Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
These 40 to 120% international postal rate increases and the new Affordable Health Care Act taxes will leave less money for generous and thoughtful people to donate to more worthy causes! Fred, I recall purchasing a printing press from you that cost over $500.00 to ship a few years ago. It would probably cost $1,500.00 to ship it today. This would represent $1,000.00 to could go to pay for your kids education. Enough rant from me, the cost will be passed onto the poor collector who in turn will have less to donate to more important causes than a postal service who seems to forget what service means. Adam - Original Message - From: "h...@meteorhall.com" To: Adam Hupe Cc: Adam Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 6:34 PM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase! All this crying over a postal increase is a First World Problem, as opposed to a Third World Problem, where finding food and water EVERYDAY is the REAL, and DESPERATE problem. So, lets all cry a tear, get out your fresh white Kleenex, baby. The postal rates have been cheap, like the gasoline for my new Jeep Grand Cherokee. I feel so downtrodden...boo hoo, poor me. Fred Hall > Call a spade a spade, we are talking about hyperinflation due to the > government spending money they do not have. > > That is what happens when politicians are not required to understand even > basic economics and depend on other idiots (more politicians) to provide > advice. The only timely vote you will see is when they are voting for > raises for themselves while the rest of the world is in financial ruin > except China. > > Unfortunately, the price of meteorites has not kept up with hyperinflation > like gold and silver. perhaps if somebody finds a meteorite that is > 99.999% gold and is not considered a collectable commodity, then prices > realized may improve. > > Buyers are getting a bargain these days unless they are among the first to > buy a new fall. > > Adam > > __ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
Boo Hoo, poor everybody! Are you OK, Fred? - Original Message - From: "h...@meteorhall.com" To: Adam Hupe Cc: Adam Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 6:34 PM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase! All this crying over a postal increase is a First World Problem, as opposed to a Third World Problem, where finding food and water EVERYDAY is the REAL, and DESPERATE problem. So, lets all cry a tear, get out your fresh white Kleenex, baby. The postal rates have been cheap, like the gasoline for my new Jeep Grand Cherokee. I feel so downtrodden...boo hoo, poor me. Fred Hall > Call a spade a spade, we are talking about hyperinflation due to the > government spending money they do not have. > > That is what happens when politicians are not required to understand even > basic economics and depend on other idiots (more politicians) to provide > advice. The only timely vote you will see is when they are voting for > raises for themselves while the rest of the world is in financial ruin > except China. > > Unfortunately, the price of meteorites has not kept up with hyperinflation > like gold and silver. perhaps if somebody finds a meteorite that is > 99.999% gold and is not considered a collectable commodity, then prices > realized may improve. > > Buyers are getting a bargain these days unless they are among the first to > buy a new fall. > > Adam > > __ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
All this crying over a postal increase is a First World Problem, as opposed to a Third World Problem, where finding food and water EVERYDAY is the REAL, and DESPERATE problem. So, lets all cry a tear, get out your fresh white Kleenex, baby. The postal rates have been cheap, like the gasoline for my new Jeep Grand Cherokee. I feel so downtrodden...boo hoo, poor me. Fred Hall > Call a spade a spade, we are talking about hyperinflation due to the > government spending money they do not have. > > That is what happens when politicians are not required to understand even > basic economics and depend on other idiots (more politicians) to provide > advice. The only timely vote you will see is when they are voting for > raises for themselves while the rest of the world is in financial ruin > except China. > > Unfortunately, the price of meteorites has not kept up with hyperinflation > like gold and silver. perhaps if somebody finds a meteorite that is > 99.999% gold and is not considered a collectable commodity, then prices > realized may improve. > > Buyers are getting a bargain these days unless they are among the first to > buy a new fall. > > Adam > > __ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
Martin, So distinguished looking! I'm sure your current PC is orders of magnitude better than a Commodore 64. I hope your office has kept pace. cheers Paul Swartz IMCA 5204 > Here you have a view of my office, > just before I switched from Sinclair ZX 81 to a Commodore 64. > http://kuerzer.de/homeoffice1983 * > > __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
They are still under federal control and are poorly managed. They treat customers like crap by making them wait in long lines, cannot produce shipping software that works under all circumstances, should fire their IT department for producing a half-baked product, should teach their clerks how to type and inform their clients when they are going to be gouged with price increases. What is the postal service doing issuing passports if they are not directly controlled by the government? Try waiting in line for 1 hour while the single clerk is issuing somebody a passport, ridiculous service! Other than that, I find the clerks to be somewhat friendly when they are not overwhelmed. Adam - Original Message - From: Michael Mulgrew To: Adam Hupe ; Meteorite List Cc: Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 11:58 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase! Adam, The USPS has not directly received tax payer dollars since the 1980s. Their poor finances do not necessarily