Drawing from the acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “All the Light We Cannot See” shares the story of Marie-Laure Leblanc, a young blind girl seeking solace alongside her father and reclusive uncle in the sheltered confines of St. Malo, France, during World War II.
3 secret uses for your home security system
You buy a home security system to defend against thieves, but there are more threats than just masked robbers outside your home. Garages, sheds, other outside buildings, and vehicles parked long-term can be just as much of a draw to crooks as your main house. To fully protect your home, you’ll need to know some of the best-hidden home security secrets.
Does your security system cover those? Probably not. What about a snooping guest, curious child or even someone working in your home, like a contractor, getting into places they shouldn’t? You won’t know until it’s too late.
Fortunately, the security system protecting your home’s exterior can also protect essential things on the inside.
One of my top home security secrets
A staple of any security system is the entry sensor. This uses two pieces — a sensor and a magnet — to tell if a window or door has been opened. You can attach an entry sensor to more than just a door or window. It helps to have a security system that lets you set silent alerts for individual sensors.
Instead of triggering a full-blown alarm, you’ll get a silent notification. It also helps if the sensors are wireless, so you don’t have to run easy-to-see and easy-to-cut cables everywhere. For this, we recommend our sponsor, SimpliSafe.
Now, let’s jump into three ways to monitor more than doors and windows.
1. Medicine and liquor cabinets
Are you worried about a party guest, someone working in your home or even a grandchild snooping in your medicine cabinet or stealing prescription drugs? Attach an entry sensor to your medicine cabinet. You’ll get an alert as soon as someone opens it.
This is also a good idea for liquor cabinets if teens are in the house. You can decide whether or not to tell them it’s there.
2. Safes and gun cabinets
You want to know the minute someone opens your safe. An entry sensor inside the door can do that, and the snooper won’t even know it’s there. Yes, a good safe will keep out snoops and thieves, but someone close to you — like a family member — might know the combination.
Go smish! Texting scams impersonate these brands the most
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Here’s a fun fact you can use to win a bet: 19.2 billion spam texts were sent this January. That works out to every person in the U.S. receiving around 19 spammy texts in just one month. Crazy, right?
Crooks have taken full advantage of how much we text by relying on SMS phishing, or “smishing,” the term for scam texts. They often pose as big brands to get you to give up personal info like credit card numbers and passwords.
Taking care of aging parents? Here's a simple way to keep an eye on what's happening
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Independence, safety and peace of mind. These are the most important elements for seniors living at home and their loved ones. Parents who wish to maintain their independence by living alone can be a double-edged sword. You’re happy they’re still self-sufficient, but you’re nervous about what can happen in an emergency.
Overwhelmed with spam texts? Do this now
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Ever replied to a spam message with STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE? If so, you’re setting yourself up for even more annoyance. You rightfully think that you’re ending the noise, but you’ll make it worse.
Why? Spammers are hitting up as many people as possible, searching for working contact information. When you interact, you’re saying, “Yes, this phone number belongs to someone!” That’s great news for them. It lets them know you’re a real person they should target more often.
Best ways to block scam calls - And an easier way to stop scammers
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When it comes to telemarketing and scam calls, the best thing to do is not pick up the phone. But it’s not always easy to tell whether an incoming call is legitimate — especially if your phone doesn’t show that scam or spam warning.
Bad news: Here's how much your social media logins cost on the Dark Web
What if I told you for just $12, someone could buy your Instagram login. They could read all your messages, look through everything you’ve “liked” and even post as you.
Whizcase gathered prices from Dark Web marketplaces to see how much your online identity is worth, and it’s grim.
One of the strangest places on Google Maps
It’s a village with life-size dolls in Japan. Located in Nagoro, more than 350 dolls represent villagers who once lived there but have either moved or passed away. You have to see this.
Viral hit 'The Boundaries Song' is a must-watch for all children
“The Boundaries Song” by Hopscotch Kids empowers children to stand up for themselves with its folk-style melody. This viral sensation, with 3.6 million views, encourages kids to speak up when they feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Through catchy lyrics and an animated video, it emphasizes the significance of setting personal boundaries and respecting others’ feelings. Check it out and share it with the kids.
The last Beatles song, "Now and Then"
“Now and Then,” the first new Beatles song in decades, was recently released on streaming services. It’s an amazing story. Producers used machine learning to separate John Lennon’s voice from an old blurry demo tape, allowing Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to create a composition around Lennon’s vocals. Give it a listen.
Flashback: Driver's ed in the 1950s
Insurance company Aetna Casualty needed a way to train new drivers without the risk of the road. Enter the Drivotrainer. It combined a simulator with motion pictures to show students what being behind the wheel is really like. You have to see this.
Google launches Pixel 8 and more new tech - Everything you need to know
blog.google, store.google.com
Apple’s fall device drop gets all the love, but Google wants you to remember it’s here, too — with lots of shiny new tech and some seriously impressive AI upgrades coming soon to a phone near you.
Let’s break down everything Google just announced and see how the Pixel 8 stacks up against the new iPhone 15.
Weekend project: 5 simple ways to make your home safer
When building a home security system, every little bit helps. You can make significant changes, like setting up outdoor cameras with facial recognition. This helps you spot familiar faces crossing your street every day.
The YouTuber who keeps breaking records
Mr. Beast hosted a global competition that millions probably agree is cooler than the Olympics. The winner (I won’t spoil it) took home a gold medal worth $250,000.
Find out who's calling you from an unknown or blocked number
© Ilia Burdun | Dreamstime
Scam and spam calls are getting more common. And they’re hard not to answer because the number comes up as “unknown.” When there’s no caller ID number, you can’t be sure if it’s a spam caller or an important call you’ve been waiting for.
What's new on Netflix — Top shows for August 2023
IMDb.com
New content is dropping on Netflix starting Tuesday. Yeah, there’s a lot to pass on, but there are some potential winners, too.
August 1
The trick tech-savvy job seekers are using
You apply and apply and hear nothing back. Is your job search doomed? It might all be down to the bots. Studies show three out of every four resumes never make it to a real person.
How do you get your resume out of digital purgatory and into a hiring manager’s hands? A crazy trick some tech-savvy job seekers are using made the news, and I want you to know about it.
China, Elon Musk and the Space Race to Launch Thousands of Satellites
While Elon Musk’s Starlink takes over space like a cosmic empire, China’s not sitting idle. It’s aiming for the stars by launching thousands of broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit. Starlink may have the lead, but China’s got tricks up its space sleeve. Check out this video to see the satellite showdown.
Grandpa's YouTube channel gains nearly 500,000 subscribers due to act of kindness
Every Sunday after family dinner, a Utah grandpa would grab the comics and read them to his grandkids. When COVID hit, he needed a distanced way to do it, so he took to YouTube.
His “Grandpa Reads the Comics” channel wasn’t getting much action — until an influential Instagrammer stumbled across his videos. The content was so heartwarming he had to share it. It wasn’t long until grandpa soared past 100,000 subscribers.
📺 Today, he has half a million subscribers and some of the sweetest videos you’ll see on YouTube. Watch his story here.