Leasing Companies Report How Business Is
Compared to ELFA MFLI-25 Report

MLFI-25 New Business Volume (Year Over Year Comparison)
click to make larger
(ELFA Chart)

The latest Equipment Leasing and Finance MFLI-25 report shows "...overall new business volume for January was $6.0 billion, down 12 percent from new business volume in January 2015. Volume was down 52 percent from $12.5 billion in December, following the typical end-of-quarter, end-of-year spike in new business activity."

Here are the January numbers from ELFA for the last ten years:

2016 $6.0
2015 $6.7
2014 $6.0
2013 $5.9
2012 $5.1
2011 $4.2
2010 $3.4
2009 $4.5
2008 $5.9
2007 $5.5
2006 $4.4

Despite the terrible weather, particularly in the East Coast and the NorthWest, business seems have done well. There were indications of leasing brokers having a rough February and some concern, although the stormy weather back East and NorthWest must have hampered business transactions and consumer spending, too.

In a request to find out how other companies are doing, Leasing News
received the following, in alphabetical order:

Richard A. Baccaro
Chief Sales and Marketing Officer
Ascentium Capital LLC

"January 2016 was up 25% over the same period 2015--

"Comparing December to January is like comparing Trump to Sanders; you can but I’m not sure that it matters!

"It’s our expectation for January to be off 20-30% from December which is always the strongest month of the year; this year was no different for Ascentium Capital.

As always, we welcome hearing from great sales professionals that wish to join our team.

John Boettigheimer
Centra Leasing, Inc./4 Hour Funding, LLC

"Our December was our biggest month ever, so our January will not compare well with it. However, our January was stronger than a normal January.

"Our early February business was slower than normal, however end of February has picked up appreciably. In the last week of February, we have been having very heavy new application volume."

Don Hansen
CEO
Regents Capital Corporation

"Regents Capital had a record month in January after a very strong December. Backlog continues to increase and our application count is up."

Larry Hartman
CEO
ZRG Partners, LLC

"From our view, ZRG is hearing of a bit of market softness in new originations. Hiring plans for Q1 do seem a bit slower than this time last year. The concern over a potential downturn that is coming has muted some of the enthusiasm to invest in new growth with many of our clients."

Valerie Jester
President
Brandywine Capital Associates

"We had a strong start to the year with our company posting its best January in recent years. Our booked volume was a direct result of stronger application volume in the last two months of 2015 and projects that we had approved for longer than normal timeframes that finally came to fruition.

"February is looking to be a banner month as well but application volume has declined a bit in the last few weeks and may indicate a trend for softer close to the 1st quarter.

"Small business confidence seems to ebb and flow and those fluctuations affect investment in equipment."

Paul Menzel
President & CEO
Financial Pacific Leasing,
subsidiary of Umpqua Bank

"We continue to see growth in our app volume in small-ticket TPO channel.  January started a little slow but then took of the balance of the month and has continued in February.

"Our Umpqua Bank middle-market volume dropped off from December due to traditional year-end tax and planning considerations."

Dave Schaefer
CEO
Mintaka Financial

"Application volume and approvals are strong and our pipeline of approved transactions is at an all-time high. Expect a very strong March and it should carry into the second quarter."

Rosanne Wilson, CLFP, BPB
1st Independent Leasing, Inc.

"My December was great, but January and February are REALLY SLOW. I have talked to many brokers around the country

"and that is the general consensus. S L O W. Another indicator is that the Funders are calling every day wanting deals.

"You know it's slow when all of them are calling."

 

ELFA Reports for January, 2016:

Receivables over 30 days were 1.3 percent, up from 1.1 percent the previous month and up from 1.1 percent in the same period in 2015. Charge-offs were 0.26 percent, down from 0.41 percent the previous month.

Credit approvals totaled 78.0 percent in January, down from 80.2 percent in December. Total headcount for equipment finance companies was up 4.6 percent year over year.

ELFA Charts

Aging of Receivables:

click to make larger

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

click image to make larger

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

click image to make larger

Total Number of Employees
(Year Over Year Comparison)

click image to make larger

 

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New Hires---Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Michael Biesiada was hired by Sumitomo Mitsui Finance & Leasing, Inc., New York, New York, as Vice-President, Regional Sales Manager for the Central region, working out of Houston, Texas. "In this role, Michael will be responsible for developing both the commercial retail and wholesale finance businesses in both the construction and transportation segments." Previously, he was Vice President, Texas Farm Credit (February, 2010 – December, 2014); Regional Sales Manager, De Lage Landen (February, 2006 – August, 2009); Sr. District Manager Paccar Financial Corporation (1996 – 2000).
Education: Texas A&M University.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-biesiada-b7847b10

Eric Bunnel, CLFP, was promoted to Senior Vice President, Sales Manager, Arvest Equipment Finance, a division of Arvest Bank; based in Kansas City, Missouri.  He joined the firm October, 2012 as Equipment Finance Specialist. Prior, he was Vice President-Commercial Loan Officer, CoreFirst Bank & Trust (2008 – 2012). Certifications: Certified Lease and Finance Professional, Starting October 2013. Education: University of Missouri-Columbia, Bachelor's degree, Agricultural Economics (1998).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-bunnell-4322a563 

Steven Chaker was hired as SVP, Regional SBA Sales Manager at US Metro Bank, Garden Grove, California.  Previously, he was SVP, Regional Sales Manager, Hanmi Bank (September, 2015 – February, 2016); SVP, Regional SBA Sales Manager, Bridge Bank (April, 2011 – July, 2015); Senior Vice President, Pacific Alliance Bank (June, 2010 – April, 2011); President, Capital Consultants Group, Inc. (December, 2004 – March, 2009); Senior Vice President/Regional Manager, Bridge Bank (November, 2006 – October, 2008); FVP, International Bank of California (2004 – 2006); Vice President/ Department Head, National Westminster Bank (March, 1987 – April, 1993). Education: Fairleigh Dickinson University, MBA, Accounting (1985 – 1989). College des Frere.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-chaker-a35a01

Dustin Leathers was announced by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation as Vice President, Regional Sales Manager for the Southeast region. He joined the firm, September, 2015. "In this role, Dustin will be responsible for developing both the commercial retail and wholesale finance businesses in both the construction and transportation segments." Previously, he was Regional Sales Manager SE0, GE Capital (August, 2014 – September, 2015); SE Regional Sales Manager, Bank of the West (August, 2011 – August, 2014); District Business Manager, Kobelco (2007 – July, 2011); Financial Sales Manager, CNH Capital (1999 – 2008). Education: University of Mississippi, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) (1990 – 1994).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-leathers-0378459

Eric Mandella was hired as National Sales Director at Marlin Business Services Corp, Jacksonville, Florida. Previously, he was Sales Manager, Balboa Capital (April,2014 – February, 2016); Sales Manager, Navitas Lease Finance Corp. (August, 2008 – March, 2014); Program Manager, CIT (April, 2000 – August, 2008); Program Manager, CIT (April, 2000 – August, 2008);Program Manager, CIT Vendor Finance (2007 – 2008); Program Manager, CIT Group, Inc. (1999 – 2008). Education: Florida Community College at Jacksonville. Business Administration and Management, General (2001 – 2002). Quinsigamond Community College None, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (1995 – 1996).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-mandella-8188524

Paul Marcoe was hired as Chief Technology Officer at Orion First Financial, LLC, Gig Harbor, Washington.  Previously, he was Vice President Information Systems & Security, Financial Pacific Leasing (June, 1995 – December, 2015). Certifications: Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) (Link), ISACA, License 1323868, Starting December, 2013. Education: Western Washington University, Bachelor's degree, Information Technology (1990 – 1994). https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmarcoe

Denys Monteiro was hired as CEO Brasil at ZRG Partners, LLC,  São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.  Previously, he was CEO & Partner, Fesa Global Executive Search (April, 1997 – November, 2015). HR Partner Grupo RBS (1994 – February, 1997). Languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish. Organizations: AESC - Association of Executive Search Consultants, Global Board Member (March, 2013 – November, 2015). YPO-WPO, Paulista Chapter, Starting March, 2014. Education: Harvard Business School, Leading Professional Services Firms (2013 – 2013); Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Business Administration and Management, General (1995 – 1995). Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Bachelor’s Degree, Psychology (1988 – 1993).      https://br.linkedin.com/in/denys-monteiro-997100

Chester Ritchie was hired as EVP/Head of U.S. at Zooz, San Francisco, California. Previously, he was Senior Vice President - Head of Strategic Partnerships, ATM & ISO/MSP, WorldPay, Bain Capital Portfolio  Company (February, 2012 – December, 2015); GM, Electronic Payments, Credit Card Processing Systems, eMerchant Technology (2007 – February, 2012); Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing, Point of Sale Systems, eCommerce, SEO, Payment Processing, CAM Commerce Solutions (1999 – February, 2012); CEO, POS Software, Point-of-Sale Systems, TeamSoft, Inc. (1995 – 1999); President, Managed IT Services, VAR, DEI - Data Enhancement International (1992 – 1995); Network Sales Engineer, Compaq (1990 – 1992); Programmer Analyst, TRW Space & Defense (1986 – 1990); Programmer, Apple Computer (1984 – 1986). Organizations: Toastmasters, Area Governor, Starting 2013. Education: University of California, Irvine - The Paul Merage School of Business, MBA, Masters Business Administration, 2010. National University, BBA, Bachelors Business Administration
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chesterritchie

 

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

Nevada PUC Puts a Crimp in Solar Energy Leases
Solar Equipment Leasing Becoming Unattractive
By Tom McCurnin
Leasing News Legal Editor

I never felt that backyard solar energy presented much competition for giant utility companies, but I guess any competition is bad, so the utility companies persuaded the Nevada Public Utilities to raise the tariffs on solar users which put electricity back into the grid. The decision was final as of December 22, 2015. The rate increases will gradually increase until they triple monthly fees that solar users pay to use the electric grid and cut by three-quarters users’ reimbursements for feeding electricity into the grid. To add insult to injury, it is retroactive. 

