Soapblox.net server hacked; Pam's House Blend, other sites affected

Please join the PHB Facebook Group

Hi there -
We have a group on Facebook - and it is very handy as far as sending updates. Would suggest everyone join there in case this goes down again, so we can keep you posted on the PHB "forever home." ;)

Julien

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by: Julien Sharp @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:05:57 PM CST

how do we do that?

i must admit that i've never used facebook!

Lurleen on Twitter

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by: Lurleen @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:07:12 PM CST

[ Parent ]

FB Group addy

http://www.facebook.com/home.p...

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:08:53 PM CST

[ Parent ]

backups and redundancy

this event highlights the value in the redundancy of some blog communities.  if your blog got hacked, we could all at least communicate via other sister blogs most of us are aware of.  although, the communication wouldn't be nearly as lovely! :)

and if this isn't a great reminder to all of us to back up our personal files on our own computers!

Lurleen on Twitter

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by: Lurleen @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:06:17 PM CST

I back up my home computer

But that's why you pay an ISP - they are supposed to do that for your blog.

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:09:34 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I figured something was up.

I tried to get to Pam's this morning and I got the message "unable to connect to the website requested."

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by: Phil @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:42:55 PM CST

Have you heard about "biohackers"?

I was going to write a diary about them. I read a story in my local paper that freaked me out.

Apparently, people are setting up labs in their garages and genetically engineering new organisms.

They call themselves "biohackers" and they are completely unregulated.

In her San Francisco dining room Ms Patterson is currently attempting to rewire the DNA of yogurt bacteria so that they will glow green to signal the presence of melamine, the chemical that infamously turned Chinese-made baby milk formula into poison.

Ms Patterson says that she picked up the basics of genetic engineering from scientific papers and Google.

All she needed for her project was a jar of yogurt, some jellyfish DNA - purchased online for less than $100 from a biological supply company - and a few pieces of lab equipment (including a DNA analyser), which she constructed herself for less than $25.

[...]

Jim Thomas, of ETC Group, a biotechnology watchdog group, says that synthetic organisms could ultimately escape and cause outbreaks of incurable diseases or unpredictable environmental damage. "Once you move to people working in their garage or other informal locations, there's no safety processes in place," he says, adding that terrorists could be inspired by amateur genetic tinkering to launch a devastating bioattack on America.

http://technology.timesonline....

Isn't that grand?

When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:44:43 PM CST

Do what Joe.My.God did...

Put up random pictures of "hot peepul" and appease voters on a basic level; then link the picture to the voting page and demand they vote for you.

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by: saywhat? @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:53:09 PM CST

In a word...

Fuckers.
I guess that Facebook is the way to go for now.  It just totally pisses me off that Pam's and other people's hard work got thrown away because someone was an asshole.  I'll still post this here though, even though it's not really on topic.  At least it will be here for a little while.
http://www.mattbors.com/archiv...

My America includes LGBT families.

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by: Mena @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:55:28 PM CST

Pam you might put a link to your old site so folks can get your email addy

That's what I did last night.
and you tell them folks "DON'T MESS with the BLOG-Strenmist!"

LOL!

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:57:33 PM CST

blog-stremist...typo

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 12:58:26 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Petey

THIS is the time for some well-placed and thoroughly appropriate profanity.

Fuck-fuck-fuckity-fuck-fuck-FUCK!!!

"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 13:07:17 PM CST

[ Parent ]

lil Hackers

You may think all the dead taser victim stories were for humanitarian concerns, ya f*ck with Miss Pam, and I'll taz ya myself.

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 18:53:41 PM CST

[ Parent ]

If You're Looking For a New Platform

I would suggest WordPress. It's very easy to use and it has expandability via plug-ins. There's one that will automatically perform dumps of the database and send you copies via e-mail for backup purposes.

Jon aka The Angry Fag
http://www.theangryfag.com/
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=TheAngryFag

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by: TheAngryFag @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 13:05:01 PM CST

I like Movable Type

WordPress blogs are hacked quite frequently. I've had horrible experiences with several WordPress blogs I've set up in the past.

Movable Type (MT) is much safer and more stable. I've never had one hacked and I've set up dozens of them.

Barack Obama's site uses MT:

http://www.movabletype.com/sho...

So does Talking Points Memo, NPR, Greenpeace, and PETA.

It is free for bloggers. It has community blog features like profiles and user blogs, but not diaries like Pam uses here (WordPress doesn't either).

When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 13:34:21 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I've never had any problems with WordPress

I would think it was more server configuration and install configuration that would lead to security breach. Most problems with WordPress I've read about were file permission problems. WP.Org is pretty good about getting security holes closed fast.

Scoop is another option. That's what Kos uses.

