Seventy Two Hours

This past week in a span of seventy two hours I participated or witnessed the following on a collegiate campus (The University of La Verne):

Employer Interview Mentoring – Our College of Business & Public Management offers mock interviews to any student wishing to practice their skills to obtain internships and/or full time positions. I interviewed six students; student athletes, international students, Arts & Science majors, Business majors, all but one are currently working a part-time job. A perfect example of the diverse student body this University has. Yes, some need to work on their communication and writing skills, yes some need to understand the competition they face in the “real world” of full-time employment. But every student is committed to their education, their family, and to be active citizens in their communities.

Accounting Students Year End Banquet – The Society of Accounting Students is a mentoring, networking, community involvement organization on campus. Every year they hold a dinner to honor students for the academic and community achievements. I had the pleasure of sitting with a former student who is a third year student, and a twenty one year old student who is graduating this month who was attending the dinner with his parents and girlfriend. The parents were so proud of their soon to be graduating son, but also they were so impressed by this woman third year student  at our table, in her mid-thirties, working full time achieving academic honors, and at the same time raising three children (on her own).

Student Play “Electricidad” – After the dinner I attended our student production of a contemporary American urban tragedy embedded in East Los Angeles gang culture. This play draws on Sophocles’ classic Greek play “Electra” to explore the repetitive cycle of familial love, revenge and honor that appears throughout history from the Greeks to modern day Southern California. The best production in the many productions I have attended over the years. The nine cast members represented: international students from South America and Indonesia, a former military serviceman and an adult learner, students from East Los Angeles, Northern California, first time actors and actors going on to careers in the theatre.

Senior Day Softball Game – Our women’s softball team are Conference Champions, they celebrated their season by honoring the graduating seniors (Five) and taking two games from Chapman University. These student athletes work full time all year raising funds for their uniforms and out of state trips, in addition to their academic load they all work part-time jobs and participate supporting other student organizations on campus.

Best of The University Music Department – An annual concert performed by students and faculty celebrating the end of the year in music: the quality and talent of the students and faculty performers is second to none.

Not a bad seventy two hours in higher education.

COLLEGE CHRONICLES – SIGN OF THE TIMES – The other day I parked on one end of campus and proceeded to walk to the other end of campus, approximately four blocks. I passed twenty to thirty students and every one of these students were walking and looking at their cellular phone. ABSOLUTELY no one was looking ahead and acknowledged me with a smile or hello or even a grunt (it was 9:30 am in the morning). Our students have lovely foreheads, hair styles and caps.

Perhaps we should offer a class in “Monotasking”? Monotasking, the performance by an individual of one task, and only one task, at a point in time. Monotasking can be more productive than multitasking because it allows an individual to put all their attention and focus on the task at hand.

I think multitasking is overrated.

PARTIAL PROGRESS IN ATHLETE GRAD RATES: Division I athletes graduated at slightly higher rates in 2014-15, but more teams than last year were penalized for low completion, the National Collegiate Athletic Association said this week. The overall Division I Academic Progress Rate ticked up one point to 979 last year, thanks in part to gains at less-wealthy schools and historically black colleges, as well as among football and men's and women's basketball teams. (The APR is more generous than the Federal Graduation Rate because it doesn't count transfer students as non-graduates.) But 23 teams - including several HBCUs such as Alabama State and Howard University - will be barred from postseason competition in 2016-17, up from 21 last year. And 31 are subject to additional penalties, three more than the year prior: http://on.ncaa.com/1Nlzhd3.

FIRST DAUGHTER TO COLLEGE - The President and Mrs. Obama announced Friday that their daughter Malia will attend Harvard University in the fall of 2017 as a member of the Class of 2021. Malia will take a gap year before beginning school.

COMMENCEMENT SEASON PART UNO –

University of Redlands – April 23: Jane Goodall, Conservationist and Ethologist

University of Michigan – April 30: Michael Bloomberg, Owner Bloomberg Media, Inc.

High Point University – May 7: Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State

POTUS WEEK AHEAD: On Tuesday, the President will honor the 2016 National Teacher of the Year and finalists at the White House, thanking them for their hard work and dedication each and every day in the classroom. On Wednesday, the President will travel to Flint, Michigan to the hear first-hand from Flint residents about the public health crisis, receive an in-person briefing on the federal efforts in place to help respond to the needs of the people of Flint, and deliver remarks to community members. ... In the evening, the President will deliver remarks at the Asian Pacific American Institute of Congressional Studies 22nd annual awards gala dinner.

On Thursday, the President will host a Cinco de Mayo reception at the White House. In the afternoon, the President will be joined by the Vice President, First Lady and Dr. Biden to kick off the 5th anniversary of Joining Forces and the 75th anniversary of the USO. The event, A Celebration of Service, will include nearly 1,500 service members and their families. ... On Saturday, the President will deliver the commencement address to the 2016 graduating class of Howard University in Washington, D.C. As one of the nation's top Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Howard University is recognized for its rigorous education and legacy of building lasting bridges of opportunity for young people.

