We may earn a commission from links on this page.Welcome to Cookbook of the Week. This is a series where I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While finding a particular recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has a magic all its own.I am obsessed with the winter holiday season. It feeds into all of my slightly unhealthy tendenciesshopping, snacking, use of glitterand gives them space to flourish for four to six weeks. One more of my great seasonal passions is holiday entertaining with festive cocktails. Not the brooding G&T or fluttery Aperol spritz but cocktails that function as a treatones that are celebratory, ones that require loved ones to be gathered round. You can probably understand why my choice for Cookbook of the Week, at this point in December, is Gather Around Cocktails.About the bookWhile I chose this with the holiday season in mind, this cocktail book isnt just centered around beverages for winter holidays, but has loads of drinks to celebrate usual and unusual holidays too. You can find the right cocktail for a Groundhog Day party, a Purim Rager, May the Fourth, or even mocktails for Dry January.The author, Aaron Goldfarb, describes himself as a Brooklyn husband and dad who likes to throw a great party. Most of that, I can relate to. (Im a Brooklyn mother of two cat-children.) This cocktail book doesnt waste any time getting to the good stuff, either. Goldfarb has a short preamble in the front, mostly describing what youre about to jump into, and kicks it off with a syrups and sweeteners section that youll be directed back to throughout the pages.Goldfarbs creativity and obvious inclination toward being silly and having fun with your beverages is what really sold me on this collection of repeatable cocktail recipes. In the section For Hanukkah Menorah Lighting, he has a Jelly Doughnut Beertail, which looks tempting, followed up on the next page with The Rum Fire Shots Menorah. It is a stack of shots mimicking the shape of a menorah. They are all on fire. Its incredible. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann/Gather Around Cocktails A great cocktail book for someone who celebrates every occasionYou know the type: Your mother-in-law who is always throwing a party; your nephew who celebrated National Grilled Cheese Day last month and National Dalmatians with Bowties Day last week. Anyone from New Orleans. There are some folks who can find joy in all occasions, big and small, and this is a book that seems to have been written for them. Obviously, if they like alcohol then theyll get a lot more out of it.The recipes you can expectYou wont find boring recipes in Gather Around Cocktails. There seems to be a little twist with every recipe; something that makes you think, Ooh I didnt expect that. You must expect to put a little work in with making the occasional syrup, and having an adventurous palate will help, as well. Each recipe has the serving size written at the top right, the type of party its matched for (like A New Years Eve Blowout or New Years Day Gathering) on the top left, and a headnote with useful tips, and an easy to read recipe. This formatting makes it a breeze to flip through as you look for your occasion, and if youll need to scale up the recipe or not.Gather Around Cocktails has an array of batch sizes too, from single-servings to massive batchessuch as Ponche Navideo, which serves 16 to 24 cocktails. I rather like those options because having a group of friends over might be a party of four, or a bash for 20. With this book you dont have to math your way up and calculate dilution for a large party; you can just choose among the batched recipes. Likewise, you dont have to reverse it for just one serving.Like eggnog, for example. (Foreshadowing!)The drink I made this weekI dive headfirst into the Christmas season, and surprisingly, this book doesnt start with January holidays; it starts with winter ones. I didnt have to go far to find the most Christmas-y drink: eggnog. Goldfarb kicks things off with his Homemade Eggnog recipe, and it looks fluffy and delicious. Sadly, it is for 10 to 15 people, and I am just one. Well it seems like Aaron Goldfarb has had this happen to him before too. because the next pages are replete with single-serving eggnog recipes and notes about eggnog from other countries.Once I discovered Spiced Mexican Chocolate Nog, I knew I had arrived. Makes one cocktail. Perfect. I scanned the six-part ingredient list and got to work. Im not vegan, and I have no problem drinking raw eggs, but I had an open can of coconut milk in the fridge that Ive been trying to use up. Plus, Masala Chai blend is an ingredient in this cocktail and I simply cannot resist.The only hesitation I had was that the main alcohol used is mezcal, which I dont normally go for. However, I trust coconut milks power to tame harsh flavors so I went along with the recipe. Im glad I did. This is a holiday nog I would gladly make again for myself or batch up for others. The smoky notes from the mezcal play nicely with the chai seasoning and chocolate