The PUC justified its decision by citing grid construction and maintenance costs that rooftop solar users haven’t been charged for. However, industry lobbying is the likely reason. All three commission members were appointed by Governor Brian Sandoval, whose two election campaigns have received substantial donations from NV Energy, a utility company that is a major beneficiary of the rate changes. Two of Governor Sandoval’s closest advisers, Pete Ernaut and Gregory W. Ferraro, are NV Energy lobbyists. The commission’s decision relied on an NV Energy study that made the argument that solar users benefit from the grid’s existence without paying for it. 

Nevada was the fastest growing solar outlet for solar equipment leases in the United States.

The decision is likely to have national repercussions. One indication is that the stock price of SolarCity, which served 60 percent of Nevada’s rooftop market, has dropped 30 % since the commission’s decision.

GTM Research, a solar energy market research firm, has opined that rooftop solar is a pretty disruptive threat to the utility business model. But, Nevada's action is unusual — most other states have protected existing solar customers from rate changes like this. 

Angry customers mean money for lawyers, so a class action was filed January 15, 2016 in Nevada federal court as Case Number 16-CV-00098, accusing NV Energy of providing false information to the state’s regulators. 

What is the impact on equipment lessors?

• At least in Nevada, lessors might want to more carefully underwrite customers which supply, service or lease solar equipment. Nevada’s solar industry remains cloudy. 

• The California Public Utilities Commission is evaluating what changes to make to the state of California’s net metering policy. The utilities want to reduce payments to customers who generate electricity from solar power and add fees, but doing so would damage or potentially destroy the California solar power industry, some say.

• Nevertheless, as long as the economics of solar energy are tied to individual state tax schemes, the benefits of solar energy, and equipment lessor’s solar equipment remain subject to the whims of local government.

The bottom line is that solar energy is still a viable commodity for equipment lessors, but probably not in Nevada for the foreseeable future. 

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

Leasing News Advisor
Don Meyerson

Don Myerson
President
BSB Leasing, Inc.
7921 Southpark Plaza, Suite 208
Littleton, Colorado 80120
dmyerson@bsbleasing.com
800-945-3372 Ext. 336

I was born and raised in Chicago.

In 1974, I attended Colorado State University before dropping out without graduating in 1977. I returned to Chicago and was hired for my first job selling copiers and office equipment downtown Chicago. After 2 years of excellent sales training, I made the decision that I liked Colorado much better than Chicago and I relocated to the Denver area in 1980.

In Denver I was hired for my second and last job again selling copiers and office equipment. At this job, I continued my sales education and was introduced to leasing as a sales tool for selling copiers. After 1 year selling copiers in Denver, it became apparent to me that I wasn’t very good at taking direction or working for someone else. In 1981, with $2,000 in savings I started my first company, Business Systems Brokers. I was selling used copiers and office equipment out of my converted garage.

With only $2,000 to acquire inventory, I was forced to be a little creative. I contacted a few leasing companies in Denver to see if I could buy their repossessed copiers and office equipment. I struck gold when I was able to buy 3 full self storage lockers full of copiers and office equipment for the $2,000 (In 1981 leasing companies didn’t have full time asset departments). This inventory kept me in business for the first year.

With my experiences selling copiers, I knew I needed to offer some type of financing to help me sell my used copiers. In contacting additional leasing companies to buy equipment I learned of a company in Florida named Denrich Leasing. Denrich Leasing was a small ticket leasing company working with brokers nationwide. I started to offer Denrich’s leasing product to my copier customers in 1982 under the company name Business Systems Brokers dba; BSB Leasing (You think I could make up a name like that?).  

After about a year, I was making more profit brokering leases to Denrich then I was selling used copiers. And I didn’t have to worry about providing service on the lease like I did with the copiers.

In 1983, I sold my last copier and became BSB Leasing exclusively. I moved out of my garage (It was very cold in winter), moved into a real office and hired my first employee. The next twelve years were spent building a nice profitable little business working with equipment vendors in the Denver area.

In 1995, BSB Leasing was selected by Colonial Pacific Leasing to become a service center for brokers in the Western United States under a program they developed named Pegasus. That year BSB Leasing began working with lease brokers.

In 1998, after growing to 40 employees, offices in Denver and Cherry Hill, New Jersey and $75M in annual funding BSB Leasing was sold to UniCapital Corporation, a public company in Miami. I became a unit President reporting to Bruce Kropschot, then a Vice-Chairman of UniCapital.

After 2 years under the ownership of UniCapital in 2000, I re-acquired BSB Leasing along with my management team of Bruce Zwillinger and Ron Gonzales.

I continue to serve as President of BSB Leasing, Inc., working primarily out of my home on Kauai while Ron Gonzales runs the day to day from our headquarters in Denver. Bruce Zwillinger semi-retired in October, 2012 but continues to work with a select group of brokers.

In 2013 BSB Leasing, Inc. continues to work with lease brokers nationwide. We offer both direct funding under ( BSB Leasing, Inc. name ) BSB Direct Finance name and complete syndication services through our Syndication Desk.

I also serve on the board of Orion First Financial, LLC and Mintaka Financial, LLC in Gig Harbor, WA. In addition, I have been Chief Credit Officer of Mintaka Financial, LLC since 2008.

Other companies started include: The Cruise Director, Inc. started in 1985 and sold in 1992; Info Marketing, Inc. started 1987 and sold 1990.

Dolly and I have been married now for 23 years. We have 2 kids now in College. Dylan, 22 is a Senior at Multnomah University in Portland, OR and McKenna, 19 is a Sophomore at Portland Bible College. We still have 2 at home. Matthew is 16 and a Junior in High School and our baby girl Dru is 15 and a Sophomore in High School.

 

left to right, Dylan, Dru, Matthew, McKenna and my wife Dolly

Don Meyerson with three of 4 kids photo
left to right, Matthew, Dru and McKenna

 

Don and Dolly

 

Their backyard in Kauai

Here are photo's of Don and his family from the previous
biography, showing has his children are growing up fast. 

 
Outside of Aspen, Colorado – summer camping trip 
Dylan, McKenna, Matthew, Dru


Dylan, 19 and Matthew 14 with dear old dad diving a reef off Koloa Landing in Poipu (on the way to the Beach house restaurant)

(He and his family spend half their time in Colorado)
Don and Dolly with Dylan, Dru, Mathew, McKenna

(and half their time in Hawaii)
Don, Dylan, Mathew, McKenna, Dolly, Dru

 

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FASB Releases Lease Accounting Standard
"Not Many Surprises in Final Document"

"Under the new guidance, a lessee will be required to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than 12 months. Consistent with current U.S. GAAP, the recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee primarily will depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease. However, unlike current GAAP—which requires only capital leases to be recognized on the balance sheet— the new ASU will require both types of leases to be recognized on the balance sheet.

"The ASU also will require disclosures to help investors and other financial statement users better understand the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. These disclosures include qualitative and quantitative requirements, providing additional information about the amounts recorded in the financial statements.

"The accounting by organizations that own the assets leased by the lessee—also known as lessor accounting—will remain largely unchanged from current GAAP. However, the ASU contains some targeted improvements that are intended to align, where necessary, lessor accounting with the lessee accounting model and with the updated revenue recognition guidance issued in 2014."