APPLE DISAPPOINTS - From the iPod to the iPhone to the iPad, Apple created more than a decade's worth of new gadgets to fuel its historic growth. But the technology company's dazzling 13-year run of quarterly revenue growth ended on Tuesday - a casualty of Apple's already immense size, weakness in key global markets like China and the lack of another hot product to pry open the wallets of customers. Apple ... said ... that revenue for its second fiscal quarter ... declined 13 percent to $50.6 billion as sales of its flagship product, the iPhone, fell, with little else to take its place.

Nearly half of the smartphones sold in the United States are iPhones, and Apple may be reaching the saturation point among potential customers in other developed countries. Rival smartphone makers using Google's Android operating system continue to challenge the company with powerful, less expensive devices. Over all, Apple sold 16 percent fewer iPhones in the quarter compared with the same quarter last year.

CARL CANS APPLE – Carl Icahn: We're out of Apple, and it's China's fault," via CNBC: "Billionaire investor Carl Icahn told CNBC on Thursday he has sold his Apple position as the tech giant's stock continues to shed value after disappointing earnings. 'We no longer have a position in Apple,' Icahn told CNBC's 'Power Lunch,' noting Apple is a 'great company' and CEO Tim Cook is 'doing a great job. Chief executive Tim Cook is probably one of the most competent operations executives in the industry but is clearly not a technology visionary. Apple needs another Steve Jobs to reinvent itself otherwise it will join the ranks of HP and Compaq.

GOOD READ - DAVID BROOKS, "If Not Trump, What? How to heal a crisis of solidarity": "The leaders of the Republican Party are ... going down meekly and hoping for a quiet convention. They seem blithely unaware that this is a Joe McCarthy moment. People will be judged by where they stood at this time. Those who walked with Trump will be tainted forever after for the degradation of standards and the general election slaughter.

"The better course for all of us - Republican, Democrat and independent - is to step back and take the long view, and to begin building for that. This election - not only the Trump phenomenon but the rise of Bernie Sanders, also - has reminded us how much pain there is in this country. According to a Pew Research poll, 75 percent of Trump voters say that life has gotten worse for people like them over the last half century.

"This declinism intertwines with other horrible social statistics. The suicide rate has surged to a 30-year high - a sure sign of rampant social isolation. A record number of Americans believe the American dream is out of reach. And for millennials, social trust is at historic lows. Trump's success grew out of that pain, but he is not the right response to it. ...

"We'll probably need a new national story. Up until now, America's story has been some version of the rags-to-riches story ... I don't know what the new national story will be, but maybe it will be less individualistic and more redemptive. ... We'll probably need a new definition of masculinity, too. ... The traditional masculine ideal isn't working anymore. It leads to high dropout rates, high incarceration rates, low labor force participation rates. This is an economy that rewards emotional connection and verbal expressiveness. ...

"We'll also need to rebuild the sense that we're all in this together. ... Maybe the task is to build a ladder of hope. ... Trump will have his gruesome moment. The time is best spent elsewhere, meeting the neighbors who have become strangers, and listening to what they have to say."

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to: Chris Krich …famous mentor, Cloris Leachman (90) Malibu, CA; Willie Nelson (83) Austin, TX.

GDP CHEAT SHEET - Via Hamilton Place Strategies: http://bit.ly/1Tz9I7M

CHINESE INVESTMENT IN U.S. SOARS - Chinese investment in the US hit a record $15bn last year and is set to reach twice that this year despite calls for greater scrutiny and growing political sensitivities in Washington, according to a new report. ... The study by the National Committee on US-China Relations and the Rhodium Group, which tracks foreign direct investment in the US, is an attempt to promote China's growing role as an investor in the US.

The committee, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, hosted the Chinese table tennis team for a visit to the US in 1972 that formed part of the 'ping-pong diplomacy' that led to the restoration of diplomatic and trade relations with China under President Richard Nixon. ... At the end of 2015, more than 1,900 Chinese-affiliated companies were operating in the US across more than 80 per cent of its congressional districts and employing some 90,000 people, according to the report.

CHINA GROWTH SLOWEST IN SEVEN YEARS - China's economy grew 6.7 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, meeting expectations and at its slowest pace in seven years, although other indicators show the slowdown in the world's second largest economy may be bottoming out. .. Analysts had expected gross domestic product (GDP) to grow 6.7 percent, easing slightly from 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter and marking the slowest rate of growth since the first quarter of 2009, when growth tumbled to 6.2 percent.

China's economy grew 6.9 percent in 2015, its weakest rate in a quarter of a century. Analysts expect the economy will lose more momentum this year, forecasting growth will cool to 6.5 percent even if Beijing ramps up fiscal spending and cuts interest rates again.

THE FIFTH ESTATE - L.A. Times owner wins auction for The Orange County Register, Press-Enterprise at $56 million: After a marathon, contentious auction that started Wednesday morning and went deep into the evening, Tribune said its $56 million cash bid was the winner over Digital First Media, publisher of the Los Angeles Daily News and Long Beach-Press-Telegram, and an investor group headed by Rich Mirman, CEO of Freedom Communications, owner of the Register and Press-Enterprise.

