The truth may cost you!

The truth can never be hid but lies will always, at the least obscure the truth. This is a lesson that the owner of Eli’s Manhattan, an upper east side supermarket found out. He should really take a lesson from government. Never let the people see what you are doing, and no one will be the wiser. But Eli Zabar the owner of Eli’s, thought that bringing attention to the increasing price of doing business would upset enough people that they would act, and they are, by going somewhere else to buy their food. What the other food markets will do, is just increase the price of products that you purchase and leave it at that. Fat, Dumb, and Happy, that is what we are. As a people, we do not like having the “devil in the details” pointed out to us, that only means we have to actually think. Thinking is something that you have to actually engage in, you know turning a noun into a verb. This is especially problematic for us “Fat” ones. We have gone so long with others, just being spoon fed the “truth,” that even lies no longer taste bitter, unless, it is pointed out to us. We really need to go back to the old way of thinking and having a critical eye towards a subject. But in our society today we lack the need or the urgency to do so. We have been so brow beaten to just “go with the flow” and do not “rock the boat” that we enjoy the fact that we do not need to think. How many times have we been told “why do you have to be different,” “why can’t you be like so and so.” If we choose the path of least resistance there is a good chance we will actually do ok. But this path of least resistance is a two way street. The opposition would love to have a least resistive path to influence us and drive us the way that they want. You know, “Fat, Dumb, and Happy.” At least Eli Zabar is trying to teach others about how a rise in fuel costs WILL affect your buying, but he is a small fish in a large ocean of ignorance and blissful thinking. I wish him the best, but knowing people he will come out looking bad.
Below is the story that started this whole thing.

Upscale NYC Market Charges 'Energy Surcharge'
Owner Of 'Eli's Manhattan': 1.8 Percent Fee Put In Place To Educate Customers To Struggles Of Food Industry
Shoppers Tell CBS 2 HD Move Is Just Another Slap In The Face
By CAROLYN COSTELLO, CBS 2 HD News
NEW YORK (CBS) ― The cost of everything seems to be going up lately, making tough times even tougher. Now a supermarket on the Upper East Side is passing an energy surcharge onto customers.
And as CBS 2 HD quickly found out, many shoppers are outraged.
At "Eli's Manhattan" customers are warned with big signs at the checkout counter.
A 1.8 percent surcharge -- for rising energy and fuel costs -- will be added to their grocery bill.
Shoppers at the upscale supermarket are used to paying more for groceries, but they aren't happy about the added charge.
"I'm really angry about that," one person said. "I won't come back."
"They're a giant rip-off," added another.
"I think it's outrageous," came another reaction. "The prices here are already high, so it doesn't seem fair."
It's a bad business move according to workplace guru Stephen Viscusi, author of "Bulletproof Your Job."
"It's really not necessary to be charging people extra right now and to be pointing it out to customers," Viscusi said. "At some point consumers feel plain ripped off."
But the owner said he wanted to cause controversy with the 1.8 percent surcharge. Instead of burying the cost in the price of groceries, he's pointing it out to get customers thinking and talking.

"To call the public's attention to how much fuel is being used in the food business," owner Eli Zabar said. "In this case, I am making the increase completely transparent to the customer."

Zabar thought the surcharge would make people angry about the rising cost of energy. Instead, they're getting angry at him, forcing him to consider scrapping the surcharge altogether.

"If the shock and awe is too great then what we're gonna do is hide it in the cost of goods itself," Zabar said.

However, Zabar said no matter how you do the math the cost of everything is going up.

If Zabar does decide to scrap the surcharge he said he will not immediately raise the price of food to make up for the lost revenue.