Maine's Progressive Meltdown, Twin Cities Truths, and Manhattan's Structural Failure

Summary

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Garage Logic – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Maine's Progressive Meltdown, Twin Cities Truths, and Manhattan's Structural Failure
Date: July 8, 2026
Host: Joe Soucheray (“The Mayor”)
Co-hosts: Chris Reavers, Kenny Olson, John Height, Matthew, Josh Arnold
Podcast Context: Minnesota’s most downloaded podcast, known for candid commentary on politics, culture, and local happenings with a focus on “common sense.”

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Episode Overview

This episode of Garage Logic zeroes in on three major topics: the dramatic implosion of Maine’s Democratic Senate campaign, gang violence and controversy in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, and the rare specter of a Manhattan high-rise at risk of structural collapse. The hosts deliver their characteristic blend of skepticism, humor, and frustration at the decline of public integrity and common sense. True to form, Garage Logic brings together national implications, local color, and memorable asides, balancing serious talk with classic GLers banter.

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Key Topics & Insights

I. Maine’s Democratic Senate Candidate Meltdown

[01:10] – [14:18]

• Graham Platner’s Rise and Fall:
  Platner, an “authentic” Democratic candidate touted as a working-class oyster fisherman, faces waves of scandals—including rape allegations, Nazi tattoos, and dubious social media history.
  “This guy is an authentic man, said Senator Reuben Gallego. ...Well, they want to do anything to beat Collins.” – Chris Reavers, [04:10]
• Party Hypocrisy & Whataboutism:
  Democrats, desperate to defeat centrist Republican Susan Collins, overlooked Platner’s checkered past until it became indefensible. Party figures who championed Platner are now scrambling to distance themselves. “The redemption arc was used to dismiss his online post disparaging blacks, whites, rape victims, and a Purple Heart recipient who he said didn’t deserve to live.” – Chris Reavers, [04:43]
• Platner’s Background Debunked:
  Despite his blue-collar veneer, Platner hailed from privilege—his oyster business largely serviced his mother’s restaurant, and he attended elite Hotchkiss prep school. “He was…a wealthy kid who grew up in great circumstances. He doesn't have any clients. He supplies his mother's restaurant with oysters.” – Chris Reavers, [11:27]
• Political Cynicism:
  The hosts lament how both parties manufacture legends and ignore basic decency in pursuit of power. “So these parties are left to fashion their own creations. ...They have nothing to do with us. Nothing. It's criminal.” – Chris Reavers, [12:25]

II. The Rot in Modern Political Recruitment

[14:18] – [26:33]

• Decline of Candidate Quality:
  Reflection on how both parties struggle to offer candidates “normal people” can support.
  “Neither party seems interested in recruiting what GLers might call normal people.” – Chris Reavers, [18:04]
• Historical Perspective:
  Nostalgia for past candidates perceived as more decent or substantive—e.g., Carter, Reagan, Mondale—and discussion of how endorsement processes have become driven by zealots rather than the broader electorate. “Carter was a decent human being... but really a horse bleep president, but a decent human being.” – Chris Reavers, [23:00]

III. Somali Gang Violence & Community Response in the Twin Cities

[31:47] – [41:47]

• Sheriff Fletcher’s Video & Pushback:
  Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher publicly addresses Somali gang violence, receiving pushback from community leaders and local politicians denouncing his comments as divisive. “We’ve got a huge list of criminal activity, but having said that, we’re not indicting the whole community…” – Sheriff Fletcher, quoted by Chris Reavers, [31:47]
• Community and Official Responses:
  While some Somali leaders call for engagement and investment in youth, the hosts criticize such boilerplate and argue it has yielded little. Minneapolis Council VP Jamal Osmond and others argue Fletcher’s comments unfairly stigmatize Somali youth. “All of that is nonsense. All that is boilerplate BS because we’ve been hearing that for years, right?” – Chris Reavers, [34:50]
• Broader Commentary on Gangs & Thin Skin:
  The crew suggests an unwillingness to name specific problems hinders real solutions. “For some reason, the Somali skin is very thin and don’t you dare, dare criticize us.” – Chris Reavers, [38:10]

IV. News Round-up: Tragedies and Oddities

[43:21] – [61:46]

• Local Tragedies:
  • Young man killed by firework explosion on a rooftop ([43:21])
  • Mother arrested for attempting to drown her daughter in a Minnesota lake ([45:27])
  • Updates on legal decisions and recent plane crash investigations ([47:53])
• National/International News:
  • Oil prices spike following escalated conflict between the US and Iran; global economic instability forecasted ([51:26])
  • Democratic and Republican scandals continue, notably Platner’s exit and Texas AG Ken Paxton’s controversies ([54:00], [54:29])
  • Survey showing Israeli PM Netanyahu unpopular even among US Jews ([56:20])
  • Discovery: Plague much older than previously thought ([56:42])
  • Unusual legal case: Passengers suing airlines for “window seats” without windows ([59:30])
  • Shocking story: Pilot instructor jumps out of airplane mid-flight, student must land alone ([60:48])

V. Manhattan High-Rise Structural Crisis

[63:06] – [65:35]

• Unprecedented Collapse Risk:
  Manhattan’s 37-story former Pfizer HQ, now luxury apartments, faces collapse due to buckling columns—a scenario the hosts note is extraordinary for the U.S. “That doesn’t happen in this country. That's not supposed to happen.” – Chris Reavers, [63:17]
  • Discussion of earlier similar incidents in San Francisco.
  • Relief that temporary support beams are in place ([64:40])

VI. Minnesota Legislative and Flag Updates

[65:44] – [71:07]

• Paid Family and Medical Leave:
  Popular state program already facing unsustainable approval rates, likely leading to a payroll tax rate hike less than six months in. “Not even six months and we got to increase the taxes.” – Chris Reavers, [67:56]
  • Hosts satirically “congratulate” bureaucrats for the “success.”
• Minnesota Flag Watch:
  Listener reports on sites loyally flying the “true” Minnesota flag, including an unexpected sighting in New Brunswick, Canada.

VII. Historical & Sporting Asides

[71:17] – [77:17]

• Entertaining local history (saloon keeper’s picnic, Ojibwe treaties, Duluth streetcar’s last ride)
• Minnesota sports misfortunes (lightning strikes Twins-Rangers game, famous “bomb scare” at stadium)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Regarding Graham Platner’s past:
  “Whoops.” – Kenny Olson, [03:48]
• On party priorities and whataboutism:
  “We can’t take these cases as they come. ...It’s just pathetic. We can’t take these cases individually anymore.” – Chris Reavers, [05:53], [14:18]
• On today's political climate:
  “How long can the country continue to survive two political parties who merely create legends for these candidates and expect us to buy them so they can stay in power?” – Chris Reavers, [11:57]
• GLers frustration with state of representation:
  “Neither party seems interested in recruiting what GLers might call normal people.” – Chris Reavers, [18:04]
• Street-level wisdom:
  “Idle hands are the devil’s work.” – Kenny Olson, [11:52]
• On Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher’s critics:
  “All of that is nonsense. All that is boilerplate BS... You've had intervention, you've had the call for family engagement. ...It’s just all bs.” – Chris Reavers, [34:50]
• Humor amid news oddities:
  “Are you as intrigued as I am about this 37 story Manhattan High rise that is in danger of collapsing?” – Chris Reavers, [63:06] “I ain't getting an apartment in that place.” – Chris Reavers, [64:53]
• On family leave scheme:
  “This thing ain’t six months old. These people are interesting, aren’t they?” – Chris Reavers, [68:28]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro and Maine’s Senate Debacle: [01:10]–[14:18]
• Political Recruitment/Candidate Quality: [14:18]–[26:33]
• Twin Cities Gang Violence Dispute: [31:47]–[41:47]
• Local & National News Round-up: [43:21]–[61:46]
• Manhattan Building Structural Failure: [63:06]–[65:35]
• Minnesota Legislation & Flag Watch: [65:44]–[71:07]
• Historical/Sporting Notes and Outtro: [71:17]–end

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Tone and Style

Garage Logic’s “down the road” wisdom is front and center—skeptical, dryly humorous, and frequently nostalgic, with persistent calls for common sense and integrity in public life. The tone remains conversational, irreverent, and pointedly critical of both local and national governmental failings, underscored by the camaraderie and local color that loyal listeners expect.

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Summary prepared for listeners who missed the episode or want a quick, comprehensive review.

Transcript

[Joe Sucher]

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[Josh Arnold]

Go Joe.

[Chris Reavers]

Josh Arnold, investment consultant, brings you Garage Logic podcast number 1805. July 8, 2026. 101 degrees on two occasions on this day, 1936 and 1974, and as chilly as 51 degrees at some point during the day on this day in 1958. Call Josh Arnold at 952-925-5608 for a free 48 minute consultation.

[John Height]

Hail the Flashlight King.

[Chris Reavers]

And now, from the mayor's office above the boathouse on the east shore of Spoon Lake, it's Garage Logic with Chris Reavers manning technology corner, Kenny Olson from the crabby coffee shop, John Height in the newsroom, and of course the RO Here is your Flashlight King fireworks commissioner and the keeper of common sense, your mayor, Joe Sucher. I have not paid any attention or not much attention to this fellow named Graham Platner who was celebrated as a heroic Democrat who could rise up and claim Senator Susan Collins Senate seat in Maine. The Democrats apparently recruited him. John, you weigh in if you've read other things. Okay. He, he was celebrated as a working man oyster fisherman who had the pulse of the people. And he was the kind of person the Democrats wanted in their camp, only to discover that he's got a very checkered past and they can no longer defend him. The latest is a woman named Jenny Raciot alleged that Platner drunkenly entered her home in 2021 after she told him not to and raped her. Ms. Rciot detailed the use of force in a repeated objection sharing supporting messages with Politico. And she told boyfriend, who has corroborated her account. Now, Platt, I'm leading to something. So, okay, yeah, paying attention at the University of garage logic. Mr. Platner denies the allegations. He also canceled campaign events to reflect on the best path forward. I'm not sure he has one. He may withdraw his candidacy before this coming Monday's deadline. I'm reading from the Wall Street Journal. He is reportedly negotiating to be replaced by a fellow left winger by rescinding endorsements and pushing out Mr. Platner, big name Democrats now try to salvage their chance of unseating Senator Susan Collins, but they can't say they weren't warned. I guess he was noted early on for featuring a Nazi tattoo.

