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Day in American History

Thursday, November 18,2004

Headlines---

Classified Ads---Controller/Contract Administrator
    Picture from the Past---1988—Bill Grohe
        Cartoon---
            Terry Jennings Rides the Waves of Success
BSB Halts Program on Broker Retaining Advance Rentals
    Alexa Ranks Leasing Association Web Sites
        Classified Help Wanted Ad Holiday Schedule
            EAEL Xmas Party December 6th
                Land Line wins awards
Fitch Rates GE Commercial Equipment Financing
    BB&T to acquire metro D.C.-based investment bank
        Payne Joins Wells Fargo Equipment Finance Division Manager
            Jim Murray Nat. Sales Manager Nat. City Healthcare Finance
News Briefs---
    Sports Briefs---
        California Nuts Briefs---
            Gimme that Wine
                This Day in American History
                    American Football Poem

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

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Classified Ads---Controller/Contract Administrator

Controller: Seattle, WA
CPA w/ 15 years management exp. as CFO/ Controller/5 yrs w/ PriceWaterhouse Coopers. Extensive exp providing accounting/ tax guidance for the equipment lease industry. Willing to relocate.
Email: bltushin@hotmail.com

Controller: 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

Contract Administrator

Contract Administrator: Los Angeles, CA
Documentation Manager; 25+ years experience; strong documentation skills; solid reputation for submitting complete funding packages consistently resulting in same day fundings; will consider reasonable commute.
Email: sgrigs@netzero.net

Contract Administrator: New York, NY.
10+ years in equipment leasing/secured lending. Skilled in management & training, documentation, policy and procedure development & implementation, portfolio reporting. Strong work ethic.
Email: dln1031@nyc.rr.com

Contract Administrator: Portland, OR.
6+ years small ticket leasing/financing. Documentation/funding Policy development &implementation, management &training, process mapping, customer service, broker, vendor, portfolio experience.
Email: susanc777@hotmail.com

all job wanted ads are available at:
http://64.125.68.90/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm

to post a free ad, please go to:
http://64.125.68.90/LeasingNews/PostingForm.asp

[headlines]

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Picture from the Past---1988—Bill Grohe

Bill Grohe, Spring Conference Program Chairman, Palm Springs, CA

Western Association of Equipment Lessors NewsLine, February,1988

“Program Chairman Bill Grohe of Grohe Financial Services in San Mateo, CA is in the process of putting together a variety of workshops for those with basic, intermediate, and advanced level expertise; he plans to make the conference a real “ meat and potatoes kind of program, with the emphasis on professionalism and educational up-date on industry issues.”

In 1989, Bill would be named “Secretary-Treasurer,” where his biography is printed: “...vice-president of Brentwood Funding, Laguna Hills, CA. A member of the Board of Directors since 1987, he will head the Membership Development Task Force in 1989.

“Bill was formerly president of Grohe Financial Services, and during his 26 years in the industry, also worked with Leaseco, Searle and Colonial Pacific Leasing. He is a graduate of Colgate University.

In 1991, he served as president of the association. He sold his company to his daughter who was working for him, went sailing and swimming, then decided to help out the association he helped lead for 13 years by becoming the Membership Director.

He was in the top ten at the year 2000 Masters Swimming Championship in Munich, Germany.
You can contact him at: bill@uael.org

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Terry Jennings Rides the Waves of Success

Terey N. Jennings, CLP, has been appointed Senior Vice President in charge of Business Development for Financial Pacific (Fin Pac) . According to the operator who answered the telephone, he has taken Ted Brownrigg, Senior Vice President, Business Development, position. “Mr. Brownrigg ‘retired' from the company,” Leasing News was told.

“I am excited about the challenge,” Jennings said, and he is looking forward to the new responsibilities.

Jennings was in charge of “major accounts,” the web site said. His key role was leasing broker development, then chief liaison for high volume brokers. He joined Financial Pacific Leasing in 1986.

A protégé of the former president Doug Erwin, now retired, he assumed more responsibility, traveling often to build up broker relationships and is very popular in the leasing community.

Jennings is now responsible for all Sales and Marketing activities of the company. Mr. Jennings graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a B.A. degree in business administration. He is very active in several equipment leasing associations, Eastern Association of Equipment Lessors, Equipment Leasing Association, National Association of Equipment Lease Brokers, including recently being elected 2005 president of the United Association of Equipment Leasing.

He is married to Cherie and they have two daughters. Jennings says his number one hobby is spending time with his family. His second hobby is golf, whom Credit Administrator Alan Kissinger says, he plays extremely well.

Financial Pacific Leasing, LLC provides small ticket equipment leasing throughout the United States. The company originates and services a portfolio of equipment leases that range from $5,000 to $75,000, including new and established business. The types of equipment we lease are very diverse, including most types of equipment purchased for business uses such as industrial, food service, data processing, vehicles, trailers, construction and maintenance equipment.

The company was formed in 1975 in Tacoma, Washington, to fund and service equipment leases located in the greater Puget Sound region of the State of Washington. They have expanded nationwide, now with over 120 employees, reportedly servicing 450 brokers.

“Fin Pac” Sold to Allied Capital, Washington, D.C., $94 Million with the transition finalized recently. Allied Capital is the nation's largest business development company and provides long-term debt and equity investment capital to companies in a variety of industries. The company also participates in the real estate capital markets as an investor in non-investment grade commercial mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligation bonds and preferred shares.

