In the story about Jim Lahti going on his own, many of you caught the typo, including Mr. Lahti, CLP:

"Kit, thanks for the nice article. Thought I'd correct a small typo, as although we would like to sever some of our brokers, our preference is to serve them."

“ I am going to be on my own, proudly serving brokers as I have done for the last twenty years as Affiliated Corporate Services.”

In the recent listing, Phil Dushay of Global Leasing, requested his listing to be up-dated:

In 2003, broker/lessor Global Leasing founder Phil Dushey created a new division to train independent salesmen in all the aspects of finance, including leasing, accounts receivable financing, business acquisitions, debt restructuring, working and venture capital. His students have found great success and he spends most of his time now developing entrepreneurs, who also utilize his knowledge and sources of funds. “

“We are not superbrokers and have never been one. Occasionally we will co-broker a transaction, but generally we function as a lessor for our own accounts. 2. Our website address for our training is www.globalbrokersystems.com 3 When we train our students we do not have them send transactions through Global. We set them up to deal directly with the lenders. We also require that all lenders who work with our students will automatically approve them to do business with them. Also our current price for the program is $24,950 We also model our training program from the experience we have from being in the business for about 25 years that a broker needs to serve all of the financial needs of their clients ,whether it be equipment leasing ,factoring, acquisitions, SBA Loans or debt restructuring, we do it all."

Philip Dushey
Global Financial Services
17 State Street
New York NY 10004
Email phil@globaleasing.com
Phone 212-480-4900

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

Credit/Documentation: 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

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

Orange, CA.
Credit/Operations Manager 15 years exper., looking for a new home. Have handled both middle/ large ticket transaction, plus muni & international finance.
email: equiplender@aol.com

Senior Credit Officer
experienced in middle-market leasing; structured, vendor and 3rd party to the fortune 1000. Proactive team builder, originations capable with strong work ethic.
Email: kyletrust@hotmail.com

http://www.financial-publishing.com/
Publish interest tables, also computed the rates into factors, where you could then compute "retail" rates from "wholesale" rates.

For instance, on 60 months .025 was 18% or 10% add on ( in advance) and you could then multiply 1.05 ( if you wanted five points) times it and get the retail rate, the selling rate.
They also have books that had first and last and then with residuals.

A reader asked us for a program that would calculate his commission based on a lease factor. Many founders and equipment leasing companies offer these programs on line, for free. Some allow you to download the program Excel can also do this easily, and if there is a reader who knows the formula, please share with us.

In the old days we would take the factor and multiply it by 1.00 with the commission the salesman was seeking. For instance, .0331 and the salesman wanted five points, multiply 1.05 times .0331 and it would be 034755.

Here are some personal financial portals and calculation tools we will be adding to the page:

It there is a calculator we have not mentioned on this page, please let us know as we will share with other readers.

International Decision Systems, Inc. (IDS) - the global leader in lease
accounting and portfolio management software systems -offers a new pre-tax
version of InfoAnalysis (IA) that is free. The base version of IDS' front-end lease pricing and bid
tracking software is available as a free download from www.idsgrp.com.

IDS website visitors who use this product can explore expanded versions of InfoAnalysis on the
site,including one with an inexpensive bid-tracking module and another with all the important
after-tax features and sales pipeline reporting. Visitors who register also are eligible for a free
web-based training session.

To download Pre-tax InfoAnalysis, go to
http://www.idsgrp.com
and click on the appropriate link
to download the software without any obligations.

here is one for $25
http://www.sharewarejunction.com/info.asp?ProductID=339

http://www.softpile.com/Business/Finance/Review_00027_index.htm l

mortgages/loans
http://www.loans-mortgage-calculator.com/

The best time to know if a Lease-Purchase contract will be profitable for you is before you sign it. The same is true if the contract is so flawed that there is no way on earth you can buy that truck and make a living at the same time. You don't want to come to that realization six months down the road when you find yourself under emergency financial stress.

This simple calculator has a place for every variable that goes into a small trucking business's cash flow analysis. Note that as you put in your variables, the bottom line of whether you are making or losing money changes. After you put in the figures that reflects what you think you will do in the coming year, (not what the recruiter blows smoke about) do some additional calculations. Change the miles to a lower and then a higher number and see how mileage affects the bottom line. Then go back to your original best estimate of miles and do some "If/Then" calculations on diesel fuel prices. Put in the highest figure you have ever seen on a fuel pump. Put in the figure between today's price and the highest price you have seen. Note how little diesel price fluctuations have to be to make thousands of dollars difference in the bottom line. Because fuel is your single biggest cost, go back and check the lease's handling of fuel surcharges. If there is no fuel surcharge in place, you can easily see with this calculator how a simple hic-up in the fuel price can take you from being a profitable trucker to being a bankrupt trucker in short order.

