DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Opinion | The Founders Saw This Insane Political Moment Coming 237 Years Ago
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Stacy Schiff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To understand how we got here, it’s helpful to return to another sweltering summer, a summer when everything actually was without precedent. The 55 men who assembled in Philadelphia 237 years ago to hammer out an American Constitution differed on a great many things. Among the rare points on which most agreed was that the American people could not be trusted to choose a president for themselves. Slavery (barely discussed) and the mechanics of representation (much discussed) proved vexing. But few questions so confounded the delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention as those pertaining to the American presidency.

Locations: Philadelphia

Here's what fans need to know about how to buy 2024 Outside Lands tickets, from original tickets to verified retailers, including StubHub and VividSeats. Outside Lands Music Festival 2024 scheduleOutside Lands is a three-day event in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. How to buy tickets for Outside Lands 2024Festival goers can visit Outside Lands with either a single-day ticket or a three-day pass. How much are Outside Lands Music Festival tickets? Who is performing at the Outside Lands Music Festival?

Persons: Sabrina Carpenter, Sturgill Simpson, Post Malone, Grace Jones, Chappell Roan, Idris Elba, Victoria Monét, Dolores, Daniel Caesar, Reneé Rapp, Knock2, Kevin, Shiba, Freyr, Joe Kay, Jared Jackson, Darius, Shaboozey, Rocco, Kasablanca, Marsh, Billy Woods, Rochelle Jordan, Odie Leigh, Yulia Niko, Miles, Valencia Grace, Jackie Hollander, Chris Lake, Schoolboy Q, Fletcher, Charley Crockett, Madonna, Romy, STRFKR, Allen Stone, Tsha, Ryan Beatty, Sofia Kourtesis, Mimi Webb, Kaleena, Anish Kumar, Lady Wray, Chuck Gunn, Kaytranada, Teddy, Victoria Monét, Slowdive, Mike, Ben Howard, Paul Cauthen, Seth Troxler, Uncle Waffles, Corinne Bailey Rae, Elyanna, Chance Peña, Jaden Thompson, Katie Pruitt, OGI, Dan SPencer, Lael Neale Organizations: Business, Planet Entertainment, Postal Service, Party, Gate, Golden, Purchasing, Shiba San, CID, The Postal Service, Channel Tres, Amyl, AG Club, TV Locations: Francisco, San Francisco ., Tyla, Slowdive, San Francisco, Real, K.Flay, Roosevelt, CMAT

Steps to cash a money orderPlan to cash your money order in a timely fashionThe longer you hold on to the money order, there's a chance it can be lost, damaged, or misplaced. Plus, cashing a money order quickly is a way to protect yourself against possible fraud, since the sender can cancel their money order. Tips for safely cashing a money orderAvoiding scams and fraudulent money ordersThe easiest way to avoid a money order scam is to call the money order issuer, or visit its website, to verify the funds. What to do if a money order is lost or stolenIf you need to cancel a money order because it was lost or stolen, contact the issuer immediately. Cashing a money order FAQsCan any bank cash a money order?

Persons: Chane Steiner, It's, You'll, Banks, there's, you've, Steiner Organizations: Facebook, Union, Walmart, United States Post Office, Postal Service Locations: Western Union, Chevron

☆ Postage is going up again. You should care, even if you don’t send mail
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Most people don’t use mail the way they used to – if they send out mail at all. And, most of all, businesses still depend on the mail to help them reach customers and keep the economy going. A history older than AmericaThe postal service and the United States have grown side by side since before the country’s birth – quite literally. The band The Postal Service was an indie-pop darling near the turn of the century. While stamp prices have doubled in that time, most experts point the finger at technology instead.

Persons: ”, Michael Plunkett, Benjamin Franklin, Alexis de Tocqueville, “ Alexander M, –, Santa Claus, Cliff, Newman, “, David Brin, Kevin Costner, ” Plunkett, Kevin Kosar, that’s, Plunkett, Sackler, ” ‘, doesn’t, Louis DeJoy, Kyle Grillot, Michael Kubayanda, Mark Dimondstein, ” Kubayanda Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Postal Service, Association for Postal Commerce, Boston Post, United States, Smithsonian Magazine, Getty, New York City, Postal Service, Post, ” Workers, Service, American Enterprise Institute, “, ”, Coalition, Century Postal Service, USPS, American Postal Workers Union Locations: New York, United States, Boston, United, Britain, France, Siren , Wisconsin, City, Los Angeles, AFP

☆ A New Centrism Is Rising in Washington
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( David Leonhardt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Republican Party has moved to the right by many measures, and the Democratic Party has moved to the left. One consequence of this polarization, politicians and pundits often say, is gridlock in Washington. These years have been arguably the most productive period of Washington bipartisanship in decades. After the bill’s passage, far-right House Republicans tried to oust Speaker Mike Johnson because he did not block it — and House Democrats voted to save Johnson’s job. Last week, the House advanced another bipartisan bill, on disaster relief, using a rare procedural technique to get around party-line votes.

