I wonder who makes the censorship decisions???

Maybe they should have checked prior to attempting to mail…April 7, 2009 —

DIRECTOR Adam Rifkin (“Detroit Rock City”) is no smut peddler, but the US Postal Service is refusing to mail promotional postcards for his new movie, “Look,” which show a man in his boxers entwined by a woman’s legs. They say its obscene, even though there’s no nudity. “We’re all in shock,” Rifkin told us. “Not only is it censorship, but with the post office in such financial straits, it’s ridiculous they won’t mail it.”

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Modern Day Boston Tea Party using the mail

TEA PARTY
TAX DAY PROTESTORS ARE USING THE MAIL
One of the many protest mailings sent in February.
Remember the Boston Tea Party?

The 21st century equivalent is at hand. A grassroots organization that normally uses the Internet to protest government objectives and initiatives is mailing teabags to the White House and members of Congress. The campaign began in February and will continue through April.

Teabags are lumpy, and tea leaves escaping from envelopes can look suspicious. So the Postal Inspection Service has responded to concerns about some of the mailings.

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America’s Worst Lunches

“This article has nothing to do with the postal issues, but check out the amount of fat and calorie in fast food favorites-it’s more astounding than the national debt.”

By Dave Zinczenko and Matt Goulding, Men’s Health

If you’re like two-thirds of working Americans, you pick up lunch from a fast-food joint or restaurant at least once a week. Sure, it’s not as healthy as packing your own celery sticks, but eating out every once in a while can’t hurt, right?

Not so fast: There might be trouble in the drive-through lane.

Not only could the window worker pile an entire day’s worth of calories through your car window, but you might also be sapping your energy and productivity: Carb overloads lead to energy spikes and crashes, and studies have shown that the bigger your waistline, the lower your cognitive functioning and the more sick days you take. Kind of ironic, considering “convenience” is the most common reason people give for buying lunch during the workday. In this economy, it’s hardly convenient to snore through the 2 o’clock meeting, or miss a few crucial days when the boss is looking for you.

A healthy lunch can help you maximize your afternoon performance, but if you’re in a hurry to grab and go, you might not take the time to sort through the menu hits and misses. Let the Eat This, Not That! folks be your efficiency experts: DON’T order the items we warn you about, below. Opt instead for less outrageous alternatives (also below), and reap the benefits at bonus time.

QUIZNO’S

Large Prime Rib Cheesesteak Sub

• 1,490 calories
• 92 g fat (22.5 g saturated, 2 g trans)
• 2,620 mg sodium

Fat equivalent: Like eating four Dunkin Donuts cheese danishes!

It’s hard enough to make the argument for one cheese Danish, but four? And we’re just talking fat, here—with more than 800 calories of the stuff in just one sandwich. You’re also be filling up with more than a day’s worth of sodium and saturated fat. While this is one of the worst items you could choose, the rest of the Quizno’s menu has hazards, as well. But if your co-workers insist on eating there, order this instead:

Small Turkey Ranch and Swiss Sub

• 410 calories
• 17 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
• 1,230 mg sodium

CHILI’S

• Crispy Sweet Chile Glazed Chicken Crispers
• 1,930 calories
• 112 g fat (17 g saturated)
• 4,190 mg sodium

Calorie equivalent: Like eating an entire medium Pizza Hut 12″ pepperoni pizza!

If you have the time for a sit-down meal, you have the time to think this through. Chicken Crispers are fun, but account for almost a whole day’s worth of calories and almost two days’ worth of sodium. Your smarter choice is to eat this instead:

Classic Chicken Fajitas

• 370 calories
• 11 g fat (1.5 saturated)
• 2,000 mg sodium

And another hint for a healthy sit-down lunch: forgo the appetizers. Chili’s Texas Cheese Fries with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing made the top of our list when we rounded up the worst appetizers money can buy. Check out the other appetizer land-mines here. You’ll be shocked.

ARBY’S

Roast Turkey Ranch and Bacon Sandwich

• 817 calories
• 37 g fat (11 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
• 2,146 mg sodium

Calorie equivalent: Like eating 23 Thin Mints (one whole sleeve)!

Just because you could prepare it at home doesn’t mean it’s good for you when you order it away from home—the Roast Turkey Ranch and Bacon Sandwich packs nearly half of your daily allowance of calories and almost an entire day’s dose of sodium. Doesn’t leave much room for anything else, does it?

