 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Advantage Leasing is a 20 yr. old company located in West Chester, PA. We have multiple funding sources as well as internal financing. |
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Headlines---
Classified Ads---Credit
Gov't Regulation Equipment Leasing Industry
Questionnaire on Gov't Leasing Regulation
David G. Mayer's "Business Leasing News"
Cartoon----
Classified Ads---Help Wanted
Ameriana Bancorp CMC Money
ePlus Reports 3rd Quarter $148M
CIT Completes Offer for Education Lending Group
News Briefs--includes Westminster Dog Results
Sports Briefs---latest news
"Gimme this Wine"
This Day in American History
Winter Poem
######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release”
|
|
----------------------------------------------------------------
Classified Ads---Credit
Atlanta, GA.
VP Credit/Operations/Sr. Credit Officer. 15yrs exp. in equipment leasing. Strong financial analysis and management skills. Experience developing and maintaining profitable customer/vendor relationships.
Email: credops@msn.com
Atlanta, GA.
Senior Credit Officer in middle-market equip. finance, vendor, 3rd party, specialty, flow credit to the fortune 1000. Team builder, originations capable, strong work ethic, ability to multi-task.
Email: kyletrust@hotmail.com
Atlanta, GA.
10 yrs experience in credit/collections/recovery/documentation in the leasing industry. P&L responsibility, team builder & strong portfolio mgnt skills.
email: mortimerga@adelphia.net
Boston Ma.
Challenging position where my skills, professional experience, organization, leadership, strategic thinking, creativity, energy, passion, competitive nature will enable me to define opportunities and personal development.
Email: bernd.janet@verizon.net
Corona, CA.
VP credit Consumer Credit prime/sub prime Auto lending/leasing/mortgages. 20+yrs exp. If you are looking for someone to affect the bottom line I am that person. Will relocate.
Email: amosca2000@yahoo.com
Fairfield, CT.
Diversified background in credit, operations and portfolio management. Demonstrated success in creative structuring of deals, problem solving & providing tactical guidance.
Email: sailer0102@aol.com
Fort Lee NJ
3 Years Experience. Looking in NJ/NY.
Email: angitravis@mail.com
Irvine, CA,
I have over 16 years of Credit/Collection experience in the finance industry. Prompt results, extremely effective and knowledgeable, professional, excellent manager and team player.
Email: newportresources@sbcglobal.net
Los Angeles, CA
Over 15 years experience in Credit/Operations with Small Ticket and transactions up to $500,000.00. CLP, with excellent relationships with most major lenders.
Email: jonbh123@earthlink.net
Mill Valley, CA
Senior corporate officer with financial services credit background. M and A, fund raising and workout expertise.
Email: nywb@aol.com
New Jersey, NJ
Credit Analyst with 10+ years experience in small-ticket lending up to $500,000. Experience with both vendor-direct and with brokers.
Email: b.leavy@worldnet.att.net
New York, NY.
V.P. Credit & Collections w/23 years exp.looking for a situation where I can utilize my varied & extensive knowledge of credit/ collections/risk-management & leasing.
Email: rcouzzi@yahoo.com
New York, NY.
5+ yrs leasing credit exp./highly proficient knowledge of Ops: documentation & recovery. Currently in the SMB segment - moving back to NY/NJ area.
Email: SMBOPS2004@aol.com
New York, NY
3+ years of leasing credit / contracts experience. Currently in the leasing industry and moving to NY! Exp. working at both funding source and broker.
Email: lease4you@mail.com
Orange, CA.
15 years exper., looking for a new home. Have handled both middle/ large ticket transaction, plus muni & international finance.
email: equiplender@aol.com
Phoenix, AZ.
Credit/Leasing Manager- 8 years underwriting. Proven performer,strong negotiator and sales support. Worked with the best- Randy Schiell, Chuck Brazier, Jim Lahti.
Contact: Elizabeth Rose (480)510-7434
Email: ravenfinance@aol.com
Portland, OR.
Well known Equipment Leasing Industry Professional (Credit Analyst) with 17 years experience working in the Portland, Oregon area for three major Fortune 500 Funding Sources.
Email: jimmyfrank@verizon.net
| RESUME |
http://64.125.68.90/LeasingNews/Resumes/Jimmy%20Frank-Resume.pdf
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 |
The Government Regulation of the Equipment Leasing Industry
by Christopher Menkin
“ The AGs are, in essence, seeking to change laws governing lease financing, not through elected representatives of the state legislatures, but by the threat of costly and protracted — even if unwarranted and legally unsupported — litigation.” Stan Goldberg and Steven Karlin of the New York law firm of Platzer, Swergold, Karlin, Levine, Goldberg & Jaslow,LLP, February,2005, “Monitor” Magazine
There is much more to be said about why the leasing companies will most likely not be able to enforce their alleged “hell and high water” contracts. Perhaps equally as important to the industry are the proposed regulations being explored by the staff of many state attorney generals who plan to seek legislation to protect citizens in their state from “unscrupulous” leasing companies.
One of the new realizations to come from this telecommunication scandal is how the defendants are reacting. In the past, many small equipment leasing customers have had little money to hire an attorney. When they do decide to “fight back,” in the past, it has been a local attorney with little “finance” on “commercial contract” experience.
In the past there was basically a “clique” of equipment leasing attorneys who knew the leasing law and almost always represented primarily the “creditor” and not the debtor.
