Comments on: USPS http://dysphemism.net/w/2010/03/01/usps/ the substitution of a disagreeable, offensive, or disparaging expression for an agreeable or inoffensive one Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:41:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: SS http://dysphemism.net/w/2010/03/01/usps/comment-page-1/#comment-28705 SS Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:31:52 +0000 http://dysphemism.net/w/?p=473#comment-28705 Unfortunately, really unfortunately, my impression is that junk mail is what is keeping the postal service afloat, so to speak. It costs the P.O. much less to deliver than real mail. I would love to ban it entirely, but then we'd probably have to pay a lot more for letters and packages. But wouldn't it be great to get only mail from people or companies we really want or need to hear from! Unfortunately, really unfortunately, my impression is that junk mail is what is keeping the postal service afloat, so to speak. It costs the P.O. much less to deliver than real mail. I would love to ban it entirely, but then we’d probably have to pay a lot more for letters and packages. But wouldn’t it be great to get only mail from people or companies we really want or need to hear from!

]]> By: Teague http://dysphemism.net/w/2010/03/01/usps/comment-page-1/#comment-28680 Teague Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:50:24 +0000 http://dysphemism.net/w/?p=473#comment-28680 That statistic about Americans receiving 55% of the world's total mail volume is amazing. That statistic about Americans receiving 55% of the world’s total mail volume is amazing.

]]> By: lj http://dysphemism.net/w/2010/03/01/usps/comment-page-1/#comment-28667 lj Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:36:42 +0000 http://dysphemism.net/w/?p=473#comment-28667 I'd like to know what percentage of US mail is junk mail. A large percentage of my mail is junk mail that's not even addressed to me. (Or real mail that's not addressed to me: perhaps the postal service is going broke because they can't tell the difference between "Tenth" and "Zenith," or "6" and "2.") More seriously, I think one thing holding up a conversion to 100% electronic is the lack of a universally accepted and supported method of *secure* electronic communication--something like encrypted email--along with digital signatures. Once, or if, public-key crypto gets built into the intertoobs, mail really will be dead for everything except packages, postcards, and hardcopy spam. I’d like to know what percentage of US mail is junk mail. A large percentage of my mail is junk mail that’s not even addressed to me. (Or real mail that’s not addressed to me: perhaps the postal service is going broke because they can’t tell the difference between “Tenth” and “Zenith,” or “6″ and “2.”)

More seriously, I think one thing holding up a conversion to 100% electronic is the lack of a universally accepted and supported method of *secure* electronic communication–something like encrypted email–along with digital signatures. Once, or if, public-key crypto gets built into the intertoobs, mail really will be dead for everything except packages, postcards, and hardcopy spam.

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