for the first time in over a decade, i now have my own email address.
i know, that sounds weird, doesn’t it?
let me explain.
our email has been compromised (sorry, but i don’t know the exact term…), twice in the last few weeks.
the first time it sent out a relatively benign ad for some money-making scam, which i’m hoping nobody took seriously.
the second time it sent out some sort of “obscene things” which a friend alerted us to. not sure what that was, but big oops, and lots of apologies to you if you received that email.
really, actually big apologies to you if you received either of those. they were not from us, and we didn’t mean to lead you astray.
now our email will not let us send emails without an authentication, which would be really great because it would in theory eliminate spam coming from our account- except that it doesn’t actually let you do the authentication and then it disappears your email forever.
but that only happens some of the time.
but i have a low frustration threshold for technology issues, so i’m hoping this clean slate approach will work better for me.
so, i am hoping to send out my new address soon-ish (read: after i clean the bathrooms and cross off at least a few other higher priority items from the to-do list).
in other news, i have a rough draft of the letter i want to start sending out to congress-folk in hopes of getting someone to sponsor a bill protecting people who want to grow their own food- even if it’s GASP in the front yard. i’m hoping to post it here and get your feedback before i send it. yeah, i really was serious about that 
stay tuned…
Jun 26, 2012 @ 13:41:50
And I’m sure the “hacking” has nothing to do with State and Federal governments trying to keep The Masses from raising chickens of planting gardens, right? Yes, of course the FBI would NEVER be subversive against our Rights as humans, right?
No, of course not
You couldn’t possibly be a target by local government as some sort of subversive; no WAY that could happen! After all, our Public Servants are good honest souls just trying to make the world a better place, right? There are no clandestine operatives in Nixon’s basement, right? Or in the basement of the City Council.
So sure it was some telemarketer who messed up your internet. Yea, I’m believing that.
Face it, you are a National Figure. You didn’t think that would get attention from the Big boys?
As for trying to get the Federal Congress to pass a Bill, I would suggest you start at the State level. Once you can demonstrate Success in one State, make it happen in other States. Once the avalanche becomes noticeable, then Congress will listen. The Titanic doesn’t corner well, it needs a lot of advance notice to change course.
Jun 26, 2012 @ 16:01:02
Maybe you already know about this, but someone alerted me to the fact this food instead of lawns is a total fad in Santa Cruz. They passed on this link, where apparently you can open a chapter in your local area…although I’d be sort of suprised if there wasn’t one here already. Anyway, here is the link: http://www.foodnotlawns.com/ . I had my facebook compromised…it was interesting because so many people who know me were like, “ummm…this is a total scam, it’s not her” but i had a couple of people defriend me. FYI..I didn’t get an email.
Jun 26, 2012 @ 16:26:35
ok, your points are noted. how about lots of local movements with some concurrent pressure on higher levels as well? and why would you think someone would mess with my email versus, say, this blog? i’m asking a totally serious question, by the way…
Jun 26, 2012 @ 16:28:06
wow- that’s so weird, because people we haven’t spoken to in forever suddenly crawled out of the woodwork and responded to our fake emails and then some of our friends who we actually do correspond with didn’t get them… the plot thickens, i guess… well, stay tuned for the new and updated bass “real friend” email address
Jun 26, 2012 @ 16:35:12
FWIW ………. i’ve dealt with my email account being hacked twice over the last few years. and many people i know have had it happen as well. sometimes it is as benign {pun intended!} as links for drugs/medications out of canada; one friend had some REALLY porno-stuff sent out under their email addie; some are just those non-stop annoying scams. no matter WHAT is sent out – if it is something that you {royal “you” … insert “i”, hubby, kids, friend} didn’t send out, it is upsetting! as simplistic as this sounds, the first thing IS to report it as spam. the 2nd thing is to immediately change all of your passwords/access codes. i’ve been able to maintain my same screen name/email addie for well over 13 years now …… have been hacked {fortunately!!!} ONLY two times. for me to change my email addie would generate a problem of massive proportions due to …. well …….. several things. so indeed, i hope i don’t hafta resort to that step! when/if you get something that just does NOT sound like the person who sent it …….. alert them! often one doesn’t even KNOW that emails like that are going out under your email addie!!!!
i’m with you on changing codes, laws, ordinances … that prevent people from gardening on their own property as they want to! this is my second summer of having a multitude of squash as a front border along the sidewalks. none of my neighbors have objected. i don’t think the ‘city’ has noticed. i’m careful that they do NOT overhang the sidewalk such that they create a hazard. but they look terrific! big, green, bushy with bright flowers. i’ve actually had a multitude of compliments on my “creativity”! wowie!!! i’ve put 3 semi-dwarf fruit trees along the side of our lot {we’re on a corner} … with hopes of adding 3 or 4 more. the entire north side of our house has a hedge of blueberry bushes with tulips’n'iris planted as a border in front …. {c’mon all you quail! i’ve great nesting places for ya!!!!} ….. the tulip tree outside my kitchen window will one day provid sufficient shade that it will be a blessing! {it gets really HOT here in the desert area of SE Washington state!!!} my hubby just rolls his eyes when i comment that ….. well we COULD have chickens here ………… just no roosters allowed! afterall, just down the road they have goats! {in the donut hole – small area in the city that is NOT city} …….