They often relied on knowing the cost; the fact that protracted law suits often scares the customer into submission. Strong worded letters often worked. When the letter did not work, the “telephone attorneys” would attempt to scare the listener into “paying up” with the threat of a costly law suit in the lessor's far-away venue.
What has happened to “business as usual” in the leasing industry? For starters, there has been an expansion of experienced
attorneys in this field. These attorneys, as well as less experienced attorneys, have also taken advantage of the wealth of information available to them through the internet. Indeed, the internet has enabled customer/defendants to find and share information with each other and their attorneys, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As a result, the “inexperienced” local attorney is now on equal footing with the large New York law firm. Even the cost of research has been greatly reduced.
“Business as usual” has also fallen victim to many recent joint actions such as Leasecomm. Joining the local district attorney's office, the states' attorneys general appear to be quite comfortable in using their broad base of power: the subpoena.
In the latest instance, they first start out in a friendly manner, asking for information, such as the names, copies of contracts, information, on all customers with NorVergence leases. If the leasing company does not cooperate, they issue subpoenas.
And then they share this information and pool their knowledge with each other, often being provided information from customers/defendants and the local, “inexperienced” attorneys every step of the way.
In certain states, this pooling of information provided a definite advantage. At a minimum, it gives more ammunition to other states without the costs associated with information gathering, plus the ability to educate states who have not already complained.
In this day and age where government agencies are being strapped for cash, the Norvergence scandal provides opportunities to not only protect their citizens, but to bring “money” to their states through fines and settlements. And if no direct financial reward is to be achieved, at least they justify their departmental budget.
In the various NorVergence settlements by nine state attorneys general, several have a 60 day to 90 day date for customers/defendants to opt in for settlements. It will likely be 90 days before the various attorneys general offices learn from the leasing companies how many customers/defendants have “accepted” and how many have not accepted the settlement made between the leasing companies and the attorneys general offices.
Let's get to the “myths” among various leasing companies' position on the NorVergence leases, as told to me by various government law enforcement agency attorneys and investigators, off the record for attribution:
Not all states differentiate between “commercial” and “consumer.”
Several states have no distinction, especially in telecommunication matters.
Facts regarding “2A” and other claims for “business purposes” will not work in several states. The issue of federal telecommunication and interstate law may also prevail in others. There are also questions regarding the most commonly used document called the Equipment Rental Agreement (“ERA”) from NorVergence:
Several courts have already ruled about the inadequacies of the wording, including “2A,” and non-specific forum selection clause provisions.
These NorVergence “ERA's” will not pass the Financial Accounting Standards Board accounting definitions, let alone the reality of an “operating lease” in their assignment to others. They are finance leases. The discounting, actual assignment, and profits give further evidence as to their true purpose. Such high profits may make them subject to usury laws, among other laws, particularly to the leasing companies not licensed in the state of origination of the lease.
For instance, in Florida, where Attorney General Charlie Crist took to task twelve leasing companies, settling with three so far, the state is seeking fines and damages against the remaining companies. An ex-employee who handled many of the transactions of these NorVergence “ERA” contracts for one of the leasing companies named told Leasing News the “yield” was over 25% to the lessor.
These high interest rate contracts and situations bring more problems than any claim about “hell or high water” legalese, including the following:
Personal Property Tax: Lessees should be reimbursed for being over charged, and legally can ask for records of the leasing companies reported to the county, what they charged, and as important, as suspected in most cases, the over inflating of the lease contract. In most states, software, service, sales tax, and other such items are exempt, so the correct “cost” is the equipment itself. At best, the lease contracts were “improperly” reported to the county agencies.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse to the lessor.
Insurance property coverage is for replacement cost of personal property or motor vehicles. It does not cover service or warranty, unless explicitly spelled out in the insurance policy. While the leasing companies may have been relying on “cost to lessor” in its insurance requirement, where does the responsibility lay for the proper coverage?
Does the lessor have responsibility here? Most likely yes, but certainly the lessee received a copy of the insurance binder, plus the agent most likely verified the original request with his client. In addition, does the insurance agent accept the description and dollar amount without question? The same with the county tax assessor's department. Do they accept “everything” reported to them? More than likely, they were relying on what the leasing company reported to them.
The leasing companies, thus in turn, passed it on following the description provided by NorVergence.
In my conversations with several key people in several states' attorney general's offices, they state, “We don't feel sorry for these leasing companies. They should have known better.”
The fault lies not with the president of the institution, although that is where the “buck stops,” it really is with department heads and all the way down to “sales people” who wanted to make quota's, commissions, and many may have relied on the leasing veterans at NorVergence. Others may have thought with corporate guarantees, personal guarantees, and with “recourse” to NorVergence, plus “representations and warranties,” they were protecting the transaction. Maybe the transactions were accepted
with less caution because one main representative of Norvergence was also the president of a leasing association and NorVergence had also hired others from the leasing field, such as the ex-credit manager of HP-Compaq Financial.
This is how the “Equipment Rental Agreement” contracts were funded:
“The ERA was funded when Norv got the D&A ( delivery and acceptance form ) signed. This didn't mean service was connected though. Norv then had something like 60 days to get the T1 dropped and everything connected on the back end, along with hooking the T1 to the MATRIX ( the NorVergence supplied equipment )and your PBX.”
Yahoo List Serve
Perhaps as many as over 100 “ERA” leasing customers repeated the same experience on the Yahoo list serve.
The lease documents called for the first payment in 60 days, which was tied up to when the Matrix unit was working, meaning connected to the telephone companies either DSL or T1 line.
