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www.mkmonthlynotes.com is a US blog of independent thought, opinion, and commentary on issues of general interest in the current US. Established about a year ago on www.google.com under http://monthlynotes.blogspot.com (or access at www.mkrause381@gmail.com on Google Search) through http://monthlynotes23.blogspot.com (or access at www.mkrause383@gmail.com on Google Search), monthlynotes becomes www.mkmonthlynotes.com on www.yahoo.com.

Provocative, controversial, or insightful, mkmonthlynotes.com strives to present original comments, commentary, and photographics, which often cannot easily be published elsewhere, on issues in the rapidly changing culture, business, and society in the US.

Comments from readers are always welcome.

Email mary@mkmonthlynotes.com or mkrause54@yahoo.com.

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Homepage Titles (through August 21, 2011):

What Happened to 'Old Blogger'? (June 15, 2011)

Cyberspace Censorship: Corporate Intrigue or Sabotage on Blogger (June 24, 2011)

How to troubleshoot an email/password problem? (July 1, 2011)

Hard Sales in Software: Microsoft Vista to Windows 7 (August 12, 2011)

Who Has Issues with 'free wifi'? (August 14, 2011)

Internet 'Net Neutrality', Privacy and Surveillance (August 16, 2011)

Google: 'Too Big to Fail' of "Too Big Not to Fail' (August 21, 2011)

Computers as Distractions from Everyday Life, Political Life? (August 22, 2011)

What's New in Computer Viruses? (April 21, 2013)--See New Page

What happened to 'Old Blogger'?

Why would a blogger switch from Blogger on google.com to a Yahoo website?

Computer hackers have blocked bloggers from their own blogsites on Blogger's blogspot.com. http://monthlynotes.blogspot.com was hacked onto on April 9, 2011.

Sophisticated hackers altered Google/Gmail/Blogger software, changing the number of characters in the password entry blank, to make it impossible for the blogger/owner to access the blogsite for writing and editing using the blogger's own registered gmail/password combination.

The following article was published originally on http://Howtoregainaccesstoblogs (monthlynotes23).blogspot.com (mkrause383@gmail.com) on June 15, 2011. It is republished here with permission from monthlynotesstaff.

Cyberspace Censorship: Corporate Intrigue or Sabotage on Blogger?

In February 4-6, 2011 'USA Weekend' 'Is there a Bully in Your Life?', Madonna Behen defined bullying:

'Aggressive behavior that is intentional, repeated over time and involves an imbalance of power or strength. Bullying can take many forms, such as hitting or punching, teasing or name-calling, intimidation through gestures, social exclusion and sending or posting insulting messages or pictures by cellpone or online (also known as cyberbullying)'.

Behen quotes Gary Namie, director of the Workplace Bullying Institute in Bellingham, Washington, co-author of 'The Bully at Work':

'Our society is more aggressive, more warlike, more combative, while traits like empathy and compassion are downplayed'.

Obvious aggressive bullying is that, obvious. It often can be corrected directly at school or at work. Passive-aggressive bullying is a more insidious, extremely damaging form of bullying.

Social exclusion also occurs in cyberspace. Computer and Internet hackers deny blog writers and editors access to their own drafts and already published blogs by hacking onto email addresses and passwords.

Recently Blogger, an international 'non-profit' Internet discussion forum was hacked by an aggressive Australian 'for-profit' web design developer company. By naming their company 'Google I/O: Preview of Web Design API', Brett Morgan and Pat Coleman, present their takeover of Blogger cyberspace as a legitimate 'done deal'.

Morgan/Coleman have blocked access and disrupted service by altering Blogger 'open source' software to 'read-only', driving business to their web design company, as (sic, they) describe in their discussion on www.youtube.com/watch?v=BazoR1kYbM. (Or check Google Search at 'Blogger at 'Google I/O New API preview-Blogger Developer Group/Groups'.)

Email/Password Security Breached

Numerous bloggers have described their blog interruption/disruption on many Blogger question/answer Forums, seeking the usual Customer Service help from the 'Old Blogger'. What is diabolical about the Morgan/Coleman takeover is they also have disrupted gmail/password and URL access to Google, other Blogger bloggers, and anyone who tries to communicate with them through the Google/Gmail/Blogger path.

