Friday Funnies

This is a lengthy Friday Funnies, but what's not-so-funny is that the story is absolutely true. Not only did it fool various media 85 years ago, but it's connected to my NJ hometown.

A newspaper story about the college and its star halfback

That's because, in 1941, one of the oddest sports hoaxes of all time was about a football team based in Plainfield, NJ. I learned of this notoriety several weeks ago through a small book, The Book of the Bizarre, Freaky Facts & Strange Stories a small 300-page treasure trove of unusual, stranger-than-fiction stories, usually limited to a page or less. 

One of these titled Don't Believe Everything You Read told the story of Plainfield teachers College football tea, that in 1941, had both a winning season and a star quarterback with its wins published in major newspapers. The problem was that the college and its team were the creation on a prankster NY stockbroker.

The story remains a legendary example of early 20th-century sports journalism, highlighting how easily made-up info could be accepted as truth. Somehow, it seems not dissimilar to current day AI.

While the book provided highlights, I wanted to learn more about how a NYC stockbroker fooled well-established newspapers and other media into printing the winning scores of a bogus football team. The school's star player, a fictional Chinese-American halfback, was described as a touchdown-scoring machine.

For 3 weeks, New York and regional Philadelphia newspapers published fabricated, winning game reports about this non-existent NJ team and its star player reporting the college's dominance in football games. Surprisingly, the reports were widely believed.

Who Started the Fantasy Football Team?

Morris Newburger, circa 1926

That distinction belongs to Morris Newburger and his business friends and co-conspirators, Lew Krupnick and Alexander Dannenbaum Jr.

Newburger was a senior partner at the family's Wall Street investment firm of Newburger, Loeb & Company and a 1926 graduate of Harvard University. The company dated to the 1860s when his grandfather (Morris Newburger) started a wholesale clothing business which transitioned into the securities business and continued until its 1974 bankruptcy.

Two of his passions were sports and pranks. Krupnick ran the mail room at the company. Dannenbaum, a friend of Newburger’s, was in the broadcast business in Philadelphia.

On Sundays, Newburger, read college football scores in NYC papers including those for small colleges like Slippery Rock State Teachers College in PA. He wondered if such colleges really existed or if a sports editor had invented them and printed game scores to fill up space. (Slippery Rock is an actual college founded as the Slippery Rock State Normal School in 1889, renamed Slippery Rock State Teachers College in 1926, and is now Slippery Rock University located in western  PA.)

Newburger soon realized that there was no way that reporters from any of the major NYC papers could attend any of these obscure games and that they depended on a school representative calling in game results every Saturday night.

That fact gave him an idea to phone in a score for a fictional school. He wanted to find out if it would get printed. So, on an Saturday in the fall of 1941, he called the sports desks of The New York Herald Tribune and told the reporter who answered that he was reporting a small-college football score: Plainfield Teachers College, 27 vs. Winona College, 3.

The call didn't arouse undue suspicion as it wasn't uncommon for smaller schools to phone in scores because of the lack of telegraph facilities. (Back then, New Jersey had actual teacher colleges in Jersey City, Newark, Paterson, Montclair, Glassboro and Trenton; none had a football team.) 

To Newburger's amusement, the score for Plainfield vs. Winona appeared in major papers the next day. The New York Times had the Plainfield-Winona score, on the first page of the sports section, near accounts of wins by Fordham, Army, Notre Dame and Dartmouth listed in alphabetical order. Plainfield-Winona was listed below Penn State.

Newburger set the teacher's college in Plainfield as it was hometown to his secretary. Another part of the prank was that teachers colleges back then were predominantly female, which made it unusual for one to have a powerhouse football team. 

The easy success of the hoax made Newburger believe that Plainfield Teachers College should continue its football season against nine also fictional teams. For the next few weeks, he called the sports desks of the papers every Saturday and, sure enough, scores for "Plainfield T." would appear in papers the next day. Plainfield was always victorious, crushing opponents in lopsided wins.

Based on these positive responses, Newburger soon recruited the help of Dannenbaum, who lived in Philadelphia, to phone scores in to the Philadelphia Record. At first, the they didn't coordinate about what team Plainfield had played. Sometimes, it had played a different opponent in Philadelphia than in New York so early reports in Philadelphia and New York papers had conflicting scores. Soon, they coordinated their reports and the reports matched.

The Team Gathered Strength

Newburger's ambitions for the Plainfield Teachers grew bigger as it now had a PR spokesperson, Jerry Croyden, actually Newburger. who installed a special phone line in his office to communicate with the papers about the team. The fictional Croyden was named after the Croyden Hotel in Manhattan.

As Croyden, Newburger sent news releases on newly-created Plainfield Teachers College stationery thanks to help from his mail room friend, Lew Krupnick. The team was named the Lions. Its coach was Ralph “Hurry Up” Hoblitzel who had once been a star player for another seemingly fictitious school, Spearfish Normal. This was actually a real school. Located in Spearfish, SD, it was renamed Black Hills Teachers College in 1941, became Black Hills State College in 1964, and was renamed Black Hills State University in 1989.

