Nine items that will probably disappear in our lifetime.

[curly_kate]

We call our Wal-Mart the Death Star because it sits up on a hill over town. And I swear every time I go in there, a child is screaming it's head off.

 

[garden pixy]

1. The Post Office - I do just about everything online, paperless statements & bills, can't remember the last time I received something other than junk in the mail. Those advertising mailers, go straight to the trash.

2. The Check - lol. checks. Still have the free checks that we got when we opened our account 10 years ago. Don't use them.

3. The Newspaper - We tried to subscribe to get news paper delivery, they couldn't find our house for 3 weeks, we canceled it. And no, I don't go to the store to buy one.

4. The Book - I love books, but I also rely on the library, I can't see spending 8.99 on a book that takes me a day to read, as long as there are libraries I will be fine I don't see an e-reader in my future.

5. The Land Line Telephone - Land line, yup I don't have one of those either, cheaper and more convenient to carry a cell

6. Music - Can't remember the last time I purchased music, Mp3's or CD's, 10 years maybe.

7. Television - I don't have cable or an antenna, we watch Netflix or DVD's from the library, minimal advertisements and I find I watch significantly less TV in general.

8. The "Things" That You Own - Don't doubt it one bit, a few years ago DH's games all become online and run off a website, no CD's no books just a ID & password, I see many things following that path.

9. Privacy - very true and very scary, makes me feel more threatened than safe

 

[Wifezilla]

keep in mind that that is someone's job. That is what is making it possible for someone (ME) to put food on the table for their family. It is not just a big federal company it is people. People that need their job as much as you need yours.

Yes, this is true. BUT, the person paying for your job (consumers) don't have any more money. They can't take care of their families, so spending to provide for yours isn't going to happen.

Do you realize that the post office is the ONLY self supporting mandated federal agency?

I don't consider being $9.2 billion in debt "self supporting".

We never take tax dollars to keep going it is all from the sale of goods and services.

The goods and services sold by the post office have reduced in quality and service level over the years resulting in fewer sales. Bulk mail regulations, restrictions and choices have been reduced. It is such a pain in the backside to do anymore, many companies that used to bulk mail don't bother. They went to email, not because it was necessarily more effective, but because mailings through the post office are so time consuming and expensive to do, it isn't worth the trouble.

Going to the post office isn't something you look forward to. It's a chore. A chore made harder in many areas by surly, unfriendly, lazy, snotty post office workers. Are ALL like that? No...just the ones at my post office. We had a great route driver, but he retired. The new guy is a total jerk.

As a contrast, our UPS guy and the FEDEX drivers are all friendly, professional and helpful. We are the local FEDEX drop point and get a visit daily. As the PO drivers act like even saying "HI" is a chore, the FEDEX and UPS people act like they actually care that I am still breathing.

I would love to see how other companies would stack up if they had to run every decision through congress.

They would also be $9.2 billion in debt. No doubt about that.

 

[abifae]

1. The Post Office - It'll end up being just a small adjunct. Most people prefer shipping through other means that are easier to deal with. Wouldn't be surprised if they changed the laws and dropped it all together. It's not holding its own against competition and we need the budget cut.

2. The Check - Definitely gonna happen. At my job, there is a definite and obvious age cut off for who pays us with check, or even asks if we can pay by check, and who isn't sure what a check is. *laughs* Most places no longer even accept checks.

3. The Newspaper - Yep, this is heading to fully online. I think the biggest papers will stay paper, with online versions, but it isn't cost effective to print on paper and most people prefer it coming to them online.

4. The Book - Comparing a book to a cd makes no sense. Paper books will stick around a bit longer. There are people only web publishing books, but most folk like to actually hold a book. I would love to have a tablet that lets you notate in the margins and save the notated versions!

5. The Land Line Telephone - Not until the technology is a LOT better. Most at home jobs require land line because VOIP still sucks.

6. Music - Never gonna happen. As far as repeating the same ol' tunes, there really IS a limit on number of chords. That's been a complaint for a very long time. Have you studied classical music and everyone stealing tunes from one another to make money as a composer?

7. Television - Not for a long time yet. People love tv. And cable. And reality tv shows.

8. The "Things" That You Own - Not sure how having your media online counts as all the things you own. *laughs* But yeh, media will go more cloud.

