Thoughts for the Day, January 15, 2026: It is getting hot in Minneapolis. It is time to turn down the temperature

We already have one dead; we don't need more. We don't need another Kent State.

It is getting ugly in Minneapolis

With the second shooting of a protester in Minneapolis by a federal agent Wednesday evening the temperatures and tension are rising between the protesters and the federal agents. I could get ugly.

Per the NY Times, another shooting by a federal agent — the second there in a week — touched off more clashes between protesters and police officers in Minneapolis on Wednesday evening. In response, the president said he would consider invoking the Insurrection Act, which allows him to use the military to quash an insurrection or invasion.

Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota sought to calm escalating tensions in his state on Thursday, asking protesters to demonstrate peacefully and pleading with President Trump to back off his threat to deploy the U.S. military to Minneapolis. White House officials, in turn, accused Mr. Walz and other local leaders of encouraging violence.

Both sides need to tone it down. Peaceful protests can be a very powerful weapon, however, when the protestors turn to violence, even if it is in response to action by the federal agents, the protests lose their effectiveness, and the public perception turns against the protestors. The Reverend Marting Luther King, Jr. understood this extremely well which is why his peaceful protests were so effective.

There has already been one death, we don’t need anymore. We don’t need another Kent State. Please protest peacefully even when it doesn’t seem like the appropriate response. It is the best way to get the message across and win over public opinion.

*******************************************************************************************************

We see what we want to see.

After watching countless videos of the moments leading up to the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis last Wednesday, I am amazed at how there are many different interpretations of what the video shows. I see one thing, someone else sees another, and a third person sees something altogether different. In talking to various people about the video, I am convinced that one’s biases and political leanings influence what each individual sees.

Thanks to a subscriber, I learned today that this is a normal phenomenon. It is called the concept of “two-movies-one-screen”, which highlights the phenomenon where individuals or groups perceive the same event from different perspectives, leading to conflicting interpretations. This can occur in various contexts, such as political events, where different interpretations of the same facts can result in vastly different conclusions. The term was popularized by Scott Adams, the creator of the political cartoon Dilbert, who described it as a situation where people watch the same event and come away with opposing views. This phenomenon can lead to a lack of shared understanding and can have real-world consequences, affecting decision-making and public discourse.

******************************************************************************************************

A huge point shaving scandal in college basketball.

This should not be a surprise to anyone, considering how gambling has become an integral part of sports marketing.

Per ESPN, A college basketball point-shaving scheme involving more than 39 players on 17 NCAA Division I teams resulted in dozens of games in the previous two seasons being fixed by a gambling ring that included a former NBA player, according to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Twenty of the 26 defendants played college basketball during the 2023-24 and/or 2024-25 seasons, according to the indictment. Four of the players charged – Simeon Cottle, Carlos Hart, Camian Shell, and Oumar Koureissi -- have played for their current teams in the past week.

The allegations against Hart, Shell and Koureissi stem from their previous schools, while Cottle’s alleged incident occurred in the 2023-24 season. None of the allegations against them were from this season.

Eastern Michigan University said in a statement that Hart has been suspended from all team activities pending the outcome of the case while Kennesaw State University announced that Cottle has been suspended indefinitely from team activities.

Authorities described five defendants as “fixers,” who recruited players to participate in the scheme and offered bribes ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 to intentionally underperform. The bettors then placed and won millions of dollars in wagers on the fixed games, according to prosecutors.

**********************************************************************************************************

ACA enrollment in Michigan is down

Per Bridge Michigan, about 40,000 fewer Michiganders are signing up for Affordable Care Act health insurance plans this year, according to new federal data, following a national trend in people dropping coverage amid rising premiums and expiring subsidies.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reports 491,565 Michigan residents signed up through HealthCare.gov or have been automatically renewed in plans since the start of the 2026 marketplace open enrollment period in November. The agency reported 531,083 people in the state had selected plans at the same time last year.

Ahead of Thursday’s open enrollment deadline, policy analysts and health care stakeholders in Michigan pointed to the rise in insurance rates, Congress’s failure to extend ACA-tax credits for premiums, a major reduction in the number of insurers participating in individual plans. Down to 10 in 2026 from a high of 41 in 2011.

This is going to put a tremendous financial burden on the already strained healthcare systems in Michigan. Emergency Rooms and Urgent Care Centers are going to become primary care providers for the uninsured at a tremendous cost to the healthcare systems. Safety net clinics are going to be overwhelmed with non-paying demand for services. Many patients will defer necessary services and end up being hospitalized.

I can go on and on with the ramifications.

Speak up and speak out. Contact your members of congress and let them know this is unacceptable.

**********************************************************************************************************

Another glimmer of Hope

Less than 24 hours after the Trump administration informed more than 2,000 addiction and mental health programs nationwide that it was immediately terminating almost $2 billion of their funding, the administration reversed course and reinstated the money.

An administration official confirmed Wednesday night that the money was being restored but declined to say why.

The decision followed furious lobbying by lawmakers from both parties to restore the cuts and a letter to the health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with signatures from 100 House members.

***********************************************************************************************************

A citizen’s lament 2026 version

First, they came for the Muslims. Since I am not Muslim, I stayed silent.

Second, they came for the Hispanics. Since I am not Hispanic, I stayed silent

Third, they came for the Hindus, Africans, and Asians. Since I am none of these, I stayed silent.

Fourth they game for the African Americans. Since I am not an African American, I stayed silent.

Fifth, they came for LBGTQIA+. Since I am not LBGTQIA+, I stayed silent

Sixth, they came for the women who refused to stay home as homemakers. Since I am not a woman, I stayed silent.

Seventh, they came for the White males who did not believe like they did, Since I was one of them, I looked around for help, but there was no one who cared about me.

We are in phase three of the 2026 version of the citizen’s lament. Staying silent is not an option.

*************************************************************************************************

Quote of the Day: “My race will be a referendum on whether you can be in the Republican Party in Washington, D.C. and have a thought that diverges from the president’s….We have three branches of government, and if the legislative branch becomes a rubber stamp for the president, then we do have a king.” Republican Senator Massie on running for re-election as he continues his public battle with President Trump

Orchid of the Day: To a long-time subscriber, Wanda, who informed me of the “two movies, one screen” phenomenon I talked about above.

Onion of the Day: The NCAA men basketball players who were indicted for point shaving.

Question of the Day: How many more times are we going to hear about stories of “fixing” sporting events before professional sports and college sports wake-up and recognize they have a serious problem which starts with their TV sponsors?

Lyrics of the Day: Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her and
Found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Hint. May 4, 1970.

Lyrics of the Day for January 13, 2026. Main Street by Bob Seger

Video of the Day: Pentatonix - Imagine (Official Video)