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When Elvis Helped to Conquer Polio
After a deadly mistake sapped public confidence in inoculations

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

Sorry for No Friday News Edition
Stories Included in Today's News Edition

Last Friday, Comcast Business Internet was down in our area, probably due to the storm which brought a lot of needed rain. We apologize for not publishing on Friday.

Following today's edition, the next edition will be this Wednesday, December 23; followed by Monday December 28, Wednesday, December 30.

Starting in 2021, news editions will be Tuesday January 5, Thursday January 7.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

- Editor

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Marlin Business Service Christmas Chutzpah
Bonuses to Key Executives

Form 8-K filing: Marlin Business Services Compensation Committee "approved grants of special one-time performance-based restricted stock units (the “Awards”) to the Company’s executive officers, including to each of the following named executive officers: Jeffrey A. Hilzinger, Chief Executive Officer; Michael R. Bogansky, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer; Louis E. Maslowe, Senior Vice President, Chief Risk Officer; and Gregory L. Sting, Senior Vice President, Chief Operations Officer."

Value of the Award

Jeffrey Hilzinger
Chief Executive Officer
$1,250,000

Michael R. Bogansky
Senior Vice President
Chief Financial Officer
$450,000

Louis E. Maslowe
Senior Vice President
Chief Risk Officer
$150,000

Gregory I. Sting
Senior Vice President
Chief Operations Officer
$150,000

The Form 8-K filing noted, "When valuing the Awards, the Compensation Committee noted the executive officers’ voluntary decision to take a temporary pay cut in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, and also acknowledged the negative impact the pandemic has had on each executive officer’s total realizable compensation, including as a result of the high likelihood that threshold financial performance metrics set forth in performance-based equity awards previously granted to certain executive officers will not be achieved."

December 14, 2020 Form 8-K filing (15 pages):
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/1214020_kfiling.pdf

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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Todd Anderson was promoted Financial Market Manager, CSC, Willington, Delaware. He is located in the Greate Chicago Area. He joined the firm December, 2010, as National Financial Account Executive; promoted December, 2018, Director of Financial Sales. Previously, he was District Manager, Midwest, De Lage Landen (August, 2007 - December, 2010); Senior Account Executive, Marlin Leasing (2005 - 2007). Education: Michigan State University. B.S. Economics and Marketing (1999 - 2002). Grand Haven High School. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ander620/

John Corona was hired as Business Development Specialist, North Star Leasing Company, Burlington, Vermont. Previously, he was Clinical Recruiter, Statacuity (August, 2020 - December, 2020). He joined Marlin Capital Solutions, April, 2017, Business Development Manager; promoted March, 2019, Senior Business Development Manager. He began his career at Direct Capital Corporation, joining June, 2014, Business Development Representative; promoted December, 2014, Program Manager; promoted May, 2015, Lending Solutions Manager. Education: University of New Hampshire. Whittemore School of Business and Economics. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Economics (2010 - 2014). Activities and Societies: University of New Hampshire, Cross Country and Track Teams.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-corona-29051589/

Gerald R. Donaldson was hired as Account Executive, Partners Capital Group, Santa Ana, California. Previously, he was Sales and Marketing Specialist, Farmers Insurance (February, 2019 - May, 2020); Senior Account Manager with Culver Capital Group, Orange County, California. Previously, he was National Accounts Manager, First National Capital Corporation (April 2012 – September 2013); National Accounts Manager, Transcepta LLC (April 2008 - March 2012); Area Sales Manager, Simple Technologies (January 1998 – June 2005). Education: Long Beach City College. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerald-r-donaldson-62481720/

Chris Fowler was hired as Vice President, Business Development, Wintrust Specialty Finance, Irvine, California. He is located in the Dayton Metropolitan Area. Previously, he was at Key Equipment Finance, starting April, 2005 as Vice President, Equipment Financing & Leasing; promoted November, 2016, Vice President, Business Development, Industrial Segment; Senior Sales Executive, Pitney Bowes (February, 1991 - April, 2006. Volunteer. Mark Kreusch Memorial Fund of the Dayton Foundation. Coaching, Youth Baseball & Soccer. Education: Miami University. Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Marketing with concentration in Finance. University of Dayton, Graduate School. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-fowler-16915b26/

Clark Landers was hired as Technology Finance, Cisco Systems, Omaha, Nebraska. Previously, he was Director of Financial Solutions, Sirius Computer Solutions, Inc. (June, 2006 - August, 2020). He joined Cisco 1998 as Regional Manager, promoted 2001 as Regional Finance Manager. Education: University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Finance, General.
Activities and Societies: Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, Innocents Society. BS in Business Administration and Finance.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/clark-landers/

Michael O'Brien was hired as Vice President of Sales & Business Development to launch an ISO Division at Channel Partners Capital, He is located in Los Angeles. Previously he was at CAN Capital, starting September, 2014, as Area Sales and Business Development Manager; promoted December, 2017, Director of Sales & Business Development. Prior, he was at Veterans Financial, Inc., starting March, 2009, Assistant Director of Financial Services; promoted March, 2011, Senior Director of Sales; MBA Program, Special Coordinator, Drexel University (March, 2008 - March, 2009). Education: Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Marketing, Finance & Legal Studies (2005 - 2009). Activities and Societies: Lambda Chi Alpha, Drexel Marketing Association.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-o-brien-09427213/

Anthony Olivo was hired as Healthcare Equipment Finance Partner, Dext Capital, Portland, Oregon. He is located in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Previously, he was Vice President of Sales, Partners Capital Group (August, 2020 - December, 2020); Senior Business Development Manager, Healthcare National Accounts, Marlin Capital Solutions (April, 2017 - July, 2020); Manager, Legal Workout, Canon Financial Services, Inc. (February, 2016 - April, 2017); Director of Operations, MRS BPO, LLC. (June, 2008 - February, 2016). https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-olivo-5b572a71/

