Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Headlines---
Leasing News Advisory Board Member
Ken Greene, Attorney
Classified Ads---Asset Management
Funder List Up-Date: Madison Capital
Leasing Biz down from $260 BB to $234 BB
No interim rent on deals $50,000+
Extension of ILC Freeze Sought
Wireless Booster Antenna
Cartoon---French Poodle
Sales makes it Happen—Kit Menkin
“A New Year's resolution 1974”
Get the Basics of Municipal Leasing
NetBank raises $23.7 Million
A Bust for Subprime Loans
First Leasing Bank US$ 89 million
HealthCapital Asset Funds Success
Le-Nature's Creditors Oppose Wachovia
News Briefs---
You May have Missed---
California Nuts Brief---
Sports Briefs---
"Gimme that Wine"
Calendar Events
Snapple Real Facts
Today's Top Event in History
This Day in American History
American Football Poem---H. Pinter
######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release”
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Leasing News Advisory Board Member
Ken Greene, Attorney
Ken is one of the original Leasing News Advisory Board members, not just because he is an attorney, practicing musician (pianist,) band leader, high school musical director, bon vivant...but he wants to
help the leasing professional as well as his local community and school. He also has a lot of fun doing all this work.
Ken has representing Leasing News pro bono is several suits in our early days, including depositions and court time. He also may be better known for what Leasing News calls the “Greene
Commitment letter,” which helps define the leasing expenses that a leasing company earns in considering an application:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Greene_Lease_agreement.htm
Kenneth C. Greene
Corporate Counsel
Creative Capital Leasing Group, LLC
P.O. Box 751
Kentfield, CA 9 4914-0751
Tel: 415.806.2254
Fax: 415.924.0971
Email: kenlaw100@aol.com or ken@creativeclg.com
Kenneth Greene serves as corporate counsel to Creative Capital Leasing Group, LLC. San Diego, California.
Mr. Greene began his leasing career with BankAmerilease, then practiced with several firms prior to establishing his own practice. He has been associated with the American Bankruptcy Institute ("ABI"), California Bankruptcy Forum ("CBF"), Eastern Association of Equipment Lessors ("EAEL"),Equipment Leasing and Finance Association ("ELFA"--formerly the Equipment Leasing Association), and United Association of Equipment Leasing ("UAEL"), California Bankruptcy Forum ("CBF"), and He has served twice on the board of directors of UAEL, and has also been its Legal Committee Chairman, Legal Line Editor, and Regional Committee Chair.
Mr. Greene is a frequent writer and lecturer on matters of leasing law and other related legal issues. He is an acknowledged contributor on bankruptcy issues to Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 2d (Bancroft Whitney), contributed to UAEL'S Leasing Professionals' Handbook, the Monitor, and has been a frequent contributor to UAEL's Newsline. He lectures on leasing law and documentation, litigation and collection matters, and has produced and presented seminars to leasing companies on enhancing the attorney-client relationship. He has also instructed on law and documentation for UAEL's Institute for Leasing Professionals, with courses leading to the CLP exam, and has taught nationally for Euromoney Lease Training.
He received his B. A, at Brandeis University , located in Waltham, MA, graduating cum laude. He received his J.D. at Santa Clara University in 1980, also graduating cum laude.
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Classified Ads---Asset Management
Santa Claus with Pierre and Gucci. These are Archie Julian, Dumac Leasing (Exchange Bank) Santa Rosa, California. They are Poodle Rescue Dogs. For the full story *
Bloomfield Township, MI
15+ yrs experience asset management and credit analyst. Leadership and training skills. Audited returns, max residual, lease end and resale negotiator.
E-mail: cmcozzolino@msn.com
Boston, MA
10yrs exp structuring/modeling sophisticated lease/ loan products. Expert programmer: customized portfolio mgmt, securitization, economic capital & pricing applications. Available for contract work.
E-mail: lease_structuring@yahoo.com
Chicago, IL
MBA, 15+ years exp. Long history of success in maximizing residual position through outstanding negotiation skills & lease contract management. Third party re-marketing, forecasting etc...
email: jgambla@aol.com
Chicago, IL
2+ Years Exp. Asset Remarketing Transportation/ Medical/Cosmetic Equipment; Superior End Of Lease Negotiation Skills; Comprehensive Buyer Contacts; Available Immediately For Assignment
Email: Lonnie0168@comcast.net
Princeton, NJ
Asset management/credit/collection
20+ years experience in equipment financing. Last five years in Asset Management including remarketing, end of lease negotiations, equipment and market evaluations
E-mail: bgaffrey@earthlink.net
Sausalito, CA
Sr. Corp. officer, presently serving as consultant, fins. service background, M&A, fund raising, great workout expertise, references
Email: nywb@aol.com
Sonoma, CA
20+ years managing/ maximizing residual values, exp. computers/ hi-tech mfg. Excellent negotiation skills. Outstanding 3rd party contacts/buyers. Created deal winning structures-established residual values.
Email: dfeltman@yahoo.com
Wilton, CT
18 years exp. in IT and High Tech leasing industry. Residual forecasting, workouts, off-lease sales, mid-term restructures, auctions, all aspects of remarketing and equipment management.
Email: charrer@hotmail.com
For a full listing of all “job wanted” ads, please go to:
http://64.125.68.91/AL/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm
* “Pierre and Gucci are both Poodle Rescue dogs. Many people do not know about rescue associations. Some one offering a good home can usually get a rescue dog from the association free or at a very low price.
“The association is made up of breeders who are concerned about their dogs after they leave the litter. For instance Pierre came from a home where the adult woman had health issues and she was taking care of her mother who had cancer. She did not want to ignore Pierre, but really didn't have time to train and care for him so she notified Poodle Rescue, and he ended up with us.
“Previously we had Roger, a black standard poodle. His owners basically ignored him until he was in poor health. After getting him as a puppy the woman of the house became pregnant and didn't have time for the dog. The husband was busy building his career. They basically let Roger rot in the garage. Their maid who was scared of all large dogs fed him. When Poodle Rescue got him his hair was matted to the skin and dirty. His toe nails so long they curved back into his foot and were too close to growing into his pads. He was lame, partially due to the toe nails.
