Downtime

Canada Day, Independence Day, the week ahead is a downtime week. Monday off for Canada Day, Wednesday off for Independence Day, why work this week? Let’s read Rink Rats, get up to date, and spend some downtime.

Easier said than done these days.

Traveling this week for the holiday? Way to be original. According to AAA, a record 46.9 million people will be hauling 50 miles or more—up more than 5% since last year.

More numbers you need to know:

$171: The average cost of a round-trip flight (along the top 40 domestic routes). If that sounds cheap...it is. It's the lowest July 4th-week airfare in five years.

2x: If you plan on hitting the road in D.C., NYC, or Los Angeles Tuesday afternoon, expect your travel time to at least double.

11%: The increase in mid-tier hotel prices from last year.

362,000: The number of stranded motorists AAA expects to help. Issues include dead batteries, flat tires, and lockouts.

#1: The top domestic destination? Orlando, FL. And the top spot goes to Rome for international travel.

WHAT’S ON THE iPHONE? – five songs we are listening to this July holiday week:

1). “The Stars and Stripes Forever”, 1896 – John Philip Sousa

2). “Peaceful, Easy Feeling”, 1972 - Eagles

3). “Return to Sender”, 1962 – Elvis Presley

4). “Wild Wild Life”, 1986 – Talking Heads

5). “Theme from Shaft”, 1972 – Isaac Hayes

JULY HOLIDAY DESSERTS - Boozy Bomb Pops

How to improve on a childhood classic? First, use real fruit. Second, spike those stripes. In her Boozy Bomb Pops, Hildie Haviland of the Detroit Pop Shop (a fixture at metro-area farmers markets) layers tangy yogurt with vanilla vodka-laced strawberry and blueberry purees.

Makes: 10 to 12 servings

Yield: 10 to 12 ice pops

Hands On 45 mins

Total Time 9 hrs

ingredients

1 cup sugar

2 cups strawberries

2 cups blueberries

4 tablespoons vanilla-flavor vodka or vanilla cream liqueur (optional) Editors Note: forget the 4 tablespoons of vanilla-flavor vodka, 6 shots will do…we recommend Absolut Vanilla Vodka.

2 teaspoons lemon juice, divided

2/3 cup vanilla-flavor yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

directions

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water and the sugar to boiling, stirring until mixture is clear and surface is covered with bubbles. Let syrup cool completely. Meanwhile, if spiking pops, place berries in separate bowls and drizzle each with 2 tablespoons vodka.

For red layer: Puree strawberries (and vodka, if using) in a food processor or blender. Transfer to a small pitcher; stir in 1/2 cup of the chilled syrup and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Pour into ten to twelve 3- to 4-ounce pop molds or paper cups to fill molds one-third. (You may have excess mixture.) Do not put in sticks. Freeze 3 to 4 hours or until firm.

For white layer: Stir together yogurt and vanilla in a small pitcher. Pour over frozen red layer to fill molds about two-thirds. Insert sticks; hold in place with clothespins laid across the rim. Freeze for 3 to 4 hours or until firm.

For blue layer: Follow Step 2 using blueberries. Pour into molds, leaving 1/4 inch at top for expansion. Freeze 3 to 4 hours or until firm.

Take mold out of freezer and place in a room temperature bath that comes all the way to the top lid. Hold there for 5 to 10 seconds. Remove lid and pull the popsicles straight up to release from the mold.

tip

If frozen pop molds are unavailable, use 3-ounce wax-lined paper cups instead. Pour the strawberry layer into each cup, about 1/3 of the way up. Freeze 2 to 3 hours or until frozen. Pour the second layer (white layer) about 2/3 of the way up. Cover each cup with a piece of foil. Using a small sharp knife, make a slit in each piece of foil. Insert wooden pop sticks into slits. Freeze 2 to 3 hours until frozen. Remove foil and carefully pour in blueberry layer to fill cups. Cover with foil and freeze 2 to 3 hours or until frozen.

tip two

As a backup we suggest Jello Vodka shots, a sound replacement for July holiday desserts.

