Asset Remarketing Managers Proven Truck, Construction, Machine tool, Material Handling expertise. Manage, evaluate, value, remarket portfolio assets. Unlimited compensation. CLICK HERE for full description. Maria Lopez (203) 354-6090 or mlopez@eqfsdirect.com Equilease is a long established full-service leasing company that finances industrial and commercial equipment for vendors, manufacturers and end-users. www.eqfsdirect.com

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Headlines---

    Classified Ads---Operations
Reaction: Top 25 Most Influential in Leasing
    Key Equipment Finance says "No" to copiers
        Bank of West joins "...looking for Brokers List"
Small Ticket Market Continues to Shrink
    by Christopher Menkin
Sales makes it Happen-by Scott Wheeler
    Delivering Results in the Second Half of 2009
Classified Ads---Help Wanted
    CLP Survey Results by Theresa M. Kabot, CLP
News Briefs---
Dunkin Donuts CFO steals $475,000/CIT stuck $25MM
    China Reports Leasing Numbers
Canadian bankruptcies jump 31 percent
    Banks face rising delinquency rates
        Q1 Credit Card Delinquencies Increase
    AIG loses big round in lawsuit
Why Illinois is the epicenter of bank failures
    Lenders avoid redoing loans, Fed concludes
Google Plans to Introduce a PC Operating System
    You May have Missed---
        California Nuts Brief---
"Gimme that Wine"
    Today's Top Event in History
        This Day in American History
Baseball Poem
    SuDoku
Daily Puzzle
    GasBuddy
        Weather, USA or specific area
Traffic Live----

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

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Classified Ads---Operations

N. Phoenix, Arizona Kathleen Gibbons-Erler will be available for hire as of July 15th, 2009. Eleven years experience in all office operations. kgibbons-erler@cox.net Resume

For a full listing of all "job wanted" ads, please go to:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm

To place a free "job wanted" Leasing News ad:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted-post.htm

ELFA Career Center: Job Seekers (free):
http://careers.elfaonline.org/search.cfm

(click on ad to learn more) (Leasing News provides this ad "gratis" as a means to help support the growth of Lease Police)

[headlines]

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Reaction: Top 25 Most Influential in Leasing

"Thank you for the including me on your list. It is unexpected, as was the nomination, but it is a great honor."

Shawn Halladay
The Alta Group

"I am both shocked in and in awe of being chosen for this list…shocked because there are so many influential people in this business…and in awe of the company that I keep on the list. Thanks to whoever nominated me…I owe you a drink if you fess up!"

Deborah J. Monosson
President
Boston Financial & Equity Corporation

"I am honored to be included in the list of 25 most influential."

BARRY S. MARKS
MARKS & WEINBERG, P.C.

"I am quite honored to be named."

Paul Weiss

Top 25 Most Influential People Leasing Industry-Final
http://leasingnews.org/archives/July%202009/07-06-09.htm#25influential

[headlines]

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Key Equipment Finance says "No" to copiers

Leasing News has been chasing down many leads about Key equipment Finance exiting the small ticket leasing marketplace, but has never been able to obtain a confirmation or denial. Other executive changes have also been happening, rumored from the bank management, not the leasing division which is not speaking to Leasing News since Paul Larkins left. Calls to public relations personnel at Key Equipment Finance and Key Corp have not been returned.

Most of the information has been coming from vendors of equipment, some whom have been receiving fees and commissions, plus are looking for other places for their business. It is difficult to make a guess as to how many other "types of equipment" are being eliminated from the list of equipment accepted. There are also reports, unconfirmed, that Key is getting out of the small ticket market completely. Calls to the Superior, Colorado office are not being answered by an operator and other contacts are not responding. The information Leasing News comes from their vendor leasing relationships who want to know what is going on.

Monday Leasing News reported Key Equipment Finance "exiting "the heavy and medium-duty trucking segments."

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Bank of West joins "Funder/SuperBroker looking for Brokers List"

Companies, who want to be on this list, must also be on the Leasing News Funder or Super Broker list and request to be on the "Funder/SuperBroker looking for Brokers List"

Full list here:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/New_Broker.htm#bow

Out of Broker Business:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Pages/Out-of-broker-bus.htm

[headlines]

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Small Ticket Market Continues to Shrink
by Christopher Menkin

It looks like the major funders who employ over 100 left in the small ticket marketplace are Bank of the West Leasing, CSI Leasing, Direct Capital, Financial Pacific, GreatAmerica Leasing, Hillcrest Bank Leasing, LEAF, Marlin Business Service, TimePayment and US Bank Manifest. CIT and GE Capital are more in the middle marketplace, plus appear not to be interested in this market place on a “one-to-one” basis. If you were left out, let us know, but qualify yourself first as being a real funder.

Key Equipment Finance was left out as it appears they are moving in another direction. Time certainly will tell the direction they are now headed. They evidently don't care about Leasing News readers. You don't exist to them.

