There is so much uncertainty in life that most of us look hard and long for as many "sure things" as we can find. A fisherman goes back again and again to that hole that always produces fish and leaves on his line that special lure that always does the trick. The fishing hole and the lure are sure things.

A gardener finds it hard to switch from tried and true varieties of vegetables. Blue Lake or Provider green beans, Silver Queen white corn, Beefsteak tomatoes, Detroit Red beets all have a familiar, solid ring to them for a gardener. They're "sure things" if the weather cooperates. It's hard to try other varieties.

People are looking for sure things today, in gardening, in buying computer software, hand tools or diapers, in signing position players for baseball or football, in buying a busi…