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Day in American History

Friday, July 15, 2005

Headlines---

Confirmed: Unicyn Team Signs Major League Hitters
    Classified Ads---Sales
        Alexa Ranks Leasing Web Sites
NorVergence Lease Showdown Monday
    Foglesong New President OneWorld Leasing
        Cartoon—“The Fountain of Funding”
“Super Broker” List
    Fitch: Healthcare Realty Trust/Watch Negative
        News Briefs---
California Nuts Briefs--
    "Gimme that Wine"
        Today's Top Event in History
This Day in American History
    Baseball Poem--- Ed Markowski

######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release”

SALES ROLE SUMMARY - Director of Sales, Eastern Canada

Role 2 Job Titles Director of Sales - Eastern Canada Primary Responsabilities (Including general accountabilities, but may not represent all tasks required for each position.) For Eastern Canada (Quebec, Atlantic Provinces) •  Supervise all New Business originations activities •  Develop and implement sales plans and budgets •  Accountable for bottom-line P&L •  Recruit, hire, and train sales staff •  May also originate transactions Decision Making/Judgment •  Provide authorization for larger transactions within established guidelines Performance Management •  Performance Mgmt responsibility for all levels of Sales Representatives •  Implement training plans to ensure required competency levels Experience, Competencies, and Education •  Competencies : Interpersonal skills, Teamwork & Collaboration, Office Technology, Planning & Organization, Communication Skills, Customer Focus, Selling and presentation skills, advanced in Financial Structuring and Negotiation, Performance Management, General Mgmt, Project Mgmt, Process Improvement and Training •  Experience : 5+ yrs •  Education : BS preferred or equivalent experience •  Language: Quebec French, Canadian English Work Conditions •  General Office Conditions •  Extensive Travel •  Customer Site Visits

Please email your expression of interest along with your CV to: Karl E. Sigerist, Jr. Senior Vice President & Chief Operation Officer www.travelersfinancial.com ksigerist@travelersfinancial.com

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Confirmed: Unicyn Team Signs Major League Hitters

“There is a lot of chatter this morning,” said Unicyn Financial President Patrick McGahren in an exclusive interview with Leasing News.” We are definitely now on the radar screen.”

He confirmed the rumors Leasing News wrote about yesterday: about key sales moves, plus the move that Unicyn would become a major player in the medical middle market place. He confirmed these sales people generated over $100 million in annual small ticket health care originations with GE/HPSC, as readers told us yesterday; Greg Wood, Penny and Mike Healy, Tom Baker, Anita Baker, Greg Wood.

Joining Unicyn in the newly formed Dallas, Texas office is Greg Wood. Greg has extensive history within the Dental and Ophthalmic Financing markets and was most recently with GE Capital / HPSC.

Unicyn also opened a new Chicago, Illinois office which will be run by Tom Baker and Angela Baker, both formerly with GE Capital / HPSC. Lastly, the firm opened a new Los Angeles, California office which will be run and managed by Michael and Penny Healey.

“We have been in business for 25 years, formerly with a platform in Florida with up to 3,000 brokers sending us business in the 1990's,” McGahren explained. “We also had our vendor direct program in New Jersey, which we have kept...about two years ago I could see the major changes happening with mergers and acquisitions, then planned, and waited to the right time.

“...and the right people, top level, the best! And we hit it at the right time to become a major player in the middle market medical leasing business!”

The company currently provides leasing for the health care and commercial markets in the small ticket and lower middle market areas. The company maintains branch offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Florida, Michigan, and now Los Angeles.

McGahren says the company's strength is their ability to perform for vendors and end users with their financial resources that combine self-funding capabilities with strong syndications expertise.

“Everything is now in place for us to perform.”

http://www.unicyn.com

If you missed yesterday's “rumor” story, please go here:

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/July%202005/7-14-05.htm#hpsc

“ I have just accepted a job as of yesterday. I want to tell you that Leasingnews.org is a great website and I was contacted by over 25 Lessors for employment. I have been in the business 20 years, and we all refer back to Leasingnews.org.

“Thank you”

John

We do help people find jobs, and it appears the leasing industry is growing. It also appears the cycle is going back to “in house” salesmen rather than brokers. It could be that the marketplace is so competitive due to the low interest rates, or perhaps those in the leasing business the last few years have gone into the very lucrative mortgage broker business.

There are changes being made in the market place with mergers and acquisitions. We always recommend re-writing the ad here, if it has been on too long, or adding a picture, or sending us a resume to attach. We know that not only employers read the classified ads, but recruiters, too. Our classified ad section gets more hits than our stories, unless it is a real “scandal” or “real inside hot news,” otherwise, Web Trend tells us the “help wanted” and “job wanted” gets the highest percentage hits.

