plan withdrawn.

The U.S. Postal Service announced Wednesday that it would cancel plans to end Saturday mail delivery this summer, saying the new stopgap budget that Congress recently passed would prohibit the move.

The postal service’s board of governors made the decision Tuesday, according to a statement from the agency.

“The board believes that Congress has left it with no choice but to delay this implementation at this time,” the board said in the statement. “The board also wants to ensure that customers of the Postal Service are not unduly burdened by ongoing uncertainties and are able to adjust their business plans accordingly.”

Translation:

The shit we threw up against the wall didn't stick.

The more time I have to think about the season finale, the lamer it seems.   <=to AMC


It felt cheap and lazy.  

Yay! I win the thread!

Me winning a guitar that is one of only twenty in the world. My "gift from God". 

AOL (America On-Line): You could pave the nation with the free discs these people send out, call 1-800-605-4297 (24 hours a day) to get off the list.

Thanks, Default!  Now I'll never have to get one of those again. 

But where will you get free floppy disks from?????

I think they should take it one step further and go ahead and cease delivering packages that day as well...

They can't, at least not easily, just closing on Sunday creates a huge backup in packages. The occasional national holiday weekend where they are closed two days makes it even worse and the transportation networks had to press on anyway. (Source: I managed a post office last year.)

Also, the carriers getting pummeled with two days worth of mail on Monday is bad enough. God only knows what three days worth would be like. And the parcel end is exploding. Between Ebay and online shopping, it's like what the Christmas rush used to be, only every day. We have a couple of people injured and one guy out with cancer. In order to cover the routes, I was out delivering til 7 PM. I've heard of stations where guys are out til 8:30 every night because it's preferable to run people into the ground than hire temporary workers. That situation will be exacerbated when Obama care kicks in and it's noticeably cheaper to work me 12 hours a day than to pay healthcare costs for another employee.

I just wish there was a way to opt out of getting all of the junk advertisements from the grocery stores, Penny Saver, etc.  Those come every week in my mail and I personally never look at it.  When I lived in an apartment I also saw a ton of it go directly into the garbage can such that they were overflowing on that day.  What a complete waste of time and resources.

[giyf]http://www.obviously.com/junkmail/ [/giyf]

[Under the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, Congress has for years forced the USPS to pre-fund 75 years’ worth of pensions for its employees, a requirement not made of any other public or private institution. That means that the Postal Service is footing the bill for employees it hasn’t even hired yet.The USPS doesn’t actually receive money from the government, but still needs Congressional approval to make any changes to its structure. An analysis in July showed that the USPS, without its pension requirement, would have a $1.5 billion surplus.]

 Note the bolded statements in the quote. Just think where your finances would be if you were mandated to pay for your kids' college expenses, your grandkids' expenses, your greatgrandkids' college expenses and their children's college expenses as well. Oh, and since we don't know how many children they'll have, we'll set it at six per generation.

The U.S. Postal Service announced on Wednesday that it will discontinue first class Saturday mail delivery, marking another milestone in the decline of the once-ubiquitous government service. But it isn’t a switch to online mail that’s causing the postal demise — it’s Congress.

Under the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, Congress has for years forced the USPS to pre-fund 75 years’ worth of pensions for its employees, a requirement not made of any other public or private institution. That means that the Postal Service is footing the bill for employees it hasn’t even hired yet.

The USPS doesn’t actually receive money from the government, but still needs Congressional approval to make any changes to its structure. An analysis in July showed that the USPS, without its pension requirement, would have a $1.5 billion surplus.

But Congress has repeatedly failed to address the issue. Last year, the Postal Service defaulted on a pension fund payment for the first — and then second — time in its history, and political infighting stopped Congress from bringing any remedy to the floor.

Postal access is, ultimately, a rights issue for rural Americans; since they live in areas where internet coverage is inconsistent, post office closures and slowed-down delivery can mean big limitations on communication. A lack of access to postal services can lead to a growth in economic inequality. The new rules for Saturday delivery, set to take effect on August 1, 2013, will continue delivery of packages, but discontinue basic first-class mail.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/02/06/1547551/postal-service-saturday-delivery/?mobile=nc

Beer. Bang on the guitar for a while. Eat. Go to bed.



