CNBC, in true brand-name mainstream media format, makes it perfectly clear that it will take the negative over the positive…it just makes for better provocative investor banter and retweet fodder. It’s not the only outlet that does this, but we’re going to use them as the example of their complicit omission of any positive comments that might come out of a source that screams fire on a regular basis…say those of, for example, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon.

Like him or not, Dimon is a provocateur in his own right. And CNBC likes that. We’d venture to say that the cabal of mainstream outlets breathlessly run with replays and snippets of his interviews and conference call commentary because it will invariably fit the expected narrative

Knowing that some of the inflation indicators that investors fixate on are lagging indicators, we want to beat the market to the punch.

Accordingly, we have to be prepared by continuing to look for Tier One Quality microcap companies or maybe even ugly companies that might turn into quality selections, and in particular dissect Q3 press releases, earnings conference call transcripts and SEC filings that might unveil clues of softening inflation that could lead to the Federal easing interest rate hike goals. Who knows, moves by the Fed might happen sooner than later, surprising the market.

We’ll be monitoring supply chain commentary as well as commodity price action, mainly in the food area and other hot pockets in the inflation number cited above.

Another highlight of this past week was our comprehensive Fireside discussion with an executive at Muscle Maker, Inc. (NASDAQ:GRIL), a company that delivers high-quality healthy food options to consumers through traditional and non-traditional locations. Joining us was the company’s CEO and Secretary, Michael Roper, who has been in the food franchising business for 22 years. He “started off in restaurants in the year 2000 as a Quiznos franchisee out of the Chicago area.” Michael referenced his story as having been a “mailroom to the boardroom” saga that at the time culminated with him being the Chief Operating Officer of Quiznos worldwide.