Persons: Washington bipartisanship, Biden, Mike Johnson Organizations: Republican Party, Democratic Party, Republicans, Postal Service, Trump, House Democrats Locations: Washington, Ukraine

☆ U.S. Postal Service Proposes Raising Stamp Prices Again
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Mike Ives | More About Mike Ives | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The United States Postal Service on Tuesday proposed an overall increase of nearly 8 percent on the price of postage, the latest in a series of stamp hikes over the past three years. The new prices would take effect in July, pending approval from an independent regulatory commission. Among other changes, a Forever stamp would cost 73 cents instead of 68 cents, and the price of a domestic postcard would rise to 56 cents from 53 cents. The Postal Service has faced financial issues for years because it is required to fund retiree health care benefits for its employees in advance. It’s also facing headwinds, like other postal services globally, as fewer people send mail.

Persons: It’s Organizations: United States Postal Service, Postal Service

☆ The US Postal Service wants to hike stamp prices again in July. Here’s how much you’ll pay
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Stamp prices are set to increase — again. If approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the change would take effect in July, raising the cost of mailing services products by nearly 8%. Stamp prices alone have soared 36% since 2019 when they used to cost 50 cents. The Postal Service last raised First-Class stamp prices by two cents in January, just a few months after it raised prices three cents in July 2023. Other changes include domestic postcard prices increasing from 53 cents to 56 cents and international postcard prices increasing from $1.55 to $1.65.

Persons: ”, General Louis DeJoy, DeJoy, Trump Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Postal Service, Postal Regulatory Commission, Postal Service, USPS Locations: New York

UPS will become the primary air cargo provider for the United States Postal Service. The Atlanta shipping company said Monday that it had received an air cargo contract from the U.S. UPS will move the majority of air cargo in the U.S. for the postal service following a transition period, according to UPS. USPS’s current air cargo contract with FedEx Corp. is set to expire in late September. Last month the International Air Transport Association said that total demand for air cargo, which is measured in cargo ton-kilometers, climbed 18.4% in January compared with the prior-year period.

Persons: Brie Carere, Louis DeJoy Organizations: United States Postal Service, U.S . Postal Service, UPS, FedEx Corp, FedEx, USPS, FedEx Express, U.S . Mail, International Air Transport Association, United Parcel Service Inc Locations: Atlanta, U.S, Puerto Rico, airfreight

☆ UPS to replace FedEx as U.S. Postal Service's primary air cargo provider
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

United Parcel Service will become the United States Postal Service's (USPS) primary air cargo provider, the company said on Monday, as rival FedEx announced an end to its more than 20-year partnership with the postal service provider. USPS was the largest customer for FedEx's air-based Express segment, even as payments declined after the postal service shifted letters and packages from planes to more economical trucks. 1 USPS domestic air contractor, FedEx had supported the agency's Priority Mail and other quick services. "The parties were unable to reach agreement on mutually beneficial terms to extend the contract," FedEx said in a securities filing on Monday. USPS' payments to FedEx shrank to about $1.7 billion in fiscal 2023, from $2.4 billion during the fiscal year ended September 2020.

Persons: Thomas Martin, FreightWaves Organizations: Parcel Service, United States Postal, FedEx, UPS, USPS, GLOBALT Investments, Air Line Pilots Association Locations: Atlanta

☆ A South Korean mailman got a prison sentence for throwing out 16,000 pieces of mail. He said he was 'overworked.'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A South Korean mailman was sentenced to six months in prison for discarding 16,000 pieces of mail. AdvertisementA mailman in South Korea was handed a six-month prison sentence for dumping 16,003 pieces of mail. AdvertisementLee's sentence is suspended for two years, The Korea Herald reported, meaning he may avoid serving time behind bars. Lee, who delivered mail in Gangseo-gu, a district of Seoul, dumped the mail between January 2021 and September 2022, the outlet said. It found that the South Korean workforce's overall levels of emotional exhaustion increased, owing to perceived threats of job insecurity, feelings of isolation, and the pressures of their jobs.

