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The only annually-updated international reference book for the asset financing and leasing industry available. The new 25th edition includes the latest market trends , over 100 authoritative articles and reports on the leasing software and IT market, an exclusive ranking of the top 50 leasing markets by size worldwide with feature profiles from Africa to Venezuela PLUS a directory of over 4,400 contacts. HOW TO ORDER - Simply call our Customer Hotline on +44 (0) 20 7779 8999 or toll free in the US +1 800 437 9997. Alternatively visit https://www.euromoneyplc.com/ to order online |
Headlines---
Classified Ads---Collector/Controller
Rumors
Continue Re: CPL GE Capital No More Brokers
What’s
Up at the SBA?—Not the Guarantee
Reaction:
Union Capital, Irvine, Ca Bulletin Board Posting
Allegiant
Partners Appoints Stacy Lynch as Associate
NACM
Index Falls from Record High Previous Month
Hudson
Employment Index(SM) Declines in May
US
Express Leasing Launches Revolutionary Service?
MicroFinancial
Continues To Reduce Debt Obligation
Synovus
Acquires Trust One Bank in Memphis
Special:
New York Yankees Retain #1 Position as Country's
Most Popular Baseball Team, and Chicago Cubs
Move Up to #2
Atlanta Braves Drop to #3
--- “Casey at the Bat” Anniversary
######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press
release”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Classified Ads---Collector/Controller
Collector:
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
Collector:
Jacksonville, East Brunswick, FL.
13
years experience with collection, recovery, re-marketing and legal on
commercial loans and leases. Expertise with distressed portfolios, Six
Sigma trained. Willing to relocate. Email:RichardB12364@aol.com
Collector:
Joplin, Mo. Will do car repossessions, willing to go about anywhere.
Have three years exp. thanks. Email: derekrgreen@yahoo.com
Collector:
West Hartford, CT. Credit/ Collections /Rental Management in leasing
& construction fields. Looking for stable company that will appreciate
my 20+ years of experience. Email: losterastringban@aol.com
Controller:
Seattle, WA
CPA
w/ 15 years management exp. as CFO/ Controller/5 yrs w/ PriceWaterhouse
Coopers. Extensive exp providing accounting/ tax guidance for the equipment
lease industry. Willing to relocate. Email:bltushin@hotmail.com
Controller:
Southeastern, MI.
Controller
& Management experience w/ equip lessors &broker. MBA, CPA w/
extensive accounting, management, securitization experience with public
and private companies. Willing to relocate. Email: Leasebusiness@aol.com
full listing of all ads at:
http://64.125.68.90/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
About
the Company: |
Sales: Established 20-year
full service lessor seeks sales professional in small or mid ticket
markets. Earn high commissions, with benefits.
Rumors
Continue Re: CPL GE Capital No More Brokers
December, 2002, Colonial
Pacific Leasing (CPL), who had been purchased by GE Capital in October,
1998, closed the original CPL Portland office, to move to Chicago to
be under one roof with other GE purchases; 500 brokers paired down to
top 75 producers/250 employees effected.
No more business at Portland operation after December 14th
,2002.
(for the full story
on the history of this company, go to:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/CLP.htm
Rumors today say
there the CPL-GE Capital broker program will
cease operations.
“I have heard GE
is completely exiting the Broker business. All former
Colonial Pacific Leasing employees whom moved their families to Chicago
were given two week notices earlier this week. Name Withheld “
” They are exiting
the broker business at it's very apparent
since they removed the GM 6 months ago they were no longer allocating
resource this third party non portfolio origination.”
(name with held )
“One of the vendors
we do second tier business with was told that all GE broker business
is done...”
(name with held )
“They are exiting the broker business at it's very apparent
since they removed the GM 6 months ago they were no longer allocating
resource this third party non portfolio origination. “
(name with held )
Leasing News could
not obtain any official information about this “rumor,” but we are told
there were originally three who moved from Portland, Oregon to Chicago,
Illinois, and it appears only Larry Kunkel remains.
We are also told he is reportedly
moving into another business unit.
“Kunkel was put in
charge of the broker channel after his second boss in two years transferred
out of the business unit, “another informed source told us.” He was
running the broker business unit. He was never in the broker side at
CPL...his main job was to manage some bank relationships that were picked
up from another GE business unit. He was never exposed to the broker
channel until he moved to Chicago. It was not his favorite cup of tea.
He was one of about three (
another reader said four) that made the move. Chicago is his hometown
so it was a natural move for him.”
Another source told
us without wanted to be attributed:
“We both know that the rumor about GE exiting the broker business
has been rampant since they closed down CPL. It would appear that without
stable leadership and a solid commitment to the program, it's future
is becoming even more clouded. They have continued to cut the broker
population down from the original number of 75 to somewhere around 45
as I understand it. Honestly, I have never seen a GE business unit
shrink unintentionally.”
Again, Leasing News has not be able to get an “official” confirmation
or
denial of the current rumor. It
should be noted, however, this has been the GE Capital modus operandi
to eventually absorb into their
system all companies they buy. They are the largest, and perhaps the most financially successful,
equipment leasing company in the world.
Perhaps from the previous owners of Colonial Pacific Leasing viewpoint,
they got out right before the current market place and may have been
lucky that GE Capital came along.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Accounting: PricewaterhouseCoopers seeks executives with experience in equipment leasing to help clients improve their leasing businesses by assessing "as is" conditions and designing and implementing solutions to operational issues. PwC also seeks CPA's with a broad based knowledge of FAS13 and familiarity with accounting for leases with simple and complex transaction structures. Email: anthony.g.anderson@us.pwc.com About the Company: PricewaterhouseCoopers, New York, NY. |
What’s
Up at the SBA?—Not the Guarantee
by Bob Rodi, CLP
For leasing and finance
companies that compete against the SBA (Small Business Administration),
the recent problems at the government lending arm may be good news. It seems that lawmakers, on both sides of the
aisle, would like to see the federal government get out of the business
of guaranteeing loans.
On the federal budget
level, the SBA program is a mere pittance at roughly $12 Billion dollars
per year, however, there was a battle to get even that amount approved
for this years budget. The original
appropriation was just over $9 Billion, falling well short of the demand
for the guarantee. This caused a great deal of consternation at the
end of 2003, which subsequently caused the bulk of SBA lenders to refuse
new applications and even to revoke applications that had already been
approved.
Congress did not
see it way clear to provide the SBA with the balance of the appropriation
it had asked for until the end of March.
When it did come it had even more strings attached in an effort
to stretch the guarantee money. The
guarantee on the SBA Express and Low Doc programs has been lowered to
50% from its previous levels of 75-90%.
The very popular SBA 7(a) program, which currently encompasses
loans of up to $2MM has been curtailed by the fact that SBA has, let’s
call it for lack of a better term, a “soft ceiling” of $1MM.
This has caused many SBA lenders to back off the program or impose
an internal cap of $1MM.
At a recent Franchise
Industry conference, where I was invited to speak about “alternative”
means of financing, I was on the dais with three major SBA lenders.
The changes in the SBA were a hot topic since the SBA guarantee is a
major source of start-up franchise financing.
Imagine the surprise and anxiety in the room, when all three
SBA lenders announced that they might not be attending next year if
Congress did not change its attitude toward the SBA.
These bankers were just not going to be able to do a deal if
the guarantee were lowered, across the board, to 50%.
