02-01-2025
By Max Trenck
“I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.” -Winston Churchill
HOT NEWS !!!
Toward the end of the January meeting, or perhaps, it was after the meeting adjourned, an “Experimental Text” search on FamilySearch.org was mentioned. This feature is currently experimental currently; ergo, it is temporarily available. Take a few minutes (which we know can turn into several hours) to try it.
From the Home Page at FamilySearch.org, scroll down, looking to the right side of the screen, looking for “FamilySearch Labs.” Beneath that, click on the box “View Experiments.” Next the available experiments are displayed, the one we want is “Expand your Search with Full Text.” Do NOT turn this off – if you do, it is lost to you.
Click “Go to Experiment.” You are presented with a search box to fill as you please. How you fill this in influences the findings.
I tried several searches for my Brick Wall, GGF von der Trenck. I believe I searched on “Trenck” and dates 1830-1950.
WHOA! JACKPOT!
I found several things that surprised me!
- He did get naturalized – I had no idea!
- In the naturalization papers he lists a different birth year AND a different birth country from what I previously found, Maybe I can break down that Brick Wall!
- I found the papers where GGM Minna Wehe Trenck filed, and got a divorce from him
- I discovered a new son of GGF and GGM von der Trenck
- I found a new source for GGF’s and GGM’s von der Trenck marriage in 1871
- I learned in what Texas county GGM Trenck lived in 1907 I lost track of her 1900-1910
- GGF von der Trenck was a Notary Public, Washington County, Texas
- I also learned of his appearance in Court in 1882 when he stated his intention of becoming a “citizen of the United States of America.”
- Also, I found that my grandparents Trenck purchased land in a Texas county other than their “home county.”
- Last, I now have records of my Uncle Paul being born in 1914, 1915 and 1916. LOL! It’s 1915
So, give this “Experimental Tool” a try!
FEB 3
FBI Warns iPhone And Android Users—Stop Answering These Calls
FEB 1
Apple’s iOS vulnerability exposes iPhones to stealthy hacker attacks
JAN 29
UnitedHealth cyberattack exposes 190 million in largest US healthcare data breachhttps://www.foxnews.com/tech/unitedhealth-cyberattack-exposes-190-million-largest-us-healthcare-data-breach
JAN 26
Most red USB ports are “always-on” and pack a higher power output. Even if your PC goes to sleep, the red USB ports keep charging. Perfect for topping off your headphones or other gadgets overnight. Regular USB ports take a nap when your computer does. Now you know!
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 26, 2025
Your TV’s USB port has superpowers: 4 useful benefits you’re not taking advantage of
Watch out: Apple’s Watch bands might be packed with “forever chemicals” (PFAS) linked to cancer, birth defects and fertility issues. In a recent test, the toxic stuff turned up in 15 out of 22 bands. Apple insists they’re safe. FYI, the highest concentrations were in the more expensive bands; all the under-$15 ones were cleared. Here are safe options for Apple Watchand Fitbit. It’s not just watches; next week in this newsletter, I’ll tell you about PFAS found in the tech we use every day.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 26, 2025
Burn notice: Fitbit is paying out a $12.25 million settlement after its Ionic smartwatches shipped with batteries that overheat. Apparently, Fitbit knew there was an issue in 2018 but waited four years to recall the watches. By then, 78 people were seriously burned, including some with fourth-degree burns. Submit your info for a refund, if you have one.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 26, 2025
On Windows, hold down the Windows key + Shift + S to activate the Snip & Sketch tool. Select a specific area of your screen to capture as a screenshot. On a Mac, the comparable keyboard shortcut for taking screenshots is Cmd + Shift + 4.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 26, 2025
Project Gutenberg features 75,032 e‑books free for the taking. Don’t have a Kindle or e‑reader? Put one on your phone and read instead of scrolling. Here’s “Crime and Punishment,” if it’s always been on your list.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 26, 2025
JAN 25
Minimize your stress: Pressing Windows key + M on a PC or Cmd + Option + H + M on a Mac minimizes all your windows so you don’t have to do it one by one. To minimize all but the one you’re using, use Windows key + Home on a PC or Cmd + Option + H on a Mac.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 25, 2025
JAN 23
Microsoft is changing the way logins work: here’s what that means for you
Critical read for those using Microsoft apps, like OneDrive, on multi-user PCs, such as at a library, or even a friend’s PC
JAN 21
FBI Warns iPhone, Android, Windows Users—Do Not Install These Apps
Critical Hidden Email Danger Confirmed For Gmail And Outlook Users
FBI Warns Gmail, Apple Mail, Outlook Users—Emailing These 2 Words Is Dangerous
10 tech upgrades to save your time, privacy and money this year
JAN 20
Quick fix: Clean files, screenshots and any other junk off your desktop, then find the space hogs taking up all your storage.
- On Windows 11: Go to Settings > System > Storage > Show more categories > Large & unused files.
- On Windows 10: Hit Windows key + E to open the File Explorer. Go to This PC, then type an asterisk into the search menu to display every file and folder. At the top, choose Size. Start with Gigantic (4GB or larger) and work your way down.
- On Mac: Hit the Apple menu > System Settings > General. Click Storage. Double-click a category, and Apple will show you large files eating up space. Nice.
