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Boxed cake mix isn’t a cheat. It’s a gift

My love for baking was born from a humble box of Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge. I had been attempting to make Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe for a chocolate-raspberry layer cake — my first attempt at baking a cake,…
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The Trump phone is here. Critics say it’s junk

Following months of controversy and delays, the new phone from Trump Mobile has finally shipped — though it faces immediate criticism of its quality and political scrutiny from customers and lawmakers alike. The T1 phone from Trump Mobile was first…
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RFK Jr.’s medical racism is to be expected

Since his confirmation as Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been a magnet for controversies, ranging from his shakeup of vaccine schedules and recommendations to his assertion that Americans “shouldn’t be taking medical advice from me.”…
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Dolly Parton launches new coffee line

Who knows about slogging over a 9-to-5 better than Dolly Parton? The queen of country music, whose 1980 hit “9 to 5” became an enduring anthem for working Americans, is now entering the coffee business with the launch of a…
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Revisiting the quiet joy of “My Neighbor Totoro”

Throughout July, The Swell is celebrating the lasting cultural inspiration of animator Hayao Miyazaki and the legendary films he created with Studio Ghibli. As part of GKIDS’ annual Studio Ghibli Fest, which kicked off in June, you can enjoy theatrical…
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How “Chopped” keeps us together

“I love bacon and chicharrónes, but I could never eat pork uterus,” I confess, wincing at our 60” Insignia television screen. “Foot soup doesn’t sound great, either,” my mother replies, squeamishly shaking her head. “But you’ve got to draw the…
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Summer travel kicks off with mixed forecast, rising costs

Memorial Day weekend is ushering in the unofficial start of summer with two competing realities for travelers: hurricane forecasters expect a quieter Atlantic season than recent years, but Americans heading out for summer vacations are facing rising travel costs fueled…
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