Correction in Wednesday’s News Edition
Name incorrect, here is correction (edition updated)

Enrico Mazza was hired as Senior Equipment Finance Representative, M&T Bank, West Chester, Pennsylvania.  Previously, he was Territory Manger, Wells Fargo (September, 2014 - April, 2022); Account Manager, De Lage Landen, November, 2003 - March, 2014); Risk Manager, GE Capital (1998 - 2003).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/enrico-mazza-a86360b

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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Ben Carapezzi was hired as Managing Director, Utica Equipment Finance, Norwalk, Connecticut. He is based in the New York City Metropolitan Area. Previously, he was Director of Originations, Stonebriar Commercial Finance (June, 2021 - August, 2022); Managing Partner, Agrius Capital Partners, LLC. (June, 2019 - May, 2021); Vice President, SLR Equipment Finance (June, 2015 - June, 2019).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/equipmentloans/

Dan Gannon was hired as Vice President of Lease Sales at Data Sales Co., Greater Minneapolis - St. Paul Area. He joined the company May, 1993, Senior Director Lease Sales.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcgannon/

Robert Mercogliano was hired as Senior Vice President and Head of Asset Management, PEAC Solutions, Philadelphia; Pennsylvania. He is located in Atlanta, Georgia.  Previously, he was Strategic Account Manager, Financial Services, bidadoo, Online Auctions and Equipment Remarketing (September, 2020 - August, 2022); Managing Director and Head of Asset Management, SunTrust Equipment Finance and Leasing (January, 2014 - August, 2020); Vice President, Global Head of Asset Management PSF-IC&I, Siemens (1996- January, 2014); Asset Manager, CIT (1995 - 1996); Director, Asset Management, Bell Atlantic Tricon (1985 - 1995).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertmercogliano/

Clifton Shiuh Jiun Cheng was promoted to Underwriting Team Lead, Enova International, South Jordan, Utah. He joined the company February, 2022, Senior Underwriter Associate. Previously he was at OnDeck, starting January, 2016, Credit Analyst, promoted September, 2017, Underwriter; Financial Analyst, Intelsat (November, 2015). https://www.linkedin.com/in/clifton-shiuh-jiun-cheng-14749069/

Cecile Latouche hired as Executive Vice President of Credit and Risk Management, 36th Street Capital, Morristown, New Jersey.  He is located in New York, New York. Previously, he was Principal at Atalaya Capital Management (September, 2020 - Present); SVP, Senior Segment Credit Officer, Equipment Finance, Sterling National bank (December, 2019 - September, 2020); SVP, Credit and Risk Director, Sumitoma Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Limited (January, 2018 - December, 2019; Director, Societe Generale Equipment Finance, SGEF (January, 2008 - December, 2019). https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecile-latouche-455691/

 

Help Wanted Ads

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ELFA Announces Meridian OneCap Credit Corp.
Winner of 2022 Operations and Technology Excellence Award

Washington, D.C. — The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA)  announced that Meridian OneCap Credit Corp. is the recipient of the 2022 Operations and Technology Excellence Award. Their award-winning project will be showcased during ELFA’s Operations and Technology Conference, Sept. 12-14 in New Orleans.

Meridian OneCap Credit Corp. is recognized for Project BOOST, a multi-year program comprised of initiatives and system releases that included a new data mart, process mapping and the redesign of critical business processes. These changes drove an operational transformation and modernized how OneCap employees work. 

Hugh Swandel, President of Meridian OneCap Credit Corp., commented, ““This award is a testament to the incredible commitment of our employees,” Swandel said. “Our organization has experienced rapid growth while undertaking an operations and technology transformation project. The effort required to handle this growth while managing monumental change has been amazing.

“Automating workflows, reducing manual processes and enhancing online capabilities for OneCap customers has resulted in improved systems functionality, service efficiency and the capacity for innovation at OneCap”

Michael LaPierre, Project Leader and Meridian OneCap Vice President of Operations & Finance, added, “The drive to exceed customer expectations for service and turn-around times.”

ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta, said, “For more than two decades, ELFA’s Operations & Technology Excellence Award has recognized exceptional solutions that address the business challenges equipment finance organizations face.

 “We applaud all of this year's award applicants for their noteworthy achievements, and we are honored to recognize Meridian OneCap Credit Corp. as the winner.”

About the Award
The Operations and Technology Excellence Award recognizes equipment finance companies that have demonstrated best practices in developing and implementing innovative uses of technology or creative business processes to improve operations, enhance customer interactions, enter new markets or build overall ROI. The program brings the backroom to the foreground, spotlighting the best in the industry as an example for others. More information about the award and a list of previous winners are available at www.elfaonline.org/about/awards/OTE. 

 

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Element Reports Fourth Quarter Profits
Net Income $169.9M compared to $39.4M 2Q 2021

Element Fleet reported Second quarter net revenue grew 22.4% over last year and 10.5% from last quarter to $288.1 million, Element’s highest quarterly revenue on record.

Element Fleet returned $212.1 million cash to shareholders in the quarter through dividends and buybacks of (i) common shares under the Company’s NCIB and (ii) its Series I preferred shares in their entirety at quarter-end

Jay Forbes, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company said, “By delivering consistent, superior service to our clients while helping them navigate the challenges of this uncertain economic environment, Element produced record results in the second quarter and first half of this year.

