New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

 

Olajuwon Ajanaku was hired as Regional Manager, Balboa Capital, Costa Mesa, California.  He is located in Snellville, Georgia. Previously, he was Regional Sales Manager, Sterling National Bank (December, 2016 - November, 2019); Business Development Manager, Engs Commercial Finance Co. (December, 2014 -November, 2016); Assistant Manager, Enterprise Rent-A-Car (July, 2013 - May, 2015); Professional Golfer (May, 2012 - June, 2014); Marketing Assistant, LVMH (February, 2011 - November, 2013); Sales Representative, DirectTV (September, 2012 - August, 2013). License: Certified Nursing Assistant.  Volunteer: Eastside Golf (November, 2019 - Present). Volunteer at The First Tee of Atlanta, Atlanta Food Bank, Hosea Feed the Hungry, The First Tee (January, 2007 - December, 2014). Volunteer, Free Store Food Bank (December, 2015 - November, 2016); Volunteer, The First Tee of Greater Detroit (February, 2018 -- Present). Education: MoreHouse College. Bachelor's degree, Accounting and Finance, 3.5 (2008 - 2012). Activities and Societies: Morehouse Golf Team (National Champions 10'), Morehouse Business Club, Morehouse Law Club.  Harvard Business School. Business Management Business Administration and Management, General (2009). Activities and Societies: Debate team, Business Law Club. Business Program (2009 Summer). Benedict Collect, Account and Finance (2007 – 2008). Activities and Societies: Golf Team, Benedict Business Club.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/olajuwon-ajanaku-5011811a/

Rob Bakke was promoted to Senior Vice President and Territory Manager, Fifth Third Equipment Finance, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  He joined the firm April, 2016, as Senior Vice President. Previously, he was Senior Vice President, MB Financial Bank (2016 - April, 2019); Senior Vice President, GE Capital (September, 1988 - March, 2016). Volunteer: President, Minneapolis United Soccer Club (2006 - 2009). Foster Parents, Safe Families for Children (2014 - Present). Volunteer Youth Soccer, Hockey and Basketball Coach, Minneapolis United (1999 - Present). Education: St. Olaf College. Economics. (1984 - 1988). Minnehaha Academy, High School (1980 - 1984). Activities and Societies: Soccer, Track, Basketball, Skiing. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-bakke-a0aa3944/

John Gowans was hired as Director, Solution Financial, Inc., Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.  Previously, he was President, Pura Vida Consulting, Ltd (September, 2019 - Present); Director, Leasing, First West Leasing (January, 2015 - September, 2019); Director of Business Development, FirstWest Leasing (January, 2014 - September, 2019); VP and General Manager, WS Leasing/Mercado Capital (September, 1996 - June, 2013). Education: York University. B.A.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gowans-51543916/

Michelle Harris was hired as Lease/Loan Servicing Assistant, Equipment Finance Department, First Foundation Bank, Irvine, California. "While servicing the equipment finance and leasing needs of the bank’s customers and prospects, the primary growth engine for this department is through Third Party Originations.   Previously, Michelle was with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources division and before that was with Insight Environmental.  Michelle has a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University of San Bernardino."

Jenny Lester was hired as Relationship Manager, Corporate Equipment Finance, PNC, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. She is located in Denver, Colorado.  She began her career at Key Equipment Finance, Sales Operations Intern, April, 2015: promoted June, 2016, Accelerated Career Track (ACT), Program in Equipment Finance; promoted April, 2017, Inside Sales, Middle Market; promoted July, 2018, Equipment Finance Officer, Business Banking; promoted May, 2019, Associate Relationship Manager. Volunteer: President, Leeds Council (May, 2015 - May, 2016); Board Member, Backstage Barre, Colorado Ballet (November, 2017 - September, 2019). Fundraiser, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (December, 2017 - Present).  Education: University of Colorado, Boulder. Leeds School of Business. Bachelor of Business Administration (B.S.B.A), Finance and Marketing Senior (2012 - 2016). Activities and Societies: Leeds Council, Kappa Kappa Gamma. Student Body President (2015 - 2016).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennalester/

Brian McGivern was hired as AVP, Regional Sales Manager, CIT Vendor Services, New York City, New York.  He is located in the greater Detroit Area. Previously, he was Office Products Leasing Sales Representative at GE Capital;\, January, 2017; Regional Sales Manager, Wells Fargo Vendor Financial (fka GE Capital) (March, 2012 – December, 2016); Business Development Manager, Macquarie Group (January, 2012 – April, 2012); Office Products Sales Manager, CIT (January, 2007 – October, 2011); Regional Sales Manager, CitiCapital formerly Copelco Capital (2005 – 2007); Account Executive, Canon Financial Services (2003 – 2005); Vendor Services Manager, Sanwa Leasing Corporation (March, 1991 – March, 2002); Vendor Services Manager, Bank of America Leasing Corporation (2000 – 2002); Sales Manager, Fleet Capital Leasing (Acquired by Bank of America) (1991 – 2002); Sales Manager, Sanwa Leasing Corporation (defunct) (1991 – 2002); Credit, Leasefirst (1987 – 1990). Education: Eastern Michigan University. https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-mcgivern-755995a

 

 

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Help Wanted

 

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2019 Syndication/Broker Survey
Annual Wheeler Business Consulting Survey

Today we are asking for the assistance of industry professionals who syndicate/broker transactions to participate in the following survey.

Wheeler Business Consulting is facilitating a survey regarding:

The current market for syndication and brokering of transactions in the commercial equipment leasing and finance industry.

The results will be made available through our monthly newsletter and website. Your participation is greatly appreciated and is needed to increase the value of the data.  
 
The survey is designed to take 3 to 5 minutes to complete.

 
Click here to begin the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KL9B6FD

If you have any questions contact Scott Wheeler @ 410-877-0428

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Not surprisingly, this year’s Thanksgiving weekend shattered online shopping records once again. According to Adobe Digital Insights, total e-commerce sales over the entire Thanksgiving weekend amounted to $28.4 billion, with Cyber Monday alone accounting for $9.4 billion of that total. That makes this year's Cyber Monday the biggest online shopping day in U.S. history and the first to exceed $3 billion in sales via smartphones.

“Retailers unlocked sales earlier to combat a shorter shopping season, while continuing to drive up promotion of the big branded days including Black Friday and Cyber Monday," Adobe's John Copeland said in a statement, adding that "consumers capitalized on deals and ramped up spending, especially on smartphones, where activity increased on days when shoppers were snowed or rained in." Adobe's estimates are based on one trillion visits to U.S. retail websites, including 80 of the 100 largest online retailers.

By Felix Richter, Statista

https://www.statista.com/chart/7045/thanksgiving-weekend-e-commerce-sales/

 

 

 

 

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Michigan just started legal marijuana sales. Marijuana is legal for adults over the age of 21 in 11 states; medical marijuana is legal in 33.

