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Leasing News is a web site that posts information, news, and
entertainment for the commercial alternate financing,
bank
, finance and leasing industries

kitmenkin@leasingnews.org
   


Sales Representative
San Francisco


2 to 3 Years in Financial Services

The keys to success at ATEL include:

• Ability to learn quickly and effectively
• Money motivated
• Competitive, never say die attitude

"You were born to win, but to be a winner,
you must plan to win, prepare to win,
and expect to win." - Zig Ziglar

For Further Information, click here

www.atel.com
ATEL Capital Group, headquartered in the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, is one of the largest independent equipment financing companies in the US serving a wide range of industries, focusing on Fortune 1000 companies and other near investment grade credit corporations. Since 1977 ATEL has priced, structured and negotiated in excess of $30 billion of equipment lease financing transactions


Monday, May 2, 2016




Today's Equipment Leasing Headlines

California Department of Business Oversight Confirms
that Brokers Need Licenses and Lessors Can’t Pay Unlicensed Brokers
 by Tom McCurnin, Leasing News Legal Editor
Position Wanted – Credit
Work Remotely or Relocate for Right Opportunity
Top Stories  -  April 25  - April 29
(Opened Most by Readers)
Second Bank Failure of the Year
  A Zombie Bank (Dead for Many Years)
Not Emphasized in Marlin’s Press Release
  plus Earnings Call – Marlin Business Services
Leasing Industry Ads---Help Wanted
  Positions Available Now
“What is Career Branding?”
Career Crossroad---By Emily Fitzpatrick/RII
Procedures to Defeat Fraud
Leasing 102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLFP
Smartwatch Sales Are Exploding
---and Apple is Dominating
9th China Leasing Summit 2016
 Auto Leasing June 14-15/Equipment Leasing June 15-17
Labrador Retriever Mix
Chicago, Illinois  Adopt a Dog
Leasing News Classified Ads
Licensed Investigator
News Briefs---
Mack Leasing adds 19 dealers in '15, now 210 total
   "offers lease, rental and contract"
OnDeck Announces Pricing of $250 Million Securitization
 "To Purchase Revolving Pool of OnDeck Loans"
It's not looking too good for the coal industry
 Natural Gas Cheaper/efficient- 67% of energy in coal wasted
Craigslist is now the place to sell an entire business
  Sells Sole Stock Brokerage Business for $30,000
Things That Go Bump In The Night:
    IEX, Bitcoin, and The Smart Money

Broker/Funder/Industry Lists | Features (writer's columns)
Top Ten Stories Chosen by Readers | Top Stories last six months

www.leasingcomplaints.com (Be Careful of Doing Business)
www.evergreenleasingnews.org
Leasing News Icon for Android Mobile Device

You May have Missed---
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                 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.




[headlines]

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

California Department of Business Oversight Confirms
that Brokers Need Licenses and Lessors Can’t Pay
Unlicensed Brokers
by Tom McCurnin
Leasing News Legal Editor

Multi-Page Letter Reinforces Positions Taken in Leasing News

Opinion of California Department of Business Oversight April 27, 2016

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) made a formal request of the California Department of Business Oversight (“DBO”) to explain SB 197, as if the agency would retract the bill as a mistake. No, it’s not a mistake, and yes, the DBO will take enforcement actions against those lessors and brokers who are not in compliance. There’s a new marshal in town. 

A thorough discussion of the nine page letter is beyond the scope of the space allotted to us here at Leasing News, but a discussion of the headlines is appropriate. Sadly, the conclusions in the opinion letter are the same we’ve been talking about for months now, so nothing is new or different. 

First, “unlicensed referral activity,” that is to say, obtaining deals from unlicensed brokers, is strictly prohibited if the broker is doing something beyond a mere referral. If the broker is collecting financials and communicating credit decisions, the broker must be licensed and the lessor cannot be paying that broker a commission. The DBO makes it clear that paying a commission to such a broker, even if the broker is doing 5 deals or fewer is unlawful. That is not a safe harbor. 

Second, disguising the commissions as something else, like a markup or consultation fees, won’t pass muster before the DOB. The parties engaging in this may be subject to a cease and desist order and hefty fines. 

Third, out of state brokers may be subject to the DBO’s enforcement if the broker solicits California borrowers (including “capital leases”). And if the broker has a lender’s license, but not a broker’s license, that activity would be illegal. It is possible to obtain either a broker’s license or a lender’s license, or both. It’s a matter of checking one box or two. 

Fourth, banks and bank subsidiaries are not required to be licensed, are not regulated by the DBO, and can pay commissions to anyone, licensed or not. 

Fifth, the DBO interprets the definition of a “broker” broadly, and it might include a manufacturer or vendor. But the DBO was fairly vague about this aspect. You’ve been warned. 

The bottom line to the DBO is simply this: lessors need to be licensed to make loans or capital leases in California, such lessors may not pay unlicensed brokers a commission except on very specific terms, and the brokers and lessors may be fined if such activity occurs. 

While many may claim the recent letter is a revelation, I believe it is simply a restatement of what we’ve known all along—get a license or face the consequences. 

DBO Counsel Responds to ELFA letter re: SB 197  (9 pages)
http://www.leasingnews.org/images/DBOCounselResponds2016.pdf

Tom McCurnin is a partner at Barton, Klugman & Oetting
in Los Angeles, California.


Tom McCurnin
Barton, Klugman & Oetting
350 South Grand Ave.
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Direct Phone: (213) 617-6129
Cell (213) 268-8291
Email: tmccurnin@bkolaw.com
Visit our web site at www.bkolaw.com
Previous Tom McCurnin Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org

Previous Tom McCurnin Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/leasing_cases.html

 


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

Position Wanted –Credit
Work Remotely or Relocate for Right Opportunity

Each Week Leasing News is pleased, as a service to its readership, to offer completely free ads placed by candidates for jobs in the industry.  These ads also can be accessed directly on the website at:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm
Each ad is limited to (100) words and ads repeat for up to 6 months unless the candidate tells us to stop. Your submissions should be received here by the end of each week.

Please encourage friends and colleagues to take advantage of this service, including recent graduates and others interested in leasing and related careers. 

Will relocate for the right opportunity and can work remotely. I have (25+) years in making credit decisions, as well as helping sales team and third party originators close more transactions via understanding their applicant's financial abilities. I can create alternative or additional opportunities (and income) by knowing which type of loan is best for the borrower
aaacorrespondent@gmail.com

Chicago, Illinois
Highly knowledgeable and analytical Equipment Leasing Executive; leveraging 25 years in Portfolio Management, Operations, Credit, and Collections within Banking environment and Commercial Equipment Leasing Industry; proven track record, developing/ implementing strategies, sound operational excellence and process improvement, while maximizing revenues and positioning organizations for greater success.wgriffith61@yahoo.com 
Resume:
http://leasingnews.org/items/BGriffithResume2015.pdf

Orlando, Florida
As a Commercial Credit Analyst/Underwriter, I have evaluated transactions from sole proprietorships to listed companies, across a broad spectrum of industries, embracing a multitude of asset types. Sound understanding of balance sheet, income statement and cash flow dynamics which impact credit decisions. Strong appreciation for credit/asset risk. 
rpsteiner21@aol.com
 
407 430-3917


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

Top Stories  -  April 25  - April 29
(Opened Most by Readers)

(1)  What Happened to the $11.4 Million
  in the IFC Credit Bankruptcy “Approved Disbursements?”
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2016/04_27.htm#ifc

(2) ELFA’s 2016 National Funding Conference
    By Paul Menzel, CLFP, Financial Pacific Leasing
           an Umpqua Bank company
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2016/04_27.htm#elfa

(3) Signs of a Chill in Fintech Funding?
            by Philip Ryan, Business Insider
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2016/04_28.htm#signs

(4) Revenue Ruling 179
   Leasing 102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLFP
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2016/04_25.htm#revenue

(5) Largest Phila.-based bank plans 11% payroll cut
          Laying Off 44 of its Higher-Paid Workers
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20160423_Largest_Phila_-based_bank_plans_11__pay

(6) Less is More for UCC-1 Financing Statements
   By Tom McCurnin, Leasing News Legal Editor
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2016/04_27.htm#less

(7) Archives--April 29, 2003
      Bob Fisher, CLP, Goes to Douglas-Guardian
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2016/04_28.htm#archives

(8) New Hires---Promotions in the Leasing Business
         and Related Industries
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2016/04_28.htm#hires

(9) Paul Menzel, CLFP, Presents Bruce Kropschot Award
        Leasing News Person of the Year for 2015
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2016/04_27.htm#menzel

(10) March 31, 2016 Leasing/Finance Association Membership
           by Christopher Menkin, Editor/Publisher
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2016/04_25.htm#membership

 


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

Second Bank Failure of the Year
A Zombie Bank (Dead for Many Years)

The four branches of Trust Company Bank, Memphis, Tennessee, were closed with The Bank of Fayette County, Piperton, Tennessee, to assume all of the deposits. The bank was established January 1, 1902.


