|
Motivated Sales Person
Burbank, California
Long established lessor, "app. only" to
$100K, commercial & structured
transactions up to $10 million.
Call Jim McFeeters
818-843-8686 X25
|
|
Friday, February 3, 2006
Headlines---
Welcome to Leasing News and Mea Culpa
Classified Sales----Asset Management
Bad Moon on the Rise--Steve Chriest
RW Professional Trial Day "Ten"
New UAEL Officers/Directors
Accord Capital joins “Broker/Lessor” list
Standard Prof. Services joins “Funder List”
Classified Ads---Help Wanted
Letters---We get eMail
Cartoon---
Attorneys Specialize in Equipment Leasing
Graphic Savings Med.Equip. Initiative
McCracken Financial now EnableUs
Labe Launches TriplePoint Capital
Willis Lease Finance Stock Offering
Greater Bay Bancorp Net Income Up
iBank.com Joins Internet Fray
News Briefs---
You May have Missed---
Sports Briefs--
California Nuts Briefs-
"Gimme that Wine"
Restaurant Review--da Foz, Portugal
Calendar Events This Day
Today's Top Event in History
This Day in American History
American Football Poem-Jack Kerouac
######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release”
Welcome to Leasing News and Mea Culpa
While I would like to welcome each reader personally, the task of managing the mailing list is now done automatically. I am informed who has joined, and who has left. Some directly e-mail to me to let me know why they are leaving. They don't like one story, so it is "good bye!" Others are leaving the leasing industry entirely and no longer need to be "in touch," they say. Sometimes it is like losing an old friend.
The fact is most read Leasing News go to the web site first and do not subscribe to the e-mail edition. They are not informed that the edition has been posted, nor do they receive an "extra" during the day. We post most of them, so perhaps they are not missing it.
I am surprised how many people read the edition at night, not in the morning, as we issue usually around 5am, EST.
We strive to be controversial. Leasing News likes to print what others will not.
We try to be thought provoking, tell the truth, be accurate and give all sides to a story. We are also the first to forgive, to make a compromise, and yes, you will hear me admit when we “step over the line” or make a mistake. I have made it a point to admit errors, and most often, you will find them at the beginning of the edition, not hidden near the bottom. My dog Sammie was the only person who thought I was perfect.
Kit Menkin, editor
[headlines]
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Classified Sales----Asset Management
Austin, TX.
20+ years exper. lease/finance. P & L responsibility, strong credit & collection management, re-marketing& accounting. Computers, construction, auto & transportation. Both commercial/ consumer portfolios.
Email: kmalone@austin.rr.com
Township, MI.
15+ yrs experience asset management and credit analyst.
Leadership and training skills. Audited returns, max residual, lease end and resale negotiator. E-mail: cmcozzolino@msn.com
Boston, MA
10yrs exp structuring/modeling sophisticated lease/ loan products. Expert programmer: customized portfolio mgmt, securitization, economic capital & pricing applications. Available for contract work.
E-mail: lease_structuring@yahoo.com
Chicago, IL.
MBA, 15+ years exp. Long history of success in maximizing residual position through outstanding negotiation skills & lease contract management. Third party re-marketing, forecasting etc...
email: jgambla@aol.com
Chicago, IL
2+ Years Exp. Asset Remarketing Transportation/ Medical/Cosmetic Equipment; Superior End Of Lease Negotiation Skills; Comprehensive Buyer Contacts; Available Immediately For Assignment
Email: Lonnie0168@comcast.net
Princeton, NJ.
Asset management/credit/collection
20+ years experience in equipment financing. Last five years in Asset Management including remarketing, end of lease negotiations, equipment and market evaluations
E-mail: bgaffrey@earthlink.net
Sausalito, Ca
Sr. Corp. officer, presently serving as consultant, fin. service background, M&A, fund raising, great workout expertise, references
Email: nywb@aol.com
Sonoma, CA
20+ years managing/ maximizing residual values, exp. computers/ hi-tech mfg. Excellent negotiation skills. Outstanding 3rd party contacts/buyers. Created deal winning Structures-established residual values.
Email: dfeltman@yahoo.com
Wilton, CT.
18 years exp. in IT and High Tech leasing industry. Residual forecasting, workouts, off-lease sales, mid-term restructures, auctions, all aspects of remarketing and equipment management.
Email: charrer@hotmail.com
For a full listing of all “job wanted” ads, please go to:
http://64.125.68.91/AL/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm
To place a free “job wanted” ad, please go to:
http://64.125.68.91/AL/LeasingNews/PostingForm.asp
[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------
Bad Moon on the Rise
by Steve Chriest
It may be time to dust off my notes for a talk I gave a few years ago about the challenges and opportunities of selling in a down economy. Little did I know then, in 2001 that the economic upturn that followed would be so short lived. Before you can prepare to sell in a down economy you need to be sure you're in one or will enter one soon. But how can you tell?
Fortunately, if you're involved in the equipment finance industry, you have a unique view into the economy's future. Your industry begins to flash signals of an economic downturn when the volume produced by originators begins to slow. Originators regularly interact with the 90% of American businesses that have less than 20 employees. As credit markets tighten, and small businesses are unable to quality for or secure financing for growth, or for weathering rough waters, it's time to prepare for selling in a down economy.
There are some other unconventional economic indicators I pay attention to when I think about how the economy is doing. Cutbacks in the routes of delivery companies like Federal Express and UPS usually appear as early warning signs of a general slowdown in overall business activity. When Hormel Foods Corporation, the maker Spam, reports higher sales of the canned luncheon meat, you can bet that folks in large numbers are hunkering down for a recession!
Evolution guarantees that the causes of each economic downturn differs, at least slightly, from previous downturns. In our current situation, the housing industry has generally been credited with propping up an otherwise wobbly economy for the past several years. With the large number of interest only, adjustable rate, no money down, no income verification, and no credit required loans written over the past few years, and the reality of stagnant or declining house values, it seems inevitable that the housing industry will contribute mightily to the bad moon rising.
Next week we'll take a look at how you might survive, and maybe even prosper, when a bad moon rises and you find yourself selling in a down economy.
Copyright © 2006 Selling UpTM. All Rights Reserved.
About the author: Steve Chriest is the founder of Selling Up ™ (www.selling-up.com), a sales consulting firm specializing in sales improvement for organizations of all types and sizes in a variety of industries. He is also the author of Selling Up, The Proven System for Reaching and Selling Senior Executives.
You can reach Steve at schriest@selling-up.com.
[headlines]
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RW Professional Trial Day “Ten”
By Christopher Menkin
After the original arrest on June 21, 2002, the trial of Barry Drayer and Stephen Parker enters its tenth day.
Leasing News has followed this not just from the date forty FBI agents raided the offices of RW Professional Leasing in Island Park, NY, but as part of the Sierra Cities/First Sierra portfolio and leads to CIT, Vanguard Leasing and Old Kent (several stories co-written with Charlie Lester.)
As the leasing industry has become more weird, or perhaps is our way of life has become more weird, this chapter has several new twists and turns that makes it appear not to be reality, but a television comedy series.
Originally, it was about money, around $9 million. It has grown to perhaps $100 million dollars in contention, counting what the FBI claims, the American Express Business Finance law suit, Crawford and other community banks, plus the $38 million the Bank of New York was charged for its “money laundering” by a specific person, setting up phony bank accounts, working with RW Professional on the scheme.
Add to this, the personality of Barry Drayer, 66, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, who now claims in court he was “just a salesman.” The fact he reportedly “skated” through similar leasing company gambits doesn't seem to faze him. However, this is not funny to learn your immediate relatives, brother, sister, and nephew, turns evidence against you in court.
His sister Rochelle Besser, 69, the official president of now defunct leasing company, his brother, Roger, 63, and nephew Adam Drayer, a company computer technician and Roger's son, all have sworn to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
Brothers, sisters and nephews do not have the same immunity from testifying against each other as would a spouse.
They were originally facing a 30 years in jail sentence, found out the evidence against them, perhaps even didn't fully understand what was going on, and evidently turned state's evidence for a reduced sentence.
Drayer, on paper was the former senior vice president of the now-defunct RW Professional Leasing Services in Island Park (his sister was the de facto president, as stated earlier), went through several lawyers and a large amount of money, evidently requiring a court appointed attorney. Each time, it gained more time to put the case together, and also to find out if witnesses were still going to testify. The stall had worked before as bankers moved on to different companies and players did too. It did to a part here, too, as Drayer also outlasted the original US lead attorney Geoffrey Richard Kaiser who moved upward, Leasing News was told.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lacewell was brought in, got up to par, and now is handling the case in its tenth day. All she could tell Leasing News: “Trial is still underway. I really cannot say anything further.”
None of the attorneys involved returned our telephone call or e-mails.
The second defendant in the trial, Stephen Barker, 42, of Lake Forest, Calif., is president of Carefree Financial Service, a broker/lessor, charged with conspiracy. As reported earlier, Drayer tried to have Barker tried in a separate trial, not included in his case. The main reason: Barker originally spilled the beans to the FBI, telling all, as his intention was that he was following what he was told to do as he considered his company representing RW Professional on the West Coast. His testimony is quite incriminating and explains how Drayer put it together and how the Ponzi style scheme worked.
Barker sincerely believes he was following directions; what he was doing was kosher.
