Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Today's Leasing News Headlines

Does Leasing Financing History Repeat Itself?
     Changes Similar to 20 Years Ago
New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
    and Related Industries
Help Wanted in the Finance and Leasing Industry
    Balboa Capital, Top Mark, NEFA
The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Executive Success
    By Ken Lubin, ZRG Partners, Managing Director
Commercial Finance/Leasing Finance Conferences
    2024 Updated dates and links
Five Countries Have Received Over a Quarter
    of all US Foreign Aid Since World War II
California Bar to Set Guidelines for Generative  Artificial  
  Intelligence to Practice Law, More States to Follow
    (This also applies to clients. Editor)
Mitsubishi HC Capital America Examines 2024
    EV Truck Industry, Reveals Outlook
Sharpei/Pittie Mix
    Norwalk, Connecticut Adopt-a-Pet
Personal Assessment Questions
    By Scott Wheeler, CLFP, Wheeler Business Consulting

News Briefs ---
Ford Will Cut Planned Electric F-150
    Production as Demand Slows
BMO Earns "Outstanding" Rating for its
    Community Reinvestment Act Performance
Support for TikTok ban crumbles,
    even among Republicans
CosMc joke: McDonald’s weird, new drive-thru
    experiment serves up one crappy meal
Hasbro to Cut 1,100 Jobs as Weak Toy Sales Persist 
    17% of its Workforce

You May Have Missed ---
Big bank CEOs Warn that New Regulations
    Could Harm the Economy

Broker/Funder/Industry Lists | Features (wrilter's columns)
Top Ten Stories Chosen by Readers | Top Stories last six months
Sales Make It Happen

Sports Briefs
   California News
    "Gimme that Wine"
 This Day in History
  SuDoku
   Daily Puzzle
    GasBuddy
     Weather, USA or specific area
      Traffic Live----
       Wordle

######## surrounding the article denotes it is a press release, it was not written by Leasing News nor has the information been verified, but from the source noted. When an article is signed by the writer, it is considered a byline. It reflects the opinion and research of the writer.

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The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Executive Success
By Ken Lubin, ZRG Partners, Managing Director

In my two decades as an executive recruiter, I've witnessed firsthand the evolution of what makes an effective leader. While technical skills and experience are pivotal, there's an often underappreciated skill that stands out: Emotional Intelligence (EQ). EQ's impact on leadership, team management, and organizational success is profound and multifaceted.
​
Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

• Understanding Self and Others: Leaders with high EQ possess a keen sense of self-awareness and empathy, crucial for navigating the complex emotional landscape of an organization. For instance, a CEO I once placed could read the room like no other, adeptly adjusting her approach to suit the mood and needs of her team, leading to better communication and mutual respect.

• EQ and Decision Making: Emotional intelligence directly influences decision-making. Leaders with high EQ tend to make more inclusive and considerate decisions. They understand the emotional impact of their choices, leading to decisions that are not only smart but also empathetic.

EQ in Managing Teams

• Building Strong Teams with EQ: In my recruiting experience, teams led by emotionally intelligent leaders often exhibit high levels of collaboration and support. Such leaders create an environment where everyone feels valued and heard, which in turn boosts morale and productivity.

• Conflict Resolution and EQ: EQ is invaluable in conflict resolution. An executive with high EQ can deftly navigate interpersonal conflicts, understanding each party's perspective and finding a middle ground. This skill is crucial for maintaining a harmonious and effective team.

Driving Organizational Success through EQ

• EQ in Organizational Culture: Leaders with high EQ can shape positive, inclusive cultures. These cultures not only attract top talent but also foster a loyal and engaged workforce. An emotionally intelligent workforce is a major asset in any industry.
• EQ and Change Management: Change is a constant in the corporate world. Leaders with high EQ excel in managing change, using their skills to understand and address employee concerns, reduce resistance, and foster adaptability.

From my perspective as an executive recruiter, the role of emotional intelligence in executive success cannot be overstated. It’s the linchpin that holds together the myriad aspects of effective leadership, team management, and organizational prosperity.

I encourage current and aspiring leaders to invest in developing their EQ. The benefits extend far beyond the boardroom, impacting every facet of your professional and personal life.

Ken Lubin, Managing Director
ZRG Partners, LLC
Americas I EMEA I Asia Pacific
C: 508-733-4789
https://www.linkedin.com/in/klubin

"What is the Ultimate Hire? The Ultimate Hire is the professional that every business, team or leader needs in their organization. This is the high performance individual that always rises to the top, brings the team to the next level and can significantly add to the bottom line. The Ultimate Hire is the person that you can't afford to be without. Finding, Attracting, Hiring and Retaining these professionals is critical to the success of your business. We have identified these traits and can help you find these top professionals."