bitters, while the coconut milk mellows everything out with its fats, and of course, brings in a delicious flavor of its own.Its listed as a good cocktail for a Vegan Christmas Bash, and I couldnt agree more. The coconut milk is beautifully thick and velvety, something youd normally get from the egg and heavy cream. I didnt miss those ingredients at all. Plus, if youre a coconut lover then youre bound to be smitten, vegan or not.How to buy itNow is a great time to grab a copy of Gather Around Cocktails. Do a practice run this coming week and settle on which cocktail best fits your New Years Eve party. For additional party inspiration, check out my write up of Batch Cocktails for even larger party prepping. Gather Around Cocktails: Drinks to Celebrate Usual and Unusual Holidays (The Hosting Hacks Series) $20.55 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $20.55 at Amazon

You might be tempted to get a Chromebook as your next laptop and we wouldnt blame you. Chrome OS has come a long way: Chromebooks today have a good combination of build quality, battery life and power while also supporting years of software updates that will take you years into the future. If you primarily browse the web, or dont need a ton of extra software on a regular basis, a Chromebook can be a powerful daily driver.While Google did make things simpler last fall by introducing the Chromebook Plus initiative (more on that below), there are still multiple things to keep in mind when shopping for a new Chromebook. The market is saturated with machines at different price points and power levels; Ive been testing and reviewing Chromebooks for years and know what you should be looking for, and what you can expect out of these laptops. What is Chrome OS, and why would I use it over Windows? This is probably the number one question about Chromebooks. There are plenty of inexpensive Windows laptops on the market, so why bother with Chrome's operating system? Glad you asked. For me, the simple and clean nature of Chrome OS is a big selling point. Chrome OS is based on Googles Chrome browser, which means most of the programs you can run are web based. Theres no bloatware or unwanted apps to uninstall like you often get on Windows laptops, it boots up in seconds, and you can completely reset to factory settings almost as quickly. Of course, simplicity will also be a major drawback for some users. Not being able to install native software can be a dealbreaker if youre a video editor or software developer. But there are also plenty of people who do the majority of their work in a web browser. Google and its software partners are getting better every year at supporting more advanced features. For example, Google added video editing tools to the Google Photos app on Chromebooks it wont replace Adobe Premiere, but it should be handy for a lot of people. Similarly, Google and Adobe announced Photoshop on the web last year, something that brings much of the power of Adobes desktop apps to Chromebooks. Chromebooks can also run Android apps, which greatly expands the amount of software available. The quality varies widely, but it means you can do more with a Chromebook beyond just web-based apps. For example, you can install the Netflix app and save videos for offline watching. Other Android apps like Microsoft Office and Adobe Lightroom are surprisingly capable as well. Between Android apps and a general improvement in web apps, Chromebooks are more than just portals to a browser. What do Chromebooks do well? Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget Put simply, web browsing and really anything web based. Online shopping, streaming music and video and using various social media sites are among the most common daily tasks people do on Chromebooks. As you might expect, they also work well with Google services like Photos, Docs, Gmail, Drive, Keep and so on. Yes, any computer that can run Chrome can do that too, but the lightweight nature of Google Chrome OS makes it a responsive and stable platform. As I mentioned before, Chrome OS can run Android apps, so if youre an Android user youll find some nice ties between the platforms. You can get most of the same apps that are on your phone on a Chromebook and keep info in sync between them. You can also use some Android phones as a security key for your Chromebook or instantly tether your laptop to use mobile data. Google continues to tout security as a major differentiator for Chromebooks, and its definitely a factor worth considering. Auto-updates are the first lines of defense: Chrome OS updates download quickly in the background and a fast reboot is all it takes to install the latest version. Google says that each webpage and app on a Chromebook runs in its own sandbox as well, so any security threats are contained to that individual app. Finally, Chrome OS has a self-check called Verified Boot that runs every time a device starts up. Beyond all this, the simple fact that you generally cant install traditional apps on a Chromebook means there are fewer ways for bad actors to access