[Joe Sucher]

Whoops.

[Chris Reavers]

An SS emblem he kept on his chest for 18 years. They didn't care. He denied knowing what that meant, despite evidence that he did know what that meant. This guy is an authentic man, said Senator Reuben Gallego, Democrat of Arizona. He's not anti Semitic. And more importantly, not more importantly, but just as importantly, he's going to win this election. Well, they want to do anything to beat Collins, who is a centrist Republican who voted to convict Trump after he was impeached a second time. Ask about Mr. Platner's Nazi tattoo. Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, said, he sounds like a human being to me.

[Kenny Olson]

What does that mean?

[Chris Reavers]

I don't know what that means.

[Kenny Olson]

Oh, that's okay then. You can have the SS on your arm, no problem.

[Chris Reavers]

Not one of those consultant crafted politicians or, you know, one of the 340 million Americans without Nazi tattoos. The story was that Platner entered a dark period after his four years of military duty, but was now healed. Okay. The redemption arc was used to dismiss his online post disparaging blacks, whites, rape victims, and a Purple Heart recipient who he said didn't deserve to live in 2021. Platner called himself a communist, but that did not matter. Jon Favreau, an Obama alum and host of the Pod Save America, was typical. Graham Platner isn't just our best and only chance to beat Susan Collins. He's a good, decent man who struggled and groaned.

[Kenny Olson]

There you go.

[Chris Reavers]

Okay. The same was said after Platner was reported to have sexted other women up to six per his campaign, sharing his. Oh, I'm sorry. During his marriage, which began in late 2023, Bernie Sanders from Vermont.

[Kenny Olson]

What's he chiming in?

[Chris Reavers]

Whose endorsement brought Platner to the fore, called that a distraction. See, here's one of the problems now. I'm reading this and I know what many euphorians are thinking because it's so easy to now play whataboutism in this country because all they have to do is say, what about Trump? So it's really tough to have intellectual curiosity in this country. It's really tough to single out cases on their individual merits. For example, Chantill Allen, who should not be a school board member. People will use Trump as a defender. As to defender, it's just pathetic. We can't take these cases as they come Along Martin Heinrich, a Democrat of New Mexico, hailed Mr. Plattner as exactly the person the Democratic Party needs to win back working people. Daniel Moraf, the lefty political strategist who recruited Platner, said people do not want their candidate grown in vats. Okay, well, I do know what that means.

[Kenny Olson]

Where did the working people go prior to Graham Platner? According to another person. I don't understand.

[Chris Reavers]

Susan Collins, I guess. Okay, the implication is that all of this is normal, even relatable for working class voters and veterans. Well, no, it isn't. That's condescending as usual from the left's arbiters of masculinity. In fact, Mr. Platner polled poorly among the working class who saw through what his college educated base projected onto him. Now, here's how they portrayed him as this regular guy, man of the people. Well, he comes from an affluent family which sent him to Hotchkiss Prep School. You could look up the tuition on that if you want. H O T C H K I S S Hotchkiss. Very famous. Kind of a

[Kenny Olson]

boarding school.

[Chris Reavers]

It's very.

[Kenny Olson]

Salisbury, Connecticut. Tuition and payment plans? Yeah, it's nine to 12. Oh, boarding. Well, day students, you get a little discount. 67. 450. Is the tuition.

[Chris Reavers]

67,450.

[Kenny Olson]

If you're boarded there, it's 79. It's an extra 12 grand.

[Chris Reavers]

What's the author? I'm thinking of not. Come on, Salinger. What's the book?

[Kenny Olson]

J.D. salinger.

[Chris Reavers]

Hotchkiss is kind of the Catcher in the Rye place. Okay.

[Matthew]

Oh,

[Chris Reavers]

also, he, he was, you know, celebrated because he's an oyster fisherman. He has one customer, a restaurant owned by his mother.

[Matthew]

Okay, good work if you can get it, Mom.

[Chris Reavers]

And then this bill is due.

[Unknown Caller]

Mom.

[Chris Reavers]

Litany of abuse. Representative Ro Kana, Democrat, California, said his behavior with Lindsey Fifield, a communication, a conservative whose story is down peddled, seems like a lot of nothing. She was accusing him of the sexting thing. And the Democrats, that's a distraction. But they can't now dismiss this Latest, this raciad, Ms. Rayciad, who says she shares Mr. Plattner's politics and hesitated to speak out for that reason. But now that a left winger has said it, the women are safe for Democrats to believe. A few scandals ago, Platner pivoted from the bad news by posting Senator Collins is bought and paid for by Benjamin Netanyahu. Look over there. The Jews. The deflection scratched the itch of the Democratic activist base, but the party knows it Won't suffice. Now, Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, may be right that Bernie Sanders needs to apologize for pushing this predator. But will Democrats reflect on why they bought in and kept buying despite the warnings? No. Their hunt begins now for their next working class mystery hero. The country's in tough shape. We find evidence with each passing day that the third rail exists only to exist. They have no interest in representing the. The man and woman on the street paying the bills. They're interested in creating their party in such a way that they can continue to survive. So they pick and choose, and they find candidates who they think they can create a legend around because that would be helpful to their party to stay in power. Republicans do the same thing. So we're doomed. When you want to have intellectual discourse about responsible, ethical people in this country who have integrity, you can't look to politics. The people with integrity and a moral foundation in their lives, and they're following the rules, are not running for office. They have no interest in living on the third rail. So these parties are left to fashion their own creations. And so here comes Bernie. Sanders, apparently was among the first to promote Platner. I don't know how they came upon him. I don't know how they discovered him, but maybe they saw him with his sleeves rolled up in his oyster boat and said, that's our guy.

[Kenny Olson]

You're not to see mom again.

[Chris Reavers]

Only. Only to discover it's a complete fabrication. He was. He's a wealthy kid who grew up in great circumstances. He doesn't have any clients. He supplies his mother's restaurant with oysters. Okay. And on top of that, apparently has a lot of time, too, with only one client, because he adds a lot of time to fool around extracurricularly with a lot of women.

[Kenny Olson]

Idle hands are the devil's word.

[Matthew]

So day drinking Joe, he's day drinking

[Chris Reavers]

and fooling around and getting blackout drunk and breaking into women's homes and just having a hell of a time. How long can the country continue to survive? Two political parties who merely create legends for these candidates and expect us to buy them so they can stay in power. They're above all this phrase.

[Kenny Olson]

That's the key.

[Chris Reavers]

They have nothing to do with us. Nothing. It's criminal. I've never paid any attention to Graham Platner, except he can't keep himself out of the news, and he was pushed by leading Democrats. They didn't care about the Nazi tattoo. They didn't care about the sexual allegations. They didn't care about the Fact that he was not, in fact, a guy from humble beginnings who worked his way up and was a Maine oysterman. That'd be cool to have a Maine oysterman in the Senate.

[Kenny Olson]

Yes.

[Chris Reavers]

Who was. If it was a legitimate Maine oysterman,

[Kenny Olson]

he'd been in business for 20 years. He's got.

[Chris Reavers]

I've read my. E.B. white with his saltwater farm in Maine. I could have gone for a Maine oysterman.

[Matthew]

I'm seeing yellow fraud, yellow rain bibs. Oh, you got yellow raincoat.

[Chris Reavers]

Hell, hell, yes. E.B. white wrote a whole. There's a whole collection of his stories that he wrote from his farm in Maine. And the Maine oystermen are in a few of those stories. And I would love to have. That would have been neat to have a Maine oysterman as a senator.

[Kenny Olson]

You seem like an oysterman. Not kind of guy.

[Chris Reavers]

Not this character.

[Kenny Olson]

No. You want your oystermen to be on the up and up.

[Chris Reavers]

And so the whole country continues to just remain dog paddling. We're in neutral. Because now this guy. You can see what the Democrats were doing. They didn't say it, but they were counting on the whataboutism because they ignored the Nazi thing. They ignored the sexual allegations because all they were ready to do is say, well, what about Trump? We found our guy. Sure, he's got some flaws, but what about Trump? We can't take these cases individually anymore.

[Kenny Olson]

That stuff brought down Gary Hart, brought down John Grunseth. I mean, plug in whoever you want to with chicanery. And they were.

[Chris Reavers]

But you have a convicted rapist as president, so the what about ism is inevitable. It's just I shall have a difference on my kid.

[Josh Arnold]

Yeah.

[Kenny Olson]

250 was a nice run, huh?

[Chris Reavers]

It was. It was a hell of a run.

[Kenny Olson]

We're not going to make it to five, Hondo.

[Chris Reavers]

It's just. It's just very difficult. So now, apparently what the Democrats have to do in Maine is find somebody else. The Democrats have done nothing. The Republicans who own the House, the Senate and the presidency have done nothing. Name me something that's been accomplished by either party.

[Kenny Olson]

No, cannot.

[Chris Reavers]

Lately. Lately. What is it?

[Kenny Olson]

How is it.

[Matthew]

Whatever I say, we'll get in an argument about the wall, I don't know, illegal immigration. Has anything been done there? I'm under the. I'm under the impression that that has been, if not solved, we've made great progress.

[Chris Reavers]

Probably not solved, but a big dent has been made. Yes. Yeah.

