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Friday, August 29, 2008

Actor Elliott Goldstein (Elliott Gould) born Brooklyn, NY, August 29, 1938, Movies: "M*A*S*H," "The Long Goodbye," "Ocean 11," frequent guest on Saturday Night Live. He starred in a sitcom called E/R in 1984–1985, and had a recurring guest role on Friends as Jack Geller, the father of Monica and Ross Geller. He also co-starred in the popular "caper" film Ocean's Eleven (2001), and its sequels: Ocean's Twelve (2004), and Ocean's Thirteen (2007).Gould received critical praise for his role as an aging mobster in Warren Beatty's 1991 film Bugsy
http://www.nndb.com/people/024/000022955/

Headlines---

Correction: Ex-Leaf Employee List
    Correction: Hon. Cormac J. Carney
        Classified Ads—Legal/Lease Attorneys
105 degrees in Saratoga, California
    Lease Police New Feature---Up-Date
        Rates to Go Up/Credit to Continue to Tighten
Classified Ads---Help Wanted
    PACCAR no more physical damage insurance
        Menkin-Kalinski Laws
Fernando’s View by Fernando F. Croce
Two Movies/Three DVD's for this Weekend
    Hope claims helping 2 million foreclosures
Ralph Petta: Leasing Remains Consistently Strong
    Why haven't mortgage rates declined?
        The Key National Finance “WiKey”
    San Diego: Economic indicators: Recession
Iraq and China Sign $3 Billion Oil Contract
    Caterpillar looks for record sales on China
        Boeing could lose billions in a strike
            Dell's earnings tumble 17%
                News Briefs---
Should you buy shares in a law firm?
You May have Missed---
    "Gimme that Wine"
        Calendar Events
            Snapple Real Facts
Today's Top Event in History
    This Day in American History
        Baseball Poem
            SuDoku
                Daily Puzzle
GasBuddy
    Weather, USA or specific area
        Traffic Live----
News on Line---Internet Newspapers
New Orleans, Louisiana

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

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Correction: Ex-Leaf Employee List

Perhaps due to the size, there were technical difficulties in Wednesday edition, which eventually was replaced with a URL link to access the list.

Please go to:
http://leasingnews.org/items/PCB_LEAF_Team_list.gif

[headlines]

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Correction: Hon. Cormac J. Carney

Operation Lease Fleece: What are they doing today?


Hon. Cormac J. Carney

“I enjoyed your update on Operation Lease Fleece, which is reaching the appropriate legal result.  On a less serious note, as a fellow Bruin when the Federal Judge now presiding over this matter, Cormac Carney, played for the Bruins, he was a standout wide receiver.”
 
Irwin Wittlin
Hemar, Rousso & Heald, LLP

(Error corrected on line. Thank you for letting us know. Editor)

Judge Cormac J. Carney Biography
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/August%202008/08-27-08.htm#ops

Operation Lease Fleece up-date:
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/August%202008/08-27-08.htm#ops

[headlines]

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Classified Ads—Legal/Lease Attorneys

San Diego, CA
Experienced in-house corporate, equipment leasing and financial services attorney seeks position as managing or transactional counsel. Willing to relocate.
Cell Phone: 760-533-4058;
Email: sandidq@msn.com

Birmingham, Alabama
The lawyers of Marks & Weinberg, P.C. have over 30 years experience in dealing with virtually every type of equipment financing and are recognized throughout the industry for prompt, practical solutions and exemplary service. They offer cost-conscious, effective lease enforcement and good counsel.
Email: Barry@leaselawyer.com
Website: www.leaselawyers.com
California, National: city: Riverside
Ellen Stern - get results, reasonable pricing; numerous industry contacts, nearly 30 yrs exp.in SoCal, 20 yrs equip.: CFL license specialist, documentation, work-outs, litigated collections, recoveries; deal-maker.
Email: leaselaw@msn.com | UAEL

Kenneth C. Greene
California & Nevada
Hamrick & Evans, LLP, Universal City , LA; San Francisco Bay
Area, No.Calif. & Nevada. Call for free consultation (828)763-5292 or (415) 806-2254,
kgreene@hamricklaw.com
Connecticut, Southern New England: EVANS, FELDMAN & BOYER, LLC Collections, litigation, documentation, portfolio sales and financing, bankruptcy. We represent many of the national and local leasing companies doing business in this state. Past chairman EAEL legal committee. Competitive rates.
email: rcfeldman@snet.net     EAEL
Law Firm - Service, Dallas, TX. ELA
Mayer regularly practices in leasing, secured financing, project development and finance and corporate finance.
email: dmayer@pattonboggs.com
Website:
www.pattonboggs.com
  Los Angeles, Statewide: CA.     "ELA" Aggressive creditors rights law firm specializing in equipment leasing handling collection matters on a contingency, fixed fee or hourly basis. email:RGarwacki@prodigy.net

Los Angeles -statewide: CA      "ELA "
Practice limited to collections, bankruptcy and problem accounts resolution. Decades of experience. 10-lawyer firm dedicated to serving you. Call Ronald Cohn, Esq. (818)591-2121 or email. Email: rrcohn@aol.com   

Long Beach, CA
Wagner & Zielinski,  successfully representing lessees/ lessors.  Not a member of any leasing organization, therefore not beholden to special interests.  Richard Wagner
(562) 216-2952 www.wzlawyers.com

Long Beach CA.
Paul Bent -- 30 years experience in all forms of equipment leasing, secured lending, and asset based transactions, from analysis and deal structuring to contract negotiations to closing to private dispute resolution. (562) 426-1000
www.paulbent.com

National: Coston & Rademacher: Business attorneys serving the lease-finance industry since 1980. Transactional, documentation, corporate/finance, workouts, litigation, bankruptcy, portfolio management. Chicago-based national practice. Jim Coston, CLP (Members: UAEL, ELA, MAEL).
email: Jcoston@costonlaw.com
Website:www.costonlaw.com

St. Louis County , MO. - statewide:
Schultz & Associates LLP., collections, negotiation, and litigation. Also register and pursue recovery on foreign judgments. Contingency and reasonable hourly rates.
Ronald J. Eisenberg, Esq. (636) 537-4645 x108
reisenberg@sl-lawyers.com
www.sl-lawyers.com

Westport, CT: We represent finance companies, banks, lessors, etc., in replevins/seizures, collections and bankruptcy matters in Connecticut and New York. Flat fee, contingency and hourly rates.
Email: rchinitz@replevinlawyer.com

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

Leasing Recruiters:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Recruits/index.htm

To place a free “job wanted” ad here, please go to:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted-post.htm

[headlines]

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105 degrees in Saratoga, California

We’re having a heat wave. First day 102; today 105. The previous night the crickets were going nuts and it felt like it was in the 80’s at 10pm. Today it was even too hot to go into the swimming pool. Maybe tomorrow? Prediction is 103!!!

