22 October 2019 | Spare Me! |
This week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg confused everyone (and especially himself) with a speech at Georgetown.
You see, now Facebook is all about free speech. He says we need to let politicians lie on Facebook without censoring or controlling their speech in any way.
Unless you’ve been dead recently, you’re no doubt aware that Big Tech essentially declared itself the Arbiter of Truth & Justice in a stunning effort to put Orwell’s 1984 to shame.
Unfortunately, this led to a few problems – including legal ones…
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23 July 2019 | How Does it Work?, Networking, Video |
Hacking, data breaches, and general cyber battles have been in the news a lot lately.
I recently read a book that shed a lot of light on how these things actually work – behind the scenes.
It’s called Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber Warfare.
Despite our Hollywood-fueled ideas about hacking, the practical reality is waaay different…
In short: It’s complicated!
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5 March 2019 | Computers, How Does it Work?, Networking, Video |
We hear a lot of about “THEY”. Big data violates our privacy, new potentially dangerous tech like 5G is pushed by “them”, and so on.
But just who is this “they“, anyway?
It turns out, the answer is: It’s complicated!
The best place to look is the big data/spying nonsense. The real history of the internet gives a pretty good idea of just how it all works.
When you lump greedy CEOs together with power-hungry (and often paranoid) politicians, and then toss in some Tech Evangelists for good measure, you get exactly what we have today…
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5 February 2019 | Gizmos, How Does it Work?, Video |
We hear a lot these days about China and the E-vils of their techie toys.
Obviously, there is also a lot of political nonsense going on here given China’s economic rise on the world stage. But how bad are Chinese toys – really?
I mean, everything is Made in China anyway, right?
Join Cletus and I for a fascinating look behind the tech curtain! Iron curtain? Red curtain? Some kind of curtain!
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23 October 2018 | Computers, Gizmos, Networking, Video |
Ah yes, the IoT, or Internet of Things.
The future is apparently filled with internet-connected everything, including dust (yes, dust).
We’re already seeing the beginnings of this brave new world, mostly in the form of smart thermostats, smart appliances, and things like Amazon’s Echo toys.
Part of this future IoT is 5G. As I mentioned in an earlier video, there is a fair amount of evidence in the form of numerous studies that 5G will be particularly bad for our health. As you’ll see, even physicists have jumped on board to sound the alarm.
And finally, a discussion of the 5G Internet of Things wouldn’t be complete without a reintroduction to everyone’s favorite forgotten topic: spycraft!
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18 September 2018 | Computers, How Does it Work?, Networking |
I recently finished reading the book Surveillance Valley: The Secret Military History of the Internet.
Now, I’ve known for awhile that the world of high-tech – and especially the internet – doesn’t quite work the way everyone thinks it does.
We worship tech billionaires as if they’re the Second Coming, praising them for their ingenuity and standing in awe of their sheer genius.
The reality, on the other hand, is a bit more mundane.
Pretty much all the big players in the internet/tech world got where they are with a little help. And by “a little help”, I mean A LOT…
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5 June 2018 | Spare Me!, Video |
Well, it’s that time again.
Some recent news items – and people’s reactions to them – have once again compelled me to foam at the mouth about Big Brother.
Every time one of these “revelations” like the Facebook data breach occurs, everyone gets all fired up…
And then many people usually do exactly the wrong thing in response!
Sure, the privacy thing is a problem. It’s prolly going to get worse before it gets better.
But here’s the thing: YOU help to decide how and when that happens.
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20 February 2018 | Gizmos, How Does it Work?, Video |
Smartphones are nice, right?
They let you Do Stuff™, and you can even convert your entire social life to be run entirely via Google’s servers!
WOW!
Well, according to a recent investigation by the Tucker Carlson clan, it turns out Google is hoovering up far more data than previously thought.
So, I finally decided to take the plunge: I’ve switched to a dumbphone, and I’ve never been happier…
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5 February 2018 | Do-It-Yourself, Gizmos, How Does it Work?, Video |
9 months ago, I made this video: Make your own stylish smartphone Faraday Box in 10 minutes
Since then, I’ve learned a ton more about Faraday cages, and experimented a lot to make an even BETTER box.
It turns out that my original box was only so-so at blocking Bluetooth. My original testing of Bluetooth blocking was, shall we say, not very thorough. My primary focus was blocking cell network signals.
I also mistakenly assumed that if Bluetooth was blocked, WiFi at 2.4 GHz would also be blocked. Nope! WiFi is much harder to block due to the higher signal strength (among other things).
I’m fired!
To make matters worse, contrary to popular belief, we’re still learning about how Faraday cages actually work!
And so, I give you: Stylish Smartphone Faraday Box: Mark II
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10 March 2017 | Do-It-Yourself, Gizmos, How Does it Work? |
New Version! See: A better Stylish Smartphone Faraday Box
With the release of WikiLeak’s “Year Zero” information on the CIA’s capabilities, you might be forgiven if you’re worried about your privacy.
Of course, those capabilities were always there, whether you knew about them or not.
Still, it’s a bit annoying to think that some bozo is remotely activating your smartphone’s mic to spy on your extremely dramatic dinnertime conversations.
You could buy some overly expensive “Faraday Bag” to stick your phone in when you’re not using it, but who wants an ugly black overpriced lunch bag?
Instead, just make your own Faraday Box. It’s stylish, it’s hip, and it only takes about 10 minutes to make!
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This week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg confused everyone (and especially himself) with a speech at Georgetown.
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