Leasing News

Good News on Employment

Due to press deadlines, Ken Vancini, Managing Partner was not available for a comment on the March employment index continuing up, but upon learning his response, thought it would be good to share:

"The good news about the uptick in the hiring index is that we are seeing more activity is several areas. Besides showing a nice increase in sales hiring we are seeing demand in finance roles, accounting and credit positions. Workout and recovery has always remained strong. Remember that the index high was at over 800 in March of 2008. We are only about 30% of that number now so employment may still seem weak for certain functions and locations.

"Business is starting to acquire equipment again after postponing purchases during the recession. This obviously will mean more equipment lease activity."

Kenneth Vancini
Managing Partner
ZRG Partners
Boston - Washington - New York – Chicago – Frankfurt Germany – Toronto Canada - Shanghai China – Sao Paulo Brazil
P: 508-366-5800 x203
C: 508-642-5800
F: 508-898-9138
Twitter: ken_vancini
Skype kenneth.vancini
E: kvancini@zrgpartners.com
www.zrgpartners.com

March ZRG Group Employment Index Up
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2010/4_07.htm#zrg_march

(This is a free “ad” for our good friends the Bateman’s,
proprietors of Thunder Mountain Kona coffee)

Co-Op combines, moves HQ to OneSource Financial

(Stan Ragley driving, Marc Keepman riding shotgun, Jay Coles getting bus sick,
Rick Wilbur waving, and Treasurer Aaron Rios looking out, covering the backside)

The first and only leasing co-op, OneWorld Leasing, Inc. is joining its president's Lou Manitzas' leasing company, OneSource Financial and operating as OneWorld Business Finance, with the headquarters now in Austin, Texas. The 25 members surviving the recent leasing economic downturn state business is improving, deals are coming in, and hopefully there will be funds flowing to close the many transactions in house. The goal is to do $200 million in the next twelve months.

"The joint venture between OneWorld and OneSource gives OneWorld additional staff to perform credit and documentation functions and makes the company more of a business entity rather than just a cooperative." Manitzas says. "It will also allow OneWorld to begin serving captives and independent lessors while continuing to work with the brokers who currently comprise the majority of its members. Although 2009 was a rough year for everyone in our industry, things seem to be turning around, and I believe that the change OneWorld is making give the company, as well as its members, a leg up on the competition in the future."

In related news, OneWorld announced that it has begun accepting new applications for membership in OneWorld after a two-year hiatus. Members enjoy access to preferred funding sources, group purchasing, and community privileges. Businesses interested in applying for membership should go to www.oneworldbusinessfinance.com.

Or contact: lmanitzas@oneworldleasing.com 512.458.1300

“Founded in 2002, OneWorld Leasing, Inc. is the first and only commercial equipment finance cooperative in the United States. Its 25 members are located across the country and are captive finance companies, community bank leasing originators, industry specialists and generalists in all markets from small to large ticket.”
www.oneworldleasing.com

Current membership is:
5280 Financial
AccuLease (Lease-It Capital Corp.)
Alternative Capital (the Future Group, Inc.)
Avon Leasing, Inc.
Bevenco
The Cambridge Capital Group
Central Leasing Corporation
Charter Capital
ComCo-OneWorld, Inc.
eLease Funding, Inc.
Enterprise Financial Solutions, Inc.
Florida National Equipment Finance
Fujifilm Financial Services (American Leasing Alliance, Inc.)
Harry Fry & Associates (Winfield Corp.)
KLC Financial, Inc.
Leasing Resources, Inc. (North Carolina)
Leasing Resources, Inc. (Kansas)
Mantis Financial, LP
National Equipment Leasing Company, Inc.
OneSource Financial Corp.
Prolease (AAW Capital Corp.)
Select Equipment Leasing Co.
Target Equipment Leasing, Inc.
Team Equipment Leasing
US Energy Capital Corporation

Full List of members and their companies:
www.leasingnews.org/PDF/OneWorldLeasingInc.pdf

Verifying Tax Returns

RecruitScreen, LLC is a solution based company that offers our products to brokers, discounters, funders, lessors. IRSLink pulls Corporate Tax Returns electronically for our clients which are used in the business credit process. This service is a risk management tool and is used to prevent fraudulent information.

PDF's below show how the service works:
Corporate Tax Verification Flyer – Summary of IRSLink Services
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/RS_Corporate_Tax_Verification_Flyer.pdf

Form 4506-T – How to Complete
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/RS_How_to_Complete_4506-T1.pdf

The company also offers other screening services: www.recruitscreen.com

Further information available from:
Roberta Hankin
rhankin@recruitscreen.com
RecruitScreen, LLC
802 Abbey Court
Alpharetta, GA 30004
678-393-1988
www.recruitscreen.com

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

www.annualcreditreport.com

"This central site allows you to request a free credit file disclosure, commonly called a credit report, once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion."

This company has changed their program, and says their report is free:
http://www.creditreport.com/

The Federal Trade Commission took Experian to court over the web site they owned that promised a "free report." They charged "deceptive advertising" and won, resulting in not only changes in the law but the annual free web site above.

Be aware not to sign up for any continued service, but that is up to you or your client. Clients who want to fix their credit can choose several programs or none.

SEATTLE

Meet and learn from Mr. Terry Winders, CLP

Leasing #102 columnist for Leasing News,
long time educator and trainer

Sales and Operations
click here for course information and to register

April 12th until Noon on the 14th
Seattle, Washington
Hosted by Financial Pacific

$395.00 Paid in Advance for first person from company
$345 with each additional attendee

"Certified Leasing Professionals attending this seminar will earn CPEs (Continuing Professional Education)
Credits toward their recertification"

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

So You Thought You Had a Lease?
By Jeffrey Posta. Esq.

This originally appeared in LEAN; Lease Enforcement Attorney Network: http://www.leasecollect.com/

Whether a transaction creates a “true” lease or a security interest (also referred to as a “lease intended for security,” “financing lease,” “disguised security interest” or “dirty lease”) is an important one, particularly if the owner/lessee of the asset files for bankruptcy. This is so because different rights and obligations apply under the Bankruptcy Code depending on the nature of the debtor's interest in the property. Bankruptcy courts are frequently called upon to decide this issue, and generally consider the economic substance of a transaction, rather than its form, in determining whether a transaction is a "true lease" or disguised secured financing.

