Alert Up-Date--AMC Funding, Charlotte, North Carolina

The Burlington Times News reports: "Brendan Job Messenheimer, 34, of Napper Road, Greensboro, was charged by Burlington Police Department with felony worthless check. According to warrants, Messenheimer is accused of writing a $10,587.88 check to Kendal Nuclear Medicine, even though he knew he didn’t have sufficient funds to cover it. Bond was set at $5,000."

Fourth Alert----AMC Funding Still at It
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2011/2_22.htm#fourth_amc

 

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

Greg Steffes Retires

Greg Steffes retires this Friday from Bank of the West Leasing. They recently moved to their new offices in Dublin from Walnut Creek, and it was not the commute, but the time as he reaches 60 years old. A veteran credit man, Leasing News quoted him as the authority when it came to reading financial statements and interpreting credit. He could say "yes" in two to three minutes, but if he saw something, he found out what his instinct was telling him. He will be missed by many leasing companies and discounters.

Classified Ads---Asset Management

(These ads are “free” to those seeking employment
or looking to improve their position)

Minneapolis, MN 16 years leasing experience from micro to large ticket market, variety of equipment. Most recently calling on vendor telecom dealers in Upper Midwest. golfadm@yahoo.com

Santa Barbara CA (will relocate) Experienced Asset Manager of various portfolio's for a bank, broker and leasing company. Utilized specialized remarketing companies to maximize collateral values. Worked remote two years. geoff.taylor@verizon.net | Resume | Reference 1 | Reference 2

 

Free Posting for those seeking employment in Leasing:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted-post.htm

All “free” categories “job wanted” ads:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm

Tyco Kozlowski Mansion Sold to Direct Capital CEO and his wife

As reported in Seacoastonline.com, "North Hampton--A 10,000-square-foot mansion build on property once owned by former Tyco International CEO L. Dennis Kozloswski sold at auction...for $4.2 million.

"Assessed at $9.4 million, the 15-acre estate at 10 Runnymede Drive went to the highest bidder following 20 minutes of 'first' bidding...the estate was purchased by a family who attended the auction and were 'hugging and happy' with their new home.

The two people were Chris Broom, CEO of Direct Capital, and his wife Joanne Broom.

Indoor Lap Pool

Slide Show of house and features:
http://www.cepro.com/slideshow/image/7339/

About the sale:
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20101111-NEWS-11110413

10 Runnymede Drive Deed
(Note: property tax, gas/electric not disclosed):
http://www.leasingnews.org/PDF/10RunnymedeDrive.pdf

John Kenny Receivables Management • End of Lease Negotiations & Enforcement • Fraud Investigations • Credit Investigations • Asset Searches • Skip-tracing • Third-party Commercial Collections john@jkrmdirect.com | ph 315-866-1167| www.jkrmdirect.com

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for investigations
and background information provided by John Kenny)

CHG-Meridian Joins Funder & Looking for New Broker Lists

"We specialize in IT and Medical equipment financing. We can do both Operating and Capital leases. We also offer a state of the art contract management system to track all leased asset. We are not vendor sensitive."

CHG-Meridian Woodland Hills, CA James Drake 877-302-2282 james.drake@chg-meridian.com www.chg-merdian.us (click here for further description)

50+ US based

US, Europe, South America

$250,000+

Y

N

N

Y

Y

A -Accepts Broker Business | B -Requires Broker be Licensed | C -Sub-Broker Program | D -"Private label Program" |E - Also "in house" salesmen

Funder List "A"
http://www.leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/Funders.htm

Funders Looking for New Broker Business
http://www.leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/New_Broker.htm

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

*****Announcement***************************************

NAELB Announces a New Member Benefit - NAELBList.org

The National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers is pleased to announce the launch of NAELB List (pronounced nel-be-list) as a new member’s only resource.

While only NAELB members can post on NAELB List, it is open to viewing by the general public so please pass the site address along to anyone you know looking for equipment to buy or lease.

The association recognizes that many of our members can benefit from getting used equipment either sold or re-leased. NAELBList.org was created as a classifieds website dedicated to assisting our members in posting equipment online and available to the public.

Any member can post equipment ads on NAELB List. To create an account, go to www.naelblist.org and click on the My Account tab. Click on Register for an Account. Fill in the required information and click Submit Information.

Once you have your NAELB List account set up you can post an unlimited number of equipment ads. Ads will stay on the site for up to 90 days or until you remove it.

Click here to view tips for posting hyperlinks in your ads:
http://www.naelb.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=259

Link is Active: http://www.naelblist.org/

****Announcement****************************************

Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Business Development/Credit Experience 3+ yrs. equip. finance, sales, marketing, credit. Base plus incentive commission full benefits with 401K plan. Resume/Ref. to rose@warrencapital.com Warren Capital is a 27 year old, well-established financial company located in Novato, California www.warrencapital.com

Please see our Job Wanted section for possible new employees.

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

Bulletin Board Complaint

Business Leasing Northwest, Seattle, Washington
by Christopher Menkin

Michael W. Palmer, owner of Business Leasing Northwest, Seattle, Washington started the company in 1990, according to his web site, and merged with Cypress Leasing, Inc. which became Cypress Leasing Inc. dba Business Leasing Northwest, Inc., although the company today works under the sole proprietorship of Business Leasing Northwest and/or Business Leasing Northwest, Inc. dba (which their bank Cashmere Valley, Cashmere, Washington verified.)

His Linkedin.com site states he started Business Leasing Northwest in 1988. A story on the history of Colonial Pacific shows he was head of commercial leasing at then Colonial Pacific Leasing until September, 1989, and evidently has a lot of experience as both a credit executive and company officer.

According to Palmer, about a year ago he expanded into accepting broker business, but things came apart in November when his bank Cashmere Valley learned the deals he was sending in were sub-brokered, meaning they were not originated from him; that was against their policy, which Palmer states he was unaware of the prohibition. Unfortunately for him, about the same time this happened, the bank where he had his warehouse line was closed by state banking authorities and subsequently sold by the FDIC.

It put his company in a dilemma. Cashmere gave him a separate line of credit and he put his house up as extra collateral, he explains. The cash flow at the time with the problems of working with brokers became his “perfect storm.”

There were three leases from Jaime Kaneshina, CLP. Kaneshina was the former vice-president of credit for Pacifica Capital, Irvine, California from 1999 until April, 2004 when he became general partner and vice-president of credit at TCCG, LLC dba The Cambridge Capital Group, Chino Hills, California(1). The problem began with two leases from Cambridge to Notorious. Mike Palmer was asked to buy back the lease on the first one by Cashmere Valley Bank when the lessee stopped ACH on the first lease in place to the bank, and refused to allow an inspector to view the equipment. It was suspected Notorious had sold the equipment. During this time, a second lease was to be sent to Cashmere, and Mike Palmer had issued a purchase order with much of the equipment delivered, but not all, and when he learned about the problems in the first lease, he requested to see the equipment in the first lease and the second lease.

The lessee refused. He therefore is then stuck for the first lease and to the vendor for the equipment on the second lease on the purchase order he issued. While there may be "representation and warrants" to Cambridge, this is a factor, and the return of the overage was held up because of the occurrence.

It is also very odd that the vendor in the transactions were PC Mail, a national company, regarding computers where Notorious is a company that sells computers and related equipment of all brands, including the same in the lease to the company:

10 17"Macbook Pro 15 2.53GHZ/4GB/500 (54)G $22,490.00
10 CA Ewaste Recycling Fee $160.00
1 IPad 64GB Wifi +3G $829.00
1 CA EWaste Recycling Fee $8.00
2 13.3" MB Air 2.13GHZ 2GB/128GB SSD $3,518.00
2 CA EWaste Recycling Fee $16.00 (2)

Notorious Web Site of Equipment they sell:
http://www.notoriouselectronics.com/brands-we-carry

That this evidently was never questioned by any of the parties appears to be a major lack of due diligence.

Jaime Kaneshina’s complaint,” These all involved transactions reportedly approved whereby we were provided formal approvals on three transactions, documented each transaction, and remitted for funding but never to have the transactions fund due to his 'issues' with Cashmere Valley Bank and his inability to secure a replacement credit facility…

"One instance, we had to return advance monies to the client damaging our reputation with the vendor; the second instance, we were forced to locate a replacement funding source, and the third and final transaction ultimately resulting in his remitting us a personal check to reimburse us for a 9/28/2010 “shortfall” that we remitted to him in good faith on a transaction that he elected not to fund… This personal check issued on 12/27/2010, deposited on 12/28/2010, and returned/stop payment on 12/31/2010. January 14, 2011, "he chose to issue these approvals even though he did not have a funding source to fund the deals… In our three instances, all three were never approved by Cashmere Valley Bank – one was never submitted, one was pended for additional information and the other was declined… Hence, based on his approval we proceeded to request documents, visit clients to get documents signed, coordinate the logistics with the vendors and insurance agents for the invoice and certificates, respectively, etc. Very sad situation for all involved not to mention the damage done to our reputation with those clients and vendors… "

He also reports a "stop payment" on a check: "We remitted it along with a $2,986.52 shortfall check as the advance monies collected were greater than our commission to be earned(back-end was up-side down without the first and last. editor)… Our check was issued on 9/28/2010 and was posted to our account on 9/29/2010… He elected not to fund the transaction after not being able to secure a warehouse credit facility… Finally, after almost three months, he remitted us a personal check to reimburse us for the shortfall previously remitted on 12/27/2010 which we deposited on 12/28/2010… Unfortunately, we were notified by our bank on 12/31/2010 that he placed a stop payment and that the funds were not available…"

Mr. Kaneshina approved the statements he made above before this article was published.

