Hey Chedd-heads! Welcome to Need2Know's redesigned newsletter! There'll be a ton of new features over the coming weeks, but don't worry. They'll all be cheese-friendly! |
Lyburn Gold, as we all know, is a semi-hard, washed-rind cheese ripened for 10–14 weeks. It's consistently cleaned up at the British Cheese Awards over the last decade. Meanwhile, the phrase "lie back and think of England" was first used by the English upper classes a century ago. The idea was that it was patriotic to "tolerate" "reproductive activity" with one's husband, even if one didn't enjoy it. Meanwhile, I cannot imagine anybody's wife saying that to themselves these days. Certainly not mine. Goodness me. |
Today's Cheddlines You Need2Know |
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We're American citizens, after all! |
—Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor |
P.s. We've got a window-washing drone on the gram! |
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Quote of the Day |
| ❝ | | | We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper. | | | | — ELON MUSK |
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Should You Check Your 401(k) Today? |
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(nope) (although things coulda been a lot worse yesterday) |
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President Donald Trump temporarily postponed plans to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada yesterday, offering a month for further negotiations after conversations with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. |
Planned tariffs on China were still due to continue when we "went to press" last night, with the decision creating uncertainty about the potential for a broader trade war. Trump also indicated more tariffs could be expected, including in Europe. |
Economically, markets are nervous about the impact tariffs could have on inflation and global trade. The stock market did rebound in the U.S. after dropping steeply in early morning trading yesterday. |
The Wall Street Journal's editorial board—which leans right of center, to put it mildly—decried the tariffs as "America's dumbest trade war" on Sunday night: |
Tariffs are taxes. And when you tax something you get less of it. Who pays the tariff depends on the elasticity of supply and demand for the specific goods. But Mr. Trump wants American workers and employers to take one for the team. Hope you don't lose your job or business before the golden age arrives. |
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Wall Street Journal reporter James McKintosh wrote of market fear "evaporating" over tariffs, saying that "investors are convinced [Trump] will use tariffs to extract concessions on other issues, rather than, as he keeps saying, to raise money and force companies to relocate to America." |
Twitter had a variety of opinions about the tariffs, of which this was only one: |
 | Skyler Johnson @SkylerforNY |  |
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Donald Trump when the tariffs hit | |  | | | 3:31 AM • Feb 2, 2025 | | | | | | 153K Likes 15.8K Retweets | 281 Replies |
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Democrats have pushed back on an announcement by Elon "President" Musk that President Donald "Also President" Trump agreed to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development, a move that has already led to thousands of layoffs and the shuttering of programs since Trump took office. |
"We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper," Musk tweeted, underlining the influence he holds in the administration through his Department of Government Efficiency. Trump justified the closure by accusing the previous administration of mishandling funds, a claim he has yet to support with evidence. Senator Marco Rubio, acting as the secretary of state, claimed himself the acting administrator of USAID but has delegated his duties. |
Democrats, viewing the act as an illegal power grab, are preparing for a legal battle, arguing that closing USAID via executive order is against the law. The potential shutdown of USAID has also sparked significant backlash for undermining decades of U.S. policy and humanitarian work. Employees have been locked out of the agency's headquarters and computer systems; the agency's website has disappeared. |
In 2023, USAID disbursed $72 billion in assistance worldwide on everything from women's health in conflict zones to access to clean water, HIV/AIDS treatment, energy security and anti-corruption work. |
At a news conference outside the shuttered USAID office on Monday afternoon, Democratic lawmakers called the shutdown a gift to America's adversaries, including China and Russia. |
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From @cheddar |
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Beyoncé has finally clinched the Grammy for Album of the Year with her groundbreaking work, "Cowboy Carter." The victory comes after four previous nominations in the category, marking a significant milestone in her illustrious career. Beyoncé is the first Black woman to win the award (checks notes) this century. |
