Classified Ads---Senior Management

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

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

IFA Conference Opening
Predicts Growth in Franchising 2012, General Economy

International Franchise Association Conference
Marriott World Center
Orlando, Florida

Report by Bob Rodi
MPC, LLC
Managing Executive

Judging by the mood and demeanor of the attendees at this year’s IFA in Orlando, the subprime mortgage recession should definitely be ending by mid to late 2012. That prediction comes from those that who analyze and follow the franchise industry. They observe that activity in franchising is a forward looking indicator of the overall direction and health of the economy six to twelve months out. There is still a lot of uncertainty but, as an example, 2012 is slated to be the best year for the QSR and Casual dining segments since 2007. According to many of the restaurant franchise personnel in attendance here, commodity prices are expected to moderate which will help the bottom line of restaurant operators. Energy prices are also expected to stabilize which will encourage consumer to visit their favorite restaurants more frequently. At the same time, QSR and Casual dining operators have squeezed every penny out of their operations and many of the “weak sisters” have been weeded out.

The quick synopsis of the Industry forecast is for 2% growth in franchise establishments and direct employment with approximately 750,000 establishments and direct employment of 8.1MM. Actual economic output will be up 5%, across the board, at $782B while franchising actual contribution to GDP will be nearly $500B, up significantly from the 2007 base line year. The big leader in output growth for 2012 will be in personal services franchises, up an impressive 6.2%. Franchise Real Estate is also making an impressive comeback, with anticipated growth in 2012 of 5.8%.

The chief concern by virtually everyone in attendance however is access to credit. Credit remains tight. Sunday, the IFA Financial Summit focused on this issue with 4 hours of panels covering every aspect of finance. There were bankers, and representatives from lessors, mezzanine finance and private equity companies.

Most of the discussion was focused on how underwriting has changed over the past several years. Banks continue to focus on SBA loans rather than “conventional” financing. The morning session included representatives from the franchise industry media including the Wall Street Journal reporter who covers the SBA (I can’t imagine what an exciting job that must be for a young reporter). A big part of the discussion centered on the “unintended” consequences of the administration’s decision to increase the SBA guarantee from $2MM to $5MM. This was a move that was supposed to loosen up credit for small businesses. While the SBA touts the growth in loans, what we learned was that banks were taking their stronger borrowers, refinancing them, and moving them to an SBA guaranteed loan. As a result, SBA loans under $1MM are actually down approximately 40%. Obviously just one more example of what happens when we depend on the government to “help” the true small business person. Allegedly the SBA is “aware” of the problem and attempting to take steps to fix it.

The bankers that spoke Sunday morning cautioned that the SBA is getting “stingy” with its guarantee—not so much giving it, but collecting on it. When a claim is made, the bank making the claim can count on the file being audited to death by some compliance officer looking for a mistake in the docs or some “rep and warrant” violation that would cause the claim to be rejected. As a taxpayer I applaud this but as a small business person it is easy to understand why this contributes to a tight credit market. Something else that was discussed, with respect to the SBA, is the Obama administration’s decision to elevate Karen Mills, the director of the SBA, to a cabinet level position. Supposedly this will make it easier to streamline regulations and services to small business. The general feeling from most of the folks that I spoke to here was that it was just another election year political move.

One of the highlights of the day was the keynote speaker, none other than Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly. He spoke to a lunch crowd estimated to be about 3,000. In typical O’Reilly style he skewered both the democrats and the republicans and predicted that the election would come down to 12 key swing states including, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Missouri, and Virginia. He finally admitted to being a conservative (imagine my surprise!) but the highlight was that he made a secret announcement to all of us that none of you know about. The announcement involved his new best seller, “Killing Lincoln,” and if you want to know what it is you will just have to watch the O’Reilly Factor tonight (Wednesday night) when he will announce it to his audience. Until then we are all sworn to secrecy.

What impressed me most about the conference was the attendance and the mood of the attendees. I haven’t seen a crowd this jovial and upbeat in several years. What a marked difference! The place was packed. It was even difficult to get near the lobby bar to buy a cocktail ---and if you didn’t have a restaurant reservation, you either went hungry, did room service in your room or had to wait until 10:00 PM to eat dinner.

Don’t get me wrong, every franchisor that I spoke with did NOT have complaints about the conference.

Everyone, I mean everyone, told me they were looking forward to a year of positive unit growth after three years of flat to negative growth. Leasing News readers should be ready, especially those involved in franchising, this means there will be a lot of business development opportunities this year.

---Bob Rodi, Reporting from the IFA Convention in Orlando, Florida

Look for the convention wrap-up by Bob in Leasing News’ Friday’s edition

"Cigarettes Cheaper" Fraud Sentencing

John Roscoe, 82, of Green Valley, California was sentenced to five years probation with 12 months home detention for going along with an equipment leasing scheme on both nonexistent and overinflated costs, as well as a fraudulent accounts receivable line of credit. In the trial with attorneys Ken Greene and Tom McCurrin, it was proven the fraud was masterminded John Roscoe's son Ned, 51, Fairfield, California. He was sentenced to five years in prison. A restitution hearing is scheduled for March 5, 2012.

The father John Roscoe had pled guilty to an indictment that cost American Express Equipment Finance, LEAF Funding, and GE Capital almost $5 million, as well as a receivable line of credit at Comerica bank that at one time reached $16 million and wound up costing the bank $10.7 million.

“John Roscoe said Cigarettes Cheaper! had about 4% of the U.S. cigarette market and hoped to add another 5,000 outlets to its Benicia, Calif.-based chain when R.J. Reynolds sued the company for making gray-market cigarette sales. It was that suit that helped propel the Roscoes into their current predicament, “he had claimed.