 "From the early days of transformation to our current pursuit of organic growth, our strategy has always been focused on our clients, anticipating and exceeding their needs and expectations.

“In 2022, this client-centric approach has seen our team of fleet experts assisting clients adapt to a convergence of factors - inflation, rising interest rates, supply chain disruptions and the lingering impacts of the pandemic - keeping their fleets and their drivers safe and productive. Our success in doing so is evidenced in our first half results and updated guidance for 2022.”

Full Press Release:
https://www.elementfleet.com/news/news-releases/element-reports-record-quarter-raises-2022-guidance

Mobile Banking Is Now the Primary Delivery Channel
By John Ginovsky, The Financial Brand

New data reveals that Mobile banking has moved well ahead as consumers' primary banking channel for everyday functions. That makes it increasingly important for financial institutions to ratchet up their apps' functions — including adding real-time connections with banking representatives.

For the first time, mobile banking outpolled online banking as customers’ primary banking channel, at least for the most basic banking functions.

Mobile Banking Definition:
https://www.bankofamerica.com/online-banking/mobile-and-online-banking-features/overview/ 

 

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New Vehicle Prices Break Record as Supply Rises
Most Dealers Selling Above Mfg. Suggested Retail Price

The Kelley Blue Book new-vehicle ATP increased to $48,182 in July 2022, beating the previous high of $48,043 set last month. July prices rose 0.3% ($139) from June and 11.9% ($5,126) from July 2021.

The average price paid for a new vehicle in the U.S. in July topped June’s record and kept the average transaction price (ATP) solidly above the $48,000 mark, according to new data released Aug. 10 by Kelley Blue Book.

The Kelley Blue Book new-vehicle ATP increased to $48,182 in July 2022, beating the previous high of $48,043 set last month. July prices rose 0.3% ($139) from June and 11.9% ($5,126) from July 2021.

Surprisingly, days’ supply at the end of July was 27% higher than in 2021 when inventory shortages first started to affect the market, demand was even higher, and days’ supply dropped into the 20s. Still, with about 1.1 million units in inventory in the U.S., new-vehicle inventory remains far below levels seen in 2020 and 2019.

Rebecca Rydzewski, Research Manager of Economic and Industry Insights for Cox Automotive, said: “It’s still a sellers’ market!

“New-vehicle inventory levels are better than a year ago, but remain historically low, and that’s keeping new-vehicle prices elevated. Still, although average prices are at a record, there are affordable vehicles out there. Compact cars and SUVs and subcompact models typically transact for 30% to 40% below the industry average.”

The average price paid for a new non-luxury vehicle last month was $44,431, up $363 from June 2022, and a new record for non-luxury vehicles, beating out the high set the prior month. Car shoppers in the non-luxury segment paid on average $875 above sticker price, a decrease from the prior month. Still, shoppers are paying more than they did compared to a year ago in July 2021 when they paid 0.8% below MSRP.

The average price paid for a new electric vehicle (EV) dropped in July by 2.3% compared to June but increased by 18.8% versus a year ago. The average price for a new electric vehicle – over $66,000, according to Kelley Blue Book estimates – remains well above the industry average and more aligned with luxury prices versus mainstream prices.

Incentives increased slightly in July versus June, but remain low, at only 2.4% of the average transaction price. A year ago, incentives averaged 5.9% of ATP. Full-size cars and luxury cars had the highest incentives in July, while high-performance cars, full-size luxury SUVs, and electric vehicles had the lowest.

Source: KBB / Cox Automotive

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Watch at Home:
by Fernando Croce

Beloved to science-fiction buffs for the strength and poise she brought to her role as Lieutenant Uhura in the original “Star Trek,” Nichelle Nichols (1932-2022) also made use of her iconic status in real life, working with NASA in programs encouraging women and people of color. So check out our list for her most notable roles, both with and outside of the show.

Porgy and Bess (1959): Before “Star Trek,” Nichols made her film debut in this splashy screen adaptation of the stage musical by George and Ira Gershwin, where she got the chance to dance with Sammy Davis Jr. Set in a Black fishing community in South Carolina during the early 1900s, the movie follows the ups and downs of the eponymous characters—Porgy (Sidney Poitier), a crippled scrounger who falls in love with Bess (Dorothy Dandridge), a beautiful but drug-addicted woman who lives with the brutal Crown (Brock Peters). When Crown goes on the run from the law, Bess moves in with Porgy and the two begin falling in love. Their fragile domestic refuge is threatened by its sordid surroundings, especially slick con-man Sportin’ Life (Davis). Songs include the sultry “Summertime.”

