[1vertical]

even if I could send you truffles (which I don't think I can, import regulations being what they are) I 1. wouldn't trust the workers at USPS to not destroy or steal the thing

1vertical bends over double with the blow philamb just delivered to his nether regions and his co-workers.....
small joys beaten down to the size of quarks

[pinnah]

 , I am sure poor philamb did not realize you are a honored member of the USPS force.
truffle schmuffle, head out and find yourself some new world chantys that reek of apricots.

[1vertical]

, I am sure poor philamb did not realize you are a honored member of the USPS force.
truffle schmuffle, head out and find yourself some new world chantys that reek of apricots.

You are so correct and I do have a source for Black Perigords here in the good ole US...
I just cannot imagine the terrible experience Phil must have endured to reflect that opinion....
I would love to give him a tour of a USPS facility and elighten him...they even have
welding hood viewing galleries surrounding the work area so inspectors can do voyouristic
anonymous things at all times...or any time ....no one knows but the inspectors.  We are
heavily watched for sure....Misrouting...happens....stealing usually not..

[morticaixavier]

, I am sure poor philamb did not realize you are a honored member of the USPS force.
truffle schmuffle, head out and find yourself some new world chantys that reek of apricots.

You are so correct and I do have a source for Black Perigords here in the good ole US...
I just cannot imagine the terrible experience Phil must have endured to reflect that opinion....
I would love to give him a tour of a USPS facility and elighten him...they even have
welding hood viewing galleries surrounding the work area so inspectors can do voyouristic
anonymous things at all times...or any time ....no one knows but the inspectors.  We are
heavily watched for sure....Misrouting...happens....stealing usually not..

Yea!!! I love the the USPS! I will start complaining about you guys when there is another way to send a letter 3000 miles away for 42 cents! Just wish I could mail beer.

Although a friend once told me a story of when he worked fo the USPS in the 60's and came across a package mailed from afganistan that 'wieghed about 2 pounds and smelled suspicous' the paper was torn and he liberated it before the inspectors could. In that case I suspect he saved some kid a lot of trouble though so maybe not all bad.

[phillamb168]

, I am sure poor philamb did not realize you are a honored member of the USPS force.
truffle schmuffle, head out and find yourself some new world chantys that reek of apricots.

You are so correct and I do have a source for Black Perigords here in the good ole US...
I just cannot imagine the terrible experience Phil must have endured to reflect that opinion....
I would love to give him a tour of a USPS facility and elighten him...they even have
welding hood viewing galleries surrounding the work area so inspectors can do voyouristic
anonymous things at all times...or any time ....no one knows but the inspectors.  We are
heavily watched for sure....Misrouting...happens....stealing usually not..

My comments were indeed generalized, for that I apologize. I have had absolutely atrocious experiences with the post offices in NYC and Chicago. Never, ever a good experience, not a single time. The best is that I get the stink eye (as opposed to "hello") and the worst was the time I was yelled at (yes, for real) for not filling out a form correctly. And yep, in both NYC and Chicago I've been delivered letters that had been opened (like you would a normal envelope, not like something that would happen by accident in a sorting machine) and re-sealed with tape. Typically greeting cards.

Of course, La Poste in France isn't much better, but just like the US it depends on the branch. My local is very nice, but the one time I tried to send a package (of beer) to the US from a branch in Paris, the lady at the counter insulted me several times and joked to her coworkers about my grammatical mistakes.

[corkybstewart]

, I am sure poor philamb did not realize you are a honored member of the USPS force.
truffle schmuffle, head out and find yourself some new world chantys that reek of apricots.

Of course, La Poste in France isn't much better, but just like the US it depends on the branch. My local is very nice, but the one time I tried to send a package (of beer) to the US from a branch in Paris, the lady at the counter insulted me several times and joked to her coworkers about my grammatical mistakes.

Parisans are forced to study rudeness in the Modern Age from age 10 until they get out of school.  I can go anywhere in France and being treated with kindness and respect, even given my incredibly unique(bad) version of French.  But once we get in the Paris area everybody treats us like 3-headed mutants.

[punatic]

...in Paris, the lady at the counter insulted me several times and joked to her coworkers about my grammatical mistakes.

Is that not de rigueur?

[punatic]

joie de vivre

[akr71]

, I am sure poor philamb did not realize you are a honored member of the USPS force.
truffle schmuffle, head out and find yourself some new world chantys that reek of apricots.

