Friday, February 6, 2009
Television News Anchor, Broadcast Journalist, Author, Thomas John "Tom" Brokaw born February 6, 1940 Webster, South Dakota. Anchor of WSB-TV late-evening news 1966–1972; NBC News West Coast correspondent and KNBC anchor 1973–1976; Today Co-Anchor (1976–1981);NBC Nightly News anchor (1982–2004)NBC News Special Correspondent(2004–present) Meet the Press moderator (2008)He is the only person in NBC's history to host all three major NBC News programs in his long career. He has authored several books" "The Greatest Generation," "An Album of Memories," "A Long Way Home: Growing up in America," "Boom! Voices of the Sixties Personal Reflections on the '60s and Today."
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/B/htmlB/brokawtom/brokawtom.htm |
Headlines---
Alert: Deals from Atlanta, Georgia
Classified Ads---Marketing
Direct Capital Extends $100mm Securitization Facility
More on USXL, owned by Tygris, cut-back
Marlin cuts 20 more employees?
More news from the BofA front
EFP Quits Broker Business
January, 2009 List
Free Employment ZRG Webinair
City of Sixburgh
Gerry Egan may be driving by you
Classified Ads---Help Wanted
Excellent employees looking for you
Resource America reports continued net loss
NACM Credit Manager Sixth Consecutive Month Decline
Taken/Waltz with Bashir/Assault on Precinct 13
Being There/Oliver & Company
Fernando’s View By Fernando F. Croce
Classified ads—Back Office
GE chief warns on US depression threat
Mortgage rates jump to 5.25% average
Starbucks will cut 6,700 jobs, close 300 more stores
Boeing 787 loses another 16 orders
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. loses $6.4 billion in 2Q
Cisco's profits plunge; 2,000 jobs to be cut
Number of unemployed hits new record
Sales Fall Sharply for Retailers Not Named Wal-Mart
TARP Shortchanged Taxpayers by $78 Billion
Silicon Valley Scion Pleads Guilty to Securities Fraud
U.S. banks borrow more from Fed in latest week
CEO spends $2.2 million on BOA stock
As Layoffs Surge, Women May Pass Men in Job Force
Madoff Customer List (you can adjust the size to read)
News Briefs---
Flight 1549: 'We're gonna be in the Hudson'
You May have Missed---
California Nuts Brief---
Sports Briefs---
"Gimme that Wine"
Today's Top Event in History
This Day in American History
SuDoku
Daily Puzzle
GasBuddy
Weather, USA or specific area
Traffic Live----
######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release”
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Alert: Deals from Atlanta, Georgia
“ATTENTION ALL LEASE POLICE SUBSCRIBERS
"They're getting creative in the Atlanta, Georgia area. They pick up, buy or take over old dormant incorporated firms. They recently introduced a computer vendor and a medical supply lessee, both of which had a clean commercial foot-print. Then they set up offices in different executive suites, with phony telephone numbers and bank statements. Coupled this with identify theft on the PG and.....VOILA...A NEW TWIST IN AN OLD GAME...FORGET THE GUY BEHIND THE CURTAIN!!
“CHECK WITH www.leasepolice.com IF YOU HAVE ANY NEW APPLICATIONS SUCH AS THIS.
“Regards,
Bernie Boettigheimer, CLP
President
Lease Police, Inc.
972-361-8111
972-692-8091-fax
214-549-3426-cell
bernieb@leasepolice.com”
In speaking with Bernie, Lease Police was aware of the recent scam of leases for a religious video screen in a Kiosk with religious message, and supposedly fee income infomercials. this paper had been subscribing to Lease Police alerts and services, they would have been aware of the scam that they now face, which means going to court to sue a pastor and his church, plus face what happened in the NorVergence scam as the collateral is worth less than an estimated $1800; that service was the main part of the rental agreement.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009902010371
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/38258664.html
Leasing News requested more information from Bernie, who replied:
“LeasePolice.com has had a file on this ‘high risk’ vendor since April 18, 2008 and published an ‘alert’ to our subscribers on June 23, 2008. It was apparent from June 23rd on that this was another hyped-up marketing scheme using inexpensive dummy monitors projecting info-commercials to help churches build up their congregations. If reports that 200 churches are involved are true, I can only surmise that the total exposure may be in the area of $5.4 Million. Our report already shows 12 Unsatisfactory Terminations with an average original equipment cost of $27,000. We had conversations with the vendor's Resident Agent on September 25th & October 22nd last year and challenged him on the inflated pricing. Each time he promised to detail his costs and justify his retail price. He never complied nor did he return later calls to his office.
“I dare to say that most (or even all) of the losses incurred by funders could have been avoided if they were subscribers and users of www.leasepolice.com.
“We have saved our current subscribers millions of dollars, but some funders out there are still reticent to use Lease Police.com. Amazingly, the main reason most funders do not use us is that they would have to manually input the basic inquiry into our system. Shockingly, the average input time is only 45 seconds. This may explain why frauds are so prevalent in our industry...because our industry has grown lazy and highly dependent on in-house scoring systems to make all their decisions.
“Until our industry decides that spending an extra minute or less to avoid ‘high-risk’ vendors is worth it, we will continue to see more losses like this. Kit, this entire episode reminds me of the old adage that goes somewhat like this. ‘THOSE THAT FAIL TO LEARN FROM THE LESSONS OF HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT’"
”Any Subscriber of www.leasepolice.com who pulled a report after June 23rd was forewarned and earlier inquirers were advised likewise.”
Best Regards,
Bernie
[headlines]
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Classified Ads---Marketing
Philadelphia/Wilmington, DE
Experienced new business development/marketing professional with expertise in document imaging leasing; Major Account and independent dealer channel activation a strength. Will travel/relocate.
susan0618@aol.com
Resume |
For a full listing of all “job wanted” ads, please go to:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm
To place a free “job wanted” Leasing News ad:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted-post.htm
ELFA Career Center: Job Seekers (free):
http://careers.elfaonline.org/search.cfm
[headlines]
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### Press Release ###########################
Direct Capital Extends $100mm Securitization Facility
PORTSMOUTH, NH – Direct Capital Corporation announced today that it recently extended a $100 million lease-backed commercial paper conduit securitization transaction. The transaction originally closed in December 2004 and was renewed in January 2009, with Autobahn Funding Company, LLC as lender and DZ Bank AG Deutsche Zentral-Genossenschaftsbank as agent.
Direct Capital plans to utilize the capital to expand its funding capacity for businesses across the U.S. through its direct, vendor, franchise and broker sales channels. “This is a tremendous milestone for our firm, particularly in these turbulent times where securing credit has been a challenge to all market participants,” said Christopher Broom, Direct Capital Chairman.
“Securing a multi-year commitment is a powerful endorsement of our best in class sales, marketing, customer service and portfolio management performance. This financing allows Direct Capital to continue to grow and service new and existing customers. DZ has been a stable and long standing partner of the company and we are pleased to have their on-going support and confidence.”
Christian Haesslein, Assistant Vice President of DZ Bank's Asset Securitization Group, added, “We are pleased to be able to continue our relationship with Direct Capital and congratulate the Company for securing continued funding capacity in this difficult environment.”
About Direct Capital
Established in 1993, Direct Capital is the 8th largest independent equipment leasing and finance company in the United States, according to Monitor. The company provides specialty finance solutions, including capital equipment leasing, commercial loans, and merchant cash advances.
Direct Capital markets its services through direct relationships with businesses and through partnerships with vendors, dealers, and manufacturers of capital equipment. Superb execution on its exceptional and unique direct service delivery model is the cornerstone of Direct Capital's success in an increasingly commoditized financial services industry.
Direct Capital is headquartered in Portsmouth, NH and operates offices in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit and New London, NH.
[headlines]
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More on USXL, owned by Tygris, cut-back
“Tygris/USXL exited the C&I platform in December and Tuesday's exit was primarily from their Technology platform.”
Very reliable source A spokesperson for Tygris on Thursday did not agree with the 20 employees let go figure, and sent this email to Leasing News:
“Fewer people were affected than reported. The business prefers not to disclose specific details.”
