New Hires---Promotions

Brandon Bach has been appointed major accounts manager for CSG Leasing, Brooklyn, New York. Previously he was sales order processor, Toshiba Business Solutions, joining that company in June, 2010. Previously he was contract administrator, Toshiba Business Solutions since May, 2008, rising from account receivable to contract administrator. Merchandising analyst assistant, internship, Movado Group (January, 2008-May, 2008). William Paterson University of New Jersey Business Administration, Management, Economics (2004 – 2008).
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/brandon-bach/12/195/b02

Peter Basini has been hired as sales manager for the newly established tow truck division of Advantage Funding, Lake Success, New York. Previously he was business manager, AstraLease Associates, Inc. (January, 2005-2012), business development manager, Sovereign Bank (October, 1996-January, 2005).Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus BS, Business Administration (1980 – 1983).
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/peter-basini/8/b96/5b7

Michael "Mike" Brown was appointed president of the newly formed Equipment Finance Division of Washington Federal, Seattle, Washington. He will be located at their office in Phoenix, Arizona, "...responsible for growing the company's equipment finance portfolio within Washington Federal's eight-state operations." Previously he was president & CEO, Western Alliance Equipment Finance (2008-February, 2012), EVP, group head, CIT Group, Equipment Finance (April, 2005-July, 2007), Senior Vice-president, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance (1992-2007). Prior he was "...president of First Interstate Leasing, and regional sales manager for General Electric Capital." Kansas State University (1972 – 1976).
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mike-brown/6/922/a1b

Vincent Drobniak announced as chief credit officer at Northland Capital Financial Services, LLC, greater Philadelphia area. He joined the firm in October, 2011. Previously he was credit, risk and compliance consultant/senior project manager, banking and financial services firms (2011-2012), consultant, Robert Half International (2011-2012), chief credit officer/deputy chief risk officer, business consultant, CoActive Capital Partners (2010-2011), chief credit officer/global risk officer (Bank and Finance Company)/SVP credit and operations, Marlin Business Bank/Marlin Business Services (2004-2009), senior credit officer/vp risk management, De Lage Landen(Rabobank)/Tokai Financial (Tokai Bank) (1996-2004), vp rick management, Citibank (1993-1996), evp, credit and operations, Sussex Leasing/Macrolease(1986-1993), corporate credit manager, Manufacturers Hanover Bank (1981-1986). Adelphi University Masters of Business Administration, Banking & Finance (1980 – 1981), Penn State University Undergraduate, Finance (1977 – 1979>
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/

Josh Jermaine was appointed district manager at OSG Billing Services, San Francisco Bay Area. Previously he was senior sales, NetSol Technologies, Inc. (August, 2011-November, 2011), inside sales manager (part of a mass layoff) Rich Relevance, Inc (July, 2010-February, 2011), branch manager, Flagstar Bank (January, 2008-February, 2010), president/founder, Liberty Leasing Services (February, 2004-February, 2008), vice-president, eLease (January, 2001-January, 2004), regional manager, Healthland Business Credit (January, 2000-January, 2001), account manager (ATEL Capital (January, 1996-January, 2001). University of the Pacific Bachelor's of Arts, Communications; Business (1991 – 1995) Activities and Societies: Alpha Kappa Phi Fraternity, Soccer Team, Social Guru. Crocker/Pinewood.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/joshjermaine

Jonathan Katz named vice-president, business development for Key Equipment Finance, Canada. Previously he was president, DCAT Group (March, 2011-February, 2012), manager, intermediary funding, GE Capital (April, 2006-March, 2011), manager, GE Capital ((2006-2008), manager, maximum financial services (November, 2001-March, 2006), IBM Canada Ltd. (December, 1999-November, 2001), manager, Comdisco (1997-1999). University of South Africa/Universiteit van Suid-Afrika International Financial Management (1993 – 1994). University of South Africa/Universiteit van Suid-Afrika B.Comm (1990 – 1994) Sandringham High (1983 – 1987)
http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/jonathan-katz/7/4bb/5a

