sales Archives

🔓 This $130 lock got picked with a water can

@McNallyOfficial via YouTube

You know I love a good tech takedown, and this one is peak internet.

Meet Trevor McNally, a former U.S. Marine staff sergeant turned full-time YouTuber with a very specific hobby: lock picking. On his channel, he tests locks the way most of us test leftovers, with low expectations and a lot of curiosity.

He’s not a locksmith, but he really knows his way around a lock, a pick and a camera. That led to him getting sued.

🎥 Shim happens

It started when one of his viewers left a comment daring him to try the “virtually unpickable” trailer hitch lock from Proven Industries. This is a $130 heavy-duty beast designed to secure your trailer, boat or RV.

The company bragged about its toughness. So McNally took up the challenge.

He bought the lock himself, no sponsorships or tricks, and filmed the whole thing. What he did next was pure genius. He grabbed a Liquid Death can (yes, the trendy water brand in a tallboy can) and sliced it open.

With a pair of scissors and some patience, he shaped the thin aluminum into a shim. Then, with barely any pressure and zero damage, the lock popped open. Click. Done.

It didn’t take brute force, a power drill or some secret tool. Just curiosity, scissors and a can of water. And yes, the whole thing is up on YouTube. Go watch it now. It’s oddly satisfying.

⚖️ Unlock and loaded

Here’s where it gets messy. Instead of fixing the flaw or saying, “Hey, thanks for the heads-up,” Proven Industries sued McNally. They accused him of defamation, trade libel and copyright infringement, saying his video hurt their sales and reputation. Whaw whaw, did the big bad internet hurt your feelings?

McNally then doubled down and posted even more videos showing the same shim trick on other locks. Eventually, Proven Industries settled through mediation.

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That ‘free space’ in your closet might be worth hundreds or more

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Let me guess, you’ve got a few mystery boxes in the garage, a closet that could double as a thrift store, and a drawer of random chargers for devices you haven’t seen since the Obama administration.

We all hold onto stuff we might use again but never do. That clutter? It could be worth real cash and might come in handy for Christmas and holiday gifts.

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Labor Day sales on getaway gear

⚡ My pick: International power adapter (20% off)

Your passport to charging. Juices up to five gadgets at once in 150+ countries. One less thing to stress about at the gate.

😴 Memory foam neck pillow (20% off): Long flight? Sleep like you’re in first class. Comes with an eye mask, earplugs and a handy bag.

🧳 Hanging toiletry bag (33% off): Bye-bye, messy counters. Zips up and can hang on towel racks, doorknobs or hooks like a mini shelf.

🧼 Antibacterial soap sheets (17% off): Pocket-size and TSA-friendly. These are perfect for camping or those icky highway rest stops.

🌬️ Vacuum storage bags (44% off, 16-pack): Overpackers, I got you. There’s even a hand pump included for your trip home. Neat.

✈️ Before you take off: Travel smart, not heavier. See the full list of Labor Day travel steals on my Amazon storefront.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

Is the Apple Vision Pro still worth it?

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It’s anything but a success. Sales are gloomy. Apple’s still selling it. Why? Here’s my take in this short podcast.

⚙️ Uninsurable metal box: Tesla’s stainless steel Cybertruck is apparently too weird to insure. Geico and Hanover are pulling out, citing plummeting sales (just 4,306 sold last quarter) and high repair costs. The truck’s low production and high drama have made it a financial Bermuda Triangle.

More than 80%

That was Tesla’s share of the U.S. EV market back in the day. They’re down to just 38% of sales, the lowest since 2017. Why? While other automakers pump out shiny new EVs, Tesla’s busy dreaming about robotaxis and humanoid robots. Their last “new” model was the Cybertruck in 2023.

The jobs AI can’t steal (yet)

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Larry from Louisiana writes: “Kim, what jobs are safe from AI and don’t need a college degree? I’m losing sleep worrying about my future and how I’m going to support a wife and three teenagers.”

Larry, you’re spot-on to be thinking about this. Supporting a family of five in this economy is basically a full-contact sport. You’re also asking exactly the right question.

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Honor their service: How to get official military records

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If you’ve ever lost someone who served, or even just want to understand your family better, listen to this. I was poking around online, and I found my dad’s actual WWII draft card application. His name, his handwriting, his signature, where he lived. It was all there. I didn’t expect to get so emotional, but wow.

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Let AI find the best deals fast

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Labor Day sales are live and smarter shopping can save you even more. From AI tools to price trackers and hidden cart discounts, here is how to grab the best deals this holiday weekend.

51%

That’s how far Cybertruck sales dropped in just one year. Turns out America’s notorious polygon-on-wheels isn’t flying off the lots. Even Elon’s hype can’t outrun bad build reviews and a price tag that ages like milk. Slap a minigun on its back, and it’s Halo irl.

🕰️ Gen Z raids Grandma: Turns out Grandma’s house is the new Supreme drop. Estate sales are popping with 20-somethings hunting for secondhand treasures that are cheap and well-made. It’s thrifting 2.0, but with more mid-century lamps you’ll aggressively make your personality for six months.

3x

That’s how much Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses sales grew in the first half of this year. Zuck wants your face real estate (paywall link). Apparently, we also want our sunglasses to take selfies and hear voices. Meta is staking its claim before your sunglasses start running ads, really.

Hacked, packed and resold: A startup called Farnsworth Intelligence is taking hacked data (yep, from infostealer malware) and selling it to divorce lawyers, debt collectors and your competitor’s sales team. Over 50 million computers’ worth of stolen info. Passwords, browsing habits, embarrassing accounts and more up for grabs for about $50 each. How is this legal?

🧀 Cottage cheese is hot: Cottage cheese is having a weird moment. Albertsons says sales are booming thanks to TikTok recipes and a renewed obsession with protein. Sales surged by 18% in a year, hitting $1.75 billion last year. Why? Cottage cheese ice cream, toast, even pancakes. Next up: cottage cheese cold brew. You know it’s coming.

41%

That’s how much Prime Day sales may have dipped this year, ouch. But a softer showing doesn’t mean there weren’t great deals. Shoppers are just choosier these days (recession brain is real). Essentials won, splurges lost, and flashy new features couldn’t quite save the cart.

🤡 Alienating your customers is bad for your brand: Jaguar’s sales plummeted 97.5% after it released that super weird ad last November with nonbinary models wearing a rainbow of colors with slogans like “Copy Nothing” and “Live Vivid” but excluded any images of its new electric cars. In April, they only sold 49 cars in all of Europe. Wow.

🍳 AI hits Applebee’s: This is flipping great! IHOP and Applebee’s are rolling out AI for everything from upselling pancakes to spotting dirty tables. The idea? Less drama, more sales. Soon, a robot won’t forget your preferred side of ranch dressing and spin an iPad with a 25% recommended tip.

Memorial Day

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More than sales and barbecues, today is for honoring those who gave their lives for our freedom.

Memorial Day deals for under $50

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Memorial Day is not designed to be a day for special sales and barbecues, although there will be plenty of both. And while we value and appreciate all the veterans and active-duty military, it’s not their day either.

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Good post + bad timing = zero likes. Let’s fix that.

Midjourney

Are your carefully crafted social media posts getting the same amount of attention as a tree falling in the forest with no one around? As the French say, that’s no bueno.

Running a business is hard enough without your social media posts falling flat. You spent 30 minutes picking the perfect image, debated emojis for another 12, added hashtags that deserve a Pulitzer, and then? Radio silence.

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