Stanley has just released its limited edition Valentine’s Day cups in Target stores across the US, and videos showing customers running and grabbing at them are going viral and causing some concern.
In one TikTok over the weekend, Mikayla Barberfilmed herself and a hoard of customers waiting in line before her local Target even opened. “Doors are open and they start running and pushing,” she wrote in the clip.
Barber documented the mad dash to secure a 40-ounce Stanley tumbler in one of the limited edition colors — Target red and “cosmo pink” — and said other customers were “starting to argue” over them. The clip garnered more than 873,000 views.
Other TikTokers captured the lines — reminiscent of Black Friday — outside several Target stores in the early morning hours before the cups were unveiled. As stores opened, customers stampeded toward the Stanley display.
One video captured people frantically grabbing several cups at a time despite a disembodied voice noting that there was a limit of two cups per person.
Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
The fervor for Stanley-branded drinkware isn’t surprising, given their cult status among young people. But the chaos captured in these viral videos could also be, in part, a result of how profitable the resale market for them has become — especially for limited edition colors of its largest tumblers.
Within days of its release, listings on eBay and Poshmark showed the red and pink cups going for over $100. One Poshmark seller already sold a set of the two cups for $190.
Despite their shiny profit margins, many commenters on TikTok say they’re appalled and “embarrassed” by such behavior.
“Grown ass adults behaving like 2 year Olds over a cup. it’s a cup,” one person wrote. “This is almost as embarrassing as rae dunn people,” another said, referring to the aggression some customers showed trying to secure Rae Dunn home goods at T.J. Maxx stores.
Stanley obsession has seemingly hit a fever pitch. But a youth consumer trend analyst recently told Business Insider that she thinks this is the zenith of its hype, and she predicts that the Stanley tumbler will no longer be as coveted in the coming months and years.
“They are absolutely on their way out. This is peak Stanley. There’s no up from here,” Casey Lewis told BI’s Katie Noutopoulos.
Stanley did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.
When the hot summer months hit, your dog will enjoy a frozen treat as much as you. These pupsicles, (popsicles for dogs), are a festive addition to any of your summer celebrations.
Split the ingredients into 4 even layers. Put a layer of yogurt on bottom of cup, layer on some strawberries, add more yogurt, layer on blueberries and top off with more yogurt. The ingredients should fill your cup about ¼ of the way. Insert the chew stick into the middle of the cup. Freeze overnight.
Carrara marble countertops are a popular choice because of their timeless elegance and natural appeal. Carrara marble has been used in European homes for countertops and backsplashes for many centuries, but it is a relatively recent addition in American homes. It first became popular in American kitchens in the first half of the 20th century. Since then, Carrara marble has become one of the most popular choices for countertops in recent years. This is one of the most universally popular natural stones in existence, and it will always have adoring fans.
Despite its beauty, Carrara marble is a more problematic material for countertops than other choices. In this article, we will take you through the basics so that you understand what you are taking on before you invest in a marble countertop.
White Carrara marble is a classic choice for countertops, but it is not the best option for some people or situations.
Pros:
Appearance – Carrara marble countertops have a traditional and elegant look that is hard to match. The veining is attractive and brings a natural texture to the kitchen or bathroom.
Resale – Using this stone on a kitchen or bathroom countertop can increase the value of your home and make it more attractive to potential buyers.
Longevity – With the proper maintenance, marble can last for many years and remain beautiful.
Cost – Carrara marble is one of the least expensive varieties of marble. If you are set on having marble countertops, this is a cost-effective choice.
Cooking prep– Marble stays cool to the touch, so it is a great work surface. However, it is not resistant to all heat, so do not set a hot pot on the surface of marble.
Cons:
Scratching and staining – Carrara marble is a soft and porous material that is easy to dent and scratch. It will also stain if you leave spills of tomato sauce or wine on the countertops.
Etching – The finish on the marble will etch or dull if acidic substances like citrus juice are left on the countertops.
Cost – Compared to countertops of other varieties like wood, laminate, and quartz, Carrara marble countertops are expensive.
Maintenance – These countertops are not low maintenance but require constant upkeep to keep looking beautiful.
Marble is a metamorphic stone that has been subjected to enormous pressure over time. It begins as limestone and is transformed into a harder and denser stone through recrystallization. Carrara marble is quarried in mountains in the Carrara region of Italy and is one of the most common types of marble in home design.