The web site http://www.finpac.com careers page states: “ No positions currently available, please check back. Last Updated: 6/24/04”

According to 18 year veteran Credit Administrator Alan Kissinger the company has “liberalized” their evaluations plus has excellent rates based on the quality of the lessee.

Sounds like Terey Jennings is already making changes to grow the company.
You can reach him at: tereyj@finpac.com

[headlines]

BSB Halts Program on Broker Retaining Advance Rentals

“It has always been BSB Leasing's goal to make it easy to do business with us and our Direct Finance and Syndication products. To that end, this communication is to help clarify who is allowed to collect advance rentals and/or security deposits when conducting business through or with BSB Leasing.

“Who Can Collect Advance Rentals and/or Security Deposit

In the interest of "making it easier" to do business with BSB Leasing over the past couple years, we have increasingly allowed our brokers to retain the Advance Rentals and/or Security Deposits under their name, even if they were not Lessor on the documents.

This practice, albeit nice for our brokers, has actually distracted us from our service more than helped it.

“As of November 22nd, BSB Leasing will no longer allow for Advance Rentals and/or Security Deposits to be collected under the broker's name if the deal is approved under our Syndication product. If the deal is approved by BSB Direct Finance and the broker is approved to be Lessor, then these monies CAN BE collected under the broker's name.

“The November 22nd date is for deals that are documented after this date. We will continue to work with you on any deals documented prior to November 22nd.

“To discuss this program in more detail or preview a transaction, please contact Rick Wehner at 800.945.3372 ext. 273 or rwehner@bsbleasing.com

“Sincerely,
“Ron Gonzales, Vice President - Operations
BSB Leasing, Inc.
“email: rgonzales@bsbleasing.com
phone: (800) 945-3372 ext. 248

[headlines]

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Alexa Ranks Leasing Association Web Sites

David G. Mayer's Business Leasing 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 News has its own individual web site, it will be included in the Alexa survey.

It should also be noted that several of the 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. )

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Classified Help Wanted Ad Holiday Schedule

There will be no Leasing News edition on November 26th and 27th due to the Thanksgiving Holidays.

The following week Leasing News will feature a Leasing Association up-date, highlighting association on November 29, 30;Dececember 1, 2, 3

We will run ads on the web site, but they will be “free days” for advertisers who are charged a per day newsletter price. Basically it is $400 for four lines and $75 an additional line, $50 thereafter for ten issues.

The logo only appears on the web site, and it is free. We don't count it in lineage. In addition, in both the newsletter and web site, the web site address and description of your company is free, and may be up to the full lines of your ad.

The ad is placed in the category that you are seeking, such as “account executive,” “controller,” “sales representative,” “vendor national manager.” As the procedure of most publications, the larger ad is placed first in the category.

Here are some examples:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/examples.htm

In the newsletter, we often “circulate” the positions, but cannot make any set promises. We also often interspace the ads throughout the newsletter, as if they were a “banner type” ad. There is no guarantee on their placement in this manner or that we will treat it as a banner ad, although we often do.

http://64.125.68.90/LeasingNews/PostingFormWanted.asp

[headlines]

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EAEL Xmas Party December 6th 

Eastern Association of Equipment Lessors
Christmas Party
Monday, December 6, 2004 at Mangia's
60 West 57th (between 5th and 6th)
Members and Guests: $95.00
Call Alison for details at
212 809 1602

[headlines]

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Land Line wins awards

www.landlinemag.com

Land Line magazine was honored at the annual International Automotive Media Awards, a national competition of automotive and other related magazines.

Senior Editor Dick Larsen won a silver medal for his May 2004 story “For the love of trucks,” an interview of former trucker and U.S. Rep. Mac Collins, R-GA.

The late Feature Editor René Tankersley won a silver medal for her story in the February 2004 issue “Cannabis container a pickle for Texas trucker,” the story of a trucker inadvertently pulled into a drug investigation. She had previously won for her stories about The Funding Tree and CMC Leasing.

Columnist Bill Hudgins won a bronze medal for his July 2004 piece titled “The highway is my way,” an interview with singer Joey Holiday.

Associate Editor Mark Reddig won a silver medal for his December 2003/January 2004 story “Got a hankerin' for the holidays,” a review of some of nation's best holiday light displays.

Reddig received a second silver medal for “The biggest tax you never knew about,” in the December 2003/January 2004 issue. That story told of an old tax newly imposed on truckers.

Land Line Magazine is the Business Magazine for the Professional Turckers and the Official Publication of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
(www.ooida.com)

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

Fitch Rates GE Commercial Equipment Financing LLC, Series 2004-1

The underlying $840 million GE CEF 2004-1 collateral pool consists of contracts originated by the middle-market segment (88.74%) and Healthcare Financial Services (HFS, 6.36%), as well as those acquired by Intermediate Finance (IF; formerly named third-party originations; 4.90%). The largest equipment concentrations (as a percentage of the initial pool balance) include transportation (34.32%), industrial (25.42%), construction equipment (14.40%), and technology and telecommunications equipment (8.93%). Noteworthy obligor industry exposures are transportation (26.31%), mining and construction (21.49%), services (11.73%), and manufacturing (11.04%). The overall pool is diversified geographically, with the top five states as follows: California (13.24%); Illinois (7.90%); Minnesota (6.85%); Michigan (6.68%); and Texas (6.27%). The highest single obligor concentration is 1.43% of the initial pool balance, with the five largest obligors constituting 6.68%.

