Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Headlines---

Churchill Group/Churchill Leasing, Jericho, NY
        Bulletin Board Complaint
    Classified Ads---Controller
Ben Millerbis, CLP Exclusive Interview: HL Leasing
    Country Leasing Closing its Doors
Sales makes it Happen-by Scott Wheeler
    Taking "Only" out of "Application Only"
        Cartoon-Dog at Home too long
25 Top Leasing Industry Influence-35 nominated
    Classified Ads---Help Wanted
Alexa Ranks Leasing Media Web Sites
    CIT Closes $954 Million TALF-Eligible Equipment
News Briefs---
    Rental Electronics Principal passes away
Bank of America paying Mozilo's legal fees
    Q1 Bankcard Borrower Debt Increases
        Crude passes $70, US revises predictions
    Ex-Tyco Executives Rejected Again on Appeal
Fontainebleau Las Vegas files for Chapter 11
    Elvis Theme Resort Hits $259M Road Bump
Adam Lambert says he's gay; also, sun rises in east
    You May have Missed---
        California Nuts Brief---
    Sports Briefs---
"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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Churchill Group/Churchill Leasing, Jericho, New York
Bulletin Board Complaint

The complaint centers on an advance rental and documentation fee totaling $4,815.40 from John J. DeMeo, President, TKJ Management, Millwood, New York regarding Car Care of Manhasset, Manhasset, New York. He is starting a new business and wanted to refinance existing equipment. He submitted credit, financial statements, and was approved by Churchill Leasing, who sent him a contract that he signed with a blank "Exhibit A."

According to Mr. DeMeo, "Chris Fiordalisi a sales person from Churchill said to 'Get a Vendor' and I told him that no vendor would bring 90,000 dollars threw their business, and he said sure they will its done all the time, and I said it did not sound right. We meet with my vendor for auto parts, Yaron Rosenthal...Just sign agreement and give us first and last, which I did. Chris wanted Yaron to create an invoice. First it was Lakeland Bank Leasing, and then it was Sterling National bank."

What happened next was a site inspection, and when the inspector viewed the equipment, told Mr. DeMeo it was used, not new. Mr. DeMeo said he knew it was used, not new, and this was a refinancing of the equipment.

When he called Churchill Leasing, he was yelled at that he had just lost the lease. He asked for the advance back, and was told again that he lost the lease as it was his fault for saying the equipment was used.

A email to Chris Fiordalisi brought the following with is title
on the email "Sales Administration:

"I am only a consultant for Churchill
I am not familiar with the transaction
The only one to assist you is david sunshine"

None of the dozen emails or telephone calls were returned by Mr. Sunshine.

An interview with the vendor, Yaron Rosenthal, president of Clearway Group, Queens Village, NY, said he had dealt in leases for years, primarily with Textron and then Popular Leasing. He said he told the leasing agent he didn't sell this type of equipment, and would think about it, but required a purchase order to even consider it. At the time, it was all up in the air, as he didn't think this was a normal transaction to his experience. He states he never received a purchase order from Churchill Leasing. He says it was his routine to get the deposit for the leasing company and a hard purchase order before delivering equipment. He was not to keen about leasing as one customer who was quoted a 36 month lease, when he thought the term was up, the contract was for 60 months. He was suspicious from the beginning, he said.

John DeMeo was told this procedure was "common" in leasing and that the equipment existed, so there was nothing wrong in the procedure.

The assignment on the lease documents has Sterling National Bank, so Andrew Corsi, Senior Vice-President, Sterling National Bank told Leasing News that an application for Car Care of Manhasset that was approved in November, 2008, but it was never sent in for funding. Since that time, being aware that some customers have had difficulty with funds due to them from Churchill, their relationship with the Lessor has been terminated.