In the releases, Croyden went into detail about the team, noting its team colors (mauve and puce) and adding biographical information. He wrote that coach Hoblitzel had a unique offensive strategy, the "W" formation, in which when Plainfield players lined up with the ball in their possession, the two ends would face their own backfield so that they could "see immediately who has the ball." (I know zero about football and have no idea how this could work, but suspect it's a made-up play.)

Croyden/Newburger detailed games that Plainfield Teachers College had played earlier in the season, revealing that the team was unbeaten and untied. He created a made-up schedule of games for the 1941 playing season, including those before the first called-in win.

Sep 27: Plainfield vs. Benson Institute, 20-0

Oct 4: Plainfield vs. Scott, 12-0

Oct 11: Plainfield vs. Chesterton, 24-0

Oct 18: Plainfield vs. Fox (no known score)

Oct 25. Plainfield vs. Winona, 27-3

Nov 1: Plainfield vs. Randolph Tech (Away), 35-0

Nov 8: Plainfield vs. Ingersoll, 13-0

Nov 15: Plainfield vs. Appalachian Normal (no known score)

Nov 20: Plainfield vs. Harmony Teachers (Homecoming)

After decided to share his prank, Newburger asked fellow stockbrokers to come up with names for the players. The tall pass receiver was named "Boarding House Smithers" and the right tackle was  "Morris Newburger" who would prove critical to the team’s incredible success and ultimate downfall.

Johnny Chung cartoon

But, the most interestingly named player was sophomore star halfback, Johnny Chung, a 6-foot-3, 212-pound full-blooded half-Chinese, half-Hawaiian halfback called The Celestial Comet, who averaged an astounding (and record-breaking) 9.3 yards per carry. Chung reportedly ate rice at halftime to boost his strength and seemed destined for a future as an All-American. By today's standards this would be considered a racial stereotype. It was the last name of someone Newburger knew, a dry cleaner.

One of Croyden's fake press releases was passed to New York Post reporter Herbert Allan, who wrote glowing lines about Chung in aNovember 8, 1941 Saturday College Grapevine column: John Chung, Plainfield Teachers' Chinese sophomore halfback, has accounted for 57 of the 98 points scored by his unbeaten and untied team in four starts.

Press interest was growing steadily about this small town college football team with speculation that Plainfield might secure a bid to a small-college bowl game. This wasn’t a problem.Newburger was ready and planned for the team to play in the non-existent Blackboard Bowl in Atlantic City, NJ, at the end of the season.

Newburger managed to get Plainfield's scores into papers for several consecutive weeks. After defeating Winona, it continued its undefeated season on November 1 by crushing Randolph Tech 35-0 and followed this up with a November 8 win against Ingersoll 13-0.

The Whistle Was Blown — Who Did It?

Newspapers published the fabricated scores without fail for weeks as the team's popularity grew. By now, Newburger had started believing his own fantasy, and was talking freely with friends as though the college was a reality. Others also heard about what was going on.

But that popularity brought doubt as well and that started investigations into the school's legitimacy. It’s unclear exactly how the hoax was exposed or who was responsible.

One story is that a disgruntled Wall Street broker called The Herald Tribune and said: I'll give you a tip. There ain't no such college as Plainfield Teachers. Bunch of fellows down on Wall Street are kidding you.

Another is that Time magazine learned of the hoax, but as a weekly publication, its Sports Page Error story didn't appear until Monday, November 17, 1941, three days after it broke in the newspapers.

Meanwhile, Irving Marsh, assistant sports editor at The Herald Tribune, had called the Board of Education in Plainfield, NJ, and learned it had no such college. Reporter Caswell Adams, wrote about the hoax on Friday, November 14. His article, Brokers Find Phantom School Easy to Sell in Football, included the words: Perfect record made on paper. Hail to thee, our ghostly college, product of a dream!

That same week United Press sent the following cryptic message to client newspapers: Plainfield (NJ) Teachers College has abandoned football. They not only are unbeaten and untied. They are unreal.

After its unveiling, the hoax was surprisingly well received and several papers that had reported on the fictional school published tributes. After the hoax was traced to Newburger, he reportedly asked The New York Times to allow Plainfield Teachers to finish the season and play in the Blackboard Bowl. He said that Plainfield was set to face Appalachian Tech that week followed by Harmony Teachers for the Homecoming game on Thanksgiving Day after its undefeated season.

However the paper refused to play along and its November 17 issue had a statement: For three weeks running, the sports page of the New York Times has dutifully recorded the football victories of Plainfield (NJ) Teachers College. The Philadelphia Record and other papers also took notice of unbeaten Plainfield Teachers. The only error in all the reports was that Plainfield and its opponents were nonexistent.

