Can We Resurrect Common Sense? (Fall Edition)

One of my favorite postings so far has been about my suggestions of the rebirth of common sense.  I know that this is a hard lesson to learn so I thought that I would give it another shot.  There are so many ways that we let go of our analytical thoughts and go to the ideas of free, sex, stupidity, nudity, and scandal.  In my continuing effort to revive common sense, here are some new suggestions:

The Outraged Citizen's Rules of Common Sense: Fall 2009 Edition 

• Walk before you leap and think out your actions fully.  (Thanks President Obama for throughly thinking about sending more of our troops in harm's way and even more for wanting a plan to get them out.)

• Be careful before making a sex tape.  (If Carrie Prejean won the Miss USA pageant, it would have taken all but five minutes when her "sex tape" became public.)  That goes double for anyone who is employed or has aspirations for political office or just want to be seen as a professional in the workplace.  Also, don't go on a talk show if you don't want to talk and answer questions.

• Political victory in 2009 in two states, (if that) does not mean a political resurgence in your national party.  Just Say No all you have done this was was that said no to a lot of the stuff that the President has pushed forward.  All you have done was give birth to a sore loser tea party attitude.

• Just as important, a political victory in 2008 will not last forever.  The Yes We Can crowd needs to take action.  Mr. President, you need to deliver on the items that you campaigned on if you want 2012 to be like 2008 at the polls.

• Speaking of being careful, be careful before posting your photos to social networking sites.  (Just this morning I saw a story of a school teacher that was fired for posting photos on her "private" Facebook profile of her drinking on vacation.) She wasn't drunk but had photos with her holding a beer and another holding a glass of wine. She is now suing the school district and good luck to her.

• (Updated) Which brings me to this truth: Nothing on the Internet is private.  A Google search now ruins careers, relationships, and just about everything else that you believe is private.  Just pretend that privacy is dead.  Wait a minute, it is.

• Think out your publicity stunt and get your story straight with your family before going forward with it.  Today the parents of the ballon boy Richard and Mayumi Heene will plead guilty for their falsified claims that their son was on a ballon that travelled miles and gave the American public and world alike unnecessary concern.  Also just became your son's name is Falcon doesn't mean that he is destined to fly.

• For the holidays, find out who made that fruitcake before you eat it.  Matter of fact, in the age of food allergies and nutrition in general, find out what is in what you are eating.  In California, restaurants are now beginning to post the nutritional contents of their dishes.  My sister was devastated to discover how loaded in calories her favorite cheesecake was.

• And finally if you happen to see a crime or something that is just wrong, call 911 and report it.  I am not asking that you put your life in danger or anything or to play hero but a discrete call can make a world of difference.

I have a feeling that my work here is far from done and I will be planning the Winter/Spring 2010 edition.  I am open to ideas for new rules so leave a comment.  I know that I can't do this job alone.