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Leasing News is a web site that posts information, news, and
entertainment for the commercial bank, finance and leasing industry

kitmenkin@leasingnews.org
   


Wednesday, January 7, 2015


Today's Equipment Leasing Headlines

Correction---Alexa Ranks Leasing Online Media
    NAELB Left Out
       Classified Ads---Sales
Valerie Jester Surprised Being Named
  Leasing Person of the Year 2014
“Today’s Destiny” Leasing Fraud Ends Quietly
  By Tom McCurnin, Leasing News Legal Editor
Leasing Industry Ads---Help Wanted
Top Three Sales Training Challenges
– From A Consultant’s Perspective
   Sales Make it Happen by Steve Chriest
     Channel Partners--December's Last 20 Deals
Top Five Leasing Company Web Sites—
   in North America
Michael Hong Named New President of Taycor Financial
         Bob Skibinski Stays on as Advisor/Mentor
Terrier Mix
   St. Louis, Missouri  Adopt-a-Dog
Classified ads—Finance/Human Resources
News Briefs---
10 Bankers Who Had a Rough Year
 WhatsApp Hits 700 Million Users

Broker/Funder/Industry Lists | Features (writer's columns)
Top Ten Stories Chosen by Readers | Top Stories last six months

www.leasingcomplaints.com (Be Careful of Doing Business)
www.evergreenleasingnews.org
Leasing News Icon for Android Mobile Device

You May have Missed---
   SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer
  Poem
    Sports Briefs---
      California Nuts Brief---
       "Gimme that Wine"    
          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” and was not written by Leasing News nor information verified, but from the source noted. When an article is signed by the writer, it is considered a “by line.” It reflects the opinion and research of the writer.





Please send Leasing News to a colleague and ask them to join
our mailing list. You may also visit each news edition at www.leasingnews.org or view our previous editions at: www.leasingnews.org/archives.htm


[headlines]

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Correction---Alexa Ranks Leasing Online Media
NAELB Left Out

In Monday's edition, the National Association of Equipment Brokers
(NAELB) numbers were not transferred to the worksheet by the editor.  They were added to the edition, although many saw the list without NAELB.

Daily Time
U.S.
World
Sites Linking
on Website
Wide
 
13:37 72,499 323,686 221 Leasing News
3:58 177,344 811,263 148 Monitor Daily
3:14 297,627 1,147,819 113 Commercial Financial Association
3:33 301,176 743,430 260 Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation
1:58 530,162 1,461,559 52 Equipment Advisor
2:42 641,381 2,014,275 82 National Assoc. Equip. Brokers
2:41 653,764 2,029,308 85 National Equipment Finance Associaton
1:38 1,557,956 3,688,278 42 Lessors
4:51 5,351,990 56 Canadian Finance & Leasing Association
3:38 5,722,569 93 Equipment Leasing and Financial Assoc.
5:33 6,108,035 25 CLP Foundation
25,043,292 13 Assoc. Government Leasing & Fin.

Leasing Association sites have forums that bring readers to communicate, as well as note events, webinair, and other activity. The Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation also sends out a weekly newsletter on Wednesday to members and non-members.  These news editions are linked to the website, as Leasing News and other on line media utilize.

Keys to the rankings include the average time a visitor spends on
the web site, then the number of sites linking in, followed
by the Alexa recordings of visitors in the United States, then World Wide.

  Editor

 


[headlines]
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Classified Ads---Sales

(These ads are “free” to those seeking employment
or looking to improve their position)

Work Remotely
Business Development - Are you looking to enter/increase your Healthcare lending? Let me identify and qualify healthcare (all verticals) vendors, distributors, and end users who utilize leasing/financing as a tool to sell equipment for you. Many years experience - contact Mitchell Utz at mitutz@msn.com or 
(215) 460-4483.


Free Posting for those seeking employment in Leasing:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted-post.htm

All “free” categories “job wanted” ads:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm


 

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

Valerie Jester Surprised Being Named
Leasing Person of the Year 2014

"What a surprise! What an honor to be named "Leasing News" Leasing Person of the year. I am overwhelmed to be in such prestigious company. Thank you and the Advisory Board of "Leasing News" for this tremendous recognition. I have loved the 32 years I have spent working in this industry - the people, the creativity, the support of such strong professional associations - it has all combined to make the equipment leasing and finance field a key support structure of our economy and most certainly "home" for me.  I love the evolution of our work and look forward to being a part of the industry in the years to come!

"Thanks so much for this distinction!"

Valerie Jester

Announcement:
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jan2015/1_05.htm#jester



[headlines]
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“Today’s Destiny” Leasing Fraud Ends Quietly

By Tom McCurnin
Leasing News Legal Editor

Texas Vendor Fleeced Millions From Lessees and Equipment Lessors. 
Trustee Settled With Lessors, Settled with Vendor’s Principals,
and Has Distributed the Monies. 

In re Today’s Destiny  Case No. 05-90080 (Bankr. S.D. Texas) 

PT Barnum once said that there was a sucker born once a minute, and there is living proof of this claim in the Today’s Destiny bankruptcy case. Sadly, the Trustee took on the equipment lessors for complicity in the fraud. However, the Vendor’s principal, Max Day, and his relatives also paid into the settlement fund. A total of $883,432 was received, of which $296, 478 was distributed back to the doctors, dentists, and chiropractors who were scammed. For those of you who haven’t followed this miniature “NorVergence” type fraud, the facts follow:

Max Day was the principal of Today’s Destiny along with relatives Jared and Pamela Day. Today’s Destiny did business as TNG Systems. TNG marketed a “server,” headset, monitor and dialing interface, commonly known as a “predictive dialer”. If you’ve ever been at home, and the phone rings, and there is a two second delay while a telemarketer finally answers, you’ll know what the equipment is.

Day marketed the predictive dialer as a four step success program, with the equipment, custom TV ads which will flood the office with new patients, direct mail marketing program tailor-made for the lessee, customized media with Day handling brochures, mailers and even business cards, and finally, the secret sauce—a momentum marketing program designed by Day’s marketing coaches, involving another, 14 step referral program. Day issued a guaranty that if the doctor was not satisfied, the lessee would not have to pay a penny. Hundreds of doctors claimed that Day did not fulfill the promises, and certainly did not honor the guaranty. The cost of the whole package was around $30,000.

Day sold the equipment and promised his future services to dentists, chiropractors, and doctors, financed through a dozen or so funding sources, such as Sterling National Bank, HPSC, Irwin Leasing, Leaf Funding, Patriot Leasing, US Bancorp, and others. The leases were generally written on the funder’s paper, with Today’s Destiny appearing as the vendor.  Of course, there were typical “hell and high water” provisions.  I suspect that the lessors did not know of the marketing promises, least of all the guaranty. 

By 2005, things were starting to cave in for Day. The company was embroiled in at least a dozen lawsuits over allegations of TNG’s non-performed marketing services and several of the leasing companies were demanding recourse from Today’s Destiny. As a result, Day took the company into Chapter 7. The trustee quickly aligned himself with the lessees and took on Day and the equipment lessors. 

