Forward Ever Forward

Editor: The following email (which is crossed out below) has been circulating since 2003.  It is definitely time to lay it to rest because it is FALSE according to Snopes.com, the urban legend- forwarded email-folklore-myth debunking site.

Snopes tells how to ascertain a two-way mirror and it is much more simple than the below “fingernail gap test” which, according to Snopes again, is not all that efficient in detecting two-way mirrors anyway.

Here is Snopes statement on the subject of how to detect a two-way mirror:

TRUTH: Transparent mirrors are most obviously distinguishable from ordinary mirrors in that they’re not hung on the walls as ordinary mirrors are, but they’re set into walls (or doors) as windows are.

In other words, if there’s a wall behind a mirror, the mirror is almost certainly an ordinary one–a transparent mirror would be part of the wall itself.

Also, the lighting in front of a transparent mirror must be much brighter than the lighting on the other side (where the hidden observers are) for it to work effectively, and some light leaks through from the brighter side to the dimmer side…(there is more details if you want to click on Snopes link above for the full story.)

Go to Snopes (or some such debunking site) to verify the truthfulness of “warnings” and “I-don’t-want-to-scare-you emails.

Lay the following email to rest…forever! It is false!!

FALSE! Two Way Mirror  FALSE!

I thought it was quite interesting! And I know in about 30 seconds

you’re going to do what I did and find the nearest mirror….. Do you

know how to determine if a mirror is 2-way or not?

This is not to scare you, but to make you aware. A policewoman who

businesswomen passed this on. When we visit toilets, bathrooms, hotel

rooms, changing rooms, etc.., how many of you know for sure that the

seemingly ordinary mirror hanging on the wall is a real mirror, or

actually a 2-way mirror (i.e., they can see you, but you can’t see

them)? There have been many cases of people installing 2-way mirrors

in female changing rooms. It is very difficult to positively identify

the surface by just looking at it.

So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty what type of

mirror we are looking at? Just conduct this simple test:

Place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface and if

there is a GAP between your fingernail and the image of the nail, then

it is a GENUINE mirror. However, if your fingernail DIRECTLY TOUCHES

the image of your nail, then BEWARE, FOR IT IS A 2-WAY MIRROR!

“No Space, Leave the Place”

So remember, every time you see a Mirror, do the “fingernail test.” It

doesn’t cost you anything.

Remember: “No Space, Leave the Place”

Be sure to read Scene 3. This is a new one.

SCENE 1.

A friend went to the local gym and placed his belongings in the locker. After the workout and a shower, he came out, saw the locker open, and thought to himself,  “‘Funny, I thought I locked the locker…”

“Hmm.” ‘He dressed and just flipped the wallet to make sure all was in order.

Everything looked okay – all cards were in place..

A few weeks later his credit card bill came – a whooping bill of $14,000!

He called the credit card company and started yelling at them, saying that he did not make the transactions.

Customer care personnel verified that there was no Mistake in the system and asked if his card had been stolen..

‘No,’ he said, but then took out his wallet, pulled out the credit card, and yep – you guessed it – a switch had been made.

An expired similar credit card from the same bank was in the wallet.

The thief broke into his locker at the gym and switched cards.

Verdict: The credit card issuer said since he did not report the card missing earlier, he would have to pay the amount owed to them.

How much did he have to pay for items he did not buy?

$9,000! Why were there no calls made to verify the amount swiped?

Small amounts rarely trigger a ‘warning bell’ with some credit card companies.

It just so happens that all the small amounts added up to big one!

============================

SCENE 2.

A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card.

The bill for the meal came, he signed it and the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along.

Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket. Funny enough, though, he actually took a look at the card and, lo and behold, it was the expired card of another person.

He called the waitress and she looked perplexed.

She took it back, apologized, and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man.

All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card.

No exchange of words — nothing! She took it and came back to the man with an apology.

Verdict:

Make sure the credit cards in your wallet are yours.

Check the name on the card every time you sign for something and/or the card is taken away for even a short period of time.

Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, ‘assuming’ that it has to be theirs.

FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, DEVELOP THE HABIT OF CHECKING YOUR CREDIT CARD EACH TIME IT IS RETURNED TO YOU AFTER A TRANSACTION!

==========================

SCENE 3:

Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in.

I paid by using my Visa Check Card which, of course, is linked directly to my checking account.

The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it, then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure.

While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing.

I noticed the phone because it is the same model I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary? Then I heard a click that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture.

He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons.

Meanwhile, I’m thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on.

It then dawned on me: the only thing there was my credit card, so now I’m paying close attention to what he is doing..

He set his phone on the counter, leaving it open.

About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved.

Now I’m standing there struggling with the fact that this boy just took a picture of my credit card.

Yes, he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened.

Needless to say, I immediately canceled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlor.

All I am saying is, be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Whenever you are using your credit card take caution and don’t be careless.

Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing when you use your card.

Beware of phones because so many have a camera phone these days.

Never let your card out of your sight… check and check again!

Scary isn’t it…

Remember Lee Iacocca, the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from its death throes?  He’s now 82 years old and has a new book, ‘Where Have All The Leaders  Gone?’.

Lee Iacocca Says:   ‘Am I the only guy in this country who’s fed up with what’s happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder! We’ve got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we’ve got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can’t even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, ‘Stay the course.’

Stay the course? You’ve got to be kidding. This is  America , not the damned, ‘Titanic’. I’ll give you a sound bite: ‘Throw all the bums out!’

You might think I’m getting senile, that I’ve gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up.  I hardly recognize this country anymore. The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we’re fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving ‘pom-poms’ instead of asking hard questions. That’s not the promise of the ‘ America ‘ my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I’ve had enough. How about you?

I’ll go a step further. You can’t call yourself a patriot if you’re not outraged. This is a fight I’m ready and willing to have. The Biggest ‘C’ is Crisis ! (Iacocca elaborates on nine C’s of leadership, with crisis being the first.)

Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It’s easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else’s kids off to war when you’ve never seen a battlefield yourself.  It’s another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.

On September 11, 2001 , we needed a  strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A hell of a mess, so here’s where we stand. We’re immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving.

We’re running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We’re losing the manufacturing edge to  Asia , while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves.

The middle class is being squeezed every which way. These are times that cry out for leadership.
But when you look around, you’ve got to ask: ‘Where  have all the leaders gone?’ Where are the curious, creative communicators?  Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.

Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We’ve spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.

Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm.

Everyone’s hunkering down,fingers crossed, hoping it doesn’t happen again. Now, that’s just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you’re going to do the next time.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when ‘The Big Three’ referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it?

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.

I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn’t elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What  is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on CNN will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don’t you guys show some spine for a change?

Had Enough? Hey, I’m not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I’m trying to light a fire. I’m speaking out because I have hope – I believe in  America. In my lifetime, I’ve had the privilege of living through some of  America’s greatest moments. I’ve also experienced some of our worst crises: The ‘Great Depression,’ ‘World War II,’ the ‘Korean War,’ the ‘Kennedy Assassination,’ the ‘Vietnam War,’ the 1970′s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11.

If I’ve learned one thing, it’s this: ‘You don’t get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it’s building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That’s the challenge I’m raising in this book. It’s a “Call to Action” for people who,like me, believe in  America’. It’s not too late, but it’s getting pretty close. So let’s shake off the crap and go to work. Let’s tell ‘em all we’ve had ‘enough.’

Make your own contribution by sending this to everyone you know and care about. It’s our country, folks, and it’s our future. Our future is at stake!!

**WARNING the graphic video clip is professionally staged — but appears realistic and does a fine job hammering its message home. In my view, it should be seen by every parent — and imported/licensed for broadcast or school use throughout the United States.

