A Hard Winter

The events of this past Saturday in Tucson again are those that tend to weigh you down with sadness and a feeling of emptiness at trying to understand why there is such hatred in the world. We only hope that those who were directly affected by this tragedy heal and can find peace.

I wonder who Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, Stephanie Miller and Keith Olbermann will blame for this horror. I hope they take a long look at themselves and how they conduct their professional lives.


WINTER GARDENING - Even in Southern California, it’s starting to get chilly! While early winter isn’t a time when Southern Californians revel in their gardens’ bounty, there are still some things you can (and should) do to enjoy your favorite pastime this time of year. (And brisk weather or not, gardening will probably be a welcome relief from everyday holiday activities.)

First off, there’s still time to sow some seed. When it comes to your vegetables, plant asparagus now (it may take time to germinate), as well as your beets, carrots, cabbages, kales, and head and leaf lettuces. You’ll get your crop of leaf lettuce first because head lettuce takes longer. I suggest trying several leaf lettuces, including the red ones, and mesclun and romaine. And don’t forget to start your short-day onions from seed, as well as garden and sugar peas. (Of course, if you want immediate gratification, you can buy most of these as starter plants.)

And don’t forget the flowers! Winter’s the perfect time to sow seed of calendula, cosmos, ageratum, lobelia, alyssum, mimulus, nasturtium, annual salvia, silene and sweet pea. With proper care, you’ll enjoy these beauties for months.

BACHMANIA BEGINS: Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann is openly encouraging speculation about a possible run for president in 2012, after ABC News reported Tuesday that she's traveling to Iowa this month as she weighs a bid. The conservative third-termer responded in a statement that sounded more like an announcement tease than a denial: "We need to repeal ObamaCare and we cannot do that until we repeal Obama. The voters repealed Nancy Pelosi in November and I am doing everything I can to make sure we repeal President Obama and Harry Reid in 2012." The congresswoman told MinnPost.com: "We're going to have a deep bench for 2012, I have no doubt, and I think what people are asking for is a bold, strong, constitutional conservative."

LINKEDIN PICKS BOOK RUNNERS - Reuters' Nadia Damouni reports: "LinkedIn, the social networking site for professionals, plans to go public in 2011 and has selected its financial underwriters, three sources familiar with the process told Reuters. Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and JPMorgan are among the book runners. ... Bankers made their pitches to the privately-held company in November. ... Internet companies such as LinkedIn and Zynga ... are considering offerings well ahead of a potential IPO of Facebook. ... Sales of its stock on online secondary market exchange SharesPost gives LinkedIn an implied valuation of around $2.2 billion."

AUTO SHOW PREVIEW - Reuters reports: "The U.S. auto industry snapped a four-year sales decline in 2010, including three consecutive sales months above the 12 million unit annual rate to close the year. ... Just 18 months after emerging from government-funded bankruptcies, GM and Chrysler have vehicles that were named finalists for the North American car and truck of the year. The winners will be announced Monday at the show. GM completed its public share offering in November, the largest ever, and its shares are up 18 percent from the IPO price. Chrysler is expected to launch its own IPO in the second half of 2011."

CALIFORNIA BUDGET PREVIEW - Sacramento Bee reports: "The budget Jerry Brown will propose Monday includes deep program cuts, a June election to extend tax increases and a broad reordering of state and local government to close a deficit estimated at $25 billion to $28 billion, according to sources familiar with the plan."

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Clarence Clemons (69), Ben Crenshaw (59), Maureen Dowd (59), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (50), George Foreman (62), AJ Foyt (76), Joe Frazier (67), Natalie Gulbus (28), Rush Limbaugh (60), Frank Mahovlich (73), Bobby Rahal (58), Howard Stern (57), Jill Wagner (32).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL PICK OF THE WEEK – Monday, 1/10, our last game of the College football season, #2 Oregon Ducks (12-0) vs. #1 Auburn Tigers (13-0), 8:30 PM ET, ESPN. All indications are Oregon vs. Auburn will be a high-scoring affair. Both offenses have looked unstoppable at times. The matchup features two of the nation's best players in Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and Oregon running back LaMichael James. The game may, however, come down to who can step up on defense. Oregon is ranked 14th in the nation in scoring defense. Auburn is 54th. The Tigers are 1.5 point favorites, Rink Rats picks Auburn to win and claim the BCS title for 2010.
Season to date (15-4).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Sunday 1/16, #6 seed New York Jets (12-5) at the #1 seed New England Patriots (14-2) 4:30 PM ET, CBS. Rink Rats has been very poor this season in NFL game selections but we aim to pick winners from here on to the Super Bowl. The Pats are 9.0 point favorites over New York, give the points and pick New England to win in Foxboro.
Season to date (6-12).

NFL DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF WEEKEND

Saturday, January 15
AFC: 4:30 PM (ET) – Baltimore at Pittsburgh (CBS-TV)
NFC: 8:00 PM (ET) – Green Bay at Atlanta (Fox-TV)

Sunday, January 16
NFC: 1:00 PM (ET) – Seattle at Chicago (Fox-TV)
AFC: 4:30 PM (ET) – New York at New England (CBS-TV)

--The AFC (CBS, 6:30 PM ET) and NFC (FOX, 3:00 PM ET) Championship Games will be played on Sunday, January 23.

--The 2011 Pro Bowl (FOX, 7:00 PM ET) will be played on Sunday, January 30 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, one week before Super Bowl XLV takes place at Cowboys Stadium in North Texas on Sunday, February 6 (FOX, 6:30 PM ET).

COLLEGE HOCKEY GAME OF THE WEEK – Friday 1/14, Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-8-3) at #2 ranked North Dakota Fighting Sioux (16-5-2), 8:30 PM ET, FSN North. This mid- season WCHA game will prove a mismatch as North Dakota, winners of seven straight, will be too much for the Gophers.
Season to date (0-1).

