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MIS/Business Analyst Campbell, CA. Business Analyst needed to assist Ops Department in production and development of business segment reporting, liquidity management; systems integration. College degree/related experience in financial services industry required. E-mail resume to: daphnew@pentechfinancial.com |
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For more information about Pentech: www.pentechfinancial.com |
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Headlines---
Classified Ads—Collector/Controller/Contract Admin.
Leasing News Archives-SierraCities $7.7 MM loss
Fed Raises Rate again as expected
Gordon R. Roberts Convicted of Theft
Jury Waiver Ruling in California
FTC NorVergence Judgment Correction
Classified Ads—Help Wanted
ELA Report-Leasing Popular Statistics
Leasing Institute of America Lowers Cost of Program
Group Financial announces addition of Tara Kimmins
News Briefs---
You May Have Missed----
Sports Briefs---
California Brief
Today's Top Event in History
This Day in American History
Baseball Poem
---Coming Tomorrow—“ Funders Only ” List---
######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release”
Thank you Maria and Brian Wong for editing Leasing News while I was on vacation. Excellent job. I now feel more comfortable in taking some days off in the near future.
Kit Menkin, editor.
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Your One stop solution for training and reference material for the Leasing Professional
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Classified Ads—Collector/Controller/Contract Administrator
Collector
Boston, MA.
Challenging position where my skills, professional experience, organization, leadership, strategic thinking, creativity, energy, passion, competitive nature will enable me to define opportunities and personal development.
Email: bernd.janet@verizon.net
Beaverton, Oregon
20 year experience in equipment leasing in the Portland, OR metro area as an Asset & Collection Manager.
Email: pbost2004@yahoo.com
RESUME
http://216.66.242.252/AL/LeasingNews/Resumes/Patty.pdf
Jacksonville, East Brunswick, FL.
13 years experience with collection, recovery, re-marketing and legal on commercial loans and leases. Expertise with distressed portfolios, Six Sigma trained. Willing to relocate.
Email: RichardB12364@aol.com
Controller
Seattle , WA
CPA w/ Sarbanes Oxley/ 15 years management exp. as CFO/ Controller/5 yrs w/ PWC Extensive exp providing accounting/ tax guidance for the equipment lease industry. Willing to relocate.
Email: bltushin@hotmail.com
RESUME
http://216.66.242.252/AL/LeasingNews/Resumes/
CFO-Controller-CPA-Leasing-Sarbanes%20Oxley.pdf
Southeastern, MI.
Controller & Management experience w/ equip lessors &broker. MBA, CPA w/ extensive accounting, management, securitization experience with public and private companies. Willing to relocate.
Email: Leasebusiness@aol.com
Uniondale, NY
I have a strong multifaceted background in all areas of lease accounting combining my years as a Controller of leasing companies and as Vice-President of Leasing for a NY Bank.
Email: awinitt@hotmail.com
Contract Administrator
New York, NY.
10+ years in equipment leasing/secured lending. Skilled in management & training, documentation, policy and procedure development & implementation, portfolio reporting. Strong work ethic.
Email: dln1031@nyc.rr.com
Portland, OR.
6+ years small ticket leasing/financing. Documentation/funding Policy development &implementation, management &training, process mapping, customer service, broker, vendor, portfolio experience.
Email: susanc777@hotmail.com
For a full listing of all “job wanted” ads, please go to:
http://216.66.242.252/AL/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm
To place a free “job wanted” ad, please go to:
http://216.66.242.252/AL/LeasingNews/PostingForm.asp
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From Leasing News Archives, August 10, 2000
SierraCities reports $7.7 million loss for second quarter. Stock 2 3/8
http://two.leasingnews.org/archives/August/8-10-00.htm
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Fed Raises Rate again as expected
http://images.usatoday.com/money/_charts/fed_funds_rate_2005-2.
(for more details, please go to “News Briefs” below)
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Gordon R. Roberts Convicted of Theft
by Christopher Menkin
1993 picture
Yes, Gordon R. Roberts, the 1993 president of the United Association of Equipment Leasing, was convicted of theft for basically stealing money while he was president of Centerpoint Financial in Denver, Colorado.
Roberts is very active in several leasing associations, very well known, and currently is a board member of the Eastern Association of Equipment Lessors.
from:
Lynn Kimbrough
Communications Director
Denver DA's Office
201 West Colfax Avenue, Dept. 801
Denver, Colorado 80202
720-913-9025
“Mr. Roberts was found guilty at trial of "theft - more than $15,000" which is a class 3 felony.
“Roberts was manager of Centerpoint Financial Services from January 97 to April 2003. He was charged with theft because in June 2002 he used Centerpoint money to pay $12,000 on his truck loan, in August 2002 he use $68,000 of Centerpoint money to pay off his home mortgage, in September of 2002 he took $3500 of Centerpoint money and gave it to his wife via by writing a check to her leasing company, and in February of 2003 he put $50,000 of Centerpoint's money in a bank account of his. The DA has reserved the right to ask for additional restitution once we have documentation and I believe the restitution amount will go up from the number you have.”
