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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Nov. 27, 2009
/ 10 Kislev 5770
USPS' Consumer Computer Problem
By
Mark Kellner
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
One week ago, on Nov. 16, the United States Postal Service reported a $3.8 billion
- with a "b" - dollar loss for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2009.
The quasi-governmental corporation said in a news release it could lose as much as
$7.8 billion during the current fiscal year.
There are many reasons why this proud, pre-1776 service, founded by Benjamin
Franklin, is on the ropes. One small part might be the agency's cavalier attitude
towards customers seeking to integrate today's computer technology with USPS
services.
Since 1991, when the first computer-automated laserjet stamp-printing kiosks were
tested at the Merrifield, Virginia, post office, I've followed many iterations of
what could be called "digital postage," for want of a better term. Many of the
private sector initiatives, such as Stamps.com, have done relatively well in meeting
customer needs; bottom-line profits may have been more elusive.
To compete, the Postal Service has, among other items, a service called
"Click-N-Ship" at its Internet Web site, www.usps.com. Sign up for a free
account, have a credit (or debit) card handy, and you can print a Priority Mail or
Express Mail label, complete with bar code and postage, speeding you through the
mailing process. It could be a great boon for the millions.
The hassle came - at least for this reviewer - when trying to do all this with
an Apple Macintosh computer and Mac OS X version 10.6. The USPS site says their Web
service is geared towards computers running Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer,
and does not support Apple's Safari Web browser. Fair enough. But the claim is
also made that Mac users could employ Mozilla's Firefox browser. I tried. It
didn't work, twice.
The flaw, it turns out, is in making sure that Adobe Corp.'s Acrobat Reader is
specified as the "default" PDF file reader for such documents created with
Click-N-Ship. This involves getting into the "guts" of the Firefox program,
working with settings for applications and the like. It's not impossible, but
it's not super-friendly to busy consumers. And, apparently, it's not something
Windows users have to do.
At a time when the USPS is looking to grab every customer it can, and with the
holidays at hand, it seems grating that Mac users - who comprise nearly 9 percent
of the U.S. computer market in the third quarter of 2009, according to Gartner -
are relegated to second-class citizens when it comes to Click-N-Ship.
What's more, Mac users could end up paying more: the online shipping discount for
Click-N-Ship users isn't available, obviously, at postal counters. If a user
can't figure out how to print a label on a Mac, they're stuck.
Apparently, Mary Beth Fluto of the USPS feels my pain. She's manager of online
programs for the USPS, and said that an overall of www.usps.com, code-name
"Project Phoenix" is in the works. Ms. Fluto said it should appear online in the
"late spring [or] early summer" of 2010.
The Postal Service is redesigning the "most popular" elements of the Web site,
Ms. Fluto said, and is re-engineering "the 'print shipping label'
application," with a goal to "make it more Mac friendly." While Mac sales are
growing, Ms. Fluto said Mac users account for only 5 percent of USPS Web customers.
A boon for stamp collectors is also in the works, Ms. Fluto said, with plans to
revamp the "shop.usps.com" portion of the USPS Web site to provide "state of
the art e-commerce" and "cater a little more to collectors." Though the ranks
of American philatelists have probably dwindled from a one-time high of 20 million,
stamp collecting remains a popular hobby.
I can only hope the USPS burns the midnight oil and summons the spirit of Herodotus,
whose dictum about ancient Persia's couriers is paraphrased as "neither snow nor
rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of
their appointed rounds," to complete the task early. Every online shopper - and
shipper - deserves equal access at the Post Office.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Mark Kellner has reported on technology for industry newspapers and magazines since 1983, and has been the computer columnist for The Washington Times since 1991.Comment by clicking here.
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© 2009, News World Communications, Inc. Reprinted with permission of The Washington Times. Visit the paper at http://www.washingtontimes.com
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