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Vehicle Lenders Group, LLC is looking for dynamic sales associate. Either work out of one of our offices in Calif. , Dayton, or Oyster Bay, NY or your own office.
Draw w/benefits after three month probation period.
Must have excellent references, honest, self motivated, able to generate $500,000 a month by the end
of 12 months of employment.
Curt Webster, CVLE 516-922-7447 ext 104

http://www.trucklendersusa.com/

Monday, October 18, 2010


Today's Equipment Leasing Headlines

Placard--Rule #1 Boss is Right
  Classified Ads---Controller/Credit
 GE Keeps on Trimming
  Adrian Hebig resigns from US Bank Manifest
   Lease Police Identifies "Repo Machines"
    Leasing 102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP
     Broker or Packager Fees
  Land Development Brings Down Three More Banks
   Classified Ads---Help Wanted
    Top Ten America's Safest Cities
     Top Stories---October 12 - October 14
    Minneapolis, Minnesota Adopt a Dog

Broker/Funder/Industry Lists | Features (collection)
Top Ten Stories Chosen by Readers | Top Stories last six months

 
  You May have Missed---
       "Gimme that Wine"
   This Day in American History
    Baseball Poem
     SuDoku
      Daily Puzzle
       GasBuddy
     Weather, USA or specific area
      Traffic Live----


######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release” and was not written by Leasing News nor information verified, but from the source noted. When an article is signed by the writer, it is considered a “by line.” It reflects the opinion and research of the writer. It is considered “bias” as it is the writer’s viewpoint.

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Classified Ads---Controller/Credit


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
Acton, MA
Strong experience in lease accounting, operations, & systems.  
Implemented lease plus, Great Plains, networks.
Excellent financial reporting and analysis skills. Looking for new opportunity.
LinkedIn
alexanderzlenz@gmail.com| Resume

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


East Coast
30 yrs. exp UK, mainly middle ticket last 11 yrs credit officer, seeking
position in NY, CT, NJ, Available immediately for interviews carrsculling@gmail.com


Free Posting for those seeking employment in Leasing:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted-post.htm

All “free” categories “job wanted” ads:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm


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GE Keeps on Trimming

*

General Electric (GE) reported third quarter earnings to $2.06 billion, down from $2.49 billion, with Revenue slipping 5% from the year-ago period to $35.9 billion. Wall Street wasn’t happy as GE moves in new directions, and its competition will be found asleep at the wheel as it expands into better markets while trimming away not only the fat, while expanding new markets.



GE Jeffrey Immelt, CEO

At their news conference, CEO Jeffrey Immelt blamed the trend on lower equipment sales in the quarter, as well as on the impact of reduced assets at GE Capital, which it has been downsizing, noting a $1.1 billion boost to reserves stemming from the 2008 sale of its Japan consumer-finance business.

It is all part of their entering new markets as seen by recent acquisitions and expansions.

In its trimming mood for going on the second year, perhaps the third before the announcement of what its plans were, GE Capital has also been diversifying. Much of it has been by lack of demand, and perhaps that is recognized in its supplemental flying showing one of its major decreases in vehicle financing:




GE Capital, Conn (04/10) GE 1Q profit down 32%, revenue slips; Immelt upbeat http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/2010-04-16-ge-profit_N.htm (01/09) makes more cuts in GE Capital (01/09) More cuts in several divisions. http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm#ge (12/08) sends out new rules regarding termination, more layoff expected after first of the year. (11/08) GE becomes commercial bank to seek TARP funds (10/08) closes more leasing divisions (09/08) starts cutting leasing divisions. (04/08) Citibank sells units to GE Capital (12/07) purchases most of Merrill-Lynch Finance Division, officers given notice to look for other employment. (1/06) Wall Street Journal says exiting small ticket leasing marketplace http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/January%202006/01-25-06.htm#ge (10/2001) Records 19% Revenue Drop in QIII

http://www.leasingnews.org/List_Chron/2010.htm

*Rob Milhouse, winner GE Slogan Contest
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/February%202009/02-04-09.htm#contest

GE Third Quarter Supplemental Financial"
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/GE_3rdqtr.pdf


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Adrian Hebig resigns from US Bank Manifest



Adrian Hebig

The runaway from the independent brokers’ marketplace continues from Balboa Capital, Direct Capital, Key, LEAF, Marlin, and now it appears Manifest. It appears Adrian Hebig, SVP-COO, has resigned and other changes are and have been taking place, but due to conflicting information, Leasing News is not able to give a report at this time. Whether it is US Bank not being satisfied with the last number of years credit decisions or marketing not following the credit model or the rising costs involved or seeming separate operation from the bank or lack of management control being split across the country from Portland to Marshall to Minnesota and other points or all of the above.

Leasing News is seeking an interview with Mr. Hebig.

Adrian Hebig:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianhebigprovenleadership



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Lease Police Identifies "Repo Machines"

Bernie Boettigheimer, ex-leasing and manufacturer executive, now semi-retired, running Lease Police, Dallas, Texas, told Leasing News: "I hear these excuses every time I talk to executives throughout our industry:

  • "Our firm checks out vendors so carefully nothing could happen"

  • "We get repossessions but I can see no trends indicating problems"

  • "Almost all our vendors are repeat vendors who we have worked with before"

  • "We do physical audits and check out every piece of equipment"

"None of these executives are safe!" he declares. "I'm not just talking about the vendors who worked fraud with Allied, Cyberco, E.A.R., GMD, or Wildwood, as the list is long, and we had information on them----I'm talking about the over 560 legitimate vendors Lease Police is tracking; these 560 legitimate vendors have an abnormally large amounts of repossessions? These vendors are not fraudulent, but they are what I call ‘Repo Machines’!

"They may not be engaged in fraud, but 10-20% of their transactions end up as repossessions and they probably account for over a third of your repossessions.  They go from funder to funder."

