Sober Thought Post
Sober Thought Post is the mail system owned and operated by the federal government of Sober Thought. Organisationally, it is the Chief Directorate of Postal Communication of the Vice Ministry of Communications at the Ministry of Community Connections.
Its goal is to foster personal communications, printed informational matter and small commercial packets to all parts of the country and throughout the International Democratic Union at a modest cost. Therefore, user fees do not always cover costs. Private sector businesses have the greater than 5 kilogram parcel sector all to themselves, and may offer the same services as STP at the same price.
Postal rates
Postcards may be sent anywhere in the country for Ð0.30, sealed letters weighing up to 20 g for Ð0.50 and sealed letters weighing 21 g to 99 g for Ð0.70. To other IDU countries, the price is double. These are the most common rates which should allow friends, families and penpals maintain regular and affordable contact with one another, and bridge the distance of province and country.
Packets of printed matter, such as newspapers, magazines, catalogues, booklets, etc., up to 500 g cost Ð0.20 per 100 gramms or part. Printed matter of an informational or educational nature may be eligible for a rate reduction. Printed matter addressed to another IDU country costs twice the price and is not eligible for the rate reduction.
Parcels weighing up to 10 kg cost Ð1 plus Ð0.10 per 100 g per postal region. This service accomodates, for instance, individuals exchanging gifts by post and companies shipping small consumer goods mail order. Until STP decides otherwise, parcels heavier than 10 kg are only handled by private courrier companies.
Pending United Nations actions, rates to places outside the IDU are unregulated and unpredictable, and depend on good relations with the country to which the mail is addressed.
Postal codes
The country is assigned numeric postal codes which indicate the postal region, zone, area, district and section. Regions 1, 2 and 3 cover Central Province and Bight County of Capital Province (which is Zone 39); Regions 4 and 5 cover Hochelaga and Mit-en-Haut County of Capital Province (which is Zone 40); Region 6 covers the Coastal Provinces, Zones 60-62 are Braunekuste, Zones 63-65 are South Island, Zones 66 and 67 are North Island and Zone 68 is Potato Island; Region 7 covers the Flatlands, Zones 70-74 are Jarvet and Zones 75-79 are Plains Province; Region 8 covers Western Province, and; Region 9 covers Thuvia. There is no Region 0.
Every time the national population adds a billion people, the postal code adds another digit to describe a further subdivision. E.g., upon reaching 1 billion the fifth digit indicates sector, 2 billion segment, etc. For convenience, within the IDU the postal code is prefixed with "ST," the official country code in the IDU for Sober Thought.
Postmasters
In addition to the usual federal government designation as Chief Director of Postal Communication, the head of Sober Thought Post is called the Community Postmaster. Similarly, each of the nine regions is headed by a Regional Postmaster, each of the 79 zones by a Zonal Postmaster; each of the 900 or so areas by an Area Postmaster; each of the 9000 or so districts by a District Postmaster; etc.
Their insignia is indicated on epaulettes, all topped with a postal horn: the Community Postmaster has three thick lines; the Regional PMs two thick lines; the Zonal PMs one thick line; the Area PMs three medium lines; the District PMs two medium lines; the Section PMs one medium line; the Sector PMs three thin lines; the Segment PMs two thin lines; etc.
Postage stamps
Since Sober Thought has more than one official language, its postage stamps have to list both always, neither always or alternate. For a consistent graphic look, and to make it easier for people outside the country to recognise the stamps, the latter option and former option are rejected. Instead, the country has opted for the strategy of RL Switzerland: use a name in a language that is not official. In this case, "Nüchtern Gedanke" which is the literal translation of "Sober Thought" in German.
Sober Thought Post issues a series of cent definitives, denkmark definitives and commemoratives. The cent definitives, issued in denominations below Ð1, bear the monochrome likeness of the Sober Thought's stylised national owl. White graphics with black print represents Ð0.01, beige with black Ð0.05, yellow with black Ð0.10, orange with black Ð0.20, red with black Ð0.30, green with white Ð0.40 and blue with white Ð0.50. The standard dimensions are 20 mm wide by 25 mm tall, including gutter and perforations.
Definitives denominated in full denkmarks have a similar organisation, only using the scales of justice surrounded by chains as seen on the national flag. Yellow graphics with black print represents Ð1, orange with black Ð2, red with black Ð3, green with white Ð4, blue with white Ð5 and purple with white the rarely seen Ð10. The standard dimensions are 25 mm wide by 30 mm tall.
Commemorate issues are fairly rare by philatelic standards. Special issues have included:
- United Nations, March 2005, upon entry into the UN, featuring a square UN globe in natural colours, 30 mm by 30 mm, Ð1.
- IDU Flag Day, April 2005, upon adoption of IDU flag, featuring winning design in natural colours, 40 mm by 25 mm, Ð1.
- Democracy Day, July 2005, 1st anniversary of the founding of the IDU, featuring interconnected triangluar designs representing the fundamental values of the union, 50 mm by 50 mm (two designs together), Ð0.50, Ð0.70, Ð1 and Ð1.40.
- Community Day, August 2005, first billion population, graphic design of people of ever increasing size and the figure "1 000 000," 30 mm by 30 mm, Ð0.50.
- Community Defence Forces special series, November 2005, Land Service crossed swords for Ð0.50, Naval Service anchor for Ð0.70, Air Service falcon for Ð1, CDF pyramid of globes for Ð1.40, all 12 mm by 18 mm.
