😱 Kirk was targeted, see the chilling online posts

Hey hey, it’s Tuesday, {{first_name | friend}}. It’s another free newsletter to keep you tech ahead!

If you had more money than you could ever spend, what would you do? Build a rocket? Buy a sports team? Solid picks. Personally, buying an island is on my list. At least that’s what Oracle’s founder, 81-year-old Larry Ellison, did.

🏝️ Take a guess why he bought an entire island. Was it to … A) Build a private airport, B) Turn it into a wellness eco-resort, C) Host America’s Cup yacht races, or D) Mine rare minerals? Find the answer sipping on a nonalcoholic piña colada at the end!

🏷️ You’re not for sale. Your personal info should never be up for grabs. But data brokers are out there making money off your personal info. That’s why I use Incogni. They automatically remove your name, address, political affiliation, medical records, driving history and more from those shady sites. Use my link to save 60% and take back your privacy! — Kim

📬 Was this forwarded to you? Be the first to know, not the last to hear. Sign up now. It’s free!

I set up my 401(k) back when I worked for AT&T as a Large Business Systems Analyst (fancy title for a person who sold digital phone systems to a company with over 1,000 stations) and never really looked at it. I picked a few funds and stocks, hoped for the best and trusted that everything was on track. But now? 

With AI peeking over my financial shoulder like a nosy aunt, I’m in deep. I’m dissecting my holdings, side-eyeing expense ratios and even questioning my financial adviser like I suddenly have a CFA. And I’ve uncovered a few big mistakes and money I was paying out that I did not know anything about. Shame on me.

You might not have the best mix of investments, and sneaky fees could be quietly draining your money. Do what I did. Use AI to get a second opinion, safely and easily. 

In that document, put together a list that includes:

Be smart. That’s all you need. Never share account numbers, dollar amounts tied to your name or login info. AI doesn’t need them.

Head to ChatGPT (or your favorite AI assistant) and type a prompt something like: “Here are the funds in my 401(k). Does this look like a good mix for someone who’s 50 years old?”

You’ll get a plain-English breakdown of your risk level, diversification and what your investments actually do. You can also ask your AI assistant to ask you questions about your current financial status and how to reach your money goals.

Fees are a silent killer. Ask AI: “What are the expense ratios for these funds, and how much would they cost me over 10 years on $100,000 invested?”

AI will show how those “small” fees can cost you tens of thousands over time.

If your financial adviser recommends a change, paste in the suggestion (without your personal info): “My adviser recommends switching to [fund name]. What are the pros and cons of that fund?”

AI won’t tell you what to do, but it will help you ask better questions.

✅ It’s OK to give AI a rough investment amount (like $100,000). It helps estimate fees and growth.
❌ Don’t give your account number, login info or personal details.
✅ Ask AI to explain complex terms (like “expense ratio” or “target-date fund”) in plain English or say “like I’m in 8th grade.”

🤑 I know you know some person who thinks a 401(k) is something too far for them to  run. Use the share icons below, and maybe when they cash out, you’ll get a cut! Sweet.

If your site traffic’s dropped over 40 percent, Google’s AI Overviews are to blame. Plus, why free AI tools aren’t what they seem and the “Hawk Tuah” girl’s rebrand. And a major warning: Never use your voiceprint at the bank.

Listen on Komando.com →

🎧 Subscribe on your favorite platform:

😱 This is chilling: The FBI is now looking into social media posts that seem to suggest several individuals knew about the Charlie Kirk shooting at least one month before it happened. We don’t know yet if these accounts were connected to the shooter or just twisted internet weirdos, but the timing is raising serious red flags and yes, the feds are digging in. Some of the posts are downright creepy. One user on X wrote on September 3rd, “Itd be funny if someone like Charlie Kirk got shot on September 10th LMAO.” Another post from early August just said, “September 10th will be a very interesting day.” And when the news broke? One of the accounts said, “We f***ing did it” and another replied to their own post with, “I plead the fifth.” Click here to see the screenshots for yourself. You won’t believe some of the comments. Fortunately, it won’t be very difficult to connect the dots and identify these individuals.

🚨 Microsoft doomsday alert: Mark your calendars, November 2025 is when Windows 11 23H2 (Home & Pro) officially stops getting updates. Translation: Your laptop becomes an all-you-can-eat buffet for malware. Enterprise folks get an extra year, but for everyone else, upgrade to 24H2 or roll the dice. Some PCs can’t upgrade because of audio drivers and wallpaper software. Yes, wallpapers. Unbelievable.

🤖 I’d apply if I could: Check this out. OpenAI’s launching Grove, a just-hatched accelerator for tech founders who haven’t figured out what they’re building yet. Lucky people will get to hang around SF HQ, play with new models and maybe become the next billion-dollar AI overlord. Applications are open now, but spots are ultra-limited.

📱 Bars from space: Elon Musk wants Starlink to be your phone provider. Instead of towers, satellites beam calls straight to your pocket. Texts are working now for some folks. Starlink just locked down spectrum rights from Globalstar, the same radio lanes carriers use. The big carriers are sweating, FCC’s nervous and you might finally get service in that one Target parking lot black hole.

🚀 Firefly on the moon: A Texas startup just made the second-ever private moon landing. Their Blue Ghost lander is testing heat, dust, drilling and even whether GPS works that far out. You know, “people living up there one day” basics. NASA’s paying companies instead of building everything themselves. Why? It’s cheaper and faster. 