You are so correct and I do have a source for Black Perigords here in the good ole US...
I just cannot imagine the terrible experience Phil must have endured to reflect that opinion....
I would love to give him a tour of a USPS facility and elighten him...they even have
welding hood viewing galleries surrounding the work area so inspectors can do voyouristic
anonymous things at all times...or any time ....no one knows but the inspectors.  We are
heavily watched for sure....Misrouting...happens....stealing usually not..

I gained a newfound respect for the global postal system this spring.  I ordered a refractometer from eBay - it came from Hong Kong and arrived safe and sound... in an inter-office envelope!  You know, the kind that are held closed with a string wound around two paper disks.
 

[pinnah]

Last week I was lamenting the fact that we had not seen any big sheep,
and the next morning we topped out at this lake at the back of the cirque
and found this on the shore.

[Slowbrew]

, I am sure poor philamb did not realize you are a honored member of the USPS force.
truffle schmuffle, head out and find yourself some new world chantys that reek of apricots.

You are so correct and I do have a source for Black Perigords here in the good ole US...
I just cannot imagine the terrible experience Phil must have endured to reflect that opinion....
I would love to give him a tour of a USPS facility and elighten him...they even have
welding hood viewing galleries surrounding the work area so inspectors can do voyouristic
anonymous things at all times...or any time ....no one knows but the inspectors.  We are
heavily watched for sure....Misrouting...happens....stealing usually not..

I gained a newfound respect for the global postal system this spring.  I ordered a refractometer from eBay - it came from Hong Kong and arrived safe and sound... in an inter-office envelope!  You know, the kind that are held closed with a string wound around two paper disks.
 

When I was managing the service department of a Clone PC manufacturer back in the '90s we trusted the USPS more than UPS or FedEx. 

On more than occasion UPS would return a computer "that was packed well enough".  One of these boxes had tandem wheel tracks right down the middle of the box.  I asked how them explain how to pack a box so their trucks could drive over it and have the machine inside survive.  Had to fight that damage insurance claim for 6 months.

Fed Ex returned a machine that said was damaged in transit because of lack of packaging.  One of their drivers had dumped a semi-trailer in a river in Colorado.  They wrapped the system in stretchy plastic and tried to deliver it.  The customer refused it (obviously) and FedEx dumped it in my lap for "poor packaging".  Another 6 months of fighting with an insurance inspector.

Never had those issues with USPS.

Paul

[punatic]

When I was managing the service department of a Clone PC manufacturer back in the '90s we trusted the USPS more than UPS or FedEx.  

On more than occasion UPS would return a computer "that was packed well enough".  One of these boxes had tandem wheel tracks right down the middle of the box.  I asked how them explain how to pack a box so their trucks could drive over it and have the machine inside survive.  Had to fight that damage insurance claim for 6 months.

Fed Ex returned a machine that said was damaged in transit because of lack of packaging.  One of their drivers had dumped a semi-trailer in a river in Colorado.  They wrapped the system in stretchy plastic and tried to deliver it.  The customer refused it (obviously) and FedEx dumped it in my lap for "poor packaging".  Another 6 months of fighting with an insurance inspector.

I ALWAYS use HDS

[maxieboy]

Last week I was lamenting the fact that we had not seen any big sheep,
and the next morning we topped out at this lake at the back of the cirque
and found this on the shore.

Awesome pic! Almost a full curl. The old boy is resting in a beautiful spot...

[corkybstewart]

After a few days in what looked to me like a coma my FIL decided it was not time to die so Monday afternoon he started to wake up a little, Tuesday he was fairly irritated at the world, and by Wednesday he was absolutely furious at everybody, especially the 100 kilo nurse (Mdm Bouchet)who tried to insert a hose larger than his anus causing him much pain and anguish.  Of course nobody at the hospital knows a nurse of that size or name but that didn't stop him from complaining.  So now that he's alive we're about to get on a plane back to the good old US of A. 
We actually had a pretty good time, drank way too much good wine and ate too much.  I put 6 Orvals into the wine cave to drink over the next few visits.  It'll be interesting to see how they change over the years.  The cave stays 46F with 90% humidity so it should be a great place to age beer.

[euge]

You hadn't posted in a while. But you were in France... Glad the FIL is pulling through. That kinda thing is incredibly stressful.