TRICK OR TREAT?

We all get them. We've all sent them. Don't lie. Don't be ashamed. At least ONCE in your email-life you've done it.

You Forwarded on an email you received via a Forward.

Warnings about the latest ploy to kidnap you and steal your car by having you sample perfume in the mall parking lot. How to tell if someone is having a Stroke. A shout-out to all the beautiful, funny and fabulous women in your life. The guy who won the Idiot of the year award. A call to ban Wal-Mart. Why men should keep a stash of chocolate around for their ladies. A slideshow about God loving you forever. Caution against opening email attachments "toe banjo player" because a devastating virus will blow up your computer. Winners of the sandcastle contest. Claims of immeasurable generosity by Bill Gates, AOL and Microsoft if you'll only forward an email to ten people. And of course, a foreign car commercial that causes you to pee your pants when a skeletor girl screams in your face.

Sometimes these emails are a treat. They make you laugh, inspire awe, occasionally you learn something new.

But sometimes these emails are a TRICK!

That's right! Don't be fooled! In the last two days I've received two TRICK emails via Forward. I fell for the first one about these adorable abandoned Labrador puppies. Heartbroken for these helpless babies, and wanting to do anything I could to help their plight I forwarded the email to Aaron. He forwarded it on around his office and even received a string of emails back that made it appear someone had contacted the folks with the puppies and had found a shelter in San Antonio to take the dogs! Success! I thought. I was so impressed with the power of the FWD and ecstatic that I had a hand in the saving of God's little creatures. I mean, really, what if I had not forwarded that email? What if I had just deleted it like I do so many others? What would have happened to those precious pups? I was blown away thinking of the world today and what can be accomplished with email and technology.

Later, Aaron figured out that it was a hoax. Well, maybe I shouldn't say hoax. Snopes says the email originated from a true Craigslist listing; but that it had morphed into this false email about lab puppies. Still a mean trick. I was seriously having to convince myself that we do not need a third dog.

Then today I received another email supposedly from a desperate mother looking for her missing son. I was wiser today, however, and Snoped it immediately! TRICK!

Later this afternoon Aaron FWD to me the below email about the benefits of drinking water. Fortunately, it is all true. So rest easy, friends, and bring on the H2O.

This was received from my doctor
ABOUT DRINKING WATER

The following will probably amaze and startle you.. ..

One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University study.

Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses o f water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or

Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?

So what is the lesson to be learned? In this high-tech Trick or Treat world, keep your detective tools handy.