⚡ Meta’s new toybox: Get ready! Zuck is taking the stage tomorrow for Meta Connect, where he’s expected to drop two new smart glasses (one with a tiny display), an $800 Prada tie-in, plus fresh Meta AI bots. No new headsets, but Meta’s VR games, apps and third-party VR gear should get airtime. Think less “metaverse utopia,” more “notifications on your face.” Like we need that.

🍂 September surge! Did you know September is one of the busiest hiring months of the year? That means top candidates are turning to LinkedIn right now. If you’re looking to add to your team, now is the time to do it. Use my special link to post a job for FREE!*

Don’t want to give your real phone number to strangers? No biggie. Here’s how to get a second one for free with Google Voice.

Listen on Komando.com →

“Alexa, show me my living room cam.” Plug it in, connect to Wi-Fi, and motion alerts keep you one step ahead. Bonus: HD night vision.

🔊 Personal safety alarm (25% off): Clip an instant backup to your keys. A siren and flashing strobe will draw eyes your way.

🚨 Doorstop alarm (16% off, three-pack): If anyone tries to break in, they’ll get greeted with an ear-splitting 120 dB.

💡 Clip-on flashlight (30% off): Great for late-night walks, this little guy has 10 modes, including four for emergencies.

❤️‍🩹 Wound closure strips (29% off): Think butterfly bandages, but upgraded. They do the job when the ER can’t wait.

🛟 I’m throwing you a lifeline: Build your “just in case” kit on my Amazon page. My handpicked security gear is all there.

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Switch between browser tabs fast. Ctrl + 1–9 (Windows) or Cmd + 1–9 (Mac). Goes directly to the tab number you pick. Whoa!

🎮 Mute console beeps: You can silence that loud beep your PS5 makes when turning it on. Go to Settings > System > Beep and Light > Mute Beep Sound. On Xbox, go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio > Power chime > Off. Now you can game at night without waking the house.

🚗 Make sure your car’s safe: About 1 in 5 cars on the road have an open recall that hasn’t been fixed. Check yours at the NHTSA website by choosing your state and entering your license plate number or VIN. FYI: You can also search recalls for tire brands and car seats.

✉️ Another platform, same spam: X lets anyone send you a message request that clutters your inbox. To stop it, go to Settings and privacy > Privacy and safety > Direct messages > Allow message requests from, and toggle No one. People you follow can still message you.

📄 Use your iPad as a scanner: Long-press the Notes app icon and tap Scan Document. Point your iPad’s camera and snap a photo. Now drag the circle handles to adjust the edges for a cleaner look.

😎 Be a pal: Click here to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Costs nothing and makes my videos easier to find than your glasses on a Monday morning.

3,821%
That’s how much Pokémon cards have surged since 2004. And Wynaut? For context, the S&P 500 managed a measly 483% in the same stretch. Translation: Pikachu just smoked your retirement account (paywall link). One near-mint Pikachu Illustrator sold for $5.3M, proving that a tiny crease can tank your portfolio faster than a bad earnings call. 

Over 500 million
That’s how many images have already been edited with Nano Banana. It’s part of Google’s Gemini. The hook? It keeps character likeness and lets you mash multiple pics together, like putting your face into a suit. You can generate or edit up to 100 images per day.

1
The number of parents needed to make some baby iguanas. A female casque-headed iguana at Exotic Zoo in England just gave birth to eight healthy hatchlings without ever meeting a male. The phenomenon, called parthenogenesis, makes the babies genetic clones of mom, one of the rarest events in the animal kingdom. My bet? A very sneaky male iguana without reptile disfunction.

🖼️ From drab to fab

If you’re looking for a new home, this is pretty slick. And if you’re selling your home, pay attention.

Zillow’s new Virtual Staging tool lets buyers hit a button and see the space instantly redone in styles like modern, coastal or midcentury. The Showcase-exclusive feature can swap couches, refresh layouts, remove furniture entirely and let you slide between before/after views. 

It’s more than a parlor trick: Zillow says Showcase listings already sell for $7,000 more on average. Good to know.

🖼️ We’re about to start seeing a lot more wall art that says, “Livé, Laough, Lo3ve.” (OK, if you didn’t get the joke, AI still can’t spell sometimes!)

🏝️ The answer: B) To turn it into a wellness eco-resort. In 2012, Larry Ellison bought 98% of Lānaʻi, a Hawaiian island with just 3,300 residents, for around $300 million. Over the years, he transformed it into a high-end wellness retreat complete with Four Seasons resorts, biometric trackers and a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. Oh, and a private airline, because of course. It’s now valued at over $500 million.

One for the road: A helicopter loses power over a remote Scottish island and makes an emergency landing. Luckily, there’s a cottage nearby, so the pilot knocks on the door. “Is there a mechanic in the area?” he asks the woman who answers. She thinks for a minute. “No, but we do have a McArdle and a McKay.” (lol) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

✅ Privacy check: Stop shady data brokers from selling your private details. Incogni removes your personal info from data brokers and shady people-search sites automatically. Get protected with Incogni today. Plans start at just $6.39 a month!

This is the #1 free newsletter in the United States. Tomorrow: that $600 Wi-Fi router? I’m blowing up the upgrade myth, and this one’s going to rattle some antennas.

✌️ That’s all for now. I want you to go into the bathroom, look in the mirror and say out loud, “I am smart, savvy, tech ahead and incredibly good looking!” You are. I know it. — Kim

📣 Don’t keep me a secret: Send your friends to GetKim.com

Photo credit(s): Bing Image Creator, Roku, Zillow

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This newsletter and its content are intended for informational purposes only. They are provided without warranty of any kind. You shouldn’t construe anything provided here as legal, health, medical, technical, tax, investment, financial or any other kind of advice.

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