'Upbeat Mood' Continues from ELFA Attendees
Report from Shawn Halladay, The Alta Group

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) 56th Annual continues through today, Wednesday, in Orlando, Florida, at the JW Marriott. The breakout sessions that the over 1,000 attendees could enjoy were also diverse and addressed relevant challenges and opportunities in the industry. One of them was particularly interesting as it focused on a major risk concern within the hot industry topic of managed solutions – the pervasive hell-or-high water clause. In a mock trial, the jury decided, overwhelmingly, that the hell-or-high water clause should remain  What was not decided, however, was how that wish can be sustained in a business model in which it does not fit well.

Other themes explored in the plenary sessions included technology, gender balance and sustaining emerging leadership talent. Tony Cracchiolo, outgoing ELFA Chairman, left us with some sage advice on succeeding in a changing environment. This “Tonyism” alluded to driving a car and suggested that we should not spend all our time looking in the rearview mirror, but, instead, should focus on, and visualize, the road in front of us. (It should be noted that Tony later handed the reins over to David Schaefer, the new Chairman of ELFA. Congratulations, Dave!)

The outside perspective and challenging ideas of the keynote sessions have always been a highlight of the ELFA convention and this year is no different. 

John Ellis, the first keynoter, raised some thought provoking questions around the gathering and use of data, which he described as the new oil. Noting that data, much like oil, must be extracted and then refined into its saleable components, Ellis emphasized the sales value of the data being collected from everyday sources.

Of course, the relevance of big data to equipment leasing is obvious, given the scope for leased equipment to capture data that lessors can utilize. Ellis, however, took the discussion to the next step, pointing out that the data being captured by an ever expanding use of sensors and other tools has value that can be sold. Mr. Ellis posited that a car manufacturer could sell the vast amounts of data today’s car can collect to various parties and use the proceeds to offset the cost of the car, even to the point of practically giving the car away in order to incentivize the consumer into continuing to provide data to be sold.  The trade to the consumer is the loss of privacy this sale of data represents. Mr. Ellis then went on to explore other applications and the concept of privacy in today’s world.

Again, as a last thought, Ralph Petta, President of ELFA, announced the creation of a website to support hurricane relief in Puerto Rico, https://iam.feedingchildreneverywhere.com/campaign/elfa-hurricane-relief-hunger-project/c149678, which is emblematic of the commitment of those in all facets of the equipment leasing and finance industry to helping others.

Shawn Halladay
Managing Director
The Alta Group
shalladay@thealtagroup.com

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

714 Attendees at NACLB Conference
By Joe Bonanno, Esq., CLFP

The National Alliance of Commercial Loan Brokers (NACLB) held its third annual conference in Orlando, Florida, last week at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. There is only one word to describe the event: “FANTABULOUS!”

At the most recent count, 714 (that’s not a typo) attendees gathered for networking and education. One of the most impressive things that I saw was that the exhibit hall never closed, even during the general sessions and the breakout sessions. Each time I walked through the exhibit hall, I always saw people talking, I never saw an exhibitor alone or looking down at their cell phones. Even though the hall remained open, the general sessions and the breakout sessions were packed and the breakout sessions never ended.There was always open post-session dialogue between the presenters and session attendees. It was truly the attendees that created the electricity that everyone felt.

Among the many awards that were presented was the “broker deal of the year,” which was a $60 million (that’s not a typo either) project financing facilitated by a broker. That broker came up to the concluding lunchtime podium and in the spirit of peer-to-peer industry education, shared the experience of the deal with everyone in attendance.

NACLB is not on the radar, they are the radar.They have made great strides in their short three-year history of networking and educational conferences. They are the industry standard and the industry leader for the needs of the 21st century commercial loan broker. And above and beyond all that, they are all genuinely nice people.

Planning for the 2018 NACLB conference beings, believe it or not, in November. Watch for special announcements, new developments and continued growth of NACLB over the next 12 months. If you’re a 21st century broker, NACLB is where you belong.

Joseph G. Bonanno, CLFP
Mailing Address and Primary Office:
Andover Landing At Brickstone
300 Brickstone Square, Ste. 201
Andover, MA 01810
Tel:   (781) 328-1010
Fax:  (781) 827-0866
Email: law@jgbesq.com

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Balboa Capital and Shopko Settle Their Much Litigated
  $1 Million Dollar Plus perhaps $300,000 Attorney Fee Case

By Tom McCurnin
Leasing News Legal Editor

Settlement Ends Nearly Two Years of Litigation Over Hopeless Vague Discretionary Quarterly Interim Rent Clause. Does This Spell The End of Quarterly Interim Rent?

Shopko v Balboa Capital. 8:16-cv-00099 (Central District California 2016)

Lessee-Plaintiff ShopKo Stores Operating Co., Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Lessor-Defendant Balboa Capital Corporation, Costa Mesa, California, have reached a settlement in principle to fully resolve all outstanding issues in the litigation regarding a quarterly interim rent for 13 leases. The parties expect to finalize the agreement and file a stipulation before November 27, 2017. The settlement was not made public, but the case involved $1 million dollars plus perhaps $300,000 in attorney fees.

These types of cases (opining as to quarterly interim rent) don’t come along very often, so when a judge opines, it’s worth watching the case. In this case, the judge opined that the quarterly interim rent provision as applied in this case was allegedly improper. The judge did not hold that they are per se illegal, only that as applied in this case, the quarterly interim rent provision was arguably improper and the issue could go to the jury. Bad facts often lead to bad legal results, even if a party is technically and legally correct. This is the motivation for settlement—risk management. 

However, the case leaves lingering doubts as to the enforceability of such clauses, unless made crystal clear in the documentation and applied mechanically. The facts follow.