“ Poodle Rescue learned about him and took him back, cleaned him up and nursed him back to good health over the next 8 months. We adopted him and he was a delight. I ask you to mention this because a lot of these dogs are better people than those who owned them. Many of these dogs come well trained, like Gucci. I suggest this as a great way to add a dog to one's family.
“Should someone want a poodle they can put "Poodle Rescue, San Francisco" in their search engine and be directed to the appropriate people. Please point out that they can enter in Beagle, Labrador, or another breed in front of the word rescue and get to an organization for that breed.”
Archie Julian
JulianA@ExchangeBank.com
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Funder List Up-Date: Madison Capital
Funder - Update
A -Accepts Broker Business | B -Requires Broker be Licensed | C -Sub-Broker Program
| D -"Private label Program" | E - Also "in house" salesmen
Name
In Business Since
Contact
Website
Leasing Association
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27 |
U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico |
$10,000 to $450,000, Vehicles: Unlimited |
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N |
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(F) Madison Capital - Broker should be in business at least 2 years. Private Label program requires six months positive experience working with them; and only after the 6 month term we offer the brokers or discounter a contract that allows them to put their name on it, primarily for marketing purposes. We originate business through both direct sales and indirect sales. However, we offer broker protection and are extremely vigilant about it. One clarification. We do offer financing to restaurants, but not for their exhaust hoods, an item we are frequently asked about. Equipment Restrictions - Tanning beds, owner operators, HVAC, restaurant hoods, boats
To view the complete list, please click here.
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### Press Release ###########################
Off-Balance-Sheet Financing Still a Concern to Chief Financial Officers
(PRLEAP.COM) Scottsdale, AZ - - In 2006 the U.S. equipment leasing activity declined from an estimated annualized volume of $260 billion down to $234 billion.
Jeffrey Taylor, CLP, an equipment leasing expert, believes that this is a direct result of Sarbanes-Oxley legislation.
Jeffrey Taylor, CLP
Immediately after the fall of Enron, Congress passed Sarbanes-Oxley legislation to promote transparency in Corporate Accounting. One of the accidental side effects was Corporate America’s abandonment of off-balance-sheet financing.
Now in its fifth year, Sarbanes-Oxley continues to erode the popularity of off-balance sheet financing by forcing more corporations to put their financings on their balance sheets.
Jeffrey Taylor, CLP, an expert on off-balance-sheet financing, states that the equipment leasing industry "needs to adapt in order to survive."
Taylor says, "Sarbanes-Oxley has had a negative impact on Corporate America’s attitude toward Off-Balance Sheet Financing."
(In his book, “The Future of Equipment Leasing, “Taylor predicts:
“My predictions for public leasing companies are as follows:
Small Ticket – will abandon true leases and all residual risk and support direct finance leases and loans to consumers. Captive companies including IBM, HP, John Deere, J & J will dominate. All transactions will be credit scored and audited for compliance.
“Middle Market – will lean towards direct finance leases and loans, yet create true operating leases in which they feel they can make money in re-leasing used equipment. They will abandon consumers and focus on business markets. They will use brokers to acquire business and jettison full-time sales people.
“ Large Ticket – They will continue to leave the U.S. and find a home in Europe and Asia where the tax laws are more equitable and capital is abundant.
Equipment leasing volume in the U.S. has been steadily declining since 1999 when the dot com boom hit the market. Ironically, volume in Europe, emerging Europe and Asia continue to rise.
“Given the overbearing rules and regulations governing fair market value, disclosures and present value computations promoted by FASB and the increasing reduction in tax benefits to those who take tax risk, it is no wonder to see this phenomenon occurring here in the U.S., while our International competitors grab an ever increasing lion's share of the marketplace.
“While FASB/SEC focuses on taking down large public leasing companies, the true leasing marketplace has started to migrate back to the small local lessor who existed before he sold out to large corporations with deep pockets.
“If the FASB gets their way, they will require that all public leasing companies and public users of leases report all material long-term leases on the balance sheet using a rights and obligations approach based on fair value estimates derived principally from analytical models.
“The only company that would not be affected by this ruling would be a private company, one that is not in the limelight of public reporting. So, if you work for a large public leasing company and want to sell equipment leasing over the next 5-10 years, you may want to consider becoming a broker or start your own private leasing company.” )
Sites of Reference:
http://executivecaliber.ws
http://leasing.bz
http://accountingwatchdog.com
CONTACT:
Jeffrey Taylor, CLP
ExecutiveCaliber
Phone Number: 602-708-4981
Fax Number: 602-867-9385
E-mail: JeffreyArizona@aol.com
[headlines]
### Press Release ###########################
Cisco Capital and Ingram Micro Launch Financing Program for
Resellers Serving Small to Medium-Sized Businesses
( no interim rent on deals $50,000 and above transactions, 120 day deferred payment until full lease starts, not advancing more than 80%.editor)
New Cisco Express Leasing Program Gives Ingram Micro Resellers Immediate Access to Cisco Capital Leasing Offerings
SAN JOSE, Calif.----Cisco Systems Capital® and Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE:IM - News) announced a financing program for North American resellers of Cisco® equipment, software and services. The Cisco Express Leasing program gives Ingram Micro channel partners serving small to medium-sized businesses and mid-market businesses immediate access to Cisco Capital's available leasing offerings. With this new program, qualified Ingram Micro customers can quickly and easily obtain leasing for the state-of-the-art networking solutions they need, including Cisco Unified Communications products, with minimal investment.
With the Cisco Express Leasing program, qualified SMB and mid-market resellers work directly with a dedicated team of Ingram Micro financing specialists to credit-approve their customers, obtain lease quotes and complete leasing documentation. Ingram Micro financing specialists provide a single point of contact for Cisco products, services and financing. Available exclusively to Ingram Micro resellers, the Cisco Express Leasing program is ideal for channel partners that don't have an established relationship with Cisco Capital, and for those that are interested in learning how to build leasing into their sales offering.
