邮资攀升，E-mail流行，这个年代愿意寄信的人还有多少？面对这样的挑战，邮政部门在邮票上可花了不少心思。现在他们使出的绝招是发行一种“Forever”邮票，买了它，就再也不用担心今后邮票涨价了。
NewStampIsGoodForLife
Thecostofamailstampisgoingupanother2centsonMay14,to41cents.ButthePostalServiceisgivingyouaneternalhedgeagainststampinflation.BillWhitakerhasthestory.
Oneofthemostenduringimagesofmaildelivery:thePonyExpress.TodaytheUSPostalServiceunveiledanewimage:astampithopeswontjustendurebutwillstickaround,well,thenamespeaksforitself.
ThisistheForeverstamp.
Thatscenter,forever.Risingpostalrateswillneverdiminishthevalueofthestamp.Whenitgoesonsalenextmonthforthenewfirst-classrateof41cents,youllbeabletomailaletterwiththatstamp,nomatterhowhighratesgointhefuture.
Youbuythisstamp,and30yearsfromnow,thepriceofastampis,letssay,50cents,youputthisstamponit,anditgoes.
Aprettygooddealifpostalrateskeepclimbingastheyhave,thatis,unlessyou’reaphilatelist,astampcollector.CollectorslikeMichaelDubasalsayraregemslikethiswillgoupinvalue.
AndtheForeverstamps?Never.
Stillthey’rethePostOfficeslatestattempttokeepyourmailcarrierfromgoingthewayoftheponyexpress.Sofar,puttingcelebritiesfacesonstampsevenlettingyouputyourfacesonstampshasnthelpedthepostofficelickthecompetition.
Why?Well,ittooktheponyexpresstendaystodeliveraletterfromMissouritoCalifornia.Thepostalservicenow,acoupleofdays.Butwithcomputers,justamatterofseconds.
IsaveafortuneinpostageeverymonthbecauseofE-mail.
Sothestampcouldbeseenasaboldstatementofconfidencebythepostofficethatneithersnow,norrainnore-mailwillstopmailcarriersfrommakingtheirrounds.
BillWhitaker,CBSNews,LosAngeles.
