And another thing …

The General Accounting Office reported last week that the $2 billion B-2 Stealth bomber does not go well in the rain, snow, heat or cold. It must, according the investigative unit for Congress, be “exposed to only the most benign environments.” Funny how infrequently one sees the phrases “war plane” and “benign environment” in the same report.

Two weeks ago, Gov. King announced Maine closed out FY 96-97 with an unexpected $73 million revenue surplus. Now, our thrifty chief executive says we ended July a surprising $30 million to the good. Could this be the revenue gods’ way of letting Maine go back to the late 1980s and get it right this time?

The luckless crew of the Snorri finally gave up its attempt to emulate Leif Erikson’s voyage to the New World after their Maine-built, star-crossed vessel suffered through weeks of malfunctions, culminating in rudder failure. OK, so they didn’t cut it as Vikings, but at least now we know who to call for that Mir re-enactment.

The University of Maine is to be congratulated for a relatively low-cost improvement to the mall between its library and gymnasium. Crews this summer removed most of the roads that ran along both sides of the mall and replaced them with a wide sidewalk and plenty of grass. It looks great and offers a lot new Frisbee space.

Seasoned journalists often use comparison, analogy and other such devices to put astronomically huge numbers in an understandable context. That must be why a National Public Radio reporter told us the 25 million pounds of tainted Nebraska hamburger recalled the other day “is enough to make 100 million quarter-pounders.” Either that, or she was just being silly.

Speaking of silly, the Omaha World-Herald put a dizzying local spin on the aforementioned 25 million pounds by claiming the fact that only 30 or people became violently ill “is proof the system works.” They were referring, we trust, to the immune system.