Why do my hard earned tax dollars support a bike team?



On Thu, 8 Jul 2004 10:08:57 -0400, "Churchill" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Speaking as a non-American I would never have heard of the "USPS" if it
>wasn't for the Tour, so their marketing worked in my case :)
>
>USPS is smart to do this, they are getting all of Europe focused on their
>name, cycling 'I sense' is much more popular in Europe than North America :)


It's not bad advertising in the US, either, and having seen the budget
numbers for what they spent supporting Lance & Co a couple of years
ago, I think they're doing pretty well particularly since they're
getting a lot more than just some forgettable and tawdry billboards
and print ads. (By comparison, it would have cost several times as
much to support a NASCAR entry of any note, and would not have given
them a penny's worth of international recognition, nor would it have
reached the upper-echelon US business decision-makers whose attention
they also wanted to draw.)

Recently, of course, the fact that Lance has been winning *in France*
has been scoring points with some of the less intellectual Americans.
They demand their bread and circuses loudly. (Some of our local post
offices were selling USPS cycling jerseys a few months back, and they
sold out rather quickly. I was surprised that this was the case.)
--
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"Werehatrack" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]

[...]

> Recently, of course, the fact that Lance has been winning *in France*
> has been scoring points with some of the less intellectual Americans.


How could anyone be impressed by beating a bunch of cheese-eating surrender
monkeys? :)

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?
 
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...
> "Werehatrack" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]
>
> [...]
>
> > Recently, of course, the fact that Lance has been winning *in France*
> > has been scoring points with some of the less intellectual Americans.

>
> How could anyone be impressed by beating a bunch of cheese-eating surrender
> monkeys? :)


I don't even know if there are any French in the race; the top
competition is Spanish, Italian, German and American, with a few
Aussies, Dutch, and Russians thrown into the mix.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
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In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>But USPS does not pay taxes on the building or land it owns as does FedEx
>and UPS which is a big business advantage. Even with the monopoly it has,
>it cannot make money. Some people should be fired and the postal carriers
>union is part of the blame.
>Can anyone show proof that sponsoring a bike team increased their market
>share?


Other companies don't have to deliver to every single address in the
country.
---------------
Alex
 
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...

>I would like to see some proof that they are getting bang for their buck in
>terms of promotion and advertising. I doubt they are.


Ask the USPS. They have the numbers.
-------------
Alex
 
David Kerber wrote:
> I don't even know if there are any French in the race


Didn't the French national champion almost win today's stage?

Bill "no quips about quitting, either" S.
 
On Thu, 8 Jul 2004 12:46:05 -0400, David Kerber
<ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote:

>In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
>says...
>> "Werehatrack" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]
>>
>> [...]
>>
>> > Recently, of course, the fact that Lance has been winning *in France*
>> > has been scoring points with some of the less intellectual Americans.

>>
>> How could anyone be impressed by beating a bunch of cheese-eating surrender
>> monkeys? :)

>
>I don't even know if there are any French in the race; the top
>competition is Spanish, Italian, German and American, with a few
>Aussies, Dutch, and Russians thrown into the mix.


There are lots. Today's Maillot Jaune is the French National
Champion.

The French are in an awful Tour de France slump, though.

-Luigi
 
In article <[email protected]>,
David Kerber <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
> says...
> > "Werehatrack" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]
> >
> > [...]
> >
> > > Recently, of course, the fact that Lance has been winning *in France*
> > > has been scoring points with some of the less intellectual Americans.

> >
> > How could anyone be impressed by beating a bunch of cheese-eating surrender
> > monkeys? :)

>
> I don't even know if there are any French in the race; the top
> competition is Spanish, Italian, German and American, with a few
> Aussies, Dutch, and Russians thrown into the mix.


Haha, man he has to be talking about the Green Bay Packers!

Dave in Minnesota
 
"DRS" wrote:
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?
THIS REMARK: How could anyone be impressed by beating a bunch of
cheese-eating surrender monkeys?
 
"Leo Lichtman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> "DRS" wrote:
> Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?
> THIS REMARK: How could anyone be impressed by beating a bunch of
> cheese-eating surrender monkeys?


You left out both the context and the emoticon. Your criticism is
ill-informed and pointless.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?
 
The USPS is run as a private company. I am sure they get help from the
government and many many tax breaks but it is (by the most part) a private
org.