[Matthew]

Drilling and mining. You know, here's a disputable argument. Drilling and mining and whatnot logging on public land. That's a big argument. Worms we could open up.

[Chris Reavers]

I think that is a can of worms. And I think drilling and mining, even though we'll be here all week, if

[Matthew]

we open this, can show.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, not only that. Not only that, but it'll take years and years and years yet before. And if that ever happens.

[Matthew]

Well, I am on. That's the side I'm on with boundary waters and the runoff up there. I'm not really too worried about it because I just think it's going to be years and years and new administrations are going to come in and reverse everything. My amateur take.

[Chris Reavers]

I happen to agree with you, which is why mining doesn't register high on my alarm scale because yes, the Trump administration has paved the way to expedite the mining, but the expediting is going to take forever because there's a million agencies you have to go through and a million licenses. And the people defending the boundary waters, they've got a strong case to defend the boundary waters. This is going to take forever if it ever happens.

[Matthew]

And the same sort of thing is happening on the North Slope, Alaska. Same sort of thing.

[Kenny Olson]

So you're only talking nationally right now

[Matthew]

because I wasn't ready for this question. I wish you would have asked me this at 10am I would have come fully armed.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, let's go back to just the selection of candidates. All right. Both parties failed miserably in as recently as the last election. They Republicans delivered Trump and the Democrats delivered Kamala Harris. There was no choice for me.

[Matthew]

I had no choice before the nominating process. Who were the better candidates for both sides before they.

[Unknown Caller]

Paul?

[Kenny Olson]

President Biden.

[Matthew]

Yeah. Well, I guess Biden would have been the obvious choice. Right.

[Kenny Olson]

But Republicans never really had.

[Matthew]

That's I guess my real question. Who did the Republicans have other than President Trump? I don't think he was the obvious choice. I think he was the obvious choice.

[Chris Reavers]

Romney.

[Matthew]

Yeah. See, I don't think I

[Chris Reavers]

hear let's not get sidetracked. We can, we can keep this, we can keep this. Understandable. Neither party seems interested in recruiting what g lers might call normal people. Right. I said right. Oh my God,

[Josh Arnold]

Joe.

[Matthew]

There's a Mr. Smith goes to Washington factor in there where a normal person gets elected and goes to Washington and turns into a corrupt, you know, third rail rider.

[Chris Reavers]

No, I think their recruiting is based on an agenda that they apply to the individual to see if he will help them sustain their third rail status, he or she. So they're not looking for. They thought they found a Maine oysterman, but it turns out he's just a fake Maine oysterman, so they failed there. I mean, ideologically, they had the right idea. Let's go find us a main oysterman.

[Kenny Olson]

They said the conference room.

[Chris Reavers]

They blew it.

[Kenny Olson]

How about a Maine oyster?

[Chris Reavers]

And I would have said, yes, yes, let's find one. Here, here. Harumph haram.

[Unknown Caller]

Harumph.

[Chris Reavers]

So they go find this fake Maine oyster mint. Well, that didn't work out. I. I'm. I'm sorry for all our Trump fans, but Trump's not working out.

[Unknown Caller]

Not.

[Chris Reavers]

Not for the soul of the country. He's not working out.

[Matthew]

Yeah, it depends on who you ask.

[Chris Reavers]

I know, and I'm asking myself. And he's not. He's not working out.

[Kenny Olson]

I'm not commenting while he's talking to himself. Still, guys.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, he did say the Islamic Republic of Japan is bombing that straight A whore movie. Don. Don. I think they're not. I don't think they're Muslims. I don't think they're Muslims.

[John Height]

It's tough, man.

[Chris Reavers]

It's tough.

[Matthew]

That's almost Biden esque, isn't it?

[Chris Reavers]

It's right on an animal house. I mean, don't.

[John Height]

Don't.

[Chris Reavers]

When the Japanese ban. When the Japanese. When the Germans invaded Pearl Harbor. Let him go. He's on a roll.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

Okay. I can bring all this back to Chantill Allen.

[Matthew]

Oh. Oh, wow.

[Chris Reavers]

Where's the integrity? Where is the moral clarity? Where are the people who should be saying, we've had enough of this woman? She has three distinct cases of degrading behavior that reflects poorly on the St. Paul Public Schools, reflects poorly on the school board, and I have not had my calls returned. No one is getting back to me. Are there four people on the school board who have the moral integrity to say, this woman is absolutely not helpful. She's a tremendous embarrassment? And then you start playing the what about Is em right? Well, isn't Trump an embarrassment to the country? Isn't so and so an embarrassment? So we're settling for who's the least embarrassing.

[Kenny Olson]

That's not what 250 is all about.

[Chris Reavers]

So. So where is the integrity here? The Democrats don't have any. The Republicans don't have any. The Republicans were forced to adopt a sudden integrity because the last woman who's come forward has too much evidence that they can't ignore it. They can't ignore the fact that she. And she was a fan of this fake Oystermann and she hesitated to speak, but she said, this is ridiculous. So now they have to listen to that. He won't be in the race. They got to go find somebody else. Who do they look for?

[Kenny Olson]

I mean, who's their. Who's their premier? Who's their optimum candidate?

[Chris Reavers]

They don't. There. There aren't any optimum candidates anymore. Who was the last candidate that was so appealing to Americans that there wasn't any controversy? There wasn't any problems? I can't. I can't even think of one. I can't think of one.

[Kenny Olson]

Going back to Reagan. Mondale. Mondale was the vice president. Reagan, the governor of California. Two solid.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, Mondale ran with the woman. What was her name? Ferraro.

[John Height]

Ferraro.

[Chris Reavers]

Geraldine. Geraldine.

[Kenny Olson]

Don't say Geraldine, because that reminds me of something else, but.

[Chris Reavers]

I know it does. But you're not. That's not what I want to hear.

[Kenny Olson]

I know.

[John Height]

I know.

[Chris Reavers]

Geraldine. Ferraro. And mondale got about 12 votes.

[Kenny Olson]

One, Minnesota.

[Chris Reavers]

Hey, that's it.

[Kenny Olson]

He got 12 electoral votes.

[Chris Reavers]

The only state he won was Minnesota.

[Matthew]

Still embarrassed by that, certainly,

[Kenny Olson]

but that had to have been the last.

[Chris Reavers]

Carter was a decent human being. A good. Probably a good man, but really a horse bleep president, but a decent human being.

[Matthew]

Would you say his decency got in the way of the presidency?

[Chris Reavers]

You know, that's a great question. That's a great question. Was that the story of a decent man in a tragic comedy, up against the evil forces of what politics are intended to be, what the president's intent? Because the mystery had started, certainly by Carter's time. I mean, the mystery is older than we think.

[Matthew]

Absolutely.

[Chris Reavers]

And so here comes Carter, literally, a legitimate peanut farmer. Carter Bees, who served in the Navy, was the governor of Georgia a decent human being. He had lust in his heart.

[John Height]

Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

And he felt bad about that. He felt that he needed to confess that, you know, hey, it's like, hey,

[Matthew]

dude, we're all carrying.

[Chris Reavers]

Jimmy, it's okay.

[Matthew]

Don't worry about that.

[Unknown Caller]

All right?

[Kenny Olson]

He went up against Ford, who was in place as a result of Nixon's resignation. Is that correct?

[Chris Reavers]

Yeah. And he won. He won. But then he had a little trouble with Iran. He. You know, he.

[Kenny Olson]

Gas.

[Chris Reavers]

Gas prices, energy. Russia was invading Afghanistan, and he was fairly helpless about that. He.

[Kenny Olson]

Hostages.

[Chris Reavers]

So where are we?

[Kenny Olson]

Who did Bush run? Oh, DU caucus.

[Chris Reavers]

So what we see are candidates. See, that's why the voting public needs to be far more informed than they are, because what's being presented to us as voters are people who only are there to serve the cause of the party, not serve the Cause of the American people. The people they find and promote and hype are people that they feel will help them sustain their lives on the third rail.

[Kenny Olson]

And you think when Reagan ran, when Carter ran, they were running for the betterment of the country or their party's politics, which weren't as dramatic as they are today?

[Chris Reavers]

I will say yes to that.

[Matthew]

But it starts way back at the endorsement process. At least it does in this state. Remember the endorsement nonsense we dealt with a few weeks ago? And it was on both sides. Amy threatened to walk out because the commie was there, the socialist was there. And we got some endorsements on the Republican side. Endorsements of people we've never heard of. And it's all because of the zealots that always attend these endorsement.

[Kenny Olson]

So who attended the endorsement and who were the caucus people fall more interested than us?

[Matthew]

What do you mean? Back then?

[Kenny Olson]

I mean, back then with Reagan and Dukakis and Bush and Ford and Carter, who were those people? When did this change happen? Because they were. They were putting up solid candidates. They were normal, weren't they? They weren't micromanaging politics, which is what they're doing now with the caucus and the primary and all that other stuff.

[Chris Reavers]

HW was a good candidate, but he ended up tripping over himself promising no new taxes and had to raise taxes. Well, here's the deal. Let's not get too complicated. The Platner story tells us the overarching problem, and that is these are no longer political candidates representing the American public. I don't care if you're Democrat or Republican. They are there for the party. They put the party first. Look at. Look at the hijinks that have been played out by this keen fellow in New Jersey who was gone from March till some date in June with no responsibility to the constituents, no nothing. But the party needed to maintain him because he's a Republican and he claimed he had depression or something. Okay, and now you have another one.

[Matthew]

Who?

[Chris Reavers]

Who?

[John Height]

McConnell.

[Chris Reavers]

McConnell? We don't even know if he's alive. Pack it up, pal. We don't even know what his status is. And. And apparently. Who's the gal that fancied me when we went to the White House?

