As I think I've said before, focusing on diet & exercise has a side benefit I never expected: it gives me a good way to avoid the news.

But while we were in Ohio the sub-prime mortgage crisis was a major topic of conversation. I didn't know until last week that for many years Cleveland was the sub-prime capital of America. "Way to go Ohio."

I haven't been out shopping much myself but a friend who went to Buffalo for Thanksgiving told me yesterday that there were thousands of Canadians shopping there last week.

My cousin is breathing a sigh of relief having just relocated to the U.S. after living in England for ten years but I have a friend who's been living in Spain for many years and he writes to tell me how strange it is to see the dollar so devalued.

I can't help but wonder how soon we'll be waiting in line for gas at $5 a gallon.