the system. If youre interested in Googles Gemini AI tools, a Chromebook is a good option as well. Every Chromebook in our top picks comes with a full year of the Google One AI Premium plan this combines the usual Google One perks like 2TB of storage and 10 percent back in purchases from the Google Store with a bunch of AI tools. Youll get access to Gemini in Gmail, Docs and other apps, Gemini Advanced (which runs on the 1.5 Pro model) and more. Given that this plan is $20/month, its a pretty solid perk. Chromebook Plus models also include tools like the AI-powered help me write, the Google Photos Magic Editor and generative AI backgrounds you can create by filling in a few prompts. As for when to avoid Chromebooks, the answer is simple: If you rely heavily on a specific native application for Windows or a Mac, chances are you wont find the exact same option on a ChromeOS device. Thats most true in fields like photo and video editing, but it can also be the case in law or finance. Plenty of businesses run on Googles G suite software, but more still have specific requirements that a Chromebook might not match. If youre an iPhone user, youll also miss out on the way the iPhone easily integrates with an iPad or Mac. For me, the big downside is not being able to access iMessage on a Chromebook. Finally, gaming Chromebooks are not ubiquitous, although theyre becoming a slightly more reasonable option with the rise of cloud gaming. In late 2022, Google and some hardware partners announced a push to make Chromebooks with cloud gaming in mind. From a hardware perspective, that means laptops with bigger screens that have higher refresh rates as well as optimizing those laptops to work with services like NVIDIA GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass and Amazon Luna. Youll obviously need an internet connection to use these services, but the good news is that playing modern games on a Chromebook isnt impossible. You can also install Android games from the Google Play Store, but thats not what most people are thinking of when they want to game on a laptop. What are the most important specs for a Chromebook? Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget Chrome OS is lightweight and runs well on fairly modest hardware, so the most important thing to look for might not be processor power or storage space. But Google made it easier to get consistent specs and performance late last year when it introduced the Chromebook Plus initiative. Any device with a Chromebook Plus designation meets some minimum requirements, which happen to be very similar to what Id recommend most people get if theyre looking for a laptop they can use every day. Chromebook Plus models have at least a 12th-gen Intel Core i3 processor, or an AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series processor, both of which should be more than enough for most people. These laptops also have a minimum of 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which should do the trick unless youre really pushing your Chromebook. All Chromebook Plus models have to have a 1080p webcam, which is nice in these days of constant video calling, and they also all have to have at least a 1080p IPS screen. Of course, you can get higher specs or better screens if you desire, but Ive found that basically everything included in the Chromebook Plus target specs makes for a very good experience. Google has an Auto Update policy for Chromebooks as well, and while thats not exactly a spec, its worth checking before you buy. Last year, Google announced that Chromebooks would get software updates and support for an impressive 10 years after their release date. This support page lists the Auto Update expiration date for virtually every Chromebook ever, but a good rule of thumb is to buy the newest machine you can to maximize your support. How much should I spend? Chromebooks started out notoriously cheap, with list prices often coming in under $300. But as theyve gone more mainstream, theyve transitioned from being essentially modern netbooks to the kind of laptop youll want to use all day. As such, prices have increased: At this point, you should expect to spend at least $400 if you want a solid daily driver. There are still many cheap Chromebooks out there that may be suitable as secondary devices, but a good Chromebook that can be an all-day, every-day laptop will cost more. But, notably, even the best Chromebooks usually cost less than the best Windows laptops, or even the best regular laptops out there. There are plenty of premium Chromebooks that approach or even exceed $1,000 that claim to offer better performance and more processing power, but I dont recommend spending that much. Generally, thatll get you a better design with more premium materials, as well as more powerful internals and extra storage space. Of course, you also sometimes pay for the brand name. But, the specs I outlined earlier are usually enough. See Also: Best Laptops for 2025 Best Gaming Laptops Best 2-in-1 Laptops for 2025 Best Cheap Windows Laptops Best Laptops for