Jan 27, 2025

Junk in the Trunk

Junk in the Trunk is a slang term that refers to someone with a "fuller rear end." I know that because while my own slang awareness ends at the outskirts of greater London circa 1994, I asked Samsung's new AI assistant, Bixby—about whom you'll be reading more later—what the phrase means. It's also a hip-hop track by a group called the 69 Boyz, featuring JT Money, and the lyric: "turn on the bass, let's start a earthquake." Tronchón, meanwhile, is a cheese that is mentioned in "Don Quixote" and is produced in the same region of Northeastern Spain where the famous novel you haven't read is set. I was looking up foreign cheeses in an alphabetical list of cheeses this week, as one does, and the website's embedded AI translator mistranslated "Tronchón" to "Trunk." This is all an explanation that today's cheese pun is the result of AI tilting at windmills, Don Quixote–style.

Whereas Tronchón, as we all know, is actually an Old French word that means "a broken off piece" or "a stump." It is the root of the English word "truncheon," which is something the police use to persuade suspects to comply with their directives. So do what you're told and read the Cheddlines.

Four more yearzzz!

—Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor

P.S. We've got the smoothest-running robot you've ever seen, on our 'gram.

Quote of the Day

"AI was the big theme of the entire event." — Tom Spoonauer

Read the story

1. Top Walmart Managers Could Earn a Whole Lot More Than You

Walmart has announced significant pay raises for some of its top managers, a notable shift in the compensation strategy of America's largest retail chain. Market managers, who oversee around a dozen stores each, will see their total compensation, including bonuses and stock awards, leap from a range of $320,000–$570,000 to $420,000–$620,000. The starting base pay for the market manager position will also see a nearly 25% increase to $160,000.

The adjustment is part of a larger initiative by the company to invest in its employees, impacting both hourly and salaried roles across the United States. Last year, Walmart adjusted its salary packages, increasing the starting salary for store managers to an average of $128,000 and modifying the bonus structure to prioritize store profits alongside sales. It also introduced a new bonus program for hourly employees, rewarding loyalty with bonuses based on years of service, up to a $1,000 maximum for those with 20 years at the company.

Can you imagine getting a thousand-dollar check after working at Walmart for 20 years?

Walmart is experiencing robust business growth, with sales in U.S. stores growing about 5% in the last quarter compared to the previous year, and profits increasing by 8%. The retail giant continues to attract higher-income customers, expand its grocery business, and compete online, showing a 22% sales growth in the U.S. last quarter.

Walmart employs more than 400 market managers, supervising over 4,600 stores nationwide. It made a net profit of $15 billion last year and CEO Doug McMillan earned $25 million. Rival Costco made $7 billion last year and paid its CEO a paltry $12.2 million. Costco's retail staff are threatening to strike if their pay demands aren't met by the end of the month. Perhaps Walmart is hoping to avoid any such brouhaha? Read More

2. Which Companies Are Pulling Back on Diversity Initiatives?

Speaking of avoiding a brouhaha, several major U.S. companies have curtailed their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which gained momentum after George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police officers ignited a national reckoning over systemic racism in 2020.

Following a Supreme Court decision that deemed affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional, conservative activists have challenged similar workplace programs. These challenges have impacted corporate sponsorships, employee groups, and preferential hiring practices.

Let's take a good look at the companies reducing their DEI efforts, shall we?

Target: Ended programs enhancing career opportunities for Black employees, discontinued DEI goals, and withdrew from effectiveness surveys like the Human Rights Campaign's annual index.
Meta: Dismantled its DEI team, ended the "diverse slate approach" in hiring, and shifted focus to unbiased practices for all backgrounds.
Amazon: Is phasing out unspecified DEI programs by end of 2025, focusing on proven programs and fostering inclusive culture company-wide.
McDonald's: Stopped specific diversity objectives for senior leadership and supplier diversity training programs, while pausing external surveys.
Walmart: Ended a commitment to an equity racial center and participation in the Corporate Equality Index, changed policies on supplier contracts, and removed certain products targeted at LGBTQ+ minors.
Ford: Exited the Corporate Equality Index and prioritized resources on customer and team engagement over public discussion on polarizing issues.
Lowe's: Consolidated employee resource groups and stopped participating in the HRC index and sponsoring events unrelated to business.
Harley-Davidson: Reviewed sponsorships and training, focused on motorcycling and its community, removed supplier diversity goals, and ceased participation in workplace equality rankings.
Brown-Forman: Withdrew from the Corporate Equality Index, removed quantitative DEI goals, and re-evaluated training to align with business performance.
John Deere: Ended sponsorship of cultural awareness events, audited training for social messaging, and maintained diversity tracking without quotas.
Tractor Supply: Eliminated DEI positions, retired DEI goals, and stopped sponsoring non-business activities like Pride festivals or voting campaigns, with a renewed focus on conservation efforts.