The major debt BLNW owes to brokers is with Quail Capital Corp., Burbank, California and three deals from two of their brokers that Quail sent to Business Leasing Northwest that Cashmere Valley funded two. One of the deals the lessee was asked to make the next payment, although the equipment was not delivered. The third had difficulties and then it steam rolled with other leases that Business Leasing Northwest had reportedly approved, but didn't, and according to Cashmere Valley Bank, who only handles about 12 to 15 brokers in the Northwest, extended a line of credit to resolve the cash flow difficulties.

Mike Palmer was contacted and he pleaded that he was not aware that Cashmere Bank would not accept “sub-broker” business. One of the party’s making the complaint confirmed his deal was not approved at Cashmere. Palmer asked for 30 days as he had a line of credit to pay vendors and brokers from Cashmere. This was confirmed with the bank officer. In one instance, a leasing company paid the broker his commission although they had not received the commission. During the next 30 days, this broker was paid as was other vendors, but at the end, not all were paid. Mike Palmer asked for another 15 days and promised to pay all. When that 15 days were up, he asked for another 15 days, and in the spirit of resolving the matter, Leasing News held off in reporting the Bulletin Board Complaint. He made the agreement if not paid in full during this time period to post the complaint.

Rick Rodman, Credit Manager, Quail Capital Corporation: "Business Leasing Northwest owes Quail Capital Corp commissions on 3 transactions totaling $12,521.74.

"Essentially, we’re interested in finding out the names of all the brokers that are in the same boat as us and find out specifically the last time anyone has received any monies from BLNW so that we may be able to pool our efforts / resources to best approach them for collecting the fees due to us."

During this period Leasing News held back on the story as promises were made the brokers would get paid, some of the money owed since November. There are several others who were involved, but they prefer not to make their complaint public."

Craig Rose, Magellan Financial, Inc., Tustin, California brokered two deals to Quail Capital and stated one of his transaction the lessee was contacted for payment, but had not signed the delivery and acceptance nor completed a verbal. It wasn't his first lease and he wanted to know why he was now required to make payments to Cashmere Valley Bank.

He also wonders “what fiduciary responsibility (Quail has) to pay me even though they did not get paid?"

The other party who sent a transaction and owed a commission is Jean M. Hamilton, Crosspoint Leasing and Financial Services, Inc., Sacramento, California.

That Quail states that it is a funder and a direct source although the sub-broker appears an exception. At this time, a promissory note at $1,000 a month is being negotiated (3).

David A. Normandin, CLP, ENvision Capital Group, December 15, " In our experience they were doing some bizarre activities such as funding the deal and not paying vendors for weeks where Cashmere had funded BLNW and BLNW was holding the funds. I think Cashmere figured it out and cut them off but since they needed cash they spent the vendor payments and were unable to pay the vendors or broker’s commissions. Once we figured out what was going on we simply went to Cashmere and cut BLNW off. (The original amount was $2200, and Palmer has paid $500 to date. editor.) They still owe us $1,700 in commissions and according to Michael Palmer they will have the funds next week for the last 2 months." January 14, "Mike Palmer called last week to say that he would be sending $150 per week to pay us our commission. I have yet to receive any funds."

It has reached a point that Bob Underwood, Specialty Funding, Albuquerque, New Mexico, who stated after not getting telephone calls or emails back, he turned the matter over to his attorney. On December 15 Palmer was to receive back the advance rentals on a deal that he was told was approved, but turns out after 30 days it was not. On December 22, "Once again Mike’s promise of payment by last Friday was broken. December 29th he received a check and put in his bank, who on Friday day reported there was a “stop payment” on the check. On January 3rd, "Palmer called me and assured me that it was just a clerical error and he would see to it that a bank check is sent out via overnight carrier tomorrow."

Underwood’s attorney did receive a check last week, but Underwood’s bank said “insufficient funds.” Mike Palmer sent Leasing News a copy of the check and said Underwood should deposit the check. He, at first, was reluctant to put it through the bank as it would incur a $39 bank charge. He talked to Wells Fargo banker about it on Monday, and she agreed to help him out. The good news he was told last Thursday, February 17“…US Bank in Seattle says that the check has cleared the customers account. That means we have our funds:” $1711.08, not counting his time or attorney fee.

It should be noted that Cashmere Valley Bank continues to accept leases from BLNW and Mike Palmer has promised to personally pay the commissions owed.

Cashmere Valley Bank 1996 Michael D. Schultz, VP/Manager schultz@cashmerevalleybank.com (866) 664-3820 509.664.3820 www.cashmerevalleybank.com NEFA

4

Western States

$5,000 to $5,000,000

Y

N/R

N/R

N/R

N/R

http://www.leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/Funders.htm#cashmere

According to FDIC records, the bank was established September 24, 1932 the bank has 214 full time employees with 12 offices. Bank equity year-end 2008 $81.7 million, 2009 $87.4 million and 2010, $97.3 million. Profit in 2008 was $12.2 million and in 2009 $7.7 million following charge offs of $6.4 million in construction and land development, $1.9 million in loans secured by 1-4 family residential properties, $1.2 million in commercial and industrial loans, $466,000 in loans to individuals for personal use and $273,000 in lease financing receivables.

Profit in year-end 2010 was $9.7 million after charge offs of $4.4 million in construction and land development, $632,000 in 1-4 family residential properties, $787,000 commercial and industrial loans, $560,000 loans to individuals for household, family, and other personal expenditures, and $167,000 in lease financing receivables. Tier 1 risk-based capital ration: 13.38%.

P.S. Neither BLNW nor Cashmere Valley Bank are subscribers to Lease Police.

(1) Kaneshina LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jaime-a-kaneshina-clp/2/768/bb9

(2) Purchase Order regarding Notorious
http://www.leasingnews.org/PDF/NotoriousPurchaseOrder.pdf

(3) Promissory note
http://www.leasingnews.org/PDF/PROMISSORYNOTEQuail.pdf

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

What is Fraud?
by Bernie Boettigheimer, CLP

The Oxford American Dictionary defines fraud as:

“n. 1, criminal deception, a dishonest trick.. 2. A person (or thing) that is not what he (it) seems or pretends to be”.

USLegal.Com defines it as:

“Fraud is generally defined in the law as an intentional misrepresentation of material existing fact made by one person to another with knowledge of its falsity and for the purpose of inducing the other person to act, and upon which the other person relies with resulting injury or damage.”

Just the other day the president of a funding company called me fuming about a so-called fraudulent lessee who was an early default after making three payments. Apparently this lessee had closed up shop, skipped with the equipment and left the country. After listening to him vet for several minutes using fraud several times together with the names of the broker and vendor, I stopped him with these words. “Max (not his real name) –You use the word, fraud pretty casually but let me tell you what my lawyer told me when I was forming Lease Police. He said, Bernie—the courts decide what is fraud and not you. You can talk in generalities about fraud but not in specific cases “. As a result in our case Lease Police always uses the appellation, “Vendor/ Lessee Unusual Activity” This keeps us out of trouble and allows our subscriber to make that decision to go forward or not.

After that conversation I went looking for some definitions of fraud. The legal definition is something that should make everyone thinks before they jump the gun and start tossing accusations around which result in a law suite by an aggrieved party. The key words, of course, are “intentional misrepresentation”. Remember, everyone is innocent before the law.

Let’s examine the “Lessee Unusual Activity” described by the Max. Can he legally support his claims to meet the letter-of-the-law of intentional misrepresentation? Does the early default help his case? Does the lessee’s act of selling the equipment represent an act of mitigation, theft or outright fraud? All of the answers to these questions diminish or enhance his case. However the evaluation of these facts is the sole responsibility of a professional advocate who can use these facts to pursue further action, if any.

So a word to the wise: TONE DOWN THE RHETORIC, GET THE FACTS FIRST AND GIVE IT TO A PROFESSIONAL.

