Plant-based meat alternatives are highly processed plant-based food products that typically replace meat in the diet. These foods may have a taste, texture, or appearance similar to meat but do not contain meat. In recent years, the demand for plant-based meat products has grown significantly, with many people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet opting for these foods in their diet. However, little is known about how these meat alternatives may impact our health. Researchers including lead author Matthew Nagra, ND, Vancouver, BC, Canada, sought to review the available literature to better understand the relationship between heart health risk and consumption of plant-based meat alternatives.
The authors of the review article studied the research published from 1970 to 2023 on plant-based meat alternatives, their contents, nutritional profiles, and their impact on cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Also Read: Gut Feeling Off This Monsoon? This Humble Moong Water Recipe Is Your Answer
Here Are Some Positive Results For Plant-Based Meat As Revealed By The Analysis:
On average, plant-based meat alternatives tend to have a more heart-healthy nutritional profile than meat, although the high sodium content of some products may be of concern.
Plant-based meat alternatives have been shown to improve some cardiovascular risk factors, including cholesterol levels, in several randomized controlled trials.
Plant-based meat alternatives have not been shown to raise blood pressure, despite the high sodium content of some products.
Word Of Caution
While plant-based meat alternatives may have positive health outcomes, experts suggest "it may be beneficial to choose options that are lower in saturated fat and sodium if consuming them regularly."
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Best Plant-Based Meat Substitutes
Looking for meat-like plant-based alternatives? Here are some foods you can try:
1. Tofu
Tofu, a favourite among vegetarians seeking meat alternatives, is made from condensed soy milk. Despite its mild taste, tofu's texture is sponge-like, making it perfect for soaking seasonings and sauces. It is an ideal substitute for beef, pork, or chicken.
2. Mushrooms
Mushrooms boast an earthy, robust flavour and are rich in essential minerals and vitamins. With a texture similar to meat, this chewy vegetable can be transformed into a vegan "lamb" burger.
3. Jackfruit
Despite being a fruit, jackfruit can resemble meat when prepared correctly. Its subtly sweet profile makes it ideal for sandwiches, fries, biryani or any dish typically featuring chicken, pork, or beef.
4. Tempeh
Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food item made from fermented soybeans. It has a long history of being used as a protein-rich meat substitute. Cooked tempeh crumbles easily and can be used in place of ground meat. It also absorbs sauces well like tofu.
5. Black Beans
Black bean burgers are a popular, nutritious alternative to meat-based counterparts. Robust in flavour and packed with protein, black beans offer a hearty texture and earthy taste, making them an excellent meat substitute. Also Read: These 5 Common Foods Might Be The Reason You Can't Concentrate
Do you prefer eating plant-based meat alternatives? Share with us in the comments section.
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Made in Speyside, Aberlour offers a relatively large list of core releases, but what it’s best known for is double cask maturation, which reaches a new apex in the brand's new, incredibly rare Aberlour Double Cask Matured 20-Years-Old.
The whisky was selected from a small batch of casks from the last warehouse on the original distillery site, Warehouse 11 (the distillery was demolished then rebuilt in 1973, before a fire ravaged it in 1989). The Scotch was made with local spring water from the Ben Rinnes and barley sourced from the fields around the distillery. After the distillation process, the liquid was first aged in ex-American oak, then ex-European oak casks, a process called double cask maturation.
Just 130 bottles have been filled. It's so rare, we haven't even had a taste yet. Unlike many other big name distilleries, Aberlour isn’t one to launch a variety of limited-edition releases each year, which makes the limited run of the 20-Year-Old unique.
It’s not going to be easy to get your hands on one. You’ll have to make your way to the tiny town of Aberlour in Scotland or buy one on the secondary market.
If you want a taste of Aberlour that's readily available for purchase, we strongly recommend adding Aberlour Casg Annahm—one of our favorite whiskies to gift—to your collection. It's a very reasonable $70 and has a dry, spicy finish that nicely contrasts its fruity palate. If you prefer a warming whisky to tingle your chest, there's also the high-proof, sherry-cask aged Aberlour A’bunadh, which runs about $100.