Full article
http://www.accountingtoday.com/news/audit-accounting/fasb-releases-lease-accounting-standard-77301-1.html

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

 

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

ELFA Releases State on the New Lease Accounting Standard
“Now is time to move forward and prepare to adopt”

Washington, DC,—Ralph Petta, President and CEO of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, released the following statement regarding the new lease accounting standard issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB):

“We welcome the release of the new lease accounting standard from the Financial Accounting Standards Board. After many years of anticipating the new standard and attendant uncertainty in the marketplace, companies can now move forward and prepare to adopt it.

“The good news is that under the new lease accounting rules, businesses nationwide will continue to enjoy the benefits of engaging in the $1 trillion U.S. equipment finance industry, which promotes business expansion, job creation and U.S. economic growth.

“Although the new standard will change how leases are accounted for on corporate balance sheets, it will not impact the ability of companies to acquire productive equipment to grow their businesses. There are many reasons to lease equipment, and the primary reasons will remain intact under the new rules, from maintaining cash flow, to preserving capital, to obtaining flexible financial solutions, to avoiding obsolescence.

“We appreciate that the FASB was receptive to input from ELFA members in developing the new standard. The final rules improved significantly from where they began through the release of two Exposure Drafts—in 2010 and in 2013—that generated hundreds of comment letters and other feedback from stakeholders. The resulting two-lease model for lessee accounting is similar to U.S. GAAP today, as are the new rules, in general, for lessor accounting.

“We thank the ELFA members, their customers and other stakeholders, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who helped us to engage constructively with the standard setters over the past decade. Ever since the Securities and Exchange Commission called on the FASB to revamp lease accounting rules as part of an effort to harmonize accounting standards worldwide, our focus has been on ensuring a workable standard that accurately reflects the economics of the lease transaction and does not harm American businesses and the U.S. economy. Without this coordinated effort, we could be facing a far different outcome that could have imposed far more onerous compliance and financial burdens on lessees and lessors.

“Now we enter a new phase of planning for implementation. With the new standard scheduled to take effect in 2019 for public companies and a year later for private firms, now is the time to prepare. ELFA is organizing a number of activities, including a one-day workshop on March 2, and creating a number of new resources, including FAQs and tip sheets, to help lessees and lessors meet the challenges of transitioning to the new rules. We are also developing a work group of experts to be a sounding board on implementation issues that may arise, so we can continue to be a resource to the FASB on the lease accounting rules going forward.”

For more information, please visit the ELFA website at www.elfaonline.org/Issues/Accounting/.

About ELFA
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) is the trade association that represents companies in the $1 trillion equipment finance sector, which includes financial services companies and manufacturers engaged in financing capital goods. ELFA members are the driving force behind the growth in the commercial equipment finance market and contribute to capital formation in the U.S. and abroad. Its 580 members include independent and captive leasing and finance companies, banks, financial services corporations, broker/packagers and investment banks, as well as manufacturers and service providers. For more information, please visit www.elfaonline.org. Follow ELFA on Twitter @ELFAonline.

 

((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)

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

$265 Million in Ascentium Capital’s ABS Notes
Upgraded and Affirmed by Moody's

KINGWOOD, TX,– Ascentium Capital, a national commercial lender providing comprehensive finance solutions, announced that Moody's Investors Service upgraded and affirmed certain small-ticket equipment lease backed securities issued from Ascentium Equipment Receivables 2014-1 and 2015-1 LLC.

The upgrade was a result of strong collateral, credit enhancement and portfolio performance. The credit assumptions include Moody's expected lifetime cumulative net loss (CNL) expectation remain unchanged at 2.00% and 2.25% respectively. 

Tom Depping, Chief Executive Officer at Ascentium Capital, commented: “This upgrade mirrors the accomplishments that Ascentium Capital has achieved in transaction diversification and the ability to maintain a portfolio which enables us to mitigate risk.”

As a direct lender, Ascentium Capital LLC specializes in providing a broad range of business financing, leasing and working capital loans. The company’s offering benefits equipment manufacturers and distributors as well as direct to businesses nationwide.

 Ascentium Capital is backed by the strength of leading investment firms Vulcan Capital and LKCM Capital Group, LLC. For more information, please visit www.AscentiumCapital.com .

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

Labrador Retriever Mix
Houston, Texas Adopt-a-Dog

Kimmy
ID: 30860378
Breed: Retriever, Labrador/Mix
Age: 2 months 1 day
Sex: Female
Size: Small
Color: Brown/White
Housetrained: Unknown
Location: Dog Condos
Intake Date: 2/18/2016
Adoption fee: $125

Houston Humane Society
14700 Almeda Road
Houston, Texas 77053
713-433 - 6421

Adoption Hours:
Monday-Friday: 11:00am -6:00pm
Saturday-Sunday: 11:00am - 5:30pm

 

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

 

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Updated Information
Leasing/Finance Conferences --- 2016

 

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March 3 - March 4
National Equipment Finance Summit
Hotel Monteleone
214 Rue Royale
New Orleans, Louisiana  70130

Dwight Galloway
SVP Broker Funding
RLC Funding
Columbia, South Carolina
Dwight Galloway will be covering the conference for
Leasing News with a report to follow for readers not attending...

Agenda

Exhibitors

Speakers

Signed Up to Attend

Registration and Pricing

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March 22
14th Annual IMN/ELFA
Investors Conference
Union League Club
New York, New York

Bruce Kropschot, Senior Managing Director and
Merger & Acquisition Advisory Practice Leader, The Alta Group,
will be covering the Investors Conference for Leasing News.

Agenda

Registration

Description

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April 19 - 21
28th Annual National Funding Conference
Siwssotel Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Brochure

Schedule

Pricing

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April 28 – April 30, 2016
2016 Annual Conference
25th Anniversary
Tropicana Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV

Schedule:

Intro to Advantage 2.0 & alaQuote Training
Presented by: Jim Buckles, Preferred Business Solutions

Broker 101
Presented by: Charles (Bud) Callahan, Jr., CLP, BPB,
National Equipment Leasing, Inc

First-Timers/New Member Orientation
Presented by Sonia v.M. Stoddard, BPB,
NAELB Past President, Stoddard & Associate

Professional Development
Presented by Brian Huey, Lease$ource
and Jaime A. Kaneshina, CLFP, BPB,
The Cambridge Capital Group

Back to the Future Comes Full Circle
Session Type: Change
Moderated by Rodney Blecha, Precision Leasing, Inc.
Panel includes: Donna Cole, Business Capital Leasing,
Gerry Egan, TecSource,
Gary Greene, Lease $mart,
Barry Marks,
Marks & Associates,
Gerry Oestreich, ABC Leasing
and John Winchester, ComCo-One World Equipment Finance

Tools to Detect Fraud
Session Type: Change
Presented by Andrew Alper & Hal Goldflam,
Frandzel Robins Bloom & Csato, L.C.

Stand Out. Sell More. Your Services Are
Not Just Another Commodity.
Session Type: Opportunity
Presented by Richard Farrell, Tangent Knowledge Systems

Small Business Owners Panel
Session Type: Challenge
Moderated by Abbie DeYonge, Channel Partners Capital

Speed Dating/Networking – Session #1
Session Type: Change

Stand Out. Sell More. Your Services
Are Not Just Another Commodity.
Session Type: Opportunity
Presented by Richard Farrell, Tangent Knowledge Systems

There are more sessions and speakers.

Brochure

Register

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May 4 - May 6
36h Annual AGLF Conference
Omni Charlotte Hotel
Charlotte, North Carolina

 

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September 16-17, 2016
2016 Eastern Regional Meeting
Cincinnati Airport Marriott
Hebron, KY
Conference Chair:
Rodny Blecha, Precision Leasing

 

October 23 -25th
2016  55th Annual Conference
Palm Desert Springs
Palm Desert, California

November 11-12, 2016
2016 Western Regional Meeting
Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Anaheim-Orange County
Orange, CA

 

 

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Leasing News: Fernando’s View
By Fernando Croce

Special Oscar Column

As the cream of Hollywood get ready to parade in pricey gowns and sit through goofy musical numbers, the question remains: Who will take home the gold on Oscar night this Sunday night? 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 Big Short," "Bridge of Spies," "Brooklyn," "Mad Max: Fury Road," "The Martian," "The Revenant," "Room," "Spotlight"

Prediction: While it’s heartening to see a visceral action movie like “Mad Max: Fury Road” among the nominees, chances are Academy voters will gravitate toward a far more conventional choice. “Bridge of Spies” and “Brooklyn” are sturdy looks at the past while “The Martian” provides an unusually optimistic view of the future, and “Spotlight” has the most serious themes on its shoulders. Leaving aside “Room” as the token indie pick, the race boils down to the hectic timeliness of “The Big Short” and the imposing style of “The Revenant,” with the latter’s robust box-office performance giving it the edge.

Overlooked: "The Hateful Eight," "Creed," "Carol," "Blackhat," "The Walk."