If the transaction at issue is a “true lease”, the provisions of Section 365 of the Bankruptcy Code dealing with assumption, rejection, and post-petition performance of leases apply. Otherwise, the transaction will be treated as a financing arrangement. This is a very important distinction, since the recovery a lessor may expect to receive in a bankruptcy case can be very different from the recovery it may receive as a secured creditor. This “secured” reference presumes that a security interest in the collateral was properly perfected under state law, which is not always the case when the expectation was that the transaction was a lease.

If a lease is found to be a sale, the party intending to be a lessor may lose the benefit of its bargain. The property may be sold to the highest bidder, with the secured creditor's lien attaching to the proceeds. In a Chapter 11 case, while a secured creditor is entitled to “adequate protection” of its interest, including cash payments, this remedy will be affected if the value of the collateral is less than the amount due and the creditor is under secured. Then, the creditor is only entitled to adequate protection of the secured portion, not the unsecured portion. Further, a debtor may be able to retain the property by cramming-down the secured portion of the creditor’s claim to the property’s fair market value. Therefore, the lessor held to be a secured creditor may not receive either adequate protection and/or the property it thought it owned. See, 11 U.S.C. §§ 506(a) and 1129(b)(2)(A).

In a bankruptcy case, the existence, nature and extent of a security interest is governed by state law. Butner v. United States, 440 U.S. 48, 54-55 (1979). State courts generally use the Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”) to determine whether a transaction is a sale, and the “lessor” must comply with UCC Article 9 when disposing of the “leased” assets after default. Bankruptcy courts use the UCC to determine: 1) whether the “lessor” has rights under Section 365 (applicable only to true leases); and 2) whether the “lessor” must perfect a security interest in the “leased” equipment to avoid becoming an unsecured creditor.

The UCC states that "[w]hether a transaction creates a lease or a security interest is determined by the facts of each case." There is a laundry list of factors that are considered. See N.J.S.A. 12A:1-201 (37). Key elements of a security interest include that the supposed lessee has an unavoidable obligation to pay the lessor for the possession and use of the asset, and this duty to pay extends over the life of the agreement and cannot be terminated by the lessee. Also, if the asset has little or no remaining value at the end of the lease, the transaction is more likely to be deemed a sale, not a lease.

There is much uncertainty in the law about whether a transaction is a sale or a true lease. Lessors desiring true lease treatment need to carefully document their transactions to protect their interests.

Jeffrey S. Posta, Shareholder, is a member of the Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights Group of Stark & Stark, P.C., LEAN members in New Jersey and Delaware. Mr. Posta concentrates his practice in the areas of bankruptcy, debtor-creditor matters, business law and commercial civil litigation in state and federal courts. His practice includes debtor, creditor and fiduciary representations in bankruptcy proceedings, pre-bankruptcy workout and insolvency counseling, and state court litigation involving business disputes, receiverships, attachments, replevins and foreclosure actions. Representative clients include banks, insurance companies, institutional lenders, equipment lessors, landlords, and a variety of individual and corporate creditors.

Mr. Posta is the Chair of the Dispute Resolution Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association, a past President of the Mercer County Bar Association, and a past Chair of both the Ethics and Fee Arbitration Committees of the New Jersey Supreme Court in Mercer County.

New Hires---Promotions

Richard Chenitz promoted to Vice President of Capital Markets, TCF Equipment Finance, Minnetonka, Minnesota. He was previously Senior Vice President of Business Development at GE Fleet Services and worked in the capital markets and business development areas of GE Capital. Mr. Chenitz joined GE in 1996 and has significant experience in both financial services and accounting, including having held prior positions at both KPMG LLP and Arthur Andersen LLP.

Nicholas J. Matthews has been appointed vice president and group executive - railcar operations, GATX Corporation, Chicago, Illinois. He previously was with FreightCar America, where he served as senior vice president of operations. Prior to FreightCar America, Mr. Matthews served in a number of increasingly responsible operational roles with Trinity Industries.

Mr. Matthews received his bachelor of science in industrial management from Grove City College.

Michael Myers joins First Financial Corporate Services, Inc., Palcentia, California as senior vice president of the newly formed Healthcare Solutions Division. Prior to joining FFCSI, Myers was vice president for healthcare at Relational Technology Solutions. Other positions Myers has held include, vice president for sales at Xtria, LLC, a PACS consultancy where he played a key role in innovating and pioneering the "managed services" model for the delivery of PACS and other health care IT projects. While at Comdisco Healthcare Group, he served as vice president - international, for Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and South America.

Myers is a frequent speaker at healthcare conferences including ELFA and HFMA. Earlier this month, Myers was a guest panelist on financing trends in the healthcare space at ELFA’s Healthcare Summit. A cum laude graduate from Northeastern Illinois University, he also received an MBA in Marketing from the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University.

April CLP Circular--Barry S. Marks/LaDonna Fosback

News from the Certified Leasing Professional Foundation is in the full newsletter, which follows the highlight of two members:

LaDonna Fosback, CLP
Financial Pacific Leasing

How did you get your start in the leasing industry?
I began my career at Financial Pacific Leasing in 1998. After many years in the commercial banking arena I found myself bouncing from one commercial bank to another amidst many buyouts, mergers and department relocations. I always landed on my feet but could not get real excited about relocating since my family is here. After the last merger I decided it was time to move on. I did a short stint at a local credit union and I must say I was bored to death. I realized I needed a bit more action. Financial Pacific had just gone nationwide and I noticed an ad in the paper for a funding position. I really didn't know anything about funding since credit had always been my primary focus but I figured anything was better than being bored so I sent my resume in. Little did I know Financial Pacific was in the process of adding another credit officer due to the large number of brokers they were now doing business with. Well that was 12 years ago. I must say I still enjoy my job as a credit officer as much or more then when I first began my career with Financial Pacific. Each day brings many new challenges especially with the economy as it is. We continue to be busy and have a special niche in the market for the small business owners looking to borrow money for equipment.

What do you enjoy most about your work at FinPac?
I enjoy the wide variety of credit requests we see on a daily basis and since we consider most all types of equipment it is interesting to see what some of these businesses are looking for. I never knew so much different equipment existed much less how or who would use it. Each credit review is a challenge since a large number of our requests are from what we might consider to be credit challenged individuals. It is nice working for a company that continues to help these individuals succeed in business.

