Leasing News - information, news, education and entertainment for the commercial bank, finance and leasing industry

######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release” and was not written by Leasing News nor information verified, but from the source noted. When an article is signed by the writer, it is considered a “by line.” It reflects the opinion and research of the writer.

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Archives: July 20, 2011
Eric Gross Promoted to Senior Vice President, Bank of West

Long time leasing expert Eric Gross was promoted to Senior Vice President for Bank of the West. He leads the business line out of Portland, Oregon with the bank that provides third-party servicing solutions to commercial finance and leasing companies.

Eric joined the bank in 2007. Prior he was Director of Sales and Marketing for Portfolio Financial Servicing Company (PFSC) from 2002-2008, Vice-President, ORIX (1992-2002), Senior Vice President-Director, Morgan Premium Finance, 1998-2001. He has a BA in Economics from Washington State University, College of Business and Economics, Pi Kappa Alpha. He is a resident of Beaverton.

“We’re pleased to have Eric Gross leading a business line that offers best in class services to start-up organizations and mature companies alike,” said Jerry Newell, Executive Vice President of the Equipment Finance Division at Bank of the West.

Mr. Newell is Now Retired

Today

Eric Gross
Senior Vice President - Director Managed Services
Bank of the West
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/eric-gross/9/264/919
www.leasingnews.org/Ag_leasing/backoffice.htm#bow

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Top Stories July 16 -July 18
(Opened Most by Readers)

(1) Charlie Chan on Balboa Capital Corporation
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2015/7_16.htm#chan

(2) Position Wanted---Senior Management
Seeking New Opportunities
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2015/7_16.htm#ads_sm

(3) New Hires---Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2015/7_16.htm#hires

(4) Archives: July 14, 2000
Farm Credit Leasing Announces Staffing for LeasExpress Line
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2015/7_14.htm#archives

(5) Ascentium Capital Continues to Outpace its Competitors
Second Quarter Growth 61% over Same Period Last Year
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2015/7_16.htm#outpace

(6) Leasing 102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLFP
Purchase Money Security Interest (PMSI)
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2015/7_14.htm#purchase

(7) Charlie Chan Wisdom Advice- Vacation
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2015/7_14.htm#vacation

(8) Scott Wheeler's Latest Book Released "Call to Action"
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2015/7_16.htm#wheeler

(9) Warren Capital’s biggest investor files $2.6 million claim
Court OKs $1 million distribution
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/northbay/marincounty/4107671-181/warren-capitals-biggest-investor-files#d8PP7qSZwQdRTBlP.97

(Tie) (10) Asian-American Bank Fails in Colorado
Cause: SBA Loans/International Business
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2015/7_14.htm#bank_beat

(Tie) (10)
Sisters Carry On Father’s Legacy at Bancroft Leasing Company
Started by Late Charlie Bancroft 1977
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2015/jul/13/sisters-carry-on-fathers-legacy-at-bancroft-leasing/

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Story Credit Lessors
Updated

These companies specialize in "C" and "D" credits, often new businesses, or businesses where the principal(s) have Beacon scores around 600 or have had previous difficulties; meaning to become comfortable with the credit and financial situation you need to learn the "story" to make a positive decision, often requiring further security, shorter term, or additional guarantors. Many of these companies may also have programs for “A” and “B” rated companies, but their specialty is not being a “cookie cutter” and often require full financial statements and tax returns as well as a “story about the company, its history, goals, circumstances” to fully understand the full financial picture.

Also listed below the dollar amounts are companies that who are known for accepting "subprime leasing."

To qualify for this list, the company must be a funder (as qualified by Leasing News and on the “Funder List” and not a "Broker/Lessor" or "Super Broker/Lessor", along with an acceptable Better Business Bureau Rating and no history of complaints at Leasing News, as well as notifying lessees in advance when the lease will end and what the residual will be, specifically not automating extra lease payments, or insisting their discounter follow the same policy. We reserve the right to not list a company who does not meet these qualifications.

We encourage companies who are listed to contact us for any change or addition they would like to make. Adding further information as an "attachment" or clarification of what they have to offer would be helpful to readers is very much encouraged.

Alphabetical list - click on company name to view more details

Agility Ventures
American Leasefund, Inc.
Bankers Capital
Black Rock Capital
BSB Leasing, Inc
Calfund, LLC
Cobra Capital LLC
Dakota Financial
Financial Pacific Leasing

First Midwest Equipment Finance Co.
Forum Financial Services, Inc.
Gonor Funding
Harris Leasing Company
Maxim Commercial Capital, LLC
Mesa Leasing

Northwest Leasing Company, Inc.
Pawnee Leasing Corporation
P&L Capital Corporation
Standard Professional Services, LLC
Summit Leasing, Inc.
TEAM Funding Solutions

Full List:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Story_Credit/Story_Credit.htm

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“Issues to Expect in Job Interview”
Career Crossroad---By Emily Fitzpatrick/RII

Q: Are there certain issues I should expect a hiring manager to address?

