Whether youre hosting a Gatsby-themed party or rockin your PJs, New Years Eve calls for a slightly elevated snack. Something that doesnt require cooking is ideal, but it can be tricky finding oven-less recipes that arent lackluster (sorry, crudit platter). Luckily, there is one party host that's been churning out reliable party recipes for decades. Its Martha, and I can tell you with confidence that her Roquefort cheese grapes are the weird and delicious snack you need for your New Years Eve party.Even I was a tad skeptical at firstblue-cheese-coated green grapes rolled in ground nuts is atypical at best (for me anyway)but I can hardly resist a five-ingredient recipe. Plus, its fitting for New Years Eve. For many cultures around the world, eating grapes at midnight is a tradition that invites good luck into your year. So why not offer grapes with a tasty twist? Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann This recipe is vintage 1982, coming from Stewarts Entertaining cookbook. The idea is pretty simple, and Ive made a few adjustments to make the execution even easier. She combines a smidge of Roquefort cheese (a soft, salty, funky blue cheese available in most big grocery stores) with cream cheese and a splash of heavy cream. The ratio of the three basically creates a cream cheese dip with a hint of blue cheese. Washed and dried green grapes get a light coating of the cheese spread and are then rolled in ground toasted nuts. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann The result of this fruit, cheese, and nut combo is an absolutely exquisite bite. Texturally, you get the pleasure of biting into a juicy grape paired with cool, creamy cheese, and a rough tumble of finely ground nuts. As far as flavor is concerned, the blend is mesmerizingthe grapes are syrupy-sweet, the nuts offer welcome bitterness, and the cheese is buttery and salty with a playfully funky finish from the Roquefort. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Starting with room temperature cheeses makes mixing easy, but you can always pop the bowl into the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds to warm any fridge-cold ingredients. If you really hate blue cheese or you forgot to buy some, you can omit it. Its a relatively small amount, so you can just substitute that measurement for more cream cheese and itll work just as well. Dont chuck the leftover Roquefort cheese spreadit makes a mean dip for crackers.Roquefort Grapes Recipe(adapted from Martha Stewarts Entertaining)Ingredients: pound seedless green grapes4 ounces cream cheese1 ounce Roquefort cheese1 tablespoon heavy cream cup (about 6 ounces) toasted slivered almonds (or toasted walnuts)1. Wash and dry your grapes. (If they're wet, the cheese won't stick.) Set them aside in a bowl.2. Grind the nuts into a semi-fine nut meal. Its okay if its uneven or some lentil-sized pieces are in there. Pour the ground nuts into a small bowl.3. In a different small bowl, mix the cream cheese and Roquefort cheese together until smooth. Pop it into the microwave for 10 seconds or so if needed. Stir in the heavy cream. The mixture should be thick but spreadable like soft butter.4. Put parchment paper on a sheet tray or plate. Roll the grapes in the cheese. Youll probably achieve a thin, uneven coating, and thats just fine. I put a vinyl glove on my left hand and just rubbed the cheese over the grapes with my hand. Drop the grapes into the bowl of nuts and roll them around until well coated. Gently place the coated grapes onto the parchment lined tray. Repeat with all the grapes.5. Chill the grapes in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to firm-up the cheese and nut coating. Serve in a wide bowl or on a platter with candied nuts, and have a happy New Year.

YouTube is testing a pop-up Play Something button that will play a random video for you. As spotted by 9to5Google, the new feature is exclusive to the popular video sites Android app for now, and isnt showing up for everyone.Its not the first time YouTube has tried a play something feature, and Netflix aficionados might remember seeing a similar button at some point in the past. But unlike the Play Something banners and buttons of past tests, this button displays over your feed (so be careful where you click) rather than as a tile embedded into it.Clicking it will take you to a random video chosen by the YouTube algorithm, shown in the same vertical player used by YouTube Shorts. Weirdly, these videos can include either Shorts or longer content, but both use the Shorts playerstandard YouTube videos will just have large black bars at the top and bottom.Unfortunately, it doesnt look like theres any way to use Play Something as a kind of shuffle feature, as the app reverts to the usual Shorts player controls once you click the new button, meaning you can only use it to play one video at a time. That said, once youre in the Shorts player, you can just swipe up to load a new random Short (although longer videos wont show up this way).Sadly, 9to5Google doesnt mention any way to dismiss the new button short of playing a video, so if you see it, youre just kind of stuck with it on your screen until you actually start watching something. Thats a bit annoying, since the sites screenshots show the button obscuring thumbnails and video titles.Its possible the button is an attempt to encourage users looking for TikTok alternatives to start trying out the Shorts interfacea smart move given the upcoming deadline for the potential TikTok ban.

