The world is full of people who are dishonest. The world is full of people who are murderous. The world is full of people who want to hurt you or you children. I try to believe that good outweighs evil. I talk to my children about the evils lurking out there - try to keep them safe. I tend to err on the side of caution - not believe every email I get or every rumour I hear. I don't click on e-mail from people or companies I don't know.

This morning on the news there was a headline story about the lowlifes already running their scams in the name of the victims of Haiti. There are apparently e-mails and links out there begging for money - none of it going to Haiti but into some con-artists pocket. You always want to believe that you are smarter than that. That you won't be the one who clicks on a link that gives you a virus or give money to someone who is bogus. But even the smartest out there can be fooled. Recently my mom got an e-mail from her bank. She opened it. She followed the directions. She realized too late it was a fake. She is a smart, educated woman. She teaches computer classes, she knows about the fakes and yet she was fooled. Luckily she got to the bank before the scammers. It is that easy. Sometimes you let your defenses down and just click on the wrong thing. The internet is a wonderful thing - but like everything else, it can be used for the wrong reasons as well as the right.

I was so mad this morning when I heard the warning on the news about the Haiti scams. It is such a horrendous tragedy that has befallen that country. To take advantage of that is appalling - to take advantage of people who want to help is even worse. I always tell my kids to make good choices - I wish every mother would - then we wouldn't have these scammers and lowlifes out there.