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

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Classified Ads---Controller

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

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Ben Millerbis, CLP Exclusive Interview: HL Leasing

A more current photo was not available. Here 1988 Western Association of Equipment Leasing (WAEL) President-elect Ben Millerbis, CLP, (right) of Pentech Financial Services receives the traditional letter of advice from 1987 President Joe Woodley, CLP, Westover Financial, during passing of the gavel at WAEL Elections & Awards Meeting at Hawaii Conference.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is gathering information from the HL Leasing office in Fresno and Palm Desert, the office located at the late CEO and Chairman John Otto. They are also investigating the role of officers and other employees in what is suspected as a $132 million Ponzi scheme involving up to 1,000 investors, many who put their life savings, retirement, and also were living on the interest of the alleged purchase of leases by HL Leasing.

There is no secret that John Otto was an investor in Pentech Financial Services, Campbell, California, as he acknowledged to Leasing News in an interview when he was basically shutting down his other company Heritage Pacific Leasing, Fresno, California, in 2007 that he had sold his interest in Pentech.

"In 1978, Benjamin E. Millerbis, Pentech Financial's President and CEO, founded Pentek Leasing, Inc. as a general equipment lessor for small and mid-ticket equipment...Following Alaska Pacific Bancorporation's (APB), a multi-national financial institution, acquisition of Pentek, Mr. Millerbis and Pentek's core management team left to form Pentech Financial Services, Inc. in 1985 to focus exclusively on the equipment financing needs of the emerging growth marketplace.

"In 1999, Pentech entered into a partnership with SCP Private Equity Partners and completed a private equity placement, allowing the company to continue its aggressive growth and to expand its product line into middle market leasing and asset-based lending.

"In 2003 another strategic partnership with US Bancorp's Manifest Funding Services formed the basis for the "Navigator" program. Navigator is a small ticket leasing program providing a B-C credit alternative to select Manifest brokers. It is managed by Pentech's Funding Services division in San Diego."
http://www.pentechfinancial.com/corporate-information.html

"He was a co-founder and Director of Silicon Valley Bank, Santa Clara California, and has served as President and Director of the United Association of Equipment Leasing (now the National Association of Equipment Financing) and as a Director of the American Association of Equipment Lessors (now Equipment Finance and Leasing Association
http://www.pentechfinancial.com/corporate-management.html

In a recent disclosure of a bankruptcy, a list of leases and other information regarding Pentech Financial was discovered.

Court Document:
http://banweb.co.fresno.ca.us/plsql/ck_public_qry_doct.cp_dktrpt_frames?backto=P&case_id=08CECG03679&begin_date=&end_date

The October 21st Manufacturer's Acceptance Corporation dba Heritage Pacific Leasing vs. Pentech Financial: It appears mediation did not work with a hearing sent for May 14, 2009 and a Court Trial sent for April 7,2010.

"It is between Pentech and HPL and has nothing what so ever to do with HL Leasing," Millerbis told Leasing News. "It is over 3 lease schedules that HPL wanted us to repurchase from them 4 years after the sale. Since there was no basis for repurchase, we declined. They were dropping the suit when things blew up and they shut down. I don't know what will happen with it now. We will see what happens next year."

There was a hearing scheduled for HL Leasing's lawyers to attend on May 26, 2009 in a case in New York called "In re John Richard Constable, Debtor, HL Leasing, Inc., Plaintiff against John Richard Constable", Case 08-76313 and 8-09-08030.

In that case, one of the exhibits to the complaint filed by HL Leasing was an assignment of leases from Pentech to HL Leasing. A list of 48 leases was included in the court records. There are leases still on going, some to expire in 2011.

(Click on the list to make it larger)

Leasing News sent him the story, specifically asking for a response to this assignment in the documents:

"THIS MASTER PURCHASE, SALE, ASSIGNMENT, AND TRANSFER AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is made as of December 30, 2005, by and between HL Leasing, Inc. ("Purchaser"), a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of California, with its principal office at 3439 West Shaw Avenue, Fresno, California 93711 (hereinafter referred to as "Purchaser") and PENTECH FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. (hereinafter referred to as "Seller"), a California corporation with a place of business at 910 East Hamilton Avenue, Suite 400, Campbell, CA 95008."

