Coffee Break Blog!

Postage increases yet again!

Monday is the day! The cost to send a first class letter raises to .42 cents (currently it's .41). Seems like the rates are constantly going up and I can't keep up with the current price.

I found this historical trend of first class postage rates on the internet. Seems to be accurate but I'm not entirly sure. Seems like the only difference is we are increaseing the rate more often, almost every year for this decade. That's the annoying part of this whole thing.

Year	Postage Rate	Amount of Increase	Decade increase
1971	.08	.02
1974	.10	.02
1975	.13	.03
1978	.15	.02	.09
1981	.18	.03
1981	.20	.02
1985	.22	.02
1988	.25	.03	.10
1991	.29	.04
1995	.32	.03
1999	.33	.01	.08
2000	.34	.01
2002	.37	.01
2006	.39	.02
2007	.41	.02
2008	.42	.01	.09 (so far)

Even with the increases I will gladly pay .42 cents for somone to pick up a letter at my doorstop and deliver it to my friend's doorstop in NYC!

The 40-70 Rule

Have you heard about the 40-70 rule? I didn't but have sure faced many of the issues addressed it in.  Even as we speak, Robin and I are dealing with these issues.

Here is the rule:  If you are 40 and your parents are 70 you need to talk to them now before issues arise. Talking to your parents about some topics without causing them to get upset isn’t easy. They are the parent and you will always be the child in their mind, no matter how old you are. I believe acting like an independent adult makes it easier for the parent to step out of the parent role and talk to the “child” as a peer. Many of us don’t want to face the fact that our parents won’t be healthy or with us forever. We may avoid talking to our parents about touchy issues until there is a crisis and then it may to be too late and makes everything more difficult.

Have you talked to your parents about their wishes IF something would happen? Do you know what plans they have made in the event they would become ill or pass away? Do you know where they keep their important papers, wills, deeds, titles, financial information? Do you know if they have Long Term Care insurance? Have you discussed if they have a “Living Will”? If you parent went into cardiac arrest, do they want CPR preformed? What about life support? What about burial plans? Do they own a cemetery lot or have they made prepaid arrangements? The list goes on and on. Do yourself a favor and talk now with mom and dad sooner than later.

Border Fence on Private Land

This WaPost story highlights an interesting conundrum for conservatives: Building a border fence means using eminent domain to seize private property from American citizens.  What is more, the U.S. would effectively cede thousands of acres to the Mexican side of the fence ...Yikes!

So what's more important?  Defending the ownership rights of private citizens, or keeping illegal immigrants out (assuming a fence would actually do that)?

Angela - transforming heartbreak into hope

Autism is a brain development disorder that impairs social interaction and communication, and causes restricted and repetitive behavior, all starting before a child is three years old.

I read recently about a mother who was thanking the person who came up with the button that states that my child is not misbehaving he has autism. Her 3 year old son was recently diagnosed with Autism and she was always dealing with sour looks whenever she took him anywhere. She felt if she had to tell every single person that they came into contact with about Autism, she would never have a free moment. I love the idea of the button.

Autism has had an impact on some friends of ours.  Angela is a young mother with a son afflicted with Autism.  The thing about Angela however, is that she is doing whatever she can to promote awareness and help find solutions to this condition that affects so many. Angela is a representative for Autism Society of King County.

Did you know a new child is diagnosed with autism every 20 minutes. For all the children and families stricken by this disorder -- and all those who will be -- the time to act is now.

April is National Autism Awareness Month. In an effort to help fund research studies that will help find a cure, The McFarland Group will donate $100 to Angela’s chapter with each transaction we close until the end of July. With the support of our community, we can help transform heartbreak into hope.

The Beat Goes On . . .and on . . .and on

Effective April 1, 2008, sales and use tax in the majority of King County will increase from 8.9% to 9.0%. (The following Non-RTA areas are exceptions and will have rates of 8.6%: Black Diamond, Carnation, Covington, Duvall, Enumclaw, Maple Valley, North Bend, Skykomish, Snoqualmie.) The additional one-tenth of one percent will be used for chemical dependency or mental health treatment services.

Why do we as a society keep bailing out those who insist on making poor choices for their lives?  Granted, some people are unfortunate enough to be plagued by a mental illness.  However, studies show there are a lot of folks who choose to participate in extra curricular activities that often times lead to their current state of affairs. To quote Dr. Phil, when you choose the behavior, you choose the consequences.

What Are They Doing?

What are they doing anyway?  They did it once again - no surprise.  The "Fed" cut interest rates again in an attempt to kick start the economy.  One task of the Fed is to monitor and control to some extent, the overall economy.  It's not to provide low interest rates to the housing market.

One of the ways the fed can stimulate the economy is by cutting the "Fed Rate" which is the rate banks borrow money. By cutting rates, money is cheaper for banks who can borrow and lend out more money, not necessarily for home-loans but for business loans.  If there is more money available housing usually will benefit as well.

Some downsides of a rate cut:

• the potential loss of value to the dollar.
• Inflation
• and higher mortgage rates.

A few upsides:

• Commercial banks that are in business of checking and savings type of banking.
• Home equity loans that are typically have a 10 year life.
• Auto Loans
• credit cards.
• Business loans

The benefits are intended for the economy in general and not necessarily to the housing market. The housing market can initially suffer by dealing with higher interest rates due to the effect on bonds.  We'll be watching this closely . . . so should you!

Checklist of the week

By Michelle Malkin  •  February 15, 2008 03:38 PM

Zombie has published the second in a two-part photo essay on the siege at Berkeley. The pic of the USMC checklist is my favorite:

Vt. Towns Approve Bush 'Indictment

Another example of people with too much time on their hands!  In a move more symbolic than anything, police have been instructed to arrest Bush and Cheney if they ever visit Brattleboro or nearby Marlboro or to extradite them for prosecution elsewhere — if they're not impeached first.

Voters in two Vermont towns approved measures Tuesday calling for the indictment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for what they consider violations of the Constitution.

Town Clerk Annette Cappy stands in her office in Brattleboro, Vt. Friday Feb. 29, 2008, holding a sample ballot with an article which voters will consider that would instruct the town's attorney to draft indictments allowing President Bush and Vice President Cheney to be arrested by local authorities for crimes against their Constitution. On primary day Tuesday March 4, 2008, its residents will vote on whether to issue warrants for the arrest of Bush and Cheney, should they ever visit. (AP Photo/Jason R. Henske) (AP)