In addition to delinquency data and other portfolio performance measures, Fitch reviewed both annual and static loss history on a business segment specific basis, while considering the performance of the GE CEF 2003-1 transaction, in its determination of the cumulative expected net loss proxy for the GE CEF 2004-1 portfolio. A series of stressed cash flow runs were applied to survey the structure performance under different loss timing scenarios, longer than expected recovery periods, as well as reduced amounts of excess spread, among others. Ultimately, credit enhancement levels were sized to withstand multiples of historic losses at each rating level over the life of the transaction.

Interest and principal will be paid monthly, with the principal payable amount for any payment date equal to the sum of the scheduled principal payments on the loans, unscheduled principal prepays, loss amount on defaulted loans and recoveries, plus 50% of excess interest collections received during the calendar month preceding such payment date. Further, on any payment date, the principal payable amount on the notes will be paid pro rata among the class A and B notes but distributed sequentially within class A. No principal will be allocated to the class C notes on any payment date until the class A and B notes have been paid in full. The pro rata allocation of principal between the class A and B notes will continue provided that the class B note balance remains above its specified floor.

CONTACT: Fitch Ratings, New York Brigid E. Keyes, 312-606-2361, Chicago John Bella, Jr. 312-368-2058, Chicago or Media Relations: Sandro Scenga, 212-908-0278, New York

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

BB&T to acquire metro Washington, D.C.-based investment bank

BB&T Capital Markets said it would acquire middle-market investment bank Windsor Group LLC and affiliate Windsor Advisory Services LLC of Reston, Va.

Windsor Group is a 14-year-old investment bank and registered broker/dealer that provides merger and acquisition, corporate finance and valuation services to companies in the aerospace, defense, government services, information technology and telecommunication industries.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with such a well-respected investment bank, one that shares our mission, culture and values," said Bill Tyson, co- head of Investment Banking for BB&T Capital Markets. "We believe the addition of Windsor Group, together with our existing government services investment banking platform, creates the leading provider of integrated investment banking and financial services to the growing defense and government services industry.

"Windsor Group also adds immediate strength and depth to BB&T Capital Markets' middle-market mergers and acquisitions advisory business." The transaction is subject to regulatory approval. Terms were not disclosed.

Windsor Group principals have assisted hundreds of public and private companies with merger and acquisition transactions ranging in value from $10 million to $1.2 billion. Windsor assists selling or buying companies through all steps -- from planning, searching, screening and evaluation to due diligence and financings. Its principal investment bankers have closed more than $7 billion in transactions in the past five years.

Windsor also provides strategic alternatives to public and private companies considering a sale, recapitalization or acquisition.

Windsor Group's staff of 17 investment bankers, including Founder, Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer Rick Knop and Co-Chief Executive Officer John Allen will join BB&T Capital Markets.

"Our firm is much like BB&T in that we both believe the best way to help our business partners achieve their strategic objectives is to know everything we can about their industries," Knop said. "We share the belief that competitive advantage in business is about developing truly close relationships based on deep industry knowledge and very personalized, highly attentive service.

"The combination of our strong merger and acquisitions practice with the public market capabilities of BB&T Capital Markets will allow us to provide the full range of investment banking services to the defense, government contracting and communications industries."

The existing BB&T Capital Markets Government Technology Services Group, led by John Hagan, will be combined with Windsor Group to form the BB&T Capital Markets/Windsor Government Services Investment Banking Group. It will be managed by co-heads Knop, Allen and Hagan.

The BB&T Capital Markets Government Technology Services Group has facilitated several mergers and acquisitions in the government services industry and has been a leader in underwriting recent initial public offerings and follow-on public equity offerings.

"This acquisition fits nicely with BB&T's strategy of growing both organically and through the acquisition of high-quality, well-managed businesses," said Non-Bank Acquisitions Manager Rick Fowler. "Not only is it an excellent addition to our capital markets business, it is also highly complementary to the bank's significant and rapidly growing presence in the metro Washington, D.C., region."

BB&T Capital Markets is a division of Richmond-based Scott & Stringfellow Inc., a registered broker/dealer and wholly owned subsidiary of Winston-Salem, N.C.-based BB&T Corporation (NYSE: BBT).

BB&T Capital Markets consists of more than 300 professionals who provide equity research, institutional brokerage services and investment banking services to corporations, governments and institutions.
More information is available at
http://www.BBandT.com/CapitalMarkets.

Scott & Stringfellow is a regional investment banking, brokerage and financial services firm with 41 offices in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

BB&T Corporation and its subsidiaries offer full-service commercial and retail banking and additional financial services such as insurance, investments, retail brokerage, corporate finance, international banking, leasing and trust. More information about BB&T Corp. is available at
http://www.BBandT.com .

BB&T operates more than 1,400 financial centers in the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Indiana and Washington, D.C.

With more than $97 billion in assets, BB&T Corp. is the nation's 11th largest financial holding company. National consulting firm Forrester Research Inc. in 2003 named BB&T Corp. as the top financial services company in the nation based on "customer advocacy."