The trustee realized that the equipment lessors were probably victims as well, and quickly structured settlements with the lessors ranging from a few hundred dollars to several hundred thousand dollars. The docket does not reflect how the trustee made those determinations. Max Day also paid $50,000 towards the settlement pool. Although the docket did not reflect additional consideration for the lessor’s payments, I suspect that most of the lessors took the high road, and walked away from the Today’s Destiny lease obligations. None of the lessors took the legal position that the bankruptcy court did not have jurisdiction over them, in accordance with the United States Supreme Court case of Stern v Marshal

Finally in September, 2014 the funds were disbursed to the various claimants and in November, 2014, the bankruptcy was closed. 

What are the lessons here for equipment lessors?

First, like NorVergence and the Royal Links cases, equipment lessors which are financing something other than straight equipment, like software and future services, are at risk. Service and support agreements by TNG were clearly part of the financed equipment. What assurances does the lessor have that the services will actually be performed? Apparently none. 

Second, like NorVergence and Royal Links, the lessor needs to look at the cost and value of the equipment being financed. Here the actual cost of the hard equipment was, in the opinion of the victims and trustee, only a few thousand dollars. What justifies a $30,000 price tag?  The existence of this soft money financing should have caused the hairs on any lessor’s neck to stand straight up. 

Third, every lessor should demand a full set of marketing documents when doing service related deals, and should probably double check with past lessees, whether financed by the lessor or not. Quite frankly, the claim filed by the doctors in the bankruptcy file is replete with outrageous promises and lack of actual delivery of equipment, manuals or training.  While some lessees might exaggerate claims, an interview of past customers should be part of the vendor qualification program. Banker’s Health Group funded a total of $1 million dollars in leases. Don’t you think that prior to funding any of the deals, a couple phone calls to the customers might have been in order? 

The bottom line to this sad case is that suckers are born every minute, and here the doctors and chiropractors fell victim to a slick marketing campaign, backed up by Day’s guaranty of performance, which was ultimately worthless. And the lessors are equally at fault here by failing to vet Today’s Destiny’s equipment and marketing promises.

Today's Destiny Bankruptcy Petition (24 pages)
www.leasingnews.org/PDF/Today+Destiny+Bankruptcy+Petition.pdf

Today's Destiny Trustee Final Report (156 page
www.leasingnews.org/PDF/Today+Destiny+Trustee+Final+Report.pdfs

Today's Destiny Adversary Action (200 pages)
www.leasingnews.org/PDF/Today+Destiny+Adversary+Action.pdf

Today's Destiny Complaints by Lessees (14 pages)
www.leasingnews.org/PDF/Today+Destiny+Complaints+By+Lessees.pdf

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

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

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


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Leasing Industry Help Wanted
 

 



[headlines]
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Top Three Sales Training Challenges
– From A Consultant’s Perspective

Sales Make it Happen by Steve Chriest

I recently asked a world-class sales consultant and trainer to list the top challenges that consultants, trainers and coaches face in the training game today. Her response was quick and succinct. She told me that in her experience, the top three challenges are:

  • Lack of attention from sales management.
  • Lack of individual and team coaching.
  • Lack of training reinforcement.

Over the past twenty-five years, the consultant has worked with some of the largest, most successful companies on the planet. Her observations, without exception, apply to every organization with which she has ever worked.

Lack of Attention

The consultant explained that when training sessions are conducted in most organizations, many front-line managers do not attend the trainings with their teams. When the managers do attend training sessions, they nearly always do work during the sessions not associated with the training. They don’t pay attention in workshops and they don’t monitor how well individuals and teams are performing in training sessions.

Lack of Coaching

The consultant is also concerned about and frustrated by her observations that many front-line managers do not coach their teams. She’s convinced that coaching does not occur for at least two reasons: 1) The front-line managers have never been taught to coach, and therefore do not have coaching skills or coaching experience; 2) the managers don’t have time to coach individual team members.

Lack of Reinforcement

The third top challenge she spoke to me about is the absence of meaningful training reinforcement in organizations worldwide. Why executives spend billions of dollars on training that largely goes unreinforced is beyond the comprehension of anyone who learns this fact.

There are a myriad of reasons for managers’ lack of attention to their teams’ training sessions, the absence of coaching in most sales organizations and a uniform lack of training reinforcement. What to do to begin fixing all this will require, in my opinion, nothing short of a new, realistic look at corporate training, a refocus on front-line management training and a genuine commitment from senior executives to invest in sustainable training solutions that improve employee performance.

http://www.leasingnews.org/photos/Steve_Chriest.jpg

Steve Chriest is the CEO of Open Advance and author of Selling to the E-Suite, The Proven System For Reaching and Selling Senior Executives and Business Acumen 101. He recently re-named his
company from Selling-Up.  He produces video and radio blogs, as well as continues as a columnist for Leasing News.
www.openadvance.com/contact/
925-263-2702
www.openadvance.com/

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

 

 

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[headlines]
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Top Five Leasing Company Web Sites—
in North America

by Christopher Menkin

While this may not be scientific, over 100 web sites were originally viewed. Not included were bank sites that most often have their leasing division as part of the sites, but the main point was the use of the web site.

It appears most leasing web sites are not interactive, but remain primarily a “brochure.” Many do not have specific people with emails to contact as well as are basically "unfriendly."

There is a growing trend for “chat now” and offering more information, but still many are not kept up to date.  Several have “defunct” associations logos such as EAEL and UAEL. In checking several no longer belong to any association. Many are obviously not up-dated.

These five sites are also active on so-called “social sites.”

(The lower the rating, the higher of the list of web sites visited
the most, according to Alexa.com)

 

Time on Site: 2:33
www.directcapital.com
USA Alexa Traffic Rating: 65,170
WWW: 251,381
Sites linking in: 484

Direct Capital, now owned by CIT Bank, is number one, beating down its parent CIT.  Sites linking in also increased its position going to 484 from 272 in July, 2014, which is a very good increase.

Time on Site: 2:22
www.cit.com
USA Alexa Traffic Rating: 82,450
WWW: 244,611
Sites Linking in: 499

Note the World Wide Web rating; still the leader. CIT went further up the list, meaning there were more ahead than last time. CIT sites linking in increased from 425 to 499.

Time on Site: 7:57
http://www.balboacapital.com/home.aspx
US Alexa Traffic Rating: 122,551
WWW: 406,489
Sites Linking in: 201

Balboa went further up on the list, losing in both US and World Wide Traffic.  Sites linking in rose from 166 to 201 as well as time on site increased quite a bit from 2:31 in July, 2014. It should be noted this company is both on the Evergreen and Leasing News Complaint Bulletin Board (1) A copy of their social media plan was brought up in a court case, and is included (2)

Time on Site: 7:01
www.greatamerica.com
USA Alexa Traffic Rating: 220,633
WWW: 683,165
Sites Linking in: 94

GreatAmerica Financial Services improved in all categories, except
WWW. The most significant was going from 3:50 time on site to 7:01

Time on Site: 1:36
www.timepayment
USA Alexa Traffic Rating: 415,235
WWW: 415, 235
Sites Linking in: 27

This was the best on the list of all the other leasing companies found.  Fortress Investment Group recently bought the company. The web site is very attractive.  Last rating of Top Five Web Sites, De Lage Landen, now DLL, was fourth on the list.  This time US rating is 446,054. They almost made the list, but did not. While their name is changed, the web site evidently as DLL appears to be an "advertisement" and the company is still located at http://www.delagelanden.com/

Note: banks generally do not have a specific separate web site for their leasing division and therefore could not be rated.

