Latest news with #Wal-Mart
Buzz Feed
5 days ago
- General
- Buzz Feed
69 (Nice) Hilarious Photos
Finally, a reason to return to office. Okay, Michael Scott. Assie and Potato are both great contenders. Regina George, is that you? Well, well, well, if it isn't the consequences of my own actions... Let's keep it moving, people. God hasn't got all day. This has a bit of an ominous undertone. A little bleak for a Valentine, but I'll take it! Can't argue with that. These coworkers are keepers. Nothing wrong with a little compliment to start your trip! ...Okay, I guess that makes sense. :/ I used to do this to people, and I can confirm that it also brought me a laugh. I'm glad this person specified. I think I'm okay with Wendy's real fresh beaver, but thanks. I understood that reference!!!! Good one, Eggies. Grandpa really phoned it in here. I wasn't planning on it, but I'll still try to be extra mindful. Vandalism and defacing property are fine if it adds humorous value. ...Okay, thanks for that, Google Maps. Once again, thanks, Google. If I were a thief, this would convince me! Hey, I'm still glad you made it home safely! From now on, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is what I will be writing when I don't know the answer to something. I don't think the teacher intended for their "pushing" to feel like this. "Sorry for the thing, first of all," is going to enter my vernacular now. Considering I still wake up with night sweats thinking of this terrible sound from my fourth-grade music class, I'd take one. How wholesome! SOYLENT GREEN!!! Phew. I'm sure glad I didn't bring my nuclear missiles here. SECURITY!!! GET HIM!!!! I hate that I laughed at this. I'm turning into such a Dad. Relatable. This is also my face when people tell me to smile. Good to know! I see what you did there. And there. Hey, how'd they know about my drawer??? He's not wrong. I think Mike misunderstood the he understood it way better than the prior two writers did, depending on how you look at it. Might as well call them "poors" at this point. This is a nice sentiment, I guess? I guess we'll go ahead and trespass, then! I see what you did there, Wal-Mart. This is a solid use of money. As was this. I might have to do this with my ex's number. I feel like they should've spent a *little* more time thinking about the design of this anti-drunk driving pencil, but maybe that's just me. Hm. I didn't realize Dr. Pepper was a form of payment. See #22. that's okay, I'm not that hungry. Now the crack looks intentional! Way to call Andy out. Leave them alone! They're preparing for Jurassic World Rebirth! Well, that's unlucky. Damn, imagine being burned by Google Photos. Super important to blur those wheels! I didn't think my pancreas hated me until now!!! Bags have feelings, too! I'm glad we cleared that up. Oh...I guess I don't want a popsicle after all. Or this corn. That's certainly one solution to macbooks removing their HDMI port... The perfect size for the giant up the beanstalk! ...OK? That's one way to advertise! Wow, it's amazing what nine years of study can do. And one, Netflix. H/T: r/Funny
Spectator
12-05-2025
- Business
- Spectator
China has won the trade war with Trump
This weekend, the United States struck a deal with China that will see American tariffs on Beijing's exports come back down to manageable levels again, while China will lower its levies on imports from the US. The giant container ports on both sides of the Pacific can now be re-opened. The factories across China can get back to work, and Wal-Mart and Target can start placing orders again. The global economy can start moving once more – but significantly, it will very quickly become clear who has won the tariff war: China. The deal that was announced this morning in Switzerland, where negotiations took place, by the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant appears very simple. The US will reduce its tariffs on Chinese imports from 145 per cent to 30 per cent, while China will cut its from 125 per cent to just 10 per cent. For now, it is just a 90-day pause, but it already looks likely that over the next three months a more permanent agreement will be worked out.
