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So I keep hearing about these personal portable air conditioners. summer’s upon us, and we’re sweatily enduring our sweltering homes at night…we want relief! And today my wife sent me a suspicious video promoting the “Blaux” AC unit.
Don’t fall for the scam!
A thread.
Don’t fall for the scam!
A thread.
What caught her eye was the narrative in the video claiming that “Billy,“ a 15-year-old orphan growing up in Albuquerque, NM—my home town—“invented “this groundbreaking “air con“ technology.
Here’s the first 2 minutes of the vid…I’ll provide the FB link later, for the curious.
Here’s the first 2 minutes of the vid…I’ll provide the FB link later, for the curious.
The first thing that caught her eye was the mention of my hometown, Albuquerque.
I often lament living in humid environments because I miss the cheap and ubiquitous form of air conditioning known to semi-arid desert dwellers as a “swamp cooler.” Like this:
I often lament living in humid environments because I miss the cheap and ubiquitous form of air conditioning known to semi-arid desert dwellers as a “swamp cooler.” Like this:
They are dead-simple in construction and easy to maintain. They work by dripping water over a fibrous pad, which dry external air flows over then is pushed into the house using a fan. As warm, dry air passes over the wet pad, water evaporates, lowering the air temperature.
Initially, we just had a little chuckle over this because it was clear this was nothing more than a humidifier with a fan. “Invented” in ABQ, the land of swamp coolers! lol
But, I got curious. And things escalated.
Some of you who saw the video already know where this is going.
But, I got curious. And things escalated.
Some of you who saw the video already know where this is going.
But first, another technical sidenote. Apparently there is another bit of technology involved, called a thermoelelectric cooling device, relying on the Peltier Effect.
Current passing through dissimilar conjoined metals can transfer heat from one side of the device to the other.
Current passing through dissimilar conjoined metals can transfer heat from one side of the device to the other.
This seems like magic, until you realize that overall temperature isn’t gained or lost, it’s just redirected. Cool air can come out of one side directed by a fan, but the other side gets hot, really hot, and must be trapped by a heat sink.
But heat doesn’t magically disappear.
But heat doesn’t magically disappear.
If you’re curious, there’s a great video with a couole experiments demonstrating how this works here via @DroneBotWS:
So far, we know that this is a scam because it relies on simply re-directing cold air in one direction while collecting heat somewhere else, and it’s relying on some evaporative effects to make the air being blown at you feel somewhat cooler.
But there’s more. I was curious about this kid, named “Billy,” who is allegedly a 14-year-old orphan wünderkind from my hometown. First, I searched for some of the quotes. I found nothing, anywhere. Then I searched for Billy + Blaux + Albuquerque. Nothing but the promo materials.
So, either Billy was Albuquerque‘s best-kept secret, and this one marketer figured it out, or perhaps Billy was a made up persona.
But the kid in the video exists, and video exists, so it all should be findable. I grabbed screenshots.
But the kid in the video exists, and video exists, so it all should be findable. I grabbed screenshots.
Lo, and behold! The Blaux video features Santiago Gonzalez ( @Hicaduda), who was then a student at the Colorado School of Mines—the source vid is from 2013!
Santiago is now a CompSci PhD candidate at the University of Texas at Austin.
Here’s the source:
Santiago is now a CompSci PhD candidate at the University of Texas at Austin.
Here’s the source:
I don’t know, but if I were @Hicaduda, I would be royally pissed off that some sleazy Facebook marketer is using my image and video as a minor to promote and sell a scammy product.
Some potential employer might see this and assume Santiago is OK with these false claims and lies.
Some potential employer might see this and assume Santiago is OK with these false claims and lies.
Plus, I can only imagine that the @COSchoolofMines would not be happy with their campus, students, and alumni being exploited in this way.
There’s one last shaft in this rabbit hole I explored. I was curious about this authoritative-looking person talking about this invention and this alleged kid inventor’s tech-billionaire future.
do you recognize him?
do you recognize him?
If you are like me and don’t know as much about the Python programming language and its history as I should, you might also not have recognized Guido van Rossum ( @gvanrossum), otherwise known as the creator of the Python programming language.
The rest of you who recognized this hero from the original Blaux ad clip are probably laughing your asses off right now.
I’m guessing @gvanrossum will not be amused his image is also being used to sell crap on Facebook.
BTW: here’s the source vid:
I’m guessing @gvanrossum will not be amused his image is also being used to sell crap on Facebook.
BTW: here’s the source vid:
One final note, if you are tempted to invest in the Blaux portable air conditioner, just do a quick search here on Twitter and read about the individuals who have similarly purchased a unit, and never gotten one.
For the people who like to punish themselves, here is the Facebook link that led me down this rabbit hole: https://www.facebook.com/111660477023620/videos/2889972274449097/
I consider myself fortunate to have learned a few new things, like the Peltier effect—and I thoroughly enjoyed the original video featuring @Hicaduda. Plus, now I’ll recognize @gvanrossum on the street!
And hopefully this thread will save someone from wasting money on Blaux.
And hopefully this thread will save someone from wasting money on Blaux.
Here’s the thread, unrolled: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1279959563945627649.html?refreshed=yes
Saw the scam video reposted in a promoted Tweet from ZatpaSale—now deleted. It’s spreading, unfortunately. https://twitter.com/hicaduda/status/1279661344975810560
Also seen here: https://twitter.com/jbirdandtheword/status/1276210368331886593
Santiago Gonzalez is not amused.
I wish @Hicaduda ALL the legal success he can enjoy in securing his excellent reputation and actually beneficial hard work. He’s not a scammer.
https://twitter.com/hicaduda/status/1280551210991271936?s=21 https://twitter.com/hicaduda/status/1280551210991271936
I wish @Hicaduda ALL the legal success he can enjoy in securing his excellent reputation and actually beneficial hard work. He’s not a scammer.
https://twitter.com/hicaduda/status/1280551210991271936?s=21 https://twitter.com/hicaduda/status/1280551210991271936
In case you might be one of the few who read through this entire thread and completed this journey—but are still sweaty and hopeful that the scam Blaux air conditioner works—listen to @JakeNotFSM: it doesn’t.
https://twitter.com/jakenotfsm/status/1280692589524480000
https://twitter.com/jakenotfsm/status/1280692589524480000
Guido Van Rossum is also very much 𝗡𝗢𝗧 amused at the illegal use of his likeness by scammers selling the worthless Blaux device. https://twitter.com/gvanrossum/status/1280716472348639232
I wanted to link to this whole Blaux scam thread from LinkedIn, and elsewhere. I couldn’t help myself, so I put all this in a Notion page. Also editing and may update.
https://www.notion.so/richtatum/The-Blaux-Air-Conditioner-Scam-15cfa6536af942f8893f1649d7bf6617
https://www.notion.so/richtatum/The-Blaux-Air-Conditioner-Scam-15cfa6536af942f8893f1649d7bf6617