You get the idea.

The backtracking on DEI efforts has received "mixed" "reactions," with some advocacy groups like the National Black Farmers Association calling for leadership changes at Tractor Supply. Hand gesture enthusiast Elon Musk is understood to be considering buying a Harley Davidson and a few Big Macs to mull over the implications of everything. The upshot of all this is that those managers at Walmart on $600,000 salaries are now less likely to be Black people and women, and more likely to be white men. Read More

From @cheddar

Is this robot running smoother than you? 😅

The Unitree G1 has received a bionic upgrade, claiming to be the smoothest walking and running humanoid robot yet. The robot now navigates steep inclines and uneven terrain with enhanced stability and precision.

Follow @cheddar on Instagram!

3. Get Rid of the Penny, Says Musk's DOGE

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency is targeting the costliness of producing the U.S. penny as a part of its initiative to reduce federal spending.

It costs 3 cents to make each penny, leading to more than $179 million in expenses for taxpayers last year. The U.S. Mint produced over 4.5 billion pennies last year, constituting around 40% of all coins minted for circulation.

This discussion is part of a broader effort endorsed by President Trump, aiming to cut federal expenditures, with DOGE tasked to slash $500 billion annually.

The penny's production cost dilemma is exacerbated by the rising price of zinc, its primary material. While proposals have been made in the past to suspend the penny's production, concerns about the economic implications of rounding transactions to nearest nickel persist. Other countries, like Canada, have already eliminated their one-cent coins, facing mixed economic impacts. DOGE has also noted that the nickel, costing 14 cents to produce, represents a similar inefficiency in U.S. currency production.

Perhaps we can solve all these problems by rounding all purchases up to the nearest billion dollars? Read More

4. The Best Announcements Coming Out of Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025

"AI was the big theme of the entire event," said Tom's Guide editor-in-chief Mark Spoonauer. "And how they're trying to make it more integrated into the phone experience."

Spoonauer was impressed with the new Galaxy S25 Ultra phone, especially its AI features: "They're trying to collapse multiple actions into one utterance, which I think is pretty cool."

For example, with a single voice command, you can ask Samsung's "Bixby" AI assistant about the Super Bowl, add it to your calendar, and text your friends about it. You can also quit your job, ask your boss's wife out on a date, and post the whole exchange to social media with the command, "Hey Bixby, let's make things a bit more interesting around here."

Bixby is also getting more proactive (see above). The "Now Brief" feature provides personalized information and suggestions throughout the day, including weather, appointments, and news.

"It gets to know you over time," said Spoonauer, who believes Samsung is leading the AI race, as Apple's Siri advancements have been slower. "I would say that when it comes to AI, Samsung has pulled into the lead," he said. However, Apple still has an edge in certain areas, like camera performance. But that's no fun.

Samsung also teased its upcoming mixed reality headset and hinted at AR glasses, something we all do around here at Cheddar, all the time. "I might be wearing AR glasses," I'll say. Then I'll do a couple of nudge gestures, and a wink.

"The headset I see is like a step towards something that's going to be something that you might wear every day," he predicted, using the word something twice in quick succession. Prompting Bixby to break out in a Beatles song. It's in the way she mooooooves.

Spoonauer also advised Samsung to focus on highlighting the practical benefits of AI rather than just the technology itself. But I think we can just use our imaginations, don't you, Tom? Read More

5. Could Trump Really Have a Third Term?

Rep. Andy Ogles (R–Tenn.) has introduced a proposal seeking to amend the U.S. Constitution to allow President Donald Trump the opportunity to run for a third term. Ogles argues that Trump, described as the "only figure in modern history" capable of competent leadership, should be given more time to implement his policy agenda.

The proposed amendment targets the 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951 to prevent presidents from serving more than two terms, a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt's four-term tenure. It specifically aims to enable just Trump, and not, for example, Barack Obama, to seek a third term by disqualifying anyone who has already been elected to two consecutive terms.

Despite Ogles's's's enthusias'sm, the practical hurdles for amending the Constitution are immense, requiring two-thirds majority approval in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states. The proposal, therefore, is seen more as an attempt by Ogles to curry favor with Trump rather than a feasible legislative maneuver.

In other news, Ogles is currently facing fraud and ethics allegations. FBI agents searched his property and seized his cell phone as part of a fraud investigation last summer. Read More