Category: News
When They Say “Democracy”, They Don’t Mean Democracy
When They Say “Democracy”, They Don’t Mean Democracy
Authored by James Howard Kunstler,
“Imagine if the US and EU were still aligned on the censorship-by-proxy strategy. Few people realize how close we were to global totalitarianism.“
– Michael Shellenberger
Western Civ is choking itself to death with lawfare in the name of “democracy.” If you think just a little bit past the sale, you will realize that few will say what they mean by “democracy,” including the most ardent “democracy” cultists. What it supposedly means is legal outcomes that the political left wants, not what the law, or the truth, or justice requires.
On the surface, the left pretends to want outcomes that favor their roster of designated victim groups: women, dark-skinned people, and sexual outliers, the familiar cast of characters with its tiresome scripts.
But that’s not what they really want.
They don’t really care about the “marginalized.”
What they really want is power.
The “marginalized” are just their clients and shock troops. They want to push everybody around, tell them how to live, and what to think, including the marginalized. If society has to get wrecked in the process, that’s okay — that will just make it easier to “build back better” to their advantage, or so their operating algorithm dictates. The left does not think past its own algorithms.
The “democracy” cultists are foremost against freedom of speech, because speech is what distinguishes human beings among the rest of the animal kingdom, and if you allow it, human beings are liable to develop ideas — ideas being the product of language — and especially ideas that make the “democracy” cultists uncomfortable. For instance, the idea that the “democracy” cultists don’t deserve the power they crave because they are dishonest, unscrupulous, and sadistic. Can’t have people thinking that, or saying it out-loud.
Censorship, the outright suppression of expressed thought, is the primary device for enforcing their version of “democracy.” The “democracy” cultists of the USA were especially avid for it the past decade after Mr. Trump came on the scene and offered to oppose the “democracy” cult’s plans to aggregate power. So, under the catspaw president “Joe Biden,” the FBI, CIA, the State Department’s Global Engagement Center, Stanford University’s Internet Observatory, the social media companies, and the White House itself worked sedulously to suppress the free expression of ideas, including the idea that they were all working to suppress free expression.
When Mr. Trump miraculously survived manifold attempts to stuff him in prison via lawfare and then, attempted murder, and managed to get re-elected, he put an end to the censorship shenanigans in government. That, in turn, became inconvenient to the “democracy” cultists in Europe who were, apparently, not busy enough destroying their own countries’ cultures and their economies. They put extra effort into suppressing free expression among their citizen-subjects: serious jail time for mean texts and mere casual statements on the street.
Now they are coming after the international speech platform “X,” liberated by Elon Musk three years ago at a $44-billion price. The European Commission, a body of unelected bureaucrats under the EU, created a so-called Digital Services Act to deal with the threat of free speech. After a two-year-investigation, the commission has leveled a $140-million fine against “X” for a series of specious offenses, such as not meaningfully verifying account authenticity [blue check marks] eroding trust in verified content. Mr. Musk objected, naturally. Veep JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, called it an “attack on American tech.” It’s more than that, of course. It’s an effort to wreck the company, which would eliminate the chief remaining public arena for free speech and genuine news worldwide.
I would expect Mr. Trump to respond shortly, perhaps with tariffs that make it impossible for the Europeans to sell their cars in the USA, or their wine, or whatever else is on offer. He will squeeze them until they drop this stupid crusade to destroy an American company. And then stand by and watch as “democracy” cultists in the USA complain about him defending free speech.
We have enough trouble with the “democracy” cult here at home.
The Norm Eisen Axis-of-Evil has enjoyed endless “funding” from the dark money spigots of George Soros, British hedge fund billionaire Christopher Hohn, and Shanghai-based American billionaire Neville Roy Singham.
Norm Eisen, Lawfare Ninja Supreme
Once the money-flows are turned off, you will see a lot less nuisance litigation aimed at perverting the rule of law and destroying the country. Norm Eisen and his colleagues operate out of a set of foundations and NGOs, chiefly Brookings and the outfit Eisen founded called the States United Democracy Center. They are mere money-launderers.
