Huntington Bank Tagged with Possible Class Action
  with Over the Top Language in Deposit Agreement
By Tom McCurnin
Leasing News Legal Editor

Bank Tagged for Deposit Agreement Terms Which Basically Said Bank Was Not Liable for Forgeries Unless Customer Purchased Positive Pay Protection

Majestic Building Maintenance, Inc. v. Huntington Bancshares Incorporated 864 F.3d 455 (6th Cir. 2017).

Most courts have allowed freedom of contract between businesses and their banks. Some of the gotcha features in deposit agreements include shortened statute of limitations for forgery claims (usually one year, often reduced to 60 days). Those shortened statute of limitations have been upheld by the Courts. 

Huntington Bank took the concept of contractual freedom to new levels. Its deposit agreement recited that unless the customer enacted one or more of the bank’s fraud prevention programs (none of which were listed and all were fee based programs), the bank would not be liable for any forgery claim. 

The customer did not sign up for any of the fraud prevention programs, suffered a loss as a result of a forgery, and made a claim. The bank denied the claim based on the deposit agreement. The customer sued within the statute of limitations. The bank still did not settle and brought a motion to dismiss. The trial court upheld the agreement as not “manifestly unreasonable” and dismissed the action. The customer appealed to the 6th Circuit. 

On appeal, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeal held that a bank has a duty to only charge a customer’s account for checks drawn on authorized signatures, citing Ohio’s version of Uniform Commercial Code. The court further noted that this provision may not be varied by contract, unless the variation is reasonable.

In reversing the trial court, the court of appeals noted that the deposit agreement did not inform the customer of what fraud protection programs were available nor how much those programs cost. The court noted that the bank may be charging for services which it should be doing at no additional cost, e.g., exercising ordinary care. 

Readers may not be aware of fraud prevention programs offered by depository banks, including “positive pay” programs. Under these programs, the bank sends the customer a list of proposed debits which arrived that day either at the branch or through the Federal Reserve. The customer then has the ability to pay or decline any of these debits. This program is fee based. 

What are the takeaways here?

• First, Banks and Leasing Companies Should Not Have Overreaching Provisions in Their Contracts.  Assuming they have such unreasonable provisions unsupported by law, banks should consider settling the claims before litigation is ensued.

• Second, Consider Early Settlements. I’m always mystified why litigants don’t try to evaluate claims early, and throw money at them to make them go away. 

• Third, Positive Pay is a Good Thing. Rather than secretly compel the customer to sign up for positive pay, why not list the service, its cost, and send the customer a brochure on how it protect a customer. Many customer fraud claims against banks, even if filed within the statute of limitations are subject to reduction based on the customer’s own negligence in the hiring of faithless bookkeepers. Positive pay eliminates that risk. 

The bottom line to this case is “pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered.” Banks and leasing companies should be overly aggressive in deposit, loan and lease documentation, unless the provision is adequately supported by statute or case law. 

Majestic Building Maintenance v. Huntington Bankshares
  (11 pages)
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Majestic_vs_Huntington2017.pdf

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

 

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Amur Opens Office in Dover, New Hampshire
Joining the Fray in the Granite State

Downtown Dover
(Photo: Wikipedia)

Joining Ascentium Capital, Direct Capital, and Kingswood Leasing, is Amur Equipment Finance (formerly Axis Capital), headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska is opening an office in Dover, New Hampshire.  In the most recent population census, the city had a population of 31,153, according to Wikipedia. The state is ranked 46th in area and 41st in population in the United States, according to Wikipedia.

The location is Amur's third office opened in the past year, following Dallas and Philadelphia.  A press release states, "Jason Durgin, Vice President of Sales, will oversee the office with Dan Marquette, Team Sales Manager. The new regional office will enhance existing customer relationships nationally, and serve new customers in the local marketplace."

Michael Karman, AmurEF Co-President and Chief Commercial Officer, said. “As our customer base continues to thrive with the growing economy, our customers require more equipment. The New Hampshire office will ensure that the loyalty of our existing customers is rewarded with the best possible service.”

"AmurEF employs over 120 professionals across the United States, with key management, credit processing, underwriting, servicing, and finance functions located in its headquarters in Grand Island, Nebraska. AmurEF also has additional offices in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, and California."

In the meantime, Pine River Master Fund Ltd. and Pine River Fixed Income Master Fund Ltd.  have filed action against Amur Finance Company, Inc. and Amur Finance IV LLC. Leasing News hopes to have a report on this litigation.

 

 

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Equipment Leasing and Finance Industry Confidence
Slips to 63.7 in September from 64.4 in August

Washington, DC–- The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (the Foundation) releases the September 2017 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI-EFI) today. Designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $1 trillion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in the equipment finance market is 63.7 in September, easing from the August index of 64.4.

Survey Response:

John Boettigheimer, President, Centra Funding, LLC / 4 Hour Funding Plus LLC, said, "All summer long we have been enjoying record application count and record volume, however it did slow down for 10 days after Hurricane Harvey and Irma hit the U.S.  In the last week, however we have seen the volume returning, so our expectations are high. We have also seen some large orders for our Texas-based customers who are involved in the rebuilding of the affected areas around South Texas."

David Normandin, CLFP, Managing Director, Commercial Finance Group, Hanmi Bank, said, “The U.S. economy is showing signs of optimism in the small business sector. Combined with recent natural disasters, I believe that this creates an environment in which business will invest in opportunities for recovery. These opportunities will require equipment.”

Rosanne Wilson, CLFP, BPB, said, “I had a significant decline in lease apps in August, but now that school is back in session and the biggest vacation month of the year is behind us, I have had an uptick in applications for September. I am happy to say that I am very busy this month with new transactions."

Valerie Hayes Jester, President, Brandywine Capital Associates, said, “We have been optimistic that the fourth quarter will experience an increase in activity. I think the impact of the two hurricanes may be significant on near-term economic cycles. Additionally, the current lack of direction on tax and healthcare reform are not helping the small to midsize business feel comfortable to expand.”

Thomas Partridge, President, Fifth Third Equipment Finance, said, “Year to date we think clients have held back pending changes to tax policy. As tax policy appears less likely to happen this year, we do expect a pickup in activity in Q4. However, lack of consistent public policy is our biggest concern.”

Thomas Jaschik, President, BB&T Equipment Finance, said, "Preliminary economic data indicates 3% growth in GDP for the second quarter. This is obviously a positive indicator for the equipment finance industry. However, U.S. businesses still remain cautious and continue to hold back on significant investments in their business pending a more affirmative outlook for the future. As such, I believe the industry will continue to experience moderate growth in the near term.”

