Holiday Editions

Headlines---

A Press Release from BSB Leasing

    Bites from the Past

        December 7,2000 The List

            This Day in American History

 A Press Release from BSB Leasing

  by Kit Menkin

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

BSB Leasing, Inc. announces the promotion of William "Skip" Wehner to Vice-President of Business Development

(Denver, CO - BSB Leasing, Inc., a division of Procure Financial

Services, Inc. would like to announce the promotion of William "Skip" Wehner to the

 Newly created position of Vice-President of Business Development.

In his new capacity Skip will be responsible for all direct and indirect business

origination activity at BSB Leasing, Inc.

An 11-year leasing industry veteran, Wehner served as Vice President and Senior

Operations Officer of Granite Financial in Denver before founding EMTEC Financial, a

small ticket leasing company. Wehner joined BSB Leasing, Inc. in December, 2002 as

Director of Business Development. "We are very pleased to make this announcement.

In the past year Skip has become an integral member of our management team states Don

Myerson, President of BSB Leasing, Inc.

BSB Leasing, Inc., a division of Procure Financial Services, Inc. located in Denver, CO

originates small ticket commercial equipment leases throughout the United States through

a network of independent lease brokers and direct sales representatives.

Donald Myerson

BSB Leasing, Inc.

6825 E. Tennessee Ave., Suite 500

Denver, Colorado 80224

Phone: 303-329-0227

dmyerson@bsbleasing.com

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

This is a good example of press releases that Leasing News prints. In our request for

feed back from readers, the overwhelming majority does not want us to continue to

print press releases. Most say they read “the Monitor” and get the press releases

there.

From an editorial viewpoint, I don’t know if the Monitor, Lessors, Leasingtoday,

ELT or others will print the “press release.” I don’t know if readers will see this

information. In addition, many of the majors may look upon BSB Leasing

as too small a company to report the promotion of “Skip” Wehner.

From the reader feed back received to date, you don’t want us to print the

press releases we receive. It also appears many of you do not belong to

leasing associations, and think we promote too much “cronyism” and

“good old boy” news.

It also appears you like the opinions, and want more. You want what is really going

on, not what is hidden in corporate press releases. Does this include company

information and promotion such as BSB Leasing.

Please let me hear from you as I plain to make changes to Leasing News in 2004.

Kit Menkin

[Headlines]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bites from the Past:

November 3,2000

Serious Problems at Unicapital As "Deals" Starting to Unravel. Vendors and

Brokers not being paid, deals "frozen" in Limbo-------------

will Bank of America postpone again after November 6, Monday---

Look for Lawsuits Galore if this continues—editor

-----

December 7,2000

United

Capital, Austin, Texas

United Capital for three days has not returned any e-mail to us. Allegedly an announcement was to be made. E-Mails were sent to brokers, we are told. We did here from another leasing company, who had a N.S.F. check replaced, but no such luck from another. Another reported similar troubles.

One Leasing Insider reports:

"My sales contact was pink slipped this morning with a few days of severance. There is a "skeleton" crew in place to "maybe" fund a few deals and do collections. They say they will be back in business 1/1/00. I doubt it. Their senior credit person is gone and so are their sales people.

 They have not returned our commissions as of yet and many deals that have partially funded are being held from fully funding. Lehman Bro's will not give them any more cash. Per my source, this was the case several days ago and United has been tremendously misleading to everyone.

 Good News. Manifest is accepting United documentation if the deals approves. It has to be in the broker's name, they need originals and the binder (if applicable) needs to be in their name.

Name Withheld

----

March 8,2001

 Lease Guru Bob Baker Says This Economy Has Great Opportunities!!!!

I have been overwhelmed with calls from small brokers who are in a panic.

 They seem to be hearing that the industry is in for very tough times.

 The theme of the day is we are going into a recession and I can't compete against all of the "Big" leasing companies. To all of this I say " BULL" !!

I have been in this business of financing and leasing for over 30 years.

I can honestly say I have not seen business this good for over a decade. Over the

last few years , especially the last couple , we have seen multiple mergers and

acquisitions. Leasing companies today are either giants or ants.

 In my humble opinion this has created tremendous opportunity for the small broker. The

big leasing companies could care less about the vendor that can only do two or

three deals a month.

 In fact many small vendors are crying to do business with a leasing company that cares more about their vendors success than just an 800 # to send in a deal.

 Working with the small vendors keeps you under the "Radar" of the big boys.

Look at the math. A small $30,000 transaction with only 5 points yields a broker $1500.00 . 6 vendors doing only 3 deals a month is 18 deals a month at $1500.00 each

generates 18 X $1500.00 = $27000 in monthly revenue or 324,000.00 Annually!!