NorVergence was trying to get ahead of the alleged Ponzi type scheme by funding leases where there were no connections. This has been testified to by dozens of NorVergence users on various list serves.
In addition, five days before the June 30 court action, NorVergence managed to wire more than $160,000 to two related companies, according to court papers. The key management evidently knew the end was near.
In addition to the master agreements, this is further evidence that “agency” relationships were established by many of the leasing companies and NorVergence in the acceptance of these documents, meaning NorVergence was doing the “due diligence,” often a commission was given to parties involved, and many leasing Companies' key employees knew of the service hook-up and what was involved.
Perhaps the most serious issue, which would certainly win over many signed leasing contracts here in the state of California, in my personal experience, is the NorVergence salesman's representation of what the leasing contract was covering, the reliance on the salesman's “deception” or ‘half-truths” or perhaps “out right lies.”
Their training manual is available, and is hard evidence as to
their role in this procedure:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/SM_Training.pdf
In addition, according to several list serves, many ex-NorVergence salesmen are anxious to prove that they were following company instructions, as outlined above.
In the perhaps 500 cases reviewed by us, there were no leasing brokers involved, who might have been able to give advice or guidance to the lessees. Surely the leasing companies would have been more careful as brokers appear to be more suspect. In reality, in the last fifty years of equipment leasing, the overwhelming majority of serious problems have come from the sellers and dealers of equipment like Westinghouse, Ford Motor Credit, among the other companies, who have learned the hard way that there is a lot more than making a credit decision in evaluating whether the lease will pay out or not, and its cost of “enforcement.”
What is perhaps even more damning is not just the “ex-employees,” who's motivation may be questioned in a court of law, but what readers have expressed, many seriously questioning the procedure and knowledge of those caught with these types of contracts.
For example, the past president of the United Association of Equipment Leasing, Bob Rodi, CLP, of LeaseNow, states, “While I cannot totally excuse the individuals who bought this service, there is no way that I will ever believe that some of the major leasing companies who funded these transactions did not figure out that this was a total scam.”
As the various state attorneys general offices gain more knowledge they share it with each other's fraud or telecom division. They are learning about what went on and about equipment leasing procedures. They fully do not understand the true present value, although some offices do, nor various state licensing provisions regarding usury, or some other issues, but they certainly are learning. They do understand the age old lies and tricks by dishonest sales representation. In addition, they have the actual NorVergence sales manuals. Next is the testimony of an ex-salesman in how the reported deception was made to the NorVergence lessee.
The defense that if the car is not working, you still make payments on the vehicle, will not work here. The myth that these NorVergence “Equipment Rental Agreements” being “hell and high water contracts” may be like the Emperor and his fancy clothes. In reality, they were as naked as he was.
Coda: In the course of the conversations, often the table was turned on me. The question most often centered around who should regulate the leasing companies? My impression was they did not want the federal government to intervene. I got the impression they wanted to do it.
---------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTIONAIRE on Equipment Leasing Regulation
 |
---------------------------------------------------------------
|
Your One stop solution for training and reference material for the Leasing Professional
|
David G. Mayer's February "Business Leasing News"
1. Norvergence Bankruptcy Forces Lessors To Mitigate New Risks
2. Venture Capital Gains Momentum as It Opens a Window of Opportunity
3. In Troubled International Leases, Should Lessors Litigate or Arbitrate?
4. BLN Case & Comment: Liquidated Damages in Aircraft Lease Held Unenforceable - AAR International v. Vacances Helades S.A.
5. Leasing 101: What Is An "Indemnity Agreement"?
6. About Patton Boggs LLP and My Law Practice; Recent Publications; Upcoming Speeches
full edition available here:
http://www.pattonboggs.com/Newsletters/Bln/Release/
bln_2005_02.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Classified Ads---Help Wanted
Leasing Sales Representative
|
Associated banks are known for strong relationships with their communities, with many offices tracing their roots to the 1880s and 1890s. Associated Banc-Corp was founded in 1970. Associated employs approximately 4,000 people. |
National Account Manager
|
|
Platform Business Manager / Asset Manager
|
Asset Manager: Organized, decisive individual w/ asset mngt./ remarketing exper., covering wide range assets from manufacturing equipment to transportation, energy-related,, technology, retail, etc. Send your resume to: Kathy.odwyer@rbos.com About the Company: RBS Lombard, Inc., based in Chicago, is a member of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, an AA rated company that is the 6th largest bank in the world by market capitalization as of January 14, 2005. Founded in 2002, RBS Lombard, Inc. has grown to net assets exceeding $2.8 billion and new business volume surpassing $1.1 billion in 2004. |
Sales Professionals
|
|
Small Ticket Sales Representative
|
Advantage Leasing is a 20 yr. old company located in West Chester, PA. We have multiple funding sources as well as internal financing. |
### Press Release ######################
Ameriana Bancorp Reports $2.3 Million Recovery From American Motorist Insurance Company; Company Also Reports Fourth Quarter Results
NEW CASTLE, Ind.------Ameriana Bancorp (NASDAQ/NM:ASBI) reported that it has received a previously announced settlement with American Motorist Insurance Company ("AMICO") in the amount of $2.3 million that had been held in escrow. This settlement represents a partial recovery against approximately $5.5 million in equipment lease payment streams from a pool of leases originated by Commercial Money Center ("CMC"), in which the Company invested in 2001 and which were guaranteed by AMICO. Afterward, CMC declared bankruptcy and AMICO denied responsibility for the unpaid balance on the basis of fraud by CMC.
