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Right here, in small town Tehachapi at 9am on a nice Saturday morning, I received a phone call and will relate it here for your information:

ME:"Hello."

Canned voice recording, "Are you aware that your Visa and Mastercard interest rates will be automatically increased by 17 or more percent within the next 30 days? Press 8 to talk to an operator about what you need to do to prevent this".

ME: Pressing 8.

Live voice: "Please state your full name and credit card numbers so I can advise you accordingly".

ME: "Sure, please give me your full name and telephone number and I will call you back".

Live voice: "Certainly, do you have a pen handy?"

ME: "At the ready, go ahead".

Live Voice: CLICK!!!!!

Need I say more?

Jim Richards

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The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?" Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

There is a moral here if we but recognize it.

Jim Richards