"Those are the transactions we sold to HPL," he responded. "Their attorney corrected this several years ago."

Leasing News asked him to clarify it, and received:

"The sale was not to HL it was to HPL."

It appears then the UCC search in California and other states that did not find the alleged American Express leases, except for a small group discounted in 2005 similar to Heritage Pacific Leasing procedure, may be the fact that such leases do not exist and the operation was a Ponzi scheme.

Whether there is any money left for the investors, or even to pay the attorneys involved in the various law suits, remains unanswered.

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Country Leasing Closing its Doors
by Christopher Menkin

In addition to the obvious of service and parts suppliers to the automobile industry, as well as vehicle dealerships throughout the country, the automotive and vehicle fleet management companies are suffering as well. Look to more to be closing their doors in record number. Note the National Vehicle Leasing Association (NVLA) cancelled its planned June annual conference. Low attendance, members, who are primarily fleet dealers and larger rental and independent vehicle lessors are hurting in today's market place.

The latest is Country Leasing, established in 1981, a part of COUNTRY Insurance and Financial Services, Bloomington, Illinois, has told its employees it is closing its doors, according to a company spokesperson. There are five lease salesmen and a leasing sales manager plus accounting, operation, and mechanics being let go this month.

Leasing News is told the fleet management concept is no longer viable. Veterans predict companies and their customers are going to experience some rough adjusting in the months and years ahead.

As noted by my attendance and reporting at a prior NVLA Conference, there are some independent lessors that have very large clients operating fleets of vehicles. Those fleets can be hundreds or thousands of cars and trucks.

1. It's a very manpower intensive business for both parties with all that metal moving around the country.
2. Lessors are typically recourse so they've been taking some credit hits lately business slowing for the lessees means more cars coming in to the lessor than going out.
3. Funding for lessors is very tight, many are cut off completely.
4. Credit exposure concerns on large fleets of vehicles.
5. Traditionally low cost of funds kept lessee payments low.

Those in the business tell Leasing News it will be a while before funding is attracted back to this segment.

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Sales Make it Happen 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. Taking "Only" out of "Application Only" Those who have built their businesses based upon an "Application Only" mentality are being left behind as our industry is being reformulated and redefined for the future. Some have entitled this transition period as an industry meltdown. I prefer to categorize it as a necessary transformation which will create a stronger, more valuable financing/leasing industry. The so called good old days didn't require understanding - just quick calls to multiple vendors and a few end-users and "presto," you have a sale. Now, every transaction requires additional efforts, most transactions are harder to generate and require credit write-ups that are logical and informative. Most sources rightfully are requiring a balance sheet and a profit and loss statement for transactions of all sizes. A closely held company today needs more than a FICO score, it needs proof by way of a personal financial statement and tax return on income and assets. The originator not only needs to ask for this information, but must be able to understand the financials, ask probing questions and comment on the strengths and weaknesses presented in the personal and corporate financial statements. A complete understanding provides real value added for the client and the funding source. A lack of understanding leaves the originator standing alone dumbfounded. The one size, one way, singular approach of "Application Only" is no longer working. One of the main points I bring out in my webinars and seminars is how alternative approaches work differently in different situations; how originators cannot be stifled by a one dimensional marketing approach. It's actually the combination of marketing touches which generate the best customer service and the most business. Participants who have been confined to a one dimensional approach are often enlightened or reminded of the flexibility and alternative benefits available in our industry; and quickly are reminded of lost opportunities because of self imposed limitations. A recent participant in a webinar commented afterward how the one hour sessions reminded him how important a strong foundation is and how much he has yet to learn even though he has several years of origination experience. Others have commented on how innovative marketing ideas and basic credit information covered in the sessions are improving their outlook on the potential in the market. Originators and leasing companies need to eliminate the word "ONLY" from their vocabulary. 1) I ONLY do transactions which are Application ONLY; 2) I ONLY need the front page of the tax return; 3) I ONLY solicit business via telemarketing; 4) I ONLY have two funding sources; 5) I ONLY do XYZ industry; 6) It ONLY takes X hours to get an approval; 7) I ONLY know to do business this way; 8) I ONLY Make X amount of money. Our industry has thrived and continuously grown over the years because of our innovation, flexibility and non-commoditized approach to the market. Most recently, too many have taken the easy approach and have helped to commoditize our products, our marketing approaches and individual operations. Times are changing rapidly and there is a real desire by many in our industry to expand their horizons, to know more about our industry and to be able to offer real options and solutions in the market place. It can be as easy as sitting with your credit department or funding sources and conducting an informative interview, taking an accounting class at your local community college, attending training webinars and seminars offered by many industry experts, going to your local library and doing research, or participate in workshops provided by the various associations. Our industry will recover and thrive. Originators are currently and will continue to maximize their incomes and make well above average incomes nationwide. Small and medium sized businesses will continue to need funds to acquire needed essential equipment. There will be multiple funding sources willing and capable of investing in our industry. Lease originators who continue to make a personal investment by developing a strong foundation of knowledge, continue to explore new product capabilities, continue to make and are willing to think and act multi-dimensionally will thrive. 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

