Send It To Andy!

Whether It's Fudge, Books Or Whistles, Lots Of Stuff Has Landed In Andy Rooney's Mailbox

(CBS)  This commentary was first published on April 26, 2009.

The following is a weekly 60 Minutes commentary by CBS News correspondent Andy Rooney.

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When I was about 12 years old, I remember at Christmas one year being ashamed of how much I liked it because of all the presents I got. It's a pretty complicated thought for a 12 year old kid but that's what I had.

I've always liked presents though. People send me a lot of things and I wish they wouldn't but I can't help liking them anyway.

I mean look at this - just a few of the things that have come in recently: this is a bottle of some kind of sauce. Now it's probably very good and from some one who likes me but it could be bad and from someone who hates me too, so I don't dare eat it.

Someone sent me this sports whistle. Why would anyone send me a whistle? The package says it's made of solid brass. It's triple plated and it has an extra sharp tone. Well good for it. But I certainly wouldn't want a whistle that was only double plated and made of brass that wasn't solid.

This goes under a door to keep the draft out. Someone's idea of what John McCain and Barack Obama look like. Not my idea of what either of them look like but what do I know?

"The American Government In Action" - this is a game. I never cared much for games. There's enough to play with in real life.

"The Baseball Dictionary." This book has a lot more than I want to know about baseball. I'm a football fan. Baseball is too caught up with numbers for me.

This is a pair of socks; I don't know who they’re for. They come up over my knees.

I don’t know what these two bags are for - why would I want two of them anyway?

This is called Almond Orange Honey. Seems like a good idea and the bees are certainly done a good job, but I never liked honey.

I said I liked fudge and that I never got any good fudge anymore - I haven't had any good fudge in years - so a lot of people sent me good fudge. I guess it's good. I haven't eaten all if it yet.

I said I shine my own shoes. The letter that came with this stuff says it brings leather back to life. It's nice to think about bringing leather back to life isn't it? I'll see if this brings my shoes back to life. I just hope my shoes don't eat my fudge.

[ElPaseo]

Thank you Mr Rooney for being one of only a few that have admitted that they where over charged by their doctor who didn't even "touch" him. I too get charged over $200 for just an office visit by a general practitioner!! He doesn't even check my lungs!! Just talks to me then he charges Medicare & my other insurance company for the visit. It took his office 3 times to get my blood test right!!Is it the insurance companies we have to reform or the doctors for over charging???

[thomasd88]

Andy,
I am planning on doing this documentary on the history of Rensselaerville. I respect your opinion, and thought you might have some ideas you could share as I enter production.
My email is:
[e-mail]

-Dave Thomas

[paparazziNews]

Hi Andy,

My friend Andrea sent me an article about your views, and I love you for your honesty and courage, that, I had to put you on the front page of my news, The Westchester News.Com http://thewestchesternews.com

I thought my viewers would appreciate hearing the truth from another news media besides me.

Thank you,

Barbara Ricci, Publisher Of The Westchester News

[steveg201]

Andy, did I just hear you say you would rather receive "junk mail" in your mailbox versus an email on your computer? I believe this is 2009 and you need to figure that out. You are a nice person and some of your pieces are quite humorous, but you make me want to throw something at the TV set when I hear you talk like this. USPS could become profitable if they truly ran the post office like a business. Since regular "snail mail" is becoming a dinosaur they should dramatically raise their prices for the "junk mail" pieces that you talked about. Get this, USPS gives the "junk mailers" a discount to send me junk that I don't want (another story for you by the way). Which continues to fill up our landfills and wastes precious resources or water, trees and such that are used in the process of making a paper product. Back to my point... Edison and Ford did not get to where they were with an attitude such as yours. PS, while you are at it, please throw out your typewriter at the same time.

Garvey

[maloeboo]

Did I just hear you say "the post office doesn't recieve tax payer money"?

Sunday night @1755HRS EST.

mal

[buhonorstudent]

My name is Kalee Sorey, & I?m a marketing major at Belmont University. When I received my tuition bill of $12,000 this August, I felt defeated. For the past 2 1/2 years, I have spent my life over marketing books, buried in projects, and actively participating in classroom discussions. It is safe to say my studies have taken over my life, bank account, and even credit score.

Starting September 18, 2009, I plan to raise $48,600 to pay off my massive student loans. I plan on doing this by auctioning off my childhood, creating a new outlet for businesses to advertise, and using my business and computer skills to facilitate busy professionals? lives. I will advertise and track my project?s success through my blog, social networks, and my website -- www.BUHonorStudent.com.