Here is what Barker told the FBI:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/RW_Professional.pdf
[headlines]
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New UAEL Officers/Directors
The Board of Directors of the United Association of Equipment Leasing upon the resignation for personal reasons of Vice President Chris Canavati and Director Neal Freeman, elevated Brad Peterson from Secretary/Treasurer to Vice President for 2006, elevated Paul Knowlton, CLP from Director to Secretary/Treasurer for 2006, and Bryan Inman and Brian Bjella were elected Directors for 2006.
2006 officers: Victor Harris, Law Offices of Victor Harris, President; Brad Peterson, Pentech Financial Services, Vice-President; Paul Knowlton, CLP, Bank of Walnut Creek, Secretary-Treasurer; Terey Jennings, CLP Financial Pacific Leasing, LLC, Immediate Past President.
1993
Victor Harris, Esq.
“It's a Hit!”
Here is a complete listing of officers and board of directors for 2006:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/UAEL_Board_Of_Directors.pdf
[headlines]
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Accord Capital joins “Broker/Lessor” list
Third Column: YES - Year Company Started | YELB - Years in equipment Leasing Business
A - City Business License | B- State License | C - Certified Leasing Professional |
D - State(s) sales/use tax license |
E - Named as "lessor" on 50% or more of lease contract signed. |
Rank |
Name
City, State
Contact
Website
Leasing Association |
YCS
YELB
(see above for meaning) |
# of Empl. |
Geographic Area |
Minimum
Dollar
Amount |
Service Organization |
|
|
|
D |
|
71. |
|
1992
14 |
4 |
Nationwide |
$5,000 -$5M $45,000 average |
N/R |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
This list is also continuing to up-dated, as all the other lists, and we are perhaps a 100 or more behind posting on this one, 50 or more on the funder list. It not only takes time in confirmation, but also in actually adding them to the lists.
Here is the most current “Broker/Lessor” list:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Brokers/broker_Lessor.htm
[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------
Standard Professional Services joins “Funder List”
A -Accepts Broker Business | B -Requires Broker be Licensed | C -Sub-Broker Program
| D -"Private label Program" | E - Also "in house" salesmen
Rank |
Name
In Business Since
Contact
Website
Leasing Association |
Employees |
Geo
Area |
Dollar
Amount |
Equipment Restrictions |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
49. |
|
5 |
National |
$10,000 minimum |
No logging or any asset that may pose a contingent liability. |
Y |
N
* |
Y
* |
N
* |
N |
(Z) Standard Professional Services, LLC.- We are serious about our business
and value relationships.(*B) We require California brokers to be licensed.
(*C) While we do accept some sub-broker business the sub must be identified prior to our analyzing the transaction.
(*D) Call to discuss.
Full list located here:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/Funders.htm
[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------
Classified Ads---Help Wanted
Funding Manager
|
|
FUNDING MANAGER: Seeking a very organized, detail oriented Funding Manager with experience in discounting consumer
and commercial auto loans and leases.
Top salary. Send resume via email to ekaye@advantagefunding.us
or fax to 718 392 5427.
About the Company: Advantage Funding is the leader in automotive and equipment lease financing, Long Island City, NY.
|
|
Independent Regional Sales Manager
|
Independent
Reg. Sales Managers:
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia. Other positions available nationally. Vehicle & Equipment Funder.
Earnings potential is unlimited. Two years outside leasing/finance sales, proven track closing deals. Est. customer base/vendors a plus. Click here for more info.
|
|
|
Sales Person
|
Motivated Sales Person
Burbank, California
Long established lessor, "app. only" to
$100K, commercial & structured
transactions up to $10 million.
Call Jim McFeeters
818-843-8686 X25
|
|
[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------
Letters---We get eMail
"I just wanted to say thank you for your ‘Leasing News' articles. I look forward to these every Wednesday and share them with all of my sales management weekly. I am a young sales professional in the medical finance markets. Your sound contribution is motivating and inspirational. I use a couple simple lines everyday about sales "It's all about perception" and "It is what it is."
“I find in many cases sales people handicap themselves by not wanting overcome objections. What I mean by this is not always wanting to talk about the White Elephant that is in the room. Hit the objections head on and be sensitive but be direct. This came together for me a few weeks ago in your first article about listening.
“ The sales person had the perfect product but the Customer did not agree with something the organization did in the past. I believe in part your articles have contributed to the over $17,000,000 in sales that I did in 2005.
“Thanks Again and Good Luck!"
Best,
Matthew Sutton
---
"I'm not positive but I don't believe Edgar Allen Poe was 140 years old when he died!"
Bob Robichaud, CLP
Regional Commercial Credit Sales Manager
PFF Bank & Trust
(Sorry, the typo in "This Day in American History" was mine.
---
"I got a chuckle out of this and since I didn't see anything inyour newsletter about the Texas victory, thought this might get a few smiles in your sports section."
Jim Lahti
|
Cheerleading , tumbling lessons and camps since age 3: $30,000
Annual cost of attending USC: $50,000
Annual cost for staying just the right shade of blonde: $10,000
Cheering when the other team scores: Priceless |
 |
---
"I recently authored a white paper titled “The Evaporating Talent Pool; Are You Prepared for the Leadership Drought?”
“I have attached it for your review. I would appreciate if you could post it to Leasing News. I want to stay connected with the industry, and perhaps there are those that can benefit from this paper. I am pretty busy in my new endeavor and I am enjoying what I do."
Kindest regards,
Andrew Thorn
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Evaporating_Talent_Pool.pdf
[headlines]
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[headlines]
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Attorneys Specialize in Equipment Leasing
California, National: city: Riverside
Ellen Stern - get results, reasonable pricing; numerous industry contacts, nearly 30 yrs exp.in SoCal, 20 yrs equip.: CFL license specialist, documentation, work-outs, litigated collections, recoveries; deal-maker.
Email: leaselaw@msn.com | UAEL |
California - statewide: CA "ELA"
5-attorney creditors rights law firm, in biz 25 yrs +, specialize all aspects of creditor representation. Primarily represent equipment lessors & funders,plus collection and creditor rep. in bankruptcy.
Email: phemar@hemar.com
Website: www.hemar.com |
California - statewide: Encino, CA. "ELA"
24 Attorney AV-rated Lawfirm representing the Leasing Industry for over 25 Years. We specialize in Lease-enforcement, collection and representation in Bankruptcy Court.
email: sjenkins@hemar-rousso.com
Website: www.hemar-rousso.com |
Connecticut, Southern New England: EVANS, FELDMAN & BOYER, LLC Collections, litigation, documentation, portfolio sales and financing, bankruptcy. We represent many of the national and local leasing companies doing business in this state. Past chairman EAEL legal committee. Competitive rates.
email: rcfeldman@snet.net EAEL |
Law Firm - Service , Dallas, TX. ELA
Mayer regularly practices in leasing, secured financing, project development and finance and corporate finance.
email: dmayer@pattonboggs.com
Website: www.pattonboggs.com |
Los Angeles, Statewide: CA. "ELA" Aggressive creditors rights law firm specializing in equipment leasing handling collection matters on a contingency, fixed fee or hourly basis.
email: RGarwacki@prodigy.net |
Los Angeles -statewide: CA "ELA "
Practice limited to collections, bankruptcy and problem accounts resolution. Decades of experience. 10-lawyer firm dedicated to serving you. Call Ronald Cohn, Esq. (818)591-2121 or email. Email: rrcohn@aol.com
|
Los Angeles, CA.
Wagner & Zielinski, successfully representing lessees/ lessors. Not a member of any leasing organization, therefore not beholden to special interests. Richard Wagner
800 931 0450 www.wzlawyers.com |
Long Beach CA.
Paul Bent, helping settle deals that have gone bad. Attorney for 20+ years with GoodSmith & Co., now providing mediation and dispute resolution for lessees and lessors.
www.paulbent.com |
National: Coston & Rademacher: Business attorneys serving the lease-finance industry since 1980. Transactional, documentation, corporate/finance, workouts, litigation, bankruptcy, portfolio management. Chicago-based national practice. Jim Coston, CLP (Members: UAEL, ELA, MAEL).
email: Jcoston@costonlaw.com
Website: www.costonlaw.com |
Northern California - Statewide: CA
"ELA" San Francisco expertise at Marin County prices; practice limited to equipment leasing and finance with 22 years experience, testimonials. Ken Greene, Esq.
Vox: 415 461 3777
Email: keng@kengreenelaw.com
Website: www.kengreenelaw.com |
National: Full staff of attorneys and legal assistants work with Group Leader Barry S. Marks to ensure prompt, cost-effective responses to client needs:
Email: bmarks@bakerdonelson.com
Website: www.leaselawyer.com |
St. Louis County, MO. - statewide:
Defend clients sued by Popular Leasing USA and other assignees of Norvergence rental agreements. Also register and collect foreign judgments. Ronald J. Eisenberg, Esq.
Email: reisenberg@sl-lawyers.com
Schultz & Little L.L.P. www.sl-lawyers.com |
Westport, CT: We represent finance companies, banks, lessors, etc., in replevins/seizures, collections and bankruptcy matters in Connecticut and New York. Flat fee, contingency and hourly rates.
