Should the U.S. award defense contracts to non-U.S. companies? That question has both geopolitical and economic implications, especially in a world where globalization and multinational companies are becoming the norm. Usually the shoe is on the other foot, with U.S. defense companies selling their guns, aircraft, tanks and other armaments to friendly nations around the world.

But a dispute between Beechcraft, known as Hawker Beechcraft until it emerged from bankruptcy last month, and one of its competitors -- which has an overseas partner -- is sparking some new debate on the issue.

Late last week, Beechcraft announced it was formally filing a protest with the federal Government Accountability Office regarding the U.S. Air Force's recent awarding of a contract to build its Light Air Support (LAS) aircraft to Brazil's Embraer (ERJ) and its American partner, Sierra Nevada, based in Sparks, Nev.

 

Taco Bell's Doritos Locos Tacos are so popular that a minor panic erupted on social media last week when some people weren't able to find the newest Cool Ranch flavor during what the company dubbed a Fan Day. The response "humbled" the 5,600-unit chain, a bright spot for beleaguered parent company Yum Brands (YUM).

Shares of the restaurant owner have barely budged this year -- gaining just 2% as the Dow has hit record highs -- amid concerns about its business in China, where worries about contaminated chicken have caused revenue to erode. Yum gets more than half of its sales from China, mainly from its KFC outlets, and recently warned investors that its profits in 2013 would fall because of problems there.  

Thanks to the popularity of the Doritos Locos Tacos, Taco Bell posted an 8% gain in U.S. 2012 same-store sales, a key retail metric of sales at locations opened up a year. 

After a rash of bad news about bacon comes a study that suggests beef might actually benefit your heart. 

But there's a catch: Any old slab of meat isn't going to cut it. Instead, consumers need to fill their plates with lean beef, according to the study published in the American Journal of Clincal Nutrition. 

That should provide good news for beef and meat manufacturers, including Smithfield (SFD), which sells some lean beef products, and Hormel Foods (HRL).

Beef consumption has taken a hit during the past few years, with some diners choosing healthier options or just cutting back as they dealt with the recession. U.S. beef consumption dropped by more than 8% from 2002 to 2011, according to the Agriculture Department.

 

The results of the annual American Customer Satisfaction Index have been released, and once again online retailers have a far better handle on their customers' needs than their brick-and-mortar counterparts.

That is, unless you're a certain DVD-mailing, video-streaming service that split its offerings and doubled its prices two years ago while dealing with outages and fluctuating content ever since. Sorry, Netflix (NFLX).

According to 24/7 Wall St., the average customer-satisfactio​n score for retail companies was 76.6 out of 100. That score jumped to 82 for online companies, but Netflix dropped from atop the customer satisfaction pile in 2009 to the worst-performing Internet company of 2012. Though it still trails Wal-Mart's (WAL) worst-in-America score of 71, Netflix's 75 rating is a steep drop for a company that never quite recovered from its 2011 public relations nightmare.

 

Drink up, soda-guzzling New Yorkers. The city's sugary drink ban is dead.

New York Supreme Court Judge Milton Tingling ruled as such on Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported. Tingling said that the law was doomed by inconsistencies that capped servings of Coca-Cola (KO), Pepsi (PEP) and other sweetened beverages at 16 ounces but let lattes flow unabated. The ruling came just one day before the law was slated to go into effect.

 

Remember that kid in fifth grade who was always good in math? She might be seeing a bit more income in her paycheck now, thanks to that ability.

A new report published by Britain's Institute for Fiscal Studies says children who have strong math skills at age 10 earn "significantly more" than their contemporaries by the time they're in their 30s.

The study focused on a large group of individuals born in April 1970 and looked at the link between their reading and math scores at age 10 and their earnings at ages 30, 34 and 38.

The researchers found that a 10-year-old who ranks in the top 15% of math scores is likely to earn 7.3% more than a child with mediocre math scores, "even after controlling for the qualifications that they go on to obtain."

 

Want to tip your server but don't carry cash anymore and think tips have gotten out of hand? Never fear, electronic tip jars are here.

Combining all the convenience of a credit and debit card machine with all the stinginess of a Dickensian factory owner, new electronic options let customers use their cards to tip -- or, too often, undertip -- with aplomb, Reuters reports.

More than 30% of debit card receipts were for less than $10 in 2011, while the median amount was just $19, according to the ATM/debit network Pulse. That's great for businesses but not so much for workers, who no longer receive the spare singles folks don't carry around anymore. Those humble tip jars boosted wages by $2 to $3 an hour, but electronic versions get far less love from a swiping class not averse to whipping out the plastic for a 45-cent payment.

 

February wasn't a good month for McDonald's (MCD). First, it caused an outcry when it dropped Chicken Selects from its menu. Then on Friday, the fast-food chain said U.S. sales slipped last month despite the introduction of a new menu item, Fish McBites.

Part of the problem may be with the product itself, which has received poor reviews. One customer complained the fish balls resemble deep-fried "yuck" and are "the most heavily breaded fish stick you've ever eaten."

The new item is also designed to appeal to consumers worried about overfishing. They carry a label from the Marine Stewardship Council that verifies the McBites represent sustainable fishing practices. The eco-label certifies that the product uses Alaska pollock, which Mickey D's touts as wild-caught.