Leasing News

Leasing Companies Out of Broker Business

These are companies who are either out of business who worked with independent equipment leasing brokers or no longer are doing business with independent equipment brokers within the last year. This is not a list of companies who do not do business with independent equipment brokers.

ACC Capital Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah
(no longer "application only"-new $100,000 mininum)
Advantage Business Capital, Lake Oswego, Oregon
AEL Financial, Buffalo Grove, Illinois
*(No longer taking new broker business)
Balboa Capital, Irvine, Ca
Bankers Healthcare Group, Weston, FL.
C and J Leasing Corp, Des Moines, Iowa
Chesterfield Financial, Chesterfield, Missouri
Churchill Group/Churchill Leasing, Jericho, NY
CIT Group (limited)
Columbia Bank Leasing, Tacoma, WA
Concord Financial Services, Long Beach, California
Court Square, Malvern, Pennsylvania
Creative Capital Leasing Group, LLC, San Diego, CA
Direct Capital, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Diversified Financial Service, Omaha, NE
Dolsen Leasing, Bellevue/Yakima, Washington
Equipment Finance Partners, a division of Altec, Birmingham, Alabama
Evans National Leasing, Inc., Hamburg, NY
Excel Financial Leasing, Lubbock Texas
First Corp.(IFC subsidiary), Morton Grove, Illinois
First Republic Bank, San Francisco, Ca
GE Capital, Conn (limited)
Global Funding LLC., Clearwater, FL
Greystone, Burlington, MA
Heritage Pacific Leasing, Fresno, CA
Hillcrest Bank Leasing, Overland Park, KS
Huntington Equipment Finance, Vendor Finance Group,
IFC Credit Corp., Morton Grove, Illinois
Bellevue, Washington
Irwin Financial (Irwin Union Bank), Columbus, Indiana
Irwin Union Bank, F.S.B. (Louisville, Kentucky)
Lakeland Bank, Montville, NJ
LaSalle Systems Leasing
LEAF Third Party Funding, Santa Barbara, Ca.
Lombard, part of Royal Bank of Scotland, worldwide
Marlin Leasing, Mount Laurel, NJ
Marquette Business Credit Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota
M&T Credit (Bank)
MericapCredit, Lisle, Illinois
Merrill Lynch Financial
Mesa Leasing, San Diego, California
Midwest Leasing Group,Livonia, MI
National City, Cleveland, Ohio
Navigator (Pentech subsidiary) San Diego, California
OFC Capital, Roswell, Georgia
Old National Bank, Evansville, Illinois
Pentech Financial, Campbell, CA
PFF Bancorp, Inc, Pomona, CA
Pinnacle Business Finance, Fife, Washington
Pioneer Capital Corporation, Addison, Texas
PredictiFund, a subsidiary of Capital Access Network, Inc
Popular Finance, St. Louis, Missouri
Radiance-Capital, Tacoma, WA
Rational Technology Solutions, Rolling Meadows, IL
Sandy Springs, Olney, MD
Sovereign Bank, Melville, New York
Specialty Funding, Albuquerque, NM
SunBridge Capital, Mission, Kansas
Suncoast Equipment Funding Corp., Tampa, Florida
TechLease, Morgan Hill, California
Textron Financial
Triad Leasing & Financial, Inc., Boise, Idaho
Union Capital Partners, Midvale, Utah
Velocity Financial Group, Rosemont, Illinois
VenCore, Portland, Oregon
Vision Capital,San Diego, California
Wachovia Bank Leasing
Washington Mutual Financial
Western Bank, Devils Lake, ND
Westover Financial, Inc., Santa Ana, California

How’s Business? Don’t Ask.

I have been getting many emails this week, such as:

"What I do want to know is just what our Congress and President are doing about this critical problem? When we look at the distribution pattern in our country (manufacturer, wholesaler-distributor, retailer, consumer) the Leasing Industry directly affects 3 out of 4 factors. One lease adds profits to the leasing company, manufacturer, wholesaler-distributor and retailer. Washington talks about job creation. What they have done is give the money to all the large banks and then increase the ratios needed for them to stay in business. Forget about financing small business and providing loans and programs for leasing companies. What a mess…what a bunch of amateurs."

(name with held)

“I have not read anything lately in the Leasing News about small ticket leasing volume. Is there even a market place anymore? What are your broker friends saying?

“I have heard many small shops closed up and everyone moved on.

“Lastly, I do not see anything that will be a catalyst to jump start small ticket leasing again.

“Please do not publish my name.”

(name with held)

“Business does suck. I know you cannot predict the future but based on your experience and the existing economic landscape do you really see improvements in 2010? As mentioned, I do not see a catalyst anywhere that will stimulate growth.”