Have a happy Labor Day weekend!!!!

Kit Menkin and staff

[headlines]

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Lease Police New Feature---Up-Date

The following announcement was sent to Lease Police members:

“Lease Police. Com has now collected data over 190 Subscribers, 169 suspicious "Alerts", over 3000 repossessions, and a data base in excess of over 15,000. Having a "bird’s eye" view of the entire industry allows us to identify high risk vendors and their tendencies early. For example: over 75% of working capital and unauthorized sale/leaseback schemes are initiated by vendors operating from a residence or mail-stop. With this in mind, we have just added a new feature to all Vendor and Lessee reports.

“You will now find a box labeled "SHOW MAP" on every Lease Police report. By clicking "SHOW MAP", you will get a satellite view of the Vendor or Lessee's location which can be zoomed in to get a better view. If the streets have blue lines then that area click on the small man which will allow you to have a STREET VIEW with a ground level panoramic picture all directions. This latter effect presently covers 30-40% of larger metropolitan areas and is growing daily. Now you can actually see your vendor's or lessee's location. This is the first of what we hope will be many new buttons to augment your investigation needs.

“One last thought...As you discover vendors/ lessees operating from residences or mail stops drop me a line on them. While they are not yet ‘Alert’ material they nevertheless deserve mentioning in the Comments section of their report. Please let me know what you think of this new feature or any new suggestions to enhance the quality of our reports.”

Regards,

Bernie Boettigheimer, CLP
President
Lease Police, Inc.
972-361-8111
972-692-8091-fax
214-549-3426-cell
bernieb@leasepolice.com

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

[headlines]

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Rates to Go Up/Credit to Continue to Tighten

by Christopher Menkin

“Who asked you!?” I hear that all the time in trying to follow-up a story about a company changing its program or disclosing information. Unless it is “good news” or “promoting” why someone should do business with them, they don’t want to see their name in Leasing News.

Here is an example of a major change. While most “approvals” contain a clause for “material financial change” or “catch alls” for “mis-information,” Radiance Capital, Tacoma, Washington is not only increasing rates on approved leases, but stating all leases will now have all credit redone at funding and if there are downside changes, the approval may be withdrawn.

  • “We will re-pull credit on ALL approved deals in for funding and any material change in the financial condition of our lessee/PG may result in the approval being rescinded.” (1)

Radiance Capital issued the following statement upon Leasing
News’ request:

“As the economic environment continues to weaken, Radiance Capital has seen a significant deterioration in the credit quality of the borrower from the time of approval to the time of funding. Given this trend, the company is pulling a second credit bureau prior to funding. This change – effective immediately – will mitigate the risk of funding transactions that have a higher potential to default.

“Our investors remain financially committed to our business by ensuring that our leverage ratio of 4:1 is well below the industry standard for companies such as Radiance. As market conditions improve, we will review and adjust our underwriting policy as needed.”

The above is characteristic as to what is being experienced by funders, including syndicators. Leasing News receives many of these notices, including lease rate sheets from readers. Rates have been going up. Cost of funds and operation plus reserves have gone up for lenders. In addition, readers all over the United States, the direct side, the captive side, the broker side report credit is tightening, The public SEC filings reinforce what private companies are telling Leasing News: leasing business origination is slowing down, the economic environment continues to weaken and they question where is the light at the end of the tunnel. Most readers tell us privately their business is off. Publically, everyone puts on the positive face: “business is good!!!” as if they are trying to surprise you or even talk themselves into believing it.

While the prime bench rate is low, other conditions are affecting the “supply” side. In addition, demand is also diminishing. This marketplace is not good for business, especially for those who make their living financing equipment, software, and vehicles. A low tide sinks all boats. Yet inflation continues to grow, which is more detrimental to the ability of families and businesses to make payments or have the ability or desire or courage to take on more debt.

The business columnist have been running many stories that the Federal Reserve is seriously considering raising the benchmark lending rate. The Fed has already been raising costs to banks
for services and reserve requirements, but the hint of slowing down inflation is certainly serious---as it exists and continues to grow.

With yesterday’s report that the Gross domestic product, or GDP, grew at a 3.3 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter, the fastest pace in nearly a year, perhaps look for prime rate to rise faster than many predict.

Those who believe nothing will happen until after the presidential election are forgetting history. Former president George Bush believes one of the main reasons he lost the election is because former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan didn’t lower the prime rate fast enough. First, Greenspan did not do this personally, although he certainly did have an influence. (2) Greenspan is an acknowledged Republican, even today, although he criticized current Republic spending and the high deficit in his most recent book. (3)

The Federal Reserve is supposed to be non-partisan. It is supposed not to be influenced by the president or US treasury secretary. A rate increase before the election is viewed as not being helpful to the present administration or the incumbent president’s political party. Therefore, thinking is the benchmark rate won’t be raised until December or early next year. As important, the lag time may not see results until nine to twelve months!

Whether the prime is raised or is not, funders are finding increased expense in syndication, bank warehouse loans, requirements, and with profits down, the lenders are going to increase rates to improve their operating costs and bottom line. Inflation continues to grow, certainly to be more felt during the winter months in the Northern states.

The question is then will the Fed raise the rate at their September 16, 2008 or October 28-29, 2008 meeting?

To make your prediction, please go to:
http://www.hubdub.com/m11589/What_will_the_Federal_Reserve_do_with_the_bench
mark_interest_rate_at_the_next_meeting_in_September

December may be too late to see a turn around in 2009, no matter
who is elected.

Happy Labor Day!!!

