Rep. Jennifer Wexton of Virginia delivered what is believed to be the first speech ever from the House floor using artificial intelligence voice technology. Wexton was diagnosed last year with a rare neurological disorder that robbed her of her ability to speak clearly.
House swapping is hot right now – Do it the right way
Want to try out a new city or travel over the long term for cheap? You need to know about home swapping. There are dozens of home-swapping groups on Facebook for everyone from women over 50 to vegans who like baseball. But it’s not for everyone, and you have to do your homework.
Swap smart
My advice: Eat the fee the first time and use a third-party site to see if home swapping is for you. (I’ve got options and costs below.) You can try it by yourself to avoid fees, but be sure to do your due diligence and create an agreement.
🚩 Secrecy is the biggest red flag. If the other party refuses to video-chat on a platform like FaceTime or sign a formal agreement, move on. Ask about security systems and anyone else who has access to the property while you’re staying there, too.
What about your home?
If you’re a renter, check your rental agreement for restrictions and rules around subletting. And if you own your home and still owe on your mortgage, see if your loan agreement lets you rent your place.
Take precautions. Have a plan in place for unexpected maintenance problems and a local contact for your swapper to reach out to about plumbing issues, TVs or pests.
Lock any closets and rooms off-limits to guests, and store all your valuables in a portable safe (this one’s $19).
Insurance is part of this convo, too. Ask if your renter’s or homeowner’s policy extends to anyone you swap homes with. You may need additional coverage.
🦺 Guardhog and Pikl specialize in insurance just for home sharing. Who knew?
Arrivederci, beaches
When you’re getting started with home swapping, going through a vetted third-party website is your safest bet. Here are a few to check out:
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Stuff I use a lot and like
🤔 I’m not sure what this list says about me other than I like exercise, good food, nice smells, white teeth and no peach fuzz.
- I wear this weighted vest when I walk to burn more calories and increase bone density. Order one that’s 10% of your body weight.
- I love to make a pot of soup and freeze it in this silicone container. I have lunch for the whole week.
- This large aromatherapy candle makes my house smell so good.
- This tooth whitener and polisher kit is like going to the dentist to get your teeth cleaned.
- I use these $2 blades to shape my eyebrows and get rid of the fuzz on my face, along with those hairs that pop up out of nowhere.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
✏️ Whiteout: Those white Apple charging cords get so dirty. Here’s a secret for removing the black streaks: Use a pencil eraser. Yep, it’ll buff them right off. Oh, and I finally hung up all my pencil drawings, but I’m afraid it makes my house look kinda sketchy.
"We have pics of your home"
Scammers are sending emails with Google Maps images of your house, claiming they’ve hacked your computer. Are they for real? Here’s the answer.
🗣️ Alexa’s makeover is going to cost you: This is interesting. Amazon’s in-house Alexa AI software struggled, sometimes taking seven seconds (a digital lifetime) to reply. Now, they’re using Anthropic’s Claude AI. Amazon invested $4 billion in Anthropic. A smarter Alexa is coming in October, costing $5 to $10 a month.
Billionaire Warren Buffett once said AI will change everything and likened it to the development of the atomic bomb. So, is this next sentence true or false? Warren Buffett lives in the same home he bought in 1958.
Before you buy a house, watch this
Pat Lawlor and his wife were first-time homebuyers, eager and ready to start the process. Things took a turn for the worse when Pat received an email from his “escrow officer” and sent over their down payment. Catch the full interview here. Buyer beware!
It's official: Facebook censors your opinions
Mark Zuckerberg is now apologizing for censoring conservative views during the pandemic. But the real shocker? He claims it was under pressure from the White House.
Remove your home on Google Maps
Burglars use Google Maps to scout homes without getting close — until they strike. This is why you should blur your house, and I’ve got the steps.
Keep your Android automatically unlocked: Go to Settings > Security > Smart Lock. You can set it to stay unlocked when it’s on you, near a trusted device (like your laptop) or in a trusted place (like your house).
Kitboga exposes a shocking new scam
Scammers have a new trick up their sleeves, and Kitboga is here to break it down for us! Plus, Duolingo’s mean streak, the U.S. House has banned ByteDance apps, and Meta is planning to open-source its latest AI model.
Another stupid viral video trend: A Maine man fired 14 rounds from a handgun at teens who ding-dong-ditched his house at 1 a.m., clipping one kid in the leg. Luckily, the teen is OK, but the homeowner faces multiple charges of assault and reckless conduct with a firearm. Tell your kids not to prank homes for video views.
Deepfakes and Joe Biden's White House
The White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, claims viral videos of President Biden looking frail or confused are deepfakes. But are they really? Here’s the story.
💊 CVS recall: Over the past decade, CVS has pulled 133 over-the-counter meds of its own in-store brand off the shelves. From bacteria infestations to moldy factory vents and even incorrect dosing, the recall reasons vary. The top offenders are eye drops, cough medicines and constipation treatments. Check your house for any.
Apple’s next big idea: Robot butlers
Picture an AI smarty-pants to wash the dishes, clean the house and video chat with you when you’re not home. Plus, fakes on Facebook, no more sharing Disney+ passwords, and Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology.
Get photos of your home off Zillow, Redfin and Realtor.com
Are there pictures of your house online? Here’s why that’s a real danger and how you can remove them from listing sites.
Cheap clothes online could make you sick
Major fashion retailer Shein was caught selling millions of clothes containing toxic chemicals, some of which are linked to cancer. Plus, an Amazon driver ignores a house fire, Samsung washing machine drama, and police drones are here.
Amazon driver ignores a house fire
A family’s home burned for over three hours. The crazy part is, just 20 minutes in, an Amazon driver arrived to drop off a package. Watch what happens when he enters the smokey garage.
Interview plus-ones? One in four Gen Zers says they’ve brought a parent to their job interview. Another 25% have had their parents submit a job application for them. PSA: If your kid asks you to join their job interview, say no. No matter how badly you want them out of the house, they’ve gotta learn to fly on their own.