A Volkswagen software subsidiary called Cariad experienced a massive data leak that left 800,000 EV owners exposed, according to reporting by the German publication Spiegel Netzwelt. The leak allowed personal information to be left online for months, including movement data and contact information.This included precise location data for 460,000 vehicles made by VW, Seat and Audi. According to reports, the information was accessible via the Amazon cloud storage platform. Theres a silver lining here. Cariad says that, despite being available, no bad actors accessed the exposed data. The good-faith hacking association Chaos Computer Club (CCC) spotted the leak on November 26 and brought it to the companys attention.VW said in a statement reviewed by the German press agency DPA that the error has since been rectified, so that the information is no longer accessible. Additionally, the company noted that the leak only pertained to location and contact info, as passwords and payment data werent impacted. It added that only select vehicles registered for online services were initially at risk, stating that "the data was accessed in a very complex, multi-stage process."According to Volkswagen, the CCC hackers group was only able to access pseudonymized vehicle data that didnt allow for any conclusions to be reached regarding specific customers. This was done only by bypassing several security mechanisms, which required a high level of expertise and a considerable investment of time.In other words, the impacted customers shouldnt be too worried about their location data being harvested by dark web ne'er-do-wells. The company has started an investigation into the matter and will make a decision regarding further steps when that is concluded.As modern vehicles get more and more online, it opens them up to a myriad of new risks. It was just last year when a viral TikTok challenge taught Hyundai users how to hack their vehicles, resulting in more than a dozen crashes and eight deaths.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/huge-volkswagen-data-leak-exposed-the-locations-of-460000-ev-drivers-194000006.html?src=rss

You'll be able to stream as much of The Morning Show as your body can physically handle this weekend, thanks to a new Apple TV+ promotion. After teasing some kind of Apple TV+ news on social media, Apple has confirmed that from January 3 to 5 you'll be able to watch the company's original shows and movies without a paid subscription, provided you have an Apple ID.Apple calls out shows like Silo, which is in the back half of its current season, and Severance, which will premiere its long-awaited second season on Jan 17 (you can watch the first eight minutes of the premiere now) but there's a solid catalog of tv shows and movies beyond the well-known hits. Why not stream the three-hour director's cut of Napoleon? Or the tragically slept on cult baby horror series Servant? All of it is theoretically on the menu.While this kind of promotional experiment is new for Apple, Netflix has offered free weekends in the past as a way to gin up interest in subscriptions. One way to look at Apple's streaming strategy is that it's speedrunning lessons streamers like Netflix and Hulu spent years learning, from the risks of spending serious money on auteurist passion products, to now withdrawing from theatrical distribution, one of the few things that made Apple unique from its competitors. Maybe a free weekend picks up the company a few more subscribers, but at the very least it's a good opportunity to binge some solid shows.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/you-can-stream-apple-tv-for-free-this-weekend-191702667.html?src=rss

Aside from the global shutter on Sony's A9 III and some cool mirrorless options the Fujifilm X100 VI, Panasonic S9 and Canon EOS R5 II come to mind 2024 was a dull year for cameras full of small tweaks and minor improvements. Except for DJI's Neo. For $200, aerial photography is now finally in reach for just about anyone.DJIs very good, not-so-great yearDJI released its product lineup this year with a sword of Damocles hanging over its head: the US government was planning to ban sales of the companys products by the end of 2024 over potential fears of spying. It was only at the last minute that DJI gained a reprieve, thanks in large part to lobbying by public safety groups that heavily rely on its drones. It now has until the end of 2025 to prove that its products dont pose a risk.The companys list of 2024 camera gear started with the Avata 2, an FPV drone that improved nearly everything from the popular original at a reduced price. DJI then announced it the $299 Mini 4K. We also saw the Action 5 Pro, DJIs best action cam to date, along with the Air 3S, a highly