NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including campaign sparring between Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg and which candidates might leverage it, how much transparency matters to Democratic voters, lack of racial diversity in the next debate and reaction to the inspector general’s report on the Russia probe.
Category Archives: News
Food Trends: “Kitchen United” Delivery-Only Restaurants Wins “2019 Innovator Of The Year”
From a Restaurant Dive online article:
“What virtual kitchens, or the Kitchen United concept does, is create a new economic model, where no longer do [restaurants] have to invest in expensive real estate and fancy front-of-house overhead and dining rooms, [they] can share kitchen space, optimize capital that is there and hopefully create a more profitable model for delivery,” NPD Group Vice President David Portalatin told Restaurant Dive.
When Kitchen United received $40 million in funding from RXR Realty during the summer, it became clear the two-year-old shared kitchen startup is paving a path for rapid expansion. The company will partner with the real estate company to open kitchens in New York City and the tri-state area.
This partnership fits within Kitchen United’s overall goal of opening 400 kitchen centers and 5,000 kitchens within the next few years. But it certainly isn’t alone in opening virtual kitchens, or restaurants without a traditional retail storefront. Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats have all been trying their hand in delivery-only restaurants over the last two years.
To read more; https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/innovator-kitchen-united-restaurant-dive-awards/566463/
1970’s & 80’s Economics : Former Chairman Of Federal Reservce Paul Volcker Dies At 92
From a Wall Street Journal online article:
He became one of the most unpopular Fed chairmen in history for pushing interest rates as high as 20% to break the soaring inflation that consumed the U.S. economy in the 1970s. But his actions succeeded in bringing inflation, making Mr. Volcker one of the most successful central bankers in history.
Paul Volcker, who defeated runaway inflation as Federal Reserve chairman in the 1980s, establishing the importance to the economy of an independent central bank, and whose “Volcker Rule” became a controversial element of postcrisis banking regulation in the Obama administration, has died at 92 years old.
Mr. Volcker died Sunday at his home following a long illness, his family said.
Mr. Volcker served in government across Democratic and Republican administrations for almost three decades in roles guiding monetary policy and overseeing the nation’s financial system.
Shopping: Largest Online Secondhand Clothing Retailer “Thredup” Wins “Disruptor Of The Year”
From a RetailDive.com online article:
ThredUp, which sells brands ranging from American Eagle Outfitters to Burberry, may prove to be a beneficial partner to many retailers. A separate report from Accenture Strategy and Fashion For Good found that recommerce operating margin for the luxury, premium and mid-market sectors was 39%, 28% and 22%, respectively.
This year could be considered the year the circular economy really took hold, particularly the resale space, and a major force leading the charge was e-commerce 
platform ThredUp.
Resale grew 21 times faster than the apparel market over the past three years, by ThredUp’s own measures. The resale platform also projects the market to grow from $24 billion to $51 billion by 2023.
To read more: https://www.retaildive.com/news/disruptor-thredup-dive-awards/566185/
Remodels: 90-Year Old Taiwan Home Wins “2019 World Interior Of The Year” (WAF Amsterdam)
From an InsideFestival.com online release:
“The jury was unanimous in celebrating this inventive solution to reconfiguring a dilapidated Japanese colonial house.
A dynamic whole in constant flux, the house in unusually in tune with the differing and sometimes contradictory needs of a young family. Every space can be negotiated and adapted, encouraging the house to be an incubator for positive difference in the family unit.
Sensitivity abounds, both in the design process and the outcome. Local craftspeople were drafted in when needed; recycled elements were mixed freely with new. The result has a uniquely sloppy fit for its inhabitants, a fit that can evolve freely over time.
Ladders to the roof level encourage ongoing hide and seek. Internal space leaks into a garden, itself an outdoor room. Light penetrates in unexpected ways, and occasional views of the sky offset the otherwise congested urban setting.
Against the background of rapid development in Taipei, this project has the potential to be a ‘prototype’ that may help reevaluate the existing stock of Japanese houses.”
