California Department of Business Oversight Nails
Another Unlicensed Broker
By Tom McCurnin
Leasing News Legal Editor

Premier Business Lending is Latest Broker to be Subject to Charges

In re Premier Business Lending (DBO The facts follow:

Premier Business Lending is broker taking applications for commercial working capital loans and equipment leases. It is located in Eldorado Hills, California, near Sacramento.  Its principals are Chris Wilcox and Erick Jenkins.They are members are of the National Equipment Finance Association.

Beginning in March, 2018, Wilcox and Jenkins offered loans and leases to California residents. Mr. Wilcox took applications from borrowers together with a $6,000 refundable deposit to obtain a so-called “line of credit.” The borrower did not receive his line of credit and his refundable deposit was never returned.

In October, 2018, Premier Business Lending telephoned another California resident and received a loan application from the customer. 

Premier Business Lending is not licensed by the California Department of Business Oversight to receive loan applications. It is certainly not authorized to cheat borrowers.

As a result of these actions, the Department of Business Oversight issued a cease and refrain order which prohibits Premier from taking any loan applications from California borrowers. 

This case demonstrates the need for brokers to be licensed and to act responsibly at all times.  There is simply no excuse for stealing a customer’s refundable deposit, licensed or not. 

Premier Business Lending Desist and Refrain Order (3 pages)
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/premier_desistandrefrain2019.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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Merchant Cash Advance APR Calculator
www.nav.com

As the California Department of Business Oversight determines how it will require rates on Merchant Cash Advance, the State of New Jersey appears to adopt a similar requirement. The fact is today actual interest rates can be obtained online.

NAV.com has the ability with “its mobile app give free access to easy-to-read personal and business credit reports and monitoring all in one spot. It also provides tools to build business credit and a marketplace that matches users to lending options based on their approval odds. This all makes it much easier for business owners to get affordable funding, lower their costs and save time."

Their website states: "A merchant cash advance (MCA) is a type of financing in which a business sells a percentage of their future credit/debit sales for an upfront amount. The MCA lender gets paid by directly debiting the card receipts from the merchant’s account daily, before the business itself can access any money from sales...

"An MCA is advantageous for businesses with unsteady cash flow or seasonal business cycles, as it’s not a fixed amount of money demanded each day, but a percentage of your sales. This can also make it hard to calculate the total cost of a merchant cash advance term sheet. Use the APR calculator below to find out what you will be paying on a merchant cash advance."

Working Calculator

From the website, you can also "Add the Merchant Cash Advance APR Calculator to your website, copy & paste the code below"

In addition, the site has several Business Loan Calculators

Invoice Financing APR Calculator
Kabbage APR Calculator
OnDeck APR Calculator
Merchant Cash Advance APR Calculator
Term Loan APR Calculator
https://www.nav.com/business-loan-calculators/invoice-financing-apr-calculator/

(See Anatomy of Merchant Processing Account Fees what credit card companies really charge merchants: https://www.credittoday.net/public/Anatomy-of-Merchant-Processing-Account-Fees.cfm)

 

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Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Credit Analyst Norwalk, Ct. Remote Location Considered 2 Years Min. Experience Collateral knowledge of over-the-road trucking assets, construction equipment, material handling, vocational units and machine tools is desired Call Maria Borges-Lopez: (203) 354-6090 or e-mail your resume to HumanResources@nmef.com Please click nmef.com/careers/ for more information www.nmef.com Providing small-ticket equipment financing for businesses across the country through our dedicated referral source network

 

New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Carol Apicella was hired as Senior Vice President and Senior Business Development Officer, White Oak Business Capital, Inc, an affiliate of White Oak Global Advisors, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland. "She will be responsible for expanding the firm's markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States.”  Previously, she was Vice President, Triumph Business Capital (March, 2016 - February, 2019); Vice President, Sterling National Bank, Government Contractor Finance (2012 - March, 2016); Vice President, Wells Fargo Capital Finance (2007 - 2012); Vice President, K Bank (2002 - 2007); Business Development Manager - Marketing Liaison, Reservoir Capital/Cambridge Capital (1998 - 2002); Vice President, GE Capital (1978 - 1992); Commercial Client Rep, Exxon Mobil (1971 - 1976). Education: University of Maryland Baltimore County. https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-apicella-19487755/

Julie Dailey was promoted to Portfolio Services Manager, UniFi Equipment Finance, Inc., a subsidiary of Bank of Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Michigan.  She joined the firm October, 2016, as Executive Assistant/Vendor Service Representative. Previously, she was Team Travel Coordinator, Detroit Red Wings (September, 2008 - October, 2016); Collections Manger, General Funding Corporation (January 1997 - August, 2008).  Education: Oakland Community College. https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliedailey1/

Thomas Donnelly was hired as Sales Representative, TCF Equipment Finance, Minnetonka, Minnesota.  He is based in the Columbus, Ohio Area.  Previously, he was Owner, America's Finance Solution (October, 2015 - January, 2019); Senior Account Executive, Lease Corporation of America (June, 2016 - January, 2019); VP Sales, Varilease (December, 2007 - August, 2015); Operations Manager, Fair Lending Partners (2006 - 2007); Loan Officer, Midwest Funding Group (2002- 2005). Education: University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College. Bachelor's degree, Public Relations/Communications (1993 - 1998). Activities and Societies: Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity. https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-donnelly-63ab036b/

James Drake was hired as Vice President of Sales, Fitness and Franchise, Navitas Credit Corporation, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.  Previously, he was Vice President of National Business Development, Western Equipment Finance (July, 2014 - January, 2019); National Sales Manager, Geneva Capital, LLC (February, 2013 - June, 2014); Director of Sales, Reliable Capital Source, LLC (January, 2009 - January, 2013); Sr. Business Development Officer, Popular Equipment Finance (June, 2007 - November, 2008); Inside sales, US Express Leasing (November, 2004 - June, 2007).  Education: Quinnipiac University.  Master's Degree, Business Administration and Management, General (2000 - 2004). Activities and Societies: Rugby Team.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-drake-9913a426/

Margaret Seurynck, Finance Attorney, joins the law firm of McGuireWoods in their Chicago, Illinois office. She previously was Partner, Jones Day (September, 2001 - February, 2018); Senior Tax Consultant, Arthur Anderson (September, 1995 - August, 1998).  Education: Northwestern University, JD (1997 - 2001).  University of Notre Dame, BBA, Accounting (1991 - 1995).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-seurynck-90b4a77/

Rob Sureda was promoted to Director, Originations, Office Imaging & Technology, CIT, New York, New York.  He is located in Jacksonville, Florida Area.  He joined the firm January, 2002, as Vice President, Dealer Services; promoted August, 2014, Vice President, Originations.  Previously, he was National Accounts, Wells Fargo Financial (1997 - 2001). Education: Ramapo College of New Jersey. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-sureda-9839357/

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Sales Make it Happen --- by Steve Chriest

Don't Shoot The Sales Team!