The Shopko Leases
Shopko is a Wisconsin is a Wisconsin retailer with 300 stores nationwide. Shopko entered into thirteen dollar-out leases with Balboa Capital, each with a quarterly interim rent provision. The leases were typical larger size leases with a master lease and schedules. The master lease agreement had a provision for quarterly interim rent. The schedules had no such provision. The quarterly interim rent provision was as follows:

“Each Schedule shall become effective upon acceptance by Lessor by signing and dating each Schedule and the term of any Schedule(s) shall commence on the day that the leased property has been delivered to and accepted by Lessee. . .The base term (‘Base Term’) of each Lease shall commence at the Lessor’s sole discretion on any day occurring in the quarter following the Commencemet Date and terminate upon the expiration of the number of months specified in each Schedule”

“The rent payable with respect to any Schedule shall be the amount shown on such Schedule. The first such payment, with respect to any Schedule, shall be made at the Lessor’s discretion on any day occurring in the quarter following the Commencement Date. A prorata portion of the rental charges based on a daily rental of one-ninetieth (1/90) of the aggregate average of the quarterly rentals calculated from the Commencement Date to the beginning of the Base Term shall be due and payable at the Commencement Date. (emphasis added)

This provision seems to authorize quarterly payments but leaves the commencement date and the first base payment date up to the unfettered discretion of the lessor  Moreover, the commencement date can also be manipulated by the lessor.  The lessor did exactly that, moving the commencement date to the first day of a quarter, then charging 89 days of interim rent, which did not reduce the lease balance. 

Shopko didn’t catch the extra payment for nearly two years. The lessee attempted to negotiate a refund of the interim rent and its request was denied. The lessee filed suit in Orange County United States District Court for return of the interim rent and its attorney fees.

The Lawsuit
The lessor tried a motion to dismiss, but that motion was denied, due mainly to the ridiculous discretion granted to the lessor to manipulate dates. 

One of the interesting pieces of evidence was a nasty email from one of the ex-executives of the lessor that “pigs get fat, and hogs get slaughtered,” allegedly referring to the quarterly interim rent issue, but perhaps referring to the residual buy out. This ridiculous email was heavily quoted and the lessor’s motion denied. Its author stated that arbitrarily picking 89 days of interim rent was company policy. Ouch. 

Another nasty piece of testimony was that same ex-executive stating that it was company policy to charge 89 days of interim rate, a number simply plucked out of the sky. If the lease commenced within a few days of the next quarter, the executive would delay the commencement to the following quarter and then apply the 89-day interim rent number, essentially manipulating the commencement date to allow an 89-day interim rent as opposed to 7 days, by way of example. This was, according to the testimony of the executive, company policy. Another ouch. 

The lessor contended that the lessee’s accountant should have caught the extra payment and thus, the action was time barred. The court had little problem denying the summary judgment and quoted that same ridiculous email. 

The Trial
The trial was continued twice. This would have been an expensive trial with perhaps as many as 8 witnesses, 2 experts, and some very interesting arguments of fraud and trickery by the lessee to which the judge was sympathetic. As a banking lawyer, it’s always risky taking cases with bad facts and a damning email to a jury trial with a small business as an alleged victim of confusing documents. This is especially true when the ex-employee testified that it was company policy to pick the maximum amount of interim rent without regard to any other external factor. 

On October 16, 2017, the parties worked out a settlement. Most settlements are confidential, except class action settlements, and this one is no exception. That said, it’s always fun to speculate what the settlement might have been. 

Given the fact that the lessee had a good claim for $1 million dollars plus attorney fees, that is probably a good starting point, around $1.3 million. But in settlement talks, attorney fees are usually the first to be taken off the table, so Shopko was probably down to $1 million. The lessor had some arguable defenses, but their impact on a jury was uncertain I think the parties settled for $850,000. That would be my number. 

The Takeaways

• The Settlement Was a Good Decision. Certainly, an equipment lessor with file cabinet full of active leases does not want a jury ruling on the legality of its lease provision, potentially voiding provisions and setting up copycat lawsuits. Bad facts often lead to bad legal results, so whatever the lessor paid in settlement, it was worth it to close this book. 

• Quarterly Interim Rent Is Not Per Se Illegal. The trial court ruled that the lease documents were susceptible to a number of meanings. Had the master lease and schedules clearly set forth the interim rent without mumbo-jumbo and unfettered discretion, this case would have had a different result. Lease documents must be crystal clear and applied mechanically. 

• A Bad Settlement is Better Than a Good Piece of Litigation. Litigation is expensive and uncertain, and this case was particularly risky. I’m surprised it got this far, and I wonder if the lessee would have taken a percentage of its claim before litigation was commenced and the legal asset meter started running. I suspect so. I believe that businessmen can settle cases far cheaper pre-litigation than lawyers can do so on the eve of trial. 

• Quarterly Interim Rent Provisions Are Likely to Be Changed and Made Clearer, If Used At All. There is simply no reason for quarterly interim rent except as a revenue center. Assuming such clauses are made crystal clear, a high school senior reading the document should be able to spot the scam and reject it. If they are legal, the clauses should not allow the lessor to manipulate dates at the expense of the lessee. I foresee this case as the beginning of the end for quarterly interim rent because we now have a citable decision by the United States District Court that these clauses, unless very clear, are arguably improper. While not the best authority, it is perhaps the first nail in the quarterly interim rent coffin.   

The bottom line to this case is that the settlement was an excellent decision. In today’s finance world, it is all about managing future risk. This settlement, while certainly expensive for the lessor, accomplished this goal, but leaves in its wake lingering doubts about the use of such the quarterly interim rent provision in dollar out deals. 

Joint Notice of Settlement (2 pages)
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/JointNoticeSettlement2017.pdf

Shopko-Balboa Capital Summary Judgement Denied
  $1 Million Case plus perhaps $250,000+ Attorney Fees
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2017/08_28.htm#shopko

Shopko vs. Balboa Quarterly Interim Case Continues-
One Side Never Caught the Mistake or Was it?
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2017/04_04.htm#shopko

Balboa Capital Forced to Disclose List
   of Disgruntled Customers
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Oct2016/10_26.htm#balboa

Balboa Capital Tagged for Quarterly Payment Scam
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2016/07_11.htm#balboa

Tom McCurnin is a partner at Barton, Klugman & Oetting in Los Angeles, California.

Tom McCurnin
Barton, Klugman & Oetting
350 South Grand Ave.
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Direct Phone: (213) 617-6129
Cell (213) 268-8291
Email: tmccurnin@bkolaw.com
Visit our web site at www.bkolaw.com
Previous Tom McCurnin Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org

Previous Tom McCurnin Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/leasing_cases.html

 

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

 

Equipment Leasing Account Executive To learn more, please click here  Contract Administrator Position Available To learn more, please click here What sets CoreTech apart from other equipment leasing companies is our team members and impeccable reputation. Are you unhappy with the ethics of your company and the promises made to you? Come to Newport Beach and join us. www.coretechleasing.com CoreTech specializes in medium to large size companies and firms Over 100 law firms trust CoreTech for their leasing needs, why wouldn't you?