Memphis Bank Hq.

  As of December 31, 2015, there were 50 full time employees. In 2010, they had 14 full time employees, then 2012, 30 full time employees; in 2006, 4 full time employees; in 2008, 8 full time employees. Then they started the opening of branches. It opened an office 3/9/2009 in Brighton, 9/28/2008 in Jackson, in Mason, 9/4/2012.

In 2013, The FDIC issued a consent order.  Non-performing assets at the bank total $1.7 million; Trust Company has a Texas ratio of 110.5. In order to raise capital, the board decided to try to sell branches.

Thomas Jackson "Jock" Weaver III and Frank A. McKinnie Weaver, brothers (owned) nearly 95 percent of Trust Company Bank stock, according to www.commercialappeal.com. 

“Jock Weaver was president of restaurant chain Hard Rock International and chairman of TBA Entertainment Corp., which manages publics’ events and careers for musicians.

“Frank Weaver was a senior vice president at FTN Financial, the investment arm of Memphis-based First Tennessee Bank. He also was on the board of directors of New York-based TBA Global.”

“The Weaver brothers and John Wilder III, a grandson of the late Tennessee Lt. Gov. John Wilder, launched Trust Company Bank with the 2005 purchase of the Bank of Mason from Franklin, Tenn.-based Civitas BankGroup Inc. It last turned a profit, $26,000 in net income, in 2004. It lost $1.49 million this year through Nov. 30, a proxy statement said. Experts have blamed bad real estate loans for the bank’s poor performance.”
http://www.commercialappeal.com/business/trust-company-bank-to-sell-branches-to-stave-off-regulators-ep-307113835-323727041.html

This bank did not have a lot of charge offs, as can be seen in the numbers, nor were the non-current loans high, either. They did have a lot of employees.  Since going back to 2006, before the recession, the bank never had an annual profit.  Where did the money go? Salaries?

(in thousands, unless otherwise noted)

Net Equity
2006 $1,817
2007 $3,923
2008 $15,754
2009 $8,330
2010 $4,821
2011 $4,680
2012 $2,019
2013 $2,213
2014 $1,080
2015 $291,000
   
Profit  
2006 -$45,000
2007 -$105,000
2008 -$111,000
2009 -$368,000
2010 -$380,000
2011 -$670,000
2012 -$2,660
2013 -$1,805
2014 -$599,000
2015 -$1,197
   
Non-Current Loans
2006 $30,000
2007 $3,000
2008 $141,000
2009 $41,000
2010 $271,000
2011 $748,000
2012 $395,000
2013 $558,000
2014 $532,000
2015 $1,077

As of December 31, 2015, Trust Company Bank had approximately $20.7 million in total assets and $20.3 million in total deposits. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of Trust Company Bank, The Bank of Fayette County agreed to purchase approximately $3.9 million of the failed bank’s assets. The FDIC will retain the remaining assets for later disposition.

The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $7.2 million.

Press Release
https://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2016/pr16034.html


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

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

 


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


Not Emphasized in Marlin’s Press Release
plus Earnings Call – Marlin Business Services

Highlights from Earnings Call Transcript:

Ed Siciliano, Chief Sales Officer and Interim CEO commented on finding a new CEO: "An offer has been made to a highly qualified industry executive and we are finalizing terms. We anticipate a formal announcement out in the early May. "

Taylor Kamp, CFO & Senior Vice President: "...our average ticket was $13,000 - $14,000. We are cautiously trying to bring ticket up a little bit. And so we've taken a more open posture with our vendor base. We've 5,000 active vendors letting them know that we're more willing to look at some of the larger credits, also looking for higher credit quality as we move up ticket." (1)

Highlights from 10Q First Quarter Ended March 31, 2016

Net Income -Condensed Consolidated Statement (in thousands)

Three Months Ended March 31

2015  $4,055
2016  $3,651
 
 (page 4 & 5)

"During the three months ended March 31, 2016, we generated 6,316 new leases with equipment cost of $102.1 million, compared to 5,691 new leases with equipment cost of $81.4 million generated for the three months ended March 31, 2015. Sales staffing levels increased from 125 sales account executives at March 31, 2015 to 136 sales account executives at March 31, 2016. Approval rates decreased 1% to 62% for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, compared to 63% for the quarter ended March 31, 2015.
"
(page 28)

"Salaries and benefits expense. Salaries and benefits expense increased $1.2 million, or 17.1%, to $8.2 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2016 from $7.0 million for the same period in 2015. The increase was primarily due to an increase in total personnel...General and administrative expense. General and administrative expense increased $0.4 million, or 9.8%, to $4.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 from $4.1 million for the same period in 2015."

(page 33)

RESIDUAL PERFORMANCE

"Our leases offer our end user customers the option to own the equipment at lease expiration. As of March 31, 2016, approximately 68% of our leases were one dollar purchase option leases, 31% were fair market value leases and 1% were fixed purchase option leases, the latter of which typically contain an end-of-term purchase option equal to 10% of the original equipment cost. As of March 31, 2016, there were $27.2 million of residual assets retained on our Consolidated Balance Sheet, of which $22.7 million, or 83.4%, were related to copiers. As of December 31, 2015, there were
$27.4 million of residual assets retained on our Consolidated Balance Sheet, of which $22.7 million, or 83.1%, were related to copiers.

“Fee income included approximately $1.0 million and $0.9 million of net residual income for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2016 and March 31, 2015, respectively. Net residual income includes income from lease renewals and gains and losses on the realization of residual values of leased equipment disposed at the end of term as further described below.

“Our leases generally include renewal provisions and many leases continue beyond their initial contractual term. Based on the Company’s experience, the amount of ultimate realization of the residual value tends to relate more to the customer’s election at the end of the lease term to enter into a renewal period, purchase the leased equipment or return the leased equipment than it does to the equipment type. We consider renewal income a component of residual performance. Renewal income net of depreciation totaled approximately $1.3 million and $1.0 million for the three month periods ended March 31, 2016 and March 31, 2015, respectively.”

(page 36)

Marlin Business Services' (MRLN) CEO Ed Siciliano on Q1 2016
   Results - Earnings Call Transcript  (8 pages)
http://seekingalpha.com/article/3969611-marlin-business-services-mrln-ceo-ed-siciliano-q1-2016-results-earnings-call-transcript

Form 10-Q First Quarter Ended March 31, 2016 (50 pages)
http://www.snl.com/Cache/34097795.pdf

Marlin Leasing 1st Quarter Press Release 
Total Originations $108.4MM, up 35% over 2015 Q1

 

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for investigative
reporting provided by John Kenny)

 

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

Leasing Industry Help Wanted

Sales Representative
San Francisco


2 to 3 Years in Financial Services

The keys to success at ATEL include:

• Ability to learn quickly and effectively
• Money motivated
• Competitive, never say die attitude

"You were born to win, but to be a winner,
you must plan to win, prepare to win,
and expect to win." - Zig Ziglar

For Further Information, click here

www.atel.com
ATEL Capital Group, headquartered in the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, is one of the largest independent equipment financing companies in the US serving a wide range of industries, focusing on Fortune 1000 companies and other near investment grade credit corporations. Since 1977 ATEL has priced, structured and negotiated in excess of $30 billion of equipment lease financing transactions


 




For information on placing a help wanted ad, please click here:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Hwanted/Hwanted-post.htm

Please see our Job Wanted section for possible new employees.

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

“What is Career Branding?”
Career Crossroad---By Emily Fitzpatrick/RII

 


Career Branding (AKA Personal Branding) is a term that has become popular over that last few years as the use of social media has grown significantly.  Simply, branding is a way to differentiate yourself from the masses in the “career world”; it is the “… secret sauce that can make you stand out of a stack of resumes ….”

Career | Personal Branding is the process of developing “features” created around your career. Utilize these “features” to express and communicate your skills, personality and values. Basically, branding is about who you are and what you have to offer (why a company should hire you).  In today’s economy and the disposal of job, the Career | Personal Brand should be important to everyone.  

The Process can be Completed in 3 Steps:
1.      Write your Career | Personal Branding Statement
2.      Create your Strategy
3.      Claim Expertise

It is important to note that if you don’t develop your own brand, others will.  Branding is the proactive way of controlling your career development and how you are perceived in the market place.    Done correctly, it can impact your ability to secure positions you want and promotions.  