To learn your company ratings, please go to Alexa.com and enter
your website url.

(1)  Bulletin Board  & Evergreen List
www.leasingnews.org/Pages/lease_expiration_evergreen_badguys.html
www.leasingnews.org/Pages/lease_expiration_evergreen_badguys.html

(2) Social Media of Balboa (paragraph 9)
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2014/3_18.htm#balboa

 


[headlines]
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##### Press Release ############################

Michael Hong Named New President of Taycor Financial
Bob Skibinski Stays on as Advisor/Mentor

LOS ANGELES, CA - Taycor Financial announces the appointment of Michael Hong, currently Vice President of Business Development, as its new President. Hong replaces Bob Skibinski, the original founder and owner of Taycor, who will continue on in an advisory and mentorship role.

Bob Skibinski has been President and CEO since 1997, when he founded the company. During his long and distinguished tenure, Skibinski has lead the company through a sustained period of tremendous growth and success in both the way they service their customers and vendor partners, but also in the nationwide reputation of the firm.


Bob Skibinski
Founder/Owner Taycor Financial

“It has been a pleasure growing the company to where it is today,” Skibinski said. “It has been an exciting journey. I will always value the relationships and friendships I have made with our lending network, equipment leasing peer community, vendor partners, and countless customers over the many years.”

Among other noteworthy achievements, Skibinski’s legacy includes navigation of the company during times of growth, Taycor made the INC 500 list of America’s fastest growing private companies as well as incredible resolve and artful management in weathering tougher economic climates.


Michael Hong
President
Taycor Financial

Michael Hong began his career in equipment leasing and financing in 2001 as a Marketing Manager for an east coast company. Hong transitioned and gained experience through multiple roles at the company finally serving as VP of Business Development before moving to the west coast. He joined the Taycor family in 2011, and has been responsible in recent years for the company’s development initiatives in providing a more streamlined customer experience as well as the overall growth of the organization.

“It is an honor to assume the role as President,” said Hong. “Taycor is an amazing company with a powerful mission and passionate culture. I am excited to be a part of a talented team of professionals that work together in collaboration with the small and medium sized business community. Bob Skibinski has been an incredible teacher and mentor, and I will strive to continue his tradition of excellence.”

“I believe that Michael Hong’s leadership, and many years of trackable success and innovation, will benefit the company through this next phase of growth and evolution,” said Skibinski. “He has a solid record of success and achievement, and is the right leader to ensure that Taycor remains a nationwide leader in the equipment leasing industry, now and well into the future.”

About Taycor Financial

Founded in 1997, with offices in Los Angeles CA and Boston MA, Taycor Financial is a fiscally sound and economically responsible nationwide provider of equipment leasing and financing to the business community. Taycor has also joined the ranks of America’s top businesses, establishing itself as one of the premier equipment financing companies in the U.S. For more information on equipment leasing or financing, to get an Instant Quote, or explore career opportunities visit www.Taycor.com or call (310) 568-9900.

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



Receivables Management LLC

John Kenny

• End of Lease Negotiations & Enforcement 
• Fraud Investigations
• Credit Investigations • Asset Searches 
• Skip-tracing • Third-party Commercial Collections
(For Flat Fee or Commission Basis) 

john@jkrmdirect.com | ph 315-866-1167| www.jkrmdirect.com

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for investigations
and background information provided by John Kenny)

[headlines]
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Terrier Mix
St. Louis, Missouri  Adopt-a-Dog


Boogie Pilgrim
Gender: Male
Breed: Terrier mix
Size: 45pounds
Age: 2 years

"As you can see from his picture, Boogie Pilgrim is a handsome dog who enjoys sharing the couch with just about anyone and is particularly fond of his toys.  He also has an amazing pair of ears and a great smile.
 
"Boogie Pilgrim is fun-loving and charming dog who has quickly become a staff and volunteer favorite.  A smart boy, he has already learned sit, down, shake and leave it down.  Even better, he is completely housebroken.  When not charming everyone at home, Boogie Pilgrim can be found enjoying the great outdoors where he likes to roll in the grass and play long games of fetch.  Recently he got to go on a five mile hike with his shelter buddies, and he loved it.  He hopped into the back seat of his hiking companion's car, behaving himself perfectly along the way.  Once on the trail, he was ready to smell everything he could, and he even tasted a few items.  He would make a great hiking buddy.
 
"Boogie Pilgrim is a young guy just finding his way in the world.  All he needs is someone to love him and help him be the best dog he can be.  Don't you need a fun-loving, car-riding, grass-rolling guy in your life?  Who could turn down an offer like that?
 
"Please check out the link below to see Boogie Pilgrim on his hiking adventure.
 http://www.fourdirectionshiking.com/?p=7104

PLEASE NOTE THAT BOOGIE PILGRIM IS CURRENTLY STAYING AT OUR PINE STREET SHELTER.

Please check status before filling out an application to make sure there is not an adoption pending.

Application:
http://www.strayrescue.org/node/66

Stray Rescue of St. Louis
2320 Pine Street
St. Louis, MO 63103-2219
Phone: 314.771.6121

Come Visit Us at Our Main Shelter

Adopt, Foster or Volunteer.
Open 7 days a week.


Adopt a Pet

http://www.adoptapet.com/

 

[headlines]
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Classified ads—Finance/Human Resources

Leasing Industry Outsourcing
(Providing Services and Products)


    
Finance: Chicago, IL
Experienced in big ticket origination, syndication, valuation and workout.
Twenty five years, MBA, CPA,
JD, LLM (Tax), structuring specialist. Inbound and outbound transactions. Email:pal108381@comcast.net
Transaction Summary The Lechner Group 
Website: www.tlgattorneycpa.com   
    
Finance: Naperville, IL
Your guide to the right questions and answers in finance. Expert in capital raising, GAAP, acquisitions, lease economics. CPA. MBA. 
E-mail: m.willow@ameritech.net
Finance: Charlotte, NC
15 Years of Equipment Leasing Experience and Recruiting with Business Aviation niche. Visit us at www.turningpointgrp.com 
E-mail: info@turningpointgrp.com
Human Resource Consultant: New York, NY
Employee Relations, Recruiting, Benefits, employee customer surveys, plus payroll administration "ON-LINE" services-- AND IN PERSON at your location Please visit:www.adviceonhr.com
Information System: North Detroit, MI 
INFOLEASE EXPERT - 18 years experience.  Since being downsized in 2002, working as a consultant for several leasing companies. 
Seeking consulting projects nationwide. 
email: darwint@prodigy.net
Finance: New York, NY
“Think Outside the Bank”. Barrett Capital is a merchant banking and consulting firm, specializing in asset based financing: equipment, vehicles, receivables and real estate.

