When and If You Return to the Office
One of the First Signs You Will See

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Top Ten Leasing News
August 24 - August 28

(Stories most opened by readers)

(1) Don't Ever Give Up!
    Placard
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2020/08_28.htm#placard

(2) What Every Little Girl Wants
    Photo
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2020/08_24.htm#what

(3) New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
    and Related Industries
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2020/08_28.htm#hires

(4) Retailers Face Mass Extinction in Pandemic Fallout
   Chart - Number of Retail Store Closures in the United States
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2020/08_26.htm#retailers

(5) Correction: Your Dog Advisor
    The Best Dog Cooling Mat for Summer
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2020/08_26.htm#mat

(6) Wedding Reception Leads to 53 Coronavirus Infections
     and 1 Death
https://www.newsweek.com/wedding-reception-leads-53-coronavirus-infections-1-death-1527006

(7) Americans Divided on Athlete Protests - Chart
    % of US Adults saying Kneeling during National Anthem OK
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2020/08_28.htm#americans

(8) Maxim Commercial Capital Recent Fundings
    Working Primarily with Brokers
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2020/08_24.htm#maxim

(9) Weed Vending Machines in Colorado:
    The Future of Non-Contact Highs
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2020/08_24.htm#vending''

(10) Trump Organization faces questions
     over Chicago tower loan
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/trump-organization-faces-questions-over-chicago-tower-loan

 

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Leasing Industry Help Wanted

 

The Top Seven Leasing/Finance Company Websites
in North America

Balboa remains number one since Direct Capital and CIT Merger (and then became part of CIT Bank website).  Crest Capital moves into number two, which it has dominated for several years. TimePayment falls to fifth, while Ascentium moves to the number four position. Financial Pacific moves up and GreatAmerica Financial is back on the list.  These are the web sites under 1,000. (1)   The lower the number, the higher on the list of visits.

The top seven leasing/finance companies were taken from three-month Siteworthtraffic.com ratings (2).  They were chosen from the Leasing News Funder List and originally, over 100 were checked for ratings under 1,000 (3). Note: many leasing companies are listed under their bank URLs.

 If your company has less than a 1,000 rating, please email kitmenkin@leasingnews.org to be included in the next Leasing/Finance Company listing.

 

www.balboacapital.com
337,485

www.crestcapital.com
348.940

https://marlincapitalsolutions.com/
387,784

www.AscentiumCapital.com
445,685

https://timepayment.com/brokers/

www.finpac.com
557,251

https://www.greatamerica.com
691,412

 

1. http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2020/05_26.htm#6
2. http://www.siteworthtraffic.com/
3. Funder List "A"
   http://leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/Funders.htm

 

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“I have an offer---Is it just the money?”
Career Crossroads---By Emily Fitzpatrick/RII

Question: When accepting an offer, what items should I consider?

Answer: When receiving an offer, you must evaluate it. An offer should ALWAYS be more than just about money - that is only one aspect of the evaluation. There are many high-paying jobs that are less advantageous than you think! When receiving the offer, relay that you will need the evening to review – and be careful about waiting too long!

Aspects to consider include salary, benefits, future earnings, room for advancement, commute situation, and lifestyle (e.g. 90% travel). Ask yourself some of the following questions:

• Do you like the scope of the job (duties / tasks)?

• Is the new role likely to provide a challenge?

• Is the opportunity for growth compatible with your career goals?

• Is the company culture conducive to an enjoyable atmosphere?

• Can you see yourself working with your new colleagues and manager?

• Most important, will you look forward to getting up in the morning and going to work at this company?

You should have been thinking about these aspects during the interview process with the organization. Having done so would have enabled you to make your decision in a relatively short amount of time.

For more information / tips, feel free to contact me.

Emily Fitzpatrick
Sr. Recruiter
Recruiters International, Inc.
Phone: 954-885-9241
Cell: 954-612-0567
emily@riirecruit.com

Career Crossroads Previous Columns
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/crossroad.html

 

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Jim wrote this August, 2017, for Leasing News. He contributed some great articles before he went back to work; now Sr. EFD National Program Manager, VP Material Handling at Bank of the West. I think it is still germane today. Wish he would make the time to write again. 
  - Editor

The Rant

Observations from the Front Porch
By Jim Acee

Just shut up….a rant

Sometimes is just better to keep your mouth shut! That extends to emails, Twitter, Facebook, sales meeting rants, etc. With all that is in the news lately, it has become common place for people to think that they have a God-given (and mistakenly constitutional) right to speak their mind, wherever and whenever that want to, without repercussions.

I can’t tell whether people are just stupid or naive to think that if a software engineer writes a manifesto that is perceived as sexist that he is not going to get fired. Twitter rants by fast food workers against employers are so common they’ve become a source of comic relief.

Come on people, if you take to criticizing your employer in public and don’t expect a backlash from them, you are a fool.

Now I am not a lawyer but everything I’ve read says that, believe it or not, your First Amendment rights do not extend to the private workplace. So, I suggest if you need your job, put up and shut. It’s better to try to fix things from the inside with a bit of tact than it is to get some kind of cathartic release in a 140-character manifesto. (Of course, I am not suggesting that, if you are a whistle blower over illegal practices by your employer, you should not speak up.)

So, you may be saying to yourself, Jim, what’s that got to do with sales?

Well, a lot, actually. While you may not be tempted to blast your employer in public with a Twitter rant, there are things that you can do that will land you in the same level of hot water.

Let’s take for example the annual sales meeting where a sales rep (and there’s always at least one) that has the inane ability to suck the air out of the room with their criticism of the credit team, pricing or non-competitive company practices. If you attack the leadership team in front of the entire sales group because you think you are justified (whether you are or not), expect problems to ensue.

