The Game

There are many big games going on these days: Michigan v. Ohio State, Harvard v. Yale, USC v. UCLA, St. Lawrence v. Clarkson, Florida v. Florida State, Arizona v. Arizona State. Where you are in the U.S.A. determines the significance of The Game.

As I have begun my holiday season travels there are many other more important games going on I have been noticing, such as. The game of the growing divide between rich and poor in this country, the game of Generals retiring from the military with six figure pensions with corporate consulting gigs and wounded veterans who struggle to find work and adequate health care. The game of poor leadership from the White House, to the Congress, to the State Houses, to local City Halls and city council members whose biggest accomplishment is counting down Christmas twelve months a year. The game of six figure college administrators who lead students to six figure debt and lifelong financial burden, the game of labor unions selling out their members to maintain their seven figure incomes while services and efficiency have become a thing of the past. The game of health care where corporations reap huge profits and most Americans (especially the elderly) have inadequate health care. The game of getting in line at 1:00 AM to purchase a 42’ plasma television, while your children, alone at home, cannot read or write properly, the game of watching tornadoes in November, melting ice packs, droughts, and hearing a political commentator, with orange tinted hair, say it has nothing to do with global warming.

So who won the SC-UCLA game????

THE SECOND EGYPTIAN REVOLUTION: "Frustrated by their unfinished uprising, Egyptians take to the street again to protest their military rulers," by Abigail Hauslohner/Cairo : "What started as a protest led by Islamist groups to condemn a proposed set of supraconstitutional principles that would give the military broad power and immunity in a new Egypt has wound up attracting liberal and young voices as well .... And when the crackdown came, it activated a wide range of Egyptians, many of whom say the revolution is still fruitless and unfinished. ... Protesters in Cairo are rekindling the words that have come to symbolize the uprising of January and February-and every other Arab revolution since: 'The people want the fall of the regime.' And in some cases, they've added a few more words: 'and the field marshal.' That would be the most prominent face of the new regime-Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, 76, who has headed the ruling military council since the ouster of Mubarak, whom he served as Defense Minister."

BREAKING OVERNIGHT: CHINA FACTORIES SLUMP - Reuters/Beijing: "Chinese factories battled with their weakest activity in 32 months in November, a preliminary purchasing managers' survey showed, reviving worries that China may be skidding toward an economic hard landing and compounding global recession fears. The HSBC flash manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) ... slumped in November to 48, a low not seen since March 2009. The data showed the world's growth engine is not immune to economic troubles abroad, and could further unnerve financial markets already roiled by Europe's deteriorating debt crisis."

TOURNAMENT OF ROSES - The 28-year-old actor and motivational speaker radiates joy. ... Earlier this month, JR Martinez was chosen as grand marshal of the 123rd annual Tournament of Roses parade. He was on the cover of People magazine and named one of its 'sexiest men'... And on Tuesday, he became the new 'Dancing With the Stars' champion. Martinez and professional partner Karina Smirnoff claimed the mirrorball trophy over fellow finalists Rob Kardashian and Ricki Lake."

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to: Woody Allen (76), Tyra Banks (37), Jeff Bridges (62), Dick Clark (82), Bo Jackson (49), Jay Jones …the lab coat haunts me, G. Gordon Lilly (81), Edwin Meese III (80), Vin Scully (84), Britney Spears (30), Lawrence Summers (57), Lee Trevino (72).

WORDS OF THE MONTH –

stertor \STUR-ter\, noun:

A heavy snoring sound.

“He was snoring, a wheeze and stertor that animated the papers scattered round him...”
-- T.C. Boyle, Riven Rock

mismo, adverb
right...

Apart from meaning the same, mismo is used to emphasize and pinpoint certain adverbs. It’s useful to learn these combinations of mismo with another word as single units.

“Nos podemos encontrar aquí mismo.”
We can meet right here

NHL 20 GAMES – The first 20 games of the 2011-2012 season have been completed here are the best teams and players at this point in the season:

Pittsburgh (32 points), Chicago (31), Toronto (30), Boston (29), Detroit (29).

Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs, (16 goals, 30 points).

Brian Elliott, St. Louis Blues, (1.34 goals against, .951 save percentage).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 12/3, #10 Oklahoma Sooners (9-2) visit #3 Oklahoma State Cowboys, 8:00 PM ET, ABC. I still believe The Cowboys have been overrated all year, The Sooners to win this one and force an LSU-Alabama BCS Title game.                                                                                                          
Season to date (8-5)

SMALL COLLEGE PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 12/3, the D-III Quarterfinals has #6 Wabash College Little Giants (12-0) visiting #2 Mount Union Purple Raiders (10-1), 12:00 PM ET, HGTV. The Little Giants glory season will come to an end at  powerful  Mount Union.                                                                                                   Season to date (11-2).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Sunday 12/4, Green Bay Packers (11-0) visit The Meadowlands and the New York Football Giants (6-4), 4:15 PM ET, Fox. We have been predicting The Packers demise weekly now, and will continue to do so – The Giants to win and begin their march to a division title.                                           
Season to date (6-6).

THE SWAMI’S TOP PICKS – Michigan State 28 Wisconsin 24, Boston College 5 Boston University 2, New Orleans 32 Detroit 24.                                                                                                                                      Season to Date (24-12).

DRIVING THE WEEK - European headlines will again set the global tone even as Congress returns to take up the critical issue of extending payroll tax cuts and emergency unemployment benefits beyond Dec. 31. There is limited disagreement over extending the tax cuts but huge disagreement over how to pay for it. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Dems would support a millionaire's surtax but that's not going anywhere. So they will have to find another way ... President Obama is back on the jobs trail on Wednesday, this time in the swing state of Pennsylvania where he will almost certainly play up what he believes will be lost if the tax cuts and UI benefits are not extended: 1 million jobs and 0.5 percent of GDP. Republicans meanwhile will likely counter that the President seems to spend a lot of time campaigning on the public dime.

There is a ton of important U.S. data all week (including new homes sales at 10:00 a.m. this morning) but the HUGE number, November jobs, comes Friday. Some signals have suggested the number could approach 200K, but consensus is for 125K with the jobless rate staying at 9.0 percent.

Next week, Vegas for the holidays.

Until next Monday, Adios.


Claremont, CA
November 28, 2011

#II-31, 84

It Begins

The Holiday travels begin: one word – help!

Why, why, why?

I could be home in Archie’s chair, a cocktail, salami, my iPad and Blackberry a short distant away, watching football, hockey, CNBC, Weather Channel. But no, freeways, airports, cold weather, hearing loss, mayhem – why?

One word – family. Love them to death but can’t they come here????

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Troy Aikman (45), Barbara and Jenna Bush (30), Goldie Hawn (66), Caroline Kennedy (54), Stan Musial (91).

FIRST LOOK -- FORTUNE's 2011 "Business Person of the Year": Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz -- David A. Kaplan: "Back in September, two days before Barack Obama delivered his speech to Congress on jobs, he put in a call to Howard Schultz ... The business icon had suddenly become a political activist, announcing that because he was disgusted with Washington's dysfunction, he would cease making campaign contributions to incumbents in either party. ... Obama ... had no personal relationship with Schultz, a registered Democrat, and the two had met only once, when Obama was the junior U.S. senator from Illinois. 'Howard,' said the President, 'I'd like to talk to you about a number of things, including your campaign initiative, as well as your thoughts on the economy and job creation.' ...

BACKSTAGE - HOW THE SUPERCOMMITTEE FLUNKED : The supercommittee last met Nov. 1 - three weeks ago! It was a public hearing featuring a history lesson, "Overview of Previous Debt Proposals," with Alan Simpson, Erskine Bowles, Pete Domenici and Alice Rivlin. The last PRIVATE meeting was Oct. 26. You might as well stop reading right there: The 12 members (6 House, 6 Senate; 6 R, 6 D) were never going to strike a bargain, grand or otherwise, if they weren't talking to each other. Yes, we get that real deal-making occurs in small groups. But there never WAS a functioning supercommittee: There was Republican posturing and Democratic posturing, with some side conversations across the aisle.