 

ELFA MLFI-25 Report New Business Up 12%
for Month of September

(Chart: Leasing News)

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s (ELFA) Monthly Leasing and Finance Index (MLFI-25), which reports economic activity from 34 member companies*  showed their overall new business volume for September was $8.7 billion, up 12% from August. Year to date, cumulative new business volume was up 4 percent compared to 2016.

Receivables over 30 days were 1.40 percent, down from 1.50 percent the previous month and down from 1.50 percent in the same period in 2016. Charge-offs were 0.40 percent, down from 0.44 percent the previous month, and down from 0.46 percent in the year-earlier period.

Credit approvals totaled 74.0 percent in September, down from 75.3 percent in August. Total headcount for equipment finance companies was up 16.5 percent year over year, largely attributable to continued acquisition activity at an MLFI reporting company.

Separately, the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s Monthly Confidence Index (MCI-EFI) for October is 63.7, unchanged from September.

click to make larger

click to make larger

click image to make larger

click image to make larger

 

* 34 ELFA Member Report Contributors
BancorpSouth Equipment Finance
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Bank of the West
BB&T Bank
BMO Harris Equipment Finance
Canon Financial Services
Caterpillar Financial Services
CIT
Citizens Asset Finance
Dell Financial Services
DLL
EverBank Commercial Finance
Fifth Third Equipment Finance
First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company
Frost Bank
GreatAmerica Financial Services
Hitachi Credit America
Huntington Equipment Finance
John Deere Financial
Key Equipment Finance
LEAF Commercial Capital Inc.
M&T Bank
Marlin Leasing
Merchants Bank Equipment Finance
PNC Equipment Finance
SG Equipment Finance
Siemens Financial Services
Stearns Bank
Stonebriar Commercial Finance
TCF Equipment Finance
TD Equipment Finance
US Bancorp Equipment Finance
Volvo Financial Services
Wells Fargo Equipment Finance
(Source: ELFA)

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

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

David Schaefer, CLFP, CEO Mintaka Financial Elected Chairman
of ELFA, New Board of Directors Announced

Orlando, Florida-  During the 56th Annual Convention of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), the association announced its new Board of Directors and Officers who will serve during the next 12 months. David T. Schaefer, CLFP, CEO of Mintaka Financial, LLC, is the new Chairman of the Board and Jud Snyder, President of BMO Harris Equipment Finance Company, is now Chairman-Elect. The Chairman-Elect and new Board members were recommended by ELFA’s Nominating Committee and approved by a vote of the general membership.

Schaefer has over 30 years of experience in the commercial equipment finance industry, including senior management responsibility for treasury, operations, information technology, accounting and portfolio management. He is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mintaka Financial, LLC, established in 2004 as an investment vehicle to fund small-ticket commercial equipment loans and leases. His leadership position with Mintaka includes strategic development, capital formation and developing a network of affiliate partners and vendor programs that originate transactions.

Schaefer is also the founder and CEO of Orion First Financial, LLC, a loan and lease servicing company that provides underwriting, contract servicing and collection services to banks, captive finance companies and independent financial institutions. Prior to establishing Orion, Schaefer was President, CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Financial Pacific Company. He founded Checkmate Certified Collections, a consumer and commercial collection agency, in 1975.

An active participant in ELFA, Schaefer has served on the ELFA Board of Directors for the past decade as a Director and Vice Chairman and as Chair of the Board’s Working Group on Electronic Documents. He also served as Chair of the LeasePAC Committee in 2014, representing the industry’s federal political action committee; as Board Liaison to the Small Ticket Business Council Steering Committee from 2008-2012 and as Chair of the committee from 1999-2000; and as a member of the Membership Committee from 1998-2000.

Schaefer also has been active with the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation. He has participated in the Industry Future Council, an annual meeting of industry executives exploring trends, challenges and opportunities in the equipment finance sector. He has contributed to Foundation research studies, including Digital Documents, and supported the Foundation as an individual and corporate donor.

Outside of ELFA, Schaefer has served on the Board of Directors of the United Association of Equipment Lessors, now the National Equipment Finance Association. He obtained his Certified Leasing and Finance Professional (CLFP) certification in 1996.

ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta, said, “We are extremely fortunate to have Dave Schaefer as Chairman of the Board of Directors for 2018,” said . “Dave has been a valued member volunteer for many years, and his extensive industry experience and dedication to our association will help ELFA move forward in fulfilling our mission in support of our members in the year ahead.”
“Our industry continues to evolve and adapt to the changing market for capital equipment acquisition,” said Schaefer. “Federal tax reform is currently under discussion. Regulatory oversight related to commercial enterprise continues to grow. Attracting and developing human capital are required to sustain and grow our industry. The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association is the industry leader and a major force on these and other important industry issues. I am honored to serve as ELFA Chairman and to work together with the staff, the Board of Directors and the multitude of volunteers who make our association so valuable.”

2018 ELFA Board of Directors
The newly elected members of the ELFA Board of Directors include:

• Jennifer Coyle, Division Director, Corporate Asset, Finance Resources, Macquarie Corporate and Asset Finance
• Brett Davis, President, CNH Industrial Capital LLC
• Dave Fate, President & CEO, Stonebriar Commercial Finance
• Amy Nelson, President, Global Healthcare & Clean Technology, DLL
• Daniel Nelson, President, Tamarack
• Alan Sikora, CEO, First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company

The following individuals were elected by the membership to serve as ELFA Vice Chairs: Martha Ahlers, Vice President & COO, United Leasing & Finance; Larry Smilie, Managing Director, Banc of America Leasing; and Kris Snow, President, Cisco Capital, Cisco Systems Capital Corporation. Robert Boyer, President, BB&T Commercial Equipment Capital Corp., will serve as Treasurer.

Paul Stilp, ELFA’s Chief Financial and Operating Officer, will serve as Secretary Ralph Petta, President & CEO, Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, is an Ex-Officio Officer.