Truck Turner (1974): In between the end of the original “Star Trek” series and the big-screen reboot, Nichols made a flashy appearance in this enjoyable crimethriller, cast against type as a villainess. “Truck” Turner (Isaac Hayes) is a tough bounty hunter whose specialty is tracking down underworld figures. When a pimp named Gator (Paul Harris) is killed during Turner’s latest assignment, Gator’s ferocious lover Dorinda (Nichols) swears revenge. With a reward posted on his head, Turner finds himself turned from hunter to hunted, specially when vicious kingpin Harvard Blue (Yaphet Kotto) gets involved. Directed with plenty of brio by Jonathan Kaplan (“The Accused”), the movie is vivid fun, combining a gallery of colorful supporting characters with fast, violent action and candid snapshots of Los Angeles in the Seventies.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979): The original cast are all aboard the Enterprise in the blockbuster first film of the series, directed by veteran stalwart Robert Wise (“The Sound of Music”). Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) is summoned by the Federation to investigate a mysterious cosmic anomaly that’s on a collision course with Earth. Together with Spock (Leonard Nimoy), “Bones” McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Uhura (Nichols) and all the others, he discovers an alien cloud that can attack those near it. What follows is a close encounter with new life forms that mix time and space, during which the navigator, Ilia (Persis Khambatta), is abducted. The series’ philosophical (and often provocative) themes are enhanced with top-of-the-line production and special-effects, making for a sturdy launchpad for the movie series.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982): Widely considered by fans to be the best “Star Trek” movie, this is a ripping space adventure. A plan by the Federation to try a life-creating device named Genesis on a barren planet goes awry when a vessel is captured by the renegade Khan (Ricardo Montalban). Seizing the valuable experiment, Khan uses it as a way to get revenge on an old foe—none other than Kirk (William Shatner) himself. Though not short on action, the film is specially beloved for its explorations of character (including Kirk’s discovery of a son), Montalban’s bravura performance, and concepts of life and death, with a memorably poignant conclusion shared with Spock (Leonard Nimoy). Nichols joins regulars DeForest Kelley and George Takei and newcomer Kristie Alley.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984): Leonard Nimoy steps behind the camera as director of this stirring installment, which picks up where “Revenge of Khan” left off. With his longtime friend Spock apparently gone and the USS Enterprise headed to the space junkyard, Adm. Kirk (William Shatner) finds himself at a loss. When Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) begins a mysterious voyage to the planet Genesis, however, the chance of a new beginning is threatened by marauding Klingons led by the brutish Kluge (Christopher Lloyd). Bringing a sense of spirituality to the saga, the film satisfyingly mixes sci-fi intrigue with emotional stakes. Nichols’ Uhura is at hand, along with Sulu (George Takei), Scotty (James Doohan) and Chekhov (Walter Koenig). Judith Anderson has a memorable cameo as a Vulcan high priestess.

Australian Shepherd/Labrador Retriever
West Chester, Pennsylvania  Adopt-a-Dog

Molly

Female
Three Months Old
Tricolor (Tan/Brown
& Black & White)
Shots Current
Good with Kids
Good with Dogs

These beautiful puppies (Molly & Watson) have great temperaments. They are affectionate, kind, full of personality and all the funny silly things puppies do! They are medium energy pups and are very engaged with people, typical of the herding breed. Mom was the Aussie (Mixed) part and dad is thought to be a lab mix. Puppies usually follow the size of the mother. Best guess the puppies should mature to be around 40-50 lbs. The puppies come with a health record to confirm optimum health and are up to date on shots and worming. They can be seen and picked-up by appointment. Serious inquiries only. $450. I prioritize contacting folks who complete an application, that will help get the fastest response. http://www.adopt-a-puppy-now.com/adoption-application.html 910 603-5283 (No texting please) **I will be in the Chadds Ford PA area soon to adopt out the puppies. If you have an interest and or questions about a puppy please contact me ASAP via 910 603-5283. You will need to complete & submit an application to be considered for adopting a puppy.

Adopt-a-Puppy Now, PA
West Chester, PA 1938
adoptopapuppy@gmail.com
http://www.adopt-a-puppy-now.com/Availablepuppies.html

Please complete the adoption application and submit it.
http://www.adopt-a-puppy-now.com/adoption-application.html

Adoption application must be filled out.(on my website) I must speak with the potential adopter Puppies are $450+$100 for transport: $550 total http://www.adopt-a-puppy-now.com/availablepuppies.htm

About Adopt-a-Pet.com
https://www.adoptapet.com/public/about_us/

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News Briefs---

US wholesale inflation fell in July
    for 1st time in 2 years
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/industrynews/us-wholesale-inflation-fell-in-july-for-1st-time-in-2-years/

Carloads, Intermodal Down Through Week 31
  Railroad Age
https://www.railwayage.com/freight/class-i/carloads-intermodal-down-through-week-31/?RAchannel=news

Russians lining up to snag H&M clothes,
    IKEA furniture as stores close over Ukraine war
https://nypost.com/2022/08/10/russians-buy-last-goods-from-hm-ikea-as-stores-wind-down/

Missouri to invest $100 million in electric vehicle
    charging stations
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/missouri-to-invest-100-million-in-electric-vehicle-charging-stations/article_af5eeb86-614d-557a-bef1-536c24495344.html

The Perfect Professional Headshot Is Worth $1,000, and Maybe Even a Job
    Professionals pursuing that ‘just right’ look for LinkedIn profiles and résumés
https://www.wsj.com/articles/perfect-linkedin-profile-headshot-photo-is-worth-1-000-and-a-job-11660160047?st=0wqoj5zthydjctu&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

 

 

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You May Have Missed---

The corporate minimum tax could hit
     these ultra-profitable companies
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/08/11/minimum-corporate-tax/

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Sports Briefs---

Bill Oram: Oregon’s president exits, leaving Ducks
     with big hole in realignment talks
https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2022/08/bill-oram-oregons-president-exits-leaving-ducks-with-big-hole-in-realignment-talks.html

Trey Lance’s best practice of training camp
      hinted at bigger things to come
https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/08/09/kurtenbach-trey-lances-best-practice-of-training-camp-hinted-at-bigger-things-to-come/

