One Year On… Britain Puts New Roof On Skripal House Of Horrors

Authored by George Galloway,

In 12 months of shifting sands, one thing remains as its original foundations: the British state narrative on Salisbury stands as a castle in the air.

One year from the dastardly fate of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, no one is a step forward on what happened to them, how, why, or of course where they are.

One year ago, a nerve agent was allegedly sprayed onto their front doorknob. One year later, their house needs a new roof as a result. And why the roof? And why only the roof?

I don’t know what happened to the stricken pair but then, neither do you, however much you’ve followed the story in Britain’s mass media. In fact, the more you’ve read, the more confused you’re likely now to be.

There are some things I do know, however.

The first is that the Russian state had as little to gain from attacking this pair in broad daylight on a Salisbury street with a signature Soviet-developed weapon, ‘novichok,’ as I said at the time.

It was exactly 100 days before the World Cup, just days before President Putin’s re-election. If – and it’s a big if – the Russian state wanted to kill the Skripals, many things would’ve been different.

Firstly, they would’ve been dead. Yulia would’ve been dead in Russia where she lived. And Sergei would’ve been dispatched at a less sensitive time by rather more reliable, less identifiable means, and by rather less comical killers.

The killers would not have flown directly from and back to Moscow. They would not have entrusted their egress to the Sunday service of Wiltshire public transport. They would not have smiled up at every CCTV camera they could find.

They would not have stayed at a downscale small hotel in East London, they would not have smoked drugs there, and they would not have noisily entertained a prostitute in their room. They would not have left traces of their nerve agent in their hotel room. They would not have spent a mere hour scoping Salisbury the day before the alleged poisoning of the Skripals. Nor would they have returned by public transport to London for their sex and drug party, only to retrace their steps by public transport the next day.

If they were going to kill a man and his daughter, they would not have trusted nerve agent on a doorknob when there was no conceivable way of knowing who’s hand would touch it. Yulia? Sergei? The milkman? Any Tom, Dick or Harry in the street (or any of their children)?

If they were going to smear nerve agent on a doorknob, they would’ve done it in the dark – not at noon the next day, when anyone or any camera could watch them doing so, yet no one did. Quite apart from the salient fact that by noon the victims had already left the house never to return to it.

If the Skripals were merely victims in this case, why were both of their phones switched off in the hours between leaving their home and their afternoon repast. How did they manage to happily feed ducks in the park with bread between drinks and lunch, and share that bread with a local child – but neither child nor ducks suffered any ill effects?

If they left home early that morning, why were no signs of illness observed until after the pub and the restaurant at least five hours later? If the roof of the Skripals’ house has to be replaced, why not the roof of the restaurant? If Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey was affected, why wasn’t the first responder? How come the first responder turned out to be a most senior British Army nurse?

Why did the police wait months before publishing the likenesses of the two chief suspects?

If the Skripals were merely victims, why have they been hidden, why haven’t they told us what happened?

Why was there a second bottle of perfume? How did it get into the hands of Dawn Sturgess? Why would the assassins need two bottles of perfume? Why and where did they discard the second, unopened, bottle?

Believe me, I could adumbrate 500 questions more but you’d be dropped down at your door if I did – from fatigue!

Suffice to say, there are way more questions than answers in the Skripal story. But not for the British government.

Their answers were swift and have had serious consequences for Russia, for Britain, and for the world. That they have made no effort to persuade a highly skeptical British public, relying on crude methods of information warfare instead, is a further reason why I and many others simply don’t believe them.

Neither will history, if I’m any judge.

Journalism – history’s first draft – is easy to purloin when most journalists haven’t the time, inclination or resources to question the state – especially inclination. History books though, grind exceedingly fine.

A February to remembrrr in L.A.: It never even reached 70 degrees

A February to remembrrr in L.A.: It never even reached 70 degrees

Source:

Home restaurant’s sprawling outdoor patio in Los Feliz, set under a canopy of large trees, was designed to take advantage of California’s temperate climate and typically sunny skies.

But this February has been so cold that the restaurant scrambled to set up extra heaters outside the Craftsman-style house to keep diners and workers warm during the record-setting cold winter.

“We had three heaters going for a while and this month it just hasn’t been enough,” said Sam Yoo, a manager at the restaurant. “I’m trying to have the waiters and hostesses wear warmer clothing, but I have one heater set up right by the host stand so they don’t catch colds.”

For the first time since forecasters began recording data — at least 132 years — the mercury did not reach 70 degrees in downtown Los Angeles for the entire month of February.