A: Regardless of position type, yes, there are certain concerns every job candidate must be expected to address. It makes sense that an interviewer would be looking at cost (salary range), performance (previous success), and living up to expectations (ability to transfer success to new employer/position). If these three issues are presented well, you will have a better chance of being a top contender. To be proactive, you may also want to rethink your resume and profiles to address these issues prior to any interview. In an interview, you can then reiterate these topics in a more detailed manner.

Cost = Salary Expectation
Never bring up compensation until the interviewer broaches the subject. When this occurs, the interviewer wants to confirm that your salary needs are not unreasonable and fall within their budgeted range. If asked, provide your salary history and note that you are open to a fair compensation plan.

Performance = Can the Candidate do the Job
Address this by demonstrating your skills and abilities; provide items such as reference letters, formal performance/yearly reviews, pipeline reports (sales positions), etc…. For some positions, e.g. a Risk Analyst role, you may be required to take a test that will be a part of the hiring decision. At the beginning of the process, feel free to ask the HR representative (your recruiter should know and be able to assist) regarding any test requirements - and then study! Additionally, the interviewer might ask thought-provoking questions that will help determine your organizational skills and how you respond to complex problems.

Living Up to Expectations = Will the Candidate Perform Well
Provide fact-based accomplishments. On almost any interview, you will be asked, “What are your greatest accomplishments?”– expect it. Provide specific situations that you handled and stress positive results (prepare at least two general and two specific to the job description). A candidate with a history of achievement and reliability will be considered a top prospect.
Realize that your interviewer will have other concerns that are geared towards the position and industry. However, these topics mentioned are staples in any hiring process, so be prepared.

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

Leasing Industry Ads---Help Wanted
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For information on placing a help wanted ad, please click here:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Hwanted/Hwanted-post.htm

Please see our Job Wanted section for possible new employees.

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Refundable Deposit for Auction
Makes it a Private Sale, Disqualifies Sale of Asset
by Tom McCurnin
Leasing News Legal Editor

Coupled With Notice of Public Sale, the “Private” Auction is Deemed Commercially Unreasonable Sale.

Gardner v. Ally Fin. Inc. 61 A.3d 817 (Md. 2012)

The benefit of a public sale is that the secured creditor can bid at its own sale and acquire the collateral, if it thinks the bid is too low. The detriment of a public sale is some auction houses won’t let just anybody in the doors, and some charge admission fees, some of which are refundable. So the question for today is this—If a secured creditor sells the collateral at an auction with a refundable admission fee, does that make the sale “public” or “private?” The answer to this question is critical because if the secured creditor credit bids in a private sale, it may destroy the hopes of a deficiency judgment. Like the Knight of the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones, it is imperative to “choose wisely.” The facts follow

Gladys Gardener purchased a 2007 Mitsubishi automobile financed by GMAC, and defaulted. GMAC repossessed the vehicle in 2009 and sent a notice of disposition, stating that the vehicle would be sold at a public auction. The car was so sold, and there remained a deficiency of about $12,000, and GMAC sought to collect the sum. Gardener beat it to the punch and sued claiming a class action, because the automobile auction was really a private sale, and no deficiency should be allowed because the notice was patently wrong. The basis of the allegation that the sale was private was the fact that Gardener was refused admittance because she had to pay a $1,000 refundable admission fee.

So, is an otherwise public sale which charges a refundable admission fee a public or private sale? If private, then GMAC’s notice was improper and the deficiency is called into question, not only for Ms. Gardener, but for thousands of similar people. If the public sale retails its public characteristics as a result of the admission fee, then GMAC’s notice and the resulting deficiency was proper. The issue is that simple.

The Maryland Court of Appeal held that a public sale with a refundable admission is in fact a private sale.

The reasoning is complex, but boils down to the definition of a public versus private sale. The problem is that the Uniform Commercial Code does not define the terms, so the Court had to research the terms to reach a decision.

The Court stated that the public sale is one which is “open” and has “competitive bidding.” But “open” for the Maryland Court of Appeals meant that the sale was open to the public, and a $1,000 refundable admittance fee discouraged the general public from attending, and therefore the GMAC sale was, in fact, a private sale.

The case returns to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals for further litigation as to the consequences of this determination, but the likely result is that GMAC’s notice of sale would be held to have been improper, and it would also be likely that any deficiencies GMAC obtained would be deemed illegal.

I’m not terribly fond of the decision because the deposit was refundable. In addition, there might be a distinction where there is no charge to observe, but there is a deposit to bid. It should also be pointed out that the case dealt with a Maryland Consumer Protection Statute, not the UCC, but that distinction may be one without much difference.