California legislative leadership opposes Prop 27,
    an online sports betting ballot measure
https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/08/11/california-legislative-leadership-opposes-prop-27-an-online-sports-betting-ballot-measure/

'Right thing to do': Roger Goodell explains why NFL
     appealed Deshaun Watson's suspension
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/browns/2022/08/09/nfl-appeals-deshaun-watson-suspension-roger-goodell-explanation/10282730002/

49ers' Kyle Shanahan 'upset' with NFL
    over bizarre hat rules
https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-kyle-shanahan-upset-nfl-193412101.html

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California Nuts Briefs---

Walgreens fueled San Francisco’s opioid crisis
    with thousands of ‘suspicious orders,’ judge rules
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-10/walgreens-helped-fuel-san-franciscos-opioid-crisis-judge-rules?utm_id=63764&sfmc_id=1646692

With California expected to lose 10% of its water
    within 20 years, Newsom calls for urgent action
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2022-08-11/newsom-outlines-sweeping-strategy-to-bolster-water-supplies

All California students can get free meals at school.
    Here’s what the new program does
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article264414846.html

See drone video of new Sacramento County Pallet
   sleeping cabin site to house 125 Homeless People
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/homeless/article264387121.html

UC admits record number of Californians
    and far fewer out-of-state students
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-10/uc-admits-record-number-of-california-first-year-students-narrows-entry-to-nonresidents?utm_id=63735&sfmc_id=1646692

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"Gimme that wine"

Team work makes this family’s dream work
      in the Mendocino, Ca. wine game
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/news/team-work-makes-this-familys-dream-work-in-the-mendocino-wine-game/

2 Sonoma County Wineries Named Among 10 Best in the US
https://www.sonomamag.com/2-sonoma-county-wineries-named-among-10-best-in-the-us/

Victory for Treasury Wines in Chinese court
    over alleged copycat brand
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/companies/victory-for-treasury-wines-in-chinese-court-over-alleged-copycat-brand-20220810-p5b8ny.html

For the Best Deals on Wine, Check Your Email
https://www.wsj.com/articles/best-deals-on-wine-newsletters-11660245608?mod=hp_listc_pos3

