I just want to put out there that there are real strong virtues to writing letters and sending greeting cards that aren’t necessary “present” in emails.

• They get you off line.

• They help you craft thoughts carefully and purposefully in ways email can’t because you have to manually write it without “deleting” it.

• They’re fun to receive.

• They physically exist and will continue to do so if collected and cared for even after you’re dead.

• They can be pretty if that’s your intent.

• They’re more personal and meaningful than email because you took the time to engage in the process of penmanship on paper instead of typing it out.

I highly suggest trying the art of correspondence someday. Because it can be just that if you let it. Try unplugging and decompressing with a nice pot of tea and your favorite pen & stationery. Try contemplating a rough outline of what you want to say or include. Then simplify.

Maybe do some fun doodling on the paper. Make it an extension of yourself that you’re sharing.

Enjoy it.

Habits. #grickledoodle #ghosts #haunted #horror #postal #cartoon #art #drawing #funny

Benjamin Franklin Museum and Court in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This overlooked courtyard and museum celebrate Benjamin Franklin's life and achievements.#postal #history #museums #benjaminfranklin #section-Atlas
Benjamin Franklin Museum and Court

#Postal workers rally against proposals to privatize #USPS

Maine Public | By Kaitlyn Budion
Published March 20, 2025

"Postal workers across #Maine are sounding alarms about proposals to privatize the U.S. Postal Service.

"Workers in #PortlandME and #BangorME rallied today to make the case that private companies will not be able to fully meet the mail service needs of Maine residents- especially those in rural areas.

"In Bangor, protestors chanted 'U.S. mail is not for sale' and held signs as passing cars honked in support.

"Tom Smith is the legislative director with the local chapter of the American Postal Workers Union. He said shifting mail delivery to private companies would only make it more expensive to send and slower to arrive.

"'It becomes a for-profit business where the bottom line is profits, as long as people can suffer a couple of days without their meds, as long as the bottom dollar is found,' Smith said. 'And that's not what we are. We are an essential service of the United States people.'

"Smith said workers are on edge with all the debate in Washington, and #InstitutionalKnowledge is being lost as some long-time staff take early retirement offers.

"'The Postal Service is inexpensive, it's prompt, it's reliable,' he said. "And especially in rural areas, people count on the Postal Service for life saving meds to Grandma's latest batch of snickerdoodles.'

"Smith said the union is encouraging the public to reach out to local and federal representatives to show their support. The National Association of Letter Carriers will also hold a rally in Portland on Sunday."

https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2025-03-20/postal-workers-rally-against-proposals-to-privatize-usps
#MaineResists #MaineResistance #MailCarriers #USPol #UnitedStatesPostalService

Today in Labor History March 18, 1970: The first mass work stoppage in the 195-year history of the U.S. Postal Service began on this date in New York City. The walkout was illegal, giving President Richard Nixon the excuse to send in federal troops to sort the mail. But the strike succeeded in forcing Congress to raise wages and reorganize the postal system and marked a new militancy among postal employees.

U.S. Postmaster General Louis #DeJoy’s Thursday announcement that the independent United States #Postal #Service is partnering with the Department of Government Efficiency on a cost-cutting crusade that includes a
planned reduction of 10,000 workers stoked fears that one of America’s most trusted and relied-upon federal agencies is on a path toward #privatization.
In a letter to congressional leaders, DeJoy said #DOGE will help the USPS “in identifying and achieving further efficiencies.”
The postal chief listed “mismanagement” of the agency’s #retirement #assets and workers’ compensation program,
“unfunded mandates imposed on us by legislation,” and “burdensome regulatory requirements restricting 'normal' business practice” as issues to be addressed.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/dejoy-doge

#Denmark will cease its public #postal service (which was in operation since 1624) at the end of 2025, citing a large decline in the amount of #letters being sent. All letters and parcels will now be delivered by private companies..

