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

ELFA President on Financial Regulation Reform

Washington, D.C., – William G. Sutton, CAE, President of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), late yesterday released the following statement on the passage of financial regulatory reform legislation:

“The Senate’s passage earlier today of the conference report (H.R. 4173) on financial regulatory reform represents a significant change in the regulatory landscape for the commercial finance sector and will have important implications for ELFA member companies.

“The ELFA’s key objective throughout the legislative process was to have policymakers recognize the importance of the equipment finance sector to the capital markets and draw appropriate distinctions between the commercial leasing and finance sector and other financial institutions and products.

“During the critical upcoming regulatory process, the ELFA will work closely with appropriate federal agencies to establish sound rules that will continue to allow this industry to provide capital to businesses, governments and the non-profit sector for investment in capital plant and equipment.”

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

Classified Ads---Sales

Cherry Hill, NJ College grad seeking entry level sales position for equipment leasing and financing in small to mid-size ticket markets. Have 6 months experience in the industry and self-motivated. Contact Matt at 609-280-2178 or email at mkuzan@gmail.com

California Aggressive, competitive self-starter with vendor/direct equipment leasing and asset-based lending experience. Success in business banking sales and financial planning. Email: dsp559@hotmail.com | Resume

South Central, FL Years of exp in mid-ticket niched leasing. Not currently in leasing. Seek entry or other position with direct lender. David34983@att.net

Minneapolis, MN 16 years leasing experience from micro to large ticket market, variety of equipment. Most recently calling on vendor telecom dealers in Upper Midwest.  golfadm@yahoo.com

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. 334-590-5133 E-mail: billmcneal2003@yahoo.com

Orange County, CA 20+ years in leasing sales & sales management. Have estab. existing remote office with Lessee /Vender following. Looking for a partnership w/funding source. shermbp@gmail.com

Philadelphia Metro Area - 30 Years experience Healthcare sales/ management- 3 years experience newly create "small-ticket" healthcare division. Good success - Mitch Utz 215-460-4483 Email: mitutz@msn.com

Philadelphia, Pa 16 years small to large ticket sales exp., variety equip. w/vendor & direct. Top performer, building new and existing territories. Email at phillylease@hotmail.com

Pittsburgh , PA Aggressive self starter looking for leasing position w/10 plus yrs sales exp., plus banking experience 814-227-4592 mwiser500@hotmail.com

Pittsburgh, PA Over 25 years of leasing experience including Captive, Dealer, Broker, and Third Party. Multiple equipment types. Seeking a Territory or National Sales position. vsiegel2@aol.com

San Francisco Bay Area: Business Development “Hunter” with transferable book of business in multiple segments: commercial construction, technology, fitness, etc. Years of managerial experience: can also be a “player/coach”. E-mail: VdrPgmBizDev@aol.com

Texas/Oklahoma 15 year lease vet looking for plact to take business.great references. all major equipment types. open to compensation. please contact if interested. E-mail: bankingdallas@yahoo.com

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

Other e-Mail Posting Sites:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Posting_sites.htm

Maricle Arrested in Florida Advance Rental Scam
by Kit Menkin

It is not uncommon in the leasing business to close a business, or even bankrupt it, and then open again under another name. This appears to happen often in the leasing business, and the person involved goes back to doing the same thing that got him in trouble before, accepted by his colleagues on LinkedIn, and also by funding sources. (many who continue to do business with those on the Leasing News Complaint Bulletin Board)

Among those reported active are Mike Cingari, Colonial Pacific-MSM Capital fame, Stan & Scott Daniels of SDI Capital, Mark McQuitty of Capital Werks, as well as Rudy Trebels of IFC Credit.

The list is longer and includes Jeff Maricle who went back in business right away after closing Global Funding LLC, Clearwater, Florida, in November, 2008, owing advance rentals, commissions, and employees, too. At Global, he grew to 18 employees, collecting 83 applications a week, he told Leasing News at the time. In October 2008, a civil jury in Pinellas County found Global Funding had committed fraud in one case and ordered Maricle to repay more than $18,000 to a customer from Indiana. His main source at the time was SunBridge Capital.

Maricle told Leasing News he went to work at Global 2003; he purchased it in 2005, primarily with some vendors and forms, and went through the Wildwood Financial School to learn more about leasing and build his business. He said he followed what he learned at Wildwood, and spoke highly of the program and the current information and services provided by the National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers (NAELB) for people new in business.

His greatest success came from an interview form that he developed to ask questions of applicants to find out what tier they belonged in, he told Leasing News at the time. He said as long as the answers were honest, his company knew where to place the trucking finance applications. He originally said the questions were geared to learn if they were wasting their time or could possibly place the applicant. The form grew almost into a pre-approval, he stated, knowing which Tier to send the application to.

He was arrested July 13, 2010 on two charges, "Unlawful Collection of Advance Fees" and "Grand Theft" (1- Sheriff Arrest Report.) The Florida Attorney's General Office reported they had over 50 complaints from California to New York and Canada, too about his new company Landmark Leasing LLC.

Equipment leases are largely unregulated in Florida, and there is no prohibition on collecting advance lease payments. GCR Equipment, Safety Harbor, Florida, who at one time had 35 employees, recently closed after several charges by the Florida Attorney General, many of them resolved, but not at the end when the doors closed, including a Leasing News complaint about not paying a leasing broker their commission.

Advance Rental regulations were proposed in Florida, but the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association was instrumental here as they have been in not requiring verification in advance by the lessor regarding end of lease residuals in Evergreen and Winter Green leases. In the Florida case, the National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers also contributed that the law was not necessary regarding advance rentals.

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2010/2_22.htm#naelb

Maricle Arrest Record:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/maricle_report.pdf

 

"Complaints" Bulletin Board

Customer Complaints ( These are postings for informational purposes. Any response, correction, addition, will be posted. We reserve the right to edit or delete any opinion that is not in good taste)

YEAR 2010

GCR Capital, Safety Harbor, Florida Bulletin Board Complaint

Structured Business Capital, Huntington Beach, CA Updated: Bulletin Board Complaint

Structured Business Capital, Huntington Beach, CA Bulletin Board Complaint

Barklay Capital, Inc., Costa Mesa, CA Bulletin Board Complaint

Balboa Capital, Irvine, California Bulletin Board Complaint

Benchmark Financial Groups, LLC, Aliso Viejo, CA Bulletin Board Complaint

Barklay Capital, Inc., Costa Mesa, CA Bulletin Board Complaint

Business Direct Capital, Carlsbad, California Bulletin Board Complaint

Business Direct Capital, Carlsbad, California Bulletin Board Complaint

Worldwide Financial Group, California and Nevada Bulletin Board Complaint

Ability Capital Solutions (“ACS” formerly “Matrix”) Long Beach, California Bulletin Board Complaint

