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It’s a beautiful day. The family’s in attendance, side dishes and beer in tow. Your sister-in-law brought a trunk full of Super Soakers. It’s BBQ time. Time to kick back in the yard and fire up the … stove? Hmm, that doesn’t sound terribly exciting, does it? But that’s basically what you’re doing when you cook out on a gas grill, which is powered by the same largely flavorless fuel as your kitchen...

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Grilling on a holiday, when you've got the day off, is easy. You can take your time; pull out your artisanal hardwood charcoal; light it in your chimney starter; build a perfect two-level fire; and lovingly tend your rib-eye, or your chicken breasts, or your pork ribs. Holiday grilling is hobby grilling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Amos and I were walking out of the gym after basketball practice last weekend when he saw a friend inside the lobby. He bolted to the window, rapped on the glass, and began performing a very particular dance. He put one hand—fingers in the shape of an L—to his forehead; his legs jutted back and forth like a dancing bear on a pendulum. Puzzled, I watched. Then I pulled out my phone. “Siri, show me...

The sandwich was unremarkable—lukewarm and not quite melted, like a college freshman’s late-night microwave snack rather than a true grilled cheese. But I have thought about the sandwich every week since I ordered it, because the food truck that made it won’t stop emailing me. First came the receipt. Then the expressions of gratitude, offers of deals. “Thanks for your visit!” one email screamed. “...

I woke up one day, at age 38, and realized I was the worst kind of bored housewife. My kids were old enough to no longer need me, my amusing(ish) satirical novels were largely being unread, and my life had become a dull hum of paint colors and upholstery. I live on New York’s Upper East Side, where everyone shares the same small, incredibly specific concerns—private schools, vacations, and getting...

Sometime last fall, a man walked into the Nike store in Pasadena, California. He was a runner, it was a running-centric store, and he was there to buy a pair of running shoes just like the ones he had worn in the past. The clerk asked him if he'd be willing to have his feet measured a new way. "I'm a 9," the runner said. "I've always been a 9. Just give me a 9." Still, he relented. The runner walk...

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In an early episode of The Society, Netflix's new YA drama about power and privilege in a socialist adultless future, a group of teens gather to play a game of Fugitive. They split into two teams, each with a specific but precise role: The enforcers are tasked with catching the fugitives, and fugitives must do whatever they can to elude detainment. Many of the town's rich kids promptly elect thems...

Happy Thursday, and welcome to another edition of The Monitor, WIRED's roundup of all the best pop culture news. What's up this week? A lot of news about Avatar movies, surprisingly. Also, a victim of the Red Wedding might be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Batwoman is officially to the CW. Let's get started. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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In case you missed in last night's episode—or haven't been on #GoT Twitter today—someone seems to have left a Starbucks cup sitting on a table in that revelry scene on Sunday's Game of Thrones. People. Are. Freaking. Out. And investigation has been called for. People want oral histories. Fans are already calling it the best thing that happened in Season 8, Episode 4. Learn more about your ad choic...

In December 2009, a mysterious letter appeared at the home of one Mr. Johnson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Inside was a message printed on cream-colored paper: "All of the items in your refrigerator are swapped with all of the items in Ben Affleck's refrigerator. Try a bit of everything." A similar letter reached the reverend of the local church, and the architect William Hopkins. Learn more about...

Hello, and welcome to another Monday edition of The Monitor, WIRED's entertainment news roundup. Today, much like last week, we're talking about Avengers: Endgame, which is still ruling the box office. What else? Spider-Man: Far From Home has a new trailer and the British Royal Family has a new baby. Let's get going! Avengers: Endgame Might Break Avatar’s Box Office Record In less than two weeks,...

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As a professional pilot, I spend four or five days a year in multimillion-dollar flight simulators being examined by specialized training pilots. Since professional pilots already know how to fly, much of the testing focuses on what are called “non-normal situations.” Let’s imagine you find yourself on an airplane, in the sky, without a pilot. You are in a non-normal situation. Learn more about yo...

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This story is part of a collection of pieces on how we spend money today. Will you sign up for the Apple Card? You probably will, frankly. Apple’s latest innovation, which arrives this summer, is a credit card that comes with all kinds of conveniences: No late fees! No long strings of numbers! No wait to qualify! No card, either, if you’re using it the way Apple intends. Learn more about your ad c...

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First, a fair warning: This piece has Game of Thrones spoilers. If you didn't watch last night and don't want to know what happens, close this tab. Now that they are gone, and it's just us, the shell-shocked, left to consider last night's 1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recently I downloaded an app that was supposed to help me find people to carpool with. I'm not someone who relishes the idea of coordinating with strangers for my commute but, still, I wanted to give it a shot. For two weeks, I asked drivers—many of whom, the app indicated, had signed up but never actually accepted any carpool requests—for rides between my home in San Francisco's Castro neighborho...

It takes far more than 280 characters to describe Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s disputes with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Late Friday, Musk and the SEC reached a settlement in their latest clash over his tweets. The dispute stems from February, when the agency asked a federal judge to hold Musk in contempt of court for violating a September agreement that a Tesla lawyer would pre-approve al...

The reviews for Avengers: Endgame—the final installment in a decade-long run of Marvel films—have already landed. The movie itself hits thousands of theaters Thursday night. All of which means that the internet is about to become a very treacherous place for anyone who doesn't want to know the ending before they've seen it for themselves. Fortunately, ridding the internet of spoilers is a snap. Le...