September 2017 Survey Results:

When asked to assess their business conditions over the next four months, 29% of executives responding said they believe business conditions will improve over the next four months, a decrease from 38.2% in August. 67.7% of respondents believe business conditions will remain the same over the next four months, an increase from 61.8% in August. 3.2% believe business conditions will worsen, an increase from none who believed so the previous month.

• 38.7% of survey respondents believe demand for leases and loans to fund capital expenditures (capex) will increase over the next four months, a slight increase from 38.2% in August. 61.3% believe demand will “remain the same” during the same four-month time period, up from 58.8% the previous month. None believe demand will decline, a decrease from 2.9% who believed so in August.

• 9.7% of the respondents expect more access to capital to fund equipment acquisitions over the next four months, down from 17.7% in August. 90.3% of executives indicate they expect the “same” access to capital to fund business, up from 82.4% last month. None expect “less” access to capital, unchanged from last month.

• When asked, 38.7% of the executives report they expect to hire more employees over the next four months, a decrease from 41.2% in August. 58.1% expect no change in headcount over the next four months, an increase from 55.9% last month. 3.2% expect to hire fewer employees, an increase from 2.9% in August.

• 6.5% of the leadership evaluate the current U.S. economy as “excellent,” up from none last month. 93.6% of the leadership evaluate the current U.S. economy as “fair,” a decrease from 100% in August. None evaluate it as “poor,” unchanged from last month.

• 22.6% of the survey respondents believe that U.S. economic conditions will get “better” over the next six months, a decrease from 23.5% in August. 71% of survey respondents indicate they believe the U.S. economy will “stay the same” over the next six months, a decrease from 76.5% the previous month. 6.5% believe economic conditions in the U.S. will worsen over the next six months, an increase from none who believed so in August.

In September, 45.2% of respondents indicate they believe their company will increase spending on business development activities during the next six months, an increase from 38.2% in August. 54.8% believe there will be “no change” in business development spending, a decrease from 58.8% the previous month. None believe there will be a decrease in spending, down from 2.9% last month.

Equipment Leasing Account Executive 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. To learn more, please click here 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?

 

 

 

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Sales Makes it Happen
by Odds and Ends

“Improving Your Odds”

"Hiring a New Sales Person, the Interview"

#1

Before you start with the interview, introduce yourself and tell your applicant a little bit about your company such as, how it got started, how long you have been in business, what your growth plans are for the future, etc. Hopefully, they will have already done some research on your company, but if you are a new small business the chances are great that they were unable to learn much about you. This introduction also will help you to take control of the interview because you are making a statement of what you are all about. Next, it will be their turn.

#2

Begin by asking your applicants questions from your prepared list. Don’t wing it because a solid candidate will see the lack of preparation immediately. Be as relaxed and informal as you can without being unprofessional. There should be no need to hurry through your interview. Your applicant is most likely to be a bit nervous and keeping the atmosphere relaxed will make for a better interview. Why? Because a relaxed applicant will talk more and the more they talk, the more you will learn about them

#3

* Tell me about a little bit about yourself.

* What type of experience do you have in sales and for how long?

* Do you have any experience in finance or leasing?

* Think of one of your most successful sales you've ever achieved. With that sale in mind, tell me about it and what you did to successfully achieve the sale.

* Which vendors do you work best with---and then why; if not, please explain.

* What are the best things that your co-workers say about you? What are the worst things?

* Why do you want to work for ************ and how will you add to its success?

#4

After asking your questions, have an office tool within your reach, such as a stapler, ruler or calculator. Ask your applicant to try and sell it to you. If the applicant starts to list off benefits and features to you, then this is a clue that, most likely, they are good at presenting products but not actually "selling" them. A good sign of someone who can sell is someone who will ask you questions about your business first before they present to you the benefits and features of a product. This is the way a good salesperson makes a more accurate assessment of a problem before offering a solution.

A good salesperson should be:

• Self-Starter and Self-Finisher

A successful sales person moves forward on their own. They never need anyone to tell them when it is time to go to work because they know that if they do not work they will not earn. They are also very persistent to finish what they start. They achieve their goals, even if they are small ones.

• Positive Self Image

Having the attitude that they can do just about anything that they put their mind to is usually very common among sales people. They do not cower from meeting or talking to people or trying something new. They rarely allow negatives that are either spoken to them or about them to effect what they are trying to accomplish because they know who they are and what they are capable of doing.

• Well Mannered and Courteous

The best sales people are very well mannered. You may not realize it, but good manners are a way of showing respect for others. People are attracted to those that respect them and mutual respect is fundamental in building lasting relationships with both vendors and end-users.

• Naturally Persuasive

Another very common inherent skill with great salespeople is that they are very persuasive or know how to get what they want. They focus on what they want and they are persistent to keep chipping away until they get what they want. They almost never give up or give in.

Tips:

1.

List of the most common things to listen for while interviewing a sales person that will alert you that you may want to avoid hiring this sales person.

* Is there a sales quota?

* What is the minimum that I must sell to meet that quota?

* How many sales people do you have?

* I'm a real "people" person.

You may be wondering why someone stating that they are a "people person" is a problem. It is because sales people who describe themselves in this way have a difficult time in sales. They want to please people so much that they allow the customer to control the sale. In the end, they will never be able to ask for the order.

2.

Most common positive things to listen for in an interview that tell you that this may be a great choice to add to your sales team.

* Approximately how much does your most successful salesperson earn a year?

* How soon can I start?

* Is there a cap on how much I can earn?

These remarks indicate a person who is competitive but not worried about how many others they are competing with and  they are ready to start selling and hopefully with no limits to how much they can earn.

 

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Letters?! We get eMail
(Mostly in Chronological Order)

 

A simple professional courtesy: The turndown letter
Observations from the Front Porch by Jim Acee
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Sep2017/09_01.htm#porch

'Jim, you are absolutely correct in expecting a response from an employer or recruiter when you are declined for a position in which you are vested, either by time or expense.  There is no excuse for this remiss and any recruiter, especially if he or she reached out to you and engaged you in the hiring process is doing you, themselves and their clients a disservice.  And they are showing a complete lack of respect for you.  If a recruiter can’t deliver the tough news, whether he agrees with his client’s decision or not, he shouldn’t be in the business of recruiting.  A two minute call will not slow down a recruiter’s agenda.

"Got that, recruiters?
Hal Horowitz
Financial Pro Solutions

----------

CLFP Member Celebration Day 2017
Members Turn Out in Cities to Celebrate
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Aug2017/08_31.htm#clfp

"Forgive my continued cynicism...Looking back at my earnings history over the last ten years, I never once looked back and said, 'If I only had my CLFP....'