The Ultimate Hire Collections:
http://leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/ultimate.html

 

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Commercial Finance/Leasing Finance Conferences
2024

January 5: de Banked Broker Battle, Miami, Florida
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Nov2023/11_15.htm#battle

March 5-7: Funder's Forum, Miami, Florida
https://leasingnews.org/Ads/Completed/brokers_expo112023.html

March 25–28:  NEFA Finance Summit, Huntington Beach, CA

April 16–18: AACFB Conference, Glendale, Arizona
https://annualconference.aacfb.org/home

April 16-18: ELFA National Funding Conference, Chicago, IL

April 30-May 1: AGLF Conference, Austin, Texas

May 5–7: Equipment Finance Connect, Nashville, Tenn.

Sept. 4-5:  AACFB Commercial Financing Expo New Orleans, LA

Sept. 10-12:  Auto Finance CEOs,  San Antonio, Texas

Sept. 10-12, CFLA Conference, St. John's, NL, Canada

Oct. 16-18: NVLA Conference, Clearwater Beach, Florida

Oct. 27-29: 63rd ELFA Annual Convention, Austin, TX

Nov. 3- Nov. 5: NACLB Conference, Las Vegas, NV

Nov. 11-14: NEFA Funding Symposium, Indianapolis, Indiana

To be listed, email: kitmenkin@leasingnews.org

 

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Five Countries Have Received Over a Quarter
of all US Foreign Aid Since World War II

The primary reason for this foreign aid has been to guarantee U.S. interests in the region, given Israel’s proximity to Syria to the northeast, Hezbollah-influenced Lebanon to the north, and an Islamist insurgency in Egypt’s Sinai to the south.

After a two-decade conflict that took millions of Vietnamese lives and roughly 58,000 American lives, Vietnam is Washington’s second-largest recipient of financial support. This money is used for economic and technological cooperation, military support, and to aid cleanup efforts from the U.S. military’s use of Agent Orange in Vietnam during the war.

Since 1975, Egypt has been a significant recipient of substantial foreign aid from the United States, primarily as part of diplomatic efforts to mitigate tensions in the Arab-Israeli context.

Washington also sent large aid packages to South Vietnam, South Korea, and other countries during the Cold War.

Since 2003, much of the money has been directed toward Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Article and Graphic from
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/which-countries-receive-the-most-foreign-aid-from-the-u-s/

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California Bar to Set Guidelines for Using Generative
 Artificial Intelligence  to Practice Law, More States to Follow

Seiko Okada, M.D., Ph.D. , Vincent Look , Dr. Christian E. Mammen of Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, wrote in the National Law Review  "Titled “Practical Guidance for the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Practice of Law,” the guidance sets forth the initial recommendations of the Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct of the California State Bar regarding use of generative AI in practice of law. Guidance to California Lawyers is in line with the State Bar’s Rules of Professional Conduct and the state’s statutory authority and the state’s statutory authority and included the following:

• Confidentiality – A lawyer must not input any confidential information of the client into generative AI solution unless the lawyer knows that the provider will not share the information with others or use the information for itself, such as to train or improve its AI product. In addition, the lawyer must anonymize the input so that it does not identify the client. In other words, be wary and treat the ‘prompt’ of a generative AI solution as you would the ears of a stranger.

• Competence – The lawyer must understand how the Generative AI solution works, including its limitations and potential use of client data. Further, the lawyer cannot simply trust that the output from the generative AI tool is correct, but must review and analyze these outputs to support ‘the interests and priorities’ of the client. Importantly, the guidelines state that the ‘duty of competence requires more than the mere detection and elimination of false AI-generated results.’ In other words, the lawyer cannot over-rely on the generative AI solution, because doing so would essentially result in a delegation of the lawyer’s professional judgment to generative AI which should remain the lawyer’s responsibility at all times.

• Communication regarding generative AI use – The lawyer should consider disclosure to their client that they intend to use generative AI in the representation, including how the technology will be used, and the benefits and risks of such use.

• Billing for AI work – A lawyer may use generative AI to more efficiently create work product and may charge for actual time spent on the legal work. While the time that is charged may include crafting or refining generative AI inputs, or reviewing and editing generative AI outputs, the lawyer must not charge hourly fees for the time saved by using generative AI. A fee agreement should explain the basis for all fees and costs, including those associated with the use of generative AI.

• Candor to the Tribunal – A lawyer must review all submissions that are made to the court for accuracy, including analysis and citation to case law. Generative AI already has a history of ‘hallucinating’ or making up non-existent case law and bogus quotations.

• Prohibition on discrimination, harassment, and retaliation – Some generative AI is trained on biased information, and a lawyer should be aware of possible biases and the risks they may create when using generative AI (e.g., to screen potential clients or employees).

California Bar’s guidance marks a much needed first step for developing rules and regulations on AI use in law. Other state bars are also working on AI guidance – the Florida Bar’s proposed opinion on lawyers’ AI use is open for comment until January 2, 2024.

In the Fall 2023 issue of the State Bar Journal, the North Carolina State Bar published an article by its ethics counsel listing key ethical considerations for the use of AI in the legal profession. Although the practice of law is governed by states, federal guidance may soon become imperative for consistency across the nation.

