The USPS

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Depends on how you define independent.  If one means we export more energy than we import, we are. If one means we do not import, then we are not. We haven't been independent in that sense in a looong time.

I have never heard independent defined as "we import nothing." That would be terrible economic policy anyway.

[tower912]

Solar farms generating electricity for EV mail carrying vehicles seems like a brilliant idea to me.   Make it so.

[Hards Alumni]

The current trucks date to 1987 and finally the new ones will even have AC
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a62187981/usps-new-mail-truck-debut/

Ugh, don't remind me about this.  I had a position in WKHS that got smoked when the contract for the EVs they were going to produce got yoinked by Oshkosh Defense.

That was a bad financial decision for me.

[lawdog77]

Because not all oil is created equally.

Yes, the lighter oil we produce here is not what our refineries are set up to process. It's cheaper to sell that, and buy the heavier crude

[lawdog77]

I have never heard independent defined as "we import nothing." That would be terrible economic policy anyway.

Sorry you've never heard of it. Get out more. If we only used what we produced here, we would not be subject to the supply and demand issues. Why do you think it would be bad economic policy?

[Jockey]

What kind of cards are these?  Very odd

Baseball. Topps from 1954 - 1969.

If the card is valued at over $50, I use soft-packs which average about $4 shipping. Also use softy packs if the order is more than 10 cards. Otherwise cheaper to send 2 per envelope for 35 cents each.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Sorry you've never heard of it. Get out more. If we only used what we produced here, we would not be subject to the supply and demand issues. Why do you think it would be bad economic policy?

LOL, you tell me to "get out more" but then post the bolded nonsense?

[Pakuni]

Sorry you've never heard of it. Get out more. If we only used what we produced here, we would not be subject to the supply and demand issues. Why do you think it would be bad economic policy?

Anyone who defines independence this way would necessarily have to explain how such a thing would be accomplished. Do we nationalize the oil industry? Make it illegal for private companies to sell their product outside the United States ... at least until domestic demand is completely satisfied? Ban the sale of foreign oil within our borders?

[jesmu84]

Depends on how you define independent.  If one means we export more energy than we import, we are. If one means we do not import, then we are not. We haven't been independent in that sense in a looong time.

Do we need to import to meet our needs?

[Spotcheck Billy]

Baseball. Topps from 1954 - 1969.

If the card is valued at over $50, I use soft-packs which average about $4 shipping. Also use softy packs if the order is more than 10 cards. Otherwise cheaper to send 2 per envelope for 35 cents each.

Does the 35 cents insure  the contents?

[Shaka Shart]

Lotta people here sure hate rural American Patriots having basic services and want them to pay significantly more than city dwellers 🤔

[dgies9156]

Some thoughts about postal improvement:

1) Downsize: Postal union may be almost as powerful as the nation's most powerful union, the Major League Baseball Players Association. But the downsize needs to happen.

2) Outsource: Contract out for certain non-core services and low volume mail delivery. I know they are doing some of it, but much more is needed.

3) Stop subsidizing second and third class mail. Second class is going the way of the dodo bird and third class tends to pile up in my mailbox and go mailbox to garbage can (recyclable bin to be precise), non-stop.

Constitutionally, Congress is allowed to create a postal service. But, the scope of the postal service is left up to Congress.

[Herman Cain]

For many, many years I loved getting the mail both at work and at home and never did not check the mail box or the P.O. Box. My wife just returned from a 3 week business trip and I think I checked the mailbox less than ten times when she was gone. Multiple times I just left the junk mail in the box.

Muggsy I still like sending letters and a couple of my kids are big on sending handwritten notes to family members and I love that tradition and get you sending letters to your Grandma. About a month ago my 4y granddaughter sent me a "handwritten" note via USPS and I loved it. That said, it took four days to go the approx. 10 miles between her condo and our house. USPS is not a well-run organization.

I can remember getting twice a day mail service in Manhattan back in the day.

My kids were all taught to send handwritten Thank You notes for various work and personal related events.  So we use it that way.