Dear Rink Rats:

I’m not sure when graciousness went out of style, but lately I’ve been invited into people’s homes and waited for more than an hour before being offered so much as a glass of water. Is is proper to ask for a drink if the host doesn’t offer one?

- Parched

Dear Parched:

That depends: Are you thirsty? If so, knock yourself out. Try to avoid saying things like “graciousness is dead.” It makes you sound smug and Republican – and the kind of person who shouldn’t be offered a drink. Your hosts may have been distracted, but they were gracious enough to invite you over.

NHL STAR PLAYERS FOR DECEMBER – Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins), Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks) and Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit Red Wings).

NHL HALFWAY POINT – here are the top five teams through the halfway point of the NHL season: 1). Detroit Red Wings. 2). Vancouver Canucks, 3). Philadelphia Flyers, 4). Pittsburgh Penguins, 5). Tampa Bay Lightning. Top five worst teams at the halfway point: 1). New Jersey Devils, 2). New York Islanders, 3). Toronto Maple Leafs, 4). Edmonton Oilers, 5). Florida Panthers.

Next week, our monthly political update and the words of the month.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
January 10, 2011

2011: Predictions

Happy New Year to all Rink Rats friends and readers, we begin our ninth month with a few predictions for 2011 –

Scarfs – Women will realize that scarfs are “geek-chic” and will send them back to the closets.

Facebook Obsession – Intelligent people will realize that telling the internet world they are getting up at 3:00 AM to go to the bathroom and their cellular phone is not working is ridiculous and a complete waste of time. How about spending time on your life, relationships or perhaps volunteer at your local Senior Citizens Center.

John “Tan” Boehner – Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner will really be crying this year when he realizes being Speaker is a thankless job. Imagine dealing with pie in the sky Democrats and without a clue Tea Party members, Speaker Boehner stock up on the handkerchiefs.

College Presidents – Incoming College Presidents will soon realize life as a Provost is much more enjoyable.

Bankruptcy – At least two states will declare insolvency in 2011; Illinois and New Jersey are leading candidates.

Gas Prices – Gasoline will be $4.00 per gallon by July 1, $5.00 per gallon by January 1, 2012.

Tablescape – Sandra Lee’s tablescapes will be ruled illegal by the New York State Assembly.

Denver Broncos – John Elway will take over day to day operations of the Denver Broncos.

Unemployment Rate – November 2010 = 9.8%, July 2011 = 9.5%, December 2011 = 9.0% - good luck President Obama.

San Francisco 49ers – To our dismay Jim Harbaugh will be the new coach of the 49ers.

Michigan Wolverines – Rich “No Defense” Rodriguez will be fired, the new coach will be … who cares just get him out!

College Parking – Parking at the University of La Verne will deteriorate to the point of fights breaking out in the Circle K parking lot between members of the College of Business and the College of Education, there will be no winners.

Forget the New Year’s resolutions; people break them by February 1.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to David Bowie (64), Helena Bonham Carter (44), Katie Couric (54), Dick Enberg (76), Doris Kearns Goodwin (68), Lou Holtz (74), Bobby Hull (72), Laura Ingraham (48), January Jones (33), Diane Keaton (65), Joe Kernen (55), Nancy Lopez Knight (54), Nigella Lawson (51), Howie Long (50), Jimmy Page (67).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL PICK OF THE WEEK – Monday, 1/3, #4 Stanford Cardinal (11-1) vs. #13 Virginia Tech Hokies (11-2), 8:30 PM ET, ESPN. ACC champion Virginia Tech, which became the first FBS program to win 11 straight games after starting the season 0-2, will face a Stanford program that believes it is the best one-loss team in the country and has made its case with three shutouts and a Heisman-contending quarterback in Andrew Luck. This will be Jim Harbaugh’s last game at Stanford before he heads to Ann Arbor to coach his alma mater Michigan (Please!). Stanford is 3.0 point favorites give the points and pick Stanford to win the Orange Bowl.
Season to date (14-4).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday, 1/8, #6 seed New York Jets (11-5) at #3 seed Indianapolis Colts (10-6), 8:00 PM ET, NBC. The playoffs begin we hope Rink Rats perform better in the post season. We like the Colts to win, their running game is back and the Jets’ offense is not playoff caliber.
Season to date (6-11).

NFL WILD CARD WEEKEND
Saturday, January 8
NFC: 4:30 PM (ET) -- New Orleans at Seattle (NBC-TV)
AFC: 8:00 PM (ET) -- New York Jets at Indianapolis (NBC-TV)
Sunday, January 9
AFC: 1:00 PM (ET) -- Baltimore at Kansas City (CBS-TV)
NFC: 4:30 PM (ET) -- Green Bay at Philadelphia (FOX-TV)

NFL DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS
Saturday, January 15
AFC: 4:30 PM (ET) -- Indianapolis or Kansas City or Baltimore at Pittsburgh (CBS-TV)
NFC: 8:00 PM (ET) -- Seattle or New Orleans or Green Bay at Atlanta (FOX-TV)
Sunday, January 16
NFC: 1:00 PM (ET) -- Philadelphia or Seattle or New Orleans at Chicago (FOX-TV)
AFC: 4:30 PM (ET) -- Kansas City or Baltimore or New York Jets at New England (CBS-TV)

--The AFC (CBS, 6:30 PM ET) and NFC (FOX, 3:00 PM ET) Championship Games will be played on Sunday, January 23.

--The 2011 Pro Bowl (FOX, 7:00 PM ET) will be played on Sunday, January 30 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, one week before Super Bowl XLV takes place at Cowboys Stadium in North Texas on Sunday, February 6 (FOX, 6:30 PM ET).

