Looking to Improve Your Career
   Post a Free Position Wanted Here

Free Career Positon Wanted goes into our Classified Ad section here
http://leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm

It also runs once a week in the News Edition.

Use your personal email address only. We encourage you to add a resume, although not necessary. If you do so, please make sure your name, address and telephone number are not included. If so, we will delete them. The reason is once the resume is placed on line: it remains in Google, as well in Leasing News Editions’ archives. A search of your name will bring up your posting, which will have your address and telephone number for years to come.

It is also a good idea to create an email for the ad specifically that you can delete after use.
This is “free” to those looking for a new position. Each ad is limited to (100) words.

To post your free position wanted, please email: kitmenkin@leasingnews.org

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Top Ten Stories
December 24 - January 3

(Stories most opened by readers)

(1) Rosanne Wilson, CLFP, Responds to
       Leasing News Readers
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Dec2019/12_31.htm#wilson

(2) "Best Practice Broker" Rosanne Wilson, CLFP
        In Hospital, Expected to go into Rehab
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Dec2019/12_24.htm#wilson

(3) New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
         and Related Industries
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jan2020/01_03.htm#hires

(4) IRS issues standard mileage rates for 2020
     “Use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks)”
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jan2020/01_03.htm#irs

(5) U.S. Bancorp - My Top Takeover Idea For 2020
  "Mergers and Acquisitions are booming - just not in banking."
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Dec2019/12_31.htm#us

(6) Dext Celebrates One Year Anniversary
   Happy New Year to All
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jan2020/01_03.htm#dext

(7) 36 Corvettes, Hidden For Years in a Garage
    Will Be Given Away
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/23/business/peter-max-corvettes-contest.html

(8) More than 400 restaurants closed in San Francisco               
       during 2019
   S.F. restaurateurs decided that enough was enough
https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/411-restaurant-closures-San-Francisco-Jardiniere-14928007.php

(9) OnDeck Bank Charter Update
       CEO Noah Breslow Making Inroads
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Dec2019/12_31.htm#ondeck

(10) 18 Retailers Closing the Most Stores
   9.302 Locations Closed at time of Report
https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/04/24/retailers-closing-the-most-stores-5/2/

Ascentium Capital/Balboa Capital Karma
Major Default Case Blows Up

By Christopher Menkin

Ascentium Capital, Kingwood, Texas, was named as defendant in the Balboa Capital, Costa Mesa, California, lawsuit regarding Medical Home Team (MHT) alleged Ponzi scheme, (1). The filing brings up Hernan Traversone, Ascentium's Chief Credit Officer, who spoke directly with Balboa's President Phil Silva, who reportedly was convinced it was not a Ponzi scheme but a very good deal. 

Phil Silva, President
Balboa Capital

Hernan Traversone
Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer
Ascentium Capital

The complaint contains the following information:
“Mr. Silva called Mr. Traversone on or about October 19, 2016, and took notes of his conversation. Mr. Traversone stated that MHT was an excellent vendor and that Ascentium had experienced no default on any of the more than $40 million in financing it had provided since 2012 to more than 200 physicians participating in the MHT program. To emphasize his glowing recommendation of MHT, Mr. Traversone reminded Mr. Silva of a saying Mr. Silva had used when the worked together at American Express: “The best vendors bring the best obligors.” And MHT, said Mr. Traversone, was in that category. 18. Mr. Traversone’s statements were made with full knowledge that Balboa was evaluating its participation in financing MHT Licenses. He also knew that Balboa would rely heavily on a glowing recommendation, not just from any Ascentium employee, but from Ascentium’s Chief Credit Officer who had previously had a good working relationship with Mr. Silva. In fact, Balboa did rely on Mr. Traversone’s representations and, based on Ascentium’s credit reference, Balboa decided to proceed with financing MHT Licenses. ” (2)

Cliff McKenzie
Former Senior Vice President Sales
Ascentium Capital, LLC
(June 1, 2012, he was president of  FinanciaLogic which was acquired by Ascentium Capital and he became Senior Vice President of Sales.)

The filing continues, “Mr. McKenzie’s statements were false, and they knew they were false when they made them. In early 2016 – more than six months prior to Mr. Silva’s conversation with Mr. Traversone – Ascentium was aware that the vast majority of its borrowers had not established a home health care practice at all, much less a profitable practice. Ascentium also knew that to the extent monthly payments were being made, they were being made by MHT and being funded solely out of sales of new MHT Licenses. In fact, Ascentium had demanded in, early 2016, that MHT immediately pay a number of its loans in full. Ascentium was not terminating its participation in the MHT program due to routine portfolio risk management, as Mr. Traversone claimed, but because Ascentium recognized that MHT was Ponzi scheme. Case 3:18-cv-00898-M Document 165 Filed 11/08/19 Page 6 of 19 Page ID 1618 Page 7 of 13 20. In short, Ascentium and Messrs. McKenzie and Traversone were not referring business to Balboa. To the contrary, Ascentium was actively participating in the Ponzi scheme with the intent that Balboa would fund enough MHT Licenses to enable MHT to pay off Ascentium’s loans. 21. Balboa was wholly unaware that MHT was a Ponzi scheme before it began funding MHT Licenses on behalf of physicians. Messrs. McKenzie’s and Traversone’s misrepresentations to Balboa ensured that Balboa would remain in the dark and that Balboa would provide funding that would be used to pay off Ascentium’s nonperforming loans." (2)
In their latest complaint against Ascentium Capital, Balboa Capital also acknowledged that MHT licenses were nothing but a Ponzi scheme. Doctors were duped in signing up for worthless MHT licenses by MHT salesperson. MHT was generating revenue solely by selling those worthless licenses and not by opening actual practices that generated revenue. None of the doctors who are sued by Balboa Capital received any hard assets i.e., IPpads, money or nurse practitioners from MHT. MHT declared bankruptcy in less than six months once doctors signed up with MHT.

