Add me to mailing list    |           |      Search

Advertising | All Lists | Archives | Classified Ads | This Day In American History


   


Seeking originators with 5+ years small ticket and/or
middle market experience and with established
customer and vendor relationships. Remote
office and on site positions are available.

Please send resumes to: jobs@teqlease.com
Attn: Mike Lockwood or Russ Runnalls CLP
www.TEQlease.com


Tuesday, June 1, 2010



Heidi Samuel born June 1, 1973 better known by her birth name Heidi Klum, is a German American model, actress, television host, business woman, fashion designer, television producer, artist, and occasional singer. She is married to English singer Seal. In December 2004, she became the host, judge and executive producer of the reality show Project Runway on the U.S. cable television channel Bravo, (airing on Lifetime television beginning in 2009) in which fashion designers compete for the opportunity to show their line at New York Fashion Week and receive money to launch their own fashion line. She received an Emmy Award nomination for the show for each of the first four seasons.


Headlines---

  Classified Ads---Sales Manager
 The problem with Puget Sound Leasing
  is First Sound Bank
 LEAF running out of gasoline?
  by Christopher Menkin
   Placard---President Obama
Top Stories --- May 24-28
 Classified Ads---Help Wanted
  Leasing 102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP
   Prepayment for Equipment
 Barry Marks Seeks Your Response
  Leasing News Reaction to Barry Marks
 Bank Beat---Tygris’s EverBank Claims 3 More
  Classified ads—Finance
   Costa Mesa, California---Adopt –a-Dog
News Briefs ---
 Bad loans mean banks need to raise more capital
  Mechanics Bank avoids risky investments
   Between $700B & $1T/Islamic finance joins mainstream
    Lawsuits Name 425 Agencies, Creditors
     Droid Incredible may not ship until June 22nd
   You May have Missed---
    Sports Briefs---
      "Gimme that Wine"
    Today's Top Event in History
     This Day in American History
      Baseball Poem
       SuDoku
      Daily Puzzle
     GasBuddy
    Weather, USA or specific area
     Traffic Live----


######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release” and was not written by Leasing News nor information verified, but from the source noted. When an article is signed by the writer, it is considered a “by line.” It reflects the opinion and research of the writer. It is considered “bias” as it is the writer’s viewpoint.


((Please Click on Bulletin Board to learn more information))

(Leasing News provides this ad “gratis” as a means

to help support the growth of Lease Police)


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

Classified Ads---Sales Manager


Bayville, NJ
Dedicated individual seeking a account management position, 3 years leasing experience and 15+ years sales experience. Resume furnished upon request,
email Frank at weag4th@gmail.com .

Fort Myers, Florida
Very experienced and strong skills with both Captive and Specialty Sales Management. Over 25 years , will relocate and travel---successful and team player.
e-mail: tlinspections@gmail.com

Northeast
Over 30 years experience working with Small and Mid-Ticket Brokers.
Extensive current Broker and Customer Base available.
sdunham@gwi.net


For a full listing of all “job wanted” ads, please go to:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm

Other e-Mail Posting Sites:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Posting_sites.htm


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

The problem with Puget Sound Leasing
is First Sound Bank

by Christopher Menkin



(This is a synopsis of a complicated story and supportive articles and documents with details are available at the end for those seeking more definitive information.)

Competitors of Puget Sound Leasing (PSL), Bellevue, Washington have been questioning why the company is not on the "no longer doing business with brokers/discounters" list and why haven't other news concerning the company appeared in Leasing News. The leasing company has been struggling, but the problems do not come from the staff, but from its parent: First Sound Bank.

It started the end of 2008 as other leasing companies from Balboa to Pentech and others were exciting the brokers’ marketplace and the financial market had hit leasing companies. Leasing News reported from deep inside that Louis Secord, Jr. was escorted from a bank board of directors meeting of First Sound Bank, Seattle, Washington.

What happened next was January 14, 2009 First Sound filed suit in federal court for fraud and breach of contract in connection with its "...March 1, 2008 purchase of certain assets from Puget Sound Leasing Co., Inc. The defendants to the suit are the sellers of the assets: Larasco, Inc. (the business formerly known as Puget Sound Leasing Co., Inc.) and its owners, Richard Secord and Louis Secord."

Secord was one of the founding directors along with his former accountant, who also was on the board, and insiders told Leasing News this was a divorce where the bank would not win. Legal experts from John Deane, The Alta Group, Bob Teichman, CLP, Leasing News Advisory Chairman, Rob Yohe (who had represented the Secords in discounting portfolio's), and many others, as well as a host of up to 25 attorneys and 14 banks got involved regarding what Louis Secord described in his defending statement " Between 2001 and 2008, PSL received anywhere from 2500 to over 6,500 lease applications each year. Of these applications, only approximately 50-60% were approved by PSL and approximately 40% were actually carried through to funding by the lessee and lease agreement executed ...through March, 2008." First Sound involved Wells Fargo and other banks, afraid or representations and warrants.

The major complaint was that the loss ratio as stated by the sellers was not "accurate." The Secords said any change was due to the economy and the bank was taking this position due to its other problems, primarily in real estate loans. The bank accused the Secords of hiding assets, money, planning to flee the country, and insiders said for years Secord had been buying vintage Corvettes and storing them away as well as other property and they would never get him. The bank came back with 12 employees talking about Evergreen Clauses (extending leasing payments to lessees without their knowledge, legal in Washington), using security deposits for the extra payments (legal as part of an Evergreen clause), changing residuals (perhaps legal as part of a Winter Green or Evergreen clause) and applying these payments to the leases instead of reporting them as delinquent. Both sides had experts on this practice. Ethics was not the discussion, but business practices in the entire leasing industry and what is legal and what is not legal. Much of the testimony in the depositions would be quite eye opening to lessees, but common knowledge to those with experience in the small ticket marketplace (perhaps practiced by many more lessors than the industry would like to make public.)

Dates for a settlement or a trial were extended, with the last date scheduled for May 17th, the postponed to June 1st, but on April 27th Larasco, the corporation who owned Pugent Sound Leasing and sold it to the bank declared bankruptcy and asked for an extension, but the court said, “All the remaining claims by and against Defendant Larasco, Inc. and the individual defendants are STAYED only as to Larasco, Inc. The remaining claims will proceed as set forth in the pretrial order, docket no. 424, commencing on June 1, 2010, at 9:00am. The individual defendant’s bankruptcy attorney Gayle Bush notified the Court that the individual defendants may file for bankrtupcy protection prior to the start of the trial. The Court directs the individual defendants to provide notice to the Court and to the other parties in the event they file for bankruptcy protection."

Add to this the FDIC on April 13, 2010 informed First Sound Bank "... that the Bank's Capital Restoration Plan was unacceptable; WHEREAS, the condition of the Bank continues to deteriorate;

WHEREAS, the management of the Bank has not demonstrated the ability to return the Bank to a safe and sound condition;

WHEREAS, the deteriorating condition of the Bank and the inability of the management of the Bank to return it to a safe and sound condition require that prompt corrective action be taken immediately..."

"IT IS HEREBY DIRECTED, that within 30 days of the effective date of this Directive, the Bank shall take one or both of the following actions to recapitalize the Bank:

1. The Bank shall sell enough voting shares or obligations of the Bank so that the Bank will be adequately capitalized after the sale; and/or

2. The Bank shall accept an offer to be acquired by a depository institution holding company or to combine with another insured depository institution;

FURTHER DIRECTED, that during the period this Directive is in effect, the Bank shall not accept, renew or rollover any brokered deposits as defined in Section 337.6(a)(2) of the FDIC Rules and Regulations, 12 C.F.R. § 337.6(a)(2);

FURTHER DIRECTED, that during the period this Directive is effective, the Bank shall restrict the interest rates that the Bank pays on deposits to comply with the interest rate restrictions in Section 337.6 of the FDIC Rules and Regulations, 12 C.F.R. § 337.6;

FURTHER DIRECTED, that during the period this Directive is in effect, the Bank shall not permit its average total assets during any calendar quarter to exceed it average total assets during the preceding calendar quarter."

