TOPIC: Outstanding Token Orders

According to the USPS website, it's recommended to write the entire address in caps, but required to have the country name in caps, for all international mail.  Probably so it's easier to tell at a glance if it's international or domestic.  I would guess the policy originated back when mail was sorted by hand, and just was never changed.  It's a bureaucracy, after all.    <br /><br />*ahem* Sorry for the public admin geek-out, there.  Back to your regularly scheduled Canada-bashing. 

<br />According to the USPS website, it's recommended to write the entire address in caps, but required to have the country name in caps, for all international mail.  Probably so it's easier to tell at a glance if it's international or domestic.  I would guess the policy originated back when mail was sorted by hand, and just was never changed.  It's a bureaucracy, after all.    <br />

<br /><br />I figured there had to be a reason, my cynical side was not willing to let it be a rational one, however. =)

<br />Canada  post sucks. I took a package to the post office and ended up having to rip it open, buy one of their packing envelopes, and repack it because they only accept mailing addresses written in all capital letters.<br />

<br /><br />I had to rip open and repack a US-bound parcel at the post office recently because I'd packed it in an American USPS postal box. The lady at the desk assured me this would cause all sorts of problems if i sent a package to the US, because it says "For use by US postal service only" on the boxes. If they get international mail in those boxes, they'll refuse to deliver.<br /><br />Interestingly enough, the same lady told me I could save the package and use it for inside-Canada deliveries if I wanted, because the Canadian post doesn't care about whether we're using US boxes.<br /><br />And Jeff .... you're right. It is the Frenchies' fault! <br />

<br />According to the USPS website, it's recommended to write the entire address in caps, but required to have the country name in caps, for all international mail.  Probably so it's easier to tell at a glance if it's international or domestic.  I would guess the policy originated back when mail was sorted by hand, and just was never changed.  It's a bureaucracy, after all.    <br /><br />*ahem* Sorry for the public admin geek-out, there.  Back to your regularly scheduled Canada-bashing.  <br />

<br />Maybe policy changed then because they said that canada wouldn't take it unless _everything_ was capitalized.

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<br />Canada  post sucks. I took a package to the post office and ended up having to rip it open, buy one of their packing envelopes, and repack it because they only accept mailing addresses written in all capital letters.<br />

<br /><br />I had to rip open and repack a US-bound parcel at the post office recently because I'd packed it in an American USPS postal box. The lady at the desk assured me this would cause all sorts of problems if i sent a package to the US, because it says "For use by US postal service only" on the boxes. If they get international mail in those boxes, they'll refuse to deliver.<br /><br />Interestingly enough, the same lady told me I could save the package and use it for inside-Canada deliveries if I wanted, because the Canadian post doesn't care about whether we're using US boxes.<br /><br />And Jeff .... you're right. It is the Frenchies' fault! <br />

<br />Just do what we all do. Take the priority mail box and turn it inside out. You might need to cut and tape a bit, but it beats going out and buying a box.<br /><br />Down with the french!

I bet the Frenchies are to blame.

<br /><br />Is it too late to give back the Statue of Liberty and the Revolutionary War victory?  Those damn French and their helping us win our independence.  <br /><br />(Of course, I had family on both sides of that particular war, so I can't really talk...)

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I bet the Frenchies are to blame.

<br /><br />Is it too late to give back the Statue of Liberty and the Revolutionary War victory?  Those damn French and their helping us win our independence.   <br /><br />(Of course, I had family on both sides of that particular war, so I can't really talk...)<br />

<br /><br />Speaking of grateful, it was the French King that helped us in the Revolutionary War, and what did we do to help him during HIS revolution.  Nothing.

<br />Just do what we all do. Take the priority mail box and turn it inside out. You might need to cut and tape a bit, but it beats going out and buying a box.<br />

<br /><br />Heh. How do you think I got a priority mail box in the first place? Someone sent me a package, from the US, with the box turned inside out. So that side was already covered in labels and packing tape and customs declarations and everything. When I turned it rightside out is when the trouble started.<br />

Actually, the postal service prefers ALL mail to be addressed in all caps, with no punctuation. They started requesting this format over a decade ago, but do a very bad job of publicizing it. Here's a link to the site: http://www.usps.com/businessmail101/addressing/deliveryAddress.htm <br /><br />Here's a few excerpts:<br /><br />Name or attention line:  JANE L MILLER <br />Company: MILLER ASSOCIATES <br />Suite or apartment number:  [STE 2006] <br />Delivery address:  1960 W CHELSEA AVE STE 2006 <br />City, state, ZIP Code:  ALLENTOWN PA 18104 <br /><br />Automated mail processing machines read addresses on mailpieces from the bottom up and will first look for a city, state, and ZIP Code. Then the machines look for a delivery address.<br /> <br />Use the following guidelines:<br /><br />Always put the address and the postage on the same side of your mailpiece. <br />On a letter, the address should be parallel to the longest side. <br />All capital letters. <br />No punctuation. <br />At least 10-point type. <br />One space between city and state. <br />Two spaces between state and ZIP Code. <br />

This wasn't just a suggested thing. They refused to take it unless I rewrote the address on a fresh packing envelope in all caps. They said it was canada post regulations.

What I've been told at the USPS is that the Canadians require that CANADA be in all caps.  The USPS people I've talked to get quite a laugh out of it, because apparently if CANADA isn't in all caps, the Canadian postal service will send it back to the sender.<br /><br />That's what I've been told.<br /><br />Lori