Patrick Ontal
Vice President of Sales
Vendor Services
Balboa Capital

Earlier, according to the filing, “In or about August of 2016, Ascentium Senior Vice President Cliff McKenzie contacted Balboa Sales Director Patrick Ontal about a business opportunity. According to Mr. McKenzie, Ascentium had for several years been financing home health care practices through a company known as America’s Medical Home Team, Inc. (“MHT”). Mr. McKenzie indicated that Ascentium’s experience with MHT had been lucrative and positive, but that Ascentium had reached its portfolio limit of approximately $40 million and was no longer going to finance the home health care practices. MHT was therefore looking for a new financing partner and Mr. McKenzie wanted to refer the business to Balboa. 11. Balboa was interested, and proceeded to gather information on MHT and learn more about its business.” (2)

Whether Balboa’s Phil Silva would have reviewed what his Sales Director Patrick Ontal had learned is not in the filings. Was he convinced from the sales job of his American Express Finance fellow employee Hernan Traversone, now Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer, Ascentium Capital?

Mr. Silva has a reputation for being a very smart hombre, not stupid. There must be more to the story and perhaps this will come out in the trial.

Tom McCurnin
Retired Leasing News Legal Editor

Now-retired Legal Editor Tom McCurnin has followed the case for several years. Perhaps it goes back to then Senior Sales Vice President, Cliff McKenzie. Tom explains the original case, which appeared in Leasing News March 22, 2017:

"The MHT Program
“Before I get into the meat of the settlement, some readers may not be aware of the Ascentium MHT program, which has parallels to the NorVergence and Royal Link scams. In early 2016, the vendor, MHT, offered a home nurse program to about 188 doctors for the sum of $75,000, per license, around $300,000 for many of the doctors. The collateral was a few iPads and software, and a license to use nurse practitioners hired by MHT. Reportedly Ascentium financed this deal with gross receivables remaining of at least $54,000,000. The vendor, MHT promised the doctors a line of credit and some start up LLCs into which operated the administration of the nurses. Very few of these programs actually operated. None are in existence presently. The doctors guarantied the obligations of LLCs.  Some whiz kids at MHT and Ascentium thought this was a real money maker and no one in the conference room had any institutional memory of NorVergence or Royal Links. The doctors thought the whole thing was a fraud and several suits were instituted in Texas, ultimately being consolidated into one class action...

"..in August 2016, after rumblings of fraud, Ascentium pawned off about 20 of these deals to Univest.  Univest has sued Ascentium for breach of warranty under an old broker agreement from 2013*. In addition, towards the end of this deal about November, 2016, after the fraud had been brought to light, Balboa Capital financed around 15 of these deals directly through MHT, who had re-purchased deals from disgruntled doctors, and apparently acted as vendors of the licenses. Hey, they knew a good thing when they saw it. Balboa has recently sued 15 of the doctors in California federal court...

“The doctor’s liabilities are around $300,000 per deal and they are buying their peace for $75,000 or less, round numbers. So that’s not a terrible deal. The ability of Ascentium to collect these sums is risky, a risk apparently shared by both sides.

"Ascentium is likewise taking a bit of a bath. It is writing off round numbers $38 million. While it is receiving an estimated $16 million from the doctors, it has to pay out $400,000 to the Balboa doctors and perhaps as much as $4.5 million to class counsel out of that pool. In addition, the Univest suits may go away, but that is not part of this settlement.

"The real mystery to me is why, when Balboa Capital is named in this suit, it is not participating in the settlement. Another open question is why is Ascentium paying the Balboa doctors $400,000? Why is Ascentium being so generous?

"Balboa has one complication not shared by Ascentium and Univest. Balboa got in this deal at the end and financed the licenses after some were re-purchased by MHT, thus placing Balboa closer to the alleged fraudsters. So Balboa’s liability may be proportionately greater than Ascentium and Univest, and unlike Univest, Balboa financed these directly, not through a brokerage agreement from Ascentium, so there is no recourse from Ascentium. The music has stopped for Balboa and it does not have a chair. That $400,000 won’t be enough to make this problem go away."  (3)

Certainly from Tom’s article the Balboa filing puts Cliff McKenzie in the middle. LinkedIn.com notes he is no longer at Ascentium as of January, 2018, nor is he a CLFP, as he claims, and no longer
at Alliance Funding Group. (4) The complaint alleges that McKenzie knew about the fraudulent practices and was receiving kickbacks and payments from the vendor, about $20,000 per month. If this allegation is true, it may make MHT the agent of Ascentium and might arguably defeat the hell or high clause.  (5)

Coda:
Leasing News was without our Legal News Editor Ken Greene, on Christmas vacation, and other attorneys contacted to review what was written for accuracy did not want to get involved. One, well-known to Leasing News, said he would make comments, but only on the condition they not be attributed.