Eat this instead:

Sourdough Roast Beef Melt

• 351 calories
• 14 g fat (4 g saturated)
• 1,048 mg of sodium

DAIRY QUEEN

Chicken Strip Basket with Country Gravy (6 piece)

• 1,640 calories
• 74 g fat (12 g saturated, 1 g trans)
• 3,690 mg sodium

Sodium equivalent: Like eating 11 large orders of McDonald’s French fries!

Talk about a value meal: One Chicken Strip Basket gives you almost two days’ payload of sodium! If thinking about it doesn’t elevate your blood pressure, eating it might. Don’t become a statistic.

Eat this instead:

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

• 560 calories
• 28 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
• 980 mg sodium

PANERA

• Italian Combo on Ciabatta sandwich
• 1,050 calories
• 47 g fat (18 g saturated, 1 g trans)
• 3,050 mg of sodium

Fat equivalent: Like eating 6 slices of Papa John’s cheese pizza!

You were on the right track in choosing Panera, but don’t be sidelined by the allure of the Italian Combo. Ciabatta bread may sound sophisticated, but you won’t look so refined when you’re lugging that spare Pirelli around your midsection.

Eat this instead:

Smoked Turkey Breast on Sourdough sandwich

• 470 calories
• 17 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
• 1,680 mg sodium

CHIPOTLE

• 13” tortilla with steak, black beans, rice, cheese, sour cream and lettuce
• 955 calories
• 38 g fat (18 g saturated)
• 1,600 mg sodium

Calorie equivalent: Like eating 37 Hershey’s Kisses!

The good news about this tortilla is that it contains 56 grams of protein, but that’s hardly worth the outrageous calorie and carbohydrate load—with 94 grams of carbs, you’ve already covered a third of your recommended daily intake, plus you’re taking in nearly a day’s worth of sodium and saturated fat. Downsize to drop pounds.

Eat this instead:

Three hard tacos with steak, pinto beans, sour cream and lettuce

• 615 calories
• 24 g fat (11 g saturated)
• 710 mg sodium

(Another hint: When it comes to Chipotle chips, just say “no.” They add an outrageous 570 calories and 73 extra grams of carbs.)

HARDEE’S

2/3-lb Monster Thickburger

• 1,420 calories
• 108 g fat (43 g saturated)
• 2,770 mg sodium

Saturated fat equivalent: Like eating 43 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon!

It’s called Monster for a reason. It’s a monster load of saturated fat (more than two days’ worth). The good news is that it has a friendlier, healthier cousin in the 1/3-lb Low-Carb Thickburger, with 1,000 fewer calories and a third the amount of fat. Even better, the Low-Carb Thickburger is true to its name—it only has 5 grams of quick-burning carbohydrates, compared to 46 grams in the Monster.

Eat this instead:

1/3-lb Low-Carb Thickburger

• 420 calories
• 32 g fat (12 g saturated)
• 1,010 mg sodium

BURGER KING

Triple Whopper Sandwich with cheese and mayo

• 1,250 calories
• 84 g fat (32 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
• 1,600 mg sodium

Fat equivalent: Like eating 10 slices of Papa John’s cheese pizza!

You should know by now not to order a triple anything. In this case you’re getting egregious calorie, fat, and sodium overloads. It’s not bad, though, compared to the shockers on our list of the trans-fattiest foods in America. Choose a regular cheeseburger instead and slash 920 calories, 68 g of fat, and save yourself from the judgmental stares of your co-workers, who are three times as likely to be grossed out!

Eat this instead:

Cheeseburger

• 330 calories
• 16 g fat (7 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
• 780 mg sodium

And once you’ve navigated lunch’s landmines, don’t blow your day with a bad dinner.