What makes the story newsworthy is not the number of employees, but here is a relatively new company, changing its name to USXL Vendor Finance, once in the fast growth lane, evidently now experiencing a downturn as everyone else; making adjustments, new direction--- ironically following earlier news in January that Tygris Commercial Finance Group Inc. is moving into 26,638 square feet at 500 W. Monroe in Chicago, occupying the entire 28th floor of the Chicago high rise. Obviously this was started perhaps in the third quarter of last year as the company was in an expansion mode.
For readers who missed the "extra" edition response from the Tygris spokesperson, here it is:
"It is a sad day for us whenever we have to let someone go, but as a rule we will always make refinements to our businesses - including selectively adjusting staffing levels up and down - that are in the long term best interest of our employees, our customers and our shareholders. Particularly in this environment, we're all dealing with challenging decisions."
Leasing News is also following the attempted acquisition of a bank to obtain TARP funds. Rick Wolfert was a leader in his previous companies. Can he do it again? The smart money says, “yes!”
[headlines]
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Marlin cuts 20 more employees?
“The final body count for 2/5/09 was 20. Officially. No management, all worker bees. Mostly credit and sales. One sales dept that was doing lessee solicitation was wiped out. “
Marlin Insider
[headlines]
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More news from the BofA front
"Bank of America Leasing and Capital is closing its Troy, Michigan based small ticket operation and will be laying-off most employees by April 30, 2009."
Highly Reliable Source
(Also confirmed “off the record” with a person at a very high level within the unit. Ed)
Another source told Leasing News the operation was formerly known as Sanwa Leasing and Fleet Capital Leasing and consists of their copier and IT vendor leasing programs. Some people were gone as of Wednesday, Leasing News was told, and others are sticking around until April 30th to wind things down.
[headlines]
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EFP Quits Broker Business
Equipment Finance Partners, a division of Altec, located in Birmingham, Alabama reportedly has ceased broker business, according to a very well informed source.
The company appears to specialize in “yellow iron;” construction and major building equipment.
http://www.efp-leasing.com/
[headlines]
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January, 2009 List
The list of companies no longer working with brokers was so highly received, covering 2008, Leasing News is going to go back to reporting the monthly "The List" additions and changes. As Washington politicians debate a financial stimulus, it is obvious the leasing industry is taking the hits along with the rest of the country.
(Chronological with the oldest in the month at the bottom. The links are from the “Alphabetical List” by company name with its history.) Financial Pacific, Federal Way, WA (01/09) "Parent" Allied Capital in trouble due to "Mark to Market." Paul J. Menzel, CLP President, says "FinPac is a portfolio investment of Allied's. We operate independently and are not presently affected by them."
http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#finpac
Pioneer Capital Corporation, Addison, Texas(01/09) IFC sells portfolio, Pioneer completes funding of deals with commission checks to follow; no status of IFC, but assume they are funding deals they have been holding off, too (01/09) Does not make Jan. 26th date ((note in Feb. (01/09)issued a memo to brokers confirming that it was unable to fund deals, perhaps since January 14th, perhaps earlier, the same condition as its parent IFC Credit Corporation, Morton Grovel, Illinois.
http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#pleasing
Marlin Business Services, Mount Laurel, NJ (01/09) Perhaps the most profitable division, Marlin announces closing down its broker division.” Our decision was based on the credit quality deterioration that we have been seeing in broker application flow. The risk vs. price relationship simply did not match the attractiveness of our other origination channels. Therefore we are applying former broker sales resources and capital to our direct channels. We sincerely wish the best for the broker community as we all manage through this economic climate.” Ed Siciliano, SVP & Chief Sales Officer.
http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#marlea
IFC Credit, Morton Grove, Illinois (01/09) After Bulletin Board Complaint appeared in Leasing News, IFC decided to call up the vendor, release the UCC and return the money back to the customer, confirmed by customer. (01/09) Makes the Complaint Bulletin Board. Says can't fund lease for six months, but Chief Ligation Attorney threatens Lessee they must make the lease payments, regardless than vendor not paid.
http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#ifc
Pinnacle Business Finance, Fife, WA (01/09) Chuck Brazier, CLP, let go, company ceases all broker business(01/09) All offices but Florida were closed last year (01/09 Announces consolidation of offices to Fife, Wa. (01/09) closes Florida office.
Allegiant Partners, San Rafael, Ca. (01/09) Doug Houlahan, CLP, Director, Sales and Marketing, leaves company; remains a shareholder.
Lakeland Bancorp, Inc., Oak Ridge, NJ (01/09)"The higher provision includes $8.5 million related to the leasing division for the fourth quarter and $17.8 million for the full year. During the fourth quarter, a second leasing originator indicated that it could no longer fulfill all of its obligations under contractual recourse provisions. The Company had $37.8 million outstanding from this originator representing 860 individual leases of which approximately 83% were current or less than 30 days past due."
http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#lake
GE Capital (01/09) makes more cuts in GE Capital (01/09) More cuts in several divisions.
http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#ge
Puget Sound Leasing, Bellevue, WA (01/09) First Sound Bank separate suit against sellers of Puget Sound Leasing: Larasco, Richard Secord and Louis Secord, citing not revealing true nature of portfolio and delinquencies, among other charges, confirms Louis Secord no longer a member of the board of directors. (01/09) Bank owner takes Larasco, two Secords, and 11 banks, seeking judgment of what Larasco, Secords, First Sound Bank, and the 11 banks are responsible for in default and problem leases. Meanwhile, “Puget Sound Leasing” won't consider any deal less than five years in business, they send to brokers, as well as make other restrictions, but still active in the marketplace.
http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#puget
Popular Business Finance, St. Louis, MO (01/09) Highly reliable report this division of Popular Bank, Puerto Rico, is in the process of being sold to TCF Financial Corporation ("TCF") (NYSE: TCB). TCF is a Wayzata, Minnesota-based national financial holding company with $16.5 billion in total assets. Complications with paperwork and bank requirement approvals.
Pentech Financial, Campbell, California (01/09) Reporting very small staff, managing existing portfolio. Most employees let go, taking on no new business, status where Brad Brisbin, VP sales, and Ron Wagner, CLP, Vanguard are doing. Brad Brisbin retired as a Captain in the US Navy, 2000, in the navy "31 yrs, 9 months, 21 days – but I was the only one counting. I’ve followed your son via your postings. I was a “brown water” sailor in VN, did two tours in the Middle East, three in Africa (including Somalia) and one in the Balkans." Wagner has held many positions as president or head of a bank leasing company. He has retired several times to play golf. He says he went back to work because he was such a lousy golfer!
http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#pentech
Butler Capital, Hunt Valley, Maryland (01/09) cutting back on employees, including long term veterans such as Don Blody, who a week later winds up as top credit man at Madison Capital, Owings Mills, MD.
http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#butlerc
Velocity Financial Group, Rosemont, Illinois (01/09) lets go all of their employees last Friday with exception of the venture group. They also have an office in Wakefield, Massachusetts. They had raised an initial $400MM. Company first says "no comment," but later says wants to concentrate on venture leasing as Frank Cirone, "Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder Chief Executive Officer of Comdisco US Leasing responsible for leading the organization and management team for finance, sales, portfolio management, administration and equipment refurbishment." As Yoga Berra would say, "Looks like Dah-Jah-Vue all over again."
One World Leasing (01/09) Ira Romoff, seasoned veteran who took over August 25, 2006 with 17 members and now 26 members retires, says press release. In LinkedIn and elsewhere, Romoff says, "I've recently retired and am looking for a Board Seat at a bank or large leasing company, consulting in banking, leasing or risk management, or a temporary CEO position.” Earlier talk that co-op was merging with one source falls flat, and its no secret that business also off at most of the members operation."
http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#one
Radiance Capital LLC, Tacoma, WA (01/09) "The company will continue to manage and service the existing portfolio. For the foreseeable future, there are no plans to fund or originate new finance transactions.” (01/09) Company is sold. Buyer is Tom Price, son of Mike Price, former chairman/ceo of T&W Financial.*
http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#radiance
* T&W Financial
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Price_Luke.pdf
[headlines]
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Free Employment ZRG Webinar
Leasing News ran this "free banner ad" to promote Ken Vancini's "free" Webinar on February 11th for those seeking a job. No other announcement. Ken reports 72 have signed up to date.
