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Buzz Feed
10-07-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
Adults Reveal Special Things Their Parents Did For Them
Most of us never realize everything our parents did to make our childhoods special. From holiday traditions to family vacations, kids often take these special, wholesome things for granted. However, once we grow up, gain perspective, and perhaps even become parents ourselves, we can appreciate just how magical our childhoods truly were, all thanks to our parents... That's why when Redditor u/MisterRocCity asked, "What was something your parents did for you as a child that you didn't fully appreciate until you became an adult?" adults were more than happy to share the heartwarming ways their parents made their childhoods special. From secret science labs to parental chauffeurs— here are 19 of their sweetest memories: "Beginning around age seven, I had an insatiable desire to write. I would write pages and ramblings almost every day, whether it was full accounts of my day, idealized accounts of my day, stories set in fantasy worlds, or long, dialogue-only scenes. I always gave them to my mom, and she would read them all the way through." "My parents were adamant about not raising 'iPad kids' so we had very limited screen time. We could only use the family desktop if we wanted to play games. If we wanted to talk to friends, we had to use the landline. We could only watch TV a few hours a day after chores and school were finished." "I had terrible menstrual cramps when I was in middle school. Every month I had to go to the school nurse, and she'd call my mom to come get me." "My parents built a secret room in our house and filled it with lab supplies — rocks and minerals, a kaleidoscope, a magnifying glass, books, a microscope, a chemistry kit, and all other kinds of Tandy and Radio Shack stuff we got to discover on our own. Whenever we went into the room, there would always be something new." "When I was sick, my parents would give me a little bell that I could ring if I needed something. Now I realize they were doing it so I didn't have to yell for them if I had a sore throat or felt too sick. I never had to wait more than a minute for them to help me." "When I was in tenth grade, I had a difficult biology course. Both of my parents studied with me and made up songs for me to use as mnemonic devices." "My parents worked hard to educate us outside of school hours: Taking trips to museums, teaching us to research things at the library, staying in historic hotels, going on nature hikes, camping trips, etc. My mom also ran two Girl Scout troops (one for me and one for my sister)." "My parents pinched pennies on everything except for a big family vacation every summer. We had a 30+ year old kitchen, a small house, 20-year-old cars, shopped the sales, etc., so they could afford to take us traveling." "My mom let me pick out my clothes, they were always within a reasonable budget and age-appropriate, but when we shopped for them, I got to pick what I wanted. I took it for granted that I should have that choice." "My parents (specifically my dad) didn't want me to have a job as a teenager, but all my friends were getting jobs and earning money, and I wanted to do the same." "Starting in late elementary school, my mom let us decide if we were too sick to go to school. At the time, I hated it because on days when I'd wake up with a headache or a stuffy nose, I really just wanted her to give me the out and tell me I could stay home because I knew I was well enough to go in but didn't want to." "My parents took me to Disney when I was little. I'm nearly 50, single, with no kids, and the realization hit me last year. I started tearing up when I thought about it. I saw something on TV that showed lines at Disney, and I thought, 'Wow, there are a lot of parents who have to stand in those lines for rides. I'm glad it's not me.'" "My dad was the official 'taxi.' He always wanted me to get home safe, so he would come to get me at 11:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday." "My parents encouraged and supported my love of reading. They read to me, taught me how to read before I was in school, let me order books from Scholastic magazines and buy books at the book fair (one of my absolute favorite events at school), and took me on weekly trips to the library where I felt like Matilda with my wagon of books." "I did appreciate it at the time, but the fullness didn't hit me until a year later: My dad took me to get my first gender-affirming haircut before I came out to him. He didn't say anything about it other than offering to show me how to trim it myself and style it with light gel." "My brother and I loved school and needed intellectual stimulation, so every summer, my mother would make school-like activities at home for us. She worked at our school, so she had summers off with us, and we'd do themed weeks where we learned about different things." "My mom is and has always been 'Mrs. Make-it-happen.' A good example of this was once when my siblings and I wanted the ultimate sleepover with all of our cousins at our house. I didn't know at the time, but my parents were low on funds, but it didn't stop them from giving us what we wanted." "I'm thankful my mom homeschooled me. Having been diagnosed with ADHD and getting tested for autism now as an adult, I would NOT have done well or had a good time in public school. I would have been severely bullied for being 'weird' and fallen behind academically because of my difficulties learning in the standard ways. I never thought of it as a big deal, but looking back, I am so incredibly grateful that she did that for me." "My mom grew up deprived of life's 'simple pleasures', so when she became an adult and had five kids, she made sure we got to enjoy the little simplicities. She would buy us chocolates for Valentine's Day or celebrate St. Patrick's Day with the green and pinching, etc." Which one of these memories was your favorite? What was something special your parents did that you didn't appreciate until you were an adult? Tell us in the comments or answer anonymously using the form below!