Tags: Address Change Service, addressing regs, Advertising, Ancillary Service Endorsements, Booklets, coutesy reply mail, Direct Mail, Direct Marketing, fast food, going postal, Jack Potter congressional testimony, Letters, Mailing, new postal regs, non profits direct mail, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Post Office, Post Office, USPS, usps regulations for flats

U.S. Postmaster Signals SOS-looks like our Congress will sink the ship

 

Read this article to see just how idiotic our congressional inquiries apparently are. Potter was there to address how to cope with the huge losses taking place at the post office. But several times the discussion was interrupted by media hungry idiots such as:

 

“Chairman Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass.) questioned the wisdom of giving Potter a $135,041 bonus, even though it is not paid by taxes, when the finances of the post office are in such dire shape. Potter’s compensation is a minuscule part of the postal service’s losses, but it was a significant part of the hearing. “

 

I am not suggesting that Potter’s bonus is a drop in the bucket, but think about it he is discussing how to cut the budget by BILLIONS! Our idiot congress probably wasted $100,000 discussing Potters bonus!

 

Check out this one!!!

 

“Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a freshman and the top Republican on the panel, surprised the hearing by leading his interrogation of Potter with an allegation in a Republican report that Countrywide Financial waived fees for a loan to Potter.” It does not smell right,” Chaffetz said in an interview. Potter said “the terms of my loan were consistent with my credit history” and that he put 50 percent down on the property.”

 

 SMACK DOWN!!!! What the heck, “How do you appear in front of congress and say “It doesn’t smell right!!! Wow-guilty until proven innocent. Anyway that crap had nothing to do with the hearings so the conversation returned to the USPS losses and what can be done.

Check out the whole article for more foolishness…

If the U.S. Postal Service delivered mail by boat, it would be a sinking ship. A large hole in the hull, punched by a huge iceberg named Recession, is draining mail volume while it allows financial losses to flow in and drown the service in a financial swamp.

The Postal Service is in dreadful shape and needs quick help from Congress to continue delivering the mail.

That was the message repeated over and over by a parade of witnesses yesterday before the House subcommittee on federal workforce, postal service and the District of Columbia.

“At this moment, the survival of the Postal Service — a venerable institution that is literally older than our country — hangs in the balance,” warned William H. Young, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers. “The Great Recession we face today threatens to destroy the most trusted and universal connection most Americans have with their national government.”

There might be some hyperbole in that. The postal service likely will rebound as the economy does. But how much will it suffer until then?

Potter’s other suggestion was not so warmly welcomed. It would allow the post office to cut delivery to five days a week from six.

“Delivery is one of our most labor-intensive activities,” Potter said. “Delivery remains our largest, single cost center . . . . In effect, we are financing a level of service that exceeds a declining demand.”

Going to five-day delivery could save the post office $3.5 billion annually, Potter said. Later in the day, however, Dan G. Blair, chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission, said the savings would be closer to $2 billion. Potter’s figure does not take into account a likely decline in volume caused by a drop in service days, according to Blair.

Potter’s compensation is a minuscule part of the postal service’s losses, but it was a significant part of the hearing. Chairman Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass.) questioned the wisdom of giving Potter a $135,041 bonus, even though it is not paid by taxes, when the finances of the post office are in such dire shape.

But Carolyn Gallagher, chairwoman of the postal service Board of Governors, strongly defended the payments. “Mr. Potter has earned the compensation he has received,” she said. “His achievements in 2008 were both remarkable and unprecedented given the magnitude of the challenges the Postal Service faced.”

She said he and his team “reduced costs by over $2 billion, more than double what had been planned, while still providing record levels of service.”

Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a freshman and the top Republican on the panel, surprised the hearing by leading his interrogation of Potter with an allegation in a Republican report that Countrywide Financial waived fees for a loan to Potter. “It does not smell right,” Chaffetz said in an interview.

Potter said “the terms of my loan were consistent with my credit history” and that he put 50 percent down on the property.

Postal Service Inspector General David C. Williams confirmed during his testimony that his office is working with the Justice Department on a broader investigation that includes the Countrywide financing and other Potter loans. Justice is concerned about the possibility of a quid pro quo, according to Williams. But Chaffetz did not point to any favors Potter might have performed for the company.

Because the allegations seem to have nothing to do with the agency’s finances, the conversation quickly returned to what needs to be done to keep the postal service afloat.

Lynch has reservations about both of Potter’s suggestions to improve USPS finances, but by the end of a long day he said the Davis/McHugh bill, in some form, probably would be part of the solution. But the proposal for cutting back mail delivery to five days a week appears to be a dead letter.

“The public wants Saturday delivery,” said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, a Baltimore Democrat. “I would bet everything I’ve got that’s not going to happen.”

You can read statements prepared for the hearing at: http://federalworkforce.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2355.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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