Archives---December 13, 2000
--Paul Torres Predictions

“If you believe in the deal, buy it. Consider every deal as your own money. Would I invest in it??

“The industry's blood bath is just beginning. If the business climate does not improve soon, I expect to see unemployment at 5%, GDP at 2%, and the budget surpluses gone by 12/2001.

“As a funding source working with a select few originators, I have been looking at transactions much harder in the last 120 days. Inflation has crept in as higher energy and labor costs. I do not believe that productivity improvements have counterbalanced the cost-based inflation. Sooner or later, it will show up on FYE financials on small businesses and float to the top tier, larger name brand companies. (This is my trickle-up theory.) “

Paul Torres
Bay View Capital Leasing
AVP – Credit

Today


Paul Torres
Senior Commercial Underwriter
Tri Counties Bank
Santa Rosa, California

 

 

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21 New Members – Total Membership 521
Certified Lease & Finance Professionals

The Board of Directors Certified of the Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) Foundation is pleased to announce that twenty-one equipment finance professionals recently passed the 8-hour industry examination.  16 of these individuals passed after attending the Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals in the Philadelphia area that was hosted by BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital.  The newest CLFPs are:

Pam Brayley, CLFP
Documentation Supervisor
First National Capital

Julie Dickerson, CLFP
Assistant Vice President
Quality Control Manager
BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp.

Trish Gillis, CLFP
Senior Vice President/Chief Administrative Officer
BB&T Equipment Finance Corporation

Sean Laird, CLFP Associate
Inside Sales Manager
Equipment Finance, Summit Funding Group

Austin Law, CLFP Associate
Assistant Vice President
OneWorld Business Finance LLC

Mike Lefkowitz, CLFP
Credit Manager
Marlin Equipment Finance

Lauren Markoe, CLFP
Senior Business Development Manager
Marlin Equipment Finance

Pete McCaffrey, CLFP
National Sales Manager
Marlin Equipment Finance

Jim Moschos
Vice President, Healthcare and Clean Technology
DLL Financial Services Canada

Dee Nariz, CLFP
Customer Service Representative
First National Capital

Michael Rabinowitz, CLFP
Senior Vice President
Equipment Finance Senior Commercial Credit Underwriting Office
BB&T Equipment Finance Corporation

Keith Reilly, CLFP
Vice President
BB&T Equipment Finance Corporation

Sade Robbins, CLFP
Sales Representative
Franchise, BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp.

Samantha Whittemore, CLFP
Sales Operations Manager
Blue Street Capital, LLC

Ron Schaefer, CLFP
Vice President, Senior Credit Officer
BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp.

Matt Senseney, CLFP Associate
Credit Underwriting Officer
BB&T Equipment Finance Corporation

Kyle Spalding, CLFP
Account Executive/Vice President
BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp.

Angelique Wargo, CLFP
Senior Quality Control Specialist
BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp.

Annette Watkins-Harris, CLFP
Senior Commercial Credit Officer
BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp.

Bernadette Zhyzneuski, CLFP
Sr. Business Development Manager
Marlin Business Bank

Rob Boyer, CLFP, President at BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp. stated, “At BB&T, we encourage our high potential associates to take the CLFP exam. This is a key element in our strategy to develop our growth-minded associates that display the desire to advance within our organization.

“The achievement of passing the CLFP exam indicates to us that these individuals possess a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s major subject matter areas and therefore an awareness of the segments of the business that exist beyond the myopic realm of their particular expertise.

“Our associates also found that attending the Academy for Lease and Finance Professionals provided them with a comprehensive review of the body of knowledge. They felt confident sitting for the exam the following day and successfully passed.”

The CLFP designation is the only certification for the Equipment Finance Industry. There are currently 521 active Certified Lease & Finance Professionals and Associates in the United States, Canada and Australia.

For more information, call Executive Director Reid Raykovich, CLFP at (206) 535-6281 or visit http://www.CLFPFoundation.org

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CLFP Companies with Two or More Members
Updated

Company	2017 Count
First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company	73
Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc., an Umpqua Bank Company	25
AP Equipment Financing	19
Ascentium Capital	18
BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp.	16
ECS Financial Services, Inc.	12
Ivory Consulting Corporation	12
Orion First Financial LLC	12
Arvest Bank	10
Northland Capital Financial Services	9
Celtic Commercial Finance	8
KLC Financial, Inc.	8
Marlin Business Bank	8
Bank of the West	7
Beacon Funding Corporation	7
BMO Financial Group	7
Stearns Bank NA-Equipment Finance Division	7
BancorpSouth Equipment Finance	6
GreatAmerica Financial Services	6
Hanmi Bank	6
Great American Insurance	5
Provident Equipment Leasing	5
BSB Leasing, Inc.	4
Commerce Bank	4
DLL	4
Key Equipment Finance	4
Maxim Commercial Capital, LLC	4
Amur Equipment Finance	3
Blue Street Capital, LLC	3
Canon Financial Services, Inc	3
Clune & Company LC	3
Diversified Capital Credit Corporation	3
First National Capital	3
FSG Capital Inc.	3
Innovative Lease Services, Inc.	3
International Decision Systems	3
LeaseTeam Inc.	3
Oakmont Capital Services LLC	3
Quality Leasing Co. Inc.	3
Tamarack Consulting, Inc	3
TEQLease, Inc.	3
Alliance Funding Group	2
ComCo-OneWorld Equipment Finance	2
Customers Bank Commercial Finance	2
Dakota Financial, LLC	2
Direct Capital a CIT company	2
Finance Capital	2
First Foundation Bank	2
Fleet Advantage, LLC	2
Great Falls Capital Partners dba Pinnacle Capital	2
NCMIC Finance Corporation	2
Pacifica Capital	2
Padco Financial Services, Inc.	2
Patriot Capital Corporation a Division of State Bank & Trust Company	2
Portfolio Financial Servicing Company	2
Providence Capital Funding, Inc.	2
Summit Funding Group, Inc.	2
Western Equipment Finance	2

 

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Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals
Two Planned to date for 2018

The Certified Lease and Finance Professional Foundation offers a variety of study tools to help candidates prepare for the exam, including the CLFP Handbook, the CLFP Mentor Program and the Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals, a three-day event designed to fully prepare an individual to sit for the CLFP exam. Upon achieving the CLFP designation, recipients must meet ongoing requirements to maintain their elite status as a CLFP in Good Standing and retain the license to use the designation.