Albert Royale was hired as EFD Business Development Officer, First Foundation Bank, Irvine, California. "He will be responsible for recruiting, growing and servicing our Third Party Originator funding partner relationships, the primary growth engine for EFD while also helping to service the equipment finance and leasing needs of our bank customers and prospects." Previously, he was Vice President, Lion Technology Finance (September, 2010 - November, 2020): Sales and Marketing/Operations Manager, Global Finance Group, Inc. (February, 2007 - August, 2019). He began his career at Celtic Commercial Finance, a division of Fifth Third Bank, as Senior Account Executive in August, 2004; promoted November, 2006, Senior Account Manager. Education: University of California, Riverside. Bachelor of Science (BS), Business Administration and Management, General. https://www.linkedin.com/in/albert-royale-498281201/

Jennifer Vanderveen was hired as Vice President of Sales, Ascentium Capital, Kingwood, Texas. She is located in Orange County, California. Previously, she was SVP, Vendor and Banking Relations, Alliance Capital (June, 2020 - December, 2020); Vice President, Originations, LendSpark (February, 2019 - June, 2020); Business Development Manager, Western Territory, Engs Commercial Finance Co. (August, 2017 - February, 2019); Vice President, Construction, LendSpark Business Financing (January, 2017 - August, 2017); Assistant Vice President, Alliance Funding Group (November, 2015 - January, 2017); Vice President, Sales, Nations Equipment Finance (March, 2104 - September, 2015); Vice President, Vendor Programs, STRADA Capital Corporation (August, 2013 – March, 2014); Senior Finance Manager, AXIS Capital, Inc. (August, 2011 – August, 2013); Account Executive, Content Launch (May, 2011 – August, 2011); Founder, The Lions Share (December, 2008 – May, 2011); Founder, Bella Vida 9 (June, 2004 – October, 2008). Education: Full Sail University, Bachelor of Science, Internet Marketing (2010 – 2012). https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifervanderveen/

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Leasing Industry Help Wanted

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Unemployed—Lease Administration

Career Crossroads - Emily Fitzpatrick

Question:
Emily, I am unemployed. I was in a lease administration role before I was laid off. I am having a hard time finding a position in the Equipment Leasing Industry – what would you suggest?
Answer:
I am sorry to hear that you are having difficulty finding a new position … many are in the same predicament. Things seem to be picking up in the Leasing / Finance Industry, so hopefully you will be able to secure a new role soon.

While I am confident that you have skills that are transferable from industry to industry, do some research to determine in what other industries you may be interested.

Additionally, you may want to develop your resume towards those industries; each version should focus on your transferable skills. This will lead to a few versions of your resume, which is acceptable.
In the meantime, brush up on your skills, e.g. take some classes, especially both high school and junior college technology. Also, sign up for designations (CLFP) within the industry as this will make you more marketable. They have Academy sessions as well as mentors. (1)

Be open to consulting work or part-time opportunities which future employers will consider and admire.

Don’t forget to network with:
· Recruiters
· Staffing agencies (typically for consulting / temp work)
· Previous co-workers
· Previous managers

They may be aware of openings coming available.

I wish you luck and if you need more assistance, please feel free to contact me.

https://clfpfoundation.org/how-to-become-a-clfp/#Prerequisites

Emily Fitzpatrick
Sr. Recruiter
Recruiters International, Inc.
Phone: 954-885-9241
Cell: 954-612-0567
emily@riirecruit.com
Invite me to connect on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/pub/emily-fitzpatrick/4/671/76
Also follow us on Twitter #RIIINFO

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

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Five Takeaways: e-Signatures and e-Leasing
in the COVID-19 World
Highlights from the Webinar

WASHINGTON, D.C., – Prior to COVID-19, adopting e-signatures and e-leasing was on the list of to-dos of many equipment finance companies, but it became a priority when the pandemic struck and a return to normalcy remained unclear. During the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s Dec. 2 webinar, “e-Signing and e-Leasing in the COVID-19 World: Taking it to the Next Level,” panelists provided updates on the progress the industry has made in adopting digital contracting.

The hour-long online session was presented by Stephen Bisbee, President of eOriginal; Bob Cohen, Partner of Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP; and Dominic Liberatore, Deputy General Counsel of DLL. All three speakers have participated in ELFA’s multi-year initiative to expand the use of electronic documents and e-chattel paper in equipment finance, and presented a previous ELFA webinar on the topic in May. The association has promoted adoption of these technologies via a variety of educational offerings and an ELFA Board of Directors Task Force on e-Leasing, and the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation has released a number of articles and studies on the topic.

Bisbee kicked off the webinar noting that COVID-19 has been a digital adoption accelerator due to its deep and dramatic impact on all aspects of our lives, including forcing people to work remotely and contactless in a fully digital transaction environment. Although the processes, tools and technologies were available in the pre-pandemic world, they were not as widely utilized.

As equipment finance companies settle into the post-COVID “new normal,” below are five highlights from the webinar.

1. The impact of COVID drove greater speed and efficacy in a variety of digital processes.
Pre-pandemic, digital adoption was driven primarily by customers who wanted to transact on their phone or computer the way they did with other transactions. Since social distancing, office closings and work from home were enacted, organizations quickly ramped up their digital capabilities. The mortgage industry conducted remote closings, the Small Business Administration issued billions of dollars in loans remotely in a matter of weeks, and auto loans that were typically executed in dealerships were done remotely. Remote online notary (RON) technology that was available but not widely adopted was authorized in 47 states and over 20 states are expected to pass permanent legislation for its use by the end of 2020.