Boston Globe
06-05-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
Sweet Paws Rescue to buy 69-acre Haverhill farm for its own ‘forever home'
But while the property is undeniably beautiful, it may seem at odds with Sweet Paws' deeply-held philosophy of never placing an animal in shelter. 'We are not a shelter,' executive director Cynthia Sweet said in an interview. 'I've never wanted to have a shelter. I don't think dogs or cats do well in a shelter environment.' Instead, every animal goes directly into a network of foster homes until adoption — a model built to prepare them for life as family pets, avoiding the fear, stress, and behavioral issues that often develop in a traditional shelter environment, she said. Advertisement So why the farm? While Sweet Paws' 'shelterless' model minimizes time on-site, a physical facility has always been necessary — and today, it's needed more than ever. With a sharp rise in abandoned pets , many now require extended stays for medical care, recovery, and behavioral support, far beyond the 48-hour quarantine required for out-of-state rescues. Historically, 97 percent of Sweet Paws' animals came from under-resourced areas in Mississippi and Alabama. To meet Massachusetts' quarantine requirements, the organization operated a small facility in Groveland, where animals stayed just long enough to clear quarantine before moving into foster care. Rapid turnover meant the building was often mostly empty. 'But now, 45 percent of our dogs are coming from Massachusetts,' Sweet said — a shift she says has accelerated dramatically over the past five years. Advertisement At first, they were 'COVID dogs' — pets bought for companionship during lockdown. More recently, the housing crisis has driven many to give up their pets, Sweet said, whether due to no-pet policies, relocation, or loss of housing altogether. The result: Shelters and rescues are overflowing, and animals are sometimes 'physically dumped on the side of the road,' according to Sweet. Sweet Paws is among the organizations local authorities now increasingly turn to for help. 'Fourteen years ago, when I started Sweet Paws, someone asked me why [we focused on the South],' Sweet said. 'I said it was because there wasn't a massive problem in Massachusetts. And that if there ever was, we'd pivot and shift our focus.' She laughed. 'But I didn't think it would actually happen!' The nonprofit, which has dozens of dogs listed for adoption on its Red Barron, a mixed breed, was given away as a puppy at a Wal-Mart in Mississippi. Sweet Paws Rescue Sweet said she has dreamed of moving to a farm 'for as long as I can remember.' But the timing has proved ideal. Rescue animals often need spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, injury treatment, and time to heal before they can be adopted. Rather than a crowded shelter, the farm offers a peaceful, pastoral sanctuary where dogs and cats can recuperate in comfort. They'll still go into foster homes whenever possible, but when on-site stays are necessary, the farm's open fields will reduce stress and prepare animals for family life. To fund its new home, Sweet Paws has launched a $4.5 million Advertisement Sweet Paws announced Monday The campaign's first phase — securing the 69-acre Haverhill property — kicks off this summer; subsequent fundraising will finance an on-site veterinary clinic, expanded animal housing, and 'whatever new problems emerge in Massachusetts,' as Sweet put it. True to its 'shelterless' roots, Sweet Paws still won't become a traditional shelter. Instead, they'll utilize the farm to uphold their mission in these unprecedented times: equipping cats and dogs for their forever homes. Rita Chandler can be reached at
Motor 1
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
It's a Jeep Thing. I Finally Understand
"Turn hard passenger. Ease it up, steady, steady on the throttle. Keep it going, let the Jeep do the work!" That's Nena Barlow, multi-time Rebelle Rally champion and professional off-road instructor, guiding me up a particularly hairy climb on Moab's infamous Hell's Revenge trail. At least, I think that's what she's saying—it's hard to hear with the blood pumping in my ears. This isn't an automaker's off-road test track, one specifically designed to show off a new model's prowess while keeping everybody safe in the process. This is legit Utah slickrock, with rubber marks rising and falling along sandstone ridges, often with two-hundred-foot drop-offs on either side. Barlow's first words of advice? "Look straight ahead. Don't look down." I take them to heart. Photo by: Maddox Kay | Motor1 I'm driving a four-door 2025 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe with cloth seats. It lacks the disconnectable swaybars, front-facing camera, and locking front differential many other Jeeps on the trail have, but the 4xe hybrid still has no problem climbing, crawling, and crunching along the trail in near-silence—punctuated only by metallic thuds and pings as I clumsily bang the Jeep's armor-plated belly on rock ledges. I lose track of how many times this happens; Barlow assures me that at crawling speeds, I'm not doing any harm. Still, I'm squeamish about damaging the $62,520 Wrangler. At this point, I should admit: I've never been a fan of the Jeep Wrangler. As cars, they're primitive, often expensive (see: $62,520 for cloth seats), and require constant steering corrections just to drive straight at highway speeds. And that's the point, apparently. Jeep owners, I thought, were mall-crawling bro-dozers willing to put up with awful driving dynamics, bare-bones interiors, and a steering phenomenon called "death wobble" in order to park atop snowbanks at Wal-Mart. As the saying goes, it's a Jeep thing. I didn't understand. Photo by: Maddox Kay | Motor1 Photo by: Maddox Kay | Motor1 Photo by: Maddox Kay | Motor1 Enter Moab. An adventurous town of 5,000 full-time