Position Wanted---Risk Management
  Seeking New Opportunities

Each Week Leasing News is pleased, as a service to its readership, to offer completely free ads placed by candidates for jobs in the industry. These ads also can be accessed directly on the website at: 
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm

Each ad is limited to (100) words and ads repeat for up to 6 months unless the candidate tells us to stop. Your submissions should be received here by the end of each week.

Please encourage friends and colleagues to take advantage of this service, including recent graduates and others interested in leasing and related careers.

Risk Management
(Chicago Based) Highly knowledgeable and analytical Equipment Leasing Executive; leveraging 25 years in Portfolio Management, Operations, Credit, and Collections within Banking environment and Commercial Equipment Leasing Industry; proven track record, developing/implementing strategies, sound operational excellence and process improvement, while maximizing revenues and positioning organizations for greater success. wgriffith61@yahoo.com
Resume:
http://leasingnews.org/items/BGriffithResume2015.pdf 

 

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Top Stories February 16 - February 18
(Opened Most by Readers)

(1) “How Hard is Applying for a California
          Financial Lender’s License?”
 By Tom McCurnin, Leasing News Legal Editor
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2016/02_18.htm#license

(2) Reactions from Readers:
         Leasing Icon Ben Millerbis Passes Away
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2016/02_16.htm#reaction

(3) Archives: February 18, 2003
   Weather Closes East Coast Leasing Companies
          as well as other businesses
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2016/02_18.htm#archives

(4) Would You Do this Deal?
   Credit/Collections #102 by Ben Carlile
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2016/02_18.htm#answer

(5) New Hires---Promotions in the Leasing Business
             and Related Industries
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2016/02_18.htm#hires

(6)   “Leasing to Franchises”
    by Tom McCurnin, Leasing News Legal Editor
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2016/02_16.htm#franchises

(7) Certificate of Insurance for Lease or Loan
    Leasing 102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLFP
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2016/02_16.htm#certificate

(8) Element Financial Corp. Plans to Split into 2 Listed Firms
  $19.5 Billion Fleet/ $7 Billion North American Commercial
            Hudson Timing: Impeccable!
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2016/02_18.htm#element

(9) Why lenders are struggling to secure new customers
  Alternate Lending Picking up Unscored/Using Alternative Data
http://www.autoremarketing.com/subprime/why-lenders-are-struggling-secure-new-customers

(10) Lending Club Is ‘Transforming Banking,’  
     But Banks Fund 25% of Its Loans
http://bankinnovation.net/2016/02/lending-club-talks-transforming-banking-but-banks-fund-25-of-its-loans/

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CIT Board Changes, Thain Out as Chairman
Many Believe Direct Capital is "A Pig in a Poke"

by Christopher Menkin

As CIT stock has it problems, more changes at the board of director level.

 

John Thain
Current Chairman/CEO
CIT Group

Overlooked in the sudden alleged retirement announcement, a change since the October, 2015 announcement regarding the board of directors, as well as the position of John Thain. It was originally announced CEO John Thain was to retire on March 31, 2016, but continue as Chairman of the Board of Directors. (1)

The new announcement has CIT Board Member Ellen R. Alemany scheduled to become Vice Chairman effective November, 1, 2015 and Chief Executive Officer effective now April 1, 2015, to also become Chairman, replacing Thain. (2)

Other changes include John A. Thain, Michael J. Embler, David M. Moffett and Sy Sternberg will retiring from the CIT Board of Directors when their current terms expire at the Annual Meeting. There were other announcements changing the board of directors. It is also very interesting to note that long time chief of public relations and communications, former Senior Vice President,  Curt Ritter, 2010 Leasing News Person of the Year (3), is no longer with the firm.

There are more problems than the stock, as reported by other CIT events, including the exodus from Direct Capital, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which the company acquired at a price considered much overstated. Key sales people are going to competitors and operational areas continue to be moved from the Portsmouth location to CIT corporate for consolidation. The original charm of the company was millennials from the area learning leasing, glad to have a job and not having to leave the areas where they grew up. Others have imitated this concept, originally started by Dave Murray. First American Finance, Fairport, New York, is a good example, adopting the concept as well as pushing the state of the art in financial technology.

But the fact is Direct Capital changed when the Murrays left, trying mortgages, franchise financing, then business and working capital loans. There were CIT directors on the board who thought when it came to Direct Capital, they had purchased a pig in a poke.

The phrase comes from French origination, as a “poke” is a sake or bag, and the word is still utilized in English-speaking companies, "A pig that's in a poke might turn out to be no pig at all. If a merchant tried to cheat by substituting a lower value animal, the trick could be uncovered by letting the cat out of the bag."
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/a-pig-in-a-poke.html

More than a year ago when CIT purchased Direct Capital, Leasing News reported on the working capital and alternative finance the company was doing to alleged less than desirable prospects (no prior lending history, seasonal business, consumer oriented business). It seems the Brooms left just in time.

(1) CIT Group Announces Senior Management Succession Plan
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2015/10_23.htm#cit

(2) A Look at Why John Thain is Retiring from CIT
           by Dale Kluga, Cobra Capital
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2015/10_28.htm#cit

(3) Curt Ritter, Leasing News Person of the Year 2010
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jan2011/1_04.htm#ritter

 

 

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How do I know if I am making the right sales move?
Career Crossroad---By Emily Fitzpatrick/RII

 

Q: I am thinking of accepting a sales position with another company; how do I know I am making the right decision?
A: I assume a major factor in making a career move is the stability the company … do your research.  There are never any guarantees but there a few key factors to assist you in making your decision:

• Employee turnover rate:  if it is a high rate why have employees left the company? You may want to discuss this in a 2nd interview.
• Research the company’s history in doing business in an ethical and moral fashion (internally AND externally): This is easily obtained by searching out complaints, bulletins and many of the new watch dog lists created after the economic crisis … you can even research if lawsuits have been filed against the company.
• History of paying their bills:  if a company struggles to pay their bills, you might have issues collecting commissions and other compensation; you will have to conduct your own “undercover” investigation on this – speak to people in the industry.
• Find out, in an interview, what the company’s volume was, is and will be. You may even feel comfortable requesting financials.
• Also make sure, if in a sales role, that production expectations are realistic and fall within the parameters you will be able to meet or better yet, exceed. If not, you may be let go for not meeting these goals

Conduct your research in a “covert” manner - you don’t want there to be a leak that you are considering a move while you are still employed.  Additionally, make sure your new employer will be able to meet your personal and career objectives now and in the future. 

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

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

 

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Leasing Industry Ads---Help Wanted
Now is the Time

  

Alabama Supreme Court Case Holds Bank of First
Deposit Was Liable to Payor Bank for Encoding Errors
by Tom McCurnin
Leasing News Legal Editor

Bank of First Deposit Improperly Encoded Check, Resulting in Underpayment. By the Time Everyone Figured Out the Error the Money Was Gone? Which Bank is Responsible? Case Offers Glimpse of How Checks Are Processed Through Federal Reserve. 

