Saturday Tidbits

Everybody has them on Tuesday but I thought I’d be different and have mine on Saturday. :grinny:

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I don’t like that a lot of my pals are on Facebook all the time and not blogging as much. 🙁 I don’t like all the “sharing” that goes on there. Nothing against you guys, really, but blog posts, visitors, and comments have reached an all time low on blogs- not just mine but across the board for most people, it seems. I don’t get it. Facebook is a hog! The site steals revenue and attention from our own sites, and FB makes a ton of money off of us, too. And “privacy”? That’s laughable! I think I’d much rather visit blogs and see the videos and share things on blogs. I like FB as a way to FIND blogs and websites, but I don’t want it to replace our own websites and become a catch-all for everything, which it has become. Come back, friends!!! Come back to the good side!!!!!
:iquit:

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There are lots of rumors flying around about the financial state of the U.S. Postal Service, by news outlets and individuals alike. My husband works for the PO so we kind of have a pretty good handle on why the Postal Service is not doing so good. In case you’re wondering, here’s the poop:

1. The Postal Service is NOT in financial straights because of Internet email. That’s a myth. If anything, the Internet has improved business because people are doing scads and scads of online shopping, and shipping parcels via the USPS. My husband wears out TWO PAIRS of shoes EVERY YEAR, hopping in and out of the postal vehicle delivering packages.

2. If the Postal Service would simply raise their fees on third class bulk rate mail (aka, JUNK MAIL), they’d make a fortune. Even if it was just half a cent increase. But of course, that’s easier than it sounds because of business contracts, etc.

3. If the Postal Service would force all magazines to come wrapped in plastic wrap or kraft paper, it would save mailmen TONS of money and would increase revenue for the PO due to the extra expense for mailers. The USPS is plagued with catalogs and magazines, the bane of the postal system. For one, the loose magazines are difficult to handle, they get ripped, they are hard to case and stuff in boxes. Two, most catalogs and magazines are filled with half-naked women, greatly distracting the mailmen when they should be casing mail. It’s a sad fact of life, but it’s true. My husband finds it VERY ironic that the Postal Service makes a big deal about sexual harassment (they have to watch educational videos every so often) but the sheer amount of readily-available filth that flows through the mailboxes is staggering. Uh, hello?

4. The Postal Service does not receive one red cent of taxpayer money.

5. The Postal Service is union.

6. The Postal Service is forced- -by Congressional law- to pay HUGE amounts of money into health care, perks and pensions for their workers whether the Postal Service can afford it or not. Congress does not give one cent into the fund but forces the USPS to pay it all. No other organization is forced to do this and to pay so much, only the USPS.

7. It’s the massive pension and health care requirements legislated by Congress — NOT email on the Internet — that is forcing the USPS into bankruptcy.

That’s my 2.5 cents.

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We have only had half inch of snow here in Upstate New York so far! It’s really unbelievable! The temperatures have been pretty nice, too. So far, it’s only gotten as low as the 20s. I like winter, so I am ambivalent. But I LOVE not having to turn on the upstairs (electric) heaters!!! I haven’t had to do it yet. This is so cool!

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You’ve probably heard that New York State is not the most business-friendly state in the Union. The state is basically run my thugs and unions, with bloated regulations and extremely high taxes, high utilities, and expensive compensation rates. Oh yeah, New York is a great place to work! WHEN THERE ARE JOBS OF WHICH THERE ARE NONE. Hello, NYS government???

Need an example? I got one for ya. lol

Last year, my town got some sidewalks. Some of the residents had been clamoring for sidewalks on the busy street, and they finally got some (after petitioning for more than 10 years). A whole crew of guys with their heavy construction equipment came through, spending WEEKS building these sidewalks. They did a great job. I think the whole project took about 4, 5, 6? weeks.

We found out much later that the company was from Michigan. What?!?!?! A Michigan company came all this way to Upstate New York?! They stayed in hotels, ate at restaurants, and worked in our community for all those weeks?! Why didn’t the town hire a New York State construction company? Sheesh, why not a local company?! The reason was that it was too expensive to hire a New York State company. With the unions, worker’s comp, insurance, etc etc etc, it was cheaper to just pay the Michigan company for hotels, restaurants and their labor.

:wazzat: And that, my friends, is why New York State sucks.

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I found a new blog friend today. Her name is Susi and she’s from Germany. She emigrated to the U.S. when she was 16. I love learning about things, and a love reading stories and hearing the perspectives from people from a foreign country. Suzi won my heart when she posted a simple “Quote of the Week” at her blog. Tears came to my eyes. 🙂 Congrats to you, Suzi, on your American citizenship.

THAT, my friends, is why the United States of America under Ronald Reagan was glorious. :wubs:

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My cat loves the bathtub. She wheedles past the shower curtain and liner, pokes her head in to make sure the spray isn’t running (she hates that), and hops in the tub. Next thing I know, I hear her lapping up the pool of leftover bath water. EWWWWWW.

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And now I will leave you with a LOL Cat. This one made me smile.