We thought that human factors would prod ambitious members to crack the code, and that the committee would take on its own ecology, regardless of pressures from above or below. But we were punk'd: The supercommittee - one of the most fascinating government experiments of this generation -- never existed as a dynamic political organism.

The official deadline for action by the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction is Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. The real deadline is Monday night, since any plan has to be posted for 48 hours before it's voted on. So conversations this weekend revolved around how to shut this turkey down. Aides expect some "Hail Mary" offers on Sunday, and there's something on the stove that could be inoffensive to both sides. But the committee may not even have a fig-leaf agreement to announce. Total, embarrassing failure. The markets and the country will hate it.

SUPERCOMMITTEE FAIL: WHY MARKETS SHOULDN'T CARE - No one ever gave the supercommittee much of a chance, so it's hardly a surprise they are meeting those low expectations. There is no debt limit or government shutdown crisis looming. The "government is broken" argument is not wrong but it's not new and there are plenty on both sides who think doing nothing here was better than anything on the table. The failure triggers automatic "sequester" cuts of $1.2 trillion over 10 years (thought they don't kick in until 2013 and are thus deeply suspect.) ... There probably won't be any downgrades and if there are ... so what.

The S&P downgrade had no impact on the 10-year Treasury yield, which kept dropping after the ratings agency made its controversial summer move. And the biggest reason the supercommittee fail is a big fat nothing-burger? The economy is showing signs of life with a decent chance that jobs growth hits close to or over 200K in November and that fourth quarter GDP surprises to the upside. Growth won't erase big structural benefits vs. tax rates problems but it will make the numbers easier.

NFL - Sunday stats - NFL release : "New Orleans' DREW BREES (3,326 yards, 23 touchdowns), Green Bay's AARON RODGERS (3,168 yards, 31 touchdowns) and New England's TOM BRADY (3,032 yards, 23 touchdowns in nine games) have all passed for at least 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns in their team's first 10 games (Brady and the Patriots play their 10th game on Monday night). This is the first time in NFL history that three different quarterbacks have passed for at least 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns in their team's first 10 games. ... The GREEN BAY PACKERS defeated Tampa Bay 35-26 and improved to 10-0. The Packers have won a franchise-record 16 consecutive games (including the playoffs) and are the third defending Super Bowl champion to start the following season 10-0 (1990 San Francisco 49ers and 1998 Denver Broncos). The Packers are 10-0 for the third time in franchise history (1929 and 1962). Green Bay won the NFL Championship in both of those seasons. ...

"The DETROIT LIONS erased a 24-7 deficit to defeat Carolina 49-35. The Lions are the first team in NFL history to win three games in a single season in which it trailed by at least 17 points. The Lions won games in Weeks 3 (20-point deficit vs. Minnesota) and 4 (24-point deficit vs. Dallas) after trailing by at least 17 points. ... Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS completed 23 of 34 passes (67.6 percent) for 299 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a 112.3 passer rating in the Packers' win. Rodgers is the first quarterback to record a passer rating of at least 100 in 10 consecutive games in a single season. He had previously been tied with PEYTON MANNING (nine in 2004) for the longest such streak. Rodgers has passed for at least two touchdowns in all 10 games this season and is the fifth quarterback in NFL history with multiple TD passes in each of his team's first 10 games. The other four quarterbacks to accomplish the feat are Pro Football Hall of Famers JOHNNY UNITAS (1959) and DAN MARINO (1984) and PEYTON MANNING (2004) and TOM BRADY (2007)."

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 11/26, it is finally here, Ohio State Buckeyes (6-5) at #15 ranked Michigan Wolverines (9-2), 12:00 PM ET, ABC. Ohio State stinks this year, Michigan is getting better, but still it is the best game of the year. The Big House will be rocking as Michigan takes Ohio State in a laugher.
Season to date (7-5).