I could not help thinking about how many more transactions I
could approve, if I had a 50% guarantee
from the government.
Something else that’s
caused a wrinkle in the SBA fabric is how the SBA lenders have to collect
on their guarantee. As I understand
it, until some of the recent changes, an SBA lender simply presented
a demand letter on the default and collected on the guarantee. It is
now reported that the SBA lender has to actually attempt to collect
the debt and the guarantee is, for example, “up to 50%”, meaning that
it acts more like an Ultimate Net Loss than a full blown guarantee.
The other problems
at the SBA include processing time (up to 12 weeks reported by some
of the franchise systems with which we work at LeaseNOW), more conservative
approvals, higher amounts of collateral for a lower LTV (loan to value),
and much higher fees due to the fact that the SBA has increased the
guarantee fee. This fee gets passed right on to the customer.
An acquaintance of
mine, a former government employed banker who worked at the Western
Pennsylvania SBA service center (these are the guys that approved the
loan for the guarantee), recently left and entered the private banking
sector. When I kidded him about
leaving his cushy government job, he cited as his main reason, that
nobody that worked at the SBA was sure they were going to have a job.
He said that the unofficial stance was that many influential
members of congress were tired of the banks taking 10% profit out of
the government backed loans and then complaining when they actually
had to take some of the risk on their own. That evidently did not sit well with some of
the committee member in Congress. It
almost reminded me of the complaints we heard about lease brokers a
few years ago. Imagine a bank engaging in that kind of activity.
Apparently, the favored
move for the SBA will be to make it an “insurance” program, along the
lines of the FDIC where the banks will have to pay premiums to have
their loans insured. Opponents
of this claim it will cripple the growth of small businesses in the
United States. Proponents claim that it will force the banks
to make better loans and eventually wean them off the guarantee. For my part, I just see the playing field getting
leveled a little bit, with banks actually concentrating on risk management
and not relying on additional collateral and the government to bail
them out of these “high risk” loans.
Don’t hold your breath
for any additional changes in the very near future. The budget is done
and the battle seems to be over, for now.
The subject probably won’t come up again until after the election. Then, depending on who’s in control, we will
find out what role the SBA will play in future of small business lending.
Bob Rodi, CLP
President
LeaseNOW, Inc.
1-800-321-LEASE (5327)
x101
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reaction: Union Capital, Irvine, Ca Bulletin Board Posting
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/June%202004/6-01-04.htm#uc
The last sentence
of the statement from Union Capital as per
the posting:
"Regardless,
we will attempt this call in order to resolve this matter. We will keep
you abreast of any developments and ask that you give us a few days
to reach a conclusion."
Sincerely,
John Wilcox
General Manager
Legal / Accounting
Union Capital, LLC
949-789-4500, ext. 201 949-789-4501 fax
An eMail from the
person who posted the complaint:
“Thanks for printing
the complaint by me for Union Capital. I called Bryan Gunn yesterday
just before I called the police and D.A. in Orange County. It opened
up another possibility of Federal Charges for using the Mail System.
“I want to find out
where they received my contact info, D&B or another source. I contacted
Kathy Douke also I think there could be more victims.
“Nothing with these
guys has ever been easy. They still have never contacted me by e-mail
or phone to end this matter.”
David Nicol
415 821 3890
650 820 4009 cell
For the sake of trying
to achieve our mission to be accurate and fair,
the following letter
is printed in entirety from the attorney who stated
he represents Union
Capital:
Attorneys at Law
Keith A. Attlesey
William L. Thomlinson
Michael J. Morton
Michael R. Weinstein
ATTLESEY & THOMLINSON
A Law Partnership
Via Facsimile and
U.S. Mail
Mr. Kit Menkin
Leasing News, Inc.
346 Mathew Street,
Santa Clara, CA 95050
Dear Mr. Menkin:
I just read the article
you posted on the Leasingnews.org website on or about June 1, 2004 concerning
Union Capital. I may address the article as it relates to Union Capital
under separate cover. The purpose of this letter, however, is to clarify
the misstatements you made concerning me and my office.
First, contrary to
your posting, I never told you "I had been representing Union Capital
since the year 2000." Second, I never told you that I "stole
the [Union Capital] account away from Ken Greene," Third, your
statement that I "said some other things about Ken Greene"
is misleading and implies that I somehow defamed Mr. Greene. I did not.
Finally, I do not recall you making any of the statements in the following
paragraph:
I
advised him that Ken Greene was working on an agreement regarding expenses,
but employed by ten "sponsors," and that while he was on the
Leasing News Advisory Board, he does not review any story or complaint
before it is printed, nor does any of the advisory board. Furthermore,
Leasing News has utilized five attorneys, including Mr. Greene, who
worked pro bono on the RW Professional suit against us.
You have impugned
my reputation and my firm's reputation by your misstatements. Demand
is hereby made that you immediately correct the above-referenced statements.
Because it is clear by your actions that you cannot be trusted to convey
accurate information concerning telephone conversations, I must insist
that any further communication between you and this office occur only
in writing.
I trust you will
correct these items as demanded. Very truly yours,
ATTLESEY & THOMLINSON
KAA/bmh
(Leasing News reported
in the posted complaint that Mr. Attlesey denied making any reference
about Ken Greene. We hope this
letter
will give readers
Mr. Attlesey’s opinion on the matter. As
a courtesy, we will include it in the posted bulletin board complaint.
(The telephone conversation
was not “off the record;” notes were made about what was discussed .
The issue of the 10% expense clause was discussed. The writer stands
by his reporting of the
conversation as he
also signed his name to the article.
(After the conversation
with Mr. Attlesey, Ken Greene was contacted
by the writer primarily
to learn if there would be any possible “conflict of interest” since
his name was brought up in the conversation. It was Mr. Greene’s response
to speak directly to Mr. Attlesey, who
as the Bulletin Board
Complaint posting stated, Mr. Attlesey denied what was said. Ken Greene
had no recollection of representing
Union Capital.
(The paragraph in
question in the letter from Mr. Attlesey is correct to the best of my
knowledge. The “furthermore” last sentence hopefully
clarifies to readers the position that Mr. Greene is one of the attorneys
who has represented Leasing News.
(Leasing News was
simply trying to help resolve the matter, and if not, to present fairly
both sides of the complaint. The issue is the
deposit was not returned
after one year; twelve months; over 356
days. The original
letter stated Union Capital had given the company
a pre-approval. They did not deliver. Mr. Nicol wanted his
deposit returned.
Editor)
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/June%202004/6-01-04.htm#uc
######## Press
Release ######################
ALLEGIANT
PARTNERS APPOINTS LYNCH AS NEW SALES AND MARKETING ASSOCIATE
SAN RAFAEL, CA -
- Allegiant Partners Incorporated has appointed Stacy Lynch as Associate
at the San Rafael-based specialty equipment finance company, according
to Doug Houlahan, Director of Sales and Marketing.
Ms. Lynch joins Allegiant
as a member of the firms Sales and Marketing Group and is responsible
for ensuring that transactions are screened and booked quickly and efficiently.
"Stacy's added experience and resourcefulness will compliment
the sales and marketing efforts of Paul Foster and Doug Houlahan,"
stated Chris Enbom, Allegiant's CEO. "Our volume continues to swell and the
addition of Stacy to our team will ensure that we maintain our timely
and personal communication with brokers" added Enbom.
