ScottiesTechInfo

Person 1: My messenging app is more secure. Person 2: No, MINE is! Person 3: No way, I ONLY use Signal - it's the most secure! Okay, ya'll are fired. What if I told you that NONE of the messaging apps you use are really, truly secure? Sound crazy? Well, it is. The encryption is as good as you're gonna get. The problem is the way it's used that actually matters... Join me for a deep dive into the wonderful world of encryption! Goodies from the Vid: - Crypto 101 book download: https://crypto101.io - AES on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Encryption_Standard - Is Telegram Safe? - https://clario.co/blog/is-telegram-safe/ - Diffie-Hellman diagram: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Explanation_of_secret_chats_(Telegram).png More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

Using Microsoft software can be quite an adventure. It's especially fun when your previously activated copy of Windows or Office decides to de-activate itself! Sometimes, the usual official routes of re-activation are useful. Other times, not so much... Isn't there a way to re-activate your legal copy of Windows EASILY?! Why, yes, there is! The Goods: - Microsoft Activation Scripts web site: https://massgrave.dev/ - Downloadable MAS version on github: https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

What "hallucinate" really means...

When you imagine your future with the amazing technology of AI, chances are it doesn't look like what's happening today. In fact, it's not even close. If you're sick of hearing about AI while lamenting the lack of actual, cool uses for it, you're not alone. On top of that, It's getting pretty bad out there: from power problems to money problems to 'model collapse', AI is on the road to changing... well, nothing at all, actually! It's pretty much a mess. Links mentioned in the vid: - Big Tech needs to generate $600 billion in annual revenue to justify AI hardware expenditure: https://www.techspot.com/news/103699-big-tech-needs-generate-600-billion-annual-revenue.html - Google Researchers Publish Paper About How AI Is Ruining the Internet: https://futurism.com/the-byte/google-researchers-paper-ai-internet - Google: AI Potentially Breaking Reality Is a Feature Not a Bug: https://www.404media.co/google-ai-potentially-breaking-reality-is-a-feature-not-a-bug/ - Generative AI Misuse: A Taxonomy of Tactics and Insights from Real-World Data: https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.13843# - GIGO: AI produces gibberish when trained on too much AI-generated data: https://www.sott.net/article/493452-GIGO-AI-produces-gibberish-when-trained-on-too-much-AI-generated-data - AI models collapse when trained on recursively generated data: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07566-y - Generative AI could be hurting productivity at work, despite what bosses believe: https://www.techspot.com/news/103985-generative-ai-could-hurting-productivity-work-despite-what.html - Activision Blizzard has started using AI to pick up the slack left by laid-off artists: https://www.techspot.com/news/103990-activision-blizzard-has-begun-using-ai-pick-up.html More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

The LAST video you need to watch to fix low mic volume! Connecting a mic to your PC is pretty essential for good quality sound. So what do you do when your mic level is too low? After going through the usual fixes for mix problems - just in case - I explain what's probably going on with your mic and how to fix it quickly and cheaply! Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 00:40 - Basic hardware tests 01:10 - Check Windows Settings 01:34 - Check Control Panel Sound 02:09 - Check security settings for mic 02:29 - THE BIG FIX! 02:56 - Mic power explained 03:46 - Which adapter to buy 04:42 - Conclusion Goodies in the vid (affiliate links): - UGREEN USB to Combo Audio Jack: https://amzn.to/3WQyDMJ - UGREEN USB to Dual TRS Jacks: https://amzn.to/3AcoZL6 - RØDE SmartLav+ lavalier tie mic (the one I use!): https://amzn.to/3yhk3Ek More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

The global IT outage on Friday, July 16th 2024 was a humdinger. We're told it's nothing to worry about, but what's really going on? I'm afraid the rabbit hole goes a bit deeper than you think. More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

What's the one thing no coder wants to talk about? Chances are, you know a few coders. They're everywhere these days! What you might not know is that most of them have experienced something, well, unexplained: code that works, but shouldn't. At all. It's just part of many programmers' lives. But what's really going on here? How is it that something that never should have worked in the first place works perfectly - sometimes, for years?! Links: - Fake scientific papers are alarmingly common (https://www.science.org/content/article/fake-scientific-papers-are-alarmingly-common) - 'The situation has become appalling': fake scientific papers push research credibility to crisis point (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/feb/03/the-situation-has-become-appalling-fake-scientific-papers-push-research-credibility-to-crisis-point) - Academics Use Imaginary Data in Their Research (https://reason.com/video/2024/05/07/academics-use-imaginary-data-in-their-research/) More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

