Latest news with #SuperSoaker
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Joe Swash reveals the two things he and wife Stacey Solomon can't go on holiday without
JOE Swash has revealed the two things he and Stacey Solomon can't go on holiday without, as the family gear up for their summer getaway. The 43-year-old former EastEnders star and his X Factor contestant wife are planning to jet off to sunnier climates in the coming months - but haven't landed on a location yet. 5 Joe Swash has revealed the two things he and Stacey Solomon can't go on holiday without Credit: SWNS 5 The former EastEnders star and his X Factor contestant wife are planning to jet off to sunnier climates in the coming months Credit: Instagram / @staceysolomon But no matter where they go, they'll end up packing two things as they always do - a crafts box to keep their young children entertained, and flotation devices to keep them safe in the water. Joe said: "Stacey likes to travel with a craft box so the kids can stick out things together and do a bit of drawing. "But we also like to do things with the younger ones, Belle and Rose. Rex not so much now as he's a bit older and he can swim really well, but we make sure we get the armbands for swimming properly. "You can go on holiday and then it's a nightmare if you can't get the right ones. We always want to make sure they have the right swimming equipment so they're safe before we go, so we know that box is ticked." Joe revealed the family are weighing up where to go – but that decision is out of his hands and will be down to the kids. Joe said: 'We do like to go away with a lot of family as well so I'm sure there's going to be more than just us lot. 'We like to go to Turkey as that's where the kids love. We're not 100 per cent sure where it'll be, but there's going to be a lot of us. 'We are driven by what the kids love – wherever they want to go, we do.' Stacey Solomon hits back at cruel troll who branded her a 'horse mouth' He added: 'Our kids have never loved kids club, but they love water parks, swimming, playing sports, football and tennis. 'They've got huge amounts of energy to burn off and because we've got so many of them, there's never a dull moment. "I always say to Stacey that we need a holiday after the holiday.' One thing which never changes is the drenching one another with water when the sun is out. And as summer approaches, Joe has teamed up with Jammie Dodgers, to unveil a limited-edition Super Soaker made in collaboration with Nerf, which has been created to inspire kids to get outside in the sun, and 100 are up being given away every day until 31 July. 'We're always trying to get the kids out into the garden and we're chucking water at each other so it's right up my street. 'I usually come out on top because I can carry the most water.' Discussing his collaboration with the biscuit brand Joe said: 'Jammie Dodgers have been in my family for years - I grew up with them, they were something my mum used to buy and it's something our kids love having as well.' He also revealed his and Stacey's plans to turn their Pickle Cottage to Animal Farm – by getting in goats, pigs and other farmyard animals. The 43-year-old former EastEnders star and his wife have been busy with home and garden improvements to their Essex abode, with one of the latest additions including a beehive. But not settling there, Joe opened the door for the possibility of more animals joining their growing family, which already includes dogs, ducks and fish. 'We had more chickens arrive the other day and I've heard rumours there might be rabbits on the way. 'There's always something new. I wouldn't be surprised if a goat popped up, or a pig. I feel like we're at that stage now.' The first bits of honey were extracted from their beehive recently, and so far, none of the family has been stung – although their dog Peanut did get nipped. 'I think he might have got a bit too close the other day, but he won't be doing that again,' Joe said. Joe and Stacey's interest in becoming more sustainable has spilled over into growing more fruit and vegetables and is something the whole family take part in. Growing fruit and veg in the garden has provided the perfect learning experience for their young children Rex, five, Rose, three, and Belle, two, to learn about where food comes from. Joe said: 'The question is what Stacey isn't growing, that would be easier to answer. She's really transformed the garden and really found a passion for it.' 5 As summer approaches Joe has teamed up with Jammie Dodgers to unveil a limited-edition Super Soaker Credit: BBC 5 The couple will end up packing two things as they always do - a crafts box and flotation devices Credit: BBC
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Joe Swash reveals the two things he and wife Stacey Solomon can't go on holiday without