Court Record Conviction:
“08/02/2005 Sentence Resulting fm Plea Active
Judge/Magistrate: CHRISTINA MARIE HABAS
Probation: 4 YEAR(S)
Probation Supervision Fee: $2400.00
VAST min for off after 5/1/03: $162.00
Victim Compensation Fund: $125.00
Court Costs - T, M, CR: $35.00
Drug Standardized Assessment: $75.00
Drug Testing - Cost Recovery: $15.00
Request for Time to Pay: $25.00
Restitution: $133,647.00
Community Service: 250 HOUR(S)
Useful Public Service: $10.00 “
from the court transcript:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Randall_Gordon.pdf
According to the Western Association of Equipment Leasing Newsline, Winter, 1993, edition: “ WAEL's 1993 President Gordon Roberts has over 15 years' equipment leasing experience, primarily focusing on sales, marketing, credit, collections, and operations. The first 12 years of his career were spent handling marketing for Burroughs Corp. From there, he began his leasing career as a salesman for Colonial Pacific Leasing in 1978. In 1981, he became a partner in DSI Leasing and then with his wife, Pat, started his own business, M&R Leasing, Inc. in 1983. Today, Pat has taken over as president of M&R Leasing, Inc. while Gordon works as vice president of First Concord Acceptance.”
1993 Western Association of Equipment Leasing Executive Committee
From left to right: (Sitting) WAEL Secretary/Treasurer Jim Merrilees, president, Colonial Pacific Leasing, Tualatin, Oregon; WAEL Vice-President Peter Eaton, CLP, regional vice-president M & I First National Leasing Corp., Palo Alto; WAEL President Gordon Roberts, vice-president, First Concord Acceptance Corp., Denver, Colorado; and WAEL Past President Hal T. Horowitz, CLP; principal/owner, Certified Lease Consultants, Woodland Hills, California.
WAEL Newsline, winter, 1993
Centerpoint was financed by John Otto of Heritage Leasing fame. It started in 1997, working exclusively with leasing brokers, and in its “hay day” had up to 25 employees. Sandi Gibson was listed as director of Leasing Broker Relations, and Mark Speros was director of sales. Chuck Brazier took over these responsibilities.
From a biography of Randy Schiell, CLP, which gives more of a biography of the evolution of the company:
”Randy is the chief operating officer for Centerpoint Leasing, Denver, Colorado. He founded the company along with Gordon Roberts, who is the chief executive officer. He has over twenty-five years in experience in the financing and lending business. Since 1979, he has been working in the leasing industry exclusively, with the majority of that time spent in the small ticket leasing field. His background has included credit analysis, collection, computer operations, finance and accounting experience. Prior to Centerpoint Financial Services LLC, he worked for over six years at First Concord Acceptance, with Gordon Roberts and most of the current CPFS staff. Prior to First Concord, he was at First Centennial Leasing, where he and Mr. Roberts first began their association.
(The above comes from a biography of Randy Schiell, who was a winner of the Joke of the Month contest at American Leasing, December, 2001.)
This is a story we have been holding since Chuck Brazier left, when he boldly tried to help brokers fund “approved” deals before he left, and financial officer Randy Schiell resigned a year earlier, as reportedly he would not lie to the bank and was allegedly instructed by the president and long time friend not to communicate with John Otto. There is more to the story, but we cannot print without more verification and no one is talking to Leasing News now about what happened.
It is allegedly well-known by industry insiders why Centerpoint folded, how the then owner John Otto tried to keep it afloat, and finally the Denver District Attorney got involved.
Former officer of the company, Randy Schiell, CLP, told Leasing News:
“All of the events that this matter relates to happened long after I resigned. I was shocked by the accusations, I saw most of the evidence, and I still have trouble believing it, although it is obvious that he did what he was accused of.”
John Otto, Gordon Roberts, Pat Roberts, or the current president of the Eastern Association of Equipment Lessors or United Association of Equipment Leasing would make no comment to Leasing News. It is something that it appears people want to sweep under the rug, especially since Gordon is one of the “good old boys.”
It was then that the bank reportedly found over a million dollars missing, many of it reportedly $4 million of poor leases to his wife's Pat Roberts' company, which he later joined, M&R Leasing. After keeping the company afloat, the discrepancies allegedly then went to money taken for house mortgage, personal credit card debt, and other money, which Gordon Roberts may have considered a loan as president, but was never authorized, approved or documented.
In addition, the covenants with the bank were reportedly manipulated, and may be the reason Randy Schiell, CLP, left and John Otto became more involved in the events. The owner of Centerpoint John Otto allegedly would have forgiven the debt, if Mr. Robert came forward, but he denied paying house payments with company money, or credit cards. It then boiled down to an arrest, a trial, and conviction. Mr. Otto was not available for a comment, as the above information came from a very well informed and reliable source close to Mr. Otto,located in California (not Randy Schiell.)
March 27, 2002 , Leasing News was hearing from brokers that trouble was brewing at Centerpoint. Here is a denial of what we were hearing:
“Not True,” says John Otto
Centerpoint Financial Services, LLC
1675 Larimer St., Suite 880 * Denver CO 80202 * Tel: (303) 615-5099 *
Fax: (303) 615-9790
“ Not true” says John Otto, chairman of Heritage Leasing, major stockholder of Centerpoint Financial, LLC, and Pentech Financial, Campbell, California. “I am not pulling the plug on Centerpoint. It is true we hit a small bump in the road, but that is taken care of. “
The thirty year plus lease veteran with deep pockets confirmed the resignation of Randy Schiell, now former Chief Financial Office, while Otto was in the “far east” the last few weeks (also visiting Da Nang, where he was shot at 37 years ago.) He said he was glad things happened while he was away. He understood Randy Schiell had other opportunities.