Thanks for your time,
Kalee Sorey

[buhonorstudent]

My name is Kalee Sorey, & I?m a marketing major at Belmont University. When I received my tuition bill of $12,000 this August, I felt defeated. For the past 2 1/2 years, I have spent my life over marketing books, buried in projects, and actively participating in classroom discussions. It is safe to say my studies have taken over my life, bank account, and even credit score.

Starting September 18, 2009, I plan to raise $48,600 to pay off my massive student loans. I plan on doing this by auctioning off my childhood, creating a new outlet for businesses to advertise, and using my business and computer skills to facilitate busy professionals? lives. I will advertise and track my project?s success through my blog, social networks, and my website -- www.BUHonorStudent.com.

Thanks for your time,
Kalee Sorey

[BrentAlanBeck]

I sent you various invention about five years ago now that I'd stlil like to secure a benefactor toward. Last night there were a few things about Don Hewitt that resonated with me. Too bad others in my life didn't previously recognize such shared indluence, maybe a, "That's how Brent thinks, too...?"

So I continue, cramped in the cracks for the excuse people give me, that everyone seems to deny themselves?

[e-mail]

[AntoinetteMartin]

There is nothing I look forward more to than Andy Rooney's comments at the end of 60 Minutes. I loved this week's kitchen episode with the nut crackers, etc. Except though, the metal pieces he had with the waves on them were not nut crackers, they were cutters used to cut potatoes with waves in them. My mom use to make them for us many times and they were delicious. I still have her's but never use it because it makes me sad that mine don't come out as good as her's. Keep up the good work. Antoinette from Rockaway, NJ

[AntoinetteMartin]

There is nothing I look forward more to than Andy Rooney's comments at the end of 60 Minutes. I loved this week's kitchen episode with the nut crackers, etc. Escept though, the metal pieces he had with the waves on them were not nut crackers, they were cutters used to cut potatoes with waves in them. My mom use to make them for us many times and they were delicious. I still have her's but never use it because it makes me sad that mine don't come out as good as her's. Keep us the good work. Antoinette from Rockaway, NJ

[la-reina]

Andy,

I just got done watching 60 minutes and I was totally disgusted with your comments about gifts. I can not believe that people bother to send you things when you don't appreciate any of them.

What a waste of salary!!! We have many people unemployed in this country that could do a better job. I truly used to enjoy your comments and thoughts, as you used to be constructive and informative. Truly, I think it is time for you to retire. Don't be like some of our past athletes that stay way past their years of productivity and ruin their good past record. You actually ruin the show with your closing. I have to wait and watch in disgust, as most other programs are ending at that time.

Sorry, I guess I have the right to be just as rude as you are to America and your viewers.

Fatima

[rumbold]

You whined about getting a couple of 100.00 restaurant gift certificates and you don't want to go to Miami to use them. Why do you not contact some non-profit down there, senior center, etc., and offer to send them there so deserving people might be treated. Stop the complaint and perform an act of charity. Good God, you are rich enough to give away something you didn't buy. Robert in New Castle DE

[apwest]

Andy,
I have a solution for the air traffic security problem that is radical enough for your 60 minutes and simple enough to work.
Handle air traffic the same way we do land traffic. Modify the air traffic to the following three syastems.
1 - Package system
2 - Military and authorized government employees.
3 - Public air traffic, with flight operations sealed off from passenger space with a non removable partition. The passengers would travel at their own risk with no security checks. The insurance companies would love this one.
This is simple enough to work if we can keep politions from modifing it until it also becomes useless. But, that is another problem.

Hope I haven't wasted your time reading this.
A P West

[gwheelo]