How does your perfect day start?
My perfect day is to sleep in past the normal 4:45 am get up and enjoy a nice cup of coffee on the front deck of our Palm Springs home watching and listening to the birds sing.

How do you enjoy your spare time?
Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my husband Steve and our 3 granddaughters. They keep us busy with softball, soccer and volleyball. The summers are spent over in the Leavenworth area where we enjoy river rafting. The winters we enjoy snowmobiling in the mountains and the time we get away to enjoy the sun in Palm Springs. I also love to bake, quilt, and machine embroidery when time allows.

Barry Marks, CLP
Marks & Weinberg, P.C.

As an attorney, how did you get your start in the leasing industry?
I started out way back in 1977, an earnest and relatively guileless young lawyer who was immediately assigned to do half time with each of the real estate and corporate sections. After a late night beer session with the head of the corporate department, who handled Eastern Air Lines as his main account, I was reassigned exclusively to corporate and primarily to Eastern's leasing work. Years later, I still find leasing one of my two favorite things to do work-wise, writing poetry, short fiction and essays being the other.

What do you enjoy about your work and what do you find most challenging?
One of the things that amazes me is how leasing changes over the years and continues to be a viable financial product, complex in many ways and yet touching the lives of ordinary people as well as the stereotypical Wall Street Wizards. I have often said that brokers and small ticket lessors are the most under-represented people in the business world. There just are not enough lawyers willing to spend the time with small dollar issues.

Needless to say, leasing has been very good to me. It has kept me from boredom and poverty for over 30 years and introduced me to everything from multi-million dollar deals facilitating trips to Europe to copier leases introducing me to some fabulously sincere, warm, funny and caring people.

I find that leasing is the most challenging discipline in the law, and I meet the most interesting people. That is why Marks & Weinberg, P.C. is one of the few law firms that focuses entirely on equipment finance. The four of us, most notably my partner Ken Weinberg, pride ourselves on our experience and responsiveness. That, together with my children, makes me proud and happy to come to work every day. Well, almost every day.

Do you have any interesting hobbies you would like to share?
In addition to being an attorney I am also and author and poet.*

If you could transport yourself anywhere instantly, where would you go?
Somewhere warm, with an umbrella drink and a beach... and I gotta transport the person of my choosing to join me.

* The CLP Foundation would like to mention that some of Barry's published works can be found at www.leasingpress.com for the leasing and www.brickroadpoetrypress.com or www.churndashpress.com for poetry books.

CLP April Circular:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/CLP_Circular_April_2010.pdf

“How to Spot a Bs’er”
By Jeffrey Taylor
jeffreyarizona@aol.com

April 8, 2010

(Former Leasing Trainer and now Author/Radio Personality/ShowBiz Advisor Jeffrey Taylor applies to participate in a new TV show “How to Spot a BS’er”)

It's a sunny day in LA. The temperature is just right and the air is fresh and clean. I make it to the production studio ahead of schedule and drive around longing for a parking space which is hard to find. I see people hiking to the studio and prepare to take the same journey. We are all on a quest; to become contestants on a game show.

Tentatively titled "How to Spot a BS’er" the show is one of Mark Burnett's newest creations. If you do not know Mark Burnett he is the creator of "Survivor", "Apprentice", "5th Grader" and a show in the works with Sarah Palin. I think of him as the "Spielberg" of reality TV.

I get to the gate and they buzz me in after I say the secret word. I find the person who seems to be in charge and she gives me a packet containing the eligibility requirements (must be 18, U.S. resident, not connected with Mark or anyone else he knows), a 6 page document which asks questions about my lifestyle (what would I do with $250,000), motivation (why do I want to be on "their" show) and prison record (what did I do, how long did I serve, warrants outstanding, etc.), and a release form.

Sitting in the courtyard of Mark Burnett Productions no one is talking to anyone, except their cell phone. In fact, most of us bring reading material to occupy the time until we are called. My number is 140. I am told that they are at 128 and are about one hour behind.

I see people of all colors, ages and backgrounds and guess that I must be the oldest person in the courtyard. I open my Red Bull, quench my thirst and begin to read.

After 75 minutes, my number is called with 4 other people. We are marshaled into a small room and lined up like you see in the jail scene. We are individually photographed with our number by a person who appears to be an expert on using a digital camera.

The casting director walks in, introduces himself, tells us that they are running late and they we need to hurry. He sets up the video camera and asks us our name, age, where we live, and why we want to be on the show.

When it gets to my turn, I calmly say, "Jeffrey Taylor, 59, Scottsdale, AZ, recovering alcoholic, met thousands of alcoholics and addicts over the years and I think I'm pretty good at spotting a BSer."

The casting people smile. The others in the room nod with approval. The casting director asks me "What do you do for a living?" I tell him that I am an author, entrepreneur and trade penny stocks. His assistant takes some notes as he goes onto the next potential candidate, a single mom with two kids. All in all I spoke for, maybe, 2 minutes.

I listen intently to the others in the room. Many of them are single parents or out of work actors who need the money. When asked why they want to be on the show they each tell of their talent to spot BSers.

Even after this experience, I cannot tell you anything about the show, if it will ever get made or whether I will be asked to be on the show.

To get an answer I called my son-in-law, Chris Hazel, who is an experienced casting director. He sees thousands of people like me trying to get on TV. We decide to have a quick dinner at their North Hollywood home before they head out to Hawaii the next day.

Over dinner with my oldest daughter (Jordana, the photographer), youngest daughter (Moira, the makeup artist), and James (high net worth concierge services), Chris tells me that a lot of shows are pitched to the networks and that many never get made.

Over dinner, I smile as I watch my children prepare a gourmet dinner for the group, play with their new dog (a bloodhound from the pound) and look for the cats which are hiding under the couch. I think about their lives in their 20s and where I was at their age. There is no comparison. They seem so much smarter, wiser, more intelligent and better prepared to deal with whatever is thrown at them. I am very proud of their accomplishments.

All of a sudden I realized that getting on a game show is like buying penny stocks. Some make it, some don't. And, you can never tell in advance which ones are the winners.

So, if you want to get on a game show, you probably need to live in LA, NY or Las Vegas, where the shows are produced, or be rich enough to fly in when the opportunity rears its ugly head. And, you need to pitch your talent over and over again, because you never know when your stars will align with the casting director and his executive producers.