If sales are slowing, if revenue is down, and God forbid, the company won't meet analysts' expectations. The stage is set for someone to face the firing squad. But who should be blamed when an organization misses revenue targets? The obvious answer by management: the sales leaders. The right answer: the whole company.

Revenue generation is not a simple function controlled by the sales team; revenue generation is a cross-functional, company-wide process that involves every department and every customer-facing employee in an organization. Let's look at a few ways that departments other than sales can impact revenue:

The CEO and Board of Directors craft the revenue generation strategy. Everyone else in the company is charged with executing that strategy.

The marketing department provides crucial demographic and psychographic customer information the sales department uses to formulate industry and account strategies. Marketing should also provide qualified leads for the sales team.

Other departments such as customer service, legal, finance and manufacturing facilitate or constrain the revenue-generation process, each in their own peculiar way.

The sales organization's influence in enterprise revenue generation is concentrated in the sales pipeline. Identifying bona fide sales opportunities, managing opportunities through the sales pipeline until they produce revenue, and managing customer relationships are the primary responsibilities of the sales team. Rarely, if ever, does the sales organization control the resources of other departments.

We have never observed a situation where the sales organization is in disarray while all other business segments are humming along. In those cases where the underperformance of an enterprise's revenue generation process lies within the sales organization, the appropriate sales executives, managers and sales professionals should be held accountable and face the consequences. But, before CEO's shoot their sales teams, they might want to take a critical look at how each business segment contributes to or detracts from revenue generation.

Steve Chriest is the CEO of Open Advance and author of “Selling to the E-Suite, The Proven System for Reaching and Selling Senior Executives and Business Acumen 101.” He recently re-named his company from Selling-Up. He produces video and radio blogs, as well as continuing as a columnist for Leasing News since 2005. He is getting close to announcing a major project he will be raising funds to bring to fruition.
www.openadvance.com/contact/
925-263-2702
www.openadvance.com/

Sales Makes It Happen Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Legacy/index.htm

 

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Solar Financing Firms
Working with Third Party Originators

Thomas Cadle, CLFP, LeaseSource Financial Services. Voice:  800-991-0099   Fax: 800 - 988 -3921
  email: tcadle@leasource.com

Michael Kountze, Regents Capital.,  Voice: 512-222-5539  Fax: 512-222-5539
 email: michaelk@regentscapital.com

John Meredith, CG Commercial Finance.   Voice:  949.720.9511    fax:  949.720.9611  
 email: john.meredith@cgcommercial.com

Jim Recker, Crestmark Equipment Finance.  Voice: 248.593.3919  Mobile: 248.705.5704   Toll Free: 888.800.3705
   email: jrecker@crestmark.com

Any additions or corrections, please contact: kitmenkin@leasingnews.org

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When the GSMA Mobile World Congress opens its gates in Barcelona next Monday, we’ll be getting a glimpse at some of the latest innovations in the world of mobile devices. Ahead of this year’s event, it seems like foldable phones are the latest talk of the town, with 5G also expected to be a major talking point in Barcelona next week.

While smartphone manufacturers tend to show off the latest technological advancements cloaked in marketing jargon when presenting a new smartphone model, a recent survey by Morning Consult has revealed that something much more mundane and practical is at the top of smartphone users' wish lists. According to the survey, longer battery life is the most important feature for American smartphone owners, ahead of usability, storage and durability.

Interestingly, many of the recent innovations in smartphone technology, e.g. AR/VR and facial recognition, are among the features Americans don't really care about. This, along with ever-rising prices, could explain the recent slowdown in worldwide smartphone sales, at least to a certain extent.

By Felix Richter
Statista

https://www.statista.com/chart/5995/the-most-wanted-smartphone-features/

Leasing News Advisor
Bruce Lurie

Bruce Lurie, President, Douglas-Guardian Services Corporation, Houston, Texas, an equipment inspection and collateral management firm established in 1932.

Douglas-Guardian Services Corporation
14800 St. Mary's Lane, Suite 200
Houston, Texas 77079
Telephone: 800-255-0552
Fax 800-529-7530
blurie@douglasguardian.com
www.douglasguardian.com

Bruce Lurie joined the Leasing News Advisory board September 12, 2007 and has been an active participant.

Since July 1995, Bruce Lurie has been president of Douglas-Guardian Services Corporation, an equipment inspection and collateral management firm established in 1932.

When not chasing down collateral to inspect throughout the US or Canada, Bruce enjoys spending time with his wife Martha, his 3 young grandchildren and his 18 year old daughter Danielle, who is currently deciding on college. Bruce is an avid jogger and former triathlon fanatic.

Prior to Douglas Guardian, his experience includes fifteen years with Brown and Root, Inc., a multi-billion dollar engineering and construction company. Primary areas of responsibility have included project development, project finance, sales, marketing, strategic planning and executive management. Extensive training in quality deployment and team building techniques. BS, Civil Engineering, BS Engineering Management, and MBA from Tulane University, New Orleans, LA.

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Special Oscar Edition
By Fernando Croce

As the big day approaches, the question remains: Who will take home Oscar gold 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 Actor: Christian Bale (“Vice”), Bradley Cooper (“A Star Is Born”), Willem Dafoe (“At Eternity’s Gate”), Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rhapsody”) and Viggo Mortensen (“Green Book)

The Academy has a long-standing fondness for rewarding portrayals of real-life figures, and this year there are no less three such performances. Rami Malek’s turn as Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury is probably the safest bet, followed by Christian Bale’s impression of former vice president Dick Cheney (which might still score a win, ala Gary Oldman’s Winston Churchill last year) and Willem Dafoe’s embodiment of anguished Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. Bradley Cooper’s cannily dramatic self-reinvention and Viggo Mortensen’s broad warmth would be surprising wins.