COLLEGE CHRONICLES – Median revenue growth among public universities has fallen for the second consecutive year, according to a report from Moody's Investors Service. In the 2017 fiscal year, growth was 2.9 percent. Meanwhile, the median growth of expenses is on the rise, too — at a rate of 4.8 percent. The good news? Total public-university enrollment is up.

The Trump administration has proposed merging the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor, but higher-education experts are skeptical that Congress would sign off on such a change. Why? While some Republican lawmakers love to criticize the Education Department, they do like the federal money it brings to their districts.

THE RICH GET RICHER - The advent of conference networks and new television rights deals have led to skyrocketing revenues for athletic programs and universities this decade. And those revenue distributions coming to power conference schools keep rising with seemingly no end in sight.

The University of Michigan released their athletic budget this week and within it was the revelation of just how much the school received from their most recent Big Ten conference revenue distribution.

After receiving $36 million in 2017, Michigan received a $51.1 million payout in 2018 from the conference largely thanks to a huge rights deal with ESPN and Fox and the success of the Big Ten Network. The number will increase to $52.1 million for the 2019 fiscal year.

To show you how far these conferences have come in such a short period of time and how these numbers are increasing at an astronomical rate, consider that Big Ten teams received just $25 million per school in the 2013 fiscal year. The Big Ten has incredibly been able to double their revenue distribution for schools in just five short years. Yes, double. It’s astounding. And it shows that maybe Jim Delany wasn’t all that crazy in making sure he got BTN on cable systems on the east coast to expand the league’s footprint. Even though Rutgers and Maryland haven’t exactly fit in seamlessly with the likes of Michigan and Ohio State on the field, expansion and realignment has certainly paid off for the conference.

To put that number in further perspective, it far surpasses anything that we’ve seen so far in the conference revenue race to this point. The Big Ten is in a league of their own with the SEC, which managed to lead all conferences in distributing $40 million to schools in 2017. The other power five conferences are further behind and while the coming ACC Network should make that conference a little more competitive on the revenue front, it’ll likely still be far behind the Big Ten.

Just remember though, these same schools receiving tens of millions of dollars just can’t find a way to afford to pay their players. I don’t know of too many Division III programs that are raking in $50 million per year.

JUST GRADUATED, THINK LAST PAYCHECK NOT FIRST - As I sat watching the most recent Commencement at The University of La Verne, I looked out at the sea of caps and gowns and wondered, how many of them are thinking about their final paycheck?  They were almost certainly thinking about their first.

But I am an OG, retirement is my middle name, so thinking about how people will pay for life in retirement is one of the great mysteries in my life. The reality is that we have only an educated guess for what is in store for today’s graduates when it comes time for them to retire. One thing we can say with confidence: the sooner they start to save and invest, the more prepared they will be and the greater flexibility they will have along the way.

What graduates and those just starting their first job need now are a few painless ways to get started. Share these tips with a grad you know:

1. Invest your graduation gifts

When family and friends splash the cash to congratulate you on your hard work, they expect you to treat yourself or hope to help smooth out some bumps as you get started. Investing that money may help you maximize their generosity. Of course, many grads may need to meet immediate expenses. If you cannot invest all of it, find a percentage you are comfortable investing.

2. Round up your student loan payments

Repaying student loans may seem like a daunting task. It may feel like paying for your past is getting in the way of building your future. But you may be able to use that habit of making your regular payment to do both. When you budget your payments, round up and invest the extra. For example, if you are paying $250 a month, budget $300 and invest the extra $50. (You may also look into refinancing your student loans and investing the savings.)

3. Explore technology that helps you save as you spend

A new generation of investment tools are designed to fit in with your lifestyle. For example, Acorns (The micro-investing app in the United States. Acorns aims to help America’s next generation of up-and-coming investors improve the way they engage with, save, and ultimately invest their money) rounds up the cost of simple every day purchases, like the salad you just bought for lunch, and invests the difference. It’s the digital-age equivalent of sweeping up your change every night and dropping it into a jar. It may seem small, but it adds up quickly.

4. Take advantage of your 401(k)

With all your future wages ahead of you, now’s the time to form good habits and expectations around how you invest. That’s part of the value of being defaulted into your company’s 401(k). It’s like auto-pay for retirement saving–you don’t have to think about it. But don’t just accept the default rate. Make sure you are contributing enough to get the full company match and understand how long you need to stay in the job to be fully vested. Opt in to auto-escalation as well, so that each year–presumably when you get a raise–you can save and accrue a bit more.