Multivitamin supplements have long been used by many Americans as a convenient way to ensure they get all the vitamins they need in a given day. While they might be functional in that regard, a new study outlines just why that might not end up having an effect on how long you live.
The research, conducted by scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published June 26 in the JAMA Network Open journal, describes how the team reached their conclusions and what they could mean if you're expecting your multivitamin to help you live longer. They analyzed data from three different cohort studies in the U.S. among people without a history of cancer or other chronic disease who took multivitamins and were followed for up to 27 years.
Nearly 400,000 health results were examined to determine if take a daily multivitamin had an apparent effect on longevity. In the end, they found "Daily multivitamin use was not associated with a mortality benefit," adding, "These findings suggest that multivitamin use to improve longevity is not supported." In fact, they found that "Daily [multivitamin] use versus nonuse was associated with four-percent higher mortality risk."
That doesn't mean you should throw out all your multivitamins, however, especially as they noted that correlation doesn't equal causation. One study published earlier this year found that daily multivitamin supplements can improve memory and slow cognitive aging in older adults.
As always, consult your physician before incorporating any new supplements into your daily routine.
Who doesn't love South Indian food? It is healthy, delicious and easy to make, making it a favourite for many in Indian households. From crispy dosas to fluffy idlis to spicy sambars to tangy rasam, South Indian food always comfort and warmth to our souls. Of all the varieties, there is one that stands apart for its unique taste and texture – its sooji vada! These crispy, golden fritters are made with semolina (sooji) and are perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks or even appetizers for special occasions. Making these vadas at home can be tricky, but not anymore! If you are struggling to make sooji vadas at home, then fret not! Here are 5 things to keep in mind that will make you a Sooji Vada pro in no time!
Here Are 5 Easy Tips To Make Perfect Sooji Vada At Home
1. Use Fine Sooji (Semolina)
To make perfect, crispy sooji vadas at home, you need to have a smooth and consistent batter which comes with fine sooji. Coarse sooji can make your dish grainy and result in uneven cooking which can ruin your eating experience. If you choose fine sooji, it will absorb water uniformly and ensure that your vadas are smooth and delightful in texture. So, the next time you are in the market, look for sooji with fine grains to make these delightful vadas at home.
2. Be Mindful Of Batter Consistency
The batter's consistency plays an important role in achieving vadas that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. While making the batter, make sure it is not too runny but the perfect amount of thick. If your batter is too runny, your vadas will absorb too much oil during frying and become greasy. If the batter is too thick, the vadas might become too dry or dense. To make the perfect batter, add water gradually while mixing sooji with other ingredients.
3. Rest The Batter
After you have prepared the batter, make sure to let it rest for at least 15-20 minutes. This resting time will help sooji to soak up all the moisture, and become softer, which would result in fluffy vadas. If you let your vada batter rest, this would also let other ingredients meld together and increase flavours.
Photo Credit: iStock
4. Add Ingredients Mindfully
To increase the flavour and texture of your vadas, add the ingredients in your vada batter but not without thinking. Add ingredients like chopped onions, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves for a delicious flavour blast. Moreover, you can also add a pinch of baking soda to the batter. Baking soda creates bubbles in the batter resulting in lighter and fluffier vadas. But, make sure not to overdo the ingredients as it could make it harder to shape the vadas in your desired form.
5. Fry At The Right Temperature
Frying the vadas at the right temperature is important to get that crispy exterior. Fry them in medium-hot oil to get that perfect golden brown colour. If the oil is too hot, the vadas will brown quickly on the outside but remain uncooked from the inside. If the oil is too hot, the vadas will become too oily and greasy. To know if the oil is ready for frying or not, drop a small amount of batter into it. If it rises to the surface and starts cooking the drop, it is ready for frying. If not, then wait for a couple of minutes.
Anyone paying attention to Scotch over the last few years has noticed the rise of Benriach. Thanks to a variety of fantastic releases—like last year’s The Sixteen—the Speyside brand has begun working its way into the single malt drinker’s zeitgeist.
The distillery began producing whisky back in 1898, and over the years cycled through ownership by many of the whisky industry's biggest companies, including Seagrams and Pernod Ricard, before landing with Brown-Forman. Over that time, Benriach held onto a treasure trove of unique whiskies, as well as a stash of its own old spirit, which it just used to create its oldest ever whisky: Benriach 50.