Bernie Boettigheimer, CLP
President
Lease Police, Inc.
1400 Preston Rd. #400
Plano, TX 75093
www.LeasePolice.com
www.bernieb@leasepolice.com
214-549-3426
972-692-8091- Fax

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

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

“That’s Life” ----ELFA MLFI-25 January, 2011 Alarming!
by Christopher Menkin

(Leasing News Chart)

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association MLFI-25 for January is quite alarming showing a $4.2 billion for the month. The chart above shows the fourth quarter at an improvement, but it only occurs due to the acrimony of the December large jump that occurs in each of the surveys each year.

Comparing January to the first two months of the last quarter

(Leasing News Chart)

I have always found the December major jump strange, as if there is one company, such as ADP where the customer renews their lease of accounting software and it changes the dynamic of the reporting. I realize it is the end of the year and most companies want to close out strong, but the December major jump is unusual, and it throws off the trend. For instance, here is a chart showing the trend without December:

(Leasing News Chart)

Prior years without fourth quarter:

(Leasing News Chart)

From all the people in the leasing business that I speak to, the small ticket marketplace is getting smaller and smaller, independent brokers are being squeezed out ( you don’t see any more active broker equipment leasing schools) and there are more and more sub-broker business (even NAELB has a broker exchange for their members.) The middle market definitely is seeing more players and the tax deals are frozen due to many factors, including recent IRS tax rulings and the fears of the changes by the FASB.

The SEC filings from the banks show that their write-offs are getting less ( they’ve already written off the bad ones), but business is down everywhere to what it was at one time. The talk at the bar is one thing, but the numbers reported to the SEC tell another story.

It is difficult for even the established professional to find money sources, and without them, you become a beggar on the streets.

 
(You have to listen to the whole song to get the message)

Here is the ELFA MFLI-25 chart:

MLFI-25 New Business Volume
(Year Over Year Comparison)
click image for larger view
(ELFA Chart)

Credit Approvals are down slightly:

Credit Approval Ratios As % of all Decisions Submitted
(Year Over Year Comparison)

click image for larger view

Aging of Receivables is about the same, but slightly higher:

click image for larger view
(ELFA Chart)

Charge offs are down to 1% as portfolio seem to have cleaned themselves out:

Average Losses (Charge-offs) as a % of net receivables
(Year Over Year Comparison)

click image for larger view
(ELFA Chart)

Employee count is down among those reporting:

Total Number of Employees
(Year Over Year Comparison)

click image for larger view
(ELFA Chart)

ELFA MFI-25 participants and their position on non-notification in Evergreen or Winter Green clause action:

(^^^^^ Notes the company: Does not refute policy to not notify lessee of end of term of initial lease arrangement.)

1- ADP Credit Corporation (Anthony Pacchiano of Credit Corp. is on the ELFA Board of Directors). ^^^^^
2- Bancorp South Equipment Finance ^^^^^
3- Bank of America ^^^^^
(Larry A. Similie is on the ELFA Board of Directors)
4- Bank of the West
(“At Bank of the West the two equipment finance portfolios with FMV, other purchase options and/or evergreen provisions are set up to provide notice to our lessees prior to the end of the initial term regarding their options. One portfolio that is primarily $1 out is not set up to generate notices.”)
5- BB&T
(Thomas M. Jaschik--is ELFA Treasurer). ^^^^^
6- Canon Financial Services. ^^^^^
7- Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation^^^^^
(Kent M Adams is on the ELFA Board of Directors) ^^^^^
8- CIT.^^^^^
9- De Lage Landen Financial Services
(William F. Stephenson is on the ELFA Board of Directors) ^^^^^
10- Dell Financial Service. Evidence companies employs non-notification and continues lease, especially on FMV.
11- EverBank Commercial Finance. ^^^^^
12- Fifth Third Bank^^^^^
(David A. Merrill is ELFA Chairman) ^^^^^
13- First American Equipment Finance Does not refute policy to not notify lessee of end of term of initial lease arrangement.
14- GreatAmerica
(States notifies lessee and if doesn't pay residual,goes month-to-month until paid.)
15- Hitachi Credit America. ^^^^^
16- HP Financial Services Evidence companies employs non-notification and continues lease, especially on FMV.
17- John Deere Financial.^^^^^
18- Key Equipment Finance. (Adam D. Warner is Second Vice-Chair) ^^^^^
19- M&I Equipment Finance. ^^^^^
(Jud Snyder is on the ELFA Board of Directors) ^^^^^
20- Marlin Leasing Corporation^^^^^
(SEC shows profit of company is from Evergreen clauses (a)
21- Merchants Capital^^^^^.
22- National City Commercial Corp. ^^^^^
23- RBS Asset Finance. ^^^^^
24- Regions Equipment Finance. ^^^^^
25- Siemens Financial Services. ^^^^^
26- Stearns Bank. ^^^^^
27- Susquehanna Commercial Finance, Inc
(Kenneth R. Collins, Jr., past Chairman of ELFA) ^^^^^
28- US Bancorp
(Anthony Cracchiolo from Equipment Finance Division is on the ELFA Board of Directors. In the past, US Bank Manifest would split extra lease payments with leasing brokers, but may or may not be the policy today.) ^^^^^
29- Verizon Capital Corp. ^^^^^
30- Volvo Financial Services. ^^^^^
31- Wells Fargo Equipment Finance. ^^^^^

(A) Marlin Leasing
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Marlin_Leasing_2008.htm

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

FDIC-Insured Institutions Earned $21.7 Billion in the Fourth Quarter of 2010
Reduced Loss Provisions Contributed to Full-Year Profit of $87.5 Billion

Commercial banks and savings institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) reported an aggregate profit of $21.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, a $23.5 billion improvement from the $1.8 billion net loss the industry reported in the fourth quarter of 2009. This is the sixth consecutive quarter that earnings registered a year-over-year increase.

"Overall, 2010 was a turnaround year with four straight quarters of positive earnings," said FDIC Chairman Sheila C. Bair. "We are encouraged not only by the rising trend in total industry net income, but also by the fact that a substantial majority of insured institutions are participating in this trend."

Almost two-thirds of all institutions (62 percent) reported improvements in their quarterly net income from a year ago. The average return on assets (ROA), a basic yardstick of profitability, rose to 0.65 percent, from negative 0.06 percent a year ago. Although community banks' aggregate return on assets lags the ROA for larger institutions, as a group they are recovering, as most community banks reported higher earnings than a year ago.

As has been the case in each of the past five quarters, reductions in provisions for loan losses were responsible for most of the year-over-year improvement in earnings. Fourth-quarter loss provisions totaled $31.6 billion, slightly more than half the $62.9 billion that insured institutions set aside for losses in the fourth quarter of 2009. In addition to the savings from lower provisions, net operating revenue (net interest income plus total noninterest income) was $2.8 billion (1.7 percent) higher than a year earlier, and realized gains on securities increased by $2.3 billion.

Asset-quality trends showed further improvement as noncurrent loans and leases (those 90 days or more past due or in nonaccrual status) fell for a third consecutive quarter. Insured banks and thrifts charged off $41.9 billion in uncollectible loans during the quarter, down $13 billion (23.7 percent) from a year earlier.

Financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year are contained in the FDIC's latest Quarterly Banking Profile, which was released today. Also among the findings:

Amended financial reports caused significant changes to industry earnings in three previous quarters. As a result of the restatements, first quarter 2009 net income declined from a previously reported $7.6 billion profit to a $6.5 billion net loss. Second quarter 2009 net income dropped from a $3.7 billion net loss to a $12.7 billion net loss. And, third quarter 2010 net income increased from $14.5 billion to $24.7 billion. Full-year 2009 net income declined from a $12.5 billion profit to a $10.6 billion net loss. Virtually all of the revisions resulted from corrections in the amounts and timing of the recognition of charges for goodwill impairment at one large institution.

Full-year net income rose to a three-year high. For all of 2010, insured institutions earned $87.5 billion, the highest full-year total since 2007, when the industry earned $99.9 billion. Lower expenses for loan-loss provisions and goodwill impairment were the principal factors in the $98.1 billion year-over-year improvement in net income. Provisions for loan losses were $92.6 billion lower than in 2009, while charges for goodwill impairment fell by $28.7 billion. Other positive contributions to the improvement in earnings came from net operating revenue, which was $10.8 billion higher than in 2009, and realized gains on securities, which were also $10.8 billion higher. More than two out of every three institutions (67.5 percent) reported higher earnings in 2010, and the proportion of institutions reporting net losses for the year improved from 31 percent in 2009 to 21 percent in 2010.

Loan balances continued to decline. Total loans and leases fell for the ninth time in the past ten quarters (the one exception resulted from changes in reporting rules, not from actual loan growth). The net decline in balances in the fourth quarter totaled $13.6 billion (0.2 percent). The largest reductions in loan portfolios occurred in real estate construction loans (down $32.5 billion, or 9.2 percent), non credit card consumer loans (down $29 billion, or 4.9 percent), and home equity lines of credit (down $11 billion, or 1.7 percent). Balances increased during the quarter in credit card portfolios (up $18.1 billion, or 2.6 percent), one- to four-family residential real estate loans (up $17 billion, or 0.9 percent), and loans to commercial and industrial borrowers (up $11.8 billion, or 1 percent). Almost 60 percent of insured institutions reported declines in loan balances in the fourth quarter.

