Podcasts about kroger albertsons

Kroger challenges the Washington attorney general's request to recoup $32 million in legal costs in its effort to block the Kroger/Albertsons deal. Whole Foods opens its second small-format shop in New York. And Cub Foods workers are poised to go on strike. 

In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes back grocery retail expert Brittain Ladd to discuss significant trends and events shaping the grocery industry in 2025. They delve into the failed Kroger-Albertsons merger, the competitive landscape of major retailers like Costco, Amazon, Walmart, and Target, and the challenges of attracting and retaining talent in the produce sector.

The latest episode of The Food Professor podcast, hosted by Michael LeBlanc and Sylvain Charlebois, offers a forward-looking discussion on 2025's potential impacts on the food industry. From groundbreaking AI applications to evolving political landscapes, this episode is packed with insights. Key topics include AI's transformative potential, particularly in optimizing supply chains and reducing food waste. Sylvain highlights how AI-driven solutions can cut waste by over 50% in seniors' homes, underscoring its role in boosting efficiency. However, the duo also addresses AI's darker side, such as job displacement and growing social inequalities, emphasizing the need for policy adaptations like universal basic income.The hosts analyze anticipated shifts in mergers and acquisitions, predicting a revival of major deals like Kroger-Albertsons and a potential acquisition of 7-Eleven. DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) strategies are also scrutinized, with calls for rebranding to balance inclusivity and profitability.Political and trade discussions touch on potential challenges and opportunities for Canadian agriculture, especially in light of strained U.S. relations and evolving dynamics with China and India. The episode also forecasts significant changes driven by ozempic drugs in reshaping consumer behavior and food industry strategies.Rounding out the predictions, the hosts examine legacy media's decline as platforms like TikTok rise, emphasizing the need for strategic storytelling in the food sector. Other hot topics include coffee price hikes, avian flu's economic toll, and the evolving role of automation in farming.Packed with expertise and humour, this episode sets the stage for an exciting yet challenging food innovation and policy year. Don't miss these insightful predictions on The Food Professor!  About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph's Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre's Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa. Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada's Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