Ameriana's litigation continues against the second surety, RLI Insurance Co., which guaranteed Ameriana's lease payment streams of a comparable amount from a second pool of leases.
Separately, Ameriana also reported results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2004. Net income for the fourth quarter of 2004 totaled $108,000 or $0.03 per diluted share compared with net income of $615,000 or $0.19 per diluted share in the year-earlier period. For the year ended December 31, 2004, net income was $1,426,000 or $0.45 per diluted share versus $2,418,000 or $0.77 per diluted share in 2003.
Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2004 was $2,568,000 versus $3,064,000 in the year-earlier period. The provision for loan losses was $117,000 in the fourth quarter of 2003 versus $100,000 in the same quarter last year. Net interest income for 2004 was $10,765,000 versus $13,030,000 in 2003. The provision for loan losses in 2004 was $392,000, down significantly from $6,440,000 in the prior year as 2003 charges to fully reserve and write off investments in its two troubled lease pools did not recur in 2004. Non-performing assets at the end of 2004 declined to $5,736,000 from $8,383,000 at the end of 2003.
Commenting on the results, Harry J. Bailey, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Throughout the past year, we continued to face a number of market challenges that affected our results, primarily in the area of building our loan portfolio, which, in turn, provides the engine for growth in our net interest income. Real estate lending in 2004, first mortgage loans in particular, clearly was disappointing and reflected a continued downdraft in this sector. This industry-wide slowdown had a ripple effect on our results for 2004, not only limiting our opportunity to generate higher interest income from loans, it caused a shift in the mix of lower-yielding income from investments, put further pressure on our net interest margin, and reduced gains on sales of loans $1,569,000 year over year."
Bailey noted that other issues make comparisons between 2004 and 2003 more difficult. In 2003, Ameriana sold its two Ohio branches in a transaction that generated $5,511,000 in other income. Also in 2003, the Company terminated its exposure to further potential principal loss on $10,900,000 million of equipment lease payment streams related to two pools of leases originated by Commercial Money Center ("CMC") by fully reserving and writing off those investments completely. This action added $5,890,000 to the provision for loan losses in 2003.
"Although 2004 was challenging from an operational standpoint, we did register notable success in several areas that we believe will benefit us in the coming year," Bailey added. "First and foremost, we negotiated a settlement with one of the sureties for the CMC lease payment streams, which resulted in a recovery of $2.3 million. Also, we continued to focus on cost reductions, resulting in slightly lower other expenses for the year as we began to see the initial impact of the efficiencies we have implemented. We expect both of these factors to help our results in the coming year as we continue to face some market resistance in building our loan portfolio."
Ameriana Bancorp is a bank holding company. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Ameriana Bank and Trust, the Company offers an extensive line of banking services and provides a range of investments and securities products through branches in the central Indiana area. As its name implies, Ameriana Bank and Trust also offers trust and investment management services, has interests in Family Financial Holdings, Inc. and Indiana Title Insurance Company, and owns Ameriana Insurance Agency, a full-service insurance agency.
Full Press Release at:
http://www.snl.com/Interactive/IR/file.asp?IID=101668&
FID=1706174&OSID=9
#### Press Release #####################
ePlus Reports 3rd Quarter FY05 Financial Results;
Company Generates Revenues of $148 Million
HERNDON, Va.-----ePlus inc. (Nasdaq NM: PLUS) today announced financial results for its third quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2004. ePlus recorded an 85% increase in total revenues for the quarter, to $147.7 million, as compared to $79.8 million the prior year. Net earnings were $1.6 million, 38% less than prior year's quarter of $2.6 million. Basic earnings per share decreased 35% from $0.28 to $0.18, and fully diluted earnings declined 34% to $0.17, as compared to $0.26 the prior year.
For the nine month period, ePlus recorded record revenues of $408 million, a 66% increase over $245 million the prior year, and net earnings of $5.8 million, a 23% decline from $7.6 million the prior year. Basic earnings per share decreased 19% to $0.65 from $0.81, and fully diluted earnings decreased 17% to $0.62 from $0.76.
As of December 31, 2004, ePlus had total stockholders' equity of $117.3 million and cash of $18.7 million. On November 18, 2004, the Company announced a Stock Repurchase Plan, and the Company repurchased 19,032 shares of common stock at a cost of $0.2 million during the quarter.
"We are very pleased by this fiscal year's increase in revenues, which have resulted from both organic growth and the successful Manchester acquisition," stated Phillip G. Norton, chairman, president and CEO of ePlus. "Our bottom line results were impacted by a reduction in revenues generated by our leasing business, especially in the federal sector, and to expenses relating to our corporate office relocation. In addition, we continue to have real estate sublease costs from the Manchester transaction which will be reduced over the next two quarters as we move to less expensive office space in those locations. The software sector of our business was negatively impacted due to management's focus on our patent infringement lawsuit, and the related customer uncertainty which we believe may have lengthened the sales and closing cycle."
Mr. Norton continued, "Despite the demands of the infringement litigation, the Company achieved a number of successes in the software, technology distribution, and advanced solutions areas. We held our first software customer summit, which was well attended and provided a great foundation for future collaboration between ePlus and its customers. We signed 12 customer software agreements, including our first Spend+ VisualEngine deal, which is with a Fortune 500 company, and we announced five new or upgraded software solutions. We gained a number of significant customer wins in our technology business. At our new HQ, we are demonstrating our patent-pending serverless office technology, which can reduce infrastructure costs significantly while providing enhanced data security and redundancy. And the successful defense of our patents has enhanced public awareness of ePlus and our Enterprise Cost Management solutions, and we believe will lead to more sales opportunities."