Joey Kercher hired as technology IT consultant at Kforce, Inc., Denver, Colorado. Previously he was co-founder/marketing director ColoradoTees (April, 2008-Present), field coordinator for Power Bar, GMR Marketing (may, 2002-Present), principal/director of operations, 5280 Agency, LLC (May, 2008-February, 2012), market manager, Mix1 (February, 2010-September, 2010), market manager SOYJOY, Eventive Marketing (June, 2009-October, 2009), co-market manager for Kmart, Legacy Marketing Partners (June, 2009-September, 2009), senior account executive, Marlin Leasing (March,2 006-April, 2008), account assistant, video monitoring services (May, 2005-March, 2006), business development executive, Westaff (November, 2005-May, 2005).Mesa State College Business Administration, Marketing (2000 – 2005), University of Colorado at Boulder, Cherry Creek HS
http://www.linkedin.com/in/joeykercher

Jessica Korovich was named major accounts manager for GSG Leasing, Brooklyn, New York. Previously she was account manager, World Business Lenders (June, 2011-October, 2011), director of first impressions, Re/Max Executives (March, 2011-June, 2011) and prior a license real estate agent wit ReMax, joining the firm March, 2011, She is a graduate of the New York Real Estate Institute, first attending Fiorello H. LaGuardia Community College.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jessica-korovich/32/213/69

Daniel Krajewski announced as new vice-president/chief sales officer by Direct Capital Corporation, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He joined the firm in June, 2011. Previously he was ceo, Kenilworth Consulting (January, 2011-Present), senior vice-president & general manager, First American equipment Finance (November, 2009-Decembe,r 2010), vice president & general manager, vendor financial services, Relational Technology Solutions (May, 2009-october, 2009), chief sales & marketing officer, Velocity Financial Group (July,2 008-April, 2009), evp & general manager, technology & office equipment finance, CIT (August, 2005-Janary, 2008), vice president-Business development, GE Commercial Finance (June, 1993-July, 2005). State University of New York College at Buffalo MBA, Finance (1980 – 1983) Canisius College B.S., Management/Finance (1975 – 1979).
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/daniel-krajewski/11/a44/52a

Mark Lanspa was name executive vice president, hospitality finance group, at Wells Fargo, opening a new office for the group in New York City, "where he will support current and potential customers in the New York Metro area." Previously he was mangier director, Credit Suisse (2011-2012), principal, Oasis Real Estate Partners (2009-2011), vice-president, Goldman Sachs (July, 2006-2009), managing director, GE Real Estate (September, 1999-July, 2006), managing director, GE Commercial Finance (1999-2006).Columbia University - Columbia Business School (1989 – 1990). Georgetown University (1980 – 1984).
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mark-lanspa/3/434/4a0

Mike Popovich is no longer with Mechanics Bank, Richmond, California, where he served as senior vice-president/corporate banking. He continues as a director of the Northern California Presbyterian Homs & Services, non-profit. Prior he was managing director, Vineyard Bank (2006-2007), vice-president/business development, Bridger Commercialfunding (2004-2006), senior vice president/sales, Tamalpais Bank (2002-2004), vice president/director of sales, Ampent, Inc (2000-2002), director of sales, US Retail (Newcourt Financial), sales manager, western U.S., Transamerica Commercial Finance Corporation (1979-1997).
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mike-popovich/6/1b7/592

Daniel Storer was hired to expand Huntington Bank "presence in six states, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Valerie Swaner hired as business development officer, Equipment Leasing, for TAB Bank;
in the Greater Salt Lake City Area.  Previously she was an account executive, Reagan Outdoor Advertising (March, 2011-February, 2012), manager of special project, Siegfried & Jensen (April, 2009-March, 2011), account executive, Zions Bank, October, 2000-April, 2008), account executive, KSL Television (1988-1999).Sandler Sales Training (2011 – 2011) East High School, Universidad de las Américas, A.C., University of Utah.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/valerieswaner