According to CSPnet.com, "John Roscoe not out just yet. At 82, he's working for his grandchildren's company, Fresh Choice Tobacco Inc. The Vacaville, Calif., firm just launched a commercial cigarette-rolling machine, "The Revolution," to complement the roll-your-own (RYO) machine it unveiled in 2006 that can produce a pack in two minutes. Retailers can buy the tabletop machines for use in-store by customers who want to roll their own with natural tobacco they shred on site, or they can sell the machines for $499 each.

http://www.cspnet.com/news/tobacco/articles/what-happened-long-story

Court document show the company with 800 nationwide stores got into financial difficulties and with their revolving line of credit with Co-America, San Jose, California allegedly first began using retail prices for whole invoices that it presented to the bank, and then started presenting invoices from the line of credit for cigarettes supposedly delivered but not yet, and then as it got worse, allegedly presented invoices for cigarettes that were never to be delivered, as well as leasing equipment twice or three times and then equipment that did not exist in a means to make payments.

“a. In 2003, the Company entered into an agreement with another tobacco company, hereinafter referred to as B.T., in which Ned Roscoe, through the Company, requested B.T. to invoice purchases of Revenge Brand cigarettes at $27.64 per carton. In truth and in fact, the Company paid B.T. $6.80 per carton of Revenge Brand cigarettes. The cost the Company later reported to Comerica on borrowing base certificates was not the actual cost of $6.80 per carton, but rather the inflated invoice cost of $27.64 per carton. These fraudulent misrepresentations accounted for more than $1 million in overstatements in the weekly borrowing base inventory reports the Company made to Comerica Bank.”
   Page 8

“12. In late November 2003, Ned Roscoe instructed accountants to provide an analysis comparing figures the Company had reported to the bank in weekly reports and a strict interpretation of the loan agreement's borrowing base provisions. An accountant reported that, as of November 11, 2003, the discrepancy between the inventory figures the Company had provided to the bank and the correct figures was approximately $16.5 million dollars. After reviewing the report and discussing it with R.M., Ned and John Roscoe agreed on a fraudulent strategy that they would tell Comerica Bank officials that differences in their weekly inventory reports were the result of ‘clerical or accounting errors’."
   page 11

Plea Agreement:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/RoscoePlea.pdf

Previous Story:
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jan2011/1_20.htm#police

Equilease Wins $260 million portfolio

Equilease Financial Services, Inc., South Norwalk, Connecticut, founded in 1957, was chosen by SL Financial Services of Westport, Connecticut to become their "back office" for their $260 million portfolio of middle-ticket equipment leases and loans. As part of this award, Equilease has hired several of SL Financial's employees.

Equilease continues to originate leases as well as acquire lease portfolios from banks and other leasing companies. They we service portfolios for banks and other leasing companies as well. Since 2002, Equilease has purchased and transitioned more than thirty equipment lease portfolios representing over $1 billion of original asset cost. They are one of the few (if not the only) independent lessors to have received an SSAE-16 certification by our outside auditors for our operational and servicing capabilities.

“We’re very enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with SL Financial’s management and staff in servicing its existing portfolio along with its financial reporting requirements,” said Gary Silverhardt, President and CEO of Equilease.

Nils Boenicke, Chief Executive Officer of SL Financial, said, “We selected Equilease because of its proven skill in managing a portfolio like ours. We were seeking a creative and flexible organization that has a demonstrated understanding of our customers and corporate needs.”

As a wholly owned subsidiary of SüdLeasing GmbH, SL Financial Services is part of LBBW Financial Group (Landesbank Baden Württemberg) of Stuttgart, Germany, an A+ rated bank with assets of around EUR 374 billion (as of 31 December 2010) and some 13,000 employees in the Group.

At press time, it was not known if SL Financial would continue in the lease business in the United States.

[headlines]
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Don’t Miss Mr. Terry Winders April Seminar Newport Beach
(Outline/Registration PDF Available)

Bernie Boettingheimer
President, Lease Police

Why I became a CLP

When Richard Benson, our Pioneer Capital consultant, took my son John and I to all the money sources in New York after I became a CLP in 1996, it was my impression that the CLP designation on my business card helped a long way toward our acceptance. At that time, the eastern finance establishment tended to be rather provincial regarding westerners. Having grown-up and educated in New York, I was well aware of this. Our consultant Richard Benson was a Harvard MBA “grad” so that helped, but I believe the Certified Leasing Professional impressed them almost as much.

The idea of becoming a CLP came in 1993 from a friend of mine, who had just closed his first Securitization. He asked us to take over his marketing to brokers. Pioneer Capital, up to that time was strictly vendor-oriented and really we did not have the expertise in dealing with brokers or broker paper.

Later on Pioneer developed its own portfolio. Broker business became an important contributor of our entire portfolio. As our fundings increased, it was apparent that our existing local credit lines would soon approach exposure limits. While our portfolios were well-performing, we would have to combat negative perceptions of broker generated paper by prospective investors, who were initially unaware of our thorough investigation efforts and credit matrix.

It began to bother me at that time: Would these prospective investors view us as some “Wild-Eyed Texans” trying to sell them on an area of credit where they had long-held negative ideas? What would it take to dispel them of their perceptions? In our view, senior management would have to provide not only very precise and careful explanation of our credit models for vendor and broker business, but we also had to demonstrate that we possessed the intellectual ability and credentials to make future decisions.

The idea of proving ourselves as having the knowledge and getting certified would hopefully dispel those who did not know me. In those days, what the Western Association of Equipment Leasing had was a spiral booklet of information. There was good information in it, but not as much as today that is available in book form. Luckily, I had taught many of the subjects over a number of years at the conferences and had made outlines of the process to conduct the workshops. In addition, my previous employment positions in the finance, working for Dun and Bradstreet, then my manufacturing industries background allowed me to be very comfortable with all accounting and regulation matters. I read the "education booklet" over once and felt I could pass the test, but remembered from my college days not to get cocky: always re-read my answers after I finished a test.

As I remember the CLP test was held in a suite at the Marriott Hotel in Addison, Texas. There were five of us: Jim Lahti and his then partner Rick Galtelli, Adrian Hebig, then of US Bank Manifest, and another, whose name escapes me at this time. Ray Williams was the executive director of the Western Association of Equipment Leasing (now National Equipment Finance Association), and he conducted the test. I arrived late because of a doctor’s appointment, and he knew that, but Ray said to get there as soon as I could. I was the last to finish, but not because I was late, but because I re-read all my answers to double-check myself.