STATE OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS - What The Numbers Tell Us: The music industry is now a digital business, deriving more than 70% of its revenues from a wide array of digital platforms and formats. ... In 2015, digital music subscription services reached new all-time highs, generating more than $1 billion in revenues for the first time, and averaging nearly 11 million paid subscriptions for the year. ... The consumption of music is skyrocketing, but revenues for creators have not kept pace. In 2015, fans listened to hundreds of billions of audio and video music streams through on-demand ad-supported digital services like YouTube, but revenues from such services have been meager-far less than other kinds of music services.

LAKE WOBEGON, A new "Prairie Home Companion - The popular public radio variety show ... is set for some changes as ... Garrison Keillor prepares to retire and mandolin ace Chris Thile of the bands Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek gets ready to step in as its new host.

THE MAP -- Clinton allies quietly shape general-election map: By hoarding ad space in battleground states, they hope to keep Republicans on defense, no matter who is their nominee: The 2016 electoral map being drawn by pro-Clinton forces, according to ad reservations and interviews with high-level strategists and pollsters on both sides of the aisle, begins with a core group of familiar presidential swing states at the center of the fight - Florida, Ohio, New Hampshire, Nevada, Iowa, Virginia, and Colorado - with roughly a half-dozen other states on the periphery.

Those other states - which include Wisconsin, New Mexico, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, all perceived to be leaning toward the Democrats, and North Carolina, where the GOP is likely to begin with an edge - are thought to be competitive, though not yet at the point where they stand likely to flip their 2012 presidential vote in November. ... Clinton's allies are for now putting their money on the traditional battlegrounds - not the rust-belt states where Trump insists he can steal Democratic votes, or traditionally red, but diverse, states like Arizona and Georgia where Clinton's allies say she'd have a better shot with Trump as the GOP standard-bearer.

HOW STUDENTS MIGHT VOTE: As the 2016 candidates look for ways to woo young people, Tufts University's National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement is out with a new analysis of how 7.4 million college students voted - or didn't - in 2012. Only 45 percent of eligible student voters cast a ballot when President Barack Obama was re-elected, and those who were eligible to weigh in for the first time voted at an even lower rate of 40 percent. Women and black students voted at the highest rates (48 percent and 55 percent, respectively), and many voted absentee, early or by mail.

- "While college students are voting in higher numbers than young people overall, these data show that there is still significant potential to increase voting and political learning on campuses, particularly with regard to first-time voters," says Nancy Thomas, director of Tufts' Institute for Democracy & Higher Education. "In 2016, universities can and must do more to build the type of campus climates that not only reduce barriers to voting, but increase students' motivation to participate."

SPORTS BLINK -- Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira and Savannah Guthrie to Host the Opening Ceremony of the Rio Olympics Friday, Aug. 5 on NBC: From the Parade of Nations to the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, Matt, Meredith and Savannah will guide viewers through the spectacle and pageantry that only occurs when the world comes together at the Olympic Games. Rio 2016 will be Lauer's 11th Olympics for TODAY, and his fifth in a role on the primetime Opening Ceremony broadcast. Vieira works her third Opening Ceremony for NBC. Guthrie, in her third Olympics for TODAY, makes her NBC Olympics debut in Rio.

THE SWAMI’S WEEK TOP PICKS –

Major League Baseball Game of the Week: Saturday May 7, 2:10 pm ET; Fox – Washington Nationals (17-7) at Chicago Cubs (17-6), two hottest teams in baseball at Wrigley, Cubbies win 5 – 3.

Season to date (43 -23)

DRIVING THE WEEK - Indiana votes Tuesday and could bring the GOP race to an end while further expanding Hillary Clinton's lead over Bernie Sanders ... Milken Conference here in L.A. brings together lots of members of Congress. I'll moderate a panel with Sens. David Purdue (R-Ga.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) among others this morning and another with US Trade Rep Mike Froman this afternoon on TPP ... April jobs report on Friday expected to show a gain of 203,000 down from 215,000 in March.

Next week: Another try at do you have a Darth Vader at your work? Credit line and words of the month.

Until Next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA

May 2, 2016

#VI-40-302

CARTOON OF THE WEEK –Shannon Wheeler, The New Yorker

To Ph.D. or not, that is the Question

ROBERT HEVEY was fascinated by gardening as a child, but then he grew up and took a 30-year career detour. Mr. Hevey earned a master’s in business and became a certified public accountant, working for accounting firms and businesses ranging from manufacturing to enterprise software and corporate restructuring.

“I went to college and made the mistake of getting an M.B.A. and a C.P.A.,” he recalled with a laugh.

Now 61, Mr. Hevey is making up for lost time. He’s a second-year Ph.D. student in a plant biology and conservation program offered jointly by Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Garden. Mr. Hevey, whose work focuses on invasive species, started on his master’s at age 53, and he expects to finish his doctorate around five years from now, when he will be 66.

“When I walk into a classroom of 20-year-olds, I do raise the average age a bit,” he says.

While the overall age of Ph.D. candidates has dropped in the last decade, about 14 percent of all doctoral recipients are over age 40, according to the National Science Foundation. Relatively few students work on Ph.D.s at Mr. Hevey’s age, but educators are seeing increasing enrollment in doctoral programs by students in their 40s and 50s. Many candidates hope doctorates will help them advance careers in business, government and nonprofit organizations; some, like Mr. Hevey, are headed for academic research or teaching positions.