2. The post-COVID business environment will remain remote and contactless.
Post-COVID, the panelists predicted that engagement with the customer—and with each other as business colleagues—will continue to be conducted remotely. Organizations are continuing to create remote and contactless back-office operations, which Bisbee noted is one of the more surprising developments in digital adoption. People will look for speed of processes with compliance a priority. Capital efficiency and cost reduction will continue to be side benefits, yet digital adoption will remain more of a pull.

3. Digital contracting continues to become the preferred way to contract.
In an auto industry survey, 94 percent of dealers preferred digital contracts and there has been a 97 percent increase in remote-signed contracts since the pandemic began. Emerging trends among customers and funders in the auto industry apply to other financial sectors as well. Areas of focus include: finding ways to work quickly and collaboratively to remove friction while executing a transaction, creating a better customer experience while engaging remotely, executing digital contracting and remote signing, and supporting online transactions.

4. Digital documents are enforceable under federal and state laws.
While e-signatures and e-leases are relatively new to the equipment finance industry, the laws governing them have been in effect for many years. The “granddaddy” of them all is the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN), a federal statute that applies to certain transactions, including equipment leases. It generally states that the mere absence of an ink signature in and of itself does not render the document unenforceable. ESIGN did not gain acceptance for some time but it made provisions for certain state laws to broaden the main purpose of ESIGN. The result of this broadening was the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA). UETA is a UCC Model Law that has been adopted by 48 U.S. states and enables the general legal enforceability of digital signatures and records. Another law, UCC Article 9-105, sets rules for electronic paper for non-real estate assets, and is the first law to apply “control” rather than possession for the priority of security interests.

5. E-signatures provide better protection for contract enforcement and risk management than ink signatures.
Cohen emphasized that electronic signatures are not documents physically signed by ink and faxed to a lender. E-signatures use a front-end vendor to authenticate the identity of the person who signed the document. This distinction is important because developments in technology present opportunities for fraud when using faxed or scanned documents such as copying or cutting-and-pasting signatures into photocopies of documents. A well designed e-signature platform, on the other hand, requires multi-factor authentication of the person signing the document which enables the verification of the person’s identity as well as his or her intent to enter the contract. Sending a password to a person’s phone to go online and create an account is one authentication process. Lexis/Nexis questions that ask about situations that are not current are another form of verifying a person’s identity. For example, questions such as have you ever lived at a certain address, which cannot be answered by an “out-of-the-wallet” test in case a person’s ID and credit cards have been stolen. Authentication processes provide an audit trail of touch points, including the computer IP address, that show numerous steps the borrower went through to enter the contract.

Despite coming vaccines it is speculated we won’t get back to “business as usual” any time soon. Liberatore noted that the way we’ve been working in the COVID remote world is here to stay, “It is transformational and it’s not just in the equipment finance world, it’s everywhere. It’s what all of our customers want and frankly also need…this will be the tipping point.”

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2021 Economic Outlook Forecasts 7.8% Expansion
in Equipment and Software Investment Growth
and 4.7% GDP Growth Despite Uneven Recovery

Washington, DC, – Equipment and software investment growth fared better than overall GDP growth in 2020 as businesses invested to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and growth should remain well into positive territory in the beginning of 2021. Annual equipment and software investment growth of 7.8 percent is forecast for 2021. Annual U.S. GDP growth for 2021 is forecast at 4.7 percent, according to the 2021 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook released today by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation.

Scott Thacker, CLFP, Foundation Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Ivory Consulting Corporation, said, “This update, while reflecting widely disparate performance in various segments of the economy, indicates the worst of the economic downturn appears to be in the rearview mirror — although that does not mean the road ahead is clear. Equipment and software investment surged to an annualized rate of 47 percent in Q3 after an unprecedented 28 percent decline in Q2. In Q3, investment levels in 11 of the 12 equipment verticals that the Foundation monitors improved and nine experienced double or triple-digit growth. Prospects of widely-distributed vaccines in 2021 should provide a boost to the economy, particularly in transportation-focused industries.”

Highlights from the 2021 Outlook include:
•   While equipment and software investment is forecast to grow 7.8 percent (annualized) in 2021, some industries will likely continue to struggle under the weight of the pandemic until a vaccine is widely available.
•   The U.S. economy expanded at an unprecedented 33.1 percent (revised) annualized rate in Q3 as the nation partially reopened. However, GDP is still well below its level at the end of 2019, underscoring the long road ahead to a full recovery.
•   The U.S. manufacturing sector recovery continued in late 2020. Shipments and new orders of core capital goods rose to record levels as firms in several industries responded to elevated demand. Though output is relatively close to pre-pandemic levels, manufacturing employment remains significantly depressed.
•   On Main Street, the fragile equilibrium of the late summer and early fall faces another serious threat this winter. Record COVID cases and deaths have forced several major cities to impose new lockdowns, and the effects are beginning to show. Small business revenues are falling while Main Street awaits the vaccine and another targeted federal relief effort.
•   The Federal Reserve remains committed to keeping interest rates at or near zero for several years. The Fed also intends to continue its liquidity-boosting measures, though its officials have stated that monetary policy alone is likely insufficient to prop up the U.S. economy.

The Foundation-Keybridge U.S. Equipment & Software Investment Momentum Monitor, which is released in conjunction with the Economic Outlook, tracks 12 equipment and software investment verticals. In addition, the Momentum Monitor Sector Matrix provides a customized data visualization of current values of each of the 12 verticals based on recent momentum and historical strength. Momentum readings are below the five-year average in six of 12 verticals, and all 12 verticals are accelerating. Over the next three to six months, year over year:
•   Agriculture machinery investment growth will accelerate.
•   Construction machinery investment growth should rebound.
•   Materials handling equipment investment should return to positive growth.
•   All other industrial equipment investment growth should experience a strong resurgence.
•   Medical equipment investment growth should continue to strengthen.
•   Mining and oilfield machinery investment growth should improve from current levels but may remain in negative territory.
•   Aircraft investment growth appears to have bottomed out earlier in the year and should improve, but is likely to remain in negative territory.
•   Ships and boats investment growth should turn positive.
•   Railroad equipment investment growth should strengthen.
•   Trucks investment growth appears likely to rebound after bottoming out in Q2
•   Computers investment growth should remain robust and may strengthen further.
•   Software investment growth should improve.

