Latest news with #camping
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Walmart Is Selling a 'Fast' $70 Solar Phone Charger for Just $18, and Shoppers Say It's a 'Must-Have'
Parade aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. Walmart Is Selling a 'Fast' $70 Solar Phone Charger for Just $18, and Shoppers Say It's a 'Must-Have' originally appeared on Parade. Walmart has dropped the price of its bestselling Solpowben Solar Phone Charger to $18 from its regular $70, giving shoppers a chance to grab a backup charger without spending much. A lot of shoppers say they've bought it to have as a backup during camping trips, travel days, or power outages at home. It has two USB ports for charging more than one device at a time. Reviewers mention it being 'fast' and using it for phones, tablets, cameras, and e-readers while traveling. One reviewer even said, 'It charges my Galaxy A15 5G twice as fast as plugging it in does,' while another mentioned, 'It will recharge my phone three times on a remote trip.' One thing buyers appreciate is that you can recharge the power bank either through a regular wall outlet or by using the built-in solar panel when you're outdoors. 'I recommend everyone should have one for everyday use…and for emergency situations like power outages,' one shopper wrote, with another adding, 'It works great and holds a strong charge.' Some shoppers also mention getting a charge from the solar panel even on overcast days or when sitting near a sunny window: 'It charges even in cloudy weather, or indoors under a normal table lamp.'The 'must-have' built-in flashlight is another beloved feature. It has steady, SOS, and strobe settings, which several reviewers say have come in handy during blackouts or while camping. 'Its two LED lights also work well, and I haven't yet run it down even after daily use for an hour or more,' wrote one reviewer. With over 1,000 reviews and a 4.3-star average rating, shoppers call the Solpowben Solar Charger a reliable, affordable option that's worth having on hand for everything from outdoor adventures to emergencies at home. As one shopper put it, 'What can you say bad about this? Nothing! Go get one!' Grab yours while it's still under $20. Walmart Is Selling a 'Fast' $70 Solar Phone Charger for Just $18, and Shoppers Say It's a 'Must-Have' first appeared on Parade on May 31, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
The Guardian
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
This Is My Family review – cuddly comedy on a soggy camping holiday
Tim Firth's musical features a family meltdown on a soggy camping holiday. First premiering in 2013, its domestic fallouts might have been unconventional fare to set to song then. But it all seems rather soft and cuddly in its comedy now. Family members are slightly too recognisable in their traits: a middle-aged father (Michael Jibson) who has taken up free-running and never reads the instructions for his wonky DIY; a put-upon mother (Gemma Whelan) who senses her marriage has hit an iceberg; a bossy grandmother (Gay Soper) showing signs of dementia and a wacky aunt decked out in animal-print (Victoria Elliott) undergoing a mid-life sexual awakening. Also, most importantly, 13-year-old Nicky (Nancy Allsop), the youngest of the family and sister to stroppy teen Matt (Luke Lambert). She is our singing narrator, desperate to unite the parts of family life that are spinning out of control and away from each other. To that end, she writes a sort of wish-fulfilment essay on her 'perfect family' which wins her a holiday. She chooses camping, in the woods where her parents met as teenagers, to take them back to the beginning. Directed by Vicky Featherstone, they emerge out of what seems like a giant doll's house, as if to send up Nicky's 'perfect family' premise. The woodland in which they camp – beautifully evoked by set designer Chloe Lamford – bears the enchanted quality of Shakespeare's forest of Arden. There is no magic but comic shenanigans and inner transformations which are sweet, if predictable. All family tension and sadness is conveniently smoothed and remedied by the end. Song is what elevates the musical above a TV comedy. Characters confess inner turmoil or unhappiness in tune, set against a delicate harp and cellos. They also sing lines over and across each other, to mirror the crossed emotional wires between them. Whelan's numbers ooze wry humour, Allsop has a wonderful singing voice, and the few choral numbers soar. This family – a paragon of middle-English emotional repression – become open-hearted and vulnerable when they sing. It's twee, and a little slow in getting there, but the happy ending does melt your heart. This Is My Family is at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London until 12 July
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Aussie campsite 'more expensive than a three-bedroom house' as major change looms
