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Tuesday, Apr 14, 2026

Angels Abound

Mohamed El-Erian for Fed No. 2 … Dem? Hawk? Not DJT’s wheelhouse … There’s a PIMCO precedent: ex-TARP Tsar and Laguna Beach resident Neel Kashkari. Onetime PIMCO managing director now prez of Minnie Fed. Kashkari is lockstep politically with POTUS. But El-Erian—LinkedIn’s 2016 Influencer of the Year—may carry enough influence with bond buddies and enough bond data to figure out what his bond guys will do with rates in a wobbly economy, i.e., assure they don’t move long-term rates lower—beyond the flat line (short-term rates) —and voilà, inverted yield curve, a major cause of most recent recessions.

President Trump must replace Stanley Fischer, who resigned last month. El-Erian is an adviser at Allianz, PIMCO’s parent, and a renowned economist.

He called for an equity collapse with a Trump win—acknowledged his mistake a few mos later. El-Erian is OC 500, OC 50 and soon—the Federal Reserve Board.

Pushing in my chips. Not just my theory—sharpies I know. Same Deep Throats whispering tickers HSIC, PDCO…plunging dental-supply sales also a predictor of most recent recessions. Stocks off 30% since June—discretionary spending … so if someone had proprietary bond data and influence, could help shape the curve, stave off recession …

El-Erian’s a Jets fan? Never mind.

Pres. Reagan and OC lawyer Doug Freeman created Nat’l Philanthropy Day, 11-15-86. The Assoc of Fundraising Pros-OC anniv. celebration on Thursday had many touching moments—youth honoree Grace Cross; The Pauls, public-health nurse Leon and Goldman banker Cho; and the Mellors, Suzanne and James—James, ex-boss of General Dynamics, admitted troglodyte comes West to retire in Laguna because Suzanne loves the arts.

Aura of Ora: Went to Tech Coast Angels’ 20th anniversary reunion at The Cove, expecting investor version of ’72 Dolphins. Champagne and “We did it!” I mostly saw a sweet reunion of folks who otherwise might not associate—and for a period of time did something better than just about anyone.

I also saw sadness over Angels now angels … like founder Luis Villalobos … and I met Ora-Zoe.

Luis was a Texan, math whiz, MIT-Harvard founded TCA just as he was finding Ora-Zoe—on a plane. She was a “proud girlie-girl from OC by way of South Africa.” Both were so busy—“We had Friday date nights,” Zoe smiled.

Luis, “Soul of the Angels” passed in 2009 with stock in 60-80 cos. “Bought a financial dictionary and learned inch by inch,” Ora told me. “He’s watching me, she said of Luis. And he’s got a spreadsheet.”

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