Grumble Thread

**LMcD** · 18-12-23, 23:08

Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post

I never realised that pigeons migrate...

?

**Serial_Apologist** · 18-12-23, 23:33

Originally posted by LMcD View Post

?

It was just an observation on carrier pigeons - don't worry!

**LMcD** · 19-12-23, 10:25

Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post

It was just an observation on carrier pigeons - don't worry!

I didn't realize that pigeons served on aircraft carriers.

**kernelbogey** · 19-12-23, 10:35

Originally posted by LMcD View Post

I didn't realize that pigeons served on aircraft carriers.

Just the career pigeons.

**LMcD** · 19-12-23, 10:38

Originally posted by kernelbogey View Post

Just the career pigeons.

Would that include Lieutenant 'Mouldy Old Dough' Pigeon?

**Serial_Apologist** · 19-12-23, 14:56

Originally posted by LMcD View Post

Would that include Lieutenant 'Mouldy Old Dough' Pigeon?

No, only the dove tailers.

**LMcD** · 19-12-23, 21:09

Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post

No, only the dove tailers.

They're probably running the joint.

**oddoneout** · 20-12-23, 09:44

Originally posted by LMcD View Post

They're probably running the joint.

Sitting on their butts, eating biscuits, the occasional half lap of the room to pocket their takings their only exercise, all the while ignoring the parental plaint "you mitre made something of yourself".

**LMcD** · 20-12-23, 10:50

Originally posted by oddoneout View Post

Sitting on their butts, eating biscuits, the occasional half lap of the room to pocket their takings their only exercise, all the while ignoring the parental plaint "you mitre made something of yourself".

Comments presumably addressed to the ones that were left (the rump)

**Nick Armstrong** · 22-12-23, 14:08

Originally posted by Nick Armstrong View Post

You can. I have. It’s got the computer code strip next to the stamp - as long as it has that, you’re fine

Thanks to a friend whose card had been sent with a range of random non-barcoded pictorial stamps without a problem, my understanding above has been refined: when I mentioned it, he sent me this link -

https://news.sky.com/story/final-day...plies-12930928

So plain stamps with no barcode are void since July 23, but picture stamps without barcode are valid indefinitely…

(This was actually apparent from a link Old Grumpy posted just after mine quoted above - but I hadn’t read the small print…

)

**Dave2002** · 22-12-23, 15:04

Now there is very significant price difference between 1st class and 2nd class stamps. I wanted some new 1st class Christmas stamps, but they're 50p more than 2nd class.

Allegedly the reason is that 2nd class stamp prices are limited by Ofcom, while 1st class .... anything goes!

Grrr!

Wait for 2nd class prices to catch up next year!

**Serial_Apologist** · 22-12-23, 17:04

Originally posted by LMcD View Post

Comments presumably addressed to the ones that were left (the rump)

The sat upon.

**Serial_Apologist** · 22-12-23, 17:07

Originally posted by Nick Armstrong View Post

So plain stamps with no barcode are void since July 23, but picture stamps without barcode are valid indefinitely…

Pernickety bureaucracy gone utterly mad!

**Old Grumpy** · 22-12-23, 18:50

First class may not be all it's cracked up to be:

Investigation finds Royal Mail prioritising packages over letters - Printweek

https://www.printweek.com/content/news/investigation-finds-royal-mail-prioritising-packages-over-letters/

Royal Mail regularly prioritises the delivery of packages over letters, a Sunday Times investigation has found.

**oddoneout** · 22-12-23, 20:19

Originally posted by Old Grumpy View Post

First class may not be all it's cracked up to be:

Investigation finds Royal Mail prioritising packages over letters - Printweek

https://www.printweek.com/content/news/investigation-finds-royal-mail-prioritising-packages-over-letters/

Royal Mail regularly prioritises the delivery of packages over letters, a Sunday Times investigation has found.

And set to get even less so?

Royal Mail hopes to end Saturday letter deliveries as watchdog seeks evidence

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/sep/05/royal-mail-saturday-letter-deliveries-ofcom-universal-service-obligation

Ofcom consults on universal service obligation, which requires deliveries to all UK addresses six days a week

When I first read about this idea I wondered how the small matter of 1st class delivery was going to be dealt with - if at all. I still don't know, and can't help thinking that if Saturday deliveries are dropped there isn't going to be any push to make sure that customers are aware that the extra 50 p won't mean a letter gets to its destination any quicker than 2nd class would, if it's posted on a Friday.