The federal judiciary is the “democracy” cult’s remaining praetorian guard. The federal judges, especially the Obama and Biden appointed ones, are making sure that Lawfare ninjas won’t be prosecuted for any crimes. The two latest examples: James Comey, case dismissed on procedural issues (for now) on his charge of lying to Congress. And New York AG Leticia James, let off the hook on a mortgage fraud rap by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia, probably a case of “jury nullification” and probably due to race — after the fashion of OJ Simpson skating on murder in 1995.
Unfortunately, the remedy of impeaching federal judges is unavailable due to the 60-vote majority required for removal in the Senate. It’s getting to the point where Mr. Trump might have to go medieval on the whole lot of them, declare the Insurrection Act, and move the action into military courts.
Then maybe we’ll see who can handle the truth.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 12/08/2025 – 16:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/when-they-say-democracy-they-dont-mean-democracy
Detienen a una persona de interés por el tiroteo del jugador de los Jets, Kris Boyd
NUEVA YORK (AP) — Una persona de interés está bajo custodia en relación con el tiroteo contra el jugador de los jets de Nueva York Kris Boyd, informó el lunes la policía.
Un portavoz del Departamento de Policía de Nueva York no especificó qué papel, si es que tuvo alguno, creen tuvo la persona detenida en el tiroteo, y dijo que no había más información disponible. No se han presentado cargos.
El esquinero recibió un disparo en el abdomen poco después de las dos de la mañana el 16 de noviembre en el centro de Manhattan. El tirador huyó de la escena. No estaba claro qué sucedió antes del tiroteo.
Boyd fue hospitalizado después del tiroteo, pero unas semanas más tarde fue visitó en las instalaciones de los Jets, sorprendiendo a sus compañeros de equipo y asistiendo a una reunión especial del equipo.
Los Jets firmaron a Boyd, de 29 años, este año. Se esperaba que desempeñara un papel clave en una unidad de equipos especiales renovada, pero se lesionó durante una práctica este verano y aún no ha jugado para Nueva York.
El nativo de Texas jugó sus primeras cuatro temporadas con los Minnesota Vikings. Más tarde firmó con los Arizona Cardinals en 2023 y luego se unió al equipo de práctica de Houston más adelante esa temporada.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Colts confirman que Daniel Jones se perderá el resto de la temporada por lesión
Por MICHAEL MAROT
INDIANÁPOLIS (AP) — Los Colts de Indianapolis estarán sin su quarterback titular, Daniel Jones, el resto de esta temporada. Ni siquiera están seguros de si el suplente Riley Leonard jugará el próximo fin de semana.
El entrenador Shane Steichen confirmó el lunes que Jones se rompió el tendón de Aquiles derecho, como ya se esperaba, pero la sorpresa fue que Leonard también se lesionó el domingo la rodilla derecha.
Jones se lesionó en la primera mitad de la derrota bajo la lluvia 36-19 en Jacksonville. Se desplomó, llevándose la mano a la pantorrilla a pesar de no haber sido golpeado en la jugada. Luego, Jones lanzó su casco al suelo antes de salir cojeando del campo hacia el vestuario. Regresó a la banda en la segunda mitad con una bota ortopédica protegiendo su pierna derecha inferior.
Después del juego, Steichen reconoció que el diagnóstico inicial no era “bueno” y que podría ser el fin de su temporada. Menos de 24 horas después, Steichen dio actualizaciones sobre ambas lesiones.
“Tendrá cirugía dentro de la semana”, dijo Steichen, refiriéndose a Jones. “Obviamente, realmente lo sentimos por él, es una situación desafortunada. El trabajo que pone, el esfuerzo, un capitán del equipo para nosotros. Uno de los tipos más duros con los que he estado. Solo rezando por una pronta recuperación para él”.
Es un golpe importante para Jones, quien resucitó su carrera con unos primeros ocho juegos increíblemente fuertes en su primera temporada con Indy. Jones jugó tan bien que su nombre entró en la discusión para el MVP mientras su precio en la agencia libre seguía subiendo.