Discover how inflation is destroying the value of your money and eroding the ethical foundations of society. Legendary author Doug Casey reveals the insidious ways rising prices lead to social decay, unethical behavior, and the breakdown of trust.  Learn how to protect your prosperity by shifting away from the falling dollar and into real assets like gold, real estate, and carefully selected investments.  Don't let inflation rob you - get the insights you need to thrive in this challenging economic environment. Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review”.  Resources: Visit internationalman.com to read Doug Casey's weekly articles and watch his "Doug Casey's Take" videos on YouTube. Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/534 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching:GREmarketplace.com/Coach Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  You get paid first: Text FAMILY to 66866 For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Automatically Transcribed With Otter.ai    Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, inflation does not mean rising prices. Inflation is an expansion of the money supply which results in rising prices, and it leads to wider societal decay and moral breakdowns in ways that you've never thought about before. It misdirects inflation frustration toward people like housing providers and grocers, we explore it today on get rich education.   Mid south home buyers, I mean, they're total pros, with over two decades is the nation's highest rated turnkey provider. Their empathetic property managers use your ROI as their North Star. So it's no wonder that smart investors just keep lining up to get their completely renovated income properties like it's the newest iPhone. They're headquartered in Memphis and have globally attractive cash flows and A plus rating with a better business bureau and now over 5000 houses renovated. There's zero markup on maintenance. Let that sink in, and they average a 98.9% occupancy rate, while their average renter stays more than three and a half years. Every home they offer has brand new components, a bumper to bumper, one year warranty, new 30 year roofs. And wait for it, a high quality renter. Remember that part and in an astounding price range, 100 to 180k. I've personally toured their office and their properties in person in Memphis, get to know Mid South. Enjoy cash flow from day one. Start yourself right now at mid south homebuyers.com that's mid south homebuyers.com   you know, whenever you want the best written real estate and finance info. Oh, geez. Today's experience limits your free articles access, and it's got paywalls and pop ups and push notifications and cookies disclaimers. It's not so great. So then it's vital to place nice, clean, free content into your hands that adds no hype value to your life. That's why this is the golden age of quality newsletters, and I write every word of ours myself. It's got a dash of humor, and it's to the point because even the word abbreviation is too long, my letter usually takes less than three minutes to read, and when you start the letter, you also get my one hour fast real estate video. Course, it's all completely free. It's called the Don't quit your Daydream letter. It wires your mind for wealth, and it couldn't be easier for you to get it right now. Just text GRE to 66866, while it's on your mind, take a moment to do it right now. Text GRE to 66 866.   Speaker 1  3:12   you're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  3:28   We are the GRE from Albany, New York to New Albany, Ohio, and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold, and this is get rich education. You have probably heard it been said by now that money must have three attributes. It is a store of value, a medium of exchange and a unit of account. The US Dollar does not meet the first one store of value. That's due to inflation. How is the dollar a store of value, it is not so then the dollar is a mere currency, not money. You can make the case that gold is a store of value, maybe that Bitcoin is, although it's got a short track record and it's a volatile ride the S, p5, 100, you could say that's nothing more than a store of value long term. When you understand all the drags on it, you're only treading water long term with the s, p, I've discussed that on shows earlier this year. That leaves real estate as not just a good long term, stable store a value, but when it's done right, it is the vehicle where inflation actually increases your purchasing power. And here's a new way to think about it, money is your time and energy captured in an abstracted form for the government to take out debt. They are borrowing your time and energy. Government debt is the closest thing we've ever seen to time travel.They're borrowing the collective time and energy from your future. How do you achieve time travel? You borrow human time and energy from the future currency debasement steals the time and energy of you and everyone alive today. That's why you've got to protect yourself. And what this does is that it actually increases your time preference. Yeah, the term time preference, that's something that Bitcoin authors like Dr saifedean Amos often use time preference and actually think that it's sort of a confusing term. Time preference, though, it sounds like a good thing, it's actually a bad thing. It means that you would rather consume now and over consume now instead of later. Having a high time preference means that you want to all out, ball out right now, and not consider your future. Well, that's what inflation does whenever you see the term time preference out there. I think the best way for you to remember what that means is think of it instead as a now preference. I think now preference is more intuitive than time preference. Teach me how to Dougie, yes, we've got public figure and mega popular author Doug Casey back with us today to discuss how rising prices lead to social decay and makes humans have a higher time preference resultantly, I guess that is teaching us how to Dougie. Yes, indeed, that is a reference to that, like 15 year old song, teach me how to Dougie, and we would drop some bars of that song right now. Oh, you know that me and the team here, we really want to, but we would probably have some royalty issues with that one here, and I'll tell you that is such a stupid song. Teach me how to Dougie, but at the same time, once you've heard it, the next thing that you want to do is hear it again somehow. But it's pretty likely that Doug Casey and I have some more important things to talk about. So fortunately for you, rather than discuss a 2010, rap song any further, we're going to discuss how rising prices lead to social decay.   Monetary inflation is even worse than you think. This era's rising prices and falling values actually lead to social decay. Villains and unethical actors are getting rewarded and they're stealing from you. We're going to discuss just how the international man himself, a legendary and generationally popular author, is back with us for a sobering look at inflation and social decay today. Hey, welcome back in. Doug Casey.    Doug Casey  8:04   Nice to talk to you, Keith. I'm speaking to you at the moment from my farm in Uruguay, which is one of the, I would say, two, most stable countries in Latin America, and one of the two or three most stable countries in the Western Hemisphere, there's a lot of real estate in the world, other than in the US. And I know that you mostly talk about real estate. I've actually done a lot of real estate too, all around the world, in the Orient and in Europe and South America, and, of course, a lot in the US and Canada. So I'm generally friendly to real estate, and it's been very, very good to me.   Keith Weinhold  8:44   Well, you're truly living up to the International Man moniker again today, joining us from that small South American nation of Uruguay and Doug. Before we talk about the inflation and the social decay, what are property taxes like there in that part of Uruguay. And I know you often spend time in Buenos Aires Argentina as well. If you can talk to us in terms of the percent of the value of the property that you pay in property tax each year, which tends to be one to one and a quarter percent on an average in the United States.   Doug Casey  9:13   that's right. And I think in some states like Illinois, it can go up to about 2% if I'm not mistaken, which means that you really don't own your property. If you don't pay your real estate taxes for for a year or two, you'll find out who really owns it, right? But taxes are high in South America, but generally, not too bad on real estate per se, certainly not on farmland, but farmland everywhere in the world doesn't pay much in the way of real estate taxes, and that's certainly the case here in Uruguay, and the same in Argentina, which might be worth more discussion, because Argentina is doing something that's actually unique in world history right now. And I.hope it's a story that ends well, because they're going in the right direction. But to answer your question, if you buy a condo or a house in a city in Uruguay or Argentina or most of these countries down here, you're going to pay real estate taxes, but it's less than in the US typically, like a half a percent, when they get you in South America is value added taxes, or anything you buy, including labor. In most places, you have to pay the government someplace in between 18 or 20 or 22% depending it's like a huge extra sales tax that's hidden in the cost of the item. And of course, they have income taxes down here, just as what they do in the US, approximately American levels. But on the bright side, not that I know about these things from a firsthand point of view, but these Latin American countries are kind of corrupt and not as completely grasping as the US is they're not as competent in going after you, and don't have a worldwide reach, which the US does.    Keith Weinhold  11:07   Yeah. Oh, well, that's an interesting comparison there. And yeah, Doug, a lot of Latin American nations have had high rates of inflation in both the recent past and now in a piece that you recently wrote is titled, inflation and social decay, rising prices and falling values. And here in the United States, whether it's at the grocery store or the mall or restaurants or airports or anywhere you turn, people really are finding inferior goods and services yet at higher prices. I mean, everyone sees that now. And Doug, I know that you've maintained that living standards have taken a big step, not forward, but backward, and are trending even worse. So tell us about it.    Doug Casey  11:49   Well, the way that you become wealthy is by producing more than you consume and saving the difference. That's the basic formula. Produce more than you consume and save the difference. But when the government inflates the currency, and the government's entirely at fault with it, they have the printing presses. They control the currency. It makes it very, very hard to save, and you can't get ahead. You can't build capital which you need in order to invest and become a capitalist. So inflation is the enemy of the average man, and it's the enemy of society as a whole, but some people do very well because of inflation. Why? Because in the US, it's the people in basically New York and Washington and other big cities that stand very close to the fire hydrant of money that comes out of the government, and they get to drink deeply before something trickles down to the plebs below inflation will destroy a country, and that's why in Latin America in particular, you've got very rich people who are usually connected to the government, who get that money first, and a lot of poor peasants who don't get it, and I'm afraid that the US has been going in that direction for some years.    Keith Weinhold  13:08   Well, I'm so glad Doug that you gave us the reminder that the government is the source of inflation. That's where it all begins, because people often blame the landlord for higher rents, but they blame the grocer for the higher beef prices, but the landlord in the grocer, they're only the messenger, not the source. You're absolutely right. It's a question of very bad economic education throughout the school system, all the way up to college and post grad work the butcher and the baker and the oil maker produce real goods that make your standard of living higher. They're the heroes in this scenario. The government, which prints up money through its deficits that it runs, is the villain in this and I never cease to be amazed and shocked how people look at politicians to be their saviors, right? They're heroes. They're not. They're the villains in this piece. They serve no useful purpose. And the same goes for most of these agencies that they set up, which once again, make things easier for the guys on top, that have capital, that have political connections, that can hire the lawyers, hire the accountants to twist things in their favor, makes it very hard for the little guy who can't jump over the hurdles that are put up by regulation as well as taxes as well as inflation.    Tell us about how inflation erodes ethical standards.    Doug Casey  14:38   Well, that's a problem too, because if you can't trust money, the validity of contracts becomes questionable if you borrow. It's terrible in a country like Argentina, if you borrowed 100 pesos from me and only gave it back to me next year, it'd be worth half as much. But you say, Hey, here's your 100 pesos, but you're subtly cheating the person that you borrowed the money from, right? And it erodes trust. Not only that, but inflation tends to make the banking system unsound for a number of reasons. If you can't trust your bank, you really can't trust any financial institutions. So money is the lifeblood of a society. It represents everything that you want to do and want to provide for other people in the future. And if the government destroys your money, it's destroying your future life. And that erodes trust. It makes people think in terms of, I want it all, and I want it now. I'm not willing to wait, because in the future, I don't know what anything is going to be worth. So it leads to an unstable society. And in an unstable society, you don't trust anything.    Keith Weinhold  15:57   right? Well, first, I love your example of the 100 peso loan. I mean, how would one know how much interest to charge in a runaway inflationary environment? Because some people don't realize that high inflation also means more volatile levels of inflation, and banking and lending really break down. You know, Doug, I've got my own example or two about how inflation introduces unethical behavior when the big wave of inflation started to hit in 2021 and 2022 in the United States, you know my favorite cold brew bottled coffee, which I drank because it had good ingredients in it, rather than raising the price on that with inflation, they replaced their higher quality sweeteners in my cold brew coffee, like stevia and monk fruit extract with a junky sucralose sweetener, they could keep their price the same that way. They sure didn't point out that they substituted a junkier sweetener. And really this is another form of inflation called skimplation That was pretty sneaky behavior here.   Doug Casey  17:00   you're absolutely correct, Keith, and this further breaks down the bonds of trust in society, because you no longer really trust that manufacturer, and that's just your one particular coffee manufacturer, but it's happening across the board with all manufacturers, so no wonder people start saying, Hey, I hate these companies. They're trying to rip me off. Well, they're not trying to rip you off. They're just trying to survive the consequences of the government debasing the currency. So we have to assign blame where it belongs. That's a very good example that you just gave. I think.   Keith Weinhold  17:35   yeah. And I think another way that inflation introduces unethical behavior is say that there are two different manufacturers of wine, and they're selling their bottle of wine for $20 then the currency supply doubles. Okay, well, one manufacturer can go ahead and keep selling their $20 wine with inferior ingredients. Well over here, the honest guy, the other company, they double their price to $40 and they continue to use good quality ingredients. But what do consumers notice? They notice the price more than the ingredients. So therefore the unethical one that waters down their wine ingredients but keeps their price low actually gets rewarded and will get more business.    Doug Casey  18:15   You're right, certainly in the short run, but in the long run, inflation is going to destroy both of them, but for different reasons, inflation really destroys the basis of society itself, because it makes it so much harder to produce and you don't have any savings to consume. So money is the basis of society. When you destroy the money you're destroying the basis of society itself.    Keith Weinhold  18:43   We're talking with Doug Casey about his recent piece that you can find@internationalman.com it'stitled inflation and social decay, rising prices and falling values. He also hosts the eponymous show, Doug Casey's take more with Doug when we come back, including how inflation leads to a more litigious society and actually creates more lawsuits. That's straight ahead. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold.   oh geez, the national average bank account pays less than 1% on your savings, so your bank is getting rich off of you. You've got to earn way more, or else you're losing your hard earned cash to inflation. Let the liquidity fund help you put your money to work with minimum risk, your cash generates up to a 10% return and compounds year in and year out. Instead of earning less than 1% in your bank account, the minimum investment is just 25k   you keep getting paid until you decide you want your money back. Their decade plus track record proves they've always paid their investors 100% in full and on time. And you know how I'd know, because I'm an investor in this myself, earn 10% like me and GRE listeners are text family to 66866, to learn about freedom, family investments, liquidity fund, on your journey to financial freedom through passive income. Text, family to 66866   Hey, you can get your mortgage loans at the same place where I get mine, at Ridge lending group  NMLS, 42056. They provided our listeners with more loans than any provider in the entire nation because they specialize in income properties, they help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. You can start your pre qualification and chat with President Caeli Ridge personally. Start Now while it's on your mind at Ridge lendinggroup.com That's ridgelendinggroup.com   Richard Duncan  20:53   this is Richard Duncan, publisher and macro watch, listen to get rich Education with Geek Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold  21:11   Welcome back to get rich education. We're talking with legendary author Doug Casey. In fact, his classic book strategic investing broke the record for receiving the largest advance ever paid for a financial book at the time. And Doug, I know, in one of your latest pieces, you talked about how inflation actually leads to a more litigious society as well. Tell us about that.   