By Henri D. Kahn

The adage,"Confucius say business without profit like trying to eat soup with fork" is kaput, because profit will be of no consequence.
Consumer groups have finally succeeded in convincing regulatory authorities to give something for little or nothing a chance to work. Price control at last!
Now, when you shop at your favorite grocery store, prime ribeye will cost you only .26¢ per pound. The store will be open 120 minutes per day two days per week, you will butcher your favorite cut, wait in line to have it weighed, provide paper to wrap the meat, stand in line to pay (tough stuff seven months of the year, ’cause of no air conditioning), and really wait your turn, ’cause of one checkout counter per 90 customers.
Ludicrous, severe, preposterous? Of course it is.
The insurance industry has never stated or even implied that profit is not its motive any more than auto dealers, medical doctors, attorneys, or mom and pop stores are not in it for the money.
The root cause of the increase in homeowner insurance premium rates and limited insurance coverage is abusive attorneys who are akin to smallpox without a chance for immunization.
One lawsuit began a 500% increase in mold claims. That lawsuit award has been reduced from $32 million to $9 million. The unfortunate attorneys went from an estimated $13,000,000 payday to a measly $4,000,000. Shucks, I guess they’ll have to settle for a Mercedes Benz instead of a Ferrari Testarosa.
I am not for a change in our system of tort. I am in favor of freedom of choice, private enterprise, entrepreneurship. I want our system of justice to continue. I am in favor of civil action being brought due to a wrongful act or damage. What really rings my bell is the incredible greed and avarice practiced by a sector of trial lawyers that take delight in ruining a business and the lives of people for a buck. How low and contemptible this human trash has become in their pursuit of a dollar. Protecting a person from the effects of a wrongful act or damage is a merely a by-product of becoming a multi-millionaire for these professional scumbuckets.

I must comment on one aspect of my recent trip to New Mexico via airline. Pack everything you can in zip lock bags and pack boots and shoes on top of everything in your luggage. For your carry-on bags, use those little see-through bags even for cookies or crackers.
Make sure trousers will stay on without a belt. If you have a solid metal belt buckle, it will be "take off your belt, sir." And for God’s sake don’t wear boots for the flight. If you do, make sure you are wearing clean socks. I nearly dropped in my tracks when I walked by some long-haired dude that had to take his boots off to satisfy an inspector.
The airline did not have assigned seating, which can be disastrous when you travel with little children. We took two of our grandchildren and it was panic until we worked our way to end of the aircraft, for the sake of togetherness, practically each time we boarded. Oh, and don’t even think of taking a pair of cuticle scissors or they will be trashed.

Finally, George Bush. You know, the prez with cowboy mentality and shoot-from-the-hip philosophy who continues to push us to war.
One hundred five thousand lost jobs in 2002 translates into misery for half a million people in this, "the greatest country in the world." Now Dubya wants to start making things right by eliminating the tax on dividends.
Think about it; how many average earning John and Mary Does with families to support are celebrating the current administration’s proposed windfall? You guessed it, "few or none." The rich just love Bush, because he keeps making ’em richer!
Pray for Mr. Bush to come to his senses and set his priorities straight.
See ya in February.