REGULAR RANTS

In these days of tighter and tighter money, people are coming up with more ingenious ways of earning money.  Once upon a time squealing on your friends or relatives was a no-no. Now the police find that phones are practically ringing off the hook with tipsters ratting on their friends, neighbors or relatives, in the hope of collecting some reward money.

In an article by SHAILA DEWAN and BRENDA GOODMAN for the New York Times, they report:

Calls to the Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers hot line in the first quarter of this year were up 30 percent over last year. San Antonio had a 44 percent increase. Cities and towns from Detroit to Omaha to Beaufort County, N.C., all report increases of 25 percent or more in the first quarter, with tipsters telling operators they need the money for rent, light bills or baby formula.

“For this year, everyone that’s called has pretty much been just looking for money,” said Sgt. Lawrence Beller, who answers Crime Stoppers calls at the Sussex County, N.J., sheriff’s office.

“That’s as opposed to the last couple of years, where some people were just sick of the crime and wanting to do something about it.”

Creativity.  That’s the name of the game.  Find out whatever makes the money.  If it’s legal, use it.

One wonders if the powers-that-be will take the cue from the above and start offering monetary incentives for whistle-blowers in every sector of life.

If they do, we should expect to see more:

- calls to the IRS from disgruntled staff and ex-staff of companies about irregularities.
- calls to Immigration authorities about illegal immigrants
- calls to whoever is in charge regarding kickbacks and under-the-table money given for projects given out by government authorities
- calls to inform about criminal behavior in the planning, as well as crimes committed currently or in the past.