Article: "Something to think about before you click on a post about puke" by Simon Dumenco; EBSCO 1/14/2008

According to an article by Simon Dumenco, he first compared blogging with a magazine from 1973. On the front page of the magazine it said: "If you don't buy this, we will kill this dog." This is an example which some people also use for blogging nowadays. For blogging, some people say, "If you don't click on this Post, we will kill this blogger." That doesn't mean they will kill the blogger, but the blogger might kill himself because his "pay rises and falls in direct proportion to the number of people who click on his blog posts." What Dumenco actually wants to say with this is when other people will go and blog, the actual writer gets more money. Also, you have to know that most of the people are more likely to read about "crazy" or "different" things than about something normal.

In my opinion I would say that it is really exaggerated what they are saying. I think you shouldn't make money with saying "If you don't buy this, we will kill somebody." I guess most people don't even think about that there is somebody who earns money if you do a blog, because most of the people just write for fun, especially younger people. I believe especially with "crazy" things the writers make the people to read about and to earn money. So the next time you blog, think about before you click!

"Spammers Have Your Number" By Roger O. Crockett

Everyone gets spam on their computer, but what most people don't know is that spam is making its way over to your CELL PHONES!!!Wireless users in the U.S. will receive about 1.1 million spam text messages this year! The chances of you getting it on your cell phone is slim up to the 250 million Americans who use wireless services. Not only will it annoy you but it will also cost you sometimes as much as 20 cents each message. Spammers use automatic dialers that can shoot millions of texts to random cell phone numbers. Phone companies intercept many of them but not all of them. I don't know about you but I sure don't want spam coming to my cell phone. So is there a way to stop it? Well phone companies are trying but I dont think theres a way to stop all of it.

When I first heard about this new kind of spam I was shocked I mean you don't expect to get spam and viruses on a phone much less our cellphones. I mean what are they going to think of next. Spams taking over everything before you know it television and cars are going to have viruses. Is there anything safe in this world?

Article:"DID THEY SWINDLE THEIR NEIGHBORS TO SEE THE WORLD?" by Alex Tresniowski,Sean Scully,Ellen Shapiro,Tiffany McGee; People; 12/24/2007,Vol.68 Issue 26, p139-140,2p

Tresniowski's article tells about a couple by the names of Anderson and Kirsch that live the high life on others' money and identities. The couple was still in college and they spent more time traveling than they did at school. According to some of the couple's friends they stayed at not so cheap 5 star hotels. The press dubbed them the nick names of Bonnie and Clyde.

After reading this article I have put my personal paper work in a safe that only I have access to, no one else. This article also gave me an idea of how my identity can be stolen. I've also informed my family how this can happen to them. For example my Uncle Shawn has had this happen to him. He had a guy in Cali. have the same name as him and the same s.s. number as him--now that's scary. He did get it straighted up soon after finding out.

Article: "Game On" by Anthony Bruno; Billboard; 1/26/2008, Vol. 120 Issue 4, p8-8, 2/5P, 2C

♫ Music sales win the "Rock Band", "Guitar Hero" ♫

In two months "Rock Band", sold over two million songs and Guitar Hero 3 sold over five million songs. It took Spring, a wireless operator, four months to sell just one million songs via over-the-air full-song download service. In the mean time, new digital music services competing with Itunes have struggled to convince fans to pay $1 for a single, downloadable tracks for games like "Rock Band" or "Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock".

I think this is amazing that over 7 million songs have been downloaded for these music games. It also surprise me that Sprint has only sold one million songs compared to "Rock Band" or "Guitar Hero 3". I think most people enjoy these music games because they are really fun and easier to play than a real guitar. I think these downloads will go on for a very long time to come because you can always download new songs to play. I am thinking about getting Guitar Hero 3. ♫♫

Article: EFFORTS TO CURB ILLEGAL DOWNLOADING COPYRIGHTED MUSIC
Statement of Mr. Mitch Bainwol, Chairman and CEO Recording Industry Association of America, Committee on Senate Judiciary

Mr. Mitch Bainwol discusses how downloading music illegally can hurt the company and the economy. It explains how it effects the music industry and its clients when we download illegally. We all love music. We listen to it at home. But lately there's been lots of noise about music, how we get it and what we do with it.

