Well, the bad news is that our third-quarter earnings are down 2 percent, or 50 cents a share. This is due mostly to economic factors beyond our control, particularly the gas-price increases. The good news is that our fourth-quarter earnings are projected to rise nearly 3 percent, or about 75 cents a share. That's partly because we've implemented an energy conservation program at all our plants - for instance, cutting fuel usage by 10 percent - and partly because the economy is on the rebound. Going forward, the company remains healthy, and we anticipate increased energy earnings for each of the first two quarters next year. Our challenge will be finding creative ways to remain well-positioned in a bear economy, and planning for flexibility to meet our goals without compromising the quality of our product.