[Kenny Olson]

Elaine Chow.

[Chris Reavers]

He was married to Elaine Chow. Who? She kind of had a thing at the time.

[Kenny Olson]

She did. She was chasing.

[John Height]

Yeah.

[Kenny Olson]

I'm not chasing.

[Matthew]

She would take a run at them.

[Kenny Olson]

She fancied him at the White House.

[Chris Reavers]

She was Department of Labor at the time. We had a drink later and it was great.

[Kenny Olson]

Went down to the Capitol grill and had a cocktail and settled it all. You know, what's up with Mitch? He would say, why don't you go with Mitch? It's fine.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, anyway, I gotta go home. If I understand things correctly, she's moved to China. There's no one to sign any documents that pertaining to the current health or welfare of McConnell DNR. So there's no. So he remains as he was as a politician. Yeah. Virtually incoherent and out of it completely. These people, they don't care about us. They don't care about us for five seconds.

[Kenny Olson]

I think if you cared about the country, they don't. A relative would say, senator, grandpa, dad, uncle. Let's cut ties here.

[Chris Reavers]

Do you see a lot of fireworks over the fourth?

[Kenny Olson]

Yes, a whole bunch.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, the American Experiment, the center of the American Experiment wants to keep the 250th celebration going. So they're having Minnesota's big block party on July 25th. Tim Walz is not going to lift a finger to help Minnesotans celebrate the big event. So our friends at the center of the American Experiment are stepping up with the big partay. They will lead the state's year long celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Live music, food trucks, free ice cream from cup and cone and White Bear Lake face painting, patriotic speeches and more. See the events [e-mail] it's the center of the American Experiment's Minnesota block party on July 25th. Americanexperiment.org. Here's a man who spends hours in hardware stores sifting through the nuts and bolts of life. Joe Sushir.

[Matthew]

The finely crafted seagoing vessel Cirrhosis of the river made the rounds in Gumption county over the fourth. From broken toe to spoon and every lake in between. Arousing success. Your captain needs a last dropper. Thought he could get away with using last year's 50 to 1 mix, but I only did that after I dumped a half a can of Seafoam Marine Pro Engine Treatment into the tank. Now I'll admit, it did cough and smoke. It kind of looked like a Pink Floyd show there for a while, but it evened out and purred like a kitty for the rest of the day. Seafoam actually first created as an additive for outboard engine engines. It works to clean critical marine engine areas. It stabilizes fuel for up to 2 years. Works in both 2 stroke and 4 stroke gasoline marine engines inboard and outboard. Add Marine Pro to every tank of fuel, usually about an ounce per gallon and it'll help clean the entire fuel system. A cleaner engine that's going to make you happy starts right away, runs smoother, lasts longer, you can idle around the lake. It's wonderful. And once again it saved the day for the cirrhosis of the river and all the many bikini clad moms lining up to wave at your captain. Your sexy captain. I thought I could say that with a straight face. I guess. I guess I can look for it in the fine automotive automotive chemical aisle at a store near you. It's a wonderful product in one year old gas. It's called Seafoam Marine Pro Ramsey County

[Chris Reavers]

Sheriff Bob Fletcher has posted a 20 minute live video surrounded by gang investigators and a Somali community leader to address what he feels is an issue that needs urgent attention and solutions. Somali gang violence. And of course he's getting pushback, he said. We've got a huge list of criminal activity, but having said that, we're not indicting the whole community, fletcher said. Before we start fixing the problem, we have to identify what it is. This posting of the video has received tens of thousands of views. To help find solutions to Somali gang violence, a community meeting will be hosted by the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office July 21 at their Arden Hills patrol station at 6pm the sheriff welcomes all this needs to stop, jama Shine, a Somali gang investigator with the Ramsey county office, said, adding, we need to come together from law enforcement community faith leaders to find a solution for this youth. Can I say something about faith leaders? They always come up. We always need the faith leaders too. They haven't accomplished anything. Sorry it's not working to rely on faith leaders. Another investigator addressing the issue, Ben Seidel, said he's tracking at least 12 Somali gangs in the Twin Cities and metro area. 12 Somali gangs. They also point to violent incidents, some deadly from over the weekend in Minneapolis that the two say involve gang members they're investigating. The Minneapolis Police Department released a statement the MPD is actively investigating the violent incidents that occurred over the holiday weekend as these cases remain open and ongoing. MPD will not comment on investigative details or speculate about potential gang or group involvement and all until all facts are confirmed. MPD is working with community leaders and organizations to reduce violence. The call to action is being welcomed by some in the Somali community, but the way it was messaged is starting to get pushback. Anyone responsible for violent crimes should be held accountable. Suleiman Aden, deputy director with Minnesota's Council on American Islamic Relations said about the violence. Aiden said about finding solutions for us at care. It's why prevention, intervention and family engagement and sustained investment in youth must be central to any sort of long term solution. All of that is nonsense. All that is boilerplate BS because we've been hearing that for years, right? Years and years and years. You've had intervention, you've had the call for family engagement. The call for everything seems to be could be cured by just another new park board facility, which it's just all bs Adding that the message could be handled better. To say that there's a Somali gang problem requires the stakes and squash this before it becomes a larger issue. I don't know what the hell this guy's talking about. He doesn't like the fact that Sheriff Fletcher speaks his mind.

[Matthew]

He doesn't like Sheriff Fletcher. Fletch has a lot of detractors. Just because Fletch is willing to tell it the way it is.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, in Minneapolis, City Council Vice President Jamal Osmond says he was dismayed and deeply disappointed about Fletcher's comments. Can you read that? That type's a little small for me. Can you read Osmond City Council note?

[Kenny Olson]

Yes. Where is it?

[Chris Reavers]

Well, it's right.

[Kenny Olson]

That's why I handed this thing from the beginning.

[Chris Reavers]

Yeah. Can you read?

[Matthew]

Old married couple.

[Chris Reavers]

Let's not do it.

[Kenny Olson]

I was dismayed and deeply disappointed to hear the recent comments made by Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher on his social media.

[Chris Reavers]

This is Jamal Osman, live on patrol.

[Kenny Olson]

His remarks painted Somali youth as the source of most, if not all, community violence.

[Chris Reavers]

No, he didn't. Fletcher did not. I'm gonna stop you as you read it. No. No, Fletcher did not do that. Continue.

[Kenny Olson]

And went even further by attempting to connect local youth violence to terrorist organizations abroad. This kind of rhetoric is not only wrong, it's dangerous. It targets an entire community, creates fear, and makes it harder to build the trust we need to actually keep people safe. Community violence is a serious issue and it affects all of us. But we cannot solve it by scapegoating one group of young people or by using fear to divide our neighbors. The root causes of violence are years of disinvestment, poverty, lack of opportunity, social isolation, and systems that have failed too many families for too long. At a time when law enforcement should be deepening relationships with Somali families, youth leaders, faith leaders, service providers.

[Chris Reavers]

What are the cops supposed to do? Go to a Somali house and have a cup of tea or something?

[Kenny Olson]

Well, Sheriff Fletcher is choosing to blame instead of partner. That is not public safety leadership. Real leadership means showing up with humility, listening to the people closest to the problem and working together on solutions that protect everyone.

[Matthew]

Okay, let me step in here. This goes along with what Mary Moriarty said in December when ICE was in town. She said a video statement, actually in December, saying directly there are no roving Somali gangs terrorizing people and she would not let hatred divide us. And that was, of course, in reference to ice.

[Chris Reavers]

I don't think Fletcher. Fletcher, I've known him a long time. I don't think he hates anybody. I think he's pointing out facts and

[Kenny Olson]

he's got a good history.

[Chris Reavers]

For some reason, the Somali skin is very thin and don't you dare, dare criticize us. Don't you dare say a thing. If there were, are there white gangs in the Twin Cities? I wonder.

[Kenny Olson]

I'm sure.

[Chris Reavers]

Seriously don't know.

[Kenny Olson]

There have to be. There have to be Asian gangs, black gangs, Somali gang. There's gangs of every race in the inner city.

[Chris Reavers]

Why am I asking you?

[Kenny Olson]

I don't know. Because I don't.

[Chris Reavers]

Because you just admitted you don't.

[Kenny Olson]

There's a lot of food gangs.

[Chris Reavers]

There's food gangs, yeah. Thin skinnedness is incredible. You really gotta be careful because the Somalis have in place from Congress down to the city council, prominently placed Somali politicians, for example, who are quick to say, don't you dare criticize us. We haven't done a damn thing wrong. And it's unfair of this Ramsey county sheriff to blame violence on Somali youth. That's not what Fletcher said. He said it's an unspoken truth that much of the gang violence we're seeing is brought about by Somali gangs. He's not saying all gang violence is Somalis. He's saying what we have tended to see here is that the system has avoided indicting Somali gangs for any misbehavior. I suppose you could include the shooting off of fireworks at cars last year in July 20, in 25 last summer. Remember when the fireworks went nuts and the, you know, who's shooting those Somalis were that?

[Matthew]

You asked a really interesting question and a surprising answer that I wasn't ready for. Are there white gangs in Minneapolis? According to AI, the white gangs are the Aryan Cowboy Brotherhood, the Aryan Brotherhood, the Aryan Freedom Network, and skinhead gangs of the 80s. There's no mention of, like, say, motorcycle clubs, but all of these gangs, again according to AI, are street networks and drug selling and prison related, but they're

[Kenny Olson]

never in the news.

[Matthew]

Well, I don't know. Does that make them okay?

[Chris Reavers]

No, it doesn't make Us. I don't think it doesn't make them okay. But they must be keeping their heads down than other gangs.

[Matthew]

Maybe there's, you know. Now I sound like I've been watching too many movies. Are there mafia related, Italian, Irish, Jewish gangs? I don't know.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, I hate to bring it.