Most recently, Ms.
Lynch was an associate with the Structured Asset Finance Group of Dresdner
Kleinwort Wasserstein Securities LLC (formerly D'Accord Financial Services)
where she was responsible for public relations and client-marketing
events. A resident of San Rafael, Ms. Lynch has two
children, and is finishing up her B.A. degree in Strategic Management
at Dominican University of California.
Headquartered in
San Rafael, Allegiant Partners Incorporated is a specialized finance
company underwriting "Storied" credits ranging from $50,000
to $250,000.
For more information
concerning Allegiant Partners, visit our website at www.allegiant-partners.com
or call (415) 257-4200.
Doug Houlahan
(415) 257-4200 Ext.
205
(415) 257-4201 Fax
dhoulahan@allegiant-partners.com
Paul Foster
(415) 257-4200 Ext.
206
(415) 257-4201 Fax
pfoster@allegiant-partners.com
Stacy Lynch
(415) 257-4200 Ext.
209
(415) 257-4201 Fax
### Press Release
##############################
NACM
Credit Manager's Index Falls from Record High Previous Month
(Considers economy doing well, however, and so moves
their press release in this manner)
COLUMBIA, MD: --The
National Association of Credit Management (NACM) has released its Credit
Manager's Index (CMI) for May 2004. The CMI, a monthly survey of the
business economy from the standpoint of credit and collections, was
launched in January 2003 to provide financial analysts with another
strong economic indicator.
Once
again the economy shows strong growth in May, with an overall reading
of 60.2%. This reading has fallen from its record high registered last
month, as have those for both the manufacturing and service sectors.
The readings indicate that although growth continues to be strong in
each sector. However, the charts and graphs below show both sectors
have current readings higher than months preceding March 2004. The economy
continues to do well!
See
the last page of this report for information about the methodology and
factors used to measure economic performance. Note that ISM has revised
its seasonally-adjusted PMI readings foe 2003.
MANUFACTORING SECTORS RESULTS
Again this monthly, the numbers suggest little problem
exists with the manufacturing sector. Although growth in sales and new
credit applications are not as strong as last month, they are still
very strong. The number of disputes with customers declined; offsetting
this favorable factor is the slightly increased aging of accounts. However,
the “dollar amount beyond terms” doesn’t appear to be a problem. It
needs to be watched for further deterioration in future months since
it would indicate increasing customer cash flow problems.
SERVICE SECTOR RESULTS
Although the service sector continues to grow, the
amount of slowing in May's growth rate is somewhat surprising. There were significant decreases in each of the "favorable
factors" with the sub-index falling 940 basis points. The
one positive to take away from this performance is that the index still
exceeds readings posted prior to March 2004. Overall, the sub-index
of "unfavorable factors" held its ground, with one significant negative change: erosion in "dollar
amount beyond terms". This increased aging of accounts may simply
be a return to more normal levels from the extremely favorable April
reading of 65.7%.
COMBINED SECTORS
The overall equally-weighted combined index gave up
240 basis points in May. The largest contributors to the decline are
slower growth in the favorable factors-sales, new credit applications,
dollar collections and amount of credit extended. In total, these items
fell 590 basis points, largely caused by declines in the service sector.
The results do not appear to be reason for alarm. The readings are still
strong, indicating a vibrant economy.
METHODOLOGY APPENDIX
The CMI data has been collected
and tabulated monthly since February 2002. The index, published since
January 2003, is based on a survey of about 500 trade credit managers
during the last 10 days of the month,
with about equal representation between manufacturing and service sectors.
The survey asks respondents to comment on whether they are seeing improvement,
deterioration, or no change for various favorable or unfavorable factors. There is representation
from all States, except some of the less populated ones, such as Vermont and Idaho.
Factors Making Up the Diffusion
Index
As shown in the table above,
10 equally weighted items determine the index. These items are classified
into two categories: favorable factors and unfavorable factors.
A diffusion index is calculated for each item with the overall CMI being
a simple average of the 10 items. Survey responses for each item capture
the change—higher, lower, or the same—in the current month compared
to the previous month. For positive items, the calculation is:
For the negative factors, the
calculations is:
Thus, greater "lower than a month ago" responses
for negative factors signify improvement. Stated differently, a higher index score for an unfavorable
factor represents an improvement.
A CMI reading in excess of 50 indicates the economy
is expanding; a reading below 50 indicates a declining economy. The index is not seasonally adjusted because of lack of an historical
record.
###
The National Association of Credit
Management (NACM), headquartered in Columbia, Maryland supports more
than 25,000 business credit and financial professionals
worldwide with premier industry services, tools and information. NACM and its network of Affiliated Associations are the leading
resource for credit and financial management information and education, delivering products and services, which improve
the management of business credit and accounts receivable. NACM's collective voice has influenced
legislative results concerning commercial business and trade credit
to our nation's policy makers for more than 100
years, and continues to play an active part in legislative issues pertaining
to business credit and corporate bankruptcy. George W. Gallinger, Ph.D.,
of the W. P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University, Tempe,
AZ prepared the index results and analysis. More information is available
at www.nacm.org or by contacting Norma Heim at 410-423-1842.
National Association of
Credit Management
8840 Columbia 100 Parkway
Columbia, MD. 21045-2158
Contact:
Norma Heim, NACM
410-423-1842
### Press Release
###############################
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
About the Company: Nationwide Funding, Irvine, CA. |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hudson
Employment Index(SM) Declines in May
Monthly Measure of Employee Attitudes Decreases to 104.8
NEW YORK, -- The Hudson Employment Index(SM)
in May declined to
104.8 from 107.1 the previous month. This is the Index's lowest reading
this year, although it remains up nearly five percent over December
2003. The Index measures the U.S. workforce's confidence in the employment
market.
Overall, the number of employees who report that their companies
are adding jobs is at 32 percent, down a single point from both March
and April (see chart). The percentage
of managers who say their firms are hiring also dropped two points to
33 percent over this period. Also, the number of workers worried about
losing their jobs inched up to 19 percent, as compared to 18 percent
last month.
Percentage of respondents who say their companies will hire in
coming
months.
Dec 03
Jan Feb Mar Apr May
All Workers 29
31 31 33 33 32
Managers 32
33 32 35 35 33
Private-Sector
Employees 32 36 36 38 39 39
"Collectively, the trend data over recent months suggests
a labor market that may be taking a breather in May after gaining momentum
since the beginning of the year," said Jeff Anderson, senior vice
president of Hudson Global Resources.
Even though the percentage of workers saying their firms are hiring
fell following the steady increase through the early months of the year,
these figures still remain higher than they were in December and January. In addition, private-sector employees continued
to be optimistic about the job market. The number who reported hiring
by their companies remained steady at 39 percent.
Hudson, one of the world's leading professional staffing, outsourcing
and human capital solution providers, publishes the Hudson Employment
Index, a monthly measure of the U.S. workforce's confidence in the employment
market. Next month's Hudson Employment Index will be released on June
30, 2004.
The Hudson Employment Index
The Hudson Employment Index (http://www.Hudson-Index.com) measures
the U.S. workforce's confidence in the employment market. Based upon monthly telephone surveys with approximately
9,000 U.S. workers, the Index tracks aggregate employment trends around
career opportunities, hiring intentions, job satisfaction and retention.
