What is Digg?Sponsored by Travelzoo
Take Advantage of Ridiculously Low Holiday Airfares view!
travelzoo.com - Flights $52 and up for Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year. But move on it now.
341 Comments
- DirtyVicar, on 02/17/2009, -12/+246The US Post Office posted a $5.1 BILLION loss in 2008. If the Post Office really needs people to run their company into the ground, my 5-year old could probably do a damn fine job of it, and he'll only charge $400 (the cost of a Lego Death Star), not $800,000.
- spriggig, on 02/17/2009, -9/+234I understand why Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are filthy rich, they lead (led) companies that are successful.
We've been throwing around "billion" like it's the new "million" lately but $5.1billion is a ridiculous amount of money to lose while "leading" a company and still keep your job.
These people are the captains of the ships, the buck stops with them, it's their ***** fault. - cfrog7, on 02/17/2009, -17/+194yea he shouldn't make more than Obama, also they should make him dress up like the postman from zelda
- raleel, on 02/17/2009, -3/+122ffs, before everyone goes crazy on this, note that it's compensation and pay, and they are comparing it to pay. note that the article says that much of it is deferred for years, etc. Note that the POTUS makes $400k a year in salary, and doesn't include _any_ benefits in it.
I'm not going to argue about the wisdom of getting a $135k bonus, but the article is grossly sensationalized. It's the second page that mentions the security (how much did the presidential limo rum again? how about those secret service guys for life?) and the retirement fund (presidents get pay for life after they leave).
and buried on page three is this nugget:
"But Mr. McKiernan said the pay raises came at a time when the postal system wasn't in such a bad financial state. He also said Mr. Potter didn't ask for the pay raise. Ultimately, he said, Congress authorized and the Postal Service's board of governors approved the raises. "
oh and this beautiful one as well:
"The Postal Service is an independent government agency subject to congressional oversight, but it doesn't get its funding from taxpayers. It's also subject to a host of government rules, including mandates that it pay billions of dollars to fund health care benefits for retirees and deliver mail six days per week. "
note, none of your tax dollars. ffs, you should be thanking congressional oversight for not allowing the $10 million total compensation that FedEx has on their CEO (as mentioned in the article, but not until page 2). - inajeep, on 02/17/2009, -1/+74Confess, who is the Death Star really for? Who is gonna build it? Who is going to take pics and post them on their blog?
- drlha, on 02/17/2009, -1/+73To be fair, Costco is run by 24 CEOs that each individually come cheap, but you can't split up due to the plastic wrapping, so actually are expensive.
- Sublex, on 02/17/2009, -2/+72A Lego Death Star is $400?
Holy crap. - inactive, on 02/17/2009, -19/+87$800,000 - are you kidding me? He is in charge of one of the largest organizations this side of the military. 800 grand is nothing. Look at the VP's that have been swindling folks out of the their money and the cause of the recession. That is their monthly salary.
The PO is hit hard by the recession. Marketing budgets have been axed which means no ones mailing ads. The internet has taken a lot of business from them. The billions they have to pay to keep the anthrax testing equipment operational. Frankly I would think they would be losing more. - PacketScan, on 02/17/2009, -7/+45How does he make more than the president.. People seem don't realize these are civil service jobs and not CASH cows.
- BadAsh71, on 02/17/2009, -1/+34That's what I'm saying... but damn that thing is pretty sweet :-)
- moojuece, on 02/17/2009, -0/+30According to this site it is only around $200 It sounds like he wants one for his kid, one for himself
http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=10143
Edit: Sorry I am a retard, there is this one too
http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=10188& ...
That one is $400 - t1n0m3n, on 02/17/2009, -4/+29+1
And yet we (the taxpayers) are giving these irresponsible pricks billions of dollars for being retards... Exxxcellent!
Or are they actually greedy as well, and not just retards?
I am sure that if I figured out a way to get billions, that I could have the books cooked too. - hipnerd, on 02/17/2009, -2/+26Axing the postal system is a horrible idea only floated by "free market" types that really don't know what they are talking about. The postal system is infrastructure. A robust postal system is one of the things that allowed economic growth and prosperity in this nation. A stamp now costs closer to $.50 than $.25. So?
Try this. Offer a 12 year old $.50 to walk a single block and mail a letter for you. He'll tell you to piss off.
The private sector has already gutted the profitable portions of the mail industry. They took the overnight delivery and shipping sectors away. What is left for the postal system is the unprofitable, but vitally necessary, day-to-day mail services.
If there was money to be made shipping envelopes at $.42, UPS and FedEx would be all over it. There isn't any way to make money at those rates.
If you dismantled the postal system, don't expect the free market to magically drive down costs. Prices would skyrocket. Like highways, fire departments and law enforcement, some essential services are best left in government hands.
Government can work for the good of the people. But only when people who believe in the power of government to do good are in charge. That's why the Bush administration was such a disaster. - JAHred, on 02/17/2009, -2/+24When the postmaster retires from his job, how many book signing will he get?