(1) Full Radiance Capital Announcement
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Rad_Cap_LLC.pdf

About Radiance Capital:

Radiance Capital LLC is a privately held “B Credit” finance company currently based in Tacoma, Washington. Radiance provides equipment financing through a small broker channel for transactions ranging from $5,000 to $75,000 on a nation level. For more information on Radiance Capital, visit the company’s website at
http://www.radiance-capital.com.

(2) “While seemingly theoretically economically correct, in the real world there are often very different results from the Fed's use of monetary policy. Thus between 1990 and 1992, Greenspan himself lowered the Fed rate from about 10 % to almost 3%, a drop of almost 7 full points, worth almost $700 billion in stimulus to the economy. However, since this $700 billion was channeled into the economy through the banking system, its ‘normal’ lag time of between 6 and 12 months, was delayed almost one year longer, until the last quarter of 1992, just in time to help the new President Bill Clinton, but about 3 months too late to help the first George Bush get reelected.”
http://www.southerndomains.com/SouthernBanks/top.html

(3) "The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World,"
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article2461415.ece
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1897807/posts

[headlines]

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Classified Ads---Help Wanted

Vendor Sales Specialists


VENDOR SALES SPECIALISTS
LEASING SALES PROFESSIONALS

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

CLICK HERE to find out how to have fun again.


[headlines]

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PACCAR no more physical damage insurance

While PACCAR Financial Corp. has opened its second used truck center near Spartanburg, S.C, it has also announced effective August 25, 2008, they ceased offering Physical Damage Insurance coverage.

Discontinuation of PACCAR Financial Physical Damage
Insurance Program

Effective August 25, 2008, PACCAR Financial (PFC) will no longer be offering
Physical Damage Insurance coverage.

Customers with policies with AIG/National Union Fire will not be impacted by this
change and will continue to maintain coverage for the term of their policy or until
they request it be cancelled.

Customers added to the Old Republic policy will be notified of the cancellation and
provided 60 days to replace the coverage. PFC will refer these customers to your
dealership to assist in accommodating their insurance needs.

PFC will continue to have corporate insurance staff available to facilitate inquires.
Please contact your Area Sales Manager for more information or if you have any
questions.

Arlen V. Savitt
Assistant General Manager for Sales and Marketing

“PACCAR Financial has been helping Peterbilt and Kenworth truck owners for more than 40 years with innovative purchase and lease plans that can be customized to meet individual needs…The SC location offering an extensive selection of Kenworth and Peterbilt used trucks to Paccar dealers, non-Paccar dealers, independent wholesalers, and retail fleet and owner-operator buyers.”

Recently Paccar Leasing Company (PacLease) announced it has expanded its North American franchise network expansion with the addition of three new full-service lease locations in Michigan.

Zacks reports "truck retail sales during the first half of the year dampened due to the increase in diesel prices along with the depressing housing market scenario and lower auto production. The company lowered its Class 8 retail sales expectation from 175,000 215,000 trucks to 150,000- 165,000 trucks for 2008… (noting) With PacLease in Europe, the company expects to see continued Financial Services growth in Europe. The company expects 2008 industry sales in Europe to be at a record of 350,000-360,000 units.
http://register.zacks.com/ucd/step1.php?ALERT=YAHOO_ZER&d_alert=ZER_CONF&
ADID=YAHOO_CONTENT_ZER&t=PCAR

[headlines]

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(circa 1977)

[headlines]

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Fernando’s View

By Fernando F. Croce

Out in Theaters:

The House Bunny (Columbia Pictures): After marvelous comic roles in movies like “Lost in Translation,” “Just Friends” and “Smiley Face,” Anna Faris is quickly becoming one of the unsung treasures of American films. She’s the main attraction in this fluffy comedy from the makers of “Legally Blonde,” and her almost Zen-like levels of ditziness are more than enough reason to see it. She plays Shelley, a cheerful Playboy bunny whose stay at Hugh Hefner’s mansion is suddenly curtained when she hits the age of 27 (which, she’s told, amounts to almost 60 in “Bunny years”). As she lands in a sorority house and wins the heart of a campus geek (Colin Hanks), the film moves toward predictable you-go-girl uplift. Faris keeps it zinging along, however, with one inspired bit after another.

The Rocker (20th-Century Fox): Robert “Fish” Fishman, a former Eighties rock star now reduced to living with his parents, seems like a role that Will Ferrell passed on because he was too busy. It may be a good thing he did, because it allows Rainn Wilson (TV’s “The Office”) to bring his own inspired brand of nuttiness to the movie. Now a miserable insurance company clerk, Fish gets the chance to relive his old glory days when his nephew Matt (Josh Gad) asks him to replace the drummer for his garage band. Like “The House Bunny,” “The Rocker” is a slim comedy energized by a fabulous performance, and the joy comes from watching the usually wry Wilson cut loose in a tornado of costumes, headbands, and guitar riffs that brings to mind Jack Black in “School of Rock.”

New on DVD:

Chicago 10 (Paramount): History meets animation in Brett Morgen’s intriguing account of the political tumult around the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, which led to the notorious trial of such high-profile protesters as Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, and Bobby Seale. As students and flower-power dissidents clash with the police outside, the courtroom becomes a media circus complete with brawling witnesses and pranks pulled by the defendants. In addition to a reminder of this important chapter in American history, the picture is also a fascinating mix of documentary footage, commentary, and above all a display of stop-motion animation that gives life to the participants in a striking manner reminiscent of “Waking Life.”

Redbelt (Sony): Long famous for his unique brand of wordplay in such works as “House of Cards” and “Glengarry Glen Ross,” David Mamet branches out into action in this enjoyable tale of betrayal, self-worth and martial-arts. Mike Terry (the excellent Chiwetel Ejiofor) runs a Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy in Los Angeles, and refuses to corrupt his skills by stepping into the ring for competitions. A string of events involving a movie star (Tim Allen) and a nervous lawyer (Emily Mortimer) forces him to defend his honor by enlisting into a crooked bout. The story may be an adult version of “The Karate Kid,” but Mamet combines his trademark punchy dialogue with a new feeling for muscular confrontation, bringing them together into a crowd-pleasing climax.