The number of institutions on the FDIC's "Problem List" rose from 860 to 884. Total assets of "problem" institutions increased to $390 billion from $379 billion in the prior quarter, but are below the $403 billion reported at year-end 2009. The rate of increase in the number of "problem" banks has declined in each of the past four quarters. Thirty insured institutions failed during the fourth quarter, bringing the total number of failures for the full year to 157.

"As we have repeatedly stated, we believe that the number of failures peaked in 2010, and we expect both the number and total assets of this year's failures to be lower than last year's," added Chairman Bair.

The Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) balance increased for the fourth consecutive quarter. The DIF balance — the net worth of the fund — rose from negative $8.0 billion to negative $7.4 billion (unaudited) during the fourth quarter. The increase in the fund stemmed primarily from assessment revenues and an improving outlook for losses from future failures. The contingent loss reserve, which covers the costs of expected failures, fell from $21.3 billion to $17.7 billion during the quarter. While part of the decline reflects the removal of amounts reserved for banks that failed, part also reflects lower anticipated costs from future failure activity. Liquid resources (cash and marketable securities) stood at $46.2 billion at the end of the year, compared to $43.7 billion at the end of the third quarter.

"We expect the DIF balance will turn positive in 2011," Chairman Bair said, adding that "there is ample liquidity to meet our obligations arising from past and future bank failures."

Total insured deposits increased by 14.8 percent ($799 billion) during the quarter. This increase reflects additional, temporary coverage of non-interest bearing transaction accounts authorized by the Dodd-Frank Act. This additional coverage will last through the end of 2012.

In conclusion, Chairman Bair said, "Insured institutions made considerable progress in 2010. The return to industry profitability and the improving trend in asset quality were positive developments. Cleaning up balance sheets is only a first step. Now, we are looking to the industry to take the next step, and begin to build their loan portfolios. The long-term health of both the industry and our economy will depend on a responsible expansion of bank lending at this pivotal point in the economic recovery."

The complete Quarterly Banking Profile is available at http://www2.fdic.gov/qbp on the FDIC Web site.

Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in 1933 to restore public confidence in the nation's banking system. The FDIC insures deposits at the nation's 7,657 banks and savings associations and it promotes the safety and soundness of these institutions by identifying, monitoring and addressing risks to which they are exposed. The FDIC receives no federal tax dollars – insured financial institutions fund its operations

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

Leasing News: Fernando's View
By Fernando F. Croce

Special Oscar Column:

As the cream of Hollywood get ready to parade in pricey gowns and endure goofy musical numbers, the question remains: Who will take home the gold on Oscar night this Sunday? For the benefit of movie-lovers and audiences, we’ve put together this list of predictions for the main categories of American cinema’s top award.

Best Picture:
Nominees: "Black Swan," "The Fighter," "Inception," "The Kids Are All Right," "The King's Speech," "127 Hours," "The Social Network," "Toy Story 3," "True Grit" and "Winter's Bone"

Prediction: Continuing with the Academy's decision from last year to nominate ten rather than five films, the Best Picture slot offers a wide variety of hits that range from Gothic horrors and period pieces to sports dramas and animated blockbusters. Though there was critical acclaim behind pictures like "The Kids Are All Right" and "True Grit," the race seems to narrow between "Toy Story 3," "The Social Network" and "The King's Speech," films that have connected with both critics and audiences. David Fincher's tale about the creation of Facebook has relevance on its side, but several experts are predicting a "Shakespeare in Love"-style sweep by Tom Hooper's historical crowd-pleaser.

Previous Winner Netflix tips: "Annie Hall" (1977), "Out of Africa" (1985), "Schindler's List" (1993), "No Country for Old Men" (2007)

Best Director:
Nominees: Darren Aronofsky ("Black Swan"), David O. Russell ("The Fighter"), Tom Hooper ("The King's Speech"), David Fincher ("The Social Network") and Joel and Ethan Coen ("True Grit")

Prediction: Aronofsky's brand of visceral intensity, Russell's volatile naturalism and the Coen Brothers' rock-solid craft are all worthy candidates. Even viewers left cold by "The Social Network" agree that it was superbly directed, so this year it looks like Best Director will finally be going to Fincher, a three-time nominee whose work has gradually shifted from experimentation ("Fight Club") to respectability ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button").

Previous Winner Netflix tip: William Friedkin for "The French Connection" (1975), Bernardo Bertolucci for "The Last Emperor" (1987), James Cameron for "Titanic" (1997), Roman Polanski for "The Pianist" (2002)

Best Actor:
Nominees: Javier Bardem ("Biutiful"), Jeff Bridges ("True Grit"), Jesse Eisenberg ("The Social Network"), Colin Firth ("The King's Speech") and James Franco ("127 Hours")

Prediction: As good as their performances were, it's safe to say that Eisenberg and Franco (who is also hosting the Oscars) still have plenty of time ahead of them to get their own statuettes. That leaves Bardem and Bridges, both of whom already won in the past, and frontrunner Firth, whose moving performance as the stuttering British monarch has been sweeping award shows since "The King's Speech" opened. The only question, then, is whether Firth will stay in character for his acceptance speech ("T-t-t-t-thank you").

Previous Winner Netflix tip: Jack Nicholson for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1978), Paul Newman for "Color of Money" (1986), Nicolas Cage for "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995), Sean Penn for "Milk" (2007)

Best Actress:
Nominees: Annette Benning ("The Kids Are All Right"), Nicole Kidman ("Rabbit Hole"), Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone"), Natalie Portman ("Black Swan") and Michelle Williams ("Blue Valentine")

Prediction: It's always heartening to see gifted young actresses get their due, and this year's Best Actress nominees display a nice mix of veterans (Annette Benning and Nicole Kidman) and first-timers (Jennifer Lawrence, Michelle Williams and Natalie Portman). Williams' raw emotional display in "Blue Valentine" is my favorite of the bunch, but to judge from earlier award shows, Portman's full-bodied combination of fragility and fury in "Black Swan" has a lock on the Oscar.

Previous Winner Netflix tip: Jane Fonda for "Coming Home" (1978), Shirley MacLaine for "Terms of Endearment" (1983), Frances McDormand for "Fargo" (1996), Hillary Swank for "Million Dollar Baby" (2004)

Best Supporting Actor:
Nominees: Christian Bale ("The Fighter"), John Hawkes ("Winter's Bone"), Jeremy Renner ("The Town"), Mark Ruffalo ("The Kids Are All Right") and Geoffrey Rush ("The King's Speech")

Prediction: In one of the night's safest bets, Christian Bale is expected to walk off with the statuette for his intense performance as a formerly promising boxer whose career has hit the skids thanks to drugs. The less showy turns by Hawkes, Renner, Ruffalo and Rush might be just as deserving, but Bale's display of physical commitment and emotional flamboyance is precisely the kind of performance the Academy invented Best Supporting Actor Oscars for.

Previous Winner Netflix tip: Jason Robards for "All the President's Men" (1978), Michael Caine for "Hannah and Her Sisters" (1986), Joe Pesci for "Goodfellas" (1990), Christoph Waltz for "Inglourious Basterds" (2009)

Best Supporting Actress:
Nominees: Amy Adams ("The Fighter"), Helena Bonham Carter ("The King's Speech"), Melissa Leo ("The Fighter"), Hailee Steinfeld ("True Grit") and Jacki Weaver ("Animal Kingdom")

Prediction: Melissa Leo and Jacki Weaver supplied a pair of indelible matriarchal monsters, and Amy Adams and Helena Bonham Carter added a subtle feminine touch to stories more interested in the relationship between its male characters. But the Academy has loved to reward spunky young performers since Tatum O'Neal in "Paper Moon," so expect 14-year-old Steinfeld to ride off with the award come Sunday night.

Previous Winner Netflix tip: Vanessa Redgrave for "Julia" (1971), Jessica Lange for "Tootsie" (1982), Mira Sorvino for "Mighty Aphrodite" (1995), Cate Blanchett for "The Aviator" (2004)

Madison, Wisconsin -- Adopt-a-Dog

12123470
Raven
Female
Black Retriever, Labrador

"I am a 7 year old, Lab mix. I know sit, shake, and down. I am house trained. I have to go home with my friend Jackson."

12123483
Jackson
Male White Retriever, Labrador

"I am a 3 year old, Lab mix. I know sit, shake, down, and speak. I am house trained. I have to go home with my friend Raven."

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwSzFxmJWTA

Dane County Humane Society
Mailing Address :5132 Voges Road
Madison, WI 53718
Phone (608) 838 - 0413, ext. 1010
officedir@giveshelter.org
http://www.giveshelter.org/sitemgr/

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/

Why Choose Advanced Property Tax Compliance?

