What are the odds?

May 29, 2024

What are the odds? A San Diego woman found out she had three felonies during a routine background check that relies on people-search databases. The charges, dating back to 2014, included burglary, identity theft and possession of a controlled substance. Turns out, she’s innocent. The real culprit shares her exact name and birthday.

Tags: background, background check, burglary, charges, Check, identity, identity theft, Real, San Diego, Search

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Your data: It’s all posted online - But there's a simple way to remove it

A loyal reader, Racquel, emailed me recently after dealing with a very angry customer at work. “Last week, she left me a voicemail and said that I was behind all her problems and she was ‘going to find’ where I lived.”

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Big Tech is tracking your emails

I have three different work email addresses — and a Gmail address I set up when it launched in 2004. I could never score the handle again today, but after 20 years, that inbox is a mess.

It’s become my disposable email address for coupon codes, free signups and newsletters — pretty much, the nonessential things in my digital life.

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How to set emergency contacts for iPhone

I hope you never need to use them, but everyone should set up emergency contacts. I’ll walk you through the process. It only takes a minute!

Which movie holds the record for the most expensive sealed, original VHS tape ever sold? Is it … A.) “The Goonies,” B.) “Back to the Future,” C.) “E.T.” or D.) “Ghostbusters”?

Find the answer here! →

2-plus hours

Time per day the average person spends “dreamscrolling.” This is when someone’s looking at things online they can’t afford and want to own someday. That time-suck works out to an average of 36 days of “dreamscrolling” a year. I can think of 50 better uses for my time.

$745 million

The price for a top-secret Air Force B‑21 Raider. The U.S. nuclear bomber came out of stealth for its first flight test in late May 2024. It’s designed to be “virtually invisible” to enemy radar, and it pretty much looks like a UFO with wings. Trust me, you’re gonna wanna see this.

$210 a pair

For fancy jeggings, or leggings that look like jeans. Yep, denim sweatpants are the latest Gen Z fashion trend, and high-end brands are selling them for $120 to $250 a pair. You can get ‘em for way less on Amazon, of course, if you have to own a pair.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

18 years old

The age of Kabosu, the “doge” that inspired a cryptocurrency. The beloved Shiba Inu pup passed away in May 2024, leaving millions of internet fans to mourn her — and, at its peak, a $90 billion dogecoin empire as her legacy. In the aftermath of FTX, the price of dogecoin has fallen nearly 400%, but Kabosu lives on in the big Coinbase in the sky.

12.6 years

The average car age for U.S. drivers. A new record, thanks to sky-high prices and interest rates. These days, a new car will set you back about $45,000, on average. No wonder folks are holding on to their clunkers.

$2,000,000,000

Cost to build the Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. The world’s largest cruise ship measures 1,198 feet in length, making this 250,800-ton giant five times larger than the Titanic. It can hold up to 7,600 guests, many of whom are getting ship-faced and a little nauti.