📅 Hookups now have time stamps: College students at schools like Cornell, USC, Duke and UC Berkeley are scheduling everything via Google Calendar. I mean every single thing such as crying, dates, teeth-brushing, you name it. Seriously. GCal is a second brain, and spontaneity is dead. Imagine missing your scheduled breakdown because of a time zone error.
Your phone is tracking you even when you think it’s not
ChatGPT
You know that little GPS icon that pops up when an app is using your location? That’s the polite part. The tip of the iceberg. The warm handshake before your phone whispers your every movement to Big Tech behind your back.
Your phone has more than one way to know where you are. Cell towers, Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth beacons and even background pings track you.
I’m not here to scare you or tinfoil-hat this. I’m here to help you take back control. I tested these steps myself, but your phone’s menus might look a little different depending on the make and model. Poke around your settings and you’ll find it.
📱 iPhone: The sneakiest setting
Apple keeps a “Significant Locations” log buried deep in your settings. It’s meant to make your Maps smarter and improve recommendations, but it’s also a detailed history of where you’ve been.
Here’s how to find and clear it:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
- Scroll to System Services. Tap Significant Locations.
- Use Face ID or your passcode to unlock it, then review your history.
- Tap Clear History, and if you don’t want it tracked anymore, toggle it off.
While you’re there, review your Location Services list and set apps to While Using or Never. Most don’t need 24/7 access.
🤖 Android: Timeline and app permissions
Android’s version is called “Timeline,” and it’s tied to your Google account, not just your device. Even if you switch phones, the log follows you unless you turn it off.
To see it:
- Open Google Maps. Tap your profile picture > Your timeline.
- Hit the three dots > Location & privacy settings.
- Under Location Settings, toggle off Timeline. You can also Delete all Timeline data.
$7.7 billion
That’s how much Paramount paid for the rights to the UFC. That’s more than the GDP of Fiji. Seven years, 43 events a year and zero pay-per-view fees, just all-you-can-binge brawling for your $12.99 Paramount+ subscription. ESPN’s old $500M-a-year deal looks like pocket change.
▶️ Control Facebook video autoplay: You can choose whether videos in your feed play automatically. On PC, go to Settings & privacy > Settings > Media and toggle off Autoplay animations. On mobile, go to Settings & privacy > Settings > Media > Autoplay and tap Never or On Wi-Fi only.
Earhart on Google Earth? British pilot Justin Myers says he’s “99% sure” he’s found Amelia Earhart’s missing plane off Nikumaroro Island, using only Google Earth images. The shapes match her Lockheed Electra’s dimensions. Nobody’s funding his dive yet, but a rival November expedition might beat him to it. Historic aviation meets the “zoom in and squint” method.
🔥 Labubust: The BBB is warning shoppers to beware fake Labubu products flooding online stores. These $60 toys are the “must-have” item of summer, so of course, swindlers are crawling out of the woodwork. Look for misspellings, busted websites and prices that are too good. Oh, the humanity! Not the Labubus, anything but the Labubus!
$34.5 billion
How much Perplexity just offered Google to buy Chrome. Just for comparison’s sake: Perplexity is worth $18 billion, and Google is worth $2.5 trillion. Chrome isn’t exactly on the clearance aisle, especially not for couch cushion change (paywall link) from a competitor. Either way, looks like a bad deal. I got Chrome for free!
Ctrl + Alt + Goodbye: If you’re using Windows 11 Home or Pro (version 23H2), you get no more security patches or bug fixes on Nov. 11, 2025. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates to upgrade. FYI: Enterprise and Education editions get support until Nov. 10, 2026.
110 million to 115 million years old
Dinosaur tracks were uncovered in Travis County, Texas, after July’s horrific floods. A volunteer helping clear debris found 15 three-clawed footprints in a crisscross pattern, each 18 to 20 inches long. So what was it? Experts think they belonged to a meat-eating dino like the 35-foot Acrocanthosaurus. Imagine that thing chasing you.
📍 AirTag to the rescue: A missing 71-year-old Pennsylvania man with dementia was found thanks to the Apple tracker. His family had attached one to his clothes. Pro tip: They’re under $25 and could save you a lot of panic.
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Streaming’s newest power couple: Fox One ($19.99) and ESPN’s new DTC ($29.99) launch Aug. 21, but on Oct. 2, there’s a $39.99/month bundle. You get the NFL, NBA, Big Ten and 47,000 live events a year, aka the “you’re not leaving the couch” sports fan package. Pay less than cable, yell at your TV just as much.
📬 First-class felony: Here’s your daily dose of “oof!” news. In 2022, Paychex sent Dylan Handy’s $114K 401(k) rollover via mailed checks. Thieves intercepted them, cashed them, and now he might owe taxes on stolen funds. Forty-three percent of rollovers still use paper checks. Skip the delays and fraud risk. Choose direct transfers.
$14.5 billion
Biggest crypto theft ever. In 2020, a hacker cracked one of the world’s largest Bitcoin mining pools using a laughably weak 32-bit security system you could brute-force with a gaming PC. They drained 127,000 Bitcoins (worth $3.5B then, $14.5B now) from over 5,000 wallets and then just left the stash untouched for five years.
👁️ A vision of perfection: I told you this would be reality 11 years ago! New FDA-approved VIZZ drops promise crisp near vision for 10 hours, no glasses needed. Using aceclidine, it “pinhole” focuses your pupils without messing with distance sight. Basically, your eyeballs get an instant camera upgrade. This is great, now I can read warning labels before ignoring them. (lol)
34 years
That’s how long AOL’s dial-up has been screeching. Come Sept. 30, 2025, the iconic modem handshake will join Blockbuster late fees in the nostalgia graveyard. Broadband won years ago, this is just a very late funeral. If you’ve never heard it, imagine R2-D2 having a panic attack through a kazoo. Hey, in the mood to go back in time? Check out these home pages from way back to log on to memory lane.
Safes cracked in seconds: Researchers revealed two ways to break into Securam ProLogic electronic safes (used for guns, cash, etc.). No drills or special gear required for eight brands. If your lock says “Securam ProLogic” on the keypad, it’s at risk. Only fix? Swap the lock. Company’s not patching old ones.
🤓 Bookworms are winning on dating apps: Looking for love? A new study says 75% of people would rather date someone well-read than someone hot. Yup, apparently emotional intelligence is beating out abs and jawlines. So go ahead, hold a big ol’ novel in your profile pic. It might be your best wingman to make sure you’re booked solid. (See what I did right there?)
$300,000 in 1883
On HBO’s The Gilded Age is about $9 million to $10 million today. Shoes cost $3, a dentist visit was 50 cents and a fully furnished 2,000 sq. ft. home went for $12K to $15K. The kicker? The mega-rich didn’t pay income tax (paywall link). If you did not see that series, stream it today. It’s fantastic!
Tesla pulls the plug: If this is true, it’s crazy. Rapper Big Huey says his Cybertruck got remotely shut off after he released his song “Cybertruck.” He even claims Tesla mailed him a cease-and-desist. That’s one way to take “don’t kill my vibe” very literally. Next up: Spotify turns off your fridge for skipping Ed Sheeran too much.
🧳 Travel warning: Here’s something I never even thought of. Then again, I’m not a thief. Scammers are hanging around baggage claim areas grabbing the luggage tags you throw away. Why? The tags contain your name and flight info, which can be used to file fake missing item claims and get cash from airlines. Folks, keep those tags on until you’re home.