(name with held)

From Monday’s “Bank Beat:”

There are over 500 troubled community and regional banks, the Fed reports, many will be gobbled up by the larger banks, branches closed, original bank investors money wiped out, and capital used for acquiring---not lending. This is not good for the smaller banks, or the finance and leasing companies.

My advice, enjoy this Christmas while you still can.

If you think 2009 was bad for bank closings just wait until 2010. The FDIC is currently gearing up to close numerous banks after the first of the year. I expect you will see the State of Washington at the top of the list. Florida and Georgia will be above them on the list.

Right now the country may be entering a recovery mode, but most of the independent community banks and even regional banks are being squeezed by margins, costs to the FDIC, and still being rocked by the federal residential real estate loans and unfortunate local commercial real estate loans that followed. Now to add more regulations, and then penalize the local banks, doesn’t make very much common sense. Wall Street may be recovering, but the rest of the country is not (view the Beige books.)

Add to the mix that several Senate and Representatives elections will occur in 2010, it will only add to the lack of any solutions. So enjoy Christmas while you can, as what these means to the leasing industry, more tight credit, scrambling for deals, and a plethora of subprime credits.

Note the major banks shifting operations to other states, such as Key, or even out of the country, and major financial companies admitting to "shrinking," as GE Capital has noted time and time again. If writing the Bank Beat column for over a year has taught me anything, there are still a lot of banks who are in the survival mode, not the lending mode.

Congratulations to CIT, hope they stay around and exit the subprime and student loan programs that got them into so much trouble; great commercial enterprise--stick with what you know best.

That includes leasing. It will be coming back!!! Hang in there

http://leasingnews.org/archives/December%202009/12-14-09.htm#bank_beat

An Unprecedented Opportunity for Growth

The rush to cut costs and to bring expenses in line with stagnant or shrinking revenue is a reasonable response to the economic risks that lurk in every corner of this difficult, unpredictable economy. This same tough environment, however, offers business leaders an unprecedented opportunity to position their companies for growth in a new economic era.

Since revenue generation is the primary responsibility of the sales department, it makes sense to craft a strategy that positions the sales organization as battle-ready to compete vigorously when the economy improves and when customers are again ready to buy and invest in their businesses.

Control – Profits – Growth

Now is a great time to apply the tenets of sound management to the sales organization. Senior executives have an opportunity to get control of the sales group, position the team to generate profitable revenue and prepare the selling organization for growth.

Getting control of the sales organization begins with ensuring that the right people are on the bus, sitting in the right seats, and doing jobs best suited to their talents and abilities. Successful execution of the company’s revenue strategy requires that only the right sales professionals and front-line sales leaders remain in the sales department. Human Resources or outside consultants may be utilized to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of individual sales professionals and sales leaders.

When executives are satisfied that they have the right team in place to execute their sales revenue strategy, it’s time to arm the front-line sales leaders with the knowledge and tools they need to lead, coach, reinforce, measure and monitor individual and team performance. Effective front-line sales leadership will be an integral component of growing revenue and profits.

As the economy begins to expand, customers aren’t likely to soon forget these tough times, and sales professionals will find themselves dealing with cautious customers who demand greater response and service.

No Company Has Ever Shrunk Itself to Greatness

When a company is in survival mode, anything short of annihilation is perceived as a victory of sorts. Growth, for a myriad of reasons, isn’t a luxury – it is a cost of staying in business.

When senior leaders plan for, articulate and implement growth strategies that their employees embrace, survival is expected, and employees are likely to anticipate thriving in a company poised for growth as the world economy improves. This approach is also sure to attract top talent who will be eager to join a forward-thinking company with clear objectives and sound plan for growth.

Planning for growth may be difficult in this economic milieu, but now is a good time to start planning and implementing growth strategies as 2010 is right around the corner. As General George Patton once said, “A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed at some indeterminate future date.”

Times are tough, and it’s time to think growth.

Tell us what you think.

Steve Chriest, CEO

Steve Chriest is the former president of a successful national leasing company.

Steve is a regular contributor to executive-level publications such as Customer Think and Customer Management IQ. Steve recently completed his first book, Selling The E-Suite, The Proven System For Reaching and Selling Senior Executives, in which he translates his experiences as a CEO into a practical guide for selling to senior executives. Steve can be reached at: schriest@selling-up.com.

Previous Columns:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/A_View.htm

Classified Ads---Help Wanted

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Resumes To: careers@envisioncapitalgroup.com, Contact: Jeff Edwards (949) 225-1712

Envision Capital Group is dedicated to providing the best in class products and service to our employers, customers, vendors and partners in the small and middle ticket commercial finance industry. With over 50 years of combined experience we have the knowledge, skills, abilities and relationships to help you reach your goals.

