Latest news with #Karens
Buzz Feed
26-05-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
People Share Worst "Karen" Parent Stories
Ahhh, all had the misfortune of dealing with them at some point (especially if a person has ever worked in retail), but imagine how terrible it would be to have a "Karen" for a parent? Sadly, that's a reality for many people... That's why when Redditor u/Character-Escape1621 asked "People whose moms are Karens, what was the worst thing she's ever done?" Individuals raised by "Karens" flooded the comments with stories of their parents' worst moments, and these are FAR beyond "I would like to speak to the manager." Without further ado, here are 17 of their most cringe-inducing tantrums: "Years ago, I was at the mall with my mom and sister, and we saw a pretzel shop that sold lemonade, so we walked over and bought three lemonades, then went to the food court to grab some pizza. We sat down, began eating, and noticed the lemonade tasted bad. My sister and I were thirsty and drank it anyway, but our mother didn't drink hers and complained the entire time." "When my mother didn't get her way after trying to return an item, she held her arms straight out to the side while walking out, so tons of merchandise fell off the racks and onto the floor." "Years ago, my mother was acquainted with a neighbor who owned a local fast-food restaurant and constantly complained about how expensive the ketchup and sauce packets were." "My mom is an extremely judgmental and condescending person, but cowardly. She used to love talking sh*t about people right in front of them by speaking Spanish and assuming they didn't understand her." "One time we were in line at the grocery store, and she was making fun of the cashier's weight. I replied to her (in Spanish) and told her to stop talking about people that way, but she insisted the cashier couldn't understand her. I told her that if the cashier said something to her, I would not defend it was our turn to check out, the cashier only spoke to us in Spanish! Just pleasantries like 'I hope you're having a wonderful day,' and 'Did you find everything you're looking for?' She never said a word about my mother's remarks, but she let my mother know, in a classy way, that she understood everything. We paid, and while leaving, my mother said she would tell my sister (also a Karen) about the situation so she could complain about the cashier." "I took a hard turn towards the customer service desk, asked for the store manager, and gave a glowing review of the cashier — how efficient and polite she was, and how it was so kind of her to speak to us in Spanish when we lived in a town with very few Spanish speakers. I didn't discuss my mother's nasty comments or the cashier's classy response. The store manager smiled happily, told me it was nice to compliment someone, and thanked me." "My mom once hit the bumper of another vehicle in a parking lot. She was going to walk away, but some people who witnessed it called her out and told her to do the right thing. She made a huge deal about writing her name and number on a piece of paper to leave under the wipers. The witnesses entered the store while she was doing this, and the vehicle's owners showed up around the same time, inspected the damage, said it wasn't a big deal, and drove off." "This is the first incident that came to mind, but there are so many: My mother saw a puddle of water on the floor of a shoe store and took it as an opportunity to fake an injury and sue. She pretended to slip and fall and splayed herself on the floor in front of the store's entryway while moaning in 'pain.'" "When I was 11 or 12, I won a 'science award' and a 'student award' because I had the second-best grades in the class. My mother was outraged that I received two awards while my twin sister didn't win any, so she went to the school and raised hell. The school created a new category just for my sister and gave her a 'music award.'" "When I was young, I often accompanied my mom to the grocery store. One morning, she filled the cart with frozen pot pies. A store employee tried to stop her because they were on sale, and she didn't leave any for other shoppers." "I played high school softball for exactly one season, and one season only because my mother's version of 'cheering' was more akin to yelling, 'Why did you miss that?' Or 'Do I need to come show you how to do that?' I hated when she showed up to my games." "My grandfather, mother, and I went to a chain restaurant for cheap takeout when I was about six. My mother asked for an extra container of gravy, and when the cashier rang it up, they charged her $0.40. She lost it. She never asked if the price had gone up (it hadn't), she immediately started berating a teenager over literal pennies while she was buying $50 worth of fast-food chicken." "My mother used to go into stores she deemed 'fancy' and make the sales assistants wait on her hand and foot, waste their time by demanding to be shown multiple items, try on jewelry etc., then say 'Well, I'll have to go home and think about it' and leave." "My mom once requested a refund because her burger had one pickle instead of two. I just watched in embarrassment while she and the woman at the counter went back and