“The four-minute sequence involves British actors and creative talent — and is part of a larger 30-minute drama produced and directed by Peter Watkins-Hughes — (visit http://bit.ly/AeYB4) — an award winning, former BBC TV producer who is also a lecturer for the Documentary Film & Television department at the Newport School of Art, Media and Design in Wales. He got his own students to work on this drama, which was made for — and with — the Gwent Police Department. Mr. Watkins-Hughes says the longer-version of this drama will be shown at schools this year. He is in talks with the BBC to have “COW” (named after the road in the film) – broadcast later this year.

Editor’s Note: This email is partially true. Read the snopes article showing what is accurate and what is not.

This is interesting.

Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back. It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavorings.

DO YOU KNOW the difference between margarine and butter?

This gets very interesting!

Both have the same amount of calories.

Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams.

Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.

Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.

Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added!

Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.

Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.

And now, for Margarine…

Very high in trans fatty acids..

Triple risk of coronary heart disease.
Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).

Increases the risk of cancers up to five-fold.

Lowers quality of breast milk.

Decreases immune response…

Decreases insulin response.

And here’s the most disturbing fact; HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!

Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC.

This fact alone was enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).

You can try this yourself:

Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will note a couple of things:

* no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)

* it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weenie microorganisms will not a find a home to grow.. Why? Because it is nearly plastic.

Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

Share This With Your Friends (if you want to ‘butter them up’)!

Note: Always check any receipt…including your bank deposits. It takes just a couple of seconds and innocent  (and not-so-innocent) errors sometimes happen.

FYI – Just a word of caution….

YES!  THIS IS TRUE!  It happened to me at Wal-Mart (Supercenter Store #1279, 10411 N Freeway 45, Houston, TX 77037) a month ago.  I bought a bunch of stuff, over $150, & I glanced at my receipt as the cashier was handing me the bags.  I saw a cash-back of $40.  I told her I didn’t request a cash back & to delete it.  She said I’d have to take the $40 because she couldn’t delete it.  I told her to call a supervisor.  Supervisor came & said I’d have to take it…  I said NO!  Taking the $40 would be a cash advance against my Discover & I wasn’t paying interest on a cash advance!!!!!  If they couldn’t delete it then they would have to delete the whole order.  So the supervisor had the cashier delete the whole order & re-scan everything!  The second time I looked at the electronic pad before I signed & a cash-back of $20 popped up.  At that point I told the cashier & she deleted it.  The total came out right.  The cashier agreed that the electronic pad must be defective.  Obviously the cashier knew the electronic pad was defective because she NEVER offered me the $40 at the beginning.  Can you imagine how many people went through before me & at the end of her shift how much money she pocketed?

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Just to alert everyone. My co worker went to Milford DE Wal-Mart last week. She had her items rung up by the cashier. The cashier hurried her along and didn’t give her a receipt. She asked the cashier for a receipt and the cashier was annoyed and gave it to her. My co worker didn’t look at her receipt until later that night. The receipt showed that she asked for $20 cash back. SHE DID NOT ASK FOR CASH BACK. My co worker called Wal-Mart who investigated but could not see the cashier pocket the money. She then called her niece who works for the bank and her niece told her this. There is a scam going on. The cashier will ask for cash back and hand it to her friend who is the next person in line.  Please, Please, please check your receipts right away when using debit cards. The store has the cashier under investigation now. We can only pray that she is caught very soon.

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I am adding to this.  My husband and I were in Wal-Mart North Salisbury and paying with credit card when my husband went to sign the credit card signer he just happen to notice there was a $20 cash back added.  He told the cashier that he did not ask nor want cash back and she said this machine has been messing up and she canceled it.  We really didn’t think anything of it until we read this email.  Please be aware.

TICK WARNING!

I hate it when people forward bogus warnings, and I have even done it myself a couple times unintentionally but this one is real, and it’s important.

Please send this warning to everyone on your e- mail list.

If someone comes to your front door saying they are checking for ticks
due to the warm weather and asks you to take your clothes off and dance
around with your arms up,

DO NOT DO IT!! THIS IS A SCAM!!
They only want to see you naked.

I wish I’d gotten this yesterday. Now, I feel so stupid.