"SMB resellers often find that obtaining financing can be challenging, especially when they don't know where to start or have the time to research their options," said Maryann Von Seggern, director of worldwide channel development, Cisco Systems Capital Corporation. "Cisco Capital has worked closely with Ingram Micro to create a streamlined financing process aimed at increasing deal size and partner profitability through leasing. Leasing is an integral part of Cisco's tailored set of products and services specifically designed to help SMBs and mid-market companies increase their competitiveness with more efficient communications. A first of its kind for Cisco Capital, this distribution financing arrangement has extended our reach to a whole new pool of resellers."
"Leasing is one of the most powerful and underused financing options available to solution providers today," said Ken Bast, vice president, vendor management for networking, mobility and security, Ingram Micro U.S. "Leasing allows VARs to close deals without impacting their credit capacity, which preserves their purchasing power and opens the door for better business planning and growth. True channel-centered financing offerings, such as this one from Cisco and Ingram Micro, empower qualified solution providers to deliver enhanced services to the end user."
To further grow their business and improve cash flow management, qualified Ingram Micro resellers can also work directly with Ingram Micro financing specialists to take advantage of a Cisco Capital's zero percent progress payments promotion, which has been extended through July 28, 2007. This program is designed specifically to reduce channel partners' out-of-pocket expenses during Cisco Unified Communications deployments. Through this program, scheduled payments will be made to the reseller at mutually agreed-upon project milestones, while the customer doesn't begin making lease payments until the deployment is completed. For the first 120 days, this is done with no financing charges whatsoever. The maximum amount funded prior to lease commencement is 80 percent. To take advantage of this financing offer, qualified Ingram Micro channel partners must hold a Cisco IP Communications Specialization, and the transaction must be US $50,000 or greater. Zero percent progress payments are available in the United States and Canada.
Availability
Cisco Capital financing is available through Ingram Micro to qualified Ingram Micro channel partners in North America. For more information, please visit http://www.ingrammicro.com/us/0,,14334_18002_18004_15108,00.html
or contact an Ingram Micro financing specialist at (877) 877-0035, ext. 65279.
About Ingram Micro
As a vital link in the technology value chain, Ingram Micro creates sales and profitability opportunities for vendors and resellers through unique marketing programs, outsourced logistics services, technical support, financial services, and product aggregation and distribution. The company serves 140 countries and is the only global broadline IT distributor with operations in Asia. Visit www.ingrammicro.com.
About Cisco Capital
Cisco Systems Capital Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc., specializes in financing networks by providing innovative, flexible financial programs to Cisco customers and channel partners worldwide. Cisco Capital offers attractive, flexible and short-term financing solutions that make it possible for customers to obtain higher credit lines and longer and more flexible terms that ultimately help them build stronger and healthier businesses. For more information, visit www.cisco.com/go/ciscocapitalpartners/us.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco, (NASDAQ:CSCO - News), is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com.
For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.
[headlines]
### Press Release ##########################
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Extension of ILC Freeze Sought
ELTnews
Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-Ohio) said he will petition the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) to extend the freeze on industrial loan charter (ILC) applications and urge FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair to postpone any announcement of proceeding on pending applications.
In making his decision, Gillmor explained that Congress needs more time to weigh legislation, and that he will explain to Bair in an upcoming meeting that "it wouldn't be a good idea to have the regulatory agency go ahead when you are likely to have legislation pretty soon."
Gillmor and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) have co-sponsored ILC legislation.
(Pending in Utah are two applications of interest, one from Wal-Mart, and the other from Marlin Business Leasing.)
[headlines]
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Wireless Booster Antenna
BA24J-RPTNC Indoor, 500mW, DC Powered, 2.4 GHZ, RF Amplifier (RPTNC or RPTNC Connector).
For increasing wireless distance and speed, signal booster antenna’s can be applied. This can be attached very easily to Linkys or Teletronic wireless access devices, usually attached to a DSL line, Cable or T1 line. There are two basic version that are connected to the unit, one larger than the other: RP-SMA and RP-TNC. Be sure to order the correct one.
The TNC appears to be for a larger male connector, more prevalent on older units, and the SMA for the smaller size connector.
In certain conditions, the “Booster Antenna” is able to double the range of the wireless device. Perhaps as important in extending the signal range, it can eliminate the use of interference from
other signals, such as radios, data lines, wireless telephones. If your wireless connection is cut off and don’t understand the reason, it is most likely signal interference. Some 2.4mhz wireless telephones,
when in use or out of their base, can interrupt the transmission.
The antenna should end this problem.
The RP-TNC is for home or small business use, where you want to not only control signal interference, but to increase your mobility range and speed.
It is not expensive. Less than $100. It is easy to install.
www.streakwave.com
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[headlines]
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Sales Make it Happen
A New Year's resolution
1974
Part I
By Kit Menkin
In the 1970's through the 80's I wrote a weekly business column for twelve newspapers on the West Coast, a few large commercial dailies, a few local community, a few trade publications, mostly about business in Silicon Valley, with access to many presidents of emerging companies, many who were my equipment leasing accounts.
When I was too busy to write a column, which could take eight to ten hours of my time, including visiting, writing, researching, re-writing, often going over with who I interviewed, I would either do a “Man in the Street question and answers” or an “opinion piece.”
In the twenty-to-twenty-five years while I was writing, this innocent “opinion piece” brought the most letters. It is the same, except the dollar amount is up-dated to today, and also remember, almost all selling was making individual visits, which in the early days were “salesman's calls.”
MY NEW YEAR'S resolution is to make-better use of my time. I will more often ask myself the famous time management expert Alan Lakein's question, “What is the best use my time now!”
A strong Lakein follower, I have read his books, attended his lectures, and taken his advice:
List goals … Set priorities
- Make a daily “To Do” List.
- Handle each piece of paper only once.
- Do it now!
- Ask Lakein's question.
Time is your most valuable asset. This is the most apparent to the salesman.
IF YOU estimate that in the average eight hour day, only four are spent in productive face –to-face selling with the right person who has the authority and availability to buy and pay for goods or services you are selling, these four hours daily add up to 20 hours a week or 1040 hours in a year - provided you don't take a two-week vacation, if you do only work 1,000 hours at actual selling in a year.