forth." "During Covid, my mom was an anti-mask 'Karen.' Towards the end of lockdown, she went to a local drugstore to pick up a prescription. Of course, she didn't wear a mask inside, so when one of the workers (she described him as a teenager) came over to ask her to put one on, she threw a fit and used the infamous 'I want to speak to your manager' line. The manager gave in to her demands and she grabbed her prescription and left. After the ordeal, she called me to tell me what she did, as if she were proud of herself." "My mom has chronic health conditions, but she always yells and curses at the patient care techs in the ER. These techs aren't equipped to de-escalate conflict, so they often yell back at her, and then she tries to act like they started it." "I'll preface this by saying that this happened during an already bad situation, but I don't believe it condoned this behavior: My grandmother had been sick while my mother and I were on vacation. We were getting ready to go to a museum when we learned she had passed away. We decided to go to the museum and enjoy our vacation as best we could because there was nothing else we could do." "My mom has hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which is easily managed by eating anything." "When I was younger, there were signs that my mother was a 'Karen.' I remember her changing my sister's diaper on restaurant tables and getting mad at people who judged her. Situations like that were common." Did any of these "Karen" stories surprise you? People who grew up with a "Karen" parent, what is your most embarrassing memory of their behavior? Tell us in the comments or answer using the anonymous form below!
New European
22-05-2025
- New European
Wild camping is a holiday for the soul, and now it's legal
But the three days, twenty-five years ago, that my wife and I spent hauling our arses through the Lake District on a wild camping trip in preparation for a longer Alpine adventure — that, I remember almost everything about. I don't remember much from the post-Covid fortnight in the Caribbean that cost the price of a small car, apart from how wildly overrated Barbados is. The evening hike up to Red Tarn in Helvellyn, carrying so much gear in a 90-litre backpack that people assumed we must be mountain rescue, on our way to attend to a walker who had sprained their ankle. 'She's just up there, mate. Looks nasty,' they kept telling me. I was, of course, delighted to be mistaken for mountain rescue. Those were the days. Waking at dawn, unzipping the tent, and peering out into… well, how to describe it? I can't. It's too beautiful a moment to relate. As banker and minor English poet William Kean Seymour put it: new rhythms in the soul begin. The thing is, those three days of soul renewal and fitness bootcamp cost us nothing more than the calories we expended on our daily twenty-mile traverse of the Lakes. If you've been to the Lakes lately, you may find this hard to believe, but we went an entire day and a half of that trip without seeing more than two or three other hikers. Even now, when Ambleside, Grasmere, and Windermere feel like service stations, it's still possible to find absolute solitude within little more than an hour of walking. Since then, I've wild camped in the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Himalayas. But the Lakes take some beating. Strictly speaking, it's illegal, but it's tolerated. Stay high, out of sight, don't stay too long (a couple of nights max in one spot), and leave no trace. Follow these rules, and all the peace you can wish for — and the best views on God's earth — will be yours every dawn and dusk, for nowt. Soon — thanks to a Supreme Court ruling — I'll dig out the old super-light Mountain Hardwear Trango tent (not the garish orange one, but the sage green version, bought specifically to blend in with the landscape and minimise the chances of being spotted by arsy landowning Karens), and head to Dartmoor. The court has just resolutely denied an appeal by two such landowning Karens, Alexander and Diana Darwall, who own 3,500 acres of Dartmoor and fought a protracted and expensive legal battle to ensure nobody has the right to wild camp in the national park. That decision now makes Dartmoor the only place in England where wild camping is legal. 'We are disappointed by the Supreme Court's judgment,' the Darwalls said. 'Our aim from the outset was to protect and preserve Dartmoor, its flora and fauna.' Aye, for yourselves. The idea, part of their case, that wild campers litter the place and disturb cattle is, in my experience, absolute nonsense. Wild campers tend to be the most fastidious of all countryside lovers. Their appreciation of natural beauty is self-evident — that's why they're there. The real despoilers tend to be countryside casuals: city-dwelling day-trippers with their Lucozade and Monster Munch picnics. So come and join me under the stars in Dartmoor. Give your soul a holiday. You'll need a very light tent (every ounce matters after a few days, believe me), a micro-stove, and a strong back. Remember, you'll need to walk in all your food and water. You'll also need a good pair of worn-in trekking trainers or boots. One thing you won't need, from now on, is the bloody Darwalls' permission.
