What can you buy with Bitcoin?

 Investopedia.

If crypto debit cards exist, as that item indicates they do, and merchants rely that your card debits crypto from your holdings and the merchant gets fiat money on account from the intermediary, then it seems crypto has a better basis than if you could only trade between different crypto tokens and then use Binance to withdraw dollars, each time paying a transaction fee, then there is more motive to delve in crypto, for as long as Binance remains solvent and is better run than FTX was. 

There will always be a transaction fee, with that being how the debit card provider makes money, so the game is to gamble on whether crypto will build in value, or drop; with some such as Luna having crashed entirely rather than fluctuated with volatility but within a band of values; then it is just another higher risk casino than using a stock broker and/investment adviser, the latter being good because she can play the range of markets better than you, as an amateur. 

Or move to El Salvador, where Bitcoin is legal tender.

UPDATE: Living in Ramsey, MN, what merchants would accept a crypto debit card is a question; or say in Alexandria, MN? Visa and Master Card seem trusted. What if you found a good deal on a crypto debit card's transaction fees, and the card provider turned out to be an FTX type of venture going down in flames? 

Don't overload the debit card you purchase and keep funded being a caution to consider. Keep it at a modest balance. There is no FDIC assurances on balances held in crypto debit cards.

If you live in Ramsey, MN, please contact Rep. Harry Niska about the need for equal treatment as with Andover, MN.

 There are water quality considerations for both of the towns in MN House District 31A. Knowing Niska, his responsiveness and capability, he likely is already aware of the parallelism and working on a second bill to chief author. Give him some encouragement. These background links -

https://www.startribune.com/ramsey-seeks-37m-alternative-to-unsafe-well-water/600246745/

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/status_result.php?body=House&session=0932023&author1[]=42356&legid1=15608

 

The email address:

rep.harry.niska@house.mn.gov

 

__________UPDATE_________

It likely does not need emphasis, but worth noting anyway - if you live in Andover, sending supporting email to Niska would further help him show colleagues that the existing cited bill is a popular issue in his district, as well as one of interest to town governments. Both Ramsey and Andover people should boost the local needs. 

It will help. Water quality deserves attention and assistance.

Good news for Minnesota Sports fans.

https://www.startribune.com/diamond-sports-bankruptcy-bally-sports-north-minnesota-twins-wild-timberwolves-randball/600247075/

 

In bankruptcy or soon to be there. Likely a Chap. 11 reorg filing. Screw that.

 

 Cut them no slack. Convert it to Chap. 7; stick a fork into them to let out the bloat gas and the stench of death. And then go back to advertising paying for viewing without extra viewer charges. The Big Ten network can do it on advertising income alone. So can others.

Until they are kaput  entirely, boycott them and the teams using that approach. Don't buy tickets. Full boycott until there is a change

It is a hateful thing to have inflicted on people. End it TOTALLY. Give it the full disdain it deserves. Let the owners suffer. They deserve it. End the abuse.

 

Agree? In whole? In part?

Crypto and blockchain, studying each is ongoing, using web resources. So far, unimpressed. Yet Rep. Emmer leads the House Blockchain Caucus advocacy, so I will read more to not prejudge things.

 Blockchain does not scale. Bitcoin mining heedlessly uses energy. More and more so, as the chain grows to impractical validation tree levels. Complaints exist against some crypto firms. FTX customers suffer. Blockchain has been critiqued by those knowing more than I do.

Trust:

An item on trust is an eyeopener.

You take cash or a Visa card to Walmart, you can exchange money for merchandise.

Can you take Bitcoin to Walmart and get goods?

Already a trustworthy mechanism exists. Checking Visa billings, you can find billing error and get it fixed. If a restaurant submits an error, you can get it fixed.

If Walmart or other retailers keep records of what you've bought there via Visa card transaction, do you care? If so, take cash, use cash.

What then does crypto offer other than a chance to be taken for a ride?

If a business building and using a private blockchain approach for an internal use, is it necessary or just an affectation?

I don't need crypto in my life, and its failure to scale makes it inappropriate for CBDC implementation, where vastness would dwarf Bitcoin's blockchain alone.

If you cannot buy with crypto, its value fluctuates with great volatility so it is not banking, and if risk is a worry use banks, or trade bonds and equities via SEC regulated exchanges and broker-dealers.