Quail Equipment Leasing

5 years experience with established vendor relationships. We offer great funding capacity for transactions $10k to $10MM. Quail Company's established for over 30 years. Submit resume to: jrudin@quailcap.com

About the company: Quail Equipment Leasing 17 years in
business with the ability to develop specialized programs for
vendors and unique industries: $10K to $10MM.

www.quailequipmentleasing.com

"It's So Slow…" Contest
Results on Monday

First Place

Second Place

Third Place

Next Seven top Entrants

Special Mention

Honorary Mention

Results - Monday

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Please help us make our goal
Kit Menkin and the Leasing News Team

(to see who has donated, please click on the kettle and look
for names to scroll with dollar amounts)

New Hires---Promotions

William "Bill" Allen joins Summit Funding Group, Cincinnati, Ohio as regional sales manager for the South Carolina office. He has more than two decades of finance industry experience, primarily with bank leasing companies. He was most recently with Key Equipment Finance.

Aimee Bell joins Balboa Capital, Irvine, California as regional account managers in the Vendor Services Division. Prior to joining Balboa, Bell was with Popular Equipment Finance where she held positions in documentation, business development and most recently was vice president of their Vendor Finance Group.

Rachael Carney joins Summit Funding Group, Cincinnati, Ohio, as new business development officer to its vendor finance division, working out of the Washington, DC office. She has five years of industry experience, primarily at GE Capital. She most recently worked at Chase Industries.

Thomas C. Elliott, Senior Vice-President of Finance and Operations for Resource America, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been promoted to the additional position of Chief Financial Officer. He replaces Steven J. Kessler, Chief Financial Officer of the Company since 1997, who has retired from that position and has assumed the role of Chairman of Resource Capital Corp. (NYSE: RSO), a real estate investment trust sponsored and externally managed by the Company.

Prior to becoming Senior Vice-President in 2005, Mr. Elliott was a Vice President-Finance at the Company from 2001 to 2005. Mr. Elliott also served as Chief Financial Officer of Resource Capital Corp., serving from September 2005 until June 2006. From 1997 to 2001, Mr. Elliott held various financial positions at Fidelity Leasing, Inc., a former subsidiary of Resource America, including Manager of Financial Planning, Director of Asset Securitization and Treasurer.

Lance Holden was named senior vice president and team leader for Wells Fargo's food and agribusiness industry specialty group. Based in Kansas City, Holden will be responsible for developing and managing agribusiness relationships for the Central and Midwest divisions of Wells Fargo's Commercial Banking Group. He will report to John Weubbe, senior vice president and industry manager for Wells Fargo food and agribusiness industry specialty group.

Holden has an extensive background in agribusiness and C&I lending, having worked as a group division manager at Commerce Bank

Anthony Iacobucci joins Summit Funding Group, Cincinnati, Ohio, as new business development officer to its vendor finance division, working out of the Colorado office. Prior to joining Summit, Iacobucci spent three years with Key Equipment Finance.

Amy Majeskie joins Summit Funding Group, Cincinnati, Ohio as regional sales manager for the New Jersey Direct office. She was most recently employed by CitiCapital Commercial Corporation as an assistant vice president and relationship manager. She also has her Series 7 license and is a registered general securities representative.

Susan Marx joins Summit Funding Group, Cincinnati, Ohio, as new business development officer to its vendor finance division working out of the Colorado office. Marx's background includes a stint at Key Equipment Finance. Most recently she was with Highline Capital.

Jeff Voegtli joins Balboa Capital, Irvine, California as regional account managers in the Vendor Services Division. Before joining Balboa, he was a business development officer for Popular Equipment Finance and King Financial where he focused on vendor related programs.

Fernando's View
By Fernando F. Croce

Theater releases this week mark the comebacks of director James Cameron (“Avatar”) and actor Jeff Bridges (“Crazy Heart”), while new DVDs include hits (“500 Days of Summer”) and sleepers (“Taking Woodstock” and “Extract”) from this past summer season.

Avatar (20th-Century Fox): Ending a 12-year big-screen hiatus following the success of “Titanic,” director James Cameron returns with this exciting and visually enthralling fantasy-adventure. The story follows the exploits of a wounded former Marine named Sully (Sam Worthington) who, as part of an experiment in new technology, finds himself in contact with the strange inhabitants of a planet named Pandora. At first enemies, the hero and the aliens grow a mutual respect that makes Sully question the goals of his own superiors back on Earth. Which side will he take when the battles start? Taking full advantage of cutting-edge special effects but never forgetting the importance of plot and characters, Cameron manages to create a spectacle that’s thrilling throughout its almost three-hour running time.

Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight Pictures): “Bad” Blake (Jeff Bridges) is a country singer whose booze-soaked living style has caught up with him. Broken down and reduced to playing in small-time bars and clubs, he lives day by day (and bottle by bottle) until he meets Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a young journalist who gives him a chance for romance, stability, and maybe redemption. Written and directed by Scott Cooper, this is the kind of laidback, character-driven film that gives underrated performers the chance to shine. In this case, Bridges gives Blake the sort of beautifully lived-in human touches that have made him a consistently fine actor for decades. With its keen eye for the country-music industry and the fragility of relationships, it’s a certainly worth a look.