And by the way, your peers don’t respect you as much as they are just happy to see you take the heat for what they are thinking. Let me suggest that, instead, you pull your boss aside after the meeting to discuss the issue outside of the earshot of others. He or she will appreciate you for your professionalism and are more apt listen to your suggestions.

How many times have you written an email while you were PO’ed at someone or something at work only to regret the repercussions it wrought? It is better to write the email and not send it. Leave it in your Draft folder for a few days. Reread it after a couple of days and I will bet you will either delete it completely or at very least soften the language. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve done this and was thankful I did not send the email after more information came to light on the situation.

I can never understand why a sales rep would criticize their employer (credit departments are a favorite target) in front of customers. Seriously, do you really think your customer will have some new level of respect for you? You haven’t deflected any blame, all you’ve done is given them additional reasons to do business with your competitor. Customer criticisms are nothing more than objections that need to be overcome (you may want to read my article on overcoming customer objections here).

OK, I’m almost done with my own rant here, but I can’t leave this without saying something about Twitter, Facebook and any other form of social media. With the number of trolls out there looking for reasons to throw you and or your company under the bus, I suggest you be more than careful on expressing anything negative regarding your employer, as it will only bite you in the butt. Maybe not right now, but as they say, nothing in the cloud goes away. OK, that’s it, I’ll shut up now!

Jim Acee  
jjacee@verizon.net
He has a rich background, serving as
DLL Country Sales Manager;
Vice President, Syndication Buy Desk; 
Vice President, Field Sales, Wells Fargo Capital Finance;
Managing Director, Vendor Leasing, US Bank;
Director of Sales, US Bancorp (formerly BCL). 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-acee-578a03b

 

CLFP Day 2020, A Day of Gathering
This time by Zoom

At 5:00 Eastern, on Thursday, August 20th, almost 250 Certified Lease & Finance Professionals (CLFPs) and Associates (over 921 members as of end of June, 2020) ) across the globe gathered to celebrate their designation. Supported by members and sponsors: American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers, Equipment Leasing and
Finance Association, National Equipment Finance Association.

Due to COVID-19, the event was changed from several local gatherings to one fifteen-minute Zoom “Cheers” call.  During this call,

Executive Director Reid Raykovich, CLFP and

Board President Kevin Prykull, CLFP facilitated the event and showcased the accomplishments of the Foundation; highlighted the pivot to online ALFPs and test-taking; and recognized the many contributions of the Foundation membership.

Deb Reuben, CLFP stated, “It was such a blast to see so many familiar faces after being apart for so long. What a great opportunity to reconnect and celebrate together. Congrats CLFP Foundation.”

Kevin Prykull, CLFP added, “CLFP Day recognized the superb contributions of the foundation and its members who serve our industry in a very professional way. This is especially important during these difficult times.  A win-win event for all who attended!"

The CLFP designation identifies an individual as a knowledgeable professional to employers, clients, customers, and peers in the commercial equipment finance industry. There are currently 928 active Certified Lease & Finance Professionals and Associates throughout the United States, Canada, India, and Australia. For more information, visit https://www.CLFPfoundation.org.

(Please click to make photo’s larger)

 

 

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How to Become a Certified Lease and Finance Professional
https://clfpfoundation.org/academy-for-lease-and-finance-professionals/

Full Information
https://clfpfoundation.org/how-to-become-a-clfp/

 

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Between June 14 and August 22, Oregon experienced 204 political demonstration events, the seventh highest in the country. California had 584, the highest number of any U.S. state while New York and Florida had the second and third highest volume with 315 and 256, respectively. The fewest were recorded in Virginia which had just one, followed by South Dakota's 10 and Delaware's 12.

Protests are continuing to rock Kenosha, Wisconsin, after the police shooting of Jacob Blake, an unarmed black man. Elsewhere, Portland experienced its 90th consecutive day of protest on Tuesday which led to clashes with the police and numerous arrests with the gathering declared a riot. The Portland protestors have been rallying against anti-black racism and police brutality since the death of George Floyd three months ago with heavy clashes occurring between left and right wing demonstrators in recent days. While many of the city's protests have been peaceful, some have descended into violence, resulting in injuries to police officers and protesters as well as arson, looting and vandalism.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, together with the Bridging Divides Initiative at Princeton University, has been monitoring the number of political demonstration events in U.S. states over the past couple of months with just over 5,000 recorded in total. 46.5 percent of those events were connected to the Black Lives Matter movement while 32 of them involved what the researchers call "political violence". That is defined as an event where force is used by a group with a political purpose or motivation to achieve a political end result. The protests in Portland have made Oregon one of the U.S. states with the highest number of political demonstrations since the middle of June.

By Niall McCarthy, Statista

Labrador Retriever/Mix
Willmar, Minnesota

Radar

Male
2 years old
Medium
Black/White/Cream
Coat Length: short
Neutered
Vaccinations up to date

2 yrs. old, Very active, high energy dog. Loves squeaky toys!

Find us on Facebook to be updated on events and shelter news!
All animals up for adoption at the Hawk Creek Animal Shelter are spayed/neutered, microchipped, heartworm tested negative (if age appropriate). Are up to date on vaccinations (a booster may be needed) Given Flea and Tick preventative, given heartworm preventative, dewormer and treated for anything necessary, such as dental cleanings, ear infections, etc. Please visit our website for prices and more information about our hours. WWW.THEHSKMC.COM. Animals fees are not waived unless noted in this description.

Hawk Creek Animal Shelter
PO Box 709
250 28th Street SW
Willmar, Minnesota
shelter@thehskmc.com
(320-235-7812

Hours:
Monday Closed
Tues - Friday  12 - 6
Saturday-Sunday 12 - 4

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Your Dog Advisor
31 Dangerous Foods Dogs Can’t Eat

https://yourdogadvisor.com/foods-dogs-cant-eat/

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SFNet Early Bird Rate Expires Today, August 31st

"This Way Forward"    
       

Be sure to register for SFNet’s 76th Annual Convention today, August 31st. If you know you’re going to attend our live online event, it makes sense to get your registration completed now.