There are many smaller funders, but most of them now are doing more brokering than securitization, although there are niche funders such as P&L Capital who does "true leases" where the lessee returns the equipment, Equilease which is very active in all types of equipment for better credits or Dakota Capital who secures most transactions with other collateral at high rates. They along with several others were not included as they have under 100 employees.

Companies doing well especially today in the small ticket market with over 100 employees appear to be Direct Capital, Financial Pacific, GreatAmerica and LEAF. Marlin Business Services is having their problems, according to their quarterly report.

In today's small ticket arena, the majority are competing "one-on-one." Many complaints about Direct Capital "Trigger Data" calls. It must be paying off, as the complaints continue.

The telephone marketing of making 300 calls a day is grueling. Many of these companies have callers working on commissions or commission plans against a draw. At best, the larger ones are holding leases on a warehouse line and then selling them off (holding the residual.) This method of gaining business may be on the wane.

There are also many small lessors who are really brokers using a private label program. They originally came from other like companies, many who failed or moved on; or are awaiting sentencing in Operation Lease Fleece. Some of the older smaller lessors had fat times in the last ten to fifteen years, but are not doing so well since the economy turned last year.

Many of these companies were one person broker shops that grew with commissioned sales staff and/or accepting small brokerage business. They are consolidating; some retiring.

Direct Capital does not work with brokers and has been recently emphasizing vendor programs. Many companies are following their lead, dropping broker program. LEAF is also moving after vendor programs, not seeming to be expanding their broker program, leaving Financial Pacific with plenty of money with a myriad of programs. They are doing extremely well. Pawnee is on their heels, but more in a different bend, and with Mark Sullivan at Timepayment, perhaps will give them both a good run for their money.

Obvious is not only is credit continuing to tighten, included deleting industries and their equipment, but either taken on no more broker business or getting out of it altogether. Those who belong to the National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers are quite aware through their forums and programs what is happening.

It also appears many companies are moving away from direct sales by telephone into vendor clients who once were being serviced by CIT, GE Capital, and major bank leasing companies. The large captive lessors such as Caterpillar, Dell, John Deere, and others seem to have their established private label programs, but the smaller vendors under 100 employees contact Leasing News more often than any other group. Many of the new readers are coming from this sector.

The health industry is being hit with lackluster equipment sales as wells are decreasing margins due to all the competition for the so-called "A" credit.

As securitization is becoming harder and harder to find, the market place finds many smaller leasing companies becoming like their customers, cash flow is becoming more important.

While independents believe they are the lowest cost than a direct sales person, the staffing and operation expense to the ratio of transactions completed is leading many leasing companies in other directions, including cutting back and trying to wait out the recession. One described it as a "depression." I never heard that before. It shocked me.

[headlines]

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Sales Make it Happen by Scott Wheeler With over twenty-six years of leasing experience and an Executive Masters in Business Administration, Scott is an accomplished senior leasing executive with leadership qualities in marketing and operations. His extensive experience will benefit organizations looking to reach a higher level of profitability and corporate development. Delivering Results in the Second Half of 2009 Our industry is being reformulated and redefined for the future; a necessary transformation which will create a stronger, more valuable financing/leasing industry. We have entered the second half of 2009. Many in our industry have anxiously anticipated the third and fourth quarter of 2009, believing it will be the more active and productive portion of this challenging year. Financing/leasing originators are now placed in the position of needing to deliver results in order to prove their effectiveness in the market. Every day will count and originators will need to use their time wisely. Every marketing touch must have purpose and effectiveness. I define a marketing touch as every potential time we have the opportunity to convey our message to an indirect business partner or direct business client. The most common marketing touches are: in person meetings, telephone conversations, webinars, conference calls, voice mails, emails, letters, brochures, faxes, advertisements and trade shows. Individual companies and originators usually refine their skills around one or two primary touches as their preferred means of soliciting new business. However, a strong marketing campaign is one that combines multiple different touches. The most effective originators leverage their efforts through automation. The majority of time needs to be spent in direct personal communication with our business partners, existing clients and prospecting for new clients. However, our personal efforts must be supplemented by effective automation and marketing tools readily available through strong CRM systems (Customer Relationship Management) and internet communication. Automation should never be considered a replacement for direct communication; however, when used as a supplemental touch it can be very effective. A strong conversation with a potential client should be followed-up with a push of a button on a CRM system which generates an automated email summarizing your services and a personalized marketing letter which is received by the client two days later. This type of automation will leverage a single phone call into three touches and allow for a much more effective follow-up call the following week. In addition to automation, the originator should measure the results of his/her efforts. A matrix should be used to record different touches and how they are successful over time. Measuring trends and effectiveness of marketing initiatives allows individuals to continue or enhance efforts which are effective and eliminate efforts which are ineffective. The use of matrixes will clearly demonstrate which touches should be used in conjunction with one another in order to maximize bottom line profitability. In the coming months individuals who are working most effectively will shine in the market place. Now is the time to leverage your efforts and to be focused on defining your capabilities with every marketing touch. The message needs to be consistent and strong no matter what form it is being communicated. Originators who work smart and leverage their marketing touches will deliver real results in the second half of 2009. Please let me know your thoughts, suggestions or ideas. scott@wheelerbusinessconsulting.com or 410-877-0428. Sales Makes it Happen articles: http://www.leasingnews.org/Legacy/index.html