Leasing News has been receiving rumors about Centerpoint for many months. We first learned that Randy Schiell wanted to resign in September, then the Terrorist hit the United States, and he decided to stay for many reasons.
It is obvious that John Otto put more money into the company, plus reassured lenders and other lines of credit he would stand behind the company, plus believed the leasing market was turning around.
“My confidence in Gordon Roberts as president has never changed or wavered, “he said. “ He and Chuck Brazier are doing the best they can in this economy.... We want to continue to do business with brokers.”
Gordon Roberts was at Colonial Pacific Leasing, as well as Chuck Brazier, who went to Florida, then joined Oren Hall at Heritage of Sacramento, whose company was “absorbed” by First Sierra/SierraCities. Both are past presidents of the United
Association of Equipment Leasing (Roberts 1993/Brazier 2001).
“Business is picking up in the entire leasing industry and 2002 will be a good year for all of us, “Gordon Roberts said. “There really is not much else to add, except that Randy Schiell has gone on to bigger and better things.”
June 5, 2002 ---The plug was pulled at Centerpoint, not accepting any new business.
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/
Centerpoint_bleeding.htm
June 27, 2002
“You can make all the assumptions you want, but just leave me out of this!” Gordon Roberts, president of Centerpoint exclaimed.” I have a business to run!”
That was exactly the question Leasing News was going to ask. “Is the company still operating?” We understand Chuck Brazier has not been on the “payroll,” but has been working at the behalf of John Otto. When we called the Denver office, we were told he was no longer there.
(Coda: There is no joy in reporting many stories, such as posting two friends to the Leasing News Complaint Bulletin Board; one has now died and the other and his leasing association don't communicate with me, to say the least, writing about Ken Duffy at Summit, who is a good friend and we used the software for years (we each have a son in the navy, although his really outranks mine quite a bit) or asking two Leasing News Advisors to leave for not appropriate actions, and resigning as a board member of a leasing association due to conflicts as a reporter, and now especially writing about Gordon and Pat Roberts.
( My first account representative at Colonial was Gordon. He talked us into joining WAEL that we had stayed out of, as one time we had a 80 members broker association on the West Coast, and then more involved. I was regional chairman for many years, then membership chairman for a few years, and when I became a director on the board, I tried very hard to have Pat nominated for president as she worked hard, ran conferences, and they both did a lot of work for the industry. I brokered to all of Gordon's companies and at conferences, Sue and I often sat with Gordon and Pat, the last time in San Francisco. ((Sue's last name is Robert so we had fun with Robert and Roberts.))
(Gordon was a grand gentleman and Pat always made us laugh, while Gordon was serious with association business. So to write this story really breaks my heart. As editor and writer, the readers expect Leasing News to report the news fairly, accurately and without bias. Sometimes it is much harder to do than other times. God bless both Gordon and Pat. Let us hope that all of us remain friendly, kind to each other, as certainly we all make mistakes, take a wrong turn now and then,and as all religion teaches us, we should forgive. Kit Menkin.)
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Jury Waiver Ruling in California
“The California Supreme Court ruled that predispute contractual jury waivers are unenforceable under California law. In this decision, Grafton Partners L.P. vs. Superior Court, 05 C.D.O.S.. 6887, the Court affirmed the lower court and held that in California, a jury trial could be waived only in accordance with the applicable statute ( Section 631 of the Code of Civil Procedure) and that the statute did not authorize a predispute contractual jury waiver. The Court acknowledged that this decision was contrary to the rule in many other jurisdictions which do permit such waivers, but stated that this was an argument to be directed to the legislature.
“Unless the California legislature takes action to allow contractual jury waivers (as urged by the concurring opinion), it appears that contractual jury waivers will be unenforceable in a California court and it may be advisable to consider alternatives such as arbitration clauses which are enforceable in California.”
“This decision may impact your California transactions and documents. “
Barry A. Dubin, Esq.
Cooper, White & Cooper LLP
201 California Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 433-1900 ---Phone
(415) 433-5530----Fax
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FTC Judgment NorVergence Correction
A drafting error in the original proposed order. The correction has
no substantive effect at all.
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/DefJmtCorrectOrd.pdf
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Classified—Help Wanted
MIS/Business Analyst
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MIS/Business Analyst Campbell, CA. Business Analyst needed to assist Ops Department in production and development of business segment reporting, liquidity management; systems integration. College degree/related experience in financial services industry required. E-mail resume to: daphnew@pentechfinancial.com |
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For more information about Pentech: www.pentechfinancial.com |
National Account Manager
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Position located/based anywhere in the U.S. |
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#### Press Release #####################
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Equipment Leasing Association Annual Survey Shows Leasing Remains Popular Growth in New Business Volume, Profitability Remains Strong
Arlington, Virginia—The Equipment Leasing Association's (ELA) 2005 Survey of Industry Activity (SIA) report results, released today, reveal that leasing remains a prevalent financing vehicle for businesses acquiring equipment. Survey results show new business volume in 2004 was over $105.2 billion, which is an increase of 11.7 percent over 2003 findings - an important measure of leasing's growth. Leasing industry member respondents also report that profitability remains strong as seen by an average return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA), of 13.3 percent and 1.7 percent respectively. ROE declined slightly compared to 2003 but remained above 2002 levels.