Yes, I'm a wildman.

I would much rather have rooted on a drug-free athlete who doesn't ever win than some cheater with zero integrity and 7 bogus jerseys.

His name is Clyde Finaker and he works in the Walmart in Paramus.

   

the debate about balanced people is difficult for drugs are sold by who? who control the drug cartels in the first place? CIA ? go ask Oliver Norton and the Nixon scandle? why is military invaded afganistan? they want the drug control over there no?

a fight of dictators who want it all??

CIA and military have been working on mind control manshurian candidates????

Exactly.  I don't think anyone is arguing that it would ever go away completely, but with Countries that have gun control laws in effect, it has been reduced quite a bit. The big thing is with how Americans view guns in general, which is something that will need to change over time. I think it's the only Country I've seen that is so adamant about gun rights, with those owning guns so proud of it. Both the attitude and the perception towards guns need to change in order for the country to change.

I've been arguing quite a bit about this with my son, the 19 year old neo-con. After bringing up the example of the Chinese guy who stabbed 22 children, his reply was "He wasn't very good with a knife."  Guns make it insanely easy to kill a lot of people in a very short time with high capacity magazines. The point is taken about bombs, but there isn't the cultural imperative to own explosives.

The perception toward guns can and will change, but it with take time. There is hope and I point to the change in attitudes toward smoking. Most smokers accept that they have to light up outside if they want a cigaret. When I was a kid, there was cigaret smoke everywhere...

In the US do they just leave something sitting outside the door if you're not at home? In Japan, if it doesn't fit in the mailbox or is any kind of package then they'll leave a slip of paper with the details on how to arrange for them to come again and when they do you have to sign for the package.

Policy is, leave it if the parcel can be left in a door. If the label contains a disclaimer "leave if no answer" then it has to be left if there is some sort of concealment. You never leave a package in an apartment building. Normally, a letter carrier will know where it's safe to leave parcels on his/her route and where it's not safe to.

Delivery confirmation proves that it was delivery to the address. Not sure what you mean by abysmal performance. $200 of insurance is less than a dollar, iirc. Signature confirmation proves that somebody signed for it, and I would use that if I were shipping something pricey. If you were shipping something with a very high value, register mail is the most secure.

I would take the position that the nexus was delivered and it was either stolen from the residence, or palmed by the buyer.

Lol, are those objects from the planet Krypton?

Kmart's new "Chuck Norris" collection.

Social mediaed.

Good stuff!

Congratz to your lovely wife too!

"new guitar day"

Left is my '90's Starfire 4, right is my limited edition Starfire 6. Yes, it looks too much like a Gibson, but it truly kicks ass! Cost a bit, but you only turn 50 once.

Also, windows media player has a half-speed option. Rightclick on the play button. Makes learning riffs much easier.

Wot?

The CeeKay bot gets confused when the first three letters are the same.

Glad to see that things have straightened out, Wargus!

If it's a bolt on neck (2 bills, it should be), take the neck off, box it up and you should be able to carry it on the plane and stow it in the overhead bin.

I saw them in 2005 and was impressed at how they played 45 minutes straight, one song right into another.

Happier days!

Ahahahahahahah, glad you did the whole shirt thing Philly?

Karma's a bitch.

Yeah, but we always have the Consol Energy Center to look forward to.

Is a husbend when you are married to Gumby?

I don't remember there being an E7 in that song either!

Do a search for a song [chords]. Plenty of websites that offer them.


 House of the rising sun

      Am    C        D          F
There is a house in New Orleans,
      Am        C      E7
They call the "Rising Sun",
      Am       C       D           F
It's been the ruin of many a poor girl, (boys?)
     Am     E        Am    E7
And God, I know, I'm one.

My mother was a tailor,
She sewed those new blue jeans,
my husbend he's a gambling man,
(drinks) down in New Orleans.

My husbend in a gambler,
He goes from town to town,
The only time, he's satisfied, is when
He drinks his liquor down.

