In a move that might prompt direct and other marketers to consider spending more of their budgets elsewhere, the U.S. Postal Service on Friday filed a request for an across-the-board 5.4 percent rate increase with the Postal Rate Commission. BtoBOnline reported that the decision to seek an increase was based on legislation requiring that the USPS establish a $3.1 billion escrow fund. DM News provides more of the gory details.