Privacy opt-out trap: Researchers hit up 543 California data brokers to request their data, like you’re legally allowed to do. Nearly half ghosted them entirely. The others? Dead-end forms, pointless hoops and privacy riddles that required even more personal data. So yeah, trying to reclaim your data just means giving up more of it, along with your time. That’s why I use Incogni and you should, too.
I loved these 10 true movies you can stream this weekend
ChatGPT
First about this image. I asked AI to “make a pic of me watching a movie,” and somehow it nailed my husband, our two goldens (even Bella the puppy!). But there’s something off. Can you spot it? At the end of the newsletter, rate it, then drop your guess, name and email. I’ll pick five winners to get a Kim Komando Show ballcap (a $29.99 value)! 🧢
Moving on…
Looking for something great to watch this weekend? Forget feel-good fluff, this list is packed with real stories that’ll leave your soul gently dismantled. Better yet, all these movies are based on real events. I’ve watched every one.
They’re powerful, emotional and full of people who overcame the impossible, made history or changed the world in quiet but unforgettable ways.
Hit the link to watch the movie’s trailer and find out where it’s streaming.
Unbroken
An Olympic athlete survives a WWII plane crash, 47 days adrift at sea and brutal captivity in a Japanese POW camp and never gives up.
Nyad
Annette Bening stars as Diana Nyad, who swam 110 miles from Cuba to Florida at age 64. Talk about determination.
Reality
Sydney Sweeney plays NSA whistleblower Reality Winner in a real-time thriller using actual FBI transcripts. It’s tense and intimate.
The Burial
Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones face off in a legal battle over a family-run funeral home. It’s smart, funny and based on a real 1995 case.
Lion
A boy gets lost in India, adopted in Australia, and years later finds his way home using Google Earth. Bring tissues.
Father Stu
Mark Wahlberg plays a boxer turned priest whose life is upended by a rare illness. It’s raw, redemptive and surprisingly funny.
The Theory of Everything
Stephen Hawking’s rise, struggle and love story are brought to life by an incredible performance from Eddie Redmayne.
2.8x
More likely Gen Z is to treat travel like a dating app. Priceline’s 2025 Trend Report says Gen Z’s rolling their suitcases straight into romance. If you’re going to be single, might as well do it somewhere with cocktails, not push notifications.
Get better results on Facebook Marketplace: Tired of seeing stuff that sold weeks ago? Go to Marketplace > Filters > Sort by and choose Date listed: Newest first. Then under Filters > Date listed, toggle on Last 7 days. Oh, and if the seller’s profile says they joined in 2025, it’s probably a scam.
🛬 DJI drones aren’t banned yet: But they’re vanishing like crypto influencers in a bear market. The U.S. says all drones from communist China need a security review by December, but that review hasn’t even started. DJI says customs is already blocking shipments. You can still buy one, if you enjoy paying 2x MSRP and firmware roulette.
🧠 Mark Zuckerberg just dropped a full-blown AI manifesto: It’s a doozy. He says humanity’s future depends on each of us having a personal AI sidekick: smart glasses that listen to your life, know your dreams and nudge you toward your best self. And wouldn’t you know it? Meta just happens to make those very glasses. They lost over $4 billion last quarter building them, so clearly, the real payoff isn’t the hardware. It’s all the juicy data they’ll collect while riding around on your face. Read it here if you’re really that bored.
📺 Skip the fluff: YouTube’s Jump Ahead AI feature is finally rolling out on TV apps. Previously mobile-only, it now uses watch data to hop over boring chunks of videos. You’ll see a dot on the progress bar and can jump with your remote. Premium paid accounts only, of course.
Hotline bling: The Google Pixel 6a just added “pyromaniac” to its resume. After a mandatory July software patch meant to reduce overheating, at least one updated phone straight-up caught fire while charging overnight. On the bright side, Pixel 6as can help preheat your room.
An app without a cause: I don’t see the point. Jack Dorsey (yep, the Twitter guy and CEO of Block) just dropped Bitchat, a free chat app that doesn’t need Wi-Fi, servers or a login. It runs on Bluetooth, so it’s you and whoever’s nearby within about 30 feet. Kind of like passing notes, but way nerdier.
🛰️ Scammers in low orbit: Facebook is crawling with phony ads offering “lifetime Starlink service” for as low as $127. Now real Starlink service starts at $120 per month, with no such thing as a lifetime package. These ads link to fake websites that mimic Starlink’s branding but have sketchy URLs, typos and unsecure payment pages. The only thing connecting here is your credit card to a scammer. Don’t fall for it.
🐱 You’ve got to be kitten me: Every year since 2016, people have gone to theaters to watch a full-length film of cats being chaotic, cute and ridiculous (case in point). CatVideoFest is a compilation of viral clips and fan submissions aka YouTube, but on the big screen. The kicker? It’s a hit. Last year alone, it clawed in over $1 million. That’s the cat’s meow.
5
That’s how many people it takes to keep your mental health from tanking. A study by Medibank and Growth Distillery found people with “high mental well-being” had an average of five reliable friends. Those struggling? Just three friends. That tiny gap is the difference between “I’ve got support” and “I don’t want to bother anyone.”
Fur-get hide-and-seek: Whistle dog GPS trackers are shutting down on Aug. 31. Why? Rival Tractive bought them. Trade in your old Whistle for a free Tractive tracker by Sept. 30. Subscriptions roll over, but warranties don’t.
Fix Spotify recs: Getting songs on Discover Weekly that make you go, “Why … this?” Give it a nudge: Find the bad playlist, tap the three-dot menu and select Exclude from your taste profile.
30%
The share of telescope images now tainted by Starlink’s signal leakage. One out of every three cosmic snapshots gets photobombed by a satellite. Researchers spotted unintentional radiation, using 76 million images from the EDA2 telescope. These signals aren’t even part of the satellites’ jobs, they’re just leaking and contaminating data meant to map the cosmic “dark ages.”
Kicking the bucket: Dropbox is shutting down its free password manager, Dropbox Passwords, on Aug. 27, 2025. All your logins and saved passwords will vanish. If you’re looking for a reliable alternative, NordPass is a smart, secure pick that’s easy to use, packed with features and won’t suddenly disappear on you.
72 hours
That’s the weekly grind for typical AI startup workers. It’s the infamous “996” warning label, that’s 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week, that feels more like working in the 1950s (minus the pensions, drinks, cigars and long lunches). AI may replace us eventually, but until then, it’s replacing our sleep.
Lithium-ion battery fire: A home in Fairway, Kansas, caught fire after a lawn mower battery blew up in the garage. It was on the charger when family members heard an explosion, and the fire spread quickly. Thankfully, everyone got out safely. PSA: Charge your electric goodies outside, not in the garage.
399 billion
The gallons of water Texas data centers are expected to chug annually by 2030. That’s nearly 7% of the state’s entire projected water use. They’re actually telling people not to take so many showers. Good thing I don’t live in Texas. I love nothing more than getting up at 6 a.m. for a cold shower. So I don’t.