Email: rchinitz@replevinlawyer.com |
Post a Job Wanted
Free posting to attorneys who specialize in the equipment leasing field and demonstrate this by belonging to an equipment leasing association:
http://64.125.68.91/AL/LeasingNews/PostingFormAttorney.htm
[headlines]
---------------------------------------------------------------
### Press Release ###########################
Graphic Savings Group Launches Medical Equipment Leasing Initiative
( Fairfield , CT)President George W. Bush stated in his State of The Union Address that, “keeping America competitive requires affordable health care.” In an effort to meet that challenge and provide a new funding source for members of the health care industry, the Graphic Savings Group is excited to announce its Medical Equipment Leasing Initiative (MELI).
“As an employer and financial services company, we understand the need for cost control with relation to healthcare. By establishing a consistent and reliable funding source for corporations that are looking to lease medical equipment, we believe we can help improve the fiscal responsibility of medical institutions,” said Andrew Bender, CEO of the Graphic Savings Group.
The new program is designed to accommodate doctors, dentists, and even veterinarians by offering them access to capital to finance medical and office purchases. The large upfront costs of new surgical equipment or x-ray machines can be a deterrent to a doctor's practice with fixed cash flow.
With close to $3 billion in medical equipment being leased each year, the need for constant upgrades and the development of new technology makes leasing an attractive option for a number of medical professionals. Medical equipment leasing can ensure that hospitals are not locked into equipment that is outdated, giving them the flexibility to offer the most innovative treatments while staying within a budget.
Doctors can adapt to the changing Medicare reimbursement structure and insurance rebates by creating a step payment schedule that fixes the cost of their equipment and office essentials.
“We're excited by the partnership opportunities in the medical field. We believe that we can bring our expertise in finance to help manage cash flow and costs for medical professionals,” said Bender.
About Us
Graphic Savings Group is a cash flow management consulting company. GSG specializes in leasing high volume copiers, printers and other IT equipment. Whether you are a Fortune 500 company or a start-up venture, Graphic Savings Group helps clients control the velocity of money. For more information visit Graphic Savings Group online at www.graphicsavings.com or call 203.336.4034.
Jonathan Bender
Director of Communications
JJ Bender LLC
457 Castle Avenue
Fairfield, CT 06825
617.308.6421
(f)203.368.4654
jonb@jjbender.com
[headlines]
### Press Release ###########################
McCracken Financial Software Changes Name to EnableUs, Inc.
BILLERICA, Mass)----McCracken Financial Software, a leading provider of origination-through-servicing software, announced that it has changed its name to EnableUs, Inc. The new name unifies McCracken's global operations, which include ORFI, a leading provider of commercial finance and leasing software solutions in Europe. The company also introduced a new logo and tagline, "Enabling commercial and asset finance."
"With our experience and global resources, we are well positioned to be the leading supplier of end-to-end commercial and asset finance solutions for multinational businesses," said Noel M. Webster, president. "We have more clients worldwide than any other software solutions provider in the commercial and asset finance software niche. Our new name reflects our mission to provide products and resources that enable clients to more easily manage their loan and lease operations as their businesses grow and change."
EnableUs serves a client base of more than 100 customers worldwide including leading commercial mortgage bankers, banks, financial services companies, insurance companies, thrifts and government agencies. Its commercial and asset finance software solutions - EnableUs CRE, EnableUs Leasing, and EnableUs Business - support more than $700 billion in loans and leases worldwide. The company's solutions are specifically designed to enable global customers to simplify commercial loan and lease lifecycle operations, reduce costs and improve customer service. Clients can use EnableUs solutions to manage multiple financial products including real estate, equipment, full-service leases and commercial business loans.
"I have been working with the EnableUs solutions and the people who develop and support them for many years," says Catherine Rodewald, managing director and chief information officer at Prudential Mortgage Capital Company. "Through EnableUs, we've been able to build a broad platform to service loans across all of our capital sources."
Product Overview
EnableUs Finance Solutions are designed to address the specialized business requirements of commercial and asset finance.
EnableUs CRE is the most widely-used origination-through-servicing software solution for the commercial real estate industry, enabling clients to manage all types of CRE loans using a single solution.
EnableUs Leasing is a multi-lingual, multi-currency solution that simplifies the front-to-back management of leases and assets using one of the most robust accounting engines in the industry.
EnableUs Business offers a comprehensive servicing solution for managing commercial business loans.
About EnableUs
With the combined expertise of McCracken and ORFI, EnableUs is the global leader in commercial and asset finance technology solutions that streamline loan and lease operations. The company offers integrated, origination-through-servicing software solutions that can increase productivity and lower business risk. EnableUs serves a client base of over 100 customers including leading commercial mortgage bankers, banks, financial services companies, insurance companies, thrifts and government agencies. EnableUs solutions currently process more than $700 billion in loans and leases worldwide. Additional information about EnableUs solutions is available at www.enableus.com or by calling
1-800-933-4470.
EnableUs, Inc. Joyce Patterson, 215-328-3842 Joyce.Patterson@enableus.com or Courtney Robinson, 215-328-3381
Courtney.Robinson@enableus.com
[headlines]
### Press Release ###########################
Industry Pioneer Launches Next-Generation Venture
Financial Services Company TriplePoint Capital
MENLO PARK, Calif., -- TriplePoint Capital, the Sand Hill Road-based financial services company started by venture leasing and lending industry pioneer Jim Labe, today formally announced and launched its business, supported by $310 Million in institutional financing.
"We are the first global financial services company devoted to serving venture-backed companies throughout their lifespan," said Labe, who earlier in his career first coined the popular industry terms venture leasing, venture lending, and venture debt. "As a next-generation venture financial services company, we are not organized as a limited partnership, a fund, or a public investment vehicle, nor are we a bank or other externally regulated entity. Our permanent balance sheet ensures our stability and longevity, which aligns our interests with those of our customers over their lifespan."
TriplePoint Capital offers substantial flexibility and a number of unique value-added service options to entrepreneurs seeking debt financing to complement their equity dollars. The company provides innovative equipment leases and loans, growth capital loans, expansion loans, and other forms of debt to venture-backed companies throughout their lifespan, from the earliest stages through post Initial Public Offering (IPO) stages. The company also offers an innovative customer-focused model, flexible financing options, global capabilities, and a senior team with deep domain expertise.
In the early 1980s Labe was instrumental in developing the venture leasing and lending product at Equitec Leasing Company, a division of Equitec Financial Group, where he played a key role in making venture leasing and lending an essential source of capital for private companies backed by leading venture capital firms. In 1987, Labe left Equitec and founded and served as the CEO of Comdisco Ventures, which quickly became the leader of the venture leasing and lending industry. He grew Comdisco Ventures' annual revenues from scratch to more than $670 Million, building a portfolio of more than $3.5 Billion in venture leases and loans to more than 1,000 customers.
"Our team has built a next-generation, full-service venture financial services company that is attuned to the needs of today's venture-backed companies and venture market -- one that is designed to provide long-term commitment and value beyond capital; a claim that is often promised but seldom delivered. Venture-backed companies and successful entrepreneurs should seek the same qualities in their debt provider as they do in their venture capital investors -- experience, creativity, commitment, passion, and excellence. TriplePoint Capital meets all of these expectations and more. We are eager to help finance promising venture-backed companies move from raising money to making money."
Labe has assembled a broad senior team and advisory board of more than 20 professionals including an impressive number of industry veterans with expertise in venture leasing and lending, venture capital, private equity, commercial finance, commercial banking, investment banking, technology development, and entrepreneurship.
TriplePoint Capital is actively transacting business with leading venture-backed companies in the information technology, life sciences, and other high-growth industries. TriplePoint Capital operated in stealth mode in 2005 and has already amassed an impressive list of customers backed by such leading venture capital funds as Greylock Partners, InterWest Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Mayfield Fund, Sequoia Capital, Sierra Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures, and Venrock Associates, among others. The company's capitalization includes participation by top-tier institutional investors and investment banks.
About TriplePoint Capital
Launched in 2005 and based on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, California, TriplePoint Capital is a privately-held venture financial services company that provides debt financing to leading venture-backed companies throughout their lifespan. TriplePoint Capital's leases and loans range from $250,000 to tens of millions of dollars in size and enable companies to acquire equipment and resources to support growth and expand operations. TriplePoint Capital's team is the most experienced in the industry and its highly optimized financing products and unique value-added services provide the greatest flexibility available to venture capital funds and portfolio companies. For more information on TriplePoint Capital, visit http://www.triplepointcapital.com .
SOURCE TriplePoint Capital
[headlines]
### Press Release ###########################
Willis Lease Finance Corporation Prices 3.2 Million Shares of
Preferred Stock at $10.00 Per Share
SAUSALITO, Calif.---Willis Lease Finance Corporation (Nasdaq:WLFC), a leading lessor of commercial jet engines, today announced that it has priced a public offering of 3.2 million new shares of preferred stock priced at $10 per share. The 9% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Nasdaq:WLFCP) carries a monthly dividend of $0.075 per share, with a $10.00 liquidation preference per share. The offering is expected to close on February 7, 2006. The preferred shares were offered by the Company through lead underwriter Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated. The net proceeds of $30 million will be used to fund future growth in the engine portfolio and for general corporate purposes.
Willis Lease Finance Corporation leases spare commercial aircraft engines, parts, and aircraft to commercial airlines, aircraft engine manufacturers and maintenance, repair and overhaul providers. These leasing activities are integrated with the purchase and resale of used and refurbished commercial aircraft engines.