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (Walt Disney/Touchstone): Halloween comes early this year, thanks to this marvelous new DVD issue of Tim Burton’s 1993 stop-animation classic. Despite being crowned Pumpkin King at Halloween Town, Jack Skellington dreams of something besides macabre costumes and haunted houses. After a dose of Christmas spirit following a visit to the North Pole, Jack decides to spread holiday cheer the only way he can—kidnapping Santa Claus and delivering the presents himself. Brimming with memorable characters, catchy tunes, and a beautiful blend of the prankish and the poignant, it’s a one-of-a-kind fantasy that deserves to be revisited.

[headlines]

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

Over 2 Million Foreclosures Prevented In Past Year
By Hope Now Alliance Members

Number of homeowners helped in July 2008 sets another monthly record

Washington, D.C) – HOPE NOW, the private sector alliance of mortgage servicers, counselors, and investors that has been working aggressively over the past year to prevent foreclosures today announced that over 2 million homeowners have avoided foreclosure and have been able to stay in their homes due to the unwavering efforts of HOPE NOW and the broader mortgage industry.

HOPE NOW also announced that the number of foreclosures prevented in July 2008 was at a record high for the second consecutive month, and was 6 percent higher than the number of foreclosures prevented in June.  Compared to July 2007, the number of foreclosures prevented has increased by more than 54 percent.

In July 2008, HOPE NOW mortgage servicers helped homeowners avoid foreclosure by completing more than 192,000 mortgage workouts.  Workouts include both modifications to the terms of existing mortgages and repayment plans.  All workouts are intended to be permanent changes that, barring a life event such as a job loss, death, or illness, will enable the homeowner to stay in the home as long as he or she wishes to do so.

“The industry’s overwhelming commitment to helping homeowners avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes is undeniable and steadfast,” said HOPE NOW’s Executive Director Faith Schwartz.  “Because of HOPE NOW’s vast and multifaceted efforts, more than 2 million families and the communities in which they live are much better off today than they otherwise would have been.”

The HOPE NOW report estimates that on an industry-wide basis:

  • The total number of foreclosures prevented by mortgage servicers since July 2007 has risen to nearly 2.07 million.
  • Mortgage servicers provided loan workouts for approximately 192,000 borrowers in July, an increase of 11,000 loan workouts over June.
  • Approximately 112,000 of the homeowners with prime and subprime mortgages helped by servicers in July received repayment plans; approximately 80,000 received loan modifications.
  • Nearly 52 percent of homeowners with subprime loans received modifications.

A summary table of the results is attached and can be found at
http://www.hopenow.com/media/press_release.php.
According to Schwartz, the rapid pace of foreclosure prevention by HOPE NOW members is likely to accelerate further in the coming months due to the alliance’s continuing efforts to reach out to millions of homeowners through mailings, the HOPE Hotline, and the regional homeowner workshops it has been holding around the country.  
 
“At the same time Tropical Storm Fay was raging, more than 3,600 people attended the homeowner workshops held in Florida last week,” she said.  “These targeted efforts led by the HOPE NOW alliance clearly demonstrates the sheer volume of homeowners that will continue to be helped in the coming months.”
 
Because of several factors, the numbers reported by HOPE NOW differ from those reported by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS), and other regulators.  For example, OCC collects information from 9 nationally chartered banks, OTS collects information from 5 federally chartered thrifts, and HOPE NOW collects data from 23 companies with a variety of charters and regulators.  HOPE NOW members report approximately 38 million loans, substantially more than the number included in either the OCC or OTS reports.
 
The HOPE NOW survey estimates the effort by the total mortgage lending industry to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.  By contrast, OCC and OTS only provide data from the largest chartered institutions they oversee.  
 
None of these differences invalidate the information in any of the reports.

ABOUT HOPE NOW
 
HOPE NOW is an alliance between counselors, mortgage market participants, and mortgage servicers to create a unified, coordinated plan to reach and help as many homeowners as possible.
 
The Homeownership Preservation Foundation’s HOPE Hotline (1-888-995-HOPE), which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, receives an average of more than 4,000 calls a day. There is no cost to homeowners for using the HOPE Hotline.
 
HOPE NOW coordinates a nationwide campaign to reach homeowners who may be at risk of losing their homes.  So far, HOPE NOW has sent almost 1.9 million letters.  About 18 percent of homeowners receiving the HOPE NOW-coordinated letters have contacted their servicer, six times more than the routine 2-3 percent response rate servicers receive when they send their own mailings.
 
In the past seven months, HOPE NOW has connected thousands of homeowners with their lender and/or a HUD-certified housing counselor at workshops in 20 different cities in California, Georgia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nevada, New Jersey, Texas, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Florida, Massachusetts, Florida and Indiana. Additional workshops are being scheduled so that more troubled borrowers can be helped.
 
In addition, HOPE NOW members recently agreed to make substantial additional efforts to contact homeowners whose mortgages will reset in the coming months and to further expedite the process used to determine how best to keep them in their homes.

[headlines]

### Press Release ###########################
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(This ad is a “trade” for the writing of this column. Opinions
contained in the column are those of Mr. Terry Winders, CLP)

News Briefs----

Ralph Petta: Leasing Remains Consistently Strong
http://www.financialweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080827/REG/808279987/1036

Why haven't mortgage rates declined?
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/mortgages/20080828-why-no-mort
gage-rate-decline-a1.asp

The Key National Finance “WiKey”
http://www.worldleasingnews.com/article.aspx?sid=YrItVniimrc=&pid=
6xWx1IO6+WE=&ptype=YrItVniimrc=

San Diego: Economic indicators leave little doubt area is in recession
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20080828-1429-bn28sdecon.html

Iraq and China Sign $3 Billion Oil Contract
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/28/
AR2008082802200.html

Caterpillar looks for record sales on China
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-china-caterpillar,0,1936507.story

Boeing could lose billions in a strike
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/manufacturing/
2008-08-28-boeing-workers_N.htm

Dell's earnings tumble 17%; poor foreign sales blamed
http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/2008-08-28-dell_N.htm

[headlines]

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You May have Missed---

Should you buy shares in a law firm?

http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/11998567/c_11999656?f=home_todayinfinance

[headlines]

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“Gimme that Wine”

September: California Wine Month
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/27/WIDQ1290VM.DTL