INSTRUCTIONS: The OOIDA Lease-Purchase Survival Calculator-Spreadsheet is a Microsoft® Excel file. You MUST have Microsoft® Excel installed on your computer to open this page.

Open the OOIDA Lease-Purchase Survival Calculator-Spreadsheet (best have Excel "on"...

#3 Leaseassistant.org is a website of the Equipment Leasing Association, with information on leasing. It is also available to members for $500 a year in a customized version with the name, logo, and link to the members site.

#4 There are two tiers to the site, one is free, and the other is a subscription for "leads" or "sources". http://www.cfol.com/index.html?content=loginpage The success of Internet portals such as My Yahoo! have inspired companies to develop Enterprise Information Portals (EIPs) as a way to allow business users to access corporate information.

Wanted: Energetic, self-motivated outside sales professional in Pacific NW.
For full job description go to http://www.dolsenleasing.com/Careers.cfm

In business since 1958, DLC is an independent funding source servicing the $10K-250K market in 11 western states.

www.dolsenleasing.com

Tax Manager

Tax Manager

Seeking Tax Manager for Marshall, MN Headquarters. Responsible for management of USBancorp small ticket leasing division for a multi - billion dollar portfolio including oversight of compliance with all sales, use, rental, property, excise and miscellaneous taxes pertaining to the business of leasing. Four-year college/ university degree; or 2-4 years related work exp. and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

For complete description and application, click here.

www.usbank.com

Norvergence Judgment Eliminates $47 Million In Consumer Debt Owed for Worthless Telecom Services

Company Promised Savings to Small Businesses and Non-Profits Through Convergence of Voice, Internet, and Cellular Phone Services

The Federal District Court in Newark, New Jersey, today entered a final default judgment against NorVergence, Inc., that will immediately result in the cancellation of 1,600 contracts with the company valued at more than $47 million. The judgment is the result of a November 2004 Federal Trade Commission complaint charging NorVergence with defrauding consumers through misleading claims that it would provide them with dramatic savings on their monthly telephone, cellular, and Internet bills.

The court found that consumers signed a set of applications and agreements with a total price equal to the promised monthly payments over five years. Most of the total payments were allocated to rental agreements for a “Matrix” or “Matrix Soho” device that supposedly would provide the promised costs savings. In reality, the Matrix was just a standard integrated access device (IAD), commonly used to connect telephone equipment to a long-distance provider's lines. The Matrix Soho was essentially a firewall.

The Matrix boxes cost between $200 and $1,550. The total cost to the consumer was $7,000 to $340,000, with an average cost of $29,291. The price of the rental agreement had nothing to do with the cost of the Matrix, which itself was an incidental part of the promised services.

NorVergence had an estimated 9,400 Matrix rental agreements totaling over $275 million. Other than the 1,600 contracts cancelled by this judgment, NorVergence sold its rental agreements shortly after they were signed to over 40 finance companies for cash. These sold contracts are not immediately affected by the default judgment. An unknown minority of these contracts were sold to finance companies for only a part of their typical five-year term. The default judgment makes these contracts void and unenforceable as of the end of the partial term when they are due to come back to NorVergence.

The court also found that NorVergence failed to tell consumers that it did not have a long-term commitment from any service provider for the services it was promising to provide. NorVergence also failed to tell consumers that the Matrix boxes covered by the rental agreement would be of little or no value to them if NorVergence failed to provide the promised telecommunications services.

Finally, the court found that NorVergence had furnished the finance companies who purchased its contracts with the means and instrumentalities to commit deceptive and unfair acts or practices violating the FTC Act. It provided those finance companies with rental agreements that allowed the finance companies to: 1) misrepresent that consumers owe money on the rental agreements, regardless of whether NorVergence provided the promised telecommunications services; and 2) file collection suits against consumers in courts far from where the consumers are located.