At Cornell University, the trend is driven by women. The number of new female doctoral students age 36 or older was 44 percent higher last year than in 2009, according to Barbara Knuth, senior vice provost and dean of the graduate school.

“One of the shifts nationally is more emphasis on career paths that call for a Ph.D.,” Dr. Knuth said. “Part of it is that we have much more fluidity in career paths. It’s unusual for people to hold the same job for many years.”

“The people we see coming back have a variety of reasons,” she added. “It could be a personal interest or for career advancement. But they are very pragmatic and resilient: strong thinkers, willing to ask questions and take a risk in their lives.”

Many older doctoral candidates are motivated by a search for meaning, said Katrina Rogers, president of Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, Calif., which offers programs exclusively for adult learners in psychology, human and organizational development and education.

 “Students are asking what they can do with the rest of their lives, and how they can have an impact,” she said. “They are approaching graduate school as a learning process for challenging themselves intellectually, but also along cognitive and emotional lines.”

Making a home for older students also makes business sense for universities and colleges, said Barbara Vacarr, director of the higher education initiative at Encore.org, a nonprofit organization focused on midlife career change. “The convergence of an aging population and an undersupply of qualified traditional college students are both a call to action and an opportunity for higher education.”

Some schools are serving older students in midcareer with pragmatic doctoral programs that can be completed more quickly than the seven or eight years traditionally required to earn a Ph.D. Moreover, many of those do not require candidates to spend much time on campus or even leave their full-time jobs.

That flexibility can help with the cost of obtaining a doctorate. In traditional programs, costs can range from $20,000 a year to $50,000 or more — although for some, tuition expenses are offset by fellowships. The shorter programs are less costly. The total cost at Fielding, for example, is $60,000.

Mr. Hevey’s advice to anyone considering a similar move? “Really ask yourself if this is something you want to do. If you think it would just be nice to be a student again, that’s wrong. It’s not a life of ease: You’ll be working all the time, perhaps for seven or eight years.”

Mr. Hevey does not expect to teach, but he does hope to work in a laboratory or do research. “I’m certainly not going to start a new career at 66 or 67,” he said. “But I’m not going to go home and sit on the couch, either.”

JACK ASS OF THE MONTH - 

The N.H.L. suspended Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw for one game for shouting an anti-gay slur while in the penalty box during his team’s Game 4 playoff loss to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.

Shaw was also fined $5,000 for directing an inappropriate gesture at the officials and will be required to take sensitivity training. He will miss Game 5 on Thursday in St. Louis, with the defending champion Blackhawks trailing by three games to one.

The incidents occurred late in the third period after Shaw was penalized for interference with Chicago down by 4-3. He gestured at the officials while skating to the penalty box. Video of Shaw in the penalty box seemed to show him shouting the slur, though it was not clear to whom his remarks were directed. After the game, Shaw told The Chicago Tribune: “I mean, emotions are high; I really don’t know what’s said. I was obviously upset with the call being that late in the game.”

But on Wednesday, he apologized in a statement. “I am sincerely sorry for the insensitive remarks that I made last night while in the penalty box,” he said. “When I got home and saw the video, it was evident that what I did was wrong, no matter the circumstances.”

Speaking to reporters later, Shaw said, “I’ll never use that word again, that’s for sure.”

“I get it,” he added. “It’s a hurtful word. It’s 2016 now. It’s time that everyone is treated equally.”

The Blackhawks said in a statement: “We are extremely disappointed in Andrew Shaw’s actions last night. His comments do not reflect what we stand for as an organization.”

Colin Campbell, the N.H.L. vice president for hockey operations, said that while Shaw was remorseful, he had to be held accountable.

“The emotion of the moment cannot and will not be a mitigating factor for the conduct that is expected of an N.H.L. player,” Campbell said.

Andrew Shaw is our Jack Ass for the month of April for his actions this past week.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to: Kay Bigglestone ...Tucson's finest, Queen Elizabeth II (90) London, England; Al Pacino (76) Manhattan, N.Y, Joe Zanetta ...The Man & The Legend.

GOOD READS - The Secret History of Tiger Woods," by Wright Thompson on the cover of the upcoming "Fame" issue of ESPN: The Magazine: "The death of his father set a battle raging inside the world's greatest golfer. How he waged that war -- through an obsession with the Navy SEALs -- is the tale of how Tiger lost his way." http://es.pn/248L2rC

COLLEGE CHRONICLES – ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT SEASON (DRAMA): The University of Notre Dame is honoring Vice President Joe Biden and former House Speaker John Boehner with its highest award at next month's graduation ceremony. But some students are crying foul, saying that neither man represents the university's values. More than 80 students signed an op-ed in the school's newspaper in March criticizing the decision to give Biden the 2016 Laetare Medal, which university officials award to a Catholic "whose genius has ennobled the arts and sciences, illustrated the ideals of the Church and enriched the heritage of humanity." Objections to Biden center on his support of abortion, stem cell research and gay marriage. Another op-ed takes aim at Boehner's selection, noting his positions on immigration, the death penalty and environmental issues. University spokesman Paul Browne indicated this year's award is intended to "promote that which unites us. I guess it's a sign of the times that fostering civil discourse would generate invective in some quarters," he said.

