21 Nov Hydrogen Technologies

 Guest Speaker: Joey Pritchard

"Hydrogen Technologies and the Hydrogen Economy"

 

Includes an excellent background of what is global warming and what is causing it.  Why Hydrogen solves some of the problems that classic renewable energies (Wind, Solar, Water) have, especially for the transportation sector.  Joey showed a sample of a working fuel cell - a device that turns hydrogen directly into electricity.

I (rwb) thought it also would help to answer the inherent question, "Was it us?"

14 Nov 2024 - It's Random!

Yup, random topics from about the world.

Topics of the Day:

• Worth a look: A 27" UltraHD (3840x2160) Monitor: <link> Was only $200
• Spacex may launch Starship Test 6 this Monday!  <link>
• McMillan's "Is Pluto a Planet?"  <link>
• Is it time to ditch Verizon Wireless?
• For me, it was. $20 increase per month in a year to $100/month for 2 lines
• Switched to MintMobile for $40/month for 2 lines (long term)
• The promo was even better: $8/line for 3 months!  YMMV!
• Very good review of plans by the Wirecutter <link>
• Even AI can do a good job: <link>
• Just ask: “What is the least expensive mobile wireless plan?
• WinDirStat <link> is a great utility to visualize your storage in Windows
  
• Not available for iOS, use "Disk Inventory X" for that
• For Android, look for 'DiskUsage' in the store.
• Don't be caught by the scary phish using NPD data!
• <link> starting on page 3
• Check your records in the NPD breach: <link>
• New Photo Scanner in the Lab <link>
• Works great!
• Bloom's Decision factors for a new PC:  <link>

10 Oct 2024 - the rest of the story

A continuation from last week.

Topics & links of the day

• Space News - Elon wants to launch the StarShip immediately, the FAA doesn't want to rush the license
• PS: The FAA did rush it and the StarShip was launched less than 12 hours after
• Surprise: Megazilla caught the booster flying back to the launch site. No boom.
  
• You asked for it!  Here are pictures from my Colorado/Utah Trip <link>
• Q&A Continued: Apple CarPlay, Lemon8, Win11 Upgrade w/o requirements, Win11 24h2, photos from phone to computer, manage pictures, EICAR
• "Ask Leo" is a great site for computer Q&A: <link>  Worth reading/watching:
  
• You're never too old: https://askleo.com/youre-never-too-old/
  
• Very funny Viking edition of the above: https://askleo.com/thou-art-not-too-old-viking-edition/

3 Oct 2024 - Catch-up, News, Q&A

 Topics & Links of the Day

• Google Maps keeps a history of your travels
• Assuming, of course, you've got a Android you've logged into
• You can turn this off, but I find it handy
• As it did for my trip out West
• Lots of Space News
• SpaceX's "Polaris Dawn" flew <link>
• Lots of firsts: space walk, orbit altitude, private flight, new EVA suits, etc.
• Boeing's Starliner returned, but without its crew
  
• It was "Very Bad" <link> or "Safe" <link> take your pick
• Crew will return with the Spacex "Crew-9" mission in March 2025
• SpaceX Crew9 15th crewed flight, 4th flight of the “Freedom” <Link>
• Just 2 instead of 4 aboard
  
• And it had it's own problems, Falcon9 are now grounded.
• Third grounding in 3 months, need Boeing as backup
• Meanwhile, Elon does not want to wait for the FAA for a launch license
• Will they launch StarShip 5 with out it?
• Get Windows 11 Pro for only $18!  <link> from StackSocial.com
  
• Or Win10 Pro for $20, MS Office Pro for $50.  Watch for sales!
• Important as the free upgrade from Win7 to Win10 has ended.
• FYI: Win11 24H2 is out, but wait for it to be offered to you
• Likewise, MS Office 2024 is now available, replaces the 2021 version
• This is the 'Permanent' license, home is $150, pro is $250
• Book Recommendation: "Ender's Game"
• As only one person asked about it, this will be my last
• I got my copy of the complete "Enderverse" from HumbleBundle for $18
• National Public Data was hacked, lost 2.9B records (!)
• Included Names, Addresses, Family details, Properities, DOB,  Phones, Debts, Criminal Records, Cars, SS numbers, Assets, {eMail addresses} , “and much more”
• If this doesn't scare you, nothing will
• To check if your data as exposed, enter your name at https://npd.pentester.com/
  
• That shows 9 records for me, going back over 50 years!!
• Good page for ID theft and credit freezes: https://grc.sc/freeze
• Much more info on the hack is here:  <link> starting with page 10
• Don McMillan's "Are You an Information Addict?"  <link>
• Compare benchmarks for all CPUs: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/

  and more next week!

