• This month, Aldi is stocking shelves with frozen appetizers, easy meals, and seasonal snacks.
• Ahead of Valentine's Day, Aldi is set to have heart-shaped ravioli and hot-cocoa bombs.
• Stock up on breaded cheese curds, shrimp-queso bites, and wood-fired pizzas for game day at Aldi.

This month, Aldi is ringing in 2025 with a slate of exciting offerings, from lighter dinner staples to frozen game-day appetizers.

Here are some of the best specialty items to get at Aldi this month for $5 or less.

Make eating vegetables more fun with Season's Choice veggie fries.

For a vegan-friendly snack or side dish, pick up a bag of Season's Choice veggie fries.

The fries come in black-bean or ranch flavors and are made with at least seven different vegetables. A 10-ounce bag is just under $5.

Add bulk to your meals with Simply Nature legume rice.

Aldi's Simply Nature legume rice is vegan and gluten-free.

Each $3 box of rice is made with either legumes or chickpeas and lentils and can be used as a base for lunches or dinners.

Enjoy pasta night with liveGfree refrigerated gluten-free pasta.

Aldi's selection of gluten-free products is getting bigger this month with liveGfree fettuccine and linguine.

Each refrigerated 9-ounce pack is $4 each and can pair nicely with olive oil or your favorite pasta sauce.

Satisfy a sweet tooth with Sundae Shoppe's no-sugar-added gelato

This month, Sundae Shoppe is releasing two flavors of no-sugar-added gelato. For just under $4 a pint, you can choose between the flavors fudgy cookie dough or chocolate peanut butter.

Prepare for Valentine's Day with an assortment of Moser Roth macarons.

It's never too early to start planning Valentine's Day surprises for your significant other. To start, pick up a package of Moser Roth's macarons, which are set to arrive at Aldi in early January.

Each pack contains 10 Belgian-chocolate macarons with decorative toppings — all for only $4.

Treat yourself to a bag of Choceur's seasonal barks.

The end of peppermint-bark season may be drawing near, but you can still enjoy other flavors of bark from Aldi this month.

One bark has a white-chocolate-style base and strawberries-and-cream toppings, and the other has a milk-chocolate-style base with red-velvet-cookies-and-cream toppings.

Each 5-ounce bag of bark is $4.

Cozy up with Choceur heart-shaped hot-cocoa bombs.

Prepare a warm, festive drink using Choceur's filled heart-shaped hot-cocoa bombs that are only $2 each.

Choose between a white-chocolate-strawberry cocoa bomb filled with milk-chocolate chips and marshmallows or a milk-chocolate one filled with milk-chocolate chips and marshmallows.

Upgrade pizza night with Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen's wood-fired options.

Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen is one of Aldi shoppers' favorite brands, and this January, they can enjoy new flavors of its wood-fired pizza.

The pizzas are available in a five-mushroom blend with white, portabella, shiitake, crimini, and roasted mushrooms or a Greek-style pizza with garlic sauce, chicken, black olives, artichokes, red onions, and mushrooms.

Each wood-fired pie is $5.

Pair chicken wings, burgers, and more with Season's Choice flavored waffle fries.

For a unique dinner side or a tasty appetizer on game day, pick up the Season's Choice waffle fries slated to arrive at Aldi in mid-January.

The fiery-hot sweet-potato waffle fries can pair well with chicken wings and ranch or blue cheese — and the chili-lime waffle fries could be a unique base for "nachos."

Each 16-ounce bag is $4.

Whip up a romantic dinner at home with Priano heart-shaped ravioli.

Aldi has plenty of options for a Valentine's Day dinner at home this year, including Priano heart-shaped ravioli filled with Parmigiano Reggiano and truffle.

Each pack of pasta is $4.

Start the day with Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen breakfast pizzas.

Those who'd be happy to eat pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner may love the Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen breakfast pizzas.

They have biscuit crusts and come in two different flavors: sausage and cheese or pork belly, bacon, onion, and pepper.

Try one or both for $5 each.

Serve Appetitos crab rangoons at your next gathering.

Whether you're hosting a party or just want delicious appetizers with dinner, you may want to pick up Appetitos crab rangoon to keep in the freezer.

Each 6-ounce box has crispy wonton wrappers stuffed with a cream-cheese-crab filling and costs under $4.

Fremont Fish Market bites can be ready in minutes.

For game day or other festive gatherings, serve Fremont Fish Market shrimp-queso and cheddar-bacon-scallop bites.

The frozen bites can be heated up or air-fried in just a few minutes, and they come in 11-ounce bags for $5 each.

You may want to bring Appetitos breaded cheese curds to a Super Bowl party.

The Super Bowl is scheduled for February 9, and why not bring Appetitos breaded cheese curds to the party?

Set to be available at the end of January, the curds feature Wisconsin cheese and a crispy, golden brown breading — perfect for enjoying as-is or with a wide selection of dips.

Grab a box (or two) for just over $4 each.

• Putin told Russia the nation would be fine in his New Year's address.
• He refrained from giving a concrete outlook for the Ukraine war or Russia's economy.
• The nation is facing growing costs from its invasion, from rising casualties to soaring inflation.

Vladimir Putin assured Russia he was "certain that everything will be fine" in his New Year's Eve address on Tuesday, as the nation heads toward its fourth year of war in Ukraine in 2025.

In his speech, the Russian president said the nation was overcoming various challenges and would continue to move on. He also referred to 2025 as the "year of the Defender of the Motherland," and gave respect to Russia's "fighters and commanders," The New York Times reported.

Still, Putin refrained from giving a concrete outlook on the war in Ukraine, or the path of the Russian economy going forward. He also did not mention Russia's inflation struggles, one of the nation's key economic problems.

The comments come amid swirling military and economic uncertainty in Russia, which is under increasing strain as its war against Ukraine is set to turn three years old in February.

A report from the Institute for the Study of War said that Russia suffered about 427,000 casualties in 2024 while gaining about 1,600 square miles of territory. Russia's military slowed its advances last month, with forces gaining around seven square miles of land a day in December.

On the economic front, the costs of Russia's invasion continue to mount. The nation has earmarked 13.5 trillion rubles for its defense spending next year, amounting to around a third of Russia's total federal budget.

Private business activity has also been hindered by the flight of capital and younger workers who fled the nation at the start of the war. An analysis from S&P Global showed that private equity or venture capital-backed deals and investments plunged 39% from 2022 to 2023.

Inflation, meanwhile, remains well above the central bank's 4% target, while interest rates have risen to 21%.

Putin has generally brushed off concerns about the Russian economy, but acknowledged the nation's struggle with inflation in a recent address. In December, he acknowledged that Russia's inflation rate was "alarming" and the economy was "overheating."

At the end of 2023, Putin apologized for the soaring price of eggs, adding the rapid price increase was a "failure of the government's work."

Economists expect 2025 to be another difficult year for the country, and some predict that its economy could be headed for a period of stagnation similar to the Soviet Union in the early 1980s.

TsMAKP, a think-tank tied to the Russian government, said the nation was at risk at stagflation, a dire economic scenario that typically involves spiraling inflation, sluggish growth, and rising unemployment.

• I've lost 70 pounds, but keeping weight off has been tough. Luckily, my air fryer makes it easier.
• I use my air fryer to make lighter alternatives to dishes I love, like chicken tenders and chips.
• Even foods I once disliked, like Brussels sprouts, have become reliable air-fryer snacks.

Growing up, managing my weight was a challenge. Years later, I'm 70 pounds lighter and have much to thank for the transformation.

My calorie-tracking app helps keep me accountable and my gym workouts have been great for helping me create balance in my life.

However, my air fryer has been my unsung hero throughout my journey. I love using the appliance to prepare lighter versions of indulgent dishes and make vegetables taste better.

Here are my go-to meals and snacks to make in the air fryer when I'm hungry but looking for something light.

Buffalo cauliflower is great for spicy-food lovers.

From habanero wings to ghost-pepper chips, I'm always looking to test my tastebuds, and I love food with a bit of heat.

Buffalo cauliflower lets me indulge that craving without consuming anything too heavy or calorie-dense. It's also surprisingly easy to make.

Coat some florets with a tablespoon or two of oil, season with salt and pepper, then toss in your hot sauce of choice. Cook in the air fryer until crispy.

I enjoy breaded chicken tenders in the air fryer.

When I frequented the drive-thru, I always got chicken nuggets. It's fitting, then, that the day I decided to get in shape, I bought a 20-piece as my "last supper" before driving straight to the gym.

Although I still grab fast food on occasion, I now make crispy chicken tenders at home. This way, I can use less oil and control the ingredients.

First, I use a knife to remove any tendons from the chicken. Then, I season the strips and coat them with flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs. They go in the air fryer until golden.

French fries are a classic air-fried snack.