Email: bkorn@barrettcapital.com
Web: www.barrettcapital.com 

 

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

[headlines]
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News Briefs----

10 Bankers Who Had a Rough Year
http://www.americanbanker.com/gallery/10-who-had-a-rough-year-1071955-1.html

WhatsApp Hits 700 Million Users
http://www.siliconbeat.com/2015/01/06/whatsapp-hits-700-million-users/

 


[headlines]

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--You May Have Missed It

Apps Everywhere, but No Unifying Link
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/06/technology/tech-companies-look-to-break-down-walls-between-apps.html?_r=1



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SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer



Beating Restaurants at Their Own Game!
Over a Dozen Dining Out Tips
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=383


[headlines]
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Football Poem

The Coach
by Poet deVine

The crowd is gone, the cheers have stopped,
and the equipment is stored away.
The team is standing on the field
because the coach is leaving today.

He led them through the hardest times,
and was proud the times they won.
But now the season’s over and
his time as coach is done.

The team will go on without him,
will perform at the usual pace.
But though another coach comes in,
there’ll be a void in this place.

Today when the field is emptied
and the team has met the test,
The coach can feel certain that
he will be remembered as simply the best.



[headlines]

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Sports Briefs----

Writers select three aces and doubles machine for Hall
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/07/sports/baseball/randy-johnson-pedro-martinez-john-smoltz-and-craig-biggio-to-enter-hall-of-fame.html

Joe Flacco reiterates that Ravens aren’t intimidated
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/01/07/joe-flacco-reiterates-that-ravens-aren-intimidated/q5FanoruaCrbxlbBa904YI/story.html

Jackson's moves leaves Knicks looking to the future _ again
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/article5507934.html

Jed York, 49ers named in age discrimination lawsuit
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Jed-York-49ers-named-in-age-discrimination-5995737.php

Rams owner planning L.A. stadium
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nfl/story/_/id/12122091/st-louis-rams-owner-planning-stadium-site-los-angeles


[headlines]
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California Nuts Briefs---

Groundbreaking at Fresno for California high-speed rail
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article5519280.html

California readies for 900 new laws
http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/California-readies-for-900-new-laws-5980406.php



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“Gimme that Wine”

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

Caymus: Chuck Wagner on Family and Wine (video)
http://video.winespectator.com/play/id/1381504181001/name/Caymus
:_Chuck_Wagner_on_Family_and_Wine

Top Northwest wine stories of 2014: 20-11
http://www.greatnorthwestwine.com/2015/01/02/top-northwest-wine-stories-2014-20-11/

Sparkling Wine Drives Industry Growth In 2014
http://www.shankennewsdaily.com/index.php/2015/01/05/11430/exclusive-sparkling-wine-drives-industry-growth-in-2014/


Free Mobile Wine Program
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2010/2_26.htm#mobile

Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/

US/International Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/

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


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

This Day in American History

     1608 – The first English settlement in America, Jamestown, VA, burned to the ground.
    1714 – The typewriter was patented by Englishman Henry Mill.
    1782 - The first commercial bank in the US, the Bank of North America, was opened at Philadelphia, PA. The bank was the brainchild of Robert Morris. Despite the bank's success, Philadelphia's run as America's leading home of private financial institutions was short-lived. Soon after the Bank of North America opened, the Pennsylvania legislature moved to outlaw private banks in the state, a decision that led scores of prospective bankers to set up shop in the nation's eventual financial center, New York City.
    1784 - David Landreth established the first organized seed business in Philadelphia, PA. Previously, seeds had been imported from Europe or saved from each crop by individual farmers. The firm incorporated in 1904 as the D. Landreth Seed Company, later became a subsidiary of the Robert Buist Company, founded in Philadelphia, in 1828.
    1789 - The first national presidential election in the United States was held.
George Washington Virginia No Party 69 85.2%
John Adams Massachusetts No Party 34 42.0%
John Jay New York No Party 9 11.1%
Robert Harrison Maryland No Party 6 7.4%
John Rutledge South Carolina No Party 6 7.4%
Other - - 14 17.3%
Electoral votes not cast - 24 29.6%
Note that prior to the ratification of the 12th Amendment to the Constitution in 1804, each Elector cast two votes for President (instead of one vote for President and one vote for Vice President). The candidate receiving the most votes became President and the candidate receiving the second most votes became Vice President. George Washington received one vote from each elector (that cast a ballot). The New York legislature failed to appoint its allotted 8 Electors in time. Two Electors from Maryland did not vote. One Elector from Virginia did not vote and one Elector was not chosen because an election district failed to submit returns.
    1800 - 13th president of the US, Millard Fillmore’s birthday at Summerhill, NY. Fillmore succeeded to the presidency upon the death of Zachary Taylor, but he did not get the hoped-for nomination from his party in 1852. He served as president from July 10, 1850 to Mar 3, 1853. He ran for president in 1856 as candidate of the “Know-Nothing Party,” whose platform demanded, among other things, that every government employee (federal, state and local) should be a native-born citizen. Fillmore died at Buffalo, NY, Mar 8, 1874. Now his birthday is often used as an occasion for parties for which there is no other reason.
    1806 - The Cherokee nation ceded 7,000 square miles of land in Tennessee and Alabama.
    1822 - Liberia was first colonized by Americans.
    1824 - The first boxing arena in America had its first fight between Tom Springs and Jack Langan, the Irish champion. The arena was specifically built for this site and had about 4,000 seats, plus room for 22,000 people to stand. Admission was 10 shillings ($2.50), half of which went to the fighters. This was a lot of money in its day as average monthly earnings were $8 to $10 a month.
    1830 – The first U.S. Railroad Station opened in Baltimore by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company.  The first passengers boarded the first commercial transportation of passengers and freight.  Tickets were 9 cents each, or three for 25 cents, for a ride from Pratt Street in Baltimore to the Carrolton Viaduct. At first, passengers rode primarily for the novel experience.
    1861 - Florida troops takeover Fort Marion at St Augustine. The Confederates take over many forts, until Union Troops invade Florida, taking back some of the forts, securing ports, to cut off trade with European. http://www.nps.gov/casa/
    1862 - An advance guard of Confederates was defeated by about 2,000 Federals under Col. Dunning at Blue's Gap in Romney, West Virginia.  Further east, the Battle of Manassas, VA was fought.
http://www.historichampshire.org/rom-cw.htm

http://members.aol.com/DWMellott/7wv.htm
http://www.romneywv.com/
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/096282187X/
inktomi-bkasin-20/104-3547695-1517507

    1864 - Mary Kenney O'Sullivan (1864-1943), first American Federation of Labor (AFL) woman organizer, was born in Hannibal, Missouri. A skilled bookbinder, she organized the Woman's Bookbinder Union in 1880 and was a founder of the National Women's Trade Union League (WTUL) in 1903.
http://womenshistory.about.com/library/bio/
blbio_osullivan_mary_kenney.htm