Along the way, the fundamental questions to be addressed include identifying what activities constitute the practice of law and what activities if any, can leverage the use of AI. As AI increasingly becomes a necessary resource for lawyers to represent the clients competently and efficiently, it may make sense to require a license or certification for AI to participate in the practice of law, much like requiring a license or certification for human lawyers and paralegals. For example, for a generative AI solution to be allowed in the legal field, certification may require that the inputs and outputs of the AI solution are kept confidential and not shared. Similarly, certification may require additional cross-checking for AI-aided case law citations to address ‘hallucinations.’

Copyright © 2023 Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP All Rights

Source: https://www.natlawreview.com/article/california-bar-set-guidelines-using-generative-ai-practice-law-more-states-follow

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

Mitsubishi HC Capital America Examines 2024
EV Truck Industry, Reveals Outlook

NORWALK, Conn– As the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) continues, industry experts at Mitsubishi HC Capital America expect the pace of adoption to pick up in 2024, all while continued challenges and changes in regulation, labor and the incentive, rebate and tax credit landscape are anticipated.


John Critelli, Director of SDG Sales, Transportation Finance at Mitsubishi Capital HC America, commented, “OEMs are realizing that converting to EVs is more demanding and disrupting than they expected.

“Dealers have been patient with the OEMs, but there’s a general sense that we’ve been talking about the same things for the last couple of years – and now it’s really time to start moving forward,” Critelli says. “We’re reaching a point where adoption is going to catch up with the demand to move to EVs.”

Mitsubishi HC Capital America identifies the following key factors that impacting the pace and progress of EV truck adoption to date:

• Vehicle availability. Investment in EV is slower than anticipated due largely to the availability of “at-scale” production. Dealers are willing to make the investment in EVs but are ordering small quantities due to limited availability. Investment would likely be greater if OEMs could produce at scale, Critelli notes, but doing so is problematic for a number of reasons. OEMs have limited institutional or industry knowledge regarding the new processes. In addition, making a design change usually results in numerous, unforeseen modifications, slowing development and delivery.

• Infrastructure installation. Installation of appropriate charging infrastructure and the associated timelines and delays have hindered adoption. Depending on which state the business operates in and the local utilities involved, installations can take as long as six to eight months or longer.

• Regulatory effects. Where adoption has occurred, it has been driven primarily by regulatory requirements. California, for example, has mandated that all new vehicles sold in 2035 and beyond must be zero-emission. As a result, OEMs, dealers and end users are moving faster than in locations without state requirements.

• OEM challenges. Along with the production issue cited above, emerging EV OEMs face challenges in attaining industry certifications and securing firm orders. Certification in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) adds a layer of regulatory compliance for EV production. Securing firm orders is an ongoing challenge due to the cycle time between the initial order and anticipated delivery.

• Dealer challenges. EV availability and infrastructure-installment issues directly impact dealers. Keeping inventories in stock is a challenge. Dealers also must have chargers in the sales lots so that buyers can demo the vehicles, and in service bays to properly service the EVs. These modifications can be up to multi-million-dollar investments.

Outlook for 2024

Critelli expects the pace of adoption to pick up in 2024, as vehicles are produced more rapidly, regulatory requirements are enacted in more states, and the EV process is refined and continues to mature. Still, the EV truck sector will need to be aware of these key issues impacting EV adoption next year:

• Regulation. Critelli advises to “put a helmet on” because the regulatory environment is going to change “numerous times” by the end of 2024. “Everyone will need to keep on top of the continuous changes,” he says. “It almost requires a dedicated resource to track the regulatory and environmental changes from state to state.”

• Incentive, rebate and tax credit changes. OEMs and dealers need to pay close attention and be smart about incentive, rebate and tax credit changes. “There are significant rebates and credits available that make a big difference: potentially $30,000-$50,000 off the price of an EV, or similar-sized tax credit,” Critelli explained. Some OEMs provide search engines to enable identifying resources from state to state.

• Skilled labor. EVs are not just a direct replacement of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. They require salespeople and service technicians with skills that are different than those required for ICE vehicles. Retraining or hiring new personnel will be needed, Critelli concludes.

“Overall, customers, dealers and OEMs are excited and looking forward to the changes coming to the market, regardless of the hurdles ahead.” John Critelli concludes. “At Mitsubishi HC Capital America, we’ve prioritized EVs because that’s where the industry is headed. Through our strategic relationships, our team has the resources and capabilities to work alongside experts throughout the entire EV supply chain to provide businesses the necessary assistance as we move into the future with EVs.”

