General Discussion

OmahaBlueDog

(10,000 posts)

63. DVDs are a bad example

Thu Feb 7, 2013, 02:41 AM

Feb 2013

Nobody will buy DVDs in 5 years - they will all be downloaded.

Same with CDs.

Once the rates increase for shipping books, even older readers will discover e-readers and tablets.

I agree that they are very efficient. Three days cross-country for < $0.50 is a helluva bargain. That said, the charge for this should have probably gone to $1 two or more years ago. Other than advertisers, who sends mail? Few actually write correspondence (birthday and holiday cards being exceptions). Bills generally come by e-mail. Magazines are going the way of the Do-Do.

Both the price of computers and internet service continues to drop.

I also agree that the attacks on the postal service are little more than a scheme to beak a strong, pro-Dem union. That said, the USPS is in the buggy whip business.

In 5-10 years, FedEx and UPS may very well move freight between cities by pilotless planes and driverless trucks. It's progress.

I'll miss the postal service when its gone, but its going.

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To those apathetic about the attack on the Post Office remember [View all] flamingdem Feb 2013 OP

If postage prices are unsustainably low, then changes must be made. Buzz Clik Feb 2013 #1

It's more about using the Post Office for new sources of revenue flamingdem Feb 2013 #2

Yep. octoberlib Feb 2013 #18

Not just for people not even hired, but for people not even born yet brush Feb 2013 #47

And just where does this extreme pension funding money go? Surrise... Wall Street! Fla Dem Feb 2013 #83

I heard that they were making . . . aggiesal Feb 2013 #118

They are not allowed to expand their services to increase revenue (and compete with FexEx/UPS). meeshrox Feb 2013 #74

I've used USPS for next day delivery many times. When did they do away with it? n/t ieoeja Feb 2013 #119

They can't pick up from my specific office location meeshrox Feb 2013 #144

Important information thanks! nt flamingdem Feb 2013 #132

They Niceguy1 Feb 2013 #141

Like raising rates to a sustainable level? n/t pa28 Feb 2013 #37

The post office need not be a profit center Politicub Feb 2013 #77

It is a money pit providing a dying service. Buzz Clik Feb 2013 #80

You're badly missing the point here. mac56 Feb 2013 #81

I use the US post office every day it's open. fasttense Feb 2013 #82

I disagree with you. All government doesn't need to "break even" Politicub Feb 2013 #91

Do the police break even? pscot Feb 2013 #104

You should do some research. AAO Feb 2013 #105

The Postal Service has operated under a "break even" mandate ever since it was reorganized in 1971. summerschild Feb 2013 #108

Not that. It's Republican action plan to strangle government in all forms; ridiculous pension law: Bernardo de La Paz Feb 2013 #95

They are forbidden to raise them more than the rate of inflation. AAO Feb 2013 #103

They are only unstustainably low because of the recent hostage takeover of them by Maraya1969 Feb 2013 #111

They are not. A law passed in 2006 requires that the post office have money on hold for 75 years of robinlynne Feb 2013 #116

uh, check out the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act pasto76 Feb 2013 #143

think of the things that still get mailed - birth announcements wedding invitations. hollysmom Feb 2013 #3

These things happen so quickly flamingdem Feb 2013 #6

for sme reson. our teeny tiny post office is being left open, hollysmom Feb 2013 #35

Netflix Mail Costs Go Down With End Of Saturday Postal Service Tx4obama Feb 2013 #4

Thanks Tx.. I'm one of those netflix Instant and DVD subscribers. Cha Feb 2013 #39

only because people won't be getting their discs in a timely matter. uncle ray Feb 2013 #69

as does our service! no receiving netflix on saturdays!!!! the most important movie of the week i. robinlynne Feb 2013 #117

I've been screaming at and about those 2 1/2 day per weekers do nothing fuckwad privatizers lonestarnot Feb 2013 #5

I love your description. love_katz Feb 2013 #21

Oh. lonestarnot Feb 2013 #28

and we also need to remember that this is not just about the post office liberal_at_heart Feb 2013 #7

The PO is such a juicy prize for them flamingdem Feb 2013 #11

Think of how many middle class fucking jobs they will take down sons a bitches. lonestarnot Feb 2013 #24

And how many union members they'll be rid of! summerschild Feb 2013 #109

You sound a little to excited to end that sentence in a preposition for my ass. lonestarnot Feb 2013 #139

I'm retired Postal (with almost 33 years). For at least 25 of those years we lived with the summerschild Feb 2013 #151