Oh, mother, tell your children
Not to do what I have done -
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of Rising Sun

One foot on the platform,
The other's on the train,
I'm going back to New Orleans,
to wear that ball and chain.

Going back to New Orleans,
My race is almost run,
I'm going to spend the rest of my life,
Beneath that "Rising Sun".

Because we have to fund the next 75 years of retirees. No joke. If it weren't for that, we'd be breaking even.

It's a great way to help him use up that sick leave! I'd do it if I were you.

"Screw him and give him a dollar."

That's what you tell your hot wife/girlfriend. Cooking him breakfast should be her idea.


People tip their carriers at Christmas, if they want to. It's not going to get anybody fired. At one point in time the PO was buying million dollar houses for relocating postmasters. Now, I think it's only half a million, max.



Ten or twenty bucks is appropriate, if the guy did a good job and you want to give him cash and a card.

In reference to the above poster, we are quasi-govermental. we pay into the same retirement plan as the rest of the g'vment, but we take no taxpayer's money to fund or operations - haven't for decades. The USPS receives no sponsorship of any sort from the states.  

Bumping this one - no one has any favorite gadgets, tools, other that they'd recommend?

Absolutely! I would be honored to hear more about your Dad.

Personally, I just bought a house, so I could use guidance on tools or other items that every homeowner should have.

How handy are you, what are you planning on doing, what shape is the house in? I have enough tools to build a house, but that might not be what you are getting into.

Surprised that no one dragged Sandusky into the equation, but not many people are from the area either.
The cost of living is low and that is a good thing.

Which is really apropos of nothing.

Bankruptcy or not, Harrisburg is a pleasant, if boring (compared to LA, NY) place to live. You are not going to have the crimerate of Pittsburgh or Philly and you have the advantage of being at the crossroads of the state.

Anyone live in Harrisburg?

I might be moving there for a year or so, and am looking for advice on good neighborhoods (preferably near the Capitol). I'd really like to rent a house so that my dog can have a yard.

Um, Harrisburg is a pretty small "city". It is also pretty damned rural once you get past the city limits - you are within 20 minutes of fishing and hunting nirvana. Also hiking, if you want to carry a camera instead.  Yards won't be a problem, it's not urban enough to have blocks of concrete wastelands.



Looks like this is the ghetto.



The Senators play minor league baseball on an island next to downtown H'burg. Nice park. Gettysburg is a short run down 15. Also down 15 is Brothers, a diner- if I'm in the area, I always stop in. Go north and you hit wilderness (and PSU). Poe Paddy State park is pretty amazing. Shoot northwest and you'll hit Allegheny National Forest, which is 800 square miles of forest.

OTOH, if you are looking for a vibrant nightlife, you may find it a bit lacking.

Damn, here I was expecting a thread about you finally being one with Tiffany...

Tiffany?

I thought his hands were Gretchen and Amy?

<runs>

Default IV 3D: More Of The Same

It's either focus or thread necrophilia, but...


I visited the New Hartford, Connecticut, Guild Guitar factory with members of my guitar forum. We toured the factory and were pleased to see the expansion of the brand.  Afterwards, we were treated to a get-together at a local firehouse banquet hall, where Fender sprang for lunch and dinner and where we also could play the entire US-built Guild product line. It was more fun than I can remember having in years  Afterwards FMIC had a giveaway and I won the grand prize, a D-50 cocobolo dreadnaught, one of 20 in the entire world. It is a fabulous instrument.

Haven't posted in this thread for a while.  I'll just put this here...

The complete list:

· Beastie Boys 

· The Cure 

· Donovan 

· Eric B. & Rakim  (who?)

· Guns 'N Roses  (eh, sold a lot of product)

· Heart 

· Joan Jett and The Blackhearts    (for reasons stated)

· Freddie King  (Blues yes. Rock and roll? an influence, I guess)

· Laura Nyro    (influence female singer/songwriter)

· Red Hot Chili Peppers  (sold a lot of product)

· Rufus with Chaka Khan (? Know who they are, but...)

· The Small Faces/The Faces 

· The Spinners (if you're around long enough...)

· Donna Summer  She epitomized disco, which at least got some stale acts off the radio for a while

· War  Fuckin' A right!