Subtle signs that right wing media is backing off?

Greta Van Susteren now on "Newsmax?" I love it!

Sometimes you can sense changes in the wind, just with little things. It really has to start with little things, right? I have had my ear to the ground always, even as a child when TV news was nascent and "Ike" Eisenhower was president. I had time for cartoons too. I was aware of the controversy attached to JFK being Catholic. 

Is it time for a reprise of sorts? I mean, with the discomfort some people might feel with Catholics in major positions of power? Am I out in left field? I really think not: six members of the Supreme Court being Catholic, the president of the U.S. being Catholic and the Speaker of the House. It is well within reason to be concerned. 

Look what has happened with Roe vs. Wade. Look what has happened with Supreme Court nominees coming right out and being dishonest in confirmation procedures. We are all supposed to respect the Judeo-Christian ethic. That means we cannot allow the rise of political tyranny. 

My generation when young could not have imagined this state of affairs. Today, my folks appear to be actually a part of it. Incredible. I look for signs every day that there will be some backtracking, that maybe good American sense will re-emerge, prevail. The only solution for the Supreme Court might be to have a reasonable centrist president add new members to nullify the craziness. The likes of Fox News would go apoplectic. Or would they? 

A particular zeitgeist does not last forever. The early signs of a shift can be difficult for most (busy) people to spot. I am 67 years old and not as busy as I ought to be. That decision was made by other people. It happens to people all the time. I come home from breakfast in the morning and begin poring over news and commentary. It's just what I do. Inflation at 9.1 percent? Big headlines this morning. 

And yet there's talk in economic circles that the stock market is starting to price in interest rate cuts. Again? Mind you, it won't happen immediately. To borrow the colorful description by an analyst, the Fed is "loading the bazooka" with short-term increases so as to set the stage for easing again. History may someday render a verdict on this quantitative easing. Maybe it will be identified as the beginning of the end for this country. It is unnatural, an aberration. 

The walls don't fall in immediately. But we are now looking at inflation at 9.1 percent, so how in any reasonable world could we expect anything other than interest rate hikes in the foreseeable future? 

One theory: the powers-that-be led by the Fed are setting the stage for a new economic system of "digital currency" and "universal basic income." Would seem to smack of socialism. 

We could go back to our old ways and allow people to get paid interest on savings at the banks. I mean appreciable interest, enough to make a difference. However, that might spell disaster for the stock market which has increasingly become the shrine where we all worship, if we are not worshiping this man named Donald Trump first. 

The January 6 hearings might be seen as a convenient diversion from some really concerning things that are going on in the macro economic picture. What a bizarre world or nation: if the winner of the 2016 popular vote, Hillary Clinton, had been allowed to take over, we'd be experiencing eight years just like Bill now. Imagine: no Jan. 6 hearings at all to fill the news cycle constantly. Like none of that happened at all. We'd still be living in a normal, sane America. 

Trump should have been outed for what he so clearly was, a long time ago. "Political silly season" doesn't even begin to explain it. People don't seem to realize yet that our current circumstances could spell an enormous crisis for everyone. Wealth inequality worsens, wealth is shifting from main street to Wall Street. Don't we have the means and intelligence to do something about all this? 

 

Hope from unlikely place?

I notice at present a subtle shift within a sector that might appear to be hopeless. Yes, the right wing media. I'm not talking the extreme fringe right wing media, which has always been out there, but the behemoth-type operations that can galvanize opinions. I'm talking about Fox News (ugh) and Newsmax. Believe it or not, there are flickers of hope. What can I cite on this front? Two things, although I'm sure there are others. 

One, Newsmax has given the beloved Greta Van Susteren an attractive time spot for an hour-long program. She is new to this network but a familiar established face for many of us. The late Jill Willis of the Morris area was a fan! Seeing Greta on the screen is like seeing an old friend. But she is largely apolitical. On Newsmax? Is this possible? Politically she has been described as being in the "mushy middle." On Newsmax? Really? 

Greta's claim to fame is crime stories, particularly two: O.J. Simpson and Natalee Holloway. She is a sincere and credible person. She's on at 5 p.m. CDT. You can watch Newsmax for free on YouTube. Normally the network is a backwater swamp for people like Sean Spicer. Is the sun starting to break through the clouds? Is there intelligent life there? Maybe yes! I love watching Greta Van Susteren. 

