Paying with plastic cards is not magic

I get my gas at Casey's (pre-pay)

Inflation is less painful when we pay with plastic so much? Credit and debit cards. I use them myself as a late-adopter who thought it quite alien at first. Same with electronic bill-pay. Paying with plastic does not mean you are not paying. We can stay in denial longer? I would never eat at Stone's Throw Restaurant if I didn't use debit cards. The cash would make me think "my God!" I do enjoy dining there. 

All the new funky systems get revised and updated, testing our focus sometimes. One of my favorite economic commentators, who goes by "Jeremiah Babe," advised against using the plastic cards for gas purchases. I shared this with a friend. The friend who has more savvy than I, pointed out that the advisory depends on the specific means of payment: "at the pump" or inside. I get my gas at Casey's. Here's an email I sent to him on June 24.

So, this morning: went to get gas and decided, for first time in a while, to use debit card. You assured me the problem is with "pay at the pump" and not pay-inside. For a long time I'd use a $20 bill to get gas, but $20 doesn't go as far now, so I decided on $25. It's pre-pay so I went inside, then I got the nod from the clerk before putting my card in, as per suggestion there. I put card in, and shortly got the "please remove card" message. But then the clerk said I'd have to put it in again. Sheesh. Well, I did, and this time the system asked for my pin number. So I typed it in, and then everything was supposedly fine. I asked for a receipt of course. But it was a little unnerving. I'll have to check my bank statement now to verify the purchase. Now I'm resolved to just use cash in the future.

 

You probably have noticed these systems are continually evolving. When I first got card from Cyrus bank, there was a little sticker with two phone numbers on it. I called the first one as most rational people would do, and this was to the bank itself. A human answered. So, she said the card was now activated, fine and dandy. But, I shortly realized I had gotten no pin number. I took that card to Casey's one day, was asked for the pin number, and at that time I always had my paper checkbook with me "just in case." So I wrote a paper check. Recently I had the Cyrus card renewed, got a new card. This time I was "smart enough" to call the SECOND phone number which was non-local, to something called "shazam." This was the number I should have called all along. No human on other end this time, but no problem. They activated the card and I got the pin number. Once you've done this a couple times, it's simple, just like the McDonald's kiosk would probably be simple. The first time is a problem.

Fewer businesses are requiring the pin number, as you have probably noticed. One night at Don's, the waitress pushed the device toward me for typing in the pin, but then a more experienced waitress came over and said to "bypass" that. Willie's is holding firm with requiring the pin, but I heard someone say that if you're in a pinch and don't know your number, you can do the "tap" there. I wonder if the "tap" is taking over everywhere. I'm still inclined to stick the card in. Change just happens too fast sometimes.

All of this electronic stuff scared me in the early days. My fear wasn't completely unfounded, because Brent Waddell told the story of signing up for electronic bill-pay (I think with Otter Tail Power) and getting charged a "late fee" one month. He told me the story of how he called them and actually had to go back-and-forth for a while. But you don't want to mess with Brent, as he is an attorney.

I'm a little sad, because if I had pushed to get on board with all the new systems earlier, it would have relieved Mom of some stress. She was committed to "balancing the checkbook" with such strictness. Nobody has to do that any more, really, unless you are close to going under your balance.

My anxiety is building as I may have to leave the banks with my savings. The Fed is raising interest rates but I notice that Dakotah Bank has not raised the interest it pays on a long-term CD yet.

 

Update: Just before publishing, I notice that Dakotah Bank has upped the interest paid on a 60-month CD to 1.15 percent! I congratulate them and hope this reflects the norm.

 

Friend elucidates

My acquaintance shed more light on these matters with his response. Sometimes we just have to huddle with others and share "war stories" or whatever. I'd like to huddle with someone who could show me how to use the ordering kiosk at McDonald's. Here is my friend's edifying response: 

Speaking of debit/credit cards, the “tap and pay” is by far the most secure as there is no danger of your card number being skimmed upon sticking it into the reader. But not all cards, nor all card readers, can accommodate that – and the only way you know for sure is to try it. Also, as not all readers are the same, not all respond to the cards the same - as you have found. If your card has “chip” on it, some card readers will take that and then won’t require a pin number. I have used my credit card at Willie's, which has a chip, and works fine there (credit cards don’t ever use pins). In my opinion, which as you know is worth nothing, credit cards are better than debit cards in that with a credit card, you pay your balance used at the end of each month, so you have a little “float”. But a debit card takes the money out of your checking account immediately. We evil business people use “float” to our advantage a lot.