He said at LeasePolice.com his software program has categorized and analyzed over 10,000 recent repossessions.  He said: "Some of these legitimate vendors produce over 50 repossessions per year!  Because vendors use multiple leasing companies, many funders have never seen the whole repossession picture.  Only when the data is aggregated (by LeasePolice.com) can you see the trends develop.

"I don't care how much experience or how smart the executive is or what they know about credit or leasing.  They don't have what Lease Police has collected in its software program: the data and the collective intelligence of hundreds of funding companies who have contributed their records.

“These records also retain other information, all from the contributions of records of funders who participate in the software records."

Here are the facts, Boettigheimer says:

  • We have over 560 Vendors with over 3 recent unsatisfactory terminations.

  • Over 100 Vendors who have over 10 recent terminations.

  • One well known vendor who has over 50 recent terminations.

Bernie Boettigheimer CLP

              President
              Lease Police, Inc.
              972-361-8111
              214-549-3426-cell
              www.leasepolice.com

LeasePolice.com - "Your One Stop Vendor Check"

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

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Leasing 102
by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP



Broker or Packager Fees

There is a major concern by funding sources today on how to determine a proper fee for commercial lease transactions. One could easily say that competition keeps fees down by restricting rates and rent payments.

With the cost of funds so low, meaning leasing rates being so low, it does open the door for some interesting fee amounts. Historically transactions under $50,000 allow up to 10% of equipment cost and the percentage drops pretty fast as the equipment cost is greater than $100,000. But funding sources are beginning to look at their own income and are comparing it to the requested fees from lessors.

One thing brokers and packagers (often called “discounters” who utilize a private label contract and discount the stream of payments and may “sell” one lease at a time or a group of them) need to keep in mind is that with the rates as low as they are today the margin between a funders cost of money and the purchase rate is also very tight. When you exceed the margin that the funder is making, be prepared for some opposition to your fee. An example would be a $50,000 transaction for 36 months at purchased by the funder at 8%.

If the funders cost of money was say 4% then the total mark up prior to a loss reserve, operations and credit investigation would be around $3,000. Their actual margin after operating costs would be around $1,500. If you sell a lease at 10% rate your fee on a discount of 8% would be $1,400. Therefore you are making almost as much as the funding source with no risk. If you could sell it at 12% your fee would be much greater than the earnings to the funding source. They are beginning to view this with skepticism. Especially when the transactions are non-recourse.

I do not think you should be restricted from earning a fee, but understand that if you are looking to make more, you should think of other ways to earn the excess fee. Do not expect the funder to pay you off and then take all the risk of the credit, and your fee, if a default happens.

You might change the funders’ attitude by offering a 2% reserve, as was common in the old days. Instead of making eight points, put two of the points in an escrow account to offset any loses on leases you have submitted. At a specified period, when the lease pays out for instance, 2% from the reserve is returned to you. If your loses start to eat up your reserve, you may want to look for much better credits for your source than to reduce your reserve.

Packagers can consider only selling a portion of the payments to the funder (like 33 months instead of 34) so their margin is collected prior to your excess income, so they are not taking the risk of your fee. That also means that you will be there to help them with pass dues, because you have a vested interest in a successful outcome.

Please understand funding sources are the lifeblood of your business and the more you work with them on setting your fees instead of just letting it happen the stronger your bonds will be. Some greedy brokers and packagers can ruin a funding source with the attitude that the funding source is responsible for their own mistakes and ignorance. You must work with a funding source remembering that what is good for the goose also applies to the gander.

Mr. Terry Winders, CLP, has been a teacher, consultant, expert witness for the leasing industry for thirty-five years and can be reached at leaseconsulting@msn.com or 502-649-0448

He invites your questions and queries.

Previous #102 Columns:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Leasing_102/Index.htm


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

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Bank Beat---Land Development Brings Down three more banks


The 132nd bank to fail this year, the sixth in Missouri, was Premier Bank, Jefferson City, who had nine branches that were closed with Providence Bank, Columbia, Missouri, to assume all of the deposits of Premier Bank, except certain brokered deposits. Founded May 15, 1995, they had three branches in Jefferson City, with six in four other counties, in the cities of Chesterfield, Grapevine, Lake Saint Louis, Osage Beach, Saint Charles, Saint Peters.



The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $406.9 million. This is approximately 35% of Premier Bank's assets.

www.problembanklist believes the FDIC waited too long: “Premier was hopelessly insolvent with almost a third of its loan portfolio worthless, as indicated by the FDIC’s loss calculation. The huge losses on Premier Bank’s loan portfolio would have been obvious by early 2009 as residential and commercial real estate values crashed, yet Premier, though obviously insolvent, was allowed to remain open until today.

"As regulators come to the conclusion that many small and midsized banks cannot raise additional capital nor depend on rising assets values to offset defaulting loans, the pace of small and mid sized banking failures is likely to increase."

http://problembanklist.com/premier-bank-jefferson-city-mo-closed-by-regulators-0218/

The Missourian newspaper noted Premier Bancshares Inc., was placed under the supervision of the Federal Reserve in March 2009.

"The demise of this bank is the result of aggressive lending decisions made by management,” Richard J. Weaver, commissioner of the Division of Finance said in a written statement. “Many of the loans were in commercial real estate and development projects which proved unsuccessful. These loans became uncollectible. Losses are more than the bank can support, and management acknowledges that failure of the bank is inevitable.”

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/10/16/columbia-based-providence-bank-acquires-premier-bank/

Net equity took a larger a major hit from $90.7 million to $19 million the same period; non-current loans increased from $102 million to $166.4 million. Premier had a loss of $33.2 million June 30, 2009 to a $25.1 million loss June 30, 2010 after $33.4 million in charge offs ($21.9 million in construction and land development, $6.5 million secured by nonfarm nonresidential property, $2 million in commercial and industrial loans, $1.9 million secured by 1-4 multifamily property, and $1 million secured by residential property.

In an effort to stay alive, full-time employees had dropped from 244 June 30, 2009 to 193 June 30, 2010 and other strict measure were taken, but it was too late. Investors lost everything.

Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio 1.90%.