5. Make your future even brighter

Here’s the thing–any start, no matter how small, can make a significant impact over time. And time is one thing all new grads have a lot of. So take advantage of it. Getting started doesn’t have to be difficult. There are many low-cost options available that may be an appropriate place to begin building your balance. Because it’s true what they tell you at commencement: Your future is bright. And now is the time to start investing in it.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Bryan Best …famous father and technology guru; Larry David (71) Beverly Hills, CA.; Huey Lewis (68) Pebble Beach, CA.; Lisa Looney …. famous volleyball Mom and outstanding teacher; Ringo Starr (78) London, England.

THE WAY WE WERE – A new segment to Rink Rats, some photos of years gone by, submitted to us by some sick individuals desiring to make us look like fools.

Seriously, wonderful memories and special friends.

Left to right: Bill Reid, Bill Dillabough, Ron Harris. Bill Dillabough and Ron Harris are no longer with us, but not a day goes by when they still make us laugh.

Left to right: Ken Brousseau, Murray Cawker, Joe O’Rourke, Dan dePinquertaine, Scott Graham

Left to right: Tom McGuire, Les Bethea, Reggie Dunlop, Scott Morrison, Jim Shatford, Hugh Lappe, Peter Blair, Stephen Whitter, Joe O’Rourke, Bob Gang, Jeff Dillon

These photos were taken from The St. Lawrence University police files.

EXTREME MAKEOVER – General Electric Edition

Well...that's a wrap, folks. GE's  plan to spin-off or offload $20 billion worth of company assets is reaching its conclusion.

The final chapter? Spinning its healthcare business into a separate entity and selling ownership of its oil company, Baker Hughes.

But for those who haven't been reading the beginning chapters, here are the sparknotes:

GE: A once-massive, now-struggling company with a depressed stock price (down 50% last twelve months).

CEO John Flannery: He joined last August, cut dividends, and weaved together the plan to streamline GE's operations.

Businesses that didn't make the cut: Lighting ($2 billion in revenue), Transportation ($4.2 billion), Oil & Gas ($17.2 billion), Healthcare ($19.1 billion).

What GE is left with: Power ($36 billion in revenue), Aviation ($27.4 billion), Renewable Energy ($10.3 billion), Capital ($9.1 billion).

Bottom line: Up until last Tuesday—when it was replaced by Walgreens—GE was the last remaining member of the original Dow Jones. Now, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, GE has been reborn (but as a much, much smaller phoenix).

MARKET WEEK – The first half of the year was full of surprises on Wall Street. Even experts and investors who expected more volatility after a historically calm 2017 were caught off guard by many of the developments inside and outside the markets this year, including the rapid gains stocks made in January, their abrupt descent into a 'correction,' and the ongoing trade tensions that threatened to undo the benefits of the GOP tax overhaul and strong corporate profits.

Still, consumer-focused companies like retailers had a strong start to the year and technology companies continued to rally, while high-dividend stocks, especially phone companies and household goods makers, lagged behind. The Federal Reserve continued to push up short-term interest rates and the dollar rallied, contributing to a sell-off in emerging markets.

U.S. markets: Well, the first half of the year for the markets is over. And? The S&P finished up 1.7%, the Dow dropped 1.8%, the Nasdaq jumped 8.8%, and the Russell 2000 increased 7.1%. With the tax cuts, things could've been better, but with the trade war...things definitely could've been worse.

Inflation: The core inflation rate finally hit a bullseye for the Fed: 2%—the first time in six years.

The IPO market has roared back to life. Companies are raising public capital this year at a pace rarely seen in the past two decades. So far this year, 120 companies have used initial public offerings to raise $35.2 billion on U.S. exchanges. Meanwhile, the M&A market is zooming into record territory.

Dell is nearing a deal that would once again make it a public company. The PC and data-storage giant could make an announcement as early as today that it intends to acquire via share swap the DVMT tracking stock.

