EDITOR’S COMMENT

Of bugs and scammers, not quitting and pushing back

Last week, I became a double statistic. First, I went down with a human virus, and then my emails were compromised (that’s the politically correct term for hacked, I was told by my IT guy).

Just about everyone in my address book received an email purportedly from me with a PDF attachment, entreating them to open it. Please accept my apologies if you were on the receiving end, and well done to those who queried the legitimacy before opening the email. Despite having the latest anti-virus software on my computer, and despite being vaccinated twice against Covid and wearing my mask whenever I go out in public, the bad bugs got in, and I have no idea how.

One of the ways to beat the baddies is the adoption of a zero-trust principle. Dear old Wikipedia (https://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_trust_security_ model) says that the main concept behind the zero-trust security model is “never trust, always verify,” and that accordingly, “no devices should be trusted by default, even if they are connected to a permissioned network such as a corporate LAN and even if they were previously verified.”

Good advice for real life, too, I think: by driving with a zero-trust attitude, I’ll be actively looking for potholes, I’ll plan my routes more carefully in the interests of safety, I’ll keep a close watch on vehicles behind me in case I’m being followed, and instead of rolling my window down to give money to beggars, I’ll channel my compassion through verified charities.

Earlier on today, someone on our local WhatsApp group asked a question: “Does anyone know the guy who comes up to you when you’re shopping (at a large, well-known centre) and asks for money for adult nappies?” She added that her sister-in-law offered to take him to buy the nappies, and - big surprise - his answer was no, it’s too far and he wants the cash: R150. “Is his story true?” she ended. Ninety-two people commented! “He’s been doing his rounds around here for years, with the same story.” “I offered a job to someone who was homeless — car guarding. Told him tips from our customers are good. He left after one month, having earned about R4000 and that it wasn’t worth it — he made more money begging.” “Yes, he’s been around a looooong (sic) time… seen him get money from unsuspecting people and then go to the Wimpy.” “We were approached by him and offered to get him nappies. He said something about Dischem not having the right size, so we gave him R250. We watched him do the same to someone else a few days later, and then go straight into the bottle store with a smirk on his face.” “I fell for this guy’s story once… he told me he works for a security company, promised to give the money back, and even gave me a cell number to confirm his employment. Claimed he desperately needed the nappies for his ill father. The first time, I gave him cash. Two days later, he approached me again with the same sob story and then I realised rhat he was a scammer.”

What with all that’s happening in our country and the world, it’s tempting to become cynical, hard even, but then we’ll be punishing ourselves, missing out on the beauty, the kind, the good. And there’s a lot of that around us. I find balance and comfort in these particular writings, which never age, and hope you’ll enjoy them too:

Don’t Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, when the funds are low and the debts are high, and you want to smile but you have to sigh, when care is pressing you down a bit — rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns. As everyone of us sometimes learns. And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out. Don’t give up though the pace seems slow — you may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man;

Often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor’s cup; and he learned too late when the night came down, how close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out — the silver tint of the clouds of doubt, and when you never can tell how close you are, it may be near when it seems afar; so stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit — it’s when things seem worst, you must not quit. — Edgar Albert Guest

And this one, attributed to Albert Camus, who said, “In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that… In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.

Be safe.

Ingrid Olivier, Editor

ingridolivier@idotwrite.co.za