On Cell Phones and Reader's Digest

Angelynn’s cell phone recently was damaged to the point it doesn’t work. Make a note-- If you drop a cell phone into your fast food bag the Coke in the bag spills, that’s not good for the cell phone! Angelynn’s is the only cell phone on which we have (or need) insurance, so we get to see if Alltel will live up to their bargain. Someone told Angelynn that if the cell phone is damaged due to your own negligence (like baptizing it in Coke), then the insurance won’t cover it. So she had to decide whether to tell the truth about its demise… or simply say that she lost it. I am proud that she went with the truth... and is it turns out, Alltel is going to come through (as sone as Dad coughs up the $50 co-pay). Of course Angelynn, I think, had already figured out that there is a second Alltel store in town and it is pretty easy to loose a non-working cell phone!

Two questions? First, you do think that it would be a great idea for Dad to get the new cell phone and give Angelynn the old, beat-up one, right?

Second, just how honest are we? I mean, honestly now? Sure personal integrity and honesty are high on our list of desirable qualities, but are we truly honest when life gets difficult. Like when you might have to face life without a cell phone! (Shriek! Gasp!). If you would like to find out how honest you are, the nice people at Reader’s Digest have an online honesty test. I would think that Reader’s Digest readers are a basically honest group of folks. Here is their survey (I’ve shortened some of the questions a bit) and the percentage of peole who said “Yes.” The questions is, “Have you ever…”

1. Cheated on a test in school? 48%
2. Misstated facts on a resumé/job application? 17%
3. Called in sick at work when not ill? 55%
4. Taken office supplies from work for personal use? 62%
5. Shifted blame to a co-worker for a mistake you made? 11%
6. Taken something valuable from work for personal use? 13%
7. Sneaked into a movie or concert without paying? 13%
8. Munched on something in a store and not paid for it? 22%
9. Undercharged or received too much change and not told? 51%
10. Found something of value and not turned it in? 20%
11. Taken towels from a hotel or silverware from restaurant? 23%
12. Downloaded music from an Internet site and not paid? 46%
13. Switched price tags to get a lower price for something? 12%
14. Not declared the full value of purchases made abroad? 45%
15. Damaged an unoccupied car and not left a note? 26%
16. Cheated on your tax return? 18%
17. Lied about one’s appearance to avoid hurting feelings? 71%
18. Parked in a handicapped space you weren’t entitled to? 22%
19. Lied to your spouse about the cost of a recent purchase? 22%
20. Driven 15 mph hour over the limit or through a red light 46%
21. Lied to your spouse about relationship with another person? 45%

How would you do on such a survey? You know what the number one excuse for people who admit to engaging in all of the above behaviors? Everyone else is doing it!