The Nigerians started this decades ago, and there must be an old boys' network out there conducting lessons on Internet Scam 101. I dread to think what happens when they translate the lessons into Chinese and some of the 600 million learn how to send out scam e-mails to the rest of the unsuspecting horde.

That said, the one thing that truly bugs me is the contradiction that characterizes most Chinese net users. While they will trustingly believe most of what they read on the Net, they are wary of committing themselves on e-mail.

I have often had minor strokes wondering why e-mails I send out seem to disappear into a spatial black hole.

There is no reply, no acknowledgement that the recipient had indeed read and noted the contents. If the system did not have a function that actually tracks delivery, I would have thought the act of sending that e-mail was delusional on my part.

In these days when a large amount of business is conducted through e-mails, it seems unfathomable to me that common courtesy is still so lacking.

I have taken to talking to reporters on WeChat in order to get a move on. Our young journalists are online 24/7, and will often file running reports from Istanbul/Boracay/KohSamui/Seoul/Tokyo - in fact anywhere and everywhere they are sent where they are connected to the Wild Blue Yonder.

It is now a necessity for international hotels to provide free Internet access, no longer an option and that alone separates the men from the boys in the industry. Even restaurants and bars in all the major cities must now allow customers access to the Net.

How else would they be able to post updates on the drinks and dishes they are enjoying and make their homebound friends jealous?

For me, I bless the Internet for letting me keep in touch with my children in Singapore. For that alone, I'll battle the black holes in the Blue Yonder.

Related:

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Beijing's road warriors

Donkeys and dogs, snakes and guinea pigs

Delivering door-to-door

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