No Customer Service at Google, Gmail, or Blogger.

There are occasional messages from Brett that routine maintenance is blocking Blogger service. However, there are no reports of resolved problems, return of blogs, or writing/editing access to blogs.

Much of the basic World Wide Web development has been publicly funded in the US under Department of Defense money and in the UK through public library and other funding. Public funding and the arguments over who owned what in cyberspace has created 'free cyberspace' on the Internet for worldwide communication of thoughts, ideas, stories, for new Internet writers, editors, graphic artists, photographers, musicians, as well as computer engineers and technicians, and people learning about computers and the Internet.

Blogger has been one of these spaces. Blogger also is the name of the now 'open source' software written by the software engineer who originated the forum.

On April 1, 2011, in an industry with a history of April Fools Day jokes and announcements, Blogger left a message on The Blogger Blog that Blogger 'sold' its 'no money exchanged' forum to Google, who has been providing gmail/password registration and access to Blogger cyberspace.

Blogger has been very valuable to bloggers. Blogger potentially has an enormous international readership. Analagous to well-known internationally read and reconized newspapers like 'The New York Times', 'The LA Times', 'The London Times', 'Paris Match' and others, anyone with Internet access could find blogs on Blogger.

Blogger also embodied the idealism of the early Internet, making the exchange of ideas between world cybercitizens possible. Blogger rules were based on an honor system: the blogger is responsible for his/her own content, don't hack onto or alter the software or disrupt or block other bloggers, blogs or websites.

This seemed consistent with the early Google USA philosophy 'Don't be evil' and the theory of net neutrality, that everyone should have equal access to communication in cyberspace.

'Stockless' Hostile Takeover at 'Old Blogger''

Anyone who reads the Business Page of major newspapers is familiar with the term 'hostile takeover', a minority stockholder tries to leverage a buyout/takeover of a company. Hostile takeovers are a part of business in the US, internationally, globally, and now in cyberspace.

This takeover was accomplished not by stock or other financial maneuvers, but by disrupting service to existing customers. A sophisticated technological maneuver, computer hacking of gmail/password combinations locked blog owners out of their own little piece of cyberspace.

Free Cyberspace Captured

Undoubtedly many issues will be raised. How can publicly funded 'non-profit' free cyberspace be captured by a 'for-profit' web design company, closing access and availability to all other Internet users? Why would Google seek to become involved or not get involved in protecting the software and cyberspace for an enormous number of loyal bloggers? How did Google allow hackers using a Google address to interrupt Google and Google gmail addresses/passwords to interrupt access to these, and to registered Gmail customer cyberproperties?

It is ironic that it is business profiteers rather than governments seeking to censor cybercitizens, deny access, block and disrupt access to the open forum for ideas and discussion 'Old Blogger' represents.

Around May 5, 2011, Yahoo News reported Google claimed Chinese hackers disrupted email addresses/passwords and government computer user access. Perhaps further investigation will yield other governmental or corporate hackers. One blogger reports efforts to contact a major US business newspaper to inform them by email were thwarted by 'delivery delayed' and deleted emails.

Whatever the outcome, many bloggers may be forced to move to other Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the Blogosphere. 'Old Blogger', the 'nice guy' who provided mostly reliable blog service is, and will continue to be, missed.

On June 14, 2011, ABCNews.com reported the US government has a Portable Internet Access system available which it may supply to 'rebels' in countries who face communication disruption from dictatorial foreign governments. US bloggers also may need such equipment and backup blog ISPs to continue on through the disruptions, whether by censorship, corporate intrigue or sabotage.

(Friday, June 24, 2011. Contact mary@mkmonthlynotes.com or mkrause54@yahoo.com to request a copy or comment on this or other blogs posted by mary for monthlynotesstaff on http://monthlynotes.blogspot.com.)

How to troubleshoot an email/password problem?

Computer users who receive email know email address and password work like a combination lock. 'Log-in' with the correct email/password combination to open that often dreaded, seemingly endless list of new emails. 'Log-out' and lock your email homepage.