In response, Newburger, as Croyden, wrote a final press release describing how the team had to forfeit its remaining games since so many players had failed their midterm exams, including Johnny Chung, adding that the team would not appear in the Blackboard Bowl.

That release was never printed, but The Philadelphia Record, which also had bought into the hoax, took a seemingly disappointed attitude that Plainfield Teachers College was gone. In an unsigned item titled Football Casualty was the wording that the newspaper regretted the passing (of Plainfield Teachers). We don’t see why exposure of the gag should have to end the team’s career. It should keep playing the rest of the season. We want to know how it made out with the now-cancelled games and if the Celestial Comet could have made All-American.

Perhaps, the hoax had provided some needed levity as it ended a few weeks before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Newburger and Dannenbaum both served in WW II as officers with the Army Air Corps and Signal Corps. No information was available on Lew Krupnick.

And now myself and all of you know the rest of the story. Plainfield Teachers College will always be remembered as having been unbeaten, untied and definitely unreal.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

It's a rainy start in Nashua, NH, with summer heat returning next week

Got Stamps?

If you need to buy some and live in the U.S., you still have a few days before they will cost more.

That's because on Saturday, July 13, new postage increases from the U.S. Postal System (USPS) take effect. 

These rate increases impact for First-Class, marketing,  non-profit mail, and more. The cost of a First Class postage stamp will rise 5 cents from 73 to 78 cents.

There's still time to stock up on First Class Forever stamps which by their very name are good forever, whether you bought them years ago or today. 

Nothing lasts forever, except death and taxes is a popular idiom most famously attributed to Benjamin Franklin, who wrote it in a 1789 letter. Some historians suggest the saying was used before Franklin, but his letter is the earliest known written instance. 

Apparently, Franklin did know about the rise in postal rates.

Postage rates have been on the rise since July 1863. Anyone interested in how First Class postage has gone up can check out the USPS Postal History changes.

Why the increases?

The multiple increases are part of a broader set of adjustments that will raise mailing services prices an average of 7.4%. 

The USPS is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. The USPS generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America, to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, improve service across all mail and shipping categories, and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands.

According to USPS officials, the price adjustments are needed to achieve financial stability and support the 10-year "Delivering for America" plan to modernize the USPS, achieve financial sustainability and improve service performance. The goals are to reverse projected losses of $160 billion, improve on-time delivery to 95%, and invest $40 billion in infrastructure and technology. The plan includes network modernization, investments in people and technology, and enhanced customer experience. 

That may be the plan's goal, but most times I've been to the Nashua Post Office, there's been only a single clerk handling a steady line of customers. Thankfully, everyone seems to remain patient. On good days, there has been up to a couple of clerks.

Here's a breakdown of some of the increases:

These costs are going up: 

• Metered letters (1 oz): 69 cents to 74 cents
• Flats (1 ounce):$1.50 to $1.65
• Certified Mail: $5.30 per piece, additional fees for return receipts
• Additional-ounce price for single-piece letters goes from 28 cents to 29 cents

When were these increases proposed?

Not that long ago — in April 2025, the USPS submitted a proposal to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). That's because it's part of the process. 

The PRC is an independent agency that provides regulatory oversight of the USPS and ensures that the USPS complies with laws and regulations, manages postal rates and services and promotes transparency and accountability in postal operations. It reviews all changes before the effective date. 

As long as the USPS meets the statutory requirements, the PRC doesn't have the authority to deny or amend the price proposals.

How long did it take?

Only about a month since on May 30, 2025, the PRC approved the USPS July rate increases. 

Does the PRC always approves a rate hike?

No, the PRC doesn't automatically approve every USPS increase request. It's not a rubber-stamp process, and the PRC can deny or influence rate proposals if they do not meet the legal requirements. 

In 2010, the PRC formally denied a USPS request for a 2-cent increase on First-Class stamps. The USPS appealed the decision with the result that the price of first-class postage did go from 44 to 46 cents, but not until January 2011.

And, in a 2019 case, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the PRC violated the Administrative Procedures Act by failing to provide a satisfactory explanation for a rate increase and address public comments. But, in January 2019, the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp went up 5 cents — 50 to 55 cents. The largest jump in the history of the Forever stamp, until now. 

As for myself, I'm a frequent snail-mail sender with a supply of Forever stamps. But, I'm buying more of these and international stamps, today. Why? you never know when the next increase will happen. Yes, I've searched online and nothing has been proposed, yet.

It's 603 Day in NH

It's the third day of the sixth month and, in NH, that means it's 603 Day.

In 2018, former Governor Chris Sununu declared June 3 as 603 Day, also called New Hampshire Day. Since then, it's become a tradition for Granite state residents to celebrate all things New Hampshire to show their 603 pride. 

It's not a state holiday; however, Governor Kelly Ayotte supports the tradition by encouraging residents to visit the state's tourist attractions and small businesses.

Why 603?

