So trivial, yet it really ticks you off.

[Turnip]

Because Fed Wrecks and U Pee S are even worse. Every single damaged package I've ever received has come from either of them. Uncle's service, however it may otherwise be criticized, has never destroyed any of my parcels.

Similar here. If not shipped by DHL (FKA Deutsche Post) i don’t order and it’s also my only choice for sending. It’s fast also, I already had orders from UK delivered next day in Germany.

 

[tonyb]

I’ve had almost but not quite universally good service from USPS.

I’ve made hundreds of Priority Mail shipments at this point and have yet to file a claim on that additional insurance I always buy. (I’m just superstitious enough to think that the first time I fail to purchase the additional coverage will be the time they lose the package.)

However, a couple of times in recent months Priority Mail shipments that were supposed to arrive within three days took a week or more. They get to the destination city in a day or two and then take their sweet effing time about covering the last 20 miles.

But then, as long as we’re swapping anecdotes, I’m still awaiting delivery for a couple pair of shoes I bought from Zappos (an Amazon company) that were s’posed to be here yesterday. Yesterday’s check of the tracking number (Amazon Logistics, not USPS) informed that it was “delayed in transit,” which is just too conveniently unspecific. The last entry with useful information said it left a facility in Illinois last Friday. No updates yet today. So I’m guessing they just don’t know where it is. Which is not to say it’s lost, necessarily. But, you know, delayed in transit, somewhere between my house and that warehouse in Illinois.

 

[Hercule]

Because Fed Wrecks and U Pee S are even worse. Every single damaged package I've ever received has come from either of them. Uncle's service, however it may otherwise be criticized, has never destroyed any of my parcels.

Oh we've gotten plenty of damaged parcels before, but what takes the cake are the empty envelopes that have arrived.

 

[Zombie_61]

...Why again hasn't the post office gone under?

I feel your pain. I ordered a cap from a company in Missouri; it took USPS five days to transport it approximately 165 miles from Fairdealing to St. Louis. After that, the last actual tracking was done on the 21st which is when it allegedly left St. Louis, followed by "tracking" on the 25th which simply stated "In Transit, Arriving Late - Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility." Which, I assume, means it's sitting immobile in an unloaded trailer somewhere on the planet waiting to be discovered.

 

[GHT]

Because Fed Wrecks and U Pee S are even worse. Every single damaged package I've ever received has come from either of them. Uncle's service, however it may otherwise be criticized, has never destroyed any of my parcels.

The UPS phone number in the US, from what I remember, was "Pick-Ups." In the UK that number was picked up on and dubbed "Cock-Ups." You may not use that vulgarity Stateside but it hardly needs explaining.

Similar here. If not shipped by DHL (FKA Deutsche Post) i don’t order and it’s also my only choice for sending. It’s fast also, I already had orders from UK delivered next day in Germany.

DHL bought a company in the UK called UK Mail/UK Parcels, a company with an appalling reputation for reliability. DHL has yet to turn around UK Mail's terrible service, so much so that DHL itself has become synonymous with poor service. Not for nothing is it known as Drop it, Harm it, Lose it.
USPS does not have a monopoly on poor service and a lack of reliability. Our Royal Mail are a law unto themselves and their standards beggar belief. In an attempt to improve their image they separated the parcel division calling it Parcel Force. It didn't take long for that to become known as Parcel Farce.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Woah, Vangelis has a wonderful "The Collection", BUT "Alpha" and "Ballad" are missing!!

 

[tonyb]

... as long as we’re swapping anecdotes, I’m still awaiting delivery for a couple pair of shoes I bought from Zappos (an Amazon company) that were s’posed to be here yesterday. Yesterday’s check of the tracking number (Amazon Logistics, not USPS) informed that it was “delayed in transit,” which is just too conveniently unspecific. The last entry with useful information said it left a facility in Illinois last Friday. No updates yet today. So I’m guessing they just don’t know where it is. Which is not to say it’s lost, necessarily. But, you know, delayed in transit, somewhere between my house and that warehouse in Illinois.

Uidate: Three days past the expected delivery date and still no sneakers. However, online tracking showed the shipment was scanned into a local carrier’s facility at 2:51 a.m. on Tuesday, so 42 hours ago. Seems to me it shouldn’t take so long to cover those last few miles.

So I called Zappo’s customer service and chatted with a pleasant fellow in Jamaica who said he’ll see to it the cage here in town gets rattled and that it ought to arrive tomorrow.

And ... !

I now have a $40 credit with Zappo’s. Seeing how a new pair of sneakers runs about 50 bucks, I can’t complain.

 

[Harp]

I’ve had almost but not quite universally good service from USPS.
But then, as long as we’re swapping anecdotes, I’m still awaiting delivery for a couple pair of shoes I bought from Zappos (an Amazon company) that were s’posed to be here yesterday. Yesterday’s check of the tracking number (Amazon Logistics, not USPS) informed that it was “delayed in transit,” which is just too conveniently unspecific. The last entry with useful information said it left a facility in Illinois last Friday. No updates yet today. So I’m guessing they just don’t know where it is. Which is not to say it’s lost, necessarily. But, you know, delayed in transit, somewhere between my house and that warehouse in Illinois.