Biff


"Dave Jackson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> David Kerber <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote:
>
> > In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
> > says...
> > > "Werehatrack" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]
> > >
> > > [...]
> > >
> > > > Recently, of course, the fact that Lance has been winning *in

France*
> > > > has been scoring points with some of the less intellectual

Americans.
> > >
> > > How could anyone be impressed by beating a bunch of cheese-eating

surrender
> > > monkeys? :)

> >
> > I don't even know if there are any French in the race; the top
> > competition is Spanish, Italian, German and American, with a few
> > Aussies, Dutch, and Russians thrown into the mix.

>
> Haha, man he has to be talking about the Green Bay Packers!
>
> Dave in Minnesota
 
DRS wrote:
> "Leo Lichtman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]
>> "DRS" wrote:
>> Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?
>> THIS REMARK: How could anyone be impressed by beating a bunch of
>> cheese-eating surrender monkeys?

>
> You left out both the context and the emoticon. Your criticism is
> ill-informed and pointless.


But at least he didn't top-post it!!!

Bill "ya gotta try harder, Leo" S.
 
( :< )

> Talk about
> a boondoggle. Since when is it the responsibility of any government
> to 'bail out' a corporation (Chrysler) or a city (New York)?
>
> Mike


( :< )

Consider this Mike:

What would happen if the NYC gov't or Chrysler collapsed? Certainly
more economically painful (short term)than propping them up. Whether
or not we are interfering with governmental and corporate "natural
selection", that is another discussion. Look at the short-term
political consequences for those who chose to let the natural course
of things occur. In the case of NYC, you are talking the shutdown of
the world's largest financial center. Not good at all for anyone
making THAT decision, in addition to a global shift in economic power.
In the case of Chrysler, tens, if not hundreds of thousands of
workers suddenly and painfully glutting the job market. They will
drive down wages, eat up resources (unemployment insurance payments)
without contributing and the cost of re-education/re-training that
many workers? Yikes!

Not necessarily advocating corporate and municipal welfare, but if
changes can be enforced as a condition of assistance, is that not
better than the alternative?

App, who believes in the social benefit of paying his property taxes
that fund schools despite his lack of children.
 
"Sam" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

(snip)

> I would like to see some proof that they are getting bang for their buck in
> terms of promotion and advertising. I doubt they are.


I don't remember where I heard this, but I think USPS spent about 60
million dollars to sponsor the team over the life of the contract.
Perhaps some industrious soul could confirm or debunk that number. And
I don't think it was so much about ROI as improving their image.
Remember that the USPS has spawned more than a few shooting sprees.
It's called "GOING POSTAL" for crying out loud! They needed to do
something to change their image.

Roland
 
In article <[email protected]>, Appkiller wrote:
> ( :< )
>
>> Talk about
>> a boondoggle. Since when is it the responsibility of any government
>> to 'bail out' a corporation (Chrysler) or a city (New York)?
>>
>> Mike

>
> ( :< )
>
> Consider this Mike:
>
> What would happen if the NYC gov't or Chrysler collapsed? Certainly
> more economically painful (short term)than propping them up. Whether
> or not we are interfering with governmental and corporate "natural
> selection", that is another discussion. Look at the short-term
> political consequences for those who chose to let the natural course
> of things occur. In the case of NYC, you are talking the shutdown of
> the world's largest financial center. Not good at all for anyone
> making THAT decision, in addition to a global shift in economic power.
> In the case of Chrysler, tens, if not hundreds of thousands of
> workers suddenly and painfully glutting the job market. They will
> drive down wages, eat up resources (unemployment insurance payments)
> without contributing and the cost of re-education/re-training that
> many workers? Yikes!
>
> Not necessarily advocating corporate and municipal welfare, but if
> changes can be enforced as a condition of assistance, is that not
> better than the alternative?
>
> App, who believes in the social benefit of paying his property taxes
> that fund schools despite his lack of children.


I don't know what to think about welfare. I'm sure it is justified
in many instances, but how to be objective and fair... still that's
a different topic.

The comment about shutting down a financial center and shift of global,
economic power is valid and I'd not considered it that way. However,
letting Chrysler fail I don't mind. I don't want people out of work,
nor families hurt, etc., but I don't like cars either. I do one one,
two actually, but all things being equal I'd prefer to use public
transport or my bike. Still, that's a personal stance and not necessarily
a political nor popular stance.

I like Microsoft less than auto manufacturers (Chrysler).