Sample Tips to Help Create your Career | Personal Brand:
1.      Build your platform
2.      Identify your uniqueness and your strengths
3.      Be yourself: Find your own style
4.      Craft your Persona: contact us for more info in this area
 
Building a Career | Personal Brand takes time & effort and the need for a brand will continue to increase … Your unique brand will follow you throughout your career …  

RII offers Services to Assist in Developing your Career Brand & Presenting to Potential Employers … Contact us for FREE Review … info@riirecruit.com

Emily Fitzpatrick
Sr. Recruiter
Recruiters International, Inc.
Phone:  954-885-9241
Cell:  954-612-0567
emily@riirecruit.com
Invite me to Connect on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/pub/emily-fitzpatrick/4/671/76
Also follow us on Twitter #RIIINFO
https://www.pinterest.com/recruitersinter/rii-career-services/

Career Crossroads Previous Columns
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/crossroad.html

 

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

Procedures to Defeat Fraud


In a day of fast turnaround credits and application-only transactions, fraud is becoming a serious problem. Packagers and brokers understand that though they sell transactions on a non-recourse basis, they are still on the hook if the deal is uncollectible due to fraud. So let’s look at a few procedures that will help discover fraud before a deal is funded.

The first requirement is to look up the telephone number of all credit references instead of using numbers supplied on the application. Without phone number verification you do not know who you are talking to regardless of who they claim to be. Second, always confirm at least two years of banking relationships. Beware of newly created bank accounts. Most now collect three first pages of a bank statement, sometimes full statements. It does not show how long the company has been at the bank, as well as any bank relationship or recommendation.  There also can be dummy money borrowed to inflate the “cash on hand.”

 Next verify that the vendor has been in business for at least two years and if you have any questions about the vendor check the BBB in that region. I also recommend to google the address of the vendor and see the location.

In addition you should look for things that seem questionable such as, age of principlals that does not add up to years in business, or questionable financial statements with bank accounts in credit unions or unusual name institutions. Assets that are not equipment or real estate that cannot be confirmed and requests for equipment that does not match the business needs.

One of the most important questions is how large a facility does the business occupy? If they only have 500 square feet, how do they plan to fit $100,000.00 worth of equipment into it? Location should also be a key because if the business is in a strange part of town or in a residential neighborhood for an industrial process, you should question why they are located there. Again, go to Google and look up the address of the applicant.

Often they have a photo of the building.   You may also see the neighbors of the applicant.  If you are suspicious, call up a neighbor to learn if they know anything about the company.

Most fraudulent transactions have one thing in common: they are always in a hurry to close. The more you are pushed, by the lessee, the more you should look closely at the deal. This is not to be confused with your attempt to function fast to secure and lock down the lease. But if the lessee pushes you into a fast decision…look out!

You should use common sense and question everything. Verify the equipment and study its use. Even for small transactions, ask the purpose of the equipment and its intended use. Just because you have a bargain purchase option does not mean you can ignore the impact of the equipment to the business.

Last I believe one of the most important features of legal documentation that seems to have disappeared is the witness line. Someone to verify, with properly printed name and title, that the signature of the lessee is proper and correct. It is always best if this is a lessor employee but at least someone needs to be able to confirm the signature. Never short change your legal documentation and always stay alert and look for the unusual.

Most fraud is detectable if common sense is used when questioning so called facts on a lease application. I also personally recommend subscribing to “Lease Police” to find out more about the vendor, and perhaps the submitter who has sent you the transaction.

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

 


(Leasing News provides this ad “gratis” as a means
to help support the growth of Lease Police)

 

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

Smartwatch Sales Are Exploding
---and Apple is Dominating

by Rob Price, www.businessinsider

Smartwatches are a Marmite product: Some people love them, others just don't see the point.

The wearable devices are still small fry compared to smartphones, but the market is slowly warming to them. Case in point: Last quarter, smartwatch sales were triple what they were a year ago.

That's according to new data from research firm Strategy Analytics. It estimates that in Q1 2016, there were 4.2 million global smartwatch shipments — up from 1.3 million in Q1 2015.

Launch of the Apple Watch has helped with adoption considerably. The Cupertino tech giant's wearable came out in April 2015 (the start of Q2) and has reliably dominated sales ever since.

Sales of the Apple Watch dipped a little in Q1 2016, compared to the last quarter of 2015. It snagged 52% of smartwatch sales, down from 63%. But it's to be expected, really — tech product sales always decline over time, and Apple is expected to launch a new Apple Watch in the coming months, which should buoy up sales once again.

And to put it into perspective, Apple is still outselling Samsung more than three times over. The South Korean electronics company is in a very distant second place, selling 0.6 million units to Apple's 2.2 million in Q1 2016.

The full data from Strategy Analytics is below:

 


(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for appraisals and equipment valuations provided by Ed Castagna)

 

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

9th China Leasing Summit 2016
 

It is reported that, the financial leasing industry scale increased from CNY 70 billion in 2007 to CNY 1.2 trillion in June 2012, increasing by 16 times within 5 five years with compound annual growth rate of 90%, it is predicted that by 2020, the industry scale of financial leasing in China will be close to CNY 10 trillion with compound annual growth rate of about 30%, and the leasing penetration rate can be expected to exceed 10%.

Under the background of the current market demand, the 9th China Leasing Summit 2016 (www.duxes-events.com/leasecn9), combined Asia Auto Rental & Leasing Special and Equipment Leasing Special, will be held on June 14-17, in Beijing. This summit is part of Duxes’ venerable Leasing Series which has gone from strength to strength for over eight years and has included speakers from governments, leading International leasing regulatory bodies, industry associations and the business’ leasing individuals.

Not only will the summit provide a comprehensive analysis of the latest changes in government policy and market developments but also will provide the innovative leasing models and financing channels in the industry fields including agri-machinery, machine tools, high-end industrial equipment, healthcare equipment, high-tech equipment , construction equipment, environmental-friendly and new energy equipment, cross-border leasing, and more.

In short, this is the event to attend to get all the important information, meet influential people and, to run a successful and profitable leasing business in China and Asia.

For further information, contact:
Ms. Vivi Ye
Tel: +86 21 5258 8005 Ext. 8106
Email: vivi.ye@duxes.cn
Website: www.duxes-events.com/leasecn9

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

Labrador Retriever Mix
Chicago, Illinois  Adopt-a-Dog


Bullwinkle
Male
Age: 3 months
Weight: 28 lbs.
Location: Lincoln Park Adoption Center
Pippen Fasseas Adoption Center at
1997 N. Clybourn Ave.,
in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.

All PAWS Chicago dogs and cats are spayed/neutered, microchipped, and have up-to-date on shots based on age and arrival date.

Adoption Process:
http://www.pawschicago.org/our-work/pet-adoption/adoption-process/

adoptions@pawschicago.org
773-935-7297 (PAWS)

Hours:
Sat & Sun: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Mon-Fri: 12 - 7 p.m.


Adopt a Pet

http://www.adoptapet.com/

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

Leasing News Classified Ads

Licensed Investigator

Irvine, CA - Consulting and Investigations Operation Lease Fleece Case Agent, 20 year FBI fraud/white collar crime investigator,
10 year USMC Officer-pilot.
Calif. Private Investigator License #29005
Email: PaulBonin@cox.net 
Mobile: 949-713-9601

Los Angeles - Licensed Private Investigators, specializing Collateral Recovery Field Investigation for the Lending industry since 1998 - Our clients include Banks, Credit Unions, Automotive and Equipment Lenders. 
JohnHarmonPI@aol.com

Midwest
Collections, Investigations & Asset
Tierra Investigations & Consultants, LLC. Commercial collections, repossessions, bankruptcy fraud, theft & conversion claims.  
605-647-1700 
Fax 605-647-0534
troy@tierrainv.com

 

 


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


News Briefs---

Mack Leasing adds 19 dealers in '15, now 210 total "offers lease, rental and contract"
http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2016/4/29/
MackLeasingadds19dealersin15now210total.aspx

OnDeck Announces Pricing of $250 Million Securitization "To Purchase Revolving Pool of OnDeck Loans"
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ondeck-announces-pricing-of-250-million-securitization-300258874.html

It's not looking too good for the coal industry
 Natural Gas Cheaper/efficient- 67% of energy in coal wasted
http://www.businessinsider.com/coal-industry-not-looking-good-2016-4

Craigslist is now the place to sell an entire business
Sells Sole Stock Brokerage Business for $30,000
http://nypost.com/2016/04/30/craigslist-is-now-the-place-to-sell-an-entire-business/

Things That Go Bump In The Night: IEX, Bitcoin, and The Smart Money
http://seekingalpha.com/article/3969944-things-go-bump-night-iex-bitcoin-smart-money

 

 

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--You May Have Missed It

The dishes with the most calories at 40 chain restaurants
http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article74995412.html


[headlines]
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SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer


9 Simple Tricks to Eat Less
Cut Calories, Not Satisfaction
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1386


[headlines]
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This poem by Robert L. Harrison depicts one of the best teams of all times. The 1927 Yankees or "Murderer's Row" were legendary and this poem pays tribute to those magnificent Yanks.