PLAYOFF ODDS - The Jets are 2 1/2-point underdogs for the first-round game ... The Ravens are favored by 2 1/2 points on the road against the AFC West-champion Kansas City Chiefs ... The Saints probably will be favored by six to seven points ... against the Seahawks, who won the NFC West with a 7-9 record. The betting line will depend on whether Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck can return from a hip injury, said Dan O'Brien, an oddsmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.... In the NFC's other first-round matchup, the NFC East- champion Philadelphia Eagles are favored by 2 1/2 points at home over the Packers.

COLLEGE HOCKEY GAME OF THE WEEK – Saturday, 1/8. #9 ranked Maine Black Bears (9-5-4) at #17 ranked Merrimack Warriors (9-4-4), 7:00 PM ET, Mystery Channel. This Hockey East contest will prove to be a good start to our College Hockey Pick of the Week. Rink Rats likes Maine to win in Massachusetts.
Season to date (0-0).

OBAMA AS REAGAN - Bloomberg's Mike Dorning reports: "As Barack Obama prepares to confront a strengthened Republican opposition to his tax, spending and immigration priorities when Congress convenes this week, his advisers are comparing him to another president who faced similar circumstances: Ronald Reagan. ... Before leaving for a year-end vacation, Obama sought advice from Reagan chief of staff Ken Duberstein and David Gergen, an image adviser to both Reagan and Clinton ... Obama's agenda will include items that appeal across party lines, such as an education overhaul that expands teacher merit pay and encourages more charter schools, a rewrite of the tax code, and steps to reduce the long-term budget deficit."

ONE FINAL NEW YEAR THOUGHT - I have not visited any foreign countries in my time, except for Canada, but I do know this is the greatest country on earth; more freedoms, the greatest opportunities, and 175 channels on cable TV. But this country is far from perfect. For example, when I see soccer Moms with their Land Rovers, cellular phones in their ears, too much makeup, velvet Nike sweat suits and fake tans treat people like second class citizens I must complain. When I see people denied the proper respect and civil rights because they choose to share their life with their own gender I must complain. When I see people choosing to have a 95 inch plasma HD television and sneakers that cost $295 instead of insuring their children have the proper diet, clothes and education I must complain. When I see individuals paid salaries that would warrant sound decisions, respect for their employees, respect for the people who support their salaries, and above all common sense but I only see greed, ignorance and a blame it on others attitude I must complain. So let us make 2011 a better year for one and all.

Next week, Dear Rink Rats and winter time domestic helpful hints.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
January 3, 2011

2010: The Best and the Worst Part Deux

Best Movie of 2010 – “Inside Job”, this crisis of finance capitalism as a great crime story.

Worst Movie of 2010 – “Yogi Bear”, this stinks Boo Boo!

Best Song of 2010 – “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum, not real country but a catchy song.

Worst Song of 2010 – “O Let’s Do It”, by Wacha Flocka Flame featuring Diddy, Rick Ross and Gucci Mane. Huh?

Best Weather Meteorologist of 2010 – Jackie Johnson (Plymouth, Michigan), KCBS-TV, Los Angeles, California, the best with high and low fronts.

Worst Weather Meteorologist of 2010 – Tomasz Schafenaker, BBC-TV, London England. A notorious nerd throughout Europe.

Best Party of 2010 – Any party at the University of Colorado, Boulder that Alex B. attends.

Worst Party of 2010 – Tea Party, its platform is explicitly populist and is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian. It endorses reduced government spending lower taxes reduction of the national debt and federal budget deficit, adherence to an originalist interpretation of the United States Constitution and has plenty of wacky candidates.

Best Politician of 2010 – Susan Collins, Republican Senator from the State of Maine, St. Lawrence University ’75. Finally someone in Congress who knows how to compromise!

Worst Politician of 2010 – Nancy Pelosi, Democrat Representative from the State of California. Just get out!

Best Alumni Director of 2010 – Beth Elmore, University of La Verne. On her budget it is amazing what she can do.

Worst Alumni Director of 2010 – Dewey Stafford, University of Phoenix. Mr. Stafford invited alumni to a “burn your paid in full student loan documents” party – no one showed up.

Best News Story of 2010 – Thirty Three Chilean miners rescued after 10 weeks underground, all safe and in good health.

Worst News Story of 2010 – (Tie) The continuing Mexican Drug Cartel war, to date in 2010 over 11,000 deaths, and the British Petroleum Gulf oil spill; killed 13 men, spilled 4.9 million barrels of oil and cost an estimated 20 billion dollars.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Ted Danson (63), LeBron James (26), Sandy Koufax (75), Frank Langella (71), Matt Lauer (53), Agnes Nixon (83), Donna Summer (62), Meredith Vieira (57), Jon Voight (72), Denzel Washington (56).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 1/2, Rose Bowl, 5:00 PM, ET, ESPN. #5 Wisconsin Badgers (11-1) vs. #3 TCU Horned Frogs (12-0). Wisconsin makes its first trip to Pasadena in 11 seasons, while TCU becomes the first team from a non-AQ league in the BCS era to play in the Rose Bowl. Both teams scored 520 points, tying for fourth nationally. While TCU boasts the stingier defense, Wisconsin racked up 201 points in its final three regular-season games. We pick the Badgers to win in Pasadena.
Season to date (14-3).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Sunday 1/2, St. Louis Cardinals (7-8) at Seattle Seahawks (6-9), 4:00 PM ET, Fox. This NFC Worst title game to decide who gets beat the first week of the playoffs. We like St. Louis to win in Seattle.
Season to date (6-10).

TOP STORY -- Census results to spark map fights, Tuesday's release of Census Bureau results ... marks the beginning of a season of politics in its rawest form, a time of ruthlessness, scheming and, above all, self-preservation. For the next year, ambitious and sharp-elbowed legislators around the nation will look to Machiavelli, rather than Jefferson or Hamilton, for inspiration as they draw the congressional maps that will begin and end political careers and determine the partisan makeup of Congress over the next decade. Some incoming House freshmen are already marked men and women-before they've been sworn into office. Some veterans are about to be brusquely pushed into retirement. A few members of Congress will be forced into head-to-head battles with colleagues in order to survive another term.