Matrix Business Capital, Long Beach, California Bulletin Board Complaint

YEAR 2009

Benchmark Financial Groups, Aliso Viejo, CA Bulletin Board Complaint

Benchmark Financial Groups, Aliso Viejo, CA Bulletin Board Complaint

Benchmark Financial Groups, Aliso Viejo, CA Bulletin Board Complaint

Benchmark Financial Groups, Aliso Viejo, CA Bulletin Board Complaint

Churchill Group/Churchill Leasing, Jericho, NY Bulletin Board Complaint

Marlin Leasing, Mount Laurel, New Jersey Bulletin Board Complaint--Up-Date

IFC Credit, Morton Grove, Illinois Bulletin Board Complaint--Up-Date

IFC Credit Corp. dba First Corp Bulletin Board Complaint--Up-Date

IFC Credit Corp. dba First Corp. Bulletin Board Complaint

IFC Credit, Morton Grove, Illinois Bulletin Board Complaint

Benchmark Financial Group, Aliso Viejo, CA Bulletin Board Complaint

Benchmark Financial Group, Aliso Viejo , CA Bulletin Board Complaint

Enterprising Capital Partners, Inc. dba Enterprise Leasing, Spokane, Washington Bulletin Board Complaint

IFC Credit, Morton Grove, Illinois - Update

IFC Credit, Morton Grove, Illinois

American Capital Group, Inc. Irvine, California

YEAR 2008

Southwest Credit, San Antonio, TX

Balboa Capital, Irvine, California

Balboa Capital, Irvine, California

Balboa Capital, Irvine, California

Alliance Funding Group, Orange, California

Omega Capital Partners, Austin, Texas

YEAR 2007

Balboa Capital, Irvine, CA William J. "Bill" Weldon dba Production Finance

YEAR 2006

Balboa Capital, Irvine, California American Equipment Finance, Warren , NJ

YEAR 2005

Ramsgate Leasing Systems, Bergenfield, NJ Bridge Capital Leasing, Mission Viejo, CA

YEAR 2004

2nd Bulletin Board Complaint --- Phoenix Alliance, Dana point, Ca. Alert---Harold Bishop, Inc. Summerville, Georgia Lease *Alliance, Bloonfield Hills, MI. 10/4/2004 Titus Holding, Eureka, Montana 9/21/2004 Phoenix Alliance, Dana Point, Ca 9/16/2004 Union Capital, Irvine, California Dimension Funding, Irvine, California Bridge Capital, Lake Forest, California --- Third Bulletin Board Complaint Bridge Capital, Lake Forest, California---Two Complaints

YEAR 2003

Avalon Southwest, Ken Hartley, Dallas Texas Aventura Funding Corp. Dania, Florida 11/11/2003 Abacus Leasing --- 2/10/2003

YEAR 2002

Triangle Financial Services 12/3/2002 Precom “Rescinds” Acquisition of Saddleback Financial's Assets 8/21/2002 The Funding Tree Stories---also see Bad Boys Photoshop Owner: Open Complaint 7/16/2002 Saddleback Financial, Orange, CA-Salesmen/ Vendors Not Paid   7/3/2002 MSM Capital, Irvine, California 5/23/02---also see Bad Boys Molloy and Associates/MonitorDaily Complaint 5/20/2002 Flex Lease, Plano, Texas Complaint 1/10/2002

YEAR 2001

Tribex Capital Resume Fraud 11/05/2001 Regional Sales Manager for Saddleback Financial  11/05/2001 Parker Leasing, Ft. Lauderdale,FL 10/08/2001 Fraud Alert Telecom Management Washington Communications 7/20/01 Ted Pierce---Colonial Pacific/GE Lament 7/11/01 Fraud Alert: Vector Services, Granite Bay, Ca. 7/3/01 U.S. Capital, Santa Barbara, California 2/14/2001 Lease Capital/Martin J. Barteske Complaint 1/06/2001

YEAR 2000

NAELB Expels Lease Capital Corporation/Principal Martin J. Barteske 11/16/2000 FMC Leasing Confirms Gibraltor Financial Complaint 10/05/2000 Gibraltor Financial Complaint 10/04/2000 Leasing Network Purchase Option Problems 7/26/2000 Universal Capital reported by Citation Financial 7/19/2000 Universal Capital Service 7/5/2000 Universal Finance/Manufacturing 6/12/2000 Metropolitan Group Question 6/1/2000

Cartoon---RT Running his leasing company from Stateville in Joilet

2009 Unprecedented Net Income Decline 55%

Washington, DC,— The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA)released its 2010 Survey of Equipment Finance Activity (SEFA), which shows pre-tax income and net income, in dollar terms, declined by 55.7 percent and 54.4 percent, respectively.

Independent equipment finance organizations had the largest decline in new business volume with a rate of 46.3 percent, while new business volume for Banks and Captives declined by 26.1 percent and 20.9 percent, respectively.

From an asset perspective, new business volume by equipment type declined for all categories with transportation and construction equipment hardest hit and computer equipment investment close behind. Similar trends were seen in equipment investment by end-user industry with construction, utilities and services showing the sharpest declines.

Other key findings:

Portfolio Performance. Equipment finance organizations report average charge-offs of 1.6 percent of the average net lease receivables balance, up from 0.7 percent in 2008. Receivables over 90 days rose to 1.4 percent from 1.0 percent the prior year.

Margins. Average pre-tax yield decreased to 7.15 percent from 7.29 percent in 2008. Average cost of funds were lower at 3.30 percent, down from 4.21 percent in 2008. Pre-tax spreads increased to an average of 3.85 percent from 3.08 percent in 2008.

Lease Applications Processed. Total number of applications submitted (1.87 million) is down from 2008 (1.96 million), with the number of applications approved (66.9 percent) also declining when compared to the previous year (72.5 percent).

Workforce. Total number of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees declined in all types of equipment finance organizations. Headcount of Independents fell 9.7 percent, while Bank and Captive FTEs declined 5.3 percent and 3.8 percent respectively.

Once again, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP managed the survey for the ELFA, ensuring confidentiality, integrity and quality of the submitted data and results.

The 2010 SEFA is available for purchase at
http://www.elfaonline.org/cvweb_elfa/cgi-bin/msascartlist.dll/ProductInfo?productcd=RSEFA2010

SEFA survey participants may receive the report at no charge.