SMALL COLLEGE PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 11/26 and the next round of the D-III playoffs have #5 ranked Linfield Wildcats (10-0) at Wesley Wolverines (10-1), 12:00 PM ET, HGTV. Linfield is the best in the west after beating Cal Lutheran (SCIAC) by three points on Saturday. We like them to continue on in the playoffs with a big win in Dover, Delaware.
Season to date (11-1).


NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Thursday, 11/24 – parades, shovel the sidewalk, the smell of Turkey in the oven, Green Bay Packers (10-0) at Detroit Lions (7-3), 12:30 PM ET, Fox – this is Thanksgiving in America. The Lions need this one to get into the playoffs, it will be a tough one but the Lions will win.
Season to date (6-5).


THE SWAMI’S TOP PICKS – Michigan 35 Ohio State 21, BC Lions 28 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 17, Detroit 42 Green Bay 40. Season to Date (22-11).

DRIVING THE WEEK - Today is all about markets reacting to (and politicians spinning) the supercommittee failure (or celebrating a SHOCKING and nearly impossible breakthrough). Later in the week features some key U.S. data and European debt sales ... President Obama is in New Hampshire on Tuesday to talk about the jobs bill at Manchester High School Central. ... Third quarter GDP gets revised on Tuesday ... Wednesday is loaded with juicy data due to the holiday with weekly jobless claims, personal income and spending and Reuters/U. Mich. consumer sentiment (a key number heading into Black Friday and the full-tilt holiday shopping season)

Next week, words of the month and Jack Ass of the month.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
November 21, 2011

#II-30, 83

Friend or Foe: Snobs

There have been a lot of discussions recently about snobs, especially those who live in Claremont, California. It seems Claremont residents believe they are a higher being. As a snob to a small degree I feel I can comment on this, my snobbery involves restaurants, bars, streets, and to a certain degree areas of the USA.

Snobs are like conservative Republicans: a pain in the a _ _, but they keep a proper balance on things. I truly believe we all aspire to be a snob, snobbery feels good – now I do not condone snobbery to our neighbors or religious groups but being a snob can give one purpose in their daily routine.

Is Montclair really worth a visit? Decent restaurants along Foothill Boulevard, I don’t think so. I was feeling a bit down in the dumps this morning, I feel much better now.

PERSONAL FOUL AT PENN STATE  – Maureen Dowd writes: “Like the Roman Catholic Church, Penn State is an arrogant institution hiding behind its mystique. And sports is an insular world that protects its own, and operates outside of societal norms as long as victories and cash continue to flow bountifully. Penn State rakes in $70 million a year from its football program. The delusion that the ability to win football games indicates anything at all about your character or intelligence other than that you can win football games.”

TOP STORY - "Ohio vote shows unions still a political force," by AP's Sam Hananel: "Labor unions are celebrating one of their biggest victories in decades after turning back an Ohio law that curbed collective bargaining rights for state public workers. The vote showed unions are still a potent political force ... The question for many is whether to interpret Tuesday's Ohio referendum as simply a rejection of Republican overreach in a heavily unionized state or more broadly as a barometer of a battleground state that could resonate with voters nationwide. Union leaders say they hope it brings about a resurgence for a labor movement long in decline...

GOP DEBATE WRAP: PERRY DESTROYED; ROMNEY CRUISES - Only one huge headline from last week's CNBC debate: The (final?) implosion of Rick Perry's campaign. The Texas governor was never very strong during the two-hour affair (or any previous debate). But he crashed hard in a classic deer-in-the-headlights moment likely to live in campaign lore when he could not remember the third federal agency he would shut down as president. ...

Perry: "And I will tell you, it is three agencies of government when I get there that are gone. Commerce, Education, and the -what's the third one there? Let's see ... Okay. Commerce, Education, and the...”... CNBC's John Harwood: "You can't -- you can't name the third one?" Perry: "The third agency of government I would -- I would do away with Education, the Commerce... Commerce and, let's see. I can't. The third one, I can't. Sorry. Oops."