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
This is the first ever picture clicked on a cell-phone!
Taking a photo today is second nature—you pull out your phone, tap the screen, and capture the moment in an instant. It's casual, seamless, and deeply woven into the fabric of everyday life. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now We don't think twice before sending a selfie, sharing a sunset, or preserving memories with a single click. But what we now take for granted is the result of years of innovation, experimentation, and a dash of tech magic. B efore smartphones and cloud storage, before Instagram and camera rolls, there was one moment—one photograph—that started it all. And it happened on June 11, 1997, in a hospital room in California. How did the first ever picture come to be? On June 11, 1997, engineer and tech entrepreneur Philippe Kahn sat in the maternity ward of Sutter Maternity Center in Santa Cruz, California. His wife was in labor, and as he waited for their daughter to arrive, Kahn decided he didn't just want to take a photo—he wanted to share it instantly. But there were no smartphones then. No Instagram. No instant sharing. So Kahn improvised. Using a Motorola StarTAC flip phone, a Casio QV digital camera that shot low-res 320x240 pixel images, and a Toshiba 430CDT laptop, he built a system from scratch right there in the hospital. The setup was wired so that when he took a photo, it would automatically upload the image to his web server, then send out email alerts to friends and family with a link to view it online. This wasn't just a photo—it was the first time an image was captured and sent directly from a mobile phone. Kahn had already been working on a concept called 'Picture Mail', a vision for sending photos instantly via a server-based system. As he told IEEE Spectrum, he wanted to be the 'Polaroid of the 21st century,' bringing to life a digital version of the instant camera. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Still, he hadn't developed consumer-ready hardware to make the system easy to use. But time—and necessity—sparked invention. 'I had always wanted to have this all working in time to share my daughter's birth photo,' Kahn said. 'But I wasn't sure I was going to make it.' Luckily for Kahn (and not so luckily for his wife), she was in labor for 18 hours—long enough for him to put his Frankenstein rig together. He had most of the tech on hand, and what he didn't have, an assistant quickly grabbed from a local Radio Shack. As Kahn put it, 'It's always the case that if it weren't for the last minute, nothing would ever get done.' A single photo that sparked a revolution That day, the first photo ever sent from a mobile phone was shared with the world—and though it was a humble 320x240-pixel image of a newborn, it marked the beginning of a technological revolution. We've come a long way since then. Today, more than 1.8 trillion photos are taken each year, mostly from phones that are thinner than a paperback but smarter than computers from the '90s. And it all began with a father, a hospital room, and a dream to share a moment instantly. We've never looked back since.