Source: BusinessInsider.com

 

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

ELFA Forms Equality Steering Committee
Upholding Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association announced that it has formed an Equality Steering Committee devoted to promoting diversity and inclusion across the association and the equipment finance industry. In 2018 the ELFA Board of Directors established a Diversity Work Group and added new language to the association’s mission statement and strategic plan affirming its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The new Equality Steering Committee will further advance efforts to foster equality, diversity and inclusion.
The ELFA Equality vision statement reads: “ELFA Equality is committed to making sure that all people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, physical characteristics or mental abilities, feel welcome and valued in the equipment finance industry, ELFA and member companies.” The steering committee will fulfill this vision through:

• Awareness: Providing education, information and insights to identify opportunities for increased diversity participation in ELFA and the equipment finance industry.
• Advocacy: Promoting the advancement of diversity in hiring and volunteering in ELFA and in member companies.
• Action: Preparing programs and mentoring activities that can assist in achieving greater diversity balance.

The steering committee met in person for the first time at the 2019 ELFA Annual Convention in Washington, D.C., under the leadership of Chair Scott Thacker, Chief Executive Officer of Ivory Consulting Corporation.

“The equipment finance industry thrives on innovation, and innovation thrives on diversity,” said Thacker. “Many studies have demonstrated that businesses that embrace diversity, inclusion and equality are more profitable and attract more talented people. The association created ELFA Equality to promote equality everywhere and to welcome everyone. I am honored and humbled to be the founding Chair of ELFA Equality and pledge to infuse an equality-first perspective across the equipment finance industry. My appreciation goes out to our robust and diverse steering committee—20 people strong—made up of a diverse group of volunteers as well as supportive allies who will work tirelessly to advocate for equality and inclusion for all.”

“As the marketplace evolves, it’s more important than ever for our association and our industry to embrace diversity and welcome all ideas to the table,” said ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta. “We believe that by focusing on diversity and inclusion, we’re empowering not only the people who make up our member organizations and the markets they serve—but also our entire industry. Our aspiration as an association is that the people powering this great sector—including our members and their customers—will represent a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives. Together with our member companies, ELFA looks forward to advancing initiatives to support equality, diversity and inclusion in everything we do.”

Members of the ELFA Equality Steering Committee include:

• Scott Thacker, Ivory Consulting Corporation (Committee Chair)
• Michael Baez, Capgemini America, Inc.
• Deb Baker, HP Inc. (Chair, ELFA Women’s Council)
• Allison Conley, LEAF Commercial Capital Inc.
• David Cramer, Amur Equipment Finance
• Dave Drury, Fifth Third Bank
• Sherrie Fortson, CDW Direct LLC
• Shawn Halladay, The Alta Group LLC
• Charles Hill, DLL
• Kyin Lok, Dext Capital
• Kara Miyasato , Stryker Flex Financial (Chair, ELFA Emerging Talent Advisory Council)
• David Normandin, Wintrust Specialty Finance (Member, ELFA Board of Directors)
• Stuart Papavassiliou, LEAF Commercial Capital Inc.
• Lisa Rafter, Monitor|monitordaily.com
• Mike Romanowski, Farm Credit Leasing
• Delroy Stauffer, Odessa
• Wayne Super, Cisco Systems Capital Corporation
• Jorge Vence, Commercial Equipment Finance, Inc.
• Josh Verhulst, Tech Defenders

About ELFA
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) is the trade association that represents companies in the nearly $1 trillion equipment finance sector, which includes financial services companies and manufacturers engaged in financing capital goods. ELFA members are the driving force behind the growth in the commercial equipment finance market and contribute to capital formation in the U.S. and abroad. Its 575 members include independent and captive leasing and finance companies, banks, financial services corporations, broker/packagers and investment banks, as well as manufacturers and service providers. For more information, please visit www.elfaonline.org.

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

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

Get ready to take the guesswork
out of paycheck withholding

The tax filing season is quickly approaching. With that in mind, taxpayers should remember there’s still time to make an estimated or additional tax payment to ensure their tax withholding is still accurate.

Those who need to make an estimated tax payment for 2019 should remember that the fourth quarter payment is due Wednesday, January 15, 2020.

These taxpayers will want to check to see if their 2019 federal income tax withholding will unexpectedly fall short of their tax liability for the year. They can check this by using the Tax Withholding Estimator on IRS.gov.

All taxpayers can use the results from the Tax Withholding Estimator to determine if they should:

• Complete a new Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, and submit it to their employer.
• Complete a new Form W-4P, Withholding Certificate for Pension or Annuity Payments, and submit it to their payer.
• Make an additional or estimated tax payment to the IRS before the end of the year.

This tool helps employees avoid having too much or too little tax withheld from their wages. It also helps those working for themselves make accurate estimated tax payments. Having too little withheld can result in an unexpected tax bill or even a penalty at tax time in 2020. Having too much withheld results in less money in their pocket.

The Tax Withholding Estimator asks taxpayers to estimate:

• Their 2019 income.
• The number of children to be claimed for the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit.
• Other items that will affect their 2019 taxes.

The IRS Withholding Estimator does not ask for personally-identifiable information, such as a name, Social Security number, address and bank account numbers. The IRS doesn’t save or record the information entered in the Estimator.

Before using the Tax Withholding Estimator, taxpayers should gather their most recent pay stubs and income documents from all sources. They should gather documents related to pensions, annuities, Social Security benefits and self-employment income. They should also have a copy of their 2018 federal tax return. This will help estimate 2019 income and answer other questions asked during the process.

If a taxpayer follows the recommendations at the end of the Tax Withholding Estimator and changes their withholding for 2019, they should recheck their withholding at the start of 2020. A withholding change made in 2019 may have a different full-year impact in 2020. So, if a taxpayer does not file a new Form W-4 for 2020, their withholding might be higher or lower than they intend.

Taxpayers should remember that the Tax Withholding Estimator’s results will only be as accurate as the information provided. People with more complex tax situations should use the instructions in Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax . This includes taxpayers who owe alternative minimum tax or certain other taxes, and people with long-term capital gains or qualified dividends.

More information:

• Publication 5360 – How to Check Your Taxes Now to Avoid Surprises Later

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

 

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Fernando's View
By Fernando F. Croce

A rousing drama (“Ford v Ferrari”) and a delicate debut (“Atlantics”) come to theaters, while DVD releases offer bittersweet comedy (“Where’d You Go, Bernadette”) and a pair of Bette Davis classics (“All About Eve,” “Now, Voyager”).

In theaters:

Ford v Ferrari (Twentieth Century Fox): Director James Mangold (“Walk the Line”) shines a light on the auto industry at a crossroads in this rousingly old-fashioned crowd-pleaser. The setting is Le Mans in 1966, where the world’s top car brands come to race. American designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) has built a revolutionary new model for Ford, but needs somebody reckless enough to drive it. Enter British driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), fiercely independent where Shelby is a solid team-player. Together the two unlikely allies head to Europe to try to outrace the latest Ferrari speedsters. Examining the men’s friendship as well as their contrasting professionalism, this engrossing true-life story gives audiences a taste of race-track exhilaration. A must for car aficionados, as well as of fans of solid cinema.