Now:
If you make a $30, 000 yearly, each selling hour is worth $30.00
If you make $60,000 a year, each selling hour is worth $60.00
If you make $90,000 a year, each selling hour is worth $90.00
At these prices, how much time can you afford to waste at unnecessary travel, getting a late start in the morning, quitting too soon in the afternoon, doing chores for yourself or errands for your wife, talking to the wrong people, or stumbling through a poorly prepared presentation?
One salesman, who earns approximately $30,000 a year, drives his children to school every morning, picks them up for lunch and drives them back to school again. At $30 per hour (which is what he is earning) a taxi for the children might be cheaper. Or paying a neighbor or working on a car pool.
ANOTHER salesman recently spent a week repainting parts of his house. Since he earns $60,000 a year, his time is worth $60.00 per hour. Wouldn't it have been less expensive for him to hire a professional painter?
These salesmen could have spent their time more profitably by planning more efficient itineraries and routings, better preparation of their sales talk, and more effective closing techniques.
Assume that they had, and as result, added a half an hour per day to their productive time. That, in turn, would result in an automatic boost of 12.5 per cent of income.
You can also figure out how much each call you make is worth, if you keep a record. One salesman, who has done this, knows he makes 10 (in person) calls per day every working day of the year. He will yield three prospects and will sell one. Frequently the two remaining prospects turn up as sales on other days. So using this type of formula, every call you make every day is worth money.
If you average 10 calls daily, you are making 50 calls weekly, or 2500 calls per year. So the 10 calls are worth from $120 (at $30,000 a year) to $360 (if you earn $90,000 a year) in actual earning, consequently, if you can make 12 calls a day instead of 10, you raise your income by $24 to $72 every day – or 20 per cent. This increase is achieved simply by organizing you time, by planning your itinerary more efficiently, by eliminating waste time and motion, by seeing the right people first, by sharpening your presentation and by sticking to the job.
The math looks different than the original $20,000 a year, but the point was to spend more time making calls than doing personal errands.
Next week the response: Part II
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[headlines]
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Get the Basics of Municipal Leasing
Eltnews
Attend the "Municipal 101--The Basics" web seminar, scheduled for Thursday, February 15, 2007, 1:00-2:30pm EST!
$175 Member ELFA
$225 Non-Member
"Municipal 101--The Basics" provides an overview of the municipal leasing marketplace, examines trends in tax-exempt leases, and explores the opportunities for public sector equipment leasing transactions.
During the 90-minute web seminar, you will get answers to these and other questions:
--What are some features and benefits of tax-exempt financing?
--How are tax-exempt lease arrangements structured?
--What are the credit requirements?
--Who can be a Lessee?
--Who are the eligible Lessors? Who are the Investors?
--What are the legal & documentation considerations?
Intended Audience
This program is designed for business executives, credit and sales personnel, and for individuals seeking insight into the municipal leasing market and interested in pursuing a new business development opportunity. Most companies will want to include a multi-person team representing these disciplines.
For details and registration information for Municipal 101 - The Basics, please visit:
http://www.elfaonline.org/events/2007/WebMunicipal/
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NetBank raises $23.7 Million
NetBank Private Placement of 6.5 Million Shares Nets $23.7 Million
NetBank Inc., parent of Netbank Business Finance announced
that it has completed its $23.7 million private placement of 6.5 million shares of its common stock.
NetBank said the stock was purchased by seven institutional investors for $3.90 per share.
The company said the placement is part of a three-month-old restructuring plan NetBank initiated to return to profitability.
Leasing News reported that Netbank Business Finance, and the bank itself, is not for sale as the plan is to turn business around by cutting divisions, which it did in 2006, and raising additional capital.
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A Bust for Subprime Loans
ABSnet
By Paul Muolo
Almost 20% of all subprime loans funded over the past two years will wind up in foreclosure, according to a new report issued by the Center for Responsible Lending.
CRL president Mike Calhoun said that when refinancings of troubled loans are factored into the equation, one-third of all B&C loans could go bust.
According to figures compiled by National Mortgage News and the Quarterly Data Report, mortgage bankers funded $807 billion in subprime loans in 2005 and were on track to fund $750 billion in 2006.
During a press conference announcing its findings, the nonprofit chastised mortgage bankers for qualifying borrowers - especially minorities - using low teaser rates (instead of the fully indexed rate).
Analyzing six million subprime loans funded since 1998, CRL said foreclosures could eventually cost consumers $164 billion in "lost home equity."
The Mortgage Bankers Association immediately criticized the group's findings, saying CRL's numbers are cumulative and ignore the potential for delinquent loans to be worked out prior to foreclosure.
"Their projections are incredibly pessimistic," said MBA senior economist Mike Frantantoni.
At the end of the third quarter just 3.8% of subprime loans were in foreclosure, according to MBA. One in four loans in the foreclosure category are cured prior to actually being foreclosed upon, MBA noted.
The American Financial Services Association also questioned CFL's findings noting that "based upon methodology deficiencies in the group's previous reports, industry observers have reason to question" the group's findings.
AFSA noted that lenders typically lose money on foreclosures "and put a considerable amount of effort into working with borrowers to avoid them."
Pat Vredevoogd, president elect of the National Association of Realtors, participated with CRL during the press conference, but NAR did not fund the new report.
"Foreclosures are not only a disaster for families but for communities," NAR said in a statement. "Problematic loans are often made in concentrated areas."
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First Leasing Bank US$ 89 million share placement a grand success
Ameinfo.com
“the Ultimate middle-east business resource”
First Leasing Bank announced today that it has successfully closed what has become a landmark private offering in the GCC.
With Ithmaar Bank as the placement manager, financial advisor and lead underwriter, and Shamil Bank as sub-underwriter, this compelling offer raised the capital of First Leasing Bank to a total of US$100 million.
James A Cracco, CEO, First Leasing Bank.
'The strong response to the private placement reflects the market's recognition that equipment leasing and FLB have a decisive role to play in the capital formation and economic diversification of the GCC,' said Mr. James Cracco, Chief Executive Officer of FLB.
'The additional capital amount invested by FLB's shareholders will accelerate the execution of our business plan to build a diversified portfolio of equipment leasing throughout the various countries of the GCC,' he added.