As you know, the music industry has been devastated by worldwide piracy.
Record labels are particularly vulnerable because they are dependent upon a single source of revenue - sales of recorded music.

In theory, if a person is able to download his or her favorite music off the Internet, that person would not need to purchase the CD at a local music store. The most common average of numbers seems to sit around a loss of 20 percent globally in sales since 1999.
The music industry and even some musicians who feel they are taking a loss due to the sharing of their copy-protected works online have started fighting back, so to speak. In recent months there have been more cases of music piracy heading to the courts.
What I want to know is why there are so many lawful issues surrounding the downloading of music? You might wonder why we have such an influx of MP3 players, CD burners, and even software that allows users to easily rip music from a CD to their computer. They should have done some thinking in how they would be used and how it would effect before they created systems that are used to do stuff that is illegal.

My article, by Sandra Block, discusses how identity thieves hack into your account information by lots of different ways through the internet. Such as phishing, hacking, and any other way they can get their sneaky little paws on your account information and begin stealing anything they can take from you, including your money. This article doesn't just talk about the thieves, but it also gives you ways to stop those identity thefts.

Personally, to me, I wouldn't want anyone to take my identity in any way possible because if they did, then I would be extremely mad and also, I would lose a lot of things. My credit score could go down drastically putting me in debt. If I were to lose my information and some lucky person found it, they have an all access pass to buy anything they want. Ways to stop this are DO NOT give out your account information to any body, keep you info. stored away at home or somewhere very secure so that it won't be stolen, and when you buy stuff off the internet, always log onto its direct website so that there's no way that the thieves could get to your info.

Article:"What's Hackable Today? Almost Everything!" by McCracken, Harry; PC World Oct.2007, Vol.25 Issue 10, p13-13, 5/6p

According to McCracken's article, hacking is not always something bad, or illegal. He says that at first it was "positively complimentary." To begin with a hacker was a person who could come up with creative solutions to computer problems. Then, hacking went the other direction, and hackers were practicing ways to get into other people's private business. He also says that lately, hacking has gotten closer back to its original meaning.

Personally, I do not like the fact that hackers have the power and knowledge to do such things. It's a little scary that at any given time someone could get into ANYTHING! What if a hacker hacked into my bank account and took everything? Or, what if the government's computers were hacked into, and they tried to take over? I've never had any serious hacking problems happen to me, but people I don't know have cracked my passwords to some of my accounts. Those are my private accounts. If I wanted someone else to be able to get into them, I would give them the password. It just irritates me that hackers have this kind of power to do illegal things.

There are hackers all over the world. They get in to people's accounts and get things from people such as money. A lot of hackers are in foreign countries. The article that I found described how the hackers in foreign countries got away with it. Remember the Love Bug? "ILOVEYOU" was the subject line of an email that filled 45 million in 2000, as the computer virus it carries manically mailed itself around the planet. The Love Bug deleted pictures and music and slowed computers to a crawl as it sent copies of itself to everyone in the victim's contacts file. The hacker got away with his dirty crime, because he was from the Philippines. They have no laws against computer misuse. While the same security problems afflict both developed and developing nations--spam, viruses and botnets-- poorer countries are far more vulnerable because they tend to lack the funds for countermeasures and the technical training to protect themselves effectively. One reason is the connection of internet costs so much more than it does in industrialized nations, leaving little cash for security measures.

A way to cut down on hackers is 1 computer per household. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which aims to reduce the costs of computers and internet access by providing laptops that run on the free, open source Linux operating; this way they can cut down on hackers and traack them down.

"Yahoo! Purchase of Overture Will Help Both Companies, Analysts Say" Author: Jamie McClintock

What Jamie McClintock is saying is that Yahoo's purchase of Overture Services, Inc., is the last step in making Yahoo a giant in the search industry. He also thinks that this will seal the deal in that the Microsoft Corp. will buy Yahoo and its stocks, making Yahoo's stocks very lucrative right now.