CONTACT: Bill Tyson, Co-Head-Invest. Banking, +1-804-782-8774, or Jake Savage, Co-Head-Invest. Banking, +1-804-780-3230, both of BB&T Capital Markets; or Rick Fowler, Senior Vice President of BB&T Non-Bank Acquisitions, +1-336-733-3087; or Jeff Nichols, Vice President of BB&T Public Relations, +1-336-733-1007; or Rick Knop, Co-CEO of Windsor Group LLC, +1-703-471-3850

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Payne Joins Wells Fargo Equipment Finance as Division Manager

JOHN CHRUN PROMOTED TO DIVISION MANAGER

Minneapolis, - Byron Payne recently joined

Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, Inc (WFEFI) as Division Manager for the Bank Business Line. In his new position, Payne will focus the Bank Division on growing equipment finance business with the Middle Market and Small Business Banking customer in addition to increasing awareness of WFEFI's Corporate Aircraft financing capabilities. Payne has spent his career with Wells Fargo in various roles, most recently as National Sales Manager with Wells Fargo SBA Lending.

"WFEFI's tremendous growth over the past five years requires us to divide our company into three distinct Business Lines; Bank, Vendor and Wholesale. This specialization will allow us to align ourselves with our customers and improve our focus on their business requirements," said John McQueen, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President for Wells Fargo Equipment Finance. "Byron's experience, integrity and proven leadership abilities will position us to grow our share of the bank customer's equipment financing business," adds McQueen.

John Chrun has been promoted to Division Manager for the Vendor Business Line. Under John's leadership, the Vendor Business Line will focus on becoming the premier financial provider for select industries including Construction, Manufacturing, Trucking, Soft Collateral and Rail.

"John's 25 years of industry experience is a tremendous advantage in developing our Vendor brand," says McQueen.

[headlines]

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NATIONAL CITY COMMERCIAL CAPITAL NAMES JIM MURRAY AS REGIONAL SALES MANAGER OF NATIONAL CITY HEALTHCARE FINANCE

Cincinnati, - National City Commercial Capital, a subsidiary of National City Corporation, has appointed Jim Murray as regional sales manager in its healthcare division, National City Healthcare Finance.

Mr. Murray will oversee the expansion of National City Healthcare Finance in the Midwest region, focusing on the development of direct relationships with hospitals, physician offices and clinics. National City Healthcare Finance provides flexible financing of clinical and back-office equipment through vendor and direct relationships. National City Healthcare Finance has provided the healthcare industry with equipment leasing and financing for over 15 years.

Mr. Murray has 14 years of healthcare leasing and finance experience. Prior to joining National City Healthcare Finance, he was a regional vice president for Healthcare Finance Group, Inc., an independent asset-based lender. Mr. Murray was responsible for the direct marketing of financing programs to healthcare providers. Previously, Mr. Murray was with Comdisco, Inc. and GE Healthcare Financial Services where he served in various sales management positions.

Mr. Murray holds an MBA in finance from DePaul University and a bachelor degree in finance from The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

About National City Healthcare Finance

National City Healthcare Finance operates as a division of National City Commercial Capital, providing flexible lease financing for a wide variety of healthcare and medical industries. National City Healthcare Finance serves as both a lessor for end-user companies and business partner with healthcare equipment manufacturers and resellers. For more information, visit
www.NC-4Healthcare.com.

About National City Commercial Capital

National City Commercial Capital acts as a financing agent between the manufacturer or vendor of equipment and the small businesses, corporations and municipalities using the equipment. With over $1.2 billion in annual originations, $3.2 billion in assets under management and 30,000 commercial accounts, it is one of the largest bank-affiliated leasing companies in the country. National City Commercial Capital is a wholly-owned subsidiary of National City Corporation (NYSE: NCC) and is based in Cincinnati.

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

News Briefs---

Consumer prices soar in October/ Housing starts jump 6.4%
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/inflation/
2004-11-17-cpi-oct_x.htm

Inflation picking up steam
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2004/11/18/
inflation_picking_up_steam/

Reports Suggest Economy Is Warming Up
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/18/business/18econ.html?oref=login

Interest Rate Hikes Have Little Impact on Luxury Purchases
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/
www/story/11-16-2004/0002458498&EDATE =

Dollar at seven-month low against yen, stocks moderately higher
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/
20041117-1915-japan-markets.html

The Milken Institute's ranking of the nation's top economic performing cities:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/
20041117-9999-1b17cities.html

The inventory glut that has plagued chip companies all year will continue at least another quarter.
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3437391

U.S primary market prices $5.2 billion, much left on tap
http://www.absnet.net/include/showfreearticle.asp?file=/
headlines/1.htm

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Sports Briefs---

'MNF' spot was racial, says Colts' Dungy
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/
2004-11-17-mnf-dungy-reax_x.htm

Ohio State swarmed by 'public relations disaster'
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bigten/
2004-11-17-osu-troubles_x.htm

Martz rebuts Miami report
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/rams/story/
BCA1B83974CA173786256F4F002403D1?OpenDocument&
Headline=Martz+rebuts+Miami+report

Manning and Giants in Line of Fire
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/18/sports/football/18giants.html

Bucs lost more than a general manager
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/
2004/11/17/SPGNO9SD1A10.DTL

CNN News : Anthrax Scare here at the 49er Santa Clara

Headquarters. The San Francisco 49ers football practice was delayed nearly two hours after a player reported finding an unknown white powdery substance on the practice field. Head Coach Dennis Erickson immediately suspended practice while Santa Clara police and federal investigators were called to investigate.

After a complete analysis, forensic experts determined that the white substance unknown to the players was the goal line. Practice was resumed after law enforcement officials decided the team was unlikely to encounter the substance again.