Plus, we’re offering new company-wide pricing this year, so you’ll get unlimited access for all employees for one low registration fee.

Our virtual event offers all the great content you expect, along with an opportunity to connect with an even broader group of attendees. Our new online platform, SFNet Connect, facilitates a rewarding online experience—AI-assisted networking, over 30 sessions, high-profile keynote speakers, and more. You can check out the platform experience here.

Also new for 2020 is a pricing policy that extends the benefits of convention programming to your entire team. You can find out all about it here.

For more information, visit SFNet.com or contact James Kravitz, Business Development Director, at 917-881-1247.

Details/Registration
https://www.sfnet.com/home/76th-annual-convention

News Briefs----

New Yorkers Are Fleeing to the Suburbs:
     ‘The Demand Is Insane’
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/30/nyregion/nyc-suburbs-housing-demand.html

Pinterest cancels huge SF office lease in unbuilt project,
   citing work-from-home shift; Pays $89.5 million cancellation fee
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Pinterest-cancels-huge-SF-office-lease-in-unbuilt-15523170.php

MGM Resorts to lay off 18,000 furloughed US workers
   Job Cuts to Start Monday
https://nypost.com/2020/08/28/mgm-resorts-to-lay-off-18000-furloughed-us-workers/

 

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You May Have Missed---

Downtown Ghost Town Spooks Small Businesses
  Phil Matier, Sam Francisco Chronicle
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/san-francisco-chronicle-sunday/20200830/281960315140886

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Sports Briefs---

2020 U.S. Open primer: Grand Slam tennis in a bubble
     awaits Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/08/30/us-tennis-open-preview/?hpid=hp_sports1-8-12_us-open-primer-7am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans

 

Packers CEO says team shouldn't have to 'stick to sports'
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2020/08/29/packers-ceo-says-team-shouldnt-have-to-stick-to-sports/42345945/

A socially-distanced 49ers game would be 'low risk'
     if guidelines followed, UCSF epidemiologist says
https://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/Levi-s-Stadium-fans-2020-capacity-COVID-19-tickets-15520550.php

A's announce positive coronavirus test, game vs. Astros postponed
https://www.sfgate.com/athletics/article/A-s-announce-positive-virus-test-game-vs-Astros-15525504.php

Reports: Jaguars to trade disgruntled DE Yannick Ngakoue to Vikings
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2020/08/30/jaguars-trade-yannick-ngakoue-vikings-multiple-picks/5673526002/

10 most intriguing games of 2020 NFL regular season:
    Top QBs, powerhouse teams to square off
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/mike-jones/2020/05/07/nfl-schedule-2020-best-games-ravens-chiefs-cowboys/3086085001/

Shanahan impressed with Reed, Thomas;
     says the offense was inconsistent
https://www.ninersnation.com/2020/8/29/21406330/49ers-shanahan-impressed-with-reed-thomas-says-the-offense-was-inconsistent

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California Nuts Briefs---

Coronavirus updates: California hits 700,000 total COVID-19   
    cases as world reaches 25 million
https://www.sacbee.com/news/coronavirus/article245364415.html?ac_cid=DM270898&ac_bid=1950576211

California fires: What to expect in the coming months
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2020/08/30/california-fires-what-to-expect-in-the-coming-months/

Foster Farms chicken plant in Livingston to shut down
    over virus outbreak
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/foster-farms-chicken-plant-in-livingston-to-shut-down-over-virus-outbreak/

'The fire burned all around them':
    Family battles CZU fire to save farm
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Family-saves-deerhaven-farm-CZU-fire-bonny-doon-15520669.php

 

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

Napa locals go ‘cowboy,’ bulldozing firebreaks
    to save wineries as resources wane
https://www.sfchronicle.com/wine/article/Napa-locals-go-cowboy-bulldozing-fire-15520327.php

Paso Robles Subbasin Stands to Lose Up to $458 Million     
    Annually if Water Use is Reduced, Says Economic Impact Study
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataId=235726

Harvest in a Time of Flames and Pestilence
    —Another Challenging California Vintage
https://www.winespectator.com/articles/wine-harvest-in-a-time-of-flames-and-pestilence-a-challenging-california-vintage

How Metallica secretly filmed a concert at a Sonoma winery
https://www.sonomanews.com/article/entertainment/how-metallica-secretly-filmed-a-concert-at-a-sonoma-winery/

Crop insurance gets new tools for wine smoke taint
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/industrynews/crop-insurance-gets-new-tools-for-wine-smoke-taint/

 

Pliny the Elder, the First Wine Critic
    and Why He Still Matters
https://www.winemag.com/2019/10/10/pliny-the-elder-first-wine-critic/