Overlooked: Ethan Hawke (“First Reformed”), Ben Foster (“Leave No Trace”), Rupert Everett (“The Happy Prince”), Nicolas Cage (“Mandy”)

Best Actress: Yalitza Aparicio (“Roma”), Glenn Close (“The Wife”), Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”), Lady Gaga (“A Star Is Born) and Melissa McCarthy (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”)

Having been previously nominated six times without a win, Glenn Close has emerged as this category’s favorite this year. (Though this type of win often amounts to a sentimental gesture, in Close’s case it would be well-deserved.) Her strongest competition comes from Lady Gaga’s all-stops-out emotionalism and Olivia Colman’s bravura sardonicism. Melissa McCarthy has the advantage of being a comic actress in a dramatic role, which the Academy has a history of awarding, while Yalitza Aparicio’s nomination is a refreshing nod to a gifted first-timer.

Overlooked: Regina Hall (“Support the Girls”), Kathryn Hahn (“Private Life”), Casey Mulligan (“Wildfire”), Toni Collette (“Hereditary”)

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali (“Green Book”), Adam Driver (“BlackKklansman”), Sam Elliott (“A Star Is Born”), Richard E. Grant (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”) and Sam Rockwell (“Vice”)

Previous winner Mahershala Ali is the front-runner, having deftly played straight-man to Viggo Mortensen while imbuing his character with traces of subtle melancholy. But equally richly deserved would be wins for two veterans who’ve finally been recognized this year: Sam Elliott and Richard E. Grant, who both gave their respective roles a spiky charge. Adam Driver is excellent but will probably have to wait for a later chance, while last year’s winner Sam Rockwell may have had too small a role this time around.

Overlooked: Bryan Tyree Henry (“If Beale Street Could Talk”), Steven Yeun (“Burning”), John C. Reilly (“The Sisters Brothers”), Daniel Kaluuya (“Widows”)

Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams (“Vice”), Marina de Tavira (“Roma”), Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk”), Emma Stone (“The Favourite”) and Rachel Weisz (“The Favourite”)

The best choice is easily Regina King, whose beautifully modulated and expressive turn follows years of solid, underrated work. Amy Adams delivers another one of her subtly venomous Lady Macbeths, while Marina de Tavira ably sketched a woman in flux on the edges of “Roma’s” elaborate camerawork. Though both equally expert, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz have the bad luck of being co-stars in the same movie, which has in the past lead the Academy to undercut chances by splitting the vote.

Overlooked: Thomasin McKenzie (“Leave No Trace”), Elizabeth Debicki (“Widows”),Tilda Swinton (“Suspiria”), Zoe Kazan (“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”)

Best Director: Spike Lee (“BlackKklansman”), Pawel Pawlikowski (“Cold War”), Yorgos Lanthimos (“The Favourite”), Alfonso Cuaron (“Roma”) and Adam McKay (“Vice”)

Alfonso Cuaron’s previous win (for “Gravity”) hinged on bravura technical accomplishment, and it looks like “Roma’s” opulent style is bound to snag him a second statuette. The award may also go to Spike Lee, however, who in three decades of provocative works has remarkably never even been nominated. It’s certainly refreshing to see foreign-language talent like Yorgos Lanthimos and Pawel Pawlikowski recognized in this category, though a nomination seems wasted on Adam McKay’s slapdash approach.

Overlooked: Barry Jenkins (“If Beale Street Could Talk”), Claire Denis (“Let the Sunshine In”), Ethan and Joel Coen (“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”), Paul Schrader (“First Reformed”)

Best Picture: “Black Panther,” “BlackKklansman,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The Favourite,” “Green Book,” “Roma,” “A Star Is Born” and “Vice”

In a field that encompasses road trips and musicals and action blockbusters, a forerunner usually boils down to a choice that pacifies the most viewers. The most predictable choices would be “Green Book” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a pair of slick crowd-pleasers with inoffensive appeal (we-can-get-along uplift in the former, rousing success story in the latter). “A Star Is Born” may sneak into a surprise win, and there’s also a good chance that “Roma” might make history by being a foreign-language victory. But most money seems to be on the safest choices.

Overlooked: “The Other Side of the Wind,” “First Reformed,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “Leave No Trace”

Labrador Retriever Mix
Norwalk, Connecticut  Adopt a Dog

Drizzle
Female
Eight Months Old
Medium Size
Spayed
Shots Up to Date
Good with Dogs
Needs Experienced Adopter

Drizzle is an 8 month old lab mix who is ready to wiggle her way into your heart. She is sweet, endearing and will put a smile on your face! Drizzle was sheltered before coming to PAWS and can be a quite tentative at first. She is interested in learning about the world around her and is making new friends. When she is comfortable with you, she loves being close and snuggling. She really enjoys play time with other dogs and would benefit from a social and confident canine companion. Drizzle would do well with a patient and experienced family willing to provide her with opportunities to learn and grow."

PAWS
(Pet Animal Welfare Society)
Contact: Lisa Barnett
203-750-9572 ext. 109
dogs@pawsct.org
504 Main Avenue
Norwalk, Connecticut 06851
http://www.pawsct.org

Application:
https://www.pawsct.org/adoption-application

Their Adoption Process
1. Submit Application
www.pawsct.org
2. Approve Application
We'll be in touch with any questions or to let you know when we've approved your app
3. Visit the Facility and Find a Pet
Stop by 12-4pm Tuesday thru Sunday, no appointment needed
Other times may be available by appointment, please call or email to request a time.

Adult Dogs - 6 months and up $300
The canine adoption donation includes age-appropriate vaccines such as Rabies and Distemper, Spay or Neuter, testing for heartworm, and a Microchip.

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

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Investors Conference of Equipment Finance
March 20, 2019  New York City

The Union League Club

IMN, along with the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), will host the Annual Investors' Conference on Equipment Finance on March 20, 2019 in New York City. This one day event focuses on educating investors and equipment finance companies about the latest industry trends and developments.

As the global leader in structured finance conferences with contacts in the fixed income investor and issuer community, we are able to attract a unique audience representing institutional and private investors, alongside key decision makers at the highest level at leasing finance companies.

