I once used it to unload an old but still-serviceable dresser, and I have a friend who actually landed a rather desirable TV job through what's basically an Internet grab bag.

But what I don't get about craigslist is that so many users forget that ALL kinds of people read this thing. And by that I mean law-enforcement types. And ex-lovers - some of whom might recognize themselves and not appreciate being dissed in the "Rants and Raves" section, even if it's true that you gave them an STD. After all, this is a public venue. As obvious as all this might seem in the light of day, there are plenty of folks who get lulled by a sense of anonymity and forget that Big Brother might be watching. And sometimes, Big Brother might be on the same side as your ex.

This week alone, there have been two well-publicized examples of what can happen when people leave their common sense behind when they log on to the site. Two Northeast Philadelphia women, supposedly a mother-daughter duo, reportedly placed a photo of themselves on craigslist in October. The women, Traci Young, 38, and Tami Smith, 22, were dressed in tank tops in the picture, which was accompanied by the words, "Make the right choice and call us." If this turns out to be what the authorities say it is, what were those two thinking?

By the way, the women did get a call. Unfortunately for them, though, it was the Philadelphia Police Department, which had set up a sting operation. On Monday, Young was formally charged with prostitution, criminal use of a communication facility and conspiracy. A bench warrent was issued for Smith. These women will eventually get their day in court.

I find it ironic that if they'd waited a month or so, the pair might not have wound up in this Internet dragnet. In hopes of cracking down on those who use the site to run sex-trade operations, craigslist recently bowed to considerable pressure and began charging a small fee for ads in its erotic-services section. The site wisely now requires those users to pay with a credit card and to list a phone number, which may deter sex traffickers and others intent on using the site for illegal purposes.

In another bizarro case making headlines this week, a Colorado man is facing jail time after he wrote some ugly things about his ex and her attorney in craigslist's "Rants and Raves" section. Dude apparently was so worked up that he forgot his trash-talking wasn't all that anonymous.

After he was busted, J.P. Weichel, 40, told authorities he'd just been venting. I'll bet he wishes he'd kept his vile accusations to himself. Weichel is facing jailtime if found guilty of the two counts of criminal libel. That could be a heavy price to pay for joining this Internet free-for-all. *

Send e-mail to heyjen@phillynews.com. My blog: http:// go.philly.com/ heyjen.