Fries are easy to prepare in an air fryer and even easier to enjoy. Plus, you can season them with any spices you want.

I alternate between making regular fries and sweet-potato fries. The sweet potatoes require some muscle to chop — and take extra time to crisp up — but the effort is worth it.

To make these, I coat my potato strips in oil, air-fry them until crispy, then salt and season to taste.

Fish is another excellent protein to make in an air fryer.

Haddock, cod, and salmon all turn out great in the air fryer.

When cooking a white fish, I like to coat it in breadcrumbs — just like the tenders — and air-fry until golden brown. For a better bite, make sure to season your flour and breading.

I love pairing my crispy fish with air-fryer fries for a lighter version of fish and chips.

I always have some fun with air-fried pizza.

An oven is great for heating up frozen pies, but an air fryer excels if you're making your own pizza. You can really be creative with your crust by using English muffins, naan, or other bases.

On this day, I made air-fryer pizza using a baguette as my base. In an oven, that bread would have toughened up, but after a few minutes in the air fryer, it became flaky and crispy.

I topped my pizza with turkey pepperoni and basil, though it's also super easy to customize.

I went from hating Brussels sprouts to loving them, in part because of my air fryer.

I couldn't stand Brussels sprouts growing up. The smell was offputting, the texture was slimy, and other vegetables were simply more appealing.

Now, they're my favorite green alongside broccoli — and the secret is preparing them well.

Although I enjoy sprouts baked, roasted, or sautéed, I love them air-fried. Season them generously, air-fry them until crunchy, and you have a great midnight snack.

Try banana chips for a novel snack.

Plantain chips are one of my favorite snacks to get at the grocery store. I wouldn't call them healthy, but I find them to be a slightly lighter alternative to potato chips.

To make my own version at home, I started air-frying banana slices.

First, thinly slice a firm banana. Toss the slices in oil and salt, then air-fry them until they brown up. Set them aside to cool, and you'll have a sweet-and-savory snack that resembles chips.

• We spent three days in Germany's Black Forest, which is said to have inspired famous fairy-tales.
• It has some of the best hiking trails and castle ruins in Germany, and I loved its eponymous cake.
• Baden-Baden is a great home base to explore the northern part of it, but I wish we also went south.

My husband and I recently spent almost a month exploring Germany, and three days of our trip were dedicated to its Black Forest.

The Black Forest is said to have famously inspired many Grimms' fairy-tales, including Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Hansel and Gretel.

It's easy to see why, with its castle ruins and lush green landscape complete with swirling fog, thick moss, and mountain-fed rivers. Plus, it's a hiker's paradise with delicious cake and famous cuckoo clocks.

Here's what we loved about our experience in the Black Forest — and two of the mistakes we made.

Our hike to monastic ruins was a highlight of the trip.

Our first taste of fairy-tale magic was the epic hike to All Saints' Abbey. The trail starts at the parking lot for the Allerheiligen Waterfalls, which are breathtaking in their own right.

After scaling the side of the falls, we followed a river through the forest, past a farm and a seemingly out-of-place Romanesque sculpture.

Eventually, we found the ruins of an abbey, which we were free to explore. It was easy to imagine the structure that once stood here — and to dream of adventures our favorite fairy-tale heroes might encounter on a particularly foggy day here at the ruins.

I loved that the hike took us high up a mountain for spectacular views of the valley, then back down to the parking lot.

We could've eaten our weight in Black Forest cake.

The Black Forest is known for many things, including its eponymous cake.

The chocolate sponge cake, with layers of whipped cream, is rich and moist, but the sour cherries and accompanying taste of the Kirschwasser (a brandy made from sour cherries) keep it from tasting too sweet.

I'm more of a savory guy who enjoys his pork schnitzel, but the Black Forest cake ranks high on the list of things I ate while abroad. You must try it if you ever visit.

The thermal baths in Baden-Baden were a wonderful surprise.

Baden-Baden is a spa town on the northern edge of the Black Forest. Although it is a German city, it's known for its Roman-Irish baths.

Visiting its Friedrichsbad spa was one of the most adventurous things we've ever done. On most days, we had to get completely naked with a bunch of tourists and locals in order to enjoy the steam rooms, saunas, cold-water plunges, and other thermal treatments.

Once we got over the initial strangeness of being nude with strangers, it was a really relaxing experience.

We also visited the Caracalla Spa next door, which seemed better for families: Everyone wears their swimsuits, but you still get to enjoy the thermal waters. It's almost like an indoor water park.

Our hikes to castles and through small towns were worth the effort.

Baden-Baden was a great starting point for our hike to the Hohenbaden Old Castle. The stunning ruins are on a mountainside and overlook Baden-Baden, the Black Forest, and the sprawling farm land to the east.

It took us about an hour to hike from the city center to the castle, which we were free to explore at no cost.

On the other hand, I would've been fine skipping Triberg.

We went to the city of Triberg for two reasons: to see its famous cuckoo clocks and the waterfall.

We ended up arriving later in the day, so we had to skip the waterfall. This was fine since we'd seen several waterfalls that morning during our hikes for free, and we would've had to pay to see the one near Triberg.

Instead, we browsed the shops and saw some cuckoo clocks, but overwhelmingly, we felt like this city inside the Black Forest was mostly a tourist trap with a lot of souvenir shops.

It reminded us of shopping in Tennessee's Gatlinburg — definitely a fun time, but not quite the authentic German experience we were hoping for.

I wish we had added two days to our trip to explore the southern part of the forest.

We missed out on hiking southern certain trails and seeing Lake Titisee because our home base was in Baden-Baden, the northern end of the long, narrow forest.

That made it challenging to see the southern end of the forest and still make it home before dark. If we ever go back, we plan to stay in Freiburg im Breisgau to explore the southern region.

• Costco opened its first location in Seattle in 1983, building off Price Club's warehouse format.
• Today's company is the product of a 1993 merger between Costco and Price Club, which opened in 1976.
• Costco provided Business Insider with historical photos of the chain's inaugural warehouse. 

Costco is a staple of the big-box-store landscape. Since its beginning in 1983, it has attracted a devoted flock of members thanks to its low prices and bulk sizes.

But the wholesale retailer's origin story is a bit complicated.

The Costco of today is in fact the result of a 1993 merger between Costco and its predecessor, Price Club, which was founded in 1976 by legendary entrepreneur Sol Price.

Costco provided Business Insider with a number of photos of the company's first warehouse from 1983.

These images provide a glimpse into what making a Costco run would've looked like back when Ronald Reagan was in the White House.

Jim Sinegal and Jeff Brotman first dreamed up the idea for Costco Wholesale in 1982.

Brotman, who died in 2017, was an attorney who was inspired to open a European-style wholesaler after taking a trip to France.

Brotman told CNN in 2009 that he didn't know Sinegal before pitching him on the idea of a European-style "hypermarket."

"I called around to retail contacts and asked them to list executives who could run such a business. Jim was on most lists. I cold-called him one day and flew to California to meet him," Brotman said.

Sinegal was a retail executive who'd previously worked under the businessman Sol Price at a warehouse club called FedMart.

Price was a titan in American retail, and a close mentor to Sinegal.

After Fed Mart, Price founded a new chain, aptly named Price Club, in 1976 in San Diego.

Located in an old airplane hangar, Price Club exclusively offered memberships to small business owners.

Sinegal and Brotman told CNN that they planned to essentially "clone Price Club" when they launched Costco.

A key difference between the brands: Costco would appeal to non-business members as well.

The first warehouse bearing the Costco name kicked off its grand opening with a business show on September 15, 1983.

Company sales in that first year reached $101 million, according to SEC filings.

Costco offered business owner memberships for a $25 annual fee, while "Group Gold" members could join for $30 a year.

Non-members could shop as long as they paid a 5% surcharge on their purchases.

Sinegal told the Motley Fool that the chain's first 100,000-square-foot warehouse was a "pretty simple facility."

"We didn't have many of the enhancements that we've added to the business since then," he said. "It was clearly a warehouse; an open-beam ceiling and cement floors and industrial steel and forklifts moving around in the facility. As time has gone on, the model has incorporated a lot of new things that we've put into the business."

A key piece of the business model's strategy was to keep costs low by sharply limiting the number of unique items, or SKUs, that are kept in stock.

Even now, Costco warehouses only offer about 4,000 SKUs, as compared with about 30,000 at a conventional supermarket, or more than 100,000 at a Walmart store.

In 2009, he also told CNN that the "crowds weren't overwhelming" at first, but "business built up" gradually.

Sinegal served as Costco's CEO from 1983 until his retirement in 2011.

Costco's low-priced, bulk-size offerings ended up catching on with shoppers.

"The original business plan called for eventual growth to about 12 Costcos, primarily in the Northwest, and maybe $80 million in sales per store," Sinegal told CNN in 2009.