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Sales

Sales: Bakersfield, CA. I have an extensive sales and management background in equipment leasing. My work history exhibits my major strength in small ticket equipment leasing. Email: pangress@msn.com	Sales: Boston, MA. Middle market originator, construction/Trucks / Trailers w/ 8 years in territory, looking for company / bank with competitive products Email: mrichlease@comcast.net
Sales: Cedar Rapids, IA. Formally trained in Credit, Collections, & Sales with regional bank. Seeking sales or sales management. Over ten years in SM, vendor and end user. Email: mjrprime@yahoo.com	Sales: Central, NC. 7 yrs.equip leasing &finance; specialist in heavy construction equip for 2-top-5-specialty finance/lease companies, NC &VA territories. $10-15MM annual funding. Downsized in 2002, now independent broker with varied customer base. Email: sunriseleasing@aol.com
Sales: Chicago, IL. 12+ yrs multinational/national sales & business development. Seeking role with captive lessor or global leasing company. Will relo right opportunity. Experience structuring complex transactions. Email: leasingismylife@yahoo.com	Sales: Denver CO. Experienced Equipment Leasing Broker looking for a in house leasing company. Can bring a book of business with me or develop new territory where needed. Email: Steven@eagle2.net
Sales: Detroit Mi 5 yrs sales experience in IT small ticket leasing/Greenbelt Certified with Fortune 100 company/strong communication and negotiation skills/book of business available. scottpoko@comcast.net	Sales: East Central Florida 20+ years experience in all areas of leasing; sales, credit, operations, syndication. Currently independent seeking position with direct middle market lender in regional capacity email: southernleasing@bellsouth.net
Sales: Fresno CA. Account Exec/Manager. 7+ years Leasing Sales: underwriting/contract, complex transactions, hi-tech, government, direct & vendor leasing. Captive & syndicator environments. Expert deal closer. Will send resume. Email: dsp559@pacbell.net Resume	Sales: Grand Rapids, MI. 17 years sales/ sales management in Britain specializing in operating leasing/ Asset Management within middle ticket market. Credit/ documentation skills. Previous sales experience in Michigan. email: pauldear1@comcast.net Resume
Sales: Greensboro, N.C. Seeking direct & broker sales w/major finance companies in NC or southeast market. Small to mid-ticket range. Stable &family oriented. Will have series 6,63,65 license shortly. Email: kc1492@aol.com	Sales: Kansas City, MO. 20 years Senior Sales/Management experience in small ticket/government leasing. Program Management experience, managing 12 Reps. Credit Auth to $50K. Success in soliciting and maintaining accounts. Email: dhundley1@kc.rr.com
Sales: Los Angeles CA. 5 years experience structuring off-balance sheet finance solutions on computer and medical equipment. Perform detailed competitive analysis and market research. I uncover leads and sell. email: barretthawk@hotmail.com	Sales: Louisville, KY 27 years veteran of the construction, machine tool, manufacturing and transportation market. Located in Louisville , KY willing to transfer for the right company.  Looking for full time employment with base and benefits. Email: jim_jrd@msn.com Resume | Cover letter
Sales: Mission Viejo, CA Account Sales Executive with 10 years of leasing experience looking for company to bring existing customer base. Email: makelly21@hotmail.com	Sales: Montgomery, AL. Individual with 10 years advertising sales exp. & 7 years insurance sales exp. Wants independent contractor situation in Alabama. Work with leasing company or broker. 334-281-5200 E-mail: billmcneal2003@yahoo.com
Sales: Nashua, NH. 10+ years sales experience small & mid-ticket hi-tech & telecom in a captive and vendor environment. Seeking new sales opportunity in New England. E-mail: RPepa@aol.com	Sales: Philadelphia , PA Seeking an open opportunity to advance in the automotive, commercial leasing & finance industry......... Email: alexe362002@yahoo.com
Sales: Portland, OR. "Exp. In direct sales and sales mgmt. I love Portland, but decent here jobs are few. Willing to be re-located, would like to work for you. Email: pthygeson@netscape.net "	Sales: Prairie Village, KS Have substantial deal flow and database of broker referral sources. Generated and closed over $22M LY. Seeking exclusive relationship w/direct founder. Email: fiergl@aol.com
Sales: San Francisco Bay Area, CA 10+ yrs in middle market leasing. Seek direct lessor only. Transaction size from $500M to $10.0MM. Client base: printing, food, retail, manufacturing. Email: edm173@sbcglobal.net	Sales: SF Bay Area, CA. 15+ yrs--mid mkt. $500M to $10.0MM. Seeking role w/ captive or global leasing firm. large book to bring with me! Debt, tax, 1st amendment, etc. Email: lac4002@yahoo.com
Sales: Southern California Equipment Financing Professional with strong background in Sales, Management, Marketing & Operations. Will consider relocation for Senior Sales or Management position offering dynamic growth opportunity. Email: natsif@hotmail.com	Sales: South Central U.S. TX, OK, KS & AR Territory. Equipment finance and leasing professional, 20 years experience. Top producer in middle to upper middle markets. Extensive customer base. Email: usleasingrep@yahoo.com

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Alexa Ranks Leasing Association Web Sites

David G. Mayer's Business Leasing News is not included in the Alexa report list as it does not have its own individual site and Alexa finds Patton Boggs, LLP Attorneys at Law.  The rating is not valid as it includes all those who visit and communicate with the law firm.  When Business Leasing News has its own individual web site, it will be included in the Alexa survey.