The Index is compiled each month by Rasmussen Reports, LLC, an
independent research firm (http://RasmussenReports.com).
Data reported in this release is based upon a national telephone
survey of 9,023 working Americans during the month of May. The margin of sampling error for a survey based
upon this many interviews is approximately 1 percent with a 95 percent
level of confidence. The data
is not seasonally adjusted. It
will be reviewed at year-end to determine if seasonal adjustments are
appropriate.
The Hudson Employment
Index is a service mark owned by Hudson Highland Group,
Inc.
Hudson
Hudson delivers specialized professional staffing, outsourcing
and human capital solutions worldwide.
From single placements to total solutions, the firm assesses,
recruits and develops talent to meet the specific business needs of
each client. Global practice areas include Accounting &
Finance; Engineering, Operations & Scientific; Healthcare; Human
Resources; IT & Telecommunications; Legal; and Sales & Marketing.
Hudson is a division of Hudson Highland Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: HHGP)
one of the world's leading professional staffing, retained executive
search and human capital solution providers.
More information is available at http://Hudson.com.
SOURCE Hudson
Web Site: http://Hudson-Index.com
### Press Release
#############################
US
Express Leasing Launches Revolutionary Service Offering 'Real People,
Fast Answers' for Dealers and Their Customers
(Talk about hyperbole press releases—this one wins the cake. editor)
New Independent Leasing
Company is Backed by CSFB Private Equity
PARSIPPANY, N.J.,
June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- US Express Leasing, Inc. (USXL), a new independent
leasing company, has formed to serve the $218 billion U.S. commercial
leasing market. Backed by CSFB
Private Equity and a credit facility from Wells Fargo Foothill Lender
Finance and led by respected equipment leasing industry executives,
USXL opened for business this week.
USXL will originate
leasing transactions through dealer and vendor channels in the medical/health
care, telecommunications, information technology, security, furniture
and office equipment markets.
The company fills
a void left by the unprecedented number of mergers and acquisitions
in the equipment leasing industry during the past few years by offering
personalized service along with a world-class lease processing and customer
service platform, according to CEO and Co-founder Jim McGrane.
"We're more
focused on building lasting partnerships than 'one size fits all' programs
at USXL," McGrane said. "Some
things are best handled one-on- one, so we make it easy to work directly
with USXL associates. Our people
take action based on what needs to be done without letting 'the system'
get in the way," he added. "Technology
can never replace the personal touch."
USXL's management
team members all possess a track record of leadership, innovation and
results in their respective areas of expertise. Joining USXL from such
well known organizations as GE, CIT, Heller, DeLage Landen, AT&T
Capital and The Alta Group, each member of USXL's management team possesses
an average of 17 years of leasing industry experience.
In addition to McGrane, other members of the executive team include
Mike DeBernardi, risk; Rich Gumbrecht, sales and marketing; Bill Hadicke,
operations; Denis Stypulkoski, technology; and Jeff Hilzinger, finance.
"USXL's industry
aligned relationship managers have an in-depth knowledge and understanding
of their respective markets that is critical for creating opportunities
and solving problems," said Rich Gumbrecht, USXL's head of sales
and marketing. "They act
as consultants to complement our business partners' marketing, sales
and customer retention strategies.
In an industry that has become increasingly commoditized, we
take the opposite approach. We get involved in growing our partners' business
-- not just taking orders."
About USXL
US Express Leasing
(USXL), headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., is an independent lease financing
company. USXL originates leasing
transactions through dealers and provides vendor financing in the medical/health
care, telecommunications, information technology, security, furniture
and office equipment industries. For
more information, visit US Express Leasing on the Internet at http://www.usxl.com.
About CSFB Private
Equity
CSFB Private Equity,
the global private equity arm of Credit Suisse First Boston's Alternative
Capital Division, is the largest private equity manager in the world,
with more than $29 billion of capital commitments under management. CSFB Private Equity maintains offices in New York, Los Angeles,
Menlo Park, Chicago, Houston, London, Buenos Aires and Tokyo.
About Wells Fargo
Foothill Lender Finance
Wells Fargo Foothill
Lender Finance -- a unit of Wells Fargo Foothill -- provides asset-based
financing to specialty commercial finance companies. It is part of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC), a diversified
financial services company with $397 billion in assets, providing banking,
insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance from more than
5,900 stores and the Internet (http://www.wellsfargo.com) across North
America and elsewhere internationally.
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the only "Aaa"-rated bank
in the United States. For more information, visit Wells Fargo Foothill
on the Internet at http://www.wffoothill.com.
SOURCE US Express Leasing, Inc.
CO: US Express Leasing, Inc.; CSFB Private Equity;
Wells Fargo Foothill Lender
Finance; Wells Fargo & Company
#### Press Release
###########################
MicroFinancial
Incorporated - Company Continues To Reduce Debt Obligation
WOBURN, Mass.----MicroFinancial
Incorporated (NYSE-MFI) announced today that the company continues to
reduce its outstanding debt obligations. As of June 1, 2004 the outstanding
debt balance has been reduced in excess of the amounts required by the
Company's long-term bank agreement.
As of June 1, 2004, the senior credit facility debt balance was
$26.1 million, as compared to an expected $29.6 million for the same
period, as stated in the bank agreement. In addition, the securitized
debt obligation has been paid in full.
Richard Latour, President and Chief Executive Officer stated, "We
continue to surpass our required repayments and other financial expectations
of our bank agreement. This includes surpassing our lender's target
debt balance by approximately $3.5 million through June 1, 2004 and
reducing our total interest bearing debt year to date by over $32 million."
About Microfinancial
MicroFinancial Inc. (NYSE:MFI), headquartered in Woburn, MA, is
a financial intermediary specializing in leasing and financing for products
in the $500 to $10,000 range. The company has been in operation since
1986.
CONTACT:MicroFinancial
Incorporated Richard F. Latour,
781-994-4800
#### Press Release
#############################
Synovus
Acquires Trust One Bank in Memphis; Financial Services Company Strengthens
Presence in Tennessee
COLUMBUS, Ga--Synovus
(NYSE:SNV), the Columbus, Georgia based diverse financial services company,
today announced the completion of its acquisition of $423.5 million
asset Trust One Bank in Memphis, Tennessee.
Richard Anthony, President
and COO of Synovus, stated, "This is our second venture into Tennessee
and we believe this will prove to be another great success. With the
leadership of Jake Farrell as President and CEO, we have a most talented
and experienced team in place at Trust One Bank. This acquisition will
enable our customers to continue strong relationships with outstanding
personal service. Synovus will help Trust One to broaden its array of
financial products and services to all customers."
Trust One Bank has six branches serving east Shelby County, Tennessee,
which includes Germantown, Cordova, Collierville and east Memphis. Trust
One Bank further expands Synovus' growing presence in high-growth Tennessee
markets. In July 2002, Synovus affiliate, The Bank of Nashville, was
acquired and operates six offices in the Nashville metro market.
Trust One Bank will continue to operate under its existing name,
management team and local board of directors.
Synovus (NYSE:SNV) is a diversified financial services holding
company with more than $22 billion in assets based in Columbus, Ga.