FULL STORY

Watch China Cut BBC Live Feed When Correspondent Mentions Muslim Internment Camps 

China suddenly cut a BBC broadcast as the network’s China correspondent began to discuss Beijing’s detention of more than a million Uighur Muslims in “re-education” camps. 

The BBC‘s Stephen McDonell filmed the moment it happened as he began to discuss the infamously poor treatment of the Turkic ethnic minority living in China’s northwestern Xinjiang province. 

After going on air at 7am to file his account of the trip, he decided to record the 8am replay.

The video shows his TV in China going blank as he says: “One thing he might be expected by some in Muslim countries to raise would be the question of the camps in the far west of China. There’s up to…” –Independent

McDonell said that the same thing happened the previous day. 

“We can pretty much predict the subjects when they will cut the feed and recently coverage of Xinjiang’s mass “re-education” camps has been just such a subject,” he said. 

McDonell’s tweets sparked quite a few replies, including one from author and political historian Brian Dooley, whose interview on Chinese state television was cut short when he began to discuss the killings in Tiananmen Square. 

China has gone to great lengths to pretend that their Uighur “re-education” camps are the happiest places on earth – going on a narrative-shifting campaign to spin the cities as positive

According to a report in The TimesBeijing is parading groups of Muslims around on state TV to extol the virtues of the system.

One restaurant owner, for example, said he became more tolerant after his time in a re-education camp, stating: “If I had let the religious extremism develop, I might have beaten non-Muslims who entered my restaurant,” the man identified as Abudu Saimaiti said. “In the worst case, I would not walk on public roads, take city buses or use the official currency, because they are provided by non-Muslims, who run this country.”

Speaking into the camera, the Chinese Muslim business owner added, “Through learning the law and the national policy, I have come to realize it’s a dead end for me, for my family and for my offspring, and my hometown will for ever be chaotic.”

Any reports to the contrary will get yanked off TV without so much as a transition. 

“No Free Lunch” – Panera Shutters Last Socialist ‘Pay-What-You-Want’ Restaurant

Who could have seen this coming?

Nine years after unveiling its socialist utopia vision of eateries, Panera has shuttered its last remaining pay-what-you-can ‘Panera Cares’ restaurants. The Massachusetts restaurant will close on February 15, according to Eater Boston.

“In many ways, this whole experiment is ultimately a test of humanity,”  company founder Ron Shaich said in a TEDx talk later that year.

“Would people pay for it? Would people come in and value it?”

It appears the answer is a resounding no as freeloaders dominated the virtue-signaling food venue.

As Eater.com reports, the losses were attributed to students who “mobbed” the restaurant and ate without paying, as well as homeless patrons who visited the restaurant for every meal of the week.

Some locations eventually limited the homeless to a few meals a week, enforcing measures to try and maintain some order…

“We had to help them understand that this is a café of shared responsibility and not a handout,” Shaich said in a 2011 interview about the Portland location.

“It can’t serve as a shelter and we can’t have community organizations sending everybody down.”

Which sparked outrage among the liberal Portlandians who took to online review sites to denounce the restaurant for being unwelcoming, complaining of false advertising.

Eater reports that patrons reported security guards roaming the entrance and “glaring at customers.”

People working with at-risk residents described incidents during which they were rudely told off by managers for “abusing the system.”

Others described situations in which visitors trying to participate in the pay-as-you-can system feeling shamedfor not being able to afford the suggested donation amount.

“Despite our commitment to this mission, it’s become clear that continued operation of the Boston Panera Cares is no longer viable,” JAB Holdings wrote in an emailed statement to Bloomberg, proving once again that no matter how utopian the socialist vision is, the supposed harmony between the common people (takers) and power-elites (givers/planners) collapses into hostility as human emotions confirm, once again, there is no such thing as a free lunch (because at some point, you run out of other people’s money).

Chipotle’s fresh food campaign drives profit beat, shares surge

February 6, 2019

By Nivedita Balu

(Reuters) – Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc topped Wall Street forecasts for quarterly earnings as aggressive marketing helped lure more diners and boost online orders, sending its shares up 10 percent in after-hours trading on Wednesday.

More than three years after a series of food-borne illnesses at restaurants tarnished the burrito chain’s reputation, the company has tried to win back customers through fresh menus and targeted marketing campaigns.

Its latest campaign, called “For Real,” ran both on social media platforms and at restaurants, showcasing the freshness of ingredients used in its tacos and burritos.