1927 Yankees

by Robert L. Harrison ©

Published: New York Baseball Poems (1999)

Gather 'round you fans of baseball
you lovers of season past,
let me take you back to the greatest team
that ever played on grass.

Guided by Miller Huggins
known as "murderer's row,"
never was such a string of pearls
so feared this side of Hell.

Greedy was this awesome bunch
with Ruth and Gehrig leading the punch,
and Hoyt and Moore on the mound
shooting all the batters down.

Gasping crowds assemble
like sinners in a tent,
watching all the other teams
trying to repent.

God blessed those boys of summer
those pin-striped renegades,
with a winning passion
while others saw only the haze.

Gathering in the rosebuds
by playing excellent ball,
called the "five o'clock lightning"
taking the pennant in the fall.

Gone were any pretenders to the throne
no on stood wherever these Yankees roamed,
twenty-five men made up this team
and all had a year better than their dreams.

1927 Yankeesby Robert L. Harrison ©

Fast Facts

Murderer's Row was anchored by Babe Ruth, who hit sixty home runs and batted .356; and Lou Gehrig, who had forty-seven home runs and batted .373.

The team won one-hundred ten games and the other members included: Earle Combs, who hit .356 and led the league in hits, singles and triples; Tony Lazzeri, who hit eighteen home runs and batted .309; and Bob Meusel who hit .337.

This poem is a Baseball Almanac exclusive and appears here with expression written permission from the author.

 


 


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Sports Briefs----

Red Sox sweep Yankees move into first place
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/
clubhouse_insider/2016/05/red_sox_sweep_yankees_move_into_1st_place


Luke Walton says Lakers' job was an opportunity he couldn't pass up
http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-luke-walton-lakers-20160501-story.html

Jerry Jones still regrets missing out on Paxton Lynch
http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/cowboys-corner-blog/article74949592.html

Chargers respond: No taxpayer risk for NFL stadium
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/apr/29/chargers-nfl-stadium-ballot-initiative-questions/

Lowell Cohn: NFL appears ready for Las Vegas
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/5563891-181/lowell-cohn-nfl-appears-ready

NFL draft tracker 2016: Seven-round breakdown on picks
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2016/04/30/nfl-draft-tracker-analysis-2016-picks-seven-rounds/83762420/


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California Nuts Briefs---

High-Speed Rail Plan Leaves the Station
http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/04/29/high-speed-rail-plan-leaves-the-station.htm

Longtime Marinwood store owners to shut their doors
http://www.marinij.com/business/20160429/longtime-marinwood-store-owners-to-shut-their-doors


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“Gimme that Wine”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8

eBay gets boozy with wine site
http://www.cnet.com/news/ebay-gets-boozy-with-new-wines-destination-site/

The cult of Cabernet: The paradox of Napa’s most expensive wines
http://www.sfchronicle.com/wine/article/The-cult-of-Cabernet-The-paradox-of-Napa-s-7294624.php?t=3c6bfb23aba5dbcf1d&cmpid=twitter-premium

Uncorked: Benziger winery built on the hard work of a big family
http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2016/04/22/uncorked-benziger-winery-built-on-the-hard-work-of-a-big-family/aundzpf/

Wine M&A experts: Deals abound in buyer’s market
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/industrynews/wineindustry/
5556910-181/wine-mergers-acquisitions-buyer-market

FASB rule changes bring big shift in wine lease accounting
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/industrynews/wineindustry/
5322710-181/fasb-rule-changes-bring-big

Frost Strikes France's Burgundy and Loire Wine Regions
http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Frost-Strikes-France's-Burgundy-and-Loire-Wine-Regions

Burgundy hit by ‘worst frost since 1981’
http://www.decanter.com/wine-news/burgundy-frost-fears-french-vineyards-300131/#sOphiyhEHtRdigxo.99


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/

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

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

This Day in American History

    1497 - John Cabot departed for North America.
    1611—King James I had appointed a committee of learned men to produce a new translation of the Bible into English. This version, popularly called the King James Version, is known in England as the Authorized Version, and became the most popular in early America.
    1670 - King Charles II of England grants a permanent charter to the Hudson's Bay Company, made up of the group of French explorers who opened the lucrative North American fur trade to London merchants. The charter conferred on them not only a trading monopoly but also effective control over the vast region surrounding North America's Hudson Bay. Although contested by other English traders and the French in the region, the Hudson's Bay Company was highly successful in exploiting what would become eastern Canada. After Canada was granted dominion status in 1867, the company lost its monopoly on the fur trade, but it had diversified its business ventures and remained Canada's largest corporation through the 1920s. 
    1776 - France and Spain agreed to donate arms to American trying to free themselves from England.   
    1837 - Birthday of our Sue Robert's relative, Henry M. Robert (d. 1923), Robertville, SC.  A General in the US Army, he authored “Robert's Rules of Order,” today the standard parliamentary guide. 
    1803 - That Land Grab in Louisiana was signed. During the early moments of the nineteenth century, the United States government wheeled and dealt its way into what is generally regarded as the "greatest land bargain" in the nation's history, the Louisiana Purchase. The deal, which was dated 30 April 1803, though it was in fact signed on 02 May, had been in the works since the spring of 1802. It was then that President Thomas Jefferson had learned of Spain's decision to quietly transfer Spanish Louisiana to the French; fearful of the strategic and commercial implications of the Spanish swap, Jefferson ordered Robert Livingston, the US minister in Paris, to broker a deal with the French either for a slice of land on the lower Mississippi or a "guarantee" of unmolested transport for US ships. Negotiations dragged on for months, but took a crucial turn when Spanish and US trade relations collapsed in the fall of 1802. With Spain now barring American merchant ships from transferring goods at the port in New Orleans, Jefferson set his sights on purchasing a far larger chunk of land. In early 1803, James Monroe headed to Paris to broker Jefferson's deal. With France teetering on the brink of war with Great Britain, and mindful not only of the fiscal repercussions of such a conflict, but of the possibility of a renewed US-English alliance, Napoléon's negotiators acceded to a deal to sell the whole of Louisiana. All told, the Louisiana Purchase cost the US $15 million: $11.25 million was earmarked for the land deal, while the remaining $3.75 million covered France's outstanding debts to America. Thus, for the prime price of 5 cents a hectare, the United States bought 2,145,000 square kilometers of land, which effectively doubled the size of the young nation.
    1853 - Franconi’s Hippodrome opened at Broadway and 23rd Street in New York City. The 4,000-seat facility opened in grand style for a hippodrome (an arena for a circus or games) with a chariot-and-ostrich race. It was popular for five years.
http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/art/print/
exhibits/movingup/no29.htm

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~calel/hippo.html
    1843 - Elijah McCoy (d. 1929) was born in Colchester, Ontario. His parents escaped slavery in Kentucky by traveling along the Underground Railroad. This famous African-American inventor is credited with over 50 patents and his lubricating oil and systems were quite famous in its day. His most famous was the McCoy Lubricator. McCoy invented a device to oil the machinery while it was working. It was soon used on engines, train locomotives, on Great Lake steamships, on ocean liners and on machinery in factories. His invention became so popular that no engine or machine was considered complete until it had a McCoy Lubricator. The phrase "The Real McCoy" soon caught on as a way of saying that people were getting the best equipment available.
http://www.bccns.com/elijah.htm
http://www.princeton.edu/~mcbrown/display/mccoy.html
http://www.blackinventor.com/pages/elijahmccoy.html
     1853 - Franconi’s Hippodrome opened at Broadway and 23rd Street in New York City. The 4,000-seat facility opened in grand style for a hippodrome (an arena for a circus or games) with a chariot-and-ostrich race. It was popular for five years.
http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/art/print/
exhibits/movingup/no29.htm

