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United States Postal Service tries to compete with Google using fear

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Re: United States Postal Service tries to compete with Google using fear

#81

Post by nate »

hammerdr wrote: post #16

This is something that is very close to my family so I have a bit of experience with how the Postal Service is going. The big sell of the postal service is that it costs the same amount to send a letter from San Francisco to Los Angeles as it does to send a letter from the bayou in Louisiana to Honolulu, Hawaii. In this, physical mail is the big equalizer. The USPS is also required to deliver mail to even the most re…

Right, I wasn't saying anything at all about replacing mail. I was saying quite the opposite. How can the USPS succeed at getting more mail sent? And I pointed out a bunch of examples of people improving mail and using mail to send tons of awesome things. If those businesses improve, the USPS will improve.

Re: United States Postal Service tries to compete with Google using fear

#82

Post by lean »

jdthomas wrote: post #67

If the USPS wants more usage, rather than marketing, they need to "innovate" just a tad. There is a value-add service that I really wish the USPS would provide. It is very simple too... I would like an abstraction layer for my address. I am still fairly young and move semi-frequently -- every few years. I want a static address that I can give to my bank, DMV, anything that needs to mail me things. This address will a…

It's called a Change of Address form

Re: United States Postal Service tries to compete with Google using fear

#83

Post by juiceandjuice »

extension wrote: post #46
hammerdr wrote: post #16

This is something that is very close to my family so I have a bit of experience with how the Postal Service is going. The big sell of the postal service is that it costs the same amount to send a letter from San Francisco to Los Angeles as it does to send a letter from the bayou in Louisiana to Honolulu, Hawaii. In this, physical mail is the big equalizer. The USPS is also required to deliver mail to even the most re…

Nearly all my mail ends up at addresses from my past. If it wasn't for e-bills, I would never receive (my own) bills. And I have received mountains of mail from countless former tenants at every place I've lived, mail they will never see. The post doesn't seem very reliable to me.

The benefit of this is outrunning junk mail.

Re: United States Postal Service tries to compete with Google using fear

#84

Post by randomdata »

sp332 wrote: post #33
patio11 wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Title 18 U.S.C Section 1030 (the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act) makes it a federal offense to exceed your authorized access on, basically, any computer system anywhere. (Does it communicate? It is used in interstate commerce? BAM.)

So there are a bunch of employees at my ISP who are fully "authorized" to read my mail. Also a bunch at the recipient's ISP. And probably some scanners in various systems in the middle that might surface my email for purposes of targeted advertising or spam fighting. It's not nearly the same level of protection.

You are welcome to put your email in an envelope (i.e. encryption). The technology exists and is proven.

If you send your regular mail without an envelope, there is a good chance many people will read it along the way too.

Re: United States Postal Service tries to compete with Google using fear

#85

Post by paulhauggis »

grecy wrote: post #25

I live in a small town and recently made a trip to the big city.. I was absolutely amazed at how many advertising campaigns are based on fear. I had completely forgotten about LifeLock, Life Insurance, Home Security Systems, Health Insurance, Car Alarms ... etc. etc. Seeing ads that say "Buy this or else..." completely shocked me. It appears to be quite the norm these days.

Playing on your emotions is an important part of marketing. Most successful marketing campaigns to this to some degree.

Re: United States Postal Service tries to compete with Google using fear

#86

Post by lukejduncan »

nate wrote: post #81
hammerdr wrote: post #16

This is something that is very close to my family so I have a bit of experience with how the Postal Service is going. The big sell of the postal service is that it costs the same amount to send a letter from San Francisco to Los Angeles as it does to send a letter from the bayou in Louisiana to Honolulu, Hawaii. In this, physical mail is the big equalizer. The USPS is also required to deliver mail to even the most re…

Right, I wasn't saying anything at all about replacing mail. I was saying quite the opposite. How can the USPS succeed at getting more mail sent? And I pointed out a bunch of examples of people improving mail and using mail to send tons of awesome things. If those businesses improve, the USPS will improve.

USPS needs to not define success as getting more mail sent. The only mail I receive is junk mail, and things from the government.

If I could turn my mailbox off, I would.

Re: United States Postal Service tries to compete with Google using fear

#87

Post by derleth »

lukejduncan wrote: post #86
nate wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right, I wasn't saying anything at all about replacing mail. I was saying quite the opposite. How can the USPS succeed at getting more mail sent? And I pointed out a bunch of examples of people improving mail and using mail to send tons of awesome things. If those businesses improve, the USPS will improve.

USPS needs to not define success as getting more mail sent. The only mail I receive is junk mail, and things from the government. If I could turn my mailbox off, I would.

> The only mail I receive is junk mail

Guess what the USPS admits is subsidizing them now.

How about this: "You send more legitimate mail, we can afford to send you less junk!"

Nicest protection racket ever.

Re: United States Postal Service tries to compete with Google using fear

#88

Post by mncolinlee »

Okay, I agree with the OP that the Postal Service is acting ridiculous. I've had to reassure elderly people that just because Facebook offered them a too-good-to-be-true offer that turned out to be a virus once, that that doesn't make it much more dangerous than a telephone. Thousands of elderly people are scammed on telephones every year and quietly lose millions of dollars rather than simply catch a botnet virus.

Unfortunately for USPS, negative political advertising is all about getting the other side to stay home and not participate. The other side is already sold on technology and won't listen.

With that said, the OP's zealous belief that owning a Mac and a firewall makes him immune is comical at best.

Re: United States Postal Service tries to compete with Google using fear

#89

Post by tricolon »

freehunter wrote: post #78
timbre wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Permanent travelers, the homeless, etc. can receive mail at the post office by general delivery. (Letters addressed to J. Doe GENERAL DELIVERY Anytown, Anystate 12345 are held for pickup at the post office for 30 days.) This was once common knowledge, but seems to be less so these days.

So just by writing GENERAL DELIVERY instead of a street address, it gets held? I suppose the kick here is that the person needs to know they're getting mail. Do they need an ID to pick it up?

Maybe going to the post office was a daily routine? I wouldn't know.
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