Netflix tip: Robert Duvall co-stars in “Crazy Heart,” but he himself played a down-on-his-luck country singer (and won an Oscar for it) in the 1983 movie “Tender Mercies.” Check it out, and discover where the new movie may have gotten some of its inspiration from.

New on DVD:

(500) Days of Summer (Fox Searchlight Pictures): Summer of the title is not a season, but the name of the quirky young woman (played by Zooey Deschanel) with whom Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) falls in love in this brisk romantic comedy. Looking back at their 500 days of ups and downs, Tom, a greeting card writer who dreams of becoming an architect, remembers the happiness and heartbreak of love. Even though the scenario is familiar to anyone who's seen modern romantic comedies, director Marc Webb (with great help from his two talented main actors) aims for a blend of quirky comedy and heartfelt melancholy that should strike a chord with any viewer who's ever taken a ride on the rollercoaster of love.

Extract (Miramax Films): Mike Judge, the man behind such cult favorites as the "Beavis & Butthead" cartoon and the workplace comedy "Office Space," has a singular sense of humor and worldview that's in ample evidence in his new movie, "Extract." Joel (Jason Bateman) is having tough times both at work and at home. His company is in danger of grinding to a halt after his boss suffers an accident, and a plan to test his wife's fidelity goes hilariously wrong. He becomes smitten with a new co-worker (Mila Kunis), but is she his escape into peace or a pathway toward more trouble? A comedy that's thoughtful about the often ruthless nature of business while delivering plenty of laughs, Judge's movie is a sleeper worth a visit.

Taking Woodstock (Focus Features): Director Ang Lee ("The Ice Storm," "Brokeback Mountain") has the right, gentle spirit to capture the famous 1969 concert through human eyes rather than through easy nostalgia in this coming-of-age story. In the Summer of Love, it looks like young Elliot (Demetri Martin) and his parents (Imelda Staunton, Henry Goodman) will lose their rundown hotel due to unpaid bills. But salvation comes Elliot has the inspiration to contact the Woodstock organizers and help them bring the bands to the family grounds, where business booms and life lessons are learned. Even those for whom Woodstock is a legendary event or a vague memory should enjoy this low-key and often affecting comedy-drama, with a cast that includes Eugene Levy, Emile Hirsch, and Liev Schreiber.

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15 Years of Equipment Leasing Experience and Recruiting with Business Aviation niche. Visit us at www.turningpointgrp.com
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Employee Relations, Recruiting, Benefits, employee customer surveys, plus payroll administration "ON-LINE" services-- AND IN PERSON at your location Please visit: www.adviceonhr.com

Information System: North Detroit, MI
INFOLEASE EXPERT - 18 years experience. Since being downsized in 2002, working as a consultant for several leasing companies.
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email: darwint@prodigy.net

Leasing Industry Outsourcing
(Providing Services and Products)

All "Outsourcing" Classified ads (advertisers are both requested and responsible to keep their free ads up to date)
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Outsourcing/Outsourcing.htm

How to Post a free "Outsourcing" classified ad:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Outsourcing/Outsourcing-post.htm

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

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

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

President of ABC Diagnostic Services Sentenced
for Filing False Corporate Tax Return related to Medicare Fraud

Los Angeles – In United States District Court in Los Angeles before the Honorable Judge S. James Otero, the president and part owner of ABC Diagnostic Services, Inc. (ABC) was sentenced to five years probation, with the first year to be served in home confinement for subscribing to a false corporate income tax return for the 2004 tax year in a straw-ownership scheme related to Medicare fraud.

Linda Wilson, 60, of Long Beach, admitted in her plea agreement that she was president and part owner of ABC Diagnostic Services, Inc. (ABC) in partnership with others who came under investigation for Medicare fraud.

In 2003, Wilson filed a false Medicare enrollment application for ABC in that she provided false statements about her 5% or more sole ownership interest in ABC to Medicare and failed to disclose that she shared ownership interest with others, including Konstantin Grigoryan.

The following year, Wilson again did not disclose her shared ownership with Grigoryan in ABC to Medicare. Because of the continued concealment of Grigoryan’s true ownership interest from Medicare, ABC falsely received reimbursement benefit for services rendered to Medicare beneficiaries.

In 2003, Grigoryan was arrested for Medicare fraud, causing Medicare to pay out fraudulent claims for reimbursement to various other Medicare providers.

According to Wilson’s plea agreement, she filed a false corporate income tax return (Form 1120S) for ABC for tax year 2004, and stated that there was $37,060 in ABC shareholders' income and that ABC paid $619,075 in "professional fees" as deductible business expenses. In truth, the shareholders' income figure was false and understated and the "professional fees" figure was false and overstated

The shareholders' income falsely did not include the amounts paid as for the benefit of the other part-owners in ABC, and the "professional fees" amount falsely included these amounts.

