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A Florida lawmaker is pushing a bill that would ban the use of food stamps to purchase snacks and sweets, such as cookies and cakes. Republican State Sen. Ronda Storms, of Valrico, says her goal is to stop a small percentage of recipients who misuse food stamps. Her bill would also require food stamp recipients to take state-run classes on healthy eating and how making your own baked goods is cheaper than store-made sweets. The bill is moving through state committees in Tallahassee. Critics say the government shouldn't be telling people what to eat.

This list is in approximate chronological order, although in most cases dates and places of issue have not been decided. More stamp issues will be added here as they are announced.

WASHINGTON (AP) — It'll cost a penny more to mail a letter next year. The cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service announced Tuesday that it will increase postage rates on Jan. 22, including a 1-cent increase in the cost of first-class mail, to 45 cents.

Links to some of the stories I've read/browsed through (in no certain order)... Google Google Google Google For more, follow this search link on Google: Google

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Obama's Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack: "Well, obviously, it's putting people to work. Which is why we're going to have some interesting things in the course of the forum this morning. Later this morning, we're going have a press conference with Secretary Mavis and Secretary Chu to announce something that's never happened in this country -- something that we think is exciting in terms of job growth. I should point out, when you talk about the SNAP program or the foot stamp program, you have to recognize that it's also an economic stimulus. Every dollar of SNAP benefits generates $1.84...

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack told MSNBC’s Morning Joe that the Obama administration has a jobs program already in place — and it’s food stamps. When asked about new numbers that show one in every seven Americans now receiving food stamps from the federal government, Vilsack said that’s good news. Food stamps create jobs, Vilsack insisted, and managed to even come up with a new multiplier effect number:

Per records, powerful congressman offered to quit, then fought allegations ### Mayor Richard M. Daley, right, and U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski attend a news conference together in 1993. Daley praised the longtime congressman after his death last August. ************* The theft of just $7,000 by a stamp clerk in the U.S. House Post Office mushroomed into a federal investigation that brought down one of the most powerful congressmen in the country, the late Daniel Rostenkowski of Chicago, according to records released Thursday by the FBI. The documents reveal that the FBI in 1992 was told by a "reliable source" that...

Can government subsidies help Sprint Nextel (S) bounce back? Perhaps so, in a way you may not think. Sprint, which reported fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday, seems to be having success with its Assurance Wireless brand, a prepaid offering. Sprint launched the government-subsidized Assurance program in early 2010. Sprint now markets the Assurance brand in 22 states and Washington, D.C. Sprint expanded the Assurance brand to Pennsylvania today.

2011 is a very special year - it is the Celebration of the 100th Birthday of Ronald Reagan. There are activities and grand events planned throughout the Centennial Year. Click on the link below for an update. You'll want to get your reservations in NOW for some of them. Don't miss the Centennial Gala, held at Deer Valley Country Club in Deer Grove, IL. Guest Speaker: Newt Gingrich (includes a book-signing). This event is sponsored by the Tampico Hisorical Society & The Reagan Centennial Commission. REAGAN CENTENNIAL EVENTS CALENDAR - From Ronald Reagan Birthplace Click on photo to enlarge DOUBLE...

Food stamps went to an additional 290,000 recipients in October, a federal survey shows. As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn it appears that participation in the federal food stamp program is continuing to rise. In fact, household participation has been climbing so steadily that it has far surpassed the last peak set as a result of the immediate fallout following hurricane Katrina. The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture shows that in October, an additional 289,737 new recipients were added to the food stamps program, an increase of 14.67% on a year-over-year basis, while household...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Postal patron Sean Swilling is tired of the inconvenience that comes with every change in the price of mailing a letter. That makes him just the type of customer the U.S. Postal Service wants to please with a policy designating all new first-class stamps as "forever." Beginning in January, all new stamps good for 1 ounce of domestic first-class mail will forgo a printed denomination and be acceptable for the typical letter regardless of the current postal rate.

The number of people on food stamps keeps hitting new all-time highs; as of September, nearly 43 million people were using the program, according to figures out this week. Of course, because of population growth, absolute numbers only tell part of the story. The best way to look at the numbers over a long period of time is as a percentage of the population. And when you do that, you see that we're also hitting new highs.