Atlantics (Netflix): French actress Mati Diop (“35 Shots of Rum”) makes a promising directorial debut with this mysterious, graceful blend of realism and mysticism set in Dakar, Senegal. Ada (Mame Bineta Sane) is a 17-year-old girl who’s set to marry the rich and fatuous Omar (Babacar Sylla) even though she loves the poor and scrappy Souleiman (Traore). One day Souleiman and his friends disappear during a voyage to the sea, and Ada sadly proceeds with the marriage. Soon, however, she is receiving enigmatic phone calls while her friends fall ill, feeling possessed by strange forces. Could it be that her beloved has returned from another realm to be with her? Adding a supernatural element to the young woman’s growing independence, Diop’s film works up a delicate, haunting power. With subtitles.

Nextflix: Always a welcome offbeat presence, Michael J. Pollard (1939-2019) brought eccentric humor to his roles since his Oscar-nominated turn in “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967). So check out Netflix for some of his best films, which include “Little Fauss and Big Hausy” (1970), “Melvin and Howard” (1980), “Roxanne” (1987), and “Dick Tracy” (1990).

On DVD:

Where’d You Go, Bernadette (Annapurna Distribution): Continuing to seesaw between mainstream and indie cinema, director Richard Linklater (“Boyhood”) tackles Maria Semple’s bestseller in this bittersweet comedy-drama. Cate Blanchett stars as Bernadette, formerly a famous architect who’s settled into a quiet suburban life in Seattle with her husband Elgin (Billy Crudup) and daughter Bee (Emma Nelson). Using cultivated sarcasm to deal with frustrations, she eventually runs away in order to find her old self, with the family in hot pursuit. Softening the edges of the melodramatic plot with his trademark laidback naturalism, Linklater takes a light and sympathetic but ultimately moving look at career choices and family dynamics. Though Blanchett is bound to get the lion’s share of plaudits for her performance, newcomer Nelson is the standout as the devoted daughter.

All About Eve (Criterion): Bette Davis is at her sublime-bitchy peak in this classic 1950 comedy-drama from writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz. She stars as Margo Channing, a legendary Broadway diva with a hidden streak of insecurity mined by an aspiring actress named Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter). When the younger woman shows up at her dressing room and professes her admiration, Margo takes her under her wing. What the seasoned pro doesn’t suspect, however, is the newcomer’s implacable ambition and willingness to use people for her own rise to stardom. Watching it all is acerbic critic Addison DeWitt (George Sanders), who’s got plans of his own. Set in the brittle world of theater, Mankiewicz’s Oscar-winner offers line after line of quotable dialogue from a cast that includes Celeste Holm and Thelma Ritter.

Now, Voyager (Criterion): Classic melodramas don’t come much more swoony than this romantic tearjerker from 1942, which gave Bette Davis one of her signature roles. She stars as Charlotte Vale, a Boston heiress plagued by feelings of inferiority and a stifling relationship with her mother (Gladys Cooper). On advice from the family therapist, Dr. Jasquith (Claude Rains), she goes to a sanatorium and, following a makeover, emerges as a glamorous new version of her former plain self. On a cruise to South America, Charlotte falls in love with debonair Jerry (Paul Henreid) despite him being married. She regains her self-esteem back home, but can romance overcome these obstacles? Directed by Irving Rapper, the film is a lush and classy soap opera graced with unforgettable moments between Davis and Henreid.

Labrador Retriever (Short Coat)
Costa Mesa, California  Adopt-a-Dog

Gus
Pet ID # 1270246
I'm a 3 year old pure bred Labrador retriever. I'm very sweet with lots of energy. I need a home with a backyard.

More about Gus - Costa Mesa

• Good with dogs
• Reaction to new people: Friendly
• Neutered
• Adoption fee: $250.00
• Available date: 12/4/2019
• Birth date: 12/3/2016 (not exact)
• Color: Yellow
• Yard required
• Requires fence: 6 foot
• Likes to vocalize: Some
• Indoor/outdoor: Indoor and Outdoor
• Microchipped

Priceless Pets
The Orphanage – Costa Mesa
1536 Newport Blvd.
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(909) 203-3695

Hours
Mon – Tues: Closed
Wed – Fri: 12 pm – 7 pm
Sat: 12 pm – 5 pm
Sun: 12 pm – 4 pm

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The American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers'
2020 Annual Conference
IS GOING TO ROCK!

Registration is now open for the 2020 AACFB Annual Conference! Join us at the spectacular Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, May 6-8 for this must-attend event packed with education, networking and (let's face it) a lot of fun!

AACFB was founded by brokers and we know every dollar counts, which is why we pride ourselves on keeping registration fees very affordable for brokerages of all sizes and funders alike.

Super Saver registration fees are available for a limited time AND between now and December 20, 2019, the first 25 brokers who register can take an ADDITIONAL $50 OFF! Broker members can attend for only $200. It doesn't get any better than that!

Live like a Caesar during the conference while you enjoy everything the luxurious Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino has to offer. Stylish rooms with Roman-inspired artwork, multiple pools, tons of dining and entertainment, not to mention the spa and shopping outlets!

AACFB attendees can take advantage of a special rate of $170 per night, plus a $39 resort fee but we encourage you to book early. The cut-off for this rate is April 13, 2020 or until the block is full.

Program and Sign in to Register:
https://members.aacfb.org/AACFBMembers/Events/Event_Display.aspx?EventKey=ac20

News Briefs----

Alphabet’s New Boss Means $2 Billion
    for Departing Founders
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/alphabet-boss-leaves-silicon-valley-141437714.html

Umpqua Bank Releases
    "State of the Middle Market 2020" Survey
https://www.bluemountaineagle.com/news/state/umpqua-bank-releases-state-of-the-middle-market-survey/article_0430a76f-cac2-5ace-b1d2-cab9311b7c7f.html

APR for new vehicles drops to lowest level
    in 21 months as used metric stays steady
https://www.autoremarketing.com/subprime/apr-new-models-drops-lowest-level-21-months-used-metric-stays-steady

The repo market is ‘broken’ and Fed injections
   are not a lasting solution, market pros warn
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-repo-market-is-broken-and-fed-injections-are-not-a-lasting-solution-market-pros-warn-2019-12-04

Online Lending Platform Refines
   the Science of Underwriting
https://www.cfo.com/growth-strategies/2019/12/online-lending-platform-refines-the-science-of-underwriting/

This effort to decriminalize marijuana nationally
    is even getting Republican support
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article237831759.html?