“I believe their image rehabilitation is close to complete,” said Doug Ciocca, the CEO of Kavar Capital Partners, which does not currently own shares in Chipotle but has positions in other restaurant companies.

Brian Niccol, who was installed as Chipotle’s CEO a year ago after a successful stint at Taco Bell, has focused on improving the company’s food delivery through promotions, while also transforming the restaurant experience with new technology.

For example, Chipotle offered free delivery during the College Bowl season in December, and gave away its much loved guacamole for free for those ordering through its app on “National Avocado Day” last year.

Such promotions, besides tie-ups with food-delivery services Doordash and Postmates, helped “digital sales” rise nearly 66 percent in the December quarter, compared with about 48 percent in the previous quarter.

“We’re going all in on providing more convenient user access to our customers and the response so far has been great,” Chief Financial Officer John Hartung said in an interview. “You’ll see more of that during the year.”

The company reported that sales at outlets open for at least 13 months jumped 6.1 percent in the three months ended December, much better than Wall Street analysts’ average forecast of a 4.49 percent increase, according to IBES Refinitiv data.

For a graphic on Chipotle’s same-restaurant sales, click: https://tmsnrt.rs/2t6PBaT

Sales at Chipotle restaurants open for an year – https://tmsnrt.rs/2UFjWci

The burrito chain projected that these sales would rise in the mid-single percentage digits through 2019, and that they were improving mainly due to stronger traffic at restaurants and a higher average check boosted by menu price increases.

Its newer menus have included salad bowls and other items to draw more health-minded customers, such as those on the popular Paleo diet. It is also working to add innovative options like bacon, quesadillas and a Mexican chocolate milkshake.

Excluding one-time charges, the company reported earnings of $1.72 per share, topping analysts’ estimates of $1.37.

Revenue overall rose 10.4 percent to $1.23 billion.

Chipotle also announced that it would spend $100 million to buy back shares.

(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Sai Sachin Ravikumar)

San Mateo Restaurant Owner Apologizes For ‘MAGA’ Hat Ban

SAN MATEO (CBS SF) – A restaurant owner in San Mateo has apologized after saying he would ban patrons who wear “Make America Great Again” hats to his establishment.

Kenji Lopez-Alt, chef and partner at Wursthall Restaurant and Bierhaus, said in a statement posted Friday, “Making a public statement without taking my team’s thoughts into consideration was disrespectful and reckless. My goal at Wursthall was for it to be a restaurant where all employees and staff are treated with respect and trust, and by making that public statement without your consent, I failed at that goal.”

“Wursthall will continue, as it always has, to serve all customer (sic) regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual preference, gender orientation, disability, or political opinion — so long as they leave hate, anger, and violence outside of the doors of our restaurant,” the chef went on to say.

On Sunday, Lopez-Alt sent out a tweet declaring that he would not serve anyone who comes into his place wearing the caps popularized by President Donald Trump.

“It hasn’t happened yet, but if you come to my restaurant wearing a MAGA cap, you aren’t getting served. Same as if you come in wearing a swastika, white hood, or any other symbol of intolerance and hate,” Lopez-Alt said in the tweet.

Lopez-Alt’s tweet was later deleted, but not before causing a backlash online. The restaurant’s Facebook and Yelp pages were bombarded with negative comments, which caused the social media sites to shut down its comments section.

The chef was not at the restaurant Thursday, and none of the workers on duty wanted to comment on the story.

“It Is Affecting My Blood Pressure” – Americans Over 60 Are Struggling With Student Debt

Though millennials catch the most flack for taking out hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans to pay for worthless college degrees that do little to improve their financial prospects in the “real world,” for older Americans who take out loans to finance their education later in life, the repercussions can be ten times worse.

WSJ

Ante Grgas-Cice

While it might not seem like much compared with the overall $1.4 trillion mountain of student loan debt rattling around the American economy, according to the Wall Street Journal, Americans over the age of 60 are struggling to pay down an aggregate $86 billion in student loan debt.

Student loan borrowers in their 60s, on average, owed $33,800 in 2017, up 44% from 2010, according to data compiled by credit-reporting firm TransUnion. Total student loan debt for people aged 60 and older rose 161% between 2010 and 2017, the biggest increase of any age group.

Debt

Rising student debt is the biggest contributor to the overall increase in the debt burden. for Americans aged 60 and older. US consumers who are 60 or older owed around $615 billion in credit cards, auto loans, personal loans and student loans as of 2017, up 84% since 2010, the largest increase of any age group.