Anthony Cracchiolo, President & CEO of U.S. Bank Equipment Finance, is Immediate Past Chairman. Other members of the Board are: 

• Michael Campbell, CEO, International Decision Systems  
• Aylin Cankardes, President, Rockwell Financial Group     
• James Cress, Vice President & General Manager, Stryker Flex Financial   
• Lori Frasier, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Performance Management, Key Equipment Finance           
• David  Gilmore, Senior Vice President, Region 4, John Deere Financial    
• Brian Holland, President & CFO, Fleet Advantage, LLC  
• Marjorie Krumholz, Partner, Thompson Coburn LLP        
• Matthew LeSage, Chief Commercial Officer, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance     
• Gary LoMonaco, Vice President & Treasurer, Forsythe/McArthur Associates, Inc.          
• Brian Madison, President, Trinity Industries Leasing Co.   
• Robert Neagle, President, Merchant Finance, Ascentium Capital LLC      

About ELFA
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) is the trade association that represents companies in the $1 trillion equipment finance sector, which includes financial services companies and manufacturers engaged in financing capital goods. ELFA members are the driving force behind the growth in the commercial equipment finance market and contribute to capital formation in the U.S. and abroad. Its 575 members include independent and captive leasing and finance companies, banks, financial services corporations, broker/packagers and investment banks, as well as manufacturers and service providers. For more information, please visit www.elfaonline.org.

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

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

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

Colford announces sale of North Mill Capital
retains & strengthens North Mill Equipment Finance

NEW YORK, NY (10/24/17) — Colford Capital Holdings LLC (“Colford”) announced the sale of 100% of the equity interests of North Mill Capital LLC (“NMC”) to Solar Senior Capital Ltd. (NASDAQ: SUNS) (“Solar Senior”). NMC, based in Princeton, New Jersey, is an asset-based lending and commercial finance company that provides senior secured financing to U.S.-located small-to-medium-sized businesses primarily in the services, manufacturing and distribution industries. Solar Senior invested approximately $51 million in the transaction.

Founded in 2010 by its senior management team, NMC has underwritten more than $500 million of total credit facilities to approximately 150 borrowers. As of September 30, 2017, its highly diversified portfolio consists of $121 million loans to approximately 85 borrowers, with an average loan balance of approximately $1.4 million.  NMC’s loans are collateralized on a first-lien basis, mostly by accounts receivable, inventory and other assets.

Colford is also the majority owner of North Mill Equipment Finance LLC (“NMEF”), a separate commercial equipment finance company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, which finances the purchase of business-essential equipment for small businesses throughout the United States. Colford will invest some of the NMC sale proceeds in, and continue as majority owner of, NMEF separately and independently of NMC. NMEF has 60 years of experience originating and servicing equipment leases and loans and primarily serves the transportation, construction, distribution and manufacturing industries, with a focus in heavy-duty, medium-duty and vocational trucks, as well as “yellow-iron” construction equipment. For more information, visit www.nmef.com.

David Lee, Chief Executive Officer of both Colford and NMEF, said, “The sale of NMC enables Colford to accelerate the growth of North Mill Equipment Finance and strengthen its ability to originate commercial equipment leases and loans. The demand for commercial equipment financing is growing, particularly in the market segments served by NMEF.”

About Colford
Colford is a New York City based holding company that owns and operates industry leading specialty finance and asset management business through acquisitions, strategic partnerships and new business development.  Colford is majority-owned by Monitor Clipper Partners, a private equity firm that targets growth-oriented businesses with strong management teams.  Affiliates of Daniel Zwirn own a minority interest in Colford.  For more information, visit www.colfordcapital.com.

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

Australian Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler & Mixed Breed
Methuen, Massachusetts Adopt-a-Dog

Marrietta
ID #A347637
Female
Ten Years Old
Spayed

"Marietta can't wait for someone to fall in love with her. She loves to snuggle, roll over and wait for belly rubs! Sweet Marietta is 10 years old and looking for an adult only home. At this time in her life, Marietta wants to be the only pet in her new home so she can be showered with attention. If you've been waiting for a wonderful companion to spend your days with, this pretty girl may be perfect for you."

MSPCA at Nevins Farm
978-687-7453
400 Broadway
Route 28
Methuen, MA 01844
methuen@mspca.org

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

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Only 8% of Eligible iPhone owners us it every week, according to payment systems consultant First Annapolis.

 

 

News Briefs----

HSBC exec found guilty of masterminding $3.5B scam
found guilty on nine of 10 counts of conspiracy and wire fraud
http://nypost.com/2017/10/23/hsbc-exec-found-guilty-of-masterminding-3-5b-scam/

CIT Reports $220 Million Third Quarter Net Income
 "solid results and delivered additional progress" reports Chairwoman
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cit-announces-third-quarter-2017-results-300541722.html

‘Army’ of Lobbyists Hits Capitol Hill to Preserve Nafta
 Organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/24/us/politics/nafta-lobby-congress.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

Large banks make terrible partners, FinTechs say
  American Banker       
https://www.americanbanker.com/news/large-banks-make-terrible-partners-fintechs-say

These 11 startups are re-inventing how money works
   and they’re worth more than $1 billion
http://www.businessinsider.com/from-sofi-to-coinbase-these-are-the-11-most-valuable-fintech-startups-in-the-us-2017-10

Equipment Leasing Account Executive To learn more, please click here  Contract Administrator Position Available To learn more, please click here What sets CoreTech apart from other equipment leasing companies is our team members and impeccable reputation. Are you unhappy with the ethics of your company and the promises made to you? Come to Newport Beach and join us. www.coretechleasing.com CoreTech specializes in medium to large size companies and firms Over 100 law firms trust CoreTech for their leasing needs, why wouldn't you?

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

You May Have Missed---

McDonald’s Sheds Stores/Gains Customers With Budget Appeal
"Reached goal to sell off 4,000 stores ahead of schedule"
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/24/business/mcdonalds-earnings.html

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Baseball Poem

The Catcher Learns the Motion

by Tim Peeler

and is often the hub of the movements,
he reads the Morse code of the pitcher 
and returns the speech of the dumb,

he loves the sphere and its ridges,
rips it from the tight mitt
with or against the seams
whistles it from a frog squat.

the catcher learns
he is the hat of the hat dance,
the pitcher may think himself 
the center of gravity,
but the catcher
waits at the apex of the great angles,

slaps the leather trap 
on the errant razor
as it spits up from the dust.

the catcher imprints the motions of the hitters, 
checks the rhythm of their passages,
knows he must slip an extra measure
at the end of their cha-cha-cha,

the catcher is the great disturber, 
can cock twice on his return throw,
spit on the plate, call for the "buzzer"
block the ump's clear visage,

bilingual kamikaze
chattering like a wired chimp,
muttering with silent busted digits, 
sacrificing legs
to the varicose crouch and
the ruinous crunch
of the few that get through
to thin armor.