It's the telephone area code that represents the state of New Hampshire in the Eastern time zone, also known as America/New York.

Area code 603 is one of the longest area codes to cover the entire state without being split or overlaid in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). In October 1947, this area code was created as one of the original 86 numbering plan areas. 

Area code 603 vanity plate seen recently

That said, NH isn't the only state that can claim this distinction; however, it's one of four out of the total six New England states with a single area code.

Currently, 12 U.S. states have a single area code: Alaska (907), Delaware (302), Hawaii (808), Idaho (208), Maine (207), Montana (406), New Hampshire (603), North Dakota (701), Rhode Island (401), South Dakota (605), Vermont (802) and Wyoming (307). 

The two other New England States have multiple area codes, Massachusetts with 9 and Connecticut with 4 area codes.

Interestingly, the largest U.S. state, Alaska only has a single area code because of its sparse population and large geographical area. That made me curious as to which U.S. state(s) have the most area codes as of 2025.

Not surprisingly, those honors went to the second and third largest states: California (third largest) with 38; Texas (second largest) with 28 area codes 

What really surprised me was that the next two states with the most area codes are not even in the top 10 largest U.S. states.

Florida, the 22nd largest state has 23, followed by Ohio, the 34th largest state, with 15 area codes.

Ironically, the 2nd largest U.S. city, New York, has 5 area codes and the state of New York has 22 area codes overall.

In the 1990s, the number 1 was added before U.S. area codes and telephone numbers as the country code. This lets the telephone system correctly route calls whether within the same area code in the U.S. or internationally when the U.S. country code of +1 is used.

So now you know, all about 603 day, but there's more (of course).

How did area codes start?

Lily Tomlin as Ernestine

Before 1947, most telephone calls were made with the assistance of a central office operator. Callers would pick up their phone, wait for an operator to ask, number please, then give the desired number. The operator would manually connect the call through a switchboard by plugging cords into the appropriate outlets to establish a connection between the caller and the recipient. The central operator also acted as an emergency dispatcher. 

The role of a switchboard operator was famously re-enacted by actress Lily Tomlin in the 1970s Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In sequences as Ernestine. Who can forget herl her opening lines — one ringy dingy, two ringy dingys and A gracious good afternoon, is this the party to whom I am speaking?

In October 1947, Bell Labs (now AT&T, Inc. formerly American Telephone and Telegraph Company) developed the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) to simplify long-distance calling by allowing direct distance dialing (DDD) without operator assistance. The plan divided most of North America into 86 numbering plan areas (NPAs) and each was assigned a unique three-digit NPA code or area code. The new numbering plan included 152 area codes, each could serve up to 540 central offices. Originally, only 86 area codes were assigned. 

There's always a New Jersey connection

My home state of NJ received the first NPA code in the new system, which was area code 201. The fact that Bell Labs was headquartered in Murray Hill, NJ, might just have been a factor. The second area code of 202 was assigned to the District of Columbia. The allocation of area codes was readjusted as early as 1948 before implementation of the plan started. 

The first customer-dialed direct call using an area code was made November 10, 1951, from Englewood, NJ, to Alameda, CA. Soon afterwards, Direct distance dialing (DDD) was introduced countrywide. By the early 1960s, DDD had become commonplace in cities and most towns in the U.S. and Canada. By 1967, the number of assigned area codes had grown to 129. As of 2025, there are 335 assigned area codes nationwide.

Rotary dial phone

Rotary dial phones were introduced to the public in the early 1900s. The first commercial installation of a rotary dial system was in La Porte, IN, in 1892. The first standardized mass-produced dial telephone, the Western Electric model 50, appeared in 1919. From the 1920s to 1960s, rotary dial phones were used widely replaced in the 1960s to 1970s, by push-button or touch-tone phones, discontinued in the  1980s. The rotary phone shown here was identical to the one in my parents' home which came in a basic color, black.

Today, NJ, the 4th smallest U.S. state, now has 10 area codes, the same as the lrger states of GA, NC and VA.

And, now you know MORE about area codes, maybe not all, but some more. Also, Grenville, aka Patrick, is to “blame” for this post as he informed me that June 3 was 603 day in NH. 

Although I didn't include a video link to Ernestine, you can check many of her fun calls online (YouTube). It was a fun trip for me down memory lane and may be for you too.

Catching Up

Spring was definitely not in the air this past weekend, when we work up to this scene.

Outside our living room window early Saturday, April 12

As lovely as this scene might have been a couple of months ago, it was neither expected nor welcomed in mid-April. The parking lot in the top photo is from the Lofts 34 apartments across the river from Clocktower Place, where we live and park underground, lucky us.

But, it was over within a couple of hours and then the melting began as a light rain followed. 

Now, a followup to a fellow blogger's question. Last week's Friday Funnies post about a chair sculpture brought a question from Nick who queried: Is the sculpture meant to relate to the chairs in some way?

