General General 3 min read

Ghost in the machine?

12 warning signs that can reveal a virus in your computer

Image: Michael Geiger

Computer viruses can be sneaky, as they attempt to go as undetected as possible while their nasty work is being accomplished. They can be picked up by clicking on malicious attachments or links, or they may be installed on your computer without your knowledge. Fortunately, most antivirus programs today can handle these threats, but it’s always wise to be aware of these 12 warning signs—just in case.

1
Too slow

Image: Milad Fakurian

If your computer suddenly starts running much slower than usual, this could be a virus infection giveaway, since viruses can cause a computer to perform significantly worse than usual by consuming a lot of resources .

2
Too hot

Image: Artur Solarz

If your computer's fan suddenly becomes unusually loud, this could be a virus warning. If this happens, the computer is being pushed to its limits by some software , possibly a virus, causing the CPU to heat up.

3
Increased random pop-ups

Image: KOBU Agency

Pop-ups are a common nuisance on the internet. However, if you notice a sudden increase in random pop-ups, it could indicate that your computer is infected with a virus. Some pop-up ads contain malware that, if clicked, can install itself on your computer and run without your knowledge. These pop-ups may appear as error messages, or even messages claiming your computer has a virus .

4
Repeated crashes and freezes

Image: Joshua Hoehne

A computer may crash or freeze when running a resource-intensive program or app. However, if it crashes or freezes frequently without any demanding programs running , it could be a sign of a virus infection .

5
Browser homepage changes

Image: Nathana Rebouças

A browser’s homepage should not change unless the user modifies it. At most, it may open a separate tab after an update, but it won’t alter the homepage. If your browser’s homepage unexpectedly switches to a different website , your computer may be infected with a virus .

6
Unknown programs

Image: KOBU Agency

An unknown program or app appearing on a computer could be an indicator of virus presence. A hidden virus may be launching programs that the user did not download .

7
Computer battery draining

Image: Roberto Sorin

As we’ve learned, viruses consume a lot of resources, and a computer’s battery is no exception . When a computer’s battery life quickly drops, this could mean a virus is running in the background and spreading to affect the system.

8
Missing files and corrupted data

Image: Markus Spiske

Missing or corrupted files can also indicate a virus infection on a computer. Heuristic viruses often target files, causing them to disappear or become unreadable . This not only disrupts the workflow but also poses a significant threat to personal and professional information, such as important documents, cherished photos, or critical work files.

9
Unfamiliar files and folders

Image: Cookie the Pom

Computer viruses not only make files disappear but also create files and folders to disguise their presence. Some viruses modify files on a computer by giving them almost identical names, allowing them to blend in with the rest of the documents.

10
Disabled security tools

Image: Ed Hardie

Antivirus programs and security tools are some of our best allies against computer viruses. That’s why, when a virus infects a computer, it often disables security features to make its job easier. Some viruses are specifically designed to disable security tools, giving them access to the computer’s data and private information. If an antivirus program has been disabled, it could be a sign that a virus has shut it down.

11
Unknown emails in the Sent folder

Image: Justin Morgan

Checking the Sent messages folder in one’s Inbox every once in a while is a smart thing to do. Some viruses gain access to a target’s contact list and send emails from their address , spreading malware to other recipients.

12
Unable to access the computer or accounts

Image: Simon Hattinga Verschure

A computer virus may completely block a genuine user’s access . If you realize that you can’t access your online accounts or your entire computer, this can be a sure sign that a virus is running on your computer.

General General 4 min read

Facts to make up your mind

Is living near a data center good or bad? 12 facts to make up your mind

Image: Gorodenkoff

Nearly everything you do online depends on data centers. Let that sink in, because it’s true. They power cloud storage, streaming, banking, shopping, artificial intelligence, and much more. As these facilities spread across the country, more people are finding themselves living nearby. Perhaps you do too. While these centers can bring economic benefits, they also raise concerns about noise, energy, and community impact. Whether you like this or not, we are not here to change your mind. But we can present six advantages and six drawbacks worth knowing about.

