Acceptable Deviance is Destroying Us:
Acceptable deviance is a point that falls short of what is expected, yet is still allowed. Unfortunately, we have taken acceptable deviation to whole new extremes. In a reasonable light, acceptable deviation covers the idea that not everyone can do things the same or as well as others. Just because one person can hit the bulls eye every single time, doesn’t mean that every average person should be expected to, right?
Sadly, it’s gone to a deep dark level that’s tearing the fabric of society and the economy to shreds. We can blame the politicians all we want, but we have allowed them to behave this way for a long time. We’ve allowed ourselves luxuries that we cannot afford and corporations that we allow to be in control take advantage.
When a child does something that you know he or she shouldn’t, but you say nothing, you are teaching the child something. You are saying, “that’s okay” because you took no action. This is a two-fold problem. First, the child has learned something in error and you have allowed yourself to error as well. By doing nothing you make both behaviors “acceptable”.
Banks are practicing this right now in order to make a quick buck. If you use your check card, but don’t have enough money in the bank, it may still go through. You get what ever you were purchasing and get slammed with a horrible bank fee in the bargain. The bank is telling you that buying when you don’t have the money is acceptable. Not keeping track of your money is acceptable. Overdrawing your account is acceptable. It’s a slippery slope and a big mess and it’s only getting bigger.
This is how the housing industry fell. Deviance from reason started at the top and rolled on down to the home owner. Getting a home loan you can’t pay is acceptable. And this isn’t the only place it’s happening. It’s everywhere.
We allow people to walk around with their pants around their knees or mid thighs in public. We didn’t use to, but then we gave up and now it’s acceptable. Large groups of teens are allowed to congregate, loiter and act vulgar towards adults, it’s acceptable. We even let the quality of our food and water slip to the point that people are getting sick or dying (re: spinach, tomatoes, peanuts, and public school drinking water).
We allow inappropriate behavior on all levels and it’s because we do nothing. What’s worse, we abandon our core beliefs. Beliefs that we built this country on. Now we cut corners for everything and mistreat our fellow man. It’s acceptable.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Don't click that!
If the interenet is an ocean, then we are all the fish. Who are the fishermen, the advertisers are. And we need to watch out for them.
Sadly, the internet is a jungle of corruption, scams, and outright lies. You can find anything you want on the internet, but it could cost you more than just a few dollars. I could cost you your identity, your financial future, and even your life. You are bombarded by ads everywhere you go, even where you are reading this. What's worse is that they will prey on your every indulgence and flaw.
Overweight? There are thousands of diets and miracle pills for you on the internet. Too bad not a single one will help you. They'll take your money and send you their product but you won't lose weight. That or you'll kill yourself by taking diet pills and not eating anymore. If they're lying, why are they so successful? Because they know you want it easy. You want to lose weight and not lift a finger to pull it off. So they have your miracle diets, miracle pills, colon cleansers, super nutritions and not a single one approved by the FDA. Not a single one with proven case trials or a track record of any kind. All you see is paid actors spouting about how their life changed. But there is no Easy Street in losing weight. The hard truth is this; quit inhaling food, get off your butt, and exercise somehow every day. Stop giving your money to the internet theives and take your health into your own hands. These are lies, these are scams, don't click on them.
Need money? Get yourself a grant or post links, or better yet go to loan sharks and owe forever. I have taken a good close look at several of these supposed miracle money makers and I find that, once again, there is no easy street. Don't you think it's interesting that the guy who wants to give you his big secret to get millions doesn't have millions himself? Oh he claims he does, but if that's true, it's because of you. Sure, he gets a thousand people to pay him fifty bucks for his "miracle information". He may not be a millionaire, but fifty grand is nothing to sneeze at. And that's just for one round of cheap advertising. And there isn't a goverment stockpile of money laying around in a garage just waiting for you to walk in with a bucket. It's a lie. Stop giving your money to the scam artists and put it to some real work for you somewhere. Like paying your mortgage. Once again the word easy pops out, it's a mythical fairy creature, it doesn't really exist. Don't click on them.