About the 2010 Survey of Equipment Finance Activity
ELFA’s 2010 SEFA results were compiled from surveys sent to 341 eligible ELFA members, of which 100 companies representing 106 entities submitted 2009 U.S. domestic lease and loan data. Of the 2010 respondents, 91.5 percent also submitted data to the 2009 survey, including nine ELFA members in the 2009 Monitor Top 10 and 37 ELFA members in the 2009 Monitor Top 50 of the largest U.S. equipment finance organizations.

For more information about this survey or ELFA Industry Research, please call Bill Choi at 202-238-3413 or please go to http://www.elfaonline.org/ind/Research/

(Leasing News provides this ad “gratis” as a means
to help support the growth of Lease Police)

Help Wanted Ad Pricing Criteria Smaller Ads $595.00 minimum for four lines Larger Ads $100 per line thereafter (skipped line will be counted as a line) Additional Options - Design work to help create the ad is free. - Description of your company is free (company description cannot have more lines than your ad) - Contract and repeat discounts are available.

All rates are subject to change.

Ads run a minimum of 21 days on the web site ( holidays not included.)  There are placed in the "Help Wanted' section by category, alphabetical, with the largest ad in the category first. Copy may be amended without any extra charge.

It is also our policy to place "help wanted" ads above the news edition headlines. This position is not available as a paid position, but appear on the top of the news edition in a rotation basis. This position is not guaranteed,but is a practice to give advertisers more attention to their ad. 

Please send an email to kitmenkin@leasingnews.org to post a Help Wanted Ad.

Here are some samples of various size ads:
www.leasingnews.org/Classified/examples.htm

If you prefer a " non-employment" ad, we sell a banner ad, please
click here for pricing.

If you would like more information, please contact: kitmenkin@leasingnews.org

We reserve the right to refuse any advertising.

Ads for employment should be placed in the classified ad section, where it is possible to also appear at the top of the headlines.

No changing or alternating banner ads.

Ad copy may be up-dated or changed at any time during the time period.

No charge for artwork or design.

To see sample size of ads, please go here.

Industry awaits the issuance of a proposed lease-accounting revision

ELFA News

A recently delayed exposure draft containing the latest thinking by the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board on an outline of a lease-accounting standard to replace SFAS 13 is expected to be published next month. The exposure draft, originally scheduled for release in the second quarter, was pushed back to August to give the boards more time to deliberate on proposed guidance for lessor accounting. Broad concepts dealing with lessee-accounting rules received early and more rigorous consideration by the boards and have been relatively settled, at least at this point in the process. Once issued, the exposure draft will have a 120-day comment period.

On July 7, ELFA met with IASB member Patrick Finnegan at the association's Washington, D.C., office to exchange information on the proposed rules. The association is exploring subsequent opportunities to engage other members of the FASB and the IASB on this matter during the next several months. The association is planning activities, including Web seminars and conferences, that are designed to educate ELFA members on the possible implication of the proposed rules on their businesses. In addition, a round-table briefing in Washington is being planned to provide customer groups and lessees an analysis of the exposure draft and assistance in drafting comment letters to the boards in response to the exposure draft.

This topic will receive much attention at ELFA's annual Lease and Finance Accountants Conference, scheduled Sept. 13 to 15 in Nashville, Tenn. More information about this event can be found at ELFA's website.

Collection of ELFA Documents on FASB and other accounting issues:
http://www.elfaonline.org/ind/topics/Acctg/

2010 Lease and Finance Accountants Conference
9/13/2010 - 9/15/2010
Loews Vanderbilt Hotel
Nashville, TN

Brochure with registration:
http://www.elfaonline.org/cvweb_elfa/cgi-bin/documentdll.dll/view?DOCUMENTNUM=209

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

NetSol North America Sales Rebound After Stream of New Orders From Existing Clients

Sales Gain New Momentum as Clients Pay Additional License Fees to Add More Seats and Features to LeasePak

CALABASAS, Calif., (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- NetSol Technologies, Inc. ("NetSol" or "Company") /quotes/comstock/15*!ntwk/quotes/nls/ntwk (NTWK 0.84, +0.01, +1.21%) (Nasdaq Dubai:NTWK), a U.S. corporation providing global business services and enterprise application solutions to private and public sector organizations worldwide, today announced that North American sales of enhancements to its LeasePak lease management solution have significantly increased from the quarter ended in June 2010 into the current quarter.

Enhancements include the purchase of additional licenses and software upgrades. NetSol Technologies North America has sold additional LeasePak licenses to a number of existing customers, including the finance arm of a large automotive manufacturing company. In addition, the Company has experienced a considerable increase in software upgrade revenue, attributed to new functionality required by North American customers using the LeasePak and Wholesale Finance System.

Najeeb Ghauri, Chairman and CEO of NetSol, commented: "The increase in enhancement-related revenue suggests growing North American demand for our LeasePak product. As our major U.S.-based clients seek to upgrade their existing systems, we look forward to providing them with flexible, modular software solutions to meet their changing needs. We are very upbeat about the long-term outlook for NetSol's products and services in the U.S. market."

For over 30 years, LeasePak has been the lease, loan, and asset solution for leading banks, equipment lessors, commercial loan companies, and vehicle lessors throughout North America. LeasePak is a key component of NetSol Financial Suite's end-to-end lifecycle solution.

About NetSol Technologies, Inc.
NetSol Technologies, Inc. /quotes/comstock/15*!ntwk/quotes/nls/ntwk (NTWK 0.84, +0.01, +1.21%) (Nasdaq Dubai:NTWK) is a worldwide provider of global IT and enterprise application solutions. Since its inception in 1995, NetSol has used its BestShoring(TM) practices and highly experienced resources in analysis, development, quality assurance, and implementation to deliver high-quality, cost-effective solutions. Specialized by industry, these product and services offerings include credit and finance portfolio management systems, SAP consulting and services, custom development, systems integration, and technical services for the global Financial, Leasing, Insurance, Energy, and Technology markets. NetSol's commitment to quality is demonstrated by its achievement of the ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and SEI (Software Engineering Institute) CMMI (Capability Maturity Model) Maturity Level 5 assessments, a distinction shared by fewer than 100 companies worldwide. NetSol Technologies' clients include Fortune 500 manufacturers, global automakers, financial institutions, utilities, technology providers, and government agencies. Headquartered in Calabasas, California, NetSol Technologies has operations and offices in Alameda, Adelaide, Bangkok, Beijing, Karachi, Lahore, London, and Riyadh.

To learn more about NetSol, visit http://www.netsoltech.com.

The NetSol Technologies, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7396

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

Two Southern California Tax Preparers Get Jail Time

Income tax returns and extensions for tax year 2009 were due April 15, 2010. If you filed an extension, you generally have up to six months to file your 2009 individual income tax return (October 15, 2010, for most calendar year taxpayers).

