JohnMeus

Commercial banks, insurers, pension funds, etc. would absolutely love for you to pay off your mortgages early so they can reinvest at today’s much higher rates. But most homeowners w/ these cheap fixed-rate loans are smart enough not to.

Dear Governor, Just over 12 years ago, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputy Danny Oliver and Placer County Sheriff’s Detective Michael Davis Jr. were brutally executed by Luis Bracamontes. Bracamontes was a convicted drug dealer in the midst of a crime spree with his girlfriend when he opened fire on Danny as he approached his vehicle. Bracamontes fled, carjacked several vehicles, shot a civilian before fatally shooting Detective Michael Davis Jr. with a rifle and seriously wounding Davis’ partner, Deputy Jeff Davis. I went to that crime scene and remember every detail vividly. I also remember watching Bracamontes laugh in court while their families, including Danny’s two young daughters, had to sit and watch. Bracamontes was convicted of murder by a jury of his peers, who then sentenced him to death. Deputy Danny Oliver and Detective Michael Davis Jr. should be alive today, enjoying long and healthy lives with their families. Instead, the man who murdered them has now escaped his sentence. Governor, I urge you to reconsider any proposal to commute the death sentences of all 548 people on death row, especially that of Luis Bracamontes. This isn’t just about the death penalty. It’s about accountability, honoring the decisions of juries, respecting the will of California voters, and standing with the families of victims who have already suffered unimaginable loss.

Diana Taurasi will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2027! 💐

Just in: Vikings QB Carson Wentz will start Monday night’s game vs. the Buffalo Bills while Kyler Murray deals with what the team has called a “sore hamstring.”

The fifth of November

Some dude in California running a 3-person company got voters to give him $4.2 billion by authoring a ballot measure, which passed

Marco Rubio realizing he has to update his pronouns to survive the next 2 years

That it’s not too late to turn your situation around.

I read a post this morning that said, “my escrow analysis got my mortgage going down $200.” This is a great reminder: separating taxes and insurance from your mortgage payment, also known as “waiving impounds” will prevent payment fluctuations. Tax and insurance costs will vary, a payment with a fixed rate doesn’t. Taxes are due twice a year, insurance once a year. Separate them, keep your money under your own management, and win. I explain to my clients that setting up an impound account is like taking a portion of your savings, handing it to the mortgage servicer and telling them to manage the money for the future tax and insurance bills. You can do that yourself.

BREAKING: Israel has informed the US that their intelligence indicates that Iran is "weighing" the use of chemical weapons, per NY Times. Israeli intel has reportedly been met with "alarm and skepticism" by US officials. Gulf officials have also questioned the Israeli assessment. Meanwhile, US Central Command reportedly has plans for strikes as soon as tomorrow, but they have not been authorized yet. Some US officials have suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is attempting convince President Trump to resume bombing Iran.

BREAKING: Google will turn off Search entirely for schools that opt out of its AI features, per The New York Times. Schools can’t disable Google’s AI Overviews or AI Mode on their own. Now, if they reject AI, they lose Search altogether, per NYT