Recipes for the Soul

With the economy still in the tank, politicians promising and unaccountable, and the pace of life picking up after a relaxing summer, Rink Rats thought it best to provide a few recipes for the soul. To ease our readers into the autumn season and relax you with some comfort food and drink:

First a wonderful recipe for a Pulled Pork Sandwich – there is nothing better on a crisp fall day to bite into superbly prepared PPS. To wash it down a drink entitled Spicey Red Beer, a concoction perfectly suited for the fall and especially tailgating. We top our recipes for the soul with Tequila Bars. There is no better way to end a meal or to just snack, on these wonderfully lite and flavorful bars.

Pulled Pork Sandwich

Ingredients
For the Pork:
• 6 tablespoons paprika
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Scant tablespoon onion powder
• Kosher salt and coarsely ground pepper
• 1 10-to-12-pound boneless pork shoulder or Boston butt, rinsed and dried
• 12 soft hamburger buns, split
• Coleslaw, for serving
•
For the Barbecue Sauce :
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Directions
If using a gas grill, preheat to high on one side; put soaked wood chips in a smoker box. Once smoking, reduce the heat to maintain a temperature of 275 degrees F and cook the pork, covered, on the cooler side of the grill.

Rub the pork
Make the barbecue seasoning: Mix the paprika, sugar and onion powder in a bowl. Transfer 3 tablespoons seasoning to a separate bowl, add 2 tablespoons salt and 3 tablespoons pepper, and massage onto the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. (Reserve the remaining barbecue seasoning.)

Prepare the wood chips
Soak 6 cups wood chips in water, about 15 minutes, then drain. Don't over soak, or the wood will snuff out the fire.
Light the grill
Fill a smoker or kettle grill with charcoal and light. (Rink Rats use lighter fluid; you can also use a chimney starter.) When the coals are mostly white, spread them out with tongs. Spread 1/2 cup of the wood chips over the coals (use 1 cup for a kettle grill). The temperature of the grill should be about 275 degrees F.

Cook the pork.
Place the pork fat-side down on a rack in the smoker or on the grill. Cover and cook, rotating the pork every hour or so, until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees F, about 6 hours total.
Feed the grill
As the pork cooks, add more charcoal and wood chips to keep the temperature between 250 degrees F and 275 degrees F and to maintain the smoke level.

Make the sauce
Meanwhile, mix the ketchup, 1 cup water, both sugars, 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, the onion and mustard powders, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, corn syrup and 1 tablespoon of the reserved barbecue seasoning in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, at least 2 hours. Let cool, then reheat on the grill when ready to use. "Time for a beer break, this is a long recipe."

Shred the pork
Transfer the pork to a rimmed baking sheet (you'll want to catch all the flavorful juices) and let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred into bite-size pieces, pile on a platter and pour any juices from the baking sheet on top.

Make the sandwiches
Mound the pork on bun bottoms, paint with a little barbecue sauce, top with slaw and cover with the bun tops. The best sandwich ever.

Spicey Red Beer
Ingredients

• Ice cubes
• 1/2 cup tomato juice
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash hot sauce
• Splash olive juice
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle ale style beer
• Pimento stuffed olive, for garnish

Directions
In a frosted beer mug filled with ice, combine tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and a splash of olive juice. Pour in cold beer. Garnish with olive. Also good for a hangover.

Tequila Bars
Ingredients

• 1 12-ounce box vanilla wafers
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
• 1/3 cup tequila
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 5 large egg yolks, plus 2 egg whites
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Agave nectar or honey, for drizzling (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pulse the wafers and pine nuts in a food processor until well ground up. Add the butter and blend until evenly mixed. Set aside 1/4 cup of crumbs; press the rest evenly into a 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the tequila, lime juice, egg yolks and condensed milk.
In another medium bowl, beat the egg whites and sugar with an electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the tequila mixture. Spread the filling evenly over the crust and bake for 25 minutes; cool. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight before cutting. Drizzle with agave nectar, if desired.

"Feel better."