Turning to Fox News (again, ugh), might there be a glimmer there too? Yes! My goodness yes! My example: the reaction to Jill Biden's little gaffe with the "tacos" comment. Normally I'd expect the Fox News herd to be all over Jill Biden on this, tossing brickbats, you name it. No restraint. But the opposite happened. 

Dr. Jill Biden

My interpretation: I think Fox News might start seeing the Bidens as the centrists they really are, and a better alternative to the very left-leaning folks. The real left could well start getting traction if the American people begin suffering enough. How did Germany respond to hyper-inflation in the mid-20th Century? 

The Jan. 6 rioters were right wingers. Maybe they were just plain crazy, though. When Americans really start getting desperate for answers, I think it's likely that the left could rise up and do even more drastic things. The left is not crazy - it is motivated by wanting to see all human beings at least "get by." Socialism is never the proper prescription. Problem is, we have not allowed capitalism to really work in the proper way. Capitalism is really our best friend if it is unencumbered. It has been encumbered. 

The two-party system is not in the Constitution. The remedy might be to have a Bernie Sanders party on the left and a Joe Biden party on the right. I doubt this will happen. We should just hope and pray we do not have a repeat of mid-20th Century Germany. Praying might not be enough. Christianity has been co-opted by the MAGA element.

 

Focus on economy

The fresh news about the economy, with inflation heating up, prompted an email from yours truly to Jim Morrison this a.m. He is rather an economics guru. The two of us have seen a lot from our media positions. Here is what I wrote in my "missive":

 

Jim, so inflation is now over nine percent? Didn't the Fed say a long time ago inflation was "transitory." They practically made the word "transitory" famous. I don't think it's funny any more. Did the Fed really believe that at the time? If it did not, then we have issues. But the Fed doesn't really answer to anyone. The Fed is in the news every single day in connection with speculation on the stock market, as if the market totally depends on it. That is perverse. Why do I feel like a loner with this thinking? Capitalism is supposed to stand on its own two feet. More conservatives should start speaking this way, but if the market crashes, so many Republican incumbents will be tossed out.

Can the Fed even consider "easing" any time soon? What about buying the debt? It's all inflationary.

Will sit-down restaurant dining continue to be cut back or even disappear from our daily lives? You are paying someone to prepare your meal and bring it to you. In the past we could all absorb this. Dining out is the only way I really get out to circulate once in a while.

I wonder how UMM enrollment will look next year.

I suppose the new Morris paper is out, more "happy news," awards, accomplishments, smiles, "all our kids are above average." I am happy that Katie has a stable job there. - BW

 

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

Thinking of community focus, youth, music

The old hub of PPD, the Killoran stage (mapio image)

We are blessed on this Sunday as we are bathed in midsummer weather. Enjoy it while you can. This all-too-brief window will close. 

Today is three days after a most special day on the calendar: Ringo Starr's birthday! We love Ringo and especially his message of "peace and love." To hell with MAGA, let's just love people. Let us embrace universal love, honesty and forthrightness. 

Sad that I must share a reminder on these virtues. So the IRS has targeted known critics of Donald Trump. Well of course it has. If you dispute that, as many of you might, your loyalty to MAGA rules your life - then you think it's random that Comey and McCabe were singled out. The New York Times has computed the odds of these two being chosen randomly as one in 82 million. Trump seeks to acknowledge nothing untoward, "nothing to see here" as it were. 

So if you believe him on this, maybe this blog isn't for you. Maybe you should be reading the funnies. Do they still have "Dagwood and Blondie?" Maybe you should check to see if Dagwood and Blondie are still doing their thing. (The highlight for me was seeing the expression on the dog.)

 

PPD-time here?

If you thought that Comey/McCabe was random, maybe you will think too that it was benign judgment for the Morris Community Band not to be invited to perform at the park in the last year of the "old" Prairie Pioneer Days. 

We are right around the time when the long-time iteration of PPD would be held. Anyone would conclude that the Morris Community Band would be No. 1 on the list for getting invited to play at the park stage. But the band was not invited. 

