The best news, gossip and trivia from around the Internet to help get you over the mid-week hump. 

On the fly
Following the New York City marathon this past weekend — which an American woman won for the first time in 40 years, woot! — I read this article by Wired’s Nicholas Thompson, who himself ran the marathon in a pair of Nike’s new Zoom Vaporfly 4% shoes. The brand’s sneaker engineers used ultra lightweight foam and a spoon-shaped carbon-fiber plate to develop the shoe, which, supposedly, makes runners four percent more effecient. The proof is there: The winner of Chicago’s marathon back in October had on a pair of Vaporflys, as did Shalane Flanagan in NYC. Thompson examines the variables (including doing an experiment of his own) in this piece to get to the sole of the issue (see what I did there) — but if I were to lace up again, I think I’d be willing to shell out the $150-$250 to take the chance of shaving four percent. ­–Managing editor Elle Eichinger

A[?]-phone
This suggested read is simply to help you out. This week, Apple has somehow managed to launch their most technologically advanced phone yet while also completely falling short on basic typing formats. You’ve seen the earth shattering evidence on Instagram feeds, celebrity tweets and group texts. Thousands of iPhone users can’t type the letter “I” and are faced with the maddening autocorrect of “A[?] .” Apple hasn’t responded to the glitch and victims of the burden are going crazy, including John Mayer. This article by Jennifer Calfas walks you through a quick fix. Hopefully the rest of the alphabet remains unharmed through this difficult time. —Contributing writer Beth Delany

I spy
What is revealed in Ronan Farrow’s latest investigative story for The New Yorker — “Harvey Weinstein’s Army of Spies” — seems like the plot of thriller: A villainous corporate executive enlists ex-Mossad agents to use fake identities so they can get close to his enemies and steal information, all to try and hide the truth of his horrendous and unforgivable actions. But it’s no movie plot — it’s the unbelievable lengths Weinstein went to over the past year to hide everything. The most disturbing part for me was how one female “spy” faked a friendship and business partnership with actress Rose McGowan (who has accused Weinstein of rape) so she could access pages from McGowan’s upcoming book (and she was successful). —Art director Jessica Sedgwick

He’s no square
In less serious, albeit entertaining, news, a 23-year-old Chicagoan, SeungBeom “Steve” Cho, set a new world record when he solved a Rubik’s Cube in 4.59 seconds. I’d be embarrassed to admit the amount of times I’ve tried to solve one in an entire day — OK, it was weeks — so I’m truly in awe. I’m also equally amused by his YouTube profile, in which he self identifies as a “speedcuber.” Some people are just born gifted. —Senior editor Chiara Milioulis

A look back
It’s been a year since the election that rocked many Americans and, more specifically, women. This article by Jill Filipovic catches up with the noteworthy women who almost got Hillary Clinton elected: the campaign’s email director and director of communications outreach open up about the night they lost it all. Their candor, heartbreak and unlikely optimism for the future is insightful and astute. (They’re also pretty ticked off.) It’s a good read for women in government or anyone looking to understand the last 365 days. —Contributing writer Beth Delany

The future is here
I firmly believe that autonomous cars will become a standard fixture on our roads within the next decade. That said, I’m not volunteering as tribute while companies test the tech, but I applaud the individuals of Phoenix, Arizona, who will soon be the first passengers of totally driverless taxi rides. Waymo, the self-driving company from Alphabet Inc. (owners of Google), plans to roll out the service on public roads in Arizona within the next few months. We’ll see how this goes, but for now, I just have another reason to avoid Phoenix (as if I needed one). —Contributor Zak Stemer

Say cheese
A company called “HEYTEA” is combining two of my favorite, unlikely things in a new, avant-garde drink: cheese and caffeine. I know what you’re thinking: who would put cheese in tea? I thought it was gross at first, too, but then this Condé Nast travel writer wrote that it tasted like a “refreshing tea milkshake,” and I was interested. When drinking a milkshake, I usually feel guilty for overindulging in the colossal calorie count and high sugar. But this cheese tea actually is made with frothy cream cheese (so don’t worry, a slice of gouda won’t be sitting flat at the bottom of your Lipton). If it’s anything like a Starbucks frap, bring on the tea with cheese. —Editorial intern Gretchen Sterba