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

[Patrick Giagnocavo]

On 1/7/2011 12:07 AM, gsm at mendelson.com wrote:
> 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.
> 

It isn't a private company, but they are "trying to act like one" which
means they are screwing up more than usual.

My interpretation is that their sclerotic management in combination with
the looming demographic time bomb of employees retiring with very fat
pensions is to blame.

Media mail (shipping books, etc.) to international destinations has been
dropped, so now you have to pay about $11 to ship one book to e.g. Sweden.

--Patrick