Michael Cash wrote:
  > 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.

Amazing how many people think that other people should pay their costs. 
There was a rancher in Arizona back in the mid-80's who raised holy hell 
because US West wanted to charge him $10,000 to install a residential 
line. He lived 50 miles from the nearest town with phone service and 
they were going to have to install a private microwave station to 
deliver him service. He successfully lobbied the Arizona legislature to 
get a $100 installation fee cap imposed.

KWW