*It should also be noted that two web sites have their "list serve" posted via their site, meaning their e-mails are counted as a visit to the site, whereas they are "list serve" communication.  These are technically visits to the web site, but primarily to use "list serve."

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NorVergence Lease Showdown Monday

This Monday may see a major ruling that may not only affect all NorVergence leases, but the leasing industry itself. The lessees believe a ruling will release them from all debts when NorVergence filed bankruptcy, their telephone service was cut, and therefore they need not make any more “Equipment Rental Agreement” payments.

A hearing is to be held on this Monday, July 18, 2005, at 10:00 a.m., before Judge Dickinson R. Debevoise, where the Federal Trade Commission is asking for forgiveness of $181,721,914 as the liquidated damages of NorVergence leasing contracts, as the FTC is claiming that the leases and therefore the leasing companies are party to the judgment.

The June 8, 2005 notice: “...that plaintiff Federal Trade Commission will move this Court to enter a default judgment and order for permanent injunction, rescission and monetary relief...” as brought by FTC senior attorney Randy Brook.

Brook is highly known for “dealing” with leasing companies, with his most recent “win” against Leasecomm. Under the terms of the settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, Leasecomm agreed to stop collection efforts on all outstanding judgments, totaling $24 million, involving the financing of the software and equipment for processing credit-card transactions. The company also agreed to stop financing those kinds of business opportunities in the future. Leasecomm also paid pay a $1 million fine to be split by the states of Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, North Carolina, North Dakota and Texas, plus other fines to the State of California.

In his latest hunt, Brook is taking on 46 leasing companies and demanding they give up $181 million.

Seattle Based Leasing Dragon Killer Randy Brook

“As calculated by the FTC after subtracting from the total consumer injury the cancellation of indebtedness for rental agreements that will be cancelled by this case, the judgment among is $181,721,914. “

(page 10)

Here is a copy of the FTC 11 page filing:

http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Norvergence.FTC%20default.pdf

The FTC also notes settlements with “various state attorneys general”

where there were from 80% to 90% “In exchange, consumers must give up any claims and defenses they may have against the finance companies...

“At this time there is no way to predict how much of the total consumer injury caused by NorVergence may be shifted to the finance companies through these settlements. For this reason, the FTC will adjust its claim to account for any further mitigation based on finance company settlements with NorVergence consumers.”

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Foglesong New President OneWorld Leasing

OneWorld Leasing, Inc., a member-owned financial services cooperative comprised of sixteen independent leasing and finance companies, announced the appointment of Sharon Foglesong as President of the company located in Phoenix, Arizona.

Ms. Foglesong has served OneWorld Leasing as an advisor to the Board of Directors assisting with business development, market analysis, and corporate structuring. She certainly has turned the “co-op” around.

Sharon Foglesong

Ms. Foglesong credits the hard working members “for digging in” and “getting it down.”

The team now includes:
Aaron Rios, AAW Capital Corp. dba Prolease, Newport Beach, CA
Chris Cooper, Alternative Capital, Orlando, FL
David Stearns, American Leasing Alliance, Algonquin, Illinois
Doug Mills, Central Leasing Corporation, Birmingham, AL
John Winchester, Comco Equipment Leasing Group, Nashville, TN
Jack Harvey, Enterprise Financial Solutions, Little Rock, AR
Mike Parker, Florida National Leasing Corp., Fort Meyers, FL
Marc Keepman, KLC Financial, Minnetonka, MN
Stan Ragley, Leasing Resources, Charlotte, NC
Richard Wilbur, Charter Capital, Scottsdale, AZ
Bud Callahan, National Equipment Leasing, Indianapolis, IN
Chris Chiappetta, National Machine Tool Finance , Elk Grove Village, IL
Robert Lang, National Machine Tool Finance , Elk Grove Village, IL
Lou Manitzas, OneSource Financial Corp., Austin, TX
Jay Coles, Select Equipment Leasing Co., Concord, CA
Jourdan Saegusa, Team Equipment Leasing, Austin, TX
Jim Borland, US Energy Capital Corporation, Conyers, GA

David Stearns, Chairman of the Board of Directors said, “Ms. Foglesong has been the driving force behind solidifying, communicating, and embracing the mission, vision, and goals of our cooperative. Her leadership, passion, and determination have been absolutely invaluable in securing the growth and long term success of OneWorld. Our growth has exceeded our targets with a current membership of sixteen, annual revenue of $200 million in total member transaction volume, and national vendor program growth up 100%.”

Previously, Ms. Foglesong was Vice President for Marathon Capital and National Marketing Director for the Diversified Capital Group of Dana Commercial Credit, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Fortune 500 Company, Dana Corporation. Ms. Foglesong received her Bachelors Degree from Arizona State University and pursued her MBA at the University of Tampa.