22 August 2024 Scam Alerts!

The New Castle Country Department of Police

Community Service Unit

Topics of the Day

• Identity Theft
• Senior Safety
• Personal Safety 
• Call 911 for emergencies
• Call (302) 573-2088 for non-emergencies, notifications, questions

8 August 2024 - Cookies!

 Cookies - the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Topics of the Day

• News & Comment
• SpaceX & Starliner
• Are you a Pirate?
• My New Desk chair
• Topics of the Day
• What’s a QR code?
• Phone Battery Replacements
• Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't!
• Wife now has a new Pixel 7
• Lessons: backup, backup, backup!
  
• The Pornhub Challenge – Are you 18?
• How do you verify age without ID?
• Now blocked in some states
  
• Cookies – The Good, Bad & Ugly
• The good: 1st party login cookies
• The Bad: 3rd party tracking and advertizing
• The "Ugly": everything else
• How does Apple Safari do it?
• Google is a Monopoly per US Judge
• Because they paid Apple $46B for Safari's default browser search engine
• Incognito / Private Browsing & Cookies

18 July 2024 - NSC Website & Scambusters

The NSC has a new website at https://newarkseniorcenter.com/

There are links for the current Newsletter, Lunch Menu, Calendar and Special Events.  The "Member Portal" is also new, https://newarkseniorcenter.my.site.com/s/login/

Note that any previous accounts you may have created or used at the NSC before 2024 are no longer active and you need to establish a new NSC account.

To see most of the events in the member portal, one has to click the "Register" button.  Due to a glitch in the matrix, multiple clicks of the register button will be required to actually register for any free or paid session.  :-)

--------------

And excellent weekly email newsletter is available here:  https://scambusters.org/   Click the three-line "Hamburger" icon to see the menu.  The current article is a re-visit of various election scams, https://scambusters.org/electionscam3.html 

I was amazed at the number of fake news websites that have been identified and listed here in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fake_news_websites  It is easy to see how one can be taken in by fraudsters.  A quote from the newsletter:

"There are many good fact-checking sites. Where politics and elections are concerned, two of the best ones are FactCheck.org and Politifact.com."

11 July 2024 - News & Comment & Backup & Stuff!

I didn't know what to talk about so just did random stuff! - Bob Bloom

Topics and Links of the Day:

• Zoozve
• The RadioLab Podcast that named it: <link>
• The Space.com article about it:  <link>
• Its original name "2002VE86" from Wikipedia <link>
• The Silver Ships is a great (and cheap) Kindle book:  <link>
• You don't need a Kindle to read Kindle books:  <link>
• But if you want a Kindle, which one is for you?  <link>
• How to put free books on your Kindle:  <link>
• How to manage all the stuff on your Kindle:  <link>
• The Boeing Starliner is *not* "Stuck in Space" or "Stranded" or "Marooned!"  <link>
• Want something Cheap but still good?  PC Mag has 100 buys for you:  <link>
• Why Microsoft Recall is a bad idea <link>.  The Recall stuff starts on page 11 of this PDF, but there is lots more security information on the other pages.
• Kaspersky banned from selling anything in the US <link>
• Google not trusting Entrust any more! <link>  Certificates are important, here's why <link>
• All Rare Earth materials in China are now state owned.  <link>
• "I just told my kid that' I'm older than the internet and he thought i was joking."
• Backup Software  (Saved by Assets when 'Snow' would not boot.)
• Acronis <link>
• Macrium Reflect <link> Free edition <link>
• EaseUS ToDo <link> Free edition <link>
  
• Others:  IDrive, Carbonite, Windows File History <link>
• Free Software
• Ccleaner <link>  See the presentation on how to 'neuter' it!
• CloneSpy <link> If you want to manage lots of duplicative files

That's gotta be a record for me on one of these posts for the number of links!

6 June 2024 - Bob's Bytes - Listen up!

Sorry about this, but this presentation was much more personal than I originally planned.  But as they say, 'Stuff Happens' and it happened to happen to me.  So read and watch on if you'd like to avoid some of the things that happened.  (Is that enough happenings for you?  :-)

Topics of the day ...

• Some rules of the Internet, Betteridge's Headlines, Rule 34, and Godwin's Law.
  