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

 

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This Day in History

    1577 - English seaman Francis Drake sets out from Plymouth, England with five ships and 164 men on a mission to raid Spanish holdings on the Pacific coast of the New World and explore the Pacific Ocean. Three years later, Drake's return to Plymouth marked the first circumnavigation of the earth by a British explorer. After crossing the Atlantic, Drake abandoned two of his ships in South America and then sailed into the Straits of Magellan with the remaining three. A series of devastating storms besieged his expedition in the treacherous straits, wrecking one ship and forcing another to return to England. Only “The Golden Hind” reached the Pacific Ocean, but Drake continued undaunted up the western coast of South America, raiding Spanish settlements and capturing a rich Spanish treasure ship. Drake then continued up the western coast of North America, searching for a possible northeast passage back to the Atlantic. Reaching as far north as present-day Washington before turning back, Drake paused near San Francisco Bay in June, 1579 to repair his ship and prepare for a journey across the Pacific. Calling the land "Nova Albion," Drake was the first captain to sail his own ship all the way around the world--the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan had sailed three-fourths of the way around the globe earlier in the century but had been killed in the Philippines, leaving the Basque navigator Juan Sebastiýn de Elcano to complete the journey. In 1581, Queen Elizabeth I knighted Drake, the son of a tenant farmer, during a visit to his ship. The most renowned of the Elizabethan seamen, Sir Francis Drake later played a crucial role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada.
    1621 - Under the care of Robert Cushman, the first American furs to be exported from the continent leave for England aboard the Fortune. One month before, Cushman and the Fortune had arrived at Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts with 35 settlers, the first new colonists since the settlement was founded in 1620. During Cushman's return to England, the Fortune was captured by the French, and its valuable cargo of furs was taken. Cushman was detained on the Ile d'Dieu before being returned to England. Within a few years of their first fur export, the Plymouth colonists, unable to make their living through cod fishing as they had originally planned, begin concentrating almost entirely on the fur trade. The colonists developed an economic system in which their chief crop, Indian corn, was traded with Native Americans to the north for highly valued beaver skins, which were in turn profitably sold in England to pay the Plymouth Colony's debts and buy necessary supplies.
    1666 - Frederick Phillips in New Amsterdam (the future New York City) cornered the market in wampum* by creating a shortage, considered by historians as the first “financial corner” of the marketplace in the New World. He buried several hogsheads (a large barrel or cask holding anywhere from 63 to 110 gallons) of it in order to force those who had to use this medium of exchange to purchase wampum from him at a higher price. (* wampum were tubular beads made from specific oyster shells and used as an exchange of value by various Indian tribes, often sewn into belts or garments.)
    1759 – The first music store in America opened in Philadelphia.
    1769 - Dartmouth College is chartered by Eleazar Wheelock.  It is the ninth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Founded as a school to educate Native Americans in Christian theology and the English way of life, Dartmouth primarily trained Congregationalist ministers throughout its early history before it gradually secularized, emerging at the turn of the 20th century from relative obscurity into national prominence.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec13.html
    1774 - Contrary to popular belief, the first battle of the Revolutionary War was not the Battle of Lexington on April 17, 1775.  On this date, Major John Sullivan of the Granite State Volunteers, later a major general in the Continental Army, captured by the British, helped Washington against General Howe. He led 400 patriots that attacked Fort William and Mary at New Castle, New Hampshire, in Portsmouth Harbor. They bound the commander of the fort and frightened the soldiers away, capturing 100 casks of power and small arms. The news of this victory spread over New England the next few months, leading up to the Battle of Lexington.
http://www.seacoastnh.com/framers/sullivan.html
    1818 - Birthday of Mary Todd Lincoln (d. 1882) at Lexington, Kentucky.  Wife of Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States.
    1835 - Birthday of Phillips Brooks (d. 1893) at Boston, Massachusetts. American clergyman and composer, best remembered for his lyrics for the Christmas carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”
    1843 - "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens published, 6,000 copies sold
    1861 - Battle of Allegheny Mountain, WV.  A bitter winter killed most wounded and other soldiers, too, in Pocahontas County, Virginia (now West Virginia) as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War.  Confederate forces under Col. Edward Johnson occupied the summit of Allegheny Mountain to defend the Staunton-Parkersburg Pike. A Union force under Brig. Gen. Robert H. Milroy attacked Johnson at sunrise.   In a piercing winter wind, each side maneuvered on the hillside fields and woods to gain the advantage. Milroy had posted a strong force in a mountain clearing, among the fallen timber, stumps and brush, which proved to be too difficult for the Confederate infantry to drive off. A Confederate artillery battery unlimbered and unleashed a "storm of round shot and canister among them, knocking their timber defenses about their heads, and making their nest too hot to hold them..." Finally, Milroy's troops were repulsed, and he retreated to his camps at Green Spring Run near Cheat Mountain. Johnson's losses were high: 25 men were killed and 97 were wounded in the engagement, plus 23 went missing.