[headlines]

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Classified Ads---Help Wanted

McKinney, Texas Lease Packager Ten years experience packaging/placing leases $10,000 to $500,000 jamespenny@cprofit.com/877-386-3716,ext.100 www.cprofit.com

Asset Remarketing Managers Proven Truck, Construction, Machine tool, Material Handling expertise. Manage, evaluate, value, remarket portfolio assets. Unlimited compensation. CLICK HERE for full description. Maria Lopez (203) 354-6090 or mlopez@eqfsdirect.com Equilease is a long established full-service leasing company that finances industrial and commercial equipment for vendors, manufacturers and end-users. www.eqfsdirect.com

[headlines]

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CLP Survey Results

by Theresa M. Kabot, CLP
President, CLP Foundation

K2 Funding
Kabot Commercial Leasing LLC

The Certified Lease Professional (CLP) designation sets the standard for professionalism in the leasing industry. The CLP designation identifies and recognizes individuals in the equipment leasing profession who have demonstrated, through experience, testing and conduct, their expertise in leasing and the letters CLP behind one's name are a visible acknowledgement of this professional achievement and status.

At the CLP Foundation we would like to expand the certification program to all qualified individuals as we feel that now more than ever, a certification program that reinforces the equipment leasing and finance industry's commitment to the highest standards of knowledge, professional conduct and ethics are vital.

With this in mind we created a Task Force to research the perception of the CLP program within the equipment leasing and finance industry. The highlights of our survey results are outlined below.

The next step of the Foundation will be to review the responses and create recommendations that can both meet expectations while also staying true to the goals of the CLP Foundation.

We have created such a Task Force to specifically address these results and make recommendations that lead to the growth of the CLP Foundation.

I am pleased announce that due to the positive response the Board voted to extend the CLP Summer Stimulus Plan through the 30th of September 2009," she announced." The application and fee must be received by the 30th of September, however you don't have to take the exam by the 30th, take the 90 days of summer to study……and certify in the fall.

For further information about the CLP Mentor Program and Anonymous Test Taking Program, please contact the executive director, Cindy Spurdle at 610/687-0213 or cindy@clpfoundation.org. Or visit www.clpfoundation.org

Leasing News series on
"Why I became a CLP..."
http://www.leasingnews.org/CLP/Index.htm

(This ad is a "trade" for the writing of this column. Opinions contained in the column are those of Mr. Terry Winders, CLP)

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News Briefs----

Dunkin Donuts CFO steals $475,000/CIT stuck $25MM
http://www.iii.co.uk/news/?type=afxnews&articleid=7408730&subject=general&action=article

China Reports Leasing Numbers
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2009-07/07/content_8387165.htm

Canadian bankruptcies jump 31 percent
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/07/07/Canadian-bankruptcies-jump-31-percent/UPI-28221246989309/

Banks face rising delinquency rates
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/07/07/Banks-face-rising-delinquency-rates/UPI-20311247008529/

Q1 Credit Card Delinquencies Increase
http://www.creditcollectionsworld.com/article.html?id=20090707GZTSISOT&from=creditandcollectionnews

AIG loses big round in lawsuit against former CEO Greenberg
http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2009-07-07-aig-greenberg_N.htm

Why Illinois is the epicenter of bank failures this year
http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/mound-city-money/us-economy/2009/07/why-illinois-is-the-epicenter-of-bank-failures-this-year/

Lenders avoid redoing loans, Fed concludes
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/07/07/lenders_avoid_redoing_loans_fed_concludes/

Google Plans to Introduce a PC Operating System
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/technology/companies/08operate.html?_r=1&hp

[headlines]

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You May have Missed---

US Census Summary by State and Locality
http://www.sacbee.com/ourregion/story/1997128.html

[headlines]

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California Nuts Briefs---

IOUs spell uncertainty for Calif. small businesses
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-07-03-california-small-businesses_N.htm

[headlines]

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"Gimme that Wine"

Dom Perignon Wins Highest Honors at Largest International Wine Competition in America
http://sev.prnewswire.com/beer-wine-spirits/20090706/NY4232006072009-1.html

Busting bar myths: The Mai Tai did not come from Hawaii or Tahiti
http://www.examiner.com/x-6861-Bartender-Examiner~y2009m7d7-Busting-bar-myths-The-Mai-Tai-did-not-come-from-Hawaii-or-Tahiti

Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/
US/International Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/
Winery Atlas
http://www.carterhouse.com/atlas/\
Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm
The London International Vintners Exchange (Liv-ex) is an electronic exchange for fine wine.
http://www.liv-ex.com/

[headlines]

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Today's Top Event in History

1932-The stock market fell to its lowest point in the Great Depression. The Great Crash had begun in 1929, and this was the darkest day. Dow Jones Industrial Average, 41.22
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul08.html

[headlines]
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This Day in American History

    1584-In a letter dated this date from Giovanni da Verrazano, the Florentine explorer, to Francis I, king of France “...took a Native American) childe from...(an) olde woman to bring into France, and going about to take...(a) young woman which was very beautiful and of tall stature, they could not possibly, for the great outcries that she made, bring her to the sea; and especially having great woods to pass through and being farre from the ship, we purposed to leave her behinde, beareing away the childe only.”
  The diaries and letters of the day describe encounters with Indians, capturing them for slaves, describing Native American life.
http://www.lihistory.com/vault/hs215a1v.htm
    1775- Representatives of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Providence, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina signed a petition from the Congress to the King (George III), a final attempt by moderates in the Second Continental Congress to avoid a complete break with England. After the American Revolutionary War over 300,000 loyalist citizens to King George returned to England ( more than a third of the population was “loyal” to the king.) Many also elected to remain in the United Colonies, as it was then called.
    1776- the first public reading of the Declaration was given by Colonel John Nixon to
  the assembled residents at Philadelphia's Independence Square. He had been chosen
by the sheriff of Philadelphia ( in those days, the highest ranking citizen of
a town as per English tradition ). The next day the Declaration was read before George Washington's troops in New York City.
    1844- Mary Johnson Bailey Lincoln birthday - teacher at the Boston Cooking School who authored the great Boston Cook Book which contained the daringly innovative recipe measurement methods as well as explaining the how's of cooking, hygiene, and nutrition.
   Most publishers frowned on such books because women were thought to be born with the innate knowledge of cooking. Publishers thought such directions were unnecessary and women would refuse to buy the "insulting" books. The Boston Cook Book became an instant best seller.
http://www.foodhistory.com/ur/lincolnmj/
http://members.aol.com/acalendar/May/cia.html
    1846-U.S. Annexes California. San Francisco had a town of 96 votes
with fifty dwellings.
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist10/cowan.html
    1850-The overland gold rush to California through Fort Laramie, Wyo., involved 42,300 emigrants and 9720 wagons between January 1 and July 8.
  Over 90% of the population of California was male.
  Nine years later men still outnumbered women six to one.
    1853-Admiral Perry and US Navy “visit” Japan
http://www.grifworld.com/first.html
http://www.grifworld.com/planning.html
http://www.baxleystamps.com/litho/ry_litho_narrative.shtml
    1856-Charles E. Barnes of Lowell, MA, obtained a patent on an “improved automatic cannon.”
  It was operated by a crank, the speed of firing depending upon the speed with which the crank was turned. It was primitive and before
the “metal gun cartridge.”
  Richard J. Gatling of Indianapolis, Indiana obtained
a patent on November 4, 1862, on “ an improvement in revolving battery guns.” The first gun, which fired 250 shots a minute, was made in Indianapolis. Dr. Richard Jordan Gatling, a medical doctor with numerous patents in farm equipment to his credit, devised the famous Model 1862 “Revolving Battery Gun” now simply referred to as the Gatling gun.
  Although not first to manufacture a multi-fire weapon, he was the first to produce a reliable, rapid fire, “machine gun.”
  The rest, as they say, is history. The Gatling gun was a hand-crank-operated weapon, comprised of six barrels revolving around a central shaft. The original gun was actually designed to fire the standard military issue paper cartridge of the day, .58 caliber.
  The paper cartridge was placed inside a steel or brass chamber with percussion nipple on the back end just like muzzle loading rifles and pistols of the time.
  The cartridges were gravity-fed through a hopper mounted on the top of the gun. Six cam-operated bolts alternately wedged, fired, and dropped the bullets, which were contained in steel chambers. Gatling used the six barrels to partially cool the gun during firing. Since the gun was capable of firing 600 rounds a minute, each barrel fired 100 rounds per minute.
  Major General Benjamin F. Butler purchased 12 Model 1862 Gatling guns for $1,000 each, in 1863 and employed them
  at the battle of Petersburg. (We wrote about the seven day battle last week)
http://library.uml.edu/clh/Butler/Bencart.Html
Butler is the same fellow hated in New Orleans for his actions while he occupied the city.
  I could find no information about the first use of the Gatling gun, except : “His failure to act decisively with the Army of the Potomac against Petersburg, and following his ability to grasp defeat from the jaws of victory during the first expedition against Fort Fisher, North Carolina in December 1864, led to General Butler's forced resignation from the Army.” As an interesting side note, what we see in movies today and usually displayed or shot is not the original model 1862.
  Most probably, it is a model 1873 or later version.
  All in all, the 1862 Gatling gun is one of the greatest design achievements in military armament ever created ranking up with breech loading weapons and metallic cartridges in significance to modern warfare.
In January of 1865, Gatling proposed is his improved model 1865 gun to the U.S. Government, which was subsequently tested by the Ordnance Department. This model was adopted officially in 1866.
  It served the frontier, enabling the Union Calvary to be of small number in domineering the West.
  After receiving government approval, Gatling began to sell his guns throughout the world, where they achieved world-wide fame.
  Twenty five countries, twenty nine calibers, and 55 years later, the hand-crank Gatling gun was finally retired from U.S. military service just months prior to the U.S. entered World War 1.
  Even then, it remained deployed into the middle 1920's stateside.
  Tucked away in storage for over 30 years, an original model 1883 in 45-70 caliber, was able to successfully fire 5,600 rounds per minute by hooking it up to an electric motor.
  This ultimately became the forerunner of today's Vulcan system capable of firing 6000 rounds per minute of 20 mm cannon shells.
    1861-Winfield Scott, general in chief of the Union army, announced that the Washington telegraph office would not longer carry “dispatches concerning the operations of the army not permitted by the commanding general.” All stories
had to be cleared first with the Army as “press accounts of the activities in Washington, DC, might prove helpful to the enemy.
    1863- JEB Stuart At The Battle of Gettysburg
Taken From” The Life and Campaigns of Major-General JEB Stuart"
By H. B. Mcclellan, A.M. Late Major, Assistant Adjutant-General.
From the 8th to the 12th of July Stuart covered the front of Lee's army, which had now taken a strong position, and was securely entrenched while waiting for the waters of the Potomac to fall. These days were occupied by severe fighting between Stuart's command and the divisions of Buford and Kilpatrick, at Boons-boro', Beaver Creek, Funkstown, and on the Sharpsburg front. The cavalry fought mostly dismounted, and was aided on either side by small bodies of infantry. It would be tedious to enter into all the details of these battles, in which both parties claim the victory, and with apparent sincerity. Stuart reports an aggregate loss of 216 in these engagements, while Generals Buford and Kilpatrick and Colonel Huey report a loss of 158. Stuart accomplished the object he had in view, which was to delay the advance of the enemy until General Lee was secure in his chosen position. On the 12th of July Stuart uncovered Lee's front, against which the Federal army advanced, but found it so strong that it declined to make an attack. These days will be remembered by the members of General Stuart's staff as days of peculiar hardship. Scanty rations had been issued to the men, but nothing was provided for the officers. The country had been swept bare of provisions, and we could purchase nothing. For four or five days in succession we received our only food, after nightfall, at the hands of a young lady in Hagerstown, whose father, a Southerner, sympathized with the Confederacy. But for the charity of this lady, whose name we shall always gratefully remember, we would have suffered the pangs of severe hunger. The attention of students of psychology is called to an incident which occurred at this time. After a day of incessant fighting Stuart and his officers reached the house of this friend about nine o'clock in the night. While food was being prepared Stuart fell asleep on the sofa in the parlor. When supper was announced he refused to rise. Knowing that he had eaten nothing within twenty-four hours, and that food was even more necessary for him than sleep, I took him by the arm and compelled him to his place at the table. His eyes were open, but he ate sparingly and without relish. Thinking that the supper did not suit him, our kind hostess inquired:--
 "General, perhaps you would relish a hard-boiled egg?"