What are the lessons for the equipment lessor here?

First, what you think a “public sale” might not public according to the law. Before a secured creditor notices a foreclosure sale as “public,” the creditor should check with counsel to determine whether the sale comforts with the cases under the UCC which have interpreted this issue. There are other decisions which point a different direction, so this case may be an anomaly.

Second, all foreclosure sale procedures, from repossession, to notice, to actual sale, and finally to deficiency notices (if any), should be reviewed by competent counsel every year or so.

The bottom line to this decision is that for the secured creditor with the occasional sale, this doesn’t present much of a problem. For large scale repossession creditors, this case is a must read.

Gardner v Ally Fin. (11 pages)
http://www.leasingnews.org/PDF/GardnerAllyFin_72015.pdf

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

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

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

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for appraisals and equipment valuations provided by Ed Castagna)

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Free One Hour ELFF Webcast
Wednesday, July 15, 1 p.m. EDT

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation findings and how to utilize the Q3 Economic Outlook Forecasts 5% Growth in Equipment and Software Investment as Second Half of 2015 Improves.

To register, email Foundation@LeaseFoundation.org.

Here is more about the report:
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2015/7_14.htm#q3

(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 July 1, 2014.)

Requiring a Lien for Extra Collateral

The word collateral means the assets signed over to a lender to support the extension of credit. Generally, it requires a listing of all the assets being pledged, and requires the filing of a lien, in accordance with the Uniform Commercial Code and similar laws, with a full description of the assets, including serial numbers, if applicable. If the lender is first filed chronologically, it gives the lender the right to recover the assets to satisfy the balance of the credit extended. If the business fails, the order of the dates of the liens are generally the determinant as to who gets paid first, but often can be decided by the trustee, or a credit committee appointed by the trustee.

The first important difference from a lease is that the lender, by use of the lien, gets the borrower to surrender his “interest” or “equity” in the collateral, not its ownership. When the loan is paid off, the lien is released, and the asset(s) are free and clear. In a default or a bankruptcy, the court will investigate the liens to determine which lien holder is first filed, and who has the right to repossess the pledged assets to try and offset the loan balance.

A security agreement lays out the language for the lien position, and creates the remedies, for the lender. None of this language is found in a lease agreement. Even an Equipment Finance Agreement assumes the lessor is the owner because title is retained until the lease contract is paid in full, and then title is passed.

However, some lessors feel the need to have additional support to approve a lease. Usually, we use advance rents, security deposits, or even vendor recourse as an "abundance of caution." Additional collateral can also be acquired. A security agreement attached as a rider to the lease agreement is made, along with a separate UCC or DMV filing.

Get a strong note and security agreement. First make sure you will be in first lien position on the assets pledged as collateral. I recommend a lien search to make sure you have first position, otherwise another creditor may be in front of you. It is not uncommon for banks to make “blanket lien” for lines of credit. You may be required to obtain an exemption from the bank to be in first position. Most often an appropriate payment is required to obtain some form of waiver or release. Each state may have different interpretations of this, so your wording should take this into account.

One of the difficulties of using a note and a security agreement is that you will need a lenders license to offer loans. I recommend obtaining all licenses from advance or deposit licenses or finance lender’s license in the state of the lessee and in the state where you are located and have venue.

If you need additional support to approve the lease transaction and cannot get a security deposit, or advanced lease payments, at least make sure it is a legal true lease that meets Article 2A requirements. If a default occurs, at least you will have the benefit of the advantages of a legal lease and be treated as the owner of the equipment instead of a lien holder.

The most common mistake that I see is your attorney should be well-versed and experienced in finance and leasing; an expert, not a “generalist.” I can't emphasize this enough!

(Here is a recent article by Tom McCurnin on how a blanket lien worked in a cross collateral situation. Editor)

Secured Creditor’s Use of Blanket Security Interest in Loan Agreement Pays Off in a Chapter 13 Claim Dispute
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jun2014/6_27.htm#secured

Previous #102 Columns:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Leasing_102/Index.htm

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Highest-Paid US Bank CEOs in 2014
Jamie Dimon $27.7 MM, John Stumpf $21.4 MM

By Ali Hadi Syed and Robin Majumdar
SNL Financial Exclusive Report

Jamie Dimon

John Stumpf

JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s Jamie Dimon was the highest-paid U.S. bank CEO in fiscal 2014, followed by Wells Fargo & Co.'s John Stumpf.

Dimon's total compensation was $27.7 million in 2014. The figure includes a $1.5 million base salary, a $7.4 million bonus and $18.5 million in stock awards.

JPMorgan's board considers Dimon's total compensation as $20 million, which "is unchanged from 2013," according to an April 8 proxy statement. The company attributes the difference between the $20 million and $27 million figures to a change in Dimon's year-over-year pay mix, and the resulting reporting treatment of that pay. In 2013, the executive's entire variable compensation was awarded in equity. That pay was granted in January 2014 and thus included in the $27 million compensation figure for 2014.