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAWkenney.htm
    1865 - Near present-day San Angleo, 370 Texas militiamen attacked what was assumed to be an encampment of 1400 Comanches (they were actually peaceful Kickapoo). This engagement, called the Battle of Dove Creek, was one of the last battles in Texas between Anglos and Native Americans. The militia lost 36 men, with 60 wounded; the Kickapoos lost 11, with 61 wounded.
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/DD/btd1.html

    1868 – A Mississippi constitutional convention met in Jackson while  an Arkansas constitutional convention met in Little Rock.
    1873 - A blizzard raged across the Great Plains. Many pioneers, unprepared for the cold and snow, perished in southwest Minnesota and northwestern Iowa.
    1873 – The founder of Paramount Pictures, Adolph Zukor, was born in Hungary.  He became involved in the motion picture industry when, in 1903, his cousin, Max Goldstein approached him for a loan, needing investors to expand his chain of theaters that had begun in Buffalo. The Automatic Vaudeville Co on 14th Street in New York City was to feature Edison’s marvels: phonographs, electric lights and moving pictures. Zukor not only gave Goldstein the money but insisted on forming a partnership to open another one. Another partner in the venture was Marcus Loew, he of later theatre fame.  In 1912, he established Famous Players Film Company as the American distribution company for a French film.  The studio evolved into Paramount Pictures, of which he served as President until 1936 when he was elevated to Chairman. He revolutionized the film industry by organizing production, distribution, and exhibition within a single company.  He retired from Paramount Pictures in 1959 and thereafter assumed Chairman Emeritus status, a position he held up until his death at the age of 103 in LA in 1976.
    1886 - A severe cold wave in the southern section of the country brought the worst freeze since 1835 in Florida.
    1887 - Thomas Stevens and his bike traveled 13,500 miles, to arrive back in San Francisco, California nearly three years after starting, in April 1884, what would be the first completed worldwide bicycle trip.
    1890 - Birthday of African-American W. B. Purvis, inventor, patent holder of the fountain pen.
http://www.blackinventor.com/pages/wbpurvis.html

    1891 - Novelist, folklorist, dramatist, and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston was born in Notasulga, AL.   When she was three, her family moved to Eatonville, FL, which in 1887, was one of the first all-black towns to be incorporated in the United States. Hurston said she always felt that Eatonville was "home" to her as she grew up there, and sometimes she claimed it as her birthplace. The dialects, customs, and folklore of the people of Eatonville and of rural Florida would continue to inform Hurston's work for the rest of her career.   Although at the time of her death in 1960, Hurston had published more books than any other black woman in America, she was unable to capture a mainstream audience in her lifetime, and she died poor and alone in a welfare hotel. Today, she is seen as one of the most important black writers in American history. Unfortunately, near the end of her life, she worked as a maid and died in poverty. In the 1970s, her work, almost forgotten, was revived by feminist and black-studies scholars.  An anthology, I Love Myself When I Am Laughing...And Then Again When I Am Looking Mean and Impressive,” was published in 1979.  After Hurston died on January 28, 1960 in a Fort Pierce, Florida, hospital, her papers were ordered to be burned. A law officer and friend, Patrick DuVal, passing by the house where she had lived, stopped and put out the fire, thus saving an invaluable collection of literary documents for posterity. The nucleus of this collection was given to the University of Florida libraries in 1961 by Mrs. Marjorie Silver, friend and neighbor of Hurston. Other materials were donated in 1970 and 1971 by Frances Grover, daughter of E. O. Grover, a Rollins College professor and long-time friend of Hurston's. In 1979 Stetson Kennedy of Jacksonville, who knew Hurston through his work with the Federal Writers Project, added additional papers. [(Zora Neal Hurston Papers, University of Florida Smathers Libraries, August 2008)]
http://www-hsc.usc.edu/~gallaher/hurston/hurston.html

http://i.am/zora

http://www.nku.edu/~diesmanj/hurston.html

http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap9/hurston.html

http://www.hurston-wright.org/

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?amtoday:1:./temp/~ammem_dZif ::
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jan07.html    
    1892 – At a mine explosion in Krebs, OK, blacks trying to help rescue white survivors, were driven away with guns.  Over 100 miners died.
    1894 - W.K. L. Dickson was given a patent for motion picture film. The 2 second demonstration was a 47-frame film showing a man sneezing.
http://www.biographcompany.com/dickson/

    1896 - Fannie Farmer publishes her first cookbook
http://womenshistory.about.com/library/bio/blbiofarmerf.htm
    1899 - Walter Camp published his first All-American football team in Collier's magazine.
        1903 – Actor Alan Napier, who played butler Albert for Batman on TV, was born in England.
    1904 – Guglielmo Marconi established "CQD" as the first international radio distress signal.  Two years later, it was replaced by “SOS”.   
    1908 - Birthday of trumpet player Henry “Red” Allen
http://www.libertyhall.com/red.html
http://www.redhotjazz.com/red.html

http://www.duke.edu/~ab2/index.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0826447449/
inktomi-bkasin-20/107-1403707-5271711

    1910 – Former Gov. Orval Faubus was born in Combs, AR.   He was the 36th Governor of Arkansas, serving from 1955 to 1967. He is best known for his 1957 stand against the desegregation of the Little Rock School District, in which he defied a unanimous decision of the US Supreme Court by ordering the Arkansas National Guard to stop black students from attending Little Rock Central HS.  In October 1957, Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and ordered them to return to their armories which effectively removed them from Faubus' control. Eisenhower then sent elements of the 101st Airborne Division to Arkansas to protect the black students and enforce the Federal court order. Arkansas National Guard later took over protection duties from the 101st Airborne Division. In retaliation, Faubus shut down Little Rock high schools for the 1958-59 school year. This is often referred to as "The Lost Year" in Little Rock.  He died in 1994.        
    1911 – Actress Thelma “Butterfly” McQueen was born in Tampa, FL.  McQueen's first role would become her most identifiable, as Prissy, the young maid in “Gone with the Wind”. Her distinctive, high-pitched voice was noted by a critic who described it as, "The itsy-little voice fading over the far horizon of comprehension". While the role is well known to audiences, McQueen did not enjoy playing the part and felt it was demeaning to African Americans.  She died in 1995.
    1913 - Tucson, AZ set its all-time record low temperature with a frigid 0 degrees.
    1913 - William M. Burton of Chicago, IL received a patent for the “manufacture of gasoline.” He developed the thermal-cracking technique for refining oil. His method of treating the residue of the paraffin group of petroleum by distillation and condensation of the vapors was used by the Standard Oil Company of Indiana, to whom the patent was assigned. Died in 1958.
http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/24.html