Free Wine App
https://www.nataliemaclean.com/mobileapp/

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

This Day in History

     1685 - Caves used for dwellings were ordered evacuated and filled in by the Governor’s Council of Pennsylvania.  Early settlers in Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts lacked sawmills, even saws, as well as facilities for cutting and using stone.  Many poor and rich lived in caves dug into the sides of hills.
    1728 - Catholic nuns pioneered education in Louisiana. Only nine years after the founding of New Orleans, Ursuline nuns arrived in Louisiana to serve the sick and to teach and train the “casket girls.” These orphaned girls, who carried their belongings in caskets or small trunks, arrived from France as prospective wives of settlers. They received a dress in a casket as a gift for their immigration, introducing a new element into Louisiana society. Since these girls were not inmates of penal institutions, as were many of the predecessors, mostly had been arrested for prostitution as women had few ways of making money. It became and has remained an honor to be descended from a casket girl. The Ursuline Convent in New Orleans provided the best female education obtainable in the colony. Through the years, the nuns not only instructed young ladies from well-to-do families, but also housed, fed, and taught orphan girls. Sisters of the Sacred Heart founded schools such as St Michael’s Convent in Convent, Louisiana, where the small cypress desk displayed in this gallery was used. Views about female education varied with time and circumstances. Girls were often taught at home by mothers or tutors. Some were taught by French governesses or in small private schools. Others attended Common Schools in neighboring towns and boarded with family or friends.
Although fathers in isolated areas might consider female education dangerous, wealthy parents sometimes sent their daughters to France. Young ladies also enrolled in southern or eastern boarding schools, particularly as female seminaries proliferated in the nineteenth century. Regardless of circumstances, most parents viewed female education only as a preparation for marriage, motherhood, and home management.
    1803 – Lewis and Clark began their expedition from Pittsburgh, PA.
    1827 - Birthday of Anna Bartlett (1827-1915) on Long Island, NY.  She was an author of numerous books and novels and author of the hymn "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know." Collaborated on several books with her sister Susan Bogert Warner.
    1842 - Birthday of Mary Corinna Putnam Jacobi (1842-1906) in London.  Deciding to continue her medical training in France, became the first woman to enter "Ecole de Medecine." Graduating with honors, she returned to New York City to become a lecturer in Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell's Medical College and open a private practice. Because of her European training, she felt American women were not getting the quality of medical training they should and she became an exacting instructor as well as the organizer of the Association for the Advancement of the Medical Education of Women to improve the standards of women's medical training. She published more than 100 titles.
    1851 - Clipper "Flying Cloud" set new record by sailing from New York to San Francisco in 89 days.
    1864 - General William T. Sherman launches the attack that finally secures Atlanta, Georgia, for the Union, and seals the fate of Confederate General John Bell Hood's army, which is forced to evacuate the area. The Battle of Jonesboro was the culmination of a four-month campaign by Sherman to capture Atlanta.  Confederate General William Hardee's corps moved to block Sherman at Jonesboro, and attacked the Union troops on August 31, but the Rebels were thrown back with staggering losses. The entrenched Yankees lost just 178 men, while the Confederates lost nearly 2,000. On September 1, Sherman attacked Hardee. Though the Confederates held, Sherman successfully cut the rail line and effectively trapped the Rebels. Hardee had to abandon his position, and Hood had no choice but to withdraw from Atlanta. The fall of Atlanta was instrumental in securing the reelection of Abraham Lincoln in the fall.
    1865 - The Federal government estimated the Civil War had cost about $8 billion. Human costs have been estimated at more than one million killed or wounded.
    1870 - Maria Montessori (d. 1952) was born in Chiaravalle, Italy.  She founded the Montessori education philosophy, which became very popular
in the United States.   
    1875 - Birthday of Edward Stewart (Eddie) Plank (1875-1926), Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher, Gettysburg, PA. Plank won more games than any other left-handed pitcher in American League history during a 17-year career, with a 326-194 record and an ERA of 2.35.
http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/
hofer_bios/plank_eddie.htm
    1881 - The first National tennis championship matches were held at Newport Casino, Newport, RI, by the United States Lawn Tennis Association, which introduced the first national uniform conditions. The single match was won by Richard Dudley Sears, who defeated W.E. Glyn 6-0, 6-3 and 6-2. The doubles were won by Clarence Monroe Clark and Frederick W. Taylor
    1886 – At Charleston, SC, the first major earthquake, magnitude 7.3, in the recorded history of the eastern US occurred around 9:50 pm.  Though a num­ber of smaller eastern US quakes had been described and recorded since 1638, this affected persons living in an area of some 2 million square miles. The epicenter was 15 miles northwest of Charleston, where 41 people died, 90 percent of the city’s 6,965 brick buildings were damaged, and nearly all of its 14,000 chimneys were broken off at the roof. Altogether, the earthquake claimed some 100 lives. A series of earthquakes beginning on December 16, 1811, were the most severe in the U.S. history---they changed the course of the Mississippi River and created many new lakes---but the epicenter was in a sparsely populated region and caused no known damage.
    1887 - Thomas Edison patented the Kinetoscope, the first device for producing motion pictures.
    1888 - Prostitute Mary Ann Nichols, the first victim of London serial killer “Jack the Ripper,” was found murdered and mutilated in Whitechapel’s Buck’s Row. The East End of London saw four more victims of the murderer during the next few months, but no suspect was ever found.  In 1892, with no leads found and no more murders recorded, the Jack the Ripper file was closed.
    1895 - A football team from Latrobe, PA defeated a squad from Jeanette PA, 12-0, which history has regarded as the first professional football game. Latrobe quarterback John Brallier was paid $10 expense money.
