In Today's News...

...people can't access their money in the Wells Fargo bank account because of some sort of nation-wide outage shut down their servers.
...people are also pretty unhappy that they have filed their taxes like usual this year but due to the revamp of the tax code, they are getting less money back or even having to pay!
...this is what happens when people aren't prepared for a snowstorm (hint: the shelves at many stores in Seattle are bare!).
...here is a new scam targeting seniors (any time someone from "law enforcement" calls and threatens you, hang up on them.  If you have a legal problem notice will come in the mail or via a warrant which is hand delivered).
...someone posted this on reddit about how inexpensive Costco insurance is.  I didn't even know Costco sold insurance so you can bet I will call them first thing Monday morning and see if I can get a better deal on my insurance!

Economic Insecurity

Our country's economic instability is beginning to worry me...

• Trump announced today that he would keep the government shut down "for months or even years".  Yikes!
• Which means people like TSA workers aren't getting paid (and are calling in sick so they can work somewhere that will actually pay them to work).
• And prison guards aren't getting paid either.
• If the shutdown isn't fixed soon, food stamps won't go out to hundreds of thousands of people in February (will there be riots?  Some suggest there would be if this happens).
• And while you are required to file your taxes this spring, if the shut down continues you won't be getting a tax refund until the government is reopened.
• There are our beautiful national parks which are being trashed and people are even dying there but there are no employees there to report the deaths or watch out for visitors.
• On another note, our healthcare system is a hot mess as is our prescription drug situation.

Sometimes I think I shouldn't even check the news...so much of it is sad and negative and stress-inducing!

Today is...

...the winter solstice.  It's the shortest day of the year so beginning tomorrow our days will be getting incrementally longer.  An added bonus will be a full moon and a meteor shower so go outside tonight and tomorrow night and look up!
...three days before Christmas Eve.  This year seems to have flown by!  For the last three days I have been baking for various events, three more big events and I will be done baking!
...the day of the government shutdown.  If congress and the president can't get their act together, federal workers and federal agencies will be shut down beginning this evening.
...the first day of a bear market.  I think that economically we will be in for a bumpy ride for the next few years.
...the beginning of the big holiday travel weekend.  If you are traveling for the holidays, stay safe out there!
...ten days before the new year!  Do you have your new year's eve plans set?  Do you have your new year's resolutions made?

Today in Weird Money News

Either people are getting more outrageous or I am getting old and cranky but I can't believe the way people act these days in regards to money (or maybe this sort of stuff happened years ago but it was only known within a small group of local people as there was really no way to "go viral" when there was no social media...but anyway...)

• Two nuns embezzled a half million dollars...to gamble with.  Nothing gamblers do around here surprises me but this article kind of did surprise me...I mean nuns should be more honest and I can't imagine them gambling except for maybe bingo at church or something...
• I've heard of those "bridezilla" TV shows which were a thing a while back on cable but I always thought that they were told to act as outrageous as possible as part of being on TV but apparently brides do go to extreme lengths in real life...like this.
• Who knew...there is an entire dove industry?
• I guess the lesson here is to not propose over a utility grate in the middle of Times Square (or over any other grate for that matter).
• My cousin is a Santa Clause and fits the part to a T--long grey beard, a bit round, jolly to everyone--but I had no idea these mall Santas can make $15,000 in one season!  Wow!
• Japan has so many vacant homes that they are giving them away for free.  I WISH that was happening in the US!

Can We Have a Day With All GOOD News?

Obviously that wouldn't be today.  I woke up to reports of 12 people killed in yet another mass shooting in California.  And another part of California is on fire.  Trump is, well, still Trump.  And his administration is still, well, corrupt.  All of which has inspired protests nationwide.  RBG, a bright light on the national stage, has been hospitalized.  Finally, from the "have you lost your damn mind" file, a test case for legally changing your age.

I think some days I should just avoid the news all together as most of what I see in national, local, and social media news is so sad/negative/angst inducing.

On a small happy note today, it's day two of the no=spend five weeks and we spent nothing today.