"1) Do customers/vendors care or even know what the CLFP designation stands for? (We're not talking CPA, MBA, CFA which are in a different league as far as recognition and credibility are concerned)

"2) Has anyone conducted a study to determine the street value of CLFP designation? (i.e. do individuals with CLFP make more than non-CLFP?)

"3) Do employers tend to promote/hire with preference given to CLFP?"

Name Withheld

Here are testimonials on how the CLFP has helped individuals. I should also note CLFP usually improve their career at their corporations, thus they have so testified, as well as many have said it was of great benefit in running their business, and growing their company, Education is very important.

http://www.leasingnews.org/CLP/Index.htm

Editor

---------

Top Nine Leasing Company Websites
  in North America
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2017/07_07.htm#websites

"I just saw your July 7th issue on Leasing News, and noticed the Top Nine Leasing Company Websites in North America.

"First American recently earned an APEX Award for Excellence for our Website – see page 14: http://www.apexawards.com/A2017_Win.List.pdf 

“Would you be able to mention this in the next Leasing News? It’s a national award, and there were 72 entrants in the website category, and only 8 were recognized."

Sara Fay
Assistant Vice President, Marketing
First American Healthcare Finance

First, you have an excellent site, one of the best. I love the concierge. But you don't have the visitors, according to Alexa and other web traffic places. In fact, Alexa can't do a one month reading, only a three month and shows www.fahf.com at 15,895,394. Amur just won a Stevie award and another...and they are in the same position, not many visitors.

The top web sites are not by my opinion or by others, but how many visit the sites.

   Editor

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                    From Readers:

 
"Who is going to do Leasing News after we all go fishing forever?"

 Jim

 James J. Grant
Vice President
QuickBridge

"Just an email to say thank you for all your good work in our industry!"

Barbara Griffith
President
Southern California Leasing

"I love you articles and would like to receive updates at my primary email."

Coti Lawrence
Precise Capital

Solar Financing Firms
Working with Third Party Originators
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Jul2017/07_10.htm#solar

"Thanks so much for the free advertising in yesterday’s column. Have received quite a few inquiries. Will keep you posted as we continue to refine our offering in this space."

Jim Recker
Crestmark Capital

 

Broadband internet refers to households who said "Yes" to one or more of the following types of subscriptions: DSL, cable, fiber optic, mobile broadband, satellite or fixed wireless.
  United States Census Bureau

Report:

Pacific Coast & Most Northeast States Lead in Broadband Internet Use
https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2017/internet-use.html

 

 

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$5.5 Billion in CMBS Exposed to Toys “R” Us Bankruptcy
By Treppwire

Like so many other retailers that are grappling with a significant amount of debt coming due within the next two years, Toys “R” Us formally filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 18th in an attempt to resolve roughly $400 million in debt that will mature by 2018. Toys “R” Us has racked up a heavy debt load in recent years, as online competitors have continued to cut into the market share of its critical Babies "R" Us business line. While Toys “R” Us has indicated that the majority of its stores remain profitable and that the bankruptcy filing will not affect its current nationwide operations, it is likely that the retailer will be reviewing its current brick-and-mortar footprint during the bankruptcy process.

As we usually do in regard to an announcement like this, we searched our database for any CMBS loans that feature Toys “R” Us or Babies “R” Us as one of the five largest tenants. Our findings show that 109 outstanding loans totaling about $5.5 billion currently carry Toys “R” Us exposure. A large portion of the loans are CMBS 2.0 and 3.0 notes issued after 2010. Backed by 123 properties secured by Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us stores, the $404.7 million Toys R Us portfolio is the loan with the largest CMBS exposure. The loan is the only one behind the single-asset/single-borrower TRU 2016-TOYS transaction, and also includes a $102.4 million freely payable portion. Those 123 collateral properties span a combined five million square feet across 29 different states. The loan, which amortizes on a 30-year schedule, featured relatively conservative underwriting metrics. At securitization in 2016, DSCR (NCF) and LTV clocked in at 1.85x and 58.3%, respectively.
Other major loans with heavy exposure to the retailer include:

• The $380 million Bronx Teminal Market loan, which is split into a $140 million piece that makes up 12.06% of COMM 2014-CR17, a $135 million note that comprises 13.96% of COMM 2014-CR18, and a $105 million piece that represents 10.13% of COMM 2014-UBS3. Toys “R” Us is listed as the fourth-largest tenant (8.43% of the net rentable area) at the 912,333 square-foot, superregional mall in Bronx, New York with a lease that runs through January 2020. 

• The $123 million The Plant San Jose note, which makes up 8.76% of WFRBS 2013-C14 and matures in May 2023. As the second-largest tenant, Toys “R“ Us/Babies “R“ Us occupies 13.35% of the 485,895 square-foot regional mall in San Jose, California under a lease that expires in January 2023. The retail center was 90% occupied for the first quarter of 2017 and generated a DSCR (NCF) of 2.75x.

• Toys “R“ Us is the second-largest anchor behind the $61.1 million Plaza La Cienega note, which comprises 6.13% of JPMBB 2013-C14. Backing the loan is a 308,146 square-foot, mixed-use property in Los Angeles, California. The retailer leases 20.11% of the property’s space through November 2020. Scheduled to mature in August 2023, the loan generated a DSCR (NCF) of 1.97x on an occupancy rate of 98%.

• The $31.5 million Summerhill Square loan is secured by a 125,862 square-foot community shopping center in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Top tenant Toys “R“ Us leases 51.45% of the retail center’s space through December 2023. For the 2016 fiscal year, the property was fully leased while DSCR (NCF) clocked in at 1.50x. Scheduled to mature in May 2023, the loan represents 2.28% of the remaining collateral behind MSBAM 2013-C10.
  
  

Labrador Retriever Mix
Stratham, New Hampshire  Adopt-a-Dog

Scooter
#26315
Male
Four Months Old

"Some homeless dogs arrive at the shelter quite afraid. They often chill out the longer they're with us. Or they go to patient homes in which folks understand how tough it can be for some of these timid dogs. Patience, routine and love are great medicine for shy animals. Scooter is one of those very shy dogs. He's reluctant at first to go on walks, but he's glad to be outside once he is there. Scooter, a black Labrador mix who came to us on a rescue transport, is about four and a half months old, which is awfully young to be homeless and afraid. Let's fix that. Our buddy here gets along with other dogs. If there are children in this good boy's forever home, they should be at least teen-aged and sensitive to the needs of a shy dog. Scooter deserves a calm and loving home. Yours perhaps?"