- Meanwhile, more than 600 students at the University of Alabama at Huntsville are petitioning to revoke Sen. Jeff Sessions' invitation to speak at the school's May 1st commencement. The petition lists Sessions' track record on education and civil rights and his endorsement of Donald Trump as president as reasons to rescind the invitation. Faculty members have joined in, submitting a petition with almost 200 signatures. A counter-petition supporting Sessions' invitation to the university, which enrolls about 8,000 students, is also circulating.

- Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is at the center of a flap on feminism and her foreign policy track record at a California women's college. Twenty-eight faculty members at Scripps College sent a letter to the school newspaper saying they would not attend this year's May 14 ceremony because Albright is delivering the commencement speech. In a letter to the paper, one student criticized Albright as a "white feminist and repeated genocide enabler" for her failure as the U.S. Ambassador to the UN to stop the killings in Rwanda and her support of NATO's bombing of Serbia in 1999.

- Not all the backlash is politically motivated. A group of students at Tulane University tried last month to replace Today Show's Hoda Kotb as commencement speaker for not being sufficiently serious or high-profile. The petition, which garnered more than 200 supporters, said students deserve better "given the amount of money, work, and passion we have poured into our educational careers at Tulane." The petition has since been taken down and Kotb will speak at the May 14 graduation.

- Students at Trinity College in Connecticut are reconsidering an invite to rapper Action Bronson, scheduled to perform at its spring concert, because of his violent and sexually explicit lyrics. George Washington University decided to remove  him from the school's concert lineup earlier this year because his music wasn't "consistent" with the university's "values of diversity and inclusion."

POLITICS 101 - Donald Trump's Road to Washington Goes Through Fresno: For Trump to clinch the nomination, he has to do very well in the remaining contests, plus win a large majority of delegates in California - as many as 130, according to the Associated Press, representing victory in 39 out of the state's 53 congressional districts. As Breitbart News analysis has determined, that almost certainly means Trump has to win at least one or two districts in Cruz strongholds in the Central Valley of California, with large numbers of Latino and evangelical voters.

COUGH - Los Angeles and Bakersfield top list of worst air pollution in the nation: Bakersfield tops the list for having the most unhealthy days from airborne particles spewed by highway traffic, diesel trucks, farm equipment and fireplaces, the American Lung Assn.'s State of the Air 2016 report says. Los Angeles remains the nation's leader in harmful ozone pollution from car tailpipes emissions, the report says.

HAMILTON SURVIVES; TUBMAN ON THE $20 - Harriet Tubman will bump Andrew Jackson from the front of the $20 bill while Alexander Hamilton will stay put on the $10 - a historic move that gives a woman prime placement on U.S. currency and quells a controversy kicked up by Hamilton super-fans. ... [Treasury Secretary Jack] Lew rolled out sweeping changes that will put a new cast of historic figures onto various bills that have remained largely static for decades.

Leaders of the women's suffrage movement will make their way onto the back of the $10 bill, while civil rights era leaders and other important moments in American history will be incorporated into the $5 bill. Jackson will be kicked to the back of the $20 bill. The plan is a major reversal for Lew, who appeared taken aback by the swift rebukes Treasury received last summer when he announced that he was considering replacing Hamilton on the $10 bill with a woman. ... Lew ... got an earful from fans of Hamilton, who helped create the Treasury Department and the modern American financial system.

FORTUNE's new cover, "Business: The Trump Way," "He's a billionaire (though maybe not as rich as he says). He claims he hates debt (but his casino companies went bust because of it). He craves press attention (but sues at the drop of a hat). What does Trump's record tell us about how he'll lead?" http://for.tn/1WgVrPl

 ... See the cover. http://bit.ly/22T2EFv

THE PRESIDENT'S WEEK AHEAD: On Monday [in Germany], the President will open and tour the Hannover Messe Trade Fair with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Afterwards, the President will deliver remarks. In the afternoon, the President will meet with President Francois Hollande of France, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy, and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom in a meeting hosted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. In the evening, the President will depart Hannover and return to Washington ...

On Wednesday, the President will welcome the United States Naval Academy Football Team to the White House to present them with the 2015 Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. On Thursday, the President and the First Lady will mark the beginning of Passover with a Seder at the White House with friends and staff. On Friday, the President will attend the International Jazz Day Festival at the White House.

REAL ESTATE, REAL ESTATE - Richard Nixon's Western White House takes a $6-million price chop:  A San Clemente estate that became known as the Western White House during Richard M. Nixon's presidency has come back up for sale at $69 million.

Called La Casa Pacifica when Nixon took ownership in 1969, the sprawling 5.45-acre compound occupies an ocean bluff in a gated enclave. While the 37th U.S. president lived there he replaced an existing tennis court with a swimming pool and built a 1,500-foot-long wall to enclose the property.