Best Director:

Nominees: Lenny Abrahamson (“Room”), Alejandro G. Iñárritu ("The Revenant"), Tom McCarthy ("Spotlight"), Adam McKay ("The Big Short"), George Miller ("Mad Max: Fury”).

Prediction: In sheer directorial terms, the most deserving nominee is Miller, whose dynamism kept what could have been a monotonous chase consistently exhilarating. Abrahamson and McCarthy are self-effacing craftsmen at the mercy of their stories, and McKay’s slapdash rush of data actually works against the film’s flow, which leaves Iñárritu as the most probable winner, extending the bombast of his previous “Birdman” with majestic outdoor cinematography. (In this case, he would make Oscar history by being the first director to ever win two years in a row.)

Overlooked: Quentin Tarantino ("The Hateful Eight"), Michael Mann ("Blackhat"), Robert Zemeckis ("The Walk"), Ryan Coogler ("Creed"), Todd Haynes ("Carol").

Best Actor:

Nominees: Bryan Cranston (“Trumbo”), Matt Damon (“The Martian”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Revenant"), Michael Fassbender (“Steve Jobs"), Eddie Redmayne (“The Danish Girl”).

Prediction: While Iñárritu looks poised to score a second consecutive Oscar, chances are lightning won’t strike twice for Redmayne, who already won acting honors for last year’s (“The Theory of Everything”). Cranston, Damon and Fassbender all delivered strong performances, but this seems to be DiCaprio’s turn to take home the gold, a combination of the much-documented difficulties of filming “The Revenant” on location and the fact that he’s been overlooked by the Academy numerous times in the past. An upset for Cranston or Fassbender is still possible, though most money will be on DiCaprio.

Overlooked: Tom Hanks (“Bridge of Spies”), Samuel L. Jackson ("The Hateful Eight"), Michael B. Jordan ("Creed"), Michael Keaton ("Spotlight").

Best Actress:

Nominees: Cate Blanchett (“Carol”), Brie Larson (“Room”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Joy”), Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years”), Saoirse Ronan (“Brooklyn”).

Prediction: Previous winners Blanchett and Lawrence are joined by three first-time nominees in this category. Both Larson and Ronan gave impressive performances in small-scaled studies of struggling women, though Larson’s recent wins with critic groups give her a considerable edge over her colleagues. Most deserving, however, is Rampling in a role that unfolds like a master class in subtly cutting acting. The Academy’s penchant for recognizing veteran actors might figure in a surprise win for this seasoned British actress.

Overlooked: Charlize Theron ("Mad Max: Fury Road"), Sarah Silverman ("I Smile Back"), Carey Mulligan ("Far from the Madding Crowd"), Juliette Binoche ("Clouds of Sils Maria").

Best Supporting Actor:

Nominees: Christian Bale (“The Big Short”), Tom Hardy (“The Revenant”), Mark Ruffalo (“Spotlight”), Mark Rylance (“Bridge of Spies”), Sylvester Stallone (“Creed”).

Prediction: Odds in this category mainly come down to Rylance's craftily pokerfaced turn in "Bridge of Spies" and Stallone's beloved palooka Rocky in "Creed." The Academy loves the chance to reward a new face, and, as a veteran stage actor finally getting a meaty role, Rylance fits that bill. Even more appealing to voters, however, is the prospect of honoring a comeback, which means that Stallone's performance—a generous, hearfelt reminder of his late 1970s glory days—should walk away with the gold come the big night.

Overlooked: Walton Goggins ("The Hateful Eight"), Idris Elba ("Beasts of No Nation"), Michael Shannon ("99 Homes"), Benicio Del Toro ("Sicario").

Best Supporting Actress:

Nominees: Jennifer Jason Leigh (“The Hateful Eight”), Rooney Mara (“Carol”), Rachel McAdams (“Spotlight”), Ali Vikander (“The Danish Girl”), Kate Winslet (“Steve Jobs”).

Prediction: There's some controversy about Mara and Vikander being nominated for supporting rather than the main category, though, to judge from recent awards, the competition lies between Winslet and Leigh. Winslet already has one Oscar while Leigh has finally been nominated after decades of arresting work, so the eventual winner will be decided by the Academy's predilection for veterans or newcomers.

Overlooked: Jane Fonda ("Youth"), Helen Mirren ("Trumbo"), Elizabeth Banks ("Love and Mercy"), Tessa Thompson ("Creed").

 

News Briefs---

Vertex starts leasing company for railcars
  Goal to Produce 8,000 cars a year
http://www.wect.com/story/31315570/vertex-starts-leasing-company-for-railcars

NakedWines.com crowdfunds Keith Hock, to satisfy Angel investors' thirst for sparkling wines
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nakedwinescom-crowdfunds-keith-hock-formerly-winemaker-at-legendary-schramsberg-vineyards-to-satisfy-angel-investors-thirst-for-sparkling-wines-300224385.html

It's not looking good for subprime auto loans
 Default Rate January 12.3%, up from Dec. 11.3%
http://www.businessinsider.com/not-looking-good-for-subprime-auto-loans-2016-2?&platform=bi-androidapp

Total Count of U.S. Restaurants Decline Slightly
  2% Decline in Independent Restaurants
https://www.fsrmagazine.com/industry-highlights/total-count-us-restaurants-decline-slightly

Bob Evans Farms (BOBE) Signs $200M Sale-Leaseback     
   Agreements for 145 Restaurant Properties
http://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Bob+Evans+Farms
+(BOBE)+Signs+$200M+Sale-Leaseback+Agreements+for+145+Restaurant+Properties/11363059.html

Halliburton Slashes Another 5,000 Jobs
http://ww2.cfo.com/staffing/2016/02/halliburton-slashes-another-5000-jobs/

Corte Madera’s RH warns of ‘headwinds’ in luxury-goods sales
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/northbay/marincounty/5283541-181/rh-restoration-hardware-2015-warning

 

 

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

--You May Have Missed It

In an Improving Economy, Places in Distress
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/02/24/business/distress-cities-counties.html

Distress test: Report finds Cleveland has struggled to recover from the Great Recession

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20160225/BLOGS03/160229896/distress-test-report-finds-cleveland-has-struggled-to-recover-from

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

SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer

The Benefits of Berries
Red, Black & Blue are Berry Good for You!
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=878

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

Winter Poem

-- This Is Just to Say
by William Carlos Williams

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

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

Sports Briefs----

Hue Jackson on Johnny Manziel:
 “Our organization is going to take a stand”
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/02/24/hue-jackson-on-johnny-manziel-our-organization-is-going-to-take-a-stand/

Johnny Manziel could get year in jail in grand jury case
http://nypost.com/2016/02/25/johnny-manziels-domestic-violence-case-up-to-grand-jury/

Colin Kaepernick Rumors: 49ers QB Reportedly Requests to Be Traded
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2619751-colin-kaepernick-rumors-49ers-qb-reportedly-requests-to-be-traded

Kawakami: Kaepernick's 49ers status no certainty despite words of Baalke, Kelly
http://www.mercurynews.com/tim-kawakami/ci_29562975/kawakami-kaepernicks-49ers-status-no-certainty-despite-words

Chip Kelly wants 49ers to have depth at running back
http://www.insidebayarea.com/49ers/ci_29563332/chip-kelly-wants-49ers-have-depth-at-running

Grant Cohn: Chip Kelly's offense plainly a problem for 49ers
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/5287269-181/grant-cohn-chip-kellys-offense

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

California Nuts Briefs---

California cities miss January conservation targets by wide margin
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article62463397.html 

Is this El Niño a dud?
http://www.sacbee.com/site-services/databases/article62433777.html

The Latest: Ex-state senator sentenced in racketeering case
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/article62217022.html

The weirdest museums in Northern California
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/The-weirdest-museums-in-Northern-California-6849860.php

Daylight saving time could end in California
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article62292437.html#emlnl=Morning_Newsletter

Receivables Management LLC John Kenny • End of Lease Negotiations & Enforcement  • Third-Party Commercial Collections john@jkrmdirect.com | ph 315-866-1167 www.jkrmdirect.com

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

 

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

“Gimme that Wine”

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

Sparks fly as customers confront embattled Berkeley wine store owner in meeting
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_29557353/premier-cru-scandal-sparks-fly-wine-customers-confront

California Wine Exports Set Record in 2015: Worldwide Demand Grows, Despite Strong Dollar
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/california-wine-exports-set-record-in-2015-worldwide-demand-grows-despite-strong-dollar-300225069.html

Central Coast Insights Event Set for March 10 in Paso Robles Nearly Sold Out
http://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataid=165257

Sommelier Course
10 Weeks by day or 17 by evening
http://www.internationalculinarycenter.com/landings/wine3
/index.htm?leadsrc=LNKD

