One of the big issues facing small presses today is the controversial plan to hike postal rates — a plan that is based on the work of Time Warner ... no joke. Here's an entry from the Daily Kos on the subject.

These rate hikes, which begin in July, won't affect Chin Music because we don't mail periodicals, but it is worth saying the obvious: This is more about silencing voices than it is about making a profit.

Recent postal hikes do affect us. We used to be able to mail our books overseas via priority mail for $5.25. Now it costs $8.80 and the service is several days slower. That means we're going to have to hike our postal rates on all the non-Chin Music stuff we sell in our store because the margins are just too small to absorb the extra cost. However, we're going to hold tight for now on the shipping rates for all Chin Music titles in hopes of keeping orders flowing in. We appreciate your business no matter where you find a Chin Music title, but the orders via our site bring us the most profit.

We feel sort of like the BFG in this media landscape, surrounded by giants like Fleshlumpeater, Gizzardgulper, Meatdripper and Bloodbottler. Some day I hope to make Rupert Murdoch (the Butcher Boy) eat a snozzcumber.