How Do They Know It's Really for Life?

I was watching a commercial talking about a contest where one could win Super Bowl tickets for life. I wondered, how would they know how long the person lived? For any contest, including the lottery, if you win a lifetime of money, or tickets, is there a person who checks?

If the company or lottery didn't check, the winner could be dead for years. Their family could be keeping the money or winnings indefinitely. How would the company know otherwise?

That would be an interesting job. Keep track of every person who has won a lifetime of anything, and make sure the person is still alive. He or she would have a list of these people and companies. A computer program would search all newspapers to see the name of a lifetime winner. If that person was found to be deceased, the staff person on behalf of the company would contact the executor and tell them the winner is no longer eligible due to death.

The person would also have to check social security benefits, pensions, etc. for confirmation of death. Otherwise, how long would it take a company to find out they have been paying money to a dead person for years?

Juan Williams is Wrong

Fox News Commentator Juan Williams made the news again this week by stating that extending unemployment benefits for America's jobless would weaken their value systems. Read Williams' words in Dr. Boyce Watkins’ blog on http://www.blackvoices.com/ :

"Because employers, potential employers, will look and see that gee, they've been out forever, it doesn't make sense. And I think that's partly playing in to this cycle. And at some point then it becomes a matter of you lose your work ethic, your values are impacted, you know, getting up, showing up, dressing well, all that good stuff. So I don't know that that's smart."

He’s making two million dollars at Fox. Are they telling him what to write? He has lost his moral compass when he says that extending unemployment benefits will not benefit the poor. Clearly he has never had to live off of them. They do not cover any of the bills a person needs to pay to stay out of the poorhouse.

Millions of people will lose their unemployment benefits if Congress does not vote to extend them. I find this attitude during the holidays to be irresponsible on their part. They are holding up our benefits in exchange for receiving tax cuts for the rich. I guess that includes Juan Williams. He knows where his next meal is coming from. He doesn’t have to worry about paying the mortgage and utility bills. Isn’t that why he defected to Fox News? Now that he is financially solvent, he dares to talk about what poor people will do with $250 a week in benefits.

Mr. Williams, take the hand out of your back, and stop being a dummy for Fox News. You just might feel better about yourself.