Woods critical of PGA for snubbing of O'Meara
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/ryder/
2004-11-17-woods-omeara_x.htm

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California Nuts Briefs

Amendment Sought for Schwarzenegger to Run for US President
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/
states/california/northern_california/10202550.htm

'Amend for Arnold' campaign launched Web site, TV spot promote change in Constitution
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/
2004/11/18/SCHWARZENEGGER.TMP

Governor sets money-raising record $26.6 million in his first year --
most of it from special interests
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/
2004/11/17/MNG229ST1F1.DTL

Analysis says next year's deficit at nearly $7 billion
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/
20041117-1639-ca-statebudget.html

Gov. Schwarzenegger told to find new way to pay his housing tab
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/
2004/11/17/BAGKF9S8LQ1.DTL

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“Gimme that Wine”

What Becomes a Turkey Most---Eric Asimov
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/17/dining/
17WINE.html?pagewanted=all

Robert Mondavi Corporation Recognizes Accounting Impact of Merger Agreement; Recapitalization, Restructuring and Step-up Charges are Reduced from $105.9 Million to $32.7 Million
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=
news_view&newsId=20041115006378&newsLang=en

Washington wines as world-renowned as Washington apples
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/
2002092555_wined17.html
Wine country Thanksgiving in the Willamette Valley
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/argus/index.ssf?/base/news/
110064433299430.xml

Sonoma County White Paper
http://www.sonomavalleywine.com/growers/White-Paper.pdf

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This Day in American History