reflect poor government spending. Michael in so. Cal. On Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 8:30 AM, Adam Hupe wrote: > Call a spade a spade, we are talking about hyperinflation due to the > government spending money they do not have. > > That is what happens when politicians are not required to understand even > basic economics and depend on other idiots (more politicians) to provide > advice. The only timely vote you will see is when they are voting for raises > for themselves while the rest of the world is in financial ruin except China. > > Unfortunately, the price of meteorites has not kept up with hyperinflation > like gold and silver. perhaps if somebody finds a meteorite that is 99.999% > gold and is not considered a collectable commodity, then prices realized may > improve. > > Buyers are getting a bargain these days unless they are among the first to > buy a new fall. > > Adam > > __ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
Adam, The USPS has not directly received tax payer dollars since the 1980s. Their poor finances do not necessarily reflect poor government spending. Michael in so. Cal. On Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 8:30 AM, Adam Hupe wrote: > Call a spade a spade, we are talking about hyperinflation due to the > government spending money they do not have. > > That is what happens when politicians are not required to understand even > basic economics and depend on other idiots (more politicians) to provide > advice. The only timely vote you will see is when they are voting for raises > for themselves while the rest of the world is in financial ruin except China. > > Unfortunately, the price of meteorites has not kept up with hyperinflation > like gold and silver. perhaps if somebody finds a meteorite that is 99.999% > gold and is not considered a collectable commodity, then prices realized may > improve. > > Buyers are getting a bargain these days unless they are among the first to > buy a new fall. > > Adam > > __ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
Hi Martin, Adam and All, I'm 75 and I remember my first paying job, after the $83.00 a month the regular Army paid me in 1955, was $1.35 an hour installing the new roof top aluminum TV antennas. Telephone switch boards, with live operators, were still in use with as many a six subscribers on one line. Some parts of Las Vegas went to a two letter prefix followed by four numbers in 1959. DUdley and EVergreen were the first. I had a cradle, rotary dial, phone till the 1960's. All long distance calls were placed through a live operator who had to talk to a live operator on the other end. There were no international calls for private citizens, everything was done by telegraph. A telegram was still the fastest and surest way to send a message, and they were delivered by hand until the late 1950's. Nearly 90% of Nevada had no telephone service except for a few local switchboards until 1960. A lot of small towns in Central Nevada were sorry to see the PONY EXPRESS shut down :0) In 1968, I had to communicate with workers in the field and couldn't afford a legal two way radio system, and the components were huge! So, I rigged a 2000 watt bi-linear amplifier to a 16 channel 5 watt Midland CB radio and 100' tall antenna. All illegal as hell, and when I transmitted, anyone listening to one of Las Vegas' three TV channels got stepped on. The Gehimestaatspolezei raided me one AM and convinced me to get an Amateur radio license and dismantle the rig. My first Motorola portable phone weighed eight pounds, had a shoulder strap, and was just to big to lug around, so up until the middle 1980's, I rented a repeater on a mountain overlooking the valley and used a UHF base station and hand helds. Now, I can bounce live feeds worldwide off the Moon, or any number of satellites...who would have thunk? On subject, stamps in 1962 were 1 cent for post cards and 3 cents for letters...five cents for Airmail. Regards, Count Deiro IMCA 3536 -Original Message- >From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks >Sent: Jan 28, 2013 9:35 AM >To: Martin Altmann >Cc: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com >Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy >increase! > >Hi Martin and List, > >Oh I do remember the good old days. When important people carried >beepers and they were still dime payphones on every corner. I could >fuel my gashog Camaro at 83 cents a gallon and a pack of Marlboros was >$1.75. A movie ticket was $3. Minimum wage was $3.35 an hour at my >first job. The internet didn't yet exist and I downloaded software >from dial-up BBS's at 300 baud. It would take all night, sometimes >8-10 hours, just to download a game that took up two floppy disks. >One hiccup of line noise and the whole thing had to be scrapped and >re-downloaded. Rotary phone in the kitchen that had a long coiled >cord that could be stretched halfway across the house and through two >doorways was usually my "internet connection". The handset would be >unplugged and the cord plugged into the modem. > >How many people remember the old IRC's? International Reply Coupons. >These were once standard fare when making small purchases from >overseas vendors - typically used when requesting a catalog to be >mailed out. > >An ever-dwindling number of dealers still use snail mail to send out >offerings, but it's a practice that is dying out. I still appreciate >it though and love receiving them. > >And yes, yes, and yes - I want one of those Meteorite Super Trump card >decks before they are all gone. Send me a PayPal invoice. :) > >Now, if this was 1986, I'd press "Send" and this email would take >about 10 minutes to send, line by line. LOL. And it wasn't called >"email" then, it was simply a message. > >Best regards, > >MikeG > >-- >- >Web - http://www.galactic-stone.com >Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone >Twitter - http://twitter.com/GalacticStone >Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/galacticstone >RSS - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 >- > > > >On 1/28/13, Martin Altmann wrote: >> But, Mike, other things became remarkably cheap. >> >> Imagine, you'd have to do all your e-mail traffic in form of paper letters, >> and if it's urgent to pay a.. a... a "telegram". full stop. >> Or to print your assortment lists and to send them by mail out. >> Oops sorry, to type them first by typewriter and to "hectograph" them >> (cool, >> my English dictionary hasn't that word anymore). >> Huh, we had then even extra-thin paper
