Traffickers prey on naive

If there's one thing people should know by now about the Internet, it's that it's a fertile breeding ground for predators seeking to prey on the vulnerable.

This was unfortunately highlighted last Friday following news of a Chinese woman being arrested after her foreign friend from online sent drugs to her address (Foreigner ensnares local girl in drug smuggling parcel scam, Feb. 24). There may well be a sinister side to this story in that the two really were running a drug racket. However on the surface it seems the woman was, like many Chinese Web users seeking language exchange partners, too naive and vulnerable. Drug traffickers rank among the nastiest people who will stoop to low levels to ensure their trade flourishes. Unfortunately, a lot of innocent people get tangled in their vicious web from mentally challenged drug mules to innocent, naive "friends" willing to do a favor for an online language exchange partner.

The simple moral of this story is to always treat friends made online with a healthy dose of suspicion, especially if you haven't met them in person.

Simon Emslie, by e-mail

Swimming upstream

Outdoor swimmers are a crazy bunch of people, often plunging into icy waters in the middle of winter either to get their swimming fix or attract attention from curious passers-by, but their latest stunt in wanting to swim in a lake used as a source for drinking water in Beijing goes too far (Fence halts swimmers' dips in drinking water, Feb. 22).

Maybe these swimmers have been swallowing too much tainted water while doing their laps, but they must be either insane or incredibly selfish if they think it's acceptable to jeopardize the safety of people's drinking water just so they can unwind with a bit of freestyle or breaststroke. As a former outdoor swimmer, I have nothing against people leading fit lifestyles. These swimmers, many whom are elderly, should be commended for taking part in regular exercise in a city as polluted as Beijing. What I do have a problem with is the abuse of one of the city's few remaining natural resources. Not only do these swimmers risk tainting the drinking water, they also are an invasive species that threaten to upset the local ecosystem.

Someone should gently remind these outdoor enthusiasts that swimming pools are for swimming.

Michele Tan, by e-mail

Accommodation frustraion

I feel sorry for the basement residents evicted recently (Fengtai basement dwellers relocated, Feb 29). I don't think anybody would live underground if they could find a better accommodation arrangement. The evicted residents had to live there because they felt there was no other option. Beijing's rental prices keep hiking, but average salaries are still too low. The city still needs blue-collar workers, such as waitstaff, housekeepers, security guards, and so forth - there must be a way to help them. If they can't live in basement dwellings, they need to be provided with other affordable and livable accommodation.

Qiong, by e-mail