• Windows 11 has ads in the Main Menu, this is how to turn them off
• Boeing's StarLiner flew for the first time with astronauts aboard and successfully docked with the ISS a day later.  But it's Boeing so drama is involved; hopefully the three (3!) helium leaks will not affect their return in a week.
• SpaceX flew their StarShip rocket for the 4th time a day later than the StarLiner.  For the first time the Super Heavy booster accomplished a return to launch site and a soft landing.  (That landing was out in the Gulf of Mexico just in case it didn't work.)  And for the first time the StarShip itself sortof survived re-entry and accomplished a soft landing in the Indian Ocean.  Sorta = there was damage.  Amazing video is available.  <link>
  
• Communications with the most distant man-make object, Voyager 1 was re-established last week.  The 1,500 people working on the Voyagers is now done to just 11 people.  Watch their 2020 story in “It's Quieter in the Twilight” Video {Amazon Prime} or with ads on Tubi.  The 2024 story continuation is here:  <link>  Lastly, I'm always moved by this passage from the Book of Carl, <The Pale Blue Dot>
• It can happen to anyone, we got 'hacked' by a scammer over our bank accounts.  Don't let it happen to you.
• My 20 year old wonderfully simple, clean and efficient Wayne-Dalton iDrive garage door openers ... got old.  One became too sensitive and frankly I broke the other one mistakeningly trying to fix it.  Replaced both with "Genies" by Precision Garage Door <link>.  Phenomenal service - worked to 9pm on a Sunday to install the new ones at no extra cost.  On the other hand, there is a cost to phenomenal service.
• Spent a half day and night at Kitty Hawk, the Outer Banks, North Carolina.  To late to visit the Wright Bros Memorial as planned, but nothing else bad happened.  (That didn't last.)
• The next four days were in Myrtle Beach South Carolina.  Other than backing into a concrete pillar in a very dark parking garage and smashing a tail light and bumper ... it was a nice trip.  :-/
  
• On the way home, caught a stone in the wind shield which caused a small, less than 1" crack.
• To close out this tale, SafeLight came out to our house to repair the crack.  The repair failed, a 1 in a 1000 occurrence according to the tech.  The small crack is now 2 feet in to different directions and the wind shield needs a complete replacement.
• We've been on a music theme lately, so decided to close with a tribute to the GrimeThorpe Brass Band of "Brassed Off." In the movie, the band director, Danny, was in the hospital with an uncertain survival, more than one of the band members facing serious personal problems, and gathered together for what may be the last performance of the band.  The still existing (!) GrimeThorpe Brass Band, during Covid, recreated the scene with "Oh Danny Boy."  With inserts of the band and clips from the movie.
  

 Ever have a spell in which everything you touch seems to break?

9 May 2024 - Bob's Bytes #321

 "$ & All over the Place!"

A more random than usual day.  Here are notes and links for the Topics of the Day:

• The Commercial Crew Program (CCP) which put Boeing and SpaceX in competition to take crew to and from the International Space Station.  <link>  SpaceX has made 13 manned flights so far; Boeing, none.  Their next try: May 17, 2024
• The Cuckoo's Egg was a great book and also a PBS Special.  See it <here>.
• The ransomware hack of Change Healthcare, a division of UnitedHealth was significant, effecting a third of all US citizens.  But apparently no honor among thieves as AlphV, a ransomware as a service ground, stole the $22M ransom from 'RansomHub' one of their affiliates.  So pay up again!  <link>  And UnitedHealth is saying it will cost them $1.6B (with a B) to recover.  <link>  Guess who pays that bill!
• "Brassed Off" is a great movie on the problems the British faced closing their coal mines.  But the Grimethorpe band played on.  Danny: “For 100 years this band has been going.  Through 2 World Wars, 3 disasters, 7 strikes, one bloody big depression and this band has played on every flaming time.” To hear and watch their struggles, click <here>.
• AT&T Data Breach, a "rolling disclosure" since 2019.  <link> Which led me to:
  
• For instructions and links to freeze your credit records, type this into your browser address line ... https://grc.sc/credit.  (Did you think I'd just give you a link?  No!  This is important enough to make you do it yourself!!  ok, if you insist ...  https://www.investopedia.com/how-to-freeze-and-unfreeze-your-credit-5075527)
• If tracking cookies worry you, use the Firefox browser <link>.  And uBlock Origin is a great extension for it.  <link>
  
• The Ask Woody free newsletter is well worth it.  <link>  To get the paid version which is even better, they accept any donation!
• Don't use Microsoft's Outlook (new).  It's half-baked and doesn't even do what the 20-year old Outlook Express used to do.
• China bans Western encrypted messaging apps <link> 

My presentation for review or download:

18 April 2024 - What is A.I. Anyway?

 From Carl Stewart, a frequent presenter to the Senior Surfers and a good friend of the technology club.