       "Yes," he replied, "I'll take four or five."
This singular reply caused a good deal of astonishment on the part of all who heard it, but nothing was said at the time. The eggs were produced; Stuart broke one and ate it, and then rose from the table. When we returned to the parlor I sat down at the piano, and commenced singing, "If you want to have a good time, join the cavalry." The circumstances hardly made the song appropriate, but the chorus roused the general, and he joined in it with a hearty good will. During all this time he had
    1863-Confederate General Lee decided to take the war to the enemy, specifically Washington,DC, which he hope to capture and thus have the war ended.. On June 13, he defeated Union forces at Winchester, Virginia, and continued north to Pennsylvania. General Hooker, who had been planning to attack Richmond, was instead forced to follow Lee. Hooker, never comfortable with his commander, General Halleck, resigned on June 28, and General George Meade replaced him as commander of the Army of the Potomac.
  On July 1, a chance encounter between Union and Confederate forces began the Battle of Gettysburg. In the fighting that followed, Meade had greater numbers and better defensive positions. He won the battle, but failed to follow Lee as he retreated back to Virginia. Militarily, the Battle of Gettysburg was the high-water mark of the Confederacy; it is also significant because it ended Confederate hopes of formal recognition by foreign governments. The days following Lee's retreat saw major battles won by the Union Army is General Grant's long time plan to cut off supplies to Confederate troops. On November 19, President Lincoln dedicated a portion of the Gettysburg battlefield as a national cemetery, and delivered his memorable "Gettysburg Address."
Photographs of the battleground began immediately after the battle of July 1-3. This group of photographs also includes a scene of Hooker's troops in Virginia on route to Gettysburg.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/I?cwar:2:./temp/~ammem_
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    1889-John L. Sullivan, heavyweight champion of the world, defeated Jake Kilrain in the 75^th round of a fight in Richburg, MS. This was the last bare-knuckles title fight after which boxing was governed by the Marquess of Queensbury rules.
    1908-July 8, Louis Jordan Birthday
http://www.louisjordan.com/index.asp
    1908- jazz alto saxophonist and singer Louis Jordan, whose records in the 1940's with his Tympany Five helped shape the R'n'B of the following decade, was born in Brinkley, Arkansas. After playing with several big bands, Jordan formed his combo in 1938. For the next decade, they produced blues and novelty records such as "Caldonia," "Let the Good Times Roll" and "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie," a million-seller in 1946. Jordan's 1943 hit "Five Guys Named Moe" became the title of a 1990's Broadway musical based on his songs.
  Many blues and R'n'B artists grew up listening to Jordan's music, and among those acknowledging his influence are Chuck Berry and Ray Charles.
  Louis Jordan died on February 4th, 1975.
http://www.louisjordan.com/index.asp
http://www.zoo.co.uk/~primer/pdjordan.html
http://www.jandr.com/JRMusicDiscPage.process?P_Id=P+++++6859
    1911- Nan Jane Aspinwall rode into New York City carrying a letter to Mayor William Jay Gaynor from San Francisco Mayor Patrick Henry McCarthy, becoming the first woman to cross the US on horseback. She began her trip in San Francisco on Sept 1,1910, and covered 4,500 miles in 301 days.
    1914- birthday of Billy Eckstine, bandleader and bass-baritone
singer.
  After performing with the Earl Hines band for almost 20 years,
Eckstine formed his own band in 1944.
  At one time or another in the band's
ranks included Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Fats Navarro,
Dexter Gordon, Gene Ammons, Art Blakey and vocalist Sarah Vaughn---some
of the greatest bebop musicians of all time.
  Among Eckstine's hits were
“Fools Rush In,” “ Everything I Have Is Yours,” “ Blue Moon,”
  and
“Body and Soul.”
  Billy Eckstine died March 8, 1993 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
the city where he also was born.
http://www.steveandeydie.com/
http://www.britannica.com/blackhistory/micro/185/30.html
    1932-The stock market fell to its lowest point in the Great Depression.
  The Great Crash had begun in 1929, and this was the darkest day. Dow Jones Industrial Average, 41.22
   http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul08.html
    1933—Birthday of author James Giblin.
http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/authordetail.cfm?authorID=3229
http://www.mccsc.edu/~jcmslib/yhb/authors/giblin.html
    1935-Birthday of Steve Lawrence ( Sidney Liebowitz) pop singer born in Brooklyn, New York. His "Go Away Little Girl" was a number-one hit in 1962. Lawrence, who got his start as a singer on the "Tonight" show in 1954, had more than 20 chart records. He and his wife, Eydie Gorme, often recorded and performed together.
    1949—Top Hits
Some Enchanted Evening - Perry Como
Again - Gordon Jenkins
Bali Ha'i - Perry Como
One Kiss Too Many - Eddy Arnold
