#wsj.com

[143bc]

@WSJRealEstate

Anna Kendrick Became a Star Despite One Small Thing

The ‘Woman of the Hour’ director and actress on her Tony nomination at age 12, her big singing voice and skipping college

https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/anna-kendrick-netflix-woman-of-the-hour-fe258634

[hugueslouisrey]

The $30 Billion Bet: How AI and Data Are Reshaping the Future of Advertising (Source: wsj.com)

Suzanne Vranica, a seasoned media and advertising journalist, highlights in her recent article how the $30 billion merger between Omnicom and Interpublic Group signals a fundamental shift in the advertising industry, driven by the rise of AI and data-centric strategies over traditional creative dominance. source:…

[biglisbonnews]

The Natural-Born Diplomat Behind This Year's Biggest IPO The American CEO of Arm, a British company owned by a Japanese tech conglomerate,must juggle the needs of chip-making customers who are battling each other. https://www.wsj.com/articles/arm-ipo-ceo-rene-haas-nvidia-chips-addfbb19?mod=rss_Technology

[saywhat-politics]

WSJ) - The world economy could face a crash similar to the Great Depression of the 1930s unless the U.S. rows back on its plans to impose steep tariffs on imports, a senior official at the International Chamber of Commerce warned.

@wsj.com

www.wsj.com/economy/trad...

[labelleizzy]

Text id:

"In a recent post on X, Dr. Alan Nguyen, a spine specialist in Fort Myers, Fla., noted that when insurance-company doctors reject an MRI request, he now asks for their name and health provider identification number. "I tell them if a cancer is missed, then the patient will know who to sue," wrote Nguyen."

(photo id: a blonde white woman and a dark skinned doctor are both in scrubs and surgical masks standing above a reclining patient)

wsj.com headline:

Doctors Say Dealing With Health Insurers Is Only Getting Worse

[girlactionfigure]

BREAKING:

The “few bad apples” line pushed by the UN has just been obliterated. The Wall Street Journal front page is reporting that an estimated 1,200 Unrwa employees in Gaza are actual “operatives” of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and about half have close relatives who belong to the Islamist terrorist organizations, according to Israeli intelligence estimates shared with the U.S. government. 

The report said 23% of Unrwa’s male employees—the agency has a total staff of 12,000 in Gaza—took active part in the Hamas organization’s military or political framework, a higher percentage than the average of 15% for adult males in Gaza. 

The information in the Israeli intelligence reports is based on sensitive signals intelligence as well as cellphone tracking data, interrogations of captured Hamas gunmen and documents recovered from dead terrorists.

Nearly half of all Unrwa employees—an estimated 49%—also had close relatives with official ties to Hamas and other terrorist groups. 

The Oct. 7 intelligence reports seen by the Wall Street Journal identified an Unrwa Arabic teacher who was also a Hamas terrorist commander and took part in a terrorist attack on Kibbutz Be’eri, where 97 people were murdered, and about 26 people were kidnapped and taken as hostages to Gaza.

Another Unrwa employee, described in the dossier as an Unrwa social worker, played a role in absconding with the body of a dead Israeli soldier, which was taken to Gaza, the reports said. He also coordinated trucks and munitions distributions for Hamas before being killed.

@cjkeller8 &

@davidluhnow

@WSJ: https://wsj.com/world/middle-east/at-least-12-u-n-agency-employees-involved-in-oct-7-attacks-intelligence-reports-say-a7de8f36

[political-us]

Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump have proposed several initiatives that could impact the wealth of lower and middle-class Americans:

Implementation of Tariffs: Trump's administration has imposed tariffs on various imported goods, aiming to protect domestic industries. However, these tariffs have led to increased prices for everyday items, disproportionately affecting lower and middle-income consumers. For instance, tariffs on washing machines resulted in higher costs for American shoppers, outweighing the economic benefits for local workers.

WSJ.COM

Simplification of the Tax Code: Musk and Trump have considered overhauling the U.S. tax system, potentially moving towards a flat tax. While this could simplify filing, it might also eliminate deductions that benefit low and middle-income families, potentially increasing their tax burdens.

ECONOMICTIMES.INDIATIMES.COM

Reduction of Federal Spending: Appointed by Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk aims to cut federal spending by up to $2 trillion. Proposed measures include reducing the federal workforce and eliminating certain government programs. Such cuts could lead to job losses and reduced services that many lower and middle-class individuals rely on.

FINANCE.YAHOO.COM

Dismantling of Foreign Aid Programs: Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency have been involved in dismantling USAID, affecting numerous health and development programs worldwide. Critics argue that while reform is necessary, abrupt shutdowns can have harmful impacts on aid-dependent regions and may also affect global stability, indirectly impacting the U.S. economy and its citizens.