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 9/18, Iowa Hawkeyes (2-0) @ Arizona Wildcats (2-0), 10:30 PM ET, ESPN. The 9th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes march into the desert favored by 1.0 point. We pick The Wildcats to beat their Big Ten rivals, take the points. Season to date (2-0).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Sunday 9/19, New England Patriots (1-0) @ New York Jets (0-0), 4:15 PM ET, CBS, NYJ -1.0 point. Rex Ryan will have his hands full in this key early season match up, The Jets will need more than a cocky coach to beat the Pats, take the points and the Patriots. Season to date (1-0).

SMALL COLLEGE PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 9/18, Alfred University Saxons @ St. Lawrence University Saints, 1:00 PM ET. The 25th ranked Saxon Warriors roll into Canton with a power house, no chance for the Saints, 40 -10 Alfred. Season to date (1-0).

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week for Lauren Bacall (86), Maria Bartiromo (43), George Blanda (83), B.B. King (86), Dan Marino (49), Dan Pugliese (??), Bill O’Reilly (61), Trisha Yearwood (46).

IF YOU THINK YOUR “STUFF” MATTERS (aerial of homes destroyed in San Bruno, Calif., when a natural-gas pipe exploded) http://bit.ly/a7K8vS

BASEBALL SOAP OPERA - Now, as the 2010 season draws to a close, the torpedo has struck a direct hit. The (Frank & Jamie) McCourts are in a free-fall for all the public to watch, live in divorce court, California-style; and their grand bauble – The Los Angeles Dodgers, historically the beacon of continuity, respect and backroom influence -- has crumbled on and off the field. Even worse, the team is being defined by a word that hasn't been associated with the franchise since World War II: unstable.

The collapse is an extraordinary example of greed and unaccountability gone wild in a decade already full of them. Piece by litigated piece, the most important West Coast franchise in the game is being tarnished, and the skeptics who doubted the McCourts in the first place are swallowing the bittersweet aftertaste of being right.

GOOD BYE - For three decades, Paul Conrad's cartoons in the Los Angeles Times were conversation starters, debate shapers and eyeball attractors. He was one of the paper's best known journalists, the one sure to draw the longest lines at book signings and other public appearances. He was liberal but skewered almost everybody, and he famously had independence from the editor and publisher, who would regularly get calls from this or that mayor, senator or president demanding that Conrad be stopped. One of his favorite honors was to be included on President Richard Nixon's enemies list, and his website says his favorite irony was "holding the Richard M. Nixon Chair at Whittier College (1977-78.)"

Next week: "I'm not happy".

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
September 13, 2010

Labor Day

The first Labor Day was observed on September 5, 1882 in New York City, by the Central Labor Union of New York, the nation’s first integrated major trade union. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshalls during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. The September date originally chosen by the CLU of NY was selected as the official date. All 50 U.S. states have made Labor Day a state holiday.

A LABOR DAY THOUGHT WE LIKED, from NPR's Scott Simon: “Having no job does not mean having no work. Your children must still be fed, bathed, and ferried to school … But you have less money for food, gas, and the new shoes your children need for school. … Having no job means that things people talk about these days -- iPads, android phones, 3-D movies, new music, or meeting friends over $4 coffee drinks -- are just beyond reach. You worry about getting dull, having nothing to talk about, and losing friends. … You may blame politicians, brokers and bankers, but in the middle of the night you might turn your eyes to the sky and wonder what you did, didn't do, or should have done. … This Labor Day we might salute the millions of Americans who don't have jobs, but who in many ways work harder than ever.”

L.A. Times lead story: “Ugly reality looms for job seekers: It could be years before the labor market recovers. Many will run out of benefits long before that,” by Alana Semuels: “Major employers including automakers and building contractors were at the core of the meltdown this time around. Even when the economy picks up, these sectors won't quickly rehire all the workers they shed during the downturn. Many small businesses, squeezed by tight credit and slow sales, similarly aren't in a hurry to add employees. Some big corporations are enjoying record profits precisely because they've kept a tight lid on hiring. And state and local governments are looking to ax more teachers, police officers and social workers to balance their budgets.”

LABOR DAY ALSO REPRESENTS – unofficial kick off for the fall political campaigns (same old promises, same old results); hockey season is not too far away; the three plus hour baseball games are almost over (especially for L.A. Dodger and Angel diehards); SC hottest month (September) is now here; U.S. Open Tennis & College Football all weekend; time to tax plan for the end of the year; and of course time to go back to work (ugh)!