JOE Swash has revealed the two things he and Stacey Solomon can't go on holiday without, as the family gear up for their summer getaway. The 43-year-old former EastEnders star and his X Factor contestant wife are planning to jet off to sunnier climates in the coming months - but haven't landed on a location yet. 5 Joe Swash has revealed the two things he and Stacey Solomon can't go on holiday without Credit: SWNS 5 The former EastEnders star and his X Factor contestant wife are planning to jet off to sunnier climates in the coming months Credit: Instagram / @staceysolomon But no matter where they go, they'll end up packing two things as they always do - a crafts box to keep their young children entertained, and flotation devices to keep them safe in the water. Joe said: "Stacey likes to travel with a craft box so the kids can stick out things together and do a bit of drawing. "But we also like to do things with the younger ones, Belle and Rose. Rex not so much now as he's a bit older and he can swim really well, but we make sure we get the armbands for swimming properly. READ MORE ON JOE SWASH "You can go on holiday and then it's a nightmare if you can't get the right ones. We always want to make sure they have the right swimming equipment so they're safe before we go, so we know that box is ticked." Joe revealed the family are weighing up where to go – but that decision is out of his hands and will be down to the kids. Joe said: 'We do like to go away with a lot of family as well so I'm sure there's going to be more than just us lot. Most read in Showbiz 'We like to go to Turkey as that's where the kids love. We're not 100 per cent sure where it'll be, but there's going to be a lot of us. 'We are driven by what the kids love – wherever they want to go, we do.' Stacey Solomon hits back at cruel troll who branded her a 'horse mouth' He added: 'Our kids have never loved kids club, but they love water parks, swimming, playing sports, football and tennis. 'They've got huge amounts of energy to burn off and because we've got so many of them, there's never a dull moment. " I always say to Stacey that we need a holiday after the holiday.' One thing which never changes is the drenching one another with water when the sun is out. And as summer approaches, Joe has teamed up with Jammie Dodgers, to unveil a limited-edition Super Soaker made in collaboration with Nerf, which has been created to inspire kids to get outside in the sun, and 100 are up 'We're always trying to get the kids out into the garden and we're chucking water at each other so it's right up my street. 'I usually come out on top because I can carry the most water.' Discussing his collaboration with the biscuit brand Joe said: 'Jammie Dodgers have been in my family for years - I grew up with them, they were something my mum used to buy and it's something our kids love having as well.' He also revealed his and Stacey's plans to turn their Pickle Cottage to Animal Farm – by getting in goats, pigs and other farmyard animals. The 43-year-old former EastEnders star and his wife have been busy with home and garden improvements to their Essex abode, with one of the latest additions including a beehive. But not settling there, Joe opened the door for the possibility of more animals joining their growing family, which already includes dogs, ducks and fish. 'We had more chickens arrive the other day and I've heard rumours there might be rabbits on the way. 'There's always something new. I wouldn't be surprised if a goat popped up, or a pig. I feel like we're at that stage now.' The first bits of honey were extracted from their beehive recently, and so far, none of the family has been stung – although their dog Peanut did get nipped. 'I think he might have got a bit too close the other day, but he won't be doing that again,' Joe said. Joe and Stacey's interest in becoming more sustainable has spilled over into growing more fruit and vegetables and is something the whole family take part in. Growing fruit and veg in the garden has provided the perfect learning experience for their young children Rex, five, Rose, three, and Belle, two, to learn about where food comes from. Joe said: 'The question is what Stacey isn't growing, that would be easier to answer. She's really transformed the garden and really found a passion for it.' 5 As summer approaches Joe has teamed up with Jammie Dodgers to unveil a limited-edition Super Soaker Credit: BBC 5 The couple will end up packing two things as they always do - a crafts box and flotation devices Credit: BBC 5 Joe also revealed his and Stacey's plans to turn their Pickle Cottage to Animal Farm Credit: PA
Politico
27-05-2025
- Business
- Politico
Reassessing a GOP tax bill