And those are just the two most popular. Hey, whiten your teeth, make spots disappear from your skin, be beautiful and while your at it become a werewolf or Santa Claus.
I've seen dozens of reports online from the authorities with FDA, FBI, BBB, and a bunch more, saying that "if it looks too good to be true, then it is too good to be true". Evidently, from what I have witnessed, this message is not enough. So let's get more blunt on it. See those little ads floating all around the things you are reading? DON'T CLICK ON THEM! And if you do, know this: there is no regulating authority making sure that all these scammers are legitimate. You click at your own risk with no possible recourse to save you. Your money will be gone, and you will have something for your dumpster to show for it.
So, that ad you were just glancing at? That miracle, easy, free for your money, secret? DON'T CLICK THAT!
Sadly, the internet is a jungle of corruption, scams, and outright lies. You can find anything you want on the internet, but it could cost you more than just a few dollars. I could cost you your identity, your financial future, and even your life. You are bombarded by ads everywhere you go, even where you are reading this. What's worse is that they will prey on your every indulgence and flaw.
Overweight? There are thousands of diets and miracle pills for you on the internet. Too bad not a single one will help you. They'll take your money and send you their product but you won't lose weight. That or you'll kill yourself by taking diet pills and not eating anymore. If they're lying, why are they so successful? Because they know you want it easy. You want to lose weight and not lift a finger to pull it off. So they have your miracle diets, miracle pills, colon cleansers, super nutritions and not a single one approved by the FDA. Not a single one with proven case trials or a track record of any kind. All you see is paid actors spouting about how their life changed. But there is no Easy Street in losing weight. The hard truth is this; quit inhaling food, get off your butt, and exercise somehow every day. Stop giving your money to the internet theives and take your health into your own hands. These are lies, these are scams, don't click on them.
Need money? Get yourself a grant or post links, or better yet go to loan sharks and owe forever. I have taken a good close look at several of these supposed miracle money makers and I find that, once again, there is no easy street. Don't you think it's interesting that the guy who wants to give you his big secret to get millions doesn't have millions himself? Oh he claims he does, but if that's true, it's because of you. Sure, he gets a thousand people to pay him fifty bucks for his "miracle information". He may not be a millionaire, but fifty grand is nothing to sneeze at. And that's just for one round of cheap advertising. And there isn't a goverment stockpile of money laying around in a garage just waiting for you to walk in with a bucket. It's a lie. Stop giving your money to the scam artists and put it to some real work for you somewhere. Like paying your mortgage. Once again the word easy pops out, it's a mythical fairy creature, it doesn't really exist. Don't click on them.
And those are just the two most popular. Hey, whiten your teeth, make spots disappear from your skin, be beautiful and while your at it become a werewolf or Santa Claus.
I've seen dozens of reports online from the authorities with FDA, FBI, BBB, and a bunch more, saying that "if it looks too good to be true, then it is too good to be true". Evidently, from what I have witnessed, this message is not enough. So let's get more blunt on it. See those little ads floating all around the things you are reading? DON'T CLICK ON THEM! And if you do, know this: there is no regulating authority making sure that all these scammers are legitimate. You click at your own risk with no possible recourse to save you. Your money will be gone, and you will have something for your dumpster to show for it.
So, that ad you were just glancing at? That miracle, easy, free for your money, secret? DON'T CLICK THAT!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Stranger Danger, An Easy Mark?
Today I pulled my van into the garage as we finished our ice cream cones. I shut off the engine and opened my door. We climbed out and went to the back door of our apartment building. “Hey!” I have a terrible startle reflex so I almost jumped out of my skin when the smiling young man shouted to me. He must have been around the back of the garages because I didn’t see him when I pulled in. We were ten feet from the door and I had my keys in my hand. He stopped a few feet away. “Hey, I just saw you and I wanted to say how awesome I think your blog is.”