And for many, the results are nothing short of ruinous. Take Ante Grgas-Cice, 66. After a restaurant venture failed, he took out loans to go back to school, a decision he said “will haunt him for the rest of his life.” Because he has had difficulty paying down his $30,000 debt burden, the government garnished his social security check for a period last year.

At 66, Ante Grgas-Cice owes about $29,000 in student loans. His only income is a roughly $1,600 monthly Social Security check, which the federal government garnished for a period last year because he wasn’t paying his student loans.

Mr. Grgas-Cice said his decision to go back to school continues to haunt his life.

He signed up for student loans to attend the Art Institute of New York City in 2003 and 2004, after a restaurant venture failed. At the Art Institute, he studied culinary art and restaurant design and layout to upgrade his skills, he said. Subsequent restaurant ventures didn’t work and he’s currently unemployed.

To try and save money, Grgas-Cice traveled back to Croatia to live with his elderly mother for a period of time. He now relies on financial help from relatives to survive, and limits his food purchases to $7 a day.

“I put all my money to better myself,” Mr. Grgas-Cice said, adding that he was cautious in his spending. He says it’s painful to think about his current conditions.

But most Americans who find themselves in this predicament took out loans on behalf of their children. In recent years, Sallie Mae and Citizens Financial Group have been marketing “Parent Plus” loans to concerned parents who want to help out with their children’s college education, but who don’t have the money to pay outright. The upshot of these loans is that parents often get stuck with a tab they can’t afford.

An interesting loophole has contributed to this situation. The federal government caps the amount that undergraduate students can borrow, but there’s no limit on the money that can be borrowed by their parents.

Screen

Hence, the “Parent Plus” loan, one of the most economically harmful consumer debt products of its time.

The federal government disbursed $12.7 billion in new “Parent Plus” loans during the 2017-18 academic year, up from $7.7 billion a decade prior and $3.3 billion in 1999-2000, according to an analysis of Education Department data by Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Savingforcollege.com.

Its underwriting standards are generally looser than banks and other private lenders, making it easier for more applicants to qualify. Parents on average owed an estimated $35,600 in these loans at the time of their children’s college graduation last spring, according to Mr. Kantrowitz. They owed nearly $6,400 on average (not adjusted for inflation) in the spring of 1993.

One parent who falls into this category is Christopher Raymond of North Danville, Vt., who was a high-school history teacher for 32 years.

One parent who spoke with WSJ described how “Parent Plus” upended their retirement after he signed up for $136,000 in loans to pay for the education of his two children.

Each month, he and his ex-wife pay a combined $1,900. They believe they will be stuck paying off these loans into their 70s. “It’s a very dark cloud that’s always in the back of my mind,” he said.

Screen

Another parent described how payments toward his Parent Plus loans led him to rack up $40,000 in credit card debt. Living with this debt isn’t only financially ruinous, he said. It impacts his ability to live a health life.

Raymond Abdullah, 65 years old, has around $40,000 of credit-card debt and a balance of about $11,000 on a federal Plus loan he signed up for to pay for his son’s tuition about 22 years ago.

The credit card debt grew over the past decade after he retired from work as a jeweler. He finds himself turning to cards more often to pay for everyday expenses including gas and groceries. He says he needs to keep cash on hand to pay for other expenses, including the $400 monthly payment towards the college loan.

The debt, he says, “affects your blood pressure, it affects your overall well-being,” he said. “At this age you don’t expect to be in debt. It’s not where you want to be.”

For some, relief can be found through various federal programs that can halt the garnishing of wages or social security checks. But while most millennials with loans can at least hope that one day they will eventually conquer this burden, older Americans must live with the knowledge that the dark cloud of their debt will follow them for the rest of their natural lives.

MAGA Hats Banned At California Restaurant; Owner Addresses Outrage In Ham-Handed Statement

A California restaurant owner sparked controversy in a now-deleted tweet in which he declared that anyone wearing a “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) hat would not be served.

Wursthall Restaurant & Bierhaus in San Mateo, CA

The owner of Wursthall Restaurant & Bierhaus in San Mateo, J. Kenji López-Alt wrote on January 25: “

In a separate now-deleted tweet to his 42,000 Twitter followers, López-Alt wrote “MAGA hats are like white hoods except stupider because you can see exactly who is wearing them.”

The award winning cookbook author’s tweets sparked an immediate controversy, with those on the left supporting the restaurateur, and free speech advocates condemning him. 

“I see where he’s coming from, but I don’t think you should just keep people out because of a hat,” said San Mateo resident Jamie Hwang while sitting at a table inside Wursthall. “I get that idea, that maybe that hat could mean the person wearing it is just looking for a fight, but just cutting off dialogue, not giving a chance to get to know someone — I just don’t know if that’s something I would do.”

