Been doing a little research this morning. More to do, but I think sparkyDK is on to something. Edit:
I found this interesting info also.
Edit to add:
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Wow…… from what I understand in reading this, our tax money subsidizes cheap shipping to the USA.
yes teacher that article is indeed brought up
just a little info on it:
From the article:
sounds pretty bad right, poor postal services under the yoke of an ancient set of rules…
Let us just go to the only and real source on this:
http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/strategy-conference/about-strategy-conference.html
he what do I read there:
so the Washinton Post kind of does not understand the word “decades” for at the time of writing the last set of agreements was 2 years old and in 2016 the last congress setting the rules and figures for 4 more years took place.
There probably are a lot of global geo political things at play, we don know about. But the 192 countries decide on things and so if a postal service is losing money, they and their governments are to blame, not the wicked mean Chinese. And if a powerful government like the US lets it happen, you can rest assure these losses are made up in other areas we probably never know of 
The Miller, yes, they either make it up from taxation of the citizens of the USA as they have in the past, or USPS raises our postal rates since Congress has told USPS they weren’t going to give anymore tax dollars to them. The latest scam by USPS is make everyone buy tracking on 1st class mail. But if that parcel is stuck in the east Jabip sorting center no one gives a rats patoot about it. I went through that myself and it was justa matter of time since I mail so many packages with USPS. Mandatory 1st class package tracking is just a fund raiser that costs USPS nothing since it’s done with the existing computers and scanners that are already in place. If anyone ever has a late or lost 1st class package you can encounter the “I couldn’t give a crap.” attitude by USPS customer disservice for yourself. They have a phone number; it’s something like 1 800 idon’tcare , I can’t remember it exactly. In my case shortly after mandatory tracking went into effect I called their disservice center to dislodge the package from a sorting center. I could see it going round and round inside the thing as it kept being accepted in the same center every day, once a day. The person I talked to told me outright that they couldn’t be bothered for 1st class mail.
It may sound as though I’m mad at you, but I’m not. I hate having to think about one of our own agencies that is supposed to be working for us is actually bending us over and putting it to us to enrich foreign entities. I do NOT blame China. I blame the folks we pay to look out for us.
I learn more here by accident than I do from other places by design.
Yeah… check out my edit above with some additional info. I don’t pretend to understand it all… yet. But for us here in the USA… it appears it is our tax money at work.
Hi guys.
Can i be added to the waiting list please?
thanks
Same here in the UK, we subsidise the Chinese imports postal costs.
I can buy things from China for under $1 delivered, sent to me from the other side of the world, often arriving in around 10 days.
The cheapest I can post a letter within my own country is 75 cents & that often takes 5 days to be delivered.
I wonder if Thorfire has started production of any of the parts yet. Any ideas? Have the lathes been spinning out hosts?
Oh and why build in batches of 500? I’m particularly interested because I didn’t get on the list until after the 500 mark. I just want to know if I should start getting jealous, envious and start kicking things.
I actually like that stuff is all tracked now. But, I agree with you that if a package is lost there is really no recourse. It is what it is and it’s not like the employees actually have the ability to do anything about it anyway. It’s been like that as long as I’ve shipped stuff, almost 20 years now.
yes will update the list later
Yep, there probably are many things we do not know about. Interesting choice of words, “wicked mean Chinese”. I personally would not consider them in those terms, nor would blame them with anything.
But now at least a few uninformed here in the USA, such as myself; can begin to see where “these losses are made up”…… our tax money.
Of course, all that might well be changing somewhat in the future.
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Edit for grammar correction.
Yes thank you!!
Gotta wonder why I was bumped from 600’s all the way down to 1246? 
IDK either, number on list does not mean anything, there are no serials and such.
the person asking to be put on the list last before you also is placed at 1200+
The post office is not supported by taxes (at least that’s the plan) but by postage rates.
Same here, will be the 3rd-4th batch. Hopefully everything runs smooth, if not hopefully any hiccups will be ironed out by time the later batches roll out. :sunglasses:
I’m just glad I’ve found my way here and able to partake in the this, the GT and any future BLF creations.
Throwing money onto the prepaid debit card that I use online today so I’m ready-to-go 
And it should be here in time for the eclipse too Best news I’ve had all week!
Phil
I don’t think it is working to well. :person_facepalming:
https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2016/pr16_092.htm
WASHINGTON – After accounting for a $5.8 billion retiree health benefit prefunding obligation, the U.S. Postal Service posted a net loss of approximately $5.6 billion for fiscal year 2016 (October 1, 2015 - September 30, 2016), as compared to a $5.1 billion net loss for the year ended September 30, 2015.Nov 15, 2016
The key point is: $5.8 billion retiree health benefit prefunding (for 75 years btw). Who else has to do that.
Can I please be added to the list for 1 please. Thanks!