There were other conditions applied and a copy of the FDIC Directive follows the article.

From the FDIC Institution Directory filings:

First Sound Bank went from 76 full time employees March 31, 2009 to 50 full time employees, March 31, 2010. Equity in the bank dropped from $27.7 million to $5.1 million. The bank March 31, 2009 lost $37,000 and March 31, 2010 $1.16 million, with non-current loans going from $16.5 million to $30.7 million. Net charges offs were $3,789,000. There appears to be $548,000 in "lease finance receivables" which would make $632,000 in lease finance receivable charge offs, but the highest charge offs in "commercial and industrial loans" $3 million, with $97,000 loss in construction and land development. Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio: 2.96%.

This bank will more than likely appear in a Bank Beat column in June. Whether the Secords file bankruptcy and postpone the trial for an assuming bank and FDIC to resolve or the FDIC to resolve or settle or how many appeals may be made by any of those in the suit is not known at this time. In the meantime, what happens to Puget Sound Leasing depends on what happens to First Sound Bank. In this case, no news is good news.

LARSASCO BK Filing:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Larsaco%20Response.pdf

FDIC First Sound Bank Directive:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/First_Sound_Bank.pdf

Articles and supportive footnotes/documentation:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/pugent.htm


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

LEAF running out of gasoline?
  by Christopher Menkin



Despite a late Friday press release, without the actual SEC filing which most likely will have more details, LEAF announced:

"--LEAF Financial Corporation, the commercial finance subsidiary of Resource America, Inc. (NASDAQ: REXI), announced today two securitization transactions: LEAF Receivables Funding 2, LLC, Equipment Contract Backed Notes, Series 2010-1 ("LEAF 2010-1"), which was completed on May 20, 2010 and LEAF Receivables Funding 3, LLC, Equipment Contract Backed Notes, Series 2010-2 ("LEAF 2010-2"), which closed on May 27, 2010. 

"Through LEAF 2010-1, on behalf of an affiliate that it manages, LEAF securitized approximately $90 million of leases, term funded by the issuance of Contract Backed Notes. Through LEAF 2010-2, on behalf of an affiliate, LEAF securitized approximately $120 million of leases, term funded by the issuance of Contract Backed Notes. Guggenheim Securities, Inc. was the arranger and initial purchaser of the notes in both securitizations and LEAF will continue to be the servicer for the assets in both transactions. In connection with LEAF 2010-2, LEAF paid off in full and terminated its credit facility with PNC Bank, NA. " 

The May 6, 2010 press release noted:

"At March 31, 2010, borrowings include $96.5 million of borrowings under a non-recourse credit facility at LEAF, $17.6 million of corporate revolving debt, $13.5 million of senior notes, net of a discount, and $16.9 million of other debt, of which $13.5 million is in mortgage debt secured by the underlying properties." 

An email was sent to Crit DeMent and Vice-President Marketing Bob Hunter right after the announcement was received on Friday.  Perhaps due to the long weekend, they had already gone for the holidays.

The LEAF press release says that Leaf made (2) securitizations for a total of $210 million. Part of that amount went to terminate the PNC warehouse line. Does that mean LEAF no longer has a warehouse line to work with? The PNC facility held about $100 million of leases. That means they had to pull leases (at least $110 million) from other portfolio lines to reach the $210 million number. By pulling leases out of other bank line portfolios, which could have been LEAF Specialty,  it freed up funding availability in those same lines for more deals. Leaf now seems to have $110  million (less costs and over collateralization needed for the securitizations) to use for continuing business.

Or is this assumption in correct that Leaf freed up funding availability with their 2 recent securitizations. Of the $210 million number, $90 million plus went to payoff the Morgan/RBS line and at least $100 million plus went to payoff the PNC warehouse line. Both were in breach of loan covenants as noted in SEC filings and had been amended multiple times for extensions. The Morgan/RBS line was amended 11 times. The securitizations didn’t add funding capacity for Leaf’s continuing business; it was a necessity to avoid loan defaults.   
 
Does this mean LEAF is now operating without a warehouse line? The question of funding capacity with their remaining lenders, and other bank loans coming due, may be in question.

An insider told Leasing News the two securitizations were expensive.

The current 10Q for Leaf 4 shows on page one losses of -$6.2 million; page 11 charge offs of -$7.7 million and page 12 that the other Morgan Stanley line for $150 million is coming due next month.  Is this to be part of this funding, or a new one in the works?

In the LEAF press release, "LEAF will continue to pursue term financing of leases for itself and its managed entities. Crit DeMent, Chairman and CEO of LEAF Financial, said, 'We are very pleased to have completed these securitizations and to finance these assets with long term, match funding rather than through short term facilities. These transactions demonstrate the confidence that both investors and the rating agencies have in our business and greatly help to position the company for future growth'." 

DeMent seems to be ignoring the previous SEC reports, but then, it appears today to be a public relations spin, or will it all come together in the next few months.  Also haven't heard any news on Dwight Galloway and the LEAF Specialty, Columbia, South Carolina, who seems to be left spinning in the wind.

Recent Press Release:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/rai_leaf.pdf

Leaf 4 SEC 8K:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Leaf_4_10Q.pdf


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


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

Top Stories --- May 24-28



Here are the top ten stories opened by readers:

(1) 2 more get added to “No More Broker/Discounter List”
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_28.htm#two_added

(2) Resource American/LEAF Line of Credit up-date
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_24.htm#resource_update

(3) Complaint re: Merrimac has been resolved
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_26.htm#merrimac_resolved

(4) Leasing #102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP
Rule 179 for 2010”
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_24.htm#rule179

(5) Menzel Raps Menkin’s Column on Banks and Leasing
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_24.htm#menzel

(6) FinPac Announces New Scorecard
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_26.htm#finpac

(7) Minnwest sues Allied for $4 million
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_26.htm#minnwest_sues

(8) Finance Reform Bill and Leasing
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_24.htm#finance_reform

(9) Sales makes it Happen---by Odds and Ends
"Hiring a New Sales Person, the Interview"
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_26.htm#interview

(Tie) (10) Leasing Companies Out of Broker/Discounting Business
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_28.htm#out_business

(Tie) (10) Main Street Bank, Kingwood, Texas 1st Quarter
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_24.htm#mainst_1q


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

Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Sales

Interviewing Leasing Professionals With Proven Track Record and Established Book of Business. Envision Provides: 1) Established Funding Sources, 2) Fun Working Environment, 3) Full Benefits (Health Insurance, 401k), 4) Aggressive Commission Structure.
Resumes To: careers@envisioncapitalgroup.com, Contact: Jeff Edwards (949) 225-1712

Envision Capital Group is dedicated to providing the best in class products and service to our employers, customers, vendors and partners in the small and middle ticket commercial finance industry. With over 50 years of combined experience we have the knowledge, skills, abilities and relationships to help you reach your goals.



We are looking for experienced business development
 professionals with established vendor / client
 contacts in general manufacturing equipment,
 road maintenance, material handling , radio/TV broadcasting
and other hard collateral.
We have openings for in-house business development positions 
and Independent Sales Associates.