Note: The webinar is limited to the first 100 who call to be able to answer questions at the end.
[headlines]
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City of Sixburgh http://leasingnews.org/PDF/sixburgh.pdf
[headlines]
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Gerry Egan may be driving by you
Well-known sales lecturer, author, writer, video star, and past president of the National Association of Equipment Leasing Association (NAELB), Gerry Egan, is traveling in his motor home to the Las Vegas NAELB Conference to be held April 30-May 2. He may be passing by you.
"If I’m going to be in your area anyway, I'm glad if it saves you some travel expenses,” he says. "And I won't even need a hotel room since, like a turtle, I'll be traveling with my own home!
"Here are some cities I may be passing through, or near, on my way: Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Shreveport, LA; Dallas, TX; Austin, TX, El Paso, TX, and Phoenix, AZ. I’ll be taking a more northerly route back sometime in late May or June.
"Here are just a few of the things we could choose from to work on:
"Developing local business leads
Selling to ‘A’ credits
Creating and using effective sales tools
Effective pre-qualifying
Using direct mail
More productive and profitable vendor relationships
Using lease-vs-buy effectively
"Let me know anything else you'd be interested in. Everything we do is practical, real-world based, customer-focused, result-oriented and realistic for small businesses to do."
GerryEgan@LearnLeasing.com
April 30-May 2, 2009
NAELB Annual Conference
Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa
Las Vegas, NV
www.NAELB.org
[headlines]
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Leasing Industry Help Wanted
|
Commercial Sales Associate
Looking for Sales Associate with a following. Your area of expertise should be with any titled rolling stock; New or Used Ambulances, Trucks, Street Sweepers,Tow Trucks, Buses, any commercial vehicle. National Scope. Hi Commission with benefits.
Curt Webster, CVLE 516 922-7447
We are an independent automobile, truck, and commercial equipment leasing company with over 36 years serving the best customers in the United States. |
carleaseusa.com |
sales
|
VENDOR SALES SPECIALISTS
LEASING SALES PROFESSIONALS
Like selling vendor programs and large transactions?
Enjoy international financing programs?
Prefer the advantages of a commission only environment with the security of health and welfare benefits?
CLICK HERE to find out how to have fun again. |
Please see our Job Wanted section for possible new employees.
[headlines]
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A lot of excellent employees looking for the right company now
Help Wanted Ad Pricing Criteria |
Smaller Ads |
$500.00 minimum for four lines |
Larger Ads |
$75.00 each additional line |
Additional Options |
- Design work to help create the ad is free.
- Description of your company is free
(company description cannot have more lines than your ad) |
Cost Per Day (based on ad price) |
$500.00 - $23.81 per day
$600.00 - $28.57 per day
$700.00 - $33.33 per day
$800.00 - $38.10 per day
$900.00 - $42.86 per day
|
|
All rates are subject to change.
Ads run a minimum of 21 days on the web site ( holidays not included.) There are placed in the "Help Wanted' section by category, alphabetical, with the largest ad in the category first. Copy may be amended without any extra charge.
It is also our policy to place "help wanted" ads above the news edition headlines. This position is not available as a paid position, but appear on the top of the news edition in a rotation basis. This position is not guaranteed,but is a practice to give advertisers more attention to their ad.
Please send an email to kitmenkin@leasingnews.org to post a Help Wanted Ad.
Here are some samples of various size ads:
www.leasingnews.org/Classified/examples.htm
If you prefer a " non-employment" ad, we sell a banner ad, please
click here for pricing.
If you would like more information, please contact: kitmenkin@leasingnews.org
We reserve the right to refuse any advertising.
Ads for employment should be placed in the classified ad section, where it is possible to also appear at the top of the headlines.
No changing or alternating banner ads.
Ad copy may be up-dated or changed at any time during the time period.
No charge for artwork or design.
To see sample size of ads, please go here. [headlines]
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Resource America reports continued net loss
Close on Thursday: $3.90 Year High: $13.68 Resource America, Inc. (NASDAQ: REXI) reported a GAAP net loss after discontinued operations of $3.2 million for the first fiscal quarter of 2008.
Jonathan Cohen, CEO and President, commented, "Although this quarter saw (i) the return to profitability of our leasing company and our real estate company..." The was not explained in the press release, especially when the financial statement revealed:
In the financial statement for revenue in an adjusting GAP reconciliation, commercial revenues (in the thousands) went down almost half for the three months ending December 31:
2007: 27,965 2008: 15,384
Decrease-increase in commercial finance
investments held for sale (in thousands)
(19,546) 2008: 23,443
In addition, it is noted: "Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations as adjusted was $8.7 million for the three months ended December 31, 2008, a decrease of $5.0 million as compared to $13.7 million for the three months ended December 31, 2007"
Source: Full Press Release with financial statements
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=73519&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1252345&highlight=
For the six months ended March 31, 2008, Resource America reported revenues of $94.4 million, operating income of $35.6 million, a loss from continuing operations and a net loss of $9.0 million, Net loss from continuing operations and net loss for the six months ended March 31, 2008 includes an $11.4 million loss, net of tax, incurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2007 in connection with the Company's decision to terminate its two remaining outstanding financial fund management warehouse credit facilities in the United States and Europe.
“In November 2008, the Company, through LEAF Equipment Leasing Income Fund III, L.P. ("Fund III"), an unconsolidated leasing partnership managed by LEAF, entered into two financing facilities totaling $355.0 million including: (i) a $205.0 million credit facility led by Morgan Stanley Bank that was used to acquire the assets of NetBank Business Finance in November 2007 and (ii) a five- year revolving $150.0 million credit facility that refinanced a maturing credit facility and will also fund future originations.”
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=73519&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1252345&highlight=
[headlines]
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NACM Credit Manager Sixth Consecutive Month Decline
The seasonally adjusted Credit Manager’s Index (CMI) fell 0.4% to a record low of 39.7 in January, its sixth consecutive decline.
“It was another grim report,” said Daniel North, chief economist with credit insurer Euler Hermes ACI, who evaluates the data and prepares the CMI report for the National Association of Credit Management (NACM). “Similarly, much of the recent economic data has been worse than expected, suggesting that the economy’s decline may actually be accelerating,” he continued.
Seven components fell, all are below 50, half are below 40 and three set record lows, indicating very difficult conditions, reported North. “As always, slow payment seems to be the biggest problem,” he said, providing these comments from survey participants:
• Trade contracting: “Money is moving very slow(ly) and I have more customers ‘hiding’ from their obligations than in the past few years.”
• Metal furnishings: “Cash flow unsteady. Mom and Pops are paying slower and give great reasons. The strong customers are paying later than the norm in the past.”
• Steel: “Downward trending on sales and a slowing of payments.”
Six components fell, all components are below 50, four are below 40 and five are at record lows. “The negative commentary is the same we have heard for months now,” said North:
• Freight transportation: “Customer(s) are dragging their feet in paying their monthly statements.”
• Electronic parts: “More cash flow issues cropping up.”
• Groceries: “It is going to be a tough year.”
North noted some industries reported credit managers being optimistic about the economic stimulus package.
(This ad is a “trade” for the writing of this column. Opinions
contained in the column are those of Mr. Terry Winders, CLP)
[headlines]
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Fernando’s View
By Fernando F. Croce
In Theaters:
Taken (20th Century Fox): Liam Neeson gives the secret agents from the “Bourne Identity” a run for their money in this breathless action picture. He stars as Bryan Mills, a former spy who wants to put his brutal past behind him and take care of his estranged young daughter. Problem is, he can’t seem to escape from violence and, as his daughter is kidnapped while vacationing in Europe, he must make use again of the fighting skills developed during his CIA days. The story of paternal revenge hasn’t been fresh since the original “Death Wish,” yet “Taken” works like a charm due to the amazing flair director Pierre Morel brings to the action sequences and, above all, to the conviction Neeson brings to his role.