At the September 22 nd One World Leasing meeting, she has promised to get a picture of all the members for Leasing News readers.

About OneWorld Leasing, Inc.

OneWorld Leasing, Inc. is a financial services cooperative that exists to increase the performance and competitiveness of independent equipment leasing and finance companies by providing greater market strength, national recognition, increased profits and decreased operating costs.

For further information, please contact Sharon Foglesong at 602-795-9911 or sfoglesong@oneworldleasing.com

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“Super Broker” List

From the development of the “Story Credit Lessor” list, it was appropriate to have a list for those who are considered

“super brokers.”

Leasing News would like to thank Don Meyerson of BSB Leasing for his help in developing the format and for his advice.

Name:
Year Founded:
Contact:

(some people put telephone number, some e-mail, or both)
Website:
Leasing Assoc:
Employees:
Geographic Area:
Dollar Amount:

(several also put a range, min-max, some also add their average transaction size)
Broker Qualify:

(many put down "please call" and others have an application on line.)

These questions are “yes” or “no”

A-Requires broker to be licensed (such as California Finance Lenders License for doing business in California.)

B-Allows brokers who are submitting business to accept business from another broker, where the party is paid a commission or participates in the process (not just a referral or lead.)

C-Warehouse line---Has the ability to fund leases or make progress payments though an “in house” line of credit

D—Also a lessor (carries leases through their own line of credit or company/investor funds.)

Comments: (These we will foot note, and may include your program or anything you want to add.)

Super Brokers

These companies basically function as a "broker," meaning most of their transactions are sent to other leasing companies or funders.They are not “lessors” or “funders.” An additional description: the majority of their business comes from others, who are acting as a broker. These “deals” may come from an independent, a “company,” or even a “lessor” or “funder.”

Brokers come to them because they may not have the "volume" for the source the "super broker" may have; they may be "too new" in business to qualify for many sources: they may be looking for a better rate than their regular sources, or the transaction was originated by another broker and they need to acknowledge that the transaction comes from another broker, called "sub broker," in the trade (most funders will not accept business from that has been “re-brokered.” .” As important, the sender may not have a regular source for the specific transaction they want to place, such as a young privately held company wanted the lease as “corporate only.”

The transactions may come from a lessor that wants to satisfy their client, and they have a "minimum" that the transaction does not meet; or perhaps their client is to the maximum amount of exposure for them.

For whatever reason, they come to a "super broker" to place the deal on their behalf.

In the question of sub-broker business, we take for granted that the “super broker” not only has a written agreement with the sub-broker but informs the lessor when submitting an application it has come from a sub-broker. A violation of this will have the company removed from the list.

This list is not does not include leasing companies who "fund" the majority of the transactions they receive.

In addition to the above qualifications, the "Super Broker" must have a "clean" Better Business Bureau rating, no Leasing News Bulletin Board complaints or a poor record, and must belong to a national leasing association, as we view this that they are professional and abide by their association standards and code of ethics.

We also will be verifying warehouse lines or "lessor" lines with their bankers (as done with those on the Story Credit List.)

Leasing News reserves the right not to list any company it believes does not meet the qualifications as stated above.

A -Requires Broker be Licensed | B -Sub-Broker Program | C -Warehouse Line | D -Also a Lessor

(A) BSB Leasing, Inc has been providing syndication services for brokers nationwide since 1982 and have been funding business directly since 2002 through BSB Direct Finance, LLC. We offer Brokers a complete internet solution for credit submission and tracking and document preparation.

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

Fitch Places Healthcare Realty Trust on Watch Negative

NEW YORK Fitch Ratings-NY- Fitch Ratings has affirmed the 'BBB' rating of Healthcare Realty Trust, Inc.'s (Healthcare Realty, or HR) senior unsecured notes and the 'BBB-' preferred stock rating and has placed the ratings on Rating Watch Negative. These actions follow the company's nontimely filer status on their 2004 Form 10-K as well as their March 31, 2005 Form 10-Q. Approximately $650 million of securities are affected by Fitch's actions.

On March 17, 2005, Healthcare Realty delayed the filing of its 2004 Form 10-K following the emergence of an accounting matter raised in March 2005 by its then auditor, KPMG LLP. According to the company, following delays by KPMG LLP in completing the audit, HR's audit committee dismissed KPMG and commenced a process to engage a new auditor. Fitch does note the company filed a Form 8-K on June 13, 2005, disclosing the dismissal and stating there were no disagreements with KPMG on matters of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedure.

On July 11, 2005, HR announced the engagement of BDO Seidman, LLP as its independent registered public accounting firm. As part of its engagement, BDO Seidman, LLP will audit the company's financial statements for the year ended Dec. 31, 2004. Additionally, BDO Seidman, LLP will re-audit the company's financial statements for 2002 and 2003.