The proposed change is to end Saturday mail - lynne Feb 2013 #8

this wan't even an issue until they made them start making prepayments liberal_at_heart Feb 2013 #17

package delivery will continue dlwickham Feb 2013 #31

This change will keep it affordable. dkf Feb 2013 #9

It might do that for carriers but it won't for other workers dsc Feb 2013 #20

Don't be naive brush Feb 2013 #49

Sorry but I think that's kind of crazy. dkf Feb 2013 #55

But you do know that repugs the 2006 lameduck Congress . . . brush Feb 2013 #75

Actually, the ability of Congress to "establish Post Offices and post roads" Art_from_Ark Feb 2013 #138

The post office IS affordable! AllyCat Feb 2013 #64

They work 5 days now... Sekhmets Daughter Feb 2013 #89

Bulk homegirl Feb 2013 #92

Bulk mail was the main source of profit for the postal service Sekhmets Daughter Feb 2013 #100

Actually, yes. RC Feb 2013 #94

We already have a five day work week bagimin Feb 2013 #124

gee maybe the head of our party could make a big deal about this.... yeah right nt msongs Feb 2013 #10

What should people do to support the post office abelenkpe Feb 2013 #12

Just found this: flamingdem Feb 2013 #13

Thank you! abelenkpe Feb 2013 #19

And just think what the big boys will charge when they no longer have to compete with the USPS. Starry Messenger Feb 2013 #14

Great, I was looking for petitions nt flamingdem Feb 2013 #16

Signed Sealed and Delivered! Cha Feb 2013 #27

Ed Just said the Post Office is one of the top employers of Veterans JI7 Feb 2013 #15

It is, Obama used it as an example when he suggested SaveAmerica Feb 2013 #22

I love the Post Office. I read those Cha Feb 2013 #23

I'm truly tired of the argument, I've tried to educate on FB SaveAmerica Feb 2013 #25

check out the story on savethepostoffice web site flamingdem Feb 2013 #29

This is what I'm hoping, with deadline of August that gives them time SaveAmerica Feb 2013 #53

The best thing anyone can do for the USPS is vote the god damn tea party out of Congress. xtraxritical Feb 2013 #38

Working on it, and also getting Congresspeople to try AGAIN SaveAmerica Feb 2013 #52

Yes, but note the article on savethepostoffice.com that says it started flamingdem Feb 2013 #54

Who cares who it started with? Get rid of the god damned tea party and maybe we can fix it. xtraxritical Feb 2013 #90

I'm for that- as long as we do not primary any centrist DEMS who voted for the pension requirement. Dr Fate Feb 2013 #150

EVERYTHING is about ridding America of public institutions. defacto7 Feb 2013 #26

Whatever you think of the post office, there are two things that should be remembered. PDJane Feb 2013 #30

But it can be hobbled, and made invisible flamingdem Feb 2013 #33

It's not only out-of-the-way places dragonlady Feb 2013 #93

Both UPS and FedEx contract with USPS for ground delivery. mac56 Feb 2013 #97

packages kardonb Feb 2013 #32

Which means carriers will still be on their routes, Occulus Feb 2013 #86

I use them in my photography business to ship 20-50 packages per month. Ed Suspicious Feb 2013 #34

Do you send flats - images of photos? flamingdem Feb 2013 #41

They're typically like hard cardboard envelopes. Most of the time 8x10 sized prints go in there, Ed Suspicious Feb 2013 #45

Am I too nosey flamingdem Feb 2013 #48

I'm working in a very niche segment of the equine photography "industry". I take very specific Ed Suspicious Feb 2013 #50

That's really fascinating. That's a very niche niche flamingdem Feb 2013 #57

Yes, having been involved with showing horses of several performance types over the years, maddiemom Feb 2013 #85

I would never call the Post Office "unnecessary"... richmwill Feb 2013 #36

Aw, thank you flamingdem Feb 2013 #40

Rural communities (i.e. Republican voters) would be especially screwed by the loss of the USPS bluestateguy Feb 2013 #42

I support the post office! iamthebandfanman Feb 2013 #43

I sent an Email to Buck McKeon SCVDem Feb 2013 #44

But as said above they'll have to answer to rural constituents flamingdem Feb 2013 #46

You sent him CalFresh Feb 2013 #152

Out of work SCVDem Feb 2013 #153

K&R MotherPetrie Feb 2013 #51

Just think of the impact loss of the post office HeiressofBickworth Feb 2013 #56

Good point, you know they drool over that! flamingdem Feb 2013 #58

I'm a former rural letter carrier and a former United Parcel Service supervisor. mikekohr Feb 2013 #59