As of June 30, 2010, Premier Bank had approximately $1.18 billion in total assets and $1.03 billion in total deposits. The FDIC and Providence Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on $408.7 million of Premier Bank's assets.
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2010/pr10227.html


WestBridge Bank and Trust Company, Chesterfield, Missouri, was closed with Midland States Bank, Effingham, Illinois, to assume all of the deposits. Founded February 7, 2006 they had one branch in St. Louis County with 12 full time employees.

225 investors who provided $12.5 million in capital approved their board to sell the bank for $480,246 to a new corporation owned by Paul Melnuk and Tom Hillman, owners of FTL Finance, to keep it alive. After looking it over, they turned the deal down. Hillman is chairman of FindStuff.com, an Internet comparison shopping company.

He and Melnuk owned FTL Finance, who reportedly specialize in lease financing HVAC equipment and is a division of FTL Capital Partners, a merchant bank based in St. Louis.

Many of the directors of the bank were involved in real estate and its environs.

http://www.westbridgebank.com/2655/mirror/partners/directors.htm

Net equity had dropped from $5.1 million in June 30, 2009 to $1.3 million June 30, 2010. The bank had a loss of $2.9 million the same period in 2009 and $2.1 million June 30, 2010 with $7.1 million in non-current loans after a $1.1 million charge off ($446,000 in commercial and industrial loans, $340,000 in construction and land development, $170,000 secured by non-farm non-residential property, and $126,000 in loans secured by 1-4 family multi-residential property.)Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio 1.88%.

As of June 30, 2010, WestBridge Bank and Trust Company had approximately $91.5 million in total assets and $72.5 million in total deposits. The FDIC and Midland States Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on $72.6 million of WestBridge Bank and Trust Company's assets. The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $18.7 million.
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2010/pr10227.html



The nine branches of Security Savings Bank, F.S.B., Olathe, Kansas, were closed with Simmons First National Bank, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, to assume all of the deposits. Olathe is the fourth largest city in the state, according to the city's web site. It is located just 20 miles southwest of downtown Kansas City.

Security Savings Bank was founded January 1, 1956. They had 148 full time employees June 30, 2009 and 108 full time employees June 30, 2010. During the same time period, the net equity had gone from $2.5 million to $1.9 million, non-current loans from $17.4 million to $32.8 million. June 30, 2009 saw a loss of $12.7 million; June30, 2010 a loss of $14 million after $7.7 million charge off to construction and land development, $776,000 in multifamily residential property, $442,000 in commercial loans, $262,000 in loans secured by 1-4 family residential properties. Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio 4.13% .

The Kansas City Star reported: “Regulators’ seizure of Security ended the divinely inspired two-decade banking career of Kansas City area homebuilder and developer Donald H. Bell. Bell and his family owned Security Savings through a holding company called Brittany Savings Corp. that faces its own financial bind.

"God had told Bell during a 'divine revelation' in 1988 to buy a bank, according to a 2004 history of Security Savings that the family produced.

"Don Bell Homes already had become one of the most active homebuilders in the Kansas City area, and the history said Bell had cold feet about his vision until his wife, Faith, said they should follow it.

"The couple borrowed $1.6 million and acquired a small thrift in Garden City, Kan., the next year, and a Salina, Kan., thrift in 1992. Security moved its headquarters to Olathe a few years ago.

"Problem loans have dogged Security Savings since early 2006. It also felt the weight of an increasing collection of foreclosed real estate, including an aborted $8 million golf course development in Greenwood called the Wilds, on which only a few houses sprouted."

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/15/2319197/federal-regulators-seize-security.html

As of June 30, 2010, Security Savings Bank, F.S.B. had approximately $508.4 million in total assets and $397.0 million in total deposits. Simmons First National Bank will share in the losses on the asset pools covered under the loss-share agreement. The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $82.2 million.
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2010/pr10226.html

Tracking Bank Failures Map:
http://graphicsweb.wsj.com/documents/Failed-US-Banks.html

List of Bank Failures:
http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/banklist.html

Bank Beat:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Bank_Beat.htm


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Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Vehicle Lenders Group, LLC is looking for dynamic sales associate. Either work out of one of our offices in Calif. , Dayton, or Oyster Bay, NY or your own office.
Draw w/benefits after three month probation period.
Must have excellent references, honest, self motivated, able to generate $500,000 a month by the end
of 12 months of employment.
Curt Webster, CVLE 516-922-7447 ext 104

http://www.trucklendersusa.com/


 


Please see our Job Wanted section for possible new employees.

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Top Ten America's Safest Cities


Cities with population of 250,000 plus.

Information researched, then averaged
and compared with all in the survey by
Forbes.Com


1. Plano, Texas
Traffic Fatality Rank: 4
Violent Crime Rank: 1
http://pdf.plano.gov/pcn/releases/2010/pr101210_SafeCity.pdf

2. Portland, Ore.
Traffic Fatality Rank: 5
Violent Crime Rank: 6
Overall Rank: 1

3. Honolulu, Hawaii
Traffic Fatality Rank: 14
Violent Crime Rank: 2

4. San Jose, Calif.
Traffic Fatality Rank: 13
Violent Crime Rank: 5

5. Omaha, Neb.
Traffic Fatality Rank: 3
Violent Crime Rank: 17

6. New York, N.Y.
Traffic Fatality Rank: 6
Violent Crime Rank: 19

7. Santa Ana, Calif.
Traffic Fatality Rank: 12
Violent Crime Rank: 14

8. Anaheim, Calif.
Traffic Fatality Rank: 29
Violent Crime Rank: 4

9. San Diego, Calif.
Traffic Fatality Rank: 26
Violent Crime Rank: 9

10. Glendale, Ariz.
Car Fatality Rank: 29
Violent Crime Rank: 8

http://www.forbes.com/2010/10/11/safest-cities-america-crime-accidents-lifestyle-real-estate-danger_slide.html?partner=yahoore


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Top Stories---October 12--October 14


Here are the top ten stories opened by readers:

(1) Great America Starts New Division with Brian Bjella
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2010/10_12.htm#greatamerica_new

(2) Schwartz Indicted for $87 Million Fraud Still in Jail as Ex-Employees are Surprised
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2010/10_14.htm#jail

(3) Pictures from the Past--Brian Bjella, 1995
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2010/10_14.htm#pictures

(4) Lease Fleece Adam Zuckerman back in the news
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2010/10_12.htm#zuckerman

(5) Butler Capital/Koch Financial sold to BankUnited
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2010/10_12.htm#bankunited

(6) Recommendations: Lease/Finance Calculators On Line
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2010/10_14.htm#recommend

(7) Top 10 Most Expensive Homes for Sale
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2010/10_14.htm#expensive

(8) Enterprise Leasing Sued over Rock of Love Bus Crash
http://www.madisonrecord.com/news/230358-couple-sues-again-over-rock-of-love-bus-crash-this-time-enterprise-leasing-is-target

(9) Leasing 102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP
Lease Contract Notice Periods
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2010/10_12.htm#notice

(Tie) (10) Bank Beat---EverBank to go for $200 Million IPO
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2010/10_12.htm#bank_beat

(Tie) (10) Operation Lease Fleece---the Unpublished Version
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2010/10_12.htm#unpublished

http://leasingnews.org/Ads/Completed/Leasing_News_NB2.htm

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Minneapolis, Minnesota---Adopt a Dog



Darvin
English Springer Spaniel
Medium • Adult • Male

Please request an online application at dogs@pethavennmn.org.

Age: 3-5yrs
Good with dogs: yes
Good with cats: unknown
Good with kids: yes I love everyone!
Weight: 48lbs but I am still kind of skinny and probably should be around 55-60lbs.
Name/Nicknames: Darvin, Darvey

My Story: I came into Red Lake Rosie's Rescue on the Red Lake reservation as a stray. I was starving and my ears were all full of burrs. Now I am on my way to having a healthy, shiny coat and a full tummy.

Hobbies: My favorite thing besides eating is having lots of pets from anyone that will spend the time with me. I wag my tail so hard that my butt hardly hits the ground. I am a happy boy that just wants an active family with lots of love to give. I love rides in the car. And being a Springer I think I would love a cabin near a lake for swimming. I probably could be a good hunter but do not want to be left in one of those outdoor kennels. I have had enough of that life.

Commands/Tricks: I am very smart and a quick learner. My name is new to me so I may not come right away when called. I do sit nicely for treats and pets.

Crate / Potty Trained: I am totally housetrained and stay in a kennel when my foster mom is gone.

Activity Level: medium to high. As a Springer I am full of energy. But being a bit older I do calm down when in the house. I sleep through the night in a doggie bed. Daily walks will help me the best dog I can be.

Fun things I do: Running around outside is how I like to spend my afternoons. Frisbees are my favorite toys. I will run after them and carry them around but do not quite have the hang of bringing them back to my foster mom yet. Another dog to play with would be grand.

Socialization/who I currently live with: I currently live my foster mom and her teenage son. She owns Rescue Buddy Boarding & Beyond so we have lots of playful dogs coming and going and I love playing with all of them. There is also a resident Springer here to keep me company.

Darvin is attending Pet Haven's medium/large dog adoption events and his adoption fee is $300 (cash or check only) and includes spay/neuter, heartworm check, current vaccinations, and microchip and registration.

Due to post-adoption services provided, it is Pet Haven's policy to only place dogs into homes within a 60-mile radius of the Twin Cities area.

Please request an online application at dogs@pethavennmn.org.

More about Darvin
Pet ID: LLL • Spayed/Neutered • Up-to-date with routine shots • House trained

Darvin's Contact Info
Pet Haven Inc. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
•952-831-3825
•Email Pet Haven Inc. of Minnesota
dogs@pethavenmn.org
http://www.pethavenmn.org/dog-and-cat-adoption.php

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

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

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You May have Missed---

Venture capital investments decline 7%
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2010-10-15-venture-capital_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

 

 

 


“Gimme that Wine”


Italian Named World's Top Sommelier
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpps/news/offbeat/italian-named-worlds-top-sommelier-dpgonc-20101014-gc_10119315

Wine World to showcase over 500 Washington wines
http://www.mynorthwest.com/category/local_news_articles/20101014/Wine-World-to-showcase-over-500-Washington-wines/

Announcing the Los Gatos-Saratoga Wine Trail
http://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataid=79820

California Farmland, Known for Its Drinks
http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/travel/17overnighter.html?ref=dining

Multimillion dollar 'green' winery at Davis
http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/503028/multimillion-dollar-green-winery-at-davis


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

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

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

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

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

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

This Day in American History

    

     1767 -Boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania , the Mason Dixon line, agreed upon on this date, a major step in establishing “state” territories.
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/us/A0832111.html
http://www.gamber.net/gamber/mason-dx.htm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/04/0410_020410_TVmasondixon.html
http://www.appalachiantales.com/masondixon.htm
    1775- Falmouth , the original capital of Maine ( later to be called Portsmith) burned by British
http://www.mainehistory.org/facts/Falmouth_Fire.pdf
    1776- - At the Battle of Pelham Col. John Glover and the Marblehead regiment collided with British Forces in the Bronx. Sir William Howe, Commander-in-Chief of the British army, landed 4,000 English and Hessian troops near the stables on Pelham Parkway in an action which became the first permanent invasion of the American mainland in the American Revolution. Howe's objective was to outflank the American army by marching west across today's Bronx along the Boston Post Road. This would also cut off Washington's vital supply route from New England and enable the British to surround Washington and quickly end the rebellion. However, 600 seamen from the Boston area, led by Colonel John Glover, and fighting from behind Pelham Manor's stone walls put an end to Howe's plan and saved Washington's army. The main significance of the Battle of Pelham lay in the fact that it bought time for Washington to remove the American army from an extremely perilous position and to retreat to White Plains. It is for this reason that the Battle of Pelham has been called the battle that saved the American Revolution.
    1776- Col John Glover and Marblehead regiment meet British Forces in Bronx , considered to be the first “Marines .” Glover and 750 soldiers, stationed at Pell's Point, fought to a standstill a British force of more than 4,000 regulars.
http://1-14th.com/GenGlover.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/gunnyg/vignettes22.html
http://www.speakeasy.org/~docschlk/glover.htm
http://www.marblehead.com/glovers/
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0883890577/avsearch-bkasin-20/
103-9138784-6331807