rambling ….. but basically, i’m so with you on encouraging SURVIVAL GARDENS {today’s version of the VICTORY GARDENS of the ’40s} … such that i’ve planted some gardens for some older folks in our church ……… and will help them to maintain theirs as well as try to keep mine up!
blessings2you in your endeavors! {doc hastings – here in WA – is a good voice FOR THE PEOPLE!}
Jun 26, 2012 @ 19:28:46
I feel ripped off that I didn’t get the obscene email.
Jun 26, 2012 @ 20:04:02
LOLLOLOL, — me too Mordy. Every once in a while — I promise — like once every coupla months or rarer, I want to communicate a short PRIVATE message to our beloved Julie and I can’t. We do have some mutual Lub friends with whom I could vetted, but — well, I feel like an untouchable Hindu! )I never go to movies but my sister and niece dragged me to “Hotel Marigold” the other night! Highly recom by me. Lotsa love.
Jun 26, 2012 @ 22:30:26
I have a yahoo account that was “hacked” but I think it was a mistake only… Someone entered my yahoo email address as their own on facebook, and now I get notifications on Yahoo for their Facebook friends comments. Weird, huh? My daughter had an issue and eliminated her AOL account, issue went away. Just make sure there are no financial implications, delete the affected account, and move on.
Jun 26, 2012 @ 22:48:27
first, your squash sounds beautiful! second, i’m friend-ily jealous of your fruit trees! third, what’s a tulip tree? fourth- just checking- can you or can’t you have chickens? cuz if you can, you really really should! you won’t regret it and your initial investment will be paid back in so many ways that you can never imagine
last, but certainly not least- i LOVED your term ‘survival gardens’!!!! can i borrow it?
blessings back to you- which i’m sure you will reap, for the much good that it sounds like you do! all the best- julie
Jun 26, 2012 @ 22:51:07
hmmmmmmmmmmm- once you’ve had a suitable recovery period (10 more minutes? hahahaha) do you want to look into starting/joining a chapter with me? ryan the garden guru got me the food not lawns book back in detroit- small world, huh?
Jun 26, 2012 @ 22:53:49
HA! selective obscenity! priceless! or perhaps the person who called us was referring to the money-making scam email as obscene???? i may never find out since they called *h instead of me… oh well, i’m sure the fabulous E would be more than happy to google you some profanity if you’re feeling in the mood
Jun 26, 2012 @ 23:01:18
ok, anne- i just sent you the actual first email from our new address, so keep eyes on your inbox! hugs- julie
Jun 26, 2012 @ 23:02:05
ok- in progress. thanks for the tip! now i’m off to visit your blog
Jun 26, 2012 @ 23:06:45
oh wow- in the your first post i read about bees, mason jars, GAAMPS, and the michigan right to farm act?!?!?!?!- how could i not love you?!?!?!?!?!? you are probably already aware of them, but in cae you aren’t- do you know about the farm to consumer legal aid folks? check the right side of my blog- a great resource for people like you! best of luck, and i’m so happy you showed up here!!!
Jun 27, 2012 @ 15:13:48
I don’t think the government would hack into your email…not that I trust them not to, but they’ve really got bigger fish to fry, hacking an email address does not seem like their style, and plenty of people get their email hacked into all the time, regardless of politics. But if you get a petition going I’ll sign it.
Jun 27, 2012 @ 15:56:41
ok- fair enough
Jun 28, 2012 @ 00:38:22
walked my domain today -
first – i’ll definitely be taking photos of the squash as they fill in – i think i have 5 varieties planted. so far. it’ll look terrific as they grow big.
second – the plums are plumping! the chinese apricots are blushing – no peaches this year. think it’s time this fall to put in another plum, peach, and chinese apricot {semi-dwarf} along the property line. the dozen or so blueberries are producing here’n'there – but they’re all “new” …. so in a year or two they wil be WONderful.
third – read a series by philippa gregory {historical fiction} – Earthly Joys and Virgin Earth …. about the king’s gardener {King Charles I} …. the gardener traveled throughout europe in search of lovely plants, trees – to transform the gardens of the king into magnificent settings. this gardener fell in love with a tree – called it a “tulip tree” …… i sorta laughed that one off …. figured philippa had used some ‘poetic license’ ……. WRONG WRONG WRONG! lol. wandering through my most favorite place of all {Job’s Nursery, Pasco, WA} …. I FOUNG A TULIP TREE! and decided if it was so unique and beautiful that it was fit for the king of england! then indeed it was appropriate for ME! so for mother’s day last year, my kids {in colorado} ordered a gift card to Job’s for me …… SPECIFICALLY for my tulip tree. so now, it grows tall and slender in the back yard – so i can see it out the kitchen window. in another year or two {?} it will blossom in the springtime with lovely 2-3″ tall white tulip-like flowers!
