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Friday, February 3, 2023


Today's Leasing News Headlines

Friends of Larry LaChance, CLFP, on His Passing Away
    In Alphabetical Order, the earlier emails
Are Your Employment Non-Competes Enforceable?
    By Ken Greene, Leasing News Legal Editor
New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
    and Related Industries
Leasing and Finance Industry Help Wanted
    Your Future Starts No. WE’RE HIRING
Long Term Strategy Review
  By Scott A. Wheeler, CLFP
    Wheeler Business Consulting
Federal Reserve Official FOMC Statement
    Raising of Interest Rate
IRS Increases Mileage Rate for 2023
    applies “to electric and hybrid-electric automobiles
How Much Do U.S. Cities
    Spend on Policing
Louie Armstrong's Black & Blues, Broker,
  Bones and All, Afternoon, The Wonder
    Reviews by Leasing News' Fernando Croce
Beagle Mix
    East Hanover, New Jersey  Adopt-a-Dog
News Briefs ----
New York Finalizes its Commercial
    Financing Disclosure Rules
Ford Lost $2 Billion in 2022
    as Some Investments Soured/Rivian
Rivian to cut another 6% of its workforce
    Second Tim in Less than a Year

You May Have Missed
Harris Bank name relegated to
   
history as BMO rebrands

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

Sports Brief----
 California Nuts Brief---
   "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. 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.

[headlines]
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Friends of Larry LaChance, CLFP, on His Passing Away
In Alphabetical Order, the earlier emails


Should note Leasing News received over 100 emails, and our LinkedIn
groups also gave comments, over 750 by my last count; maybe more.  I didn’t know so many knew Larry. Kit Menkin, Editor.

Randy Haug
Executive Vice President / Vice Chairman / Co-Founder at LTi Technology Solutions

“Larry was a personal friend for over 30 years. I am deeply saddened by his passing. Always with a smile and some words of encouragement every time we spoke. Always active and participating in the industry and helping others in the business any way he could. Just had a great chat with him at the NEFA in Nashville. One of a kind type of guy. I will miss him!”

James Jackson
Merger and Acquisition Advisory Services to the Equipment Leasing and Finance Industry

“As a fellow member of the ‘Boston Gang,’ I always made it a point to catch up with Larry at the NEFA conferences. Given his business model, he had a deep knowledge of the industry and shared some great stories. I will miss our chats Larry and I offer my condolences to family and friends.

Raphael Lavin
CEO  Managing Director

“Larry was an icon in the Leasing World and a friend to anyone he met. He, his presence, wit, humor, and engaging personality of telling it like it is will be sorely missed. RIP.

Deborah Monosson
President & CEO Boston Financial & Equity Corporation

“Larry always had a smile and never a bad word...he will be truly missed. My sympathies go out to his friends, family and colleagues.”

Don Myerson, BSB Leasing

“So very sad to hear of the passing of Larry. Such a good guy. First met him 30+ years ago at a Colonial Pacific meeting in Tucson. Always had time to share his knowledge and experience. A truly lose for our industry but more importantly his family. He will be missed.

“Thanks for sharing.”

John Rosenlund

“Very sad news. I knew Larry for over 30+ years and he was a very witty and a “get the job done” type person. I enjoyed working with him on NEFA and CLFP tasks, and enjoyed our many discussions on collections, repossessions and Portfolio Management.

“My condolences to his family!”

Larry LaChance , CLFP, Passes Away
By Reid Raykovich, CLFP Foundation Executive Director
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2023/02_01.htm#larry


[headlines]
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Are Your Employment Non-Competes Enforceable?
By Ken Greene, Leasing News Legal Editor

Non-competes are either entirely or largely unenforceable as against public policy in California, North Dakota, the District of Columbia, and Oklahoma. Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Washington and most recently, Colorado, have severe limitations on non-competes.

The “experiments” in these states apparently prompted President Biden, in July of 2021, to issue his “Promoting Competition in the American Economy Order”, a broad Executive Order that purports to encourage innovation and competition in the American workplace. The Order asks the FTC to “curtail the unfair use of non-compete clauses and other clauses or agreements that may unfairly limit worker mobility.” Here is what the Executive Order looks like:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/07/09/executive-order-on-promoting-competition-in-the-american-economy/

Per the FTC, a non-compete clause is a “contractual term between an employer and a worker that typically blocks the worker from working for a competing employer, or starting a competing business, within a certain geographic area and period of time after the worker’s employment ends.”

As such, these clauses have historically been considered appropriate subjects for scrutiny under the nation’s antitrust laws such as the Sherman Act.

The FTC is seeking public comments to the proposed rule. The comment period ends on March 6, 2023. Thereafter, the new law may take effect as soon as 180 days following the comment period. Instructions for sending comments are found in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/p201000noncompetenprm.pdf

One of the upsides of a non-compete is that it helps protect trade secrets and IP, but this can be achieved through a confidentiality or non-disclosure provision. It also keeps former employees from taking your business model and creating a competitive business, which may be difficult to achieve otherwise. However, do you really want to retain an employee who wants to leave simply because he signed an agreement that says he or she cannot compete with you?

The downside of non-competes is that, to some, they violate public policy by restricting the mobility of workers. They are also limited in scope, and expensive to enforce.

What does it mean to you? The general consensus is that the new law will be challenged in court. If it is not, and it becomes law, not only will you no longer be able to legally use non-competes with your employees, but you will have to rescind existing non-competes and inform your employees that the clauses are no longer in effect.

If passed, the new rule would provide that it is an “unfair method of competition for an employer to enter into or attempt to enter into a non-compete clause with an employee, to maintain a worker with a non-compete clause, or, under certain circumstances, to represent to a worker that the worker is subject to a non-compete clause.”


Ken Greene
Tel: 818.575.9095
Fax: 805.435.7464
ken@kengreenelaw.com
Alternate: kengreenelaw@outlook.com

Ken Greene Leasing & Finance Observations
https://leasingnews.org/Pages/greene_observations.htm

[headlines]
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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

 


Mike Bransdorf was hired as Assistant Vice President, Floorplan Manager, Zaxis Financial Services Americas, Alpharetta, Georgia. He is located in Statham, Georgia. Previously, he was Floorplan Operations Manager, AP Equipment Financing (June, 2022 - February, 2023). He joined Northpoint Commercial Financé September, 2017, Account Manager, promoted December, 2019, Account Executive, promoted April, 2022, Portfolio Manager.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-bransdorf-22643220/


Kari Differding was promoted to Vice President of Sales, Manufacturing and Industrial Division, Indirect Finance, Midland Equipment Finance. She is located in the Greater Minneapolis/St. Paul area. She joined the company July, 2018, Account Manager, Midland States Bank, promoted January, 2020, Assistant Vice President of Sales, Account Management. Prior, she was at TCF Equipment Finance, starting as Sales Associate, October, 2013, promoted Transaction Coordinator, September, 2008, promoted May, 2016, Account Manager. She began her career at US Bancorp, November, 2005 as Financial Analyst, promoted December, 2004, Documentation Analyst.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kari-differding-31049325/