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
True Mike! Here you have a view of my office, just before I switched from Sinclair ZX 81 to a Commodore 64. http://kuerzer.de/homeoffice1983 * Btw. do you know also this sudden and strange feeling, when you're watching else excellent thrillers from the 1970s and early eighties, when then it comes unavoidably to a scene playing in the police department? The desks! They are empty! Only a lamp, sometimes a typewriter - some paper.. and such strange wooden sticks...hm so called "pencils", one or two black phones with dial plates. A metal filing cabinet in the corner. A water dispenser. Wastepaper basket. City map on the wall with pins. Coatrack. Uh how could they live and work then? And what shall the children think? I guess for them it's the same feeling, like when we had watched Buster Keaton, Fats Arbuckle, Ben Turpin movies... Gosh are w ld, Mike! And now I'll calculate your bill, Guess with what for an instrument? With a Casio fx-100. What a quality! It works still perfectly after 30 years. That's what I call true sustainability! Best! Martin *huh, nice recovery, look at the model in the centre, Ah now we know, where the architects took the ideas for the Burj Khalifa from!! -Ursprüngliche Nachricht- Von: Galactic Stone & Ironworks [mailto:meteoritem...@gmail.com] Gesendet: Montag, 28. Januar 2013 18:35 An: Martin Altmann Cc: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Betreff: Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase! Hi Martin and List, Oh I do remember the good old days. When important people carried beepers and they were still dime payphones on every corner. I could fuel my gashog Camaro at 83 cents a gallon and a pack of Marlboros was $1.75. A movie ticket was $3. Minimum wage was $3.35 an hour at my first job. The internet didn't yet exist and I downloaded software from dial-up BBS's at 300 baud. It would take all night, sometimes 8-10 hours, just to download a game that took up two floppy disks. One hiccup of line noise and the whole thing had to be scrapped and re-downloaded. Rotary phone in the kitchen that had a long coiled cord that could be stretched halfway across the house and through two doorways was usually my "internet connection". The handset would be unplugged and the cord plugged into the modem. How many people remember the old IRC's? International Reply Coupons. These were once standard fare when making small purchases from overseas vendors - typically used when requesting a catalog to be mailed out. An ever-dwindling number of dealers still use snail mail to send out offerings, but it's a practice that is dying out. I still appreciate it though and love receiving them. And yes, yes, and yes - I want one of those Meteorite Super Trump card decks before they are all gone. Send me a PayPal invoice. :) Now, if this was 1986, I'd press "Send" and this email would take about 10 minutes to send, line by line. LOL. And it wasn't called "email" then, it was simply a message. Best regards, MikeG -- - Web - http://www.galactic-stone.com Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone Twitter - http://twitter.com/GalacticStone Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/galacticstone RSS - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 - On 1/28/13, Martin Altmann wrote: > But, Mike, other things became remarkably cheap. > > Imagine, you'd have to do all your e-mail traffic in form of paper letters, > and if it's urgent to pay a.. a... a "telegram". full stop. > Or to print your assortment lists and to send them by mail out. > Oops sorry, to type them first by typewriter and to "hectograph" them > (cool, > my English dictionary hasn't that word anymore). > Huh, we had then even extra-thin paper for airmail-letters. > > ...like it was common practice still far into the 1990s. > > If I would do so, I easily would pay 15-20k$ a year only for buying stamps! > > Or, hihihi, do you remember the first cellular phones? > These where you had still to carry a suitcase under the other arm? > And where the people and we laughed so much about the cockalorums, when > they > ostentatiously screamed on the street in the handset: I'm just this moment > walking on that and that road.. > > Oops. Have to explain to the kiddies, why that was so funny: > At those times then, the phone was at home. If you called somebody and a > person was not answering, you knew that that person was not at home. And if > he answered, you hadn't to ask, where he is and what he's doing, because > you > knew, that he's home and is speaking on the phone. Hence it was a > zero-information. > And dear childr
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
At this point I'd be happy to for them get rid of Saturday delivery as long as international rates stayed sane so it wouldn't affect my international sales... -Yinan On Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 12:33 PM, Adam Hupe wrote: > > (PPS: To Adam I say, make money not war, then it works also with the > states-budget again ;-) > > I am all for peace, not war but I refuse to stick my head in the sand and > ignore what is happening. Sure housing and electronics are cheap but > virtually none of friends around here has been able to hang onto their homes. > It is like I live in a ghost town having over half the people pack up and > move into cheap rentals. > > Perhaps if the U.S. Post office embraced technology, they could lower their > rates. Instead, I am forced to wait for a clerk who cannot type and keep up > with all of the poorly thought out changes. There is barley enough room to > write