Stocks to Watch

General Motors—Down 0.5%: The auto maker warned the Trump administration late in Friday’s session that tariffs on vehicle imports would hurt its competitiveness, cost U.S. jobs and result in “a smaller GM.”

Ford—Down 0.5%: Ford and other car manufacturers are bracing as China prepares to slap an additional 25% tariff on U.S. auto imports Friday.

Facebook—Down 0.8%: The social-media giant late Friday disclosed it gave dozens of companies special access to user data, detailing for the first time a spate of deals that contrasted with the social network’s previous public statements that it restricted personal information to outsiders in 2015.

Target—Unchanged: Target plans to add automatic cash-counting machines to its nearly 2,000 stores starting this summer, following other retailers who are automating more store jobs as labor costs rise.

AMLO - For the first time since 2000, a left-wing candidate from a non-traditional party won the country's presidential election.

His name? Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Or as he's better known, AMLO.

AMLO's not your average Mexican politician. He rose to popularity through his nationalist agenda, inflammatory rhetoric, and less-than-friendly approach to trade and foreign investment.

That type of populist mentality is what most Mexicans feel the country needs right now.

44% of Mexico's population live below the poverty line.

Corruption and greed have become all-too-common among elected officials.

While the focus has been on free trade and investment, crime has skyrocketed: 1) Crime is at a 20-year high and 2) 120 local politicians have been killed since elections started in September. Don't mess with the cartel...

So basically, a little more attention on the people could go a long way. And that's exactly what AMLO has in mind.

THANK LA BRON - Lakers-Warriors tickets are about to cost one million dollars for nosebleeds.

SWAMI’S WEEK TOP PICKS –

MLB Game of the Week – Saturday July 7; Atlanta Braves (48-34) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (48-35), both teams begin the week in first place in their divisions. We like the Brew Crew to win this one, 8 – 7.

World Cup Soccer (Football) – World Cup Soccer (Football) – Group Winners: A - Uruguay | B - Spain | C - France | D - Croatia | E - Brazil | F - Germany | G - Belgium | H - Colombia

Group Runners-Up: A - Egypt | B - Portugal | C - Peru | D - Argentina | E - Costa Rica | F - Mexico | G - England | H – Senegal

Belgium to win over Spain in the Final on July 15 in Moscow.

Season to Date (29 - 17)

ON THIS DATE – On this day July 2, 1962, a struggling retailer from Kingfisher, Okla., opened an 18,000-sq.-ft. discount store in Rogers, Ark. His name was Sam Walton, and he called his store Wal-Mart.

DRIVING THE WEEK - A weird holiday week this year with July 4 falling inconveniently on a Wednesday. When do I work, when do I play? Fourth week of the summer term, we still teach.

Congress is gone for the holiday ... President Trump on Monday meets with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands ... He'll travel to West Virginia on Tuesday and Montana on Thursday ... ISM manufacturing at 10:00 a.m. Monday expected to tick down to 58.5 from 58.7 ... ISM non-manufacturing at 10:00 a.m. Thursday expected to dip to 58.2 from 58.6 ... June jobs report on Friday at 8:30 a.m. expected to show a gain of 195K, unemployment at 3.8 percent and wages up 0.3 percent.

Monday (July 2): The first legal pot store in Massachusetts could be granted a license; Today is known as the most bullish trading day of the year

Tuesday (July 3): NYSE closes early for the holiday

Wednesday (July 4): U.S. Independence Day #242

Thursday (July 5): Anyone got Advil?

Friday (July 6): U.S. and Chinese tariffs go into effect; June jobs numbers

Next Blog: Summer reading and summer travel.

Until next time, Adios

Claremont, California

July 2, 2018

#IX-6-374

CARTOON OF THE WEEK – The New Yorker, Downtime

RINK RATS POLL –

My downtime is?

____ Reading

____ Sleeping

____ Television

____ Alcohol

____ All of the above.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH – " If you obey all the rules, you’ll miss all the fun." – Katherine Hepburn

Rink Rats is a blog of weekly observations, predictions and commentary. We welcome your comments and questions. Also participate in our monthly poll. Rink Rats is now viewed in Europe, Canada, South America and the United States.

Posted at Rink Rats The Blog: First Published – May 3, 2010

www.rhasserinkrats.blogspot.com