Registration
https://www.imn.org/structured-finance/conference/Investors-Conference-on-Equipment-Finance-2019/Agenda.html

2019 Agenda
https://www.imn.org/structured-finance/conference/Investors-Conference-on-Equipment-Finance-2019/Agenda.html

2019 Venue
https://www.imn.org/structured-finance/conference/Investors-Conference-on-Equipment-Finance-2019/Venue.html

Who Should Attend:
CEO/CFO/Finance Directors of Equipment Finance Companies
Investors and Providers of Private Capital (Private Equity and Hedge Funds)
Rating Agencies
Investment Bankers
Credit Enhancers
Financial Advisors
Lawyers
Trustees
Technology Service Providers

Covering this One Day Event will be Leasing News Advisor Bruce Kropschot, The Alta Group, who has written about this conference for several years for Leasing News readers.

News Briefs----

HSBC Reports Staggering Net Profit of $12.6B in 2018
 Profit is Mainly from Asia
https://nypost.com/2019/02/19/hsbc-reports-staggering-net-profit-of-12-6b-in-2018/

Fed Minutes Show Officials Unsure on Need
    for Rate Hikes in 2019
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-20/fed-minutes-show-officials-unsure-on-need-for-rate-hikes-in-2019?srnd=premium

North Dakota city 'poised for billion-dollar boom'
"Grand Forks has momentum"
https://www.constructiondive.com/news/north-dakota-city-poised-for-billion-dollar-boom/548573/ 

Walmart hit its digital sales goal for fiscal 2019
 grew 43% year-over-year (YoY), marking 4 straight quarters 
https://www.businessinsider.com/walmarts-fiscal-q4-strong-ecommerce-growth-2019-2

Samsung’s new foldable phone costs $1,980
   price tag drew audible gasps and laughs from audience
https://nypost.com/2019/02/20/samsungs-new-foldable-phone-costs-1980/

Alibaba Boosts Stake in Chinese Bank to 4.8%
   total investment of HK$1.81 billion ($230.61 million)
http://www.cfo.com/finance-technology/2019/02/alibaba-boosts-stake-in-chinese-bank-to-4-8/

Millennials Now Taking On More Mortgages
  Than Any Other Generation
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/millennials-now-taking-on-more-mortgages-than-any-other-generation-300798610.html

UBS fined €3.7bn in tax fraud case
helped French clients hide billions  from French tax authorities
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47305227

 

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You May Have Missed---

Anatomy of Merchant Processing Account Fees
   By Robert Day - Credit Today
https://www.credittoday.net/public/Anatomy-of-Merchant-Processing-Account-Fees.cfm 

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Winter Poem

Flight

Mama said wisely, “A boy gets to be a man when a man is needed. Remember this thing. I have known boys forty years old because there was no need for a man.”
“When did Pepe come to be a man?” Emilo asked.
“Last night, “said Rosy. “Last night in Monterey.” The ocean clouds turned red with the sun that behind the mountain.
Rosy looked around at him. She drew her knowledge from the quiet air. “He has gone on a journey. He will never come back.”
“is he dead? Do you think he is dead?”
Rosey looked back at the ocean again. a little steamer, drawing a line of smoke sat on the edge of the horizon. “He is not dead,” Rosy explained. “Not yet.”
Pepe rested the big rifle across the saddle in front of him. He let the horse walk up the hill and he didn't look back. The stony slope took on a coast of short bushes so that Pepe found the entrance to a trial and entered it…
It was a long struggle to get to his feet. he crawled slowly and mechanically to the top of a big rock on the ridge peak. Once there, he arose slowly, swaying to his feed, and stood erect. Far below he could see the dark brush where he had slept. he braced his feet and stood there, black against the morning sky.
There came a ripping sound at his feet. A piece of stone flew up and a bullet droned off into the next gorge. The hollow crash echoed up from below. Pepe looked down for a moment and then pulled himself straight again.
His body jarred back. His left hand fluttered helplessly toward his breast. The second crash sounded from below. Pepe swung forward and toppled form the rock. his body struck and rolled over and over, starting a little avalanche. And when at least he stopped against a bush, the avalanche slid slowly down and covered up his head.
John Steinbeck

 

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Sports Briefs---

LeBron James Says Playoff Intensity 'Activated'
  for Rest of Lakers Season
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2821693-lebron-james-says-playoff-intensity-activated-for-rest-of-lakers-season

Nike launches 'Icon' Colin Kaepernick jersey
    days after collusion case settles
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/02/20/
nike-colin-kaepernick-icon-jersey/2928175002/

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California Nuts Briefs---

Funding for West Coast SEALs and submarines
   at risk under Trump border plan, Democrats say
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article226507285.html

How trains under the bay - not high-speed rail
  - may connect Sacramento and San Francisco
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/transportation/article226474345.html

Oakland teachers’ strike: What parents need to know
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/02/20/oakland-teachers-strike-what-parents-need-to-know/

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

A Chance to Buy Direct from the Cellar of Chateau Laffite Rothschild
https://www.barrons.com/articles/a-chance-to-buy-direct-from-the-cellar-of-chateau-lafite-rothschild-01550692156

Domestic Wine Sales Increase 3% in January
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataId=209957

Excess California coastal wine, grapes open new-brand
  opportunities, heighten marketing expense
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/industrynews/wineindustry/9285690-181/wine-grapes-banking-finance

An entire California wine appellation is on the market for $3.3 million
https://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/Cole-Ranch-for-sale-smallest-appellation-Ukiah-13628444.php

Fellows Named for the 2019 Symposium for Professional Wine Writers
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataId=209943

Francis Ford Coppola Winery Announces Exclusive Oscars
   Wines with Animated Label
https://www.winebusiness.com/newreleases/?go=getArticle&dataId=209966

