My nephew seems to be a budding computer genius. I gave him one of my old tablet computers I use for GPS and he got it up and running in no time. I figured it was dead and gone to computer perdition.
For a while he had a blog. I think Gorges became a follower right away. I linked to his blog from here.
The blog was interesting to me as it chronicled his day to day life and his computer misadventures. This is different from my young cousin who smokes "Chronic."
But I digress...
One day my nephew's blog disappeared. I inquired and he informed me that the plug had been pulled due to privacy issues and the possibility of people sending him links to things he didn't want to see. If only I had saved the email. I seem to have all his other emails....
So, instead he will be doing a daily RTF "blog-like" emailing to a few people.
Now I support his parent's desire to keep him safe from porn and pre-verts online so while I found some amusement with this, I didn't say a lot. I mean it is really not any of my business. It does not even compare with the days when his father wanted to race motocross on Sunday and Mom was afraid he would come under evil influences and miss Church.
Now I assume they no longer read this blog as I think my frustration that the Asainporndvd website sent more referrals to the Eye Of Polyphemus than I and my expression of that discovery may have influenced the blog cancelation, but I really don't know...
But here is the deal,
I have 30 issues of the "blog-like" emailing in my mailbox. I can't throw anything away, it is a personal problem. I have not read them all as I have not had a lot of time to do so. In order to read them I have to double click them it is not a big deal but it breaks my flow of internet rambling while taking my morning constitutional and I forget to read them.
If they were in a blog instead of being "blog-like" then I would open them in a tab in Firefox and read his blog as part of my routine. Last night I was looking for some specific information in one issue which I couldn't remember. I clicked through 27 issues before forgetting what I wanted to know to begin with.
I would like to politely suggest to his parents some simple internet security ideas. Perhaps some of you could contribute. I would like to be polite.
I think the obvious would be fine. Don't give out your real name. Don't use anyones first and last name together, Use initials instead of names. Set up a different email account under a different name.
Blogger has several levels of security. You can have a private blog-a blog restricted to certain addresses, password security, invitation only. You can moderate comments, restrict comments, have comments sent to your parent's email to be moderated, what ever you want.
The thing is, You are never secure on the internet your IP address tracks you where ever you go. So, anytime my nephew goes online to check his school work or look up computer stuff his IP address follows him. If you send an email your IP address is hidden in the header, so unless you use a proxy server the government or pre-vert or what ever frightens you online, can follow you.
I went as far as to email the nice girl who does Aspirations Blog. She looks cute and young and I figured there was a much higher chance of Pre-verts sending her links she didn't want to click on than there was of such ilk sending such invitations to Gorges Grouse or Ralph Goff! I asked her what she did for security and if weirdos other than I ever bothered her.
She wrote me back a nice email and said she never had a problem but didn't give out any personal identifying information or her personal email address.
I don't mind the 30 issues in my in-box I just think it is a shame that someone who is a good writer doesn't have access to the positive feedback he would receive if he had more readership.
Oh well, what do I know, I'm just a grumpy farmer...
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Misguided "morallity" gets in the way of many talented people, I'm sure. It's worse when it happens to someone so young, since such an experience may cause your nephew to "rebel" by going much farther down the wrong track someday, just to freak his folks. Remember, this isn't from some bleeding heart liberal, this is from a fundamentalist Christian who's politically conservative to the point of being called "reactionary" by some.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is a huge deal. Sort of annoying I suppose. I keep wanting to say something. I guess I have.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is he is their kid and they can set whatever standards they want. So whatever makes you feel secure I guess is alright with me...
Seems kind of sad to see the blog project cut off. Kid is a good writer, and he's missing out on a venue to learn to express himself effectively and appropriately. Parents are missing out on a great opportunity to keep open communications with him, insight into what he's going through and how he's dealing with all the stuff that kids have to deal with these days. Intelligence and creativity will find an out, and we can all hope it's a positive direction. The thought of another young person turning to the banjo ought to give any parent pause.
ReplyDeleteAnd what sort of incompetent 'Pre-vert' goes messing around where there is an uncle who shoots starlings off the electric wires and knows members of the midwest clawhammer banjo mafia?
Of course I read this blog every day. I read it to improve and inspire myself. I am much improved because of the insightful comments on my parenting skills. I am now realizing that I need to become more of a progressive. I now see that referring to Asian porn is a convenience. No reason for a Young boy to wander about the internet, he can go to his uncles blog and get right to the good stuff! Of course I see the error of my ways and now encourage him to pursue this art form. I am hoping that he will start up his blog and perhaps his new found appreciation of porn will add another dimension to his writing. Free expression in so important!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Gorges. I see that my morality has been misguided and will make every effort to be less moral in the future. Of course I would appreciate and other advice you might have on parenting.
I would also like to say what a help the ridicule and contempt must be for Chronic Boy. A person of less character than the Lazy Farmer might use his miss adventures as a cheap way to get laughs, but I am sure the L.F. is using ridicule as a way to show Chronic the error of his ways. I expect Chronic like my self will soon be much improved!
Nice to hear from you big brother! Now I know who has been clicking on the offensive button! (That was a joke)
ReplyDeleteWell, we are just a tad sensitive this morning. There was not so much a critique of your parenting skills, rather I was thinking of a way your son could write in a safe environment where people could comment and he could get feedback. I think perhaps the comment about riding motocross on Sunday was a cheap shot, but accurate.
You can set up the blogger preferences to limit access in many ways and you can moderate comments. Your son is a good writer and I enjoy his "blog-like" emails.
I don't quite understand your obsession with porn. I really doubt you can do anything about it if your son wants to look at it. He probably doesn't. I guess you could take away his computers or sign up with an internet filtering service. I think the link attached to the asianporn DVD reference that I posted went to the Focus on the Family website. But, I don't remember.
I will look forward to reading your son's new blog.
If you would like to witness to chronic boy feel free. I'm sure he will be at the river this morning, doing a few bowls and shooting guns. Probably he will skip church... Perhaps you could build his self esteem in some way.
Clearly you need to spend more time at Asian porn sites to appreciate my obsession with porn.
ReplyDeleteThank you for suggesting I am sensitive, I just don't hear that enough! My new found progressive views are clearly working already.
Thanks for the heads up on Chronic boy. What an opportunity for this new progressive to enjoy the herb with him. I am feeling much less moral already!!