Perder a Jones podría resultar más problemático para los Colts (8-5), que tratarán de romper una racha de tres derrotas consecutivas ante Seattle (10-3) el próximo fin de semana antes de cerrar la temporada con juegos en casa contra San Francisco (9-4) y Jacksonville (9-4) y una visita a Houston (8-5).
Indy llega con cuatro derrotas en cinco juegos y habiendo salido de la lucha por el primer puesto de la AFC mientras cede el liderazgo de la división a los Jaguars y cae al octavo puesto, un lugar fuera de los playoffs. Los Colts están tratando de poner fin a una sequía de playoffs de cuatro años.
Leonard reemplazó a Jones el domingo, completando 18 de 29 para 145 yardas y una intercepción en su acción más extensa desde que Notre Dame perdió el juego de campeonato nacional del año pasado. Steichen no pudo decir aún si Leonard jugaría en Seattle, pero los Colts tienen opciones limitadas en el edificio.
Si Leonard no puede jugar, el veterano Brett Rypien podría ser el siguiente en la línea, aunque fue firmado para el equipo de práctica a mediados de octubre y aún no está en la lista activa.
Anthony Richardson, la selección número cuatro del draft en 2023, perdió la competencia de quarterback ante Jones en el campamento de entrenamiento y no ha practicado desde que fue colocado en la reserva de lesionados con una fractura en el hueso orbital a mediados de octubre.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Ice skating rink popping up at Miller library
The Gary Arts Council has received a grant from the Knight Foundation-Legacy Foundation to fund a pop-up ice skating rink outside the Carter Woodson Public Library, 501 S. Lake St.
The rink opens to the public at 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12. It will be open for skating from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays through Dec. 21, said McKenya Dilworth Smith, chairwoman of the Gary Arts Council.
Admission is $2.50 but skaters with a Gary Public Library card will be admitted free. Skate rental is $2.50.
The ice is being readied Tuesday in the 20-foot-by-50-foot rink.
“The grant will enable our mission to use the arts and community activities to bring people together,” said Dilworth Smith.
The ice rink is part of the Arts Council’s “Winter Works: Skate Stress Away Project,” which has a focus on community gatherings during the darker, more isolating winter days.
Dilworth Smith said the city of Gary is providing the skates and the library is offering its space in the collaboration that also includes the Gary Public Transportation Corp., Northwest Indiana Health Families, and Drug Free Gary.
She said the idea that led to the $34,798 grant came from arts council members. “When it’s cold and dark outside, folks don’t want to engage that much. We wanted something new and fun that we could kind of learn together.”
Dilworth Smith said festive seasonal activities ranging from karaoke choraling to ornament creation will be offered along with gourmet hot chocolate.
There will be pictures with Santa and his helpers, a DJ, and Steppin’ on Ice performances, as well as Kemetic yoga.
She said the rink will be lit and the library will offer a warming area.
The Gary Arts Council is a collective of arts and cultural organizations that share resources and arts expertise and advocate for Gary artists, arts activities, and the preservation of arts and culture in the city.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/08/ice-skating-rink-popping-up-at-miller-library/
Lake County immigrants relieved, but wary as arrests subside: ‘They’re still afraid’
Fear remains among community members despite no immigration enforcement arrests in Lake County since the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) closed its command center on Nov. 14 at Naval Station Great Lakes.
Abigail is a Lake County resident whose last name is withheld because of fear of deportation. She is a dreamer who has a work permit through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). She said she is now a bit more likely to leave her home for more than going to work.
“I can breathe now,” she said. “Thanksgiving was great, being with family. I can go to the store, but I avoid big events in the community. I try to stay home.”
Another Lake County woman who asked her name be withheld out of fear of deportation said through an interpreter that fear began mounting long before Operation Midway Blitz began on Sept. 5. She started to warn people during President Donald Trump’s election campaign last year.
“I read Project 2025,” she said. “It was very alarming to me. I warned people I know who could vote.
“I rely on friends to go to the store for my basic needs,” she added, explaining her reluctance to leave home.
Members of Lake County’s immigrant and Latino communities remain cautious after experiencing 70 days of DHS’s Operation Midway Blitz, when 76 people were detained by federal immigration enforcement agents.
