'Tis the season where the stress of the holidays makes people do stupid things. Some people whom you would never suspect as being on the edge, find themselves thinking that there is no recourse but to jump off a bridge, put a bullet on to their head, over dose, etc. We all know it's not the answer. In fact, it leaves behind friends and family who wish you hadn't done that. It is primarily a selfish act and certainly not a means to the end.
Then there are those who deserve an ass whoopin' in the highest sense. Some of these maggots you would just love to throw off a bridge - a couple of times. Using a bungee cord, of course. That's some scary shit.
I'm talking about the burglars, thieves and other maggots of society who prey on those of various socio-economic backgrounds. They don't care who they take from. It's all for their own selfish greed and satisfaction. They have robbed from those who have borrowed to the hilt in an effort to make Christmas special for their children and grandchildren. They mug easy targets in busy shopping centers; from tearing shopping bags from people to breaking in to cars in the parking lot.
The worst maggots of all are those that prey on the elderly. They are the hustlers and swindlers who approach them or call them by phone with some sad story about needing money for some made up charity. Some unsuspecting elderly person will give up their credit card number and social security number because they are duped in to believing it's a charitable cause. I think even some of these so-called legitimate charitable causes need an ass whoopin'. How dare they make threats and somehow lay blame on their mark (my mother) if they don't give them money.
Many of these children's charities and yes, even some of these so-called organizations who solicit on behalf of fire departments and police departments are bogus.
You see it all the time...just read the paper, listen to the news. They warn you to lock your cars while in the mall and put your purchases out of sight, and in the trunk. NEVER give your social security number to anyone! Don't give bank account number or credit card numbers over the phone or to ANYONE that YOU haven't called.
I know that if someone tried to rip off my parents, I'd be ready to kick some ass and I wouldn't stop until the world saw what kind of swindlers and cons there are in the world. They would rue the day.
I inherited this determination from my mother. She was always a fighter and a very good one at that. She knew all the right words and managed to persuade people to see her way of thinking. And she always managed to do it with just words. I admire her for that. Now, in her golden years, she just wants to peacefully retire and get away from all this nonsense and drama. She wants to lounge quietly in a warm climate, poolside, with her kindle. She earned this and deserves this.
She has chosen to give to one charity and one charity only. Toys for Tots, sponsored by the USMC. I don't know why she chose this one specifically, maybe because her son was in the corp., but that is her choice.
We all know that she is intelligent enough to make rational decisions and to do so with discretion.
She also has an answering machine/voice mail and caller ID. If she doesn't recognize the number, she doesn't answer it. If they leave a message from one of those sob story, so called charitable organizations, she does not return their calls. In fact, she has an obsession with the delete button. She does that with her emails too.
She has a "Go away. Leave me alone" attitude with these people and knows a con when she hears one.
My message here is that you should look out for your parents and grandparents. Even people my age are often intimidated by today's electronics. Take the time to show a different generation all about voice mail, caller ID and email. My mother was quite set in her ways when it came to books. Along came the Kindle. She researched it herself and mulled it over for awhile. It really is a remarkable gift for a book reader. Once you get one, you wonder why you hadn't done it sooner. iPads are user friendly and with wi-fi, no convoluted hook ups or expensive software is necessary. "There's an APP for that!" I know my Mom despised that old laptop she had. Now, with her iPad, she checks her mail every day, plays her games, watches movies, and even does her banking. She now considers herself "geek-a-fied."
If you're having trouble deciding what to get your parents or grandparents, these are some things you should consider. And again, ALWAYS look out for them, but don't be over-protective. They seriously hate that.