Let's make a conclusion just like with the IRS audit. There was a method to the madness. Trump or his people are harassing known critics. Totally unforgivable if you subscribe to any basic sense of ethics. Maybe you do not. I don't rule out anything with Trump people these days. And when the Morris Community Band was not invited to play at the park, this was a sign that the Chamber of Commerce just wanted the whole PPD thing to go away. We could later deduce as much, easily. 

The summer PPD was considered a totally wonderful thing when it was first conceived. I was there "on the ground" with the efforts. I was with the Morris newspaper. PPD appears to exist now in name only, really, in the fall. Fall weather is not dependable. 

When the summer PPD was first created, it replaced a fall event. PPD was clearly a "step up" and we were all so proud. The problem now? More than one well-placed source tells me our community leaders desire to "go to the lake" on summer weekends. So that killed it. Well, I protest. I am often portrayed as a contrarian or "negative" person. I simply seek to be constructive, to actually be positive. 

 

In terms you'll appreciate

I have put out feelers recently for making another financial contribution for our well-being here. When I talk about money, maybe that ensures I'll get some readers for my online writing, more than usual. Sigh. 

I have made a commitment in theory for purchasing genuine jazz band music stands for the MAHS instrumental music program. Talks have proceeded on this. Unfortunately they have encountered muddy waters. Three people primarily are involved in these deliberations. No voices are being raised or anything like that, but we have gotten to a bump in the road. One of the parties in this is now "gone" for a brief time, vacation to Michigan I'm told. 

This is a common problem in our Morris: "We're going to be gone." I have joked that the phrase be placed on the water tower. Interesting expression, as we might analyze the word "gone." Has rather an existential ring to it. Cease to exist? The word doesn't shed any light on where you went or why. You're just "gone." But that's Morris Minnesota. We have our attributes but lakes recreation is not one of them. 

So I'm a "negative" person even though I try arguing that Morris is an acceptable place to spend your free time. You might be aghast to read that. 

If I'm not negative, maybe I'm an outlier. 

How shall I explain this music stands thing further? One of the interested parties is the band director. She is wonderfully talented but I have a wee concern about the program's numbers: seven seniors last year, only. Might she be pushing the kids too hard? It is nice to have high standards naturally. If this comes across as implying anything negative about her methods, I'm in big trouble. It will not be the first time. 

Example of the "Poly" company's music stands

The director insists on doing business with the music store. I approve of this avenue but the music store is restricted to doing business with one company. There is another company that might be preferable. The music store owner has told me he "won't take it personally" if we deal with the other company. The band director seems to only want to communicate with the store owner, not lil' ol' me. So I'm disconsolate. Just kidding. But I am concerned that we can't all get comfortably on the same page. Time is going by. The music store owner reminded me of wisdom from his late father: "If someone wants to give you money, take it!" 

I do these things partly because I have no family left in the world - oh, a cousin with whom I exchange emails at Christmas, maybe. Nothing that suggests a bond. And when it comes to friends, I'm rather bereft also. Not sobbing or anything, it's just reality. 

So I have made financial gestures hopefully for the betterment of the University of Minnesota and now Morris Area High School. The high school was nice enough to allow me to get a diploma way back when (1973).

 

Speaking of the high school

I see there is a new administrative team member at our beloved MAHS. 

From an email I shared with a friend:

 

Well, someone left a Morris paper behind at DeToy's yesterday but I didn't have my reading glasses with me. If I pay with cash, I don't need my reading glasses. I am learning to just take my glasses wherever I go. I could read the headlines and I saw the one about the new school activities director. Later I went to the library with my glasses and read the article. Well, the guy has an impressive resume, has had several stops in his career. No doubt he's an idealistic and motivated guy. And to think there was a time here when an actual written statement had to be presented to the board saying the AD should be an "enthusiastic person." Why did it come to that? Looking back, no one should have considered the 1980s to be a throwaway decade. That is largely what it turned out to be, for athletics.

I reflect a lot and I figure, the '80s saw the last vestiges of an old public school model. How to describe? Well, a government supported bureaucratic monopoly, and of course there's nothing worse in the world. The system slowly got adjusted so that today it's much better, more accountability. I suppose open enrollment was the first step?