Michael Gray was promoted Regional Sales Director, Atlantic Canada, CWB National Leasing, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. He is located in New Brunswick, Canada. He joined the firm 2014, Senior Account Manager, Partner Services, promoted 2017, Business Coordination Manager, Atlantic Canada. Prior, he was at National Leasing Group, Inc., starting October, 2005, Customer Service Representative, promoted March, 2006, Account Manager, Partner.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-gray-308a69156/


David M.J. Thornton was promoted to Commercial Director, Foss National Leasing, Markham, Ontario, Canada.  He is located in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. He joined the firm February, 2014, Director Client Services, Eastern Region, promoted May, 2017, Canadian Vice President Sales and Client Services.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmjthornton2010/details/experience/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmjthornton2010/

[headlines
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Leasing and Finance Industry Help Wanted



[headlines]
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Long Term Strategy Review
By Scott A. Wheeler, CLFP
Wheeler Business Consulting

Management teams throughout the commercial equipment finance and leasing industry are reviewing their long-term strategies and business plans as they contemplate potential challenges in 2023. The best corporate strategies are resilient and created to withstand all economic challenges. Strong strategies allow for tactical adjustments to react to current challenges while resisting extreme alterations to a company's long-term vision.

Short-term economic challenges often strengthen a management's commitment to its corporate strategy and highlights the importance of maintaining a laser focus on its corporate strategy and long-term vision. By staying the course, strong companies often strengthen their position in the market and accelerate their strategic accomplishments while others falter during economic challenges.

Strategic accomplishments are most often determined throughout the commercial equipment finance and leasing industry by a company's internal talent. The talent must be able and willing to positively react to external market forces. Recently, the industry has experienced rapid change including, but not limited to: technological advancements, new regulations, and rate increases.

These changes are expected to continue in 2023 and beyond. Therefore, uncertainty in the economy is encouraging management teams to realign their talent. Every member of their team must be well trained and positioned to provide the greatest contribution to efficiency and profitability. Developing well-rounded talent is an ongoing process, especially during changing times.

 Industry stakeholders (vendors, end-users, investors, funding partners) are demanding that industry participants understand every aspect of the finance and leasing process. Management teams focused on accelerating their corporate strategies are investing in their people. They are preparing their talent for the future. They are using proven past experiences to build well rounded operational teams and sales teams which are aligned with the company's strategy and focused on delivering a superior product to all stakeholders.

***

Wheeler Business Consulting is working closely with management teams to reaffirm their strategic statements; and to train their sales and operational teams for success in 2023 and beyond. Developing an internal team aligned with a client's strategy increases short-term outcomes and profitability while improving a client's long-term market value.

Wheeler Business Consulting works with banks, independents, captives, origination companies, and investors in the equipment leasing and finance arena. We provide training, strategic planning, and acquisition services. Scott Wheeler is available to discuss your long-term strategy, to assist your staff to maximize outcomes, and to better position your organization in the market.


Scott A. Wheeler, CLFP
Wheeler Business Consulting
1314 Marquis Ct.
Fallston, Maryland 21047
Phone: 410 877 0428
Fax: 410 877 8161
Email: scott@wheelerbusinessconsulting.com
Web: www.wheelerbusinessconsulting.com


[headlines]
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Federal Reserve Official FOMC Statement
Raising of Interest Rate

Recent indicators point to modest growth in spending and production. Job gains have been robust in recent months and the unemployment rate has remained low. Inflation has eased somewhat but remains elevated.

Russia's war against Ukraine is causing tremendous human and economic hardship and is contributing to elevated global uncertainty. The Committee is highly attentive to inflation risks.

The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run. In support of these goals, the Committee decided to raise the target range for the federal funds rate to 4-1/2 to 4-3/4 percent. The Committee anticipates that ongoing increases in the target range will be appropriate in order to attain a stance of monetary policy that is sufficiently restrictive to return inflation to 2 percent over time. In determining the extent of future increases in the target range, the Committee will take into account the cumulative tightening of monetary policy, the lags with which monetary policy affects economic activity and inflation, and economic and financial developments. In addition, the Committee will continue reducing its holdings of Treasury securities and agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities, as described in its previously announced plans. The Committee is strongly committed to returning inflation to its 2 percent objective.

In assessing the appropriate stance of monetary policy, the Committee will continue to monitor the implications of incoming information for the economic outlook. The Committee would be prepared to adjust the stance of monetary policy as appropriate if risks emerge that could impede the attainment of the Committee's goals. The Committee's assessments will take into account a wide range of information, including readings on labor market conditions, inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and financial and international developments.

Voting for the monetary policy action were Jerome H. Powell, Chair; John C. Williams, Vice Chair; Michael S. Barr; Michelle W. Bowman; Lael Brainard; Lisa D. Cook; Austan D. Goolsbee; Patrick Harker; Philip N. Jefferson; Neel Kashkari; Lorie K. Logan; and Christopher J. Waller.

 

[headlines]
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IRS Increases Mileage Rate for 2023
applies to gas, diesle, electric and hybrid-electric automobiles

On January 1, 2023, the IRS mileage rate increased to 65.5 cents per mile for driving done for business purposes.  This is a three (3) cent increase from the rate set for the second half of 2022.  According to the IRS, this rate applies “to electric and hybrid-electric automobiles, as well as gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles” and was calculated “based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile.”

As a reminder, California Labor Code section 2802(a) requires employers to reimburse employees “for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred…in direct consequence of the discharge of [their] duties…”  Employees operating their vehicles for business purposes trigger expense reimbursement obligations under California Labor Code section 2802(a).  Failure to reimburse business expenses can give rise to lawsuits which may result in significant penalties and attorneys’ fees.

Employers should ensure they are updating their policies and practices to reflect reimbursement of the new mileage rate in order to avoid costly consequences down the line.  While the IRS mileage rate is deemed reasonable by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), this is not the only permissible way to reimburse vehicle-related business expenses in California, as long as employees are being fully reimbursed for their expenses.  Employers are encouraged to reach out for assistance in updating their expense reimbursement policies and practices.

[headlines]
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Discussions about policing in the U.S. have been reignited after the death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis police.

Five officers have been indicted for second-degree murder. All five were, like their victim, Black. Organizations of Black police officers have stated that racism in policing was not a matter of the officers' race but of police culture and were "baked into the system". Changing that system was a big demand of protest groups that formed after the death of George Floyd in 2020, but when it comes to the high budgets police departments receive - something that activists wanted to see dispersed to other groups - only a few changes were made.
.
According to the data, 65 out of the nation's 300 largest cities spend 40 percent or more of their general budgets on policing. Memphis is among them at exactly 40 percent spent on the police department - or $281 million. The budget share for the police is even higher in Milwaukee, Phoenix or Oakland, for example.

The country's biggest cities on average spend a smaller share on policing - those with general budgets of more than $5 billion allocate on average 13 percent. The exception is Los Angeles, which spends 23 percent.

Smaller cities spend on average 29 percent of their expenses budget on the police for structural reasons, but there are also those which spend less, for example Boulder, Colo. (9 percent), Sunnyvale, Calif. (10 percent) or Waterbury, Conn. (8 percent).

A larger city spending below average on the police is Jacksonville, Fla., at just 3 percent of its $1.4 billion budget.