 The key today is working smart not hard. Focus on a small group of vendors and

spend 100% of your efforts creating a CUSTOM FINANCE PROGRAM for your vendors. Become value added to your vendors and you will have EARNED their respect , loyalty , and most importantly their leasing business.

 One of my favorite quotes is the definition of an OBSTACLE " IT IS WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE GOAL" .

 forget the stories you hear of doom and gloom- opportunity abounds.

 Great Selling!!

Bob Baker, CLP

baker@wildwoodfinancial.com

---------------------

 Copy of letter from Tom Depping to Employees Announcing His Resignation

28 March 2001

As most of you are aware, our shareholders have tendered over 90% of the outstanding shares to American Express. American Express anticipates closing the acquisition by Friday. I would like to thank everyone for working hard to make SierraCities/First Sierra a great company. One that will live on as part of the American Express family.

I started First Sierra six years ago. Before I typed up the first business plan First Sierra did not exist. As I look back to the early days of First Sierra, I have many fond memories of the ideas and dreams that serve as the foundation of this company. We accomplished a lot in six short years. Ever the pioneer, we consistently delivered innovation and permanently changed

our industry. In six years, we went from a small start-up company to a dominant provider of small business loans. We built the best technology platform for small business lending on the planet and provided over $3 billion of small business loans to over 100,000 customers; this number grows every day.

2001 is starting out to be a great year. It looks like we should earn a profit of over

$2,000,000 for the first quarter, well ahead of plan. Delinquency and charge-offs are well within expectation and our margins have never been higher. With things going as well as they are many have asked me why we sold the company. I often ask myself the same question. To answer this question one must look at the one major factor we don't control, the long term capital markets. These markets have essentially been closed since the summer of 1998. First Sierra's June 1999 equity offering is the only capital raised by any specialty finance company

in the last three years. We are in a business that requires access to long term capital. The risk of not being able to obtain additional long term capital a year or two from now is simply too great and something over which we have virtually no control. Consequently, I decided to look for a strategic partner or acquirer who either had access to capital or was a large financial institution with the capability to take what we have built and allow it to realize its full potential. I cannot think of a better company than American Express, a world class financial services company.

The next question I would like to address is what I am going to do and why. I recently had a message posted on our web site about the essence of survival. I thought this message was appropriate for a couple of reasons. First, we are survivors of a very difficult period for small ticket leasing companies. In fact, I believe we are the lone survivor of all the companies that went public in 1996 and 1997. Innovation and vision, however, allowed SierraCities/First Sierra to survive. While others grew by taking foolish credit risks, we grew by building technology. The lion was never quite fast enough to catch us.

Shortly after the acquisition is complete I will be leaving. While American Express is a great company and they will put new leadership in place that will help our culture make the transformation from a small entrepreneurial company to a major world class financial services company, from my perspective, I think it is time to seek new challenges. I am more like the gazelle than the lion. I need the thrill of the chase to get motivated every morning.

Thank you once again for helping make SierraCities/First Sierra the best small ticket company on the planet. We should have a very bright future as part of American Express.

I wish you all the best.

Tom

P.S. Make sure the lion does not go hungry!

[Headlines]

 December 7,2000 The List

(This list is three years old and all identification to be

brought current has been completed to the best of our ability.

It is only be re-printed to show The List three years ago. editor)

58 Leasing Companies Major Changes

Advanta Leasing ( 9/2000 for sale, former

prez now at eOriginals,others let go like Kaye Lee.)

Affinity Leasing, Washington ( 12/2000 to close and concentrate on Financial Pacific biz )

American Business Leasing ( gone )

Balboa Capital ( 9/2000 Founder Pat Byrne "...office available

any time he wants to use it" ).

The Bancorp Group, Inc. (Southfield, MI) (Not accepting news business. The BOD of the parent bank is assessing what to do with the leasing subsidiary.....currently servicing portfolio but not originating. no longer in business )

Bankvest (bankrupt-John Colton president)

Bombadier ( 12/2000 reported having leasing problems, not confirmed, company strong in other divisions, but appears backing out of leasing division )

BSB Leasing (11/2000 closed to accepting new business . Note this company was owned

by Unicapital and purchased back by its principals, now in business and reportedly very

successful. In the closing of this division of Unicapital, the officers were quite forthright

in protecting broker and returning advance rentals. editor)

Capital Associates ( 12/2000 reportedly in liquidation )

Charter Financial ( purchased by Wells Fargo 9/5/2000 )

Colonial Pacific (11/98) purchased by GE Capital 5/2000 no more re-brokered applications, except from one or two sources, such as Steve Dunham's Leasing Associates )