The rise in gun sales and food stamp demand are indicators of a fearful public struggling financially, Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist, ConvergEx Group, told CNBC Monday. “Oddly enough, buying a gun still holds very steady, but buying ammunition not so much,” said Colas, who analyzes trends in the economy and financial markets. In addition to firearms and food stamps, ConvergEX reviewed sales of gold and silver coins and used cars. “That tells us that there are more first-time [gun] buyers coming in to buy firearms and that speaks to your worries about security. They buy a few rounds

The Duchess of York was facing fresh embarrassment today after running up a bill of £6,500 using the Queen’s special mail service. The cash-strapped Duchess, 50, used the service to send out signed photographs and gifts to friends at home and abroad - and was warned she might be barred from using it further unless her debt was cleared. The disclosure that the Duchess, who reportedly has debts of up to £2 million, failed to keep up payments is just the latest in a series of damaging revelations about her finances.

PHOENIX - Governor Jan Brewer and the Arizona Department of Economic Security set in motion a new anti-fraud unit effective July 1. The new DES Trafficking Detection Unit will ensure that people obtaining food stamps are not using these benefits illegally. "We have an obligation to taxpayers," said Governor Brewer. "These benefits can only be used by people who are eligible and need help. The State of Arizona will not tolerate any abuse of government benefits. The Nutrition Assistance Program is a necessary part of the safety net, particularly in these difficult times, but these benefits must be used to...

There he goes again. Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States, is expected to "three-peat" as the subject of a U.S. commemorative postage stamp on the occasion of his birth's centennial next year. The Web site of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library lists the issuance of a U.S. Postal Service commemorative stamp among the planned events for the Reagan Centennial Celebration. "The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation is planning a series of exciting events, programs and initiatives to celebrate this historic moment including . . . [a] Commemorative postage stamp," the site says. Grover Norquist, president of Americans...

A Senate panel looks at legislation Tuesday that would allow more people to qualify for food stamps. The bill from Democratic Sen. Linda Berglin of Minneapolis would repeal a requirement to show no more than $7,000 in assets such as cash, money in the bank and stocks to qualify for food support. Vehicles already are not counted.

An atheist organization is blasting the U.S. Postal Service for its plan to honor Mother Teresa with a commemorative stamp, saying it violates postal regulations against honoring "individuals whose principal achievements are associated with religious undertakings." The Freedom from Religion Foundation is urging its supporters to boycott the stamp -- and also to engage in a letter-writing campaign to spread the word about what it calls the "darker side" of Mother Teresa. The stamp -- set to be released on Aug. 26, which would have been Mother Teresa's 100th birthday -- will recognize the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize winner for...

Food stamp programs in 30 states and the District of Columbia provided data on the number of recipients who had no other cash income in 2007 and 2009. These numbers reflect not only the economic conditions in various states, but also the extent to which food stamp recipients qualify for other safety net programs, such as welfare or unemployment compensation.

The U.S. Post Office is especially busy during the Christmas season. The lines are longer than usual as people wait patiently to send carefully packaged gifts to loved ones across the country, as well as Christmas cards to those both near and far. Business is good, albeit frantic, and once you get up to the counter you have a choice when it comes to stamps: Snowmen or Mary, take your pick. The question may be phrased differently depending on which location you visit, but these were my choices when I asked for Holiday Stamps ... I later discovered that the...

Link to the image since the port office pulled it from their website. Remember, the president had to approve this.

The Postal Services created a stamp with a picture of President Obama. But there was a problem with the stamp not sticking to the envelopes. This enraged the President, who demanded a full investigation. After a month of testing and $1.73 million in congressional spending, a special Presidential commission presented the following findings: The stamp is in perfect order. There is nothing wrong with the adhesive. People were spitting on the wrong side! **ENJOY YOUR DAY AMERICA**

When President Barack Obama increased unemployment benefits as part of his economic stimulus, he also made some Americans ineligible for hundreds of dollars a month in food stamps. Under the economic recovery plan, laid-off workers have seen a $25 weekly bump in their unemployment checks as part of a broad expansion of benefits for the poor. But the law did not raise the income cap for food stamp eligibility, so the extra money has pushed some people over the limit.

