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Comments:
Dan Arbor - 2005-03-07 13:52:45 Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one to think so. I didn't realize it had completely divested itself from the feds. You are right, it is viral marketing. Ugh. "Meme is money" is funny. :)* * * * * * * * * * * * Dan Arbor - 2005-03-07 14:01:14 I'm not sure it's completely independent, just financially so. I think they got the same marching orders the Fed is trying to impose on Amtrak: self-sustain, or disappear. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-07 14:05:42 If they are still a nominally federal agency, it seems very questionable for that corporate postmark to appear there.* * * * * * * * * * * * Dan Arbor - 2005-03-07 14:16:55 Maybe at one time, but not under the current administration. They're all about partnering with the private sector. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-07 14:34:24 Ugh. Shrek and the new robot flick are both from Pixar. Makes me want to skip any stupid Pixar movie from now on...since, you know, I'm already being inundated with their logos et al. * * * * * * * * * * * * tom - 2005-03-07 16:36:56 I agree. Another thing I could not figure is why the USPS sponsored Lance Armstrong's bicycle team for several years. It's not like they need to establish an identity. Hell, they are a monopoly. Why do they need to advertise?* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-07 16:40:36 Now that you mention it, that's true...why did they sponsor Lance Armstrong? And I don't see the connection between a bike race and delivering mail. As far as competition, I believe the PO does get a fair amount of competition from FedEx and other package delivery companies.* * * * * * * * * * * * tom - 2005-03-07 16:44:40 They do get competition from FedEx, UPS, etc for package delivery. But for first class mail, bulk mail, and so forth, the PO is the only way to go. You can send a letter via FedEx, but it costs around $10.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-07 19:03:53 You are right, Tom; the P.O. is the only route for letters. In other weird confluences of government and private industry, ex-Homeland Securitymeister Tom Ridge was just named to the board of Home Depot. What possible experience Ridge could bring to a kingdom of bolts and drywall is beyond me.* * * * * * * * * * * * Historical Local Privatization (Laura) - 2005-03-07 19:14:20 I can't here resist the opportunity to toss in an example of acerbic local reaction to the 1847 privatization of the Michigan Central Railroad, for which indulgence I hope you'll pardon me: THE RAILROAD.---The railroad is in excellent condition now. True, it was terribly out of order when the state sold it and has not been repaired since. The iron is pretty much off, and has been replaced by lath of an inch in thickness. Yet there is no cause of complaint. Editors are not thrown into the trembles by the rattling of bars,---passengers are not driven round the lakes through fear of death; cars don't break down more than seven days in a week; the "company" is not running in debt, as the State was---said to be;---so far from it they expect to rebuild and finish the road to a great extent, with the proceeds of the present track. How wonderfully calm it makes some people to see every stream of wealth pouring into private pockets, and the poor paying the taxes. --Ypsilanti Sentinel, June 9, 1847.* * * * * * * * * * * * tom - 2005-03-08 09:15:36 The only possible reason I can see for Ridge's appt. to the Home Depot BOD is that he brings them access to influential people in Washington. Here is his bio. Re: Sentinel story. The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh?* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-08 09:29:13 Tom, I think you are right; I had the same thought. Why a home supplies store would need access to influential (and presumably right-wing) people in Washington is a bit puzzling to the somewhat naive me. It's just a store, after all. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-08 09:32:17 Tom: thanks for the Ridge bio. The early part of his story is interesting. I have to say, he is a self-made man and a veteran. And a scholar. "Born Aug. 26, 1945, in Pittsburgh's Steel Valley, Gov. Ridge was raised in a working class family in veterans' public housing in Erie. He earned a scholarship to Harvard, graduating with honors in 1967. After his first year at The Dickinson School of Law, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served as an infantry staff sergeant in Vietnam, earning the Bronze Star for Valor."* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura yet again - 2005-03-08 09:33:44 (p.s. Tom, I had the exact same thought about the Sentinel story.) * * * * * * * * * * * * Brian Filipiak - 2005-03-08 10:09:26 Laura, What about asking for your mail to be hand-cancelled? That way, the machine does not have to put the logo-based cancelled mark on the envelope. Shrek is a DreamWorks production. Robots is a 20th Century Fox production. The next Pixar flick is Cars, and is due out on June 9th. It's ok to bash popular culture, but let's bash the right companies! (grin) This type of tie-in with the Post Office extends beyond the postmark example you've given. A few years ago, the P.O. also did a set of stamps with some of the Warner Brothers characters on them—Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, etc. And what about when Elvis appeared on a stamp? A "real" person, yes, but absolutely a product of pop culture. And what about this stamp? Where will it end? Brian * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-08 10:15:46Thank you Brian. I did a quick Google to get the original (mis)information I posted, but I was wrong. Thanks for sorting out the right movie companies. Brian, I did think about the hand-cancelled thing...but...(sigh)...what a pain; one must pick one's battles. I remember those odious Disney stamps. But at least that still gives people a choice of whether to buy them. Ypsidixit has several Elvis biographies and bought the Elvis stamp by the sheetful when it came out. She even voted in the poll preceding the stamp (for the "old" Elvis). Elvis is cool. I see him as a person, not just some obnoxious pop culture logo. Anyways, thanks for the info Brian.* * * * * * * * * * * * raymond - 2005-03-08 11:56:45 McDonalds stamp, anyone? The USPO has to keep up not only with the sports whores who display logos on their clothing, but also the general public who prefer to exhibit corporate identity even on their exposed underwear.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-08 20:55:31 Yes, I'll never understand that--I don't buy any clothing with a logo on it. At any rate.* * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: |