Copies of the final Prospectus may be obtained from the Lead Underwriter at the following address: Ferris, Baker Watts, Inc. Syndicate Department 250 West Pratt Baltimore, MD 21202 Phone:
800-247-7223 Fax: 410-230-2268
Willis Lease Finance Corporation Robert M. Warwick, 415-331-5281 www.willislease.com
[headlines]
### Press Release ###########################
Greater Bay Bancorp Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End 2005 Results
EAST PALO ALTO, Calif.------Greater Bay Bancorp (Nasdaq:GBBK), a $7.1 billion in assets financial services holding company, today announced results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2005.
For the fourth quarter of 2005, Greater Bay Bancorp's net income was $22.8 million, or $0.39 per diluted common share, compared to $21.1 million, or $0.33 per diluted common share, for the fourth quarter of 2004, and $25.6 million, or $0.44 per diluted common share, for the third quarter of 2005. For the year ended December 31, 2005, net income was $92.6 million, or $1.55 per fully diluted common share, compared to $92.9 million, or $1.50 per fully diluted common share for the year ended December 31, 2004.
Return on average common equity, annualized, for the fourth quarter of 2005 was 13.50% compared to 12.69% for the fourth quarter of 2004, and 15.13% for the third quarter of 2005. Return on average common equity for the year ended December 31, 2005 was 13.84% compared to 14.21% for the same period in 2004. Return on average assets, annualized, for the fourth quarter of 2005 was 1.27% compared to 1.19% for the fourth quarter of 2004, and 1.41% for the third quarter of 2005. Return on average assets for the year ended December 31, 2005 was 1.31% compared to 1.25% for the same period in 2004.
"We are pleased with the continued progress achieved during the quarter," commented Byron A. Scordelis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Greater Bay Bancorp. "Growth in our loan portfolio was realized, credit metrics continued to further strengthen, our core deposit portfolio remained stable, and the resilience of our net interest margin reflected our interest rate risk posture in the face of a changing yield curve environment."
Full press release:
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=66674&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=811101&highlight=[headlines]
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iBank.com Launches Lending Search Engine
That Electronically Connects Small Businesses
to Financing Sources Nationwide
iBank.com has engineered new technology that matches small businesses with lenders nationwide that fund business loans, equipment leasing, commercial and home equity mortgage loans
COSTA MESA, Calif., -- iBank.com, America's largest online small business lending network, has announced the creation of a lending search engine, which matches small businesses with lenders that offer the specific loan product they are searching for, including business loans, equipment leasing, commercial and home equity mortgage loans. Once the lenders are identified, iBank's proprietary technology allows borrowers to create a professional loan/lease package online and send it directly to qualified lenders.
"Unlike other major search engines, our lending search engine is about connecting the small business person with real lenders, with real money, in real time," said Thomas O. Markel, Chairman and CEO of Credentrust Software, Inc. the company that powers www.iBank.com. "Our advanced search engine functions using 4 loan keywords instead of one, displaying only lenders that offer the loan sought after. Furthermore, the only results displayed are actual lenders, not directories, informational articles or web logs."
Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, small businesses can search for up to 85 different types of small business loans, equipment leasing and commercial and home mortgage loans. Once the lenders are identified, they can either contact each of the lenders themselves or begin a step-by-step, self guided process of creating a professional loan package which will be sent to each of the lenders that match their criteria once completed. The loan package is stored in a secure "VAULT" which the small business can access anytime, anywhere, in order to edit, organize, or store tax returns, financials, management bios, pictures, etc.
Once the borrower finishes the application, www.iBank.com matches the borrower's information to the loan criteria of lenders within its network and sends the borrower's information only to those lenders whose criteria match those found in the application. The applicant's information, along with other pertinent documents, such as business plans and projections, are then transferred directly into the lender's systems, allowing for faster analysis and processing of applications.
The whole process, when compared to finding a lender individually and manually preparing separate loan packages for each lender, eliminates about two-thirds of the time and cuts 90% of the cost involved. The iBank.com loan package preparation and lender presentment process is completely paperless and allows lenders and applicants to collaborate nearly in real-time in order to view, analyze, propose and close their loans.
"In just a few minutes, small businesses can find the appropriate lenders, create a professional loan package and fund their loan online. We have made the process of getting a business loan or lease faster, easier and stress-free for the small business," Markel added.
Since its inception in 1999, www.iBank.com has revolutionized the commercial lending marketplace and consistently provided small businesses with a simplified, streamlined and seamless ways to do business with lenders online. The website has processed more than $7 billion in aggregate loans, processes 54,000 advance searches and 6000 completed loan requests a month. The website has attracted some of the nation's largest banks as well as community banks, private investors, brokers and credit unions. For a complete list of lending institutions, please visit
http://www.iBank.com/lenders/lender_Network.cfm?pbonav=lenders.
About www.iBank.com
Based in Costa Mesa, Calif., www.iBank.com, America's largest online small business lending engine, has become a commercial lending marketplace for businesses seeking small business loans, equipment leasing, and commercial and home mortgage loans in real time. Formed in 1999, www.iBank.com utilizes advanced search engine technology, a do-it-yourself professional online loan package builder, and numerous other online tools for communicating and connecting with more than 250 lenders nationwide for closing loans faster. The whole process, when compared to manually preparing separate loan packages and finding the right lenders, eliminates about two-thirds of the time and cuts 90% of the cost involved.
[headlines]
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News Briefs---
U.S. Retail Sales Post Gains in January
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/02/AR2006020200418.html
Worker productivity slowed in 2005 while labor costs rose
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20060202-1444-economy.html
Net Income Declines 69% in Fourth Quarter at Comcast
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/03/technology/03comcast.html?_r=
1&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin
Amazon's Profit Fell 43% in Its 4th Quarter
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/03/technology/03amazon.html?pagewanted=all
[headlines]
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You May Have Missed
Western Union -STOP- Ends Telegram Service
http://www.ajc.com/business/content/shared-gen/ap/Finance_General/
No_More_Telegrams.html
[headlines]
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Sports Briefs----
City grew up with the Seahawks
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002777774_thennowhawks02m.html
Nervous about the big game Sunday? Chew your Terrible Towel
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06034/649272.stm
Sales of towels to Steeler fans hardly terrible
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2006/02/02/
sales_of_towels_to_steeler_fans_hardly_terrible/
How to win the Super Bowl
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-060202superhow,1
,1768634.story?coll=chi-sportsnew-hed
McNabb finally fires back at T.O.
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060202/
SPORTS02/602020400/1002/SPORTS
Start of 49ers' dynasty involved lots of baggage
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/sports/13772811.htm
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California Nuts Briefs---
State lost 500 farms in 2005
http://www.sacbee.com/content/business/story/14143155p-14971646c.html
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“Gimme that Wine”
Now is the best time to buy wine
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/02/WIGHGH0H0V1.DTL&hw=
wine&sn=002&sc=976
Stevenot sold to a Paso Robles developer
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060131/MONEY/
601310309&SearchID=73234435137406
Virginia Farm Wineries Lose Right to Self Distribute
http://www.winebusiness.com/news/DailyNewsArticle.cfm?dataid=41555
www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/
If you want to know if you got a value for your wine, or what the wine price is today, go to www.winezap.com Type in the vintage (year) and name of the producer with wine type or geographic area, such as 1995 Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac. Even 1995 Lynch Bages will work, or 1999 Viader
[headlines]
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Restaurant Review
(view from lower road, not from restaurant)
Restaurante Abrigo da Montanha
Lugar Quinta de St. Marinha
Serra da Boa Viagem
3080 Figuerira da Foz
Tlf. 233-432-221
tlm.969.802.930
abrigodamontanha@iol.pt
The restaurant on the top of the mountain. This appears to be a common name. All I can tell you is we were driving along the coast of Portugal, admiring all the development, the ocean, looking for somewhere to eat, and I can't remember the time of day, as I know most close down from 2pm to 6pm, as most in Portugal have lunch early, then go home, and dinner starts at 9pm and later ( once place they started to get full at 11pm.)
So as the navigator, it was easy to go down the coast, but all I saw were fancy tourist places, modern, clean, and I was looking for some local food. So as navigator, I see this lighthouse on the map and say let's go there. It looked to be a tourist attraction and I thought it would not only be interesting to see, but there must be a restaurant near it.
Somehow we turned the other direction, as I am a terrible navigator, and instead of going down, we found ourselves going up on a very narrow road, and further up and up, and someone said let's go to the top, so we did. A fantastic view, although most of the trees were burned and not alive facing the ocean side.
We parked and I walked the stone steps to the restaurant, found the door locked, and began reading the papers on the door. Instead of going elsewhere, I knocked on the glass door. A waiter came and gestured they were closed.
I played dumb, which is not difficult for me to do, so he opened the door, did not speak much English, and somehow I communicated to him that we were hungry, so he let us both in. I may have mentioned the Chaine des Rotiessuers.
( a international food society I belong to.)
A beautiful restaurant, with all the desserts on a table as we entered, and this was very modern, clean, and since no one was there, we had the choice of the window tables with fantastic views. The menu was in both Portuguese and English, and we learned the chef was preparing food for the evening. It appeared the waiter was getting tables ready, doing other chores.
In choosing the entrees, he had to go back and talk to the chef. I don't know if it was the language, or to find out if the chef could cook it at that time.
It was the best meal that we ate while in the Mediterranean.
