• Ghost towns

    From JOE MACKEY@1:123/140 to DARYL STOUT on Tue Nov 10 06:00:34 2020
    Daryl wrote --

    But, you have to have someone there watching for the delivery
    vehicle, or your items may get stolen off of your porch.

    Some towns/suburbs have delivery drop off points. A building will be a designated drop off, the person is contacted the item is in and comes by to pick it up. Of course they charge a small fee for this.
    Joe
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  • From Daryl Stout@1:19/33 to JOE MACKEY on Tue Nov 10 16:26:00 2020
    Joe,

    But, you have to have someone there watching for the delivery
    vehicle, or your items may get stolen off of your porch.

    Some towns/suburbs have delivery drop off points. A building will
    be a designated drop off, the person is contacted the item is in and
    comes by to pick it up. Of course they charge a small fee for this.

    It'd be worth it, IMO.

    For the true definition of "Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold",
    search for "Glitter Bomb" on YouTube. :P

    Daryl

    ... There are many internet scams; send me $20 to learn how.
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  • From JOE MACKEY@1:123/140 to DARYL STOUT on Wed Nov 11 07:53:38 2020
    Daryl wrote --

    For the true definition of "Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold",
    search for "Glitter Bomb" on YouTube. :P

    I like how people put garbage and stuff in delivery boxes and leave them
    for porch pirates. :)

    ... There are many internet scams; send me $20 to learn how.

    Do you want cash, stamps or money order?
    Joe
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  • From Daryl Stout@1:19/33 to JOE MACKEY on Thu Nov 12 18:30:00 2020
    Joe,

    For the true definition of "Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold",
    search for "Glitter Bomb" on YouTube. :P

    I like how people put garbage and stuff in delivery boxes and leave
    them for porch pirates. :)

    But, you have to wonder if they're smart enough to extract revenge.

    ... There are many internet scams; send me $20 to learn how.

    Do you want cash, stamps or money order?

    Federal Reserve Notes. <G>

    A money order will do...I order you to pay me the money. :P

    As for stamps, as long as they'll last forever. <G>

    Daryl

    ... Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.
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  • From JOE MACKEY@1:123/140 to DARYL STOUT on Mon Nov 16 05:23:22 2020
    Daryl wrote --

    As for stamps, as long as they'll last forever. <G>

    Like the blonde when she heard the price of stamps were going up stocked
    up on lots of them before the price increase.
    Joe

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  • From August Abolins@2:221/1.58 to JOE MACKEY on Mon Nov 16 09:15:00 2020
    Hello JOE!

    ** On Monday 16.11.20 - 05:23, JOE MACKEY wrote to DARYL STOUT:

    As for stamps, as long as they'll last forever. <G>

    Like the blonde when she heard the price of stamps were going up stocked up on lots of them before the price increase.

    Here in Canada, they have issued normalized stamps that stay
    the same value even it they change the price of mailing the
    same thing.

    They were called "Canada A" stamps. I pun for "Canada, Eh?"

    Back then, I wasn't as smart as that dumb blonde you cite.

    --
    ../|ug

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  • From JOE MACKEY@1:123/140 to AUGUST ABOLINS on Tue Nov 17 06:20:10 2020
    Aug wrote --

    Here in Canada, they have issued normalized stamps that stay
    the same value even it they change the price of mailing the
    same thing.

    The post office came out with the Forever stamp when postage was about
    44 cents or something. I bought a couple of books of them. Still have them somewhere in my desk.
    I do almost all things online now, and seldom use a stamp.
    When I temped at a bank 20-25 years ago one of my jobs was shredding documents. This was a rainy day job.
    There were would be boxes and boxes of documents and among them
    envelopes. I soon found the post office didn't always cancel every stamp.
    These I would tear off and take home. Soak in water a while and the
    stamp would peel off, lay it aside to dry and later with a dab of glue I would reuse it.
    This was when almost all correspondence was snail mail.
    I didn't buy stamps for years. :)

    They were called "Canada A" stamps. I pun for "Canada, Eh?"

    Is that right, eh? :)
    Joe
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  • From August Abolins@2:221/1.58 to JOE MACKEY on Tue Nov 17 19:25:00 2020
    Hello JOE!

    ** On Tuesday 17.11.20 - 06:20, JOE MACKEY wrote to AUGUST ABOLINS:

    ... I soon found the post office didn't always cancel every
    stamp. These I would tear off and take home. Soak in water a while
    and the stamp would peel off, lay it aside to dry and later with a dab of glue I would reuse it.
    This was when almost all correspondence was snail mail.
    I didn't buy stamps for years. :)

    I did the same thing. I studied the envelope of every letter
    that arrived in the mail. If there was no cancellation, the
    stamp was fair game for reuse.