http://www.paralumun.com/waralleghany.htm
http://docsouth.unc.edu/robson/robson.html
    1862 - General Robert E. Lee with 80,000 Confederates repulsed General Burnside with his 150,000 Federals at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia. After hard fighting along the Massaponax River, Burnside lost almost 14,000 troops. The victory spurred Lee to take his army and invade the North, whose march was discovered by accident in Gettysburg, PA. Burnside was put in this position due to General McClennan’s defeats as well as his political attempts to raise money to run for president. Lincoln eventually would go against his cabinet’s wishes and chose Ulysses Simpson Grant, although he was told “Grant drank too much” at Washington dinner parties.
http://www.nps.gov/frsp/fredhist.htm
http://www.civilwarhome.com/fredricksburgbattle.htm
http://www.nps.gov/frsp/fburg.htm
    1864 – Second Battle of Fort McAllister, GA began as General Sherman gets ready to attack Savannah.
http://web.ask.com/searchcp?q=Battle+of+Fort+McAllister+GA&t=Battle+Fort+
McAllister+GA&cache=00*dfxr&url=http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/
ga028.htm&page=&ws=1
    1878 – Temperature at Los Angeles, CA fell to 30, the lowest at that time for December.
    1887 – Alvin York (d. 1964) was born near Pall Mall, TN.  Sgt. York was one of the most decorated US Army soldiers of World War I.  While his men guarded prisoners, York attacked a machine gun position, dispatching several German soldiers with his rifle. By the time six Germans charged him with bayonets he was out of rifle ammunition, so he drew his pistol and shot them all. The German officer responsible for the machine gun position had emptied his pistol while firing at York, but failed to hit him. This officer then offered to surrender, and York accepted. York and his men marched back to their unit's command post having taken 35 machine guns, killing at least 25 enemy soldiers, and capturing 132. York was immediately promoted to sergeant, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross; a later investigation led to this award being upgraded to the Medal of Honor. York became a national hero and international celebrity; he went on to receive decorations from several foreign countries, including France, Italy and Montenegro.
    1897 – Newscaster Drew Pearson was born Andrew Russell Pearson (d. 1969) in Evanston, IL.  One of the best-known American columnists of his day, he was noted for his syndicated newspaper column “Washington Merry-Go-Round,” in which he criticized various public persons. He also had a program on NBC Radio titled “Drew Pearson Comments.”
    1903 – Birthday of drummer Sonny Greer (d. 1982), Long Branch, NJ.  Best known for his work with Duke Ellington.
http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Sonny%20Greer.html
    1911 - American poet Kenneth Patchen (d. 1972) born Niles, OH. Pioneered jazz poetry ("Kenneth Patchen Reads with the Chamber Jazz Sextet"). For more than thirty years, Patchen lived with a severe spinal ailment that caused him almost constant physical pain. The weight of this personal battle was compounded by his sensitivity to greater issues of humanity and his poetry paid special attention to the horrors of war. With his work, he tried to create a kind of sanctuary for the reader, apart from reality, where larger-than-life characters were motivated by their loving and benevolent natures.
http://www.poets.org/poets/poets.cfm?45442B7C000C0401
http://www.connectotel.com/patchen/
http://www.bopsecrets.org/PS/rexroth1.htm
http://opening.hefko.net/gi_patchen.html
    1911 - At the National League meetings at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, “Sporting Life” reported that "For the first time in history a woman sat in at a major league meeting. Mrs. H.H. Britton, owner of the St. Louis Cardinals, remained throughout the entire session of the National League meeting on the second day.
    1913 - Birthday of Archibald Lee Wright (d. 1998), better known as Archie Moore, at Benoit, MS. One of the most colorful fighters ever, Moore boxed from the mid-1930s to 1963, holding the light-heavyweight title for a record nine years. For much of his career, he fought an average of once a month. Moore let an aura of celebrity surround him; he lied about his age, ate an unusual diet, married five times and spoke out on a variety of political and social issues.
    1915 - A heavy snowstorm kicked off the snowiest winter in modern records for western New England.
    1918 - Birthday of the “Mad Russian,” William Vukovich, Sr. was born William Vucerovich (d. 1955) at Fresno, CA. Vukovich began racing midget cars in 1937 and picked up his career after World War II. Known as the “Mad Russian” for his hell-bent style, he won the 1953 Indianapolis 500 from the pole and the 1954 race as well. Ahead again in the 1955 race, he crashed on the 57th lap and died on the track.
    1918 – President Woodrow Wilson became the first US president to visit a foreign country when he arrived in France to take part in World War I peace negotiations and to promote his plan for a League of Nations. 
    1922 - Alarmed at the increase in home run hitting (1,054 in the major leagues, up from 936), some American league owners backed a zoning system setting a minimum of 300 feet for a ball to be called a home run. The motion died. In another action, the league required each club to furnish two home uniforms per player, plus extra caps and stockings on the road, to improve the players' appearance. In National League meetings, Cahrles Ebbets proposed putting numbers on players' sleeves or caps. It's left to each club to do as it wishes.