capable drone with a relatively large 1-inch sensor camera and the Mic Mini, an affordable wireless mic system.Its biggest launch, though, was the Neo drone, announced in September. It took the idea of a simple drone for creators, first pioneered (then dropped) by Snap with the Pixy, while lowering the price and adding AI technology.Steve Dent for EngadgetThe Neo is a very lightweight drone that can be piloted without a license and is people-safe thanks to its shrouded propellers. Its ready to use for beginners straight out of the box without any training simply place it in your hand and press a button, then itll fly off and capture cool programmed shots like dronies.Just because the Neo is approachable doesnt mean its basic, though. If you want to pilot the Neo manually, it supports DJIs controllers, FPV goggles and can even be flown using a smartphone. It can hit speeds up to 18 MPH or even faster in manual mode, and is highly maneuverable. Thanks to the built-in AI features, it can track you while you walk or bike, making it a vloggers best friend. Finally, it can capture all your footage at 4K 30p, with surprisingly good quality considering the price point.My main sore point with the Neo is the banshee-like noise it generates, which can be tricky in public places. Overall, though, it's a highly useful product at a great price point and managed to capture the zeitgeist like no other camera product this year.Canon and Fujifilm were the best of the restMy favorite mirrorless camera this year was Canons EOS R5 II. Thats not because of any spectacular new tech, but the fact that its nearly a perfect hybrid camera.Steve Dent for EngadgetThat starts with the new 45-megapixel stacked sensor that offers a blend of speed and resolution weve only ever seen on the Sonys A1 or the Nikon Z9 both considerably more expensive. It also has the companys most advanced AI autofocus system. All that allows ultra-fast shooting speeds up to 30fps in RAW mode. Its advanced AF system makes blurry photos a rarity even at those speeds. At the same time, the 45-megapixel photos deliver exceptional detail and relatively high dynamic range, with accurate, pleasing colors.At the same time, it offers incredible video powers, with 8K RAW shooting at up to 60fps and 4K 120p. As with photos, video quality is exceptional thanks to the new CLog 2 capture that allows for higher dynamic range. Beyond all that, the EOS R5 II is just a great camera to use, with near-perfect ergonomics.The other camera I really enjoyed using was Fujifilms X100 VI compact. The camera deserved the large amount of press it received this year, because its stripped down nature, vintage looks, film simulations and great handling really bring fun back to photography. At the same time, its a technological marvel with a higher-resolution 40-megapixel sensor, decently fast shooting speeds, stabilization and solid video specs.Finally, I think Panasonics S9 deserves a shoutout for trying something new. Its one of the smallest full-frame cameras Ive ever seen, yet offers features like 6K video and in-body stabilization. But the primary new trick is built-in LUT simulations kind of like Fujifilms X100 VI, but for video. That, combined with the large sensor, makes it an interesting camera.What to expect in the camera world for 2025Steve Dent for EngadgetDespite a potential US ban, DJI is likely to continue its ambitious product release schedule in 2025. According to rumors, its working on a foldable model called the DJI Flip and is also likely to release a successor to the Mavic 3 Pro sometime next year, according to recent FCC filings. Apart from that, it tends to have rapid upgrade cadence for most of its drones and cameras, so expect to see successors for its Action 5 Pro cam, Mini 4 Pro drone and other models.Elsewhere, one intriguing rumor has Fujifilm releasing a one-inch, half-sensor compact that would be like a digital version of the popular Pentax 17 film camera and may even allow for diptych (side-by-side) photos.Otherwise, Sony is due to release an update for its popular A7 IV launched in 2021 with higher shooting speeds and other specs to better line up with the competition. Canon is very likely to release a new camera in that same price category, the R6 III, also with improved specs. We could see a new Nikon Z5 III model with improved performance. And Panasonic is due to refresh its S1 and S1R models. Manufacturers may jump on the compact train, now that Fujifilm has proved its a viable category something that would be good news for all photographers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/in-2024-the-camera-of-the-year-was-a-drone-185108008.html?src=rss

HPE now allows customers to run its most powerful server on AWS but is it actually a good idea?

