Too Good To Be True

It seems as if person after person is falling for scams that are so obivious.
One example is where a person receives a phone call and is told that they need to give information to the caller in order to get their rebate.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=178061,00.html

Another example is where people seem to think that money should rain on them and that they win some foreign lottery without even entering. Come on people, think about it. How can you win something if you did not enter? Why do people fall for this scam? Greed, plain and simple. The desire to get something for nothing is what cause people to fall for this scam.
http://www.scambusters.org/foreignlottery.html

Someone you never met before wants you to cash some money orders for them and send them the cash. They usually offer to let you keep some of the money for your trouble. This person usually finds you through a dating site or simply IMs you out of the blue. They will chat with you for awhile to establish a rapport, then comes the big bang. Don't fall for it. If you refuse, see how quickly the person who professed he loves you drops you.

http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/radDocs/consumer/moalert.htm

Common sense says if it is too good to be true, then it is. No one rains money on you.

American Idol Wannabe

Twenty years ago, American Idol would not have been a success. It is successful now, because we have raised a generation of children who are unable to realistically assess their skills. When you tell your children, you can do anything that you want to do and be anything that you want to be, that was to help people overcome racial and gender obstacles. Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama are demonstrating that racial and gender obstacles are less today then twenty or thirty years ago.

However, today's youth have learned that they can do anything they want to do irrespective of talent or ability. You merely have to watch the first few episodes of American Idol to see people embarassing themselves on national TV, because they think that they can sing. Parents have forgot to tell their children along with being able to do anything that you want to do that you also need hard work and God-given talent. Wanting something really bad is not enough to be able to get it always.

The average height of an NBA player is 6'7". However, Earl Boykins, who is only 5'5", plays in the NBA. Earl, as a child, had a desire to play basketball. But a desire is not enough. Not all men who are 5'5" tall that want to play in the NBA will be able to do it, because desire is not enough. You need desire + hard work + God-given talent.

So yes, you can be anything that you want to be. However, it won't happen if you do not have the talent. It also will not happen without hard work on your part. You need to learn to assess your abilities. Just because you want to be a singing sensastion, doesn't mean that you can sing.

Common sense says assess your abilities and be real. There is nothing wrong with changing your dream once you learn that you lack the ability to do what you want to do.

Droopy Drawers

PULL UP YOUR PANTS!

Why do people wear pants that are way too big and then pull them down so their underwear hangs out? No one wants to see your underwear. If we wanted to see your underwear, we would not have invented pants.

"I wear them like that because it is cool and that is the style." Really? Who thinks it cool? Not anyone over the age of 30. Not anyone under the age of 15. Looking like you are wearing your really big brother's handmedowns is not cool.

"I wear my pants hanging down, because it is sexy." You know who else's pants hang down like that? A baby with a full diaper. Since when is looking like you are carrying a full load and waiting for mommy to come change your diaper sexy?

"I wear baggy pants, because it makes me look tough." Yes, the look of baggy pants did start in prison. You are wearing the handmedowns of the just released prisoner and eventually you will lose weight, because the food in prison is not appetizing. But does that make you look tough? Will you look tough with your pants down around your ankles as you are running from the popo? No, it makes you look like a fool.

"I don't conform to society's demands of attire." If you were the only person in the world doing it, then you would be a nonconformist. But conforming to a "nonconformist's attire" is conformity. If you want to be original, get a pair of pants that fits and wear them at your waist.

If Mr. Droopy Drawers and Mr. Pants that Fit applied for a job. Nine times out of ten Mr. Pants that Fit would get the job.

Sticks and Stones

If you watch the news lately, you will see that parents are not teaching their children ... sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. For those of you who have never heard this ... it means that no matter what a person may say to you or about you, it is words and don't really hurt you. It also means that you should not respond to words with sticks, stones, fists, guns, etc.

So what if someone calls you a name or says something about you? I know that you will say "it hurt my feelings." And your logic says, if she hurt my feelings, I can hurt her body. That is not logical. For example, if Sue says "John is stupid." Is the correct response of John to pull out a gun a shoot Sue? Or is the correct response of John to punch Sue in the nose? NO!

The proper response to words is words or even better ignore it. Why should John care if Sue thinks that John is stupid? {insert any words for stupid} John should not care. John should tell Sue "Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" and walk away.

Common Sense says do not respond to words that you do not like with fists or other mechanisms of violence. Common Sense says use your brain and respond accordingly.

Cosign? Don't sign!

Someone you know comes to you and tells you that they need you to cosign a loan for them to get a car, apartment, house, loan, etc. Think first.
1. Why does this person need a cosigner? They need you because you have good credit and they have bad credit. You have good credit, because you pay your bills. They have bad credit, because they don't pay their bills.
2. If they don't pay other bills, why do you think they are going to pay this bill?
3. Have you completely reviewed this person's financial information to determine if they will be able to pay this loan? If someone is asking you to cosign, then they should open up their books to you. You need to know that they are able to pay this bill.
4. Are you married to this person? Are you a parent to this person? Any other relationship, DO NOT COSIGN. If you are just living with this person, then what happens when you break up? If you are married, then the court handling the divorce takes care of who has to pay this debt. If you are a parent, then you need to stop enabling your adult child and force them to stand on their own two feet.