Doug Casey  21:34   The US is actually the most litigious country in the world, and it's because a company may have a hard time meeting its obligations when the currency that its obligations are denominated in turns into a floating abstraction, and if you can't fulfill your obligation, is the way you would righteously on a handshake. Might you may want to call in your lawyers to help you survive. So it percolates through all areas of society.    Keith Weinhold  22:06   Now, on top of inflation, I think there's a problem that's really in one's face today, America has a tip inflation problem where increasingly you are being asked for tips at places where you weren't beforehand. And I think a lot of that really began with COVID. Places like Subway restaurant began asking for tips even though you're standing up to order your food, and it was a way for you to show appreciation that they showed up during the pandemic. But when the pandemic waned, the tip request didn't go away. In fact, I think they've increased. So we have tip inflation on top of inflation. Doug, I recently attended a conference, and the little convenience stores inside the event site hotel, they stated that they are now cashless. Okay, so you're going to be paying with a card, and when you bring your groceries up to the counter, there's a little screen, and they ask you two to three questions. You have to answer two to three prompts if you don't want to leave a tip. This is just at a convenience store. This holds up the line. It's a little frustrating. It wears me out. They say humans can only make 35,000 decisions a day. I just spent three or four of them saying I don't want to leave a tip for this sandwich that I just brought to the counter. And you know what's funny, Doug, I almost consider if this gets annoying after I deny the ridiculous tip request when they didn't provide any additional service. You know what I think about asking Doug, asking that person, oh, okay, well, you asked me to pay more than we agreed to. Where's my discount? Now let me ask you a few questions about my discount now that you ask that I pay more than what we agreed to. So tenations become a problem.    Doug Casey  23:47   Actually, it's worse than that, because now that the world is going to computer money less cash, they give you some choices. I know at Starbucks, this is the case. You want to leave a 10% or a 15% or a 20% tip, those are the things that you can check to make it easy for yourself. But wait a minute, I just wanted a coffee, and what services this person provided for me, other than just drawing a coffee for me and I'm given a choice of it used to be that tips were this is a long time ago, but it's still the way it is in many countries in the world, the tips were just the excess change that you left there. Or the waiter in many countries in the world, like, well, two I can think of off the top of my hand, or Japan, where tipping is is not accepted. In fact, I remember in one Tokyo restaurant, I left some money on the table, and the waitress ran down the street after me to give me my money back. She thought that I inadvertently left it on the table and it was supposed to be a tip. Other countries, like New Zealand, there's no tipping. Certainly out in the country, it's only in the big cities. So yeah, it's become a rather pernicious habit, but I understand, because the average guy doing manual hourly labor like waiting is having a really hard time making it these days, and that's evidenced by the fact that both Trump and Kamala Harris were talking about making tips exempt from income taxes, because you might have to pay the government, well, forget about it. You have to pay them 15% in Social Security taxes, which are non deductible, and then you have to pay income taxes on top of the Social Security taxes. So I I understand why you'd want to do that, but inflation is just another kind of tax, actually, when we get right down to it, that's what it is. It's a subtle tax. It's a tax that you don't see. It's a tax that you blame on the person providing the service of the good, rather than the government, which if they tax you directly. Yeah, you see that, but you don't see that. Inflation is just another form of tax.    Keith Weinhold  25:59   Sure, an income tax or a property tax is sort of front stage inflation really a backstage tax being surreptitious. To your point, well, if the government is so bad and does such a poor job of issuing currency, Doug, what are your thoughts about the government just getting out of the currency issuance business? Whatever that would look like, a gold standard, a Bitcoin standard. Does the government have to be the one that issues the currency?    Doug Casey  26:27   No, it doesn't actually look and we might want to forget about this concept of currency. You've heard that the BRICS, a bunch of third world countries, Russia, India, China, Brazil, many others who want to get out of using the dollar, they don't want to use the dollar because the dollar is turned into a floating abstraction, and they can't trust the US government, as the Russians found, because all dollars clear through New York. So what are they going to do? They don't trust each other's phony baloney currencies. I think that those countries are going to go to gold, not a gold currency, gold, which was money since day one of human history. Actually, I think that's going to happen in the US. And for many, many years, I've suggested that people do their saving in gold, not in dollars. I've been saving in gold for the last 50 years, starting when gold was in the low 40s. And as you do with savings, you put it aside, you forget about it. And the gold that I first saved at $40 an ounce, it's now at 2700 more or less, has treated me very well. I think that people should be saving with something that's not going to lose value the way the dollar does. If the dollar is in a lot of trouble, it could dry up and blow away, quite frankly. So one reason why you want to own real things, commodities, properties, gold, things of that nature, or stocks, if you choose the company well.    Keith Weinhold  27:59   I've helped people that have been hesitant about putting a little bit of money into gold or Bitcoin with the mindset of, don't think about how you are buying gold or Bitcoin. Think of it rather as how you are shifting a portion of your prosperity from dollars, pesos, yen or euros over into gold or Bitcoin. Really, you're just shifting some of your prosperity there. Is the way that I like to think about it. But Doug, as we've been talking about inflation, in this theme of government really having intervention and distortions into free markets, including things like inflation. You know, I've got something that I'm thinking about, and you might help shape or change my thinking about this. We generally champion free markets around here that's typically a good economic system. However, is a free market with some guardrails on it actually helpful? Or do you think that the guardrails shouldn't be there? You mentioned Donald Trump a little bit earlier? One thing, for example, that he says he wants to do Doug is fire the current FTC chair, Lina Khan now the Federal Trade Commission. What their role has really been in the past few years is they spend a lot of their energy cracking down on fraudsters, but Lina Khan wants to bust up mega corporations. So really, what I'm getting at is, can one of the guardrails that's important be that say the FTC make sure there isn't like a an early 1900 style, John D Rockefeller monopoly. What are your thoughts with the government's role in breaking up monopolies? Is that a valid guardrail on the free market?    Doug Casey  29:30   No, I don't think it is. Look, you've got two kinds of monopolies. You've got market monopolies and legal monopolies. A market monopoly is one where the company provides the good or service so cheaply at such a high quality that nobody can compete with them. It's not worth it. Well, leave it alone. And if they start pricing their product too high, or the quality falls enough in a free market, Competitors will come in. That's one type of monopoly. nothing wrong with that kind of monopoly. The other kind of monopoly is a legal monopoly where the government says you have a franchise to do this, you and only you can do it like, well, like almost anything today, where you have to, you have to get government approval in order to provide the good or service. Like railroads, for instance, you couldn't start a new railroad today if you wanted to. So if it's a legal monopoly, you're fighting the law. If it's a market monopoly, you just have to provide a service or good, cheaper or better. So no, I don't think the FTC or any of these three Leader Letter agencies serve a useful purpose. All they do is add to costs and slow down competition and employ people that stick their nose into your business and tell you what you can or can't do both as a producer and a consumer. Look, the government is force. It's coercion. It should only do three things in a civilized society, we want to limit coercion. That means protect you from coercion outside the country with the military inside the country, with the police force, and allow you to adjudicate disputes peacefully without resorting to coercion through a court system. Everything else can be solved through market processes. Believe it or not, I know that shocks most people to hear they're so used to thinking that big brother is watching over a man is going to save my bank and protect me from bad people out there. I wish there are plenty, but it's not the best way to do it. Frankly.   Keith Weinhold  31:33   you've done a good job of drawing a distinct line as to what you think government should stay out of but what about this monopoly power? What if, even with AI inroads, Google still owns more than 90% of the search markets, so therefore they can charge exorbitant prices. Shouldn't something like Google be broken up in an antitrust lawsuit?    Doug Casey  31:51   No, no, it shouldn't, because there are other companies out there that provide people are just used to using Google. I use it myself, but there are at least a half a dozen, and I'm not a computer jock, so I think there are more than that, other services out there that you can use instead of Google, and believe me, I don't like these big companies. I mean, they act like semi governments onto themselves. No, you don't want the government to step in, because the government is a far greater danger than Google is. Google can't break down your door at three in the morning with cops and haul you off to jail. Google can just charge you more than you'd want and do other things like that. But you have other alternatives to Google. It's not an active over weeding physical danger the way the government does. And I'm not saying I like Google either. I don't. Let's admit it, they provide us a tremendous service at basically zero cost, and if you can find ways to get around them, I think that's great. Like I said, it's wonderful what they do. But that doesn't mean I'm a fan of them because of the way that, like any big organization, sure, they try to take advantage around the edges. Unfortunately, that's a negative part of human nature. But the government is not the solution to the problem.    Keith Weinhold  33:13   And of course, this doesn't mean I'm a pro regulation person. Some states and jurisdictions landlord and tenant act can be overbearing.For example, the FDA is not doing a good job with what is allowed to be put into our food, either. So the size of the regulation probably is too big.    Doug Casey  33:31   My old friend Dirk Pearson, who wrote a book called Life Extension, a practical scientific approach, was a huge bestseller some years ago, and Derek always liked to say the FDA it kills more people every year than the Defense Department does decade. And he's right.    Keith Weinhold  33:51   Yeah, that is a pretty sad indictment on the state of things there. But do you have given us quite a few things to think about with how inflation is actually an unethical source, and some more thoughts about free markets. If our audience wants to connect with you, what's the best way for them to do that?    Doug Casey  34:07   Well, go to internationalman.com I write an article there every week, but every day we have great articles by great people. So go to internationalman.com that's one thing on YouTube. Doug Casey's take, where I have a conversation on these and many, many other subjects with Matt Smith every week. And the last thing is, since you can say some things in the form of fiction that you dare not, or better not say in the form of non fiction, right, I have three novels, speculator, drug lord and assassin that I think are excellent reads, so go on Amazon and pick them up too.    Keith Weinhold  34:47   Yeah, Casey, it's been insightful as usual. Thanks for coming back onto the show today.    Doug Casey  34:52   Appreciate it, Keith, it's been a pleasure.   Keith Weinhold  35:00   Yeah, good insight from Doug. As always, tipflation has become awfully intrusive. I recently made a donation on my nephew's behalf for his soccer team or something like that on the donation platform, okay, they called that donation my pledge. Okay, sure, but before I finaled out my pledge on the site, they next asked me if I would like to leave a tip on top of my pledge. Sheesh. Well, do you blame the donation platform for trying to up charge me after I'm just trying to be giving or instead, after listening to today's episode, do you blame the government for inflation in spending? Is this all just a result of that? And now we have listeners that when they find this show, they want to go back and listen to all currently, 500 plus episodes. Well, if you're listening to this five or 10 years from now, you might find my tipflation stories unusual because the practice could be so common and embedded into society by then. Right now, it's still pretty novel here in the mid 2020s there's a rapid rate of change on the tip flation front. And the next time that you are asked for an out of bounds tip, are you next going to ask the merchant where your discount is and make them answer three questions about it.   And by the way, the cold brew coffee that I mentioned with Doug is not the erstwhile la Columbia brand that I talked about two weeks ago. My favorite and real go tos are the Slate and O, W, Y, N brands. That way you get 20 grams of protein with your coffee and no cheap sweeteners in those two. Now, when it comes to the anti trust stuff, breaking up monopolies and duopolies, see real estate is super fractured with who owns it. I mean, even with more institutional buying of real estate, like we've seen this past decade on a national basis, these huge groups that own 1000 homes or more. All those groups, they only own about 710, of 1%of the US single family housing stock. So real estate investing is free market and it is fractured. It is not at all consolidated.    And now let me give you something outside of real estate, an example from another segment of business, supermarkets. There is no need for you to frantically hoard Annie's mac and cheese. It's not good for you anyway. But two courts rejected the Kroger Albertsons merger earlier this month, and that effectively broke up the deal that would have brought together two of the largest grocery store chains in America, the decision that really gave a sweet victory to FTC chair Lena Khan, like I mentioned there in the interview, but her time at the agency's Helm, that's going to end in a few weeks with the beginning of a new presidential administration. But see, in my opinion, and going after antitrust cases, she was pro free market and pro competition, which I see as a good thing. That way you have more companies vying for your business with better quality and lower prices. But I do like to listen to the other side, because, like I said in the interview, I'm still forming an opinion on this. That's why I wanted Doug Casey's take. And in this case, the two grocery companies, they had argued that creating a larger entity merging them both that would allow it to compete with Walmart and offer higher wages and lower prices. That is their side of it. Now Andrew Ferguson, he is the apparent new FTC chair. He has promised to reverse what he called Khan's anti business agenda, so we're not going to see as much antitrust crackdown from the looks of things. And note that there is also an antitrust division at the DOJ, so their influence weighs in as well. This really hasn't been much of a problem for real estate, one of the most highly fractured major markets around and now you do have though adjacent industry, like the home builder space, where there is a home building giant like Lennar, but even the home builder space isn't nearly as consolidated and anti competitive as say, the online search industry or the airline industry. I would like to wish you a happy new year. As always, we are back next week with more great content coming up on the show. We go in depth on some real estate asset classes and also how you can really, accionably and seriously reduce your tax burden next year with vehicles like bonus depreciation and cost segregation, simplifying those things for you, these are exactly the types of tools about how the rich get ahead by knowing how the tax laws benefit them, and pretty soon you will too.   If you like what you hear here each week, please go ahead and tell a friend about the show. I would really appreciate it. Until then, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 2  40:15   Nothing on this show should be considered specific personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively.   Keith Weinhold  40:43   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth, building, get rich, education.com