May 3, 2018
Irvine, California
Hosted by First Foundation Bank.  
Class Location: 18101 Von Karman
Irvine, California

May 17, 2018
Overland Park, Kansas
Hosted by Arvest Equipment Finance
Class Location:
Arvest Bank Training Room
7401 W. 135th Street
Overland Park, KS 66223

The cost to attend the class is $750 and the cost of the exam is $695.  When purchased together, the total is discounted to $1400. Current CLFPs are offered a discounted price of $395 and class attendance satisfies the Recertification requirement.

The ALFP is a three-day event designed to fully prepare an individual to sit for the CLFP exam assuming the attendee has read and studied The Certified Lease & Finance Professionals’ Handbook prior to attending.

On the first two days, all of the required sections of the CLFP exam are covered in-depth; in addition, the three most popular elective sections will also be covered (see below). Study materials are provided for the elective sections not covered which students may use to self-study. On the third day, the exam is offered, but not mandatory.

If you are interested in attending, please contact us: sandy@clfpfoundation.org or (206) 535-6281

Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Asset Manager Los Angeles, California Class 8 through Class 6 Trucks Manage repossession, valuation, refurbishing, remarketing trucks and equipment Exp. owner-operator trucking business a must To learn more, please click here www.maximcc.com "Helping Owner-Operators Break through Credit Challenges"

 

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Shopping for a Job during the Holidays
Recruiter Hal T. Horowitz Speaks Out

We all know the value of obtaining a recruiter’s personal guarantee. Today I am going to give you three of them.

If you are looking for a job this time of year, I’m guessing you’re either unemployed or about to be.  You didn’t get the bonus, or promotion you were expecting, or your production was down. In either case, you’re probably thinking, this isn’t the best time to be looking for a job. Employers are in holiday mode; their employees are taking time off; parties are being planned; and preparations are being made to close the books, count inventory and assess bad debt; in other words, hiring certainly must be their lowest priority.  Here’s a question for you.  If a deal came in over the transom would you tell your vendor you can’t work on it because “we’re all in holiday mode?”

Even with only 14 days to Christmas, if finding a job is your priority, there is no time to not look for one.  (A word to employers; if finding new talent is your priority to start the year off, the time of year is no excuse for you either to lose quality candidates to your competition.) 

The likelihood of presenting yourself for a position and getting an offer within any two or weeks of the year anymore is a stretch. 

But here is what you can do. 

1. Network. Were you invited to any of your vendors’ office parties? What about your bankers?  Attorneys, accountants or other network resources? Go to them. If they invited you, it’s a good bet they invited people from some of the companies that you’ve been up against on a deal.  Meet these guys and gals. Talk about their and your markets and establish the beginning of a relationship. Get their cards and follow up with short emails saying you enjoyed meeting them, wishing them a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah or happy New Year, and asking if they’d mind if you sent them a (preferably) LinkedIn invitation. If they answer you, you now have a new personal contact who is receptive to your emails, probably will take your calls, and most importantly, may work for a company that you could see yourself joining. If you do not have any parties on your schedule, go to mixers and networking events and seek out those that can help you advance your job search.
   
   If you know or can learn the attendees that may be a valuable contact for you, take a moment to research them and their companies. Check them out on LinkedIn and see who you might know in common. Use that information to break the ice when you meet them. 
   
   
2. Network.  Reestablish contact with former associates, colleagues and supervisors. See how business is going for them. Ask if they would provide a reference for you. Ask to whom you would need to speak to explore opportunities at their firms. And ask if they know of any other companies that might be hiring after the first of the year and to whom they could introduce you.
   
   
3. Network. Volunteer at a local shelter to help prepare and feed others who are less fortunate than you. While the people you will be serving will most likely not be able to provide much help with your search, you will come away from that with a completely different feeling about yourself. You will feel fortunate for what you’ve got; confident about what you can accomplish; and better about the person who is inside you. I’ll give you my first personal guarantee on that. As a side benefit, you might just meet another volunteer who can be a source of referral for you.

After the wrapping paper’s been tossed and the chips and dips eaten during the bowl games, it will be time to get back to work seeking work. Give a thought to those less fortunate than you, and keep in mind the meaning of whichever holiday(s) it is that you celebrate! Holidays mean nothing unless they mean something. I guarantee it.

Hal T. Horowitz
Financial Pro Solutions
Executive recruitment serving financial professionals
Career coaching & professional résumé writing services & interview preparation
Phone: 818-347-FINA (347-3462)
Cell: 818-730-0645
Email: halh@finapros.com
Website: www.finapros.com
Twitter:  @finapros

Recruiter Hal T. Horwitz Speaks Out
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/recuiter_hh.htm

 

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Sales Makes it Happen
by Steve Chriest

 

If you want to avoid the label of a “me-too” player in your industry, you will want to identify your company's Exclusive Strengths.

Because some customers use your services, you have, at least in their eyes, Exclusive Strengths. These are strengths that are exclusive to your company, are recognized as exclusive by your customers, and for which you have earned bragging rights. Exclusive Strengths can only be claimed by you - they cannot also be claimed by any of your competitors.

In the equipment finance business, the claim of “fast credit turnaround time” can be claimed by so many competitors that the claim isn't even a strength today, it's a requirement for staying in business! Many also pay the vendor using ACH and Equipment Finance Agreements in less than four hours. Included are firms such as Ascentium Capital, Financial Pacific, 4Hour Funding, and almost all approve finance and leases in very short times.