fourth – in the middle of the city of pasco, there is an unincorporated area that is referred to as “the donut hole” ….. city ordinances do not apply/however county ones do. so it gets tricky. i know that withIN the donut hole, one can have virtually any/all animals one wants {llamas, goats, horses, cows, chickens, etc}. here IN the city, we canNOT have the larger animals. i’m not sure about chickens. my hubby just rolls his eyes when i drop the “CHUX” WORD! gosh, i’m just trying to get him to relent and let me have a wee kitten once again {my 13 yr old manx died – and i truly miss the cuddling furball}. *sigh*
be my guest! i’d LOVE for the idea of SURVIVAL GARDENS to take off and fly. one of my goals ………… is to put about 4 acres of land to good use – part of our church property. i’d like to see a community garden go in – to provide spac for those in the apartments and subdivisions that do not allow gardening – to have a place to come and grow veggies and flowers. i’ve already talked to the ag teachers at the new high school …. it’d be great to get the agriculture students and future farmers of america involved …. with a portion of the produce going to the local food bank or soup kitchen. i’m not sure how to go about getting this started …. am in the research stage right now. thinking the fall ag classes could put the irrigation system in …….. spring ag classes do the planting of a large garden and offer help to locals who request assistance. dunno. it’s still vague ideas in my head.
and so it goes ………. always SOMEthing worth working on!
btw – you do have my sympathy and empathy … dealing with chronic pain. i’ve been on disability for 11 yrs now due to an auto accident thanksgiving of ’99. gardening is actually a very therapeutic measure for me.
Jun 28, 2012 @ 08:07:50
The following is for you and your readers. I hope you find it helpful!
Regarding the emails. You weren’t hacked. You were spammed. At some point you received an email that was unkowingly sent by a friend with a one line message and a clickable link. You clicked it. As soon as you did you opened the hidden program that put itself into your email program and sent out the same email to everyone in your address book. There is now a “seed” program, if you will, that is primed and ready to send out more unsolicited emails to all the people on your email list.
There are two things you need to do to protect yourself in the future:
NUMBER ONE: Never open emails from folks you don’t know. If you are dying of curiosity, then click ONCE to highlight the questionable email, go up to the menu bar and click “VIEW,” then choose “message source” from the dropdown menu. From this window you will see an all text message that will allow you to preview the contents, and the sender info without unleashing any viruses onto your computer. There will possibly be a lot of code and the the message will be buried inside. BTW, large uniform blocks of seemingly random letters and numbers are photographs. Want to try it out? Choose a safe email and open it using view, and messages source.
NUMBER TWO: Get an ANTIVIRUS software program and install it TODAY. It will scan your computer for viruses and also your incoming emails. It will not get them all, because you have to learn what to look for in those incoming email messages, but it will get most of them and help you to eradicate the ones that did make it through. Kasparsky is an excellent one you can buy and install from online. We have been using for several years. We like it because it is so reliable, and inexpensive. It also has very high reviews. (this is not a paid endorsement) There are plenty of out of the box brands too, one of which is Norton. So take your pick, but pick one and get it installed right away. Once the program is installed you will want to let it scan your computer, and then set it to do maintenance scans on a regular schedule.
Never open an email from anyone you do not know. Never open emails without a subject line in them, and NEVER click a link in an email, even from a friend that contains no message from them personally. Really, who would send you a link without telling you about it and signing their name?
If you do the above you will not even have to change email addresses, the virus is in your computer, so changing your email address is an exercise in futility anyway. Sorry to tell you this.
If you already have an antivirus software, then go to their site and download the latest updates now! Install them and run the program to scan your entire computer. Depending on how much you have stored there it could literally take hours, but trust me it will be worth it to do so.
I hope you find this helpful.
Lynda
Jun 29, 2012 @ 19:59:10
absolutely – thanks for taking the time to write it:)
Jul 11, 2012 @ 08:24:24
Julie:
I actually came hear today to let you know that your Yahoo mail account was compromised, but it looks like you already know that!
Just today I got a scam email from your old family address. In read, in part, “On my trip to Manila, Philippines. I got mugged and all my belongings cash,cellphone and credit cards were all stolen at ‘gun point’… I need you to lend me some money (2,500 Euro)…”
It was signed in Jason’s name.
I’ll be deleting that address from my address book. Please send me (by private email) your new address.
Jul 11, 2012 @ 08:26:57
Oh, and about that letter you want to send out to congress-folk about you brazen front-gardners, well…
I really don’t see it as a federal issue. I suggest you target your state senate and state house.