It was all Portuguese food with wonderful sauce, freshly prepared, a lot of great fresh fish dishes, including a large type " bouillabaisse " style. They had some wine on the list I recognized from the Wine Spectator with a 94 rating, and it was not expensive; from Duro.
We were both in heaven.
They did not take credit cards, but as I remember, it was about 80 Euro's with a very good tip. It was a full course with Champagne cocktails and wine. Sue was driving.
All I can say was I closed my eyes most of the way driving back down the mountain. Not from the wine, but heights bother me---but the next time we are in Portugal, this is the restaurant I will go for dinner ( I think we will take a cab the next time.)
About the location:
http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Figueira_da_Foz
These are some views from the top of the mountain, but the best are from the restaurant. These appear to have been taken below the restaurant from the road. They are basically correct, the road up, the beginning of a 17 mile road through the forest, and I think there is a small hotel up here, but not sure of that.
http://www.figueira.net/patrimonio/natural/serradaboaviagem/
(for other reviews: please go here:
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/rstrnt.htm
[headlines]
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Calendar Events This Day
Carrot Cake Day
No Talk Day
Halfway Point of Winter
Artist Day
Wedding Ring Day
[headlines]
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Today's Top Event in History
1870-The 15th Amendment granted that the right of citizens to vote shall not be denied on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude.
[headlines]
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This Day in American History
1690-Massachusetts established a provincial bank and issued money in denominations from two shillings to five pounds to pay the soldiers who served in the war with Quebec. This was the first instance of issuing “paper money.” Until 1690, the North American colonies had dealt primarily in coinage. Silver and gold were rather rare, so colonists generally used unofficial coins, or “decrepit coppers.” Boston-based silversmiths John Hull and Robert Sanderson did operate their own mint between 1652 and 1682, issuing silver shillings and three and sixpence pieces, but save for a few ill-fated experiments, paper money was hardly tried or used. Other colonies and states soon also issued paper money without any basis, so that in 1780 the ratio of paper to silver was 40 to 1.
1737- Elizabeth Graeme Ferguson birthday- writer whose primary fame rests on being a go-between on behalf of the British with revolutionary forces at the behest (or insistence) of her husband, a loyalist.. In October 1777 Ferguson's husband prevailed upon her to carry from the Reverend Jacob Duché to General George Washington a letter urging Washington to surrender. Washington chided her for her part in the episode. She later carried to Joseph Reed, Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congress and aide to Washington, an offer of 10,000 guineas for help in obtaining peace terms advantageous to Britain. Ferguson's role in these proceedings brought her trouble. Her husband had already been attainted and proscribed, and late in the war Graeme Park was confiscated. Although it was restored to her in 1781, she lost it through financial reverses in 1791. Her last years were difficult. She died near the Graeme Park estate in Pennsylvania on February 23, 1801.
http://search.eb.com/women/articles/Ferguson_Elizabeth_Graeme.html
1787 - Shays' Rebellion, an uprising of Massachusetts farmers led by Daniel Shays, ended with defeat at Petersham. Starting on August 29 the previous year, Shay began building his following. On January 25, Shays led 1100 men in an attempt to seize the arsenal in Springfield, Mass. State militia commanded by Gen. William Shepherd routed the insurgents. The uprising had been caused by the harsh economic conditions faced by Massachusetts farmers, who sought reforms and the issuance of paper money. The insurgents were taken completely by surprise on the morning of February 3 rd in Petersham. General Benjamin Lincoln had marched his troops through a snowstorm the previous night. The farmers scattered, and the rebellion was ended. Most of the insurgents took advantage of a general amnesty and surrendered. Shays and a few other leaders escaped for a while. The Supreme Judicial Court soon sentenced fourteen of the rebellion's leaders, including Shays, to death for treason. They were later pardoned by the newly elected Governor John Hancock. Only two men, John Bly and Charles Rose of Berkshire County, were hung for their part in the Rebellion. A new Massachusetts Legislature in Boston began to undertake the slow work of reform. February 6, 1788 Massachusetts would become the sixth state to ratify the US Constitution and become the sixth state of the Union.
http://www.sjchs-history.org/shays.html
1793 -- Lucretia Mott born Nantucket, Massachusetts. Abolitionist and feminist.
One of the strongest voices for the rights of women and blacks in the US was Lucretia Coffin Mott, a birthright Quaker who lived most of her life in Philadelphia, the center of American Quakerism. The event that triggered her involvement in women's rights activity was richly ironic She was an accredited delegate to an international antislavery convention in London, along with five other US women. The men in charge apparently saw nothing wrong with excluding all women from an assembly dedicated to advancing the rights of blacks. It was on the sidewalk outside the convention where Mott started her long association with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, together they were instrumental in establishing the basis for women's suffrage. She was a peacemaker between groups with different priorities, and campaigned (dressed in Quaker grey) for human rights into her 85th year. Her incisive, challenging mind, a clear sense of her mission, and a level-headed personality made her a natural leader and a major force in her time.
—Bleedster G. Armour Van Horn, Twisted History
http://www.mott.pomona.edu/mott1.htm
http://womenshistory.about.com/library/bio/blmott.htm
http://womhist.binghamton.edu/mott/intro.htm
1807-Birthday of Confederate General Joseph Johnston, born near Farmville, VA, and died March 21,1891 at Washington, DC. One of the most brilliant officers of the CSA, but known for having many differences with President Jefferson Davis who wanted to run the war from his office. Johnston's troops were never directly defeated and he holds the record of most victories when he was in command.
1809 - Illinois Territory, including present-day Wisconsin, was established.
1811-Birthday of Horace Greely, newspaper editor, born at Amherst, NH. Founded of the “New York Tribune” and one of the organizers of the Republic Party. Greely was an outspoken opponent of slavery. Best remembered for his saying, “Go West, young man.” Died No 29, 1872 at New York City.
1821- Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman doctor in the United States.
After her graduation in 1849, she went to Paris to study which was then the world's foremost medical center, but Paris doctors proved as intolerant as their American colleagues. They would not permit her to study as a doctor. She was forced to enter a large maternity hospital as a student midwife. Because of an infection she contracted there, she lost the sight of one eye. When she returned to New York City in 1850, no hospital would allow her to practice there. Using funds donated by women - mostly Quakers, she and her sister opened the New York Infirmary for Women and Children, the first clinic for women examined and treated by women. After the Civil War, she returned to her native Britain where she continued to practice medicine. Died May 31, 1910.
http://womenshistory.about.com/library/bio/blbio_blackwell_eliz.htm
1841-Nauvoo Legion chartered: created by Illinois Charter and comprised of 5,000 Mormon men under the command of Lieutenant General Joseph Smith, the Nauvoo Legion was considered the “largest trained soldiery in the US except for the US Army.”
1862 - Thomas Edison printed the "Weekly Herald" and distributed it to passengers on a train traveling from Port Huron and Detroit, Michigan. It was the first newspaper printed on a train. He called it the “Weekly Herald” and it was a single sheet of approximately seven by eight inches, printed on both sides.
1862 – Birthday of George Tilyou creator of Steeplechase Amusement Park, Coney Island.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/coney/peopleevents/pande04.html
1865-President Abraham Lincoln and his Secretary of State, William Seward, met to discuss peace with Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens and others at Hampton Roads, VA. The meeting, which took place on board the ship “River Queen,” lasted four hours and produced no positive results. The Confederates sought an armistice first and discussion of reunion later, while Lincoln was insistent that the recognition of Federal authority must be the first step toward peace. New York Tribune editor and abolitionist Horace Greeley provided the impetus for the conference when he contacted Francis Blair, a Maryland aristocrat and presidential adviser. Greeley suggested that Blair was the "right man" to open discussions with the Confederates to end the war. Blair sought permission from Lincoln to meet with Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and he did so twice in January 1865. Blair suggested to Davis that an armistice be forged and the two sides turn their attention to removing the French-supported regime of Maximilian in Mexico. This plan would help cool tensions between North and South by providing a common enemy, he believed. Meanwhile, the situation was becoming progressively worse for the Confederates in the winter of 1864 and 1865. In January, Union troops captured Fort Fisher and effectively closed Wilmington, North Carolina, the last major port open to blockade runners. Davis conferred with his vice president, Alexander Stephens, and Stephens recommended that a peace commission be appointed to explore a possible armistice. Davis sent Stephens and two others to meet with Lincoln at Hampton Roads, Virginia. The meeting convened on February 3. Stephens asked if there was any way to stop the war and Lincoln replied that the only way was "for those who were resisting the laws of the Union to cease that resistance." The delegation underestimated Lincoln's resolve to make the end of slavery a necessary condition for any peace. The president also insisted on immediate reunification and the laying down of Confederate arms before anything else was discussed. In short, the Union was in such an advantageous position that Lincoln did not need to concede any issues to the Confederates. Robert M.T. Hunter, one of the delegation, commented that Lincoln was offering little except the unconditional surrender of the South.
After less than five hours, the conference ended and the delegation left with no concessions. April 9, at Appomattox Court House, VA., Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. Grant. The Civil War was virtually ended.
Unfortunately President Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington, DC, April 14. The war continued and on May 10, Jefferson Davis was captured at Irwinville, GA, by a contingent of Gen. James H. Wilson's cavalry, led by Lt. Col. Benjamin Pritchard. and on May 29 th President Johnson issued a proclamation of amnesty.
1870-The 15 th Amendment granted that the right of citizens to vote shall not be denied on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude.