There are just 37 bottles of Benriach 50 out there in the world. And five of those were rolled out in global travel retail (also known as GTR, which includes spaces like duty-free shops in airports) after the whisky was launched last month.
“[Benriach 50] is the finest portrayal of Benriach’s fruit-laden style, with unrivaled complexity and luxurious refinement,” says Stéphane Morizet, marketing director of GTR at Brown-Forman.
The whisky comes from bourbon cask 2383, which was filled with unpeated Benriach new-make spirit on September 21, 1966. Over all those years, it came to develop aromas of oak, chestnut, Maraschino cherry, and honey. The palate, meanwhile, delivers flavors of honeyed dates, delicate oak spices, and lingering apple, which appear alongside notes of pear and grapefruit.
“At Benriach Distillery, our ability to nurture flavor has been informed by our heritage in maturing an eclectic array of casks from across the world and we have a creative philosophy and exploratory approach towards whisky making,” says Rachel Barrie, master blender at Benriach. “Over many decades, this has granted an expert understanding of what makes the exceptional cask.”
Benriach 50 is bottled at 44.5 percent ABV and features a suggested retail price of £25,000 (about $31,300) per bottle.
A medical case report detailed a rare yet horrific incident in which a man recovering from abdominal surgery sneezed and coughed his intestines right out of his body.
The report, which was published in the American Journal of Medical Case Reports last month, describes the patient as a 63-year-old man with a history of prostate cancer who had just undergone a cystectomy procedure to remove his urinary bladder two weeks before. The man and his wife had gone out to breakfast at a diner following the post-operative appointment to celebrate having his staples removed, with the wound ostensibly healing well.
However, what happened next was not for the faint of heart.
"During breakfast, the man sneezed forcefully, followed by coughing," the researches write. "He immediately noticed a 'wet' sensation and pain in his lower abdomen. Looking down, he observed several loops of pink bowel protruding from his recent surgical site."
Initially unsure of what to do, the man covered his exposed intestines with his shirt and even considered driving himself to emergency care. But after realizing that changing positions might further injure his bowel, his wife called for an ambulance. A paramedic who arrived at the scene covered the intestines in a saline-moistened pad, wrapped his entire abdomen in gauze, and administered painkillers before transporting him to the hospital.
Once under medical care, the man was treated by a team of urologic surgeons for evisceration, a rare, surgical complication that occurs when contents of the bowels exit uncontrolled through the wound outside of the abdominal cavity.
"When evisceration occurs, patients may be unsure of how to protect their exposed intestines," the researchers explain in the case abstract. "First medical responders may experience anxiety with initial management due to a distressing presentation and unfamiliarity with the condition."
"Surgeons must carefully protect the bowel, reduce it into the abdomen, inspect it for injury, prevent infection, and repair the dehisced wound," the authors add.
And after having gone through the ordeal, the patient made a full recovery. Following surgery to repair the evisceration, he spent six days in the hospital post-op and was said to have been released in good condition. But still, it's not exactly the thing you want to see over your Moons Over My Hammy.
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For a couple months now, it's been time to say goodbye to your boots, coats, and jeans. It's summer—finally—and men's fashion has fully transitioned to sandals, shorts, and breezy linen shirts.
If your current warm-weather clothing feels stale, don't fret. We selected the best menswear essentials to get you through Labor Day. Whether you're dressing for beach days, outdoor weddings, garden happy hours, or barbecues, the pieces on this list will mix and match for every occasion. Oh, and they're immensely packable.
The Tommy Bahama Silk Camp Shirt is the overall best summer shirt for men.
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Men's Journal senior editor Chris Hatler named the Tommy Bahama Silk Camp Shirt the best summer shirt of 2024. Tommy Bahama is almost synonymous with summer, and the brand's lightweight silk button-downs are the ideal top when poolside or out on the town. Dare we suggest wearing the mangrove jungle print with a tan suit for stylish warm-weather wedding attire?