Contact or send resumes to: John Martella SVP
800 800 8098 ext 5209 or direct: 248 743 5209
jmartella@leasecorp.com



Seeking originators with 5+ years small ticket and/or
middle market experience and with established
customer and vendor relationships. Remote
office and on site positions are available.

Please send resumes to: jobs@teqlease.com
Attn: Mike Lockwood or Russ Runnalls CLP
www.TEQlease.com


Please see our Job Wanted section for possible new employees.

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

Leasing 102
by Mr. Terry Winders, CLP


Prepayment for Equipment

I have heard many horror stories caused by leasing companies prepaying for equipment prior to final delivery and acceptance. There are so many things wrong with this it is hard to know where to begin. You should have a policy that you never pay for equipment until all documents have been signed including receiving a binder on the insurance. Many lessor’s feel the pressure to comply with the vendors demands and agree to do things on the “faith” that everything will proceed as planned. I think this is like lighting the fuse and hoping to pull the plug before the dynamite goes off.

Usually an upfront request for funding prior to delivery should raise some warning signs. If the vendor needs up front money they may be in a poor credit position or the equipment is special order and may be limited use. You should always question “why” prefunding is necessary. It may be that the vendor needs to manufacturer the equipment and if the customer fails to accept it they would have a hard time. Whatever the reason you need to protect yourself by investigating the equipment just as well as you investigated the lessee’s credit. This is the best way to understand the risk you are about to assume.

If all is well, and the vendor wants progress payments, it is wise to have the lessee sign a promissory note for the amount of the advance. You may even want collateral for the amount of the loan because if the equipment is never delivered or accepted it may be the only way you have to recover your advance. While you may have legal action against the vendor it is costly and not always successful. The loan may be paid off from the proceeds of the lease so it will not affect the tax nature of the lease.

If you are just advancing funds to the vendor (bad move) then you need to do a “complete” credit review of the vendor/manufacturer. In addition you need to have a strongly worded purchase order that states your right to receive the funds back if the lessee does not go forward with the deal. Such as:

This purchase order is given in reliance on your assurance that lessee has selected the equipment described above and will accept the same on delivery. If lessee does not accept the equipment for any reason what-so-ever, we shall have no obligation here under, and you shall refund to us all prepaid sums (including taxes, transportation charges and other charges) paid for or on account of the equipment.

Clearly a purchase order is necessary for all leased equipment to insure proper title/ownership transfer plus a host of other issues in addition to the statement that you will not have to pay for the equipment if the lessee fails to accept same.

Over the years I have seen lots of prepayment problems and caution you to completely investigate the issues very carefully before accepting it. Make sure you inform the lessee that you will be looking at them to reimburse you if anything goes wrong and the best way to do that is to have your attorney draft a binding agreement between all parties so there is no misunderstanding. If the transaction is too small for that then it is too small to take the risk.

Mr. Terry Winders, CLP, has been a teacher, consultant, expert witness for the leasing industry for thirty years and can be reached at leaseconsulting@msn.com or 502-327-8666.

He invites your questions and queries.

Previous #102 Columns:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Leasing_102/Index.htm

Little Rock, Ark.

  

Meet and learn from Mr. Terry Winders, CLP

Leasing #102 columnist for Leasing News,
long time educator and trainer

Sales and Operations
click here for course information and to register

June 9, 10, until Noon on the 11th
Little Rock, Arkansas
Hosted by Arvest Equipment Finance

$395.00 Paid in Advance for first person from company
$345 with each additional attendee 

"Certified Leasing Professionals attending this seminar will earn CPEs (Continuing Professional Education)
Credits toward their recertification"

(This ad is a “trade” for the writing of this column. Opinions
contained in the column are those of Mr. Terry Winders, CLP)

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

Barry Marks Seeks Your Response 



Louisiana Automatic Renewal Bill Passes Senate

"A Louisiana bill to regulate the use of automatic renewal clauses in contracts has been amended and passed out of the State Senate.  Louisiana Senate Bill 802 replaces the former version and requires that contracts for the sale or lease of “any products or services to a consumer” must “clearly and conspicuously” disclose the clause in the contract or contract offer, and must disclose how to cancel in the initial contract, contract offer, or with delivery of the products or services.  Despite the bill only referencing contracts with “consumers”, the sponsor, Senator Joe McPherson, has repeatedly insisted that consumer will refer to all transactions, including purely business to business contracts. The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) opposes the intended inclusion of commercial transactions in the bill’s reference to “consumer” contracts as well as the disparate treatment of association members within the amended bill.  The bill is now assigned to the House Commerce Committee, which must move it to the House floor prior to adjournment on Monday, June 21.

"Senate Bill 802 would be applicable to all commercial leases from small ticket transactions to heavily negotiated contracts for commercial aircraft, ocean vessels and high technology equipment embedded within production lines.  Amongst provisions of concern to ELFA is Section C (3) that establishes refunds of payments made during a renewal period as one of the steps necessary to nullify a violation of the law by failure to disclose specified renewal information in the contract.  If implemented by the lessor it would allow use of equipment by lessees without making payments during the renewal period.  ELFA has argued customers should be liable for payments during time when equipment was used for a profit making enterprise.   The refund option is in addition to a remedy provision in Section E that mandates the term revert to a thirty day renewal period if the contract does not contain specified disclosures."

Barry Marks of Marks & Weinberg told Leasing News:

"We are working with the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) and monitoring this situation. This may affect future deals in Louisiana. There are a spate of new laws being proposed all over the country that either add restrictions on leasing transactions or blur the line between consumer and commercial transactions. This may in large part be due to the current economy, as businesses fail and voters are called to make good on contracts they signed. It may also be due in part to practices employed by some in our industry, such as enforcing automatic renewals in leases with $1 purchase options.

"I am very interested in contacting brokers and lessees who have been burned by such practices as I want to prepare a report for National Association of Equipment Leasing Brokers and Equipment Leasing and Finance Association" on this practice and possibly an article on the subject."

Readers who would like to participate, contact him at bmarks@marksweinberg.com

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

Leasing News Reaction to Barry Marks
by Christopher Menkin, Publisher

Originally designed to protect the lessor's investment in the residual, an Evergreen clause goes into an automatic renewal for 12 months while a Winter Green goes into a renewal month by month
or to a specific date when the lessee does not exercise the purchase option. 

Leasing News has been editorializing about the abuse of Evergreen and Winter Green clauses for several years.  Originally utilized for large operating leases, as well as a method to obtain from the lessee the choice of exercising a purchase option or residual, they have become misused in the small ticket leasing marketplace.

The abuse comes in when the lessee does not notify the lessee 90 days in advance of the expiration and payments are automatically continued without notification to the lessee.  This has extended leases to those who don't count payments and has included those with a $1 purchase option, too. It is a deceptive practice, legal in most states, and should be predominate in all lease contracts, especially when a separate option to purchase is signed by both parties.

Many brokers in their literature come right out and tell their prospective customers they do not engage in this practice.

Stories on Evergreen and Winter Green clauses: 

ELFA and Evergreen/Winter Green Clauses
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/elfa_evergreen.html

 Marlin Profit is from “Evergreen” clause
 http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2010/5_10.htm#marlin_profit

Marlin Leasing and Evergreen Clauses
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/November%202009/11-06-09.htm#marlinegreen

Balboa Capital pushes "Evergreen" to Brokers
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Balboa_pushes_evergreen.htm

Readers on “Evergreen Leases”
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Readers_evergreen_Leases.htm

The Evergreen Lease”—Legal but unethical by Barry Reitman
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Evergreen2.htm

Everygreen Leasing NOtification by Terry Winders, CLP
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Evergreen1.htm

Two Viewpoints: Evergreen Leases
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/August%202006/08-28-06.htm#ever

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

Bank Beat---Tygris’s EverBank Claims Three More


EverBank, Jacksonville, Florida, which acquired Tygris Commercial Finance Group on February 5, 2010, as well as other banks recently, has acquired the banking operations (Mark Twain Bank, Mark Twain Bank), including all the deposits, of three Florida-based institutions. To protect depositors, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with EverBank.