    1896 - Klondike Eldorado Gold Discovery: Two weeks after the Rabbit/Bonanza Creek claim was filed, gold was discovered on Eldorado Creek, a tributary of Bonanza. More than $30 million worth of gold (worth some $600-$700 million in today's dollars) was mined from the Eldorado Claim in 1896.
    1900 -  Mrs. Adolph Ladenburg rides a horse astride in the society spa of Saratoga, NY, and causes a scandal which fortunately doesn't last long because one writer said of the incident, "Farm women have been riding astride as long as there have been horses."
    1903 - A Packard made the first completed automobile trip from San Francisco to New York City. The trip took 52 days.
    1903 – One of television’s early stars, Arthur Godfrey (1903-83), was born in NYC.  No TV personality in 1950s America enjoyed more clout or fame than Godfrey, until an infamous on-air incident involving the up-and-coming Julius LaRosa undermined his folksy image and triggered a gradual decline. At the peak of his success, Godfrey helmed two CBS weekly series and a daily 90-minute television mid-morning show, but, by the early 1960s, his presence had been reduced to hosting the occasional TV special.
    1903 – Iron Man Joe McGinnity won both games of a doubleheader for the third time this month. He struck out nine batters in the opener to win. The two games totaled three hours and three minutes.
    1904 – The first African-American Olympic medalist was George C. Poage of the Milwaukee Athletic Club, Milwaukee, WI, who participated in the Third Olympiad at St. Louis, MO. He placed third in the 400-meter hurdles on August 31 and third in the 200-meter hurdles on September 1.
    1907 – Birthday of Edgar Sampson (1907-73) in New York City.  Great jazz arranger and also composer of “Blue Lou,” “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” “Don’t Be that Way,” much other swing literature.
    1908 – Writer William Saroyan (1908-81) was born in Fresno, CA.  “The Human Comedy.”  In the preface to “The Time of Your Life,” which won the 1940 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, which he refused, he urges:  “In the time of your life, live so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or for any life your life touches. Seek goodness everywhere, and where it is found, bring it out of its hiding place and let it be free and unashamed.” Saroyan left school at the age of 15 but continued his education by reading and writing on his own, living on his writing from 1920. His stories of the Great Depression celebrated the joy of living in spite of poverty and insecurity. I worked with his brother who was controller at KGO-TV and a very generous man.
http://kirjasto.sci.fi/saroyan.htm
    1909 - The A.J. Reach Company was granted a patent for its cork-centered baseball, which will replace the hard rubber-cored one.
    1910 - Glenn Hammond Curtiss flew his biplane over Lake Erie from Euclid Beach Park, Cleveland, OH, to Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH. He flew at an altitude between 400 and 500 feet. The trip took 78 minutes nonstop over a distance of 70 miles to make the first flight over water.
    1913 – Ray Dandridge (1913-94), who many consider the finest 3B in Negro League history, was born in Richmond, VA.  He is one of two Negro League third baseman selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, inducted in 1987.
    1917 – At Fenway Park, Babe Ruth won his 20th, beating the Philadelphia A’s, 5-3.   He finished with a 24-13 record and a 2.01 ERA.  He recorded 6 shutouts and 35 complete games, a total that has only been exceeded once in Major League history since, by Bob Feller in 1946.   This followed 1915 when he was 18-8, 2.44 and 1916 at 23-12, 1.75.   
    1918 - Birthday of Kenneth S. (Kenny) Washington (1918-71) at Los Angeles, CA. After gaining All-American football honors at UCLA where he was a teammate of Jackie Robinson, Washington and Woody Strode became the first blacks to play in the NFL after World War II, signing with the Los Angeles Rams and breaking the league’s color barrier. He played three seasons and then retired to a career in business.
    1918 – Alan Jay Lerner (1918-86) of the songwriting team of Lerner and Loewe was born in NYC.  He created some of the world's most popular and enduring works of musical theatre for both the stage and on film. He won three Tony Awards and three Academy Awards, among other honors.  Their first hit was “Brigadoon” (1947), followed in 1951 by the less successful “Paint Your Wagon.”  In that same year Lerner also wrote the Oscar-winning original screenplay for “An American in Paris.”  In 1956, Lerner and Loewe unveiled “My Fair Lady.”  “Camelot” followed in 1960.
    1920 - The first ever news program was broadcast by the radio station 8MK in Detroit, Michigan. The station had opened its service on August 20.
    1920 - John Lloyd Wright second son of Frank Lloyd Wright, was issued a patent for "Toy-Cabin Construction," which are known as Lincoln Logs; U.S. patent 1,351,086.  Lincoln Logs were invented sometime around 1916-1917 when John Lloyd Wright was working in Japan with his father.  The mold for the toy was based on the architecture of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, designed by the inventor's father. The foundation of the hotel was designed with interlocking log beams, which made the structure "earthquake-proof".  The toy and its inventor entered the Toys Hall of Fame in 1999. 
    1923 – Giants owner Charles Stoneham was indicted by a federal grand jury for perjury and mail fraud. He had denied any ownership in two bucket-shop operations that had been found guilty of stock frauds; creditors of the two firms claimed he retained financial interests in both. Other NL owners were rumored to be forming a pool to buy him out, but Stoneham stayed out of jail and in the NL.  The team eventually passed upon his death in 1936 to his son, Horace, who would oversee the relocation of the Giants to San Francisco before selling the team in 1976.
    1928 - Bertolt Brecht's “The Three-penny Opera" ("Die Dreigoschenoper") with music by Kurt Weill was premiered in Berlin with Lotte Lenya.  By 1933, when Weill and Brecht were forced to leave Germany by the Nazi regime, the play had been translated into 18 languages and performed more than 10,000 times on European stages.  Songs from “The Threepenny Opera” have been widely covered and become standards, most notably "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer" ("The Ballad of Mack the Knife") and "Seeräuberjenny" ("Pirate Jenny"). In 2015, the Library of Congress added "Mack the Knife" by Louis Armstrong and Bobby Darin to the National Recording Registry.