“Gimme that Wine”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8

Free Wine App
https://www.nataliemaclean.com/mobileapp/

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

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

This Day in History

     1492 – Columbus arrived in the Canary Islands on his first voyage to the New World. 
    1508 - Ponce de Leon arrived in Puerto Rico. Spain had appointed him to colonize Puerto Rico. He explored Puerto Rico and Spanish ships under his command began to capture Bahamanian Tainos to work as slaves on Hispaniola. His settlement at Caparra, 2 miles south of San Juan Bay, was plagued by Taino Indians and cannibalistic Carib Indians. 
    1553 - Pope Julius III orders confiscation and burning of the Talmud. Religious prosecution of Jews in Europe becomes prevalent for the next two centuries, as many then migrated to the United States to escape growing religious prosecution. 
    1585 - The first letters written in English in America were the four letters of Ralph Lane, the first commander of Raleigh's first colony at Roanoke Island, NC, Porte Ferdynando. 
http://www.britannia.com/bios/rlane.html 
Here is Lane's Report from his letters: 
http://www.nationalcenter.org/ColonyofRoanoke.html 
    1658 – The first police force in the colonies was established in New Amsterdam.
    1676 - King Phillip’s War (1675-1676) ended when the Wampanoag leader was surprised and shot by an Indian in the service of Captain Benjamin Church near Mt. Hope, Rhode Island. King Phillip was the son of the chief of the Wampanog tribe. The conflict had grown to include the Wampanoag, Nipmuck, Narragansett, Mohegan, and Podunk tribes and ended with their virtual destruction, opening southern New England to unimpeded colonial expansion. 
    1778 - A Rhode Island hurricane prevented an impending British-French sea battle, and caused extensive damage over southeast New England. 
    1833 - Chicago incorporates as a village of about 350 
http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/timeline/originame.html 
    1833 - Birthday of Lillie Devereux Blake (1833-1913) in Raleigh, NC.  U.S. writer and suffrage activist. Widowed, she turned to writing to support herself. Prolific, she used a dozen pseudonyms as she churned out newspaper and magazine articles and novels. She was a main contributor to Elizabeth Cady Stanton's “Woman's Bible” that may be found in WOAH's library - http://www.undelete.org/library/library0041.html.  See some quotes below in Quotes du Jour. She led successful campaigns to have women matrons or physicians on duty at public institutions and police stations where it was customary to have males supervise jailed women in ALL aspects of their lives, often alone. The women had no way to object to any kind of treatment by the male guards, including rape or beatings. She also was successful in having wives declared joint guardians of minor children in New York State, a provision that soon spread to other states. Up to the late 1890s, despite propaganda today by ultra-conservative forces, men had SOLE custody of his children and the mother had NO rights. 
    1835 - The City of Canaan, NH votes to remove the Noyes Academy (black school) from their city and a group attacks it, breaking windows, and threatening to tear down the building. The building survives, Blacks leave, according to many diary accounts, and a year later, after it is repaired at city expense, it burns down, according to one report. 
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~townsend/HoC/HoC272.html 
    1834 - Dental amalgam for filing teeth was introduced by Messrs. Carcour and Sons, who first started advertising in the New York Commercial Advertiser, as "Royal Mineral Succadaneum for filling decayed teeth without the slightest pain, heat or pressure."  They paid little attention to decay of the tooth and filled all cavities without first removing decay. Their work was unsatisfactory and they were obliged to flee the country. 
    1851 - Isaac Merritt Singer (1811-75) developed the sewing machine for use in homes and received a patent for a rocking treadle or double treadle. He used a treadle similar to that employed in old spinning wheels and attached it by means of a pitman to the handle on the driving gear of the machine.
    1851 – In the first America’s Cup yacht race, the U.S. schooner America beat the British yacht Aurora. 
    1856 – Diamond Jim Brady (1856-1917) was born James Buchanan Brady in NYC.  At 23, Brady parlayed his knowledge of the rail transport industry and its officials to become a highly successful salesman for a railroad supply company. Known for his penchant for jewels, especially diamonds, he collected precious stones and jewelry in excess of US$ 2 million (equivalent to approximately $56,696,000 in 2015 dollars). He was known for being the first person in New York City to own an automobile, in 1895. 
    1858 - William and Ellen Demorest of New York devised paper sewing patterns, publishing them in magazine. They cut apart stylish dresses and recreated them in tissue-paper versions packaged in large envelopes, which they sold mainly by mail order. Their company was notable in its time for being run jointly by a married couple and for employing African-Americans and whites equally. The business was eventually eclipsed by e. Butterick and Company of New York City, bounded in 1867 by Ebenezer and Eleanor Butterick of Sterling MA, who had received a patent for paper sewing patterns. In 1866, Excelsior Needle of Wolcottville, CT, organized with $20,000 of capital, sped the sale of sewing machines with a means of making uniform sewing needles at a very low cost rather than the crude needles previously made. Singer at this time started lay-away plans, trade-in plans, leasing of sewing machines for clothing manufacturers (seasonal and long term), and in 1876 introduced the first sewing machine lamp holder. IT "quite obviated the difficulty experienced by operators when sewing at night" because the lamp would not" jar off the table or upset" and it could "be moved without soiling the fingers (patented by Ludwig Martin Nicolaus Wolf of Avon, CT). In 1889, the first electric sewing machine was manufactured by the Singer Manufacturing Company at its factory in Elizabethport, NJ. 
    1859 - Birthday of Katherine Lee Bates (1859-1929) in Falmouth, MA. American English teacher. She published over 20 books, but is best remembered today for writing the patriotic hymn, "America, the Beautiful" (a.k.a. "O Beautiful for Spacious Skies"). 
    1862 – Confederate Gen. John Hunt Morgan and his raiders capture Gallatin, TX. 
    1863 - Confederate raider William Quantrill led a massacre of 150 men and boys in Lawrence, Kansas. Quantrill's last ride. 
    1867 - President Andrew Johnson sparked a move to impeach him as he defied Congress by suspending Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. 
