See post on Scary Gary today. 09/17/1999

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), September 17, 1999

Answers

Please note that according to the SSA, this would mean that they themselves are not compliant since they rely on the USPS to deliver a ton of checks every month.

Please also say goodbye to Medicaid, Medicare, and all of those welfare checks. Of course, even their computers are not yet compliant end-to-end with the individual states.

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), September 17, 1999.

Paging Nine Fingers ...

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), September 17, 1999.

Say Ashton and Leeska.......why don't you stick a stamp on that 'page'?

HOOOOOOOOhohohoHAAAAAhahaha.....Sheeeeeeeeesieeeeee!

(Don't forget child support payments....)

:)

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), September 17, 1999.

1988? I guess this fits in my "old" computers at the office category. Let's just hope that at least the e-mail gets thru!

Tick... Tock... <:00=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), September 17, 1999.

This is really no surprise, given the information in the US Postal Service's Inspector General's report to the GAO earier this year.

What was the exact phrasing, that it would require "extraodinary efforts in the next 9 months to enable the Post Office to provide even the bare minimum of their core services"?

Something like that.

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), September 17, 1999.

Has anyone seen an analysis of the economic contribution of the Postal System?

Has there been a study (or even some anecdotal input) indicating the effects on our economy, of losing the U.S. Postal System?

It might be a good time to start a thread here on the probable outcomes.

Since so many businesses and individuals depend upon the USPS for delivery.

-- no talking please (breadlines@soupkitchen.gov), September 17, 1999.

* * * 19990917 Friday

"no talking please":

As a matter of fact there has been a "documentary" movie done about ramifications re failure of the USPS:

"The Postman" - starring Kevin Costner

Rent it from Blockbuster tonight for your enjoyment and insight to our collective post-Y2K future!

Regards, Bob Mangus

* * *

-- Robert Mangus (rmangus1@yahoo.com), September 17, 1999.

USPS Office of the Inspector General - Y2K Testimony (Feb. 23, 1999)

-- Lane Core Jr. (elcore@sgi.net), September 17, 1999.

Thanks for the suggestion Robert, I'll rent "The Postman".

Thanks also Lane, I've printed the link you provided & am reading it now.

-- no talking please (breadlines@soupkitchen.gov), September 17, 1999.

Lane:

Thank you for the link. I did not have it on my machine.

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), September 17, 1999.

The USPS exposure to Y2k breakdown is as close to the iron triangle as you can get. Not much is being discussed about this matter, as far as I can see. What we do know is that upper level management in that system are not the most aggressive in staying ahead of problems. The very term "going postal" was coined to spotlight their leadership shortcomings. There are many government agencies as well as businesses that are depending on using US Mail as their contingency plan for breakdowns in Internet connections. Some contingency plan!

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), September 17, 1999.

A postal person weighs in...

U.S. Postal Service Ready? -- September 04, 1999.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a- fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001Lwj

See also...

USPS Going Down Very Hard and There Is NO Fix -- BigDog, February 27, 1999

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000Y3V

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 17, 1999.

(Aside note to Dog Gone--thanks for pointing that out--fixed)

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 17, 1999.

Drat! The USPS is my backup communications sytem! And I suspect that it is the ultimate fall-back of most businesses...

Actually, I suspect that they will be able to function at some (degraded) level. It just may take longer for first class letters to get there (junk mail may be expedited)...especially if much hand-sorting is required.

If I'm wrong (and I was wrong at least once previously), and the USPS fails hard, we could have a relatively rapid collapse into a 9+ or even 10. Most of our bills (and payments) are sent USPS...no one else has the horsepower to replace them. No USPS would yield a probable collapse of the economy within two months!

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), September 17, 1999.

A relative of mine retired from the Army - an MP. He took a job in the post office. He had to learn all the names of all the towns/ post offices in Kansas for his assignment of sorting the mail. He retired from the post office about 6 years ago. He is absolutely sure that NO ONE still working there is able to sort the mail manually, like they used to do. I imagine that it is the same all across the USA.

-- jeanne (jeanne@hurry.now), September 17, 1999.

Hey! No problemo! just use fed-ex or ups... doh!

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), September 17, 1999.

The loyal USPS workers will try their best. However, their superiors are not telling them the truth.

This means that many problems will fall upon their shoulders.

I do not plan to ridicule them after the rollover, mainly because I am ridiculing them now.

Yes, they laugh at my dark humor, but later they will not.

Can you say Postage Blue?

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), September 17, 1999.

Actually Randolph, it appears they'll be saying, "Blew Postage".

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), September 18, 1999.