SEAT CHANGES
Lose 2: N.Y. , Ohio
Gain 4: Texas
Gain 2: Fla.
Gain 1: Ariz., Ga., Nev., S.C., Utah, Wash.
Lose 1: Ill., Iowa, La., Mass., Mich., Mo., N.J., Pa.

EARLY 2011 PREDICTION - As we dim the lights until the New Year. Rest up because 2011 will be a blockbuster. To name just a few hot agenda items: the run up to the State of the Union and the debate over spending cuts and possible Social Security changes; Treasury's attempt to get out of AIG and declare TARP a total success; the bitter debate over Dodd-Frank implementation, from debit card fees to derivatives; the emergence of a new Wall Street with less proprietary trading and tougher capital requirements; the start of the 2012 GOP presidential primary campaign and the continued rise (or precipitous fall?) of the tea party. And don't forget the huge forthcoming debate on restructuring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as continued fear that European economies could fall apart and the U.S. housing market could continue to struggle.

For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
~T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"

A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.
~Edgar Guest (DCDS ’32)

Next week, our 2011 predictions.

Until next Monday, “Feliz Ano ~ Nuevo!”

Claremont, CA
December 27, 2010

2010: The Best and the Worst

Best Sports Story of 2010 – Zenyatta’s 19 race winning streak and the narrow defeat at The Breeder’s Cup in the race of the year.

Worst Sports Story of 2010 – Tiger Wood’s melodrama, what else is new about big time athletes.

Best Word of 2010 – Vuvuzela: the South African plastic trumpet that drove us all nuts during the World Cup Soccer matches.

Worst Word of 2010 – QE2, a stupid name for driving America further into debt and recession, for you non-economic types the word is not the ocean liner, but the abbreviation for the Fed’s latest round of quantitative easing, its purchase of Treasury bonds.

Best Television Show of 2010 – "Boardwalk Empire", this drama about the machinations – criminal, political, social, sexual – in Atlantic City during Prohibition.

Worst Television Show of 2010 – "Dancing with the Stars", has been entertainment and sports people dancing the waltz to “Do You Thing I am Sexy”.

Best Collegiate Story of 2010 – University of La Verne’s hiring of its’ first female President, hope springs eternal.

Worst Collegiate Story of 2010 – University of La Verne’s announcement it will borrow money to build a new dormitory, parking and relocate athletic fields. An unwise choice for a private institution struggling in a recession to borrow money instead of fundraising the resources first. Is there a need for this course of action or is it ego driven administrators trying to save their jobs?

Best Economic Story of 2010 – Facebook, its’ growing dominance on the internet and for creating a whole new generation of people without a clue.

Worst Economic Story of 2010 – Unemployment, the continuing high number of out of work Americans, even though corporations have billions of dollars in cash ready to reinvest in their businesses but fail to do so.

To be continued next week…

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Jimmy Buffett (64), Chris Evert (56), Jane Fonda (73), Steve Garvey (62), Paul Hornung (75), Jim Leyland (66), Susan Lucci (62), Kiefer Sutherland (44), Dick Wolf (64).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL PICK OF THE WEEK – Wednesday 12/22, the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl in Las Vegas Nevada, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN. #19 Utah Utes (10-2) vs. #10 Boise State Broncos (11-1), both schools already have won two BCS bowl games. On the downside for Utah, starting quarterback Jordan Wynn won't be able to play due to shoulder surgery, meaning backup Terrance Cain will get the call. That's not too bad, considering he's 9-1 as Utah's starter. It will be interesting to see how the Broncos react after dropping from a BCS bowl game to Las Vegas. The Utes (what is a Ute) are 15 point dogs to Boise State. Give the points and take The Broncos in Vegas.
Season to date (13-3).

SMALL COLLEGE PICK OF THE WEEK – Congratulations to Wisconsin Whitewater in winning their second straight D-III football championship. We conclude our Small College Football Pick of the Week with a 12-3 record, not bad. We begin a new pick of the week on January 3, 2011 with the College Hockey Pick of the Week.

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Sunday 12/26, New York Jets (10-4) @ Chicago Bears (9-4), 1:00 PM ET, CBS., it will be a cold one at Soldier Field but the playoffs beckon for both teams. The Jets are 2 point underdogs in this one. We like The Jets.
Season to date (6-9).

WEST WING MUST READ - "A hefty portion of the $858 billion tax package will benefit middle- and upper-middle-income Americans - precisely the demographic that felt neglected the last two years as the White House and Congress focused on the major health care law and on helping the unemployed and people facing foreclosure. These new tax breaks ... could pay big political dividends to Mr. Obama and other Democrats in 2012. ... The single most expensive component of the package - other than the continuation of all of the marginal rates - is a two-year adjustment of the alternative minimum tax, to prevent it from hitting millions more households. This would insulate couples with income up to $72,450 in 2010 and $74,450 in 2011 at a cost of $137 billion. ... Middle- and upper-middle-income Americans will also benefit most from the one-year payroll tax cut."

RELIGION - Have you been in a Starbucks lately, it is like being in one of those strip mall churches. Various denominations of preachers are in attendance, for $6.00 you get a cafe latte and your soul cleansed.

STRESSED OUT - Five most stressed out economies are: Nevada, Florida, California, Michigan, and Arizona. The index calculates unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy rates.

MORE FACEBOOK - I hope this Time Magazine Person of the Year award will finally get Zuckerberg the attention he deserves.