Not the first time…

Last May the Cheesecake Factory apologized after a 22-year-old Trump supporter Eugenior Joseph was harassed by employees, with some threatening to “knock his head in so hard his hat’s going to come off.” 

According to multiple witnesses and Joseph’s own account, a woman who worked at the restaurant walked up to him and started pointing at his hat, signaling for the other employees to come over.

Her finger was literally on top of his head, we were all looking at her like ‘what is happening?’” one witness told The Daily Wire. “She was pointing at him, calling her other coworkers, telling them to look at this guy wearing a Make America Great Again hat.” –Daily Wire

And in June of last year, the manager of a Canadian restaurant was fired after he ejected a man wearing a MAGA hat – leading to Trump-hating Canadians swarming their Yelp page with negative reviews. 

“As a person with a strong moral backbone, I had to take a stand against this guest’s choice of headwear while in my former place of work. Absolutely no regrets,” the former employee told CBC News.

Kenji backpedals, kind of

In a carefully crafted Friday PR statement, Kenji suggests that he wasn’t attacking individuals – but the “hate” that a MAGA hat represents. 

“My message was intended to reject anger, hate and violence, and indicate that these shouldn’t be welcomed in our society and aren’t welcome in our community. It was meant to be directed at those who would try to bring messages of hate, violence, and anger into my place of business,” wrote López-Alt, adding “It was aimed at these three elements rather than at a physical object, but I understand that many interpreted my words in a different context, and construed a message of hate directed at them.”

In short, “If you come into my restaurant wearing a MAGA cap, you aren’t getting served” wasn’t directed at people (it was), rather it was aimed at MAGA hats themselves – and he’s sorry for any confusion caused by his clear language.

“Wursthall will continue, as it always has, to serve all customer regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual preference, gender orientation, disability, or political opinion — so long as they leave hate, anger, and violence outside of the doors of our restaurant.”

In short, you still can’t wear a MAGA hat inside of his eatery. 

Asia’s biggest listed restaurant chain now employing robots as chefs and waiters, with plans to expand overseas

(Natural News) HaiDiLao International Holding Ltd, listed as one of Asia’s biggest restaurant chains, recently partnered with Japan’s Panasonic Corporation to open a fully automated kitchen in Beijing last October 28, 2018. The food giant, which operates a chain of hotpot restaurants in the Sichuan province of China, declared this milestone as the next stepping…

Study: Those who live near fast food restaurants are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes

(Natural News) Junk food is bad for your health, and the regular consumption of fast food is often linked to problems like obesity. According to a U.K. study, simply living near a fast food restaurant can even increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The study, which involved a collaboration between researchers from the Healthy High-Density Cities…

Soaring Restaurant Prices Signal Inflation Is Much Higher Than ‘Official’ Data Suggest?

For equity market bulls, Friday’s CPI data couldn’t have been more of a gift if the report came wrapped up with a bow. Falling neatly in line with the market’s expectations, headline core inflation downshifted to 1.9%, the weakest reading since August 2017. Even more importantly, relenting price pressures sent one of the most widely watched inflation gauges back below the Fed’s 2% Maginot Line, handing the “data dependent” central bank more justification to put off hiking rates until H2.

CPI

But as is often the case with US data – particularly measures of inflation which chronically under-represent the true level of inflation in the economy, as we have explained in the past – the devil is in the details. And Friday’s print was no exception.

To wit: While headline inflation slipped, the subindex for full-service food and snacks – which represents the costs of dining at full-service restaurants – climbed 0.5%, its largest month-over-month increase since 2011.

So why the reason for the divergence?

Inflation

Particularly considering that the cost of food – which, as we understand it, is the primary product sold at restaurants – remains below its levels from the beginning of 2018.

Inflation

 

While it’s tempting to attribute this to accelerating wage growth or minimum wage hikes, the increase occurred in December; a wave of minimum wage hikes across the US aren’t slated to take effect until next month. And while jobs data have recently reflected a pickup in average wages, restaurant workers mostly rely on tips to get by.

Bloomberg hinted at the incongruity, describing the increase in full-service restaurant prices as a “another headwind for Americans.” In fact, given the many warning signs about consumption in the second half of 2018, including trade-related headwinds and the blow to the “wealth effect” in stocks, it’s almost as if something about this number doesn’t quite add up…

Rising restaurant costs are another headwind for Americans. Even though low gas prices and high consumer confidence suggest a strong environment, market volatility at the end of the year, disappointing holiday sales, headwinds from trade and the U.S. government’s partial shutdown are starting to put some buyers on alert. If questions about global growth continue to persist, restaurant sales could fall victim to an economic slowdown, with consumers opting to save money by eating at home.