Percentage changes stated above are calculated on actual figures from the unaudited financial statements, not on the rounded figures used herein.
About ePlus:
A leading provider of Enterprise Cost Management, ePlus provides a comprehensive solution to reduce the costs of purchasing, owning, and financing goods and services. ePlus Enterprise Cost Management (eECM) packages business process outsourcing, eProcurement, asset management, supplier enablement, strategic sourcing, document access and collaboration, and financial services into a single integrated solution, all based on ePlus' leading business application software. Profitable since inception in 1990, the company is headquartered in Herndon, VA, and has more than 30 locations in the U.S. For more information, visit www.eplus.com, call 888-482-1122 or email info@eplus.com.
ePlus inc. Kley Parkhurst, 703-984-8150 kparkhurst@eplus.com
Full Press release at:
http://www.eplus.com/web/BaseRenderer.aspx?ItemId=2054
### Press Release ######################
CIT Completes Tender Offer for Education Lending Group
CIT announced that it successfully completed its cash tender offer for all outstanding shares of common stock of the Education Lending Group. Approximately 98% percent of the outstanding shares of EDLG were tendered to CIT's offer of $19.05 cash per share.
full press release at:
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/micro_stories.pl?ACCT=
683178&TICK=CIT&STORY=/www/story/02-14-2005/
0003019432&EDATE=Feb+14,+2005
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
News Briefs---
News Analysis on Telephone Mergers---
“The flurry of activity comes as the telephone industry faces new competition from cable television companies such as Comcast Corp. -- which recently announced plans to offer phone service -- and a constellation of upstarts selling service over the Internet.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/
A22406-2005Feb14.html
Securitization program that would fund the student loans it writes
http://www.absnet.net/include/showfreearticle.asp?file=
/headlines/aba.htm
Terriers Rule at Westminster Dog Show
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/shared-gen/ap/Other_Sports/
Dog_Show.html
Breed Results
http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/2005/results/breed/
Group Results
http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/2005/results/group/
Pictures of the dogs are available on the sites above, with
more information about the breed. Here is a description of
the photo above:
“The Lakeland Terrier originated in the Lake District of Northern England. He is one of the oldest working terrier breeds still in use today. His diverse ancestors include the now extinct Old English Black and Tan, the Dandie Dinmont, Bedlington and Border Terriers. The Lakeland has a hard, wiry body coat, soft undercoat and plenty of furnishings on his muzzle and legs. His color variations include both solid colors and tan or wheaten with darker saddle markings. Gay and impish, the Lakeland can be a charming companion. However, training a Lakeland requires patience, consistency and a good sense of humor.”
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sports Briefs---
 |
Reggie Fowler to Purchase Minnesota Vikings/Stay in Minnesota
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/15/sports/football/15vikings.html?
adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1108454397-mGnFpmpN20UktbWK+AseIA
Bettman Expected to Scrap NHL Season
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/
A23509-2005Feb14.html
Browns Housecleaning Continues With Garcia
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/
2005/02/14/sports/s151628S61.DTL
Monday's College Basketball
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/sports/AP-Mon-BKC-Scores.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Gimme that Wine”
'Two Buck Chuck' vintner goes after the restaurant trade
http://www.napanews.com/templates/index.cfm?template=
story_full&id=CC5DB27C-2EF5-44D3-AA63-FD35C0D3F5CC
California Grape crop dropped in '04; market may be rebounding
http://www.napanews.com/templates/index.cfm?template=
story_full&id=740220D9-9D9E-4446-8BF8-F8BED17A29A0
Wine Events Calendar by state and city
http://www.localwineevents.com/
----------------------------------------------------------------
To order call +44 (0) 20 7779 8999 or toll free in the US +1 800 437 9997 to receive your 10% discount. You can also order on line at |
This Day in American History
1726- Birthday of Abraham Clark, signer of the Declaration of Independence, farmer and lawyer. Born at Elizabethtown, NJ, and died there Sept 15, 1794. One of the “ordinary” signers, representing the people of his area, originally a farmer. Two or three of the sons of Mr. Clark were officers in the army, during the revolutionary struggle. During a part of their captivity, their sufferings were extreme, being confined in the notorious prison ship, Jersey. Painful as the condition of his sons was, Mr. Clark scrupulously avoided calling the attention of congress to the subject, excepting in a single instance. One of his sons, a captain of artillery, had been cast into a dungeon, where he received no other food than that which was conveyed to him by his fellow prisoners, through a keyhole. On a representation of these facts to congress, that body immediately directed a course of retaliation in respect to a British officer. This had the desired effect, and Captain Clark's condition was improved.