    Sometimes the cancellation would only catch the smallest part
    of the "frame" of a stamp. No matter. I would just cut off
    that part and reuse. As long as no part of the monetary
    declaration of the stamp was modified/cut, it was good to go.

    That way we had a stash of stamps we could always rely on.

    Nowadays, the envelopes are covered so much with their marking
    inks that even the envelope can be reused if you wanted to.



    --
    ../|ug

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  • From Daryl Stout@1:19/33 to JOE MACKEY on Tue Nov 17 10:26:00 2020
    Joe,

    As for stamps, as long as they'll last forever. <G>

    Like the blonde when she heard the price of stamps were going up stocked up on lots of them before the price increase.

    That only worked if they were "forever stamps".

    Daryl

    ... Bad Day: When the bird outside your window is a buzzard.
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  • From Daryl Stout@1:19/33 to August Abolins on Tue Nov 17 10:30:00 2020
    August,

    Back then, I wasn't as smart as that dumb blonde you cite.

    There was a blonde working in a truck stop restaurant, when
    she got all confused by a customer's order. He wanted a pair
    of running boards, white sidewall tires, and headlights.

    She asked the chef, and he said the guy wanted bacon strips
    sausage patties, and eggs sunny side up.

    So, while that's being prepared, she takes the guy a bowl of
    baked beans.

    Confused, the customer asks why he's getting that. The blonde
    replies "since you're getting all the rest of the items, you
    might as well gas up"!! <BG>

    Daryl

    ... I *CAN* type...my computer keyboard is illiterate.
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  • From JOE MACKEY@1:123/140 to AUGUST ABOLINS on Wed Nov 18 05:59:10 2020
    Aug wrote --

    Nowadays, the envelopes are covered so much with their marking
    inks that even the envelope can be reused if you wanted to.

    When I was on my trips the last couple of years I used junk mail
    envelopes to store receipts for my files later.
    I made a ledger page I print off when needed with date, cheque number
    (when used), to whom the money was paid, then credit/debit and total. I keep those pages filed away.
    I have never understood people who use a card then discard the receipt.
    How do they balance their books at the end of the day or whenever?
    I guess they just depend on the bank saying this or that is the balance.
    Of course when I'm in doubt when things don't balance out I take the
    banks word for it with a line reading "To balance". :)
    Joe
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  • From Kurt Weiske@1:218/700 to JOE MACKEY on Tue Nov 17 09:33:00 2020
    JOE MACKEY wrote to AUGUST ABOLINS <=-

    These I would tear off and take home. Soak in water a while and the stamp would peel off, lay it aside to dry and later with a dab of glue
    I would reuse it.

    I used to collect stamps; when I was in elementary school I bought a
    bag of international stamps (through mail order, naturally) and
    started a stamp collection. It's a fun hobby, inexpensive to start,
    and lasts forever. I still have my stamp book 45 years later.

    I remember as a kid sorting through some of the international stamps
    and pulling out my encyclopedia to look up the countries the stamps
    came from. The world was a bigger place back then.



    ... Find a safe part and use it as an anchor
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  • From Daryl Stout@1:19/33 to JOE MACKEY on Wed Nov 18 12:37:00 2020
    Joe,

    The post office came out with the Forever stamp when postage was
    about 44 cents or something. I bought a couple of books of them. Still have them somewhere in my desk.

    I have several books of these.

    I do almost all things online now, and seldom use a stamp.

    When I send out the reminder letters for the square dance publication
    that I'm the editor for, I have to use an envelope and stamp. Yet, for
    every 10 Reminder Letters, only 2 come back for renewal. It doesn't seem
    worth the effort.

    The Arkansas State Square Dance Federation (ASSDF) Executive Board
    (I'm on it, now being the Editor of "The Modern Square" publication,
    for a print and an e-Edition) is looking at possible reduction of ad
    rates, or a nominal fee for the e-Edition (possibly $2 a year, which
    is less than 20 cents a month)...but would belive folks would rather
    get it free??!! They obviously never heard of TANSTAFFL from Robert
    Heinlein.

    There were would be boxes and boxes of documents and among them envelopes. I soon found the post office didn't always cancel every
    stamp.

    I've seen that at times as well.

    These I would tear off and take home. Soak in water a while and the stamp would peel off, lay it aside to dry and later with a dab of glue
    I would reuse it.

    <voice of Gildersleeve> "Ooooo...aren't we sneaky??!!" <G>

    I had been use a self inking address stamp, but if I didn't press it
    down hard enough, part wouldn't print. So, on this ham radio website, I
    ordered sheets of them. There is a dachshund inside a hot dog bun (a true weiner dog, which my late wife got me partial to) on the left, then my
    name, ham radio callsign, mailing address, and email address. With the
    30 sheets I ordered at 30 per sheet, that's 900 self stick labels, for
    only $41. It'll take awhile to go through them.