[Kenny Olson]

Please come downtown.

[Chris Reavers]

No, I. I hate to bring it up because remember we all said we don't know anything about it. Didn't we find a guy whose various body parts were in various locations?

[Matthew]

Yeah. Fascinating story from just a few years ago.

[Chris Reavers]

Yeah, we don't know anything about it. I know nothing about that. Yeah, I know nothing. I know nothing about. I know nothing. I know nothing about that or nothing. You know, in my neighborhood, I don't want to know anything about it.

[Matthew]

In south Minneapolis I lived across from Sibley park and the only shooting we had in all the time that I lived there was two groups of Somali kids shooting at each other. That was the only gunfire I experienced on our block.

[Chris Reavers]

Why don't we take a time out and come back with Mr. John Heights newscast. This guy wears many hats, just not indoors. Joe Sucere. Every time I look at my garage floor I think of installed building solutions. Because they're installing epoxy garage floors with the latest technology. A polyurea garage floor that unlike my generations old epoxy floor, this isn't going to crack or fade. This is the newest technology. Most floors are installed in just one day. You can get your garage back quickly. And as with all epoxy garage floors, they're better for your cylinders. You can keep everything clean. You can sweep those babies out, you can mop up spilled oil. It's just wonderful. You can hose them out, you can drop a tool on. It's not going to. This stuff is tough. Polyurea tough. This is the best current technology for a wonderful garage floor cleaner. Brighter and more finished every time you walk in there and look at it. I hope you've gotten a hold of installed building solutions. You can reach them and make an [e-mail] ibscoding c o a T I N G I b s coding.com here's Mr. Heiss.

[John Height]

Thank you Joe. This news brought to you by North American Banking Company. A man died after a firework exploded in his hand while he was on top of an abandoned building near Shoreview over the holiday weekend. According to the Lake Johanna Fire Department, emergency crews were called at around 1:30 in the morning, July 5th for a man in his 20s who was seriously hurt after A fireworks accident. Fire officials said. A 911 caller reported the man had injuries to his face and chest and was unconscious but breathing. On top of the former Twin Cities Armory ammunition plant. The emergency crews responded, but then found that the stairs could not be used for a rescue. They had to use a helicopter from the Minnesota Air Rescue Team. First responders treated the man's injuries, prepared him for transfer as they waited. Eventually, crews were able to get him off off the roof using an aerial lift and canceled the helicopter. The man was then taken to a Minneapolis hospital where he had emergency surgery but died from his injuries. Officials said the man was holding a mortar tube with a firework when it exploded in front of a group of 15 to 20 people. The incident remains under investigation.

[Chris Reavers]

See what he did there was not very wise. No.

[Kenny Olson]

You know, leave it to the pros, huh?

[Chris Reavers]

Yeah.

[Matthew]

Speaking of not wise, I saw the coolest thing ever and I'm really tempted to do it. This guy strapped what I would call a giant Roman candle. I mean Joe, it was this big around.

[Chris Reavers]

Yeah.

[Matthew]

To the fender of his dirt bike. He lit that. He lit the thing, got on the dirt bike and rode a wheelie. Shooting these things into the air, that's cool. In front of them. It's the coolest thing I ever saw. And if I did that, I would loop out, the bike would end up upside down and they'd be skipping along the ground behind me. That's how it would work.

[Kenny Olson]

Which would make for a great video. But I, I don't know what your state.

[Chris Reavers]

So you're, you're not endorsing this. You just found it interesting.

[Matthew]

You know, I can do maybe 30 yards a wheelie. I cannot ride a wheelie for a long distance.

[John Height]

A Maryland woman was arrested Sunday after authorities said she tried to drown her teenage daughter. Up in your neck of the woods, Kenny, in West Battle Lake.

[Matthew]

Oh, I know West B well, sure.

[John Height]

The Otter County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a domestic assault northeast of battle Lake at 4:19 in the afternoon. Deputies say 35 year old Jasmine Laws of Baltimore attempted to drown her 15 year old daughter during a domestic altercation on the lake. She was arrested on suspicion of domestic assault, domestic assault by strangulation and second degree attempted murder. The victim, a 15 year old girl transported to Lake Regions Hospital with non life threatening injuries. Law's daughter said she had been on the pontoon soon when her mother threw her phone into the water. In response, she says she dove in to retrieve it. But after getting her phone, the daughter said she got into an argument with her mother leading to laws hitting her. In response, the daughter said she pulled her mom's hair which prompted laws to try to place her in a headlock, causing the 15 year old to fall and hit her neck on the dock. A girl said her mother then pushed her head underwater and continued to hold her there until the 15 year old said she felt like she was passing out. Other witnesses, according to court documents, said they had to pull laws off of her daughter to stop her from drowning the girl. One witness said they had to pry laws fingers off the girl's hair. And multiple witnesses said they had seen laws holding the daughter's head under the water completely submerged. One witness said they heard laws say to her daughter while holding her underwater, I gave you life. I can bleeping end your life.

[Chris Reavers]

Sorry God.

[Kenny Olson]

Doesn't work that way. Right.

[Chris Reavers]

That's a sorry God. One.

[John Height]

Yeah.

[Unknown Caller]

Laws.

[John Height]

Next court hearing August 26th.

[Matthew]

I need some advice from you guys. If you're driving through your small town and you witness a domestic, a non violent domestic, what do you do?

[Chris Reavers]

I've never, that's not happened to me. So I don't know.

[Kenny Olson]

The argument.

[Matthew]

Yeah, a very animated verbal argument.

[Kenny Olson]

I sit and observe for a while.

[Matthew]

Just make sure I did a U turn and I parked and I sat and watched it.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah, you gotta, you gotta see what happened. You're not hoping for that.

[Chris Reavers]

Mitigated.

[Matthew]

No, they didn't see me.

[John Height]

Did it, did it escalate or did it just stay verbal?

[Matthew]

It stayed verbal.

[John Height]

That's good. That's good.

[Matthew]

But it was, it was good because there was, it was very animated.

[Kenny Olson]

There's some good jabs. And remember when you.

[Chris Reavers]

Back in 72, the guy wasn't holding a flamethrower or anything.

[Matthew]

No, but you're right, Matthew. That's when all the stored things you know, you've been sitting on for years.

[Chris Reavers]

That's when they come out.

[John Height]

Brooks going, hang on, I got notes.

[Josh Arnold]

Hold on.

[John Height]

A federal appeals ruling upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit against those two Minnesota state troopers over the 2023 traffic stop shooting shooting death of Ricky Cobb II. Remember, this story is a big story. We talked about it a lot. Cobb's mother argued state troopers Ryan Laundrigan and Brian Sedan violated Cobb's constitutional rights. Three judge panel found both troopers had qualified immunity for the actions in 2024. Investigators released a case file of the investigation into the fatal shooting. The file includes hours of recorded interviews with troopers, trainers and other first responders that were called to the scene.

[Chris Reavers]

The Troopers were innocent and new information

[John Height]

has been released about what led to a fatal plane crash in Winona last month. An NTSB report shows that on June 25, an airborne wind sports light sport aircraft crashed at Winona municipal airport, resulting in the death of the pilot, 74 year old Wayne Ledaboor. Before the flight, Ledaboor removed a wing that he had that had been on the plane for two years and replaced it with a new one that had a lower height clearance, making it easier to store in a hangar. A friend of Ledaboor's who helped install the wing said they made sure it was properly attached before the flight. According to another of lideboer's friends who had witnessed the crash, the purpose of the flight was to test out the new wing. Friends said leaderboard performed two crow hops by taking off on the Runway and immediately landing again before taking off a third time to fly the traffic pattern. The NTSB report notes that the friends said the maneuvers were unremarkable until the plane began its final approach, during which the pilot appeared to make a small correction and then banked left followed by a hard 90 degree bank to the right, causing the plane to crash. The friend said he could not hear the engine from where he was standing, but could see that the propeller was turning before and during the crash. According to the ntsb, the plane's logbook indicated that the last annual inspection had been performed about a year and a half earlier. There was nothing found during the post crash examination of the plane that would have precluded normal operation, according to the report.

[Matthew]

That doesn't answer any of my questions.

[John Height]

Yeah, the report doesn't really say. No, it knows what happened, right?

[Matthew]

No.

[Chris Reavers]

All right, well, I was testing a new wing. I, I guess it didn't work out, but.

[Matthew]

No, it sounded like the wing stayed intact, but for some reason it went hard left.

[John Height]

Correct.

[Matthew]

He overcorrected and then things went bad from there.

[John Height]

Yes.

[Matthew]

That doesn't sound like a wing problem. You know I'm an aviator, don't you?

[Chris Reavers]

Testing. Testing new parts on an airplane is. Yeah, that's, that's, that's different than.

[Kenny Olson]

I don't want that job.

[Matthew]

It's not for the ME

[John Height]

Why don't we take a quick break here? We have some national and international news coming up and we'll hear from, I don't know, someone.

[Chris Reavers]

Nope, she didn't work. Again. The earth is not your mother. The Joe Sugiray show.

[Matthew]

Well, we're back.

[Chris Reavers]

Okay.

[John Height]

And in other news, I guess oil prices spiked this morning to Their highest level in weeks. And stocks dropped after President Trump said he thought the Iran cease fire is, in his words, over. Amid a volatile 24 hours in the Persian Gulf region, the Trump administration launched a series of strikes on Iran and revoked a waiver that had allowed Iran to sell oil. The actions against Iran were in retaliation for attacks on tankers this week in the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial conduit for the world's energy. US Central Command said that it had hit over 80 targets in Iran, including dozens of small boats used by the Iranian military to, in their words, degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking international commerce. Iran's military responded by targeting 85 US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait, prolonging a retaliatory. Retaliatory cycle that could impede the recovery in shipping traffic in that region.