    1867 - Birthday of Edith Hamilton (1867-1963) in Dresden, Germany.  U.S. classicist, author and authority on ancient Greece and mythology. She was headmistress of Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore (founded by Mary E. Garrett and M. Carey Thomas). She remained headmistress for 26 years until what has been termed a "disagreement" with Thomas in 1922. In her retirement, she was able to devote herself to her classical studies and writing and a second career that has made her a popular writer even today.  At age 90, she was made an honorary citizen of Athens in recognition of her scholarly writings. She started “The Greek Way” (1930) and published a series of astoundingly easy to read yet scholarly books including the ever-popular “Mythology” (1942) that is still in print. Her other books are “The Roman Way” (1932), “The Prophets of Israel” (1936), “Three Greek Plays, translations from Aeschylus and Euripides” (1937), “Mythology” (1942), “Witness to the Truth: Christ and His Interpreters” (1949), “The Great Age of Greek Literature (an expansion of The Greek Way” (1943), “Spokesmen for God (an expansion of The Prophets of Israel” (1949), and “The Echo of Greece” (1957). In 1922, she began living with Doris Field Reid for the rest of her life, "staying home to keep house" and write while Reid continued as a noted investment banker. The couple bought a summer home on Mount Desert Island and later moved to New York City from Baltimore when Reid received the opportunity to go with a noted Wall Street firm. Hamilton later followed Reid to Washington when Reid was made head of the firm's offices there.
    1877 - Thomas Edison completes his first model of a phonographic player. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/aug12.html 
    1880 - Birthday of famed American baseball player Christopher (Christy) Mathewson (1880-1925), one of the players named to Baseball Hall of Fame’s inaugural class. Born at Factoryville, PA, he was a college graduate, and considered one of baseball's first clean-cut stars. He pitched three complete game shutouts during the 1905 World Series. In 17 years, he won 373 games while losing 188 and striking out 2,499 players.  He played his entire career with the New York Giants. He was among the most dominant pitchers of his (or any) era and ranks in the all-time top-10 in major pitching categories including wins, shutouts, and ERA. In fact, he is the only pitcher in MLB history to rank in the top ten both in career wins and in career ERA.  Mathewson served in the US Army’s Chemical Warfare Service in World War I, and was accidentally exposed to chemical weapons during training; his respiratory system weakened from the exposure, he contracted TB and subsequently died of the disease
    1881 - Birthday of Cecil B. DeMille (1881-1959), film pioneer, born at Ashfield, MA. Cecil Blount De Mille was a film showman extraordinaire known for lavish screen spectacles.  He produced more than 70 major films which were noted more for their large scale than for the subtle artistry. He produced one of the earliest four-reel films, "The Squaw Man," in 1913, which boasted the first use of indoor lighting on an actor and was the first film to publicize the names of its stars. His other innovations included the sneak preview and the idea of producing different versions of a popular film. His films include, "The Crusades," "The Sign of the Cross," "King of Kings," "Cleopatra," "The Plainsman," "The Buccaneer," "Reap the Wild Wind" and "The Ten Commandments," which was made in 1923 and then in a new version in 1956. DeMille was awarded an Oscar for "The Greatest Show on Earth" in 1953. 
    1892 - The Baltimore Orioles removed outfield posts‚ around which ropes holding back overflow crowds would be wrapped‚ after a batted fair ball struck a post and bounced back toward the infield‚ forcing the batter to stop at second base. Another factor in the decision is an incident three days earlier in which the Oriole RF missed a sure catch when he ran into a post. 
    1896 – Hall of Famer Nap Lajoie who batted .429 in the minors, made his Major League debut for the Philadelphia Phillies going 1-for-5 in a 9-0 win over Washington.
    1896 – Gold was discovered in Dawson, Yukon Territory.  Some 30,000 miners swarmed to the Yukon and many eventually found their way to Alaska and discovered gold there as well.
    1898 - The first island territory annexed by the federal government was the Hawaiian Islands. The treaty was signed on June 16, 1867, by John Sherman, secretary of state. A joint congressional resolution to provide for annexation was passed on July 7, 1898 and were formally annexed this day, to become known after their largest island, Hawai’i.  The flag of Hawai’i was lowered from ‘Iolani Palace in an elaborate annexation ceremony and replaced with the US flag to signify the transfer of sovereignty from the Republic of Hawai’i to the US. 
http://www.uwec.edu/Academic/curric/greidebe/Indigenous/
Student.Web.Pages/Hawaii/HISTORY%20II.htm 
    1898 - The brief and one-sided Spanish-American War comes to an end when Spain formally agrees to a peace protocol on U.S. terms: the cession of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Manila in the Philippines to the United States pending a final peace treaty. 
    1910 – Jane Wyatt (1910-2006) was born in Mahwah, NJ.  She starred in a number of Hollywood films, but is best known for her role as the wife and mother on the television comedy series, “Father Knows Best,” and as Amanda Grayson, the human mother of Spock on “Star Trek.” Wyatt was a three-time Emmy Award-winner. 
    1912 - Three men attacked Ty Cobb on his way to the Detroit rail station. Cobb sustained a cut on his shoulder, but he caught one of his attackers and pistol-whipped him. Cobb then traveled to Syracuse where he got two hits in an exhibition game. 
    1915 - "Of Human Bondage," by William Somerset Maugham, published 
    1918 – Sid Bernstein (1918-2013) was born in NYC.  Bernstein changed the American music scene in the 1960s by bringing The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Herman’s hermits, The Moody Blues, and The Kinks to America. He was the first impresario to organize rock concerts at sports stadiums, first at Shea Stadium for the Beatles first US appearance, and later at Madison Square Garden.
    1923 - Victor Cine Camera introduced the first portable movie camera. It weighed five pounds and cost $55. Today it was first advertised and Charlie Chaplin was one of the first customers. 
    1927 – “Wings” the only silent film to win an Oscar, opened.
    1929 - Birthday of Alvis Edgar "Buck" Owens (1929-2006), singer and songwriter, Sherman, TX. 
    1930 – Progressive George Soros, the 30th richest man in the world, was born in Hungary.
    1933 - The temperature at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley, CA, hit 127 degrees to establish a U.S. record for the month of August. 
    1934 – The Babe played his final game at Fenway Park, where it all began.  Nearly 42,000 fans jammed the park, whose stated capacity is approximately 37,000, to pay their respects to their former hero.  