Troy Bank and Trust Co. v Citizens Bank 

It’s often said that people who like sausage shouldn’t ever watch it being made, and sometimes I feel like check payment systems are in the same category. However, in today’s case, two banks squabbled about encoding errors on the bottom of a check and a return correction through the Federal Reserve which consumed three years of litigation. The facts follow.

Giley Properties (drawee or depositor) received and deposited a check from its customer, Cile Way Properties in the sum of $100,000. Giley deposited the check with its bank, Citizen’s Bank. Ronnie Giley, for the curious, was a casino developer jailed for seven years for bribing Alabama legislators. 

The teller at Citizen’s Bank mis-coded the check on the bottom line (called MICR coding) for only $1,000. The MICR coding allows the check to be electronically read by big machines called “Reader-Sorters.” 

When the check passed through the payment system, through the Federal Reserve and Cile’s bank, Troy Bank and Trust, the devices only read the debit as being $1,000. So Troy Bank only debited $1,000 from Cile’s bank account and sent that payment back through the payment system through the Federal Reserve. 

About a month later, Citizen’s Bank realized its error (probably because its customer had not received the $100,000) and to correct the problem, it issued an “adjustment notice” through the Federal Reserve. Such “adjustment notices” are covered by an operating circular of the Fed. Troy Bank did not respond to the adjustment notice and its account at the Federal Reserve was accordingly debited for $99,000. 

Troy Bank and Trust tried to debit its customer’s account but the account had insufficient funds. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Troy Bank sued Citizen’s Bank for the $99,000 that it mistakenly failed to dispute through the Federal Reserve.

Troy Bank argued that it was Citizen’s Bank that created the problem by its encoding error on the check, pointing out that the Uniform Commercial Code makes the bank of first deposit liable for checks which it improperly encodes.  Citizen’s Bank responded, arguing that Troy Bank failed to dispute the adjustment notice and therefore shouldn’t be able to recover from it.

The trial court agreed with Citizen’s Bank, ruling that Troy Bank had an affirmative obligation to respond to the adjustment notice, and failing that was barred from suing Citizen’s Bank. Troy Bank appealed.

The Alabama Supreme Court reversed, holding that generally speaking, the bank of first deposit is responsible for its own encoding errors under UCC §4-209, and although Troy Bank’s participation in the adjustment notice process might be binding on Troy Bank, Troy Bank did not, in fact, participate in the process, and instead elected to sue Citizen’s Bank. Since the bank of first deposit, in this case, Citizen’s Bank, was responsible for encoding errors, the Alabama Supreme Court reversed, and ordered that the trial court enter judgment against Citizen’s Bank and in favor of Troy Bank.

What does this all mean?

• First, the case uncovers an interesting part of the check clearing process.  Really, who has ever heard of an “adjustment notice” under the Federal Reserve?

• Second, the bank of first deposit is responsible for coding the magnetic numbers on the check, and as evidenced by this case, this is the bank’s problem not the depositor’s problem. 

• Third, there is no way for a depositor to verify that the checks it is depositing are accurately encoded. The depositor’s only recourse is against its own bank. 

The bottom line to this case is the entity that places a negotiable item in the stream of commerce, like a bank of first deposit, has to be really careful. In this case, the bank was sloppy, and now any possibility of recovery seems remote given Mr. Gilley’s long prison sentence. 

Ronald Gilley Case
http://www.leasingnews.org/PDF/GilleyCase.pdf

Tom McCurnin is a partner at Barton, Klugman & Oetting in Los Angeles, California.

Tom McCurnin
Barton, Klugman & Oetting
350 South Grand Ave.
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Direct Phone: (213) 617-6129
Cell (213) 268-8291
Email: tmccurnin@bkolaw.com
Visit our web site at www.bkolaw.com
Previous Tom McCurnin Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org

Previous Tom McCurnin Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/leasing_cases.html

 

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Saluting

Tom McCurnin
Leasing News Advisor
Leasing News Legal Editor

Tom McCurnin

Barton, Klugman & Oetting
350 South Grand Ave.
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90071
D irect Phone: (213) 617-6129
Cell (213) 268-8291
Fax: (213) 625-1832
Email: tmccurnin@bkolaw.com
www.bkolaw.com

Mr. McCurnin has written 254 articles for Leasing News  as of 02/22/2016 (1), as well as for many years contributed to other media, including major newspapers as well as bank and law publications. He also has represented and appeared for Leasing News as pro bono attorney for several years. He is the number one legal consultant for news stories and general business matters serving as our Paladin.

Recent Trial Experience:

• Successfully defended major California bank on midnight deadline case

• Successfully defended major California bank on forged endorsement claim

• Prosecuted RICO action on behalf of major national commercial finance company recovering over $1 million dollars

• Successfully defended real estate trust on consumer notice issue

• Successfully defended major California manufacturer on products liability action

• Prosecuted numerous actions on behalf of equipment lessors
• Defended Trade Secret Case
• Defended Usury Claim
  

Before becoming a principal partner with Barton, Klugman & Oetting, he worked as an inside attorney for Rockford Industries and American Express Business Finance.

He is a member of the State Bar of California; Federal Bar Association; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Financial Lawyers Conference-Los Angeles; Independent Bankers Association; California Bankers Association; Los Angeles Commercial Law Committee.

Law School: Drake University (J.D., 1975) 
College: University of Iowa (B.A., 1972)

He is an accomplished musician, world traveler, as well as active in animal rescue, particularly Labrador Retrievers. His main hobbies are Class V White Water River Rafting, Wilderness Canoeing and Camping, Woodworking and Home Building, Historic Home Renovation, Muscle Car Restoration, Labrador Retriever Rescue Foundation.

(1) Leasing Cases by Tom McCurnin
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top
%20Stories/leasing_cases.html

 

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Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals
Two Classes Scheduled

The Certified Lease and Finance Professional Foundation offers a variety of study tools to help candidates prepare for the exam, including the CLFP Handbook, the CLFP Mentor Program and the Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals, a three-day event designed to fully prepare an individual to sit for the CLFP exam. Upon achieving the CLFP designation, recipients must meet ongoing requirements to maintain their elite status as a CLFP in Good Standing and retain the license to use the designation.

  - San Francisco Area   
Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals
  Thursday, May 12, 2016 8:00 AM • Walnut Creek, CA
   End: Sat., May 14, 2016 5:00 PM

- Philadelphia Area
Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals
Thursday, September 22, 2016 8:00 AM
End: Sat., September 24, 2016 5:00PM
   (Location to be announced)

On the first two days, all of the required sections of the CLFP exam are covered in-depth; in addition, the three most popular elective sections will also be covered (see below). Study materials are provided for the elective sections not covered which students may use to self-study. On the third day, the exam is offered, but not mandatory.

The cost to attend the class is $600 and the cost of the exam is $695. When purchased together, the total is discounted to $1250. Current CLFPs are offered a discounted price of $395 and class attendance satisfies the Recertification requirement.

For more information, contact Executive Director Reid Raykovich, CLFP: reid@CLFPfoundation.org or (206) 535-6281.