To date, FLB has funded over US$30 million in leased assets, including manufacturing equipment, transportation, printing presses, power generators, construction, telecommunications and marine equipment.
'Our current and future customers likewise gain from our strategy,' continued Mr. Cracco. 'First Leasing Bank is a relationship business partner that prides itself in participating in its customers' long term business growth. FLB seeks to finance 100% of the asset value and to enter into multiple transactions with the same customer. FLB's high level of repeat business is unusual for such a new organization,' commented Mr. Cracco, 'but it is certainly a testimony to the FLB management, business philosophy, and responsiveness.'
'We intend to continue our successful strategy of aggressively but prudently pursuing compelling opportunities that will help build shareholder value,' said Mr. Khalid A. Janahi, Chairman of First Leasing Bank. 'Going forward, we intend to expand our horizon beyond the GCC region to the US market. The US is a mature equipment leasing market, which will provide portfolio diversity and balance to our GCC home market.'
[headlines]
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### Press Release ###########################
HealthCapital, Inc. announces the Successful Investment of Medical Asset Fund II.
OP and Forms Medical Asset Fund III, LP
WILTON-CT: HealthCapital Inc., a finance company exclusive to the healthcare industry is pleased to announce the formation of its third investment fund, Medical Asset Fund III, LP.
This follows the successful completion of Medical Asset Funds I and II, LP. HealthCapital, Inc. will serve as the General Partner for Medical Asset Fund III, LP which closed in December, 2006.
Medical Asset Fund III, LP will provide the equity investment for operating leases and structured rental programs for customers of select medical equipment manufacturers, whose customer base includes, physicians, group physician practices, out patient modalities and hospitals. Equipment suitable for investment for Medical Asset Fund III, LP will continue to encompass a range of revenue producing assets in specialties such as ophthalmology, radiology, oncology, urology, cardiology and neurology.
“As an equity principal in this industry, HealthCapital will continue to promote products to their manufacturer clients and certain end users for those financing products well suited to the fund’s investment parameters,” states Gene Feher, President of HealthCapital.
Raymond Leone, EVP will be responsible for all operational and syndication activities on transactions within the fund on both the “buy” and “sell” side
HealthCapital Inc. is a Connecticut based company, which specializes in providing a broad menu of financial products within the healthcare industry. Those include marketing consulting, vendor programs and equipment financing structures.
For more information please contact Ray Leone at rayleone@HealthCap.net or (203) 762-5499 ext. 11.
[headlines]
### Press Release ###########################
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News Briefs----
Le-Nature's Creditors Oppose Wachovia
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070105/le_nature_s_wachovia.html?.v=1
Wells Fargo to acquire Placer Sierra Bancshares in stock-for-stock merger
http://www.snl.com/interactivex/article.aspx?CdId=A-5191871-10343
Dell: PC industry needs to go green
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/G/GADGET_SHOW_DELL?SITE=
MOSTP&SECTION=BUSINESS
Apple Reinvents the Phone With iPhone
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=
/www/story/01-09-2007/0004502993&EDATE=
Sprint to cut 5,000 jobs; sales forecast falls short
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003515776_sprint09.html
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You May have Missed---
Top Cisco officer's move to India highlights trend in top American firms
(His goal: to hire 3,000 employees by mid-2008, including 15 vice-presidents.)
http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/technology/01/08/
8cisco.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=3
[headlines]
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Sports Briefs----
Home field no big advantage lately; From 2003 to 2005: 16-14 (.533).
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2007-01-09-home-field_x.htm
Bills fan wins Super Bowl ad contest
http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2007-01-08-nfl-ads-usat_x.htm
SANTA CLARA –49ers
City votes to study stadium proposal
Officials thrilled about the project, vow no new taxes
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/10/STADIUM.TMP
With Nolan, 49ers are in excellent care
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070109/
NEWS/701090343/1055/SPORT10
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California Nuts Briefs---
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger described California as "the modern equivalent of the ancient city states of Athens and Sparta" in a State of the State address Tuesday calling for billions of dollars in new public works spending, reductions in automotive "dirty fuel" and health care coverage for all
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/10/SOS.TMP
Schwarzenegger proposes first-in-nation plan to cut carbon in motor vehicle fuels
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/16423248.htm
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“Gimme that Wine”
St.-Émilions, Ripe From the Heat of 2003---Eric Asimov
http://events.nytimes.com/2007/01/10/dining/reviews/10wine.html?ref=dining
Madiera: A Brighter Future for a Wine With a Past—Frank J. Prial
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/10/dining/10made.html?_r=1&ref=dining&oref=slogin
Illinois Wine Industry Worth $250 Million
http://www.ilfb.org/viewdocument.asp?did=12806&r=0.8337061&r=0.1143762
Now's your chance to join others in Pennsylvania producing crops for wine industry.
http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-9/
1168319312282210.xml&coll=2
Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/
US/International Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/
Winery Atlas
http://www.carterhouse.com/atlas/\
Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm
The London International Vintners Exchange (Liv-ex) is an electronic exchange for fine wine.
http://www.liv-ex.com/
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Calendar Events This Day
Make Your Dreams Come True Day
National Cut Your Energy Costs Day
A day to educate people on the ways they can stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer while saving money on their energy bills. By following a few easy steps, homeowners and renters can put a reasonable ceiling on their heating and cooling costs and stay comfortable.
www.cutyourenergycots.com
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Four Corners, AZ, is the only place where a person can stand in 4 states at the same time.
Four Corners Monument
The only location in the United States where four states, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, meet in a single spot. Standing on the brass cap allows an individual to stand in four states at one time. The monument is located entirely on Navajo Nation land, please respect their land and customs. The Four Corners Monument is approximately 67 miles west of Aztec.
Photo by EMKotyk For More Information
Navajo Parks and Recreation Dept.
P.O.Box 9000
Window Rock, AZ 86515
(520) 871-6647
http://www.fourcornerssw.com/
http://explorefourcorners.com/
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Today's Top Event in History
1949 - The Radio Corporation of America, known as RCA, announced the new 7-inch, 45 rpm phonograph record. Known familiarly as the 45, the record with the big hole in the middle, the invention would forever change the pop music business. RCA manufactured a record player that would only play 45s, that had a fat spindle to made "stacking wax" easy and automatic.
