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I see where Hancock bank has been bought by "Star Bank." If I still had an account at Hancock, it would be my third bank that underwent change in ownership. This is stressful. I am speculating that most of these sales are by banks that can no longer handle mounting number of "regulations." This is what I was told after the State Farm Bank sale to U.S. Bank.
You'll recall that I bailed on the Hancock Bank after I had to wait two weeks to get my semi-annual interest payment check in the mail. Never again will I set up an arrangement to get a paper check in the mail!
I made a couple trips into Hancock while I had my account there, and the downtown section sure does not impress me, looks seedy actually.
I see where Katie Erdman and her sister Joyce are BOTH working at the DMV in Morris now. Yes, at "Doc Watson's" old building. That dates us!
DMV is lucky to get the Van Eps girls as a tag team. I think that's pretty thankless work. It was a miracle visit for me, as there was no mention of the "vision test." The postcard I had gotten about this visit said I'd have to take the eye test. This is the reason I will not buy a new car. I don't want to spend $40,000 on a new car and then find six months later that I've lost my license. My theory is that the state may be backing off on the vision test. It must be stressful and time-consuming for the employees, and not really worth the trouble. I had been informed that the state is not a "stickler" on this anyway. But I can't take the chance of buying a new car. So eventually I'll be walking.
There was such a spate of articles recently quoting people saying there'd be six interest rate cuts this year. Scared the hell out of me. We'd be back to QE easily, so why did the Fed raise rates to begin with? What was the point? Now there are voices of skepticism about the Fed doing their cuts. So I don't know what to think, but I have three CDs maturing in November and December, and I don't want interest to be down at zero by then. I also do not want to cash in early.
If Trump gets back in power, he will seize control of the Fed. And then what?
January 28 is the day!
I shared with Jim, whose family are U benefactors also:
If I did not give $ to the U, I wouldn't get any birthday cards. As it is I got more than one. I'm paying a lot for these.
(end of quoted email)
Eye on the news, always
Let us scan the headlines and share some reactions. Here's a comment I shared with a Yahoo! News article:
If people begin to sense that Trump's re-election is becoming imminent, will we start hearing about people leaving the country to protect themselves? I mean, think of people like "Joe and Mika" and Lawrence O'Donnell. Fearing retribution from a president who could begin to enact legal measures.
Response from "Squirt Nelson":
They will not sense that, since it is not true. I want to see what the red hats will do when they start to realize that the USA will not let Trump pollute that worthy office ever again.
Response from "Chief":
Brian, you better start packing.
I seek to ring alarm bells about Trump:
I hope something really bad does not have to happen to America to have all the MAGA people start waking up. What might happen? Well if Trump were to take control of the Federal Reserve, because Trump would insist on taking control of everything. This could be catastrophic. I remember a news person reporting when Trump was in office "it is unclear if the president can remove the chair of the Federal Reserve." Translation: Trump would want to do it. Then he'd succeed because that's the way all these things turn out. President could fire Fed chair only based on "cause?" Well, drive a truck through that.
Response from "Judy":
Trump should also never be allowed to have the nuclear codes again!...he's too 'unstable' and dangerous!
Response from "Kelly:"
MAGA people are in a drug-induced cultist coma. They will NEVER wake up.
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| Not in the rear view mirror? |
When Trump says something, believe it. Problem is, we get numb, the boiling frog thing or whatever. Republicans must ask themselves if they're really happy being in this Trump fan club or if they are ready to accept the real world consequences of Trump getting back in office. Repeal Obamacare? Trump has started talking about that again. Or to follow Mike Lee and get rid of Social Security completely? Don't you wonder if these are real tangible goals of Republicans, not just talk? Pause and think please.
Response from "Michael":
Republicans said for years they would overturn Roe vs. Wade, which I don't think most Americans took seriously. Look what happened...? Believe everything Trump says he will do, and unless you want to live in a police state - keeping in mind that, while you might think you would initially benefit from Trump's policies (I'm looking at you white male with a high school education) - in a police state, no one is safe.
"Susan" responded:
I know people who focus on one or two issues, like "immigration" and "gas prices" as their primary reason to despise Biden and think that things were so great when Trump was in office. Never mind that for 1-1/2 years we were in the throes of a pandemic and nobody was driving or buying gasoline, so a surplus piled up and prices dropped.
From "CJ":
Obamacare is a farce! There are many who took it out to find that they have had to pay back thousands & the doctors who accept it are getting fewer plus the quality of care. It is not the answer.
"Real" responded:
Trump is going to talk a little too much. He's going to incriminate himself and not be able to skate around it.