College Students Best Chromebooks in 2025 Other Chromebooks we tested Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Samsungs new Galaxy Chromebook Plus is one of the more unique Chromebooks out there. Its extremely thin and light, at .46 inches and 2.6 pounds, but it manages to include a 15.6-inch display in that frame. That screen is a 1080p panel thats sharp and bright, but its 16:9 aspect ratio made things feel a bit cramped when scrolling vertically. Performance is very good, and the keyboard is solid, though Im not a fan of the number pad as it shifts everything to the left. At $700 its not cheap, but that feels fair considering its size and capabilities. If youre looking for a big screen laptop that is also super light, this Chromebook merits consideration, even if its not the best option for everyone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-chromebooks-160054646.html?src=rss

Apple is shelving its plans to offer the iPhone for a monthly subscription, Bloomberg reports. The company was first said to be exploring a hardware subscription in 2022, but like the companys buy now, pay later product, Apple Pay Later, it seems like it ultimately proved too problematic.The hardware subscription was rumored to work in a similar way to existing options like the iPhone Upgrade Program or Apple Card Monthly Installments, where you pay off a new phone or other Apple device with monthly payments, and in some cases get the option to upgrade to a new device without changing your subscription fee. Unlike those payment methods, which apply your payments to a one-time loan from either Citizen One or Goldman Sachs, Apples subscription was going to be managed through an Apple account and use whatever payment methods you already have connected.Apples expectation was that if it fronted the cost for an iPhone directly, people would upgrade more often and increase the companys recurring revenue. The problem is that much like Apple Pay Later, which let you split Apple Pay purchases into four smaller installments, the hardware subscription might have required Apple to follow the same regulations as credit card companies, Bloomberg says. Thats extra scrutiny the company didnt want to invite.Theres also the potential strain a hardware subscription could put on Apples relationships with carriers. You can buy an iPhone 16 from T-Mobile or Verizon with an installment plan that might be technically different from a subscription, but definitely feels like one when youre paying monthly.Apples hardware subscription was never officially announced, but it reflects what could be a larger retreat from the headaches of financial services. Apple Pay Later was shut down in June 2024 and replaced with access to Affirm loans in Apple Pay as part of iOS 18. The Apple Card is also reportedly in limbo as Apple searches for a partner to replace Goldman Sachs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-is-reportedly-giving-up-on-plans-to-turn-the-iphone-into-a-subscription-223540728.html?src=rss

Rivian vehicles now offer more entertainment options with the adoption of Google Cast in the company's cars. When the cars are parked, passengers can use Google Cast to stream from thousands of apps to the dashboard screen. The cars are also getting native apps for YouTube and SiriusXM for playing media directly from the vehicle's larger screen. Rivian is offering all its customers a temporary free trial of SiriusXM; after the trial ends, users will need to subscribe to keep using the satellite radio.Google announced in the spring that it would be updating Android for Cars with a casting feature. Rivian seems to be the first manufacturer to take advantage of the tech. The Google updates are just the latest collaboration for the company. Earlier this month, Rivian also opened up its charging stations to use by other brands of electric vehicles.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/rivian-car-dashboard-screens-now-support-youtube-and-google-cast-222004612.html?src=rss

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Disneys Mufasa: The Lion King explores the extraordinary rise of one of the Pride Lands most beloved leaders. Narrated through flashbacks by Rafiki to young Kiara, Simba and Nalas daughter, the story delves into Mufasas origins as an orphaned cub. His fateful meeting with Taka, heir to a royal lineage, sets the stage for an epic adventure filled with challenges, camaraderie, and destiny.MPCs expertise plays a pivotal role in bringing this tale to life, utilizing groundbreaking animation techniques to create lifelike environments and characters. From the golden hues of the savanna to the intricate textures of fur and foliage, the visuals immerse audiences in a world both familiar and awe-inspiring. The detailed rendering of Mufasas emotional journey ensures every moment resonates deeply.This retelling honors the legacy of the original while embracing cutting-edge artistry to captivate a new generation of viewers.The post Mufasa: The Lion King | Technology of Mufasa by MPC appeared first on Vfxexpress.

