Today I got an unexpected package. It's an 8x10x2" soft-sided black bag, with a zipper main compartment, a small velcro side pocket for pencils, and a latching flap front pocket where the inside of the large flap say AARP thirty three times in bright white letters on black.
I guess AARP sent it to me because I renewed, which I only did to keep my supplemental insurance.
I don't see how to look at this except to say that I bought myself a bag, even though I probably have no use for it.
But what gets me is that it came with tracking! A $10 bag, probably 5 when they buy 40 mililion every five years. Or more like 5 or 6 million a year, since probably people who renew for less than 5 get different so-called gifts. And for that they pay for tracking!! Do you think they get a volume discount from the USPS?
The new passport also came with tracking, priority mail, and that I heartily approve, because I don't want my passport to get lost. There are a lot of people who look like me who are just dying to use it. Even though I wasn't in a hurry to need priority mail, tracking can't be used with plain first class. Plus it's one part of the federal govt. buying from another so it's like it's all one pocket, even though it's not like that.
The return address on the passport was S. Carolina, but the tracking shows Tuczon. It took 15 minutes shy of 48 hours to get to its next recorded stop (and afaik they record every stop), the main post office in Baltimore. Somehow that seems very fast for by truck, but slow if by plane. So how does that happen?