Threats or promises... They're all scams First comes the threat. “Unless we receive payment from you... it could be costly...” So reads an e-mail received by a Cannon Falls woman who brought it to local police officer, Nick Sather. Although it looked intimidating, Sather explained that it was a scam. For one thing, It didn’t have specifics about what the debt was for. It just informed you that you should send the payment via credit card or E-Check and gave you a link to follow. Another e-mail scam might simply tell you to open an attachment or click on a link in the e-mail. But these might connect to a phony site that asks the victim for personal information. Sather explained about other popular scams. The lottery one explains you have won but have to send money for taxes. (Of course your check is cashed and you never see the prize money.) One that might come via regular mail tells you that you have been hired to be a “Secret Shopper”. Enclosed is a check for $6000. You are asked to spend it at retail stores like Walmart, Target, etc. Then you will fill out a questionaire. But you would also be asked to "test" Western Union by sending $3000 or more of the funds to a special address. And this would be a way for the originators of the scam to get your money. Besides, you may also have to pay the bank a fee when the scam's check bounces. Sather and Roxanne Flaten, Vice President of Community Resource Bank, encourage people to check with local law enforcement or their bank if they question a check or proposal they get in the mail. Flaten said her bank will be initiating monthly public service announcements updating local scams in the Beacon in January. Presently they have a fraud committee meeting bi-weekly to stay current on issues and keep their customers informed. Flaten continued, people want to believe their gift check is real. So they might not believe it when told it isn’t. In that case, Sather explained, if you cash a check, hold the cash in your account. Don’t spend it. This way you’ll have it ready to return to the bank if it was a scam. Another point to minimize your losses, he added, is to check first if the bank has a fee if the check bounces. With all these warnings in my brain, I was suspicious when an automated photo all came one Sunday morning and announced that there was suspicious activity on my credit card and gave a number I should call. I was irritated because I didn’t want someone using my credit card but also because I had the popcorn buttered and was planning to watch the Vikings play on TV! But I had to be on the phone for the next hour or so to get this cleared up. What should I have been aware of? 1) I didn’t initiate the call. But this is something my credit card company is supposed to watch out for. So it could be legit. 2) But should I call the number they gave me? If it was a crooked deal, that number would just connect me to some more crooks! I called it but got more concerned when an automated answering system asked for more information and the last four digits of my social security number. Now I don’t know if those last digits could be used for anything, but I refused to give it. And when a live voice finally answered, I asked them why I should trust this phone number? In response they suggested that I call the number on the back of my credit card and that would get me through to the fraud investigators. It did. And after many further phone calls checking out all possibilities, we got the situation cleared up. And the Vikings won too.

A Chicken... and Brett Favre?

What has a chicken and Brett Favre got to do with each other?

An old Nike TV commercial featured former Minnesota Vikings Defensive Tackle #93, John Randle, chasing a chicken around his backyard. (You can view it on the Beacon’s website - www.cannonfalls.com - click on Community Page logo, Videos and then scroll down to Vikings - John Randle and Brett Favre).

The commercial begins with Randle buying some green material and then busily sewing it to form a very tiny Green Bay Packer jersey with the number 4 on it. (Referring to you know who of the Packers.)

Next scene has Randle chasing this chicken wearing the little Brett Favre jersey around his back yard.

The final scene has Randle cooking the chicken on his grill!

A smile comes from Vikings fans as they see this commercial perhaps, but why was Randle playing this role? In a new book about the team, former NFL pro bowl Randle is quoted saying that the quarterback he loved to sack the most was Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers.

Randle, a finalist in last year’s pro football Hall of Fame entries, had quite a history to back up his statement according to information from that website. He had a total of 137.5 sacks during his 14 season career and his best performance came against the Packers in 1996 when he had a career-high game of 3.5 sacks and forced two fumbles.

Since Favre is now the Minnesota Vikings quarterback, I contacted Randle to see if he had any suggestions how to stop other teams from sacking Favre.

Here is how the interview went. Randle's answers are in large type.

John, you are an energetic, in-your-face type of guy in a game. Are you the same when you are off the field?

NO WAY - WHERE IN "REAL LIFE" CAN ONE BARK, SCREAM, SPIT AND WEAR FACE PAINT?! ALL KIDDING ASIDE, I AM A PRETTY LOW KEY GUY.