How to Adopt
http://www.nhspca.org/how-to-adopt/

Adoption Form
http://www.nhspca.org/content/dog%20application%20form.pdf

New Hampshire Society for
Prevention to Cruelty to Animals
104 Portsmouth Avenue
Statham, New Hampshire 03885
Phone: 603-772-2921
Email: info@nhspca.org

 

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Operations / Remarketing / Repossessions

Operations: Portland , OR Portfolio Financial Servicing Company provides state of the art portfolio servicing for portfolios of all sizes. 800-547-4905 sales@pfsc.com	Repossessions: Southern California (except San Diego). Full service repossession agency. All vehicles, big rigs, boats, heavy equipment and machinery. Licensed and insured 818-786-7376. www.simonsrecovery.com. adam@simonsrecovery.com
Repossessions: Canada  Cease Bailiff Services Incorporated: Asset Investigation/Tracing; Asset Recoveries; Asset Protection/Security Asset Liquidations/Sales; Ottawa, Canada; www.ceasebailiff.ca dave@ceasebailiff.ca; Phone 613 898 7376 ; Fax 613 225 2452	Remarketing: Los Angeles, CA Video, Audio, Film, Computer, IT, Test, Presentation Equipment We pay cash / 3 million in buying power /Quick Quotes UBG 800-570-5224  jon@usedvideo.org
Repossessions: All kinds of vehicles, equipment and machinery. Anywhere in the United States. Anything, Anywhere, Professionally  800-755-1968  Rayc@american-locators.com	Repossessions: Melville, New York Auctions, Appraisals, National Repossessions.  ALL asset classes. 20+ year team works for you. Spend less, Net More… Fast! Ed Castagna 516-229-1968 ecastagna@inplaceauction.com
Repossessions/Remarketing Bulldog Asset Management provides recovery and remarketing services with a difference. Contingent repos, free storage and industry experts to remarket. Email: http://bulldogasset.com/contactwww.bulldogasset.com	Repossessions: Florida Commercial Asset Solutions, Florida repossessions and skip tracing. We have been repossessing assets longer than anyone with the highest rate of return. We do not outsource your problems, we solve them ourselves. 30 years solving problems for the top commercial lenders. Our reputation is second to no one!  Mark Lacek 407-948-7087
Repossession/Remarketing San Francisco Bay Area SFBAAM, LLC:  20 years’ experience in equipment FMV's, Repossessions, Lease Returns & Remarketing.  We handle Copiers, Test Eq., Networking, IT, Medical, Industrial.  No Repossession pick-up fees in the Bay Area.  Over 50 million in assets remarketed.  We are in compliance w/ the major banks.   zack@sfbaam.com

News Briefs----

Equifax Suffered a Hack Almost Five Months Earlier
   Than the Date It Disclosed
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-18/equifax-is-said-to-suffer-a-hack-earlier-than-the-date-disclosed

Auto defaults record largest sequential jump in almost 6 years
   the default rate remains low relative to historical levels
http://www.autoremarketing.com/subprime/auto-defaults-record-largest-sequential-jump-almost-6-years

Scandal costs Sofi chance to become a bank, says ex-SEC head
 has almost no chance of approval in the wake of a sex scandal
https://www.ft.com/content/6c796546-9b5d-11e7-8cd4-932067fbf946

Data Center Infrastructure Tops $30 Billion
    amid Public Cloud Boom
http://www.datamation.com/data-center/data-center-infrastructure-tops-30-billion-amid-public-cloud-boom.html

Volkswagen Dieselgate deaths in Europe in the thousands
Almost half of the deaths attributed to LDDVs could have been avoided
https://www.siliconrepublic.com/companies/dieselgate-deaths-emissions

 

 

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You May Have Missed---

How to Freeze Your Credit After the Equifax Breach
http://www.movingfc.com/home-financing/how-to-freeze-credit/

https://www.consumerreports.org/equifax/a-freeze-wont-help-with-all-equifax-breach-threats/

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Baseball Poem

Barry Bonds Hits his 700th Home Run
 (I was there at AT&T Park, San Francisco)

by Kit Menkin

He swaggered to the plate,
like Elvis Presley going on stage
Joe Louis entering the ring,
Taking care of business

The fans knew he would hit 700---
They stood as the Giants were leading
in the first inning
But the Pitcher hit Bonds in the chest

He shrugged it off,
like Elvis Presley going on stage,
Walking to first base,
Knowing he would score a run.

The field was more lit up than Las Vegas,
Bright, surreal, as if this was a movie set,
The players moving in slow motion
as the pitcher tried to take control.

The third inning the fans stood up again,
This time the ball came in for a strike,
as the pitcher had the guts with a fast ball,
It happened so fast.

Bonds swung in stride,
Moving in this baseball ballet,
Knowing the ball was his,
Taking care of business.

He ran the bases,
Went back to the dug out,
as the crowd went wild,
699 was changed to 700,
a new "legend" sign was revealed.

He did not come out again,
until the new inning
Walking to the right field,
next to the new "legend" banner.

He threw the ball several times
to the coach on the side line,
As the crowd continued to roar,
camera flash lights from the stadium.

He popped out the next time,
almost as if he swung too soon.
His run to first was fast than slow
as he watched the ball tell him no.

He came up to bat one more time,
Determined, seemingly angry,
Ready to make up for the last time,
It wasn't a swagger.

Don't treat me this way,
I'm going to hit it far,
Two strikes and he swung so hard,
if he had connected,

It would have gone to Treasure Island,
The swing had so much power,
You could feel it in the stands.

Afterwards he was happy,
His team won Four to One;
on Saturday he hit 701
Taking care of business.

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Sports Briefs----

Tony Romo does it again, calls out Saints play and it's a touchdown
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/tony-romo-calls-saints-play-touchdown-210928238.html

Forbes: 49ers’ worth surpasses $3 billion
http://www.sfchronicle.com/49ers/article/Forbes-49ers-worth-surpasses-3-billion-12207065.php

NFL Team Power Rankings
https://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/rankings/

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California Nuts Briefs---

Farming district says it won’t pay for Delta tunnels
    in a vote that could kill the project
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/delta/article174229771.html

Traffic on major San Francisco Bay Area freeways
  has grown 80 percent since 2010
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/09/18/report-traffic-on-major-freeways-has-grown-80-percent-since-2010/

Tomato festival in Los Gatos breaks Guinness world record
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/09/18/tomato-festival-in-los-gatos-breaks-guinness-world-record/

 

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

Cabernet Underpins Double-Digit Sales Growth
https://www.winesandvines.com/news/article/189653/
Cabernet-Underpins-Double-Digit-Sales-Growth

US an Open Market for Sauvignon Blanc
https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2017/09/us-an-open-market-for-sauvignon-blanc

Lost wine grape ‘Tardif’ may protect against climate change
http://www.decanter.com/wine-news/tardif-wine-grape-could-help-fight-climate-change-376700/