The FTC worked cooperatively on this matter with various state attorney generals' offices, which also have investigated NorVergence's business practices. More than 20 states also have reached settlements with some of the finance companies that purchased and are collecting on NorVergence rental agreements. Consumers in these states should contact their attorney general directly for further information on the state settlements. The states include: New Jersey, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Illinois, California, Maryland, Rhode Island, Delaware, Georgia, Connecticut, Kansas, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Copies of the Commission's complaint and the default judgment are available from the FTC's Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint, or to get free information on any of 150 consumer topics, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at http://www.ftc.gov. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

STAFF CONTACTS:
Randy Brook, Nadine Samter, or Robert Schroeder
FTC Northwest Region, Seattle
206-220-6350
(FTC File No. X050017; Civ. No. 04-5414)
( http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/07/norvergence.htm )

-- Dominion Leasing Software is pleased to announce the release of LeaseComplete Version 4. This new release of Dominion's flagship lease and loan accounting and asset management system includes over fifty (50) new features and add-ons including the following:

1. Lease Discounting Wizard. This new component was added to simplify the process of calculating the amounts and posting the transactions necessary to establish a discounted lease in the LeaseComplete System. The wizards guides the operator through a step-by-step process which includes selecting an investor, transferring the lease to alternate GL accounts, calculating the lease's net investment as of the discount effective date, and optionally calculating the discount amount from the entered discount rate. The entire process culminates in the calculation and posting of the gain (loss) on the discount transaction and the setup of the Note Payable to the investor.

2. Automatic Extensions. A new feature has been added to the System to allow an Operating Lease to automatically extend itself for a predetermined number of periods. This optional feature ensures invoices continue uninterrupted should a lease exceed is original term, with appropriate adjustments being made automatically to the booked residual value and all related asset depreciation schedules. By using this feature, an operator can create a "month-to-month" lease where rentals continues indefinitely until both parties agree to end the arrangement as per the lease agreement. Automatic extensions can be performed for a fixed time period or indefinitely based on lease-level options.

3. Asset-level Service Expense Tracking. The existing Preventive Maintenance component of the System has been expanded to allow tracking of non-reimbursable service expenses on an Asset. This new feature provides a means of tracking asset services at a detail level and capturing the related expenses for profitability, repair history, and similar reporting. The System also allows a service "spending limit" to be placed on an asset to provide automated warnings should expenses on a given asset exceed projections over a fixed period of time. This feature represents an addition to the System's already strong asset management components designed to help lessors control costs and monitor asset performance.

Dominion is pleased to offer these features and all new releases of LeaseComplete to its customers as part of its standard maintenance.

Dominion Leasing Software is a leading provider of lease/loan accounting and asset management software and services for both the equipment finance and retail leasing industries. Its flagship product, LeaseComplete, is used by a diverse client base including commercial banks, credit unions, equipment finance companies, automobile dealerships, and independent lessors. With its integrated inventory management and preventive maintenance components, LeaseComplete is the ideal solution for tracking, maintaining, and remarketing your equipment inventory.
Visit their website at
http://www.dominionls.com/.

MADISON, – First Business Financial Services, Inc., located at 401 Charmany Drive in Madison, announced that Mark D. Bugher has been elected to its Board of Directors. He is Director of University Research Park, where he manages and directs all activities for the Park, a 255 acre research development owned and operated by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As the Director, he is also responsible for the management of a separately organized real estate development corporation.

“We are very excited to have Mark joining our board,” stated Jerry Smith, CEO of First Business Financial Services. “In addition to Mark's position with the University Research Park, he provides leadership for Madison Economic Development Commission, Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, Wisconsin Technology Council and has been a strong voice promoting bio science growth in Wisconsin.”

Mark is a member of the Governors Blue Ribbon Commission on State-Local Partnership. He chairs the Wisconsin Technology Council, and Marshfield Clinic Advisory Board. He also serves on the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce Board, Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance Board, and the Madison Economic Development Commission. Mark was appointed Secretary of the Department of Administration in 1996 by Gov. Tommy Thompson. Prior to that, he was Secretary of the Department of Revenue.

First Business Financial Services is the parent of the First Business family of companies, managing shareholder relations and providing access to capital for our operating entities. Its companies include First Business Bank, First Business Bank – Milwaukee, First Business Trust & Investments, First Business Leasing, LLC, and First Business Capital Corp. For additional information, visit www.fbfinancial.com <http://www.fbfinancial.com> or call 608-238-8008.