Wine Book: '1001 Wines You Must Taste Before You Die'
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/21/WI3312B8CI.DTL

French wine export volumes fall, values rise in 1H
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D92QNRMG0.htm

Vineyard properties remain a hot buy
http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2008/08/27/news/local/
doc48b4e9519ad59368923913.txt

Big winery category drawing fire
http://www.mercurynews.com/foodheadlines/ci_10311569?nclick_check=1

In new venture, veteran winemaker Richard Sanford stays true to himself
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/wineadviser/2008140344_winecol27.html

(This is a free “ad” for our good friends the Bateman’s,
proprietors of Thunder Mountain Kona coffee)

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

[headlines]

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Calendar Events This Day

Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day

More Herbs, Less Salt Day
http://holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/August/herbsaltday.htm

Slovakia: National Uprising Day
National holiday. Commemorates resistance to Nazi occupation in 1944.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lo.html

Saint feast Days

http://www.catholic.org/saints/f_day/aug.php

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Potato chips were invented in Saratoga Springs in 1853 by chef George Crum.  They were a mocking response to a patron who complained that his French fries were too thick.

[headlines]

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Today's Top Event in History

1967- Final TV episode of "The Fugitive". The series originally started on September, 1963. Dr. Richard Kimble ( David Janssen) was wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for his wife’s murder, but escaped from his captors in a train wreck. This popular program aired for four years detailing Kimble’s search for the one-armed man(BillRaisch) who had killed his wife, Helen ( Diane Brewster). in the meantime, Kimble himself, was being pursued by Lieutenant Phillip Gerard ( Barry Morse). The final episode aired this day in 1967 featured Kimble extracting a confession from the one-armed man as they struggled form the heights of a water tower in a desert amusement park. That single episode was the highest-rated show ever broadcast until 1975. The TV series generated a hit movie in 1993 with Harrison Ford as Kimble and Oscar-winner Tommy Lee Jones as Gerard. (Feb. 28,1983, M*A*S*H, concluding a run of 255 episodes, this 2 ½ hour finale became the most-watched television show at that time---77 percent of the viewing public was tuned in. Cheers last episode on August 19,1993 did not beat this rating nor did Seinfield last on May 14, 1998 nor did my most favorite show, “Mad About You.” on May 24, 1999.
http://www.tvtome.com/MadAboutYou/
(Helen Hunt and co-star, Paul Reiser, were both given $1,000,000 per episode salaries for the 1999 TV season of "Mad About You".

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This Day in American History

    1708 - Haverhill, Mass., was destroyed by French & Indians.
    1758 - New Jersey Legislature formed the 1st Indian reservation.
    1776 - General George Washington retreated during the night from Long Island to New York City withdrawing from Manhattan to Westchester.
    1786- Shay’s Rebellion: Daniel Shays, veteran of the battles of Lexington, Bunker Hill, Ticonderoga and Saratoga, was one of the leaders of more than 1,000 rebels who sought redress of grievances during the depres­sion days of 1786—87. He began organizing his followers with speeches this day. They prevented general court sessions and on Sept 26 they prevented Supreme Court sessions at Spring­field, MA. On Jan 25, 1787, with 1100 men, they attacked the federal arsenal at Springfield; Feb 2, Shays’s troops were routed and fled. Shays was sentenced to death but pardoned June 13, 1788.The uprising had been caused by the harsh economic conditions faced by Massachusetts farmers, who sought reforms and the issuance of paper money. Shay later he received a small pension for services in the American Revolution.
    1809-Birthday of Oliver Wendell Holmes, physician and author, father of Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, born at Cambridge, MA. Died at Boston, MA, Oct. 8,1894. “ A moment’s insight, “ he wrote, “ is sometimes worth a life’s experience.”.
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.com/owholmes.htm
http://www.eldritchpress.org/owh/owhhes.html
    1815- Anna Ella Carroll birthday, writer and publicist for Union cause during the Civil War. She is best known for her pamphlet which outlined the proposition that the Southern states would resume their original places in the United States once the rebellion of the Civil War was over, precisely the course adopted by Abraham Lincoln in superseding Congress in the conduct of the war. She is credited with the plan to invade the South along the Tennessee river. Her tombstone reads "Maryland's Most Distinguished Lady." However, she died financially poor and anonymous in 1893.
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/educ/exhibits/womenshall/html/carroll.html
http://nabbhistory.salisbury.edu/
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search/103-5362656-4423850?tag=fast-b
kasin00-20&keyword=Anna%20Ella%20Carroll&mode=books

