JackFlash

In your words... The post office is an overpaid union drain that gushes money and gives crap snail mail service, and doesn't take a credit card that isn't signed on the back. They piss money away on stupidity, idiotic and ever-changing regulations, needless gimmicks and wasteful services....and this is on top of the unworkable pension and benefit structure. They're wasteful. The USPS is burdened by the cost of their employees. They have an artificial pay structure based on union and civil service entry, and it does not adequately reflect the value of their employees. Clerks are overpaid. Mail carriers are glorified paper boys. They're overpaid, over-pensioned, and over-benefitted for the work they do. The Retirement packages are a bit ridiculous. Hmmm......let's just chuck it all. Stop using them. Try to get something delivered to California within 3 days by another company for 46¢. Your car payment to California? That's zone six, sir. That will be $4.95 and get there Wednesday unless you want to upgrade to overnite for $9.27. Credit Card payment to Delaware? Zone 1 from Zone 2. That will be $2.47. Electric bill to North Carolina? $5.85. Yes sir, there is a fuel surcharge added to that one at this time. Think about not having it when you need it. Nobody is going to do it cheaper, better, or as quickly, unless we totally eliminate all paper mailings and do it electronically. Businesses want their ads in your hands. The AMA welcome packet I just got came by mail. Some of what they sent me could not have been delivered by computer. It's cheap for what we get. Try other services and compare the costs. The USPS is a not for profit enterprise. Use a for profit company with stock holders to please for all your mailing needs and see what a years worth of service costs you. WASHINGTON — The Postal Service ranks as the fourth most trusted company — a two-point increase from 2011 and its highest company ranking since the survey’s inception by the premier privacy trust study in America. The same survey also named The Postal Service the ‘Most Trusted Government Agency for the 7th year in a row”* The Ponemon Institute in its Most Trusted Companies for Privacy Study ranked the Postal Service as the fourth most trusted company of 704 entries from 25 industry sectors. The results show that customers regard the Postal Service as one of the best in keeping their information safe and secure. http://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2013/pr13_020.htm https://www.usps.com/ .

It's always easy to say that of a job that you've never done. I know enough about the job that I wouldn't want to do it. Expectations of management and how carriers are treated is enough to make the job undesirable. The internet is full of stories about postal management and how employees are treated. I also know enough about supervision to not go into it unless my health becomes such that I can no longer do the job I do now. I'm often asked to think about it but I refer to their office as a snake pit where they are always stabbing each other in the back. Some jobs are not worth the money. .

Maybe so. I don't know how all that works. As far as privatization, I think it would all just crumble away. They would sell it off, piece by piece. If they had to pay taxes like a real business, they wouldn't know what to do. All the truck driver's jobs are gone. They are all working at other postal jobs and truck driving has been contracted out. Piece by piece, little by little, it is getting slimmer and trimmer. Wanna buy a part of it? Make an offer to do the custodial work. I'm sure it will go as soon as they can get rid of it. The people in charge wouldn't know how to run a real business and couldn't stay competitive. The big package handling businesses are years ahead of the USPS. Their volume is massive and they have an infrastructure in place to absorb all of the package business of the USPS, probably without a blink. The catch is, they don't want to go to every door, every day. There are days when the postman stops at every door. So, there are deals made between the USPS and the others to deliver in exchange for cargo space on planes, etc. One day, it will all be gone. Perhaps the USPS will just end up delivering for the others. Who knows. I just hope they last another 15 years. .

They don't use tax dollars. It's self supporting. But, since congress controls the post office, they can't change their prices like UPS or FEDEX can without an act of congress, and we all know what it's like to get them to act in a timely fashion. .

I don't think I would carry mail for any amount of money. Dog bites Extreme weather Leg and foot problems Back problems Hand and arm injuries Violence Upset customers Steps Rusty mailboxes with sharp edges Toys, tools, extension cords or hoses in the grass Dog piles – they’re slippery Read it for yourself: http://www.nalc-branch78.org/pdf/articles/The_Hazards_of_Door_to_Door_Mail_Delivery.pdf .

Carrier's hours will not be reduced unless it's to lessen overtime expenses. What will be reduced is the number of people required to do the same amount of work. From what I understand, the largest fit is being thrown by the postal unions and maybe a little from businesses that need to mail out merchandise or receive deliveries from the post office. .

