I never said that. I said do not follow known or suspected phishing links. It takes practice and skill, and it is not always simple. But if you know if it is a risk, you should consider avoiding the risk.

“This looks like it might be phishing. Let me check it out and see what’s on the other side.” <— That’s what I am suggesting to avoid.

Security is an onion: layered. Patched software. Good, unique passwords. MFA. Various security defense tools. But technology can have gaps, flaws, or be circumvented. It’s important to keep in mind that us as individuals are also a security layer, and are often the first or last line of defense.

Not all phishing links are related to credential theft or trying to get you to download something malicious. Zero-day vulnerabilities in web browsers are revealed constantly. A malicious website (or malicious content embedded into an otherwise benign website) can leverage these or other unpatched vulnerabilities when visited.

You should never follow a known or suspected phishing link unless it’s your job and you are using the appropriate tools and techniques. Just report it to the security department or delete it and move on with your day.

I have spent many years in both the midwest and the south.

In some areas of the south, people drive extremely aggressively and there are lots of issues with compliance to various traffic laws but it is usually not difficult to get over if you need to. People will let you in. The zipper merge is a well-honed machine and almost everyone uses it and obeys it.

In the midwest, drivers tend to me more docile, cautious, and lawful overall but have an extreme sense of entitlement over their place in line. “How dare that person use that completely empty lane to get ahead of me! Can they not see there is a line!” They will absolutely not let you in. It does not matter if the zipper merge would improve traffic flow. It just is not going to happen.

Armadillos also can carry leprosy, so this is sound advice on multiple levels.