 

Further note on facilities for youth

Oh, the softball complex continues getting attention among the local denizens, eh? From an email I shared with a friend:

 

The softball complex: where are the lights? A year must have passed since we saw the headlines about how the funeral home had donated $15,000 to light up the place. But I do not see the lights. Also, there are three "no parking this side" signs along north shoulder of Prairie Lane - go and look yourself - and the people are totally ignoring them. There are strings of cars there. Also, it is an ABSOLUTE ABOMINATION that the pre-existing UMM softball field was torn up to make way for a new field with the diamond on the opposite side. They wanted the diamond to be close to the pressbox, I'm told. I will repeat: There will be a problem with batters facing the sun at the new diamond. Walk over to where the batter will face the pitcher and look for yourself. I take the trouble to do these things. When people complain about the fan viewing at Holmberg Field, who are they directed to? Who is the head person, and how does this person respond to the complaints? There is no satisfactory response.

 

Final thought:

Maybe we can close eyes and reflect back on the wonderful event once known as Prairie Pioneer Days. Boy, I sure remember. I covered it for many years for the Morris paper. 

I remember when we had an editor who tried to get an editorial published that harshly criticized the parade committee for having Ronald McDonald as grand marshal. Jim Morrison refused to run it. That editor was about the heaviest cigarette smoker I've ever been around. Hope it didn't shorten my lifespan, or Jim's. 

Jim is from a local family that is a benefactor with education too. The family is the type you'd expect to make gestures like that. But me? I hope I have emerged as a pleasant surprise. But maybe not. I mean maybe not pleasant. As far as I'm concerned, there is a lot of negativity in Morris MN. Which might be hard to appreciate if you're "gone." "We're going to be gone."

 

Different heights for different sections

For the record:

Below is an email I recently shared with the Morris Area School Foundation. It pertains to my interest in supporting the MAHS instrumental music program. I did get a nice and informative response. But nothing has moved forward yet. You can read here how I shared. If you are reading, maybe you are not "gone." Interesting state of being, to be "gone."

 

Hello Ms. Solvie - Lately I have proposed the idea of purchasing genuine jazz band music stands for the MAHS jazz music program. Director Wanda Dagen knows about this. Mostly I have communicated with Del Sarlette who of course has the music store in town. He's an old high school peer of mine.

Last spring I attended the jazz concert and noticed the musicians were using the standard stands from the band room. In my opinion the band didn't even look like a jazz band. I have some experience with this format. This is just my opinion of course. Whatever gets done on this matter, it will have to have Wanda's 100 percent support. That's a given.

The talks on this have gotten a little confused. What I gather right now, is that Wanda would like some nice stands for the front row, but as for the other musicians, they could continue using the standard stands but with banners placed on them. I guess she saw the banners in a website that was suggested.

I think we'd all like some graphics on the stands. I'm told there's a local MAHS graduate with professional expertise who could do this "at a reasonable price." Last name is Heck - I know his parents. But no one says what reasonable is. I have tried pressing people for a rather firm figure in terms of a quote, but that has become difficult. You can run into cost overruns with this sort of thing, like with "storage cases."

You might end up dealing with three different parties for payment.

Del has gotten a little frustrated dealing with this.

So, in trying to cut to the chase here, let me say I'd be happy to provide $1000 to the Morris Area School Foundation to cover the cost of this, but if the estimate runs to between $1000 and $1500, I'd be happy to write out the check for $1500. If it's over $1500, I might have some concerns based on principle. I am 67 years old and I still think of a thousand dollars as being a lot of money.

The Foundation can of course give me a nice little receipt that I can give to my tax accountant in March.

If Wanda cools on the whole idea, fine, we can just skip it. I'm just trying to be pro-active.

I'm a 1973 graduate of Morris High School and was in the 1971 Minnesota All-State Band.

- Brian R. Williams, Morris MN

 

Jenessa Solvie answered my email. Thanks to all. Most importantly, "peace and love." Ringo is 82 years old and almost looks to be an example of "reverse aging."

Another example of the "Poly Band Stands." The jazz band has its needs just like the concert band. Remember the UMM Jazz Fest from when it was in its prime? Why do we discuss these things in the past tense so much: Prairie Pioneer Days and the UMM Jazz Fest? Such magnets for "people." Have we lost that touch, perhaps influenced by pandemic anxiety? The anxiety has its basis for justification. But let's weigh our reaction. Human beings are social creatures.

