U.S. Postal Service Stamps Out Clocks

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | March 2, 2007 | Susan Stiger

[CedarDave]

Question: Why is the U.S. Postal Service removing all clocks from its lobbies?

Answer from the U.S. Postal Service: "It's part of our retail standardization program to make all the post offices look alike so you get the same service and the same supplies are available everywhere you go."

Answer from a woman in line at the Academy Post Office on San Antonio NE: "That would be so I don't know how long I've been standing here."

Yes, the clocks are gone, or they will be as post offices all over the country continue a decade-long switch to red, white and blue look-alike decor.

If you ask why lobbies can't be standardized with clocks, the answer is pretty much the same: "It's the retail standardization program. It could be a cost issue."

Time to choose sides, folks. Post office bashers, just form a neat line. Those in the standardization camp, please try to look alike.

~~ snip ~~

"It's part of an overall design," said Sam Bolen, Southwest area postal spokesman. "All lobbies are to have the same feel and service... "

Amenity schmenity, said Jake Gutierrez, who was at the Academy Post Office to mail a certified letter. Well, what he really said was: "I've been here 15 minutes. It's horrible with postage as expensive as it is. They raise the cost every year, but service has remained the same. It hasn't improved. You have to plan your lunch hour around it."

Gutierrez and others should note, the price of stamps could go up to 41 cents in May.

Some people don't mind the time. "When you come to the post office, you expect to wait," said Kyle Burns, whose cell phone helped keep him occupied. "I wouldn't have noticed about the clock if you hadn't said anything."

[LibertyLight]

Yep - Noticed that here in Queens New York post office...
Service is terrible...lines go out the door...
nothing has changed except the clock is down ...
I noticed it immediately.
Whenever I have to use the U.S. Post office here, I make sure I have a lot of time and my walkman so I can listen to Rush or whoever is on.
I love stamps...but I always say -- if one thinks they would like to have the government run healthcare - just look no further than a bad post office. There you have it.

[CSM]

I really feel bad for my mail man. On certian days I have no idea how he deals with the weather. Plus, he is really cool to my dog, so she loves him. I can tell he really enjoys his job and has gotten to know a few of his customers.

[river rat]

The hell with the clocks....I have watch..

I'd be happy if they simply hired counter attendants and delivery folks who could speak an intelligible form of English...

Here in Kalifornicate, I understand there is a need to have Postal workers who can understand all the various dialects of the legal and illegal immigrants who simply make no attempt to learn the language.

BUT, to have so many that at times it is difficult to find a counter attendant whose English can be understood by an old fart like myself, whose hearing was damaged by the noise on the battlefield fighting the relatives of the U.S Post Office employees!

Semper Fi

[Let's Roll]

"That's one cent for delivery and forty cents for storage."

Excellent!

[mikeybaby]

Cut mail delivery to Mon-Wed-Fri.
At least three times a week, I go to the mailbox only to throw everything in the trash before I get in the house.
The USPS pays no taxes(fuel,property,State,Local,Federal,Sales,Etc.).
Lay off half the people through attrition.
This is not rocket surgery.
See Amtrack.

[Bonaparte]

Yes, you can buy stamps on the net. But you will pay a postage and handling charge. Better to buy stamps at the ATM. If you have a printer, you can set up a free account with the online USPS, then print any kind of postage and labels you want, including insurance, delivery confirmation, etc. It's all just charged to your credit card.

[Bonaparte]

"Watches are so last century."

Really?

I sometimes wear this one. It's a lot of fun. You have to read it in binary. I love the look on people's faces when they ask me the time and I hold it up so they can read all the flashing blue lights, LOL! A lot of them ask where they can get one.

[mcshot]

Reminds me of President Nixon’s promise of next day first class service anywhere in the country. Somewhere some wheels fell off.

[x_plus_one]

Those Y2K countdown clocks were creepy...

[BearCub]

Again??

At this rate, 'forever stamps' might make a good addition to the Roth IRA.

[Bernard]

I never wear a watch because nothing important happens until I get there.

And I do go through the junk mail in case some charity is sending cash (nickels, sometimes a dollar bill), which I use to pay the postage for the charities I do contribute to. We actually won an award for "recycling family of the month", thanks to the volume of junk mail.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

What a fun link! I really enjoyed looking at those. < :D

[Bonaparte]

Glad you liked it!

Here's the one I got --

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Check out this one. Same watch, two links:

here and here

It will only set you back $118,000.

[Bonaparte]

Very cool idea to show the "astronaut's view" of earth and Ullyse Nardin has always made nice chronometer grade movements.

That said, I would make some changes in this model -- 1) rather than the two springs to indicate day and night coverage, I would have a rotating LED illuminated aperture so that it actually looked like the sunlight was moving over the globe, 2) the case would be watertight down to at least 200 meters, 3) I would lose that bizarre mix of Arabic and Roman numerals on the bezel and use either stylized Romans or dagger points, 4) I'd offer a matching platinum bracelet.

I know -- the watch would be thicker, much heavier and more expensive. But as Mom used to say, "Dreaming is free."

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

That said, I would make some changes in this model --

I like your proposed changes. They would definitely be cool. New changes require a new name. Instead of the J. Kepler, your new model would be called the Tellurium N. Bonaparte. < :D

[Bonaparte]

"... Tellurium N. Bonaparte."

... with functions for calculating wind direction/velocity, trajectories/distances of projectiles when weight/force are entered, dispersion patterns of canister/shrapnel when height/charge are entered, etc.

He would have loved something like this. The perfect gift for the man who has all of Europe and wants more. I once attended an auction preview and held in my hand the sterling silver compass/sundial he carried through his campaigns. It had originally been made for Louis XIV, who probably never even used it.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

with functions for calculating wind direction/velocity, trajectories/distances of projectiles when weight/force are entered, dispersion patterns of canister/shrapnel when height/charge are entered, etc

LOL!!!