…that is, unless it’s really a breadcrumb suggesting that the true rate of inflation in the US economy is actually much higher than the official data would suggest. Of course, if that were true, then it could create serious headaches for investors and participants in the real economy – because not only would the Fed be pressed to accelerate rate hikes, but it would also presumably trigger a damaging repricing in Treasury yields that could ignite a replay of the “Shocktober” market rout.

In light of this, we’d like to highlight once again a report published back in 2017 by Devonshire Research Group which analyzed what its authors described as chronic underreporting of US inflation data. Back then, Devonshire suggested that the true rate of inflation could be as much as three times higher than the official rate. They listed a number of reasons why this might be true, starting with the notion that outdated inflation gauges like the CPI had ceased serving as a “financial tool” to be utilized by investors, and had instead become a “policy tool” used by central bankers to justify their hyper-accomodative monetary policy.

Here’s a summary of Devonshire’s summary conclusions:

  • US official CPI calculation is governed, and possibly distorted, by numerous and complex technical decisions

  • Inflation reporting is less a measure of purchasing power (and therefore a financial tool), and  increasingly a process of affecting macro-economic policies (and therefore a policy lever)

  • Real gross domestic product (GDP) measures, yield curves, and treasury issued inflation protected securities (e.g. TIPS), government and union / minimum wages all rely on official US inflation indices that are subject to these distortions

  • Most financial, wealth management models rely on a price stability assumption and default to 3% inflation input – what would happen to these models if the true value was closer to 7-11%?

  • If we re-compute a purchasing power CPI, de-sensationalize contrarian reporting, and remain disinterested with modern economic policies, we arrive at a 7-9% practical CPI rate over the past decade

  • This has profound implications on reported vs. actual standard of living, and might explain the rapid appreciation of American consumer debt, potential reduction in perceived vs. reported quality of life, not to mention unexpected political trends

  • Post-1990 inflation of 7-9%, not 3% would also suggest near “bubble-like” conditions exist across many consumer sectors

* * *

For anybody who doubts the CPI’s importance as a policy-setting tool, consider the following comments made Thursday (a day before the latest CPI print) by Fed Vice Chairman Richard Clarida, who hinted that the recent “slowing” in inflation had lessened the pressure on the Fed to raise interest rates (according to the median projections in the central bank’s latest “dot plot”, Fed policymakers anticipated in December that the central bank would hike rates only two times next year, down from three previously, while expectations for the long-run terminal rate declined to 2.8%, from 3%).

Clarida said in a speech on Thursday that “inflation has surprised to the downside recently, and it is not yet clear that inflation has moved back” to the central bank’s goal on a sustainable basis.

Despite the various sub-indexes published to give investors a more comprehensive breakdown of where pricing pressures are showing up in the economy, the methods used to boil all of this down into a headline number – which is often all anybody looks at – remain surprisingly opaque.

Which means the data are much more prone to manipulation than many might understand.

Feds Find 23 Guns In Office Of Indicted Chicago Democrat

from ZeroHedge: A longtime Chicago alderman and staunch gun-control advocate who was arrested on federal corruption charges stemming from an attempt to use his position to extort a company hoping to renovate a fast food restaurant in his ward was found to have 23 firearms in his offices, according to a local CBS affiliate. Edward Burke, […]

The post Feds Find 23 Guns In Office Of Indicted Chicago Democrat appeared first on SGT Report.

Burger King offered him free meals for life after bathroom incident, then backed out, lawsuit claims

Opinions on Burger King

WOOD VILLAGE, Ore. (CIRCA via KATU) — A man claims his quick lunch stop at Burger King turned into a traumatic experience when he was trapped in the restaurant’s bathroom for over an hour

On December 15th, Curtis Brooner says he went to Burger King, and while he was there he says he somehow ended up getting locked in a bathroom.

“He went to the restroom washed his hands and when he went to pull the door it wouldn’t open,” Brooner’s attorney, Michael Fuller, said. “They gave him a fly swatter to ‘jimmy’ the door open, which actually cut his hand.”

Court documents claim employees on the other side laughed at Brooner while he was stuck in the restroom. After an hour, a locksmith was able to free him.