By Katharina Buchholz, Statista

[headlines]
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Watch at Home
by Fernando Croce, Leasing News Movie Reviewer

Contrasting genres and moods fuel this week’s batch of streaming releases, including an acclaimed memory piece (“Aftersun”), a striking horror piece (“Bones and All”), affecting drama (“Broker”), a vivid documentary (“Louis Armstrong: Black and Blues”) and an intriguing parable (“The Wonder”).

Aftersun (Amazon Prime, iTunes, Vudu): Memories and dreams blur in this affecting drama, the exceptional debut of Scottish director Charlotte Wells. Unfolding principally in the 1990s at a Turkish tourist resort, the story charts a father-daughter relationship with fluency and sensitivity. Sophie (Frankie Corio) is a perceptive 11-year-old girl vacationing with her lonesome, troubled father, Calum (Paul Mescal, in a performance that deservedly earned him a Best Actor Oscar nomination). While dealing with her own adolescent issues, Sophie tries to reach out to Calum as he struggles with fatherhood and depression. She keeps a record of their days together, which she later looks back on as an adult. Often venturing into emotional impressionism, Wells’ film is a poignant view of the past that points promisingly to the future.

Bones and All (iTunes, Vudu): Director Luca Guadagnino re-teams with his “Call Me By Your Name” star, Timothée Chalamet, for this intriguing blend of romanticism and grisliness. Set across several states during the 1980s, the story centers on Maren (Taylor Russell), a teenager whose cannibalistic impulses cause her father (André Holland) to abandon her. Her wanderings lead to fellow cannibals such as Sully (Mark Rylance), an eccentric older man with questionable intentions, and Lee (Chalamet), the young man she falls in love with. Contrasting ghoulish communities with endless open roads, the couple search for some kind of normalcy. Aiming for a fusion of beauty and savagery and featuring striking cameos by Michael Stulhbarg and Chloe Sevigny, the film doesn’t always pull its elements together but it’s an audacious try.

Broker (Vudu): Japanese director Hirozaku Koreeda shifts locations to South Korea but maintains his trademark sense of empathy in this absorbing drama, which seasons heartbreak with sneaky humor. Song Kang-ho stars as Ha Sang-hyeon, a laundry owner who, due to heavy gambling debts, tries to raise money by selling abandoned babies to potential parents. When a young mother named So-young (Korean pop music star Lee Ji-eun) has a change of heart and returns for the child she’s left behind, she stumbles upon his illegal business and, much to everyone’s surprise, decides to tag along. What follows is a cross-section of human observation that, in typical Koreeda fashion, envisions a makeshift family on the margins of society. The result is a gentle and generous film about desperation. With subtitles.

Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues (Apple TV+): One of the twentieth century’s most legendary musicians, Louis Armstrong is the subject of this vivid documentary, which aims to get to the complex personality behind the beloved surfaces. Eschewing talking head interviews, the film uses Armstrong’s words along with footage from performances and interviews, including correspondences and memoirs given cinematic life by animation. What emerges is a provocative portrait of the full man behind the famous smile, a man who would voice his anger at the prejudiced system that would value entertainers like himself while marginalizing African-Americans. Director Sacha Jenkins, who’s previouslyworked on documentaries about Rick James and the Wu-Tang Clan, adroitly charts the trajectory of Armstrong’s unique spirit from the Depression to the Civil Rights movement.

The Wonder (Netflix): Florence Pugh is compelling in this intriguing parable from Chilean filmmaker Sebastian Lelio (“A Fantastic Woman”), set in a 19th-century Irish village. She plays Lib Wright, an English nurse and Crimean War veteran whose personal beliefs come into question as she embarks on a curious newassignment. Her task involves observing Anna O’Donnell (Kila Lord Cassidy), a young girl who’s said to be fasting for months, surviving only on “manna from Heaven.” Tourists and pilgrims crowd the area to see the alleged miracle, though Lib remains skeptical until things take a surprising turn. Shaping the story into something of a spiritual thriller, Lelio makes evocative use of the landscape while trusting Pugh with the often thorny emotions of the protagonist’s ambiguous journey.

 Fernando Croce is a nationally recognized film reviewer and has been contributing to Leasing News since the summer of 2008. His reviews appear each Friday.

[headlines]
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Beagle Mix
East Hanover, New Jersey  Adopt-a-Dog

Delilah

Female
10 Months old
Medium
Brown, Black & white
Short Coat
Spayed
Vaccinations Up-to-date
Good in a Home with
Other Dogs
Prefers Home without
Cat
Characteristics
Friendly, Affectionate, Playful
Curious, Athletics, Loves Kisses

Meet Delilah
Hound lovers; get ready to line up for this doll. At 10 months, Delilah the Beagle mix will have you at "hello." A social butterfly, this delightful gal will be the life of the party and will not allow anyone to pass by her without giving her attention. To make sure she continues to be this people-oriented, her new owners should keep up with socialization, with people and dogs. However, she will need to be taught the proper way to introduce herself. You mean jumping and using her mouth isn't ok? Nope, she'll need to learn that she'll need to be on all fours in order to get the love she craves. Because she is adamant on getting attention, ignoring her until she "sits" or is calm, will be a cinch.

Due to her over exuberance, we're recommending kids over the age of 12+ because she may be TOO EXCITED. But there's nothing wrong with a dog who simply wants to love and be loved. If you would like to meet Delilah, please contact us at 973 386 0590 and set up an appointment to meet her.

Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter
194 Route 10 West East Hanover
East Hanover, New Jersey 07936
New Jersey 07936
973-386-0590
info@njshelter.org
https://njshelter.org/
https://njshelter.org/who-we-are/

Please call for an appointment before visiting the shelter.

[headlines]
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News Briefs---

New York Finalizes its Commercial
    Financing Disclosure Rules
https://debanked.com/2023/02/new-york-finalizes-its-commercial-financing-disclosure-law/

Ford Lost $2 Billion in 2022
as Some Investments Soured/Rivian
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/business/ford-earnings-fourth-quarter-2022.html

Rivian to cut another 6% of its workforce
Second Tim in Less than a Year
https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/01/rivian-to-cut-another-6-of-its-workforce/


[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------


You May Have Missed---

Harris Bank name relegated to history as BMO rebrands
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/finance-banking/harris-bank-name-relegated-history-bmos-newly-national-brand

[headlines]

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Sports Briefs---

Tom Brady’s retirement will have a ripple
    effect on the NFL’s quarterback market
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/02/02/sports/tom-bradys-retirement-will-have-ripple-effect-nfls-quarterback-market/

Robert Kraft wants Tom Brady to retire
   as member of Patriots
https://www.theredzone.org/Blog-Description/EntryId/27747/Robert-Kraft-wants-Tom-Brady-to-retire-as-member-of-Patriots

Jimmy Garoppolo deserved a better 49ers
    farewell than what Kyle Shanahan said
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/annkillion/article/jimmy-garoppolo-deserved-a-better-49ers-farewell-17760592.php

With Brock Purdy possibly out a year,
     in which direction will the 49ers go?
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/michaelsilver/article/with-brock-purdy-possibly-out-a-year-in-which-17752670.php

The 57 greatest NFL teams to play in the
    Super Bowl – and not all won Lombardi Trophy
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/nate-davis/2023/02/02/super-bowl-57-greatest-teams-ranked-chiefs-eagles/11167959002/