Presented by A BREAK FROM THE FUN: The Senate returns next week to take center stage in the debate over the one big, beautiful bill, after a couple months where the large fiscal package seemingly stood on a knife's edge in the House. But already, the Senate GOP's terms are starting to be laid. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) both took to television over the weekend to call out what they see as a poor House product, though neither specifically criticized the other chamber's approach on taxes. (Johnson wants more spending cuts, while Paul isn't happy about the proposed debt ceiling increase.) Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said he expects the Senate to change the House bill and even to make major alterations. All the while, House Speaker Mike Johnson keeps practically begging the Senate not to deviate too much from what his chamber passed last week. So what does that mean for the future of the GOP tax bill? There are at least two major pressure points. A good number of Senate Republicans have taken issue with how aggressively the House fiscal package targets the green energy incentives that Democrats enacted almost three years ago. And there's basically no natural constituency within the Senate GOP for a huge hike in the $10,000 cap on state and local deductions, even as Republicans there understand the political need for a SALT fix in the House. Other issues will pop up, too. Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) reiterated last week that he wants to permanently install tax breaks for business, like full expensing of capital investments and immediate deductions of research costs. House Republicans were only able to restore those incentives for several years, because they essentially ran out of money — which speaks to a potential broader challenge that the GOP might have in hashing out a final tax agreement. MORE ON THAT in a bit, but first thanks for joining this recess version of Weekly Tax. Anyone know a tax angle to the cheese rolling contest? A fitting almost summer patent: Today marks 39 years since the inventor Lonnie Johnson got a patent for a 'squirt gun' that you'd know better today as a 'Super Soaker.' Don't leave us all wet. Send your best tips and feedback. Email: bbecker@ bfaler@ bguggenheim@ and teckert@ You can also reach us on X at @berniebecker3, @tobyeckert, @brian_faler, @ben_guggenheim, @POLITICOPro and @Morning_Tax. Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. FINDING THAT MIDDLE GROUND: Here's that potential trillion-dollar challenge — in the end, the House budget only allowed Republicans to cut taxes by $4 trillion over a decade, because of the amount of spending cuts they were able to produce. But on the other side of the Capitol, the Senate GOP essentially has set aside more than $5 trillion for tax cuts. It's not quite a direct comparison, because the two chambers began this process using different baselines to score the costs of extending the expiring individual provisions of the Trump tax cuts — something that's provided its own challenges. The end result, though, is that the two chambers have sizably different visions for tax cuts this deep into the process. Contrast that, for instance, with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, in which the $1.5 trillion cost was agreed to far earlier in the process. That also presents some interesting tactical questions for Crapo and Senate GOP leaders, even if the assumption is that the final tax bill will cost somewhere between $4 trillion and $5.3 trillion. Crapo hasn't said whether the Finance Committee will hold a markup of the tax bill, though it wouldn't be a huge surprise if Republicans decide against it. Either way, Rohit Kumar of PwC said that it would be unusual for the panel essentially to give back some of the dollars it allotted for tax cuts. Not only that, it could cause problems — GOP leaders might have to fend off amendment efforts on the floor to use up what senators would see as free money for their various (and potentially popular) tax priorities. 'This is where the absence of a consensus instruction is going to become a little bit of an issue,' said Kumar, who was a longtime senior aide to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) when he was the GOP floor leader. But on the flip side, using the full amount for tax cuts allowed under the Senate budget instructions could make it more difficult to reconcile the two chambers' fiscal packages. Still, 'one of the ironclad rules of writing a reconciliation bill, at least when I was there,' Kumar added, 'is you used every penny available. You didn't want to leave any loose ends.' LIKING WHERE IT'S HEADED: Here's some good news for Republicans as they press ahead on the 'one big, beautiful bill' — some of their key constituencies on K Street are quite happy with where things stand. Consider, for instance, the small business lobby. The National Federation of Independent Business has been working for months, dating to well before last year's election, to lock in TCJA's 20 percent deduction for pass-through companies for good. Then the group got more than it even asked for in the House bill, in the form of a 23 percent deduction. Brad Close, NFIB's president, said that makes for a big contrast with the last big GOP tax bill. Back in 2017, the group wasn't thrilled with what the House produced originally and worked with allies like Johnson and Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) to boost the tax relief offered to pass-throughs, as Republicans also were slashing the corporate rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. This time around, the House has given the NFIB and other small business advocates an unexpected windfall that they'll work to protect with a group of Senate Republicans that doesn't sound like it wants to skimp on tax cuts. 