Jim and Rick had their own business and I didn’t think they would have any trouble, but Adrian was an employee of Manifest and there was more pressure on him as he had never run a business in his past. He was a smart cookie and still is. All five of us passed!

In May, 1996, I received my CLP certificate and we were successful in obtaining additional new credit facilities to handle our growing broker business as well as our more traditional vendor generated accounts. Having a CLP designation provided additional assurance to these finance professionals that they were dealing with accomplished finance professionals.

I believe very strong in the program. When the Mentor program came along, I was one of the first to volunteer and still am active helping others to learn the material and pass the test.

Why I Became a CLP Series:
http://www.leasingnews.org/CLP/Index.htm

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

Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Sales Professional-Nationwide Are you producing over $400,000 a month and want the ability to reach $1 million a month? Ascentium Capital is self-funded equipment finance company focused on vendor programs across many industries, as well as end-user transaction sizes ranging from $10,000 to $500,000 per schedule. We offer unlimited earnings potential based on your ability to innovate and produce results within an entrepreneurial sales environment. In addition, we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Profit-Sharing as well as paid holidays. If you believe that you have what it takes, please send your cover letter and resume to: SalesCareers@AscentiumCapital.com www.ascentiumCapital.com Join a resource-rich company with over $300,000,000 in lending capacity for your customers.

Marketing Associate Los Angeles, California Direct, small ticket ($10k-$250k) leasing company looking for an energetic, intelligent quick thinker to be our Marketing Associate. 3+ years of commercial equipment leasing experience required. Daily activities include: deal previews, prospecting, managing prospect database and other marketing support. Contact: Michael Green, mgreen@dakotafin.com (310) 696-3030 x 124 Dakota Financial provides equipment leasing/finance solutions to small businesses throughout the United States. We specialize in providing funding for those who can not obtain financing from traditional sources. www.dakotafinancial.com

For information on placing a help wanted ad, please click here:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Hwanted/Hwanted-post.htm

Please see our Job Wanted section for possible new employees.

CIT 2012 U.S. Restaurant Industry Outlook

According to the National Restaurant Association, close to 10 percent of the United States’ workforce is employed by the restaurant industry, which makes it one of the nation’s largest private sector employers. In addition, the restaurant industry gained back all of the jobs lost in the recession as of November 2011, with the industry currently providing 105,000 more jobs than it did at the pre-recession peak.

The prolonged recovery of the U.S. economy has forced restaurateurs to adapt to a “new normal,” one in which they are now more efficient and innovative as they have learned to deal with a difficult sales and profit environment.

Bob Bielinski, Managing Director, head of the Restaurant Industry practice
for CIT Group Inc. report follows this synopsis:

Access to Financing

The outlook for 2012 is that funding will be readily available for restaurant companies and franchisees. “I think debt for large- and middle-market restaurant companies will be readily available in 2012, just like it was in 2011,” says Bielinski. “After a volatile fall and winter, the debt markets closed 2011 in very strong fashion. So long as there isn’t an economic downturn in 2012, lenders will continue to fund restaurant companies.”

Social Media Explosion

Social media has had a huge impact on the restaurant industry, allowing restaurant companies to communicate with their customers, and for their customers to communicate with each other. However, some question the long-term benefits of the daily deal sites. Bielinski comments, “There is a debate among restaurateurs as to whether the Groupon user will become a long-term customer. If the Groupon user is just a coupon chaser and moves from your restaurant to the next restaurant offering a deal, there is not much benefit for the restaurateur.”

Consumer Experience Has Improved

According to Bielinski, as restaurant companies competed for market share during the prolonged recovery of the U.S. economy, they were forced to get more efficient and innovative as they dealt with the difficult sales and profit environment. “As a result, consumers saw improved quality on food, new product offerings, and value pricing,” says Bielinski. “In turn, customers are going to keep that better restaurant experience, and the company’s profit margins should be increased when business improves."

Five Minute Restaurant Report
http://www.cit.com/about-cit/thought-leadership/podcasts/robert-bielinski/index.htm

Comprehensive personal property tax outsourcing services We accept file exports and integrate personal property tax information with all lease management or accounting software. No other firm offers the combination of individual attention, software capabilities expertise, "full disclosure" and web port accessibility to information more than we do.  Click here to learn what our clients say about our service Gary DiLillo, President 440.871.0555 or gary@avptc.com

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

Five Years plus $878,000 restitution for Tax Evasion

Chase Norwood, 53, also known as Thomas Gray, was sentenced by United States District Judge Terry J. Hatter, Jr. In addition to the five year prison term, Judge Hatter ordered Norwood to pay restitution of $876,386.20.

Norwood was convicted by a jury trial in December 2009 of fifteen counts, including two counts of tax evasion, five counts of mail fraud, and eight counts of wire fraud. He has been in custody since his arrest in March of 2008.

The evidence presented during trial showed that Norwood solicited individuals to invest directly in purported Internet start-up companies including Undertherapy.com and Cal Broadband. In addition to soliciting direct investments, Norwood also solicited individuals to provide funds to an investment company that purported to invest in other start-up companies selected by the defendant.

Norwood used investor funds to support an extravagant lifestyle, including part-time residence in luxury hotels, as well as paying personal expenses for his family and friends. Further, Norwood used investor monies to hire several unlicensed brokers/telemarketers to identify individuals to invest in companies he promoted. Norwood also would use his former name, Thomas Gray, and the names of third-parties as officers and directors of the companies he promoted.

With respect to the tax fraud, in 2000 Norwood removed significant investor funds deposited to company bank accounts by writing checks to “cash” as well as using funds to pay a relative’s rental payments at a condominium complex. Additionally, Norwood used investor funds to pay his credit card bills which included his long-term rentals at luxury hotels in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, including L’Ermitage, the Mondrian, and the “W.”

In 2001, Norwood deposited investor funds to business bank accounts opened under his former name, Thomas Gray. Norwood personally used deposited investor funds in these accounts by writing checks to “cash” and for rent payments on his mother’s condominium.