Synovus provides integrated financial services including banking, financial
management, insurance, mortgage and leasing services through 42 affiliate
banks and other Synovus offices in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina,
Florida and Tennessee; and electronic payment processing through an
81-percent stake in TSYS (NYSE:TSS), the world's largest third-party
processor of international payments. In 2004, FORTUNE magazine named
Synovus as one of "America's Most Admired Companies" and also
ranked Synovus No. 20 on its list of "The 100 Best Companies To
Work For". See Synovus on the Web at www.synovus.com.
CONTACT:Synovus,
Columbus Media Relations Aimee E. Davis,
706-644-0528 or Investor
Relations Patrick A. Reynolds, 706-649-4973
|
|
News
Briefs---
Greenspan foresees
gradual rate hike pace
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/fed/rates/2004-06-02-
greenspan_x.htm
Chip sales jump 37%
worldwide
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/8816653.html
Crude Prices Drop
After OPEC Comments
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11573-2004Jun3.html
Californians blame
oil companies for gas price rise-poll
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20040602-0600-energy-
california-poll.html
Sales of Big S.U.V.'s
Rebounded in May
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/03/business/03auto.html
Boston Bank Mergers
http://www.boston.com/business/globe/BankMergers/
Mass. business confidence
soars in May
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2004/06/02/mass_business_
confidence_soars_in_may/
A Look at May 2004
U.S. Auto Sales
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11462-2004Jun3.html
May Auto Sales Top
Industry Forecasts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11461-2004Jun3.html
Japanese Banks Showing
Signs of Comeback
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11514-2004Jun3.html
Executives see swell
of Net offerings on horizon
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-06-02-tech-roundtable_x.htm
Cable gears up for
digital-ready TV sets
http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2004-06-01-cable_x.htm
Just Like High-Definition
TV, but With Higher Definition
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/03/technology/circuits/03next.html
May's heavy rains
could mean more mosquitoes in St. Louis
Prince rocks and
reigns in jubilant San Jose, Ca show
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/06
/03/PRINCE.TMP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
About the Company: www.odysseyequipfinance.com |
Sports
Briefs
Crunch Time in N.H.L.:
Cup Finals Turn Nasty
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/03/sports/hockey/03nhl.html
Quick Exit by Contreras
Fails to Slow Yanks
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/03/sports/baseball/03yank.html
Broken hand sidelines
A's Chavez 6 to 8 weeks
Guerrero on cloud
nine Slugger belts two homers, drives in nine runs to spice Angels'
10-7 victory over Red Sox.
http://usatoday.com/sports/baseball/games/2004-06-03-red-sox-angels_x.htm
Stewart, Ravens reach
agreement
http://www.theredzone.org/news/showarticle.asp?ArticleID=1204
Arena Football League:
Often recognized
as one of the nation's most affordable and fan-friendly sports leagues,
the Arena Football League, the second-longest running football league
in U.S. history, is in its 18th season. On the strength of its mission
statement and fans' bill of rights, the AFL is America's fastest growing
sport. The Austin Wranglers joined the Philadelphia Soul and New Orleans
VooDoo as the three expansion teams added for the 2004 season. A network-TV
sport, the AFL is celebrating its second season on NBC in 2004. To learn
about the Arena Football League and its teams, log onto www.arenafootball.com.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Gimme that Wine”
Wine in a can? Yes,
it's true
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/living/food/8817676.htm
California Grape
Acreage Report, 2003
California's 2003
grape acreage estimated at 882,000 acres, wine grape acres down 5 percent,
non-bearing wine grape acreage down 29 percent.
http://www.nass.usda.gov/ca/rpts/acreage/grapes/405grpac.htm
Wine Spectator School
Goes Down Under With New Course on Australia and New Zealand
http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Daily/News/0,1145,2491,00.html
Meritage Wine Brokerage
to Launch New Wine Portfolio/Chicago, IL
http://www.vino.com/press/press_release.asp?PRID=348
More about the Chicago
Wine Exhibition
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040601/cgtu027_1.html
WINE, FOOD AND ARTS
CENTER SHEDS PRETENSE TO SECURE WIDER AUDIENCE
WINE FILM TAKES CANNES
BY STORM
http://www.harpers-wine.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=1476
Summer Nights in
the Gardens of Spain—Frank J. Prial
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/02/dining/02WINE.html
|
Equip.
Leasing Sales Rep: Strong sales and bus. dev. skills
needed. Dev/manage portfolio, initiate bus. in upper Midwest .
3-4 yr leasing exp. www.associatedbank.com About
the Company: Associated
Banc-Corp is a diversified multibank holding co., w/ $15.5
billion in total assets. Headquartered in Green Bay, WI . Associated
has more than 200 banking locations across WI, IL and MN. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
New
York Yankees Retain #1 Position as Country's Most Popular Baseball Team,
and Chicago Cubs Move Up to #2 Atlanta Braves Drop to #3
ROCHESTER, N.Y., -- The
New York Yankees retain their
number one position
as the country's most popular baseball team, followed by the Chicago
Cubs and the Atlanta Braves.
The Cubs move up to the second place from seventh place last year.
However, they were in third place in 1999. The Braves were in first place in 1999 and fell to second place
last year before slipping again this year to number three.
These are some of the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 923
adults who follow major league baseball conducted online by Harris Interactive(R)
between April 13 and 18, 2004.
Following the Yankees, Cubs and Braves, the next most popular
teams are the Boston Red Sox (#4), the Detroit Tigers (#5), the Philadelphia
Phillies (#6), the San Francisco Giants (#7), the Baltimore Orioles
(#8), the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Houston Astros,
and the Cleveland Indians (the last four all tied for equal ninth place).
Biggest improvements since last year
Four teams have moved up nine or more places since 2003:
-- The Houston Astros up eleven places from #20 to #9
-- The Detroit Tigers up ten places from #15 to #5
-- The Baltimore Orioles up ten places from #18 to #8; and
-- The Pittsburgh Pirates up nine places from #18 to #9.
Worst drops since last year
Four teams have dropped nine or more places since last year:
-- The New York Mets have fallen eleven places from #3 to #14
-- The Minnesota Twins have fallen twelve places from #5 to #17
-- The Cincinnati Reds have dropped nine places from #10 to #19
-- The Anaheim Angels have fallen nine points from #16 to #25.
TABLE 1
FAVORITE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM: 1993 - 2003
"What is your favorite major league baseball team?"
Base: Follow major league
baseball
Rank Rank Rank
1999 2003 2004
New York Yankees 2 1 1
Chicago Cubs 3 7 2
Atlanta Braves 1 2 3
Boston Red Sox 8 6 4
Detroit Tigers 10 15 5
Philadelphia Phillies 16 12
6
San Francisco Giants 26 9
7
Baltimore Orioles
9 =18 8
Los Angeles Dodgers 7 8 =9
Pittsburgh Pirates 18 =18
=9
Houston Astros 22 =20 =9
Cleveland Indians 5
4 =9
St. Louis Cardinals 4
14 13
New York Mets 12 3 14
Seattle Mariners 6 11 =15
Texas Rangers
15 13 =15
Minnesota Twins 11 5 =17
Arizona Diamondbacks NA 16
=17
Kansas City Royals 24 =25
=19
Cincinnati Reds 13 10 =19
Florida Marlins 25 =25 21
Oakland Athletics 19
=20 22
Milwaukee Brewers 21 23 23
Colorado Rockies 14 24 24
Anaheim Angels 23
=16 =25
San Diego Padres 17
22 =25
Chicago White Sox 20 27 27
Tampa Bay Devil Rays NA 28 28
Toronto Blue Jays** 28 29 29
Montreal Expos** 27 30 30
NOTE: It should be noted
that the sample was limited to the United States. It is therefore no surprise that the two Canadian
teams place last on this list in surveys where no Canadian residents
are surveyed.