Commerce Security ,Sacramento, Ca( 9/99 closed to leasing broker program )(11/99 last fundings.)(Ron Wagner was president at the time, and the closing was clean and perhaps

the first to see the down turn in the leasing industry.editor)

Comstock Leasing , San Mateo County, Ca.( 3/2000 Unicapital then Linc and discontinued operation this date )

Copelco( 4/2000 sold to Citibank/10/2000 stock down rated/10/2000 ceases broker business, many complaints in manner turning off faucet )

Dana ( 7/2000 sold off portfolio, active as captive lessor )

DVI Capital (12/2000 out of broker business )

El Camino Leasing, Woodland Hills, Caifornia (10/2000 No longer taking broker business 11/2000 struggling to stay in leasing business, according to insider reports )

eLease ( June/July/2000 senior management changes )

Finantra (11/2000 will eliminate its commercial finance operations in order to focus on its two core finance platforms, consumer finance and services and consumer mortgage lending. )

FMA Finance , San Jose,Ca.

( 4/2000 reportedly closed to brokers )

Fidelity ( 4/2000 acquired by EAB, a wholly owned subsidiary of ABN AMRO Bank N.V., headquartered in the Netherlands, raising funds )

Finova ( out of market place ( 10/2000 Dow Jones headlines

"Finova Stock Falls As Buyout Hopes Wane 10/2000 Dow Jones notes stock falling

and problems at Finova 11/2000 Announces they will discontinue business, sell

units 11/2000 Suspends Dividend 11/2000 Leucadia National to Invest $350 Million

in Finova 11/2000 reports $274 million loss ))

First State Bancorp, Albuquerque, N.M ( 3/2000 sold leasing division-$64 million---)

Franklin Leasing, Des Moines, Iowa--owned by Liberty Bank-- (2/2000)-no longer writing leases ( limited by regulations and leases are for sale ).

Franchise Mortagage Acceptance Corporation (FMAC),Santa Clara-San Jose, CA

11/1999 purchased by Bay View Commercial Corporation (Bay View Bank) 9/2000 discontinuing all franchise loan and lease production.

 Golden Gate Funding,S.F. Ca ( 2/99 purchased by Westover Financial )

Heller Financial's Commercial Services Unit ( 10/99 purchased by CIT )

Imperial Credit Industries (ICII) ( sold portfolio )

Japan Leasing Credit claims ( JLC --6/99 purchased by Orix ) Lease Acceptance

Corp---( ceases broker business 7/26/2000 )

Leasing Solutions, San Jose, Ca( bankrupt –bank basically closed them down)

Liberty Leasing ( closed, California company , Redwood City?)

Linc Capital ( out of vendor and broker business, Nasdaq halts stock sales, $13.4 loss last quarter,10/2000 assets for sale )

Lyon Credit Corporation ( 9/99 purchased by Hudson United Bancorp )

Manifest Group--( 9/1/2000 purchased by US Bancorp Leasing and Financial,

"...a win for all the parties involved," Brian Bjella.

Matsco Financial (12/2000 purchased by Greater Bay Bank )

Merit Leasing ( gone ) Metwest Leasing, Spokane

Wa. ( 9/2000 advising brokers that they have run out of funds so they are unable

to fund a transaction we have there for funding. 11/2000 Metwest Leasing Spokane,

WA. is pulling the plug, confirmed by five sources. )

MetroLease--( 5/2000 reports closing operation, John Blazek at Evergreen Leasing, Hathcock losing assets, will not confirm nor deny; many serious rumors of serious fraud floating around the marketplace, including debt to Textron Financial, reported to file bk.)

Nations Credit, Business Leasing Group (1/29/99 sold to Textron**) *"The Business

Leasing Group of Nations Credit was sold to Textron and we still do broker business,"

say Jim Merrilees, past UAEL president.

NIA National Leasing ( 3/2000 purchased by Lakeland Bancorp )

New England Capital ( 6/2000 sold to Network Capital Alliance a division of Sovereign Bank. Sovereign did hire two people who will run a sales office in CT, doing basically the same deals with the same people as before. Little will change in that aspect.

Newcourt ( 8/2000 sold off )

Onset Capital ( 9/2000 Irwin buys 87% equity )

Orix 11/10 First Six Month Profits up 14% at Orix! ) 10/2000 "long-term Outlook has been revised from Stable to Negative" Credit Allianchat it has changed its name to ORIX Financial Services, 9/2000 Japanese Bank President Commits Suicide (Orix is a 14.7% shareholder in bank having problems ), ( 8/2000 closes small ticket vendor division in Portland, Oregon, "Business as usual (in New Jersey and with brokers)," says Steve Geller 11/8 New President at Orix appointed 11/10 First Six Month Profits up 14% at Orix! . )

Phoenix Leasing, San Rafael-Novato, Ca ( 5/2000 both divisions closed )

Republic Leasing, South Carolina 9/27/2000 ( "The expected result will be a sale of Republic Leasing"---Dwight Galloway )

Resource Leasing, Herndon, Virginia ( 11/2000 MicroFinancial/Leasecomm acquires major portion of the assets.)