An eye-opening example of the proposed new camping fees in NSW national parks shows how Aussie families will be expected to fork out almost $700 for a week-long camping trip during the school holidays. The shocking increase has experts fearing it will bring family traditions to an end, and rule out camping as the cheap holiday option that it once was. Adventurer and filmmaker Mike Atkinson, also known as Outback Mike, explained in a video to his followers that under the proposed changes, a campsite in high season would cost $679 per week. Comparatively, he found a three-bedroom house for rent just outside the national park that is listed at $600 a week. 'The main reason I was making that comparison is that someone is renting out this house and making a profit with all of the infrastructure and building that's gone into a house, and all National Parks has done is clear a patch of ground and put some dunnies and some facilities nearby,' Mike told Yahoo News. He also counted 89 campsites on the map, and concluded that a fully booked campsite would create more than $55,000 in revenue in just one week. Mike believes if the changes go through, there's no going back. 'It's never going to get cheaper after this,' he said. 'It'll block a whole bunch of people out that just will never be able to afford it. And it will also just discourage young people. Basically anyone who's not middle class with spare cash will really struggle to camp, so it'll just be a trend that less people camp, and it's for rich people or middle class. It'd be devastating, really, for a lot of people. 'It'll affect your kids your grandkids and everything. So it's really important.' The proposal will categorise all campsites into six tiers based on the facilities available, with each tier being more expensive. A simple clearing with no facilities will remain free, while campgrounds from tier 2 to tier 5 (which make up 85 per cent of sites) will range from $22 per night in high season for the most basic campground to $65 for sites that have water and access to a flushable toilet. The top campsites, tier 6, which have hot showers and BBQ facilities, will cost $89 per night. Campsite charges would also be linked to the consumer price index, meaning they'll increase annually. Seasonal pricing will also apply, with higher rates during peak periods and cheaper fees in the off-season. It would mark the first major fee update since 2017. Last week, the chance for residents to have their say about the controversial changes came to an end, with more than 23,000 submissions made. While it has caught the attention of politicians, Mike feels like it's still not enough and has now launched a new ePetition that residents of NSW can sign to keep momentum going. In the petition, Mike is pushing to keep camping affordable for all Australians and calls for three key changes: The NSW Government should fund national parks adequately instead of relying on camper fees Booking systems for campgrounds that did not have one prior to Covid should be removed An increase in the number of campsites commensurate with park visitation Once an ePetition has more than 20,000 signatures, it must be mentioned in Parliament. Mike is hoping for as many as possible, and said he would be thrilled to see 100,000 signatures. The motion is being backed by Nationals MP Scott Barrett, who said it is essential that national parks are 'accessible to as many people as possible'. 'They're everyone's assets, not just the top echelon,' he told Yahoo News. 'Everyone should be able to get into a national park, stay there the night, light a fire, roll out a swag and enjoy some of the best country that this state has to offer.' Mr Barrett recently spent six months with his family travelling around Australia with camper trailer where he stayed in national parks, and says this fight 'is personal'. 'We should be encouraging people to get out into these areas, not making it out of reach of a lot of people,' he said. If you're a NSW resident who is interested in signing the petition, you can find it here. It will remain open until August 21, 2025. Last week, NPWS assured Yahoo News "all feedback will be carefully considered" now the feedback window has closed, and "consistency and equity" for campers remains at the forefront of what authorities are trying to achieve. "No decisions have been made on the proposal," the NPWS spokesperson said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
Amazon Is Clearing Out the Beats Portable Speaker Stock, Now Down to an All-Time Low Just Before Summer
There's something truly special about having a quality Bluetooth speaker by your side, especially as summer approaches. Whether you're relaxing on a beach, chilling at a campsite or kicking back by a pool, surrounding yourself with good tunes will elevate any situation and you will be happy you had the chance to enjoy it. Amazon is running a deal where it has marked down the popular and iconic Beats Pill portable Bluetooth speaker to an all -time low, clearing out inventory just in time for summer. Right now, you can get this popular speaker for just $99, which is $50 cheaper than the original list price of $149. This summer's deal has already moved over 4,000 units in the last month with a rating of 4.6 out of 5-stars from more than 1,600 reviews. See at Amazon More Than a Speaker The Beats Pill is a speaker, but it's also a lifestyle accessory: The design is portable and instantly recognizable and the performance is impressive. The Pill can deliver deep and powerful sound and a room filled with sound thanks to a larger, custom racetrack woofer that displaces 90% more air volume than previous iterations. The bass comes with a punch when you crank it while hosting a backyard barbecue or chillin' when the only thing on your agenda is enjoying peace and quiet at the lake. The tweeter has also been redesigned for some extra stability for those nice crisp highs and rich mid-range tones, while the new woofer material and structure makes it easier to reduce