Organization: Secure Blogging

Did you know that you can blog via email? If you have a gmail account, which connects via HTTPS, then you can email your blog to make posts. The information you send will be difficult for security goons to decipher even if they are tracking your Internet usage.

Have at least two accounts. One where you discuss items that you are willing to have people see -- such as inane chit-chat with family. This way, if you are forced to reveal your gmail account credentials you can give them one that is safe and perhaps avoid causing a leak. Additionally, make sure your disposable account login is easy to remember.

If they choose to do so the government can certainly see which sites you frequently visit and if particularly interested in you they can save all your communications for their reading pleasure. There is no risk in assuming this and taking precautions to protect yourself (unless gmail or HTTPS use, for example, is a particular warning flag to them).

Why a blog? Because it stays put. People can link to it. They don't have to be awake watching a stream of consciousness at the same time that it is written. It allows totally anonymous comments that can be kept or removed as appropriate. It's great for organizing a large amount of semi-static information for reference. Twitter and Facebook are great for real time connection with other people. They each have their place.

How Do I Set Up A Blog
I'm not going to get into all the bells and whistles that are possible. However, I will walk you through the steps to get a blog and be able to start posting to it. It's been a long time since I created my Google accounts so please correct me if you spot any errors or missing details:

• Go to mail.google.com and choose to create a new account.
• Once your account is completed go to blogger.com and create an account using your gmail address.
• Once you have an account you should see a prominent message asking you to create a blog
• Give your blog a name and choose a domain (e.g. myblog.blotspot.com)
• Just pick any one of the blog display themes as you can change it later
• Create your first post right away
• You are now a blogger... there is plenty to learn but you have started

From here you can learn how to manage the look of your blog, add links, add widgets, set up email blogging and so on. Just goof around with the UI or ask me some questions and I'll go check it out.