in addresses on their new customs form and their online software will > not even run on every browser! I was forced to purchase a very expensive > Zebra direct-thermal printer for postage and their international software > doesn't work. > > This is what happens when entities become too large to communicate with their > own staff or really care about their customers. > > > I am beginning to believe that robots could do a better job. At least they > do not show up to work with a category 5 hangover and complain about being > underpaid. > > Happy Shipping, > > Adam > > > > > > > > > > > - Original Message - > From: Martin Altmann > To: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > Cc: > Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 8:57 AM > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy > increase! > > But, Mike, other things became remarkably cheap. > > Imagine, you'd have to do all your e-mail traffic in form of paper letters, > and if it's urgent to pay a.. a... a "telegram". full stop. > Or to print your assortment lists and to send them by mail out. > Oops sorry, to type them first by typewriter and to "hectograph" them (cool, > my English dictionary hasn't that word anymore). > Huh, we had then even extra-thin paper for airmail-letters. > > ...like it was common practice still far into the 1990s. > > If I would do so, I easily would pay 15-20k$ a year only for buying stamps! > > Or, hihihi, do you remember the first cellular phones? > These where you had still to carry a suitcase under the other arm? > And where the people and we laughed so much about the cockalorums, when they > ostentatiously screamed on the street in the handset: I'm just this moment > walking on that and that road.. > > Oops. Have to explain to the kiddies, why that was so funny: > At those times then, the phone was at home. If you called somebody and a > person was not answering, you knew that that person was not at home. And if > he answered, you hadn't to ask, where he is and what he's doing, because you > knew, that he's home and is speaking on the phone. Hence it was a > zero-information. > And dear children, so it is still today! It makes no sense to call or to > send an SMS to ask, where the other would be at the moment or to report > where you are. > Because if you're waiting for someone, it doesn't help you to know, whether > he's in the supermarket, on a baseball field or on the road, > Becauuse he comes, when he comes. All other information is > irrelevant. > > Would be interesting to know, with how many billions the private consumption > could be risen, > if people would stop sending these empty information, where they are at the > moment and what they are doing at the moment, wouldn't it? > > Alas, > Children, we survived these old times, without problems. > On contrary, it wasn't so stressing and stroboscopic like today. > > Today we suffered horrible deformations. > Look at me, I get already impatient, because I'm waiting for Mike's decision > for 12 hours only, although he is at the moment 10,000 miles away from me, > and where we would have sent then letters forth and back for the same thing, > which would have taken easily 3 weeks. > > Skol > Martin > > PS: Iiiieeek! German collectors have not only to pay import-VAT on the > meteorites sent fom non-EU, but also on the postage! That's mean, cause in > Germany buying stamps is VAT-free. > Always those communists > > (PPS: To Adam I say, make money not war, then it works also with the > states-budget again ;-) > > PPS: By the way, I'm sitting at the moment in front of my computer and I'm > typing thi
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
gain ;-) > > PPS: By the way, I'm sitting at the moment in front of my computer and I'm > typing this posting... ;-) > > > > -Ursprüngliche Nachricht- > Von: meteorite-list-boun...@meteoritecentral.com > [mailto:meteorite-list-boun...@meteoritecentral.com] Im Auftrag von > Galactic > Stone & Ironworks > Gesendet: Montag, 28. Januar 2013 16:12 > An: Adam Hupe > Cc: Adam > Betreff: Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = > crazy > increase! > > My local clerk gave me a heads-up about this hike last week. It still > sucks > though. Gripe +1. > > This is just another cost that dealers will have to pass along to > collectors. > > A while back, I stopped using boxes to ship Riker displays. Now I wrap > them > up in a double-layer of padding and put them into a bubble-mailer. This > saves several ounces on weight and a few dollars on postage. There is a > higher risk of breakage now, but thankfully none have been broken so far. > I'll replace the occasional damaged one when the situation arises, so it's > worth it to keep the overall costs down a bit. > > The international increase is the worst part. I ship a lot of First Class > International packages to places like Canada and the UK. Some of these > could be shipped for $4 or less. Heck, a small bubble mailer to Canada > often cost under $3 and was cheaper than sending the same package to Hawaii > or Alaska. I guess that has changed now. It's bad enough the customs > short > form now requires 10 minutes of standing in line for each package, and now > this. > > Like Adam said - I recall the early days of Flat Rate shipping (not that > long ago actually), and while the cost has gone up, the amount or quality > of > service paid for has not. It's the same as most consumer goods or services > over the last decade - less for more. > > Best regards, > > MikeG > > -- > - > Web - http://www.galactic-stone.com > Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone > Twitter - http://twitter.com/GalacticStone Pinterest - > http://pinterest.com/galacticstone > RSS - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 > - > > > On 1/28/13, Adam Hupe wrote: >> This is typical of USPS and Government in general. Give absolutely no >> warning of impending price or tax increases and make decisions at the >> last >> possible second. There are going to be a lot of shocked taxpayers once > they >> realize all of the hidden tax increases in the