He also thinks that Yahoo will benefit from some very bright people that work for Overture and its 88,000 advertisers. Another reason why Microsoft Corp. wants to buy Yahoo is because 55 percent of Microsoft's third quarter revenue is from paid search services. Google will not respond to the relationship of Overture and Yahoo, nor will Microsoft talk. This could be the end of Google in the making in my opinion.

Article:"Cybercrooks get even more crafty and sophisticated" by Byron Acohido;USA Today 01/28/2008

Acohido's article explains the different and easier ways that hackers are getting information from computers. Some are taking over home network routers instead of PC hard drives. This is a sneakier way to hijack online accounts. Phishing specialists are putting better touches on scams to trick people into putting sensitive personal data on fake Web pages. One gang has begun sending out tainted e-mail greeting cards that, when opened, give the intruders control of the recipient's router. Someone has tainted tens of thousands of mom-and-pop e-commerce sites. Clicking to one of these sites can trigger ads selling fake anti-spyware or turn the visitor's PC into a hub for clicking on Web ads, while routing the ad payment to the intruder.

Before I read this article I didn't know there were so many ways to steal information off the Internet. As technology advances for the better, it also gets worse because the intruders get to use the new technology also. I don't use my e-mail, but I do use the computer a lot. My advice is to keep anti-virus and anti-spyware up to date. Also be careful what you open in your e-mail and when visiting websites.

Article:"E-mail Scams Target Deep-Pocketed Victims" by Erik Larkin; PC World 9-07,p.42

E-mail scams are becoming more and more common as the Internet progresses. The way they scam you is that they set up a bill and they send it to you through your e-mail. Now how retarded is that? What kind of company sends a bill through the e-mail and then you just give them your credit card numbers and all of that good information? First of all, experts say that you should get the name of the company and collect all of their information and go and find out if this is real or not from the company that supposedly sent it to you. My opinion on E-mail scams is that it's retarded if you fall for that stuff and give all of your personal information over the internet without knowing who you're sending it to or where it's going. So just be CAREFUL!

Article: "Are You Wasting Your Money Buying Antispyware?" by Larkin, Erik; PC World Jan. 2008 Vol. 26

There is no point using antispyware because they can only block about 38% of all the unwanted "pop-ups". The best choice would be to use antiviruses because they can detect up to 95% of all the unwanted programs and viruses. Antispyware products are only good to remove spyware from an infected system. The best choice would be to have only antiviruses to avoid any viruses and unwanted programs.

I personally think that there need to be more antivirus componets added to the antispyware in order to make it safer to use and to allow it to block more viruses and the unwanted "pop-ups".

Article: "Don't Let Identity-swiping Grinches Steal Your Christmas" by Sandra Block; USA Today 12/4/07

Block's article describes what you can do to prevent identity theft, especially during the holidays. Block's article says "about 8.3 million adults were victims of identity theft in 2005", which is down from 2003. Block then lists a few ways to prevent identity theft. First of all, people should secure their personal information. When you go to a public place where there are a lot of people,don't carry credit cards and debit cards that you don't need. Next, monitor your bank accounts. The sooner you catch that your information was stolen, the less you'll lose. If you do a lot of your shopping online, be sure the website you're on is secure. Block's article says to "make sure the site's Web address begins with "https", which indicates your credit card information will be encrypted." One of the last things you can do is put a security freeze on your credit reports. The downside is that only about 16 states will let you put a freeze on your credit. Plus, if "you freeze your credit reports, you won't be able to get instant credit."

Personally, I think these are great ways to prevent identity theft. Some people aren't careful enough, and give out personal information to just about anybody. People don't realize how easily someone can hack into your bank account, take all your money, and leave you in debt. I think everyone should be more aware of who they give information to. Go with your gut feeling. If you think something fishy is going on, don't give that person any of your information. Just remember to be careful and keep an eye out.