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25 Top Leasing Industry Influence-35 nominated

Including today's nominees, there are now 35 nominated for the Top 25 Most Influential in the Leasing Industry. The nomination and descriptions come from readers. Names are withheld with the purpose of not making this a "popularity contest" to get credit for nominating a "friend" or "colleague."

They may be the last week for nominations.

"Influential" as "a person whose actions and opinions strongly influence the course of events" {Online Dictionary}. They must be alive, and do not need to be active any longer in the leasing or finance industry.

Send nominations to: kitmenkin@leasingnews.org

New nominees to appear in the next list:

John P. Colton--He is well known to many lease veterans, attended many leasing association conference. When the small ticket office equipment finance industry was highly fragmented, three national players emerged. COPy Equipment Leasing COmpany [read COPELCO], LeaseAmerica, and Eaton Financial. Each of the three eventually ended up in the arms of a major industrial acquirer: Itochu International (later sold to Citigroup), GE Capital, and AT&T Capital. John Colton was the right hand man to Paul Gass as together they built Eaton Financial. A former banker, John raised Eaton's debt and managed the development of lender relationships. Once the AT&T acquisition was complete, debt was no longer a challenge and John became an ambassador to the industry, helping to expand AT&T's broker program. He was active in the industry and eventually became the president of the American Association of Equipment Lessors, the precursor to the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association. He rejoined Paul Gass at BankVest Capital and retired in 2000 during the prior industry meltdown.

Paul Gass--- His company Eaton Financial was purchased by AT&T Capital for $70 million in 1989, making Gass the richest man in leasing at the time. After he sold Eaton to AT&T he became the largest individual shareholder in AT&T and was a substantial underwriter of the American Association of Equipment Lessors lease education foundation. He helped pioneer a systemized approach to small ticket leasing. He started Eaton Financial originally naming it after the street where he lived in Framingham, MA. As the company grew he added branches but each branch ran like its own independent operation. He took Eaton Public, and then sold it to AT&T. When industry pundits argued it was luck and timing that made him so successful, he decided to prove them wrong. He sat out his AT&T non-compete and then paired up with Greg Smith to form BankVest. BankVest's original charter was to follow Greg Smith's successful model of setting up leasing operations for commercial banks. But BankVest would act as an outsource agent. When the vendor side of the business began to usurp the outsource program, Smith felt tremors of the Eaton ways creeping in and left. Gass relied upon securitization to build BankVest into a $30 million per month small ticket machine. Unfortunately sales won out over operations and the portfolio developed problems that they simply couldn't outrun. After the August 1998 Russian bond debacle that sent investors into a flight for security and almost collapsed the entire financial system, the securitization markets dried up and cracks began to show in the BankVest portfolio. BankVest began to sell off major slices of its portfolio. ORIX purchased $99 million within 2 months but allowed BankVest to continue to handle the cash. When BankVest ran into difficulties and spent some of ORIX's cash, coupled with an auditor from Fleet Bank that found discounted leases to Fleet but hadn't paid the vendors (purportedly monies were being used to replace bad deals in the conduits) everything came crashing down. BankVest was forced into bankruptcy that December. The Company that had been touted on the cover of the Worcester, Business Journal as the fastest growing company was the largest bankruptcy in Worcester County a year later.
https://corp.sec.state.ma.us/corp/corpsearch/CorpSearchSummary.asp?ReadFromDB=True&UpdateAllowed=&FEIN=000014947