Website: https://www.insidefestival.com/interior-of-the-year-2019
2020 Election: Political Advertising Abuse To Continue As Federal Election Commission (FEC) Lacks Quorum (Podcast)
Political advertising is flourishing online, but federal guidelines regulating those ads are virtually absent. WSJ’s Emily Glazer explains why Facebook, Twitter and Google are making their own rules.
Top New Exhibits: F-117 NIGHTHAWK STEALTH FIGHTER At The Ronald Reagan Library & Museum
…the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute announced its “Operation Nighthawk Landing” project – a Reagan Foundation & Institute and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® joint effort that will soon bring an F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter to the Reagan Museum for permanent exhibition. Made possible by loan from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, the F-117 placed on display will serve as a visible reminder to the Library’s near half-million annual visitors of President Reagan’s commitment to the rebuilding of the U.S. military through his “Peace through Strength” program. The F-117 Nighthawk, Tail #803, nicknamed “Unexpected Guest,” flew more combat sorties (78) than all other F-117s combined. The aircraft entered service in May 1984, during President Reagan’s administration.
“The Reagan Library will now be one of two places in the nation where the general public can visit an F-117 Stealth Fighter on permanent display,” said John Heubusch, executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. “We are deeply grateful to Lockheed Martin for their outstanding assistance in restoring the aircraft for such a meaningful display and to the U.S. Air Force for making it possible for the Reagan Library to exhibit the plane for millions of visitors to enjoy for years to come.”
The F-117 Nighthawk was the world’s first operational stealth aircraft. Between 1981 and 2008, Lockheed Martin produced 59 operational F-117s and five developmental prototypes, but the aircraft weren’t publicly acknowledged until 1988. Known as “stealth fighters,” the F-117’s angular shape was designed to reflect radar waves and was bolstered by the use of a radar-absorbing material. Because the aircraft was only expected to operate at night, it was painted black to make it more difficult to discern against the night sky.
Surveys: 54% Of Baby Boomers Now Own Pets; Dogs & Cats Nearly Equal
From a Yahoo online article:
The percentage of boomers who own a pet grew from 50% to 54% between 2008 and 2018. Among the oldest boomers — those between 70 and 74 — the percentage of pet owners rose from 41% to 45%. In contrast, the percentage of pet owners between the ages of 18 to 39 dropped from 63% to 61% during that time frame. Among consumers 40-54, the percentage of pet owners held steady at 64%.
So what type of pet reigns supreme among boomers and seniors? Those over 55 appear to see the value in all types of pets, as the percentage of dog owners grew from 27% to 32% and the percentage of cat owners grew from 27% to 33% between 2008 and 2018. The percentage of owners of pets other than dogs and cats also increased going from 16% to 24% in the 10-year period.
Among boomers specifically, the percentage of dog owners has risen from 34% to 38% in the last decade, and the research showed that boomers are more likely to own dogs than other pets. Boomers are also getting new pets as opposed to simply aging with the pets they already owned. In fact, the data show that 1.4 million boomers own dogs that are less than one year old and another 5.2 million have dogs between the ages of 1 and 3.
To read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/baby-boomers-helping-fuel-pet-153954968.html
Top Political Podcasts: Mark Shields And David Brooks On The Latest In Washington (PBS)
Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week’s political news, including how the first House Judiciary Committee hearing on impeachment affected the case against President Trump, what Trump’s contentious visit to a NATO summit means for U.S. foreign policy and the fallout from Sen. Kamala Harris’ withdrawal from the 2020 race.
Healthcare Podcasts: Analysis Of Health Spending & Pending Legislation In The U.S.
Health spending in the U.S. grew to $3.6 trillion in 2018, according to a new report from the federal government. The rate of growth — 4.6% — was up slightly from 2017’s 4.2%, despite the fact that nearly a million more Americans lacked insurance.
Meanwhile, Congress has less than two weeks to finish a year’s worth of work, including the spending bills required to keep the government running and promised legislation to address “surprise” medical bills and prescription drug prices.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News.
Intellicurious 