BREAKING - LARRY J. SABATO, Director, U.Va. Center for Politics, “Sixty Days to Go: The Crystal Ball's Labor Day Predictions: “Republicans have a good chance to win the House by picking up as many as 47 seats, net [39 needed for control]. This is a 'net' number since the GOP will probably lose several of its own congressional districts in Delaware, Hawaii, and Louisiana. … If anything, we have been conservative in estimating the probable GOP House gains, if the election were being held today.

“In the Senate, we now believe the GOP will do a bit better than our long-time prediction of +7 seats. Republicans have an outside shot at winning full control (+10), but are more likely to end up with +8 (or maybe +9, at which point it will be interesting to see how senators such as Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, and others react). GOP leaders themselves did not believe such a result was truly possible just a few months ago. If the Republican wave on November 2 is as large as some polls are suggesting it may be, then the surprise on election night could be a full GOP takeover. Since World War II, the House of Representatives has flipped parties on six occasions (1946, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1994, and 2006). Every time, the Senate flipped too, even when it had not been predicted to do so. These few examples do not create an iron law of politics, but they do suggest an electoral tendency. The seat switches are probably coming in Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware (but only if the eventual GOP nominee is Rep. Mike Castle), Indiana, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania. We expect Republicans to pick off at least a couple of these states: California, Illinois, Nevada, Washington, and Wisconsin. While it is possible that Republicans will lose one or two of their own open seats, the only 50-50 chance of that right now is in Florida-and it might not happen even there. There can also be unanticipated shockers if a GOP wave develops. While we rate Gov. Joe Manchin (D) the early favorite to fill the late Sen. Robert Byrd's seat, his Republican opponent, John Raese, is a self-funder in a strongly anti-Obama state. The inescapable conclusion is that the Senate is on the bubble, with only a slight lean at Labor Day toward Democratic retention.

“The statehouses will provide the third leg of the Republicans' 2010 victory. We have long suggested the GOP would gain a net +6 governorships. We now believe they will win +8. This boon to the GOP for redistricting will be enhanced by a gain of perhaps 300 to 500 seats in the state legislatures, and the addition of Republican control in 8 to 12 legislative chambers around the country.”

FIRST LOOK - NEW YORK's John Heilemann, “A debate has been raging over why our education system is failing. A new documentary by the director of 'An Inconvenient Truth' throws fuel on the fire: Davis “Guggenheim's new film, 'Waiting for “Superman,”' is set to open in New York and Los Angeles on September 24 … Guggenheim has uncorked a kind of sequel: the 'Inconvenient Truth' of education … 'Superman' ... traces the stories of five children -- all but one of them poor and black or Hispanic -- and their parents as they seek to secure a decent education by gaining admission via lottery to high-performing charter schools. At the same time, the film is a withering indictment of the adults -- in particular, those at the teachers union -- who have let the public-school system rot, and a paean to reformers such as Canada and Michelle Rhee … 'The movie is going to create a sense of outrage, and a sense of urgency,' says Arne Duncan, Barack Obama's secretary of Education. Obama has … unfurled an education agenda that has delighted reformers, upset the unions, and in the process delivered more on his promise of transcending partisan divisions in the service of pragmatism than he has on any other issue. 'The chief obstacle for “An Inconvenient Truth” was the environmentalists, who'd become smug and complacent and had no idea how to tell their own story,' [Guggenheim] says. 'It's the same with the education wonks. They're gonna pick apart this aspect and that aspect of the movie, and they're gonna totally miss the point.'”

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week for Carly Fiorina (56), Hugh Grant (50), Brett Hull (46), Garrison Keillor (68), Mickey Lolich (70), Rachel Ward (53), Rogie Vachon (65).

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED forecasts SUPER BOWL XLV: Steelers 33, Packers 27.