Free Wine App
https://www.nataliemaclean.com/mobileapp/

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

This Day in History

     1810 - The famous "cold day" in New England. Gale force winds wrecked homes, and accompanied a sudden overnight drop in temperature of 50 degrees. Tragedy struck Sanbornton, NH where three children froze to death.
    1821 - Charles Scribner (d. 1871) was born in NYC.  With Isaac Baker, founded a publishing company that would eventually become Charles Scribner’s Sons, known for publishing American authors including Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Vonnegut, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Stephen King, Robert Heinlein, Thomas Wolfe, George Santayana, John Chellon Holmes, Don DeLillo, and Edith Wharton.  Through a series of mergers, it is now the Scribner Publishing Group, part of Simon and Schuster.
    1828 – The first American Indian newspaper in U.S., "Cherokee Phoenix," was published in New Echota, Cherokee Nation (now Georgia), and edited by Elias Boudinot. It was printed in English and Cherokee, using the Cherokee syllabary created by Sequoyah.  Still publishing today.
http://www.cherokeephoenix.org
    1831 - The first trial of the first locomotive to burn coal was the York, invented by Phineas Davis, a watchmaker, and built at York, PA. Ironically, the only accident in which the train was involved occurred on September 27, 1835, as the result of a defective track. The accident killed Phineas Davis, who was riding on the locomotive.
    1842 - John Greenough was granted the first U.S. patent for the sewing machine. 
    1862 - Battle of Valverde Ford, was fought near the town of Valverde at a ford of  Valverde Creek in Confederate Arizona, in what is currently New Mexico. It was a major Confederate success in the Civil War.  The belligerents were Confederate cavalry from Texas and several companies of Arizona militia versus U.S. Army regulars and Union volunteers from northern New Mexico (Kit Carson commanded the First Regiment of New Mexico volunteers) and the Colorado Territory.
    1866 – Lucy Hobbs Taylor became the first woman dentist, having achieved her doctorate in dentistry from the Ohio College of Dentistry.
    1874 - The Oakland Daily Tribune published its first edition by George Staniford and Benet A. Dewes.  On August 28, 1891, the name Oakland Tribune, its name today, was officially adopted.
    1878 - Thomas Alva Edison of Menlo Park, NJ, secured a patent on a ‘phonograph or speaking machine.’ His original idea had been to invent a telegraph repeater and he had given construction directions to one of his mechanics, John Kreuis, on August 12, 1877. The first cylinder, operated by a hand crank, was wrapped in tin foil, with which two needles fastened to diaphragms made contact. The first voice recorded on the new instrument was “Mary had a little lamb.” A clock spring motor and wax like record were invented some ten years later called the Gramophone, manufactured by Bell and Tainter, Washington, DC. The first phonograph record on the modern disk type was invented by Emile Berlinger of Washington, DC, easier to duplicate for mass market than the Edison Recording Cylinder and called Berlinger’s “Gramophone” record.
    1878 - The first telephone directory was issued in New Haven, CT.
    1884 - Severe thunderstorms spawned sixty tornadoes in the southeastern U.S., killing more than 420 persons and causing three million dollars damage. Georgia and the Carolinas hardest were hit in the tornado outbreak.
    1885 - The newly-completed Washington Monument was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, DC. to commemorate George Washington as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and the first President of the US.  The monument, made of marble, granite and bluestone gneiss is both the world's tallest stone structure (excluding brick) and the world's tallest obelisk, standing 554 feet 7 11⁄32 inches.
    1887 – Oregon became the first state to celebrate Labor Day as a holiday.  In 1894, the proclamation making Labor Day a federal holiday was signed by President Grover Cleveland who didn’t want the US celebration to be connected to the Communist supported May Day Labor Celebration, so the Labor Day holiday was set for the first Monday in September.    
    1893 - Andres Segovia (d. 1987), the Spanish musician who established the guitar as an important concert instrument, was born in Linares, Spain.  A catalytic figure in granting respectability to the guitar as a serious concert instrument capable of evocativeness and depth of interpretation. Federico Moreno Torroba said: "The musical interpreter who fascinates me the most is Andrés Segovia."  He can be credited to have dignified the classical guitar as a legitimate concert instrument before the discerning music public, which had hitherto viewed the guitar merely as a limited, if sonorous, parlor instrument.
    1895 - The Legislature of North Carolina adjourned for day to mark death of Frederick Douglass.
    1903 – Tom Yawkey (d. 1976) was born Thomas Austin in Detroit.  Yawkey owned the Boston Red Sox for 44 years (1933-76) and was criticized for being the last Major League team owner to sign an African-American player, Pumpsie Green in 1959, and passing on Willie Mays in the early 1950s.  Yawkey was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980. 
    1903 – President Theodore Roosevelt attended the laying of the cornerstone of Roosevelt Hall at the newly-established US Army War College in Washington, D.C. Established from the principles learned in the Spanish-American War, the College was founded by Secretary of War Elihu Root and Roosevelt and was formally established by General Order 155 on 27 November, 1901. The Washington Barracks, now called Fort McNair, was chosen as the site.  In 1951, it was moved to its present site in Carlisle, PA.
    1910 - At a New York dinner party, host Diamond Jim Brady ate five helpings of roast beef, gallons of stewed fruit, 84 oysters and three gallons of orange juice. 
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        1918 - The last known Carolina Parakeet specimen died at the Cincinnati Zoo. It was not until 1939, however, that it was determined that the Carolina Parakeet had become extinct.  The bird's colorful feathers (green body, yellow head, and red around the bill) were in demand as decorations in ladies' hats. The birds were also kept as pets and could be bred easily in captivity. However, little was done by owners to increase the population of tamed birds.
    1918 - In Russia, a decree abolishing all private ownership of land, water and natural resources was issued by the Soviet Central Executive Committee. Many American companies lost all their investment and cash in the Soviet.
    1919 - First Pan-African Congress organized in Paris by W.E.B. DuBois.
    1922 - Ed Wynn became the first big-name, vaudeville talent to sign as a radio talent. Until then, top talent did not consider radio respectable.
    1925 – “The New Yorker” published its first issue.