Now see if there are any updates to your OS and restart your computer. This gives your browser a chance to update and closes all the processes running in the background.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 20, 2025
Say hello to the new Dark Web: The encrypted chat app Telegram was founded by two Russians and has over 700 million active monthly users. It’s also home to Huione Guarantee, the largest illegal marketplace selling personal data and tools linked to pig-butchering schemes. One founder recently told a French court they’d “improve its moderation procedures” for Telegram. Sure. Between November 2024 and now, crypto scams on Telegram have increased by over 2,000%. Stay away.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 20, 2025
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📞 Targeting all 50 states: Scammers are impersonating mortgage companies, displaying the caller ID of your actual mortgage institution. Once you answer, they threaten foreclosure if you don’t pay up. Red flags: They ask for mail money orders to third-party attorneys or tell you to upload funds to a Walmart MoneyCard or Green Dot card account. Yeah, people are falling for that.
–Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 20, 2025
JAN 19
The NSA has an urgent warning I’ve been giving readers and listeners for probably 10 years. When you download an app, you’ll sometimes see an option to give its developer access to track your location Always, While using the app or Sometimes, or Never. Choose Never unless it breaks the app (in that case, pick When using the app).
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 19, 2025
The NSA says to do this once a week: Reset your phone’s advertising ID. It’s a unique identifier they use to serve you targeted ads. The more data that’s gathered, the easier it is to pinpoint exactly who you are. On iPhone, do this under Settings > Privacy & Security > Apple Advertising, and toggle off Personalized Ads. On Android, go to Settings > Google > Ads, and toggle the switch for Opt out of Ads Personalization.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 19, 2025
🖌️ Bye, bye, bye: There’s a handy way to edit anything out of a pic, and it’s built right into Microsoft Paint: Generative Erase for Windows 11. In Paint, open the image you want to edit, hit the selection tool (upper left corner) and highlight the area you want to delete. Then, press Generative Erase (eraser icon) in the pop-up. It takes about a minute for AI to do its thing.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 19, 2025
JAN 15
Mac malware mayhem as 100 million Apple users at risk of having personal data stolen
FBI forces Chinese malware to delete itself from thousands of US computers
800,000 VW Electric Vehicle Owners’ Data Exposed by Software Bug
Cloned on Facebook? Here’s How to Take Back Control
Strikethrough made simple: Need to cross out something in a Google Doc? On a PC, press Alt + Shift + 5. On a Mac, it’s Cmd + Shift + X. If you don’t like saving time, it’s in the Format menu under Text.
JAN 13
Hackers Have Devised a Simple Text Scam to Bypass Apple’s iPhone https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/news/content/ar-BB1ropei?ocid=sapphireappshare
-Interesting that this article explains the method of the scam. More interesting is that I received one of these messages today. -Max
On a Mac, preview files instantly with Quick Look. Just select a file and hit your spacebar. This works for docs, images, videos — whatever. Windows pals, there’s a QuickLook app in the Microsoft Store so you can do the same. Nice.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 13, 2025
JAN 11
Microsoft Really Wants Users to Ditch Passwords and Switch to Passkeys
Max states: I have done this and it is simple and quicker than typing in a password – it’s a matter of using your “Touch ID” or “Face ID” on your Apple iPad or iPhone, or using the camera or fingerprint reader on your laptop or PC. I began receiving messages at logon asking if I wanted to use a passkey. I clicked on the Affirmative and it was super simple!
JAN 8
Preventing this insidious email forwarding scam that will drain your bank account
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 8, 2025
Brush up: Microsoft offers free online training for Office programs, including video tutorials, interactive guides and practice exercises.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 8, 2025
If you want to learn Windows or windows software, check out Kevin Stratvert on YouTube. I have watched many of his videos, and he thoroughly covers the topic and is an excellent instructor. A recent video covers five hidden features of Windows: https://youtu.be/KGWouPDz6kk?si=nDK0syePC63kiElO
-Max
JAN 5
Do it in style: Easily change your text formatting by holding down Ctrl + B for bold, Ctrl + I for italics and Ctrl + U for underlining. Pro tip: Hit Shift + X for strikethrough text, Shift + .(period) to superscript something and Shift + , (comma) for subscripting.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 5, 2025
$10,000 – Worth of a 1999 Georgia state quarter. Check the couch cushions! They were printed with all kinds of errors, and that makes them valuable. One of the rarest variations is thicker than normal, with a gold-greenish tint and no copper edge. Hit this list for the details.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 5, 2025
JAN 4
Phishing scams are getting amped up: No more copy and paste. Criminals are using AI to scrape up tons of detail and then write in the style of specific people or companies. Corporate execs and employees are getting emails with info only the sender would know, like just how they sound (paywall link) — yet another reason to wipe your info off the web.*
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 4, 2025
In five years, paper boarding passes and airline tickets will be history. Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas says they’ll be replaced by biometrics, like fingerprint scans and facial recognition, along with a phone app. His company, which starts flying this summer, is the first to have digital-only bookings. Other airlines are moving to fully digital boarding passes this year, too.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 4, 2025
Sweet deals: The USPS contracts with a website to auction off things postal workers can’t deliver. Go to GovDeals.com to browse everything from TVs to vehicles to kitchen appliances. Scroll down on the home page for an alphabetical list of categories.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 4, 2025
Calling back a random number? Hide yours first. Punch in star, 6 and 7, followed by the number you’re calling, and that’s it. The caller will see “Private” or “Blocked.” If you want your number hidden all the time, change the settings on your smartphone. On an iPhone, tap Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID. Toggle it Off. On Android, the option is called Hide Number.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 4, 2025
JAN 3
Free magazines: With an Amazon Prime account, you get access to a rotating library of popular magazines for free. Check them out here. Now you can read the latest weird royal rumors without paying for the mag.
-Kim Komando newsletter, Jan 3, 2025