Common sense says do not cosign for anyone. The best way to destroy your good credit is to connect it to someone with bad credit.

Don't Borrow Money from Friends

Before you borrow money from a family member or friend, you should ask yourself some questions first.
1. Are you borrowing money for something essential? Rims, a stereo, a car, phone, etc. are not essential. Food is essential. Rent is not essential, because you should be paying that already. Bail is not essential. What are you doing that lands yourself in jail? Stay there.
2. Why are you asking this person for money? Why aren't you getting a payday loan?
3. Are you going to be able to pay this person back? Have you done a budget? Why are you spending more money than you make? http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/budget101/budget_101.jsp
4. Why can't you get a second job to make the money you need?
5. Why do you need the money NOW? Why can't you wait?
6. Why are you in finacial trouble? What went wrong? It is ok to have an emergency come up, but that is a one time thing. If you have to ask someone to borrow money to pay your bills, then you need to stop making the bills.
7. If you don't pay the money back, are you willing to lose the friendship or relationship with the person you are borrowing from?
8. You need to sign a promissory note. You should pay them interest and be grateful to them.

Common sense says pay your own bills. But if you have to borrow money, you pay that money back before you waste your money on other things.

What were you thinking lending him $?

Neither a lender nor a borrower be. Shakespeare (Hamlet)
Shakespeare had it right. But people keep lending losers money and then wonder why they don't get paid back.
Before you lend someone money, you need to ask some questions.
1. Why are they asking you for the money as opposed to asking a family member? (Because no one else will lend them money, because they don't pay money back.)
2. How long have you known this person? (All of your life is the only good answer)
3. What is your relationship with this person? (Is this person just using you? Will they drop you as soon as they get the money?)
4. What are they borrowing the money for? (If it is not for food or necessary medical care, they can live without it.)
5. Why can't they borrow money from a bank or get a payday loan? (Because they have bad credit. Because they don't pay their bills)
6. If a bank, family member or payday loan center won't lend them money, why should you take the risk? (Because you have sucker written across your forehead.)
7. If a person has bad credit, there is a reason. IT IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T PAY THEIR BILLS. Can you just give this person the money and not expect it to be paid back? (Because you probably won't see the money again.)
8. What will happen if they don't pay you back? (Never lend money that you need back to pay your own bills.)
9. Will they sign a promissory note? (Make sure you get the terms in writing.) http://www.ilrg.com/forms/promisry.html
10. Will they pay you interest? (A bank charges a fee, why should you lend it for free?)
11. Why are they desperate and need the money now and can't wait?

Common sense says do not lend people money. You are not a bank. If someone you loved desperately needs money, then hire them to do some work for you. (Clean your house, wash your car, etc.)

What was Britney Spears thinking?

I think we are all aware of what is going on with Britney. She is a prime example of a lack of common sense. Britney is currently been committed, because she was acting irrational and a danger to herself.





http://www.tmz.com/2008/01/31/britney-could-be-involuntary-commitment-candidate/



My question is to her family. How did you raise her? Did you instill common sense in her as she was growing up? Her mother, Lynne Spears, is writing a book on parenting. Are you kidding me? Is this her attempt to instill common sense in this generation. I am not sure that a mother with a child out of control and another child who is a teenager, pregnant and not married is qualified to give advice on parenting. Unless that advice is do not do what I did or here are my mistakes, do not make them.

http://www.usmagazine.com/britney_spears_50

Lesson #2: Celebrities are NOT good role models for how to live. Parents should be the role model for their children. Parents talk to your children.

What were parents thinking?

Parents allowed their children to compete on a reality TV show called Kid Nation. At least 2 children were injured when they drank bleach. Are you kidding me? These kids were between 8 and 10 years old, so we are not dealing with someone who does not know better.

How could one child much less 2 drink bleach thinking that it is water? First of all bleach has an odor. Water does not. That should have been their first clue. After the first child drank the bleach and suffered burns, the second child went ahead and drank it too. If you see someone suffer an adverse response to doing something, common sense would suggest that you do not do the same thing. And there was an adult present as part of the filming. Common sense would say ... PUT THE CAMERA DOWN AND STOP THE KIDS FROM HURTING THEMSELVES.

Where was the common sense of the parents that signed consent forms that released the producer from all liability, including the event of death? A parent with common sense would take their child and run in the opposite direction. Is your child being on television so important you would risk their life? To the parents whose children were burned by drinking the bleach, was it worth it?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/18/arts/television/18kid.html

Lesson #1: Do not drink bleach or anything that smells "funny".

What were you thinking?

Every day I am amazed by the demonstration of the lack of common sense. It seems that common sense is a dying trait in this world. I am not sure what caused this demise, but this is my perhaps futile attempt to revive it. All you have to do is watch one hour of daytime television or court programing and you will see what I mean.

Common sense was a thriving trait when I was younger, but 30 years later it is on life support. I wonder if parents abandoning the raising of their children to television, videos, video games and others is responsible. Parents used to teaching their children by talking to them every day and giving them lessons that would last a lifetime.

Hopefully, this blog will instill some common sense in today's world.