Bank of Florida – Southeast, Fort Lauderdale, Florida;
Bank of Florida – Southwest, Naples, Florida;
Bank of Florida – Tampa Bay, Tampa, Florida.

EverBank's recently announced first quarter earnings were $31.3 million, a 98% increase from the previous year quarter. Assets grew to $9.6 billion and deposits grew to $7.4 billion, representing year over year growth of 26% and 31%, respectively. EverBank core capital is approximately $1 billion, exceeding what is considered "well capitalized" by regulators by approximately $500 million.

March 25, 2010 the three banks were notified they were "critically undercapitalized" by the FDIC. ". “It’s very much a reflection of the economic times and the dramatic decline in real estate values,” said Michael McMullan, CEO of Bank of Florida Corp. “We’ve always had community support in our capital raises,” he said. “A lot of our existing shareholders live in the communities that we serve. We have many investors that are familiar with our branches and our story.”

Unfortunately the three banks did not survive and all the investors lost their money.

Bank of Florida - Southeast had total assets of $595.3 million and total deposits of $531.7 million. The loss-share agreement was $437.3 million. There are seven branches with 47 full-time employees, covering Fort Lauderdale, Coral Gables, and Boca Raton.

Equity in the bank had dropped from $52 million March 31, 2009 to $11 million March 31, 2010. Non-current loans in the same period had double from $31.1 million to $63.3 million with a $1.5 million loss March 31, 2009 to a $10.2 million loss March 31, 2010. Net charge offs were $11.7 million ($4.5 secured by non-farm non-residential property, $4.5 million construction and land development, $1.3 million 1-4 multi-family residential property.) Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio 2.22%.

The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) for Bank of Florida - Southeast will be $71.4 million

Bank of Florida-Southwest had six branches, three in Naples, two in Fort Myers, and one in Bonita springs with 124 full time employees. As of March 31, 2010, Bank of Florida - Southwest had total assets of $640.9 million and total deposits of $559.9 million .The loss-share was $568.1 million.

Equity in the bank had dropped dramatically from $100.4 million in March 31, 2009 to a minus $9.5 million with non-current loans of $77 million, a $1.7 million loss March 31, 2009 to a $19.1 million loss March 31, 2010 after a $20.2 million charge off ($7.3 million non-farm non-residential property, $6.3 million construction and land development, $5.1 million in 1-4 multifamily property). Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio -1.96%/

The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) for Southwest, $91.3 million.

Bank of Florida – Tampa Bay had total assets of $245.2 million and total deposits of $224.0 million. The loss-share agreement was $210.8 million. The bank had three branches in Tampa, and one in Clearwater with a total 23 full time employees. The equity had dropped from $22 million to $2.5 million, going from $11.1 in non-current loans to $30.5 million in non-current loans after losing a half-million dollars March 31, 2009 to $4.6 million March 31, 2010 with net charge offs of $7 million ($1.9 million construction and land development, $1.4 million 1-4 multi-family homes, $2.19 million in non-farm non-residential property, $1.25 million in commercial and industrial loans.) Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio 0.95%

The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) for Tampa Bay will be $40.3 million

http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2010/pr10125.html

The three branches of Placer County’s Granite Community Bank, N.A., Granite Bay, California were closed with Tri Counties Bank, Chico, California, to assume all of the deposits of Granite Community Bank, N.A. Bank analysts feared that the value of the real estate collateral was greatly over estimated and pending loan losses would make the bank insolvent.

Caught in the expansion of Northern California and the abrupt turn around in the economic condition of the state, many North County banks are in similar difficulties.

As of March 31, 2010, Granite Community Bank, N.A. had approximately $102.9 million in total assets and $94.2 million in total deposits. They had a branch in Auburn, Granite Bay, and Roseville with approximately 35 full-time employees.

Non-current loans had gone from $8.4 million March 31, 2009 to $10 million March 31, 2010 while equity dropped from $8.9 million to $3 million from losing $196,000 to losing $345,000 after charge offs of $653,000 ($418 million in non-farm non-residential property, $110,000 1-4 multi-residential property, and $226,000 in commercial loans, but recovering $125,000 in non-farm, non-residential property.)Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio 3.46%

The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $17.3 million

http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2010/pr10126.html

Sun West Bank, Las Vegas, Nevada, was closed with City National Bank, Los Angeles, California, to assume all of the deposits.

As of March 31, 2010, Sun West Bank had approximately $360.7 million in total assets and $353.9 million in total deposits.

City National Bank will pay the FDIC a premium of 0.67 percent to assume all of the deposits of Sun West Bank.

This was a large bank with five offices in Las Vegas, one in North Las Vegas, and two branches in Reno. They had 83 full-time employees. Bank equity had dropped from $40 million March 31, 2009 to $4.6 million March 31, 2010 with $58 million in non-current loans, losing $474,000 March 31, 2009 to a loss of $4.66 million March 31, 2010 following $1 million in charge offs ($535,000 construction and land development, $434,000 in non-farm non-residential property, and $135,000 commercial loans. Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio 1.48%

The FDIC and City National Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on $280.0 million of Sun West Bank's assets.

The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $96.7 million.

The loss is not as severe as it could have been as this banks assets grew from $180 to over $400 million in its best year, 2006. When the market changed around, the nonperforming loans grew and the collateral value about disappeared. Here is a May 31, 2009 interview with Sun West Bank President and CEO, who summed up what was happening:

http://www.sunwestbank.com/sub.aspx?section=about-sunwest&page=news-press-releases&id=16

http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2010/pr10127.html

List of Bank Failures
http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/banklist.html

Bank Beat:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Bank_Beat.htm


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

Classified ads—Finance


    
Finance: Chicago, IL
Experienced in big ticket origination, syndication, valuation and workout.
Twenty five years, MBA, CPA,
JD, LLM (Tax), structuring specialist. Inbound and outbound transactions. Email:pal108381@comcast.net
Transaction Summary | The Lechner Group
Website: www.tlgattorneycpa.com
  
    
Finance: Naperville, IL
Your guide to the right questions and answers in finance. Expert in capital raising, GAAP, acquisitions, lease economics. CPA. MBA.
E-mail: m.willow@ameritech.net
Finance: Charlotte, NC
15 Years of Equipment Leasing Experience and Recruiting with Business Aviation niche. Visit us at www.turningpointgrp.com
E-mail: info@turningpointgrp.com
Human Resource Consultant: New York, NY
Employee Relations, Recruiting, Benefits, employee customer surveys, plus payroll administration "ON-LINE" services-- AND IN PERSON at your location Please visit: www.adviceonhr.com
Information System: North Detroit, MI
INFOLEASE EXPERT - 18 years experience.  Since being downsized in 2002, working as a consultant for several leasing companies.
Seeking consulting projects nationwide.
email: darwint@prodigy.net
Finance: New York, NY
“Think Outside the Bank”. Barrett Capital is a merchant banking and consulting firm, specializing in asset based financing: equipment, vehicles, receivables and real estate.