List (click on name for full description:)

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Classified Ads---Help Wanted

VENDOR SALES SPECIALISTS LEASING SALES PROFESSIONALS Like selling vendor programs and large transactions? Enjoy international financing programs? Prefer the advantages of a commission only environment with the security of health and welfare benefits? CLICK HERE to find out how to have fun again.

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Alexa Ranks Leasing Media Web Sites

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

*It should be noted that NAELB web site "list serve" requires logging onto their site, meaing their e-mails are counted as a visit to the site, whereas they are "list serve" communication.  These are technically visits to the web site, but primarily to use "list serve."

The Alexa tool bar works on most browsers.
They are partnered with Google.

You may download their free tool bar A graph and analysis of the last three months are available.

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CIT Closes $954 Million TALF-Eligible Equipment Lease Securitization

NEW YORKCIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a leading provider of financing to small businesses and middle market companies, today announced that it has closed a $954 million equipment lease securitization. Notes issued under the securitization constitute eligible collateral under the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF). This is CIT's first TALF-eligible securitization and represents the first TALF-eligible small ticket equipment lease deal. CIT has completed 16 term equipment securitizations since 2000, nine of which were backed exclusively by collateral from its U.S. Vendor Finance business.

CIT sold three classes of fixed rate notes in a private offering (Rule 144A) that are backed by a pool of commercial equipment lease contracts from CIT Vendor Finance. The weighted average fixed coupon on the securitization is approximately 2.67%, which represents a weighted average credit spread of approximately 1.52% over the benchmark swap rates for the three classes of notes.

Proceeds from the securitization will be primarily used to refinance an asset-backed commercial paper conduit facility, which will increase capacity for financing future U.S. Vendor Finance originations.

Barclays Capital and Deutsche Bank Securities served as joint bookrunners on the transaction, while Bank of America Securities LLC, J.P. Morgan and Wachovia Securities served as co-managers.

About CIT

CIT (NYSE: CIT) is a bank holding company with more than $60 billion in finance and leasing assets that provides financial products and advisory services to small and middle market businesses. Operating in more than 50 countries across 30 industries, CIT provides an unparalleled combination of relationship, intellectual and financial capital to its customers worldwide. CIT maintains leadership positions in small business and middle market lending, retail finance, aerospace, equipment and rail leasing, and vendor finance. Founded in 1908 and headquartered in New York City, CIT is a member of the S&P 500 and Fortune 500. www.cit.com

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News Briefs----

Rental Electronics Principal passes away
http://www.legacy.com/signonsandiego/Obituaries.asp?Page=SearchResults&DateRange=Today&Product=0
Herman, Edward last 7 days date range

Bank of America paying Mozilo's legal fees
http://www.reuters.com:80/article/ousiv/idUSTRE5585EU20090609

Q1 Bankcard Borrower Debt Increases
http://www.creditcollectionsworld.com/article.html?id=20090608R0B2B0CC&from=creditandcollectionnews

Crude passes $70, US revises predictions
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Crude-passes-70-US-revises-apf-15482181.html?.v=15