INTERNET EXPLODES - Perry came back 15 minutes later and named the Department of Energy as the third he would shutter. But by then Twitter had exploded with blistering commentary, including from many prominent Republicans, about the end of the Perry campaign. The rest of the debate didn't really matter much. Herman Cain drew cheers again and Maria Bartiromo got booed for bringing up the sexual harassment scandal. No surprise. But Cain won't be the nominee. Newt Gingrich gained a bit of traction with another fairly strong, media-bashing performance where he demonstrated his fluency on a wide-range of issues.

But while he has a strong core of elite GOP support, it's difficult to see Gingrich posing a real threat to Mitt Romney, who made no mistakes last night (other than some mussed hair) and won strong applause for brushing past the Cain scandal without a comment while training his fire on President Obama. And Romney, who took some of the edge off his opposition to the auto bailouts, faced none of the withering attacks he endured (especially from Perry) at the last debate.

Indeed, during some of his warmer exchanges with Gingrich it seemed Romney was preparing to offer the former House speaker a senior post in his administration. ... Perry brain freeze is here if you have not already watched it 50 times.

THE BIG IDEA -- - Bloomberg Businessweek cover, "WHY AMERICANS WON'T DO DIRTY JOBS,": "It's a hard-to-resist syllogism: Dirty jobs are available; Americans won't fill them; thus, Americans are too soft for dirty jobs. Why else would so many unemployed people turn down the opportunity to work during a recession? Of course, there's an equally compelling obverse. Why should farmers and plant owners expect people to take a back-breaking seasonal job with low pay and no benefits just because they happen to be offering it? If no one wants an available job-especially in extreme times-maybe the fault doesn't rest entirely with the people turning it down. Maybe the market is inefficient. ... The notion of jobs in fields and food plants as 'immigrant work' is relatively new. As late as the 1940s, most farm labor in Alabama and elsewhere was done by Americans.

"During World War II the U.S. signed an agreement with Mexico to import temporary workers to ease labor shortages. Four and a half million Mexican guest workers crossed the border. At first most went to farms and orchards in California; by the program's completion in 1964 they were working in almost every state. Many braceros-the term translates to "strong-arm," as in someone who works with his arms-were granted green cards, became permanent residents, and continued to work in agriculture. Native-born Americans never returned to the fields. 'Agricultural labor is basically 100 percent an immigrant job category,' says Princeton University sociologist Doug Massey, who studies population migration. 'Once an occupational category becomes dominated by immigrants, it becomes very difficult to erase the stigma.'"

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Traci Attman …famous text writer, Joe Biden (69), John Boehner (62), Dick Cavett (75), Prince Charles (63), Ann Curry (55), Boutros Boutros-Ghali (89), Carrie Lewis Hasse …famous half-marathoner, Diana Krall (47), Condoleezza Rice (57), Richard Simpson …famous strategist, Lorene Thomas …famous party planner, Sam Waterston (71), Judy Woodruff (65).

SPORTS BLINK -- REMEMBERING JOE FRAZIER -- 'JOE FRAZIER, 1944-2011: Relentless Champion of the 'Fight of the Century by Dave Anderson : 'For all the deserved accolades for Muhammad Ali, I've always believed that each at his best, Joe Frazier, who died Monday night at age 67, was the better fighter. And the better man. After both entered the Madison Square Garden ring undefeated in 1971 for what was called the Fight of the Century, Frazier flattened Ali with a left hook and earned a unanimous and unquestioned 15-round decision that Ali didn't wait to hear. His jaw swollen, he hurried out of the ring on the way to a nearby hospital. He knew who had won. The Thrilla in Manila in 1975 was awarded to Ali when Frazier's trainer, Eddie Futch, wouldn't let him answer the bell for the 15th round because 'he couldn't see the right hands coming' out of his closed left eye, but Frazier soon talked freely in the interview area.... That evening, at a party in an old Filipino palace, Ali, his ribs battered, walked stiffly and sat stiffly, painfully offering a finger or two instead of shaking hands. At his hotel, Frazier sang and danced. Seeing them both, if you didn't know what had happened in the fight, you had to think Frazier was the winner.'