There are hundreds and hundreds of studies showing that our wireless wonderland of EMF is not good for our health. But you might ask: Well, HOW? When we say "EMF", we're talking about many different types of electromagnetic waves, different frequencies, different power levels, and so on. How could it possibly work? It turns out that the answer may very well be in our DNA! Goodies (affiliate links): - DNA is a fractal antenna in electromagnetic fields (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/50986117_DNA_is_a_fractal_antenna_in_electromagnetic_fields) - 3-D Image Shows How DNA Packs Itself into a “Fractal Globule” (https://scitechdaily.com/3-d-image-shows-how-dna-packs-itself-into-a-fractal-globule/) - High Electronic Conductance through Double-Helix DNA Molecules with Fullerene Anchoring Groups (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jpca.7b00348) - The Invisible Rainbow: A History of Electricity and Life by Arthur Firstenberg (https://amzn.to/3PZuB0r) - Genetic Entropy by Dr. John Sanford (https://amzn.to/4cHv0hM) More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

AI is all the rage. But with the recent Gemini disaster along with a lack of truly killer applications using AI, it doesn't seem like AI is really going anywhere. So, is it all just hype, or what? Join me for a look at the real danger presented by AI. Hint: It ain't SkyNet you need to be worried about! Links from the vid: - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's message to kids: generative AI means you don't need to learn coding: https://www.techspot.com/news/102020-nvidia-boss-jensen-huang-children-shouldnt-learn-code.html - John Carmack on Jensen Huang on X: https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/1762110222321975442 - "The Shirt Guy" asking Sergey Brin about Gemini (video): https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1764226485525819731 - Allan Savory on Science (full video): https://twitter.com/GhostGone420/status/1758701567086309835 Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 00:44 - Nvidia in the news 01:10 - John Carmack responds 01:24 - Purdue Study on ChatGPT 01:46 - Large Language Models 02:36 - Problem #1 02:56 - Problem #2 03:22 - Gemini falls flat on its face 03:55 - Brin talks about Gemini's failure 04:15 - The Shirt Guy 04:31 - EA layoffs 05:03 - The Real Problem 05:29 - Too much hype 06:02 - Tech is like Science 06:42 - Allan Savory on Science 07:56 - Conclusion More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

Technology is everywhere these days. Most of the time, it makes life easier. But instant and constant access to so much information, such as the latest news and world events, can also lead to high stress levels, anxiety, and eventually poor health. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could use technology to reduce your stress and anxiety instead of constantly increasing it? Well guess what? You can! Vagus Nerve Stimulation supplies (affiliate links): - Med-Fit 3 Digital Dual Channel TENS Machine: https://amzn.to/3UEO8X7 - Ear Clip electrodes: https://amzn.to/48ipajo - 20 x 5x5cm sticky pad electrodes: https://amzn.to/3uoB9hN Links from the video: - Mayo Clinic Vagus Nerve Stimulation: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/vagus-nerve-stimulation/about/pac-20384565 - Investigational treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with a vibrotactile device applied to the external ear: https://bioelecmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42234-019-0020-4 - Effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation in individuals aged 55 years or above: potential benefits of daily stimulation: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334762009_Bretherton_et_al_tVNS_in_over_55s_Aging_2019 - Americans Are Taking 34 Percent More Anxiety Meds Since Coronavirus Pandemic Started, Study Says: https://www.newsweek.com/americans-are-taking-34-percent-more-anxiety-meds-since-coronavirus-pandemic-started-study-says-1498189 - Unlocking the Power of Vagus Nerve Stimulation with TENS: https://blog.tensmachinesaustralia.com.au/unlocking-the-power-of-vagus-nerve-stimulation-with-tens/ - Critical Review of Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Challenges for Translation to Clinical Practice: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7199464/

Technology is everywhere these days. Most of the time, it makes life easier. But instant and constant access to so much information, such as the latest news and world events, can also lead to high stress levels, anxiety, and eventually poor health. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could use technology to reduce your stress and anxiety instead of constantly increasing it? Well guess what? You can! Vagus Nerve Stimulation supplies (affiliate links): - Med-Fit 3 Digital Dual Channel TENS Machine: https://amzn.to/3UEO8X7 - Ear Clip electrodes: https://amzn.to/48ipajo - 20 x 5x5cm sticky pad electrodes: https://amzn.to/3uoB9hN Links from the video: - Mayo Clinic Vagus Nerve Stimulation: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/vagus-nerve-stimulation/about/pac-20384565 - Investigational treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with a vibrotactile device applied to the external ear: https://bioelecmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42234-019-0020-4 - Effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation in individuals aged 55 years or above: potential benefits of daily stimulation: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334762009_Bretherton_et_al_tVNS_in_over_55s_Aging_2019 - Americans Are Taking 34 Percent More Anxiety Meds Since Coronavirus Pandemic Started, Study Says: https://www.newsweek.com/americans-are-taking-34-percent-more-anxiety-meds-since-coronavirus-pandemic-started-study-says-1498189 - Unlocking the Power of Vagus Nerve Stimulation with TENS: https://blog.tensmachinesaustralia.com.au/unlocking-the-power-of-vagus-nerve-stimulation-with-tens/ - Critical Review of Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Challenges for Translation to Clinical Practice: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7199464/