    1953--SHEA, RICHARD T., JR. Medal of Honor Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company A 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Sokkogae, Korea, 6 to 8 July 1953. Entered service at: Portsmouth, Va. Born: 3 January 1927, Portsmouth, Va. G.O. No.: 38, 8 June 1955. Citation: 1st Lt. Shea, executive officer, Company A, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and indomitable courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. On the night of 6 July, he was supervising the reinforcement of defensive positions when the enemy attacked with great numerical superiority. Voluntarily proceeding to the area most threatened, he organized and led a counterattack and, in the bitter fighting which ensued, closed with and killed 2 hostile soldiers with his trench knife. Calmly moving among the men, checking positions, steadying and urging the troops to hold firm, he fought side by side with them throughout the night. Despite heavy losses, the hostile force pressed the assault with determination, and at dawn made an all-out attempt to overrun friendly elements. Charging forward to meet the challenge, 1st Lt. Shea and his gallant men drove back the hostile troops. Elements of Company G joined the defense on the afternoon of 7 July, having lost key personnel through casualties. Immediately integrating these troops into his unit, 1st Lt. Shea rallied a group of 20 men and again charged the enemy. Although wounded in this action, he refused evacuation and continued to lead the counterattack. When the assaulting element was pinned down by heavy machine gun fire, he personally rushed the emplacement and, firing his carbine and lobbing grenades with deadly accuracy, neutralized the weapon and killed 3 of the enemy. With forceful leadership and by his heroic example, 1st Lt. Shea coordinated and directed a holding action throughout the night and the following morning. On 8 July, the enemy attacked again. Despite additional wounds, he launched a determined counterattack and was last seen in close hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. 1st Lt. Shea's inspirational leadership and unflinching courage set an illustrious example of valor to the men of his regiment, reflecting lasting glory upon himself and upholding the noble traditions of the military service.
    1957-"Teddy Bear" became Elvis Presley's eighth US number one hit in the past fifteen months.
    1957—Top Hits
Teddy Bear - Elvis Presley
Love Letters in the Sand - Pat Boone
Over the Mountain; Across the Sea - Johnnie & Joe
Four Walls - Jim Reeves
    1958 - The first gold record album presented by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) was awarded. It went to the soundtrack LP, "Oklahoma!". The honor signified that the album had reached one million dollars in sales. The first gold single issued by the RIAA was "Catch a Falling Star", by Perry Como, in March of 1958. A gold single also represents sales of one million records.
    1958-The first Gold record album presented by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) was awarded to the soundtrack LP, "Oklahoma". The honor signified that the album had reached one million dollars in sales. The first Gold single issued by the RIAA was "Catch a Falling Star" by Perry Como in March of 1958. A Gold single represented sales of one million records.
    1958-Hank Ballard records a self-penned tune called "The Twist" at Vee-Jay Records' studios in Gary, Indiana. A re-recorded version released by King Records would make a modest splash on the R&B charts in 1959, but it would take Chubby Checker to make a giant hit out of it in 1960.
    1960 - Storer Broadcasting Company purchased WINS radio in New York City for $10 million. It was the highest price paid for a radio station (to that time). Many great radio personalities including Murray the K, Bruce Morrow and Alan Freed were stars on WINS Radio. WINS, under Storer ownership, also aired some very clever promotions, including the time they drove the New York media crazy. It was a discovery (thought to be a rare find) in the back seat of a New York taxicab: a clay tablet that looked to be Egyptian and had carvings on it. Upon closer examination, it read, “Everybody's mummy listens to 10-10 WINS!”
    1963-James Brown went to #2 on the US album chart with "Live At The Apollo". The LP spent a total of 33 weeks on the chart.
    1963-Freddie and The Dreamers record "I'm Telling You Now", which would climb to number 2 in England. When it was released in the US the following year, during the height of the British Invasion, it made the Top Ten.
    1965-The Dave Clark Five followed the Beatles onto the silver screen with a movie of their own called Catch Us If You Can. The film was renamed to having a Wild Weekend for its US release and featured the group performing "Catch Us If You Can", "Having a Wild Weekend" and "I Can't Stand It".
    1965—Top Hits
I Can't Help Myself - Four Tops
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
For Your Love - The Yardbirds
Before You Go - Buck Owens
    1965-Roy Wilkins becomes executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
http://www.tccom.com/wilkins/
    1967—Tennis player Billie Jean King of the United Sates won three titles at Wimbledon.