"Cowboy Carter" is a country-tinged narrative exploring the complex relationship between genre and race. The LP features contributions from Black country singer Linda Martell, highlighting the nuanced challenges faced by artists at the intersection of the genres. Beyoncé's project stood out in a competitive field that boasted talents like André 3000, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, Jacob Collier, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Travis Kelce's girlfriend—the latter holding the record for most Album of the Year wins. |
Beyoncé's Grammy night was triumphant, as she garnered three awards, elevating her total to an unparalleled 35—making her the most awarded artist in the history of the Grammys. Despite her previous success, Beyoncé had only once before won in one of the big four categories, with "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" earning Song of the Year in 2010. |
The win is a vindication of sorts, considering Beyoncé's past snubs, which have often fueled discussions around the Grammys' complex relationship with awarding Black female artists in major categories. Notably, her visually stunning "Beyoncé," the deeply personal "Lemonade," and the dance-oriented "Renaissance" were all seen as potential winners but ultimately overlooked in favor of albums by Beck, Adele, and Harry Styles. |
Beyoncé's husband Jay-Z toasted the win with her rival for the award, Taylor Swift, despite his fighting an ongoing lawsuit in New York state over allegations of rape with P. Diddy, and her preparing her boyfriend's football team for a Three-Peat at the Super Bowl. |
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The whiskey industry has been facing some challenges lately, with sales declining and health concerns rising. But amid these headwinds, Fawn Weaver's Uncle Nearest has been thriving, becoming the fastest-growing whiskey brand in U.S. history, worth more than $1 billion. |
It's named after Nearest Green, the enslaved master distiller who taught Jack Daniel the secret to making great whiskey. |
Weaver founded the company in 2017 and doesn't shy away from addressing the surgeon general's warning about alcohol consumption and cancer risks. She believes that moderate drinking, as defined by U.S. guidelines, is still safe. "I don't know that any woman should have more than seven drinks during the week and any man should have more than 14 drinks during the week," she said. |
Then again, that's at least a drink every day. Right? Pass the bottle! (I'll give it back tomorrow.)
She also challenges the notion that the "bourbon boom" is over. "I don't believe that our industry is in a decline," she said. "I believe we're in a [post-pandemic] correction."
As a Black woman, Fawn represents a demographic that has been historically underserved by the whiskey industry and is now rooting for her success. Uncle Nearest has also consistently produced high-quality whiskey, earning numerous awards.
Weaver is proud to have built her brand without relying on private equity or venture capital funding. "There's 24 million roughly millionaires in America. They all want to grow their portfolios," she said. "And so, you naturally are drawing people in when you are as excited about your company and your brand as I am." |
Weaver's focus is on building a legacy. "My focus is, is how do I build this company so large that the next generation can't screw it up," she said. While she hasn't ruled out going public, she's more concerned with ensuring the brand's long-term success. Although my guess is that means she might go public soon. |
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As soon as this year's Super Bowl matchup was set, workers at the Wilson Sporting Goods football factory in Ada, Ohio, jumped into action, making the game balls. |
Taylor Swift's Boyfriend's Team and the Philadelphia Eagles will face off at the Super Bowl on Sunday. Each team gets 108 Super Bowl balls, plus a dozen more for their kickers, all stamped with the Super Bowl logo and team names. Some of the balls will be for practices while the "best" balls will be set aside by the quarterbacks. About 50 will be bagged and locked away until kickoff. |
Normally it takes three days to make an NFL football, from start to finish. But the first batch had to be sent to the Super Bowl teams last Monday, within about 18 hours, so they would have enough time to "break them in" for practices and the game. That's why the workers started production right away the night of the conference title games. |
Is it me or would, say, a couple of balls, maybe five, probably be enough? Like, is all this ball hype potentially a little over-inflated? Is it possible that taking two weeks to "break in" 108 American footballs might be time more productively spent doing, say, other things? Should we get the Department of Governmental Efficiency to feed the NFL into the wood chipper? |
No? In that case, go Eagles! |
In other sports news, the Mavs traded Luka Donkic for the Lakers' Antony Davis over the weekend, in what can only be described as the world's oddest ever trade. |
 | NFL Memes @NFL_Memes | |
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Giants: "My goodness not re-signing Saquon Barkley might be the worst decision a team has made in a very long time" The Mavs: | |  | | | 9:41 PM • Feb 2, 2025 | | | | | | 79K Likes 5.74K Retweets | 189 Replies |
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