The full report of the Momentum Monitor is now available at
https://www.leasefoundation.org/industry-resources/momentum-monitor/

The Foundation produces the Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook report in partnership with economic and public policy consulting firm Keybridge Research. The annual economic forecast provides the U.S. macroeconomic outlook, credit market conditions, and key economic indicators. The report will be updated quarterly throughout 2021.

2021 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook
(18 pages)
https://www.store.leasefoundation.org/cvweb/Portals/ELFA-LEASE/Documents/Products/ELFFEconomicOutlook2021Annual.pdf

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Signature Bank Completes $730 Million
Preferred Stock Offering

NEW YORK---- Signature Bank (Nasdaq: SBNY), a New York-based full service commercial bank, announced today the completion of its underwritten public offering of 29.2 million depositary shares, each representing a 1/40th interest in a share of 5.000% Noncumulative Perpetual Series A Preferred Stock, at a public offering price of $25.00 per depositary share. The depositary shares sold in the offering included 1.2 million depositary shares sold pursuant to the underwriters’ option to purchase additional depositary shares to cover over-allotments.

The net proceeds to Signature Bank from the offering were approximately $708 million, after the deduction of offering expenses. The Bank intends to use the proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, BofA Securities, Inc., Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., UBS Securities LLC and Piper Sandler & Co. acted as the underwriters in the offering.

About Signature Bank

Signature Bank (Nasdaq: SBNY), member FDIC, is a New York-based, full-service commercial bank with 36 private client offices throughout the metropolitan New York area, including those in Connecticut as well as California and North Carolina. Through its single-point-of-contact approach, the Bank’s private client banking teams primarily serve the needs of privately owned businesses, their owners and senior managers.

The Bank has two wholly owned subsidiaries: Signature Financial, LLC, provides equipment finance and leasing; and, Signature Securities Group Corporation, a licensed broker-dealer, investment adviser and member FINRA/SIPC, offers investment, brokerage, asset management and insurance products and services.

Since commencing operations in May 2001, Signature Bank, with $63.7 billion in assets, is one of the top 40 largest banks in the U.S., based on deposits (S&P Global Market Intelligence). Deposits as of September 30, 2020 reached $54.3 billion.

Signature Bank was the first FDIC-insured bank to launch a blockchain-based digital payments platform. Signet™ allows commercial clients to make real-time payments in U.S. dollars, 24/7/365 and was also the first solution to be approved for use by the NYS Department of Financial Services.

For more information, please visit https://www.signatureny.com/.