"There is nothing new here. As you noted, Tom (McCurnin) has already written all about this. In a post-NorVergence world, the value of the collateral matters. If the vendor is essentially selling air, then it doesn’t matter how great the assignor is (unless offering recourse), or how creditworthy the customer is.

"Balboa has a duty to investigate the deal and the credit before purchasing the payment stream.  Notwithstanding the glowing recommendation of the Assignor, there were a number of things Balboa could have done to check these deals out:

"—Verify the value of the collateral with the customer. Was he/she happy with deal, and will he/she continue to make payments.  Lawyers call these after the fact confirmations “estoppel affidavits”.  My bet is that the customers were starting to get impatient. Remember, these were assignments of existing deals, some several months old. 

"—Get written portfolio performance data. Since the assignor had a 6-9 month track record with other customers.

"—I don't remember who Tom said was administrating this for the vendor MHT. Balboa could have called the guy and gotten his story. Sure he would have lied, but the story would have been different from the customers’ stories, raising red flags.

“—Bear in mind, the lynchpin to this deal was getting home- care nurses to work as independent contractors. We’re any actually hired and working? I doubt that any nurse had actually reported for work.

"Remember that in any fraud case the aggrieved party must demonstrate reasonable reliance, not blind deference to the alleged statements of Ascentium. Reasonable reliance usually means a reasonable (but not necessarily exacting and thorough) investigation. Other than blindly believing Ascentium, Balboa did nothing. At least their complaint against Ascentium reflects nothing."

(1) Case no: 3:2018cv00898
Balboa Capital v. Okoji Home Visits MMT LLC et al
US District Court for the Northern District of Texas

(2)   http://leasingnews.org/PDF/ascentium_filing2020.pdf
https://ecf.txnd.uscourts.gov/doc1/177112832872

(3) http://leasingnews.org/archives/Sep2017/09_29.htm#ascentium

(4) https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliff-mckenzie-clfp-aa14946/
(Listing is out of date, long gone Alliance, and no longer a CLFP in Good Standing)

(5) http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2017/03_22.htm#sued

 

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Help Wanted

 

 

 

New Year---New Career?
Career Crossroad---By Emily Fitzpatrick/RII

Question: New Year – How should I go about thinking about my career?

Answer: There is a DEFINITE distinction between those who have successful and gratifying careers as opposed to those who never seem to get ahead and “hate” their jobs.

Successful people have the desire to make it … they want to be proficient at their work not ONLY for financial rewards but perhaps more importantly, for the evidence that they are good at what they do.
Those who seem to flounder through their careers see their jobs merely as “work”. They have to do it to survive; they derive little pleasure from doing it well. I assume you share the characteristics of successful people … you care about your career and want it to be more than a job, more than a means of subsistence. Do not minimize this quality, without it; you do have much of a chance to succeed.

Evaluate if your current job is what you had foreseen for yourself. Are you enjoying your work? If not, use your favorite past job as a frame of reference.

We tend to gravitate to and be interested in areas that are consistent with our personalities. If this is not in sync, it may be time to re-evaluate your current position / employer.

Take the steps to make sure you will be going in the right direction for your future. Don’t put it off, as this is the start of a new year, and you may find out the start of a new search for a job you look forward to coming to every morning!

Happy New Year - We wish you a Successful & Prosperous 2016!  
Emily Fitzpatrick
Sr. Recruiter
Recruiters International, Inc.
Phone:  954-885-9241
Cell:  954-612-0567
emily@riirecruit.com

Invite me to connect on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/pub/emily-fitzpatrick/4/671/76

Also follow us on Twitter #RIIINFO

Career Crossroads Previous Columns
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/crossroad.html

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(Terry retired January 1, 2015. To honor him and his many years of writing for readers of Leasing News, is repeating several of his columns that are still meaningful today. Here is June 6, 2011.)

Interim Rent

It was common for leasing and finance companies to request all payments be made on the first of each month. It was also common to issue payment coupon books all with payments due on the first of the month. It was originally was developed to support delinquency because it gave the firm thirty days to collect the payment. If the payment was not in by the twenty fifth, it became a thirty day delinquent account in five days. This procedure was driven by the bookkeeping systems of the day.

Then it developed that either you gave away the income from moving the due date from the commencement date to the first of the next month, you had to charge the lessee for a whole month regardless. Most Lessees regarded this as not acceptable, and in addition, moved the due date not 30 days, but ten days after the payment was due. Often the late charge became an “extra profit.” Coupon books were abandoned and interim rent was born.

With modern bookkeeping, we are able to collect interim payments based on the number of days between commencement and the preferred due date.

