Privacy Taken Away by Online Interactions

In fact, a big problem with the increasing websites and users is that we want to share all types of information online with everyone. We have no more privacy on what we share on our Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace statuses. Some people posts updates about where they are located at that present moment. For example, my friend Bryan posted, “I am at Wal-Mart”. If a robber saw that status update it would translate to “I am not home, come take all my things” and “Enjoy the big screen TV, my iPod, and my laptop; they are all FREE!” In other words, everyone on social media sites needs to think before they post and share information online. Once you put out a picture, status update, video, or a comment it is always there online. Users can’t take it back. You may be able to delete whatever you post, but someone may have already seen it and the damage can’t be undone. We tend to think everyone cares about our everyday life activities. Do we really need to know your whole life story, minute by minute, by what you’re posting? For instant, the social media raises the question that we all need to ask ourselves, “How much information is too much?” Do people really need to know you just ate Oreos and you dipped them in milk? I can’t help but think who cares. You can learn so much information about a person just from their Facebook page. Some users are even audacious enough that they share their home addresses on their Facebook page along with their home and cell phone numbers. I don’t think most people realize how dangerous that can be especially if they add random people they don’t even know.

Classified Ads Escalates Human Trafficking

Classifieds ads in the newspaper are a popular way to advertise for help wanted ads or items that you wanted to sell. The classified ads now have spread to the internet in another way. Now users can post information about what they would like to sell or offer services to people online. Popular classified ads websites include Craigslist and Backpage that allow human trafficking and prostitution to be offered on their sites. Craigslist “adult services” section on their site permits users to post ads offering to meet each other for sexual intercourse. More specifically, a human trafficking victim can be sold for sex a lot quicker and can go unnoticed by the police. Little children from all ages and women are being sold into human trafficking. Victims are held against their own will and technology and sites allow it to happen. Human trafficking victims are being forced to offer sex to make predators more money by using Craigslist and Backpage. The predators charge people who response to the adult services ads, but they fail to pay the victims any money for their part in the “services”. The predators continue to post the adult services ads on the sites over and over again. They are not going to stop selling human trafficking victims for sex, unless we put tougher internet laws into place. Another example is prostitution has become an easier way to make money by using the new technology out there. Prostitutes don’t have to secretly hide in the dark alleys to offer prostitution to people anymore. They can use Craigslist and post an ad to make money by selling their bodies. Classified ads like Craigslist and Backpage refuse to take down the adult services ads. With technology changing rapidly, no one knows how to handle the increasing sites or how to monitor everything on the internet. There are no government amendments on how to handle the increasing internet problems.

Life, In Spite of Me by Kristen Jane Anderson Book Review

Life, In Spite of Me Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice by Kristen Jane Anderson was a story about having hope in God always. Kristen went through a dark tunnel in her life and she made a dramatic choice that forever changed our entire life and the lives of the people around her. Kristen was determined that she had no place in life and that there was no hope for her. Kristen was run over by a long freight train and the doctors didn’t know how she survived the impact. Kristen tells the whole story about what lead her to lay down on the railroad tracks and why she tried to commit suicide. Kristen shares how to overcome depression and she explains in her book about how much God loves you. God can use anybody who will continue to let him.


I love the book and it has helped me to overcome depression in my own life. The book has helped me realize that God loves me. The book has taught me that what his word says about me is what is most important. We have all been placed on this Earth of a reason. God is always with us through whatever we have to endure and encounter if our lifetime on Earth. God is the one who holds the future we don’t. We can’t change our past but God is always there for us.

Kristen also adds encouragement notes throughout the book to let you know you are not alone in your struggles in life. God was with her and he still is! God is also with you! You are never alone!

One of the things, I adore is how Kristen has started a ministry called “Reaching You Ministries”. On her ministry’s official website, she allows people to email trained counselors if they are struggling with depression and they need someone to talk to.

This book will help you if you are dealing with suicide thoughts and you’re going through a depression. But if you need help I advise you to get help. Please make sure you find professions who know how to deal with depression. Please don’t ever take your life. Your life matters! God loves you!

Check out Chapter One from Life, In Spite of Me.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/36311584/Life-in-Spite-of-Me-by-Kristen-Jane-Anderson-Chapter-1

If you would like to learn more about Reaching You Ministers. Check out the link below:

http://www.reachingyouministries.com/

Kristen Jane Anderson talks about her new book:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiaO-URnbsc



Life, In Spite of Me is available on Amazon.com for purchase:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601422520/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Please rate my review on Waterbrook Multnomah.