“Thanks.” I said as I glanced past his shoulder to my van. I didn’t close the garage door. That’s exactly how it was supposed to be. I smiled to him as I moved my thumb over the panic button for my car alarm. Denver moved towards him talking, but I calmly mentioned our safety word and he stopped, turned, and went straight to the door of the building. That caught our friend off guard, but I interrupted before he could question what I had just done any further. “Thank you for reading my work then, have a good one.” I shifted my body toward the door but did not turn completely away from him.
“Oh, hey, I was wondering, could I use your phone? My car broke down.” He took a step closer.
“Sorry, battery’s dead. There’s a grocery store, 8 blocks that way,” I point and make two decided steps to the door and near my son. My thumb is on the panic button and the keys themselves dangle from the small side of my fist. He’s younger than me and more toned, I expect he’s faster than me too. His gaze follows my gesture and then he looks around the parking lot. I could tell he didn’t belong here and his body language said he was nervous.
“Hey, Dave.” My upstairs neighbor said from her window. Now it was his turn to jump out of his skin.
“Ok, that way?” and off he went with a nod and “Thanks.” I would say he was up to no good, if this event ever actually happened. It didn’t.
We do have a safe word and our neighbors do look out for each other. It’s a good thing and it’s sad you can’t find it everywhere. Naturally I’m not going to mention my safe word, that would be silly wouldn’t it? But you should have one with your children.
Some statistics and stereotypes say that a person with Asperger’s syndrome is an easy target for criminal behavior. They’re gullible and may not know a bad idea when they come across one. I’m here to show you that experience can bridge the gap on this. If you know about the statistic I just mentioned you might also know that practically all people with Asperger’s have a special interest that they have a hard time breaking away from. I was a very fantasy oriented child and that gave me a lot of trouble in my youth. I took an intense interest, however, in the martial arts and detective work. I wanted to be a detective will all my fiber and being. I knew anything you cared to know about being a detective and that grew. I now have 19 years experience under my belt to include time spent in the service with a military police company and years serving a city as an Animal Control Officer (Nationally Certified). I’ve been trained in collecting evidence and interviewing suspects. So, to look at me, this is the last thing you might think. You might even think that I’m an easy mark for being so open here on the internet.
Well, I am disabled and socially clumsy, my hands shake all the time and I’m kind of hard to figure out just by looking, but I am educated and experienced. And I teach my son as well. And when someone I don’t know says hello to my son, I ask them how they know him and where from. I’ve done this with at least three of the lunchroom staff for Wilson since I’ve lived here. I’m used to being underestimated and flattery from people I don’t know out of the blue sets off little alarms in my head. I’m not prone to invite strangers to my home and I’m pretty good at discovering what a person is about. My son goes no where without me or an adult I personally have met and have all contact information for. As I post on my security experiences I will share some of what I know and how you too can protect your family like Fort Knox without all the bars.
“Thanks.” I said as I glanced past his shoulder to my van. I didn’t close the garage door. That’s exactly how it was supposed to be. I smiled to him as I moved my thumb over the panic button for my car alarm. Denver moved towards him talking, but I calmly mentioned our safety word and he stopped, turned, and went straight to the door of the building. That caught our friend off guard, but I interrupted before he could question what I had just done any further. “Thank you for reading my work then, have a good one.” I shifted my body toward the door but did not turn completely away from him.
“Oh, hey, I was wondering, could I use your phone? My car broke down.” He took a step closer.
“Sorry, battery’s dead. There’s a grocery store, 8 blocks that way,” I point and make two decided steps to the door and near my son. My thumb is on the panic button and the keys themselves dangle from the small side of my fist. He’s younger than me and more toned, I expect he’s faster than me too. His gaze follows my gesture and then he looks around the parking lot. I could tell he didn’t belong here and his body language said he was nervous.
