Thanks, Al

I am indebted to Al Gore for inventing the Internet. Because of this amazing technology, this morning:

• I was able to read email from a couple of family members that live out of state.
• I also went to an electronics store's website and checked the availability of some "earbuds" I'm wanting to buy today.
• I went to a local bookstore's website and checked the time for a book signing they are hosting this afternoon.
• I checked out a couple of blogs that I hit on a regular basis (Another candidate has thrown his hat into Presidential ring. He gets my vote.)
• I can look up general information on sites like Wikipedia, or if I'm looking for something more specific, such as a sermon by Charles Spurgeon, I can find that here.

Thanks, Al.

Saw a very disappointing thing on the news last night: a man I used to be associated with was arrested for allegedly making sex proposals online (an obvious down-side to the Internet). He was charged in a county court for attempted abduction of a minor for lewd purposes. Authorities say he thought he was chatting online to a 13-year-old girl. (Turns out it was a concerned citizen posing as a child to lure predators. Police call them "cyber vigilantes.")

I don't get it--what was this guy thinking? I guess he's never seen Dateline's "To Catch a Predator." Now he's been publicly exposed as a predator and lost his job. This will probably destroy his marriage. All because he decided to "talk dirty" to a child and then made the stupid decision to meet the teenager for the purpose of having sex with her. Part of me is glad he got caught--maybe now he'll get some help. (By the way, I think he should be punished; he DID break the law.) Maybe his story will scare others and they will think twice before acting out their "fantasies." Another part of me feels pity for him--I'm praying for him to repent and turn to God.