Article: "Cell phone virus threats: Why they shouldn't be dismissed"

Many people worry about their computers getting viruses. Well, now people can get viruses on their cell phones. There is a virus called Cabir that messes with people's phones when the bluetooth is on. Mosquito is another virus that started becoming popular in 2004. It compels cell phones to send text messages to premium-rate numbers without the owner knowing, well, until you get your bill. Brador can delete files, reset your phone, and send contacts to address books, e-mails or photos. The last most common virus right now is Skulls. It deactivates links to applications on the phone, which includes e-mail, instant messaging, and calendars. Whatever you do, you might just watch out for what you're doing on your phone. Also, keeping your bluetooth off when you're not using it would be a good idea.

The article is talking about the ways that you can protect your personal ID and credit, and the "best" protection would be by putting a security freeze to your credit. "You'll typically pay $30, if you've been a victim of ID theft to freeze your report at major credit bureaus-Exquifax, Experian and TransUnion. You would spend $120 a year for less effective credit monitoring services."

I think that the best way you can protect yourself from ID theft is by freezing your credit, and I think that there are many other ways to do that too. Another way would be by not giving your social security # to anyone, not even relatives, and according to the article, always ask why the number is needed and if another ID "will do the trick."

Article: "Latest cellphones are a danger in hospitals" by Staff; Issue 2621 9/15/07, Vol.195

The Staff's article discusses the dangers of cellphones in hospitals around medical equipment. Many hospitals already restrict cellphones to prevent signals interfering with sensitive medical equipment. Studies now suggest that modern cellphones are a bigger threat now. These cellphones are threatening because they contain a GPRS signal (General Packet Radio Service). This device can interfere with equipment for up to three meters away. UMTS signal are less threatened (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) because they're in old models. Today authorities offer guidelines to hospital but they are being ignored especially by doctors.

I personally didn't know about the dangers of cellphones in hospitals until I read this article. I think about the interference they're causing and how a person's life could be depending on a certain type of medical equipment that is being interfered with by a cellphone. It really ticks me off though that the many doctors that know about cellphone interferences ignore guidelines. As far as I know doctors are suppose to take an oath and follow it. And the overall idea of the oath is to protect humans and do the best for them. I worry now that a family member of mine would have to depend on medical equipment and still live with the torment of interference with a cellphone. I'll do my best to think about cellphone dangers when I'm in a hospital again.

Title: Spammers have your number.
Author: Crockett, Roger O.
Source: Business Week; 11/26/2007 Issue 4060, p042-042,1p,1c

This year mobile spam messages are predicted to rise to about 1.5 million, which seems like a large number, but in reality it's small compared to the 250 million Americans who use cell phones. Security experts fear that phone spam will grow in the future. Unfortunately, this problem will impact consumers' pocketbooks. The more text and voice spam are invading handsets. Wireless users in the U.S. will receive about 1.1 million spam text messages this year, up 38% from 2006, estimates messaging specialist Ferris research.

Well, all this spam stuff is pretty interesting, but I probably text more than any person alive. I guess I'm one of the 248.5 million people who didnt get one. I think all these technology problems are overated. I hear more people say that when all the computers fail it's gonna be the end of the world... yeah right, maybe for nerds, but not for the common people. I'm really tired of people making a big deal over cellphones and computers. They are just accessories.......

Article: "Is Your Phone Catching A Virus?" by YahooTech; YahooTech
10/31/07

"Just when you were getting the hang of protecting your computer from viruses, they must have sneezed and found your cell phone. One in every 10 phones is now a smart phone—capable of handling data and messaging. That means it's become easy and lucrative for hackers to attack your cell phone. And the dangers are just as real. From 2004 to 2006, the number of phone viruses doubled every month....

"What do these viruses do? Reports are trickling in: A Seattle family was watched, monitored, and threatened because of spyware on their cell phone. A man's cell phone content was wiped clean after he downloaded a virus-infested ringtone. Crashes, unstable or slower-than-usual performance, quick battery consumption, incorrect or skyrocketing mobile phone bills, a dramatic increase in messaging charges—any of these could be a virus.

"One of the original cell phone viruses (2004) was transmitted through a Bluetooth connection. Like your PC, some phone viruses are just annoying—a pop-up or a silly joke. Others are a bit more insidious, like the one that resets your phone monthly.

