Mitchell Report

I just received a notice that my High Yield American Express Savings Account has dropped its rate from 3.80% to 3.60%. I remember it being 4.00% at the end of last year, and even a bit higher when I opened the account earlier in the year.

So, let’s recap:

• Credit card interest rates are up
• My pay is stagnating
• My retirement funds are losing money
• And now, my savings rate is steadily declining

All this while “he who must not be named” shot the whole economy in the foot with what amounts to the largest tax increase in American history, all while claiming “the other country pays the tariff.”

Today isn’t just another Sunday — it’s Star Wars Day. 🎉

**May the Force — or the Fourth — be with you. **

I'm a big fan of Star Wars (though I’ll admit I’m an even bigger Star Trek fan — too bad Trek doesn’t have its own dedicated day, at least not one that’s widely known). Still, credit where it’s due: Disney — with the help of Dave Filoni, Jon Favreau, and their talented team — is doing an excellent job keeping the Star Wars universe alive and thriving.

That said, I do wish it didn’t take so long for new seasons to be released.

I've made this gripe before, but TV series used to have longer seasons and shorter breaks. Now it feels like we wait years instead of months. 📺

May the Fourth be with you — and as we reflect on our own world, I’m reminded of a moment from Rogue One:

Saw Gerrera: “You can stand to see the Imperial flag reign across the galaxy?” Jyn Erso: “It’s not a problem if you don’t look up.” 🏴‍☠️

Sometimes, looking away seems easier — but today reminds us to stay alert, stay hopeful, and stand up for what’s right.

Caption: A hand-drawn sketch showing a frustrated man with empty pockets in front of a laptop running Pocket in Firefox.

I’ve been using Pocket since I switched to Mozilla Firefox over four years ago. I like Firefox, though I do miss some functionality from Chrome—like the ability to cast directly to the TV. Still, one of the things I’ve always appreciated was Pocket.

I actually signed up for Pocket back when it was called Read It Later, even before Mozilla acquired it. I never paid for the service—I stuck with the free plan. But recently, I decided that Pocket is one service I’m willing to support financially, especially to help Mozilla. I also subscribe to Mozilla’s Relay service (which I’ve started using quite a bit) and pay for it annually.

(Luke 21:5) And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, (Luke 21:6) “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” (Luke 21:7) And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” (Luke 21:8) And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. (Luke 21:9) And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

After Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and drove out those misusing the Temple courtyard—turning what was meant to be a place for God into a market—He spoke many parables about what was to come. Then He turned His attention to the Last Supper and the betrayal that would soon unfold.

Employee-Provided Healthcare

I've been wanting to write about this topic for a while, but the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson allegedly by Luigi Mangione has been weighing on my mind. First and foremost, healthcare in this country has been in shambles for a long time.

Throughout my career, I've always had employer-provided healthcare—through two government employers (state and county) and one private employer. I can say that the state-provided plan was the cheapest but middle-of-the-road in terms of quality. The county government plan was a little more expensive, but it was by far the best coverage I've ever had. Now, I work for a private employer, and while I'm grateful to have insurance, it has been the worst plan I've ever had—and I work for a hospital.

All three employer-provided plans I've had were self-funded but administered by private companies. The prescription coverage across all of them was terrible, though the county plan was the best of the three.