In 2014, 40% of Dimon's incentive compensation was awarded in cash, which was also included in the $27 million figure. The remaining 60% of Dimon's incentive pay was awarded in long-term equity, which was not included in his 2014 compensation. The change in the cash-equity breakdown reflects the board's desire to return Dimon's pay mix to market-competitive levels, after two years of deferring 100% of the executive's incentives into long-term equity, according to the proxy.

JPMorgan's net income in 2014 rose to $21.75 billion, from $17.92 billion in 2013.

Wells Fargo's Stumpf fell to the No. 2 spot with $21.4 million in total compensation for 2014, which was still an increase from his $19.3 million in total compensation for 2013.

SNL ranked the 2014 total compensation of executives who were CEOs, or held roles equivalent to CEO, at U.S.-based companies classified by SNL as banks or thrifts during fiscal 2014. The ranking is limited to companies that disclosed compensation in publicly filed proxy statements.

Median total compensation for bank CEOs has climbed steadily over the last few years. In fiscal 2014, median bank CEO compensation was $644,452, compared to $565,169 in 2013. In 2010, the median was just over $400,000.

For 2014, Capital One Financial Corp.'s Richard Fairbank was the third-highest paid bank CEO overall, and the highest-paid among banks with between $10 billion and $500 billion in assets. His total compensation climbed from $18.3 million in 2013 to $19.6 million in 2014. Fairbank does not receive any base salary but is eligible to receive bonuses, option awards and stock awards with deferred payouts.

William Cooper of TCF Financial Corp. joined the ranks of the highest-paid CEOs for 2014. With total compensation of approximately $13.0 million, he was the 10th-highest paid overall, and the sixth-highest paid among banks with between $10 billion and $500 billion in assets.

Cooper's 2014 compensation included 500,000 shares of performance-based restricted stock; board member and compensation committee chairman Vance Opperman told shareholders who were concerned that the award was "large and lacked rigorous performance goals" that it was used in the context of overall succession planning," according to TCF's proxy filed March 11. Shareholders voted against TCF's executive compensation package for the second year in a row at the annual meeting in April.

At banks between $1 billion and $10 billion in assets, CVB Financial Corp.'s Christopher Myers led the pack with $7.1 million in total compensation. CVB Financial is an Ontario, Calif.-based lender targeting privately held and family-owned businesses.

Bank of the Ozarks Inc.'s CEO George Gleason II took the No. 2 spot among banks in this asset class, with total compensation of $5.1 million. Bank of the Ozarks has been an active acquirer, closing one whole-bank deal in 2013, and another two in 2014. The acquisition of Intervest Bancshares Corp., announced in July 2014, closed in early 2015.

Among banks with less than $1 billion in assets, the top-paid CEO was
Robert DeAlmeida of Towson, Md.-based Hamilton Bancorp Inc. DeAlmeida's total compensation was $1.7 million for fiscal 2014. This was split between a base salary of approximately $264,000, about $346,000 in stock awards, $1.0 million in option awards and roughly $31,000 in all other compensation. DeAlmeida's total compensation rose sharply from the $283,000 that he earned in fiscal 2013, due to the new stock and option awards.

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Please Contact kitmenkin@leasingnews.org for Nominations

Most Influential Lawyers
in Equipment Finance and Leasing

Stewart Abramson
Andrew Alper
Thomas V. Askounis
Joe Bonanno, CLFP
James Coston, CLFP
Jonathan Fleisher
Kenneth Charles Greene, Esq.
Michael A. Leichtling
Malcolm C. Lindquist
Barry Marks, Esq. CLFP
David G. Mayer
Frank Peretore
John G. Sinodis
Ellen Michelle Stern
Kevin Trabaris
Michael J. Witt
Irwin Wittlin

News Briefs----

Share of Digital Sales at Bank of America Hits 60%
Mobile Device Usage Growing at 300%
http://bankinnovation.net/2015/07/share-of-digital-sales-at-bank-of-america-hits-60/

JP Morgan Chase First Bank to Top 20 Million Mobile Users
http://bankinnovation.net/2015/07/jpmorgan-chase-is-first-bank-to-top-20-million-mobile-users/

Forecasters Expect a Strong Economy for the 2016 Presidential Election
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/19/upshot/the-economic-forecast-for-2016-and-what-it-means-for-the-election.html

Chinese bid to take over Micron would face tough U.S. review
http://www.seattletimes.com/business/chinese-bid-to-take-over-micron-would-face-tough-us-review/

China Molds a Supercity Around Beijing, Promising to Change Lives
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/20/world/asia/in-china-a-supercity-rises-around-beijing.html

The Willful Blindness Of Deutsche Bank's Management
http://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2015/07/18/the-willful-blindness-of-deutsche-banks-management/

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--You May Have Missed It

Riley Curry doing the 'Nae Nae' will give you life
http://mashable.com/2015/07/19/riley-curry-nae-nae/

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SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer

10 Cocktails with 150 Calories or Less
http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?
post=10_cocktails_with_150_calories_or_less

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Baseball Poem

Catcher Sings the Blues

From the book

That Sweet Diamond

by Paul B. Janeczko, Carole Katchen (Illustrator)

Crouching low, I sing the blues

The aches are now a part of me

Blocking home, I sing the blues

0, the aches are now a part of me

Bruises, bumps, and scrapes

Have worn me down, can't you see?