Also, claiming that your company's people truly care about their customers. You can bet that your competitors are making the same claim to their customers.

So, how do you go about identifying Exclusive Strengths? The process is relatively simple, and deceptively powerful. First, conduct a brainstorming session with everyone involved in the company's revenue generating process. You can do this in an office setting or at a retreat. Ask the participants to answer these questions: What do we have that our competitors cannot offer, or what do we do that our competitors don't do? Once answers to these questions are developed into a list, the qualification process begins.

To qualify as an Exclusive Strength, what you have or what you do must be something your customers care about. For example, if you truly have a system of credit and collection activities that allow you to approve and fund more “D” credits than any industry competitor in a geographical area, and your customers care about this ability, it begins to qualify as an Exclusive Strength. If you can prove your claim to your customers, it will then pass the final test and will qualify as an Exclusive Strength for your company. It's important to note that your claim is an Exclusive Strength only for those customers who are “D” credits or those who provide goods or services to “D” credit customers. “A” credit customers, or those who sell exclusively to “A” credit customers, may have no interest in your sub-prime funding capabilities. In these cases your ability is not seen as an Exclusive Strength because they don't care!

Another, almost failsafe approach to zeroing in on your Exclusive Strengths is to ask your customers! Instead of sending out surveys which ask your customers how you can improve your services, ask them, in person, the following, simple questions: “Why do you do business with us? What do we have or do that distinguishes us, in your eyes, from our competitors?” They will tell you how they see you as different from your competitors, and they'll let you know what else they want from you to remain loyal customers.

Steve Chriest is the CEO of Open Advance and author of “Selling to the E-Suite, The Proven System for Reaching and Selling Senior Executives and Business Acumen 101.”  He recently re-named his company from Selling-Up.  He produces video and radio blogs, as well as continuing as a columnist for Leasing News since 2005.
www.openadvance.com/contact/
925-263-2702
www.openadvance.com/

Sales Makes it Happen articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Legacy/index.html

 

 

 

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Aggregate Funding Sources
(Online: connects lessees, lessors, and vendors)

These are online companies that connect via Financial Technology to funders of business loans, leasing, working capital, and other finance methods to secure credit approval that meets the criteria of the funder that they represent as well as being the most attractive rate and terms for the applicant.

Some of these aggregate funding sources also will accept applications from third party originators (often called "brokers.")  Several also provide other services such as insurance, as well as utilization of their technology software.

https://capfundnow.com

http://www.capitalrelay.com

http://www.currencycap.com

https://www.leaseq.com

 

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

LeaseAccelerator Named to "Top 25 Procurement
Solution Providers of 2017"
By CIO Applications

SaaS-Based Sourcing Application Enables Companies to Save 6-8% on Equipment Leasing Programs

LeaseAccelerator, the leader in Enterprise Lease Accounting software, announced today that it was recognized as one of 2017’s Top 25 Procurement Solution Providers by CIO Applications magazine. The annual list of companies is selected by a panel of experts and members of CIO Applications’ editorial board to recognize and promote technology entrepreneurship. LeaseAccelerator’s recognition is based upon the continued innovation it has introduced to its Equipment Lease Sourcing application and the Global Lessor Network.
LeaseAccelerator is the only enterprise application on the market that allows procurement organizations to capture savings on leasing programs for office equipment, material handling, data center technology, aircrafts and other types of equipment. LeaseAccelerator’s Sourcing application offers: 

• Lease versus Buy Analysis – Buyers input details about the assets being acquired and the desired financing terms. The application generates breakeven analyses, cash flow analyses, tax deduction summaries and net present value comparisons for both options: lease and buy.
• Automated RFP Generation – LeaseAccelerator enables buyers to automatically generate a specialized RFP for sourcing capital from a competitive marketplace of leasing companies. Bids received through the platform are automatically analyzed and ranked for side-by-side comparison.
• Competitive Bidding – In addition to being shared with a customer’s preferred lessors, RFPs can be distributed for competitive bidding to the Global Lessor Network – a community of over 500 commercial banks, vendor captives and independent leasing companies. The Global Lessor Network offers access to new sources of capital for a variety of ticket sizes, credits and geographic markets.

Michael Keller, CEO
LeaseAccelerator

“Many companies are now rethinking how they source leases as they prepare for a new set of accounting standards. These new standards will require companies to have a complete inventory of their leases in a single, centralized database in order to control the process,” said Michael Keeler, CEO of LeaseAccelerator. “We believe that the inefficiencies with current leasing programs will become more visible and Procurement, Treasury and Controllership will begin to seek out a continuous return on the compliance project. The CPOs who adopted best practices have established competitive lease sourcing as a horizontal spend category.”

By automating best practices for procurement, including vendor RFPs, competitive bidding, proposal analysis and ranking, and contract standardization, companies can reduce their leasing costs by 6-8%. The savings achieved through competitive sourcing can offset the costs to implement the new ASC 842 and IFRS 16 accounting standards.

“We are glad to announce LeaseAccelerator as one among the Top 25 Procurement Solution Providers 2017. LeaseAccelerator has long been a leading player in the Procurement landscape, and their progress and advancement in the industry is highly impressive. We are pleased to recognize LeaseAccelerator for its zeal to transform the way corporations finance equipment through its cloud-based Enterprise Lease Sourcing application,” said Joe Phillip, managing editor of CIO Applications.

About LeaseAccelerator
LeaseAccelerator offers the market-leading SaaS solution for Enterprise Lease Accounting, enabling compliance with SOX, SEC, and current and new FASB and IFRS standards. Using LeaseAccelerator’s proprietary asset-based Global Lease Accounting Engine, customers can account for all categories of leases including real estate, fleet, IT, material handling and other equipment at an asset level. On average, LeaseAccelerator’s Lease Sourcing and Management applications generate savings of 17 percent on equipment leasing costs with smarter procurement and end-of-term management. Learn more at http://www.leaseaccelerator.com/.