The answer is that I didn't know the how and why about the sculpture and the high and low seating relationship. On a recent river walk, along which this sculpture is placed, I checked if the piece had an identifying name. Nashua hosts an annual sculpture symposium. This most likely was a prior year's sculpture.

Success, sort of, about the sculpture, which is titled Between. It was created by sculptor Vasilis Vasili in 2016, a Greek contemporary sculptor whose work has been characterized by concepts like entrapment, restriction, escape, gateway, separation and partition. 

Vasilis Vasili

Vasili's sculptures are displayed in various cities in Europe, USA, Canada, China, India, Taiwan and Turkey. However, despite several online searches nothing was located about the sculpture, other than the artist information.

This year's 18th annual Symposium will take place May 8 to May 31 with the theme of In the Making and the four participating sculptors are all women: Casey Schachner (U.S.), Valerie Funk (Germany), Danaë LeBlond-Joris (France), Yunmi Lee (South Korea/Italy).

Top Row: Casey Schachner, Valerie Funk,
Bottom Row: Danaë LeBlond-Joris, Yunmi Lee

The artists work outdoors at the Picker Artist Studios which are within walking distance of the mill apartments where they will be working for three weeks from May 12 to May 28. The public is invited to observe and interact with the visiting sculptors. We will be walking there a few times to watch the works being created. And, future blog posts will highlight the progress of the sculptures.

Nashua is unique in being the only U.S. city to host an annual sculpture symposium. Since 2008, guest artists from around the world have created 52 sculptures which have been gifted to the city of Nashua as part of its permanent collection. These large, stone or metal outdoor sculptures have been permanently installed in various public spaces in downtown Nashua, schools, parks, neighborhoods, walking trails and riverfront paths. 

Top: Getty Images; Bottom: Atlantic Productions/Magellan

Today, marks as a sad anniversary. I was 113 years ago when the RMS Titanic sank with the loss of an estimated 1,500 lives in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912. The 46,328 ton pride of the White Star Line sank on its maiden voyage after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic about 400 miles off the coast of Canada. 

A new National Graphic documentary, Titanic: The Digital Resurrection, presents the most detailed digital reconstruction of the wreckage ever created allowing researchers to challenge long-held theories about the disaster and that the ship didn’t split in half, but was torn into two pieces. The project took some two years to finish using cutting-edge underwater scanning technology capturing 715,000 digital images of the wreckage which were then transformed into a full-scale digital image of the Titanic.

Bloggers who have the National Geographic channel, Hulu or Disney+ will be able to stream the documentary. Since we do not subscribe to any of these, I'm hoping it will be released to other channels later. I've watched online previews, it's a fascinating documentary.

And, for those of us in the U.S., this is the day the tax man cometh. There will be longer than usual lines at the local post office. And, the USPS has filed notice with the PRC (Postal Regulatory Commission) for a postage increase, effective July 13, 2025, new rates include  increase for a First-Class Mail Forever stamp, from 73¢ to 78¢ — stock up now 😲.

Finally, the knee pain is lessening with abstinence from the elliptical, steps and vigorous walking plus the use of prescribed anti-inflammatory meds (ibuprofen). In speaking with others who have had similar muscle strain, it can take up to a few weeks for complete healing. Thanks to all asked how I was healing.

Just wondering 🤔 — Does the city you live in host any unique events?

Locked-Up Candy

Halloween and candy treats have partnered for years and it's here in just over 6 weeks.

Buying sweets quickly has become more challenging in some places.

Why?

Because candy displays were the most recent lock-ups seen at the CVS retail pharmacy in Nashua, NH, last week. This was something very new in this store and to me  (who would have thought candy would need a lock-up?) . 

The black clips in the photo above are security tags. This anti-theft device was on every bag. Since this was an end display, I thought that perhaps it was only done there.

And, when I checked the candy aisle, every bag displayed a security clip which could only be removed at checkout. The cashier told me locking and unlocking the bags took time, adding that candy theft was an ongoing issue.

Curious as to whether this was an isolated issue, I would online videos from other CVS stores that showd everything from shampoo and conditioner to soda bottles being kept behind locked cases. 

In the CVS on Main Street, ice cream and frozen food products were also in locked cases, so there's no picking your favorite flavor and going to the checkout.

The beer case did not have a lock, but there was a call button to request assistance from a store employee so it's really like being locked up.

Surprisingly, there were no visible locks on this large cosmetic display. 

Retail theft has cost businesses across the country hundreds of billions of dollars on an annual basis, forcing companies to adopt a variety of measures to deter shoplifters.  Major retailers like CVS have been implementing anti-theft measures. The most significant are to lock up certain products so that shoppers are required to ask an employee for help.

Since the pandemic, more household products have been locked up to deter thefts. In some areas, organized robbery sprees have cleared entire shelves of products. There was a similar occurrence in this Nashua CVS sometime last year according to the cashier.