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A machinists strike. Another safety problem involving its troubled top-selling airliner. A plunging stock price.2024 was already a dispiriting year for Boeing, the American aviation giant. But when one of the companys jets crash-landed in South Korea on Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 people on board, it brought to a close an especially unfortunate year for Boeing.The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and aviation experts were quick to distinguish Sundays incident from the companys earlier safety problems.Alan Price, a former chief pilot at Delta Air Lines who is now a consultant, said it would be inappropriate to link the incident Sunday to two fatal crashes involving Boeings troubled 737 Max jetliner in 2018 and 2019. In January this year, a door plug blew off a 737 Max while it was in flight, raising more questions about the plane.The Boeing 737-800 that crash-landed in Korea, Price noted, is a very proven airplane. Its different from the Max Its a very safe airplane.For decades, Boeing has maintained a role as one of the giants of American manufacturing. But the the past years repeated troubles have been damaging. The companys stock price is down more than 30% in 2024.The companys reputation for safety was especially tarnished by the 737 Max crashes, which occurred off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019 and left a combined 346 people dead. In the five years since then, Boeing has lost more than $23 billion. And it has fallen behind its European rival, Airbus, in selling and delivering new planes.Last fall, 33,000 Boeing machinists went on strike, crippling the production of the 737 Max, the companys bestseller, the 777 airliner and 767 cargo plane. The walkout lasted seven weeks, until members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers agreed to an offer that included 38% pay raises over four years.In January, a door plug blew off a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight. Federal regulators responded by imposing limits on Boeing aircraft production that they said would remain in place until they felt confident about manufacturing safety at the company.In July, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for deceiving the Federal Aviation Administration regulators who approved the 737 Max. Acting on Boeings incomplete disclosures, the FAA approved minimal, computer-based training instead of more intensive training in flight simulators. Simulator training would have increased the cost for airlines to operate the Max and might have pushed some to buy planes from Airbus instead. (Prosecutors said they lacked evidence to argue that Boeings deception had played a role in the crashes.)But the plea deal was rejected this month by a federal judge in Texas, Reed OConnor, who decided that diversity, inclusion and equity or DEI policies in the government and at Boeing could result in race being a factor in choosing an official to oversee Boeings compliance with the agreement.Boeing has sought to change its culture. Under intense pressure over safety issues, David Calhoun departed as CEO in August. Since January, 70,000 Boeing employees have participated in meetings to discuss ways to improve safety.Paul Wiseman, AP Economics Writer

Positive and amazing are not the first adjectives one would use to describe 2024. Over the past 12 months, struggles and controversy unfolded across almost all industries: Companies such as Red Lobster, RedBox, Express, and The Body Shop all filed for bankruptcy. In the business world, survive until 2025 became a rallying cry.When times get tough, Fred Rogers taught his young viewers to look for the helpers. Thankfully, pop culture had an abundance this year. The individualsand one adorable zoo animalon this list might not have saved humanity from the darkest of times, but they did impact the zeitgeist for good. They were a beacon of light among all the uncertainty:Moo DengThis playful pygmy hippopotamus was born on July 10, 2024, at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Chonburi, Thailand. At just two months old, she became an internet star because of her wild antics, such as knocking over her water dish and giving her keepers gummy bites of affection. Her name was chosen in a public Facebook poll and literally means bouncy pork.Moo Deng warmed the hearts of many this year, offering free entertainment and joy, thanks to social media.