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

        1519 - Magellan started the first successful circumnavigation of the world.
    1565 - Spaniards capture Fort Caroline, Florida and massacre the French.
    1664 – The Maryland colony passed the first anti-amalgamation law to stop intermarriage of English women and black men.
    1777 - Paoli massacre: American troops were overwhelmed by British troops in midnight raid while they slept.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A482410
http://www.sar.org/history/paoli.htm
http://buckconner.tripod.com/ 
http://www.ushistory.org/march/phila/paoli_1.htm
    1797 - US frigate Constitution (Old Ironsides) launched in Boston.  The name was selected by President George Washington.  Her keel was laid down on 1 November 1794 at Edmund Hiatt’s shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Captain Nicholson and naval constructor Colonel George Claghorn.  Constitution's launching ceremony was attended by President John Adams and Massachusetts Governor Increase Sumner. 
    1830 - First National Black convention meets Philadelphia, Pa.
    1845 - The Adirondack Tornado traveled on a 275-mile-long track starting as a waterspout over Lake Ontario and then traveling as a tornado through New York State to exit as a waterspout again on Lake Champlain. The tree fall in the forest is still discernible
    1850 - One of the provisions of the Compromise Act of 1850 abolished the slave trade in Washington, DC.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/sep20.html
    1854 - Otis opens his factory to produce freight elevators.
(Bottom half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/sep20.html )  
  1860 – The first visit of British royalty to the U.S. saw the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII) stay for three days with President James Buchanan at the White House. Buchanan accompanied the Prince to Mount Vernon, to pay his respects at the tomb of George Washington. Vast crowds greeted him everywhere. Prayers for the royal family were said in Trinity Church in New York City for the first time since 1776.  The four-month tour throughout Canada and the United States considerably boosted Edward's confidence and self-esteem, and had many diplomatic benefits for Great Britain. 
    1863 - After disastrous moves by Union General William Starke Rosecrans, a career officer, Confederate forces appeared to be carrying the third day at the Battle of Chickamauga in Tennessee. With Rosecrans in flight to Chattanooga, Union General Henry Thomas and his men held their position and repeatedly turned back a series of Southern attacks until being reinforced. Thomas's actions saved the Union forces from a complete rout and earned him the nickname, “Rock of Chickamauga.” Rosecrans was relieved of his command.
http://ngeorgia.com/history/chicka.html
http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/civilwar/chickamauga/ 
http://www.southernbattlefieldtours.com/ 
http://www.jatruck.com/stonewall/chickamauga.html
http://www.wright.edu/~martin.maner/morton.html
    1871 - Mayor William “Boss” Tweed of New York was arrested. A series of events beginning with the Orange Riot, culminated in the city’s elite meeting to discuss political reform.  The consensus was that the "wisest and best citizens" should take over the governance of the city and attempt to restore investor confidence. The result was the formation of the Executive Committee of Citizens and Taxpayers for Financial Reform of the City (also known as "the Committee of Seventy"), which attacked Tammany Hall, Tweed’s organization, by cutting off the city's funding. Property owners refused to pay their municipal taxes, and a judge—Tweed's old friend George Barnard, no less—enjoined the city Comptroller from issuing bonds or spending money. Unpaid workers turned against Tweed, marching to City Hall demanding to be paid. Tweed doled out some funds from his own purse—$50,000—but it was not sufficient to end the crisis, and Tammany began to lose its essential base.  Shortly thereafter, the Comptroller resigned, appointing Andrew H. Green, as his replacement. Green loosened the purse strings again, allowing city departments not under Tammany control to borrow money to operate. Green and Tilden had the city's records closely examined, and discovered money that went directly from city contractors into Tweed's pocket. The following day, they had Tweed arrested.
    1873 - To avoid financial panic, it was announced the Stock Market would close for ten days. For the first time in its history, the New York Stock Exchange was forced to close because of a banking crisis. Although the worst of the panic and crisis was over within a week, the psychological effect on businessmen, investors and the nation at large was more lasting.
    1878 - Birthday of Upton Sinclair (d. 1968), American novelist and politician, born at Baltimore, MD. He worked for political and social reforms, and his best-known novel, “The Jungle,” prompted one of the nation's first pure food laws.
    1881 - Chester A. Arthur was sworn in as the 21st President of the United States, succeeding James A. Garfield, who had been assassinated.
    1884 - The Equal Rights Party was formed at San Francisco, CA. Its candidate for President, nominated in convention, was Mrs. Belva Lockwood. The Vice-Presidential candidate was Marietta Stow.
    1885 - Birthday of composer/singer/piano player Jelly Roll Morton, born Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (d. 1941), New Orleans. He claimed to have “invented” jazz music. Many historians say he was not bragging when he made the claim.  Widely recognized as a pivotal figure in early jazz, Morton is perhaps most notable as jazz's first arranger, proving that a genre rooted in improvisation could retain its essential spirit and characteristics.
“If you want my fricassee, you're going to have to chase me down, If you want my jelly roll, you're going to have to treat me better Here's a nickel, send the boy down for another bucket of beer.”
http://www.redhotjazz.com/jellyroll.html 
http://www.jazzradio.org/jelly.htm
http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/tri007.html
http://atj.8k.com/noartist/atjmorton.html 
http://www.duke.edu/~nbp/jellylife.html
http://www.redhotjazz.com/redhot.html
    1879 - US President U.S. Grant comes to SF for elaborate extended visit.
    1909 - A strong hurricane made landfall in southeastern Louisiana. A 15-foot storm surge flooded the Timbalier Bay area. 350 people perished.
    1916 - Anniversary of first meeting of National Research Council, at New York, NY. Formed at request of President Woodrow Wilson for ”…encouraging the investigation of natural phenomena...” for American business and national security.
    1919 – On Babe Ruth Day at Fenway Park, Ruth tied the Major League home run record with his 27th.  Ruth also scores the winning run in both ends of the doubleheader. Ironically, it will be the last game he plays for the Boston Red Sox in Fenway. Four days later he hit number 28 over the roof of the Polo Grounds against the Yankees.
    1920 - Trumpeter Joe Guy (d. 1962) born Birmingham, AL.
    1926 - A hurricane which hit Miami, FL, on the 18th, pounded Pensacola with wind gusts to 152 mph. Winds raged in excess of 100 mph for four hours, and above 75 mph for 20 hours.
    1927 – Babe Ruth hit his 60th home run of the season, breaking his record of 59, set in 1921.  The record would stand until 1961 when it was broken by Roger Maris of the Yankees.
