Data Doctors Tech Tips

If you are involved with groups because of your kids or other community involvement, you are no doubt finding yourself contributing money from time to time. The less sophisticated the group, the more likely it relies on a very inefficient process for collecting the money that might still even require you to write a check and mail it. In this Internet-connected world, that's just silly, which is what the creators of a platform called Cheddar Up thought It's a quick and easy way for any group to set up a digital process for gathering the money that costs nothing to the organizer. Not only does it streamline the collection process, but it also keeps track of everything for the group and automatically sends reminders when the timeline is getting close. It's a bit more sophisticated than something like Venmo when your collection needs get complicated. Learn more at:and#160;https://www.cheddarup.com

One of the biggest global events to ever hit the Internet known as the Ice Bucket Challenge was in support of those suffering from ALS. Another outcome that came from those that were impacted by ALS is a website called https://patientslikeme.com The website was created by relatives of an ALS patient that wanted to create a resource for others facing the same challenges. It's natural to feel like you are facing serious health issues on your own, but the reality is that many others are likely experiencing the same thing you are. Finding others that are having the navigate the same treatments and issues can be invaluable and reassuring. Whether you or your loved one has been newly diagnosed with a serious illness or you can provide information for those that are just starting down a path you've already traveled, https://patientslikeme.com can be a connecting point. If you want to contribute your own experiences to research efforts on specific issues, there's a place to do that as well. Now over 750,000 people are participating members are participating in over 2800 conditions, so finding someone that is experiencing the same thing as you is much easier.

This is a reminder to be on the alert for those pop-up warnings that claim your system is infected. They've created very convincing looking warnings that tell you to call an 800 number to get help getting rid of the infection. This scam is not Windows-specific as those running a Mac are experiencing the same scams. This attack is generally browser-based, which is why it's effective with any type of computer through links that are posted around the web or sent to you via a phishing scam. Keep in mind that Internet security companies that have 10's of millions of users will never encourage you to call a toll-free number... they couldn't possibly deal with the number of calls. Another way to quickly identify these scams is by getting very familiar with the security software that you have running on your computer. These two visual cues are the best way to know when you are trying to be scammed!

Our kids are so enamored by the little screens that surround them that it's instinctively become somewhat of a pacifier of the digital era. Let's face it, it's an extremely effective way to get an unruly child to settle down when you're in a public social setting. The challenge in doing this is that you can put yourself in many awkward situations if you give them unfettered access to all the apps and functions on your smartphone. The good news is that there are a host of options on both iOS and Android devices that allow you to control what can be used and what is locked out. Everything from those expensive in-app purchases to which apps can even be opened to making it impossible to get on the Internet without your control code. The options get better every year, but you'll need to get specific instructions based on the OS you are using. For iPhone users: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201304 For Android users: https://www.lifewire.com/childproof-android-4137048

Hackers tend to focus on low hanging fruit and U.S. households with children, especially teenagers are considered low hanging fruit.and#8232;and#8232;If they can silently access your computer, they can start gathering sensitive information that is very valuable in the Internet's underworld.and#8232;and#8232;They also know that it's much more likely that a child or teen will download something that looks like a game, video or program that has a malicious payload. Why do they target your kids in order to get to you?and#8232;and#8232;They know that so many households share a computer and often have a single profile that everyone in the family uses. All they have to do is trick one person and they have access to everyone.and#8232;and#8232;Now that you know this, it's time to make a change!and#8232;and#8232;It's imperative that you create separate user profiles for you and your children, so you can limit the capabilities of your children's user profile.and#8232;and#8232;This is one of those fundamental security steps that you shouldn't skip, so if you need help getting it set up, ask someone that you trust that's a techie!

Hacks and breaches of businesses, large and small, seems to be a common occurrence these days Despite all of the expensive and complex security that an IT department sets up, it can all be bypassed very simply by anyone in the company. Just about every compromise begins with an email or social media phishing campaign that appears to be a legit message from someone in your own company. It's not hard to figure out who the most important people in just about any company is and pretend to be them via email. With this in mind, being extremely paranoid about messages from others in your organization with urgent or strange requests is critical.and#160; For those in charge of managing this risk, there are tools available to test your employees as websites such asand#160;https://KnowBe4.com You can use their phishing test platform on up to 100 employees to see how easy it is to get them to fall for a clever message. You can ask to use the tool by filling out the request form at: https://www.knowbe4.com/phishing-security-test-offer

Is there any doubt anymore about the power that social media has to influence so many people?and#160; Its potential impact can be seen with what people buy, wear, eat, drink or who they support politically around the world. As with anything that is used by the masses, technology is created to leverage the power in ways that are no longer based on an actual human being. The use of 'bots' has grown quickly and the sophistication can easily make it look like a real human being is posting when it's actually a bot. and#8232;Bots aren't all evil as many large organization use them to deal with the sheer volume of communications that they may receive every day. Unfortunately, bots are use by those with malicious intent and the worse case scenario is when a bot can look like a trusted person and use that trust to compromise other user's accounts. Finding ways to sniff them out is pretty important so you don't get fooled as easily. Because of the ease in which these bots can operate on Twitter, a project developed by researchers from the Observatory on Social Media is available for anyone to use. What was originally the BotOrNot project is now called the Botometer will check the activity generated by any Twitter account and provide a score on how likely it's a bot instead of a person.and#8232; It's certainly not a guaranteed way to sniff out all bot accounts, but it does provide a lot more data for you to use to avoid being scammed by a bot: https://botometer.iuni.iu.edu

I love exploring our beautiful country in my RV, but one of the largest expenses in this type of travel is the fuel cost. Finding stations a few miles off the freeway can save you a bundle. There are a lot of resources that try to alert you to current gas prices, but my go-to is still the GasBuddy app. With a community of 70 million users in the US and Canada, the app can help you in two ways. If you want to plan ahead, you can search by city or county to see the 10 lowest prices in an area you're heading to or search from the road to see where fuel options are near you. What's really great is that it shows you the last time someone reported the price, which is typically less than an hour for most major metro areas. GasBuddy can set a filter to search for diesel or other specialty grades of fuel and sort the results based on price, distance or both.

When I was a youngster, my parents told me that I'd make a good astronaut because I had a lot of space in my head! One thing is for sure, I've always been fascinated with space exploration which is why I love what NASA has done to allow us all to share in their work. Not only do they have an amazing website with amazing pictures, video and animations, they over a variety of apps for smartphones, tablets and streaming devices. With over 16 thousand images and 14 thousand videos and 3D models of earth taken from the International Space Station, it's an endless source of discovery for the curious. You can watch live streaming video from the High Definition Earth Viewing experiment and get notifications of an upcoming space event. If you have kids or grandkids, this app is a wonderful way to discover and learn about space together Just visit https://www.nasa.gov and click on the Download menu to access all of the apps that make space exploration interactive and fun

One of the common traits that's been attributed to those that live a long life is something we can all do every day and that's stretching. Stretching increases blood flow and circulation and helps nutrients and oxygen travel through our bodies faster. Yoga is a wonderful way to stretch, but it can be intimidating for those that haven't ever done it. The thought of going to a class full of those experienced in yoga has kept so many from discovering the benefits. If you'd like to learn the basics in the comfort of your own home, check out the Yoga for Beginners app from Down Dog. You can use their website on your laptop or their apps on your tablet or smartphone to view video lessons that are specifically designed for the absolute beginner. It's a really easy and private way to begin learning one the world's oldest exercise routines that could lead to a more flexible you. Here are the direct links: Website: https://intro.downdogapp.com/web Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.downdogapp.intro iOS app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yoga-for-beginners-down-dog/id1459710785