How about this? In the past, electric vehicles have been tried and used: http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/electric-vehicles.pdf Everywhere that I have worked, those who have cried the loudest about their workload did the least work and put the most effort into getting someone else to do half of their job. .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeZastf0wcM I can't believe I found one.

I was looking for a Sky King video to post here but found this instead. http://www.americanflyers.net/Entertainment/above_and_beyond.htm When I win the lottery and quit my job, I'll get that sailboat to live on and go to school here: http://www.americanflyersftlauderdale.net/school_videos.htm EDIT: This is the closest I can find to the Sky King TV show from way back. http://www.skyking.com/ BUT... Here's a very funny twist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1eSaRCSD4k .

That is probably considered a rural route which means that a rural carrier owns that car and contracts with the post office to deliver mail. The retirement system is a 1% of base pay that is put in. You can save more out of your pay if you like. If you do, the post office will match the next 2% and 1/2 of the next 1% you want to put in. It all goes into the market according to how you decide, through the Thrift Savings Plan. I think the Military has a similar plan. You can throw more in if you like. The pay scale has been restructured for new employees entering the Post Office, to reduce that burden. That bottom line is that the Post Office is not to be a profitable enterprise. It's to serve the public good at what it costs to do so. Payroll is one of the most expensive costs of any business. That's why there are so many machines to do the different jobs that it used to take several people much longer to do. I work on those machines and keep them running. There are few I haven't worked on. Drive by 2323 Citygate Dr. in Columbus. It's over 800,000 sq ft of processing space that opened in 2001. I wish I could walk you through when it is in full swing, which is all night long. .

I think it was half price to join at the museum when I was there. I looked back on my CC statement and it shows a $29 charge for the AMA. I paid cash to get into the museum, if I remember right. .

It's the middle of my work week, a two hour drive, 111.8 miles one way, and it's not riding weather. I wish I could.

Actually, the Post Office doesn't use tax dollars to operate, they claim. There is more than one union and none of them are worth a crap for the employees, locally. Everyone hates them but fears not having them, due to management and supervision's tactics of totally disregarding the labor contracts when they can get by with it. It's not that they really give a crap. It's more like they have had problems with credit card companies when they have accepted cards not signed, that may have been stolen from mailboxes, or that since they handle the delivery of these cards to credit card customers, it would be a legal conflict of interest issue if they couldn't demonstrate that they were actually possessed by a customer before they were used for postal services. The signature of the customer would be adequate to show that they were actually delivered to the customer's address and not stolen by a postal employee when the item was in the mail stream. $5 Billion dollars a year. No other business has to do that. Blame Congress. It really cripples their ability to stay afloat. I'm thinking that one day, on the corner of your city block, there may be ganged mailboxes that you will go to, to pick up your mail, instead of receiving it at home. That's how it is at apartment complexes. It speeds up delivery and reduces the number of carriers needed. The "+4" number they added to your 5 digit zip code some years ago identifies a corner (a fourth) of your "city block". That how I understand it. Your "+4" number would identify your delivery box. Got any details on that? They worked their way up through the years to that pay level that the union claims to have negotiated. Regarding undeliverable Standard Rate (used to be 3rd class) mail, it all goes into the recycle bin. Outer post offices sends it all to Columbus for recycling, which they get paid for by the company picking it up. They also recycle pop cans, plastic drink bottles, and shrink wrap. It's a big deal with them. They make a lot of operating money for recycling. Luckily, there has been no need for layoffs. They offer "early outs" for those close to retirement and sweeten the pot by offering an insulting cash bonus amount (payable over two years) for those who will leave. It benefits those that were planning on leaving the most. Many are not replaced and others are asked to do more. It knocks those at the top of the pay scale off. New hires come in at a much lower cost and are on a different pay program than existing employees, to lower expenses. Here's something you don't think about: Fuel Costs. I picked this up on some website: A one-cent movement in fuel prices increases national costs for the post office by $8 million annually, or $667,000 a month, according to Greg Frey, a Postal Service spokesman. So if prices rose $1.50 per gallon, from, say, $3.50 to $5, fuel costs for the post office would increase by $100 million per month. A sustained period at $10 a gallon for gas would add billions in fuel costs. Frey says another risk also would be inevitable: "During the recent recession, the USPS experienced significant declines in mail volume and revenue. Should the U.S. economy slip significantly again due to spikes in fuel prices, it would certainly again adversely impact our revenue and cost base." Mail volume is affected very much by the economy. Businesses don't want to waste money on postage by sending out ads if there is little chance of sales. And how much have fuel prices raised since Chairman "O" has been in office? .