There are many reports of email/password hacking from diverse databases, from the US government to companies like ChoicePoint to Sony. However, recent articles on email/password problems emphasize the importance of keeping separate passwords for various email account types--email, social media, bank accounts--and changing the password on accounts regularly.

How does a computer user know if an email/password account combination has been hacked? A good example of the issues involved arise from the Blogger/Google/Gmail 'lock-out' of numerous customers over the past 4 months. This has occurred during a change from Google/Gmail (Internet Service Provider) ISP access to Blogger to Google ownership of Blogger, described in the June 24, 2011 article above.

Occasionally, the computer user may make a typing error while entering email address or password. Or a weak Internet connection may make it necessary to re-enter email/password for 'log-in'. If log-in is not possible, there may be other issues to consider to access the account.

1. Check for 'Help' notes to 'reset the password'.

The simplest remedy included multiple re-entries of email/password combination and the completion of multiple 'Capcha' entries. (Enter the letters of a distorted print word, a computer age 'Rorshak' psychology quiz. Hopefully, this dissertation will soon be completed and accepted.)

Software may be programmed to deliver pre-written cries for help to the ISP. However, sometimes these cries for help may be programmed to be delivered to a 'no-reply' email address. Such an automated site may be part of the email/password security system. Too many cries for help to reset password may prompt a return message of 'too many inquiries'. This may trigger a company investigation of the email/password/website, and, of course, further delay in regaining access to the user's content on the website.

Other password reset options required verifying or providing the user telephone number to receive a text or voice verification code.

The basic problem for the blocked blogger in all these proposed solutions is the circular reasoning. If you cannot 'sign-in' with your email/password, you cannot check your homepage email to receive any new instructions from your ISP on how to fix your email/password problem.

It becomes an exercise in frustration and futility. The instructions become an algorithm to nowhere. The user begins to wonder if this is a technologically sophisticated way of being thrown off one's own website.

The lucky blogger already has a 'back-up' email on another ISP. But the 'no-reply' emails sent do not solve the problem. Nor do other options. The 'create a 2nd author or team account' also may not work. Creating a 2nd author or team account email automatically triggered the email software to delete the 1st email/password combination which was the only reliable way to log on and identify the user account.

2. Check for 'Change the password' instructions.

Log-in boxes often have instructions to change the password or to go to another page to do so. If it is not possible to change the password, even after multiple attempts, there may be a more serious problem with sophisticated hacking, altered or damaged soltware, or Internet malware.

3. Check for email addresses for Customer Service, Help sites, user question and answer forums provided by the software or ISP or telephone number or other contact information.

In one blogger's experience, there was a significant change in the previous level of service. No customer service could be found. Emails to Blogger, Google, Gmail were not answered or were returned as 'undeliverable'. A call to Google, Mountain View, California was routed to an answering machine that stated 'No Customer Service Available'. Answering machine messages to Google, Reston, Virginia were not returned.

Question/answer forums from numerous bloggers expressed the same frustration, and after several days or weeks of unanswered cries for help to customer service, exasperation. Not only were there complaints of lost access to blogs, lost blogs, lost comments on blogs, but also lost time, lost energy, lost money, lost business, lost access to other bloggers, and lost belief in the reliability of Blogger, Google, Gmail.

These breaches of gmail email/password security raise questions which could jeopardize the future of computerized communication. Trends toward more computerized banking and commerce may be tempered by tampering with email/passord security and user access to one's own accounts.

Hard Sales in Software: Microsoft Vista to Windows 7

Laptop and desktop owners know how hard it is to keep up with new technology. Software development is rapid. Problems arise. When problems arise, software solutions appear to be instantaneous, or scheduled for release when known problems are discovered by cybersnoops.

Many software solutions are sold and delivered over the internet. For example, programs to help find stolen computers used the computers webcam to identify the thief. Other useful software programs are available for a download and/or monthly fee.

Internet updates are familiar to Microsoft Windows Operating System (OS) computer users. Over the past few years, updates have become so frequent they often distract or block the cmputer user from the work session task.

