Wednesday

Not a lot news at this end. Cool weather. But some sunshine. Hey, it's winter.

Craig Wilson was writing in USA Today today about being at the gym with a "perky" little personal trainer for some post-holiday season work-outs. Kind of funny. It didn't sound like his heart was into the concept.

Is there a worse TV venue than Indiana's b-ball arena? When they say the "nose bleed" sections, I think that Indiana is the prime example.

I heard on C-town sports radio today some commentary on the IU-Iowa game. Basically that Sampson has brought some fight back into the Hoosiers. But also that ESPN/ABC's Erin Andrews has become a rock star among the college male audience. My guess is that she'll up-grade to Tom Brady or Peyton Manning pretty soon.

Big indictments in DM over the CIETC scandal. Once the Register reporters got onto that story, it was only a matter of time. Some very greedy people will pay the piper. As they should. How people working in not-for-profit enterprises delude themselves into thinking that their positions merit huge compensation packages is a mystery to me. And sooner or later, the mudrakers will find out the secrets. Which are supposed to be public records anyway.

Of course, college coaches' deals might be in this same area for analysis.

Nice to see gas back under two bucks. The whole business of supply and demand of oil is another mystery. Long term, the price of a barrel of crude will go over $100. Once China and India develop the appetite for fuel like we have in the States, look out.

The word is that Toyota will be the largest auto producer in the world this year. Can GM and Ford ever return to true profitability? To do so will require them to shed the legacy costs of their retirees. That will be messy and expensive. The question is, do they have the financial ability to get past those issues and then retool their business models to compete with Asia?

Glad to see 4 back online.

ACC Wednesday.

Be careful out there.