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

     1732 - Mass was celebrated for the first time at St Joseph's Church in Philadelphia, the only Roman Catholic church built and maintained in the American colonies before the Revolutionary War.
    1750 - Population estimated the number of white inhabitants of all the colonies to be 1,165,000, and blacks (who were mostly slaves) to be 260,000, distributed as follows: WHITE/BLACK: Massachusetts-207,000/3,000; New Hampshire-50,000/3,000; Connecticut-133,000/3,500; Rhode Island-35,000/4,500; New York-85,000/11,000; New Jersey-73,000/5,000; Pennsylvania and Delaware-195,000/11,000; Maryland-104,000/44,000; Virginia-168,000/116,000; North Carolina-70,000/20,000; South Carolina-40,000/40,000; Georgia-5,000/2,000. Since the English Revolution in 1688--a period of only sixty-six years--the growth of the colonies in population had been marvelous. New England had increased from 75,000 to 425,000; New York, from 20,000 to 85,000; New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, from 47,000 to 372,000; Virginia, from 50,000 to 168,000; and the Carolinas and Georgia, from 8,000 to 135,000. The assertion of a letter of an "American Farmer" was almost literally true when he wrote: "We are all tillers of the earth from Nova Scotia to West Florida. We are a people of cultivation, scattered over an immense territory; communicating with each other by means of good roads and navigable rivers; united by the silken bands of mild government; all respecting the laws, without dreading their power because they are equitable."
    1829 - Bavarian immigrant Levi Strauss (d. 1902) was born in Buttenheim. His company, Levi Strauss & Company began in San Francisco in 1853.  He created the world's first pair of jeans—Levi's 501 jeans—for California's gold miners. They were made of sail canvas and rivets were used along with sail making thread. He dyed them blue to hide the marks from the riveting apparatus and to make them more attractive. The pants style is still popular today, but now in “designer” styles from full boot to slim leg and more.
    1846 - George C. Stebbins (d. 1945) was born in Orleans County, NY.  American Baptist music evangelist. A composer of over 1,500 songs during his lifetime, Stebbins is still remembered today for writing the melodies to such hymns as: "I've Found a Friend," "Take Time to Be Holy," "Have Thine Own Way, Lord" and "Jesus is Tenderly Calling Thee Home."
    1846 - William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s (d. 1917) birthday at Scott County, Iowa. He claimed to have killed more than 4,000 buffaloes. Buffalo Bill started working at the age of eleven after his father's death, and became a rider for the Pony express at age 14. During the Civil War, he served for the Union from 1863 to the end of the war in 1865. Later he served as a civilian scout to the US Army during the Indian Wars, receiving the Medal of Honor in 1872. Subject of many heroic Wild West yarns, Cody became successful as a showman taking his acts across the US and to Europe. 
    1870 - The first pneumatic subway, invented by Alfred Ely Beach, known first as the Beach Pneumatic Underground Railway, was opened to the public in New York City. It consisted of a circular tube nine feet in diameter and the cars, which were well upholstered, carried 222 persons each way. They were propelled by a rotary blower that drove a blast of air through the tunnel against the rear of the car, carrying it along “like a sailboat before the wind.”
    1870 - Wyatt Outlaw, black leader of Union League in North Carolina, was lynched. Wyatt Outlaw, the Negro police officer who had fired upon the Klansmen at their first appearance in the county, was head of the Union League, an anti-Ku Klux Group in the County. His death had been determined by certain members of one of the Klan orders. A party of them rode into Graham on the night of February 26, 1870, seized Outlaw in his home, and carried him to a tree in the courthouse square. There they hanged him, leaving on his breast the inscription: "Beware, ye guilty, both black and white.” Many blacks were killed by the Klan, and Black homes and property burned/destroyed for the next sixty-five years, into the late 1920's.
http://www.wm.edu/~srnels/posnc/timeline.html
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncalaman/centennial.html
http://www.ccharity.com/northcarolina/adjutantgenl.htm
    1873 - The American bison, also called the buffalo, was almost extinct, even though at the start of the nine­teenth century estimates placed the North American bison population as high as 60,000,000. Bison were essential to the way of life of the Indians of the Great Plains, who depended on them for food, clothing, and shelter. The symbiotic relationship of the Indians and the bison threatened neither group. However, with the coming of the railroad, professional buffalo hunters, and the settlement of the West, the situation changed. Bison were slaughtered far beyond any need for food or hides. Although in 1865 about 10,000,000 bison still roamed the plains, by 1890 only 1000 or so were left.
    1882 – Husband E. Kimmel (d. 1968) was born in Henderson, KY.  A four-star Admiral in the US Navy and Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Kimmel was relieved of his command ten days after the attack and he was reduced to the two-star rank of Rear Admiral.  The base for the fleet had been moved from its traditional home at San Diego to Pearl Harbor in May, 1940. On February 18, 1941, Kimmel wrote to the Chief of Naval Operations:  “I feel that a surprise attack (submarine, air, or combined) on Pearl Harbor is a possibility, and we are taking immediate practical steps to minimize the damage inflicted and to ensure that the attacking force will pay.”  The Roberts Commission appointed by President Roosevelt to investigate the attack, determined that Kimmel and his counterpart, Army Lt. Gen. Walter Short, were guilty of errors of judgment and dereliction of duty in the events leading up to the attack. Kimmel defended his decisions at several hearings, testifying that important information had not been made available to him.  Subsequent exhaustive writings about the near-attack events seem to support him.
    1885 - Birthday of Lavinia Lloyd Dock (d. 1956) in Harrisburg, PA.  Nurse, settlement house worker, suffragist, she trained as a nurse at Bellevue Hospital, the first American school to follow Florence Nightingale's principles of patient care and nurse self-reliance. Dock nursed during a yellow fever epidemic in Jacksonville, FL, and at the Johnstown, PA flood. She wrote “Materia Medical for Nurses” (1890), the standard nursing text for a generation. Moved to the Henry Street Settlement house Lillian Wald had created, she became a member of Wald's inner circle, and lived there for 20 years. She also wrote “A History of Nursing” (1907) with Adelaide Nutting which explored the glorious historical past of women's involvement in nursing, until men took over to bring "general contempt" to nurses and "misery" to patients, until Florence Nightingale came to the rescue." She had to move out of the Henry Street Settlement because of her actions - including arrests - in connection with the radical American Woman's movement.
    1887 - Grover Cleveland “Pete” Alexander (d. 1950), Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher, was born at Elba, NE. Suffering from epilepsy, haunted by his experiences in combat during World War I, and shadowed by alcoholism, Alexander was still able to win 373 games during a 20-year career, the third highest total in Major League history, pitching for 20 years with the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals. He won 30 or more games three times and won the National League earned run average title five times. In Game Seven of the 1926 World Series with St. Louis ahead, 3-2, he staggered in from the bullpen to strike out the New York Yankees' Tony Lazzeri with the bases loaded and held New York at bay for the last two innings. Alexander pitched complete game victories in Games 2 and 6 and according to teammate Bob O’Farrell in “The Glory of Their Times”, after the game six victory, Alexander got drunk that night and was still feeling the effects when he was sent out to pitch the next day in Game 7.  Ronald Reagan played Alexander in the moving, “The Winning Team.” Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1938.
    1887 – William Frawley (d. 1966) was born in Burlington, IA.  Although Frawley appeared in over 100 films, he is best known for his television work, playing landlord Fred Mertz in the long-running “I Love Lucy” and "Bub" in “My Three Sons.”
    1893 – Wallace Fard Muhammad (d. 1934) was born.  There is considerable doubt as to this date and the location of the birth for the founder of the Nation of Islam. He arrived in Detroit in 1930 with an obscure background and several aliases, where he taught a distinctive form of Islam to members of the city's African-American population. He disappeared in 1934. 
    1894 – Major League Baseball introduced rule changes that made foul bunts strikes, and the infield fly rule is instituted.
    1905 - Violinist/producer/composer Bill Russell (d. 1992) was born, Canton, MO.
http://www.hnoc.org/russell.htm
http://www.delmark.com/delmark.214.htm
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/reviews/r0401_051.htm
    1907 - The United States Congress raised their pay to $7500, for both House and Senate members. The Cabinet members and the Vice President earned twelve thousand. At that time, the Vice President was paid enough to buy half a dozen houses. The richest man in the world, John D. Rockefeller's oil fortune was, at that time, worth no more than $300 million.
    1910 - Parts of Washington State were in the midst of a storm which produced 129 inches of snow at Laconia between the 24th and the 26th, a single storm record for the state. A series of storms, which began on the 23rd, led to a deadly avalanche on the first of March. By late on the 28th, the snow had changed to rain, setting the stage for disaster.