Persons: mailman, —, Lee Organizations: Service, The Korea Herald, Seoul Southern, Court, Postal Services, South Korean, Korea Herald, Korean Locations: South Korea, Seoul

☆ The racial wage gap starts as early as 16 for Black workers—and results in ‘a lifetime of consequences,’ says expert
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Gili Malinsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The racial wage gap may be shrinking, but it's still got a ways to go. The median weekly earnings for full-time wage and salaried Black or African American 16-to-24-year-olds was $614. Though a smaller gap than the national one, that still works out to be about 82 cents to white workers' dollar. Children born in higher income and higher wealth families will have greater access to opportunities. Andre Perry Senior fellow at BrookingsThe resulting family wealth can hinder access to higher paying jobs as well.

Persons: it's, haven't, Andre Perry, Andre Perry Senior, Perry, Valerie Wilson Organizations: Nationwide, Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Brookings, Pew Research Center, BLS, Economic Policy Institute Locations: Brookings

It’s very much hand in hand,” said DeJoy, who acknowledged being impatient with the pace of change, including the rollout of electric vehicles. Those efficiency-driven changes will help the environment by reducing carbon emissions by eliminating wasteful activities, in addition to electric vehicles and other efforts. Last month, the Postal Service unveiled new EVs and charging stations at a new distribution center in Georgia, one of many updated sorting and delivery centers that are opening. The Postal Service plans to take delivery of 66,000 electric vehicles over five years. But not everyone is thrilled by the focus on electric vehicles.

Persons: General Louis DeJoy, Biden, ”, DeJoy, Jennifer Beiro, Craig Stevens, Sharp Organizations: U.S . Postal Service, Postal Service, Congress, Workers, Oshkosh Locations: Georgia, Ford, Oshkosh, Midwest, Portland , Maine

☆ Royal Mail is on the brink. Cutting letter deliveries to 3 days a week could save it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Royal Mail could ditch its near-daily deliveries of letters as the centuries-old British institution attempts to modernize its service and plug a growing hole in its finances. Ofcom, the UK regulator overseeing the postal service, published proposals to rescue the beleaguered company Wednesday. It said Royal Mail could save as much as £650 million ($828 million) a year if it cut letter deliveries to three days a week from the current six. The number of letters sent via the Royal Mail network had halved since 2011, and financial losses have ballooned. Among its other proposals, Ofcom suggested that Royal Mail could save up to £200 million ($255 million) a year by cutting its letter deliveries down to five days a week, or by extending the time it takes to get mail to customers.

Persons: “ Something’s, ” Melanie Dawes, Kevin Hollinrake, Martin Seidenberg Organizations: London CNN — Royal, Ofcom, Royal Mail, BBC, United, Services, CNN, Royal, International Distribution Services Locations: ”

☆ Tesla scores court win in Sweden in month-long battle with unions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Elon Musk has notched a victory against Swedish workers as a court ruled that Tesla can collect license plates for its cars from the country’s transport authority after postal workers refused to deliver them. Postal workers stopped delivering them to the company last week in sympathy with Tesla’s mechanics who began an ongoing strike in late October. Musk called the postal workers’ actions “insane” in a post on X last week. “Swedish wages and working conditions should apply to all workers in Sweden,” the body said in a statement on its website earlier this month. A company that comes to Sweden must adapt to what applies here.”Musk, the world’s richest man, has been vocal about his opposition to unions.

Persons: London CNN — Elon, Tesla, Musk, ” Tesla, dockworkers, ” Musk, — Olesya Dmitracova Organizations: London CNN, CNN, Sweden’s Transport Agency, Reuters, Transport Agency, Tesla, IF Metall, Swedish Trade Union Confederation, National Labor Relations Board, IG Metall Locations: Norrköping, Sweden’s, Sweden, Swedish, “, Tesla, Berlin, Germany

☆ Tesla sues Swedish government after postal workers block license plate deliveries
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla filed a lawsuit against the Swedish Transport Agency on Monday after postal workers began to block deliveries of license plates for the company's cars. Swedish postal workers blocked Tesla license plate deliveries as a show of solidarity with striking workers. Tesla claims the Swedish government has a "constitutional obligation to provide registration plates to vehicle owners," according to the documents. "This seizure of license plates constitutes a discriminatory attack without any support in law directed at Tesla. This measure cannot be described in any other way than as a unique attack on a company operating in Sweden," Tesla said in the filing, which CNBC translated to English.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, Rishi Sunak, wasn't, CNBC's Lora Kolodny Organizations: British, Swedish Transport Agency, Bloomberg, CNBC, Tesla Locations: London, Britain, Norrköping, Sweden, Swedish