Who can forget when during the pandemic toilet paper was a hot item? Yet, surprisingly, the above displays were not under enclosures or behind lock and key and no purchase limits like just a few years ago during the pandemic. (who can forget?)

All the wine bottles were tagged with individual security devices, each would need to taken off at the checkout counter. In NH, wine is sold at supermarkets as well, but no locks like these.

Locked items are an inconvenience that customers are not happy about according to the cashier I spoke with who said that shoppers repeatedly express frustration that CVS anti-theft measures (like locking up candy) are pushing them to avoid shopping there.

That backlash is widespread. Customers find it makes shopping more difficult. Many have said they'll shop elsewhere with a not uncommon response: If something is locked, I just go home and buy it on Amazon. Another common response, I don't have time to call someone over every time I want an item and just stopped shopping there.

After shopping for candy, I understand and agree with this frustration. Thankfully, we buy wine and ice cream elsewhere and that may soon extend to sweet treats.

On the topic of candy, fellow blogger, Jon, has a nostalgic Sweet Memories post in which he reminisces about vintage Halloween candy and other sweet treats.

Your turn — Are there lock-ups at stores in your area and, if so, what are they?

Not So Funny (Again)

Usually, Friday posts contain humor in the form of a funny photo, but there's nothing fun about this post — keeping in touch by mail will cost more.

By Monday it will cost you more to mail a first-class letter in the U.S. and even more to mail internationally, including Canada.

So if you want to get Forever stamps at the current rate to use after the increase, you need to do it today, Friday, or tomorrow, Saturday. 

Because the latest United States Postal System (USPS) rate increase takes effect on Sunday, July 14, raising first-class (Forever stamp) postage. It's a  7.8% increase, the second one this year, the first was in January. 

What are the new prices?

The current price of a 1 ounce letter is 68 cents, which will jump 5 cents to 73 cents. The additional-ounce price for single-piece letters goes from 24 cents to 28 cents.  Domestic postcards will be up from 53 cents to 56 cents. The biggest increase is for international letters with a 10-cent hike from $1.55 to $1.65. (You can buy Forever stamps at the current $1.55 rate before Sunday.)

Current and Higher USPS costs as of July 14, 2024

That's not all — special services products like Certified Mail and money order fees will also cost more. But, there's some good news for postal box holders with no price increase in  rental fees, and there's also a 10 percent price reduction in postal insurance when mailing an item.

As someone who enjoys sending cards for birthdays, special occasions and holidays and also still writes and mails old-fashioned snail-mail letters, I wanted to learn more.

Why do stamp prices keep going up?

Stamp prices have increased more often and by greater amounts. This is the sixth price hike since Jan 2021. Sure, inflation is a factor, but not the only reason, other expenses play a bigger part. I learned that the rate hike includes the obligation to pay retirees' pension and health benefits, responsible for more of the increase than inflation.

According to the USPS, as changes in the mailing and shipping marketplace continue, price adjustments are needed to reach the financial stability it seeks in a 10-year, Delivering for America plan announced in March 2021 aimed at making its services more efficient. However, this apparently will increase mailing costs too.

First-Class Mail (FCM) is the highest revenue generating class of mail. It alone accounts for $24.5 billion (over 30 percent) of the $78.2 billion in total operating revenue for the USPS fiscal year. That's why setting the optimal price for FCM is considered to be integral to its overall financial standing. 

Unfortunately, that's meant price increases have come more often for letter writers.

How often I wondered?

The USPS has increased the price of first-class postage 18 times since January 2000 and raised prices more often in recent years, five times between January 2021 and January 2024.

By comparison, from the 1970s to the 2000s, the USPS increased rates 3 to 4 times per decade. But, since July 2007, a first-class stamp has increased 54 percent, from $0.41 to $0.63 in June 2023. In 2020, the USPS increased prices three times from January 2021 to June 2023, and five times between January 2021 and January 2024.

This does seem excessive, yet I read that despite a 54 percent price increase since July 2007, the USPS is among postal systems that have raised prices the least amount between June 2018 and June 2023. 

The famous mail scene from Miracle on 34th Street

Also, the U.S. has the largest domestic mail market worldwide, delivering more mail than any other postal system. The next largest domestic markets, Japan and Germany, each represent 6 percent of domestic mail volume. The UK and France collectively handled 7 percent of the world’s domestic volume. 

Are U.S. stamps still a good buy?

According to a ranking by the USPS Office of the Inspector General (OIG), the price of a U.S. first-class stamp is cheaper than in many other developed countries.

The OIG compared the U.S. to 30 other nations selected by country size and postal service revenue, and the ability to source reliable data. The list included much of the European Union, along with other countries including Canada, Japan, Brazil and Russia.

Four countries had cheaper postal rates than the U.S. And, while other postal services raised prices in recent years, the U.S. increases were considered moderate compared to these.