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This Day in History

    1620 - According to Governor William Bradford’s “History of Plymouth Plantation,” the Pilgrims, aboard the Mayflower, reached Plymouth, MA, “sounded ye harbor, and founde fill for shipping; and marched into ye land, & founde diverse cornfields, and ye best they could find, and yea season & their presente necessitie made them glad to accepte of it.... And after wards tooke better view of ye place, and resolved wher to pitch their dwelling; and them and their goods.” Plymouth Rock, the legendary place of landing since it first was “identified” in 1769, nearly 150 years after the landing, has been a historic shrine since. Contrary to common belief, the Pilgrims tried several locations first, including Provincetown Harbor, Mass, where the first social contract for a New England colony was drafted and signed by 41 adult males. The Pilgrims did not settle there but went on after a time to Plymouth. Physician Dr. Samuel Fuller was on board, in fact one of the signers of the Mayflower Compact. For some time, he was the sole physician in Massachusetts. In a letter dated June 28, 1630, written at Salem, MA, to Governor William Bradford of Plymouth, he described one of the customary treatments, in which he “let some twenty of these people blood.”
    1790 - Samuel Slater's thread-spinning factory goes into production, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, beginning the Industrial Revolution in America. The workers at his machines are 4 to 10 years old.
http://www.woonsocket.org/slaterhist.htm
http://john.ourjourneys.org/slater/early.html
http://inventors.about.com/cs/inventorsalphabet/a/textile_2.htm
    1826 - American settlers in Nacoqdoches in Mexican Texas declared their independence, starting what is known as the Fredonian Rebellion. The first attempt by Anglo settlers in Texas to secede from Mexico, the settlers, led by Empresario Haden Edwards, declared independence and created the Republic of Fredonia near Nacoqdoches. The short-lived republic encompassed the land the Mexican government had granted to Edwards in 1825 and included areas that had been previously settled. Fearing that through the rebellion, the United States hoped to gain control of Texas, the Mexican government severely curtailed immigration to the region from the US. The new immigration law was bitterly opposed by colonists and caused increasing dissatisfaction with Mexican rule. Some historians consider the Fredonian Rebellion to be the beginning of the Texas Revolution. In the words of one historian, the rebellion was "premature, but it sparked the powder for later success."
    1829 - Birthday of Laura Dewey Bridgman (d. 1889), Hanover, NH. Struck deaf and blind at two, she was the first blind-deaf mute to be taught successfully. She eventually helped teach others with disabilities. She learned to read through a Braille-like system and "spoke" through tapping out an "alphabet." as taught her by Samuel Gridley Howe at the Perkins Institute for the Blind, Boston. Howe's methods of teaching her are still being studied today and his journals as well as Bridgman's are carefully read for their insight and aid for teaching all those with disabilities. The records kept by Howe and by Bridgman's teachers are invaluable to modern researchers investigating the education of the disabled, as they are the first detailed records of the education of a deaf-blind person." She lived her entire life at Perkins, dying at age 60.
http://library.pittstate.edu/spcoll/ndxbridgman.html
http://library.pittstate.edu/spcoll/bridgman1.html
http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc0.asp?DOCID=1P1
:30431105&num=3&ctrlInfo=
Round9c%3AProd1%3ASR%3AResult&ao=
    1830 - Birthday of early American author Mary Virginia Hawest Terhune (d. 1922), Amelia County, VA. Her novels often centered around southern plantation life. Her first novel, “Alone” (1854), sold more than 100,000 copies. She also wrote advice books and popular biographies. She wrote syndicated columns on women's affairs for the Philadelphia North American (1900-10) and the Chicago Tribune (1911-17).
http://www3.telus.net/womenswork/mary_virginia_terhune.htm
http://mn.essortment.com/maryvirginiate_rapi.htm
http://web.ask.com/searchcp?q=Mary+Virginia+Terhune&t=Mary+Vir
ginia+Terhune&cache=
00*2s45u99erpnnw&url=
http://www.math.ttu.edu/~wlewis/family.htm&page=&ws=1
    1850 - Celia, a black slave is hung for killing her master. Her tragic story and the underlying cruelty and the societal-approved prerogative of the male to sexually satisfy himself with his property - slave or wife - was told in Meltan A. McLaurin's historically accurate book “Celia, A Slave,” New York: Avon Books, 1991. Robert Newsom, a widower, bought Celia when she was about 14, raping her for the first time on the way back to his Missouri plantation. He set her up in a cabin behind the main house and, in time, she bore two children. As the trial transcripts relate, in trying to resist her master's advances, she killed him with a stick. White women rallied to her side claiming that women had a right to resist rape whether they were slaves or not. Not surprising in the all-male judicial system, the male prerogative and the right of ownership prevailed in court. All appeals failed and she was hanged for murder. McLaurin's book attracted a great deal of interest when it was first published because it was the first time anyone had attempted to reconstruct the life of an "ordinary" slave, a woman at that. All the real facts that are known about Celia are taken from the transcripts of her trial. At about 19, she began developing a mind of her own and became involved with another slave, George.
http://www.click2famoustrials.com/celia/celia.htm
http://www.jacksonvillestory.com/Celia%27s%20Sad%20Fate.htm
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=4641
14&sourceid=1500000000000001827190&dest=9999999997
    1864 - Sherman takes Savannah. Despite efforts by Confederate General William Hardee to defend the city of Savannah, GA, Confederate troops were forced to pull out of the city, and Union forces under William Tecumseh Sherman captured the town. By marching from Atlanta to the coast at Savannah, Sherman had cut the lower South off from the center. Contrary to Southern belief on history, it was the Confederate troops who, upon leaving the city, began the fires so Union troops would not food or supplies or goods held in stores or warehouses in the city. They also burned farms on their journey to cut supplies from Union troops.
    1892 - Walter Charles Hagen (d. 1969), golfer born at Rochester, NY. Hagen won two US Opens, four British Opens and five PGA Championships. He was extraordinary in match play, including the Ryder Cup, because he was a master scrambler and absolutely unflappable. He was also a colorful showman who brought the game to the masses and helped to increase prize money.
    1892 - Portland, OR, was buried under a record 27.5 inches of snow.
    1903 – American detective writer Lawrence Treat was born Lawrence Arthur Goldstone (d. 1998), NYC. Often called the "father" of modern police procedural novel.
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/treat.htm
    1909 - Barney Ross, boxer born Barnet David Rosofsky (d. 1967) at New York, NY. Ross was the first boxer to hold two titles simultaneously. He won the lightweight crown in 1932 and the welterweight crown in 1934. He also won a Silver Star during World War II as a Marine.