Dulce Ortiz, the executive director of Mano a Mano Family Resource Center and a Waukegan Township trustee, said no arrests were reported to the organization’s rapid response team since DHS left the Navy base.
There are still a significant number of agents in the Chicago area, and on Saturday, federal immigration agents made an arrest and reportedly deployed tear gas and pepper spray on a crowd during a related confrontation in Elgin.
“They’re still afraid, no doubt about it,” Ortiz said. “People are trying to go about their daily lives as best they can. We’re still having groceries delivered by our volunteers. People are still reluctant to leave their homes.”
During the intense activity of Operation Midway Blitz, a majority of Lake County federal apprehensions were in the northeast portion of the county, with more than half in Waukegan.
With Christmas approaching, Ortiz said immigrants in festive moods are hard to find. Family members were separated from one another. Some were deported, and others remain in detention. There is worry that more will happen.
“It will be very somber,” she said. “A lot of families have had loved ones kidnapped. There is a lot of stress. It’s hard to celebrate and have fun when you don’t know if you’ll see a loved one ever again.”
While there were no sightings of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents or U.S. Border Patrol officers since DHS closed up shop in North Chicago, Ortiz said she sees drones flying in the area nearly every day.
Ortiz said the drones are smaller than a single-engine airplane but much larger than the ones used by the city of Waukegan. A Beach Park resident said he has regularly seen similar drones near his home.
The drones are not coming from Naval Station Great Lakes. Matt Mogle, the public information officer at the base, said in a text that if the Navy was conducting anything, “We would have notified the local township.”
Waukegan Township Supervisor Marc Jones said he was not made aware of any drone activity by the military.
Abigail arrived in the U.S. 28 years ago at age 10 with her mother. Until DACA was available to her, she worked in restaurants and raised her five children. Once she had a work permit in 2012, she joined a mortgage company and grew with the job.
Now employed doing workforce development work in Lake County, Abigail said when Operation Midway Blitz began in early September her life changed again. She continued to work with support from her employer, but her fear grew.
“Everything was scary,” Abigail said. “I was scared when I went to work and came home. My youngest is 7 and is scared of mommy going away. I didn’t go to the store. I had my groceries delivered. I told my oldest son what to do if I didn’t come home. He’s 19.”
The unnamed woman is 57. She said she arrived in the U.S. with her husband and daughter 20 years ago from Mexico after a gang threatened to kidnap their daughter. They had no future in Mexico, but since arriving in Lake County found steady work. She learned carpentry.
“We work, we pay our taxes, we contribute,” she said. “I’m hearing some people may not file their tax return this year because the IRS may give ICE their information.”
Other than continuing to warn friends and neighbors of the danger from the administration of President Donald Trump, she said she became an activist, but also took precautions to keep out of sight.
“The most immediate way life changed for me and my family was ways to avoid (ICE) every day,” she said. “We can’t go back to Mexico. It wouldn’t be safe for us.”
Of the 76 arrests in Lake County between Sept. 5 and Nov. 14, 41 were in Waukegan, 14 in North Chicago, six in Wauconda, six in Gurnee, five in the Round Lake area, two in Fox Lake and one in Park City.
Of those detained, two were American citizens and were later released. One was Dariana Fajardo. 23, of Waukegan. She was arrested Oct. 6 outside Waukegan City Hall despite the efforts of Mayor Sam Cunningham to intercede. He knows her family. She was released after six hours.
Though he was not arrested, Waukegan Ald. Juian Martinez, 3rd Ward, was approached in his car by first one and then three more Border Patrol agents pointing their guns at him on Nov. 7 after he honked his car horn while stuck in a traffic jam returning to work after lunch.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/08/lake-county-immigration-enforcement/
Aurora City Council to vote on new building codes
The Aurora City Council is set to vote Tuesday on a proposal to update the city’s building codes, which are several years out of date.
Currently, Aurora’s building codes are based on the 2015 International Codes, but the proposal going before the City Council would update those codes to be in line with the 2024 version. If approved, the updated regulations would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
The proposal is likely to pass since it was placed on the City Council meeting’s consent agenda, which is typically reserved for routine or non-controversial items that are all approved with a single vote.