In total, Norwood received at least $117,496 in taxable income in 2000 and $183,991 in 2001, upon which he owes income tax to the United States of $33,808 and $57,662, respectively.

Although Norwood represented that the investments were high-risk, the investors were led to believe that their funds would be used to pay legitimate business expenses. Norwood and the unlicensed brokers represented to investors that their money was to be used to enable those companies to “go public.” As a part of their solicitation, Norwood and the unlicensed brokers would send business plans and executive summaries and other materials that misrepresented the facts.

For example, Norwood’s business plans for Cal Broadband falsely misled investors into believing that it was a company that had been in business for years and was recognized as a national and international wireless high-speed Internet provider when in fact the company was merely a business name created by Norwood using his former name. Norwood also indicated in his business plans provided to investors that Cal Broadband had licensing agreements and business affiliations with large computer and telecommunications companies when in fact there were no such agreements or affiliations. Additionally, Cal Broadband had no paid subscribers.

The investigation of Norwood was conducted by IRS – Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Los Angeles.

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

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

San Francisco, California-- Adopt-a-Dog

Buster

Primary Breed: Terrier
Mixed Breed? Yes
Gender: Male
Size: Small
Age: Young

“Buster is a fluffy little terrier mix, who loves going on walks and spending time with our Wonder Dog volunteers. He's was timid little fella' initially, but once he gets to know you, he is very affectionate and loyal.

“We really like this fella.... Buster is a year and a half and weighs about 15 pounds. He's a perfect city dog, and will reward you with so much love and loyalty! You can meet him at most of our adoption events, or by appointment..... so send over an email if you'd like to hook up!”

Email Contact:
http://www.wonderdogrescue.org/contact

Wonder Dog Rescue
650 Fillmore, SF 94117
phone: 415.621.DOGS

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/

[headlines]
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Site Inspection Services

( To apply to be listed, please fill in this form and e-mail to: kitmenkin@leasingnews.org )
Site Inspection Form

(A) "Douglas Guardian has probably been doing site inspections longer than any other company in the market today. This is our 75th year in business. We even do inspections for some of the people on your editorial board. Please include Douglas Guardian in your survey. We do not subcontract our inspections to independent contractors like many of our competitors. We utilize a network of over 300 company trained and certified employees. We operate throughout the US and Canada performing pre-funding inspections, post-funding inspections, collection inspections and vendor verifications."

Bruce Lurie, President
blurie@douglasguardian.com

(B) SecureTrac, Inc. - Additional Services

(C)
Andreas Klepp-Egge Jr
DBA / C. and A. Courier Services, Est. 1997
MSPA Certification-Silver
TSA-FAA-STA Clearance
TSA-TWIC-Marine terminal clearance
24- 7 Baltimore MD Mobile Remote Notary
CJIS Certified Fingerprinting service. 
DOT # 0950050 
410-747-6550 Office-fax
410-746-6355 Mobile 
candacourier22@aol.com
candacourierfieldinspection.com/

News Briefs----

Negotiators reach tentative payroll tax cut pact
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/15/us/politics/obama-welcomes-signs-of-progress-on-payroll-tax-cut.html?_r=1&hp

ICBC Leasing places $300 million V2500 order
http://atwonline.com/aircraft-engines-components/news/icbc-leasing-places-300-million-v2500-order-0213

LCI orders $400 million AgustaWestland Helicopters
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/lci-sets-up-helicopter-division-with-agustawestland-order-368215/

Airbus says Alafco orders 35 more A320neo jets
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/14/airbus-idUSWEA157820120214

Boeing, Lion Air sign largest commercial jet deal
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017501112_apusboeingbiggestorder.html

Textainer Group Holdings Limited Reports Record Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2011
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/textainer-group-holdings-limited-reports-record-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2011-results-and-increases-quarterly-dividend-2012-02-14

Portugal’s Debt Efforts May Be Warning for Greece
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/15/business/global/portugals-debt-efforts-may-be-a-warning-for-greece.html?ref=business

Apple loses iPad copyright battle in China
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/Apple-loses-iPad-copyright-battle-in-China/articleshow/11893686.cms

[headlines]
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You May Have Missed---

Tony Bennett returns to his city by the bay Feb. 14
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/14/MNEC1N7KIF.DTL

Photos
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2012/02/14/MNEC1N7KIF.DTL&object=

[headlines]
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SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer

Overeating May Double Risk of Memory Loss: Study
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/health_news_detail.asp?health_day=661692

[headlines]
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Sports Briefs----

New Raiders regime intent on an attitude overhaul
http://www.mercurynews.com/raiders/ci_19963612?source=rss

[headlines]
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Winter Poem

Winter solitude by Matsuo Basho

Winter solitude--
in a world of one color
the sound of wind.

[headlines]
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California Nuts Briefs---

California state sales tax rate highest, but overall rate ranks 12th
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/02/california-state-sales-tax-rate-highest-but-overall-rate-ranks-12th.html

[headlines]
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“Gimme that Wine”

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

Embracing the Power of Gigondas---by Eric Asimov
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/15/dining/reviews/gigondas-wine-review.html?ref=dining

Lodi Winegrowers Go for Zinfandel
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=news&content=97353&
htitle=Lodi%20Winegrowers%20Go%20for%20Zinfandel&

Vanessa Robledo Honored in Top 100 Women "Greening the Future"
http://www.winebusiness.com/people/?go=getPeopleArticle&dataid=97406

Inside Santa Ynez Valley's band of cool-climate Rhône producers
http://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataid=97359

