Comments on: End of an era http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/05/09/end-of-an-era/ Conservatives deal with facts and reach conclusions; liberals have conclusions and sell them as facts. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:19:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David Foster http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/05/09/end-of-an-era/comment-page-1/#comment-23299 David Foster Sun, 11 May 2008 02:37:43 +0000 http://www.bookwormroom.com/?p=2878#comment-23299 I get *pounds* of mail every day, and a lot of it is stuff in which I have no interest. I think the junk mail rates in the U.S. are probably signficantly too low, and that money & energy could be saved if they were to go up. Regarding the comment above, I thought <a href="http://photoncourier.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_photoncourier_archive.html#516449066169402863" rel="nofollow">this</a> was an interesting story about the impact of improved communications. I get *pounds* of mail every day, and a lot of it is stuff in which I have no interest. I think the junk mail rates in the U.S. are probably signficantly too low, and that money & energy could be saved if they were to go up.

Regarding the comment above, I thought this was an interesting story about the impact of improved communications.

]]> By: jj http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/05/09/end-of-an-era/comment-page-1/#comment-23290 jj Sat, 10 May 2008 18:35:46 +0000 http://www.bookwormroom.com/?p=2878#comment-23290 Same when I was there except in central London, where on business days delivery happened three times. It was always good for a laugh, comparing it to New York City, where it could (and did) take a letter seven or eight days to make it across town. I do, having a number of elderly relatives all of whom have more important things to do than learn how to operate a computer at their ages, actually still write letters. I even get them, occasionally. My mail consists of bills, catalogs, flyers, and packages. (I continue to let people send me bills, I've never been oriented toward giving them direct access.) If snail mail disappeared altogther I suppose I'd manage - but it just strikes me as interesting that one of what was considered to be the first signs of the successful civilizing of a civilization, country, or territory was the establishment of a reliable, regular mail service. A mythical moment, when it became possible for a business in Philadelphia to send a letter to a branch or partner on the west coast with some certainty that it would get there before all concerned had died of old age. Same when I was there except in central London, where on business days delivery happened three times. It was always good for a laugh, comparing it to New York City, where it could (and did) take a letter seven or eight days to make it across town.

I do, having a number of elderly relatives all of whom have more important things to do than learn how to operate a computer at their ages, actually still write letters. I even get them, occasionally. My mail consists of bills, catalogs, flyers, and packages. (I continue to let people send me bills, I’ve never been oriented toward giving them direct access.) If snail mail disappeared altogther I suppose I’d manage – but it just strikes me as interesting that one of what was considered to be the first signs of the successful civilizing of a civilization, country, or territory was the establishment of a reliable, regular mail service.

A mythical moment, when it became possible for a business in Philadelphia to send a letter to a branch or partner on the west coast with some certainty that it would get there before all concerned had died of old age.

]]> By: Ymarsakar http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/05/09/end-of-an-era/comment-page-1/#comment-23270 Ymarsakar Sat, 10 May 2008 06:49:12 +0000 http://www.bookwormroom.com/?p=2878#comment-23270 <B>(although I’m sure they’ll be beamed through one of these days)</b> That'll give a whole new meaning to "mail bombs". (although I’m sure they’ll be beamed through one of these days)

That’ll give a whole new meaning to “mail bombs”.

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