HOTTEST JOB IN TOWN? How clean tech innovation is rebuilding California: In California, 508,000 people work full-time or part-time in advanced energy, including 44,100 in Orange County, from solar panel installers to electric car designers, home energy auditors, irrigation specialists, chipmakers, biofuel scientists and sustainability executives. The sector's California job growth is explosive: up 18 percent in 2015, more than six times faster than the state's overall payroll expansion of 2.8 percent.

LEAVING BEHIND A PRINCELY SUM: At his death, Prince, the genre- and gender-bending musician had an estate worth about $300 million. It's not yet known if Prince prepared a will. If not, under Minnesota law, the estate would go to his nearest relative, leading some to speculate that it could end up in the hands of his sister, Tyka Nelson. Compares to John Lennon, $800 million; Michael Jackson, $600 million; David Bowie, $230 million.

THE SWAMI’S WEEK TOP PICKS –

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs – April 27, Nashville Predators (3-3) vs. Anaheim Ducks (3-3): Game seven drama in the first round, Ducks prevail 4 – 2.

Season to date (32 -18)

MARKET WEEK – As the Federal Reserve’s policy-setting committee prepares to meet tomorrow, one signal suggests that investors believe the economy, and financial markets, may be finding a footing after a tumultuous start to the year. Government-bond yields are heading higher around the world, a move typically linked to rising expectations of economic growth and inflation. As investors drive down bond prices, yields rise. But many worry the recent bond selloff is just the latest in a series of false starts. In three of the last four years, bond prices have fallen sharply at the start of the year, only to surge later as economic and geopolitical concerns took over investors’ minds. And in other market news, the European Central Bank’s plan to buy corporate bonds has raised the question of whether easy access to money will let companies put off making hard choices.

The week begins with new home sales on Monday. The housing market data continues to be volatile, but after Wednesday's bounce in existing home sales of 5.1% the market will be hoping the trend continues into new home sales. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve is back in the spotlight where they are expected to keep interest rates on hold. This year has been a volatile one for the Fed as they grapple with global growth and geopolitical concerns and a domestic economy that continues to show signs of improvement.

After the March meeting disappointed investors when Fed Chairperson Janet Yellen delivered a more dovish statement than expected, the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields all fell sharply. Since then the U.S. employment report for March again showed an employment market that is heading towards full capacity with another 215,000 jobs added. More importantly for the Fed, the average hourly earnings rose 0.3%. This won't be enough to tip the Fed into raising rates but hints at the potential timing of a rate hike will be closely watched.

Thursday sees the release of the first estimate of Q1 GDP. The market is expecting a pullback from 2015 fourth quarter of 1.4%.

DRIVING THE WEEK – Big primary day on Tuesday with contests in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are set up for big wins. But Trump could run into trouble in Pennsylvania because most of the state's delegates will not be bound even on the first ballot in Cleveland ... Will big losses drive Sanders from the race? Seems possible.

President Obama completes his European trip on Tuesday continuing to push for free trade in an appearance with German Chancellor Angela Merkel followed by remarks and meetings with other European leaders ... FOMC meets Tuesday and Wednesday but is not expected to make any change to rates. And there is no press conference by Chair Janet Yellen ... First read on Q1 GDP on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. expected to show growth of just 0.6%.

Next week: The Commencement season begins and do you have a Darth Vader at your work?

Until Next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA

April 25, 2016

#VI-39-301

CARTOON OF THE WEEK –2016 Pulitzer Prize winner, Sacramento Bee 

Top Five

Our Three Hundredth edition of Rink Rats, and they said it couldn’t be done.

It is only fitting on this our 300^th edition we celebrate our Top Five.

Top Five Reasons to move to Canada:

5). Molson Export Ale

4). Hilary Clinton

3). Bernie Sanders

2). Ted Cruz

1). Donald Trump

Top Five Reasons to not to move to Canada:

5). Snow

4). Mounties

3). Don Cherry

2). Sudbury, Ontario

1). Toronto Maple Leafs

Top Five Reasons we do not like Tax Day:

5). Audits

4). Itemized Deductions

3). Pay first, then request an extension

2). Obama Care

1). Accountants are boring

Top Five Highest paid CEOs:

5). Salesforce.com's Marc Benioff, $33.4m

4). Disney's Bob Iger, $44.9m

2-3). Oracle co-CEOs Safra Catz and Mark Hurd, $53.2m each

1). Viacom's Philippe Dauman, $54.2m

Top Five Kentucky Derby Favorites:

5). Zulu

4). Mor Spirit

3). Danzing Candy

2). Mohaymen

1). Nyquist

Top Five SCIAC Endowment Values as of June 30, 2014:

5). Scripps (#237 overall) $311 million

4). Occidental (#200 overall) $406 million

3). Claremont McKenna College (#136 overall) $699 million

2). California Institute of Technology (#42 overall) $2.09 billion

1). Pomona College (#41 overall) $2.1 billion

Top Five Professional Golfers:

5). Rickie Fowler

4). Bubba Watson

3). Rory McIlroy

2). Jordan Speith

1). Jason Day

Top Five Reasons Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will be impeached:

5). FIFA

4). “Car Wash” Scandal

3). Zika outbreak administration

2). Longest economic downturn in decades

1). Defection of Democratic Movement Party

Top Five Reasons Crime is up in Claremont, California

5). Walter’s Dance Club on Saturday Nights

4). All Male City Council

3). Buffalo Inn closed

2). Two lines at Some Crust Bakery, what is that all about???