Rockford ( sold to American Express )

Scripp Financial

( 6/29/2000 ( purchased by US Bancorp )

Signature Leasing, Dublin, California

( 11/2000 no longer in small ticket marketplace )

SDI Capital, So. Calif. ( 5/2000 closed to broker programs )

SFC Capital ( 9/15/2000 purchased by Trinity Capital )

Sierra

Cities (11/2000 acquired by Vertical Net Credit )

T&W, Washington (10/2000 filed Chapter 11. Creditors meeting on 12-4-00 Seattle. Case # 00-10868 US Bankruptcy Court Western District of Wash. 206-553-7545. Debtor Attorney-Marc Barreca 206-623-7580)

Transamerica ( 11/2000 for sale, but no buyers, so taken off marketplace, no longer

for sale )

Unicapital ( 11/2000 NY Stock Exchanges Suspends Sale of Stock,

Dow Jones reports 248 employees let go, divisions are closing, BofA credit until

December 1. We have received several conflicting reports of what is open or closed,

so we are printing their original purchase of various companies to let you know

who might be no longer taking new business, because of the difficulties of the

parents--at the end of this report )

United Capital, Austin Texas ( 12/2000 e-mail to brokers no more deals until 1/2001; many reports of deals not getting funded.)

Varilease ( 11/2000 closed down )

USA Capital Leasing ( gone-bk ]

   The List Today in Alphabetical format:

http://www.leasingnews.org/list_alpha_new.htm

  in Chronological format

http://www.leasingnews.org/list_chron_new.htm

[Headlines]

This Day in American History

    1813 -- Iroquois warriors and British troops capture Buffalo, New York.

http://history.buffalonet.org/1801.html

   1828- First coffee planted in Hawaii (Kona)

http://www.konacoffeefest.com/history.html

http://www.mauicoffeeco.com/history.html

http://www.konacoffee.com/about.html

 http://www.kona-coffee-council.com

    1832 -Hanover College was chartered by the Presbyterian General Assembly of Indiana on November 29 and recognized by the State day to be created as

Hanover College on January 1, 1833. for official. The school had been founded as a seminary "in the wilderness" for training ministers 9n 1827,

 http://www.hanover.edu/

    1847-Birthday of John Peter Altgeld , born in Germany. He was a very popular

and progressive Governor of Illinois, first serving on the Cook County Supreme

Court.

 ( Lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec30.html)

   1853-Gadsden Purchase in Mexico City; the treaty settled the dispute over the exact location of the Mexican border west of El Paso, Texas, giving the U.S. claim to approximately 29,000 square miles of land in what is now southern New Mexico and Arizona, for the price of $10,000,000. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis sent James Gadsden, U.S. Minister to Mexico, who negotiated the treaty

with General Antonio López de Santa Anna, President of Mexico. The plan was to set in motion land to build a southern continental train route to California. The civil war halted many developments, including this one.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec30.html

   1862-The Union ironclad ship USS Monitor ( which achieved fame after her battle with the Merrimac) sank of Cape Hatteras during a storm. Sixteen of her crew were lost. As the Monitor pitched and swayed in the rough seas, the caulking around the gun turret loosened and water began to leak into the hull. More leaks developed as the journey continued. High seas tossed the craft, causing the ship's flat armor bottom to slap the water. Each roll opened more seams, and by nightfall on December 30, the Monitor was in dire straits. At 8:00 p.m., the Monitor's commander, J.P. Bankhead, signaled the Rhode Island that he wished to abandon ship. The wooden side-wheeler pulled as close as safety allowed to the stricken ironclad, and two lifeboats were lowered to retrieve the crew. Many of the sailors were rescued, but some men were terrified to venture onto the deck in such rough seas. The ironclad's pumps stopped working and the ship sank before 16 crew members could be rescued. Although the Monitor's service was brief, it signaled a new era in naval combat. The Virginia's arrival off Hampton Road terrified the U.S. Navy, but the Monitor leveled the playing field. Both sides had ironclads, and the advantage would go to the side that could build more of them. Northern industry would win that battle for the Union.

   1867-Birthday of Simon Guggenheim, American capitalist and philanthropist, born at Philadelphia, PA. He established, in memory of his son, the John Somin Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Died Nov 2, 1941 at New York City.