Miami Herald
25-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Iconic retailer returns after 13 years to take on Amazon
When we were younger, we all had that one store in our neighborhood where we felt at home. Whether that was a local stationery shop, a sporting goods store, an outdoor one, a bookstore, or an electronics store, it was a place we loved to be. We wouldn't necessarily buy something every time we visited, but would at least browse and explore what was new. Related: Beloved taco brand making post-Chapter 11 bankruptcy return We would usually know where every product was shelved, know the staff by their name, and probably know something about their families as well. If you are able to relate to Young Sheldon's obsession with Radio Shack at least a little bit, then you know what I'm talking about. It's very disappointing when these kinds of stores close down, isn't it? Unfortunately, harsh economic conditions over the last two decades have killed so many retailers, and even large chains were impacted. Covid was the knockout for so many brick-and-mortar stores across the globe. Even before the pandemic, retailers felt the so-called "Amazon Effect," or the disruptive effect of e-commerce on the global retailer industry. Now, one beloved retailer that was forced to close its doors 13 years ago is rising from the ashes, and it has plans to compete with Amazon (AMZN) . Comet Electricals Limited is a UK online electrical retailer and a former electronics retail chain that was founded back in 1933 by George Hollingbery as a business charging batteries on a weekly basis. In the 1950s it opened its first electrical store and expanded rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s, going public in 1972. It was sold to Woolworths Group in 1984, then to Kesa in 2003. In 2011, after ongoing losses, Comet was acquired for £2, but the company entered administration and closed all 240 stores by December 2012, leading to the loss of 6,500 jobs. Comet remained dormant for about eight years until Misco Technologies revived it as an online-only retailer in 2020. More Retail: Walmart shares new service that's better than AmazonTarget CEO sounds alarm on customer behaviorNike delivers bad news for customers In May 2025, Comet was acquired by which plans to invest £10 million in the brand's relaunch as an internet-only store. The company expects to launch the new Comet website by Christmas 2025 as an online marketplace where electrical goods manufacturers can market and sell their products, according to the Mirror. The brand has no plans to return to the high street yet. "I am so excited, so thrilled," said founder of OnBuy, Cas Paton. "Growing up, I went to Comet to get what I needed. It was a brand that was close to me personally. We want to bring Comet back to the UK consumer. It's a household name that we estimate is recognized by 70% of UK adults." When it relaunches, Comet will face harsh competition, including online conglomerate Amazon, but also another British electric retail chain, Currys. Nonetheless, Paton is confident in the power of the iconic brand. "Comet is a brand long associated with offering the very best deals in home appliances and consumer electronics," Paton told InsiderMedia. "Its heritage is one that we want to protect and enhance using our innovative technology and business model." Related: McDonald's announces major store change to win back customers He added that OnBuy already links millions of customers with leading brands and retailers. "We're not just reviving a name; we're reimagining what trusted electronics retail looks like in a digital-first economy." Paton's strategy, beyond leveraging a well-known name, includes a broader offering and competitive pricing. "We will be ultra-competitive and undercut Currys and Amazon." The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
RadioShack Closes 1 of Its Last Locations But Plots a Comeback
An iconic store chain that reached its peak in the 1990s has closed one of its last-ever locations in the U.S., but it's plotting a comeback there. The chain is RadioShack, and its last location in Maryland has just closed for good. According to NBC Washington, the RadioShack was located in Prince Frederick and decided to close its doors in late April 2025 after its owner Michael King died. Although it may feel like a relic from the 1980s and 1990s, the RadioShack chain still has a website and sells products online and at some locations. Its website also says it remains successful in other countries. The Maryland store was "being liquidated" with all products half off, the television station reported, adding that some customers were distraught by the end of an era. 'I'm very sad; I'll start crying,' customer Joann Faber Tyrell said to the television station. The store lasted for more than 50 years, NBC Washington reported.. According to Maryland Matters, when King died in January, his son Edward King took over the store. The site noted that Radio Shack declared bankruptcy in 2015 and the Kings kept using the name but bought their products "from other wholesalers." 'It was fun while it lasted, but it's not the same anymore,' King said to Maryland Matters. 'I know my dad realized that.' He added: "It's the end of an era." RadioShack has only six "brick-and-mortar" stores left in the U.S., according to Taste of Country, although its website lists several dozen authorized dealers that can sell the company's products but don't operate under its name. The company's website lists seven stores still carrying the RadioShack name in the U.S.; they are in Woodstock, VA; Bozeman, MT; Brodheadsville, PA; Lenoir, NC; Newland, NC; Sevierville, TN; and Layton, UT. According to Fox40, RadioShack stores started to close stores in 2010, the "victim of changing tech trends and disruptive competitors like Amazon." In 2015, when the company filed for bankruptcy, it had 1,500 stores in the United States, Fox40 reported. In 2014, according to CNN, RadioShack had a whopping 5,200 stores. According to Venture Beat, RadioShack had more than 8,000 stores in 1999, its heyday. However, after a sale, the company is now plotting a comeback, Venture Beat reported in January 2025. The company says as much on its website. Its "new owner is pledging a comeback and is showcasing 380 products at CES, the big tech trade show in Las Vegas," the Venture Beat site reported. "RadioShack is an iconic American chain of consumer electronics stores since 1921. For over a century, RadioShack has been the go-to destination for tech, offering a wide range of products from innovative gadgets to essential electronic components," the company's' website says. "Unicomer Group acquired the RadioShack franchise in El Salvador in January 1998 with the vision of expanding it throughout Central America, the Caribbean with a presence in over 20 countries. This successful partnership allowed RadioShack to become the go-to destination for any tech needs in every country it operates, continuing its legacy of offering technology products and accessories to a wider audience," it adds. "Unicomer Group, through its affiliate Global Franchising Corporation (GFC), acquired RadioShack's intellectual property assets and domains in about 70 countries around the world, including the United States and Canada, Europe, and China," the website continued. RadioShack is trying to make a comeback, the company confirmed. "RadioShack is coming back in the US with an extensive product selection that ensures our customers they will find exactly what they need to carry on with day-to-day lives or transform their home and office. Our electronics range including: music and audio equipment, gaming equipment, business traveling products, dependable computer accessories and more," the website says.
