Insurance applications are mostly based on the honor system. You are asked to put down information that you know to be correct and the carrier relies on that information to evaluate you as a risk.

Depending on the coverage applied for, there usually are additional background checks. This might include checking with M.I.B. (Medical Information Bureau), your states DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles), a credit check and a criminal history background check.

Sometimes you may be asked to submit body fluid specimens and maybe even have a physical exam.

But it still comes back to honor. The carrier EXPECTS you to honor a code of ethics and be truthful in your answers.

Speaking of honor, a former mayor of our great city was recently tried in federal court. Several wrongdoings were alleged including extortion, bribery, illegal use of campaign funds, racketeering and tax evasion.

During the trial which lasted about 2 weeks, the jury was not sequestered. Hizzoner was free to hold nightly press conferences where he would spin the events of the day in his favor. He would swagger up to the reporters, smile and stare into the camera as he talked about the lies by the prosecution that proved nothing and only served to smear his reputation.

I am sure the members of the jury adhered to their charge to avoid watching the news in an attempt to remain unbiased.

During two days of testimony former girlfriends of Hizzoner were put on the stand to testify about trips to Paris and other exotic places where gambling was a major attraction. Every one of these trips was paid for in cash. Lots of cash.

There were even some Kodak moments where the mayor posed in front of landmarks like the Eiffel Tower.

Did I mention the mayor was happily married during this time?

Hizzoner talked in his nightly spin cycle about how these allegations failed to prove any wrong-doing but only served to smear his good name and reputation.

Uh-huh.

Somehow he failed to mention that he might be incriminated, not for having a lovely accessory on his arm, but that the cash was unaccounted for in his financial records.

The mayors wife was noticeably absent from court when the girlfriends testified.

At the conclusion of the trial, many of the charges involving bribery and extortion were not proved to the satisfaction of the jury.

He was however convicted of tax evasion.

So at the end of the day, if you are to believe the jury, the mayor is not guilty of anything other than cheating on his wife, and cheating on his taxes. Other than that, he is an honorable fellow.

In fact he even proclaimed in his last press conference that his “honor had been restored”.

Really?

How did I miss that?