Postage going up another 2 cents..

[SoCalDem]

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/nation/11351071.htm
Do people actually still mail letters?? I wish they would just do it in 5 cent increments every 5 years and be done with it :)



Posted on Sat, Apr. 09, 2005

Postage stamp rate hike urged

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID

The Associated Press


WASHINGTON — The post office wants an extra 2-cents-worth for its stamps.

snip....


Rate changes in the latest proposal include:

• First class: Increase 2 cents to 39 cents for first ounce, increase 1 cent to 24 cents for each additional ounce.

• Post cards: Increase 1 cent to 24 cents.

• Express mail: Increase lowest charge from $10.70 to $11.30.

• Money order: Increase from 90 cents to 95 cents.

• Registered mail: Raise from $7.50 to $12.75.

[Jamastiene]

1. I mail my bills because I am too

paranoid to do my business online. I don't think even the latest security patches can REALLY protect a person's computer from hackers. Just look at how bad spyware has gotten.

I wish there was an economist with a good memory of history around right about now. I noticed that the gas prices aren't the only things going up. Grocery store prices are up, anything you can name has gotten way more expensive lately. I wish I could remember what happens when gas prices skyrocket over a prolonged period of time, savings account interest rates drop below 1%, grocery prices go up, up and away, etc. Is it war, or recovery for the economy? I can't remember. Of course, if they keep these prices so high and cause everything else to go up in price, people will be begging them to drill at ANWAR. Hmm, I see now. That's what they are aiming for. I say leave ANWAR alone. My paranoia isn't so unfounded if you really think about it.

[SoCalDem]

2. I actually mail mine in too,

With bill-paying as the main use of the USPS by most people, it seems unlikely that they can stay afloat much longer.

There was a time when long distance phoning was expensive, so people wrote letters..Hardly anyone writes anymore.. Businesses use fax and phone.. Parcels are sent via UPS and its pals..

The postal service is dinosaur:(

[Jamastiene]

4. They certainly do seem to be

going the way of vcr's and black and white tv's... It would be nice if they had a research and development department to add some bells and whistles. I would enjoy watching them try to come up with something interesting.

[Demit]

8. Here in Phila, there are always lines at the post office

Maybe it's different in suburban locations. But I know I dread going to the PO to mail a package b/c of the line. Today I have to go pick up a package they tried to deliver yesterday when I wasn't home. I think with the explosive success of eBay in the last 5 years the USPS has gotten quite a boost. So I don't think it's dead yet :)

[applegrove]

3. Watch out.UPS took Canada Post to court to try and get Canada

Post named as an unfair trade practice that costs a USA Corporation money. Under Chapter 11 of NAFTA anything like the USA postal service could be sured by a corporation for lost profits.

http://www.straightgoods.com/McQuaig/010326.shtml

So the US Post Office is in the neocon sights too. Enjoy sending those 50 cent letters. It will not go on much longer.

[Pab Sungenis]

5. The real problem with the Post Office is....

...the insane compensation plans they have in place for their management.

The answer is to de-privatize the Post Office. Put it back under control of Congress and the Executive. Clean house at the management level, and make the new people responsible.

[Swamp Rat]

6. I don't mind increases in U.S. Postal rates if it keeps them going.

I just wish the majority of the new revenue would go to the workers, especially those who are paid the least.

[Kindigger]

7. More devastation

for the small EBay sellers that sell to supplement their meager incomes each month. The people who MADE EBay are being run out in favor of drop shippers, sellers of cheap widgets, and suspect fine jewelry from god knows where.

It is the "Wal-martization" of EBay. :(

[radfringe]

9. I mail in my bill payments

that's about all I use snail mail for. Every once in awhile I'll send out a birthday/christmas presents via snail mail, but more often than not I use UPS or Fed-ex for that as the 3-day snail-mail priority more often than not ends up taking 4-5 days get there.

Local bills - like cable, telephone etc - we drop them off at the business offices on our way out to do saturday morning errands

Although computer security for bill paying is a concern -- the reason for paying by check is so I have a "paper trail" should there be any problems.

I have paid bills on-line before and ran into a couple of problems where I was "charged" twice for paying the same bill, or it didn't go "through" and I received a notice saying they weren't paid. Problems were eventually solved -- but it took a couple of phone calls, hassles and "days" to fix.

[B Calm]

10. Damn, I told my employer I wanted a cost of living raise.. He gave

me whoppin' 3%, and the same day they raised my health insurance 5%...whoopie freakin' do..