☆ U.S. Offers Another Round of Free Covid Tests Through the Mail
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Sheryl Gay Stolberg | More About Sheryl Gay Stolberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Just in time for the holiday season, the Biden administration is offering Americans a fresh round of free at-home coronavirus tests through the Postal Service. The administration revived the dormant program in September, announcing then that households could order four free tests through a federal website, covidtests.gov. Beginning Monday, households may order an additional four tests — or eight tests if they had not ordered any in the previous round. Hospital admissions of patients with Covid ticked up this summer, but they began declining slightly in September and have held fairly steady in recent weeks. About 16,000 people were admitted to hospitals with the virus in the week that ended Nov. 11, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Postal Service, Centers for Disease Control Locations: Covid, United States

☆ The US Postal Service lost $6.5 billion last year. It predicted it would break even
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The US Postal Service lost $6.5 billion in its just-completed fiscal year, delivering a blow to the service’s hopes of a financial turnaround. The Postal Service had projected it would break even in the fiscal year that ended September 30, on its way to annual profits this year and going forward. The Postal Service reported that revenue from shipping and packages, now the largest segment of its business by revenue, edged up 1% to $31.6 billion, even as the volume fell by 2%. First-Class mail also brought in 2% more revenue, climbing to $24.5 billion, despite a 6% drop in volume. The Postal Service reported net income of $56 billion in the previous fiscal year but that was primarily due to the non-cash gain of nearly $57 billion from 2022 legislation that changd the way it accounted for its retiree health care expenses.

Persons: General Louis DeJoy, DeJoy, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Postal Service, Postal Service, UPS, Teamsters, FedEx Locations: New York

☆ US Postal Service reports $6.5 billion net loss for 2023 fiscal year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A United States Postal Service (USPS) mail delivery truck is seen in Queens, New York City, U.S., May 9, 2022. Postal Service on Tuesday reported a $6.5 billion net loss for the 12 months ending Sept. 30 with revenue down 0.4% to $78.2 billion as first-class mail fell to the lowest volume since 1968. The Postal Service said results were significantly affected by the impact of inflation on operating expenses. The net loss was also impacted by accounting for its underfunded retirements caused by actuarial revaluation and discount rate changes. First-class mail, used by most people to send letters and pay bills, is the highest revenue-generating mail class, accounting for $24.5 billion, or 31% of USPS 2023 revenue.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, General Louis DeJoy, Joe Biden, David Shepardson, Chris Reese, Aurora Ellis Organizations: United States Postal Service, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Postal Service, Postal Service, USPS, Thomson Locations: Queens , New York City, U.S

Reese’s may be in violation of state and federal laws with its new sweepstakes offer currently advertised on packs of peanut butter cups. Sweepstakes are primarily governed by state laws, which require that no purchase is necessary to participate. Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesThree federal agencies — Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Postal Service — also enforce laws governing sweepstakes depending on the medium. The Postal Service requires mailed sweepstakes offers to make clear that no purchase is necessary, for example.

Persons: Edgar Dworsky, didn’t, —, Dworsky, Reese's, “ Organizations: Hershey Co, Associated Press, — Federal Trade Commission, Federal Communications Commission, U.S . Postal, Postal, FTC, Hershey Locations: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California, Virginia, Washington

☆ US Postal Service seeks to hike stamp prices to 68 cents
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A United States Postal Service (USPS) mailbox is seen in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., May 9, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 6 (Reuters) - The United States Postal Service (USPS) said on Friday it wants to raise the price of first-class mail stamps to 68 cents from 66 cents effective Jan. 21. The proposal, which must be approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, would raise mailing services product prices by about 2%, significantly less than prior price hikes. Stamp prices are up 32% over the last four years since early 2019 when they were 50 cents. USPS has been raising stamp prices twice yearly and expects its "new pricing policy to generate $44 billion in additional revenue" by 2031.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, David Shepardson, Chris Reese, Sandra Maler Organizations: United States Postal Service, REUTERS, Postal Regulatory Commission, USPS, Service, U.S . Congress, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S

It’s a reality that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called “completely unfair,” as federal workers feel the brunt of lawmakers' inability to agree on a plan to fund the government. A shutdown occurs when Congress can’t pass legislation to fund the government before the start of the fiscal year. The Office of Management and Budget directs each federal agency to create a shutdown contingency plan reviewable on its website that identifies essential workers and services. Government shutdowns have become familiar to many federal workers, with the last shutdown ending in 2019. Other federal employees may hold jobs that are considered essential and may be required to work without pay during a shutdown.

