Pete's Hit and Run Notes

2 May.........Looks like we may be headed for an "inside" weekend with all the shower activity.  Oh well I have some cool backyard building projects I can construct in my garage workshop, so all I need is my stereo on and a full cooler.  Especially since my wife is going out of town to spend an early mother's day with her kin.  That leaves my son and I for a "Bach-weekend" at home - HOT DOGS AND PIZZA !!  Pass the Taco shells please !!!

Meanwhile ..... on another part of Earth......

Miley Cyrus sits alongside the Dalai Lama, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama in Time Magazine's latest list of most influential people. Under Artists and Entertainers she's joined by George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr. and others on the roster. The Heroes and Pioneers section is filled with people like Oprah, Brad and Angelina, Mia Farrow and Lance Armstrong. In Miley's case, influential people are obviously getting younger and younger.

MILEY CYRUS won't get the red carpet treatment in Orlando today at a Disney media event. The Hannah Montana star will not attend what would have been her first public appearance since her Vanity Fair photo spread came to light. Disney didn't offer a reason for her absence.  I don't really think they need to either.

Nickelback's lead singer Chad Kroeger has lost his license for a year and fined 600 dollars for drunk driving in Vancouver.  He's now got to appeal the conviction since it could prevent him and his band from entering the United States to perfom.  That could be the biggest punishment of all, certainly the one that may teach him the biggest lesson.

The message is getting through to auto buyers: less is more. There's been a stampede to buy smaller cars now that gas prices are through the roof. One in five vehicles currently being sold in North America are compacts.  Ford's biggest seller right now is the Focus.

Airlines are trying what we drivers have known a long time: slowing down saves fuel.  Southwest Airlines for example started flying their planes slower two months ago and estimates they will save $42 million this year by extending each flight just one to three minutes, flying just 15 kilometers per hour slower.

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are not engaged, they're married. Turns out they tied the knot in the Bahamas where she has a place. Jacob Jewellers confirms Cannon shelled out 2.5 million dollars for her 17 carat diamond engagement ring. They've been together dating for about one month. Perfect ! What could go wrong ???

Price of beer is going up due to an increase in the cost of barley which is twice what it was last year at this time.  Most Ontario brewers have not yet posted a price increase, so stock up now before the suds goes higher.

Inspiring words for Hamilton's future came yesterday from U.ofT. professor Richard Florida telling Chamber of Commerce members the city can't help but flourish in the future as part of the Montreal, Toronto Buffalo corridor.  He says Hamilton is part of a much bigger global picture and success in the future is essentially a "can't miss" scenario.