Jonathan Wease announced as vice-president of Portfolio Management for Aequitas Capital, Lake Oswego, Oregon. He joined the firm in November, 2011. Previously he was vice-president, PFSC (Portfolio Financial Servicing Company (January, 1997-Noember, 2011), corporate account officer, US Bank and US Bancorp Leasing (February, 1989-December, 1996).Maryhurst University MBA, Business Administration (2009 – 2010) University of Oregon Accounting (1986 – 1987) Concordia University-Portland BS, Business Administration
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jonathan-wease/23/831/261

Brian Zeck announced as managing director, Aequitas Capital, Lake Oswego, Oregon. He joined the firm in December, 2011. Previously he was external wholesaler, executive vice president, Leader Capital Corp (August, 2006-October, 2011), taxable fixed income trader, Fixed Income Securities (June, 2003-July, 2006), trading liaison, Barclays Global Investors (BGI), June, 200-August, 2003. San Diego State University-California State University Bachelors of Science, Finance (2006 – 2009) Activities and Societies: Beta Theta Pi.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/brian-zeck/41/143/951

Meg Zenter hired as director, client services at US Capital Corporation. Previously she was an account executive, Home Direct, USA (October, 2011-January, 2010), outside sales representative, Consumer Portfolio Services (June, 2011-September, 2011), area sales representative, Consumer Portfolio Services (June, 2011-September, 2011), area marketing manager, Siena Acceptance Corporation (December, 2007-December, 2009), marketing representation, Marquette Consumer Finance (march, 2008-August, 2007), district officer coordinator, State of Illinois (October, 2005-March, 2007), area marketing representative, Bay View Acceptance Corp (200-2005), assistant jewelry manager, Service Merchandise (1991-1999). Eastern Illinois University Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, 1998. Downers Grove North High School general diploma, general (1989 – 1993). Immaculate Conception School 1980 – 1987
http://www.linkedin.com/in/megzentner

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Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Sales Professional-Nationwide Are you producing over $250,000 a month and want the ability to reach $1 million a month? Ascentium Capital is a 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.

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

Why I became a CLP

Raquel O'Leary
Operations Manager
First Star Capital

I am extremely proud of my designation as a Certified Lease Professional. I have been in the Equipment Leasing/Finance industry for over 10 years and have had the pleasure to work with many smart, talented and (most importantly) fun people who inspired me over the years to strive for my CLP designation.

My career in equipment leasing began in 2000 working with Paul Knowlton at Bank of Walnut Creek, located across the bay from San Francisco, California. Having a solid background in financial services the Equipment Leasing Division of Bank of Walnut Credit was the perfect place to develop my commercial banking skills. I was able to get my feet wet as an account coordinator/lease processor and quickly learned to prepare credit packages before moving up the ranks to help with portfolio servicing and assisting with daily management of the operations. Paul, who was always very proud to carry the CLP designation, was wonderful about giving me opportunities to learn and continue to grow consistently. I was soon involved in the United Association of Equipment Leasing ((UAEL (now National Equipment Finance Association)) and saw great merit in attending the annual conferences and expos where there was so much more to learn about the equipment leasing industry as a whole. As I grew professionally in the industry, I made many connections with other local leasing professionals (and future CLP’s) like Brad Harmon of First Star Capital.

In the fall of 2005, my family and I relocated to Seattle, Washington where my husband was attending the University of Washington earning his Masters in Social Work. The relationships that had been formed with other leasing professionals through the UAEL made finding employment in the Pacific Northwest an easy task. I settled at Irwin Commercial Finance in Bellevue, Washington as the Funding Manager. I had tremendous opportunity to learn a different side of the business and had the opportunity to work with/learn from many CLP’s, most notable was my manager: Tony Sedlacek, CLP. It did not take long before Tony asked me when I was going to sit for the CLP exam and he soon left his CLP Handbook in my office as a gentle reminder. I have to admit, I was most definitely intimidated by studying for the exam and actually passing it. I had a solid background in documentation, credit process, collections, and leasing law but leasing company management (including lease accounting entries), financial statements and advanced lease pricing struck me as challenging. Soon Tony bought me my own CLP manual and encouraged me to start studying. I did…..slowly but surely I did.

