1) Shipping news this week saw an interesting (and rare) shipyard transaction. Bark River (MI!) company VanEnkevort Tug & Barge was the high bidder for previously shuttered Erie Shipyard in western Pennsylvania. What makes this intriguing is that VTB is already on the leading edge of Great Lakes transportation: they new-built their current vessel, Great Lakes Trader, rather than opting for an expensive conversion of an inefficient older ship. They have embraced the integrated tug/barge concept for short-sea shipping and are certain to hold a cost advantage for some time. Finally, with a new-build-capable shipyard and a 1000'+ berth, they have almost instantly become a Great Lakes power player...they'll lead the market and everyone else will have to come to them for repairs. Well, well, done.
2) Quizzes are upcoming in classes abundant. Accounting and statistics will both have quizzes by the end of Monday, which means this ought to be a downright lousy weekend. Friday night practice quiz? BooooYEAH!
3) I got a locker. This is a lottery-based thing, so I am stoked. It will just be really nice to have my class materials actually at Ross so that I don't have to shuttle things back and forth.
4) Ford is scheduled to be on campus today with a GT, Mustang, Escape hybrid, and a Volvo XC-90. I'm dubious that bringing autos onto school property is really going to convince people that they want to work for you. It might work at the undergrad level or perhaps for engineering grads, but MBAs want to hear the difference between companies and the benefits of them.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005