WASHINGTON - A new government audit shows that the axiomatic connection of the words "military-base closing" with "cost overruns" continues to be justified.

When Glamour magazine featured a nude plus-size model, women applauded, while physicians shook their heads in dismay. Was this a sign that women have given up on finding their healthy weight? Before the women's cheers subsided, Ralph Lauren fired his size 4 model, weighing in at 120 pounds, for being too fat.

CALGARY, Alberta - Sherri and Tom Milley were exhausted by the weepy weeknight struggles over math problems and writing assignments with their three school-aged children. They were fed up with rushing home from soccer practice or speed skating only to stand over their kids tossing out answers so they could finish and get to bed.

The images are stunning and vivid, worthy of National Geographic: Chinese factory workers make high-tech products; Nepalese women gather for a village meeting; Arab businesswomen clad head-to-toe in abayat chat on cell phones.

With North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough and Duke's Greg Paulus no longer around, fiery Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez expects to become Atlantic Coast Conference basketball fans' biggest target of verbal abuse this season.

His response: Bring it on.

It seems like Texas and either Florida or Alabama have been written into the national championship game since August. With three weeks left before the regular season ends and bowl season begins, now is the time those teams will show why they deserved to be glorified.

President Obama's just-concluded trip to East Asia did not result in major accords but was noteworthy nonetheless, for reasons somewhat overlooked.