    1787-Birthday of Sojourner Truth, abolitionist and orator, born up-state New York. Born into slavery as Isabella Baumfree
http://www.noho.com/sojourner/whowas.html
http://www.brightmoments.com/blackhistory/nsotrue.html
http://myhero.com/hero.asp?hero=sojournerTruth ]
    1803 -Battle of Vertieres, in which Haitians defeat French. In the battle for independence, a fierce fight took place in the town of Vertieres, where the French army led by Napoleon, was defeated by Haitians. This huge defeat of Napoleon's army led to the end of the war, and to Haiti's eventual march towards independence on 1st January, 45 days later. American Black slaves escape to Haiti for freedom. Southern states introduce legislation for “runaway slaves.”
    1820-American Captain Nathaniel Brown Palmer in the “Hero, a sloop of 44 tons, with a crew of six including the captain and the mate, discover Antarctica. His discovery of the Antarctic peninsula is now called Palmer's Peninsula. The first American to set foot on Antarctica was probably John Davis, a seal hunter, who went ashore at Hughes Bay on February 7m, 1821. Antarctica had already been seen from a distance by the English explorer James Cook and the crew of his ship, The Endeavor, which circumnavigated the continent between 1773 and 1775.
    1825-Birthday of Susan Lincoln Tolman Mills, educated at Mount Holyoke College, she used the training methods in a school in Hawaii where she taught with her husband. Back in California, the couple opened a school that became Mills College, again using the Mount Holyoke philosophy as well as several of its teachers. At her husband's death in 1884 she was principal and for a time acting president. She was finally named president (after two male presidents) in 1890. Mills was the first woman's college on the west coast and under her guidance it became one of the major colleges of the nation. In 1991 an effort to convert it to admit men was defeated by the students and it continues to be an all-woman college.
    1857-Birthday of Rose M. Knox, within seven years of taking over the management of the Knox Gelatine Company, developed it into a multi-million-dollar firm. On the first day of her management following her husband's death, she locked the back door and ordered everyone from president to janitor to use the front door. She managed the business for more than 40 years, changed its emphasis to nutrition, and made it a thriving business. Her management style was pro- worker and layoffs were unheard of with a five-day work week with vacations and sick pay. She stepped aside as the company's president only when she reached her 90th birthday, retaining her position as chairperson. She was recognized as one of the nation*s outstanding businesswomen.
    1863-President Lincoln boards a train for Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to deliver a short speech at the dedication for the cemetery of soldiers killed during the battle there on July 1 to 3, 1863. The address he gave became perhaps the most famous speech in American history. Lincoln had given much thought to what he wanted to say at Gettysburg, but he nearly missed his chance to say it. On November 18, Lincoln's son, Tad, became ill with a fever. Abraham and Mary Lincoln were, sadly, no strangers to juvenile illness: they had already lost two sons. Prone to fits of hysteria, Mary Lincoln panicked when the president prepared to leave for Pennsylvania. Lincoln felt that the opportunity to speak at Gettysburg and present his defense of the war was too important to miss, though. He boarded a train at noon and headed for Gettysburg. Despite his son's illness, Lincoln was in good spirits on the journey. He was accompanied by an entourage that included Secretary of State William Seward, Postmaster General Montgomery Blair, Interior Secretary John Usher, Lincoln's personal secretaries John Hay and John Nicolay, several members of the diplomat corps, some foreign visitors, a Marine band, and a military escort. During one stop, a young girl lifted a bouquet of flowers to his window. Lincoln kissed her and said, "You're a sweet little rose-bud yourself. I hope your life will open into perpetual beauty and goodness." When Lincoln arrived in Gettysburg, he was handed a telegram that lifted his spirits: Tad was feeling much better. Lincoln enjoyed an evening dinner and a serenade by Fifth New York Artillery Band before he retired to finalize his famous Gettysburg Address.
    1865 -- Mark Twain has instant success with his first fictional piece, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" (New York Saturday Press).
    1883- Charles Ferdinand Dowd, a Connecticut school teacher, and one of the early advocates of uniform time, proposed a time zone plan of the US ( four zones of 15 degrees), which he and others persuaded the railroads to adopt and place in operation. It did not become law until March 19,1918, when Congress passed the Standard Time Act, which authorized the Interstate Commerce Commission to establish time zones. It also established "Daylight Savings Time" to save fuel.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/nov18.html
    1888-The great baseball promoter Albert G. Spalding began his world tour to introduce baseball to the enter world. He, the Chicago White Stockings and a group of all-star players set sail from san Francisco for Honolulu, the first stop on their round-the-world tour.
    1909-Birthday of John Herndon “Johnny” Mercer, American songwriter, singer, radio performer and actor, bon at Savannah, GA. Johnny Mercer wrote lyrics ( and often the music ) for some of the great American popular music from the 1930's through the 1960's, including “Autumn Leaves, “ “One for My Baby, “ Satin Doll,” “On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe,” ‘You mush Have Been a Beautiful Baby,” “Come Rain or Come Shine,” Hooray for Hollywood,” “Jeepers Creepers,” and countless more. Mercer died June 25, 1976 at Bel Air, CA.
    1916-Birthday of Jimmy Lyons. jazz disc jockey, founder of the Monterey Jazz Festival, who I worked with at KFRC in the early 1970's, Peking,
http://www.apassion4jazz.net/monterey.html
http://www.interlog.com/~mirus/desmond/dbq25.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0893950068/
inktomi-bkasin-20/104-6368463-9838304China
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ars/jazz.html
    1923-Fifty-four inches of snow and sleet blocked the Columbia River Highway in the Dalles, Oregon. Railroads were stopped for days in both Washington and Oregon
    1923-Birthday of Alan Shepard, former astronaut and the first American in space(in 1961). Shepard was born at East Derry, NY. He was one of the only 12 Americans who have walked on the moon and was America's only lunar golfer, practicing his drive in space with a six iron. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1979. Shepard died near Monterey, CA, July 21, 1998.
    1927- Bix Biederbecke cuts first date with Paul Whiteman Orchestra, “ Washboard Blues,” with Hoagy Carmichael, vocal. Victor.
    1928-The comical activity of squeaky-voiced Mickey Mouse first appeared on the screen of Colony Theater at New York City. The film Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie" was the first animated cartoon talking picture.
    1928-Birthday of singer Sheila Jordan, Detroit, MI
http://www.npr.org/programs/btaylor/pastprograms/
sheilajordan.html
    1932 - For the first time, a tie occurred for the Best Actor Academy Award. Wallace Beery and Fredric March were only one vote apart so the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ruled it a tie. Both received an Oscar at the Fifth Annual Academy Awards, March for his performance in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and Beery for his role in "The Champ". March thought it rather funny that the two were honored for ‘best male performance of the year' when they each had adopted a child that year. "The Champ" also was honored when Frances Marion received the Writing/Original Story Academy Award for the film. There was only one Best Actress Award and it was presented to Helen Hayes for her performance in "The Sin of Madelon Claudet". Host Lionel Barrymore greeted the film industry this night in the Fiesta Room at LA's grand hotel, The Ambassador. The movie, "Grand Hotel" (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer), earned the top honors as Outstanding Production. It was also a grand night for the film, "Bad Girl". Its director, Frank Borzage, and its writer (adaptation), Edwin Burke, were both presented with Academy Awards. Walt Disney also received two awards: an honorary award for the creation of Mickey Mouse and for the cartoon short subject "Flowers and Trees". Short Subject awards were presented to two other well-known Hollywood talents on this evening. Hal Roach won his prize for the comedy, "The Music Box" and Mack Sennett for the novelty short, "Wrestling Swordfish". Both were first-time Academy Award winners as were Gordon Wiles for Art Direction ("Transatlantic") and Lee Garmes for Cinematography ("Shanghai Express").
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0147959.html
    1936-Ella Fitzgerald,18, cuts first disc, “ My Last Affair.” Decca.
    1936 Birthday of Trumpet Player Don Cherry
http://www.wnur.org/jazz/artists/cherry.don/
    1939-Artie Shaw, at the peak of success, disbands, splits for Mexico.
    1942- Thornton Wilder's play, "The Skin of Our Teeth", opened in New York City. The play was Wilder's sequel to "Our Town". "The Skin of Our Teeth" starred Tallulah Bankhead, Fredric March, Montgomery Clift and E.G. Marshall. One critic wrote, “As of last evening, the theatre was looking up.”
    1943--Two days after the American raid on the power station in Vermork, Norway, 440 British bombers swooped down on Berlin at night. The raid was not overly successful. Though 131 Berliners were killed, the Royal Air Force struck very few of the industrial areas they intended to hit. Even worse, nine British bombers were shot down, and fifty-three aircrew members killed. One of the victims was Wing Commander John White, who had played a significant role in the successful bombing of Peenemunde.
    1946-Birthday of sax player Bennie Wallace, Chattanooga, TN,
http://www.enjarecords.com/BENNIE_WALLACE.htm http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000AEC2/
avsearch-musicasin-20/104-6368463-9838304
    1949-Jackie Robinson because the first baseball player who was African-American to win the “Most Valuable Player Award” in the major leases as second baseman of the National League's Brooklyn Dodgers, New York City. He won the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Memorial plaque from the Baseball Writers Association. The first African-American player in the American League to win the award was Elston Howard, catcher for the New York Yankees, on November 7, 1963.
    1949---Top Hits
That Lucky Old Sun - Frankie Laine
Don't Cry, Joe - The Gordon Jenkins Orchestra (vocal: Betty Brewer)
I Can Dream, Can't I? - The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (vocal: Jack Leonard)
Slipping Around - Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely
    1950-Marine Corp jet Captain Major John F. Bolt of Sanford, Florida, became a double ace. He led a four-plane Saber flight in an attack on four enemy fighters east of Sinuiju, Korea, on his 37 th mission, and downed his fifth and six MIG-15s. He first qualified as an ace in world War II, when he shot down six Zekers between September 23, 1943 and January 4, 1944, while serving with Boyington's Black Sheep Squadron. John Bolt was the only Marine to become an ace in WWII and Korea. In WWII, he flew with 'The Black Sheep', VMF-214, best known for its CO, Pappy Boyington .
http://www.acepilots.com/usmc_bolt.html http://www.bootstrapaircraft.com/nss-folder/historydocuments/
JohnBoltBioPt2.pdf
    1951-The television show "See It Now" premiered, doing unrehearsed interviews, covering relevant and newsworthy stories of its time, including desecration, lung cancer and anti-Communist fervor. One of the most notable shows focused on Senator Joseph McCarthy, leading to McCarthy's appearance on the show which damaged his creditability. The show was hosted by Edward R. Murrow, who also produced it jointly with Fred W. Friendly. Its premiere was the first live commercial coast-to-coast broadcast.
    1951 --Wanting to stay in California, PCL Los Angeles Angels first baseman Chuck Connors becomes the first player to refuse to participate in the major league draft. The former Cub first baseman and future star of the TV series The Rifleman refusal allows the minor leagues to ask for more money for big league talent.
    1955 - An early season cold snap finally came to an end. Helena, MT, experienced 138 consecutive hours of subzero temperatures, including a reading of 29 below zero, which surpassed by seven degrees their previous record for the month of November. Missoula MT broke their November record by 12 degrees with a reading of 23 below zero, and Salt Lake City UT smashed their previous November record of zero with a reading of 14 below. Heavy snow in the Great Basin closed Donner Pass CA, and total crop damage from the cold wave amounted to eleven million dollars
    1956-Birthday of football player Harold Warren Moon, born Los Angeles, CA.
    1956--Fats Domino appears on the Ed Sullivan show singing his hit "Blueberry Hill."
    1957—Top Hits
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
You Send Me - Sam Cooke
Little Bitty Pretty One - Thurston Harris
Wake Up Little Susie - The Everly Brothers
    1963-Push-button telephones went into service as alternative to rotary-dial phones. touch-tone service was available as an option at an extra charge. this option was only available in two Pennsylvania cities.
    1964 -J Edgar Hoover describes Martin Luther King as "most notorious liar"
    1964-The Supremes appear on "Shindig!" singing "Baby Love" and "Come See About Me." The Righteous Brothers are also on the show and perform "Little Latin Lupe Lu."
    1965---Top Hits
Get Off of My Cloud - The Rolling Stones
1-2-3 - Len Barry
You're the One - The Vogues
Hello Vietnam - Johnny Wright
    1966 -This was the last required meatless Friday for American Roman Catholics, in accordance with a decree made by Pope Paul VI earlier this year.
    1968-Glen Campbell, a former session musician for Frank Sinatra, Nat "King" Cole and the Beach Boys, receives two gold records - one for "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and one for "Gentle On My Mind."
    1968-The Jimi Hendrix Experience's third album, "Electric Ladyland," earns the group its third gold LP. "Crosstown Traffic," a version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" and "Voodoo Chile" are the two-record set's highlights.
    1973---Top Hits
Keep on Truckin' - Eddie Kendricks
Heartbeat - It's a Lovebeat - The DeFranco Family
Photograph - Ringo Starr
Paper Roses - Marie Osmond
    1974 - Frank Sinatra emerged from retirement to do a TV special with dancer Gene Kelly. The show was a smash hit and revived Sinatra's career.
    1975 - John Denver received a gold record for "I'm Sorry".