#post #mail

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg8jllq283o

#Trump expected to take control of #USPS, fire postal board, officials say

The move threatens to upend trillions of dollars in #ECommerce business & the 250-year-old #Postal Service.

#idiocracy #USpol #law
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/20/trump-usps-takeover-dejoy/

Carla Gates holding a picture of her husband Eugene Gates Jr., a 36 year veteran of the #USPS #USA #Postal Service, who died last year delivering mail when the heat index was 113 degrees Fahrenheit

The USPS disciplined Eugene weeks before he died for taking too long on his route in the heat wave. Carla found out later #Heat Illness Prevention training he should have received was falsified by postal management

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/widow-of-usps-worker-who-died-of-heat-related-illness-says-not-enough-is-done-to-keep-workers-safe/

"[W]e followed the history in general of the Letter Receivers of NSW 1856 to 1890’s. The earliest Letter Receivers in NSW were made locally by Bubb & Sons Victoria Foundry from 1856 to 1867.

The locations of those found in 2011 have been recorded. From the 1970’s they have gradually been reducing in number, many going as scrap."

https://www.flickr.com/photos/royalaustralianhistoricalsociety/albums/72157638536627233/

The Boss Fight Books ebook of Animal Crossing by Kelsey Lewin is out now! I'm SO excited to read it

(P.S. For a couple more days you can also get 15% off print & ebook of NBA Jam, Postal, Bible Adventures and/or my book Katamari Damacy with the code JUNE24: bossfightbooks.com)

#recommendations sought: a single #application that allows one to manage #communications across mediums - e.g. #email, #sms, #socialmedia, (#facebook, #twitter #mastodon etc.) and chat (#discord, #slack, etc.). #voicemail would be ideal, #phone #calls would be nice. #postal #mail seems like a stretch.

And not just scheduling posts but helping manage #conversations, e.g., "you haven't answered this slack message on three days" or "what about that email from mom?" Anything out there? #question

Congratulations to Nova Post for winning the title of the #Postal Operator of the Year for their 'Divided by Borders, United by Nova Post' initiative! The World #Post & #Parcel #Awards has indeed recognised Ukraine's leading express delivery company

Nova Post achieved remarkable growth last year despite the challenges of russia's full-scale invasion. The company expanded its network in #Ukraine by 20%, opening 2,242 new branches and installing 1,853 parcel lockers.

Today in Labor History March 18, 1970: The first mass work stoppage in the 195-year history of the U.S. Postal Service began on this date in New York City. The walkout was illegal, giving President Richard Nixon the excuse to send in federal troops to sort the mail. But the strike succeeded in forcing Congress to raise wages and reorganize the postal system and marked a new militancy among postal employees.

The real issue in the review of #postal services is not the Q. of Saturday deliveries... it is the possible ending of the universal service obligation in its current form.

if flat rate national postal rates are ended, this will empower the Post Office's competitors to ramp up differential pricing across the country, as the PO will be doing the same.

If the #Tories manage to skew the debate to the continuation of six day deliveries, the effective end of the USO is what they are trying to hide

The real issue in the review of #postal services is not the Q. of Saturday deliveries... it is the possible ending of the universal service obligation in its current form.

if flat rate national postal rates are ended, this will empower the Post Office's competitors to ramp up differential pricing across the country, as the PO will be doing the same.

If the #Tories manage to skew the debate to the continuation of six day deliveries, the effective end of the USO is what they are trying to hide

Postal service. #grickledoodle #death #postal #horror #cartoon #art #drawing #funny

Oh btw the new #postal mailing changes happening on the 9th of July are going to be having a major change on how mail gets around #Alaska , there is still a lot of things up in the air right now but the sure thing is that more and more of our mail is going to be going and coming by barge and that the service standards for mailing into the holidays at the end of the year are going to be a nightmare for logistics and peoples wallets.
https://faq.usps.com/s/article/USPS-Ground-Advantage

les regalo una #postal de #zacatecas desde el cerro de la bufa. Las nubes siempre aliadas en este tipo de escenas.