    1928 - Birthday of Academy Award-winning actor James Coburn (1929-2002) at Laurel, NE. He rose to fame as the knife thrower in “The Magnificent Seven” and became known for his tough-guy roles in films such as “The Great Escape,” “In Like Flint,” and “Our Man Flint.”  He received an Oscar for his supporting role in 1999’s “Affliction.” 
    1934 - The first College All-Star Football Game, matching the defending NFL champion against team of college seniors from the previous season, was played at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Organized by sportswriter Arch Ward, the same writer who thought of the first Major League All-Star Game, the game was an annual charity affair played through 1976.   In the first game, the Chicago Bears and the All-Stars played to a 0-0 tie before a crowd of 79,432.
    1935 - In an attempt to stay out of the growing turmoil in Europe, the United States passed the first Neutrality Act.  Also, the act of exporting US arms to belligerents was prohibited by an act signed by President Roosevelt.
    1935 – Frank Robinson (d. 2019) was born in Beaumont, TX.  Robinson attended McClymonds HS in Oakland, California, where he was a basketball teammate of NBA Celtics Hall of Famer Bill Russell, and a baseball teammate of future Major Leaguers Vada Pinson and Curt Flood. The only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues, he won the Triple Crown, was a member of two World Series champions (the 1966 and 1970 Baltimore Orioles) and retired with the fourth-most career home runs at the time of his retirement (he is currently ninth). Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.  Robinson was the first African-American manager in Major League history, managing the Cleveland Indians during the last two years of his playing career, compiling a 186–189 record. He went on to manage the SF Giants, Baltimore Orioles, and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals.  For most of the last two decades of his life, Robinson served in various executive positions for Major League Baseball, concluding his career as honorary President of the American League.
    1936 – Birthday of Marva Collins (1936-2015) in Monroeville, AL.  She founded Chicago’s Westside Preparatory School in 1975 in Garfield Park, Illinois, that transforms so-called “unteachable” ghetto children into scholars.
http://www.marvacollins.com/biography.html
http://www.marvacollins.com/
    1938 - Frank Sinatra, 23, cuts “All or Nothing at All” with James Band, Columbia records.
    1939 - At noon, despite threats of British and French intervention, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler signs an order to attack Poland, and German forces move to the frontier. That evening, Nazi S.S. troops wearing Polish uniforms staged a phony invasion of Germany, damaging several minor installations on the German side of the border. They also left behind a handful of dead German prisoners in Polish uniforms to serve as further evidence of the alleged Polish attack, which Nazi propagandists publicized as an unforgivable act of aggression. At dawn the next morning, 58 German army divisions invaded Poland all across the 1,750-mile frontier. Hitler expected appeasement from Britain and France--the same nations that had given Czechoslovakia away to German conquest in 1938 with their signing of the Munich Pact. However, neither country would allow Hitler’s new violation of Europe’s borders, and they presented Germany with an ultimatum: Withdraw by September 3 or face war with the Western democracies. At 11:15 a.m. on September 3, a few minutes after the expiration of the British ultimatum, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain appeared on national radio to announce solemnly that Britain was at war with Germany. Australia, New Zealand, and India immediately followed suit. Later that afternoon, the French ultimatum expired, and at 5:00 p.m. France declared war on Germany. The European phase of World War II began.
    1940 – St. Cecilia HS football coach, Vince Lombardi (27), married Marie Planitz at Our Lady of Refuge Church in The Bronx.
    1943 – USS Harmon, a destroyer, the first Navy ship to be named after a black person, was commissioned.  It was named after Mess Attendant Leonard Roy Harmon (1917-42) who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on the USS San Francisco at Guadalcanal where he was killed in action.
    1945 - Van Morrison is born in Pottinger, Northern Ireland. His biggest hit is the top 10 song “Domino,'' released in 1970.
    1945 – World renowned violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman was born in Tel Aviv in what was then known as Palestine, part of the British Empire.  Coincidentally, he made his US debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on the same night as The Rolling Stones.
    1946 – Two-time Super Bowl-winning New York Giants head coach, Tom Coughlin, was born in Waterloo, NY.  After a long career as a college and NFL coach, he took over the New York Giants in 2004 and resigned after the 2015 season.  Including the postseason, his NFL coaching record is 182-157.
    1949 – Actor Richard Gere was born in Philadelphia.
    1950 - KOUMA, ERNEST R., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Master Sergeant (then Sfc.) U.S. Army, Company A, 72d Tank Battalion. Place and date: Vicinity of Agok, Korea, 31 August and 1 September 1950. Entered service at: Dwight, Nebr. Born: 23 November 1919, Dwight, Nebr. G.O. No.: 38, 4 June 1951. Citation: M/Sgt. Kouma, a tank commander in Company A, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. His unit was engaged in supporting infantry elements on the Naktong River front. Near midnight on 31 August, a hostile force estimated at 500 crossed the river and launched a fierce attack against the infantry positions, inflicting heavy casualties. A withdrawal was ordered and his armored unit was given the mission of covering the movement until a secondary position could be established. The enemy assault overran 2 tanks, destroyed 1 and forced another to withdraw. Suddenly M/Sgt. Kouma discovered that his tank was the only obstacle in the path of the hostile onslaught. Holding his ground, he gave fire orders to his crew and remained in position throughout the night, fighting off repeated enemy attacks. During 1 fierce assault, the enemy surrounded his tank and he leaped from the armored turret, exposing himself to a hail of hostile fire, manned the .50 caliber machine gun mounted on the rear deck, and delivered pointblank fire into the fanatical foe. His machine gun emptied, he fired his pistol and threw grenades to keep the enemy from his tank. After more than 9 hours of constant combat and close-in fighting, he withdrew his vehicle to friendly lines. During the withdrawal through 8 miles of hostile territory, M/Sgt. Kouma continued to inflict casualties upon the enemy and exhausted his ammunition in destroying 3 hostile machine gun positions. During this action, M/Sgt. Kouma killed an estimated 250 enemy soldiers. His magnificent stand allowed the infantry sufficient time to reestablish defensive positions. Rejoining his company, although suffering intensely from his wounds, he attempted to resupply his tank and return to the battle area. While being evacuated for medical treatment, his courage was again displayed when he requested to return to the front. M/Sgt. Kouma's superb leadership, heroism, and intense devotion to duty reflect the highest credit on himself and uphold the esteemed traditions of the U.S. Army.