Waltz with Bashir (Sony Pictures Classics): A blend of animation and documentary about the Middle East conflict? Ari Folman’s unique film is that and more, a vision of an ongoing conflict that goes from dream to nightmare and back with startling ease. Using a friend’s anecdote as a launching pad, Folman looks back at his time in the Israeli Army during the Lebanon War in 1982. By tracking down former colleagues to ask about what happened during those years, will he get to the bottom of the truth, or just expose more horrors? Deeply personal yet immediately accessible, “Waltz with Bashir” uses animation to go where few other films would dare go. New on DVD:
Assault on Precinct 13 (Image.): A perfect example of a talented filmmaker turning limited resources into cinematic gold, John Carpenter’s superb thriller looks even better today than when it was first released in 1976. Set in the middle of a clash between the police and Los Angeles gangs, the film focuses on a group of characters surrounded by criminals inside a police station. While Carpenter’s handling of action is a model of economy and suspense, the film is just as engaging in its portrayal of the friendship that grows between a tough officer (Austin Stoker) and a taciturn convict (Darwin Joston), opponents who become allies in order to stay alive. The story was remade in 2005 with Ethan Hawke, but the original is one to see.
Being There (Warner Bros.): Peter Sellers had his last great role in this gentle yet frequently cutting 1979 social satire, directed by Hal Ashby (“The Last Detail,” “Shampoo”). The legendary British comic gives a heartfelt performance as Chance, a simple-minded gardener who leads a quiet life tending to the plants of an old man in Washington, D.C. Venturing for the first time in years into the real world, he meets an influential politician (Melvyn Douglas) and his wife (Shirley MacLaine), and, knowing only what he learned from watching TV, finds himself becoming a media celebrity. Clearly an influence on the Oscar-winning “Forrest Gump,” the film offers a funny and moving portrait of an innocent muddling through a corrupt world, elevated to a higher plane by Sellers’s uncanny presence.
Oliver & Company (Walt Disney): Children too young to read “Oliver Twist” should enjoy this Disney version of the Charles Dickens novel, a hit from 1988 finally being released on DVD. Oliver (voiced by Joey Lawrence) is an orphan kitten who, lost in the streets of New York City, joins a pack of stray dogs led by the rascally Fagin (Dom DeLuise). Oliver learns the ropes of a life of crime, but will he go through with it after finding happiness with a new owner? Though not one of the studio’s most memorable films, this animated fable has enough bright spots and amusing characters (including a spoiled rich dog voiced by Bette Midler and a madcap Chihuahua voiced by Cheech Marin) to make it a worthy rental for the kids. [headlines] ---------------------------------------------------------------
Classified ads—Back Office Leasing Industry Outsourcing
(Providing Services and Products)
Back Office: Atlanta, GA
Let Tax Partners handle your sales and use tax compliance duties w/less risk and cost than in-house. Largest tax compliance firm
in US
E-mail:sales@taxpartners.com |
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Property Tax and sales and use tax administration services performance is guaranteed and we will save you time and money or our service is free.
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Back Office: Laughlin, NV
20 years experience on funder/broker sides. Looking for a relationship where I act as credit shop for smaller brokers when financial statements are involved.
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|
Backoffice: New Rochelle, NY
Proactive management/administration of commercial/consumer vehicle lease/finance portfolios covering insurance, titles,
registrations, sales/property taxes, tickets, collections, accounting, vehicle disposition. Since 1975
E-mail: Barrett@BarrettCapital.com |
Back Office: Northbrook, IL
Our staff of CPA's and lease professionals can handle any or all portfolio responsibilities incl. portfolio mgmt, invoicing, sales/property/income tax, accounting, etc.
800-826-7070
E-mail: ngeary@ecsfinancial.com |
Back Office: San Rafael, CA
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All "Outsourcing" Classified ads
(advertisers are both requested and responsible to keep their free ads up to date):
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Outsourcing/Outsourcing.htm
How to Post a free "Outsourcing" classified ad:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Outsourcing/Outsourcing-post.htm
[headlines]
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(This ad is a “trade” for the writing of this column. Opinions
contained in the column are those of Scott Wheeler.)
News Briefs---- GE chief warns on US depression threat
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9cdf7854-f3b6-11dd-9c4b-0000779fd2ac.html
Mortgage rates jump to 5.25% average, highest since Dec.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2009-02-05-mortgage-rates_N.htm
Starbucks will cut 6,700 jobs, close 300 more stores
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008681651_
webstarlayoffs28.html
Boeing 787 loses another 16 orders
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008710913_
webboeing05.html
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. loses $6.4 billion in 2Q
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/090205/earns_news_corp.html?.v=5
Cisco's profits plunge; 2,000 jobs to be cut
http://www.mercurynews.com/businessheadlines/ci_11627430?nclick_check=1
Number of unemployed hits new record
http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/stories/2009/02/05/unemployment.html
Sales Fall Sharply for Retailers Not Named Wal-Mart
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/business/06retail.html?ref=business
TARP Shortchanged Taxpayers by $78 Billion, Watchdog Panel Says
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aTDor5YnbmQM&refer=us
Silicon Valley Scion Pleads Guilty to Securities Fraud
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_11628356
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11629382?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com
-www.mercurynews.com
U.S. banks borrow more from Fed in latest week
http://uk.reuters.com/article/marketsNewsUS/idUKN0539414220090205
CEO spends $2.2 million on BOA stock
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/02/05/CEO_spends_22_million_on_BOA_stock/
UPI-23551233877857/
As Layoffs Surge, Women May Pass Men in Job Force
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/business/06women.html?_r=1&ref=business
Madoff Customer List (you can adjust the size to read)
http://www.cfo.com/media/pdf/Madoff%20customers%20-%202-4-09.pdf
[headlines]
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You May have Missed---
Flight 1549: 'We're gonna be in the Hudson'
FAA Air Traffic Control communications
Please note that all air traffic communications for LaGuardia tower (LGA), Teterboro tower (TEB), and the New York Tracon (N90) in the time period surrounding the accident are included below. However, most of the communications with the pilot while the aircraft was in the air are contained in the tape and transcript for the New York Tracon. All times are in Zulu time, which is the same as Greenwich Mean Time.
http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/accident_incident/1549/
[headlines]
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Sports Briefs---- USA Swimming suspends Phelps for 3 months
http://www.sacbee.com/1089/story/1603146.html
Raiders boss remains the same, and it isn't the coach
http://www.mercurynews.com/annkillion/ci_11622150
Braves great celebrates 75th birthday
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2009/02/05/braves_aaron_
birthday_clinton.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab
Hours clause was sticking point for Dan Reeves, Dallas Cowboys
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/020609dnspo
cowreeves_hp.230963aa.html
[headlines]
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California Nuts Briefs--- DMV, other state offices set to close Friday
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/05/BAOU15O7RQ.DTL&tsp=1
Revolt brews in counties
http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/1600656.html
[headlines]
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“Gimme that Wine” For Barolos, the Thrill Is Back --Eric Asimov
http://events.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/dining/reviews/04wine.html?ref=dining
Georgia's wine industry, waiting for your visit
http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=856551&lang=eng_news
Calif. Grape Growers Fearful Of Water Shortage
http://www.kcra.com/news/18644168/detail.html
It's a buyer's market in wine
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-wine4-2009feb04,0,7436559.story
Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/
US/International Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/
Winery Atlas
http://www.carterhouse.com/atlas
Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm
The London International Vintners Exchange (Liv-ex) is an electronic exchange for fine wine.
http://www.liv-ex.com/
[headlines]
----------------------------------------------------------------
Today's Top Event in History
1937-John Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men, the story of the bond between two migrant workers, is published. He adapted the book into a three-act play, which was produced the same year. The story brought national attention to Steinbeck's work, which had started to catch on in 1935 with the publication of his first successful novel, Tortilla Flat. Steinbeck was born and raised in the Salinas Valley, where his father was a county official and his mother a former schoolteacher. A good student and president of his senior class in high school, Steinbeck attended Stanford intermittently in the early 1920s. In 1925, he moved to New York City, where he worked as a manual laborer and a journalist while writing stories and novels. His first two novels were not successful. In 1930, he married Carol Henning, the first of his three wives, and moved to Pacific Grove, California. Steinbeck's father gave the couple a house and a small income while Steinbeck continued to write. He shortly thereafter moved to Los Gatos, California, where he lived in two homes, trying to avoid visitors and celebrity status. His third novel, Tortilla Flat (1935), was a critical and financial success, as were such subsequent books as In Dubious Battle (1935) and Of Mice and Men (1937), both of which offered social commentaries on injustices of various types. In 1939, Steinbeck won the Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath, a novel tracing a fictional Oklahoma family as they lose their family farm in the Depression and move to California seeking a better life. His work after World War II, including Cannery Row and The Pearl, continued to offer social criticism but became more sentimental. Steinbeck tried his hand at movie scripts in the 1940s, writing successful films like Forgotten Village (1941) and Viva Zapata (1952). He also took up the serious study of marine biology and published a nonfiction book, The Sea of Cortez, in 1941. His 1962 nonfiction book, Travels with Charlie, describes his travels across the United States in a camper truck with his poodle, Charlie. Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize in 1962 and died in New York in 1968.