Less than a year after it was founded, Costco began to expand across the Pacific Northwest.

Costco's second and third locations were in Portland, Oregon, and Spokane, Washington.

The growth of Sam's Club – Walmart's answer to the influx of members-only warehouse clubs – also spurred Costco's expansion.

Founder Sam Walton specifically credited Price with inspiring some of his best ideas: "I guess I've stolen – I actually prefer the word 'borrowed' – as many ideas from Sol Price as from anybody else in the business," he said.

"When Walmart announced it was going into the discount warehouse business, we had to compete and grow quickly," Brotman told CNN in 2009.

"That's why we expanded as fast as we did," Brotman said.

Sinegal told the Los Angeles Times in 1985 that competition from Sam's Club and other Price Club copycats meant Costco needed to act fast.

"We are working to get established in certain markets, to preempt those markets," he said. "That's why we expanded as fast as we did (12 stores in 18 months and six more scheduled this year), and that's the posture you'll see taken by most of the other companies."

By the end of 1984, 200,000 Americans had become Costco members.

Membership fee revenue totaled $1.3 million in the first year, per SEC filings.

That same year, The Associated Press dubbed both Price Club and Costco as "key players" in the wholesale-retail game.

"It's one of the most exciting concepts to come along in many years that is truly different," said Ronald Loveless, the head of Sam's Club, told the news service at the time.

Sales at Costco rocketed from zero to $3 billion in less than six years — a first for any company in history, according to the company

The company held its initial public offering in 1985, selling shares for $10.

Due to several stock splits, one initial Costco share would be six today.

The value of one of those initial shares today? A combined total of more than $5,500.

Just three years after opening its doors, Costco was a $1 billion company, Sinegal told CNN.

At that point, the chain boasted "17 locations, 1.3 million members, and 3,740 employees," according to Costco's website.

When Sol Price was looking to retire, Price Club and Costco merged in 1993 to become the somewhat unwieldy PriceCostco.

Before the merger, the top three warehouse club chains were mostly regionalized, with Costco in the Northwest, Price Club in the Southwest, and Walmart-owned Sam's Club in the Midwest and Southeast.

The resulting company boasted 206 locations and $16 billion in annual sales.

The first UK location opened that year, followed by the first Asian location in Seoul in 1995.

Initially after the merger, there was a slight divide between "red" Costco warehouses and "blue" Price Club warehouses.

"When I was a corporate auditor for the company, the first thing the folks at the warehouse would ask me is, 'Are you red or blue?'" a former employee told Business Insider.

In 1997, the company simplified its name to just Costco.

At its 40th anniversary in 2023, Costco had 838 locations around the world, nearly 129 million membership cardholders, $237.7 billion in revenue.

In 2025, Costco will open its 900th location and serve nearly 139 million members around the world.

Last fiscal year, the company made net sales of more than $249 billion, up 5% from the year before, with significant growth in e-commerce — a sales channel that was likely nowhere on Brotman or Sinegal's radar four decades ago.

• As a dietitian, I follow the Mediterranean diet, but that doesn't mean my family never eats out.
• Dunkin' is an easy place to grab breakfast when we're in a rush.
• I try to avoid overly sugary drinks, but I do order the occasional doughnut as a treat.

As a dietitian who tries to follow the Mediterranean diet, I eat a lot of veggies, beans, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

However, in a pinch, my family and I sometimes have to lean on fast food, especially when we're traveling.

When I visit Dunkin' with my 9-year-old daughter and my husband, I opt for protein-rich options and try to limit any added sugar and sodium.

Here's what I ordered for everyone on our last Dunkin' run.

A hot latte gives me a kick of caffeine.

It's tempting to go for a flavored coffee at Dunkin', but some of them have more sugar than a doughnut.

For example, a small Dunkin' hot coffee with caramel-swirl flavoring has 26 grams of added sugar, while a vanilla sprinkle doughnut only has 16 grams.

Instead, I skip the added sweeteners. Since some dairy is permitted on the Mediterranean diet, a classic latte made with 2% milk gives me the caffeine boost I need without a sugar rush.

Plus, dairy milk adds some protein and nutrients (like calcium).

I'm a fan of the omelet bites.

Although they're processed — aka not very Mediterranean-diet friendly — I love Dunkin's omelet bites for a protein-packed breakfast.

Two of the egg white and veggie bites contain a whopping 13 grams of protein, which keeps me full. As a bonus, they help me get a small start on my daily veggie goals.

My husband's beverage of choice is iced green tea.

My husband, who has elevated blood pressure, enjoys an unsweetened green iced tea.

Some research suggests that green tea may help lower blood pressure, particularly in individuals with hypertension. The catechins and other bioactive compounds are associated with helping relax blood vessels, promote healthy blood flow, and reduce the strain on the cardiovascular system.

The iced, unsweetened version at Dunkin' has no sugar, and there's little to it in terms of calories and sodium, so he tends to get a larger size.

Dunkin's avocado toast is also a good pick for my husband.

Avocado toast is my husband's top food pick at Dunkin', which is convenient for his health needs and our diet.

Avocados are a good source of potassium, a mineral that's also been found to help lower blood pressure. Dunkin's avocado toast contains 371 milligrams of potassium, which is over 10% of the daily recommended intake for men.

Pairing avocado with whole-grain toast provides him with a satisfying on-the-go option that has heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, 6 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein.

Orange juice is my daughter's drink of choice.

Although my daughter doesn't follow any kind of strict diet, I often feed her along the principles of the Mediterranean diet since that's how my husband and I eat.

Even though the juice contains quite a bit of natural sugar from the fruit, I'm OK with her drinking a serving of orange juice (which I portion out from the slightly larger Simply Orange bottle sold at my Dunkin').

It provides her with nutrients like vitamin C and antioxidants. Plus, it helps her get closer to her fruit quota for the day.

She likes the wake-up wrap.

It's not very Mediterranean-diet friendly, but my daughter likes the egg-and-cheese wake-up wrap at Dunkin'.

The serving is relatively tiny, and there isn't a whole grain or veggie in sight, but I'm happy that the 7 grams of protein help keep her satisfied when we're in a pinch.

Plus, the eggs add some vital nutrients, like choline, which is essential to supporting brain health.

I firmly believe an occasional treat can fit into a balanced diet.

Although the Mediterranean diet doesn't allow for a lot of processed foods or added sugars, an occasional treat isn't going to completely throw us off.

Dunkin' is known for its doughnuts, so we usually let our daughter pick the variety and split one between the three of us.

I think it's OK to sometimes eat food purely for the pleasure it provides. By sharing, we reduce the risk of overindulging without feeling deprived.

• For Christmas, I was gifted a lunch at Disneyland's elite Club 33, an invite-only club in the park.
• The holiday prix-fixe meal featured roasted salmon, lobster tail, filet mignon, and specialty pastries.
• As a foodie and Disney fan, I had high hopes for Club 33 — and the meal still exceeded expectations.

This year, as a Christmas present, I was gifted a rare experience I doubted I'd ever get a chance to try: dining at the exclusive Club 33 at Disneyland.

As a Disney fan and a foodie, I'd long heard rumors about the elite, members-only club with a secret entrance on Royal Street in New Orleans Square. Business Insider previously reported that, in addition to a yearslong membership waitlist, there is a $25,000 to $100,000 initiation fee to join Club 33, as well as an annual price tag ranging between $12,500 and $30,000, depending on the membership level.

This year, the mysterious club again made headlines after an Arizona couple said they spent $400,000 on legal fees pursuing a lawsuit to regain entry after their membership had been revoked.

And while that's far too rich for my blood, after thoroughly enjoying my lunch there, I can see why they'd fight so hard to maintain access.

Here's a glimpse at the seasonal holiday experience being offered this year at Club 33's Le Grand Salon restaurant, which — despite my already high expectations — left me feeling surprised and delighted at every turn.

Dining at Le Grand Salon, you won't ever forget you're having a luxurious — and exclusive — experience. The park's staff is already known for their commitment to customer service, but Club 33 takes things to another level.

Guests enter the club through a secret door across from La Mascarade d'Orleans, a store in New Orleans Square, using a buzzer to check in for their reservation. After passing through the Court of Angels — a pristinely appointed courtyard where you can get your picture taken — you're greeted by hosts who already know your name and seat you for your meal.

Photos are allowed in the dining area and courtyard but not in the bathrooms or members-only lounge.

The hosts whisk any nonessential items you're carrying to a complimentary coat check — no hoodies allowed inside, or yoga pants, or dirty tennis shoes, for that matter.

The club's iconic "33" logo is featured prominently throughout the venue, including on its dishware, menus, and artwork on the walls and floor.

While you wait for your food, you're encouraged to explore the balcony overlooking New Orleans Square, interact with the animatronic turkey vulture Alfred, the club's mascot, and admire the concept art and handpainted vintage harpsichord Walt Disney gifted his wife, Lillian, which now decorates the lounge.

