[rescue] Happy New Year! RIP, Sun/Solaris...

[gsm at mendelson.com]

On Thu, Jan 06, 2011 at 09:36:28AM -0600, Dr Robert Pasken wrote:
>Odd when I was in both Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau, my wife could 
>send me a envelope with multiple CD's for $5 via USPS. Heck she 
>shipped me a care package (essentials not found in Africa) via USPS 
>flatrate box for $15 and it weighed close to 7lbs

That was before the USPS became a private company. About two years ago,
international rates were changed. All surface rates were dropped, and air
rates were set to 1/2 of what FEDEX/DHL/UPS charged for the same service.

In most cases, this was between two and three times the old rate and five to
six times the surface rate.

The best example of this was an M-Bag. This is a special canvas bag, provided
by the post office, which is used to ship used books. For around $12 you could
ship  up to 20 pounds of books anywhere in the world. It was a surface rate,
so it took two to three months.

In the dropping of surface rates, M-Bags dissapeared, but there was such a 
complaint they were reinstated as airmail, at around $3-$4 a pound. :-(

Geoff.

-- 
Geoffrey S. Mendelson N3OWJ/4X1GM
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to misquote it.