    1923 – Larry Doby (d. 2003) was born in Camden, SC.  He was the second African American to play in a Major League game in the 20th century (the first in the American League and the second African American manager in baseball history. Doby was signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1947. He started the American League on the road to integration when he became the first black player to appear in an AL game on July 5, 1947, less than three months after Jackie Robinson.  While he had limited success that first year, he became the club's regular center fielder in 1948 when the Indians won the World Series. Doby was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
    1923 – For you old Brooklyn Dodger fans, this is the birthday of George “Shotgun” Shuba (d. 2014), born in Youngstown, OH.  Also, P Carl Erskine was born in Anderson, IN in 1926, and P Billy Loes (d. 2010), who once claimed he lost a grounder back to the mound in the sun, was born in Long Island City, NY in 1929.
    1925 - Actor/Comedian/Singer Dick Van Dyke born West Plains, Mo.  His entertainment career has spanned seven decades. He first gained recognition on radio and Broadway, then became known for his role as Rob Petrie on the television sitcom, “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” which ran from 1961 to 1966. He also gained significant popularity for roles in the musical films “Bye Bye Birdie” (1963), “Mary Poppins” (1964), and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (1968). His other prominent film appearances include roles in several other genre films through 2014.  Other prominent TV roles include the leads in “The New Dick Van Dyke Show” (1971–74), “Diagnosis Murder” (1993-2001), and “Murder 101” (2006–08) which both co-starred his son, Barry.  Van Dyke was the recipient of five Primetime Emmys, a Tony, and a Grammy Award.  He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995; received the Screen Actors Guild’s highest honor, the SAG Life Achievement Award, in 2013.   He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has also been recognized as a Disney Legend. 
    1927 - James Wright (d. 1980) was born Martin's Ferry, Ohio. American poet of the postmodern era who writes of sorrow, salvation, and self-revelation. Much of his work draws upon the images of nature and industry found in his native Ohio River valley.
    1928 - The George Gershwin composition, "American in Paris," had its debut performance by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Walter Damrosch.
    1928 - Clip-on tie designed.
    1929 - Hoagy Carmichael and Louis Armstrong recorded "Rockin’ Chair" on Columbia records and cylinders.
    1932 - The great Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Band cuts “Last Date” for Victor, 1932.
    1936 - Green Bay won the National Football League championship after they beat the Boston Redskins, 21-6. It was Boston's last game, as they became the Washington Redskins in 1937.
    1937 - Japanese forces took the Chinese city of Nanking (Nanjing). Over the following six weeks, in one of the worst atrocities of World War II, they killed an estimated 200,000 Chinese in what became known as the "Rape of Nanking."
    1938 - Birthday of Gus Johnson, Jr. (d. 1987), basketball player born at Akron, OH. Johnson played at the University of Akron, Boise Junior College and the University of Idaho. He was drafted by the Washington Bullets and helped make them a perennial contender for playoff honors. Johnson was the prototype of the power forward. He could score from the corner and was one of the first players to use the slam dunk. He finished his career with the Phoenix Suns.
    1939 - In World War II, the battle of the River Plate took place off the coast of South America between the British cruisers Exeter, Ajax and Achilles and the German battleship Graf Spee.
    1940 - Lester Young splits from the Count Basie Band.
    1940 - Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded the two-sided jump tune, "The Anvil Chorus," for Bluebird Records in New York. The 10-inch, 78 rpm record was six minutes long.
    1941 - The first Ace in World War II was First Lieutenant Boyd David Wagner of Johnstown, PA. While serving in the Army Air Corps in the Philippines, Wagner was attacked by five Japanese pursuit planes. He shot two plans out of the air and machine-gunned 12 on the ground, leaving five burning. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
    1942 – Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins was born in Chatham, Ontario, Canada.  Pitching for the Chicago Cubs, he won 20 games six consecutive seasons, 1967-72.  He is the only pitcher in history to have struck out more than 3,000 batters (3,192) while allowing fewer than 1,000 walks (997). He was the 1971 Cy Young Award winner in the NL and a three-time All-Star.  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.
    1944 - Japanese kamikaze crashes into US cruiser Nashville, killing 138.
http://www.multied.com/Navy/cruiser/Nashville.html
http://www.steelnavy.com/Nashville.htm
    1945 - Singer June Christy signs contract with Capitol Records and recorded 18 post-Stan Kenton albums.
    1948 - After an 11 1/2 month strike, the American Federation of Musicians went back to work. During the strike, there was also an 11½-month ban on phonograph records.
    1949 - The American League said no to a proposal to revive the spitball, outlawed since 1920. Many pitchers still tossed the spitter anyway.
    1950 - Top Hits
“A Bushel and a Peck” - Perry Como & Betty Hutton
“Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” - Gene Autry
“Nevertheless” - Jack Denny
“I’m Moving On” - Hank Snow
    1951 - U.S. Air Force George A. Davis, flying a F-86 Sabre jet out of the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, was credited with four aerial victories against MiG-15s, the largest number of kills by a single pilot in one day during the war. These victories made Davis the first "double ace" of the Korean War. A double ace has 10 enemy kills.