    1916 - American musician, comedian and actor, John Herbert "Jackie" Gleason (d. 1987) was born at Brooklyn, NY. Best known for his role as Ralph Kramden in the long-running television series "The Honeymooners," he also developed “The Jackie Gleason Show.”  Gleason's big break occurred in 1949, when he landed the role of blunt but softhearted aircraft worker Chester A. Riley for “The Life of Riley”.  He was hired to host DuMont's “Cavalcade of Stars” variety hour in 1950.  Renamed “The Jackie Gleason Show,” the program became the country's second-highest-rated television show during the 1954–55 season. By far Gleason's most popular character was blustery bus driver Ralph Kramden. Largely drawn from Gleason's harsh Brooklyn childhood, these sketches became known as “The Honeymooners.” The show was based on Ralph's many get-rich-quick schemes, his ambition, antics with his best friend and neighbor, scatterbrained sewer worker Ed Norton (played by Art Carney), and clashes with sensible wife Alice, who typically pulled Ralph's head down from the clouds. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Gleason also enjoyed a secondary music career, lending his name to a series of best-selling "mood music" albums with for Capitol Records. Among his notable film roles were Minnesota Fats in the Academy Award-winning 1961 drama “The Hustler” (co-starring with Paul Newman), and Buford T. Justice in the “Smokey and the Bandit” series from 1977 into the early 1980s, in which he co-starred with Burt Reynolds.
    1917 - First jazz record of history: Original Dixieland Jazz Band cuts “Livery Stable Blues,” “One Step,” NYC.
    1919 - Grand Canyon National Park was established by an act of Congress.  An immense gorge cut through the high plateaus of northwest Arizona by the raging Colorado River and covering 1,218,375 acres, Grand Canyon National Park is considered one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in the world.
    1919 - The Lafayette National Park was established, later renamed in 1929, the Acadia National Park, the largest east of the Mississippi.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/feb26.html
    1921 - Birthday of Betty Hutton (d. 2007), born Elizabeth June Thornburg in Battle Creek, MI.  Brash actor/singer best known for her role in the movie “Annie Get Your Gun” (1950).
    1926 - First Black middle-weight boxing champion, Theodore "Georgia Deacon" Flowers (1895-1927), defeated Harry Greb in New York. Also known as “Tiger” Flowers.
http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/flowers.htm
http://www.aaregistry.com/detail.php3?id=1457
    1929 - Antoine (Fats) Domino was born and still lives in New Orleans.  He is the biggest-selling '50s rock 'n' roll artist, with the exception of Elvis Presley. The New Orleans r'n'b pianist has sold more than 65-million records. By the time he joined trumpeter Dave Bartholomew's band in the 1940's, he had already mastered the classic New Orleans piano style of such performers as Professor Longhair and Amos Milburn. In 1949, Fats Domino had his first million-seller, "The Fat Man." But it wasn't until 1955, with "Ain't That a Shame," (#10) that he attracted the white record-buying public. Domino eventually collected 23 gold singles, for such hits as "I'm In Love Again" (#3), "Blueberry Hill" (#2), "When My Dreamboat Comes Home" (Pop No. 14), "Valley of Tears" (Pop No. 8), "It's You I Love" (Pop No. 6), "Whole Lotta Loving" (Pop No. 6), "I Want to Walk You Home" (Pop No. 8),  "Be My Guest" (Pop No. 8) and "I'm Walkin'" (Pop No. 4).  When Hurricane Katrina was approaching New Orleans in August, 2005, Domino chose to stay at home with his family, partly because of his wife Rosemary's poor health. His house was in an area that was heavily flooded.   The Domino family was then taken to a shelter, after which they were picked up by JaMarcus Russell, the starting quarterback of the LSU football team, and Fats' granddaughter's boyfriend. He let the Dominos stay in his apartment. "We've lost everything," Domino said.  By January 2006, work to gut and repair Domino's home and office had begun. In the meantime, the Domino family resided in Harvey, LA.  President George W. Bush made a personal visit and replaced the National Medal of Arts that President Bill Clinton had previously awarded Domino. The gold records were replaced by the RIAA and Capitol Records.  In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him No. 25 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".
http://www.history-of-rock.com/domino.htm
http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/costello/472/fatsbio.html
http://covers.wiw.org/artist.php/1357
http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/music/mu1257.php
http://www.hoyhoy.com/fats.htm 
http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=91
    1930 - Seven years after Garrett A. Morgan invented traffic lights, the first red and green signal lights were installed on New York 's Manhattan street corners.
    1932 - Country singer Johnny Cash (d. 2003) was born in Kingsdale, Arkansas. In 1954, Cash met guitar player Luther Perkins and bass player Marshall Grant. As Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, they sold a million copies of "I Walk the Line" on the Sun label in 1956. Cash signed with Columbia in 1958, and two years later, drummer W.S. Holland was added to make the Tennessee Three. Cash's string of hits for Columbia have included "Ring of Fire," "A Boy Named Sue" and "Folsom Prison Blues." Johnny Cash's records have always been on the border of rock, and have often crossed over to the pop charts. The marching bass lines, which characterize many of Cash's songs, influenced the work of Waylon Jennings and others in the outlaw country movement of the 1970's. In 1994, Cash's career was revived with the release of "American Recordings," an album of just the singer and his guitar. It was embraced by everyone from traditional country fans to alternative rockers.
http://www.johnnycash.com/
    1934 - Federal Communications Commission was created at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, to oversee communication by radio, wire or cable. TV and satellite communication later became part of its charge.
    1935 – A 40-year old Babe Ruth signed a three–year contract with the Boston Braves after being released by the New York Yankees. He played in only 28 games before retiring June 2.  Ruth's new contract with the Braves also gives him a share of the team's profits. Ruth hit the final three home runs of his major league career on May 25 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving him a total of 714. His last home run became the first to clear the right field grandstand at Forbes Field and traveled an estimated 600 feet.
    1936 - Wallace “Buddy” Werner (d. 1964), skier, was  born at Steamboat Springs, CO. Werner skied on three US Olympic teams and was the first American to break into the sport's top rank by winning important races in Europe. While filming a ski movie, he was overtaken by an avalanche that he attempted to outrace and died at St. Moritz, Switzerland, April 13, 1964.
    1937 - Canadian composer, arranger and vibraphonist Hagood Hardy (d. 1997) was born in Angola, Indiana. He grew up in Oakville, Ontario and from 1957 to 1961, while studying at the University of Toronto, he had his own jazz group. From 1961 to '67, he performed in the US with such musicians as Gigi Gryce, Herbie Mann, Martin Denny and George Shearing. Hardy returned to Canada in the late '60s, becoming a leading composer of radio and TV jingles. In 1975, his single "The Homecoming," written three years earlier as a Salada Tea commercial, became an international hit. The song won Hardy Juno Awards as best composer and best instrumentalist, and Billboard magazine named him instrumentalist of the year. http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicPopEncycloPagesH/hardy.html
http://www.channelproductions.com/tribute.htm
    1942 - The Academy Awards were presented for movies that were shown in theatres during 1941. "How Green Was My Valley" won the award for Best Picture. The star of "Sergeant York", Gary Cooper, took home the Oscar for Best Actor and the Best Actress statue was presented to Joan Fontaine for her performance in "Suspicion". "How Green Was My Valley" garnered Oscars for Best Supporting Actor, Donald Crisp and Best Director, John Ford. Mary Astor was voted Best Supporting Actress for her role in "The Great Lie".
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0148172.html
    1943 - Guitarist/harmonica player Bob “the Bear” Hite (d. 1981) was born
Torrance, CA.  Canned Heat lead singer.
http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/ebony/546/chbath.html
http://theoinquirer.com/index-648.html
http://www.putnampit.com/blues.html
http://starbulletin.com/2001/08/31/features/story7.html
http://www.drfeelgood.de/c_heat/ch_songs.htm
http://www.drfeelgood.de/c_heat/
http://www.borderlinebooks.com/us6070s/c1z.html
    1944 - Sue Sophia Dauser, superintendent of the US Navy's Nurse Corp, was the first woman to receive the rank of Captain. On December 14, 1945, she became the first Navy nurse to receive the Distinguished Service Medal.
    1945 - Top Hits
“Accentuate the Positive” - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
“I Dream of You” - The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (vocal: Freddy Stewart)
“Don't Fence Me In” - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
“I'm Losing My Mind Over You” - Al Dexter
    1945 - Woody Herman cuts “Caledonia.”
    1945 – Mitch Ryder was born William S. Levise, Jr. in Hamtramck, MI.  He and The Detroit Wheels had limited success until they met songwriter/record producer Bob Crewe.  They recorded several hits in the mid to late 1960s, most notably "Devil with a Blue Dress On”, their highest-charting single at number 4, as well as "Sock It to Me-Baby!", a number 6 hit in 1967, and "Jenny Take a Ride!", which reached number 10 in 1965.
    1947 - Harmonica player Paul Oscher was born in Brooklyn.
http://www.pauloscher.com/
http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/paul_oscher.htm
http://www.thebluesjoint.com/Audio_Room/Paul_Oscher/paul_oscher.html
http://bluesplanet.com/oscher/
