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Set Yourself Apart and Prosper

Interviewing highly skilled professionals
Motivated by success, rooted in integrity
Exclusive funding sources. Full Med/401(k)
Click Herefor more information.
Submit Resume To: smiscovich@stradacapital.com

About the Company: With over 10 years in business, Strada Capital Corporation exists to provide customized commercial finance solutions through our unique customer-centric approach. Our boutique firm is steadfast in providing personal attention, swift turnaround and extraordinary customer experiences.
Visit us at www.stradacapital.com


Wednesday, March 3, 2010



Jacqueline "Jackie" Joyner-Kersee born March 3, 1962 east St. Louis, Missouri. Sports Illustrated for Women magazine voted Joyner-Kersee the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th century. She is ranked among the all-time greatest athletes in the women's heptathlon as well as in the women's long jump. She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals, in those two different events. She was honored on February 21, 1998 as one of the 15 greatest players in UCLA women's basketball. In April 2001, Joyner-Kersee was voted the "Top Woman Collegiate Athlete of the Past 25 Years." The vote was conducted among the 976 NCAA member schools.
http://learningtogive.org/papers/paper107.html


Headlines---

Pictures from the Past-1986
  Classified Ads---Senior Management
Representations and Warrants
  by Christopher Menkin
Leasing Companies Out of Broker Business—up-date
 Classified Ads---Help Wanted
  Cartoon---Rotary Telephone
Sales make it Happen by Gerry Egan
  "It may be time to ‘fire’ some vendors" Part I
 2010 Leasing Association Conferences
  Have you signed up yet? Don’t Miss out!
 Letters! We get eMail!
   $7.6 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
  April 29 Commercial Law League Convention
 Naperville, Illinois---Adopt-a-Dog
News Briefs---
 National City Commercial $1.25MM BofWest $.93MM
  Job numbers grow for the first time since late '08
   Postal Service's debt reducer: Drop Saturday
    Toyota announces 9 percent US sales drop
     'Hurt Locker' producer barred from Oscars
  Roger Ebert Predicts the Oscars
 You May have Missed---
  California Nuts Brief---
   Sports Briefs---
    "Gimme that Wine"
  Today's Top Event in History
   This Day in American History
     Winter Poem
      SuDoku
       Daily Puzzle
        GasBuddy
  Weather, USA or specific area
     Traffic Live----

In Friday's Edition ---
Look for Fernando Croce's predictions for the 82
nd Academy Awards
to be held this coming Sunday, March 7
th

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


[headlines]
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Pictures from the Past


1986

Order of the WAEL* (for their efforts in promoting
the equipment leasing industry, the Western
Association of Equipment Leasing gave them this award):
Bob Jacobson, Tri Continental Leasing;
Sudhir Amembal, Amembal and Isom; Bob
Grenzer, Addco Lease; Ralph Daveline, Hamon
Leasing--- Chuck Brazier, Colonial-Pacific
Leasing, PR Committee chairman
*Became United Association of Equipment Leasing
and today National Equipment Finance Association


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Classified Ads---Sales Management


Europe
25+ yrs exper. management roles Chase, AT&T Capital, Heller Financial, SFS. Develop biz from “scratch to success”. Looking for challenging & pioneering job.
Email: frans@alliedproperty.net

Philadelphia, PA
27 yrs. exp. sales, ops., credit, strategy, P&L mngmet. Most recently created & executed the biz plans for 2 highly successful Bank-owned small ticket leasing subsidiaries.
email: mccarthy2020@comcast.net
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

Southern CA
20 years exp. as hands-on leasing CFO, managing accounting, treasury, FP&A, including securitizations, Great Plains/FRx, budgets, risk management.  MBA.  Also available as interim Controller/CFO, consultant.
Email: leasecfo@gmail.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

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Representations and Warrants
by Christopher Menkin



Many discounters and brokers appear not to fully understand the agreement they sign to do business with a funder, commonly called in the industry "reps and warrants."  Most offer no negotiations with the attitude, "you sign this or we won't do business with you."  Venue, legal wording, and responsibilities are all spelled out.  Basically, if the funder has a default on his hands, they can look to the discounter or broker for any misrepresentation or oversight.

It is not uncommon for such agreements to contain a clause of a default in the first 30 or 90 days for any reason for the lease to be repurchased in a discount basis on the stream of payments.

Another standard clause regards delivery of equipment. This was the most common complaint about “ignorance” or “lack of knowledge” brought to Leasing News. None of those who were making the complaint about a funder in the last nine years made the Bulletin Board. They obviously did not realize what they had signed. They were responsible.

Michael Witt will go more into this in his Friday column, but what brings this to mention today regards Fleetwood Industries, Cherry Hill NJ.

According to public record, Fleetwood Industries, Cherry Hill New, Jersey sold a lease to Univest Capital, Inc., formerly known as Vanguard Leasing, Bensalem, Pennsylvania. There was a breach of the representation and warranty.  While the delivery and acceptance was signed and verbal verification made, it turned out the equipment was “double pledged” and therefore the leasing contract was not valid.

Univest Capital demanded that the contract be repurchased as per their “reps and warranty” agreement. In lieu of cash, Univest allowed Fleetwood to sign an installment note to repay the debt. According to court documents, Fleetwood defaulted on the installment note agreement. Univest sued Fleetwood and was awarded judgment. (1)

A telephone call to Fleetwood Industries regarding the judgment was not returned.

This is an important event to bring to readers attention for those who arranged leases where the equipment may not have existed in such cases as Equipment Acquisition Resources or in a new case about to make the news.

Many local and regional banks have been approached by discounters and brokers and these institutions may not have had such a representation and warranty clause. At the end of this article there are a series of such agreements found on the internet.

In all such instances, it is best to obtain legal advice from an attorney who has a history in the leasing industry and has practical experience in the enforcement, rather than just copying what others are presently using.  It is also important for the discounter or broker to realize their responsibility, especially if they are a Certified Lease Professional or prominent with history in the leasing industry.

Please read Michael Witt's column on Friday.

(1) Univest Capital Judgment against Fleetwood Industries:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/FleetwoodJudgement.pdf

Found on the Internet:
Balboa Capital "Reps and Warrants"
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Balboa%20Reps%20%20and%20Warrants.pdf

LCA Bank  "Reps and Warrants"
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Lease%20Corp%20repts%20and%20warrants.pdf

Madison Capital "Reps and Warrants"
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Madison_Capital_Reps_Warrants.pdf


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Leasing Companies Out of Broker Business

These are companies who are either out of business who worked with independent equipment leasing brokers or no longer are doing business with independent equipment brokers within the last year. This is not a list of companies who do not do business with independent equipment brokers.


Advantage Business Capital, Lake Oswego, Oregon
AEL Financial, Buffalo Grove, Illinois
*(No longer taking new broker business)
Balboa Capital, Irvine, Ca
Bankers Healthcare Group, Weston, FL.
C and J Leasing Corp, Des Moines, Iowa
Chesterfield Financial, Chesterfield, Missouri
Churchill Group/Churchill Leasing, Jericho, NY
CIT Group (limited)
Columbia Bank Leasing, Tacoma, WA
Concord Financial Services, Long Beach, California
Court Square, Malvern, Pennsylvania
Creative Capital Leasing Group, LLC, San Diego, CA
Direct Capital, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Diversified Financial Service, Omaha, NE
Dolsen Leasing, Bellevue/Yakima, Washington
Equipment Finance Partners, a division of Altec, Birmingham, Alabama
Evans National Leasing, Inc., Hamburg, NY
Enterprise Funding, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Excel Financial Leasing, Lubbock Texas
First Corp.(IFC subsidiary), Morton Grove, Illinois
First Republic Bank, San Francisco, Ca
GE Capital, Conn (limited)
Global Funding LLC., Clearwater, FL
Greystone, Burlington, MA
Heritage Pacific Leasing, Fresno, CA
Hillcrest Bank Leasing, Overland Park, KS
Huntington Equipment Finance, Vendor Finance Group,
IFC Credit Corp., Morton Grove, Illinois
Bellevue, Washington
Irwin Financial (Irwin Union Bank), Columbus, Indiana
Irwin Union Bank, F.S.B. (Louisville, Kentucky)
Lakeland Bank, Montville, NJ
LaSalle Systems Leasing
LEAF Third Party Funding, Santa Barbara, Ca.
Lombard, part of Royal Bank of Scotland, worldwide
Marlin Leasing, Mount Laurel, NJ
Marquette Business Credit Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota
M&T Credit (Bank)
MericapCredit, Lisle, Illinois
Merrill Lynch Financial
Mesa Leasing, San Diego, California
Midwest Leasing Group,Livonia, MI
National City, Cleveland, Ohio
Navigator (Pentech subsidiary) San Diego, California
OFC Capital, Roswell, Georgia
Old National Bank, Evansville, Illinois
Pentech Financial, Campbell, CA
PFF Bancorp, Inc, Pomona, CA
Pinnacle Business Finance, Fife, Washington
Pioneer Capital Corporation, Addison, Texas
PredictiFund, a subsidiary of Capital Access Network, Inc
Popular Finance, St. Louis, Missouri
Radiance-Capital, Tacoma, WA
Rational Technology Solutions, Rolling Meadows, IL
Sandy Springs, Olney, MD
Sovereign Bank, Melville, New York
Specialty Funding, Albuquerque, NM
SunBridge Capital, Mission, Kansas
Suncoast Equipment Funding Corp., Tampa, Florida
TechLease, Morgan Hill, California
Textron Financial
Triad Leasing & Financial, Inc., Boise, Idaho
Union Capital Partners, Midvale, Utah
US Bank, Middle-Market, Portland, Oregon
Velocity Financial Group, Rosemont, Illinois
VenCore, Portland, Oregon
Vision Capital,San Diego, California
Wachovia Bank Leasing
Washington Mutual Financial
Western Bank, Devils Lake, ND
Westover Financial, Inc., Santa Ana, California


LeasePolice.com - "Your One Stop Vendor Check"
(Leasing News provides this ad “gratis” as a means
to help support the growth of Lease Police)

[headlines]
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Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Sales



Set Yourself Apart and Prosper

Interviewing highly skilled professionals
Motivated by success, rooted in integrity
Exclusive funding sources. Full Med/401(k)
Click Herefor more information.
Submit Resume To: smiscovich@stradacapital.com

About the Company: With over 10 years in business, Strada Capital Corporation exists to provide customized commercial finance solutions through our unique customer-centric approach. Our boutique firm is steadfast in providing personal attention, swift turnaround and extraordinary customer experiences.
Visit us at www.stradacapital.com


 






Please see our Job Wanted section for possible new employees.

