Topic: Post Office

A local anecdote about visiting the post office in El Cerrito, California, leads to a discussion on the media's role in policing political parties and labeling defectors as "traitors." The conversation references George H.W. Bush's use of the Insurrection Act during the 1992 Rodney King riots in Los Angeles as a historical precedent for federal intervention. Additionally, the shift in terminology from "illegal aliens" to "migrants" is noted as a way to change public perception of immigration issues.

Retail activity in Austin, Texas, is reportedly surging following the lifting of state mandates, fueled by federal stimulus checks and spring break spending. Conversely, reports indicate that mail delivery has ceased in parts of Brooklyn, New York, forcing residents to wait in long lines at post offices to retrieve unsorted mail.

The show concludes with a final round of birthday wishes and acknowledgments for smaller donations. A producer in India describes the availability of $2 "COVID packs" containing Ivermectin and zinc, contrasting this with Western pharmaceutical marketing. Other donors are thanked for sending checks via the post office to avoid third-party payment processors.

The "Banking for All Act" proposes using the U.S. Post Office as a hub for unbanked citizens to access digital wallets linked directly to the Federal Reserve. This move toward a "digital dollar" coincides with a decline in physical cash usage during the pandemic. Critics argue this system allows the government to assign digital accounts based on Social Security numbers, centralizing financial control.

Recent clips highlight a Joe Biden gaffe where he stated there is nothing the country has been able to accomplish when working together. Additionally, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drew mockery for suggesting that the best way for citizens to save the post office is to buy stamps.

Dvorak reports receiving suspicious emails from MailChimp, leading to a discussion about the history of the US Postal Service. The hosts decide to test the "General Delivery" system by having Dvorak send a letter to Adam Curry at a general Austin post office address.

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak open the broadcast from the Austin "Cluedio" studio, noting it is the penultimate show before a scheduled relocation. The discussion centers on logistical hurdles involving the new studio's connectivity and a week-long delay in receiving a mailbox from the United States Postal Service. Despite multiple calls from postal supervisors named Chris, Roy, and Jake, the delivery issue remains unresolved.

The hosts acknowledge the death of comedian Don Rickles at age 90. John C. Dvorak describes receiving a massive, 50-pound pizza stone as a birthday gift from Adam Curry. They joke about the logistics of shipping such a heavy item via Amazon Prime and the "workout" required to retrieve it from the post office.

A provision in the GSA lease for the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., explicitly prohibits any elected federal official from benefiting from the agreement. The hosts predict this will become a major legal hurdle for Trump after the inauguration, potentially forcing him to sell the property or transfer it to a public corporation. They note that the media is currently too focused on Russia to report on this contract issue.

Donald Trump held a press conference at his new hotel in the Old Post Office building in Washington, D.C., where he stated that President Barack Obama was born in the United States. Media critics accused Trump of using the event as a "bait and switch" to promote his new luxury hotel to the press corps.

Adam Curry shares notes and physical items received at the Dallas meetup, including a custom promotional card from Jennifer Weta. A producer named Mel Lee, wearing an original No Agenda t-shirt, presented a large scroll detailing the genealogy of the "Warring Clan" and its connections to global power structures. Curry also acknowledges several birthdays and new "human resources" born into the community.

Donald Trump argues that his success in real estate, such as acquiring Doral and the Old Post Office in D.C., was not the result of complex "14-point plans" but of aggressive negotiation. This "no-plan" populist message resonates with voters who want a fighter in the White House.

The hosts defend the U.S. Postal Service, arguing that its reported multi-billion dollar losses are manufactured by a 2006 congressional mandate to pre-fund retiree health benefits for 75 years. Data is cited showing that without this "onerous" requirement, the USPS would have been profitable despite the recession and internet competition.

An anecdote about receiving a "Ready for Hillary" bumper sticker leads to a discussion about the United States Postal Service. One dinner guest expresses a disdain for visiting the post office, describing the experience as "sitting there with all of Darwinism." The hosts interpret this as a classist remark toward the general public.

The official seizure notice for Silk Road featured a custom logo, leading to speculation that the site was a government-run honeypot or a marketing exercise. The hosts suggest the bust was timed to manipulate Bitcoin prices and that a "Silk Road 2" will likely emerge under government control. This theory posits that the CIA or other agencies may be using darknet markets to manage drug distribution while bypassing traditional banking.

The Office of Special Plans was a secret unit within the Pentagon created by Donald Rumsfeld to find links between Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda that the CIA could not verify. This intelligence was often leaked to journalists to build the case for the Iraq War. Journalist Dana Priest is credited with exposing many of these "Top Secret America" operations, including secret CIA detention facilities.

A letter from a retired postal worker explains that the USPS crisis is driven by a unique requirement to pre-fund retiree health benefits 75 years in advance. The hosts argue this is a manufactured crisis designed to facilitate privatization by companies like FedEx and UPS, allowing the federal government to skim postal revenue into the general fund.

A clip from the sitcom "Two Broke Girls" is used to highlight anti-post office propaganda in media. The hosts compare the actual costs of overnight shipping, noting that the United States Postal Service is significantly cheaper than private carriers like FedEx.

A donor from Alaska highlights the vital importance of the US Postal Service for residents in non-contiguous states. While private carriers like UPS charge $20-$30 for small packages to Alaska, the USPS remains affordable and is often the only way to access "free shipping" promotions from retailers like Amazon. The hosts argue that efforts to shut down the post office are a coordinated scam.

James Howard is officially knighted for donating over $1,000 to the program. The hosts discuss the high cost of producing and shipping the custom rings, noting that many are stolen by postal workers in Commonwealth countries like Australia.