Politics muddy clear waters.

Today's Tids Issue #2,349
Opening Stuff:

The central question guiding the US going forward is: Is caring just giving, or is caring opening the opportunities for achievement? It sounds simple, but it is basically the issue: Who is in control.

The country's, maybe the world's largest Life Insurance company is proposing a change that feels to me like a large kidney stone passing through a small tube of society. Apparently not many of the 233,000 agent prospects they hire can pass the State Insurance Agent Licensing tests across the many states. Which is actually quite peculiar in the first place. What are their hiring requirements? Then there is their solution: They want to lower the standards of the test. And, they are charging racial discrimination in the testing. Of course anybody who wants to get sympathy for something basically stupid shouts racial something or other. Doesn't it bother you that the only solution people see sometimes these days is getting worse? Shoot me.

In the Obits today there was a guy who called himself: "#1 in the #2 business." He was a septic system engineer and founder and owner of a company named "Septic Snooper."

The Question:
What is the only fruit or vegetable that is never sold canned, frozen or processed but always natural? Bonus Q: Name the gregarious politician who could be plain.

The Headlines:
--Solid Earnings From Ford, 3M, UPS And More Lift Stocks.
--Hedgefunders Who Supposed "O" in 2008 Are Giving big to Repubs Today.
--Syria Crackdown Continues; Bahrain Mess Deepens..
--Russia Ups Nuke Energy Safety Standards.
--New Storms Wrack Southwest.
--Missouri Levees Hold As Floodwaters Rise.
--New Mexico Woman Mauled By Pet Pit Bulls.
--Home Prices Continue To Fall Across Country.

Back to More Stuff:
It's in the Heart Department:
Central Falls RI is a depressed city that has been the heart of the Colombian Drug Trade, in the National news for having all if the teachers fired, and where the only new industry was a Federal prison built in the center of town. It's a bad place for kids growing up. But, it is also a classically great example of what is inside a person heart is what matters. These kids who have fight every day it seems, are the number one Chess Playing HS in the State and just went off to the Nationals where they expect to win. These kids have what matters.

No Free Lunch Department:
Part of the preferred ride for hybrids is diminishing as law makers wake up to realize that these quiet cars make as much tire noise on the roads as their gas slurping cousins. But the low gas hybrids play much less in gas taxes while producing the same road damage. Legislatures are looking at annual fees (Like Min a $100) for road maintenance for these silent but deadly stalkers.

With all of the new revelations about the tracking capabilities of IPhones, IPads, Droids et. al., I would suggest you might call them Smart-ass phones.

Solution to the gas crisis: Sailboats.

People seem to be lining up in droves to overpay for gas. This leads me to think that credit card debt will be rising out of control again.

Didn't you love the weekend columns from condescending food Nazis who said they would "allow" people to eat sugary things that wasn't fruit. Slugs.

By the way, when reading these incessant nutrition columns I wonder how many ways they can say "Eat leafy greens" and still pretend they're giving you new information.

Almost Near: Chapter 17 continues. --Tucker was sipping his beer, just enjoying listening to the logical presentation of the Quimpierre saga from Audrey. This felony family appeared to be on the edge of just about anything that could land any one of them in jail. The sisters were con artists and the big brother was a well known muscle man around town. The more he heard the more Tcuker realized that there were any number of reasons for the disappearance of Rudy. But, why would that traumatize Samantha to the point it apparently had. it didn't mke sense. What did make sense was that the Quimpieres could be a source of useful information. Tucker brought his hands together in mock applause as Audrey finished, "Well do...." A commotion arose in the lobby of the restaurant.
Tucker spun and Audrey looked up. Her expression reacted to menacing looking man and a ground up looking blond pushing there way through the tables and chairs. She glanced at Tuckers and whispered, "Quimpierres". Tcucker stood and tries to look relaxed and confident. It wasn't easy. Logic and reasoning didn't look like their middle initials. The big guy in a tank top, black haired upper arms and covered with witchcraft tattoos pushed right to Tucker and leaned his chest into Tuckers. He turned and looked at Audrey and grabbed her upper arm. Tucker reached to pull it away and a powerful forearm knocked him back into a table of four and onto the ground. People scattered as this obscene cackling arose from the blond.

There is a world wide united bunch of active gadflies and bloggers whose only mission in life is to destroy Sarah Palin's credibility. She has been described by them as "...a promiscuous, petty and unintelligent, yet deviously cunning war monger intent on capturing the oval office and, from there, the world." Most of the embarrassing revelations and statements about she and her family have been thoroughly discredited. Yet that doesn't stop this angry crowd. She must be awfully good to be hated so bitterly.

Yesterday the Supreme Court said nay to fast tracking Health Care court appeals. It is not whether or not it is a wrong decision, it is whether or not this august bunch is thinking at all. The spending of this mammoth political boondoggle is speeding along and it may be that none of this spending is legitimate under the constitution. More money lost by taxpayers who barely have any money left. But, isn't that typical of Government. Spend it, we'll figure out if it was worth it after it was spent.

The Answer: 
Lettuce is the product that is always fresh! If you could freeze lettuce, you probably wouldn't need so many illegal aliens. Bonus "Q": Palin could be P-l-a-i-n.

Did you ever hear about a "Summer Blend" until now when nobody can explain the high gas prices?