Monday, March 19, 2007

Headlines---

Classified Ads---Controller
    Rick Wolfert responds to leaving CIT
        Letters---We get eMail
    Alexa Ranks Leasing Media Web Sites
Top Stories---March 12-16
    Classified Ads---Help Wanted
        Meetings-Events March 20-through May 10th
Leasing 102-by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP
“Equipment Description”
    Cartoon—Friendliest Bank in Town
        Microsoft to Launch MySpace for Accountants
Kenneth A. Turner Sr. VP Sales, Key Equip
    Top airline-lessor/pivotal player aviation world
        News Briefs---
    You May have Missed---
Sports Briefs---
    "Gimme that Wine"
        Calendar Events
Snapple Real Facts
    Today's Top Event in History
        This Day in American History
Winter Poem
    SuDoku
        Daily Puzzle

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

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Classified Ads---Controller

Boca Raton, FL
CPA w/ Sarbanes Oxley/ 15 years management exp. as CFO/ Controller/5 yrs w/ PWC Extensive exp providing accounting/ tax guidance for the equipment lease industry. Willing to relocate.
Email: bltushin@hotmail.com

Chicago, IL
experienced in lease accounting, operations, management, and Sarbanes-Oxley. Seeking position with equipment lessor. Would consider contract assignments or relocating.
email: leasecontroller@comcast.net

Southeastern, MI
Controller & Management experience w/ equip lessors &broker. MBA, CPA w/ extensive accounting, management, securitization experience with public and private companies. Willing to relocate.
Email: Leasebusiness@aol.com

Uniondale, NY
I have a strong multifaceted background in all areas of lease accounting combining my years as a Controller of leasing companies and as Vice-President of Leasing for a NY Bank.
Email: awinitt@hotmail.com

West Palm Beach, FL
CPA/CFO/Controller/Due Diligence Officer/SOX Lead seeking position.
Email: obrienhowardj@aol.com

For a full listing of all “job wanted” ads, please go to:
http://64.125.68.91/AL/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm

[headlines]

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Rick Wolfert responds to leaving CIT

Rick Wolfert

“Kit--

The last three years at CIT has been terrific and we've made great progress positioning the company for growth and success in the future. As I depart CIT, I look forward to embarking on a new direction and pursuing activities in and outside the business world that have been on my screen for some time.

“Stay tuned...more to follow.”

Best,

Rick

Leasing News article:
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-16-07.htm#bill

[headlines]

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Letters---We get eMail

Kit Menkin, editor

Paul Larkins on the left, Ed Castagna on the right

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-14-07.htm#award

“Kit...I wanted to personally thank you for the beautiful award that Leasing News presented to me (via Ed Castagna) this past week. Ed was very gracious in his comments, and I am truly honored.

“The real ‘people of the year’ are the great teams I am so fortunate to work with, both here at Key, and in the ELFA. These are the professionals who make me, and all of us, look good!

“Again, thank you for the recognition and beautiful award. I will proudly display this symbol.
Regards. PL”

Paul A. Larkins
paul.a.larkins@key.com
Key National Finance
Superior, Colorado, U.S.A.
(+)720-304-1204
fax (+)720-304-1251

---

To: Gerry Egan
cc: Leasing News

“I was a corporate credit mgr type for 20 years , including 10 years at HP.
Four years ago I founded 7 PARK AVENUEFIANNCIAL

WWW.7PARKAVENUEFINANCIAL.COM

“Am an avid reader of Leasing News, (notwithstanding I am in the Canadian marketplace) and caught your article and video. The video re getting good credit info, etc, was one of the best things I have
ever seen . You certainly didn’t invent anything new, but the presentation, the psychology of the customer discussions etc was really just incredibly dead on . I am sure every Credit Mgr who reads
it thought it was great, and I passed it around also , and got only good comments .

“Again, a great job! and triple thanks to Leasing News for doing such a great job of disseminating this type of industry info.”

Stan

Stan Prokop
President

7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL
(division of 6169899 Canada Inc)
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite # 301
Oakville, Ont
L6J 7J8

TEL = 416 319 5769
FAX = 905 829 2653

www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

---

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-14-07.htm#stress

“Kit - Thanks so much for the Stress Relief Game. I'll be using it frequently. Best part so far, dropping a few termites on the screen and using them as target practice with the machine gun.
Hope all is well.”

John Kenny
Receivables Management
PO Box 331
Mohawk, NY 13407
315.866.1167
Celebrating Ten Years of Providing Credit & Accounts Receivable Solutions.
A Proud Member of Associated Credit Managers
www.ASCMI.net

Ken Greene a "Twisted Sister?"

"1979-Twisted Sister, a Long Island bar band formed six years ago, is the first to headline and sell out New York City's 3,000 seat Palladium without the benefit of a record. It will be another three years until the band signs a record deal."
March 16 "This Day in American History"

Here's a fun bit of trivia I remembered while reading the blurb about Twisted Sister (1979) in This Day in American History:

1973- Dee aka Danny Snider forms Twisted Sister after the breakup of his band The Quivering Thigh featuring long time pal Ken Greene on keyboards and vocals. Mr. Snider, whose dad is a policeman, vows to move away from home and grow his hair, and move away from his college bound high school buddies and grow his cult status.

This, to tell the truth, is 100% accurate.