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

 

((Please Click on Bulletin Board to learn more information))
(Leasing News provides this ad “gratis” as a means
to help support the growth of Lease Police)

 

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Look out for Hotel computers!
Or Any Public Computer You Use

It is important to remember that by using any public computer, particularly in a hotel business center, that you may be leaving important information available. For instance, if you log into an account with your password, more than likely it is saved in the computer.

Most computer history and cookies are active, meaning once you have logged in, it is made convenient for you to log in again, often if you have not hit “save my password.” Many public computers are set up in this manner.

It means the next person, or another person, can look at history, see what was open, and then go to it, often finding your log in and password.

I recommend if you are using your laptop or tablet on a public computer or public Wi-Fi, to use https://www.ccleaner.com/business. The free version works great, cleaning all the browsers and deleting temporary files very fast.

If you don't use this product, then delete the history from each of the browsers that you have used. At the end of using the computer, open Google upper right three bars, go to "more tools" and clean history.

You can do the same on all other browsers.

It is also a good idea to check the browser before using it that "don't save password" is "on."

   Kit Menkin

 

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for appraisals and equipment valuations provided by Ed Castagna)

 

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

Somerset Capital Group Expands Its Presence
in ATE Leasing and Remarketing

BILLERICA, Mass. – Boston Semi Equipment (BSE) and Somerset Capital Group (Somerset) jointly announced that Somerset will begin originating leases and remarketing Automated Test Equipment directly to the semiconductor market through its subsidiary, Somerset ATE Solutions.

Through their long-standing relationship, Somerset and BSE have leveraged BSE’s customer relationships within the semiconductor industry to develop an industry-leading portfolio of current generation Automated Test Equipment (ATE) owned and financed by Somerset. Somerset will now begin interfacing directly with these clients to continue its expansion of their position within the industry.

Bryan Banis
President/CEO
Boston Semiconductor

“BSE’s core semiconductor equipment businesses of test cell automation products, equipment service offerings and ATE products have positioned the company as an OEM of semiconductor equipment and related services,” commented Bryan Banish, Boston Semi Equipment President and CEO. “This is a good time for us to transition the leasing and remarketing of current-generation ATE to Somerset to enable BSE to focus on, and continue to expand, our test cell automation equipment and services.”

Evan M. Bokor
President, Chief Executive Officer
Somerset Capital Group

“We are excited about the opportunities that the additional focus and the integration of the ATE equipment leasing and remarketing business will bring to our organization to enhance our position in the semiconductor segment,” stated Evan Bokor, Somerset’s President and CEO. “It is our expectation that Somerset ATE Solutions will afford our clientele in the semiconductor segment access to a broad range of equipment solutions and flexible financing to meet their evolving needs.”

BSE’s activities of selling and servicing of legacy ATE products remain unchanged. Somerset’s worldwide sales team will provide the continuity of support for existing leasing customers. Leasing customers will not need to make any changes in connection with this transition as Somerset will continue to manage all aspects of lease invoicing and payment processing.
 
About Boston Semi Equipment
Boston Semi Equipment LLC (BSE) provides equipment and services to semiconductor manufacturers and OSATs worldwide. Our solutions address customer requirements for testing, handling, and probing semiconductors. BSE helps customers maintain maximum uptime by providing a broad range of service and support products. Our goal is to lower equipment costs for our customers. Visit www.bostonsemiequipment.com for more information.

About Somerset Capital Group, Ltd.
Headquartered in Milford, CT, Somerset was established in 1984 and offers equipment leasing, rental and asset management solutions tailored to the needs of its clients. Somerset’s staff of dedicated professionals handles all aspects of client servicing, emphasizing the personalized approach that has been a hallmark of the company’s approach to business throughout its history.

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

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for investigative
reporting provided by John Kenny)
 

Brother and Sister Labrador Retrievers
San Francisco Bay Area  Adopt-a-Dog

Georgia and Molly: 7-yr-old spayed female Lab sisters 100+ pounds each

"Given up by their owner regretfully due to reasons not having to do anything with the dogs, black Georgia and chocolate Molly are a true delight. They are gentle-natured but excitable… and full of affection and wiggles. Well-mannered and obedient. House-trained. Walk well on leash. These are some happy, happy dogs. Georgia is a bit more active and rambunctious than Molly, but both will endeavor to fetch the tennis ball. They are delighted to follow you around the house and just be with you. Or let them outside and they will play and hang out with each other.

"What Georgia’s and Molly’s Rescue Rep says: Both dogs are spayed, current on vaccinations, and chipped. While each appears to be quite healthy, both have begun a fitness program with the goal of dropping 15-20 pounds each. They are likely bonded sisters as they came from the same litter, have been together for their entire lives, and enjoy being in each other’s company, so we want to adopt them out together to the same home. They get along just fine with cats (that they are accustomed to) and other dogs. Great with kids. They are currently in Petaluma."

If you are interested in both Georgia and Molly,
call Rescue Rep Dave, 415-686-4248.

(Please keep in mind we are all volunteers, most of us work full time and we all have personal lives. I do call everyone back within 2-3 days so please be patient and I will be back in touch with you. When the dogs are in foster homes then it may take longer as we need to touch base with the fosters for updates on the dogs. We work very hard to make the right matches for the dogs and for the new owners. We get 3-5 dogs per week and we do not have a facility."

Golden Gate Labrador Retriever Rescue
http://www.labrescue.org/contact.html

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

 

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Leasing News Classified

Complete Turnkey Blog
Generate Leads, Build Authority and Showcase your expertise with your own lease blog. Don't have the time? We do it for you. Complete turnkey blog setup and/or content only provided by leasing expert for leasing companies. 
Email for free evaluationstu@p2plendingexpert.com

News Briefs---

Oil prices likely to remain low for 3-5 years; Mukesh Ambani
 Predicts, Billionaire owner of the world's largest refining complex
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/commodities/views/oil-prices-likely-to-remain-low-for-3-5-years-mukesh-ambani/articleshow/51077221.cms

PayPal Overhauls Its Mobile App
http://techcrunch.com/2016/02/17/paypal-overhauls-its-mobile-app/

Amazon to Become Fortune 500’s second-largest workforce
  230,800 Employees Year-end, not counting 100,000 seasonal
http://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazon-on-pace-to-boast-fortune-500s-second-largest-workforce/ 

Fed to raise the bar in bank stress tests
  May Affect Bank Dividends, business loans
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4555738a-d834-11e5-9ba8-3abc1e7247e4.html#axzz40r4WJkko

Financial Technology Mentoring Program for Startups
   Drawing Interest in US and International Firms
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/feb/21/venture-exec-program-has-global-appeal-/?f=business

Powa Technologies in administration after investor calls in loans
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/fc27f62a-d71a-11e5-829b-8564e7528e54.html#axzz40r4WJkko

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--You May Have Missed It

Borders CEO recalls 'painful time' 5 years after book seller's bankruptcy filing
http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2016/02
/borders_5_years_after_bankrupt.html

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SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer

A Dozen Ways to Quell Your Sweet Tooth
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/slideshow.asp?show=2

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Winter Poem

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Rain, rain, go away,
Come again some other day,
Little Johnny wants to play.
Rain, rain, go to Spain,
Never show your face again.