Personally I'd like to see Morris Area High jazz have the kind of attribute you see in this photo. Maybe it will just be a passing suggestion. My heart is in the right place. - BW

"Peace and love" for Ringo's birthday, July 7!

Universally loved

You think July 4 is special? Today is July 7, Thursday, and it's super special as it is Ringo Starr's birthday! Ringo wants all of us to share a "peace and love" message at noon today. I guess that's noon for whatever time zone you're in. So please drop what you're doing and share the loving, pacifist message at noon. 

Remind everyone to tamp down whatever conflicts they might have. Seems an easy thing to grasp in principle, right? In practice I would suggest it's quite daunting for a lot of us. 

It has been suggested that Ringo is an example of "reverse-aging." This isn't literally true of course, but it suggests that Ringo is, to use the popular term, "well-preserved." What a blessing that is. Someone my age, 67, appreciates this sort of attribute more and more. 

When you get to be around 70 years of age, you appreciate human frailties more and more. By "appreciate" I mean understand, of course. We tend to appreciate natural human weaknesses more. That includes our insecurities. 

I remember when Fr. Jerry Dalseth, a Morris native, wrote a column for the Morris newspaper. He was in fact one of several clergy who were arranged to do that. He wrote about how we approach our high school reunions as the years go by. His column stuck in my head, made me think. It is logical that clergy people would be good op-ed writers. Communicating and arguing ought to be their stock in trade. Are the Catholic clergy currently high-fiving each other and their congregants over the reversal of Roe vs. Wade? Is it that simple for them? Will contraception be the next domino? Gay marriage? 

Anyway, Fr. Dalseth wrote in sage fashion how, at our ten-year class reunion, it does not matter what you are doing, "it sounds impressive." Well, most anything would sound impressive compared to our years of total submissiveness as "students." 

What struck me the most about Dalseth's piece was what he wrote about our perceptions later in life. As we plod along to our advanced reunions, as we are getting long of tooth, we are not so cocky or self-assured, he reminded us. He pointedly noted "we are not nearly so successful as we thought we were." We are more inclined to open up about our failures, he added. 

Sounds negative or discouraging but I knew exactly where he was coming from. This was many years ago so my own age was not that advanced yet. But my impulse told me his wisdom was profound on this. I just knew. 

So now I'm getting close to 70 and I realize that Ringo Starr and his bandmates were vulnerable and insecure human beings like the rest of us. They had human failings like the rest of us all. They really were not so much different at all. They simply adopted an art form at a time in our history when a particular sound was going to grip young people. The Beatles perfected a form called "The Mersey Sound." They were trying to become a successful band. It happens all over. They began to realize they were finding success, to achieve their goals - fine and dandy - but could they have imagined the explosive popularity they got vaulted into, in such short order? 

It wasn't just because of their own talent, impressive as it was. There are always lots of talented musicians in pop music. Serendipity comes into play in conjunction with corporate or financial forces. When the momentum got built up, the four guys had to show they had the resilience to handle it. It was difficult, but they did. They needed a wall of management to protect them from the forces unleashed by worldwide popularity. They retreated to the recording studio because it became to difficult for them to continue performing live. 

I have seen videos of some of their last live performances, where the commentators would observe that the Beatles seemed worn out or dispirited. Wrong! Absolutely wrong! I learned that the Beatles had some difficulty performing at the end because their newest work in the studio was not tailored for live performances. We're talking about songs from "Revolver" and henceforth. A good example: "Paperback Writer." 

Stress did cause problems for the guys as time went on. I felt John Lennon struggled particularly hard. I felt he was puzzled and disturbed by his own fame. I felt Paul McCartney understood and handled fame better. George Harrison seemed to develop a sad image. He never should have felt dissatisfied contributing just a small number of tunes for the albums. That was his best role and he still supplied boffo stuff. 

And then, "Ringo." Universally loved, to be sure. He's the charming, reliable drummer, never a deep thinker but a loving one. "Peace and love." That says it all. Please share that at noon today, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Happy birthday, Ringo Starr, on your 82nd. Many more birthdays to come, we hope.