Email: bkorn@barrettcapital.com
Web: www.barrettcapital.com

Leasing Industry Outsourcing (Providing Services and Products)

All "Outsourcing" Classified ads (advertisers are both requested and responsible to keep their free ads up to date:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Outsourcing/Outsourcing.htm

How to Post a free "Outsourcing" classified ad:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Outsourcing/Outsourcing-post.htm

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

Costa Mesa, California---Adopt-a-Dog



CeeCee

Breed:
Maltese / Yorkie, Yorkshire Terrier Mix

Location:
Costa Mesa, CA

Size:
Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less


Pet ID #: 2470449
Rescue Group: A Home 4 Ever
Phone: (702) 249-3817

Age: Adult

CeeCee is:
already spayed
housetrained
purebred
not good with kids
good with dogs
up to date with shots

CeeCee's story...

Please contact Sherry (ahome4ever@gmail.com) for more information about this pet.

“We found CeeCee curled up in the corner of a kennel at an LA kill Shelter. She was terribly matted and very scared. Nobody seemed to want to adopt her because she looked so bad. We saw the beauty underneath the mats and the snippy little attitude so we rescued this adorable little 4 year old. She is a little shy at first, but once she warms up all she wants to snuggle in your lap. We don't feel that she would do well with small children as she scares very easily. She would do best with a retired couple or single person who is home most of the time and wants a sweet little companion.”

If you would like to meet CeeCee email Ahome4ever@gmail.com or call 702-249-3817

 

Contact this rescue group to adopt CeeCee ...

Website: http://ahome4everrescue.org
Address: P.O. Box 226
427 E 17th Street
Costa Mesa , CA
92627

About Our Rescue Group...
Our dogs are rescued from what is called "death row" at the city and county shelters, from a life abandoned on the streets, or from other situations of neglect and cruelty. While in our care they receive love, rehabilitation and medical care, if needed, and grooming. Since we are a small group, we are always in need of donations of any kind.

Adopt-a-Pet by Leasing Co. State/City
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Adopt_Pet.htm

Adopt a Pet
http://www.adoptapet.com/

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

 


News Briefs----


Bad loans mean banks need to raise more capital
http://jacksonville.com/business/2010-05-20/story/bad-loans-mean-banks-need-raise-more-capital

Mechanics Bank avoids risky investments
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/05/29/BUF11DJTQ5.DTL

Between $700 billion and $1 trillion - Islamic finance joins the mainstream
http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/201005175900/Finance/between-700-billion-and-1-trillion-islamic-finance-joins-the-mainstream.html

Lawsuits Name 425 Agencies, Creditors
http://www.collectionscreditrisk.com/news/lawsuits-name-agencies-creditors-in-early-may-3001839-1.html

Droid Incredible may not ship until June 22nd
http://www.examiner.com/x-8134-SF-Gadgets-Examiner~y2010m5d31-Droid-Incredible-may-not-ship-until-June-22nd

 

 



You May Have Missed---

Thousands Racked Up In Forgotten Phone Leases
http://www.kirotv.com/news/23711480/detail.html

 



Sports Briefs----

Hawks edge Flyers to take 2-0 series lead
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/hockey/blackhawks/ct-spt-0601-blackhawks-flyers-chicago20100531,0,553856.story

Suitors lined up if San Francisco 49ers big bet on stadium in Santa Clara fails
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_15199459?nclick_check=1



“Gimme that Wine”

30th Auction Napa Valley eschews glitz to focus on valley's strong suits
http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/wine/article_7b260e12-6a0c-11df-9144-001cc4c002e0.html

17 chefs to feed Auction Napa Valley audience
http://www.sthelenastar.com/articles/2010/05/27/business/local/doc4bfdcee68246d501886685.txt

Blunt advice for Napa Valley wine sellers
http://www.weeklycalistogan.com/articles/2010/05/27/news/local/doc4bfda95701891289334583.txt

Portugal Old, New and Undiscovered
http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/travel/30Douro.html?ref=dining

Some Great Barolos, Thanks to Mother Nature
http://www.winereviewonline.com/Ed_McCarthy_on_Barolo_Greats.cfm#

Free Mobile Wine Program
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2010/2_26.htm#mobile

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

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

Winery Atlas
http://www.carterhouse.com/atlas/\

Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm

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

Today in History

1921 -- More than 300 killed in race riot in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The black community of Greenwood is destroyed by a white mob, who murdered many & burned down nearly the entire area, destroying over 1,000 homes & businesses in a 35 block area. No one was ever charged with any wrongdoing, no reparations were ever made and accounts of the riot were literally cut out of the newspaper archives as Tulsa (read "white" Tulsa) tried to erase accounts & memories of the events...
http://www.forgottenhistory.org/exhibits/tulsa.html
http://www.lib.utulsa.edu/speccoll/tulsa_race_riot.html