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Sports Briefs----

Bubba Watson stages late comeback to win second Northern Trust Open
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-northern-trust-open-20160222-story.html

Denny Hamlin beats Martin Truex Jr. in closest Daytona 500 finish ever
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/denny-hamlin-wins-daytona-500-in-closest-finish-ever-214613794.html

49ers, Kaepernick’s representatives to meet in Indianapolis
http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article61654057.html

Colin Kaepernick should be 49ers' starting QB in 2016
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/5261766-181/grant-cohn-colin-kaepernick-should

Chargers initiative may boost stadium funding
http://www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county-times/ci_29541254/pacifica-amid-el-nino-city-backs-controversial-coastal

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California Nuts Briefs---

Government recommends eight years in prison for Leland Yee
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article60970082.html 

San Diego in midst of hotel building boom
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/feb/20/san-diego-in-midst-of-hotel-building-boom/

Pacifica: Amid El Niño, city backs controversial coastal development
http://www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county-times/ci_29541254/pacifica-amid-el-nino-city-backs-controversial-coastal

Billionaire seeks $30 million in Martins Beach fight
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/5266159-181/billionaire-seeks-30-million-in

 

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

A Savvy Breed of Winemaker Takes Business Sense to the Winery
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/14/your-money/a-savvy-breed-of-winemaker-takes-business-sense-to-the-winery.html

Direct sales key to small winery survival, Planning Commission told
http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/direct-sales-key-to-small-winery-survival-planning-commission-told/article_3513b90a-8122-52e2-aa9b-f9b0393c2777.html

$8 wine might be a tough sell this year: California forecast
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/18/8-wine-might-be-a-tough-sell-this-year-california-forecast.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/

