TOP TEN INSTANCES WHEN A GOOD HEALTHY DOSE OF SKEPTICISM SEEMS WARRANTED

10) You're at a medical facility waiting room and the smirking secretary behind the counter, playfully nudging her associate, tells you to have a seat, the doctor will be seeing you momentarily.

9) The heading on an email from an unfamiliar source states "You May Have Already Won".

8) You hear the phrase "long story short".

7) Your car breaks down in some godforsaken jerkwater town, the tow truck driver bringing you to a repair station tells you, "You're in luck, Max, the mechanic, just posted bail this morning."

6) A cop issues you a citation for doing 55 in a 40 MPH zone... on your tandem bicycle.

5) You're finishing up the paperwork for a new vehicle at the car dealership when the unctuous salesmen leans in and whispers discreetly, "For an extra 10K I can get you one that flies."

4) You receive a chain letter stating... Forget what it's stating; it's a chain letter!

3) Clicking off TV channels on the remote, you stop momentarily on a religious fanatic saying the world is going to end next month. Ya' know, unless you make a donation.

2) Your smarmy insurance company representative says, "Don't worry about a thing; we've got you covered."

And the top ten instance when a good healthy dose of skepticism seems warranted:

1) When anyone at all says, "This is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you."