Money can buy you love, but that's a problem and not a blessing. Related links here and here.

More thing are yet to be read so that this is an interim report. So far blind impressions going into web searching have been largely confirmed. Prior to any study, the view was why trust it, it is unnecessary as a well tested fiat money exists, and that still is valid as an outlook. 

Yet I keep an open mind, given that my MN6 Rep, Tom Emmer, is a leadership figure in the House blockchain caucus, and also House Republican Whip. 

His public stances are clearly pro-crypto and pro-blockchain. I am trying not to be too quick to be dismissive of something he strongly endorses and supports.

Gather more evidence.

The FTX bankruptcy proceeding is a topic of interest at website: https://wallstreetonparade.com/

https://wallstreetonparade.com/ 

Specific posting there - here linking over to here. 

The latter linked proceeding-livestream is noted to be posted Jan 20. The former linked item also links here.

The Wallstreet on Parade site has, per its left sidebar listing, posted much about Sullivan & Cromwell, the mega law firm set to earn large fees from participation in the bankruptcy; most recently, Jan 17 -

A Sam Bankman-Fried Company Loaned or Invested More than $1 Billion in Clients of its Law Firm, Sullivan & Cromwell

The gist of coverage is raising a question of conflict of interest, via that firm representing the bankrupt estate, in all its reaches.

Wallstreet on Parade also is a FED skeptic, a big bank skeptic, and lists its links to its coverage of FED bosses trading activity.

The site authors appear to have better knowledge and investigative reach than Crabgrass; and while critics of much going on, have not been sued for defamation by anybody they have critiqued - as far as Crabgrass knows.

Another interesting post there - https://wallstreetonparade.com/2022/12/sam-bankman-frieds-criminal-trial-judge-is-married-to-law-partner-of-firm-that-arranged-the-ftx-blockfi-deal/

 A different mega law firm than S&C. Hence site authors likely are mega law firm skeptics as well. Skepticism being a refreshing thing, a departure from a norm.

It is a site non-bankers might want to consider, to better understand how money in the nation is run, and who benefits from it.

That website is also a crypto-skeptic, with this posting as evidence of such a belief.

__________UPDATE__________

Bankers are in it for the money. However, they have an interest in sustaining the system's continuity and avoiding utter worldwide economic breakdown and chaos; as we'd expect if politicians such as Bartender Boebert, MTG, or Matt Gaetz were entrusted. Burning down the house, or entrusting and enshrining banker money-lust and cronyism, for continuity, is the quintessential Damned if You Do choice, either way. You go into troubled waters, you might encounter survivable leech attachment, or have an alligator snap you in two. Neither appeals as a choice, while you can stay out of the water but not out of the economy. If you have to trust somebody . . . trust wisely.

_________FURTHER UPDATE_________

If the choice is bankers, or us . . . (image source)

CBDC - Central Bank Digital Currency - There is a host of postings on the web. One thing of which I am ignorant -

Why not TDC? Treasury Digital Currency. Why let the bankers run the world?

Nobody elects bankers? They just glom onto the economies of the world.

How come the bankers get to create money? And to manipulate its supply? If they have the power to create and manipulate it, does that mean it is their money, not ours? Their game, certainly that appears to be the law as things exist now.

But does it have to be?

There is this, the basic set up. Fedexplain 101. But - Why? Why let bankers run things? And every nation has its central bank. Who runs the world, if not the central banks?

And that is why CBDC is the anticipated digital currency shift, and not TDC.

But bankers - they are not nice guys, or that's been my impression. Especially top Fed officials who have been trading on inside information for personal gain.

Everybody is important. Some more important than others. Nobody is above the law. Some just somehow end up blissfully ignored by it.

____________UPDATE___________

Pay the piper, call the tune.

Minnesota legislative anticipation - HF 1, and HF 91 aim to modify and/or clarify State law on abortion, with HF 91 having a key repealer provision.

HF 1, online here.

HF 91, online here, with it's Sec. 15 (the final bill section), being a repealer provision. Current statutory wording under the repealer would be expressly ended in effect, i.e. removed expressly as law, rather than implicitly superseded by new law.

The two bills aim to conform statutes with clarity in regard to "reproductive freedom" as defined in the HF 1 bill, and in accord with a recent decision of a Minnesota District Court.