  She beat Anny Haydon Jones for the singles title, teamed with Rosie Casals for the women's doubles title and joined with Owen Davidson to capture the mixed doubles title.
    1968-the first movie directed by an African-American director to be released in the United States was “Story of a Three Day Pass,” directed by Melvin Van Peeble,
   His story of an African-American serviceman on leave in France, based on his book of the same name, led to his being signed by Columbia Pictures to make more files for African-
American audiences.
http://www.info-france-usa.org/culture/cinema/festival/vanpeebles.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6304446195/e22digital.6/102-8917386-9557756
http://pages.prodigy.net/ja-cas/filmmakers.html
    1970-The Everly Brothers Summer TV series debuts on CBS-TV for the first of a ten week run.
    1970 - The San Francisco Giant's Jim Ray Hart hit for the cycle (a single, double, triple and home run in one game). Hart became the first National League player in 59 seasons to collect six runs batted in (RBI) during a single inning. The Giants walloped the Atlanta Braves 13-0.
    1972-34 year old Bill Withers had the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Lean On Me", his second US Top Ten hit after "Ain't No Sunshine" in September 1971. The song reached #18 in the UK.
    1973—Top Hits
Will It Go Round in Circles - Billy Preston
Kodachrome - Paul Simon
Bad, Bad Leroy Brown - Jim Croce
Why Me - Kris Kristofferson
    1978-Following in the disco footsteps of his older Bee Gee brothers, Andy Gibb gets into the act with "Shadow Dancing." The album peaks at #18, while the title track reaches number one
    1978- Bjorn Borg of Sweden won 3rd consecutive title at Wimbledon
    1981—Top Hits
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
All Those Years Ago - George Harrison
The One that You Love - Air Supply
I was Country When Country Wasn't Cool - Barbara Mandrell
    1984 - John McEnroe made short work of Jimmy Connors at Wimbledon. Connors managed to win only four games and tied for the second lowest number of games won by a Wimbledon men's singles finalist since 1922. McEnroe won the event in just 1 hour 20 minutes.
    1985 - Pro Football Hall of Famer Jack Lambert of the Pittsburgh Steelers announced his retirement on this, his 33rd birthday. A 1974 second-round draft choice from Kent State University in Ohio, Lambert played 11 seasons with the Steelers. He racked up several awards including the NFL's Rookie of the Year [1974], Defensive Player of the Year [1976]; and nine consecutive Pro Bowls [1975-1983]. Jack Lambert was a major chunk of the Steel Curtain and owns four Super Bowl rings to prove it.
    1985--Both "Playboy" and "Penthouse" magazines went on sale with nude pictures of Madonna
    1987 –The Iran-Contra hearings began, covered live on television.   While Lt. Col. Oliver North was being interviewed, contrary to internet mailings, Senator Al Gore was not on the committee, nor did Osa Bin Laden name come up, as this was over fifteen years ago.
    1987 -Kitty Dukakis, wife of Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, who was the following year to become the Democratic candidate, revealed addiction to amphetamines for 26 years
    1988 - Thirty cities in the north central and northeastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Beckley, WV, equaled their all-time record with a high of 93 degrees. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms spawned seven tornadoes in Adams and Logan counties of eastern Colorado, and hail caused 2.3 million dollars damage in Adams, Logan and Washington counties
    1988-singer/composer Stevie Wonder announces he will run for mayor of Detroit in 1992
    1989-—Top Hits
Satisfied - Richard Marx
Buffalo Stance - Neneh Cherry
Baby Don't Forget My Number - Milli Vanilli
I Don't Want to Spoil the Party - Roseanne Cash
    1989 - Sixteen cities in the central and western U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. The high of 103 degrees at Denver, CO, equaled their record for July, and a 110 degree reading at Rapid City, SD, equaled their all-time record high. Denver reported a record five straight days of 100 degree heat, and Scottsbluff, NE, reported a record eight days in a row of 100 degree weather.
    1990- Germany beats Argentina 1-0 for soccer's 14th World Cup at Rome
    1990- Stefan Edberg beats Boris Becker for Wimbledon title
    1994- Elton John and Billy Joel kicked off a 14 city tour in Philadelphia. They shared vocals on each other's hits, including John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and Joel's "Piano Man" and "New York State of Mind."
    2000 --The Yankees sweep their cross-town rivals in the first double-ballpark doubleheader since 1903 with identical scores, 4-2 in an afternoon tilt at Shea and 4-2 in an evening contest at Yankee Stadium. It proves to be quite an interesting day in New York as Mike Piazza is hospitalized after being beaned by Roger Clemens, Dwight Gooden gets first Shea win since 1994 and a bizarre obstruction call on Mets' first baseman Todd Zielle causes the first game to be played under protest.
    2000 ---After Jose Cruz Jr. hits #20 in a 6-3 win over the Expos, the Blue Jays become the first team in major league history to have four batters to hit 20 or more homers before the All-Star break.

