Life Style

The thought of someone secretly living in your house and silently waiting in the closet for you to go to work so they can eat your food and pet your cat is terrifying, but it apparently happens often enough to have a name. It’s called “phrogging” and it differs from home invasion and robbery mainly in intent.The phrog isn’t trying to steal your jewelry like a common burglar; they want to secretly live in your place for a few days before hopping off to someone else’s pad. It’s a risk-heavy but rent-free lifestyle, perfect for amoral thrill-seekers.The clandestine nature of phrogging makes it impossible to know how common it is, but something like phrogging does happen occasionally. Consider this Knoxville man who found a half-naked dude living in his crawlspace, cooking meth, or Brayden Woo...

While there’s a lot of appeal to having a full-built desktop computer, sometimes you need something that offers a monitor and processing tower all in one machine. That’s where all-in-one computers come in. Over the years, these sleek machines have seen some huge advances, and if you’re looking to buy a great all-in-one desktop in 2023, then you’ve got a few options in front of you.First, you’ll want to figure out what you’re looking for in a computer. Do you need something super powerful, or will a budget-friendly option cut it? Do you prefer Windows or macOS? Ask yourself those questions before heading into a decision.If you want a solid all-in-one, but don’t want to spend a ton of cash, then the Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 3i is a solid option. Listing at just $530, this all-in-one system com...

You’re probably familiar with the lint trap on your dryer, and, ideally, clean it after every load of laundry. But did you know that your washing machine has a filter, too? If that’s news to you, that probably means yours has never been cleaned. But don’t worry: Once you know where to find it, it’s a pretty easy job. Here’s what to know.Before removing the filter, make sure your washing machine is turned off—with all knobs in the “off” position—and unplugged.The most straightforward way to locate your washing machine’s filter is to check the owner’s manual. If you no longer have yours—or inherited the appliances from the previous owners when you purchased your home—you should be able to find it online. Start by searching for the manufacturer + your washer’s model number—which is typically ...

I STEWed over this one for a bit, but ultimately I was up to the CHALLENGE, and I’m sure you will be, too. If you’re looking for the Connections answer for Sunday, October 29, 2023, read on—I’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Along the way, I’ll explain the meanings of the trickier words and we’ll learn how everything fits together. Beware, there are spoilers below for October 29, NYT Connections #140! Read on if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Connections game.If you want an easy way to come back to our Connections hints every day, bookmark this page. You can also find our past hints there as well, in case you want to know what you missed in a previous puzzle.Below, I’ll give you some oblique hints at today’s ...

Part of the process of shopping around for a used car is performing various inspections, including checking for damage. Consequently, part of the allure of buying a brand new car is, at least in theory, that you can skip that part, and don’t have to worry about anything being wrong with the vehicle. No previous owners means no existing problems, right?Not always, unfortunately. Here’s why you shouldn’t assume that brand new cars are always damage-free.It’s important to remember that new cars don’t simply roll off the factory line and directly on to the lot of a car dealership. And that once they’re at the dealership, they’re not covered in bubble wrap and stored in a spacious, climate-controlled garage. In reality, vehicles manufactured in Europe or Asia, for example, are loaded into cont...

Today’s puzzle is cute and fun, and features a cameo from a TV character. If you’re looking for the Connections answer for Saturday, October 28, 2023, read on—I’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Along the way, I’ll explain the meanings of the trickier words and we’ll learn how everything fits together. Beware, there are spoilers below for October 28, NYT Connections #139! Read on if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Connections game.If you want an easy way to come back to our Connections hints every day, bookmark this page. You can also find our past hints there as well, in case you want to know what you missed in a previous puzzle.Below, I’ll give you some oblique hints at today’s Connections answers. And farthe...

Do sweet and salty foods taste good to you? Is your sleep maybe not the best? Do you have some belly fat? The answer to these questions is probably yes, because you are human, but that’s not important right now! TikTok influencers would like you to consider another possibility: that your cortisol is too high, and that you should buy their supplements (link in bio!) to control it. Then you’ll be relaxed at night and energetic in the morning, you’ll enjoy the taste of kale, and—most importantly—you’ll become thin and beautiful.This cortisol dysregulation idea has become a sort of mega-phenomenon, absorbing the power and anxieties of anything it touches. If you look up cortisol on TikTok, you’ll find weight loss tips, sleep hygiene tips, massage techniques, and more. You’ll be served videos n...

Even on high-end models, most TV speakers suck. Bad speakers are the reason you might have trouble understanding the dialogue in shows and movies, and you don’t need a surround sound setup to do better—basically any soundbar will do wonders for your TV’s audio. Currently, Woot is giving you an opportunity to upgrade your sound system with a pretty good one: You can buy a “factory reconditioned” JBL or Yamaha soundbars for as little as $80.The deal runs through Nov. 2, or until supplies last. Woot only ships to the 48 contiguous states in the U.S. If you have Amazon Prime, you get free shipping; otherwise, it’ll be $6 to ship.If you clicked because you saw $80 in the headline, here it is: This JBL Bar 2.0 All-in-one soundbar came out in 2019 and originally cost $200. As I noted last time i...

Today is another cute little puzzle, and not too hard—I’d even say it’s NIFTY. If you’re looking for the Connections answer for Thursday, October 26, 2023, read on—I’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Along the way, I’ll explain the meanings of the trickier words and we’ll learn how everything fits together. Beware, there are spoilers below for October 26, NYT Connections #137! Read on if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Connections game.If you want an easy way to come back to our Connections hints every day, bookmark this page. You can also find our past hints there as well, in case you want to know what you missed in a previous puzzle.Below, I’ll give you some oblique hints at today’s Connections answers. And f...

Photo: alexfan32 (Shutterstock)I can tell you already what you can expect for Black Friday—when you see a good early deal for something on your list, you should jump on it, as items will sell out. Best Buy is one of the few major retailers who have already put out their plans, which includes this TCL 65" Q5 4K QLED Smart TV with a $200 discount, currently at $399 (originally $599.99).The deal means this TV is the cheapest it has ever been, according to Honey. It currently sits $100 cheaper than it was during October Prime Day. It’s a Best Buy exclusive TV and is one of the cheapest QLED TVs I’ve seen in a while. To put it into perspective, Amazon’s equivalent in-house 65-inch QLED TV is $799.99. The Q5 series from TLC became their most affordable QLED TV after stripping the Q6 from that t...