See thats still the typical - I do it so why shouldnt everyone else mentality-- I dont pay all my bills on line-- my water bill, car registration and other things of this nature doesnt even have the option, because they come from local governments- who dont have electronic payment infrastructure , and several of my other utilities- allow you to pay online- but for a fee. In addition I have spotty internet access- and thats even with a air card-- there are still millions of people out there, believe it or not- that dont have constant easy access to the internet...

Just because the technology is there doesnt mean it should always be used--

For example -- my banks changed all their ATMS- so that for deposits- you no longer put an envelope in-- you deposit the bills and checks directly and it scans everything in- so its immediately credited to your account-- however-- it only takes personal size checks,- so rebate checks, payroll checks, tax return checks, business (computer generated) checks- can no longer be deposited - I now have to take them in and wait in line for a teller (who they tried to charge me a service fee for using)-- I had to have a fight with them- because their new system thats supposed to speed up the deposit process now takes me 10x as longer than it used to (and thats if their isnt a line)- and I have to do it during buisness hours (which as stated earlier in the thread-- sucks--) We are honestly looking at switiching banks because of this-- because now they are no longer convenient-- even though they are the largest in the area... Technology being "improved" at its finest....

Ah, but the difference is, my tax dollars aren't subsidizing UPS/FEDEX's rates. It's easy to make things cheaper when you're using OTHER people's money.

Take the Post Office out of the equation and somebody will step in to fill its nitch. There's too much money to be made.

Regarding banks . . . I'm with you. That's why I have used a credit union for the past decade. I'd never go back to a bank. EVER.

And your point is? That's the way the world is going. I'm not saying everyone has to do it, but it may be the only choice one day. There's no reason for paper bills or checks, but people are unwilling to change....for now. Sooner or later, America will catch up to other parts of the world in regards to internet coverage and speed and at that point, why keep wasting money on paper solutions when it could be done online?

Your tax dollars don't go into the running of the post office. The USPS has not directly received taxpayer-dollars since the early 1980s when they separated from the government and became a private organization with TWO exceptions. One exception is for overseas voters to cast their ballots during an election and TWO, the US deposits money into a savings trust for when mail officers retire they can receive their Pensions. Which is no different than any other tax dollars funding someone's retirement. So if you have an issue with those, which I suspect you do it has nothing to do with how the post office is run.

So your tax dollars don't go to one single cent of running the office. That's what junk mail is for. That's what pre-paid Priority mail boxes are for. That's why the USPS has recorded losses because they fund themselves.

Tell me that when Congress bails out their pension fund with taxpayer money.

'Cause you know that's gonna happen.

Actually the Post Office uses Fed Ex and UPS to take their overnight mail from post office to post office both planes and trucks- (UPS drops packages off at the local post office near me every morning), without the Post office filling out the planes and trucks-- means even more expensive costs for both those groups. So if you get rid of the post office- fed ex and UPS rates will increase due to the cost of empty space on all those flights..

Really? I'm kinda surprised at that.

Not used to governmental agencies being semi-intelligent.

I still say shut 'em down, or at least cut them back to 3-4 days a week. The current postal system isn't working.

They are scaling back, they plan on eliminating Saturday delivery and they start an hour later in some places.

My local PO- is considering options-- the biggest proposal is only staying open 4 Hrs a day- 4 days a week.. which if they arent in the morning- means for me- its like they dont even exist..-- Which is option 3 on their list- but it also means- that all the people with PO boxes will now have to drive another 8 miles to the next post office that will stay open... not to mention- that all the people that get delivery out of that location-- will have to get their addresses changed-- its going to be a CF if that all happens..

Man, Stew, you must live in the boonies.

Always have always will-- cant have acreage in the city (or even the suburbs)-- of course it also means I cant complain about my 45 mile commute one way everyday..

It must be beautiful out there with all that open space.

My biggest pet peeve is people on dates who play with their phones constantly. You are trying to get to know someone, and they are looking at the damn phone constantly- it just gets discouraging.

Graphic Design... There should be a distinct difference. There's Web Design and there's Print Design. 2 different beasts... 1 is coding, programming, action scripting, HTML, CSS and the other is aesthetics, color theory, typography.. etc.

In addition, I'm beyond peeved on how some businesses want a "Super Designer" that does everything – web design/maintenance, Art direct, design all forms of layout in Word and Powerpoint.

All this for the starting wage of $10-15/hr.

I guess we're at a forefront where anyone can be a designer... even your receptionist can be a designer.

My current pet peeve is my lovely students.

So many of them are just . . . SO . . . IGNORANT. And lazy. Not to mention unwilling to say the Pledge. Or speak English. Or study. Or do any homework. Or . . .

Sigh. Kids these days . . .

I know I'm getting old, because I'm starting to sound more and more like my father.