11 April 2024 - Eclipse

Bob's Bytes #320, "The 2024 Eclipse and More!"

Topics of the Day:

• News & Comment
• StarShip Q Correction
• 2024 Solar Eclipse
• Passkeys
• Joey’s Glove
• Free Software
• PatchMyPC
• Bonus: DB
• Revo Uninstaller

 Links:

• Ned Milbrandt Obituary <link> A good friend of all of us in the Surfers.
  
• The DearMoon Project <link> Artists & influencers will fly to the Moon
  
• Tim Dodd, the “Everyday Astronaut” <YouTube> <Home Page>
• SpaceX Starship info <link> Can't fault Elon for not thinking big!
  
• 2024 Interactive Eclipse map <link> Click anywhere for that location
  
• National Museum of the US Air Force <link> If you like Air&Space, go there.
  
• Their Eclipse event <link> 100,000+ people expected!
• Eldora Speedway <link>  Tony Stewart's best dirt track in the US
  
• Ashton-Tate's dBase <link> I spent multiple man-years programming and using this alone with the Clipper complier
  
• Passkeys <link>  Better security than passwords & 2nd factor! <link>
• GRC's SQRL <link> Better than Passkeys, but 🤕 that ship sailed and sunk
  
• Joey's Gloves  <Jalopnik> <Penalty> "If you're not cheating, you're not trying!"
  
• 5 Way to Keep Your Windows 10 PC Alive <link>  Not my recommendations!
• PatchMyPC <link> Best way to install common free Windows apps
  
• IObit's Driver Booster <link> Or just use PatchMyPC to install
  
• Revo Uninstaller <link> Or just use PatchMyPC to install

Note! Because of my embedded videos of the Eclipse, this is a large 1.5 MB download.

4 Apr 2024 - Satellites

 Given by our own John Fennel ...

21 March 2024 - Pollinators!

 A Workshop by Yvonne Settle

The Monarch Butterfly cycle of life ...

14 March 2024 - Free Software Part II

 Topics & Links of the Day:

• SpaceX's Starship Integrated Test Flight 3 occurred this morning.  Itgot much farther than LTF-2.  Still lots of work to do.  Mars is a long way off, but the first steps have been made.
  
• Crew8 arrived at the International Space Station, it's getting crowded there. Crew7 returns this week. The ISS has been continuously occupied for 23 years and counting.
  
• Marcus House does a great job in reviewing and giving the details of all space activities. Phenomenal close-up videos, better than any news channels.  Here is his channel on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@MarcusHouse  Check them out!
• Buy Microsoft Office:   <link>  Scroll down for the one-time, use forever 2021 version.
• Or, use the free On-line Office with a Microsoft Account:  <link>
• Or, LibreOffice is 100% free and does all the same things as Microsoft Office:  <link>
• Thunderbird is the best email client for Windows, and it's free:  <link>  It also does contacts and calendaring.
  
• The best way to look at Photos is IrfanView. <link> Fast opening, reviewing, minor edits, and slide shows.  Handles all formats transparently.
  
• The best way to look at Videos is is VLC. <link> Fast opening, reviewing, and flipping through multiple ones.  Handles all formats transparently.

 

7 Mar 2024 - Free Software

Topics of the Day:

• DelDot is having another meeting on the Old Baltimore Pike / Battle Drive intersection.  {link}  The Pencader Museum is against it.  Next meeting: Glasgow HS, March 25th, 5:30pm.
• There is a webpage {link} to report power outages.  Bob used the DelMarVa Power App to report his one-house outage.  (A device on the pole to his house failed, they fixed it in 4 hours)
• Check out O'Reilly Auto Parts part #121G {link}
• "In the beginning" AT&T Bell Labs wrote UNIX which they would only sell {link}.  Richard Stallman {link} thought "Information wants to be free" and wrote the free GNU. And that lead to Linux {link}.  Everything now seems to be based on Linux.
• What's the best browser is like asking what is the best car.  All have there advantages, except Microsoft's Internet Explorer.  Don't use IE.
• Different Browsers are like different models of cars to go to the same place.  Does it matter if you take a Ford or Chevy to go to the Walmart?  It shouldn't, where you are going, the web site, is more important.  Though I like my Toyota Prius and FireFox!
  