[headlines]
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This Day in American History
1756- birthday of Aaron Burr, 3rd vice president of the US (Mar 4, 1801-Mar 3, 1805). While vice president, Burr is remembered most for challenging political enemy Alexander Hamilton to a duel and mortally wounded him July 11,1804, at Weehawken, Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson tied in the electoral vote and the election went to Congress. Hamilton, a leading Federalist, supported Jefferson. In those days, president and vice-present were elected separately ( Jefferson when he ran for re-election, choose his own vice-president, George Clinton, starting the tradition.) It was Hamilton who denied Burr the presidency by his one vote, and lead against Burr's politics. ( Hamilton was not familiar with firearms, but was a Man of Honor” and despite pleas from friends, his wife, sons, he felt he had to defend his honor, knowing it meant his death. ) Indicted for the challenge and for murder, Burr returned to Washington to complete his term of office (during which he presided over the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase). Ironically, the man who was almost president joined forces, centered around land before Jefferson completed the Louisiana Purchase In 1807, one of his "partners" turned evidence against Burr to escape hanging, and Burr was arrested, tried for treason (in an alleged scheme to invade Mexico and set up a new nation in the West) and acquitted. Burr journeyed to New Orleans and entered into a conspiracy with U.S. Gen. James Wilkinson, although it is not clear what they conspired about. Wilkinson was actually in the pay of Spain at the time. This was about the time of great wars in Europe and the need for cash had France sell "the Louisiana Purchase" to the U.S. Speculation was that Burr intended either to establish an independent nation in the Southwest or to seize territory, now known as "Texas", for the same purpose in Spanish America. Burr secured financing from Harman Blennerhassett, of Blennerhassett Island in the Ohio River near present-day Parkersburg, West Virginia.. He set out from there in the fall of 1806 with about 60 well-armed men and headed downstream. The expedition aroused suspicion and Wilkinson, seeking to save his own skin, turned against Burr. He spread stories of Burr's intentions and sent dispatches to the government in Washington accusing Burr of treason. Burr was arrested and charged with of treason. Burr was arrested and charged with treason, but still had many friends in Washington and was acquitted in 1807. Born at Newark, NJ, he died at Staten Island, NY, Sept 14,1836.
1788- by a vote of 187 to 168, Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the Constitution. The people of this state drafted the first constitution eight years earlier, which was utilized in the formation of the US constitution. Massachusetts is derived from two Indian words meaning ‘great mountain place'. This great mountain place in New England was one of the most important of the 13 colonies in the new America, which gave it its other nickname, Old Colony State. Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, has been the center of activity in the state since those old colony days. Massachusetts state symbols include the chickadee, state bird; American elm, state tree; ladybug, state insect; "All Hail to Massachusetts", state song; and mayflower, the state flower. Which arrived first, the ship or the flower? Unique to Massachusetts is a state beverage: cranberry juice and a state muffin; I am not making this up, the corn muffin is official. The Massachusetts state motto is: Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (By the sword we seek peace; but peace only under liberty).
1788- France was the first country to recognize the independence of the United States. Treaties of amity and alliance between the United States and France were drafted in Paris this day.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/feb06.html
1820- US population announced at 9,638,453 (1,771,656 blacks (18.4%)) The number of college graduates in the U.S. was estimated by James Fenimore Cooper to be 8,000. A financial panic that struck the U.S. in 1819 still brought fear as many state banks were closed and much western property was turned over to the Bank of the United States. Immigration slowed to a trickle for almost two decades, especially after the new immigration law was enacted by Congress. Stained relations between the North and the South hinted at trouble to come as the Union consisted of 11 free and 11 slave states. The North, however, was rapidly outdistancing the South in population and held a grown numerical advantage in the House of Representatives. Ready for state were Main, certain to be a free state, and Missouri, part of the Louisiana Purchase and likely to be a slave state. Big time political machines were introduced in the US led by a group of New York Democrats known as the Albany Regency. Martin Van Buren was among the leaders of the group, which controlled New York politics for two decades.
1820- The first organized emigration of U.S. blacks to Africa began when the "Mayflower of Liberia" sailed from New York City for Sierra Leone with 86 blacks aboard. The ship arrived in Sierra Leone on March 9. Twenty-two years later, it took a U.S. Supreme Court ruling for 35 former passengers of the "Amistad" to accomplish the same thing. During this period of history there was a growing movement of “free” blacks to return to their native continent. As Northern states made slavery “illegal,” the “free” Blacks number grew from a few thousand in 1760 to 319,000 by 1830. Many of the movements were for the benefit of the organizer, who received fees as a “travel agent.” Some were outright “scams,” and others started the free state of Liberia. At the turn of the century, Marcus Garvey actually bought a steamship to send his followers to Liberia, and other countries in Africa.
http://www.connerprairie.org/historyonline/colon.html
http://www.columbia.edu/~gtl5/seminar6.html
http://www.blackvoices.com/feature/blk_history_98/fleming/column5.htm
1838- Samuel Morse first publicly demonstrated his telegraph, in Morristown, N.J.
1843 - "The Virginia Minstrels", the first minstrel show in the United States, opened at the Bowery Amphitheatre in New York City.
1862 -General Ulysses S. Grant provides the first major Union victory of the war when he captures Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. Ten days later, he captured Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River, which gave the Yankees control of northern Tennessee and paved the way for the occupation of Nashville.
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/tn001.htm
http://users.aol.com/greenup1/page1.html
1865- Dashing Confederate General John Pegram is killed at the Battle of Dabney's Mill, Virginia, only three weeks after marrying Hetty Cary, the "handsomest women in the Southland." Pegram graduated from West Point in 1854, 10th in a class of 46. He served in various posts in the west before resigning his commission at the start of the Civil War. He was well connected, a Southern gentleman, but not considered a good military officer by the troops he served under. After leaving the US Army, Pegram received an appointment as a lieutenant colonel in the Confederate army. Sent to fight in western Virginia during the summer of 1861, he was captured by General George McClellan's men at the Battle of Rich Mountain. Pegram was exchanged in April 1862 and sent to serve with General Pierre G. T. Beauregard in Mississippi. He fought in Tennessee and Kentucky and earned a promotion to brigadier general. After the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863, Pegram was transferred to General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. He was wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness in May 1864, but recovered to fight with General Jubal Early during the Shenandoah Valley campaign in the summer of 1864. That fall, he was sent to defend his native city of Petersburg. On January 19, Pegram married Hetty Cary, a prominent Richmond socialite who many called the "handsomest women in the Southland." Even in the gloom of the ongoing siege, the ceremony was a grand affair attended by nearly all of the high-ranking Confederates, including President Jefferson Davis and his wife, Varina. The bride, commented onlookers, was a vision of beauty and one said that the "happy gleam of her beautiful brown eyes seemed to defy all sorrow." Just three weeks later, Pegram's body was returned to the same church, St. Paul's Episcopal, and his young widow knelt beside his coffin as the minister who married them presided over the dashing general's funeral.