    1925 – Sam Peckinpah (d. 1984) was born in Fresno, CA.  Peckinpah established himself during the late 1950s as a scriptwriter of western series, including “Gunsmoke,” “Have Gun, Will Travel,” “The Rifleman,” “Broken Arrow” and “Zane Grey Theater.” He achieved prominence following the release of the epic, “The Wild Bunch” (1969). He was known for the visually innovative and explicit depiction of action and violence as well as his revisionist approach to the Western genre. Some of his films, including “Major Dundee” (1965), “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid” (1973), and “Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia” (1977), remain controversial.
    1927 – Erma Bombeck (d. 1996) was born in Bellbrook, OH.  An American humorist, she achieved great popularity for her newspaper column that described suburban home life from the mid-1960s until the late 1990s.   Bombeck also published 15 books, most of which became best sellers. From 1965 to 1996, Erma Bombeck wrote over 4,000 newspaper columns, using broad and sometimes eloquent humor, chronicling the ordinary life of a midwestern suburban housewife. By the 1970s, her columns were read twice-weekly by 30 million readers of the 900 newspapers in the U.S. and Canada.  
    1931 - The Chicago White Sox and the New York Giants became the first Major League teams to meet in a night game, played at Buffs Stadium, Houston.
    1931 - Alka-Seltzer was launched.  An effervescent antacid and pain reliever, it was first marketed by the Dr. Miles Medicine Company, Elkhart, IN.
    1933 - Giant Forest, CA received 60 inches of snow in just 24 hours, a state record, and the second highest 24 hour total of record for the U.S. 
    1934 - The University of Southern California (USC) and Notre Dame were both given as examples of commercialism in intercollegiate sports when each of them signed a three-year football contract, while other schools were "feeling the depression."    1942 - General Dwight D. Eisenhower is appointed chief of the War Plans Division of the US Army General Staff.
    1943 – David Geffen was born in Brooklyn.   He is a business magnate, producer, film studio executive, and philanthropist. Geffen created or co-created Asylum Records in 1970, Geffen Records in 1980, DGC Records in 1990, and DreamWorks SKG in 1994. As philanthropist he has donated to the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and other educational and research institutes. In 1980, he founded Geffen Records whose meteoric rise to prominence within the year proved a bittersweet success. Geffen's first artist to sign on was Donna Summer.  The November 1980 release of John Lennon’s album “Double Fantasy” seems an impressive feat for a new label, but at the time Lennon stated that Geffen was the only one with enough confidence in him to agree to a deal without hearing the record first. In December 1980, Lennon was murdered and “Double Fantasy” became a massive seller.
    1945 - Woody Herman’s First Herd waxes “Apple Honey,” ”Laura,” New York City.
    1946 - Top Hits
“Symphony” - The Freddy Martin Orchestra (vocal: Clyde Rogers)
“I Can’t Begin to Tell You” - Bing Crosby with the Carmen Cavallaro Orchestra
“Aren’t You Glad You’re You” - Bing Crosby
“Guitar Polka” - Al Dexter   
 1947 - In New York City, Edwin Land demonstrated the first "instant camera", the Polaroid Land camera.
    1948 – NASCAR was incorporated by Bill France, Sr.  It sanctions and governs multiple auto-racing sports events.  NASCAR sanctions over 1,500 races at over 100 tracks in 39 of the 50 US states as well as in Canada. NASCAR has also presented exhibition races in Japan, Mexico and Australia. 
    1949 - Bollingen Prize to Ezra Pound: The first Bollingen Prize for poetry was awarded to Ezra Pound for his collection The Pisano Cantos. The first awarded was steeped in controversy because Pound had been charged with treason after making pro-Fascist broadcasts in Italy during World War II. Mr. Pound was presented with the prize for his poetry collection, "The Pisano Cantos". The Bollingen Prize was presented annually through 1963 when Robert Frost was the recipient, after which it became a biennial award. The $5,000 award was upped to $10,000 in 1989 when Edgar Bowers was the prize winner, and to $25,000 in 1995. The $25,000 award went to poet, Kenneth Koch.
    1949 – One of television’s first soap operas, “A Woman to Remember,” first aired on the DuMont Network.  The show was made on a budget of just $1,750 per week.  The show was moved from a daytime to an early evening time slot to try and gain more viewers during its final two months on air. When the move failed it was canceled in July, 1949.
    1951 - The South Carolina House of Representatives introduced a resolution urging that Shoeless Joe Jackson, who was banished from baseball because of his part in the Black Sox Scandal, be reinstated. Didn’t happen.
    1954 - Top Hits
“Oh! My Pa-Pa” - Eddie Fisher
“Secret Love” - Doris Day
“Till Then| - The Hilltoppers
“Wake Up, Irene” - Hank Thompson
    1955 - Dot Records launched "Two Hearts, Two Kisses, (Make) One Love,” the first single by Pat Boone.
    1956 - Elvis Presley performs three shows at Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa, FL, billed as "Country Music's Mr. Rhythm."
    1957 – Brooklyn Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley traded minor league franchises with Phil Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs. Brooklyn gave up its Ft. Worth club in return for the Los Angeles Angels. In a year's time, Brooklyn will be without a team and Los Angeles will be the new home of the Dodgers.
    1958 - The first Flying V guitar, by Gibson, was shipped from a factory in Kalamazoo, MI.
    1963 - Russia told President John F. Kennedy that it would withdraw several thousand troops from Cuba by March 15.
    1965 - Rod Stewart and his group The Soul Agents played their first major gig at a club in the London Borough of Harrow. 
    1965 – Malcolm X was assassinated in NYC.  An African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist, to his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of blacks, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans.  Detractors accused him of preaching racism and violence. By March, 1964, Malcolm X had grown disillusioned with the Nation of Islam and its leader Elijah Muhammad, embracing Sunni Islam. After a period of travel in Africa and the Middle East, he repudiated the Nation of Islam, disavowed racism and founded Muslim Mosque, Inc. and the Organization of African Unity, continuing to emphasize Pan-Africanism, black self-determination, and black self-defense.  His assassination was at the hands of three members of the Nation of Islam.  Malcolm X has been called one of the greatest and most influential African-Americans in history. 
    1966 - The first concert presented by Chet Helms at the San Francisco Fillmore with Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother and the Holding Company.
    1966 - Lou Christie enjoys his only US number one record with "Lightnin' Strikes," a song that his record company, MGM, hated so much, they initially refused to release.
    1966 - Penn State University named Joe Paterno its head football coach. Coaching through the 2011 season, Paterno’s teams had complied a record of 409–136–3 plus 24–12–1 in bowl games.  The Nittany Lions won 2 national championships with Paterno at the helm.  Paterno is the most victorious coach in NCAA FBS history. His career ended with his dismissal from the team in November, 2011 as a result of the child sex scandal involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.  Paterno died of cancer at age 85 two months after his dismissal.