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

This Day in American History

    1540-The first settlement in America in continuous habitation is the mountain village of Acoma, NM. First settled in the 11 th century by Indians from nearby Enchanted Mesa. Francisco Vaques de Coronado's army visited Acoma in the year 1540 and became the first white man to enter Sky City. He described Acoma as:
"One of the strongest ever seen, because the city was built on a high rock. The ascent was so difficult that we repented climbing to the top. The houses are three and four stories high. The people are of the same type as those in the province of Cibola (Zuni) and they have abundant supplies of maize, beans and turkeys like those of New Spain"
http://www.puebloofacoma.org/index2.htm
    1586 - After a surprise raid on the village the night before, Ralph Lane and English garrison murder the Indian chief Pemisapan, behead and mutilate his corpse, announcing "Christ our Victory" as they lay siege to Dasemunkepeac. This was in retaliation to Pemisapan trying to organize the Indians against the European way of life. When Sir Walter Raleigh returns to the area, he finds the white settlement has “vanished.” They state in their journals they don't know why. Other patriot chiefs such as King Phillip, Pontiac, Tecumseh, Sitting bull, et al, will suffer similar fates, as the pattern is set. The citing of journals that follow is fascinating. The Indian population of what was to become the U.S. was about 1,000,000 when European exploration began. Pioneer groups of European colonists were small. They entered regions with sparser populations and more fluid cultures, bringing with them diseases unknown to the area, perhaps the main killer of the Indian population. In retrospect, the first decade of the seventh century was the twilight of aboriginal Indian life.
http://www.nps.gov/fora/teacher.htm
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~jmack/algonqin/mook3.htm
    1638- the first earthquake in the US to have been recorded and described in writing occurred at Plymouth, MA, at 2 PM. Governor William Bradford described the event in his History: ... it was very terrible for ye time; and as ye men were set talking in ye house, some women and others were without ye doors, and ye earth shooke with ye violence as they could not stand without catching hold of ye posts . . . but ye violence lasted not long. And about halfe an hower, or less, came an other noyse & shaking, but neither so loud nor strong as ye former, but quickly passed over, and so it ceased.”
    1660- Mary Dyer, American colonial-British Quaker convert whose conscience forced her back to Boston in spite of official warnings. There she was arrested for teaching a religious belief other than those approved by the Puritan church leaders and hanged this day. While the history books state religious groups came to American to escape persecution, quite the opposite is true. They came here as missionaries to reform the American Indians and did not accept religious practices except their own. Mary Dyer was executed under the strict anti- Quaker laws enacted by the very same people who came to the "New World" for religious freedom. Dyer's hanging was not part of the witchcraft panic that gripped Salem, Massachusetts later.
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/2822/marydyer.html
http://www.gale.com/free_resources/whm/trials/dyer.htm
    1779 - The court-martial of Benedict Arnold convenes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The West Point surrender was also foiled when an American Colonel ignored Arnold's order not to fire on an approaching British ship. Arnold's defection was revealed to the Americans when British officer John André, acting as a messenger, was robbed by AWOL Americans working as pirates in the woods north of New York City. The notes revealing Arnold's traitorous agreement were stashed in his boots. Arnold and his wife Peggy, who fooled American officers into believing she had no involvement in the betrayal, escaped to New York City. At the British surrender at Yorktown, Benedict Arnold was burned in effigy and his name has since become synonymous with traitor. The British didn't treat him very well after the war either. After prevailing in a libel action, he was awarded only a nominal amount because his reputation was already so tarnished. He died in 1801 and was buried in England without military honor.
    1792- Kentucky became the 15th State of the Union. Since its name is an American Indian word for "great meadow", it is fitting that Kentucky's nickname is the Bluegrass State, and its flower is the goldenrod. The official state bird is the cardinal. The capital of Kentucky is the city of Frankfort.
    1794 - Protected by a French fleet, a large convoy of US ships carrying provisions to famine-stricken France is encountered by a British fleet under Admiral Sir Richard Howe. Although Howe defeats the French, the US convoy is able to escape safely during the heat of the battle.
    1796 - Tennessee joined the United States of America on this day. Long before it officially became the 16th state, Tennessee had already begun to earn its nickname, the Volunteer State, as it sent large numbers of volunteers to fight in the American Revolution. The tradition continued for the War of 1812, the Mexican War and the Civil War. The country-music capital of the world, Nashville, is also the governmental capital of Tennessee. The state's official flower is the iris, its bird, the mockingbird.
    1801- Bringham Young, Mormon Church leader born at Whittingham, VT. Known as “the American Moses,” having led thousands of religious followers across 1,000 miles of wilderness to settle more than 300 towns in the West. He died at Salt Lake City, UT, Aug 29, 1877, and was survived by 17 wives and 47 children. Utah observes, as a state holiday, the anniversary of his entrance into the Salt Lake Valley, July 24, 1847.
    1813 - The U.S. Navy gained its motto as the mortally wounded commander of the U.S. frigate "Chesapeake", Captain James Lawrence (b.1871) was heard to say, "Don't give up the ship!", during a losing battle with a British frigate "Shannon"; his ship was captured by the British frigate. Oliver Hazard Perry honored his dead friend Lawrence when he had the motto sewn onto the private battle flag flown during the Battle of Lake Erie, 10 September 1813.
    1843-Sojourner Truth begins travel as abolitionist speaker.
http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/trut-soj.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/9840/sojourn.html
http://www.noho.com/sojourner/
    1850-"San Francisco Daily Herald" began publication. Available for viewing on microfilm at the University of California in Berkeley.
    1851-Horse-drawn omnibuses, which means: bus for all the people, began running between California Exchange and Mission Dolores. http://www.sfheart.com/sfhistory/images/SFomnibus.jpg
    1852- Publication today of a manual of the corporation of the city of San Francisco containing a map of the city, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, the constitution of the state of California, the charters of the city, the revised ordinances still in force, and certain laws relating particularly to the city of San Francisco.
    1860-The first census compiled by machines was the 1890 census, which recorded a population of 62,979,766. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the resident population of the United States, projected to 5/29/2004 at 3:48:56 PM EDT is 293,364,634COMPONENT SETTINGS
One birth every.................................. 8 seconds
One death every.................................. 12 seconds
One international migrant (net) every............ 25 seconds
Net gain of one person every..................... 12 seconds
Historic Census by Year
http://eire.census.gov/popest/archives/pre1980/popclockest.txt
    1861- John Quincy Marr of Warrenton, VA, commander of the Warrenton Rifle Guards ( designated Company K of the 17 th Virginia Infantry Regiment ) was the first Confederate officer killed in the Civil War; in a skirmish at Fairfax Court House, VA. Marr was actually a lieutenant colonel, having been commission on May 2, 1861, but his letter of commission from Governor John Letcher had not been delivered to him.
    1862—General Robert E. Lee was appointed commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.
    1890 - The US census stood at 62,622,250. The US government used the Jean Baptiste Pacard card punch to tabulate the results of the census. Herman Hollerith designed a system that used a machine with a sorter. Hollerith formed a firm that eventually became IBM.
    1898- Molly Picon birthday: U.S. actor and singer, the star of New York Yiddish theater. Known as the Sweetheart of Second Avenue, she projected a light, charming character with a great sense of humor.
http://www.jwa.org/exhibits/wov/picon/index.html
http://www.jwa.org/archive/picon/mpcl.html
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0682000/
    1899-The annual parade of "New York's Finest" was filmed on June 1, 1899 in Union Square.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jun01.html
    1901-The first motorcycle powered by a gasoline engine was demonstrated in a climbing hill exhibition. The first motorcycle with a built-in gasoline engine was manufactured in Springfield, MA, by George M. Hendee, who formed the Hendee Manufacturing Company, which began to market the Indian motorcycle. Previously, motorcycles had been ordinary bicycles to which motors were attached. Three motorcycles were built in 1901. The following year, production was increased to 143. The motors were made by the Aurora Machine Company, Auroa, IL, and were mounted to the motorcycle frames in Springfield.
    1908 - John Krohn decided to take a walk around the United States - with his wheelbarrow! He completed the walk around the perimeter of the U.S. in 357 days. He walked 9,024 miles, went through 11 pair of shoes, 112 pair of socks, five wheels for his trusty wheelbarrow and never walked on Sunday.
    1911- The first life insurance group policy was written for 121 employees of the Pantasote Leather Company of Passaic, NJ, by agent William J. Graham of the Equitable Life Assurance Society. Each employee was given insurance protection amounting to a year's salary and a funeral benefit of $100.
    1915- Country singer Johnny Bond was born in Enville, Oklahoma. He is best known as the composer of "Hot Rod Lincoln," a hit for both Bond and Charlie Ryan in 1960, and for Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen in 1970. Bond also appeared in more than 50 movies. And in the less-enlightened days of the 1950's and '60s, he wrote a series of comic songs about drunkenness, the most famous of which is "10 Little Bottles." Bond died of a heart attack on June 12th, 1978.
    1919-Birthday of singer/pianist Lafayette Leake, Winona, MS
http://mp3.com/artists/78507/summary.html
http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/card/0,,457357,00.html
http://www.joes-corner.de/dawkins/disco/dawkins_rec82.htm
http://community-2.webtv.net/W-Media-Player/BLUESPIANOGREATS/
    1903 - A strong tornado just 50 to 75 yards in width killed many persons around the Gainesville GA Cotton Mill. The tornado strengthened and widened near the end of its four mile path, killing 40 persons at New Holland GA. A total of 104 persons were killed in the tornado.
    1920--WEB DuBois, civil right activist and educator, awarded Spingarn Medal,
http://or.essortment.com/springarnmedal_rlwp.htm
http://www.wlib.com/BlackHistory.htm
No. 27 here: http://or.essortment.com/springarnmedal_rlwp.htm
    1921 -- More than 300 killed in race riot in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The black community of Greenwood is destroyed by a white mob, who murdered many & burned down nearly the entire area, destroying over 1,000 homes & businesses in a 35 block area. No one was ever charged with any wrongdoing, no reparations were ever made and accounts of the riot were literally cut out of the newspaper archives as Tulsa (read "white" Tulsa) tried to erase accounts & memories of the events...
http://www.forgottenhistory.org/exhibits/tulsa.html
http://www.lib.utulsa.edu/speccoll/tulsa_race_riot.htm
    1921- composer and arranger Nelson Riddle was born in Ordell, New Jersey. Well-known as an orchestrator for such singers as Frank Sinatra and Linda Ronstadt, Riddle also had several hits under his own name, including the 1956 million seller "Lisbon Antigua." He died on October 6th, 1985.
    1922 - Birth of Ray Knighton, who in 1954 founded the Medical Assistance Program (MAP International) in Chicago.
    1924-Alto-Clarinet player Hal McKusick born Medford, Mass.
http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/artist/artist.cgi?ARTISTID=
600294&TMPL=LONG#bio