Ken

Kenneth C. Greene
Law Offices of Kenneth C. Greene
P.O. Box 751
Kentfield, CA 94914-0751
Tel: 415.259.5494
Fax: 415.924.0971
Email: Kenlaw100@aol.com

---

Pi Day

“Surprised you missed it in today's edition! “

http://mathematicianspictures.com/PI/PI%20DAY%20Giant%20Pi%20Drop_PI%20DAY
%20March%2014.htm?gclid=CO--upuk9IoCFRx1UAodNS3zAA
<<Pi Day Giant Pi Drop - Pi Day Central.url>>

Steinkamp, Matt
MSteinkamp@fult.com

(Sorry, in the search for Calendar Events, which we construct for each edition, did not see this, nor the coffee cups, shirts, and other posters available.
But I was able to participate on the West Coast time:

Pi Day and Pi Approximation Day are two unofficial holidays held to celebrate the mathematical constant π (Pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14 (3/14 in American date format), sometimes at 1:59pm;

March 14 happens to be Albert Einstein's birthday, among others, and it is common to sing "Happy birthday Dear Albert". Massachusetts Institute of Technology often mails out its acceptance letters to be delivered to prospective students on Pi Day.

Pi Day songs:
http://www.winternet.com/~mchristi/piday.html

----
From Ginny Young: re: Jeff Wong

Jeff Wong

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-09-07.htm#rest

“Thanks for your remembrance of Jeff Wong. It is hard to believe he’s been gone for over 5 years. Eighteen years ago or so, I was at an AAEL (now ELA) meeting in San Francisco. This meeting was a two day meeting which fell on Valentine’s Day, of all days. Have you ever tried to get a dinner reservation on February 14 before? Well Jeff made a few quick phone calls and got everyone at the meeting reservations at various restaurants. When he asked my group of people where they’d like to eat, someone said Trader Vic’s. Jeff said ‘ You don’t need a reservation there, just tell the hostess Jeff Wong said to get you a good table.’ When we got to the restaurant, I told the hostess that Jeff said you’d give us a nice table. She looked a little stressed, after all was Valentines night. She came back a few minutes later and escorted us to our table. We had a great time and the service was wonderful.

“I had lost his personal guide to best restaurants in San Francisco, thanks for the re-print. I’ve used it several times and have never been disappointed.”

GINNY YOUNG
ORTCO, INC.
2163 N. GLASSELL STREET
ORANGE, CA 92865
714-998-3998
ginny@ortcoplays.com

---

http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-05-07.htm#police

“Thank you for your most generous article. This is one of the most rewarding undertakings in my business life.

“After my retirement on April 29, 2006, I took off 2 1/2 months to replace a knee. Then Barbara and I went to Italy for a month. Upon my return, I was reminded of that famous song by Peggy Lee..."Is this all there is ". If you recall I wrote to you in April, at your request, and my central theme was "It's been a great ride! ........and I've not been bored and I've had fun"---This new company is non-boring and fun.”

Bernie Boettigheimer, CLP
President
Lease Police,Inc.
boettig@sbcglobal.net boettig@sbcglobal.net

(The plan appears to open the web site up on April 1st.
A first stage is available at: www.leasepolice.com )

---

Hey Kit!
I just won a free registration to the National Lease Funding Showcase!
Fred

-----Original Message-----
From: John Semon [mailto:semon@lessors.com]
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 12:06 PM
To: 'Fred St Laurent'
Subject: RE: Free Attendee Registration - Fred St Laurent

We are pleased to offer you a complimentary Attendee Registration to the National Lease Funding Showcase next Wednesday at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead hotel in Atlanta. Total attendance to this exclusive event is purposely limited to about 50 industry executives. Dress is business casual.

If for any reason you are not able to use this complimentary Attendee Registration, please advise via return email so that we might offer it to an alternate winner.

If you online Attendee Registration is not submitted within two hours from the date and time of this email, this award will go to an alternate winner.

To submit your registration, visit -
http://www.lessors.com/Events-2007/Spring/register-attendee-free.html

See you next week,
The Lessors Network Team
staff@lessors.com

-------

http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/CIT_Branding.htm

“You made a couple of points in your article on the CIT global branding strategies that were right on the ‘money’, so to speak. Many years ago, when I was first learning about cash flow lending, a wise mentor told me, “I have yet to see the balance sheet that every repaid a debt”. He was referring, of course, to the fact that cash flow is where the money comes from to repay debt. This is especially important as the leasing and specialty finance industry has evolved along with the maturing information economy. I recall the days when “software” was on the “restricted equipment” list at most at most funding sources. It was largely considered an “intangible asset” because it was installed in cyberspace. The asset, therefore, did not exist and the “balance sheet” did not meet the requirements in the credit manual which generally resulted in a decline. Only a few people at the time made the connection that software, computers and telephony applications would become the primary “income producing” tools of the information economy just as machine tools, press brakes, and other manufacturing equipment were the primary income producing tools of the manufacturing economy. The tool doesn’t really matter. What matters is that the tools, properly used, allowed the lessee\borrower to earn the cash to repay the debt. Nowadays it is hard to find companies who do not lease or finance software. The number of companies that portray themselves as ‘Cash flow lenders’ is also on the rise but I am still amazed by the lack of knowledge and skill in calculating “global cash flow”. When you get outside the Fortune 1000 and you are dealing with privately held companies, with multiple guarantors and well orchestrated ‘tax avoidance’ policy, your long term success depends on your ability to follow the trail of the cash and subsequently secure your transaction with any entity or guarantor along the trail. I also think that your editorial on CIT teaches another valuable lesson. That is that we, as business owners, don’t necessarily get to determine our own destiny. Our competitors, customers and the market place will pretty much determine that for you. CIT is certainly a company to observe and emulate whenever possible because they obviously get it.