The three-course prix fixe meal costs $140 per person for lunch, with an optional wine pairing available for an additional $75. The cocktail menu is just as thoughtfully curated as the rest of the experience, with classic options like mint juleps and whisky sours available alongside seasonal re-imaginings like the "Winter Solstice Spritz" and "Butter Rum Drummer Boy."

Alcohol is still served only in a few select locations at Disneyland, and Club 33 offers the largest variety of options anywhere in the theme park.

Though it was difficult to choose — everything looked delicious, and there were more options than we had diners at the table — I decided on roasted salmon for my appetizer, a filet mignon cooked medium for my entrée, and a hot chocolate affogato for dessert.

My partner, who graciously called in a favor of a family friend to get us into the club, had the shrimp appetizer, lobster stew entrée, and warm sticky toffee cake for dessert.

We'd had such a difficult time deciding on the details of our meal that our server, Beth, suggested we order her favorite dish — the sweet potato ravioli — à la carte.

While the option came with a $100 price increase, we were ultimately glad we splurged because the dish was one of the best things we tasted all day.

Each dish was executed perfectly. The salmon was flaky, the steak was juicy with a beautifully seared crust, and the pasta was smooth and flavorful.

Throughout the meal, my partner and I traded surprised exclamations. While we occasionally enjoy fine dining experiences, we've sometimes found more pomp and circumstance than flavor in high-end restaurants. Not so at Club 33, where every dish prepared by Chef Gloria Tae, the chef de cuisine, was both beautifully presented and delicious to boot.

I used to work in a bakery and have a particular fondness for desserts. When I tell you I was blown away by Club 33's sweet offerings, I mean it — from the moment I took my first bite, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

I'd ordered the hot chocolate affogato, which came topped with peppermint ice cream and served alongside warm chocolate chip cookie bars. My partner's choice of sticky toffee cake was also exceptionally tasty, with a brown sugar streusel and eggnog sauce.

The dessert offerings were so surprising that I ended up asking our server who Club 33's pastry chefs are — and she mentioned they also cook for the Grand Californian, which means I'll have to plan a visit to the 4-star hotel in the future to try more of their creations.

Before we left, our server presented us with Club 33-themed macaroon cookies, which allowed me to continue enjoying the experience the next day when I finally caved and cracked open the box they were served in.

Overall, the experience of dining at Club 33's Le Grand Salon lived up to the hype I'd heard over the years. I'd half expected that I'd have built it up in my head to an unattainable standard, but I really should have known the magic that Disney is capable of pulling off.

And while I haven't been invited to join the club myself — nor do I have $30,000 lying around to join if I did — I now completely understand why Club 33 has earned the reputation it has.

• Zelenskyy said 30% of the military equipment Ukraine used in 2024 was domestically made.
• Ukraine is manufacturing more and more of its own weapons to fight back against Russia.
• Western weapons companies have also opened facilities in the country to feed its war efforts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 30% of the military equipment Ukraine used in 2024 was domestically made, with Western nations' support not enough to push back against Russia's invasion.

Zelenskyy said in a speech on New Year's Eve that "30% of everything our guys had on the battlefield this year – all this was made in Ukraine."

He added that the minds and efforts of people who work in the country's defense industry "have made us stronger."

Ukraine's military industry has soared since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Ukraine is making more and more of its own weaponry, like naval drones, howitzers, and glide bombs. It also manufactures its own missiles and successfully tested its first homemade ballistic missile in August.

An increasing number of Western manufacturers are also setting up operations in Ukraine. These include AeroVironment, an American defense contractor headquartered in Virginia, German arms maker Rheinmetall, and BAE, a major British defense firm.

In his speech, Zelenskyy said that at one facility, he asked a young engineer, "How did you manage to achieve so much? How were these people able to do all of this?"

He said the man joked: "They're not just people, they're missiles."

Ukraine's allies have given the country billions of dollars worth of military support. But Ukraine is facing off against a far larger Russian military, and the war's grinding, brutal nature is seeing both sides expend vast amounts of equipment.

Ukraine has, at times, run critically low on key weaponry and ammunition.

It's currently running short on US-made long-range ATACMS missiles which can hit targets inside Russia, The New York Times reported last week.

Ukraine has repeatedly said that it needs more weaponry and defensive gear in order to protect itself, and warfare experts have accused the West of drip-feeding aid to Ukraine rather than giving it enough to make a major difference on the battlefield.

Soldiers fighting in Ukraine have said that the way military aid arrives can make long-term planning and strategizing a challenge.

President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House could also lead to Ukraine needing to rely more on its own supplies, with Trump previously criticizing the scale of US aid to Ukraine.

• Drones have seen a variety of functions in the Ukraine war on both sides.
• Reconnaissance drones gather information, while one-way attack systems strike tanks and troops.
• The drone war in Ukraine has implications for the US and other militaries looking at the future of war.

In the Ukraine war, drones are causing all sorts of mayhem in the air, on the ground, and at sea.

The drones being used in this conflict gather intel, provide targeting data, cripple ships and tanks, and even engage in drone-on-drone combat, and there is much the US and other militaries can learn from this fight about what future warfare will look like.

In this war, an odd combination of World War I-style combat and modern technological innovations, drones have dramatically changed how soldiers fight and survey the battlefield. These systems have presented challenges for tanks, armored vehicles, and troops and, in many ways, upended more traditional ways of war.

Officials have said the technology is often developing at such a rapid pace that it's difficult to keep up.

Drones are fighting in all domains of modern warfare

Russian and Ukrainian uncrewed aerial systems are engaging in one-way attacks on troops, vehicles, and equipment. The models have ranged from off-the-shelf civilian models with crudely attached explosives to military-grade loitering munitions, and these have been used to target anything that moves.

Combat footage from the war has captured operators flying their drones into open hatches of tanks, dropping bombs on unsuspecting soldiers, and planting land mines to surprise and stop the enemy.

Facing a much larger force, Ukraine has made use of drones as an asymmetrical warfare tactic. Ukraine is using ground robots, airborne drones, and naval drones to engage the Russians across nearly every major warfighting domain, except space, cyber, and undersea.

Naval drones have hit the Black Sea Fleet hard, and first-person-view, or FPV, drones complicate maneuvers all along the front lines.

And both sides have used longer-range drones as supplements for precision-guided munitions. Russia has consistently barraged Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure with drones and missiles, and Ukraine has struck Russian airfields and ammo depots, eliminating aircraft and munitions.

Ukraine has relied on drones to fill the gap amid artillery ammunition shortages caused by delays in Western military assistance and as an alternative to the Western weapons it has but has largely been unable to use against Russian positions inside Russia.

Drone operators are skilled combatants. They attack moving targets, fixed positions like trenches, and even hunt other operators.

Drones are gathering intelligence and shaping perceptions of war

Drones play a critical role in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and the generation of firing solutions. Expanded Russian recon drone activity amid air defense strains on the Ukrainian side have, for instance, given Russia better deep-strike capability. Ukraine, on the other hand, has been increasingly adapting its drones for air-to-air kills.

The view of the battlefield provided by drones isn't just for the soldiers fighting though.

The world has been watching the Ukraine war largely through drone footage, which can twist the perception of who's winning the fight. The often first-person-view videos are spread widely across Russian and Ukrainian Telegram channels, showing drones flying across scarred battlefields, then locating targets and attempting to destroy them. 

Drones are also capturing artillery battles, rocket strikes, ground battles, armored vehicle fights, and more.

Ukraine, in particular, has relied on sharing such footage to demonstrate its fighting capabilities, but the videos can be "cherry-picked" as an element of propaganda for both sides, defense experts previously told BI. Both sides are struggling with a range of challenges as the war takes its toll.

The constant presence of drones makes hiding and moving difficult. With so many drones operating, even individual soldiers can be spotted and targeted. Reconnaissance drones have also filmed other drones attacking targets, ensuring that there's footage if a strike is successful. That said, the battlefield isn't totally transparent, and surprises are still possible, as Ukraine demonstrated with its invasion of Kursk.

Drones are fighting other drones

Using drones to counter other drones has become prominent in the war. Ukraine, for example, is developing an interceptor designed to counter Russian Shahed-136 loitering munitions. Ukraine also uses FPV drones to target higher-end Russian recon drones.

The benefits of using a drone to eliminate another drone are clear: it can keep soldiers out of harm's way and save on the more expensive ammunition and missiles that would typically used to counter them. It's often a cheaper and more practical way to defeat incoming drone attacks.   

Lessons in drone warfare

The US military has been closely watching the drone war unfolding in Ukraine, taking notes on what it could mean for future wars. It's been watching as the combatants make adaptations, such as Russia and Ukraine welding cages onto their tanks to protect from drone attacks and the use of electronic warfare to jam drones' connections to their operators.