A side thought... government is for the people, to further a national
goal. Is it necessary for a government to keep its national
industry active (oil consumption (even though the plastics industry
consumes more oil than the automotive industry)) or to let the citizens
vote with their paychecks by purchasing from another company and
letting a behemoth(?) die? (rhetorical)

Mike
 
On Fri, 9 Jul 2004 02:40:31 +1000, "DRS" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>"Werehatrack" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]
>
>[...]
>
>> Recently, of course, the fact that Lance has been winning *in France*
>> has been scoring points with some of the less intellectual Americans.

>
>How could anyone be impressed by beating a bunch of cheese-eating surrender
>monkeys? :)


The people involved are easily impressed. Many of them are still in
the process of catching up to the punch lines of the whale oil lamp
jokes.


--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Surrealism is a pectinated ranzel.
 
Mike <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> In article <[email protected]>, Churchill wrote:
> >
> > "Marty Wallace" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >>
> >> "Sam" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >> news:[email protected]...
> >> >
> >> > "Alex Rodriguez" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >> > news:[email protected]...
> >> > > In article <[email protected]>,
> >> > > [email protected] says...
> >> > > >Hey,
> >> > > > Why does the US federal Government support a bike team in France? I
> >> > > >work hard for my money, and think the taxes I pay could be better
> >> > > >used. What a Boondoggle!
> >> > >
> >> > > Like any other company, you have to advertise to get more business.

> USPS
> >> > > wanted to get more customers in Europe to use their service, so they

> sponser
> >> > > a bicycle racing team. For the money they spend, they get an

> excellent
> >> > > return on investment. So they continued to do so until ignorant folks
> >> > > started to complain.
> >> > > -------------
> >> > > Alex
> >> > >
> >> >
> >> > I would like to see some proof that they are getting bang for their buck

> in
> >> > terms of promotion and advertising. I doubt they are.
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >> My God you're an idiot.
> >> The fastest rider and the fastest team in the biggest race in the world!
> >> And you want proof?
> >> If you don't think thats good promotion and advertising then you tell us
> >> what is.
> >>
> >> Marty

> >
> > Speaking as a non-American I would never have heard of the "USPS" if it
> > wasn't for the Tour, so their marketing worked in my case :)
> >
> > USPS is smart to do this, they are getting all of Europe focused on their
> > name, cycling 'I sense' is much more popular in Europe than North America :)
> >
> >

>
> Also, I think the USPS is privatized and therefore not supported by the
> US government. Complain instead about how the US government does support
> the US automakers, US highways, and the US petrolium industry. Talk about
> a boondoggle. Since when is it the responsibility of any government
> to 'bail out' a corporation (Chrysler) or a city (New York)?


As far as Chrysler goes, it was in the countries best economic
interest, IMO. Chrysler was the 10th largest industrial corporation
in America at that time. It had 147,000 employees and 4,700 dealers.
Those dealers had 150,000 employees. In addition, Chrysler had 19,000
suppliers, who themselves had 200,000 employees. Chrysler received a
loan guarantee from the U.S. government. It did not receive a dime of
the U.S. Treasury's money. The U.S. government, in return for its loan
guarantee, received the entirety of Chrysler's assets as collateral.
These assets were carried on Chrysler's books at $6 billion
and appraised by the government as having a liquidation value
of $2.5 billion. The U.S. government was in position to collect
its entire loan from the collateral before any other creditors.
Chrysler paid back every penny 7 years before the due date.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
>Hey,
>Why does the US federal Government support a bike team in France? I
>work hard for my money, and think the taxes I pay could be better
>used. What a Boondoggle!


They don't.

Since 1971 USPS has been a self-supporting corporation owned entirely
by the US government.

In 2003, they had revenues of $68,529,000 with expenses of $63,902,000
for a $4.6 billion profit.

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Life is a terminal sexually transmitted disease.
 
In rec.bicycles.misc Leo Lichtman <[email protected]> wrote:
> "DRS" wrote:
> Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?
> THIS REMARK: How could anyone be impressed by beating a bunch of
> cheese-eating surrender monkeys?


ohh, i dunno, i kinda like wisconsin. they've got some beautiful rural
riding behind the cheddar curtain, they're mostly nice folk & their 2am
bar close & sunday sales kept us minnesotans in after hours liquor for
years until we finally came to our senses (so to speak).

On Wisconsin say i.
--
david reuteler
[email protected]
 

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