Where do I send the thank you note?

For many years it was proper etiquette  for the recipient of a gift or service to send  a  written thank you to the giver. This was particularly true on special occasions. I can remember the importance of thank you notes at significant times in our lives. Those times that readily come  to mind would include our wedding, the births of our children and the deaths of  parents. By the same token it was meaningful for us to receive a thank you note when we have somehow reached out to another whether by a gift or some other means. I am still quite partial to the written (mailed) thank you since it is good business for the Postal Service. ( Always remember the Arthur Godfrey admonition.) Alas, along with many other”proper” forms of behavior, the thank note in almost any form is becoming somewhat rare.

But, something has occurred over the 3-4 weeks that has  created a strong desire to send a thank you note. My problem lies in knowing to whom and where it should be sent.

I have noticed that over this  period there has been a significant increase in gasoline  and heating oil prices. One local statin that I frequent has shown an increase from $3.09/gallon to $3.55/gallon, unless it went  higher today. That included one impressive pice hike of 10 cents per gallon in the space of one hour. The price of home heating oil, which we use, has gone from $3.47/gallon to $4.06 /gallon in even less time.

My problem is in determining where to send the note or notes. Do I send one to local gas station and my local heating oil provider, another to Exxon and BP( the respective brands) another to Gadhafi in Libya for all the turmoil he continues to cause  ( at great harm to his own people, I must say) and isn’t BP a British owned company? Where  would their note go? And least we will not need heating oil to next season, so I have time to work on that note.

Suggestions from anyone versed in the proper etiquette  will be welcomed. Wonder if Emily Post’s website has an answer?

Related Articles

• Is the Thank-You Note a Dying Art? (everydayhealth.com)

Gulf Coast Shenanigans

” Otherwise, how are things, was an oft used phrase by the  late, legendary Paul Harvey. Incidentally, he seems to be one of those folks that cannot  be adequately replaced. I often wonder  what his take would be on this or that major news event.

But today I am using the phrase as an intro to a BP update. No, quite unfortunately the oil spill  has not been contained, although a few small good things have occurred and more could have occurred with a bit more co-operation/communication?

BP CEO Tony Heyward, their point man in dealing with the crisis on site, appeared before  members  of Congress and  the  questioning was anything but friendly. He did not help himself either by some  of his comments which appeared at times to be a bit insensitive. Given the nature of the Congressional beast, hearings and questioning were inevitable. I’m just not certain what worthwhile purpose the hearings have at this point. Maybe a little extra face time on C-Span or the major networks. Or a few good headlines like senators grill BP  executive or something like that. Obama even weighed in again saying he wishes he could fire Heyward. Real productive move.

I would rather the president work more closely with Louisiana Gov Bobby Jindal who really seems to be working hard on this thing as he should. But, yet one of his major efforts was actually stopped for a time the other  day by whom? Why, none other than the U S Coast Guard, from whence  came Admiral Thad Allen. Certainly the Admiral or his boss ( hint Barack H …..) had nothing to do with  stopping the oil removing barges from their task. As recently as Tuesday, they were hard at work. On Wednesday, they sat idle and remained so for over a day. Why? Jindal isn’t sure. He said that every time  he talked to  a Coast Guard representative, he got a different answer. And  Coast Guard spokesman, Lt Cmdr Dan  Lauer said they were all in this together since the real enemy was the oil. Chew on this, the Coast Guard had to confirm there were fire extinguishes and life vests on board  and then were having trouble reaching the people who built the barges. ( Not sure the relevance there, but what ever.) Jindal cannot overrule the Coast Guard although  he attempted to reach the White House with his concerns. Finally after what have seemed like an eternity to the Governor the barges were back at work.

Does this seem at all similar with  the feds refusal of international help for weeks before finally accepting the proffered Dutch assistance this week? Sure does to me. Do you see the spectre of politics at work anywhere? Just wondering. Han g in there Governor Jindal and keep the pressure on!

Just another week in the Gulf.

Tag Team of Blame

When I was a kid, I often watched professional wrestling with my dad. At that age, I was convinced that everything I saw was reality. So, I  would get really agitated during tag team matches when one wrestler would slap hands with his/her partner indicating it was time to leave the ring and yet remain  in the ring to double team their opponent.

Now, being so much more mature than during those early years, i no longer watch pro wrestling. But I remember the concept of a tag team and in the last couple of days, I have observed exactly that. Only this tag team is of a political persuasion. I am noy quite sure if these two are ” good guys” or not. But I have my suspicions.

