In 1994, Mr. Page pleaded guilty after kicking holes in the wall of a bar in El Paso, Texas, and in 1997 he wrote a bad check in North Carolina, according to law-enforcement officials there.

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Not that a little self-criticism is all bad: It can be a reality check and may fire us up to perform better (which can make us more successful) or strive to be better people (which makes us happier).

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"The best way to stop a bad guy from getting a gun in the first place is a good background check, " said Johnson, the chairman of the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence.

CNN: February 1, 2013 -- Updated 0041 GMT (0841 HKT)

If you want a reality check on how good, or bad a video game is try playing it with children appropriately aged of course.

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That is providing a nasty reality-check to those money managers who had hoped it would all be just a bad dream.

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She proceeded to fairly rapidly go down the list, with minimal explanation, placing next to each item either a check (good) or a cross (bad).

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Chambers keeps on his office wall a check for 38 cents, his bonus for that bad year.

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When serious bad guys get nabbed for a minor crime, it provides an opportunity to check for outstanding warrants on them and get them off the streets.

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