 

[headlines]
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[headlines]
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Sales makes it Happen


by Gerry Egan


"It may be time to ‘fire’ some vendors" Part I

I reached a point many years ago where I stopped thinking in terms of vendors as companies and began thinking in terms of individual vendor sales reps. I did so based on what’s sometimes known as the Pareto principle, (commonly referred to as the 80/20 rule). Management experts also call it the law of the critical few and the trivial many and it basically posits that in any given enterprise, the majority of the results are produced or driven by a relatively small percentage of the efforts or input. Many experienced sales managers will testify to seeing it at work in their sales organizations.

If you understand and accept that, it's not hard to extrapolate that in any given vendor, a relatively small percentage of the sales force, (20%, perhaps), produce the majority of the sales. That means that the majority of the sales force, (perhaps 80%), are --at best-- average performers, and produce a relatively small portion of the sales.

How this affects us is that when we promise to be 'the vendor's leasing program' we are, in effect, promising to work with the whole company, all the salespeople, the good ones and the bad ones, promising to work on whatever they call us with, whether or not they are transactions we personally would have chosen to work on or know we can get funded. So, we risk spending a lot of time chasing undoable deals to satisfy our commitment to the 80% of the sales force, (the average performers), who are producing the smallest portion of the sales.

The 80% group, the average performers, can take a lot of your time, too. They’re not that busy so spending time shopping rates is easy for them. And not having a lot of good prospects they’re more than willing to spend limitless time on any kind of prospect they do have and are glad for you to do the same.

Instead, I chose to focus on vendors not as companies but as individual reps and developed close personal relationships with the top performers in each vendor's office. The interesting thing is, once I changed how I looked at that, it became very easy to do.

When you work with the just the top performers, you get to run marketing programs targeting just the customers you think you can approve. And another thing, the top performers can work with anyone they want to. Nobody questions them. Average salespeople are expected to work the company approved plan; top performers are allowed a lot of leeway.

This was all so easy to learn and so easy to work. The hardest part was making the decision to change, to differentiate myself. I maintain that if you had a close working relationship with the just the top salesperson at ten different vendors, you'd have trouble keeping up with the business. And guess which salespeople in the vendor's office last longest in tough times? In any typical vendor sales organization of ten salespeople, I'd gladly give anyone else full access to the bottom eight performers if you'd just let me keep the top two.

In Part II "How to do it"

See you in Atlanta!!!!!!!!

Gerry Egan

www.LearnLeasing.com
Phone: 919-790-1266
Email: GerryEgan@LearnLeasing.com

In sales we get paid the same for a maybe as we get paid for a no ---but a maybe takes longer to collect.

Gerry Egan since 1981 has been involved in Equipment Leasing training, education, and has written many articles. He is unique in his consulting profession as " We broker leases, hold our own leases and discount leases to local banks in addition to managing and servicing the leasing programs for a couple of small banks."


About Gerry Egan:
http://forequipmentleasing.com/Joomla/content/view/25/45/

Previous Sales Makes it Happen Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Legacy/index.html


test

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2010 Leasing Association Conferences

Have you signed up yet? Don’t Miss out!

Leasing Association 2010 Conferences




March 19-21
NEFA Spring Conference
The Fairmont
Dallas, Texas
Events:
http://www.nefa.affiniscape.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=67
Sessions:
http://www.nefa.affiniscape.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=68
Registration:
https://m360.nefassociation.org/event.aspx?eventID=12407



April 13-15
ELFA National Funding Conference
Fairmont Hotel Chicago
Chicago, IL
Details:
http://www.elfaonline.org/pub/events/2010/NFE/





April 15-17
2010 NAELB Annual Conference
Omni Hotel at CNN Center
100 CNN Center
Atlanta, Georgia
Brochure:
http://www.naelb.org/associations/2004/files/2010%20NAELB%20Annual%20Conference%
20Registration%20Brochure.pdf



May 5-7,
AGLF/ELFA Public Sector Finance Forum
Westin Hotel, Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois




September 24-25
2010 NAELB Eastern Regional Meeting
Atlanta, Georgia




October 15-17
NEFA Funding Symposium Fall 2010
The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead
Atlanta, Georgia




October 24-26
ELFA 49th Annual Convention
Boca Raton Resort & Club
Boca Raton, Florida




November 12-13, 2010
NAELB Western Regional Meeting
Costa Mesa, California

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

To view Leasing Association Events-Meetings Open to All, please click here.

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Letters!


(mostly chronological)

May 11, 2009

Ex HPSC/GE Capital sales team is looking for bank or direct lessor that is interested in expanding financing efforts in dental and optical industries by hiring sales team with great vendor contacts.

I was the Vice President of Sales for the dental and optical finance group of HPSC. Our company was shut down a few years after being acquired by GE Healthcare Financial Services. We financed $300 million last year to dental and optical professionals. We financed practice start-ups, expansions, and equipment. We are looking for a potential home where we can continue in our dental and optical specialties. I was the national sales leader for this group and would like to keep the team together with myself as sales manager. I feel we can bring in excess of $150 million in business in our first year through our strong vendor contacts as well as key vendor relationships. My sales team consisted of 12 regional sales reps nationwide. I can put together a smaller team if needed.

I believe that this could be the ideal time for a bank or leasing company to expand their presence in the dental and optical markets. I feel that there is a great opportunity to fill the void left by our former company. Please feel free to contact with any questions that you might have or if there is someone else I should be speaking with. I look forward to your response. I can be reached at 404-217-3694 or by e-mail Archan1785@msn.com.

Anthony Chan
archan1785@msn.com

March 2, 2010

"Thanks for following up with our progress. Nothing new here. We are still looking. I have contacted Bruce Kropschot and he is helping us look for a direct lender or bank, but he has not had any luck either. There is a real need for a company to specialize in the dental market. It's hard to believe that there is not a bank out there that wants to take advantage of our contacts and the business that we can generate. Are you seeing any recovery in the market?

"I am even still looking for a sales management job for myself outside of the group and have not had any luck.

"Thanks again for checking in with me!"

Anthony


Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa in sunny Poipu

Don Myerson of BSB Leasing and his family live to
the left of the Hyatt and he jogs by the hotel
every morning very early down the beach and
up the ground around the ocean coves.


Hawaii Tsunami

http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2010/3_1.htm#tsunami

“Thanks, Kit, and prayers for your friends. We have a lot of friends on Kauai as well.

“Some are in lower-lying areas from Pe'e Road in Poipu to Hanapepe and others are in Kalaheo on higher ground west of Omao.

“I appreciate the heads up.”

Terry Waggoner
tvwagg@hotmail.com



“Thx. Kit. We have dear friends with a house on the beach within the Princeville area. Passed it on but I am sure they are aware. “

Regards, Bill
rubicong@ix.netcom.com



“Please keep us posted

“All the Best”

Don A. Marchant
Vice President Human Resources
First Pacific Funding, Inc.
donm@firstpacificfunding.com

(While the Tsunami was very small indeed, it did scare many of us, especially those who have been to the islands. Appreciate Don Myerson’s reports as at first it seemed dire, indeed. There were many other comments received, but wanted print only a few to show that readers were interested in what was happening to one of their colleagues and his family. editor)




LEAF 1st Quarter Down 69%
  Down to 271 employees to 377 year before
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2010/2_17.htm#leaf

Another good article on Leaf. I liked the picture of the fallen leaves (Leaf), it’s a good parity. FYI, I know one of the managers there, he said they have about a buck fifty of people in the collections department, if that means 150, then more than half of Leaf’s remaining staff are in collections. Keep the news coming, thanks again.

(name with held)

Your newsletter on Leaf:

Jonathan Cohen, Resource America CEO and President commented, "Our first fiscal quarter showed solid profitability after the two previous quarters were essentially break even.

“We are seeing the benefits from having narrowed our focus on our real estate, corporate loans and leasing businesses. In doing so, we have tailored our approach and our business models to changed economic times, but we have maintained our long-standing objective of developing and growing businesses with scalable platforms.

“The financial crisis of 2007-2009 did cause great damage, but we are now seeing many opportunities in our businesses. Including commitments from institutional and joint venture partners, we have approximately $500.0 million of capital to invest.

“As we continue to raise capital in this environment for our managed businesses, including Resource Capital, Resource Real Estate Opportunity REIT, Inc. and Apidos Opportunity Fund, we will focus on profitability across all of our businesses."

(He didn’t note leasing. The SEC filing as noted in the article above shows much downsizing and a change of direction away from the lease broker marketplace especially. Kit Menkin, editor).

Some observation(s):

(1) The fastest and most profitable way to make money in the leasing business is to shut an existing operation down and strip it of all sales/marketing, credit and management and leave a skeleton staff to service run off of the portfolio.

(2) Having been active in the mid 80's and early 90's purchasing portfolios of leases and loans out of the FDIC/Resolution Trust Corp. I can attest to the fact that buying existing financial product at a discount and servicing it with a skeleton staff can be most rewarding.

(3) Given capital and access to funding in today’s market, I would NOT be looking at "new business product" but rather focus on opportunities from financial institutions having a need to exit product/product line(s) at a discount. I suspect that is what Leaf is doing.

I've been blessed in this industry and am enjoying my final years. But OH, ... to be a hungry young man again! The opportunities in toady's market are simply outstanding. Those who think outside the box will be very well rewarded.

I enjoy your Newsletter ... Keep up the GOOD work!

Paul

D. Paul Nibarger, CLP
Managing Director
Nibarger Associates
7310 Via Marie Celeste
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
310.541.8609
310.377.1574 (FAX)
NAELB At Large Board Member
For NAELB Business Calls: 800.761.0853
nibarger@cox.net

Nibarger Associates is an investment banking firm that specializes in providing commercial borrowers with advice and services regarding project and equipment financing. Since its founding in 1983, Nibarger Associates has provided its clients with creative solutions for various traditional and difficult-to-finance projects. Using its broad base of experience in equipment leasing and debt markets, Nibarger Associates delivers the capital its clients need for profitable expansion. We are members of ELFA and NAELB with a CA Finance Lender/Broker license, # 603-8622 and serve on the boards of the CLP Foundation and NAELB.



Southern Pines Animal Shelter
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MS17.html

My daughter has run a rescue all through college. They placed hundreds of dogs and cats into “good” homes during her tenure.

The “Leasing” area shelter Adopt a Pet segment is good.

Hattiesburg, MS caught my attention as it is my mothers home city (Petal, MS) though she left in 1954 when she met a handsome Air Force AP who took her to Cleveland.

Interesting to note, the Hattiesburg shelter was opened in 1952.

I sent this on to my mother up in Mansfield.

Keep up the good work.

Brian
The Perpetual Writer, by night.
Lease guy, by day.

Brian Huey
brian@leasesource.net


 


http://www.wovel.com/


“This truly seems outstanding!

“Sold worldwide and I just learned of it from a friend in N.J. The snow shovel on wheels.

“If you have experience with this device, please share it and forward to others.

“Here's a clip followed by their website link:
YouTube - Meet the Wovel and..............
http://www.wovel.com/default.aspx

“Best to all!”

Terry

Terry Waggoner
tvwagg@hotmail.com



I invite everyone to join my new ANTI-SOCIAL EMAIL NETWORK, “GO-WAY”

By logging on, you can be assured that nothing at all will happen. You will not be joined to anyone else and old friends, bill collectors, insurance agents and strangers without candy cannot find you.

If anyone asks if you belong to LinkedIn, Plaxo or another network, just say “NO…GO-WAY”

Do NOT respond to this announcement. If we want you, we will call.

Barry

PLEASE NOTE: WE HAVE MOVED!

MY PHONE, EMAIL, MAIN FAX NUMBER AND P.O. BOX REMAIN UNCHANGED BUT THIS IS A NEW STREET ADDRESS AND I HAVE A DIRECT FAX NUMBER

BARRY S. MARKS
MARKS & WEINBERG, P.C.|
Financial Center - Suite 1615
505 North 20th Street
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
P. O. Box 11386
Birmingham, Alabama 35202
bmarks@marksweinberg.com
www.leaselawyer.com
205.251.8303
fax 278.8905 (Direct) 251.8305 (Main)



Hello,

I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself.

My name is Robin Dahlen and I am the new executive director for the NEFA. I have been serving in this capacity now for a little over a month and have been busy taking in as much as I can about the industry and our members.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of any assistance to you.

Regards,
Robin

Robin E. Dahlen, CAE
Executive Director
National Equipment Finance Association
3525 Piedmont Road
Building Five, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30305
404.760.4248 (direct)
404.240.0998 (fax)
nefassociation.org

Plan now to attend The National Equipment Finance Summit, March 19-21, 2010, in Dallas, Texas. Register today!

SEATTLE

  

Meet and learn from Mr. Terry Winders, CLP

Leasing #102 columnist for Leasing News,
long time educator and trainer

Sales and Operations
click here for course information and to register

April 12th until Noon on the 14th
Seattle, Washington
Hosted by Financial Pacific

$395.00 Paid in Advance for first person from company
$345 with each additional attendee 

"Certified Leasing Professionals attending this seminar will earn CPEs (Continuing Professional Education)
Credits toward their recertification"

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

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

$7.6 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
Nets Four Defendants

Owner, a former CPA, fails to report over $3.8 Million in receipts to the IRS


Los Angeles – Monday, in United District Court in Los Angeles, the owner of Airport Medical Supply, a Van Nuys company, was arraigned on charges contained in a sixty-one count indictment alleging health care fraud, false statements affecting health care program, obstruction of a criminal investigation of health care offenses, and subscribing to false tax returns.

Eli Gichon, the owner of Airport Medical Supply (AMS), was a Certified Public Accountant who operated AMS from within the premises of Eli’s Airport Cleaners, a dry cleaning business he owned and operated located in Van Nuys. Gichon pleaded not guilty at today’s arraignment.

According to the indictment, Gichon employed co-defendants Christopher Hill, Leroy White, and Feliciano Dy to work as marketers for AMS. Hill, White, and Dy were each indicted on multiple counts of health care fraud.

From January 2003 through December 2006, Gichon obtained beneficiary information needed to bill Medicare for durable medical equipment by paying kickbacks to Hill, White, Dy, and others to recruit beneficiaries for AMS.

To recruit the Medicare beneficiaries for AMS, the marketers would promise the beneficiaries cash and / or free durable medical equipment. Additionally, they would transport the recruited beneficiaries to AMS.

When the beneficiaries visited AMS, Gichon and others at the business would have them pre-sign blank paperwork for durable medical equipment, including a “delivery ticket / patient receipt” indicating that the equipment had been delivered to the beneficiary’s residence.

Gichon used the recruited beneficiaries’ information to prepare false claims for durable medical equipment, such as power wheelchairs and accessories, hospital beds, and mattresses that were not provided to the beneficiaries and / or were not medically necessary. He and others created false invoices from a non-existent medical supply company to substantiate that AMS had purchased the non-existent durable medical equipment.

Between April 2004 and January 2007, AMS submitted false claims to Medicare for durable medical equipment totaling approximately $7.6 million.

In addition to the health care fraud scheme, Gichon was indicted on three counts of subscribing to false tax returns. For the tax years 2004, 2005, and 2006, Gichon failed to report approximately $3.8 million in receipts from Medicare he received through AMS on his personal income tax returns.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in court.

The charges specified in the indictment carry the following statutory maximum penalties: Health care fraud – 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000; false statements affecting health care program – 5 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000; obstruction of a criminal investigation of health care offenses - 5 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000; and subscribing to false tax returns - 3 years imprisonment and a fine of $100,000.

Gichon is currently free on bond pending trial. Co-defendant Hill was also arraigned this morning in Los Angeles and pleaded not guilty to the charges in the indictment. He was ordered detained. Co-defendant Dy has been summonsed to appear and will make his initial appearance on March 22, 2010. Co-defendant White is expected to surrender later this week.

The case against Gichon, Hill, White, and Dy was assigned to United States District Judge Manuel L. Real. The case has been set for trial on April 13, 2010.

The investigation and prosecution of Gichon, Hill, White, and Dy was conducted by IRS - Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Los Angeles in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

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

The Commercial Law League of America's Midwestern Meeting and
National Convention Kicks Off On April 29


The Commercial Law League of America will hold its 80th Midwest Meeting and 116th National Convention in Chicago from April 29-May 2, 2010.

The event, which is one of the organization's largest annual gatherings and will be held at the Westin Michigan Avenue at 909 N. Michigan Ave., will feature a number of educational and networking opportunities for members of the business and credit community.

Thurs., April 29 will include:
Seminars on electronic discovery and the Internet. The meeting will open with a program from the CLLA's Complex Commercial Litigation Committee - a group formed in 2009 that is comprised of attorneys who practice in the area of complex commercial litigation - on electronic discovery and the interplay between the Internet and the law.

Jonathan Scott - of Scott & Scott, LLP in Dallas - will offer best practices for the retention and management of electronically stored information (ESI). Grant Blumenthal, of Tamari & Blumenthal LLC in Chicago, will discuss how technology and the Internet have impacted the law.

A bankruptcy judge Q&A. Conference attendees will be able to take part in a roundtable discussion with local bankruptcy judges with a reception to immediately follow.