This trend not only recouped the daily interest cost, but also earned a profit between principal and interest in this time period. In addition, to the actual date of the funding---check to vendor--- the interim rent could be full profit, depending on the start date and actual date the booking of the lease was complete, as the interim rate did not change the actual number of payments or reduce the days at the end. It is important to note that interim rent is not interest only like in a loan but extra rent and that is why it increases the yield so much.

Therefore additional rent on top of the total rent stream is collected, usually on the second invoice because the first invoice covers the first advanced payment and it usually comes with the signed acceptance prior to the computing of the interim amount.

I have seen abuses of the interim rent just like all parts of the lease contract. Now there seems to be leasing companies that start the rent payments as much as 90 days in the future to create a large interim payment that is usually not explained to the lessee until after signing the lease. (Companies, such as Balboa Capital, have charge Quarterly interim rent payments on Quarterly rent transaction, where their funding is actually in arrears so they yield an extra three months in addition to the interim rent. Editor)

Interim payments are part of the cost of a lease but rarely presented up front to the lessee. In some cases it is used to reduce the appearance of the rate when a long interim is required. It therefore becomes one of those hidden advantages used to be more competitive.

I believe we need competitive advantages but for some reason we rely on tricks and hidden charges.Therefore it is important to completely understand lease documentation and the timing of rent payments to determine your competitive position when proposing a lease arrangement. If a rate looks too low something in the transaction is not clearly understood.

Unless the transaction is a large lease, most lessees accept the interim rent payment as it is very common today to be included in the lease or finance contract.

First Federal is one of the few companies that does not charge Interim Rent

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CLFP Foundation 2019 Accomplishment Report
New CLFP's added & Associates since Last Publication- Photos

http://leasingnews.org/PDF/clfp_accomplishment2019.pdf

 

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Classes to Become Lease & Finance Professional Updated
Attendance Update: Classes Scheduled plus Mentor Program

The Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals (ALFP) is a three-day event designed to fully prepare an individual to sit for the CLFP exam assuming the attendee has read and studied The Certified Lease & Finance Professionals’ Handbook prior to attending.

On the first two days, all of the required sections of the CLFP exam are covered in-depth. On the third day, the exam is offered, but not mandatory. http://www.clfpfoundation.org/alfp.php

January 9 - 11
Private - Ascentium ALFP
Scottsdale, Arizona
Sold Out

February 06, 2020
Start: Thu, February 06, 2020
8:00am
End: Sat, February 08, 2020
Location: Hosted by Fleet Advantage, LLC.
Class Location: 401 East Las Olas Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Registered: 1
Spaces left: 19
Recommended Hotels: THE SUPERBOWL IS IN TOWN THE PRIOR WEEKEND. MAKE SURE HOTEL RESERVATIONS ARE MADE NOW!!!!  Last-minute room availability will be very challenging.
Both hotels are within a couple of blocks. Car really isn’t necessary as there are a lot of restaurants in the area, Starbucks across the street and airport is 10 minutes away.
Riverside Hotel
620 E Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
www.riversidehotel.com
(954) 467-0671
Fairfield Inn & Suites, a Marriott Property
30 S Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/fllld-fairfield-inn-and-suites-fort-lauderdale-downtown-las-olas/?scid=bb1a189a-fec3-4d19-a255-54ba596febe2
(954) 713-0400

February 11 - 13
Private - 1st Source Bank ALFP
South Bend, Indiana

February 25 -27
Private  - Key Bank ALFP
Denver, Colorado

March 5 – 7
Seattle, Washington
Financial Pacific Leasing (open)
3455 S 344th Way, Federal Way, WA 98001, USA

APRIL 14, 2020
Start: Tue, April 14, 2020
8:00 AM
End: Thu, April 15, 2020
  4:00 PM
Location
TBD - Fairfield Inn & Suites
 by Marriott Portland
 South/Lake Oswego,
 6100 South West,
Meadows Rd,
Lake Oswego, OR 97035-
Hosted by U.S. Bank Equipment Finance
Spaces left
25
Registered
Be the first

April 23, 2020
8:00AM (CDT)
End: Sat., April 25, 2020
   4:00PM (CDT_
Location: Co-hosed by
Arvest Bank and
LTi Technology
Solutions: Class
Location: 9401 W
135th St., Overland
Park, KS (2nd
Floor). Exam
Location: 9300 W.
110th St. Suite 270,
Overland Park, KS
6620
Spaces Left: 3
Register: 17 registrants

Recommended Hotels:
Townplace Suites by Marriott 
7020 W. 133rd St.
Overland Park, KS
(913) 851-3100
Holiday Inn Express
7580 W 135th St.
Overland Park, KS
(913) 681-8400

Hampton Inn and Suites
7521 W. 135th Street
Overland Park, KS
(913) 681-6600
Townplace Suites by Marriott
7020 W. 133rd St.
Overland Park, KS
(913) 851-3100

Hampton Inn and Suites
7521 W. 135th Street
Overland Park, KS
(913) 681-6600

MENTOR PROGRAM
The Mentor Program was created to assist candidates in preparing to take the CLFP Exam. The Program is voluntary and is offered at no additional cost to the candidate.