    1817-The first “abolition” newspaper was the Philanthropist, published and edited by Charles Osborn, which appeared in Mount Pleasant, OH. It published “ An Appeal to Philanthropists” by Benjamin Lundy, which is said by some to be the most powerful abolition appeal ever made.
    1839-In January , 53 Africans were seized near modern-day Sierra Leone, taken to Cuba and sold as slaves. While being transferred to another part of the island on the ship Amistad, led by the African, Cinque, they seized control of the ship, telling the crew to take them back to Africa. However, the crew secretly changed course and the ship landed at Long Island, NY, where it and its
‘cargo” were seized as salvage this day. The Amistad was towed to New Haven, CT where the Africans were imprisoned and a lengthy legal battle began to determine if they were property to be returned to Cuba or free men. John Quincy Adams took their case all the way to the Supreme Court, where on Mar 9, 1841, it was determined that they were free and could return to Africa.
    1852- The Latter Day Saints first published their doctrine of "celestial marriage," popularly known as polygamy. The Mormon Church maintained this teaching until the Manifest of 1890 (and later Congressional legislation) outlawed the practice.
    1861- The first Confederate forts to surrender in the Civil War were Fork Clark and Fort Hatteras on Hatteras Island, NC, guarding Pamlico Sound. They surrendered to Flag Officer Silas H. Stringham and General Benjamin Franklin Butler, who had captured the garrison with 715 men, 31 heavy guns, and 1,000 stands of arms.
    1862-(29th-30th) At the second Battle of Bull Run, the maneuvers of General Stonewall Jackson and his teamwork with General Robert E. Lee were too much for the 45,000 Union troops under General John Pope, who broke and retreated to Washington, DC. Union losses were 1724 killed, 8372 wounded, 5958 missing. Confederate losses stood at 1481 killed, 7627 wounded, 89 missing. Second Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) begins.
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0857066.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0839705.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0252023633/jimbo2/104-1979401-1205565
    1894-Birthday of African-American sociologist E. Franklin Fraiser..
    1896-History records chop suey was concocted in New York City by the chef of Chinese Ambassador Li Hung-chang, who devised the dish to appeal to both American and Asian tastes. Chop suey was unknown in China at the time.
    1904-Third modern Olympic Games opens in St Louis .These Games were originally scheduled for Chicago. However, President Theodore Roosevelt intervened on behalf of St. Louis so that the Games would be in conjunction with the Louisiana Purchase Exhibition. Again the Games were upstages, this time by the St. Louis World's Fair, and critics believed this would kill the fourth Olympics from taking place. The marathon included the first two black Africans to compete in the Olympics - two Zulu tribesman named Lentauw (real name: Len Taunyane)and Yamasani (real name: Jan Mashiani). They wore bibs 35 and 36, respectively. 
The only problem was that these two tribesmen were not in town to compete in the Olympics - they were actually the sideshow! Yes, they were imported by the exposition as part of the Boer War exhibit (both were really students at Orange Free State in South Africa, but no one wanted to believe that these tribesmen could actually be educated - it would have ruined the whole image). 
Lentauw finished ninth and Yamasani came in twelfth. This was a disappointment, as many observers were sure Lentauw could have done better - that is if he had not been chased nearly a mile off course by a large, aggressive canine! 
The marathon was over, but there is still one more little story to go along with this: 
It seems that two of the patrolling officials driving in a brand-new automobile were forced to swerve to avoid hitting one of the runners - they ended up going down an embankment and were severely injured. 
In the end, the St. Louis Olympics (along with the previous Paris games) proved to be such a disaster that the Olympic Committee was forced to hold interim Olympic games in 1906 at Athens, in an attempt to revive the flagging Olympic movement. These games were not numbered, but were attended by twenty countries and put the Olympics back on a steady course to success. 
An interesting useless side note: Iced tea made its debut at the 1904 Exposition. It seems that it was so hot during the Expo that the staff at the Far East Tea House couldn't even give away their product. 
    1920-Birthday of Charlie Parker. Clint Eastwood made a movie about his life. Known as "The Bird," he and Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet player extraordinaire and great showman, are credited with "inventing" the style "Be-Bop." Definitely way ahead of his time, and quite melodic ( his record albums with strings from 1947 to 1952 produced by Norman Granz are jazz classics ). There is controversy on how he got his name. Some say it was from sitting in the backyard of "speakeasies" in Kansas City, Kansas, where he was raised, fingering his alto sax. Others say it was his love of chicken. He was addicted to Heroin, as many of the "Be-Bop" players were. The movie "The Man with the Golden Arm" was a take off of his life, not Chet Baker, according to the writer of the movie. He was taken to Camarillo for the Insane, where he kicked the habit, for a short time. The club Birdland in Manhattan was named after him. It is told one of his ideas to make the club more profitable was to have a Country and Western band come and play during the breaks. Parker was a profound influence upon Miles Davis, who started playing with his band at the age of 17.
http://www.kcpl.lib.mo.us/sc/bio/parker.htm
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/5066/
http://www.changingtones.com/trmpt02.html
http://www.bigmagic.com/pages/blackj/column4.html
http://www.downbeat.com/artists/window.asp?action=new&aid=117&aname=Charlie+Parker
http://www.charlieparkerresidence.net/
    1921 – Birthday of Wendell Scott (auto racer: first black stock-car driver; NASCAR champion [12-1-63]: won race but because of racial tensions did not receive honor until Jan. 1964 when NASCAR officials admitted the flagman’s intentional error;
died Dec 22, 1990)
    1922—New Orleans Rhythm Kings cut first records for Gennett.
    1924 – Birthday of singer Dinah Washington (Ruth Lee Jones) born Detroit, Michigan ( What A Diff’rence a Day Makes, It Could Happen to You, Our Love is Here to Stay, For All We Know, Baby [You’ve Got What It Takes], A Rockin’ Good Way [To Mess Around and Fall in Love], Baby Get Lost, This Bitter Earth; w/Lionel Hampton band [1943-46];
died Dec 14, 1963)
http://www.ddg.com/LIS/InfoDesignF96/Ismael/jazz/1950/Washington.html
http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=207
    1939-A typical day at the Graham dairy farm in Georgetown, North Carolina.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/aug29.html
    1944- For the sake of diplomacy, Paris was liberated on August 25, when the German commander General Dietrich von Choltiz surrendered to French General Jacques-Phillipe Leclerc. On this day, the 15,000 American troops taking part in the liberation marched down Champs Elysees.
    1944-*McVElGH, JOHN J. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U .S. Army, Company H, 23d Infantry, 2d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Brest, France, 29 August 1944. Entered service at: Philadelphia, Pa. Birth: Philadelphia, Pa. G.O. No.: 24, 6 April 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near Brest, France, on 29 August 1944. Shortly after dusk an enemy counterattack of platoon strength was launched against 1 platoon of Company G, 23d Infantry. Since the Company G platoon was not dug in and had just begun to assume defensive positions along a hedge, part of the line sagged momentarily under heavy fire from small arms and 2 flak guns, leaving a section of heavy machineguns holding a wide frontage without rifle protection. The enemy drive moved so swiftly that German riflemen were soon almost on top of 1 machinegun position. Sgt. McVeigh, heedless of a tremendous amount of small arms and flak fire directed toward him, stood up in full view of the enemy and directed the fire of his squad on the attacking Germans until his position was almost overrun. He then drew his trench knife. and single-handed charged several of the enemy. In a savage hand-to-hand struggle, Sgt. McVeigh killed 1 German with the knife, his only weapon, and was advancing on 3 more of the enemy when he was shot down and killed with small arms fire at pointblank range. Sgt. McVeigh's heroic act allowed the 2 remaining men in his squad to concentrate their machinegun fire on the attacking enemy and then turn their weapons on the 3 Germans in the road, killing all 3. Fire from this machinegun and the other gun of the section was almost entirely responsible for stopping this enemy assault, and allowed the rifle platoon to which it was attached time to reorganize, assume positions on and hold the high ground gained during the day.
    1945- Wyomia Tyus birthday, Afro-American U.S. sprinter who was the first person to win Olympic gold medals in back-to-back competitions: the 100m dash in 1964 and in 1968, setting a new world's record the second time.
http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/micro/610/19.html
    1948- In St. Louis, Jackie Robinson hits for the cycle, drives in two runs, scores three times and steals a base helping the Dodgers to beat the Cardinals, 12-7.
    1948- Carol Bartz birthday, American CEO and chair of Autodesk, one of the world's largest manufacturers of computer-design software. Only 2 percent of technology company chief executives are women. As CEO of Autodesk, Carol Bartz runs the fourth largest PC software company in the world, with 3 million customers in nearly 140 countries. She is also a strong role model for other aspiring women in the software Industry. Bartz led the effort to re-architect Autodesk's flagship product AutoCAD, and continues to lead the corporation towards further innovation and diversification of its product line.
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?id=348263&siteID=123112
    1953--Birthday of American composer William Copper,Virgina.