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

        1762 - The British capture Fort Martinique, the main French port in the West Indies, and then St. Lucia and Grenada. Later in the year, Britain will also overrun the Spanish colonial outposts of Cuba and of Manila in the Philippines.     
    1726- Birthday of Abraham Clark, signer of the Declaration of Independence, farmer and lawyer. Born at Elizabethtown, NJ, and died there Sept 15, 1794. One of the “ordinary” signers, representing the people of his area, originally a farmer. Two or three of the sons of Mr. Clark were officers in the army, during the revolutionary struggle. During a part of their captivity, their sufferings were extreme, being confined in the notorious prison ship, Jersey. Painful as the condition of his sons was, Mr. Clark scrupulously avoided calling the attention of congress to the subject, excepting in a single instance. One of his sons, a captain of artillery, had been cast into a dungeon, where he received no other food than that which was conveyed to him by his fellow prisoners, through a keyhole. On a representation of these facts to congress, that body immediately directed a course of retaliation in respect to a British officer. This had the desired effect, and Captain Clark's condition was improved.
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/clark.htm
http://www.colonialhall.com/clark/clark.php
    1758- Benjamin Franklin brought in mustard from France and introduced it to his guests in both a dark and light yellow “mustard,” hence its common name today. One of his guests was Benjamin Jackson, who established Globe Mills on Germantown Road, Philadelphia, PA, bottling and selling the product in glass bottles with his label on them. He advertised in the Pennsylvania Chronicle of February 15, 1768, that he was “ the original establisher of the mustard manufactory in America, and...at present the only mustard manufacturer on the continent. I bought the art with me into the country.” The truth, according to the Global Gourmet: All mustard is made in relatively the same way. The seed must be crushed, its hull and bran sifted out or not depending on type of mustard being made. It then may or may not go through further grinding and crushing. A liquid such as water, wine, vinegar, beer, or a combination of several of these liquids is added, along with seasonings and perhaps other flavorings. The mustard is mixed, in some cases simmered, and then cooled. Some mustard is aged in large containers before it is bottled and shipped to stores and customer. Although similar recipes for mustard paste appear as early as 42 AD, the use of mustard as a condiment was not widely practiced in either Greece or Rome. The Romans took the seed to Gaul, and by the ninth century French monasteries were bringing in considerable income from mustard preparations. By the 13th century, mustard was one of the items offered by Parisian sauce-hawkers, who walked the streets at dinner peddling their savory war.
    1764--- The city of St. Louis was established as a French trading post. Pierre Laclede Liguest and stepson Auguste Chouteau notched a couple of trees that marked the site for Laclede's Landing that became St. Louis. August Chouteau is recognized as the “builder” of St. Louis.
http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/pierre-laclede.html
http://www.nps.gov/jeff/LewisClark2/Circa1804/StLouis/BlockInfo/Block34ALaclede.htm
http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/auguste-chouteau.html
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/laclede.htm
http://www.nps.gov/jeff/LewisClark2/Circa1804/StLouis/BlockInfo/Block34AAChouteauSr.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/6403/rene.html
http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/planning/research/data/about/history.html
    1798 - The first serious fist fight occurs in Congress
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwpugilr.html
    1803- birthday of John Sutter. Born at Kandern, Germany, Sutter established the first white settlement on the site of Sacramento, CA, in 1839, and owned a large tract of land there, which he named New Helvetia. The first great gold strike in the US was on his property, at Sutter's Mill, Jan 24, 1848. His land was soon overrun by gold seekers who, he claimed, slaughtered his cattle and stole or destroyed his property. Sutter was bankrupt by 1852. Died at Washington, DC, June 18, 1880
    1804-- New Jersey becomes last northern state to abolish slavery
http://www.slavenorth.com/newjersey.htm
http://www.slavenorth.com/exclusion.htm
    1808- birthday of Cyrus McCormick, 1808. He was the first to utilize "leasing" and "finance" to promote his product, something unheard of in his day. American historians believe McCormick's invention of the reaper is second only to the railroad in the development of the United States. Continuing the dream of his father, McCormick constructed a horse-operated reaper which was demonstrated for the first time in a Virginia wheat field in July 1831. He moved his operation to Chicago, IL, in 1847 in order to be closer to the Midwest's expanding wheat fields. His business prospered despite two decades of constant litigation over patent rights. His machine also was not considered the "best" of its day. In order to get his machine on the farm, he would offer "no payment until after Harvest," "No money down," " Seasonal payments," " Rent to Own," " Lease with Ability to Trade in For New Model." He died May 13, 1884, at Chicago. The company today is International Harvester.
    1812- birthday of Charles Lewis Tiffany, American jeweler whose name became synonymous with high standards of quality. Born at Killingly, CT, and died at New York, NY, Feb 18, 1902. 
    1820-Birthday of Susan Brownell Anthony, affectionally known as Aunt Susan. One of the primary figures of the 19th century battle for women's rights and became its best known spokeswoman. Elected to Hall of Fame for Great Americans in 1950. An untiring pioneer crusader for women's rights, women's suffrage, Negro suffrage and abolition who traveled this nation constantly for 60 years for social justice. Her last public words: "Failure is impossible."
http://winningthevote.org/SBAnthony.html
    1836-Birthday of Sarah Fuller - early advocate of teaching deaf children to read lips rather than signing. Taught Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, at her Boston School for Deaf-Mutes, which later became known as the Horace Mann School for the Deaf. (not to be confused with philosopher Sarah Margaret Fuller.)
http://search.eb.com/women/articles/Fuller_Sarah.html
    1849- Goat Island, also known as Sea Bird Island and later as Wood Island, sold by Nathan Spear to Harbor Master Edward A. King for $1. This island serves as a base today for the Bay Bridge. It is not to be confused with Treasure Island, which is man-made.