Paul Guppy of Washington Policy Center discusses court rulings blocking the Kroger-Albertsons merger and their potential impact on the grocery industry and consumers. Read more at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-courts-blocking-the-kroger-albertson-merger-wont-stop-consumers-from-making-choices on www.ClarkCountyToday.com. #KrogerAlbertsonsMerger #MarketCompetition #LocalNews

Breakups are always hard. Especially when you’re two of the largest grocery mega-conglomerates in the country. Last week two judges – including a federal judge in Oregon and a superior court judge based in Seattle – officially blocked a merger between grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons. The companies had argued they needed to unite to compete with the likes of Wal-Mart. While an appeal is possible, Albertsons has backed out of the merger altogether and is now suing Kroger for $600 million over legal fees and the shareholder value it claims it lost in the merger attempt. It’s a big deal for the state of Washington, and not only because Governor-Elect Bob Ferguson sued to stop the merger as Attorney General. He argued it would lower competition in the industry and raise grocery prices. It was also a big deal because it would’ve meant the likely sale of 124 grocery stores here – the most of any state – to a third-party company. So... the big grocery merger is dead a major victory for Ferguson and FTC chair Lina Khan, who’s credited with reviving the federal government’s role in antitrust enforcement. But this is also an inflection point for the future of antitrust. President Trump has tapped new leaders for the FTC and the Justice Department’s antitrust division. Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee is wrapping up a hearing on “A Bipartisan Path Forward for Antitrust," where Senator Amy Klobuchar says she hopes to highlight the ways Democrats and Republicans can work together on tackling anti-competitive monopolies, including in the tech industry. So what happened to spoil the Kroger-Albertsons partnership plans, and will the next big merger go forward under Trump? Soundside spoke with John Kirkwood, a professor at Seattle University School of Law. He’s a nationally-renowned antitrust expert and established the first antitrust policy office at the FTC. Soundside also spoke with Stacy Mitchell, the co-executive director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The group opposed the Albertsons-Kroger merger. Mitchell wrote two recent articles in The Atlantic exploring the history of food deserts what the merger's failure means for the FTC going forward. Guests: John Kirkwood, professor at Seattle University School of Law. He’s a nationally-renowned antitrust expert and established the first antitrust policy office at the FTC. Stacy Mitchell, co-executive director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Related links: Read Stacy Mitchell's story in The Atlantic here: The Hidden Cause of Food Deserts - The Atlantic Lina Khan Goes Out With a Bang - The Atlantic Building an oasis in a rural WA ‘food desert’ | The Seattle Times KUOW - Albertsons calls off merger with Kroger. Now what? Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6pm: Holiday Magic Total as of Thursday: $86,400! // What Walmart may gain from FTC's Kroger-Albertsons lawsuit // The great grocery merger is dead. Can Albertsons, QFC and others survive? // WSDOT wants more Anti-Graffiti drones // University of Illinois’s “Dial-A-Carol” Hotline is Live for 2024 carrying on their tradition started in 1960! // Grandma is literally run over by a reindeer // The girl with 1000 letters in her name

3pm: Holiday Magic Total as of Thursday: $86,400! // What Walmart may gain from FTC's Kroger-Albertsons lawsuit // The great grocery merger is dead. Can Albertsons, QFC and others survive? // WSDOT wants more Anti-Graffiti drones // University of Illinois’s “Dial-A-Carol” Hotline is Live for 2024 carrying on their tradition started in 1960! // Grandma is literally run over by a reindeer // The girl with 1000 letters in her name

Kroger and Albertsons have been pursuing a merger since 2022. This Tuesday, December 10th, the effort was temporarily blocked by a federal Judge. KCSB's Rosie Bultman speaks with Michael Bott, Produce Manager for Vons in Santa Barbara and member of UFCW 770, to get his perspective on the news.

Scott discusses how the prosecutors will work the bridge fire case with attorney Jason Phillabaum. Also 1st Amendment attorney Jack Greiner breaks down Ohio House Bill 700 and it's 1st Amendment problems. Finally Dominick Miserandino explains what killed the Kroger-Albertsons merger.

Scott discusses how the prosecutors will work the bridge fire case with attorney Jason Phillabaum. Also 1st Amendment attorney Jack Greiner breaks down Ohio House Bill 700 and it's 1st Amendment problems. Finally Dominick Miserandino explains what killed the Kroger-Albertsons merger.

-Elites frustrated by surge of sympathy for alleged CEO shooter -Manifesto attacks "parasites" in health care system -Judges side with FTC, block Kroger-Albertsons mega merger -DOGE takes aim at Tesla competitors

Today on AirTalk, the grocery chain Albertsons is suing Kroger after judges halted their merger because they believe it would lessen the competition in the CA grocery market and could potentially violate consumer-protection laws. California's push to electrify the pollutive trucking industry has companies replacing old diesel trucks with shiny new electric ones. However, a company headquartered in Rancho Dominguez is taking another route by retrofitting those old diesel trucks to turn them into electric ones. The first episode of the highly-anticipated podcast Nobody Knows Anything is out. We have the host, and creator of The Black List, Franklin Leonard in the studio to tell us all about it. LA County officials are holding a press conference this morning to address a surge in hate crime. Call in and tell us if you have noticed this rise in hate-motivated crime in your area. Today on AirTalk: - Judges halt Kroger/Albertsons merger (0:15) - Old diesel trucks get electric rehab (16:25) - Franklin Leonard of The Black List on new podcast (32:01) - LA County Officials Detail Hate Crime Report (51:42) - What is your perception of hate-motivated crime in your area? (1:10:20)