--

Touching All Bases
Poems from Baseball
Tim Peeler
www.mcfarlandpub.com

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

Sports Briefs----

Clayton Kershaw's dominance leads Dodgers to 3-1 victory over Astros in Game 1
http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/la-sp-dodgers-astros-20171024-story.html

If the Dodgers Can't Win the World Series Now, Maybe They Never Will
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2740321-if-the-dodgers-cant-win-the-world-series-now-maybe-they-never-will

49ers’ sideline outbursts draw Kyle Shanahan’s ire
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/7557183-181/49ers-sideline-outbursts-draw-kyle

Raiders RB Marshawn Lynch's one-game suspension upheld on appeal
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/raiders/2017/10/24/marshawn-lynch-suspension-appeal-oakland-raiders/794567001/

 

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

California Nuts Briefs---

Pending home sales plunge across Bay Area and state
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/24/report-pending-home-sales-plunge-across-bay-area-and-state/

Sonoma County wineries, hotels ask visitors to return after fires
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7551739-181/sonoma-county-wineries-hotels-ask?artslide=0

Utilities delayed effort to map power line risk to wildfires
http://www.capitalpress.com/California/20171023/utilities-delayed-effort-to-map-power-line-risk-to-wildfires

More than 2.6 million gallons of fire retardant
    dropped in Wine Country Fires
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getNewsIssue&issueId=9632

They survived California fires -- now crisis is finding housing
https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/national/they-survived-california-fires-now-crisis-is-finding-housing

Don’t get fooled by the calendar.
 It’s the height of fire season in California
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/fires/article180628301.html

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

“Gimme that Wine”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8

Wines Are No Longer Free to Travel Across State Lines
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/dining/drinks/interstate-wine-sales-shipping-laws.html?smid=fb-nytdining&smtyp=cur

Amazon Wine Will Shut Down by December 31st
http://www.compli-beverage.com/blog/2017/10/23/amazon-wine-will-shut-december-31st/

Bordeaux Sweats on Cabernet Quality
https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2017/10/bordeaux-sweats-on-cabernet-quality