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 11/19, USC Trojans (8-2) visit #4 Oregon Ducks (9-1), 8:00 PM ET, ABC. Can SC win a big one, especially at Oregon? We don’t think so, the only remaining question is: what uniform will The Ducks wear?
Season to date (7-4).

SMALL COLLEGE PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 11/19, the D-III playoffs begin with the SCIAC runner-up #13 Redlands Bulldogs (8-1) visit Belton, Texas and the #4 ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders (10-0), 4:00 PM ET, HGTV. The American Southwest Conference champions are tough, too tough for Redlands.
Season to date (10-1).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Sunday 11/20, San Diego Chargers (4-5) @ Chicago Bears (6-3), 4:15 PM ET, CBS. This could be it for Norv Turner’s coaching days in San Diego, rumors are flying that he has lost the team. The Bears will help this out by routing the bolts.
Season to date (6-4).


THE SWAMI’S TOP PICKS – The Swami is coming off a few off weeks, time to get back on track: Oregon 45 USC 28, St. Lawrence 4 Harvard 2, Chicago 24 San Diego 20.
Season to Date (20-10).

BEYOND THE BELTWAY - "Nixon Library director to step down: Timothy Naftali led transformation from roadside attraction to respected institution," by L. A. Times' Christopher Goffard (Saturday's second front): "Naftali, 49, who presided over the transfer of the long-ridiculed private library to federal hands in 2007, will leave Nov. 19 and said he plans to turn his focus to finishing a book he's been researching on the 37th president's great rival: John F. Kennedy. ... For years after its opening in 1990, the [library's Watergate] exhibit reflected Nixon's own version ... In April, [Naftali] unveiled a $500,000 new exhibit that featured a comprehensive chronicle of Watergate, placing it in the context of a broader pattern of dirty tricks and sabotage ... The Nixon Foundation, made up of the former president's loyalists, fought unsuccessfully to block portions of the exhibit [as] part of a larger clash between the Foundation and Naftali. The foundation temporarily suspended event funding in 2009, when Naftali invited former White House counsel John Dean to speak."

DRIVING THE WEEK - Italy remains the dominant financial story and today's bond sale will help drive market sentiment on whether a euro zone crack-up can be avoided ... President Obama has a fundraiser in Hawaii today before moving on to Australia on Tuesday and then Indonesia ... Supercommittee enters its final full week of talks with no deal in sight though there is now talk of a move to increase revenues while leaving the actual details on tax hikes to next year. Obama still has not issued a veto threat on any effort to circumvent the sequester ... Top data this week include retail sales for October on Tuesday, expected to gain around 0.3 percent ... CPI out Wednesday expected to increase 0.1 percent excluding food and energy ...

Next week, the holiday travels begin.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
November 14, 2011

#II-29, 82

The Education Bubble

You heard about the High Tech Bubble, you heard about the Housing Bubble, you even heard about the Double Bubble, but now hear about the Education Bubble, and it could be even uglier, especially for those in higher education.

The higher education business model of the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s can no longer exist. Every year colleges and universities increase tuition, room and board 3%-6% knowing full well that student loans (exempt from bankruptcy laws, thus the Federal Government bails out the defaulted loans), Pell and other government financed grants will always be there to supplement education costs. Also, the days of knowing a graduate will have a job waiting for him and her are now far from over.

To work around the growing bubble, universities allow poorly prepared students, faculty and administrators into their programs to maintain revenues and lower operating costs. The perfect storm is approaching: (1) students and their families are thinking of non-traditional forms of higher education to reduce the cost and debt, (2). The economic conditions of the United States; recession and/or slow growth for many years, (3) the ability for federal and state governments to fund education is now limited and nonexistent, (4) the Federal Reserve may bail out student lenders, but this sets the stage for an even larger collapse (like we are seeing in housing), and (5) students may be reaching the point that their education is not serving them, so why pay?

