Old School

Another week completed of an “Old School” vacation. What is OS? Like last week visiting Wrigley Field, PJ Clarke’s, eating Chicago style hot dogs and drinking Old Style beer. This week Rink Rats visited Petoskey and Walloon Lake Michigan, visiting old friends, the City Park Grill (used to be called Park Garden Café), eating Murdick’s Fudge, breakfast at Bob’s Big Boy (the real one not a Southern California copy), pizza at The Beach Bar, and just taking in the sunsets on Lake Michigan.

Above all being in the place where you grew up with family, that is “Old School”.

Now back to the unreality life of our world:

CLIMATE DENIERS -- “GOP candidates knock global warming,” by POLITICO's Darren Samuelsohn: “Republicans running for the House, Senate and governor's mansions have gotten bolder in stating their doubts over the well-established link between man-made greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. … They could form a key voting bloc, adding insult to injury for climate advocates who failed to pass an energy bill this year. … Ron Johnson, running against Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold (D): … 'I absolutely do not believe in the science of man-caused climate change,' Johnson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Monday. 'It's not proven by any stretch of the imagination.' Johnson told the newspaper that the climate change theory was 'lunacy' and blamed changes in the Earth's temperature to 'sunspot activity or just something in the geologic eons of time.' … Sharron Angle …. said on her website in June that she thought legislation to curb greenhouse gases 'is based on an unscientific hysteria' … In California, Republican Senate nominee Carly Fiorina used a recent ad to mock Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Boxer for her description of climate change as a national security issue. 'Terrorism kills -- and Barbara Boxer's worried about the weather' … Ken Buck, Colorado's Republican Senate nominee, is also on record saying he's not a believer in man-made global warming. … 'I am one of those people that Al Gore refers to as a skeptic.'

A REAL WORLD ACADEMIC - Jonathan Reed, 46, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of La Verne, east of Los Angeles, loves traveling without a cell. "I'll talk to strangers. I love going to Italy, where everyone talks to everyone all the time," he says. "A cell phone signals that my whole world is me and it excludes everyone else."

DIVORCE -- Tiger had two divorce lawyers; she had six: “Ms. Nordegren was represented by McGuireWoods attorneys Richard Cullen and Dennis I. Belcher in Richmond, Scott S. Cairns in Jacksonville and Walter H. White, Jr., and Josefin Lonnborg in London, assisted by Rebecca Palmer of Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A. Thomas J. Sasser of the West Palm Beach, Florida firm of Sasser, Cestero and Sasser P.A., and Peter T. Mott of the Southport, Connecticut firm of Brody Wilkinson, P.C., Mr. Woods' long time general counsel, represented Mr. Woods.”

Tiger finished tied for 12th in this weeks’ PGA tour event, winning $157,500 (lawyers: the check is in the mail).

SPORTS BLINK - “AP source: Ramirez expected to join White Sox: Manny Ramirez helped the Boston Red Sox win the World Series in 2004 and 2007. He powered the Los Angeles Dodgers to the NL West title two years ago with a stellar run at the plate. The Chicago White Sox are hoping he has one more playoff push left. Ramirez is expected to join the White Sox on Monday, giving the fading playoff contenders a big boost during a key 10-game road trip.” Since Manny got off the enhancement drugs he has been over paid and under performing.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week for Jean Beliveau (79), Terry Bradshaw (62), Warren Buffett (80), Salma Hayek (44), Van Morrison (65), Bob Newhart (81), Andy Roddick (28), Raquel Welch (70).

US TENNIS OPEN PICKS – Woman: Caroline Wozniacki – Men: Rafael Nadal

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 9/4, Oregon State Beavers (24) @ TCU Horned Frogs (6) ESPN 7:45 PM ET. Point Spread is 13.5 for TCU, take the points and Oregon State; first big top 25 game of the young season, OSU will show the Pac Ten is for real this season.

BUSINESS BURST - FT A1, “Sales of new US homes hit record low,” by Alan Rappeport: “A precipitous drop in sales of new homes and signs of weakening business investment on Wednesday reinforced rising anxiety about the US economy's wavering recovery. Growing uncertainty is keeping both buyers and sellers on the sidelines of the housing market and fading government stimulus efforts have washed away demand for new homes. New home sales fell by 32.4 per cent in July year-on-year to a record low adjusted annual rate of 276,000 ... New home sales fell 12.4 per cent between June and July, missing projections that they would be flat during the month, or even creep higher.”

Barring a rally of major proportions over the month's final two trading days, the Dow, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq will experience their first losing month of August since 2005.

Next week: A week late but our monthly economic review.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Jackson, Michigan
August 30, 2010