The individuals in question are Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( Speaker since January, 2007 an important fact to remember) and television personality Joy Behar, formerly of The View. I guess tv personality is the term for Ms Behar. I’m unsure if there is a better term, such as  one who promulgates wacky opinions and theories, but that doesn’t matter.

This week, both individuals have reached the same conclusions about the Gulf oil spill. Both are convinced that the Bush administration or Bush/Cheney in Ms Behar’s words are at fault. Me Pelosi maintains that it is the lax regulatory atmosphere fostered by Bush and still being implemented by Bush appointed who are burrowed deep  within numerous unnamed federal agencies. A request to her office to identify these individuals has received no response at this time. Appointees which a Congress controlled by Democrats would have had to approve, at least to some degree.

As for Ms Behar, she is quite disturbed that Obama is being blamed when he is just trying to clean up a mess caused by the Bush people. She refers, by the way, to Obama’s firing of Minerals Management Service head Elizabeth Birnbaum. At his Gulf coast press conference, when asked about that, the president asserted that he knew nothing of the firing. Again, a minor point, though a bit Clintonesque, I think.

Ms Behar, the Obama people gave this particular oil rig an  award, provided  BP waivers 10 days before the explosion and oh yes received significant campaign money from BP. Got to blame Bush though which  is interesting since the president said that he was tired of the finger-pointing and blaming. Better let your supporters know, or maybe they are just  doing the blaming on your behalf. Good political move, huh?

Barack Obama = Jimmy Carter

I never thought I would hear it again but sure enough I  did. Way back in the years of malaise known as the Carter presidency, Carter related a question and answer that he had with daughter Amy, then around 8 or 9 years of age. Prior to  a debate with candidate Ronald Reagan, Carter said he asked Amy what the most important issue was. She said she thought nuclear weapons.

Now, to be forever filed under the category of when will they ever learn is this response between President Obama and daughter Malia, age 11. Obama related the conversation the two had a few days ago when she asked him when are going to plug the hole Daddy. referring of course to the BP oil spill.

Now, Glenn Back chose to make fun of Obama’s daughter for which he rightfully apologized. My take on this is completely different.  I see it a s a perfectly legitimate question for her to ask. My problem is Obama bringing it up at his press conference, particularly when he has requested that his daughters be off-limits from the media spotlight. Can’t be both ways. I fault him for  whatever media furor there is. Somewhere along the line in the press conference preparation, someone probably should have shortstopped this response, unless it was off the cuff.

Second Obama/Carter comparison comes from none  other than Obama fanatic Chris Matthews who was disappointed in the press conference per se . He then drew an analogy that I had not heard. Some have tried to compare the oil spill to what Bush faced with Katrina, given the same locale, etc. Matthews drew a comparison between the oil spill and the Iranian hostage crisis that stretched out so painfully  and probably was a very significant factor in Carter’s election loss. Time will undoubtedly tell.

Back to the Gulf

The Gulf  Coast is being inundated once again, but unlike Katrina from 2005, the culprit is oil and copious amounts of the stuff. The cleanup or more accurately, stopping the bleeding, is not going all that well. The party at fault, BP, maybe? They actually were the lessee of the oil rig that blew up, killing some 11  workers. At this stage, they are not actually admitting blame as the cause of the explosion is as yet undetermined. But, they have agreed  to pay damages, but as to whom and how much, who can actually say.

I must confess that I have thought about this disaster and the federal response as compared to that which occurred when Katrina wreaked havoc. Wait, just a minute, EPA head Lisa Jackson is not calling it a disaster or rather  a catastrophe but rather a “huge environmental challenge.” Glad we got that clarified.

So, what else is going on with the feds? Obama arrived on Sunday, some 11 days after the explosion and after Robert Gibbs said on Friday he would not be going this weekend. Hmmm!!  More Gibbspeak, this courtesy of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. We are going to keep the “boot on their throat,” in reference to the pressure on BP. Think for  a moment of what imagery that phrase brings to mind? Not a  very good one , I presume. Oh, the operative talking point coming from virtually every one from the federal government, including the President is day one. We have been on this from day one, in action from day one, mobilizing from day one, etc.

Don’t know about that. If it is the case, why have  staunch Obama allies including the New York Times, the Sierra Club and Bill Maher had such unflattering things to say? Maybe  they forgot  they weren’t criticizing Bush. Who knows?

There is  a line from the theme song to the television series, Monk, that says, ” hey, who’s in charge here? ” Sure hope someone is and Godspeed to their efforts.

PS: Hope you don’t own any stock in BP!