sings, Count Basie Swings." I took my kids to all his concerts, and when younger, waited outside restaurant kitchens to hear him play. Often they would let us "white boys" in and we got to know some of the players. My kids and I shook his hand at his last performance here at the Circle Star, San Carlos, California. I will never forget it. My son, who was the oldest, talks about it to this day. He became a rock ‘n' roll drummer, had great hands and rhythm, although he has all Buddy Rich's CD's and also listened to big band music, such as Basie. My oldest daughter is a big jazz fan with pictures of Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, and others in her living room. My youngest daughter, who was too young to go to the concerts, lives in Nevada and is a big country and western fan. Sue's oldest and middle daughter likes Billy Joel, Paul Simon, and others we played the most, and the youngest “rap,” although she likes Barry Manilow and Harry Connick that we play all the time. I think kids later enjoy the music they heard when young, one of the reasons to expose them early to classical music (in fact, they have records to play for babies they say the harmonies not only relax them, but later in life, they appreciate Bach and Brahms).
Kit Menkin

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?

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