Changes to the city’s building codes have been in the works since 2023 and were presented to committees of the Aurora City Council across several meetings this year. The purpose of the changes is to maintain safe buildings within the city, Aurora Director of Development Services Josh Ream said during a presentation introducing the proposal at an April 15 meeting of the City Council Rules, Administration and Procedures Committee.
A lot has changed since the 2015 version of the codes, such as new construction technology and equipment, and the city needs to start accounting for those changes, according to Ream. Another purpose of the code adoption is to reduce construction costs, again by accounting for new materials and building methods, he said at the time.
Illinois is now requiring local governments to stay up-to-date on building codes, another reason for the update, Ream’s presentation showed. Plus, he said that Aurora has a best-in-state building code effectiveness score, which impacts insurance rates on new construction, and updating building codes will allow the city to keep that score.
The proposal now going before the Aurora City Council has required a full review of all the International Codes, and not just the most recent versions but all of the updates that have been made since 2015, as well as related city ordinances, Ream said at the April 15 meeting. Once staff figured out the major changes and what needed to be adjusted in the city’s ordinances, he said, that work was presented to committees made up of outside architects, engineers and contractors for approval.
Near the start of the year, Aurora received a nearly $40,000 federal grant from the Department of Homeland Security’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program to help make these code changes. The grant and matching city funds were set to go toward the purchase of new code books for city staff and the public, books comparing the old codes to the new codes and training for city staff.
Specifically, Aurora is now looking to adopt the 2024 versions of the International Building Code, the International Existing Building Code, the International Fire Code, the International Fuel Gas Code, the International Mechanical Code, the International Plumbing Code, the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and the International Residential Code, plus the 2023 National Electric Code, according to a presentation included online with Tuesday’s City Council meeting agenda. No changes are being made to state mandated codes.
Final approval on the changes has been held since June, as city staff have been trying to get the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code included within the proposal, Ream told the Committee of the Whole last week. Those changes are still being worked on, but the building codes need to be passed to meet state requirements, so property maintenance codes are not being included in this proposal, he said.
Also not included in the proposal is the local adoption of the Illinois Stretch Energy Code, which Aurora recently received a $200,000 state grant to explore. If city staff do propose the adoption of these stricter energy codes at some point in the future, they would still need to be approved by the Aurora City Council before going into effect.
rsmith@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/08/aurora-city-council-to-vote-on-new-building-codes/
La Corte Suprema podría respaldar facultad de Trump para destituir a miembros de agencias
Por MARK SHERMAN
WASHINGTON (AP) — La Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos parecía inclinada el lunes a expandir el control presidencial sobre las agencias federales independientes, mostrando apoyo a que el presidente Donald Trump pueda despedir a directivos.
La mayoría conservadora de la corte sugirió que podría anular una decisión unánime de hace 90 años que limita cuándo los presidentes pueden despedir a los miembros de las juntas directivas en las agencias o dejarlas con la cáscara intacta.
El presidente del máximo tribunal, John Roberts, se refirió al fallo que data de 1935 conocido como Humphrey’s Executor como “una cáscara seca”.
Los jueces liberales advirtieron que la decisión buscada por la administración concentraría un vasto poder en manos del presidente, despojando a las agencias de su experiencia.
La jueza Ketanji Brown Jackson dijo que el presidente podría “despedir a todos los científicos, los médicos, los economistas y los doctores y reemplazarlos con leales y personas que no saben nada”.
El abogado del gobierno ante la Corte Suprema, D. John Sauer, defendió la decisión de Trump de despedir sin causa a Rebecca Slaughter, integrante de la Comisión Federal de Comercio, y pidió a la corte que anule el fallo Humphrey’s Executor.
Sauer dijo que el fallo “no ha resistido la prueba del tiempo” y había permitido una “cuarta rama sin cabeza” del gobierno, el estado administrativo al que los conservadores y los intereses empresariales apuntan desde hace décadas.