    1951 - James Jones' novel, “From Here to Eternity,” was published in New York by Scribners.  It was Jones’ debut novel, based upon his own experience in the pre-World War II Hawaiian Division’s 27th Infantry and the unit in which he served, Company E ("The Boxing Company").  It won the National Book Award and was named one of the 100 Best Novels of the 20th century by the Modern Library Board.  The book was later made into an Academy Award-winning film starring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift and Frank Sinatra, as well as two television adaptations and a stage musical.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385333641/inktomi-bkasin-20/
102-1682336-8966565
    1951 - INGMAN, EINAR H., JR., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant (then Cpl.), U.S. Army, Company E, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Maltari, Korea, 26 February 1951. Entered service at: Tomahawk, Wis. Born: 6 October 1929, Milwaukee, Wis. G.O. No.: 68, 2 August 1951. Citation: Sgt. Ingman, a member of Company E, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. The 2 leading squads of the assault platoon of his company, while attacking a strongly fortified ridge held by the enemy, were pinned down by withering fire and both squad leaders and several men were wounded. Cpl. Ingman assumed command, reorganized and combined the 2 squads, then moved from 1 position to another, designating fields of fire and giving advice and encouragement to the men. Locating an enemy machine gun position that was raking his men with devastating fire he charged it alone, threw a grenade into the position, and killed the remaining crew with rifle fire. Another enemy machine gun opened fire approximately 15 yards away and inflicted additional casualties to the group and stopped the attack. When Cpl. Ingman charged the second position he was hit by grenade fragments and a hail of fire which seriously wounded him about the face and neck and knocked him to the ground. With incredible courage and stamina, he arose instantly and, using only his rifle, killed the entire gun crew before falling unconscious from his wounds. As a result of the singular action by Cpl. Ingman the defense of the enemy was broken, his squad secured its objective, and more than 100 hostile troops abandoned their weapons and fled in disorganized retreat. Cpl. Ingman's indomitable courage, extraordinary heroism, and superb leadership reflect the highest credit on himself and are in keeping with the esteemed traditions of the infantry and the U.S. Army.
    1953 - Top Hits
“Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes” - Perry Como
“Till I Waltz Again with You” - Teresa Brewer
“Keep It a Secret” - Jo Stafford
“Kaw-Liga” - Hank Williams
    1954 - Singer/songwriter Michael Bolton was born Michael Bolotin in New Haven, Conn.
    1955 - R&B singer LaVern Baker appeals to the United States Congress in a letter to Michigan Representative Charles Digges Jr., to revise the Copyright Act of 1909. She says that recording artists should be protected against "note-for-note copying" by white artists and arrangers of already recorded R&B tunes and arrangements. Her request was denied.
    1955 - Billboard reports for the first time since their introduction in 1949, 45 rpm discs are outselling the old standard 78. Another change in the industry is also noted. On some New York City jukeboxes, it now costs ten cents instead of five cents to play a record.
    1956 - Buddy Holly's first recording session for Decca is held in Nashville.  Holly's recording sessions at Decca were produced by Owen Bradley. Holly was unhappy with Bradley's restrictions and the results of their work, and went to producer Norman Petty where, among other songs, they recorded a demo of "That’ll Be the Day". Holly was still under contract with Decca and could not use his name.  It was decided a band name was to be used. Bandmate Jerry Allison proposed the name "Crickets".  Petty became the band's manager and he sent the demo to Brunswick Records, which released it as a single credited to "The Crickets." In September 1957, as the band toured, "That'll Be the Day" topped the “Best Sellers in Stores” chart and the UK Singles chart. Its success was followed in October by another major hit, "Peggy Sue".      
    1957 - Singer/guitar player Eddie Van Halen was born in Holland.
http://www.van-halen.com/
    1960 - David Jenkins of the US won the gold medal men's figure skiing at the VIII Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley, Ca.
    1961 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit:  “Pony Time,'' Chubby Checker. A version of the song by the Goodtimers entered the chart the same week as Checker's version, but only reached No. 60.
    1961 - Top Hits
“Pony Time” - Chubby Checker
“There's a Moon Out Tonight” - The Capris
“Surrender” - Elvis Presley
“North to Alaska” - Johnny Horton
    1962 - In New York City , the Best Play award winner of 1962, "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad" opened for 454 performances.
    1965 - Nineteen year-old Jimmie Lee Jackson was killed by state troopers at a voting rights demonstration in Marion, Alabama. As a result, the Selma-to-Montgomery march was organized and took place a month later when Dr. King led 20,000 marchers 50 miles east from the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma to the state capitol in Montgomery. Five months later, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, and by year's end, more than 250,000 new black voters were registered
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USACjacksonJL.htm
http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/civilrights-55-65/selma.html
    1966 - The Beatles' LP "Rubber Soul" rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart, becoming the group's seventh US album chart topper. Paul McCartney conceived the album's title after overhearing someone's description of Mick Jagger's singing style as "plastic soul". To date, the album has sold over six million copies in America.
    1966 - The Rolling Stones released "19th Nervous Breakdown."   It reached number 2 on the US charts and was their fifth consecutive UK number one.
    1966 - Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" hits #1.
    1967 - YABES, MAXIMO, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Phu Hoa Dong, Republic of Vietnam, 26 February 1967. Entered service at: Eugene, Oregon. Born: 29 January 1932, Lodi, Calif. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Sgt. Yabes distinguished himself with Company A, which was providing security for a land clearing operation. Early in the morning the company suddenly came under intense automatic weapons and mortar fire followed by a battalion sized assault from 3 sides. Penetrating the defensive perimeter the enemy advanced on the company command post bunker. The command post received increasingly heavy fire and was in danger of being overwhelmed. When several enemy grenades landed within the command post, 1st Sgt. Yabes shouted a warning and used his body as a shield to protect others in the bunker. Although painfully wounded by numerous grenade fragments, and despite the vicious enemy fire on the bunker, he remained there to provide covering fire and enable the others in the command group to relocate. When the command group had reached a new position, 1st Sgt. Yabes moved through a withering hail of enemy fire to another bunker 50 meters away. There he secured a grenade launcher from a fallen comrade and fired point blank into the attacking Viet Cong stopping further penetration of the perimeter. Noting 2 wounded men helpless in the fire swept area, he moved them to a safer position where they could be given medical treatment. He resumed his accurate and effective fire killing several enemy soldiers and forcing others to withdraw from the vicinity of the command post. As the battle continued, he observed an enemy machinegun within the perimeter which threatened the whole position. On his own, he dashed across the exposed area, assaulted the machinegun, killed the crew, destroyed the weapon, and fell mortally wounded. 1st Sgt. Yabes' valiant and selfless actions saved the lives of many of his fellow soldiers and inspired his comrades to effectively repel the enemy assault. His indomitable fighting spirit, extraordinary courage and intrepidity at the cost of his life are in the highest military traditions and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
    1967 - Having spent so much time in the saddle, Elvis delays an already-postponed trip to Hollywood to begin filming what will be his twenty-fifth film, “Clambake.” Barbara Little, girlfriend of Memphis Mafioso George Klein, suggests calling her doctor, George Nichopoulos, to help with the singer's saddle sores. Thus begins a professional acquaintance that would last until Elvis' death.  In 1980, ‘Dr. Nick’ was indicted on 14 counts of overprescribing drugs to Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and twelve other patients. The district attorney ruled out murder charges because of the conflicting medical opinions about the cause of Presley's death. In 1977 alone, the year Elvis died, Nichopoulos had prescribed over 10,000 doses of amphetamines, barbiturates, narcotics, Tranquilizers, sleeping pills, laxatives, and hormones for Presley. Nichopoulos claimed he had tried in vain to reduce Elvis' dependency, even going so far as to manufacture one thousand placebos for Elvis, but to no avail. The jury concluded that he had tried to act in the best interests of his patients. He was acquitted on all counts.
    1969 - Top Hits
“Everyday People” - Sly & The Family Stone
“Build Me Up Buttercup” - The Foundations
“Can I Change My Mind” - Tyrone Davis
“Until My Dreams Come True” - Jack Greene
    1969 - The "100 hour snowstorm" was in full swing across the Boston area and the rest of New England as well. By the time snow ended on the 28th, Boston recorded 26.3 inches of new snow. Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire was buried under an incredible 77 inches and Long Falls Dam, Maine reported 56 inches. Both Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Portland, Maine set new single storm snowfall records with 33.8 inches and 26.9 inches, respectively. Rockport, Massachusetts measured an impressive 39 inches.