“For as long as I have known you, you were the guy that always said, “Cash Flow is King”. Apparently you were right and you are likely to remain so for at least the foreseeable future.”

Bob Rodi, CLP
President
Mount Pleasant Capital Corp.
www.mountpleasantcapital.com
drlease@mountpleasantcapital.com
1-800-321-5327 x101

---

“You and your team do excellent work. Keep up the great job!”

Douglas DeCaire Courtney
dcourtney_383@hotmail.com

(The team is our readers. We get all the good information, news, and what is really going on, from our readers. They care about our industry. editor)

[headlines]

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Alexa Ranks Leasing Media Web Sites

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

These comparisons are compiled by Leasing News using Alexa and should be viewed as a "sampling," rather than an actual count from the website itself.  Other than as noted above, we believe the ratings are reflective as most have stayed in the same position, basically, for over a year.

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.

( Note: the lower the number, the higher you are on the list. It is based on all web sites. Leasing is only a very small part of the various sites such as Yahoo, MSN, Google, etc. )

[headlines]

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Top Stories---March 12-16

Here are the top ten stories most "opened" by readers last week:

(1) The Direction of Marlin Leasing: SEC Filing
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-12-07.htm#sec

(2) Vice-Chair CIT Finance forced to resign?
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-16-07.htm#bill

(3) Who are the 4 Leasing individuals Forbes Billionaire List?
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-12-07.htm#four

(4) Leasing 102-by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP
“Reasons Why Customers Lease”
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-12-07.htm#102

(5) NorVergence Lessee Up-date
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-14-07.htm#norv

(6) Sales makes it Happen---by Gerry Egan
“Egan's Quick Summary Financial Form”
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-14-07.htm#sales

(7) Conseco Bankruptcy a Scam???
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-16-07.htm#con

(8) Le-Nature's creditors want funds from players in fraud
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-12-07.htm#len

(9) To Tell the Truth
"Late Fees" by Tom McCurnin, Esq
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-16-07.htm#truth

(10) Correction: Serio Photograph
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/March%202007/03-12-07.htm#but

[headlines]

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Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Assistant Manager

Assistant Manager San Francisco, California Excellent opportunity to work with growing equipment leasing bank division, excellent reputation. Click here for more information.

First Republic Bank has offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, throughout California, and in Portland, Seattle, Las Vegas, Boston and New York.

Credit Analyst

Credit Analyst Irvine, California Southern California candidates only--Minimum two years experience with leasing credits, $40-$45K base depending on experience. Call or e-mail: Pamela Stuber 800-234-0136 ext. 243 pstuber@nationwidefunding.com About Us: As a leader in equipment financing we have created funding partnerships with a wide variety of financial institutions and specialized credit facilities. This diversity allows us to be a complete funding partner for your business.

www.nationwidefunding.com

Sales Regional Office

Financial Funding Services, LLC

Sales/Regional Office Generous Compensation with above average industry commission splits/unlimited income potential, six figures plus and nationwide financing for A – D credit. Click here for more info.

www.willamette-financial.com

Small Ticket Specialists

Three Small Ticket Specialists Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Nashville, TN, and Richmond, VA. Click here for more information.

www.suntrust.com

[headlines]

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Meetings-Events March 20-through May 10th

Leasing Association Events-Meetings Open to All

Tuesday, March 20th
Noon - 2pm

Longfellow's Wayside Inn
72 Wayside Inn Road
Sudbury, MA
973.443.1776

Hosted by John Ingham of M&T Bank, and George Parker of Leasing Technologies International, Inc.

Members: $35
Non-Members: $50

212.809.1602
alison@eael.org
http://www.eael.org

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UAEL Pacific Area Event

The UAEL Southern California Roundtable Event Thursday, March 22, 2007 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM Experian Building 475 Anton Blvd Costa Mesa, CA 92626

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UAEL Midwest Area Event

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UAEL South Atlantic Area
North Florida Networking Regional

[headlines]

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Leasing 102

by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP

“Equipment Description”

One of the most difficult tasks is to review the equipment under consideration for the lease. I have often said that as much work needs to go into investigation the equipment as goes into reviewing the customer’s credit. The same skills are required, however, the reviewer has the advantage of good information on the credit side, most of the time, but usually information on the equipment is limited to a short, inadequate description. This is a large problem that not only is a function of how we sell a lease but the lack of understanding of how equipment “use” affects the structure of the transaction. If you are selling $1 out leases then equipment is just collateral. But if you are selling leasing then it is critical information.