    1934 - Birthday of Sophia Loren, born Sofia Villani Scicolone, Rome.  Italian-American actor of great earthy beauty and outstanding acting ability. She won Academy Award for her work in “Women” (1961) and was nominated for her work in “Marriage Italian Style” (1964). She got her start in Italian movies as a sex-kitten, developed into a strong actor, and aged into a role model. In 1991, she was awarded an honorary Oscar for her outstanding career. Her Italian comedies, especially “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow” (1963) show her great versatility.
    1940 - Claude Thornhill Band cuts first records in Hollywood. Gil Evans joins him next year, and some plays in his band included Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Lee Konitz, Gerry Mulligan, and many other post bop modernists.
    1944 - POPE, EVERETT PARKER, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Peleliu Island, Palau group, 19-20 September 1944. Entered service at: Massachusetts. Born: 16 July 1919, Milton, Mass. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as commanding officer of Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Peleliu Island, Palau group, on 19-20 September 1944. Subjected to pointblank cannon fire which caused heavy casualties and badly disorganized his company while assaulting a steep coral hill, Capt. Pope rallied his men and gallantly led them to the summit in the face of machinegun, mortar, and sniper fire. Forced by widespread hostile attack to deploy the remnants of his company thinly in order to hold the ground won, and with his machineguns out of order and insufficient water and ammunition, he remained on the exposed hill with 12 men and 1 wounded officer determined to hold through the night. Attacked continuously with grenades, machineguns, and rifles from 3 sides, he and his valiant men fiercely beat back or destroyed the enemy, resorting to hand-to-hand combat as the supply of ammunition dwindled, and still maintaining his lines with his 8 remaining riflemen when daylight brought more deadly fire and he was ordered to withdraw. His valiant leadership against devastating odds while protecting the units below from heavy Japanese attack reflects the highest credit upon Capt. Pope and the U.S. Naval Service. 
    1945 - Rocket scientist Werner Von Braun arrives in the U.S.A. under the auspices of "Operation Paperclip" — a program that was supposed to exclude Nazis, but in fact became a cover for "rehabilitating" them. His dossier was rewritten so he didn't appear to have been an ardent Nazi. See the NASA site for the sanitized Werner.
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/history/VonBraun/VonBraun.html 
Operation Paperclip case file 
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Paperclip 
http://members.austarmetro.com.au/~hubbca/operation_paperclip.htm
    1946 - Top Hits
“To Each His Own” - Eddy Howard
“Five Minutes More” - Frank Sinatra
“Surrender” - Perry Como
“Wine, Women and Song” - Al Dexter
    1948 - The Four Freshmen, one of the most popular singing groups of the 1950s, got their first gig in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They went on to major success with Capitol Records. Hits included "It's a Blue World," "Charmaine" and "Love is Just Around the Corner."
    1950 - COMMISKEY, HENRY A., SR., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant (then 2d Lt.), U.S. Marine Corps, Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Near Yongdungp'o, Korea, 20 September 1950. Entered service at: Hattiesburg, Miss. Birth: 10 January 1927, Hattiesburg, Miss. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a platoon leader in Company C, in action against enemy aggressor forces. Directed to attack hostile forces well dug in on Hill 85, 1st Lt. Commiskey, spearheaded the assault, charging up the steep slopes on the run. Coolly disregarding the heavy enemy machine gun and small arms fire, he plunged on well forward of the rest of his platoon and was the first man to reach the crest of the objective. Armed only with a pistol, he jumped into a hostile machine gun emplacement occupied by 5 enemy troops and quickly disposed of 4 of the soldiers with his automatic pistol. Grappling with the fifth, 1st Lt. Commiskey knocked him to the ground and held him until he could obtain a weapon from another member of his platoon and killed the last of the enemy gun crew. Continuing his bold assault, he moved to the next emplacement, killed 2 more of the enemy and then led his platoon toward the rear nose of the hill to rout the remainder of the hostile troops and destroy them as they fled from their positions. His valiant leadership and courageous fighting spirit served to inspire the men of his company to heroic endeavor in seizing the objective and reflect the highest credit upon 1st Lt. Commiskey and the U.S. Naval Service.
    1950 - MONEGAN, WALTER C., Jr., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company F, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Near Sosa-ri, Korea, 17 and 20 September 1950. Entered service at: Seattle, Wash. Born: 25 December 1930, Melrose, Mass. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rocket gunner attached to Company F, and in action against enemy aggressor forces. Dug in on a hill overlooking the main Seoul highway when 6 enemy tanks threatened to break through the battalion position during a predawn attack on 17 September, Pfc. Monegan promptly moved forward with his bazooka, under heavy hostile automatic weapons fire and engaged the lead tank at a range of less than 50 yards. After scoring a direct hit and killing the sole surviving tank man with his carbine as he came through the escape hatch, he boldly fired 2 more rounds of ammunition at the oncoming tanks, disorganizing the attack and enabling our tank crews to continue blasting with their 90-mm guns. With his own and an adjacent company's position threatened by annihilation when an overwhelming enemy tank-infantry force bypassed the area and proceeded toward the battalion command post during the early morning of September 20, he seized his rocket launcher and, in total darkness, charged down the slope of the hill where the tanks had broken through. Quick to act when an illuminating shell lit the area, he scored a direct hit on one of the tanks as hostile rifle and automatic-weapons fire raked the area at close range. Again exposing himself, he fired another round to destroy a second tank and, as the rear tank turned to retreat, stood upright to fire and was fatally struck down by hostile machine gun fire when another illuminating shell silhouetted him against the sky. Pfc. Monegan's daring initiative, gallant fighting spirit and courageous devotion to duty were contributing factors in the success of his company in repelling the enemy, and his self-sacrificing efforts throughout sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
    1953 - “The Loretta Young Show,” NBC half-hour dramatic anthology series (initially titled “Letter to Loretta”) hosted by and frequently starring Oscar-winning actress Loretta Young. At the beginning of each episode Young would swirl through a door in a spectacular gown. Young garnered two Emmys during the show's eight-year run. In 1972, it was reported that Young had been awarded $559,000 in a suit against NBC for syndicating reruns of the show without her permission. Young did not want them shown because her clothes and hairstyles in the shows were long out of date by the 70s.
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/L/htmlL/lorettayoung/lorettayoung.htm