Dedicated to the leasing industry click here to learn more. Hear What Our Clients say about us click here Gary DiLillo, President 216-658-5618 or gary@avptc.com

 

News Briefs----

Distressed Homes Sold at 28% Discount Last Year with `Bloated' U.S. Supply

Troubled banks rise to highest level in 18 years

Top 10 Family Cars/Kelley Blue Book

Apple expected to announce new iPad on March 2

Chris Medina eliminated from 'Idol'

You May have Missed---

Cash-Flow Crisis Is Recession's Legacy for Small Biz
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/feb2011/sb20110222_359563.htm

“Gimme that Wine”

Wine industry faces glass vs. bottle challenge
http://westernfarmpress.com/grapes/wine-industry-faces-glass-vs-bottle-challenge

Virginia “Corkage” Bill Will Let Restaurant Patrons Bring Their Own Wine
http://www.arlnow.com/2011/02/23/corkage-bill-will-let-restaurant-patrons-bring-their-own-wine/

Dan Berger: Many vintners worthy of Hall of Fame
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110222/LIFESTYLE/110229899

James Beard Foundation reveals 2011 semifinalists
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110222/LIFESTYLE/110229890

Macaroni and cheese with pinot
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110223/ENTERTAINMENT/110229946?Title=Mac-and-cheese-with-pinot-

Free Mobile Wine Program
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2010/2_26.htm#mobile

Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com

http://www.wine-searcher.com/

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

Winery Atlas
http://www.carterhouse.com/atlas/\

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

     1761 - James Otis voices opposition to English colonial rule in a speech before the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. In 1761 the merchants of Boston hired attorney James Otis to give a speech against the writs of assistance a general warrant which was issued for the life of the sovereign to search "any House, shop, Cellar, Warehouse or Room or other Place. Customs officers could ask anyone to help with the writ, which was the reason for its name. Young attorney John Adams, who later became the second President of the United States, heard the speech, and was so inspired by it that he wrote a provision for the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights based on the arguments Mr. Otis made. The language later formed the basic language of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The battle against the writs of assistance, and the Otis speech, was one of the major opening chapters in the American colonists' struggles against tax tyranny that led to the American Revolution. The speech generated much excitement.
    1786 - Charles Cornwallis, whose armies had surrendered to US at Yorktown, was appointed governor-general of India.
    1803- Supreme Court first rules a law unconstitutional (Marbury vs Madison) This 1803 decision marked the first time the United States Supreme Court declared a federal law unconstitutional. Chief Justice John Marshall wrote the opinion for the court. He held that it was the duty of the judicial branch to determine what the law is. His opinion established the power of judicial review—that is, the court's authority to declare laws unconstitutional
http://www.stanley2002.org/marbury.htm
http://www.jmu.edu/madison/marbury/background.htm
    1811-Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne, sixth Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church and a founder of Ohio's Wilberforce University, was born to free black parents in Charleston, South Carolina. Named for English abolitionist Lord William Wilberforce, Wilberforce University in Xenia, Ohio, was the first black-owned college in the United States. Payne was named the university's president in 1863, becoming the nation's first black college president.
http://www.amecnet.org/payne.htm
http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/payne70/frontis.html
    1836-Home Winslow Birthday; American artist born at Boston, MA. Noted for the realism of his work, from the Civil war reportage to the highly regarded rugged outdoor scenes of hunting and fishing. Died at his home at Prout's Neck, ME, Sept. 29, 1920.
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/H/homer.html
    1836-Texan Colonel William Travis sends a desperate plea for help for the besieged defenders of the Alamo, San Antonio, Texas, sending the message with the famous last words, "Victory or Death." On March 6, the Alamo , where 182 Texans were garrisoned was captured by the Mexican leader Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who had led over 3000 troops across the Rio Grande. Every Texan except a mother, a child, and a servant was killed. “Remember the Alamo” became a battle cry that brought Texans and friends from neighboring states together that eventually formed the Republic of Texas. The movie in the 1950's “Davey Crockett,” would bring the event to worldwide attention as he died in the Alamo along with Colonel Travis, making the “Bowie” knife and coonskin cap famous ( as a point of history, Crockett never wore a coonskin cap. He was a former legislator and well-educated man for his time, not a hick or country bumpkin as the role Fess Parker made famous. )
1852 -the Susquehanna River ice bridge at Havre de Grace, Maryland began to break up after 40 days of use. A total of 1738 loaded freight cars were hauled along the rails laid on the ice.
    1857- Los Angeles Vineyard Society organized by two men in San Francisco named Charles Kohler and James Frohling, who were looking for an area to establish a vineyard colony. Kohler and Frohling, with a group of German immigrants, formed the Los Angeles Vineyard Society on February 24, 1857. George Hansen, a Los Angeles surveyor, was selected to find an ideal site for their planned community. He found it on the Rancho San Juan Cajon de Santa Ana, which was then in Los Angeles County. Plans were formed for the new town, which was named "Anaheim," but known to their Spanish-speaking neighbors as "Campo Aleman." Although the first settlers arrived in town in 1859, it was not until 1870 that the city was first organized as a municipality.
http://www.anaheim.net/depts_servc/police/history/intro.htm
    1860 -- Printer Daniel Berkeley Updike born, Providence, Rhode Island. (founder of Merrymount Press) he influences the world of typography with his two-volume Printing Types — Their History, Forms & Use. 
http://www.oakknoll.com/pressrel/types.html
    1863-Arizona becomes its own territory.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/feb24.html
    1864- Battle of Tunnel Hill GA (Buzzard's Roost). This started as a skirmish on February 22 but grew into a battle that lasted until February 25 
http://bachelorsgrove.com/archive/obituaries/info/jamfuller/stories/index4.html
http://www.northga.net/whitfield/tunnel.html
http://roadsidegeorgia.com/city/tunnelhill.html
http://www.ganet.org/civilwar/georgia.html#anchor221032
    1867-Impeach President Andrew Johnson: In a showdown over reconstruction policy following the Civil War, the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson. During the two years following the end of the war, the Republican-controlled Congress had sought to severely punish the South. Congress passed the Reconstruction Act that divided the South into five military districts headed by officers who were to take their orders from General Grant, the head of the army, instead of from President Johnson. In addition, Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act, which required Senate approval before Johnson could remove any official whose appointment was originally approved by the Senate. Johnson vetoed this act but the veto was overridden by Congress. To test the constitutionality of the act, Johnson dismissed Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, triggering the impeachment vote. While Johnson was not pro civil rights, he was pro South ( in fact, one of his last acts of office in December was to pardon Jefferson Davis, who was on trial for treason) . Stanton was very much anti-South and harbored many ill feelings, basically because of his blundering of military assignments to “society” generals. .On Mar 5,1868, the Senate convened as a court to hear the charges against the President. The Senate vote of 35—19 fell one vote short of the two-thirds majority needed for impeachment. Thus the South became Dixie Democrats until modern times. The 1868 presidential election was close, with Ulysses S. Grant's popular majority a scant 306,000 out of 5,7175,000 votes, although the electoral vote was 214 to Republican Horatio Seymour. The black vote, which totaled over 700,000, decided the election for Grant. In 1872, Grant beat Republican Candidate Horace Greely 3,597,132 to 2,384,124 for Greely; electoral votes 286 to 66. History changed and the Democratic Dixiecrat destroyed reconstruction and controlled the house with an inside deal to give. The election had been thrown back to congress before, such as the one between Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson. This was the first time the nation faced a dispute over the results of a presidential election. A candidate needed 185 electoral votes to win and Samuel J. Tilden the Democratic candidate, clearly had 184. In dispute were the 19 electoral votes of three states till under carpetbag rule---Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina---plus one vote in Oregon. In Congress both parties agreed on January 29, 1877 to establish an electoral commission to decide the issue. The commission, with five members from each house of Congress, and five members from the Supreme Court, was made up of eight Republicans and seven Democrats. All the commission's decisions were to fall along party lines. On March 2, Congress accepted the commission's decision, which awarded all the disputed votes to the Republican candidate , Rutherford B. Hayes, who thus received 185 electoral votes to Tilden's 184. The Republicans were accused of offering southern Democrats economic favors for their region if they supported Hayes's claim. In any event, the new president showed a conciliatory attitude toward the South: all the programs in place that had elected blacks to office, given them property and protection were removed, and the last federal troops were withdrawn and there was no further effort to protect the rights of blacks. Reconstruction was over.
    1868- 1st US parade with floats (Mardi Gras-Mobile AL)
http://www.fabuloustravel.com/usa/mardigras/almardigras.html
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/6483/mg1.html
http://www.mglinks.com/mg101.htm
http://www.mglinks.com/
    1891 -The term "honky tonk" introduced, appearing in an Oklahoma paper, The Daily Ardorite, which reports "the honk-a-tonk last night was well attended." The word is most likely a Creole derivative, but could not find a definitive source. “Honkey” or "Honkie" might be its original source or a “spin-off.”
http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/Digests/199703/1997.03.05.06.html
http://phrases.shu.ac.uk/bulletin_board/13/messages/216.html
    1895- Cuban war of independence begins.
http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~delacova/1895/chronology.htm
http://www.autentico.org/oa09313.html
http://www.historyofcuba.com/cuba.htm
    1897- Emile Berliner took out a Canadian patent on his gramophone talking machine. Manufacturing facilities were set up in Montreal. Berliner had built a crude model of his machine ten years earlier at his home laboratory in Washington, DC, and he applied for a US patent on it on September 26th, 1887. Today the terms "gramophone" and "phonograph" mean the same thing. But in Berliner's day this was not so. "Gramophone" referred to a talking machine employing lateral-cut discs, while the phonograph, invented by Thomas Edison, used vertical-cut cylinders. Berliner's discs eventually made Edison's cylinders obsolete. Berliner also invented the microphone, which we still use today.
http://www.invention.org/electronic-music/berliner.html
    1905 -the temperature at Valley Head, Alabama fell to 18 degrees below zero. This was the coldest temperature ever recorded in Alabama until January 30, 1966 when it reached -27 at New Market.
    1909-The Hudson Motor Car Company, founded by Joseph Hudson, in Detroit, Michigan, was incorporated. Hudson is perhaps most famous for its impact on NASCAR racing, which it accomplished thanks to a revolutionary design innovation.
    1910-Arranger/Pianist Clyde Hart born Baltimore, MD, died March,1945
http://www.centrohd.com/biogra/h1/clyde_hart_b.htm
(Ben Webster talks about Clyde Hart:
http://www.jazzprofessional.com/interviews/BenWebster.htm
http://www.umkc.edu/lib/spec-col/ww2/1939/jive_txt.htm
(CD had Clyde Hart All-stars with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie)
http://www.geocities.com/ladenso1/RBird/RepliestoKLONBird3_2_.html
Una Mae Carlise Orchestra
http://www.welwyn11.freeserve.co.uk/LY_smallgps.htm
    1912-Hadassah: Twelve members of the Daughters of Zion Study Circle met at New York City under the leadership of Nerietta Szoid. A constitution was drafted to expand the study group into a national organization called Hadassah (Hebrew for “myrtle” ) and the biblical name of Queen Esther) to foster Jewish education in America and to create public health nursing and nurses training in Palestine. Hadassah is now the largest women's volunteer organization in the US with 1,500 chapters rooted in health care delivery, education and vocational training, children's villages and services and land reclamation in Israel.
    1912 -- Labor activist Elizabeth Gurley Flynn heads "Bread & Roses" Lawrence Textile Strike of 20,000 women in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Police attack 150 children & their parents at the town railroad station. Many strikers are sending their kids to safe homes with friendly families in other cities. The exodus has generated so much publicity that Lawrence authorities have resolved to crush it. Today they force 35 women & their children into patrol wagons. After charging the women with neglect & handing jail sentences & fines to the organizers, the town fathers send 10 of the kids to the Lawrence poor farm. This prompts only more publicity, forcing Congress to investigate the strike. Sixteen children will testify, describing the poverty that led them to leave school & take jobs in the mill. The American Woolen Company will have no choice but to yield to the strikers' demands.
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5202/rebelgirl.html
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45b/index-a.html