“The annual survey shows that companies are using leasing as much as ever,” said ELA president Michael Fleming. “Lessors continue to do well, because business leaders see the value and flexibility of leasing over other methods of financing equipment and are utilizing all that leasing companies have to offer.”
Fleming added, “More smaller businesses seem to be making leasing part of their equipment financing strategies, as well. The study shows that, while larger members still dominate the market, smaller leasing companies specializing in micro-ticket transactions experienced the strongest growth.”
Other 2005 key SIA findings show how lessors continue to offer value to the business community:
Strong Credit Management. 98.1 percent of average receivables were current (less than 30 days past due) – a good increase over last year's 96.4 percent figure; of the total receivables, 0.8 percent were more than 90 days past due, a decrease over last year's 1.6 percent.
Performance. Lessors report that their average charge-off was 1.5 percent in 2004, a slight increase over 2003 when charge-offs were 1.3 percent.
Jobs Creation. The total number of full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) was reported as 21,804 by respondents; this is a slight increase of 0.4 percent from last year's employee total being 21, 711.
Growth Industries. From the equipment perspective, there was a strong up tick in construction and truck transportation.
Profitability. Pre-tax yield increased very slightly to 6.8 percent in 2004. At the same time, the cost of funds grew to 3.03 percent.
Use of Technology. 16.6 percent of new business volume was booked online in 2004, an increase from 13.4 percent in 2003 for the same group of respondents.
A separate annual study* produced by Global Insight further affirms leasing's impact on the economy and jobs. That study showed that, over the 1997-2004 period, equipment leasing:
Produced between $75 billion and $290 billion additional real GDP.
Produced between $200 billion and $225 billion additional real equipment investment. Created between 3 million and 6 million additional jobs.
About the 2005 Survey of Industry Activity
The ELA 2005 Survey of Industry Activity results were compiled from surveys sent to ELA members, of which 130 companies submitted data for the survey. 79.9 percent of the 2005 respondents also submitted a response to the 2004 survey, showing an increase in participation. And, all of the largest 10 U.S. leasing and finance organizations that are members of ELA participated in the Survey. Total survey respondents, in the aggregate have 85 to 90 percent of marketshare. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP managed the 2005 Survey for the ELA, ensuring confidentiality, integrity and quality of the submitted data and results.
Equipment types financed by leasing, as explored in the survey, include agriculture, aircraft, construction, computers, telecommunications, railroad, printing, medical, industrial, trucks and trailers and more.
Type of financing offered by the leasing companies include tax-oriented finance leasing, short-term operating leases, leveraged leases, conditional sales agreements, off-balance sheet loans and tax-exempt leasing.
Leasing industry members and other interested parties may obtain a full copy of the ELA Survey of Industry Activity, Equipment Leasing and Finance Organizations, 2005, through the ELA online store at www.ELAOnline.com/store.
Members of the accredited media may obtain a full copy of the ELA Survey by contacting Suzanne Jackson at 434-972-7278 or sj@FourLeafPR.com.
In addition to the SIA, ELA provides a variety of data, including customized market analyses, to ELA members and organizations involved in the forecasted $248 billion equipment leasing industry. To access this and other industry information, visit the ELA website at http://www.elaonline.com/IndustryData/ or contact Dean Frutiger at (703) 516-8380.
For more information on ELA visit http://www.ELAOnline.com. For more information on leasing, check out ELA's informational portal for financial decision-makers at http://www.ChooseLeasing.org, which hosts a directory of leasing companies, a list of 10 questions to ask before signing a lease, a glossary of terms and more.
*The Economic Contribution of the Equipment Leasing Industry to the U.S. Economy, produced by Global Insight.
About ELA
Organized in 1961, the Equipment Leasing Association (ELA) is the premier non-profit association representing companies involved in the dynamic equipment leasing and finance industry to the business community, government and media. As the voice of the leasing industry, ELA promotes the forecasted $248 billion industry as a major source of funds for capital investment in the United States and abroad. Headquartered in Arlington, Va., ELA has more than 750 member companies and a staff of 25 professionals. For more information on ELA, please visit www.ELAOnline.com.
Contacts:
Suzanne Jackson
Four Leaf Public Relations LLC
434-972-7278
sj@FourLeafPR.com
### Press Release ######################
Leasing Institute of America Lowers Cost of Program
Sudhir Amembal, Chairman and CEO of Amembal & Associates, a pioneer of lease education and author or coauthor of 14 books specific to the leasing industry including the industry bestseller The Handbook of Equipment Leasing , announce the reduction in cost to their hugely successful Executive Lease Broker Training Program.