For me, I will head back to Scottsdale, trade penny stocks, go out to dinner with my wife Toby and see Michael Buble. Oh, and pray that I make it one more week to my seventh sober anniversary. Life is good, regardless of whether you will see me on reality TV or not.

Showbiz Management Advisors | 4844 East Andora Drive | Scottsdale | AZ | 85254

Fernando’s View
By Fernando F. Croce

The 3-D animation of “How to Train Your Dragon” and the art-house experiments of “Vincere” make for a fascinating double-bill in theaters. On the DVD front, check out Jeff Bridges’ Oscar-winning performance (“Crazy Heart”), a good-natured ensemble comedy (“Pirate Radio”), and an underrated Disney gem (“The Great Mouse Detective”).

How to Train Your Dragon (DreamWorks Studios): Vikings and dragons may be natural enemies in old-fashioned fairy tales, but they make an inspired pair in this winning animated feature from DreamWorks. Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) is an awkward teenager who, in order to impress his tough-warrior father (Gerard Butler) and the girl he has a crush on (America Ferrera), captures a small dragon. Unable to bring himself to slay it, however, Hiccup takes care of the creature and, through their unlikely friendship, learns new ways of looking at the world. Directed by Dean DeBois and Chris Sander, the duo responsible for the underrated “Lilo & Stitch,” this is a consistently enjoyable mix of 3-D thrills and heartfelt messages about compassion.

Vincere (IFC Films): The private life of a controversial historical figure is rivetingly laid out in this one-of-a-kind film from Italian veteran Marco Bellocchio. It tells the mostly unknown story of Ida Dalser (Giovanna Mezzogiorno), a young woman who, fascinated by the young Benito Mussolini (Filippo Timi), married the future dictator during the First World War. Their marriage hits a bump when Mussolini disappears for years, only to surface later with a new political career and a new wife. But will Ida allow herself to be written out of history without a fight? Using an operatic style to bring together history and dramatic speculation, past and present, music and movies, the film is an invigorating feast for serious theatergoers. With subtitles.

Netflix tip: Though not as well-known as other Italian filmmakers, “Vincere’s” Marco Bellocchio is a talent worth seeking out. Use Netflix to check out some of his unique earlier achievements, which include “Fists in the Pocket,” “My Mother’s Smile” and “The Wedding Director.”

New on DVD:

Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight Pictures): “Bad” Blake (Jeff Bridges) is a country singer whose booze-soaked living style has caught up with him. Broken down and reduced to playing in small-time bars and clubs, he lives day by day (and bottle by bottle) until he meets Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a young journalist who gives him a chance for romance, stability, and maybe redemption. Written and directed by Scott Cooper, this is the kind of laidback, character-driven film that gives underrated performers the chance to shine. In an Oscar-winning performance, Bridges gives Blake the sort of beautifully lived-in human touches that have made him a consistently fine actor for decades. With its keen eye for the country-music industry and the fragility of relationships, it’s a certainly worth a look.

Pirate Radio (Focus Pictures): Can rock music still be a tool of rebellion? It can in this zany British comedy, set during the 1960s of swinging pop music. When a humorless government official (Kenneth Branagh) decides to shut down their popular radio station, a bunch of free-spirits led by a cheeky American deejay known as the Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman) hops into a creaky boat and continues to defiantly broadcast hits from the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, and David Bowie. These good-natured “pirates” become a hit with young fans, but can their ship stay afloat long enough for them to avoid persecution by the authorities? Director Richard Lewis (“Love Actually”) offers another enjoyable ensemble comedy, with Bill Nigh, Rhys Ifans and Nick Frost among the tip-top supporting cast.

The Great Mouse Detective (Disney): Before the release of “The Little Mermaid,” the 1980s proved to be a grim time for Disney Studios. One highlight of this mostly barren period was this high-spirited 1986 animated adventure, which imagines the thrills of legendary detective Sherlock Holmes in a world inhabited by mice, cats, and other beguiling critters. Set in 19th-century London, it tells the story of Basil (voiced by Barrie Ingham), a rodent detective whose latest case involves the kidnapping of a little girl’s toy-making father. Could his archenemy Professor Ratigan (Vincent Price) lurk behind this conspiracy? Exciting action set-pieces and Price’s delicious vocal performance are just some of the attractions in this unfairly forgotten Disney gem.

Classified ads— Signing Service / Site Inspection

Leasing Industry Outsourcing (Providing Services and Products)

Signing Service: New Jersey Mobile NJ Lease Signing Service We are New Jersey mobile lease signers and Notaries.We bring lease to clients, expedite signing and return docs. Same day. Jim Lissemore, Pres www.Flexo-Notaries.com	Site Inspection: Placentia, CA On site verifications, document signing or collections. Quick, accurate and professional. Reports with photographs e-mailed direct. Agents throughout US. Contact for coverage and rates. E-mail:pwright@yk2bizsolutions.com
Site Inspection: US & Canada Quiktrak performs equipment inspections within 24 hours of your job placement anywhere in the US. Order, check status & receive reports & photos online. E-mail:sdresser@quiktrak.com	Site Inspection: National Property Tax Compliance Services to the leasing industry. Over 60-years experience and fifty Lessors as clients. References and free quotes available, (216) 658-5618, E-mail gary@avptc.com
Inspection: Tampa /St. Pete, FL Contact Dick Mitchell @ Randolph Lynn Associates for prompt professional pre-funding equipment inspections, collateral "visits", and related lessee/vendor contacts. (Florida locations) 727-302-9144 E-mail:dmrla@gte.net

All "Outsourcing" Classified ads (advertisers are both requested and responsible to keep their free ads up to date:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Outsourcing/Outsourcing.htm

How to Post a free "Outsourcing" classified ad:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Outsourcing/Outsourcing-post.htm

