Best Economic News

The Hughes-Ratheon Merger

READERS' PICK: Let's hear it for the shield of the motherland! Ratheon consolidated its operations here in Tucson, bringing a whole bunch of high-paying jobs and all kinds of subsidiary operations to the Old Pueblo. Best of all, they're in a growth industry: missile building for the U.S.A. and other nations around the globe. That means as long as there's war on earth -- and does anyone really see an end to that? -- those dollars will keep rolling in.

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: We're sure happy about that 2-percent unemployment figure (up to 3.3-percent at press time). Sure, the jobs may be crummy minimum-wage positions, and you may have to hold down two of 'em at a time, but at least you've got a job. So quit complaining and get to work!