Microsoft holds annual shareholders meeting
  Plans for Growth of Company through the Cloud
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/microsoft-holds-annual-shareholders-meeting-300969320.html

 

Assure the quality of your communication content…grammar, spelling, syntax, punctuation…hire an expert. Whether website content, business or technical writings, take advantage of over forty years executive writing, proofreading and editing in the EFL industry…with the reader’s time and comprehension in focus. Ralph P. Mango ralphmango@hotmail.com Associate Editor Leasing News, responsible for proofreading and editing each news edition, as well as contributing content.

 
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You May Have Missed---

Women increasingly turn to franchises to own their own business
https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2019/12/women-increasingly-turn-to-franchises-to-owntheir.html?page=all

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American Football Poem

Chicago Bear Happiness

I ASKED the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell
me what is happiness.
And I went to famous executives who boss the work of
thousands of men.
They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though
I was trying to fool with them
And then one Sunday morning I wandering out among
grass fields surrounding Dolphin Stadium
And I saw a crowd of Polacks under the trees with
their women and children
and a keg of beer and an
accordion.
They cheered and sang,
watching TV on a portable battery.
Go Bears! They yelled.
And then they lifted the beer mugs high
and yelled again: Go Bears!
As if they would win.

(With apologies to Carl Sandburg.)

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Eli Manning expected to start for Giants
    as Daniel Jones sits with ankle injury
https://nypost.com/2019/12/04/eli-manning-expected-to-start-for-giants-as-daniel-jones-sits-with-ankle-injury/

49ers can clinch a playoff berth in Week 14 with a win
https://www.ninersnation.com/2019/12/3/20994104/49ers-can-clinch-a-playoff-berth-in-week-14-with-a-win

Draymond Green on getting his Michigan State jersey retired:
   ‘I lived that dream’
https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/12/03/draymond-green-on-getting-his-michigan-state-jersey-retired-i-lived-that-dream/

Jon Gruden: Pin Raiders' recent miscues on me
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/10412649-181/jon-gruden-pin-raiders-recent

NFL coach hot seat rankings:
    Who could be next to be fired after Ron Rivera?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/12/04/nfl-hot-seat-rankings-coach-jason-garrett-pat-shurmur/2599468001/

Troy Aikman: Cowboys’ list of issues includes a front office
   that hasn’t allowed Jason Garrett to do his job
https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2019/12/04/troy-aikman-cowboys-list-of-issues-includes-a-front-office-that-hasnt-allowed-jason-garrett-to-do-his-job/

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California Nuts Briefs---

As more rain looms, Bay Area homeless face toughest season
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/12/04/as-more-rain-looms-bay-area-homeless-face-toughest-season/

California to send millions of dollars to cities to combat homelessness
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/12/04/california-to-send-millions-of-dollars-to-cities-to-combat-homelessness/

Gavin Newsom hires adviser forced out by Donald Trump
    in latest dustup over homelessness
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article238042109.html

PG&E failed to inspect tower that sparked deadly Camp Fire,
    state investigators say
https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article237996959.html?

Mega deal: Google buys Cisco buildings in north San Jose,
   gains right to acquire more
https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/12/04/mega-deal-google-buys-cisco-buildings-north-san-jose-gains-option-tech/

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

Saverglass Further Expands by Acquiring
   Belgian Glass Factory MD Verre
https://www.winebusiness.com/vendornews/?go=getVendorNewsArticle&dataid=223192

Wines of the West tasting room debuts in Paso Robles
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataId=223168

New PD-Resistant Wine Grape Varieties Named and Released
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataId=223142

Madeira My Dear: the Ultimate Holiday Wine
https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2019/12/madeira-my-dear-the-ultimate-holiday-wine

Mendocino County's Anderson Valley Brewing
   to be sold to McGee family of Sonoma County
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/northbay/sonomacounty/10410923-181/anderson-valley-brewing-mendocino-acquisition