 

Returning to old subject

We ought to continue paying attention to the ballyhooed softball complex in Morris. You know, on east edge of town, out by the water treatment plant. I have shared concerns or issues for some time. It never hurts to be vigilant, to try to ensure that public money is spent well. To make sure plans are sensible. The following is an email I shared with a different friend. It veers into a couple other topics.

 

The place sucks for fan viewing.

As always I walk by the softball complex often. A couple nights ago, cars were parked all over the place by the water treatment plant. Is that acceptable? So, a game was being played at the easternmost diamond.

I hope people realize about this complex, that it was not developed "from scratch." There were pre-existing facilities there, especially the fine UMM softball diamond. Take a look out there now: don't you think the batters at the field under construction now will be looking into the sun too much? I actually check these things out.

As for the south diamond and the east one, the only improvements from before are the outfield fences. Those fields have a total "sandlot" quality, which I feel rather offended by, because the term "softball complex" had such a grandiose ring to it. I was expecting everything out there to end up with a professional, polished look. At the eastern field, the foul lines are painted only as far as first and third bases, not into the outfield.

The fan viewing issues will never be fixed at "Holmberg Field," unless they tear it up and start over. The secondary field has better fan viewing opportunities than Holmberg Field. Take a look, if you haven't already.

Last night, I again saw vehicles parked on both sides of Prairie Lane, even though there are signs on north side "no parking this side." Will tickets be issued at some point?

I looked at Morris paper in library yesterday, and if you read between the lines, it seems there is some discontent in city government right now. In old days I'd know the details of course. I wonder if Blaine has been city manager too long. I actually feel for the people who had their cars towed last winter. I had my own issues with the water treatment plant, especially the city's lack of clarity in communicating with citizens. Hill had a nice little system where he'd go to Marshall at the radio station every time he got in a disagreement, he'd get his own point of view across. Marshall isn't there now. I wonder if Jeff Backer complained about Marshall (Hoffman). Marshall sort of "ambushed" Backer with a question a while back: "Have you been vaccinated yet?" Everyone would know that Backer the big Republican would say "no," but he probably didn't want to be put on the spot about this. So maybe he contacted radio station manager and objected. Republicans are so asinine.

Well, another day of hearing about the Trump ridiculousness. On and on. It's a cottage industry for the media. But we may all pay the price for it. What would Eisenhower say? What would "Ike" say about Trump calling General Mark Milley a "fucking idiot?"

 

Expanding on City of Morris

A different friend shared his insights on possible turbulence in City of Morris matters. To quote an email from this individual:

 

The big topic concerning Morris residents now was the misinterpreted statement by Blaine (Hill) relative to the police department merging with the sheriff’s department. He almost made it sound like that liberal mantra to dissolve all police departments. The merger had been discussed before, but no one raised an eyebrow. Now, because of George Floyd, people get their panties in a bunch about that stuff. The shoeshine guy tells me that what you said about Blaine (has been city manager too long, maybe gets a little too assertive or bull-headed) is an opinion shared by many in these parts. Not me, mind you – I like the guy. It’s a tough job that can’t please everyone, but somebody’s got to do it. Of course, I’ve known him since he was a Cub Scout in my mom’s Cub den and I was the Den Chief, so that may distort my view.

 

Remembering Minnesota Twins

Maybe we have to remind ourselves that the Twins continue to exist? The way we consume media now, we are not "pushed" toward paying attention to the baseball team, not like in "the old days." Not long ago, Fargo radio was abuzz with talk about how so many people had committed themselves to YouTube TV, then of course the Twins' network departs that network. Suppose we have lost our sense of shock about this. 

And maybe we have lost much of our old emotional attachment to the Twins. Frankly I have. Others might demur. So I shared my observation about my loss of interest with a friend. He wasn't quite so convinced of my interpretation, but he admitted to the media trends in question. What he wrote to me in response:

 

I don’t understand your “emotional attachment” comments regarding Minnesota sports. I think there’s an attachment to the Vikings that runs quite deep – many peoples’ moods are up or down depending on game results. More so with the Vikings now than the Twins, but back in the day the Twins were very much a part of everyone’s lives. I try to listen to the games now, but for some reason don’t care as much, largely because I don’t recognize the players’ names anymore. Could that be due to the lack of TV coverage now because of the disputes with various providers? But in the 60s and 70s, the only games televised were some away games. The present-day rights disputes are greatly hurting the club, so I’m surprised the Twins aren’t doing more to resolve the issues. They’ve lost a huge part of their fan base the last 3 or 4 years.