http://www.richmountain.org/pegram.htm
http://www.ehistory.com/uscw/library/essays/paradoxicacavalier.cfm
http://router.patch.net/misc/cary.html
1867-The Peabody Fund is established to promote Black education in the South.
http://www.picturehistory.com/find/p/11767/mcms.html
http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1776/
The_Peabody_Fund_established
( see the Letters of Robert C. Winthrop:
http://muweb.millersville.edu/~winthrop/news2.html )
1891-The Dalton Gang's first attempt at train robbery was a fiasco as Bob, Grat, and Bill tried to rob a Southern Pacific train near Alila, California. While Bill kept any passengers from interfering by shooting over their heads, Bob and Grat forced the engineer to show them the location of the cash-carrying express car. When the engineer tried to slip away, one of the brothers shot him in the stomach. Finding the express car on their own, Bob and Grat demanded that the guard inside open the heavy door. The guard refused and began firing down on them from a small spy hole. Thwarted, the brothers finally gave up and rode away. The Daltons would have done well to heed the ominous signs of that first failed robbery and seek safer pursuits. Instead, they returned to Oklahoma, reunited with young Emmett, and began robbing in earnest. A year later, the gang botched another robbery, boldly attempting to hit two Coffeyville, Kansas, banks at the same time. Townspeople caught them in the act and killed Bob, Grat, and two of their gang members. Emmett was seriously wounded and served 14 years in prison. Of all the criminal Dalton brothers, only Emmett lived into old age. Freed from prison in 1907, he married and settled in Los Angeles, where he built a successful career in real estate and contracting.
1895- George Herman “Babe” Ruth, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher and outfielder born at Baltimore, MD. One of the baseball's greatest heroes, Ruth was raised at St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys. He was signed to a minor league baseball contract by Jack Dunn of the Baltimore Orioles and became known as “Dunn's Babe.” An out-standing pitcher, Ruth began swatting home runs in record numbers and was converted to the outfield. He hit 714 home runs in 22 major league seasons of play ( a record 60 in 1927) and played in 10 World Series. He was the game's greatest star and became an enduring legend. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 19236. Died at New York, NY, on August 16,1948.
1902- the Young Women's Hebrew Association was organized in New York City. Mrs. Bella Unterbergwas the founder and the first president. The first building used by the organization was at 1584 Lexington Avenue, New York City.
1899 - The Treaty of Paris was ratified by the United States Senate by one vote, ending the Spanish-American War.
1911- birthday of Ronald Wilson Reagan, 40th president of the US (1981-89). Former sportscaster, motion picture actor, governor of California (1967-74); he was the oldest and the first divorced person to become president. He would visit John Birch meetings down the street from us in the Pacific Palisades, CA., as I parked cars for our neighbor who held the meeting at his house. I also delivered flowers to his house when I was working for Oliver Bente Florist in Brentwood, CA. He is suffering from Alzheimer's. Born at Tampico, IL. Married actress Jane Wyman in 1940 (divorced in 1948); married actress Nancy Davis, Mar 4, 1952.
1918-Birthday of trumpet player Howard McGhee, Tulsa, OK ;Died July 17,1987, New York City, NY
http://www.4stardust.com/howard.htm
http://www.trumpetjazz.com/artists.cgi?name=Howard+McGhee&x=23&y=12
1919- a heady display of labor's growing power concluded when a general strike was called off in Seattle, Washington. World War I had swelled the ranks of the nation's unions, while the Marxist revolution in Russia raised hopes of deliverance for the world's workers. In the days before the war, a strong alliance of craft unions enabled Seattle's 35,000 dockworkers to gain some of the highest wages in the nation. With the outbreak of war, the government placed constraints on the shipyard worker's wages, in hopes of rolling their earnings back in line with the rest of the country. In January, the dockworkers retaliated by walking off the job, and on February 1, 25,000 of Seattle's other workers joined the dockworkers on the picket line. The workers began the strikes in response to government sanctioned wage cuts. A riff occurred in the various labor unions, some say due to anarchists, Marxists, socialist and other “malcontents.” The mood definitely was to protest the wage cuts. The five-day strike effectively shut down Seattle: factories, shops and the waterfront all sat dormant, waiting for a resolution to the dispute. A General Strike Committee swiftly stepped in and established temporary systems for feeding and protecting Seattle's citizens. Although the strike was peaceful, and the Committee judged that people were rapidly "learning to manage" the city's daily operations, local government and business chiefs threatened action against the country's unions. Feeling the fire of a potential legal or political nightmare, national labor leaders stepped in and urged Seattle's workers to end their strike. Seattle's strikers had not yet gained ground on their wage demands, but they heeded the call and headed back to work, releasing the city from their grip on this day in 1919.
http://users.rcn.com/figgins/generalstrike/northamerica/
unitedstates/washington.html
http://www.washington.edu/uwired/outreach/cspn/curcan/main.html
1921- "The Kid", starring Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan, released.
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~anpajune/chaplin/chaplin.html
1921-Birthday of lead trumpet player Ernie Royal, Los Angeles, CA
http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,487546,00.
html?artist=Ernie+Royal
http://www.jazzprofessional.com/interviews/Ernie%20Royal.htm
1922—Lead trumpet player great Conrad Gozzo birthday
http://www.trumpetstuff.com/images/Goz/
http://www.jazztrumpet.com/tofc/charts/gozzovol1.html
( Perhaps Hollywood's Best Lead Trumpet player, title now passed down to Warren Luening, Jr. )
1924-Birthdayof arranger Sam Nestico, Pittsburgh, PA
http://www.52ndstreet.com/reviews/mainstream/cappplayitagain.html
http://www.fantasyjazz.com/catalog/basie_c_cat3.html
1924-- Station KFSG (Kall Four Square Gospel) went on the air. One of the earliest radio stations licensed, it broadcast the services of Angelus Temple, the flagship congregation of the International Foursquare Gospel Church, founded by Aimee Semple Mc Pherson in 1923.
1926- Norman Rockwell's Colonial Sign Painter cover for the Saturday Evening Post was the first to appear in full color. It depicted a Rockwell kindred spirit--a Colonial sign painter
1933 - The 20th Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted, allowing the president to take office in January instead of March.
1933 –Birthday of Walter E Fauntroy (Representative-D-DC, 1971-1991 )
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=F000046
http://www.nblr.org/WEF.htm
1936 –Birthday of rocker Otis Williams rocker (Charms and the Temptations)
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=4:40:55|
PM&sql=B2kq4g4jttv5z
http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=199
1937-John Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men, the story of the bond between two migrant workers, is published. He adapted the book into a three-act play, which was produced the same year. The story brought national attention to Steinbeck's work, which had started to catch on in 1935 with the publication of his first successful novel, Tortilla Flat . Steinbeck was born and raised in the Salinas Valley, where his father was a county official and his mother a former schoolteacher. A good student and president of his senior class in high school, Steinbeck attended Stanford intermittently in the early 1920s. In 1925, he moved to New York City, where he worked as a manual laborer and a journalist while writing stories and novels. His first two novels were not successful. In 1930, he married Carol Henning, the first of his three wives, and moved to Pacific Grove, California. Steinbeck's father gave the couple a house and a small income while Steinbeck continued to write. He shortly thereafter moved to Los Gatos, California, where he lived in two homes, trying to avoid visitors and celebrity status. His third novel, Tortilla Flat (1935), was a critical and financial success, as were such subsequent books as In Dubious Battle (1935) and Of Mice and Men (1937), both of which offered social commentaries on injustices of various types. In 1939, Steinbeck won the Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath, a novel tracing a fictional Oklahoma family as they lose their family farm in the Depression and move to California seeking a better life. His work after World War II, including Cannery Row and The Pearl, continued to offer social criticism but became more sentimental. Steinbeck tried his hand at movie scripts in the 1940s, writing successful films like Forgotten Village (1941) and Viva Zapata (1952). He also took up the serious study of marine biology and published a nonfiction book, The Sea of Cortez, in 1941. His 1962 nonfiction book, Travels with Charlie, describes his travels across the United States in a camper truck with his poodle, Charlie. Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize in 1962 and died in New York in 1968.