While most tax return preparers provide excellent service to their clients, the Internal Revenue Service urges people to be very careful when choosing a return preparer.

About the IRS’ Return Preparer Program
The IRS Return Preparer Program focuses on enhancing compliance in the return-preparer community by investigating and referring criminal activity by return preparers to the Department of Justice for prosecution. The IRS can also assert appropriate civil penalties against unscrupulous return preparers. For more info on return preparer fraud, go to the link: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=217788,00.html

"In the months following the 2009 tax filing season, legal actions have been taken against several dishonest tax preparers in our communities," said Leslie P. DeMarco, Special Agent in Charge for IRS-Criminal Investigation in Los Angeles. "IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to investigating those individuals who choose to undermine the honesty of our tax system for their personal financial gain, and ensure public confidence in tax professionals.”

Operator of Payless Tax Service in Inglewood Sentenced to Prison in Scheme to File False Tax Returns

A former IRS Revenue Officer was sentenced to spend 41 months in federal prison after being convicted at trial of conspiracy to defraud the United States by filing tax returns that fraudulently sought tax refunds.

Anthony Pendleton, 59, was also ordered by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II to spend 3 years on supervised release after serving his prison sentence. Additionally, Pendleton was ordered by Judge Wright to pay restitution totaling $179,037 to the Internal Revenue Service.

According to court papers, Pendleton, along with co-conspirators Christopher Edwards and Asha Lenard, conspired to file false claims for tax refunds with the IRS. The three, while working at Pendleton’s tax preparation business, Payless Tax Services in Inglewood, California, submitted tax returns for individuals claiming refunds for which they were not entitled to receive. The claims for refunds included, among other things, falsified employment income and dependents.

In addition to Pendleton, co-conspirators Lenard and Edwards earlier pleaded guilty to the same charge. Both face a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a potential fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, when they are sentenced later this year.

In sentencing Pendleton, Judge Wright specified that Pendleton was jointly and severally liable with Lenard and Edwards for the amount of restitution payable to the IRS. Lenard and Edwards are scheduled to be sentenced on September 10, 2010.

Moreno Valley Tax Preparer Convicted of Filing False Tax Returns, Wire Fraud, and Identity Theft

Stole identities to file tax returns and kept refund money

A Moreno Valley woman who was in the business of preparing income tax returns was found guilty of twelve charges relating to tax and financial fraud, and identity theft.

Willena Stargell, 39, of Moreno Valley was convicted by a federal jury following a 5-day trial before the Honorable Terry J. Hatter, Jr., United States District Judge. The jury found Stargell guilty of four counts of preparing false income tax returns, six counts of wire fraud, including wire fraud affecting a financial institution, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, from 2003 through mid-2005, Stargell was a state certified tax preparer operating in Moreno Valley, Riverside County. Stargell had worked at Liberty Tax Service and later opened her own tax preparation business called Liberty Bell Tax Service that she operated out of her home.

According to court documents, the tax returns Stargell prepared contained false information, including false wages, withholding amounts, education expenses, child credits, and dependents. The most common falsehoods contained in returns that Stargell prepared were wages, withholding, and dependents, which together establish eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit. The tax refunds generated by Stargell’s returns came in the form of Refund Anticipation Loans, which are short-term loans issued by a Sponsoring Bank secured by the taxpayer’s expected tax refund.

The evidence at trial revealed that the fraudulent tax returns filed by Stargell sought nearly $600,000 in illegitimate tax refunds.

As a result of the conviction, Stargell faces a statutory maximum sentence of 176 years in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison when she is sentenced on September 13, 2010.

Beverly Hills, California--Adopt-a-Dog

“Star is the sweetest little girl you will ever meet. At only 9 months of age, she was stuck living in a small cage on the porch of a house on a busy street in South Central LA. Now that she is with us, she has been spayed, vaccinated, microchipped, and groomed (new pictures coming soon of her new hairdo!) She is so sweet and so well-behaved for a young pup of her age. Star would love to have a loving home and a soft bed to call her own. Please email us today if you are ready to add STAR to your family!!”

rascalandchloe@yahoo.com
323-718-1648
http://www.rascalandchloe.org

Adopt-a-Pet by Leasing Co. State/City
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Adopt_Pet.htm

Adopt a Pet
http://www.adoptapet.com/

Fernando's View
By Fernando F. Croce

“Toy Story 3” and “Wild Grass” are top-notch choices for the box-office and the art-house, while DVD watchers can pick from a trio of critically-acclaimed releases.

Toy Story 3 (Disney-Pixar): Fifteen years after they debuted in Pixar Studio’s first feature film, the “Toy Story” characters remain more beguiling than ever. In this third installment, Woody (voiced again by Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), and the other toys face their toughest challenge yet: The waning interest of their beloved owner Andy, who’s now a teenager with little time for playing. Mistakenly taken out of the house, the gang finds themselves in a daycare center, where a plush bear named Lotso (delightfully voiced by Ned Beatty) welcomes them. However, what looks like paradise soon shows its true colors, and Woody and the others have to find their way back. Filled with the kind of heart, laughs, and state-of-the-art animation that’s become Pixar’s specialty, this is the summer’s sure-to-please hit.

Wild Grass (Magnolia): Undermining the unofficial rule about cinema being a young man’s art, 88-year-old film legend Alain Resnais takes the audience’s breath away with this unpredictable, profoundly comic and moving tragicomedy. The story kicks off when George (Andre Dussolier) retrieves the stolen wallet of Marguerite (Sabine Azema), a random incident that brings together two people. Though he’s already married, George finds himself infatuated with Marguerite, an eccentric dentist who also fancies herself an aviatrix. But will his insistence connect with her emotions, or will their would-be romance lead only to restraining orders? A modern screwball farce that’s surreal and poignant at the same time, this is a cinematically inventive treat not to be missed by serious movie lovers. With subtitles.

Netflix tip: Despite five decades of innovative work, Alain Resnais remains not as well-known to American movie buffs as his younger fellow directors. Use Netflix to remedy that with a private festival of the French master’s greatest hits, including the grave and moving postwar romance “Hiroshima Mon Amour” (1959), the legendary brain-tickling jigsaw “Last Year at Marienbad” (1961), and such lighthearted recent comedies as “Not On the Lips” and “Private Fears in Public Places.”