Between 2004 and 2005, Wilson received approximately $290,927 in profits from the operation of ABC, which resulted from Wilson's fraudulent enrollment of ABC as a Medicare provider.

The investigation and prosecution of Wilson was conducted by IRS – Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office’s in Los Angeles.

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

Owings Mill, Maryland --- Adopt-a-Pet

Charlie
Domestic Short Hair-white, Tabby – Brown

"My name is Charlie. My siblings and I were rescued with a stray mom 2 days after she had us. We have all been raised inside with lots of attention, so we are VERY social and friendly. I am Brown tabby and white, fluffy, super sweet and playful, I would love to be someone’s snuggle-bug. We are about 13 weeks old, tested, vaccinated and altered. Please email for us if you are interested!!"furloveofpaws@hotmail.com

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=14758023

http://www.petfinder.com/shelterSearch/shelterSearch.cgi?shelterid=MD300

Adopt-a-Pet by Leasing Co. State/City
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Adopt_Pet.htm

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

1607- Captain John Smith and two companions were captured this day by Indians while in search of provisions. His companions were killed, but he was spared, Smith reported, by the intercession of Pocahontas, Chief Powhatan's daughter. The Indian population of what was to become the U.S. was about 10,000,000 when European exploration began. The estimated European population in the colonies was 210. Because the pattern of settlement here differed from that of the Spanish penetration of Central and south America, the change in customs of the Indians was, at first, comparatively slow. Pioneer groups of European colonists were small. they entered regions with sparser populations and more fluid cultures than the larger and more stable Indian communities of Central America, the Andes, and the Caribbean Island. Contact was sometime mutually beneficial, but there was no fusion of European and Indian cultures as occurred in South America. In retrospect, the first decade of the seventeenth century was the twilight of aboriginal Indian life.
    1777- The Continental Congress authorized a National day of thanksgiving to celebrate the surrender of Lieutenant General John Burgoyne on October 178 at Saratoga ( now Schuylerville), NY. This is considered the first national holiday declared by Congress. In 1879, President Washington changed the date in to make it an annual general thanksgiving day. President Abraham Lincoln set aside the fourth Thursday in November for an annual nationwide observance. It was the result of a long campaign by Sarah Joseph Hale, the editor of the popular magazine at the time, Godey’s Lady’s Book. The holiday was moved forward to the third Thursday in November in 1939 to accommodate merchants who wanted more time for the pre-Christmas shopping rush, but was returned to its traditional spot two years late.
    1787- New Jersey became the third state to ratify the Constitution (following Delaware and Pennsylvania). It did so unanimously. In 1664, when the British colonized the area, they named New Jersey after Jersey, one of the British Channel Islands. New Jersey’s many truck farms, orchards and flower gardens gave the state its nickname: The Garden State. Trenton, the capital of New Jersey, and once the capital of the new nation, was the locale of Washington’s famous Revolutionary war victory. He turned the tide when he led his forces across the Delaware River at Trenton. The New Jersey state flower is the purple violet, the state bird, the eastern goldfinch, and the state motto: "Liberty and Prosperity."
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec18.html
    1796- the first Sunday newspaper was published today, called the “Sunday Monitor of Baltimore, MD, published by Philip Edwards, consisting of four pages 10.25 by 17 inches.
    1849 -- William Bond obtains first photograph of the Moon through a telescope.
http://www.famousamericans.net/williamcranchbond/
http://www.netaxs.com/~mhmyers/moon.tn.html
    1861- Edward MacDowell, composer of orchestral and piano compositions and songs, born at New York, NY. He was awarded a music Professorship at Columbia University He died at New York, NY, Jan 23, 19081813- British take Fort Niagara in the War of 1812
http://www.oldfortniagara.org/oldamericanhistory.htm#
THE%20CAPTURE%20OF%20FORT%20NIAGARA
    1836- Emory College was chartered in Oxford, GA, under Methodist auspices. In 1915 it changed its name to Emory University and in 1919 the campus was relocated in Atlanta, GA.
http://www.emory.edu/COLLEGE/about/index.html
http://www.oldfortniagara.org/
    1839- 1st celestial photograph (the moon) made in US, John Draper, New York NY
http://www.virtualology.com/johnwilliamdraper
    1865 - “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, save as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist in the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” Slavery was abolished throughout the United States with the ratification of the 13th amendment. On December 2, the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment, prohibiting slavery, became a certainty when Alabama became the 27th state to ratify it, raising state ratification to the necessary two-thirds. The official declaration of ratification as issued this day in 1865.
