Free Republic

McDonald’s will have to defend itself against a $10 billion lawsuit from media mogul Byron Allen over an allegation that the fast food chain doesn’t advertise with Black-owned media. A federal court ruled last week said that Allen and his company, Allen Media Group, can try to prove in court that McDonald’s violated civil rights laws. Allen said in a press release that only a small portion — about $5 million of McDonald’s $1.6 billion annual advertising budget — goes to Black-owned media and that the company has “refused to advertise” on his networks, which include the Weather Channel and...

McDonald's too tempting for WTO protesters 1 hour, 16 minutes ago HONG KONG (AFP) - McDonald's, the very symbol of globalization, is used to having its windows broken during violent protests at WTO summits, but not in Hong Kong where one group met for breakfast. Eight demonstrators ignored the anti-globalization message of their "Junk WTO" baseball caps and feasted on Sausage McMuffins as they planned how to get across their anti-capitalist message. One protester attending the Hong Kong talks and on whom the irony might be lost was French militant farmer Jose Bove, who spent three months in jail after...

By Gail Mitchell LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Following a suicide attempt, R&B singer Houston has gouged out his eye while on an overseas performance junket.   A brief statement was released Wednesday by his Capitol Records label, saying only, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Houston during this tragic time." According to sources, the singer first attempted to jump out of a London hotel window last Thursday. Prevented from doing so by his security staff, Houston was locked in his room, at which time the injury occurred. No additional details as to his current condition or whereabouts have been disclosed....