1874-Birthday of Gertrude Stein, avant-garde expatriate American writer, perhaps best remembered for her poetic declaration (in 1912): “Rose is a rose is a rose,” while living in Oakland, California. Born at Allegheny, PA, died at Paris, France, July 27,1946. She lived most of her life in France with her lifelong companion Alice Tolkas. Her word repetitions challenged readers to explore the various and deeper meanings of words such as "A rose is a rose is a rose." Coined the phrase "the lost generation” and used the word "gay” for the first time in literature. Renowned collector of modern French art.
1880-Theodore Roosevelt declares his love for young Alice Lee of Boston, MA.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/feb03.html
1882 -- Docking in New York, Oscar Wilde is asked by customs if he has anything to declare; he replies: "Nothing but my genius."
1894-Birthday of Norman Rockwell, American artist and illustrator especially noted for his realistic and homey magazine cover for the “Saturday Evening Post.” Born at New York, NY, he died at Stockbridge, MA, Nov 8, 1978.
1895-Birthday of vocalist Frankie “Half-Pint” Jaxon, Montgomery, AL
http://www.redhotjazz.com/jaxon.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000046G0/inktomi-musicasin-20/
002-1958450-0644835
1895-Birthday of trumpet paler Kid Valentine, Reserve, LA
http://www.musica.co.uk/musica/screen__ARTISTDB/shop__MUS/artist__Valentine,
~'Kid'~Thomas~(1).htm
http://www.thejukejoint.com/amcd-049.html
http://www.arhoolie.com/titles/346.shtml
http://www.rainerjazz.com/Interpreten/Thomas_Kid_001.htm
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/jazzitoria/moose.htm
1898-Birthday of Lil Hardin Armstrong, pianist, singer, orchestra leader in Chicago, had her own band in 1920's, also played with King Oliver. Married Louis Armstrong who played in HER band in 1925 (divorced 1938),. Led all-women and all-men bands, toured Europe, and was the house musician for Decca records. Born Memphis, Tennessee. Lil studied music at Fisk University, the Chicago College of Music and the New York College of Music where she earned her doctorate in 1929. Lil also studied fashion and in 1942, she staged her own fashion show in New York City. Lil's first job in the music field was playing sheet music at Jones's Music Store in Chicago in 1917. In 1920 Lil formed her own band at the Dreamland Cafe and in 1921 she joined King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band where she met Louis Armstrong. Lil and Louis married on February 5, 1924.
Lil became the driving force behind Louis career. She taught him to read music and wrote the music for many of the tunes he composed. She was the feature singer with Louis' Hot Five and Hot Seven bands. Lil and Louis separated in 1931 and they divorced in 1938 although they remained close friends until they died.
During the 1930s Lil led several other recording groups, including the Hot Shots and the New Orleans' Wanderers. Lil also starred in Broadway shows including "Shuffle Along" and "Hot Chocolates."
During the late 1930's Lil recorded for Decca Records. She moved back to Chicago in the early 1940s and performed as a soloist in Chicago nightclubs including the Tin Pan Alley Club, the Mark Twain Lounge and the Garrick Stage Bar. She also made several European tours during this period. Lil continued to cut records until 1963 and stayed active in music all her life.
Lil Hardin Armstrong died of a massive heart attack on August 27, 1971 while playing the "St. Louis Blues" during a Louis Armstrong Memorial Concert just a short two months after Louis, himself passed on. She was 73 years old.
http://www.redhotjazz.com/lil.html
http://www.duke.edu/~rmc5/lil.htm
http://www.washboardwailers.nl/lil2.html
http://www.meister.u-net.com/dixie/lil_hardin.htm
http://www.heptune.com/lyrics/artists/hardinli.html
http://www.africana.com/Articles/tt_126.htm
http://www.multirace.org/firstday/stamp84.htm
1899 -16º F (-27º C), Minden LA (state record)
1903-Jack Johnson, first Black heavyweight champion, wins the “Negro Heavyweight Title.”
http://www.famoustexans.com/jackjohnson.htm
http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00014275.html
http://cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/jjohn.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000027GU/inktomi-musicasin-20/
002-1958450-0644835
http://www.siteofthewest.com/search/historical/personalities/jack_johnson/index.shtml
1907-Birthday of James Michener, American author, born at New York, NY. Best known for massive, detailed novels, many of which were born in his workshop with assistants and researchers. His “Tales of the South Pacific” was the basis for the popular “South Pacific.” A prolific author, his other works include Sayonara, Iberia, Hawaii, Centennial and Texas. Died at Austin, TX, Oct 17, 1997.
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/michene.htmHis
1910 -- Mary Harris "Mother" Jones addresses Milwaukee brewery workers. Mother Jones spent two months working alongside women bottle-washers in one of the breweries during a period when she was not on the United Mine Workers payroll. Her report on their working conditions went like this:
"Condemned to slave daily in the wash-room in wet shoes and wet clothes, surrounded with foul-mouthed, brutal foremen . . . the poor girls work in the vile smell of sour beer, lifting cases of empty and full bottles weighing from 100 to 150 pounds, in their wet shoes and rags, for they cannot buy clothes on the pittance doled out to them. . . . Rheumatism is one of the chronic ailments and is closely followed by consumption . . . An illustration of what these girls must submit to, one about to become a mother told me with tears in her eyes that every other day a depraved specimen of mankind took delight in measuring her girth and passing comments."
1912 -- 32,000 textile mill workers now involved in the "Bread and Roses" strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The Bread and Roses strike began last month and lasts for over nine weeks. Despite collusion by government and mill owners and their goons, strikers will not waver, even when 18-year-old Syrian worker John Rami is killed, when Annie Welzenbach and her two teenage sisters are arrested and dragged from their beds in the middle of the night, or when 200 police draw their clubs on February 19th and go after 100 women pickets, knocking them to the ground and beating them.
http://www.holtlaborlibrary.org/Lawrence.html
1913-The 16 th amendment was ratified, granting Congress the authority to levy taxes on income.
1917 - Downtown Miami, FL, reported an all-time record low of 27 degrees.
1918-Birthday of great comedian Joey Bishop, perhaps best known as a member of the Frank Sinatra “Rat Pack;” but also a favorite of the Jack Paar Show, born The Bronx, New York, under the name Joseph Abraham Gottlieb.
http://home.arcor.de/dinoandfriends/joey_engl/joeybishop_e.htm
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0084086/
1919 - The first meeting of the League of Nations took place in Paris.
1919-Birthday of trumpet player Eugene “Snooky” Young, Dayton, O
http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,512643,00.html?artist=Snooky+Young
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/young_snooky/bio.jhtml
http://www.theiceberg.com/artist/26086/snooky_young/
1922 -Fatty Arbuckle trial ends in hung jury Comic actor and director Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle's trial ends in a hung jury on this day in 1922. Arbuckle, who worked with Charlie Chaplin and launched Buster Keaton's career, was accused of manslaughter after the death of starlet Virginia Rappe. Rappe died of a ruptured bladder several days after the 350-pound Arbuckle allegedly sexually assaulted her at a wild drinking party in San Francisco. After two hung juries, Arbuckle was acquitted, but his films were banned and withdrawn from circulation. He directed two features and several short films under the pseudonym William Goodrich. Arbuckle died in 1933 at the age of 46.
1926-Birthday of great comedian Shelly Berman,born Chicago, Illinois
1927-Bix Biederbecke and Tram record “Singin' the Blues,” Okeh 40772.
1927 - United States President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill creating the Federal Radio Commission, "to bring order out of this terrible chaos." The president was speaking about the nation's then unregulated radio stations.
1928 – Birthday of Frankie Vaughn (Abelson) (singer: Garden of Eden, Tower of Strength)
1929 – Birthday of Russell Arms (singer: Your Hit Parade)
1930 - United States President Herbert Hoover appointed Charles Evans Hughes to be the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
1931 -- US: The Arkansas state legislature passes a motion to pray for the soul of H. L. Mencken after he calls the state "the apex of moronia."
http://www.io.com/~gibbonsb/mencken.html
http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/photos/assets/photos/1047.jpg
1933-- Birthday of alto sax player John Handy
(My late father's favorite sax player. He and violinist Mike White would visit my late father often. He helped them get jobs on TV and for events early in their career.)
http://www.sfsu.edu/~allarts/handy/handybio.html
http://www.johnhandy.com/
http://www.saxworx.com/handybio.htm
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/handy_john_1_/bio.jhtml
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?p=amg&sql=B6658
Abraham Lincoln Observance, Oregon, annually on the first Monday in February
1935-Birthday of guitarist Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Houston, TX, died May 18, 1996.
http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Johnny%20Guitar%20Watson.html
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/JohnnyWatson.html
http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9605/18/watson/
1935-Birthday of singer Sugar Boy Williams ( Jody Williams )
http://www.allblues4u.com/jody/jwilliams.htm
http://www.joes-corner.de/chicago2001/photos_jody1.htm
http://ottawa-bluesfest.ca/view_artist_profile.php?artistID=60
http://www.bluesbeforesunrise.com/bbssetlist022402.html
1939 -- The Baltimore Museum of Art exhibit Contemporary Negro Art opens. The exhibit, which will run for 16 days, will feature works by Richmond Barth, Aaron Douglas, Archibald Motley, Jr., and Jacob Lawrence's Toussaint L'Ouverture series.
http://sheldon.unl.edu/HTML/ARTIST/Lawrence_J/SSII.html
http://www.jacoblawrence.org/
1940-Birthday of pro football Hall of Fame quarterback Francis Asbury “Fran” Tarkenton, Richmond, VA.