The Harris Poll(R) #40, June 2, 2004
By Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll(R), Harris Interactive.
Methodology
The Harris Poll(R) was conducted online within the United States
between April 13 and 18, 2004 among a nationwide cross section of 2,415
adults (aged 18 and over), of which 923 said they follow major league
baseball. Figures for age, sex,
race, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary
to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. "Propensity score" weighting was
also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say
with 95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision
of +/-2
percentage points
of what they would be if the entire adult population had been polled
with complete accuracy. Unfortunately,
there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys
that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling
error. They include refusals to be interviewed (non-response),
question wording and question order, and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that
may result from these factors. This
online sample was not a probability sample.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the
National
Council on Public Polls.
About Harris Interactive(R)
Harris Interactive (http://www.harrisinteractive.com) is a worldwide
market research and
consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll(R), and for pioneering
the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate market research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, Harris
Interactive combines proprietary methodologies and technology with expertise
in predictive, custom and strategic research.
The Company conducts international research from its U.S. offices
and through wholly owned subsidiaries-London-based HI Europe
(http://www.hieurope.com),
Paris-based Novatris and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan-as well
as through the Harris Interactive Global Network of independent market-
and opinion-research firms. EOE M/F/D/V
To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited
to
participate in future
online surveys, visit http://www.harrispollonline.com.
Nancy Wong
Harris Interactive
585-214-7316
### Press Release
###########################
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This
Day in American History
1770-Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo: the second California
mission to the Indians. http://www.californiamissions.com/cahistory/sancarlos.html
http://missions.bgmm.com/index.htm
1781-Jack Jouett made a heroic 45-mile ride on horseback during
the night of June 3-4, to warn Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson and
the legislature that the British were coming.
Jouett rode from a tavern in Louisa County to Charlottesville,
VA, in about 6 ½ hours, arriving at Jefferson’s home at dawn on June
4. Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton’s British forces
raided Charlottesville, but Jouett’s warning gave the Americans time
to escape. Jouett was born at
Albermarle County, VA, December 7, 1754 and died at Bay, JY, in 1822
( exact date not known ). http://www.ushistory.com/jouett.htm
1808-birthday of Jefferson Davis, American statesman, US Senator,
only president of the Confederate States of America. Imprisoned May
10, 1865-May 13, 1867, but never brought
to trial, deprived of rights of citizenship after the Civil War. Davis
was born at Todd County, KY, and died at New Orleans, LA, Dec. 6,1889.
His citizenship was restored, posthumously, October 17,1978,
when President Carter signed an Amnesty Bill.
This bill, he said, “ officially completes the long process of
reconciliation that has reunited our people following the tragic conflict
between the states. “ Davis’s birthday anniversary is observed in Florida,
Kentucky, and South Carolina on this day, in Alabama on the first Monday
in June and in Mississippi on the last Monday in May.
Davis’s birth anniversary is observed as Confederate Memorial
Day in Tennessee. http://www.beauvoir.org/
1851-First Baseball Uniforms: The Knickerbocker Base Ball Club
of New York City donned the sport’s first uniforms: straw hats, blue
full-length trousers and white shirts.
1856-Cullen Whipple of Providence, RI obtained a patent for a
screw machine to make pointed screws.
Prior to this invention, screws were blunt on their threaded
ends, and it was necessary to bore a hole in order to insert them.
1862-Haiti recognized as a nation by the United States.
1862-Liberia recognized as a nation by the United States
1864-Battle of Cold Harbor. Although Confederate General Robert
E. Lee had placed his troops behind considerable breastworks, Union
General Ulysses S. Grant launched an all-out attack on the Southern
army. More than 7,000 Federal troops were killed within on-half hour
of the battle on the first attack.
General Lee won his last victory over Union forces, numbering
108,000 against this 59,000. 1500 Confederate troops were also killed.
In an eight –minute period more men fell in an assault on entrenched
Confederate troops than in any other like period of time. After a second
unsuccessful attack, Grant’s orders for a third assault were all but
ignored. Grant had new and ill trained troops, and his
battle plan was not
carried out by his officers. Compounding this was the battlefield tradition
held that the first commander who sought a truce in order to tend to
the wounded was the loser. Grant refused to admit defeat by seeking
such a truce and the wounded were left on the ground for three days
following the battle. General Lee also refused to be the first to go
after his wounded, and therefore thousands of wounded men from both
sides died either from their wounds, hunger, thirst or exposure. Between
May 7 and June 3, federal losses were 50,000 men, Confederate 32,000.
The North could replace its losses fully, especially paying for troops,
many of them immigrants from Europe, but the South could not.
(bottom half of http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jun03.html)
http://civilwar.bluegrass.net/battles-campaigns/1864/640601-03b.html
1877- Elizabeth Fires Lummis Ellet birthday; U.S. author and historian
who used primary and direct research for her monumental three-volume
Women of the American Revolution (1848), and the Pioneers of the American
West (1852) as well as other books about women. http://chnm.gmu.edu/dimenovels/authors/fleming.html
1884-the first national political convention of a major party
president over by an African-American met in the Exposition Building,
Chicago, IL. John Roy Lynch,
an African-American politician who has served three terms as a congressman
from Mississippi, was nominated for temporary chairman of the Republican
Party by Henry Cabot Lodge. The nomination was supported by Theodore
Roosevelt and George William Curtis, and was carried by a vote of 424
for Lynch a to 384 for Powell Clayton. The convention nominated James Gillespie Blaine
for president and General John Alexander Logan for vice president. November 4th Grover Cleveland was
elected president of the United Sates and Thomas A. Hendricks was elected
vice-president. The electoral vote was Cleveland, 219, James G. Blaine,
Republican of Maine, 182. The popular vote was Cleveland, 4,911,017
and Blaine 4,848,224. A very interesting presidential election as it
was fought mainly with attacks on the reputation of the rival candidates.
The Republican candidate, James G. Blaine, on his basis of letters he
had written, was accused of having profited from the Credit Moblier
scandal involving the building of the Union Pacific Railroad.
His opponents sang: “Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine, the continual
liar from the state of Maine.” The Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland,
was accused of having fathered an illegitimate child, which in his forthright
manner, he admitted. The turning point of the election was a remark
made on October 9 by the Rev.. Samuel D. Burchard in New York, in the
presence of Blaine, that the Democrats were the party of “Rum, Romanism
and Rebellion.” Blaine did not disavow the remark, and the Irish-American
Roman Catholics of New York were outraged. Cleveland carried the state
by 1149 votes and thereby won the election. In 1888, President Grover
Cleveland did not campaigning, saying it was beneath the dignity of
the office of the president. Benjamin Harrison, the Republican candidate,
brought the front porch campaign to its peak, and won. In 1892, Grover Cleveland campaigned and won
the election as president along with Adlai E. Stevenson as vice-president. The electoral vote was 277 to Harrison’s 145,
and popular vote 5,554,414 to President Harrison’s 5,190,802. The Populist
party won electoral college votes, carrying Kansas, Colorado, Idaho
and Nevada, 22 electoral votes and $1,027,329 for candidate James B.