About CIO Applications
CIO Applications is a technology print magazine, published from Silicon Valley, CA that is a prime platform for CIOs to discuss and ponder about innovative enterprise solutions. While analyzing the U.S. media landscape, it is a comprehensive tool that helps the upcoming enterprise IT vendors to engage and show case the solutions for the enterprises. It helps technology leaders with the analysis on new technologies and gives a better understanding of the role that enterprise solutions play in achieving the business goals.

For more info: http://www.cioapplications.com/

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Shepherd, Boxer
Santa Rosa, California   Adopt-a-Dog

Samantha (Grammy Sammy)
Female
Brown
9 Years old
Weight: 83.6 lbs.
Spayed

"Samantha is an old soul with gentleness to her nature. We adore older dogs because you often know what you are getting in terms of personality. Samantha lived with her previous person for most of their eight years together. We spoiled this girl and had her hang out in the office for a full afternoon. She greeted everyone, didn't care about dogs walking by and finally fell asleep, because meetings are boring. She's sweet and will make someone a very nice companion. We have noticed she was a little too interested in the kitties at SHS so caution might be encouraged or a no cat household."

Santa Rosa Humane Society
5345 Highway 12 West
Santa Rosa, CA 95407
tel: 707.542.0882
fax: 707.542.1317
Contact: http://sonomahumane.org/contact-us/

Hours:
Closed Monday
Tues-Thurs 12pm–6pm
Friday 10am-7pm
Saturday 10am-7pm
Sunday 10am-5pm

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

News Briefs----

Companies in US Plan to Slow Their Investment,
   Hiring in 2018 - Growth 1.2%
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-us-companies-investment-hiring-2018-20171211-story.html

10 financial services players to watch in 2018
  Slideshow
https://www.americanbanker.com/slideshow/10-bankers-and-fintech-execs-to-watch-in-2018

SoFi closes $769m Student Loan Securitization
  ABS Issuance rise to $6.9 Billion in 2017
http://www.altfi.com/article/3857_sofi_closes_769m_student_loan_securitization

Will 2018 Be the Year of the Bank of Amazon?
    Experts Weigh In
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-12/will-2018-be-the-year-of-the-bank-of-amazon-experts-weigh-in

 

 

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You May Have Missed---

17 AGs redouble Efforts to Enforce Consumer Protection Laws,
   Even if CFPB Leadership Won’t
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/AG_CFPB.pdf

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Real

 

By Barry S. Marks, Esq., CLFP

 

 

Wrestling is not real.
Global warming is real.
The magic of Egyptian priests turning
         staffs into snakes was not real.
Moses’s big snake was real.
The man-eating anaconda is real.
The hoop snake is not real.
Heaven is real.
Please. 

Uncle Sam?  No.
John Paul Jones?  Yes.
Paul Revere’s ride? Not really.
Al Capone? Really.
The Wobblies were real.
Johnny Ringo, Doc Holliday, Black Bart,
Bat Masterson and the Sundance Kid? Yes.
Brett Maverick, Belle Scarlet, Indiana Jones,
         Captain America and Godzilla? No.
Marilyn Monroe’s breasts? Yes.
The seven year-itch?
Unfortunately, yes.
Ask my first wife. 

Santa is real (yes, Virginia). 

There are real and imaginary numbers
         but I forget what that means
         so maybe they are all not real
         like real dreams you forget
when you wake up.

Money is not real.
Wait a minute, yes it is.

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Sports Briefs---

Latest on NFL Network Lawsuit:
 Donovan McNabb, Eric Davis Suspended by ESPN
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/sports/nfl-network-marshall-faulk-donovan-mcnabb.html

Dolphins dominate Brady, stun Patriots
https://www.foxsports.com/san-diego/story/dolphins-dominate-brady-stun-patriots-121217

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California Nuts Briefs---

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee dead at 65
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/San-Francisco-Mayor-Ed-Lee-dead-at-65-12423708.php

As San Francisco Bay Area Rent Skyrockets,
  More Familes Go Hungry
http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/12/12/as-bay-area-rent-skyrockets-more-families-go-hungry/

How much did it actually cost to build Apple Park?
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/12/08/how-much-does-it-actually-cost-to-build-apple-park/ 

A Ton of Love Delivered to Animals Taking Refuge
     from California's Thomas Wildfire
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/a-ton-of-love-delivered-to-animals-taking-refuge-from-californias-thomas-wildfire-300570336.html

 

 

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

Walgreens is Now a National Drop-off Location for Wine
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataid=193211

Eric Asimov: Wines That Resound in Memory
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/dining/drinks/eric-asimov-favorite-wines.html

Fire Narrowly Misses Ojai Wineries
https://www.winesandvines.com/news/article/193268/Fire-Narrowly-Misses-Ojai-Wineries

New Mexico's Magnificent Seven
https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2017/12/new-mexico-s-magnificent-seven

Multimillion-dollar distillery under construction in Regina
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/multimillion-dollar-distillery-under-construction-in-regina-1.4443612

Portugal Plans €13M Investment To Promote Wine Exports In 2018
https://www.esmmagazine.com/portuguese-wine-exports-investment/53150

Nova Scotia Plans To Sell Weed In Liquor Stores
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nova-scotia-marijuana-liquor-stores_us_5a2d4570e4b0a290f051792f

Consumers should be permitted to order wine for delivery
   to their home from any Canadian winery, says poll
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/consumers-should-be-permitted-order-wine-delivery-their-home-from-any-canadian-winery-2242652.htm

