Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Postal Rate Increase

Breaking News From 1917, 1932, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1985, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009
"Post Office Plans to Announce New Rate Increase"--headline, Associated Press, July 6


Is it just me, or is the price of stamps going up at a yearly rate? Maybe it's time to buy "Forever" stamps by the sheets or rolls. You know, bulk quantity.

The Cheerleader Mom

This was in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Court upholds confinement for Wisconsin cheerleader mom
July 7, 2010 11:33 a.m. | Madison - An appeals court has upheld three years of confinement in a mental health facility for a 33-year-old woman who enrolled in a Wisconsin high school and tried out for cheerleading.

Wendy Brown used her 15-year-old daughter's name and social security number to enroll at Ashwaubenon High School in August 2008 and practice with the cheerleading squad.

Under a plea agreement, she was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to one charge of identity theft.

A judge committed her to three years of treatment, saying her release would pose a significant risk because of her history of financial and property crimes.

Brown, now 35, appealed her commitment but the District 3 Court of Appeals rejected her arguments Wednesday.



Interesting. So, we have people clinging desperately to their youth.

Here's an idea. There are proms for older folk who didn't get to go to prom when they were in high school. Maybe they couldn't afford it or their high school (like my area Lutheran high school) just didn't have one. You can now go to one.

Or you couldn't make all those baseball teams? Well, for the right price you can get on a fantasy camp--with the Major League Baseball team of your choice!

Maybe someone needs to start a cheerleading camp for older gals. They can all cheer for the Cougars!

Is This a Winning Strategy?

I saw this headline today:

Democrats Digging Harder Than Ever for Dirt on Republicans"--headline, Washington Post, July 7

So, tell me, are the Democrats devoid of ideas? Is the economy that bad? Is ObamaCare that bad? Are the Democrats so desperate that they have to scour for dirt so that when they run they can say, "We're bad, but not as bad as our opponents."?

This is not a winning strategy. It might be a difference in a close race. But overall it does not say to the American people, "We have a plan for peace and prosperity and this is our plan."

Of course the Republicans could run as bad a campaign. Can you see it now: "Vote for John Smith. He didn't vote for ObamaCare." Well, you have to have a plan to go forward. And that plan might include hard decisions, decisions groups like, oh, say union members and teachers might not like.

Paul Ryan, congressman from Wisconsin, has had a plan for several years. It is a start. Actually, Mr. Ryan's plan is well developed. This could be the ticket much like Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America."

Now, can any Democrat come up with a detailed plan? Or will they be the "party of 'No'" as they demonize Paul Ryan's plan?