As an Illinois resident I can vouch that lately car jacking and sneaker/shoes are in high demand.
The usual crowbar smash glass discount crowd.

 

[Trenchfriend]

How good is Dominos? Trustable?

 

[Hercule]

How about a little brightness to counter the trivial annoyances -

We had a pretty big snow storm the other day and, having moved to the snow belt and THE primary target of all the lake effect snow, we got 2 feet of very wet heavy snow. Branches were down and drooping all over the place including the power lines that run behind out house. Well, I called it in to the power company so they can trim the branches off the lines. So a pretty rag tag crew showed up this morning unannounced and trimmed what was in their domain. Fair enough. They didn't really help the situation though as there were still branches hanging on some of the other lines, probably phone and cable. Ok, I'll go out later and see what I can see and call the other utilities. Much to my surprise about a half hour later they returned and finished the job. As they were getting in their truck to leave they noticed the old lady (she's maybe 70+ and relatively spry) across the street picking away at the ice mound by the road created by the city plow trucks. She had cleared most of her driveway with her little snow blower yesterday afternoon but was still closed in. (My son had gone over earlier to clear a walking path to the street so she could walk her two dogs - we affectionally refer to them as "dead and deader" - if you saw them you'd understand). Much to our surprise and indeed delight, the crew of three went over, she was able to produce three shovels, and in a few minutes her driveway was open. It was very heartwarming to see their kindness.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Can anyone stop this LED-reindeers and sleds-mania in the front yards, please??

How much ressources are consumed for this "spruce"?

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^
They do that over your way too, eh?

My dog and I encounter several such bedazzled domiciles on our daily walks. I kinda like that they’re there. At least it leaves me knowing I ain’t the tackiest person living around here.

 

[Trenchfriend]

^^^^^
They do that over your way too, eh?

My dog and I encounter several such bedazzled domiciles on our daily walks. I kinda like that they’re there. At least it leaves my knowing I ain’t the tackiest person living around here.

The last days, I saw, there must be a sudden flood of this stuff. Not so bad design itself, but all got the same stuff in their front yards!

 

[BobHufford]

Since 1983 The Today Show and Smucker's have been celebrating folks that were 100+ years old or had a 75+ year wedding anniversary.

This morning I see that they are now doing this for 1-year-olds:

Trivial, but it ticks me off enough that I yelled at the TV.

 

[LizzieMaine]

How good is Dominos? Trustable?

Domino's Sugar is very good.

Domino's Pizza -- well, you can eat it and say you've eaten a pizza, but that's as far as it goes, really. It's generic American Pizza, and every one you get is exactly the same as the last one you got. I like their thin crust much better than their thick crust, because you can eat it fast enough that you don't stop and think about what you're doing.

 

[Hercule]

Domino's certainly is nothing like they used to be back in the day. We got them several times a year or so ago and they're definitely not the worst delivery chain pizzas. Actually I think they've gotten to be one of the better ones, at least around here. Which really doesn't say much. Their subs are actually very good.

 

[Zombie_61]

Wow. The last time I ate Domino's pizza was 1983 or '84. I was working for a Goodyear retailer that also did oil changes and such, and one day the manager called a local Domino's to ask their manager if he needed any maintenance work done on his car; very much a "Bring us some pizzas and we'll take care of it for you" kind of arrangement which worked out okay for all of us who were working that day. Not bad, but nothing special--I can't imagine much has changed.

 

[Trenchfriend]

@LizzieMaine @Hercule @Zombie_61
We have one in the next bigger city in a former station bulding on our secondary railroad. And every time, I'm riding the railcar in the dark and the railcar is standing some minutes in this terminal station, I'm watching them work through the back windows. The youngsters, working in there, always look like having joy on what they're doing. Maybe, I will try a slice of pizza the next time, our railcar is standing.

 

[Hercule]

Not bad, but nothing special--I can't imagine much has changed.

That's what we thought until about five years ago we started seeing their commercials then actually tried their new pizza. They were absolutely nothing like the dry cardboard pizzas we got in college which was quite a surprise. Still very far from gourmet or even like the mom and pop pizza joint down the street, but you take it for what it is - commercial takeout/delivery pizza. I'd bet they made a conscious decision to change at some point so as to actually become competitive with the other chains. Their reputation certainly wasn't cutting it. Haven't had Domino's in a while as other places are more convenient and better fit our wants (not that they're anything to write home about. The only pizza my son will actually gobble up is Donato's (originated in Columbus I think) thin crust pepperoni, which I find OK but expensive for what it is in my opinion.

 

[MisterCairo]

Ketchup on hot dogs.

"Nobody, and I mean nobody, puts ketchup on a hot dog".

-Harry Callahan