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

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

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

This Day in History

    1577 - English seaman Francis Drake sets out from Plymouth, England with five ships and 164 men on a mission to raid Spanish holdings on the Pacific coast of the New World and explore the Pacific Ocean. Three years later, Drake's return to Plymouth marked the first circumnavigation of the earth by a British explorer. After crossing the Atlantic, Drake abandoned two of his ships in South America and then sailed into the Straits of Magellan with the remaining three. A series of devastating storms besieged his expedition in the treacherous straits, wrecking one ship and forcing another to return to England. Only “The Golden Hind” reached the Pacific Ocean, but Drake continued undaunted up the western coast of South America, raiding Spanish settlements and capturing a rich Spanish treasure ship. Drake then continued up the western coast of North America, searching for a possible northeast passage back to the Atlantic. Reaching as far north as present-day Washington before turning back, Drake paused near San Francisco Bay in June, 1579 to repair his ship and prepare for a journey across the Pacific. Calling the land "Nova Albion," Drake was the first captain to sail his own ship all the way around the world--the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan had sailed three-fourths of the way around the globe earlier in the century but had been killed in the Philippines, leaving the Basque navigator Juan Sebastiýn de Elcano to complete the journey. In 1581, Queen Elizabeth I knighted Drake, the son of a tenant farmer, during a visit to his ship. The most renowned of the Elizabethan seamen, Sir Francis Drake later played a crucial role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada.
    1621 - Under the care of Robert Cushman, the first American furs to be exported from the continent leave for England aboard the Fortune. One month before, Cushman and the Fortune had arrived at Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts with 35 settlers, the first new colonists since the settlement was founded in 1620. During Cushman's return to England, the Fortune was captured by the French, and its valuable cargo of furs was taken. Cushman was detained on the Ile d'Dieu before being returned to England. Within a few years of their first fur export, the Plymouth colonists, unable to make their living through cod fishing as they had originally planned, begin concentrating almost entirely on the fur trade. The colonists developed an economic system in which their chief crop, Indian corn, was traded with Native Americans to the north for highly valued beaver skins, which were in turn profitably sold in England to pay the Plymouth Colony's debts and buy necessary supplies.
    1666 - Frederick Phillips in New Amsterdam ( the future New York City) cornered the market in wampum* by creating a shortage, considered by historians as the first “financial corner” of the marketplace in the New World. He buried several hogsheads (a large barrel or cask holding anywhere from 63 to 110 gallons) of it in order to force those who had to use this medium of exchange to purchase wampum from him at a higher price. (* wampum were tubular beads made from specific oyster shells and used as an exchange of value by various Indian tribes, often sewn into belts or garments.)
    1759 – The first music store in America opened in Philadelphia.
    1769 - Dartmouth College is chartered by Eleazar Wheelock.  It is the ninth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Founded as a school to educate Native Americans in Christian theology and the English way of life, Dartmouth primarily trained Congregationalist ministers throughout its early history before it gradually secularized, emerging at the turn of the 20th century from relative obscurity into national prominence.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec13.html
    1774 - Contrary to popular belief, the first battle of the Revolutionary War was not the Battle of Lexington on April 17, 1775, but happened on this date. Major John Sullivan of the Granite State Volunteers, later a major general in the Continental Army, captured by the British, helped Washington against General Howe. He led 400 patriots that attacked Fort William and Mary at New Castle, New Hampshire, in Portsmouth Harbor. They bound the commander of the fort and frightened the soldiers away, capturing 100 casks of power and small arms. The news of this victory spread over New England the next few months, leading up to the Battle of Lexington.
http://www.seacoastnh.com/framers/sullivan.html
    1818 - Birthday of Mary Todd Lincoln (d. 1882) at Lexington, Kentucky.  Wife of Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States.
    1835 - Birthday of Phillips Brooks (d. 1893) at Boston, Massachusetts. American clergyman and composer, best remembered for his lyrics for the Christmas carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”
    1843 - "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens published, 6,000 copies sold
    1861 - Battle of Allegheny Mountain, WV, a bitter winter killed most wounded and other soldiers, too, in Pocahontas County, Virginia (now West Virginia) as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War.  Confederate forces under Col. Edward Johnson occupied the summit of Allegheny Mountain to defend the Staunton-Parkersburg Pike. A Union force under Brig. Gen. Robert H. Milroy attacked Johnson at sunrise.   In a piercing winter wind, each side maneuvered on the hillside fields and woods to gain the advantage. Milroy had posted a strong force in a mountain clearing, among the fallen timber, stumps and brush, which proved to be too difficult for the Confederate infantry to drive off. A Confederate artillery battery unlimbered and unleashed a "storm of round shot and canister among them, knocking their timber defences about their heads, and making their nest too hot to hold them..." Finally, Milroy's troops were repulsed, and he retreated to his camps at Green Spring Run near Cheat Mountain. Johnson's losses were high: 25 men were killed and 97 were wounded in the engagement, plus 23 went missing.
http://www.paralumun.com/waralleghany.htm
http://docsouth.unc.edu/robson/robson.html
    1862 - General Robert E. Lee with 80,000 Confederates repulsed General Burnside with his 150,000 Federals at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia. After hard fighting along the Massaponax River, Burnside lost almost 14,000 troops. The victory spurred Lee to take his army and invade the North, whose march was discovered by accident in Gettysburg, PA. Burnside was put in this position due to General McClennan’s defeats as well as his political attempts to raise money to run for president. Lincoln eventually would go against his cabinet’s wishes and chose Ulysses Simpson Grant, although he was told “Grant drank too much” at Washington dinner parties.