Lightning struck deep in the central Idaho mountains on July 24, 2024, igniting the Wapiti Fire that burned across 129,063 acres around Stanley, Idaho a place known for its scenic vistas and idyllic rural landscape.Local communities evacuated, then returned home when the danger had passed. But for ranchers who graze livestock here, evacuation doesnt end when the smoke clears.When federal land burns, livestock often cannot return to the area for two years, according to federal land use and forest management plans. Two years of lost income and the added cost of purchasing feed and repairing infrastructure can be as devastating to rural communities as the fires themselves.I study the impacts of environmental policy on rural communities, particularly those that provide the food, fiber, timber, and minerals that society relies on. Research and ranchers experiences, including in my home state of Idaho, raise questions about whether the two-year rule, implemented decades ago, is really necessary and whether its actually doing more harm than good.2-year delay can tip ranchers into the redWildfires are burning more often and across more land in the West today than in the past with hotter, drier conditions. To make matters worse, many landscapes are threatened by invasive cheatgrass that burns easily and regrows faster after fires than native plants do.Often, restoration efforts are focused on slowing the spread of cheatgrass. Herbicides and plant seeding are marshaled to slow the growth of cheatgrass after fires.Buried in the multitude of federal land management plans that guide the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Services management actions is another restoration toola two-year grazing rest period after wildfires for land leased to ranchers. Some plans require a two-year break before cattle can return to the land, and some only recommend it.That two-year rest can tip the scales for ranchers finances into the red, forcing some to sell cattle herds that took decades to develop, lease other grazing landsoften at a financial lossor close up shop altogether.Few question that the land must have a chance to recoverranchers livelihoods depend on healthy rangelandbut is it necessary to wait two years and sacrifice a rural community to do it?Wildfires in Idaho can burn wide swaths of forest and rangeland. [Photo: Jared L. Talley/Boise State University]Grazing after fires has pros and consIndigenous communities across the West used fire since time immemorial to manage these sprawling landscapes. Fire can clear underbrush and dead plant material. It can provide new growth for deer, elk, and cattle to feed on.Livestock graze on invasive grasses when native plants are dormant, which can help increase native species and reduce invasive grasses, including varieties that easily burn. Reducing invasive grasses reduces risk of future fire. Trampled plant material can increase soil moisture, a benefit to the arid soils of the West.There is also evidence, however, that grazing after wildfires can increase soil erosion as hooves break up sensitive soils. And grazers also eat native plants that take longer to establish.But there are caveats to some of the evidence used to underpin arguments for a two-year break.A 2016 study documented increased soil erosion when grazing resumed two weeks after a fire. But cattle, deer, and elk would not likely be on a fire scar within two weeks.A 2019 study of post-fire impacts suggests that the steepness of the burned areas and grazing immediately following a fire can increase soil erosion, but it also acknowledges that it is currently unknown how the impact of livestock changes over time after wildfires.Similarly, a 2014 study found that during the first growing season after a fire, grazing that removed up to 50% of the biomass did not affect recovery. It found no evidence . . . to suggest complete rest from grazing was required to conserve plant productivity. Instead, it found that recovery was more responsive to weather than grazinga factor on burned and unburned areas alike.Not all fires are the same. They vary in burn severity, a measure of the impact to plant and soil ecology. Plants and soils respond differently to fire depending on a host of factors, from weather and topography to fire-return intervals and human interaction.Instead of a blanket two-year rest policy, the rule could be revised to demand a tailored decision-making process that accounts for variance in fire severity, plant communities and weather. In my view, allowing strategic and intentional grazing in post-fire landscapes benefits rural communities, while removing it can sound a death knell.Recovery, or notRural ranching communities in the West hold their breath every fire season.The fires can be devastating, but so can the recovery time. Fences and barns burn. Cattle herds are sold in lieu of purchasing expensive feed, and then must be rebuilt later. Lines of credit collapse, generational ranches are sold, and rural community traditions are lost.In Boise, residents are already looking forward to spring, when skis will be replaced with mountain bikes and hiking shoes. The foothills, where another 2024 fire burned nearly a quarter of the Boise River Wildlife Management Area, will be emerald green with invasive grasses, and thousands of deer and elk will graze through the burned area to their summer feeding grounds. No rules can stop them.Near Stanley, where the Wapiti Fire burned, cattle ranchers are working hard to find unburned land to lease for their herds. Theyre making plans to rebuild fences and working with the banks to keep their operations running until they can return to their grazing allotments in two years. Research suggests that the wait doesnt always need to be so long.Jared L. Talley is an assistant professor of environmental studies at Boise State University.Phoenix Willard, a student in environmental journalism at Boise State University, contributed to this article.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