    1950 - Top Hits
“Mona Lisa” - Nat King Cole
“Play a Simple Melody” - Bing Crosby
“Sam’s Song” - Bing & Gary Crosby
“Goodnight Irene” - Red Foley and Ernest Tubb
    1950 - First baseman Gil Hodges of the Brooklyn Dodgers became the sixth player in Major League history to hit four home runs in one game. He was one of my favorite baseball players, and I got his autograph, too. He added a single as the Dodgers beat the Boston Braves, 19-3.
    1951 - *LYELL, WILLIAM F., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Chup'a-ri, Korea, 31 August 1951. Entered service at: Old Hickory, Tenn. Birth: Hickman County, Tenn. G.O. No.: 4, 9 January 1953. Citation: Cpl. Lyell, a member of Company F, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. When his platoon leader was killed, Cpl. Lyell assumed command and led his unit in an assault on strongly fortified enemy positions located on commanding terrain. When his platoon came under vicious, raking fire which halted the forward movement, Cpl. Lyell seized a 57mm. recoilless rifle and unhesitatingly moved ahead to a suitable firing position from which he delivered deadly accurate fire completely destroying an enemy bunker, killing its occupants. He then returned to his platoon and was resuming the assault when the unit was again subjected to intense hostile fire from 2 other bunkers. Disregarding his personal safety, armed with grenades he charged forward hurling grenades into 1 of the enemy emplacements, and although painfully wounded in this action he pressed on destroying the bunker and killing 6 of the foe. He then continued his attack against a third enemy position, throwing grenades as he ran forward, annihilating 4 enemy soldiers. He then led his platoon to the north slope of the hill where positions were occupied from which effective fire was delivered against the enemy in support of friendly troops moving up. Fearlessly exposing himself to enemy fire, he continuously moved about directing and encouraging his men until he was mortally wounded by enemy mortar fire. Cpl. Lyell's extraordinary heroism, indomitable courage, and aggressive leadership reflect great credit on himself and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.
    1953 - Birthday of American composer Peter Scott Lewis, born San Rafael, CA.
    1954 - Hurricane Carol swept across eastern New England killing sixty persons and causing $450 million damage. It was the first of three hurricanes to affect New England that year
    1955 - William G. Cobb of the General Motors Corporation gave a publicly demonstration of a solar-powered car. It had 12 photoelectric cells made of selenium which converted light into electric current.  The current powered a tiny electric motor with a drive shaft connected to the rear axle by a pulley. It was to be the car of the future, with full production before 1960.
    1958 - Top Hits
“Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)” - Domenico Modugno
“Little Star” - The Elegants
“My True Love” - Jack Scott
“Blue Blue Day” - Don Gibson
    1958 - Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and their rag-tag rebel army begin their destruction of the US-supported and Mafia-controlled dictatorship. Juan Batista said he could control the “minor rebellion” and the US believed him, as well as decades of other dictators in Central and South American countries, who were supported because they were “anti-Communist.”
http://www.patriagrande.net/uruguay/eduardo.galeano/
memoria.del.fuego/19580831.htm
http://www.weisbord.org/WhatsGoingOn.htm
    1959 – The Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax established the National League strikeout record of 18 in a 5–2 win over the Giants in front of nearly 83,000 fans at the LA Coliseum, the largest ever to see a Major League game.  It broke the record held by Dizzy Dean.
    1963 - The Ronettes single, "Be My Baby" enters the charts.  Written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector.  In 2004, the song was ranked 22 by Rolling Stone in its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and described as a "Rosetta stone” for studio pioneers such as The Beatles and Brian Wilson who declared, “… 'Be My Baby' the greatest pop record ever made—no arguments here.”  In 1999, it was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2006, the Library of Congress honored the Ronettes' version by adding it to the US National Recording Registry.
    1963 - "My Boyfriend's Back" by the Angels topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.
    1966 - Top Hits
“Summer in the City” - The Lovin’ Spoonful
“Sunny” - Bobby Hebb
“See You in September” - The Happenings
“Almost Persuaded” - David Houston
    1968 - Cream's "Fresh Cream" enters the LP chart. It contains the hit single, "Sunshine of Your Love."
    1968 - Decca Records releases what has been called The Rolling Stones most political song, "Street Fighting Man." The number was written after Mick Jagger attended a March 1968 anti-war rally at London's US embassy, during which mounted police attempted to control a crowd of 25,000. The single proved to be very popular, but was kept out of the US Top 40 (reaching #48) because many radio stations refused to play it based on what were perceived as subversive lyrics.
    1968 – Former Major League pitcher Hideo Nomo was born in Japan.  Nomo pitched in 13 seasons in the Majors with 8 different teams, before retiring in 2008. He was 1995’s Rookie of the Year and he twice led the league in strikeouts.  He also threw two no-hitters and until 2015 had been the only Japanese pitcher in the Majors to do so.
    1970 – Debbie Gibson was born in Brooklyn.
    1971 – The low of 84 degrees and high of 108 degrees at Death Valley, CA, were the coolest of the month. The average daily high was 115.7 degrees that August, and the average daily low was 93.4 degrees
    1973 – Paul McCartney receives a Gold record for “Live and Let Die.”
    1974 – Top Hits
“(You’re) Having My Baby” – Paul Anka
“I Shot the Sheriff” – Eric Clapton
“Tell Me Something Good” – Rufus
“The Grand Tour” – George Jones
    1974 – “The Partridge Family’’ television show ends, leaving David Cassidy free to pursue a solo music career.
    1974 – Carole King’s ‘Jazzman’ released in US.