My knees sing the blues

They sing 'em when I stoop and bend

My knees sing the blues

0, they sing 'em when I stoop and bend

They crunch, crackle, pop

The hurtful noises never end.

My fingers sing the blues

When I grip a ball or make a fist

0, my fingers sing the blues

When I grip a ball or make a fist

The knuckles moan and cry

By fire every one is kissed

Crouching low, I sing the blues

The aches are now a part of me

Blocking home, I sing the blues

0, these aches are now a part of me

Too many bruises, bumps, and scrapes

I'm nothing like I used to be.

No, nothing like I used to be

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Sports Briefs----

Amateur Paul Dunne Delivers Biggest Shock of British Open, Takes Share of Lead
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2526385-amateur-paul-dunne-delivers-biggest-shock-of-british-open-takes-share-of-lead

What might NFL be considering as Tom Brady awaits Deflategate appeal ruling?
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/patriots/2015/07/19/tom-brady-deflategate-appeal-ruling-roger-goodell-federal-court-lawsuit/30388007/

Hall of Famer Steve Young: 49ers have major perception problem
http://www.mercurynews.com/49ers/ci_28500484/hall-famer-steve-young-49ers-have-major-perception

Oakland not giving up on Coliseum City
http://www.contracostatimes.com/athletics/ci_28495521/oakland-not-giving-up-coliseum-city

Cities take their stadium cases to NFL
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/jul/18/chargers-rams-nfl-stadium-carson-inglewood-raiders/

Brett Favre returns to Green Bay after 7 years in exile
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2015/07/18/brett-favre-green-bay-hall-fame-return/30363093/

Receivables Management LLC
John Kenny

• End of Lease Negotiations & Enforcement
• Third-Party Commercial Collections

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

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for investigative
reporting provided by John Kenny)

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California Nuts Briefs---

Gov. Jerry Brown, Bay Area mayors head to Vatican for climate-change meeting
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_28507846/gov-jerry-brown-bay-area-mayors-head-vatican

Raids bust dreams of tribal marijuana bonanza
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article27687673.html

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

Five wine companies account for 80% of sales by top 20 brands in U.S.
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?
section=news&content=154658

2015 California State Fair wine winners
http://www.sacbee.com/site-services/databases/article24918109.html

Beaulieu Vineyard Reliving Past Glories
http://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2015/07/beaulieu-vineyard-reliving-past-glories

William Cole Vineyards added to National Register
http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/wine/william-cole-vineyards-added-to-national-register/article_50e2c61b-3ad2-5f0a-91e5-b0e1734c8f77.html

Growth in Missouri’s wine industry helps fuel local economy
http://www.ky3.com/news/local/growth-in-missouris-wine-industry-helps-fuel-local-economy/21048998_34194690

Staglin Family Vineyard and Suzanne Deal Booth Complete Purchase of Historic Fahrig Ranch in Rutherford
http://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataid=154629

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

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

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

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

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----------------------------------------------------------------