Carrara marble for countertops goes by many names, such as white Carrara marble or bianco Carrara. Carrara marble has a white or light gray background with feathery gray veining throughout. No two slabs ever look the same, as some have more dramatic veining than others. This means that it is vital to get your marble from the same slab when choosing Carrara marble for countertops.
Carrara marble is similar in appearance to the pricey Calacatta marble and Calacatta gold marble, but Carrara marble is one of the least expensive varieties of white marble. Even so, the look of luxurious Carrara marble countertops elevates the style of any kitchen or bathroom.
Caring
Countertops in a busy kitchen or bathroom can take a beating, but with care, your Carrara marble countertops can be gorgeous for many years.
Maintain with a sealer
Make sure that you are sealing your marble countertops on a regular basis, or at least once a year. A sealant is not difficult to apply. First, make sure the countertop is clean and dry. Next, apply a penetrating sealant with a soft cloth. Let the countertop dry before use.
Keep it clean
The most important thing is keeping the countertops clear of things that will etch or stain them. Wipe down the counters every day to make sure they are dry and clean. Do not use abrasive cleaners on a regular basis.
Deal with stains and etches
If your countertops are etched or stained, use a more aggressive and specialized cleaner to deal with these marks. Once you have cleaned with a stronger cleaner to the best of your ability, you will need to reseal the area that you cleaned. Honed Carrara marble countertops will hide more imperfections than polished marble.
Avoid harsh chemicals
Do not use harsh cleaners that contain acid or allow acidic substances like lemon juice or vinegar to sit on the counters. These substances will quickly etch the surface of the countertop and mar or dull the finish.
Prevent damage
Actively prevent damage to your countertops by always using cutting boards when working with knives. Also, use trivets or hot plates for hot cookware. Marble is susceptible to scratches and heat damage, so prevention of damage is vital. Chipping and cracking are also common on marble countertops. Be careful when handling heavy objects around the Carrara countertops, and use preventative measures when possible.
Learn to live with imperfections
Carrara marble will develop imperfections over time, but this is part of an overall patina that can be attractive in its own way. Learn to appreciate this patina by accepting that the wear and tear on the countertops is part of a well-used and loved kitchen.
Carrara Marble Countertop Designs
Marble is a luxurious addition to any room of the home. Carrara marble is a popular addition to the kitchen, but Carrara marble bathroom countertop options are beautiful too. We have rounded up some stunning images so you can gather inspiration.
Carrara marble kitchen countertops and decorative backsplash
Carrara marble countertops are a timeless option, but they can look fresh and modern too. These owners have paired the classic look of marble counters and white cabinets with these stunning mosaic tiles. These tiles and countertops work well with the warm textural decor, like the window blind and wood floors.
Carrara white marble countertops with earthy tones
The contrast of these medium toned green cabinets with the white Carrara marble countertops is striking. The designer has added earthy elements, including the woven sconces and basket, to balance the smoothness of the counters and backsplash.
A marble backsplash with Carrara marble countertops
A continuous marble slab is also popular as a backsplash option. The simple and unfussy look of this backsplash complements the flat and modern cabinet style in this kitchen.
Give your kitchen a look of quiet sophistication with a pairing of white marble and dark blue cabinets. The key to this look is a sense of openness and space. The white open shelves blend with the white walls and the marble countertops, creating a harmonious color story.
In this bathroom, the designer uses a blend of Carrara marble on every available surface, giving it an opulent yet simple look. Gold fixtures, the bright element of the design, are used as spare accents.
This kitchen has a modern and sleek design with flat fronted cabinets and leather pulls. The soft gray color echoes the veining in the marble and provides contrast to the white subway tile backsplash.
Carrara marble may be out of the price range for some, but you might consider a laminate option. This kitchen is from blogger/designer Sarah Jane Christy. She chose to use a thick laminate marble look-alike with a crescent edge for the laminate countertop. This choice means that there is no exposed raw edge, creating a more authentic marble appearance.
This bathroom is a meeting place between the old and the new in the style of modern-traditional. The homeowners have paired the sleek and tailored mirrors with a sumptuous vanity. The interplay between the dark mahogany vanity base and the white Carrara top is effective.
Beyond just the use of marble for a counter, marble sinks elevate the look of the kitchen. The drain lines on the countertop leading to the sink are practical as well as elegant.
White marble works with many house design styles: modern, traditional, and farmhouse. It also looks beautiful with a clean and airy contemporary style. The woven pendant lights and bar stools bring a comfortable warmth to the sleek design.
