Saw this last night on the news and was flabbergasted. One lady they interviewed off-camera said she didn't think she was doing anything wrong. Hello, you're getting cash for participating in triathlons you never ever actually participated in. She claimed the insurance policy didn't say anything about proving completion. Hello, who cares, you didn't even show up to the events. How in your diluted mind could you not know you weren't committing fraud? I hope every one of them is at least fired. They were all arrested, but the way cities work I could see them retaining their jobs.

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/crime/fbi- ... -for-fraud

I wasn't flabbergasted, but I was surprised that at least some of them thought this was okay. And that BCBS didn't ask for any proof of completion. The insurance company at my office has a similar rewards program, but they are really strict about proving participation.

My wife and I were just filling ours out last week when I was asking her - what is the penalty for lying about this if we wanted to? Rest assured we didn't!

Most people would probably use the word "deluded", but I like your word better. Who among us does not have a mind diluted by the constant wash of spectacle-seeking media, lowest-common-denominator entertainment, and political discourse hijacked by extremists?

My last employer had a similar program. Although I have been an avid runner for many years, I quickly concluded that the record keeping required for redemption of rewards was just not worth it - it was taking the fun out of running. Plus, I have a bit of a philosophical opposition to organized races in general and marathons in particular. Staying healthy and active is a lifestyle, not a weekly or monthly event. Too many people view marathons as a "capstone" event, train according to a schedule, and never run again afterwards because it is a tremendous effort that most normal lifestyles can't accommodate on a regular basis.