MCC: The Minnesota Catholic Conference opposes both bills; see, e.g., here, here, and here. MCC also appears to oppose marijuana legalization inclusive of recreational use, under government regulation (HF 100, a lengthier bill than the two reproductive freedom items). MCC favors the Drivers Licenses for All bill, HF 4).

Strib has published relevant reporting and commentary re abortion issues; and re cannabis. Readers can do site-specific searches of other news outlets with similar subjective search words; per Google Advanced Search via specifying the "site or domain" entry field; e.g., https://www.twincities.com/ entered in that field.

Without researching, the Crabgrass understanding is that companion bills exist in the Minnesota Senate. 

While other organizations besides MCC may oppose abortion and cannabis legalization, MCC has the greater gravitas. It is the heavyweight opponent.

Republicans can be anticipated to vote against the will of the DFL majority. How rapidly the issues are faced and resolved by the legislature is anyone's guess. Glacial action with much posturing both ways is the Crabgrass guess.

Crabgrass favors the proposed DFL bills, with the expectation that the two abortion related bills will progress largely unaltered to Gov. Walz for signature, while there may be substantial amendment of the cannabis bill; and that the cannabis bill will take a longer time to reach the Governor's desk.

A CONSIDERATION: Of interest in HF 1:

Subd. 4. Right to reproductive freedom recognized. 

new text begin The Minnesota Constitution establishes the principles of individual liberty, personal privacy, and equality. Such principles ensure the fundamental right to reproductive freedom. new text end

 Subd. 5. Local unit of government limitation. 

 new text begin A local unit of government may not
regulate an individual's ability to freely exercise the fundamental rights set forth in this section in a manner that is more restrictive than that set forth in this section. new text end

The legislative aim appears to be to specifically guide court interpretation on questions of Constitutionality and local control. With "principles of individual liberty, personal privacy, and equality" declared inherent within Minnesota's Constitution, whether or not expressly stated therein. The legislative intent being unambiguously stated is a major feature of the new bill. 

NOTE - Short of rewording the Constitution by an express amendment process, a future legislature can repeal and amend a legislative intent to interpret the Constitution in a particular way, and lower courts can meddle around despite such provisions. 

Without creating another Article 1 Bill of Rights express Sec. 18 on "reproductive freedom" by Constitutional Amendment, the DFL can always in the future run on protecting legislation passed this legislative session from alteration by Republican opponents, should they gain trifecta control - i.e., both legislative houses and the Governor's office. 

Meaning the DFL might tactically want to not amend the Constitution, in our two party situation, to keep abortion law as an issue burning brightly with their way presently on top. Nailing things down by Constitutional Amendment might be viewed as counterproductive to keeping the flames burning for political gain. 

Yet that way, there is risk and ongoing uncertainty. It is a decision for DFL inner party personnel, not for the public, unless a Constitutional Amendment ballot issue is put into play this session for the 2024 election (with clear GOTV implications at play).

Ballot issues do fail, so caution may suggest doing things as they are being managed by the new trifecta MN DFL government. Not for me to decide. I just live here, vote here, suffer here. Others decide stuff.

__________UPDATE__________

Lest anyone think I suggest MCC is indirect or at fault in how it advocates, apart from a question of accepting or rejecting Church position advocacy, MCC appears open to and encouraging public attention.

First they openly solicit entry into their email updating of issue positions of the Church in Minnesota, via its bishops and their staff personnel advocates. 

At https://www.mncatholic.org/ 

all who access that site are encouraged to keep informed:

Having to be in agreement is not a requirement. Simply, join in getting email if interested in what the Church openly advocates when, where, and how. As an example of openness on advocacy, there is:

https://www.mncatholic.org/making_abortion_unthinkable_the_uphill_battle_on_capitol_hill

They publish, and are neither circumspect, equivocal, nor closed to public awareness of MCC policy. They are promotional of MCC viewpoints, which is fine, agree or disagree.

Likewise, CBA - https://catholicbar.org/

openly describes itself on the web

click image to enlarge and read

with unequivocal links, e.g., here in one instance, and also a link over to here. 

There is little to no circumspection. If the tone of some of the presentations seem authoritarian or patriarchal, (or dismissive toward alternative perspectives), the Church has historically had a regard for hierarchy and a belief of infallibility at its heart.