    1956 - The Brooklyn Dodgers traded Jackie Robinson to the cross-town rival Giants for pitcher Dick Littlefield and $35,000. Jackie, according to some accounts had already decided privately to leave the game to work for Chock Full ‘o’ Nuts, publicly retired from baseball rather than accept the trade. Many questioned the Dodgers’ intent here as at this time, there was no worse trade for a Dodger, and vice versa, than to the hated Giants.
    1957 – Rock and Roller Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Brown. Only 22, Lewis had already been married twice and was yet to divorce his second wife. The news broke a few weeks later as Lewis, who had notched up a worldwide No.1 hit with “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On,” arrived in London and was about to begin a tour of the UK. His latest single, “Great Balls of Fire,” had just topped the charts. Newspaper reports of his 13-year-old “bride” and his tangled marital affairs caused such an outcry that the tour was cancelled and he returned to the US in disgrace.  Lewis’ career was never the same. In 1970, Brown filed for divorce on the grounds of adultery and abuse. He is on his seventh marriage. 
1958 - Top Hits
“To Know Him, is to Love Him” - The Teddy Bears
“Problems” - The Everly Brothers
“Queen of the Hop” - Bobby Darin
“City Lights” - Ray Price
    1960 - The first of three Middle Atlantic snowstorms produced a foot of snow at Baltimore, MD. A pre-winter blizzard struck the northeastern U.S. producing wind gusts as high as 51 mph, along with 16 inches of snow at Nantucket, MA and 20 inches at Newark, NJ.
    1961 - Jimmy Dean's “Big Bad John” album is country music's first million  seller.
http://www.epinions.com/content_3866271876
    1961 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," The Tokens
    1962 - A severe Florida freeze occurred. Morning lows reached 35 degrees at Miami, 18 degrees at Tampa, and 12 degrees at Jacksonville. It was the coldest December weather of the 20th century and caused millions of dollars damage to crops and foliage. In Georgia, the morning low of 9 degrees below zero at Blairsville established a state record for the month of December.
    1966 - Top Hits
“Good Vibrations” - The Beach Boys
“Mellow Yellow” - Donovan
“Lady Godiva” - Peter & Gordon
“Somebody Like Me” - Eddy Arnold
    1968 - A severe coastal storm produced high winds and record early snows from Georgia to Maine. Winds reached 90 mph in Massachusetts, and ten inches of snow blanketed interior Maine.
    1969 - Arlo Guthrie released "Alice's Restaurant."
    1973 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "The Most Beautiful Girl," Charlie Rich.
    1974 - Former Beatle George Harrison was invited to lunch by President Gerald R. Ford. At the White House, the two exchanged buttons, Ford giving George a WIN (Whip Inflation Now) pin and Harrison giving the President an OM (Hindu mantra word expressing creation) button.
    1974 - Top Hits
“Kung Fu Fighting” - Carl Douglas
“When Will I See You Again” - The Three Degrees
“Cat’s in the Cradle” - Harry Chapin
“She Called Me Baby” - Charlie Rich
    1975 – “Saturday Night Live” is first produced “delayed recording.” The late-night television variety show, “Saturday Night Live,” did not broadcast live for the first time on this date. NBC was concerned that the host for that evening's show, popular comedian Richard Pryor, would utter some obscene words or phrases. Pryor had promised that he would not use foul language, but as most of his stand-up routine consisted of four-letter words, the possibility existed that he would accidentally, or purposefully, "let loose." The show's executive heads decided that the show would be placed on a 5-second electronic delay. Two expletives spoken by Pryor were determined unsuitable for television and were deleted before they hit the airwaves.
    1975 - David Bowie's "Golden Years" and Foghat's "Slow Ride" are released.
    1978 - The Philadelphia Mint struck the first Susan B. Anthony dollar coins, with 1979 dates and the first “P” mintmark since the silver nickels of World War II. Denver production began on January 9, 1979, and San Francisco minting began on February 2, 1979. The Susan B. Anthony dollar, the first coin to honor a woman, was not a hit with the public for several reasons, most importantly because it was often mistaken for a quarter, which was about and eighth of an inch smaller in diameter.
    1982 - Top Hits
“Mickey” - Toni Basil
“Maneater” - Daryl Hall & John Oates
“The Girl is Mine” - Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney
“Redneck Girl” - The Bellamy Brothers
    1983 - In professional basketball, Detroit and Denver played for 3 hours, 11 minutes. The Pistons won, 186-184, during triple overtime. NBA records for single-game were set for most points by two teams; by one team; assists; and field goals. Kiki Vandeweghe of the Denver Nuggets scored a career-high with 51 points.
    1985 - In a first for movies, the murder mystery, "Clue," opened featuring three different endings. Newspaper ads said which ending was playing at which theatre.
    1986 - In the school's 62-year history, Duke University won its first NCAA team championship when the Blue Devils’ soccer team beat Akron, 1-0.
    1986 - Madonna's recording of “Open Your Heart” entered Billboard's Top 40 pop charts on this date, and later peaked at Number 1 for a week. The song stayed on the charts for 14 weeks.
    1986 - "The Way It Is," by Bruce Hornsby and the Range, hit #1 for a week in the U.S.: “That’s just the way it is; Some things will never change. That’s just the way it is; Aw, but don’t you believe them.”