    1836-Birthday of Ellen Browning Scripps, who assisted her brother in numerous ways on his way to acquiring the Detroit Evening News and was a Jane-of-all-trades from proof to writing to make it a success; born, London , England . She then turned all of her energies and money to helping her brother Edward who was beginning a newspaper career in Cleveland . Through wise investments in newspapers as well as real estate, she became a multi-millionaire whose philanthropic works included the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla (both with Edward) and then singly endowed the Scripps College for Women in Claremont, CA., and helped establish the San Diego Zoo.
http://www.sandiegohistory.org/bio/scripps/ebscripps.htm
    1889-Birthday of author Fannie Hurst, Hamilton , Oregon She published 17 novels, nine volumes of short stories, three plays, and hundreds of articles. She was a long-time friend of Eleanor Roosevelt and supported the New Deal.
http://search.eb.com/women/articles/Hurst_Fannie.html
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/hurst.html
    1842-The first telegraph cable was laid by Samuel Morse in New York Harbor between Battery and Governors Island .. The next day, the cable stopped working when a ship, in raising its anchor, had caught and wrecked 200 feet of it.. Another cable was laid the following year for commercial use by Samuel Colt. It was insulated with cotton yarn, beeswax, and asphaltum encased in a lead pipe, and connected New York City with both fire Island and Coney Island.
    1859 - U.S. Marines reach Harper's Ferry, VA and assault the arsenal seized by John Brown and his followers. Colonel Robert E. Lee has Lieutenant JEB Stuart carry a note to Brown demanding his surrender. Brown refuses and closes and bars the doors of the Engine House. Stuart waves his hat up and down as a signal to begin the assault. The Marines attack the doors with sledgehammers, but to no effect. They find a heavy ladder and use that as a battering ram. In two blows, they create a small opening in the right hand door which is split, and they storm into the building. Lieutenant Israel Green, who leads the assault, attacks Brown with the dress sword he brought by mistake from Washington. The sword, which was never meant for combat, bends on Brown’s leather belt. Green grasps the sword by the ruined blade and hits Brown over the head with it, knocking him unconscious. The raid is over.
    1862 - Morgan's raiders captured federal garrison at Lexington, Ky. John Morgan and his cavalry surprised Union Major Seidel at Ashland and captured him and his command in broad daylight. After outfitting his command with new horses, colt revolvers and other captured goods, Morgan's men burned the government stables and railroad depot before leaving Lexington.
    1863-Union General Daniel Sickles returns to visit his old command, the Third Corps of the Army of the Potomac . He was recovering from the loss of his leg at Gettysburg , and the visit turned sour when the army's commander, General George Meade, informed Sickles that he would not be allowed to resume command until he completely recovered from his injury at Gettysburg , Meade posted Sickles' troops at the left end of the Union line. The Army of the Potomac was arranged in a three-mile long, fishhook-shaped line on the top of Cemetery Ridge and Culp's Hill. On the morning of July 2, Sickles noticed that just in front of his position was a section of high ground. In his estimation, this rise could be used by the Confederates to shell the Union position. Sickles expressed confusion over his orders and three times Meade explained that Sickles was to hold the end of Cemetery Ridge. Sickles was unhappy with the explanation, failing to understand that Meade was fighting a defensive battle. He moved his corps forward anyway, and the move nearly cost the Union the battle. A furious Meade ordered Sickles to withdraw his troops, but the Confederates were already attacking. After heavy losses, the Third Corps moved back to Cemetery Ridge. Despite his wound, Sickles hurried back to Washington to conduct damage control. One of his first visitors was President Lincoln. Sickles was one of the few Democrats who welcomed Lincoln to Washington in 1861, and Lincoln remembered that gesture. Sickles gave his account of the battle and justified his move. He even claimed that his action prevented Meade from retreating and therefore prevented a Union defeat. This began a war of words between Meade and Sickles that lasted the rest of their lives. When the reports on the battle were filed that fall, Sickles did not fare well. Many, such as General Governor K. Warren and General-in-Chief Henry Halleck, blasted Sickles for his actions.
http://www.civilwarhome.com/sicklesbio.htm
    1867- the American flag flew for the first time in Alaska , marking the formal transfer of this massive northern territory from Russia to the United States . Separated from the far eastern edge of the Russian empire by only the narrow Bering Strait, the Russians had been the first Europeans to significantly explore and develop Alaska . During the early 19th century, the state-sponsored Russian-American Company established the settlement of Sitka and began a lucrative fur trade with the Native Americans. However, Russian settlement in Alaska remained small, never exceeding more than a few hundred people. Seeing the giant Alaska territory as a chance to cheaply expand the size of the nation, William H. Seward, President Andrew Johnson's secretary of state, moved to arrange the purchase of Alaska . Agreeing to pay a mere $7 million for some 591,000 square miles of land-a territory twice the size of Texas and equal to nearly a fifth of the continental United States-Seward secured the purchase of Alaska at the ridiculously low rate of less than 2¢ an acre. He was seriously criticized for the purchase and it took Congress over a year to approve as people called the land “nothing but an ice box.” The museum in Juneau , Alaska has a full collection of historic events.
    1870-Chew Tilghman of Philadelphia , PA., received a patent for his invention of a sandblasting process for cleaning, engraving, cutting and boring glass, stone, metal and other hard substances.
    1873-Football rules were formulated at a meeting held in New York City and attended by delegates from Columbia , Princeton, Rutgers , and Yale universities.
    1898-The United States flag was raised in Puerto Rico .
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/oct18.html
    1890 – John r. Owen, Jr. is first man to run 100 yard dash in under 10 seconds.