Due to the unprecedented successes of the first 14 months of the program and significant streamlining to the program, The Leasing Institute of America has lowered the cost of the program from $30,000 to $12,500. Mr. Amembal explained: “The significantly lower cost enables us to serve a larger number of those aspiring to become successful lease brokers”.
The program is more that just a “how-to” in leasing. LIA offers individuals state-of-the-art lease specific tools, funding source access, a weeks worth of intensive training, an additional three-month coaching program and a life time of mentoring. Mr. Lowder explained: “The main aim of this program is to inevitably trim several years off the start up time for a new brokerage”.
Mr. Amembal's pioneered techniques in lease education is the best foundation for anyone wishing to enter leasing. Designed for today's entrepreneur, the Executive Lease Broker Training Program fast tracks education and practical principles into a cutting edge comprehensive five-day intensive in class training.
For more information contact: Jason Smith, General Manager
at 1-800-429-3335 or
via email at jason@leasinginstitute.org .
### Press Release ######################
Group Financial announces addition of Tara Kimmins
New York, NY, -- Group Financial Services, a leading originator of leases and loans in the Health Care Market, has announced the addition of Tara Kimmins to the health care sales team. As part of the addition, Group Financial will be opening a new regional office in Mission Viejo, CA.
Tara brings more than 7 years of direct health care leasing and financing experience to Group Financial Services, most recently as a sale person for HPSC. We are excited to have her on the team.
Greg Einhorn, Director of Sales of Group Financial Services related, “We are happy to announce the addition of Tara Kimmins. We are looking at strong growth to leverage our platform in 2005 and beyond. This is another positive step in our firm's expansion plan.”
About Group Financial Services
Group Financial Services is a Nationwide, 28-year-old business focused on providing leasing and financing products and services to the health care vendor and direct marketplace. The firm provides outsourced solutions as a captive finance arm for a variety of medical dealer associations and manufacturers as well as a strong direct presence in targeted markets. The firm has originated over $700 million in medical leases and loans and is targeted to fund in excess of $120 million this year. Group Financial Services has offices in Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Orlando FL, Atlanta GA, South Carolina, Texas, New Jersey and now California.
For more information, contact Greg Einhorn at 1-800-336-8562 or
visit their web site at www.finservices.com
### Press Release ######################
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News Briefs----
Interest Rate Raised Again
Fed Decision Shows Faith in Economy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2005/08/09/AR2005080901606.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/10/business/10fed.html
Productivity growth slows in April-June quarter
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/
20050809-1445-economy.html
Cisco Profits Jump Nearly 12 Pct. in 4Q
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Earns-Cisco-Systems.html?
Venture-Backed M&A's Q2 '05
http://www.nvca.org/pdf/Q2_2005_MA_FINAL_DB.pdf
Chinese Banks Look Into Market
http://www.absnet.net/include/showfreearticle.asp?file=
/headlines/aba2.htm
Amyal Islamic Leasing Fund received with great interest by the Market
http://www.clickpress.com/releases/Detailed/3041005cp.shtml
Microsoft Patches 3 Critical Flaws
http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3526316
New Sprint Nextel will focus on 3rd screen
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/
2005-08-09-sprint-nextel_x.htm
Private Company Plans $100 Million Tour Around the Moon
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/10/science/space/10private.html?ei=
5090&en=bb93a572dea5211b&ex=1281326400&partner=
rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print
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You May Have Missed
--only in New York---
An Icy Vendor Is Put on Ice With a Wagonload of Legalese
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/06/nyregion/06icy.html?
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Sports Briefs----
Raiders have need for Collins to lead
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/
columnists/tim_kawakami/12337912.htm
How did N.L. West become worst?
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/baseball/
mlb/san_francisco_giants/12337909.htm
EA steps up its game with latest Madden offering
http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2005/08/09/
ea_steps_up_its_game_with_latest_madden_offering/
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California News Briefs---
Superintendent, union sue over money pledge
They say governor owes $3.1 billion under Prop. 98
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=
/c/a/2005/08/10/CALBUDGET.TMP
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“Gimme that Wine”
The Chemistry of a 90+ Wine (Science helps wine growers)
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/07/magazine/07ENOLOGI.html?
incamp=article_popular_4
Not Far From Napa, and Closing In (Healdsburg a la Archie Julian)
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/03/dining/13sonoma.html?
pagewanted=all
Grape growers hope to make wine a Nebraska tradition
http://www.dailynebraskan.com/vnews/display.v/
ART/2005/08/08/42f7b6a8bd328
'Just Say No' -- To Cork! Don Sebastiani & Sons Announces Plans to Focus Exclusively on Alternative Wine Closures
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=
news_view&newsId=20050808006089&newsLang=en
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Today's Top Event in History
1945- Less than 24 hours after a meeting to discuss the acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration ended in stalemate, another gathering to discuss the surrender terms took place in Emperor Hirohito's bomb shelter. As on the previous day, the participants were stalemated. War General Anami continued to express the belief that “we may be able to reverse the situation in our favor, pulling victory out of defeat.” Hirohito came down on the side of Suzuki and Togo. He believed continuation of the war would only result in further loss of Japanese lives. A message was transmitted from Tokyo to Japanese ambassadors in Switzerland and Sweden to accept the terms issued at Potsdam on July 26., except that the prerogative of the Japanese emperor's sovereign rule must be maintained. The Allies devised a plan under which the emperor and the Japanese government would administer under the rule of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers and the Japanese surrendered.