    1936 - The temperature at Seymour, TX hit 120 degrees to establish a state record. 
    1947 - Top Hits 
“Peg o' My Heart” - The Harmonicats 
“I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder” - Eddy Howard 
“Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba” - Perry Como 
“Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)” - Tex Williams 
    1950 - The New York Giants defeated the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League, 27-6, in an exhibition game played at Ottawa. The Giants thus became the first NFL team to play outside the US. 
    1950 – Bloody Gulch Massacre:  75 American POWs were massacred by the N. Korean Army.   
    1951 - The New York Giants (59-51) started the day 13 games behind first place Brooklyn (70-36). They swept the Phillies in a doubleheader to launch a 16-game win streak and a spurt of 39 wins in 47 games. They wound up tied with the Dodgers for first, won the playoff on Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” and lost to the Yankees in the World Series.
    1953 – Yankees P Whitey Ford had 4 hits in a 22-1 win over the Philadelphia A’s.  Yogi Berra and Billy Martin each had 5 hits and Hank Bauer scored 5 runs. 
    1955 - The US Government set the first minimum hourly wage of one dollar. It was set at $3.10 effective January 1, 1980, and at $4.25 effective April, 1991. 
    1955 - During the second week of August, Hurricanes Connie and Diane produced as much as 19 inches of rain in the northeastern U.S., forcing rivers from Virginia to Massachusetts into a high flood. Westfield, MA was deluged with 18.15 inches of rain in 24 hours, and at Woonsocket, RI the Blackstone River swelled from seventy feet in width to a mile and a half. Connecticut and the Delaware Valley were hardest hit. Total damage in New England was $800 million and flooding claimed 187 lives. 
    1955 - Top Hits 
“Rock Around the Clock” - Bill Haley & His Comets 
“Ain't that a Shame” - Fats Domino 
“Learnin' the Blues” - Frank Sinatra 
“I Don't Care” - Webb Pierce 
    1958 – Art Kane photographed 57 notable jazz musicians in the black and white group portrait "A Great Day in Harlem" in front of a brownstone in New York City. 
    1959 - Little Rock, Arkansas responded to a Federal Court order with the token integration of two public schools (six blacks were admitted).  White mobs protested and there was major confrontation. Ironically, today there is a placard celebrating the history of this "event." 
    1959 - Bobby Darin signed his first movie contract, a million-dollar, six-year, six-picture deal with Paramount Studios. He would go on to secure a nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1962. 
    1960 - The first communications satellite was Echo 1, a 26.5-inch magnesium sphere launched by a Thor-Delta rocket at 5:30am from Cape Canaveral, FL. The satellite went into orbit at 7:45am after the three stages of the rocket had been fired successfully. A tape message was transmitted from Goldstone, CA, bounced off the satellite, and received by the Bell Laboratories at Holmdel, NJ. This eventually revolutionized the communication industry from radio and television news, miniature portable telephones, Internet and geographic location at extremely low costs and very high efficiencies. 
    1963 - Top Hits 
“Fingertips - Pt 2” - Little Stevie Wonder 
“Wipe Out” - The Surfaris (The “A” side was “Surfer Joe.”
“(You're the) Devil in Disguise” - Elvis Presley 
“Ring of Fire” - Johnny Cash 
    1963 - The Four Seasons sued their struggling first label, Vee Jay, for non-payment of royalties and moved to Mercury/Philips Records. This would be the first of a long line of incidents that would doom the label. 
    1963 – Hall of Famer Stan Musial announced his retirement at season’s end.
    1964 - Race riot in Elizabeth, NJ. 
    1964 – For the 10th time in his career, then a record, Mickey Mantle hit HRs from both sides of the plate.  One traveled 502 feet.
    1965 - Race riot in West Side of Chicago, IL. 
    1966 - Longview, TX radio station KLUE-AM organized the first of the "Beatles bonfires," where ex-Beatle fans burned the groups' records in protest of John Lennon's recent "bigger than Jesus" comment. KLUE's radio tower was struck the next morning by lightning, throwing the station off the air. Meanwhile, Cleveland's Reverend Thurman H. Babbs, of the New Haven Baptist Church, calls for the excommunication of all Beatles fans. 
    1967 - A planned Joan Baez concert at Washington DC's Constitution Hall was canceled after the Daughters of the American Revolution protested her recent anti-war remarks concerning Vietnam. 
    1968 - WORLEY, KENNETH L., Medal of Honor. 
Rank and organization: Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place and date: Bo Ban, Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, 12 August 1968. Entered service at: Fresno, Calif. Born: 27 April 1948, Farmington, N. Mex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machine gunner with Company L, 3d Battalion, in action against enemy forces. After establishing a night ambush position in a house in the Bo Ban, Hamlet of Quang Nam Province, security was set up and the remainder of the patrol members retired until their respective watch. During the early morning hours the marines were abruptly awakened by the platoon leader's warning that "grenades" had landed in the house. Fully realizing the inevitable result of his actions, L/Cpl. Worley, in a valiant act of heroism, instantly threw himself upon the grenade nearest him and his comrades, absorbing with his body, the full and tremendous force of the explosion. Through his extraordinary initiative and inspiring valor in the face of almost certain death, he saved his comrades from serious injury and possible loss of life although 5 of his fellow marines incurred minor wounds as the other grenades exploded. L/Cpl. Worley's gallant actions upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country. 
    1969 - The Boston Celtics NBA championship basketball team was sold for $6,000,000; the highest dollar figure ever paid, to that time, for a pro basketball team. 
    1969 - Chuck Berry, Jethro Tull, Chicago Transit Authority, The Youngbloods and The Loading Zone @ San Francisco Fillmore West. 
    1970 - The Hollywood Bowl holds a memorial concert for recently deceased folk legend Woody Guthrie, featuring (among others) Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, Pete Seeger, Odetta, and Tom Paxton. 
    1970 – Curt Flood lost his $41 million suit against Major League Baseball.  Flood became one of the pivotal figures in the baseball’s labor history when he refused to accept a trade following the 1969 season, ultimately appealing his case to the Supreme Court. Although his legal challenge was unsuccessful, it brought about additional solidarity among players as they fought against baseball's reserve clause and sought free agency, now commonplace.
    1971 - Birthday of tennis player Pete Sampras, Washington, DC. 
