Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Other Diversions › After Hours Lounge › U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick - Page 2

post #31 of 55
8/8/08 at 7:35pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

So glad I pissed off the former postal workers and their kin . I suggest you read the following-

What Would Happen If the Post Office Had Competition? by Wilton D. Alston
Reply
post #32 of 55
8/8/08 at 8:23pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Peter,
Could you name the other countries with privatized postal service?
Reply
post #33 of 55
8/8/08 at 9:04pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Brad I dont understand whos forcing you to use USPS. Just send all your letters using DHL, FexEX, or UPS. Its your money spend it how you want. You could probably mail a letter anywhere in the Cont. US with DHL for around $7. Im all for you doing that. If you dont want mail from USPS just get rid of your mailbox.

I wish my life was so stress free I had time to complain about things like the USPS. You must be a college professor, I hear those people bitching and complaining about the most inane things and I think, thats what I want to do for a living.
Reply
post #34 of 55
8/8/08 at 9:29pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Can anyone cite some cases where someone was prosecuted for taking a piece of mail from someone else's box or "delivering" something there without being a postal employee?

Just because something is illegal doesn't mean it gets prosecuted.

I can just imagine our local post office (which I think is run by the Keystone cops, the worst I've ever seen) reacting to this- they can't even deliver mail to PO boxes correctly. I've had several properly-addressed checks returned to the sender- it got so bad I had to get another box in another city just to get the checks delivered. Yet stuff not addressed to me gets delivered to my PO box all the time.

I'm not talking about the whole postal system, just our local incompetent one, where the rules seem to be different than at other post offices.
Reply
post #35 of 55
8/8/08 at 10:16pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

This thread is over two years old.

I cannot be the only one who thinks it is strange that a person would resurrect a thread that has been inactive for two years just to state how glad he is others didn’t like his post and link to an article that is over a year old.

On second thought I’ll take back the strange comment. Pathetic is a better description.
Reply
post #36 of 55
8/8/08 at 10:29pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Patrick, I think I will chime in as well. Some people in this thread seem to think the USPS operates to make maximum profits or a profit at all. Here is news for you, they don't, their aim is to break even. Pretty tough to do no matter what company even close to their size aspires to with all the variables involved. While I am not completely satisfied with the USPS, I have had a hell of a lot better consistency from them than ANY private shipping company. Especially Fed Ex Ground, the fscking WORST carrier bar none! Yes, the price of stamps rising can be annoying, but also totally understandable. Guess what, the PO sells 1 or 2 cent stamps so what you have previously bought is not worthless. The latest book I have must be those always good ones as they say first class and have no monetary value printed on them. Guess what else folks. I now have to mail maybe 2 letters per year. When I do need to send some media, I am perfectly happy with the service. For under $5 I can send between 4.7 GB and 800 GB worth of data anywhere in the country which will be delivered in a couple of days for about $5? With those figures Iron Mountain has been screwing my employer and tens of thousands others forever. Maybe some other private company can match their consistency and SLA's for less money and make a huge profit. *rolls eyes* With e-mail, fax machines, SFTP, inter-office mail... I realize this thread is old, but is anyone really bent all out of shape about this?
Reply
post #37 of 55
8/8/08 at 10:41pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

There isn't a private business in existence that would want to provide the service that government mandated post offices supply. Most postal routes are money losers. If the postal system was privatized it wouldn't be long before massive, mostly rural, sections of the country wouldn't have any service at all, because the routes would be abandoned as being uneconomical to run.

Laissez faire privatizers have rocks in their heads. A federalized post office system has the same operational standards in every part of the country. Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if the system was privatized? You would have a hodge podge of pissant private operators with varying standards of service and pricing policies. It would be a mess.

Also that comment about Postal Workers being tantamount to welfare recipients was just a beaut. I would like to see the person who said that carry 45 pound bags of mail around in every kind of weather condition for a wage that ranges between 36,500 to 48,500 and still call it welfare.

And, no, I'm not a postal worker, but I have a friend who is and he earns his money.
Reply
post #38 of 55
8/8/08 at 10:50pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Burtch
So glad I pissed off the former postal workers and their kin . I suggest you read the following-

What Would Happen If the Post Office Had Competition? by Wilton D. Alston

You actually waited two years before posting a response? And the whole response consisted of noting your happiness over irritating postal and/or their relatives? Sad.

