If at First Boeing Doesn't Succeed . . . Change the Rules

"Boeing won a rematch for the airborne refueling tanker this week because the government put more emphasis on long-term costs." Read The New York Times, Air Force’s Shifting Rules Helped Boeing.

It was a "decade of effort to overcome multiple obstacles." Read The (Everett, WA) Herald, 6 keys to how Boeing won the tanker contract.

The Runt Month

Should we feel " sorry for February, squeezed between the big months of January (named for the Roman god Janus, keeper of gateways and entrances) and March (after Mars, the god of war)." Read The New York Times, Except February.

Test Your Power of Observation

How much do you see and remember? A quiz about things you've seen before. Give it a try.

America's Obsession With Sex, But Not Violence

Master Mike sent me an email to inform me that Ted Kennedy rented a Chilean brothel for the entire night to talk with communist.

My reply: Bush (and Clinton and Obama too) rented torture cells and associated with dictators.

So is torture good/acceptable and sex bad/unacceptable?

Hedgehog News Protects Its Investment in Republi-CONs

First Hedgehog News bought a stake in the Republi-CONs when parent News Corp. donated $1 million to Republican Governors' Association. Then News Corp. contributed $1 million to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, "the business lobby that has been running an aggressive campaign in support of the Republican effort to retake Congress." But more shocking, "every major contender for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination who isn’t currently holding office and isn’t named Mitt Romney is now" on the payroll of Hedgehog News.

And just revealed, two years ago. the powerful chairman of Hedgehog News encouraged an employee to lie to federal investigators doing a background check on former New York City police commissioner Bernard Kerik, to protect former New York Mayor Giuliani and conceal an affair. Giuliani was Kerik's mentor and supporter, and a longtime friend of the chairman. Giuliani was also just beginning a presidential campaign.

Hedgehog News owns the Republi-con party and will protect its investment.

Cheer Up Monday

It could be worse: