Western Union abandons telegrams

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Everything I need to know I learned through Googling.

Stop.

I don't know about that STOP It's more like Kodak getting out of the film business, and they're certainly on their way to doing that STOP

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SeanF

"Ask to understand, but don't challenge unless you have the knowledge."--NEOWatcher

The contents of this post are ©2008 by SeanF and may not be copied or retransmitted in any form without the express written consent of SeanF

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And so it was, however late . . .

I sent one telegram in my life: To CBS News, to tell them that
they were getting some of their facts confused while reporting
the crisis-in-progress aboard Apollo 13. They got it straight in
the next newscast.

-- Jeff, in Minneapolis

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http://www.FreeMars.org/jeff/

"I find astronomy very interesting, but I wouldn't if I thought we
were just going to sit here and look." -- "Van Rijn"

"The other planets? Well, they just happen to be there, but the
point of rockets is to explore them!" -- Kai Yeves

That's about in the same vein as Pepsi making more money every year through its Frito-Lay division than its softdrink division. In fact, Pepsi makes more on its water and sports drinks than it does in soft drinks. If they stopped making Pepsi tomorrow, their bottom line would likely improve substantially.

Times change.

Just not the conglomerates that own them!

Personally, I'd be curious to see who still used them. It is a rather quaint means of communicating in this century. Almost as bad as quaint as the Pony Express that it superceded.

I think they are quaint too, and I lament their passing. I sent my father a telegram on his 80th birthday. I thought it would be more fun to have a guy come to the door with a telegram than to just get a card in the mail. It worked.

To paraphrase, it was something like:

Dear Sir STOP Warning STOP EPA says 80 candles too many STOP Suggest four cakes with 20 candles each STOP HArry Birthday STOP Your Son STOP

When I called Western Union to place the telegram, they told me they no longer used "STOP" and I should just use punctuation. I told then I knew that but wanted to use STOP anyway. They tried to insist, and I had to almost fight with them to write a telegram in the old style. WHat is a telegram without all the STOP entries?

It was just a silly thing, but Dad loved it, so I got my reward from the effort. My uncle will be turning 80 in a month or so, and I thought of doing the same for him, but now I can't. Dad has been gone now for a long time, but I won't forget the year he got the telegram.

One use for them was a message that can be deliverd almost immediately and generate a signed receipt, and can be simulataneously sent to multiple places around the country or the world. Times change alright. We dropped FAX a couple years ago around here. ANything you can FAX me you can scan and email.

I don't think the use of the word dud is appropriate. It served a purpose, until something better came along. Oh, that does sound like a dud.

"It served its purpose until something better came along."

Did you mean dud or dude? Hmmmm...

Yes.

ok, I'm pedantic. "dud" would be incorrect. Dud is 'non-functioning'. The telegram system still works, but it's outmoded.

The Model T was not a dud, though we no longer drive it (as a matter of general use - there are still a few around)

I wonder if there are other companies that offer Telegrams...

The use of the word "dud" was obviously irony. The Ford Model T
was fabulously successful. The telegram, even more so.

-- Jeff, in Minneapolis

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http://www.FreeMars.org/jeff/

"I find astronomy very interesting, but I wouldn't if I thought we
were just going to sit here and look." -- "Van Rijn"

"The other planets? Well, they just happen to be there, but the
point of rockets is to explore them!" -- Kai Yeves

Quick, send Lurch a telegram:

You're a dud, dude STOP

No, I mean it STOP

Cut it out STOP

stop STOP

don't STOP

etc.

I think the "dud" reference was a bit of dry sarcasm. I'm sure TS recognizes that the telegraph was A Very Big Deal - the first speed-of-light communication that extended beyond visual range.

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In the progress of this discussion I shall endeavor to give a satisfactory answer to all the objections which shall have made their appearance, that may seem to have any claim to your attention.

Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 1

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Yes, I have a life. It's quite different from yours.

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You can still send telegrams, just not through Western Union:

http://1-800-prioritytelegram.com/

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Everything I need to know I learned through Googling.

expensive...

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