SPORTS BLINK - USA Today cover story, “STADIUM VS. HOME: Can the NFL make being there match what's on TV?” by Sean Leahy: “The average cost to take a family of four to an NFL game was $413 in 2009. … DirecTV sells its season-long Sunday Ticket package - aggressive … to make trips to stadiums more appealing. … The Dallas Cowboys set a new standard with a massive overhead HD video board that was unveiled last year at the team's new $1.2 billion stadium in Arlington, Texas. The New York Jets and Giants opened a shared, $1.6 billion stadium with HD boards this season, and the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots and Washington Redskins installed giant HD boards this year that cost millions of dollars and will offer fans not just live action and replays but also the RedZone Channel. The Ravens are among several teams wiring their stadium so fans can use Wi-Fi with their cellphones. Meanwhile, some teams are testing mobile units that will allow fans to see replays and other games from their seats. The Patriots are among the teams trying a free smartphone application called YinzCam that fans in club seats can access via a Wi-Fi network. The Miami Dolphins use a handheld unit called FanVision that they distribute to season ticketholders.”

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 9/11, Michigan Wolverines @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish, NBC 12:30 PM ET. Forget the point spread, Big Blue will prevail against the Irish in the annual over hyped game. Season to date (1-0).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Thursday 9/9, Minnesota Vikings @ Super Bowl Champions New Orleans Saints, NBC 8:30 PM ET. Point Spread is 4.5 give the points and go with New Orleans to beat the ageless Brett Favre and The Vikings.

SMALL COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 9/11, Union College Dutchmen @ Ithaca College Bombers, 1:00 PM ET. After their win over the mighty Saints of St. Lawrence this past weekend look for the 16th ranked Bombers to beat Union 31 – 10.

CONGRATULATIONS – To the Bonita High School Bearcats winning the Smudgepot back from the San Dimas Saints this past Friday night 41-20.

RECORD - Southern CA coldest summer on record – average temp 70 degrees. Forecast for a drier winter.

THE MARKETS - Investors would ordinarily be glad to see August end, given that it was the worst August performance for Wall Street since 2001 and the first losing August since 2005. September, however, is traditionally one of the poorest months of the year for the major stock market indexes, although that was not the case in September 2009.

SIGN OF THE TIMES, NYT 9/5 – Student Loan debt is now greater in the U.S. than credit card debt. “Attendance at for-profit postsecondary schools has grown sharply in recent years. These schools run the gamut, offering anything from two-year vocational programs to four-year degrees, and they include online schools. In some ways, the schools’ growth comes at a relatively high risk to taxpayers. Students at for-profits take out more debt than their peers at traditional schools and default at much higher rates; they also account for about 9 percent of students but receive 24 percent of Stafford federal loans. The Department of Education is proposing a rule change aimed at reducing some of those risks. If the rule change is approved, more than 2,600 postsecondary educational programs could lose access to federal funds. The rule would require certain schools to prove they are preparing students for gainful employment that keeps them paying their loans on time and out of significant debt. The department estimates that up to 307,000 students could find themselves at such programs, though it says that most would then switch to eligible ones.”

Next week: Some recipes for the soul.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
September 6, 2010

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

Chicago

Rink Rats is in Chicago this week; humid and many tourists. One of America’s great cities.

PLACES – Great places to eat and drink in Chicago: PJ Clarke’s in the Gold Coast area, wonderful old time bar; The Kerryman in the River North area, outstanding Irish Pub; Portillos also in the River North area, best hot dogs and brats in town; finally Gene & Georgetti’s, old school steak house (Franklin Street), Beth Elmore and Sinatra were regulars.

OLD SCHOOL – Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs, is the best old school ball park in the country, no loud music, advertising, obnoxious PA announcers. A wonderful experience for the young and old baseball fan. Thank you Phil, usher in Section 239, a great guy.

The Hotel Felix (111 W. Huron Street) is a boutique hotel with old school charm. Sit in the lounge bar and chat with all your fellow hotel guests. Like to shop (Rink Rats does not) head to Michigan Avenue: The Devil Wears Prada is one of the many upscale stores to add your dollars to the Chicago economy. Also Rush Street has excellent shopping along with of course, bars and restaurants.

LOU PINIELLA RETIRED AFTER YESTERDAY’S GAME – Lou Piniella’s long and colorful career has spanned 48 years, from an aggressive outfielder with a sharp batting eye to a successful manager whose SportsCenter highlight base-throwing tantrums sometimes overshadowed his baseball expertise. The leader of the Chicago Cubs decided to step down after Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves … to spend more time with his ailing mother. Piniella finished with an overall record of 1,835 – 1,713, and one World Series title.