[Photo: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP via Getty Images]Travis Kelces London appearance in the Eras TourWhile power couple Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce started dating last year, 2024 gave us many swoon-worthy moments. Perhaps the most bold was when they joined forces on stage in the city where Swifts notably private ex-boyfriend, English actor Joe Alwyn, was raised.Alwyn was one who preferred to stay on the sidelines and not share public displays of affection. Kelce seems to be the exact opposite, declaring his love for Swift loudly and often. He got in on her act in a big way, appearing during the song I Can Do It With a Broken Heart on the third night of her Wembley Stadium Eras Tour shows.Wicked (part 1)made movie musicals a box-office forceHollywood has hesitated to fully embrace the musical because the genre doesnt always test well. The powers that be have even taken singing and dancing out of trailers, ostensibly to mitigate the risks.But the box-office haul for Universals Wicked might just put a stop to this ridiculous practice. Released in November, the first part of a two-film series has already made more than $634 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, placing it at No. 6 for 2024. That number is only going to grow.[Photo: Universal Pictures]Very mindful, very demureBefore August, TikTokker Jools Lebron was working as a cashier in Chicago. The transgender content creator uploaded a video explaining the meaning of the word demure as it applies to the workplace and broke the internet. Soon, celebrities RuPaul and Penn Badgley were making demure posts and celebrating the viral trend. She even appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, proving that you never know when your big break will come.Celine Dions return to performing at the Olympics opening ceremonyIn December 2022, singer Celine Dion revealed that she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome (SPS). Undergoing treatmentwhich includesmedication, immunotherapy, vocal therapy, and vigorous physical rehabilitationhas been a difficult journey. Dion wasnt sure if she would ever perform live again as SPS impacts the vocal cords.Her hard work paid off. Dions emotional performance at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics was a testament to her resilience. She sang Edith Piafs LHymne lAmour at the iconic Eiffel Tower, reminding the world they too can overcome adversity.Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese further popularize womens sportsWomens athletics have often been treated as the ugly stepchild of the sports world. The undeniable talents of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have aided in silencing the sexism. Even before Clark made her professional debut, she broke a 54-year-old scoring record, becoming the all-time NCAA Division I scoring leader and dethroning the late Pete Maravich. Clark was the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever while Reese was the seventh overall pick in by the Chicago Sky. The rookies helped the league attract its highest attendance in 22 years and drastically increase merchandise sales.Their impact may even extend beyond basketball. A womens professional baseball league is currently in the works, with plans to start knocking balls out of the park in 2026.Caitlin Clark (left) and Angel Reese [Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images]Freddie Freemans walk-off home runSpeaking of the great American pastime, the Los Angeles Dodgers took home the World Series championship with the help of MVP Freddie Freeman. He lived out his little-league dreams in game one by hitting a walk-off grand slam at the bottom of the 10th inning with the bases loaded on a sprained ankle.After running home, he went immediately to the stands to celebrate with his dad, giving him credit for driving him to games and practicing in the backyard with him. Beyond the emotional high, this moment will go down in history as the first-ever walk-off grand slam in a World Series. It might be the greatest baseball moment Ive ever witnessed, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts mused to NPR. And Ive witnessed some great ones.The ball was caught by 10-year-old Zachary Ruderman, who thought he was going home early from school to get his braces off. It recently sold at auction for $1.56 million, so its safe to say his college fund is secure.