“Hey, Dave.” My upstairs neighbor said from her window. Now it was his turn to jump out of his skin.
“Ok, that way?” and off he went with a nod and “Thanks.” I would say he was up to no good, if this event ever actually happened. It didn’t.
We do have a safe word and our neighbors do look out for each other. It’s a good thing and it’s sad you can’t find it everywhere. Naturally I’m not going to mention my safe word, that would be silly wouldn’t it? But you should have one with your children.
Some statistics and stereotypes say that a person with Asperger’s syndrome is an easy target for criminal behavior. They’re gullible and may not know a bad idea when they come across one. I’m here to show you that experience can bridge the gap on this. If you know about the statistic I just mentioned you might also know that practically all people with Asperger’s have a special interest that they have a hard time breaking away from. I was a very fantasy oriented child and that gave me a lot of trouble in my youth. I took an intense interest, however, in the martial arts and detective work. I wanted to be a detective will all my fiber and being. I knew anything you cared to know about being a detective and that grew. I now have 19 years experience under my belt to include time spent in the service with a military police company and years serving a city as an Animal Control Officer (Nationally Certified). I’ve been trained in collecting evidence and interviewing suspects. So, to look at me, this is the last thing you might think. You might even think that I’m an easy mark for being so open here on the internet.
Well, I am disabled and socially clumsy, my hands shake all the time and I’m kind of hard to figure out just by looking, but I am educated and experienced. And I teach my son as well. And when someone I don’t know says hello to my son, I ask them how they know him and where from. I’ve done this with at least three of the lunchroom staff for Wilson since I’ve lived here. I’m used to being underestimated and flattery from people I don’t know out of the blue sets off little alarms in my head. I’m not prone to invite strangers to my home and I’m pretty good at discovering what a person is about. My son goes no where without me or an adult I personally have met and have all contact information for. As I post on my security experiences I will share some of what I know and how you too can protect your family like Fort Knox without all the bars.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Fundamentals of Self Defense
Welcome to my new blog on ways to defend yourself. In these uncertain times with the recession and issues, it's a good time to re-evaluate how you take care of yourself. There are four fundamentals to self defense;
Physical is the most obvious and deserves attention, but I will start out focusing on much more than just the physical aspect of protecting yourself. Not to worry, I won't leave it out.
Emotional and Mental could be addressed as separate factors, but I have found that they still run hand in hand in many situations. Things that affect us in this way are abuse, traumas, and cons. We will be looking at ways to protect your emotional and mental well being.
Financial self defense is of extreme importance these days. It seems like everyone and their proverbial dog is after the contents of your wallet. We will take a look at the things you need to do in order to protect your money.
Image self defense is about protecting how the community views you as a person. The inexperienced may not care about this, but your image in even your neighborhood can affect you in many aspects of your life. People lose their jobs over damaging their image on the internet or become outcasts in their communities over behavior. You will see that your image can make or break you.
So I do hope that many of you will follow this blog and I welcome any input or questions you may have.
Physical is the most obvious and deserves attention, but I will start out focusing on much more than just the physical aspect of protecting yourself. Not to worry, I won't leave it out.
Emotional and Mental could be addressed as separate factors, but I have found that they still run hand in hand in many situations. Things that affect us in this way are abuse, traumas, and cons. We will be looking at ways to protect your emotional and mental well being.
Financial self defense is of extreme importance these days. It seems like everyone and their proverbial dog is after the contents of your wallet. We will take a look at the things you need to do in order to protect your money.
Image self defense is about protecting how the community views you as a person. The inexperienced may not care about this, but your image in even your neighborhood can affect you in many aspects of your life. People lose their jobs over damaging their image on the internet or become outcasts in their communities over behavior. You will see that your image can make or break you.
So I do hope that many of you will follow this blog and I welcome any input or questions you may have.
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