UCLA and USC fans should feel good about
    their recruiting haul despite their rankings
https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2023-02-02/roundtable-nsd-ucla-usc

[headlines]
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California Nuts Briefs---

Fighting to avoid massive water cuts,
    California offers proposal on Colorado River crisis
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2023-02-01/california-offers-proposal-on-colorado-river-crisis?utm_id=85023&sfmc_id=1646692

Sierra snowpack is largest it has been in 28 years
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/sierra-snow-pack-is-205-of-average-for-the-date-17757957.php

Recent rains are ‘nowhere near’ what California
might see in the future, climate expert says
https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/recent-rains-are-nowhere-near-what-17758029.php

Atherton adopts housing plan over Steph Curry
complaints, crying residents
https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/atherton-backs-curry-opposed-housing-17755551.php?IPID=SFGate-HP-CP-Spotlight


[headlines]

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"Gimme that wine"

Silver Oak Winery’s Release Day
https://patch.com/california/san-francisco/calendar/event/20230204/30c10c6e-85d9-4dd4-a479-9f1261ba230c/silver-oak-winery-s-release-day

Donald Hess, who revolutionized Napa Valley
wine tourism with art, dies at 86
https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/article/donald-hess-dies-napa-17754337.php

Monterey County's wine and winegrape sector
and support businesses deliver a total economic
contribution of $1.4 billion in annual economic activity
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/266679

We asked 9 Bay Area wine experts for their
    favorite bargain wine. Here are their picks.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/02/01/we-asked-9-bay-area-wine-experts-for-their-favorite-bargain-wine-here-are-their-picks/

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

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

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

[headlines]
----------------------------------------------------------------

This Day in American History

    1788 – The Georgia legislature awarded Augusta inventor William Longstreet and his associate Isaac Briggs a patent for a steam engine, the first U.S. steamboat patent.
    1790 - The Supreme Court of the United States met for the first time in New York City with Chief Justice John Jay presiding.
    1859 - Considered one of America's greatest composers, Victor Herbert (d. 1924), was born in Dublin, Ireland.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/feb01.html
    1860 - The first Rabbi to open the House of Representatives with prayer was Rabbi Morris Jacob Raphall, rabbi of Congregation B'nai Jeshurn, New York City, who delivered the invocation at the first session of the 36th Congress.
    1860 - Decree from Norton I, Emperor of the United States & Protector of Mexico, orders representatives of the different states to assemble at Platt's Music Hall in San Francisco to change laws to ameliorate the evils under which the country is laboring.
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/norton.html
http://www.zpub.com/sf/history/nort.html
    1861 - Texas seceded from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America.
    1862 – “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” written by Julia Ward Howe, was first published in the Atlantic Monthly. The song's music was inspired by the song "John Brown's Body." Howe just wrote new words for the existing music.
    1865 - President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution abolishing slavery: "1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation." The amendment had been proposed by the Congress Jan 31, 1865; ratification was completed Dec 6, 1865.
    1865 - The first African-American lawyer admitted to practice before the Supreme Court was John S. Rock.  His admittance was moved by Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts. Chief Justice Salmon Portland Chase presided. It would be the last triumphant act in a life overflowing with achievement, for Rock died suddenly on December 3, 1866. He was interred at the Twelfth Baptist Church and buried with full Masonic honors at Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, MA.
http://www.nps.gov/boaf/johnsrock.htm
http://www.state.nj.us/state/history/rock.html
    1878 - Hattie Wyatt Caraway (d. 1950) was born at Bakersville, TN.  She became a US senator from Arkansas when her husband died in 1931 and she was appointed to fill out his term. The following year, she ran for the seat herself and became the first woman elected to the US Senate. She served 14 years there, becoming an adept and tireless legislator (once introducing 43 bills on the same day) who worked for women's rights (once co-sponsoring an equal rights amendment), supported New Deal policies as well as Prohibition and opposed the increasing influence of lobbyists.
    1887 - Harvey Wilcox subdivided 120 acres he owned in Southern California and started selling it off as a real estate development.  He and his wife owned a ranch west of LA that they founded together.  It was in an agricultural area of fig and apricot orchards. Harvey tried his hand at raising fruit but failed and decided to subdivide the land, selling lots for $1,000 each. His wife named the tract "Hollywood."  Harvey filed a plat of the subdivision with the Los Angeles County Recorder's office and began to develop residential property, "The University Tract," surrounding the newly-built University of Southern California.
    1893 - The first moving picture studio was built at Thomas Edison's laboratory compound at West Orange, NJ, at a cost of less than $700. The wooden structure of irregular oblong shape was covered with black tar paper. It had a sharply sloping roof hinged at one edge so that half of it could be raised to admit sunlight. Fifty feet in length, it was mounted on a pivot enabling it to be swung around to follow the changing position of the sun. There was a stage draped in black at one end of the room. Though the structure was officially called a Kinetographic Theater, it was nicknamed the "Black Maria" because it resembled an old-fashioned police wagon.
    1894 - Birthday of rag time pianist/composer James P. Johnson (d. 1955), New Brunswick, NJ.
http://blackhistory.eb.com/micro/727/42.html
http://www.jazzradio.org/jpjohnsn.htm
http://www.jass.com/jamesp.html
    1895 - Film director John Ford (d. 1973) was born at Cape Elizabeth, ME, as Sean Aloysius O'Feeney.  He changed his name after moving to Hollywood. Ford won his first Academy Award in 1935 for “The Informer.” Among his many other films: “Stagecoach,” “Young Mr. Lincoln,” “The Grapes of Wrath,” “How Green Was My Valley,” “Rio Grande,” “What Price Glory?” and “Mister Roberts.” During World War II, he served as chief of the Field Photographic Branch of the OSS. Two documentaries made during the war earned him Academy Awards.
    1898 - Travelers Insurance Company issued the first car insurance against accidents with horses.
    1901 - Actor Clark Gable (d. 1960) was born at Cadiz, OH. His first film was “The Painted Desert”in 1931, when talking films were replacing silent films. He won an Academy Award for his role in the comedy “It Happened One Night,” which established him as a romantic screen idol. Other films included “China Seas,” “Mutiny on the Bounty,” “Saratoga,” “Run Silent Run Deep” and “Gone with the Wind,” for which his casting as Rhett Butler seemed a foregone conclusion due to his popularity as the acknowledged "King of Movies." Gable died Nov 16, 1960, at Hollywood, CA, shortly after completing his last film, Arthur Miller's “The Misfits,” in which he starred with Marilyn Monroe.
    1902 - Birthday of Langston Hughes (d. 1967) at Joplin, MO.  African American poet and author.  Among his works are the poetry collection “Montage of a Dream Deferred,” plays, a novel and short stories.
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
and then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load
Or does it just explode?
— Langston Hughes, "Dream Deferred"
(lower part of http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/feb01.html )
    1906 - First federal penitentiary building completed, Leavenworth KS. The penitentiary is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, housing more than 2,200 inmates.  Famous inmates over the years included Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert Stroud – the famous “Birdman of Alcatraz.”  Actually, Stroud's bird work began at Leavenworth, where he served 28 years before being transferred to Alcatraz. The Immanuel Church, located on the grounds, was made famous in Ripley's Believe it or Not as the only church in which Protestant and Catholic services were conducted simultaneously.
http://www.lvarea.com/data/usp_info.htm
http://www.lvarea.com/data/usp_info.htm#USP%
20Background%20Information