    1913 – Slugger Johnny Mize was born in Demorest, GA.  Nicknamed Big Jawn and The Big Cat, he played in the Majors for 15 seasons between 1936 and 1953, losing three seasons to military service during World War II, and was a ten-time All-Star.  He was a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and New York Yankees.   Late in his career, he played with the Yankees when they won five consecutive World Series.  Mize retired in 1953 with 359 career home runs and a .312 batting average. He served as a radio commentator, scout and coach in the major leagues after he retired as a player. He was finally selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1981. In 2014, he was inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame.  Mize died in 1993.
    1914 – The first steamboat passed through Panama Canal.
    1920 - The State Assembly of New York refused to seat five duly-elected Socialist assemblymen.  Now they run the state!
    1921 - Birthday of Charles Loloma, a major influence on modern Native American art and was famous for changing the look of American Indian Jewelry. A painter, sculptor and potter, he was best known for his jewelry, which broke tradition with previous Indian styles using materials such as coral, fossilized ivory, pearls and diamonds. Loloma was born at Hotevilla on the Hopi Indian Reservation and died June 9, 1991, at Scottsdale, AZ.
http://www.faustgallery.com/loloma.htm

http://www.nativepubs.com/nativepubs/Apps/bios/
0430LolomaCharles.asp?pic=none

    1924 - George Gershwin completed the score for his classic Rhapsody in Blue”. He was only 26 years old. Gershwin did not have an interest in music until his family bought him a piano when he was twelve. Nine years later he had his first hit, at age 21,"Swanee", with lyrics written by Irving Caesar
    1925 - Drummer Sam Woodyard born, Elizabeth, NJ.
http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers2/Sam_Woodyard.html

    1925 – Al Jolson’s musical, “Big Boy” opened in NYC.
    1926 - George Burns and Gracie Allen were married by a Justice of the Peace in Cleveland, Ohio. They had been a comedy team for 4 years prior to getting married and worked successfully for decades together in radio, film, and television until Allen's fatal heart attack in 1964.  They are widely regarded historically among the best, if not the best, the husband and wife comedy team in entertainment history.  George died at age 100 in 1996.
    1927 - The inauguration of the transatlantic commercial telephone service began when Walter Sherman Gifford, president of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, who was in New York, talked to Sir George Evelyn Pemberton Murray, secretary of the British Post Office, who was in London. Thirty-one commercial calls were made the first day. The charge was $75 for a three minute conversation. The first private conversation was made by Adolph Simon Ochs, publisher of the New York Times, to Geoffrey Dawson, editor of the Times of London. The messages were transmitted from Rocky Point, NY.
    1927 - Harlem Globetrotters make their debut in Hinckley, Il. http://www.africana.com/Articles/tt_059.htm
http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/

    1929 – The launch of two famous cartoon strips:  “Buck Rogers” and “Tarzan”.   
    1931 - The nation was mired in the depths of the Great Depression. On January 7, the Committee for Unemployment Relief, formed at President Hoover's command in October 1930, released a report that detailed the depths of the nation's woes. According to the committee, some 4 to 5 million Americans were unemployed.   However, the Depression only continued to grow worse, which further swelled the unemployment rolls; by 1932, some 13 million Americans were without jobs.
    1934 - Converted major league baseball player Billy Sunday, at age 72, began a two-week revival at Calvary Baptist Church in NY City. Sunday was an evangelist from 1893 until his death in 1935.
    1934 – “Flash Gordon,” a comic strip by Alex Raymond, was first published.
 1935 - Birthday of clarinet player Kenny Davern, Huntington, NY
http://www.riverwalk.org/profiles/davern.htm

http://indigo.ie/~jazzirl/archives/davern.htm

http://users.bestweb.net/~msnyder/clarinet/davern.htm
    1938 - Birthday of singer, pianist Paul Revere, born Paul Revere Dick, at Harvard, NE.  Lead singer of Paul Revere and The Raiders.
http://www.paulrevereraiders.com/history.html

http://www.history-of-rock.com/paul_revere_and_the_raiders.htm    
    1939 - The United States Trotting Association, the governing body for the sport of harness horse racing, was founded in Indianapolis, IN, at a meeting called by horseman Roland Harriman. The founding was actually a joining of several regional organizations resulting in uniform rules and regulations.  This unification spurred the growth of harness racing, now followed by nearly 25 million fans in North America each year.
    1939 - Tom Mooney, a labor activist wrongly convicted of murder in the San Francisco Preparedness Day bombing in July 1916, is freed after 22 1/2 years in jail.  After the conviction was found to be based on false charges, he was granted an unconditional pardon by Governor Culbert Olson.
See: “Frame-up” by Curt Gentry, © 1967, WW Norton, New York; “Life of an Anarchist: The Alexander Berkman Reader”, ed. Gene Fellner, “Four Walls Eight Windows”, New York: 1992.
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~library/Library_Bulletin/
Nov1989/LB-N89-VClose2.html

