During the last week, none of us can be exempt to read or heard news and gossips about Tiger Woods’ accident and his many alleged affairs.
The following article from CBSNews and the videos from Professor Duane are both interesting and entertaining regarding your rights to remain silent or the Fifth Amendment.
Silence is really golden and the more you say or have said, the more it is going to haunt you.
Whatever happened between Tiger Woods and his wife last Friday, by now they’re probably wishing they never talked to the police.
The initial reports said Woods lost control of his Cadillac SUV outside of his home and hit a fire hydrant and tree in his neighbor’s yard. His wife, Elin Nordegren, reportedly told local police that she was in the house and, according to the police chief, “came out and broke the back window with a golf club” to extricate her husband.
But TMZ.com reported on Monday that Woods’ wife told a different story to Florida state troopers that involved her searching for him in a golf cart, and that there was no blood on the steering wheel. That opens the couple up to the possibility of an investigation of spousal abuse on the possibility that the injuries were suffered before his accident; TMZ claims the Florida Highway Patrol is seeking a search warrant after Woods turned them away from his home three times. (Here’s Woods’ statement, and a CBS News report about an alleged other woman.)
Let Tiger and Elin’s encounter with the local constabulary be a warning to you: Don’t talk to the police without your lawyer present. Even if you’re innocent. Just don’t.
This advice may seem counter-intuitive. But before you convince yourself I’m wrong, it’s worth watching this video (below) by James Duane, a professor at the Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach and former criminal defense attorney, who makes precisely this point about your Fifth Amendment rights. (Here’s a rebuttal from a police officer who agrees.)
One reason is that the list of what is and what isn’t a crime has grown so long that even lawyers can barely figure it out. The American Bar Association has only an estimate of how many crimes exist: Offhand, do you know what is and isn’t legal? Another is that, if the police already have a sufficient reason to arrest you, you’re not going to be able to talk your way out of it.
Plus, the recollection of police officers can be mistaken; they may say you acknowledged guilt of some sort. Who do you think a judge will believe? The Innocence Project reports that: “In about 25 percent of DNA exoneration cases, innocent defendants made incriminating statements, delivered outright confessions or pled guilty.”
The folks at Flex Your Rights, a non-profit group, have put together a less lawyerly, more comprehensive video titled: “BUSTED: The Citizen’s Guide to Surviving Police Encounters.” And of course, when dealing with federal police, telling them any “materially false” statement is a federal crime.
It’s one thing if you call the police if, say, your wallet is stolen. But when they initiate the conversation and you may be a suspect, it’s rarely in your best interests to talk. Just don’t.
Because Tiger Woods’ wife chose to speak with police, now she and her husband have become (at least if you believe TMZ) the focus of an criminal investigation. Remember, you have the right to remain silent. Use it.
7 Easy Ways to Teach Your Children to be Grateful for What They Have
Ever wondered how many times do you wonder or hear a comment about “kids these days!” Discussion on how they behave rudely or don’t have the good manners that children of the past had?
Here are some easy ways to incorporate instilling the virtue of gratitude in your children. As you go through your day, show them, the wonderful events going on behind the scenes that we all most usually take for granted.
1. Set the Right Example.
It is better if you teach them by using the appropriate words at the right times yourself. How many parents do you see saying “Thank You” to there two or three year old children. It is through example that kids learn best, and teaching gratitude is no different than anything else in that respect. “Children Learn What They Live!”
2. Teach It Through Role Playing.
You can play games with your children that implement the virtue of gratitude. Play the second chair and practice showing them how it feels to be on the receiving end of an unexpected, “Thank You!”
3. Teach by Showing Them How to Be of Service to Others.
Even simple things such as holding a door for an elderly person, are small ways we can show them how others appreciate us and our actions. It is also a way to put a smile and a lift into a strangers day, which always creates a good feeling within the person who is doing the kind act as well.
You would be surprised how many times a simple gesture like this can occur in your normal day activities, in places like grocery stores, doctors offices, or shopping trips.
4. Make a List.
An easy way to get them to make lists of what they are thankful for is to use “The Daily Gratitude Journal Software” You will find a link to this software in the resource box at the end of this article. There are two versions, one written in “kid language and displaying an output of “kid fonts” and an adult version as well.
5. Teach Gratitude While Going Without Things.
Recently my single family of three kids and myself had to deal with a full 24 hours of no power. This outage caused by a wind storm, was an ideal opportunity for me to teach them what we had to be thankful for that we normally took for granted. Simple things like, lights, heat, and being able to watch Tv, were just a few that quickly came to mind.
6. Show them How to Be Thankful for the Little Things in Life.
As in the previous example, although, most of us would not consider heat and light little things, they are things that are always there for our kids, so they are simple things that they usually don’t pay much attention too.
Other simple examples could include; having food to eat all the time, friends to play with, and having plenty of toys and school supplies. Showing them examples of third world country children who go without these things is a way of teaching them appreciation for what they have, too.
7. Teach them to see the good in someone they don’t like.
You can even use a negative experience to teach them the value of being grateful. When I think of this, immediately what comes to my mind is the Walt Disney movie, “PollyAnna” where she played the “Glad” game and found many things to be grateful for in every situation she encountered. Renting this video, watching and discussing it with them would be a great, gratitude building quality time family activity.
As you go through your day, show them, the wonderful events going on behind the scenes that we all most usually take for granted. Things like the police, who protect us, the firemen who are there for those who need them, and the clerk at the grocery store doing her job to help us get our food. Simple thank you comments to all of these daily activities is the easiest way to role model appreciation that they will learn and emulate.
We are quickly approaching that time of the year where the Internet pays off in spades – the holidays. Here’s a primer on protecting yourself while buying online.
Avoiding the Malls
I hate going to the malls during the holidays. They are packed with people, elbows are flying and I inevitably get in line behind the person who needs a price check or lost their checkbook. Thankfully, the Internet has largely solved this problem.
Millions of people now do most or all of their holiday shopping online. Frankly, it is hard to imagine how many brick and mortar stores stay in business. While shopping from your desk is great, you need to keep in mind the following legal cautions.
Don’t Buy Off An Email
In a few weeks, you are going to get bombarded by emails from businesses. Unfortunately, there is no way to be sure the email messages are actually from the business in question. Phishing scam artists have become masters at kicking out email messages that look extremely authentic. If you get an email message and want to visit a site, do not click the link in the email message. Instead, type the site domain name directly into a browser or find it through a search engine. Doing so will get you to the real site, not a fake.
Credit Cards
Most people have multiple credit cards and use them willy nilly. When shopping online, try to limit all of your charges to one credit card that doesn’t have a massive credit line on it. Also, print out all receipts. If a scam artist gets a hold of your credit card information, this should limit the damage. When you receive the credit card statement, make sure to check the charges against your receipts. If you find unauthorized charges, report them immediately.
Delivery Times
Sites selling products online have to comply with “prompt delivery” rules. To this end, sites are encouraged, but not required to tell you how long it will take to deliver products. In addition, they absolutely must deliver within 30 days unless stated otherwise on the site. When ordering gifts, make sure you note how long it is going to take to receive the item. If you are going out of town, make sure you keep the departure date in mind before you leave.
The Internet is a godsend when it comes to avoiding the stress of holiday shopping. Shop at your trusted stores and you can avoid lots of hassles. Just keep an eye on those credit card statements!