Weaver, perhaps the Ross Perot of his day. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.com/jrlynch.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0226498182/inktomi-df1-
2-20/104-3603723-3237564
1880- Alexander Graham Bell transmitted the first wireless telephone
message on his newly-invented "photophone.” The photophone functioned
similarly to the telephone, except the photophone used light as a means
of projecting the information, while the telephone relied on electricity.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jun03.html
1886 - Grover Cleveland became the first U.S. President to get
married in the White House. He exchanged vows with his bride, Florence
Folsom. His bride
was 27 years younger
than he. While he ran for a
second term, he did not
campaign, but stayed
in the White House with his young bride.
He lost.
But he ran again
in 1892, this time, he campaigned, and he won. The only
president to lose
his office and then win it back again.
1904-birthday of Charles Drew-African American physician who discovered
how to store blood plasma and who organized the blood bank system in
the US and UK during WWII. Born at Washington, DC, he was killed in
an automobile accident near Burlington, NC, April 1, 1950. http://dearborn.boston.k12.ma.us/gr7c.htm
http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/bhm/bio/drew_c.htm
1906-birthday of African-American Josephine Baker, the very popular
Parisian chanteuse known as "Le Jazz Hot," was a heroine of
French resistance in WWII. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but
moved to France because she was
a black Lesbian and received better acceptance in Europe. She received Legion d'Honneur and the rarer
Medaille de la Resistance from French President Charles de Gaulle for
her work during World War II on behalf of France. She acted as a courier
when she toured North Africa and other places as she sang and performed
for Allied troops. She adopted 19 children, all from different
nationalities. In later life when her money ran out and she was evicted
from her home in France, Princess Grace of Monaco (formerly Grace Kelly
of Philadelphia and Hollywood) gave her a villa in Monaco and financed
her new act Josephine '75 to celebrate her 50 years in Paris. She died in her sleep after 14 performances. After WWII she had returned to the U.S. to
try again but faced such racial discrimination for her act at the Stork
Club that she returned to France where she was an honored entertainer
and admired hero.
http://www.cmgww.com/stars/baker/
http://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/mainHTML.cfm?page=eanwood.html
1911-Birthday of Jean
Harlow - the original blond sex-queen of Hollywood who was haunted by
a chaotic private life. She died when when her mother, as an abiding
by Christian Scientist, refused to send her to a hospital for kidney
failure. Her kidneys had been injured by a former husband who then shot
himself.
Her persona in the movies was a wise- cracking blond bombshell with
a heart of gold. http://www.jeanharlow.com/
1911-birhday of trumpet player Yank Lawson, Trenton, Mo.
http://www.jazzhall.org/jazz.cgi?@LAWSONYANK
http://www.landing.com/profiles/yank.htm
1916- Gloria Martin born- Seattle author and militant socialist-feminist
who attempted to weld the two into one movement through Radical Women
(1967). The working mother of eight, she fought for poor women, women
of color, abortion rights, etc., in an unabashed manner that called
for women to train and organize to get their needs taken care of. Died
November 17, 1995
http://www.socialism.com/library/glormatr.html
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45/115.html
1926-birthday of Allen Ginsberg, Poet of the Beat Generation
(“Howl”), born Newark, NY. Died April 5, 1997, New York, New York. http://www.levity.com/corduroy/ginsberg/home.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0603.html
1916-the first Supreme Court justice was Jewish was sworn in,
Louis Dembitz Brandeis of Boston, MA.
He served until 1939. http://www.library.brandeis.edu/SpecialCollections/SpecialEvents/Brandeis/
http://www.louisville.edu/library/law/brandeis/
1920—Jazz pianist John Lewis Birthday
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/bios/jxlbio.htm
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/reviews/r0200_028.htm
1927-birthday of tenor saxophonist Boots Randolph, Paducah,KY
http://www.bootsrandolph.com/
1932-birthday of vocalist
Dakota Staton, Pittsburgh, Pa http://www.interstatecd.com/bio/biopage.P+++++7606.html
1932-Lou Gehrig became the first American League player to hit
four home runs in one game, doing so in a 20-13 New York Yankees victory
over the Philadelphia Athletics. Gehrig
hit his homers in four straight at bats and narrowly missed a fifth.
His teammate, Tony Lazzeri, hit for the cycle.
1936-Bestselling novelist Larry McMurtry is born on this day in
Wichita Falls, Texas.
http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=150
http://www.warr.org/mayfield.html
1945---Top Hits
Laura - The Woody
Herman Orchestra
Dream - The Pied
Pipers
Sentimental Journey
- The Les Brown Orchestra (vocal: Doris Day)
At Mail Call Today
- Gene Autry
1949-the first Naval Academy graduate who was African-American
was Ensign Wesley Anthony Brown of Washington, DC1952 – Hoping to make
a come back, Frank Sinatra recorded the classic "Birth of the Blues"
for Columbia Records. It would
not be until he went to Capital Records and recorded with Nelson Riddle,
among others, as Eddie Fisher was the pop idol of
1953---Top Hits
Song from Moulin
Rouge - The Percy Faith Orchestra
I Believe - Frankie
Laine
April in Portugal
- The Les Baxter Orchestra
Take These Chains
from My Heart - Hank Williams
the day.
1960- Clarence Gideon is arrested and charged with breaking into
a poolroom in Florida. The appeal of Gideon's subsequent conviction
led to the establishment of one of the chief principles of American
criminal justice. Due to Gideon's perseverance, every criminal suspect
is entitled to representation by a lawyer. Now incorporated into what
are known as our Miranda rights-"You have the right to speak to
an attorney. If you can't afford one, one will be provided for you"-this
information must be announced by every officer while making an arrest.
When Florida decided
to retry Gideon for the poolroom burglary in 1963, he had an experienced
lawyer at his trial. The attorney easily poked holes in the prosecution's
flimsy case, and Gideon was acquitted. New York Times writer Anthony
Lewis wrote the stirring account of how one poor man changed the entire
system in his 1965 book, Gideon's Trumpet, which later became a movie
starring Henry Fonda.
1961---Top Hits
Travelin’ Man - Ricky
Nelson
Daddy’s Home - Shep
& The Limelites
Running Scared -
Roy Orbison
Hello Walls - Faron
Young
1965-the first Astronaut to walk in space was Major Edward Higgins
White, II, who opened the hatch of Gemini 4 at 3:42pm this day, stepped
out into space at a 1230-mile altitude at 3:45pm and remained outside
for 20 minutes until 4:05pm, attached to the craft by a 25-0foot tether. A hand-held 7.5 oxygen jet propulsion gun operated
by pressure on a trigger gave him control over his movements. ( The
first human to walk in space was cosmonaut Aleksie A. Leonov, who stepped
out of the Vokshad 2 spacecraft on March 18, 1965).1968-Poor People’s
Campaign March on Washington, DC, begins.
http://www.kcsclc.org/about.html
1967- Aretha Franklin scores her first No. 1 hit with "Respect."
