Welcome to your Thursday, friend. Here’s one small sniff for man … and one giant whiff for mankind. Believe it or not, there’s a scent floating around in outer space, and it’s not burnt popcorn from space camp. Can you guess what brand has a fragrance floating around in outer space: A) Chanel, B) Axe, C) NASA or D) Omega? The answer awaits you at the end.

✅ Every five seconds, someone becomes a victim of identity theft. I trust NordProtect to defend what matters most, my identity. Get real protection and take 65% off with my exclusive deal. Make the switch and save right now!

🌟 Tap that favorite star and help make sure I pop up in your inbox, not lost in the spam void like a forgotten sock. — Kim

If you think food prices are high now, just wait. Grocery stores across the country are installing electronic shelf labels (ESLs), ditching those humble paper price tags for sleek little digital screens. 

Sounds like a snazzy tech upgrade, right? Just wait until your eggs get a price hike while you’re still pushing your cart toward the meat section.  

🧂 Price jump in Aisle 5

Walmart, Whole Foods and regional chains like Schnucks in the Midwest are already using this technology. Retailers say it saves time, and sure, I get it. A typical Walmart has over 120,000 items, and changing all those prices by hand takes days.

With ESLs, they can update thousands of prices in seconds. That’s a win for store efficiency, but for us shoppers? It opens the door to something we’ve all experienced.

🤑 Surge pricing 

You know how Uber hikes your ride fare during rush hour or a rainstorm? Now imagine that happening at the supermarket.

☀️ Hot day? Bottled water jumped in price.
🍗 Big game tonight? Chicken wings got a surprise markup.

Surge pricing, but for food. Sure, they say it’ll help reduce food waste by discounting items near expiration, and that’s great. But once stores can adjust prices based on demand, they will. Count on it.

Kroger’s working with Microsoft to add cameras to these digital displays. They’ll use facial recognition to track your behavior and create personalized offers. 

🥷 Beat the tech

Here’s how to fight back:

✅ Use rebate apps like Ibotta and Rakuten to get cash back on what you’re already buying.
✅ Sign up for store loyalty programs. You don’t have to give your real number. Use your area code and 867-5309. It’ll probably work.
✅ Check store apps and websites for digital deals.
✅ Compare local grocery prices with Flipp before you head out.

Grocery tech is getting smarter. Prices are getting sneakier. You don’t have to stand still while they inch higher.

🌽 I was at the store and saw an ear of corn cost a dollar. A buck an ear? That’s piracy! (Oh, now that’s a great one!)

Someone becomes a victim of identity theft every five seconds. That’s over 75 million Americans whose lives have been turned upside down. Bank accounts drained, credit destroyed, even homes, cars and medical benefits stolen.

Your identity is always at risk, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. That’s why I use and trust NordProtect to defend what matters most, my identity. With NordProtect, you get:

✅ 24/7 dark web monitoring
✅ Credit activity monitoring and real-time security alerts
✅ Up to $1 million in recovery support

You need protection. Real protection. And right now, you can get 65% off with my exclusive deal.  I bet you’ll save a ton if you make the switch to NordProtect. Take action now and protect your identity before someone else takes it from you.

Next-gen CarPlay is here: CarPlay Ultra now takes over every screen in your car, not just the dashboard. It can handle things like the speedometer, climate control and fuel gauge, while still showing your iPhone’s maps and media. The catch? It’s only on Aston Martins for now, but more brands are coming.

🤖 OpenAI’s working with the Pentagon: The ChatGPT maker just landed a $200 million deal with the U.S. Defense Department. The goal? Use AI to tackle military and national security challenges. No, it’s not for weapons (yet). The focus is cutting paperwork and improving cyber defense.

Amazon Prime deal: You can now get six months free if you’re between the ages of 18 and 24. It’s part of the newly rebranded Prime for Young Adults program. Same perks, no student status needed. After the trial? It’s half price at $7.49/month. Tell the kids or sign up here.

🧠 Always on, never off: If your workday ends with dinner and resumes at 9 p.m., welcome to late-stage capitalism. Meetings have migrated to mornings, leaving real work to be done after dark (paywall link). Microsoft says post-8 p.m. meetings are up 16%. Every time you open your inbox after 10 p.m., an angel loses its PTO. 

🦗 Bugs in the system: Insects aren’t paying off. Some of the biggest insect-farming startups have gone bust, and investors are tapping out. The pitch: sustainable protein. The reality: not cheap enough, not scalable yet. But researchers think genetic engineering (without the scary GMO label) could fix it, turning flies into nutrient factories and faster breeders. 

🔧 Tackle your to-do list with some must-have DIY heroes.

• 💥 Sharpen up: The titanium-coated bits on this chain saw sharpener (36% off) will give your dull blades a second wind.
• 🛋️ Couch slip ‘n slide? Not anymore. These heavy-duty strips (34% off) securely hold your cushions in place.
• 🛁 Your bathroom called: It wants its sparkle back. A grout repair kit ($17) keeps everything clean and sealed.
• 🔥 BBQ spill stopper: This grease tray (15% off) catches your grill drips, so you don’t have to handle that gooey mess.
• 🧼 Not your grandma’s sponge: A long-handled brush (23% off) helps you clean those tough corners.

🩷 The legend in pink: Everyone’s raving about The Pink Stuff ($6) with 4.4 stars and 224,000+ reviews on Amazon.

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Never scan a QR code in a public place without checking the sticker. Scammers slap fake QR code stickers on menus, parking meters or fliers. If it looks like a label, don’t trust it.

📨 Giving out your Gmail? Use an alias to track where emails are from. Just add +anything before @gmail​.com (like kim+signup@gmail​.com). When a message hits your inbox, you’ll see the +signup in the To field.

Play any file: Next time you hit a “can’t open file” error, try VLC media player. It’s free, open-source and plays just about every media format from DVDs to weird file types. Best part? It works across all your tech: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, you name it. No ads, just press play.

📖 Your summer reading list: Bookworms, you’ve got to check out Amazon’s Best Books of 2025 So Far. It’s packed with page-turners across every genre, so there’s something for everyone. After all, reading is a novel idea.

Before your Google Meet: Blur out that pile of laundry before hopping on. When the video preview loads, click the three dots at the bottom. Then, go to Apply visual effects > Blur and personal backgrounds > and choose Blur your background. Once you’re set, hit Join now.

📺 Your TV, your rules: Some Roku wallpapers double as ads for shows, movies or brands. Don’t want your screen turning into a billboard? Go to Settings > Theme > Sponsored Wallpapers, and switch it to Off. Btw, you could save big on a new Roku Ultra (20% off).

📊 Design stunning websites like a pro: Just drag and drop. Framer brings your ideas to life with easy-to-use tools and no coding required. Today it’s 25% off specific plans with my code Kim.*

Answer: C) NASA. Yep, the space agency partnered with a startup to create a fragrance that smells like the cosmos. Think seared steak, welding fumes and a hint of raspberries and stardust. You can now buy knockoff versions, like this moon candle ($40).

One for the road: My uncle recently lost his job at NASA Mission Control. When someone said, “It’s lunch time” he sent a rocket up with nobody in it. (lol)

🛡️ Take this step now and do one of the smartest things you can do to protect your identity. Don’t wait till it’s too late, sign up for NordProtect today and get 65% off. Bet you save a ton of money making the switch!

This is the #1 tech newsletter in the U.S. (and probably the galaxy). Tomorrow, we’re going over how to use your credit card’s super powers. Super important stuff. That’s your daily edge because “I didn’t know” isn’t your style anymore. 🧠 — Kim

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