NEWYORKER.COM

These initiatives, while aimed at economic efficiency and protectionism, carry potential risks for lower and middle-class Americans, including higher consumer prices, increased tax burdens, job losses, and reduced access to essential services.

Elimination of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): Elon Musk has advocated for dismantling the CFPB, an agency established to protect consumers from unfair financial practices. Abolishing the CFPB could expose consumers to predatory lending and financial scams, disproportionately affecting lower and middle-income individuals.

DEMOCRATS-FINANCIALSERVICES.HOUSE.GOV

Proposed Cuts to Social Programs: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Musk, has proposed significant reductions in federal spending, including cuts to social programs like Medicaid and SNAP. These programs provide essential support to low-income families, and reducing their funding could lead to decreased access to healthcare and nutrition assistance.

FORBES.COM

Potential Impact of Immigration Policies: Trump's stringent immigration policies, including mass deportations, could lead to labor shortages in industries such as agriculture and construction, potentially driving up costs for goods and services. These increased costs may be passed on to consumers, affecting lower and middle-class households.

INDEPENDENT.CO.UK

[dk-thrive]

There’s no ceremony, no occasion, only the quiet understanding that life is short and things burn. And if you wait too long for the perfect moment, you just might miss the perfectly imperfect one standing right in front of you.

— David K. Israel, from "I Saved My Special Wine for Special Occasions. Then I Lost Everything." (wsj.com, May 23, 2025)

[ykradna]

В Пентагоне признали, что десятилетиями распространяли дезинформацию об НЛО, включая поддельные фотографии инопланетян. Это было сделано для того, чтобы скрыть от СССР истребитель-невидимку F-117

источник : wsj.com/politics/national-security/ufo-us-disinformation-45376f7e

как жаль... а я же так искренне верил, что МЫ НЕ ОДНИ во вселенной :(

[darkmaga-returns]

1. President Donald Trump said he plans to unveil reciprocal tariffs next week in a major escalation of his trade war with US economic partners. Trump made the announcement during a meeting with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday and said the action would affect “everyone,” without specifying exactly what measures he plans to take. “I’ll be announcing that next week — on reciprocal trade — so that we’re treated evenly with other countries. We don’t want any more or any less,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that he planned to hold a press conference on the matter. He said he planned to hold a meeting on the issue Monday or Tuesday. At a White House press conference later on Friday Trump suggested that the reciprocal tariffs could come in lieu of the 10-20% universal import duty plan at the center of his economic message during the campaign. He said he was inclined to do “mostly” reciprocal tariffs over global import duties. (Source: bloomberg.com)

2. Americans are deeply divided over Donald Trump’s plans and the way he is handling his job in the early weeks of his return to the presidency. Overall, 47% of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling his job as president, while 51% say they disapprove. And most of these views are strongly held: 37% strongly approve of his performance, while 40% strongly disapprove. Roughly a third (35%) say they support all or most of Trump’s policies and plans, with 17% saying they support some of them. Nearly half of adults (47%) say they support only a few or none of his plans. (Source: pewresearch.org)

3. The Trump bump in consumer confidence is already over. Tariff threats, stock market swings and rapidly reversing executive orders are causing Americans across the political spectrum to feel considerably more pessimistic about the economy than they did before President Trump took office. Consumer sentiment fell about 5% in the University of Michigan’s preliminary February survey of consumers to its lowest reading since July 2024. Expectations of inflation in the year ahead jumped from 3.3% in January to 4.3%, the second month in a row of large increases and highest reading since November 2023. “It’s very rare to see a full percentage point jump in inflation expectations,” said Joanne Hsu, who oversees the survey. (Source: wsj.com)

[geezerwench]

Battling Infectious Diseases in the 20th Century: The Impact of Vaccines - WSJ.com

An oldie but a goodie. The Impact of #Vaccines.

Charts with pretty colors!