Fitch recognizes the recent announcement by the company regarding a new auditor as a step in the right direction but believes there is some execution risk in the timely completion of the 2004 audit. Additionally, Fitch's 'BBB' rating contemplates a company that can demonstrate ready access to multiple forms of capital. Considering HR's current situation, Fitch believes the company's 'ready access' is somewhat hampered with their nontimely filer status and an invalid shelf registration statement. The company's registration statement will not be valid until a period of 12 months passes following their on-time filings.

With that said, on June 29, 2005, the company obtained approval to amend a financial reporting covenant in its unsecured credit facility due 2006 to extend the period in which the company has to comply with certain financial reporting requirements until Nov. 30, 2005. As of March 31, 2005, the company had near full availability under its $300 million line of credit. Additionally, in looking out over the next several years (and assuming no new capital commitments by the company) debt maturities, development commitments, and acquisition commitments total $123.4 million. The company has no significant debt maturities until 2011, which partially mitigates the risk arising from the company's potential lack of immediate liquidity. Finally, outside of the company's line of credit, which does have an expansion provision for an additional $50 million, HR could utilize the secured market as an additional source of liquidity with only 2.5% of their total debt being secured as of March 31, 2005.

During recent conversations Fitch conducted with the company's management, HR indicated they had not received a notice of default from the trustee of the public unsecured bonds of the company. Under their bond indenture, HR is required to submit to the trustee their 2004 Form 10-K 120 days after the end of the calendar year. To be in default under this financial reporting covenant, the trustee would have to send a notice of default to the company.

Fitch's ratings continue to reflect favorably on Healthcare Realty Trust's conservative financial profile as demonstrated through its stable credit statistics (averaging better than 3.0 times (x) coverage over the past three years), low debt leverage level (Fitch calculates HR's ratio of total debt to undepreciated book capital to be 36.3%), and its largely unencumbered portfolio that Fitch estimates covers unsecured obligations by 2.6x.

Fitch will continue to closely monitor the company's progress towards obtaining an audited and filed 2004 Form 10-K and then catching up on the filing of its quarterly reports. Subsequent events, particularly those related to access to capital, will be evaluated by Fitch on a prospective basis and will therefore be reflected in the underlying ratings in a timely manner.

Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated was incorporated in Maryland in 1993 and is a self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust that integrates owning, acquiring, managing, and developing income-producing real estate properties and mortgages associated with the delivery of health care services throughout the U.S.

The company acquires existing health care facilities and provides property management, leasing, and build-to-suit construction projects for qualified health care operators. The company owns a diversified portfolio of health care properties, many of which are subject to long-term leases or financial support arrangements. As of March 31, 2005, the company had investments of approximately $1.9 billion in 246 income-producing real estate properties and mortgages associated with the delivery of health care services throughout the U.S.

As of March 31, 2005, the company had 67.7% of its capital invested in the medical office/outpatient facilities space, 13.8% in assisted living/independent living facilities, 8.7% in skilled nursing facilities, 8.1% in inpatient rehab facilities, and 1.7% in other inpatient facilities. They maintain a diversified investment approach by asset type as well as geography with assets in 29 states with concentrations in Texas (23.5% of total square footage), Tennessee (13.3%), and Florida (11.1%).

For more on Fitch's macro view of the health care sector, see Fitch's 2005 REIT Scorecard, published March 31, 2005, available on the Fitch Ratings web site at www.fitchratings.com.

Fitch's rating definitions are available on the agency's public web site, www.fitchratings.com. Published ratings, criteria and methodologies and relevant policies and procedures are also available from this site, at all times. This document will remain on the public site for seven days.

Fitch Ratings, New York Brendan Thorpe, 212-908-0538 Janice Svec,
212-908-0304 Sandro Scenga, 212-908-0278 (Media Relations)

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News Briefs----

Prices Stayed Flat in June, Even With Demand High
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/15/business/15inflation.html ?

Newspapers see slight ad gains in 2Q
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/
20050714-1403-earns-newspapers.html

Budget deficit expected to drop
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2005/07/14/
budget_deficit_expected_to_drop/

CDO Sales, Performance Perk Up
http://www.absnet.net/include/showfreearticle.asp?file=/headlines/3.htm

Google joins ranks of stocks north of $300
http://www.usatoday.com/money/markets/us/
2005-07-14-google-usat_x.htm

Southwest second-quarter profit rose 41% despite higher fuel costs
http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/
2005-07-14-swa-earnings_x.htm

Poker World Series Down to 12 Players
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/sports/AP-Poker-World-Series.html

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California News Briefs---

Schwarzenegger A Top-Dollar Editor

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/14/
AR2005071401759.html

Governor won't give up 2nd job

Critics say income from magazines could appear unseemly
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive
/2005/07/15/GUV.TMP

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“Gimme that Wine”

New York allows wine to now ship across state lines
http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-bzwine0714,0,7647934.story
?coll=ny-business-leadheadlines

Super Texan Ta
http://www.californiawineandfood.com/wine/super-texan.htm

kes Double Gold at San Francisco Judging Decanting demystified

Most wines -- young to old, red to white -- could use a little
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/07/14/
WIGHRDHHE31.DTL