1938-Birthday of Isaac Hayes, one of the most important forces in the development of Memphis soul music, born in Covington, Tennessee. He played piano in the house band at Stax Records in the 1960's, and also began composing hit songs, such as "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Coming" for Sam and Dave and "BABY" for Carla Thomas. Hayes's 1969 album "Hot Buttered Soul" established his reputation as a performer. The lushly orchestrated and often lengthy songs that became his trademark laid the foundation for the disco music of such artists as Barry White. Hayes himself, with tights, cape and gold chains around his bare chest was the '70s forerunner to Mr. T. Hayes's commercial peak came in 1971 with his double soundtrack album for "Shaft." "The Theme From Shaft" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and made Hayes an international superstar. But by 1976, mismanagement and personal excesses had forced Isaac Hayes into bankruptcy. He made several comeback attempts, one of them in 1979 producing the gold album, "Don't Let Go." He is currently the voice of 'Chef' on the hit adult cartoon "South Park".
1940- TV media journalist Tom Brokaw birthday, Yanton, SD.
1943 - Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed commander-in-chief of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in North Africa.
1943- Frank Sinatra makes his first appearance on “Your Hit Parade.”
1943- birthday of singer Fabian ( Fabianoo Forte ), Philadelphia, PA. One of several manufactured teen idols to come out of Philly in the late 1950's, Fabian had three big hits in 1959, then disappeared from the charts. His most popular record was "Tiger," which hit number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Fabian later turned to acting, and in 1974 posed nude for Playgirl magazine.
http://www.history-of-rock.com/fabian.htm
1943 - Swashbuckler screen actor Errol Flynn, age 33, was acquitted of three charges of statutory rape by a jury in Los Angeles Superior Court. It was well known that he had a penchant for teenage girls, and in the later years of his life lived openly in Havana, Cuba with 16-17 year old Beverly Aadland. While it is true, “In Like Flynn” became a popular expression during the 40's, the origination according to A Dictionary of Catch Phrases (Eric Partridge, 1986) came from: Edward J. Flynn (1892-1953) a New York City political boss who became a campaign manager for the Democratic party during FDR's presidency. Boss Flynn's "Democratic Party machine exercised absolute political control over the Bronx.... The candidates he backed were almost automatically 'in,' and he himself permanently so," Partridge comments.
http://www.inlikeflynn.com/
http://www.shopping-entertainment-online.com/vintage-
stars/errol-flynn.htm
http://www.spiritone.com/~law/celeb_statutory.html
http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/bulletin/eddesk.nsf/All/
D3473A226D5984F2CA256CB1001633C1!open
1943 -- US government requires the 110,000 Japanese-Americans imprisoned in internment camps to answer loyalty surveys. The first questionnaire was issued on February 3 at Tule Lake and by this date all the internment camp require their “prisoners” to answer: Question 27 asks draft-age men: "Are you willing to serve in the US armed forces on combat duty, wherever ordered?" 22% of the 21,000 second-generation respondents will answer "no" or give no response. Known as Nisei [nih-say], these U.S.-born Japanese-Americans are not expressing disloyalty but their protest against the internment. In January 1944, the Selective Service began reclassifying to 1-A the Nisei men who answered "yes" to the question and issuing draft notices. After more than 300 Nisei refuse to be inducted, authorities arrest & indict Frank Emi and six others for conspiracy to violate the Selective Service Act. The seven are found guilty and sentenced to four years at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas.
http://www.csupomona.edu/~tassi/intern.htm
http://www.cetel.org/timeline.html#4
http://www.ww2pacific.com/relocation.html
1945- birthday of Bob Marley. With his group, The Wailers, Bob Marley was one of the most popular and influential performers of reggae music, an "off-beat-accented Jamaican" music closely associated with the political/religious Rastafarian movement (admirers of the late Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, who was formerly called Ras Tafari). Marley was born at Rhoden Hall in northern Jamaica. In 1963, Marley formed a vocal quintet, the Wailers, who achieved some success, but little financial reward, in their native country, before disbanding in 1966. The Wailers reunited in 1968, but for several years seemed no closer than before to establishing steady careers. Then, in 1972, Chris Blackwell signed them to Island Records and advanced them the money to record an album in Jamaica. The result was "Catch a Fire," the first album by Bob Marley and the Wailers to be marketed outside Jamaica. It was the start of their climb to international fame, aided by Eric Clapton's hit single of Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff." Over the next several years, Marley and the Wailers were largely responsible for the worldwide popularity of reggae music. Marley became a superstar in Jamaica, where he survived an assassination attempt in 1976. In 1980, a tour of the US was cancelled when Marley collapsed on stage during a concert. He had developed brain and lung cancer, which killed him in May, 1981, Maimi, FL.
http://www.bobmarley.com/
1945-JACOBSON, DOUGLAS THOMAS Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3d Battalion, 23d Marines, 4th Marine Division. Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 26 February 1945. Entered service at: New York. Born: 25 November 1925, Rochester, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 3d Battalion, 23d Marines, 4th Marine Division, in combat against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Island, 26 February 1945. Promptly destroying a stubborn 20mm. antiaircraft gun and its crew after assuming the duties of a bazooka man who had been killed, Pfc. Jacobson waged a relentless battle as his unit fought desperately toward the summit of Hill 382 in an effort to penetrate the heart of Japanese cross-island defense. Employing his weapon with ready accuracy when his platoon was halted by overwhelming enemy fire on 26 February, he first destroyed 2 hostile machinegun positions, then attacked a large blockhouse, completely neutralizing the fortification before dispatching the 5-man crew of a second pillbox and exploding the installation with a terrific demolitions blast. Moving steadily forward, he wiped out an earth-covered rifle emplacement and, confronted by a cluster of similar emplacements which constituted the perimeter of enemy defenses in his assigned sector, fearlessly advanced, quickly reduced all 6 positions to a shambles, killed 10 of the enemy, and enabled our forces to occupy the strong point. Determined to widen the breach thus forced, he volunteered his services to an adjacent assault company, neutralized a pillbox holding up its advance, opened fire on a Japanese tank pouring a steady stream of bullets on 1 of our supporting tanks, and smashed the enemy tank's gun turret in a brief but furious action culminating in a single-handed assault against still another blockhouse and the subsequent neutralization of its firepower. By his dauntless skill and valor, Pfc. Jacobson destroyed a total of 16 enemy positions and annihilated approximately 75 Japanese, thereby contributing essentially to the success of his division's operations against this fanatically defended outpost of the Japanese Empire. His gallant conduct in the face of tremendous odds enhanced and sustained the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
1946-Birthday of Canadian folk singer Kate McGarrigle was born in St. Sauveur-des-Monts, Quebec. She and her sister Anna first attracted international attention in the 1970's as songwriters. Anna's "Heart Like a Wheel" was recorded in 1972 by McKendree Spring and served as the title song for a 1975 album by Linda Ronstadt. The duo's 1976 debut in London resulted in one British critic saying they were among "the very best voices to be heard in popular music today." The McGarrigles sing both their own songs and French-Canadian folk tunes.
1949---Top Hits
A Little Bird Told Me - Evelyn Knight
Far Away Places - Margaret Whiting
Powder Your Face with Sunshine - Evelyn Knight
I Love You So Much It Hurts - Jimmy Wakely
1950-Birthday of singer Natalie Cole (“This Will Be,” “Unforgettable'), born Los Angeles, Ca.
1955- Horace Silver Quintet records “The Preacher” ( Blue Note 5062 )
http://www.harlem.org/people/silver.html
http://members.tripod.com/~hardbop/silver_discography.html)
1957---Top Hits
Too Much - Elvis Presley
Young Love - Tab Hunter
Banana Boat (Day-O) - Harry Belefonte
Young Love - Sonny James
1957--The Del-Vikings' first and biggest hit, "Come Go with Me," debuts on the pop chart. In four weeks, it peaks at #5 while on the R&B chart, it hits #3. 1958- Ted Williams signs with Red Sox for $135,000, making him highest paid in baseball. He retired from the Boston Red Sox at the end of the 1960 season with a lifetime batting average of .344, a lifetime home run count of 521 and a reputation that will span generations to come.
http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/
hofer_bios/williams_ted.htm
http://www.boston.com/sports/redsox/williams/
http://www.redsox.com/NASApp/mlb/bos/history/bos_history_timeline
_article.jsp?article=1939
1961-- The Capris' "There's a Moon Out Tonight" enters the R&B charts.