#VaccinesWork

[abwwia]

Happy birthday 🥳 🎂 🎉 Mary Frank (née Mary Lockspeiser; #bornonthisday 4 February 1933) is an English visual artist who works as a sculptor, painter, printmaker, draftswoman, and illustrator. Via Wikipedia

maryfrankartist.com

Artwork: Mary Frank, Leaping Boy with Fragments, 1980, color monotype on paper, 20 1⁄2 × 29 1⁄2 in. (52.1 × 74.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Michael J. Ettner, 2021.88.72

Read also (2014): A New Documentary on the Life and Work of Artist Mary Frank: Photographers' Muse, in Her Own Light

wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304311204579510021822139270

Photo: Mary Frank #inherstudio by Keith Bedford WSJ

#maryfrank #londonborn #artherstory #artbywomen #womensart #palianshow #art #womenartists #femaleartist #artist #botd

[reportsofawartime]

これは信じられないほど恐ろしい歴史的証拠です: https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1728167915524960294/video/1… ゼレンスキー氏率いる「国民の奉仕者」党の議会指導者デビッド・アラハミア氏だ。戦争開始から数週間後の2022年、ベラルーシとトゥルキエで行われたロシアとの和平交渉では、ウクライナ代表団を率いた。 彼はこう言います。 - ロシアの戦争の���な目的はウクライナ全土を侵略することではなく、ウクライナをNATOに加盟しない中立国に強制することであったことを同氏は認めた。私たちが中立を取るためにそのような協定に署名することを強制するのです。それは彼らにとって最も重要なことだった。かつてフィンランドがそうしたように、私たちが中立に同意し、NATOに参加しないと約束すれば、彼らは戦争を終わらせる用意があった。実はここが重要なポイントでした。それ以外のすべては、非ナチス化、ロシア語を話す人々、そして何とか何とかについての単なるレトリックと政治的な「味付け」でした。」 - なぜウクライナがこれに同意しなかったのかと尋ねられたとき、彼は次のように述べています。「まず、この点に同意するには、憲法を変える必要がある。 NATOへの道は憲法に書かれています。第二に、ロシア人にはそれを実行するという自信がなかった。これはセキュリティが保証されている場合にのみ可能です。私たちは何かに署名して立ち去ることはできず、誰もがそこでリラックスし、その後、さらに準備を整えて[侵入]することになりました。実際、彼らはそのような抵抗に対して準備ができていなかったためです。したがって、このようなことが二度と起こらないという絶対的な確信がある場合にのみ、このルートを探索することができます。そのような確実性はありません。さらに、我々がイスタンブールから戻ったとき、ボリス・ジョンソンがキエフに来て、我々は彼らとは一切契約せず、ただ戦おう、と言いました。」 実際、同氏は「ロシアに信頼がないため、安全保障があった場合にのみ実現できる」という主張についてあまり率直ではない。なぜなら、2022年初頭の当時のメディア報道によると、協定のこの側面は具体化しつつあったからだ。それはウクライナの公式大統領ウェブサイトにもまだ掲載されている： https://president.gov.ua/en/news/na-peregovorah-iz-rosiyeyu-ukrayinska-delegaciya-oficijno-pr-73933…その概念は、トルコ、ドイツ、カナダ、イタリア、ポーランド、イスラエルと並んで、国連安全保障理事会の常任理事国が協定の保証人になるというものだった。問題は、当時の WSJ の記事で強調されているように、これらの安全保障が「西側当局者」によって「懐疑的に迎えられた」ことだったようです: https://wsj.com/articles/ukraine-proposal-for-nato-style-security-guarantee-greeted-with-skepticism-11648683375… したがって、この合意を本当に台無しにしたのは「ボリス・ジョンソンがキエフに[来て]、我々は彼らとは一切署名せず、ただ戦おうと[言った]」ことだったというアラカムイアの確認と組み合わせると、これは明らかに西側であることを示している。和平協定を破棄した。 このことは、この戦争における西側のきわめて忌まわしい責任を裏付けるものである。なぜなら、20か月後、ウクライナは恐ろしい量の人員（おそらく数十万人の死者）を失っただけでなく、彼らが夢にも思わなかった段階に来ているからだ。和平協定で非常に有利な条件を得るために、西側諸国は現在、締結するよう圧力をかけている。そして、NATOの拡大とウクライナのロシア国境における西側の防波堤への変貌によって、そもそもこの紛争を引き起こした西側の責任には私は立ち入らない。 何らかの計算がされるのでしょうか？この責任を認めますか？責任はあるのか？将来このような壊滅的な失敗を避けるために何か変更や再考はありますか?悲しいことに、特にヨーロッパでは、この始まりの兆しさえ見えません。そして、これが私を最も憂鬱にさせるものです。これは、私たちが学習し、適応し、変化する能力がない誤った方法に制度的に設定されていることを示しています。

[ultrajaphunter]

TUCK & RUN:

RuZZian Navy has withdrawn the Bulk of its Surface Forces from the Sevastopol Naval Base.

UKR has carried out Multi-Modal Attacks on RuZZian Air Defenses, Survielence Radars, Warships and Command Centers. https://wsj.com/world/russia-withdraws-black-sea-fleet-vessels-from-crimea-base-after-ukrainian-attacks-51d6d4f5?mod=e2tw…

The Exodus of RuZZian Ships from Sevastopol RuZZian Black Sea Fleet moved most of its Ships from Sevastopol to Novorossiysk.