First a complete description is necessary. A complete description includes: Manufacturer, Model, Serial Number, Size, Shape, Color, Purpose, and all Accessories. The usual vendors invoice is limited to a short hand description and requires a few phone calls to get a complete description. You clearly need the vendors name and address plus a contact person with telephone and fax numbers plus emails. In addition you need information not included in the description so an equipment use and description form should be in use so you can determine the following information by completing the box next to the question:
MANUFACTURER INFO: [ ] USA [ ] foreign [ ] single purpose [ ] multiple purpose
[ ] current tech. [ ] new tech How many were made this year ___ Is it a [ ] new addition
[ ] replacement.. Does it require: [ ] attachments to function or have [ ] foreign attachments.
Spare Parts: [ ] local,[ ] out of state, [ ] foreign [ ] special order [ ] short term [ ] long term
[ ] not available… Resale/release [ ] limited market [ ] broad market [ ] open market

Your form should also include the location of the equipment because unless it is office
equipment it will probably be used in a location that is not the company headquarters.
Location is necessary for sales tax, property tax and other assessed taxes. You will also
need a contact person at the equipments location for equipment inspections as required
by your lease agreement. Whit reference to location the following information should
show up on you form:
Does it [ ] stay at this location [ ] move with in the State [ ] move outside the State
Is it subject to a rental [ ] yes [ ] no
Storage: [ ] inside [ ] outside [ ] protected [ ] unprotected [ ] on premises [ ] off customers premises [ ] at remote location ______________________________________________

Then there are the questions on “use.” Describe use in terms of hours, days, years, shifts,
mileage, rotations, seasons etc. You may need a complete page to describe use or fill in
this type of information: duty cycle: days per week ______ running hours per shift_______ est. running hours._____
Seasonal [ ] yes [ ] no ..
Requires: [ ] labor operator [ ] trained operator [ ] licensed operator [ ] special handling [ ] special transportation..
Requires: [ ] no installation [ ] some installation [ ] special installation [ ] expensive installation
[ ]permanent installation..
Requires: [ ] no dis-installation [ ] minimal dis-installation [ ] costly dis-installation [ ] can not be moved ..
Location: [ ] owned [ ] mortgaged [ ] rented [ ] term of lease_______ Mo/Yr

Then may be you can answer the question: Anticipated useful life based on reported use. because you are required to record your estimate and limit your lease term to 80% of the equipments anticipated useful life for tax and legal requirements or it is a disguised loan.

It is also wise to determine the insurance agents name and number in the form to make it easy for your back office to contact them and make sure the equipment in insured.

LL/Morgageholder____________________________________________________________________

Mr. Terry Winders has been a teacher, consultant, expert witness for the leasing industry for thirty years and can be reached at leaseconsulting@msn.com or 502-327-8666.
He invites your questions and queries.

[headlines]

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[headlines]

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Microsoft to Launch MySpace for Accountants

AccountingWEB.com - - Microsoft has announced its plans to launch an online community site for financial professionals, similar to the popular MySpace networking site.

Calling it a “MySpace for financial pros,” Microsoft has yet to give the Dynamics Live Beta Community site a more marketable name.

The site will be aimed at corporate controllers, finance managers, finance staff and accountants and includes blogs, forums, tagging, RSS syndication and other community-specific features.

The news follows Reuters’ recent announcement that, it too, will launch a “MySpace for Finance” in the near future.

The software giant made the announcement at its Convergence 2007 conference in San Diego as a way to help its Dynamics Live Beta Community better connect with their external communities of customers, suppliers and partners.

"You can think of it as the MySpace for financial professionals," said Satya Nadella, corporate vice president of Microsoft Business Solutions group. "It's how you can have a Convergence [show] 365 days a year."

In talking to customers, one of their main reasons for attending the Convergence show is to engage with their peers, said James Utzschneider, general manager of Dynamics marketing at Microsoft.

The vendor has been spending a lot of time recently looking at the Web 2.0 world to discover how the social-networking technology mostly aimed at teenagers could be applied to a business setting, he added.

[headlines]

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

Key Equipment Finance names Kenneth A. Turner Senior Vice President, Sales

Kenneth A. Turner, Senior Vice-President, Sales

SUPERIOR, CO,– Key Equipment Finance, one of the nation’s largest bank-held equipment financing companies, has announced that Kenneth A. Turner has been named senior vice president of sales for its bank and middle market segments. In his new role, Turner will assure the organization’s seamless approach to serving a national customer base for all aspects of equipment financing out of the Key footprint and within KeyBank segments, including the Institutional, National Commercial and Community Banks. His office is located at Key Equipment Finance’s worldwide headquarters outside Boulder, Colorado.

Adam D. Warner President/COO, Commercial Leasing Services

“Ken’s in-depth leasing experience combined with his understanding of Key’s commercial leasing organization are invaluable in this new role,” said Adam D. Warner, president and chief operating officer, Key Equipment Finance’s commercial leasing services division. “His values, product knowledge, partnering skills and management capabilities are strong assets.”

Mr. Turner held the position of senior vice president and national business processing manager since September 2001 when he joined Key. Prior to this, Turner served in positions of increasing responsibility at Advanta Leasing Services, AT&T Capital Corporation and later Newcourt Credit Group, Inc. Turner earned both his bachelor of arts and masters degrees in finance from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.

Key Equipment Finance is an affiliate of KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) and provides business-to-business equipment financing solutions to businesses of many types and sizes. They focus on four distinct markets:
• businesses of all sizes in the U.S. and Canada (from small business to large corporate);
• equipment manufacturers, distributors and value-added resellers worldwide;
• federal, provincial, state and local governments as well as other public sector organizations; and
• lease advisory services for manufacturers’ captive leasing and finance companies.

Headquartered outside Boulder, Colorado, Key Equipment Finance manages a $13.1 billion equipment portfolio with annual originations of approximately $6.4 billion. The company has major management and operations bases in Toronto, Ontario; Albany, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; London, England; and Sydney, Australia. The company, which operates in 26 countries and employs 1,100 people worldwide, has been in the equipment financing business for more than 30 years. Additional information regarding Key Equipment Finance, its products and services can be obtained online at KEFonline.com.