        1591 - Anne Marbury was baptized in Alford, England. America's first female religious leader, Anne Marbury Hutchinson was the daughter of an outspoken clergyman silenced for criticizing the Church of England. Better educated than most men of the day, she spent her youth immersed in her father's library. At twenty-one, Anne Marbury married Will Hutchinson and began bearing the first of their fifteen children. She became an adherent of the preaching and teachings of John Cotton, a Puritan minister who left England for America.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul20.html
    1848 - The Seneca Falls Convention convened for a second day. On the previous day, convention organizer Elizabeth Cady Stanton had read the "Declaration of Sentiments and Grievances." In the process of reviewing a list of attached resolutions, a group united across the boundaries of gender and race to demand women's right to vote in the United States.
(second part of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul20.html )
    1858 - Approximately 1,500 baseball fans were charged 50 cents each to watch a baseball game between the New York All-Stars and a Brooklyn team at Fashion Race Course on Long Island. This is the first record “commercial” game of baseball. In a prelude to the next century, New York beat Brooklyn 22-18.
    1864 – During the Battle of Peachtree Creek near Atlanta, Confederate forces under Gen. John Bell Hood unsuccessfully attacked Union forces under Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman.
    1874 - General George Custer and the first official exploring expedition enters Black Hills with 110 wagons and 1,000 men, in direct violation of a treaty of 1868 that barred whites from sacred hills. He was out to make a name for himself in history.
    1885 - Birthday of Theda Bara, early Hollywood star whose blatant sexuality (for the time) as a "vamp" (a woman who uses men and throws them away instead of being used and thrown away) was the subject of many a Sunday church sermon. She made more than 40 silent films.
http://www.classicimages.com/1996/july/theda.html
http://www.tartcity.com/thedabara.html
http://silentladies.com/PBara1.html
http://www.bombshells.com/gallery/bara/theda_bio.php
    1901 - Henry Emmett "Heinie" Manush (1901-1971) was born in Tuscumbia, AL. Manush spent 17 seasons in the majors, playing for the Tigers, Browns, Senators, Red Sox, Dodgers and Pirates to a career .330 batting average. He won the AL batting title in 1926. Manush was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.
    1903 – Ford Motor Company shipped its first car.
    1911 – Frank Schulte hit for the cycle to help the Cubs top the Phillies, 4-3. He ends the year as the first player ever to top the 20 mark in doubles, triples, homers, and stolen bases. Only Willie Mays in 1957 matched him in the 20th century; the feat will be matched twice in 2007, by Curtis Granderson and Jimmie Rollins.
    1920 – Elliott Richardson (1920-99) was born in Boston. A member of the cabinet of Presidents Nixon and Ford, as Attorney General, he was a prominent figure in the Watergate scandal. Rather than obey President Nixon's order to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox, he resigned in what has become known as the Saturday Night Massacre.
    1922 - Alto/tenor sax player/arranger Ernie Wilkins (1922-99) was born in St. Louis, MO. Perhaps best known for his Count Basie arrangements.
http://www.harlem.org/people/wilkins.html.
http://elvispelvis.com/erniewilkins.htm
    1930 - The temperature at Washington, D.C. soared to an all-time record of 106 degrees. The next day, Millsboro reached 110 degrees to set a record for the state of Delaware. July 1930 was one of the hottest and driest summers in the U.S., particularly in the Missouri Valley where severe drought conditions developed. Toward the end of the month, state records were set for Kentucky with 114 degrees, and Mississippi with 115 degrees.
    1932 – In the Nation’s Capital, police fired tear gas on World War I veterans, part of the Bonus Expeditionary Force, who attempt to march to the White House.
    1934 - 118ø F (48ø C), Keokuk, Iowa (state record)
    1934 – In Minneapolis, police fired upon striking truck drivers during the Minneapolis Teamsters Strike of 1934, killing two and wounding sixty-seven.
    1934 - In Seattle, police fired tear gas on and club 2,000 striking longshoremen. The Governor of Portland, OR called out the National Guard to break a strike on the Portland docks.
    1938 - The Justice Department filed suit in New York against the motion picture industry charging violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act in regards to the studio system. The case would eventually result in a break-up of the industry in 1948.
    1938 – Natalie Wood (1938-81) was born Natalie Zacharenko in San Francisco.   Her screen roles include “Miracle on 34th Street”, “Splendor in the Grass”, “Rebel Without a Cause”, and “West Side Story”. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old. Wood drowned near Santa Catalina at the time her last film, “Brainstorm” (1983), was in production with co-star Christopher Walken. Her death was declared an accident for 31 years; in 2012 after a new investigation, the cause was reclassified as "undetermined".
    1939 - Birthday of Judy Chicago, born Judith Sylvia Cohen, in Chicago. Artist who encourages women to do what she did, assimilate female imagery into their art work. She established educational programs for women, was one of the founders of the Los Angeles Feminist Studio Workshop which, among other things, opened the Woman's Building, and creator of a number of exciting woman-related images and sculptures.
http://www.indiana.edu/~scsweb/jchicago/chicago_cu2.jpg
http://www.judychicago.com/