FARMER JOHN IS PSYCHED – Vin Scully to return for 62nd season with Dodgers. The 82 year old Hall of Fame broadcaster said Sunday he’ll return to the broadcast booth to call Los Angeles Dodgers games for his 62nd season in 2011. Vinnie is the longest tenured broadcaster in sports history will continue calling all Dodger home games and road games against NL West and AL West opponents. He calls all nine innings of the team’s television broadcasts, while the first three innings of his games are simulcast on the radio. Thank you Mr. Scully.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week for Kobe Bryant (32), Sean Connery (80), David Gregory (40), John McCain (74), Rachael Ray (42), Luke Russert (25), Shania Twain (45).

OBAMA HAS HAD FEWER LEISURE DAYS THAN BUSH, per CBS News' Mark Knoller: “This is Mr. Obama's 9th vacation since taking office. … He has spent all or part of 38 days on 'vacation' away from the White House. He has also made 14 visits to Camp David spanning all or part of 32 days. It brings his total time away to all or part of 70 days. It's less than the 'vacation' time taken during the same period by his immediate predecessor. (Former President George W. Bush gets the quotation marks, too.) As of this point in his 1st term, Mr. Bush had made 14 visits to his Texas ranch spanning all or part of 102 days. He also made 40 visits to Camp David spanning all or part of 123 days. His 'vacation' total at this point in his presidency was all or part of 225 days away.”

US News rankings: CalTech #7, USC #23, UCLA #25, U of Michigan #29, UCSD #35, UCSB #39, UC Irvine #41, Michigan State #79, U of Arizona #129, and La Verne #136.

Liberal arts colleges: Pomona College #6, Claremont Mckenna #11, Harvey Mudd #18, Scripps #23, Occidental #36, Pitzer #46, St. Lawrence #55, and Transylvania University #88.

UNREALITY - Danielle Staub, best known for her sex tape, plastic surgery revelation and publicity stunt lesbian relationship has been fired from 'The Real Housewives of New Jersey.'

Next week: Summer road trip continues to the great state of Michigan.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Chicago, Il.
August 23, 2010

Summer In The City

“Hot town, summer in the city,
back of my neck getting dirty and gritty.”

Mid-August: local restaurants are unusually empty; emails and telephone calls are unanswered due to people being out of town or they just don’t care to answer; the normal news day is empty, thus a boorish flight attendant from New York gets his fifteen minutes of fame for rude and crude behavior; and prime time television viewing consists of unreality, unbelievable, and unwatchable.

Rink Rats hits the road for two weeks, but before we do some topics to review this week.

DENVER—Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet survived a tough primary fight to win his party's nomination Tuesday, bucking the anti-incumbent tide that has been rumbling across the nation.

Mr. Bennet, who was appointed to the seat 19 months ago, notched a solid victory over former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff. It was Mr. Bennet's first-ever election campaign; he was appointed last year to fill the seat vacated when Ken Salazar become Interior Secretary. Mr. Bennet had been a corporate turnaround specialist and superintendent of the Denver Public Schools.

Mr. Bennet avoided the fate of two other incumbent senators—Bob Bennett (R., Utah), and Arlen Specter (D., Pa.)—who failed to win their party's nomination this year. He did so in part by ignoring conventional wisdom and linking himself to President Barack Obama, who won Colorado handily in 2008 but had seen his popularity in the state slip in recent months.

SIREN -- WSJ's monthly survey of 53 economists: “On average, economists grew more pessimistic about the strength of the recovery … Economists expect the jobless rate in December 2011 still will be above 8.5% compared to the current 9.5% rate [and don't see the unemployment rate dropping below 9% through at least June 2011]. The economy is forecast to add about 1.6 million jobs over the next 12 months.”

SPORTS BLINK - CNNSI.com , “The 25 Most Hated Teams of All Time”: “Hearty contempt for rivals is a natural part of the sports landscape, but every so often a team unleashes a massive dose of loathing that consumes everyone but its own fans. Here is SI.com's list of the most hated individual teams in sports. … 1. 1986 University of Miami football … 2. 1988-89 Detroit Pistons … 3. 1992 Dallas Cowboys … 4. 1974-75 Philadelphia Flyers … 5. 1978 New York Yankees. … 25. 2010-11 Miami Heat.”