Miami Herald
06-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Huge retail chain closing more stores soon (locations revealed)
Business Huge retail chain closing more stores soon (locations revealed) You may not realize it, but you pass by a lot of turmoil during your errands or work commute every day. On that trip, you probably pass by a handful of shopping plazas, restaurants, and perhaps a mall. Related: Popular fitness brand franchisee files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Many of those businesses, which we all tend to take for granted unless we really need something, have been fighting an uphill battle for years. It began in the late 2000s, when, thanks to the internet, more people sought things like clothing and household goods online. That first round of disruption took out a good number of retailers; consider once-popular places like Radio Shack, Toys R Us, and Blockbuster. But things really heated up in the early 2020s. Many legacy retail chains, particularly those clustered around malls, had been hanging on for years. They'd absorbed a lot of excess foot traffic, precisely because they were located in popular areas. It wasn't the most lucrative model in the world, but it was a relatively stable way to make a reliable income. Until, of course, Covid swept the globe and suddenly, malls seemed to fall out of favor overnight. JCPenney has been struggling for years. Image source:Mall retailers have been hit hard Of course, the declining trend of the shopping mall has been happening over a much longer, more complicated arch. It can't be pinned on Covid or the internet alone. In the 1980s and 1990s, when malls were one of the most prevalent shopping locales, the average U.S. consumer spent about 12 hours inside one per month. That sounds excessive now, but back then, the average mall hosted over 100 stores. Nowhere else could you gain that kind of access to such variety all in one place. So it was almost a given that you'd spend your weekends there. More closings: But consumers typically follow the path of least resistance. Now, the internet offers us access to thousands of retailers, and ordering what we need is an even smoother process. Plus, malls typically charge their tenants outsized rents for the privilege of being located within a massive shopping hub. But these rents are harder to justify when your foot traffic numbers simply aren't what they used to be. So many high-value tenants have been leaving, which leaves many mall retailers - particularly those large anchor stores - with even less of a draw. Top mall retail chain closing more stores soon Such is the case for JCPenney. The iconic mall anchor store was at one time synonymous with the prowess of American capitalism; it sold everything from furniture to formalwear. Now, however, the retailer has been mired in difficulty. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020 after the worst of Covid. Its massive fleet of over 2,000 stores at the height of its popularity made it difficult to be agile in a changing consumer climate; shifting operations online was cumbersome and slow. Related: Walmart beating Costco in trillion-dollar race (but it's close) Presently, JCPenney operates just over 600 stores, and it continues to close more. And now it plans to close seven stores by the end of May 2025. Those stores are: The Shops at Tanforan – San Bruno, California The Shops at Northfield – Denver, Colorado Pine Ridge Mall – Pocatello, Idaho West Ridge Mall – Topeka, Kansas Fox Run Mall – Newington, New Hampshire Asheville Mall – Asheville, North Carolina Charleston Town Center – Charleston, West Virginia It had planned to shutter an eighth store at the Westfield Annapolis mall location in Annapolis, MD but has since reversed course on that decision. The store will remain open until at least August 31, 2025, after it extended its lease. The closures are not related to JCPenney's ongoing merger with SPARC Group, which formed Catalyst Brands. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc. This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 9:06 AM.
