This story still gives me chills. I don’t think I’ll ever go into a fitting room again.
House swapping is hot right now – Do it the right way
Want to try out a new city or travel over the long term for cheap? You need to know about home swapping. There are dozens of home-swapping groups on Facebook for everyone from women over 50 to vegans who like baseball. But it’s not for everyone, and you have to do your homework.
Swap smart
My advice: Eat the fee the first time and use a third-party site to see if home swapping is for you. (I’ve got options and costs below.) You can try it by yourself to avoid fees, but be sure to do your due diligence and create an agreement.
🚩 Secrecy is the biggest red flag. If the other party refuses to video-chat on a platform like FaceTime or sign a formal agreement, move on. Ask about security systems and anyone else who has access to the property while you’re staying there, too.
What about your home?
If you’re a renter, check your rental agreement for restrictions and rules around subletting. And if you own your home and still owe on your mortgage, see if your loan agreement lets you rent your place.
Take precautions. Have a plan in place for unexpected maintenance problems and a local contact for your swapper to reach out to about plumbing issues, TVs or pests.
Lock any closets and rooms off-limits to guests, and store all your valuables in a portable safe (this one’s $19).
Insurance is part of this convo, too. Ask if your renter’s or homeowner’s policy extends to anyone you swap homes with. You may need additional coverage.
🦺 Guardhog and Pikl specialize in insurance just for home sharing. Who knew?
Arrivederci, beaches
When you’re getting started with home swapping, going through a vetted third-party website is your safest bet. Here are a few to check out:
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Find your family tree without compromising your data
Seven million 23andMe customers thought they were just getting insights into their family history — instead, they got their data hacked.
It went beyond names and addresses. Hackers got their hands on DNA genotypes, predispositions to certain conditions and carrier status. And they were able to hunt down genetic relatives for millions of 23andMe customers. So scary.
🚶♀️ Take a walk with me! It’s toe-tally worth it: And you can catch up on my award-winning weekend radio show’s podcast. It’ll be fun, I promise!
Boy robot: When 12-year-old Howard had to miss months of school for chemotherapy, a nonprofit gifted him a robot stand-in. Now, “AI Howard” sits in classes for him so the real Howard can learn and socialize. His friends even carry the bot between classes! I just love it.
In 1981, Nintendo debuted Mario as the hero pitted against Donkey Kong. What was Mario’s name in his first game appearance? Was it … A.) Jumpman, B.) Plumber Pete, C.) Mr. Mustache or D.) Super Joe?
10- to 20-minute “fart walk”
For happy digestion. That’s the funny name for a jaunt to kickstart digestion and help with bloating and gas. Science supports this. Btw, I learned an important lesson while hiking Machu Picchu: Never trust a fart.
McDonald's new AI employee, Pickles 🥒
McDonald’s has a new employee, and his name is 🥒 Pickles. Pickles is an AI chatbot that can help employees keep that ice cream machine running all summer long.
Look your best: Ever been caught checking your hair in a video call? Kind of embarrassing. Adjust yourself and the lighting before the meeting. Launch the Camera app built into Windows (from the Start menu) or open Photo Booth on a Mac.
That’s not quite right: You’re texting with your voice and it went all wrong. To delete the last word you dictated, say, “Delete the last word.” To delete the last sentence, say, “Clear sentence.” If you want to get rid of everything you just said, say, “Clear all.”
Talk to the kids: Influencers and athletes are pushing highly addictive nicotine pouches on social media. They’re marketed to teens as flavored little bags in colorful containers. Brands include Velo, On! and Zyn.
🌊 Stream on: Make your music flow more smoothly with crossfade. This forces your songs to transition from one into the next instead of ending abruptly, pausing and starting the next track. On Spotify, go to Settings > Playback > Crossfade. In Apple Music, head to Settings > Apple Music > Crossfade.
Cord management made easy: Get some stickers — labels you write on, color-coded dots or colored foil star stickers. Affix the same label or colored sticker to the cable and the port on the device. When you plug in the cord, simply match the cable’s sticker to the port.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
⚠️ Keep it real: More folks than ever are trying out AI companionship. You create your dream partner, and the bot finetunes its responses to match your exact needs. But this sets you up for IRL failure; real people aren’t instantly available, and they def won’t do or say everything you want.
Free Blockbuster near you!
Check out freeblockbuster.org for details on how to start your own.
Let’s do a fun math problem that’s stumping the internet. “A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?”
Caught driving with no license
This video went viral. I just can’t wrap my brain around how he thought this was a good idea.
If you have an iPhone: Say to Siri, “I see a little silhouette of a man.” The reply is so funny!
Chuck E. Cheese says 'goodbye' to ...
The family pizza joint is getting rid of the funniest (and creepiest) birthday party entertainment of the ’90s.