2. Amazon Prime Day is promoted as a rare opportunity to secure "deep discounts" on a variety of consumer items. In reality, Amazon deploys deceptive tactics to exaggerate its markdowns and create a false sense of urgency.
3. Amazon says the sale price of The Shark Pet Cordless Vacuum, $149, represents a 50% discount off of the $299.99 "list price." But despite being available since 2019, the price wasn't listed at $299.99 until May 21, 2025.
(Historical data via CamelCamelCamel)
4. Its average price is about $200. Over the last year, the same vacuum was available for $149 in November, December, March, April and May.
The same vacuum is available right now for $149 at Best Buy, Macy's, Lowe's, and Ace Hardware.
5. The Ninja Air Fryer Pro XL is on sale for $119.99, which Amazon says is a 33% discount off the list price of $179.99.
But Camel Camel Camel tracking reveals that the airfrier was not listed at $179.99 until May 19, 2025. It has been available for $119.99 or less every month since last November.
6. Last November and December, the same air fryer was sold on Amazon for $89.99.
It is currently available for the same $119.99 price from the manufacturer, Macy's, Best Buy, Kohl's, and Wayfair.
7. Amazon is offering a bundle of its newest smart glasses and smart screen for $239.98, which it says is a 47% discount off of the list price of $449.98.
But the exact same bundle has been offered since the beginning of June for $299.99. The price was only raised to $449.98 on July 1, 2025.
8. Nevertheless, major media outlets produce a massive number of "articles" promoting Amazon Prime Day, as if it is a genuine news event. This isn't an accident. Amazon provides financial incentive for news organizations to produce this content.
9. Media outlets gets a percentage of the revenue generated from every customer they refer to Amazon. Around Prime Day, Amazon increases the referral fees, doubling them in some categories.
So media companies are incentivized to make it seem like there are great deals.
10. Popular Information has no corporate overlords. That is why we are free to report the unvarnished truth.
3. According to the ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), payments to third parties were supposed to resume on April 30. ICE has contracted with a private firm, Acentra Health, to process reimbursements.
But April 30 came and went, and still, nothing is being processed.
1. A member of the U.S. Special Forces was just arrested for using classified info to turn a 400K profit on Polymarket.
The company is CELEBRATING this scandal as evidence that "the system works."
But Polymarket's story doesn't add up.
Let's dig in.
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2. Gannon Van Dyke, part of the Special Forces unit that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, was indicted for misappropriating classified information to turn a 400K profit on Polymarket.
1. A tiny California tribe, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, just donated $2 MILLION to MAGA Inc, Trump's Super PAC.
I decided to find out why.
It's an illustration of exactly how business is done in Trump’s Washington.
Follow along for details.
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2. The Yocha Dehe operates the Cache Creek Casino Resort. For a decade, the Yocha Dehe has been in a legal dispute with the Scotts Valley tribe, which is trying to build a casino about 60 miles away.
3. For Scotts Valley to build their casion, they need a technical determination by the Interior Department that “restored lands” — property with both a historical and modern connection to the tribe.
That enables them to get the green light for gaming.
1. For $500,000, you can have a one-on-one meeting with Trump tomorrow, according to an email solicitation obtained by Popular Information.
Follow this thread for details.
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2. The email from Sinan Kanatsiz offers a “one-on-one meeting and private photo with President Donald Trump” in exchange for a “contribution of $500,000 to TPUSA PAC.”
3. Kanatsiz describes his invitation as “strictly confidential and non-transferable.” The bottom of the message warns, “NOT FOR SHARING — CONFIDENTIAL.” A source shared the email on the condition of anonymity, fearing professional consequences for providing information to a journalist.
1. Yesterday, the NYT dropped a bombshell: Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has been aggressively lobbying Trump not to end the fighting and pushing him to launch a ground operation.
Why would Trump listen?
Follow the money.
2. Oddly, the NYT does not mention that earlier this year the Saudi government financed a $7 billion development with the Trump Organization.
These licensing deals are essentially all profit for Trump. It's putting money right in his pocket.
3. The NYT story also does not mention that Trump’s chief negotiator, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, is being paid tens of millions annually by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is controlled by MBS.
And Kushner is actively soliciting MBS for billions more right now.