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

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

     1492 - Christopher Columbus discovered Haiti at the end of his first voyage (he never discovered the mainland, which was discovered earlier by several others including the Vikings, Chinese, and Africans (who also were the first to discover South America from a foreign land). Here Columbus made slaves of all the natives, shipping as many as he could to Europe in his following four voyages. Fifty years later the natives were wiped out by the thousands when Spanish armies came to Haiti in search of gold.  The Spanish were succeeded by the French, who brought slaves from Africa to work the plantations. In one of history most glorious struggles for independence, Haiti became the first black Republic in the world when it became a free country in 1804. American slaves would escape here, and to “free” states, which eventually brought on the Civil War as more “free” states were joining the union, such as Oregon, and territories were being formed in the North West.
www.haitiimpact.com/haitimarvelous.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1565840089/ref=pd_thx_recs_2/
102-1682336-8966565?v=glance
    1496 - Jews are expelled from Portugal by order of King Manuel I. The new world would be a land of free religion for all, but how to get there, via South America.
    1775 - At Fort Ticonderoga, Henry Knox, begins his historic transport of artillery to Cambridge, MA.  As the siege at Lexington and Concord wore on, the idea arose that cannon recently captured at the fall of forts Ticonderoga and Crown Point in upstate New York could have a decisive impact on its outcome. Knox is generally credited with suggesting the prospect to Washington, who thereupon put him in charge of an expedition to retrieve them even though Knox's commission had not yet arrived.  Reaching Ticonderoga on December 5, Knox commenced what came to be known as the noble train of artillery, hauling by ox-drawn sled 60 tons of cannon and other armaments across some 300 miles of ice-covered rivers and snow-draped Berkshire Mountains to the Boston siege camps.
    1776 – The first fraternity in the US, Phi Beta Kappa fraternity was founded at The College of William and Mary, Virginia.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec05.html
    1782 - Martin Van Buren's (d. 1862) birthday, eighth president of the United States (1837-1841), at Kinderhook, NY.   He was the first president to have been born a citizen. His term saw many troubles from bank and business failures, depression and unemployment.   In 1837, Van Buren succeeded Andrew Jackson in the White House. Three months later, the Panic of 1837 sent the national economy into a tailspin. Van Buren's inability to alleviate the depression, along with his opposition to the annexation of Texas on grounds it would lead to expansion of slavery, led to his drubbing by Whig candidate William Henry Harrison in 1840. He retired to Lindenwald, his Kinderhook estate, where he died.
(Lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec05.html )
1787 - Shays' Rebellion: Daniel Shays of Pelham, MA, organized a group of farmers whose land had been seized and their neighbor and friends into an armed force that overthrew courts and committed other acts of violence. They were protesting the depreciation of paper money, the insistence of creditors on being paid in silver money, the imprisonment of debtors, and the seizure of farmland to pay off debts. Following the Revolutionary War, the United States faced severe economic hardships. One reason, in addition to war debt, was that the new nation was cut off from the commercial ties of the British Empire. Especially hard hit was Massachusetts because England cut off trade between the United States and the British West Indies. This severely harmed several businesses of that state such as shipbuilding, distilling, and lumber, which depended on the West Indies trade. Because of the economic hard times in Massachusetts, many farms heavily in debt were seized by their creditors and often sold for a fraction of their value. The farmers and working men of Massachusetts who were unable to pay their debts were sent to debtor prisons and would not be released until their debts were paid. The state legislature of Massachusetts responded to this economic crisis in a very inadequate manner such as increasing court costs and raising taxes. On this day, the “rebels” seized Worcester, Massachusetts, and were attempting to have others join them in the overthrowing of the government. They were also raiding homes, stealing food, clothing, and whatever valuables they could lay their hands upon. By February, 1787, however, they were completely routed. The rebels were captured and sentenced to death for treason, but they were later pardoned.
http://www.politicalresource.net/shay's_rebellion.html
http://mumbet.com/html/shay.html
    1792 - George Washington was reelected president of the United States. John Adams was elected vice president. The electoral vote was Washington, 132, Adams, Federalist of Massachusetts, 77; George Clinton, anti-Federalist of New York, 50. In those days, the person who came in second was vice-president. The third Congress consisted of 30 senators of whom 17 were Federalist and 13 Democratic-Republicans. In the House, the count was 57 Democratic-Republicans and 48 Federalists.
    1804 - Thomas Jefferson was reelected president of the United Sates. George Clinton, first governor of New York and like Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican, was elected vice president. The electoral vote was Jefferson, 162; Charles C. Pinckney, Federalist of South Carolina, 14. This was the first election with separate ballots for president and vice president.
    1822 – The founder of Radcliffe College, Elizabeth Cabot Agassiz (d. 1907), was born in Boston.  Agassiz was essential in ensuring that the "Harvard Annex" for women's education was transformed in 1894 from Harvard University into Radcliffe.
    1831 – Former President John Quincy Adams takes his seat in the House of Representatives.
    1832 - Andrew Jackson was re-elected President by 687,502 popular votes and 219 electoral votes against 530,189 popular votes and 49 electoral votes for Henry Clay. Martin Van Buren was elected Vice-President
    1839 – Birthday of General George Armstrong Custer (d. 1876) at New Rumley, Ohio. Although he was considered a Civil War hero, in 1867, he was court-martialed for not following orders or taking care of his men or following orders to protect farms. He had left his fort to visit his wife 275 miles away, who he had not seen for quite some time. Being the general in charge, he had the authority to do this, and did not pursue a group of Indians along the way, due to lack of information, including size and direction. He claimed he was being made a scapegoat for a failed campaign and General Sheridan later re-appointed him. He quickly redeemed himself.  Ulysses S. Grant was so infuriated with Custer's activity that he demoted him. Custer was popular among battle officers and was later re-instated to lead further activities against “hostile Indians.” While reportedly not popular with his men or other military, he was a fighter who was known to charge into battle with simple plans, which was his modus operandi. It is said that in his final battle, at Little Bighorn, June 25, 1876, one of his captains hesitated in the attack, delaying another, leaving Custer to attack with only half of his troops and leaving a hole for the Indians to escape.  They eventually surrounded the small force in sheer numbers, even though many did not have fire arms. The death of he and his 210 men became a war cry to “kill all the Indians” as the country moved further west.
http://www.civilwarhome.com/custerbi.htm
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/custer.htm
http://www.garryowen.com/
    1843 - The Navy launched is first iron side wheel steamer, the “Michigan,” Erie, PA.
http://www.cogulus.com/archimedes/illustrations/1844_michigan.jpg
http://www.greatwhitefleet.org/michigan/01/history.htm
    1847 - Jefferson Davis first takes his seat in the Senate.
    1848 - President Polk triggers Gold Rush of '49, confirming California gold discovery. News of the discovery of gold in California in January was slow in reaching the East. Word of it first appeared in the New York Herald on August 19, but no great excitement was created until President James. K. Polk expressed enthusiasm about it in his message to Congress. The rush began by land across the continent and by sea and land via the Isthmus of Panama. The first shipload of prospectors arrived in San Francisco via Cape Horn on February 28, 1849. About 80,000 people made their way to California in 1849, 55,000 over land and 25,000 by sea. About 5000 that started out overland never made it because Asiatic cholera swept their ranks. By the end of 1848, gold worth $10,000,000,000 had been mined.
