Day 23: "Mailing" stuff, whatever that is

Thanks to another tip from Matt Bothwell (and my newly assumed duty as mailroom clerk for my dad), I made my way to the Jacksonville Beach Post Office.  A small pang of guilt hit as a I walked past Bailey's.  Sorry, Bailey's...I'm not cheating on you, I'm just not that in to you right now...

Anyway, the Post Office absolutely looks like a pink ribbon disaster:
 

 Pink ribbons made out of tissue paper, pink ribbon pens, pink tulle (gross).  I'm so glad the Postal Service has plenty of time and extra money sitting around to make this all possible. 

They are selling these little signs where you can make a donation and write your name (I guess?) and they'll hang it up on the counter.  Here's a rough version of the conversation:

Mail lady:  Here's your certified letter.  Would you like to donate to the fight against breast cancer?

Me:  (Lying)  Mmm, maybe.  What organization does it benefit?

Mail lady:  A cure for breast cancer.

Me:  No, I mean, specifically, who gets this money?

Mail lady:  I'm not sure, but I'm sure it is someone good.

Me:  I bet. 

For may years, the post office has been selling stamps to fund breast cancer research. 

The Mail Lady was pushing these stamps, big time.  For only $.55 a stamp, you can get a first class stamp AND make an $.11 donation.  So, imagine this.  I mail about 3 things per month (maybe), so across an entire year, I can be making a whopping $3.96 donation!!!  I can't imagine how much cancer that is going to cure!!!!

Even though the Mail Lady didn't know, I did some independent research to see who was going to benefit from my $3.96.  It turns out, the Breast Cancer Research Stamp funds the National Cancer Institute which is under the NIH.  You know what else funds the NIH?  YOUR TAXES.  Wow, government, thanks for coming up with a spiffy new way to get my money.  You are the BEST!

In case these stamps aren't rocking your world, go on to Zazzle and get one with a super classy saying such as "Support my Rack" for the low bargain cost of over $1.00 per $.44 stamp, with no indication of any of it going to any charity. 

You can even get a personalized address stamp that does absolutely nothing to fight breast cancer other than display a pink ribbon everytime you reach for it to stamp and mail your medical bills. 

I mean, so many options.  It almost makes me want to go back to "mailing" things.