Tips and a Quiz
by Jim Caldwell

EditorÕs note: This is the piece I spoke of in my EditorÕs Letter. This came to me as an e-mail from an acquaintance, so if youÕre on his list and have already seen it, sorry for the repetition...

Charles Shultz's Philosophy ÒQuizÓ

You don't actually have to take the quiz. Just read the quiz straight through, and you'll get the point (an awesome one) that he is trying to make!

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heismann trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do? The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through life.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care. Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life. Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia.

--- Charles Schultz

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Toll Road Tip
Here is a public safety tip for your info. The information below is good to have for those of us who travel the Hardy Toll Road, Beltway 8 Toll Road, and Sam Houston Parkway.

Last week a CPC employee had a blow out on the Hardy Toll Road. It was in a location where there was hardly any room to change their tire, which was on the street side. The employee's plan was to call a tow truck and handle it that way, but a few minutes later a Constable pulled up and told him that the Toll Authorities offer a service which will change tires at no charge. The Constable said this was to keep people from getting hit by cars and the Toll Authority preferred that drivers not change their own tires.

The Toll Authority will also provide free of charge, water for radiator, gasoline to help start the car, or any other automobile service to assist the motorists in reaching a repair shop or gas station.

The motorist will incur an expense if they require a tow truck service to move their vehicle from the Toll Road or Parkway.

Below is the number for road side assistance for the Hardy & Beltway 8 Toll Roads. 713-222-7328 (PEAT) Road Assistance 281-376-3472 (24 Hours) Emergency Dispatch There is also an 800 number for roadside assistance on the back of the Texas Drivers license as well as a place to put a personal emergency contact number.

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Subject: Useful Information if Your Wallet is Stolen or Lost
We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed in your name, address, SS#, credit, etc. Here's some useful advice on preventing serious damage to your credit rating:

Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.

Unfortunately, I (the author of this piece) have firsthand knowledge, because my wallet was stolen last month and within a week the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more.

But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know. As everyone always advises, cancel your credit cards immediately, but the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them easily. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

But here's what is perhaps most important: (I never ever thought to do this) Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and SS#. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name.

The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this, almost 2 weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done.

There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them in their tracks.

The numbers are:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

Do think about passing this information along. It could really help someone.