http://www.fantasyjazz.com/catalog/mckusick_h_cat.html
    1924---Birthday of drummer Herbie Lovelle, New York City, NY
    1926-Marilyn Monroe's birthday, American actress and sex symbol of the '50s, born at Los Angeles as Norma Jean Mortensen or Baker. She had an unstable childhood in a series of orphanages and foster homes. Her film career came to epitomize Hollywood glamour. In 1954 she wed Yankee legend "Jolting Joe" DiMaggio, but the marriage didn't last. Monroe remained fragile and insecure, tormented by the pressures of Hollywood life. Her death from an overdose Aug 5, 1962, at Los Angeles shocked the world. Among her films: The Seven Year Itch, Bus Stop, Some Like It Hot, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and The Misfits.
http://www.ellensplace.net/marilyn.html
    1934-Singer Pat Boone birthday, considered the second most popular singer in the 50's, after Elvis Presely. Also an actor (State Fair), author, born Jacksonville, FL. At his peak in the late 1950's, Boone was considered a rock 'n' roller, a sort of sanitized, parent approved alternative to Elvis Presley. The first of his more than 50 chart records came in 1955 a cover version of Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame." Boone's record went to number one while Domino's version made it only to number 16. Pat Boone became one of the all time biggest selling pop singers, and from 1957 to 1960 had his own network television series. His daughter, Debby Boone, had a number one record in 1977 with "You Light Up My Life."
http://home.att.net/~boomers.fifties.pinups/page7.html
http://www.tsimon.com/boone.htm
    1936-Brithday of Sandra Scoppetone, U.S. writer of mysteries featuring Lauren Laureno, Lesbian private eye who has a wonderful view of New York City. Her conversations with the natives are priceless.
http://www.imt.net/~gedison/scoppett.html
http://www.xs4all.nl/~embden11/Engels2/scoppetone.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0316776483/102-7693729-8155316?v=glance
http://encarta.msn.com/text_761559994___10/Detective_Story.html
http://www.thrillingdetective.com/trivia/triv140.html
    1936-Birthday of Sandra Scoppetone, U.S. writer of mysteries featuring Lauren Laureno, Lesbian private eye who has a wonderful view of New York City. http://sandrascoppettone.com/titles.html
    1937-Birthday of Colleen McCullough, Australian author best known for her novel The Thorn Birds that became a hit TV mini-series. She sold the paperback rights for 1.9 million in 1977, then the largest amount ever paid for a paperback. Her first novel Tim was also made into a movie.
    1938 - The first issue of the comic book "Superman" appeared in news stands throughout the country. "Superman" was created by two teenagers: Jerome Siegel and Joseph Shuster. Originally a newspaper comic strip, Superman was changed to a booklet format to immediate acclaim. It became a movie and one of the first television series hits. The story idea came from Jerry Siegel in a dream he had about the baby, Moses, who was abandoned by his parents in order that his life be saved. This dream prompted Siegel's creation of the ‘Man of Steel'. Artist Joe Shuster made the comic book hero come alive. The first story, in this first issue, took place on the planet, Krypton, where baby Kal-El was born. The infant was shot to Earth in a rocket just before Krypton exploded.
    1938 - Batters wore protective baseball helmets for the first time. Helmets were brought into use in a game between the Springfield Greys and the House of David in New York City.
    1944---Top Hits
Long Ago and Far Away - Helen Forrest & Dick Haymes
I'll Get By - The Harry James Orchestra (vocal: Dick Haymes)
I'll Be Seeing You - The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (vocal: Frank Sinatra)
Straighten Up and Fly Right - King Cole Trio
    1947- Guitarist Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones was born in London. A veteran of the Jeff Beck Group and Faces, Wood was chosen by the Stones to replace Mick Taylor in 1974. Wood was also a member of Keith Richards's New Barbarians, the group that shared billing with the Rolling Stones at a free concert for the blind in Oshawa, Ontario in April 1979. The concert was in lieu of a jail sentence for Richards, who had been convicted of possession of heroin.
    1949 - Subscribers to "Newsweek" magazine were offered microfilm copies of the magazine for the first time. The weekly publication cost $15 a year.
    1950—birthday of singer Charlene (CHARLENE D'ANGELO) Hollywood, Ca.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0152965/
http://shopping.yahoo.com/p_charlene_artist_1927012792;_ylt=
Aigw8fFcuX290VsHKd2ruNdUvQcF;_ylu=X3oDMTBudjI1N2xwBF9z
Azg0MzkzMzAwBHNlYwNhcnRmZWF0?a=b