    1954-Birthday of Flora “Flo” Hyman, volleyball player born at Inglewood, CA. Hyman stood 6’5” and was regarded as the best player in the US, starring on the 1984 Olympic team that won the silver medal. She suffered from Morfan’s syndrome, a hidden congenital aorta disorder. Died at Matsue, Japan, Jan 24, 1985.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/siforwomen/top_100/69/
    1954-San Francisco International Airport (SFO) opens. It has been continually “under construction” since this date. San Francisco has had at least three airports within the city limits during the twentieth century. Crissy Field at the Presidio dates from World War I, the Marina Flying Field from 1915, and the late 1930s saw development of the Seaplane Harbor at Treasure Island. Ingleside racetrack was also used for aviation purposes in the early part of the twentieth century. Commercial and general aviation ultimately moved to Mills Field in San Mateo County in the 1930s, which originally was temporary as the originally international airport was to be built on Treasure Island..Crissy Field at the Presidio was the last airport within the city, and ended limited operations in the 1980s.
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist/airport.html
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist2/airfield.html
http://www.san-francisco-sfo.com/
http://www.worldairportguide.com/Airports/sfo/sfo.asp
    1956---Top Hits
My Prayer - The Platters
Hound Dog/Don’t Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
Allegheny Moon - Patti Page
I Walk the Line - Johnny Cash
    1958- Air Force Academy moved from Denver to its present site in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
    1958 – Birthday of singer/dancer Michael (Joe) Jackson (‘King of Pop’), Gary, Indiana: group: The Jackson Five: I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save, I’ll Be There, solo: Ben; Grammy Award: Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough [1979]; 5 Grammy Awards in 1983: Thriller, Billie Jean, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial; 2 in 1984: Beat It; another in 1985 [w/Lionel Richie]: We are the World); 1989 Best Music Video/Short Form Grammy: Leave Me Alone; The Legend Award Grammy; The Girl is Mine, Stay, Stay, Stay [w/Paul McCartney], I Just Can’t Stop Loving You [w/Siedah Garrett], Rock with You, Bad, Smooth Criminal, Ease on Down the Road [w/Diana Ross - from Broadway’s The Wiz]; Captain Eo in Epcot Center’s multimedia show; married and divorced Lisa Marie Presley; inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Mar 19, 2001)
    1958--Alan Freed's "Big Beat Show" opens at the Fox Theatre in Brooklyn. The usual venue, The Paramount, is vacated because management didn't like the fact there was a riot after Freed's Boston concert. The opener in Brooklyn brought in $200,000 and those performing included Frankie Avalon, Jimmy Clanton, Bobby Freeman, the Elegants, Bill Haley & the Comets and Chuck Berry.
    1958-John Lennon and Paul McCartney of a Liverpool band called the Quarrymen, welcome George Harrison to the group.
    1959-Horace Silver Quintet records “ Blowin’ the Blues Away.”
    1960-Birthday of American composer William Susman, Chicago, IL.
    1962- Malvin Russell “Mel” Goode of Pittsburgh, PA, became the first African-American to be a television news commentator when he was assigned by WABC-TV to the United Nations staff, New York City.
    1964---Top Hits
Where Did Our Love Go - The Supremes
The House of the Rising Sun - The Animals
C’mon and Swim - Bobby Freeman
I Guess I’m Crazy - Jim Reeves
    1964- Walt Disney's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious "Mary Poppins" released.
http://us.imdb.com/Details?0058331
    1964 - Roy Orbison’s "Oh, Pretty Woman" was released. It hit number one (for 3 weeks) on September 26th and became the biggest of his career. "Oh, Pretty Woman" was Orbison’s second #1 hit. The other was "Running Scared" (6/05/61).
    1965- Giant Willie Mays breaks former Pirate Ralph Kiner record for home runs in the month of August when the 'Say Hey Kid' connects for his 17th round tripper in an 8-3 victory over the Mets.
    1965-cool wave brought 2.5 inches of snow to Mt. Washington for an August record. It reached 25 in Vermont, the earliest freeze on record in many locations.
    1966 - The Beatles performed at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, CA. It was the group’s last live appearance before they disbanded in 1970. 1966- Beatles last public concert, (Candlestick Park, San Francisco) Also appearing were The Ronettes, and the Remains. Ticket purchases by mail were available from KYA, No. 1 Nob Hill Circle, San Francisco
http://www.televideos.com/prod01.htm
    1967- Final TV episode of "The Fugitive". The series originally started on September, 1963. Dr. Richard Kimble ( David Janssen) was wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for his wife’s murder, but escaped from his captors in a train wreck. This popular program aired for four years detailing Kimble’s search for the one-armed man(BillRaisch) who had killed his wife, Helen ( Diane Brewster). in the meantime, Kimble himself, was being pursued by Lieutenant Phillip Gerard ( Barry Morse). The final episode aired this day in 1967 featured Kimble extracting a confession from the one-armed man as they struggled form the heights of a water tower in a desert amusement park. That single episode was the highest-rated show ever broadcast until 1975. The TV series generated a hit movie in 1993 with Harrison Ford as Kimble and Oscar-winner Tommy Lee Jones as Gerard. (Feb. 28,1983, M*A*S*H, concluding a run of 255 episodes, this 2 ½ hour finale became the most-watched television show at that time---77 percent of the viewing public was tuned in. Cheers last episode on August 19,1993 did not beat this rating nor did Seinfield last on May 14, 1998 nor did my most favorite show, “Mad About You.” on May 24, 1999.
http://www.tvtome.com/MadAboutYou/
(Helen Hunt and co-star, Paul Reiser, were both given $1,000,000 per episode salaries for the 1999 TV season of "Mad About You".
    1968-Democratic Party National Convention: Antiwar protesters clashed with police and national guardsmen in the streets outside, and hundreds of people, including innocent bystanders and members of the press, were brutally beaten by Chicago’s finest.
    1968-Cream and Electric Flag opened at Fillmore West, San Francisco.
    1969 - To compete with Johnny Carson (NBC) and Joey Bishop (ABC), CBS-TV presented Merv Griffin on late-night TV. Johnny ruled -- staying on top for almost 23 years to come.
    1971 - Hank Aaron became the first baseball player in the National League to drive in 100 or more runs in each of 11 seasons.
    1971 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: ``Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey,'' Paul & Linda McCartney. McCartney had a real Uncle Albert, who he said would quote the Bible when he got drunk.
    1972---Top Hits
Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O’Sullivan
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) - The Hollies
If You Leave Me Tonight I’ll Cry - Jerry Wallace
    1972-Preisdent Richard Nixon announced that a White House investigation of the Watergate break-in, conducted by White House counsel John Dean, revealed that administration officials were not involved in the burglary.
    1974- 600 Catholic nuns adopt a resolution calling for the ordination of women priests in the Roman Catholic Church.
    1974-Moses Malone became the first basketball player to jump from high school to professional basketball, skipping college to sign a contract with the Utah stars of the ABA.
    1977- Lou Brock stole the 893rd base of his career, surpassing Ty Cobb’s modern record for career stolen bases. Ricky Henderson in 1982 breaks Brock’s for stealing the most bases in one season with 122.
    1979-Sheridan Broadcasting Corp purchases Mutual Black Network, making it the first completely Black owned radio network in the world.
    1980---Top Hits
Magic - Olivia Newton-John
Sailing - Christopher Cross
Take Your Time (Do It Right) - The S.O.S. Band
Drivin’ My Life Away - Eddie Rabbitt
    1981-The Pretenders "II" LP enters the chart.
    1981-The soundtrack to the film, "Heavy Metal" enters the album charts. The LP features tracks by Stevie Nicks, Cheap Trick, Devo and Sammy Hagar.
1982-- No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: ``Abracadabra,'' Steve Miller Band.
    1984 - Edwin Moses won the 400-meter hurdles in track competition in Europe. It was the track star’s 108th consecutive victory.
    1984-high temperatures at Topeka, KS reaches 110 degrees for the first time since the dust bowl of the 30's.
    1986 - The former "American Bandstand" studio, at the original home of WFIL-TV in Philadelphia, PA, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The studio is located at 4548 Market Street.
    1987-Los Lobos' remake of Ritchie Valens' 1959 classic, "La Bamba" hits #1 on the pop singles chart and stays there for three weeks.
    1988---Top Hits
Monkey - George Michael
I Don’t Wanna to Go on with You like That - Elton John
I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love - Chicago
The Wanderer - Eddie Rabbitt
    1989-- In a special election, Ileana Rose Lehtinen (R-FL) becomes the first Cuban-American elected to the U.S. Congress.
    1990 -Saddam Hussein declares America can't beat Iraq. By the end of 1990, 580,000 Iraqi troops were believed to be in Kuwait or southern Iraq. Facing them were 485,000 troops of 17 allied countries. Earlier, on August 10 at a meeting in Cairo, only 12 of the 21 member nations of the Arab League voted to support American troops.
    1991- the Soviet Communist Party suspended parliament, thus ending a 75-year control of the USSR. Democratic change was sought and the struggle still continues today. Perhaps ending the hunt in the United States to “halt” communism. Capitalism won out.
    1992-Guns'n'Roses "November Rain" peaks at #3 on the pop singles chart.
    1998---Top Hits
I Don t Want To Miss A Thing- Aerosmith
The First Night- Monica
Crush- Jennifer Paige
My Way- Usher
    2002- To show their displeasure about tomorrow's impending strike, fans at Devil Ray-Angel game begin throwing foul balls back onto the field at Edison Field and over a100 people are ejected for throwing trash. New words are added to the traditional seventh-inning rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" as many of the fans in attendance begin to chant, "Don't strike! Don't strike! Don't strike!".