http://www.nps.gov/frsp/fredhist.htm
http://www.civilwarhome.com/fredricksburgbattle.htm
http://www.nps.gov/frsp/fburg.htm
    1864 – Second Battle of Fort McAllister, GA began as General Sherman gets ready to attack Savannah.
http://web.ask.com/searchcp?q=Battle+of+Fort+McAllister+GA&t=Battle+Fort+
McAllister+GA&cache=00*dfxr&url=http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/
ga028.htm&page=&ws=1
    1878 - Los Angeles, CA fell to 30, the lowest at that time for December.
    1887 – Alvin York (d. 1964) was born near Pall Mall, TN.  Sgt. York was one of the most decorated US Army soldiers of World War I.  While his men guarded prisoners, York attacked a machine gun position, dispatching several German soldiers with his rifle. By the time six Germans charged him with bayonets he was out of rifle ammunition, so he drew his pistol and shot them all. The German officer responsible for the machine gun position had emptied his pistol while firing at York, but failed to hit him. This officer then offered to surrender, and York accepted. York and his men marched back to their unit's command post having taken 35 machine guns, killing at least 25 enemy soldiers, and capturing 132. York was immediately promoted to sergeant, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross; a later investigation led to this award being upgraded to the Medal of Honor. York became a national hero and international celebrity; he went on to receive decorations from several foreign countries, including France, Italy and Montenegro.
    1897 – Newscaster Drew Pearson was born Andrew Russell Pearson (d. 1969) in Evanston, IL.  One of the best-known American columnists of his day, he was noted for his syndicated newspaper column “Washington Merry-Go-Round,” in which he criticized various public persons. He also had a program on NBC Radio titled “Drew Pearson Comments.”
    1903 – Birthday of drummer Sonny Greer (d. 1982), Long Branch, NJ.  Best known for his work with Duke Ellington.
“http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Sonny%20Greer.html
    1911 - American poet Kenneth Patchen (d. 1972) born Niles, OH. Pioneered jazz poetry ("Kenneth Patchen Reads with the Chamber Jazz Sextet"). For more than thirty years, Patchen lived with a severe spinal ailment that caused him almost constant physical pain. The weight of this personal battle was compounded by his sensitivity to greater issues of humanity and his poetry paid special attention to the horrors of war. With his work, he tried to create a kind of sanctuary for the reader, apart from reality, where larger-than-life characters were motivated by their loving and benevolent natures.
http://www.poets.org/poets/poets.cfm?45442B7C000C0401
http://www.connectotel.com/patchen/
http://www.bopsecrets.org/PS/rexroth1.htm
http://opening.hefko.net/gi_patchen.html
    1911 - At the National League meetings at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, “Sporting Life” reported that "For the first time in history a woman sat in at a major league meeting. Mrs. H.H. Britton, owner of the St. Louis Cardinals, remained throughout the entire session of the National League meeting on the second day.
    1913 - Birthday of Archibald Lee Wright (d. 1998), better known as Archie Moore, at Benoit, MS. One of the most colorful fighters ever, Moore boxed from the mid-1930s to 1963, holding the light-heavyweight title for a record nine years. For much of his career, he fought an average of once a month. Moore let an aura of celebrity surround him; he lied about his age, ate an unusual diet, married five times and spoke out on a variety of political and social issues.
    1915 - A heavy snowstorm kicked off the snowiest winter in modern records for western New England.
    1918 - Birthday of the “Mad Russian,” William Vukovich, Sr. was born William Vucerovich (d. 1955) at Fresno, CA. Vukovich began racing midget cars in 1937 and picked up his career after World War II. Known as the “Mad Russian” for his hell-bent style, he won the 1953 Indianapolis 500 from the pole and the 1954 race as well. Ahead again in the 1955 race, he crashed on the 57th lap and died on the track.
    1918 – President Woodrow Wilson became the first US president to visit a foreign country when he arrived in France to take part in World War I peace negotiations and to promote his plan for a League of Nations. 
    1922 - Alarmed at the increase in home run hitting (1,054 in the major leagues, up from 936), some American league owners backed a zoning system setting a minimum of 300 feet for a ball to be called a home run. The motion died. In another action, the league required each club to furnish two home uniforms per player, plus extra caps and stockings on the road, to improve the players' appearance. In National League meetings, Cahrles Ebbets proposed putting numbers on players' sleeves or caps. It's left to each club to do as it wishes.
    1923 – Larry Doby (d. 2003) was born in Camden, SC.  He was the second African American to play in a Major League game in the 20th century (the first in the American League and the second African American manager in baseball history. Doby was signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1947. He started the American League on the road to integration when he became the first black player to appear in an AL game on July 5, 1947, less than three months after Jackie Robinson.  While he had limited success that first year, he became the club's regular center fielder in 1948 when the Indians won the World Series. Doby was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
    1923 – For you old Brooklyn Dodger fans, this is the birthday of George “Shotgun” Shuba (d. 2014) was born in Youngstown, OH.  Also, P Carl Erskine was born in Anderson, IN in 1926, and P Billy Loes (d. 2010), who once claimed he lost a grounder back to the mound in the sun, was born in Long Island City, NY in 1929.
    1925 - Actor/Comedian/Singer Dick Van Dyke born West Plains, Mo.  His entertainment career has spanned seven decades. He first gained recognition on radio and Broadway, then became known for his role as Rob Petrie on the television sitcom, “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” which ran from 1961 to 1966. He also gained significant popularity for roles in the musical films “Bye Bye Birdie” (1963), “Mary Poppins” (1964), and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (1968). His other prominent film appearances include roles in several other genre films through 2014.  Other prominent TV roles include the leads in “The New Dick Van Dyke Show” (1971–74), “Diagnosis Murder” (1993-2001), and “Murder 101” (2006–08) which both co-starred his son, Barry.  Van Dyke was the recipient of five Primetime Emmys, a Tony, and a Grammy Award.  He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995; received the Screen Actors Guild’s highest honor, the SAG Life Achievement Award, in 2013.   He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has also been recognized as a Disney Legend. 