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~calel/hippo.html
    1861 - General Winfield Scott wrote to President Lincoln suggesting a cordon capable of enveloping the seceded states and noted that "the transportation of men and all supplies by water is about a fifth of the land cost, besides the immense saving of time." On the next day Scott elaborated further to General George McClellan: "We rely greatly on the sure operation of a complete blockade of the Atlantic and Gulf ports soon to commence. In connection with such blockade, we propose a powerful movement down the Mississippi to the ocean, with a cordon of posts at proper points . . . the object being to clear out and keep open this great line of communication in connection with the strict blockade of the seaboard, so as to envelop the insurgent States and bring them to terms with less bloodshed than by any other plan." The heart of the celebrated Anaconda Plan which would strangle the Confederacy on all sides was control of the sea and inland waterways by the Union Navy; the strategy of victory was (a) strengthen the blockade, (b) split the Confederacy along the line of the Mississippi River, and (c) support land operations by amphibious assault, gunfire and transport.
    1863 - General Stonewall Jackson, leading a large part of Gen. Lee’s army, delivered a devastating blow on Gen. Hooker’s right flank. Reconnoitering with his staff at day’s end, Jackson and his group were mistaken for Union soldiers and fired on by their own forces. Jackson’s shattered left arm had to be amputated. While he was hospitalized pneumonia set in; his death came on May 10.
http://norfacad.pvt.k12.va.us/project/sjackson/sjackson.htm
http://www.waysideofva.com/stonewalljackson/
    1865 – Mere weeks after the death of President Abraham Lincoln at the hand of John Wilkes Booth, President Andrew Johnson offered a $100,000 reward for capture of Jefferson Davis
    1885 - Good Housekeeping magazine makes its debut, becoming one of the most popular magazine for decades, setting many styles and standards for its day. It is still popular today.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/may02.html
    1876 - Ross Barnes of the Chicago White Stockings became the first baseball player to hit a home run.  Quickly thereafter, Charles Wesley “Baby” Jones of the Cincinnati Reds also connected at Cincinnati, OH. Chicago won 15-9.     
    1890 – The Oklahoma Territory was organized. The 1890 Oklahoma organic act organized the western half of Indian Territory and a strip of country known as No Man's Land into Oklahoma Territory. Reservations in the new territory were then opened to settlement in land runs later that year and in 1891 and 1893. Oklahoma remained a territory until Congress recognized statehood on November 16, 1907.
    1895 – Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart was born in New York City. He was the lyricist half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include "Blue Moon," "Mountain Greenery," "The Lady Is a Tramp," "Manhattan," "Where or When," "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered," "Falling in Love with Love," "My Funny Valentine," "I Could Write a Book", "This Can't Be Love", "With a Song in My Heart", "It Never Entered My Mind", and "Isn't It Romantic?".
    1899 - A storm buried Havre, MT, under 24.8 inches of snow, an all-time record for that location. The water equivalent of 2.48 inches was a record 24 hour total for the month of May. 
    1903 - Birthday of Benjamin Spock (d. 1998), pediatrician and author, at New Haven, CT. His book on childrearing, “Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care,” later called “Baby and Child Care,” has sold more than 30 million copies. In 1955, he became professor of child development at Western Reserve University at Cleveland, OH. He resigned from this position in 1967 to devote his time to the pacifist movement. http://www.drspock.com/about/drbenjaminspock/0,1781,,00.html
http://creativequotations.com/one/1007.htm
    1918 – General Motors acquired Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Delaware.  Louis Chevrolet and ousted General Motors founder Will Durant started the company on November 3, 1911. Durant used the Chevrolet Motor Car Company to acquire a controlling stake in General Motors with a reverse merger and propelled himself back to the GM presidency. After Durant's second ousting in 1919, Alfred Sloan, with his maxim "a car for every purse and purpose," would pick the Chevrolet brand to become the volume leader in the General Motors family, selling mainstream vehicles to compete with Ford’s Model T in 1919 and overtaking Ford as the best-selling car in the United States by 1929. 
    1905 - Birthday of Charlotte Armstrong (d. 1969), Vulcan, MI.  U.S. author and playwright. Her science fantasy books regarding dragons have made her one of the most popular authors in the nation.
    1906 - Birthday of Aileen Riggin Soule (d. 2002), Newport, RI.  U.S. athlete. She won three Olympic medals and was the first competitor to win a medal in both the swimming and diving events in the same Olympics. Only 14 at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, she was the first woman to win the gold in springboard diving. In 1924, she won a silver in springboard and a bronze in the 100-metre backstroke. She stood 4'7" tall and weighed 65 pounds.
    1908 - Birthday of “Pinky Lee,” born Pincus Leff (d. 1993), at St. Paul, MN. When young, Leff had dreams of becoming an attorney, but abandoned the idea when classmates laughed at his lisp. His show business debut was in burlesque in the 1930s. He is best remembered for "The Pinky Lee Show" which telecast from Los Angeles in the early 1950s. http://www.tvparty.com/lostpinky.html
http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/saturday/sa1353.php
    1903-Birthday of Benjamin Spock, pediatrician and author, born at New Haven, CT. His book on child-rearing, “Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care”, later called “Baby and Child Care”, has sold more than 30 million copies. In 1955, he became professor of child development at Western Reserve University at Cleveland, OH. He resigned from this position in 1967 to devote his time to the pacifist movement. Spock died at San Diego, CA, Mar 15, 1998.
http://www.drspock.com/about/drbenjaminspock/0,1781,,00.html
http://creativequotations.com/one/1007.htm
   1904 - Singer and actor Bing Crosby was born Harry Lillis Crosby, Jr. (d. 1977) in Tacoma, Washington. He sang with dance bands from 1925 to 1930, and in 1931, began work in radio and films. Crosby gained enormous popularity for his crooning style, which was ideally suited to the new radio medium. His recording of "White Christmas" is said to be the best-selling record of all time. In 1944, he won an Academy Award for his performance in the film "Going My Way." His other notable films included "The Country Girl" in 1955, "High Society" in '56 and the remake of "Stagecoach" in 1965. Bing Crosby had a lifelong love affair with the game of golf. In 1977, he dropped dead after completing a round on a golf course in Spain.  In his time, there was no one more famous in the entertainment industry.
http://www.globalicons.com/Legends/Crosby/
http://www.crosby.circle.btinternet.co.uk/
http://www.globalicons.com/Legends/Crosby/index.html
    1906--Birthday of Aileen Riggin (Soule) - U.S. athlete. She won three Olympic medals and was the first competitor to win a medal in both the swimming and diving events in the same Olympics. Only 14 at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, she was the first woman to win the gold in springboard diving. In 1924, she won a silver in springboard and a bronze in the 100-metre backstroke. She stood 4'7" tall and weighed 65 pounds.
    1908-Birthday of “Pinky Lee,” born Pincus Leff. Born at St. Paul, MN. When young, Leff had dreams of becoming an attorney, but abandoned the idea when classmates laughed at his lisp. His show business debut was in burlesque in the 1930s. He is best remembered for "The Pinky Lee Show" which telecast from Los Angeles in the early 1950s. Pinky Lee died Apr 3, 1993, at Mission Viejo, CA.
http://www.tvparty.com/lostpinky.html
http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/saturday/sa1353.php.
    1920 - A swarm of tornadoes in Rogers, Mayes and Cherokee Counties in Oklahoma killed 64 persons. 
    1923 - The first transcontinental nonstop airplane flight was made by Lieutenants Oakley G. Kelly and John A. Macready of the Navy Air Service. They took off from Roosevelt Field, NY at 11:36pm and arrived at Rockwell Field, Coronado Beach, CA, at 12:26pm the next day, covering a distance of 2,700 miles in 26 hours.
http://www.nasm.si.edu/nasm/aero/aircraft/fokker_t2.htm   
     1924 - Birthday of singer/actor Theodore Bikel (d. 2015), Vienna, Austria
http://www.bikel.com/
    1925 - San Francisco Embarcadero subway opened
    1929 - Virginia's worst tornado disaster occurred. Six tornadoes, two of which were west of the Blue Mountains, killed 22 people. Twelve children and a teacher were killed at Rye Cove, in Scott County. Four schools were destroyed.
    1930 – THz first game of National Negro Baseball League was played in Indianapolis.  Led by Rube Foster, owner and manager of the Chicago American Giants, the NNL was established on February 13, 1920 by a coalition of team owners at a meeting in a Kansas City YMCA.  The new league was the first African-American baseball circuit to achieve stability and last more than one season. At first the league operated mainly in midwestern cities, ranging from Kansas City in the west to Pittsburgh in the east; in 1924 it expanded into the south, adding franchises in Birmingham and Memphis.
http://www.gnofn.org/~mmcgee/baseball/Rube_Foster.htm
http://www.execpc.com/~sshivers/foster.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/3427/data/fosterru.htm
    1930 - In Des Moines, Iowa, a Western League contest against Wichita becomes the first night baseball game to be played under permanent lights. The unique event, which draws 12,000 fans instead of the usual 600 patrons, is the beginning of a concept which will spread quickly through the minors and spare many organizations from the onslaught of the Great Depression.
    1931 - Jazz organist Richard “Groove” Holmes (d. 1991), born Camden, NJ.
http://www.duke.edu/~mbc5/
http://theatreorgans.com/grounds/groove/holmes.html
(Warren Luening and I along with Chris Morgan and/or Dave Silverman
saw Richard “Groove” Holmes in person on the Hollywood Strip, plus
Mose Allison, Cannonball Adderley, and others in the early 60’s.)
    1932 – Jack Benny’s radio program aired for the first time.  With Canada Dry ginger ale as a sponsor, Benny came to radio on “The Canada Dry Program,” on the NBC Blue Network and continuing for six months until October 26, moving to CBS on October 30. With Ted Weems leading the band, Benny stayed on CBS until January 26, 1933.
    1935 – Frederick Lincoln “Link” Wray, Jr., (d. 2005), one of the more influential rock guitarists of the 1950's, was born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Wray introduced the distorted fuzz-tone guitar sound on his single "Rumble," which by 1958 had sold a million copies. It is said to have been recorded as early as 1954. Link Wray's playing was a tremendous influence on such British rock stars as Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend and John Lennon
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/wray_link/bio.jhtml
http://www.rockabilly.nl/artists/linkwray.htm
    1906--Birthday of Aileen Riggin (Soule) - U.S. athlete. She won three Olympic medals and was the first competitor to win a medal in both the swimming and diving events in the same Olympics. Only 14 at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, she was the first woman to win the gold in springboard diving. In 1924, she won a silver in springboard and a bronze in the 100-metre backstroke. She stood 4'7" tall and weighed 65 pounds.
    1908-Birthday of “Pinky Lee,” born Pincus Leff. Born at St. Paul, MN. When young, Leff had dreams of becoming an attorney, but abandoned the idea when classmates laughed at his lisp. His show business debut was in burlesque in the 1930s. He is best remembered for "The Pinky Lee Show" which telecast from Los Angeles in the early 1950s. Pinky Lee died Apr 3, 1993, at Mission Viejo, CA.
http://www.tvparty.com/lostpinky.html
http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/saturday/sa1353.php.
    1938 - Ella Fitzgerald, with Chick Webb’s band, records “A Tisket A Tasket,” (Decca)
http://persweb.direct.ca/fstringe/oz/a144.html
http://museum.media.org/ella/
    1939 - New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig asked manager Joe McCarthy to take him out of the lineup for the game against the Detroit Tigers. By sitting out, Gehrig’s record streak of consecutive games played, begun May 25, 1925, stopped at 2,130. The slugger complained of fatigue, but he was really suffering from A.L.S., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a condition still known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Gehrig never played again.
http://www.lougehrig.com/
    1945 - BUSH, ROBERT EUGENE, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Hospital Apprentice First Class, U.S. Naval Reserve, serving as Medical Corpsman with a rifle company, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands, 2 May 1945. Entered service at: Washington. Born: 4 October 1926, Tacoma, Wash. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Medical Corpsman with a rifle company, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands, 2 May 1945. Fearlessly braving the fury of artillery, mortar, and machinegun fire from strongly entrenched hostile positions, Bush constantly and unhesitatingly moved from 1 casualty to another to attend the wounded falling under the enemy's murderous barrages. As the attack passed over a ridge top, Bush was advancing to administer blood plasma to a marine officer lying wounded on the skyline when the Japanese launched a savage counterattack. In this perilously exposed position, he resolutely maintained the flow of life-giving plasma. With the bottle held high in 1 hand, Bush drew his pistol with the other and fired into the enemy's ranks until his ammunition was expended. Quickly seizing a discarded carbine, he trained his fire on the Japanese charging pointblank over the hill, accounting for 6 of the enemy despite his own serious wounds and the loss of 1 eye suffered during his desperate battle in defense of the helpless man. With the hostile force finally routed, he calmly disregarded his own critical condition to complete his mission, valiantly refusing medical treatment for himself until his officer patient had been evacuated, and collapsing only after attempting to walk to the battle aid station. His daring initiative, great personal valor, and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in service of others reflect great credit upon Bush and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