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This Day in American History
1498 -- Henry VII of England rewards John Cabot for the discovery of Canada with 10 Pounds "Americans are so benevolently ignorant about Canada, while Canadians are malevolently well informed about the United States."— J. Bartlet Brebner
1652- A form of miniature golf appeared in New Netherland (now New York City) and became quite popular. A small ball was putted around a green by means of a crooked club. Contrary to popular opinion, the Dutch copied it from the Indians; it was the native American, not the Scotch, who invented golf.
1760-- Philip Embury (1728-1773) arrived in New York the first Methodist clergyman to come over from England.
1790 --Robert Gray's Columbia, completes first American around world voyage
http://www.oregonpioneers.com/gray.htm
1821- Missouri became the 24 th state, the first state west of the Mississippi River. The first governor of the new state was Alexander McNair, a Democrat, who served from 1820 to 1824 ( Note, Louisiana, the 18 th state, admitted on April 30, 1812 is both east and west of the Mississippi.)
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/aug10.html
1829- Blacks in Cincinnati protested a law requiring them to post a $500 bond to guarantee that they were freemen, white mobs rioted with such vehemence that a 460 blacks immigrated to Canada, where they established the Wilberforce settlement. In 1830 they purchased 800 acres of land in the vicinity around present day Guelph with the help of Quakers in Oberlin, Ohio. Named after the great British abolitionist William Wilberforce. A settlement was established, the first in Biddulph Township, and groups from New England and New York State joined those from Ohio. By 1833 there were thirty-two families, two schools and a sawmill in this settlement, which was named after the great British abolitionist William Wilberforce. One of the earliest Negro colonies in Upper Canada, its population dwindled rapidly in the 1840's although some families remained for more than a generation.
http://www.mnsi.net/~wishc/heritageroom/jcbrown.htm
http://www.saf.org/LawReviews/Bogus3.htm
http://upliftdarace.homestead.com/page59.html
http://www.africana.com/research/encarta/tt_828.asp
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAScanada.htm
http://www.uncpress.unc.edu/chapters/ripley_black2.html
1833/1840?—Birthday of Eliza Frances Andrews who authored the bestellers “A Family Secret”(1876) and “The War-Time Journal of a Georgia Girl” (1908) which were about her life during the Civil War.
1841- Birth of Mary A. Lathbury, American Sunday School leader and poet. Daughter of a Methodist preacher, two of Lathbury's poems later became popular hymns: "Break Thou the Bread of Life" and "Day is Dying in the West."
1846- Founding of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, DC.
1856 -a hurricane struck Louisiana and completely devastates the fashionable hotel and pleasure resort on Last Island, 150 miles east of Cameron. Storm surge swept an estimated 400 people to their death. Today the island is just a haven for pelicans and other seas birds
1861- Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/mo004.htm
1866 -Transatlantic cable laid - Former Pres Buchanan communicates over it to Queen Victoria, considered the start of a new generation of communication.
http://www.history-magazine.com/cable.html
1874- Herbert Hoover, 31 st president of the United States, born at West Branch, IA. Hoover was the first president born west of the Mississippi River and the first to have a telephone on his desk (installed Mar 27, 1929). "Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die," he said at Chicago, IL, at the Republican National Convention, June 27, 1944. Hoover died at New York, NY, Oct 20, 1964. The Sunday nearest Aug 10th is observed in Iowa as Herbert Hoover Day.
1877-- Army troops under Colonel Gibbon attack a sleeping Nez Perce encampment at Big Hole, Idaho, killing over 50 women and children. This was common during this period of history to move the Native Americans off of land that settlers and cattlemen wanted for their “range.”
1882-Sandusky, OH reported a 4 minute snow squall during the morning, frost was reported in the suburbs of Chicago, IL
1886- Professor Elihu Thomson of Lynn, MA, obtains a patent on “ an apparatus for electric welding.” His electric welder was widely used in the auto, shipbuilding, construction and consumer appliance industries as a substitute for riveting.
1890-Birthday of ragtime pianist Robert Hall, born Tuscumbia, Al
1890- The Davis Cup, an international team tennis competition established by American player Dwight Davis, was held for the first time with the United States defeated Great Britain, 3-0, in Boston.
1893 -- Chinese are deported from San Francisco under the first Chinese Exclusion Act (passed May 6, 1882, to exclude Chinese workers from the US).
1904—Birthday of Norma Shearer - Canadian-born film actor. NS won the Academy Award for her work in The Divorce (1929/30). Married to the head of one of the Hollywood studios, she had her choice of great roles and was nominated five more times.
1904 – Birthday of Dorothy B. Hughes, American mystery writer/critic. Lived in New Mexico, which served as background to her novels. Among her best are Ride the Pink Horse (1946) & In a Lonely Place (1947), which were adapted to screen. Named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America in 1978. In a Lonely Place, adapted to screen, directed by Nicholas Ray, starring Humphrey Bogart, is a story of a screenwriter suspected of murder.
