Hi Trina, Once again, your statements are bang on, and if people ARE offended, it's too bad. They NEED to be offended more often for their own good. ========================================================= The only way that scammers will ever be stopped is if people stop looking at the dollar signs and for free rides, and start looking for real opportunities for advancement. ============================================================ Exactly. Just as Linda says, they need to have a plan. God bless, Dave

Hi: ========== Don't know when and how happiness and money became synonymous. One is not equal to the other. ========== That depends on whether or not you can pay your bills. Try tell someone that's had their electricity and phone shut off that money and happiness aren't synonymous. I say that because a LOT of people make the assumption that greed drives the desire for money. And in some people - sure - it does. But, I've seen a different side of the coin. A few years ago, I was profiled in a book about Women Entrepreneurs -- the book was featured on Oprah. The letters I got for weeks after really opened my eyes. I can not begin to tell you how many letters I got from people explaining their circumstances. -- People that can't pay their bills. -- People in abusive relationships and wanting to earn enough to leave. -- People who were injured or whose spouse was injured and they can't pay all the bills. -- Single mothers that desperately want to be able to send their kids to college but can't swing it on their salary. Disability, divorce, death, injury, addictions -- you name it -- we live it. According to the US Census Bureau, less than 10% of the population is in good financial condition. To the folks that can't make ends meet, saying that happiness and money aren't synonamous is almost an insult. No one is happy if they have creditors calling and utilities being shut off. Food for thought, anyway. : ) L

Dave? This has been befuddling me for quite some time... How come we can say bullshit but not damn or hell without the dreaded * being applied? Just wondering... Gary

Hi: ===== How come we can say bullshit but not d*mn or h*ll ... ===== I know, I know, I know. Heh... Most forums have a "banned words" filter. The forum admin has to actually go in and type out the words that should get asterisked. The first time I ever moderated a forum, I turned 50 shades of red typing in the words I wouldn't allow. Yup... ALL of them. Don't forget any. LOL If this one works the same way, the person that manages the filter didn't include BS on the banned words list. : ) L

Hi Linda, I'm glad you brought up the following points - in fact they go hand in hand with what Shannon was saying: ========================================================== I can not begin to tell you how many letters I got from people explaining their circumstances. -- People that can't pay their bills. -- People in abusive relationships and wanting to earn enough to leave. -- People who were injured or whose spouse was injured and they can't pay all the bills. -- Single mothers that desperately want to be able to send their kids to college but can't swing it on their salary. Disability, divorce, death, injury, addictions -- you name it -- we live it. According to the US Census Bureau, less than 10% of the population is in good financial condition. To the folks that can't make ends meet, saying that happiness and money aren't synonamous is almost an insult. No one is happy if they have creditors calling and utilities being shut off. ============================================================== There is a saying that while money can't buy happiness, is sure can make misery a lot easier to bear. I would like to make it clear that I do not for one minute live under the assumption that all financial problems are caused by greed. Many come from circumstances that are out of our control. However, people need to be educated regarding the ways and means to get out of these situations. Unfortunately, most of what you see online, on TV, and in the back of magazines and newspapers are hyped up ads promising a quick fix with no effort, PLUS enormous wealth in very short order. What these kinds of ads do is immediately appeal to the desperate situation many people are in, then go even further, turn on the greed factor, and seal the deal with a promise of an instant and painless solution. What all of us can do is to continuously sound the alarm to anyone who will listen and try to get as many others as we can to sound the alarm, too. We need to warn people before they get into even more trouble, teach them how to do due diligence, and help them make safe decisions if there's any way we can. God bless, Dave