Jon aka The Angry Fag
http://www.theangryfag.com/
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=TheAngryFag

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by: TheAngryFag @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 14:38:07 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Three Cheers for New-ness!

Moveable Type is a great platform. WordPress can also be good if you have both a good server and someone who knows the WP as well as they know the National Anthem and the proper use of toilet paper and a hairdryer (but not necessarily all at the same time).

While I have often thought the somewhat spartan gray, full width, minimalist look of PHB was less an homage to Albert Speer than an effort to remain clean and simple, it does lack a certain sparkle. Perhaps it's time to clean house, make a move, and give the PHB a face lift in the process.

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by: lo_pan @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 15:02:02 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Although...

This was posted at Soapblox.net. Maybe, like drama, SoapBlox isn't dead.

SoapBlox is a Phoenix?
by: pacified
January 07, 2009 at 08:15:46 MST
I am nothing but a dramatic person.  I am
sorry for that.

SoapBlox needs help.  From all of you.  How do we salvage this.  How do we keep this going?

When you create something that becomes larger than yourself.

I apologize for being so dramatic.  Again, I have a knack for that.

Still. Looking at other options is probably a good thing, even if it's just to make sure SoapBlox remains the best choice.

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by: lo_pan @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 15:27:47 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Sob!

And such timing, too...

Just look at this big, fresh, juicy story about "Joe The Plumber, Future Israel War Correspondant!"

We could have had a frigging FEAST off of this one... but NO. I could have diaried this baby and its spinoffs all freaking WEEK.

May the hackers be doomed to all eternity in "H-E-Double Toothpicks" as cubicle-dwelling CPAs, tasked with resolving the finances and tax forms of all of the Madoff victims- and with one small stubby pencil, a cocktail napkin and a broken abacus!!

"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 13:26:28 PM CST

go ahead and diary it.

i've heard that the sole proprieter of soapbolx, who has admitted to dramatic tendencies, is now getting help from "the community" (whatever that is), and stuff should be stable for the moment.  

Lurleen on Twitter

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by: Lurleen @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 13:42:13 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Eh, my heart's just not in it.

Bleah.

BTW, has anyone noticed any coverage of this story, OTHER than the blogosphere? I sure has heck haven't and even went digging for a mention. MSM must be quietly tickled PINK.

But am finding alot of stories like this one about it.

"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 13:55:16 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Do you suppose that the Right wingers are behind this?

Particularly given that much of our protest and organisation took place on line?

And who are these hackers?

I tell you Chica that no greater abomination exists than women denying their spirit of sisterhood and instead becoming the oppressor. -Rebeca, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

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by: MauraHennessey @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 13:55:51 PM CST

I'd blame Billo and Uncle Pat

...because we already know McCain knows shit about Teh Intertubes.

"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 14:01:15 PM CST

[ Parent ]

May I suggest

since this event CLEARLY throws off the voting process, that all "winners" be marked with an "*" after their blog names?

This is not to take from those who are ahead, btw- but who knows what the real results would have been had this not occurred?

Had this been been the 2008 elections, the lawsuits would be flying even more than they already have been!  

"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 14:00:06 PM CST

Just to note ...

Even tho' I couldn't get to the Blend this morning, I still went to the Awards page and voted for y'all AGAIN.

And just now, I joined the Facebook group - thanks for that link, too.

"There are two kinds of people in this world -- the kind who separate the world into two kinds of people, and those who don't."  -- Gloria Steinem

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by: red7eric @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 14:28:23 PM CST

No Accessble Server is Immune- but SHAME ON SOAPBLOX

I'm sorry, Pam, but if I had a blog on Soapblox I would leave. That response by them gives me absolutely no confidence in their professionalism. It was, frankly, childish.  

Everyone who has a blog should "act as if"- meaning, act as if it will one day be hacked, and have a Plan B which includes a separate storage place for your work.

And move to a blog host that is worth of the work you do.  

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by: worldharmony @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 15:44:53 PM CST

I do agree with that!...Entirely whiney KG style.

If he is selling Blog he needs to be or hire great anti-hacker geeks.... or pay for the protection!  Just like in prohibition!

He'd better be able to guarantee daily backup service and archived records ...on other serviers..

Well anyway gone all day since 10AM so didn't know it was up till it loaded...now to go vote. 

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 23:38:13 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I saw some little douche bag calls himself asta la vista is the hacker

I tried looking for information on him, I found some stuff but it's beyond my computer knowledge. Lets hire a great hacker to go attack this SOB.

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 23:05:31 PM CST

AstaLaVista....is a big (extortion )site...

That requires big montly fees to join. Thus I guess pacified didn't pay his montly protection/extortion money to AstaLaVista.  Isn't that against some law???

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Wed Jan 07, 2009 at 23:35:16 PM CST