[headlines]
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    1674-- French Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette erected a mission on the shores of Lake Michigan, in present_day Illinois. His log cabin became the first building of a settlement that afterward grew to become the city of Chicago.
    1682-- Robert La Salle claims lower Mississippi River and all lands that touch it for France.
    1731-“ War of Jenkin’s Ear.” Spanish guardacosta boarded and plundered the British ship Rebecca off Jamaica, and, among other outrages, cut off the ear of English master mariner Robert Jenkins. This had repercussions in the southern Colonies. It took several years to brew. Smuggling was quite common on the open seas, including plundering of smaller ships. The war took its name from Robert Jenkins, captain of the ship Rebecca, who claimed Spanish coast guards had cut off his ear in 1731. He exhibited the ear in the House of Commons and so aroused public opinion that the government of the British Prime Minister Robert Walpole reluctantly declared war on October 23,1739. Basically, the war was one of commercial rivalry between England and Spain By the treaty of Utrech(1713), which ended Queen Anne’s War, Britain was to be allowed to participate in slave traffic with the Spanish colonies. A special Spanish fleet, however, interfered with this activity and the Spanish also objected to the English logwooders operating on the coast of Honduras. The other cause of the war was the continued dispute over the boundary of Spanish Florida in relation to Georgia. As soon as war was declared, Gov. James Edwoard Oglethorpe called on citizens of Georgia and South Carolina to join in an invasion of Florida. The Spanish retaliated by attempting to invade those colonies by sea. By 1739, Oglethorpe had completed military fortifications on Amelia, Cumberland, St. Andrew’s, and St. Simon’s islands as a line of defense against possible Spanish encroachment. he also had reached peace agreements with the Creeks and other Indian tribes in the region.
    1783-- General Washington bids his officers farewell at Fraunce's Tavern, New York,NY.
    1816-The first all-black US religious denomination, the American Methodist Episcopal Church was organized at Philadelphia with Richard Allen, a former slave who had bought his freedom, as the first bishop.
    1824-Birthday of Anna Holstein who wrote a book anonymously about her battlefield nursing of troops for three years during the Civil War including Antietam.
    1833-the first free public library was established in Peterborough, NH. The funds for its creation came from state monies that had originally been appropriated for a state university and were then distributed to towns to use for educational purposes. An earlier, but unsuccessful attempt to establish a free public library was made in New Orleans, LA, by the philanthropist Judah Touro, who founded the Touro Free Library Society in 1824.
    1860-What is believed to be the world's oldest recording was made by French inventor Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville when he recorded a young lady, believed by historians to be his daughter, singing "Au Clair de la Lune". The song was captured on a "phonautograph", a device that engraved sound waves onto a sheet of paper blackened by the smoke of an oil lamp. The event took place 17 years before Thomas Edison invented his phonograph.
    1860--Birthday of Emily Hobhouse, who braved war and the military to minister to Boer women and children in English concentration camps during the Boer War.
    1865- At 1:30 PM General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant, commander-in-chief of the Union Army, ending four years of civil war. The meeting took place in the house of Wilmer McLean at the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia. Confederate soldiers were permitted to keep their horses and go free to their homes, while Confederate officers were allowed to retain their swords and side arms as well. Grant wrote the terms of surrender. Formal surrender took place at the Courthouse on April 12. Death toll for the Civil War is estimated at 500,000 men.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/apr09.html
    1866- a Civil Rights act was passed over President Andrew Johnson's veto, who wanted to "punish the South" instead of follow President Lincoln's reconstruction plan. The act granted citizenship to all persons born in the U.S., except Indians. It declared that all citizens had the same civil rights and provided for the punishment of persons who prevented free exercise of these rights. The Fourteenth Amendment was proposed when the constitutionality of the first section of this act was questioned.
    1879-birthday of W.C. Fields, stage and motion picture actor (My Little Chickadee), screenwriter and expert juggler. Born Claude William Dukenfield at Philadelphia, PA; died Dec 25, 1946, at Pasadena, CA. He wrote his own epitaph: "On the whole, I'd rather be in Philadelphia."
    1887--Birthday of American Compose Florence Beatrice Price, Little Rock, Arkansas;considered the first black woman in the United states to win recognition as a composer. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Frederick Stock, premiered her Symphony In E Minor on June 15, 1933. Price wrote other extended works for orchestra, chamber works, art songs, works for violin, organ anthems, piano pieces, and spiritual arrangements. Some of her more popular works are: Three Little Negro Dances, Songs to a Dark Virgin, My Soul's Been Anchored in de Lord, and Moon Bridge. Died: 3 June 1953 , Chicago, Illinois.
http://chevalierdesaintgeorges.homestead.com/Price.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Price
    1893--Birthday of Mary Pickford, actor known as "American's Sweetheart", first film star to have her name posted in marquee lights, and the biggest star of the silent film era, later became one of the first woman to produce films and proved to be an astute businesswoman. Her mother, Charlotte Smith, widowed and left penniless when Mary was 4, took in sewing and played small parts in stock companies to raise three children.
    1898- Paul Robeson, born at Princeton, NJ, was an All-American football player at Rutgers University and received his law degree from Columbia University in 1923. After being seen by Eugene O'Neill in an amateur stage production, he was offered a part in O'Neill's play The Emperor Jones. His performance in that play with the Provincetown Players established him as an actor. Without ever having taken a voice lesson, he also became a popular singer. His stage credits include Show Boat, Porgy and Bess, The Hairy Ape and Othello, which enjoyed the longest Broadway run of a Shakespeare play. In 1950 he was denied a passport by the US for refusing to sign an affidavit stating whether he was or ever had been a member of the Communist Party. The action was overturned by the Supreme Court in 1958. His film credits include Emperor Jones, Show Boat, King Solomon's Mines and Song of Freedom, among others. Robeson died at Philadelphia, PA, Jan 23, 1976.
    1898-Earle Louis “Curly” Lambeau, Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and executive born at Green Bay, WI. Lambeau played college football at Notre Dame and then founded the Green Bay Packers in 1919. He played for the Packers from their inception through 1927 and coached them from 1919 through 1949. Inducted as a charter member of the Hall of Fame in 1963. Died at Sturgeon Bay, WI. June 1, 1965.
