It is the information era. We are connected in ways unimaginable 50 years ago. News travels all over the globe virtually instantaneously through satellites via phones, computers and live television links. With the advent of email, news, letters, jokes and fiction can travel the globe in no time at all.

Who polices all of this sharing of information? Who protects the poor innocent, ignorant, naive, gullible people from the chain letters? The email hoaxes? The touching but purely fictional stories parading as "real life drama"? Who do these poor people turn to when they are duped at every turn? Who saves them from the rumors? The lies? The broken promises to deliver free merchandise? Who, I say? Who?

Debunko Man!!! Faster than speeding forward. More powerful than a loco missive. Able to debunk tall tales with a single click.

Debunko Man has been especially busy lately. What with toilet spiders, kidney thieves, and AIDS laced hypodermic needles hiding in gas pump handles. Debunko man has been so exhausted, in fact, that he must, regrettably take a holiday. He urges all intellectually challenged, common sense deficient people everywhere to assume all email stories are fiction. Trust no one. Your closest friends will send you shameless lies. If it says "IMPORTANT" or "WARNING", delete it immediately! If it says "pass it on" or "this really works", file it in the recycle bin (trash can for Mac users). Debunko Man knows that this will be a trying time for you. He understands your inane appetite for a regular diet of email fodder can at times overwhelm you. Just hang in there and believe nothing until Debunko Man returns to duty.

Remember...trust no one!!

Copyright April 6, 2000 Ann Wilkes