America's Cup and Upper Middle Class College Cheating?

August 22, 2019

We are 234 days into the year, 131 days until next year. 

“To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.” – Henry David Thoreau

America’s Cup (R.Y.S. £100 Cup) - 1851

  

           The America’s Cup, affectionately known as the Auld Mug, is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America’s Cup match races between two sailing yachts.  The timing of each match is determined by and agreement between the defender and the challenger.  The America’s Cup is the oldest international sporting trophy.  It will next be raced for in the southern summer, in the early part of 2021.  The current holder is the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.  Above is a picture of the “America” yacht, the winner of the first race held in England around the Isle of Wright.  The “America” won the race by 18 minutes, yeah we were pretty bad ass even back in 1851.  

Upper Middle Class College Cheating

        Wow, just found out that the parents of children who cannot pay $500,000, bribe an addmission official, endow a chair, or build a building for a top tier college are going a different route.  They are getting a 504 designation for their offspring.  They then use this to allow them to get more time for taking the ACT and SAT.  The numbers by zip code are showing 35% 504 designation in affluent neighborhoods against the national average of 7%.  Wow the things parents will do to give a leg up to their offspring.  As many know, I have 2 children.  One who we did the above and beyond of SAT and ACT prep and multiple attempts at the Tests.  They got into the college of their choice (Not an Ivy etc).  The other took the ACT once and the SAT once.  The score got them into the school of their choice so they refused to go to SAT or ACT prep.  They said and I quote “Why?”.  I am impressed that these folks can get their offspring to retake a test multiple times, but wonder if these children are so perfect for these schools why would they need more time and more importantly why do they need to take the tests so many times?

“I am the Chosen One”

           WTF?  Is it me that first thought “Beware false gods?”  How about Barry Goldwater’s warning  "Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem.  Frankly, these people frighten me.  Politics and governing demand compromise.  I know, I 've tried to deal with them".  The president is now claiming to the the messiah?  As a man with a strong Christian faith I find this disturbing.  Anyone else?

Backstop

            The battle between the UK and the EU just took a turn for the worse.  Boris Johnson is now saying the Irish Backstop is a deal breaker.  That unless it is removed (was agreed to by the previous PM Teresa May ) then a hard border would be needed.  Does anyone remember the UK during the “Troubles”?  They just put the darn trash cans back in many parts of London.  They were used as bombs during that time.  Please remember that this is not a good idea from anyone’s view.

Crime Rate Narrative

            The national crime rate is a central argument for bashing the “Liberal” population.  I have always accepted that this is true.  Most big cities have horrible crime rates etc.  Then I started digging into this narrative.  Is it true that big cities are worse?  What are the big cities that the “Conservative” population hold up as “safe”?  The deeper I dug the more I realized this is a false narrative.  The truth is about economics, density and diversity.  Examine where the mass school shootings have occurred?  Examine where most property crime occurs?  Look at the demographics of the cities cited.  Unless you compare apples to apples the narrative is false.  I mentioned this in a comment to my US Senator Ted Cruz.  WOW, never expected to be insulted on so many levels.  I am still amazed at how many people refuse to examine the raw data, draw their own conclusions.  Where is the critical thought folks?

Ethical Companies

            So Dicks sporting goods reported quarterly earnings today and their stock is up 11% as a result (DKS).  Remember this is the company that stopped selling guns because of the school shootings.  Sometimes good things happen to companies who take a moral stand.

            On that note, remember Nike, Inc. (NKE).  This is the company that made Colin Kaepernick a spokesman.  They pulled the tennis shoes that used the Betsy Ross flag because of its association with the KKK and recent use by recent hate groups.  Both of these decisions were difficult business moves, but somehow the stock is up and doing well. 

            In both cases, I argued that the companies not only took a moral stand, but they also know their markets.  I know that the AI used by Nike is deep into market analysis, so any move they make was blessed by the analysis.  Nike only makes decisions based on what is best for their business.  That said, did you know that 53% of Nike revenue is from overseas, that is from 2017?

The Sum Up

            The market continues to oscillate due to trade fears with China and the uncertainty of the man occupying the white house.  As the Chinese say “May you live in interesting times?” 

     That’s all for today sports fans.  Talk to you soon.