'When you looked at how the bill was being put together, it wasn't apparent that's a point they would get to,' Close said. 'We were really happy.' Not all small businesses are feeling great about the House tax bill. Indeed, some are quite concerned about a provision in the House bill that will keep certain service providers from writing off their state and local taxes. But NFIB's current stance also sheds even more light on the challenge that Senate Republicans will have in putting their tax bill together. On the one hand, Republicans in both chambers are, big-picture wise, on the same page about what needs to be in a tax bill. That includes permanent extensions of the Trump tax cut provisions and Trump's targeted ideas, like no tax on tips. In fact, House Republicans even laid the groundwork for the Senate to use that controversial current policy baseline, by slightly tweaking a number of individual TCJA provisions. That will allow those proposals to have some fiscal impact against the baseline, a requirement in the Senate under budget reconciliation rules. But the expanded pass-through deduction also underscores that even a Senate that's predisposed to bigger tax cuts might have to make difficult decisions on what makes the cut. For instance, Crapo has said that his colleagues have given him around 200 suggestions for what they'd like to see in a tax bill. For his part, the NFIB's Close said they're satisfied that their original goal in this process — the Senate cutting the pass-through deduction back to the original 20 percent and making it permanent — now looks more like a worst-case scenario. 'All the conversations we had leading up to this in the Senate was folks who fully understood what permanence meant,' said Close. Around the World Financial Times: 'UK considers taxing pensioners to claw back winter fuel payment.' Bloomberg: 'Brazil Walks Back Offshore Funds Tax After Investor Blowback.' Reuters: 'Spain considers new 21% VAT on short-tourism rentals, double the hotel rate.' Around the Nation Nevada Independent: 'State-commissioned analyses: Nevada film tax credit expansion likely not sustainable.' Montana Free Press: 'How Montana's new second-home tax could shift your property tax bill.' WPTV: 'Hurricane sales tax holiday in limbo as Florida budget negotiations linger.' Also Worth Your Time Pro Budget: 'GOP declares war on GAO.' Financial Times: 'Trump's new remittance tax leaves migrants loopholes.' New York Times: 'Charles B. Rangel, Longtime Harlem Congressman, Dies at 94.' Did you know? The Super Soaker was named to the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2015.
Fast Company
15-05-2025
- Science
- Fast Company
Alabama is providing big support for big ideas
As a high school senior, Lonnie Johnson won a 1968 science fair at the University of Alabama with a three-and-a-half-foot robot powered by compressed air and a remote control unit fashioned out of parts from a walkie-talkie. It was the first time he was publicly recognized for what would become a decades-long dedication to innovation, including projects in the U.S. Air Force's stealth bomber program and at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory—not to mention the blockbuster invention of the Super Soaker water gun, which sold millions starting in the 1990s. Johnson—a recent inductee into the National Inventors Hall of Fame —has more than 150 patents to his name, considered to be second only to George Washington Carver among African Americans. Today, he's the founder and chairman of Johnson Energy Storage (JES) with a new focus on commercializing the solid-state batteries he's been developing for the past quarter century. JES's all-solid-state lithium batteries are lighter, safer, and cheaper than lithium ion batteries, thanks to a glass electrolyte separator Johnson developed. Car and Driver magazine calls solid-state batteries the 'holy grail' of energy storage. In addition to providing a huge boost to electric vehicles, solid-state batteries also could be used to power anything from remote sensors and RFID tags to entire electrical grids. It's no surprise, then, that companies—including many automakers—are investing billions to get the technology to market. That competition doesn't worry Johnson. 'A lot of companies out there are working with materials that we worked on in the past. We know the limitations of those materials because we passed on them,' he says, noting that he enjoys going up against deep-pocketed rivals. 