Best Tank Top: Reigning Champ Lightweight Jersey Tank Top
The Reigning Champ Lightweight Jersey Tank Top is the best tank top for men.
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Tank tops are necessary for keeping cool on hot days. Men's Journal contributor Michael Stefanov selected the Reigning Champ Lightweight Jersey Tank Top as the best of 2024.
"The comfort, fit, drape, and proportions ... are all perfect," he writes in our best tank tops roundup. That's thanks to lightweight, premium cotton and its loose-but-not-too-loose silhouette.
Best Polo Shirt: Alex Mill Vintage Wash Polo Shirt
The Alex Mill Vintage Wash Polo Shirt is the overall best polo shirt for men.
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Stefanov, who also penned our best polo shirts article, found the Alex MIll Vintage Wash Polo Shirt to be the all-around top choice. It works great as a casual piece but can also be dressed up, making it an ideal pinch hitter for any situation. The vintage wash looks distinguished and well-worn, and because it's made from soft 100-percent cotton, it'll be a lasting member of your summer wardrobe.
Best White T-Shirt: American Giant Premium Slub Crew Tee
The American Giant Premium Slub Crew Tee is the best white t-shirt for men.
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After trying dozens of white tees, Hatler found that the best on the market right now is the American Giant Premium Slub Crew Tee. Due to its 100-percent slub cotton makeup and uneven weave (which introduces extra air pockets in the fabric), it's comfortable and breathable for summer. Even better: After multiple wash-and-dry cycles, it still looks brand new.
Best Dress Shirt: SuitSupply Twill Tailored Fit Shirt
The Suitsupply Twill Tailored Fit Shirt is the overall best dress shirt for men.
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The SuitSupply Twill Tailored Fit Shirt flatters every body type, which is why Men's Journal contributor Paul Schrodt named it his No. 1 dress shirt. He spoke to stylist Krista Roser, who works with the rapper Jelly Roll, and she says it's one of her go-to dress shirts to pull for clients. If it's good enough for celebs, then it's good enough for you. And luckily, it doesn't come at a celebrity-inflated price point.
Best Light Jacket: Nobis Fisherman Jacket
The Nobis Fisherman Jacket is the overall best light jacket for men.
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With durable water repellant (DWR) coating and a classic silhouette, the Nobis Fisherman Jacket is our favorite light jacket for summer. Stefanov placed it atop our best lighweight jackets roundup because it's also machine-washable, with pit zip vents to keep you cool and an adjustable hood to fit any head.
Best Summer Bottoms for Men
Best Swim Trunks: Fair Harbor The Bayberry Trunk
The Fair Harbor The Bayberry Trunk is the best bathing suit for men.
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Style writer and Men's Journal contributor Dan Michel loves the Fair Harbor The Bayberry Trunk so much that he named it our top swim trunk of the year. It has a knit liner instead of the traditional itchy netting, and comes in a multitude of colors and patterns (including the featured floral print above).
Best Linen Pants: Todd Snyder Italian Linen Beach Pants
The overall best linen pants for men are Todd Snyder's Italian Linen Beach Pant.
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Linen is a cool, durable, and breathable material that goes hand-in-hand with summer. So, whatever event you're attending, whether formal or casual, calls for the best linen pants. Our favorites, Todd Snyder Italian Linen Beach Pants, are breezy and elegant, with an adjustable cotton drawcord and numerous pockets for your phone. wallet, and keys.
Best Shorts: Taylor Stitch The Matlow Short
The Taylor Stitch The Matlow Shorts are the best shorts for men overall.
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Nice shorts are the key piece to a great summer outfit. Stefanov, who used to be anti-shorts, came around thanks to Taylor Stitch The Matlow Shorts, which he named the best shorts of 2024. They're cuffed at the opening for a little flair, an homage to '50s and '60s dockside style, and they're made from 100-percent comfy cotton. Not only that, but they'll look great with sneakers or dressier shoes—dealer's choice.
Best Summer Footwear for Men
Best Sandals: Olukai Mea Ola Sandals
The Olukai Mea Ola Sandals are the best sandals for men this summer.