MORE ON THE BUDGET WOES - CBS's "60 Minutes" also focused on the state budget crisis last night: "It has gotten much less attention because each state has a slightly different story. But in the two years, since the 'great recession' wrecked their economies and shriveled their income, the states have collectively spent nearly a half a trillion dollars more than they collected in taxes. There is also a trillion dollar hole in their public pension funds."

And So This Is Christmas;
And What Have We Done?
Another Year Over; A New One Just Begun;
And So Happy Christmas;
I Hope You Have Fun;
The Near And The Dear Ones;
The Old And The Young.
John Lennon

Next week, our year end best and worst concludes.

Until next Monday, Felices Fiestas!

Claremont, CA
December 20, 2010

Rink Rats Holiday Tips

HOLIDAY GARDENING - During the Christmas Season, many guests choose to give their hosts a beautiful Christmas cactus. Bright and cheery during the season, these beautiful plants don't always continue to be as radiant after the New Year celebrations. However with some TLC this does not have to be the case. With proper care, you Christmas cactus can thrive all year long and brighten many holiday seasons.

One of the first things to remember about the Christmas cactus is that the blooms do much better in a cooler environment. The plant can be maintained nicely at a moderate temperature, while still placing the cactus where it can get natural sunlight. Also be mindful of any nearby air ducts or fireplaces. The drafts of warm air are not good for the plant.

In like manner, it is important to remember that a Christmas cactus requires moist soil, unlike its desert cousins. The good old-fashioned finger test will help you to know when to water your cactus. When you find the first inch or so of the soil is beginning to dry out, water the plant thoroughly. Attempting to water the cactus on a regular schedule, such as once a week, will most likely not keep the plant healthy. Because the moistness of the soil will vary, depending on such factors as humidity level, lighting access, and how quickly the cactus is growing, it is important to check it on a regular basis and water accordingly.

While there is no need to add fertilizer to the soil when you first acquire the cactus, you may find it beneficial to add nutrients to the soil throughout the year by periodically adding a fertilizer blend that is recommended for blooming plants. This will help keep the soil rich in what the cactus needs to not remain healthy, but also to grow and thrive.

While natural light is good up to a point for your cactus, avoid placing it in direct sunlight. Over time, too much direct sunlight can actually brown the leaves. A better solution is to locate the plant where it can get the gentler rays of the morning sun, but be protected from the harshness of protracted exposure during the day. The smaller amounts of direct sunlight, coupled with indirect lighting throughout the day will result in a strong healthy plant that will yield more blooms next season.

Be mindful that it is important to repot your cactus as it grows. As with any plant, it needs room to grow and be healthy. Use a good quality potting soil mixed with clean sand. Be sure to prune the cactus as well. The pieces you prune may be in good enough condition to root and allow you to grow additional plants.

Toward the middle of October, increase the amount of time your Christmas cactus spends in the dark. During this period, the darkness will stimulate the production of blooms that should be open and vibrant in time for the holiday season.

HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING – Should you have an economist in your family or have someone who follows current economic issues, we recommend “Too Big To Fail” by Andrew Ross Sorkin. The New York Times reporter gives an accurate and entertaining review of how the US got into its current economic mess.

Give Rink Rats for the holidays, you can’t beat the price and the weekly posts are entertaining and informative. Rink Rats is offering a special, sign up by the end of the year (12/31/10) you receive a copy of the University of San Francisco “How To” Manual signed by Homa Shabahang.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Steve Buscemi (52), Tim Conway (77), Al Kaline (76), Ray Liotta (56), Brad Pitt (47), Keith Richards (67), George Shultz (90).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 12/18, the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl from Boise Idaho begins our Bowl Season picks. The Northern Ilinois Huskies (10-3) meet the Fresno State Bulldogs (8-4), 5:30 PM ET, ESPN. Northern Illinois is making its third consecutive bowl appearance for the first time in school history and is 2-3 all-time in bowl games. Even though the Huskies lost a heartbreaker in the MAC title game, they still have a chance to go for a school-record 11 wins. Fresno State is making its fourth straight bowl game and is in the Humanitarian for the first time since 2007. The Huskies are 3.0 point favorites. Take the points and Fresno State to upset The Huskies.
Season to date (13-2).

SMALL COLLEGE PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 12/18, for the sixth year in a row the Stagg Bowl (D-III Championship game) has the Mount Union Purple Raiders #2 (13-0) vs. the Wisconsin Whitewater Warhawks #1 (14-0). Talk about a rivalry in Salem Virginia. We like the Warhawks to win.
Season to date (11-3).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Sunday 12/19, New York Jets (9-4) visit Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3), 4:00 PM ET, CBS. The Steelers are 6.0 point favorites. The Jets will continue their decline, Rink Rats takes Pittsburgh and the points.
Season to date (6-8).

WELL DONE – Congratulations to the Bonita High School Bearcats for completing a successful football season (12-2). Though losing in the final championship game they represented the community well.

Dear Rink Rats:

I supervise three people at my work. This time of year I am always troubled on whether I should give a gift to the individuals I supervise. Should I just take them to lunch, buy them a gift, if so how much should I spend? These individuals work very hard for me throughout the year but I do not want to upstage other employees whom I work with.

- Puzzled Santa

Dear Puzzled Santa:

It is refreshing to see a supervisor care for their employees. Rink Rats recently had a similar question from an Associate Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer (just that title alone indicates this person is clueless). This individual expressed not knowing what the Holidays are or represent and saw no need for employee recognition. We say this person could not be farther from the truth. As a supervisor you should acknowledge your staff throughout the year not just during the holidays. Then for the season a simple gift of what you can personally afford is appropriate. But we stress recognition should be yearlong as a way of showing your appreciation to the staff.