Networking events. The meeting will feature networking events to introduce and connect attendees, including Draft Day"- recruiting your best agencies & attorneys round robin style networking event on Thursday afternoon.

Fri., April 30 will include:
A roundtable on legal forwarding. At the "What in the World is the Triadic System?" roundtable, a panel of agencies, attorneys and law list publishers will discuss the triadic system, which is more than 100 years old but is often considered to be ineffective as a source for providing legal representation for credit grantors - and as a vehicle for distributing accounts to attorneys for collection.

A presentation on Uniform Commercial Code Article 9. Bill Henning, a law professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, will cover the specifics of UCC Article 9,which provides a way for suppliers to secure payment for credit-based debt. Henning also will explain the steps to take to safeguard the integrity of clients' transactions.

Sat., May 1 will include:
A program on using social media Web sites. The "Welcome to the Social Media World: Use of Social Media Platforms for Attorney Marketing" seminar will explore the basics of using social networking websites such as Twitter and LinkedIn for business marketing.

The Chicago meeting will also include a welcoming reception and a new "Triadic Iron Chef" networking event, which will be held on Friday evening at Macy's Culinary Studio, a 4,200-square-foot, state-of-the-art cooking facility housed in the Macy's department store State Street location. Attendees can opt to work in teams to help prepare dinner for the entire group, create centerpieces for the dining tables or just observe the cooking activities.

The evening will also include a wine tasting; a private dinner in Macy's Narcissus Room, at which attendees can choose to be seated with friends and associates; and a raffle with items including Macy's gift cards and gourmet wine baskets.

Visit the events section on www.clla.org for more information.

About the CLLA
The CLLA is the nation's oldest organization of attorneys, collection agencies, judges, accountants, trustees, turn around managers and other experts in credit and finance actively engaged in the field of commercial law, bankruptcy and insolvency. For more information, visit www.clla.org for an interactive network of attorneys, law list publishers and agencies working together to serve the credit community, or call 312.781.2000.

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Naperville, Illinois---Adopt-a-Dog


Blu
2 years
Hound mix
Male
Available

"Blu is a possible Hound mix--maybe some Catahoula Leopard Dog also? He's a handsome, well-mannered guy looking for his forever home. Blu is living in a foster home, so he can't be seen at the Naperville Area Humane Society. To learn more about Blu and to schedule an appointment to see him, please visit his blog: http://blogs.narniapets.com/blu/."

Naperville Area Humane Society
1620 W. Diehl Road
Naperville, IL 60563
(630) 420-8989
http://www.napervillehumanesociety.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/

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News Briefs----

National City Commercial $1.25MM BofWest $.93MM
http://www.nationaljewelernetwork.com/njn/content_display/colored-stones/color-market-reports/e3i2a2383a07ad64ff84cf1cc26b19b4a5f

Job numbers grow for the first time since late '08
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011232135_jobs03.html

Postal Service's debt reducer: Drop Saturday
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-03-02-postal_N.htm

Toyota announces 9 percent US sales drop
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/02/AR2010030203914.html

'Hurt Locker' producer barred from Oscars
http://oscars.movies.yahoo.com/news/522-hurt-locker-producer-barred-from-oscars-ap

'Oprah': Roger Ebert Predicts the Oscars, Movingly: 'No More Surgery for Me'
http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/oprah-roger-ebert-predicts-the-oscars-movingly-no-more-surgery-for-me--1029

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You May have Missed---

4G to dramatically change wireless industry
http://www.wirelessweek.com/Articles/2010/02/Technology-Shaking-Up-4G/

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Sports Briefs----

Tuesday's College Basketball
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/03/03/sports/AP-Tue-BKC-Scores.html?_r=1

Report: Lions hope the Rams don't pick a QB
http://www.theredzone.org/BlogDescription/tabid/61/EntryId/3718/Report--Lions-hope-the-Rams-don-t-pick-a-QB/Default.aspx

Jerry Jones on Cowboys' draft: 'I'm looking at everything but quarterback' in first round
http://www.theredzone.org/BlogDescription/tabid/61/EntryId/3707/Jerry-Jones-on-Cowboys--draft---I-m-looking-at-everything-but-quarterback--in-first-round/Default.aspx

The NFL has announced the 2011 Pro Bowl will be played Sunday night, Jan. 30 at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii. It will be televised by FOX @ 7 pm ET.

FOX will carry Super Bowl a week later from Cowboys Stadium.


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California Nuts Briefs---

Jerry Brown in the race to get state "working again"
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/02/MNV11C9M30.DTL&type=politics

15,000 S.F. City workers face layoffs, shorter weeks
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/02/BA471C9UVR.DTL&tsp=1

Court: Schwarzenegger's line-item vetoes constitutional
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/2010/03/court-rules-sch.html


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“Gimme that Wine”

Ridge Vineyards in Cupertino, Calif by Eric Asimov
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/dining/03pour.html?ref=dining

Wine People on the Move
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=news&content=71854& ;htitle=Wine%20People%20on%20the%20Move

Economy hits wine drinkers, but inexpensive wines might just be cheapskates
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/02/watch_out_your_inexpensive_win.html

Fewer visitors at Sonoma County hotels
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100301/BUSINESS/100309977/1349?Title=Fewer-visitors-at-Sonoma-County-hotels

 

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

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

1859- Over 400 men, women and children formerly held by Pierce M. Butler as “slaves” were auctioned in order to pay debts incurred in gambling and the financial crash of 1857-58. Journalist Q. K. Philander Doesticks (Mortimer Thomas) attended the two day sale and wrote about it: “What Became of the Slaves on a Georgia Plantation?,” includes vivid descriptions of the largest “recorded” slave auction in U.S. history. Many of the slave owners in the South had upwards of 40 and 50 slaves who were basically farm labor (plantation.) When the Confederate States of America formed and wrote their constitution, it was made perfectly clear the purpose of the government was to insure slavery was legal in this new sovereign nation.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar03.html

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This Day in American History

    1521 - Magellan discovered Guam, today an American protectorate. During his first day off the shores of Guam, Magellan's skiff was taken. In retaliation for the theft, Spanish soldiers burned a village, killed and attempted to kidnap a number of natives and exchanged bullet with sling stones in a skirmish on the shore of Umatac Bay. Angered, Magellan would name the islands "Islas de Ladrones" (islands of thieves) -- a name that would carry for the next 150 years. It should be noted that Magellan was killed in an encounter at the very next landfall in the Philippines, giving some credence to the Chamorro proverb, on revenge. Many explorers met their end in world travel, including some great Portuguese captains who were hero explorers in their day, but todayare not remembered at all.
http://infoplease.lycos.com/ce6/world/A0822005.html
http://infoplease.lycos.com/ce6/people/A0831125.html
http://ns.gov.gu/resolut.html
http://www.justice.gov.gu/Superior/History/hist_02.htm
http://www.pacificworlds.com/guam/visitors/explore.htm
http://www.gov.gu/quipua.html
    1744 -Colonial missionary to the American Indians, David Brainerd wrote in his journal: 'In the morning, spent an hour in prayer. Prayer was so sweet an exercise to me that I knew not how to cease, lest I lose the spirit of prayer.'
http://www.cantonbaptist.org/halloffame/brainerd.htm
http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/biorpbrainerd.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0801009766/inktomi-bkasin-20/
102-1682336-8966565

