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The Year in Stamps

The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries.

The U-S Postal Service is at the heart of the two biggest stamp stories this year.

The first is the announcement that, starting in Two Thousand Twelve, the U-S will honor
living people on stamps. Now, living people have been on U-S stamps before, usually as
models. And other countries have been honoring people who are still alive, from Queens
to Olympic athletes.

But this is a much more diverse country than most...so this policy change could be a
slippery slope.

The other Postal Service story is the soap opera of its life.

(soap opera organ music; establish and under)

When last we left the U-S Postal Service, it was billions of dollars in the red, with
a five-point-five billion dollar benefits payment due soon.

Will the embattled agency be able to pay that bill? Will Congress provide some relief
from the cold, cruel payment? Will the Postal Service turn out into the night tens of
thousands of employees, cut delivery, and close facilities.

Tune in again next year for... As The Postal Service Turns.

(organ sting)
I'm Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting,
visit virtual-stamp-club-dot-com.

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