    1945 - FOSTER, WILLIAM ADELBERT, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Born: 17 February 1915, Cleveland, Ohio. Accredited to: Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifleman with the 3d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain 2 May 1945. Dug in with another marine on the point of the perimeter defense after waging a furious assault against a strongly fortified Japanese position, Pfc. Foster and his comrade engaged in a fierce hand grenade duel with infiltrating enemy soldiers. Suddenly an enemy grenade landed beyond reach in the foxhole. Instantly diving on the deadly missile, Pfc. Foster absorbed the exploding charge in his own body, thereby protecting the other marine from serious injury. Although mortally wounded as a result of his heroic action, he quickly rallied, handed his own remaining 2 grenades to his comrade and said, "Make them count." Stouthearted and indomitable, he had unhesitatingly relinquished his own chance of survival that his fellow marine might carry on the relentless fight against a fanatic enemy, and his dauntless determination, cool decision and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon Pfc. Foster and upon the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country. 
    1946 – 1960's teen star Lesley Gore (d. 2015) was born in Brooklyn, New York; later moving with her family to Tenafly, New Jersey. She was only 16 when she signed with Mercury records, and became a top star with such hits as "It's My Party" and "Judy's Turn to Cry." Until 1966, Lesley Gore was one of the most successful American teen singers. An attempt in the 1970's to establish herself as a singer geared to the adult market was not particularly successful, and she later turned to performing her hits at oldies concerts.
http://www.swinginchicks.com/lesley_gore.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~Lesley_Gore/bio.html
http://www.lesleygore.com/pages/668081/index.htm
http://www.patswayne.com/lesley/
    1950 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "The Third Man Theme," Anton Karas.
    1950 - Lou Gramm, lead vocalist with Foreigner, was born Louis Andrew Grammatico in Rochester, New York. By the beginning of the 1980's, their hard rock music had gained them worldwide sales of more than 21- million records. Their 1977 debut album yielded three hit singles - "Feels Like the First Time," "Cold as Ice" and "Long, Long Way From Home." Their subsequent million-sellers included "Hot-Blooded" and "Double Vision," both from 1978, "Waiting For a Girl Like You" from 1981 and 1984's "I Want to Know What Love Is." Gramm departed Foreigner in 1990 to continue a solo career that had begun several years earlier. He had had a top-five hit in 1987 with "Midnight Blue."
http://www.foreignerfiles.com/members/lougramm/
http://www.geocities.com/missmoonlight82/stillvidclipsanpics.html 
      1953 - Dark Star defeated the heavily favored Native Dancer to win the Kentucky Derby. A $2 wager to win on this dark horse would have put $50 in your pocket as Dark Star was a 25-1 long shot. 
    1954 - Top Hits
“Wanted” - Perry Como
“Young at Heart” - Frank Sinatra
“Make Love to Me” - Jo Stafford
“Slowly” - Webb Pierce
    1954 - Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals hit five home runs in a doubleheader against the New York Giants in St. Louis, setting a Major League record. The Cardinals won the first game, 10-6, but fell to the Giants in the nightcap, 9-7.
http://www.stan-musial.com/
    1956 - For the first time in Billboard history, five records appear in both the pop and R&B Top 10. They are: Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel," Carl Perkin's "Blue Suede Shoes," Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally," The Platters' "Magic Touch" and Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' "Why Do Fools Fall in Love." Presley's & Perkins' hits are also in the country & western Top Ten at #1 & #2 respectively.
    1957 - Elvis Presley recorded "Jailhouse Rock," a Leiber and Stoller song that would become the title of Presley's next movie.
    1960 - Ben E. King ended his association with the Drifters by signing a solo contract with Atlantic Records. King was the lead on such Drifters' hits as "There Goes My Baby," "Save the Last Dance for Me" and "This Magic Moment." King's first hit on his own was "Spanish Harlem," produced by Phil Spector.
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/king_ben_e_/bio.jhtml
http://www.delafont.com/music_acts/Ben-King.htm
    1960 - Harry Belafonte presented his second Carnegie Hall concert in New York City.
http://w1.871.telia.com/~u87125666/index.htm
    1962 - Top Hits
“Good Luck Charm” - Elvis Presley
“Soldier Boy” - The Shirelles
“Stranger on the Shore” - Mr. Acker Bilk
“Charlie’s Shoes” - Billy Walker
    1964 - Posting a 7-3 victory, the Twins become only the third team in Major League history to hit four consecutive home runs as Tony Oliva, Bob Allison, Jimmie Hall and Harmon Killebrew all go deep against A's pitchers Dan Pfister (3) and Vern Handrahan (1) in the top of the 11th inning at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium.
    1964 - "The Beatles' Second Album" reaches #1 on the Billboard LP chart in just its second week of release. It was the first album ever to make it to the top that quickly.
    1965 - Ed Sullivan breaks a vow he made the year before and books The Rolling Stones back on his long-running CBS variety show -- but not before keeping the band in the studio all day, in order to keep from inciting the fans. The bands perform four songs: "The Last Time," "Little Red Rooster," "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," and the instrumental "2120 South Michigan Avenue."
    1966 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Monday, Monday," The Mamas & the Papas.
    1967 - WRIGHT, RAYMOND R., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company A, 3d Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date: Ap Bac Zone, Republic of Vietnam, 2 May 1967. Entered service at: Moriah, N.Y. Born: 5 December 1945, Moriah, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. While serving as a rifleman with Company A, Sp4c. Wright distinguished himself during a combat patrol in an area where an enemy ambush had occurred earlier. Sp4c. Wright's unit suddenly came under intense automatic weapons and small-arms fire from an enemy bunker system protected by numerous snipers in nearby trees. Despite the heavy enemy fire, Sp4c. Wright and another soldier leaped to the top of a dike to assault the position. Armed with a rifle and several grenades, he and his comrade exposed themselves to intense fire from the bunkers as they charged the nearest one. Sp4c. Wright raced to the bunker, threw in a grenade, killing its occupant. The 2 soldiers then ran through a hail of fire to the second bunker. While his comrade covered him with his machinegun, Sp4c. Wright charged the bunker and succeeded in killing its occupant with a grenade. A third bunker contained an automatic rifleman who had pinned down much of the friendly platoon. While his comrade again covered him with machinegun fire, Sp4c. Wright charged in and killed the enemy rifleman with a grenade. The 2 soldiers worked their way through the remaining bunkers, knocking out 4 of them. Throughout their furious assault, Sp4c. Wright and his comrade had been almost continuously exposed to intense sniper fire from the treeline as the enemy desperately sought to stop their attack. Overcoming stubborn resistance from the bunker system, the men advanced into the treeline forcing the snipers to retreat, giving immediate chase, and driving the enemy away from the friendly unit so that it advanced across the open area without further casualty. When his ammunition was exhausted, Sp4c. Wright returned to his unit to assist in the evacuation of the wounded. This 2-man assault had driven an enemy platoon from a well prepared position, accounted for numerous enemy casualties, and averted further friendly casualties. Sp4c. Wright's extraordinary heroism, courage, and indomitable fighting spirit saved the lives of many of his comrades and inflicted serious damage on the enemy. His acts were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.
    1968 - BENAVIDEZ, ROY P., Medal of Honor
Rank and Organization: Master Sergeant, Detachment B-56, 5th Special Forces Group, Republic of Vietnam. Place and Date: West of Loc Ninh on 2 May 1968. Entered Service at: Houston, Texas June 1955. Date and Place of Birth: 5 August 1935, DeWitt County, Cuero, Texas. Master Sergeant (then Staff Sergeant) Roy P. Benavidez United States Army, who distinguished himself by a series of daring and extremely valorous actions on 2 May 1968 while assigned to Detachment B56, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of 2 May 1968, a 12-man Special Forces Reconnaissance Team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle area west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam to gather intelligence information about confirmed large-scale enemy activity. This area was controlled and routinely patrolled by the North Vietnamese Army. After a short period of time on the ground, the team met heavy enemy resistance, and requested emergency extraction. Three helicopters attempted extraction, but were unable to land due to intense enemy small arms and anti-aircraft fire. Sergeant Benavidez was at the Forward Operating Base in Loc Ninh monitoring the operation by radio when these helicopters returned to off-load wounded crewmembers and to assess aircraft damage. Sergeant Benavidez voluntarily boarded a returning aircraft to assist in another extraction attempt. Realizing that all the team members were either dead or wounded and unable to move to the pickup zone, he directed the aircraft to a nearby clearing where he jumped from the hovering helicopter, and ran approximately 75 meters under withering small arms fire to the crippled team. Prior to reaching the team's position he was wounded in his right leg, face, and head. Despite these painful injuries, he took charge, repositioning the team members and directing their fire to facilitate the landing of an extraction aircraft, and the loading of wounded and dead team members. He then threw smoke canisters to direct the aircraft to the team's position. Despite his severe wounds and under intense enemy fire, he carried and dragged half of the wounded team members to the awaiting aircraft. He then provided protective fire by running alongside the aircraft as it moved to pick up the remaining team members. As the enemy's fire intensified, he hurried to recover the body and classified documents on the dead team leader. When he reached the leader's body, Sergeant Benavidez was severely wounded by small arms fire in the abdomen and grenade fragments in his back. At nearly the same moment, the aircraft pilot was mortally wounded, and his helicopter crashed. Although in extremely critical condition due to his multiple wounds, Sergeant Benavidez secured the classified documents and made his way back to the wreckage, where he aided the wounded out of the overturned aircraft, and gathered the stunned survivors into a defensive perimeter. Under increasing enemy automatic weapons and grenade fire, he moved around the perimeter distributing water and ammunition to his weary men, reinstilling in them a will to live and fight. Facing a buildup of enemy opposition with a beleaguered team, Sergeant Benavidez mustered his strength, began calling in tactical air strikes and directed the fire from supporting gunships to suppress the enemy's fire and so permit another extraction attempt. He was wounded again in his thigh by small arms fire while administering first aid to a wounded team member just before another extraction helicopter was able to land. His indomitable spirit kept him going as he began to ferry his comrades to the craft. On his second trip with the wounded, he was clubbed from additional wounds to his head and arms before killing his adversary. He then continued under devastating fire to carry the wounded to the helicopter. Upon reaching the aircraft, he spotted and killed two enemy soldiers who were rushing the craft from an angle that prevented the aircraft door gunner from firing upon them. With little strength remaining, he made one last trip to the perimeter to ensure that all classified material had been collected or destroyed, and to bring in the remaining wounded. Only then, in extremely serious condition from numerous wounds and loss of blood, did he allow himself to be pulled into the extraction aircraft. Sergeant Benavidez' gallant choice to join voluntarily his comrades who were in critical straits, to expose himself constantly to withering enemy fire, and his refusal to be stopped despite numerous severe wounds, saved the lives of at least eight men. His fearless personal leadership, tenacious devotion to duty, and extremely valorous actions in the face of overwhelming odds were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service, and reflect the utmost credit on him and the United States Army.
    1968 - VARGAS, M. SANDO, JR., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Major (then Capt.), U.S. Marine Corps, Company G, 2d Battalion, 4th Marines, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. Place and date: Dai Do, Republic of Vietnam, 30 April to 2 May 1968. Entered service at: Winslow, Ariz. Born: 29 July 1940, Winslow, Ariz. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as commanding officer, Company G, in action against enemy forces from 30 April to 2 May 1968. On 1 May 1968, though suffering from wounds he had incurred while relocating his unit under heavy enemy fire the preceding day, Maj. Vargas combined Company G with two other companies and led his men in an attack on the fortified village of Dai Do. Exercising expert leadership, he maneuvered his marines across 700 meters of open rice paddy while under intense enemy mortar, rocket and artillery fire and obtained a foothold in 2 hedgerows on the enemy perimeter, only to have elements of his company become pinned down by the intense enemy fire. Leading his reserve platoon to the aid of his beleaguered men, Maj. Vargas inspired his men to renew their relentless advance, while destroying a number of enemy bunkers. Again wounded by grenade fragments, he refused aid as he moved about the hazardous area reorganizing his unit into a strong defense perimeter at the edge of the village. Shortly after the objective was secured the enemy commenced a series of counterattacks and probes which lasted throughout the night but were unsuccessful as the gallant defenders of Company G stood firm in their hard-won enclave. Reinforced the following morning, the marines launched a renewed assault through Dai Do on the village of Dinh To, to which the enemy retaliated with a massive counterattack resulting in hand-to-hand combat. Maj. Vargas remained in the open, encouraging and rendering assistance to his marines when he was hit for the third time in the 3-day battle. Observing his battalion commander sustain a serious wound, he disregarded his excruciating pain, crossed the fire-swept area and carried his commander to a covered position, then resumed supervising and encouraging his men while simultaneously assisting in organizing the battalion's perimeter defense. His gallant actions uphold the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.
    1968 - Moby Grape appears at the San Francisco Fillmore Auditorium.
http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/image.aspx?ItemNumber
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IsDoubleImage=False&Pos=1&Total=103&KeySetID=f22b8204-9df1-459d-88cb-b
665f7829485

