[Shurado]

Excuse me, but when you said for us to "think about it seriously" without backing yourself up with an explanation of how 41 cents is expensive, you insulted my intelligence.

What's funny as well is, you didn't countered or talked about my argument and instead focused this about you. That frankly, is another insult.

 

[Ubel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shurado /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, which he countered quite effectively.

So I guess because of raising prices on Gasoline and other things as well, we shouldn't buy them either? Is that what you're saying?
This isn't about whether it's bad for you or not, it's about the raising costs

Joseph

 

[Shurado]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ubel /img/forum/go_quote.gif So I guess because of raising prices on Gasoline and other things as well, we shouldn't buy them either? Is that what you're saying? This isn't about whether it's bad for you or not, it's about the raising costs Joseph

Cigarettes has no redeeming value to it as it can cause lung disease and various other health problems. All these problems can thus cause the person to go to a hospital, taking up a bed someone else could've used, and another reason why so much money is wasted into health care. This in effect means cigarettes causes unnecessary costs in health care.

Oil on the other hand despite it's continual negative of emissions to the environment is valuable since it's used for various things such as transportation and many other byproducts that can be had from it. It's rising in costs because there is more demand than there is oil.

 

[immtbiker]

Focused about me? If you say I've insulted your intelligence twice, then it seems like you are making this all about you!

The reason I said "think about it" is because when you seriously think about the price of one stamp costing $.41 when it cost $.32 a short time ago, that is something that can pass through our minds quickly, unless we seriously take the time to think about it.
I don't think I need to "back up" an opinion of something being too expensive for what it's worth when it has gone up 25% in a short period of time, when the price of other commodities, such as computers and cameras have dropped significantly and the value that is encompassed in them has risen quite drastically.

Also, what happened to a $0.01 increase first? Has the post office published facts and figures showing their profitability as a government entity, and who do they answer to when they request a raise?

Your history of posts show that you like to stir things up just for the sake of stirring things up. Members of Head-Fi share their opinions on subjects without slandering or attacking others.

Please don't go postal on us.

 

[Ubel]

You do realize that over 50% of the cost of Gasoline is US Taxes? Not all of it is because of Supply and Demand.
Do you think there's more demand for cigarettes today? No, there isn't. In August the costs/taxes by the US Government are raising.
This isn't about Supply and Demand, it's about taxing.

And you haven't mentioned that the tobacco industry has given many farmers and their family's places to live and food to eat from the money they make off farming tobacco. It's not all negative as you say.

Joseph

 

[Shurado]

Edit: Thought I might as well respond to this.
Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker Focused about me? If you say I've insulted your intelligence twice, then it seems like you are making this all about you!

Uh, when the first reply to my post was about how I somehow insulted you instead of responding to my argument, yes, it is about YOU. You focused more on that last question than the argument that I wrote. Anyone who reads it can see it as such. I even said "please" when I wanted you to explain your position. If I had thought you were a dolt, would I ask you to do that?

You escalated this, not me.
[/Edit]
Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif The reason I said "think about it" is because when you seriously think about the price of one stamp costing $.41 when it cost $.32 a short time ago, that is something that can pass through our minds quickly, unless we seriously take the time to think about it. I don't think I need to "back up" an opinion of something being too expensive for what it's worth when it has gone up 25% in a short period of time, when the price of other commodities, such as computers and cameras have dropped significantly and the value that is encompassed in them has risen quite drastically.

Computers and cameras can dropped in costs because the manufacturing materials and capabilities can be done cheaper over time. You can't reduce wages for postal workers neither the rising costs of infrastructure such as fuel.

Quote:

Also, what happened to a $0.01 increase first? Has the post office published facts and figures showing their profitability as a government entity, and who do they answer to when they request a raise?

The USPS hasn't been part of the government for awhile as the Department of Mail has been abolished although its employees are still Federal. It is a for-profit business.

Quote:

Your history of posts show that you like to stir things up just for the sake of stirring things up. Members of Head-Fi share their opinions on subjects without slandering or attacking others. Please don't go postal on us.

The irony is strong here!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ubel You do realize that over 50% of the cost of Gasoline is US Taxes? Not all of it is because of Supply and Demand. Do you think there's more demand for cigarettes today? No, there isn't. In August the costs/taxes by the US Government are raising. This isn't about Supply and Demand, it's about taxing.

Can you provide a source for me to take a look?

Because when even a halt in production can cause worry in the economy, I doubt it's taxes that is truly the problem.

Quote:

And you haven't mentioned that the tobacco industry has given many farmers and their family's places to live and food to eat from the money they make off farming tobacco. It's not all negative as you say.

So I suppose if we sanctioned the production of cocaine, it'd be all good since we're providing jobs for cocaine growers right? Fantastic reasoning!

P.S. - I thought you'd stop posting here?

 

[Ampersand]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shurado /img/forum/go_quote.gif When letters must be picked up and delivered by the mailmen, transported as far as from one coast to the other by trucks and/or planes, go through sorting facilities, and in your mailbox within 2-3 days, 41 cents isn't expensive. All this requires a massive infrastructure, so how seriously are you thinking?

coast to coast in 2-3 days???

LOL!

Mailed anything lately?

 

[Ubel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shurado /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can you provide a source for me to take a look?

This is an old quote, and while I do realize this quotes in cents, not percentages. It's what I found. I'm sure the taxes are higher now anyway. But you get the idea
Quote:

Originally Posted by Shurado /img/forum/go_quote.gif So I suppose if we sanctioned the production of cocaine, it'd be all good since we're providing jobs for cocaine growers right? Fantastic reasoning!

We could say the same about Tabacco, Alcohol and other products such as Aspartame.
Last I checked, our Country isn't a Dictatorship yet. But I fear we're getting to close to " Politics ", don't you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shurado /img/forum/go_quote.gif P.S. - I thought you'd stop posting here?