    1940 - Gene Autry's musical variety show premieres on CBS radio, where it will run for the next 16 years. Autry was born in Tioga, Texas, in 1907, the son of a livestock and horse trader who was also a Baptist minister. The family later moved to Oklahoma. In high school, Autry worked as a railway telegrapher at the local railroad depot, where he spent slow moments strumming his $8 guitar and singing. Passing through the depot one day, a stranger, Will Rogers, suggested that Autry try singing on the radio. Inspired, Autry traveled to New York City to look for a singing job but had no luck. Back home, he began working for a local radio station and found success as "Oklahoma's Yodeling Cowboy.” Eventually, Autry and railroad dispatcher Jim Long wrote several country songs, including the world's first gold record, "That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine." Autry became a regular on Sears Roebuck's National Barn Dance, the forerunner of the Grand Ole Opry. In 1934, producer Nat Levine was looking for a guy who could sing, ride a horse, and act in western movies. Autry wasn't an actor but had already established a loyal radio audience, so Levine put him in numerous B-grade westerns. Playing the lead role in a long-running series of Saturday matinee films, Autry became "America's favorite cowboy." In 1940, his musical variety radio show, Gene Autry's Melody Ranch”, debuted and took only one hiatus, when Autry joined the Army Air Corps after taking his oath on the air in 1942.  Roy Rogers took his place on the television show while he was gone. He became America's favorite TV cowboy in 1950 when he debuted The Gene Autry Show”, which ran through 1956. In each episode, he and his sidekick, Pat Buttram, rode from town to town, maintaining law and order. From "Back in the Saddle Again" to yuletide mainstays such as "Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer" and "Frosty the Snowman," Autry's music has etched itself into Americana. The Cowboy was also an entrepreneur; he owned hotels, gas stations, television and radio stations, and the California Angels baseball team, among other ventures. He also owned a television production company and was proud of discovering "Annie Oakley" star Gail Davis, whom he had featured in dozens of his movies and television program episodes and who had performed in his traveling rodeo. Her appearances spun off into her own series, which Autry's company produced. Autry was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1969.  One of the most beloved entertainers of all-time, The Cowboy passed on in 1998.
    1942 – The bloody siege at Bataan began.
    1944 - SPECKER, JOE C., Medal of Honor.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 48th Engineer Combat Battalion. Place and date: At Mount Porchia, Italy, 7 January 1944. Entered service at: Odessa, Mo. Birth: Odessa, Mo. G.O. No. 56, 12 July 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. On the night of 7 January 1944, Sgt. Specker, with his company, was advancing up the slope of Mount Porchia, Italy. He was sent forward on reconnaissance and on his return he reported to his company commander the fact that there was an enemy machinegun nest and several well-placed snipers directly in the path and awaiting the company. Sgt. Specker requested and was granted permission to place 1 of his machineguns in a position near the enemy machinegun. Voluntarily and alone he made his way up the mountain with a machinegun and a box of ammunition. He was observed by the enemy as he walked along and was severely wounded by the deadly fire directed at him. Though so seriously wounded that he was unable to walk, he continued to drag himself over the jagged edges of rock and rough terrain until he reached the position at which he desired to set up his machinegun. He set up the gun so well and fired so accurately that the enemy machine-gun nest was silenced and the remainder of the snipers forced to retire, enabling his platoon to obtain their objective. Sgt. Specker was found dead at his gun. His personal bravery, self-sacrifice, and determination were an inspiration to his officers and fellow soldiers.
    1944 – The US Air Force announced production of the first jet fighter, the Bell P-59.   
    1945 - Anthony Richard (Tony) Conigliaro, Baseball player born at Revere, MA.   Also known as Tony C, Conigliaro led the American League in home runs in 1965 and was one of the most beloved Boston Red Sox players of his generation.   He was selected for the All-Star Game in 1967. In that season, at age 22, he became the youngest American leaguer to reach a career total of 100 home runs.  He was beaned by Jack Hamilton on August 18, 1967, causing a linear fracture of the left cheekbone and a dislocated jaw with severe damage to his left retina. The batting helmet he was wearing did not have the protective ear-flap that has since become standard.  A year and a half later, Conigliaro made a remarkable return, hitting 20 homers with 82 RBI in 141 games. In 1970, he reached career-high numbers in HRs (36) and RBI (116). After a stint with the Angels in 1971, he returned to the Red Sox briefly but was forced to retire because his eyesight had been permanently damaged. In retirement he served as sports announcer for TV stations in Providence, RI and San Francisco. On January 3, 1982, in Boston to interview for a broadcasting position, suffered a heart attack, then a stroke and lapsed into a coma. Conigliaro remained in basically a vegetative state until his death more than eight years later.  He died in Salem, MA, at the age of 45, Feb 24, 1990.
    1945 - SHOUP, CURTIS F., Medal of Honor.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company I, 346th Infantry, 87th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Tillet, Belgium, 7 January 1945. Entered service at: Buffalo, N.Y. Birth: Napenoch, N.Y. G.0. No.: 60, 25 July 1945. Citation: On 7 January 1945, near Tillet, Belgium, his company attacked German troops on rising ground. Intense hostile machinegun fire pinned down and threatened to annihilate the American unit in an exposed position where frozen ground made it impossible to dig in for protection. Heavy mortar and artillery fire from enemy batteries was added to the storm of destruction falling on the Americans. Realizing that the machinegun must be silenced at all costs, S/Sgt. Shoup, armed with an automatic rifle, crawled to within 75 yards of the enemy emplacement. He found that his fire was ineffective from this position, and completely disregarding his own safety, stood up and grimly strode ahead into the murderous stream of bullets, firing his low-held weapon as he went. He was hit several times and finally was knocked to the ground. But he struggled to his feet and staggered forward until close enough to hurl a grenade, wiping out the enemy machinegun nest with his dying action. By his heroism, fearless determination, and supreme sacrifice, S/Sgt. Shoup eliminated a hostile weapon which threatened to destroy his company and turned a desperate situation into victory.
    1946 - Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner’s birthday in NYC.
http://207.171.166.140/name/nm0921048/bio

http://207.171.166.140/name/nm0921048/
    1948 - Birthday of singer Kenny Loggins in Everett, Washington. He wrote the "House at Pooh Corner," a hit for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, before teaming with Jim Messina for several albums and the top-10 single "Your Mama Don't Dance" in the 1970's. The duo split in 1976, and Loggins did well on his own with such hit singles as "Footloose," the theme from the 1984 movie, and "Danger Zone" in 1986.
    1948 – President Truman raised taxes to finance the Marshall Plan.
    1949 - Birthday of singer Tom Waits, Pomona, CA.
http://www.tomwaits.com/
http://www.officialtomwaits.com/

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/7587/start.html

    1949 – The first photo of genes was taken at the University of Southern California by Pease and Baker
    1950 - Nova Scotia native Hank Snow made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. Later that year, his recording of "I'm Movin' On" stayed on the Billboard country chart for 44 weeks, selling more than a million copies.
    1950 - Gene Autry's "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" hits #1
    1950 - In Nashville, Tennessee, Ernest Tubb made his first appearance at "The Grand Ole Opry". Ernest also did a daily 15-minute radio program that was very popular in West Texas. In fact, the show was so popular, Tubb bought the radio station that aired the program for years, KGKL in San Angelo, Texas.
    1951 - Top Hits
“Tennessee Waltz” - Patti Page
“The Thing” - Phil Harris
“Nevertheless” - Jack Denny
“I Love You a Thousand Ways” - Lefty Frizzell
    1952 - Actor Phillip Loeb, blacklisted in 1950 as a possible Communist sympathizer, is fired from highly successful TV comedy "The Goldbergs" because no one would sponsor it otherwise.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/july-dec97/
blacklist_10-24.html

