At 10:41 PM 7/7/96 -0400, Evie wrote: >To All Concerned: >I've visited the White House and they throw away all mail that has been >typed. By signing just your name might not be enough. > > My understanding is that recipients gauge how much energy was expended by the sender. When the NRA or the Fundies stuff the mailsacks with xerox copies of the same exact letter, it does not command near the attention a sack filled with handwritten, hand-stamped, old-fashioned letters each with its own original wording would command. I don't think any recipient would ignore free demographic data, but, in their minds, one individual mailing could very well represent the thoughts of many voters who never follow through with a written submittal whereas a mass mailing probably represents the thoughts of every possible human the mass mailer interest group could convince to participate. Madison Avenue used to use a rough rule of thumb that each letter of congratulations or complaint about a television show meant seventeen other people who felt the same way but would never get around to actually writing. ----------------------------------------------------------- TRW Spacecraft Operations East 14320 Sullyfield Circle Chantilly VA 22021 (703) 802-1863