It is not the pay, not the travel, not the academic
discipline. But the friendships and associations with so many fine people. I
have made and maintained friendships with students from the Xinjiang Province
of eastern China, from Stockholm Sweden, Sao Paulo Brazil, Caracas Venezuela,
Bangkok Thailand, Lompoc California, Dryden New York, Rancho Cucamonga
California and all towns in-between.
These relationships of business, friendship and mutual
respect make teaching the professional passion of my career. To connect with
another human to help them become a better professional and better citizen is
something I cherish. The reward is worth all the time management challenges I
may have. As in life there are failures and successes in teaching, most of the
challenges are in the egos associated with the profession. But when it comes to
students I have no complaints, only thanks for rewarding me with your trust and
association.
2012
OSCAR PICKS – Sunday February 24, 7:00 PM ET, ABC
Best Picture – Lincoln
Leading Actor – Daniel Day-Lewis in
“Lincoln”
Leading Actress – Jennifer Lawrence in
“Silver Linings Playbook”
Supporting Actor – Robert
De Niro in “Silver Linings Playbook”
Supporting Actress – Amy
Adams in “The Master”
Directing – Steven Spielberg for
“Lincoln”
Animated Feature –
“Frankenweenie”
TECH
BLINK: APPLE TARGETED BY TOP HEDGE FUND - "An activist hedge fund
has thrown down the gauntlet to Apple, pushing it to consider new ways to
return billions of dollars to shareholders after the fall of the iPhone maker's
share price by more than a third in recent months. The decision by David
Einhorn's Greenlight Capital to sue the world's most valuable company is the
latest effort to unlock the huge cash piles being hoarded by large technology
groups. ...
"Greenlight on Thursday said it had taken legal action
against Apple over proposed changes to its corporate charter that would
prohibit it from issuing a new high-yielding class of share, which could pay
out billions of dollars from its $137 billion cash pile. ... Apple said it
would consider the idea, along with other ways to boost payouts to
shareholders. ... 'Apple's management team and board of directors have been in
active discussions about returning additional cash to shareholders,' the
company said."
INSIDE
THE WEST WING: Last Thursday, Secretary of State John Kerry
attended his first Cabinet meeting. Also seated at the table, representing
Commerce, was his brother, Cam, who is the department's legal counsel.
Observers believe this was the first brotherly duo at the table since President
John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.
COMCAST
BUYS REMAINING NBC STAKE FROM GE - "Comcast Corp., in a
bullish bet on traditional entertainment, is buying General Electric Co.'s 49
percent stake in NBCUniversal for $16.7 billion. ... Two years ago Comcast
bought an initial 51 percent stake in NBCU, transforming the nation's biggest
cable operator into a diversified media company. Now, Comcast is doubling down,
despite the uncertainty facing the industry, given the rise of digital outlets
like Netflix Inc. and Amazon. ... NBCUniversal's cable channels, including USA,
Bravo and MSNBC, continue to generate big profits. Meanwhile the NBC broadcast
network has shown signs of a turnaround in recent months. ...
For Philadelphia-based Comcast, the NBC purchase is a wager
that it can achieve benefits by owning both distribution and content, a
strategy tried and abandoned by other media companies such as Time Warner Inc.
... Shares of Comcast jumped 6.8 percent in after-hours trading following the
announcement. Comcast is also buying NBCUniversal's floors in the landmark New
York City building at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where NBC now broadcasts and which
carries the GE sign, as well as CNBC's headquarters in New Jersey, for a total
of $1.4 billion. Mr. Roberts declined to comment on whether the Comcast name
would replace GE on the Rockefeller Plaza tower."
PANETTA'S
FAREWELL - "On what may be his final
day in Washington after nearly 50 years of service, Thursday February 14 Defense
Secretary Leon Panetta spent time in and out of the Pentagon thanking
those who have worked to protect the nation these past four years. At 1000,
Panetta was joined by General Dempsey in presenting former Secretary
Clinton with the Department's highest awards for public service at a ceremony
attended by DOD and State Department workers. This was Panetta's
final open-press speech and Clinton's first since she left office. After
lunchtime, Panetta made one final trip up the river to CIA to thank his
former deputy and acting Director Michael Morell in an all-hands call for
agency staff. He quietly went to Section 60 at Arlington one last time to
thank those we've lost on the battlefield. Panetta then returned to the Pentagon
to see immediate staff and left for Monterey late in the afternoon. He promised his wife, Sylvia, he would be home in time for
Valentine's Day dinner. Panetta will remain Secretary of Defense -- and will
execute those responsibilities -- until Chuck Hagel takes the oath of
office."
BIRTHDAYS
THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to: Charles
Barkley (50), Fred Biletnikoff (70), Jeff Daniels (58), Erma King …famous
gardener, Yoko Ono (80), William Peterson (60), Gretchen Pugliese …famous
Health Care manager, Seal (50), Cybill Shepherd (63), Vijah Singh (50), Justin
Verlander (30).