New on DVD:

Greenberg (Universal): Writer-director Noah Baumbach (“The Squid and the Whale”) continues his string of bittersweet comedy-dramas with this caustic story of struggling romance between Southern California neurotics. Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) is a fortysomething bachelor who, trying to rebuild his life after a nervous breakdown, gets a job as a housesitter and encounters old friends. Things start looking up when he meets Florence (Greta Gerwig), an aspiring singer who works as his brother’s assistant and feels attuned to Greenberg’s feelings of confusion. But can the two stick together, or will their hang-ups and emotional quirks push them further apart? Humor and heartbreak are mixed in Baumbach’s customary mordant way in this droll and humane look at lost souls looking for happiness in an uncaring world.

Mother (Universal): Even though they’re less brutal than those of fellow South Korean filmmaker Chan-wook Park, the movies of Joon-ho Bong can be just as complex and intense. After memorably wrecking havoc with his own version of Godzilla a couple of years back in science-fiction hit “The Host,” he returns to smaller-scale studies of human nature’s less wholesome sides with this terrific mystery-thriller. Set in a small Korean town, it follows a middle-aged woman (Hye-ja Kim in an acclaimed performance) whose son (Bin Won) is arrested after a high-school girl turns up dead. Denied help by the authorities, she starts her own investigation to free her son, but the truth turns out to be less comforting than she expected. Combining suspense with unexpected humor, this is one of the year’s best movies. With subtitles.

The White Ribbon (Sony Pictures Classics): Critically acclaimed Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke (“Funny Games,” “The Piano Teacher”) may finally have his breakout mainstream hit with this meticulously crafted period piece, which seems poised to take home the Best Foreign Picture statuette comes Oscar night. Set in a small German town right before the beginning of World War One, the film unfolds as a tapestry of subtle tales after an accident involving the town doctor kicks off a wave of suspicion and anxiety. The landowning baron, a strict priest and a kind schoolteacher are just a few of the characters in this beautifully shot, intellectually intriguing drama, which remains involving despite its long length. With subtitles.

News Briefs ---

Oil Spill Capped for a Second Day, Offering Some Hope
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/17/us/17spill.html

Consumers gain from financial reform
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/savings/consumers-gain-from-financial-reform-1.aspx

TCF Financial 2Q net income soars
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9GVK3980.htm

Lakeland Bancorp Reports Strong Second Quarter Results
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/lakeland-bancorp-reports-strong-second-quarter-results-2010-07-15?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Udvar-Hazy Unveils New Air-Lease Firm; Has $3.3B in Financing
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/air-lease-corporation-the-new-global-aviation-venture-is-ready-for-take-off-with-substantial-financing-and-a-top-flight-senior-management-team-98529409.html

Mortgage rates remain at lowest level in decades
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2010-07-15-mortgage-rates_N.htm

Show Me the Money--Cash Advance working
http://www.qsrmagazine.com/articles/second_location/143/showmethemoney-1.phtml

Record number of U.S. homes repossessed
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2010/07/15/Record-number-of-US-homes-repossessed/UPI-29791279243315/

Foreclosure crisis: 1 million in U.S. expected to lose homes this year
http://www.mercurynews.com/real-estate-news/ci_15522920?nclick_check=1

Time to Get Off Your Cash?
http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/14508819/c_14511422?f=home_todayinfinance

India's rupee joins dollar: Can now be designated by symbol
http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2010-07-15-india-rupee-symbol_N.htm

Officer Sues Over Arizona Immigrant Law
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703722804575369442002124112.html

 

You May have Missed---

Field Report: A Michigan Teen Farms Her Backyard
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/magazine/18food-t.html?ref=dining

Sports Briefs----

Joseph Lacob beats Larry Ellison to become new owner of Golden State Warriors
http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_15523556?nclick_check=1

Five ways Larry Ellison might exact his Warriors revenge ...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/parenting/detail?entry_id=67990

 

California Nuts Briefs---

Silicon Valley high-end houses hit in foreclosure crisis
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_15508205

HP to close Cupertino campus
http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_15527935

Arnold Schwarzenegger approval drops to record low -- tied with Gray Davis
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/14/2888500/arnold-schwarzenegger-approval.html

Chart: Schwarzenegger's approval rating over the years
http://blogs.sacbee.com/the-public-eye/2010/07/chart-schwarzeneggers-approval-rating-over-the-years.html

Nurses invade Whitman's hometown of Atherton (VIDEO)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=68005

 

“Gimme that Wine”

Senior Editor James Suckling Retires from Wine Spectator
http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/43213

U.S. pockets $20.6 bln in sin taxes in FY'09
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-50132620100714

Sonoma-Cutrer Winery Opens its Doors to the Public
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sonoma-cutrer-winery-opens-its-doors-to-the-public-98454314.html

Napa, Sonoma Wineries Still Selling
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=news&content=76108&htitle=
Napa%2C%20Sonoma%20Wineries%20Still%20Selling

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

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

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

Winery Atlas
http://www.carterhouse.com/atlas/\

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

       1769-Mission San Diego de Alcala  was dedicated and blessed by Father Junipero Serra.  After high mass, the royal standard of Spain was unfurled over the mission, which was named in honor of San Diego de Alcala.  The mission, located in what is now San Diego, California, was the first of 21 California missions to the Indians
http://www.missionsandiego.com/
http://www.californiamissions.com/cahistory/sandiego.html
http://sandiegohistory.org/journal/97summer/missionrevolt.htm
http://www.chiptaylor.com/ttlmnp0216-.html
    1779-the first Revolutionary War Bayonet charge was led by General Anthony Wayne, known as “Mad Anthony,” who charged the British garrison at Stony Point, NY, with 1,200 men and forced it to surrender.  He was slightly wounded. The British loss was 63 killed and 553 wounded; the Americans loss, 15 killed and 83 wounded. http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/served/wayne.html
http://tristate.pgh.net/~bsilver/GALLERY.htmn
    1790- George Washington signed legislation that selected the District of Columbia as the permanent capital of the US. Boundaries of the district were established in 1792-Plans called for the government to remain housed at Philadelphia, PA, until 1800, when the new national capital would be ready for occupancy.
 ( lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul16.html   )
    1808 - Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, two of the few white men who had actually seen the mysterious territory of the Far West, help form a new company to exploit the region's abundant fur-bearing animals. On the journey, they were overwhelmed by the abundance for beaver, otter, and other fur-bearing creatures they saw. The territory was ripe for fur trapping, they reported to President Thomas Jefferson. Both Lewis and Clark recognized that sizeable fortunes could be made in fur trapping, and they were not averse to using their exclusive knowledge to gain a share of the profits.
    1821-birthday of Mary Baker Eddy, Founder of Christian Science, born near Concord, NH. She died at Chestnut Hill, MA, Dec. 3, 1910. She is one of the very few, if not the only woman to found a major religion.   In 1874 she founded the Christian Science movement after recovering from illnesses with the use of spiritual healing. She studied the process and developed her own system that preached that the mind is the only reality and that illnesses and infirmities of the body are merely illusions and can be cured by mental effort, chiefly the reading of Jesus's words in the New Testament.
    1849- Clara Shortridge Foltz ,born Lafayette, Indiana- U.S. reformer, attorney, editor, and publisher who changed California's sexist laws. She had read law and then found out California did not allow non-male attorneys.  Together with Laura D. Gorden, they got that law changed. When she was denied admission to a San Francisco law school, she brought suit and along with Ms Gorden argued it to victory to the California Supreme Court.
http://www.stanford.edu/group/WLHP/clara/clara.shtml
http://www.firstladylawyer.com/
http://www.firstladylawyer.com/about_clara.asp http://www.elmhurst.edu:8413/articles/11/1100962.html
    1862- African American journalist and anti-lynching crusader Ida B. Wells was born the daughter of slaves at Holly Springs, Mississippi and grew up as Jim Crow and lynching were becoming prevalent.  Wells argued that lynchings occurred not to defend white women because of whites' fear of economic competition from blacks. She traveled extensively, founding anti-lynching societies and black women's clubs.  Wells' “Red Record”( 1895) was one of the first accounts of lynchings in the South.
http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/lavender/wells.html
http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/barn-ida.htm
http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/ibw.html http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aap/idawells.html
    1863- New York City.  Nearly 1000 the end of three days of ant draft riots in persons were killed
or wounded before federal troops restored order.
http://www.civilwarhome.com/draftriots.htm
http://www.civilwarhome.com/fryor.htm
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/381/23843