USPS has many bottlenecks in their system. If there are any kind of weather events that cause delays the ripple effect can create weeks long delays.

[MuggsyB]

None of you listened to me when the Manatee Forever stamp at 68c came out.  I bought 5 books. 

My grandma is extremely savvy 4ever technologically.  She just enjoys writing handwritten letters.  And her penmanship is impeccable.  She also plays tennis 3 times a week, runs a book club, takes care of a pup, her house, does her own taxes, drives, and hasn't slowed down one iota at 95 yrs of age.  She is mentally as sharp as ever and still has a wicked drop shot on the tennis court.  Oh...she also destroys her friends at Poker and Bridge. 

[Hards Alumni]

Yes, the lighter oil we produce here is not what our refineries are set up to process. It's cheaper to sell that, and buy the heavier crude

Exactly.  And the reserves in Venezuela are basically bunker fuel.

I became interested in this topic a couple of years ago and have read a lot about it.  It's why we can't just "stop buying oil" from country X.  There are global markets and global impacts.  No one is insulated... well maybe the Norwegians, but that is another lesson, for another day.

[Uncle Rico]

I can remember getting twice a day mail service in Manhattan back in the day.

My kids were all taught to send handwritten Thank You notes for various work and personal related events.  So we use it that way.

USPS has many bottlenecks in their system. If there are any kind of weather events that cause delays the ripple effect can create weeks long delays.

I remember Jamie Dimon hated the mail

[Hards Alumni]

Some thoughts about postal improvement:

1) Downsize: Postal union may be almost as powerful as the nation's most powerful union, the Major League Baseball Players Association. But the downsize needs to happen.

2) Outsource: Contract out for certain non-core services and low volume mail delivery. I know they are doing some of it, but much more is needed.

3) Stop subsidizing second and third class mail. Second class is going the way of the dodo bird and third class tends to pile up in my mailbox and go mailbox to garbage can (recyclable bin to be precise), non-stop.

Constitutionally, Congress is allowed to create a postal service. But, the scope of the postal service is left up to Congress.

No to 1 and 2, but yes to 3

It's been ripped apart already.  Austerity has the USPS in the state it is.  Let's reverse course and fix the 'problems'.

[Viper]

WTF?  When did you become so soft?  Better dead than RED!

thx for that...I'll be better!!

[Hards Alumni]

None of you listened to me when the Manatee Forever stamp at 68c came out.  I bought 5 books. 

My grandma is extremely savvy 4ever technologically.  She just enjoys writing handwritten letters.  And her penmanship is impeccable.  She also plays tennis 3 times a week, runs a book club, takes care of a pup, her house, does her own taxes, drives, and hasn't slowed down one iota at 95 yrs of age.  She is mentally as sharp as ever and still has a wicked drop shot on the tennis court.  Oh...she also destroys her friends at Poker and Bridge. 

If it were 69c I'd have bought a truckload

[lawdog77]

Do we need to import to meet our needs?

Depends on who you ask. One could argue we have the technology and resources to be truly energy independent. The question is who would it hurt? The CEO's of the big oil companies, and trickling down to Joe SixPack? It would hurt Canada.

[Viper]

Thank you for your response. I just don't have a good indication of their personnel issues.

But you realize we pump oil more than any other country ever has in the history of the world right? We are a net energy exporter.

key word there is exporter. Keep it here. And, decrease private well regs.

[Hards Alumni]

key word there is exporter. Keep it here. And, decrease private well regs.

Lack of fundamental understanding.

Beyond that, a lack of economics 101

[lawdog77]

LOL, you tell me to "get out more" but then post the bolded nonsense?

There are literally hundreds of scholarly (meaning non political) articles discussing what energy independence is, and how the political talking heads have misconstrued it.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

key word there is exporter. Keep it here. And, decrease private well regs.

That's not how it works.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

There are literally hundreds of scholarly (meaning non political) articles discussing what energy independence is, and how the political talking heads have misconstrued it.

I guess. Maybe instead of reading them, you should brush up on basic economics.