1
Pro: More local tax revenue

Image: Alexander Schimmeck

Data centers generate unusually large property-tax bills because they house millions of dollars' worth of servers and specialized equipment. That often makes them among the largest taxpayers in a county .

In Northern Virginia, tax revenue from data centers helps fund schools, roads, parks, libraries, and emergency services. Some counties report receiving far more in taxes than they spend on providing public services to these facilities.

2
Con: Constant noise

Image: imgix

Cooling equipment, ventilation systems, and electrical infrastructure operate continuously to keep thousands of servers from overheating. Together, they can produce a steady mechanical hum day and night.

Residents living closest to certain facilities have complained that low-frequency noise is noticeable even indoors , especially during quiet nighttime hours when background noise is minimal.

3
Pro: Better infrastructure investment

Image: BART SADOWSKI PL

Building a major data center often requires improvements to nearby infrastructure. Utilities may expand electrical capacity, while roads, substations, and water systems are upgraded before the facility opens .

Although these improvements primarily support the project itself, neighboring communities frequently benefit from stronger infrastructure that might otherwise have taken many years to receive through normal public investment.

4
Con: Massive electric consumption

Image: Jon Moore

Modern data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity because servers run continuously while powerful cooling systems remove the heat they generate around the clock .

As cloud computing and artificial intelligence continue expanding, experts expect electricity demand from American data centers to grow rapidly, requiring utilities to build additional generating and transmission capacity.

5
Pro: Construction jobs and economic activity

Image: Jeriden Villegas

Constructing a hyperscale data center is a massive undertaking that can last several years. Hundreds of construction workers, electricians, engineers, truck drivers, and contractors may be involved during the building phase .

The project also boosts nearby hotels, restaurants, equipment suppliers, and local businesses serving the temporary workforce. Much of this economic activity occurs before the facility even begins operating.

6
Con: High water use

Image: Daniel Sinoca

Many facilities use water-based cooling systems to improve efficiency, particularly during hot weather. Depending on the technology used, consumption can be significant throughout the year .

This has become a growing concern in drought-prone regions, where residents and local officials debate whether expanding technology campuses should compete with other important community water needs.

7
Pro: Some permanent high-paying jobs

Image: ThisisEngineering

Once completed, data centers require technicians, network specialists, electricians, maintenance engineers, and security staff to keep operations running around the clock without interruption.

Although permanent staffing is relatively small, many of these technical positions pay well above average local wages and can help attract additional technology companies to the surrounding area.

8
Con: Large, industrial-looking buildings

Image: Geoffrey Moffett

Most data centers are designed for function rather than appearance. They are typically large, windowless buildings surrounded by fences, cooling equipment, substations, and security systems.

Even with landscaping, these facilities often resemble industrial warehouses . Some residents worry they will permanently change the character of suburban neighborhoods or previously rural communities.

9
Pro: potential property-value gains in some markets

Image: Artful Homes

The effect on nearby home values varies from one community to another. In some growing technology regions, new investment has coincided with rising demand for housing and stable property prices .

Researchers caution that there is no universal rule. Local planning, neighborhood design, and overall economic growth all influence whether nearby homeowners ultimately benefit from higher property values.

10
Con: Limited long-term employment relative to their size

Image: jesse orrico

Construction creates hundreds of temporary jobs, but the finished facility usually requires only a relatively small permanent workforce to operate and maintain its systems .

Critics argue that billion-dollar campuses occupying vast amounts of land often provide far fewer long-term jobs than factories, manufacturing plants, or large distribution centers of similar size.

11
Pro: Very little traffic after construction

Image: Make more Aerials

Construction brings heavy equipment, delivery trucks, and hundreds of workers. Once the building is finished, however, daily traffic usually drops dramatically compared with many other industrial sites .

Unlike warehouses or factories, operational data centers employ relatively few people. Most days, only technicians, maintenance crews, security personnel, and occasional service vehicles enter the property.

12
Con: Backup generator emissions and air quality concerns

Image: Matthew G Eddy

Nearly every data center maintains large diesel backup generators that automatically provide power during electrical outages. They are also tested periodically to ensure reliable operation.