LATE SUMMER READING - A male version of “Eat Pray Love” has come out for your late summer reading: “Drink Gamble Sports”.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week for Robert DeNiro (67), Aghop Der-Karabetian…famous emailer, Dennis Leary (53), Mary Matalin (57), Robert Redford (73), Al Roker (56).

BOX OFFICE BLAST -- L.A. Times, “Company Town: 'The Expendables' is a force at weekend box office,” by Ben Fritz: “Nostalgia dominated cutting-edge at the box office this weekend. 'The Expendables,' directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone with a crew of aging action stars, proved far and away the most popular movie in theaters as it sold a strong $35-million worth of tickets in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates. With men of all ages and a surprising number of women in attendance, it decimated 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.' The well-reviewed melange of video game and other pop culture references … opened to a weak $10.5 million. 'Eat Pray Love,' starring Julia Roberts in an adaptation of the bestselling book about midlife self-discovery, opened to a pretty good $23.7 million but will need strong word-of-mouth to turn into a hit.”

CONGRATULATIONS – To G. Ball for surviving the fires in Russia this summer, he reports all is well in Vladmir. Also P. Pugliese for leading his team to a victory in the National Roller Hockey tournament in Chicago, Il. Finally to A. Ball for making it through this summer while losing her ID.

TOP SPORTS RADIO – Rink Rats rating of sports talk radio hosts (shows): (3) tie; Lee “Hacksaw” Hamilton Sportswatch and The Dan Patrick Show; (2) The Jim Rome Show; (1) The Herd with Colin Cowherd.

Honorable mention, The world of sports according to Chris Ello. Overrated, Steve Hartman and Vic “The Brick” Jacobs.

GOOD LUCK – To the Bonita High School Bearcats Football team; they open up with a scrimmage vs. Damien High School on 8/27, the home opener is 9/3 vs. perennial power house San Dimas High School.

2 MILLION HOMELESS IN PAKISTAN FLOODS - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after tour: “I have witnessed many natural disasters around the world, but nothing like this.” … AFP: “3.5 million children at risk of deadly water-borne diseases.” If you can give to the Red Cross to help the homeless.

Next week: Rink Rats visits Oprah, Wrigley Field and Deep Dish Pizza.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
August 16, 2010

Are You Ready For Some Football? "Not Really"

I know my academic and politico friends will be turned off by this edition of Rink Rats but we must make our football picks for the coming year, as is customary we have asked The Swami to guide us for the upcoming six months of football. Fear not, I do have some other information to make the football picks tolerable.

USA TODAY TOP 25 preseason college football coaches poll: 1. Alabama 2. Ohio State 3. Florida 4. Texas 5. Boise State 6. Virginia Tech 7. TCU 8. Oklahoma 9. Nebraska 10. Iowa 11. Oregon 12. Wisconsin 13. Miami (Fla.) 14. Penn State 15. Pittsburgh 16. LSU 17. Georgia Tech 18. North Carolina 19. Arkansas 20. Florida State 21. Georgia 22. Oregon State 23. Auburn 24t. Utah 24t. West Virginia.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN FOOTBALL – This will be the last season for Rich Rodriguez in Big Blue land. Look for Jim Harbaugh, Stanford University, to replace RR at the end of the season.

COLLEGE PICKS – Big East: Pittsburgh; ACC: Virginia Tech; Big Ten: Ohio State (ugh); SEC: Alabama; Big 12: Oklahoma; Pac Ten: Oregon. BCS Championship Game – Boise State vs. Alabama.
National Champion – Alabama.

NFL PICKS – AFC Playoff Teams: Jets, Patriots, Ravens, Colts, Chargers, Bengals. NFC Playoff Teams: Packers, Saints, 49ers, Cowboys, Falcons, Giants. AFC Champs – Baltimore Ravens. NFC Champs – Dallas Cowboys.
Super Bowl Champions – Dallas Cowboys.