COLLEGE
ENDOWMENT RETURNS 2012 - The value of college endowments fell back
to earth in 2012, just a year after soaring an average of 19.2 percent,
according to a new survey released last week. The NACUBO-Common Fund Study of
Endowments, which looks at data from more than 800 education institutions in
North America, found that endowments for the fiscal year that ended on June 30,
2012, were essentially flat, returning an average of minus-0.3 percent.
Harvard University was, once again, the wealthiest
institution, with $30.4-billion in endowment funds. Although the university
reported an investment return of 0.05 percent, the total value of Harvard's
endowment fell by 4.1 percent as the net result of institutional expenditures
and investment fees as well as the slight investment gain and incoming gifts. That
negative 4.1 percent amounted to nearly $1.3-billion in 2012, a figure that is
greater than the value of all but the 55 largest endowments.
Yale University's $19.3-billion endowment was the
second-biggest, with a return of 4.7 percent on its investment. The University
of Texas system was third, at nearly $18.3-billion. Stanford University's
$17-billion endowment was fourth, and Princeton's was fifth, with just under
that amount. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which has an endowment
valued at $10.1-billion, reported an 8-percent rate of return.
One reason that endowment values dipped is that 57 percent
of the institutions increased their expenditures on campus operations, spending
an average of 7.1 percent more in 2012 than they did a year earlier. The
wealthiest class of institutions spent 15.7 percent more.
DINING
OUT – We found a great neighborhood bar and grill, where old
school meets new school. The West Point
Lounge is that neighborhood place we all long for; good, cheap food in a
friendly atmosphere. This family owned, for seventy five years, restaurant has excellent cheeseburgers, fish and shrimp
baskets, and cheap drinks. The entire family can come but we recommend after
8:00 PM to leave the kiddies at home. The bar always has a sports event on, and
the bar menu is extensive.
1712 Spring Arbor Road, Jackson Michigan (517-784-3602). On
the Rink Rats scale of one to ten (with ten being best), we give The West Point
Lounge a solid 8. For our mid-western readers we highly recommend.
NBA
POWER RANKINGS – at the All-Star break, who are the best and worst
in the National Basketball Association: (1). San Antonio Spurs, (2). Miami
Heat, (3). Oklahoma City Thunder, (4). Los Angeles Clippers, (5). Memphis
Grizzlies. Bottom Two: (29). Cleveland Cavaliers, (30). Charlotte Bobcats.
COLLEGE
HOCKEY PICK OF THE WEEK – Friday February 22, 7:30 PM ET, CBS; a big
weekend at Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan has the #12 ranked Notre
Dame Fighting Irish (19-12-1) visit #6 Western Michigan Broncos (18-8-6). Can
the Bronocs stingy defense control the Domers high flying offense? Western 5
Irish 4. (Season to date (6-2)
THE
SWAMI’S TOP PICKS: ice –
(CCHA) Western 5 Notre Dame 4, (NHL) Montreal 3 N.Y. Rangers 2, auto – (NASCAR)
Jeff
Gordon to win the Daytona 500, film – (Oscars) best film is “Lincoln”. Season to date (57-29)
THE
HASSE CUP – Congratulations to Carrie L. for winning the
2012 Hasse Cup. The Hasse Cup is a
symbol of sports and entertainment expertise. Trophy presentation will be this
Thursday evening (February 21) at the Hi Brow Lounge in dynamic Pomona
California, the presentation will be in the “Advancement Suite” at the Hi Brow.
Master of Ceremonies for this years’ gala, Mr. Robert Earhart. The ceremony
will be broadcast live on The Animal Planet Channel at 11:00 PM ET.
RINK
RATS SHOUT OUT – this week to Mr. Peter Blair of Rochester, New
York. An avid follower of this publication, Mr. Blair, St. Lawrence ’76, native
of Ottawa, Ontario Canada. He is an educator, hockey fan, famous investor, and
long-time friend.
DRIVING
THE WEEKEND - "Tiger Woods Joins Obama on Links for
Presidential Golf Vacation, Woods ... joined the president, U.S. Trade
Representative Ron Kirk and Jim Crane, an Obama supporter who owns the exclusive
Florida course where they played, ... the Floridian National Golf Club in Palm
City, Florida. The White House confirmed that Woods was golfing with Obama
hours after Tim Rosaforte, a correspondent for Golf Digest and the Golf
Channel, [tweeted] that Woods was awaiting Obama's arrival at the club and that
duo's first round together would mark a 'historic day in golf.' Golf Digest, in
a report on its website, said that Butch Harmon, who created the club's
instructional facility and is Woods' former coach, was also on the tee with
Obama and Woods. 'The last tournament you played was fun to watch,' Obama told
Woods, Golf Digest reported, citing Harmon. 'It's good to see you play well
again.' ... The Floridian National Golf Club, with a course designed by Tom
Fazio, is owned by Crane, 59, who also owns the Houston Astros."
Next week; Mid-winter movie pick and Jack Ass of the Month.
Until Next Monday, Adios!
Claremont, CA
February 18, 2013
#III-44, 149
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