1). Who wants to go to Upland!

Top Five Post Governor jobs for Jerry Brown:

5). Angry old man

4). Mayor of Upland, CA

3). First civilian astronaut to Mars

2). Life guard in Malibu, CA

1). Provost of University of California at Berkeley

Top Five Reasons Adjunct Faculty are Cool:

5). Free parking

4). No Faculty meetings to attend

3). No research

2). You do not have to wear socks

1). They can laugh at themselves

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK – Birthday wishes and thoughts this week to: Jennifer Garner (44) Malibu, CA; Gene Hasse ….The Man; Ashley Judd (47) Knoxville, TN; Jack Nicholson (78) Beverly Hills, CA.

COLLEGE CHRONICLES – A new report out last week from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology stresses the importance of cross-collaboration between departments to improve online learning. The study, "Online Education: A Catalyst for Higher Education Reform," recommends that higher education professionals understand the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration; consider online education a scaffold, rather than a replacement, for in-person learning; cultivate a skilled workforce specializing in digital learning design; and ensure changes are made on the highest institutional levels to enable change.

One of the goals of the report is to try to help frame the discussion and to pull together some of the pieces of the conversation that are taking place in different arenas but are not necessarily considered in an integrated way," Karen Willcox, an MIT professor and coauthor of the report, said in a statement. The authors noted that drawing together fields that may not be traditionally linked, such as education experts and neuroscientists, can better provide ways to optimize the online learning experience. The online learning report and its findings will be presented today at the National Academy of Sciences headquarters.

SYLLABUS - Attention students: put your laptops away. A study shows there are still advantages to taking notes the old fashioned way. NPR: http://n.pr/1qQ6NOD

'YALE NO' TO ENDOWMENT TAXES: Three higher ed groups that combined represent most of the country's colleges and universities say no way to a Connecticut proposal to tax Yale University's endowment. The Association of American Universities, the American Council on Education and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities issued a joint statement saying they were "deeply troubled" by the bill. "Taxing a large university would set a precedent for taxing not only other private colleges but also every nonprofit, from local churches and soup kitchens to the Red Cross and Salvation Army," the statement said. "Nonprofit charitable organizations are part of the foundation of American society. If we begin to tax them, we erode that foundation."

CHINESE GOODS BYPASS CALIFORNIA - Chinese exporters are sending more of their goods to the U.S. Southeast, bypassing the California ports that have long served as the gateway for Asian imports. The reason: the Southeast is home to a growing number of factories that import parts from China, and it's cheaper to bring them into the country via Savannah, Houston and other ports in the region, said Jock O'Connell, an international-trade economist at Beacon Economics.

TAXING TIMES - New Treasury rules limiting the ability of U.S. companies to do international deals to lighten their tax burdens drew cries of protest from corporate boardrooms and conservative critics yesterday. While companies around the globe raced to assess the impact, Pfizer and Allergan swiftly condemned the action after terminating their planned $150 billion merger. Both companies now must look to do deals of their own. The Treasury pushed back against the claims that its new rules put U.S. companies at a global disadvantage, arguing that the regulations shut down unfair loopholes. The Obama administration and congressional Republicans agree that the U.S. should cut its corporate-tax rate, but there are few signs that Congress will act in an election year.

CALIFORNIA POLITICS – Loretta Sanchez closes Gap on Kamala Harris for US Senate; within 4 Points on SurveyUSA Poll: Harris is proving to be one of the most uninspiring candidates for Senate in decades. Her campaign makes little news outside of emails begging for money. Sanchez has been bolstering her bid through showing voters she knows how to get things done in Washington and logging in lots of cross country miles.

GOOD READS - The Fight for the Future of NPR," by Leon Neyfakh in Slate: "A slow-moving bureaucracy. An antiquated business model. A horde of upstart competitors. Can National Public Radio survive?" http://slate.me/1p4LuHA

POTUS ROAD TRIP: On Tuesday, the President will depart ... en route Ramstein, Germany on his way to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On Wednesday, the President will arrive in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In the afternoon, the President will meet with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia. The President will remain overnight in Riyadh. On Thursday, the President will meet with leaders and delegations from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. In the afternoon, the President will depart Riyadh and travel to London, United Kingdom, where he will remain overnight.

On Friday, the President will have lunch with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom at Windsor Castle. In the afternoon, the President will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom. Afterward, the President will participate in a press conference with Prime Minister David Cameron. The President will remain overnight in London. On Saturday, the President will participate in a town hall discussion with British youth at the Royal Horticultural Halls. The President will remain overnight in London.

On Sunday, the President will depart London and travel to Hannover, Germany. In Hannover, the President will have a bilateral meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Afterward, the President will participate in a press conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel. In the evening, the President will deliver remarks at the Hannover Messe Trade Fair Opening Ceremony. Later in the evening, the President will participate in a dinner with Chancellor Angela Merkel and business leaders. The President will remain overnight in Hannover.