NFL Hall of Famer Jason Kelce is famous for wearing these exact sandalseverywhere, and we understand why. Olukai Mea Ola Sandals, our best sandals of 2024, are made with durable leather but have an EVA foam midsole for added comfort. You'll never experience plantar fasciitis after a beach day ever again.
Best White Sneakers: Greats Royale 2.0
The Greats Royale 2.0 are the best white sneakers for men.
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We deemed Greats Royale 2.0 the best white sneakers on the market. Men's Journal senior commerce editor Anthony Mastracci writes that the sneakers have "subtle but interesting additions, like a tack stitch, a mixed-media quarter panel, and gold foil branding on the tongue and heel."
The brand focuses on high-quality, responsible manufacturing, and that mission is evident in these fantastic sneakers.
Best Casual Shoes: SeaVees Sixty Six Sneaker
The SeaVees Sixty Six Sneakers are the best casual shoes for men.
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If you prefer a more laid-back sneaker, try SeaVees Sixty Six Sneaker, our top casual shoes of 2024. Schrodt selected them as the best because they're so versatile.
“These would look good with anything from your favorite Alex Mill jeans and a pocket tee to a green seersucker suit for wedding season,” Nic Screws, a stylist who has dressed Rami Malek and Russell Westbrook, told Schrodt.
We agree. The tan canvas looks subtle yet refined, and can definitely pair with any pants or shorts you have in your closet.
Best Summer Accessories for Men
Best Sunglasses: Randolph Engineering USA Gold Classic Aviator Sunglasses
The Randolph Engineering USA Gold Classic Aviator Sunglasses are the best sunglasses for men.
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Made in the U.S. by a family-owned and -operated company, Randolph Engineering USA Gold Classic Aviator Sunglasses are marquee shades. Yes, they're pricey, but for that cost, you get a high-quality pair that will last you a lifetime. It doesn't hurt that they have a lifetime warranty as well, which is why they're the best sunglasses of 2024.
Best Belt: Tanner Goods Classic Belt
The Tanner Goods Classic Belt is the overall best belt for men.
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Don't overlook the importance of a nice belt. While subtle, the best belts can enhance every outfit. Get yourself a leather one for a durable, long-lasting accessory. Our favorite is Tanner Goods Classic Belt, which, at 1.25 inches, is the perfect medium width. There are a few color options, too, so you can pick what works best for your wardrobe. Schrodt, who rounded up the best belts, writes: "You won’t be making a loud statement. You’ll simply look sharp."
What to Look for When Choosing the Best Summer Fashion Essentials
The best summer style essentials are, well, stylish—but they also are functional for hot days. Therefore, all the clothes and shoes above are made with comfortable, breathable materials that are durable enough to last you multiple summers. The accessories are similarly high-quality.
Our list doubles as perfect carry-on bag's worth of items. So, when you book your next long weekend, you can be confident that you have all you need (sans underwear and socks—but we assume you already have that covered).
As trends come and go, we chose pieces that we believe are classics that will stand the test of time. Bearing a post-apocalyptic future where we're all dressed Mad Max-style, nothing on this list will look out of place in five years.
Why You Should Trust Us
Men's Journal relies on knowledgable contributors—including writers Paul Schrodt, Dan Michel, and Michael Stefanov, and editor Chris Hatler—to recommend top menswear items. Each contributor spoke with professionals from the fashion industry, adding an extra backbone of expertise.
Last week, conservationists at the Hudson River Estuary Program (HREP) in New York hooked a massive, monstrous-looking fish less than 100 miles outside of Manhattan. The creepy find was announced in a Facebook post Wednesday by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation NYS DEC).
Officials discovered that the gigantic catch was an Atlantic sturgeon measuring six feet and weighing an astonishing 220 pounds.
Last week, during an Atlantic sturgeon survey, Hudson River Estuary Program fisheries staff captured a suspected female that was over 6 ft long & weighed ~220 lbs! It was captured under a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) endangered species research permit, #20340. pic.twitter.com/gRN7xtPefV
— New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation (@NYSDEC) June 26, 2024
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) classifies Atlantic sturgeon as critically endangered. They are anadromous fish, meaning they nominally live in salt water but move to fresh water when it comes time to reproduce. Migratory patterns take them from Florida to Maine, and this time of the year they are known to be particularly prominent in the Hudson River.