Los seis jueces conservadores, incluidos tres nombrados por Trump en su primer mandato, ya han mostrado un fuerte apoyo a la posición de la administración, a pesar de la objeción de los liberales, al permitir que Slaughter y los directivos de otras agencias sean removidos de sus cargos incluso mientras sus desafíos legales continúan.
Trump también ha despedido a miembros de la Junta Nacional de Relaciones Laborales, de la Junta de Protección del Sistema de Mérito y de la Comisión de Seguridad de Productos del Consumidor.
Las únicas que hasta ahora han sobrevivido a los esfuerzos por remover a funcionarios son Lisa Cook, una gobernadora de la Reserva Federal, y Shira Perlmutter, una funcionaria de derechos de autor de la Biblioteca del Congreso. La corte ha sugerido que revisará el caso de la Fed de manera diferente a otras agencias independientes. Trump ha dicho que quiere que Cook salga debido a acusaciones de fraude hipotecario. La funcionaria niega las acusaciones.
Una segunda cuestión en el caso de Slaughter podría afectar a Cook. Incluso si su despido resulta ser ilegal, la corte quiere decidir si los jueces tienen el poder de reinstalar a alguien.
El juez Neil Gorsuch escribió a principios de este año que los empleados despedidos que ganan en la corte probablemente puedan obtener pago retroactivo, pero no reinstalación.
Eso podría afectar la capacidad de Cook para permanecer en su puesto. Los jueces han parecido cautelosos sobre la incertidumbre económica que podría resultar si Trump puede despedir a directivos del banco central. La corte escuchará argumentos separados en enero sobre si Cook puede permanecer en su trabajo mientras su desafío legal avanza.
El juez Brett Kavanaugh señaló que está inclinado a apoyar a Cook, describiendo como una “vuelta” la idea de que un funcionario despedido ilegalmente solo tendría derecho a su salario.
Bajo el liderazgo de Roberts, la corte ha emitido una serie de decisiones desde 2010 que han reducido constantemente las leyes que restringen la capacidad del presidente para despedir personas.
En 2020, Roberts escribió para la corte que “el poder de remoción del presidente es la regla, no la excepción” en una decisión que respaldó el despido por parte de Trump del jefe de la Oficina de Protección Financiera del Consumidor a pesar de las protecciones laborales similares a las ratificadas en el caso Humphrey.
En la decisión de inmunidad de 2024 que salvó a Trump de ser procesado por sus esfuerzos para anular los resultados de las elecciones de 2020, Roberts incluyó el poder de despido entre los poderes “conclusivos y excluyentes” del presidente que el Congreso no tiene la autoridad para restringir.
La corte también está lidiando con un miembro de la Comisión Federal de Comercio (FTC) que fue despedido por el presidente Franklin Roosevelt en 1935, quien prefería a un funcionario en una agencia que tendría mucho que decir sobre las reformas económicas del New Deal.
William Humphrey se negó a la solicitud de renuncia de Roosevelt. Después de que Humphrey murió al año siguiente, la persona encargada de administrar su patrimonio, demandó por pago retroactivo.
Los jueces confirmaron unánimemente la ley que establecía la FTC y limitaba al presidente a remover a un comisionado solo por “ineficiencia, negligencia en el deber o malversación en el cargo”.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Wendy’s Data Pinpoints When Working-Poor Customers Ditched “Dave’s Single” Burger
Wendy’s Data Pinpoints When Working-Poor Customers Ditched “Dave’s Single” Burger
Readers have been well informed about the bifurcated consumer landscape, where financial conditions look relatively stable for upper-middle-class and wealthy households. But for anyone earning less than $100,000 a year, financial misery persists, with many pressures lingering after four years of the disastrous Biden-Harris regime era.
Last week at the Barclays 11th Annual Eat, Sleep, Play, Shop Conference in New York City, fast-food chain Wendy’s Co.’s top executives participated in a fireside chat. They offered a clearer view of the consumer environment backed by Wendy’s own proprietary data, only to reveal yet more evidence of the “K-shaped” economy.
Ken Cook, the interim chief executive officer and chief financial officer, Suzie Thuerk, the chief administrative officer and head of financial planning and analysis, and Aaron Broholm, the head of investor relations at Wendy’s, offered no update on formal guidance. However, they emphasized the persistent weakness among customers earning less than $75,000 per year.
