Hello, friends, and hello, Thursday! Let’s kick things off with our trivia. What is the percentage of divorces blamed on Facebook? Is it … 7.5%, 14% or 33%? You’ll find the correct answer at the end.

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$42,450,000,000. That's how much the U.S. government is spending to bring affordable, reliable, high-speed internet to places that don't have it. Politics aside, that's a heck of a lot of money.

By now, we all know how important it is to have a strong connection — for work, school, fun and life in general. But what happens if you move and realize, "Uh-oh, the internet here stinks"?

Do this before you start packing

Here's a must-do step: Check the internet before you sign that lease or fork over a down payment. There's a decent chance the prices and speed you're used to are vastly different in your (potentially) new neighborhood.

Most major U.S. cities have the same carriers, like Verizon, AT&T and CenturyLink. But depending on your location, you could get a drastically different internet speed than in another city … at the same price point.

The Markup created a handy map tool to check the internet speeds in 45 major cities. Here's the lowdown on what they found and how to use the map yourself.

Even if you’re not moving

Markup analyzed data from over a million internet plans across 45 U.S. cities from four of the nation's biggest internet providers: EarthLink, CenturyLink, Verizon and AT&T.

They found the worst internet deals popped up disproportionately in the poorest, most diverse and historically redlined neighborhoods in all but two investigated cities. Oof.

The internet's Big Four also use "tier flattening," meaning they charge the same rate for different internet speeds, which can vary drastically. How is that legal?

How to use the map

Eager to take the map for a test drive? Here's how:

The map gets pretty granular, so you can see down to the neighborhood how good you can expect your connection to be. Love that.

Now, fix your Wi-Fi

Using a router that's years old? It might be hamstringing your connection. I had my IT genius, John (the gadget master), narrow it to solid options:

Where you put your router matters, too. You want it in a central location, high off the ground. I’m looking at you if yours is stuck on the floor in a closet.

✅ Next on your to-do list: Change the channel, look for moochers and banish the kids to a guest network. Get the steps here.

Sickening but true: The U.S. is the biggest consumer of child p*rn. That’s why 50 attorneys general are asking Congress to stop artificial intelligence (AI)-generated child s*xual abuse images ASAP. Big-name AI art generators like Dall-E and Midjourney don’t allow those image types, but you can bet certain open-source software does. We need to take action now, folks.

Another stupid TikTok challenge: The latest is using an aerosol can or rubbing alcohol to create a ball of fire. A 12-year-old Arizona boy is in the hospital with second- and third-degree burns all over his body after he tried it. His mom says she woke up to a “bloodcurdling scream” and her kid on fire. Horrifying.

🪨 Give me a break: A guy posted on social media his grandma paid $20,000 for a pebble walkway. What she ended up with were rock-printed tiles, not actual rock. See it here. Seriously, $20K for that? Come on.

That's pushing it: The iPhone 15 is coming next week. Expect it to cost as much as $100 more than the iPhone 14 — we’re talking up to $1,200. Insider secret: Most people will get by just fine with the standard iPhone 15. You probably don't need the Pro or the Pro Max.

New Tesla competitor: Mercedes-Benz has a new concept electric vehicle (EV) that charges up to 248 miles in just 15 minutes. Its overall range is 446 miles, and it's expected to come in with a lower entry-level price. If it’s around $50,000, Elon will be shaking in his space boots.

🐆 You can't make this stuff up: A 40-year-old farm worker in Brazil was attacked by a jaguar — and his phone saved his life. The big cat chomped down on his cellphone and the lithium-ion battery exploded in its face. The cat got spooked and ran away. Hope he’s not planning a revenge attack.

Eye of the Thai-ger: A Florida restaurant owner put up 16 security cameras to catch people who dine and dash, aka run off without paying. He's sharing the footage on Facebook, and it's working. He says he's caught over a dozen of these scoundrels. Many have returned to pay the bill and beg him to take down the videos.

🧒 Time out isn't enough: A five-year-old used his voice to buy $1,000 in toys and a $500 hot tub on Amazon. My favorite: "Alexa, add 112 water slides to my cart." Pro tip if you have little ones around: Disable voice purchasing on the Alexa app.

Sound like a tech pro, even if you're not one. Try my award-winning, daily podcast. Search for my last name with "K" wherever you get your podcasts and "Go Komando!"

Listen to my podcast, Kim Komando Today, here.

There are two types of people: Cruise people and people like me who would rather do anything else. Don't get me wrong, I get the appeal. Being stuck on a boat for days on end just isn't my thing.

For all the friends who have tried to convince me otherwise, this one’s for you. We rounded up info on the best times to book to score a hot new cruise or a great deal on a last-minute trip.

Booking early: The pro move

The inside scoop from Cruise Critic: The most sought-after cruises post their best deals right at the start. Rates climb as seats fill, especially for top-tier experiences like Disney cruises and fresh-off-the-dock ships.

The waiting game: For the risk-takers

If you're the type to skirt around peak seasons or don't mind an older ship, here's a tactic: Wait it out. As departure dates near, prices can dip or perks get thrown in.

But it's a gamble. You might snag a deal, but your cabin options can be limited. This strategy is gold for those with flexible schedules, like freelancers or the retired gang.

The smart play: Tracking rates

Wondering when to pull the trigger? Track those rates! It sounds tedious, but tools like the Shipmate app and Cruise Critic can alert you to price drops, sparing you some legwork.

The optimal booking season is …

January through March if you're in it for a deal. Known in the biz as "wave season," it's ripe with industry-wide sales. Plus, it's promo heaven — think freebies, onboard perks and more.

🚢 I was once offered a job on a cruise ship. But the interview really made it clear the position had its ups and downs.

Bluetooth works similarly to Wi-Fi and cellular networks but performs simpler tasks at shorter ranges. You don’t need a cell signal or network connection to use Bluetooth, and it doesn’t use data.

It’s baked into just about every smartphone you can buy nowadays. But as with any connection, Bluetooth has vulnerabilities.

My advice: Turn off Bluetooth when not using it. Keeping it active all the time makes your device more discoverable. Bonus: You’ll get more battery life.

⚠️ You’d be surprised what someone can do if they break into your phone via Bluetooth.

Don’t lose all your photos, videos, documents and memories if yours bites the dust. You need to back things up the right way. My pick is IDrive.

It’s safe, fast and easy. You can back up all your devices — iPhone, Android, Mac, PC — to one account and access your stuff from anywhere.

The internet is buzzing about this World War II time traveler on a smartphone. What do you think?

The answer: One in seven divorces is attributed to Facebook — 14.29%. Sure, Facebook's the platform, but it's really about how folks use it. It's not Facebook sending those messages, looking up an old lover or liking those photos — it's the person behind the screen.

Another issue down. See you this afternoon with a fresh batch of Tech Hacks. Sign up here if you don’t get it yet. — Kim