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

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

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

This Day in History

      1621 - Governor Bradford of the Plymouth Colony forbade sports on Christmas Day.
    1741 - Georg Wilhelm Steller discovers the Kiska Island in the Aleutian Island chain of present day Alaska. 
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/oct25.html
    1764 - Abigail Smith married a young lawyer by the name of John Adams. Their union launched a vital 54-year partnership taking the couple from colonial Boston through the politics of revolution, to Paris and London and the world of international diplomacy, and finally to Washington, D.C., where they became the first presidential couple to occupy the White House. A talented commentator and chronicler of events with a broad knowledge of history, Abigail Adams left an important account of many of the events of the nation's founding in her letters. She and her husband corresponded regularly; first when he attended the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia between 1774 and 1783, and again from 1789 to 1800, when she traveled between the family home in Quincy, Massachusetts, and Philadelphia, where John Adams was serving as the nation's first vice president before becoming its second president in 1797.
(lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/oct25.html)
    1825 – The Erie Canal opened.  First proposed in the 1780s, a survey was authorized, funded, and executed in 1808. Proponents of the project gradually wore down opponents and its construction began in 1817. The canal has 35 numbered locks, plus the Federal Black Rock Lock. Originally, it ran about 363 miles from Albany to Buffalo to create a navigable water route up the Hudson River from New York City and the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes.  It was the second longest canal in the world (after the Grand Canal in China) and greatly affected the development and economy of New York, New York City, and the United States. 
    1848 - The first railroad to run west out of Chicago was the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, a constituent company of the Chicago and North Western Railway. Its first train was hauled by “The Pioneer,” a 10-ton wood-burning locomotive, which left Chicago this day for Oak Park, five miles away. The North Western rails reached the Missouri River at Council Bluffs, IA, in 1867.
    1864 - Confederate President Jefferson Davis meets with General John Bell Hood at Hood's Palmetto, Georgia, headquarters to discuss the recent misfortunes of the Army of Tennessee. Since Hood had assumed command of the army in July, he had launched an unsuccessful series of attacks on Union General William T. Sherman's forces, endured a month-long siege in Atlanta, and was finally forced to abandon the city. Now, Davis journeyed to Georgia to shore up the sagging morale of his leader and troops. The most pressing problem was dissent within the Confederate command. Leading generals began feuding and pointing fingers to assign blame for the disastrous Atlanta campaign. Hood blamed General William Hardee, commander of one of Hood's three corps, for the loss of Atlanta, and Hardee demanded removal from Hood's authority. After conferring with Hood, Davis reassigned Hardee to the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Even though Hardee was the most able corps commander, Davis personally selected Hood to command the Army of Tennessee in July, and refused to admit his mistake. Unfortunately for the Confederates, Hood invaded Tennessee in the late fall, and by Christmas, he saw his once-grand army virtually destroyed. On his return trip to Richmond, Davis gave a speech at Columbia, South Carolina, in which he gushed about Hood's prospects. In doing so, he let slip important information, saying that Hood's eye was set "upon a point far beyond that where he was assailed by the enemy." Sherman read the quote in a newspaper a few days later and guessed, correctly, that Hood intended to move back into Tennessee to cut Sherman's supply lines. Sherman planned his fall strategy accordingly, sending part of his army to deal with Hood while he took the rest across Georgia.
    1914 - Poet John Berryman (d. 1972) born McAlester, Oklahoma.
http://www.poets.org/poets/poets.cfm?45442B7C000C00
    1918 - Bassist Greig Stewart “Chubby” Jackson (d. 2003) was born, New York City. Also wrote many tunes, including the famous “Northwest Passage” for Woody Herman
    1921 - A hurricane with 100 mph winds hit Tampa, FL, causing several million dollars damage.
    1923 - The first meeting of the Senate subcommittee to investigate the Teapot Dome oil leases was held, with Sen. Thomas U.J. Walsh, Democrat of Montana, as chairman. Walsh had used the 18 months since his appointment as chairman to study the case, and during the time, public interest in it had died down. It was quickly reawakened by the hearings.
    1926 – Saxophonist Jimmy Heath born, Philadelphia.
    1929 – In what became known as the “Tea Pot Dome Scandal,” Albert Bacon Fall, Secretary of the Interior in President Warren Harding's cabinet, was found guilty by Justice William Hitz of the District of Columbia Supreme Court for accepting a bribe of $100,000 from Edward Doheny of the Pan-American Petroleum and Transport Company for granting valuable oil leases in the Elk Hills Naval Oil Reserves in California. He was sentenced to one year in prison and was fined $100,000. Earlier, Harding, in a move subsequently deemed illegal by the Supreme Court, transferred responsibility for naval oil reserve lands to the Department of the Interior. Fall went on to exploit those rights for his own gain in 1922, secretly granting exclusive rights to the Teapot Dome reserve in Wyoming to the Mammoth Oil Company in exchange for cash and no interest "loans." He granted rights to the Elk Hills and Buena Vista Hills reserves in California to the Pan American Petroleum Company in 1921-22 for similar compensation.
    1930 - Birthday of Hanna Holborn Gray, Heidelberg, Germany.  As president of the University of Chicago (1978), she became the first woman to head a major coeducational university in the U.S. She had been acting president of Yale University but took the Chicago post while the selection for Yale president was underway. Rumor had it that because she was female, she was not going to be named president. Yale officials deny it and have tried to claim a woman president without actually having had one by counting Gray's tenure as acting president as a regular president.
http://www.medaloffreedom.com/HannaHolbornGray.htm
http://www.teachtime.com/en/wikipedia/h/ha/hanna_holborn_gray.html
    1939 - A west coast hurricane moved onshore south of Los Angeles bringing unprecedented rains along the southern coast of California. Nearly five and a half inches of rain drenched Los Angeles during a 24-hour period. The hurricane caused $2 million damage, mostly to structures along the coast and to crops, and claimed 45 lives at sea. "El Cordonazo" produced 5.66 inches of rain at Los Angeles and 11.6 inches of rain at Mount Wilson, both records for the month of September.
    1940 - The first African-American US Army general was Benjamin Oliver Davis, commanding officer of Harlem's 369th Coast Artillery (National Guard), who was appointed to command a brigade in the 2d Cavalry Division at Fort Riley, KS, with the rank of brigadier general.
    1942 - Singer Helen Reddy birthday, Melbourne, Australia.  In the 1970s, she enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed 15 singles in the Top 40. Six made the Top 10 and three reached No. 1, including her signature hit "I Am Woman."  Reddy placed 25 songs on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart; 15 made the Top 10 and eight reached No. 1, six consecutively. In 1974, at the inaugural American Music Awards, she became the first artist to win the award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist.  She was the first Australian to have three No. 1 hits in the same year. In television, she was the first Australian to host her own one-hour weekly primetime variety show on an American network, along with several specials that were seen in more than 40 countries.  http://www.helenreddy.com/
    1942 - BASILONE, JOHN, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 4 November 1916, Buffalo, N.Y. Accredited to: New Jersey. Other Navy award: Navy Cross. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machineguns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone's sections, with its gun crews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