WASHINGTON – It's not all doom and gloom in the U.S. economy. Some products are bucking the recession and flying off store shelves. Sales of chocolate and running shoes are up. Wine drinkers haven't stopped sipping; they just seem to be choosing cheaper vintages. Gold coins are selling like hot cakes. So are gardening seeds. Tanning products are piling up in shopping carts; maybe more people are finding color in a bottle than from sun-worshipping on a faraway beach. Strong sales of Spam, Dinty Moore stew and chili helped Hormel Foods Corp. post a 6 percent increase in first quarter...

WASHINGTON – Peel it and weep: It'll cost an extra 2 cents to mail a letter starting Monday. The price of a first-class stamp will climb to 44 cents, though people who planned ahead and stocked up on Forever stamps will still be paying the lower rate. It's the third year in a row that rates have gone up in May under a new system that allows annual increases as long as they don't exceed the rate of inflation for the year before.

Postage rates are increasing on Monday, May 11 for first class postage and other services. .. it's not too late to lock in the current rate by buying Forever Stamps. "If you buy them today at today's price, it doesn't matter if you use them in numerous years to come, even 100 years from now, that stamp will still be good as a first class stamp, even though you paid 42 cents for it," But time is of the essence, because the Forever Stamp rate also will increase on Monday.

LEBANON, Ohio (AP) - A southwest Ohio county is threatening to ignore new food stamp rules because officials say relatively well off people are getting benefits. Commissioners in Warren County near Cincinnati said Tuesday they want to go back to the old eligibility standards. They were angry after learning that a woman with $80,000 in the bank, a paid-off $311,000 home and a Mercedes qualified for $500 a month in food stamps after she lost her job. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services says a change made in October bases eligibility on income. Savings, stocks, cars or other...

(CNN) -- Sending a letter will soon be a little more expensive, the U.S. Postal Service announced Tuesday. The U.S. Postal Service announced Tuesday a 2-cent increase on first-class stamps, effective May 11. The Postal Service said the price increase was necessary because of rising production costs. Under law, the price of stamps is not allowed to rise faster than the U.S. consumer price index, which measures inflation.

(Very) Poor Man's Gold. The post office sells the new Liberty Bell "Forever" stamps, which have no denomination, but are good each for one first-class letter. These are not only convenient (you don't have to remember the latest first-class rate), but they are like gold. They increase in nominal value as the first-class rates increase, and are a hedge against inflation. As with gold, you also lose the use of the money invested in them, so you get no interest; but on the other hand, there does not seem to be any way for the tax people to get you...

Rome, Aug 26, 2008 / 04:22 am (CNA).- The head of the Vatican Philatelic and Numismatic Office, Dr. Pier Paolo Francini, has revealed the story behind the stamps that were used at the Vatican during the interregnum period of 2005 after the death of Pope John Paul II. The design used for stamps during that time came after one of his co-workers saw a fresco by the Italian artist Carlo Malli that he thought would be appropriate for the occasion.Francini told the L’Osservatore Roman that “by tradition the stamps during a Vacant See should be printed as soon as...

NEW YORK — The devil, as they say, is in the details. So when an astute stamp collector recently discovered that one of the Old Glorys in the U.S. Postal Service's "Flags 24/7" series appears to have 14 stripes, it was bound to send a wave of excitement through the philatelic community. "Is there any icon better-known to Americans than their own flag?" said Fred Baumann, a spokesman for the American Philatelic Society. "This is something somebody should have caught along the way." The stamp in question, "Night," was released by the Postal Service on April 18 as part of...

WASHINGTON, DC — Frank Sinatra, one of the most iconic entertainers of the 20th century, will be commemorated on a postage stamp next spring, Postmaster General John Potter announced today. Sinatra’s three children — Nancy, Frank, Jr. and Tina Sinatra. — will preview the stamp image during a special ceremony in Beverly Hills, CA, on Sinatra’s birthday, Wed., Dec. 12. “Frank Sinatra was an extraordinary entertainer whose life and work left an indelible impression on American culture,” said Potter. “His recordings, concert performances and film work place him among America’s top artists, and his legendary gift for transforming popular song...

