Cynicism alert:

I received an e-mail this morning headed "CAN YOU JOIN HANDS WITH ME AND HELP ORPHANAGE CHILDREN AROUND YOU WITH THIS."

In it, the first line was:

"Dearest In Christ,
I know you will found it difficult to beleive me because of scam mails around the world . I must let you know that what I am brining to you at this point in time is for real,considering the fact that we have not known each other or had any formal discussion before now."

Okay. First of all, Mr. Barrister whatever-your-name is, in the Afterlife you're gonna have some 'splainin' to do considering how you've sprinkled the names of Deities all throughout your document, and you're calling the person you want to defraud "Dearest in Christ" (and what if I were Jewish or Muslim or Wiccan?). Second, the claim that I will find it difficult to believe because of all the scam mails - um, yeah. There's something particularly slimy about prefacing a scam mail with the recognition that there's a lot of scam mails around. Third, the whole "you don't know me" thing. That's right. And I don't want to. And finally - using the It's For The Children ruse - again, if there's any Cosmic Justice, you'll have some serious 'splainin' to do in the Afterlife for using the Orphanage Children as a duck-blind to shoot for people who might just be naive and compassionate enough to fall for your scheme.

I get two or three of these scam mails a week. I guess there are some people foolish and greedy enough to fall for them, or else they'd stop. I get really sick of them, although not as sick as the "enhance your *male member*" or "almost-legal medi*cations here!" spam.

I still can't breathe, it's like 28* C in my office, and I'm just in a cranky mood.