South Bend, Indiana; May 22, 2008

Uncle Ron’s Ramblings

Advice For Sen. Obama: If Barack Obama were to solicit my advice on a running mate—and it’s doubtful he will—I would suggest that he put these four names on his short list: Michigan Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin and Governor Jennifer Grandholm plus Florida Senator Bill Nelson.

The latter should probably be at the top of the list. Experts have obsessed in the last week over the fact that no recent Democratic nominee has won the White House without West Virginia and Kentucky in his column. Florida has twice the electoral votes of West Virginia and Kentucky combined (Florida 27, Kentucky 8, West Virginia 5) and it has been crucial in the Democrat’s last two presidential defeats.

Florida and Michigan combined have 44 electoral votes. Democrats really need to make peace with voters in those two states. The voters weren’t the ones who violated party rules by moving their primaries ahead to January; they voted, which is their right.

Democrats have carried Michigan (17 electoral votes) in the last two elections but they don’t want to take the Wolverine state for granted. It could go either way; Grandholm’s predecessor was a Republican.

The obvious advantage of picking Stabenow or Grandholm is that they are both women, but that’s not the only one. Stabenow has as much time in Washington as Obama and Grandholm has executive experience with her two terms as Michigan’s governor, something that Obama lacks.

The advantage of picking Levin is that he has more experience than Stabenow, Grandholm or Obama.

Announcements

Artistic Newsletter: Are you an artist, poet or writer? Place submissions for the Artistic Newsletter in Emily Pickerill’s box. Express your talents and ideas by participating. Start submitting as soon as possible.

VA Hospital Van: To schedule a ride to the VA Hospital in Ft. Wayne, St. Joseph County veterans can call Doug Davis (USMC, retired) at (574) 243-VETS (8387) The van service also provides connecting rides to the VA hospitals in Marion and Indianapolis.

Homeless Veterans: If you are disabled and cannot work full-time (or are over 65), you may be entitled to a disability pension from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

For more information and complete eligibility requirements, call 1-800-827-1000.

You can also contact: Dianne W. Brown, Homeless Veterans Coordinator by calling 317-554-0000, extension 82589 or direct dial 317-988-2589 at Indianapolis VAMC, Room C-2065. Office Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday, 2-3:45 p.m.

ABE

▪ABE Closed: For Memorial Day holiday.

▪ABE Incentives: Students will be given a card to be initialed during each walk-in class attended. Once a student has attended 10 walk-in programs, cards can be redeemed for prizes. Currently the prize is free ice cream.

▪Intermediate Computing: Still time to sign up. Classes will be next four Fridays, 1-2:30 p.m.

▪Math Seminar Series: Mondays, 3-4 p.m., SOSH room.

▪Math Study Session: Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m., SOSH room.

▪GED Essay Writing Class: Are you working on your GED? Do you need to write an essay or refine your writing skills? Then join us for the Essay Class, Wednesdays, 3-4 p.m.

▪Submit Your Poem: If you like to write poetry in your free time, this is your chance to be a published author! Submit a poem to any staff member in the ABE room and it may be published in the next ABE Newsletter. Also, we will hopefully start another Poetry Jam in the Fall; let us know if you are interested

▪The Write Stuff: Are you the only person who can read your handwriting? Come join us on Tuesday afternoons from 2-3 p.m. to learn writing that will look great on job applications, love letters, and everything else. Class starts May 6. Sign up in ABE.

▪Writing: Wednesdays, 3-4 p.m., ABE. Improve your basic writing skills under the guidance of a trained instructor.

Herald Sports

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Big East Baseball Tourney; West Virginia 13, ND 6: The Irish close the season with a 33-21-1 record and eight straight losses.

Whitecaps 4, Silver Hawks 1: The Silver Hawks (19-25) spoiled the shutout in the ninth inning with a double by Taylor Harbin and RBI single by Konrad Schmidt in Midwest League action at the Cove Wednesday night.

Alfredo Figaro (6-1, 1.09) had allowed the Hawks two hits and no runs in 7.2 innings. South Bend managed to get to reliever Santo Mieses.

South Bend relievers William Spottiswood and Bryan Henry gave up only one hit between them in 3.2 innings of work. West Michigan got nine hits and four earned runs off starter Christian Beltre (3-4).

The teams meet again tonight at the Cove; game time is 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday NBA Playoff Scores: Lakers 89, Spurs 85 (Lakers lead 1-0).

Wednesday Stanley Cup Finals Scores: No games scheduled.

Wednesday MLB National League: Astros 5, Cubs 3; Giants 3, Rockies 2 (10); Brewers 4, Pirates 1; Marlins 3, Diamondbacks 1; Phillies 12, Nationals 2; Braves 11, Mets 4; Cardinals 11, Padres 3; Dodgers 5, Reds 2.

Wednesday MLB American League: White Sox 7, Indians 2; Red Sox 6, Royals 3; Athletics 9, Rays 1; Yankees 8, Orioles 0; Tigers 9, Mariners 4; Angels 4, Blue Jays 3; Rangers 10, Twins 1.

Wednesday MLS Scores: Toronto FC 1, DC United 0.

Wednesday WNBA Scores: Shock 76, Fever 71.

Nation/World

Sen. Kennedy Home From Hospital: Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy has returned home from the hospital after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

The senator will stay at his Cape Cod home while doctors await further test results and try to determine treatment plans.

Kennedy’s tumor is a malignant glioma in his left parietal lobe, an area of the brain involved in speech. According to medical experts, surgery is not an option because of the location of the tumor. A glioma is a type of tumor that kills half its victims within a year.

The most common treatment of a glioma, through the years, has been radiation therapy. There are other treatments, including the development of vaccines or immunotherapy, that are being studied at various cancer centers across the country to help the immune system turn around and fight against the tumor cells.

.Weather

Today High 61 Low 41 Partly Cloudy

Fri High 65 Low 45 Partly Cloudy

Sat High 72 Low 49 Clear

Sun High 79 Low 58 Clear

Mon High 77 Low 56 Chance Storm

TV Schedule: 16—8-9:30 p.m., Deal or No Deal; 9:30-11 p.m., Last Comic Standing; 22—8 p.m., The Big Bang Theory; 8:30 p.m., How I Met Your Mother 9 p.m., CSI; 25—8 p.m., Smallville; 9 p.m., Supernatural 28—8-10 p.m., So You Think You Can Dance; 46—8 p.m., Lester Sumrall Teaching; 8:30 p.m., Live From Studio B; 9 p.m., Harvest; 57—8 p.m., Ugly Betty; 9-11 p.m., Grey’s Anatomy; 69—8-10 p.m., The Mighty Quinn.

David Cook is New American Idol: David Cook is the new American Idol by a 12-million vote margin over David Archuleta.

Cook, a 25-yearl-old bartender from Blue Springs, MO., is guaranteed a record contract for this first-place finish.

Anniversaries: Tammy Oehm, 19 years at CFH (May 25).

Today’s Birthdays: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), Richard Wagner (1813-83), Mary Cassatt (painter, 1844-1926), Sir Laurence Olivier (1907-89). (Note: Please inform editor of CFH birthdays so they can be included here).

Deaths On This Date: Richard Biggs (Babylon 5, 2004), Whitman Mayo (Sanford & Son, 2001), Rocky Graziano (1990), Dennis Day (1988), C. Day Lewis (English poet, 1972), Langston Hughes (American poet, 1967), Joan Davis (I Married Joan, 1961), Victor Hugo (1885), Pope Alexander VII (1667), Constantine the Great (337).