Brian Raum Joins U.S. Bancorp Oliver-Allen Technology Leasing as
Vice President of Corporate Development

LARKSPUR, Calif.----Brian Raum has joined U.S. Bancorp Oliver-Allen Technology Leasing as vice president of corporate development. In this new position, Raum will create a channel partnership with other U.S. Bank business units and U.S. Bancorp Oliver-Allen Technology Leasing. Raum will be based out of the company's Orange County, Calif. office.

"We're excited to announce that Brian has joined our team. He has the perfect blend of experience to execute our ongoing cross-sell initiative by providing highly developed technology leasing products to U.S. Bank customers," said Darren Lang, senior vice president, U.S. Bancorp Oliver-Allen Technology Leasing.

Raum comes to U.S. Bancorp Oliver-Allen Technology Leasing with 14 years of technology leasing experience, having previously served as regional sales director for HP Financial Services where he was responsible for all business in the Western United States. Prior to the HP/Compaq merger, he started Compaq Capital's Venture Capital Program where he worked directly with venture capital firms to create new business opportunities for Compaq. In addition to his roles at HP and Compaq, Raum was vice president, sales at Brentwood Credit Corporation and national account manager at Relational Funding Corporation.

U.S. Bancorp Oliver-Technology Leasing, a division of U.S. Bancorp Equipment Finance, Inc. provides lease financing for all technology related equipment, including software and services. U.S. Bancorp Equipment Finance, Inc., one of the largest bank-affiliated equipment finance companies in the nation, has been providing equipment finance solutions for more than 30 years. It is a major funding source for companies in virtually every industry sector nationwide.

U.S. Bancorp Equipment Finance, Inc. is part of U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB). With $204 billion in assets, U.S. Bancorp is the 6th largest financial holding company in the United States. The company operates 2,383 banking offices and 4,877 ATMs in 24 states, and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. U.S. Bancorp is home of the Five Star Service Guarantee in which the company pays customers if certain key banking benefits and services are not met. U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of U.S. Bank. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at usbank.com.

CONTACT:
U.S. Bancorp Media Relations
Teri Charest, 612-303-0732
teri.charest@usbank.com

1943-Birthday of Michael Phillip (Mick) Jagger, lead singer of the Rolling Stones since their beginning in 1962, was born in Dartford, England. The Stones began billing themselves as the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world in the late '60s, and few denied the potency of their blend of blues, R'n'B and teen rock. Their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, promoted them as the bad boys of British rock - the opposites of the clean-cut Beatles. And Jagger was portrayed as a leering, satanic figure. The Stones' number-one records in the '60s included "Satisfaction," "Get Off My Cloud" and "Time Is On My Side." The Stones survived the departure and subsequent death of guitarist Brian Jones in 1969. In fact, this and other notorious incidents, including a rumored liaison with Margaret Trudeau in 1978, seemed to enhance the Stones' following. The group continued to hit the charts into the 1980's, with such hits as "Start Me Up" and "Harlem Shuffle." Mick Jagger's duet with Tina Turner was one of the highlights of the 1985 Live-Aid concerts. He is still touring today, more magnificent then ever. Whenever I go to his concerts, I get third or four row. You pay a premium with a broker, but it is an event you will never forget as the band gives you every dollar's worth in their performance and show.