Affordable Health Care >> Act. >> As far as shipping goes, USPS is famous for surprise increases. I > remember >> 8 years ago when a small flat rate Priority Mail box cost only $2.80. It > is >> now exactly double at $5.60. >> >> How many people's salaries have doubled in the last 8 years? The > government >> should learn to manage our money better instead of spending it like a >> drunken gambler. At least the gambler is spending his own money. Most > of >> us are forced to live within our means! >> >> I can hear the complaining now from eBay buyers about the new shipping > price >> hike. We go through this once or twice a year. >> >> Happy Shipping, >> >> Adam >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> - Original Message - >> From: Yinan Wang >> To: METEORITE LIST >> Cc: >> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 12:15 AM >> Subject: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy >> increase! >> >> Hi List, >> >> This is more of a "OMG, did you see the prices" message, although it >> is a subject that affects both meteorite sellers and buyers. >> >> For those not aware, the USPS raised it's prices on Sunday, while >> domestically it didn't change by much, internationally it's an insane >> price increase: >> >> https://www.usps.com/business/prices.htm >> >> So small flat rate priority international went from $16.95 to $23.95 >> (a 40% increase!). To Canada small flat rate went from $12.95 to >> $19.95 (over 50%!). >> >> Even first class international starting price is now $6.55 and for >> some places seem to have gone up 125%! >> >> Unfortunately, there's not much anyone can do, alternatives are few >> and still fairly costly. Although, anyone with affordable shipping >> suggestions, feel free to chime in. >> >> -Yinan Wang &g
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
(PPS: To Adam I say, make money not war, then it works also with the states-budget again ;-) I am all for peace, not war but I refuse to stick my head in the sand and ignore what is happening. Sure housing and electronics are cheap but virtually none of friends around here has been able to hang onto their homes. It is like I live in a ghost town having over half the people pack up and move into cheap rentals. Perhaps if the U.S. Post office embraced technology, they could lower their rates. Instead, I am forced to wait for a clerk who cannot type and keep up with all of the poorly thought out changes. There is barley enough room to write in addresses on their new customs form and their online software will not even run on every browser! I was forced to purchase a very expensive Zebra direct-thermal printer for postage and their international software doesn't work. This is what happens when entities become too large to communicate with their own staff or really care about their customers. I am beginning to believe that robots could do a better job. At least they do not show up to work with a category 5 hangover and complain about being underpaid. Happy Shipping, Adam - Original Message - From: Martin Altmann To: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Cc: Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 8:57 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase! But, Mike, other things became remarkably cheap. Imagine, you'd have to do all your e-mail traffic in form of paper letters, and if it's urgent to pay a.. a... a "telegram". full stop. Or to print your assortment lists and to send them by mail out. Oops sorry, to type them first by typewriter and to "hectograph" them (cool, my English dictionary hasn't that word anymore). Huh, we had then even extra-thin paper for airmail-letters. ...like it was common practice still far into the 1990s. If I would do so, I easily would pay 15-20k$ a year only for buying stamps! Or, hihihi, do you remember the first cellular phones? These where you had still to carry a suitcase under the other arm? And where the people and we laughed so much about the cockalorums, when they ostentatiously screamed on the street in the handset: I'm just this moment walking on that and that road.. Oops. Have to explain to the kiddies, why that was so funny: At those times then, the phone was at home. If you called somebody and a person was not answering, you knew that that person was not at home. And if he answered, you hadn't to ask, where he is and what he's doing, because you knew, that he's home and is speaking on the phone. Hence it was a zero-information. And dear children, so it is still today! It makes no sense to call or to send an SMS to ask, where the other would be at the moment or to report where you are. Because if you're waiting for someone, it doesn't help you to know, whether he's in the supermarket, on a baseball field or on the road, Becauuse he comes, when he comes. All other information is irrelevant. Would be interesting to know, with how many billions the private consumption could be risen, if people would stop sending these empty information, where they are at the moment and what they are doing at the moment, wouldn't it? Alas, Children, we survived these old times, without problems. On contrary, it wasn't so stressing and stroboscopic like today. Today we suffered horrible deformations. Look at me, I get already impatient, because I'm waiting for Mike's decision for 12 hours only, although he is at the moment 10,000 miles away from me, and where we would have sent then letters forth and back for the same thing, which would have taken easily 3 weeks. Skol Martin PS: Iiiieeek! German collectors have not only to pay import-VAT on the meteorites sent fom non-EU, but also on the postage! That's mean, cause in Germany buying stamps is VAT-free. Always those communists (PPS: To Adam I say, make money not war, then it works also with the states-budget again ;-) PPS: By the way, I'm sitting at the moment in front of my computer and I'm typing this posting... ;-) -Ursprüngliche Nachricht- Von: meteorite-list-boun...@meteoritecentral.com [mailto:meteorite-list-boun...@meteoritecentral.com] Im Auftrag von Galactic Stone & Ironworks Gesendet: Montag, 28. Januar 2013 16:12 An: Adam Hupe Cc: Adam Betreff: Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase! My local clerk gave me a heads-up about this hike last week. It still sucks though. Gripe +1. This is just another cost that dealers will have to pass along to collectors. A while back, I stopped using boxes to ship Riker displays. Now I wrap them up in a double-layer of padding and put them into a bubble-mailer. This saves several ounces on weight and a few dollars