    1909 - Although called introductory high schools, the McKinley and Washington schools of Berkeley, California, were the first authorized junior-high schools in the United States. They taught grades 7, 8 and 9.
    1912 - Joshua (Josh) Gibson (d. 1947), Baseball Hall of Fame catcher born at Buena Vista, GA. Gibson is regarded as the greatest slugger to play in the Negro Leagues and perhaps the greatest ballplayer ever. Gibson starred with the Pittsburgh Crawfords. His long home runs are the stuff of legend. In 60 recorded at bats against big league pitching, Gibson batted .426. He died at 35 years old just three months before the integration of baseball in the Major Leagues. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
http://www.blackbaseball.com/gibsonjo.html
    1913 - The first crossword puzzle was compiled by Arthur Wynne and published in a supplement of New York World. He basically redesigned a Victorian-era game called The Magic Square as a feature for the Pulitzer newspaper.
    1914 - Marie Dressler, Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand and Mack Swain appeared in the first feature-length comedy that was six reels long. Mack Sennett directed the film called, "Tillie's Punctured Romance."
    1929 - The first hospital insurance group plan was effected by Baylor University Hospital, Dallas, Texas. The plan was inaugurated by Dr. Justin Ford Kimball, executive vice president of Baylor University. The first group insured were the Dallas public school teachers, who paid 50 cents per month for 21 days of hospital treatment.
    1929 - An exceptional snowstorm swept across the southern Plains through Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. 26 inches fell at Hillsboro, TX and 18 inches fell at El Dorado, AR.
    1937 – “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was exhibited in Los Angeles, CA. It was an instant hit. Disney took a tremendous gamble with this 3-year artistic venture, as fantasies usually did not fare well at the box office. He had much of his own money tied up in the film and “Snow White” had the potential of financially ruining him. The film was originally budgeted for $250,000 but ended up costing $1,480,000. The film utilized the talents of 570 artists and contained 250,000 drawings. Would adults sit through a cartoon that ran nearly an hour and a half? The pre-release fears were unfounded. The public and most critics were enchanted and impressed with Disney's painstakingly crafted fairy tale. Never before had anyone so successfully produced a full-length animation film and it was quickly dubbed into 10 languages. In England, children under 16 were not allowed to see the film unless accompanied by an adult and it was under partial ban in South Africa and the Netherlands. The film ran for 5 weeks at New York's Radio City Music Hall and for 31 weeks in Paris. “Snow White” set new attendance records around the world, marking the dawn of a new age in animation. It became the first movie to earn $1 billion. In its nine theatrical releases, it earned approximately $1 billion in 1994 US Dollars. The home video version of “Snow White” was officially released on October 28, 1994, after receiving about 27 million retail orders, making it the top-selling video up to that time.
    1937 - Birthday of Jane Fonda, NYC, considered a controversial figure because she visited Hanoi during the Viet Nam war. She won Academy Awards for her work in “Klute” (1971) and “Coming Home” (1978) and she was nominated three more times. She won the Emmy for “The Dollmaker” (1984). One of the nation's most distinguished actors, she may never be fully honored because of her anti-war activities during the Viet Nam war. She went to Hanoi and through radio broadcast begged America to stop the bombing. She has been called Hanoi Jane ever since by the right wing extremists who distorted her message and purpose. Her workout books and videos became very popular in the 1980s. She dropped out of films when she married Ted Turner, the TV mogul, in 1991 (divorced in 2001). In 1994, she narrated “A Century of Women,” a TV series that celebrated women's achievements in the 20th century.
    1938 - Cootie Williams's Rug Cutters record “Delta Mood.”
    1940 - Rock singer and composer Frank Zappa (d. 1993) was born in Baltimore. The oldest of four children, Zappa and his family moved to California while he was still in his teens. After graduation in 1958, he played with various lounge bands and began composing songs, one of which, "Memories of El Monte," was recorded by the Penguins of "Earth Angel" fame. In 1964, Zappa took over a rhythm-and-blues band called the Soul Giants and turned them into the Mothers of Invention. Their irreverent blend of satire and rock 'n' roll was featured on half a dozen albums in the '60s. Zappa began a solo career in the '70s, and made a surrealistic film of rock 'n' roll life called "200 Motels." All told, he released more than 50 albums, including "Jazz from Hell," which won a Grammy Award for best rock instrumental in 1988.
    1942 - Soul singer Carla Thomas was born in Memphis, the daughter of veteran performer Rufus Thomas. She was the first Memphis soul artist to have a national pop hit, "Gee Whiz" in 1961. The success of that disc led to the formation of the Stax Records Company. Thomas had another pop hit in 1966 with "BABY," and the following year recorded two duets with Otis Redding, "Tramp" and "Knock on Wood," both of which made the Billboard Top 30.
    1943 - Birthday of guitar player Walter “Wolfman” Washington, New Orleans, LA
http://www.xtrememusician.com/info/artists/profiles/2659.html
http://www.offbeat.com/text/wolfman.html
http://walterwashington.com/index1.html
    1944 - CURREY, FRANCIS S., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company K, 120th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division. Place and date: Malmedy, Belgium, 21 December 1944. Entered service at: Hurleyville, N.Y. Birth: Loch Sheldrake, N.Y. G.O. No.: 69, 17 August 1945. Citation: He was an automatic rifleman with the 3d Platoon defending a strong point near Malmedy, Belgium, on 21 December 1944, when the enemy launched a powerful attack. Overrunning tank destroyers and antitank guns located near the strong point, German tanks advanced to the 3d Platoon's position, and, after prolonged fighting, forced the withdrawal of this group to a nearby factory. Sgt. Currey found a bazooka in the building and crossed the street to secure rockets meanwhile enduring intense fire from enemy tanks and hostile infantrymen who had taken up a position at a house a short distance away. In the face of small-arms, machinegun, and artillery fire, he, with a companion, knocked out a tank with 1 shot. Moving to another position, he observed 3 Germans in the doorway of an enemy-held house. He killed or wounded all 3 with his automatic rifle. He emerged from cover and advanced alone to within 50 yards of the house, intent on wrecking it with rockets. Covered by friendly fire, he stood erect, and fired a shot which knocked down half of 1 wall. While in this forward position, he observed 5 Americans who had been pinned down for hours by fire from the house and 3 tanks. Realizing that they could not escape until the enemy tank and infantry guns had been silenced, Sgt. Currey crossed the street to a vehicle, where he procured an armful of antitank grenades. These he launched while under heavy enemy fire, driving the tank men from the vehicles into the house. He then climbed onto a half-track in full view of the Germans and fired a machinegun at the house. Once again changing his position, he manned another machinegun whose crew had been killed; under his covering fire the 5 soldiers were able to retire to safety. Deprived of tanks and with heavy infantry casualties, the enemy was forced to withdraw. Through his extensive knowledge of weapons and by his heroic and repeated braving of murderous enemy fire, Sgt. Currey was greatly responsible for inflicting heavy losses in men and material on the enemy, for rescuing 5 comrades, 2 of whom were wounded, and for stemming an attack which threatened to flank his battalion's position.