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This Day in American History
1776- Thomas Paine published "Common Sense" The pamphlet, 50 pages, according to Chase, contained the first demand for independence for the American colonies, sold 100,000 copies the first three months and up to 500,000 before the year-end. No other book in the U.S. has had such a quick or large sale relative to population. The pamphlet was highly influential in swinging the tide of the popular opinion toward a clean break with the mother country. It is said the pamphlet influenced the authors of the Declaration of Independence who followed its objectives very closely.
Paine was born in England in 1737 and worked as a corset maker in his teens. He also worked as a sailor and schoolteacher before becoming a prominent pamphleteer. In 1774, Paine arrived in Philadelphia and came to support American independence. His 47-page pamphlet sold some 500,000 copies and had a powerful influence on American opinion. Paine served in the U.S. Army and worked for the Committee of Foreign Affairs before returning to Europe in 1787. Back in England, he continued writing pamphlets in support of revolution. He released The Rights of Man, supporting the French revolution in 1791-2, in answer to Edmund Burke's famous Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790). His sentiments were highly unpopular with the British government, so he fled to France but was later arrested for his political opinions. He returned to the United States in 1802 and died in New York in 1809.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jan10.html
1800 - Savannah, GA, received a foot and a half of snow, and ten inches blanketed Charleston SC. It was the heaviest snowfall of record for the immediate Coastal Plain of the southeastern U.S.
1847-Gen. Kearny and Commodore Stockton recaptured Los Angeles from California rebels.
1860 -- Pemberton Mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts, suddenly collapses, trapping 900 workers, mostly Irish women. Fire breaks out, adding to the terror and destruction. 116 women are seriously hurt, while 88 are killed. The fire inquest reveals the cast-iron pillars used to support construction were too weak for the brick walls and heavy machinery..
1861 - Florida became the third state to secede from the Union to join the Confederacy.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jan10.html
1864-George Washington Carver, scientist and discoverer of over 300 products from the peanut and sweet potato, may have been born (Carver was apparently born a slave, and we don't know even the year of his birth; however, it seems to have been between 1858 and 1865)
http://www.princeton.edu/~mcbrown/display/carver.html#birthdate
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0810661.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0826207855/inktomi-bkasin-20/
104-3547695-1517507
1880 -- American Emperor Norton I, self-proclaimed, is buried today at Masonic Cemetery in San Francisco. The funeral cortege was two miles long, 10,000-30,000 people turned out to pay homage and celebrate.
http://www.zpub.com/sf/history/nort.html
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/norton.html
http://www.notfrisco.com/nortoniana/index.html
1887- Robinson Jeffers, American poet and playwright, born at Pittsburgh, PA. He died at Carmel, CA. Jan 20,1962.
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/jeffers.htm
http://norton3.wwnorton.com/naal/explore/jeffers.htm
http://www.jeffers.org/
http://www.torhouse.org/
1897-Birthday of guitarist Sam Chatman, Bolton, MS Died 2/2/83
http://cedar.olemiss.edu/depts/art/MVAI/C/CooperB_5.html
1904-Birthday of Ray Bolger (Raymond Wallace Bulcao), Dancer, actor in The Wizard of Oz.
1908- Birthday of actor Paul Henried, Trieste, Austria. He once estimated that he had played in or directed more than 300 feature or made-for-TV films. Though a staunch anti-Nazi, his early film roles included a number of German roles, including Goodbye Mr. Chips and Night Train. He eventually moved away from the German stereotype in such films as Of Human Bondage, and The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse . His film career cut short by the anti-Communist blacklist in Hollywood during the 1940s, Henried found a second calling as a director, directing more than 80 episodes of TV’s “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” Born at Tri. He is perhaps best known however for his role as Victor Laslo in "Casablanca." He is best known to me as I dated his daughter in high school. He died Mar 29,1992, at Pacific Palisades, CA.
1910-Birthday of sax player Budd Johnson, Dallas, TX
http://artisttv.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,449700,00.html?artist=Budd+Johnson
1911 - The temperature dropped 47 degrees in 15 minutes at Rapid City, SD.
1920- Due to the Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations came into existence. Fifty nations entered into a covenant designed to avoid war. The US never joined the League of Nations, which dissolved April 18,1946
1925—Birthday of jazz drummer Max Roach.
http://www.duke.edu/~kmg6/Roach/
http://www.thejazzfiles.com/JazzRoach.html
http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Max%20Roach.html
http://members.tripod.com/~hardbop/roach.html
1927- blues singer Johnny Ray born, Dallas, Oregon
http://www.johnnieray.com/
1927-Birthday of sax player Allan Eager, New York.
1931-Birthday of Marlene Sanders, pioneering American woman broadcast journalist (the first woman to anchor a network evening news broadcast). She became a vice president and director of TV documentaries.
1935- singer Eddy Clearwater, Macon Mississippi.
http://www.eddyclearwater.com/eddy/bio.html
http://www.drbillbluesafterhours.com/Music-EddyTheChiefClearwater2.htm
http://search.centerstage.net/music/whoswho/EddyClearwater.html
http://www.jellyroll.com/03/clearwater.html
http://www.guitar-masters.com/Players/Player-Eddy_Clearwater.html
http://www.blindpigrecords.com/artists/Clearwater,+Eddy.html
1935- Ronnie Hawkins, a pioneer of rock 'n' roll in Canada, was born in Huntsville, Arkansas. Hawkins has been a father figure to many of Canada's leading rock musicians, and the graduates of his bands include the groups Crowbar and The Band, as well as Dom Troiano, King Biscuit Boy and David Clayton-Thomas. (Rompin') Ronnie Hawkins began touring the Ontario night club circuit in 1958 with his band the Hawks. In 1959, he scored on the US charts with "Mary Lou" and "40 Days." Hawkins has remained in Canada since then, leaving his Ontario base only occasionally, as he did in 1976 to appear at The Band's farewell concert in San Francisco.