True, updates can be postponed for from 10 minutes to a few months or even "never". But often a computer malfunction occurs for those who have not heeded update recommendations.

The egalitarian ideal of making computer age communication available to everyone is being challenged by the increased industry demand for cyber sales.

There is a limit to what most average computer customers can buy. The average customer probably spends $300-1,000 for the computer, more for an Apple/Mac. Starter OS usually must later be expanded and upgraded for about $200. A basic security system cost $30-100.

Many free software downloads are available on the internet. But many require fees, often in the $29.99 to 59.99 range. Many include annual renewal options. Order forms often are programmed subtle hard sales algorithms. Boxes may or may not need to be checked. After providing credit card information, screens pop-off and may be hard or impossible to find again.

A major issue now for owners of older computers is the change in Microsoft Operating Systems. Microsoft has informed Vista users that Vista Service Pack 2 is no longer supported as of July 12, 2011. The update from Vista Service Pack 1 to Vista Service Pack 2 was free, with Service Pack 1 no longer supported as of June, 2010.

For about $89-$200 Vista can be replaced by Microsoft Windows 7. Tech services to change to Windows 7 OS are available at computer stores and repair shops for an additional charge.

But this is a hard sale approach to software sales. Microsoft Internet Updates assume the OS is Windows 7 and do not support Windows Vista. Users may experience a variety of problems, including dropped drivers which cannot be re-installed for many basic software and hardware functions if they have not purchased the Windows 7 OS. Until this is done, the computer may not function well or at all under conditions in which it previously functioned.

Who Has Issues with 'free wifi'?

There is the net neutrality theme of keeping the internet available and truly affordable. But there are other attitudes in the cyber-marketplace. Many cyber-sellers and wifi business operators seem to be annoyed by wifi computer users even as they advertise the service to bring customers into the shop. Non-computer customers often seemed oddly bothered or upset by 'free wifi' computer users.

These believe 'free wifi' users somehow are taking something for nothing, something which could be turned into a profitable item. Others, probably those without technological understanding of wifi, feel wifi users somehow are stealing from the company where wifi computer users compute.

These unhappy or angry people forget that 'free wifi' may be the service that actually brings the customer into the coffee shop, cafe, fast food restaurant, motel, bus, train or other business.

Business owners/operators may make a big sale or turn a big profit on the 'big spender'. But it's the lower receipt regular customer who keeps customers walking into the store and putting sales into the till most days of the week.

Internet 'Net Neutrality', Privacy, and Surveillance.

'Net neutrality', is a widely used term. On the corporate level, net neutrality is meant to prevent Iinternet Service Providers (ISPs) from taking control of the infrastructure, then possibly taking control of the content of the internet. On an individual computer user level, net neutrality allows the computer website owner/writer/editor to control the content of his/her own website. It includes free choice of which websites to visit, read, comment on, or to refer others to.

This does not occur in privacy. 'Phishers' monitor and sell data on computer users, their visiits to their own websites, other websites, and advertising, sometimes keystroke by keystroke.

Surveillance for marketing research into demographics and browsing preferences and other purposes, including police, investigations, and governmental monitoring is common. For some, 'phishing' or monitoring is done for profit, to further their own career or political goals. For others it's done for the hourly data entry job.

As in many other aspects of life, there are at least 3 populations. There are those who are strong believers in privacy, privacy rights, who do not snoop and do not like being snooped on. There are those who love to snoop, seeing it as a possible souce of profit in every imagineable way. And there are those who are undecided.

In the US, Bush's Patriot Act, recently renewed by Obama, makes telecommunications, including internet, surveillance, for whatever purpose, easier to accomplish and to defend.

The recent Rupert Murdoch News Corp surveillance scandal in Britain involving telephone message surveillance on a teen murdered, the medical histories of political families, and others has brought attention to this issue. It also has brought attention to motivations for such surveillance, bribes to police and others by newsmedia for the 'exclusive' or biggest 'scoop' news story of the day.

