“Who would you put on a stamp? Hoping to boost sagging revenue, the U.S. Postal Service on Monday abandoned its longstanding rule that stamps cannot feature people who are still alive and is asking the public for suggestions,” Hope Yen and Stacy A. Anderson report for The Associated Press.
“It’s a first that means living sports stars, writers, artists and other prominent — or not-so-prominent — people could take their places in postal history next to the likes of George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., and Marilyn Monroe,” Yen and Anderson report. “‘This change will enable us to pay tribute to individuals for their achievements while they are still alive to enjoy the honor,’ said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. But it seems to be at least as much about money as admiration.”
Yen and Anderson report, “Since Jan. 1, 2007, the Postal Service has required that a person be deceased five years before appearing on a stamp. Before that, the rule was 10 years. Still, former presidents were remembered on stamps in the year following their deaths by tradition. And, more recently, people have been able to upload photos and design their own stamps for personal use through the U.S. mail. The post office is inviting suggestions for new stamps through Facebook (recommendations), Twitter, and by mail to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, c/o Stamp Development, Room 3300, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20260-3501.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We suggest everyone go tweet “Steve Jobs for USPS stamp! #SteveJobsstamp” at Twitter right now!