One of the benefits of marble countertops is their timeless character. They look stunning in many different styles, including this traditional kitchen. The contrast between the elegant countertops and the simple shaker cabinets is striking.
Gay, facing calls for resignation, later apologized for the answer. (Penn’s president resigned in December; MIT’s remains.)
More recently, past plagiarism accusations against Gay came to light. While the Harvard Corporation and faculty members backed Gay, the pressure continued. Gay appeared to allude to the plagiarism allegations in her resignation letter.
She also said that it was “frightening to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus,” which the Harvard Corporation also seemed to address in its statement.
The full statement from the Harvard Corporation reads:
Dear Members of the Harvard Community,With great sadness, we write in light of President Claudine Gay’s message announcing her intention to step down from the presidency and resume her faculty position at Harvard.First and foremost, we thank President Gay for her deep and unwavering commitment to Harvard and to the pursuit of academic excellence. Throughout her long and distinguished leadership as Dean of Social Science then as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences – where she skillfully led the FAS through the COVID-19 pandemic and pursued ambitious new academic initiatives in areas such as quantum science and inequality – she demonstrated the insight, decisiveness, and empathy that are her hallmark. She believes passionately in Harvard’s mission of education and research, and she cares profoundly about the people whose talents, ideas, and energy drive Harvard. She has devoted her career to an institution whose ideals and priorities she has worked tirelessly to advance, and we are grateful for the extraordinary contributions she has made – and will continue to make – as a leader, a teacher, a scholar, a mentor, and an inspiration to many.We are also grateful to Alan M. Garber, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, who has served with distinction in that role for the past twelve years – and who has agreed to serve as Interim President until a new leader for Harvard is identified and takes office. An economist and a physician, he is a distinguished and wide-ranging scholar with appointments at Harvard Medical School, Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. We are fortunate to have someone of Alan’s broad and deep experience, incisive judgment, collaborative style, and extraordinary institutional knowledge to carry forward key priorities and to guide the university through this interim period.These past several months have seen Harvard and higher education face a series of sustained and unprecedented challenges. In the face of escalating controversy and conflict, President Gay and the Fellows have sought to be guided by the best interests of the institution whose future progress and well-being we are together committed to uphold. Her own message conveying her intention to step down eloquently underscores what those who have worked with her have long known – her commitment to the institution and its mission is deep and selfless. It is with that overarching consideration in mind that we have accepted her resignation.We do so with sorrow. While President Gay has acknowledged missteps and has taken responsibility for them, it is also true that she has shown remarkable resilience in the face of deeply personal and sustained attacks. While some of this has played out in the public domain, much of it has taken the form of repugnant and in some cases racist vitriol directed at her through disgraceful emails and phone calls. We condemn such attacks in the strongest possible terms.The search for a new president of the university will begin in due course. We will be in further touch about the process, which will include broad engagement and consultation with the Harvard community in the time ahead.For today, we close by reiterating our gratitude to President Gay for her devoted service to Harvard, as well as to Provost Garber for his willingness to lead the university through the interim period to come. We also extend our thanks to all of you for your continuing commitment to Harvard’s vital educational and research mission – and to core values of excellence, inclusiveness, and free inquiry and expression. At a time when strife and division are so prevalent in our nation and our world, embracing and advancing that mission – in a spirit of common purpose — has never been more important. We live in difficult and troubling times, and formidable challenges lie ahead. May our community, with its long history of rising through change and through storm, find new ways to meet those challenges together, and to affirm Harvard’s commitment to generating knowledge, pursuing truth, and contributing through scholarship and education to a better world.The Fellows of Harvard College
Penny Pritzker, Senior Fellow Timothy R. Barakett, Treasurer Kenneth I. Chenault Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar Paul J. Finnegan Biddy Martin Karen Gordon Mills Diana L. Nelson Tracy P. Palandjian Shirley M. Tilghman Theodore V. Wells, Jr.
Mike Clark is a Chicago-based writer, lifelong dog lover, and former professional dog walker who’s been covering pets for over almost a decade. He served as Managing Editor of DogTime and CatTime and occasionally writes jokes and comedy as a side hustle.
A prominent Russian politician fell out of a third-story window last week, adding to Russia’s growing toll of suspicious high-profile deaths.
Vladimir Egorov, a politician in Putin’s United Russia party, was found dead outside his Tobolsk home on Wednesday after falling from a third-story window, Russian media outlets reported.
