stamps you cannot soak of the envelope

Hello, I received a copy of an article from Linn's today. Interesting. About the loss of the water soluble layer in some US stamps. In other words you cannot soak the stamp off the envelope.
Been there, done that, and not only for the US stamps I might add.

It seems this is being done to save costs in the production of the stamps. Ok, so I can maybe understand that line of thinking. But in the interview between Linn's and the executive director of the United States Postal Service, the question was asked, is this also to stop reuse of stamps. - as in soak off an unfranked stamp and reuse it by applying some gum and resticking it on an envelope. Good question eh!!! Now there are two points here I would like to make. And I am in a grumpy old man mood so bear with me.

1) of course it is to stop that. Does the editor think the Postal Service people are stupid - even if the rest of us do, :-) given the number of issues these days :-) Hope you can see the parody here... and,
2) even if the postal service hadn't thought about it, why would you tell them... derrgghh.. and now the Royal Mail.. don't you just love them for their prolific issuing policy and how they are driving up the price of fine used commemoratives for us collectors - even if the Royal Mail had not thought about it they sure will now.. and gone will be the days when I could keep my family in unused stamps for all their postal needs: and what about those dealers selling lots of 100 unused but no gum. Ye gods..another hit to their back pocket. I wont mention the country that excels in this practice.. or the Postal Authority there will catch on :-)

What is the world comming to I ask myself when a person cannot make a dishonest 55c off the postal service.

These are trying times for the US Postal Service and any organisation, so said the spokesman for the USPS, or words to that effect, yeah right mate... me too, I am trying to save 55c by reusing a stamp and you are being so inconsiderate of my trying times :-)

Enjoy your stamps... Michael