[Leica] Re: LUG Digest, Vol 34, Issue 464

[lrzeitlin at optonline.net (Lawrence Zeitlin)]

On Apr 20, 2007, at 3:57 PM, Frank wrote:

> Perspective.... the USPS stated about a year ago that 90% of all  
> mail is Junk Mail.... Not First or Second class mail.  Third class.
>
> Now if they raised the price of junk mail by 3 cents a piece, I  
> wonder how that would fix the USPS problems in a few years?


The relatively low price on junk mail is a subsidy to the entire  
economy, probably repaid tenfold in increases in the GNP. The 10% of  
First Class mail, however is critically important. Income tax  
returns, bank statements, and love letters all go First Class. The  
social fabric would disintegrate without it.

However, I feel everyone's pain about the occasional delays in USPS  
carried mail. I just returned form the local one man post office  
after sending 41 CDs to clients. I asked the postmaster how to avoid  
problems when sending expensive camera equipment. He suggested using  
Registered Mail. For $7.40 additional postage you get insurance,  
assured delivery, a signed receipt from the recipient - and if the  
shipment is expensive enough, an armed guard. After all, the premium  
for Registered Mail is only a tenth of one percent of the value of an  
M8 and lens. If Registered Mail was good enough for the Hope diamond,  
it is damn well good enough for your Leica equipment.

Larry Z