    1881- Gladys Rowena Henry Dick birthday , born Pawnee, Nebraska- U.S. microbiologist and physician who lost out on the Nobel prize because she and her husband patented the Dick test for scarlet fever (to protect its purity and not for money). The couple made important contributions to the prevention of scarlet fever which was endemic throughout the world at that time, including the Dick test - the usage of which immediately spread throughout the world. Gladys Dick was the founder of the Cradle Society probably the first professional organization devoted to the adoption of children.
http://search.biography.com/print_record.pl?id=14229
    1886- Tyrus Raymond “ Ty” Cobb, birthday, Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder, born at Narrows, GA. Perhaps baseball’s greatest player and perhaps its meanest, too, Cobb compiled a career batting average of .367, the best ever. He played 24 years , in over 3,000 games, and got more hits than any other player, until Pete ‘Rose. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936. Died at Atlanta, GA, July 17,1961
    1897—Jazz bandleader/arranger for Benny Goodman and others, Fletcher Henderson birthday
http://www.redhotjazz.com/fletcher.html
    1917-The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, outlawing manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcoholic liquors, was passed by Congress and submitted to the states for ratification. It was ratified on January 29,1919 and repealed in 1933.
    1917-Birthday of Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Houston, TX. Died June 16, 1975, Houston, TX
http://www.houstonbluessociety.org/cleanheadvinson.html
http://www.fantasyjazz.com/catalog/vinson_e_cat.html
http://www.fantasyjazz.com/catalog/vinson_e_cat.html
    1928-Birthday of tenor Harold Land, born Houston, Texas. Died July 27,2001.
http://members.tripod.com/~hardbop/land.html http://shopping.yahoo.com/shop?d=product&id=1927005924&clink=dmmu.artist&a=b
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000000Y9A/inktomi-musicasin-20/
104-3547695-1517507
    1929-Birthday of guitarist Barry Galbraith, born Pittsburgh, PA.
http://www.classicjazzguitar.com/artists/artists_page.jsp?artist=14
    1929-Birthday of drummer Nick Stabulas, New York City
    1932- the first NFL indoor playoff. The NFL held a postseason playoff game indoors with the Chicago Bears defeating the Portsmouth(OH) Spartans, 9-0. The intended site of the game, Wrigley Field was so frozen that officials moved the game to Chicago Stadium. the field was 80 yards long, and the goal posts were set on the goal lines instead of at the back of the end zones.
    1934 - Willie Smith sang with Jimmy Lunceford and his orchestra on "Rhythm is Our Business" on Decca Records (serial number 369).
    1935 - In her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Australian soprano Marjorie Lawrence, singing the role of Brunnhilde in Die Gotterdammerung, sent her horse through a ring of real flames burning on the stage. This was the first time this effect had ever been attempted by an opera singer during a performance.
    1935 - A $1 silver certificate was issued and was the first currency to depict the both sides of the Great Seal of the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the army’s removal of Japanese-Americans from the West Coast early in 1942 was constitutional at the time it was carried out, but that citizens must be permitted to return to their homes when their loyalty to U.S. was established. The tribunal acted in two cases. It upheld constitutionality of the removal program by a 6 to 3 decision, and was unanimous in holding that loyal citizens should be released. The ruling came one day after the war department announced that loyal citizens of Japanese ancestry would be permitted to return to their former homes after 33 months of enforced absence in relocation centers.
    1936- Su-Lin, a giant panda, was imported from China by Mrs. William H. Harkness, Jr. on the President McKinley. It weighed about five pounds when it arrived at San Francisco, California, this day. Su-Lin died on April 1, 1938, in the Brookfield Zoo, Chicago, IL, which had purchased it for $8,750.44. Giant pandas, tough bearlike in appearance, are related to raccoons. They were first discovered in China in November, 1936.
    1941-Birthday of trumpet player Leo Smith, Leland,MS
http://shoko.calarts.edu/~wls/pages/bio.html
    1941-Japanese troops land in Hong Kong and a slaughter ensues. A week of air raids over Hong Kong, a British crown colony, was followed up on December 17 with a visit paid by Japanese envoys to Sir Mark Young, the British governor of Hong Kong. The envoys' message was simple: The British garrison there should simply surrender to the Japanese--resistance was futile. The envoys were sent home with the following retort: "The governor and commander in chief of Hong Kong declines absolutely to enter into negotiations for the surrender of Hong Kong. …" The first wave of Japanese troops landed in Hong Kong with artillery fire for cover and the following order from their commander: "Take no prisoners." Upon overrunning a volunteer antiaircraft battery, the Japanese invaders roped together the captured soldiers and proceeded to bayonet them to death. Even those who offered no resistance, such as the Royal Medical Corps, were led up a hill and killed. The Japanese quickly took control of key reservoirs, threatening the British and Chinese inhabitants with a slow death by thirst. The Brits finally surrendered control of Hong Kong on Christmas Day.
    1943-Keith Richard Birthday, guitarist with the Rolling Stones.
http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/default.asp?afl=ses&oid=893