Wineries disagree on what 'vintage' should mean
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/07/14/
WIGOQDN36Q1.DTL

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Today's Top Event in History

    1862-Major David Hunter declares Blacks are no longer slaves in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina. President Lincoln annuls the order saying basically it wasn't “official.” http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/dh_proc.htm The first black troops were organized by Major General David Hunter in the Union's First Carolina Regiment. Many of the soldiers were former slaves. In August, General Jim Lane, an abolitionist and who some called and outlaw and renegade, over the opposition of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, organized a black regiment in Kansas. General Benjamin Butler also reversed his position and decided to recruit free blacks, however, no one asked the recruits whether they had been free men of slaves before the war. Despite War Department specific approval, General Butler quickly mustered into federal service the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Regiments of the Louisiana Native Guards. It was reported that the commanders of the units had offered their services to the Confederacy and was turned down. The leaders, Free Persons of Color, were wealthy, well educated, property owners, and some were slave owners, and at the time while offering their services to the Confederacy were afraid the Union forces would confiscate their property.

http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/hisusct.htm http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/usct.htm

http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/beau_nat.htm

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This Day in American History

    1099- The Muslim citizens of Jerusalem surrendered their city to the armies of the First Crusade. The Crusaders then proceeded, through misguided religious zeal, to massacre thousands of unarmed men, women and children.” The western sources are briskly uncontrite in their descriptions of the carnage, indicating that the chroniclers were no more dismayed than were the perpetrators. But the Muslim world would never forget or forgive the Crusaders' behavior. Jerusalem was a holy city to the Muslims as much as it was to the Christians. The looting of sacred shrines and the slaughter of innocents confirmed the general Muslim opinion that the Westerners were savage barbarians with no faith at all save in blood and wealth. “
http://crusades.boisestate.edu/1st/27.htm
http://crusades.boisestate.edu/1st/28.htm
http://www.fidnet.com/~weid/crusadesII.htm#basic
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/AnnaComnena-Alexiad11.html
    1779-birthday of Clement Clarke Moore, American author and teacher, best remembered for his popular verse, “ A Visit from Saint Nicholas,” ( “Twas the Night Before Christmas”), which was first published anonymously and without Moore's knowledge in a newspaper, December 23,1823. Moore was born at New York, NY, and died Newport, RI, July 10,1863.
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/weekly/aa121097.htm
    1779-The first medal awarded by the Continental Congress to a “foreigner” was a silver medal present to Lieutenant Colonel Francois Louis Teisseidre de Fleury, who commanded the first of the storming parties in the assault upon Stony Point, NY, on July 15,1779. He was the first man to enter the main fort and strike down the British flag with his own hands. Fleury, who had been in the French military service, joined the Continental Army in 1777. Lieutenant Colonel Francois Louis Teisseidre de Fleury
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/revwar/contarmy/CA-06.htm
    1779-African-American Pompey Lamb, noted spy, aids the American Revolutionary War effort.” Blacks were also used effectively as spies by the Continental Army. The most notable was Pompey Lamb, who opened the way for the capture of Stoney Point by General Anthony Wayne, on July 15, 1779.”
http://hallkidshistory.com/united_states/360.shtml
    1792-the first major bridge built was the West Boston Bridge, connecting Boston, MA, and Cambridge, MA. It opened November 23, 1793 after costing $76,000. The toll right was granted to the proprietors for 70 years.
    1822—public schools for Blacks open in Philadelphia.
    1850—Birthday of Frances Xavier "Mother" Cabrini - Italian-born U.S. nun. FXC, an amazing organizer, Cabrini was canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. She founded 67 institutions such as orphanages, hospitals, and girls' schools and did remarkable work with the poor in major American cities.
    1862-Major David Hunter declares Blacks are no longer slaves in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina. President Lincoln annuls the order saying basically it wasn't “official.”
http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/dh_proc.htm
The first black troops were organized by Major General David Hunter in the Union's First Carolina Regiment. Many of the soldiers were former slaves. In August, General Jim Lane, an abolitionist and who some called and outlaw and renegade, over the opposition of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, organized a black regiment in Kansas. General Benjamin Butler also reversed his position and decided to recruit free blacks, however, no one asked the recruits whether they had been free men of slaves before the war. Despite War Department specific approval, General Butler quickly mustered into federal service the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Regiments of the Louisiana Native Guards. It was reported that the commanders of the units had offered their services to the Confederacy and was turned down. The leaders, Free Persons of Color, were wealthy, well educated, property owners, and some were slave owners, and at the time while offering their services to the Confederacy were afraid the Union forces would confiscate their property.