A candidate will be assigned a Mentor upon request following formal application and receipt of fee for the CLFP Exam. Candidates are matched with a mentor who is knowledgeable in areas of the Body of Knowledge of interest to the candidate. Or, the candidate may request a specific individual.

All Mentors hold the CLFP designation and will answer questions about the conduct of the exam, assist the candidate in understanding and interpreting areas of the Body of Knowledge, and generally provide intellectual, experiential and moral support.

Mentors are not instructors or tutors. The candidate is expected to learn the required material on his or her own by studying written materials, by taking available industry courses, and through industry work experience. Mentors will provide clarification and interpretation for subjects the candidate has already studied. For instance, the Mentor will clarify Present Value Theory, but will not teach the Theory.

About Academy
https://clfpfoundation.org/academy-for-lease-and-finance-professionals/

Application:
https://clfpfoundation.org/how-to-become-a-clfp/#Examination

 

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click image to view larger

Full Story:
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/best-performing-stocks-decade/

Male Adult Spaniel (Medium) (Mixed)
Boston, Massachusetts  - Adopt a Dog

Bastian
Male
1 Year
20 lbs.
Neutered
Shots Up to Date
Housetrained
OK with Dogs
OK with Cat---not sure
OK with Kids -not sure
Crate Trained-Unknown

About Bastian
You have never met a more lovey-love dog than Bastian. He just wants to snuggle with you- all the time! He has had zero accidents in our house, and is a perfect gentleman! His only problem is crates- he worked his way out of a metal one and chewed through a plastic one! However, he didn’t do anything bad in the house either time, so I’m sure he’s fine out! We got an Alcatraz crate for him and he does well in it! He doesn’t play with toys a lot- I think he’s still figuring that part out... He loves to sit in the sun, like a cute little statue! He will sleep on his back on the foot of your bed all night. He’s a sweet little darling!!!

Bastian would be an excellent therapy dog or hospital comfort dog. Bastian comforted a child with epilepsy in his current foster home like no other dog has been able to do. He’s so gentle and sweet, and has loved every human he met. He will bring a lot of joy to a ton of people, if given the opportunity.

Adoption Fee: $500

Please Note: All dogs are posted until they are officially adopted. This dog may have other interested adopters in line. If you are interested in adopting, please fill out an application on our website at http://www.lasthopek9.org/

Questions? Please email adoptions@lasthopek9.org.  For more photos, or information on upcoming adoption events where you can meet her, please go to www.lasthopek9.org or go to our Facebook page. Thank you for your interest in saving a life!

Last Hope K9 Rescue is completely run by volunteers with no paid staff or board members.

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2020 National Equipment Finance Summit
Registration Open - Wednesday, March 25th - Friday, March 27th

River Walk

Hyatt Regency San Antonio River Walk Hotel
123 Losoya Street
San Antonio, Texas  78205
United States

Information:
https://www.nefassociation.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1219218&group=

News Briefs----

Don’t abbreviate 2020 when signing documents, police warn.
   It can be used against you
https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article238916543.html?

It’s Not Just Software. New Safety Risks
   Under Scrutiny on Boeing’s 737 Max
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/05/business/boeing-737-max.html

Tesla hits big with record 112,000 car deliveries
  Quarterly best gives 367,500 deliveries for all of 2019
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/01/03/tesla-hits-big-with-record-112000-car-deliveries/

New tariffs stand to change
   the face of the entire US wine market
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/industrynews/wineindustry/10543172-181/france-europe-wine-tariffs

 
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You May Have Missed---

12 Trucking Takeaways from 2019
 Top Trends over the Past Year
https://www.truckinginfo.com/347761/12-trucking-takeaways-from-2019

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Television ratings rise 5% in NFL regular season
http://www.theredzone.org/Blog-Description/EntryId/79934/Television-ratings-rise-5--in-NFL-regular-season

NFL Sunday Scores
https://news.google.com/topics/

Kirk Cousins delivers for Vikings in OT to pick up first playoff win
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28428946/kirk-cousins-delivers-vikings-ot-pick-first-playoff-win

NFC Divisional is set with 49ers-Vikings
https://www.ninersnation.com/2020/1/5/21050744/saints-vikings-final-score-nfc-divisional-schedule-49ers

The 49ers now have a gold-paved path to the Super Bowl
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/01/05/the-49ers-now-have-a-gold-paved-path-to-the-super-bowl/

Cowboys officially will not renew head coach Jason Garrett’s contract
https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2020/01/05/breaking-cowboys-will-not-renew-head-coach-jason-garretts-contract-according-to-multiple-reports/

Barber: 2020 bodes big change for Giants, Warriors, Raiders
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/10543789-181/barber-2020-bodes-big-change

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California Nuts Briefs---

What’s in store for San Francisco housing in 2020?
  More new homes, but not nearly enough
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/What-s-in-store-for-SF-housing-in-2020-More-14948517.php

California’s minimum wage just went up
   and will continue to rise to become highest in US
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/01/03/californias-minimum-wage-just-went-up-and-will-continue-to-rise/

How many vacant houses are there really in the Bay Area?
Estimates vary widely but census data suggests there are thousands
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2020/01/05/how-many-vacant-houses-are-there-really-in-the-bay-area/

