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ORANGE, Calif. (AP) -- Between cramming for finals, preparing for prom and graduating, Shauna Fleming managed to crisscross the country, visit the Pentagon, throw out the first pitch at a Chicago White Sox game and shoot a national TV advertising campaign. Not a bad way to finish high school. Three years ago, the Orange County student started "A Million Thanks" letter-writing campaign for U.S. troops fighting overseas. She tripled her expectations and is now starting a nonprofit organization...

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DETROIT (AP) Claims by the three major domestic automakers that they must cut average wage-and-benefit costs by $30 per hour to compete with Asian rivals are merely pre-negotiation posturing, two top United Auto Workers officials told members Friday.

In an Internet chat with union members, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and Vice President Cal Rapson said they have heard reports of the $30-per-hour figure, but said they will not negotiate in the press.

The men were responding to a question about how to make sure General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group survive without giving major concessions.

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Delphi Corp.'s hourly workers this week will be offered buyouts, severance packages, early retirement incentives and other payments in exchange for ratifying a historic agreement that paves the way for the supplier to exit bankruptcy and avoid a strike.

The incentives are considered necessary to persuade workers to ratify a deal that would significantly shrink the size of the Troy-based parts supplier in North America and reduce hourly wages to what the company considers competitive rates.

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Get ready to pay $4.50 a gallon this summer -- for milk.

Gasoline prices over $3 a gallon have grabbed consumers' attention, but dairy products and other corn-dependent foods are expected to rise at an even faster rate.

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Many factors play into the growth of ethanol production, including:

• Federal subsidies. The federal ethanol subsidy is 51 cents a gallon for ethanol producers, which makes ethanol-blended gasoline more cost-competitive with conventional gasoline. The subsidy is paid to ethanol producers as an incentive to boost production and theoretically stimulate demand.

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