For the benefit of Mr. Kite

Lastly through a hogshead of real fire: Everett historian David Dilgard has dug out a playbill from the Aug. 17, 1910, visit of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, which included seals on horseback and a bike-riding chimp, in time for the Ringling Bros. visit this weekend.

Just as the circus has to contend with protests from PETA now, the circus in 1910 was dogged by Victorians for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who protested the dressing of chimps in bustles and corsets.

Yours, fines and ours: Federal transportation officials have fined an air ambulance company in Oregon $30,000 because it referred to a helicopter as "ours" in advertising. The helicopter is used by Mercy Flights, but is owned by a separate company. If it avoids other pronoun problems for a year, the fine will be cut in half.

Only $30,000? Around here, we're fined $50,000 anytime we goof up its and it's.

Fine Corinthian leather: Boeing has again had to push back the delivery date of its 787 Dreamliner, this time until mid-February, because of a delay in deliveries of Trent 1000 jet engines from Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce attributed its slowdown to difficulties in getting the desired leather upholstery and burl wood trim for the engine interiors.