http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2002/oct/chicago/
    1940 - The first pop music record charts for single songs were published by the music grade newspaper “Billboard.” The first Number One song was Tommy Dorsey's “I'll Never Smile Again,” sung by Frank Sinatra.
    1940 – California’s first freeway opened, the Arroyo Seco Parkway. Formerly known as the Pasadena Freeway, it connects LA and Pasadena alongside the Arroyo Seco seasonal river. The road remains largely as it was on opening day and it now carries the designation State Route 110. In 2010, as part of plans to revitalize its scenic value and improve safety, Caltrans renamed the roadway back to its original name
    1944 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt was nominated for an unprecedented 4th term at the Democratic convention.   Harry S. Truman of Missouri was nominated for Vice-President. In June, the Allies landed in Normandy and the Russian front was in full battle, but in mid-June, the Germans introduced a new weapon, the V-1 pilot less bombs. They launched them against London and other British cities. In September, they followed it with the V-2, a supersonic rocket causing great destruction. At the end of June, the Republican National Convention nominated
Thomas E. Dewey, Governor of New York for the presidency and Gov. John W. Bricker of Ohio for the vice-presidency.
    1944 - The Browns’ Nels Potter became the first pitcher suspended for throwing spitballs. He was banned for 10 days for allegedly "putting an illegal substance on the ball." Potter will return and win 19 games for St. Louis.
    1945 - Top Hits
“Dream” - The Pied Pipers
“The More I See You” - Dick Haymes
“Sentimental Journey” - The Les Brown Orchestra (vocal: Doris Day)
“Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima” - Bob Wills
    1946 - 13 year old Petula Clark made her first appearance on British TV
    1947 - Carlos Santana born Autlan, Mexico
    1947 – Hank Thompson played 2B while Willard Brown played CF for the St. Louis Browns against the Red Sox. It was the first time that two black players appeared in the same major league lineup.
    1950 - LIBBY, GEORGE D., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 3d Engineer Combat Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Taejon, Korea, 20 July 1950. Entered service at: Waterbury, Conn. Birth: Bridgton, Maine. G.O. No.: 62, 2 August 1951. Citation: Sgt. Libby distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. While breaking through an enemy encirclement, the vehicle in which he was riding approached an enemy roadblock and encountered devastating fire which disabled the truck, killing or wounding all the passengers except Sgt. Libby. Taking cover in a ditch Sgt. Libby engaged the enemy and despite the heavy fire crossed the road twice to administer aid to his wounded comrades. He then hailed a passing M-5 artillery tractor and helped the wounded aboard. The enemy directed intense small-arms fire at the driver, and Sgt. Libby, realizing that no one else could operate the vehicle, placed himself between the driver and the enemy thereby shielding him while he returned the fire. During this action he received several wounds in the arms and body. Continuing through the town the tractor made frequent stops and Sgt. Libby helped more wounded aboard. Refusing first aid, he continued to shield the driver and return the fire of the enemy when another roadblock was encountered. Sgt. Libby received additional wounds but held his position until he lost consciousness. Sgt. Libby's sustained, heroic actions enabled his comrades to reach friendly lines. His dauntless courage and gallant self-sacrifice reflect the highest credit upon himself and uphold the esteemed traditions of the U.S. Army.
    1950 - The “Arthur Murray Party” premiered on television. This ballroom dancing show appeared on all four networks (ABC, Dumont, CBS and NBC) and was hosted by Kathryn Murray, wife of famed dance school founder Arthur Murray.   “Arthur Murray taught me to dance in a hurry.“   He is the uncle of our good friend Bob Teichman (Murray dropped his middle name as Teichman did not rhyme with very many things.)
    1951 - In a move that will aid their pennant drive, the New York Giants put OF Bobby Thomson at 3B to replace the slumping and injured Hank Thompson. Thomson, who lost his CF job to the rookie Willie Mays, will hit .357 for the rest of the season.
    1953 - Top Hits
“Song from Moulin Rouge” - The Percy Faith Orchestra
“April in Portugal” - The Les Baxter Orchestra
“I'm Walking Behind You” - Eddie Fisher
“It's Been So Long” - Webb Pierce
    1954 - Elvis Presley performed on one what was probably the smallest stage of his career when he appeared on the back of a flatbed truck outside a Memphis drugstore for its grand opening. Elvis was then a member of The Blue Moon Boys trio with Bill Black and Scotty Moore, who took their name from a song they had recorded just two weeks previously, "Blue Moon of Kentucky".
    1958 - During the first game of a doubleheader, Tiger Jim Bunning no-hits the Red Sox, 3-0. The future Hall of Famer will become the first modern pitcher to toss a no-hitter in both leagues when throws a perfect against the Mets in 1964.
    1960 – The Polaris missile was successfully launched from a submarine, the USS George Washington, for the first time.
    1961 - Top Hits
“Tossin' and Turnin'” - Bobby Lewis
“The Boll Weevil Song” - Brook Benton
“Yellow Bird” - Arthur Lyman Group
“Heartbreak U.S.A.” - Kitty Wells
    1963 - Lesley Gore released "Judy's Turn To Cry", the follow up to her number one hit, "It's My Party". The record was a continuation of the original story and it too became a Top 5 hit in the US.
    1965 - Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" is released by Columbia records. The disc turns out to be his biggest hit ever climbing to number two on the U.S. pop chart and number four in the U.K.