'It's classic David and Goliath—I really like taking on the big guys and beating them at their game.' JES recently got a boost in those efforts from InvestAL, a venture capital program funded with $98 million from the U.S. Department of the Treasury State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). InvestAL made a $1 million investment in JES's Series A round alongside investors including NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson and NFL All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett. Launched by Innovate Alabama, InvestAL aims to spur economic development by matching private investments in high-growth Alabama-based companies in exchange for an equity stake. 'At some point, Dr. Johnson and his company are going to have some sort of liquidity event,' says Charlie Pond, executive director of SSBCI at Innovate Alabama. 'Then those resources will be poured back into our ecosystem to help support founders for generations to come.' A THREE-PRONGED PLAN In 2020, the state of Alabama kicked off an ambitious effort to supercharge entrepreneurship and technology growth in the state. Governor Kay Ivey engaged the Hoover Institution, a Stanford University think tank headed by former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, to research the best ways to support the local innovation ecosystem through public policy. Innovate Alabama was created to put the group's recommendations into action and focus on three key areas: talent development, access to resources, and lifestyle and recreation. Pond is a passionate believer in Innovate Alabama's mission—and in the power of each of its three pillars to drive the success of the others. Alabama's natural beauty, for example, is an underutilized resource that the state's economic development leaders believe will appeal to the kind of innovators it wants to attract, allowing them to thrive personally and professionally. Another goal is to keep more students in Alabama after they receive their diploma. In addition to the University of Alabama and Auburn University, Alabama is home to dozens of other colleges, including 13 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). 'A lot of people come in and stay for four years, and then they leave,' Pond says. 'So, it makes sense to build out entrepreneurship programs within our universities and get students building businesses. We can help those young entrepreneurs grow roots in the state and then retain them.' FUNDING A VIRTUOUS CYCLE That retention happens in part through funding, including partnering with private lenders to extend credit to small businesses and entrepreneurs. With the InvestAL program, the goal is to both create jobs and catalyze private investment. 'We don't want to invest $98 million and be done,' Pond says. 'We want to build out a self-sustaining program that can continually invest in both the small businesses on the debt side and in venture-ready, high-growth, scalable companies.' For JES, that means critical support for its Alabama operations. The company recently announced the establishment of the Dr. Lonnie Johnson Technology Research & Incubation Center on the campus of Tuskegee University. Johnson, who earned both bachelor's and master's degrees from Tuskegee, is excited about bringing the large-university research model to an HBCU and providing opportunities for Tuskegee students to work alongside the JES scientists developing cutting-edge battery technology. It's all part of the vision that he and Innovate Alabama share for a virtuous cycle of investment and innovation that drives the state forward. 'We have a number of junior engineers who have equity in the company. I'd like to see them go off and launch companies themselves and have greater economic impact,' Johnson says. 'There's nothing like really, really ambitious goals to drive things and motivate people to put their best foot forward.'
Los Angeles Times
24-03-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Unsupervised children are a strong argument for adults-only hotels
To the editor: My wife and I have stayed at several resorts in Palm Springs that were family-friendly ('Adults-only hotels are all over California. Are they even legal?' March 18). We went there to de-stress and relax. The bigger problem is parents not controlling or supervising their children. On more than one occasion, we had to leave the pool area due to out-of-control children. We have been sprayed with Super Soaker water guns and drenched when children insist on jumping into the pool, cannon ball-style. All the while, the parents do nothing, even after being asked by hotel management to control their children. At one high-end resort in Palm Desert, we witnessed a cocktail waitress knocked to the ground and dropping an entire tray of drinks by two out-of-control children running wild through the pool area; the parents did nothing. It's not that the hotel doesn't like children, it's a parenting problem. The only recourse the hotel has is to restrict children to ensure a quality environment. Steve Wolfe, Redondo Beach