    1776 -US commodore Esek Hopkins occupies Nassau Bahamas
http://www.anyflag.com/history/gadsden.htm
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-h/e-hopk-c.htm
http://www.navyhistory.com/Brigatines/Cabot.html
http://www.sentryoveramerica.com/RRD_MA_Navy_Jack.htm
http://www.interesting.com/stories/gadsden/
    1791-The first internal revenue law was passed by Congress. Fourteen revenue districts were created and tax of 20 to 30 cents a gallon put on distilled spirits. The legislatures of North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland passed resolutions of disapproval shortly thereafter.
    1794-Richard Allen, a Black slave, founded African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and the Free African Society. He preached to both a Black and white congregation.
http://www.brightmoments.com/blackhistory/nrallen.html
http://earlyamerica.com/review/spring97/allen.html
http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/allen/menu.html
    1815-War against Algeria was declared by Congress. The dey of Algiers had molested U.S. ships and insisted on payment of tribute. The war would end on June 30 against Algeria and the Barbary Coast pirates when a peace treaty was signed with the dey of Algiers. It was followed by similar treaties with Tunis on July 26 and Tripoli on August 5. The treaties, exacted by Commodore Stephen Decatur, required the pirates to cease their hostile acts, free all American prisoners, and compensate the U.S. for vessels seized. It was the US Navy and the US Marines working together and that's where we get the “from the shores of Tripoli...”
    1819-Missouri Compromise Bill introduced to admit Missouri to the Union as a state that prohibited slavery. At the time there were 11 free states and 10 slave states. Southern congressmen feared this would upset the balance of power between North and South. As a compromise, on this date Missouri was admitted as a slave state but slavery was forever prohibited in the northern part of the Louisiana Purchase.
    1821-Thomas Jennings becomes the fist Black American to receive a patent, for a dry-cleaning process.
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bljennings.htm
    1831-George M. Pullman birthday, designer and manufacturer of railroad sleeping accommodations. George Mortimer Pullman was an inventor and industrialist who became famous for his design and production of the “Pullman” railroad sleeping car. His first attempt at improving railroad sleeping accommodations began in 1858, while working as a contractor for the Chicago & Alton Railroad at Chicago, IL. His initial model was not adopted, but in 1863 a new design was enthusiastically received He secured a patent for the folding berth design in 1864 and one for the lower berth design in 1865. By 1867 Pullman and his partner organized the Pullman Palace Car Company, which became the greatest railroad car-building organization in the world. In 1881 the town of Pullman, IL, south of Chicago, was formed by Pullman to house his employees. Because rents were not lowered when wages were cut, a strike was initiated against Pullman's company in May 1894. Pullman was eventually forced to give up control of all property in the town not directly required for manufacturing. Pullman died Oct 19,1897, at Chicago, IL. This era in history where railroad baron's "ruled" the country was about to end.
    1836-Jefferson Franklin Long, a black slave who became a congressman December 22, 1870, born in slavery near Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga., March 3, 1836. Republican. U.S. Representative from Georgia 4th District, 1870-71. Black. Died in Macon, Bibb County, Ga., February 4, 1901. Interment at Lynwood Cemetery, Macon, Ga.
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000419
    1843—After lobbying Congress for six years, Samuel Morse received $30,000 to build an experimental telegraph line from Baltimore, MD to Washington, DC. May 24,1844 Morse sent the historic message, "What hath God wrought?" The first internet had arrived.
    1845- Florida became the 27th state. The word ‘Florida' comes from the Spanish ‘feast of flowers'.. The capital of the Sunshine State is ... no, not Walt Disney World ... Tallahassee. The state flower is the fragrant orange blossom and the mockingbird is the state bird. Or maybe it The state song, "Suwannee River". The state motto is: “In God we trust.”
    1845- A man elected without a party, known as “outcast president” and considered a weak candidate in his last efforts as president is the first to have his veto over-ridden by Congress. He was a compromise candidate for vice- president and became president after William Henry Harrison died of pneumonia on April 4, one month after his inauguration. The veto matter concerned “ an act relating to revenue cutters and steamers,” which provided that no revenue cutter could be built without prior appropriation. President John Tyler vetoed the bill on February 20,1845, arguing that contracts for two revenue cutters had already been arranged, one with a firm in Richmond, VA, and another with a contractor in Pittsburgh, PA. the bill was reconsidered by the Senate and House on March 3, 1845. The Senate overrode the veto without debate by a vote of 41-12, and the House by a vote of 127-30. They didn't like President Tyler, to say the least.
http://www.americanpresident.org/presbios/assets/images/prezbkgd.gif
http://clerk.house.gov/images/bg2.gif
http://www.americanpresident.org/KoTrain/Courses/JT/JT_In_Brief.htm
    1847-Alexander Graham Bell birthday, inventor of the telephone, born at Edinburgh, Scotland. Bell acquired his interest in the transmission of sound from his father, Melville Bell, a teacher of the deaf. Bell's use of visual devices to each articulation to the deaf contributed to the theory from which he derived the principle of the vibration membrane used in the telephone. On March 10, 1976, Bell spoke the first electrically transmitted sentence to his assistant in the next room: “Mr. Watson, come here, I want you.” Bell's other accomplishments include a refinement of Edison's phonograph, the first successful phonograph record and the audiometer, and he continued exploring the nature and causes of deafness. He died near Baddeck, Nova Scotia, Canada, Aug. 2, 1922
    1853-A transcontinental railroad survey was authorized by Congress. $150,000 was appropriated to find the most practical railroad route across the country. The survey was to be conduced by the War Department. The iron rails of the railroads were weaving a network of lines around the nation at an ever greater rate. In the 1850 there were about 9000 miles of track, by 1860 more than 30,000. The Pennsylvania Railroad connected Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in 1852. The New York Central came into being in 1853, combining seven short lines between Albany and Buffalo, N.Y., into one. On January 12, 1853, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad began rail service to Wheeling, W.Va., from Baltimore. Rail service between New York and Chicago was available, although not in one continuous line. In 1856 the Illinois Central became the longest railroad in the world, with 700 miles of main line track. The Illinois Central was also the first railroad to which the federal government granted large tracts of public land as a subsidy; it was given 3,736,000 acres.
    1859-Over 400 men, women and children formerly held by Pierce M. Butler as “slaves” were auctioned in order to pay debts incurred in gambling and the financial crash of 1857-58. Journalist Q. K. Philander Doesticks (Mortimer Thomas) attended the two day sale and wrote about it : “What Became of the Slaves on a Georgia Plantation?,” includes vivid descriptions of the largest “recorded” slave auction in U.S. history. Many of the slave owners in the South had upwards of 40 and 50 slaves who were basically farm labor(plantation.) When the Confederate States of America formed and wrote their constitution, it was made perfectly clear the purpose of the government was to insure slavery was legal in this new sovereign nation.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar03.html
    1862- General Pope lays siege in front of New Madrid, Missouri, captures the city in an effort to control the supply route of the Confederates on the Mississippi River.
http://new-madrid.mo.us/riverview.html
http://www.civilwarhome.com/summarynewmadrid.htm
http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/mo/mo012.html
    1863-President Abraham Lincoln approved the “ National Academy of Science,” with the mission “to investigate, examine, experiment and report on any subject of science," with experiments and reports paid for by government appropriations.
    1863-The Territory of Idaho was carved from four existing territories: Washington, Utah, Dakota, and Nebraska. It included the later states of Montana and Wyoming.
    1863-A conscription act, first in the nation's history, was passed by Congress. It called for registration of all male citizens between 20 and 45 years of age and aliens in the same age bracket who had declared their intention of becoming citizens. Conscripts could be exempted from military service by payment of $300 or by providing a substitute.
    1863 - Free delivery of mail in cities was authorized by the United States Postal Service.
    1865-- Freedman's Bureau created. President Lincoln signs a bill creating the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands. Known as the Freedmen's Bureau, this federal agency oversaw the difficult transition of blacks from slavery to freedom. The Freedman's Bureau was born out of abolitionist concern for freed slaves during the war. Union General Oliver O. Howard served as commissioner for the entire seven years of the bureau's existence. The bureau was given power to dispense relief to both white and black refugees in the South, to provide medical care and education, and to redistribute "abandoned" lands to former slaves. The latter task was probably the most effective measure to ensure the prosperity and security of the freedmen, but it was also extremely difficult to enact. Many factors stymied the bureau's work. White southerners were very hostile to the Yankee bureau members, and even more hostile to the freedmen. Terror organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan targeted both blacks and whites and intimidated those trying to improve the lives of the freedmen. The bureau lacked the necessary funds and personnel to carry out its programs, and the lenient policies of Andrew Johnson's administration encouraged resistance. The compromise of John Tyler's election killed all such programs in the south.
http://freedmensbureau.com/
    1865-The first bank for freed African-American slaves was the Freeman's Savings and Trust Company, for the Negro, chartered by Congress. A central bank was established in Washington, DC, with branches n 34 cities. The bank was in operation about eight years, during which time it received deposits amounted to $57 million. The depreciation in security values due to the panic of 1873 caused the trustees to vote to close the bank, the affairs of which were placed in the hands of three commissioners. A CD-rom has been made of bank records which give a rich history of the depositors and their families.” The record of Abner Binford Smith, for example, shows the bank location and date, his parents' names, place of birth, complexion ("very light") and current residence. You also learn he was a 10-year-old boy who "goes to school." Like Abner's parents, John and Mary, many names in the database are incomplete since slaves may not have had surnames. And don't be surprised to find a lot of blank fields— information varies wildly from record to record. You might also discover the name of the plantation, master and mistress, military information and occupation. When looking for African-American ancestors in this database, keep in mind that the Freedman's Bank's 37 branches operated in larger cities in the South, as well as a few Northern cities such as New York and Philadelphia.” There are also many libraries with copies on microfilm and cd-rom. You may find it at your library, or request it.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~fltgs/freedmans.html