HREP employees believe the one they caught to be a female which hasn’t yet spawned. The officials took photos, scanned the fish for tags, and measured its height and weight before re-releasing it into the water.
Estuary workers used a net to catch the fish humanely, which was accomplished with a research permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service. “This annual survey, which started in 2006, is conducted over the course of several weeks in May and June and is used to track trends in the Atlantic sturgeon population,” the NYS DEC explained.
Though the 220-pound, six foot Atlantic sturgeon caught by HREP staff might seem gigantic, it’s actually on the smaller side for the species. Some can grow up to 14 feet long and weigh as much as 800 pounds. Still, the Atlantic is the largest species of sturgeon found in New York, which is home to two other breeds—the lake sturgeon, and the shortnose sturgeon.
A malfunction on the Roaring Rapids whitewateramusement park ride at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, TX caused guests to jump and fall into the water, and the whole thing was caught on video. But thankfully, no one was injured in the ordeal.
In the minute-and-a-half clip posted to TikTok by user Jeff Erson, four rafts could be seen bottlenecked at one point in the artificial river, as a couple employees stood on a dock area and appeared to communicate with a few of the passengers in one raft, before a fifth joined the pileup.
The footage then dramatically cut to passengers of the aforementioned raft trying to climb out onto the dock, but due to the choppy waters a couple people fell into the river, while one boy made a jump for it and then began paddling frantically.
"Get the kid!" one person could be heard yelling, before the employee helped the child out of the water. "Alright, this ride is going to be shut down for a while," said another person.
Six Flags officials commented on the incident to WFAA 8 News in Dallas, explaining that "one of the rafts at Roaring Rapids became stuck" and that "guests were told to remain seated in the raft while the ride was restarted."
"All guest safely exited the ride and there were no injuries. The video shows that guests made it safely out of the water," the spokesperson added.
The Six Flags website states that each raft on Roaring Rapids holds 12 people. "Strap on your vests and step into this wobbly whitewater raft for a (playfully) treacherous passage downriver!" the description reads. "Don’t be surprised if your veering vessel is overtaken by raging waves of water. Oops, did we say water? We meant fun!"
"Ah! Nothing cools you down in the middle of a hot Texas afternoon quite like buckets of cold river water roaring down your back!" the website adds. "Which one of you will get drenched the most??"
Suffice to say, a few people probably got drenched way more than they had been anticipating.
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Whether it's a home DIY project or just a contract job you're working on this summer, it pays to have reliable batteries for your power tools. Thankfully, Amazon has deals on replacement batteries for all the major brands, including DeWalt, Milwaukee, and even Makita. It can be harder to find a great price on Ryobi batteries, but right now, a super-powerful 4Ah model is on sale for half the price of the major hardware stores.
These Ryobi 18V batteries are compatible with any of the brand's 225-plus One+ 18V tools, including its bestselling cordless drills, the circular saw, and even the cordless vacuum cleaner. They're packed with power—up to three times more than the 1.5Ah battery—while remaining relatively light at just 1.65 pounds. The total run time depends on the intensity of use, but shoppers say it provides up to 3 hours of juice even when constantly running landscaping equipment. Ryobi has also made it easy to see how much power is left with the LED fuel gauge on the side.
Finding a great deal on Ryobi 18V batteries is rare, which leaves many shoppers skeptical of online sales. Thankfully, those who have purchased this one say there's nothing to worry about. "If you’ve looked for a real genuine Ryobi battery, you know how many knockoffs you have to wade through," one shopper noted. "This came in a sealed factory blister pack and is a genuine Ryobi battery. Holds a solid charge and gives an indication of charge status." Another shopper simply said, "Happy I bought the real McCoy."
Other shoppers are just happy to have a more powerful battery than the ones their Ryobi tools came with. "These work better than the original batteries," a shopper exclaimed. "Very happy with them in the few days that I've used them. They charged quickly and lasted longer than the original batteries that came with the tools."
If you're looking for longer run time on your Ryobi cordless tools, this 4Ah One+ 18V battery is the ultimate solution in both cost and power. We've seen stock dwindle over the past few days, so make sure to get yours while they're still available, especially at this price.