9. Privacy - We had privacy before? People don't WANT privacy. If they did, they wouldn't keep voting in as many ways to get rid of it as possible.

 

[savingdogs]

keep in mind that that is someone's job. That is what is making it possible for someone (ME) to put food on the table for their family. It is not just a big federal company it is people. People that need their job as much as you need yours.

Yes, this is true. BUT, the person paying for your job (consumers) don't have any more money. They can't take care of their families, so spending to provide for yours isn't going to happen.

Do you realize that the post office is the ONLY self supporting mandated federal agency?

I don't consider being $9.2 billion in debt "self supporting".

We never take tax dollars to keep going it is all from the sale of goods and services.

The goods and services sold by the post office have reduced in quality and service level over the years resulting in fewer sales. Bulk mail regulations, restrictions and choices have been reduced. It is such a pain in the backside to do anymore, many companies that used to bulk mail don't bother. They went to email, not because it was necessarily more effective, but because mailings through the post office are so time consuming and expensive to do, it isn't worth the trouble.

Going to the post office isn't something you look forward to. It's a chore. A chore made harder in many areas by surly, unfriendly, lazy, snotty post office workers. Are ALL like that? No...just the ones at my post office. We had a great route driver, but he retired. The new guy is a total jerk.

As a contrast, our UPS guy and the FEDEX drivers are all friendly, professional and helpful. We are the local FEDEX drop point and get a visit daily. As the PO drivers act like even saying "HI" is a chore, the FEDEX and UPS people act like they actually care that I am still breathing.

I would love to see how other companies would stack up if they had to run every decision through congress.

They would also be $9.2 billion in debt. No doubt about that.

In a perfect world, I would want NO companies going out of business and NO one who wants to work unable to find a job. However, when companies give crappy service, they go out of business, and the post office here has given (us) crappy service so long, people stopped even trying to complain about it. I've gotten to know my neighbors by delivering their mis-directed mail, so I guess there is a silver lining in every cloud.
I don't doubt that there are thousands of reputable and wonderful workers amongst the group of people working for the post office, but I HAVE NOT MET THEM in my dealings with the post office. We did not receive our bills on time so we had to go to paying online whenever possible, people I sent birthday party invitations to my son's birthdays who lived A FEW DOORS AWAY did not receive his invitation for three weeks (after the party) and at my last home, mail was only delivered once every three days, despite constant complaints. They swore there wasn't any mail for us on the other two days (even though the carrier never came to the neighborhood box, I watched). Top that off with things like DAILY mix-up of everyone's mail, and the misuse of the system by filling our mailboxes with junk mail (*SD yells TIMBER!), and I haven't even STARTED talking about what it is like to actually go into our local post office, which decides to change its hours to whatever it feels like, whenever it likes to take days off, which is rather inconvenient when it is a half hour drive away. We do not receive mail here when it snows (despite my husband being able to easily make it to work) and the mail comes to a spot over a MILE from our house, despite UPS and FedEx being able to very kindly bring it right to the doorstep and smile and thank me and avoid my dogs which terrify them, even when the snow is a foot deep.

When government gets involved in running something, it goes to sh!t, I'm sorry for the people who work there, but I'm also sorry for people who work in lots of businesses that went defunct. Post Office employees should push through changes to make themselves more efficient and more like UPS and Fed Ex if they want to stay afloat. I'm not trying to be mean here, just realistic. This was not meant as a PERSONAL attack, I'm speaking about my local mail carrier and mail service here in WA state. If my paycheck depended upon the US Post office, I'd be making some waves in Congress if that is how change happens, because it will go under in the face of better service. Start a letter-writing campaign within your co-workers if you want to save your jobs. Because people won't pay good money for crappy service when they can get good service for the same money or less. It is human nature I'm pointing out, not trying to be mean.

I'm sorry if you felt I was personally attacking your job, GaFarmGirl. I'm sure if YOU were my mail carrier I'd be a happy camper, as you have pride in your company I see totally lacking locally.

 

[garden pixy]

I personally get crappy service from my post office.