    1954 - Top Hits
“Sh-Boom” - The Crew Cuts
“Skokiaan” - The Four Lads
“The High and the Mighty” - Les Baxter
“I Don't Hurt Anymore: - Hank Snow
    1954 - First FORTRAN computer program run.
    1955 - “The Phil Silvers Show” premiered. This popular half-hour sitcom starred Phil Silvers as Sergeant Ernie Bilko, a scheming but good-natured con man whose schemes rarely worked out. Guest stars included Fred Gwynne, Margaret Hamilton, Dick Van Dyke and Alan Alda in his first major TV role. The character of Sergeant Bilko was featured in a movie of the same title in the mid-90s.
http://www.classictvhits.com/shows/philsilvers/
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/P/htmlP/philsilvers/philsilvers.htm
http://www.timvp.com/bilko.html
    1957 - “The Thin Man,” the famous crime-solving duo of Nick and Nora was brought to TV after appearing in a novel by Dashiell Hammett (for whom my son was named) and a film series. This half-hour crime series featured Peter Lawford as Nick Charles, a former private eye who still engaged in it for fun, and Phyllis Kirk as his wife and partner Nora. Jack Albertson played Lieutenant Harry Evans, and their pet dog Asta was played by Asta.
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-4845 
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050067/
    1957 - “M Squad” premiered on television. My father, Lawrence Menkin, wrote many episodes. This half-hour crime series had a catchy theme song composed by Count Basie.  Lee Marvin, who lived down the street from us, played Lieutenant Frank Ballinger, a Chicago cop assigned to a unit that investigates murders (the M Squad). Paul Newlan played his supervisor Captain Grey. In one episode, “The Teacher” (1959), Burt Reynolds played one of his first major roles.
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-10833/ 
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0050035/ 
http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/themePages/mSquad.html 
http://www.robertsvideos.com/browse.php3?alpha=M&PHPSESSID=
903bb0eba588af838544f84de9843928
    1959 - Losing to the Dodgers, 8-2, the San Francisco Giants play their last game at Seals Stadium. The transplanted New York team, which compiled an 86-68 in their two-year stay in the former PCL park, will move to the newly constructed Candlestick Park next season. 
    1960 – Red Sox outfielder Carroll Hardy pinch-hit for Ted Williams, who was forced to leave the game after fouling a ball off his ankle.  On May 31, 1961, Hardy pinch hit for rookie Carl Yastrzemski, making him the only player to go in for both future Hall of Famers. Hardy also hit his first Major League home run pinch-hitting for Roger Maris when both were at Cleveland, on May 18, 1958.
    1961 - In a 13-inning contest, Sandy Koufax goes the distance beating the Cubs, 3-2, in the last regular season game to be played at the LA Memorial Coliseum, which was originally built for the 1932 Olympics. The Dodgers are leaving the only home they have known since moving from Brooklyn four seasons ago to play in a brand new stadium in Chavez Ravine, located a few miles from downtown Los Angeles, known now as Dodger Stadium.
    1961 - Roger Maris hits home run #59 and barely misses #60 in game 154 of the season. Yanks clinch pennant #26.
    1962 - Top Hits
“Sheila” - Tommy Roe
“Ramblin' Rose” - Nat King Cole
“Green Onions” - Booker T. & The MG's
“Devil Woman” - Marty Robbins
    1965 - PIERCE, LARRY S., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade. Place and date: Near Ben Cat, Republic of Vietnam, 20 September 1965. Entered service at: Fresno, Calif. Born: 6 July 1941, Wewoka, Okla. G.O. No.: 7, 24 February 1966. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Pierce was serving as squad leader in a reconnaissance platoon when his patrol was ambushed by hostile forces. Through his inspiring leadership and personal courage, the squad succeeded in eliminating an enemy machinegun and routing the opposing force. While pursuing the fleeing enemy, the squad came upon a dirt road and, as the main body of his men entered the road, Sgt. Pierce discovered an antipersonnel mine emplaced in the road bed. Realizing that the mine could destroy the majority of his squad, Sgt. Pierce saved the lives of his men at the sacrifice of his life by throwing himself directly onto the mine as it exploded. Through his indomitable courage, complete disregard for his safety, and profound concern for his fellow soldiers, he averted loss of life and injury to the members of his squad. Sgt. Pierce's extraordinary heroism, at the cost of his life, is in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country. 
    1967 - Hurricane Beulah struck south Texas with gusts to 136 mph near Brownsville. The storm was a slow mover and Pettus, TX had 27.38 inches. The hurricane also spawned 115 tornadoes in south Texas, the greatest ever for a hurricane. 13 people perished and damage was set at $200 million
    1967 - Rick (no longer Ricky) Nelson becomes the proud father of his first two sons, Matthew and Gunnar. 22 years later, the two would form the hair-metal band Nelson. 
    1968 - Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees hit the final home run of his career against Jim Longborg of the Boston Red Sox. Mantle finished with 536 homers, third all-time at that time behind Babe Ruth and Henry Aaron.
http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/plaques/mantle_mickey.htm 
http://www.mickeymantle.org/index2.html
http://www.themick.com/
    1969 - "Sugar, Sugar," by the Archies, hit number one in the Billboard charts. The Archies sat at the top of the hit heap for four weeks. The pop group never actually existed, as it was based on the popular comic strip. Two studio singers did all the vocals. “Sugar, Sugar” sold over 3 million copies, and according to Billboard, was the top-selling single for the year.
    1969 - Frustrated by what he sees as a lack of artistic fulfillment, John Lennon announces privately to the rest of the Beatles that he will be leaving the band. The announcement, which comes at one of several grueling financial meetings designed to untangle the band's mismanaged assets, comes abruptly and takes everyone by surprise: when Paul announces that the band should go out on tour anonymously, playing small clubs to get back the feel of band unity, Lennon declares "I think you’re daft. I want a divorce." The band realizes they cannot go on without him, but agrees to delay the announcement until after the release of the Let It Be soundtrack -- an agreement Paul will break. On the same day, ATV (Associated Television) of Britain buys up controlling interest in the Beatles' songwriting catalog. 
    1970 - Top Hits
“Ain't No Mountain High Enough” - Diana Ross
“Lookin' Out My Back Door/Long as I Can See the Light” - Creedence   
   Clearwater Revival
“Patches” - Clarence Carter
“For the Good Times” - Ray Price
    1973 - Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the nationally televised “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match in three straight sets.
    1975 - Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run" single is released.
    1975 - David Bowie's "Fame" hits #1 on the singles chart and stays there for two weeks, while Bad Company's "Feel Like Making Love" peaks at #10 on the chart.
    1975 - The main competitor for the new late-night NBC sketch show Saturday Night, an ABC program entitled Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell, debuts with a performance by England's newest rage, boy band The Bay City Rollers. Though their performance of "Saturday Night," the song, will eventually push the single to #1, the show itself fizzles out after six months, at which point NBC's Saturday Night renames itself Saturday Night Live. 
