Guilty as charged. It's brought me quite a bit of luck, as you can tell from my daily finds. Thanks again to you and The Quarter Master. A "compound", wow!
Congrats to Oldhooster! and Thank you to The QuarterMaster! I received the award sent to me, It's very much appreciated but I don't want to possibly ruin the surprise for OldHoopster so my lips are staying sealed on what it was for the time being.
@Oldhoopster’s mystery envelope is mailed. Only one or two of the spider eggs had hatched by the time I handed the addressed envelope to Ladymarcovan to drop in the mailbox on her way out. @Oldhoopster - we may all be destined to remain baffled about the true identity of the shadowy Quarter Master, but I do hope you won’t keep us in suspense too long about what’s in there!
I know it doesn't really matter, and is of no earth shaking importance, but my opinion is opposite the many posted, and I know my opinion is in the minority, but I would not have accepted the mail and would have written Return To Sender. There is something not quite correct about the mailings and/or purpose, and has a slight nefarious appearance. I question is it part of a scheme in the making, and I question asking a member to secure another member's address by request and then forward same electronically to the "sender". Electronically, because it is a fictitious return address, and there is no telephone or cell phone number. It borders on solicitation by suggesting a "prize" or a chance to "win" something..... a solicitation, or an entry of eligibility for some "game", or some cash. I don't consider this a fun pastime, or acceptable practice. Why would a person do this, and give away money, knowing that there is a chance that the mail would be returned, but since it can't really be returned, would become the property of the USPS? What if a member complained to the Postmaster General, and, given the unrest in the world, was concerned the envelope contained a possible virus/germ/poison, etc.? If the Postmaster General orders an investigation, the anonymous sender may have violated 18 US Code 1341 and 1342. Why would this "mystery" not be of concern to the Moderators? Think for a moment: a few members receive substantial cash amounts in the mail, unsolicited. the sender is depending on the nature of a human to keep it, whether via greed, or need or pay it forward. The recipient then shares this fortunate free money story on a forum, and persons begin hoping they are also going to receive something, and voluntarily give their personal information to another member for forwarding to the sender. A question: would any member here that is a parent allow their child to be a part of this supposedly innocent benevolence? The zip code, while legitimate, and as many have mentioned was connected to SETI, is also the zip code for Ft. Buchanan. The sender implies a possible stamp connection, but not what one would expect. it is more related to a certain pastime developed by Aurelian Debat. The sender is either well read, with the Voltaire equivalent of the attribution of punishment, and/or was in the Navy since the word beatings was not used, or possibly read All Hands, back in the 60s. The point is, it is a silly wild goose chase and I wonder if the purpose is not quite what members may think.
This is a reasonable concern and not tinfoil-hat kookiness. Personally, I'm happy to play along, and think it's all harmless fun. I think the chances of there being some kind of nefarious scheme underlying it are infinitesimally small. But not zero. It's all a matter of choice. I'm aboard, but I can understand and respect your reasons for not wanting to be. I cracked jokes about anthrax and spider eggs earlier. They were just that- jokes- but sure, it's a wild world out there, with all kinds in it. You never know. I do find it remotely difficult to believe this is some kind of long con, however. (For a very long con it would be, indeed.)
Don't know if you have ever seen these, but you wind up the washer on the rubber band and slide it into the moderately tight envelope. When someone opens it, it "rattles" loudly. My brother tells of how his wife was caught by this one and the salesperson laughed so hard she almost fell off her stool!
Ssh! Don't be givin' the QM any bright ideas, now! Y'all be sure to shake those QN envelopes the next time you get one...
Sorry for the delay. My QuarterMaster prize arrived. Thank to @lordmarcovan for taking the time to forward it. QuarterMaster sent a 2020-W Vermont/Marsh-Billings quarter, and noted on the 2x2 that it was found in circulation. Very nice coin. Thanks for the generosity. (no pics. Old phone with crappy camera, recent move, and life has been too hectic to get something set up)
I had more fun with these as a kid. As a young teen I worked the graveyard shift at a highway exit gas station during the summer. They had a rack of these sorts of knickknacks and I loved the rattlesnake eggs. Dang that brought back memories, @Kentucky
looked them up, seems like those mystery theatre thingys, you go to a dinner and have to solve a murder or some such...
i saw an address for them and wrote them asking to be put on their mailing list, letter came back as undeliverable to addressee