Communication these days is instantaneous, and everyone is reachable via the internet so there is no excuse for keeping quiet. So when was the last time you received or wrote a personal hand written letter? It wasn’t that long ago when all written communication was done by mail, and by that I mean mail which required a licked stamp, and a nearby red postal box. The internet has revolutionalized the way we talk to one another in real time. It is a veritable library of information, and the decision making process of whatever we want done can be made at lightening speed. We don't have to wait for the postman. The post just verifies what we already have known days beforehand. The internet is undoubtedly the greatest technological advancement in my lifetime. We are able to access any information and speak to anyone from anywhere at anytime. We don't have to rely on radio or televised news flashes to keep us abreast with what's going on locally and around the world because the internet beats them to the punch everytime. Most journalists now look to the internet to source material for their articles. If I had to perform an emergency appendectomy on someone I'm sure I could with the help of Dr Google. The possibilities are endless using the internet. The internet has a downside. Trolls and scammers don't have the patience to send their evil and fraudulent messages through the post because they crave instant gratification and reward, and the internet is the perfect delivery system that reaches millions of people in an instant. Money can change hands over the internet as quickly as it takes to input your bank access codes which is a worry. The internet can create fear and hysteria in an instant, so sometimes we make rash judgements and decisions without thinking it properly through. The speed at which the internet does things can at times be too quick for our brain to process, and this can lead us to making mistakes, sometimes catastrophic financial ones. The internet has given us the platform to speak freely, but the Dark Web has given evil a voice too. There is no doubt that the internet is a boon for business, and that we as consumers are given more choices and better financial deals than we ever had before. We can gather information on the net about anything or anyone without leaving the comfort of our chair, and this is a game changer. People can hide, but not for long because the internet exposes everything and everyone soon enough.The letterbox, post office and even the library have now become somewhat obsolete. And the handwritten letter and beautiful penmanship that goes with it has been replaced by emojis. I read this sign in a library recently: The internet can give you thousands of answers to one question, but only a librarian can give you the right one! I think the librarian was trying to save her job. Jens Ward, Wardswords