http://www.inetours.com/images/Snglimgs/Treasure_Island_Aerial.jpg
    1860-Birthday of Annie Blythe West, Japanese government gave her the 6th degree of the Order of the Crown for her 40 years of missionary work in Japan among women, children, and disabled soldiers.
    1876-- Ada Everleigh who with her sister Minna operated a brothel in Chicago, "probably the most famous and luxurious house of prostitution in the country” from 1900-1911. At the time there were reported to be nearly 600 houses of prostitution in Chicago alone. When a reform movement closed the Everleigh house in 1911 because of their fame (others remained open), the sisters retired millionaires.
http://www.britannica.com/women/articles/Everleigh_Ada_and_Minna.html
http://www.littlebarrestaurant.com/lb8_everleigh.html
Minnie Everleigh
http://images.suntimes.com/century/images/1900-2.jpg
    1879-- President Rutherford B. Hayes signed a bill allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. It would be some 41 years before the federal government would allow women to affect the making of the laws through suffrage.
    1895 - A big Gulf snowstorm produced six inches at Brownsville TX and Mobile AL, 15 inches at Galveston TX, and 24 inches of snow at Rayne LA in 24 hours. Snow fell at the very mouth of the Mississippi River. Houston TX received 22 inches of snow, and nine inches blanketed New Orleans LA.
    1898-American battleship Maine was blown up while at anchor in Havana harbor, at 9:40 PM. The ship, under the command of Captain Charles G. Sigsbee, sank quickly, and 260 members of its crew were lost. Inflamed public opinion in the US ignored the lack of evidence to establish responsibility for the explosion. "Remember the Maine " became the war cry, and a formal declaration of war against Spain followed on Apr 25, 1898.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/feb15.html
    1905—Composer Harold Arlen birthday
http://www.haroldarlen.com/
    1915- jazz trumpeter Taft Jordan born Florence, SC.
http://allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?p=amg&sql=B8907
    1917 --San Francisco Public Library (Main Branch at Civic center) dedicated.
http://sfpl.org/librarylocations/main/sfplhist.htm
    1917—Birthday of Theresa Castro - US businesswoman, co-owner of Castro Convertible, virtually a synonym for convertible sofa. She had saved her tips as a waitress to help start the company with her husband Bernard. Historians record it as the last major invention in sofa beds, actually the result of customers' requests of an upholsterer named Bernard Castro (1904-1991) to produce a davenport sofa bed that looked and worked well. The Castro Convertible, patented in 1948, with its folding springs that pull out from inside the sofa frame, was the prototype for most modern sofa beds. A recent departure from the Castro type sofa bed features covered foam sections that stack to become seats and unfold to become beds. These designs reflect an ongoing need for cheaper more portable furniture. After becoming wealthy, Theresa Castro became well-known as an energetic charitable benefactor in New York and Florida, Her daughter, Bernadette Castro, at age 4, was used in television commercial to show how easily the bed opened and folded. Today she is the New York State parks commissioner and a well-known personality in her own right.
http://www.tecsoc.org/pubs/history/2001/aug24.htm
http://www.rpts.tamu.edu/pugsley/CastroB.htm
    1918-Country singer Hank Locklin was born in McLellan, Florida. Locklin, who first hit the country charts in 1949, is best known for his 1960 hit "Please Help Me, I'm Falling." He has the distinction of being one of the most popular singers in Ireland, and is credited with helping make country music popular on the Emerald Isle.
    1932- The US four-man bobsled team won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, NY. On the team was Edward F. Eagan, who had won a gold medal in boxing at the 1920 Summer Olympics. Egan thus became the first person to win gold medals in both the Winter and Summer Olympics.
    1932 - George Burns and Gracie Allen debuted as regulars on "The Guy Lombardo Show" on CBS radio. The couple was so popular that soon, they would have their own "Burns and Allen Show". George and Gracie continued on radio for 18 years before making the switch to TV. All in all, they were big hits for three decades.
    1933- at Bay Front Park, Miami, FL, an assassin aiming at President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt had his aim deflected by a spectator. Cermak, mayor of Chicago, IL, born May 9, 1873, at Kladno, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, was struck and killed instead. Giuseppe (Joe) Zangara, the 32-year-old assassin, who had emigrated from Italy in 1923, was electrocuted at the Raiford, FL, state prison Mar 20, 1933.
    1936 - The temperature at Parshall ND plunged to 60 degrees below zero to establish a state record. On the 6th of July that same year the temperature at Steele ND hit 121 degrees, also a state record
    1941-Duke Ellington records “Take the A Train,” Victor 273080)
    1941 - Brian Holland, of the Motown songwriting team of Holland, Dozier and Holland, was born in Detroit. The trio, including Brian's brother, Eddie, and Lamont Dozier, were responsible for 28 Top-Ten hits between 1963 and 1966. Among their successes - "Heat Wave" for Martha and the Vandellas, "Stop! In the Name of Love" for the Supremes and "Reach Out, I'll Be There" for the Four Tops. The three songwriters formed their own record label, Invictus-Hot Wax, in 1968. "Want Ads" by Honey Cone became the company's first number-one hit, in 1971.
    1944-GORDON, NATHAN GREEN  Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, commander of Catalina patrol plane. Place and date: Bismarck Sea, 15 February 1944. Entered service at: Arkansas. Born: 4 September 1916, Morrilton, Ark. Citation: For extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty as commander of a Catalina patrol plane in rescuing personnel of the U.S. Army 5th Air Force shot down in combat over Kavieng Harbor in the Bismarck Sea, 15 February 1944. On air alert in the vicinity of Vitu Islands, Lt. (then Lt. j.g.) Gordon unhesitatingly responded to a report of the crash and flew boldly into the harbor, defying close-range fire from enemy shore guns to make 3 separate landings in full view of the Japanese and pick up 9 men, several of them injured. With his cumbersome flying boat dangerously overloaded, he made a brilliant takeoff despite heavy swells and almost total absence of wind and set a course for base, only to receive the report of another group stranded in a rubber life raft 600 yards from the enemy shore. Promptly turning back, he again risked his life to set his plane down under direct fire of the heaviest defenses of Kavieng and take aboard 6 more survivors, coolly making his fourth dexterous takeoff with 15 rescued officers and men. By his exceptional daring, personal valor, and incomparable airmanship under most perilous conditions, Lt. Gordon prevented certain death or capture of our airmen by the Japanese.