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
But, Mike, other things became remarkably cheap. Imagine, you'd have to do all your e-mail traffic in form of paper letters, and if it's urgent to pay a.. a... a "telegram". full stop. Or to print your assortment lists and to send them by mail out. Oops sorry, to type them first by typewriter and to "hectograph" them (cool, my English dictionary hasn't that word anymore). Huh, we had then even extra-thin paper for airmail-letters. ...like it was common practice still far into the 1990s. If I would do so, I easily would pay 15-20k$ a year only for buying stamps! Or, hihihi, do you remember the first cellular phones? These where you had still to carry a suitcase under the other arm? And where the people and we laughed so much about the cockalorums, when they ostentatiously screamed on the street in the handset: I'm just this moment walking on that and that road.. Oops. Have to explain to the kiddies, why that was so funny: At those times then, the phone was at home. If you called somebody and a person was not answering, you knew that that person was not at home. And if he answered, you hadn't to ask, where he is and what he's doing, because you knew, that he's home and is speaking on the phone. Hence it was a zero-information. And dear children, so it is still today! It makes no sense to call or to send an SMS to ask, where the other would be at the moment or to report where you are. Because if you're waiting for someone, it doesn't help you to know, whether he's in the supermarket, on a baseball field or on the road, Becauuse he comes, when he comes. All other information is irrelevant. Would be interesting to know, with how many billions the private consumption could be risen, if people would stop sending these empty information, where they are at the moment and what they are doing at the moment, wouldn't it? Alas, Children, we survived these old times, without problems. On contrary, it wasn't so stressing and stroboscopic like today. Today we suffered horrible deformations. Look at me, I get already impatient, because I'm waiting for Mike's decision for 12 hours only, although he is at the moment 10,000 miles away from me, and where we would have sent then letters forth and back for the same thing, which would have taken easily 3 weeks. Skol Martin PS: Iiiieeek! German collectors have not only to pay import-VAT on the meteorites sent fom non-EU, but also on the postage! That's mean, cause in Germany buying stamps is VAT-free. Always those communists (PPS: To Adam I say, make money not war, then it works also with the states-budget again ;-) PPS: By the way, I'm sitting at the moment in front of my computer and I'm typing this posting... ;-) -Ursprüngliche Nachricht- Von: meteorite-list-boun...@meteoritecentral.com [mailto:meteorite-list-boun...@meteoritecentral.com] Im Auftrag von Galactic Stone & Ironworks Gesendet: Montag, 28. Januar 2013 16:12 An: Adam Hupe Cc: Adam Betreff: Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase! My local clerk gave me a heads-up about this hike last week. It still sucks though. Gripe +1. This is just another cost that dealers will have to pass along to collectors. A while back, I stopped using boxes to ship Riker displays. Now I wrap them up in a double-layer of padding and put them into a bubble-mailer. This saves several ounces on weight and a few dollars on postage. There is a higher risk of breakage now, but thankfully none have been broken so far. I'll replace the occasional damaged one when the situation arises, so it's worth it to keep the overall costs down a bit. The international increase is the worst part. I ship a lot of First Class International packages to places like Canada and the UK. Some of these could be shipped for $4 or less. Heck, a small bubble mailer to Canada often cost under $3 and was cheaper than sending the same package to Hawaii or Alaska. I guess that has changed now. It's bad enough the customs short form now requires 10 minutes of standing in line for each package, and now this. Like Adam said - I recall the early days of Flat Rate shipping (not that long ago actually), and while the cost has gone up, the amount or quality of service paid for has not. It's the same as most consumer goods or services over the last decade - less for more. Best regards, MikeG -- - Web - http://www.galactic-stone.com Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone Twitter - http://twitter.com/GalacticStone Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/galacticstone RSS - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 - On 1/28/13, Adam Hupe wrote: > This is typical of USPS and Government in general. Give absolutely no > warning of impendi
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
Adam and all! Have you seen this? http://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-paper-capitalism-out-marxisim-in-2013-1?google_editors_picks=true Jim On Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 9:30 AM, Adam Hupe wrote: > Call a spade a spade, we are talking about hyperinflation due to the > government spending money they do not have. > > That is what happens when politicians are not required to understand even > basic economics and depend on other idiots (more politicians) to provide > advice. The only timely vote you will see is when they are voting for raises > for themselves while the rest of the world is in financial ruin except China. > > Unfortunately, the price of meteorites has not kept up with hyperinflation > like gold and silver. perhaps if somebody finds a meteorite that is 99.999% > gold and is not considered a collectable commodity, then prices realized may > improve. > > Buyers are getting a bargain these days unless they are among the first to > buy a new fall. > > Adam > > __ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list -- Jim Wooddell jimwoodd...@gmail.com 928-247-2675 __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