 

Thanks for reading

This has been one of my "fan mail from some flounder" blog posts, wherein I share portions of emails both sent and received. I am hardly "in the know" about Morris matters like I used to be. Nevertheless I seek to pay attention. I was not blogging at the time of the proposed Stevens County jail. But I remember leaving some people voice mail messages about it! 

Maybe I'm a "policy wonk."

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Remember when 10 cents vs. 50 meant something?

The "Pylin" of East 7th Street was once such an institution, I suggested that if Prairie Pioneer Days were to be resurrected, it be called "Pylin Days." The idea would be to "pile in" to Morris! It's just an idle dream. Fewer and fewer people in this community remember the Pylin which was the classic drive-in. Consider the movie "American Graffiti." Those were "American Graffiti" times. The old public school, now gone, was along East 7th Street. Gradually this community abandoned this site for school purposes, rather a sea change. The place was once such a "hub" of community life, basketball games etc. Today it's a different kind of life there, but I can't help but think that East 7th has a rather run-down look. That can change. The sidewalk along there is lousy too. You could trip at night and fall right into the roadway. Look out, because maybe the South Dakota attorney general will be coming along. How many of you remember Matt Lesmeister? So many of the old faces have faded, but not necessarily in my memory. Remember Willie Martin? I always think of him on Memorial Day. 

 

Morris once had a place where you could buy "Army Surplus" items. Get a nice canteen, knapsack or other such item. The business was along East 7th Street, in the building now used by Chuck Lesmeister for storage (so I'm told). 

The complexion of Morris has changed so much. The public school building was across the street from the business I reference here. Kids ran downhill on the sidewalk, crossed East 7th and got snacks, comic books or baseball cards at Stark's Grocery. Stark's later became Budig's and the building now houses a monument company. 

East 7th Street was once the main entry to Morris from the east. It was attractive for businesses that catered to people traffic. 

Does inflation worry you now? It's in the news a lot. So I'll remind you that the Dairy Queen along East 7th had ice cream cones priced at five or ten cents. You might think I'm kidding. Definitely not. Those were the days when we'd appreciate the difference between 10 cents and 50 cents, when we'd leave a tip in restaurants with "coins." 

Today, newspapers have had to give up even having vending machines. Gone are the days when a person strolling along a sidewalk might decide to shove a mere couple coins in a vending machine. It's gone with the wind, along with the five and ten-cent ice cream cones (chocolate or vanilla) at the East 7th DQ. 

Here's a question: why have businesses like Dairy Queen decided to make their menus so complicated? They say they have a hard time finding help these days. Maybe the prospective employees just think the pay is insufficient. They have other, better outlets for getting support? But maybe it's not just the pay, maybe it's the stress of dealing with a large and overly complicated menu. And customers can be demanding. 

In the old days the choice was chocolate or vanilla. Take a look at the menu today. And I now learn that the Morris DQ has closed its lobby. The door was locked on Sunday evening, and a sign was on the door on Monday. Maybe this policy is subject to change based on the availability of help. I don't know, but a business risks alienating its customer base long-term with this limitation. 

Stop and think: if you live in a nearby community like Hancock and make a run into Morris some evening, and you decide you'd like a little treat, are you really going to do drive-through or take-out if you're going back to your home? With perhaps ice cream treats? No, I think a fair number of people would like to grab a seat for a few minutes. 

It is off-putting for the Morris community to have eating establishments that do not serve sit-down. I recently asked someone if, to their knowledge, McDonald's still had the kiosk-only policy for ordering inside. I was aware of that sign being in place there if not all the time, a good share of the time. I argued this was off-putting, maybe not so much to the very young crowd that takes to all the new systems. But for older people, I think it's rather an affront. 

The person with whom I was speaking said that, to her knowledge, McDonald's still had the sign up. I have emailed McDonald's corporate about this, got a nice and accommodating response. But it looks like the local owner has the leverage to continue the irritating policy. 

You might say this is a PR issue for Morris. Way back before the pandemic, one of my prime contacts at UMM dropped the comment, "I think Morris could use another restaurant." She brought up the subject entirely.

We lost a classic middle class restaurant, i.e. one with no alcohol, decent lighting and middle class prices, when the Riverwood bank expanded along Atlantic Avenue. Fewer people remember the restaurant that was there, which went by three names through the years. And, a restaurant's value is not just with food. It is a place for people to go and see their friends, because we are after all a social animal. The shutdown measures for the pandemic took a terrible toll because of this. 

The old restaurant had a meeting/banquet room with a sliding partition to offer some privacy, and the room even had a piano. The bank moved in there, and there has been no true replacement restaurant since. 

 

Doing us favors, eh?