According to a CNN report citing Russia’s Kommersant newspaper, Egorov was just 46 at the time of his death.
Russia’s state-run media service TASS reported the politician was found dead in Toblosk, the city where he lived. Baza, an unofficial Telegram channel with links to national security services, clarified that the politician was found dead in the courtyard outside his home, per CNN’s report.
An autopsy is underway to confirm details of Egorov’s death, which couldn’t be confirmed by investigators at the time, Kommersant reported. Investigators found no “external signs of criminal death” on his body, the outlet said.
Egorov’s death adds to a string of mysterious high-profile deaths in Russia, which include public figures and prominent businessmen falling out of windows, death by suicide, or otherwise dying of unclear or bizarre circumstances.
But not all of those who have died under mysterious circumstances were overtly anti-Putin. Anna Tsareva, an editor at a pro-Putin newspaper who was found dead in her apartment in mid-December, TASS originally reported. Her death comes about a year after the death of her boss, editor-in-chief Vladimir Nikolayevich Sungorkin, who was also known to be a Putin supporter.
Claire Primo, CVT, ACMT, FFP, is a veterinary nurse and certified animal massage therapist residing in Lyons, Colo. She specializes in senior pet care, holistic veterinary nurse care, and empowering guardians with the tools and guidance needed for a healthy and nurturing relationship with their pets through her veterinary nurse practice, Peak Animal Wellness & Massage. Follow her Facebook page here and her Instagram page here.
A woman in Florida is suing Hershey, claiming its Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins and other holiday products are not as cute as they appear on their packaging.
Cynthia Kelly filed the class action lawsuit on Friday in Florida Middle District Court, according to court records. The lawsuit demands a trial by jury.
The complaint alleges that “several” Reese’s Peanut Butter products contain specific carved-out artistic designs on their packaging that are not present on the actual product inside. The document points to the Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins and the Reese’s White Chocolate Ghosts, which are typically sold in October around Halloween, as examples.
“Reese’s Pieces Pumpkins are pictured on the product label as containing carved out eyes and a mouth as follows,” the lawsuit says. “However, the actual Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins product contains no carvings for the eyes and mouth.”
A side-by-side comparison of photos included in Cynthia Kelly’s lawsuit against Hershey, showing the Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkin on its packaging (left), and a Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkin (right).
United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Hershey did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider on Sunday.
The lawsuit also takes issue with the Reese’s Peanut Butter Footballs, which have carved out laces on their packaging, but instead “look like an egg” when viewing the actual product.
The complaint claims that the products’ labels are “materially misleading” and that “numerous consumers have been tricked and misled” by their packaging.
The suit includes links to several YouTube videos of people who opened Reese’s products and were disappointed in the product inside compared to the one pictured.
“Reese’s what are you doing! Look at the picture on the packet. It’s like a pumpkin with faces and a little mouth — then you open up the packet and you are presented with that monstrosity,” the lawsuit quotes from one YouTube reviewer.
The lawsuit also quotes another reviewer who said they were “a little disappointed” to find that the pumpkin had no face carved into it and was instead a “chocolate blob”.”
The lawsuit alleges that Hershey changed the packaging of Reese’s products to “boost sales and revenues” within the last three years.
Consumers are suing brands for what they say is deceptive advertising
Hershey is not the only company slapped with a class-action lawsuit for misleading advertising this year.
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, previously told BI that the suit against Buffalo Wild Wings is weak because in order to justify a class action lawsuit, damages have to be “substantial.”
“You’re getting all white meat chicken breast,” Rahmani said. “Have you really suffered any damage?”
Kelly’s lawsuit against Hershey claims that it falls under the class action jurisdiction because the “matter in controversy” exceeds the amount of $5 million and affects more than 100 people.
Covering the pet world for more than 30 years, Melissa L. Kauffman has been an editor/writer for a wide variety of pet magazines and websites from the small critters and parrots to cats and dogs. Her advisory team of pets — rescue dogs Tampa Bay and Murphy Brown, plus Cirneco dell’Etna Liberty Belle and rescued parrots Deacon and Pi-Pi — help keep her on top of the latest and greatest pet health research, training and products, anything to give keep them in the high life they are accustomed to. Follow Tampa and his crew on Instagram @tampa.bay.pup.report while Melissa can always be found working on the next issue of Catster and Dogster magazines at caster.com and dogster.com. Contact her ONLY at [email protected]. (Any email not from belvoir.com is not this Melissa L Kauffman.)