Yeah, well people like you drive me out.

Joseph

 

[909]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Plus the insurance is much cheaper with both FedEX and UPS.

I believe this might be a misconception. I use to be under the same impression. But only the USPS offers "insurance" whereas FedEx and UPS ask for the "declared value" of the item you're shipping. And I've spoken with two FedEx reps--"declared value is not insurance." Further, it is within their (FedEx) discretion whether or not to reimburse damage or loss. UPS might treat it the same, but one would need to ask. Yet I assume there's a reason why it's also just declared value and not insurance.

I don't mind the USPS rate increase as much as how often it's been done in the last few years. They should just set the rate (anticipate future costs) and let it be for at least a few years.

I don't believe one can ship cheaper than the USPS mailing it first class, media mail, overnight, and overseas. FedEx ground is usually my second option when I want to ship something relatively large (and it most always cheaper than the USPS) or UPS ground since it's a bit more than FedEx, but usually cheaper than USPS. Though, I've not been thrilled with the UPS outsourced help/ship centers. Next I use them I'll go to an official UPS store.

 

[Shurado]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ampersand coast to coast in 2-3 days??? LOL! Mailed anything lately?

If you mean a letter? Nope! Just check the other thread. Now if you mean packages, yes, I've had them to the west coast in three days.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ubel /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is an old quote, so the taxes are higher now. But you get the idea

I took a look at 2002 data as well as the one in 1998 and between those two, most of the prices only went up around five cents and the average increase was two cents. If this is a continual trend up to this date, this definitely does not explain the dramatic increase of gas prices.

Edit: One more thing, you said previously the taxes account for more than 50% of the cost of gasoline but given in your link the highest price is 53 cents at Hawaii, that's hardly 50%.

Quote:

We could say the same about Tabacco, Alcohol and other products such as Aspartame. Last I checked, our Country isn't a Dictatorship yet. But I fear we're getting to close to " Politics ", don't you?

What does being a dictatorship have to do with making sure the citizens stay healthy which is one of the basic tenets that government is suppose to ensure?

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ampersand /img/forum/go_quote.gif coast to coast in 2-3 days??? LOL! Mailed anything lately?

I sent a check to Jack Woo of Woo Audio last Thursday, and it was postmaked on Friday. He lives approximately 7 miles from my house and he first received the check today, 5 postal business days later.
Now I know that on the whole the USPS does a decent job of keeping the mail moving in an incredibly complex system, but can anyone tell me where the letter sat for 6 days, in order to travel a total of 7 miles.
Now we are expected to pay more money to a service that is now "for profit" that still doesn't have it's act together, which is why the OP started this thread in the first place, no?

 

[Shurado]

Added this in: My best guess is, while transferring your letter, it got dropped somewhere and was forgotten until someone finally found it and sent it on its merry way. It's why 2-3 days is an estimate and not a guarantee.

I've heard horror stories from the NJ facility where things can be held up for weeks. I'm glad it hasn't happened to me yet.

UPS and Fedex aren't angels either and don't forget they're for-profit too. You can search websites and forums where people are disgusted with their service.

 

[ErnDiggity]

I would say everyone is just arguing now for the sake of arguing. I'd just like to add one point to this discussion as I believe this is what started the heated debate about 41 cents being unreasonable for shipping.

http://www.swivel.com/graphs/show/10868557

This is a link comparing postage stamp costs vs inflation. Stamps have actually just been increased to match the rate of inflation. The aforementioned 32 cents "not that long ago" was actually around 1998 - 10 years time - so the 25% increase was over a period of 9 years.

 

[Shurado]

Thanks ErnDiggity, you just closed the thread.

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 909 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I believe this might be a misconception. I use to be under the same impression. But only the USPS offers "insurance" whereas FedEx and UPS ask for the "declared value" of the item you're shipping. And I've spoken with two FedEx reps--"declared value is not insurance." Further, it is within their (FedEx) discretion whether or not to reimburse damage or loss. UPS might treat it the same, but one would need to ask. Yet I assume there's a reason why it's also just declared value and not insurance. I don't mind the USPS rate increase as much as how often it's been done in the last few years. They should just set the rate (anticipate future costs) and let it be for at least a few years. I don't believe one can ship cheaper than the USPS mailing it first class, media mail, overnight, and overseas. FedEx ground is usually my second option when I want to ship something relatively large (and it most always cheaper than the USPS) or UPS ground since it's a bit more than FedEx, but usually cheaper than USPS. Though, I've not been thrilled with the UPS outsourced help/ship centers. Next I use them I'll go to an official UPS store.

This is not true, USPS offers the same insurance as any other carrier, UPS or FedEx, but even worst....Just to make an example, and that was true, we are still fighting that, that probably will end in courts...a friend of mine shipped recently a laptop to Venezuela, the post officer offer him if he wants to insure the package. We (I was present at that time) insured it for $100.00 as the insurance did not let us insure it for more to Venezuela (according ot the guy)....
The package got lost, gone...So we claimed, the result was that the USPS made the mistake of charging us for insurance while shipping, as there is no valid insurance to Venezuela (????What????). Also stated that the item was forbidden...a laptop forbiden??? OK, well why do you let me send it, and you take it and ship it? They asked us what was in the package, the customs forms were filled as well, they know that was a laptop, and the tracking shows the package going outside the US border, so they ship it...also why did they charge us for an insurance if it was not allowed???

We have shipped literally hundreds of packages with FedEx, and UPS, and we never had a problem before. My brother works for UPS, UPS emits checks everyday to pay for insurance of packages lost...USPS simply refused to pay us $100.00 while they charged for that service...that is scary, honestly, we can even trust a federal institution now???