http://www.oup-usa.org/docs/0195071301.html
http://nths.newtrier.k12.il.us/academics/social/ais/N-HIdentityCrisis/NYCDraftRiots.htm
http://www.nyhistory.org/education/teachers/draftriots.html
    1867- Averill Paint Company of New York City produced the first paint ready-mixed. The company went out of business in the early 1900's, not being able to maintain a consistent standard of color.  The first manufacturer to do so was Henry Alden Sherwin, founder of Sherwin-Williams, Cleveland,OH, which began producing paint in 1890.
    1877-President Rutherford Richard Hayes called out Federal troops to suppress the strike by railroad employees.  This was in response for aid from eh governors of West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and other states.
    1880-Writer Kathleen Norris born Washington, DC - highly popular U.S. author. KN wrote 81 novels and many short stories that made her one of the most popular writers in the U.S.
http://www.barclayagency.com/norris.html
http://www.lion-publishing.co.uk/authors/meet_kathleen_norris.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/173129/103-5362656-4423850
    1882-birthday of V.A. Johnson, the first Black female to argue before the US Supreme Court.
    1889-birthday of Joseph Jefferson (Shoeless Joe) Jackson, baseball player, born at Brandon Mills, SC.  Jackson's legendary excellence as one of the game's finest right-hand hitters is besmirched by his alleged involvement in the Black Sox Scandal of 1919.  Jackson stood accused of participating in the conspiracy to throw the World Series, and he, along with seven teammates, was banned for life. Died at Greenville, SC, December 5, 1951.
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=jacksjo01
http://www.charm.net/~marc/chronicle/bookrev3_may02.shtml
    1900-His Master's Voice, the logo of the Victor Recording Company and later RCA Victor, was registered with the US Patent Office. The logo shows the dog, Nipper, looking into the horn of a gramophone.
    1907-Actress Barbara Stanwyck was born Ruby Stevens at the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, NY. At the age of 18 she won a leading role in the Broadway melodrama Noose, appearing for the first time as Barbara Stanwyck. She appeared in 82 films including Stella Dallas, Double Indemnity, Sorry, Wrong Number, The Lady Eve and the television series “The Big Valley.” In 1944, the government listed her as the nation's highest paid woman, earning $400,000 per year. My late father Lawrence Menkin worked on two of her films as a writer in the late 1940's, but did not like “life” in Hollywood. He returned in 1954, and did stories for her television show. Stanwyck died at Santa Monica, CA, Jan 21,1990.
http://lynnpdesign.com/classicmovies/stanwyck/bio.html
http://www.moviesunlimited.com/stanwyck.htm
    1920-In his first season with the New York Yankees, Babe Ruth hit his 30th home run to break his own record set in 1919 as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Ruth finished the year with 54 home runs.  He hit 59 in 1921 and 60 in 1927.
   1925-birthday of vibe player Cal Tjader, St. Louis, MO  Died May 5, 1982.
http://www.spaceagepop.com/tjader.htm
http://www.caltjader.com/forum/index.php
    1925-Pianist Nat Pierce Birthday
http://www.hepjazz.com/natbiog.htm
http://www.jazzprofessional.com/interviews/Nat%20Pierce%20Story.htm
http://shopping.yahoo.com/shop?d=product&id=1927006233
    1928—birthday of guitarist Bola Sete, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/REVIEWS/r0600_124.HTM http://www.who2.com/bolasete.html
    1928-Cow Cow Davenport records “Cow Cow Blues” (Vo 1198).
http://www.alamhof.org/davenport.htm
http://www.worldofgramophones.com/charlesdavenport.html
http://www.bluesrolls.com/
    1934-Beginning of the San Francisco General Strike. 127,000 workers participate. A
longshoreman's strike spreads to become a two-day general strike paralyzing the area, & leading to a successful settlement.
    1935- Oklahoma City, OK, installed the first automatic parking http://www.alamhof.org/davenport.htm meter. 
Twenty-foot spaces were painted on the pavement and a parking meter that accepted nickel was  installed at the head of each space by the Dual Parking Meter Co. of Oklahoma City.
    1936-photographer Walker Evans starts his assignment of sharecroppers in Hale County, Alabama http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul16.html
    1938-Larry Clinton, with Bea Wain, records, “ My Reverie.”
    1940-Inkspots record “ We Three, “ “ “Java Jive” Decca.
    1941- Birthday of  singer Desmond Dekker, one of the pioneers of reggae music,  born in Kingston, Jamaica. He was named the island's top singer five times between 1963 and 1969. Dekker's recording of "The Israelites" sold a million copies worldwide in 1969, hitting number one in Britain and making the top ten in North America as well. http://www.findthefun.com/events/e0009055.htm
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palladium/9229/itmek.htm
    1941 -- US: 100ø F (38ø C) highest temperature ever recorded in Seattle, Washington.
    1945- In the New Mexican desert at Alamogordo Air Base, 125 miles southeast of Albuquerque, the experimental atomic bomb was set off at 5:30 AM. Dubbed “Fat Boy” by its creator, the plutonium bomb vaporized the steel scaffolding holding it as the immense fireball rose 8,000 ft in a fraction of a second—ultimately creating a mushroom cloud to a height of 41,000 ft. At ground zero the bomb emitted heat three times the temperature of the interior of the sun. All plant and animal life for a mile around ceased to exist. When informed by President Truman at Potsdam of the successful experiment, Winston Churchill responded, “It's the Second Coming in wrath!”
    1946 - The temperature at Medford, OR, soared to an all-time high of 115 degrees to begin a two week heat wave. During that Oregon heat wave the mercury hit 100 degrees at Sexton Summit for the only time in forty years of records.
    1948-After 8 ½ seasons as manager of the Brooklyn Dodges, Leo Dourcher resigned abruptly to accept the manager's job with the New York Giants. With Dourcher at the helm, the Giants won two pennants.  In 1951 by defeating the Dodgers in a playoff and in 1954 when they swept the Cleveland Indians in the world Series.
    1949---Top Hits
Some Enchanted Evening - Perry Como
Bali Ha'i - Perry Como
Again - Gordon Jenkins
One Kiss Too Many - Eddy Arnold
    1957---Top Hits
Teddy Bear - Elvis Presley
Searchin'/Young Blood - The Coasters
Valley of Tears/It's You I Love - Fats Domino
Bye Bye Love - The Everly Brothers
    1959-The Coasters record "Poison Ivy" at the Atlantic Recording Studio in New York City. The song was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
    1959-Adios Butler, driven by Clint Hodgins, won the Cane Pace, the first jewel in pacing's triple crown, at Younkers Raceway.  Adios Oregon finished second. Adios Butler went on to win the Messenger Stakes and the Little Brown Jug to become the first triple crown winner in pacing history.
