JESUS WAS AN ALIEN, AND WE STAPLED HIM TO A TREE.

NOW THEY AIN’T GON COME BACK.

When you start using your capitol to sway local governments in your favor

If we guesstimate middle class by comparable lifestyle when the term was coined, it starts around 250k in today money. Comfortable house, lots of kids, multiple cars (but not luxury), at least one real traveling vacation every year, never worrying about paying bills or buying food, all while saving enough to retire by 55. There aren’t many people in the US with the income to match that. I’d say the middle class is dead.

“Hmm… I’m good with statistics, scripting, and I have some extra cash on hand…”

“I can just mix all these into the cauldron, stir it up a lil bit, aaand…”

“oh my god it’s gone. it’s all gone. i owe money now…”

It’s got something to do with max fund preallocation / preauthorization. This is normal for gas stations, supposedly it keeps card thieves from armada fueling and leaving the station holding a grand of irrecoverable debt. Some banks won’t show these background transactions, some only show one dollar, some show the full amount. The exact specifics you’re shown vary between banks and stations, but it is normal and happens all the time.