Nature's Nasty Side...

One thing about living in the south is that we have a very large selection of Mother Nature's creatures, some pleasing to look at and some not so pleasant. In fact, some of them are nearly impossible to see even if you are looking right at them! These two pictures to the right (yes, there are two...) show what I'm talking about.

Behold the Copperhead! This is a common snake here in Texas, especially around eastern and south Texas where it is very wooded in spots. If you cover the right picture (the dividing line is right down the middle) and concentrate only on the left side picture, you'll notice that it is really hard to see the snake in among the leaves. Now cover the left side and look only at the right. The outline of the snake has been outlined so the snake is clearly seen. These pictures are the same, except for the outline. If you think this is scary, imagine walking through the woods and stepping on this bad boy. My friends, you never knew just how fast you were until you set a new world's record getting to another location!

If there is a moral to this post, it is fairly simple. Even if you think you know where you are going, always keep your eyes opened. Some surprises can be rather unpleasant, at best.

The same is true when doing business on the Internet. Don't just take for granted that a program is completely safe just because it looks good. On the other hand, don't think it's unsafe just because it does not have a fancy website or design. The responsibility for all your actions is yours, whether you want it or not.

Do your homework, study the terms and conditions, visit the forums and listen to people you trust that have done a thorough research of the program in question and the administrators . Ask appropriate questions if you have them. In the end, the decision to join or play is yours and yours alone.

I can suggest a couple of very knowlegeable and experienced people to trust when reserching a program Both are fellow bloggers, and have been around for quite a while. I follow them both and pay attention to what they say. I don't always join or agree, but I do get a good idea about the program just by trusting the research they have already done. They are, of course, my friend Blondie with her blog here...and then John, whose blog can be found here. Both would be more than happy to answer any question you may have, if they can. They might suggest who else to ask if they don't have an answer.

Now, let's go to the patio and have a good cup of coffee...Oh, and watch your step, just in case. Better safe than sorry, right?