    1960- Three musicians in London, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker form the band Cream. The band would go on to become regarded as rock's first supergroup as well as one of the most popular and influential bands of the 60's
    1961- Ralph Boston  sets then long jump record at 27' 2"
    1965---Top Hits
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
Wonderful World - Herman's Hermits
Yes, I'm Ready - Barbara Mason
Before You Go - Buck Owens
    1966-Tommy James and The Shondells started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Hanky Panky", a song first recorded by The Raindrops in 1963. A Pittsburgh DJ had begun playing the two year old recording and regional record sales had reached over 80,000. James called the members of his now defunct band, but they were no longer interested. He recruited a group called The Raconteurs to be the new Shondells and took the master tape of "Hanky Panky" to Roulette Records, who released it. Tommy would later say, "One night I was playing for 20 drunks in a bar in Michigan, and the next night I'm playing for 10,000 screaming fans in Pittsburgh. It was literally overnight."
    1966- The Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer In The City" is released.
    1966- guitarist Eric Clapton, formerly of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and the Yardbirds, joined two ex-members of the Graham Bond Organization, bass guitarist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker, to form Cream. The influential blues-rock trio sold more than 15 million albums in their three years together.
    1966-The Supreme Court hands down its decision in Miranda v. Arizona, establishing the principle that all criminal suspects must be advised of their rights before interrogation. Now considered standard police procedure, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can, and will, be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you," has been heard so many times in television and film dramas that it has become almost cliché.The roots of the Miranda decision go back to March 2, 1963, when an 18-year-old Phoenix woman told police that she had been abducted, driven to the desert, and raped. Detectives investigating her story gave her a polygraph test, but the results were inconclusive. However, tracking the license plate number of a car that resembled that of her attacker's brought police to Ernesto Miranda, who had a prior record as a Peeping Tom. Although the victim did not identify Miranda in a line-up, he was brought into police custody and interrogated. What happened next is disputed, but officers left the interrogation with a confession that Miranda later recanted, unaware that he didn't have to say anything at all. The confession was extremely brief and differed in certain respects from the victim's account of the crime. However, Miranda's appointed defense attorney (who was paid a grand total of $100) didn't call any witnesses, and Miranda was convicted after a short trial. While Miranda was in an Arizona state prison, the American Civil Liberties Union took up his appeal, claiming that the confession was false and coerced. The Supreme Court overturned his conviction, but ironically  Miranda was retried and convicted in October 1966. As a result of the case against Miranda, each and every person must be informed of his or her rights upon arrest. In 1999, the Supreme Court agreed to re-examine the Miranda requirements in the face of persistent complaints that confessions should not be barred from evidence simply because a police officer failed to read the suspect his or her rights.
    1967 -- On the last day of the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, 20 year old Arlo Guthrie performs his new song, a 20 minute ditty called "Alice's Restaurant" . You can get anything you want... at Alice's Restaurant, exceptin' Alice
You can get anything you want... at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half-a-mile from the railroad track
Oh... You can get anything you want
At Alice's restaurant.
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Arlo%20Guthrie
http://www.arlo.net/lyrics/alices.shtml
    1969-The launch of Apollo II, the first US man sent to the moon. This launch resulted in man's first moon landing, the first landing on any extraterrestrial body.
    1969- The Who's "I'm Free" is released.
    1970 - The Pittsburgh Pirates played their first game at Three Rivers Stadium. The Bucs had spent 61 baseball seasons at Forbes Field. Cincinnati's Reds spoiled the housewarming for the Pirates with a 3-2 win. The game also marked the first time the Pirates wore new double-knit uniforms which became commonplace throughout both the American and National Leagues
    1972- Smokey Robinson performed for the last time with the Miracles at a concert in Washington, DC. They had been together since 1959. Robinson would have a successful solo career, as well as continuing with his songwriting and serving as a vice-president of Motown Records.
    1973- President Richard M. Nixon appointed the first Air Force General who was a woman, Brigadier General Jeanne Marjorie Holm of Portland, OR.
http://afgw.libraries.psu.edu/profindex.html#holm
http://www.af.mil/bios/bio_5838.shtml
    1973---Top Hits
Will It Go Round in Circles - Billy Preston
Kodachrome - Paul Simon
Bad, Bad Leroy Brown - Jim Croce
Love is the Foundation - Loretta Lynn
    1973 - The Senate Armed Services Committee begins a probe into allegations that the U.S. Air Force made thousands of secret B-52 raids into Cambodia in 1969 and 1970 at a time when the United States recognized the neutrality of the Prince Norodom Sihanouk regime in Cambodia. The Pentagon acknowledged that President Richard Nixon and Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird had authorized the raids against Cambodia, but Sihanouk denied the State Department claim that he had requested or authorized the bombing. Though it was established that the bombing records had been falsified, Laird and Henry Kissinger, Nixon's National Security Advisor, denied any knowledge of the falsification. The Senate hearings eventually exposed the extent of the secrecy involved in the bombing campaign and seriously damaged the credibility of the Nixon administration.
    1973-The existence of what were to be called the “Watergate tapes,” recordings of White House conversations, was revealed by former White House aid Alexander P. Butterfield.  Only July 23 special prosecutor Archibald Cox and the Senate committee subpoenaed the tapes.  On July 26, President Nixon refused to release them, appealing the case through the courts until October 19, when he offered a summary of requested tapes in return for no further requests for tapes or papers. This was rejected by Cox.John Elrlichman and G. Gordon Liddy were soon to be indicted along with two White House officials, and in October Vice President Agnew resigned and pleaded nolo contendree ( not contest) to one charge of income tax evasion in return for the dropping of other charges.   Agnew was fined and given three years' probation.  Representative Gerald R. Ford, Republican of Michigan, was nominated by President Nixon for the vice-presidency, who soon was to become the first president not elected to the office directly or through the vice-presidency.
