What is the most effective way to deliver my mail?

[HoreTore]

Alright. I got three letters today. My question then, is which of the three following ways of delivering them is the most effective, and which leaves me with the biggest smile on my face:

Option A: One postman delivers all three at the same time.
Option B: First, one postman comes and delivers one letter. An hour later, another postman comes to deliver the remaining two letters.
Option C: One postman delivers one letter. An hour later, another postman comes to deliver the second letter. Another hour after that, a third postman comes to deliver the last letter.

Now, I'm rather confident that option A is the most effective one. But please, could any of you market-libby yuppies out there please explain to me why I would want option B or C?

Yes, this is about mail, that's not a metaphor for capitalism in general. More specifically, it's about the new EU rules banning postal monopolies, thus forcing me to choose option B and C.

[FactionHeir]

Depends on where you are sending your mail. If you are sending one to someone in your village, another to someone in Europe and the third one to someone in Africa, then maybe it could be better to have more postmen (specialized in certain deliveries) do the job.

[Sigurd]

No to EU!!!!

Let's tell them where they can stick their rules.

[HoreTore]

Depends on where you are sending your mail. If you are sending one to someone in your village, another to someone in Europe and the third one to someone in Africa, then maybe it could be better to have more postmen (specialized in certain deliveries) do the job.

We are talking about the standard mail sent within the country here. And I'm receiving, not sending.

[Louis VI the Fat]

No to EU!!!!

Let's tell them where they can stick their rules.

As it is, Norway's nationalism and oil prevent EU membership, while Norway's wallet and common sense urge Norway to follow EU regulations. It's taxation without representation. Entirely voluntary.

If you want to tell us just where to stick it, you'll have to join first. Until then, be quiet and keep following our dictates like good semi-colonials.

[Vladimir]

So you actually receive non-electronic mail from friends? I choose "none of the above" as conventional mail is only fit for junk and useless coupons. Even bills are sent and paid online.

So, is this related to the US superpower thread? Something about a ban on monopolies?

[HoreTore]

As it is, Norway's nationalism and oil prevent EU membership, while Norway's wallet and common sense urge Norway to follow EU regulations. It's taxation without representation. Entirely voluntary.

If you want to tell us just where to stick it, you'll have to join first. Until then, be quiet and keep following our dictates like good semi-colonials.

Bah! I perform a daily ritual to cleanse any nationalist fibers from my body. And I don't mind sharing wealth(hey, socialist, remember ), the reason I want the EU to crash and burn is because they're market-libby fanatics, as is shown by this latest retardation, the privatization of the postal sector. Gah!

Form a social-democratic union(a real one, not a Blair one) and I'll happily overthrow my government, proclaim myself Tyrant of Norway, and join!

So you actually receive non-electronic mail from friends? I choose "none of the above" as conventional mail is only fit for junk and useless coupons. Even bills are sent and paid online.

So, is this related to the US superpower thread? Something about a ban on monopolies?

As you grow up, you'll find out that there are a number of documents(mostly sent out this time of year) you'd want sent by good ol' fashioned snail mail

[Vladimir]

As you grow up, you'll find out that there are a number of documents(mostly sent out this time of year) you'd want sent by good ol' fashioned snail mail

Says you! My baby's digital!

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

C, partially because of D. It makes me feel like there are people who like me.















Did I just say something good about the EU?

[Yoyoma1910]

Hmmm... this is a tough one. What's contained in each of the letters, and is any of it edible? Is one of the postmen riding some sort of animal? Is one of them actually a stripper?

[FactionHeir]

We are talking about the standard mail sent within the country here. And I'm receiving, not sending.

Then probably A, though if delivering an hour later each means that the deadline for same-day/next-day delivery also advances by an hour, you could potentially receive mail today that you wouldn't normally receive until tomorrow with C.

[HoreTore]

Then probably A, though if delivering an hour later each means that the deadline for same-day/next-day delivery also advances by an hour, you could potentially receive mail today that you wouldn't normally receive until tomorrow with C.

Gah! Forget the hour delay then, the postmen comes within 5 minutes of each other.

[Husar]

It can only be A, in case of C the post companies will each have less customers but will also each have to cover the whole area/country with postmen, that means less income, same costs per company, they will have to raise prices to cover the costs, in other words, it's less effective.
In the end the one who pays for the mail pays more or the postmen earn less but since three companies together have more managers than just one company, some people will also earn more I guess.
Or maybe they will compete one another into bankruptcy.

[FactionHeir]

Gah! Forget the hour delay then, the postmen comes within 5 minutes of each other.

Your dog can handle this many in this short a time span?

[HoreTore]

It can only be A, in case of C the post companies will each have less customers but will also each have to cover the whole area/country with postmen, that means less income, same costs per company, they will have to raise prices to cover the costs, in other words, it's less effective.
In the end the one who pays for the mail pays more or the postmen earn less but since three companies together have more managers than just one company, some people will also earn more I guess.
Or maybe they will compete one another into bankruptcy.