1962- Birthday of singer Axl Rose [William Bailey] Lafayette IN (Guns & Roses)
http://www.celebritystorm.com/mcelebs/pics/AxlRose/
1965---Top Hits
You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin' - The Righteous Brothers
The Name Game - Shirley Ellis
This Diamond Ring - Gary Lewis & The Playboys
You're the Only World I Know - Sonny James
1965-- The Temptations' "My Girl" hits #1 R&B.
1965-The Righteous Brothers lead the US hit parade with "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin". According to the RIAA, the song has now been played on US radio stations over 8 million times, more than any other record in history.
1967 - Muhammad Ali retained his world heavyweight title and won the WBA heavyweight title with a 15-round decision over Ernest Terrell in the Houston Astrodome.
1968 - Joan Whitney Payson was elected as president of the New York Mets. One year later, the ‘Miracle' Mets would become world champions.
1968 - The Xth Winter Olympic games opened in Grenoble, France. Some 18,000 people participated in the opening ceremonies as the games were dedicated by General Charles de Gaulle. Thousands of scented paper roses were dropped from helicopters against a background of five circles drawn in the sky by the smoke of parachutists. And Olympic flags were shot into the air by cannons.
1971 - NASA Astronaut Alan B. Shepard took a six-iron stashed inside his spacecraft took a swing at three golf balls on the surface of the moon. Shepard whiffed the first swing. The others were good shots that went a few hundred yards in space's vacuum. Because his moonwalk suit was so bulky, he didn't get enough of a swing to launch the golf balls into orbit. But he did get a couple of divots.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/9804/moonpunt_a15.jpg
1971-In a rare feat, a Country song crossed over to the Pop charts and became the best selling single in America when Lynn Anderson's "Rose Garden" climbed to the top of the Cash Box hit parade.
1973---Top Hits
Crocodile Rock - Elton John
Why Can't We Live Together - Timmy Thomas
Oh, Babe, What Would You Say? - Hurricane Smith
She Needs Someone to Hold Her (When She Cries) - Conway Twitty
1978 - A massive nor'easter buried the cities of the northeastern U.S. Storm totals included 18 inches at New York City, 16 inches at Philadelphia, and 14 inches at Baltimore. The Boston MA area received 25 to 30 inches in "The Great New England Blizzard", and the mayor outlawed travel in the city for an entire week.
1981---Top Hits
The Tide is High - Blondie
Celebration - Kool & The Gang
I Love a Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbitt
I Feel like Loving You Again - T.G. Sheppard
1985 - For the first time in 123 years, French mineral water company, Perrier, debuted a new product. On grocery store shelves and in trendy establishments, you could find water with a twist of lemon, lime or orange.
1985-Steve Wozniak, cofounder of Apple Computer and inventor of the best-selling Apple II computer, resigned from the company on this day in 1985. The company, which started in Wozniak's garage in 1976, had become a massive bureaucracy by the mid-1980s. Wozniak had developed his first computer, the Apple I, as a project to impress his friends in the Homebrew Computing Club. With Steve Jobs' help, he created the Apple II, which went on sale in 1977 and quickly became popular with mass-market consumers, not just electronics hobbyists. As the fastest growing company in history, Apple experienced serious growing pains, including the hiring of a professional management team. Wozniak, who preferred to remain an engineer rather than participate in management politics, objected to the tactics and strategies of Apple's management. He lives in Los Gatos, California, where he has attempted to start several companies, but basically remains a “dilettante.” The San Jose Technology Museum is located on a street named after him called “Woz Way.”
1985- skier Dianne Roffe, 17, took first place in a giant slalom race to become the first US woman to win a gold medal in a World Alpine Skiing Championship race.
1985-Microsoft announced it would develop a word processing program for the IBM PC on February 6, 1985. Microsoft later adapted the program, called Word, to the Macintosh. At first, Word was an underdog, competing with category dominator WordPerfect; however, Word's intuitive, user-friendly design quickly won users over, making it the most popular software in history. Word marked an important turning point for Microsoft, which moved from being an operating-systems company catering to computer manufacturers, to a consumer-oriented software company. Perhaps the best marketing ploy was the Microsoft Suite, where the software programs were bundled at a very low price and coordinated with each other: word, excel, access, money, and originally publisher ( later replaced by the browser Explore. It took up to 14 hard floppy disks to install and was quite time consuming and large for its day, but the integration between word and excel doomed the very popular word perfect and other spread sheet programs that were perhaps superior to excel at the time but more difficult to learn and more expensive, plus did not interchange with other software.
1987 - President Ronald Reagan turned 76 years old, adding another year to his already established record as the oldest United States President. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the previous record holder, by serving the country at age 70.
1988 - Arctic cold invaded the south central and eastern U.S. Sixteen cities reported new record low temperatures for the date. Squalls in the Great Lakes Region produced a foot of snow at Arcade NY in three hours.
1988-Dusty Springfield returns to the US Top 10 for the first time in nineteen years with a duet with Pet Shop Boys called "What've I Done To Deserve This". Her last big hit in America was "Son of a Preacher Man" in December, 1968.
1989---Top Hits
When I'm with You - Sheriff
Straight Up - Paula Abdul
When the Children Cry - White Lion
What I'd Say - Earl Thomas Conley
1989- The first nude musical, "Oh! Calcutta!," closed on Broadway after 5,059 performances. John Lennon was one of the writers who contributed to the show, which opened off-Broadway in 1969
1989 - Forty-one cities in the western U.S. reported new record low temperatures for the date. Lows of -30 degrees at Ely NV and -33 degrees at Richfield UT were all-time records. Morning lows of 31 degrees at San Francisco CA and -15 degrees at Reno NV were records for February. Logan Canyon UT was the cold spot in the nation with a low of 54 degrees below zero, and Craig CO hit 51 degrees below zero.
1990- Brett Hull of the St. Louis Blues scored his 50 th goal of the season to join his father, Hall of Fame left wing Bobby Hull, as the only father-son combination in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season. 1993 - Tennis champion Arthur Ashe died of complications brought on by AIDS that he received from a blood transfusion.
1990 - A second cold front brought more heavy snow to the high elevations of Oregon, with 12 inches reported at Sunset Summit. Ten inches of snow blanketed Crater Lake and Mount Bachelor. Heavy snow also blanketed northeastern Nevada and parts of Washington State. In Nevada, up to a foot of snow was reported between Spring Creek and Lamoille, where my grandchildren live.
1992- Bob Dylan made a rare TV appearance on David Letterman's 10th anniversary special. He performed "Like a Rolling Stone," backed by an all-star band that included Emmylou Harris, Chrissie Hynde and Carole King.
1995- Keith Lockhart replaced John Williams as conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Williams had led the orchestra since 1980, when he took over after the death of the legendary Arthur Fiedler.
1998 - Washington National Airport was renamed Ronald Reagan National Airport, for U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
1998 - Carl Wilson, the Beach Boys' lead guitarist and youngest of the Wilson brothers, died at age 51 in Los Angeles. He'd been diagnosed with lung cancer which then spread to his brain. Despite chemotherapy, Wilson lost the battle. During the group's publicized ups and downs with drugs over the years, Carl's steady influence reportedly was responsible for keeping the group together. He went to University High School, West Los Angeles, CA. He really was a surfer, personal testimony; Zuma Beach, Malibu, rarely Santa Monica Beach.
2000- the NFC defeated the AFC 51-31 which set an NFL record for most points scored by a conference and total points combined for a Pro Bowl.
2000-Janice Mirikitani, wife of Rev. Cecil Williams of Glide Memorial, was named the poet laureate for San Francisco for 2000.
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