New York Post
09-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
What's the ‘ideal' number of sexual partners? Study reveals the sweet spot — and it's not what you think
A new study revealed the socially acceptable number of sexual partners for each gender — and it might surprise you. According to the study, featured in 'Social Psychological and Personality Science,' the magic number for guys is 4-5 lifetime partners — with 2-3 of them being casual hookups. The study also revealed that a first roll in the hay for men often happens between the ages of 18 and 20. Advertisement For women, the magic number shrinks to 2-3 partners — with only 1-2 casual flings. Their first romp often happens between 16 and 18, originally reported by Vice. The reason why these numbers are described as 'ideal' is what you'd probably expect — there is less judgment from society if someone — man or woman — has a low body count. The higher the number — the more judgy Karens. These numbers discovered by the study are fairly low considering the average American has slept with 14 people according to a poll conducted by Talker Research for LELO. Advertisement 'There are both similarities and differences in the societal evaluation of male and female sexuality,' the researchers of the ideal body count numbers wrote. 'However, contrary to common assumptions, moderate rather than extremely low or extremely high levels of sexual activity are most valued for both genders.' 3 According to the study, featured in 'Social Psychological and Personality Science,' the magic number for guys is 4-5 lifetime partners — with 2-3 of them being casual hookups — and a first roll in the hay often happens between ages 18 and 20. Tamani Chithambo/ – For the study, researchers surveyed over 340 participants in Germany to determine how society views a 25-year-old's sexual activity, including the number of partners, frequency of sex and even masturbation habits. Advertisement It also pointed out how men often get dinged for not racking up enough notches on the bedpost, keeping the pressure to perform alive and well. 3 For men, the 'ideal' is 4-5 partners, with 2-3 casual, and a first experience between 18-20. For women, it's 2-3 partners, 1-2 casual, and a first time between 16-18. AntonioDiaz – Meanwhile, ladies still catch flak for having 'too many' partners, proving those tired double standards are far from dead. As discovered in another survey conducted last fall, one in four Americans in relationships keep their body count a steamy secret. Advertisement 3 A survey from last fall found that one in four Americans in relationships is keeping their 'body count' a secret from their partner. Dmitriy Kapitonenko – The survey of 2,000 sexually active adults found that 26% haven't come clean about their number of past partners, with 16% admitting they lowballed the figure when asked. Why the fibbing? 60% said their partner simply never asked, while one in nine suspects their significant other might be lying about their own tally. And while 83% of singles claim they'd spill the beans, only 62% want to hear their partner's truth.
