It's Nuts.

After a brutal two-week stretch (two murder trials (one guilty, one not guilty), and lots of kid-related issues (not out of the woods yet, but improving)), things are settling down a bit. I've at least gotten a chance to catch my breath. And to, once again, note the ridiculous stuff that abounds.

For example: It is accepted lore that America is litigious. That's actually a testament to the freedom we have here, and is generally a good thing, but even I have some limits. Toby Keith mentions the infamous coffee case in "American Ride". Some lady spilled coffee on her lap, and got a ton of money suing a fast-food restaurant for not warning her that coffee is, well, hot. I've looked into that matter a little, and, it's not as stupid as it seems. Most people like their morning coffee hot; however, during that time years ago, that particular restaurant chain had increased the temperature well above "drinking" hot so that it would be "drinking" hot ten minutes or so later when you got the coffee home. That's not just "hot"; that's scalding hot. Something the folks at management apparently knew from some previous incidents they'd had nationally. The lady was apparently burned pretty badly, and the high verdict also included some punitive damages (which still, as I understand it, represented, like, one day's coffee sales from that chain). Anyway, having said that, even I have my limits.

Hence, the peanuts. Some people are allergic to peanuts, and they get sick if they get exposed to them. Sometimes peanuts are used in recipes and allergic folks are unaware of it, and they get sick. those folks should be given a heads-up if their Chinese chicken is packing peanuts. But if you ask your flight attendant for a pack of peanuts, do you still need a warning? See? I got these on an airplane last month (I really should go through my stuff more often...). You know they're peanuts because the package says "peanuts".

This is the back of the pack (something with which I am familiar as a runner). It's got the nutrition information on it, and, in case you didn't read the much larger information on the front, the ingredients: Peanuts, salt. You figure that be enough. But, no.

I was shocked- SHOCKED!- to learn that my pack of peanuts, consisting of peanuts and salt, was "produced at a facility that processes peanuts and other nuts". Sheesh.