    1976 – “Alice” premiers on TV. Linda Lavin played the title role in this CBS comedy that was based on the 1975 film “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” Alice Hyatt was the new girl in town---a widow raising her son while trying to make ends meet by waitressing at a diner. She had dreams of making it big as a singer. Nine years later, Alice was able to leave her “temp” job for a gig. Lavin’s co-stars were: Vic Tayback as diner owner Mel Sharples, Philip McKeon as Alice’s son Tommy, Beth Howland as the waitress Vera Gorman, Polly Holiday as sassy waitress Flo Castleberry, Diane Ladd as Flo’s replacement Belle Dupree, Celia Weston as waitress Jolene Hunnicutt, Martha Raye as Mel’s mother Carrie and Marvin Kaplan as customer Henry Bessmyer. The last telecast aired on July 2, 1985.
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/alice.html
http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/alice.htm
http://www.bigbob.com/alice/
http://www.jumptheshark.com/a/alice.htm
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071115/
    1976 - George Harrison is found guilty of "subconscious plagiarism" of the Chiffons hit "He's So Fine" in his "My Sweet Lord.”
    1980 - Pat Benatar's "Crimes of Passion" LP enters the chart. The album features her signature song "Hit Me with Your Best Shot."
    1982 - Top Hits
“Eye of the Tiger” - Survivor
“Hurts So Good” - John Cougar
“Abracadabra” - The Steve Miller Band
“Fool Hearted Memory” - George Strait
    1984 - Lightning ignited several forest fires in Montana, one of which burned through 100,000 acres of timber and grassland.
    1985 - Bryan Adams' "Summer of '69" peaks at #5 on the pop singles chart while Billy Joel's "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" peaks at #9
    1985 - California's "Night Stalker" killer Richard Ramirez was captured by residents of an East Los Angeles neighborhood. His highly publicized home invasion crime spree terrorized the residents of the greater Los Angeles area, and later the residents of the San Francisco area, from June 1984 until August 1985.
    1987 - The largest preorder of albums in the CBS Records history occurred when 2.25 million copies of Michael Jackson’s "Bad" album were shipped to record stores. The LP was the follow up to "Thriller", the biggest Jackson-seller of all time which sold 35 million copies. The "Bad" album was successful by normal standards, but flopped compared to "Thriller," selling only 13 million copies.
    1987 - Eight cities in Washington and Oregon reported record high temperatures for the date, including Eugene, OR and Portland, OR with afternoon highs of 102 degrees. The high of 102 degrees at Portland smashed their previous record for the date by twelve degrees. Frost was reported in South Dakota. Aberdeen, SD established a record for the month of August with a morning low of 32 degrees, and Britton, SD dipped to 31 degrees.
    1988 - Five-day power blackout of downtown Seattle begins.
    1988 - Arbitrator George Nicolau ruled against the Major League owners in the "Collusion II” case, agreeing with the players' contention that the owners conspired to fix the free agent market after the 1986 season. Twelve players were granted no-risk free agency after the season, as well as monetary compensation.
    1989 - Thunderstorms developing along a stationary front spread severe weather from Minnesota to Indiana through the course of the day and night. Thunderstorms in Minnesota produced baseball size hail near Saint Michael and Hutchinson, and drenched Moose Lake with nine inches of rain in six hours. Tucson AZ hit 100 degrees for a record 79th time in the year, surpassing a record established the previous year.
    1989 - Arbitrator Thomas Roberts ordered the Major League owners to pay $10.5 million in damages as a result of their collusion against free agents after the 1985 season.
    1990 - Ken Griffey, Jr, 20, and Ken Griffey, Sr., 40, made Major League history by becoming the first father and son to play together in the same game. They played for the Seattle Mariners in a game against the Kansas City Royals.  Junior entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.
    1990 - Top Hits
“Vision of Love” - Mariah Carey
“Come Back to Me” - Janet Jackson
“If Wishes Came True” - Sweet Sensation
    1991 - Metallica's self-titled album debuts at No. 1 on Billboard's pop album chart.
    1995 - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opens in Cleveland. The city is argued to be the birthplace of rock beginning in the rooms of radio station WMMS, where disc jockey Alan Freed coined the term “rock 'n' roll'' in the early 1950s.
    1996 - Oklahoma State University defeated Southwest Missouri State University, 23-20, in the first Division I-A college football game to be decided in overtime. The game was tied, 17-17, at the end of regulation time. Under new rules effective that year, Southwest Missouri State go the ball first in overtime and kicked a 47-yard field goal. Oklahoma State then got the ball and answered with a 13-yard touchdown run.
    1997 - Lady Diana Spencer, former wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, was killed along with her companion Dodi Fayed in a car accident in Paris. Tests conducted by French police indicated that the driver, who also perished in the crash, was intoxicated and likely caused the accident while trying to escape the paparazzi photographers who were following them.
    2001 - Due to the fact Little League World Series star pitcher Danny Almonte is 14 years old, not 12 as required by the organization's rules, the Raulindo Paulino All-Stars are stripped of all its wins. The team, which had captured the heart of the community, finished third in Williamsport and were given a parade in New York and honored before a game at Yankee Stadium.
    2001 - Former minor leaguer Lawrence “Crash” Davis (1919-2001) died after a year-long bout with cancer. The 82-year old got a late-life shot of celebrity because of the 1988 movie “Bull Durham”, in which the main character played by Kevin Costner bore his name. Davis played 2B for the Philadelphia A’s, 1940-42. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he returned to pro baseball in 1946 but never made it back to the majors. In 1948, he hit .315 with the Durham Bulls and set a Carolina League record with 50 doubles.
    2002 - Losing their 13th consecutive game at Shea Stadium to Randy Wolf and the Phillies, 1-0, the Mets complete the worst month at home in National League history. The Amazins' join the Seattle Pilots (August, 1969) and the Tigers (September, 1996) as teams that have not won a home game in a calendar month with at least ten games.
  2011 - Severe damage to homes and infrastructure occurs as wildfires sweep through the U.S. states of Oklahoma and Texas