An afternoon with NPR

I've been listening to NPR all afternoon so I'm just full of info.

First - I just heard some report about money approved for wind turbines and at the end, it said there was some approved project in Newburyport.

HUH? I was only half listening since I was writing. I can't find anything about this on line.

Anyone know what this is about?

This NPR reporter on now keeps saying, "relator." Very annoying.

Second, there was a report about debit cards and how banks have managed to make them into credit cards.

It's simple - and I've had a rant about this before - the bank "covers" your overdrafts and then charges you $35 for this "help."

I had a similar situation to the one they described happen a few months ago when I put a $2.09 latte on my debit card and got slammed with a $35 fee because I forgot about a check I wrote (I hardly ever write checks anymore). I think I could have scrounged up the $2.09 out of my laundry quarters and change I have strewn about the car.

I politely asked Bank of America to stop authorizing charges if it put me in overdraft. I was told that small charges don't require bank approval and they have no control. Further, I was told, most customers like it because it saves them embarrassment.

They removed the $35 fee.

But now NPR has told me that they will probably have to allow me to opt out of this "service," which is what I tried unsuccessfully to do.

The government is looking into this, NPR told me.

Good.