    1921-Abe Vigoda birthday, actor ( “Barney Miller,” “Fish.”), born New York, NY.
http://www.zxcproductions.com/web/Abe/abe.html
http://www.tvland.com/shows/barneymiller/actor1.jhtml
http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=1800022099&cf=biog&intl=us
    1927-West Coast bassist Ralph Pena born Jarbridge, NV. He played with Pete Jolly and was also popular at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, California, where we saw him play often with many jazz groups. Died, 1969.
http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,478135,00.html?artist=Ralph+Pena
    1928 -- In its first show to feature a Black artist, the New Gallery of New York exhibits works of Archibald Motley.
    1932-composer Michel Legrand born Paris, France
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Legrand,+Michel
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005YW0W/inktomi-musicasin-20/
102-1682336-8966565
    1933-Tenor Sax David “Fathead” Newman Birthday
http://www.davidfatheadnewman.com/
http://www.interneted.com/Reviewpages/newmandaviddaveyblue.htm
http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/ah/fathead/david_fathead.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000333E/avsearch-df1-9-20/
102-1682336-8966565
    1933-Tenor Sax David “Fathead” Newman Birthday
http://www.davidfatheadnewman.com/
http://www.interneted.com/Reviewpages/newmandaviddaveyblue.htm
http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/ah/fathead/david_fathead.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000333E/avsearch-df1-9-20/
102-1682336-8966565
    1936 - Vermont and New Hampshire received brown snow due to dust from storms in the Great Plains Region. A muddy rain fell across parts of northern New York State. (24th-25th) (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
    1940 - On Decca Records, Frances Langford recorded "When You Wish Upon a Star" during a session held in Los Angeles, California. Many artists have recorded that particular song, including Linda Ronstadt with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra in the early 1980s. The song can also be heard in the opening credits of any Disney movie, video or television program.
    1941- '60s pop singer Joanie Sommers birthday.
http://www.grillecloth.com/sommers/sommers.html
http://www.homestead.com/joaniesommers/
    1942- Harry James records “Trumpet Blues( and Cantabile)-Col. 36549
    1942 -- The Army, mistaking a weather balloon that strayed over Los Angeles for a Japanese bomber, unleashes a saturation antiaircraft barrage. Three civilians are trampled to death in the attending panic, and dozens more injured by falling shrapnel. The Japanese later in the war deployed large balloons with bombs, most landed in Oregon and Northern California, causing damage, but was kept out of the news, and the Japanese thinking they were not effective, ended the program. The press was told not to print any stories as if the Japanesse learned how effective and inexpensive it was for them to release balloons with bombs in the jet stream, it may have destroyed many cities on the West Coast.
    1943 - The Human Comedy, a novel written by William Saroyan, was published on this date in New York.
http://www.housecollectibles.com/highschool/catalog/display.pperl?0440339332
http://www.cilicia.com/armo22_william_saroyan_3.html
    1943 - George Harrison Birthday: (Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer, former Beatle: My Sweet Lord, Isn't It a Pity, What is Life?, All Those Years Ago, Concert for Bangla-Desh; actor: A Hard Day's Night, Help!, The Beatles, Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine, Let It Be, The Concert for Bangladesh, Shanghai Surprise, You Can't Do That! The Making of ‘A Hard Day's Night'; Harrison believed for most of his life his birthday was Feb 25 but a family birth record has his birth at near 11:50 p.m. Feb 24; died Nov 29, 2001)
    1944 --"Merrill's Marauders" hit Burma The Marauders' mission began with a 1,000-mile walk through dense jungle, without artillery support, into Burma. On February 24, 1944, they began their Burmese campaign, which, when done, consisted of five major and 30 minor engagements with a far more numerous Japanese enemy. They had to carry their supplies on their backs and on pack mules, and were resupplied only with airdrops in the middle of the jungle. Merrill's Marauders succeeded in maneuvering behind Japanese forces to cause the disruptions necessary to throw the enemy into confusion. They were so successful, the Marauders managed even to capture the Myitkyina Airfield in northern Burma.
    1947-Bass player Bob Magnusson born New York City, NY,
http://www.theiceberg.com/artist/24649/bob_magnusson/
http://www.emusic.com/cd/10600/10600220.html?fref=148694
    1949-First rocket to reach outer space was a two-stage rocked consisting of a Wac Corporal set in the nose of a captured German V-2. It was fired from the White Sands Proving Ground, NM, by a team of scientists under Dr. Wernher von Braun. It reached an altitude of 250 miles.
    1951—Top Hits
If - Perry Como
My Heart Cries for You - Guy Mitchell
Tennessee Waltz - Patti Page
There's Been a Change in Me - Eddy Arnold
    1955 - Ike Eisenhower met with newspaper publisher Roy Howard and expressed his resistance under pressure to commit American troops to Vietnam. The conversation was recorded on a dictabelt machine that Eisenhower had secretly installed in the president’s office.
    1955-Steven Jobs birthday, co-founder of Apple Computer company, born Los Altos, CA. Jobs, the controversial co-founder of Apple Computer, started out selling his friend Stephen Wozniak's computers door-to-door at electronic hobbyist shops. By 1979, Apple Computer had become the fastest growing company in history, worth more than $1 billion. That year, Jobs led a team of several Apple developers, working on a new project called Lisa, on a visit to Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, where the team saw the Alto, an early computer with a graphical user interface using icons, a mouse, and built-in networking capacity. Both the Lisa and the Macintosh adopted key elements of the Alto. Jobs, whose impulsive personal style irritated some of Apple's key managers, was forced to leave Apple in 1985. He formed NeXT Inc., became president of Pixar animation studios, and returned to Apple in 1997 as acting president. He turned both ventures into giant money making companies, winning awards, dominating the music market with the iPod.  The company changed their name to Apple to reflect their diversification.
    Jobs is credited with the company's tremendous success. Under his direction the company grew from computers to portable music players, portable wireless telephones, and now the IPAD, which will revolutionize the printing industry as Jobs did to both the music industry and telephone/web industry. The Apple computer is considered the finest by architects, graphic designers, and web designers, as well as other aficionados’. Jobs was also the CEO of Pixar Animation Studios until it was acquired by the Walt Disney Company in 2006. Jobs is currently the Walt Disney Company's largest individual shareholder and a member of its Board of Directors.
    1956- Need an adult to dance in Cleveland: Now the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, invoked a 1931 law barring people under 18 from dancing publicly without an adult guardian.
    1959---Top Hits
Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price
Donna - Ritchie Valens
The All American Boy - Bill Parsons
Don't Take Your Guns to Town - Johnny Cash
    1963-The Rolling Stones take over as the Sunday house band at the Station Hotel, near London. They are paid £24 ($67) to entertain a crowd of 66 people.
    1967--WILBANKS, HILLIARD A. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Air Force, 21st. Tactical Air Support Squadron, Nha Trang AFB, RVN. Place and date: Near Dalat, Republic of Vietnam, 24 February 1967. Entered service at: Atlanta, Ga. Born: 26 July 1933, Cornelia, Ga. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. As a forward air controller Capt. Wilbanks was pilot of an unarmed, light aircraft flying visual reconnaissance ahead of a South Vietnam Army Ranger Battalion. His intensive search revealed a well-concealed and numerically superior hostile force poised to ambush the advancing rangers. The Viet Cong, realizing that Capt. Wilbanks' discovery had compromised their position and ability to launch a surprise attack, immediately fired on the small aircraft with all available firepower. The enemy then began advancing against the exposed forward elements of the ranger force which were pinned down by devastating fire. Capt. Wilbanks recognized that close support aircraft could not arrive in time to enable the rangers to withstand the advancing enemy, onslaught. With full knowledge of the limitations of his unarmed, unarmored, light reconnaissance aircraft, and the great danger imposed by the enemy's vast firepower, he unhesitatingly assumed a covering, close support role. Flying through a hail of withering fire at treetop level, Capt. Wilbanks passed directly over the advancing enemy and inflicted many casualties by firing his rifle out of the side window of his aircraft. Despite increasingly intense antiaircraft fire, Capt. Wilbanks continued to completely disregard his own safety and made repeated low passes over the enemy to divert their fire away from the rangers. His daring tactics successfully interrupted the enemy advance, allowing the rangers to withdraw to safety from their perilous position. During his final courageous attack to protect the withdrawing forces, Capt. Wilbanks was mortally wounded and his bullet-riddled aircraft crashed between the opposing forces. Capt. Wilbanks' magnificent action saved numerous friendly personnel from certain injury or death. His unparalleled concern for his fellow man and his extraordinary heroism were in the highest traditions of the military service, and have reflected great credit upon himself and the U.S. Air Force.
    1967 -Top Hits
Kind of a Drag - The Buckinghams
Love is Here and Now You're Gone - The Supremes
The Beat Goes On - Sonny & Cher
Where Does the Good Times Go - Buck Owens
    1969--LEVITOW, JOHN L.  Medal of Honor
    Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, 3d Special Operations Squadron. place and date: Long Binh Army post, Republic of Vietnam, 24 February 1969. Entered service at: New Haven, Conn. Born: 1 November 1945, Hartford, Conn. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Levitow (then A1c.), U.S. Air Force, distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while assigned as a loadmaster aboard an AC-47 aircraft flying a night mission in support of Long Binh Army post. Sgt. Levitow's aircraft was struck by a hostile mortar round. The resulting explosion ripped a hole 2 feet in diameter through the wing and fragments made over 3,500 holes in the fuselage. All occupants of the cargo compartment were wounded and helplessly slammed against the floor and fuselage. The explosion tore an activated flare from the grasp of a crewmember who had been launching flares to provide illumination for Army ground troops engaged in combat. Sgt. Levitow, though stunned by the concussion of the blast and suffering from over 40 fragment wounds in the back and legs, staggered to his feet and turned to assist the man nearest to him who had been knocked down and was bleeding heavily. As he was moving his wounded comrade forward and away from the opened cargo compartment door, he saw the smoking flare ahead of him in the aisle. Realizing the danger involved and completely disregarding his own wounds, Sgt. Levitow started toward the burning flare. The aircraft was partially out of control and the flare was rolling wildly from side to side. Sgt. Levitow struggled forward despite the loss of blood from his many wounds and the partial loss of feeling in his right leg. Unable to grasp the rolling flare with his hands, he threw himself bodily upon the burning flare. Hugging the deadly device to his body, he dragged himself back to the rear of the aircraft and hurled the flare through the open cargo door. At that instant the flare separated and ignited in the air, but clear of the aircraft. Sgt. Levitow, by his selfless and heroic actions, saved the aircraft and its entire crew from certain death and destruction. Sgt. Levitow's gallantry, his profound concern for his fellowmen, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
    1969- Johnny Cash recorded his second live prison performance, this one at San Quentin, Marin County, California. It followed a concert the previous year at Folsom Prison. The LP "Johnny Cash at San Quentin" topped the Billboard pop and country charts. It also contained the hit single "A Boy Named Sue."
http://www.canoe.ca/JamAlbumsC/cash_johnny_sanquentin.html
    1970- Quarterback Jeff Garcia birthday, born Gilroy, CA.
    1971--Janis Joplin's "Pearl" goes gold.