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/clark.htm
http://www.colonialhall.com/clark/clark.php
1758- Benjamin Franklin brought in mustard from France and introduced it to his guests in both a dark and light yellow “mustard,” hence its common name today. One of his guests was Benjamin Jackson, who established Globe Mills on Germantown Road, Philadelphia, PA, bottling and selling the product in glass bottles with his label on them. He advertised in the Pennsylvania Chronicle of February 15, 1768, that he was “ the original establisher of the mustard manufactory in America, and...at present the only mustard manufacturer on the continent. I bought the art with me into the country.” The truth, according to the Global Gourmet: A ll mustard is made in relatively the same way. The seed must be crushed, its hull and bran sifted out or not depending on type of mustard being made. It then may or may not go through further grinding and crushing. A liquid such as water, wine, vinegar, beer, or a combination of several of these liquids is added, along with seasonings and perhaps other flavorings. The mustard is mixed, in some cases simmered, and then cooled. Some mustard is aged in large containers before it is bottled and shipped to stores and customer. A lthough similar recipes for mustard paste appear as early as 42 AD, the use of mustard as a condiment was not widely practiced in either Greece or Rome. The Romans took the seed to Gaul, and by the ninth century French monasteries were bringing in considerable income from mustard preparations. By the 13th century, mustard was one of the items offered by Parisian sauce-hawkers, who walked the streets at dinner peddling their savory war.
1764--- The city of St. Louis was established as a French trading post. Pierre Laclede Liguest and stepson Auguste Chouteau notched a couple of trees that marked the site for Laclede's Landing that became St. Louis. August Chouteau is recognized as the “builder” of St. Louis.
http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/pierre-laclede.html
http://www.nps.gov/jeff/LewisClark2/Circa1804/StLouis/BlockInfo/
Block34ALaclede.htm
http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/auguste-chouteau.html
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/laclede.htm
http://www.nps.gov/jeff/LewisClark2/Circa1804/StLouis/BlockInfo/
Block34AAChouteauSr.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/6403/rene.html
http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/planning/research/data/
about/history.html
1803- birthday of John Sutter. Born at Kandern, Germany, Sutter established the first white settlement on the site of Sacramento, CA, in 1839, and owned a large tract of land there, which he named New Helvetia. The first great gold strike in the US was on his property, at Sutter's Mill, Jan 24, 1848. His land was soon overrun by gold seekers who, he claimed, slaughtered his cattle and stole or destroyed his property. Sutter was bankrupt by 1852. Died at Washington, DC, June 18, 1880
1804-- New Jersey becomes last northern state to abolish slavery
http://www.slavenorth.com/newjersey.htm
http://www.slavenorth.com/exclusion.htm
1808- birthday of Cyrus McCormick, 1808. He was the first to utilize "leasing" and "finance" to promote his product, something unheard of in his day. American historians believe McCormick's invention of the reaper is second only to the railroad in the development of the United States. Continuing the dream of his father, McCormick constructed a horse-operated reaper which was demonstrated for the first time in a Virginia wheat field in July 1831. He moved his operation to Chicago, IL, in 1847 in order to be closer to the Midwest's expanding wheat fields. His business prospered despite two decades of constant litigation over patent rights. His machine also was not considered the "best" of its day. In order to get his machine on the farm, he would offer "no payment until after Harvest," "No money down," " Seasonal payments," " Rent to Own," " Lease with Ability to Trade in For New Model." He died May 13, 1884, at Chicago. The company today is International Harvester.
1812- birthday of Charles Lewis Tiffany, American jeweler whose name became synonymous with high standards of quality. Born at Killingly, CT, and died at New York, NY, Feb 18, 1902.
1820-Birthday of Susan Brownell Anthony, affectionally known as Aunt Susan. One of the primary figures of the 19th century battle for women's rights and became its best known spokeswoman. Elected to Hall of Fame for Great Americans in 1950. An untiring pioneer crusader for women's rights, women's suffrage, Negro suffrage and abolition who traveled this nation constantly for 60 years for social justice. Her last public words: "Failure is impossible."
http://winningthevote.org/SBAnthony.html
1836-Birthday of Sarah Fuller - early advocate of teaching deaf children to read lips rather than signing. Taught Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, at her Boston School for Deaf-Mutes, which later became known as the Horace Mann School for the Deaf. (not to be confused with philosopher Sarah Margaret Fuller.)
http://search.eb.com/women/articles/Fuller_Sarah.html
1860-Birthday of Annie Blythe West, Japanese government gave her the 6th degree of the Order of the Crown for her 40 years of missionary work in Japan among women, children, and disabled soldiers.
1876-- Ada Everleigh who with her sister Minna operated a brothel in Chicago, "probably the most famous and luxurious house of prostitution in the country” from 1900-1911. At the time there were reported to be nearly 600 houses of prostitution in Chicago alone. When a reform movement closed the Everleigh house in 1911 because of their fame (others remained open), the sisters retired millionaires.
http://www.britannica.com/women/articles/Everleigh_Ada_and_Minna.html
http://www.littlebarrestaurant.com/lb8_everleigh.html
Minnie Everleigh
http://images.suntimes.com/century/images/1900-2.jpg
1879-- President Rutherford B. Hayes signed a bill allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. It would be some 41 years before the federal government would allow women to affect the making of the laws through suffrage.
1895 - A big Gulf snowstorm produced six inches at Brownsville TX and Mobile AL, 15 inches at Galveston TX, and 24 inches of snow at Rayne LA in 24 hours. Snow fell at the very mouth of the Mississippi River. Houston TX received 22 inches of snow, and nine inches blanketed New Orleans LA.