Another bank! They occupy so much real estate along Atlantic Avenue. Riverwood is so proud to have a big banner up about how they offer "free checking." Make that "free and easy checking." What a favor this business does for all of us in the besieged middle class: they offer us free checking! Worthy of a banner draped over the side of the building. 

But wouldn't you prefer a bank where you could go like in the old days, to deposit money which would then earn interest for you? Remember when banks paid interest? You did business with a bank and then the bank actually paid you. A novel concept? Well, it has been the norm for most of U.S. history. You could get a certificate of deposit or a long-term CD that would pay more interest than the standard. 

Interest rates have been so low as to be negligible over the recent past. There was a slight break in 2018 when a push toward "normalization" was attempted. It failed. The Federal Reserve makes all these decisions, yet the Fed is supervised by unelected people. 

The Fed chopped interest rates by a full point when the pandemic started. This they did in a "special meeting." But when interest rates need to be raised, the process is much slower, as we are now witnessing. The Fed prioritizes the stock market. So congratulations if your "401K" or whatever seems to look decent, but just weigh that against prices for everything going up like all get-out. 

Aren't you feeling anxiety about the increasing prices? And remember the prices at the old Dairy Queen on Morris, East 7th Street, cones for a nickel or a dime. Push a couple coins into a vending machine, maybe just one, for the morning newspaper. Leave a coin or two on the restaurant table as your "tip." 

Oh, I remember. Go over to Lesmeister Motors and get your Army Surplus canteen. Or hey, a "mess kit!" Stop at Stark's Grocery for a fudgesickle and a current "Superman" or "Batman" comic. All things must pass, I guess. 

These days we guard our kids so closely, we might as well have them wrapped in Nerf.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

"Christian nationalism" upsetting USA apple cart?

The image from Twitter is Jim Carey's caricature of Mike Pence. Pence is ever more being shunned by the main body of Trump supporters. "Christian nationalists" truly have a litmus test. They lament the failure of the Jan. 6, 2001, attempted revolution. Or was that just a "rehearsal?" Are you on board with that? Can you "sell" this to your children?

 

Can Christianity be re-captured by the truly benevolent and caring people of America? Don't you think this is a fundamental question this nation faces? We hear references to "Christian nationalism." We hear how our beloved faith has become perverted, made grotesque by getting interwoven with the January 6 assault on the capitol. 

Don't you worry about the kind of impression being made on our youth? A religion that is supposed to be loving, forgiving and concerned about the poor and afflicted has been co-opted. Co-opted by truly sinister forces, people willing to threaten murder and most likely commit it, if given the chance. 

A friend of mine echoed my exact thoughts a few days ago: It is difficult to stay interested in the Jan. 6 hearings because of how all of it just drones on. Let's say "ad nauseam." (And, I have learned to spell that word properly, not like "museum.") 

Let's say it's nauseating because it's so long after the Jan. 6, 2001, disruption, we tire of hearing the new questions getting asked, the new info getting confirmed. If Congress really cared about getting to the bottom of the attempted violent revolution, it could have summoned the proper resources in a timely way. It could be an existential question for America. 

Concerned as I feel, I am also developing some detachment. There is a sense of futility. The process slogs on. News tidbits are offered each day that are supposed to get us excited. But it's nearly July of 2022, for goodness' sake, and the mid-term elections are not far off. Not only that, there is a general consensus in the media that the Republican party will make gains in the mid-terms. In other words, there appears to be no stopping this train. 

If only we could get a super majority of Democrats at all levels of government for four years, we would achieve stability. At the end of four years, maybe we'd be sick of them. By then, maybe the Republican party will have learned better manners, to be more civilized. 

Check out your own friends and neighbors. Where are they at with their attitudes? Are they just impressed watching Trump on TV? He understands the power of television. Roger Ailes brought Bill O'Reilly on board because O'Reilly "understood television." Know what I mean when I cite "understanding television?" The unique power it has to shape our views? How the personalities onscreen project the illusion that you "know" them? You begin to put trust in them. They might seem relatable when they're on the screen in your home. Like Bill Cosby was for years and years. 

As for O'Reilly, he just became too messy with his personal misdeeds for even Fox News to keep around. Remember how O'Reilly used to suggest he was "one of the folks?" Illusion. It's like Hollywood being the "dream factory." O'Reilly had to pay out something like $32 million to avoid a sexual harassment lawsuit. Ailes who ran Fox News for a long time got in trouble in a like way. 