Cleveland-based KeyCorp is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $93 billion. Key companies provide investment management, retail and commercial banking, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services to individuals and companies throughout the United States and, for certain businesses, internationally.

[headlines]

### Press Release ###########################
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News Briefs----

Top airline-lessor a pivotal player in the aviation world
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003623561_hazy18.html

Wal-Mart Drops Bid to Operate Its Own Bank
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/banking/2007-03-16-walmart-bank_N.htm

Price Competition Hurt Intel Sales in 2006
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3666291

"Deep Economy" Review: Book warns of economic collision course
http://www.usatoday.com/money/books/2007-03-19-deep-economy_N.htm

Bally Total Fitness warns of Ch. 11
http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/stories/2007/03/16/0316bizbally.html

Travolta Puts 'Hog' Up for Auction
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-People-Travolta.html

[headlines]

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You May have Missed---

Photographs of U.S. Billionaire homes
http://www.forbes.com/2007/03/06/estate-rich-home-forbeslife_07billionaires_c
z_mw_0308homes_slide_2.html

[headlines]

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Sports Briefs----

Ahead of Schedule for Success, U.S.C. Tops Texas
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/19/sports/ncaabasketball/19texas.html

Dolphins-Broncos trade still not official; Harrington to CFL?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-spbriefs18mar18,0,
1123748.story?coll=sfla-dolphins-front

[headlines]

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“Gimme that Wine”

Rioja Wine Sales Reach All-Time High in 2006
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&
newsId=20070316005072&newsLang=en

Bad year for wine license plates in Utah
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17670232/

Sniffing Out Fraud in the Bottle—Eric Asimov
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/14/dining/14pour.html?ref=dining

Wine-Fraud Probe Focuses on German With Playboy Wife (Update1)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601093&sid=anXD6LAHYh6U&refer=home

Rudd acquires Oakville Grocery
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070316/NEWS/
70316013/1033/NEWS01

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

[headlines]

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Calendar Events This Day

Act Happy Day
Method acting techniques are prescribed by physicians to release chemicals i the body that aid health, wealthier and friendship. www.acthappy.com

Australia: Canberry Day
Australian Capital Territory. Public holiday the third Monday in March.

Chocolate Caramel Day
http://www.rumela.com/events/chocolate_caramel_day.htm
http://homeschooling.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=homeschooling
&cdn=education&tm=4&gps=103_2465_1020_1021&f=22&su=p532.8.150.ip_p554.2.
150.ip_p284.5.420.ip_&tt=2&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.epicurious.com/recipes
/recipe_views/views/101193

Iran: National day of Oil
National holiday. Commemorates the nationalization of Iran’s oil fields in 1963.

Let's Laugh Day
http://www.greetingcards.com/d/holidays/march/lets_laugh_day/cat_15388.html

National Agriculture Day - March 19
http://homeschooling.about.com/library/blmar19a.htm

St. Joseph's Day
http://www.bulin.com/stjoe/
http://www.johnpirelliosia.org/osia/Events/StJoseph/st__josephs_day.htm
http://www.calendar-updates.com/info/holidays/us/stjoseph.aspx
http://pressroom.hallmark.com/st_josephs_day.html

Swallows return to San Jua Capistrano
Traditional date (St. Joseph’s Day) since 1977 for swallows to return to old mission of San Juan Capistrano, CA. Giovanni da Capistrano, Franciscan lawyer, educator and preacher, was born at Capistrano, Italy, in 1386, and died of plague on Oct 23, 1456.

Wellderly Day
Celebration and recognition of senior citizens who never act their age.
www.acthappy.

Saint Feast Days

• St. Adrian
• St. Gemus
• St. John the Syrian of Pinna
• St. Lactali
• St. Landoald
• St. Leontius
• St. Quintius
• St. Pancharius

http://www.catholic.org/saints/f_day/mar.php

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TV Dinners started in the artic

(Not true, number twelve wrong facts.)
http://www.cnn.com/FOOD/news/9903/31/tv.dinner/
http://inventors.about.com/od/inventionsalphabet/a/tv_dinner.htm
http://www.homefurnish.com/livingroomdecor/tables/tvtrays.aspx
http://www.answers.com/topic/tv-dinner

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Today's Top Event in History

1956 - New England had its second heavy snowstorm in 3 days. 20 inches piled up at Putnam, Connecticut, 19.5 inches fell at Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, Massachusetts, and Boston, Massachusetts recorded 13 inches. Traffic was paralyzed. This storm made a contribution to the snowiest march ever in southern New England (until 1993).