Fate of Purple Line trolley in question
  as $24 billion sales-tax hike looms in 2020
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/transportation/story/2020-01-05/san-diego-mts-airport-trolley-crossroads-over-8b-purple-line

Napa County's population drops
   for the third consecutive year
https://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/napa-county-s-population-drops-for-the-third-consecutive-year/article_19f2081f-3588-5fd4-9752-f51e35079784.html

Four major Silicon Valley Santa Clara developments
   to watch in 2020
https://sanjosespotlight.com/four-major-santa-clara-developments-to-watch-in-2020/

 

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

New tariffs stand to change the face of the entire US wine market
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/industrynews/wineindustry/10543172-181/france-europe-wine-tariffs

Wineries Worth Visiting on Colorado’s Eastern Plains
https://303magazine.com/2020/01/wineries-colorado-eastern-plains/

Wine Spectator Top Stories of 2019
https://www.winespectator.com/articles/top-wine-stories-of-2019

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

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

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

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

This Day in History

     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:   69 (85.2%)
John Adams, Massachusetts:    34 (42.0%)
John Jay, New York:                  9 (11.1%)
Robert Harrison, Maryland:        6 (7.4%)
John Rutledge, South Carolina:  6 (7.4%)
Other:                                    14 (17.3%)
Electoral votes not cast:           24 (29.6%)