So these are the people who managed and manipulated the kind of messages that get into our living rooms now. Trump was a master of TV before he declared for the presidency. The flim-flam man has something to sell for people who will buy it. Do you think Trump is motivated by even one ounce of benevolence? He is the antithesis of humility, obviously. "Ike" Eisenhower had an outlook of "giving credit to others, taking blame for myself." And wasn't Ike the epitome of honor? And of real manliness? And Trump ought to impress you as 100 percent the opposite. 

Yet a major portion of our beloved Christian faith in America has bought into him. We see the phenomenon right here in the Morris area. Apostolics have driven around with "Trump" flags flapping in back of their pickups. Oh, along with "Keep America great." As if skeptics of Trump do not want America to be great. 

Elect Trump again and you'll see more tax favors done for the richest one percent, maybe just a fraction of the one percent. This is well-known, yet so many rank and file American fall all over themselves to stay on the Trump train. To trumpet "election fraud" in connection with 2020. And if they don't exactly support what happened on Jan. 6, 2001, their attitudes are mild about it. They feel stronger in the negative about any Democrats involved in the process, or "traitors" like Liz Cheney. 

 

Pence cast adrift

Doesn't Mike Pence look pathetic now? He has been thrown overboard by the Christian nationalists. What if Pence's own family had been violently attacked or killed on Jan. 6? Such was the sentiment. Pence knows his standing now. He did not attend the 2022 Faith and Freedom Coalition annual conference in Nashville TN. I love Nashville so I think it's unfortunate the event was held there. Pence now knows he best not show his face there. 

Trump still rules with a significant chunk of America, and a major portion of people who call themselves "Christian." Ron DeSantis has like standing. 

What if Karen Pence had been beheaded on Jan. 6? Instances of this have happened through world history. If the attempted coup had succeeded, and if an autocracy had truly been established, would the Morris area Apostolics and other basically like-minded "fundamentalists" really be satisfied, or would they find it's too late to wake up about all this? 

The coup supporters are such hard-line people, they do not accept dissent at all. They consider dissent to be treasonous. And I think they are prepared to punish this kind of treason with death. Congressman Jim Jordan has appeared to suggest as much. This kind of thing started happening with the Nazis. How would our news media cover it? I mean, the ones who would dare try to cover it? 

Once a sinister type of revolution like this gets started, we can find it's too late to restore order. It's like the horse "Boxer" in George Orwell's book "Animal Farm," who found it was too late to fight - he had gotten old, worn out from overwork and too weak. Is that the kind of America we are headed to?

I attend an ELCA church, so does that mean I will go to hell, in the eyes of the people I am criticizing here?

 

Reprise of my poem

Here once again, my lyrics or poetry about the Jan. 6 incident. Thanks for visiting this blog site. 

 

"January 6 Lament"

by Brian Williams

 

A place where cherry blossoms

Adorn the public space

Is where we should be solemn

And not be moved by hate

So why should we be hearing

The call to "hang Mike Pence"

We should have been more leery

Of those devoid of sense

The new year was just dawning

A placid winter scene

We all should have been yawning

And followed our routine

But MAGA stoked the fire

Of riot and revolt

The denizens conspired

To give us all a jolt

We thought we might be dreaming

With manufactured fears

There just was no believing

A travesty so weird

But there it was before us

A crowd that wanted blood

An insurrection chorus

They moved as if a flood

Behind it all a grifter

Just pulling all the strings

He had his fans atwitter

To blow up everything

And though he said "be peaceful"

It would not rule the day

On top of all the evil

It was just CYA

The siren song of Fox News

Had wafted far and wide

And Newsmax had its own views

Dispensing fear and lies

We had been teased on TV

And let it all take wing

Like football players kneeling

As if that was a thing

So many came to foment

A riot in its name

The image of one woman

Just lingers like a flame

Her name was Ashli Babbitt

So loyal to the cause

She saw her chance and grabbed it

There was no time to pause

She came from California

Traversed the USA

To show her love of MAGA

She would not be delayed

She had been in the Air Force

A patriotic stance

But something caused a new course

A QAnon romance

So Ashli had a vision

She shared with all her folks

Of going on a mission

To nullify the votes

A window had been broken

The chance to move was there

The president had spoken

He urged them all to dare

A sea of discontented

Now why were they so mad?

Their feelings were cemented

Behind a single man

The signs were all around them

That Trump was not their friend

They could not seem to fathom

He's just about himself

So Ashli was a victim
A cop just had to act

Her family rued her mission

She should have just stayed back

We feel for Ashli Babbitt

Her soul resides in peace

Could she not understand it

The cesspool of deceit?

An epilogue is needed

Of justice breaking through

To see a man defeated

Who showed us he's a fool

There is still time to salvage

The best of who we are

To neutralize the damage

And clear away the scars

I pledge allegiance to the flag