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This Day in American History

    1589- William Bradford, Pilgrim father, governor of Plymouth Colony, one of the early presidents of the United States. Born at Yorkshire, England, baptized Mar 19, 1589. Sailed from Southampton, England, on the Mayflower in 1620. His wife Dorothy fell off the Mayflower and drowned on 7 December 1620, when it was anchored in Provincetown Harbor.   Died at Plymouth, MA, May 9, 1657 (OS).
http://www.pilgrimhall.org/bradfordwilliam.htm
http://members.aol.com/calebj/bradford.html
http://members.aol.com/calebj/letterbook.html
    1674---French Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette erected a mission on the shores of Lake Michigan, in present day Illinois. His log cabin became the first building of a settlement that afterward grew to become the city of Chicago.
    1687 -- The French explorer La Salle is murdered in by his own men while searching for the mouth of the Mississippi, along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
    1734- Birthday of Thomas McKean, signer of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Pennsylvania. Born at Chester County, PA, he died June 24, 1817.
http://virtualology.com/hallofusa/uspresidents/thomasmckean.net/
http://users.clover.net/mckean/
    1785- The first city college was the College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, which was founded in 1770, but chartered this day. On December 20, 1837, it became a municipal university under municipal control.
http://www.cofc.edu/about/brief-history.html
    1847-Painter Albert Pinkham Ryder was born at New Bedford, MA, where he gained a great love for the sea, the subject of many of his works. Ryder was a misanthrope and recluse. He dedicated himself to his painting, working slowly and piling layer after layer of paint on his canvases until he achieved the look he was after. In his lifetime Ryder created only 150 paintings. Three of his best-known works are The Race Track, Toilers of the Sea and Siegfried and the Rhine Maidens. Ryder died Mar 28, 1917, at Elmhurst, NY. Because of his method of painting, many of his works have deteriorated since their creation.
http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/r/ryder-a1l.asp
http://www.artunframed.com/albert_pinkham_ryder.htm
    1848-birthday of Wyatt Earp. Born at Monmouth, IL, and died Jan 13, 1929, at Los Angeles, CA. A legendary figure of the Old West, Earp worked as a railroad hand, saloonkeeper, gambler, lawman, gunslinger, miner and real estate investor at various times. Best known for the gunfight at the OK Corral Oct 26, 1881, at Tombstone, AZ.
http://www.geocities.com/christianna/gunfighters/wyattearp.html
    1860-birthday of William Jennings Bryan, American political leader, member of Congress, Democratic presidential nominee (1896), "free silver" advocate, assisted in prosecution at Scopes trial, known as "the Silver-Tongued Orator." Born at Salem, IL, he died at Dayton, TN, July 26, 1925.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar19.html
    1864-birthday of Charles M. Russell, St. Louis, Missouri. He moved to Montana at about age 16 and became a cowboy. Considered one of the greatest Western artists, he recorded the life of the cowboy in his artwork.
http://www.cmrussell.org/
    1881-birthday of Edith Nourse Rogers was a YMCA and Red Cross volunteer in France during World War I. In 1925 she was elected to the US Congress to fill the vacancy left by the death of her husband. An able legislator, she was reelected to the House of Representatives 17 times and became the first woman to have her name attached to major legislation. She was a major force in the legislation creating the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (May 14, 1942) during World War II. Rogers was born at Saco, ME, and died Sept 10, 1960, at Boston.
    1883- African-American Jan Matzeliger invented the first machine to manufacture entire shoe
http://www.invention.org/culture/african/matzeliger.html
http://www.triadntr.net/~rdavis/matz.htm
    1891-Birthday of Earl Warren, American jurist, 14th chief justice of the US Supreme Court, governor of California, born Los Angeles, Calif. Died at Washington, DC, July 9,1974. He went from a crusading attorney general to a very conservative, right wing governor, they claim, and became one of the most liberal on the bench, hated by those who one time applauded him for his very conservative political actions.
    1897-vocalist/comedian Jackie “Moms” Mabley born Brevard, NC
http://home.earthlink.net/~dianska/mabley.htm
    1918-Anniversary of passage by the Congress of the Standard Time Act, which authorized the Interstate Commerce Commission to establish standard time zones for the US. The Act also established "Daylight Saving Time," to save fuel and to promote other economies in a country at war. Daylight-Saving Time first went into operation on Easter Sunday, Mar 31, 1918. The Uniform Time Act of 1966, as amended in 1986, by Public Law 99-359, now governs standard time in the US. US: Daylight Saving Time Begins April 7.
    1904-Birthday of John Joseph Sirica, “the Watergate Judge,” born at Waterbury, CT. During two years of trials and hearings, Sirica relentlessly pushed for the names of those responsible for the June 17,1972 burglary of the Democratic National committee headquarters in Washington’s Watergate Complex. His unwavering search for the truth ultimately resulted in the toppling of the Nixon administration. Judge John Sirica died August 15,1992, at Washington, DC.
    1919-blind pianist Lennie Tristano born Chicago, IL
http://www.lennietristano.com/
    1920-brithday of bassist Curly Russell, New York City. ( played a lot with Bird )
    1921-gospel vocalist Bobby McFerrin, Sr., born Marianna, AR
    1927-Don Richard ( Riochie) Ashburn, Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder, born at Tilden, NE. Ashburn won two national League batting titles and collected 2,574 hits over a 15-year career. He was a key member of the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies, known as the Whiz kids. After retiring he broadcast Phillies games for 35 years. Inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1995. Died at New York, NY, September 9, 1997