This Day in Legal History: Bernie Madoff ArrestedOn December 11, 2008, financier Bernard L. Madoff was arrested by federal authorities for orchestrating one of the largest Ponzi schemes in U.S. history. Madoff, a respected figure on Wall Street and former chairman of NASDAQ, had promised consistent high returns to investors. However, he used money from new investors to pay returns to earlier ones, rather than generating legitimate profits. The scheme unraveled during the 2008 financial crisis when panicked investors sought to withdraw funds, revealing Madoff's inability to cover billions of dollars.Madoff's fraud affected a vast range of victims, including wealthy individuals, charities, and pension funds, some of which were completely wiped out. Prosecutors estimated the losses to be approximately $65 billion, though this figure included fictitious profits shown on client statements. The actual cash losses were around $17.5 billion, much of which was later recovered by a court-appointed trustee.Madoff pleaded guilty in 2009 to 11 federal felonies, including securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. He received a 150-year prison sentence, reflecting the enormous harm caused by his crimes. The case also spurred regulatory reforms, as it revealed significant oversight failures by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which had missed numerous red flags during prior investigations.The scandal had lasting implications for the financial world, highlighting vulnerabilities in investment practices and the need for stringent oversight. Many victims continued seeking justice and compensation long after Madoff's imprisonment, while the case remains a cautionary tale about trust and greed in finance.A U.S. bankruptcy judge halted The Onion's planned purchase of Alex Jones' Infowars website, ruling that the bankruptcy auction did not maximize potential bids. Judge Christopher Lopez acknowledged errors in the auction process, including the trustee's premature call for final offers, which likely left money on the table. Neither The Onion's winning bid nor the runner-up bid from a company tied to Jones' businesses adequately addressed Jones' significant debts. Jones, who declared bankruptcy in 2022, owes over $1.3 billion to families of Sandy Hook shooting victims after courts ruled he defamed them by falsely claiming the tragedy was staged. The Onion's bid was bolstered by Sandy Hook families waiving part of their repayment to increase creditor payouts, raising its total valuation to $7 million. However, Jones argued The Onion's bid relied on inflated calculations compared to the $3.5 million cash offer from First American United Companies.The judge ordered a renewed auction process and called for resolving creditor disputes beforehand. While Jones celebrated the decision, The Onion expressed disappointment but reiterated its interest in turning Infowars into a parody site with less harmful content. Sandy Hook families' attorneys criticized the delays but remained committed to holding Jones accountable.The Onion's purchase of Alex Jones' Infowars stopped by US judge | ReutersThe Onion's Bid for Alex Jones' Infowars Rejected by Judge (1)President Joe Biden announced his intent to veto the JUDGES Act, a bipartisan bill proposing 66 new federal trial court judgeships to alleviate case backlogs. Despite the Democratic-led Senate passing the bill in August, the Republican-controlled House delayed action until after the election, won by Republican President-elect Donald Trump. The White House criticized the timing, suggesting partisan motives, and noted Republicans' prior resistance to filling judicial vacancies under Biden.The legislation aims to stagger new appointments over a decade to distribute appointments across three presidential administrations, addressing concerns about partisanship in judicial nominations. Republican Senator Todd Young, the bill's sponsor, and several judges emphasized the urgent need for additional resources, citing increased case filings and delays since 1990.House Democrats, however, withdrew support, accusing Republicans of reneging on promises to pass the bill earlier. Representative Jerrold Nadler argued that granting Trump immediate judicial appointments could bolster his executive power. Biden's veto would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override, an unlikely scenario. Judges advocating for the bill expressed disappointment, emphasizing its nonpartisan intent and necessity to ensure timely justice.Biden vows to veto bill expanding US judiciary after Trump's win | ReutersWoody Allen's former chef, Hermie Fajardo, has filed a lawsuit accusing Allen, his wife Soon-Yi Previn, and their home manager Pamela Steigmeyer of unlawful termination due to his military obligations and complaints about improper wages. Fajardo alleges violations of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA) and New York labor laws, asserting that he was dismissed after raising concerns about taxless paychecks and reduced wages during his Army Reserve training.Fajardo's claims suggest a pattern of retaliation, including hostility from Steigmeyer and a sudden, unexplained termination shortly after a delayed return from mandatory military duty. The lawsuit challenges the defendants' subsequent claims of dissatisfaction with Fajardo's cooking, pointing instead to his complaints and military obligations as the true motivations for his firing.Criticism of Allen is underscored, to say the least, by his history of abusive personal and professional behavior. Allen has faced decades of allegations, including longstanding sexual abuse claims from his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow, which have cast a well-deserved shadow over his career despite his continued denial of wrongdoing. Woody Allen's Ex-Chef Alleges He Was Fired Over Military ServiceA U.S. federal court blocked the proposed $25 billion merger between Kroger and Albertsons, marking a victory for consumers who prioritize competitive grocery pricing. Judge Adrienne Nelson ruled that the deal, which would have united the two largest traditional grocery chains, could harm shoppers by reducing competition and driving up costs. The decision aligns with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) efforts to counteract inflation and protect consumers.The FTC and state attorneys general argued that the merger would limit choices for consumers and weaken the bargaining power of unionized grocery workers. The court rejected Kroger's claims that the deal would reduce prices and improve services through efficiencies, noting the lack of enforceable guarantees. Concerns about job losses and potential harm to small businesses were also central to the opposition.For shoppers, the decision improves the chance that grocery prices remain as low as possible by preserving competition between major chains. With food costs already having risen by 25% in recent years, maintaining market competition is a crucial step toward affordability. This ruling reinforces the importance of competition in the economy, benefiting not only consumers but also workers and small businesses.While Kroger and Albertsons argued that the merger was necessary to compete with giants like Walmart and Amazon, the court doubted whether their proposals to sell stores to maintain competition would succeed. Ultimately, this decision supports those who believe that strong antitrust enforcement is essential for a balanced economy.Kroger's $25-billion deal for grocery rival Albertsons blocked by US courts | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Plus: Walgreens shares rise by their largest one-day percentage gain ever after the drug-store chain said it is in talks to sell itself to a private-equity firm. Boeing shares rise after the planemaker said it has restarted production of its 737 MAX jets. J.R. Whalen reports. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Closing arguments were heard in the Kroger, Albertsons merger trials in Colorado and Washington. From 2025 through 2027, 7-Eleven plans to build 500 new convenience stores. And Sam's Club is the latest to jump into the Thanksgiving meal deal frenzy. 

Carl Quintanilla, David Faber and Sara Eisen kicked off a new week for the markets: The Dow off to a fast start, hitting a new all-time high thanks to Intel's rally. Qualcomm recently approached the chipmaker about a possible takeover -- and Apollo Global reportedly offed to invest up to $5 billion in Intel. Also in focus: What the CEOs of Nvidia and IBM told CNBC after meeting with Indian Prime Minister Modi, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari spoke to CNBC about economic risks, FTC Chair Lina Khan on CBS' "60 Minutes" about the planned Kroger-Albertsons merger, an update on Nike following the company's decision to change CEOs. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer 

Market analysts are weighing in on the Kroger-Albertsons merger case. Phillips 66 is expanding its brand licensing to new regions. And Weigel's opened its 80th store in Jefferson City, Tennessee.

Hearings on the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons ended on Tuesday in Portland. The grocery chains argue that the merger is necessary for them to compete with non-traditional grocers like Costco, Amazon and even Dollar General. But the Federal Trade Commission sued to block the deal in federal court in Oregon on the grounds that it would harm workers and consumers. Lawsuits against the merger are also slated to begin soon in Washington and Colorado. In the meantime, U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson’s ruling on the Oregon case is expected to have significant implications for the deal. Elizabeth Hayes has been following the proceedings as a reporter for the Portland Business Journal. She joins us with more details on what she heard over the past few weeks. 

Casey's General Stores acquired four Oakcrest Market convenience stores. A third lawsuit has surfaced involving Boar's Head and the Listeria outbreak. And the judge overseeing the Federal Trade Commission's case against the Kroger-Albertsons merger said she would work as quickly as possible on her decision.

Something that we learned today is that Mondays are...back!  Like they really never left?  Welcome to the Monday Edition of the Business News Headlines for this the 16th day of September. Glad you're here again.  Say, if you want to reach out to us on social media you can hook up with us all day on Twitter or "X" @IOB_NewsHour and on Instagram. Facebook? Sure were there too.  Here's what we've got for you today: It's not when but how much.  All eyes on the Fed; Legal cases against the Kroger/Albertsons merger; And Washington State has some bad memories; Boeing executives surprised at worker...anger; The UAW files a grievance with the NLRB and why; From the retail world:  Target Circle Days are coming; The Wall Street Report; Like we said, Mondays are...back! Thanks for listening! The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

Alimentation Couche-Tard said it wants to continue its “friendly” pursuit of acquiring Seven & i Holdings. The Kroger-Albertsons antitrust merger trial continues. And Casey's General Stores Inc. launches a new fall pizza.

Attorney General Kris Mayes is among a group of AGs trying to block the merger between Kroger and Albertsons. We'll hear why supporters of the deal think it'll benefit consumers. And, how the state is turning highways into pollinating grounds for butterflies.

It's Labor Day, and that can only mean workers standing up for our rights on the job. We begin this week with the launch of this weekend's national hotel strike by workers in Unite Here. After some quick stories on workers fighting for Palestine, the massive surge in unionization in academia, and more warehouse organizing by the Teamsters, we get into our main stories. We follow up with the UAW strike at Cornell, as workers have won a historic new contract. Workers at the Audubon Society have announced they will strike next week as their highly paid CEO continues a petty, illegal union busting campaign. Fred Meyer workers also struck this weekend, simultaneously showing how important stopping the Kroger-Albertsons merger is. Negotiations for a new contract for the East Coast dockworkers in the ILA have ground to a halt, potentially portending the first east coast port shutdown in nearly 50 years. We also discuss this week's 99.99% strike authorization vote by flight attendants at United and a new report showing just how deep the exploitation in the industry is. Finally, we celebrate the union election win of 4000 "temporary" workers at Firestone's massive rubber plantation in Liberia. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee More info on the show at http://workstoppagepod.com/

To plug a nearly billion-dollar budget gap, Mayor Brandon Johnson may reverse his campaign pledge on property taxes. Crain's politics reporter Justin Laurence talks with host Amy Guth about the options on the table for the city. Plus: Foxtrot is reopening its first Chicago store this week, DNC week proved "solid" for downtown hotels, rival buying Kroger-Albertsons stores got "worst chains" like Mariano's and NASCAR says it will return to Grant Park in 2025, but stays noncommittal on 2026.

Lina Khan's Federal Trade Commission goes to court to stop the supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons from combining, arguing it could raise food prices and limit competition for union workers. But the companies say the opposite, arguing that they're under pressure from club stores, online outlets, and more. Plus, the FTC loses a separate case on noncompete agreements. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Ownit AI and Mirakl. Ownit AI helps brands and retailers win Google search by answering their shopper's questions online. Learn more at ownit.co. Mirakl is the global leader in platform business innovation for eCommerce. Companies like Macy's, Nordstrom, and Kroger use Mirakl to build disruptive growth and profitability through marketplace, dropship, and retail media. For more, visit mirakl.comHere are today's top headlines:Kroger and Albertsons are facing a pivotal trial as they seek approval for their merger, which would create a $208 billion grocery giant. Google is rolling out new features in its Merchant Center retail hub, just in time for the holiday shopping season. In response to challenges in the e-commerce aggregator market, Branded and Heyday are merging to create a new entity called Essor.Stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights. Be careful out there!

