They're broke, getting increasingly obsolete, and now they're upping their prices: The U.S. Postal Service will raise postage prices in the new year. As of January, 22, 2012, the cost of a first-class stamp will go up a penny to 45 cents. Other postage rates will jump up, too. more ›

The national fiscal crisis may soon force the Unites States Postal Service to eliminate Saturday delivery, reports the Daily Breeze. Inching towards this goal today the USPS is seeking the independent Postal Regulatory Commission's opinion on the service change, and after that would need Congressional approval. The USPS says this will save them $3 billion a year, and reflects "a decade-long plan to eliminate losses and restore the agency to stability in the face of shrinking business." Post offices would remain open, however there would be no home or business delivery, or collection from blue mailboxes. more ›

Starting today it's going to cost you more to snail mail your letters, cards, postcards and bills, KTLA.com reminds mailers. Today "the price of a first-class stamp will increase two cents to 44-cents. Forever stamps can still be used without an additional 2-cent stamp, regardless of when they were purchased." Other changes include a bump of postcard stamps from "1 cent to 28 cents, the first ounce of a large envelope will increase 5 cents to 88 cents and the first ounce of a parcel will increase 5 cents to $1.22." The rate increases are meant to help the Post Office cope with rising operational costs, and "are in line with the amount of inflation," according to Postmaster General John Potter. more ›

As the postal worker delivered mail yesterday to businesses along Sunset Blvd., he apologized to Joe Keeper of Bar Keeper for not delivering mail on Saturday. He said that Sunset Junction Street Festival security and staff would not let him inside the festival, even with his USPS issued ID and uniform, to deliver mail to the businesses, according to Keeper. more ›

Sometimes one is in the mood for a gathering of people with great music, but instead of being happy and energetically dancing around, there is Give Up's "A Sad, Slow Dance Party" presented by dublab and Part Time Punks tonight at La Cita. Taking cue from the successfully subdued Give Up shows where DJs played gloomy music and devotees painted tears on their faces, this next installation takes on the lonely theme in time for Valentine's Day. What's interesting is the depressing music actually has the opposite effect and makes for a joyful time. more ›

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The US Postal Service this week implemented their newly inflated rates, again. And to distract us from the fact that the government agency is sticking it to us despite continuing making hundreds of millions of dollars in profit, they rolled out the new Forever Stamp. The Forever Stamp allows you to buy a 41-cent stamp today and use it for a regular letter, like, say, a nice card to your favorite city-based blog with... more ›

$0.17 (each additional ounce) The upshot? more ›

This week's Question of the Week comes from Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, who asks through a letter to the President of the United States what the hell he's thinking reading American people's mail. In a letter that was posted yesterday by Raw Story, Feingold ends his letter with the Question of the week: You have already confirmed that you have authorized the NSA to conduct surveillance of communications without obtaining the court orders... more ›

Listen to a track HERE more ›

WEDNESDAY more ›

Do people still stand in line for concert tickets or is it fastest web connection wins in the internet age? Whichever path you take, you should plan to get up early on Saturday if you want to catch Rilo Kiley and The Postal Service at the Wiltern in June. Tickets go on sale through ticketmaster that morning. It will be their only LA show (if you don't count Coachella) and we're guessing that people will be jumping all over themselves to get a chance to catch Jenny and Blake and the boys. more ›

Jared Hess (director of Napoleon Dynamite and Postal Service's most recent video) will be part of the Q and A tonight along with Michael and Olivier Gondry and Peter Cornwell at this month's RES screening. more ›

'Tis a busy night all over, so we'll skip the niceties and get down to business. more ›