While learning this information was somewhat helpful, I'm still dissatisfied with constant hikes. However, they won't deter me from sending cards and letters, perhaps a few less. In this age of emails and texts, there's still nothing like receiving a piece of personal mail.

This past week, I bought stocked up on Forever stamps which are available for domestic and international mailings at the current rates of 68 cents and $1.55. These stamps never expire and can be used indefinitely. While my supply won't last forever, it will lessen the need to pay the higher prices — at least for a while.

How about you — If you're a card/letter writer will the increases mean less mailings? 

The weather has been a major news topic this week. It's been 🥵  in Nashua, NH, but not as awful as in so many U.S. states where folks have been affected, not only by unrelenting heat, but natural disasters and power failures. We hope relief comes soon.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

Stay as cool & hydrated as possible

A Taxing Day

Today is when most U.S. citizens will file their income tax return, an annual requirement.

It's also the 128th running of the of the Boston Marathon today. Managed by the Boston Athletic Association and run every April 15 (Patriots' Day) since April 1897 even during WW I and II. Ham radio operators, including Patrick, are providing communications along the 26.2-mile route. He'll also be cheering a runner on as our chiropractor is running for the first time.

Since 1954, April 15 has been the tax filing deadline with exceptions for when it has fallen on the weekend. During the pandemic, the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) delayed the 2020 and 2021 deadlines. According to online estimates, over 54 million returns had been filed in the first few weeks of the filing season which began on January 29. The IRS expects more than 128.7 million returns to be filed by today's deadline.

It's a task never looked forward to, even though it's a well known (but not beloved) date. Last minute filers will be hurrying to file and postmark 2023 income tax returns (or file for a 6-month extension to Oct 15) until midnight today. Earlier today, I was at the local post office and can attest to the lines of folks doing that to ensure a postmark of today.

Thankfully, I wasn't there to mail our return which was already completed and e-filed and will be getting a smallish refund. While, we could have used tax software to prepare it, our preference has been to use a local certified public accountant (CPA); per online estimates, 34 percent use a CPA or accountant, 41 percent self-file and 25 percent use an assisted service company. 

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Tax-Aide program annually provides free tax services to anyone focusing on taxpayers over 50 or who have low to moderate income. Our friends have been volunteering for the past several years. They take part in annual training to become IRS-certified to understand tax code updates. We see little of them at tax season.

While today is the deadline to file returns, there's exceptions, like here in New England, where residents of Massachusetts and Maine who observe Patriots Day today have until April 17. Residents of Washington, D.C., celebrating Emancipation Day on April 16, have until April 18 to file tax returns. 

Others who don't file today include Americans who live or do business in a federally-declared disaster zone. Those living abroad (expats) have until June 15, but must pay the IRS what's owed for tax year 2023 by April 15. Members of the U.S. military stationed abroad get a 2-month extension, and other extensions including to pay, if they are in a combat zone.

Not only federal taxes have to be filed, but state taxes too. Yes, there's exceptions for those living in a state with no state tax, which (happily for us) includes New Hampshire, also Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming. While the remaining 41 states mostly adhere to the April 15 federal deadline, exceptions are Delaware, Iowa, Louisiana and Virginia which have varied filing deadlines. 

No grace period  for lateness. 

It's a legal requirement to file annual tax returns. The IRS penalizes those who fail to file on time. A failure-to-file penalty amounts to 5 percent of unpaid taxes for each month or partial month a return is overdue, with a maximum of 25 percent of the total balance due. The U.S. government can impose civil and criminal penalties for tax return skips.

Ironically, those who don't file, don't owe money, and are due a refund can't get it until a return is filed. There's a 3-year window before the refund is no longer available. If you're in this group, the IRS reported that taxpayers for tax year 2020 have until May 17 to claim nearly $1 billion in tax refunds.

Do Other Countries File Annual Taxes? Income tax is a source of government revenue globally, although some countries don't impose an income tax on residents or citizens. Instead, these countries rely on other types of taxation, such as Value-Added Tax (VAT) and property tax.

Countries with No Income Tax? Most countries have a form of personal income tax, but some countries do not have any income tax on individuals for personal income earnings. It's not all tax-free. There's other types of taxable income, like wealth taxes applied to for U.S. folks who are permanent residents and are taxed on worldwide income even if living and earning income in a no-tax location.

Thinking of relocating? Just in case, here's a list of tax-free countries or territories — Anguilla, Antiqua and Barbados, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunel, Cayman islands, Kuwait, Maldives, Monaco, Oman, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Turks and Caicos, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Western Sahara.

Filed and waiting for tax refund. Online sites let can track a federal and state return status. If it's been a while coming, reasons for the delay include common ones like the wrong Social Security number or incorrect direct deposit information. The IRS could also hold up a refund if it requires additional review or it's incomplete. 

We're glad this task is done this year, but there's always next year, unfortunately.

Do You Hear . . .

