>>10306076 (lb)
>https://store.usps.com/store/home
Unbelievable. USPS crosses out the word "Forever" on the USA Flag Stamp. Features Bugs Bunny Forever on the USPS Store Homepage.
That's literally the dumbest excuse I've ever heard. A straight think line in the same color as the font as an anti-counterfeiting technique.
No.
There are no coincidences.
Does crossing out the FOREVER next to the USA on all the stamps makes it all better?
No.
This is actual anti-counterfeiting technology used by the USPS, which is not a straight line through a fucking word. Somehow they even got a patent on it.
https://www.securingindustry.com/security-documents-and-it/us-postal-service-patents-anti-fake-tech-for-stamps/s110/a11240/
Counterfeiting of postage stamps remains a problem worldwide, and the US Postal Service has been working on ways to protect them with authentication technologies.
It has just been awarded a US patent – No. 10,535,211 – that covers an approach based on the application of an adhesive incorporating taggants that can emit luminescence in response to a signal, such as a particular light or electromagnetic energy source. It also covers the use of the taggants within the substrate of the stamp, such as paper, or the ink used to print it.
The USPS and US Postal Inspection Service (USPS) don’t publish any data on just how big a problem stamp fraud is in the US – or even provide an obvious way to report it – but the patent suggests it isn’t an insignificant problem.
The abstract of the patent appears below:
Method and system for item authentication and customization
Abstract: A method of illuminating an item is disclosed. The method includes applying adhesive to the item, interspersing a taggant in the adhesive, illuminating the item with an excitation signal, sensing luminescence emitted by the taggant in response to illumination by the excitation signal, and determining the authenticity of the item based on the sensed emitted luminescence. The item can include any item benefited by authentication, and can include a postage stamp. A method of customizing an item is disclosed. This can include the steps of preparing a substrate, applying a security feature to the substrate, printing non-customized information on the substrate, receiving image information, and printing the image information on the substrate.
Patent No. 10,535,211
Rapistan Systems
AFSM 100 flat sorter machine. Manufactured by Rapistan Systems in 2000. 208/120 volt, 93 amp. 120 bins (60 per side). Has Automatic Induction (AI) by Northrop Grumman and Automated Tray Handling System(ATHS) by Siemens.
Will process 15000 – 21000 flats per hour
Three (3) consoles on the AFSM, 4 consoles on the AI. AFSM 100 flat sorter machine. Manufactured by Rapistan Systems in 2000. 208/120 volt, 93 amp. 120 bins (60 per side). Has Automatic Induction (AI) by Northrop Grumman and Automated Tray Handling System(ATHS) by Siemens.
Will process 15000 – 21000 flats per hour
Three (3) consoles on the AFSM, 4 consoles on the AI.
https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=188&acctid=3523
Also, 21st Century Software Inc. was awarded a non-competitive contract modification for hardware engineering support services through September 30, 2015. The value of this award is $2,330,874.00. 21st Century Software Inc. is the incumbent supplier for research and development activities and support primarily related to flats sorting machines. Most of the contract value is for engineering labor support services for development of system enhancements to the Flats Sequencing System (FSS) and to the Automated Flat Sorting Machine (AFSM100); however, there are some limited opportunities for hardware subcontracts for the prototype kits that 21st Century develops.
http://www.postal-reporter.com/blog/usps-award-contracts-worth-37-million-to-update-pars-fss-and-afsm-systems/
Rapistan Systems is owned by Dematic, Inc. headquartered in Atlanta.
In 2012 Dematic was owned by the Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan
In 2016, Dematic was acquired by the Kion Group which is headquartered in Frankfurt Germany
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dematic
Ref:
https://www.dematic.com/en-us/about/about-dematic/the-kion-group/
The CEO of Dematic, manufacturer of US mail automated sorting systems is Hasan Dandashly, formerly CEO of General Electric
Hasan Dandashly is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dematic Operating Unit and an active member of the KION Group Executive Committee. He joined the company in 2018.
Hasan brings more than 25 years of global leadership experience with demonstrated capabilities in full-cycle profit and loss management, operations excellence and strategy execution through methodical business and culture transformation.
He joined Dematic from General Electric where he was President and CEO, Oil & Gas Surface since 2017 after having served as President and CEO, Downstream Technology Solutions. Prior to this, Hasan held various international executive roles at GE’s Industrial, Transportation, and Power Generation businesses, beginning in 1998. These included general management positions at GE’s subsidiaries in Italy, UAE, Qatar, and the U.S. Before joining GE, Hasan led engineering teams at Honeywell Industrial Automation and Honeywell Avionics.
Hasan holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the Lebanese American University and a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota.
https://www.dematic.com/en-us/about/about-dematic/leadership/
Other than a large envelope, what would a ballot be mailed in?
What is a Large Envelope (Flat)?
A Large Envelope is a rectangular mailpiece no thicker than 3/4 inch. They are commonly referred to as “Flats.
https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-is-a-Large-Envelope-Flat