Peppermint Holiday Cookies
Serves: 36

Ingredients:

• 3/4 stick Crisco® Butter Shortening Sticks or 3/4 cup Crisco® Butter Shortening
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all purpose Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup crushed peppermint candy canes or 3/4 cup peppermint hard candies

Directions:
Prep Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 35 mins

1. HEAT oven to 350ºF.
2. BEAT shortening, brown sugar, sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl of electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture at low speed just until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup crushed candy. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.
3. BAKE 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately sprinkle each cookie with about 1/4 teaspoon crushed candy. Cool 2 minutes. Remove to rack to cool completely.
4. TIP - To have enough crushed candy for this recipe, use 9 medium candy canes or 36 peppermint hard candies.

The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in Washington, D.C. This wasn't for any religious reasons. They couldn't find three wise men and a virgin.
Jay Leno

Somehow, not only for Christmas,
But all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others,
Is the joy that comes back to you.
And the more you spend in blessing,
The poor and lonely and sad,
The more of your heart's possessing,
Returns to you glad.
John Greenleaf Whittier

Next week, our year end best and worst begins.

Until next Monday, Buone Feste!

Claremont, CA
December 13, 2010

Be Careful Out There

On a recently completed a 1,400 mile, seven day auto trip through California it was truly amazing to again view so many different landscapes and scenery. But the seven day drive also further established to this traveller how many bad drivers there are out on the highways. Please bring back summer public education driver training, because whoever is training our drivers of today is not doing a good job.

Forget the law that forbids cellular phone talking while driving, it is still being done, along with texting, applying makeup, reading an iPad, listening to an iPod, watching a Pixar movie, eating and drinking. Do drivers use turn signals anymore? On a freeway when you are not passing anyone please be in the far right lane and let other cars pass, if you cannot drive the speed limit move into the right lane.

Message to the Obama Administration: forget the bankers and wall street who will always find a way to rip us off, go after these drivers: (1) anyone who drives and lives in Ohio, (2) mothers with students attending private schools who drive monster SUVs, (3) Arts & Science professors, (4) law enforcement officers (fine examples they set), and (5) anyone who drives a Kia (a menace to society).

While driving through California Rink Rats recommends these following places to stop and eat:

Margie’s – Paso Robles: great iced tea

Tap Room – Pebble Beach Lodge: the Rueben sandwich melts in your mouth, old school

San Francisco Deli – Redding: super French Dip sandwich

Black Bear Diner – Gilroy: grilled cheese to die for

Hog’s Breath Inn – Carmel: Clint knows how to serve a cocktail, “made my day”

Madonna Inn, Silver Bar Lounge – San Luis Obispo: great people watching, and what people it is like attending a bad wedding

MORE GENERAL MOTORS HELP - General Motors won't have to pay federal taxes on up to $50 billion in profit under an unusual provision of its government-funded bailout, giving the car maker an added boost as it returns to a publicly owned company. GM may use the $50 billion in so-called tax-loss carry-forwards to shield that amount of profit from U.S. taxes for up to 20 years.

CONNECTING THE DOTS - L.A. Times lead story, "Rumblings of inflation grow louder: Prices of a wide range of commodities are rising, and Americans are starting to feel it in their pocketbooks," by J. Huffstutter and Tom Petruno: "The effects are rippling from financial trading floors to local stores, forcing consumers to shell out more for everyday basics - a cup of coffee, a box of cereal, a gallon of gasoline. Those increases are being driven in part by short supplies of some crops and raw materials caused by poor weather in major producing regions and robust demand from emerging markets such as China and India. Investors and speculators also are pushing up prices as they jump into rising commodity markets. They are being drawn to these so-called hard assets to hedge against inflation and the risk of further devaluation of the dollar and other paper currencies. ... Raw coffee prices on commodity exchanges are up 60%. ... Retail food prices have already started to rise after remaining relatively flat for the first half of the year, said Ephraim Leibtag, an economist with U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service."

Holiday cheer watch: Google is giving all its employees a $1,000 cash bonus (and paying the tax on it) along with 10 percent raises to ensure they don't all go work at Facebook

MORE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE – First Greece, then Portugal and Spain, now Ireland, watch out United States in 2011. Europe is borrowing money to bail out countries that got in trouble by borrowing too much money. Forget what Ben Bernanke said on 60 Minutes, bankers are still gambling with your money: the winners – government (they keep spending), corporate executives (huge year end bonuses) and commercial banks (record profits), the losers – the American taxpayer (picking up the tab for generations to come) and corporate shareholders (why not profits distributed in dividends). Watch for at least five states to declare bankruptcy in 2011. It is not over, save your money.

CURRENCY WAR - "We're in the midst of an international currency war," Brazil's finance minister said recently. The world's biggest economies are combatants, and they all want the same thing: a weaker currency.

Japan, Taiwan and South Korea have publicly intervened in open markets, to make their currencies weaker. China has not been so public, but it's pretty clear that the country is keeping its currency artificially weak.

In the U.S., the Fed has kept short-term interest rates superlow and has printed more than $1 trillon to buy mortgage bonds — moves whose main purpose is to stimulate domestic spending, but which also tend to weaken the dollar's value against other currencies.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Larry Bird (54), Dave Brubeck (89), Dick Butkus (67), Andrew Cuomo (52), Kirk Douglas (93), Bobby Flay (45), Teri Hatcher (45), Laurie Hill …famous Spartan, Igor Larionov (50), G. Gordon Liddy (80).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 12/11, the last regular season week of the college football season has the Navy Midshipmen (8-3) vs. the Army Cadets (6-5), 2:00 PM ET, CBS. Navy are 9.0 favorites in the 111th renewal of this historic game in Philadelphia give the points and we pick Navy to win.
Season to date (12-2).

SMALL COLLEGE PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 12/11, the semifinals of D-III have the #1 University of Wisconsin Whitewater Warhawks (13-0) visiting #3 Wesley Wolverines (12-0) in Dover, Delaware, 12:00 PM ET, ESPNU. Rink Rats likes The Warhawks to win and head back to the championship game for the sixth straight year.
Season to date (10-3).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Sunday 12/12, Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) vs. Dallas Cowboys (4-8), 8:00 PM ET, NBC, the Eagles are 3.5 point favorites take the points and the Cowboys in this NFC East battle. The Cowboys continue their return to respectability.
Season to date (5-8).