New York Post
23-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Let the Massapequa Chiefs keep their name
Memo to the stick-in-the-mud Karens at the State Education Department: Let Massapequa High School keep on being the 'Chiefs.' As even many Native Americans insist. The Long Island school is fighting to keep its team name and logo after the state Board of Regents ordered schools to scrap symbols that referenced Native Americans — or risk losing state funding. Advertisement Massapequa sued, along with the nearby Wantagh Warriors and Wyandanch Warriors, but a judge threw out their case. Look, the school's mascot isn't meant to mock Native Americans; it's meant to honor the heritage of Massapequa, a town that's named after one of Long Island's original 13 tribes. In response to local opposition, an SED flack arrogantly told Massapequa to 'talk to the Indigenous people' on Long Island, presuming they were offended by moniker. Advertisement The SED should take its own advice. Local Native Americans are offended, all right — not by the school name, but by the state's bullying the town into scrubbing it. Former Massapequa student Laura Albanese-Christopher, of Cherokee descent, slammed the name change as 'off the charts hurtful and disrespectful.' Crow Creek Sioux Tribe member David Finkenbinder called it 'frustrating': 'This takes the interest away from students to learn why their towns and teams are named this way.' Advertisement The 'representation matters' left can't understand why Native Americans would support schools proudly and respectfully using symbols of their community. President Donald Trump, too, has thrown his support behind the Chiefs name, asking Secretary of Education Linda McMahon 'to fight' on Massapequa's behalf. Rebranding would cost the district a pretty penny — an estimated $1 million — but locals are more peeved because they see SED's ban as an attempt to erase the town's proud Indigenous roots. Advertisement Turns out the woke stuffed shirts at SED, all of whom have probably been sensitivity trained within an inch of their lives, aren't very sensitive to the real-life concerns of the people they're supposedly advocating for. The only way the Chiefs will get to keep their name is if SED rescinds its ban; maybe some pressure from the Trump administration will encourage that. But New York schools certainly shouldn't be forced to ditch their beloved team symbols. The we-know-best lefties at SED got this one massively wrong. Go Chiefs!
CNN
03-04-2025
- CNN
Upstate New York officer won't face criminal charges after fatally shooting a 13-year-old in June
A police officer in upstate New York will not face criminal charges in the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old boy who pointed what turned out to be a BB gun, state Attorney General Letitia James announced Wednesday. Nyah Mway was shot and killed after he fled from officers questioning him and another teen on a residential street in Utica on the night of June 28, 2024. Officer Patrick Husnay chased Mway, tackled him to the ground and fired a single shot into his chest. He was taken to a hospital where he died. James, in releasing her office's 18-page review of the shooting, concluded prosecutors would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer's actions were unjustified. Husnay and two other officers had approached Mway because he matched the description of a suspect involved in an armed robbery the previous night, she said. Mway fled when officers attempted to pat him down. He then pulled out what appeared to be a handgun and aimed it at an officer. 'Under New York's justification law, a police officer may use deadly physical force when the officer reasonably believes it to be necessary to defend against the use of deadly physical force by another,' James stated. Mway, whose family name is Nyah, was a Karen refugee born in Myanmar. He had just graduated from middle school and was set to start high school in the fall. His family, in an emailed statement, said it was reviewing James' report but thanked her office for investigating. 'Regardless of what the report concludes, we know what we lost. We know what we experienced,' the statement reads. 'Nyah deserved to grow up. We deserve to live in a community where children like him are protected, not pursued.' The family and other Karen community members had called for police to be held accountable, as Mway was already subdued and on the ground when he was shot. Body camera videos released by police in the days after the killing showed a chaotic scene. The officers scream 'gun!' before one of them tackles him and punches him. Another officer opens fire as the two wrestle on the ground while bystanders scream at police. Police also released images showing the BB gun Mway pointed closely resembled a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun. They also noted it did not have an orange band on the barrel that many BB gun-makers have added in recent years to distinguish their products from real firearms. Utica Police Chief Mark Williams and Mayor Michael Galime, in a joint statement Wednesday, said they were 'pleased' James' office cleared the officers of criminal wrongdoing. They expressed hope the city could heal after the tragedy. 'Since that night we have tirelessly sought to build back the relationships and trust with the Burmese and Karen communities,' the statement read. 'We feel that those connections have never been stronger than they are today.' Husnay and the Utica police officers union didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment late Wednesday. Karens are an ethnic minority warring with the military rulers of Myanmar, which was formerly known as Burma. Utica, located about 240 miles northwest of Manhattan, is home to more than 4,200 people from Myanmar. They're among thousands of refugees from various countries who have settled in the area in recent decades.