    1966 - Robert F. Kennedy suggested the U.S. offer the Vietcong a role in governing South Vietnam.
    1968 - ZABITOSKY, FRED WILLIAM, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class (then S/Sgt.), U.S. Army, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 19 February 1968. Entered service at: Trenton, N.J. Born: 27 October 1942, Trenton, N.J. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sfc. Zabitosky, U.S. Army, distinguished himself while serving as an assistant team leader of a 9-man Special Forces long-range reconnaissance patrol. Sfc. Zabitosky's patrol was operating deep within enemy-controlled territory when they were attacked by a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army unit. Sfc. Zabitosky rallied his team members, deployed them into defensive positions, and, exposing himself to concentrated enemy automatic weapons fire, directed their return fire. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Sfc. Zabitosky ordered his patrol to move to a landing zone for helicopter extraction while he covered their withdrawal with rifle fire and grenades. Rejoining the patrol under increasing enemy pressure, he positioned each man in a tight perimeter defense and continually moved from man to man, encouraging them and controlling their defensive fire. Mainly due to his example, the outnumbered patrol maintained its precarious position until the arrival of tactical air support and a helicopter extraction team. As the rescue helicopters arrived, the determined North Vietnamese pressed their attack. Sfc. Zabitosky repeatedly exposed himself to their fire to adjust suppressive helicopter gunship fire around the landing zone. After boarding 1 of the rescue helicopters, he positioned himself in the door delivering fire on the enemy as the ship took off. The helicopter was engulfed in a hail of bullets and Sfc. Zabitosky was thrown from the craft as it spun out of control and crashed. Recovering consciousness, he ignored his extremely painful injuries and moved to the flaming wreckage. Heedless of the danger of exploding ordnance and fuel, he pulled the severely wounded pilot from the searing blaze and made repeated attempts to rescue his patrol members but was driven back by the intense heat. Despite his serious burns and crushed ribs, he carried and dragged the unconscious pilot through a curtain of enemy fire to within 10 feet of a hovering rescue helicopter before collapsing. Sfc. Zabitosky's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
    1968 – MLB owners and the Players Association signed the first Basic Agreement in the game's history. The agreement will serve as a working contract between players and owners, dictating the working relationship between the two sides along with financial rules and parameters.
    1969 – Hall of Famer Ted Williams signed a five-year contract to manage the Washington Senators. Williams led the Senators to their best record ever, a mark of 86-76 and was named AL Manager of the Year. 
    1970 – The Jackson Five, from Gary, IN, made their debut, on “American Bandstand.”
    1970 - Top Hits
“Thank You” (“Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin”)/”Everybody is a Star” - Sly &  
           The Family Stone
“Hey There Lonely Girl” - Eddie Holman
“No Time” - The Guess Who
“It’s Just a Matter of Time” - Sonny James
    1972 - "A Horse With No Name" by America entered the US charts on its way to number one. The group, formed by three sons of American servicemen stationed in Britain, were discovered by Jeff Dexter, a deejay for a British underground radio station.
    1972 - Sammy Davis Jr. makes his notorious guest appearance on CBS' “All In The Family,” giving the show's main character, white bigot Archie Bunker, a big kiss.
    1972 - Nilsson's "Without You" hits #1
    1972 - President Richard M. Nixon began his historic visit to China.  The week-long visit allowed the American public to view images of China for the first time in over two decades. Throughout the week the President and his senior advisers engaged in substantive discussions with the PRC leadership, including a meeting with Chairman Mao, while First Lady Pat Nixon toured schools, factories and hospitals in the cities of Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai.
    1974 - Dick Clark staged his first American Music Awards. The awards, determined by the votes of music fans, were a response to the industry-dominated Grammy Awards. Smokey Robinson, Helen Reddy and Roger Miller are among the hosts at the very first American Music Awards. Created by TV veteran Dick Clark, awards are presented based on record sales, airplay and votes. Among this years' winners are The Carpenters for Favorite Band, Jim Croce, Favorite Male Artist, and Tony Orlando and Dawn, Favorite Single for "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Ole Oak Tree." 
    1974 – Mets P Tom Seaver became the highest-paid player in Major League history signing a one-year contract worth $172,500. In 1973, Seaver won 19 games while leading the NL in ERA.
    1975 - Former US Attorney General John Mitchell and former Nixon White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John Erlichman were sentenced to prison for their roles in the Watergate scandal that forced Nixon’s resignation.
    1976 - Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby" is certified gold
    1977 - Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" was released. The album would become one of the all-time biggest sellers - over 17-million copies in the US alone. It also won 1978's Best Album Grammy. "Rumours" contained four of the band's Top- 10 hits - "Go Your Own Way," "Dreams," "Don't Stop" and "You Make Loving Fun."
    1977 - Stevie Wonder won his third straight Album of the Year Grammy for "Songs in the Key of Life."
    1977 - Manfred Mann's Earth Band's "Blinded By The Light" hits #1
    1977 - Right wing Rod Gilbert of the New York Rangers scored the 1,000th point of his NHL career, a goal in the Rangers’ 5-2 loss of the New York Islanders. Gilbert entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982.
    1977 - Snowflakes were observed at Homestead and Miami Beach in extreme southern Florida. 
    1978 - Top Hits
“Stayin’ Alive” - Bee Gees
“(Love Is) Thicker Than Water” - Andy Gibb
“Just the Way You Are” - Billy Joel
“Don’t Break the Heart that Loves You” - Margo Smith    
1984 – At the XIV Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, skiers Phil and Steve Mahre of the US became the first brothers to finish first and second on the same Olympic event. Phil won the gold medal in the slalom, and Steve won the silver. When the Games ended, the Soviet Union led all countries with 25 medals, the United States captured nine medals to tie for fifth place. Within the shadow of what was the Olympic Stadium, hundreds, maybe thousands, of Bosnians are now buried; the result of the civil war that began in the early 1990s
    1984 - Cale Yarborough became only the second driver to win consecutive Daytona 500 races by sweeping into the lead just two times from the finish and taking the checkered flag. Yarborough joined Richard Petty in this select circle.
