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- From: staggers@cup.hp.com (Ken Staggers)
- Newsgroups: misc.consumers
- Subject: US Postal Service Moves In Mysterious Ways
- Message-ID: <BzBDKD.E4@cup.hp.com>
- Date: 15 Dec 92 18:48:12 GMT
- Sender: news@cupnews0.cup.hp.com
- Organization: Hewlett-Packard
- Lines: 28
- X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8.1]
-
- Just a commentary about the US Postal Service. I think recently I heard
- that they (finally) had a budget surplus and the price of postage is
- secured for another few years. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that
- they are now using laser printed stamps when you have a letter/pkg weighed
- at the post office and a stamp is generated. Now, if they will only put
- one of the machines in the customer area, attach a credit card or debit card
- machine to it, I would be *very happy*.
-
- But I wanted to comment on sending a package to Asia. This summer, I sent
- to myself a package of food (about 15-18 lbs) from Chicago to Tokyo. I had
- a choice of surface (by boat, they said) or air. Air was abou 3 times more
- expensive so I sent it by surface. They said it would get there in 30-45
- days. No problem. It was July 7th (I think) at the time. I was scheduled
- to arrive in Tokyo on Aug 20th. To make a long story short, the package
- didn't arrive until Sept 15th, a few days before I left Tokyo (and finding
- the post office was another adventure :)
-
- On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I sent a magazine to a friend in Tokyo
- by air (about $8) and a box (about 5 lbs) to China. I chose surface for
- the box to China. I figured it would get there in late January. Yesterday,
- I got a card from my friend in China thanking me for sending him a present.
- Yesterday was December 15th. I think the card was mailed out on December
- 9th. It took at most 2 weeks for the package to go by surface from San Jose
- to Shanghai. I am glad I didnt pay for it via airmail.
-
- The post office moves in mysterious ways.
-
- --Ken
-