[Chris Reavers]

Has there ever really been a ceasefire?

[John Height]

For a day or two, it seems like, right. And then pretty much gone after that. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund warned this morning the global economy is set to slow sharply this year after that war with Iran disrupted energy supply chains and triggered a fresh bout of inflation. Global output poised to fall to 3% in 2026 from 3 1/2% last year, according to the IMF's World Economic Outlook. That's slightly lower than the fund's April projection. The forecast remains subject, of course, to a lot of uncertainty, as Joe just pointed out, because of the attacks on the tankers and whether or not fighting actually continues in the area. Politics and sex combining in today's news, we've already talked about Graham Platner. Now, a small team of strategists behind his candidacy are trying to navigate an exit from the Senate race in Maine without entirely squandering the movement he built, according to people familiar with the matter. A Democratic candidate is expected to announce his decision through a recorded video, which could come as soon as later this afternoon. As of Wednesday morning, the message had not been taped. People familiar said support for Maine's Democratic nominee in the Senate rates collapsed this week amid rape allegation that he is denied. After CNN and Political reported the allegation, which was made by a woman he previously dated, Platner said he would, quote, reflect on the best path forward for his Senate bid. Democrats from all around the US Took away their endorsement of him yesterday afternoon and last evening.

[Chris Reavers]

Why don't you just go back to your boat, pal?

[John Height]

Mom needs her oysters.

[Chris Reavers]

That's right. Mom's looking for a new load of oysters.

[Matthew]

Is that a double entendre?

[John Height]

Well, After I said it, I had to grin. I'll admit it. Meanwhile, with recent polls suggesting he's locked in a dead heat as he runs for Texas's contested U.S. senate seat, Republican State Attorney General Ken Paxton was once again spotted vacationing with his purported mistress.

[Chris Reavers]

There you go.

[John Height]

Over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Paxton was seen walking alongside Christian influencer Tracy Duhan.

[Chris Reavers]

A Christian influencer. Well, I love those.

[John Height]

Yeah, they were near the London Eye Ferris wheel.

[Chris Reavers]

I'm sure they were.

[John Height]

The mega candidates history of scandals ranging from alleged extramarital affairs to a near impeachment in the Republican controlled Texas legislature has weighed heavily on his Senate race as he faces Texas Representative James Talarico, an Austin Democrat and Presbyterian seminarian. Paxton stop in England came days after he was spotted boarding a flight to Iceland with Duhan, whom he's allegedly been seeing for about two years while still legally married to his wife, State Senator Angela Paxton.

[Chris Reavers]

Oh, it's a family business with the Paxtons.

[Matthew]

Maybe they have an agreement.

[Chris Reavers]

Maybe.

[John Height]

Well, they don't actually, because Angela Paxton filed for divorce in July of 2025 on. On quote, biblical grounds.

[Chris Reavers]

Sure, it's in there somewhere.

[Kenny Olson]

Somewhere on the grounds.

[John Height]

Paxton's latest scandal comes as recent polling from the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas in Austin showed him in a virtual tie with Talarico. This would be historic. If Paxton loses, Talarico would be the first Democrat to win a statewide office in Texas since 1994. A new poll appears to back up reports that Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu is not popular with even Jewish people in the United States. New York City Mayor is Ohan Mamdani more popular among Jewish Americans than Netanyahu, according to a survey from the Associated Press and NORC center for Public Affairs Research. That poll has Netanyahu with a -27 point net approval among Jewish Americans. Momdadi scored a positive five point net approval.

[Matthew]

Wait a minute.

[John Height]

Huh?

[Matthew]

Wow. That's all. That's stunning to me.

[Kenny Olson]

That's like kicking a can.

[Matthew]

Isn't that stunning to you guys?

[Chris Reavers]

Yes.

[John Height]

I was surprised at the margin.

[Chris Reavers]

Yes.

[Matthew]

Yeah.

[Joe Sucher]

Huge.

[John Height]

Huge.

[Matthew]

Wow.

[John Height]

I know Netanyahu's not popular in general, but the fact that.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Matthew]

Okay.

[Kenny Olson]

What happened to Netten?

[John Height]

This story. I love these stories. I. You guys, I don't know, might be bored, you might not. I don't know. We usually think of the plague or Black Death as a Middle Ages thing, right? Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

I don't want.

[Matthew]

I don't want.

[Chris Reavers]

It's not now serious plague.

[John Height]

Well, new research says it was around long before the middle ages. About 5,500 years ago, bands of hunter gatherers inhabited the Lake Bacala region in Siberia, sustained by rich resources, including prey like elk, deer, moose, fish, seals, and rodents called marmots.

[Chris Reavers]

Nice marmot.

[Matthew]

You beat me to it as soon

[John Height]

as I saw this story. Somebody's gonna say it.

[Matthew]

I can't believe you beat me to it.

[Chris Reavers]

Nice marmot. Park ranger.

[John Height]

The people in Siberia became victims of the earliest known plague outbreak, especially children and adolescents. Researchers said ancient DNA obtained from bod bodies interred in four burial sites in the area revealed the presence of the oldest known strains of Yersinia pestis, or the plague bacterium. Those prehistoric deaths presaged the immense suffering that the pathogen visited on humankind over the millennia. The researchers said the outbreak was particularly dead for the young, judging from the burial sites.

[Chris Reavers]

John, can you stop this and just bring us back to 2026? Is the plague still around?

[John Height]

It's still around, yes, but we have

[Chris Reavers]

ways to treat that plague. The black plague?

[John Height]

No. Yeah, but if it's caught stuff, you got no problems.

[Matthew]

Isn't that rabies? I. I had a coon. A coon stumbled into the yard, kind of wobbly and whatnot over the weekend. I had to send him to heaven. Yeah, I think he was loaded with the rabies.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah, loaded with the rabies.

[John Height]

Yeah, I did. See, when I was researching this story, did you know in the Middle Ages the plague killed 16 million people?

[Matthew]

Oh, yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

I didn't know the plague was that bad. That's why it was called the plague, I guess. I. It was a plague.

[John Height]

16 million. Think of that. That's a lot of people.

[Chris Reavers]

All right. And what. When was this in history? That.

[John Height]

The middle. The Middle Ages?

[Chris Reavers]

I didn't even know we had that many people.

[Matthew]

Haven't you read the Ken Follett books, John?

[John Height]

I have not.

[Matthew]

Oh, you gotta read them.

[Chris Reavers]

What are the symptoms of the plague?

[Matthew]

You die.

[Chris Reavers]

Okay.

[Matthew]

No, I don't. I'm not sure.

[Kenny Olson]

Quick.

[Matthew]

Sure. Pillars of the earth. Earth. They're really the. I think there's three of them.

[John Height]

I can't. You can't? I have a bookcase right now. 60 books I want to read, and you keep giving me all these book titles.

[Unknown Caller]

What?

[John Height]

What?

[Matthew]

You know, you got to put everything down and go to these Ken Follet books.

[Unknown Caller]

They're fast.

[Matthew]

You'll learn about the Catholic Church more than you want to know.

[Kenny Olson]

Really?

[Unknown Caller]

Yeah.

[Matthew]

Yep.

[John Height]

United Airlines must face a class action lawsuit after a federal judge rejected the airline's attempt to dismiss claims from passengers who say they paid extra for window seats when there were actually no windows by the seats. The lawsuit, which also names Delta Airlines, alleges the airlines misled customers by failing to disclose during bookings that some window seats on Boeing 737, 757S, no. And Airbus A321s are located beside blank cabin walls instead of windows. So they just have a little white, white thing there instead of a right,

[Chris Reavers]

and you hurt your neck turning around to try to see out of the guy behind you. Window

[John Height]

Judge James Donato in San Francisco rejected United's argument that a window seat refers only to a seat's position, not a guaranteed outside view. Donato rejected United's argument that federal law blocked the passengers claim, saying the airline's own ticketing terms, boarding passes and reservation screens, promised window seats to customers who paid for them. Speaking of airplanes, a student pilot was forced to land a plane alone after her instructor jumped to his death from the cockpit.

[Matthew]

What?

[John Height]

Yeah, this happened. In Toledo, Argentina. 42 year old Leandro Bortazo unstrapped himself and jumped out of the cockpit while in midair. He was found dead in a field after a short search near the spot where he had exited the Cessna C150 on Monday, July 6. The unnamed student pilot, a 22 year old female, said he took his headphones off, arranged his belongings, including his mobile phone, took his seatbelt off, opened the door, which is very difficult to open, and just jumped out. She raised the alarm after being left in the situation of having to land the plane. Eduardo Alvarez, director of flight school Flying Parrot Cordoba, where Leandro had worked, said she was very shaken, but with complete professionalism, she flew the plane to the airfield and made a perfect landing. He praised the actions of the student, who had a pilot's license but very few flying hours under her belt. Eduardo remembered the deceased pilot as a man who is always smiling.

[Chris Reavers]

Maybe she drove him nuts. Maybe she was just really a lousy pupil.

[Matthew]

She wouldn't shut up.

[Chris Reavers]

She said. Yeah, she wouldn't take any orders or anything.

[Matthew]

She read every single sign along the road on the road trip. By the way, she heard that if

[Kenny Olson]

you're sitting there, how long?

[Chris Reavers]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kenny Olson]

How long does that. How long do you process that?

[Chris Reavers]

When he says a is not on there yet?

[Josh Arnold]

I put it on and it didn't update.

[Chris Reavers]

It didn't. Well, what do you mean it didn't update? You gotta make it update.

[Matthew]

Focus. That story is the start of your next novel. Where does it go from there?

[Chris Reavers]

What story? Jumping out of the airport. Oh, oh yeah. He would listen live. He would live.

[John Height]

Like D.B. cooper.

[Unknown Caller]

Yeah.