    1930-alto saxophonist Ornette Coleman born Fort Worth, TX An iconoclastic saxophonist and composer, his experiments in free-form improvisation sharply divided the jazz establishment upon his emergence in 1959. Largely self-taught, he played in rhythm-and-blues bands before settling in Los Angeles in 1951, where he gradually formed a quartet of musicians who were receptive to his unorthodox ideas. He first recorded in 1958 and made his New York debut the following year. He made a series of important recordings in 1959--61 that shaped the direction of jazz for the next twenty years. A sporadic performing artist after the early 1960s, he occasionally led both a conventional jazz quartet and the rock band Prime Time, but turned increasingly to composition, producing several works for symphony orchestra in accordance with his "harmolodic theory." Most commonly played a “plastic” alto saxophone.
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_coleman_ornette.htm
    1931 -- The state of Nevada legalizes gambling.
    1935 - Suffocating dust storms occurred frequently in southeastern Colorado between the 12th and the 25th of the month. Six people died, and many livestock starved or suffocated. Up to six feet of dust covered the ground. Schools were closed, and many rural homes were deserted by tenants.
    1936-vocalist/songwriter Willie Dixon Columbus, MS
http://www.blueflamecafe.com/index.html
    1937-Count Basie and his band open at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem for the first time.
    1937- pianist/vocalist Clarence “Frogman” Henry born Algiers, LA
( I have all his records. He is best know for: :”I Ain’t Got No Home, But I Do [I Don’t Know Why])”
http://www.tsimon.com/henry.htm
    1941-The US aircraft carrier Lexington departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to deliver aircraft to Midway Island. Because of this mission, the Lexington inadvertently avoided the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 07 December. It was later to play a pivotal role in the Japanese defeat at Midway. Other US ships were not as lucky. Japanese carrier-based planes attacked the bulk of the US Pacific fleet moored in Pearl Harbor, sinking or severely damaging nineteen naval vessels, including eight battleships.
    1945 -- Kamikaze attacks USS Franklin off Japan. In a maneuver heralded as one of the greatest feats in naval history, the light cruiser USS Santa Fe bellied up alongside the flaming Franklin & rescued over 800 sailors while still being stalked by Japanese fighter pilots.
    1946-vocalist Ruth Pointer born Oakland, CA. http://www.thepointersistersfans.com/ruth.html
    1948 -an F4 tornado moved through Fosterburg, Bunker Hill, and Gillespie, Illinois, killing 33 people and injuring 449. 2000 buildings in bunker hill were damaged or destroyed. Total damage was 3.6 million dollars.
    1949 - The American Museum of Atomic Energy opened in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
    1950-Sarah Vaughan records “ Mean to Me, “ Columbia 745 )
http://www.parsec-santa.com/celebrity/celeb_pages/SarahVaughn.html
    1950 - Timberline Lodge reported 246 inches of snow on the ground, a record for the state of Oregon.
    1950---Top Hits
I Said My Pajamas - Tony Martin & Fran Warren
Music, Music, Music - Teresa Brewer
If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake - Eileen Barton
Chatanoogie Shoe Shine Boy - Red Foley
    1951 - "The Caine Mutiny", a novel by Herman Wouk, was published for the first time. Wouk won a Pulitzer for the novel. He followed it with several more successes: "Marjorie Morningstar", "The Winds of War", and "War and Remembrance".
    1953 - The Academy Awards celebrated their silver anniversary -- and came to television. NBC paid $100,000 for the rights to broadcast the event on both radio and TV, the first to be telecast, black and white to over 174 stations.. Hollywood’s best turned out to hand out the Oscar statuettes for the movies of 1952. The party was held at the RKO Pantages Theater, Los Angeles, with Bob Hope hosting. A dual celebration was staged in New York City, where Conrad Nagel was host. The Best Picture award went to Cecil B. DeMille’s "The Greatest Show on Earth". Best Director was the legendary John Ford for "The Quiet Man". The rest of the best: Actor: Gary Cooper for "High Noon"; Supporting Actor: Anthony Quinn for "Viva Zapata!"; Actress: Shirley Booth for "Come Back, Little Sheba"; Supporting Actress: Gloria Grahame for "The Bad and the Beautiful"; Art Direction-Set Decoration/ Color: Paul Sheriff, Marcel Vertès for "Moulin Rouge"; Music/Song: Dimitri Tiomkin (music), Ned Washington (lyrics) for the song, "High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’)", from "High Noon".
    1954 - Viewers saw the first televised prize fight shown in living color as Joey Giardello knocked out Willie Tory in round seven of a scheduled 10-round bout at Madison Square Garden in New York 1968 - Dean Martin received a gold record for the album, "Houston". Martin charted 17 hits on the pop music charts in the 1950s and 1860s. "Houston" was his 12th.
    1956 - New England had its second heavy snowstorm in 3 days. 20 inches piled up at Putnam, Connecticut, 19.5 inches fell at Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, Massachusetts, and Boston, Massachusetts recorded 13 inches. Traffic was paralyzed. This storm made a contribution to the snowiest march ever in southern New England (until 1993).
    1957 - Elvis Presley buys his Graceland estate in Memphis, Tenn.
    1958---Top Hits
Don’t/I Beg of You - Elvis Presley
Sweet Little Sixteen - Chuck Berry
Dinner with Drac (Part 1) - John Zacherle
Ballad of a Teenage Queen - Johnny Cash
    1958-Big Records releases "Our Song," the first record by a teenage duo from Queens, New York, who go by the names of Tom and Jerry. The pair will become famous in the '60s under their real names, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.
    1966---Top Hits
The Ballad of the Green Berets - SSgt Barry Sadler
19th Nervous Breakdown - The Rolling Stones
Nowhere Man - The Beatles
Waitin’ in Your Welfare Line - Buck Owens
    1971 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: ``Me and Bobby McGee,'' Janis Joplin. The song is the second posthumous No. 1 song of the rock era, reaching the top of the charts almost six months after Joplin's death.
    1972-Immaculata College defeated West Chester State, 52-48, to win the first Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women national basketball tournament. The AIAW crowned a champion for 11 years, but most Division 1 teams entered the new NCAA tournament starting in 1982.
    1974 - Jefferson Airplane is re-named Jefferson Starship. The line-up includes Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, drummer Johnny Barbata, David Freiberg, Peter Kaukonen, Cragi Chaquico and Papa John Creach.
    1974---Top Hits
Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