From "James":
"If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor. If you like your plan you can keep your plan."A typical family's premium will be cut by more than $2500." Yet after ten years they have more than doubled. Lies and then failure. Shove your plan.
Hearing from "Saul":
Well, there is "bottom", and then there is "rock bottom". Perhaps we have not reached rock bottom yet. Perhaps it will take 4 more years of Trump to reach it. Perhaps no "Obamacare" and less SS and higher prices due to tariffs and isolationism will make people realize that Trump offers no "magic bullet".
My thoughts on Nikki Haley:
I would breathe such a huge sigh of relief if Haley could just gain the positive momentum in this race. And I probably wouldn't vote for her in the general. But right now I say "you go girl." And I really mean that. Trump hovers over this whole nation like a horrible specter right now, found responsible for sexual assault etc.
"ArthurMorgan" responded:
It's his cult of completely deplorable and soulless people.
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| Thumbs-up or thumbs-down? |
We have this issue going on where I live in West Central Minnesota: Benson High School, the "Braves." Right now, looks like a tug of war between the school and the state, as the school would want the state to pay the considerable cost of changing the mascot. The state has passed a law like so many other states have. I am not aware of any serious talk about how the school might defy the state, but this article is interesting.
Someone who goes by "me" responded:
Unconstitutional law restricting speech.
Here's the response from "Thomas":
Same thing here in SE Michigan where the School Board is forcing our local High School to change from the Chiefs. Last time I checked there's still one professional football team with the SAME NAME!
"JW" responded:
There are a few schools left in Minnesota like Benson that haven't changed yet. I hope this article helps maintain these mascots because I like seeing local communities really behind the name of the Natives that MN honors on the flag and as school mascots.
My comment on the Claudine Gay alleged plagiarism story:
From the standpoint of journalism, I decided long ago that a plagiarism story should not be a "story" for the media unless an aggrieved party has taken legal action. Otherwise there can be too much gray area. A legal action makes it a real allegation, and that's what media can follow up on. We must be suspicious that plagiarism accusations often come from people with an ax to grind.
"Thanatos" responded:
One of the people she stole from has accused her. The media refuses to feature this though, because the accuser is black and that completely ruins the narrative they have going.
Here I share perspective in the aftermath of the E. Jean Carroll story:
And to think that Ronald Reagan was considered a risky nominee because he had been divorced.
The commenter named "me" responded:
I thought he was risky because of "Bedtime for Bonzo."
A response from "Bill":
Yes, how quaint those old days are now! That was when Christian conservatives mostly acted like true Christians. Nowadays they don't even pretend. Trump is their new Messiah.
Response from "Matthew":
That was back when the GOP base actually pretended to be religious. Now they just say they are and do not even bother faking it.
My comment on how Trump's lawyers always buy time:
Let's just cut to the chase here: Give lawyers enough TIME and they can rebut any argument. To look at it another way, they can take something that is simple and make it complicated. I think even a lot of us people out here in Flyoverland can see this pretty clearly.
"Kenneth" responded:
Maybe true, but then why didn’t any prosecutor charge insurrection against anyone.
My comment on the nascent Dean Phillips campaign:
Am I missing something? Has Phillips delivered a rally type of public speech yet? Isn't this a minimal requirement of a true presidential hopeful? Trump of course has given us that in spades. He talks even when he should shut up.
"Trev" responded:
He had a meet and greet a week ago and no one showed up..he ended up serving his help with the coffee and cakes bought for the event.
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| Asa Hutchinson - I like the guy |
Hutchinson, such a classy person, yet Laura Ingraham of you-know-which cable network laughed at the guy, for a feeble turnout at his "town hall" events. I saw a photo from one of those events and yes the turnout was small, but there sat Hutchinson showing a genuine interest in talking with the people. He wasn't troubled at all. Why do the Laura Ingrahams of the world behave the way they do? We need more pols like Asa Hutchinson.
"Cara" responded:
Because her show is entertainment and that is what her viewers want. They don't want someone who is genuinely interested in their perspective. They want someone to shout and call names and put on a dog and pony show.
"Tired of the hate" responded:
LOL! The fringe right's token piece of evidence for voter fraud is that it wasn't possible for Biden to be elected becasue Trump's rallies were supposedly so large and Biden had virtually none. But now all of the sudden rallies are unimportant?
From "Jason":
They behave that way because it is exactly what their viewers want. If they acted professional and delivered the news in a fair and balanced way, they would have similar ratings as NPR. Which says a lot about our culture and none of it good.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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