"Bulk mailing shouldn't result in a community receiving the item at a minimum of a week separate from 1st class unless the mailing is delayed at the source, or by the source...."

Bob, lot's of things SHOULDN'T be... but they are. 3rd class bulk mail DOES take longer to be processed by the USPS. It is considered "junk mail" by some. It is handled only after all first and second class mail is processed.... each step all along the way. Bulk third-class mail is not forwarded in case of address change. Jim Steffner will receive an address correction form from the Postal Service ... but the actual mailing of the magazine is not forwarded, it is discarded at the post office.

When I was doing the club magazine mailings from my home here in Brick, NJ I would deliberately send a copy to myself via bulk third class mail just to see how much longer it took to get delivered. A delay of a week to ten days over first class was not unusual. That's why most club members opt for the first-class delivery of their magazine. Not only just for the speed of delivery, but also for the timeliness of items being offered for sale in advertisements. As the saying goes, "the early bird gets the worm". Unfortunately, the worm has been eaten by the time some members get their magazine which results in returned checks for items that are no longer available. I know, I know, the response will be that all magazine mailings should be first class. But that ain't a fact of life either.

QUESTION TO ALL: Many folks have first reported on this bb receiving their magazine last Saturday as the earliest.... probably all first class. Has anyone received their bulk mailing copy yet?

BTW: The printer who currently produces the club magazine and who does the mailing is in Minnesota