http://www.familytreemagazine.com/articles/aug01/freedmancd.html
    1877- Garrett Morgan, prolific Black inventor, born. He patented two life- saving inventions, the Safety Hood (an early gas mask) and the first three-way traffic signal. He was also an active campaigner for the rights and welfare of black people. Died July 27,1963.
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/collections/exhiblets/morgan/start.asp
http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1624.htm
    1879-The first lawyer who was a woman to be admitted to practice before the Supreme Court was Belva Ann Bennett Lockwood.
    1893-Avant-garde artist Beatroce Wood born. She exhibited with the Dada movement but is best known for her ceramics. She had painted oils for years in the Dada style before turning to ceramics in order to match a missing teapot. In addition to pottery, she sculpted in ceramic clay. Her ceramic sculptures were in a whimsical, sensual style. She developed her own distinctive colors and color schemes. She lived to 105 working and painting her pottery daily past 100.    Her home west of Los Angeles became a museum-like during his lifetime as hundreds visited daily to view her art. Wood's ceramics are displayed in the permanent collections of major U.S. museums, including the Smithsonian and New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as museums worldwide. Part of her very unconventional love life became the inspiration for the fiction novel (and movie) Jules et Jim written by Henri-Pierre Roche.
    1895-Matthew Bunker Ridgway birthday, American Army officer, born at Fort Monrow, VA. As major general commanding the newly formed 82 nd Airborne Division, he led it in the invasion of Sicily in July, 1943 and the invasion of the Italian mainland in 1944. Ridgway replaced Macarthur as commander of the US Eighth Army in Korea in 1951 and succeeded Eisenhower as Supreme Allied Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1952. He became US Army Chief of Staff in 1953. Ridgway died at Fox Chapel, P, July 26, 1993.
    1906—Clarinetist Barney Bigard Birthday
http://www.redhotjazz.com/bigard.html
http://atj.8k.com/noartist/atjbigard.html
http://www.worldofgramophones.com/barneybigard.html
This is one of Barney Bigard and Louis Armstrong's best albums:
http://www.buybestmusic.com/reviews1/B000002ADP.html
    1911-The first Federal cemetery to contain graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers was opened in Springfield, MO, by act of Congress. Part of it was formerly a Confederate cemetery, maintained by the state of Missouri, which deeded it to the federal government on June 21, 1911. A stone wall separates the graves of the Confederate troops from those of the Union soldiers. The cemetery contains over 3,100 graves.
    1911-actress Jean Harlow birthday, Hollywood's first blonde sexpot. Although her film roles always posed her as being able to hold her own with men in a worldly-wise manner, in reality she was a dependent person who was abused. Her fatal liver ailment at age 26 resulted from an earlier beating by a lover. Her striking, frankly sexual beauty radiated on the screen and directors lit her with high spots to emphasize her platinum blond hair.
http://www.jeanharlow.com/
    1913- National American Woman Suffrage Association parade held in Washington, D.C., on the day before Woodrow Wilson's inauguration turned into a near riot when people in the crowd began jeering and shoving the marchers. The 5,000 women and their supporters were spit upon, struck in the face and pelted with burning cigar stubs while police looked on and made no effort to intervene. Soldiers had to be called to restore order.
    1915 - The now-famous film, "Birth of a Nation", debuted in New York City. The motion picture brought Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh and Wallace Reid to the silver screen in what has frequently been called the greatest silent film ever produced. A 40-piece orchestra accompanied the silent film. The movie, at 2 hours and 40 minutes, was unusually long for its day and used revolutionary filmmaking techniques, including editing, multiple camera angles, and close-ups. However, the film, originally entitled The Clansman, was denounced by the NAACP for its negative portrayal of African Americans. His next picture, “ Intolerance” (1916), took two years to make and featured a complex, interwoven plot examining racism, prejudice, and injustice throughout history. He used much of his own money to finance the $2.5 million film, and its failure ruined him financially. His career foundered for several years after that.
    1917---From a flat tax to a new tax levied by Congress on excess profits of corporations, passed this day, an “act to provide increased revenue to defray the expenses of the increased appropriations of the army and navy and the extension of fortifications.” The act provided for taxation of the profits of all corporations in excess of 7 to 9 percent of the capital. The rates were 15 percent; 35 percent of the excess from 15 to 25 percent; 35 percent on the excess from 25 percent to 33 percent and 60 percent on the excess above 33 percent (and this was before depreciation or any other “tax write off.”
The act was repealed by the Revenue Act of 19178, approved on October 3, 1917
    1923-Guitarist Arthel “Doc” Watson born Deep Cap, NC
http://www.merlefest.org/DocsBiography.htm
http://www.docsguitar.com/biography.html
    1923-Time Magazine first published. The magazine was founded by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden.
http://www.univie.ac.at/Schroedinger/3_96/time01.htm
http://www.time.com/time/
    1926-Pulitzer Prize-winning poet James Merrill is born in New York . Merrill was the son of financier Charles Merrill, who founded the brokerage Merrill-Lynch. Merrill served as an Army infantryman during World War II and graduated from Amherst College in 1947. He became one of the most highly regarded poets of his time. Merrill's parents divorced in 1939. The divorce provided him with rich material for many poems, including "Broken Home." Much of his work was autobiographical and explored his family relationships, privileged upbringing, and homosexuality. His poems appeared in Poetry and the Kenyon Review, and his debut book, First Poems, was published in 1951. Thanks to a large trust fund, Merrill traveled widely and owned houses in Greece and Connecticut. In 1966, Merrill won the National Book Award for Nights and Days. A decade later, he published Divine Comedies, which won the 1977 Pulitzer Prize. Divine Comedies was the first in a trilogy of ambitious, book-length poems, some of which were written with the assistance of a Ouija board. He published 12 books of poetry and also wrote plays and novels. A final collection of poems was published after he died of a heart attack in Tucson, Arizona, in 1995.
    1927-Bluesman Herman (Junior) Parker was born in West Memphis, Arkansas. Influenced and aided early in his career by Sonny Boy Williamson, Parker cut his first records for the Sun label in 1952. His"Feelin' Good" hit the r'n'b top ten the following year. And Elvis Presley recorded Parker's "Mystery Train" for Sun in 1955. Parker later took his modern country blues to Duke Records, where he had his biggest hit in 1962 - "Annie Get Your Yo-Yo." Junior Parker died November 18, 1971 following eye surgery.
http://www.eharmonica.net/herman_parker.htm
http://www.oldies.com/artist/index.cfm/id/294.html AR
    1930 - Bert Lahr from "The Wizard of Oz" and Kate "God Bless America" Smith starred in the opening of "Flying High" at the Apollo Theatre in New York City. The show ran 45 weeks at what is now America's most famous black entertainment theatre.
    1931 - On Brunswick Records, Cab Calloway and his orchestra recorded "Minnie the Moocher" for the first time. The song was featured in the 1980 motion picture, "The Blues Brothers", starring John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd. 1931 - The Star-Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key, became the official national anthem of the United States. Despite the fact millions sing the anthem prior to sporting events, civic club meetings, and other public gatherings, it is ranked as the most difficult national anthem on the planet to sing.
    1931-- The US Congress recognized Star Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key, as the official national anthem. Despite the fact that millions sing (in a manner of speaking) the anthem before sporting events, civic club meetings and other public atherings, it is still ranked as the most difficult national anthem on earth to sing. While´s Key´s lyrics reflected an enduring sentiment of America during war time of 1812, with its "rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air" over Fort McHenry at Baltimore, MD; the melody goes against most everything musical and the words themselves are quite difficult to remember -- especially those following the first erse.Originally an English drinking song, To Anacreon in Heaven, the melody is next to impossible for most people to sing. Amateur singers embarrass themselves as they attempt to hit the high notes at the end of the song. They do this in the shower and at community events; while professional opera singers and pop music stars go flat, or forget the words, in front of national television audiences. Performers such as Robert Morley, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, Jose Feliciano, Ray Charles and others have had difficulties in musically translating the nation´s anthem. Almost from the moment the song was adopted officially, there has been movement to bring about change. Many would like to see America the Beautiful become the U.S. national anthem.
    1934-Bass player Jimmy Garrison born Miami ,FL, He died on April 7, 1976, in New York.
http://www.downbeat.com/artists/window.asp?aid=301
http://www.garrisonjazz.com/Jimmy%20Garrison.html
    1934 -- John Dillinger escapes prison with fake wooden pistol
http://www.geocities.com/hydey6/bio.html
    1937-Benny Goodman Band opens at Paramount Theater to tumultuous response.
    1938-Drummer Gene Krupa plays last date with Benny Goodman, Earle Theatre, Philladelphia,PA.
    1938 - A world record was set for the indoor mile run at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, when Glenn Cunningham went the distance in 4 minutes, 4.4 seconds.
    1939 - A new craze swept college campuses starting at Harvard University. The fad was goldfish swallowing.
    1940-Clarinetist Artie Shaw records “Frenesi,” Hollywood, Ca.
    1943-The state of Georgia lowered the lection law to 18 with an amendment to the state constitution. It was approved by popular vote on August 4, 1943, but a 3 to 1 majority. The first election held under this law took place on November 7, 1944. The national voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971, when the 26 th amendment to the Constitution was ratified by the required number of states. It became law on July 5,1971.