   1945--FLUCKEY, EUGENE BENNETT  Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy, Commanding U.S.S. Barb. Place and date: Along coast of China, 19 December 1944 to 15 February 1945. Entered service at: Illinois. Born: S October 1913, Washington, D.C. Other Navy award: Navy Cross with 3 Gold Stars. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Barb during her 11th war patrol along the east coast of China from 19 December 1944 to 15 February 1945. After sinking a large enemy ammunition ship and damaging additional tonnage during a running 2-hour night battle on 8 January, Comdr. Fluckey, in an exceptional feat of brilliant deduction and bold tracking on 25 January, located a concentration of more than 30 enemy ships in the lower reaches of Nankuan Chiang (Mamkwan Harbor). Fully aware that a safe retirement would necessitate an hour's run at full speed through the uncharted, mined, and rock-obstructed waters, he bravely ordered, "Battle station--torpedoes!" In a daring penetration of the heavy enemy screen, and riding in 5 fathoms of water, he launched the Barb's last forward torpedoes at 3,000-yard range. Quickly bringing the ship's stern tubes to bear, he turned loose 4 more torpedoes into the enemy, obtaining 8 direct hits on 6 of the main targets to explode a large ammunition ship and cause inestimable damage by the resultant flying shells and other pyrotechnics. Clearing the treacherous area at high speed, he brought the Barb through to safety and 4 days later sank a large Japanese freighter to complete a record of heroic combat achievement, reflecting the highest credit upon Comdr. Fluckey, his gallant officers and men, and the U.S. Naval Service.
    1950---Top Hits
Dear Hearts and Gentle People - Bing Crosby
The Old Master Painter - Snooky Lanson
There's No Tomorrow - Tony Martin
Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy - Red Foley
    1951- Birthday of Jane Seymour, real name Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg born in Hillingdon, Middlesex, England best known for her title role of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, the long-running TV series.
http://www.friendsofjane.com/
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-26021/
    1951-Birthday of singer Melissa Manchester, born the Bronx, New York
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-983
http://www.melissa-manchester.com/biography.html
    1953- Tenley Albright made a figure skating history by becoming the first American woman to win the world's championship. She also skated her way to a silver medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics and a gold medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics.
    1957--The Coasters record "Searchin'", which will reach #3 in the US and become the first of their ten Billboard Top 40 hits.
    1957-Impresario Irvin Feld debuts his Greatest Shows of 1957 in Pittsburgh. On the bill: Clyde McPhatter, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Lavern Baker, Bill Doggett, the Moonglows, the Five Satins and more. Before it closes on May 5, the tour goes through every region of the U.S., including some such as the northern Rocky Mountain states, which have never seen a live rock and roll show before.
    1957 – San Francisco Beatnik writer Jack Kerouac departs New York on the S.S. Slovenia en route for Tangier to see William Burroughs. February-March: In Tangier, Kerouac stays in a room above Burroughs at the Villa Muniria; types Burroughs' Naked Lunch manuscript (Kerouac has provided the title for the novel which Burroughs originally called Word Hoard.) In March Allen Ginsberg and Peter Orlovsky arrive in Tangier to visit Kerouac and Burroughs.
    1958 - "Get A Job", by The Silhouettes, hit #1 on the music Tunedex, staying there for two weeks. One week earlier, the number one song was "Sugartime", by The McGuire Sisters, which fell off the top to be replaced by Perry Como's “Catch a Falling Start.” "Get A Job" would be replaced as number one in two weeks by "Tequila", an instrumental by a studio group known as The Champs.
    1958---Top Hits
Get a Job - The Silhouettes
Don't/I Beg of You - Elvis Presley
Catch a Falling Star/Magic Moments - Perry Como
Ballad of a Teenage Queen - Johnny Cash
    1958-Jerry Lee Lewis performs "Great Balls of Fire" and his latest release "Breathless" on "American Bandstand." Later in the day, "The Dick Clark Show," a new Saturday night rock & roll television program debuts on ABC-TV. The show features appearances by Jerry Lee Lewis, Pat Boone, Connie Francis, Chuck Willis, the Royal Teens and Johnnie Ray.
    1962 - Ray Charles records "I Can't Stop Loving You" at United Studios in Hollywood, California. The tune will go on to top both the US and UK charts and would be included on the LP "Modern Sounds In Country / Western Music", which would lead the Billboard album chart for 14 weeks.
    1964 ---Bill Bradley scores 51 points for Princeton (Bradley fouled out with his team leading 75-63), and a 58-point outburst against Wichita State in the 1965 NCAA tourna­ment, which was a single game record. In total, Bradley scored 2,503 points at Princeton, averaging 30.2 points per game. In 1965, Bradley became the first basketball player chosen as winner of the prestigious AAU Sullivan Award, presented to the top amateur athlete in the country. After captaining the triumphant U.S. Olympic team in 1964, Bradley graduated with honors and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford.
http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/Bradley.htm
http://quest.morris.com/bradley/
    1964---"Navy Blue" by Diane Renay enters the Billboard chart, on its way to #6. Her highest charting follow-up, "Kiss Me Sailor" would make it to #29.
    1965- the new Canadian national flag was raised in Ottawa, Canada's capital on this day. The re-and-white flag with a red maple leaf in the center replaced the Red Ensign flag which had the British Union Jack in the upper left-hard corner. It is now called “ the Maple Leaf” flag.
    1966---Top Hits
My Love - Petula Clark
Lightnin' Strikes - Lou Christie
Uptight (Everything's Alright) - Stevie Wonder
Giddyup Go - Red Sovine