   1890-Birthday of trumpet player/band leader Charlie Creath, born Ironton, MO. Led bands from 1916-1940.

http://www.redhotjazz.com/creath.html
http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/card/0,,539301,00.html

http://www.bluesworld.com/OTHERPRE.html

   1903 - A fire in the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago killed 588 people; public outrage led to new theater safety codes across America.

    1905- Former Idaho governor Steunenberg assassinated .Targeted for his role in quelling a miners' strike in 1899, former Idaho governor Frank Steunenberg is wounded by a powerful bomb that is triggered when he opens the gate to his home in Caldwell, Idaho. He died shortly afterwards in his own bed. A former newspaper editor, Steunenberg entered Idaho politics in 1890, when he was elected to the House of Representatives. In 1896, he won the Idaho Governor's seat as the head of a coalition of Democrats, Populists, and Republicans who supported the use of silver to back currency. Generally perceived as a friend to labor and the "little man," Steunenberg won a second term as governor in 1896. During this term, he was confronted with one of the most divisive and violent western battles between labor and management of the 19th century. Miners in the rich silver districts near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, had been struggling to unionize and gain better pay and working conditions since 1892. Radicalized by their initial defeats, an increasing numbers of miners began supporting the violence-prone Western Federation of Miners (WFM), which advocated aggressive tactics and worker control of industry. Alarmed by the growing influence of the WFM, Coeur d'Alene mine owners attempted to bust the union in 1899, and the WFM responded by blowing up one mining company's huge and costly concentrators with dynamite. Disturbed by the miners' violent tactics, the hitherto pro-labor Steunenberg heeded the demands of the powerful mine owners and turned against the WFM, requesting that the federal government send in troops. The soldiers placed the region under martial law and herded hundreds of miners into makeshift prisons, ignoring their constitutional rights to know the charges and evidence against them. Steunenberg's actions restored order in the Idaho silver mines, but also earned him the lasting enmity of many radical WFM members. Six years later, the radicals took their revenge by sending a professional assassin named Harry Orchard to Caldwell. The professional hit man was responsible for planting the bomb that killed the former governor. Orchard was captured, tried, and sentenced to life in prison, and his guilt has never been seriously disputed. However, many were convinced that the plot to kill Steunenberg was supported not just by a radical minority within the WFM, but also by its top leadership. WFM secretary-treasurer William "Big Bill" Haywood was brought up on charges of criminal conspiracy but was found not guilty largely as a result of famous Chicago lawyer Clarence Darrow's brilliant defense. Haywood went on to found the even more radical Industrial Workers of the World.

     1910 – Paul Bowles, composer, author, husband of Jane Bowles, lives (1910-1999), New York City.
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/HRC/HRHRC/paulbowles.html

   1912-The Haas Brothers patented “crepe,” first produced in France the same year, and

commenced production in the United States.

http://64.70.222.59/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store
_Code=CrepeSuzette&Category_Code=corsets

http://tirocchi.stg.brown.edu/essays/print/parmal.html

  1915-Birthday of singer Brownie McGhee, died Feb. 23, 1996.

http://www.bluesaccess.com/No_26/brownie.html
1917 -32ºF (-36ºC) in Mountain City TN (state record) 1917 -37ºF (-38ºC) in Lewisburg WV (state record)

   1918 -John E Hoover decides to be called J Edgar Hoover. he entered (1917) the Dept. of Justice and served (1919-21) as special assistant to Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer . 1872-1936, American politician, b. Moosehead, Pa. Admitted (1893) to the bar, he built up a large law practice, became a leader in the state Democratic party, and served (1909-15) in Congress. In 1912, Palmer helped swing the Democratic convention to nominate Woodrow Wilson for President. Working under Palmer, he directed the so-called Palmer Raids against allegedly radical aliens. President Woodrow Wilson was very anti-black as recording by historians and noted in many books regarding his racism.

(“Lies My Teacher Told Me, “ by James W. Loewan.)

  1918-Birthday of pianist Jimmy Jones, Memphis TN

http://www.harlem.org/people/jimmyjones.html

   1924 -- Edwin Hubble announces existence of other galactic systems

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html

http://www.edwinhubble.com/hubble_bio_001.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/dp24ga.html

http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/physics/HubbleLaw.html

http://www.nso.lt/cosmos/hubble.htm

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0937707287/categoricalgeome/
104-3547695-1517507

   1926-Birthday of guitarist James “Jesse” Richard, Mississippi

   1926-Birthday of pianist Stan Tracey, London ,England

http://www.ejn.it/mus/tracey.htm

    1927 -The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel was incorporated in Los Angeles, CA. Founded in 1923 by evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, the denomination recognizes the significant role that women in ministry. Today, over 40% of its ministers are women.