http://www.leavenworthdirectory.com/leavenworth.htm
    1911 - Thomas Jennings was found guilty and sentenced to death for the murder of Clarence B. Hiller. He was convicted because of his fingerprints and is the first to be found guilty on the basis of fingerprint evidence. The Illinois Supreme Court rule that fingerprints were admissible evidence.  Hiller was hanged for his crime.
    1913 – Jim Thorpe signed with the New York Giants in the National League.  Thorpe was a steadily improving ballplayer over six Major League seasons, hitting .327 in his last year.  He disagreed with Manager John McGraw's assessment of him and was sold to the Cincinnati Reds in 1917. He was later that year returned to the Giants and appeared briefly in the 1917 World Series.  Thorpe's most famous baseball feat was driving in the only run in the famous Hippo Vaughn and Fred Toney double no-hitter in 1917.
    1914 - New York Giants and Chicago White Sox played an exhibition baseball game in Egypt, a 3-3 tie.
    1916 - The Battle of Verdun ends with the French and Germans each having suffered more than 330,000 killed and wounded in 10 months. It was the longest engagement of World War I. 
    1919 - The first Miss America was crowned in New York City. The winner, Edith Hyde, was found by a New York Times reporter not to be a Miss. She was a "Mrs." named Mrs. Tod Robbins, a divorced mother of two children.
http://www.greatreporter.com/content/first-real-miss-america
    1920 - The North West Mounted Police ("The Mounties") became the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
    1922 - Birthday of Renata Tebaldi (d. 2004) in Pesaro, Italy.  Operatic soprano whose rich, sumptuous voice made her the operatic star at the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, and LaScala in the 1950s and 60s. She was also known for her acting ability. In 1946, along with Arturo Toscanini, she performed at the reopening concert of La Scala, which had been closed during World War II.    Her great roles included Giacomo Puccini's Mimi (“La Boh è me”) and “Tosca,” Giuseppe Verdi's Desdemona (“Otello”) and “Aida,” and Umberto Giordano's Madeleine (“Andrea Ch é nier”).
    1926 – The Yankees sold 1B Wally Pipp to the Cincinnati Reds.  In 1925, Pipp sat out of the Yankees lineup in June, resulting in his permanent replacement by Lou Gehrig.
    1934 - Bob Shane of the Kingston Trio was born Robert Castle Schoen (d. 2020) in Hilo, Hawaii. The trio was credited with starting the folk craze of the late 1950's and early '60s with their hit recording of "Tom Dooley" in 1958. The Kingston Trio had a clean-cut collegiate image which helped them win acceptance among the trendy college crowd. The trio broke up in 1968. Since 2017, a newly-constructed Kingston Trio has performed under a license agreement executed with Shane.
    1935 - James T. Farrell finishes his Studs Lonigan trilogy, “Judgment Day.”
    1937 - Phil Everly (d. 2014) was born in Brownie, Kentucky. Together with his brother Don, the Everly Brothers made some of the most exciting pop records of the late 1950’s. The brothers came from a country music family and their parents took them to Nashville in 1956 to meet Chet Atkins. A year later, the Everly Brothers had their first hit, “Bye Bye Love.”  They were rarely absent from the charts for the next five years. “Wake Up Little Susie”, “Bird Dog” and “Cathy’s Clown” were among their hits. The relationship between the two brothers began to deteriorate about 1963, although they continued to perform together for another decade. The Everly Brothers got together again in the 1980’s. They began touring with Simon and Garfunkle, who originally wanted to sound exactly like them.  They were elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.
    1938 – Sherman Hemsley (d. 2012), TV’s George Jefferson in “The Jeffersons,” was born in Philadelphia.  The show ran 11 seasons through 1985 and one of Norman Lear’s most successful.
    1939 - On Victor Records, Benny Goodman and his orchestra recorded "And the Angels Sing." The vocalist for that song went on to find fame at Capitol Records, Martha Tilton.
    1939 - Birthday of jazz pianist Joe Sample (d. 2014), Houston, TX.  Co-founder of the Crusaders. 
    1940 - For his first recording session, held in Chicago, Illinois, with the Tommy Dorsey Band, Frank Sinatra sang "Too Romantic" and "The Sky Fell Down." Sinatra replaced Jack Leonard as the band's lead singer.
    1941 - "Downbeat" magazine reported Glenn Miller had signed a new three-year contract with RCA Victor Records, guaranteeing him $750 a side, the largest record contract signed to that date.
    1941 - Defended by 610 fighting men, the American-held island of Guam falls to more than 5,000 Japanese invaders in a three-hour battle. 
    1942 – Not quite two months after Pearl Harbor, the Navy conducted Marshall-Gilberts raids, the first offensive action by the United States against Japanese forces in the Pacific.  The raids were carried out by two separate U.S. carrier task forces, Yorktown and Enterprise. The Yorktown aircraft inflicted moderate damage to the Japanese naval installations on the islands and destroyed three aircraft. Seven Yorktown aircraft were lost, as well as a floatplane.  Aircraft from the carrier Enterprise inflicted light to moderate damage on the three islands' naval garrisons, sank three small warships and damaged several others, including a cruiser and destroyed 15 Japanese aircraft.  The raids had little long-term strategic impact. But did however, did help lift the morale of the U.S. Navy and American public. The raids also provided valuable experience in carrier air operations, which hardened the U.S. carrier groups for future combat against Japanese forces.
    1942 – Voice of America, the official external radio and television service of the US, began broadcasting with programs aimed at areas controlled by the Axis powers.
    1944 - Top Hits
My Heart Tells Me - The Glen Gray Orchestra (vocal: Eugenie Baird)
Shoo, Shoo, Baby - The Andrews Sisters
Besame Mucho - The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra (vocal: Bob Eberly & Kitty Kallen
Pistol Packin' Mama - Al Dexter
    1945 - US Army arrives at Siegfriedlinie, a major defense of the Nazi regime.
http://mohaa.com/forum/viewtopic.ph http://copernicus.subdomain.de/Siegfried_Line p?p=117338&sid=d4b2df326cdcad65d492d560b41a5cc6
    1949 - Louis B. Mayer, of Metro Goldwin Mayer (MGM), became a millionaire all over again when he sold his racehorse breeding farm for $1 million.
    1949 - RCA Victor introduced the 45 rpm record. It was designed as a rival to Columbia's 33 1/3 rpm long-playing disc, introduced the previous year. The two systems directly competed with each other to replace 78 rpm records, bewildering consumers and causing a drop in record sales.
By the end of 1949, all the major companies, except RCA, had committed themselves to the LP record, seemingly putting an end to the 45. Even RCA itself announced it would issue its classical library on 33 1/3 rpm discs. But RCA was not ready to admit the demise of the 45 rpm record. The company spent $5-million publicizing 45 rpm as the preferred speed for popular music. The campaign worked. Buyers of non-classical records turned increasingly to the 45 rpm record, so that by 1954, more than 200-million of them had been sold. And all the major companies now were producing both 33 1/3 and 45 rpm records.
    1951 - New Mexico state record low temperature, -50ºF (-46ºC), Gavilan.
    1951 - The greatest ice storm of record in the U.S. produced glaze up to four inches thick from Texas to Pennsylvania causing twenty-five deaths, 500 serious injuries, and 100 million dollars damage. Tennessee was hardest hit by the storm. Communications and utilities were interrupted for a week to ten days.
    1951 - The temperature at Taylor Park Dam plunged to 60 degrees below zero, a record for the state of Colorado.
    1952 - Top Hits
Slowpoke - Pee Wee King
Cry - Johnnie Ray
Anytime - Eddie Fisher