Yes, but the Republican trick of forcing them to pre-fund retirement for 75 years flamingdem Feb 2013 #60

Agreed, repeal that Repuke attack on the PO, it does not change the fact that mikekohr Feb 2013 #62

Flamingdem follow the money behind the CA land Grab it's bonniebgood Feb 2013 #87

I posted about that last night and could not believe flamingdem Feb 2013 #88

Liar n/t BillyJack Feb 2013 #67

Fool n/t mikekohr Feb 2013 #73

Sixty-Three post offices in one zip code? That doesn't sound rural to me matt819 Feb 2013 #114

the 613-- zip code area in North Central Illinois mikekohr Feb 2013 #121

Okay, then matt819 Feb 2013 #145

And that's the problem, you want unprofitable offices to stay open and someone else to pay for them mikekohr Feb 2013 #148

We don't use postal services as much as we used to. Lugnut Feb 2013 #61

DVDs are a bad example OmahaBlueDog Feb 2013 #63

Its a service, not a business shadowmayor Feb 2013 #65

I find the Post Office to be very reliable the more I use it flamingdem Feb 2013 #133

I thought I read they'll still be doing package deliveries on Saturdays Common Sense Party Feb 2013 #66

Everyone talking about the price of postage has completely missed the point... Act_of_Reparation Feb 2013 #68

Parcel delivery continues to be six days a week Spider Jerusalem Feb 2013 #70

They won't get away with this one because malaise Feb 2013 #71

True. But it is the never ending push to privatize anything and everything. geckosfeet Feb 2013 #72

USPS is the second largest employer in the country mac56 Feb 2013 #76

That's new to me, we should be hearing about this in the news nt flamingdem Feb 2013 #84

Take a look! mac56 Feb 2013 #98

Good points, people don't know what we've got, the PO has been smeared flamingdem Feb 2013 #134

UPS and FedEx can raise their rates on a whim. mac56 Feb 2013 #78

I agree. rightsideout Feb 2013 #79

I've never dissed the Post Office. They've always been good to me. nt valerief Feb 2013 #96

The USPS uses U.S. airlines for its Express Mail and some Priority Mail mike dub Feb 2013 #99

underlying the GOP attack on the USPS is a desire..... lastlib Feb 2013 #101

i do ebay AND i send MISSIVES. i decided i am gonna write to an elderly relative pansypoo53219 Feb 2013 #102

Some of what they do Milliesmom Feb 2013 #106

K&R nt ProudProgressiveNow Feb 2013 #107

I really need and ask that everything use it. The other prices are out of many people's reach. freshwest Feb 2013 #110

I really think a DVD is now $5.05 unless I did something wrong when I checked out USPS. Maraya1969 Feb 2013 #112

It's 1.53 for the slim case anywhere in the USA nt flamingdem Feb 2013 #115

I've argued supporting the Post Office . . . aggiesal Feb 2013 #113

Privatizing it would not make it cheaper. They would just make it a little cheaper than Fed-ed and Maraya1969 Feb 2013 #147

Corporate greed, political compliance, and and ignorant populace. Jakes Progress Feb 2013 #120

K&R blkmusclmachine Feb 2013 #122

At least our top leaders-Obama, Reid and Pelosi are not apathetic about it. Dr Fate Feb 2013 #123

Also, the DEM congress that followed the lame-duck GOP congress TRIED to repeal the pension rqmt. Dr Fate Feb 2013 #130

Can they get past the house? flamingdem Feb 2013 #135

They did not, do not, will not have the votes for that. The important thing is that they tried. Dr Fate Feb 2013 #149

rec handmade34 Feb 2013 #125

oooh I likey your signature logo! flamingdem Feb 2013 #136

please do!! handmade34 Feb 2013 #137

They are not cutting package delivery days... just first class mail. DCBob Feb 2013 #126

You are missing the point entirely. mac56 Feb 2013 #127

more likely you are a usps saturday junk mail delivery boy. DCBob Feb 2013 #129

neener neener neener mac56 Feb 2013 #140

Or those pesky ebay packages and netflix movies. Dr Fate Feb 2013 #128

UPS and Fedex do not deliver to PO boxes Jake2413 Feb 2013 #131

Once the Post Office goes, you can expect to pay a lot more to send a letter or package. alarimer Feb 2013 #142

The Rethugs and many others blackspade Feb 2013 #146