http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/hisusct.htm
http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/usct.htm
http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/beau_nat.htm
    1867—Birthday of African-American Maggie Lena Walker - U.S. banker. MLW was the daughter of a former slave who devoted her time to black fraternal and cooperative insurance organizations. Through her very keen business acumen, MLW created one of the greatest black-owned banks in the nation, the Penny Savings Bank in Richmond, Va.
    1881 -- Billy "The Kid" Bonney shot and killed by Pat Garrett.
http://www.historybuff.com/library/refkid.html
http://www.aboutbillythekid.com/
    1904-Birthday of Dorothy Fields - U.S. lyricist and producer who was elected to the Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 1971, the first woman so honored. Some of her songs are "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "On the Sunny Side of the Street," "I'm in the Mood for Love," "Lovely to Look at," and "The Way You Look Tonight." The way you look garnered Fields the 1936 Academy Award. She wrote almost 400 songs as well as books for Broadway shows including Annie Get Your Gun. She won a Tony and Grammy for her work on Redhead (1959). DF produced such Broadway musicals as Sweet Charity and Seesaw.
    1910-birthday of Sam Washboard ( Robert Brown ), famous washboard player, Walnut Ridge, AR
http://www.blueflamecafe.com/index.html
    1913-the first US Senator elected by popular vote was Augustus Octavius Bacon, Democrat of Georgia. The passage of the 17 th amendment to the Constitution called for elections, before that they were appointed by the state legislature. The first general election by popular vote took place on November 4, 1913.
http://www.sacklunch.net/biography/B/AugustusOctaviusBacon.html
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000014
    1916 -Dying coastal storm produced torrential rains over the southern Appalachians. Alta Pass, NC had 22 inches, a new 24 hour record for the U.S. Damage was considerable, particularly to railroads
    1918-General Erich Ludendorff launced Germany's fifth, and last, offensive to break through the Chateau-Thierry salient. This all-out effort involved three armies branching out from Rheims to cross the Marne River. The Germans were successful in crossing the Marne near Chateau-Thierry before American, British, and Italian divisions stopped their progress. Only July 18, General Foch, Commander-in Chief of the Allied troops launched a massive counteroffensive that resulted in a German retreat that continued in four months until they sued for peace in November.
    1919- legendary bebop pianist Sadik Hakim was born in Duluth, Minnesota. In the 1940's, Hakim played in New York with Ben Webster and Lester Young, and recorded with Charlie Parker. Hakim moved to Montreal in 1949 and played with Louis Metcalf's International Band. After further stints in the US with such musicians as James Moody and Buddy Tate, Hakim returned to Montreal in 1966. He was a frequent performer in both Montreal and Toronto, and on CBC radio broadcasts. Hakim became a Canadian citizen in 1972 before returning to New York four years later. He died on June 20th, 1983.
    1923—Drummer Philly Joe Jones birthday
http://members.tripod.com/~hardbop/philly.html
http://afgen.com/philly.html
http://www.duke.edu/~sc15/bio.htm
    1928-birthday of saxophone player Joe Harriott, Kingston, Jamaica
http://www.btinternet.com/~rubberneck/special.html
    1929—birthday of guitarist/author Francis Bebey.
http://africanmusic.org/artists/bebey.html
http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/cm/africana/bebey.htm
http://www.africaexpert.org/people/data/person1980.html
    1941-Glenn Miller, with Modernaires, cuts “Juke Box Saturday Night.”
    1946- singer Linda Ronstadt was born in Tucson, Arizona.  
She first gained attention in 1967 as a member of a trio called the Stone Poneys. That was the year she had a top 20 hit with "Different Drum," a song written by Mike Nesmith of the Monkees. The Stone Poneys soon broke up, and Ronstadt's solo career floundered for nearly five years until Peter Asher, formerly of the British duo of Peter and Gordon, became her manager. Under Asher's direction, she recorded the album "Heart Like a Wheel," a mixture of oldies and contemporary material, in 1974. The LP proved to be her commercial breakthrough, becoming the first of a dozen gold and platinum albums.  Ronstadt reached the height of her popularity at the end of the 1970's when her LP "Living in the USA" surpassed the million mark in sales. At the time, she was a constant companion of California Governor Jerry Brown.  Ronstadt continued her success into the '80s with the LP "Mad Love," two popular albums of big band ballads and "Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind," a collaboration with Aaron Neville
http://www.ronstadt-linda.com/
    1948—Today in History salutes General John J. Pershing, only the second commander of the armies, World War I hero, also known as “Black Jack” for having one of the first segregated army units in 1886, especially for his open admiration for the African-Americans under his command.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul15.html
    1954-Record high for Virginia set with 110 F at Balcony Falls
    1956---Top Hits
The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant
My Prayer - The Platters
Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You - Elvis Presley
    1959- the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver was officially opened by the Queen. A gala concert by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra was conducted by Sir Ernest MacMillan and Nicholas Goldschmidt, with soloists Betty-Jean Hagen, violin, and soprano Lois Marshall. The theatre was actually first used four days earlier for a concert by the Vancouver Symphony.