    1944--BELL, BERNARD P. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company I, 142d Infantry, 36th Infantry Division. Place and date: Mittelwihr, France, 18 December 1944. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Birth: Grantsville, W. Va. G.O. No.: 73, 30 August 1945. Citation: For fighting gallantly at Mittelwihr, France. On the morning of 18 December 1944, he led a squad against a schoolhouse held by enemy troops. While his men covered him, he dashed toward the building, surprised 2 guards at the door and took them prisoner without firing a shot. He found that other Germans were in the cellar. These he threatened with hand grenades, forcing 26 in all to emerge and surrender. His squad then occupied the building and prepared to defend it against powerful enemy action. The next day, the enemy poured artillery and mortar barrages into the position, disrupting communications which T/Sgt. Bell repeatedly repaired under heavy small-arms fire as he crossed dangerous terrain to keep his company commander informed of the squad's situation. During the day, several prisoners were taken and other Germans killed when hostile forces were attracted to the schoolhouse by the sound of captured German weapons fired by the Americans. At dawn the next day the enemy prepared to assault the building. A German tank fired round after round into the structure, partially demolishing the upper stories. Despite this heavy fire, T/Sgt. Bell climbed to the second floor and directed artillery fire which forced the hostile tank to withdraw. He then adjusted mortar fire on large forces of enemy foot soldiers attempting to reach the American position and, when this force broke and attempted to retire, he directed deadly machinegun and rifle fire into their disorganized ranks. Calling for armored support to blast out the German troops hidden behind a wall, he unhesitatingly exposed himself to heavy small-arms fire to stand beside a friendly tank and tell its occupants where to rip holes in walls protecting approaches to the school building. He then trained machineguns on the gaps and mowed down all hostile troops attempting to cross the openings to get closer to the school building. By his intrepidity and bold, aggressive leadership, T/Sgt. Bell enabled his 8-man squad to drive back approximately 150 of the enemy, killing at least 87 and capturing 42. Personally, he killed more than 20 and captured 33 prisoners
    1947-Birthday of producer, director Steven Spielberg, Cincinnati, OH
    1947---Top Hits
Civilization - Louis Prima
How Soon - Jack Owens
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
I’ll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms) - Eddy Arnold
    1952 - Sugar Ray Robinson announced his plans to retire as Middleweight Boxing Champion in order to pursue a career as a dancer and an entertainer.
    1953 - WPTZ, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania presented a Felso laundry detergent commercial, the first color telecast viewed on a local station.
    1955---Top Hits
I Hear You Knocking - Gale Storm
Love and Marriage - Frank Sinatra
Nuttin’ for Christmas - Barry Gordon
Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford
    1956- “To Tell the Truth” premiered on television. This long-running popular game show was a production of the Mark Goodson-Bill Todman team- A celebrity panel (and the home audience) tried to guess which of three guests claiming to be the same person was telling the truth. Panelists took turns questioning the guests, and, at the conclusion, the identity of the person was revealed. Hosts have included Bud Collyer, Garry Moore, Joe Garagiola, Robin Ward, Gordon Elliott and Alex Trebek. Celebrity panelists included Dick Van Dyke, Tom Poston, Peggy Cass, Kitty Carlisle and Bill Cullen.
    1957 - The movie The Bridge on the River Kwai, starring Alec Guinness and directed by David Lean, premiered in New York. It later won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Musical Score, and Best Film Editing.
    1961 - The Tokens had their first #1 hit single with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight","Wimoweh" for purists. It stayed at the top spot for four weeks in a row.
    1963---Top Hits
Dominique - The Singing Nun
Louie Louie - The Kingsmen
Since I Fell for You - Lenny Welch
Love’s Gonna Live Here - Buck Owens
    1965--BARNUM, HARVEY C., IR. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Captain (then Lt.), U.S. Marine Corps, Company H, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division (Rein). Place and date: Ky Phu in Quang Tin Province, Republic of Vietnam, 18 December 1965. Entered service at: Cheshire, Conn. Born: 21 July 1940, Cheshire, Conn. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. When the company was suddenly pinned down by a hail of extremely accurate enemy fire and was quickly separated from the remainder of the battalion by over 500 meters of open and fire-swept ground, and casualties mounted rapidly. Lt. Barnum quickly made a hazardous reconnaissance of the area, seeking targets for his artillery. Finding the rifle company commander mortally wounded and the radio operator killed, he, with complete disregard for his safety, gave aid to the dying commander, then removed the radio from the dead operator and strapped it to himself. He immediately assumed command of the rifle company, and moving at once into the midst of the heavy fire, rallying and giving encouragement to all units, reorganized them to replace the loss of key personnel and led their attack on enemy positions from which deadly fire continued to come. His sound and swift decisions and his obvious calm served to stabilize the badly decimated units and his gallant example as he stood exposed repeatedly to point out targets served as an inspiration to all. Provided with 2 armed helicopters, he moved fearlessly through enemy fire to control the air attack against the firmly entrenched enemy while skillfully directing 1 platoon in a successful counterattack on the key enemy positions. Having thus cleared a small area, he requested and directed the landing of 2 transport helicopters for the evacuation of the dead and wounded. He then assisted in the mopping up and final seizure of the battalion's objective. His gallant initiative and heroic conduct reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.