    1968 - LIVINGSTON, JAMES E., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, Company E, 2d Battalion, 4th Marines, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. place and date: Dai Do, Republic of Vietnam, 2 May 1968. Entered service at: McRae, Ga. Born: 12 January 1940, Towns, Telfair County, Ga. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Commanding Officer, Company E, in action against enemy forces. Company E launched a determined assault on the heavily fortified village of Dai Do, which had been seized by the enemy on the preceding evening isolating a marine company from the remainder of the battalion. Skillfully employing screening agents, Capt. Livingston maneuvered his men to assault positions across 500 meters of dangerous open rice paddy while under intense enemy fire. Ignoring hostile rounds impacting near him, he fearlessly led his men in a savage assault against enemy emplacements within the village. While adjusting supporting arms fire, Capt. Livingston moved to the points of heaviest resistance, shouting words of encouragement to his marines, directing their fire, and spurring the dwindling momentum of the attack on repeated occasions. Although twice painfully wounded by grenade fragments, he refused medical treatment and courageously led his men in the destruction of over 100 mutually supporting bunkers, driving the remaining enemy from their positions, and relieving the pressure on the stranded marine company. As the 2 companies consolidated positions and evacuated casualties, a third company passed through the friendly lines launching an assault on the adjacent village of Dinh To, only to be halted by a furious counterattack of an enemy battalion. Swiftly assessing the situation and disregarding the heavy volume of enemy fire, Capt. Livingston boldly maneuvered the remaining effective men of his company forward, joined forces with the heavily engaged marines, and halted the enemy's counterattack Wounded a third time and unable to walk, he steadfastly remained in the dangerously exposed area, deploying his men to more tenable positions and supervising the evacuation of casualties. Only when assured of the safety of his men did he allow himself to be evacuated. Capt. Livingston's gallant actions uphold the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.
    1969 - Elvis Presley finishes filming on his 31st and final film, “Change of Habit.”
    1970 - Diane Crump of Oldsman, FL, became the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby, riding “Fathom” in the 1.25 96th Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, KY. In the 17-hourse race, she finished 15th.
    1970 - Top Hits
“ABC” - The Jackson 5
“American Woman/No Sugar Tonight” - The Guess Who
“Love or Let Me Be Lonely” - The Friends of Distinction
“My Woman My Woman, My Wife” - Marty Robbins
    1972 - In New York City, Bruce Springsteen auditions for Columbia Records A&R head John Hammond, who is so impressed he immediately arranges a set that night at the Gaslight Club for his fellow execs.
    1974 - Stevie Wonder wins four Grammy Awards: Pop Vocal Performance (Male), R&B Song (Male), R&B Vocal Performance (Male) and Album of the Year.
    1975 - The biggest snowstorm of record for so late in the season paralyzed Chicago, IL. Up to 20 inches of snow fell in extreme northeastern Illinois, and 10.9 inches of snow closed Chicago's O'Hare Airport.
    1976 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Welcome Back," John Sebastian. The song is the theme of the TV show "Welcome Back Kotter."
    1977 - More than three years after its release, Bruce Springsteen's "The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle" goes gold. 
    1978 - The Bee Gees receive their second platinum single awarded in less than two months for "Night Fever." It was preceded by "Stayin' Alive," both cuts are off the soundtrack "Saturday Night Fever."
    1978 - Top Hits
“Night Fever” - Bee Gees
“If I Can’t Have You” - Yvonne Elliman
“Can’t Smile Without You” - Barry Manilow
“Every Time Two Fools Collide” - Kenny Rogers & Dottie West
    1981 - Scottish singer Sheena Easton made it to the top spot on the pop music charts for her first -- and only -- time. "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" knocked "Kiss on My List", by Daryl Hall and John Oates, out of the top of the music charts. "Morning Train" pulled into the top spot for a two-week stay. Easton had been an actress, appearing as a singer in the 1980 BBC TV documentary, "The Big Time"; and this time she made it to the big time, winning the 1981 Best New Artist Grammy Award. On U.S. TV, she is remembered as Sonny Crockett’s wife in five episodes of "Miami Vice" in the 1980s and for singing the title song in the James Bond flick, "For Your Eyes Only". Easton scored 14 hits on the charts between 1981 and 1991. Seven of those hits made it to the top ten. "The Lover in Me" in 1988 was the closest she ever came to having another number one hit. It stopped climbing at number two.
http://www.sheenaeaston.com/
    1982 - Severe thunderstorms spawned fifty-six tornadoes in the central U.S., including seventeen in the Red River Region of Texas and Oklahoma. The tornadoes claimed thirty lives, and injured 383 other persons. A violent tornado near Messer, OK left only the carpet tack strips on the slab of a house it destroyed, and carried a motel sign thirty miles.
    1985 - The General Motors X-Cars rolled off the assembly line in Detroit, MI for the final time on this day. The cars were a dismal failure, despite being a hit in the beginning, as many claimed they were brought out too early and not “tested.” The X-Cars were subject to massive recalls which cost G.M. many millions of dollars.
http://members.tripod.com/seributra_d/X.htm
    1986 - Top Hits
“Kiss” - Prince & The Revolution
“Addicted to Love” - Robert Palmer
“West End Girls” - Pet Shop Boys
“Now and Forever” (“You and Me”) - Anne Murray
    1986 - The photo essay, "A Day in the Life of America", began as two hundred photojournalists covered the USA to take 350,000 pictures. For publication of the beautiful coffee table book, only 350 pictures were selected. It is considered a collector’s item today.
http://images.isbn.nu/000649207X/price
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/000217734X/
002-9713331-5503223?
vi=glance#product-details\