"But the latest and most sophisticated crop are what's called 'pranking for profit.' This can involve things like redirecting your calls to a different carrier in a different country, racking up a hefty phone bill. Or sending an MMS message to everyone in your contact directory, leaving you with enormous extra charges. Or 'vishing,' when you'll get a voice call that asks for information, faking it by posing as a legitimate business. A downloaded application may send information about your phone account to hackers. Snoopware (which is spyware on steroids) might capture your keypad clicks.

"How do you know you've been infected? Pay attention when your phone starts behaving badly. Are your contacts disappearing? Are your calendar entries gone? Does your phone bill have strange charges?

"If so, suspect a virus before you suspect user error...."

I personally haven't had to deal with viruses on my cell phone, but I have heard a lot about it on the news. I knew that computers have always had problems with spam, viruses, and many other things, but I didn't know until recently that this could effect your phone too. This is very scary. Just thinking about the possibility that my phone could begin to have problems because of a text I got, really worries me.

"Just when you were getting the hang of protecting your computer from viruses"
your phone starts to get a virus. One in every 10 phones is now a smart phone capable of handling data and messaging. "That means it's become easy and lucrative for hackers to attack your cell phone. And the dangers are just as real. From 2004-2006, the number of phone viruses doubled every month."

And it spreads on cell phones because of the Internet downloaded, MMS (Multimedia messaging service) attachments of the Bluetooth transfers to name a few. "They'll often show up as game downloads, updates to your phone's system, ring tones, or alerts." There are "450 different variants of mobile threats, and that's not including phishing attacks and spam...83 percent of worldwide carriers have had security incidents in 2007."

Article: "In CBS Test, Mobile Ads Find Users" by Laura M. Holson; 02/06/08.

"So far, privacy and technology concerns have held back the prospect of personalized mobile ads from the likes of Starbucks or Barnes and Noble." That's really the only reason that mobile ads didn't come along sooner. There really isn't anything that can stop them once they've started. It's like a telemarketing company having your phone number. They always seem to call.

The ads will be sent to you according to your location. If you're close to a store that is having some kind of sale, then BAM! you now have knowledge of it, right on your cell phone. "Location-based ads are of great interest to advertisers who have seen shoppers eschew traditional forms of mass-market advertising on television and in newspapers and magazines."

I can't wait to see how many of these "mobile ads" I get a day just sitting in my own home. I believe that they will eventually be just another form of spam. It will be something that becomes over-used and will become just one more thing to annoy us.

Article: "Anonymous hackers take on the Church of Scientology" by Robert Vamosi; News.com

A war has begun on a new front; The Internet. The group "Anonymous" has recently announced the beginning of a war on Scientology. Anonymous is "a group of hackers on steroids" says 'Faux Nooz' in a study about Internet bullies. "A copyright violation claim by the Church of Scientology against the posting of one of its videos to YouTube has prompted a full-on assault by a group calling itself Anonymous," says Vamosi. A video was posted on youtube that featured Tom Cruise, and his thought on Scientology. Within hours of the videos appearance it was taken off of YouTube by The Church of Scientology. Anonymous was outraged by this, and declared war on Scientology for this.

Anonymous states that this war is to take down Scientology for its injustices. More on these injustices can be found here.

Do you have a distaste for Scientology, as many others do? Spread the word. This war can only remain on the internet for so long.

Title: Spammers have your number.
Author: Crockett, Roger O.
Source: Business Week; 11/26/2007 Issue 4060, p042-042,1p,1c

More text and voice spam are invading handsets. Wireless users in the U.S. will receive about 1.1 million spam text messages this year, up 38% from 2006, estimates messaging specialist Ferris research. Unwanted text messages isn't the only problem phone users face. "The more provocative problem with mobile phones is the stuff beyond text messages and e-mail," says Paul Catalano, a partner at Tech Consultancy Relevant Business Group. It will make our life more convenient if people will stop sending spam.

I don't have a cell phone, but my mom get lots of spam. She doesn't even like texting. A lot of my friends get spam and they text 24/7. They don't stop texting to save their lives.