Here are the main takeaways from the fireside chat:
Low-income Weakness a Persistent Theme: Wendy’s continues to see consumer pressure, particularly at the low end of the income spectrum. The company has invested in more rigorous data analysis that will allow for greater segmentation of its consumer base, but for now the view is comprised of sub-$75k and $75k+ household incomes. While the beginning of 2025 was very noisy with weather-related issues, Wendy’s has observed a persistent decline in lower income traffic since March. Specifically, low-income traffic has been down in the high single-digit to low double-digit range, while higher-income traffic is up y-y. This is consistent with what other peers in the quick-service segment have publicly acknowledged.
As for the underlying issue with low-income consumers, Wendy’s believes the restaurant industry is battling the cumulative impact of Food Away From Home inflation over the past few years post pandemic, though interestingly, today the gap between FAFH & FAH inflation has narrowed to “a couple of points.” Notably, Wendy’s has not taken as much price as the competition, which sets the brand up “fairly well” for a rebound, as consumers are still willing to pay for quality and experience. As for the most discernible area of weakness within its business, Wendy’s noted the breakfast daypart is the first area of pullback when consumers shift to FAH. This is not surprising given a host of readily available (and affordable) substitutes.
This granular view of consumer behavior confirms what readers have long known: the existence of a K-shaped economy. It’s worth noting that Wendy’s customer base is primarily young adults aged 18 to 34, with household incomes between $40,000 and $75,000.
Related:
As K-Shaped Consumer Breakdown Widens, Bessent Points To Brighter 2026
Consumer Strain Moves Beyond Low-Income Into Heart Of Middle Class
A Tale Of Two Consumer Worlds – Captured In A Survey
A Tale Of Two Consumer Worlds – Captured In A Single Chart
Early Warning Indicator Signals Sharp Sentiment Deterioration Among Low-Income Consumers, Gen Z
“Worst Consumer Sentiment In Decades”: Goldman Goes Defcon 1 On Imploding US Consumer
Let’s not forget who created the worst inflation crisis that doomed a generation of young people …
Affordability will be front and center in the midterm election cycle. The Trump administration has already begun Operation Affordability.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 12/08/2025 – 15:40
Jaguares se sienten cómodos como los menos favorecidos de su división y en la carrera a los playoffs
Por MARK LONG
JACKSONVILLE, Florida, EE.UU. (AP) — El entrenador de los Jaguars de Jacksonville, Liam Coen, no quiere ningún respeto externo.
Prefiere el papel del menos favorecido y encontrando formas de hacer que sus muchachos se sientan “un poco molestos”.
Esa visión ha funcionado a la perfección durante el último mes. Los Jaguars (9-4) han ganado cuatro encuentros seguidos y cinco de sus últimos seis, culminando con la victoria del domingo 36-19 ante los Colts de Indianápolis, para tomar el control de la AFC Sur.
Las cosas serían aún mejor sin no hubieran sufrido el mayor colapso en la historia de la franquicia, un desastre de 36-29 en Houston el mes pasado en el que Jacksonville lideraba por 19 al entrar al cuarto periodo.
Pero Coen cree que esa dolorosa derrota ante los Texans “fue buena para nosotros”. Podría terminar siendo el punto de inflexión para un equipo que ha encontrado su identidad en ambos lados del balón y sigue construyendo confianza y acumulando victorias.
“No sé si alguna vez realmente obtendremos (respeto)”, dijo Coen. “Esa es la belleza de esto. No va a llegar. Lo sabes. Y está totalmente bien”.
Jacksonville, un mercado pequeño que ha alcanzado victorias de dos dígitos solo una vez en las últimas 18 temporadas, tiene la oportunidad de conseguir la número 10 cuando reciba como favorito el domingo a los Jets (3-10). Es la primera vez desde 2007 que son tan favoritos.
Pero los jugadores y entrenadores preferirían que fuera al revés.