My family and I relocated back to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2007 and I landed back to work with Paul at First Republic Bank to help manage and cultivate First Republic Equipment Finance. First Republic sponsored the Institute for Leasing Professionals (ILP) for employees and other Bay Area leasing professionals. Through the ILP I had the opportunity to reconnect with Brad Harmon of First Star Capital. Brad always stood out in the crowd. He is confident, smart, professional and very driven. It was fitting that we were in the Institute and sitting for the test together as we had both been encouraged by Paul to obtain our CLP over the years.

I believe the key to passing the exam is setting aside the time (whether you think you have it or not) from your busy schedule and making it a priority. I was surprised how much of the material was actually a review of my existing base of “leasing” knowledge. It was great to be with my peers in such an inspiring learning environment where each of us brought our unique experiences. There were lots of insightful discussions about how all of the material is actually applied outside the classroom. Honestly, the test wasn’t overly difficult at all…..if you attended the classes, did your homework and most importantly have some ”real life” experience to apply it to you can’t really go wrong.

The best part of my long road to getting my CLP is that it has come full circle in some ways. After lots of planning (waiting out the rough economy as well as completing my family with a new baby girl in 2009) I have joined Brad and the First Star team as Operations Manager. I am so thrilled to be a part of such an intelligent, driven and genuine group of leasing professionals here at First Star Capital. Including Brad and myself we have 3 CLPs at First Star and we are currently working on cultivating and a few more.

Having my CLP designation has served me very well in my career thus far and I know it will for years to come. I am so grateful to those who have taught me so much and encouraged me over the last decade. I will continue to encourage other professionals to consider the CLP program as it has opened doors for me that I did not even know where there…..

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

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

TBF: On Line Price Equipment Lease/Loan Charge Off

DEERFIELD, IL, —TBF Financial, LLC, a buyer of charged-off equipment leases and loans, announced today that its new website includes an online method for industry executives to learn the sale price for their uncollected leases and loans.

TBF will buy charged-off accounts up to three years old, said Robert Boehm, a principal and founder of TBF Financial, the company he launched in 1998 after a successful career as an attorney. His company will review submissions it receives online and follow that with a price subject to completing its due diligence.

“Obtaining a price online does not obligate the interested seller to sell. It only gives them an idea what their charged-off accounts are worth. If they want to consider selling, they then can so inform TBF, and the due diligence process will commence,” Boehm said. “Sales will usually be closed in seven days after submitting the due diligence information.”

The brief online questionnaire is at http://www.tbfgroup.com/chargeoff.html.

While lease charge-offs went down to 0.7 percent at the end of 2011 from a peak of 2.5 percent in 2009, according to data from the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, the selling of charge-offs represents an ongoing need for many equipment leasing and finance companies. Selling recoups significant losses and reinforces overall profitability, Boehm said, noting that the gain is immediate for the sellers. Recoveries on charged-off accounts are profits for accounting purposes and go directly to the seller’s bottom line, he added.

“Selling charge-offs that collection agencies cannot collect turns worthless assets into immediate cash and profits, and for forward flow arrangements, selling charge-offs becomes a budget line item of revenue that the seller can count on,” Boehm reports.

The company’s working philosophy is described on the TBF website at http://www.tbfgroup.com/whats_in_it.html.

TBF Financial clients include many of the largest equipment finance companies operating in the $500 billion global industry. TBF Commercial, a sister company of TBF Financial, buys charged-off commercial debt, other than equipment leases and loans, such as bank loans and credit card accounts.