“It wasn’t a pleasant experience for him and he spent an hour in the restaurant after just gaining his composure,” Fuller said.

During his time in the restaurant, Brooner says he was presented with an offer.

“To make things right, the Burger King manager offered him free food for the rest of his life should he come into the restaurant,” Fuller said.

And for a few weeks, they say, the restaurant honored the deal, comping meals each time he came in.

Then, Fuller says a regional manager reneged the offer.

“It’s the principle, the jury is going to enjoy it. There are funny elements of the case, but there is nothing funny about being locked in a dank bathroom for an hour,” Fuller said.

On Tuesday, Brooner filed a lawsuit, for the cost of the burgers.

“We determined his life would last 72 years, which is about 5 years less than average based on his frequent consumption of cheeseburgers,” Brooner said.

Fuller, along with his client, determined one burger meal a week at $7.89 over 22 years — or the rest of his life — equals a little more than $9,026.16. Which is what they are suing for.

“I think we will reach a fair settlement. My client was presented with an offer, he accepted it and a deal was a deal,” Fuller said.

KATU News has reached out to Burger King Corporate as well as the franchise owner of the restaurant but have not heard back.

Conservative Radio Host Michael Savage Hit With Death Threats, Heads to Secret Location

Conservative radio host and best-selling author, Dr. Michael Savage headed to a secret location after being hit with death threats.

This is the left – violent, totalitarian thugs who want to kill people for the ‘crime’ of having a different political opinion — they want us dead.

All hands are on deck and city, state and federal agencies are investigating after a death threat was sent via email to a restaurant Michael Savage frequently dines in.

The email sent to the restaurant was written in caps, calling Michael Savage a “crypto Jew” and “white supremacist piece of shit.”

Via Washington Times:

Portions of the email sent to the restaurant state, in all caps, “I DEMAND THAT YOU REFUSE TO ALLOW MICHAEL SAVAGE … IN YOUR F-ING RESTAURANT AGAIN. HE IS A RACIST WHITE SUPREMACIST PIECE OF SH— … DONT WANT TO LISTEN TO ME? WELL I GUESS YOURE ALL GONNA F—ING DIE THEN CUZ I AM WAITING FOR THE MOTHAF— AND I WILL WAIT AND WATCH YOUR F—ING BUSINESS AND WHEN I SEE HIM GO IN THERE IM GOING TO START SHOOTING EVERY BODY I CAN FIND.”

The suspect then gets very specific.

“I OWN 3 GUNS AND I CAN DO SOME SERIOUS F—ING DAMAGE,” the email went on. “I WILL KILL AS MANY OF YOU RACIST-SUPPORTING/ENABLING WHITE SUPREMACISTS AS I F—ING CAN.”

The email goes on to totter on toward Hate Crime Land.

“PEOPLE WILL F—ING DIE,” the email messenger wrote. “IM GOING TO KILL THAT F—ING CRYPTO JEW BUT IF YOU DONT WANT YOUR WHOLE BUSINESS TO TURN INTO A F—IN SHOOTING GALLERY AND YOUR CUSTOMERS TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THIS YOU BETTER KEEP HIM OUTTA THERE OR ELSE … YOURE ALL GONNA F—IN DIE UNLESS YOU DO WHAT I F—IN SAY. ILL REALLY MAKE U F—IN FAMOUS.”

Michael Savage said in a phone interview that although he has ignored many threats over the years, he took this one seriously and “changed location,” but didn’t offer any more information.

Dr. Savage did say however that “they do have a suspect, they do have a suspect they’re looking at, as we speak.”

 

The San Francisco-based radio host has every reason to take this threat seriously; he was physically attacked at a restaurant not too long ago.

Savage was left bloodied and shaken after he was physically assaulted at a San Francisco restaurant in March of 2017.

The attacker also kicked his 10 lb grey poodle, Teddy who is always with him.

Dr. Michael Savage has dedicated decades of his life fighting for ‘borders, language and culture.’ He was one of the top radio hosts who helped propel Donald Trump into the White House.

We are huge supporters of Michael Savage here at TGP as he often links to our articles and cites them live on his radio show to his millions of listeners.

Why SmartCash is “Smart for Business”

If you run a small business or restaurant, you want to be keep your costs low, provide great customer service, and always bring in new clients. The great thing is that you’re perfectly situated to participate in the new global cryptocurrency economy.  Here are two ways that SmartCash could be great for your business.