    1965 - Kama Sutra Records releases the Lovin' Spoonful's first record, "Do You Believe in Magic." It will reach #9 on the pop chart.
    1965 - Yankee pitcher Mel Stottlemyre hits an inside the park grand slam against the Red Sox en route to a 6-3 victory. It was the first such slam since 1910.
    1967 - The City and County of San Francisco put up $200,000 to create a free medical clinic. Dr. Frederick Meyers (d.1998 at 80) helped found the Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic
    1968 - One thousand mentally challenged athletes competed in the first Special Olympics at Soldier Field, Chicago. Today, more than one million athletes from 156 countries compete at the local, national and international level.
    1968 - Iron Butterfly's album, “In-a-Gadda-da-Vida”, debuted on the United States pop charts. It featured its now-famous 17-minute title track, which in turn contained one of the longest drum solos in the history of rock music.
    1968 - Cream's "Wheels of Fire" LP enters the chart. It hits #1 and features the single "White Room."
    1968 - Hugh Masakela's instrumental rendition of "Grazing in the Grass" reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100. A year later, The Friends of Distinction would take a vocal version of the song to number 3.
    1969 - Top Hits
“In the Year 2525” - Zager and Evans
“Spinning Wheel” - Blood, Sweat and Tears
“Good Morning Starshine” - Oliver
“I Love You More Today” - Conway Twitty
    1969 - American astronaut Neil Armstrong, nearly 240,000 miles from Earth, spoke these words to millions listening at home: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." A moment later, he stepped of the lunar module Eagle, becoming the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. That first step was taken with Armstrong's left foot.
    1973 - Knuckleballer Wilbur Wood of the Chicago White Sox pitched both games of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees. No pitcher has done this since, but Wood lost both games.
    1975 - Steve Van Zandt performs for the first time in concert as a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band in Providence, Rhode Island.
    1976 – Henry Aaron hit the final HR, #755, of his career, off Dick Drago of the California Angels.
    1977 – The CIA releases documents under the Freedom of Information Act revealing it had engaged in mind control experiments.
    1977 - Top Hits
“Da Doo Ron Ron” - Shaun Cassidy
“Looks like We Made It” - Barry Manilow
“I Just Want to Be Your Everything” - Andy Gibb
“It was Almost like a Song” - Ronnie Milsap
    1978 - Steve Martin's novelty tune "King Tut" became a Top Ten hit in the US. Some of the musicians on the track were members of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
    1984 - Ty Cobb's record was broken by baseball great Hank Aaron when Aaron appeared in game number 3,034 of his career. At age 40, Aaron, was already playing in his 20th major-league baseball season.
    1985 - Treasure hunters began removing $400 million in coins and silver ingots from the ocean floor in the biggest underwater treasure hunt in history. The money came from the Spanish galleon, "Nuestra Senora de Atocha," which sunk in 1622, 40 miles off the coast of Key West, Florida.
    1985 - Sting's solo debut, "The Dream of the Blue Turtles" enters the album charts. The LP features the hits, "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" and "Fortress Around Your Heart."
    1985 - Top Hits
“A View to a Kill” - Duran Duran
“Raspberry Beret” - Prince and The Revolution
“Every time You Go Away” - Paul Young
“Dixie Road” - Lee Greenwood
    1986 - The temperature at Charleston, SC, hit 104 degrees for the second day in a row to tie their all-time record high.
    1987 - Yankee first baseman Don Mattingly ties a major league mark as he is credited with 22 putouts in one game matching Hal Chase's feat of 1906.
    1988 - The Democratic National Convention nominated Gov. Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts for president and Sen. Lloyd M. Bensten, Jr., of Texas for Vice-President.
    1988 - The temperature at Redding, CA, soared to an all-time record high of 118 degrees. Showers and thunderstorms produced much needed rains from New England to southern Texas. Salem, IN, was deluged with 7.2 inches of rain resulting in flash flooding.
    1989 - Showers and thunderstorms in the Middle Atlantic Coast Region soaked Wilmington, DE, with 2.28 inches of rain, pushing their total for the period May through July past the previous record of 22.43 inches. Heavy rain over that three month period virtually wiped out a 16.82 inch deficit which had been building since drought conditions began in 1985. Thunderstorms in central Indiana deluged Lebanon with 6.50 inches of rain in twelve hours, and thunderstorms over Florida produced wind gusts to 84 mph at Flagler Beach.
    1991 - Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' "Into The Great Wide Open" LP enters the chart.
    1994 – OJ Simpson offered a reward of $500,000 for evidence of ex-wife's klller. At last word, he has not paid himself.
    1995 - The Regents of the University of California vote to end all affirmative action in the UC system by 1997.
    1997 - The fully restored USS Constitution (a.k.a. Old Ironsides) celebrated its 200th birthday by setting sail for the first time in 116 years.
    2000 - The leaders of Salt Lake City's bid to win the 2002 Winter Olympics are indicted by a federal grand jury for bribery, fraud, and racketeering
    2012 - A gunman opened fire at a movie theater in Aurora, CO, as it is showing “The Dark Knight Rises”, killing 12 and injuring 70 others.

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