We’re beginning to feel under attack. A couple of weeks ago someone stole our credit card information and used it to buy stuff at a couple of businesses in the Chicago area. We pay some of our bills by automatic deduction online, so this theft immediately launched us into a flurry of corrective action, notifying several utilities and businesses of the change. We’re still dealing with an occasional business that didn’t get the word.

Earlier this week, someone managed to steal our ID and password with Apple and used it to tap into iTunes. We had to come up with a new password that was more complicated, thus stronger and affording better protection. We’ll see.

Now, a software we did not download keeps popping up, unwelcome and unwanted, on our computer screen. I thought I finally figured out how to get rid of it. But it keeps returning.

We who occupy this fast-moving electronic world of today desperately need protection from such torment. We feel surrounded by a growing population of people who would rather cheat than work. Every society will contain a few bad apples, but now we see their number growing, finding multiple new ways to cheat others.

We shouldn’t have to keep looking over our shoulders or be forced to sweep up after these unscrupulous crooks and deal with the problems they create. No one should. I’m weary of it. I prefer to spend my time in other ways. Can we fix this? How?