The stock chart above compares an even more interesting set of potential futures for our four intrepid competitors (plus one) - for the five competitors now positioning for the next round of contract awards, supposedly coming in May - the GSA Networx Enterprise contract, which also includes a team led by Level 3 Communications in addition to the four bidders for the Universal contract.

So seeing the news this morning, I thought it'd be fun to run a Prediction Market on which of the five companies above would be the biggest winner in the GSA Networx Enterprise contract, which is supposed to be awarded in May. I set it up at Inkling and the feed from their site should be depicted above so please setup a username on InklingMarkets.com and then give us your opinion on whom you think will come out the winner in May.(read more)

Despite my wife Tina's ardent fandom, I've never been able to get into the whole "Lost" phenomenon... there's just way too much build-up for my short attention span.

But this week, after putzing around with the broadcast schedule, ABC might have jumped the shark with the venerable vehicle that has brought ABC's prime time fortunes back around to give "American Idol" a real run for its money.

Was it just the scheduling weirdness or has America had enough of this nutso plotline? You decide.

Here's the excerpt:

"Lost" crashed in the ratings this week, hitting an all-time low for a new episode. ABC's drama about plane crash survivors stranded on a mysterious island drew an estimated 12.8 million viewers Wednesday, according to preliminary figures from Nielsen Media Research. That's well off the peak of more than 20 million for the drama that became an instant sensation when it debuted in September 2004.

ABC has worked hard to try to protect a show that helped turn the network's fortunes around, moving it to 10 p.m. EST Wednesday this year to steer clear of Fox's blockbuster "American Idol" and CBS's increasingly strong "Criminal Minds."

After "Lost" fans complained about reruns interrupting the show's serial flow last season, the network tried an experiment: It split the current season in two, airing six episodes before an extended break and then resuming with 16 additional episodes.

The show's Feb. 7 return was heavily promoted and drew nearly 14.5 million viewers. But the bounce didn't last, with the show slumping this week.(read more)

L-R: Dr. Dieter Zetsche Chairman of the Board and Hartmut Schick Head of Global Communications for DaimlerChrysler, sit with Thomas LaSorda, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chrysler Group, attend a press conference for DaimlerChrysler at their US headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan. DaimlerChrysler said it would axe 13,000 jobs at US unit Chrysler as part of a restructuring aimed at restoring its profitability by 2008.

... but he still looked a lot more confident than Chrysler chief Tom LaSorda in this photo below.

 (read more)