1941-Jimmy Dorsey Band records, “Amapola,” Decca 3692.
1941-Birthday of Hall of Fame golfer Carol Mann, born Buffalo, NY.
1943- The Allied troopship S.S. Dorchester was torpedoed by a German sub and went down with a loss of 600 lives. As it sank, four chaplains gave up their lifejackets to shipmates, thereby also perishing in the icy waters. The bravery of Rev. Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed), Rev. George Lansing Fox (Methodist), Father John Washington (a Catholic priest) and Alexander David Goode (a Jewish rabbi) led Congress afterward to mark February 3rd as "Four Chaplains Day."
http://search.gospelcom.net/chi/DAILYF/2002/02/daily-02-03-2002.shtml
http://www.homeofheroes.com/brotherhood/chaplains.html
1945-Birhday of broadcaster and Po Football Hall of Fame quarterback Robert Allen “Bob” Griese.
1945-Birthday of tuba player Bob Stewart, Sioux Falls, SD
http://www.centrohd.com/biogra/s1/bob_stewart_b.htm
http://www.view.com/stewart-bio.html
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Bu2jx7i8jg7or
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
Let It Snow - Vaughn Monroe
Guitar Polka - Al Dexter
1947-North America's Coldest Record Temperature: at Snag, in Canada's Yukon Territory, a temperature of 81 degrees below zero ( Fahrenheit) was recorded, a record low for all of North America.
1947 - The temperature at Tanacross, AK, plunged to a record 75 degrees below zero.
1947 – Birthday of American author Paul Auster, born Newark, New Jersey.
http://webspace.yline.com/~thomas.hartl/austres.htm
http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/slas/harman/auster.html
1950 - The Ames Brothers, Ed, Gene, Joe and Vic, reached #1 on the pop music charts for the first time, with "Rag Mop". The brothers had many successes in their recording career: "You You You" [1953], "The Man with the Banjo" and "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" [1954], "Tammy" and "Melody d'Amour" [1957]. Ed Ames was formerly with the Russ Morgan band, after the brothers broke up in the late 1950s, he went on to have a successful television and recording career. In the 1960s, he recorded the hits "My Cup Runneth Over" and "Who Will Answer". On television, he played Mingo on "Daniel Boone". Ed is remembered for one of the "Tonight Show's" funniest moments when he competed with host, Johnny Carson, in a hand axe-tossing contest. Mingo won with hilarious consequences still shown in every celebration of "The Tonight Show".
1951 - For the sixth time, Dick Button won the United States figure skating title.
1951 - Tennessee Williams' play, "The Rose Tattoo", opened on Broadway.
1953 - Marine archeologist Jacques Cousteau became renowned worldwide for documenting his deep sea explorations. His first and most-lasting work, The Silent World, was published on this date. He attracted world attention when he salvaged a 1,000-pound Roman freighter near Marseilles. While in the French navy, he and engineer Emil Gargon invented the aqualung. However, Cousteau is best known for his documentaries and book.
1954—Top Hits
Oh! My Pa-Pa - Eddie Fisher
Secret Love - Doris Day
Make Love to Me - Jo Stafford
Bimbo - Jim Reeves
1956-Autherine Lucy becomes the first Black student at the University of Alabama. She was suspended four days later following a riot and expelled on February 29.
http://www.rochester.k12.mn.us/jm/teacherpages/dastutz/civrigthsper1/chanellet.htm
http://www.osm.ua.edu/corolla/100yrs/27.html
http://www.datelinealabama.com/article/2002/11/21/3352_alumni_art.php3
1956 -- Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash hold a recording session at Sun Studios in Memphis. The sessions are later named the "Million Dollar Quartet.”
1957-Birthday of Marlon Riggs , Fort Worth, Texas, Fearless American filmmaker, black activist, AIDS martyr, died 1964.
http://www.newsavanna.com/gravity/BlackIs/biographyofmarl_419.html
http://www.colorado.edu/journals/standards/V5N1/marlonintro.html
http://www.colorado.edu/journals/standards/V5N1/riggs_release.html
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/RiggsInterview.html
1959—The anniversary of the death of rock-and-roll legend Charles Hardin “Buddy” Holly. Many of his songs came from a wire recording he made in his apartment, that were put onto records after his death. “ The Day the Music Died” singer Don McLean's song, American Pie, “ is the date on which Holly was killed in a plane crash in a cornfield near Mason City, IA, along with J.P. Richardson, “ The Big Bopper,” and Richie Vallens, “That' Be the Day.” Holly was born September 7, 1936, at LubbockTX. While on a concert tour, rock and roll singers Buddy Holly, age 22, Ritchie Valenz, age 17, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, age 24, died when the airplane they were traveling in crashed only minutes after takeoff into a cornfield near Mason City, Iowa. The plane's pilot was not certified to fly by instruments, which was what he attempted to do. It was determined that he could not see the stars nor the lights below because of the visual obstruction of falling snow, and he misread the instrument panel. When the artists failed to arrive in Fargo for the concert, the then-unknown Bobby Vee took Buddy Holly's place. He greatly influenced rock groups and singers that came later, such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. Valenz had just recorded two back-to-back hits, Donna and La Bamba. The tragic news of the three young entertainers' deaths devastated the world. Holly was buried in his home town of Lubbock, Texas, and more than 1,000 people attended the funeral.
Holly, just 22, had started singing country music with high school friends but switched to rock and roll after opening for various rock singers, including Elvis Presley. By the mid-1950s, Holly and his band had a regular radio show and had toured internationally, playing hits like "Peggy Sue," "Oh, Boy!," "Maybe Baby," and "Early in the Morning." Holly wrote all his own songs, and much of his work was released after his death, influencing such artists as Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney. Another crash victim, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, 28, had started out as a disk jockey but began writing songs during his two years in the army. He wrote songs for other artists, including "Running Bear," a chart-climbing song recorded by singer Johnny Preston. The most famous work performed by Richardson himself was the rockabilly "Chantilly Lace," which made the Top 10. He developed a stage show based on his radio persona, "The Big Bopper."
The third crash victim was Ritchie Valens, born Richard Valenzuela, who was only 17 when the plane went down but had already scored a No. 2 hit with the ballad "Donna." He had also hit No. 22 with "La Bamba," an upbeat number based on a traditional Mexican wedding song. In 1987, Valens' life was portrayed in the movie La Bamba, and the title song, performed by Los Lobos, became a No. 1 hit. Singer Don McLean memorialized Holly, Valens, and Richardson in the 1972 No. 1 hit "American Pie," which was rerecorded by Madonna in 2000
1962—Top Hits
Peppermint Twist - Joey Dee & The Starliters
Can't Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley
Norman - Sue Thompson
Walk on By - Leroy Van Dyke
1965-African-American Geraldine McCullough wins Widener Gold Medal for Sculpture.
http://www.it.famu.edu/afroam/Black_History/Culture/Art/Geraldine_McCullough/
geraldine_mccullough.html
1967- The Beatles record "A Day In The Life"
1968-The Beatles record Paul McCartney's song "Lady Madonna" at EMI's Abbey Road studios. They accomplished this in just three takes.
1968-- The Lemon Pipers' "Green Tambourine" hits #1
1969- John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr hire Allen Klein as the Beatles' business manager. Paul McCartney dissents and the hiring is contributing factor to the group's breakup.
1969- The Steve Miller Band records "My Dark Hour"
1970—Top Hits
I Want You Back - The Jackson 5
Venus - The Shocking Blue
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
A Week in a Country Jail - Tom T. Hall
1971- Country singer Lynn Anderson was awarded a gold record for her recording of Joe South's "Rose Garden," which topped both the country and pop charts.
1973-- Elton John's "Crocodile Rock" hits #1.
1973-President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law.
1973 -- Convicted mass-murderer Juan V. Corona sentenced to 25 terms of life imprisonment (which, it was stipulated, he was to serve consecutively).
http://www.angelfire.com/oh/yodaspage/corona.html
http://darkday.tripod.com/a-h/corona.html
1976- Elvis Presley records "Solitaire"
1978—Top Hits
Baby Come Back - Player
Short People - Randy Newman
Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees
Out of My Head and Back in My Bed - Loretta Lynn
1978- It's the 19th anniversary of Buddy Holly's death. It's also the day on which his birthplace in Lubbock, Texas had been scheduled for demolition by the Lubbock Building Department. The Department had no idea the house had any association with the town's most famous son. However a few days ago, a man bought the place, moved it intact, outside the city limits and fixed it up so his family could move in. He too, did not know the significance of the house and became the man who save Buddy Holly's birthplace by accident.
1978- "Dead Man's Curve," a made-for-TV-movie about surf-rock singer Jan & Dean, airs on ABC-TV. Jan and Dean were classmates at University High School, West Los Angeles, California.
1979-A sold-out crowd packs into the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, for a concert commemorating the 20th anniversary of the place crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. Wolfman Jack hosts with featured performances by Del Shannon, Jimmy Clanton and the Drifters. Disco was in. By the way, She is the first female artist to have three number one solo singles in one year ("MacArthur Park," "Hot Stuff" and "Bad Girls") and she is the only artist to have three number one double albums in a row ("Live And More," "Bad Girls," and "On The Radio").
http://www.delafont.com/music_acts/Donna-Summer.htm
http://www.discomusic.com/
1979-- The Blues Brothers' album Briefcase Full of Blues hits #1.