    1927 - James Wright (d. 1980) was born Martin's Ferry, Ohio. American poet of the postmodern era who writes of sorrow, salvation, and self-revelation. Much of his work draws upon the images of nature and industry found in his native Ohio River valley.
    1928 - The George Gershwin composition, "American in Paris," had its debut performance by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Walter Damrosch.
    1928 - Clip-on tie designed.
    1929 - Hoagy Carmichael and Louis Armstrong recorded "Rockin’ Chair" on Columbia records and cylinders.
    1932 - The great Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Band cuts last date for Victor, 1932.
    1936 - Green Bay won the National Football League championship after they beat the Boston Redskins, 21-6. It was Boston's last game, as they became the Washington Redskins in 1937.
    1937 - Japanese forces took the Chinese city of Nanking (Nanjing). Over the following six weeks, in one of the worst atrocities of World War II, they killed an estimated 200,000 Chinese in what became known as the "Rape of Nanking."
    1938 - Birthday of Gus Johnson, Jr. (d. 1987), basketball player born at Akron, OH. Johnson played at the University of Akron, Boise Junior College and the University of Idaho. He was drafted by the Washington Bullets and helped make them a perennial contender for playoff honors. Johnson was the prototype of the power forward. He could score from the corner and was one of the first players to use the slam dunk. He finished his career with the Phoenix Suns.
    1939 - In World War II, the battle of the River Plate took place off the coast of South America between the British cruisers Exeter, Ajax and Achilles and the German battleship Graf Spee.
    1940 - Lester Young splits from the Count Basie Band.
    1940 - Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded the two-sided jump tune, "The Anvil Chorus," for Bluebird Records in New York. The 10-inch, 78 rpm record was six minutes long.
    1941 - The first Ace in World War II was First Lieutenant Boyd David Wagner of Johnstown, PA. While serving in the Army Air Corps in the Philippines, Wagner was attacked by five Japanese pursuit planes. He shot two plans out of the air and machine-gunned 12 on the ground, leaving five burning. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
    1942 – Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins was born in Chatham, Ontario, Canada.  Pitching for the Chicago Cubs, he won 20 games six consecutive seasons, 1967-72.  He is the only pitcher in history to have struck out more than 3,000 batters (3,192) while allowing fewer than 1,000 walks (997). He was the 1971 Cy Young Award winner in the NL and a three-time All-Star.  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.
    1944 - Japanese kamikaze crashes into US cruiser Nashville, killing 138.
http://www.multied.com/Navy/cruiser/Nashville.html
http://www.steelnavy.com/Nashville.htm
    1945 - Singer June Christy signs contract with Capitol Records and recorded 18 post-Stan Kenton albums.
    1948 - After an 11 1/2 month strike, the American Federation of Musicians went back to work. During the strike, there was also an 11½-month ban on phonograph records.
    1949 - The American League said no to a proposal to revive the spitball, outlawed since 1920. Many pitchers still tossed the spitter anyway.
    1950 - Top Hits
A Bushel and a Peck - Perry Como & Betty Hutton
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
Nevertheless - Jack Denny
I’m Moving On - Hank Snow
    1951 - U.S. Air Force George A. Davis, flying a F-86 Sabre jet out of the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, was credited with four aerial victories against MiG-15s, the largest number of kills by a single pilot in one day during the war. These victories made Davis the first "double ace" of the Korean War. A double ace has 10 enemy kills.
    1956 - The Brooklyn Dodgers traded Jackie Robinson to the cross-town rival Giants for pitcher Dick Littlefield and $35,000. Jackie, according to some accounts had already decided privately to leave the game to work for Chock Full ‘o’ Nuts, publicly retired from baseball rather than accept the trade. Many questioned the Dodgers’ intent here as at this time, there was no worse trade for a Dodger, and vice versa, than to the hated Giants.
    1958 - Top Hits
“To Know Him, is to Love Him” - The Teddy Bears
“Problems” - The Everly Brothers
“Queen of the Hop” - Bobby Darin
“City Lights” - Ray Price
    1960 - The first of three Middle Atlantic snowstorms produced a foot of snow at Baltimore, MD. A pre-winter blizzard struck the northeastern U.S. producing wind gusts as high as 51 mph, along with 16 inches of snow at Nantucket, MA and 20 inches at Newark, NJ.
    1961 - Jimmy Dean's “Big Bad John” album is country music's first million  seller.
http://www.epinions.com/content_3866271876
    1961 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," The Tokens
    1962 - A severe Florida freeze occurred. Morning lows reached 35 degrees at Miami, 18 degrees at Tampa, and 12 degrees at Jacksonville. It was the coldest December weather of the 20th century and caused millions of dollars damage to crops and foliage. In Georgia, the morning low of 9 degrees below zero at Blairsville established a state record for the month of December.
        1966 - Top Hits
“Good Vibrations” - The Beach Boys
“Mellow Yellow” - Donovan
“Lady Godiva” - Peter & Gordon
“Somebody Like Me” - Eddy Arnold
    1968 - A severe coastal storm produced high winds and record early snows from Georgia to Maine. Winds reached 90 mph in Massachusetts, and ten inches of snow blanketed interior Maine.
    1969 - Arlo Guthrie released "Alice's Restaurant."
    1973 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "The Most Beautiful Girl," Charlie Rich.
    1974 - Former Beatle George Harrison was invited to lunch by President Gerald R. Ford. At the White House, the two exchanged buttons, Ford giving George a WIN (Whip Inflation Now) pin and Harrison giving the President an OM (Hindu mantra word expressing creation) button.
    1974 - Top Hits
“Kung Fu Fighting” - Carl Douglas
“When Will I See You Again” - The Three Degrees
“Cat’s in the Cradle” - Harry Chapin
“She Called Me Baby” - Charlie Rich