[headlines]

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Baseball Poem

Listening to Baseball

This morning I argued with a friend
about angels. I didn't believe
in his belief in them-- I cannot
believe they're not a metaphor.
Our argument, affectionate,
lacking an animus, went nowhere.
We promised to talk again soon.
Now, when I'm driving away
from Boston and the Red Sox
are losing, I hear the announcer
say, 'No angels in the sky today' -
baseball-ese for a cloudless afternoon,
no shadows to help a man
who waits in the outfield
staring into the August sun.
Although I know the announcer's
not a rabbi or a sage (no,
he's a sort of sage, disconsolate
philosopher of batting slumps
and injuries), still, I scan
the pale blue sky through my
polarized windshield, fervently
hopeful for my fading team
and I feel something a little
foolish, a prayerful throbbing
in my throat, and remember
being told years ago that men
are only little lower
than the angels. Floating ahead of me
at the Vermont border, I see
a few wispy, horse mane clouds
which I quietly pray will drift
down to Fenway Park, where
a demonic opponent has just
slammed another Red Sox pitch,
and the centerfielder - call him 'Jim' -
runs back, back, back,
looking heavenward,
and is shielded and doesn't lose
the white ball in the glare.

JIM LEHRER

[headlines]

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SuDoku

The object is to insert the numbers in the boxes to satisfy only one condition: each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 exactly once. What could be simpler?

http://leasingnews.org/Soduku/soduko-main.htm

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Daily Puzzle

How to play:
http://www.setgame.com/set/puzzle_frame.htm

Refresh for current date:
http://www.setgame.com/set/puzzle_frame.htm

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http://www.gasbuddy.com/
http://www.gasbuddy.com/GB_Map_Gas_Prices.aspx
http://www.gasbuddy.com/GB_Mobile_Instructions.aspx

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Weather

See USA map, click to specific area, no commercials

http://www.weather.gov/

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Traffic Live---

Real Time Traffic Information

You can save up to 20 different routes and check them out with one click,
or type in a new route to learn the traffic live

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