low-end distortion even at reasonable volumes. No matter where you listen, it is dynamic and crystal clear. The battery life of the Beats Pill is nothing short of amazing and a single charge will last you approximately 24 hours: That is all day, and into the night with all of the music you could want. Plus, if your phone or other device needs a charge, the Pill can charge those devices via USB-C cable and save you from running out of power. It is rated IP67 dust and water-resistant, so you don't have to worry if you get sand on it, or a splash of water: It will hold up and even for sudden rain showers. The Beats Pill comes with a removable lanyard and soft-grip silicone backing which makes it easy to carry or to handle no matter where your summer adventures lead you. On top of the Bluetooth connection, audiophiles can enjoy high-resolution lossless audio when used via USB-C to a laptop or other desktop computers. If you want to get serious about sound and double the output, you can pair two Beats Pill speakers together in Amplify mode or Stereo mode. Either way, you will amplify the fun of listening to music. You might even get some extra friends over for the party? Amazon has the all-time lowest price available for the Pill just before the summer months, and now is your chance to get your very own Beats Pill! See at Amazon
CBC
2 days ago
- General
- CBC
Skin crawling surprise: Alberta woman says camping trip was ruined by dozens of ticks
Social Sharing A Calgary woman says a trip to a provincial campground turned into "a nightmare," after finding out her family was covered in about 30 ticks. In May, Gerri Kunneke, her husband Lloyd Rose, and their two dogs visited Gooseberry Lake Provincial Park in eastern Alberta near Consort, about 290 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, to camp in their trailer. The next day, Kunneke and her husband took their dogs for a walk around the park. "We decided that we actually wanted to … get closer to the lake and just see what shore birds [were] there," said Kunneke. She said they walked off the path, into tall grass, but said they were only in the brush for a few minutes. Later that night, back at their trailer, Kunneke's husband told her he felt something in his hair, and asked her to take a look for him. "I got up, [and] as I got near him, he said to me, 'Oh my, you've got something in your face, it's a tick' … on my cheek,'" said Kunneke. And that feeling in her husband's hair? It was also a tick. "It's truly a nightmare … every time you feel something on your skin, you think it's another one of them crawling," said Kunneke. "Even hours later I found something on my back and lo and behold, it was another tick that was embedded in my back." The incident at the provincial park surprised a tick expert, who says that area of Alberta isn't typically known for large tick populations. "Usually at this time of year, I would expect ticks to be on the … mountain side of Alberta, so it was really quite shocking to me to discover that in a provincial park on the Saskatchewan side of Alberta that the ticks were that bad," said Janet Sperling, president of Lyme Disease Canada. "There are places in Saskatchewan where it's been a problem for quite some time, but … it was really surprising to hear that Gooseberry Provincial Park had such a big tick problem." In a statement to CBC, the office of the Minister of Forestry and Parks said "Alberta is home to many species of ticks that can be found all across the province, including within provincial parks." Conditions where ticks thrive Ticks in the prairies, Sperling says, thrive in wet climates, and the parasites are able to survive cold winters. She says the tick population likely got to Gooseberry Lake Provincial Park either by hitching a ride with migratory birds, or deer. "I knew the ticks were coming in from Saskatchewan, but I hadn't realized they had arrived in quite such numbers," said Sperling, who says that large tick populations are more common in southern Alberta. Warning to campers After what happened at Gooseberry Lake Provincial Park, Kunneke wants the province to install warning signs for campers during peak tick season, which stretches from April to June. "It shakes your confidence, it's like, why was I not warned about this? … I could have been on the lookout, but no one is saying a word about it," said Kunneke. "[A tick] was walking on my face and he attached himself there, I felt nothing and I'm a well-educated, aware person." Sperling says campers should be armed with bug spray and a tick removal kit, and they should remain covered up. She says campers can further protect themselves with special clothing treated with bug spray. "If you do get bitten, remove that tick right away because you're reducing the chance it's actually transmitting anything." She says to keep the tick that burrows into your skin, and take it to a lab to be tested. "They can test for the diseases that you would expect in that tick, and it really helps to sort of guide you and the doctor to know what you're up against." Sperling says that levels of Lyme disease in Alberta ticks aren't super high, but in Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec, over 50 per cent of ticks carry Lyme disease. The province says that "Alberta Parks includes messaging in educational programming, reminding campers to check for ticks and how to be safe," urging campers to check the provincial website to find out more information.
