Anytime I argue with someone about the ridiculousness of ObamaCare, I always say, "They can't even get the post office right? THESE are the people you want in charge of your healthcare!?"

*sigh*

Not to mention the absolute insanity that occurs whenever you ship something across a border. I've had my own experiences with that, and you never know what the hell any given customs organizatoin is going to do, or how much it's going to cost you. Some years ago I was getting for shipping a computer that had been sent to a sub-contractor in Toronto back to the States. U.S. Customs got hold of it and held it for three months. For "security reasons". Mind you, this was not an Intel hypercube or anything of the sort; it was an ordinary VME rack-mount chassis. We eventually had to pay an expeditor to get it out of wherever Customs was holding it hostage.

Oops... sorry about the mangled English in that last post. That's what I get for typing one thing while thinking about something else.

You may have noticed that all government agencies are run for the benefit of the government; not for the governed.

"Maybe a dog ,too" you say?
http://carmichaelcollective.com/Big-Dog-Purse

That "Progress" image would look pretty cool done in stained glass.

This reminds me of a rant I read a couple of years back. The author ordered stamps online to be home delivered by the USPS, thinking this would save him a trip to the Post Office.

Only, the letter carrier left a note in his mailbox that a package was waiting for him, to be pick up in person, at the Post Office - yup, it was the stamps that he ordered online.

If Matisse were around today, his work would look like Gary Musselman's.

Regarding the Big Dog Purse -- Lucy the Doggie could have a whole apartment in that thing!

All I can think of now is...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUgJjJHXj_I

I work for the government.

Currently, I have a hole in my ceiling that is going on four months old. I have no paper towels. I have no alcohol cleaning wipes (necessary when you work with children). I have no spine labels for books - oh, wait. I forgot. We have one sheet, which we are rationing. I spent the last few weeks selecting furniture for my department, in a rush, mind you, only to be told this morning that the City has changed its mind and now is going to pick for us. From their own vendors. Great. Oh, and also? The Teen section we're buying furniture for? The books need to be moved NOW. As in, right now today. Except that we have no furniture for people to sit on in that area! ARGH!!

Government enterprises have no competition. They have no incentive to offer better service, lower prices, or to increase efficiency in any way.

The Postal Service has a monopoly on delivery of first class mail. Where they have competition, in package delivery and express mail, they've made great strides in becoming more efficient, more reliable, and cost effective.

And the USPS's response to competing technology? Tax it into submission!

Amtrak? The news today reported that Amtrak's snack bars alone lost $84.5 million last year and $833 million over the past ten years.

And Amtrak service? Try getting an express train from San Francisco (Oakland) to Los Angeles. Nope. You're going to have to stop in every podunk farm town between Stockton and Barstow. 6+ hours for what Southwest can do in 45 minutes.

The solution? Spend trillions on a train that will end up going just as slow and stopping at just as many stops, but will have a flashy paint job and a bond debt that will be paid off shortly after the sun implodes.

Folks, government-run healthcare will have the same problems and the same lack of willingness to embrace new technologies.

The government does not think outside the box. The government built the box and has a vested interest in keeping the box intact.

Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them. -- Ronald Reagan

Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other. -- Ronald Reagan

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. -- Ronald Reagan

You will be fortunate if your local Obamacare medical resource center is like the Post Office. Think TSA, you foolish optimist.

I just sent a letter from Idaho to Port Washington, Wisconsin. They charged me 45 cents, and watch, it'll take 3 or 4 days to get there. Bastards.

Jump

Also, this was here.

I loves the computer maps.

It's official, the Postal Service is broke.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443675404578060850778951388.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection

The solution? Spend trillions on a train that will end up going just as slow and stopping at just as many stops, but will have a flashy paint job and a bond debt that will be paid off shortly after the sun implodes.

Yes, but the silver lining is the sun will expand and flash fry the earth billions of years before that, so technically we'll never have to pay back ALL the money.

Aren't there private businesses that sell stamps any more? Why didn't you go to one of them?