It's even sadder than the fact that I never noted the age of the posts in this thread before making my first post.
Reply
post #39 of 55
8/8/08 at 11:52pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Burtch
So glad I pissed off the former postal workers and their kin . I suggest you read the following-

What Would Happen If the Post Office Had Competition? by Wilton D. Alston
So you're happy you upset a group of people who have nothing to do with what the Federal Government charges as far as postage rates? That's like blaming the cashier at McDonald's for the cost of the burgers. Maybe you didn't mean it that way. However, it kinda makes you come off like an ass.
Reply
post #40 of 55
8/9/08 at 8:06am

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Quote:
Originally Posted by ChristopherDAC
It seems like people don't understand the term natural monopoly.
I addressed this in another thread. I don't buy the concept of the so-called "natural monopoly" at all. It's nothing more than a justification for bestowing government privilege on certain individuals using the power of the State.

http://mises.org/journals/rae/pdf/rae9_2_3.pdf
Reply
post #41 of 55
8/9/08 at 10:45pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

I saw the dot next to this thread and wondered if I had sleeptyped something recently without having any recall of the action. Nope - just this two year old thread... but since Jimi did address me directly, I shall respond:

Quote:
Brad I dont understand whos forcing you to use USPS. Just send all your letters using DHL, FexEX, or UPS.

It would be a violation of federal law (search for the "private express statutes") for DHL, FedEx, or UPS to deliver non-urgent first class mail, and I suspect that the recipients of my own personal mailings (such as my local water utility) would probably refuse to accept any items that aren't sent in their pre-approved envelopes. In fact, if I'm reading the statutes correctly, it's even illegal for me to pay someone other than a USPS employee to carry the envelope to the recipient unless it has already been stamped with the proper cancelled postage. So your suggestion that I pay parcel delivery fees on top of also paying for and affixing postage for a letter that would never be touched by the USPS is not one that I will entertain further. I suspect that you weren't actually trying to be helpful.

Quote:
I wish my life was so stress free I had time to complain about things like the USPS. You must be a college professor, I hear those people bitching and complaining about the most inane things and I think, thats what I want to do for a living.

This is a complete non-sequitur, and your supposition is also incorrect. If everyone who complained about inane things in the After Hours Lounge were a college professor then we could open the largest university in the known universe.

Brad
Reply
post #42 of 55
8/10/08 at 11:25pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

"I suspect that you weren't actually trying to be helpful."

You are correct. Still, you could just deliver everything yourself. Or just pay your bills online, or over the phone. Thats what I do. I havnt had to mail anything in years. USPS is worthwhile, government recycling programs... not so sure.

"This is a complete non-sequitur, and your supposition is also incorrect. If everyone who complained about inane things in the After Hours Lounge were a college professor then we could open the largest university in the known universe. "

Would that mean I would be able to check the "some college" box on my next job application?

Now NASA on the otherhand... welfare.
Reply
post #43 of 55
8/11/08 at 12:27am

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

i stopped mailing in payments years ago.
there is still 2 that wont accept online payments but
everything else is on the 'net.
Reply
post #44 of 55
8/11/08 at 6:15am

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Wow, I guess not very many of you realize what postal workers make. I have many friends that work for the USPS and they make pretty decent wages.
Reply
post #45 of 55
8/11/08 at 8:56am

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

I realize it.
i worked in there for 15 long years.
Reply
post #46 of 55
8/11/08 at 3:54pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucia Duran
Wow, I guess not very many of you realize what postal workers make.

Wow, I guess you don't have a clue what a good bending over the Rural Carriers have been getting for the last 7 years or so.
Making less every year.
Reply
post #47 of 55
8/12/08 at 12:19am

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Quote:
Still, you could just deliver everything yourself. Or just pay your bills online, or over the phone. Thats what I do.

That is also what I do, except for the two items that have not accepted automatic electronic payments to be set up. I just discovered that the trash and recycling service allows it now, so that saves me one stamp every three months. Now I'll be rolling in cash.

Quote:
Now NASA on the otherhand... welfare.

Did you forget a smiley there? Or are you just trying to pick fights?

Brad
Reply
post #48 of 55
8/12/08 at 10:29am

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

> I suspect that the recipients of my own personal mailings (such as my local water utility) would probably refuse to accept any items that aren't sent in their pre-approved envelopes.

I suspect that if you FedExed your check to the utility, they would open it and process it. I don't think they care what envelope you use as long as it gets to them.


> In fact, if I'm reading the statutes correctly, it's even illegal for me to pay someone other than a USPS employee to carry the envelope to the recipient unless it has already been stamped with the proper cancelled postage.

So private couriers are illegal?
Reply
post #49 of 55
8/12/08 at 2:55pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

chris i dont know who you quoted there but you are right.
there is no utility or bill recipient that would not accept a mailed payment
regardless of the way it was mailed, fedex, ups whatever.