http://www.tvparty.com/vaultgold.html

http://www.woolmancentral.com/famcou.html

http://www.sag.com/blacklist.html
    1953 – President Truman announced, in the State of the Union address, the development of the hydrogen bomb.
    1954 - The Duoscopic television receiver debuted, allowing the viewer to watch two different shows at the same time. It was a very early, very primitive, picture-in-picture, split-screen, tested in New York City and Chicago, Illinois. DuMont Laboratories, owner of the DuMont Television Network produced the set.
    1954 - Muddy Waters records "Hoochie Coochie Man"
    1954 - The first public demonstration of a machine translation system was held in New York at the head office of IBM.
    1955 – At the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, Marian Anderson, contralto, became the first African-American opera singer when she sang the role of the fortune teller Ulrica in Giuseepe Verdi's “Un Ballo in Maschera.”
(lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jan07.html )
    1956 - Dean Martin's "Memories Are Made of This" hits #1
    1957 - Birthday of Katie Couric, in Arlington, Virginia. She worked for NBC News (1989-2006), CBS News (2007-11), and ABC News (2011-14). She was co-anchor of "The Today Show" starting in 1991 and in 2007 became CBS News Anchor. She currently serves as Yahoo Global News Anchor.
http://members.aol.com/flopez1542/page5.html
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0183698/
    1958 - The Gibson Guitar Company patented the Flying V guitar, favorite instrument of many rock musicians
    1959 - Top Hits
“The Chipmunk Song” - The Chipmunks
“Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” - The Platters
“Problems” - The Everly Brothers
“City Lights” - Ray Price
    1959 - "GE College Bowl" quiz show premieres on NBC TV
http://www.jumptheshark.com/c/collegebowl.htm
http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/collegeBowl2.html
    1959 – The US recognized Castro’s government in Cuba.
    1962 - The Western Division defeats the Eastern Division 47-27 in the first AFL All-Star Game played before 20,973 in San Diego.
http://images.nfl.com/history/images/0107.jpg
    1962 - Chubby Checker's "The Twist" hits #1 -- again
    1963 – Rand Paul was born in Pittsburgh.  The junior Republican Senator for Kentucky, in office since 2011, he is the son of former U.S. Representative and presidential candidate, Ron Paul of Texas.
    1964 – Actor, producer, Coppola nephew Nicholas Cage was born Nicolas Kim Coppola in Long Beach, CA
    1966 – The Dance Theater of Harlem was established.
    1966 – Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy was born in White Plains, NY.  She was the wife of John F. Kennedy, Jr, with whom she perished in 1999 in a private plane crash piloted by her husband.
    1967 - Top Hits
“I'm a Believer” - The Monkees
“Snoopy Vs. the Red Baron” - The Royal Guardsmen
“Tell It Like It Is” - Aaron Neville
“There Goes My Everything” - Jack Greene
    1967 – “The Newlywed Game” premiered on ABC.
    1968 - Postage rates in the United States went up by a penny; making the cost to send an ounce of mail six cents.
    1969 – Congress doubled the salary of the President.
    1970 – Neighboring farmers sued Max Yasgur for $35,000 in damages caused by "Woodstock"
    1971 - The temperature at Hawley Lake, AZ dipped to 40 degrees below zero, setting a new record low temperature for the state.
    1972 - The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 134-90, to win their 33rd game in a row, an NBA record.
    1972 - The NCAA announced that freshmen would be eligible to play varsity football and basketball starting in the fall of 1973.
    1975 - Top Hits
“Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” - Elton John
“You're the First, the Last, My Everything” - Barry White
“Kung Fu Fighting” - Carl Douglas
“The Door” - George Jones
    1975 – Led Zeppelin fans in Boston rioted before a concert, causing $30,000 damage
    1978 - The soundtrack album of the hit disco movie "Saturday Night Fever," featuring the Bee Gees, the Trammps, Tavares, K.C. & the Sunshine Band, Kool & the Gang, MFSB and others enter the soul album chart. It will peak at Number One for six weeks starting February 18 in its 39 weeks on the chart.
    1978 - The Bar-Kays' "Let's Have Some Fun" enters the soul charts
    1979 - Vietnamese forces, aided by Cambodian insurgents, captured Phnom Penh after a two-week invasion and overthrew the Khmer Rouge regime of Pol Pot.
    1979 - In the AFC title game, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Houston Oilers 34-5 for a Super Bowl trip and their third AFC championship title. They played in a steady rain at Three Rivers Stadium. In the NFC championship game, the Dallas Cowboys shut out the Los Angeles Rams 28-0. (The Steelers beat the Cowboys 35-31 in Super Bowl XIII Jan 21.)
    1980 - Led Zeppelin's "In Through the Out Door" is awarded a platinum disc. It's the last album issued before the September 25th death of drummer John Bonham.
    1980 – President Carter authorized legislation giving $1.5 billion in loans to bail out Chrysler.
    1981 - The "Eagles Live" album goes platinum. The two-record set will turn out to be the final Eagles album until 1994's comeback LP, "Hell Freezes Over".
    1982 - The Islanders' Bryan Trottier had his 10th career hat trick.
    1982 - "Hooked on Classics," using the extended medley format made popular by "Stars on 45," sets popular classical music to a disco beat. The result: It goes platinum on this date.
    1983 - Top Hits
“Maneater” - Daryl Hall & John Oates
“The Girl is Mine” - Michael Jackson /Paul McCartney
“Dirty Laundry” - Don Henley
“Wild and Blue” - John Anderson
    1984 - The Seattle Seahawks reached the AFC Title game for the first time in their history but were defeated by the Los Angeles Raiders, 30-14.
    1984 – Left-hander Jon Lester was born in Tacoma, WA.  In December, 2014, he signed with the Chicago Cubs for a whopping six year, $155 million deal.  Lester has played for the Boston Red Sox (2006-14) and the Oakland A’s in 2014. Less than two years after being diagnosed with lymphoma, Lester started and won the final game of the 2007 World Series for the Red Sox, and in May 2008, pitched a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals.
    1986 – President Reagan announced economic sanctions against Libya.
    1989 - A tornado in southern Illinois obliterated half the community of Allendale, injuring fifty persons and causing more than five million dollars damage, while thunderstorm winds gusting higher than 100 mph caused ten million dollars damage at Franklin, KY. Twenty-five cities, from the Gulf coast to Michigan, reported record high temperatures for the date.
    1990 - A rapidly intensifying low pressure system and a vigorous cold front brought heavy rain and high winds to the Pacific Northwest. Two to five inches rains soaked western Washington and western Oregon, and winds gusting above 70 mph caused extensive damage. Wind gusts on Rattlesnake Ridge in Washington State reached 130 mph
    1991 - Top Hits
“Justify My Love” - Madonna
“High Enough” - Damn Yankees
“Love Will Never Do (Without You)” - Janet Jackson
“I've Come to Expect It From You” - George Strait
    1992 - A rare January thunderstorm rumbled over Sioux Falls, SD. This was the first January thunderstorm recorded in the city since 1939. Meanwhile, thunderstorms produced 6 tornadoes (one F2 and five F1) near Grand Island, NE -- the first tornadoes ever recorded in Nebraska during January.
    1992 – AT&T announced the first video phone at a price of $1499.
    1993 - Michael Jordan scored 35 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 130-95 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The points gave Jordan exactly 20,000 in the 620th game of his career and made him the second fastest NBA player to reach the mark behind Wilt Chamberlain, who did it in 499 games.
    1995 - A severe thunderstorm produced a downburst wind gust to 146 mph at Seymour-Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, NC.
    1996 - A blizzard paralyzed the Eastern U.S. The storm moved slowly, taking five days to reach New England from the Gulf of Mexico. The National Weather Service called it a storm of “historic proportions” with more than two feet of snow in the Baltimore and Washington, DC area. The mountains of Virginia and West Virginia got up to three feet. More than 100 deaths were blamed on the storm -- the majority from heart attacks. This event was the second in an unrelenting, paralyzing "siege of snowstorms" along the east coast during a ten day period.
    1997 – Speaker Newt Gingrich became the first Republican Speaker of the house to be re-elected in 86 years.
    1997 - In Los Angeles, California, Heidi Fleiss, known as the "Hollywood Madam", was sentenced to 37 months in prison for cheating on her taxes, laundering call-girl profits, and conspiring to hide her wrongdoing. According to news sources, Fleiss choked back tears, saying, "I'm sorry. I'm a different person now".
    1999 – The Senate impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton began.  The charges were on lying under oath and obstruction of justice in the Lewinsky case.
    2005 – Actors Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston announced they were separating after four years of marriage.
    2006 - American journalist Jill Carroll was abducted in Iraq and a translator was killed. Carroll was released unharmed after 82 days.
    2006 - Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, facing corruption charges, stepped down as House majority leader.
    2013 - U.S. Republican Chuck Hagel is nominated to be the country's next Secretary of Defense by President Barack Obama; John O. Brennan is nominated to be the next CIA Director.
    2013 - The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics estimated at least 17 billion planets exist that are comparable to the size of the Earth and the Milky Way.

 

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