| The Facebook Apology Tour. Earlier this morning I joined our managing editor Christine Rosen on the Daily Standard Podcast to discuss the Zuckerberg walk of shame. Do have a listen! Some supplementary reading: Nick Gillespie at Reason makes the same point I do about regulating FB, and over at the Washington Post, Sonny Bunch has an item as to why targeted ads are great. How Breaking News Got Panelized. I have a hard time watching cable news when things break. That's because I've seen the behind-the-scenes scramble to get talent on television. It is just ugly. Often times, since cable news is live, they just have to fly by the seat of their pants with the best they've got. Imagine you're told that you have to move out of your house within an hour, or you'd lose all your possessions that remain inside your house. Could you find the best and most competent movers or your friends to complete the task? No, you couldn't. That's basically how cable news works. Of course, this yields bad outcomes. At the Washington Post, Paul Fahri takes a look at the status quo, and there's a lot to be concerned about. But other than tuning out (the best option), there is not an easy fix. Why Was John Bolton in a Russian Gun Video? That's what NPR's Tim Mak wants to know. Bolton, who visited President Donald Trump in the Oval Office earlier this month and has reportedly been considered as a replacement for national security adviser H.R. McMaster, is a curious pick for The Right to Bear Arms in its video effort to influence the Russian legislature. After all, Bolton is one of the most hawkish, anti-Russia figures in Republican Party foreign policy circles. And yet the video recorded by Bolton was used by this obscure Russian gun rights group with ties to the Kremlin. A source close to Bolton told NPR that he was originally asked to record the video by David Keene, who served as NRA president from 2011 to 2013, and that he was informed the recording was for the Russian legislature. The source also said the former ambassador had never heard of The Right to Bear Arms until recent news coverage of the group. Weird. A Promotions Diet? Olive Garden is dropping its "Buy One, Take One" deal (where customers who dined in could get a free entree to go), according to a report from BusinessWeek. Olive Garden is dropping its popular “Buy One Take One” offer this quarter, a sign that restaurant chains are willing to sacrifice some customer traffic in order to wean themselves off promotions. The company is pursuing an everyday value strategy, meaning it wants customers to feel like they’re getting a good deal on their food without a special offer, according to the Italian chain’s parent, Darden Restaurants Inc. The Buy One promotion had let customers order one meal to eat at the table and then receive a second one for later at home. “It may have have a short-term impact on traffic,” Darden Chief Executive Officer Gene Lee said on a conference call Thursday. But he expressed confidence that the chain could absorb the hit. “I’m encouraged by Olive Garden’s momentum,” he said. I like the move, but I'm skeptical. Consumers are obsessed with "deals" even if the savings are illusory. J.C. Penney tried to break with counterparts like Kohl's and Macy's and put an end to discount pricing. It failed miserably. Save the date! Join us at the 2018 Weekly Standard summit. This May 17-20 at the historic Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs, join Stephen F. Hayes, Fred Barnes, John McCormack, Michael Warren and special guests Bret Baier, Senator Tim Scott, Representative Trey Gowdy, A.B. Stoddard, and Jonah Goldberg as they discuss the future of American politics. RESERVE YOUR PLACE TODAY! Book your tickets now.
—Jim Swift, deputy online editor. Please feel free to send us comments, thoughts and links to dailystandard@weeklystandard.com. —30— | 