    1603- James VI of Scotland was crowned King James I of England. He then 'authorized' an English translation of the Scriptures, first published in 1611 and known since as the' King James Version' of the Bible. It brought more interest in “religious freedom.” In 1600, the Indian population of what was to become the U.S. was about 1,000,000 when European exploration began. In the beginning, some of the earliest pioneers, as at Jamestown, VA were adventurers, interested more in making a quick fortune form the alleged riches of the New World than in engaging in agriculture or forestry. In later years, through a greater diversity of settlers arrived, and brought with them a variety of skills. They ranged form wealthy Englishmen, who wanted to carve out large estates, to servants. Merchants saw the opportunity for trade as populations grew. Groups seeking religious freedom were also prominent, bringing with them a tradition of had work and a willingness to start anew (an example of the social position of the first settlers comes from the fact that among the male settlers of Jamestown, VA., the first permanent English settlement in America, of the 105 men, 35 were considered gentlemen, persons who means freed them from the need to work or engage actively in trade. The second expedition to Jamestown contained 33 gentlemen out of 120.
     1775-Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first Postmaster General. He had served the crown as deputy postmaster at Philadelphia, PA, form 1737 to 1753, and as deputy postmaster general for the colonies from 1753 to 1774.
    1788-New York became the 11 th state to ratify the Constitution. (Lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul26.html )
    1835-The first sugar cane plantation started in Hawaii
    1847-American Black Joseph Jenkins Roberts declared Liberia, formerly a colony of the American Colonization Society, an independent republic.(Liberia and its independence was the subject of my University High School English Semester Report. Do you remember yours?) http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul26.html
    1863- Confederate General John Hunt Morgan was ordered to invade Kentucky He was to direct and draw General William S. Rosecrans' army from Tennessee. But Morgan went farther than he was ordered. He led a group of volunteer cavalrymen, raiding public property, burning bridges, taking horse, and captured railroad supplies. They also caused severed losses among the Union Troops and Morgan Raiders were feared wherever they went. While he never commanded more than 4,000 men, it is said he captured as many as 15,000 Union soldiers. He was a maverick. He had not followed orders and began harassing (some say plundering homes, others say they were Union sympathizer's homes) in Tennessee and Ohio, going in the opposite direction, actually into “enemy territory. “He was captured this day with 364 of his men at New Lisbon, Ohio. He had broken through the federal lines in Kentucky and crossed the Ohio River into Indiana. Used to lighting raids and use of his cavalry, a flood caused the river to rise. He could not find a way to return to Confederate territory. He was imprisoned in the Columbus, Ohio Penitentiary. It did not hold him long. He escaped the next November, continuing his many his raids. He finally made it to Kentucky, in June, 1864, where Union troops were no very strong. He was caught and defeated, but with his fast Calvary, out ran the Union troops, and regrouped. He then went to Greenville, Tennessee, which now was also in Union hands, where he killed in battle, September, 1864.
    1865- Patrick Francis Healy is first black awarded PhD (Louvain Belgium)
    1875-Windstorm (possibly a tornado) rips through Erie, PA killing 134 and doing $500,000 damage
    1890-Powerful F3 tornado raked Lawrence, MA at 9:10 am, killing 8 and injuring 63. The storm destroyed 35 homes and damaged 60. Storms of this strength and occurring at this early hour are very rare in New England.
    1892-Birthday of Pearl S Buck US, novelist (The Good Earth)
    1902-birthday of trumpet player Gus Aiken, Charleston, SC.
    1902--- (1896), birthday of Gracie Allen - U.S. comic. GA was the Allen of the highly popular comedy team of Burns and Allen. Gracie took no part in the writing or promotion of the comedy, preferring her home and children. Her comedic delivery was impeccable, and the duo retained high popularity, but she got tired of the airhead with the twisted logic that she was forced to portray - although she continued to do it so very well. It was totally different from her own personality. Her right arm had been badly scalded when she was a child, and she always wore long sleeves.
    1907 - The first turbine-propelled ship was launched. The speedy vessel was named "Chester" and was built for the U.S. Navy.
    1914-birthday of bandleader Erskine Hawkins, Birmingham, Al1918- Race riot in Philadelphia (three whites and one black are killed)
    1922-Birthday of Jason Robards, a staple on the American stage and screen for six decades. Robards was born at Chicago, IL., and was a decorated World War II veteran. He won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor tow years in a row for 1976's “All the President's Men” and in 1977s “Julia.” His most famous stage roles were in the plays of Eugene O'Neill, including “ The Iceman Cometh” and “Long Day's Journey into Night.” Saw him in both. He was outstanding. O'Neil in “The Iceman Cometh” calls for a rotund salesman, but Robards was extremely convincing, even mesmerizing in this very long play about a salesman who has become sober and visits his favorite bar to bring reality, but only wakes up the demons, including in himself. He won the Tony Award in 12959 for his portrayal of a fictionalized F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Disenchanted. Played many key roles in files, such as The Philadelphia Story. He died in Bridgeport, CT, December 26, 2000.