All of the above is approaching, already here , or not too far away. The major problem is student debt, many homeowners “strategically defaulted” when they realized their house was wasting their money. Why would not students just drop out of the system if their student loans were high enough? If this happens who pays, the tax payer and as you can see in the current political climate the tax payer has had enough.

The higher education model must change for the 21st century especially at those colleges and universities who do not have the luxury of larger benefactors and endowments. I believe there are administrators and government leaders out there to meet this challenge of changing the higher education model, time is running out, good luck.

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS KEEP FIRING - From blog post by Commerce Department chief economic Mark Doms: "So far this year state and local governments have been cutting jobs at the same pace that private sector firms are adding them. Over the first 9 months of the year, private payroll employment has grown 1.2 percent (1.3 million jobs) while employment in state and local governments declined by 1.2 percent (234,000 jobs). With cuts so deep, few services are spared, including for local schools. ... Nationally, employment in local education has shrunk by nearly 270,000 jobs since August 2008 even as enrollment continues to rise.

TOP 1% IN U.S. – (1) Bill Gates (Microsoft) $59.4 billion, (2) Warren Buffett (Berkshire Hathaway) $39.0 billion, (3) Larry Ellison (Oracle) $33.0 billion, (4) Charles/David Koch (Oil & Gas) $25.0 billion, (5) Christy Walton (Walmart) $24.5 billion.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Al Arbour (79), Nadia Comaneci (50), Linda Gordon …famous shopper, Kathleen Jenrich …famous LA Angels fan, David Kung …famous investor, Chris Noth (57), Bonnie Raitt (62), Fuzzy Zoeller (60).

NHL OCTOBER SUMMARY – power rankings for October: (1) Pittsburgh, (2) San Jose, (3) Washington, (4) Chicago, (5) Toronto (yes The Leafs!).

Players of the Month: Phil Kessel, Toronto; Kari Lehtonen (Dallas); Nikolai Khabibulin (Edmonton).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 11/12, #7 Oregon Ducks (8-1) visit #4 Stanford Cardinal (9-0), 8:00 PM ET, ABC. A huge game in Palo Alto to determine Pac 12 supremacy, this is the Cardinal’s year RR likes Andrew Luck and crew to win.
Season to date (7-3).

SMALL COLLEGE PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 11/12, 4:00 PM ET, HGTV; the Whittier Poets (2-6) visit University of La Verne Leopards (3-5) at Ortmayer Field. Coach Krich has had a decent first year at La Verne, he can set the stage for a better second year and program with a victory over Whittier. La Verne will win big.
Season to date (9-1).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Sunday 11/13, 4:15 PM ET, Fox has the New York Giants (6-2) at San Francisco 49ers (7-1). A great matchup with two of the more surprising NFL teams through the first half of the season. The Giants will have a letdown after their victory of the Pats; RR likes the 49ers to win.
Season to date (5-4).

THE SWAMI’S TOP PICKS – Stanford 38 Oregon 31,La Verne 42 Whittier 20, Detroit 24 Chicago 21. Season to Date (19-8).

DRIVING THE WEEK - European headlines, especially out of Greece and Italy, will continue to drive U.S. markets, which appear headed to a lower open this morning on concern over Italy ... GOP candidates gather for an economic debate in Michigan hosted by CNBC at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Mitt Romney has stayed far away from the Herman Cain sexual harassment scandal and will likely to continue to do so ... Will Rick Perry, who desperately needs to cut down Cain's tea party support, follow suit or go on the attack? ... On Thursday, First Lady Michelle Obama will speak to business leaders, veterans and military spouses at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's 4th Annual "Hiring Our Heroes" event. ... President Obama heads to Honolulu on Friday for the start of the APEC summit and will spend the weekend in Hawaii before moving on to Australia and Indonesia ... There is always the chance the trip will get cut short if the supercommittee appears to be breaking down as its Nov. 23rd deadline nears.

Next week, friend or foe: snobs.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
November 7, 2011

#II-28, 81