TOP TALKER - David Sirota, on HuffPost: “In a massive and well-researched story, the New York Times … dealt the potential death-blow to Sen. Michael Bennet's already-struggling campaign for reelection. Just four days before the end of Colorado Democratic primary voting, the story … (complete with Bennet's mug shot) details … a deal that destroyed the Denver Public Schools' balance sheet and made JP Morgan, Citigroup and Bank of America millions … Bennet was [arguably] embarrassingly incompetent in sending Denver taxpayers and schoolchildren into the jaws of Wall Street's predatory lenders.”

OBAMA INTERVIEW -- CNBC car guy Phil Lebow, on the floor of a Ford plant in Chicago, asked the president the last time he drove a car: “I can't do it. The Secret Service doesn't allow it. …I miss nothing more than just driving right along Lake Shore Drive. I would love to hop in a convertible right now on a nice day like today and drive all the way up along the lake. But I can't do it. So my driving is either at the Secret Service testing site, the training site there where you can do some J-turns and do some pretty spiffy moves, or the golf cart. Those are the two opportunities I get to drive, and I miss it tremendously.” --Asked if he's worried that Americans cannot kick the big-car habit, POTUS said: “Americans like big cars. … The first new car I ever bought was a Jeep Grand Cherokee. And I remember the first time I was sitting up there and had my cup holders and I was all set up and I thought: 'This is a nice ride.' It's exciting to see companies like Ford producing SUVs that are more fuel efficient, like the Explorer. The new Jeep Cherokee is more fuel efficient. But what I think we're going to have to recognize is that we've got to be strong in the car market and in the truck market and in the SUV market, and all of those markets are going to be more fuel-efficient in the future than they were in the past, and that means new technologies.” …

TALKING POINTS: “Since taking office, President Obama has spent more than $6.1 trillion in 18 months. At $333 billion per month, that is more than twice the amount spent during the first two years of the George W. Bush administration. … The financial services law is another example of his permanent government expansion agenda. … On foreign policy, the Obama Administration continues to break with history by seeking to engage with enemies while bullying friends. … House Republicans will fight to repeal ObamaCare and work on reforms that will lower the cost of health care.”

Despite ending August with three consecutive days of losses, the Dow comes into the new month fresh off a 7.1% gain for July, its best since July of 2009. The S&P 500 also had its best month since July of 2009, gaining 6.9%.

“New High of 43% Call Afghanistan War a 'Mistake': Obama's approval rating on Afghanistan at 36%”: “After the Internet publication of tens of thousands of leaked classified documents on the war in Afghanistan, 43% of Americans now say the United States made a mistake in sending troops there, up slightly from just before the release (38%).”

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week for Halle Berry, David Crosby, Brett Hull, Magic Johnson, Mark Knopfler, Donna Redman…famous public servant, Maxine Walters.

CONGRATULATIONS – To SV for successfully completing her thesis defense. The Garden has no idea what they will be missing.

GARDENING – Per Rooftop Farms, Brooklyn New York; plant basil around tomato plants to keep pests away, http://rooftopfarms.org//
A great urban gardening web site.

FEMA ADMINISTRATOR CRAIG FUGATE writes on CNN.com, “Are disabled still at risk in disasters?”: “One of my top priorities in my first year at FEMA has been to transform the way the emergency management community thinks about integrating this vital population. From day one, we have challenged every member of our leadership team to start integrating the needs of people with disabilities into every step of planning. In February, we established the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination… We are working with disability advocates to incorporate the needs of people with disabilities into emergency communications and public alert systems, evacuations, transportation and medical equipment supply plans.”

Next week: Summer in the city.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
August 9, 2010

A Midsummer Night's Dream(s)

For some reason it is the season for some rather strange dreams by this writer, I thought I would share them with you this week.

• I dreamt I was on the The Next Food Network Star, I won with this recipe – what do you think???

SHRIMP-SALAD PITAS


Ingredients
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved crosswise
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt
• 1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
• 1 Kirby cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 lemon
• 4 whole-wheat pitas
• 8 Bibb lettuce leaves

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Soak the chopped onion in a bowl of cold water while you prepare the shrimp.