    1973- Bob Dylan releases the soundtrack to "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid." Dylan stars in the flick with Kris Kristofferson. One song off the LP, "Knocking On Heaven's Door" reaches #12 while the soundtrack goes to #16
    1977 - Lightning struck a key electrical transmission line in Westchester County of southeastern New York State plunging New York City into darkness.
    1979 - Saddam Hussein succeeded Premier al-Bakr and became president of Iraq and chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC). He established a multilayered security system with 3-5 secret police units. He later put his son Qusai in charge of his 10,000 member Special Guards.
    1980-Afternoon highs of 108 degrees at Memphis, TN, 108 degrees at Macon, GA, and 105 degrees at Atlanta, GA, established all-time records for those three cities. The high of 110 degrees at Newington, GA, was just two degrees shy of the state record.
    1981---Top Hits
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
All Those Years Ago - George Harrison
The One that You Love - Air Supply
Fire & Smoke - Earl Thomas Conley
    1988- Jackie Joyner-Kersee sets women's hepathlete record of 7,215 pts http://www.donegal.k12.pa.us/dms/Kif/77/summaryb.html
    1988 - Thirty-seven cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Highs of 96 degrees at Bluefield, WV, and 104 degrees at Charleston WV were all-time records, and afternoon highs of 98 degrees at Binghamton, NY, 99 degrees at Elkins, WV, and 103 degrees at Pittsburgh PA, tied all- time records. Highs of 104 degrees at Baltimore, MD, and 105 degrees at Parkersburg WV were records for July, and Beckley, WV, equaled their record for July with a high of 94 degrees. Martinsburg, WV, was the hot spot in the nation with a reading of 107 degrees. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms raked the northeastern U.S. with large hail and damaging winds.
    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 - A thunderstorm at Albany, GA, produced 1.40 inches of rain in forty minutes, along with wind gusts to 82 mph. Afternoon highs of 98 degrees at Corpus Christi, TX, 110 degrees at Tucson, AZ, and 114 degrees at Phoenix, AZ, equaled records for the date. Greenwood, MS, reported 55.65 inches of precipitation for the year, twice the amount normally received by mid July.
    1992- Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" is played (over and over) as Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton accepts the Democratic nomination for President.
    1993- Lotus began shipping a new version of its popular 1-2-3 spreadsheet for Microsoft Windows. Lotus 1-2-3 quickly took over the spreadsheet market when it was first introduced in 1983. The product almost instantly wiped out the leading spreadsheet program, VisiCalc, which had also been the first spreadsheet. Lotus bought Software Arts, the company that invented VisiCalc, in 1985.
    1994- Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras performed together before 56,000 people at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on the eve of the World Cup soccer final. It was a reprise of their performance before the World Cup final in Rome four years earlier. The recording of the first concert sold more than 10 million copies, making it the best-selling classical album of all time. The album made at the Los Angeles concert was also a best-seller.
    1994-Bruce Springsteen showed up unannounced at the 20th anniversary celebration at the Stone Pony bar in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Springsteen and his wife, Patty Scialfa, Jon Bon Jovi and former E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg performed several songs with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. In 1974, the Jukes had been the house band and Springsteen a regular performer at the Stone Pony. http://asburypark.net/springsteen/
    1995- Retired journalist Marj Carpenter, 68, was elected moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the church's highest elected position.
http://www.pres-outlook.com/marjaward.html
http://www.layman.org/layman/news/2003%20general%20assembly/dark-times.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search/103-5362656-4423850?tag=fast-bkasin00-20&keyword=Marj%20Carpenter&mode=books
    1997-The Dow-Jones Index of 30 major industrial stocks topped the 8,000 mark for the first time.
    1999 - John F. Kennedy Jr.'s plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Martha's Vineyard (Massachusetts), killing him, his wife and his sister-in- law. The three had been en route to a Kennedy family wedding. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that Kennedy suffered from spatial disorientation, brought on by a loss of balance in the inner ear. Kennedy's problems were exacerbated by the hazy night sky and his inability to see the horizon, plus his lack of experience as a pilot. The NTSB also said investigators did not find any mechanical problems with Kennedy's plane, a single-engine Piper Saratoga II. The conclusion it was pilot error.
    2000 --An 1919 Chicago 'Black Sox' autographed baseball is auctioned for $93,666 at eBay. The ball's value, believed to be the most for such an item, was unusually high because the autographs included Shoeless Joe Jackson who was considered illiterate and usually just signed legal documents.

 

Baseball Poem

"Voices of the Game"
by J. Kyle

You see fans holding their radios here and over there,
Intently watching the game, yet listening with care.
Some think us strange that we bring our transistorized friend,
Then they sit too close, and try to listen in.

So many, many voices of baseball present and past,
A very select few can make you feel that home run blast.
The team in the booth at times is the best,
The fans can hope for along with the rest.

Some of these voices have now faded away,
Going, going, gone to their final play.
The restless nights they talked us to sleep,
Just waiting for someone to take one deep.

Harry was the greatest Cub there ever could be,
There will never be another like him at ol’ Wrigley.
Vin Scully still bleeds that Dodger blue,
While Scooter will always be a Yankee too.

Nuxhall and Brennaman are my favorite radio men,
They have been a duo since way back when.
I was a boy when I first heard that familiar winning call,
“This one belongs to the Reds” now has its own place in the Hall.

So the next time you search for the game on TV,
Turn the volume way down, grab a radio, and you will soon see.
The voices of the game do much more than that old screen,
They bring you the nation’s game in a fashion unseen

(also recommended for Football games, too.)