    1904-trumpterer Sharkey Bonano born Milneburg,LA.
http://schools.bigchalk.com/members/lakeshorelinks/themusic/jazz/
josephgustafsharkeybonano
    1912 – Fenway Park opened with the Boston Red Sox defeating Harvard 2-0. Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, Roger Clemens, and Babe Ruth played ball at Fenway and faced the ‘Green Monster’, the huge wall in left field. Until the Humane Society ordered him to stop, Ted Williams used to take rifle shots at the many pigeons that flew around the stadium. In 1954, a ball thrown to stop a player from making a double out of a single, hit a pigeon in flight. Allegedly, the bird fell to the ground, got up and then flew away to safer territory. The ball deflected right to the second baseman, who put the tag on the runner.
LA
    1913-birthday of John Presper Eckert, Jr.,co-inventor with John W. Mauchly of ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), which was first demonstrated at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia Feb 14, 1946. This is generally considered the birth of the computer age. Originally designed to process artillery calculations for the Army, ENIAC was also used in the Manhattan Project. Eckert and Mauchly formed Electronic Control Company, which later became Unisys Corporation. Eckert was born at Philadelphia and died at Bryn Mawr, PA, June 3, 1995.
    1913- The Brooklyn Dodgers opened their new ballpark, Ebbets Field, but lost to the visiting Philadelphia Phillies, 1-0, before a crowd of 10,000. Ebbets Field was named for Charles Ebbets, the club’s principal owner, and built at a cost of $750,000. It remained the Dodgers’ home until they abandoned Brooklyn for Los Angeles after the 1957 season. ( and some of us never forgive them. editor )
    1915-- Automobile tycoon Henry Ford sails for Europe from Hoboken, NJ, aboard the Ford Peace Ship. He intends to end World War I. He would fail.
    1920-Jazz accordionist Art Van Damme birthday
http://www.artvandamme.com/
    1922-harmonica-guitarist Toots Thielmans born Brussels, Belgium 1922.
http://www.tootsthielemans.com/
    1928 - Mae West made her glamorous debut on Broadway in the classic production of "Diamond Lil".
http://www.maewest.net/old/
    1928-Birthday of folksinger and satirist, very popular in the 1950's, Tom Lehrer.
http://members.aol.com/quentncree/lehrer/
http://www.avclub.com/content/node/22863
    1932- guitarist/singer Carl Perkins born Tiptonville, TN, He wrote "Blue Suede Shoes" which Elvis Presley turned into a hit record in 1956. Perkins' own version was on the charts as well. Perkins' career came to an abrupt halt in March of '56 when he was involved in a car accident which almost claimed his life. He resumed his career after several months in hospital, but he never had another hit of the magnitude of "Blue Suede Shoes." Perkins died last January.
Died January 19,1998
http://www.history-of-rock.com/perkins.htm
http://www.hotshotdigital.com/OldRock/CarlPerkinsBio.html
http://www.rockabillytennessee.com/legend_carl_perkins.htm
    1939-on an Easter Sunday, African American contralto Marian Anderson sang to open-air concert from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at Washington, DC, to an audience of 75,000, after having been denied use of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Constitution Hall. The event became an American anti-discrimination cause célèbre and led First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to resign from the DAR.
    1941--The US aircraft carrier Lexington departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to deliver aircraft to Midway Island. Because of this mission, the Lexington inadvertently avoided the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 07 December. It was later to play a pivotal role in the Japanese defeat at Midway. Other US ships were not as lucky. Japanese carrier-based planes attacked the bulk of the US Pacific fleet moored in Pearl Harbor, sinking or severely damaging nineteen naval vessels, including eight battleships.
    1943-- Terry Knight, lead singer of Terry Knight and the Pack, was born in Flint, Michigan. The group was the forerunner to the most successful American rock band of the 1970's, Grand Funk Railroad. Knight managed Grand Funk - but did not perform with them - until a bitter series of lawsuits between him and the group in 1973.
    1943--BOOKER, ROBERT D. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, 34th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Fondouk, Tunisia, 9 April 1943. Entered service at: Callaway, Nebr. Born: 11 July 1920, Callaway, Nebr. G.O. No.: 34, 25 April 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action. On 9 April 1943 in the vicinity of Fondouk, Tunisia, Pvt. Booker, while engaged in action against the enemy, carried a light machinegun and a box of ammunition over 200 yards of open ground. He continued to advance despite the fact that 2 enemy machineguns and several mortars were using him as an individual target. Although enemy artillery also began to register on him, upon reaching his objective he immediately commenced firing. After being wounded he silenced 1 enemy machinegun and was beginning to fire at the other when he received a second mortal wound. With his last remaining strength he encouraged the members of his squad and directed their fire. Pvt. Booker acted without regard for his own safety. His initiative and courage against insurmountable odds are an example of the highest standard of self-sacrifice and fidelity to duty.
    1944-- Emil Stucchio, lead singer of the Classics, was born in Brooklyn, New York. The one national hit for this street-corner group was "Til Then" in June 1963.
    1945--MOSKALA, EDWARD J. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 383d Infantry, 96th Infantry Division. Place and date: Kakazu Ridge, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 9 April 1945. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 6 November 1921, Chicago, Ill. G.O. No.: 21, 26 February 1946. Citation: He was the leading element when grenade explosions and concentrated machinegun and mortar fire halted the unit's attack on Kakazu Ridge, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. With utter disregard for his personal safety, he charged 40 yards through withering, grazing fire and wiped out 2 machinegun nests with well-aimed grenades and deadly accurate fire from his automatic rifle. When strong counterattacks and fierce enemy resistance from other positions forced his company to withdraw, he voluntarily remained behind with 8 others to cover the maneuver. Fighting from a critically dangerous position for 3 hours, he killed more than 25 Japanese before following his surviving companions through screening smoke down the face of the ridge to a gorge where it was discovered that one of the group had been left behind, wounded. Unhesitatingly, Pvt. Moskala climbed the bullet-swept slope to assist in the rescue, and, returning to lower ground, volunteered to protect other wounded while the bulk of the troops quickly took up more favorable positions. He had saved another casualty and killed 4 enemy infiltrators when he was struck and mortally wounded himself while aiding still another disabled soldier. With gallant initiative, unfaltering courage, and heroic determination to destroy the enemy, Pvt. Moskala gave his life in his complete devotion to his company's mission and his comrades' well-being. His intrepid conduct provided a lasting inspiration for those with whom he served