Toss the shrimp with the olive oil, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread in an even layer and broil until the shrimp are opaque, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Wash and dry the baking sheet. Pour a large glass of Pinot and take large gulps as you pray this comes out okay.

Drain the onion and add to the shrimp along with the yogurt, carrot, cucumber, dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Grate in 1 teaspoon lemon zest and squeeze in about half of the lemon juice.
Lay the pitas on the baking sheet and toast under the broiler. Cut the pitas in half and fill with the lettuce and shrimp salad.

Per serving: Calories 356; Fat 10 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 254 mg; Sodium 670 mg; Carbohydrate 32 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 35 g

Impressive, don’t you think?

• I dreamt that Doris Kearns Goodwin visited my family reunion in Michigan. All she kept saying was how our clan reminded her of Teddy Roosevelt and his clan. One faction being very liberal, Catholic, and joking – the other conservative, Methodist, and wishing someone had brought a travel iron.

• I dreamt I was involved in a “Cialis romantic moment”, with whom I do not know. But next thing I know I was in an ice rink, at center ice, in a bath tub, next to me in another bath tub was Wayne Gretzky.

I think we are beginning to see a rather strange, twisted and fragile individual take shape.

• My dreams continued, I was in a world where all the cake was white cake and nothing else. This was like heaven to me except I had no friends. “What was wrong with white cake, I kept repeating!”

• I dreamt I had a job, a perfect job, I received numerous job promotions and new job titles for doing very little and at the same time treated my fellow employees like slaves. But then I opened the employee manual and realized I worked for a Charter Municipality. Of course I was paid very well.

Luckily, I am now awake, I think, with proper medication I can get through these bizarre dreams. So we can move forward with our topics for this week:

SUMMER MOVIES – Is it me or are this summer’s movies stinkers? The best we have seen thus far was in the spring – “City Island”.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? - Ex-LAPD chief William Bratton tells KPCC's Kitty Felde that he's enjoying his new life in the private sector.

“It’s a great job. I get to be me! Plus, I got to get back to New York. I’m an East Coast kid. And as much as I loved my time in Los Angeles, working with the LAPD, and the success we had, home for me is the East Coast and New York.”

GOOD TELEVISION - ALEXANDRA PELOSI's latest for HBO Documentaries premieres: “Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County.” In the Emmy-nominated filmmaker's sixth documentary, Pelosi chronicles the lives of children living on the poverty line in one of the nation's richest counties.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week for Neil Armstrong, Tom Brady, Adham Chehab...famous Financier, Issam Ghazzawi...famous Organization Behaviorist, President Obama, Martin Sheen, Charlize Theron.

ANNIVERSARIES THIS WEEK – Carrie Lewis (4), I kept telling you it was a huge mistake.

FOREIGN TRAVEL – Best wishes to nephew Geoff Ball studying this summer in Russia, “добрый день, Надеюсь, все хорошо .”

“CIVILITY IN POLITICS” -- SOLD OUT “REAGAN FORUM WITH CHRIS MATTHEWS,” - presented by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library -- James Hohmann: “MSNBC 'Hardball' host Chris Matthews effusively praised President Ronald Reagan and former House Speaker Tip O'Neill, his old boss, as models of bipartisan cooperation on Tuesday night. 'Things got done for the American people back in the 1980s - good things for the world,' Matthews said in remarks for a dinner in Simi Valley, Calif. … Matthews, a top O'Neill aide during Reagan's presidency, … decried the mindset that politics is a 'zero-sum game.' … 'The thing I miss from those days is the big man-to-man arguments on matters of policy and principle: the role of the federal government in our lives, and in the market, the role this country should play in the world,' Matthews said. 'Two old guys in their 70s - who people said were past their primes - who disagreed on everything but their love of America.'”

JULY: HOTTER THAN DUST BOWL - USA Today 1A -- “July could be hottest month ever”: “New York, Washington and Las Vegas are on track to set record average temperatures for any month. .. The hottest month in U.S. history came during the Dust Bowl in July 1936, when the national average temperature for the 48 contiguous states hit 77.43 degrees … New York City's average temperature so far this month has been 81.8 degrees, which would break the city's record of 81.4 set in July 1999.”

Next week: Our Professional and College Football Preseason picks.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
August 2, 2010