Hi Patrick,

You gave good advice to those in the prosperity programs re: exercising caution. Here's a few more tidbits along that line.

First of all, I'd like to advise our friends to rent the Nicolas Cage/Bridget Fonda/Rosie Perez movie, "IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU."

Nicolas wins the New York Lottery, and his troubles begin when various scenarios kick in -- somewhat like the ones that you mentioned. He's too trusting, and other people are much more greedy than he expected. Watching him lose his winnings, it's a good demonstration of what NOT to do. Some years a go it was estimated that well over half of the program recipients would throw it all away in less than two years, somewhat like Nicolas Cage did in that movie.

The very worst case would be for a recipient to follow Rosie Perez' example in the movie, and publicly announce his/her good fortune. Human nature being what it is, there will regrettably be some stupid idiots who just cannot keep their mouth shut. Such will not last long, for sure.

If you slip up and show off your good luck, it's guaranteed that your life will never be the same. It's predictable that in the future we will probably see the development of an ongoing nationwide 'treasure hunt' hobby, by the broad general public, made up of understandably curious or jealous (non-recipient) individuals who are exercising serious detective-work looking for YOU. People who hear rumors about the prosperity programs will be actively snooping around for program recipients, whom they will then coerce or beg (or even blackmail) for a substantial piece of the pie. It's human nature, and especially with today's dire economy. I'd probably do the same thing -- I can envision getting jealous or peeved if a 'close' friend or neighbor suddenly started living an obvious life of luxury, without somehow letting me in on the action.

In 1990 here in my home town, I was once doing some computer consulting for an attorney friend. He told me that he'd recently heard about a local shyster who had carefully researched local property and banking/financial records in this area, and finally put together a long list of the richest individuals around. My friend said that the shyster was quietly selling his list to local attorneys for $500 apiece, so they could then go after the rich individuals with frivolous lawsuits -- such as slipping and falling on their front step, or 'accidentally' having their toes run over by the target's automobile and suing for several million $$ in damages, etc. etc.

You'll probably find that the super-rich have no private property in their own name -- every piece of their property, or every vehicle, etc. (if not leased) is owned by a separate Trust or Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) etc., so that a frivolous liability lawsuit cannot claim more than one small piece of one's net worth. Typical example: When Teddy Kennedy drove his Oldsmobile into the water some years ago and Mary Jo Kopechne drowned in the car, you can bet that Kennedy's fortune was untouchable by any liability lawsuits.

--There's even the worst-case of robbery or kidnaping. How secure is your house (and/or the houses of immediate family), and just how much ranson would you pay to get a loved one back? It's time to take a good, long look at how to create adequate levels of fiscal and physical security, and adjust your life accordingly. It is indeed a jungle out there.

Live long, and prosper...

Anonymous