Dark Lady - Cher
Sunshine on My Shoulders - John Denver
There Won’t Be Anymore - Charlie Rich
    1977- The final episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." It premiered on September 19, 1970 and ran for 168 episodes. "Mary Tyler Moore" was the first of a new wave of sitcoms to make it big in the early '70s. It combined good writing, an effective supporting cast and contemporary attitudes. The show centered around the two most important places in Mary Richards's (Mary Tyler Moore) life-the WJM-TV newsroom and her apartment at Minneapolis. At home she shared the ups and downs of life with her friend Rhoda Morgenstern (Valerie Harper) and the manager of her apartment building, Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman). At work, as the associate producer (later producer) of "The Six O'clock News," Mary struggled to function in a man's world. Figuring in her professional life were her irascible boss Lou Grant (Ed Asner), levelheaded and softhearted news writer Murray Slaughter (Gavin MacLeod) and self-obsessed, narcissistic anchorman Ted Baxter (Ted Knight). In the last episode the unthinkable happened-everyone in the WJM newsroom except the inept Ted was fired.
    1980 -- Elvis Presley's autopsy is subpoenaed in the "Dr. Nick" drug case. "Dr. Nick" is Dr. George Nichopoulous, Presley's personal physician who is soon found guilty of over-prescribing drugs to Presley & others, including Jerry Lee Lewis.
    1982---Top Hits
Centerfold - The J. Geils Band
Open Arms - Journey
I Love Rock ’N Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Blue Moon with Heartache - Roseanne Cash
    1984- a major winter storm produced blizzard conditions in northwestern Kansas and southern Nebraska. This storm, which began affecting the region on the 18th, dumped 10 to 20 inches of snow over the above mentioned areas. A severe ice storm occurred in northeastern Kansas with 1 inch ice accumulations common. The 1400 foot radio tower for KLDH-TV near Topeka buckled and then collapsed from the weight of a 3 inch coating of ice. This ice storm ranks as one of the worst ever to hit Kansas.
    1985 - IBM announced that it was planning to stop making the PCjr consumer-oriented computer. The machine had been expected to dominate the home computer market but didn’t quite live up to those expectations. In the 16 months that the PCjr was on the market, only 240,000 units were sold. A young software programmer purchased the rights to the operating system and started a “tiny” software operation compared to IBM to be called Microsoft in the near future.
    1990---Top Hits
Escapade - Janet Jackson
Black Velvet - Alannah Myles
Roam - The B-52’s
Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart - Randy Travis
    1998-Maj1988 - Seven cities in California and Nevada reported record high temperatures for the date as readings soared into the 80s and lower 90s. Los Angeles CA reported a record high of 89 degrees. Five cities in south central Texas reported record lows, including El Paso, with a reading of 22 degrees.
    1989 - Six cities reported new record low temperatures for the date as cold arctic air settled into the Upper Midwest for Palm Sunday, including Marquette MI with a reading of 11 degrees below zero. or league baseball owners gave final approval to the sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers from Peter O’Malley to media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s Australian-based news conglomerate, News Corp. O’Malley had inherited the Dodgers from his father, Walter, who moved the team from Brooklyn to Los Angeles following the 1957 season, which Brooklyn fans never forgive him. Critics of the $311 million sale to Murdoch’s company bemoaned the fact that one more team would no longer be family-owned. Nobody seemed happy about the sale except for Rupert Murdock, reported never to have seen the team play in person.
    2003-Operation Iraqi Freedom: At 9:30pm, EST, two hours past a deadline for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to step down from power, US and British forces began air strikes gains this regime. A ground campaign (adding Australian forces) followed quickly, and by April 9, Baghdad was in allied control and Hussein had disappeared. On May 1, President George W. Bush announced the end of major military operations in Iraq, although a peacekeeping force remains and faces violet and fatal attacks from insurgents. Hussein was captured by US forces on December 13, 2003. ON June 28, 2004, Iraq regained its sovereignty. And on December 15, 2005, 70 percent of Iraqi’s registered voters turned out fo parliamentary elections---one of the freest elections on record in the Arab world.
    2005-- After avoiding salary arbitration by signing a one-year $10.5 million deal worth in the off season, Lance Berkman agrees to a six-year, $85 million contract. The three-time All-Star outfielder will be an Astro until 2010 with the club holding the option for an additional year.

NCAA Basketball Champions This date

    1955 San Francisco
    1960 Ohio State
    1966—Texas Western

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Winter Poem

            Mending Wall

by Robert Frost


SOMETHING there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun;
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing:
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbour know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
“Stay where you are until our backs are turned!”
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
Oh, just another kind of out-door game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:
There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, “Good fences make good neighbors.”
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
“Why do they make good neighbors? Isn’t it
Where there are cows? But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I’d ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offence.
Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That wants it down.” I could say “Elves” to him,
But it’s not elves exactly, and I’d rather
He said it for himself. I see him there
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.
He moves in darkness as it seems to me,
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
He will not go behind his father’s saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, “Good fences make good neighbors.”

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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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