    1945 - BENJAMIN, GEORGE, JR., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company A, 306th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. Place and date: Leyte, Philippine Islands, 21 December 1944. Entered service at: Carney's Point, N.J. Birth: Philadelphia, Pa. G.O. No.: 49, 28 June 1945. Citation: He was a radio operator, advancing in the rear of his company as it engaged a well-defended Japanese strong point holding up the progress of the entire battalion. When a rifle platoon supporting a light tank hesitated in its advance, he voluntarily and with utter disregard for personal safety left his comparatively secure position and ran across bullet-whipped terrain to the tank, waving and shouting to the men of the platoon to follow. Carrying his bulky radio and armed only with a pistol, he fearlessly penetrated intense machinegun and rifle fire to the enemy position, where he killed 1 of the enemy in a foxhole and moved on to annihilate the crew of a light machinegun. Heedless of the terrific fire now concentrated on him, he continued to spearhead the assault, killing 2 more of the enemy and exhorting the other men to advance, until he fell mortally wounded. After being evacuated to an aid station, his first thought was still of the American advance. Overcoming great pain he called for the battalion operations officer to report the location of enemy weapons and valuable tactical information he had secured in his heroic charge. The unwavering courage, the unswerving devotion to the task at hand, the aggressive leadership of Pfc. Benjamin were a source of great and lasting inspiration to his comrades and were to a great extent responsible for the success of the battalion's mission.
    1945 - The FCC assigned television channels to several licensees, including CBS and NBC in New York City and Radio Corp. of America in Camden, New Jersey.
    1946 - Louis Jordan's single, "Let the Good Times Roll," debuted on the Rhythm and Blues charts.
(Lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec21.html )
    1946 - Guitarist Carl Wilson (d. 1998) of the Beach Boys was born in Hawthorne, California. The three Wilson brothers - the others were Dennis and Brian - formed a group called Carl and the Passions with Mike Love and Al Jardine in 1961. The band's name was changed to the Beach Boys to take advantage of the surfing craze in southern California. Among their surfing hits for the Capitol label - "Surfin USA," "Surfer Girl" and "I Get Around." The Beach Boys turned in a more experimental direction in 1966, recording "Good Vibrations," a number-one song that took six months to produce and was at the time the most expensive single ever made. The Beach Boys continue to perform, primarily as a nostalgia act.
    1947 - Metronome All-Stars record “Metronome Riff.”
    1950 - Top Hits
“Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” - Gene Autry
“White Christmas” - Bing Crosby
“Nevertheless” - Jack Denny
“If You've Got the Money Honey I've Got the Time” - Lefty Frizzell
    1954 - Chris Evert was born in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. An all-time tennis champion, she had 125 consecutive clay-court victories and has been called the world's best clay-court woman player of all time. She was ranked the world's best player 1974 to 1978 and in 1980 and 81. She was the U.S. singles champion 1975-78, 80, 82; Wimbledon champion 1974, 76, and 81, and won at least one Grand Slam singles title for 13 consecutive years. Between 1973 and 1979 Evert won a record 125 consecutive clay-court matches, and won the French Open on clay a record seven times.
    1958 - Top Hits
“The Chipmunk Song” - The Chipmunks
“Problems” - The Everly Brothers
“One Night” - Elvis Presley
“City Lights” - Ray Price
    1960 - Elvis Presley was inducted into the Los Angeles Indian Tribal Council on the day his movie “Flaming Star” opened.
    1961 - One of Rock and Roll's strangest oddities happened when "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," by Marvin Gaye, hit number one on the Cash Box music chart. The same song was also a number one hit for Gladys Knight and The Pips exactly one year earlier. The tune would also turn up on the chart by Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1976.
    1964 - A great warm surge from the Pacific Ocean across Oregon and northern California brought torrential rains on a deep snow cover resulting in record floods.
    1965 - An overflow crowd of 76,251 jams the Cotton Bowl, giving Dallas its first home sellout. The Browns beat the Cowboys 24-17.
http://images.nfl.com/history/images/1121.jpg
    1966 - The Beach Boys receive three gold-record citations for the single "Good Vibrations," which hit Number One eleven days ago and the albums "Little Deuce Coupe" and "Shut Down, Vol. 2."
    1966 - Top Hits
“Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron” - The Royal Guardsmen
“Winchester Cathedral” - The New Vaudeville Band
“That's Life” - Frank Sinatra
“Somebody Like Me” - Eddy Arnold
    1967 - SMEDLEY, LARRY E., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company D, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, 21 December 1967. Entered service at: Orlando, Fla. Born: 4 March 1949, Front Royal, Va. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a squad leader with company D, in connection with operations against the enemy. On the evenings of 20-21 December 1967, Cpl. Smedley led his 6-man squad to an ambush site at the mouth of Happy Valley, near Phouc Ninh (2) in Quang Nam Province. Later that night an estimated 100 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army regulars, carrying 122mm rocket launchers and mortars, were observed moving toward Hill 41. Realizing this was a significant enemy move to launch an attack on the vital Danang complex, Cpl. Smedley immediately took sound and courageous action to stop the enemy threat. After he radioed for a reaction force, he skillfully maneuvered his men to a more advantageous position and led an attack on the numerically superior enemy force. A heavy volume of fire from an enemy machinegun positioned on the left flank of the squad inflicted several casualties on Cpl. Smedley's unit. Simultaneously, an enemy rifle grenade exploded nearby, wounding him in the right foot and knocking him to the ground. Cpl. Smedley disregarded this serious injury and valiantly struggled to his feet, shouting words of encouragement to his men. He fearlessly led a charge against the enemy machinegun emplacement, firing his rifle and throwing grenades, until he was again struck by enemy fire and knocked to the ground. Gravely wounded and weak from loss of blood, he rose and commenced a l-man assault against the enemy position. Although his aggressive and singlehanded attack resulted in the destruction of the machinegun, he was struck in the chest by enemy fire and fell mortally wounded. Cpl. Smedley's inspiring and courageous actions, bold initiative, and selfless devotion to duty in the face of certain death were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
