Air Travelers Are Trying to Bypass REAL ID Requirements With a Hilarious Hack

In March, the Department of Homeland Security announced that passengers must have a REAL ID to board domestic flights without a passport. Created in response to the 9/11 attacks, the REAL ID Act sets stricter standards for state-issued IDs, raising the bar on identity verification to bolster national security. Applicants must present documents to prove their identity, legal presence in the U.S., Social Security number, and address. This reduces the chance of fake IDs or identity fraud. Now the TSA is shutting down a popular hack that’s happening at airports around the world — air travelers attempting to use their Costo cards as valid ID. The TSA took to Facebook this week to make it clear that a Costco membership card cannot act as a substitute for a REAL ID. “We love hot dogs and rotisserie chicken as much as the next person, but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as REAL ID because it absolutely does not,” the agency wrote. Needless to say, the comments on social media were hilarious, with one commenter writing: “What’s more American that using a card that gives you access to hot dogs?” Another chimed in, “Do you take Uncle Sam’s Club card, though?” The TSA specified that acceptable alternatives to a REAL ID are limited to a valid passport, passport card, or Department of Homeland Security trusted-traveler cards Global Entry and Nexus. Those who don’t have a REAL ID can still obtain one through their local DMV.

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The Silent Bloodbath That’s Flipping the Economy on its Head

A group of tech mavens wrote an open letter two years ago about how artificial intelligence (AI) was coming to “automate away all the jobs” and upend society. It looks like we should have listened to them, because that time has now come. Layoffs are sweeping America, with thousands of people at Microsoft and Walmart, as well as other iconic companies, losing their jobs. This time, it’s not blue-collar and factory workers being laid off — it’s college graduates with white-collar jobs in tech, finance, law and consulting. Entry-level jobs are vanishing the fastest, with chatbots taking over data entry and customer service jobs. The AI layoffs have begun, and those who don’t embrace technology will be irrelevant in the next five years. Proctor & Gamble, which makes diapers, laundry detergent, and other household items, recently said it would cut 7,000 jobs within the next two years. Microsoft announced the chopping of 6,000 staff, targeting “managerial flab.” Some are spooked by President Trump’s tariffs, while others say something deeper is happening. They say AI is nothing more than a scapegoat for executives who want to downsize for economic reasons and are blaming technology so as not to panic shareholders. There’s just one question that no one seems to want to answer: When AI robots take over all the jobs, who’s going to be left to spend the money that keeps the economy afloat?

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Mobile Home Flipping Has Become a Thing

Everybody is familiar with house flipping — buying a house for a low investment, making improvements, and selling it quickly for a profit. What you may not know is that mobile home flipping has become a thing as well. With housing costs rising across America, mobile homes have become the country’s biggest source of unsubsidized low-income housing, providing shelter to 21 million Americans. As the nation’s housing crisis grows, mobile homes are becoming increasingly attractive to people who can’t afford a traditional home. Between 2014 and 2024, the number of new mobile homes shipped across the country increased by a whopping 60%. Now, investors are scouring rural areas for vacant mobile homes on private property. The houses are often considered so worthless that many landowners will sell them cheaply. Michael Wiley, a factory worker in Dothan, Ala., bought an abandoned double-wide mobile home for $1,000, made some improvements, and then sold it for $30,000. Mersadez Joseph, an EMT in Columbia, SC., has flipped about 20 mobile homes over the past four years, earning about $250,000. While mobile homes may not appreciate in value like traditional homes, they can still be a valuable asset. The mobile home flipping market has become so competitive that established flippers are now charging from $50 to $1,000 for training and mentorship programs to help others enter the field.

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People Are Just Realizing Why Escalator Steps Have Grooves

Many people have long assumed that the grooves on escalators are there to prevent people from slipping off the moving stairs, but there’s more to it than that. As the steps circulate, the grooves sync up with a comb plate at the top. The comb plate gets locked in by the grooves, which blocks items like clothing, shoes and litter from being sucked in and jamming the escalator. There are also brushes along the sides of the stairs to sweep away debris. Aside from their mechanical purposes, the grooves allow spilled liquids to drain off the surfaces, making them less slippery and decreasing the chance of falls. If you’re someone who lives in fear of escalators, you should be happy those grooves are there. There is, however, one item that's being banned from many escalators: Crocs. It seems that the popular sandals are known for getting caught in the steps, which is why places like Disney World have banned Crocs on their escalators.

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