    1967--WILLETT, LOUIS E.  Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. Place and date: Kontum Province, Republic of Vietnam, 15 February 1967. Entered service at: Brooklyn, N.Y. Born: 19 June 1945, Brooklyn, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Willett distinguished himself while serving as a rifleman in Company C, during combat operations. His squad was conducting a security sweep when it made contact with a large enemy force. The squad was immediately engaged with a heavy volume of automatic weapons fire and pinned to the ground. Despite the deadly fusillade, Pfc. Willett rose to his feet firing rapid bursts from his weapon and moved to a position from which he placed highly effective fire on the enemy. His action allowed the remainder of his squad to begin to withdraw from the superior enemy force toward the company perimeter. Pfc. Willett covered the squad's withdrawal, but his position drew heavy enemy machinegun fire, and he received multiple wounds enabling the enemy again to pin down the remainder of the squad. Pfc. Willett struggled to an upright position, and, disregarding his painful wounds, he again engaged the enemy with his rifle to allow his squad to continue its movement and to evacuate several of his comrades who were by now wounded. Moving from position to position, he engaged the enemy at close range until he was mortally wounded. By his unselfish acts of bravery, Pfc. Willett insured the withdrawal of his comrades to the company position, saving their lives at the cost of his life. Pfc. Willett's valorous actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country. 
    1969-Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People" hits #1 on the pop chart.
    1969- The Doors' "Touch Me" peaks at #3 on the chart.
    1971---Birthday of Renee O'Connor , aka Gabrielle, born Houston, Texas. ( Gabrielle was the dutiful sidekick and devoted best friend of Xena, Warrior Princess.)
http://reneeoconnor.info/whoisrenee.php
http://www.xenaville.com/cast/renee.html
    1973-Birthday of Amy VanDyken - U.S. athlete won a record four gold medals at the 1996 Olympics, the most gold medals for any US woman in one Olympics to that date. AVD has severe asthma, doctors have estimated that she gets 65 per cent of a normal person's oxygen and on her worst days, she gets 30 per cent. She has passed out during workouts Her golds were in the 50m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly and two team events.
http://www.tahoecelebritygolf.com/Players/VanDyken-Amy.html
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9910/27/chat.vandyken/index.html
    1974 -Boston Bruins Center Phil Esposito scored the 1,000 the point of his career, an assist in Boston's 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Esposito finished his career with 1,590 points.
    1974---Top Hits
Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra
Americans - Byron MacGregor
Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) - Aretha Franklin
World of Make Believe - Bill Anderson
    1975- Linda Ronstadt's "You're No Good" hits #1 on the pop chart.
    1975-- Linda Ronstadt's album Heart Like a Wheel hits #1.
    1982---Top Hits
Centerfold - The J. Geils Band
Harden My Heart - Quarterflash
Open Arms - Journey
Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight - Eddie Rabbitt
    1978-Leon Spinks won a 15-round split controversial decision over Muhammad Ali to capture the heavyweight championship in a fight in Las Vegas.
    1979- The 1978 Grammy Award winners are announced. The "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack wins Album of the Year and the Bee Gees take home statues for Best Pop Group and Best Arrangement for Voices for "Staying Alive." Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" wins Record and Song of the Year.
    1986-- Living Bibles International moved to its present headquarters in Naperville, IL. Founded in 1968 by Ken Taylor, editor of the Living Bible, LBI is an interdenominational Bible distributing agency, working in 45 countries.
    1982 - An intense cyclone off the Atlantic coast capsized a drilling rig killing 84 persons, and sank a Soviet freighter resulting in 33 more deaths. The cyclone produced 80 mph winds which whipped the water into waves fifty feet high.
    1986 - Whitney Houston reached the #1 spot on the music charts. Her single, "How Will I Know", replaced a song recorded by her first cousin, Dionne Warwick ("That's What Friends Are For").
    1987 - A storm crossing the central U.S. produced severe thunderstorms which spawned tornadoes in Louisiana and Mississippi. Tornadoes injured four persons at Pierre Pass LA, three persons at Tangipahoa LA, two persons at Lexie MS and two persons at Nicholson MS. Thunderstorm winds gusting to 100 mph killed one person south of Sulphur LA. Jackson MS was drenched with 1.5 inches of rain in ten minutes.
    1989 - Thirty-seven cities in the southeastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. The afternoon high of 80 degrees at Atlanta GA was a February record. Highs of 79 degrees at Chattanooga TN, 84 degrees at Columbia SC and 85 degrees at New Orleans LA equaled February records
    1990---Top Hits
Opposites Attract - Paula Abdul with The Wild Pair
Two to Make It Right - Seduction
Janie's Got a Gun - Aerosmith
Southern Star – Alabama
    1990 - Heavy snow also blanketed the Northern Atlantic Coast States, with ten inches reported at Buffalo NY and Mount Washington NH. Freezing rain over southern New England knocked out electricity to more than 10,000 homes in the western suburbs of Boston MA.
    1995-- Dow-Jones closes at record 3986.17
    1995 --Population of People's Republic of China hits 1.2 billion
    1995---Top Hits
Creep- TLC
Take A Bow- Madonna
On Bended Knee- Boyz II Men
Another Night- Real McCoy
    1995- Known as the “Condor,” the FBI arrested Kevin Mitnick in Raleigh, NC. It was considered by the FBI as its "most wanted hacker." He was charged him with cracking security for some of the nation's most protected computers. (Mitnick was later released after serving five years behind bars.
http://www.takedown.com/bio/mitnick.html
    1997-- US female Figure Skating championship won by Tara Lipinski
    1997-- US male Figure Skating championship won by Todd Eldridge
    1998 - Dale Earnhardt finally won the Daytona 500. Earnhardt won the race on the 50th Anniversary of NASCAR, the 40th Anniversary of the Daytona 500 and his 20th running of the Daytona 500. During a post-race interview he took a stuffed toy monkey and threw it on the ground and said, “Now I have that monkey off my back!”
    1998- The Rolling Stones wrap up their Bridges To Babylon North American tour in Las Vegas. The Stones played "The Joint," the 1,400 seat theatre inside the Hard Rock Casino in Vegas. Among those in attendance is Brad Pitt, Leonardo DeCaprio, Johnny Depp, Sting and Eddie Murphy. Said Mick during the show , "Well this is a fantastic audience. It's got to be the best-dressed audience I've ever seen in my life.
    1999-- Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura -- a former Rolling Stones concert bodyguard -- declares today "Rolling Stones Day."
    2000---Top Hits
Thank God I Found You- Mariah Carey Featuring Joe
I Knew I Loved You- Savage Garden
What A Girl Wants- Christina Aguilera
Get It On Tonite- Montell Jordan
    2004 - Up to 11 inches of snow fell in areas south of Nashville, TN, causing power outages and producing hazardous driving conditions.