• How to security store, retrieve and use Passwords?  Use a Password Manager.  We like the free BitWarden.  {link}  Use an extension in your browser to automatically fill-in your saved passwords.

15 Feb 2024 - Movie Maker & YouTube Upload

Title of this one originally was 'Free Software' but things changed.  But you can also consider Movie Maker and YouTube 'Free Software!'

Topics of the Day

• News and Comment
  
• Freebies from the Tech Club
• BitLocker follow up (it's still not visible)
• The Digital News Journal - a good deal
• DelDot tries to fix the Cooch's Bridge Intersection
• What you need to create, and upload (or "publish") a video to YouTube
• Windows Live Movie Maker (2012)
• Quicky Demo
• Uploading to YouTube

Links for those that don't want to hunt for them in the presentation:

• Popglory Smart Watch <link>
• Delaware OnLine website <link>
• News Journal Special Offers <link>  $1 for 6 months!
• DelDot Cooch's Bridge Road Project <link>
• DelDot Cooch's Bridge Road Workshop <link>
• To submit comments to the above proposal <link>
• Major Geek's Windows Live Movie Maker 2012 download <link>
• YouTube <link>  (duh!)
• Bloom's YouTube Channel <link>
• "Snow" - the quickie video created and uploaded during the presentation <link>
• A good example of what can be easily done with WLMM
  

 

Update:

• Another link to the WLMM created demo video:  <link>
• And here's a link to a iMovie demo video done with the same input files for comparison:  <link>

I did the iMovie one in 10 minutes even though I'm not comfortable on an iMac like I am on Windows.  I've never used iMovie before, it's very comparable to WLMM in ease of use though has many more features. The biggest challenge was figuring out the Apple way of doing things vs. the Windows way.  Example: there is no “Save Movie” in iMovie; it’s “Share.”  <grin>  Took me awhile to find that.

As expected, YouTube detected my use of copyrighted material, specifically the sound track. That means it can't be monetized, I can't receive money for uploading it.  It was blocked in one territory, "Russia." 

-bb 

 8 Feb 2024 - "Red Solo Cup"

Topics of the Day

• News & Comment
• Freebies, Pushy Microsoft
• Keeping Secrets
• Incognito / Private Mode, Browser Extensions (Part 1 - 18 Jan)
  
• Individual Files, Bitlocker, 7-ZIP & VeraCrypt (Part 2 - Today)
  
• Download/Save YouTube Videos
• Upload/ Publish YouTube Videos (Saved to next week)

Links of the Day 

• A Google Chrome warning about Microsoft from Mozilla.  <link>
  
• Microsoft repeatedly using harmful design to influence users into using Edge.
• Best AI Image Generators (ZD Net) <link>
• A project for you: Create a new "Senior Surfers" logo with these!
• 7-Zip for encrypted Zip Files <link>
  
• VeraCrypt, best folder and device encrypter ever! <link>
  

 

Lastly that poignant video by Toby Keith, "Don't Let the Old Man In" suggested by an idea from Clint Eastwood, with scenes from Eastwood's "The Mule."  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc5AWImplfE 

 A History of U.S. Currency

Dr. Mark Bendett

Given February 1st, 2024

 

 Mark brought an impressive number of sample from his collection:

 Even a $1000 Bill!  (Cropped here to keep the secret service away.  :-))

First!

My first presentation of 2024, the 315th to the Senior Surfers.

I can't promise, but will try to post all presentations here that I receive.  2023 was a challenging year.

Topics of the day:

• News & Comment - Freebies, Falcon9, Microsoft, Intel, EVs, Malwarebytes, OneDrive Close-out
• Mail Merge - Documents, Emails, & Labels
• Keeping Secrets - Incognito / Private Mode, Browser Extensions 

There's more to "Keeping Secrets" (a title that makes me giggle) that will be saved till next time.

Links:

• Which EV Charging Network is Cheapest? <link>
• Cost of electricity by State <link> (way lower than my experience!)
• Want OneDrive be Gone?  <link>
• 6 Apps to Watch Free TV <link>
• That 7" screen for your Car for Apple Carplay or Andrioid Auto <link>
• Best Privacy extension for Browsers <link>
  

In the Mail Merge demo, we had an hand-out (available <here>) and some sample files available here: <name list>, <base doc>, and <Labels>.  Note if you open these, they probably will report that they don't see the data source document ("xlist.xls"). Direct them to wherever you downloaded that file (which is the name list) and they should be happy.