About TBF Financial
TBF Financial is the premier buyer of equipment lease and loan charge-offs. Since 1998, TBF has helped many of the industry’s largest companies increase profits and cash flow by buying their uncollected equipment leases and loans. This year TBF has introduced an easy way for its clients to learn the sales price for charge-offs using an online resource at http://www.tbfgroup.com/chargeoff.html. TBF Financial affiliate, TBF Commercial, purchases commercial debt in the banking and credit card industries.

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

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

Naugatuck, Connecticut-- Adopt-a-Dog

Jason

Breed: American Hairless Terrier (note, rare, this terrier has a coat)
Color: Tan/Yellow/Fawn - With White
Age: Adult
Size: Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less Sex: Male

I am already neutered, housetrained, purebred, and up to date with shots.

Jason's Story...
"Jason is a handsome, purebred American Hairless Terrier born in July, 2005 and he is looking for a new home following a successful career as a show dog. Jason has a tan and white coat (some "hairless" dogs are coated), he weighs 25 lbs. and he loves to ride in the car, go for a run on a leash, romp with the other dogs or just relax and watch TV. Jason's breed is very rare, and it causes endless confusion that he's a "hairless" dog with a full coat, but he's just a regular guy underneath his show dog titles and exotic breed. Jason is a typical high-energy terrier and he loves to play with his fellow foster dogs, but he's respectful and gentle around the cats. Jason is housetrained, quiet in his crate, healthy, happy and ready to go.

Contact This Rescue Group...
Rescue Group: Flora's Pet Project
E-mail: flora@floraspetproject.org
Let 'em know you saw "Jason" on Adopt-a-Pet.com!
Website:
http://www.floraspetproject.org
Address: 38 Fairview Avenue
Naugatuck, CT
06770

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/

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: "The Artist," "The Descendants," "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," "The Help," "Hugo," "Midnight in Paris," "Moneyball," "The Tree of Life," and "War Horse"

Prediction: The acclaimed but challenging "The Tree of Life" and the critically panned "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" are just two of the most unexpected nominees in this year's Best Picture category, a field wide enough to include historical epics, children's storybooks and family dramas. Mostly, however, the main race seems to be between the comfortable crowd-pleasers "The Artist" and "The Help," with "The Artist" (an inventive homage to silent pictures) having the benefit of novelty.

Previous Winner Netflix tips: “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962), "The Deer Hunter" (1978), "Rain Man" (1988), "Unforgiven" (1992), "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008)

Best Director:

Nominees: Woody Allen ("Midnight in Paris"), Michel Hazanavicius ("The Artist"), Terrence Malick ("The Tree of Life"), Alexander Payne ("The Descendants") and Martin Scorsese ("Hugo")

Prediction: The most deserving candidate, "The Tree of Life's" Malick, is unlikely to win, as the director is a notorious recluse who never shows up to award shows. The odds, as a result, are split between highly esteemed previous winners (Allen and Scorsese) and a popular newcomer ("The Artist's" Hazanavicius). Recent sweeps with reviewers give the edge over to Hazanavicius, though there's the chance of an upset in favor of Payne, whose dysfunctional family drama might remind Academy voters of "Ordinary People."

Previous Winner Netflix tip: Mike Nichols for “The Graduate” (1967), George Roy Hill for "The Sting" (1973), Richard Attenborough for "Gandhi" (1982), Jonathan Demme for "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991), Kathryn Bigelow for "The Hurt Locker" (2009)

Best Actor:

Nominees: Demian Bichir ("A Better Life"), George Clooney ("The Descendants"), Brad Pitt ("Moneyball"), Jean Dujardin ("The Artist") and Gary Oldman ("Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy")

Prediction: Veterans and newcomers mix it up in this category. Clooney and Pitt are respected previous nominees (and, in Clooney's case, winners) matched by first-timers like Bichir and Dujardin. The most deserving performance may be Oldman's taciturn agent, a remarkable change of pace for this usually volatile actor, though most signs to point to Dujardin, whose appealing pantomime of silent-movie acting styles seems destined for a Roberto Benigni-style win.