Note that prior to the ratification of Amendment XII 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 - Millard Fillmore (d. 1874) was born at Summerhill, NY. 13th President of the US (July 10, 1850—Mar 3, 1853). 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 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. 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.
    1811 – Charles Sumner (d. 1874) was born in Boston, for whom the Sumner Tunnel is named.  As a lawyer and a powerful orator, Sumner was the leader of the antislavery forces in Massachusetts and a leader of the Radical Republicans in the United States Senate during the Civil War, working to destroy the Confederacy, free all the slaves, and keep on good terms with Europe. During Reconstruction, he fought to minimize the power of the ex-Confederates and guarantee equal rights to the freedmen.  Sumner changed his political party several times as anti-slavery coalitions rose and fell in the 1830s and 1840s before coalescing in the 1850s as the Republican Party, the affiliation with which he became best known. He devoted his enormous energies to the destruction of the influence of Southern slave owners over the federal government, thereby ensuring the survival and expansion of slavery.  In 1856, a South Carolina Congressman, Democrat Preston Brooks, nearly killed Sumner on the Senate floor two days after Sumner delivered an intensely anti-slavery speech called "The Crime Against Kansas."  In the speech, Sumner characterized the attacker's cousin, South Carolina Senator Andrew Butler, a Democrat, as a pimp for slavery.  The episode played a major role in the coming of the Civil War. During the War, Sumner was a leader of the faction that criticized President Abraham Lincoln for being too moderate on the South. One of the most learned statesmen of the era, he specialized in foreign affairs, and worked closely with Lincoln to keep the British and the French from intervening on the side of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Sumner's expertise and energy made him a powerful chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
    1830 - The first passengers boarded the first commercial transportation of passengers and freight, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company. 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.
    1838 – Alfred Vail demonstrated a telegraph system using dots and dashes (this is the forerunner of Morse code).  After having secured his father's financial backing, Vail refined Morse's crude prototype to make it suitable for public demonstration and commercial operation. The first successful completion of a transmission with this system was at the Speedwell Iron Works near Morristown, NJ, across two miles of wiring. The message read "A patient waiter is no loser.”  Over the next few months, Morse and Vail demonstrated the telegraph to Philadelphia's Franklin Institute, members of Congress, and President Martin Van Buren and his cabinet.
    1853 – President-elect Franklin Pierce and his family were involved in a train wreck near Andover, MA. Pierce's 11-year-old son Benjamin is killed in the crash.
    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 nations. 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.
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 Angelo, 370 Texas militiamen attacked what was assumed to be an encampment of 1400 Comanche's (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 Indians lost 11, with 61 wounded.
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/DD/btd1.html
    1873 - A blizzard raged across the Great Plains. Many pioneers, unprepared for the cold and snow, perished in southwest Minnesota and northwestern Iowa.
    1878 – Carl Sandberg (d. 1978) was born Galesburg, IL.  Poet, writer, and editor, he won three Pulitzer Prizes, two for his poetry and one for his biography of Abraham Lincoln.  During his lifetime, Sandburg was widely regarded as "a major figure in contemporary literature", especially for volumes of his collected verse, including “Chicago Poems” (1916), “Cornhuskers” (1918), and “Smoke and Steel” (1920).  He enjoyed "unrivaled appeal as a poet in his day, perhaps because the breadth of his experiences connected him with so many strands of American life", and at his death in 1967, President Lyndon Johnson observed that "Carl Sandburg was more than the voice of America, more than the poet of its strength and genius. He was America.”
    1880 – Tom Mix (d. 1940) was born in Mix Run, PA.  Actor and the star of many early western movies between 1909 and 1935, Mix appeared in 291 films, all but nine of which were silent movies. He was Hollywood's first Western megastar and is noted as having helped define the genre for all cowboy actors who followed. 
    1884 - The temperature dipped to one degree below zero at Atlanta, GA. It marked the final day of a severe arctic outbreak in the South and Midwest.
    1886 - A severe cold wave in the southern section of the country brought the worst freeze since 1835 in Florida.
    1887 - In April, 1884, Thomas Stevens started what would be the first completed worldwide bicycle trip. Stevens and his bike traveled 13,500 miles, arriving back in San Francisco, California nearly three years later.    
    1893 – The Washington National Cathedral was chartered by Congress.
    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
    1901 - Birthday of African-American writer Zora Neale Hurston (d. 1960), born Eatonville, Fla., was an all-black town. Although at the time of her death, 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, and an anthology, “I Love Myself When I Am Laughing...And Then Again When I Am Looking Mean and Impressive,” was published in 1979.
http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap9/hurston.html
http://www.hurston-wright.org/
    1912 – New Mexico became the nation’s 47th state.
    1912 – Danny Thomas (d. 1991) was born in Deerfield, MI.  A nightclub comedian and television and film actor and producer, whose career spanned five decades, Thomas was best known for starring in the television sitcom “Make Room for Daddy” (also known as “The Danny Thomas Show”) that ran from 1953-1965. He was also the founder of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He was the father of Marlo Thomas.  
    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.
http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/24.html
    1914 - The National Commission granted some demands of the Players’ Union: players are to be notified in writing of their transfer or release and to receive a copy of their contract; players with 10 years in the Major Leagues are eligible to become free agents; clubs will pay traveling expenses to spring training and furnish all uniforms, and outfield fences in ballparks should be painted green to provide a better hitting background for batters.    
       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.
    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.
    1926 – Ralph Branca (d. 2016), the Dodger pitcher who surrendered the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”, was born in Mt. Vernon, NY.  In game 3 of the best of three 1951 NL Championship playoffs against the rival NY Giants, Branca relieved starter Don Newcombe in the bottom of the ninth with two on to protect a 4-2 Dodger lead that would have sent them to the World Series.  On a 0-1 pitch, Bobby Thomson homered over the left field wall at the Polo Grounds, giving the Giants the pennant.  Giants’ announcer Russ Hodges’ call: “There’s a long drive... it's gonna be, I believe...THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! Bobby Thomson hits into the lower deck of the left-field stands! The Giants win the pennant and they're goin' crazy, they're goin' crazy! HEEEY-OH!!!'' [ten-second pause for crowd noise]  I don't believe it! I don't believe it! I do not believe it! Bobby Thomson... hit a line drive... into the lower deck... of the left-field stands... and this blame place is goin' crazy! The Giants!  Horace Stoneham has got a winner! The Giants won it... by a score of 5 to 4... and they're pickin' Bobby Thomson up... and carryin' him off the field! 
    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, basketball team, make their debut. http://www.africana.com/Articles/tt_059.htm
http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/
    1930 - The first diesel-engine automobile trip is completed, from Indianapolis to NYC.
    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.