    1945--HARRELL, WILLIAM GEORGE  Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division. Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 3 March 1945. Entered service at: Mercedes, Tex. Born: 26 June 1922, Rio Grande City, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as leader of an assault group attached to the 1st Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division during hand-to-hand combat with enemy Japanese at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 3 March 1945. Standing watch alternately with another marine in a terrain studded with caves and ravines, Sgt. Harrell was holding a position in a perimeter defense around the company command post when Japanese troops infiltrated our lines in the early hours of dawn. Awakened by a sudden attack, he quickly opened fire with his carbine and killed 2 of the enemy as they emerged from a ravine in the light of a star shell burst. Unmindful of his danger as hostile grenades fell closer, he waged a fierce lone battle until an exploding missile tore off his left hand and fractured his thigh. He was vainly attempting to reload the carbine when his companion returned from the command post with another weapon. Wounded again by a Japanese who rushed the foxhole wielding a saber in the darkness, Sgt. Harrell succeeded in drawing his pistol and killing his opponent and then ordered his wounded companion to a place of safety. Exhausted by profuse bleeding but still unbeaten, he fearlessly met the challenge of 2 more enemy troops who charged his position and placed a grenade near his head. Killing 1 man with his pistol, he grasped the sputtering grenade with his good right hand, and, pushing it painfully toward the crouching soldier, saw his remaining assailant destroyed but his own hand severed in the explosion. At dawn Sgt. Harrell was evacuated from a position hedged by the bodies of 12 dead Japanese, at least 5 of whom he had personally destroyed in his self-sacrificing defense of the command post. His grim fortitude, exceptional valor, and indomitable fighting spirit against almost insurmountable odds reflect the highest credit upon himself and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
    1945--WAHLEN, GEORGE EDWARD  Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Pharmacist's Mate Second Class, U.S. Navy, serving with 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division. Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands group, 3 March 1945. Entered service at: Utah. Born: 8 August 1924, Ogden, Utah. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano group on 3 March 1945. Painfully wounded in the bitter action on 26 February, Wahlen remained on the battlefield, advancing well forward of the frontlines to aid a wounded marine and carrying him back to safety despite a terrific concentration of fire. Tireless in his ministrations, he consistently disregarded all danger to attend his fighting comrades as they fell under the devastating rain of shrapnel and bullets, and rendered prompt assistance to various elements of his combat group as required. When an adjacent platoon suffered heavy casualties, he defied the continuous pounding of heavy mortars and deadly fire of enemy rifles to care for the wounded, working rapidly in an area swept by constant fire and treating 14 casualties before returning to his own platoon. Wounded again on 2 March, he gallantly refused evacuation, moving out with his company the following day in a furious assault across 600 yards of open terrain and repeatedly rendering medical aid while exposed to the blasting fury of powerful Japanese guns. Stouthearted and indomitable, he persevered in his determined efforts as his unit waged fierce battle and, unable to walk after sustaining a third agonizing wound, resolutely crawled 50 yards to administer first aid to still another fallen fighter. By his dauntless fortitude and valor, Wahlen served as a constant inspiration and contributed vitally to the high morale of his company during critical phases of this strategically important engagement. His heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of overwhelming enemy fire upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
    1949-- Tucker Folds. While my father Lawrence Menkin plays a small part in the Movie “Tucker,” the man behind the pharmacy counter who serves sodas to Tucker (Francis Ford Coppola was a fan of his “Captain Video,”) the movie was far from what really happened. It is true that after the war there were several new car manufacturers from Ramble to the one founded by Preston “P.T. Tucker.” His car did feature a third headline that rotated with the axle, a “bomb shelter” in the backseat, disk brakes, six exhaust pipes and went from zero to sixty in ten seconds, reaching 120 mph as if it were a race care. It was the prototype, but it never made it to the marketplace as “P.T.” was indicted with thirty-one counts of investment fraud by the Security Exchange Commission. He did produce 51 prototypes, but they never made it to market as the Tucker Corporation went into receivership this day. He wasn't called “P.T.” for nothing.
    1950---Top Hits
Dear Hearts and Gentle People - Bing Crosby
There's No Tomorrow - Tony Martin
Music, Music, Music - Teresa Brewer
Chatanoogie Shoe Shine Boy - Red Foley
    1951-"Mr. Wizard premiered on television. Don Herbert explained the mysteries of science while performing experiments in front of wide-eyed children, such as myself.
    1955 - A truck driver from Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis Aron Presley made his television debut on "Louisiana Hayride". This signaled promoters to send Elvis to New York City where he auditioned for Arthur Godfrey's "Talent Scouts" program. Talent coordinators and Godfrey passed on Elvis appearing on the show. Soon after, he was kicked out of the Grand Ole Opry and told to "go back to driving a truck." In a little over a year, the United States was caught up in Presley-mania.
    1957-At the world figure skating championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.,Carol Heiss won the women's singles title and David Jenkins won the men's singles.
    1958---Top Hits
Don't/I Beg of You - Elvis Presley
A Wonderful Time Up There/It's Too Soon to Know - Pat Boone
Tequila - The Champs
Ballad of a Teenage Queen - Johnny Cash
    1959-- By a vote taken in both bodies, the Unitarian Church and the Universalist Church, along with their fellowships __ the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America merged into a single denomination.
http://www.uua.org/
    1959 - The San Francisco Giants baseball team's new home was officially named Candlestick Park. The name was picked in a contest. The contest winner didn't have to look hard, as the National League's least favorite stadium is a few hundred feet from Candlestick Point, on San Francisco Bay.A scandal of the day, developer Haney donated the land to the city with the stipulation that the new park be named Haney Park. But he kept the parking lot, and the city didn't like that, so would not name the new park after him In 1995, Candlestick Park was changed to 3COMM Park, after a small, local computer software developer bid half-million dollars for the rights to the stadium name. After the contract expired and the Dot.com craze had come to a screeching halt, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors did not want to sell the name, even though they had had several offers of $500,000 a year. One of the concerns was the fact the baseball park called Pac Bell Park was to have its name changed, as the lessee of the name had changes its name to Monster Park today.
   1959--The Drifters, with new lead vocalist Ben E. King, record their breakthrough hit, "There Goes My Baby", at Atlantic's studios in New York. The song will become the group's first of 16 Billboard Top 40 hits
    1962-Jacqueline (Jackie) Joyner-Kersee, Olympic gold medal hepathlete, born East St. Louis, Il. She is the first athlete to win back-to-back gold medals in the Olympic Heptathlons (seven events-the 200-meter dash, 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump, javelin throw, and 800-meter run- held over a two-day period).     In 1988 she set a new world record in the Heptathlon and earned the title "World's Greatest Female Athlete."     She won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals over four consecutive Olympic Games. By 1996, past her prime and injured with a bad hamstring, JKJK was still able to reach down inside herself for one last attempt at Olympics glory, saying, "I had the rest of my life to recover." She ignored the pain to make the third longest long jump in the competition and add a Bronze as her sixth Olympic medal.
    1965 - Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Eleanor Parker starred in the film adaptation of the popular Broadway hit, "The Sound of Music". The musical, about the Trapp Family, was a hit on the Great White Way for over three years and one of the most popular motion pictures of all time. The movie brought instant stardom for Miss Andrews, who went on to star in other singing roles in the theatre, on television, in
    1966---Top Hits
These Boots are Made for Walkin' - Nancy Sinatra
The Ballad of the Green Berets - SSgt Barry Sadler
My World is Empty Without You - The Supremes
Waitin' in Your Welfare Line - Buck Owens movies and as a popular recording artist.
    1966- Canadian Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay, Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer formed Buffalo Springfield in Los Angeles. The group laid the groundwork for country rock, and several members later found success in Poco and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. When Buffalo Springfield started, it was the house band for the influential Los Angeles nightspot "Whiskey A Go Go". Stephen Stills's composition, "For What It's Worth," gave the band its biggest hit in 1967. Before Buffalo Springfield's third album was released in 1968, the group had broken up, partly because of disagreements between Stills and Neil Young.
    1966 - ‘Lightnin' Lou Christie was got a gold record "Lightnin' Strikes". Christie was born Lugee Sacco, and joined The Classics before making his first recording in 1960. In 1961, he recorded as Lugee & The Lions until becoming Lou Christie for a string of hits in 1963. Other songs from Christie's Top 40 appearances include: "The Gypsy Cried", "Two Faces Have I", "Rhapsody in the Rain" and "I'm Gonna Make You Mine". He had a falsetto voice, similar to Frankie Valli's of The Four Seasons. "Lightnin' Strikes" was his only million seller.
    1966 - A tornado hit Jackson, MS, killing 54 persons.
    1968 -- The Grateful Dead leave the Haight district in San Francisco with a farewell concert before relocating to Marin County.
    1969 - The three-man Apollo 9 spacecraft was launched from Cape Kennedy; the main aim of its 10-day flight was to test the lunar module in Earth's orbit.
    1969--STONE, LESTER R., JR.  Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 1st Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry, 11th Infantry Brigade, 23d Infantry Division (Americal). Place and date: West of Landing Zone Liz, Republic of Vietnam, 3 March 1969. Entered service at: Syracuse N.Y. Born: 4 June 1947, Binghamton, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Stone, distinguished himself while serving as squad leader of the 1st Platoon. The 1st Platoon was on a combat patrol mission just west of Landing Zone Liz when it came under intense automatic weapons and grenade fire from a well concealed company-size force of North Vietnamese regulars. Observing the platoon machine gunner fall critically wounded, Sgt. Stone remained in the exposed area to provide cover fire for the wounded soldier who was being pulled to safety by another member of the platoon. With enemy fire impacting all around him, Sgt. Stone had a malfunction in the machinegun, preventing him from firing the weapon automatically. Displaying extraordinary courage under the most adverse conditions, Sgt. Stone repaired the weapon and continued to place on the enemy positions effective suppressive fire which enabled the rescue to be completed. In a desperate attempt to overrun his position, an enemy force left its cover and charged Sgt. Stone. Disregarding the danger involved, Sgt. Stone rose to his knees and began placing intense fire on the enemy at pointblank range, killing 6 of the enemy before falling mortally wounded. His actions of unsurpassed valor were a source of inspiration to his entire unit, and he was responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military profession and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