OUT AND ABOUT – One of the best kept secrets in the San Gabriel Valley of Southern California is the series “Sundays At The Morgan” held monthly (during the academic year) at The University of La Verne Stephen and Ann Morgan Auditorium. This past Sunday I had the extreme pleasure of listening to Vijay Gupta.

Vijay Gupta joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2007 at the age of 19, after completing a Master’s degree in Music from Yale University, and a Bachelor’s in biology from Marist College. Gupta is a passionate and dedicated advocate for the presence of music in ostracized communities. He founded and serves as Artistic Director for Street Symphony, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing free, live music to men, women, and youth living in homelessness and incarceration. A gifted spokesperson for human and mental health advocacy through a musical medium, Gupta is a TED Speaker, and a 2011 TED Senior Fellow.

PANAMA PAPERS IMPACT - Mohamed A. El-Erian: "The revelations about offshore accounts that came to light in the so-called Panama Papers will reinvigorate government efforts to rein in not just tax evasion, which is illegal, but tax avoidance, too. They will also add to popular frustration that will challenge the authority of some government officials. The uproar will bring about enhanced enforcement measures.

"Yet there also will be unintended consequences that will further erode the credibility and effectiveness of the political establishment, including its ability to govern from the center, which is already being tested."

NFL CALENDAR - Super Bowl rematch: Panthers-Broncos opens season: The rematch will be on Thursday night, Sept. 8 in Denver. ... It is the first Super Bowl rematch on opening weekend since 1970, when Minnesota beat champion Kansas City 27-10. ... Among the highlights for opening weekend is the Rams' return to representing Los Angeles as they visit San Francisco in the nightcap of a Monday night doubleheader. Pittsburgh is at Washington in the first game. ...

The Rams get their first home game in the LA Coliseum in Week 2, hosting Seattle. That night, the Vikings open their new stadium in Minneapolis against Green Bay. ... Week 16 will feature most games on a Saturday because Sunday is Christmas. There will be two games on Christmas Day: Baltimore at Pittsburgh in late afternoon, Denver at Kansas City at night. ... Houston hosts Cincinnati in a Christmas Eve night game. A tripleheader on the other major holiday, Thanksgiving, will have the traditional home games for Detroit (vs. Minnesota) and Dallas (against Washington). The prime-time matchup is Pittsburgh at Indianapolis. ...

Four games will be played abroad. Jacksonville will host Indianapolis in London on Oct. 2, at Wembley Stadium. On Oct. 23, the first NFL game at Twickenham Stadium will have the Rams hosting the Giants. And the following Sunday, Cincinnati will host Washington at Wembley. The NFL returns to Mexico City for the first time in 11 years when Oakland hosts Houston on Nov. 21. ... Houston hosts the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.

THE SWAMI’S WEEK TOP PICKS –

National Basketball Association Playoff Picks:

Eastern Conference: #1 Cleveland Cavaliers (4-1) over #8 Detroit Pistons;  #7 Indiana Pacers (4-3) over the #2 Toronto Raptors; #3 Miami Heat (4-2) over the #6 Charlotte Hornets; #4 Atlanta Hawks (4-3) over Boston Celtics.

Conference Semis – Cleveland Cavaliers (4-1) over the Indiana Pacers; Miami Heat (4-2) over the Atlanta Hawks.

Conference Finals – Cleveland Cavaliers (4-1) over the Miami Heat

Western Conference: #1 Golden State Warriors (4-0) over the #8 Houston Rockets; #2 San Antonio Spurs (4-1) over the #7 Memphis Grizzlies; #3 Oklahoma City Thunder (4-1) over the #6 Dallas Mavericks; #4 Los Angeles Clippers (4-1) over the #5 Portland Trail Blazers.

Conference Semis – Golden State Warriors (4-2) over the Los Angeles Clippers; San Antonio Spurs (4-3) over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Conference Finals – Golden State Warriors (4-2) over the San Antonio Spurs

NBA Champs – Golden State Warriors (4-2) over the Cleveland Cavaliers

Season to date (32 -18)

MARKET WEEK - So far, 1Q earnings season has contained mostly positive results relative to low expectations. For the 35 reporting firms, median year/year EPS growth equaled 6 percent versus 3 percent expected by consensus. This week is the first major reporting week, with 101 S&P 500 firms representing 28 percent of market cap scheduled to release earnings.

DRIVING THE WEEK – New York votes on Tuesday with 95 delegates at stake for Republicans and 291 for Democrats ... Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Monday will preside over an FSOC meeting with asset management on the agenda ... Index of leading indicators on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. expected to rise 0.4 percent ... Morgan Stanley reports first-quarter earnings on Monday, Goldman Sachs on Tuesday. Will their trading results be better than expected? ... ECB makes a policy announcement Thursday with no changes expected to rates or its asset purchase program.

Next week: Jack Ass of the month.

Until Next Monday, Adios.

Claremont, CA

April 18, 2016

#VI-38-300

CARTOON OF THE WEEK –Argyle Sweater