1898-American battleship Maine was blown up while at anchor in Havana harbor, at 9:40 PM. The ship, under the command of Captain Charles G. Sigsbee, sank quickly, and 260 members of its crew were lost. Inflamed public opinion in the US ignored the lack of evidence to establish responsibility for the explosion. "Remember the Maine " became the war cry, and a formal declaration of war against Spain followed on Apr 25, 1898.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/feb15.html
1905—Composer Harold Arlen birthday
http://www.haroldarlen.com/
1915- jazz trumpeter Taft Jordan born Florence, SC.
http://allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?p=amg&sql=B8907
1917 --San Francisco Public Library (Main Branch at Civic center) dedicated.
http://sfpl.org/librarylocations/main/sfplhist.htm
1917—Birthday of Theresa Castro - US businesswoman, co-owner of Castro Convertible, virtually a synonym for convertible sofa. She had saved her tips as a waitress to help start the company with her husband Bernard. Historians record it as the last major invention in sofa beds, actually the result of customers' requests of an upholsterer named Bernard Castro (1904-1991) to produce a davenport sofa bed that looked and worked well. The Castro Convertible, patented in 1948, with its folding springs that pull out from inside the sofa frame, was the prototype for most modern sofa beds. A recent departure from the Castro type sofa bed features covered foam sections that stack to become seats and unfold to become beds. These designs reflect an ongoing need for cheaper more portable furniture. After becoming wealthy, Theresa Castro became well-known as an energetic charitable benefactor in New York and Florida, Her daughter, Bernadette Castro, at age 4, was used in television commercial to show how easily the bed opened and folded. Today she is the New York State parks commissioner and a well-known personality in her own right.
http://www.tecsoc.org/pubs/history/2001/aug24.htm
http://www.rpts.tamu.edu/pugsley/CastroB.htm
1932- The US four-man bobsled team won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, NY. On the team was Edward F. Eagan, who had won a gold medal in boxing at the 1920 Summer Olympics. Egan thus became the first person to win gold medals in both the Winter and Summer Olympics.
1932 - George Burns and Gracie Allen debuted as regulars on "The Guy Lombardo Show" on CBS radio. The couple was so popular that soon, they would have their own "Burns and Allen Show". George and Gracie continued on radio for 18 years before making the switch to TV. All in all, they were big hits for three decades.
1933- at Bay Front Park, Miami, FL, an assassin aiming at President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt had his aim deflected by a spectator. Cermak, mayor of Chicago, IL, born May 9, 1873, at Kladno, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, was struck and killed instead. Giuseppe (Joe) Zangara, the 32-year-old assassin, who had emigrated from Italy in 1923, was electrocuted at the Raiford, FL, state prison Mar 20, 1933.
1936 - The temperature at Parshall ND plunged to 60 degrees below zero to establish a state record. On the 6th of July that same year the temperature at Steele ND hit 121 degrees, also a state record
1941-Duke Ellington records “Take the A Train,” Victor 273080)
1950---Top Hits
Dear Hearts and Gentle People - Bing Crosby
The Old Master Painter - Snooky Lanson
There's No Tomorrow - Tony Martin
Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy - Red Foley
1951- Birthday of Jane Seymour, real name Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg born in Hillingdon, Middlesex, England best known for her title role of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, the long-running TV series.
http://www.friendsofjane.com/
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-26021/
1951-Birthday of singer Melissa Manchester, born the Bronx, New York
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-983
http://www.melissa-manchester.com/biography.html
1953- Tenley Albright made a figure skating history by becoming the first American woman to win the world's championship. She also skated her way to a silver medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics and a gold medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics.
1957-Impresario Irvin Feld debuts his Greatest Shows of 1957 in Pittsburgh. On the bill: Clyde McPhatter, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Lavern Baker, Bill Doggett, the Moonglows, the Five Satins and more. Before it closes on May 5, the tour goes through every region of the U.S., including some such as the northern Rocky Mountain states, which have never seen a live rock and roll show before.
1957 – San Francisco Beatnik writer Jack Kerouac departs New York on the S.S. Slovenia en route for Tangier to see William Burroughs. February-March: In Tangier, Kerouac stays in a room above Burroughs at the Villa Muniria; types Burroughs' Naked Lunch manuscript (Kerouac has provided the title for the novel which Burroughs originally called Word Hoard.) In March Allen Ginsberg and Peter Orlovsky arrive in Tangier to visit Kerouac and Burroughs.
1958 - "Get A Job", by The Silhouettes, hit #1 on the music Tunedex, staying there for two weeks. One week earlier, the number one song was "Sugartime", by The McGuire Sisters, which fell off the top to be replaced by Perry Como's “Catch a Falling Start.” "Get A Job" would be replaced as number one in two weeks by "Tequila", an instrumental by a studio group known as The Champs.
1958---Top Hits
Get a Job - The Silhouettes
Don't/I Beg of You - Elvis Presley
Catch a Falling Star/Magic Moments - Perry Como
Ballad of a Teenage Queen - Johnny Cash
1958-Jerry Lee Lewis performs "Great Balls of Fire" and his latest release "Breathless" on "American Bandstand." Later in the day, "The Dick Clark Show," a new Saturday night rock & roll television program debuts on ABC-TV. The show features appearances by Jerry Lee Lewis, Pat Boone, Connie Francis, Chuck Willis, the Royal Teens and Johnnie Ray.
1964 ---Bill Bradley scores 51 points for Princeton (Bradley fouled out with his team leading 75-63), and a 58-point outburst against Wichita State in the 1965 NCAA tournament, which was a single game record. In total, Bradley scored 2,503 points at Princeton, averaging 30.2 points per game. In 1965, Bradley became the first basketball player chosen as winner of the prestigious AAU Sullivan Award, presented to the top amateur athlete in the country. After captaining the triumphant U.S. Olympic team in 1964, Bradley graduated with honors and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford.
http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/Bradley.htm
http://quest.morris.com/bradley/
1965- the new Canadian national flag was raised in Ottawa, Canada's capital on this day. The re-and-white flag with a red maple leaf in the center replaced the Red Ensign flag which had the British Union Jack in the upper left-hard corner. It is now called “ the Maple Leaf” flag.