Dear Sir,

Six years ago on the eve of the Iraq invasion there was much vilification of people who did not agree with the administration?s plan to engage in was with Iraq. In particular France and more specifically the French people were singled out.
They were maligned for their reluctance to follow George Bush?s plan, not only maligned but ridiculed, and insulted in a way that few people ever had been in this country.
I am French, married to an American, and have two sons born and working in this country. I was in France when the Allied Forces liberated the country and I remember well the glee and gratitude with which American GIs were greeted. I was six years old when my Father, a doctor, entertained some fellow American medical persons in our home on Christmas 1944. That gratitude felt then still exists in France.
So, during the ?Freedom Fries? campaign, while the insults kept coming, some from my husband?s family, some from my co-workers, and some from my ?friends?, I kept thinking that those were being hurled from small, petty minds.
However, one evening at the end of a ?60 Minute? broadcast I was left speechless when you, Sir, a reasonable, thinking person stated that you regretted having had a part in liberating France. I knew then that the animosity had reached an unbearable level. We moved to Europe shortly thereafter. We now reside there and return to the US from time to time to visit our sons and their families.
It is during our current visit that we witnessed your eulogy to your friend Walter Cronkite. We were moved by your deeply felt words.
I wonder if, in retrospect you still feel the way you expressed during that broadcast six years ago. After all, the greatest gift made possible by those GIs at that time was the freedom of choice, and we will always be grateful for that.

Sincerely yours,

Elisabeth Wheelock

[davidlewis7]

One other, presumably more political issue, the health care question AND Social Security would get fixed so fast it would make your head spin, if all of our political leaders had to give up their private retirement and except Social Security when they retire. I truely feel this is something that NEEDS to happen. I am certain there are many things that would improve if retired politicians simply returned to being normal citizens, with normal citizen's benefits.

[davidlewis7]

In the short history of Modern technology(comparatively short due to centuries devoid of it) the "Transition to Digital Television" HAS to be the largest, premature screw-up ever imposed on the American public. Free-to-Air signals to an appropriate antenna break up when a loud truck goes by. And during storms goes out in exactly the same manner that satellite signals do.
Analog worked, successfully from the 1940's until this grand new MONSTER was unleashed. ANALOG Air waves do not get tangled, while digital waves break up, so what was the TRUE reason for this wonderous MISTAKE??
Not CBS, but all television in general...

[Roblamont80]

I can't help but think that this transition was to force people into other alternatives such as new televisions, cable or satalite service.

[billturk1]

Dear Mr. Rooney.
As you are well aware, only you have the guts to go on tv and speak your mind. Thus have a idea for you to use. Yould can advise Mr Obama as follows,to wit:

HOW TO SOLVE THE WAR PROBLEM IN IRAQ,AFGANSTAN AND BRING OUR BUDGET UNDER CONTROL, RETURN ALL OUR FIGHTING TROOPS HOME AND REDUCE CRIME IN THE STATES. A ANSWER

Each state has a prison x all the states and then the fed prisons.
Take each prisoner under 50, put them on transport ships, send them all to Iraq and Afganstan, bring ALL our armed forces troops home.
DRAFT all Card carring ACLU Members and send them with the prisoners as the Officers and NCOs. Feel that they will make a radical change in views and lifestyles.

This will give us a force of over 500,000 men and women, only AFTER they arrive, issue them food, arms, and everything they will need to survive. Remember, most prisoners are already experts in Killing, Raping, Stealing and in general bad people, however they will get along well with the Iraqs and AFganstani people who are experts in the above.

Promise them that anyone that survives 4 years of combat will recive a new US passport valid for travel anywhere in the world EXCEPT the USA and set them free.

Now this will solve every main problem we have. the people of Afganstan and Iraq do not appreciate american troops, so perhaps they will appreciate Mercs.

And no air support or ground support will be required, so all troops home.
Best Regards and keep up speaking the truth. Billturk1

[Roblamont80]

Sounds like you need get a education beyond what your tv remote delivers on a daily basis.

[footsieb]

In your column of 7/15/2009, (reprint of one from 1999) you talk about all the strange instructions that come with tools, etc. My favorite and most redundant one comes on a bottle of prescription sleeping pills. It reads, "May cause Drowsiness"! Isn't that the purpose of taking a sleeping pill?

[chaser68]

SUBJECT: CHASE BANK
Just called for the second time about an issue I had with my checking account. As which time discovered I was talking to someone in the Phillipines both times.

This is something I did not realize and am upset to find more American Companies have sent our job overseas. If the govenment and my taxes are bailing out the Banks and Chase is one of them, why are there jobs not given the American's in the United States?

Not sure American's are aware of this and since unemployment is so high, perhaps we could do something to keep our jobs with Chase and other Companies that send there job overseas.

Would like your view on this.

Thank you, Thelma

[Roblamont80]

Great point! If they want America to invest into them with bailout money then they should be required to invest into America!!

[tylermjames]

Please Please Please Get a hair cut and trim the eye brows!!!
I love u man, but please clen up!!!

[Roblamont80]

To each their own.