    1971- the Capital Reef National Park was established. It is an area of outstanding geological features, colorful canyons, prehistoric Fremont petroglyphs and Mormon historic fruit orchards and buildings in south central Utah, originally proclaimed a national monument Aug 2,1937, was established as a national park.
www.nps.gov/care
    1971---Top Hits
Family Affair - Sly & The Family Stone
Brand New Key - Melanie
An Old Fashioned Loved Song - Three Dog Night
Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’ - Charley Pride
    1972 - Helen Reddy earned a gold record for the song that became the anthem for women’s liberation, "I Am Woman", which had reached number one on December 9, 1972.
    1972-Following the breakdown of peace talks with North Vietnam just a few days earlier, President Richard Nixon announces the beginning of a massive bombing campaign to break the stalemate. For nearly two weeks, American bombers pounded North Vietnam. On December 13, peace talks between the United States and North Vietnam collapsed. Vietnam. Beginning on December 18, American B-52s and fighter-bombers dropped over 20,000 tons of bombs on the cities of Hanoi and Haiphong. The United States lost 15 of its giant B-52s and 11 other aircraft during the attacks. North Vietnam claimed that over 1,600 civilians were killed. The bombings continued until December 29, at which time the North Vietnamese agreed to resume the talks
    1979---Top Hits
Babe - Styx
Still - Commodores
Please Don’t Go - K.C. & The Sunshine Band
Happy Birthday Darlin’ - Conway Twitty
    1981 - Rod Stewart performed a concert at the Los Angeles Forum, in California, that was both televised to 23 countries and carried over FM radio stations in the United States. His total audience was about 35 million.
    1982 - Daryl Hall and John Oates had their 5th #1 on the music charts with "Maneater". The song stayed at the top spot for four weeks, becoming Hall and Oates’ most popular hit. 1997 - Chris Farley, comedian and actor, was found dead in his home in Chicago, Illinois. Farley, age 33 and extremely overweight, may have died of a heart attack, but no official cause of death was immediately available. The comic had worked for four years on NBC's Saturday Night Live. The media noted that he was the same age as former SNL comedian John Belushi when he died.
    1985 - "Beverly Hills Cop" became the year's top movie grosser with $229.9 million in tickets sales. Michael J. Fox's "Back to the Future" was second, followed in third by "Rambo: First Blood, Part 2", starring Sylvester Stallone.
    1987 - Ivan Boesky, the Wall Street financier who played a key role in the biggest insider trading scheme in United States history, was jailed for three years.
    1987---Top Hits
Faith - George Michael
Is This Love - Whitesnake
So Emotional -Whitney Houston
The Last One to Know - Reba McEntire
    1997-Jody Contradt, coach of the women's basketball team at Texas university at Austin became the winningest women's basketball coach in history and joined Bob Knight of Indiana University as the only active coach to have won 700 games (and did get the big party treatment).. She is only the eighth coach in history to win 700 games. Pat Summitt of Tennessee who has coached many a national championship teams is second with 636 victories. Cantradt, who has coached at UT for 22 years and coached their national championship team in 1986 received a hug from each of her players, shared cookies, and commemorative chocolate bars. Five years and three months later - 04-06-2003 - Conradt led her Texas team to within two points of the final game of the NCAA championship (UCon scored the winning basket with only second to go to edge Texas in the semi-finals).During the 2002-03 season, Conradt went over the 800 victories mark and now is second to Summit who reached the rarified 800 victories before Conrad again coached her 2003 UTenn into the finals but her team again failed to break the UCon jinx.
http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=86437&SecID=2
    1998 - The United States House of Representatives began debating the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.
    2001- Filling the void created by Mark McGwire's unexpected retirement, the Cardinals sign first baseman Tino Martinez to a $21 million, three-year contract. After he was replaced in the Yankees lineup by Jason Giambi, the former Bronx Bomber said the Cardinals were his first choice as a free agent.
    2002 -After spending the previous six seasons with the Giants, the 2000 National League MVP Jeff Kent (.313, 37,108 ) signs an $18.2 million, two-year contract with the Astros. The 34-year old Texan resident's presence on the team moves four-time second base Gold Glove winner, Craig Biggio to the outfield.

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