Innovation: Our Anoka County Board now has a brick wall you can talk to. Woo-woo. Woo.

 Strib reporting. First how Matt Look has achieved a goal, then seguing Strib's report to how the noteworthy and duly respected Anoka County Board members have instituted (by unanimous or contested and disputed vote??) a gratuitous, fatuous-fool's opportunity to have up to two minutes to show yourself in public as a trusting fool, willing to speak for up to two minutes as if anyone at the Board Dias - any single one of them - would take you seriously and actually give a shit what you say:

Metro briefs: Look elected Anoka County Board chair

By Tim Harlow, Shannon Prather, Erin Adler and Matt McKinney Star Tribune

January 7, 2023 — 3:34pm

Anoka County

Look elected board chair

Matt Look was elected chair of the Anoka County Board on Tuesday.

- saying twice that which they'd already said in the headline - next saying -

Jeff Reinert was elected vice chair. Look takes over the chair role from Scott Schulte.

"Thank you for the great honor to chair the board for year 2023," Look said after the vote. 

The Strib item has a wrap-up clincker - 

[...] In another vote, the board approved a resolution to hold a separate meeting immediately following each county board meeting to hear public comment. Starting Jan. 24, each speaker will be limited to two minutes to ask questions, present concerns or make statements.

The public comment period will not be televised or streamed online.

Tim Harlow

You could show up, sit through a boring meeting, and then have the opportunity to tell them each is overpaid for a part-time job; each is on an insufferable ego trip; that it would be far more fun if they eliminated districts and everyone ran at large so you could vote for or against more than one person; and that if they adopted rank choice voting it would be even more of a hoot for everybody taking time to vote down ballot. You could then even say Dan Erhart created a Frankensteinian MONSTER which Rhonda seduced, and which she still owns, regardless of where her residence is, was, or will be. You can in addition say you find each and everyone at the Dias to be butt ugly, with an inflated self-image, and get it all said with a minute left over. 

But it would not be televised.

-------------------------------------------------------

Apart from all that, as a wholly separate thing, The Wailing Wall has a longer history than the newly enacted two-minute County speech chance, and is on the other side of the world from Anoka County. More or less. Here is an online article about it, opening with this image:

 

Why append info about the Wailing Wall? No particular reason. It just came to mind. 

It is a wall where those inspired to do so can pour out their heart's content, holy that way, but still unrelated to any action taken by our County Board. Perhaps it was serendipitous chance at play, given how those posting the Wailing Wall item online happen to mirror aspects of our Board?

The Kidadl Team is made up of people from different walks of life, from different families and backgrounds, each with unique experiences and nuggets of wisdom to share with you. From lino cutting to surfing to children’s mental health, their hobbies and interests range far and wide. They are passionate about turning your everyday moments into memories and bringing you inspiring ideas to have fun with your family.

 More or less. That team posts differing stuff, where, for a county board, there is this.

Links of continuing interest: here,  here, here, here.

The Anoka County Board has a new chairperson for 2023. Commissioner Matt Look was elected chairperson at the board’s organizational meeting Jan. 3, replacing Commissioner Scott Schulte, who had served in the position since late May 2019.

Link. Kevin McCarthy is envious. 

UPDATE: The Crabgrass headline runs together the first two paragraphs of the linked report. Look was elected 4-3 on a first and only ballot by the Board.

The linked report states:

The elections came after the board unanimously adopted a formal procedure for the nominations and elections recommended by new County Attorney Brad Johnson.

The procedure provides clarity, but does not change what the board had been doing for years, Schulte said.

Anoka County retiring sheriff named fraternal organization head. What can be expected?

Yahoo News carries a PiPress item, "Outgoing Anoka County sheriff to lead Minnesota Sheriffs’ Assocation [sic]" - by Frederick Melo, Pioneer Press - Sat, December 31, 2022 

Outgoing Anoka County sheriff to lead Minnesota Sheriffs’ Assocation

Frederick Melo, Pioneer Press

Sat, December 31, 2022 at 5:41 AM CST·1 min read

Anoka County Sheriff James Stuart is retiring from his profession in January, having chosen not to run for reelection in 2022 after three terms in office, but he isn’t straying too far from his calling. In March, he’ll begin a new role as executive director of the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association.