Jim Cramer and David Faber kicked off a new week with the Dow hitting a new record intraday high after Friday's Fed-fueled rally. The anchors also engaged in a wide-ranging discussion about Nvidia. The chip giant due out with earnings after Wednesday's close of trading. Also in focus: Kroger and Albertsons head to court as the FTC looks to block their $20 billion merger deal, Cramer on playing the big banks with JPMorgan Chase at an all-time high, "Faber Report" on Edgar Bronfman's bid for Paramount, Temu parent PDD plunges. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer 

This Day in Legal History: Nineteenth Amendment AdoptedOn August 26, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was officially adopted, marking a pivotal moment in American history by granting women the right to vote. The Amendment, which states that the right to vote "shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex," was the culmination of decades of activism and struggle by women's suffrage advocates. Pioneers like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and many others fought tirelessly for this fundamental right, organizing rallies, petitions, and civil disobedience.The Amendment's adoption followed a lengthy ratification process, where Tennessee became the crucial 36th state to ratify the amendment, securing the necessary three-fourths majority. This victory did not come easily; it was the result of a concerted effort by suffragists who faced significant opposition. The Nineteenth Amendment not only expanded the electorate but also symbolized a broader movement toward gender equality in the United States. Its passage empowered women to engage fully in the democratic process and laid the groundwork for future advances in civil rights. The legacy of the Nineteenth Amendment continues to influence social and political movements to this day.Big Law firms are rallying behind Vice President Kamala Harris by hosting high-dollar fundraising events. Sullivan & Cromwell's Rodge Cohen is organizing a New York lunch featuring Doug Emhoff, with ticket prices reaching up to $100,000. In Washington, Jenner & Block's Josh Hsu is co-hosting an evening reception where tickets are nearly $7,000. Since Harris became the Democratic frontrunner, high-profile attorneys have been mobilizing to support her campaign, with several already raising substantial sums. Notably, Mayer Brown partner Phil Recht, a Harris supporter, notes strong momentum in campaign contributions. The host committees for these events include prominent figures from Big Law and the tech industry, such as Skadden's Nina Rose and OpenAI's Johanna Shelton. The fundraising effort has seen significant engagement, with many top lawyers eager to contribute. For example, Dawn Smalls of Jenner & Block raised $100,000 in just a week, and partners at firms like Gibson Dunn and WilmerHale are actively supporting Harris through events and donations.Big Law Throwing Kamala Fundraisers with a Six-Figure Ticket TierThe U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is set to challenge Kroger's $25 billion merger with rival Albertsons in federal court, arguing that the deal would harm consumers and workers by reducing competition. The FTC's case, part of the Biden administration's broader effort to address rising consumer prices, will focus on how the merger could lead to higher grocery prices and diminish the bargaining power of unionized workers, particularly in states like California and Washington where both chains have significant overlap. This trial marks a significant test for FTC Chair Lina Khan, who has prioritized using antitrust laws to protect workers, a shift from the traditional focus on consumer prices.Kroger and Albertsons argue that the merger is necessary to compete with large multinational retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Amazon. They propose selling 579 stores to mitigate competition concerns and promise to lower grocery prices by $1 billion post-merger. However, the FTC, supported by several states, contends that the merger would lead to store closures and weakened union leverage. The trial, expected to last around three weeks, will also examine whether the proposed buyer of the divested stores, C&S Wholesale Grocers, can successfully operate them.This case is significant as it builds on the FTC's recent focus on labor market competition, following other antitrust actions that have challenged the impact of mergers on workers, such as those in the college athletics and publishing industries. The outcome could pave the way for more scrutiny of mergers based on their effects on labor markets.US FTC's bid to block Kroger-Albertsons merger heads to trial | ReutersKroger case tests FTC Chair Khan's bid to protect workers | ReutersThe US Chamber of Commerce, a conservative business organization, is urging Congress to maintain the 21% corporate tax rate and extend key provisions of the 2017 Republican-led tax law. The Chamber argues that these measures will support sustained economic growth, aiming for at least 3% annually. As Congress prepares for a major tax code overhaul next year, the Chamber is actively lobbying to preserve lower international tax rates set to increase in 2025 and to reinstate certain deductions for research and development, interest expenses, and full asset expensing. While Republicans generally support extending parts of the 2017 law, despite concerns about the growing deficit, Democrats advocate for raising the corporate tax rate to 28% and increasing taxes on the wealthy to cover the law's costs. The University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School estimates that extending the law would only offset about 4.4% of its projected $4 trillion cost through economic growth.The US Chamber of Commerce is known for its conservative stance, particularly in advocating for pro-business policies and lower taxes. Historically, the Chamber has supported Republican initiatives and has often opposed regulatory measures that it views as detrimental to business interests.US Chamber to Ask Congress to Preserve 21% Corporate Tax RateCitgo Petroleum, originally founded in 1910 as Cities Service Company, became a significant player in the U.S. refining industry. In 1986, Venezuela's state-owned oil company, PDVSA, purchased a controlling stake in Citgo, integrating it into Venezuela's oil export strategy. Citgo operates as a major U.S. refiner with its headquarters in Houston, Texas.Currently, Citgo is at the center of a complex legal battle in the U.S. stemming from Venezuela's expropriations and debt defaults. A U.S. federal court officer, Robert Pincus, is overseeing an auction of shares in Citgo's parent company, PDV Holding, to satisfy up to $21.3 billion in claims. These claims have resulted from international arbitration awards and issues surrounding foreign sovereign immunity, making the case particularly complex.The auction process, ongoing since 2017, has faced multiple delays due to the complexity of the bids and the unprecedented legal context. The latest extension request, the third this year, would push the deadline to September 16 for Pincus to recommend a winning bid. The leading bidders are CVR Energy, supported by investor Carl Icahn, and an investment group led by Gold Reserve, a mining company. Following the recommendation, there will be a 21-day period for objections before a final sales hearing on November 7.US court officer requests new extension to select winner of Citgo auction | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

U.S. grocery retailers are facing regulatory scrutiny on pricing, ever-increasing shrink and a financially-stretched consumer, but how can they adapt to these new market pressures? Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert joined The Food Institute Podcast to discuss the Kroger-Albertsons merger, the rise of private label and more. More about Phil Lempert: For more than 25 years, Phil Lempert, an expert analyst on consumer behavior, marketing trends, new products and the changing retail landscape, has identified and explained impending trends to consumers and some of the most prestigious companies and trade associations worldwide. Known as The Supermarket Guru, Lempert is a distinguished author and speaker who alerts customers and business leaders to impending corporate and consumer trends and empowers them to make educated purchasing and marketing decisions. Phil Lempert was one of the pioneers of the new information media, founding SupermarketGuru.com in 1994. The website is now one of the leading food and health resources on the Internet, visited by more than 9 million people each year. SupermarketGuru.com offers original video and editorial content on food and retail trends, food and beverage product ratings, analysis of trends in food marketing and retail, and features health advice, nutrition news and many other resources to empower both the food industry and consumers. Phil is the founder and editor of The Lempert Report and SupermarketGuru.com and the founder of the Retail Dietitians Business Alliance which was acquired by the Association for Retail and Consumer Professionals in 2022. He has been profiled and interviewed by scores of publications including USA Today, The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Newsweek and Ad Age, and is interviewed by hundreds of publications each year. He is also a columnist for Forbes.com, Category Management Association, The Robin Report & ARC Health & Wellness Community and host of Retail Radar. Learn more: https://www.supermarketguru.com/ Sign up for The Food Institute's Retail 360 Newsletter: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/cIOL5ME/FIRetail360

Learn why experts criticize the “no tax on tips” policy and what it could mean for non-tipped workers if tips become tax-free. Why are some experts criticizing the proposed “no tax on tips” policy? Could it really benefit tipped workers as intended? Hosts Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski discuss the nuances of the “no tax on tips” proposals from presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris and break down why tax experts are skeptical about its effectiveness. Then, they cover the latest financial headlines, including updates on retail sales, car prices, and the potential Kroger-Albertsons merger. Calculating how much car you can afford before you visit the dealership can save you hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars in the long run. To do that for free, you can use NerdWallet's car affordability calculator here: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/auto-loans/much-spend-car  In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: no tax on tips, tipping policies, federal income tax, tax exemption, tipped workers, minimum wage, inflation, car sales, grocery prices, Kroger Albertsons merger, consumer price index, CPI, retail sales, used car prices, payroll tax, earned income tax credit, child tax credit, recession, economic policy, subminimum wage, US presidential election, tax policy, financial headlines, tax credits, grocery merger, consumer spending, interest rates, federal minimum wage, Social Security, Medicare, restaurant industry, hospitality industry, tax loopholes, wage inequality, financial news, economic trends, car affordability, and tipping. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 2: 4:05pm- Times Demand Serious Economic Ideas: In response to Kamala Harris's announced “price gouging” policy proposal, The Washington Post editorial board writes: “Vice President Kamala Harris's speech Friday was an opportunity to get specific with voters about how a Harris presidency would manage an economy that many feel is not working well for them. Unfortunately, instead of delivering a substantial plan, she squandered the moment on populist gimmicks…Ms. Harris says she'll target companies that make ‘excessive' profits, whatever that means. (It's hard to see how groceries, a notoriously low-margin business, would qualify.) Thankfully, this gambit by Ms. Harris has been met with almost instant skepticism, with many critics citing President Richard M. Nixon's failed price controls from the 1970s. Whether the Harris proposal wins over voters remains to be seen, but if sound economic analysis still matters, it won't.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/08/16/harris-economy-plan-gimmicks/ 4:30pm- In a recently resurfaced clip, Kamala Harris states that the president has the power to confiscate patents held by private citizens and business if the government believes the patents are not being used properly. Wouldn't this policy stifle research/development and innovation? Harris made the comment in November of 2019 while campaigning for president in Muscatine, Iowa. 4:40pm- Matt tries Chicago deep-dish pizza, Rich injures his wrist being super manly (and definitely not while swimming on a floaty raft), and Mama Zeoli says you shouldn't leave the hotel in Chicago—it's too dangerous! Plus, why doesn't Rich have bodyguards like Sean Hannity? 4:50pm- Kamala Wants to Stop Kroger-Albertsons Merger: C. Jarrett Dieterle of Reason writes: “Amid all the competing headlines of the 2024 election, there may be no more bread-and-butter issue—literally—than how much Americans are paying to put food on their tables. The GOP is gearing up to attack the Biden-Harris administration for escalating grocery store bills, while presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris has now responded with her own plan to fight higher food prices. One of the hottest items in this political food fight is unquestionably the ongoing litigation from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) attempting to block the Kroger-Albertsons grocery store merger. A host of Democratic lawmakers recently joined the legal fight, arguing that any potential merger would raise prices, increase food deserts, and disproportionately hurt unionized labor.” You can read the full article here: https://reason.com/2024/08/17/harris-joins-the-ftcs-food-fight-against-kroger-albertsons-merger/