There's a lot of emerging tech in this war. Russia, for example, began employing wired drones connected to their operator by a fiber-optic cable to ensure the connection remains stable. Such an adaptation isn't necessarily game-changing, but it does indicate how both sides are constantly working to solve problems that pop up. 

Ukraine has said AI-enabled drones are being rapidly developed, tested, and deployed, and a unit commander said in September that drones won't need operators in as little as six months.

For those types of drones, soldiers will only need to launch them. From there, the drone "will decide on its own where to go and how to hit the target," the commander said. That development, once it becomes a reality, will be a game changer.

A Ukrainian non-profit outfit has actually been training AI on combat drone footage, roughly 2 million hours of video.

For a future war, the US will likely need to lean on uncrewed systems to complete operations its troops can't. The Pentagon's Replicator Initiative, announced last year, has goals of fielding swarms of drones for a variety of functions in a potential conflict. The US is working on air, ground, and sea drones.

It also has its Replicator II initiative with a counter-UAS focus, and the Pentagon recently released its counter-drone strategy aimed at preparing it for a future fight.

• Netflix says season two of "Squid Game" got 68 million views in the first four days after its debut.
• The South Korean drama surpassed a record held by "Wednesday" for most views in a premiere week.
• The dystopian thriller is Netflix's top non-English show, with over 265 million views.

Netflix says season two of its hit streaming series "Squid Game" amassed 68 million views in the first four days of its release, blowing past the viewership record for a show's premiere week on the streaming platform.

The record was previously held by the first season of "Wednesday," which had more than 50 million views after it launched in 2022.

The South Korean dystopian thriller also broke records when it debuted in 2021, and Netflix says it remains its most popular non-English show, with over 265 million views.

The series, created by Hwang Dong-hyuk and starring Lee Jung-jae, is broadly about people heavily in debt competing in deadly versions of children's games for a big cash prize.

Shortly after the first season debuted, Bloomberg reported that Netflix expected the series to create nearly $900 million in value for the company.

Alvin Foo, then a Netflix director of strategy and operators for APAC marketing, wrote a LinkedIn post in 2021 describing 10 reasons he thought the show became a global phenomenon. One was the broader popularity of the "survival-game" genre.

Foo also noted that it touched on themes such as economic inequality and said it was "instantly meme-able" for its visually striking set design and costumes.

In an interview with Variety in late December, Hwang said fans wouldn't need to wait too long for season three.

"After season two launches, I believe we will be announcing the launch date for Season 3 soon," he said. "I probably expect that to launch around summer or fall next year."

• BYD posted its best-ever sales for Q4, turning up the heat on Tesla.
• The Chinese carmaker is competing with Tesla to be the world's biggest maker of EVs.
• Tesla is reporting its own figures this week, which will determine which company is on top.

BYD has reported record annual sales as it challenges Elon Musk's Tesla for the status of the world's top electric-vehicle maker.

BYD sold 1.76 million battery electric cars in 2024, per figures released Wednesday.

That figure puts it within range of pipping Tesla's annual sales.

That total was part of a large haul of 4.25 million cars sales by BYD, which includes its hybrid vehicles as well as pure-electric.

BYD has been on a red-hot run in recent months, buoyed by aggressive discounts and the booming popularity of its hybrids.

The company, known for affordable cars like the $10,000 Seagull hatchback, sold nearly 510,000 EVs and hybrids in December, the new figures say — a monthly record.

BYD, which in late 2023 recorded higher quarterly sales than Tesla for the first time, is now trying to top the US automaker's annual sales total.

Tesla is due to report fourth-quarter sales figures later this week, which will show whether BYD managed to outpace it.

Elon Musk's automaker, which does not sell hybrids, sold around 1.29 million EVs in the first three quarters of 2024.

That means it needed at least 467,000 sales in the fourth quarter to beat BYD's 1.76 million total for 2024.

Like its Chinese rival, Tesla ended 2024 with a spree of discounts and deals in an attempt to boost sales. The EV maker was also trying to meet its target of selling more cars than it did in 2023.

BYD has grown in recent years to be the greatest threat to Elon Musk's EV dominance.

The upstart automaker, founded by Wang Chuanfu in 1995 as a battery manufacturer, has rapidly taken market share in China and is expanding internationally.

Like other Chinese EV giants, BYD has been shut out of the US market by tough tariffs. Despite this, the company is building factories in Brazil and southeast Asia, and is aggressively expanding in Europe, where Tesla is also seeking buyers.

BYD did not respond to a request for comment, sent outside regular working hours.

• These are the best movies to watch on Netflix in January.
• Watch Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" and "Inception."
• You can also check out 1990s hits like "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Rush Hour."

From Christopher Nolan classics to Jennifer Garner doing the "Thriller" dance, here are the best movies on Netflix in January.

"13 Going on 30" (January 1)

This fun rom-com never gets old. Jennifer Garner plays a 13-year-old who suddenly awakens to find herself a thriving 30-year-old living in New York City.

What follows is loads of laughs, Mark Ruffalo being charming, and a "Thriller" dance line.

"Apollo 13" (January 1)

In Ron Howard's look at the 1970 Apollo 13 lunar mission, which became a race to save the astronauts on board after a craft malfunction, Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton are fantastic as the astronauts who must use science and improvisation to get back to Earth.

"I Know What You Did Last Summer" (January 1)

This classic 1990s horror movie stars some of the biggest heartthrobs of the time — Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr. — as they play friends being stalked by a hook-wielding killer.

"Inception" (January 1)

Christopher Nolan's trippy heist movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Cobb, a skilled thief who steals information from his targets' subconscious. But he meets his match when he's tasked with implanting an idea into a target's mind.

The movie has a fantastic score from Hans Zimmer and a top-notch supporting cast that includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe, and Cillian Murphy.

"Interstellar" (January 1)

Make it a Nolan double feature tonight. Here the Oscar-winning director takes us to deep space with Matthew McConaughey as he pilots a team of scientists who enter a wormhole in search of a planet humanity can inhabit as Earth is on the cusp of dying.

Like with "Inception," Zimmer delivers another amazing score. Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, a young Timothée Chalamet, and Bill Irwin, as the voice of the robot TARS, round out a great supporting cast.

"Meet the Parents" (January 1)

Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro make a surprising comedic one-two punch in this hilarious comedy, which follows Stiller's character, Greg Focker, as he experiences a disastrous first encounter with his girlfriend's parents.

And if you need more laughs, the sequel "Meet the Fockers" is also available.

"Melancholia" (January 1)

Lars von Trier mixes lush visuals and haunting performances by Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg in his look at the final hours before a rogue planet collides with Earth.

"Rush Hour" (January 1)

This blockbuster action comedy from the late 1990s stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker as police officers who couldn't be more opposite but are the only hope to save the day.

"Rush Hour 2" and "Rush Hour 3" are also available.

Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy (January 1)

Watch the movies that finally cracked the code of comic book adaptations finding success on the big screen.

Director Sam Raimi delivered a memorable trilogy (2002's "Spider-Man," 2004's "Spider-Man 2," and 2007's "Spider-Man 3") with Tobey Maguire in the lead as Spidey, which weren't just box office hits but also paved the way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"Back in Action" (January 17)

This Netflix original action comedy stars Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz. It marks Diaz's first movie in 11 years (the last was 2014's "Annie").

• As a low-income student, I didn't think college was for me.
• I then enrolled in a college class as a high schooler, and it changed everything.
• I could finally see myself in college, and the class helped me find the right school for me.

I didn't always assume I'd go to college. However, during my senior year of high school, I had an opportunity to dual enroll in an English class at a local college for credit.

I grew up in a small rural town, and my school talked about different pathways post-graduation, including joining the military, entering the workforce, attending a trade school, or taking the "college-bound" track. I liked school, but the bureaucracy behind college enrollment, like college applications and FASFA forms, felt overwhelming at times.

My school allowed select students with the appropriate requirements to attend college classes in person at a local college. Students could earn college credit and interact with college students before returning to high school to finish out the day.

Enrolling in the college class was relatively straightforward since it was through a program at my school. The tuition for the class was covered. I just had to buy the books, which I was able to afford from the money I earned working as a hostess at a restaurant.

New opportunities gave me a glimpse of what waited after high school

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during a semester of my senior year of high school, I attended the small liberal arts college in my hometown.

I was side-by-side with college students and gleefully joined freshmen for an introductory English class. The professor was nice and supportive, and the process demystified college for me. Assignments that initially sounded intimidating, like papers and finals, weren't so different from my high school classwork.

The lectures were enjoyable and included funny movie clips from time to time. Completing the assignments kept me engaged intellectually and helped me feel accomplished.

Since the class was free, it was a no-pressure way for me to experience what college coursework would look like. This gave me practice as a student and made me realize I could handle it.