[Kenny Olson]

Or like Rambo. He would like fly into a bunch of pine trees. That would save him.

[Chris Reavers]

Yeah. He landed some trees.

[Unknown Caller]

Yeah.

[Kenny Olson]

Rambo style.

[Chris Reavers]

I wasn't really thinking of Rambo.

[Kenny Olson]

You're gonna steal it.

[Chris Reavers]

I know. John, thank you so much.

[John Height]

Surely.

[Chris Reavers]

Yeah. Surely, surely. All right. Thank you. I'll come the damn thing won't

[Kenny Olson]

hethe.com.

[Chris Reavers]

it's the end of the world as we know it. And he feels mine. Joe Suzerain. There he is.

[Kenny Olson]

Dot, dot, dot.

[John Height]

That makes me laugh.

[Chris Reavers]

Are you as intrigued as I am about this 37 story Manhattan High rise that is in danger of collapsing?

[Kenny Olson]

Honest to God I am.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, because that doesn't happen in this country. That's not supposed to happen.

[Kenny Olson]

Right?

[Chris Reavers]

Is it a Trump building? Did he build this?

[John Height]

No, I thought it was an older building.

[Matthew]

Swinging. A mess.

[Chris Reavers]

Yeah, yeah.

[John Height]

Did you do that just to set that up?

[Kenny Olson]

I think so. He.

[Chris Reavers]

No, no.

[Kenny Olson]

I bought the hook.

[Chris Reavers]

No. It used to be the headquarters of Pfizer. The. What are they? Pills or something?

[Kenny Olson]

Drug company.

[Chris Reavers]

Drug company and. But the scare began yesterday morning after workers discovered a buckling structural columns inside the former Pfizer headquarters. It's a 1970s era office tower. It's being converted into 1600 luxury apartments. But seriously, we're so spoiled in this country. This doesn't happen here.

[Kenny Olson]

Well, hang on. Remember the. I don't remember how many years ago when somebody did the marble trick and whatever building they had built.

[Chris Reavers]

Oh, there was an apartment building in San Francisco and it was a woman who practiced putting.

[Kenny Olson]

Okay.

[Chris Reavers]

In her. In her apartment.

[Kenny Olson]

I stand.

[Chris Reavers]

And no matter what she did, the ball all went to one side and they had to.

[Kenny Olson]

They had to re.

[Chris Reavers]

Sinking. It's same thing.

[Kenny Olson]

That's the West Coast.

[Matthew]

What is it sinking about?

[John Height]

Thank you, Kenny.

[Matthew]

Such you can breathe a sigh of relief. According to mom. Donnie, support beams have put in place and there is no. No additional problems. Everything's going to be okay.

[Chris Reavers]

According to them. I ain't getting an apartment in that place. Yeah.

[Unknown Caller]

Or.

[Kenny Olson]

Larry, why don't you run up to the 27th floor to fix that and check.

[Chris Reavers]

How's this for some. For some consolation though? 95 of the building's okay.

[John Height]

Oh good.

[Matthew]

The part underground.

[Chris Reavers]

But they. I think what they started doing is they tried to make some floors wider than other floors and it was not equipped to handle that weight.

[Kenny Olson]

Got it.

[Chris Reavers]

But I. I don't like this happening in the. In the United States of America. See the usa, we don't have your Chevrolet. Our buildings are supposed to stand up.

[Kenny Olson]

Yep.

[Chris Reavers]

They're not supposed to crumble.

[Unknown Caller]

No.

[Kenny Olson]

Like Honduras, unfortunately.

[John Height]

Or.

[Chris Reavers]

No, that would be Venezuela.

[John Height]

Maybe it's just a metaphor. Just a metaphor.

[Kenny Olson]

Port of Honduras down there with the oil.

[Chris Reavers]

I have a family leave update. We have in Minnesota the paid family and medical leave schedule.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

I call it a scheme.

[Kenny Olson]

We're a little behind.

[Chris Reavers]

Since it launched. This is from the center of the American Experiment.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

Since it launched as and when the data become available. Who wrote that? John Phelan has been tracking the performance of Minnesota's paid family and medical leave scheme against the forecast on which it was based on. Milliman, an actuarial firm, submitted an analysis in Feb. Of 2024 which recommended the 0.88% payroll tax rate with which the scheme was launched. This analysis forecast a daily rate of approvals of 361. 361 approvals. Couple of weeks ago, Phelan noted that the state government had stopped issuing its periodic updates on approvals. Today, the Minnesota Department. This is dated yesterday. What's today, the 8th? This was dated yesterday. Yesterday, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced that in the first six months of successful operations, about 75,000Americans. No Minnesotans have been approved to receive benefit payments. That works out at a daily rate of approvals of 419, 16% above what was forecasted. NPR News reports that deed. Deputy Commissioner Evan Roe said the state would consult an actuarial analysis this month to determine whether the payroll tax rate for workers and employers would need to be increased.

[Unknown Caller]

What?

[Chris Reavers]

That didn't even take six months before that had to be increased. Didn't this go into effect in January?

[Kenny Olson]

Yes.

[Matthew]

Right away.

[Chris Reavers]

It's not even six months and we got to increase the taxes.

[Matthew]

So does Evan think this is good or bad? Is this a victory or is this a whoopsie?

[Chris Reavers]

You can draw your own conclusions. Oh, I'm sure they're bursting their buttons in the bureaucracy because they created such a popular program. Again, this was nothing that was being asked for by the populace. But they're going to come up by them.

[Matthew]

They're going to come at us and go, see, see? Successful. See.

[Chris Reavers]

Holy mackerel. We're already going to have to raise that tax. This thing ain't six months old. These people are interesting, aren't they? They're just interesting. What do we have?

[Kenny Olson]

15,000?

[Chris Reavers]

Well, I hesitate to provide a new flag update because you're not getting them posted.

[Kenny Olson]

You can't embargo you this stuff you gotta give people the news.

[John Height]

Let's go.

[Chris Reavers]

I'm going to. Okay. Scott Christopherson notes. I am happy to report that when renewing my permit to carry license today in Foley, Minnesota, the county seat of Benton county was flying the true Minnesota flag at the sheriff's office and the courthouse. So Foley, Minnesota, has to go on there without excuses. And then this guy has a very interesting note. Jack McCann said the Century Family Farm campground in St. Martin's New Brunswick.

[Josh Arnold]

Brunswick.

[Chris Reavers]

As many flags from visitors. And I saw beauty. He took a picture. Our true state flag is flying at this tourist building in New Brunswick. They've got all the flags in there. And the Minnesota flag, the true flag is flying. He said. This is a wonderful quiet place on the shore of the Atlantic, 1800 miles from here.

[Unknown Caller]

Here.

[Chris Reavers]

And they had a beauty of a garage as well to go along with that. Isn't that wonderful? Our flag is flying on the shores of the Atlantic in New Brunswick.

[Kenny Olson]

I approve.

[Chris Reavers]

I do, too. So if you want to add New Brunswick, you'll have to fix. Make sure that gets on the crawl. Okay. Although we've been shortchanging getting things on the crawl, apparently. Do you have a backlog of things that haven't made it to the crawl?

[Unknown Caller]

Three.

[Chris Reavers]

Three aching among them. Yeah. Well, let's get that taken care of. I'm sure we'll have to call the crawl department.

[Kenny Olson]

Where is the crawl department?

[Matthew]

Can any of you hoople heads tell me exactly where New Brunswick is?

[Chris Reavers]

I can. It's up there. It's. It's above Maine. It's. You just keep going up that way. It's right there on the east coast of Canada.

[Kenny Olson]

Yeah, yeah. You got to go a little further north than what you normally would do.

[Matthew]

Now, are you sure it's the Atlantic and east.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, what would it be? The Arctic?

[Kenny Olson]

No, it's not that high.

[Chris Reavers]

It's not that high. I'm going to say the Atlantic.

[Matthew]

Have you ever heard of the St. Lawrence?

[Chris Reavers]

I have. Is New Brunswick on the St. Lawrence Seaway?

[Kenny Olson]

Is that where they make bowling stuff?

[Chris Reavers]

Yeah, but the Atlantic would also be at New Brunswick's doorstep.

[Kenny Olson]

New Brunswick is a Canadian maritime province located on the eastern seaboard.

[Chris Reavers]

That's what I said. You can get there. You can find. Find it. Oh, wow.

[Kenny Olson]

The world's highest tides in the Bay of Fundy. It is Canada's only official bilingual province.

[Matthew]

You know, when they're. That what their annual celebration is, Matthew, what is it? Fun D. Friday.

[Unknown Caller]

All right, everybody.

[Kenny Olson]

How do you say it in French?

[John Height]

You're welcome.

[Matthew]

Joe.

[Kenny Olson]

I don't know why.

[Chris Reavers]

Only because they come to us. I'm Bosnian troublemaker Olson from Marleth park in South Africa.

[Josh Arnold]

I don't know.

[Chris Reavers]

From the traveling linemans. What am I. Stop it.

[Kenny Olson]

I'm.

[Chris Reavers]

Stop it.

[Kenny Olson]

I've been stopped.

[Matthew]

Let me pat myself on the back for that one.

[Chris Reavers]

Thanks for that job, Ken, from the traveling lineman. 7. On this day, it is 7. 8, you say that month?

[Josh Arnold]

Oh, July.

[Kenny Olson]

He's trying to shorten it up again this day. Work on that.

[Matthew]

Wants it to be open.

[Unknown Caller]

Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

1775, Alexander Hendry. Alexander Henry the Elder, one of the first Englishmen to visit present day Minnesota, traveled up the Pigeon river to Partridge Portage.

[Unknown Caller]

Wow.

[Chris Reavers]

What a lot of peas there.

[John Height]

A lot of peas.