SPORTS BLINK - @TigerWoods answers fans' questions on Twitter: (Do we care??)
--Favorite team to root for (besides Stanford)? "Lakers, Dodgers, Raiders"
--"Coming to America," or "Hangover"? "No movie compares to Caddyshack"
--Can he rock a full beard, or only the goatee? "I can barely grow a goatee"
--What does the man who can buy anything want for Christmas? "Stanford in the National Championship Game"
--Favorite course? "St. Andrews"
--Best pre-round meal and "in the bag" snacks/food? "During round I eat peanut&banana sandwich & almonds"

HOLIDAY MOVIES – Rink Rats recommends the following movies for your holiday viewing:

King’s Speech – feel good movie, well-acted
127 Hours – amazing since it is a true story
Slap Shot – still the best sports movie of all time
Nobodys Fool - Paul Newman at his best

Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.
Oren Arnold

Next week, holiday cooking and gardening.

Until next Monday, Joyeuses Fetes.

Claremont, CA
December 6, 2010

Mayor Who???

JACKASS OF THE MONTH – Our Jackass of the month for November is a favorite of Rink Rats, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: the 41st major of Los Angeles, now in his second term, born Antonio Villar on January 23, 1953. Mayor Villar graduated from UCLA and attended The People’s College of Law an unaccredited law school, he has failed the California Bar Exam four times and is unable to practice law.

In five plus years Tony Villar as mayor has accomplished absolutely nothing. His education, bicycle safety, transportation, film production, tax increase policies have all been disasters. His personal life makes Bill Clinton look like the Dalai Lama. He is an embarrassment to the Hispanic community and the Democratic Party.

Mayor Villar (Villaraigosa) just go away!

THE CASE FOR TARP - The Wall Street bailout program officially ended this month. Herb Allison, who oversaw the program for Treasury, wrote in a HuffPo op-ed: "It was unfair. It was appalling. But it was necessary. We had no other choice. Two years ago, we stood at the brink of an economic catastrophe. Ordinary American families were questioning whether their money was safe in banks. ... And now that the fog of an intense financial panic has lifted, it's clear that the critics and cynics were wrong. TARP has proven remarkably successful at stabilizing the economy and laying the foundation for future growth. ... The question, then, is why does TARP remain unpopular, despite its success? I believe, in great part, it's because a number of myths about the program stubbornly persist. Many people think that TARP cost $700 billion. But Treasury is now confident that the lifetime cost to taxpayers will be less than $50 billion."

GENERAL MOTORS IPO WHAT IT MEANS - GM sold about 478 million shares at $33 each, a price higher than the company and its bankers thought was possible just weeks ago. ... Among foreign buyers will be China's largest car maker, SAIC Motor Corp., which ... will buy about $500 million of shares for a GM stake of close to 1% ... The proceeds will help pay back the U.S. government for the $49.5 billion it spent on its controversial rescue of GM ... The government needs GM shares to rise sharply over the coming years for it to be repaid in full. ... With Wednesday's sale, ... the Treasury lost roughly $4.5 billion on GM shares it acquired at an effective cost of $43.84 apiece. ... If GM's underwriters exercise all their options to sell additional shares, GM's IPO at $18.1 billion in common shares would be the second largest U.S. IPO after Visa's $19.7 billion sale in 2008."

The Detroit automaker that was humbled before Congress and the world as it shuttered 11 plants, closed 1,500 dealerships, jettisoned four brands and dismissed tens of thousands of workers, returns to Wall Street.

TREASURY CELEBRATES (FOR NOW) - A senior administration official last night said Treasury would sell as much as 45 percent of its stake in GM for $33 per share, generating up to $13.6 billion and reducing the government' post-IPO ownership to as low as 33 percent: "We view this as a major milestone. We feel good about it. At the time [of the bailout] many critics believed that GM would never come out of this and if it did it would come out wounded." Asked why Treasury wasn't holding onto more shares on the theory that the IPO could have a big "pop" when it starts trading and continue rising higher in the months ahead: "We have said from the beginning that we wanted to exit this investment as soon as practicable."

In total, the offering is expected to raise $23.1 billion for GM. In order to break even on its initial $50 billion investment, Treasury must now sell its remaining shares at an average of around $50 each. Treasury is expected to sell off the remaining stake over the next two years-after a six-month post-IPO break-and will continue to reduce its already limited involvement in the day-to-day operations of GM. Wall Street underwriters, led by JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley, are not exactly making out like bandits on the deal, taking just 0.75 percent of the total value, according to government officials.

The $40.1 billion in repayments would mean the Obama administration has more than recouped its $36.1 billion investment in GM and the federal government would recover all but approximately $9.4 billion of its $49.5 billion overall investment in GM ($13.4 billion of which came under the Bush administration).

BAILOUT RECOVERY NOW AT $250 BILLION - Dow Jones reports: "The U.S. says taxpayers have recovered more than $250 billion from the Wall Street rescue with last week’s delivery of proceeds from the [GM IPO]. The Treasury Department updated its recovery of [TARP] funds with the formal announcement of the delivery of the $11.7 billion in net proceeds from the GM IPO. ... With the GM proceeds, there have been $252 billion in TARP funds returned to taxpayers, Treasury said."

REALITY CHECK - "In richest US county, thousands need handouts" - Leesburg, Va.: "Wendy Latham checked off a wish-list for her family: cereal, diapers for two-year-old Cole, bread, pizza and, in an ideal world, turkey and other fixings for Thanksgiving dinner. ... [S]he is one of hundreds of residents of Loudoun County in Virginia, the richest county in the United States, who have to rely on handouts from a food pantry ... to feed their families. ... The national poverty rate in the United States is 14.3 percent, the highest it's been since 1994."

