11.   I should remind you, of course, that we have the usual three million black hole Alton this year, the first quarter.

12.   League Cup finalists Hibernian are holding a two point lead at the end of the first quarter of Premier Division matches, ahead of Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Motherwell.

13.   CUMMINS Engine, the U.S. diesel engine maker with a plant in Darlington, claims it should be returning to profit in the first quarter of this year.

14.   Almost two-thirds of that was earned during the first quarter.

15.   Almost never is a significant playoff game decided in the first quarter, but this one was.

16.   Already, Compaq Computer Corp. and Digital Equipment Corp. have said they will see disappointing first quarter results because of sluggish sales in the corporate market.

17.   Also by the first quarter of next year, the outlook on a government default could be more uncertain.

18.   Also, Lehman Brothers analyst Don Young yesterday said shipments of mainframe computers may rise more than expected in the first quarter.

19.   Although Compaq had flat earnings in the first quarter, neither it nor Dell are in distress.

20.   Also, the first quarter was played without the benefit of a shot clock.