http://www.foursquare.org/

   1928-Brithday of singer/song writer Bo Didley, (real name Ellas McDaniels) born McCombs, MS.  
 He auditioned for Chess records in Chicago in 1955 with a song called "Uncle John." When the song was recorded -- the session was produced by legendary blues man Willie Dixon -- the title was changed to the autobiographical "Bo Diddley."  "I'm a Man," "You Can't Tell a Book By Its Cover" and "Road Runner" were some of the other Diddley classics. His hard-driving, rhythmic guitar style influenced some of the early recordings of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds.

http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=88

http://www.guitarsite.com/BoDiddley.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/index_2.html

  1928-Birthday of tenor saxophone player Jack Montrose http://shopping.yahoo.com/shop?d=product&id=1927163877&clink=dmmu.artist&a=b

http://art.staviator.com/J/Jack_Montrose.html http://www.jazzmanrecords.com/jacmonpetjol.html

http://windmusicplus.safeshopper.com/469/4236.htm?148

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/artist/glance/-
/135969/ref%3Dbr%5Fart%5F/104-3547695-1517507

   1931-Birthday of coach/former baseball player Frank Joseph Torre, New York, NY

    1935-Birthday of Sandy Koufax former sportscaster Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher, born Brooklyn, NY.

   1938-historic recording of Meade Lux Lewis, Pete Johnson, Albert Ammons “ Boogie Woogie Prayer.” Vacalion

   1939 - birthday of Del Shannon (Charles Westover), born Grand Rapids, Michigan. (singer: Runaway, Hat’s Off to Larry, Little Town Flirt, Keep Searchin’ [We’ll Follow the Sun]; songwriter: I Go to Pieces; inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [Mar 15, 1999]; died Feb 8, 1990)

http://www.srv.net/~roxtar/shannon_del.html

   1939-Birthday of bassist/producer/arranger Felix Pappalardi, Bronx, NY

Died April 13, 1983

http://www.theiceberg.com/artist.html?artist_id=25076

http://www.pappalardi.com/

   1940-Birthday of drummer Jerry Granelli, San Francisco, CA

http://ubl.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,437701,00.html?artist=Jerry+Granelli

http://www.songtone.com/artists/granelli_link.htm

http://www.cosmik.com/aa-january00/john55.html

   1942 - Frank Sinatra opened at New York’s Paramount Theatre backed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra, performed his first solo concert at the Paramount Theatre in New York. This show marked the beginning of the mass hysteria for Sinatra among teen girls, known as bobby-soxers. There was a near-riot in Times Square. The show was scheduled to be a 4-week engagement (his shows turned out to be so popular, he was booked for an additional 4 weeks). An estimated 400 policemen were called out to help curb the excitement. It is said that some of the teenage girls were hired to scream, but many more screamed for free. Sinatra was dubbed ‘The Sultan of Swoon’, ‘The Voice that Thrills Millions’, and just ‘The Voice’. Whatever he was, it was at this Paramount Theatre engagement that modern pop hysteria was born.

   1944- Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys made their first guest appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Wills had been popular for more than a decade by then, but his western swing style -- a combination of western and big band music -- apparently was not favored by the Opry management.
  1946-Davy Jones, lead vocalist of the Monkees, was born in Manchester, England. The Monkees' guitarist, Mike Nesmsith, was born on the same day in 1942. The Monkees were a musical group created by producer Don Kirshner for a television series based on the Beatles' film "A Hard Day's Night." With the help of the songwriting team of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, and plenty of studio musicians, the Monkees had a succession of pop hits in the 1960's -- among them, "Last Train to Clarksville" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday." 1946 -- Singer/poet Patti Smith born Woodbury,NJ

http://www.oceanstar.com/patti/bio/aristbio.htm

http://www.pattismithland.com/

   1948 - Alfred Drake and Patricia Morrison starred in "Kiss Me Kate" which opened at the New Century Theatre in New York City. Cole Porter composed the music for the classic play that was adapted from Shakespeare’s comedy, "The Taming of the Shrew". The show ran for 1,077 performances on the Great White Way.

   1951---Top Hits

 Slowpoke - Pee Wee King
Sin (It’s No) - Eddy Howard
Down Yonder - Del Wood
Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way - Carl Smith

   1951-The Roy Rogers Show” premiered on TV. This very popular TV western starred Roy Rogers and his wife, Dale Evans, as themselves. It also featured Pat Brady as Roger’ sidekick who rod a jeep named Nellybelle, the singing group Sons of the Pioneers, Roger’s horse Trigger, Evan’s horse Buttermilk and a German shepherd named Bullet. This half-hour show was especially popular with young viewers. 1952 -- Tuskegee Institute reports this is first year in 71 years with no lynchings in the country

http://audible.nolanet.org/itemdetail.cfm?ID=786

   1952 -- Tuskegee Institute reports this is first year in 71 years with no lynchings in the country.

http://www.bl.uk/collections/tuskegee.html

   1953-Trumpet player Chet Baker cuts first strings session for Columbia Records (46174)

    1953 - The film, The Wild One, starring Marlin Brando as a leader of tough motorcyclists terrorizing a small town, debuted in New Yo1953 - The first color television sets went on sale for more than $1,000.