Give Me More, More, More (Of Your Kisses) - Lefty Frizzell
    1953 - "Private Secretary" debuted on CBS-TV starring Ann Sothern as Susie McNamara, the private secretary to New York talent agent, Peter Sands played by Don Porter. With its last show airing on September 10, 1957, the show ran on CBS during the regular television seasons and ran on NBC-TV in the summers of 1953 and 1954.
    1953 - "You Are There" premiered on Television. The program began as an inventive radio show in 1947. News correspondents would comb the annals of history and "interview" the movers and shakers of times past. Walter Cronkite hosted the series on CBS for four seasons. The show's concept was revived for a season in 1971 with Cronkite gearing the program toward children.
    1953 – “General Electric Theater” premiered on TV. CBS's half-hour dramatic anthology series was hosted by Ronald Reagan (in between his movie and political careers). Making their television debuts were Joseph Cotten (1954); Fred MacMurray, James Stewart and Myrna Loy (1955); Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, Tony Curtis and Fred Astaire (1957); Sammy Davis, Jr (1958); and Gene Tierney (1960). Other memorable stars who appeared on the series include: Joan Crawford, Harry Belafonte, Rosalind Russell, Ernie Kovacs, the Marx Brothers and Nancy Davis Reagan, who starred with her husband in the premonitory episode titled "A Turkey for the President" (1958).
    1954 - On CBS-TV, "The Secret Storm," TV’s first soap opera, was shown for the first day of a 20-year run.
    1954 - Backed by his Jazz ensemble, Big Joe Turner records the original version of "Shake, Rattle and Roll." The tune will top the Billboard R&B chart next June but did not cross over to the Pop chart. Some of the original lyrics, that would have been considered highly sexual at the time, were changed when Bill Haley recorded the song five months later. 
    1955 - Elvis Presley records, "Baby, Let's Play House"
    1956 - Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Montgomery Improvement Association files suit in federal court against Alabama for segregation of buses.
    1957 - Birthday of Donna Adamek, known as "Mighty Mite," Duarte, CA.  She dominated women's professional bowling from 1978 through 1981.
She was Woman Bowler of the Year each year and, in that four-year period, she won the Women's Open in 1978 and 1981, the WIBC Queens in 1979 and 1980, and the WPBA National Championship in 1980. Adamek led the WPBA tour in winnings for three consecutive years, 1978 through 1980.
During the 1981-82 season, she rolled three perfect 300 games.  The compiler of WOAH whose highest average was 194 (287 game) remembers when ONE 300 GAME was memorable before the change in bowling ball construction and the way bowling lanes are dressed.
    1957 - 20-year-old Don Everly and his 2-year-younger brother Phil sign a recording contract with Cadence Records. During their career, The Everly Brothers will have 35 Billboard Hot 100 singles. 
    1958 - Elvis Presley records: "My Wish Came True," "Doncha' Think It's Time," "Your Cheatin' Heart," "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck."
    1960 - Greensboro Sit-In. Commercial discrimination against blacks and other minorities provoked a nonviolent protest. At Greensboro, NC, four students from the Agricultural and Technical College (Ezell Blair, Jr, Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeill and David Richmond) sat down at a Woolworth's store lunch counter and ordered coffee. Refused service, they remained all day. Over the following days, similar sit-ins took place at the Woolworth's' lunch counter. Before the week was over, they were joined by a few white students. The protest spread rapidly, especially in southern states. More than 1,600 people were arrested before the year was over for participating in sit-ins. Civil rights for all became a cause for thousands of students and activists. In response, equal accommodation regardless of race, became the rule at lunch counters, hotels and business establishments in thousands of places.
http://www.greensboro.com/sitins/media_headlines.htm
    1960 - Top Hits
“Running Bear” - Johnny Preston
“Teen Angel” - Mark Dinning
“Where or When” - Dion & The Belmonts
“El Paso” - Marty Robbins
    1962 - Ken Kesey's “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” is published.
http://wild-bohemian.com/kesey.htm
    1963 - Paul Simon graduates from New York City's Queens College.
    1964 - "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It stayed there for seven weeks.
    1964 - The Beatles' "Please Please Me" enters the pop charts
    1964 - The governor of Indiana declared "Louie, Louie" pornographic. The song was about seven years old when the Kingsmen recorded their version in 1963, and the fantastic legend that grew up in its wake--a legend that even an FCC investigation couldn't kill--seems to have sprung solely from their extraordinary lack of elocution. Richard Berry, its composer, who spoke on the subject a while back to a Los Angeles interviewer named Bill Reed, explains the song as the lament of a seafaring man, spoken to a sympathetic bartender named Louie. Here, without further ado, are the "official" published lyrics:
"Louie Louie, me gotta go. Louie Louie, me gotta go. A fine little girl, she wait for me. Me catch the ship across the sea. I sailed the ship all alone. I never think I'll make it home. Louie Louie, me gotta go. Three nights and days we sailed the sea. Me think of girl constantly. On the ship, I dream she there. I smell the rose in her hair. Louie Louie, me gotta go. Me see Jamaican moon above. It won't be long me see me love. Me take her in my arms and then I tell her I never leave again. Louie Louie, me gotta go." (By Richard Berry. Copyright 1957-1963 by Limax Music Inc.)
    1965 - At the Arthur Smith Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina, James Brown records "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag," which will reach #8 on the Billboard Pop chart and #1 on the R&B chart the following August and later win a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Recording. 
    1966 - The first African-American Navy captain was Thomas David Parham, Jr., of Newport News, VA, a Presbyterian chaplain, whose rank was raised from commander to captain.
    1966 - Bill Graham resigns as business manager of the San Francisco Mime Troupe in order to devote himself full-time to the business of acid rock concert promotion, initially at the Fillmore Auditorium.
    1966 - Birthday of soccer great Michelle Akers, Santa Clara, CA.
    1967 - The American Basketball Association (ABA) was born with 11 teams and George Mikan as commissioner in its first season. The original teams:  Anaheim Amigos, Dallas Chaparrals, Houston Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Kansas City which quickly became the Denver Larks, Kentucky Colonels, Minnesota Muskies, New Orleans Buccaneers, New York Americans, Pittsburgh Pipers, San Diego Conquistadors, Oakland Oaks.  The ABA distinguished itself from its older counterpart with a more wide-open, flashy style of offensive play, as well as differences in rules—a 30-second shot clock (as opposed to the NBA's 24-second clock, though the ABA did switch to the 24 second shot clock for the 1975–76 season) and use of a 3-point field goal arc. Also, the ABA used a colorful red, white and blue ball, instead of the NBA's traditional orange ball. The ABA lasted nine years before four teams, the Denver Nuggets, the Indiana Pacers, the New York Nets and the San Antonio Spurs, were absorbed into the NBA.
    1967 - The Beatles record "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
    1968 - DIX, DREW DENNIS, Medal of Honor
