Somebody else's mail
I get all kinds of stuff in the mail these days. An alert, anonymous reader here in Portland forwarded to my office over the holiday break this postcard that he or she had received:
I couldn't figure out what it was about until I flipped it over. And I can't know for sure whether the reader loved it or hated it. Anyhow, the reverse side is here.
| Posted at 5:58 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (21)
Amazing, isn't it? An entire city scene and it's all government.
Posted by John Fairplay | January 14, 2008 8:05 AM
Now thats funny and incredibly sad.
Sad because the clowns who mailed it out used $ 0.41 in postage through a postage meter for each card.
Post card postage, domestcally, is $ 0.26.
Someone working on Cogan's behalf wasted $ 0.15 per card mailed.
The postage meter number on the card appears to be 0014219447. That number is a bit blurry on my screen, and perhaps Jack will correct the meter number if my reading of the meter number is incorrect.
Any body want to bet it was NOT a county postage meter?
Maybe Multnomah County Commissioner Cogan will tell us what postage meter was used and was it or was it not a county postage meter?
I'm not holding my breath waiting to hear from Jeff Cogan.
Posted by Nonny Mouse | January 14, 2008 8:24 AM
Little Big Pipe is so thoughtful.....
Posted by Bark Munster | January 14, 2008 8:28 AM
It would be shocking if the postage meter belonged to a friend, reletive or donor of Cogan's. I think.
But the mailing served such a valuable public need. I'm sure,,,,, I just can't think of it.
Posted by Howard | January 14, 2008 9:01 AM
I remember when empowerment was the rage back in the early 1990s in the bureaucracy I worked. I find it difficult to get behind the current green and sustainable rage when all I see it for is an excuse for local and regional governments to stiffen regulation and increase taxes. Bring back empowerment. It's the one rage I can get behind.
p.s. is it really all that energy efficient to haul sod & dirt up a skyscapper and maintain it up there? The same could be said about the biofuels craze where you haul corn from the U.S midwest to Oregon, where it is distilled into a nascar like high burn fuel?
Posted by Bob Clark | January 14, 2008 9:20 AM
OK - So where is the Sellwood Bridge and fixing the basic infrastructure stuff at? Which one of those buildings is the closed jail?
Man, it kills these guys to do the basic and boring things we pay taxes for doesn't it?
Posted by Steve | January 14, 2008 10:13 AM
FYI, postcards greater than 6" long or 4.25" high are $0.41. Looks like this one might be longer than 6".
Posted by PMG | January 14, 2008 10:35 AM
We really don't know what the total mailing cost was. Since it came in from a reader who got one, and nobody else seems to be recognizing it, it certainly doesn't appear to be a mass mailing. Rather, perhaps, a selective list at county expense, which, if so, raises other questions.
Posted by zeb quinn | January 14, 2008 10:42 AM
I was hoping to see Fritz the Cat in the scene somewhere...
Posted by Dave | January 14, 2008 11:01 AM
"Amazing, isn't it? An entire city scene and it's all government."
You expected to see what from a politician? A scene of Walmart importing lead paint covered children's toys.
Greg C
Posted by Greg C | January 14, 2008 11:32 AM
I wonder if Paul Allen might be able to ransom PDX by threatening to sell naming rights to the Rose Garden to the likes of Walmart? This would truly be hilarious. But probably won't get any such laughs as "you can't fight city hall."
Posted by Bob Clark | January 14, 2008 12:17 PM
The only one in that photo making any money is the drug dealer...I mean coffee shop owner.
Posted by John | January 14, 2008 2:46 PM
Maybe they should have had a scene showing Sisters of the Road Cafe. A place where people atually help others.
BGTI
Posted by Better Government thru Intimidation | January 14, 2008 3:57 PM
I think it's interesting that Tim's Coffee is in a county building.
Posted by Michael | January 14, 2008 4:20 PM
Scarry. Richard Scarry?
Posted by Allan L. | January 14, 2008 4:29 PM
The actual size is 6 x 11 inches.
Posted by Jack Bog | January 14, 2008 4:45 PM
I didn't know that public schools were allowed to have wreaths anymore ...
Posted by Garage Wine | January 14, 2008 4:48 PM
Its slick and I like it. Its good advertising.
Posted by Chris Coyle | January 14, 2008 5:44 PM
Steve is on to something. Perhaps there is an artist lurking about that could draw a cityscape including:
1. A sparkling new jail, replete with a million dollars in public art. Empty.
2. A bridge falling into the water, with PFB engines looking across, wishing they could drive across.
3. A Sheriff in a black cowboy hat, riding on Neil's coattails, with three married women walking alongside, looking forlorn.
4. A Bureau of Environmental Services truck being lifted out of the sinkhole (technically, a CoP embarrasment, but given all the T.I.F. dollars siphoned away from MultCo, very illusrative)
5. The county courthouse with a basement full of sewage.
6. Tim Boyle (Columbia Sportwear's CEO) driving a Freightliner moving truck out of the county.
7. A friend of Maria Rojo de Steffey, holding a bag of cash in one hand and a smiley face IOU in the other.
Posted by Mister Tee | January 14, 2008 7:41 PM
Mister Tee:
That's brilliant and funny. Just one thing -- in item 6, you misspelled "country".
Posted by Allan L. | January 14, 2008 9:05 PM
Amazing, isn't it? An entire city scene and it's all government.
Yes, a grim scene indeed. With government now firmly entrenched in the business of doing absurd things like operating schools, libraries and "supporting returning veterans" (#8 on the postcard), what will they dream up next? Putting up more traffic lights and hiring more cops so they can infringe on my inalienable rights to speed like a lunatic?
Posted by Joe | January 15, 2008 12:51 PM