    1954 - Pearl Bailey opened on Broadway in the play, "House of Flowers", about two madams with rival bordellos. Diahann Carroll was also cast in the play, written by Truman Capote. Harold Arlen provided the musical score.

   1954 – Our neighbor in the Pacific Palisades, CA. James Arness made his dramatic TV debut on the "Lux Video Theatre" in "The Chase". The "Gunsmoke" series didn’t begin for Arness until the fall of 1955.

   1954-The first athlete who was African-American to win the James E. Sullivan Memorial Trophy was Malvin Greston “Mal” Whitfield of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, a half-miler who was the first choice on 252 of 657 ballots cast by a nationwide tribunal of sports authorities and tabulated this day. Whitfield set the Olympic record for 800 meters in London in 1948 and held the world 880-yard record and the 600-yeard indoor record. The trophy, presented annually since 1940 by the Amateur Athletic Union, is the top award for amateur athletes in the United States

   1959---Top Hits
Why - Frankie Avalon
The Big Hurt - Miss Toni Fisher
It’s Time to Cry - Paul Anka
El Paso - Marty Robbins

   1961 - Jack Nicklaus lost to Gary Player in an exhibition match in Miami, Florida. It was Nicklaus’ first attempt at pro golf. The following year he entered the pro tour, winning $61,868.95, more than any other rookie golfer in history.

   1963-“Let’s Make a Deal” premiered on television. Monty Hall hosted this outrageous and no-skill-required game show. Our neighbor Bernie Gould was the chief writer (yes, all these shows were scripted for one liners, games, introductions, etc.). Audience members, many of whom were picked to “make a deal” with Hall by trading something of their own for something they were offered. Sometimes prizes were worthless (“zonks”). At the end of the show, the two people who had won the most were given the option to trade their winnings for a chance at the “Big Deal”,” hidden behind one of three doors. A rival of the show ran from 1990 to 1991 with Bob Hilton as the host.

   1967---Top Hits
Hello Goodbye - The Beatles
Woman, Woman - The Union Gap
Judy in Disguise (With Glasses) - John Fred & His Playboy Band
For Loving You - Bill Anderson & Jan Howard, jumped into the top spot on Billboard's hit record charts, and stayed Number 1 for 3 weeks.

   1969 - Peter, Paul and Mary received a gold record for the single, "Leaving On a Jet Plane". The song had hit #1 on December 20.

   1969—President Nixon signs off on tax reform. As the 1960s drew to a close, President Richard Nixon signed off on what was then the most far-reaching tax reform bill in U.S. history. The legislation relieved nine million low-income citizens of the burden of paying taxes; it also slashed tax rates for individuals by 5 percent. It was the most far-reaching tax reform bill in US history passed by Congress. Although it removed 9,000,000 of the very poor from federal tax rolls, it was criticized as a measure that aided the rich. The bill, signed by President Nixon on this day, reduced the tax surcharge from 10% to 5% and extended it for six months, reduced the oil depletion allowance from 27.5% to 22%, closed numerous tax loopholes, and increased Social security benefits by 15%.

   1970 - Paul McCartney sued the other three Beatles to dissolve the partnership and gain control of his interest. The suit touched off a bitter feud between McCartney and the others, especially his co writer on many of the Beatles compositions, John Lennon. The partnership officially came to end in 1974. “You get your lawyer

& I'll get mine

We'll all get together

& have a real bad time.”

 George Harrison, "Sue Me Blues

http://www.lyricsdomain.com/7/george_harrison/sue_me_sue_you_blues.html

    1971 -- Daniel Ellsberg indicted by a federal grand jury for releasing Pentagon papers to the news

    media.

 http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0838198.html

http://ellsberg.net/index.htm

http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/72nov/ungar.htm

http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people/Ellsberg/ellsberg98-0.html

   1972 – Officials in Washington, D.C., announce that the peace talks in Paris between National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger and North Vietnamese negotiator Le Duc Tho will resume on January 2 President Richard M. Nixon on December 18th ordered a massive air bombardment of military installations in North Vietnam. The heaviest attack since the November, 1968 bombing halt.