- diggopolous, on 02/17/2009, -1/+21To everybody bitching about the Postal Service: I've got 42 cents to give you if only you would deliver this envelope for me 2,000 mile across the country by the end of the week.
- writh3n, on 02/17/2009, -3/+22The postal service is actually a fairly well run agency. Complaining that guy makes $800k a year is stupid. The amount of responsibility that is on his shoulders should be worth well more than that. Anesthesiologist make more than that in a year.
- Leviathan433, on 02/17/2009, -0/+19The Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service sets policy, procedure, and postal rates for services rendered, and has a similar role to a corporate board of directors. Of the eleven members of the Board, nine are appointed by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate (see 39 U.S.C. § 202). The nine appointed members then select the United States Postmaster General, who serves as the board's tenth member, and who oversees the day to day activities of the service as Chief Executive Officer (see 39 U.S.C. § 202–203). The ten-member board then nominates a Deputy Postmaster General, who acts as Chief Operating Officer, to the eleventh and last remaining open seat.
The USPS is often mistaken for a government-owned corporation (e.g., Amtrak), but as noted above is legally defined as an "independent establishment of the executive branch of the Government of the United States," (39 U.S.C. § 201) as it is wholly owned by the government and controlled by the Presidential appointees and the Postmaster General. As a quasi-governmental agency, it has many special privileges, including sovereign immunity, eminent domain powers, powers to negotiate postal treaties with foreign nations, and an exclusive legal right to deliver first-class and third-class mail. Indeed in 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the USPS was not a government-owned corporation and therefore could not be sued under the Sherman Antitrust Act.[11] The U.S. Supreme Court has also upheld the USPS's statutory monopoly on access to letterboxes against a First Amendment freedom of speech challenge; it thus remains illegal in the U.S. for anyone other than the employees and agents of the USPS to deliver mailpieces to letterboxes marked "U.S. Mail."[12] - Stormwern, on 02/17/2009, -1/+20This is a bit hyperbolic. $800k is not an unresonable wage for a CEO, and it doesn't make sense to count the retirement benefits since they wont be payed out until (hopefully) after the recession is over.
- ldkronos, on 02/17/2009, -14/+32So, what is your point? Costco made a $1.2 billion PROFIT (note...that's profit, not loss), and the CEO only took home $350K. I say let's use him as the baseline. If your business didn't profit by at least $1.2 billion last year, then you should be making less than $350K.
- dmm219, on 02/17/2009, -10/+27Buried for poster being unbelievably stupid or intentionally misleading.
Digg posters are really becoming quite the morons as of late...
1. Obama's SALARY (LESS BENEFITS) is 400k. With benefits, its getting close..
2. The USPS IS NOT A FEDERAL AGENCY. - bubba9999, on 02/17/2009, -2/+18He spent it all on prostitutes and beer...
- theaceoffire, on 02/17/2009, -1/+16*Spins, holds letter high in the air*
Da da da daaah...
(You received Mail!) - sjbdallas, on 02/17/2009, -0/+15Not sure how it's a government enforced monopoly. You can send all your mail via fedex if you want. It's just that no one is interested in paying the real cost to have a letter picked up from your house and delivered across the country in a few days.
- notman, on 02/17/2009, -0/+15What is the postmasters term limit?
- hamobu, on 02/17/2009, -1/+15$800,000 is not that much.
- TJ22, on 02/17/2009, -5/+19Yeah, that right! The current state of the economy has nothing to do with Bush. :)
- GordonClass, on 02/17/2009, -0/+13I could swear that's Cliff Claven.
- meghalc, on 02/17/2009, -2/+15I am sure Obama's Total compensation + retirement benefits will be more than $800K.
- Aquinas315, on 02/17/2009, -2/+15"The US Post Office posted a $5.1 BILLION loss in 2008"
"The Federal Government, which is controlled by a Democrat president and a Democrat Congress"
Because Obama was president in 2008.... I will give you a Democratic congress though - cmotdibbler, on 02/17/2009, -3/+16Like most of the US government, I thought the USPS was owned by the Chinese.
- yunus, on 02/17/2009, -6/+18"He is in charge of one of the largest organizations this side of the military."
And how much does the person in charge of the military make? Obama 400k, security needs are not part of his salary they are NEEDS. Secretary of defense, less than 400k. Top Generals who spend their lives serving our country, less than $200k. This guy is in charge of a government mandated monopoly. He should get a government level paycheck. - benhollister, on 02/17/2009, -0/+12"The most recent raise in salary was approved by Congress and President Bill Clinton in 1999 and went into effect in 2001; prior to the change, the President earned $200,000, plus expense accounts."
- liquidjamm, on 02/17/2009, -2/+14Does he get to ***** chicks in historic places?
- giid, on 02/17/2009, -5/+16Bush did this. You don't exactly balance one of the largest budgets on the planet in a year.