    1944 - CHOATE, CLYDE L., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion. Place and date: Near Bruyeres, France, 25 October 1944. Entered service at: Anna, 111. Born: 28 June 1920, West Frankfurt, 111. G.O. No.: 75, 5 September 1945. Citation: He commanded a tank destroyer near Bruyeres, France, on 25 October 1944. Our infantry occupied a position on a wooded hill when, at dusk, an enemy Mark IV tank and a company of infantry attacked, threatening to overrun the American position and capture a command post 400 yards to the rear. S/Sgt. Choate's tank destroyer, the only weapon available to oppose the German armor, was set afire by 2 hits. Ordering his men to abandon the destroyer, S/Sgt. Choate reached comparative safety. He returned to the burning destroyer to search for comrades possibly trapped in the vehicle risking instant death in an explosion which was imminent and braving enemy fire which ripped his jacket and tore the helmet from his head. Completing the search and seeing the tank and its supporting infantry overrunning our infantry in their shallow foxholes, he secured a bazooka and ran after the tank, dodging from tree to tree and passing through the enemy's loose skirmish line. He fired a rocket from a distance of 20 yards, immobilizing the tank but leaving it able to spray the area with cannon and machinegun fire. Running back to our infantry through vicious fire, he secured another rocket, and, advancing against a hail of machinegun and small-arms fire reached a position 10 yards from the tank. His second shot shattered the turret. With his pistol he killed 2 of the crew as they emerged from the tank; and then running to the crippled Mark IV while enemy infantry sniped at him, he dropped a grenade inside the tank and completed its destruction. With their armor gone, the enemy infantry became disorganized and was driven back. S/Sgt. Choate's great daring in assaulting an enemy tank single-handed, his determination to follow the vehicle after it had passed his position, and his skill and crushing thoroughness in the attack prevented the enemy from capturing a battalion command post and turned a probable defeat into a tactical success. 
    1944 - EVANS, ERNEST EDWIN, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy. Born: 13 August 1908, Pawnee, Okla. Accredited to: Oklahoma. Other Navy awards: Navy Cross, Bronze Star Medal. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Johnston in action against major units of the enemy Japanese fleet during the battle off Samar on 25 October 1944. The first to lay a smokescreen and to open fire as an enemy task force, vastly superior in number, firepower and armor, rapidly approached. Comdr. Evans gallantly diverted the powerful blasts of hostile guns from the lightly armed and armored carriers under his protection, launching the first torpedo attack when the Johnston came under straddling Japanese shellfire. Undaunted by damage sustained under the terrific volume of fire, he unhesitatingly joined others of his group to provide fire support during subsequent torpedo attacks against the Japanese and, outshooting and outmaneuvering the enemy as he consistently interposed his vessel between the hostile fleet units and our carriers despite the crippling loss of engine power and communications with steering aft, shifted command to the fantail, shouted steering orders through an open hatch to men turning the rudder by hand and battled furiously until the Johnston, burning and shuddering from a mortal blow, lay dead in the water after 3 hours of fierce combat. Seriously wounded early in the engagement, Comdr. Evans, by his indomitable courage and brilliant professional skill, aided materially in turning back the enemy during a critical phase of the action. His valiant fighting spirit throughout this historic battle will venture as an inspiration to all who served with him. 
    1949 - Top Hits 
“You're Breaking My Heart” - Vic Damone 
“That Lucky Old Sun” - Frankie Laine 
“Someday” - Vaughn Monroe 
“Slipping Around” - Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely 
    1950 - U.N. forces approached to within 34 miles of the Yalu River, the Chinese-Manchurian border, as the Chinese Communist Forces launched their First Phase Offensive around this date. UNC intelligence agencies remained ignorant of Chinese intentions and the extent of their commitment to intervening in the war. 
    1955 - Birthday of jazz slide trombonist Robin Eubanks, Philadelphia, PA
    1955 - The Tappan Stove Company, Mansfield, OH, introduced at a press conference the first electronic range for consumers. A 220-volt electric current produced microwaves that cooked eggs in 22 seconds, bacon in 90 seconds, frozen broccoli in 4.5 minutes, and a five-pound roast in 30 minutes. The retail price of the range was$1,200. Earlier, in 1952, the first microwave for home use was introduced by Tappan, selling for $1,295. This was the first electric and microwave oven combined as everything for the domestic market was gas operated 
    1957 - Top Hits 
“Honeycomb” - Jimmie Rodgers 
“Jailhouse Rock” - Elvis Presley 
“Hula Love” - Buddy Knox 
“Wake Up Little Susie” - The Everly Brothers.
    1959 - Mob assassins shoot Little Augie Carfano to death in New York City on Meyer Lansky's orders. Lansky, one of the few organized crime figures who managed to survive at the top for several decades, was estimated to have accumulated as much as $300,000,000 in ill-gotten gains by the 1970s. In June 1947, Lansky ordered the death of his old friend Bugsy Siegel in Beverly Hills, California. Siegel, who had been sent to the West Coast in order to establish a new mob presence, came up with the idea of building The Flamingo, Las Vegas' first major casino. Although built with mob money, Siegel refused to pay back the loan. When Lansky ordered the murder of Augie Carfano 12 years later, Carfano had been intruding on Lansky's gambling interests in Florida and Cuba. His death eliminated all competition and opened up emerging markets for Lansky in South America. During the 1960s and 1970s, Lansky made a special effort to stay out of the public eye and was fairly successful. He died in 1983.
    1960 - A 17-year-old art student named Keith Richards runs into his old schoolmate, an economics student named Mick Jagger, at a train station in London. Richards notices the R&B albums under Jagger's arm, and before long the two form their first group -- Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys. 
    1960 - Martin Luther King, Jr. jailed in Decatur, Georgia. Held over on old traffic ticket charges, denied bail and sentenced to four months hard labor
http://nobelprize.org/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html
    1960 - The Accutron, the world's first electronic watch, went on sale. The watch, produced by Bulova Watch Company in Jackson Heights, New York, used transistorized electronic circuits and a miniature power cell, instead of a spring and gears, to move the watch's hands.
    1962 - American author John Steinbeck awarded Nobel Prize in literature
http://www.educeth.ch/english/readinglist/steinbeckj/
http://www.steinbeck.org/MainFrame.html
http://almaz.com/nobel/literature/1962a.html
http://donswa.home.pipeline.com/writers.steinbeck.html
http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/steinbec/chron.html
    1962 - Aerial photos of offensive missile bases in Cuba were displayed to the UN by Ambassador Adlai Stevenson. He demands USSR Ambassador Zorin to answer regarding Cuban missile bases saying "I am prepared to wait for my answer until hell freezes over" The next day the U.S. Navy boarded and searched a Soviet-chartered freighter en route to Havana.
    1963 - Peter, Paul and Mary's LP  “Peter, Paul and Mary” hits #1 
    1964 - In a game between the Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 4934s, Minnesota defensive end Jim Marshall picked up a fumble by 49er quarterback Billy Kilmer and ran 66 years into the wrong end zone. His gaffe resulted in a safety, 2 points for San Francisco, but the Vikings still prevailed, 27-22.
    1964 - The Rolling Stones make their US television debut when they appear on CBS's “The Ed Sullivan Show.” After screaming fans practically tear the studio seats apart, Sullivan declares to reporters: "I promise you they'll never be back on our show. It took me 17 years to build this up; I'm not going to have it destroyed in a matter of weeks. We won't book any more rock 'n' roll groups. Frankly, I didn't see the group until the day before the broadcast. I was shocked when I saw them." The group returns to the program five times. 
    1965 - Top Hits 
“Yesterday” - The Beatles 
“A Lover's Concerto” - The Toys 
“Get Off of My Cloud” - The Rolling Stones 
“Hello Vietnam” - Johnny Wright