Persons: shutdowns, hasn’t, Matt Gaetz, Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Shutdowns haven’t, Benjamin Civiletti Organizations: Management, Budget, Government, Congressional, Postal Service, District of Columbia, Social Security, Transportation Security Administration, White Locations: Florida, furloughs, District

☆ What happens if the government shuts down: An illustrated guide
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Amy O'Kruk | Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

A government shutdown happens when Congress doesn’t approve funding for the federal government by the time the new fiscal year starts on October 1. What it means for youBecause many federal workers are off the job during a government shutdown, many services are stopped or slowed, disturbing the day-to-day life for many Americans. What it means for government workersWhen a shutdown occurs, millions of federal employees and military service members do not get paid until it ends. During the last government shutdown in 2018-19, an estimated 420,000 federal employees worked without pay and another 380,000 were furloughed. Unlike federal workers, contractors have no guarantee of getting back pay once the government reopens.

Persons: wasn’t Organizations: CNN —, Social, Postal Service, Employees, NASA, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration, EY, of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Small Business Administration, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC

The DVD business destroyed competitors like Blockbuster and altered the viewing habits of the public. Once Netflix began its streaming business and then started producing original content, it transformed the entire entertainment industry. Even before the strikes, streaming had rendered DVDs obsolete, at least from a business perspective. In comparison, Netflix’s streaming revenue for the same period reached $6.5 billion. (One hundred people at Netflix still work on the DVD side of the business, though most will soon be leaving the company.)

Persons: Catherine Deneuve Organizations: Blockbuster, Netflix Locations: Hollywood, Fremont , Calif, Trenton, N.J, Dallas, Duluth, Ga, Anaheim

☆ Insider Today: Your knockoff's hidden cost
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Tech: What could become of VMware employees when Broadcom's acquisition closes. What could become of VMware employees when Broadcom's acquisition closes. AdvertisementAdvertisementSo, instead of visiting the company's website, you head to one of the many e-commerce sites offering knockoffs. 3 things in techRaghu Raghuram VMwareLeaked email: The fate of VMware employees as Broadcom acquisition closes. The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, senior editor and anchor, in New York City.

Persons: Sen, Mitt Romney, Chelsea Jia Feng, Insider's Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins, Counterfeits, Birkin, Dow Jones, Michael M, Ray Dalio, Raghu, —, chatbot, Brooks Kraft, Vivek, crowdfunding, Joe Raedle, JW Anderson, Molly Goddard, Julia Pugachevsky, Dan DeFrancesco, Naga Siu, Hallam Bullock, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, Tech, VMware, Yorkers, Bridgewater Associates, Broadcom, Apple, Brooks Kraft LLC, Burberry, Riot Fest Chicago, Foo Fighters, Postal Service, Cutie, Happy National Hispanic, Costa Rica Blue Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York, Queens, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Spain, New York City, San Diego, London

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani addresses the opening session on the first day of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, Britain June 21, 2023. The hugely ambitious project sees China strengthening trade ties with large infrastructure spending in countries along the historic Silk Road route via Asia to Europe and beyond. "China is willing to work with Italy to continue to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, explore opportunities for potential trade and investment... and promote further development of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership," said He Yadong, a commerce ministry spokesperson. SENSITIVE DIPLOMACYItaly's trade deficit with China grew by 22.3 billion euros ($23.9 billion) between 2019 and 2022, according to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. So far, 90 countries have confirmed attendance, China's foreign ministry announced on Thursday.

Persons: Antonio Tajani, Henry Nicholls, Xi Jinping, Wang Yi, Italy's, Tajani, Joe Cash, Ryan Woo, Giselda Vagnoni, Alvise Armellini, Federico Maccioni, Kim Coghill, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Italy's, Conference, Rights, Initiative, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, RAI, American Enterprise Institute, AC Milan, Inter, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, London, Britain, Rights BEIJING, China, Italy, Beijing, Asia, Europe, Rome, Inter Milan

Search resuls for: "The Postal Service"

25 mentions found