I have had packages rubber banded to the outside of my mailbox in rainy weather. RARELY does she take the time to close my mailbox, so wet mail is frequent (good thing I don't actually rely on USPS for anything)

Currently my mailbox is on the other side of a 50 MPH road that get a lot of traffic and accidents (my mailbox gets taken down at least once a month by a car). All of my neighbors on my side of the road have requested to have our mail boxes moved to the side we live on (no people actually live on the other side of the road, it is all swamps) and have been refused because it would be inconvenient for the driver even though the driver already turns around at the corner and drives past our houses in the other direction everyday anyway. (This is only 4 people and 4 boxes we are talking about)

I have more than once had a certified letter notice put in my mailbox telling me I have to go to the post office to get my letter, because the mail person couldn't get off her duff and come to the door (apparently she doesn't want to cross our road either).

I won't even get in to the entire story about how they failed to notify me when my chicks came in and it wasn't until DH went to the post office (after many calls) and said "Do you have a package peeping in the back?" that they realized they had my chicks on a shelf for more than 12 hours.

I have been informed by my Uncle (who is a letter carrier) that if I want better service I need to start tipping my letter carrier. Really?

 

[savingdogs]

I personally get crappy service from my post office.

I have had packages rubber banded to the outside of my mailbox in rainy weather. RARELY does she take the time to close my mailbox, so wet mail is frequent (good thing I don't actually rely on USPS for anything)

Currently my mailbox is on the other side of a 50 MPH road that get a lot of traffic and accidents (my mailbox gets taken down at least once a month by a car). All of my neighbors on my side of the road have requested to have our mail boxes moved to the side we live on (no people actually live on the other side of the road, it is all swamps) and have been refused because it would be inconvenient for the driver even though the driver already turns around at the corner and drives past our houses in the other direction everyday anyway. (This is only 4 people and 4 boxes we are talking about)

I have more than once had a certified letter notice put in my mailbox telling me I have to go to the post office to get my letter, because the mail person couldn't get off her duff and come to the door (apparently she doesn't want to cross our road either).

I won't even get in to the entire story about how they failed to notify me when my chicks came in and it wasn't until DH went to the post office (after many calls) and said "Do you have a package peeping in the back?" that they realized they had my chicks on a shelf for more than 12 hours.

I have been informed by my Uncle (who is a letter carrier) that if I want better service I need to start tipping my letter carrier. Really?

That happened to us too, with ducklings. They forgot to tell us live baby ducks had arrived until the next day. The company that sent the ducklings out was so appalled, they replaced our money, but we had some of them die and that wasn't too cool either.

 

[garden pixy]

That happened to us too, with ducklings. They forgot to tell us live baby ducks had arrived until the next day. The company that sent the ducklings out was so appalled, they replaced our money, but we had some of them die and that wasn't too cool either.

DH had to do a head count in the car because we didn't want our toddlers who were bouncing off the walls about the 'baby shickys' to see the ones that didn't make it. It was sad that they were peeping on a shelf and no one bothered to call the number on the box. We even called the day before to give them a heads up that they would be coming in.

 

[Wifezilla]

Backyardchickens was LOADED with posts this spring about dead chicks and ducklings, no phone calls from the PO, and animals being stuck in the back of route trucks in 90+ degree weather. The poor animals.

Then you have the hatcheries giving refunds and sending new chicks like crazy. How much longer can they afford to do business if so much of their inventory is destroyed by po incompetence?!?!

The shipping of live chicks is a post office monopoly! No other companies can do it. Yet this one thing that only the post office can do is not something they even seem to care about. Lives are at stake and they just don't care.

 

[savingdogs]

Backyardchickens was LOADED with posts this spring about dead chicks and ducklings, no phone calls from the PO, and animals being stuck in the back of route trucks in 90+ degree weather. The poor animals.

Then you have the hatcheries giving refunds and sending new chicks like crazy. How much longer can they afford to do business if so much of their inventory is destroyed by po incompetence?!?!

The shipping of live chicks is a post office monopoly! No other companies can do it. Yet this one thing that only the post office can do is not something they even seem to care about. Lives are at stake and they just don't care.

After our duck experience, we bought our next poultry at the feed store.

However, we should turn this discussion back to the nine items that will disappear, I think we are hijacking this thread a bit. As one of the hijackers, I'd like to say that it seems like the situation is much the same with most of the other industries on this list as well. Newspapers have become cumbersome in the face of better alternatives, you have more viewing choices on a computer than on the TV, and the music industry as a whole seems unable to figure out how to make money when people can download everything free. It is a shifting, changing world and everyone needs to find new footing, not just post office workers. Better to observe the trends and prepare than anything else. The only thing we can be sure about is that things will continue to change.