Value was in vogue in 2024.Shoppers and restaurant patrons in the U.S. were choosy about where and how to spend their money as they wrestled with high housing and food prices.Well-heeled customers traded down to Walmart and Aldi. Diners opted for fast food or home cooking instead of sit-down restaurants. Department stores struggled as buyers shopped online or at cheaper chains like H&M.Residents also moved away from buying furniture or investing in expensive renovations, opting to refresh their homes with inexpensive items like frames and candles.Those shifts changed the buying and eating landscape in 2024. As of Dec. 20, Coresight Research tracked 48 retail bankruptcies in the U.S., compared with 25 during the same period a year ago. And at least 22 restaurant chains filed for bankruptcy this year, the highest number since 2020, according to BankruptcyData, a company that tracks filings.Here are some of the trends and dead ends that The Associated Press tracked in 2024:WINNERS:WALMARTThe nations largest retailer typically shines during tough times as shoppers turn to the discounter for groceries, which account for 60% of Walmarts total business. And just like during the 2008 Great Recession, Walmart saw households with incomes of $100,000 or above making up more of its clientele. But this time around, company executives think they can keep those customers because theyve expanded online services and added more stylish clothes and mannequins.AMAZONOnline juggernaut Amazon leaned into its reputation as a destination for deals to appeal to bargain-hungry buyers. In November it launched Amazon Haul, a new low-cost storefront featuring electronics, apparel and other products priced under $20. And the company said its Prime Day event in July resulted in record sales. But Amazon could face headwinds in the coming year with threatened tariffs on products from China and labor unrest in the U.S.FAST CASUAL CHAINSIt was a good year for restaurant chains like Shake Shack that are a step up from fast food but still offer good value. Cava, which specializes in fresh Mediterranean food, said its revenue surged more than 33% in the first nine months of this year as it rapidly built new restaurants. Chipotle got some heat from value-conscious diners about smaller portions, but drew customers back after retraining workers to ensure consistent and generous portions.JEANS SELLERSThe wide-leg jeans silhouette the it style that rapidly replaced boot-cut and skinny jeans drove sales across many different retailers this year. Macys, Abercrombie & Fitch, Levi Strauss, Gap and Stitch Fix were among those citing the trend as a big sales booster in recent months. Value-conscious buyers could snap them up at Walmart for $29. At the high end, Gucci had wide-leg versions for $1,200.MCDONALDSThe year didnt begin well for McDonalds. The companys sales slumped as inflation-weary customers chose to eat at home instead of grabbing fast food. But a $5 meal deal introduced in June helped draw lower-income customers back into stores. McDonalds extended the deal through the end of this year and said more value is coming in 2025. The fast food giant is working to get customers back after a fall E. coli outbreak linked to raw onions in Quarter Pounder hamburgers sickened at least 104 people in 14 states.LOSERS:TARGETTargets cheap chic fashions and home decor have long been a big attraction, but the chain faced challenges in 2024. Unlike Walmart, Target is more reliant on discretionary items like clothing because less than a quarter of its sales come from food and beverages. It has always battled a perception of being more expensive, and analysts say its merchandise has lately been in disarray. Still, Target drew crowds on Black Friday with exclusive Taylor Swift products.STARBUCKSStarbucks had a tough year. Orders are getting increasingly complex, with thousands of ways to customize drinks. Thats leading to long lines and incorrect pickup times on the mobile app. New offerings like olive oil-infused coffee didnt attract customers, who also grew tired of Starbucks high prices. Starbucks hired a new CEO, Brian Niccol, in the fall to help turn things around. But labor strife, which led to strikes in December, could continue to hurt the company in 2025.LEGACY RESTAURANTSSeveral decades-old chains threw in the towel in 2024, succumbing to rising competition, changing dining patterns and big portfolios of outdated restaurants. Red Lobster, TGI Fridays and Buca di Beppo all filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and shuttered dozens of locations. A leaner Red Lobster later exited bankruptcy under new ownership, but it remains to be seen whether older chains can turn around years of declining sales.BIG TICKET ITEMSAt the height of the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. consumers took advantage of low interest rates and stimulus benefits to remodel their homes and make other big purchases. But last year, they pulled back. Thats been a challenge for retailers like Best Buy, the nations largest consumer electronics chain, which noted lower sales of appliances, home theaters and gaming equipment. Home Depot and Lowes also reported lower sales of big-ticket items, particularly discretionary kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects.DEPARTMENT STORESDepartment stores, particularly those catering to middle income shoppers, have struggled to hold onto customers as many turn to online shopping or to fast-fashion retailers. Among the worst performers: Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based Kohls, which reported its 11th consecutive quarter of sales declines this year. Outgoing CEO Tom Kingsbury recently owned up to merchandising mistakes, including scaling back fine jewelry, popular store label brands and petite sizes. Customers will see those categories return in the coming year.Macys said it would close 150 namesake stores over three years and open 15 higher-end Bloomingdales. Upscale Nordstrom, on the other hand, had a better than expected fiscal year due largely to soaring sales at its off-price Nordstrom Rack stores. Last week, the department store chain agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group. As a private company, Nordstrom may have more leeway and less scrutiny of its efforts to reinvigorate sales.Anne DInnocenzio and Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Business Writers