1938- Willie McCovey, Baseball Hall of Fame San Francisco first baseman born in Mobile, AL
1939- actor-singer Sal Mineo was born in New York City. Better known for his acting than his singing, he did manage a top-ten record in 1957, "Start Movin'." On February 12th, 1975, Mineo was found murdered in Los Angeles.
1943- Singer Jim Croce was born in Philadelphia. His narrative songs, such as "Bad Bad Leroy Brown" and "You Don't Mess Around With Jim," were extremely popular in the early '70s. Like Otis Redding, Croce's greatest popularity came after his death. And like Redding, Croce was killed in a plane crash - in 1973.
http://www.jimcroce.com/
1945-Erskine Hawkins records “ Tippin’ In.” Victor 20-1639
1945-Birthday of singer Rod Stewart, London, England.
1946- on the 26th anniversary of the establishment of the unsuccessful League of Nations, delegates from 51 nations met at London, England, for the first meeting of the UN General Assembly.
1946---Top Hits
Symphony - The Freddy Martin Orchestra (vocal: Clyde Rogers)
It Might as Well Be Spring - The Sammy Kaye Orchestra (vocal: Billy Williams)
I Can’t Begin to Tell You - Bing Crosby with the Carmen Cavallaro Orchestra
White Cross on Okinawa - Bob Wills.
1947-U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall prayed: 'May we resolve, God helping us, to be part of the answer, and not part of the problem.'
1949 - The Radio Corporation of America, known as RCA, announced the new 7-inch, 45 rpm phonograph record. Known familiarly as the 45, the record with the big hole in the middle, the invention would forever change the pop music business. RCA manufactured a record player that would only play 45s, that had a fat spindle to made "stacking wax" easy and automatic.
1949 - Snow was reported at San Diego, CA, for the first and only time since 1882. Snow was noted even on some of the beaches in parts of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Burbank reported 4.7 inches, and Long Beach and Laguna Beach received one inch of snow.
1952 - Cecil B. DeMille's circus extravaganza, The Greatest Show on Earth, opened in the United States. Starring Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, Charlton Heston, and Dorothy Lamour, the film did well at the box office, and won Oscars for Best Picture and Best Writing. Famous clown Emmett Kelly appeared in a cameo.
1953- Perry Como's "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes" hits #1
1954---Top Hits
Oh! My Pa-Pa - Eddie Fisher
Changing Partners - Patti Page
The Gang that Sang ‘Heart of My Heart’ - The Four Aces
Bimbo - Jim Reeves
1956 - Elvis Presley made his first recordings as an RCA Victor artist. At sessions in Nashville, Tennessee, Elvis recorded "Heartbreak Hotel", "I Was the One", "I’m Counting On You", "I Got a Woman" and "Money Honey". By April 11, 1956, "Heartbreak Hotel" was #1, staying there for eight weeks. It was #1 on both the pop and rhythm and blues charts, as well at placing fifth on the country music list.
1956 -- The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously strikes down two Alabama laws requiring racial segregation on public buses.
1958- "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis became the number-one song in the US. Later in the year, many radio stations began banning his records because of his marriage to his 13-year-old cousin.
1960 - To this date, Marty Robbins' "El Paso", held the record for the longest #1 song. The song was 5 minutes and 19 seconds long, sending radio station Program Directors into fits; because the average length at that time was around 2 minutes. Formats at stations didn’t allow for records much longer than that. For example, 2-minute record, 3 minutes for commercials, 60 seconds for promo, 2-minute record, etc. DJs quickly got used to the longer length, realizing it gave them time, to think of what to say next.
1962---Top Hits
The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens
The Twist - Chubby Checker
Peppermint Twist - Joey Dee & The Starliters
Walk on By - Leroy Van Dyke
1967- the National Educational Television (NET), New York City, interconnected 70 of its 100 independent affiliated educational stations for a live broadcast and analysis of President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s State of the Union message. Regularly scheduled noncommercial network broadcasting began on November 5, 1967, with the premiere of the Public Broadcast laboratory over the NET network. Until around this time television news went from 15 minutes to 30 minutes formats.
The only long standing news programs were “60 Minutes” and “ Meet the Press.”
1967 -- Lester Garfield Maddox, a restaurant owner and avowed racist with an axe to grind who made national headlines for his opposition to desegregation, is sworn in as governor of Georgia. Maddox, a high school dropout, achieved notoriety in 1964 when he used violence to drive African Americans from his Pickrick Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia. In defiance of federal civil rights legislation calling for desegregation of restaurants and other public places, he passed out ax handles to white customers at his eatery to prevent its integration. Later in the year, he closed the establishment rather than be forced to serve African Americans.
1968-Aretha Franklin earns her fourth gold single with "Chain of Fools." The record goes on to win the 1968 Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a female.
1969 - Elvis Presley’s, "Don’t Cry Daddy" entered the pop music charts' Top 10. The song contains a duet with country artist Ronnie Milsap.
1969 - After 147 years in publication, the final issue of "The Saturday Evening Post" was produced, although years later it would return in limited publication. Norman Rockwell’s art was popular in the "Post".
1970---Top Hits
Raindrop Keep Fallin’ on My Head - B.J. Thomas
Someday We’ll Be Together - Diana Ross & The Supremes
I Want You Back - The Jackson 5
Baby, (Baby I Know You’re a Lady) - David Houston
1972- the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 120—104, to snap the longest winning streak in major professional sports at 33 games. Milwaukee’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, later to play for the Lakers, scored 39 points to hand Los Angeles its first loss since Oct 31, 1971.
1975 - The "Storm of the Century" hit Minnesota. A severe blizzard moved northward across the state producing up to two feet of snow. High winds drove wind chill readings to 80 degrees below zero, and at Duluth MN the barometric pressure dipped to 28.55 inches. The storm, which claimed 35 lives, occurred on the 102nd anniversary of the infamous "Pioneer Blizzard" in Minnesota.
1975- Al Green earns his 12th gold record for the album "Al Green Explores Your Mind." Twelve days later, he earns his 13th gold record for the album's hit single, "Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)."