    1861 - The Gatling gun was invented.
    1862 - Battle of Coffeeville MS.  By November 1862, Northern Mississippi was securely in the hands of the Union. General Grant began the Mississippi Central Railroad Campaign, an overland push (following the main rail line through the heart of Mississippi, capturing the towns and rail along the way) into Mississippi with the goal of capturing Vicksburg in conjunction with General Sherman, who would follow the river route South.  After being defeated at Corinth, the Confederate Army of West Tennessee was on the retreat. At the battle of Hatchie’s Bridge, they successfully evaded the army's capture by the Union. The Confederate army kept falling back through Oxford and Coffeeville, constantly skirmishing with pursuing Union cavalry, who were ahead of Grant's column.
http://www.angelfire.com/ms2/grantshilohvicksburg/TheBattleofCoffeeville.html
http://www4.pair.com/justfolk/Diary103.htm
    1865 - In the wake of the Civil War, fiscal conservatives attempted to curtail the use of greenbacks, paper money minted to support the Union. The drive to end greenbacks got a boost when Treasury Secretary Hugh McCulloch made a plea for the currency to be discontinued. However, proponents of greenbacks kept the currency flowing into the 1870s.
    1870 - Birthday of Bill Pickett (d. 1932), rodeo cowboy, at Williamson County, Texas. Inventor of bulldogging, the modern rodeo event that involves wrestling a running steer to the ground.
    1876 - President Ulysses S. Grant delivered his speech today, apologizing to Congress, claiming mistakes he made while he was president were due to his inexperience. His errors, he said, were "errors of judgment, not intent." While Grant's personal integrity was never formally questioned, he was closely associated with many government scandals which became public during his presidency. The scandals included at attempt to corner the gold market, significant fraud in the Treasury Department and Indian Service. His term in office had many other “scandals” and was full of wide-spread corruption, particularly from cabinet members and other “financial” supporters.
    1876 – A fire at the Brooklyn Theatre kills at least 278 people.
    1879 – The first automatic telephone switching system was patented.
    1894 - Birthday of Phillip Knight Wrigley (d. 1977), baseball executive, born at Chicago, IL. Wrigley inherited the Chicago Cubs upon his father's death in 1932. He and his family owned the team for 60 years until selling it to the Tribune Company in 1981.
    1901 - Birthday of Walt Disney (d. 1966), Chicago. A prominent figure within the animation industry, he is regarded as a cultural icon, known for his influence and contributions to entertainment during the 20th century.   Disney was particularly noted as a filmmaker and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He and his staff created iconic and enduring fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. Disney himself was the original voice for Mickey. During his lifetime, he received four honorary Academy awards and won 22 Academy Awards from a total of 59 nominations, including a record of four in one year, giving him more awards and nominations than any other individual in history. Disney also won seven Emmy Awards.  He personally supervised the building of Disneyland, living on the premise, visiting the only night event, sometimes with Ward Kimball, as Dixieland was played there (one of my high school jobs was playing clarinet and bass sax during the off nights, the week, and he was a frequent visitor with his own glass---as the bar only served beer.)
    1902 – Strom Thurmond was born James Strom Thurmond (d. 2003) at Edgefield, SC.  In 1954, Thurmond won overwhelmingly, becoming the first person to be elected to the US Senate as a write-in candidate against ballot-listed opponents. In 1956, Thurmond resigned to run in the party primary, which he won. Afterward, he was repeatedly elected to the US Senate by state voters until his retirement 46 years later.  Thurmond supported racial segregation throughout much of his career. He wrote the first version of the Southern Manifesto, announcing southern disagreement with the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which ruled that public school segregation was unconstitutional.  In an unsuccessful attempt to derail passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, Thurmond made the longest filibuster ever conducted by a single senator, speaking for a total of 24 hours and 18 minutes. 
    1906 – Otto Preminger (d. 1986) was born in Austria-Hungary, now Ukraine.  Preminger was a renowned theatre and film director.  After moving to Hollywood, he directed over 35 films. He first gained attention for “Laura” (1944) and “Fallen Angel” (1945) while in the 1950s and '60s, he directed a number of high-profile adaptations of popular novels and stage works. Several of these later films pushed the boundaries of censorship by dealing with topics which were then taboo in Hollywood, such as drugs (“The Man with the Golden Arm”, 1955), rape (“Anatomy of a Murder”, 1959) and homosexuality (“Advise and Consent”, 1962). He was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. He also had a few acting roles. 
    1908 – For the first time, numerals are used on football jerseys by the University of Pittsburgh.
    1912 - Marshall Royal’s (d. 1995) birthday into a musical family in Oklahoma.  He was lead altoist and band manager for Count Basie with whom he worked for 20 years. 
http://www.netstoreusa.com/mubooks/030/0304338362.shtml
    1916 - Sneakers with rubber soles and plain cloth uppers were sold from the early 1870s by Charles Goodyear of New York City, who de­veloped the vulcanized rubber shoe sole, and by many other footwear companies. The first brand of sneakers was Keds, introduced this day in 1916 by the United States Rubber Company, the successor to Goodyear's shoe company. The first Keds had black soles and high-top brown canvas uppers, mimicking leather shoes. The name was a combination of “kids” and ”ped,”the Latin word for “foot.”
    1920 -  Kay Davis was born Katherine McDonald Wimp (d. 2012) in Evanston, IL.   She was with Duke Ellington in the 1940's and she is best known for her wordless vocals in pieces such as "Transblucency" and "On a Turquoise Cloud". She also sang many pieces with lyrics. She is the only person Ellington allowed to reprise Adelaide Hall’s famous wordless vocal on "Creole Love Call." Her tenure in Ellington's band coincided with their increasing exposure on film.  http://www.parabrisas.com/d_davisk.html
    1920 – Prior to the formation of the NFL, a championship game between Akron and Buffalo ended in a scoreless tie and no winner was declared.
    1929 - Three men organized the American League for Physical Culture in New York City, the first nudist organization.
http://www.bareworks.com/history.htm
    1932 – Scientist Albert Einstein is granted a visa to visit the US.
    1933 - Prohibition ended with the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment, as the Twenty-First Amendment was ratified. When Utah voted for the 21st Amendment the vote reached the 75% of the states required to amend the constitution.  Actually during this period, hospital and other records of alcoholism went down. There were considerably less accidents and deaths caused by drunk driving, and crime was more related to “lack of money” and the Depression than drinking. The law did not allow the transportation or making of alcoholic drinks, but private clubs and many restaurants had a long supply (and were able to purchase without the federal or sales tax, actually at a lower cost when the government was regulating it.) The grape industry suffered; however, individuals were allowed to make up to 300 gallons a year, plus beer, which created many home wine and beer makers which you legally can do today.
    1934 - American educator Mary McLeod Bethune founds National Council of Negro Women.
http://www.nps.gov/mamc/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/dreamteam/marybethune.html
http://www.nahc.org/NAHC/Val/Columns/SC10-6.html
    1934 - Birthday of bass player Art Davis (d. 2007), Harrisburg, PA
http://www.artdavis.com/
    1934 - Birthday of Joan Didion in Sacramento, CA.   Her novels and essays explore the disintegration of American morals and cultural chaos, where the overriding theme is individual and social fragmentation. A sense of anxiety or dread permeates much of her work.   Best known for “The White Album” (1979), “A Book of Common Prayer” (1977) and “Play It as It Lays.”