 On December 28, Hanoi agreed to return to the negotiations, and President Nixon ordered a halt to Linebacker II, the intensive bombing campaign of North Vietnam. Nixon initiated the campaign on December 18 when the North Vietnamese, who walked out of the peace negotiations in Paris, refused his ultimatum to return to the talks. During the course of the bombing, 700 B-52 sorties and more than 1,000 fighter-bombers dropped an estimated 20,000 tons of bombs, mostly over the densely populated area between Hanoi and Haiphong. the US (by its own count) lost 15 B-52's & 11 fighter-bombers, with 93 airmen killed or missing. Hanoi claims 76 planes were shot down. Nixon, elected on the campaign with the promise of a "secret" plan to end the war . “The White House tapes” indicate he had none and at the time, was negotiating behind his Secretary of State Kissinger’s back. The North Vietnamese realized that Nixon was going to continue to bomb until they came back to the peace table, no matter what Kissinger was or was not telling them. When the communist negotiators returned to Paris, the peace talks moved along quickly. On January 23, 1973, the United States, North Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam, and the Viet Cong signed a cease-fire agreement that took effect five days later.

   1975---Top Hits
Let’s Do It Again - The Staple Singers
Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers
Love Rollercoaster - Ohio Players
Convoy - C.W. McCall

   1975-Birthday of golfer Tiger (Eldrick) Woods, born Cypress, CA.

   1976 - The Smothers Brothers, Tom and Dick, played their last show at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas and retired as a team from show business. Each continued as a solo artist. They reunited years later for another stab at TV (on NBC) plus concert appearances that proved very successful.

    1978 - Ohio State University fired Woody Hayes as its football coach, one day after Hayes punched Clemson University player Charlie Bauman during the Gator Bowl after Bauman intercepted an Ohio pass.

    1979- Emerson, Lake and Palmer announced they were splitting up. The trio of Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer was enormously popular in the early 1970's with their classically-flavored progressive rock. The trio regrouped in 1986, at first with drummer Cozy Powell substituting for Palmer. But Palmer himself later rejoined Emerson and Lake.

   1980 - The longest-running series in prime-time television history was canceled by NBC. "The Wonderful World of Disney" was axed after more than 25 years on the tube.

    1982 - An uncommon sight in the sky this night, as a ‘blue moon’ appeared. It was not really a blue moon, but one unobstructed by pollution and haze - appearing grayish in color. It was the second full moon of the month; a rare event that attracted many sky watchers. Now you know where the expression, “once in a blue moon” came from.

    1983---Top Hits
Say Say Say - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
Say It Isn’t So - Daryl Hall-John Oates
Union of the Snake - Duran Duran
Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer to You) - Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers

   1983 - ‘Dr. J’, Julius Erving, of the Philadelphia 76ers, sank a free throw in the third quarter to become the ninth pro basketball player to score 25,000 points. The 13-year veteran reached his milestone, but the Sixers still lost to the Seattle SuperSonics, 97-93. 1988 - U.S. President Ronald Reagan and President-elect George Bush were subpoenaed to testify at the trial of former White House aide Oliver North on criminal charges stemming from the Iran-Contra affair.

    1985- IBM-PC DOS Version 3.2 released

http://a1computers.net/pcdoshis.htm

   1987 -- US: An unusually heavy demand for non-smoking seats aboard a TWA flight from Boston to Los Angeles leads to a complete smoking ban. Toward the end of the flight, 11 passengers protest by lighting cigarettes, & the flight attendant who demands that they be extinguished is physically assaulted.

  1991- A girl was born to Bruce Springsteen and wife Patty Scialfa (SKEE-AL'-FUH). It was the couple's second child.

  1991---Top Hits
Black or White - Michael Jackson
It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday - Boyz II Men
All 4 Love - Color Me Badd
My Next Broken Heart - Brooks & Dunn

    1995-Sir Elton John was named a commander of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's New Year's honors list. He was honored for his service to music and to charity. John donated millions of dollars to AIDS research.

    1995 -- US: Right-to-Life (sic) gunman John C. Salvi III murders Shannon Lowney of Planned Parenthood & Lee Ann Nichols of Pre-term, women's health care clinics in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Salvi, who worked in a beauty salon in New Hampshire before his murderous rampage, was described by acquaintances as a "very odd" man. Despite his increasingly erratic behavior, Salvi's parents resisted getting professional treatment for him. As his mental state deteriorated, he became a zealous anti-abortion activist. In March 1996, Salvi's trial jury rejected his insanity defense and convicted him of murder. After receiving two life sentences, he killed himself in prison in November 1996.

http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/old-wildcats/spring95/February/February8,1995/03_3_m.html

http://www.standardtimes.com/daily/03-96/03-19-96/1asalvi.htm

http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~noemie/ordering/eval/abort-summary.html

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