Either way, it will be a ridiculous and completely unnecessary waste of resources. Free trade can go to hell.

Your dog can handle this many in this short a time span?

Dogs are for losers with no friends, cats are for winners.

[KukriKhan]

The primary purpose of any postal service is communication (secure delivery of hard-copy) between a government and its citizens.

All else: commercial advertisements, consumer goods, love letters, bank statements, et cetera... are secondary. Personally important, but secondary.

It is the reason roads are established (to insure effective, efficient delivery), and postal employees are sworn officers of the State.

Hence, the need for government monopoly. Even if it operates at a net loss, like Defense Departments.

So: Option A.

Full Disclosure: I am a US postal employee; and one of those whacky guys who thinks our Congressional Record should be mailed weekly to every registered voter in the country.

[Vladimir]

I wonder how this monopoly madness affects their view on the military. Just how privatized is Norwegian mail delivery?

[HoreTore]

I wonder how this monopoly madness affects their view on the military. Just how privatized is Norwegian mail delivery?

Not much. For now....

[Vladimir]

Not much. For now....

Then I don't understand the connection. Maybe the EU should stick to regulating the size and curvature of fruit.

[HoreTore]

Then I don't understand the connection. Maybe the EU should stick to regulating the size and curvature of fruit.

Because they're forcing us to privatize our postal service?

As it is now, it's state owned and monopolized. The EU wants none of that. Sigurd is more knowledgeable than me about just how far down the road to privatization they are though.

[Vladimir]

Because they're forcing us to privatize our postal service?

As it is now, it's state owned and monopolized. The EU wants none of that. Sigurd is more knowledgeable than me about just how far down the road to privatization they are though.

Well I'm really ignorant on the whole issue then. What I know of the EU is that they tend to increase government control, not force-privatize fundamental government services like mail delivery (and defense later?)

[HoreTore]

Well I'm really ignorant on the whole issue then. What I know of the EU is that they tend to increase government control, not force-privatize fundamental government services like mail delivery (and defense later?)

What? The EU hates privatization?

Whatever you're smoking, I'd like some of it.

[KukriKhan]

What? The EU hates privatization?

Whatever you're smoking, I'd like some of it.

So, you see a seeming drive to privatization there. Is that drive motivated, you think, by a need to keep EU-wide taxes relatively down?

[HoreTore]

So, you see a seeming drive to privatization there. Is that drive motivated, you think, by a need to keep EU-wide taxes relatively down?

I think it's motivated by filthy buggers who see an opportunity to enrich themselves, and politicians who are looking for jobs when they retire.[/conspiracy]

Short answer, no. This isn't driven by any real need. This is motivated solely by the belief in the "market above all else". In short, market-liberalism. Idealism at its very worst.

[KukriKhan]

I see. I thought there might be some thinking on the part of the EU hierarchy that if "they" can deliver essential services at no apparent direct extra cost to EU taxpayers (via private companies providing the service(s) on a per-use fee basis) that the EU government could "sell" itself better to its voting constituants - instead of generating more resistance ala France, Denmark, Ireland, etc.

[HoreTore]

I see. I thought there might be some thinking on the part of the EU hierarchy that if "they" can deliver essential services at no apparent direct extra cost to EU taxpayers (via private companies providing the service(s) on a per-use fee basis) that the EU government could "sell" itself better to its voting constituants - instead of generating more resistance ala France, Denmark, Ireland, etc.

We're not a member of either the EU nor do we use the Euro, so I can't see what effect our tax level have on anyone else...

[KukriKhan]

We're not a member of either the EU nor do we use the Euro, so I can't see what effect our tax level have on anyone else...

So, what is your concern with EU postal regulations? They can't tell you what to do anymore than they can tell me, right?

[HoreTore]

So, what is your concern with EU postal regulations? They can't tell you what to do anymore than they can tell me, right?

They can, due to us being a member of the EEA.

Actually, they can't force us, we can veto things. But, since our politicians are dying to enter the EU, and they're the same kind of market fanatics, we adhere to everything.

[Louis VI the Fat]

So, what is your concern with EU postal regulations? They can't tell you what to do anymore than they can tell me, right?

Sure we can tell Norway what to do. Norway follows EU regulation to the letter. Yet it has no control on this regulation (nearly) whatsoever.

This is what you get when a population is too insular and nationalistic to join the EU, yet the political and other elites are too aware of the benefits of EU regulation to esschew the EU. To join would be political suicide, whereas to not follow EU regulation would mean bankruptcy.

Fine with me. We'll keep bossing our colony Norway around until they'll insist on 'no legislation without representation!'

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

The primary purpose of any postal service is communication (secure delivery of hard-copy) between a government and its citizens.

All else: commercial advertisements, consumer goods, love letters, bank statements, et cetera... are secondary. Personally important, but secondary.

I've never heard that perspective before. What is the logic behind that? Surely there would be no government without commerce, making it far more important than the government itself? Furthermore, what government communication besides taxes and draft notices even happen over the mail anymore?