Am I off base here? Tenant applying for an apartment says her husband works for a think tank for the

[mahina]

government.

No problem there, except this is Honolulu. We don't have think tanks. I take it he works for 'the company' if you feel me. Which is also fine, I have friends whose husbands work there. I wouldn't have felt ok about it in the Bush era, but now, it's a little better.

Anyway, I wonder what DU thinks about this. In fairness I can't expect you all to understand the business situation here but take it from me, this is not a 'think tank' city. Any real work like that happens through the East West center.

So am I-

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

1. Who cares?

How is it relevant to anything what the guy does for work?

[mahina]

5. Me.

Everything. Well, almost everything. Like if they can pay the rent or if you'll have to evict them,etc. Your post reminds me of those folks who post
"no opinion" on online polls. If you don't care, don't bother. Thanks.

[LeftyMom]

6. She has to verify that he has a real job to make sure the rent will get paid.

And lying on the application is grounds for denial of the application (and for eviction if it's caught after they've already moved in.)

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Could be a number of things, not just the Company

and he could be working for a think tank... yes I know Honolulu is not that kind of town, but they do send their folks to do ahem research to the colonies from time to time... serious... young fella, I met at a mall in Honolulu, was a proud member of Heritage... not kidding there.

[LeftyMom]

3. More likely she just has a crazy excuse for not having verifiable income?

Think tanks are private. Many of them advise the government, but if he worked for one she'd give a name "my husband's a fellow with the Completely Horseshit Institute for Near East Policy" or whatever and would have documentation to that effect, right? If he worked for the company he'd have a more airtight explanation for his work hours and income, I suspect.

[Sebastian Doyle]

14. Actually, it's the Completely Horseshit Institute for Mindless Policy

in honor of their favorite pResident.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

4. There are no

'government' think tanks.

Either he works for the government or he works for a think tank.

Ask to see a pay stub. That could be interesting...........................

[mahina]

7. Never thought of that.

Seriously though, right? If it is an intelligence function, which there are tons of here, why the elaborate story?
Or maybe I've watched too many Bourne movies :)
One thing it isn't is a think tank. God knows we could use those kinds of jobs and good minds though.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

16. Your imagination is working overtime -

if the man was really a spook, you'd have had an impeccable application, with every "i" dotted, every "t" crossed, all the valid and laudatory references you could ever want, and not a chink in the armor of his story.

You're dealing with an amateur who lied to you.

I know times are tough - but if you decide to rent to this couple, get a whole lot of cash up front. The story is bogus..................

[liberalhistorian]

30. But the government does contract with think tanks for

research, policy analysis, and countless other reasons. Think tanks often do such work for the government, even though they aren't actual employees of the government. That could be what the applicant meant.

[Liquorice]

8. If her husband really worked for "the company," she would have had a better cover story. nt

[JI7]

12. yup, i'm guessing people who have undercover type jobs in govt

already have stuff which they can use to get what they need in cases like this with the apartment.

[paulsby]

29. i worked undercover

for about 2 years. yes, i had a good cover story (legend) and documentation. it's not rocket science. and this was for local govt, not the feds.

[notesdev]

9. If she's relying on her husband to come up with the money

then your business is with the husband and you ought to discuss the matter with him, not her.

[JI7]

10. she can't give more details about it ? does she say he works in Honolulu ?

what branch, agency etc of govt does he work for. you should just ask for more info and specifics.

[EFerrari]

11. Vacancies are going up everywhere. Verify his income and sign em up if you can. n/t

[lurky]

13. Could this be it?

http://csis.org/program/pacific-forum-csis

Found it on Google. Some kind of foreign policy think tank in Honolulu.
:shrug:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

15. I would not think he was a spook they have better cover stories than that

Next time check the car for military stickers too

[anigbrowl]

17. Credit check, sure, background check, not your business.

Besides, if he does work as a spook, so what? Not all of them are sacrificing virgins to Dick Cheney. For all you know he might study North Korea or something.

[BlooInBloo]

18. Google the word "telecommute"?

[MidwestTransplant]

19. 1. You shouldn't speculate on that publicly if you really think he does, 2. Gov't work is the most

stable so what's the problem.

[mahina]

20. I shouldn't?

Really?
Have to disagree. If I gave his name or hers, ok. Otherwise? Not at all.

[MagickMuffin]

21. Does she really even have a husband?!?

Have you met him?!?!?

Maybe you should request a meeting with the both of them together.

[hack89]

22. There are nearly 30 think tanks in Hawaii

Don't know which are government.

http://www.smallbusinesshawaii.com/directory/list.php

[ellisonz]

23. Ask for a pay stub.

[H2O Man]

24. I think that

an OP such as this requires -- no, demands -- that we tease you in a good-natured way. Thus, a few things come to mind:

(a) Honolulu, eh? Sounds like you've had a good growing season.

(b) They're watching you! They are probably inside your television right now! Especially if you are watching re-runs of "Get Smart"!

(c) How can we be sure that you are who you say you are? Maybe you work for that "think tank," and are attempting to rent space in our minds?

(d) The only way to know for sure is to take a confrontational approach. Let them know that you know that you know that they know that you know. Be firm, but paranoid.

[TorchTheWitch]

25. stupid coverup for nonexistent income

that's what it sounds like to me.

[Vinca]

26. What's "the company??"

[ellisonz]

27. Central Intelligence Agency

[timeforpeace]

36. That's what I was wondering.

[Ganja Ninja]

28. Think Tank - Meth Lab what's the difference? n/t

[guardian]

31. Do your standard tenant checks

I used to work for a "think tank" .... The Mitre Corp. The gov't uses a number of "think tanks" to do all sorts of research work from intelligence to defense to agriculture to medicine to civil engineering to computers. Most of it is non-intelligence related. So don't go all "James Bond" over this.

Just do your standard tenant checks which should include:

* verifiable source of income. Even "think tanks" have HR departments that will confirm employment/salary
* current and previous rental references
* credit check
* criminal background check

[guardian]

32. Most CIA employees (98%)

will simply tell you they work for the CIA, just as easily as any other Federal employee will tell you they work for the EPA, NIH, FAA, etc. They have employee ID cards. The CIA has an HR department that will confirm employment. Heck the CIA even has a website https://www.cia.gov/

What they won't tell you is what they do when they are at work. From a landlord perspective a CIA employee probably has a better chance of being a good tenant than the general population. They have successfully gone through the background checks (including financial/credit)to get the job.

[slackmaster]

33. The guy probably works for Wo Fat

You should call Five-O immediately.

[ThomWV]

34. What do you mean ' she says'? What is the name of the company? Did you call them?

Call and verify employment - what's the big mystery?

[onenote]

35. +1

[timeforpeace]

37. We all have to do our part. Turn them down if you are this concerned.

[Echo In Light]

38. "Think Tanks" gave us Bushco, 9/11, Patriot Act, and Middle East fundie war$

PNAC