The markets. (prices of raw materials)

The three "R"s of education quickly turned into the three "B"s of economics and marketing in mid-January. Budget, Bosnia and Blizzard did more than their share to disrupt daily life. And who knows what the long term holds as the ripple effect sends out potential blips and pauses?

Construction materials, automobiles and hard goods are feeling the temporary effects of shipping, transportation and manufacturing stoppages and slow downs. Troop movements to Europe cause different types of problems but at the some time, offer opportunities to those selling into the defense market. Whitewater investigations, coupled with growing concerns of how the political brew-ha-ha's in Washington affect spending, interest …