residents, hemmed in by two national parks, Moab is a world-class destination for hiking, mountain biking, and taking pretty Instagram pictures of rocks. But every Easter weekend, its population quintuples as roughly 20,000 Jeeps descend from across the continent. On the Hell's Revenge loop alone, I saw license plates from as far away as Vermont, Minnesota, and British Columbia. Moab is as central to Jeep's identity as perhaps any other place, including the beaches of Normandy and Stellantis' world headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Red Rock 4x4 Club has organized the core Easter Jeep Safari event for 59 straight years, and each year for the past two decades or so, Jeep corporate tricks out drivable concept cars for the event. But it's more than a party or a car show. Jeep brings its vehicles and accessories here for trail testing, as well as gathers customer feedback. It's here, out on the trail, where I start to understand why the Jeep is such a beloved icon. Photo by: Maddox Kay | Motor1 Photo by: Maddox Kay | Motor1 Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of brightly painted Jeeps pass our slow-moving convoy, giving waves of appreciation as we pull over to let them by. The builds are deeply individual, and several even have names stickered on hoods and windows. Plenty of folks brought the family—kids and dogs range in mood from tail-wagging enthusiasm to utter exhaustion. But out here, everyone is family. Tools, snacks, and stories flow back and forth, and the audience on Hell's Gate's 'Hecklers' Hill' cheer for each Jeep (and even a daring Bronco) that makes the climb. It's easy to be cynical about all this. An event that centers around the ownership of an expensive, limited-purpose vehicle is inherently exclusive. And Jeep brought me to its flagship cultural event in hopes I'd walk away with a positive opinion of its brand. But perhaps more than any other car event I've taken part in, Easter Jeep Safari seems to transcend materialism in search of something greater: Genuine community rooted in shared experience. There are night trail rides to stargazing spots and sunset campground barbecues. With the picturesque cliffs of Moab as a backdrop, there's a lot of just hanging out to enjoy. Given our intensely work-focused culture, I get why people come back here year after year, just to disconnect for a few days with friends. There's also a lot less bench racing and stat-sheet obsession than I've observed in the sports car scene. The only metric that matters here is 'did you make it up the hill?' And really, all these Jeeps are capable enough to answer affirmatively. Photo by: Maddox Kay | Motor1 Jeep let us off-road its hand-built concept cars on a short loop trail, which tells you everything you need to know. What other automaker would assemble a group of journalists, toss them the keys to a fleet of unproven cars, point at a rock ledge and say, 'Have at it?' Eyebrow-raising name aside, I loved the J6 Honcho, a two-door pickup with a six-foot bed. It looks like a shortened Gladiator, but in reality, it rides on a four-door Wrangler platform. But my favorite was the Bug Out, a stripped-down Gladiator 4xe outfitted with power banks and a hammock for ultralight camping. Overlanding builds typically pack everything and the kitchen sink, and a lightweight camper with everything you need and nothing you don't is a statement on leaving no trace. Photo by: Jeep Photo by: Jeep Photo by: Jeep The more I drove the production Jeeps, the more I liked them, too. From the full-bore roar of the Wrangler 392 to the near-silent rock crawling of the 4xe, each variant had its own distinct charm and personality. In a world of homogenous, interchangeable crossover blobs, a Wrangler says its owner is adventurous, proud, and maybe a little stubborn. Who doesn't, on some level, want their car to make a statement about them? In recent years, Jeep has leaned into its military heritage to an extent that I would call "cringe." But with concepts like the Bug Out, Jeep proves it can look forward to a more hopeful America, not just wistfully back. Forget the "angry Jeep eyes;" the Wrangler is a deeply optimistic vehicle, and one we need right now. In many ways, the Wrangler represents an America we collectively no longer believe in, and that's a shame. No, it's not a particularly good car, at least if your daily commute consists of highways rather than mud bogs. But I respect its capability and commitment to what it stands for. So I won't roll my eyes when I see a Jeep trundling along at 50 on the highway (as long as it's in the right lane). I won't groan about inefficiency, loose steering, or a lack of amenities. There are many 4x4s, but only one Jeep, for better and for worse. And I finally understand why. Photo by: Maddox Kay | Motor1 The Latest From Jeep 2026 Jeep Compass: Everything We Know 2025 Jeep Wagoneer Overland Edition Is the One You Want Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Spectator
05-05-2025
- Spectator
When it comes to cheese, I'm Eurocentric
