The Economy

Last year I called AAA for a car that wouldn't start, and I had to make a choice, send a battery guy or a tow guy. WTF?

I guessed wrong and said battery guy. Guy came and said my battery's fine. Got my car started. Made the mistake of stopping at Advance Auto Parts to ask them a question. Car won't start again. This time I called for a tow. Needed a new starter.

 

I always wonder about the "chain gangs" that work the passes in the winter. You'll pull off to chain up and they'll be on you before you're even out of your car. It's cold, its dark, you figure $20 "sure." You never see as much activity in the chain-up area going the the other way toward the Valley once you pass the summit.

 

I went for an oil change at the dealer, and in the waiting room damn if there wasn't a large faded photo of the dealer presenting a Mercury Cougar to Jack Palance.

 

I don’t trust someone neatly dressed to work on my car. Your shirt must at least be rumpled. If you are mumbling and have terrible people skills, I know you’re really good with cars.

It’s the ones who look exactly like the dealers and tell me everything is under control and perfect and “Why don’t you have a free coffee?” I’m afraid of.

Everything DOES go smoothly. And then you get a bill for $2,300.

 

Also I prefer them to smoke and to meet me in a lobby full of calendars from their Snap-On tool dealer.

 

In case you're heading to the market today for bananas, this reminder:

 

We only have Dole bananas in stores around here. I haven’t seen a Chiquita banana in decades.

 

All of the U.S. produce companies that did or still do business in Central America were complicit as partners with murderous governments there. Chiquita is the one being held to account. Dole's history in the Hawaii pineapple business is no less criminal, paying indentured servitude wages to workers as a means to undercut competitors and monopolize the trade.

 

I didn’t say Dole was innocent, just that it’s all I’ve seen in years and years.

 

Anything not grown in the US of A, you have to suspect some kind of labor shenanigans past or present.

For that matter, here too.

 

The term banana republic wasn't coined out of thin air.

 

All for something I consider a trash fruit. Way down in the fruit power rankings.