Singing penguins

'Tis the season for endless playing of holiday tunes everywhere, including our home. These ear worm tunes start airing in November and go through to Christmas Day. Of course, like many, we have favorites ranging from the standards of our childhood and there's interesting facts about many.

That said, here's some holiday song trivia (multiple choice and fill in the blank ?)

No prizes, just braggin' rights. Answers are provided below.

1. What popular holiday tune was written in 1962 during the Cold War?

Joy to the World, Little Drummer Boy, Do You Hear What I Hear?, I'll Be Home for Christmas

2. What's the best selling song ever, including Christmas?

White Christmas, The Christmas Song, Silent Night, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Some popular holiday albums

3. What's the best selling Christmas album?

Elvis Christmas, Miracles (Kenny G), The Christmas Song (Nat King Cole), Merry Christmas (Mariah Carey)

4. What popular holiday tune was written during a July 1945 heat wave?

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, White Christmas, The Christmas Song, We Need a Little Christmas

5. What popular song played at Christmas was written for another major holiday?

6. Complete the lyric, a ___convertible, light blue from what song?

7. What holiday song released in 1984 topped the charts in January 2021, 36 years after its release (sadly, the singer died early Christmas Day 2016)

8. What did Alvin want for Christmas in The Chipmunk Song?

hula hoop, bicycle, baseball glove, his front tooth

9. What artist or group has recorded the most Christmas albums?

Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, Mannheim Steamroller

10. What popular holiday songs has two titles; who first recorded it?

11. What singer popularized Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas in what film?

12. What (non-holiday) song did Hugh Grant dance to in Love Actually?

13. Cheers! What should we enjoy in A Holly Jolly Christmas; what did grandma have too much of before being run over by a reindeer?

14. Do you know how many gifts are given in The Twelve Days of Christmas?

15. What Christmas standard was first a popular WW II holiday tune?

Song Trivia Answers

1. Do You hear What I Hear? (really), 2. White Christmas, 3. Elvis' Christmas album (1957), 4. Let It Snow and The Christmas Song (both written during a July 1945 CA heat wave), 5. One Horse Open Sleigh (1857) which later was renamed Jingle Bells and written for Thanksgiving, 6. '54 from Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt), 7. Last Christmas (George Michael of Wham!), 8. hula hoop, 9. Mannheim Steamroller with 8, 10. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting Over an Open Fire) and Nat King Cole Trio first recorded it in June 1946, 11. Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), 12. Jump (for my Love) Pointer Sisters 1984, 13. cup of cheer and egg nog, 14. 364. 15. I'll Be Home for Christmas (recorded in 1943 by Bing Crosby)

Rudolph by R. May (1939)

This tune came from a store promo . . .

In 1949, a recording of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by the singing cowboy and actor, Gene Autry was No. 1 on the U.S. charts the week of Christmas and it was his biggest hit. 

The song written by Johnny Marks was based on a 1939 story,  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, written by his brother-in-law, Robert L. May.

That story first appeared in 1939 when the Montgomery Ward company, a department store chain, asked one of its copywriters, 34-year-old May, to create a Christmas story it could give away to shoppers as a Christmas promotion. The retailer had been buying and giving away coloring books annually and decided that creating a book would save money. 

May created Rudolph as the ninth and youngest of Santa's reindeer, who uses his luminous red nose to lead the reindeer team and guide the sleigh on Christmas Eve. May considered "Rollo" or "Reginald" before selecting Rudolph, thankfully. 

The story goes that May while thinking about how to craft a reindeer story looked out his Chicago office window. When, a thick fog from Lake Michigan inspired him to use a bright red nose that would shine through it like a spotlight. Ironically, that story line was initially rejected as in 1930s popular culture, a bright red nose was associated with alcoholism and drunkards. May asked Denver Gillen, an illustrator friend at Montgomery Ward to draw cute reindeer. The alert, bouncy character that he created, convinced management to support the idea.The company gave away more than 2 million copies of the book in its first year, rising to 6 million copies by 1946. 

Holiday songs written by Jewish composers . . .

White Christmas (Irving Berlin)

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire (Mel Torme & Robert Wells)

Let it Snow (Sammy Cahn & Jule Styne)

Santa Baby (Joan Javits & Phil Springer)

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (George Wyle & Eddie Pola)

Silver Bells (Ray Evans & Jay Livingston)

Walkin’ In a Winter Wonderland (Felix Bernard & Richard B. Smith) 

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, A Holly, Jolly Christmas, Silver and Gold (Johnny Marks)

Non-holiday songs played mainly during Christmas, include . . .

Let It Snow, Winter Wonderland, Baby, It's Cold Outside, Ave Maria, My Favorite Things, It's a Marshmallow World, Walking' in a Winter Wonderland, Frosty the Snowman, You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen), Carol of the Bells

This fun post was compiled from various internet sources and print articles. 

It was an interesting look at popular holiday tunes. Hope you enjoyed as well.🎄

Your turn — if you know any interesting song facts, please share in a comment !