    1947-Baseball Commissioner A.B.”Happy” Chandler suspended Brooklyn Dodgers manager Leo Durocher for one year because of Durocher’s habit of consorting with unsavory characters, including gamblers. Burt Shotton took of for Durocher and managed the Dodgers to the National League Pennant.
    1947 -the southern plains Tri-State tornado tracked 170 miles through Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. This tornado episode was probably a family of tornadoes. Nevertheless, damage was at the F5 level (winds 260 mph plus). 181 people were killed, 970 others were injured, and total damage was $9.7 million. Woodward, Oklahoma was hit hard with 101 fatalities. The entire town of Glazier, Texas was destroyed and never rebuilt as a town. A man looking out his front door was swept by a tornado from his home near Higgins TX and carried two hundred feet over trees. The bodies of two people, thought to be together at Glazier TX, were found three miles apart
    1948-Birthday of Phil Wright, lead singer of the English quintet Paper Lace, who’s "The Night Chicago Died" went to number one in 1974
    1953 - Warner Brothers, the first of the major Hollywood studios to introduce 3-D motion pictures, chose this day to premiere "The House of Wax" at the Paramount Theatre in New York City. The stage show preceding the movie was headed by singer Eddie Fisher. The film's stars, Vincent Price, Phyllis Kirk and Frank Lovejoy attended the premiere.
    1954 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: ``Wanted,'' Perry Como.
    1955---Top Hits
The Ballad of Davy Crockett - Bill Hayes
Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado
Unchained Melody - Les Baxter
In the Jailhouse Now - Webb Pierce
    1956-Singer Nat King Cole is beaten up by a group of racial segregationists in Birmingham, Alabama.
    1959- Little League mounds are moved back two feet (46 feet) in an effort to protect the batter.
    1961-New York Museum of Modern Art hangs Matisse's Le Bateau upside down for 47 days.
    1962 - the 34th Annual Academy Awards held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles, hosted by comedian Bob Hope. , "West Side Story", was awarded the Oscar for Best Picture (Robert Wise, producer); Best Director (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins); Best Supporting Actor and Actress (George Chakiris, Rita Moreno); Best Cinematography/Color (Daniel L. Fapp); Best Art Direction/Set Decoration/Color (Boris Leven, Victor A. Gangelin); Best Costume Design/Color (Irene Sharaff); Best Sound (Fred Hynes-Todd-AO SSD & Gordon Sawyer-Samuel Goldwyn SSD); Best Film Editing (Thomas Stanford); Best Music/Scoring of a Musical Picture (Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Sid Ramin, Irwin Kostal). The Best Actor award went to Maximilian Schell for his role in "Judgment at Nuremberg" , and for the first time in Oscar history, the Best Actress award went to an actress in a foreign film, Sophia Loren for the lead in "La Ciociara" (or "Two Women"). "The Hustler", "Splendor in the Grass" and "The Guns of Navarone" won a total of four Oscars. Now, back to musicals -- the Best Music/Song was "Moon River" (Henry Mancini-music, Johnny Mercer-lyrics) from "Breakfast at Tiffany’s". The list of comedic and musical movies from 1961 that were nominated but didn’t win is equally impressive: "The Absent-Minded Professor", "The Parent Trap", "The Children’s Hour", "Babes in Toyland", "Pocketful of Miracles", "Flower Drum Song", "Fanny"
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0148869.html
    1962- Keeping an Laotian prince waiting in the White House, President Kennedy opens up the Washington's $23-million dollar D.C. Stadium by tossing the ceremonial first pitch. Despite a rain delay, the chief executive stays for the entire game and enjoys seeing Mickey Vernons' Senators beat the Tigers, 4-1.
    1963---Top Hits
He’s So Fine - The Chiffons
South Street - The Orlons
Can’t Get Used to Losing You - Andy Williams
Still - Bill Anderson
    1965-Bruce Johnston joins the Beach Boys as permanent replacement for Brian Wilson. I went to University High School with Bruce, who played Piano in my dance band, and I played in his rock’n’roll band. He also wrote the popular song, “I Write the Songs."
    1965 - "TIME" magazine featured a cover with the entire "Peanuts" gang. It was a good day for Charlie Brown.
    1965-Sixteen-year-old Lawrence Bradford of New York City was the first black page appointed to the US Senate
    1965-Dubbed the “Eight Wonder of the World,” the Houston Astrodome opened with an exhibition game between the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees. President Lyndon Johnson attended the game, and Texas governor John Connally threw out the ceremonial first pitch, as President Johnson arrived late. Mickey Mantle hit a home run, but the Astros prevailed, 2-1, in 12 innings.
    1966-The late, great San Francisco Chronicle Columnist, "Mr. San Francisco," Herb Caen won a special Pulitzer Prize for his continuing contribution as a voice and conscience of the city. He was a good friend to many of us.
http://www.sfgate.com/columnists/caen/
    1966-Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman" is released.
    1967-The Sopwith Camel, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Country Joe & the Fish, Grateful Dead play at the San Francisco Longshoreman's Hall.
http://images.wolfgangsvault.com/images/catalog/thumb/LSH670409-B-HB.jpg
    1970-- Paul McCartney announces the official break-up of the Beatles.
    1970--Grateful Dead and Miles Davis Quintet play at the San Francisco Fillmore East.
    1971-- General Motors recalls 6,700,000 vehicles vulnerable to motor mount failure. It is the largest voluntary safety recall in the industry's history.
    1971---Top Hits
Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) - The Temptations
For All We Know - Carpenters
What’s Going On - Marvin Gaye
After the Fire is Gone - Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
    1973 - Tommy Aaron became the second native son from Georgia to win the Masters golf title at Augusta. The first Georgian to accomplish the feat was Claude Harmon in 1948.
    1973 - Rock group Queen has its debut performance at the Marquee Theater in London. The group's biggest hits are ``Crazy Little Thing Called Love,'' ``Another One Bites the Dust'' and ``We Are the Champions/We Will Rock You.''
    1977 - The Swedish pop group Abba made its debut at number one on the American pop charts, as "Dancing Queen" became the most popular record in the U.S. http://abba.muziek.net/
    1978-- San Francisco got its first female mayor as city Supervisor Dianne Feinstein was named to replace the assassinated George Moscone. Later she is elected the US
Senator from California.