    1933 – Fred Turner (d. 2013) was born in Des Moines, IA.  Turner began his career at McDonald's in 1956 as a grill operator, and quickly rose through the ranks. He was named Operations Vice President in 1958. In that role, he established strict guidelines for how McDonald's hamburgers and other products had to be served - including that fries "had to be precisely 0.28 inches thick," and that "exactly ten patties had to be formed from each pound of beef."   "Quality, Service and Cleanliness" became his motto.  He became Executive Vice President in 1967, then President and Chief Administrative Officer in 1968. He replaced Ray Kroc as Chairman in 1977, then was named Senior Chairman upon Kroc's death. Under Turner, McDonald's expanded its operations to 118 countries, with over 31,000 outlets, and more than a billion hamburgers had been sold.
    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.
    1935 - Anarchist Feminist Emma Goldman talks to Jewish audiences at the Temple Emanu-El adult school, the second meeting arranged by Rabbi Harry Stern, and the women's branch of the Arbeiter Ring on Jan. 12.  Both are well received.
    1937 – Doris Troy (d. 2004) was born Doris Elaine Higginsen in The Bronx.   Known to her many fans as "Mama Soul,” she worked with Solomon Burke, The Drifters, Cissy Houston, and Dionne Warwick, before she co-wrote and recorded "Just One Look,” which hit #10 in 1963
    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 on false charges, after being 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, who turned out to be 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, 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.
    1942 – Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller reported to Norfolk for duty in the United States Navy. Feller led the AL in wins in three previous seasons and missed all of the 1942, 1943 and 1944 seasons before returning for nine games in 1945. Despite missing the time during World War II, Feller will lead the league in wins in 1946, 1947 and 1951, amassing 266 victories during an 18-year Major League career.
    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.
    1945 - Anthony Richard (Tony) Conigliaro (d. 1990), Baseball player born at Revere, MA. 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 beaned by Jack Hamilton on August 18, 1967, and after missing all of 1968, made a comeback.
    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 birthday, born NY, NY.
http://207.171.166.140/name/nm0921048/bio
http://207.171.166.140/name/nm0921048/
    1947 – Pan American World Airways becomes the first commercial airline to schedule a flight around the world.
    1948 - Birthday of singer Kenny Loggins, 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.
    1949 - Birthday of singer Tom Waits, Ponoma, CA
http://www.tomwaits.com/
http://www.officialtomwaits.com/
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/7587/start.html
    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 - Birthday of Malcolm Young (d. 2017), rhythm guitarist with AC/DC, Glasgow, Scotland.
    1954 - The Duoscopic television receiver debuted.  It allowed 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"
    1955 – At the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, Marian Anderson, contralto, became the first African-American opera singer there 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 – Women’s golf champion Nancy Lopez was born in Torrance, CA.
    1957 - Elvis Presley makes his third, final, and most famous appearance on CBS' “Ed Sullivan Show.” After numerous "Elvis the Pelvis" complaints during his first two appearances, Sullivan decides that Presley is to be filmed from the waist up only. Elvis sings seven numbers: "Hound Dog," "Don't Be Cruel," "Love Me Tender," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Peace in the Valley" (at the request of the network), "Too Much," and "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again." After the performances, Ed Sullivan attempts to fend off controversy yet again by declaring:  "I just wanted to say that this is a real decent, fine boy.  We want to say that we've never had a pleasanter experience with a big name than we've had with you."
    1958 - The Gibson Guitar Company patented the Flying V guitar, favorite instrument of many rock musicians
    1958 - Danny and the Juniors' Rock 'n' Roll classic, "At the Hop," was the number one song in the US. Originally written as "Do the Bop", American Bandstand host Dick Clark advised the group to re-write the lyrics because the dance known as The Bop was on its way out. Clark was right and the Philadelphia quartet's record stayed in the top spot for a month.
    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
    1960 – National Airlines Flight 2511 was destroyed in mid-air by a bomb, while en route from New York City to Miami.  Twenty-nine passengers and five crew perished.  The Civil Aeronautics Board concluded that Flight 2511 was brought down by a dynamite explosion in the passenger cabin.
    1960 – NFL Hall of Famer and Super Bowl XVIII champion Howie Long was born in Charlestown, MA.  He was the Oakland Raiders second round pick in the 1981 draft and went on to 8 Pro Bowls and was named to the NFL’s All-1980s team.  He is currently an analyst on Fox Sports Sunday.
    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
    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 Doors, Sopwith Camel, The Young Rascals play at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. This was the first time the L.A. band "The Doors" played at the Fillmore.    1968 - Postage rates in the United States went up by a penny, making the cost to send an ounce of mail six cents.
    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.
    1973 - Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" leads the US hit parade, stirring speculation about exactly who she was singing about. Although suggestions run from actor Warren Beatty to Mick Jagger to James Taylor to Kris Kristofferson, Simon has steadfastly refused to divulge her secret.  Finally, in November 2015, Simon, promoting her about-to-be-published memoir, said, "I have confirmed that the second verse is Warren," and added that while "Warren thinks the whole thing is about him," he is the subject only of that verse, with the remainder of the song referring to two other, still-unnamed men.   You’ll have to read the book to find out that Beatty was indeed not the only one.
    1973 - The first vote for a woman in the history of the U.S. Electoral College is cast for Theodora Nathan of Oregon, the vice-presidential candidate for the Libertarian party.
    1974 - In response to the 1973 oil crisis, daylight savings time commences nearly four months early in the United States.
    1975 - Boston Mayor Kevin White cancels Led Zeppelin's upcoming show at Boston Garden when approximately a thousand Zep fans riot while waiting for tickets to go on sale. Total damage to the facility: $30,000.
    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
    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.
    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.
    1988 - It was a bad day for chickens. Heavy snow in Arkansas, with totals ranging up to 16 inches at Heber Springs, claimed the lives of 3.5 million chickens, and snow and ice up to three inches thick claimed the lives of another 1.75 million chickens in north central Texas. Up to 18 inches of snow blanketed Oklahoma, with Oklahoma City reporting a record 12 inches of snow in 24 hours.
    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 - Rain and gale force winds prevailed along the Northern Pacific Coast. Winds at Astoria, OR gusted to 65 mph.  Unseasonably warm weather prevailed over Florida. Five cities reported record high temperatures for the date, including Miami with a reading of 86 degrees. The hot spot in the nation was West Palm Beach with a high of 87 degrees.
    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.
    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.
    1994 – Nancy Kerrigan was clubbed on the knee at the US Figure Skating Championships in Detroit. Shane Stant, after a practice session, used a police baton, an assault planned by rival Tonya Harding’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and co-conspirator Shawn Eckardt.
    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 - 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."
    1997 – LA Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley, son of the man who brought the team to LA from Brooklyn, announced that he is putting the team up for sale.  In 1998, he sold the team to Fox Broadcasting.
    2001 - After a five-week long debate regarding Florida voting ballots, George W. Bush was finally declared official winner of the Presidential election. This was one of the closest presidential election races in U.S. history.
    2012 - Salesforce.com signed an 18-year, 400,000-square-foot lease at 50 Fremont St. in San Francisco for nearly $340 million. The software company was founded by Marc Benioff in a Telegraph Hill apartment in 1999.
    2014 – Dr. Janet Yellen became the first women to head the Federal Reserve Bank.