On 13 Apr 2006 08:04:16 -0700, declan_murphy@hotmail.com brought down
from the Mount tablets inscribed:

>CL wrote:
>> declan_murphy@hotmail.com wrote:
>> > Marvel wrote:

>> And the Post Office waives standard size requirements in certain cases.
>
>Any examples?

I've heard a couple of anecdotes regarding some odd abuses of the lack
of adequate regulations waaaay back when.....

In one case, a fellow wanted to move a house a few miles. He got an
estimate from a house moving firm. Then he consulted the (US) postage
tables in effect at the time and noticed it would be cheaper to mail
the house.

So....he bought sufficient stamps to pay the postage, stuck them on
the side of the house, addressed it, and called the post office to
come pick it up. The post office ended up having to hire a house
moving firm to move the house for him.

In the other case, a building contractor got a contract on a new
project in Alaska. Naturally, it was going to cost him a small fortune
to have all the building materials shipped to the job site, it being
in a remote area with roads ranging from poor to nonexistent.

The great thing about domestic postage rates is that distance and
remoteness of the addressee don't affect them. He sent every single
bit of the building material via the United States Postal Service,
which quite naturally ended up having to pay exorbitant rates to an
outside contractor to haul the stuff the last bit of the way.

It is enterprising geniuses like those two who are at least partially
to blame for the regulations being the way they are.




--

Michael Cash

"Clowns to the left of me and jokers to the right, Mr. Cash.
Clowns and jokers."

                                Prof. Ernest T. Bass
                                Mount Pilot College