    1979 - the 51st Annual Academy Awards ceremony at Los Angeles’ Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (L.A. Music Center), with Johnny Carson as the host. The Best Picture, "The Deer Hunter" (Barry Spikings, Michael Deeley, Michael Cimino, John Peverall, producers), also won for Best Director (Michael Cimino); Best Supporting Actor (Christopher Walken); Best Film Editing (Peter Zinner); and Best Sound (Richard Portman, William McCaughey, Aaron Rochin, C. Darin Knight). The Best Actor and Actress awards for performances in "Coming Home" were awarded to Jon Voight and Jane Fonda, respectively. This 1978 film also won a golden statuette for Best Writing/Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (Nancy Dowd, Waldo Salt, Robert C. Jones). The intense "Midnight Express" won for Best Music/Original Score (Giorgio Moroder)and Best Writing/Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (Oliver Stone). The Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role went to Maggie Smith in "California Suite", the Best Music/Song Oscar, for "Last Dance" from "Thank God It’s Friday", went to Paul Jabara..
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0149424.html
    1979---Top Hits
I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
What a Fool Believes - The Doobie Brothers
Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits
I Just Fall in Love Again - Anne Murray
    1980- Two days prior to the start of the season, the season the Durham Bulls uniforms are stolen. Atlanta's minor league director, Hank Aaron, sends the team a set of used Braves uniforms to wear on the road as the team decides to wear its road uniforms at home.
    1984 – The 56th Annual Academy of Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, with Johnny Carson as host. "Terms of Endearment" (James L. Brooks, producer) was voted Best Picture of 1983. "Terms" also won for Best Director (James L. Brooks, again ... and, again for Best Writing/Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium);and Best Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson); and for Best Actress (Shirley MacLaine). MacLaine had been nominated five times over 26 years before winning the statuette. Of course, since she could see into the future, she knew that this would happen. Robert Duvall picked up the Best Actor Award ("Tender Mercies") and the Best Supporting Actress title was bestowed on Linda Hunt for "The Year of Living Dangerously". A foreign film, "Fanny och Alexander", won three Academy Awards: Best Costume Design (Marik Vos-Lundh), Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (Anna Asp, Susanne Lingheim), & Best Cinematography (Sven Nykvist). Another film that endeared itself to audiences in 1983 was "The Right Stuff", honored for Best Music/Original Score (Bill Conti); Best Effects/Sound Effects Editing (Jay Boekelheide); Best Film Editing (Glenn Farr, Lisa Fruchtman, Stephen A. Rotter, Douglas Stewart, Tom Rolf); and Best Sound (Mark Berger, Thomas Scott, Randy Thom, David MacMillan). Put the whole evening together and you get the Best Music/Song: "Flashdance...What a Feeling" (Giorgio Moroder-music, Keith Forsey and Irene Cara-lyrics) from the movie, "Flashdance".
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0149580.html
    1985 - Tom Seaver broke a major-league baseball record (held by Walter Johnson) as he started his 15th opening-day game. The Chicago White Sox defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2. With the win, ‘Tom Terrific’ extended his opening day record to 7-1. He had thrown openers for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox.
    1987---Top Hits
Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now - Starship
Tonight, Tonight, Tonight - Genesis
Come Go with Me - Expose
Ocean Front Property - George Strait
    1988 -Residents of Sioux City, Iowa awoke to find 2 inches of snow on the ground following a record high of 88 degrees the previous afternoon.
    1989 - Eighteen cities in the southwestern U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date. The afternoon high of 80 degrees at Eureka CA established a record for the month of April.
    1991-a large portion of the east was battered by severe thunderstorms with 503 severe weather events reported. 38 tornadoes touched down with the most significant one beginning its 18 mile path at Guthrie, Kentucky. This tornado, rated F2, did over $500,000 in damage. 3 inch diameter hailstones fell in Switzerland county in Indiana. 2 people were killed and 86 were injured from intense straight line thunderstorm winds exceeding 100 mph in West Virginia. Gatesburg, Pennsylvania reported a wind gust to 90 mph.
    1993-the Colorado Rockies played their first official National League game defeating the Montreal Expos, 11-4, behind first-inning home runs from lead off hitter Eric Young and Charles Hayes. 80,277 fans packed Denver’s Mile High Stadium to set a major league Opening Day attendance record, surpassing the 78,672 who saw the san Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers open the 1958 season at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
    1993 -Thanks to a four-run first inning sparked Eric Young's leadoff home run, the Rockies defeat the Expos 11-4 for their first win ever. The crowd of 80,227 at Colorado's Mile High Stadium establishes a new major league Opening Day attendance record.
    1995-Glasgow, Montana recorded 12.2 inches of snow in 24 hours -- its greatest 24 hour snowfall on record.
    1996 -Frank Kucharski of Chester, Connecticut attends his 22nd consecutive Yankee season opener at the stadium.
    2000--- In a pair of legal setbacks for Al Gore, a Florida state judge refused to overturn George W. Bush's certified presidential election victory in Florida and the US Supreme Court set aside a ruling that had allowed manual recounts.
    2000-- PepsiCo agrees to pay $13.4 billion to acquire Quaker Oats.
    2000 -Indian first baseman Jim Thome strikes out five times to tie a major league record. Cleveland prevails posting a 17-4 victory over the Devil Rays.
    2000 -The Twins beat the Royals, 13-7, as both teams each hit three consecutive home runs in the same game for the first time in major league history. Ron Coomer, Jacque Jones and Matt Lecroy connect consecutively in the sixth for Minnesota and Carlos Beltran, Jermaine Dye and Hector Carrasco go back-to-back-to-back for Kansas City.
    2001 -Willie Stargell, the all-time Pirate career leader in home runs, RBIs and extra base hits dies from kidney problems at the age of 61. After leading the Bucs to the 1979 World Championship, 'Pops', a career .282 hitter, became the oldest player (39) to win a MVP award when he shares the award with Keith Hernandez.
    2001- Pittsburgh's PNC Park makes its major league debut as hometown product, Sean Casey, leads the visiting Reds past the Pirates, 8-2. The Cincinnati first baseman, who hit the first home run at Miller Park three days ago, goes 4-for-4 and again has the honor of hitting the first round tripper in a major league park's history. The bat, which is used to hit both historic homers, is sent the Hall of Fame.
    2004-- The Yankees and Joe Torre agree to three-year extension. The contract also includes an additional six-year deal in which the 62-year old manager will serve as a team advisor through the 2013 season.
    2008-Elton John performed in concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall to raise funds for Hillary Clinton's US Presidential campaign. With ticket prices ranging from $125 to $2,300, the effort took in over $2.5 million.

    1932—Toronto Maple Leafs
    1935—Montreal Maroons
    1946-Montreal Canadiens

Spring Poem

Mending Wall

by Robert Frost

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

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