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

     1616 - A smallpox epidemic among Indians relieved future New England colonies of the threat of major hostilities with the Indians. The tribes from the Penobscot River in Maine to Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island were virtually destroyed. It was not so much the white man that defeated the American natives, but the diseases they brought with them from the old world.
    1618 - In a move to compel church attendance, Governor Samuel Argall of Virginia decreed that all who failed to attend church service would be imprisoned in the guardhouse, “lying neck and heels in the Corps of Gard ye night following and be a slave ye week following.” Sunday dancing, fiddling, card playing, hunting, and fishing were also forbidden.
http://www.famousamericans.net/sirsamuelargall/
    1630 - Popcorn was introduced to English colonists by Quadequine, brother of Massasoit, who brought a bag of it to dinner.
http://ks.essortment.com/whatisthehist_rsdt.htm
http://www.factmonster.com/spot/popcorn1.html
    1631 - The first public thanksgiving, a fast day, was celebrated in Massachusetts Bay Colony, though many private celebrations had been recorded before this. 
    1656 - Congregation Shearith Israel, the first Jewish congregation in America, consecrated the first Jewish cemetery in New York City. The plot occupied a piece of ground in the section now known as Chatham Square.
    1732 – Birthday of the United States’ first President, George Washington (d. 1799) in Westmoreland County, VA.   There is insufficient space here to properly note the accomplishments of America’s first war hero and leader. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/feb22.html
    1773 - The memorable "Cold Sabbath" in New England history. Many persons froze extremities while going to church, according to weather historian David Ludlum
    1775 – The first U.S. stock company, a cloth maker, offered shares at 10 cents each.
    1778 - Birthday of Rembrandt Peale (d. 1860) at Bucks County, PA.  American portrait and historical painter, son of artist Charles Willson Peale.
    1784 - The Empress of China, first trading ship sent to China from the United States, set sail from New York, arriving in China on August 28.
    1819 - The Florida Purchase treaty was signed by Spain and the U.S. After having lost several decisive sea battles with the British, and the French, Spain was ready to abandon its several centuries of settlements in the new world. In a triumph of diplomacy by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, Spain ceded the remainder of its old province of Florida at no cost beyond that of U.S. assumption of up to $5,000,000 of the claims of U.S. citizens against Spain. Adams also obtained for the U.S. a transcontinental southern boundary that legitimized U.S. interests on the northern side of the line to the Pacific. Florida became a state in 1845.
    1819 - James Russell Lowell (d. 1891), poet/essayist/diplomat, was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/auth/lowell.htm
http://www.selfknowledge.com/267au.htm
    1825 – Russia and Great Britain established the Canada-Alaska boundary with the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1825.
    1847 - At the Battle of Buena Vista, U.S. forces under Gen. Zachary Taylor defeated the Mexicans under Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The war would end in 1848 by which terms Mexico recognized Texas a part of the US and ceded to the use 500,000 square miles of territory, including all of the future states of California, Nevada, and Utah, almost all of New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. In return, the U.S. agreed to pay Mexico $15,000,000. The war resulted in 1721 dead and 4102 wounded. In addition, some 11,115 Americans died of disease as a result of the war. The total cost of the war was estimated at $97,500,000. The U.S. became an enormous continental republic, but the acquisition of the new territory aggravated the dispute between slavery and antislavery forces.
    1847 - As one of his last official acts, Alcalde (Spanish for mayor) Washington A. Bartlett certified the accuracy of the new town plan for San Francisco before the County Recorder.  Lt. Bartlett became the first American alcalde, or mayor, of Yerba Buena after Sloate took possession of California for the US from Mexico.  He was elected to succeed himself as mayor at the first election held under the new regime, on September 15, 1846. Bartlett was involved in the Donner Party tragedy; upon news being received at Yerba Buena of the disaster, Bartlett collected clothing and provisions to relieve the survivors.  In one of his last acts as mayor, he formally changed the name of Yerba Buena on January 30, 1847 to that which it is known by today: San Francisco.  Bartlett, as an experienced surveyor, also ordered the creation of some of the first maps of the city-to-be. Montgomery Street was named for his commanding officer, and Bartlett Street is most probably named for him.
    1854 – The Republican Party held its first meeting, in Michigan.
    1855 – The Pennsylvania State University was founded in State College as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania.
    1856 – The Republican Party held its first national meeting, in Pittsburgh.
    1860 – Organized baseball was played in San Francisco for the first time.
    1864 – The second day/last day of Battle of Okolona, MS.  Confederate cavalry, commanded by Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, faced over 7,000 cavalry under the command of Brig. Gen. William Sooy Smith and defeated them, causing 100 casualties for the loss of 50.
http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/ms013.htm
    1864 - Battle at Dalton, Georgia. From Vicksburg, Mississippi, Union Gen. Sherman launched a campaign to take the important railroad center at Meridian and, if the situation was favorable, to push on to Selma and threaten Mobile, in order to prevent the shipment of Confederate men and supplies. To counter the threat, Confederate President Jefferson Davis ordered troops into the area. While these operations unfolded, Thomas determined to probe Gen. Johnston's army in the hope that Johnston's loss of two divisions, sent to reinforce Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk as he withdrew from Meridian to Demopolis, Alabama, would make him vulnerable. Skirmishing and intense fighting occurred throughout the demonstration. At Crow Valley on the 25th, Union troops almost turned the Rebel right flank, but ultimately it held. On the 27th, Thomas's army withdrew, realizing that Johnston was ready and able to counter any assault.
    1865 - Battle of Wilmington NC (Fort Anderson).  Occupied by Federals, Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg ordered the evacuation of Wilmington, burning cotton, tobacco, and government stores. A similar event happened in the burning of Atlanta, where Union troops were blamed for the destruction, but in reality it was the fleeing Confederate army not wanting to leave supplies, buildings or any aid to the occupying Union army. The Union army captures Fort Fisher with the great help of the “colored infantry division.” Today the fort is a national historical site, also housing the famous North Carolina Aquarium, receiving over 1 million visitors each year.
http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/nc016.htm
http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=1-1882810244-1
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/fisher/fisher.htm
http://www.ncaquariums.com/newsite/ff/ffindex.htm
    1876 - Johns Hopkins University opens, the first research university in the United States.
http://webapps.jhu.edu/jhuniverse/information_about_hopkins/about_jhu/
a_brief_history_of_jhu/index.cfm
http://www.jhu.edu/
    1879 - Frank Woolworth opened his first store at Utica, New York. The store was a great disappointment as its sales after a few weeks were as low as $2.50 a day. Woolworth moved his store in June, 1879 to Lancaster, PA, where it proved a success. He came up with the idea for a five-cent store on September 24, 1878, in Watertown, NY, when he originated a “five-cent table” in the store of Moore and Smith during the week of the county fair. The first joint venture of the Woolworth brothers in Harrisburg, PA, was called the “Great 5 Cent Store.” In 1997, the closing of the chain was announced. Macy's, Montgomery Ward, K-Mart, the White House, among others, have filed bankruptcy as Wal-Mart and Costco and e-commerce have changed the "department store" business.
    1884 - Birthday of Abe Attell (d. 1970), a boxer born Albert Knoehr at San Francisco, CA. Attell held the featherweight championship for 11 years, 1906-1912, when boxing was not quite as organized as it could have been. A heavy gambler and known associate of Arnold Rothstein, he got involved in baseball's Black Sox scandal.  In 1920, Attell was accused of being the messenger between the gangster Rothstein and the White Sox players during the planning stages of the fix of the 1919 World Series, actually delivering $10,000 to the player-conspirators.   He avoided prosecution, first by fleeing to Canada and then by convincing authorities that there were two Abe Attells and the other one was the guilty party.
    1888 - General A.M. Winn leads a parade in San Francisco, celebrating the passage of California's 8-hour work day law.
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist8/earlylabor.html
    1888 - John Reid of Scotland demonstrated golf to Americans in Yonkers, New York    