There are many reasons to like Kyrgyzstan. It has extraordinarily lovely women: some mad collision of Persian, Turkish, Russian, Mongol and Chinese genes makes for supermodels at every bus stop. It is safe, friendly, cheap. Its cities are commonly free of rubbish and graffiti (how does Central Asia do this, yet we cannot?). Despite these charms, it has few tourists. However, I can't say anything positive about the cheese – because the cheese is dreck. Last night I went to the Globus supermarket here in downtown Bishkek and bought a sample of the local fromage. When I got it home, it was like chewing a rubber toy: tasteless, over-firm, banal. In the end I was reduced to smothering it in Sriracha to make it vaguely flavoursome. And as I sat there in the dusty, fading Kyrgyz light, I had a cheesy epiphany. I began to ask myself: how come Central Asia doesn't make any decent cheese? They have plentiful grassland. They have sheep, goats, horses – even a few cows. Their national drink is mare's milk, so they're hardly lactose intolerant. Yet the cheese? Alas. From there, my questions expanded. Lack-of-decent-cheese is not a uniquely Central Asian phenomenon. Nowhere in Asia produces fine cheese. Same goes for South America: almost none whatsoever. Nada. Ditto Africa – nothing notable in the cheese aisle, sorry. How about North America and Australasia? Again, apart from a few artisans in Vermont or Victoria, there is basically none. I still remember a visit I made to a Wal-Mart in Natchez, Mississippi, where I discovered, as an excited cheese lover, that the cheese aisle was about a mile long. However, on inspection I found that this mile of cheese contained only four varieties: Cheddar, 'Jack Cheddar', Philadelphia and 'cheese shaped like characters out of Finding Nemo'. At that point I decided that North American cheese is only made to amuse western Europeans in its awfulness. And there's the cheesy rub – western Europeans. When you think about it, western Europe – our sweet, exquisite, compact little half-continent – makes literally all of the best cheese on the globe. I can name my top ten iconic global cheeses, and they are all European: Roquefort, Brie, Époisses, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, Buffalo Mozzarella, blue Stilton, proper Cheddar (with those salty crystals, mmm), Gruyère and feta. From France, Italy, Britain, Switzerland and Greece. Civilised Europe. Even if you dispute my top ten, the contenders bubbling under – Taleggio, Comté, Wensleydale, Manchego, aged Gouda, Camembert – are also western European. By now I had hurled my cheese in the bin and was briskly tucking into my (decent) Saperavi Georgian red wine, and my mind was similarly racing. Why is it only western Europe that makes great cheese? Yes, perhaps there is some distinct combination of settled culture, mild climate, pleasant cows, ambitious farms, even great caves for ageing. But I refuse to believe this is unique – because it isn't. And what goes for cheese also goes for: wine, dessert wine, most churches, classical music, chocolate, democracy, philosophy, beautiful towns (despite the graffiti), novels, paintings, sculpture, car design, romantic poetry, cobbled streets, scientific invention, sensible bin collection, the Enlightenment, mathematics, astronomy, high fashion, football, cricket, tennis, rugby, skiing, hockey (thank you, England), the Renaissance, Goethe, charcuterie, Raphael, the law of perspective, proper castles, village greens, toasted crumpets, toast, champagne, that little posh biscuit you get with an espresso in France, gin and tonic, Scotch whisky, calculus, the Beatles, snooker, Shakespeare, television, Picasso, Flaubert, Paris, Venice, Verona, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Bruges, Georgian housing, the piazza, Joyce, aperitifs, the theory of evolution, universities, habeas corpus, pizza, Freud, Aperol spritz, the internet, Isaac Newton and golf. They all come from western Europe – or they were adapted and absorbed by western Europe and then made so much better. As we did with cheese. We Europeans are basically the best at everything, especially cheese It is quite the list, is it not? It always surprises me that the Remain side in the Brexit campaign didn't go with something like this – something exuberantly positive. Something proudly saying: we are European as well as British, and we Europeans are basically the best at everything, especially cheese. How could you not want to be in on that? It would have ignored all the downsides of the EU (from the democratic deficit to the mess that is the euro) – but it might have won. And won easily. Why didn't they try it? Probably because it would have seemed jingoistic, or racist, or brash. Or perhaps because they were dim. Nonetheless, it would have spoken an important truth. Europe is not perfect, but culturally and intellectually it is the engine room of civilisation. Others have contributed great things, of course. China gave us paper and fireworks and bureaucracy. India gave us numerals, epic poetry and yoga. But only Europe managed to produce all of this – Catullus and croissants, opera and Oxford, marzipan and Michelangelo – and bind it into something coherent, something imitable, something global and wondrous. And the rest of the world knows this. Here in Bishkek they've just opened a pseudo-French café that serves decent cappuccinos, while local singers croon their way through covers of English-language songs. The shelves are stacked with Lindt and Toblerone; they all scoff cheesy pizzas and sandwiches. Western Europe is admired, envied, resented – and badly copied, often all at once. Half the world wants to live in Europe; the other half wants to be photographed next to it. Europe receives 50 per cent of all global tourism. Perhaps the most interesting of these complex, troubled global attitudes to Europe can be found in the United States. Because if you think Donald Trump, Elon Musk and J.D. Vance are crude American chauvinists, you're wrong. They may bluster, bark and bind themselves in Old Glory – but deep down they are disappointed children of Europe. They are not rejecting the Old World; they are a Kraft Single grieving Brie de Meaux. The modern American right looks across the Atlantic and sees the continent that gave them their ancestors, their laws, their language, their architecture, their religion, their art – and they see it weakening. They see Europe afraid to defend itself, ashamed of its past, unable to define its future. And like furious heirs watching a great family home fall into disrepair, they lash out. So that is what dreadful Kyrgyz cheese tells us about Donald J. Trump. Next I'm going to try the local biscuits. I fear they may not match a chocolate Leibniz.