Accept SmartCash Payments with SmartPay: https://business.smartcash.cc/

SmartCash Makes Payments Simple and Easy: https://youtu.be/blX4TpiHmTc

The Business Benefits of Accepting Cryptocurrency: https://smartcash.cc/the-business-benefits-of-accepting-cryptocurrency/

Find Businesses that Accept SmartCash: https://find.smartcash.cc/

 

The post Why SmartCash is “Smart for Business” appeared first on Ben Swann’s Truth In Media.

Why SmartCash is “Smart for Business”

If you run a small business or restaurant, you want to be keep your costs low, provide great customer service, and always bring in new clients. The great thing is that you’re perfectly situated to participate in the new global cryptocurrency economy.  Here are two ways that SmartCash could be great for your business.

Accept SmartCash Payments with SmartPay: https://business.smartcash.cc/

SmartCash Makes Payments Simple and Easy: https://youtu.be/blX4TpiHmTc

The Business Benefits of Accepting Cryptocurrency: https://smartcash.cc/the-business-benefits-of-accepting-cryptocurrency/

Find Businesses that Accept SmartCash: https://find.smartcash.cc/

 

The post Why SmartCash is “Smart for Business” appeared first on Ben Swann’s Truth In Media.

Conn. Man Rescues 80-Year-Old Lobster From Restaurant Menu

ShareThis

Conn. Man Rescues 80-Year-Old Lobster From Restaurant Menu 26 Jul 2012 A 17-pound lobster on a restaurant menu would be a delicious dinner option for most people but not for one Connecticut man who saw it as a humanitarian mission. Don MacKenzie of Niantic, Conn., purchased the lobster from a local restaurant [The Dock] but never took a bite. Instead, he released it back into the Long Island Sound Tuesday because he thought the lobster, nicknamed “Lucky Larry” by the locals, deserved to live.

Citizens for Legitimate Government

Queen Michelle Dines On $81 Steak, $100 Appetizers During Birthday Dinner At Swank D.C. Restaurant…

(ZIP)   Firmly in the “one-percent”.

Via Obama Foodorama:

. . . For dinner, the President and Mrs. Obama both enjoyed American Wagyu Top Cap, which is served in a 10 0z portion ($ 81). Executive Chef Victor Albisu personally did the cooking, which earned him a hug and warm thanks from the First Lady at the end of the evening. Side dishes were family style for the table, and included French Fries, Mashed Potatoes, Caramelized Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Creamed Spinach, and Hen of the Woods Mushrooms. Appetizers ordered for the table to share were also steak: The American Wagyu Skirt Steak (10 0z, $ 55) and 28-Day Dry Aged New York Strip (16 0z, $ 46). House-made sauces are served with the steaks, and include Horseradish, Peppercorn, 3 Mustards, and “Steak” sauce.

The house signature bread is a huge, fluffy Popover, served piping hot to guests after ordering, accompanied by a salt shaker the size of a pint of milk. The Obama party enjoyed red and white wine with their dinner, Wright said. He was joined by two other managers who performed the duties of servers.

The birthday cake was Red Velvet, which is not on the BLT menu but served because it is “a favorite” of the First Lady’s, Wright said. There was no inscription on top, thanks to a crumb topping, and the cake was accompanied by Cream Cheese Ice Cream. Mrs. Obama closed her eyes and made a wish before blowing out the candles to cheers from her guests.

http://weaselzippers.us/2012/01/18/queen-michelle-dines-on-81-steak-at-birthday-dinner-100-appetizers/?utm_medium=twitter

Federal Jack

Agent charged in Hawaii killing was assigned to help with Economic Summit security

A federal agent charged with killing a man inside a McDonald’s restaurant in Waikiki was in Hawaii to help with security at this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, officials said Monday.

State Department special agent Christopher Deedy, 27, is charged with second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Deedy, who was released Monday after posting $250,000 bail, is accused of fatally shooting 23-year-old Kollin Elderts of Kailua during a confrontation early Saturday at a McDonald’s in the famous tourist district.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland confirmed that Deedy was in Honolulu to beef up security ahead of the APEC conference, which begins Tuesday. The agent has been put on paid administrative leave.

Read full article on the Washington Post

Mirror on RedIce

Analysts skeptical of alleged Iranian plot

Did an elite branch of Iran’s military handpick a divorced, 56-year-old Iranian-American used-car salesman from Texas to hire a hitman from a Mexican drug cartel to assassinate the ambassador to Saudi Arabia by blowing up a bomb in a crowded restaurant in Washington? U.S. officials say they are certain the bizarre plot against Ambassador Adel Jubeir was real. But some analysts say …

Full article on Red Ice Creations

We Are Change TV.US