  Religious stamps welcomed   Stamps ... religious theme  Published: Today   THE Church of England has welcomed the Royal Mail's return to a religious theme for its 2007 Christmas stamp collection. It follows criticism last year about a lack of Christian images on the designs. This year’s set of eight stamps is illustrated with pictures either of angels or the Madonna and Child. Next year’s collection is expected to feature classic pantomime characters, according to a Royal Mail spokesman. “Royal Mail alternates annually between secular and religious Christmas stamps,” the spokesman said. “Last year featured a series of...

The Postal Service announced the new 2007 Christmas stamp "The Madonna of the Carnation" for Catholics. Also, the USPS came out with the Christmas stamps commemorating the Muslim holiday of EID (Sep 28). Plus, USPS will release stamps recognizing Kwanzaa and Hanukkah (Oct 26). And for those in the "none of the above" category, the Holiday Knits stamps series will be available as of today. I commend the Postal Service for its political correctness. However, as a Christian that believes in Jesus Christ, where is the Christmas stamp to represent the Christian belief? Has our country moved so far away...

Powell Presents Purple Hearts; Postal Service Reissues Stamp Honoring Medal WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2007 – Retired Army Gen. Colin Powell presented Purple Heart Medals to two wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here today, as the U.S. Postal Service reissued a stamp honoring the medal and those who wear it. The medal, which features George Washington’s family crest and the first president’s silhouette set against a purple heart, is awarded to U.S. servicemembers wounded by an instrument of war in an enemy’s hands. Powell received a Purple Heart after a booby trap wounded him in 1963 near the...

WASHINGTON -- As a new version of the Purple Heart stamp was unveiled Tuesday, more wounded soldiers received Purple Hearts of their own. In a ceremony at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Retired Gen. Colin Powell awarded Purple Hearts to two men wounded by IEDs in Iraq. "When the time came, they were there. When the time came, they showed up, when the time came they showed bravery. When the time came, they stood by their fellow buddies. When the time came they stood by the nation, they did not turn away, did not blink, did not find an excuse...

WASHINGTON – Endowed with superhuman strength, yet looking different as day and night, the Amazing Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk will stand shoulder-to-shoulder as the Postal Service launches its latest set of super hero stamps. The 20-stamp set premieres Thursday at Comic-Con, the comic book and pop culture show in San Diego. The 41-cent stamps honor the creations of Marvel Comics, and also include Sub-Mariner, The Thing, Captain America, the Silver Surfer, the Spider-Woman, the Invincible Iron Man, Elektra and Wolverine. In addition, 10 of the stamps highlight covers of comic books featuring the characters. Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man,...

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE. Md., May 18, 2007 – The annual Joint Service Open House here kicked off today in tandem with a preview of two new military-themed, high-soaring postage stamps. Left to right: Air Force Col. Margaret H. Woodward, commander of the 89th Airlift Wing; David Failor, the U.S. Postal Service’s executive director of stamp services; and Marine Col. Andrew W. O’Donnell Jr., commander of Marine Helicopter Squadron One, participate in a May 18 ceremony that kicked off this year’s Joint Services Open House and previewed new postage stamps commemorating Air Force One and Marine One at Andrews...

The stamps were launched by Star Wars characters Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia are among the characters featured on a set of US stamps marking 30 years of the Star Wars films.A set of 15 stamps is being issued as a poster, and members of the public will be asked to vote for their favourite. The set will go on sale on 25 May, shortly after the basic US postage rate is raised to 41 cents (21p). Earlier this month, 400 postboxes were decorated to look like R2-D2, the robot from the landmark sci-fi saga. The US...

Nearly 189,000 Minnesotans -- more than 40 percent of those eligible -- don't use the federal food stamps to which they are entitled, according to a report being released today. That leaves many children and parents hungry, puts Minnesota in the bottom third of states in food stamp usage and deprives the state's economy of more than $170 million a year in federal dollars, the report said. "It's distressing," said Jessica Webster, who wrote the report for the Legal Services Advocacy Project in St. Paul. "We have this incredible federal resource within the state's grasp, and we're not using it."

