Editorial

Brainstorms 8-16-2012

It was 67 years ago this month that Americans were celebrating the surrender of the Japanese, signifying the end of WWII. Of course the official signing of the surrender papers aboard the USS Missouri was on September 2nd, but Americans didn’t wait for the formalities to begin the party. Many thousands of times we have seen the well worn picture of the sailor planting a big kiss on that nurse in uniform. She is bent back about as far as a normal adult human can bend, but he is definitely kissing her. Of course that Life magazine picture was not the only kissing picture the Life photographer made that day. He made at least six more. One includes a female and about four GIs. One of them had on a wedding ring and we have often wondered how he explained that to his wife! We will never know for sure the name of THE?NURSE, as a number of women have laid claim to that fame. Each of them is probably sincere in their belief, as there is no doubt in our mind that there were more than six happy soldiers on the streets of New York City celebrating that day. Plus, we doubt they  needed much of an excuse to kiss a pretty girl!

It can’t be said enough! Don’t give out your personal information (bank account numbers, Social Security card numbers, credit card numbers, internet passwords) to anyone calling, e-mailing, writing or asking you face-to-face. So many of them are con artists that it is a no brainer to just say no - or ignore the request. The feds are not going to ask, the bank is not going to ask, nor is the credit card company. Even when you make the phone call or send the e-mail and giving these numbers is necessary, be doubly sure you have the right address and the e-mail site is a secure site. Just today (Tuesday), a local man got such a phone request from a scam artist. Thankfully the family cut that off before the SS number was released.

Again, we also caution not to fall for the “you have won” scam, expecially if you never entered any such contest or sweepstakes. Thank them for the win, but don’t send any “shipping costs” in advance. Plus, these messages that someone (a friend, etc.) has had their money stolen in a foreign country and need you to wire them money that they will pay back when they get home - forget it - this is an age old scam, but it keeps working! If you send money by Western Union to someone in London, any person you give the number of that transaction to can pick up the money anywhere in the world that has a Western Union office! Twice in the last year people with our e-mail address in their computer have been hacked and this “I got robbed” type message came to us. Both were from rip-off artists.