http://www.westword.com/extra/jukebox/bh10-17.html
    1952---Top Hits
Kiss of Fire - Georgia Gibbs
Blue Tango - The Leroy Anderson Orchestra
Be Anything - Eddy Howard
The Wild Side of Life - Hank Thompson
    1956-Doris Day signed a five-year recording contract with Columbia Records worth $1 million. By late June, "Whatever Will Be, Will Be" (Que Sera, Sera) entered the charts and eventually climbed to number 2 for a three week stay.
    1957- at the Pacific Amateur Athletic Union Meet at Stockton, CA, Don Bowden of the University of California became the first American to break the four minute mile ( 3 minutes 57.7 seconds )
    1957-Sam Cooke records "You Send Me" at Radio Recorders Studio in Los Angeles. The song will rise to the top of the US chart next December and become the first of Cook's 29 Billboard Top 40 hits.
    1959 - Columbia Records' "Johnny's Greatest Hits" celebrated a full year at the top of the album charts. The LP continued to stay at or near the top of the charts for several more years. The album became the album leader of all-time after 490 weeks. Johnny Mathis went on to have an LP on the charts nearly every year for over three decades.
    1960- The popular and enigmatic British mini-series, "The Prisoner," aired for the first time in US television. Starring Patrick McGoohan as a secret agent held against his will in a remote, controlled environment known as the Village, "The Prisoner" was one of TV's most imaginative series. In both the US and England, The Prisoner became an instant cult series. "The Prisoner" was one of the most imaginative shows on TV, regarded by some as the finest dramatic series in TV history. Patrick McGoohan, who produced and starred in the series, also wrote and directed some episodes. In the series, McGoohan found himself in a self-contained community known as "the village" where he was referred to, not by name, but as Number 6. Number 6 realized he was a prisoner, and spent most of the series trying to escape or to learn the identity of the leader, Number 1. In the last episode, he learned that he was Number 1.
    1960-The first parking meter enforcement division of a police department was appointed by Mayor Robert F. Wagner of New York Ci9ty. The “meter maids” underwent about two weeks of training and received salaries ranging from $3,150 to $4,830 a year. The first summons was issued on June 6, 1960.
    1960---Top Hits
Cathy's Clown - The Everly Brothers
He'll Have to Stay - Jeanne Black
Paper Roses - Anita Bryant
Please Help Me, I'm Falling - Hank Locklin
    1961-FM stereo was heard for the first time by listeners in Schenectady, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The FCC would adopt the standard a year later.
    1963---Four weeks after it entered the Billboard chart, 17 year old Lesley Gore's "It's My Party" hit the number one spot. It was a song that was chosen for her by Quincy Jones, then a staff producer for Mercury Records, who had seen Leslie sing for the first time just a few weeks earlier.
    1963 -- 531, including NAACP Executive Secretary Roy Wilkins, arrested at a peaceful civil rights march in Jackson, Mississippi.
    1964 - Leslie Gore's hit single, It's My Party, rose to the Number 1 spot on Billboard's record charts on this date, and stayed there for 2 weeks. Gore was just 17 when she recorded the song, and she became one of the youngest solo female artists in music history to top the charts (1963). The Rolling Stones landed at JFK International Airport in New York for their first U.S. tour, which began the next day at the Manning Bowl, a high-school football stadium in Lynn, Massachusetts.
    1964- The Rolling Stones arrived in New York to begin their first American tour. Their first date was at a high school stadium in Lynn, Massachusetts. The Stones also stopped in Chicago to record an EP at the Chess studios, and when they tried to hold a news conference, a riot broke out.
    1964- The Equal Pay Act became law. Two years before, July, 1962, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure requiring equal pay for equal work for women dealing in interstate commerce work, but that fall the U.S. Senate refused to take action.
    1966 -- June 1-2, White House Conference on Civil Rights with Roy Wilkins of NAACP; Whitney Young Jr. of National Urban League;
Floyd McKissick & James Farmer of CORE; Martin Luther King Jr. of SCLC; Stokely Carmichael of SNCC ("We feel that integration is irrelevant. We have got to go after political power.").
    1967 - "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was released by The Beatles in England. The North American release came two days later. "Sgt. Pepper's" became one of the first rock albums to be critically-acclaimed, and went on to become the number one album in the world. It spent 15 weeks at the top of the album list in the United States It took 700 hours over three months to record under the direction of George Martin, Britain's top pop producer. A then state-of-the-art four track recorder was used to build each song layer by layer. The cost of recording - $75,000. "Sergeant Pepper's" wide range of styles and sounds and its use of electronic noises ushered in the psychedelic era. Some of its songs, such as "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and "A Day in the Life" were carefully examined for hidden meanings. The album is estimated to have sold more than 15 million copies, and stayed on the Billboard chart for 113 weeks. On June 1st, 1987, 20 years to the day after it originally came out, the compact disc version of "Sergeant Pepper's" was released. The CD contained what some might consider a bonus - a two-second burst of laughter and gibberish which had only been available previously on European versions of the album, and a high frequency note at the end of the LP audible only to dogs.
    1968- Simon and Garfunkel reached the top of the US charts with "Mrs. Robinson," a song featured in the soundtrack of the film "The Graduate." The song won a Grammy Award for the Best Contemporary Pop Performance by a Vocal Duo or Group.
    1968-Merrilee Rush enters the Billboard Top 40 for the first and only time with "Angel of the Morning", which will reach #7. Juice Newton would take the same song to #4 in 1981.
    1968---Top Hits
Mrs. Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Hugo Montenegro
Yummy Yummy Yummy - Ohio Express
Honey - Bobby Goldsboro
    1972-The first recording sessions ever held at Abbey Road studios took place, as tracks were laid down for what would become Pink Floyd's album, "Dark Side of the Moon".
    1973-The James Bond thriller, "Live and Let Die" opens. The movie features the title track by Paul McCartney and Wings.
    1974-Heimlick Maneuver introduced: the June issue of the journal Emergency Medicine published an article by Dr. Henry Heimlich, outlining a better method of aiding choking victims. Instead of prevailing method of backslaps (which merely pushed foreign objects further into the airways), Dr. Heimlick advocated “subdiaphragmatic pressure” to force objects out. Three months later the method was dubbed, the Hemlich Maneuver” by the Journal of the American Medical Association.
    1974-Birthday of Alanis Morissette, Ottawa, Ontario
http://www.alanis-morissette.com/biography.html
http://www.alanis.com/socalledchaos/socalledchaos.html
http://www.canehdian.com/artistlinks/artists/alanis.html
    1975 - Nolan Ryan of the California Angels threw his fourth career no-hitter game with a 1-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles. As a result, Ryan tied the major league baseball no-hit record.
    1976---Top Hits
Love Hangover - Diana Ross
Get Up and Boogie (That's Right) - Silver Convention
Misty Blue - Dorthy Moore
One Piece at a Time - Johnny Cash
    1977--28 year old, Long Island native, Billy Joel wraps up a four month tour of the US by appearing at Carnegie Hall in New York.
    1980-, CNN debuted, the Cable News Network, TV's first all-news services went on air.
    1980 - A man from Falmouth ME was struck by lightning restoring his eyesight. The man had been blind and partially deaf since a truck accident in 1971
    1984---Top Hits
Let's Hear It for the Boy - Deniece Williams
Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper
Oh Sherrie - Steve Perry
As Long as I'm Rockin' with You - John Conlee
    1987-Niekro Brothers the Winninest. Phil Niekro pitched the Cleveland Indians to a 9-6 victory over the Detroit Tigers to put himself and his brother Joe into the lead as the winningest brothers in major-league pitching history. Their 530 combined victories surpassed Gaylord and Jim Perry. The Niekros ended their careers with 539 wins, 318 by Phil and 221 by Joe.
    1989 - Thunderstorms developing during the afternoon over the Southern Plains Region produced severe weather through the evening and the night, spawning nine tornadoes. Thunderstorms produced wind gusts to 80 mph at Alpine TX, and baseball size hail at Balmorhea, TX, Fluvanna, TX, and in Borden County, TX
    1990 - U.S. President George Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev signed a bilateral agreement to stop producing chemical arms and to begin destroying stocks by the end of 1992.
    1995- Joe Garagiola Jr. is named as the Diamondbacks first general manager.
    1997-Canadian sprinter Donovan Bailey won a special 150-meter match race against American Michael Johnson to reassert his claim to the title of the “World's Faster Human.” After Bailey had won the 100 meters at the 1996 Summer Olympics and Johnson had won the 2200 meters and the 400 meters, the two engaged in a nasty bragging-rights battle. This special race was supposed to put an end to their flap. But the race in Toronto proved inconclusive as Johnson, well behind at the halfway point, pulled up short, claiming that he had injured his left quadriceps.
    1997 -The San Francisco domestic partners ordnance became law. The State Supreme Court said it was illegal, but that ruling was appealed and is still under appeal.

Stanley Cup Champions This Date

    1992 Pittsburgh Penguins


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

Baseball Poem

Play at the Plate

From the book
"That Sweet Diamond"
by Paul B. Janeczko, Carole Katchen (Illustrator)

 

Some
watch the ball
short hop the wall and
the right fielder-who
can't pick it up fast enough -
finally snatch it
sling it
to the impatient cut-off man,
who throws home
almost before he turns.

Some
watch the runner
barely
toe the inside corner of third,
eyes on
the coach's windmill arm
signaling haste.

All
watch the meeting place:
the catcher begging for the ball
so he can sweep the tag
at the runner beginning
his slide
before the umpire,
holding his mask
behind his back
as casually as a satin heart
of valentine candy,
signals the meeting over,
the runner safe.

[headlines]

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

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?

http://leasingnews.org/Soduku/soduko-main.htm

[headlines]

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

Daily Puzzle

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

Refresh for current date:
http://www.setgame.com/set/puzzle_frame.htm

[headlines]

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

http://www.gasbuddy.com/
http://www.gasbuddy.com/GB_Map_Gas_Prices.aspx
http://www.gasbuddy.com/GB_Mobile_Instructions.aspx

[headlines]

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

Weather

See USA map, click to specific area, no commercials

http://www.weather.gov/

[headlines]

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

Traffic Live---

Real Time Traffic Information

You can save up to 20 different routes and check them out with one click,
or type in a new route to learn the traffic live

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

[headlines]

Independent, unbiased and fair news about the Leasing Industry.