Daily Archives: May 11, 2005

Dan Jenkins on The Masters

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Chris Dimarco.jpgmasterstiger6.jpgRegular readers of this blog know that Dan Jenkins is my favorite golf writer, bar none. Mr. Jenkins still covers each golf major tournament for Golf Digest magazine, and his article (not yet online) on this year’s Master’s tournament appears in the current (June) Golf Digest issue. In the article, here’s how Mr. Jenkins describes the unconventional putting grip of Chris DiMarco, who engaged in a spirited battle with Tiger Woods before losing to Woods in a playoff:

“[A] putting grip that looks like he’s trying to change a tire or open a contrary bottle of wine.”

Equally as priceless is Mr. Jenkins’ description of the “green jacket” ceremony, in which – keeping with tradition – defending Master’s champion Phil Mickelson helped Woods into his fourth green jacket signifying his latest Master’s victory:

Speaking of a moment that lacked warmth, how about Phil as the defending champion giving Tiger the green jacket after it was over? They had gone 0-2 together in the Ryder Cup last fall, lowlighted by Phil putting Tiger up against a fence with his drive in the alternate shot [match]. So as Phil eased Tiger into his jacket, I could swear I heard Tiger say,

“Nice going, Phil, you hit my shoulders.”

Baylor lobs another grenade at Methodist

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methodist2.gifSeems like it’s been awhile since we checked in on the ongoing divorce between those former Texas Medical Center partners, Methodist Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine. Here are the earlier posts on the historic divorce between the medical school and its former teaching hospital.
In this article, the Chronicle’s Todd Ackerman, who has done a fine job covering this story, reports that Baylor’s counsel has sent a letter to the Texas to the corporation that manages the Medical Center questioning whether three Methodist activities violate the Medical Center’s guiding principle of “institutional cooperation and coordination” — operating its own residency program; operating a research facility without the affiliation of a Medical Center institution; and using its teaching beds in conjunction with New York’s Cornell University Weill Medical School, which is not located in the Medical Center. Mr. Ackerman reports that the Texas Medical Center has hired outside counsel and commenced an investigation into the matter.
Baylor logo_lg.gifBaylor’s latest salvo in the ongoing battle between the former Medical Center partners is unlikely to succeed because it, in effect, attempts to enforce a covenant not to compete, which are not favored under Texas law. Nevertheless, Baylor continues to let its bigger and better-endowed rival know that it will not slip meekly away. It will be fascinating to watch this institutional competition unfold and to assess where each institution stands in 5-10 years.

A mixed bag for El Paso Corp.

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el_paso_logo.jpgUnder any reasonable assessment, Houston-based El Paso Corporation has had a rough past year, as noted here, here, here, here and here.
Accordingly, it was with some relief in local business circles that the natural gas production and pipeline company was able to report yesterday that it had swung to profitability in the first quarter from a net loss a year ago. El Paso reported net income of $106 million, or 17 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $206 million, or 32 cents a share, in the first quarter of 2004. However, revenue dropped by 22% to $1.21 billion from $1.56 billion a year ago and cash flow from operations dropped by over 90% to $51 million from $629 million in the prior-year period. As a result, El Paso’s stock price fell 34 cents, or 3.2%, to $10.21 per share as of the close of yesterday’s trading.
El Paso is not out of the woods financially by any means, but its latest report reflects that the company is taking the steps necessary to hedge the risk of having to endure a formal corporate reorganization. Stay tuned.

Couldn’t you arrange for some false testimony or something?

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EBS2.jpgAfter last week’s fireworks in the ongoing Enron Broadband criminal trial noted here and here, the Chronicle’s Mary Flood reports that the attorneys in the trial have reverted to the dubious tactic of chloroforming the jury with mind-numbing techno-jargon:

On the stand Tuesday was jargon-dependent computer specialist John Bloomer. It was his third day of testimony, and for most of morning he was questioned by Enron Task Force prosecutor Ben Campbell.
Campbell took Bloomer through statement after statement made at a critical January 2000 Enron conference for stock analysts to ask about the truth of what was said.
It was no more exciting in the afternoon when defense attorney Per Ramfjord took over. Ramfjord is so well-versed in technology that the courtroom can become Silicon Valley when he gets going with a geeky witness. Bloomer sometimes answered enthusiastically with something like: “We were late. Whether it be MPLS over ATM, whether it be precedent bit over IP.” Don’t ask.

So the jurors and alternates, if they’ve stayed fully awake, know what a hop and a POP are in the tech world, may know the difference between quality of service and quality of stream delivery, and likely know what media cast and media transport are.

Meanwhile, Ms. Flood also reports that some of Mr. Bloomer’s testimony yesterday on behalf of the prosecution in the Broadband trial was helpful to the defense of former Enron CEO, Jeff Skilling, whose criminal trial with former Enron chairman Ken Lay and former Enron chief accountant Richard Causey on securities fraud and related charges is scheduled for January 2006.