I recently had a thank-you card returned by way of the U.S. Postal Service. The stamp I had affixed to the envelope featured the Liberty Bell, while in returning it to me the USPS canceled it with the message "2010 Census / Mail It Back."
My card came back because it was "not deliverable as addressed." What blunder did I commit? I had mailed the note to a one-building retirement home and specified the correct name, street address, city, state, and zip. But for the sub-address, I wrote "Apt. 321" instead of the correct "Apt. 231." The mail carrier could have delivered it with the information I specified. If I had left the apartment number off entirely, it likely would've been delivered.
I recalled that the 2010 census form contains more "blunders" than my little note card. It is clearly intrusive on privacy and goes well beyond the restrictions imposed by the Constitution, which, though highly elastic in today's world, still purports to be the highest law of the land.
With the Liberty Bell marred with the wavy lines of the cancellation message urging us to mail the 2010 census back, one is strongly tempted to comply, returning it the way it was received, unopened, as the USPS did to my little card. Their message also serves as a reminder that liberty itself had been canceled and our lives would forever be at the mercy of omnicompetent bureaucracies.
1 comment:
This happens all the time! Our university was hammered into very specific new address regulations with the promise that they 'will not deliver' if the old, previously acceptable address is posted. Some of our correspondents with the 'U' have the old address and when they get it returned, are miffed, usually giving us a phone call with understandable irritation!
Question: What two services provide the worst service possible and still expect customer loyality?
Answer: Airlines and the USPS! Think about it - the airlines are doing just about anything possible to keep customers away; bogus no fly lists, ineffective and time-wasting secruity screening, high ticket prices, and absolutely nothing in the line of service! And somehow, they work on ways to find more creative ways to charge the traveler; now carry-on bags are becoming fair game and rest room charges are being coonsidered!
Ron
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