http://www.michtrack.org/HOF/hofowens.htm
    1900-Birtdhay Lotte Lenya (born in Vienna as Karoline Wilhelmine Blamauer) , Austrian actress-singer; a star of the musical stage in pre- Hitler Berlin before fleeing to the United States . She popularized much of the music of her first husband's music, composer Kurt Weill. She starred in the stage version (1928) and then film (1931) of The Threepenny Opera. Following Weil's death and the increase of Hitler's anti-Jewish campaign, LL immigrated to the U.S. and led a revival of Weil's works including the Three Penny for which she won the 1956 Tony award. She appeared in Broadway production of Cabaret (1966), in such films as The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961) , but perhaps best known to American audiences as the Russian nurse Roas Klebb with a knife in her shoes in "From Russia with Love" (1964).
http://www.tvtome.com/images/people/271/8/53-32178.jpg
http://www.kwf.org/pages/ll/llbio.html
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-271853
    1904-Birthday of A.J.Liebling, American journalist and author who said “Freedom of the press belongs to those who own one.” Abbott Joseph Liebling was born at New York , NY , and died there Dec 28, 1963.
    1906 - A hurricane struck South Florida drowning 124 persons stranded in the Florida Keys .
    1906-Birthday of James David Brooks, born at St. Louis , MO. , during the Depression Brooks worked as a muralist in the Federal Art Project of the works Progress Administration. His best-known work of that period was “Flight,” a mural on the rotunda of the Marine Air Terminal at La Guardia National Airport in New York . It was painted over during the 9150s, but resorted in 1980. Brooks served with the US Army from 1942 to 1945. When he returned to New York his interest shifted to abstract expressionism. His paintings were exhibited in the historical “Ninth Street Exhibition” as part of the Museum of Modern Arts exhibits “Twelve Americans” and “New American Painting,” among others. He died March 8, 1992 at Brookhaven , NY .
    1908-Birthday of author/writer Marshall Winslow Stearns, Cambridge , MA
http://www.keough.net/category/us/0195012690.html
    1918-Birthdayof pianist/songwriter Bobby Troup, Harrisburg, PA
http://www.emergencyfans.com/basement/articles/bio-troup.htm
http://www.emergencyfans.com/people/bobby_troup.htm
    1919-Singer Anita O'Day born, Chicago , IL .
http://www.anitaoday.com/
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/3898/anitabio.html
    1922-Robin Hood , starring Douglas Fairbanks, opened at Grauman's Egyptian Theater in Hollywood . Searchlights crossed the sky for the first time at a Hollywood premiere. As a publicity stunt two weeks before the premiere, Fairbanks had posed atop a New York hotel in costume, with bow and arrow, for photographers. He and several others shot arrows from the building and accidentally injured a man through an open window (the man agreed not to press charges).
Fairbanks was born in Denver , Colorado , in 1883 and began appearing onstage in 1901. He married in 1907 and had one son, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., but the marriage ended in divorce. By 1915, he had switched to the fledgling film industry, where he was regularly cast as a swashbuckling hero. By 1918, he had appeared in more than 24 films. In 1919, Fairbanks teamed up with fellow stars Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford and director D.W. Griffith to launch the United Artists Corporation.
The following year, Fairbanks and Pickford married. As a wedding present for Pickford, Fairbanks bought an estate with 22 rooms on 18 acres, and Beverly Hills ' first swimming pool. The couple dubbed the property "Pickfair."
Meanwhile, Fairbanks continued to star in the United Artists' films, including The Three Musketeers (1921), Robin Hood (1922), and The Thief of Baghdad (1924). Unlike many other early stars, Fairbanks successfully made the transition to sound, but his career faded as he aged. In 1933, he and Pickford divorced, and in 1936 he married the former Lady Sylvia Ashley, a chorus girl who had married an English lord. He died in 1939. 1961-- the movie version of the Broadway musical West Side Story opened at New York 's Rivoli Theater. The musical, featuring music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, retold the story of Romeo and Juliet but set the action in contemporary New York . In the story, star-crossed lovers Maria and Tony are torn between their feuding cultures: Maria's brother leads a Puerto Rican gang that is at odds with Tony's Anglo gang. The movie won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Actor and Actress.
    1926—Singer/guitarist/song writer Charles Edward Anderson “Chuck” Berry born St. Louis , MO
http://home.swipnet.se/~w-20401/chuck/berry.htm
http://www.chuckberry.com/
http://www.history-of-rock.com/berry.htm
http://www.crlf.de/ChuckBerry/bibliography.html
http://www.rocksite.info/r-berry-chuck.htm
    1929 - The Judicial Committee of England's Privy Council ruled that women were to be considered as persons in Canada . Previously, under English common law, women were persons in matters of pains and penalties, but were not persons in matters of rights and privileges.
    1930 -A big, early season lake effect snowstorm on the lee shores of Lake Erie and Ontario dumped 48 inches of snow just south of Buffalo , NY and 47 inches at Gouveneur , NY
    1935- Tommy Dorsey cuts “ I'm Getting Sentimental Over You.”
    1941 -- Humphrey Bogart movie "The Maltese Falcon" is released, from the novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett.
http://www.filmsite.org/malt.html
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0033870/
http://www.awerty.com/maltese2.html
    1942- Vice. Adm. William F. Halsey replaces Vice Adm. Robert L. Ghormley as commander, South Pacific. The man nicknamed "Bull" by the press began his military career as a destroyer commander during World War I. Halsey was made a captain at the age of 53, earned his naval aviator's wings, and was promoted to vice admiral in 1940. But it was the bombing of Pearl Harbor that would mark out his future for him. Halsey's task force was one of the few functioning battle groups left after the destruction of so much of the American fleet, placing him in the position of making the unpredictable and aggressive strategic decisions for which he would become renowned.
    1945-Paul Robeson, African-American actor, singer, athlete and activist, receives NACCP Spingarn Medal
