I’ll cover these with more detailed commentary as they are released, but I wanted to mention the awesomeness that is the 2012 stamp program. Of particular note, this year’s scouting stamp features a girl, the Christmas stamp is a very well done se-tenant, and I’m excited about the Great Film Directors and 20th Century poets sets this year.
Check out the preview at www.beyondtheperf.com/2012-preview/
As a part time historian, I’ve been looking forward to the issue of the new Civil War 
commemorative stamps. The 2011 issue depicts the beginning of the war in April 1861 at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, and the first major battle of the war three months later at Bull Run, near Manassas, Virginia. A souvenir sheet of two stamps will be issued each year through 2015 including four releases marking events from Antietam to Appomattox Court House. The stamp pane’s background image is a photograph dated circa 1861 of a Union regiment assembled near Falls Church, Virginia and the pane includes comments on the war by Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, and Robert E. Lee.
When I collect modern stamps that are difficult to lift or soak off envelopes, I like to get the First Day Covers. I’m not crazy about USPS’ digital color postmarks, but the black and white cancellations here are quite nice. The font used with the shield here fit well into the theme of Civil War history. I remember during the Civil War craze surrounding the PBS series that there were a lot of history books and magazines with a similar look.
I don’t personally collect revenue stamps, but I find them interesting from an anthropological perspective. The Stamp Collecting Round-Up recently featured this post, via The Anniston Star, about drug stamps and how they are popular with philatelists.
It turns out that several states issue illegal drugs stamps, some of which are quite nice. I found some of the disclaimers on Kansas’ Department of Revenue web site interesting, to say the least.
“Attach the stamp to the marijuana and/or controlled substance immediately after receiving the substance.”
“A dealer is not required to give his/her name or address when purchasing stamps and the Department is prohibited from sharing any information relating to the purchase of drug tax stamps with law enforcement or anyone else.”
While I don’t have any direct experience in this area, years ago I met a gentleman while volunteering who was serving some drug related community service time. He had mentioned the stamps in North Carolina, with the advice to buy them if you intended to deal drugs. His position was that “When you get caught…and you will get caught…they will check to see if you’ve paid your taxes. If you haven’t, you’ll have to pay the taxes and fines for not paying them.” Sound advice from a career criminal?
An aggressive band of marauding mutts forced postal carriers to temporarily stop mail 
delivery to residents of Galveston until police corral between three to five mixed breeds.
The mail interruption affects about seven customers who haven’t received mail in about 10 days. No injuries have been reported.
The US Postal Service is apparently cutting 7500 jobs by eliminating 7 district 
offices. District offices house administrative functions and do not affect customer service.
Supposedly, there are more cuts in the works, but this is part of the restructuring of the postal service and will be good for long term efficiency.
Personally, I think this could be good for the postal service. I hate to hear about people being laid off, but the USPS needs to be returned to solvency.
I found this interesting story in the Danger Room section of Wired (and not even in my 
custom “postal” feed). It’s interesting because they had to print hundreds of thousands of these pre-stamped envelopes to figure out when and where the one the suspect used was produced.
I also managed to get Danger Room‘s attention by calling out that a 6 3/4 envelope is not 6 3/4 inches wide. It’s 6 1/2 inches wide. See comments after the story for my post. A minor point, but it matters.
Robert Goddard’s ideas of sustainable rocket-powered flight were ridiculed by some 
colleagues early on, and laughed at in the press, but Goddard drove on and on March 16, 1926, he made the first successful launch of a liquid-fueled rocket, performed at his Aunt Effie’s farm in Connecticut.
Goddard’s achievements are commemorated on #C69, an Air Mail stamp issued in 1964.