Apple launched the second developer beta of its iOS 18 this week which features long-awaited Rich Communication Services (RCS) support for the iPhone, finally resolving the barrier between Apple and Android users and the dreaded "green" text message bubbles.
For those running the developer beta—depending on the carrier—you should now be able to access a RCS toggle in the Settings app under Messages. However, according to 9to5Mac, Apple is still working with carrier partners. As of right now, only a few, including AT&T and T-Mobile have updated to support RCS on the iPhone.
It's presently unclear whether non-iPhone users messages will still appear as green bubbles when iOS 18 formally rolls out in the fall. (A public beta will also be available next month.) But in either case, the impact will be game changing. Because messages from Android, which already supports RCS, will no longer be compressed, users will be able to send and receive longer messages and higher-quality images and video, as well as read receipts.
In fact, some users are already reporting seeing read receipts on messages coming from Android devices.
I am only seeing a couple other reports on Twitter about this, but RCS is now working in iOS 18. Seeing a read receipt for a green bubble is jarring.
This will obviously have the biggest impact on group chats between family and friends, many of whom have since retreated to third-party messaging apps such as WhatsApp.
In addition to RCS capabilities, iOS 18 will likewise bring other highly anticipated new features to iPhone messaging. Some of the improvements will be to the iMessage interface itself, such as redesigned Tapback icons that will feature more colorful heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, and exclamation mark icons; as well as allowing users to choose from any emoji to react to messages. It will also provide the capability to bold, italicize, underline, and strikeout text.
Users will also be able to apply playful animated effects to any letter, word, phrase, or emoji, which will be automatically suggested while typing.
The full rollout is expected to coincide with the release of iPhone 16 in the fall, and according to CNET, will support iPhone models iPhone XS and above. However some features, such as Apple Intelligence, will only be available on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models.
One lucky Paige Spiranac fan got to meet the former pro golfer at a recent event, and walked away with a souvenir that he won't soon forget. That is, because it's now permanently tattooed on his body.
The event took place at X-Golf in Los Angeles, a state-of-the-art indoor golfing facility that Spiranac serves as an ambassador for. "X-Golf technology is the best I’ve used and the venues are so much fun!" the 31-year-old says of the company, which boasts over 125 locations across the United States.
Suffice to say, the fan in question definitely seemed to have fun when meeting the newly-minted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model. "Met Tony at an X-Golf event where he asked me to sign his arm," Spiranac captioned a social media post on Monday. "An hour later he comes back with it tattooed on him!"
In the accompanying photo, Spiranac—clad in a figure-hugging brown knit dress—posted alongside the beaming fan who proudly showed off the new ink on his inner left bicep. Though, given the sleeve on his other arm, it's clear that this isn't Tony's first rodeo when it comes to getting tattooed.
But despite Tony's apparently dedication, not everyone was impressed with his new tattoo. "Lol, when you try too hard," commented one user, while another added, "Things men will do to try to…" One commenter noted that Tony might have trouble explaining that to a future wife. At least the X-Golf account wasn't unkind, posting simply: "Well, at least Tony will never forget that day," alongside a laugh-cry emoji.
Spiranac, who famously cut her professional golf career abruptly short, has found no shortage of success after making the transition to golf influencer. She recently explained that she wasn't cut out for the sport because she'd much rather practice than compete.
"There are two types of people in this world: people who love to practice and the people who love to play and compete. I am in that first group," she explained in an Instagram story last month. "I love practicing. There is nothing more that I enjoy than going to the range for hours and just beating golf balls, chipping, putting. I live for that, and I've always enjoyed that, and I never really enjoyed competing and playing."
Not to mention, this way she also gets to meet some interesting characters, to boot.
In October 2017, McDonald's bowed to pressure from Rick and Morty fans by bringing back its limited edition Szechuan sauce that had been featured prominently as a plot in the third season premiere of the popular Adult Swim series, "The Rickshank Rickdemption," earlier that year. The dipping sauce, which had originally been created to promote the 1998 Disney film, Mulan, was initially revived for an exclusive, one-day-only promotion.