    1978-Congressman Leo J Ryan of Burlingame, California was killed along with four others in his group in Jonestown, Guyana by members of Peoples Temple, followed by ritual mass suicide of 913 members. (I served as his first state assembly administrative assistant and legislative aide in the late 1960's. His personal secretary of many years was murdered in her house during a robbery of the family's coin collection). People's Temple leader Jim Jones lead hundreds of his followers in a mass murder-suicide at their agricultural commune in remote northwestern Guyana. The few cult members who refused to take the cyanide-laced fruit-flavored concoction were either forced to do so at gunpoint or shot as they fled. The final death toll was 913, including 276 children. Jim Jones was a charismatic churchman who founded the People's Temple, a Christian sect, in Indianapolis in the 1950s. He preached against racism, and his integrated congregation attracted mostly African Americans. In 1965, he moved the group to northern California, settling in Ukiah and after 1971 in San Francisco. In the 1970s, his church was accused by the press of financial fraud, physical abuse of its members, and mistreatment of children. In response to the mounting criticism, Jones led several hundred of his followers to South America in 1977 and set up a utopian agricultural settlement called Jonestown in the jungle of Guyana. A year later, a group of ex-members convinced U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan, a Democrat of California, to travel to Jonestown and investigate the commune. On November 17, 1978, Ryan arrived in Jonestown with a group of journalists and other observers. At first the visit went well, but the next day, as Ryan's group was about to leave, several People's Church members approached members of the group and asked them for passage out of Guyana. Jones became distressed at the defection of his members, and one of Jones' lieutenants attacked Ryan with a knife. Ryan escaped from the incident unharmed, but Jones then ordered Ryan and his companions ambushed and killed at the airstrip as they attempted to leave. The congressman and four others were murdered as they attempted to board their charter planes. Back in Jonestown, Jones directed his followers in a mass suicide in a clearing in the town. With Jones exhorting the "beauty of dying" over a loudspeaker, hundreds drank a lethal cyanide and Kool-Aid drink. Those who tried to escape were chased down and shot by Jones' lieutenants. Jones died of a gunshot wound in the head, probably self-inflicted. Guyanese troops, alerted by a cult member who escaped, reached Jonestown the next day. Only a dozen or so followers survived, hidden in the jungle. Most of the 913 dead were lying side by side in the clearing where Jones had preached to them for the last time.
http://www.lermanet.com/house/destructive.htm
    1981—Top Hits
Private Eyes - Daryl Hall & John Oates
Start Me Up - The Rolling Stones
Physical - Olivia Newton-John
My Baby Thinks He's a Train - Rosanne Cash
    1986 - The Roseland Ballroom reopened in New York City. The 67-year-old home for those wanting to dance cheek to cheek featured America's dean of society music, Lester Lanin. He played for patrons who wanted to cut a rug on the 112-by-55-foot, maple wood dance floor.
    1986 - For the first time since his departure from his own late-night TV show, Jack Paar was a guest of Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show". One of TV's great lines came from the show, when Carson quipped (after one of Paar's long, long spiels), “Why is it that I feel I'm guesting on your show?”
    1986 - Roger Clemens was named the American League's Most Valuable Player. He was the first American League starter to be so named in 15 years. The Boston Red Sox hurler won the honor one week after earning the Cy Young Award1997 - The Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays begin taking shape with 35 selections apiece in baseball's expansion draft. Both the Diamondbacks and Devil Rays began their baseball lives with sufficient funds to contend quickly.
    1987 ---Cub outfielder Andre Dawson (.287, 49, 137) becomes the first player to win the MVP award as a member of a last place club.
    1987- After nearly a year of hearings into the Iran-Contra scandal, the joint Congressional investigating committee issues its final report. It concluded that the scandal, involving a complicated plan whereby some of the funds from secret weapons sales to Iran were used to finance the Contra war against the Sandinista government in Nicaragua, was one in which the administration of Ronald Reagan exhibited "secrecy, deception, and disdain for the law." Naming several members of the Reagan administration as having been directly involved in the scheme (including National Security Advisor John Poindexter and deceased CIA Director William Casey), the report stated that Reagan must bear "ultimate responsibility." A number of government officials were charged and convicted of various crimes associated with the scandal.
    1988-An Anti-Drug bill of large scope was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. It called for the death penalty for drug-related murders, a $10,000 fine for the possession of even small amounts of controlled substances and provided for the expansion of treat facilities. A cabinet-level office was established for a drug “czar” to oversee the nation's fight on drugs.
    1989---Top Hits
When I See You Smile - Bad English
Blame It on the Rain - Milli Vanilli
Love Shack - The B-52's
Bayou Boys - Eddy Raven
    1989 - A second surge of arctic air brought record cold to parts of the north central U.S. Eleven cities in the Upper Midwest reported record low temperatures for the date, including Rochester MN with a reading of 4 degrees below zero. Strong winds ushering the arctic air into the north central U.S. produced squalls in the Lower Great Lakes Region. Snowfall totals in northern Ohio ranged up to twenty inches in Ashatabula County and Geauga County
    1995-The Rolling Stones become the first act to broadcast a concert on the Internet.
    1995-"Goldeneye" the latest James Bond movie, opens, featuring a title song by Tina Turner.
1996- Four hardware makers unveiled hand-held computers at an electronics show on this day in 1996. The computers were all designed to run Microsoft Windows CE, an operating system introduced at the show the previous day. The machines offered remote and wireless connections for checking e-mail and surfing the Web and allowed users to synchronize data with Windows programs. By 1999, the market for hand-held computers had grown to an estimated 5.7 million units, nearly fifty percent greater than 1998 sales, according to the research firm Dataquest. Today they are incorporated into wireless telephones the size of a pack of cigarettes that also include the ability to take pictures

[headlines]

American Football Poem

SEE IT THROUGH

by Edgar A. Guest (1881-1959)

When you're up against a trouble, Meet it squarely, face to face; Lift your chin and set your shoulders, Plant your feet and take a brace. When it's vain to try to dodge it, Do the best that you can do; You may fail, but you may conquer, See it through!

Black may be the clouds about you And your future may seem grim, But don't let your nerve desert you; Keep yourself in fighting trim. If the worst is bound to happen, Spite of all that you can do, Running from it will not save you, See it through!

Even hope may seem but futile, When with troubles you're beset, But remember you are facing Just what other men have met. You may fail, but fall still fighting; Don't give up, whate'er you do; Eyes front, head high to the finish. See it through!

Edgar A Guest,. often referred to as the common man's poet. was a staff writer for the Detroit News (Michigan) and had his poetry published in the paper for many years.

[headlines]