- mediaspree, on 02/17/2009, -6/+16I remember when stamps were 25 cents what are the now, 48 cents? More? I dunno, I use e-mail like everyone else.
- daimposter, on 02/17/2009, -0/+10presidents make more money AFTER they finish office. Rudy Guliani made tens of millions AFTER he was mayor. Clinton the same.
- daving313, on 02/17/2009, -4/+14Hopefully someday we will stop reporting out people's salaries and try to spin them off as undeserving. The media needs to get over it.
- Misanthrope, on 02/17/2009, -2/+12Funny, the republicans sure liked to blame Clinton for all of Bush's problems. I guess it's your way or the highway...eh?
- Nauree, on 02/17/2009, -4/+14Are you ***** me
$400?
Its only 16" in diameter. For $400 I was expecting an at least 3 foot diameter deathstar. I had more bricks for $50 back in the day but they were all blue, yellow, and red.
Oh wait I forgot how much the special pieces cost to manufacture. /s
Not worth it. - inactive, on 02/17/2009, -0/+10In May they will be going from 42 to 44.
- dave122, on 02/17/2009, -0/+9800k is not that much in total compensation, they also conveniently only use obama's salary, not his total compensation, which if you factor in everything is far far more. This guy is making far less than any other executive, now I'm not commenting on his skills because I don't know much about what he has done, but I do know that if they want a talented businessperson to run the show, with all the competition, they aren't going to get them for 150k/year. Again, not a comment on his specific skills, but come on now.
I really don't understand what all the anger is about on exective salaries (with the exception of people who take government money, that pisses the hell out of me just as much as the next guy) but if a company thinks they are worth that much then who gives a ***** if they get paid that much, it's either a good decision and they get a positive ROI or it's a bad decision and they lose money. Welcome to the free market. - minoss, on 02/17/2009, -2/+11He doesn't. Obama's total compensation is way, way more than his salary as president. Plus, once his 4-8 years are done, he'll likely make over $2 million a year in speaking gigs.
- ITguy88, on 02/17/2009, -1/+9He should make more than obama because the presidents total compensation is much higher. the president gets free travel on a private jet/airplane, a spending account, body guards, 100 person staff that cook, clean, and everything else plus a huge house in one of the most expensive places to live in the county. I think that adds up to waaaaaay over $800k
Yeah If you just compare salaries the postmaster makes more, but who looks at jobs and doesn't look at the benefits. - homercles337, on 02/17/2009, -2/+10*****. Proof? I searched and found nothing of the sort. No company CAN do what the USPS does. Every neighborhood has a post office. If i miss a UPS package im heading 5 miles north. If i miss a FedEx package im heading 20 miles north (and i live in downtown Boston). Do you really think that these companies would construct offices in every neighborhood in the US? And then send a letter door-to-door for $0.42? Seriously? You believe this? The USPS is incredibly efficient.
- iDiggYa, on 02/17/2009, -2/+10Can I have 800,000 please?
- drlha, on 02/17/2009, -0/+8How much does FedEx charge to deliver a letter?
- 11oops, on 02/17/2009, -0/+7Great. I suppose they'll also provide up to date computers and internet service to every household? Tech support? Massive, secured server farms for storage? Boy, that'll be so much cheaper. And who wouldn't want all their personal mail and correspondence hosted by the government? I'm sure they'll respect our privacy and not inspect anything without the proper warrant.
Also, what comes in the mail? A lot that can't be transferred electronically: credit/debit cards, signed documents, packages, greeting cards, etc.etc. - CrazedLeper, on 02/17/2009, -0/+7Although the Post Office is widely regarded as 'quasi-governmental', the post office is a private corporation and, therefore, not technically a civil-service.
- irriadin, on 02/17/2009, -0/+7Media template:
1. Find the salary of a top level executive for a well-known company.
2. Release a sensationalist article.
3. ????
4. Profit! - altgeeky1, on 02/17/2009, -0/+6>USPS enjoys a government-enforced monopoly on the mail delivery business.
Somewhere in your anti USPS post you could have balanced it off by mentioning that FedEx and UPS are not INTERESTED in home mail delivery... and certainly not to every single driveway in the nation.
As private companies, UPS/FedEx have the right to refuse source or destination mail, to place 'drop boxes' where it is most profitable for them, and simply do what they do best... focus on small business freight.
And no, UPS/FedEx wouldn't be interested in the USPS model... government monopoly or not.
There are tons of savings that can be had at the USPS. Many of those savings require investment (especially in the alternative fuel department), but I think they're doing good now by at least considering a drop in Saturday delivery, and removing disused mail drops.
I hope they review the flat-rate nationwide shipping which mostly amounts to corporate welfare, for the benefit of Netflix, etc.. Surely it costs more to send mail from Miami to Hawaii than it does to ship to Chicago and the rates should reflect that (it does at UPS/FedEx) -
Show 51 - 100 of 348 discussions
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is