However, it wasn't hard to predict what happened next. After Rick and Morty diehards lined up at McDonald's restaurants across the country to get their hands on the sauce, supplies quickly ran out—leading to widespread outrage from fans. Due to popular demand, McDonald's eventually announced that the sauce would return to all stores in February 2018, which likely was of little consolation to the hapless employees who had to deal with the uproar.
And among those poor, unfortunate employees apparently includes the mastermind behind the revived concoction.
Former McDonald's corporate chef Mike Haracz has become well known on TikTok for spilling secrets of the chain, and this week, he divulged about the hate mail and death threats he received from Rick and Morty fans who weren't able to get their hands on the sauce.
"Yes, I am the chef that helped bring back the Szechuan Sauce for Rick and Morty," Haracz said in one of his latest videos this week, noting that it's a story he's told many times. "I implemented a tweet that went viral, McDonald's picked up on it, they said, 'Let's play along,'" he recalled. He said that at first, they made a few jugs of the sauce which they gave to the series creators.
"And then there was the day that the Szechuan sauce was to be in the restaurants," he continued. "In the morning, everybody was happy, it was awesome. Then, within 10 minutes, I received thousands of hate messages because there was not enough Szechuan sauce for everybody."
"And when I tell you, I received the most horrible personal attacks from random people—thousands of them, from Rick and Morty fans—yes, that was the greatest batch of hate mail that I have ever received," Haracz explained. "I can't say a lot of the things but it was death threats, it was 'I didn't get my little packet of sauce, you should end yourself' and yada yada yada..."
Although the hype had certainly died down by then, McDonald's later brought back the Szechuan sauce in March 2022 as an app-only exclusive. It's unclear whether Haracz was still working for the chain at that point, but one would have to imagine he faced less backlash that time around.
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REI's 4th of July sale has every piece of camping equipment you could need for a successful trip this summer, but the best deal you'll find is on The North Face's fully loaded Wawona 6 Tent. This tent was a headlining product during REI's spring clearance sale in April and shot back up to full price shortly after. Now, it's been marked down again for an even better price.
The North Face's Wawona 6 Tent is back on sale at REI, this time for just $300—a 40% discount on the normal $500 price. Since it was last on sale in April, it's eclipsed the 200 five-star rating threshold, and those who have recently used it say it's a "great family tent" and a "game changer" for tall people. It's getting a ton of attention at its current selling price and is now the No. 1 bestselling product during REI's 4th of July sale. It's still available in two colors until July 4, then it goes back up in price.
The North Face Wawona 6 Tent in Exuberance Orange/Tan/Green, $300 (was $500) at REI
What stands out most about this tent is its oversized vestibule, with a whopping 44.7 square feet of living and gear storage space that feels larger than some New York City apartments. On top of that, the tent offers almost 90 square feet of sleeping space and has a peak height of 76 inches, which makes getting changed far easier for anybody under 6-foot-5. Aside from the ample space, the Wawona 6 offers everything else you'd expect in a high-quality three-season tent and more, like tons of interior storage pockets, pole clips to which you can attach a lantern, and a fully waterproof construction.
There's a lot that shoppers love about the Wawona 6, but for many, it comes down to the space. "After way too much research and review reading on car camping tents, I finally landed on the Wawona 6 and I couldn't be happier," one shopper said. "It is very spacious, and the vestibule is a game changer, regardless of the weather. The tent itself fits two adults on a queen mattress and two dogs with a bunch of space left over, and the vestibule is a perfect storage spot for all of the gear."
The North Face Wawona 6 Tent in Agave Green/Asphalt Grey, $300 (was $500) at REI
Others who picked this tent up for its space say that it's a great option for summer camping. "This is the perfect family and car camping tent," one shopper said. "The air vents are great for summer. I bought a Dewalt 20V battery-powered job site fan; run that at night and you are very cool in the tent sleeping." Another shopper agreed, saying, "Used it for one week. Ventilation is the best in any tent we've owned."
If you're gearing up to get outside this summer, choose comfort over cramping and pick up The North Face's Wawona 6 Tent while it's 40% off to use on your next adventure and those for years to come. The price only lasts until July 4, so make sure to get yours soon.
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