Call a spade a spade, we are talking about hyperinflation due to the government spending money they do not have. That is what happens when politicians are not required to understand even basic economics and depend on other idiots (more politicians) to provide advice. The only timely vote you will see is when they are voting for raises for themselves while the rest of the world is in financial ruin except China. Unfortunately, the price of meteorites has not kept up with hyperinflation like gold and silver. perhaps if somebody finds a meteorite that is 99.999% gold and is not considered a collectable commodity, then prices realized may improve. Buyers are getting a bargain these days unless they are among the first to buy a new fall. Adam __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
I just got hammered with the price increases this morning. I shipped a medium flat rate box. On Saturday it would have cost $47.95 (the rate I charged my customer, actually that Ebay charged them) for $45 worth of merchandise. Today cost $59.95. So I ate the $12 additional cost. My 5 oz box to Germany on Saturday would have cost ~$5 today $12.75! So be prepared when you go to the USPS for some significant price increases especially for international. Mike Jensen On Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 8:12 AM, Galactic Stone & Ironworks wrote: > My local clerk gave me a heads-up about this hike last week. It still > sucks though. Gripe +1. > > This is just another cost that dealers will have to pass along to collectors. > > A while back, I stopped using boxes to ship Riker displays. Now I > wrap them up in a double-layer of padding and put them into a > bubble-mailer. This saves several ounces on weight and a few dollars > on postage. There is a higher risk of breakage now, but thankfully > none have been broken so far. I'll replace the occasional damaged one > when the situation arises, so it's worth it to keep the overall costs > down a bit. > > The international increase is the worst part. I ship a lot of First > Class International packages to places like Canada and the UK. Some > of these could be shipped for $4 or less. Heck, a small bubble mailer > to Canada often cost under $3 and was cheaper than sending the same > package to Hawaii or Alaska. I guess that has changed now. It's bad > enough the customs short form now requires 10 minutes of standing in > line for each package, and now this. > > Like Adam said - I recall the early days of Flat Rate shipping (not > that long ago actually), and while the cost has gone up, the amount or > quality of service paid for has not. It's the same as most consumer > goods or services over the last decade - less for more. > > Best regards, > > MikeG > > -- > - > Web - http://www.galactic-stone.com > Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone > Twitter - http://twitter.com/GalacticStone > Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/galacticstone > RSS - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 > - > > > On 1/28/13, Adam Hupe wrote: >> This is typical of USPS and Government in general. Give absolutely no >> warning of impending price or tax increases and make decisions at the last >> possible second. There are going to be a lot of shocked taxpayers once they >> realize all of the hidden tax increases in the Affordable Health Care Act. >> As far as shipping goes, USPS is famous for surprise increases. I remember >> 8 years ago when a small flat rate Priority Mail box cost only $2.80. It is >> now exactly double at $5.60. >> >> How many people's salaries have doubled in the last 8 years? The government >> should learn to manage our money better instead of spending it like a >> drunken gambler. At least the gambler is spending his own money. Most of >> us are forced to live within our means! >> >> I can hear the complaining now from eBay buyers about the new shipping price >> hike. We go through this once or twice a year. >> >> Happy Shipping, >> >> Adam >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> - Original Message - >> From: Yinan Wang >> To: METEORITE LIST >> Cc: >> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 12:15 AM >> Subject: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy >> increase! >> >> Hi List, >> >> This is more of a "OMG, did you see the prices" message, although it >> is a subject that affects both meteorite sellers and buyers. >> >> For those not aware, the USPS raised it's prices on Sunday, while >> domestically it didn't change by much, internationally it's an insane >> price increase: >> >> https://www.usps.com/business/prices.htm >> >> So small flat rate priority international went from $16.95 to $23.95 >> (a 40% increase!). To Canada small flat rate went from $12.95 to >> $19.95 (over 50%!). >> >> Even first class international starting price is now $6.55 and for >> some places seem to have gone up 125%! >> >> Unfortunately, there's not much anyone can do, alternatives are few >> and still fairly costly. Although, anyone with affordable shipping >> suggestions, feel free to chime in. >> >> -Yinan Wang >> __ >> >> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
Another one of the reasons I'm "cutting back" on my meteorite and mineral purchases from the U.S. Chris. Spratt Victoria, BC __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