    1970 - George Blanda replaced Daryle Lamonica, the Oakland Raiders injured quarterback. Blanda tossed three touchdown passes (19, 43 and 44 yards), taking the Raiders to an easy victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-14.  Blanda, at age 43, had a remarkable five-game run. One week later, his 48-yard field goal with three seconds remaining salvaged a 17–17 tie with the Kansas City Chiefs. On November 8, Blanda once again came off the bench to throw a touchdown pass to tie the Cleveland Browns with 1:34 remaining, then kicked a 53-yard field goal with 0:03 left for the 23–20 win. In the team's next game, Blanda replaced Lamonica in the fourth quarter and connected with Fred Biletnikoff on a touchdown pass with 2:28 left in the game to defeat the Denver Broncos, 24–19. The streak concluded one week later when Blanda's 16-yard field goal in the closing seconds defeated the San Diego Chargers, 20–17.  In the AFC title game against the Baltimore Colts, Blanda again relieved an injured Lamonica, completing 17 of 32 passes for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns while also kicking a 48-yard field goal and two extra points, keeping the Raiders in the game until the final quarter, when he was intercepted twice. He became the oldest quarterback ever to play in a championship game.
    1970 - Led Zeppelin's third album, "Led Zeppelin III," reached the top of the US album chart. Their first L.P. had hit number 10 and their second had gone to number 7. 
    1971 - "The Allman Brothers Band Live at the Fillmore East" goes gold just four days before leader Duane Allman loses his life in a motorcycle accident.
    1972 - The first women to became FBI agents completed training at Quantico, VA.  The new agents, Susan Lynn Roley and Joanne E. Pierce, graduated from the 14-week course with a group of 45 men.
    1973 - Top Hits 
“Angie” - The Rolling Stones 
“Midnight Train to Georgia” - Gladys Knight & The Pips 
“Keep on Truckin'” - Eddie Kendricks 
“Ridin' My Thumb to Mexico” - Johnny Rodriguez
    1978 – The San Diego Padres’ Gaylord Perry became the first player to win the Cy Young Award in both leagues.  He won in the American League in 1972 with the Cleveland Indians.
    1980 - Barbra Streisand's "Woman in Love," from the number one album, "Guilty," was the number one song in the U.S. Both the album and the single were #1 for three weeks.
    1981 - In Game 5, Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager's back-to-back solo home runs give the Dodgers a 2-1 victory.  Three days later, the Dodgers wrapped up the World Series win against the Yankees.  After combining for ten division titles and eight World Series appearances between 1974 and 1981, the 1981 World Series marked the end of an era for both teams. The Yankees would not reach the post season again until 1995 and would not win another title until 1996.  The Dodgers won division titles in 1983 and 1985, while narrowly missing in 1982. Their success culminated with a world championship in 1988. However, since their 1988 World Series win, the Dodgers have yet to appear in another World Series
    1981 - Top Hits 
“Arthur's Theme” (“Best That You Can Do”) - Christopher Cross 
“Start Me Up” - The Rolling Stones 
“Step by Step” - Eddie Rabbitt 
“Never Been So Loved” (“In All My Life”) - Charley Pride
    1982 - “Newhart” premiered on television. Bob Newhart starred in this sitcom as Dick Loudon, an author of “how-to' books who moved with his wife, Joanna (Mary Frann), to Vermont to take over the Stratford Inn. Regulars included Tom Poston as George Utley, caretaker of the inn, Steven Kampmann as Kirk Devane, the owner of the Minute Man Café, Jennifer Holmes as the maid, Leslie Vanderkellen and Julia Duffy as “princess” Stephanie Vanderkellen, who, through bad luck, had to take on the maid's job. Changes in the third season intro­duced the characters of Michael Harris (Peter Scolari), producer of Dick's talk show and Stephanie's squeeze, and the new own­ers of the cafe, Larry (William Sanderson) and his silent broth­ers, both named Darryl (Tony Papenfuss and John Volstad). The last telecast was Sept 8, 1990.
    1983 - An invasion of Grenada, an island nation in the Caribbean, was launched by U.S. forces a week after a bloody coup by pro-Cuban Marxists. The guerillas murdered Grenada's top leaders. By Nov. 2, the Department of Defense reported the end of the hostilities. U.S. casualties were listed as 18 dead, 115 wounded. The action was taken to restore order and protect the 11,000 US citizens, mostly students, on the island.
    1984 - John Cougar Mellencamp reached the $2 million sales mark with his album, "Uh-Huh." Also, country group Alabama went to the three-million-dollar mark with two albums this day: "Feels So Right" and "Mountain Music."
    1986 - The New York Mets won Game 6 of the World Series, 6-5, in 10 innings, over the Boston Red Sox. The Mets made a dramatic comeback in the last inning, scoring three runs after two were out. Twice down to their last strike, they bunched three singles, a wild pitch and a ground ball by Mookie Wilson that went through the legs of first baseman Bill Buckner to eke out the victory. This event was selected as one of baseball's 30 most memorable moments.
    1986 - New Jersey-based rock band Bon Jovi rose to number one in the U.S. with their "Slippery When Wet" album. It was the number one album for eight -- count 'em -- eight weeks. Track listing: "Let It Rock," "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Livin' on a Prayer," "Social Disease," "Wanted Dead or Alive," "Raise Your Hands," "Without Love," "I'd Die for You," "Never Say Goodbye," "Wild in the Streets."
    1987 - The World Series began in a dome for the first time and the team with the best record at home happened to play in that dome. The St. Louis Cardinals were pounded in the first game, but fought back and forced the series to seven games before the Minnesota Twins could claim the championship -- their first. The franchise's last championship came in 1924 as the Washington Senators.
http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/worldseries/1987.html
    1987 - Hurricane Emily crossed the island of Bermuda during the early morning. Emily, moving northeast at 45 mph, produced wind gusts to 115 mph at Kindley Field. The $35 million damage inflicted by Emily made it the worst hurricane to strike Bermuda since 1948. Parts of Michigan and Wisconsin experienced their first freeze of the autumn. Snow and sleet were reported in the Sheffield and Sutton areas of northeastern Vermont at midday.
    1989 - Top Hits 
“Miss You Much” - Janet Jackson 
“Love Song” - The Cure 
“Sowing the Seeds of Love” - Tears For Fears 
“Living Proof” - Ricky Van Shelton
    1989 - Twenty-three cities in the south central U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date, including Topeka, KS with a reading of 33 degrees, and Binghamton, NY with a low of 25 degrees. Showers and thunderstorms in the southeastern U.S. drenched Atlanta, GA with 4.87 inches of rain, their sixth highest total of record for any given day.
    1993 - The Southern California fire season began viciously when fires swept from the celebrity-studded beachfront homes of Malibu to the Mexican border. Blown out of the desert by the fierce Santa Anna winds, the fires destroyed suburban enclaves south of LA at Laguna Beach and northeast of LA at Altadena. As winds died down, firefighters appeared to gain con­trol as the flames reached the Santa Monica Mountains, but the winds roared again, spreading the fire into Malibu—often jump­ing the Pacific Coast Highway to destroy the beachfront homes of the wealthy celebrities who lived there. Damage from the fires was estimated at more than $1 billion.
    1997 - Johnny Cash reaches over to pick up a dropped guitar pick at today's concert in Flint, MI and falls over on stage.  Apologizing, he reveals to the audience that he is in the early stages of Parkinson's Disease. The crowd, thinking Cash is joking, laughs at the comment. 
    1998 - For the first time, all of the top five songs of the week were new entries: 1) Cher, "Believe;" 2) George Michael, "Outside;" 3) U2, "Sweetest Thing;" 4) Culture Club, "I Just Wanna Be Loved;" 5) Alanis Morissette, "Thank U."
    2003 -  In shutting out the Yankees, 2-0 on the strength of Josh Beckett’s five-hit pitching, the Florida Marlins won their second World Series in seven years.  The Yankees had appeared in their sixth Series in eight years and this was the 100th World Series game at Yankee Stadium.
    2010 – Sony took the original cassette Walkman off the market.  The original Walkman cassette player, released in 1979, changed music listening habits by allowing people to listen to their music while on the move. This could turn everyday tasks like commuting and running into pleasurable experiences, give commuters a sense of privacy, and add a soundtrack to urban surroundings.  Sony's latest attempt to revive the Walkman brand involved a series of music-centered mobile phones marketed under the former Sony Ericsson brand.
    2013 - Upon completion of the nuclear genome of a 24,000-year-old Siberian boy, the data revealed that two-thirds of today's Native Americans come from Eastern Asia and only one-third originated in Western Eurasia. 

World Series Champion:
    1987 - Minnesota Twins
    2003 – Florida Marlins