    1889 - President Cleveland signs the Omnibus Admissions Act to admit the Dakotas, Montana and Washington State. One final amendment to the Omnibus Bill was particularly significant for Washington. Representative Springer of Illinois, chairman of the House Committee on Territories, wanted to rename Washington as the state of Tacoma. The move sparked considerable controversy in Washington, including a letter by ex-governor Watson Squire charging that the Northern Pacific had chosen the name for the city of Tacoma, had wanted to change the name of Mt. Rainier to Tacoma, and now wanted to rename the state. Watson argued the importance of keeping the name as a "trademark" and in honor of George Washington: “And is not this commonwealth one of the monuments erected to the father of the republic? Why impiously seek to tear it down? Is the monument unworthy of the name? Only an ignoramus could harbor the thought!” The Omnibus Bill would have renamed the state Tacoma until the final vote on February 20, at which time the name of Washington was restored. It was signed by President Cleveland on the 22nd to honor the first President of the United States.
http://www.appeal-law.com/constitution/voorhees.shtml
    1892 - Birthday of Edna St. Vincent Millay (d. 1950), American poet ("My candle burns at both ends . . ."), at Rockland, ME.
    1906 - Black evangelist William J. Seymour first arrived in Los Angeles and began holding revival meetings. The "Azusa Street Revival" later broke out under Seymour's leadership, in the Apostolic Faith Mission located at 312 Azusa Street in Los Angeles. It was one of the pioneering events in the history of 20th century American Pentecostalism.
    1907 - Birthday of trumpeter Rex Stewart (d. 1967), Philadelphia, PA
    1907 – Actor Robert Young (d. 1998) was born in Chicago.  He is best known for his leading roles as Jim Anderson, the father character in “Father Knows Best”, and the physician Marcus Welby in “Marcus Welby, M.D.”
    1909 – The Great White Fleet, the first U.S. fleet to circle the globe, returns to Virginia.  It consisted of 16 battleships along with various escorts. President Theodore Roosevelt sought to demonstrate growing American military power and blue-water navy capability. Hoping to enforce treaties and protect overseas holdings, the U.S. Congress appropriated funds to build American sea power. Beginning with just 90 small ships, over one-third of them wooden, the navy quickly grew to include new modern steel fighting vessels. The hulls of these ships were painted a stark white,
    1912 - Thirty-five starving women and children were beaten and arrested at the train station of Lawrence, Massachusetts, when they tried to go to temporary homes in Philadelphia. Workers were striking the lowering of wages and poor working conditions in the textile plants.
    1915 – Tenor Saxophone player Buddy Tate’s (d. 2002) birthday, born George Holmes Tate in Sherman, Texas.
http://elvispelvis.com/buddytate.htm
    1918 - Robert Wadlow (d. 1940), the tallest man in recorded history, was born at Alton, IL. Though only 9 lbs. at birth, by age 10, Wadlow already stood over 6 feet tall and weighed 210 lbs. When Wadlow died at age 22, he was a remarkable 8 feet 11.1 inches tall, 490 lbs. His gentle, friendly manner in the face of constant public attention earned him the name "Gentle Giant." Wadlow died July 15, 1940, at Manistee, MI, of complications resulting from a foot infection.
    1918 - A spectacular Chinook wind at Granville, ND, caused the temperature to spurt from a morning low of 33 degrees below zero to an afternoon high of 50 degrees above zero.
    1918 – One of television’s best known voices, Don Pardo (d. 2014), was born in Westfield, MA.  Pardo was noted for his 70-year tenure with NBC, working as the announcer for early incarnations of such shows as “The Price is Right”, “Jackpot”, “Jeopardy!”, “Three on a Match”, “Winning Streak”, and “NBC Nightly News”.  His longest, and best-known, announcing job was for NBC's “Saturday Night Live”, a job he held for 39 seasons, from the show's debut in 1975 until his death.
    1920 - Honky-tonk piano player Del Wood (d. 1989), whose real name was Adelaide Hendricks, was born in Nashville, Tennessee. She recorded a ragtime version of a fiddle tune called "Down Yonder" in 1951 and came up with a million-seller. Jerry Lee Lewis has cited Del Wood as one of the artists he listened to in his early years.
    1922 - Trumpeter Joe Wilder (d. 2014) birthday, Colwyn, PA.
    1923 – Transcontinental airmail service was initiated.
    1927 – Singer Guy Mitchell (d. 1999) was born Albert George Cernik in Detroit.  An American pop singer, successful in the US, the UK and Australia, he sold 44 million records, including six million-selling singles.  Mitch Miller, in charge of talent at Columbia Records, noticed Cernik in 1950 when he joined Columbia and took his new stage name at Miller's urging: Miller supposedly said, "…my name is 'Mitchell' and you seem a nice 'guy', so we'll call you Guy Mitchell." His first hit was "My Heart Cries for You" (1951). He ventured into rock ‘n’ roll with songs including "Heartaches by the Number", "Rock-a-Billy", "The Same Old Me", and his biggest hit, "Singing the Blues", which was number one for 10 weeks in 1956.
    1932 – Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy (d. 2009) was born in Boston.  A Democrat Senator from Massachusetts, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and was the fourth longest-serving senator in United States history, having served there for almost 47 years. The most prominent living member of the Kennedy family for many years, he was the last surviving son of Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose F. Kennedy; the youngest brother of President Kohn F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, both victims of assassination; and the father of Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy.   Kennedy entered the Senate in a November, 1962 special election to fill the seat once held by his brother John. 
    1934 – George “Sparky” Anderson (d. 2010) was born in Bridgewater, SD.  He managed the Cincinnati Reds’ Big Red Machine to the 1975 and 1976 World Series championships, then added a third title in 1984  with the Detroit Tigers. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both leagues. His 2,194 career wins are the 6th-most for a manager in Major League history. Anderson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.    
    1936 - Although heat and spring and summer, early 1936 brought record cold to parts of the U.S. Sioux Center, IA reported 42 inches of snow on the ground, a state record.
    1936 - The temperature at Langdon, ND, climbed above zero for the first time in six weeks. Readings never got above freezing during all three winter months.
   1938 - The St. Louis Cardinals signed TCU All-American football star and Washington Redskins quarterback Sammy Baugh as a shortstop. He started with the Cards in spring training, but was assigned to the minors.  He did not play any more seasons as a pro baseball player, devoting his time thereafter to football.
    1944 – Robert Kardashian (d. 2003) was born in LA.  He gained national recognition as O.J. Simpson’s friend and defense attorney during Simpson's 1995 murder trial. He had four children with his first wife, Kris: Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, and Rob, all of whom have become well known for appearing on their family reality television series.
    1944 - MONTGOMERY, JACK C., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 45th Infantry dust prevailed in the
Division. Place and date: Near, Padiglione, Italy, 22 February 1944. Entered service at: Sallisaw, Okla. Birth: Long, Okla. G.O. No.: 5, 15 January 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 22 February 1944, near Padiglione, Italy. Two hours before daybreak a strong force of enemy infantry established themselves in 3 echelons at 50 yards, 100 yards, and 300 yards, respectively, in front of the rifle platoons commanded by 1st Lt. Montgomery. The closest position, consisting of 4 machineguns and 1 mortar, threatened the immediate security of the platoon position. Seizing an Ml rifle and several hand grenades, 1st Lt. Montgomery crawled up a ditch to within hand grenade range of the enemy. Then climbing boldly onto a little mound, he fired his rifle and threw his grenades so accurately that he killed 8 of the enemy and captured the remaining 4. Returning to his platoon, he called for artillery fire on a house, in and around which he suspected that the majority of the enemy had entrenched themselves. Arming himself with a carbine, he proceeded along the shallow ditch, as withering fire from the riflemen and machine gunners in the second position was concentrated on him. He attacked this position with such fury that 7 of the enemy surrendered to him, and both machineguns were silenced. Three German dead were found in the vicinity later that morning. 1st Lt. Montgomery continued boldly toward the house, 300 yards from his platoon position. It was now daylight, and the enemy observation was excellent across the flat open terrain which led to 1st Lt. Montgomery's objective. When the artillery barrage had lifted, 1st Lt. Montgomery ran fearlessly toward the strongly defended position. As the enemy started streaming out of the house, 1st Lt. Montgomery, unafraid of treacherous snipers, exposed himself daringly to assemble the surrendering enemy and send them to the rear. His fearless, aggressive, and intrepid actions that morning, accounted for a total of 11 enemy dead, 32 prisoners, and an unknown number of wounded. That night, while aiding an adjacent unit to repulse a counterattack, he was struck by mortar fragments and seriously wounded. The selflessness and courage exhibited by 1st Lt. Montgomery in alone attacking 3 strong enemy positions inspired his men to a degree beyond estimation.