1978---Top Hits
How Deep is Your Love - Bee Gees
Baby Come Back - Player
You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim) - Rod Stewart
Take This Job and Shove It - Johnny Paycheck
1980- composer John Williams succeeded the late Arthur Fiedler as the conductor of the Boston Pops.
1981- John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Double Fantasy" goes platinum, a little over a month after Lennon's assassination. The album is Number One for eight weeks.
1982- San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark jumped high in the Candlestick Park end zone to snare a touchdown pass from Joe Montana as the 49ers defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 28-27, in the NFC championship game. “The Catch,” as the play came to be called, propelled San Francisco to Super Bowl XVI, which they won, 26—2 1, over the Cincinnati Bengals.
1982 -- Cincinnati defeats San Diego 27-7 in the coldest game in NFL history. The temperature at kickoff of the AFC Championship Game is -9, with a wind-chill factor of -59.
http://images.nfl.com/history/images/0110.jpg
1982 - The temperature at O'Hare Airport in Chicago, IL, plunged to an all-time record of 26 degrees below zero, and high winds drove the wind chill reading to 77 degrees below zero. The temperature in Downtown Chicago reached 23 degrees below zero. A week later a second arctic surge sent the temperature plunging back down to 25 degrees below zero
1984-Cyndi Lauper becomes the first female recording artist since 1967 to be nominated for five Grammy Awards, for her debut album, She's So Unusual. Lauper was nominated for Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Performance (Female), Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. She won the Best New Artist award. Lauper became the first artist in rock history to achieve four Top 10 singles from a debut album, including "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "She Bop," and her first No. 1 single, "Time After Time."
1986---Top Hits
Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie
Party All the Time - Eddie Murphy
That’s What Friends are For - Dionne & Friends
Morning Desire - Kenny Rogers
1987- Madonna's video about a pregnant teenager, "Papa Don't Preach," won the top award on the first World Music Video Awards. The three-hour program was co-produced by Canada's MuchMusic Network and Europe's Sky Channel. It was telecast live via satellite to five continents.
1989 - The first documented January tornado of record in Utah struck the south part of Sandy. Asphalt shingles were driven one half inch into a fence. (The Weather Channel) Clear skies, light winds, and up to 24 inches of snow cover, allowed the temperature to plunge to 45 degrees below zero at Roseau MN, and to -43 degrees at Warroad MN. The afternoon high at Grand Forks ND was 16 degrees below zero.
1990 - Strong southerly winds ahead of a Pacific cold front helped temperatures in the central U.S. soar as much as 50 degrees during the day. A total of fifty cities in the central U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, with afternoon highs in the 70s reported as far north as Nebraska and eastern Colorado. Highs of 53 at devils Lake ND, 76 at Grand Island NE, 73 at Lincoln NE, and 73 at North Platte NE, established records for the month of January.
1991- Clint Black became the 66th member of the Grand Ole Opry during the taping of the show's 65th anniversary celebration.
1993-the greatest single snowstorm ever at Salt Lake City, UT came to an end. The four day storm dumped 23.3 inches of snow on the city breaking the previous record of 21.6 inches set from March 12th to the 15th, 1944.
1994- WordPerfect announced it would begin charging for telephone support. Previously, the company had not only provided free support but also picked up the tab for the phone call through a toll-free line. The move reflected the growing battle for revenue in the software business, as lower prices hurt profit margins. It also was a poor business judgment as it drove more users toward Microsoft Word.
1995- "Late Late Show" with Tom Snyder premieres on CBS at 12 30 AM
1995—Top Hits
On Bended Knee- Boyz II Men
Creep- TLC
Another Night- Real McCoy
Always- Bon Jovi
1996 - a clipper-type system produced more snow over the mid Atlantic and northeast. On the 9th, 3-6 inches of snow fell in the Washington, DC-Baltimore, MD area, still digging out from the blizzard just two days earlier. The clipper intensified over the waters just east of New England on the 10th and produced up to 9 inches of snow over northeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod. The 5.4 inches at Boston raised its snowcover to 32 inches -- its greatest depth ever recorded. The 2.6 inches at Philadelphia brought its monthly snow total to 33.7 inches -- its snowiest month on record. This was the third snowstorm to affect the region in a week.
1997- Arnold Palmer, perhaps the most charismatic golfer of all time, was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Palmer underwent surgery at the Mayo Clinic on Jan 15, and on Mar 20 he returned to golf, carding an 81 in the first round of the Bay Hill Invitational. He also became a spokesman for the prevention of prostate cancer.
1997-James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, gets his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2000 - America Online, “the company that brought the Internet to the masses,” announced that it had agreed to buy Time Warner, the largest traditional media company in the U.S., for $165 billion.
2000—Top Hits
What A Girl Wants-- Christina Aguilera
Smooth- Santana Featuring Rob Thomas
Back At One- Brian McKnight
I Knew I Loved You- Savage Garden
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American Football Poem
The modern spelling of the word "football" is first recorded, when it was used disapprovingly by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare's play King Lear (which was first published in 1608) contains the line: "Nor tripped neither, you base football player" (Act I Scene 4). Shakespeare also mentions the game in A Comedy of Errors (Act II Scene 1):
Am I so round with you as you with me,
That like a football you do spurn me thus?
You spurn me hence, and he will spurn me hither:
If I last in this service, you must case me in leather.
("Spurn" literally means to kick away, thus implying that the game involved kicking a ball between players.)
(Note: The modern poem contains foul language, and is quite different
from the lovely Shakespeare quantrain:
American Football
by Harold Pinter
Hallelujah!
It works.
We blew the shit out of them.
We blew the shit right back up their own ass
And out their fucking ears.
It works.
We blew the shit out of them.
They suffocated in their own shit!
Hallelujah.
Praise the Lord for all good things.
We blew them into fucking shit.
They are eating it.
Praise the Lord for all good things.
We blew their balls into shards of dust,
Into shards of fucking dust.
We did it.
Now I want you to come over here and kiss me on the mouth.
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SuDoku
The object is to insert the numbers in the boxes to satisfy only one condition: each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 exactly once. What could be simpler?
http://leasingnews.org/Soduku/soduko-main.htm
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