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (08/19/2024): 3:05pm- The Rich Zeoli Show is broadcasting LIVE from Media Row at the Democratic National Committee Convention in Chicago, Illinois. Perhaps unsurprisingly, we don't have too many Democrat Party members or Harris-Walz surrogates anxious to come on the show—but that's alright! We have a loaded show—including conversations with Congresswoman Kat Cammack and Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee Lara Trump. 3:10pm- While campaigning in Pennsylvania, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris visited a Sheetz convenience store—BUT WAIT, isn't the Biden-Harris Administration in the process of suing the store over its hiring practices? 3:40pm- Congresswoman Kat Cammack—U.S. Representative for Florida's 3rd Congressional District—joins The Rich Zeoli Show and reacts to Kamala Harris's proposed price gouging policies which most experts, regardless of party, consider to be economically illiterate and counterproductive. 3:50pm- Lara Trump—Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee—joins The Rich Zeoli Show and hilariously begins the conversation by saying she's sorry to hear the show had to broadcast from the DNC Convention this week. Trump also responds to Kamala Harris's unpopular “price gouging” proposal: “I have never heard something crazier. It really felt to me a little bit like she was running for class president or something and not president of the United States…just point her in the direction of the teleprompter and she'll say literally anything on there.” 4:05pm- Times Demand Serious Economic Ideas: In response to Kamala Harris's announced “price gouging” policy proposal, The Washington Post editorial board writes: “Vice President Kamala Harris's speech Friday was an opportunity to get specific with voters about how a Harris presidency would manage an economy that many feel is not working well for them. Unfortunately, instead of delivering a substantial plan, she squandered the moment on populist gimmicks…Ms. Harris says she'll target companies that make ‘excessive' profits, whatever that means. (It's hard to see how groceries, a notoriously low-margin business, would qualify.) Thankfully, this gambit by Ms. Harris has been met with almost instant skepticism, with many critics citing President Richard M. Nixon's failed price controls from the 1970s. Whether the Harris proposal wins over voters remains to be seen, but if sound economic analysis still matters, it won't.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/08/16/harris-economy-plan-gimmicks/ 4:30pm- In a recently resurfaced clip, Kamala Harris states that the president has the power to confiscate patents held by private citizens and business if the government believes the patents are not being used properly. Wouldn't this policy stifle research/development and innovation? Harris made the comment in November of 2019 while campaigning for president in Muscatine, Iowa. 4:40pm- Matt tries Chicago deep-dish pizza, Rich injures his wrist being super manly (and definitely not while swimming on a floaty raft), and Mama Zeoli says you shouldn't leave the hotel in Chicago—it's too dangerous! Plus, why doesn't Rich have bodyguards like Sean Hannity? 4:50pm- Kamala Wants to Stop Kroger-Albertsons Merger: C. Jarrett Dieterle of Reason writes: “Amid all the competing headlines of the 2024 election, there may be no more bread-and-butter issue—literally—than how much Americans are paying to put food on their tables. The GOP is gearing up to attack the Biden-Harris administration for escalating grocery store bills, while presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris has now responded with her own plan to fight higher food prices. One of the hottest items in this political food fight is unquestionably the ongoing litigation from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) attempting to block the Kroger-Albertsons grocery store merger. A host of Democratic lawmakers recently joined the legal fight, arguing that any potential merger would raise prices, increase food deserts, and disproportionately hurt unionized labor.” You can read the full article here: https://reason.com/2024/08/17/harris-joins-the-ftcs-food-fight-against-kroger-albertsons-merger/ 5:00pm- Brent Buchanan—President & Founder of Cygnal (a polling and analytics firm)—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to breakdown where polling in the 2024 Presidential Election currently stands and what it ultimately means on election day. Buchanan was recently quoted in a Daily Wire article, “What You're Not Hearing About Trump's Resilience Versus Harris, As Told By A Pollster.” You can read the article here: https://www.dailywire.com/news/what-youre-not-hearing-about-trumps-resilience-versus-harris-as-told-by-a-pollster. And you can learn more about Cygnal here: https://www.cygn.al/about/ 5:20pm- Realtor Leigh Thomas Brown—a real estate expert with 24-years of experience in the housing industry—used social media to warn voters about Kamala Harris's three-step housing plan which consists of rent control, “free” down payment money to potential buyers, and the construction of 3 million new housing units via the federal government. 5:40pm- Times Demand Serious Economic Ideas: In response to Kamala Harris's announced “price gouging” policy proposal, The Washington Post editorial board writes: “Vice President Kamala Harris's speech Friday was an opportunity to get specific with voters about how a Harris presidency would manage an economy that many feel is not working well for them. Unfortunately, instead of delivering a substantial plan, she squandered the moment on populist gimmicks…Ms. Harris says she'll target companies that make ‘excessive' profits, whatever that means. (It's hard to see how groceries, a notoriously low-margin business, would qualify.) Thankfully, this gambit by Ms. Harris has been met with almost instant skepticism, with many critics citing President Richard M. Nixon's failed price controls from the 1970s. Whether the Harris proposal wins over voters remains to be seen, but if sound economic analysis still matters, it won't.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/08/16/harris-economy-plan-gimmicks/ 6:05pm- Did you know that Brad Pitt is younger than vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz? How is that possible? PLUS, President Joe Biden speaks at the Democratic National Committee Convention tonight in Chicago, Illinois—why did they give him such a terrible slot on night one? 6:30pm- Paula Scanlan—Ambassador for the Independent Women's Forum and former Swimmer for the University of Pennsylvania—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to talk about her tireless fight to protect women's sports. 6:45pm- REPLAY: Lara Trump—Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee—joins The Rich Zeoli Show and hilariously begins the conversation by saying she's sorry to hear the show had to broadcast from the DNC Convention this week. Trump also responds to Kamala Harris's unpopular “price gouging” proposal: “I have never heard something crazier. It really felt to me a little bit like she was running for class president or something and not president of the United States…just point her in the direction of the teleprompter and she'll say literally anything on there.”

Company mergers are often touted as a way to create more efficiencies for the companies and savings for customers. Albertsons, the owner of Safeway and Carrs, wants to sell to Kroger, the parent company of Fred Meyer. The deal would affect multiple stores in Alaska. The companies say the merger will result in better prices for consumers. Do economists, public advocates and attorneys agree? We ask them on this Talk of Alaska.

Ever wondered how supply chains adapt in the face of global challenges and technological advancements?In this episode, host Scott W. Luton sits down with Mike Griswold, Vice President Analyst at Gartner, to explore the dynamic world of supply chain management through the lens of current events and industry transformations. They dive deeply into Hasbro's strategic moves to tackle inventory challenges, navigate the shifting tides of global manufacturing, and leverage AI innovations in the grocery sector. Discover how Hasbro is balancing the rise in digital toy demand and the decline of physical toys, and how they are utilizing data analytics for effective supply and demand planning.Listeners will uncover a comprehensive understanding of the competitive landscape as nations like China, South Korea, and the US ramp up their investments in domestic manufacturing to secure market share. Learn about the surging importance of e-commerce, the controversial role of self-checkouts, and the potential retail repercussions of the Kroger-Albertsons merger. Don't miss out on key takeaways that can help you navigate and excel in this ever-evolving field.Jump into the conversation:00:00 Introduction with Mike Griswold07:30 How Hasbro has overcome recent challenges09:56 Forecasting digital versus physical products, sales planning nuances16:13 China's investment of national income in manufacturing19:48 Why Western countries need to focus on competitiveness24:46 Should government run businesses?30:25 Preparing for potential outcomes while maintaining balance35:07 Diverse customer needs require balanced self-service options40:49 Seven burning questions for the grocery industryAdditional Links & Resources:Connect with Mike Griswold: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-griswold-6a68922/ Connect with Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwindonluton/ Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk WEBINAR- Tackling Manufacturing's Billion-Dollar Parts Problem with AI: https://bit.ly/3YuxM5fWEBINAR- Beyond Resilience: Capitalizing on Supply Chain Uncertainty: https://bit.ly/46kdltYThis episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Amanda Luton and Joshua Miranda. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/toy-shelves-grocery-aisles-naviagting-modern-supply-chain-challenges-1312

Stories we're covering this week:• Ride share pilot program launches in Mansfield• Mansfield ranked Number Three in the “most livable” places in Texas• How will the Kroger/Albertsons merger affect Mansfield, if approved?• The cost of mailing a letter is on the rise again• And in Sports, are you ready for Friday Night Lights?In the Features Section:• Angel Biasatti debunks sunburn myths in Methodist Mansfield News to Know• Angela Hornburg addresses whether the benefits of a new home outweigh the potential drawbacks in the Mansfield Real Estate Update• Brian Certain treats you to a liquid postcard in the Cocktail of the WeekAnd in the talk segment, Steve interviews local movie producer Michael Hill. Plus, your chance to win a $25 gift card to a Mansfield restaurant of your choice with our Mansfield Trivia Question, courtesy of Joe Jenkins Insurance. We are Mansfield's only source for news, talk and information. This is About Mansfield.