Most importantly, this opportunity gave me the confidence as a low-income student to realize that I could handle college classes. It also helped save me some money in the long run since I entered college with credits.

It helped me articulate and understand class differences in a new way

My hometown was a microcosm of America. It was socioeconomically diverse. There was rural poverty in my town — which is what I grew up in and was most exposed to during my childhood.

But my town was also home to an expensive college, where my dual enrollment was held. The college's tuition rates were more expensive than many locals earned all year, so there were affluent areas in my town as well.

Attending the college exposed me to new ways of living. I was integrated into a community that highlighted different realities for me.

While my school emphasized a variety of different options, I now understood that many people would have different paths. Many of the college students I interacted with were always expected to be on a "college-bound" path. Their trajectory reflected their expected outcome, and it was interesting to understand these new perspectives.

It shaped my future

My professor, who taught me in my dual enrollment class, helped me home in on my next steps, anticipating what my future could look like after high school graduation.

He suggested a college for me to apply to, which was the place he'd earned his Ph.D.. It was a school that I had never heard of, and I would never have learned about it without his guidance since it was in another state.

Ultimately, I took his advice and applied to the university that he suggested. I was accepted and attended. That decision changed the trajectory of my life, and it all started with the college class I took in high school.

• Authorities say a driver deliberately plowed into a crowd of people in New Orleans early Wednesday.
• The police said 10 people were killed and at least 35 more were injured.
• Officials and witnesses indicated the driver also exchanged gunfire with the police.

Ten people were killed, and at least 35 more were injured after a driver rammed into a crowd in the heart of New Orleans and then started shooting, authorities said.

The deadly incident is now being investigated as a potential terrorist attack, President Joe Biden later said.

Superintendent Anne E. Kirkpatrick of the New Orleans Police Department said during a press conference that a man drove a pickup truck down Bourbon Street "at a very fast pace." Kirkpatrick said the man drove into the crowd intentionally.

She characterized the incident, which took place at about 3:15 a.m., as an attack and said the driver had tried to hit as many people as possible, driving around barriers that she said were meant to block off streets.

She also said the driver shot two police officers, who she said were in stable condition.

Kirkpatrick said it appeared that most of those injured were locals rather than tourists.

An unnamed federal law-enforcement official told CNN that the suspect had also died. It was unclear when and how.

Biden later posted a statement that the "FBI is taking the lead in the investigation and is investigating this incident as an act of terrorism."

NOLA Ready, the city's emergency preparedness campaign, had initially said there was "a mass casualty incident involving a vehicle that drove into a large crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street."

Kevin Garcia, a 22-year-old who was present at the time, told CNN, "All I seen was a truck slamming into everyone on the left side of Bourbon sidewalk."

He said that "a body came flying at me," and that he heard gunshots.

One witness told CBS that a driver plowed into the crowd on Bourbon Street at high speed and that the driver got out and started firing a weapon, with the police firing back.

Kirkpatrick said the FBI was taking over the case.

Gov. Jeff Landry of Louisiana said on X on Wednesday that a "horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning."

"Please join Sharon and I in praying for all the victims and first responders on scene," he wrote, referring to his wife. "I urge all near the scene to avoid the area."

Authorities said an improvised explosive device was found and they were working to confirm whether it was a viable device.

Bourbon Street, in the city's French Quarter, is a famous party destination.

Some streets in and around the French Quarter were due to be closed for New Year's celebrations, with Canal Street expected to stay open unless traffic got too bad, the local outlet Fox 8 WVUE-TV reported.

New Orleans is due to host the Sugar Bowl, a college football game, on Wednesday, with fans of the University of Georgia and the University of Notre Dame descending on the city.

Kirkpatrick said at the press conference that the city had "called in every officer that we have."

She said she still wanted people to enjoy the celebrations but to stay away from Bourbon Street.

The New Orleans Police Department on Monday had said that it would be staffed at 100% for both celebrations and that 300 additional officers would be joining from other law-enforcement agencies.

"Residents and visitors can expect to see a strong presence of marked and unmarked police vehicles, as well as officers on foot, bike, and horseback as part of the department's Mounted Patrol," Kirkpatrick said at the time.

"This increased visibility will enhance public safety, provide crowd control, and allow for rapid response to any incidents," she added.

• As a professional declutterer I help my clients get rid of things they don't want or need anymore.
• Some people love collecting things, but it can quickly turn into clutter.
• It's much harder to get rid of multiple objects you've collected than just one.

Tom Hanks famously collects typewriters, Jerry Seinfeld maintains multiple garages to house all his cars, and Rosie O'Donnell has amassed over 2,500 Happy Meal toys.

Some of us are just collectors at heart. But what's the difference between a meaningful collection and a bunch of stuff you can't find space for?

As a professional declutterer, I know that getting rid of a collection is harder than getting rid of single items.

Collections are time-consuming

Several years ago, I purchased a blue ceramic owl that housed a particularly great scented candle. A few weeks later, I saw another large blue ceramic owl — this time fashioned into a vase. Of course, I bought it, they looked great together. Then, I ran across a green ceramic owl in a thrift store. Well, I already had two, so why not one more?

Thus was born a collection I had no intention of creating. That's the thing about collecting; you might set out to acquire a trucker hat from every state in the nation, which is a noble enterprise. But you might also end up procuring a whole pile of desert-themed hand-painted shot glasses without ever really meaning to.

If you find that owning two of something quickly turns into owning too many of that thing, slow your roll. Ask yourself: Is this something to which I really want to devote time, money, and shelf space? Or is it merely an excuse to hold on to random stuff I've acquired?

They can turn into clutter

Once I recognized that I'd accidentally started collecting ceramic owls, I realized I had no interest in housing an entire flock. This wasn't a cool collection in the making; it was undeniably clutter. This led me to a reckoning. I traversed the house, ferreting out groups of objects that threatened to turn into full-blown compilations.

I decided that I could maintain three collections. Each comprised small items, and one was even useful, sort of. Everything else went to the thrift store. This is how I avoided collecting mid-century wooden candle holders, teacups in a distinct shade of blue, or glass bottles that fit particular but hard-to-define parameters. My life is better without these things.

For those of you who are not collectors but know them, here's a little advice: it's tempting to buy your aunt yet another squirrel sculpture or your nephew another stuffie. But think about whether you'd be adding a special piece to a meaningful collection or merely loading them up with the kind of clutter that's hard to get rid of.

It's harder to get rid of collections

Collections can end up owning the collector; it's much harder to get rid of a set of something than a single object. And if half the items have been purchased by someone else, you may come to feel that you're obligated to keep the whole lot, whether you're all that interested in owning dozens of camels, as happened to my mother-in-law.

Clutter is sticky. It wants to fill your shelves and cupboards. You'll think of a thousand reasons to hold on to it even when it's no longer sparking anything but annoyance. Label that clutter "A Collection," and it may be with you until the end, like it or not. Instead, choose things that actually bring you joy.

If you do have a collection, display it with pride. Put it where you can see it every day and revel in each piece. A collection that lives in darkness may as well not exist.

Finally, think like a curator. Not every miniature French horn is an excellent miniature French horn. Choose the best and pass the others along. If you're going to bother collecting at all, make it into an art form. Be an authority on your chosen object. If you don't love it, it's not really a collection, it's just clutter.

• Donald Trump has more billionaires in his orbit than any other modern president.
• It's not just Elon Musk who faces potential conflicts of interest with newfound power.
• Even some of Trump's lower-level picks are uber-wealthy.

President-elect Donald Trump is stocking his administration and broader orbit with billionaires and titans of industry.

Their résumés and portfolios also come with a bevy of potential conflicts of interest that could overshadow their actual jobs.

Elon Musk may receive the lion's share of the attention, but he's far from the only billionaire in Trump's orbit who has benefited from government contracts.

"This Trump administration is just chocked full of billionaires, millionaires, and lobbyists," Craig Holman, a lobbyist for government watchdog Public Citizen, recently told Business Insider.

Trump tapped private equity billionaire Stephen Feinberg to become his second-highest-ranking official at the Pentagon. Feinberg's firm, Cerberus Capital Management, has significant interests in military defense contractors, which, as deputy director of defense, could pose a conflict given that the Pentagon's No. 2 is typically responsible for the Defense Department's massive budget.

Earlier this year, Cerberus acquired a controlling interest in M1 Support Services, an aircraft maintenance contractor. In fiscal year 2024 alone, M1 has been awarded over $630.7 million in federal contracts, according to USASpending.gov contract data. Cerberus also has a large stake in Navistar Defense, a specialized military vehicle manufacturer. In 2021, Navistar paid a $50 million fine to resolve a complaint that accused the company of inflating the prices of mine-resistant vehicles it sold to the US Marine Corps from 2007 to 2012, before Feinberg's firm bought a 70% stake in 2018.