Stuart, who served as a U.S. Marine, spent more than 30 years in law enforcement with the sheriff’s office, overseeing through the years the Office of Professional Standards, the SWAT team, the patrol and administrative divisions, among others, before being elected sheriff in 2011.

He also served as president of the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association and vice president of the National Sheriffs’ Association, secretary-treasurer for the Joint Law Enforcement Council, and on the executive committee for the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. He served on the boards of several self-improvement organizations, including Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge, as well as Play to Your Strengths, a nonprofit that offers leadership coaching.

But that omits an important aspect of who the man is - a bigot against the people? 

You decide:

  Full list of sheriffs who have endorsed Schultz: Sheriffs James Stuart (Anoka County), Daniel Guida (Aitkin County), Todd Glander (Becker County), Ernest Beitel (Beltrami County), Troy Heck (Benton County), Tom Burch (Cass County), Mark Empting (Clay County), Scott Goddard (Crow Wing County), Tim Leslie (Dakota County), Scott Rose (Dodge County), Kurt Freitag (Freeborn County), Mark Haberer (Grant County), Victor Williams (Itasca County), Eric Holien (Kandiyohi County), Mark Wilwant (Kittson County), Allen Anderson (Lac qui Parle County), Brett Mason (Le Sueur County), Josh Guenther (Mahnomen County), Tim Langenfeld (McLeod County), Brian Cruze (Meeker County), Shawn Larsen (Morrison County), Jeremy Thorton (Norman County), Kevin Torgerson (Olmsted County), Jeffrey Nelson (Pine County), James Tadman (Polk County), Bob Fletcher (Ramsey County), Mitch Bernstein (Red Lake County), Scott Hable (Renville County), Patrick Nienaber (Sibley County), Steve Soyka (Stearns County), Jason Dingman (Stevens County), Michael Carr (Wadena County), Brad Milbrath (Wasceca County), Dan Starry (Washington County), and Sean Deringer (Wright County), Bill Flaten (Yellow Medicine County), and Rich Stanek (Hennepin County (2006 – 2018)).

Assholes. Remember what crap they wanted US in Minnesota subjected to as Attorney General. 

Yet, be proud of urban and suburban voters who had the brains and judgment to reelect an experienced and effective noteworthy gentleman over an abrasive, ambitious, and aggressive inexperienced hedge fund lawyer who'd never tried a case in court (but who stroked the collective ego of a collective of cops and sheriffs whereas Ellison had care for, and approval of, the people facing cops and sheriffs). 

That is, the public having occasional contact, and those whose daily living brought them into regular contact with cops and sheriffs:

The county attorneys backing Ellison are Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi, Anoka County Attorney Tony Palumbo, Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem, Cook County Attorney Molly Hicken, Winona County Attorney Karin Sonneman, Stevens County Attorney Aaron Jordan, McLeod County Attorney Michael Junge and Lake of the Woods County Attorney Jim Austad.

"It is our honor at the Attorney General's Office to be your colleague, to stand with you," Ellison said to the county attorneys endorsing him during a news conference at the State Capitol on Tuesday. "We want to run to you to help because we know about your concern for the victims and the people who are suffering."

A large scale disaster was averted by people with more brains than biases. 

As to what can be expected of Stuart? More of the same. Perhaps with Schultz in the dustbin, but with another Wardlow/Schultz Republican clone next time, where Wardlow/Schultz had greatly overlapping law-and-order honchos for supporters and advisors, where it was unclear who'd be calling the shots.

 

UPDATE: There was race baiting in the Schultz campaign. Schultz was urged to repudiate a particular advertisement. And did not.

Readers can decide whether Schultz, himself, crossed a line into racial antagonism in online video like this or this. (The latter item was produced and promoted by the campaign itself, early in things, and if a line was not crossed, a boundary was willfully approached). 

The video images used in conjunction with narration clearly were not about any issues or hopes in rural Minnesota. It was fear and jealously mongering for there. The aim was to influence a category of people, and not the best of people, against urban largely black people dealing with policing overreach and a pattern of inordinate use of police force. These are not a big thing in white rural Minnesota, in terms of events. But regarding divisive and jealous attitude reinforcement in the hustings, Schultz clearly intended to ring that bell. 

Early and often.