Most postage stamps show something intended to be beautiful, artistic, or uplifting (paintings, the annual "Valentine" stamp, flowers, cute animals, etc.). Some show things that were considered deserving of honour (the flag, past presidents, famous scientists, etc.). When paying bills (I still do this by check for reasons of paranoia), mailing off tax forms, or the like, I often find myself resenting that the envelope has something pretty on it. The IRS doesn't *deserve* pretty, and neither does my cable company.
I propose that a series of stamps be put out bearing mildly abusive messages and images intended to disturb. A simple "Pppppthb!" might be effective for letters to people who had annoyed you; "Go Away Already" or a thumbs-down icon would also express your feelings well. For greedy utilities, a cartoon 'fat cat' or a vampire bat would remind them how their customers see them. For intrusive government forms, maybe a boot stamping on a human head.
Just because you have to correspond with them doesn't mean you have to act like you *like* them. Even in the little ways.-- gisho, Apr 24 2008 like this http://www.off-road...es/vampire-bush.jpglick this [jaksplat, Apr 24 2008] Zazzle - custom postage stamps http://www.zazzle.com/custom/stampsyou can design your own US postage stamps [xaviergisz, Apr 24 2008] Your Stamps http://www.yourstam...0000000000000001166Yet another example [ericscottf, Apr 29 2008] Wikipedia: Shock site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_siteIf you've never heard of goatse, you might want to get the whole genre over with in one go so we can get back to halfbaking. Thanks... [jutta, May 01 2008] You suck... http://www.chrismoore.com/you_suck.html [normzone, Apr 16 2010] ...and you see the government being inclined to do this thing?
Although I have taken delight in using stamps with ugly bugs on them for utility bills.-- DrCurry, Apr 24 2008 The recent series of US Star Wars stamps had some that would fit - Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine. I doubt that my credit card company got the message, but yeah, it felt oddly satisfying.-- jutta, Apr 24 2008 It could be a revenue generator for the post office - you get to choose your image to fit in their approved frame, but you pay double for the privelege.-- normzone, Apr 24 2008 i like it. more people should write letters.-- sooriir, Apr 24 2008 goatse-- Voice, Apr 24 2008 thanks loads for the picture of the "goatse mailman" delivering letters (hey, he's not wearing a mailbag... where's he keep his deliveries?)-- FlyingToaster, Apr 25 2008 (+)
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I really didn't need to learn what the term goatse meant so early in the morning. Come to think of it, afternoon wouldn't have been much better. Maybe sometime in the evening...no. No, evenings no good either.
hmmmm
<begins mentally wrapping the concept with layers of razor wire and tosses into the sub-cranial cesspool>-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Apr 25 2008 //The recent series of US Star Wars stamps had some that would fit // The Mind Buggers...-- gnomethang, Apr 25 2008 I'm thinking that instead of using the valued-stamp these could be additional stamps. Standard stamp in the top right; next to it a big thumbs down stamp (for example)-- vincevincevince, Apr 26 2008 sorry, rant.-- po, Apr 26 2008 Perhaps you could use one and two cent stamps to spell something out in morse code...-- ye_river_xiv, Apr 26 2008 //The steady flow of 'nasty stamps' passing over utility workers' desks each day//
I have a feeling that if you started processed consumer accounts receivable all day it wouldn't be long before all the stamps looked the same.-- Capt Skinny, Apr 26 2008 you could have a generic "pile of poop" rubber stamp for the envelope.-- copycat042, Apr 29 2008 I immediately bun this! At last...an idea I greatly respect and support.-- Blisterbob, Apr 29 2008 I believe there was a program to print your own stamps which was cancelled when people thought it was funny to put pics of the unabomber on stamps. Oop. It still exists. [linky]-- ericscottf, Apr 29 2008 I like the idea. However, what would you do he someone started sending the aforementioned stamps to you?-- whizzentag, Apr 29 2008 //I really didn't need to learn what the term goatse meant so early in the morning.//
Agreed, [2fries], another obscene concept irrevocabally fixed in my brain, via google images.
Great idea with the stamps though, [Gisho], I regret the "goatse effect" but should have known the risks of checking out something titled "I lick, you suck".
[+]-- MikeD, Apr 30 2008 Soory, [MikeD], I only called it that for the bad pun. It's kind of outdated; most stamps are self-adhesive these days anyway. (Although you still lick most envelopes, for some reason.)-- gisho, Apr 30 2008 What has been seen cannot be unseen. And now, I leave you with another concept to avoid forever or rue the day: tubgirl.-- Voice, May 01 2008 Actually, folks, there is nothing to stop this from being done. Who needs Government approval to place your OWN sticker on an envelope? Sure, you still have to include an actual stamp (the more unadorned, the better), but in ADDITION to that, we already have such things as "Easter Seals", and so on. So, just find out who makes such seals, and hire them.-- Vernon, May 01 2008 However, what would you do he someone started sending the aforementioned stamps to you?
[whizzentag], are you using predictive text?-- theleopard, May 01 2008 [Voice] Henceforth, my curiosity will never overcome your advice.-- MikeD, May 01 2008 Some very large agencies, you don't need to put a specific address on it; the Post Office will just shoot it through...
f'rinstance: Santa Claus, North Pole IRS, 3rd Circle, Hell-- FlyingToaster, May 01 2008 random, halfbakery