    1975 – “Saturday Night Live” is first produced “delayed recording.” The late-night television variety show, “Saturday Night Live”, did not broadcast live for the first time on this date. NBC was concerned that the host for that evening's show, popular comedian Richard Pryor, would utter some obscene words or phrases. Pryor had promised that he would not use foul language, but as most of his stand-up routine consisted of four-letter words, the possibility existed that he would accidentally, or purposefully, "let loose." The show's executive heads decided that the show would be placed on a 5-second electronic delay. Two expletives spoken by Pryor were determined unsuitable for television and were deleted before they hit the airwaves.
    1975 - David Bowie's "Golden Years" and Foghat's "Slow Ride" are released.
    1978 - The Philadelphia Mint struck the first Susan B. Anthony dollar coins, with 1979 dates and the first “P” mintmark since the silver nickels of World War II. Denver production began on January 9, 1979, and San Francisco minting began on February 2, 1979. The Susan B. Anthony dollar, the first coin to honor a woman, was not a hit with the public for several reasons, most importantly because it was often mistaken for a quarter, which was about and eighth of an inch smaller in diameter.
    1982 - Top Hits
“Mickey” - Toni Basil
“Maneater” - Daryl Hall & John Oates
“The Girl is Mine” - Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney
“Redneck Girl” - The Bellamy Brothers
    1983 - In professional basketball, Detroit and Denver played for 3 hours, 11 minutes. The Pistons won, 186-184, during triple overtime. NBA records for single-game were set for most points by two teams; by one team; assists; and field goals. Kiki Vandeweghe of the Denver Nuggets scored a career-high with 51 points.
    1985 - In a first for movies, the murder mystery, "Clue," opened featuring three different endings. Newspaper ads said which ending was playing at which theatre.
    1986 - In the school's 62-year history, Duke University won its first NCAA team championship when the Blue Devils’ soccer team beat Akron, 1-0.
    1986 - Madonna's recording of “Open Your Heart” entered Billboard's Top 40 pop charts on this date, and later peaked at Number 1 for a week. The song stayed on the charts for 14 weeks.
    1986 - "The Way It Is," by Bruce Hornsby and the Range, hit #1 for a week in the U.S.: “That’s just the way it is; Some things will never change. That’s just the way it is; Aw, but don’t you believe them.”
    1987 - A major winter storm produced high winds and heavy snow in the Southern Rockies and the Southern High Plains. Snowfall totals in New Mexico ranged up to 25 inches at Cedar Crest, with up to three feet of snow reported in the higher elevations. Winds of 75 mph, with gusts to 124 mph, were reported northeast of Albuquerque, NM. El Paso, TX was buried under 22.4 inches of snow, including a single storm record of 16.8 inches in 24 hours. The snowfall total surpassed their previous record for an entire winter season of 18.4 inches. Record cold was experienced the next three nights as readings dipped into the single numbers. High winds ushering unseasonably cold air into the southwestern U.S. gusted to 100 mph at Grapevine, CA.
    1988 - Cold arctic air spread from the Great Lakes Region to the Appalachian Region. Twenty-five cities, mostly in the northeastern U.S., reported record low temperatures for the date. The low of 12 degrees below zero at Albany, NY was their coldest reading of record for so early in the season. Saranac Lake, NY was the cold spot in the nation with a low of 28 degrees below zero.
    1989 - Strong northwesterly winds, ushering bitterly cold arctic air into the central U.S., produced squalls with heavy snow in the Great Lakes Region. Snowfall totals in Upper Michigan ranged up to 24 inches at Manistique. Nine cities in Arkansas and Texas reported record low temperatures for the date, including Calico Rock, AR with a reading of 4 degrees above zero.
       1990 - Top Hits
“Because I Love You” (“The Postman Song”) - Stevie B
“From a Distance” - Bette Midler
“Something to Believe In” - Poison
“I’ve Come to Expect It from You” - George Strait
    1991 - North and South Korea signed a treat of reconciliation and nonaggression, formally ending the Korean War, 38 years after fighting ceased in 1953. This agreement was not hailed as a peace treaty and the armistice that was signed July 27, 1953, between the UN and North Korea, was to remain in effect until it could be transformed into a formal peace.
    1995 - US Federal Court votes that Cable companies must carry local stations
    1997 - 63rd Heisman Trophy Award: Charles Woodson, Michigan (CB)
http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/12841
http://www.collegefootballnews.com/Top_100_Players/
Top_100_Players_34_Charles_Woodson.htm
    1998 - Voters in Puerto Rico rejected United States statehood.
    1998 - Baltimore and Minnesota combine to set an NFL record with three kickoff return touchdowns in the same game, all in the first quarter of the Vikings' 38-28 victory. Corey Harris and Patrick Johnson score for the Ravens while David Palmer turns the trick for Minnesota. Vikings kicker Gary Anderson sets an NFL record when he converts his 34th consecutive field goal.
http://images.nfl.com/history/images/1213.jpg
    2000 - Republican George W. Bush claimed the presidency five weeks after Election Day and a day after the U.S. Supreme Court shut down further recounts of disputed ballots in Florida. Democrat Al Gore conceded, delivering a call for national unity.
    2002 - A powerful Pacific storm system plowed into the western United States during the 13th-16th, producing high winds, heavy rains, significant mountain snowfall and causing 9 deaths (Associated Press). Rainfall amounts exceeding 10 inches occurred in parts of California, and wind gusts over 45 mph produced up to 1.9 million power outages during the period.
    2007 – In a blockbuster announcement that reverberates today, the Mitchell Report was released, naming 89 players as having used or been in possession of steroids.  Many of the game’s biggest stars, including Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Miguel Tejada and Jason Giambi, are among those named. The report, calling for tighter regulation of performance-enhancing drugs, was commissioned by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to look into the extent to which performance-enhancing drugs were prevalent in baseball.  Over 2 million people downloaded the report in the first couple of days it was online.
    2011 - A bill extending a payroll tax extension and a bill expediting the Keystone XL pipeline between Canada and Texas is passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
    2013 - An experimental privacy feature on Google's Android mobile software is removed, raising objections from the Electronic Frontier Foundation; the feature allowed users to block apps from collecting personal information such as a user's location and address book data.