Rank and Organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, U.S. Senior Advisor Group, IV Corps, Military Assistance Command. Place and date: Chau Doc Province, Republic of Vietnam, 31 January and 1 February 1968. Entered service at: Denver, Colo. Born: 14 December 1944, West Point, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Dix distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while serving as a unit adviser. Two heavily armed Viet Cong battalions attacked the Province capital city of Chau Phu resulting in the complete breakdown and fragmentation of the defenses of the city. S/Sgt. Dix, with a patrol of Vietnamese soldiers, was recalled to assist in the defense of Chau Phu. Learning that a nurse was trapped in a house near the center of the city, S/Sgt. Dix organized a relief force, successfully rescued the nurse, and returned her to the safety of the Tactical Operations Center. Being informed of other trapped civilians within the city, S/Sgt. Dix voluntarily led another force to rescue 8 civilian employees located in a building which was under heavy mortar and small-arms fire. S/Sgt. Dix then returned to the center of the city. Upon approaching a building, he was subjected to intense automatic rifle and machine gun fire from an unknown number of Viet Cong. He personally assaulted the building, killing 6 Viet Cong, and rescuing 2 Filipinos. The following day S/Sgt. Dix, still on his own volition, assembled a 20-man force and though under intense enemy fire cleared the Viet Cong out of the hotel, theater, and other adjacent buildings within the city. During this portion of the attack, Army Republic of Vietnam soldiers inspired by the heroism and success of S/Sgt. Dix, rallied and commenced firing upon the Viet Cong. S/Sgt. Dix captured 20 prisoners, including a high ranking Viet Cong official. He then attacked enemy troops who had entered the residence of the Deputy Province Chief and was successful in rescuing the official's wife and children. S/Sgt. Dix's personal heroic actions resulted in 14 confirmed Viet Cong killed in action and possibly 25 more, the capture of 20 prisoners, 15 weapons, and the rescue of the 14 United States and free world civilians. The heroism of S/Sgt. Dix was in the highest tradition and reflects great credit upon the U.S. Army. 
    1968 - Top Hits
“Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)” - John Fred & His Playboy Band
“Chain of Fools” - Aretha Franklin
“Green Tambourine” - The Lemon Pipers
“Sing Me Back Home” - Merle Haggard
    1968 - Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi resigned after nine seasons, five NFL titles and victories in the first two Super Bowls. Oddly enough, Green Bay's founding coach, Curly Lambeau, resigned on the same day in 1950 after 29 years on the job.
    1968 - Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, was born in Memphis. Elvis and his wife, Priscilla, were married in Las Vegas the previous May. They were divorced in 1973.
    1968 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, at the Fillmore Auditorium.
    1968 – The New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads merged to form Penn Central Transportation.  In 1970, bankruptcy forced Penn Central into the hands of the federal government which formed Conrail as a result.
    1969 - Tommy Roe's "Dizzy" enters the pop charts
    1969 - Tommy James & the Shondells' "Crimson and Clover" hits #1.
    1970 - Timothy Leary sentenced to 10 years for Texas/Mex marijuana bust.
    1971 - The “Love Story” soundtrack album is certified gold.
    1974 - “Good Times” premiered on TV. A CBS spin-off from "Maude," which was a spin-off of "All in the Family." "Good Times" featured an African American family living in the housing projects of Chicago. The series portrayed the Evans family's struggles to improve their lot. The cast featured Esther Rolle and John Amos as Florida and James Evans, Jimmie Walker as son J.J., Bernadette Stannis as daughter Thelma, Ralph Carter as son Michael, Johnny Brown as janitor Mr. Bookman, Ja'Net DuBois as neighbor Willona Woods, Janet Jackson as Willona's adopted daughter Penny and Ben Powers as Thelma's husband, Keith Anderson.
    1975 - Neil Sedaka's "Laughter in the Rain" hits #1.
    1976 - Top Hits
“Love Rollercoaster” - Ohio Players
“Love to Love You Baby” - Donna Summer
“You Sexy Thing” - Hot Chocolate
“This Time I've Hurt Her More Than She Loves Me” - Conway Twitty
    1978 - The first postage stamp depicting an African-American woman was issued. It showed the likeness of Harriet Tubman, the escaped slave and abolitionist who led more than 300 slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad.
    1978 - Bob Dylan's film "Renaldo and Clara," a documentary of the Rolling Thunder Revue tour mixed with surrealistic fantasy sequences, premieres in Los Angeles.
    1979 - Patty Hearst released from jail.
    1979 - Blondie's "Heart of Glass" is certified Platinum in the UK, where it tops the Pop chart. The song will also rise to number one in the US the following April.
    1982 - "Late Night with David Letterman” premiered.  This is when it all began: the stupid pet tricks, stupid human tricks and the legendary top ten lists. "Late Night" premiered on NBC as a talk/variety show appearing after "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson." Host David Letterman was known for his irreverent sense of humor and daffy antics. The offbeat show attained cult status among college crowds and insomniacs, as many tuned in to see a Velcro-suited Letterman throw himself against a wall. The show also featured bandleader-sidekick Paul Shaffer, writer Chris Elliott and Calvert DeForest as geezer Larry "Bud" Melman. In 1993, Letterman made a highly publicized exit from NBC and began hosting "The Late Show" on CBS.  In 2014, Letterman announced his retirement and the final episode of “Late Night” aired on May 20, 2015. 
http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=1800122204&cf=biog&intl=us
http://199.173.162.18/lateshow/topten/archive/
    1983 - Air Supply's third album, "Now and Forever" is certified Platinum. 
    1984 - Top Hits
“Owner of a Lonely Heart” - Yes
“Karma Chameleon” - Culture Club
“Talking in Your Sleep” - The Romantics
“The Sound of Goodbye” - Crystal Gayle
    1985 - Utah state record low temperature, -69ºF (-56ºC), Peter's Sink.
    1985 - Snow, sleet and ice glazed southern Tennessee and northern sections of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The winter storm produced up to eleven inches of sleet and ice in Lauderdale County, AL, one of the worst storms of record for the state. All streets in Florence, AL were closed for the first time of record
    1987 - Terry Williams from Los Gatos, California, won the largest slot machine payoff, to that time, pocketing $4.9 million after getting four lucky 7s on a machine in Reno, Nevada.
    1988 - Thirty cities in the eastern U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date, including Richmond, VA with a reading of 73 degrees. Thunderstorms in southern Louisiana deluged Basile with 12.34 inches of rain. Arctic cold gripped the north central U.S. Wolf Point, MT reported a low of 32 degrees below zero
    1988 - The Cars, who had placed 15 songs on the Hot 100 between 1978 and 1987, announce their break up. 
    1989 - While arctic cold continued to invade the central U.S., fifty- four cities in the south central and eastern U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date. Russell, KS, the hot spot in the nation with a high of 84 degrees the previous day, reported a morning low of 12 above. Tioga, ND reported a wind chill reading of 90 degrees below zero
    1989 - A Spokane, Washington, funeral director revealed that jazz saxophonist and pianist Billy Tipton, who had lived his life as a man, was a woman. Tipton played for years in the US northwest after a career with several big bands. He appeared to have a wife and adopted three sons.
    1990 - Top Hits
How Am I Supposed To Live Without You - Michael Bolton
Opposites Attract - Paula Abdul (Duet With The Wild Pair)
Downtown Train - Rod Stewart
Two To Make It Right - Seduction
    1992 - United States President George Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the Camp David declaration which states that their two countries no longer regard each other as adversaries