    1987 - Eleven cities in Florida reported record low temperatures for the date, including Tallahassee with a reading of 31 degrees. The low of 48 degrees at Key West smashed their previous record for the date by 13 degrees.
    1988 - Pete Rose becomes the first manager to be suspended for an on-field incident as National League president Bart Giamatti issues a thirty day suspension for his shoving of umpire Dave Pallone.
    1988 - Top Hits
“Anything For You” - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
“Shattered Dreams” - Johnny Hates Jazz
“Wishing Well” - Terence Trent D'Arby
“One More Try” - George Michael
    1990 - Fourteen cities in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina reported record high temperatures for the date as readings soared into the 90s. Tampa FL reported a record high of 97 degrees, and Fort Stewart, GA was the hot spot in the nation with a reading of 100 degrees. 
    1990 - Thunderstorms produced severe weather in North Carolina and Virginia during the afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms produced golf ball size hail, and spawned a tornado near Chester, VA which caused half a million dollars damage. A storm system produced snow and gale force winds across northern Michigan, with 8.3 inches of snow reported at Marquette. Temperatures in the north central U.S. soared from morning lows in the 20s and 30s to afternoon highs in the 60s and 70s. Eight cities reported record highs for the date, including Havre, MT with a reading of 77 degrees.
    1990 - The Mormon Church says it is dropping some secret rituals that are viewed as offensive to women. It retains the requirement that a woman must be married and taken into heaven by her husband.
    1992 - Mayor Daley declares "Bessie Coleman" day, 66 years after her death. Coleman's brief but intense life led from humble origins to triumphant days as the first African American woman to fly a plane. Tradition has it that her brother, returning from service in France during World War I, told her about the French women's freer lives that included careers. She was unable to find a flying instructor who would teach a black woman to fly so she learned French and moved to France "where race would not be an issue." She returned triumphantly to the U.S. to be featured in flying shows and circuses, widely written about all over the world as "Queen Bess." She felt blacks had to keep up with the times and learn to fly to succeed as a race. She had hoped to start a flying school but, at age 34, she failed to secure the new-fangled invention called the seat belt, and when he plane flipped almost a mile above the earth, she fell to her death. The former manicurist from "The Stroll" area of Chicago now has a street named after her.
    1993 - Top Hits
“Freak Me” - Silk 
“That’s The Way Love Goes” - Janet Jackson
“Informer” - Snow 
“Love Is” (From "Beverly Hills, 90210") - Vanessa Williams/Brian McKnight
“I Have Nothing” (From "The Bodyguard") - Whitney Houston
    1998 - Top Hits
“Too Close” - Next 
“My Al” - Mariah Carey
“You’re Still The One” - Shania Twain 
“Everybody” [“Backstreet’s Back”] - Backstreet Boys 
    2001 - One hundred million copies of J. K. Rowling's four Harry Potter children's books have been sold since the first one in 1995, including translations into 42 languages, her agent announces. The best-selling books of all time are “The Bible” with an estimated 6 billion copies sold, followed by “Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-Tung” (the "Little Red Book") with approximate sales of 900 million.
    2003 - The MLB Players' Association agrees to a two-year experiment in which the winning league of the All-Star Game will have home-field advantage during the World Series. Other changes include roster increase by 2 to 32 players, a separate ballot of managers, coaches and players to be done during the week prior to the game to name the additional nine position players and eight pitchers for each team.
    2007 - 1,876 guitarists gather in Wroclaw, Poland, to set a new Guinness World Record by simultaneously performing "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix.
    2011 – Osama Bin Laden, the suspected mastermind behind the September 11 attacks and the FBI’s most wanted man, was killed by the US Special Forces in Pakistan.
    2014 - Apple and Samsung achieved mixed victory in a patent suit settlement; Samsung will owe Apple about $120 million, and Apple will owe Samsung about $158,000; both parties were found to have infringed on each other's patents  

Stanley Cup Champions:
    Toronto Maple Leafs


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