1982- The city of Memphis declared "Bar-Kays Day" in honor of the band that began as Otis Redding's backup group. Several members of the Bar-Kays died in the 1967 plane crash that killed Redding, but the group survived to have such hits as "Soul Finger" and "Shake Your Rump to the Funk."
1986 - The United States Weather Bureau officially named January of 1986 the warmest January since 1953. The average temperature in United States for that month was 31989, on the 30th anniversary of Buddy Holly's death, Bobby Vee and the Crickets played a memorial concert before 1,700 fans in Fargo, North Dakota. Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper were on their way to Fargo when their plane crashed. It was Vee who took Holly's place in Fargo the night of the tragedy. It was the beginning of his career, and Vee went on to place 38 hits on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. 8 degrees.
1986—Top Hits
That's What Friends are For - Dionne & Friends
Burning Heart - Survivor
I'm Your Man - Wham!
Just in Case - The Forester Sisters
1988 - Arctic air continued to invade the central U.S. The temperature at Midland TX plunged from a record high of 80 degrees to 37 degrees in just three hours. Morning lows in the higher elevations of Wyoming were as cold as 38 degrees below zero. Heavy snow blanketed southwestern Colorado, with 16 inches reported at Steamboat Springs.
1989 - A winter storm brought heavy snow and high winds to the western U.S. Up to three feet of snow blanketed the Sierra Nevada of California, and buried parts of northeastern Washington State under three feet of snow in five days. High winds across Washington State reached 75 mph, with gusts to 105 mph. The morning low of 29 degrees below zero at Casper WY was a record for the month of February. Wisdom MT hit 53 degrees below zero. Missoula MT reported a wind chill reading of 85 degrees below zero.
1990 - Thunderstorms developing ahead of a cold front produced severe weather over the central Gulf coast states during the afternoon and evening hours. Thunderstorms spawned seven tornadoes in Alabama, including one which touched down north of Birmingham injuring fifteen people and causing nearly three million dollars damage. A tornado at Margaret injured eleven persons and caused a million dollars damage
1990- Quebec teen heartthrob Roch Voisine (ROCK VWAH-ZINN') won the best international French-language album award at a ceremony in Paris. His album "Helene" was at the top of the French chart at the time.
1990 - Jockey Willie Shoemaker raced for the 40,352nd and last time. He finished fourth at the Santa Anita Racetrack aboard 7-10 favorite "Patchy Groundfog". Shoemaker won 1100 stakes and 8,833 wins (a world record that stood until Laffit Pincay Jr. topped it in 1999) in 40,350 races. In 42 years, Shoemaker won 11 Triple Crown races, including four Kentucky Derbies, five Belmont Stakes, and three Preakness Stakes; 1,009 stakes races; and 10 national money titles. He earned more than $123 million in purses, about $10 million of which went into his pocket. (Shoemaker's life took a tragic turn on April 8, 1991, when he was left paralyzed from the neck down after an auto accident.)
1995 - Air Force Lt. Col. Eileen Collins became the first woman space-shuttle pilot this day as the space shuttle "Discovery" (STS-63) blasted off from Cape Kennedy, Florida. Wearing a scarf that belonged to Amelia Earhart and carrying the pilot's license of early endurance flight champion Bobbi Trout, as well as items belonging to members of the Women Air force Service Pilots who ferried military aircraft in the U.S. during WWII (and died) and from the women who applied and passed initial tests in NASA's Mercury program in the 1950's, but were turned down because of their sex, Lt. Colonel Eileen Collins, 38, lifted off from Cape Canaveral in the co-pilot's seat, as the first woman to pilot an American space craft. An Air Force test pilot, she was selected for the NASA space program in 1990, the first woman chosen as a space shuttle pilot. In December 1994, two more women were chosen.
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/whos_who_level2/collins.html
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/collins.html
http://www.undelete.org/military/astronauts.html
1996 - Rap artist Queen Latifah was stopped by a California Highway Patrol officer and arrested for reportedly possession of a concealed, loaded handgun, possession of marijuana, and speeding as she was traveling west on Interstate 10. Pending the results of a sobriety test, she could also face DUI charges. The Grammy-winning singer was known for her anti-drug and anti-violent messages in her music, and was a popular actress on the television sitcom Living Single . She is perhaps best known now for her role in the movie “Chicago.”
1996-The first American serviceman killed during the Bosnia conflict was Sergeant First Class Donald Allen Dugan of Ridgeway, OH, a member of the peacekeeping force organized by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that entered Bosnia-Hercegovina in December, 1995. Dugan was killed in an explosion in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The cause of the explosion was not determined.
1996-Blues Traveler's "Run-Around" was on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart for the 46th straight week, breaking the record held by Tag Team's "Whoomp! (There It Is)" and Crystal Waters' "100 Per Cent Pure Love."
1998-Winger Dino Ciccarelli of the Florida Panthers became the ninth player in NHL history to score 600 regular-season goals. Ciccarelli tallied in the third period of a game against the Detroit Red Wings. The power-play goal earned Florida a 1-1 tie.
1998- Attorneys general subpoena Microsoft
The antitrust suit against Microsoft expanded as attorneys general from several states issued new subpoenas regarding Microsoft's business practices in the pending launch of Windows 98. Microsoft's battle with the government during the next year would reveal secret deals with online providers, hardball tactics for promoting Internet Explorer, and other questionable practices. The government claimed such practices were ruthless and anticompetitive, but Microsoft called them just plain good business. However, Microsoft won on one point this day: An appeals judge agreed to suspend the investigation of a "special master"-an expert on Internet law-to whom Microsoft objected.
2001 - The XFL (Xtreme Football League) debuted. The league was created by Vince McMahon, mastermind behind the WWF (World Wrestling Federation). What was promoted as “Football the Way It Was Meant to Be Played” soon faded into painful memories for TV viewers and fans. The WWF apparently thought that it could pull in millions of wrestling fans to support the league, but was shocked when it discovered that actual football fans were the major supporters of the XFL, and these football fans were turned off by the wrestling-show influence on the games.
2002-XXXVI-As possibly the biggest underdog in SB history (14 points), the Patriots won the hearts of much of America by shutting down the "greatest show on turf" St. Louis Rams and then kicking a filed goal on the final play of the game with the final outcome 20-17. After struggling to a 5-11 record in 2000, they began this season 1-3 and lost their starting quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, to injury.
But backup Tom Brady replaced him and eventually led the team to nine straight wins, including the Super Bowl. February 1,2003, Adam Vinatieri repeated his Super Bowl performance of two years ago, nailing a 41-yard field goal with nine seconds to play to give the Patriots a 32-29 Super Bowl win over the Carolina Panthers.
Super Bowl Champions This Date
• -New England Patriots
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The Super Bowl
Jack Kerouac, who's football scholarship got him into Columbia Unversity in New York
"But then they danced down the street like dingledodies, and I shambled after as I've been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!""
Jack Kerouac (1922-1969), U.S. author. On the Road, pt. 1, ch. 1 (1957). In an interview in Playboy, June 1959, Kerouac explained the origin of the label "Beat Generation": "John Clellon Holmes ... and I were sitting around trying to think up the meaning of the Lost Generation and the subsequent Existentialism and I said, 'You know, this is really a beat generation' and he leapt up and said 'That's it, that's right!'" The phrase also appeared in Holmes's novel, Go (1952).
Born Jean-Louis Lebris Kerouac, in Lowell, Massachusetts, to a family of Franco-Americans. His parents, Leo-Alcide Kerouac and Gabrielle-Ange Lévesque, were natives of Quebec. Like many other Quebecers of their generation, the Lévesques and Kerouacs emigrated to New England to find employment. Jack didn't start to learn English until the age of six. At home, he and his family spoke Quebec French. At an early age, he was profoundly marked by the death of his elder brother Gérard, later prompting him to write the book Visions of Gerard.
Later, his athletic prowess led him to become a star on his local football team, and this achievement earned him a scholarship to Columbia University in New York. It was in New York that Kerouac met the people whom he was to journey around the world with, and return to write about: the so-called Beat Generation, which included people like Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady and William S. Burroughs. After breaking his leg and arguing with his coach, the football scholarship did not pan out, so Kerouac left to join the Merchant Marine in 1942. In 1943, he joined the United States Navy but discharged during World War II on psychiatric grounds.
In between his sea voyages, Kerouac stayed in New York with his friends from Columbia. He started writing his first novel, called The Town and the City, which was published in 1950 and earned him some respect as a writer.
Kerouac wrote constantly, despite not publishing another novel until 1957 when On the Road, published by Viking Press, finally appeared in print. From the point of view of the character Sal Paradise, this mostly autobiographical book dealt with his roadtrip adventures across the United States and into Mexico with Neal Cassady (represented as Dean Moriarty). The novel is often described as the defining work of the post-war jazz-, poetry-, and drug-affected Beat Generation. He wrote it in an extended session of "spontaneous prose", or stream of consciousness, which created a style of writing entirely of Kerouac's own making. He was hailed in some circles as a major American writer, and reluctantly as the spokesman for the Beat Generation.
His friendship with Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs, among others.
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