“Todos sentimos que somos un equipo realmente bueno y probablemente no recibimos el crédito que merecemos”, dijo el quarterback Trevor Lawrence. “Todo el mundo habla de todos los demás equipos. Incluso en nuestra propia división, son todos estos otros equipos los que van a ganar la división y hacer todas estas cosas y a nadie realmente le importan los Jags, lo cual está bien”.
“Es un poco como es, y lo usaremos como un incentivo y seguiremos jugando. Realmente no importa”.
Es lo que Coen quiere. Alrededor de las instalaciones la semana pasada había televisores mostrando las posiciones de la división con titulares y citas hablando sobre los Colts y los Texans. Pero nada sobre los Jaguars que ahora están solos en la cima de la AFC Sur.
Qué funciona
Lawrence conectó en tres pases de más de 30 yardas contra los Colts, incluidos dos a Brian Thomas Jr. Fue el resultado de semanas logrando que Lawrence confiara en las lecturas y en los receptores que han tenido problemas con las caídas.
“Atacar cada brizna de hierba es algo que, en última instancia, queremos poder hacer”, dijo Coen. “Una gran parte de este juego es poder estirar a las personas verticalmente”.
Necesita ayuda
No hay duda de que las penalizaciones y los pases caídos son las mayores debilidades del equipo, y lo han sido toda la temporada. Los Jaguars fueron sancionados ocho veces por 64 yardas contra los Colts y dejaron caer dos pases más. Jacksonville lidera la liga con 112 penalizaciones.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Piden 35 años de prisión para militares acusados de desaparición y muerte de menores en Ecuador
Associated Press
QUITO (AP) — El Ministerio Público ecuatoriano pidió el lunes casi 35 años de prisión para un grupo de militares acusados de la desaparición forzada y muerte de cuatro menores de edad en la ciudad portuaria de Guayaquil.
En una audiencia de alegatos finales, el fiscal Christian Fárez exigió que en la sentencia se considere como agravantes el maltrato, la violencia y la tortura que sufrieron las víctimas, de acuerdo con las pruebas presentadas durante el juicio. Además, exigió que los acusados paguen multas económicas simbólicas que suman unos 10.000 dólares y cumplan con una capacitación en derechos humanos.
El Tribunal no tiene un plazo para dar a conocer la sentencia, aunque el proceso se encuentra en su fase final.
El caso, conocido como “Las Malvinas” en alusión a la zona donde vivían las víctimas, inició en diciembre del año pasado cuando los hermanos Ismael y Josué Arroyo, de 15 y 14 años; sus amigos Saúl Arboleda, de 14, y Steven Medina, de 11, salieron a jugar al fútbol en un barrio del sur de Guayaquil, pero no regresaron a casa.
De acuerdo con vídeos de cámaras de seguridad, dos patrullas militares de la Fuerza Aérea interceptaron a los menores y los subieron a la fuerza a dos camionetas. Los uniformados argumentaron que habían recibido una alerta por robo en el sector, pero la Fiscalía ha negado que los menores hayan estado involucrados.
El Ministerio Público presentó testigos y pruebas que incriminaron a los uniformados, mientras que los 17 militares ofrecieron versiones contradictorias, unos negaron que los menores hayan sido agredidos y otros detallaron pormenores de actos de violencia.
La captura de las víctimas ocurrió cuando regía en Ecuador un estado de conflicto armado interno decretado por el gobierno del presidente Daniel Noboa —aún vigente— que permite la movilización de policías y militares en operativos para combatir al crimen organizado.
Los militares acusados han argumentado que los menores fueron abandonados horas más tarde del apresamiento en una zona rural de difícil acceso. Luego de 23 días desaparecidos , los restos calcinados de los menores fueron hallados cerca de una base militar en las afueras de Guayaquil. Los uniformados aseguran que los liberaron vivos.
En las audiencias del juicio la Fiscalía reveló, en base a peritajes y detalles entregados por unos 100 testigos, que los menores sufrieron golpes en la cabeza, patadas, insultos y malos tratos.
El caso puso a Ecuador en el foco de organismos internacionales como el Comité de Desapariciones Forzadas de las Naciones Unidas que expresó su preocupación por la falta de información.