All three Operational Submarines of Project 06363 (Kilo-class),

Both Frigates of Project 11356 (Admiral Grigorovich-class) &

One Patrol Ship Moved to Novorossiysk. Project 1135M (Krivak-Class Frigate),

Five Large Landing Ships, and

apparently, The Bulk of Small Missile Ships are also in Novorossiysk.

Another part of the ships -

one Large Landing Ship,

Two Small Missile Ships and

Both New Minesweepers of Project 12700 (Alexandrit-class) - Moved from Sevastopol to Feodosia.

[junaidsuhais-blog]

U.S. Bombs Iran’s Nuclear Sites — What It Means

1. What Happened On June 21–22, 2025, the U.S. executed precision strikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. This marked the first direct U.S. military intervention in Iran in decades wsj.com+8reuters.com+8theaustralian.com.au+8reuters.com+15apnews.com+15wsj.com+15. The operation used B‑2 stealth bombers equipped with GBU‑57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators…

[newlycruelfortune]

Bahama Breeze

Here’s a detailed look at Bahama Breeze 🍹, the Caribbean-inspired restaurant chain that transports diners to a laid-back island vibe:

🌴 Origins & Concept

Founded in 1996 in Orlando, Florida (International Drive), Bahama Breeze was conceived by Darden Restaurants to evoke a tropical getaway through its menu, drinks, and atmosphere (en.wikipedia.org).

With its slogan, “Your island getaway begins here,” the chain emphasizes fresh Caribbean flavors, vibrant decor, and live music to create an immersive, resort-like dining experience (bahamabreeze.com).

Ambiance & Experience

The restaurants are designed to make guests feel “a million miles from home” with bright colors, handcrafted cocktails, and live Caribbean or reggae music night.

Its bartenders emphasize the allure of fresh-squeezed juices, sugar cane, and authentic mixology to emulat.

Menu Highlights

Cuisine focuses on Caribbean-inspired seafood, chicken, steak, and bar favorites like Jamaican jerk wings, yuca cheese sticks, jerk chicken pasta, and fresh fish tacos.

The menu accommodates diverse diets: popular vegetarian picks like the Black Bean BBQ Burger can be customized, and children’s options are available.

Cocktail flights and tropical drinks—mojitos, rum punches—are a central part of the experience, framed as “legendary cocktails” inspired by island traditions.

Growth & Footprint

In its heyday (2014), Bahama Breeze had 43 locations—nearly 50% in Florida and many in suburban and tourist areas (en.wikipedia.org).

As of May 2025, the chain has 29 remaining outlets after closing 15 restaurants due to weak sales (a 7.7% decline in 2024) (en.wikipedia.org).

Recent Challenges & Closures

Mid‑May 2025 saw 15 underperforming locations shut, including in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Nevada, Michigan, and Florida (en.wikipedia.org).

These closures affected staff, many of whom were reassigned within Darden’s other chains (Olive Garden, LongHorn) or received severance (the-sun.com).

Employees and loyal patrons expressed heartfelt regrets; one longtime server shared, “We were family. My heart is broken.” (the-sun.com).

Darden’s Strategic Shift

Darden Restaurants, Bahama Breeze’s parent since its launch, owns flagship brands like Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille (en.wikipedia.org).

In earnings calls, CEO Rick Cardenas confirmed Bahama Breeze is no longer a strategic priority. The company is exploring “strategic alternatives,” including selling the brand or converting its locations into other Darden formats (wsj.com).

If no buyer emerges, remaining locations may be rebranded as Olive Garden or LongHorn, with investment shifted toward faster‑growing chains (the-sun.com).

The Future of the Brand

The fate of Bahama Breeze remains uncertain:

Sale to an investor who will continue the Caribbean theme, possibly revitalizing it.

Conversion into other Darden brands, ending the island motif.

Continued operation as a leaner, repositioned brand—but without further investment from Darden.

This shift mirrors broader industry trends: several mid-tier casual-dining chains (e.g., Red Lobster, TGI Friday’s, Hooters, Applebee’s) are downsizing amid inflation pressures and changing consumer habits.

In Review

Bahama Breeze has been a beloved Caribbean-inspired oasis in the casual dining landscape, offering flavorful food, tropical cocktails, and island entertainment since 1996. However, declining sales and shifting corporate priorities have led to widespread closures and an uncertain future. Whether it continues under new ownership, reborn as something different, or quietly fades into the Darden hall of legends, its vibrant flavor and laid-back charm have left an impression on both diners and employees alike.