    1985 - Cherry Coke was introduced by the Coca-Cola Company, not at company headquarters in Atlanta, but in New York City, instead. Many who grew up in the 1950s rushed to buy the canned and/or bottled taste of nostalgia, hoping it would taste the same as they remembered. It was common to have a “Cherry Coke” or “lemon coke” and even a ”chocolate Coke.” Unfortunately, the taste was not what many of us remembered at the ice cream fountain or corner drug store (I guess I am that old as I remember going to Mamaroneck Junior High and stopping on the way home at the Larchmont corner drug store for a tall soda.
    1985 – New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner gave manager Yogi Berra the dreaded vote of confidence. Steinbrenner said that Berra will remain Yankee skipper for the entire season, regardless of how badly the team might struggle. Berra lasted only 16 games before being fired, not be Steinbrenner but by Clyde Wright.  This led to a complete disassociation by Berra of all things Yankees as long as Steinbrenner owned the team, until 1999, when a reunion was orchestrated by Suzyn Waldman, one of the team’s announcers.  Oddly enough, until Joe Torre, Berra had one of the highest winning percentages of all of Steinbrenner’s Yankee managers.
    1986 - Top Hits
“How Will I Know” - Whitney Houston
“When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going” - Billy Ocean
“Kyrie” - Mr. Mister
“Makin’ Up for Lost Time” (“The Dallas Lovers’ Song”) - Crystal Gayle & Gary
     Morris
    1986 - Rap artist Kurtis Blow and rock musician Steven Van Zandt visited a Chicago high school to speak against apartheid. Van Zandt was the driving force behind Artists United Against Apartheid, a benefit group of 49 artists who recorded the 1985 hit "Sun City." Proceeds from the record were to benefit political prisoners in South Africa.
    1987 - Willie Nelson's movie "Red-Headed Stranger," opened in Austin, Texas at a benefit for public television. The film, based on Nelson's 1975 concept album of the same name, also starred Katherine Ross and Morgan Fairchild.
    1987 - A controversial anti-smoking ad aired for the first time on television. It featured actor Yul Brynner in a public service announcement that was recorded shortly before his death from lung cancer. 
    1988 - Roy Acuff, the King of Country Music, celebrated his 50th anniversary on the Grand Ole Opry. Also marking his 50th year on the show was Acuff's guitar and banjo player, Pete Kirby, known as Bashful Brother Oswald. Honoring Acuff were such stars as Del Reeves, Porter Wagoner and Connie Smith. Acuff came out of the East Tennessee Hills in the 1930's to become the Opry's first singing star.
    1988 - Showers and thunderstorms in the southeastern U.S. drenched Valdosta, GA with more than five inches of rain, and the 24-hour rainfall total of 7.10 inches at Apalachicola, FL more than doubled their previous 24-hour record for February.
    1988 - Former Wham! front man George Michael played his debut solo concert at the Budokan in Tokyo. It was the first of six sold out Japanese dates on Michael's "Faith" world tour. The tour would wind up eight months later in Pensacola, Florida.
    1989 – Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose met with MLB Commissioner Peter Ueberroth and Commissioner-elect Bart Giamatti to discuss his gambling habits.  As the Dowd investigation continued to locate evidence that Rose bet on baseball games, the issue would not subside.  Determined to maintain the integrity of the game, on August 24, 1989, Giamatti (who took office on April 1, 1989) prevailed upon Rose to agree voluntarily to remain permanently ineligible to play or manage baseball.  This led to the Baseball Hall of Fame declaring him permanently ineligible for consideration there.  After years of public denial, Rose admitted in 2004 that he bet on baseball and on the Reds.  The issue of Rose's possible reinstatement and election to the Hall of Fame remains contentious throughout baseball.  On June 22, 2015, ESPN concluded its own investigation of Rose and determined that he had bet on baseball while still a player-manager from 1984 to 1986. The results of the investigation were made public and revealed the records of bets that Rose had made on baseball. U.S. federal authorities had seized the records from one of Rose's associates.
    1993 - Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" became the longest-running number-one pop single of the rock era, topping the Billboard chart for the 14th week. It broke the record set the previous October by Boyz II Men's "End of the Road." Before that, the record was held by Elvis Presley's double-sided hit "Don't Be Cruel" and "Hound Dog," which was number one for 11 weeks in 1956.
    1993 - Elton John had to cut short his encores at a show in Melbourne, Australia, after a swarm of crickets virtually took over the outdoor stage. John's publicist said the entertainer gave up when the bugs made the stage dangerously slippery.
    1994 - Michael Jackson drew a nearly five-minute standing ovation at the Jackson Family Honors show at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. The singer, facing child abuse allegations at the time, presented a lifetime achievement award to Motown Records founder Berry Gordy. The audience later booed when they found out Michael wouldn't be performing solo at the event, which was telecast the following week. The following month, the producers of the concert sued the Jackson family, accusing them of fraud and claiming to have lost more than $1 million. $4.5 million was raised at what was billed as a charity event, but the Jackson’s later acknowledged that only $100,000 would in fact go to charity.
    1994 - Olympian Bonnie Blair of Champaign, IL, became the first speed skater to win a gold medal in the same event in three consecutive Olympic Games when she won the 500 meters in Lillehammer, Norway. On Feb 23, she added a victory in the 1,000 meters to give her a total of five gold medals, more than any other American female athlete. The Soviet Union led all countries with 25 medals, the United States captured nine medals to tie for fifth place. Within the shadow of what was the Olympic Stadium, hundreds, maybe thousands, of Bosnians are now buried, the result of the civil war that began in the early 1990s.
    1995 - "Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson married Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee in Cancun, Mexico. The bride was reported to have worn "a very tiny - an extremely tiny - white bikini." The bridegroom wore white Bermuda shorts without shoes or shirt.
    2011 - Strong winds reaching as high as 40 mph with gusts to 53 mph topple the 48-year-old National Christmas tree. The 42-foot-tall Colorado blue spruce sat just south of the White House on the Ellipse. It was transplanted there from York, Pennsylvania in 1978.
    2011 - A professor from New York University has an experimental life-blogging camera removed from his head after his immune system rejected the implant.
    2011 - 36-year-old Justine Siegel made history at the Cleveland Indians spring training complex in Goodyear, AZ. The former assistant coach at Springfield College and first base coach with the Brockton Rox is believed to be the first woman to throw batting practice to Major League hitters.
    2014 - President Obama meets with the Dalai Lama for the third time despite protests from China and warnings that the meeting could threaten diplomatic relations.