Musk has an even wider portfolio of responsibilities. Unlike Feinberg, the Tesla CEO is set to remain outside the Trump administration — meaning the world's richest man would not be subject to the potential divestment full-time administration officials may be asked to do.

"He definitely has a vision for humanity and he views himself as a world historic figure, and he knows his wealth is necessary to fulfilling his vision," Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project, a public interest group, told Business Insider earlier this month. "So I am frightened by what government by people like that looks like."

All of Trump's appointees who enter the government will have to comply with the criminal conflict of interest law. Congress did not apply that law to the president or vice president, in part due to constitutional concerns.

Congressional Democrats have raised concern about Musk's ties to China. He called for the expulsion of Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, after she and other liberal lawmakers questioned whether Musk helped kill a sweeping government funding bill due to its inclusion of restrictions on certain US investments in China.

Trump told Time Magazine that he's seen Musk put the country ahead of his financial interests.

"I think he's one of the very few people that would have the credibility to do it, but he puts the country before, and I've seen it, before he puts his company," Trump said.

In response to questions about potential conflicts of interest, Brian Hughes, a Trump-Vance Transition spokesperson, said in a statement to Business Insider "All nominees and appointees will comply with the ethical obligations of their respective agencies and offices."

Divestment can be difficult to navigate. In 2017, Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola, a billionaire, withdrew from consideration to become Trump's first Army secretary. According to The New York Times, Viola had too much difficulty untangling his financial interests.

Others have been able to broker deals allowing them to cash out early. Former Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson had to work out a special $180 million retirement package with the oil giant because some of his holdings included restricted shares that hadn't been fully vested. Goldman Sachs accelerated its payout to Gary Cohn, who left the firm to become Trump's chief economic advisor, leaving him with a roughly $285 million exit package. In order to entice talent out of the private sector, the government also allows officials to defer some tax liabilities when they are directed to sell shares or other assets. Tillerson and Cohn both used this perk. So too has current Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

Government watchdogs have long expressed unease about top officials entering the government with private-sector ties.

Biden advisors' ties to BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, were the subject of significant attention during the 2020 transition. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo was once interim chief of staff to Larry Fink. Brian Deese, who was Biden's top economic aide, led BlackRock's sustainable investing before joining the Biden administration. Adeyemo agreed to recuse himself from any potential BlackRock-related business until he sold off his interests. As a political appointee, Deese's ethics agreement is not public information, though ethics-focused groups previously asked the White House to disclose it. (The White House did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment about Deese's agreement. He left the administration last year.)

It remains to be seen whether the president-elect will impose additional ethics requirements as he did shortly after taking office in 2017. Trump's first cabinet was the wealthiest in modern history. His incoming team is likely to be even richer.

The influx of billionaires extends from the cabinet down through US ambassadors. So far, Trump's tapped at least two additional billionaires to represent the US abroad, Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and investment banker Warren Stephens, to be US ambassadors. And that list doesn't even include the likes of Musk, who has Trump's attention without the hassle of selling off his vast interests.

"He is going to have the ear of President Trump anyway, even though he's serving in an advisory capacity," Holman said of Musk.

• Molly Rutter left her teaching job to pursue influencing in August.
• She's faced challenges online but says it's still easier than being overworked and underpaid.
• Now, she earns money through TikTok's creator program and customized videos for her followers.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Molly Rutter, a 32-year-old TikToker in Buffalo, NY. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

According to Glassdoor, the median pay for teachers at Rutter's former employer is $65,000. Rutter says she made significantly less than that.

If teaching paid me enough, I'd still be doing it. It's the best thing I've ever done as a career.

It's no secret that teachers make next to nothing, and no one goes into it for the money. But after five years and getting my master's in childhood education, I left teaching in August to pursue social media full time.

I started making TikTok videos as a side gig while working abroad in 2022 in the hopes of becoming a home decor influencer account. Over time, I found that people were really interested in me and my life.

I felt overworked as a teacher in the US

Once I realized the income potential, I applied to the creator program in 2023 and finally started making money from TikTok. That's when I started getting pulled in different ways for my career.

My content revolves around anything and everything about my life. I do vlogs, shopping hauls, sharing places I'm going out, sharing my travel experiences, and sharing my dating content.

I taught at a private school in Istanbul from 2020 until January 2024, when I returned to Buffalo. Although I've always struggled financially, I lived comfortably teaching abroad.

It was, by far, the highest quality of life I've ever lived. As a teacher in Buffalo, I was working myself to the bone.

If you love teaching, you'll still do it as long as you can afford rent. If you really want to do it, you can make it work.

I had a different story.

I had to choose

I taught third grade at a prestigious private school in Buffalo, and they were uncomfortable with my public platform on social media. Normally, teachers make everything private, but I had a few viral videos.

I completely stand by my content. I didn't swear online when I was a teacher; I never showed myself drinking. Yet my school still seemed to have a problem with it.

I was going through a roller coaster of feeling like I had a negative spotlight on something that was the only reason I was surviving in the States. I couldn't afford to pay my rent for the last three months I worked as a teacher.

I thought to myself: "No way do I have over $200,000 in student loan debt to work a job where I'm overworked, underpaid, and told I can't do something on the side that brings me financial security."

My job isn't stressful anymore

TikTok's creator rewards program pays out for every 1,000 qualified views. These views must come from the "For You" feed and only count if the viewer stays on your video for over five seconds.

That's what makes me the most money, but I also film custom Cameo videos for $10 to $20 and promote items from the TikTok Shop.

My job now is easy, and I've never made less than what I was making as a teacher. It fluctuates, but I've had months where I've made more than double what I was making as a teacher.

My most viral content so far has been my dating content, but I'm just sharing facets of my life online.

TikTok still has its challenges

People try to pressure me; they want me to fit in a certain box. I'm not dating for content. No way in hell am I going to go on a date every day.

The bigger I get online, the more people's perceptions of me become detached from who I actually am. It's almost like a caricature of Molly Rutter who exists online.

I don't subscribe to the identity that people are trying to force me into because that's not truly who I am.

The value that I've gained with my time and mental health is so significant — on top of the fact that I'm making more than I once was.

Teaching filled my soul, but I don't regret leaving.

• Red Lobster emerged from bankruptcy in September.
• Now, the chain has to find a new strategy to bring in customers that's not just endless shrimp.
• I visited a Red Lobster restaurant in the Washington, DC, area to see what dining there is like.

Red Lobster has emerged from bankruptcy and has a new CEO. Now, it just needs to win customers back with something other than the promise of endless shrimp.

As recently as last year, diners could pay $20 for all of the shrimp they could eat. But while customers loved it (maybe too much), the deal led to losses for Red Lobster's former parent company.

The chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May and emerged from bankruptcy in mid-September with new ownership led by Fortress Investment Group, a new CEO, and fewer locations. It just has to figure out a strategy to win customers back — and make money this time.

Damola Adamolekun, Red Lobster's new CEO, told CNN in October that he wants to add flashier menu items, such as food served on sizzling-hot stone plates, to attract younger customers. At the same time, Red Lobster is holding on to some current menu items, such as flounder, to appeal to older patrons.

Adamolekun isn't totally opposed to bringing back endless shrimp, though he said the chain would have to find a better approach. "I never want to say never, but certainly not the way that it was done," he told CNN.

I visited a Red Lobster outside of Washington, DC, in September to see what dining there is like and what the chain needs to change going forward. Here's what I found:

I visited a Red Lobster in Waldorf, Maryland.

This Red Lobster is located right off of a major highway, about a 50-minute drive from the center of Washington, DC.

I arrived at the restaurant a little after 11 a.m. on a Wednesday.

The restaurant was empty, which wasn't surprising given that I showed up just after opening time on a weekday. While no one was at the host stand when I walked in, an employee appeared a few seconds afterward and showed me to my table.

Red Lobster's nautical decor was everywhere.

Red Lobster's restaurants have long resembled coastal communities where fishing and lobstering dominate. A 2011 remodel of the restaurant chain's stores drew inspiration from Bar Harbor, Maine, and added everything from ship lanterns to Adirondack chairs to the restaurants.

Red Lobster's dining room felt a little worn and dated.

Seaside decorations aside, the dining room included a lot of dark wood. It made me feel like I was at a Midwestern supper club in the 1970s.

The edges of the tables and booths were scratched and dinged, too.

I started looking at Red Lobster's extensive menu once I was seated at my booth.

The menu offers different specials depending on the day of the week. Monday's special is endless shrimp, which costs $25, according to the menu I saw.

I ordered the Sailor's Platter to try Red Lobster's shrimp.

While I first considered a steak-and-lobster daily special, I had never tried Red Lobster's shrimp. After my server recommended the Sailor's Platter, which contains two kinds of shrimp and some flounder, I ordered that.

My server brought some Cheddar Bay biscuits to my table after I ordered.