THE LIST The King of Stamps December 28, 2006 The Postal Service recently announced its list of the most-collected stamps. The top five, with year of introduction and how many of them have been saved by Americans, in millions: 1. Elvis Presley (1993) 124.1 2. Wonders of America (2006) 87.5 3. Wildflowers (1992) 76.1 4. Rock & Roll/Rhythm & Blues (1993) 75.9 5. DC Comics Super Heroes (2006) 73.0

WASHINGTON - This year's Wonders of America set climbed to second place in the most popular stamps, but Elvis is still the King, the Postal Service said Tuesday. Some 124.1 million of the 1993 Elvis Presley stamps were saved by Americans, according to the post office, which does an annual survey of 10,000 households to determine which stamps are most popular.

BUNGLING mail chiefs were yesterday accused of taking the Christ out of Christmas. They unveiled this year’s festive stamps – which ignore the season’s holy background. Furious Christian politicians joined the Church of England to condemn the Royal Mail over its six faith-free designs. Instead of biblical scenes like the Nativity, the Star of Bethlehem and the Three Wise Men, executives opted for secular symbols including snowmen, reindeer and Santa Claus. Last night critics accused the Royal Mail of snubbing Britain’s Christian heritage in a politically-correct bid to avoid offending other religions. A Church of England spokesman said: "Last year...

Bitter philosophical disagreements between companies that accept advertising and messages from anti-hunting groups, while refusing pro-hunting messages, are nothing new in the outdoors. But a refusal to create a special postage stamp referencing sportsmen as conservationists by ZAZZLE.com, an "official licensed vendor" for the U.S. Postal Service, has led to the filing of a pair of complaints with United States Postmaster General John Potter. An original complaint, field August 11 by REACT Consulting Group of Olympia, Washington, centers on ZAZZLE's rejection of a stamp bearing the legend "Sportsmen - America's First Conservationists" and the headline "$1.7 Billion for Conservation Annually"...

A few months ago, Secretary of State Colin Powell gave a posthumous award for "constructive dissent" to Hiram (or Harry) Bingham, IV. For over fifty years, the State Department resisted any attempt to honor Bingham. For them he was an insubordinate member of the US diplomatic service, a dangerous maverick who was eventually demoted. Now, after his death, he has been officially recognized as a hero. Bingham came from an illustrious family. His father (on whom the fictional character Indiana Jones was based) was the archeologist who unearthed the Inca City of Machu Picchu, Peru, in 1911. Harry entered the...

WASHINGTON - The Postal Service said Wednesday it wants to raise the price of a first-class stamp by 3 cents — to 42 cents — and proposed a "forever" stamp that people could use as hedge against future rate increases. The changes would take effect in the spring of 2007 if approved by the independent Postal Rate Commission. "A forever stamp would help ease the transition to any future price adjustments," board Chairman James C. Miller III said. Postmaster General John E. Potter said the agency would not be making a rate change if it were not necessary. "The Postal...

SATIRIST Barry Humphries and his alter ego Dame Edna Everage have joined the ranks of Aussies to be featured on an Australian postage stamp. Mr Humphries' face, along with that of the glamorous Moonee Ponds housewife, will appear on the 2006 Australian Legend stamp, in recognition of their contribution to Aussie culture and entertainment. "For more than 50 years, he (Barry Humphries) has helped shape our nation's identity, culture and importantly sense of humour with hilarious character creations," said Australia Post managing director Graeme John. "Dame Edna's signature catchcry "Hello Possums!" has also become a typically Australian greeting that's recognised...

It will cost Americans 2 cents more to mail a letter starting Sunday. First-class postage rises to 39 cents for the first ounce. The increase follows legislation requiring the Postal Service to place $3 billion in an escrow account this year. Another rate boost is likely next year to cover rising costs for the agency. Stamp prices last went up in June 2002. Many rates, such as parcel post and advertising mail, vary by distance or whether the material is presorted. Rate changes taking effect, including some estimates for typical mailed items: _Post card, and each additional ounce in first...

While the U. S. Postal Service still issues a Christmas stamp, note the poster in many post offices advertising its seasonal stamps. At the top of the poster is an stamp featuring cookies. Then comes the Hanukkah stamp, only then the Christmas stamp, then the Kwanzaa and Eid (Moslem holiday) stamps. Here's the rub. All holidays are clearly labeled on the poster: Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Eid--except for the Christmas stamp. That one is labeled "Madonna and Child." They won't use the "C" word on the poster (though it is used on the stamp).