    1945--THOMPSON, MAX Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company K, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Haaren, Germany, 18 October 1944. Entered service at: Prescott, Ariz. Birth: Bethel, N.C. G.O. No.: 47, 18 June 1945. Citation: On 18 October 1944, Company K, 18th Infantry, occupying a position on a hill near Haaren, Germany, was attacked by an enemy infantry battalion supported by tanks. The assault was preceded by an artillery concentration, lasting an hour, which inflicted heavy casualties on the company. While engaged in moving wounded men to cover, Sgt. Thompson observed that the enemy had overrun the positions of the 3d Platoon. He immediately attempted to stem the enemy's advance single-handedly. He manned an abandoned machinegun and fired on the enemy until a direct hit from a hostile tank destroyed the gun. Shaken and dazed, Sgt. Thompson picked up an automatic rifle and although alone against the enemy force which was pouring into the gap in our lines. He fired burst after burst, halting the leading elements of the attack and dispersing those following. Throwing aside his automatic rifle, which had jammed, he took up a rocket gun, fired on a light tank, setting it on fire. By evening the enemy had been driven from the greater part of the captured position but still held 3 pillboxes. Sgt. Thompson's squad was assigned the task of dislodging the enemy from these emplacements. Darkness having fallen and finding that fire of his squad was ineffective from a distance, Sgt. Thompson crawled forward alone to within 20 yards of 1 of the pillboxes and fired grenades into it. The Germans holding the emplacement concentrated their fire upon him. Though wounded, he held his position fearlessly, continued his grenade fire, and finally forced the enemy to abandon the blockhouse. Sgt. Thompson's courageous leadership inspired his men and materially contributed to the clearing of the enemy from his last remaining hold on this important hill position.
    1950---Top Hits
Goodnight Irene - The Weavers
All My Love - Patti Page
Harbor Lights - The Sammy Kaye Orchestra (vocal: Tony Alamo)
I'm Moving On - Hank Snow
    1953- Willie Thrower becomes the first black NFL quarterback in modern times.
(Blacks played football with whites during the reconstruction period, following the Civil War).
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/columnists/20020224finder0224p1.asp
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4395488,00.html
http://www.pittsburghpa.net/sports/columnists/20020829finder4.asp
    1954 "The Week in Religion" aired for the last time over Dumont television. First broadcast in March 1952, this ecumenical Sunday evening panel show divided the hour into 20-minute segments each for Protestant, Catholic and Jewish news.
    1956 - Football commissioner Bert Bell turned thumbs down on the use of radio-equipped helmets by NFL quarterbacks.
    1956- Martina Navratilova, Czech- born, U.S. tennis champion.
http://www.fortunecity.com/lavendar/sidjames/126/martina.html
http://www.wtatour.com/players/playerprofiles/playerbio.asp?PlayerID=140007
    1956- A 21 year old Elvis Presley pulls into a Memphis gas station where he starts to attract a crowd of autograph seekers. After repeatedly asking Elvis to move on so he can resume normal business, station manager Ed Hopper slaps Presley on the head and finds himself on the receiving end of a punch in the eye from Elvis. Station employee Aubrey Brown tries to help his boss, but is no match for Presley. After police are called, Hopper and Brown are charged with assault and are eventually fined $25 and $15 respectively.
    1957- “Colt 45,” Wade Preston starred in this ABC western as Christopher Colt, son of the inventor of the Colt revolver, and a government agent. Character actor Donald May replaced Preston and played the role of Sam Colt, Jr., Christo­pher's cousin, until early 1960 when Preston returned to the show. My father Lawrence Menkin wrote several of these episodes. He basically said the actor Wade Preston never caught on and theme was pretty lame and need to be “wild,” but the producer would hear none of it, he said.
    1958—Top Hits
It's All in the Game - Tommy Edwards
Rock-in Robin - Bobby Day
Tears on My Pillow - Little Anthony and The Imperials
Bird Dog - The Everly Brothers
    1961- The movie version of the Broadway musical West Side Story opens at New York 's Rivoli Theater. The musical, featuring music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, retold the story of Romeo and Juliet but set the action in contemporary New York . In the story, star-crossed lovers Maria and Tony are torn between their feuding cultures: Maria's brother leads a Puerto Rican gang that is at odds with Tony's Anglo gang. The movie won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Actor and Actress.
    1961- trumpeter Wynton Marsalis born New Orleans , LA.
    1961 - "Le Bateau", by French painter Henri Matisse, went on display in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City . The painting attracted large numbers (over 100,000) of viewers. For 47 days, nobody realized that "Le Bateau" was hanging upside down.
    1966-Top Hits
Reach Out I'll Be There - Four Tops
Last Train to Clarksville - The Monkees
Psychotic Reaction - Count Five
Blue Side of Lonesome - Jim Reeves
    1967 –American League votes to allow Athletics to move from Kansas City to Oakland and expand the league to 12 teams in 1971 with Kansas City and Seattle teams.
    1967-Tamla-Motown releases Smokey Robinson & the Miracles "I Second That Emotion." The record climbs to #4 on the pop chart and Number One of the R&B, making it their biggest hit since "Shop Around" in 1960.
    1968 - Circus Circus Casino opened in Las Vegas “to attract all members of the family.” The football-field-sized casino and big top was a giant pink and white oval shaped circus tent across from the Riviera Hotel. To separate the gamblers from their kids, as required by law, a second level contained midway games and attractions for the tykes, but still in view of the circus acts. Circus Circus in Reno , Nevada is very popular with families, also due to the low prices of the rooms.
   1969-The Temptations' "I Can't Get Next To You" hits #1
   1969-At a Rock 'n' Roll revival concert at New York's Madison Square Garden, Bill Haley is given an eight minute standing ovation.
   1969-The Jackson 5 make their US network TV debut on Hollywood Palace. The group includes Jackie (18), Tito (15), Jermaine (14), Marlon (12) and Michael (10).
    1971 - The final issue of "Look" magazine was published. It had been a must-see publication