1905-Birthday of guitarist Larry Threaks, Laurens, SC
1908-Birthday of Leo Fender of Fender guitar, could not play a note of music, born Anaheim, Ca.
http://www.fender.com/resources/companyinfo/history.html
http://www.blamepro.com/fendertone/history_leo.htm
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/LeoFender1.html
1909 Pianist/Band Leader Claude Thornhill birthday
http://www.parabrisas.com/d_thornhillc.html
http://members.aol.com/bigbandpage/
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/thornhill_claude/bio.jhtml
1909 –Birthday of Leo Fender, inventor of the electric guitar, a take off of the Hawaiian steel guitar, a style invented in Hawaiian and took the country by storm during the last part of the 19 th century and influenced all guitar music, including country and western and even jazz, as it developed into an electric guitar for playing melody instead of chords. American History magazine has an excellent article about this “evolution.”
1918-Birthday of tenor sax player Arnett Cobb, born Houston, Texas
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/CC/fcobs.html
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/encyclopaedia/c/C167.HTM
1920—The first vocal blues by a black artist: Mamie Smith records “Crazy Blues,” New York City.
1923—Composer/pianist Dika Newling born in Portland Oregon. An outstanding pianist, she showed interest in composing at an early age and her Cradele Song was performed by the Cincinnati Orchestra in 1935 (when she was 12) as well as other orchestras. A genius, she was a sophomore in college at 13. Her doctoral dissertation has become the standard reference work on several composers. Most of her work is for piano with “Chamber Symphony” being her best known work.
1923—Birthday of Rhonda Fleming - U.S. film actor. Gorgeous woman!!!
1928-Birthday of singer Jimmy Dean, born Seth War ("Big Bad John," "P.T. 109"), born Plainview, TX.
1928-Singer Eddie Fisher birthday (“Oh, My Papa,” Heart," "Cindy, Oh Cindy"), born Philadelphia, PA.
1930-a record high of 113 at Perryville, TN sets the all-time state record
1936-Birthday of bassit Chuck Israels, New York City, NY
http://www.azica.com/bios/chuck.html
http://www.chuckisraels.com/articles.htm
1936--Arkansas has its hottest ever day with temperatures reaching 120 at Ozark. Plain, LA also was very hot, reaching 114
1943-Birthday of singer Ronnie Spector of the Ronnettes, New York, New York
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/spector_ronnie/bio.jhtml
http://www.ronniespector.com/bio.htm
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/GoodMorningAmerica/
GMA030204Ronnie_bennett_spector.html
1944-Charles “Red “ Barrett of the Boston Braves pitched a 2-0 shutout against the Cincinnati Reds and threw only 58 pitches to complete the nine-inning game, a major league record for the fewest pitches in a complete game.
1945- Less than 24 hours after a meeting to discuss the acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration ended in stalemate, another gathering to discuss the surrender terms took place in Emperor Hirohito's bomb shelter. As on the previous day, the participants were stalemated. War General Anami continued to express the belief that “we may be able to reverse the situation in our favor, pulling victory out of defeat.” Hirohito came down on the side of Suzuki and Togo. He believed continuation of the war would only result in further loss of Japanese lives. A message was transmitted from Tokyo to Japanese ambassadors in Switzerland and Sweden to accept the terms issued at Potsdam on July 26., except that the prerogative of the Japanese emperor's sovereign rule must be maintained. The Allies devised a plan under which the emperor and the Japanese government would administer under the rule of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers and the Japanese surrendered.
1948-Birthday of singer Patti Austin, New York City, NY
http://www.delafont.com/music_acts/Patti-Austin.htm
http://www.pattiaustin.com/bio.htm
1948-“Candid Camera” appears on TV. This show--which appeared at various times on the big three networks and in syndication--was created and hosted by Allen Funt. The show was initially an Armed Forces Radio program based on Funt's success in recording and broadcasting soldiers' gripes. The show's modus operandi was to catch people unawares on camera--either as part of a practical joke or just being themselves. It spawned numerous imitators such as "Totally Hidden Video," "People Do the Craziest Things" and "America's Funniest Home Videos."
1953---Top Hits
No Other Love - Perry Como
I'm Walking Behind You - Eddie Fisher
I Believe - Frankie Laine
Rub-A-Dub-Dub - Hank Thompson
1961---Top Hits
Tossin' and Turnin' - Bobby Lewis
I Like It Like That - Chris Kenner
Last Night - Mar-Keys
I Fall to Pieces - Patsy Cline
1969---Top Hits
In the Year 2525 - Zager & Evans
Crystal Blue Persuasion - Tommy James & The Shondells
Honky Tonk Women - The Rolling Stones
All I Have to Offer You (Is Me) - Charley Pride
1970 -- House of Representatives passes the Equal Rights Amendment by a vote of 350 to 15.
1971-The Society for American Baseball Research, an organization of baseball historians, statisticians, researches and fans, was founded at a meeting at Cooperstown, NY.
1971-Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins became the tenth player in major league history to reach the 500-mark in career home runs when he hit Nos. 500 and 501 off Mike Cuellar of the Baltimore Orioles in a 4-3 Orioles victory.
1973- First BART train travels thru transbay tube to Montgomery St Station
http://www.bart.gov/docs/transbay.txt
1976-The first soccer player to score 12 points in one game was Giorgio Chinaglia of the New York Cosmos, who scored five goals for two points each and two assists for one point each in a game played at Yankee Stadium, New York City, against the Miami Toros.