    1922-birthday of guitarist Charles Walker, Macon, GA
    1924-Drummer Louis Bellson Birthday
    1926-National Bar Association incorporates
    1928- American film writer and producer Stanley Kubrick, born at the Bronx, NY. Kubrick started out in photography at the age of 16 with Look magazine. His first film, Day of the Fight, produced in 1950, was a documentary of his photo series about fighter Walter Cartier. His film credits include Dr. Strangelove, Full Metal Jacket and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Eyes Wide Shut, Kubrick's final film, was released posthumously in the summer of 1999.He died at London, England, Mar 7,1999.
    1929-birthday of drummer Charles Persip, Morristown, NY.
    1932-Billy Banks's Rhythmakers ( Red Allen, PeeWee Russell, Fats Waller ) records “ Mean Old Bed Bug Blues.”
    1937-birthday of Al Banks ( the Turbans), Philadelphia, PA1938-birthday of pianist Joanne Brackeen, Ventura, CA.
    1939 - Sixteen-year-old singer Kay Starr got a big break. She recorded "Baby Me" with Glenn Miller and his orchestra on Victor Records. Starr was filling in for Marion Hutton who, at the last minute, was unable to attend the recording session.
    1942 - Judy Garland joined Gene Kelly to record "For Me and My Gal" for Decca Records. The song is featured in the movie of the same name.
    1943-Birthday of Michael Phillip (Mick) Jagger, lead singer of the Rolling Stones since their beginning in 1962, was born in Dartford, England. The Stones began billing themselves as the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world in the late '60s, and few denied the potency of their blend of blues, R'n'B and teen rock. Their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, promoted them as the bad boys of British rock - the opposites of the clean-cut Beatles. And Jagger was portrayed as a leering, satanic figure. The Stones' number-one records in the '60s included "Satisfaction," "Get Off My Cloud" and "Time Is On My Side." The Stones survived the departure and subsequent death of guitarist Brian Jones in 1969. In fact, this and other notorious incidents, including a rumored liaison with Margaret Trudeau in 1978, seemed to enhance the Stones' following. The group continued to hit the charts into the 1980's, with such hits as "Start Me Up" and "Harlem Shuffle." Mick Jagger's duet with Tina Turner was one of the highlights of the 1985 Live-Aid concerts. He is still touring today, more magnificent then ever. Whenever I go to his concerts, I get third or four row. You pay a premium with a broker, but it is an event you will never forget as the band gives you every dollar's worth in their performance and show.
    1943- Gene Autry, the world's most famous singing cowboy, joined the US Army Air Corps. Autry flew cargo and supply planes over enemy territory in the Middle and Far East.
1943-Record high for the state of Oklahoma set at Tishomingo with 120.
    1944- During WWII this day the US Army ordered desegregation of its training camp facilities. Later the same year black platoons were assigned to white companies in a tentative step toward integration of the battlefield. However, it was not until after the War—July 26, 1948—that President Harry Truman signed an order officially integrating the armed forces.
    1945-The U.S. Cruiser Indianapolis arrived at Tinian Island in the Marianas with a deadly cargo. Aboard were the makings of the atomic bomb. On the island waited scientists prepared to complete the assembly.
    1947-President Truman signed legislation unifying the two branches of the armed forces into the Department of Defenses. The branches merged were the war Department (Army) and the Navy. The Air Force was separated from the Army at the same time. Truman nominated James Forrestal to be the first Secretary of Defense. The legislation also provided for the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
    1948— President Harry S. Truman signed an executive order officially integrating the armed forces.
1948 The first black host of a network show-CBS' Bob Howard Show.
1948-- The Bambino makes his final public appearance at the New York premiere of The Babe Ruth Story. The Sultan of Swat will die three weeks later
    1952-Bob Mathias of the US won the decathlon at the 2953 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, to become the first athlete to win the Olympic decathlon twice. His first victory came in the 1948 London Games. Daley Thompson of Great Britain equaled Mathias's feat in 1980 and 1984.
    1953-Fidel Castro with his Revolutionary Army leads attack on Moncada Barracks to take over Cuba, today known as the “ 26 th of July Movement.” The “recognition” of Cuba is perhaps the last remains of the “Cold War” with the so-called communist form of government, which appears to be more of a “dictatorship.”
    1951---Top Hits
Too Young - Nat King Cole
My Truly, Truly Fair - Guy Mitchell
Mister and Mississippi - Patti Page
I Wanna Play House with You - Eddy Arnold
    1952- "Half As Much" by Rosemary Clooney topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.