The four biscuits were complimentary — and very warm.

The biscuits were one of the highlights of my visit.

Besides being warm, you could taste the cheese.

After about 15 minutes, my main course arrived.

My Sailor's Platter came with a side. I upgraded mine to Bacon Mac & Cheese for an upcharge.

The popcorn shrimp reminded me of food I've had at fast-food restaurants.

While tasty, these reminded me of shrimp that I've had at Popeyes, Long John Silver's, and other fast-food chains.

I like the shrimp scampi better.

These were my favorite of the two kinds of shrimp.

The fried flounder was nothing special.

The flounder was better with some of the tartar sauce.

The Bacon Mac & Cheese was rich.

The Mac & Cheese was creamy, though after a few bites, it was a little too rich for me.

I also ordered a Mango Iced Tea.

My server noticed I was running low on my first tea and brought me another before I even asked.

I finished my platter, and the service was so swift, my plate was gone before I could snap a photo.

With tax and a tip, I paid about $35 for my lunch.

I was full after the platter and had trouble imagining what eating dozens of shrimp here would be like.

After paying, I took another few minutes to appreciate all the nautical decorations.

These two photographs hung over the booths next to mine.

Overall, the food was okay, but I don't feel like I have to rush back to Red Lobster.

The Red Lobster that I visited felt worn, dark, and could use a renovation. And while the biscuits were great, the other food was nothing amazing.

On the bright side, the service was fast and friendly — something that can be tough to find even at much more expensive restaurants. (The fact that I showed up at midday on a weekday might have helped.)

Diners are looking for good deals these days thanks to the lingering effects of inflation. Some are even looking to sit-down chains instead of fast-food restaurants due to cost.

If Red Lobster can come up with a more exciting, tasty menu and give their stores a facelift, the chain could be poised to take advantage of that environment.

Do you work at a major restaurant chain and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected]

• The US military's war plan for fighting zombies began from a training scenario.
• It focuses on identifying the enemy, designating vital infrastructure, and coordinating forces.
• The US military has real-world experience in responding to disasters and outbreaks.

If zombies attack, the US military has a plan. Really.

Upon authorization from the president or the defense secretary, US Strategic Command will begin preparations for safeguarding the civilian population, protecting vital infrastructure, and eradicating the zombie menace.

And all without violating the rights of threatened humans and possibly the zombies themselves.

"This plan was not actually designed as a joke," explains CONPLAN 8888-11 ("Counter Zombie Dominance"), issued on April 30, 2011 by USSTRATCOM, whose normal responsibilities include overseeing America's strategic nuclear weapons, global strike capabilities and missile defense.

It originated as a scenario to train junior officers in the Department of Defense's Joint Operation Planning and Execution System (JOPES), by which the US military devises contingency plans. Instructors discovered that a zombie apocalypse scenario was a better teaching tool than using fictional scenarios about Tunisia or Nigeria as was customary at the time, which also risked being misunderstood by the public as real scenarios.

"We elected to use a completely impossible scenario that could never be mistaken as a real plan," explained the CONPLAN 8888-11 document. "Because the plan was so ridiculous, our students not only enjoyed the lessons; they actually were able to explore the basic concepts of plan and order development (fact, assumptions, specified and implied tasks, references etc.) very effectively."

With tongue in cheek — or shot to the head — the plan lays out how USSTRATCOM will handle a global uprising of the undead. When the US military goes on Zombie Condition (ZombieCon) alert, Strategic Command will begin defensive operations to protect the human population, and offensive operations to neutralize zombies by "denial, deception, disruption, degradation or destruction."

Those looking for tactical tips on killing flesh-eating monsters will be disappointed. CONPLAN 8888-11 is a staff plan that focuses on identifying the enemy, designating vital infrastructure such as food, power and medical care, and coordinating friendly forces.

Taking full advantage of abundant open-source intelligence on the undead, planners mined classic movies and popular video games, such as "World War Z," "Night of the Living Dead," and "Plants vs Zombies," to devise a typology of zombies. These include those infected by a virus or mutated by radiation, as well as those caused by magic, extraterrestrials, and human engineering ("Weaponized Zombies"). There are also vegetarian zombies, which consume grain and thus threaten the US food supply.

Like any predator, zombies will go where their prey can be found. Undead armies are expected to focus on cities, as well as water sources (humans need water, but zombies don't). While zombies don't drive vehicles, preferring walking or running with outstretched arms, roads will be crucial transportation arteries for human soldiers as well as crowds of refugees.

CONPLAN 8888-11 is a multiphase plan to put down a zombie outbreak. Preparations will begin prewar with USSTRATCOM and intelligence agencies surveillance to detect "disease vectors that could cause zombieism."

The US government will also try to deter anyone from creating zombies. "It is important to note that zombies are not cognizant life-forms," USSTRATCOM pointed out. "As such, they cannot be

deterred or reasoned with in any way. However, there are zombie-inducing forces that can be deterred from further action. These forces include but are not limited to nation states and terrorist groups with [weapons of mass destruction] programs, and unethical bio-research companies."

Once the outbreak begins, American forces will mobilize, though CONPLAN 8888-11 cautions that to avoid rattling Russia and China, there must be "confidence-building measures to ensure leaders within these nations do not construe USSTRATCOM preparations to counter zombie-dominance as preparations for war."

Within 40 days after the outbreak, the US military will on the offensive. Once the zombies have been wiped, USSTRATCOM will assess the damage and begin reestablishing civil authority. Though some other organization will have to provide the zombie-busting boots on the ground to hold off the Zombie horde far so the military can strike it with overwhelming firepower. "USSTRATCOM has no ground combat forces capable of repelling a zombie assault," CONPLAN 8888-11 notes. "USSTRATCOM can only deliver synchronized fires against a zombie threat via strategic air, space and maritime forces."

This could include nuclear weapons. USSTRATCOM must "maintain emergency plans to employ nuclear weapons within CONUS [continental United States] to eradicate zombie hordes," according to the plan.

One potential hurdle to deploying the US military is lawfare. Laws such as the Insurrection and the Posse Comitatus Acts strictly limit the deployment of the US military in domestic affairs. Though martial law would almost certainly be declared in the event of a mass zombie plague, deployment against undead who were formerly living US citizens could raise questions of Constitutional rights, as well as various international treaties and UN charters governing human rights and the conduct of war.

The question is whether zombies are still US citizens or pathogens who can be killed. "US and international law regulate military operations only insofar as human and animal life are concerned," CONPLAN 8888-11 argued. "There are almost no restrictions on hostile actions that may be taken either defensively or offensively against pathogenic life forms, organic-robotic entities, or 'traditional' zombies."

Though meant as a fun training exercise, would USSTRATCOM's plan actually work? The US military obviously lacks experience in counter-zombie operations but has been involved in infectious disease response like the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. It has also gained a lot of experience in responding to natural catastrophes and manmade disasters, as well as reestablishing civil authority in devastated places such as post-World War II Europe and the Middle East.

Fictional movies and books about zombies abound. We can only hope this is one real-life contingency plan that never gets dusted off.

Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

• Elon Musk celebrated New Year's Eve at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
• Musk was seen dancing with his son near Trump in a video shared on X.
• Musk has been staying in a $2,000-a-night cottage on Trump's estate, The New York Times reported.

Elon Musk rang in 2025 with a blowout party at President-elect Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.

In a video clip posted online, the world's richest man was spotted dancing with his son, X AE A-XII, perched on his shoulders near Trump.

The Tesla chief has reportedly been staying in a cottage on the property, just a few hundred feet from the main house on Trump's estate in Palm Beach, Florida. The New York Times reported that Musk moved into the property around Election Day.

The cottage has previously been rented out for at least $2,000 a night, a source told the Times.

The New Year's Eve gala was a star-studded affair, drawing celebrities, high-profile politicians, and close associates of Trump.

Among the guests pictured at the event were Musk's mother, Maye, Vice President-elect JD Vance, and Sen. Ted Cruz.

Boxing promoter Don King and Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis, with whom Musk shares three children, were also in attendance.

Lara Trump, Trump's daughter-in-law, sang a cover of Tom Petty's song "I Won't Back Down" for the crowd and guests watched a fireworks display ahead of the countdown to midnight.

Donald Trump Jr, also celebrating his birthday, was accompanied by his rumored girlfriend, Bettina Anderson.

Meanwhile, the former prime minister of Australia, Scott Morrisson, shared a photo on X of him and his wife at the party posing with Trump and the incoming first lady, Melania Trump.

Trump spoke briefly to reporters as he entered the party, saying what he was looking forward to in 2025.

"Just a great year; I think we're going to do fantastically well as a country; we're going to bring it back; it has to be brought back," he said.

Trump also confirmed plans to attend the funeral of Jimmy Carter, the former US president who died at the age of 100 last week.