    1992 - Barry Bonds signs baseball's highest single year contract ($4.7 million)
    1992 - Elton John and George Michael teamed up to score a US number one with a song recorded live at Wembley Stadium the previous March, "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me". Elton had originally released the song on his "Caribou" album in 1974. 
    1993 - On Lisa Marie's 25th birthday, it was announced that she wouldn't be taking over her father's estate as provided in his will. Lisa Marie left management of Graceland and other parts of Elvis's multimillion-dollar estate to Jack Soden, head of Elvis Presley Enterprises.
    1993 - First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton is given an office in the West Wing of the White House and named January 25 to head a commission charged with creating a health plan for the nation. It is the most influential position a president's wife has ever had.  She bans smoking in the White House February 1.
    1995 - Top Hits
“Creep” - TLC
“On Bended Knee” - Boyz II Men
“Another Night” - Real McCoy
“Take A Bow” - Madonna
    1998 - Rear Admiral Lillian E. Fishburne became the first female African American to be promoted to that rank.
    2000 - Top Hits
“I Knew I Loved You” - Savage Garden
“What A Girl Wants” - Christina Aguilera
“Smooth” - Santana Featuring Rob Thomas
“Back At One” - Brian McKnight
    2002 – Daniel Pearl, journalist and South Asia Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal, kidnapped January 23, 2002 by Pakistani militants, was beheaded and mutilated by his captors.
    2003 - After a successful 16-day mission, the space shuttle Columbia, with a crew of seven, perished during entry. Kalpana Chawla, 41, who emigrated to United States from India in 1980s and became an astronaut in 1994, was one of seven astronauts who died in an explosion that streaked across the Texas sky on a clear, beautiful morning.  Laurel Clark, 41, a Navy diving medical officer aboard submarines, then flight surgeon who became an astronaut in 1996, was on board Columbia to help with science experiments. She had 8-year-old son. Her home was in Racine, Wis. Commander Rick Husband, 45, Air Force colonel; Pilot William McCool, 41;  Payload commander Michael Anderson, 43; David Brown, 46, a Navy captain, pilot and doctor; Ilan Ramon, 48, a colonel in Israel's air force and the first Israeli in space.
    2004 - While New England Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers 32-29, it was singer Janet Jackson exposing her breast at half time with Justin Timberlake that made the big news.  With just over one minute to play, Adam Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal to give New England the lead, 32-29.  New England quarterback Tom Brady was named Most Valuable Player for the second time in three years. He set a Super Bowl record for the most pass completions (32). Brady also recorded a 66.7 completion percentage (48 pass attempts), 354 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, and 12 rushing yards. This was the fourth Super Bowl to be decided on a field goal in the final seconds. Super Bowl V was won on a last second kick by Jim O'Brien of the Baltimore Colts, Super Bowl XXV as Buffalo’s Scott Norwood missed his field goal chance, and Super Bowl XXXVI as Adam Vinatieri made his for the Patriots’ first Super Bowl win.
    2005 - A web site claimed Yogi Berra filed a $10 million lawsuit against TBS due to a “Sex and the City” promotion which used Berra's name as a possible answer concerning the definition of yogasm. The choices included (a) a type of yo-yo trick, (b) sex with Yogi Berra and (c) what Samantha has with a guy from yoga class.  In September, 2005, settlement was reached but the terms of the settlement were not revealed.  TBS has not commented on the settlement. Berra's lawyer, Louis Smoley, told ESPN.com that both parties agreed to mediation and the payout was "substantial."  But, according to ESPN.com, the network agreed in principle to pay an undisclosed amount to Berra.
    2008 - A news report revealed that Spain was the European leader in illegal music downloads. Spanish computer users illegally downloaded more than 1.2 billion tracks in 2007, according to authors and publishers society, SGAE. 
    2009 - The Cardinals entered the game seeking their first NFL title since 1947, the longest championship drought in the league. The club became an unexpected winner during the season and the playoffs with the aid of head coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was the Steelers offensive coordinator during Super Bowl XL, and the re-emergence of quarterback Kurt Warner, who was the Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XXXIV with the St. Louis Rams. Trailing 20–7 at the start of the fourth quarter, Arizona scored 16 unanswered points, including wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald's 64-yard touchdown reception, to take the lead with 2:37 remaining in the game. But then the Steelers marched 78-yards to score on wide receiver Santonio Holmes's 6-yard game-winning touchdown catch with 35 seconds left, tip-toeing at the deep corner of the end zone. Holmes caught nine passes for 131 yards and a touchdown, including four receptions for 71 yards on that final game-winning drive.
    2010 - President Barack Obama proposed a $3.8 trillion budget for fiscal 2011 which projected a record-high budget deficit of $1.6 trillion in fiscal 2010.
    2013 - Hillary Clinton stepped down from her post as Secretary of State; she is succeeded by Senator John Kerry.
    2013 - In the wake of earlier reports of Alex Rodriguez being a client of a clinic in Boca Raton, FL under investigation for supplying PEDs, ESPN reported that he has been receiving weekly injections at home from the director of the suspect clinic, Anthony Bosch.
    2014 - A long-delayed review of the Keystone XL Pipeline was completed by the U.S. State Department.  It concluded the pipeline would not significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions.
    2015 - The New England Patriots won their fourth Super Bowl title, beating the Seattle Seahawks 28-24.  Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was named MVP and is now one of only three quarterbacks to have won four Super Bowls (Bradshaw and Montana).  With Seattle driving for a winning TD with seconds left and the ball on the Patriots 1-yard line, Patriots rookie corner Malcolm Butler made a game-saving interception to seal the game for the Pats.
    2016 - Alphabet, Google's parent company surpasses Apple as the world's most valuable company ($568bn vs $535bn), after releasing income results.

Super Bowl Champions:
    2004 - New England Patriots-32, Carolina Panthers-29 
    2009 - Pittsburgh Steelers-27, Arizona Cardinals-23
    2015 – New England Patriots-28, Seattle Seahawks-24

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SuDoku

The object is to insert the numbers in the boxes to satisfy only one condition: each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 exactly once. What could be simpler?

https://sudoku.com/

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Daily Puzzle

How to play:
http://www.setgame.com/set/puzzle_frame.htm

Refresh for current date:
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http://www.gasbuddy.com/
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Weather

See USA map, click to specific area, no commercials

http://www.weather.gov/

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Traffic Live---

Real Time Traffic Information

You can save up to 20 different routes and check them out with one click,
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Wordle

https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/

How to Play
https://www.today.com/popculture/popculture/wordle-know-popular-online-word-game-rcna11056

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