    1963-Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald record “ Ella and Basie” album for Verve, oneof Barbara Lowe's favorites.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000046SO/
102-8917386-9557756
    1964---Top Hits
I Get Around - The Beach Boys
Memphis - Johnny Rivers
Rag Doll - The 4 Seasons
My Heart Skips a Beat - Buck Owens
    1966 - Singer Percy Sledge earned a gold record for "When a Man Loves a Woman". It was his only song to make it to number one (5/28/66) and the only one of five to break into the top ten.
    1968-A Soviet Aeroflot jet landed at Kennedy Airport at New York, NY, and the start of direct commercial air flight between the US and the then USSR began.
    1968-“One Life to Live” premiered on TV. Set in a fictional Pennsylvania town, the show was created by Agnes Nixon to depict the class and ethnic struggles of the down's denizens. The initial cast featured many Jewish, Polish, and African American characters. The show departed from inter-ethnic storytelling in the 1980's for far more fantastic adventures set in locals such as heaven, the old west, and a futuristic mountain silo called Eternia. Since then, the show has returned to its strengths of traditional storytelling by featuring Latino and African American actors as integral characters. Award-winning actress Erika Slezak heads the cast a the venerable Viki Lord Riley Buchanan Carpenter, the town's matron with five alternate personalities. Among those who have appeared on “OLTL” are Tom Berenger, Judity Light,Robert Desiderio, Tommy Lee Jones, Laurence Fishburne, Jameson Parker, Phylis Rashad, Christine Ebersole, Richard Grieco, Blain Underwood, Joe Lando, Audrey Landers, Christian Slater and Yasmine Bleeth.
    1972---Top Hits
Lean on Me - Bill Withers
Too Late to Turn Back Now - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
Made in Japan - Buck Owens
    1973-San Francisco Giant's Willie McCovey becomes 15th to hit 400 HRs
    1980- pop stars Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith opened at the New York Shakespeare Festival in a production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance." The production moved to Broadway in 1981, and Ronstadt and Smith both starred in a later movie version.  
    1980---Top Hits
Coming Up - Paul McCartney & Wings
It's Still Rock & Roll to Me - Billy Joel
Little Jeannie - Elton John
You Win Again - Charley Pride
    1986- Columbia Records dropped country star Johnny Cash after 28 years. Cash had not had a solo top-ten hit since "The Baron" in 1981. But he was a member of "The Highwaymen" quartet with Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson that hit the top of the country charts in 1985. Cash signed a new recording contract with Polygram later in '86
    1988---Top Hits
The Flame - Cheap Trick
Mercedes Boy - Pebbles
Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Lappard
Fallin' Again – Alabama
    1988-Chicago reaches 102 breaking the old record for date. It also marked the fifth time temperatures exceeded 100 that season, a record
    1989- More than 200,000 people crammed into Venice, a city of 83,000, for a free concert by Pink Floyd. The band performed on a floating stage in the Venice lagoon. Residents complained about violence, drug use and littering, and 80 people were slightly hurt in a scuffle before the show began. Concert-goers complained, too ... about inadequate toilets and emergency facilities.
    1993-4 inch diameter hail at Hot Springs, SD. Jamestown ND records 6.40 inches of rain, Fargo 5.09, Bismarck 4.08 inches
    1994-the first move to cost more than $100 million to make was “True Lies,” a 20 th Century-Fox action-adventure film directed by James Cameron and starring Arnold Schwarzenneger and Jamie Lee Curtis. It opened nationwide on July 15. Though exact figures were not released by the studio, the film was estimated to have cost $115 million.
    1995-Unusually strong mesoscale convective complex known as a derecho raced through New York and New England during the early morning hours at speeds exceeding 70 mph. A tremendous amount of damage was reported from powerful hurricane force winds. A major blowdown across the Adirondacks with thousands of trees were toppled (causing 3 fatalities). Winds reached 92 mph in Otis, MA and small tornadoes occurred at Greenfield and Huntington. Later that day further south, oppressive heat and humidity continued as Danbury, CT topped at 106 a new record for the state.
    1996- The sultan of Brunei spent $25 million on his 50th birthday party, including $15 million for three concerts by Michael Jackson
    1997 - Fashion designer Gianni Versace was shot to death on the steps of his mansion in Miami Beach, Florida. Police believe Andrew Phillip Cunanan shot Versace. Cunanan committed suicide a week later on a houseboat about two miles north of the Versace mansion. Cunanan is suspected of killing four other men in a cross-country shooting spree.
    2000 ---The American Tobacco Company's near-mint condition 1909 Honus Wagner card goes for $1.1 million in an eBay online auction. The high bidder will pay $1.265 million including a 15 percent buyer's premium for the 91-year old card of the Hall of Fame Pirate shortstop.

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Baseball Poem

My Last Hit

Late at night
I can still
see the ball

arcing

over the third
base bag, just
inside the line,

hugging

the grass. The
fielder frozen solid,
his mitt a

heavy

stone, resting on
his thick knee.
And that was

it.

Written by Ed Markowski
“Line Drives,” 100 Contemporary Baseball Poems
edited by Brooke Horvath and Tim Wiles
Published by Southern Illinois University Press

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