[Chris Reavers]

On this day, July 8, in 1887, a police officer was shot while trying to break up a riot at the saloon keepers picnic in St. Paul.

[Unknown Caller]

Paul.

[Kenny Olson]

You gotta be. You can't write that. This saloon keepers picnic.

[Chris Reavers]

That's what it was, Matt. On this day, July 8th, early.

[Kenny Olson]

Mom, Pettit's.

[Chris Reavers]

In the early 1889. You know, I could see that if it was that guy from. Who's the guy that sells the Coney Islands? It's called the Coney Island.

[Kenny Olson]

Isn't it that arvinitis?

[Chris Reavers]

Yeah. No, no, that's not Arvinitas. No, the one down on 7th Street.

[Kenny Olson]

Oh, George.

[Chris Reavers]

George. I could see George doing that.

[Kenny Olson]

He would. Yeah, that would be a fun one.

[Chris Reavers]

On this day, July 8, in 1889, the federal government and the Red Lake Ojibwe signed a treaty that ceded 2,905,000 serp. Shut up.

[Kenny Olson]

I wanna hear if you finish.

[Chris Reavers]

Shut up. The federal government and the Red Lake Ojibwe signed a treaty that ceded 2,905,000 surplus acres from the reservation. Rather than distributed the remaining reservation land to individual tribe members and allotments, the treaty allowed the Red Lake Ojibwe to hold the land in common, thereby protecting it from piecemeal sale.

[Kenny Olson]

Okay, I was gonna take the other way.

[Matthew]

You're right.

[Chris Reavers]

I should have premature.

[Kenny Olson]

I should have remained silent.

[Chris Reavers]

On this day, July 8, in 1939, Duluth's streetcars operated for one final day before being replaced by trolley buses. I'm not sure that would have made my. This day in history.

[Kenny Olson]

What's the distinction between the two, I wonder.

[Chris Reavers]

I don't know.

[Kenny Olson]

Okay?

[Chris Reavers]

I don't know. On this day in Minnesota, sports disappointment, history.

[Josh Arnold]

July 8th.

[Matthew]

Well, who did we lose to on this day?

[Josh Arnold]

Last time I said that, you said, just say this date.

[Kenny Olson]

22.

[Chris Reavers]

No, no, Kenny. Kenny, I think is right. You're supposed to say, who do we lose to?

[Josh Arnold]

Who did we lose to today? Joe.

[Kenny Olson]

Conversational. Very conversational.

[Matthew]

Gabe is now disinterested as we are.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, on July 8, 2012, the Twins and Rangers were struck by light.

[John Height]

Oh, yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

I'd have to take a stab at guessing that that was what was the year. Well, it was 2012, so that wasn't the Metrodome. So it was either at Texas or it was here.

[John Height]

It was in Texas. And you've seen the video because everybody on the field jumps in the air

[Chris Reavers]

and runs to the Metro. It made a loud cracking noise.

[Kenny Olson]

They ran faster than rogerwalt.

[Chris Reavers]

Oh, George Mineral.

[Kenny Olson]

George Mineral.

[Chris Reavers]

He ran over to the Thunderbird.

[Matthew]

How many children and women would you knock out of your way if you were at that stadium?

[Chris Reavers]

Search anyone that I had to. Anyone.

[Matthew]

The answer is all of them in

[Kenny Olson]

his prime or right now, because that number would change quite a bit.

[Chris Reavers]

But, yeah, there was. Bob Casey had that famous.

[Kenny Olson]

What was the line again?

[Chris Reavers]

Your attention, please.

[Kenny Olson]

Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please. There's a bomb that's about to go off in center field in about two minutes.

[Chris Reavers]

Just the way he said it. That was the same day that the Dayton's department store in St. Paul had a bomb go off in a restroom. Really? Yeah.

[Kenny Olson]

I didn't know that.

[Chris Reavers]

1969.

[Josh Arnold]

Okay.

[Matthew]

Yeah.

[Chris Reavers]

So Casey gets on and says, a bomb is scheduled to go off. It's gonna go off at second base, you know, and people panicked and ran. And George Mitterwald, who I don't think was the starting catcher, but he was in all his gear, he just went over to the Thunderbirds, went to the bar.

[Matthew]

That sounds like me, actually.

[Chris Reavers]

I don't know if that's an apocryphal story or not, but it's a great story.

[Kenny Olson]

Well, my happiness about that is it wasn't a promotion night like Halter Top Night, because I know that Bob would have brought the gang over there for Halter Top Night, which he did, you know, annually at the Twins game.

[Chris Reavers]

He did.

[Kenny Olson]

We're going to Halter Top Night.

[Chris Reavers]

Kind of creepy.

[Kenny Olson]

We don't go to any other games that Bob would always take us to Halter Top Night. It must have been the beer.

[Chris Reavers]

Those were. Those were highly anticipated events.

[Kenny Olson]

Bob hit the pedal to the metal on those nights.

[Chris Reavers]

So you got to go to a Twins game once in a while.

[Kenny Olson]

I didn't ever got a halter top, though. Yeah, I didn't understand it.

[Chris Reavers]

Well, G. Ellers, thank you very much Reavers will be back tomorrow and the mistakes will continue.

[Kenny Olson]

Well, they will continue. But if you have been entertained, have you not been entertained, my friends? And if you want more entertainment, you can go to some of the backlogs, some of the shows that we've already [e-mail] and you can click on, well, there's a drop down menu, there's rookies, recipes, there's highlight shows, there's all sorts of stuff that you can purchase. But you need to go to garagelogic.com wondering how so many people are enjoying us on YouTube. Super easy. You go to YouTube and you subscribe to Garage Logic on YouTube. That's super easy. Town council, they're inside for all the breaks and the entire show, pre show, post show and everything in between. That's town council. That can be [e-mail].

[Josh Arnold]

Money, money, money is exactly what you're gonna understand after you pick up that phone and dial 950-292-55608 for that free no obligation financial consultation with Mr. MoneyTalk himself. Again, his phone number, 952-925-5608. Josh with the family feud in the Fed, the price of oil rising, new Monster News and Apple News, what can we expect today and the rest of this week?

[Unknown Caller]

That is a lot of questions. What can we expect? Well, today I'll say you can't expect much as the Dow Jones is down as we speak over 700 Dow Point as the price of oil has spiked today 7% jumping right now to $75 a barrel. This in front of the reading of the Fed minutes and today's New York Fed talking about on the short to medium term term concerns about inflation with their concern, this being the New York, the New York Fed with rising rents, I'll say rents in the New York area are up 1% in, in a month. Insurance costs have continued to rise. So you've got two big, big components of the CPI showing increases. Add in today's jump in oil price ahead of the Fed minutes and many Fed members have been concerned with rising inflation expectations or inflation not heading down to their 2% target. We have talked about this a lot over the last several, several years and I have said it's going to be very, very difficult for the Fed to hit a 2% inflation target target, especially given the stickiness of mortgage adjusted rents which have continued to go up as evidence in the New York area and the price of insurance, whether it's health insurance, property and casualty insurance just continuing to rise well above the rate of inflation. And if I really were looking at something that was inflation I would talk about or I could talk about the cost of education, particularly post secondary education, way, way exceeding any inflationary moves, any inflationary rise. But I'll say the Fed in their interest rate decisions really does not look at so much the cost of post secondary education. But you as a potential user of post secondary education for children or grandchildren that is an important consideration in budget planning. But with oil going up, the Dow going down and the leading components driving the Dow down are the banks. Goldman Sachs down significantly, JP Morgan down significantly and companies like Sherwood Williams also down significantly along with Home Depot and Caterpillar and of course the banks are down then concerns about an oil is up, concerns hit about spending which would hit both Visa and American Express. But to me and maybe you, I haven't stopped using my Visa card nor my American Express card. Those companies I think will be pretty solid on a long term basis and any dip in price if you are an investor in those could be reason to add. Now aside concerns about interest rates, concerns about oil which do impact of course the market and should interest rates go up, technology shares, particularly semiconductors and software stocks tend to to fall off. Yet favorite Apple signed probably one of the biggest manufacturing deals recently signing a 30 billion dollar chip deal with Broadcom. Broadcom has been an Apple partner for a very long time. 30 billion dollar deal over the next six years is quite significant as Apple Apple looks to secure secure its supply chain as a lot of costs per chip have been going up with the high demand for data centers. I have been for a long time as you are all aware cable pounder for for Apple and I do have a pretty high price target for Apple at $400 a share meantime time and I will say on a long term basis Apple has been a extremely good performer despite numerous numerous sell off over the last 20 years. Another good performer over the last 20 years just a dull stock. One of those stocks where you say hit your head and move your hairline back, huh? Why didn't I think to influence invest in this company. Now as you know I've talked about one of the original energy drink companies, Coca Cola but a recent energy company Monster Beverage has probably been one of the top top performers over the last 20 plus years. Monster got a price target increase from Wells Fargo and monster is up 25% year year to date and very few people talk about it, very few people track it but an awful lot of people drink the beverage so you don't have to be looking necessarily at investing in space, as in SpaceX or Blue Origin, which got a completed a funding round today. Blue Origin is Jeff Bezos space company and it is privately held. But they did a fundraising today that values the company at $130 billion. That is, we'll say, a extremely high valuation and relative to SpaceX or Rocket Lab, almost worth twice of that or twice of those companies on a price to sale basis. But plenty of exciting excitement over fate. Yet a dull company like Monster Beverage has delivered the good.

[Josh Arnold]

Wow, that was a lot to unpack, Josh. And I know you didn't get as in detail as you could on that phone call at 952-925-5608. Again, get yourself those finer details by picking up that phone and dialing that number, 952-9255. Thank you very much, Josh. Have a wonderful day, Gabe.

[Unknown Caller]

You too. Stay dry.

[Josh Arnold]

Thank you.