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March 3, 2025

⚡ Not a shocker: Hackers are trying to mess with our solar panels. Chinese-owned Solarman PV had a security hole that affected power plants in 190 countries. A German company, Solar-Log, let some folks use the default password. Have solar panels? Switch the default password to a strong one and put them on a separate guest network.

💻 Skype’s last call: Will be on May 5. It changed how we made phone calls when it launched in 2003, but couldn’t keep up with Zoom and Slack. Microsoft wants you to switch to Teams. You’ll be able to log in with your Skype info and save your old chats.

Delete it: Go ahead and remove the chat app Telegram from kids’ phones because “more than 90%” of drug deals and illegal gun sales start there. Telegram, of course, says crime happens on every online platform. I’m all for privacy, but kids don’t need encrypted chat.

I 🫶 this: Apple Watch to the rescue for Sue Dumbault from Atlanta. The 48-year-old got an alert that her heart rate was at 137 bpm for more than 10 minutes. That’s about how high mine gets when I sprint! Many hospital visits later, Sue had open-heart surgery that saved her life.

Now this is crafty: JOANN, the fabric and crafting chain, is going out of business. Didn’t take long for scammers to set up fake sites with closeout prices 80% to 90% off retail. The real site (with real deals) is joann.com. Anything else is a fake.

Dessert? Yes, please: It’s not about willpower. The reason you want dessert even when you’re stuffed is called “dessert brain.” When you eat something sweet, your brain releases beta-endorphin, a naturally occurring opiate that makes you want more. Hannibal Lecter’s favorite dessert? A Danish. (Oh, that was bad.)

Best high-yield savings accounts for 2025

I love answering your questions and Danielle in Austin, Texas, wrote, “I see online banks that offer really high interest rates. Are they safe? My bank doesn’t even pay 1%!”

High-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) online earn much higher interest rates than what big-name banks like Chase or Wells Fargo offer. I wouldn’t go with just any online bank, though.

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Cancer breakthrough: I wish this was available for my mom who died from pancreatic cancer. It’s one of the worst cancers, with half of patients living less than a year after diagnosis. But there is hope. Pranathi Perati ran out of treatments until she found a new drug called daraxonrasib. It’s kept her alive for 17 months and counting. It causes fatigue and ulcers, but she feels better than she did on chemo. Share this with anyone who can benefit right now.

40%

Of parents judge other families based on their screen-time rules. About a third stop their kids from hanging out with friends who have different rules. Why? No one wants to be labeled as the parent of an “iPad kid” or blamed for causing “brain rot.”

🏈 Kicking off the ad dollars: All 32 NFL teams got busted for not warning fans that their websites and apps were collecting sensitive data and probably selling it all to advertisers. No notices, no easy opt-out, just silent tracking of your online behavior and location. You’ll start seeing privacy prompts now. As if the NFL doesn’t make enough money.

Scammers pretending to be the IRS: They’re sending out phishing texts claiming you’re eligible for a $1,400 Economic Impact Payment. The message includes a link that looks like the IRS website, but it’s a trick to steal your personal info or install malware. Remember, the IRS never contacts taxpayers by text — official notices always come by postal mail.

Mind your drone business: DJI just launched a “drone-in-a-box” that can take off from a moving vehicle. The DJI Dock 3 fits in the back of a pickup and is made for police and fire missions. Sounds cool, until you see the price … over $20,000. And no, that doesn’t include installation. Yikes.

💸 Thinking about meme coins? The SEC says they don’t count as securities under U.S. law. Why? Securities (like stocks) usually offer profits or rights to a company’s assets. Meme coins? They don’t pay out earnings or give ownership. They’re more like collectibles with little real-world use. So don’t fall for them.

Around 70%

Of people are polite to chatbots. I am. Most of us do it out of habit; some people are playing it safe in case of a robot uprising. “Yes, spare that one, she said thank you.” The pros know being polite gets you better answers.

🚨 850K vehicles recalled! Tesla, Ford, Toyota, Maserati, Volkswagen and Rivian are dealing with crash risks, seat belt issues, rearview camera errors and more. If your car is affected, you should receive a notice by mail, but it’s worth calling your dealership to confirm. Own a Tesla? Use your VIN with the search tool to check.