    1971 - Top Hits 
“How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” - The Bee Gees 
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” - John Denver 
“Beginnings/Color My World” - Chicago 
“I'm Just Me” - Charley Pride 
    1972 - The last United States ground combat forces in Vietnam were withdrawn. 
    1973 - Golfer Jack Nicklaus won his 14th major golf title, breaking a record held for nearly 50 years by Bobby Jones. Nicklaus won the PGA Championship for the third time.  Nicklaus finished his career with 18 major championships, still the best.
    1974 – New York Yankee teammates Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, the first teammates to be so honored simultaneously.
    1975 - Marking his first real appearance on the national radar, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed the first of five sold-out shows at New York's Bottom Line. 
    1978 - The Commodores have their first US number one single with "Three Times a Lady". Lionel Richie would later explain that he wrote the song after hearing his father give a touching speech at his 37th anniversary party. 
    1979 - Top Hits 
“Bad Girls” - Donna Summer 
“Good Times” - Chic 
“The Main Event/Fight” - Barbra Streisand 
“Suspicions” - Eddie Rabbitt 
    1980 - Songwriter, producer, and artist Todd Rundgren, his female companion, and three others were victims of a home invasion at his house in Woodstock, NY, bound and gagged by four masked intruders who stole art, stereo equipment, and recording equipment. One of the criminals hummed Todd's 1972 hit "I Saw the Light" to himself as the robbery takes place. 
    1981 - IBM (International Business Machines) introduced the Model 5150 PC (personal computer). The IBM PC ran on the Intel 8088 microprocessor at 4.77 MHz with one or two 160K floppy disk drives. It had 16 kilobytes of memory, expandable to 256k, five 8-bit ISA slots, a 65-watt power supply, no built-in clock, no built-in serial or parallel ports, and no built-in video capability -- it was available with an optional color monitor. MS-DOS 1.0/1.1 was issued with the PC (IBM later released its own operating system: PC-DOS). Prices started at $1,565. The IBM PC was a smashing success and IBM quickly became the #1 microcomputer company, with Apple dropping to #2, primarily because it was one-third the cost and available at Sears-Roebuck and many other retail stores, plus direct from IBM with a lease-finance plan both for consumers and business, including many start-ups (it followed their typewriter leasing-finance plan with maintenance available). 
    1982 – Mexico announced that it is unable to pay its enormous external debt, marking the beginning of a debt crisis that spreads to all of Latin America and the Third World.  Citi’s then CEO, Walter Wriston, a holder of a considerable amount of this debt, once declared them to be the safest investment because “countries don’t go bankrupt.”
    1982 - The Minnesota Vikings, who for years used to the frozen tundra of Minneapolis's Metropolitan Stadium as a significant home-field advantage, made their debut in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. They beat the Seattle Seahawks in a preseason game. 
    1987 - Top Hits 
“I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For” - U2 
“I Want Your Sex” - George Michael 
“Heart and Soul” - T'Pau 
“One Promise Too Late” - Reba McEntire 
    1988 - The Red Sox beat the Tigers 9-4 for their 23rd consecutive win at Fenway Park establishing a new Major League record [the streak will end after one more home victory]. The 1931 Philadelphia Athletics had previously set the league mark with 22 straight home victories. 
    1988 - Fifteen cities in the northeastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Youngstown, OH reported twenty-six days of 90 degree weather for the year, a total equal to that for the entire decade of the 1970s. 
    1990 – Sue, the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton found to date, was discovered by Sue Hendrickson at the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota.  It has a length of 42 ft., stands 13 ft. tall at the hips, and was estimated to have weighed more than 6.4 metric tons when alive. After ownership disputes were settled, she was auctioned in October 1997 for US $7.6 million, the highest amount ever paid for a dinosaur fossil.  It is now a permanent feature at the Filed Museum of Natural History in Chicago.
    1992 - The United States, Mexico and Canada agreed to form a free-trade zone that would rank as the world's largest single trading bloc.  Known as NAFTA, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce credits NAFTA with increasing U.S. trade in goods and services with Canada and Mexico from $337 billion in 1993 to $1.2 trillion in 2011, while the AFL-CIO blames the agreement for sending 700,000 American manufacturing jobs to Mexico over that time.  The U.S. goods trade deficit with NAFTA accounted for 26.8% of the overall U.S. goods trade deficit in 2010.
    1993 - President Bill Clinton signed a bill providing $6.2 billion in federal relief to victims of floods in July and August for nine states from North Dakota to Missouri. Due to the record rains in the spring of up to 200 percent above average, the Midwest suffered 50 deaths, 70,000 left homeless and an estimated $12 billion in damage as of August 9, 1998. 
    1994 - "Woodstock '94" was held in Saugerties, New York. About 350,000 attended the show, which included mud fights and performances by Green Day, Nine Inch Nails, Aerosmith and the Red Hot Chili Peppers 
    1994 - In baseball's eighth work stoppage since 1972, players went on strike rather than allow team owners to limit their salaries. The work stoppage will lead to the cancellation of the World Series and a delayed opening of next season. 
    1996 - National Hockey League general managers agreed upon a rule change taking effect at the start of the 1996-1997 season. If fans litter the ice during the game, the referee is empowered to give a warning and then, if the offense is repeated, to penalize the home team for delay of game. The rule was a response to fans of the Detroit Red Wings, who tradition called for throwing octopi on the ice, and more particularly to fans of the Florida Panthers, who littered the ice with plastic rates after Panther goals during the 1995-96 season. 
    1997 - MTV debuts the Fleetwood Mac reunion concert. The special was taken from two performances at a Warner Brothers soundstage a few months earlier. 
    2007 - Fats Domino was honored as an "American Music Legend" by the Recording Industry Association of America.
    2011 – The health insurance mandate from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was struck down by the U.S. court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
    2014 - A home-based colon cancer screening test by Exact Sciences Corp. has received approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; patients must receive a doctor's prescription in order to purchase the test.