    1935 - Birthday of early rock ’n’ roller “Little Richard” Penniman, singer, songwriter, at Macon, GA.  Penniman has been honored by many institutions, including inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Recording Academy and the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Penniman's "Tutti Frutti" (1955) was included in the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 2010, claiming the "unique vocalizing over the irresistible beat announced a new era in music."
http://www.history-of-rock.com/richard.htm
http://www.little-richard.com/
http://www.littlerichard.com/
    1936 - Bing Crosby took over as host of "The Kraft Music Hall." Jimmy Dorsey (who would later be host himself) led the Kraft Orchestra.
    1941 - Lexington, one of the two largest aircraft carriers employed by the United States during World War II, started its way across the Pacific in order to carry a squadron of dive bombers to defend Midway Island from an anticipated Japanese attack. Negotiations between the United States and Japan had been ongoing for months. Japan wanted an end to U.S. economic sanctions. The Americans wanted Japan out of China and Southeast Asia and Japan to repudiate the Tripartite "Axis" Pact with Germany and Italy before those sanctions could be lifted. Neither side was budging. President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull were anticipating a Japanese strike as retaliation-they just didn't know where. The Philippines, Wake Island, Midway Island-all were possibilities. American intelligence reports had sighted the Japanese fleet movement out from Formosa (Taiwan), apparently headed for Indochina. The U.S. State Department demanded from Japanese envoys explanations for the fleet movement across the South China Sea. The envoys claimed ignorance. Army intelligence reassured the president that, despite fears, Japan was most likely headed for Thailand not the United States. Lexingtonnever made it to Midway Island.  When it learned that the Japanese fleet had, in fact, attacked Pearl Harbor, it turned back without encountering a Japanese warship en route or deploying a single aircraft. By the time it reached Hawaii, it was December 13.
    1944 - McWHORTER, WILLIAM A., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company M, 126th Infantry, 32d Infantry Division. Place and date: Leyte, Philippine Islands, 5 December 1944. Entered service at: Liberty, S.C. Birth: Liberty, S.C. G.O. No.: 82, 27 September 1945. Citation: He displayed gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in operations against the enemy. Pfc. McWhorter, a machine gunner, was emplaced in a defensive position with 1 assistant when the enemy launched a heavy attack. Manning the gun and opening fire, he killed several members of an advancing demolition squad, when 1 of the enemy succeeded in throwing a fused demolition charge in the entrenchment. Without hesitation and with complete disregard for his own safety, Pfc. McWhorter picked up the improvised grenade and deliberately held it close to his body, bending over and turning away from his companion. The charge exploded, killing him instantly, but leaving his assistant unharmed. Pfc. McWhorter’s outstanding heroism and supreme sacrifice in shielding a comrade reflect the highest traditions of the military service.
    1946 - President Truman creates Committee on Civil Rights by Executive Order #9808
http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/pccr.htm
http://www.civilrights.org/
    1947 - Joe Louis beats Jersey Joe Walcott in 15 for heavyweight boxing title
http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/jlouis.htm
http://www.ibhof.com/walcott.htm
    1947 – Two-time Super Bowl champ with the Oakland Raiders and Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett was born in San Jose.  After a stellar collegiate career at Stanford where he won the Heisman Trophy, he was the #1 draft pick of the woeful and then Boston Patriots.  The combination of injuries and a leaky offensive line diminished his role and in 1978, he was picked up by the Oakland raiders after two miserable seasons with the 49ers.  At age 33, after QB Dan Pastorini broke his leg, Plunkett led the team to a Super Bowl victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, then repeated it in 1983 over the Washington Redskins.  Plunkett is the only two-time Super Bowl winning QB not currently playing who is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
    1948 - The first church service in sign language for the hearing impaired was broadcast from St. Matthew's Lutheran Church for the Deaf in Jamaica, Long Island. WPIX-TV, Channel 11 in New York aired the telecast.
    1948 – The New York Giants’ QB, Chuckin’ Charley Conerly established an NFL record with 36 consecutive pass completions.
    1949 – Ezzard Charles defeated Jersey Joe Wolcott for the heavyweight boxing championship.
    1950 - Top Hits
“All My Love” - Patti Page
“A Bushel and a Peck” - Perry Como & Betty Hutton
“Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” - Gene Autry
“I'm Moving On” - Hank Snow
    1951 - The first push button-controlled garage opened in Washington, DC. A single attendant, without entering a car, could automatically park or return an auto in less than a minute.
    1951 – “Dragnet” debuted on TV.
    1951 – Shoeless Joe died in Greenville, SC.  Jackson’s .358 batting average is the third highest in Major League history.  Jackson played for three Major League teams during his 12-year career:  the Philadelphia A’s, Cleveland Naps, and the Chicago White Sox.  He is remembered for his performance on the field and for his alleged association with the 1919 White Sox who participated in a conspiracy to fix the World Series. As a result of Jackson's association with the scandal, MLB Commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, banned Jackson from playing after the 1920 season. Since then, Jackson's guilt has been disputed, and his expulsion from baseball during the prime of his career made him one of the game's legendary figures.
    1952 - “The Abbott and Costello Show” premiered on television. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello made 52 half-hour films for television incorporat­ing many of their best burlesque routines. The show ran for two seasons, until 1954. Costello was born at Paterson, NJ, Mar 6, 1906, and died at East Los Angeles, CA, Mar 3, 1959. In 1966, Hanna-Barbera Productions produced an animated cartoon based on the characters of Abbott and Costello. Abbott supplied his own voice while Stan Irwin imitated Costello. Bud Abbott was born at Asbury Park, NJ, Oct 2, 1895 and died at Woodland Hills, CA, Apr 24, 1974. Their celebrated routine, “Who's on First?” is a staple at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.
    1953 - A killer F4 tornado struck Vicksburg, MS, killing 38 and injuring 270. This was the last killer tornado of 1953, concluding one of the worst tornado years on record. Every corner of the nation east of the Rockies was hit by violent tornadoes. In no other years have violent tornadoes been so widespread
    1955 - Rosa Parks was arrested at Montgomery, Alabama on December 1 for refusing to give up her seat to a white man. This was following the Interstate Commerce Commission ban on integrated buses and bus stops, which Alabama and other states were ignoring. In support of Parks, and to protest the arrest, the black community of Montgomery organized a boycott of the bus system. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at first reluctant to have his church involved, listened to the calls of his parishioners and joined the boycott where the assemblage pushed him into the fore front. When I interviewed him as a newsman, he was “shy” at the time, he explained, and did not consider himself a leader, but “caught up in the movement.” The boycott lasted from December 5, 1955, to December 20, 1956, when the US Supreme Court ruling was implemented at Montgomery, integrating the public transportation system.
http://www.grandtimes.com/rosa.html
http://www.time.com/time/time100/heroes/profile/parks01.html
http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/beth-mar.htm
    1955 - The AFL-CIO was founded. The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organization joined together, following 20 years of rivalry, to become the nation's largest leading advocate for trade unions
    1956 - The Alan Freed-produced movie, “Rock Rock Rock,“ is released with Tuesday Weld lip-synching to Connie Francis' voice.
    1957 - New York City passed a Fair Housing Practices Law, the first city to legislate against racial or religious discrimination in housing.
    1958 - Top Hits
“To Know Him, is to Love Him” - The Teddy Bears
“One Night” - Elvis Presley
“Problems” - The Everly Brothers
“City Lights” - Ray Price
    1964 - RCA announces that "Elvis' Christmas Album" has sold over 800,000 copies since being released in 1957.
    1964 - Lorne Greene's "Ringo" hits #1
    1964 - The Beach Boys' “Beach Boys Concert” album hits #1
    1964 - The Zombies' "She's Not There" enters the pop charts