Surveillance can lead to censorship, for business or governmental purposes. Google currently is under investigation for a possible search engine monopoly leading to an internet advertising monopoly. Google's use of 'wifi' monitoring gives Google and Google-related companies access to a large number of internet search customers' computer traces. Wifi research allows Google and Google-related companies to acquire and sell data to Google-related companies for marketing and other purposes and possibly to obstruct users from the use of their own computer. (See June 24, 2011 article above.)

Google is the biggest and best internet search engine. But it is time to pay more attention to privacy and obstruction issues of computer users and their websites. Tthe nature of the internet, with automotaed 'bot' searches to find and list websites, makes the openness of the Internet a priority for website owners. Given the seemingly random nature of the world wide web, it is Orwellian that it is possible to obstruct and censor some websites and promote others.

Weakness and fluctuations in the US, UK, European, and '3rd world' economies around the world present conditions for nefarious, money-making deals between business and governmental units. More corporate applications for government grants and loans allow busiiness/government liaisons to form. These have the potential to be misused for snooping, corporate espionage, and sabotage in the government-subsidized businesses in the 'less private' sector of business.

Contact mary@mkmonthlynotes.com on www.yahoo.com or mkrause54@yahoo.com to comment on this or other blogs in the monthlynotes series.

Google: 'Too Big To Fail' or 'Too Big Not To Fail'

The best part of Google is its biggest and best search engine on the World Wide Web. Get to the Google Search Box, type in your query, and find websites, companies, products, people, items.

Google search engine originated from a stack of servers or central computing units (CPUs) for a Stanford Univeristy, California, USA project. But the technology already existed, developed from the Internet, itself originated by the US Department of Defense in the early 1970s. Google also borrowed fom librarians around the world, and Wikipedia for a transformation from wooden file box to computer.

Search engines really are electronic card catalogues. Like the wooden box cabinets familiar to pre-computer library users, students, and researchers, search engines are computerized indexes. Librarians organized book indices by author, title, subject.

Google and its foreign affiliates internationalized and computerized indices of companies, items, advertising, compiling an enormous, somewhat less organized 'index-on-demand'. On demand because those listed often have to request their listing be added to the index, and listings are more frequently found based on how frequently they are requested.

Co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, now CEO, developed a slightly different rank scale to rate the popularity of any website. Their 'Back Rub' traced computer users by the number of pages per site and the previous site visited. Started in a friend's garage, Google was incorporated on September 4, 1998 and made their initial public offering of stock in August, 2004. Eric Schmidt joined Google and the three agreed to work together for 20 years until 2024.

Brin and Page set up the servers and let them run, input and output from connections to other computer data banks and personal computers across a radio frequency. Google now involves over 1 million computers around the world in over 1 billion searches.

Google is not magic. But Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt and other Google managers have had a Midas touch turning Google into an over $24 billion company which trades on US NASDAQ for about $500 per share and on the German FWB stock exchange. The Google Search Engine as a separate subsidiary offers stock at much less, about $16 per share, competitive with the smaller Yahoo Search Engine.

Google has had help from high technology Southern California Venture Capitalist firm Kleiner, Perkins, and Caulfield, and Vinod Khosla, of India microloans. These high technology VC connections may be why some perceive Google itself as a venture capital stock fund, buying developed applications from companies listed on the Google search index, and other software and hardware applications and technology. Currently, Google is interested in applications for new electronic telephones. Google has partnerships or affiliations with social media companies like Facebook, Twitter, plus Google's own social network. If it's consumer technology, it's listed on Google.

The Google search engine is very valuable to internet computer users. Under US government investigation for using its search engine and wifi and computer user data collection and monitoring capabilities, Google is being challenged for trying to create a monopoly in internet advertising.

Google's Eric Schmidt has been a Democrat Party/Obama supporter. Outgoing Obama Administration staffers have approached or been approached by Google for jobs. Other issues of government/business influence aside, Google would be a very useful campaign tool for the Obama administration. There have been reports of Republican Party complaints of not being offered advertising at the same great rates as the Democrats. Google previously attributed this to recent changes to the more expensive Beta technology in email and advertising. And there are many complaints of exclusion or obstruction by conservative or Republican website owners from Google and the more recently acquired Blogger.