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/view/702

Cyber Bullying Leading Factor to Our Children’s Deaths

Cyber bulling, for example, is leading many children, teenagers and young adults to an endless pit of depression. Most teens are falling victim to bullies online, and they have no idea what to do about the harassment. We are in unremitting cycle of watching what our friends are doing online and what they are saying on popular social media sites. You can get a text message or check your social media account during class or at home from your cell phone. The cyber bullies can start groups or fan pages about the person to make fun of another person. Bullies can also post hate messages and sexual comments about someone else. Peers can sometimes gang up on a person online and they make the person feel like are worth nothing. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube have a hard time monitoring every single comment, group, fan page, or video that users create to share with one another. The website Formspring, for instance, permits users to create an account that allows users to ask any variety of questions anonymously. The questions are not censored so bullies can ask the victim anything they choose. The questions are not shown publicly unless the victim tries to answer the question. If the bully were to ask an inappropriate question, for example, “Why are you gay, weird, and stupid?” The victim could feel like they must answer the question. Failure to answer the question makes the bully think the questioned asked might be true. But the damage is already done when the victim reads the question; they are scared forever. The victims of cyber bulling are feeling like there is no hope out there for them. The teens feel that they are all alone in their battle against the bully. Technology has permitted the teenagers that get bullied in school to take the bullies home with them too! The problem is that most schools don’t even know how to handle cyber bulling because the bullying happens online. Schools can’t watch every student’s accounts on social media sites for cyber bulling or suicide threats. Cyber bulling is a leading cause of suicide deaths from teenagers and kids. Tyler Clementi, Phoebe Prince, Hope Whitsell, and Megan Meier committed suicide from being cyber bullied. Tougher laws will have to be in place in order to stop cyber bullying from happening to a countless number of our children, teens, and adults. We have the power to save lives and give these kids hope if we chose to.


So won’t you stand up and fight for change and for what is right. It only takes one to stand up and make a difference in someone else’s life. The question is will you be that one? Will you stand up? Would you stand up for someone else? Or will you join in with the bullies? It’s your decision.


Here is an inspiring video to encourage you to do just that “Stand Up”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARkxnRbyR1c



Some of the lyrics of Sugarland – “Stand Up” are:

“All the lonely people cryin’ It could change if we just get started Life the darkness, light a fire For the silent and the broken hearted Won’t you stand up Stand Up Stand Up Won’t you stand up you girls and boys? Won’t you stand up Stand Up Stand Up Won’t you stand up and use your voice?”

Losing Ourselves in Our Technology Affairs

This semester in College, I had to write a paper for an English Class about the effects of technology. I have decided to share the paper, in hope that people will stand up for what is right. We all have a voice and can help make a difference in someone else’s life. I will be sharing my story over the next 5 weeks.

Technology was once a good tool to use, but it is turning into something bad. When the internet was invented, everyone thought the internet would be a wonderful asset to use once in a while. You could look up any kind of information you wanted to know about online. Now we have the internet available everywhere for us to use twenty four hours a day. You can access the internet from any mobile phone. We are in a constant connection with the whole wide world. We can look at our friends' Facebook status updates all day long. Users can even subscribe to get SMS updates from Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace that are texted to your mobile phone, when a friend status is updated. Some users on these sites tend to distribute all kinds of information with their friends. By having a constant communication with the world, technology has led to a number of people committing suicide. Cyber bullying is spreading all over the world and is happening in our very neighborhoods. Predators have even gotten the idea to start trying to sell human beings for sexual experiences, where the predators can make easy money off victims.

Love Revolution Shown by a Church

This Love Revolution story is about a church who gave itself away. I have been looking for a church to attend for quite a while. This past two months I stopped going to church all together. Every church I have went to hasn’t felt like home to me. But this church holds a back to school Christian event for the county along with many churches in the area. I had no idea that God would bring someone to my doorstep but he did. They are giving away a prize at the back to school event and when I entered the contest. One of the question asked, “If I had a church I go to”. I clicked no. They also asked, “If I wanted more info on the churches in the area”. I clicked yes. Then God showed up! I had no idea this church member from one of the churches would come actually to my door. I thought they would send a flyer not a person to my house. J But I am glad they did. He brought me homemade bread, info about the church, a message series, and a worship team CD of the church. Why would someone randomly do that? After all they had no idea who I was. I haven’t been to a church service there before. I honestly had no idea where it was located even! They were starting a love revolution! I haven’t ever heard of churches doing anything like that in my entire life. I felt the LOVE of God for the first time in a long time. It was the God in him. So I decided to give church another try. It just takes one!


Natalie Grant is starting a LOVE REVOLUTION! Joyce Meyer is also trying to start one. I think it’s a wonderful idea. So I posted this story on Natalie Grant’s Love Revolution website.

http://startaloverevolution.com/
If you have a love revolution story about you or others post it on her site. You might be wondering what in the world a love revolution is. It means everyone coming together and helping one another in small ways. Some examples would include feeding the hunger, donating to charities, helping out at church, holding open doors for one another, buying someone a coffee, talking to someone who is lonely, and anything else you can come up with.