Ex-Tyco Executives Rejected Again on Appeal
http://www.nypost.com/seven/06092009/business/ex_tyco_boss_gets_rejected_173289.htm

Fontainebleau Las Vegas files for Chapter 11
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jun/09/us-fontainebleau-bankruptcy-060909/?business&zIndex=113781

Elvis Theme Resort Hits $259M Road Bump
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/06/09/Elvis_Theme_Resort_Hits_$259M_Road_Bump.htm

Adam Lambert says he's gay; also, sun rises in east
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12556544?source=most_viewed

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You May have Missed---

Concord woman pays $10,000 to get dog back
http://www.contracostatimes.com/localnews/ci_12547263?nclick_check=1

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Sports Briefs----

Penguins push Stanley Cup Finals to Game 7 with 2-1 win
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/cup/2009-06-09-red-wings-penguins-game-6_N.htm

Magic masterful in first Finals win, cut Lakers' lead to 2-1
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2009-06-09-lakers-magic-game-3_N.htm

Steve Mariucci: Brett Favre intent on playing for the Vikings in 2009
http://blogs.usatoday.com/thehuddle/2009/06/steve-mariucci-brett-favre-intent-on-playing-for-the-vikings-in-2009.html

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California Nuts Briefs---

Mayors warn Schwarzenegger of deeper cuts
http://www.sacbee.com/latest/story/1932827.html
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090609/ARTICLES/906099917/1349?Title=Mayors-to-Arnold-Spare-

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“Gimme that Wine”

Auction Napa Valley brings in $5.7M, just 55% of 2008 total
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/06/08/daily8.html

Basking With Rosés ---Eric Asimov
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/dining/10wine.html?ref=dining

Tennesseans can have wine shipped directly to their homes
http://www.wztv.com/newsroom/top_stories/wztv_vid_5905.shtml

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

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Today's Top Event in History

1919- Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan became the first states to ratify the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would remove the barriers to women voting in the U.S. Women had been voters in several states in colonial days, but in the 1787 at the U. S. Constitutional Convention (built on the precept that all men are created equal), the right to qualify voters was placed in the hands of the states that had already deemed women unqualified to vote. The one exception was New Jersey, which fell into line in 1807. It wasn't until Carrie Chapman Catt devised "The Plan" in 1916 - to fight for the vote nationally while continuing the state-by-state march - that the first recognition came that only the federal government could or would guarantee women's rights on a permanent basis.

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This Day in American History

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Baseball Poem

1933---President Ronald Reagan's voice carried him to Des Moines and WOC's larger sister station, WHO. Broadcasting over a new 50,000-watt clear-channel station that carried throughout the Midwest, Reagan became a well-known sports announcer whose specialty was creating play-by-play accounts of Chicago Cubs baseball games that the station received by wire.

Gene Autry poem by Jack Buck This is from a poem written by the famous radio announcer Jack Buck, the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals for over 50 years. This was written for Gene Autry's 83rd Birthday Party in 1990. There are many similarities to President Ronald Reagan (Author of what became in the California Governor's election to be known as the Republican
13th commandment---Thou Shalt Not Criticize another Republican):

The Last Cowboy

As America grew
and headed west,
Gene Autry was there
and he was the best.

He tapped telegraph keys
then starred on the screen,
the greatest Saturday star
young eyes had seen.

He wore a white hat
and the kids always knew
he'd do the right thing
they wanted him to.

He could shoot at a target
and invariably hit it
while jumping a river,
and he sand as he did it.

He crooned "South of the Border"
and sang on Christmas morn,
the most glamorous cowboy ever born.

His ride through life
is matched by no other,
a business tycoon,
yet everyone's brother.

He has enjoyed life to the fullest
and made our lives richer,
but he'd have traded it all
for a World Series pitcher.

We salute him today
and we'll love him tomorrow,
the last cowboy's life
was ours to borrow.

Little did he know
when he named his horse,
he was describing himself-
Champion, or course!

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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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[headlines]