Previous Winner Netflix tip: Sidney Poitier for “Lilies of the Field” (1963), Gene Hackman for "The French Connection" (1978), Robert Duvall for "Tender Mercies" (1983), Kevin Spacey for "American Beauty" (1999), Jamie Foxx for "Ray" (2007)

Best Actress:

Nominees: Glenn Close ("Albert Dobbs"), Viola Davis ("The Help"), Rooney Mara ("The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"), Meryl Streep ("The Iron Lady") and Michelle Williams ("My Week with Marilyn")

Prediction: As in the Best Actor field, here we have a welcome blend of seasoned and new faces. Streep, Close and Williams have plentiful and admirable experience with nominations and wins, while Mara debuts into the race with a breakout performance. However, this year's Oscar is predicted to go to Davis for her dignified turn in "The Help," a heartening case of the Academy recognizing a fierce talent whose past roles have gone largely underappreciated.

Previous Winner Netflix tip: Annie Bancroft for “The Miracle Worker” (1962), Jane Fonda for "Klute" (1971), Sissy Spacek for "Coal Miner’s Daughter" (1980), Holly Hunter for "The Piano" (1996), Helen Mirren for "The Queen" (2006)

Best Supporting Actor:

Nominees: Kenneth Brannagh ("My Week with Marilyn"), Jonah Hill ("Moneyball"), Nick Nolte ("Warrior"), Christopher Plummer ("Beginners") and max von Sydow ("Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close")

Prediction: This category is always brimming with juicy performances, and this year's no exception, ranging from Brannagh's theatrical polish to Nolte's life-worn grit to Hill's surprisingly dramatic sneakiness. The actor with the lock on the statuette, to judge from other award shows, is Plummer as the ailing yet feisty patriarch in "Beginners," a role tailor-made to reward this legendary veteran of screen and stage.

Previous Winner Netflix tip: Walter Matthau for “The Fortune Cookie” (1966), Ben Johnson for "The Last Picture Show" (1971), Haing S. Ngor for "The Killing Fields" (1984), Martin Landau for "Ed Wood" (1994), Morgan Freeman for "Million Dollar Baby" (2004)

Best Supporting Actress:

Nominees: Berenice Bejo ("The Artist"), Jessica Chastain ("The Help"), Melissa McCarthy ("Bridesmaids"), Janet McTeer ("Alfred Dobbs") and Octavia Spencer ("The Help")

Prediction: This category often works as a launching pad for promising performances, and it's great to see surprising nominations for Bejo's Jazz Age spunkiness, McTeer's humorous toughness and McCarthy's hilarious truculence. Rising star Chastain should have been nominated for "The Tree of Life," so the odds point to her "The Help" co-star Spencer, whose sly performance delivered a welcome pitch of salt to that sometimes overly sweet picture.

Previous Winner Netflix tip: Ruth Gordon for “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968), Tatum O’Neal for "Paper Moon" (1973), Olympia Dukakis for "Moonstruck" (1987), Dianne Wiest for "Bullets Over Broadway" (1994), Jennifer Hudson for "Dreamgirls" (2006)

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Classified ads— Operations/Remarketing/Repossessions

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

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

News Briefs----

BofA to Speed Growth in China After Doubling Profit
http://news.businessweek.com/article.asp?documentKey=1376-LZSB5107SXKX01-0P84S9L3VR225C1PF9CBHDGPNU

Bank of America Breaks With Fannie Mae
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/24/business/bank-of-america-breaks-with-fannie-mae.html?_r=1&ref=business

AIG's profit surges on tax-related accounting gain
http://www.cnbc.com/id/46503376

Euro jumps to 2-month high against dollar
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2012/02/23/euro_jumps_to_2_month_high_against_dollar/

Citi exits HDFC, pockets $2 billion
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Citi-exits-HDFC-pockets-2-billion/articleshow/12013545.cms