    1976 - Playboy releases Jimmy Carter's interview that he lusts for women.
    1976 - The Captain and Tennille musical variety and comedy show debuts on ABC-TV, but will be canceled in six months after the duo find the workload of producing a weekly show too heavy. 
    1977 - “Lou Grant” premiered. This hour-long dramatic series was a spin-off from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Ed Asner reprised his role as newspaper editor Lou Grant, now a city editor for the Los Angeles Tribune. The show tackled many serious issues, including child abuse, gun control and the plight of Vietnamese refugees. The cast included Mason Adams, Nancy Marchand, Jack Bannon, Robert Walden, Daryl Anderson, Rebecca Balding, Linda Kelsey, Allen Williams and EmHio Delgado. This series was an unusual spin-off because it was the first time a character left a sitcom to headline a drama.
http://www.cinerhama.com/tvpage/seventies/lougrant1.html 
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/L/htmlL/lougrant/lougrant.htm
    1978 - Top Hits
“Boogie Oogie Oogie” - A Taste of Honey
“Three Times a Lady” - Commodores
“Hot Blooded” - Foreigner
“I've Always Been Crazy” - Waylon Jennings
    1978 - The Who's "Who Are You" LP goes gold.
    1980 - Billy Joel's "Don't Ask Me Why" peaks at #19 on the singles chart while Peter Gabriel's "Games Without Frontiers" peaks at #48, The Kinks' "Lola" re-enters the chart and peaks at #81; Bob Seger's "You'll Accomp'ny Me" peaks at #14 and Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open The Door" peaks at #9
    1982 - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts' "I Love Rock and Roll" is certified platinum. The hit is the title track from Jett's second album with the Blackhearts.
    1983 - The temperature at West Yellowstone MT plunged to six degrees below zero, while the temperature at San Francisco CA soared to 94 degrees.
    1984 - Four days of heavy rains come to an end in extreme south Texas. Port Isabel recorded a total of 21.27 inches while Brownsville, TX had 15.19 inches. Brownsville International Airport was closed for 4 days due to extensive flooding. Total damage $30 million
    1984 - “The Cosby Show” premiers on Television. The Emmy Award-winning comedy set in New York City revolved around the members of the Huxtable family. Father Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable was played by Bill Cosby, his wife Clair, an attorney, was played by Phylicia Rashad. Their four daughters were played by Sabrina Le Beauf (Sondra), Lisa Bonet (Denise), Tempest Bledsoe (Vanessa) and Keshia Knight Pulliam (Rudy).  Malcolm-Jamar Warner played son Theo. By the end of the series in 1992, the two oldest daughters had finished college and were married. “A Different World” was a spin-off set at historical-black Hillman College where Denise was a student.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0086687/ 
http://www.tvland.com/nickatnite/cosby_show/ 
http://www.museum.tv/ETV/C/htmlC/cosbyshowt/cosbyshowt.htm
    1985 - Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker's "Southern Accents" LP is certified platinum.
    1986 - The number one pop hit in the U.S. was "Stuck With You", by Huey Lewis & The News. The song, from the multi-platinum album "Fore!", was stuck at #1 for three weeks.
    1986 - Top Hits
“Stuck with You” - Huey Lewis & The News
“Dancing on the Ceiling” - Lionel Richie
“Friends and Lovers” - Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson
“Got My Heart Set on You” - John Conlee
    1988 - Red Sox Wade Boggs becomes first player in this century to get 200 hits in six consecutive years.
    1989 - Hugo jilted Iris. Hurricane Hugo churned toward the South Atlantic Coast, gradually regaining strength along the way. Tropical Storm Iris got too close to Hugo, and began to weaken. A cold front brought strong and gusty winds to the Great Basin and the Southern Plateau Region, with wind gusts to 44 mph reported at Kingman, AZ.
    1994 - Top Hits
“I ll Make Love To You” - Boyz II Men
“Stay” (“I Missed You”) (From "Reality Bites") - Lisa Loeb
“Endless Love” - Luther Vandross
“When Can I See You” - Babyface
    1995 - AT&T announced that it would be splitting into three companies: today's AT&T (communication services); Lucent Technologies (systems and technology communications products); and NCR Corp. (computer business).
    1996 - The hit comedy film, “The First Wives Club,” starring Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, Dame Maggie Smith, and Sarah Jessica Parker, opened in United States theaters.
    1997 - Elton John's rewritten version of "Candle in the Wind," performed at Princess Diana's funeral as "Goodbye England's Rose," is released on record as "Candle in the Wind '97" and goes straight to #1 in the UK, quickly becoming the biggest selling single in world history. 
    1998 - Cal Ripken's streak ends at 2,632 consecutive games as he does not appear in the lineup for the first time since May 29,1982.
    1999 - Top Hits
“Unpretty” - TLC
“She’s All I Ever Had” - Ricky Martin
“Bailamos” - Enrique Iglesias
“Genie in A Bottle” - Christina Aguilera
    2001 - President Bush addresses joint session of Congress in response to 9/11 attacks, proposing a new Department of Homeland Security as part of the Cabinet. 
    2002 – Mike Bordick of the Baltimore Orioles set a Major League record playing his 102nd successive game at shortstop without committing an error.
    2003 - When Marcus Giles sends Brad Penny's 3-2 pitch into the stands, the Braves tie the National League record by having six players to hit at least 20 home runs in season. Along with the Atlanta's second baseman , Javy Lopez, Gary Sheffield, Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones and Vinny Castilla equaled the mark established by Eddie Mathews (32), Hank Aaron (32), Joe Torre (27), Felipe Alou (23) Mack Jones (31) and Gene Oliver (21) of the 1965 Milwaukee Braves.
    2003 - Top Hits
“Shake Ya Tailfeather” - Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee
“Baby Boy” - Beyonce Featuring Sean Paul
“Right Thurr” - Chingy
“Disturbing Tha Peace” --- Capitol
“Get Low” - Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz Featuring Ying Yang Twins 
    2005 - Hurricane Rita tracked through the Florida Straits and just south of the Florida Keys. Winds were sustained at tropical storm force at Key West, where peak winds gusted to 76 mph. 
    2008 - After a moving ceremony celebrating the history of the 85-year old ballpark, New York beat the Orioles in the last game ever to be played at Yankee Stadium, 7-3. Julia Ruth Stevens, the Babe's daughter, throws out the ceremonial first pitch with Bronx Bombers’ backstop Jose Molina hitting the last home run in the 'House Ruth Built.' 
    2010 - George Steinbrenner is honored with a 7-by-5-foot, 760-pound monument of bronze atop a granite base in Monument Park. The unveiling of the tribute to the recently deceased Yankee owner is attended by estranged former manager Joe Torre, who is making his first visit to the new Yankee Stadium.
    2011 - The U.S. officially ended its “Don't ask, don't tell” military policy, allowing gay and lesbian personnel to publicly declare their sexual orientation.
    2013 – The Major Leagues’ grand slam record was set by Alex Rodriguez when he hit his 24th, breaking the record of Lou Gehrig.