In 2018, L.L. Bean ended its century-old lifetime return policy, limiting returns to one year after purchase and requiring receipts. The demise of this popular policy sparked backlash, with several customers filing lawsuits.It also inspired my team of operations management researchers to study how customers respond when retailers make their return policies more strict. Our key finding: Whether they often or rarely return products theyve purchased, consumers objectunless those retailers explain why.I work with a group of researchers examining product return policies and how they affect consumers and retailers.As we explained in an article published in the Journal of Operations Management, we designed experiments to study whether and why return policy restrictions irk customers. We also wanted to understand what retailers can do to minimize backlash after making it harder for customers to return stuff.We conducted three experiments in which we presented scenarios to 1,500 U.S. consumers who played the role of loyal customers of a fictional retailer. We examined their reactions to the fictional retailers return policy restrictions, such as charging a 15% restocking fee and limiting open-ended return windows to 365, 180, and 30 days.Participants became less willing to buy anything from the fictional retailer after it restricted its long-standing lenient return policy. They also said they would become less willing to recommend the retailer to others.This occurred because the customers began to distrust the retailer and its ability to offer a high-quality service. The backlash was stronger when the restriction was more severe. Even those consumers who said they usually dont return any products often reacted negatively.When the fictional retailer announced its new, harsher return policy using official communication channels and provided a rationale, there was less backlash. Consumers found the changes more justified if the retailer highlighted increased return abuse, in which customers return products theyve already used, or the high cost of processing returns.You might presume that making it harder and more costly to return stuff could drive some shoppers away. Our research shows that the concern is valid and explains why. It also shows how communicating return policy changes directly with customers can help prevent or reduce backlash against retailers.Why it mattersAmericans returned products worth an estimated US$890 billion to retailers in 2024. Processing a single item typically costs $21 to $46. Most of this merchandise ends up in landfills.The rise of e-commerce and other technological changes have contributed to this trend. Another factor is the ease with which consumers may return stuff long after making a purchase and get a full refund.Many other retailers besides L.L. Bean have done away with their long-standing lenient return policies. Over the past decade, for example, Macys, a department store chain, and Kohls, a big-box clothing store chain, have shortened the time frames for returns.Macys restricted its open-ended return window to one year in 2016, further winnowed it to 180 days in 2017, then to 90 days in 2019. It then stopped accepting returns after 30 days in 2023. Kohls didnt have any time limit on returns it would accept until 2019. Then it imposed a 180-day limit. Others, such as fast-fashion giants Zara and H&M, now charge their customers fees when they return merchandise.However, research shows that customers value no-questions-asked return policies and see them as a sign of high-quality service. And when these arrangements become the industry standard, customers can get angry if retailers fail to meet it.Interestingly, most retailers that restricted their policies didnt tell customers directly. Instead, they quietly updated the new policies on websites, store displays, and receipts. Although not drawing attention to bad news might appear prudentas most customers wouldnt notice the changes that waydozens of threads on Reddit about these changes suggest that this isnt always true.What still isnt knownWe focused on restrictions on refunds and how long after a purchase customers could return merchandise. Other restrictions, such as retailers making heavily discounted items ineligible for returns, could also be worth investigating.The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.Huseyn Abdulla is an assistant professor of supply chain management at the University of Tennessee.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.