Mindconnection eNL, 2008-07-20

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People don't act like doormats because of an inherent personal flaw. They act like doormats as a manner of coping. Early on, they learned that being submissive "solved" a conflict. But really, it doesn't. However, they apply this behavior across the board and end up being taken advantage of.

When someone makes claims that set off your BS detector, don't waste your brainpower walking through their logic (or lack thereof). Look at the person, not at the arguments. Example:

• The "marketing expert" trying to sell you some Internet business scheme. Have you ever noticed Bill Gates has never promoted an online course on "How to create a software company"?
   
• The guy who shows up at parties and pontificates on how the world should be run, but nobody in power wants his opinion. If he knows so much, why isn't he being tapped by somebody? Anybody? Don't waste your time talking with him--he's wrong.
   
• The "relationship expert" who is single. That may seem pretty obvious, but if you think along religious practice lines you will note a glaring example of this.
   
• The "fitness expert" who isn't particularly fit. Some of the folks who are personal trainers, fitness writers, and online sellers of fitness products are their own worst advertisement. I reviewed a book by one particular BS expert who claimed to have it all figured out. He's actually very unfit. His advice shows he lacks even a basic understanding of the subject. Go to www.mindconnection.com and click on Book Reviews, then click on Fantastic Voyage.
   
• The "investment guru" who always has all the answers but never has any money.
   
• Anyone selling car parts that increase your gas mileage--special spark plugs, special fuel injectors, special carburetors, special air filters, etc. The sales pitch for all of these rip-offs requires you to ignore basic physical laws, especially in the area of thermodynamics.
  
  If this person has such a great item, why hasn't an automotive company like Toyota copied the technology or bought the rights to it? These companies are investing billions of dollars into increasing the fuel economy of their cars, but they aren't using $40 "high mileage" spark plugs--that should tell you something. Smart people aren't buying what this huckster is selling.
  
  If this person has such a great item, why isn't s/he just doing aftermarket makeovers and keeping the actual technology secret? If someone guaranteed you could drive in with a 15 MPG SUV and drive out with a 45 MPG SUV for a small investment of $2,000--wouldn't you be insane not to accept the offer? (Assuming you weren't already insane by dint of owning an SUV in the first place). But because the results would never come, the promoter won't put his/her money where his/her mouth is. SUV owners are now desperate to get rid of the pieces of crap they drive. Why aren't they flocking to shops that can install special spark plugs to triple their gas mileage?

It isn't necessary to divert your mental resources into figuring out whether someone is spewing nonsense or not, when the truth is looking right at you.

If you vote for either of these non-choices this fall, you send them the message that you approve of having your pocketbook tapped even deeper than it already is. So, why not just take the locks off your doors and hang out a "Thieves welcome" sign on your home? Same difference.

As this so-called "election" approaches, take some time to let your misrepresentative in CONgress know that you can't afford any more federal spending or regulations and won't vote for anyone who thinks you can. Ask them why the USA spends more for "defense" than the next nine nations combined. The actual answer is to support the clients of the defense industry lobbyists. That isn't the answer you'll get.

Since your share of the cost of the bloated federal gov't actually exceeds your total annual earnings (unless you are in the top 1% of wage earners), the cost of gov't is your single largest expense. Thus, reducing it is your single largest personal finance concern. You can find data about the extent of the tremendous damage done to your financial situation by this burden from such sources as the National Taxpayer's Union www.ntu.org.

• If you vote Demopublican, what message do you think that sends to the crooks whose careers are devoted to increasing your costs?
• If you fail to inform your misrepresentative in CONgress of your extreme displeasure in supporting insane levels of spending, waste, fraud, over-regulation, and sheer stupidity in government, why would your misrepresentative in CONgress feel any motivation to reduce these things?

A corollary to this simple truth is this: When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away.

When the pro-crime advocates insist that you are somehow safer if you are made weaker, don't allow such nonsense to go unanswered. Using their "logic," a lion would prefer to attack an elephant rather than a gazelle. This, of course, is the opposite of reality. So is the proposition that ensuring only criminals have guns will somehow reduce crime.

The gazelle becomes food. The elephant lives to see another day. Which of these do the politicians you vote for want you to be?

Courts have repeatedly ruled that the police are not obligated to protect private citizens. The law is very clear on this. So, who has the obligation to protect you and your family, and how can you meet that obligation? Obviously, being defenseless isn't part of the solution.

Look into being qualified for Right To Carry. The reason nearly every state has such a program today is it works. Do you want to be a gazelle or an elephant?

You are responsible for your own personal security.

1. Turtles can breathe through their butts. Al Gore apparently talks through his. 

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