1977---Top Hits
I Just Want to Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb
I'm in You - Peter Frampton
Best of My Love - Emotions
Rollin' with the Flow - Charlie Rich
1977 - Postal employee David Berkowitz was arrested in Yonkers, New York, accused of being "Son of Sam," the gunman responsible for six slayings and seven woundings.
1980 -Hurricane Allen comes ashore just north of Brownsville, TX with sustained winds of 115 mph. Winds at Port Mansfield gusted to 140 mph with a storm surge of 12 feet. The storm brought 10-20 inches of rain to south Texas, ending a summer long drought. The storms also spawned 29 tornadoes. Total damage was $700 million
1980 Jack Nicklaus wins PGA Championship for 5th time.
http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2004/history_1980.html
http://www.nicklaus.com/nicklaus_facts/majors.php
1985 - "Like a Virgin," by Madonna became the first solo album by a female artist to be certified for selling five million copies.
1985---Top Hits
Shout - Tears For Fears
Never Surrender - Corey Hart
The Power of Love - Huey Lewis & The News
I'm for Love - Hank Williams, Jr.
1986 - The New York Yankees retired Billy Martin's uniform number 1, making him the 13th Yankee to receive the honor.
1987-temperature reaches 102 at Ely, NV breaking the all-time record there
1987 - Celebrating its 5,000th performance today was "A Chorus Line". Since its opening night in 1975, an estimated 25 million theatre goers had seen the musical, with an estimated 16.7 million having seen the show on Broadway, and an additional 8.3 million viewing the touring production. On September 29, 1983, "A Chorus Line" became the longest-running show on The Great White Way, staying there until 1990.
1987 - After a gain of 43.84 points, the Dow Jones industrial average closed above the 2600 mark. When the closing bell rang, the Dow Jones industrials were at 2635.84.
1988-Compensation of Japanese-Americans interned during World War II was enacted by Congress and signed into law. The bill provided for a payment of $20,000 to each surviving internee and a formal apology from the federal government. More than 110,000 men, women, and children of Japanese descent, including both American citizens and aliens, were rounded up from their homes in California, Arizona, Oregon, and Washington in the spring of 1942, and confined in rural internment camps, until the end of the war, on suspicion that they might collaborate with Japan. The evacuation was carried out by executive order of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
1989--- After fifteen months of recovery from cancer surgery to his arm, Dave Dravecky pitches one-hit baseball for seven innings blanking the Reds to get the victory. The Giant bullpen holds on for a 4-3 win at Candlestick Park.
1990 - The Magellan spacecraft entered the orbit of Venus, marking the most prolific image gathering of Venus to date. Thanks to Magellan, astronomers learned that Venus's surface is hotter than that of any other planet in the solar system, including Mercury, due to an atmosphere composed of 96 percent carbon dioxide.
1993 - Ruth Bader Ginsburg was sworn in as the second female justice on the Supreme Court.
1993- a severe thunderstorm spawned a high elevation F3 tornado in the Ashley National Forest, 20 miles north of Roosevelt, UT. The tornado touched down 3 times along a 17 mile path and was up to 1/2 miles wide. 1000 acres of trees were snapped or uprooted. The highest elevation damage was at 10,800 feet.
1994-severe thunderstorms belted central Oklahoma. Winds gusted to 113 at Meno, 104 at Mangum and 97 at Hobart. Hail up to 4.5 inches in diameter driven by the winds totaled 30 mobile homes at Okarche
1995 - Sammy Sosa tied a Chicago Cubs club record with four stolen bases at Los Angeles, California.
1995-- Ruth Bader Ginsburg is sworn in as the second woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court in U.S. history.
1996-The attempt of the thoroughbred Cigar to set a modern North American record for consecutive races won at 17 came up one victory short as Dare and Go scored an upset in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar Race Track in San Diego, Ca. Dare and Go, ridden by Alex Solis, came from off the pace to win by 3 ½ lengths. Cigar, tied with Citation at 16 straight wins, finished second. He had last lost on Oct 7,1994, at Belmont Park, NY.
2002 --Sammy Sosa hits three home runs in consecutive at bats in the third, fourth and fifth innings tying a Cubs' record with nine RBIs established by Heinie Zimmerman in 1911. With his sixth career three-homer game performance, the Chicago right fielder also ties the major league record set by Johnny Mize and he also becomes only the fifth player in big league history to homer in three straight innings.
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Baseball Poem
Your 95 MPH Fastball Won't Get You In The
Draft Anymore
Like a 1400 on your SAT won't get you into Harvard
And American Express will continually turn you down
Because your salary goes up slower than their
expectations.
Who will get through the traffic jam?
Who will grow the nerves to win the new game?
Who will sop up the spoils, raise a toast in the ruins?
Let me write one tremendously long line like the
horizontal bar at the high jump pit---
See how I fail, even at this?
But my failure is merely a failure of margins,
And your 95 MPH fastball is nothing more than a
metaphor These days.
Tim Peeler in “Waiting for Godot's
First Pitch” More Poems from Baseball
published by McFarland and Company
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