Solar panels, power walls, wind power... It's all about Renewable Energy! In fact, it's all being pushed to often insane degrees. So the question is: Just how 'green' is Green Energy? Is it gonna save us all from certain doom, climate change, and space invaders? Well... As usual, it's complicated. Let's take a deep dive into the fascinating (and sometimes confusing) world of Green Energy! Links in the vid: - Dark Side To Solar? More Reports Tie Panel Production To Toxic Pollution (https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2021/06/21/why-everything-they-said-about-solar---including-that-its-clean-and-cheap---was-wrong/?sh=7a7ddece5fe5) - Wind farms produced 'practically no electricity' during Britain's cold snap (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/6957501/Wind-farms-produced-practically-no-electricity-during-Britains-cold-snap.html) - The Costs and Benefits of Hydropower (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/costs-and-benefits-hydropower-180967691/) - Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Reservoir Water Surfaces: A New Global Synthesis (https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/66/11/949/2754271) - Iceland Volcano Update: Eruption-Making Magma Shift May Be 'Days' Away (https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/iceland-volcano-update-eruption-making-magma-shift-may-be-days-away/ar-AA1l9CZY) 00:00 - Intro 00:33 - Solar Panels 01:28 - FREE Solar Panels 01:52 - Wind Farms 02:27 - The wind stopped 02:56 - Geothermal power 03:46 - Is there a solution? 04:13 - The Power Problem 05:09 - Hydropower 05:49 - The greenhouse gas issue 06:32 - Climate Change 07:26 - Geothermal revisited 07:26 - Wrapping up 08:28 - What happens if we ditch Fossil Fuels? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OkYUle_Cr0) 08:31 - Your Green Story More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

You finally upgrade your motherboard and processor, but you can't boot. In fact, you can't even see your harddrive in the BIOS or the OS installer. What the heck is going on? Well, the explanation gets hairy... But thankfully, there are two solutions, and one of them is pretty simple! Articles mentioned in the vid: - Why can’t I see my SSD in a clean install of Windows 11? (https://scottiestech.info/2021/11/16/why-cant-i-see-my-ssd-in-a-clean-install-of-windows-11/) - Why can’t I enable CSM on my new motherboard? (https://scottiestech.info/2021/04/13/why-cant-i-enable-csm-on-my-new-motherboard/) - Convert your Windows 10 boot drive from MBR to GPT (https://scottiestech.info/2017/11/12/convert-your-windows-10-boot-drive-from-mbr-to-gpt/) - NVMe drive missing or not booting? There’s a simple fix! (https://scottiestech.info/2022/04/26/nvme-drive-missing-or-not-booting-theres-a-simple-fix/) - ASUS support FAQ on integrated graphics and CSM (https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1045467) Need a new hard drive or graphics card? Check out my favorites (affiliate links): - Samsung 990 PRO Series 1TB NVMe drive (https://amzn.to/3SMI8La) - Samsung 870 QVO 2TB 2.5" SATA III SSD (https://amzn.to/47kCofV) - GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Gaming 8G graphics card (https://amzn.to/47eIgY6) 00:00 - Intro 00:34 - OS installer can't see boot drive 00:54 - BIOS / UEFI 01:17 - Boot Process 01:30 - MBR vs GPT 02:10 - Need CSM for MBR 02:23 - CSM 02:39 - Fix #1: Convert MBR drive to GPT 03:00 - Fix #2: Graphics card 03:21 - CSM grayed out 04:01 - Recap 04:13 - UPGRADE!! 04:30 - Outro More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

By now, you probably know that there's enough scientific doubt about wireless tech. But how bad is it? More importantly, how do you get people to listen? It's easier than you think! From the Video: - 5G Wireless Communication and Health Effects—A Pragmatic Review Based on Available Studies Regarding 6 to 100 GHz [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6765906/] - Radiofrequency at 2.45 GHz increases toxicity, pro-inflammatory and pre-apoptotic activity caused by black carbon in the RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969720362100] - FCC SAR Guidelines [https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/specific-absorption-rate-sar-cell-phones-what-it-means-you] - Health risks from radiofrequency radiation, including 5G, should be assessed by experts with no conflicts of interest [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7405337/] More Studies: - International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies RF EMF as possibly carcinogenic to humans [http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf] - Microwave frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produce widespread neuropsychiatric effects including depression [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26300312/] - Long-term electromagnetic pulse exposure induces Abeta deposition and cognitive dysfunction through oxidative stress and overexpression of APP and BACE1 [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006899316301330] - Possible Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure on Central Nerve System [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6513191/] - Electromagnetic field induced biological effects in humans [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27012122/] - Effect of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted by Modern Cellphones on Sperm Motility and Viability: An In Vitro Study [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36379868/] More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