    1968 - The first Astronauts to orbit the moon were Colonel Frank Borman, Captain James Arthur Lovell, Jr., and Major William Alison Anders, who made 10 lunar orbits in Apollo 8, launched by a three-stage Saturn 5 rocked from Cape Canaveral, FL, at 7:51am. The spacecraft reentered the atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean 147 hours 11 seconds later.
    1968 - David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash performed together for the first time at a concert in California. Nash had announced his departure from the Hollies earlier in the month, while Crosby had played with the Byrds and Stills with Buffalo Springfield. Another former member of Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young, joined Crosby, Stills and Nash in 1969.
    1968 - Janis Joplin made her first appearance after leaving Big Brother and the Holding Company. Joplin performed in Memphis at the "Yuletide Thing" event sponsored by the Stax-Volt record labels. Also on the bill were such leading Stax acts as the Bar-Kays, Booker T. and the M-G's, and Rufus and Carla Thomas.
    1969 - Diana Ross and the Supremes make their final television appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, singing "Someday We'll Be Together," which would be the last of their 12 number one singles.
    1970 - Elvis Presley met US President Richard Nixon in the Oval Office at the White House. They posed for a photo that Nixon aides hoped would boost the president's image with America's youth. All the singer wanted was a Drug Enforcement Agency badge for his collection. Presley, according to most accounts high on pills at the time, lectured Nixon on the evils of drugs, the Beatles, hippies and communists. Nixon had Presley shown the door as soon as he'd presented him with the badge and made him an honorary federal agent.
    1974 - Top Hits
“Cat's in the Cradle” - Harry Chapin
“Angie Baby” - Helen Reddy
“You're the First, the Last, My Everything” - Barry White
“I Can Help” - Billy Swan
    1974 - Harry Chapin enjoys his only number one single with "Cat's In The Cradle." The song's theme about a distant father and son relationship was suggested to Harry by his wife, after he expressed disappointment about being on tour instead of attending his son's birth.
    1979 - The Eagles, Chicago and Linda Ronstadt perform at a benefit show for the presidential campaign for California governor Jerry Brown, who also happens to be Ronstadt's boyfriend. The show at the San Diego Sports Arena is followed-up by a similar show at the Aladdin Theater in Las Vegas. The two shows bring in over $450,000.
    1979 - Willie Nelson's movie debut, "The Electric Horseman," which also starred Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, opened in North American theatres.
    1979 - Frank Zappa's "Baby Snakes" premiered on Zappa's 39th birthday. The film combined concert footage, backstage antics and animated clay figures.
    1982 - Top Hits
“Maneater” - Daryl Hall & John Oates
“The Girl is Mine” - Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney
“Steppin' Out” - Joe Jackson
“Somewhere Between Right and Wrong” - Earl Thomas Conley
    1985 - Bruce Springsteen's album, "Born in the USA," surpassed Michael Jackson's "Thriller," making it the second longest-lasting LP in the top 10. Springsteen’s album lasted at its peak for 79 weeks, and was second to "The Sound of Music" with Julie Andrews that lasted: 109 weeks.    1986 - Atlanta center Jeff Van Note, who at 40 was the oldest pro football player, played his 246th and last NFL game as Atlanta beat Detroit, 20-6.
    1988 - Pan Am World Airways Flight 103 was the victim of a terrorist attack when the jet exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland. The 258 passengers, crew, and several people on the ground at the site of the crash were all killed. Flight 103 was a regularly scheduled flight from Frankfort to Detroit via London and New York City. The aircraft operating the transatlantic leg of the route was destroyed by a bomb, killing all 243 passengers and 16 crew. With a total of 270 fatalities, it is the deadliest terrorist attack in the history of the UK. Following a three-year joint investigation, arrest warrants were issued for two Libyan nationals in November 1991. In 1999, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi handed over the two men for trial after protracted negotiations and UN sanctions. In 2001, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, a Libyan intelligence officer, was jailed for life after being found guilty of 270 counts of murder in connection with the bombing. He died in May 2012 as the only person to be convicted for the attack.
    1988 - Seven cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Charleston, SC with a reading of 78 degrees. A storm in the northwestern U.S. produced 22 inches of snow at Idaho City, ID in two days, and up to two feet of snow at Happy Camp, CA. Ski resorts in Idaho reported three to six feet of snow on the ground.
    1989 - Forty cities in the north central U.S., including thirteen in Iowa, reported record low temperatures for the date. Havre and Jordan, MT, tied for honors as the cold spot in the nation with morning lows of 43 degrees below zero, and the temperature remained close to 40 degrees below zero through the daylight hours. Dickinson, ND reported a morning low of 33 degrees below zero and a wind chill reading of 86 degrees below zero. The high for the date of 16 degrees below zero at Sioux Falls, SD was December record for that location.
    1990 - Top Hits
“Because I Love You” (“The Postman Song”) - Stevie B
“Justify My Love” - Madonna
“Impulsive” - Wilson Phillips
“I've Come to Expect It from You” - George Strait
    1997 - Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions became the third player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season when he gained 184 yards against the New York Jets. The Lions won, 13-10. He reached the 2,000-yard mark with a 2-yard run with just over two minutes left in the game. On the next play, he broke free for 53 yards, a gain that allowed the Lions to run out the clock and clinch a playoff berth. The other members of the 2,000-yard club then were O.J. Simpson, who rushed for 2,003 yards in 1973, and Eric Dickerson, who ran for 2,105 yards in 1984. Since Sanders’ feat, four others have surpassed 2000 rushing yards in a season.
    2006 - The Beatles' "Love" sat at #1 on the European Top 100 Albums chart. The album was produced by George Martin and his son Giles Martin and features music compiled and remixed for the Cirque du Soleil show of the same name. The disc would quickly be certified Platinum and won Grammys in two categories - Best Compilation Soundtrack Album and Best Surround Sound Album at the 50th annual Grammy awards on February 10th, 2008.
    2009 - A snow storm embattled the East Coast, closing airports, raising havoc in many states, affecting Christmas shopping and closing many businesses.

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