Although these engines are regulated under environmental laws, nearby residents sometimes express concerns about exhaust emissions, air quality, and the cumulative effects as more facilities are built .

History History 3 min read

Inside museums

The coconut that saved JFK's life is now in a museum—and you can see it!

Image: Milada Vigerova

Many US presidents are remembered for their service and sacrifices, some even giving their lives for the nation. But sometimes, we forget they were also ordinary people, with lives full of both extraordinary moments and everyday routines, just like the rest of us. And part of that story lives on in these 10 personal items that belonged to presidents and are still on display in museums today.

1
John F. Kennedy’s PT-109 coconut

Image: 🇻🇪 Jose G. Ortega Castro 🇲🇽

In 1943, John F. Kennedy commanded the PT-109, a torpedo boat, in the Solomon Islands during World War II . When a Japanese destroyer sank his boat, JFK carved a rescue message on a coconut, which local islanders delivered to Allied forces, saving him and his crew. 18 years later, Kennedy became the US president and kept the coconut as a paperweight in his office. Today, it’s preserved at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

2
George Washington's dentures

Image: BakedintheHole, via Wikimedia Commons

Everyone knows George Washington struggled with dental problems throughout his life. And while the old myth about his wooden teeth isn’t true, our first president did wear dentures made from different materials. One of his most complete sets has been carefully preserved and is now on display at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate and museum.

3
Abraham Lincoln’s top hat

Image: Brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, via Wikimedia Commons

It’s easy to picture Abraham Lincoln with his signature top hat. To get a little closer to Honest Abe, you can visit the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., where the very hat he wore the night he was fatally shot is on display.

4
The contents of Lincoln's pockets

Image: Jorien Loman

The hat isn’t the only relic that remained from that tragic night. Everything Abraham Lincoln had in his pockets —two pairs of glasses, a pocketknife, a Confederate $5 bill, a linen handkerchief, and a gold pocket watch—is preserved and on display at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

5
Thomas Jefferson’s inkwell

Image: Clark Young

Fortunately, you can still see with your own eyes two of the inkwells that belonged to the man who penned nothing less than the Declaration of Independence. That’s right! The first, a ceramic inkwell shaped like Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire’s head, is housed at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello. The second, made of bronze and engraved with "T. Jefferson, 1804," is part of the White House Collection.

6
Theodore Roosevelt's pince-nez glasses

Image: via Wikimedia Commons

Teddy Roosevelt is practically synonymous with his pince-nez glasses; even the giant sculpture of his face on Mount Rushmore shows him wearing them. But did you know they once saved his life? In 1912, while campaigning, Roosevelt was shot, but the bullet struck the steel case holding his glasses and didn’t penetrate it. Today, both the case and the 50-page manuscript he carried in the same pocket are on display at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site in New York City.

7
John F. Kennedy's rocking chair

Image: Abbie Rowe. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

President Kennedy’s rocking chair appeared in many photos of him with important visitors in the White House. Recommended by his doctor to ease his back pain, the iconic chair is now part of the collection at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

8
George Washington’s Revolutionary War bedstead

Image: Wikimedia Commons

If you thought this list was just about small objects, think again. Two of George Washington’s folding field beds from the Revolutionary War have also been preserved. One is displayed at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan, and the other can be seen at the Mount Vernon Museum in Virginia.

9
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s stamp collection

Image: Tolga deniz Aran

F. D. Roosevelt was an avid stamp collector, amassing a collection of over 1.2 million stamps. After his death, his family sold most of them, but some—especially those he received officially from foreign governments—are preserved at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York. The museum also houses items related to his hobby, including a magnifying glass, a perforation gauge for measuring stamps, and his portable wooden stamp box.

10
George Washington’s dress sword

Image: Wonderlane

In addition to his dentures, Mount Vernon preserves many other personal items that belonged to George Washington. Among them are several of his swords, and it is believed that one of them may be the very dress sword he wore at his inauguration as the first American president in 1789!

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