    1945 - CHAMBERS, JUSTICE M., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Colonel. U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3rd Assault Battalion Landing Team. 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division. Place and date: On Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands. from 19 to 22 February 1945. Entered service at: Washington, D.C. Born: 2 February 1908, Huntington, W. Va. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the 3d Assault Battalion Landing Team, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, from 19 to 22 February 1945. Under a furious barrage of enemy machinegun and small-arms fire from the commanding cliffs on the right, Col. Chambers (then Lt. Col.) landed immediately after the initial assault waves of his battalion on D-day to find the momentum of the assault threatened by heavy casualties from withering Japanese artillery, mortar rocket, machinegun, and rifle fire. Exposed to relentless hostile fire, he coolly reorganized his battle-weary men, inspiring them to heroic efforts by his own valor and leading them in an attack on the critical, impregnable high ground from which the enemy was pouring an increasing volume of fire directly onto troops ashore as well as amphibious craft in succeeding waves. Constantly in the front lines encouraging his men to push forward against the enemy's savage resistance, Col. Chambers led the 8-hour battle to carry the flanking ridge top and reduce the enemy's fields of aimed fire, thus protecting the vital foothold gained. In constant defiance of hostile fire while reconnoitering the entire regimental combat team zone of action, he maintained contact with adjacent units and forwarded vital information to the regimental commander. His zealous fighting spirit undiminished despite terrific casualties and the loss of most of his key officers, he again reorganized his troops for renewed attack against the enemy's main line of resistance and was directing the fire of the rocket platoon when he fell, critically wounded. Evacuated under heavy Japanese fire, Col. Chambers, by forceful leadership, courage, and fortitude in the face of staggering odds, was directly instrumental in insuring the success of subsequent operations of the 5th Amphibious Corps on Iwo Jima, thereby sustaining and enhancing the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
    1945 - Birthday of '60s folk-rock singer Oliver, whose full name is William Oliver Swofford.
    1946 - Dizzy Gillespie first records “Night in Tunisia,” NYC (Vi 40-0130)
    1950 – Julius Erving was born in East Meadow, NY.  One of the giants of professional basketball, Dr. J helped popularize the modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and playing above the rim. Erving helped legitimize the start-up ABA and was the best-known player in that league when it merged with the NBA after the 1975–76 season. He is the sixth-highest scorer in ABA/NBA history with 30,026 points (NBA and ABA combined). He was well known for slam-dunking from the free throw line and was the only player voted Most Valuable Player in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association.  Erving was inducted in 1993 into the Basketball Hall of Fame and was also named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary team. In 1994, Erving was named by Sports Illustrated as one of the 40 most important athletes of all time.
    1956 - Eighty well-known boycotters, including Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Edward Nixon marched to the sheriff’s office in the Montgomery County, Alabama courthouse, where they gave themselves up for arrest. On Feb 20, 1956, white city leaders of Montgomery, Alabama, issued an ultimatum to black organizers of the three-month-old Montgomery bus boycott. They said if the boycott ended immediately there would be "no retaliation whatsoever." If it did not end, it was made clear they would begin arresting black leaders. Two days later, they were booked, finger printed and photographed. The next day the story was carried by newspapers all over the world.
    1956 - For the first time, Elvis Presley hit the music charts as "Heartbreak Hotel" began to climb to number one on pop charts. It reached the top on April 11, 1956, and stayed there for eight weeks.
    1956 - Billboard reviews James Brown's debut record "Please, Please, Please": "A dynamic, religious fervor runs through the pleading solo here. Brown and the Famous Flames group let off plenty of steam.”
    1957 - Top Hits
“Too Much” - Elvis Presley
“Young Love” - Tab Hunter
“Love is Strange” - Mickey & Sylvia
“Young Love” - Sonny James
    1957 - In a small club in Blytheville, Arkansas, Jerry Lee Lewis plays "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." Although Lewis did not write the tune, it was a favorite of his since he first heard it a year earlier. This is the first time Lewis adds his own words to replace those he has forgotten.
    1957 - Famed US dance instructor Arthur Murray reported that enrollment in his dance studios has increased ten percent since the "rock and roll craze" has swept the country.
    1957 - The Film "Don't Knock the Rock," featuring appearances by Alan Freed, Little Richard and Bill Haley, opens at the Paramount Theatre in New York.
    1958 - The Silhouettes topped Cash Box Magazine's Best Sellers Chart with "Get A Job" after Dick Clark started playing it on his TV show, American Bandstand. The group got their name from the 1957 song by The Rays, (covered by Herman's Hermits in the 60's) and the inspiration for the tune came from writer Rick Lewis' mother, when she chided her son to "get up in the morning and go out and get a job".
    1958 - Roy Hamilton's record, "Don't Let Go", hit #13 for its first week on record charts, making it the first stereo record to make the pop music charts. The year 1958 saw several stereo recordings, including: "Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes" by Chuck Willis, "Yakety Yak" by the Coasters, "Born Too Late", by The Poni-Tails, "It's All in the Game" by Tommy Edwards and "What Am I Living For" by Chuck Willis.
    1958 – The movie “The Big Beat”, a virtual rewrite of 1957's “Rock Around The Clock,” opens in Detroit, featuring The Diamonds, The Del-Vikings, The Mills Brothers, and Fats Domino, who sings the hit title track.  
    1959 - The first running of the Daytona 500, the race that has become the most important event on the NASCAR calendar, took place at the newly-opened Daytona International Speedway in Florida. Drivers Lee Petty and Johnny Beauchamp crossed the finished line in what appeared to be a dead heat, but photographs and film, examined later, showed Petty to be the winner.
    1960 - "Theme from A Summer Place" by Percy Faith began its nine week run at the top of the Billboard singles chart. It remains the longest-running number-one instrumental in the history of the chart and brought Faith a Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1961.
    1965 - Top Hits
“This Diamond Ring” - Gary Lewis & The Playboys
“My Girl” - The Temptations
“The Jolly Green Giant” - The Kingsmen
“I've Got a Tiger by the Tail” - Buck Owens
    1965 - In the Bahamas, filming got underway for the Beatles' second movie, "HELP!" Other scenes were shot in England and Austria. The film opened in North America in August.
    1965 - The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “Cinderella”, starring newcomer Lesley Ann Warren, debuted on CBS. It received a Nielsen rating of 42.3 and was among the highest-rated single programs in the history of television.
    1968 - Genesis, a group formed as a songwriters' cooperative by three English schoolboys, Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, release its first single, "The Silent Sun."
    1969 - The Foundations' "Build Me Up Buttercup" peaks at #3 on the pop chart
    1969 - Barbara Jo Rubin became the first woman jockey to win a thoroughbred horse race in the United States. She rode Cohesion to victory by a neck over Reely Beeg in the ninth race at Charles Town Race Track in West Virginia.
    1969 - FOX, WESLEY L., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division. Place and date: Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 22 February 1969. Entered service at: Leesburg, Va. Born: 30 September 1931, Herndon, Va. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as commanding officer of Company A, in action against the enemy in the northern A Shau Valley. Capt. (then 1st Lt.) Fox's company came under intense fire from a large well concealed enemy force. Capt. Fox maneuvered to a position from which he could assess the situation and confer with his platoon leaders. As they departed to execute the plan he had devised, the enemy attacked and Capt. Fox was wounded along with all of the other members of the command group, except the executive officer. Capt. Fox continued to direct the activity of his company. Advancing through heavy enemy fire, he personally neutralized 1 enemy position and calmly ordered an assault against the hostile emplacements. He then moved through the hazardous area coordinating aircraft support with the activities of his men. When his executive officer was mortally wounded, Capt. Fox reorganized the company and directed the fire of his men as they hurled grenades against the enemy and drove the hostile forces into retreat. Wounded again in the final assault, Capt. Fox refused medical attention, established a defensive posture, and supervised the preparation of casualties for medical evacuation. His indomitable courage, inspiring initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger inspired his marines to such aggressive action that they overcame all enemy resistance and destroyed a large bunker complex. Capt. Fox's heroic actions reflect great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps, and uphold the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