I'm not sure what a pre approved envelope is.
most if not all my bills come with an envelope and some of them are
pre PAID, but none of them are approved pre or otherwise.

you can use your own blank envelope as long as you put the correct mailing address on it.

sending anything can be done using other shippers besdides the post office.

hasn't anyone ever sent a birthday card using fedex when it had to be there overnight.

A bill that is due in a day or 2?
If those rules do exist i never heard of them.

"> In fact, if I'm reading the statutes correctly, it's even illegal for me to pay someone other than a USPS employee to carry the envelope to the recipient unless it has already been stamped with the proper cancelled postage."

If you send something fedex you put it on the package, how would the fedex people even know what was in the package.
Reply
post #50 of 55
8/13/08 at 12:44am

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Quote:
"Extremely Urgent" letters

In 1979 the Postal Service authorized the delivery of extremely urgent letters outside the USPS; this has given rise to delivery services such as Federal Express and UPS. These letters must either cost at least the greater of $3 or twice what First Class (or Priority) mail service would cost, or they must be delivered within strict time limits or otherwise lose value. They must be marked "EXTREMELY URGENT". Records of pick up and delivery must be maintained for Postal Service inspection if the time sensitive exception is being used.


That's quoted from the Wikipedia entry for "Private Express Statutes". Yes, I can send letters in an urgent fashion through a private carrier, but they are bound by law to charge me a price above what the USPS would charge for it's own service. If I want to send a letter through those carriers, I can in an urgent manner, but those carriers can't legally compete to provide the services that I wish to use (such as mailing a non-urgent check to a utility) provided by the USPS - purely by law, not by any inability of the private carrier to compete on providing the same service at a competitive cost.



Quote:
So private couriers are illegal?


Back at the Wiki entry


Quote:
Special messenger services

There are limited exceptions for special messenger services which deliver less than twenty five letters for an individual or company per occasion. In such case no postage need be paid or affixed to the letters; pick up and delivery can be from private residences and commercial businesses.


So they have made limited exceptions for couriers, but once again that is a different service from the delivery of first class mail.



I guess the point that I am making is that there are numerous exceptions that have been made since the inception of postal services that have allowed private business entities to provide services which are equivalent or superior to those provided by the USPS. Enabling entrepeneurs to compete to provide a service benefits the consumer, and it provides private sector jobs into which the public sector employees with similar experience can transition. I don't see why first-class mail needs to continue to be a special exception to this.



Brad
Reply
post #51 of 55
8/13/08 at 8:12am

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad Porter
If I want to send a letter through those carriers, I can in an urgent manner, but those carriers can't legally compete to provide the services that I wish to use (such as mailing a non-urgent check to a utility) provided by the USPS - purely by law, not by any inability of the private carrier to compete on providing the same service at a competitive cost.

Enabling entrepeneurs to compete to provide a service benefits the consumer, and it provides private sector jobs into which the public sector employees with similar experience can transition. I don't see why first-class mail needs to continue to be a special exception to this.Brad
I agree completely. The USPS is as much a relic as the phone monopoly. Who here prefers that the way it was?
Reply
post #52 of 55
8/13/08 at 2:16pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertR
I agree completely. The USPS is as much a relic as the phone monopoly. Who here prefers that the way it was?

Well, since you asked. The service (which is now virtually non-existant) was much better, the connections more reliable, and the equipment was built like a tank. What I can't quite figure out is why there's still a "dial" tone.

Mort (who still has his ATT rotary phone that he bought from them when the evil Reagan broke up the company :;
Reply
post #53 of 55
8/13/08 at 2:47pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mort Corey
Well, since you asked. The service (which is now virtually non-existant) was much better, the connections more reliable, and the equipment was built like a tank. What I can't quite figure out is why there's still a "dial" tone.

Mort (who still has his ATT rotary phone that he bought from them when the evil Reagan broke up the company :;
That is so true. One of the worst things that has happened in my lifetime was the break up of At&t.
Reply
post #54 of 55
8/13/08 at 3:29pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mort Corey
The service (which is now virtually non-existant) was much better, the connections more reliable, and the equipment was built like a tank.
I'd say your attitude is atypical. I don't know anyone who complains about the reliability of phone service (cell phone technology is a different subject, although it's doubtful it would have even come into existence under the old monopoly), and the competition and technological innovation made possible by the breakup has made long distance MUCH cheaper, even FREE with some options. "Building like a tank" is severe overkill for electronics.
Reply
post #55 of 55
8/14/08 at 5:45pm

Re: U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick

> Mort (who still has his ATT rotary phone that he bought from them when the evil Reagan broke up the company :;

It was a judge (appointed by Jimmy Carter) who did that; Reagan had nothing to do with it.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: After Hours Lounge
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Other Diversions › After Hours Lounge › U.S. Post Office proposes rate increase -- and "invents" a new gimmick