How did you decide on your strategy to intimidate your opponents with face paint on your eyes and the use of your mouth?

I DEVELOPED THIS STRATEGY FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT MOSTLY I WAS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GAIN AN EXTRA SECOND AGAINST MY OPPONENT OR TO FRUSTRATE MY OPPONENT.

Information on the Football Hall of Fame website said that your best game came against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 22, 1996 when you got 3.5 sacks and forced 2 fumbles. How cool was that?

MORE THAN PERSONAL SATISFACTION, I REALLY ENJOYED HELPING MY TEAM WIN A GAME AND IT WAS JUST ME DOING THE JOB THAT I LOVED.

I would think you would enjoy sacking any quarterback... was there a reason you enjoyed sacking Favre the most?

GETTING TO TAKE DOWN FAVRE WAS BETTER THAN SACKING ANOTHER QB BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID HE LEAD OUR BIGGEST RIVAL, THE PACKERS, BUT HE WAS ALSO THE MOST CHALLENGING ADVERSARY.

Since Favre is now a Viking, what could you tell the team that would be a good way to protect him as quarterback?

JUST KEEP STEPPING UP AND MAKING PLAYS - DON'T LEAVE IT UP TO FAVRE TO WIN THE GAME.

John, you are admired for your effort in becoming a great athlete. Do you have any suggestions for young athletes who might desire to reach the heights?

I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THEY STAY FOCUSED, BE VERY DRIVEN, STAY OUT OF TROUBLE, AND NEVER LET ANYONE GET IN THE WAY OF YOUR GOALS AND DREAMS.

What are you working at since you've stopped playing professional football?

I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH THE VIKINGS ALUMNI ORGANIZATION, WORKING TO IMPROVE MY GOLF GAME, AND SPENDING TIME WITH MY FAMILY.

Thanks John. You said it well.

We hope you enjoy the Vikings this year.

Photos permission from the Minnesota Vikings

“Messing up"... ya gotta smile!

When you “mess up"...

Sometimes it’s in public but sometimes only you know about it... but for sure it happens.

I haven’t found anything particularly inspiring about these situations. Humbling I suppose.

But it’s comforting to know that very successful people say they have lots of these experiences. They just keep on going and get some good ones too.

For the past several months I’ve been working with a national horse feed company testing out a product they have for horses with certain health issues. In our case, we’ve got an older horse with Cushings symptoms - where even just grass can be detrimental because it has too much sugar in it.

So along with their new product combined with other feed to help him gain weight, add palatibility, etc. I also weighed the amount of hay for each meal.

Our horse was doing so well that the company decided to include him in their promotion and flew in a photo team to do an interview.

This horse has been our “kid” horse. That means that we put new folks on him because he can be trusted to give them a nice ride. We usually just get him from the pasture and throw a saddle on him and go at it.

But this day I thought I should give him a little exercise in the round pen first. I hadn’t done this for years probably but the horses know my hand and body signals and so they run in one direction until I motion for them to reverse, etc. He did a nice job. I thought there would be some nice photos taken later on.

But did I mention that this old horse was stubborn? Had his own opinions about what he wanted to do? And that exercise was not one of those things?

That afternoon the photo team positioned themselves at the corral as I walked our boy in and gave the signal to move on out. Well, he just turned and stared at me. He didn’t move a muscle! It was like he said, “I did this earlier... not again.”

I couldn’t believe it... but I should have. It has long been my conclusion that if my horses can think of anything to embarrass me, they will. (I used to think my kids would do that too.)

After much exertion on my part I finally went to the barn and got a lariat. I threw it behind him to get him to move along... but he still just stood there.

I walked along side him and he finally moved... but immediately stood still if I moved away.

Finally he moved and I hoped they got some good pictures.

Another recent experience of "messing up" came on the football field... but not from me. It was professional football - the Vikings vs. the Packers. When you make a mistake there, everyone can see it!

And so when Defensive End, Brian Robison #96 of the Vikings had the ball stripped from his hand for a turnover - we all saw it. And because I’m the self-appointed head of our local fan club for him - I get the calls and e-mails about what he does!

So I not only do my own dumb things, I get heat about someone else’s too!

I’m getting good at this messing up - let’s get on to the successful stuff soon!

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