    1969 - LANG, GEORGE C., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company A, 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date: Kien Hoa province, Republic of Vietnam, 22 February 1969. Entered service at: Brooklyn, N.Y. Born: 20 April 1947, Flushing, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Lang, Company A, was serving as a squad leader when his unit, on a reconnaissance-in-force mission, encountered intense fire from a well-fortified enemy bunker complex. Sp4c. Lang observed an emplacement from which heavy fire was coming. Unhesitatingly, he assaulted the position and destroyed it with hand grenades and rifle fire. Observing another emplacement approximately 15 meters to his front, Sp4c. Lang jumped across a canal, moved through heavy enemy fire to within a few feet of the position, and eliminated it, again using hand grenades and rifle fire. Nearby, he discovered a large cache of enemy ammunition. As he maneuvered his squad forward to secure the cache, they came under fire from yet a third bunker. Sp4c. Lang immediately reacted, assaulted his position, and destroyed it with the remainder of his grenades. After returning to the area of the arms cache, his squad again came under heavy enemy rocket and automatic weapons fire from 3 sides and suffered 6 casualties. Sp4c. Lang was 1 of those seriously wounded. Although immobilized and in great pain, he continued to direct his men until his evacuation was ordered over his protests. The sustained extraordinary courage and selflessness exhibited by this soldier over an extended period of time were an inspiration to his comrades and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.
    1969 - LAW, ROBERT D., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company 1 (Ranger), 75th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. place and date: Tinh Phuoc Thanh province, Republic of Vietnam, 22 February 1969. Entered service at: Dallas, Tex. Born: 15 September 1944, Fort Worth, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Law distinguished himself while serving with Company 1. While on a long-range reconnaissance patrol in Tinh Phuoc Thanh province, Sp4c. Law and 5 comrades made contact with a small enemy patrol. As the opposing elements exchanged intense fire, he maneuvered to a perilously exposed position flanking his comrades and began placing suppressive fire on the hostile troops. Although his team was hindered by a low supply of ammunition and suffered from an unidentified irritating gas in the air, Sp4c. Law's spirited defense and challenging counterassault rallied his fellow soldiers against the well-equipped hostile troops. When an enemy grenade landed in his team's position, Sp4c. Law, instead of diving into the safety of a stream behind him, threw himself on the grenade to save the lives of his comrades. Sp4c. Law's extraordinary courage and profound concern for his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
    1971 - An outbreak of tornadoes hit northeastern Louisiana and northern and central Mississippi. The tornadoes claimed 121 lives, including 110 in Mississippi. Three tornadoes accounted for 118 of the deaths. There are 1600 persons injured, 900 homes were destroyed or badly damaged, and total damage was 19 million dollars.
    1973 - Roberta Flack receives a gold record for "Killing Me Softly with His Song" which was Number One for five weeks. Composed by Charles Fox with lyrics by Norman Gabriel, the song was written in collaboration with Lori Leiberman, who recorded the song in late 1971. According to Leiberman, the song was born of a poem she wrote after experiencing a strong reaction to the song "Empty Chairs," written, composed, and recorded by Don McLean.  She then related this information to Gimbel, who took her feelings and put them into words. Then, Gimbel passed the words on to Fox, who set them to music.  Don McLean said he didn’t know the song described him.     
    1973 - Top Hits
“Crocodile Rock” - Elton John
“Oh, Babe, What Would You Say?” - Hurricane Smith
“Dueling Banjos” - Eric Weissberg & Steve Mandell
“I Wonder if They Ever Think of Me” - Merle Haggard
   1974 - The first women's basketball game took place in Madison Square Garden and the management, convinced that the women couldn't draw a crowd, also scheduled a man's game afterwards. Following the women's game, the crowd of nearly 12,000 left and the men played before empty seats.
    1980 - The Miracle on Ice...The US Olympic hockey team upset the team from the Soviet Union, 4-3, at the Lake Placid Winter Games to earn a victory often called the “Miracle on Ice.”  The Americans went on to defeat Finland two days later and win the gold medal. Sportscaster Al Michaels, who was calling the game on ABC, picked up on the countdown and delivered his famous call:  “11 seconds, you've got 10 seconds, the countdown going on right now! Morrow to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles?! YES!!!   They lit the fire at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
    1981 - The Duke Ellington musical "Sophisticated Ladies," starring Phyllis Hyman, opened on Broadway. The Grammy's are awarded: Tracy Chapman wins Best New Artist; Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy" wins Best Song and Record and Jethro Tull wins the first Hard Rock/Metal Grammy.
    1981 - Top Hits
“9 to 5” - Dolly Parton
“I Love a Rainy Night” - Eddie Rabbitt
“Woman” - John Lennon
“Southern Rains” - Mel Tillis
    1986 - A twelve-day siege of heavy rain and snow, which produced widespread flooding and mudslides across northern and central California, finally came to an end. The storm caused more than 400 million dollars property damage. Bucks Lake, located in the Sierra Nevada Range, received 49.6 inches of rain during the twelve day period.
    1986 - Having just acquired all 45 episodes of “The Monkees”, cable channel MTV airs them all in a 22-hour marathon, sparking a completely unexpected career revival for the prefab pop group.
    1988 - A storm tracking across southern Canada produced high winds in the north central U.S., with gusted to 90 mph reported at Boulder, CO. The high winds snapped trees and power lines, and ripped shingles off roofs. The Kentucky Fried Chicken Bucket was blown off their store in Havre, MT. An eighteen foot fiberglass bear was blown off its stand along a store front in West Cody, WY, and sailed east into downtown Cody before the owners were able to transport their wandering bear back home in a horse trailer.
    1989 - Top Hits
“Straight Up” - Paula Abdul
“Wild Thing” - Tone Loc
“Born to Be My Baby” - Bon Jovi
“Big Wheels in the Moonlight” - Dan Seals
    1989 - The Grammys are awarded: Tracy Chapman wins Best New Artist; Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy" wins Best Song and Record and Jethro Tull wins the first Hard Rock/Metal Grammy
    1989 - Strong northwesterly winds ushering cold arctic air into the north central U.S. produced snow squalls in the Great Lakes Region, with heavy snow near Lake Michigan. Totals in northwest Indiana ranged up to 24 inches at Gary, and up to 16 inches buried northeastern Illinois.
    1989 - Thunderstorms developing during the morning hours spread severe weather across Georgia and the Carolinas. Strong thunderstorm winds caused one death and thirteen injuries in North Carolina, and another four injuries in South Carolina.
    1992 - Kristi Yamaguchi of the United States won the gold medal in women's figure skating at the Albertville Olympics. Although she fell while performing a triple loop, she committed far fewer errors than her rivals, thus getting the gold medal. Midori Ito of Japan won the silver, Nancy Kerrigan of the United States the bronze. “Yamaguchi crafted her title on a feathery vision of artistic precision and elegance, with near total disdain for the latest trends in acrobatic jumping,” wrote Michael Janofsky in the New York Times.
    1994 - The Church of England announced officially that it would ordain women as priests. The first ordination of the 1,200 women in line for priesthood occurred 03-12-1994, with the first woman celebrating communion 03-13-1994, British Mother's day. The U.S. Episcopal Church had ordained 1,031 women by the time of the Church of England announcement. Thirty-five Anglican priests announced they would leave the church, some saying they would join the Roman Catholic Church and predicting as many as one-third of the men would leave over the ordination of women. It did not occur.
    1995 - Top Hits
“Take A Bow”- Madonna
“Creep”- TLC
“On Bended Knee”- Boyz II Men
“Another Night”- Real McCoy
    2001 - British newspaper Sunday Mirror reports that the Beatles, who have been broken up for 31 years, are nevertheless the top grossing recording group of the year 2000.
    2005 - Tom Umberg, a California state assemblyman, introduced legislation which would require professional sports franchises to use disclaimers if they do not play the majority of home games in the location used in their name. With his "Truth in Sports Advertising Act", the Anaheim Democrat was trying prevent the local team from changing its name to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
    2006 – The LA Dodgers announced the team has extended the contract of Vin Scully through 2008. The Hall of Fame broadcaster, considered by many to be the best announcer in history, began his 57th year in the Dodger organization, which is believed to be the longest tenure of any on-air individual in sports history.  Scully announced in 2015 that his last year behind the mic will be 2016.