    1969 – The Red Sox’ Carl Yastrzemski became the highest paid player in AL history when he signed a one-year deal for $130,000.  He led the AL in batting in 1968 with a .301 average.  This title-winning low average and the stunning ERA of 1.12 by Bob Gibson in the NL led MLB to lower the mound to its present height to bring some offense back into the game.
    1972 - Harry Nilsson began week #2 at number one with "Without You," a love song that spent four weeks at the top spot.
    1972 - The "Buffalo Creek Disaster" occurred in the Buffalo Creek Hollow of Logan County in West Virginia. A coal slag dam on the middle fork of Buffalo Creek burst sending a 50 foot wall of water down a narrow valley killing 125 people and causing $51 million damage. 3 days of rain atop 6 inches of snow cover prompted the dam break.
    1972 - Joe Tex's funk record "I Gotcha" enters the Billboard Pop chart and begins its climb to #2. Much the success of the song is rumored to be Tex's slurred delivery of the line "Told you not to play with my affection," which caused many listeners to mistake the last word for one that rhymes with it.
    1973 - Football player and golfer, Marshall Faulk, born New Orleans, LA.
    1975 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit:  “Best of My Love,'' Eagles. The song is the group's first No. 1 hit.
    1977 - Top Hits
“New Kid in Town” - Eagles
“Love Theme from ‘A Star is Born’." (Evergreen) - Barbra Streisand
“Fly like an Eagle” - Steve Miller
“Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow” - Tom Jones
    1979 - The sitcom, "Flatbush", first aired on CBS-TV, featuring the exploits of five recent high-school graduates living in a middle-class, Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn's Flatbush section. Joseph Cali starred as Presto Prestopopulos, a taxi driver and one of five street youths calling themselves the Flatbush Fungos.  The gang also included Adrian Zmed as Socks Palmero, a clothing store employee; Sandy Helberg as Figgy Figueroa, a grocery deliveryman; Randy Stumpf as Joey Dee, a plumber's assistant; and Vincent Bufano as Turtle Romero, a restaurant worker. Also featured were Helen Verbit as Mrs. Fortunato, the neighborhood busybody; and Anthony Ponzini as Esposito, a pool hall owner. The ethnic stereotypes the show portrayed offended Brooklyn's Borough president, who demanded the series be taken off the air before it gave Brooklyn a bad name. CBS cancelled the show after 3 episodes.
    1983 - Charley Pride's "Why Baby Why", written by George Jones and Darrell Edwards, topped the country music charts. Jones found national fame in the United States with his own version of the song in 1955.
    1983 - Michael Jackson's "Thriller" hit #1 in the U.S. The album spent a total of 37 weeks at number one. The tracks: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", "Baby Be Mine", "The Girl is Mine" (w/Paul McCartney), "Thriller", "Beat It", "Billie Jean", "Human Nature", "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)", "The Lady in My Life". To date (2016), “Thriller” has sold 65 million copies worldwide, making it, by far, the best-selling album ever released by between 15 and 30 million copies. Some estimates report Thriller's total sales over 100 million, though this refers to total records from the album (combining album sales, single sales and video sales).
    1984 - The last United States Marines in the multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon left Beirut.
    1985 - Top Hits
“Careless Whisper” - Wham! featuring George Michael
“Loverboy” - Billy Ocean
“Can't Fight This Feeling” - REO Speedwagon
“Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On” - Mel McDaniel
    1985 - "The Grammy Awards" became the seventh highest-rated television music show of the 1980s when a 23.8 share of the viewers watched. The Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Male award was given to Phil Collins for, "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)"; Best New Artist for 1984 went to Cindi Lauper, and Best Album of the year award went to Lionel Richie for "Can't Slow Down". Tina Turner was a big winner, taking Best Song, Best Record and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Female for "What's Love Got to Do with It".  Chuck Berry is the recipient of the annual Lifetime Achievement Award.
    1986 - Robert Penn Warren, the first official poet laureate of the United States, was so named by the Library of Congress and great historian, Daniel J. Boorstin. Warren was born in Guthrie, KY, in 1905 and won three Pulitzer Prizes, two for volumes of Poetry, and one for his 1946 novel, “All the King's Men.”
    1987 - The Tower Commission report on the Iran-Contra affair was critical of Pres. Reagan for failing to understand or control the secret attempt to trade arms to Iran for the release of American hostages being held in Lebanon and divert profits from the sale to the Nicaraguan Contras. The commission appointed by the President in Nov. 1986, said Reagan must take responsibility for the policy, which ended in “chaos” and caused the U.S. much embarrassment abroad. Blame was placed also on Donald T. Regan, the White House chief of staff, whom the president replaced with former Senator Howard H. Baker, Jr. on February 27. It also faulted former National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane and his successor, Admiral John Poindexter, and CIA Director William Casey. Casey had resigned on 2 February for health reasons; McFarlane attempted suicide on 9 February; and Regan resigned 27 February. In a television address on March 4, the president said he took “full responsibility,” but he did not admit that the plan for dealing with Iran was basically wrong.
    1988 - Eight cities in the central and western U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date, including Lamoni, IA with a reading of 67 degrees. Temperatures in North Dakota were as warm as those in Florida.
    1989 - An upper level weather disturbance brought snow to parts of the central U.S. which just one day earlier were enjoying temperatures in the 60s. Snowfall totals in Missouri ranged up to nine inches at Rolla.
    1990 - Unseasonably cold weather followed in the wake of the winter storm in the northeastern U.S. Ten cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Syracuse, NY with a reading of 10 degrees below zero. Freezing temperatures in southeastern Virginia caused considerable damage to plants and fruit trees. The barometric pressure reading of 30.88 inches at Wilmington, NC was February record for that location.
    1991 - "Rockline on MTV" premiered with host, Martha Quinn, giving viewers a chance to talk to the stars. The first guest was MC Hammer.
    1991 - Tim Berners-Lee introduces the Web browser.  He presented an early version of a Web browser to a work group at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. He conceived the Web as a way for physicists at different universities around the world to instantaneously share information. Throughout the next year, he modified the architecture, released early Web browsers on the Internet, and solicited feedback and input from Internet programmers. By late 1991 and early 1992, the Web was widely discussed, and in early 1993, when Marc Andreessen released his Mosaic browser (Netscape's precursor), the Web rapidly became a popular communications medium.
    1991 – Bill Veeck and Tony Lazzeri were elected to the Baseball hall of Fame. 
    1993 - World Trade Center Bombing.  A 1,210-lb bomb packed in a van exploded in the underground parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 (mostly from smoke inhalation). The powerful blast left a crater 200 feet wide and several stories deep. The cost for damage to the building and disruption of business for the 350 companies with offices in the Center exceeded more than $591 million. Fifteen people--the fundamentalist Moslem cleric Sheik Omar Abdul Rahman and fourteen of his followers--were indicted for the bombing. Rahman was given a life sentence and the others received prison terms of up to 240 years each. This is considered the first bombing of the United States by foreign terrorists.
    1997 - Celine Dion won two Grammy Awards for "Falling into You" - album of the year and best pop album. At the time, "Falling into You" had sold more than 21 million copies worldwide.
    2002 – The Bee Gees played what is to be their final concert, performing at Miami Beach's Love and Hope Ball, a benefit for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.
    2002 - John Fogerty, Elton John, The Eagles, Stevie Nicks, and Billy Joel, among others, perform at the multi-venue Los Angeles charity benefit Four Concerts for Artists' Rights, proceeds of which benefit a labor-friendly musicians' organization called the Recording Artists Coalition.
    2004 - With hundreds of on-lookers, including a man covered in ivy, singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”, the foul ball made famous by Steve Bartman in the 2003 NL Championship Series was blown up at Harry Caray’s restaurant in Chicago. The infamous ball's demise is executed by Michael Lantieri, a Cubs die-hard fan and Oscar Award winner who has worked on similar special effects in the films Jurassic Park and Back to the Future.
    2009 - A 10-minute version of The Beatles' "Revolution 1" leaked onto the internet, giving fans a never-before-heard listen of what the White Album sessions must have been like. Only two copies of the take were made when the song was completed on June 4th, 1968. One copy left the studio with Lennon that day and the other remained behind. It is unclear which copy appears on the bootleg, nor how anyone acquired it.
    2013 - Representatives from the U.S., China, Germany, France, Russia and the U.K., began to discuss Iran's nuclear program with Iranian officials.
    2014 - NASA announced that its Kepler space telescope discovered 715 planets in other solar systems, bringing the instrument's new-planet tally to 961.  Four of the latest discoveries are thought to have an orbit favorable to habitation, but the distance of these planets makes exploration impossible with current technology
    2015 - Federal Communications Commission approved net neutrality rules, which guarantee equal Internet access to all users.  Broadband companies had been seeking the ability to sell faster access to certain customers while slowing access for others.