She quickly followed it up with six more Top 10 singles, including "Chain
of Fools" and "A Natural Woman." Franklin, the daughter
of a Detroit minister, grew up singing gospel. She signed with Columbia
Records in her early 20s. However, Columbia ignored her gospel roots
and recorded her singing show tunes with large orchestras. Franklin
broke through when she switched to Atlantic Records and began singing
gospel-influenced blues, or soul, winning her the sobriquet, "Lady
Soul." A hit on the pop charts as well as the R&B lists, she
became one of the most influential singers in contemporary music.
http://www.georgwa.demon.co.uk/aretha_franklin.htm
http://www.aristarec.com:80/aristaweb/ArethaFranklin/images/aretha_background_04.jpg
http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Aretha%20Franklin.html
1969---Top Hits
Get Back - The Beatles
Love (Can Make You
Happy) - Mercy
Oh Happy Day - The
Edwin Hawkins’ Singers
Singing My Song -
Tammy Wynette
1972-Sally Jan Priesand was ordained the first woman rabbi in
the US. She became assistant rabbi at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue,
New York City, August 1, 1972.
1977---Top Hits
Sir Duke - Stevie
Wonder
I’m Your Boogie Man
- KC & The Sunshine Band
Dreams - Fleetwood
Mac
Luckenbach, Texas
(Back to the Basics of Love) - Waylon Jennings
1978
- Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams combined their singing talents
to reach the number one spot on the nation’s pop music charts with "Too
Much, Too Little, Too Late".
1985- Apple Computer announced that chairman and cofounder Steve
Jobs would no longer control the manufacturing and marketing of the
Macintosh computer. The thirty-year-old Jobs had led the development
team that designed the machine.
He would become very
successful on his own, then came back to Apple and
helped turn the company
around.
http://www.geocities.com/franktau
1985-a group headed by Tom Benson, Jr,. was approved to purchase
the New Orleans Saints from John W. Mecom,Jr.1985 - "American Health"
magazine released a survey that indicated 52 percent of doctors claimed
that no one really should need to eat red meat more than once or twice
a week, and 72 percent said that a vegetarian diet was a passing fad.
Walking and running, plus working out was also considered a fad.
1985---Top Hits
Everything She Wants
- Wham!
Everybody Wants to
Rule the World - Tears for Fears
Axel F - Harold Faltermeyer
Don’t Call Him a
Cowboy - Conway Twitty
1989-Longest NL Night Game: The Houston Astros defeated the Los
Angeles Dodgers, 5-4, in 22 innings at the Astrodome. The longest night
game by time in National League history, it lasted seven hours, 22 minutes.
1995-The first West Point cadet who was a woman to graduate
at the top of her class was 21-year old Rebecca Marier of New Orleans,
LA, who was graduated from the United States Military Academy. She topped
a class of 858 men and 130 women. http://www.recordonline.com/westpoint/articles/women.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Baseball
Poem
This day in 1888
the famous comic baseball ballad “Casey at the Bat” was printed in the
Sunday San Francisco Examiner. Appearing
anonymously, it was written by Ernest L. Thayer, Recitation of “Casey
at the Bat” became part of the repertoire of actor William Dwalt Hopper.
The recitation took five minutes and 40 seconds.
Hopper claimed to have recited it more than 10,000 times, the
first being at Wallack’s Theater at New York, NY, in 1888.
The Story Behind the Poem Casey at the Bat
By R. J. Brown
When George Hearst
decided to run for senator from California in 1885 he realized the need
of an influential organ, and bought the San Francisco Examiner
to promote his political ambitions. When the campaign was over, he presented
it to his son, William Randolph Hearst who had just graduated from Harvard
College. While in college the younger Hearst had been editor of the
Harvard Lampoon.
When he went to California
to edit the Examiner he took along with him three members of the Lampoon
staff; Eugene Lent, F. H. Briggs, and Ernest L. Thayer. Each had nicknames
-- Thayer's was "Phin." He wrote a humorous column on a regular
basis for the Examiner and signed his columns with his nickname.
In the spring of 1888,
Thayer wrote Caseyand submitted it for publication. It appeared in the
Examiner in the June 3, 1888 edition and was signed "Phin"
as usual.
When Casey made its
first appearance, nobody hailed it with shouts of joy or suspected that
it would become immortal. A few weeks later, (exact date unknown) the
New York Sun published the last 8 stanzas of the poem -- but
signed its author as "Anon." Other than the Sun, it
was just plain ignored by the public.
To become immortal,
everyone (or thing) needs a press agent. Archibald Clavering Gunter,
an author of novels, was "Casey's" press agent. Always on
the look out for incidents to base some of his novels on, Gunter, living
in New York, sought and actively read newspapers from around the country
on a regular basis. When he read Casey for the first time, he clipped
it out to save. He wasn't sure just what he would do with it, but he
clipped and saved it anyway.
Many weeks later,
in August of 1888, Gunter read that both the New York and Chicago baseball
clubs would be attending the performance of the comedian De Wolf Hopper
at the Wallack Theater in New York. Upon reading the announcement, Gunter
instantly knew what he wanted to do with the clipping of Casey he had
saved.
Gunter approached
Hopper, a good friend, and offered the poem for him to recite as he
felt the baseball teams would enjoy a comic baseball recitation. Hopper
agreed and recited it that night. The rest, as they say, is history.
From that point forward in time, Casey become immortal -- while a good
poem to begin with, it took a recital before a group of "famous"
baseball players by a professional comedian to bring it to life.
After reviews for
Hopper's performance were published, three people came forward to claim
authorship and demanded Hopper pay a royalty to use "their"
poem. None could prove authorship, so Hopper kept it in his repertory.
Four or five years
later, Thayer, living in Worcester, Massachusetts at the time, attended
a performance of Hopper in Worcester. After the show, Thayer sent a
note backstage requesting to meet Hopper. Thayer gave him the rights
to perform it without paying any royalties.
Newspaper collectors
should check their issues of New York papers for August, 1888 (exact
day unknown) for reviews of Mr. Hopper's performance of Casey -- You
may have an issue almost as important as the first printing of the poem
in the June 3, 1888 San Francisco Examiner.
Casey
at the Bat
By
R. J. Brown
NCSA
Member #3
The
outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The
score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play,
And
then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A
pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game.
A
straggling few got up to go in deep despair.
The
rest cling to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They
thought, "If only Casey could but get a whack at that--
We'd
put up even money now, with Casey at the bat."
But
Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And
the former was a hoodoo, while the latter was a cake;
So
upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For
there seemed but little chance of Casey getting to the bat.
But
Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And
Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball;
And
when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,
There
was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn - hugging third.
Then
from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It
rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It
pounded on the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For
Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.
There
was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There
was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile lit Casey's face.
And
when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No
stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.
Ten
thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five
thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt;
Then
while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance
flashed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
And
now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And
Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close
by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped--
"That
ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one!" the umpire
said.
From
the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like
the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore;
"Kill
him! Kill the umpire!" shouted some one in the stand;
And
it's likely they'd had killed him had not Casey raised his hand.
With
a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He
stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He
signaled to the pitcher, and once more the dun sphere flew;
But
Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said "Strike two!"
"Fraud!"
cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered "Fraud!"
But
one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They
saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And
they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.
The
sneer has fled from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He
pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And
now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And
now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.
Oh,
somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The
band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And
somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout;
But
there is no joy in Mudville-- great Casey has struck out.
—
Ernest L. Thayer
,
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