Forever...

Global USPS Forever Stamps

My wife and I made a trip into the Post Office yesterday to mail out several Easter and a few birthday packages via USPS. While there, I was cashing in an IRC (International Reply Coupon) that I recently received for a QSL request. I spotted a few sheets of the new Global Forever Stamps and I snagged them up. I still get lots of QSL requests from abroad, so I felt this would be a good investment. I read about this a short time ago on the web and I for one, am glad to see this available. They go for $1.10 (USD) for one or $22.00 for a sheet.  

We rely heavily on the United States Postal Service here in rural Alaska. There is no Fed Ex or UPS delivery, only mail. We can get the other two, but those items are turned over to the Postal Service or contractor for delivery.  The cheapest way to send and receive packages to and from the Interior of Alaska is USPS. There has been lots of press lately about the financial situation of the Postal Service, mostly negative. A revenue based operation that has seen their income stream dwindle due to modern technology. From the amount of credit card solicitations we still get by mail along with the other junk mail, you gotta wonder how bad off they would be without that garbage. I for one, especially living here, am very thankful for the USPS. Even though it can take days to get packages, they can arrive looking like they went through a war zone and were run over by a dump truck, it's still our best bang for the buck. Thankfully, some ham radio stores understand this and will ship items to Alaska via USPS. Sadly, a few stores do not. So, they don't get my business when I feel the urge to stimulate the economy. Even many postings on eBay will say "Continental United States Only" or "Lower 48 States Only" and oddly enough, USPS Priority Mail is an option. Yes, Alaska is a DXCC entity but the United States Postal Service does deliver here! Flat Rate is Flat Rate, even to Alaska (have you seen the commercial?)! So, to the Postal Service, thanks! We are glad you are here. And to those who will ship USPS for us here in remote parts of Alaska, "Thank You!" The United States Postal Service might not be here forever but their stamps will last that long! Or so they say...