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Baseball Poem

Hot Stove

by Two Finger Carney

Before television
People talked
And when the snows came
People talked near the hot stove

Smell the bread baking
And wonder if the Babe
Really did call that homer

Pull off your wet boots
Prop up your feet so your soles
Are toasting
And wonder how Cobb would do

Against Carl Hubbell
Or how your favorite team
Of the past
Might fare next spring

If they could be resurrected
Or coaxed out of that Iowa cornfield
Sip some hot cocoa with marshmallows
Invite the kids to join in

Was it better when the gloves were small
Or is that just nostalgia?
For your own youth?
Could Canseco have started

For the '27 Yankees
And should games in which
The first hit is yielded in the 10th
Count as a no-hitter?

Steer clear of religion and politics
And players' salaries
And the afternoon can go on
Until sundown

Was the best-pitched game
The double no-no by Vaughn and Toney
Or Walsh's 1-0 loss to Joss' perfecto / Or the iron man duel between Burdette and Haddix?
And how come no one hits .400 any more?

The stoves are in junk yards or museums now, forever cool
But the questions live on
Talking baseball
Beats most things on TV
That is
When there's no game to watch

[headlines]

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SuDoku

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

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

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Daily Puzzle

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

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

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

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Weather

See USA map, click to specific area, no commercials

http://www.weather.gov/

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Traffic Live---

Real Time Traffic Information

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

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News on Line---Internet Newspapers

New Orleans, Louisiana

http://www.nola.com/news/

*Other on line newspapers:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Newspapers.htm

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