    1972- Overriding President Nixon's veto, Con­gress passed a $25 billion Water Pollution Control Act.     1974—Top Hits
I Honestly Love You - Olivia Newton-John
Nothing from Nothing - Billy Preston
Then Came You - Dionne Warwicke and Spinners
Please Don't Stop Loving Me - Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
    1974- Chicago Bull Nate Thurmond becomes 1st in NBA to complete a quadruple double-22 pts, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocks.
    1975-Simon and Garfunkel reunite on "Saturday Night Live."
    1975-- John Denver's LP Windsong hits #1
    1976 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "If You Leave Me Now," Chicago . The song is the group's 11th top 10 hit and the first to go to No. 1.
    1977-One of the more popular black rock and roll acts this year is the Brothers Johnson (George and Louis). Their "Strawberry Letter 23" is certified gold on this date, having recently hit Number One on the R&B chart and #5 on the pop chart.
    1977 - Reggie Jackson made history and earned the nickname, Mr. October. Regg-a-roo (as Howard Cosell called him) hit three home runs on three successive pitches. He lead the New York Yankees to an 8-4 thrashing of the Los Angeles Dodgers and rookie manager Tommy Lasorda in Game 6 of the World Series. Three different pitchers served up the gopher balls to Jackson . The New York Yankees won the series, 4 games to 2; their first Series title in 15 years.
    1981-Though it yielded only one minor hit single in "Backfired," "Koo Koo," the solo album by Blondie's Deborah Harry, goes gold today
    1982—Top Hits
Jack and Diane - John Cougar
Who Can It Be Now? - Men at Work
Eye in the Sky - The Alan Parsons Project
I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton
    1983 - Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton received some gold to add to their collections -- for their smash, " Islands in the Stream".
    1986 - Huey Lewis and The News had the number one album in the U.S. "Fore" was perched at the pinnacle of popdom for one week. "Fore" featured these tracks: "Jacob's Ladder", "Stuck with You", "Whole Lotta Lovin'", "Doing It All for My Baby", "Hip to Be Square", "I Know What I Like", "I Never Walk Alone", "Forest for the Trees", "Naturally" and "Simple as That".
    1987 - Thunderstorms in northeastern Texas produced golf ball size hail at Atlanta , along with wind gusts to 86 mph, and four inches of rain. Damage from the storm was estimated at more than a million dollars. Sunny and mild weather continued across much of the rest of the nation.
    1988- “Roseanne” appears on TV.. This comedy showed the blue-collar Conner family trying to make ends meet. Rosanne played wise-cracking Roseanne Con­ner, John Goodman played her husband Dan and Laurie Metcalf played her sister Jackie. The Conner children were played by Sara Gilbert (Darlene), Alicia Goranson and Sarah Chalke (Becky) and Michael Fishman (D.J). The last episode aired Nov 14, 1997 but it remains popular in reruns.
    1988 - Eight cities in the southwestern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Red Bluff CA with a reading of 96 degrees.
    1989 - Unseasonably cold air began to invade the central and eastern U.S. Light snow fell across northern Maine , and snow was also reported in the Great Lakes Region, including the Chicago area. Bismarck ND was the cold spot in the nation with a low of 9 degrees above zero. Five cities in Florida reported record high readings for the date, as temperatures warmed above 80 degrees. Miami FL reported a record high of 90 degrees.
    1989 -Hurricane Jerry made landfall on the upper Texas coast, the latest ever for a storm in this region. The center of this very small storm passed closest to Galveston , TX which reported sustained winds of 75 mph with gusts to 100 mph
    1990---Top Hits
Praying for Time - George Michael
I Don't Have the Heart - James Ingram
Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice
Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks
    1991 -3.9 inches of snow fell at Rochester , MN the greatest ever so early in the season
    1995- The Houston Oiler football gave the world a view of family values. Houston Oiler David Williams missed a game against the New England Patriots to stay with his wife Debi, the day after she gave birth to their son Scot Cooper. The offensive linesman was docked $110,000 for the missed game. "Whatever the fine, it's money well spent," said Williams. "I don't regret what I've done." In a poll, 9 out of 10 football fans backed his decision. He had tried to make the game, but was not able to make the last plane out of Houston , plus there was fog in New York delaying other planes. Houston owner Bud Adams insisted Williams made the wrong decision
http://tampabayonline.net/reports/top100/no43.htm
http://www.northwaychristian.org/Sermons/2002-06-16.htm
    1996-The American Baskeball League, a new professional league for women, opened its inaugural season with three games. The New England Blizzard defeated the Richmond Rage, 100-73, the Columbus Quest beat the Seattle Reign, 82-75, and the San Jose Lazers took the measure of the Atlanta Glory, 78-70. The Colorado Xplosion and the Portland Power were idle on the league's first night.
    2004 After 5 hours, 49 minutes and 471 pitches, the Red Sox outlasts the Yankees, 5-4, in Game 4 of the league championship. Boston's DH David Ortiz, who is the first player in baseball history to hit two walk-off home runs in during the postseason, ends the longest game in ALCS series history at 1:22 a.m. with a two-out single into center scoring Johnny Damon from second in the 14th inning at Fenway Park.

World Champions This Date

    1977 New York Yankees


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Baseball Poem

Stop Action

Slowly as in an underwater dance
the shortstop dips to take the ball
on a low hop, swings back his arm, balancing
without thought, all muscles intending
the diagonal to the first baseman's glove.

As the ball leaves his hand, the action stops —
and, watching, we feel a curious poignancy,
a catch in the throat. It is not this play only.
Whenever the sweet drive is stopped
and held, our breath wells up like the rush

of sadness or longing we sometimes feel
without remembering the cause of it.
The absolute moment gathers the surge
and muscle of the past, complete,
yet hurling itself forward — arrested
here between its birth and perishing.

Written by Conrad Hilberry, published in
“Line Drives,” 100 Contemporary Baseball
Poems edited by Brooke Horvath and Tim Wales,
published by Southern Illinois University Press

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