It's not a criticism, it's an observation.
Frivolous lawsuits
Mike Cox

George Washington Carver is probably rolling over in his grave. Peanut butter has turned deadly. Like lettuce, scallions, and cantaloupes, the all purpose, versatile spread that kids love and college students survive on, is the latest food to make people sick.

It makes me wonder whether tainted food is more prevalent today or just reported more. With local and national newscasts vying for viewers, and 24- hour news channels desperate for anything to air, we must consider how overblown any story becomes when first reported. Most of these deadly occurrences become ancient history when a Playmate dies or Britney cuts her hair.

At least three people from South Carolina are suing Peter Pan over the tainted peanut butter. One lady quoted in the Associated Press said she thought she had the flu until the salmonella outbreak became public.

This begs the question, how much is nausea and diarrhea worth? Becoming ill for a couple of days shouldn't generate a lawsuit. If the injured party is alive and well enough to talk to the press, I say no harm done. We are so willing to sue in America, we think retribution is a God given right.

The trend can be traced to lawyers. As TV shapes public policy and opinion, and sports agents control athletes' salaries, so do lawyers now control much of our day- to- day lives.

In any lawsuit, no matter how frivolous, the ones arguing the case are sure to profit. The rest of us are not guaranteed anything. Still the possibility of easy money at better odds than Powerball, drive many to forfeit their last shred of dignity to cash in.

A year or so ago, a bus in New York was involved in a crash. There were 10 people on board. By the time police arrived, more than 40 people had suddenly become passengers. Personal injury claims for spilling hot coffee on yourself, along with claiming millions in damages for a bad paint job on a $40,000 car, continue to pop up in news reports, adding fuel to the already blazing inferno of frivolous lawsuits.

A woman is suing Dairy Queen because she was injured while holding the door for another customer. She is also suing the other customer, who didn't ask for her help. By the way, she wasn't injured until a fall later on. Her claim says the injury suffered in the DQ door contributed to her other injury, when she fell and had no one else to blame.

Nowhere is this trend more noticeable than divorce. Typically, women are the smaller wage earner in a marriage, so they are more likely to be rewarded by a judge. Some also have a nasty streak of vindictiveness.

Heather Mills McCartney has asked the courts to force Sir Paul to pay her $80,000 a day to become an ex. She has never lived like that before and will be hard pressed to even get close without McCartney's millions. Dancing With The Stars won't be much help, whether her artificial leg stays put or not.