My local clerk gave me a heads-up about this hike last week. It still sucks though. Gripe +1. This is just another cost that dealers will have to pass along to collectors. A while back, I stopped using boxes to ship Riker displays. Now I wrap them up in a double-layer of padding and put them into a bubble-mailer. This saves several ounces on weight and a few dollars on postage. There is a higher risk of breakage now, but thankfully none have been broken so far. I'll replace the occasional damaged one when the situation arises, so it's worth it to keep the overall costs down a bit. The international increase is the worst part. I ship a lot of First Class International packages to places like Canada and the UK. Some of these could be shipped for $4 or less. Heck, a small bubble mailer to Canada often cost under $3 and was cheaper than sending the same package to Hawaii or Alaska. I guess that has changed now. It's bad enough the customs short form now requires 10 minutes of standing in line for each package, and now this. Like Adam said - I recall the early days of Flat Rate shipping (not that long ago actually), and while the cost has gone up, the amount or quality of service paid for has not. It's the same as most consumer goods or services over the last decade - less for more. Best regards, MikeG -- - Web - http://www.galactic-stone.com Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone Twitter - http://twitter.com/GalacticStone Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/galacticstone RSS - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 - On 1/28/13, Adam Hupe wrote: > This is typical of USPS and Government in general. Give absolutely no > warning of impending price or tax increases and make decisions at the last > possible second. There are going to be a lot of shocked taxpayers once they > realize all of the hidden tax increases in the Affordable Health Care Act. > As far as shipping goes, USPS is famous for surprise increases. I remember > 8 years ago when a small flat rate Priority Mail box cost only $2.80. It is > now exactly double at $5.60. > > How many people's salaries have doubled in the last 8 years? The government > should learn to manage our money better instead of spending it like a > drunken gambler. At least the gambler is spending his own money. Most of > us are forced to live within our means! > > I can hear the complaining now from eBay buyers about the new shipping price > hike. We go through this once or twice a year. > > Happy Shipping, > > Adam > > > > > > > > - Original Message ----- > From: Yinan Wang > To: METEORITE LIST > Cc: > Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 12:15 AM > Subject: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy > increase! > > Hi List, > > This is more of a "OMG, did you see the prices" message, although it > is a subject that affects both meteorite sellers and buyers. > > For those not aware, the USPS raised it's prices on Sunday, while > domestically it didn't change by much, internationally it's an insane > price increase: > > https://www.usps.com/business/prices.htm > > So small flat rate priority international went from $16.95 to $23.95 > (a 40% increase!). To Canada small flat rate went from $12.95 to > $19.95 (over 50%!). > > Even first class international starting price is now $6.55 and for > some places seem to have gone up 125%! > > Unfortunately, there's not much anyone can do, alternatives are few > and still fairly costly. Although, anyone with affordable shipping > suggestions, feel free to chime in. > > -Yinan Wang > __ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > > __ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
This is typical of USPS and Government in general. Give absolutely no warning of impending price or tax increases and make decisions at the last possible second. There are going to be a lot of shocked taxpayers once they realize all of the hidden tax increases in the Affordable Health Care Act. As far as shipping goes, USPS is famous for surprise increases. I remember 8 years ago when a small flat rate Priority Mail box cost only $2.80. It is now exactly double at $5.60. How many people's salaries have doubled in the last 8 years? The government should learn to manage our money better instead of spending it like a drunken gambler. At least the gambler is spending his own money. Most of us are forced to live within our means! I can hear the complaining now from eBay buyers about the new shipping price hike. We go through this once or twice a year. Happy Shipping, Adam - Original Message - From: Yinan Wang To: METEORITE LIST Cc: Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 12:15 AM Subject: [meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase! Hi List, This is more of a "OMG, did you see the prices" message, although it is a subject that affects both meteorite sellers and buyers. For those not aware, the USPS raised it's prices on Sunday, while domestically it didn't change by much, internationally it's an insane price increase: https://www.usps.com/business/prices.htm So small flat rate priority international went from $16.95 to $23.95 (a 40% increase!). To Canada small flat rate went from $12.95 to $19.95 (over 50%!). Even first class international starting price is now $6.55 and for some places seem to have gone up 125%! Unfortunately, there's not much anyone can do, alternatives are few and still fairly costly. Although, anyone with affordable shipping suggestions, feel free to chime in. -Yinan Wang __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] OT: USPS price increase: international = crazy increase!
Hi List, This is more of a "OMG, did you see the prices" message, although it is a subject that affects both meteorite sellers and buyers. For those not aware, the USPS raised it's prices on Sunday, while domestically it didn't change by much, internationally it's an insane price increase: https://www.usps.com/business/prices.htm So small flat rate priority international went from $16.95 to $23.95 (a 40% increase!). To Canada small flat rate went from $12.95 to $19.95 (over 50%!). Even first class international starting price is now $6.55 and for some places seem to have gone up 125%! Unfortunately, there's not much anyone can do, alternatives are few and still fairly costly. Although, anyone with affordable shipping suggestions, feel free to chime in. -Yinan Wang __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