So, you've gone wired and are enjoying the speed, stability, and privacy of Ethernet. One problem: There's no button to turn off WiFi on your ISP's router/modem. What to do? Why, hack it, of course! - No more WiFi: How to wire your house for Internet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyVpunl8By8 - Need another Ethernet switch? https://amzn.to/3t8pZfW More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

No, it's not ChatGPT. And it's not exactly Google, either. When you have a tech problem and you want to solve it quick, that's part of the problem. But if you take in account simple human nature, you can solve your problems in record time - and learn something along the way! Video clips: https://www.pexels.com More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

If you're having trouble with files/folders not appearing until you refresh the folder view with a tap on F5, then you've been hit by the dreaded Explorer Doesn't Refresh Automatically bug! Fortunately, it's pretty easy to fix. - Cloudless Windows backup that's RELIABLE and FREE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7FUK2fEQw8 More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

You may have heard the word e-fuel, but most people have no idea what the stuff actually is. Same with biodiesel... Along with electric cars, this stuff is supposed to be the future, man! But IS it? Join me for a deep dive into the wonderful (green) world of alternative energy. It's quite a show... Goodies in the vid: - Repsol image: https://www.repsol.com/en/technology-and-digitalization/technology-lab/new-mobility/net-zero-emissions-fuels/index.cshtml - The Secret of electric cars, mowers, and power tools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vXKcIOl6kM - What happens if we ditch Fossil Fuels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OkYUle_Cr0 - The Power Problem with Electric Vehicles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rK45FG73jI More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

Everyone knows what a magnet is. But have you ever heard of an electret? Yeah, me neither! In fact, there's an entire branch of science/engineering that gets very little attention these days - outside of very specific applications that like 3 people know about. Join me for a look into the amazing world of electrostatics! Goodies in the vid: - https://9to5science.com/electric-field-around-a-current-carrying-conductor - "Electrostatics: Exploring, Controlling and Using Static Electricity" by A.D. Moore - https://amzn.to/3JTbSAz - "Electrostatic Motors: Their History, Types, and Principles of Operation" by Oleg Jefimenko - https://amzn.to/3DcUOle - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electret More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

Windows is giving you trouble? Stuff is crashing? Normally, you'd just pull out your hair and start screaming. But what if you could see exactly WHY it's crapping out on you? Actually, you can! And it's easier than you think... Join me for a look at Windows logging and how you can become a Pro Techie and amaze your friends! More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

Last time you were on an airplane, did you notice those little "antennas" on the backs of the wings? Turns out they're not antennas at all! And that's where it gets interesting. Join me for a look at the wild (and mysterious) world of static electricity! - A Better Faraday Box video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NguyYHPjwnI - Cling film article on ScienceFocus: https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/why-does-clingfilm-cling/ More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

You know the drill: You've got an image, audio, video, or document file. Either you can't open it, or you need to convert it to a different format to send to someone else. You could use complicated software, but why not do it in just a few easy clicks? With File Converter, you can convert video files, turn video into audio files, change Word docs into PDFs, and a whole lot more. And it's FREE! https://file-converter.org More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

Everything these days is powered by batteries: power tools, mowers, cars, etc. But why does this even work? A quick look at the power provided by lithium-based batteries should make even armchair techies cringe! Something doesn't add up... So, what's the secret?

The name "shaded pole motor" might sound scary, but these things are REALLY simple inside. So simple that if you have one, you can probably fix it yourself in about 10 minutes with a few simple tools. DIY, save some bucks, and Bob's your uncle. When they're used, how they work, and how to fix 'em good... Join me for a look at this common motor type! Tools in the vid (affiliate links): - BOSCH GSR12V-300FCB22 12V Max EC Brushless Flexiclick 5-In-1 Drill/Driver: https://amzn.to/3l9N3HD - BOSCH GBA12V60 12V Max Lithium-Ion 6.0 Ah Battery: https://amzn.to/3ZXVzs8 My other SuperSaver vids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxiSXoEdwXk&list=PLrTCa4nP8TlGe1G7Vq4u7urrStiDdEGLC More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info

These days, it's all about the green, reduced carbon footprint. While that all sounds nice, what would actually happen if we just ditched fossil fuels - coal, oil, and gas - overnight? It turns out it's WAY more complicated than you might think... Links: - The Power Problem with Electric Vehicles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rK45FG73jI More techie tips: https://scottiestech.info