SAY WHAT: "I think she's very happy in Alaska -- and I hope she'll stay there."
— Barbara Bush, on Sarah Palin

"I think the majority of Americans don't want to put up with the blue bloods. And I say it with all due respect because I love the Bushes."
— Sarah Palin, in response

TOP TALKER - 'NFL's Union Leader Says Lockout 'Near Certainty' Next Season,' by Bloomberg's Curtis Eichelberger: 'The executive director of the National Football League players union said a player lockout next season is a 'near certainty,' and that it would cost the U.S. economy an estimated $5 billion in lost wages, taxes and other revenue if the entire season is canceled. In an interview on 'Political Capital With Al Hunt' airing this weekend on Bloomberg television, union chief DeMaurice Smith said if NFL owners lock out players in order to get concessions in a labor dispute, ... 'The magnitude of the loss would be at the very least about $160 million to $170 million per team-city ... That is a conservative estimate of the economic impact.' NFL spokesman Greg Aiello challenged Smith's numbers, saying they came from union projections rather than a government agency, investment bank or noted economist.'

NOT BAD FOR GOVERNMENT WORK - Speaking of salaries, USA Today's Dennis Cauchon reports that "the number of federal workers earning $150,000 or more a year has soared tenfold in the past five years and doubled since President Obama took office"

ECONOMIC STRESS – The top five states for economic stress are: (1) Nevada, (2) California, (3) Florida, (4) Michigan, (5) Arizona. The stress index calculates economic conditions based on unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy rates. This index is for September 2010.

MAFFEI IS TOP PAID - WSJ's Joann S. Lublin reports: "Gregory B. Maffei won the executive-pay sweepstakes during a year when his investors also fared well. Mr. Maffei, the leader of Liberty Media Corp., enjoyed total direct pre-tax compensation of $87.1 million last year, four times his 2008 package and enough to land him atop the rankings in The Wall Street Journal's latest CEO pay survey, which includes all 456 of the biggest U.S. public companies. ... Not far behind Mr. Maffei was Larry Ellison, Oracle's billionaire founder. Long ranked among the best-paid CEOs, he received a $68.6 million package that mainly consisted of options valued at $61.9 million."

FORECLOSURE MESS COULD THREATEN BIG BANKS - AP Business Writer Marcy Gordon: "The disarray stemming from flawed foreclosure documents could threaten major banks with billions of dollars in losses, deepen the disruption in the housing market and hurt the government's effort to keep people in their homes, according to a new report from a congressional watchdog. ... If the irregularities are widespread, the consequences could be severe, the Congressional Oversight Panel said."

DANGER, WILL ROBINSON - European officials, increasingly concerned that the Continent's debt crisis will spread, are warning that any new rescue plans may need to cover Portugal as well as Ireland ... The current situation feels eerily similar to what happened months ago in Greece, where the cost of borrowing rose precipitously. ... Of paramount concern to policy makers in Europe is Spain, which is struggling to close its own deficit of 9 percent of G.D.P. at a time when unemployment is more than 20 percent and the economy is failing to grow. Watch for 2011 to be a very bad year also for US if spending does not decrease dramatically.

BOND MARKET DEFIANCE - Mark Gongloff writes: "Bucking the Federal Reserve's efforts to push interest rates lower, investors are selling off U.S. government debt, driving rates in many cases to their highest levels in more than three months. The Fed's $600 billion program to buy Treasury bonds began late last week and is kicking into high gear this week. ... That should have driven prices up on those bonds and lowered their interest rates, or yields, which move opposite to the price. Instead, yields on almost every Treasury have been rising. The trend is a potential problem for the economy and the Fed. Rates had fallen sharply for months in anticipation of a Fed buying program, and in a short time much of that effect has been lost, spelling an unwelcome rise in borrowing costs throughout the economy."

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to Woody Allen (75), Jeff Bridges (61), Alex Delvecchio (79), Caroline Kennedy (53), Bo Jackson (48), Edwin Meese III (79), Little Richard (78), Vin Scully (83), Lee Trevino (71), Katarina Witt (45).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 12/4, it is championship season now in college football. This week the Southwest Conference championship game is a good matchup: #9 Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) vs. #13 Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-2) in Dallas, 8:00 PM ET, ABC. The Sooners are 4 point favorites, we pick The Sooners to cover and win. Is Rich Rodriguez fired yet???
Season to date (11-2).

SMALL COLLEGE PICK OF THE WEEK – Saturday 12/4, the quarterfinals of D-III have the surprising Alfred Saxons (10-2) @ #1 Mount Union Purple Raiders (12-0), Noon ET, CSN. The Cinderella story ends this week, we pick Mount Union over Alfred.
Season to date (9-3).

NFL PICK OF THE WEEK – Thursday 12/2, Houston Oilers (5-6) @ Philadelphia Eagles (7-5), 8:00 PM ET, NFL Network, another sleeper Thursday NFL Network matchup. The Eagles are 7.5 favorites take the points and Philadelphia in this one.
Season to date (4-8).

Top Five Worst NHL Teams at a Quarter through the Season
1). New York Islanders: Mike Bossy could still play on this team at 49.
2). Edmonton Oilers: young talent but a few years away.
3). New Jersey Devils: what happened????
4). Florida Panthers: Paul Gallagher, Murray Cawker (St. Lawrence Alumns) what’s going on?
5). Calgary Flames: overrated and over paid.

SPORTS BLINK: if you are in the area this week the CIF Mid Valley Semifinals pit La Serna Lancers at the Bonita High Bearcats on Friday – the dream season continues for The Bearcats.

Next week, our holiday movie picks.

Until next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA
November 29, 2010