    1987 - A major winter storm produced high winds and heavy snow in the Southern Rockies and the Southern High Plains. Snowfall totals in New Mexico ranged up to 25 inches at Cedar Crest, with up to three feet of snow reported in the higher elevations. Winds of 75 mph, with gusts to 124 mph, were reported northeast of Albuquerque, NM. El Paso, TX was buried under 22.4 inches of snow, including a single storm record of 16.8 inches in 24 hours. The snowfall total surpassed their previous record for an entire winter season of 18.4 inches. Record cold was experienced the next three nights as readings dipped into the single numbers. High winds ushering unseasonably cold air into the southwestern U.S. gusted to 100 mph at Grapevine, CA.
    1988 - Cold arctic air spread from the Great Lakes Region to the Appalachian Region. Twenty-five cities, mostly in the northeastern U.S., reported record low temperatures for the date. The low of 12 degrees below zero at Albany, NY was their coldest reading of record for so early in the season. Saranac Lake, NY was the cold spot in the nation with a low of 28 degrees below zero.
    1989 - Strong northwesterly winds, ushering bitterly cold arctic air into the central U.S., produced squalls with heavy snow in the Great Lakes Region. Snowfall totals in Upper Michigan ranged up to 24 inches at Manistique. Nine cities in Arkansas and Texas reported record low temperatures for the date, including Calico Rock, AR with a reading of 4 degrees above zero.
    1989 – Singer Taylor Swift was born in Reading, PA. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her narrative songwriting, which is often inspired by her personal life, has received widespread media coverage and critical praise. Having sold over 200 million records worldwide, Swift is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Her accolades include 11GFrammy Awards (including three Album of the Year wins), an Emmy Award, 12 Country Music Association Awards, 25 Billboard Music Awards (the most wins for a female artist), 34American Music awards (the most wins for an artist) and 52 Guinness World Records. She featured on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time (2015), placed eighth on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Artists list (2019), and appeared multiple times on power rankings such as the Time 100 and the Forbes Celebrity 100. Named the Woman of the 2010s Decade by Billboard and the Artist of the 2010s Decade by the American Music Awards, Swift has been recognized for her advocacy of artists' rights and women's empowerment in the music industry. An astonishing career by any measure, she is only 31 years of age.
1990 - Top Hits
“Because I Love You” (“The Postman Song”) - Stevie B
“From a Distance” - Bette Midler
“Something to Believe In” - Poison
“I’ve Come to Expect It from You” - George Strait
    1991 - North and South Korea signed a treat of reconciliation and nonaggression, formally ending the Korean War, 38 years after fighting ceased in 1953. This agreement was not hailed as a peace treaty and the armistice that was signed July 27, 1953, between the UN and North Korea, was to remain in effect until it could be transformed into a formal peace.
    1995 - US Federal Court votes that Cable companies must carry local stations
    1997 - 63rd Heisman Trophy Award: Charles Woodson, Michigan (CB)
http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/12841
http://www.collegefootballnews.com/Top_100_Players/
Top_100_Players_34_Charles_Woodson.htm
    1998 - Voters in Puerto Rico rejected United States statehood.
    1998 - Baltimore and Minnesota combine to set an NFL record with three kickoff return touchdowns in the same game, all in the first quarter of the Vikings' 38-28 victory. Corey Harris and Patrick Johnson score for the Ravens while David Palmer turns the trick for Minnesota. Vikings kicker Gary Anderson sets an NFL record when he converts his 34th consecutive field goal.
http://images.nfl.com/history/images/1213.jpg
    2000 - Republican George W. Bush claimed the presidency five weeks after Election Day and a day after the U.S. Supreme Court shut down further recounts of disputed ballots in Florida. Democrat Al Gore conceded, delivering a call for national unity.
    2002 - A powerful Pacific storm system plowed into the western United States during the 13th-16th, producing high winds, heavy rains, significant mountain snowfall and causing 9 deaths (Associated Press). Rainfall amounts exceeding 10 inches occurred in parts of California, and wind gusts over 45 mph produced up to 1.9 million power outages during the period.
    2007 – In a blockbuster announcement that reverberates today, the Mitchell Report was released, naming 89 players as having used or been in possession of steroids.  Many of the game’s biggest stars, including Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Miguel Tejada and Jason Giambi, are among those named. The report, calling for tighter regulation of performance-enhancing drugs, was commissioned by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to look into the extent to which performance-enhancing drugs were prevalent in baseball.  Over 2 million people downloaded the report in the first couple of days it was online.
    2011 - A bill extending a payroll tax extension and a bill expediting the Keystone XL pipeline between Canada and Texas is passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
    2013 - An experimental privacy feature on Google's Android mobile software is removed, raising objections from the Electronic Frontier Foundation; the feature allowed users to block apps from collecting personal information such as a user's location and address book data.
2017 – Salma Hayek accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment and threatening to kill her.
2018 - Actress Eliza Dushku revealed received $9.5 million settlement from CBS after sexual harassment on set of "Bull" from actor Michael Weatherley.
2018 - German basketball forward Dirk Nowitzki took the court for his record 21st NBA season with the Dallas Mavericks, surpassing Kobe Bryant's 20 seasons with the LA Lakers.

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