Is it crispy in here, or am I burning out?

Insurance or Politics?

I'm sad. I just found out that my insurance company, Farm Bureau, has come out in support of every single Republican in Iowa -- including Steve King. I guess I'm not surprised that the insurance company leans to the right, but I guess I never thought that they'd come out and openly advocate for politicians. I guess I'm just simple that way.

My problem is that Mr. King, Iowa's Fifth District Representative, espouses ideas and theories that I just can't abide. He advocates cock fighting. He wants the United States government to give him between $2 and $3 million per mile to build a wall between the United States and Mexico. And when I say he wants the government to give "him" the money, I mean Mr. King wants the money for himself - he wants to subcontract the job to his son and one of his neighbors. Granted, having two more millionaires in Iowa would be good for two Iowans, but it won't do squat for me personally, I think the idea is repugnant, and I'm ashamed that Mr. King is from my fair state of Iowa. source

Anyone know of any good insurance companies?


Sadness

I saw a sad sight the other day. I was out mowing the yard (using the electric mower my mother-in-law has graciously "permanently loaned" us - the grass was too tall for the reel mower) when I heard a commotion across the street. A kerfuffle, perhaps. There were Things Going On over there.

I stopped the mower and gawked. (Slack-jawed gawking is one of my favorite pastimes, you know.) A couple neighborhood kids were arguing. A boy and the girl, brother and sister.

I don't know how old they are, but I'm not used to seeing them looking "adultish." The boy must be in his mid-teens - he's probably over six feet tall, and his voice is changing. The girl is very much over six feet tall. (Is it my imagination, or are kids "aging" at an earlier age than they used to? These kids are teens, but look like they could be college-aged. Spooky.)

Anyway, in typical brother-sister fashion, the two of them were squabbling. Loudly. The sad part was that they couldn't chase each other. This isn't to say that they weren't trying to run, it's just that they couldn't. The girl was furious, and was trying to get away from her brother, and he was angrily chasing her -- but they were both moving at a sedate plod. She was thudding her way down the sidewalk, and the boy was lurching behind, both yelling at the top of their lungs. "Leavemealone gasp gasp I'mgonnatellma!" and "Getbackhere gasp andfinish pant yourchores!"

It makes me sad that teenagers these days are too out of shape to pick on each other properly.

As a side point - MAN, those electric mowers are keen! They really do work exceptionally well. I highly recommend 'em. I know, I know - just 'cause they don't use gas doesn't mean that they're "fossil fuel free." But, there IS the chance that the power coming through the grid may come from a hydroelectric or nuclear sources, whereas if you use a gas mower you're 100% sure you're using oil (thereby enriching the Saudis and Dick Cheney).