Phony landlords

🏠 Phony landlords: Scammers are flooding Facebook Marketplace with fake rental listings. They use real addresses and legit-looking pics at prices that seem like a steal, and they’ll even let you check it out in person. Major red flag: They’ll demand an application fee upfront via PayPal, Venmo or Zelle.

Tags: Facebook Marketplace, landlords, real estate, renting


Chinese researchers broke encryption

Look at these two headlines:

So, who’s right?

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71-year-old pole dancer

The internet can’t stop talking about her. She had a hip replacement and struggles with arthritis, but she still pulls off some incredible moves that require a whole lot of strength. Look at those biceps! I know, not tech, but wowza.

$100,000 in prizes

Doled out to winners of the NFL’s Big Data Bowl. Stats are a huge part of the game, and this contest is to see who can compile them into meaningful, interesting takeaways. More info here if you’ve always wanted to work for the NFL but you’re more of a “mathlete” than an athlete.

$329 per day

For Disney’s new skip-the-line pass. It debuts Oct. 23 at Disneyland and Oct. 30 at Disney World. In Florida, it’s only available if you’re staying at a Deluxe Disney World hotel or villa. Oh, and that charge is on top of the regular ticket price, which is around $100.

1 in 3 products

Has shrunk while the price has stayed the same (or gone down). It’s called “shrinkflation.” Paper products and cereal are big offenders. Take Angel Soft toilet paper: You now get 25% less TP for 13% more money. Talk about being on a roll! Hit this link for product comparisons.

600 million cyberattacks

Target Windows every single day. Microsoft’s latest report with all the gory details says more than 99% of attacks go after your passwords. Antivirus software is a must, folks.

69,370 bitcoins

Headed for the U.S. Treasury. It’s the stolen proceeds from the Dark Web drug marketplace Silk Road, valued at $4.6 billion at current prices. It took four years for the government to establish ownership. Crazy twist: The agent who secured the money is sitting in jail.

2.5% cost-of-living increase

Added to Social Security benefits in 2025. The max benefit will increase to $5,108 per month. FYI, if you get Supplemental Security Income, you’ll see two payments hit next month: Nov. 1 and Nov. 29.

2,200 pounds

Of explosives used to implode the Tropicana Las Vegas. The site of the former 23-story, 917,400-square-foot hotel is becoming a Major League Baseball stadium for the Oakland A’s, who are relocating. The controlled demolition used 22,000 lineal feet of detonating cord. Dang! Watch it happen here.

17 days

A dozen drones flew over secure U.S. military locations. They zoomed over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, moved over the home base of the Navy’s SEAL Team Six and, finally, surveyed the world’s largest naval port (paywall link). U.S. officials don’t know where they came from or how to stop them. Ahem, China? These yours?