Cyndi's Two Cents

PETA stamps of approval

Commentary. 

From Smart Phones to tablet computers to GPS in our cars and our tractors, the availability of modern technology to communicate for personal and business reasons has changed. Boy has it changed!

The Internet revolution has, among other things, led people as well as businesses to send and receive a lot more email and a lot less – as some call it snail mail – or conventional mail.

The volume of mail that is processed through the post office is dropping every year. A lot of people pay their bills on line, read their local newspaper on line and instead of spending hours wrapped in a blanket reviewing the Sears Christmas catalog with a cup of hot chocolate, a bowl of popcorn and very, very excited children, they Google and surf and click their “mice.”

Remember shopping for just the right cards and setting aside an hour or two each evening in early to mid-December to write (with a real ink pen) a thoughtful note inside each one before putting the card in an envelope and sticking a festive holiday stamp in the corner? Many people this holiday season will send Christmas greetings in an email or text message to their friends and family.

The U.S. Postal Service is handling a lot less mail than it did just 5 years ago and that means it is generating a lot less revenue. One tactic that is being implemented to generate revenue came early this fall when the Postmaster General announced that postage stamps in the United States will now not only feature the deceased deserving recognition, but will open eligibility for living people to be featured on stamps.

It didn’t take long for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) long to get on board. According to a news release from the animal rights group, “It might be several more months before the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) issues official stamps honoring living people-but PETA is ahead of the curve with a new “Vegetarian Icons” postage sheet produced by Stamps.com, an approved licensed vendor of the USPS.”

The official roll-out of these stamps was held last week at a post office in Hollywood. Bob Barker and Pamela Anderson along with someone named Steve-O were there for the unveiling. Others featured on these stamps include Ellen DeGeneres, Paul McCartney, Natalie Portman, Woody Harrelson, Leonardo da Vinci (now wait a minute – he’s dead – as are several others picked by PETA for this honor.)

According to the PETA news release, “The VIPs featured on these unique postage sheets ditched meat from their diets either out of concern for their health, for the environment, or for animals and our world would not be the same without their accomplishments. Although the individuals featured in this series seem very different at first glance, they are united in their respect for animals.”

I guess if you aren’t going to get your face on a postage stamp for superb acting (Pamela Anderson) or for years hosting a day-time TV game show (Bob Barker) this is probably as good as it gets.

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