I like the Connie 14 but height-wise, it doesn't like me. I was told that it couldn't be lowered as much as I would need, for reasons that I don't remember. .

I picked up a few back issues at their office. For anyone who has never been to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, right there by the AMA office, you are missing a real treat. Plan to be there for at least three hours to begin to appreciate it. Perhaps Ohio Riders should plan a day to visit as a group. I'm sure they would be delighted to have us. Feedback? .

I've looked at both of them at Motohio (http://www.motohio.com/). I like the sportier look of the GT best.

That's my dream bike. You have to like it. With a trunk on the back, I may never come home. K 1600 GT

I'm on my 2nd Outback Wagon and I'll be looking for another after this one. I am considered essential personnel and my arrival is critical regardless of the weather. There has been no road condition that has held me back. Remember the blizzard in March a few years ago? A Subaru laughs at snow. I usually can't tell the road is slippery with the grip my car gets. I have Nokian WR G2 winter tyres. You won't have any problem in the winter with these on a Subaru. I just wish I could also have a WRX STI for the fun factor. .

I just can't stop laughing at the thought of................Midget Hooligan. Is there anyone who will deny that it seems to be fitting? .

Here's another thing I hate. You're driving along and you're passing a few cars. Another car creeps up behind you, so you move over to let him by, except he never really passes. You are then approaching a slower car in the right lane but the bozo that was passing you is only a little ahead of you and now you have to slow down to get behind him and he no longer proceeds at the speed you were going when he was creeping up behind you. You were polite and got screwed. He wanted you to be the fast guy so that you could run interference for him but when he's in the front, he doesn't want to be the lead fast guy even though it was fine for him to be nearer your rear bumper than you are comfortable with. You give him the lead and he slows down, blocking your passing. I no longer immediately get over in the right lane if there will be a car up ahead that I will get pinched behind, until I pass that car. Once I clear that car, let me get far enough ahead to safely get over to the right instead of squeezing through between us with only inches to spare and then flying by on my right. I'm getting over if you will let me. .

Well, I'm always respectfull and polite to authority because I know they hold all the cards and even if I've done nothing, I can still be held for what, 48 hours without charges, or something like that? Regarding other cops stepping on toes of each other, I don't know how that works but I can see an old timer wanting to show a new guy "how it's done" and I don't want to be his example. So, though I have nothing with me that I'm not permitted to have, I also don't want to treated like I'm suspected of having something. And you may not do that, but there are those who seem to, maybe not in your department, but in others. We are not all bad guys but it seems that many LEOs have an attitude of it's them against us and all citizens are suspect. As far as giving you a reason to pull me over, I may drive a little briskly at times, in a straight line, but I am carefull in traffic and not a hazard on the roads. I also don't drink or use substances to impair my driving. There are a couple of Columbus cops that have a different idea about that. I've met a few. I agree. You guys will do what the law allows. We just think the law allows too much, freedom wise and you are viewed as a agent of the government for revenue collection. Nothing personal, of course. \ C'mon Don, tell us your story. Don't keep us guessing. .

Even a rough trade-in lists at $17,425. That's with $450 added for low mileage.

I think most roads can be driven on safely at 10 mph over the posted limit. I figure that, though it may be safe to drive them at ten over, if a 35 was posted at 45, and it was a safe speed for that road, some idiot would drive it at 55 where it is not safe, and that a slower posting than what is safe allows for a buffer zone for safety, for those who limit their speed to 10 or so over, like I usually do. So, though I may not get a speeding ticket, I can still expect speeding to be a "reason" to be pulled over so that a witch hunt can ensue in hopes that I can be found guilty of something stronger. Right. We don't believe for a minute that it's about safety. We do believe it's about revenue, another tax. Maybe that's why some speed limits seem to be arbitrarily under posted. The temptation and human nature to drive at a more reasonable speed overwhelms our patience and we press our luck through those areas until we become a victim of an engineered revenue collection zone. (i.e. Granville St. in Gahanna, a 25 mph four lane at 3 a.m. with no other traffic) Still, I don't want to be pulled over by you. And though you may be an alright guy, the second cop, the one riding shotgun, or the one in the car behind you who just pulled up because they were close by, he or she may be having a bad night and an attitude to match and not be so cool. ..