Weekend Edition
BUENOS DÍAS good
Friday morning.
I have been in a
twilight zone for how long?
I went to my campus
office today to pick up some files for the upcoming remote fall semester/term.
My first visit since March, it was an eerie feeling. Nothing had changed; desk
was exactly as I left it, files, calendar, post it notes, etc. One good thing the
office was very clean, kudos to our staff. But it was like walking into a
twilight zone, I thought it was March 10.
I have been in a
twilight zone listening to our two political conventions. First the Democrats,
preaching doom and gloom, I thought I was back in 1976 listening to Jimmy
Carter’s convention, many problems, but few solutions. This week, the
Republicans, preaching a fantasy land of accomplishments and successes. While,
our planet is warming, our children suffer from lack of leadership in our
education institutions, our citizens are still dying by the hundreds daily from
a virus that has no central administration of control, they preach the greatest
Presidency in American history.
Is The White House
available for proms now?
Truly a Twilight Zone.
What next? A sixty-game
baseball season, NHL and NBA playoffs into October, The Masters in November, no
more wearing of masks (been to Orange County, CA lately), oh I guess all this
has already happened.
Truly a Twilight Zone.
COLLEGE CHRONICLES - Colleges need the
tuition dollars that come with bringing students back to campus, even if it
means risking their health. Some institutions fear that without in-person
classes, they will lose students to competitors. If competition for students is
preventing many colleges from making choices that would benefit the public,
constrained public revenue streams are behind the existential challenge for
schools that educate younger students.
The University of Arizona is acquiring Ashford University, a
for-profit, online institution, for $1, and will create a new nonprofit entity,
University of Arizona Global Campus, as a result.
From Insider Higher Ed: "SimpsonScarborough has released a
survey of incoming freshmen who aspired to attend a four-year residential
college that finds that 40 percent of them say they are likely or highly likely
to not attend any four-year college this fall. Further, 28 percent of returning
students who have the option to return to their campus say they are not going
back or haven't decided yet. (Some of both groups of students may be interested
in attending a community college.)" Lots more stats here, including that
41% of returning students prefer to return to campus for a hybrid model, 31%
want to stay home and take classes remotely and only 17% want to return to
campus to take classes in person.
Editor’s note: I have spoken this past week with all the thirty
nine students enrolled in my two classes beginning August 31, and they are all
attending our remote classes this fall. I might add, all with positive
attitudes about the upcoming semester (must be the Professor). They did ask
about lowering the tuition.
TROLL TIDE - The rise we've seen
in recent days is unacceptable, and if unchecked, threatens our ability to
complete the rest of the semester on campus,' University of Alabama President
Stuart Bell said." Universities sound alarm as coronavirus cases emerge
just days into classes — 530 at one campus. (They didn't sound the alarm.
They're just finally hearing it.)
COVID-19 UPDATE - Covid-19 deaths,
yesterday:
Spain: 25
France: 23
Japan: 11
Canada: 10
UK: 2
Germany: 4
United States: 1,170
Population of countries above: 426 million
Population of United States: 328 million
MARKET WEEK – The Dow Jones Industrial Average is getting a
makeover next week.
On August 31, shares of Exxon Mobil, Pfizer and
Raytheon Technologies will be replaced by Saleforce.com, Amgen and Honeywell
International. These changes will mark the first time since 1928 that Exxon
Mobil won’t be part of the Dow in any way. The stock was first included in the
average nearly 100 years ago, when it was known as Standard Oil.
The shake-up comes on the heels of Apple’s
4-for-1 stock split, which also takes effect om August 31. In a statement,
S&P Dow Jones Indices said the moves “help diversify the index by removing
overlap between companies of similar scope and adding new types of businesses
that better reflect the American economy.”
BIRTHDAYS
THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Sean Connery (90),
Hoang Dinh …The Man in Vegas, Lindsey Shiomi …needs to work on her golf game.
STAT OF THE DAY - Allan Lichtman, a historian
at American University, has accurately predicted the outcome of every U.S.
presidential election since 1984, including Donald J. Trump's surprising 2016
victory over Hillary Clinton. He's done so by using a set of 13
"keys" to winning the White House. Lichtman has become something of
an academic celebrity, surfacing every four years to weigh in on who will be the
Oval Office's next occupant. Now, in a New York Times video op-ed, Lichtman
predicts Joe Biden will come out on top in November.
68 DAYS – Until the national election on November 3,
talking about a Twilight Zone, stay tuned.
Kamala Harris, Joe Biden's running mate, is a graduate of Howard
University, making her the first HBCU alum on a major party's presidential
ticket. This is the first time since 1984 that the Democratic ticket won't have
an Ivy League graduate.
TOP THREE – Best and worst baseball broadcasters:
Worst
Alex Rodruguez, ESPN
Drew Goodman, Colorado Rockies
Kirk Gibson, Detroit Tigers
Best
Dan Shulman, Toronto Blue Jays
John Sterling, New York Yankees
Bob Costas, MLB Network
THE SWAMI’S
WEEKEND PICKS –
Stanley
Cup Playoffs: 08/29 Noon (EDT), NBC; Philadelphia Flyers (1-1) vs. New York
Islanders (1-1), a critical game 3 in this Eastern Conference semi-final. We
like the Islander, 4-2.
NBA
Playoffs: 08/29 9:00 PM (EDT), TNT; Dallas Mavericks (2-3) vs. Los Angeles
Clippers (3-2), a no brainer, Clips win easy, 125 – 110.
Major
League Baseball: 08/29 1:05 PM (EDT), YES: New York Mets (13-16) vs. New York
Yankees (16-11), Yanks are beat up, have lost five in a roll – this ends today,
Yanks win, 6 – 2.
Next Blog: The school
year begins…
Until
Monday September 7, 2020 Adios.
Claremont,
California
August
28, 2020
#XI-8-414
1,155 words, four minute read
CARTOON OF THE WEEKEND – Bad Dream
RINK RATS POLL – If the 2020
Presidential election were to be today, I would vote for President?
___ Joseph Biden
___ Donald Trump
___ Other
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND – "Patriotism means to stand
by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President." - Theodore
Roosevelt
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
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Posted at Rink Rats The Blog: First Published – May 3, 2010
Our Eleventh Year.
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