    1972-Birthday Manon Rheaume - The first woman to play in a professional hockey game. MR was goaltender when Canada won the 1992 and '94, world championships as a member of Canada's women's national team and was MVP of both tournaments. In 1986 she goaled the national team to the Olympic silver. " In 1992, Rheaume made sports history by appearing in an NHL exhibition game for the Tampa Bay Lightning, thus becoming the first female to play in a major professional sport. She continued her pro hockey career with various men's minor league teams but in 1995, she turned to professional roller hockey playing for the New Jersey Rock 'n Rollers." Small for her position, she is 5' 6" with a playing weight of 130 lbs.
    1973-With Roger McGuinn remaining the only original member, The Byrds made their final live appearance when they played at The Capitol Theatre, in Passaic, New Jersey.
    1973 - Roberta Flack's “Killing Me Softly With His Song” jumped to Number 1 on Billboard's hit record charts, and remained there for 5 weeks. It was rumored that the subject of her song was folk singer Don McLean. Actually it was not, as the original singer was “inspired” by the song and got the songwriter to make a few changes, but it was Roberta Flack who heard the song and decided she wanted to also record it.
http://www.superseventies.com/1973_9singles.html
    1975---Top Hits
Pick Up the Pieces - AWB
Best of My Love - The Eagles
Some Kind of Wonderful - Grand Funk
I Care - Tom T. Hall
    1976- the Eagles "Greatest Hits" became the first LP in the US to be certified platinum - two-million copies sold.
    1979-The Jefferson Starship releases the greatest hits LP "Gold" which eventually makes the top-20 on Billboard's LP chart.
    1980—Hockey Teams Wins Gold: Two days after defeating the Soviet Union 4-3, the US hockey team won the gold medal at the XIIIth Winter Olympic Games by beating Finland, 4-2.
    1981-School Headmistress and Socialite Jean Harris is convicted of murdering "The Scarsdale Diet" doctor, Herman Tarnower. Harris and Tarnower had been a couple since they met in 1966. However, Tarnower was a notorious womanizer who never followed through on his vague promises to marry the 56-year-old Harris. In the late 1970s, Harris discovered that Tarnower was having an affair with a younger woman. Nonetheless, she assisted him in writing and editing The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet, which became a surprise sensation, earning Tarnower wealth and fame. Harris later claimed that she went there with suicidal intentions. However, the fact that Tarnower was shot four times seemed to belie her defense. Rather than maintain that she had killed in the heat of the moment, which would have dealt a manslaughter conviction, Harris insisted that the shooting was an accident. Her gamble (or insistence on principle) failed when the jury convicted her of murder and gave her a life sentence. Harris was a model prisoner who used every opportunity to bring attention to the plight of women prisoners. She wrote the well- received “They Always Call Us Ladies” in 1988, and finally won parole in 1993.
    1981 -Boston Celtics begin 18 NBA game win streak 
http://www.pataky.net/NBAFinals.asp
http://sporting.oneofakindantiques.com/2085_boston_celtics_basketball_from
_1980_to_1981_4.htm
http://members.tripod.com/opey3/celtics.html
    1982-Wayne Gretzky, 21-year-old center for the Edmonton Oilers, scored his 77 th goal of the season against the Buffalo Sabres to break Phil Esposito's single-season goal-scoring record. With Esposite, who had scored 76 goals in the 1970-71 season, in attendance, Gretzky stole the puck and broke a 3-3 tie with seven minutes to play. He added two more goals in the game's final two minutes and finished the season with 92 goals.
    1982-The 1981 Grammy Award winners are announced. Kim Carnes wins Record and Song of the Year with "Bette Davis Eyes," while John Lennon and Yoko Ono win Album of the Year with "Double Fantasy."
    1983 – Dow Jones average for the first time closed above the 1100 mark, after the stock market moved 24.87 points to close at 1121.81. In 1972, the 1100 plateau had been reached, but a rally could not keep the benchmark high at that point until the end of the trading day.
    1983---Top Hits
Baby, Come to Me - Patti Austin with James Ingram
Shame on the Moon - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Stray Cat Strut - Stray Cats
Faking Love - T.G. Sheppard & Karen Brooks
    1985 - Quarterback Doug Flutie played his first professional game, leading the New Jersey Generals against Birmingham, to a 38-28 loss. The former Boston College star had a rough start in his USFL debut, but completed 12 of 18 passes in the game's fourth quarter. I bring this up as he is my double cousin on my mother's side ( son of my mother's sister's son.)
http://www.dougflutiejrfoundation.org/
http://members.aol.com/Argonuter/
    1985 - Yul Brynner reprised his "The King and I" role, setting an all-time box office weekly receipt record when the show took in $520,920.
    1987-Not a Welk Tune: A spokeswoman for bandleader Lawrence Welk said some Welk fans who bought his "Polka Party" compact disc ended up with the punk rock soundtrack to the movie "Sid and Nancy." The Welk Enterprises office in Los Angeles fielded several telephone calls from upset fans. The CD's apparently were mislabeled at the factory in Japan.
    1987 - The Los Angeles Lakers' Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, got his first three-point shot. At this date, the leading scorer in NBA history had reached 36,000 points, but until now, Kareem never scored over two at a time.
    1987-The 1986 Grammys are awarded: Paul Simon's "Graceland" wins Best Album; Steve Winwood's "Higher Love" wins Best Record and Bruce Hornsby and the Range win Best New Artist.
    1987-the massive winter storm continued to pound the western US In southern California, Big Bear was blanketed with 17 inches of snow and Lake Hughes reported 4 inches in one hour. Snow pellets whitened coastal areas of Orange and San Diego counties with 3 inches falling at Huntington Beach. Thunderstorms producing hail and waterspouts also occurred. In Colorado, Purgatory was buried under 62 inches of snow over a 4 day period and Colorado Springs had 14.8 inches in 24 hours to set a 24 hour snowfall record for February.
    1988 - Strong winds produced snow squalls in the Great Lakes Region which created "white-out" conditions in eastern Upper Michigan. Squalls produced up to 14 inches of snow in Geauga County of northeastern Ohio.
    1988-Matt Nykanen of Finland, having already finished first in the 70-and 90-meter ski jumping events, won an unprecedented third gold medal in Nordic skiing when the Finnish team won the new 90-meter team jumping competition.
    1989-Jerry Jones Buys Dallas Cowboys: Jerry Jones announced the he had reached an agreement to buy the Dallas Cowboys from H.R. “Bum” Bright and that he had replaced Tom Landry, the only head coach in Dallas history, with University of Miami coach Jimmy Johnson.
    1989 - A total of thirty-three cities in the eastern U.S. reported new record low temperatures for the date, and an Atlantic coast storm spread heavy snow from Georgia to southern New England. Snowfall totals in New Jersey ranged up to 24 inches in May County, with 19 inches reported at Atlantic City. Totals in North Carolina ranged up to 18 inches in Gates County, and winds along the coast of North Carolina gusted to 70 mph at Duck Pier. Strong winds gusting to 52 mph created blizzard conditions at Chatham MA.
    1990 - Strong northerly winds prevailed from Illinois to the Southern and Central Appalachians. Winds gusted to 68 mph at Sewickley Heights PA. High winds caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow across northern and central Indiana through the day. Wind gusts to 47 mph and 6 to 8 inches of snow created white-out conditions around South Bend IN. Traffic accidents resulted in two deaths and 130 injuries. Sixty-five persons were injured in one accident along Interstate 69 in Huntington County. Wind gusts to 60 mph and 4 to 8 inches of snow created blizzard conditions in eastern and northern Ohio. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
    1991 - In the Gulf War, the ground campaign began with an allied night attack. More than 14,000 Iraqis were captured in the first 24 hours of fighting. The Persian Gulf War, codenamed Operation Desert Storm, authorized by the U.N. and led by the U.S. began with an all-out air war against Iraq on January 15, 1991. Its objective was to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait, which Iraq had occupied since August 2, 1990. Ground action began February 24 and three days later President George Bush halted the fighting with Iraqi forces routed. Iraq agreed to destroy its facilities for making chemical, nuclear, and biological weapons, but stalled the actual carrying out of the relevant UN resolution American casualties were 146 dead and 467 wounded. Iraq set fires to all the oil wells, gutted the hospitals, stole jewelry, automobiles, anything they could carry or drive. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Turkey, all US allies in the Persian Gulf War, wanted the US presence out of the area as soon as possible.
    1991—Top Hits
All the Man that I Need - Whitney Houston
One More Try - Timmy -T-
Someday - Mariah Carey
Walk on Faith - Mike Reid
    1992-- GM loses $4.45 billion: The greatest loss by a US company was suffered by the world's largest industrial company, General Motors Corporation, who announced they had a $4.45 billion loss for the year 1991.
    1992-The U.S. Postal Service unveils 2 versions of its proposed Elvis stamp for fans to vote on. Eventually, the younger Elvis wins and is issued on January 8, 1993
    1992 -as of 2:45 am CST, International Falls, Minnesota had recorded 29.5 inches of snow for the month with snow still falling. This set a new monthly snowfall record for February. The old record was 29.0 inches set back in 1911. A new record was also set for winter season snowfall (Dec-Feb) with 68.5 inches. The old record was 67.9 inches.
    1993- British rock legend Eric Clapton, who had been virtually ignored in the Grammy Awards for most of his career, won six Grammys, including the music industry's three major awards - record, album and song of the year. Clapton was honored for his album "Unplugged," and the song "Tears in Heaven." Clapton wrote "Tears in Heaven" as a tribute to his infant son Conor, who died in 1991 when he fell out a window in Clapton's 53rd floor New York apartment.
    1998-Elton John is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in front of his parents and his partner David Furnish.
    1998 – Andrew Boccelli, already an international singing sensation, released his second album, Bocelli, by Sugar Music. The album achieved double- platinum in Italy, sextuple platinum in Belgium, and quadruple platinum in both Germany and the Netherlands. His single song "Con te Partiro" topped the charts for 6 weeks in France, earning a triple-gold sales award. In Belgium, it became the biggest hit of all time, with 12 weeks at the top.
    1998 – Henny Youngman, legendary comedian, at age 91, died in Manhattan following a debilitating bout of flu. Youngman, often called "King of the One-Liners" was best known for his trademark "Take my wife, please!" Using that line since the 1930's, he continued after his beloved wife Sadie died in 1987.
http://www.iei.net/~liz/young.htm
http://www.comedycity.com/henny_youngman/
    1999 - Radio shock jock Doug Tracht, known as "Greaseman", was suspended indefinitely and then ultimately fired for a race-related remark made on station WARW-FM in Washington, D.C. On that morning's radio show, Tracht had noted that the Grammy Awards ceremony were scheduled for that evening and played a portion of a song by Lauryn Hill, a young black hip-hop artist nominated for 10 Grammys. Then he commented, "No wonder people drag them behind trucks." The reference was to the torture and death in Texas of James Byrd, Jr., a black man decapitated while being dragged behind a pickup truck. John William King, a white supremacist, was convicted of murder the previous day in the case. Tracht faxed a one-paragraph statement: "I'm truly sorry for the pain and hurt I have caused with my unfeeling comment. I have no excuse for my remark, and regret it. If I could take it back I would. In the course of my show, split second judgment is made over ad-libs. This remark was a grave error in my judgment." A statement from the station announcing Tracht's firing apologized to listeners who were offended. "While we will always strongly support the right of our on-air artists to express a wide range of opinions, even those that are unpopular or offensive to some, WARW cannot be associated with the trivialization of an unspeakable act of violence," the statement read.
    1999-- At the annual Grammy awards ceremony in the Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, hip- hop star Lauryn Hill broke a record for female artists, winning five Grammy Awards for her album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Hill's five wins in one night - album of the year, best new artist, female rhythm and blues vocal, R & B song for Doo Wop (That Thing), and R & B album - topped the four Grammys won by Carole King in 1971 for Tapestry.
    2002- XIX winter Olympics closes in Salt Lake City UT/Québec City
http://www.utah.com/olympics/http://www.saltlake2002.com/
http://anythingkiss.tripod.com/xix_olympics.html