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

Alan Simpson seeks to poke MAGA force field

(C-span image)

We embark on another weekend in midsummer. The headlines just drone on about the bad stuff associated with MAGA. I was naive to think we had resolution with Cassidy Hutchinson's testimony. I thought way back when "Access Hollywood" came about, "well, that's it, this odd little flirtation with TV celebrity Trump is over." But it's never over. 

It's not unusual to notice that people are just angry with politics. We are learning that the pandemic led (is leading?) to a massive new transfer of wealth from "main street" to Wall Street. The pattern was already established. My God, how is this going to culminate? 

We have a Supreme Court that is turning the world upside down now. The Court makes rulings that will surely expedite climate change with all its terrible consequences. It appears many of us have just chosen to blot out the consequences. Donald Trump and his ilk have told them there is no substance or truth to man-caused climate change. 

Does the Supreme Court remember that the EPA was created by Richard Nixon? 

So many things can change from one political era to another, of course. Nixon campaigned like a conservative. That is always a good default position to take in American politics. 

Americans want a leader who emphasizes "personal responsibility." Surely our local Apostolic Christians around Morris MN would emphasize personal responsibility over almost all other virtues. But they certainly have given the impression they are in concert with Trump. And how does Trump stack up according to that criterion? 

First let's put aside that he has consolidated power by acting like a mob boss. What about his actual character? My God, do I really have to get into this, so far down the road of depravity, so far down the road where we are having to live with the consequences of three Trump-appointed Supreme Court justices? What kind of person are you looking up to, all you Trump-ites of Stevens County? All you loyal followers who attend the Christian churches and are re-shaping the direction of this cherished faith? 

Do I have to give you background on the kind of person we're dealing with here? Perhaps I do not have the credibility in your eyes to do that. Please keep reading because I'll quote a newly-quoted Republican icon here. I had almost forgotten about him. We're looking to Wyoming. I think former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson is precisely the kind of person that our local Apostolics and other "conservative" Christians would feel totally comfortable around. He has come forward to make clear now that he is not cowed by MAGA. 

 

"Spoiled brat, twisted ego"

Let's get to the point of the matter. And toward that end I'll share a quote from this man of wisdom. He was speaking to NBC News. Simpson called Trump, among other things, a "spoiled brat" and said that "this guy is so full of himself that he would overturn every kind of rule of law or Constitutional process because of his own ego, which is twisted." 

Liz Cheney

Simpson now appears in a campaign ad for Liz Cheney. Hell's bells, adjust your scorecards everywhere, because the Cheney name was once synonymous with the Republican cause. At present she's one of two Republicans on the committee trying to get to the bottom of the January 6 attempted coup, the attempted takeover of our U.S. government. And Trump says she should no longer even be considered a Republican. He says "there are no real Republicans" on the committee. 

Cheney as an outcast from the GOP? Really? Up is down, down is up, black is white? 

MAGA is venting tremendous fury against some of their own who they brand "RINOs." Day after day we get headlines about the truly dangerous nature of the Trump element. Maybe some minds are being changed around Stevens County. But it appears to be a very grudging process. The MAGA loyalists just don't want to hear any of the damning stuff. They just talk about "liberal media." 

Look all you people, the "liberals" are more on your side than you think they are. Liberals have great concern over this massive transfer of wealth from main street to Wall Street. If you want to criticize the media, criticize it for being too beholden to Wall Street interests. Those interests are trying to reach the people every day with messages that feather their own nest. 

Your true friend ought to be Nancy Pelosi and not Mitch McConnell. But you just don't know any better. 

Liz Cheney looks to be buried in the polls now, thus we'll see another thrust forward of MAGA power. Our own congressperson here in the Seventh District of Minnesota voted not to certify election results. You might say she is thus in on the attempted coup d'etat. And we seem content with the situation. We may be one-party territory now in Western Minnesota, making us an extension of the Dakotas, which I guess would make sense. 

All of Minnesota may in fact become blanketed with GOP power, if not MAGA-powered, well then pretty close to it. 

Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson - he likes to be called "Al" - spent 18 years representing Wyoming in the Senate. He is 90 years of age. So he's talking about the "spoiled brat" Donald Trump. Is this really the kind of national leader our local Apostolic Christians and other "conservatives" would want? Look in the mirror.

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

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