Google is a good example of the modern corporation. With headquarters in the USA, it has customers internationally. While Google stock is extremely valuable, Google is more like a large, well-known central sign for a very large number of affiliates, loosely related subsidiaries, or partnerships, many of whom use the word Google.

Google has become incredibly large. There are so many different managers of different companies within a company, presenting software and hardware products, applications, and new technology that it is difficult, if not impossible, to access customer service for cyber-products and services. The Mountain View, California telephone answering system states that customer service is not available. Previously available customer service by email messages for Google gmail, Blogger, and www.google.com are returned as 'undeliverable'.

Most Google customers probably used free Google services, gmail and the Google search engine. Complaints from these customers probably are not considered important by corporate Google. But it is this huge volume of customers who maintain Google's high rank rating and help sell other Google products, including Google stock.

Gmail now does not work or works inefficiently. Passwords have been hacked denying gmail customers access. New entrepreneurs seeking to control Blogger have blocked and obstructed bloggers from their own websites and from communicating with other bloggers. (See June 24, 2011 article above.)

In the rush to become cyber-millionaires or cyber-billionaires, corporate Google appears to have lost control of its affiliates and its name, obstructed and censored many old customers, and may have become 'too big not to fail'.

Computers As Distractions from Everyday Life, Political Life?

The next big thing in computers and computer stocks has arrived. 3-D (3-Dimensional) equipment and software applications (apps) for sales and entertainment are here. Stock market observers like 'The Sovereign Investor' have announced sales of their 3-D company and stock guide.

3-D glasses may not be required for the shift from the information age of computer technology to 3-D sales and entertainment. 'Infotainment' with interactive videos for advertising products on cable networks and human interest live (or taped) interviews on news stations may be on their way 'out'. Mind-altering, hyper-virtual reality is on its way' in'.

High technology phones will become home POS (Point of Sale) terminals as shoppers step into the third dimension of real stores to shop merchandise, even try on clothing, through a similar size avatar.

Luddites (anti-high technology types) already are startled by how easy it is to alter reality through technology. For example, people have created digital friends and families by mixing and matching photograhs to make a personal photo album. The capacity to alter a person's perception of a basic fact, situation, and reality is phenomenal with digital technology, more so with 3-D imaging.

Such equipment and apps of course will be very expensive. 3-D may lead to a cyber-elite, those who can afford to shop and be entertained, more elite than current computer users who regularly use computers and access the internet or those who pay $11.50 or more for IMAX threatre movies.

Social media on Google, Facebook, Twitter, and the myriad of other social applications for various niche groups likely will be moving onto the new 3-D media. Cyber-dating may become so reality altering that one will not have to actually be there to be on the date. The technology of course may have some competition from those who enjoy fantasy and shared hallucination, which of course will be less expensive than the new technology.

The potential for altering minds so much that a person could not distinguish between reality and the 3-D world is phenomenal. If there were a nefarious plan among the super-rich to develop mind-control programs to control the masses, this is the technology some would choose. That philosophical and ethical concern, and the prohibitive cost of 3-D glasses, probably has delayed the development of this technology.

Computers, with their frequent, sometimes seemingly endless malfunctions and expenses for new software, software updates, equipment upgrades, new accessories, have become a distraction from real life.

Computer have the potential to become a powerful political tool for referendum popular voting. While Middle Eastern and North African rebels have used electronic social media to stimulate demonstrations, riots, and street revolutions, the technology has not essentially changed American politics.

Ad hoc Opinion Polls are more frequent, with instantaneous results. But their influences remain more or less dependent on the same factors--money, influence, personal, and business connections.

There are more political speeches and discussions available, at any time it is convenient for the computer videotape viewer. But most remain 1-way broadcasts to the American public. Videotapes previously televized now are 'streamed' across computer video engines like 'u-tube'. Television news coverage actually encouraged and facilitated more public interation with telephone call-in polls conducted during broadcasts, with results calculated instantaneously.

The technology has been updated. But the political process and meaningful access to politicians and decision-makers remains much the same. Some might argue it is harder for the average citizen to get involved. The 4 major TV network system, NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, focused attention on important topics and helped make the issues and opposing opinions more understandable to the general public.

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