1966---Top Hits
My Love - Petula Clark
Lightnin' Strikes - Lou Christie
Uptight (Everything's Alright) - Stevie Wonder
Giddyup Go - Red Sovine
1969-Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People" hits #1 on the pop chart.
1969- The Doors' "Touch Me" peaks at #3 on the chart.
1971---Birthday of Renee O'Connor , aka Gabrielle, born Houston, Texas. ( Gabrielle was the dutiful sidekick and devoted best friend of Xena, Warrior Princess.)
http://reneeoconnor.info/whoisrenee.php
http://www.xenaville.com/cast/renee.html
1973-Birthday of Amy VanDyken - U.S. athlete won a record four gold medals at the 1996 Olympics, the most gold medals for any US woman in one Olympics to that date. AVD has severe asthma, doctors have estimated that she gets 65 per cent of a normal person's oxygen and on her worst days, she gets 30 per cent. She has passed out during workouts Her golds were in the 50m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly and two team events.
http://www.tahoecelebritygolf.com/Players/VanDyken-Amy.html
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9910/27/chat.vandyken/index.html
1974 -Boston Bruins Center Phil Esposito scored the 1,000 the point of his career, an assist in Boston's 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Esposito finished his career with 1,590 points.
1974---Top Hits
Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra
Americans - Byron MacGregor
Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) - Aretha Franklin
World of Make Believe - Bill Anderson
1975- Linda Ronstadt's "You're No Good" hits #1 on the pop chart.
1982---Top Hits
Centerfold - The J. Geils Band
Harden My Heart - Quarterflash
Open Arms - Journey
Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight - Eddie Rabbitt
1978-Leon Spinks won a 15-round split controversial decision over Muhammad Ali to capture the heavyweight championship in a fight in Las Vegas.
1979- The 1978 Grammy Award winners are announced. The "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack wins Album of the Year and the Bee Gees take home statues for Best Pop Group and Best Arrangement for Voices for "Staying Alive." Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" wins Record and Song of the Year.
1986-- Living Bibles International moved to its present headquarters in Naperville, IL. Founded in 1968 by Ken Taylor, editor of the Living Bible, LBI is an interdenominational Bible distributing agency, working in 45 countries.
1982 - An intense cyclone off the Atlantic coast capsized a drilling rig killing 84 persons, and sank a Soviet freighter resulting in 33 more deaths. The cyclone produced 80 mph winds which whipped the water into waves fifty feet high.
1986 - Whitney Houston reached the #1 spot on the music charts. Her single, "How Will I Know", replaced a song recorded by her first cousin, Dionne Warwick ("That's What Friends Are For").
1987 - A storm crossing the central U.S. produced severe thunderstorms which spawned tornadoes in Louisiana and Mississippi. Tornadoes injured four persons at Pierre Pass LA, three persons at Tangipahoa LA, two persons at Lexie MS and two persons at Nicholson MS. Thunderstorm winds gusting to 100 mph killed one person south of Sulphur LA. Jackson MS was drenched with 1.5 inches of rain in ten minutes.
1989 - Thirty-seven cities in the southeastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. The afternoon high of 80 degrees at Atlanta GA was a February record. Highs of 79 degrees at Chattanooga TN, 84 degrees at Columbia SC and 85 degrees at New Orleans LA equaled February records
1990---Top Hits
Opposites Attract - Paula Abdul with The Wild Pair
Two to Make It Right - Seduction
Janie's Got a Gun - Aerosmith
Southern Star – Alabama
1990 - Heavy snow also blanketed the Northern Atlantic Coast States, with ten inches reported at Buffalo NY and Mount Washington NH. Freezing rain over southern New England knocked out electricity to more than 10,000 homes in the western suburbs of Boston MA.
1995-- Dow-Jones closes at record 3986.17
1995 --Population of People's Republic of China hits 1.2 billion
1995---Top Hits
Creep- TLC
Take A Bow- Madonna
On Bended Knee- Boyz II Men
Another Night- Real McCoy
1995- Known as the “Condor,” the FBI arrested Kevin Mitnick in Raleigh, NC. It was considered by the FBI as its "most wanted hacker." He was charged him with cracking security for some of the nation's most protected computers. (Mitnick was later released after serving five years behind bars.
http://www.takedown.com/bio/mitnick.html
1997-- US female Figure Skating championship won by Tara Lipinski
1997-- US male Figure Skating championship won by Todd Eldridge
1998 - Dale Earnhardt finally won the Daytona 500. Earnhardt won the race on the 50th Anniversary of NASCAR, the 40th Anniversary of the Daytona 500 and his 20th running of the Daytona 500. During a post-race interview he took a stuffed toy monkey and threw it on the ground and said, “Now I have that monkey off my back!”
2000---Top Hits
Thank God I Found You- Mariah Carey Featuring Joe
I Knew I Loved You- Savage Garden
What A Girl Wants- Christina Aguilera
Get It On Tonite- Montell Jordan
----------------------------------------------------------------
Winter Poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, Then took the other, as just as fair, And both that morning equally lay I shall be telling this with a sigh |
 |
 |
www.leasingnews.org |
 |