Whitman says she's at HP for the long haul
http://www.contracostatimes.com/business/ci_20029704

Male Foodservice Managers Earn $38K more than women
http://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/male-managers-earn-38k-more-women-study-says?utm_source=jolt&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20120223

[headlines]
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You May Have Missed---

Why do so many people hate California?
http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2012/02/23/why-do-so-many-people-hate-california/

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SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer

Sneaky Calories in Beverages Really Add Up!
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1556&page=2

[headlines]
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Sports Briefs----

Stanford women's basketball extends nation's longest active home winning streak
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_20033271/stanford-womens-basketball-extends-nations-longest-active-home

Braun needs to keep swinging away
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/140244093.html

'Holy Grail' of football cards from 1894 Harvard squad worth up to $15,000 found in farmhouse
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2104840/John-Dunlop-Holy-Grail-football-cards-1894-Harvard-squad-worth-15-000-found.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

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Winter Poem

Winter in the Country by Claude McKay

Sweet life! how lovely to be here
And feel the soft sea-laden breeze
Strike my flushed face, the spruce's fair
Free limbs to see, the lesser trees'

Bare hands to touch, the sparrow's cheep
To heed, and watch his nimble flight
Above the short brown grass asleep.
Love glorious in his friendly might,

Music that every heart could bless,
And thoughts of life serene, divine,
Beyond my power to express,
Crowd round this lifted heart of mine!

But oh! to leave this paradise
For the city's dirty basement room,
Where, beauty hidden from the eyes,
A table, bed, bureau, and broom

In corner set, two crippled chairs
All covered up with dust and grim
With hideousness and scars of years,
And gaslight burning weird and dim,

Will welcome me . . . And yet, and yet
This very wind, the winter birds
The glory of the soft sunset,
Come there to me in words.

[headlines]
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California Nuts Briefs---

Expansion under way at San Jose's Santana Row
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_20029961

[headlines]
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“Gimme that Wine”

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

For Rhys Vineyards, Greatness Comes at a Price
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/dining/at-rhys-vineyards-a-poor-harvest-takes-its-toll.html?ref=dining

Consumers pay more for tongue-twisting wines
http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/529761/consumers-pay-more-for-tongue-twisting-wines

Chateau Margaux unveils organic and screwcap wines
http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/529763/chateau-margaux-unveils-organic-and-screwcap-wines

Pawnshops Accepting Wine As Collateral
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/22/pawnshops-for-prosperous-_n_1294894.html

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/
    1885-Birthday of Chester Nimitz, U.S. admiral who commanded naval forces in the Pacific during WWII.
    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.
    1930- Ted Lewis records, "On the Sunny Side of the Street"
    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.
    1970- Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" hits #1
    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.
    1976-- At tonight's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Paul Simon picks up Best Pop Vocal and Best Album awards for Still Crazy After All These Years, leading him to famously remark, in his acceptance speech, "I'd like to thank Stevie Wonder for not releasing an album this year."
    1976- Rhythm Heritage's "Theme From S.W.A.T." hits #1
    1978-Barry Manilow shared the stage with Ray Charles during The Second Barry Manilow Special, dueting on "It's a Miracle". Manilow had just enjoyed a Top Ten hit with "Looks Like We Made It" and would follow with "Can't Smile Without You", "Even Now", "Copacabana" and "Ready to Take a Chance Again" during the next few months.
    1978-The Pointer Sisters, now down to a trio after Bonnie Pointer had left for a solo career, enjoy their biggest US hit when the Bruce Springsteen written "Fire" tops out at Billboard's #2.
    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
    2004 - Heavy snows blanket wide areas of northern New Mexico, closing schools and highways. he mountains east of Santa Fe receive 20 inches. Sandia Park, east of Albuquerque, measures 11 inches. 8 inches falls at Los Alamos
    2010-- The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver ends with, among other things, a surprise appearance by Canadian native Neil Young, who sings "Long May You Run" as the torch is put out.