Yes. I forgot the upfront premium you pay for the opportunity to buy things and get 2 day over standard shipping at no additional cost (at the time of purchase).

The other thing we all are forgetting is that prime membership is more than just "free" 2 day shipping, it includes Instant Prime Video streaming. something many people don't seem to care about. Perhaps Amazon needs to break the two offerings out? Prime Shipping ~ $59 / year, Prime Videos ~ $59 / year, Prime Both ~ $99 / year?