    1964 - The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" enters the pop charts
    1964 - The first Medal of Honor awarded in the Vietnam War was presented to Army Captain Roger Hugh Donlon of Saugerties, NY. He was wounded four times (stomach, leg, shoulder, and face) at Nam Dong, about 20 miles from the Laotian frontier. The award was the first since the Korean War, the first in a counterinsurgency effort, and the first to a solider with a friendly foreign force engaged in an armed conflict in which the United States was not at war, a “belligerent.” Now retired, Col. Roger resides in Leavenworth, Kansas with his lovely wife of more than 30 years, Norma. They have 4 sons and Roger has a daughter from a previous marriage. The Donlons have a number of grandchildren and spend their time traveling, giving motivational speeches, promoting Roger's book, "Beyond Nam Dong", and working with The Westmoreland Scholar Foundation, an educational foundation dedicated to fostering reconciliation between the American and Vietnamese people.  http://www.mishalov.com/Donlon.html; http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_living/vn_a_donlon.html
    1966 - Top Hits
“Winchester Cathedral” - The New Vaudeville Band
“Good Vibrations” - The Beach Boys
“Devil with a Blue Dress On” & “Good Golly Miss Molly” - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
“Somebody Like Me” - Eddy Arnold
    1967 - Baby doctor and writer Benjamin Spock along with Poet Allen Ginsberg and others arrested protesting Vietnam war.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/junkie/links/spock.htm
http://www.virtualology.com/virtualpubliclibrary/hallofeducation/Pedagogy/Benjamin-Spock.org/
    1969 - The four node ARPANET network is established.
    1972 - The Mormon Church officially excommunicates Sonia Johnson, founder of "Mormons for the ERA," for her efforts on behalf of the Equality Rights Amendment. She was fifth generation Mormon.
    1973 - Paul McCartney releases "Band on the Run" album.
    1973 – The Cubs’ 3B Ron Santo became the first player to veto a trade involving him.
    1974 - The National Football League announces that it has voted membership to Seattle Professional Football, Inc., headed by Lloyd W. Nordstrom with partners Herman Sarkowsky, D.E. “Ned” Skinner, Howard S. Wright, M. Lamont Bean, and Lynn P. Himmelman.
http://www.seahawks.com/
    1974 - Top Hits
“I Can Help” - Billy Swan
“Kung Fu Fighting” - Carl Douglas
“When Will I See You Again” - The Three Degrees
“Back Home Again” - John Denver
    1975 - Fleetwood Mac's tenth album goes gold and will eventually reach platinum status. This is the first album by the regrouped band, including founders Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, veteran Christine McVie and newcomers Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. The album contains the tunes "Rhiannon," "Say You Love Me" and "Over My Head."
    1975 - "Gratitude," a double album by Earth, Wind and Fire becomes their fifth album to go gold.
    1978 – The Phillies won the free agent sweepstakes for Pete Rose, awarding Charlie Hustle a four-year, $32 million contract.  It paid off when they won the 1980 World Series.
    1981 - An explosively deepening ocean storm southeast of New England caught forecasters off guard and unloaded heavy snows over New England. Boston, MA was buried with 13.5 inches and parts of southeast Massachusetts and Rhode Island reported over 2 fee
    1982 - The Cowboys beat Washington 24-10 at RFK Stadium for the club's -- and Tom Landry's -- 200th regular-season victory.
    1982 - Top Hits
“Truly” - Lionel Richie
“Gloria” - Laura Branigan
“Mickey” - Toni Basil
“You and I” - Eddie Rabbitt with Crystal Gayle
    1984 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, at age 37, was the oldest player in the National Basketball Association. He decided to push those weary bones just one more year by signing with the Los Angeles Lakers for $2 million. Other NBA greats who played for 16 seasons include John Havlicek of Boston, Dolph Shayes of Philadelphia, Paul Silas of Seattle and Elvin Hayes of Houston.
    1984 - A heavy snow came to an end in Oklahoma. 10 inches fell at Skiatook, OK and 6.1 inches at Oklahoma City, OK
    1988 - "Kokomo" by the Beach Boys topped the charts and stayed there for a week.
    1988 - Televangelist Jim Bakker was charged by a federal grand jury with mail fraud and conspiracy to defraud the public through the sale of thousands of lifetime memberships to PTL theme park, Heritage U.S.A. Bakker was convicted the following year and sentenced to prison.
http://www.80s.com/Icons/Bios/james_orsen_jim_bakker.html
http://www.physics.unlv.edu/~farley/humor/K/bakker.htm
     1989 - A warm Pacific storm system brought high winds and heavy rain to western Washington and western Oregon. Up to ten inches of rain deluged the western slopes of the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington State over a three-day period, and 500 persons had to be evacuated due to flooding along the Skagit River. Up to five inches of rain drenched northwest Oregon, and winds gusted to 71 mph at Netarts.
    1990 - Top Hits
“I'm Your Baby Tonight” - Whitney Houston
“Because I Love You (The Postman Song)” - Stevie B
“From a Distance” - Bette Midler
“Come Next Monday” - K.T. Oslin
    1991 - Charles Keating Jr (Lincoln Savings & Loan fraud), found guilty.  When Lincoln failed in 1989, it cost the federal government over $3 billion and about 23,000 customers were left with worthless bonds. His enterprises began to suffer financial problems and were investigated by federal regulators. His financial contributions to, and requests for regulatory intervention from five sitting U.S. senators led to those legislators being dubbed "the Keating Five." Keating was convicted in both federal and state courts of many counts of fraud, racketeering, and conspiracy. He served four and a half years in prison before those convictions were overturned in 1996. In 1999, he pleaded guilty to a more limited set of wire fraud and bankruptcy fraud counts, and was sentenced to the time he had already served.  He died in March, 2014.
    1991 – The New York Daily News filed for Chapter XI protection.
    1992 - The rappers known as Ice Cube hit it big as their "The Predator" became the #1 album in the U.S.
    1996 - The baseball players’ union executive board unanimously approved a new collective bargaining agreement, marking the end of the longest labor dispute in baseball history. The new agreement introduced a Luxury Tax, revenue sharing, inter league play, and several provisions designed to compel the future cooperation of owners and players.   
     1997 - The sleeper hit "Good Will Hunting" was released in United States theaters. The film made stars of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who co-wrote and starred in the film. The duo, close boyhood friends, received a writing Oscar for their screenplay.
    1998 - James P. Hoffa, Jr. won the Teamsters presidency after challenger Tom Leedham conceded defeat in the union's presidential election. Leedham said it was difficult to compete against Hoffa's name recognition, financing and more than four years of campaigning for the top post of the largest private sector union in the U.S. There are some that say “Junior” was one of those involved in the disappearance of his father, probably part of the cement structure holding up a bridge or building.
    1998 - R. Kelly & Celine Dion were number one in the U.S with their single, "I'm Your Angel."
    2001 – NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani announces he wants to complete new stadium deals for the Mets and Yankees before he leaves office at the end of the month. Before the 9/11 attacks, which dramatically changed the city's financial stature, the mayor thought an arrangement in which the city, the state and the owners agreed to pay one-third of the cost of the new stadiums might complete the negotiations with the teams. A deal will be struck and the two new ballparks will both open in 2009.
    2002 - Elton John guest stars on NBC's “Will and Grace.”
    2003 - A major winter storm impacted parts of the Mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States during the 5th-7th. Snowfall accumulations of one to two feet were common across areas of Pennsylvania northward into New England. Boston, MA received 16.2 inches while Providence, RI had the greatest single snowstorm on record with 17 inches, beating the previous record of 12 inches set December 5-6, 1981. Boston's Logan International Airport was closed briefly on the 7th as heavy snowfall made regular airport operations impossible.
    2014 - NASA successfully tested its unmanned Orion spaceship for potential human flight over 3,500 miles from Earth.  Several years and more tests will be needed before the vessel is ready for human travel, potentially paving the way for manned trips to Mars.