    1971-- U.S. 5th Special Forces Group withdraws. The U.S. Army's 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) departs South Vietnam. The Special Forces were formed to organize and train guerrilla bands behind enemy lines. President John F. Kennedy, a strong believer in the potential of the Special Forces in counterinsurgency operations, had visited the Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg to review the program and authorized the Special Forces to wear the headgear that became their symbol, the Green Beret. Some of my best friends were in this unit and we trained together. The 5th Group was sent to Vietnam in October 1964 to assume control of all Special Forces operations in Vietnam. Prior to this time, Green Berets had been assigned to Vietnam only on temporary duty. The primary function of the Green Berets in Vietnam was to organize the Civilian Irregular Defense Groups (CIDG) among South Vietnam's Montagnard population. The Montagnards--"mountain people" or "mountaineers"--were a group of indigenous people from several tribes, such as the Rhade, Bru, and Jarai, who lived mainly in the highland areas of Vietnam. These tribes were recruited to guard camps in the mountainous border areas against North Vietnamese infiltration. At the height of the war the Green Berets oversaw 84 CIDG camps with more than 42,000 CIDG strike forces and local militia units. The CIDG program ended in December 1970 with the transfer of troops and mission to the South Vietnamese Border Ranger Command. The Green Berets were withdrawn as part of the U.S. troop reductions in Vietnam.
    1974---Top Hits
Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
Spiders & Snakes - Jim Stafford
Boogie Down - Eddie Kendricks
Another Lonely Song - Tammy Wynette
    1980 - A coastal storm produced 25 inches of snow at Elizabeth City, NC, and 30 inches at Cape Hatteras NC. At Miami FL the mercury dipped to 32 degrees.
    1982-The re-formed Mammas and the Pappas, with original members John Phillips and Denny Doherty joined by Phillips' daughter MacKenzie and Spanky McFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang, play the first show of their brief reunion tour. Although Mama Cass Elliot has been dead for almost ten years, they do not change the lyrics to "Creeque Alley" which goes "No one's getting fat except Mama Cass."
    1982---Top Hits
Centerfold - The J. Geils Band
Open Arms - Journey
Shake It Up - The Cars
Lord, I Hope This Day is Good - Don Williams
    1983 - The last of a series of storms to strike the California coast finally came to an end. Waves fifteen to twenty feet high pounded the coast for two days, and in a four day period up to 18 inches of rain drenched the Los Angeles and Santa Barbara area. On the morning of the first, thunderstorms spawned two tornadoes which moved through the Los Angeles area.
    1984-Peter V. Ueberroth elected Commissioner: Major league baseball owners elected Peter V. Ueberroth, president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organzing Committee, to be Commissioner of Baseball to succeed Bowie Kuhn. Ueberroth assumed his duties after his responsibilities with the Olympics were finished, and he remained in office through March 31, 1989.
    1985- " Moonlighting, " with Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis premiers. The show frequently broke with a formula by using the how-within-a-show technique, having characters directly address the camera.
    1985 - Kevin McHale of the University of Minnesota set a Boston Celtics scoring record this night as he poured in 56 points in a 138-129 win over the Detroit Pistons.
1985-Willie Shoemaker became the first jockey to pass the $100 million mark in career earnings by ridding Lord at War to victory in the Santa Anita Handicap.
    1985-“Moonlight” premiered on TV. Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis starred in ABC's comedy-adventure hour with Allyce Beasley as rhyming receptionist Agnes DiPesto. The premise: former model Maddie Hayes (Shepherd) discovers that the Blue Moon Detective Agency is her only remaining asset after her business manager embezzled her wealth. After deciding to keep the agency, she and her sparring partner, wisecracking detective David Addison ( Willis), go off on a series of madcap adventures. The show frequently broke with formula by using the show-within-a-show technique, having characters directly address the camera, shooting sequences in black and white or by going completely off-concept ( as in an episode based on Shakespeare's “The Taming of the Shrew.”) Last telecast on May 14, 1989, the show foundered due to personality conflicts and production delays.
    1989 - Wintry weather prevailed from the southern Rockies to the Upper Great Lakes. Neguanee MI received 19 inches of snow, and up to 24 inches of snow blanketed Colorado. Blizzard conditions were reported in Minnesota.
    1990---Top Hits
Escapade - Janet Jackson
Dangerous - Roxette
Roam - The B-52's
No Matter How High - The Oak Ridge Boys
    1991-Video catches Los Angeles Police Brutality: At 12:45 a.m. robbery parolee Rodney G. King stops his car after leading police on a nearly 8-mile pursuit through the streets of Los Angeles, California. The chase began after King, who was intoxicated, was caught speeding on a freeway by a California Highway Patrol cruiser but refused to pull over. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) cruisers and a police helicopter joined the pursuit, and when King was finally stopped by Hansen Dam Park, several police cars descended on his white Hyundai. A group of LAPD officers led by Sergeant Stacey Koon ordered King and the other two occupants of the car to exit the vehicle and lie flat on the ground. King's two friends complied, but King himself was slower to respond, getting on his hands and knees rather than lying flat. Officers Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Ted Briseno, and Roland Solano tried to force King down, but he resisted, and the officers stepped back and shot King twice with an electric stun gun known as a Taser, which fires darts carrying a charge of 50,000 volts. At this moment, civilian George Holliday, standing on a balcony in an apartment complex across the street, focused the lens of his new video camera on the commotion unfolding by Hansen Dam Park. In the first few seconds of what would become a very famous 89-second video, King is seen rising after the Taser shots and running in the direction of Officer Powell. The officers alleged that King was charging Powell, while King himself later claimed that an officer told him, "We're going to kill you, nigger. Run!" and he tried to flee. All the arresting officers were white, along with all but one of the other two dozen or so law enforcement officers present at the scene. With the roar of the helicopter above, very few commands or remarks are audible in the video. With King running in his direction, Powell swung his baton, hitting him on the side of the head and knocking him to the ground. This action was captured by the video, but the next 10 seconds were blurry as Holliday shifted the camera. From the 18- to 30-second mark in the video, King attempted to rise, and Powell and Wind attacked him with a torrent of baton blows that prevented him from doing so. From the 35- to 51-second mark, Powell administered repeated baton blows to King's lower body. At 55 seconds, Powell struck King on the chest, and King rolled over and lay prone. At that point, the officers stepped back and observed King for about 10 seconds. Powell began to reach for his handcuffs.At 65 seconds on the video, Officer Briseno stepped roughly on King's upper back or neck, and King's body writhed in response. Two seconds later, Powell and Wind again began to strike King with a series of baton blows, and Wind kicked him in the neck six times until 86 seconds into the video. At about 89 seconds, King put his hands behind his back and was handcuffed.Sergeant Koon never made an effort to stop the beating, and only one of the many officers present briefly intervened, raising his left arm in front of a baton-swinging colleague in the opening moments of the videotape, to no discernible effect. An ambulance was called, and King was taken to the hospital. Struck as many as 56 times with the batons, he suffered a fractured leg, multiple facial fractures, and numerous bruises and contusions. Unaware that the arrest was videotaped, the officers downplayed the level of violence used to arrest King and filed official reports in which they claimed he suffered only cuts and bruises "of a minor nature." George Holliday sold his video of the beating to the local television station, KTLA, which broadcast the footage and sold it to the national Cable News Network (CNN). The widely broadcast video caused outrage around the country and triggered a national debate on police brutality. Rodney King was released without charges, and on March 15 Sergeant Koon and officers Powell, Wind, and Briseno were indicted by a Los Angeles grand jury in connection with the beating. All four were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and excessive use of force by a police officer. Though Koon did not actively participate in the beating, as the commanding officer he was charged with aiding and abetting it. Powell and Koon were also charged with filing false reports. Because of the uproar in Los Angeles surrounding the incident, the judge, Stanley Weisberg, was persuaded to move the trial outside Los Angeles County to Simi Valley in Ventura County. On April 29, 1992, the 12-person jury, which included 10 whites and no African Americans, issued its verdicts: not guilty on all counts, except for one assault charge against Powell that ended in a hung jury. The acquittals touched off rioting and looting in Los Angeles that grew into the most destructive U.S. civil disturbance of the 20th century. In three days of violence, more than 50 people were killed, more than 2,000 were injured, and nearly $1 billion in property was destroyed. On May 1, President George H. Bush ordered military troops and riot-trained federal officers to Los Angeles to quell the riot.Under federal law, the officers could also be prosecuted for violating Rodney King's constitutional rights, and on April 17, 1993, a federal jury convicted Koon and Powell for violating King's rights by their unreasonable use of force under color of law. Although Wind and Briseno were acquitted, most civil rights advocates considered the mixed verdict a victory. On August 4, Koon and Powell were sentenced to two and a half years in prison for the beating of King. Unfortunately Rodney King was arrested again for drunk driving as he was evidently an alcoholic.
    1991-- Arthur Murray (Moses Teichman) died (yes, the famous dance teacher was our Bob Teichman, CLP, uncle.
    1994- Barbra Streisand auctioned off part of her art collection for $5.7-million. The highest price paid at the New York sale was $1.98-million for "Adam and Eve," a 1932 Art Deco painting by Tamara de Lempicka. That was a nice profit for Streisand. She had paid $135,000 for the work a decade earlier.
    1996- Apple decided to kill eWorld. It was an online service, which was launched on January 5, 1994 and the first high-profile decision by Apple's new chairman and CEO, Gilbert Amelio, hired earlier in the year (quite a wine collector.) Its share of the global PC market had plunged to about 7.8 percent from 25 percent in 1984. It continued to go down, but has always had a very strong, dedicated following such as BMW drivers possess, perhaps more so.

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Winter Poem

Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind

Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship if feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

Freeze, freeze thou bitter sky,
That does not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As a friend remembered not.
Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship if feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

- William Shakespeare

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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/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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Independent, unbiased and fair news about the Leasing Industry.

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