The Krogers-Albertsons merger has been looming for the past two years. Its most recent development concerns the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. KCSB's Rosie Bultman has the story.

Also in the news: USPS looking for suspect who stole up to $150,000; 15-year-old charged with murder after luring victim on social media; Senior living community predicting life in 2074 and more.

Furniture Industry News – Show NotesEpisode: July 10, 2024Welcome to 'Furniture Industry News,' your go-to podcast for the latest updates and insights for professionals in the furniture industry. Whether you're a retailer, manufacturer, or just passionate about furniture, you're in the right place to stay informed on the trends and major developments shaping our industry. I'm your host, and we've got a packed episode today. Let's dive right in!Key Topics:Kroger and Albertsons Merger:Overview: $24.6 billion merger to consolidate two grocery giants.Divestiture: 579 stores to be sold to C&S Wholesale Grocers to address antitrust concerns.Impact on Furniture: Fred Meyer stores (owned by Kroger) are spared, potentially affecting furniture sales dynamics.Implications: Changes in supply chain and customer service approaches, and potential for enhanced product offerings and inventory management.Big Lots Potential Store Closures:Announcement: Closing 35 to 40 stores in 2024 due to economic pressures.Sales Impact: Decrease in sales, particularly in furniture, due to inflation and customer spending caution.Company Adjustments: Reduced operating loss and inventory, signaling a potential recovery.Market Implications: Opportunities for competitors and a cautious market sentiment towards high-ticket items like furniture.FTC vs. Tempur Sealy:Legal Battle: FTC sues to block $4 billion acquisition of Mattress Firm by Tempur Sealy.FTC's Stance: Merger would reduce competition and raise prices.Tempur Sealy's Defense: Emphasizes competitive e-commerce dynamics and compliance with regulatory requirements.Industry Implications: Potential for maintaining current competition or significant market consolidation.Cozey's Pop-Up Store Strategy:New Initiative: Pop-up store on Granville Street in Vancouver until September.Product Showcase: Modular sofas, chairs, and various home accents.Business Strategy: Combining online convenience with in-store experience to enhance customer engagement and sales.Expansion Plans: Gathering insights for future physical store locations.Proposed OSHA Heat Safety Rule:Proposal: Federal standard requiring plans to manage heat-related hazards in workplaces.Relevance to Furniture Manufacturing: Ensuring safe temperatures in factory floors and storage areas.Employer Requirements: Providing cool water, break areas, and acclimatization protocols.Public Comments: Open for 120 days, allowing industry feedback on the proposal.Furniture Damage Statistics:Survey Results: 174 million Americans experience furniture damage within the first two years of ownership.Common Damages: Sofas and loveseats most frequently damaged, followed by rugs and chairs.Damage Causes: Spills and stains (juice, pets, coffee), rips, tears, dents, and scratches.Preventive Measures: Use of covers, slipcovers, and protection plans.

FreightWaves' Mike Baudendistel and Grace Sharkey discuss hurricanes, Saks acquiring Neiman Marcus which includes a minority investment by Amazon, and the potential Kroger-Albertsons acquisition. Follow The Stockout Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the largest proposed supermarket merger in U.S. history remains expectedly tied up because of an ongoing FTC antitrust lawsuit, it's totally understandable that speculation continues to build around if a combined Kroger-Albertsons will have a significant effect on how CPG brands do business with the new retailer. And while I have a multitude of my own theories of how this mega-merger plays out, worrying about my version of the future isn't as actionable as hearing today's reality directly from source. That's why I asked the VP of National Merchandising at Albertsons Companies, Buster Houston, to breakdown many important “art and science” aspects of the grocer's merchandising strategy…including his “locally great and nationally strong” metric. We also talked through how startup CPG brands can improve their attractiveness when trying to court Albertsons, but also what it takes to outperform competitors when given store placements. Additionally, we run through a few recent standout CPG brands that exceeded expectations…including how the grocer partnered with Mr. Beast for one of his most viral YouTube videos. Our conversation was fast-paced, entertaining, and filled with lots of insights…so I hope you enjoy. FOLLOW ME ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINKEDIN⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TWITTER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INSTAGRAM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FACEBOOK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joshua-schall/support

There's been a lot of grocery news lately: Foxtrot and Dom's closing. The Kroger-Albertsons merger. Not to mention all the communities in Chicago that don't even have a grocery store. But big grocery chains aren't the only option for Chicagoans to get fresh food. Matthew Ruffi is the board president of Chicago Market and senior program director for Link Up Illinois. He tells host Jacoby Cochran about some grocery alternatives and how to bring more options to your neighborhood. Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Howie recaps a solid week, with a big score with Moderna, then we get into the possible demise of the Kroger-Albertsons deal, Vice going bye-bye, and of course more plays for the week to come.Copy James at www.copymycrypto.com/sam!Cash Daddies on social media: https://lnk.bio/d1sj/Check out Sam's dates: https://samtripoli.com/events/Visit www.chaostwins.com to support Sam's family-friendly project!Watch Howie's comedy special here: https://youtu.be/SyL28bklxoY and check out the Degenerate Gamblers here: https://www.youtube.com/@howiedeweyHosts: Sam Tripoli, Howie Dewey, Johnny Woodard

Feds sue to block Kroger-Albertsons merger, bill to limit rent increases dies in Olympia, and it's about to get real cold in Seattle again. It's our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning.We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. You have the power! Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenowWe want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback

Kroger and Albertsons say they'll fight the federal government's lawsuit to stop their proposed $24 billion merger. In filing the suit, the Federal Trade Commission says the deal would be bad for competition and consumers. The Grocery Workers Union agrees.Seattle Times Reporter Paul Roberts explains what this latest move could mean.Acoustic Gunshot Location System Comment Form: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=RR7meOtrCUCPmTWdi1T0G4MqmZBt3AJJh59TWqhXZg9UME5XOEpFUDg1V1c5TEdYVDJXOFVYU05QMS4uWe can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. You have the power! Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenowAnd we want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback

Jim Cramer and David Faber discussed what to make of developments involving a pair of M&A deals: Chevron warns that its $53 billion dollar agreement to acquire Hess may be at risk, while the Federal Trade Commission and nine states are suing to block the $25 billion Kroger-Albertsons merger. The anchors also reacted to some eye-popping comments JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon made to CNBC about the future of AI. Lowe's issued disappointing guidance and Macy's announced it would close 150 stores as part of a turnaround plan. Where are the buys in retail? Also in focus: Zoom earnings, Endeavor M&A update, Tesla's rebound rally and the stock that jumped 80% on news regarding an obesity drug trial. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer

P.M. Edition for Feb. 26. The Federal Trade Commission has sued to block one of the largest supermarket deals ever—a proposed tie-up between Kroger and Albertsons. Agriculture business reporter Patrick Thomas explains. And Nvidia is at the top of the artificial-intelligence economy. Semiconductor reporter Asa Fitch discusses potential challenges to its dominance. Plus, in a surprise move, Iran reduces its near-weapons-grade nuclear material stockpile. Annmarie Fertoli hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq finished lower. Plus: Domino's Pizza shares rise 5.8% after the company reported strong financial results. J.R. Whalen reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date 12/3/2022 Today, we take a look at the mega-companies that touch all of our lives and the monopolistic practices that have been developed to keep power and wealth concentrated with the few while the rest of us get screwed. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Tech Monopolies - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 6-13-22 John Oliver discusses tech monopolies, and how to address the hidden harm they can do. Ch. 2: How Ticketmaster Is Destroying Live Music - More Perfect Union - Air Date 10-19-22 Ticketmaster is destroying live music. Their scam fees now cost as much as 78% of a ticket. They control the events, the venues, and even the artists. There's a movement pushing the Justice Department to take on its monopoly. Cory Doctorow breaks it down. Ch. 3: Corporate Greed Is Causing Inflation But The Rich Blame Workers - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 11-16-22 Not since the Great Depression have corporate profits soared so high. But it is not enough to satisfy them. More than 54% of the inflation America is experiencing is caused by record-setting corporate profits. Ch. 4: Why Food Prices Could Skyrocket Thanks to This Grocery Merger - More Perfect Union - Air Date 11-14-22 Safeway, Ralphs, Smiths, Harris Teeters, Shaws, Kings, Randalls, and about 25 other brands, will all be owned by a single company if the Kroger-Albertsons merger goes through. And that's really bad news for the prices you pay. Ch. 5: Chokepoint Capitalism (with Cory Doctorow and Rebecca Giblin) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 11-1-22 Novelist Cory Doctorow and intellectual property expert Rebecca Giblin discuss their new book, Chokepoint Capitalism, which documents the increasing tensions between extractive corporations and creative laborers. Ch. 6: Making The Case For Abolishing Billionaires - MSNBC - Air Date 11-21-22 "One after another, four of our best-known billionaires laid waste to the image of benevolent saviors carefully cultivated by their class," Anand Giridharadas writes in a recent New York Times column. Ch. 7: Elon Musk Is An Idiot (and so are Zuck and SBF) - Adam Conover - Air Date 11-23-22 Tech CEOs aren't geniuses, and here's the proof. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Chokepoint Capitalism (with Cory Doctorow and Rebecca Giblin) Part 2 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 11-1-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on how regulation helps stop financial scams MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com