    1955- Count Basie records “April in Paris.” ( One more “once!” )
    1959---Top Hits
Lonely Boy - Paul Anka
A Big Hunk o' Love - Elvis Presley
My Heart is an Open Book - Carl Dobkins, Jr.
The Battle of New Orleans - Johnny Horton
    1960-Salt Lake City UT soars to all-time record of 107
    1963- Bob Dylan appeared at the Newport Folk Festival, where he sang "Blowin' in the Wind." Dylan had written the song in April 1962. "Blowin' in the Wind" became the unofficial anthem of the civil rights movement - and a hit for Peter, Paul and Mary.
1963--Record high of 96 at Eastport, ME
    1964- Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa convicted of fraud and conspiracy.
    1967---Top Hits
Windy - The Association
Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli
Light My Fire - The Doors
With One Exception - David Houston
    1969 - Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones celebrated his 26th birthday with the release of the album, "Beggar's Banquet". It was the first time that Jagger's guitar playing had been featured on any of the Stone's records.
    1970 - Home runs came in triplicate. Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds belted three home runs against the St. Louis Cardinals, and Orlando Cepeda of the Atlanta Braves launched a trio of homers in a game with the Chicago Cubs.
    1975---Top Hits
The Hustle - Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony
I'm Not in Love - 10cc
One of These Nights - Eagles
Touch the Hand - Conway Twitty
1975 - Van McCoy and The Soul City Symphony reached the top spot on the "Billboard" record chart for the first -- and only -- time. The disco hit "The Hustle" became the top record in the U.S. The instrumental remained in the reflection of the disco mirror ball for only one week ... though plenty of other disco hits followed. Keep that white suit handy. Disco may just come back!
    1983---Top Hits
Every Breath You Take - The Police
Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant
Is There Something I Should Know - Duran Duran
Pancho and Lefty - Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard
    1984 - "Purple Rain", the film creation of Prince, premiered in Hollywood. Attending the gala at the Palace Theatre were Eddie Murphy, Lionel Richie and Stevie Nicks. MTV presented live coverage of the events.
    1986--"Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel topped the charts and stayed there for a week
    1987 - Robert Wrenn set a record for the Buick Open. He won the golf tourney with a 26-under-par 262, a seven-stroke victory. Wrenn just missed the PGA Tour record of 27-under-par at the tourney, which was held at Grand Blanc, MI.
1987-singer Billy Joel began a series of six concerts in the Soviet Union with a performance in Moscow. About 300 of the 10,000 people in attendance swarmed to the front of the auditorium, waving posters and climbing on each other's shoulders. It was an unusual display of enthusiasm for a Soviet audience, who usually showed appreciation by clapping slowly and rhythmically. At one point, Joel jumped from the stage and walked through the crowd followed by a procession of fans. He has an album plus a video/DVD on the tour.
    1990- President Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act, which went into effect two years later. It required that public facilities be made accessible to the disabled.
    1991---Top Hits
Unbelievable - EMF
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You - Bryan Adams
P.A.S.S.I.O.N. - Rythm Syndicate
I Am a Simple Man - Ricky Van Shelton
    1992 - Patty Sheehan defeated Juli Inkster in a playoff to win the 47th U.S. Women's Open at the Oakmont (PA) Country Club.
    1998 - Hale Irwin birdied the 18th hole for a 69 to win the U.S. Senior Open by one stroke over Argentina's Vicente Fernandez at Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades CA.
1998-- Don Sutton and Larry Doby are inducted into the Hall of Fame along with Lee MacPhail, George Davis and Joe Rogan. MacPhail joins his dad, Larry, to become the first father and son to be enshrined at Cooperstown.
1998 --With his 44th homer, Mark McGwire surpasses Johnny Mize as the all-time Cardinal single-season home run leader.
1998-- Hitting his 380th career homer, Jose Canseco becomes the all-time Latin home run leader passing Orlando Cepeda and Tony Perez.
    2000 - U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel (in federal court, San Francisco CA) issued a preliminary injunction against online music service Napster. The judge ordered Napster to stop distributing copyrighted songs on the Web. Although Napster fought the ruling for months, this was the beginning of the end for the Internet music distribution site.

I have a friend that calls it
the Andy Griffith Syndrome.

the good ole boys
in eastern North Carolina
have this way of talking
like they've always known you,
the words warm your heart like back slaps
from the preacher,
so you've got to read their eyes,
but that's not always easy.

I heard Dietz said
that in the no-hitter
he caught three curves,
two sliders,
and ninety-seven unidentified pitches
that required a windshield.
the denial itself is legendary,
amidst all the psychosis-causing
motions:
hand to mouth to hat to mouth to hat to ball,

and later the country drawl,
why I DON ' T throw no spitter boy...
a voice that could be heard
anywhere at a tobacco auction
in a place like Williamston, NC.

Written by Tim Peeler
From “Touching All the Bases,”
Poems for Baseball
Published by McFarland and Company