    Daryl

    ... Redneck Cooking instructions: Preheat microwave to 150 degrees.
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  • From JOE MACKEY@1:123/140 to DARYL STOUT on Thu Nov 19 07:01:26 2020
    Daryl wrote --

    every 10 Reminder Letters, only 2 come back for renewal. It doesn't seem worth the effort.

    I know what you mean.
    I've been involved with one group or another over the years who sent out
    a lot of stuff and the return rate was low.

    or a nominal fee for the e-Edition (possibly $2 a year,

    I would rather have the e-edition of magazines rather than a hard copy.
    I can get a .pdf of a magazine and have it on my PC, laptop and tablet, stored in the cloud.
    I can also burn a copy to a CD if I so chose, for a permanent copy.
    And they take up a lot less room on a CD rather than in a hard copy pile.

    I soon found the post office didn't always cancel every stamp.

    I've seen that at times as well.

    I gotten some mail where the mailman has used a pen to black out a uncancelled stamp so it couldn't be re-used.

    I had been use a self inking address stamp

    There are apps for your printer that will print out not only addresses
    but postage as well.
    Not sure how that works since I've never had a need to use it.
    I've never been very successful at printing envelopes anyway. I could
    with a dot matrix with labels but not since then.
    Joe

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  • From August Abolins@2:221/1.58 to JOE MACKEY on Thu Nov 19 07:54:00 2020
    Hello JOE!

    ** On Thursday 19.11.20 - 07:01, JOE MACKEY wrote to DARYL STOUT:

    There are apps for your printer that will print out not
    only addresses but postage as well. Not sure how that
    works since I've never had a need to use it.

    The user buys or rents a special printer, and prepays for the
    stamp value. Deposit $100, then get $100's use of any number
    of stamp(ings) you need with variable amounts required.


    I've never been very successful at printing envelopes
    anyway. I could with a dot matrix with labels but not
    since then.

    Anyone who is serious about printing successfuly is using a
    laser model. ;)


    --
    ../|ug

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  • From Daryl Stout@1:19/33 to Kurt Weiske on Thu Nov 19 07:32:00 2020
    Kurt,

    I remember as a kid sorting through some of the international stamps
    and pulling out my encyclopedia to look up the countries the stamps
    came from. The world was a bigger place back then.

    Years ago in South Florida (where I was born and raised), the grocery
    chain Publix (big in Florida) had Sperry and Hutchinson (S&H) Green Stamps, that you would get after purchasing a certain amount of groceries (dollar wise).

    In Arkansas, there used to be the Thriftway chain (I think it's long gone now, as is Safeway), but they had (I think) "True Value" stamps...but I'm
    sure those are long gone as well.

    The grocery chain Kroger has a deal where if you have a Kroger card, you
    can get selected groceries at cheaper prices than you would otherwise. For every $100 in groceries purchased, you get 10 cents off a gallon of fuel
    at the Kroger gas pumps. If you pay a $40 yearly fee for their VIP Fuel
    Points program, the reward is double (20 cents off a gallon of fuel for
    every $100 in groceries purchased).

    The caveats are:

    1) The maximum discount is $1 per gallon.

    2) Discounts in one month are only good through the end of the next
    month. For example, fuel points earned in May expire at the end of June.

    One time, I had 80 cents built up, and the gas was selling for $1.66
    a gallon (regular). I used the full discount, so got the gas for 86 cents
    a gallon. :)

    What I'd love to do, would be to work it up to a $1 discount, and the
    gas get under $1.50 a gallon. Then, I'd use the full discount, then
    take a picture of the deal at the pump before filling up the car (so as
    to not have a static charge from the cellphone ignite the fuel vapors),
    then post it on the internet, and watch it go viral. <G>

    As the voice of Gildersleeve said (he owned a music store) in an episode
    of "The Flintstones" said when Fred wanted to have a piano delivered to
    his home as an anniversary present...but wanted the delivery overnight,
    after his wife was asleep..."Ooooo..aren't we sneaky??!!" <G>

    Fred thought the $50 he won at the Loyal Order Of The Water Buffalo
    Lodge would cover it, but the piano (a Stony And Clark <G>), cost $1500;
    but there was a piano stool in that range.

    Fred first wanted a demo to be sure it worked, so Barney and the owner
    did a fancy version of "While Strolling Through The Park One Day". <G>
    Barnery studied under Professor Pizzicato, and the owner recognized
    Barney's pianissimo (both musical terms) <G>.

    Well, Fred encounted "88 Fingers Louie" who had a "hot piano" (stolen).
    He ended up getting caught by the police, and as he's about to be
    sentenced by the sargeant, the exchange goes like this:

    Sargeant: Any last words before you go to jail??
    Fred: All I wanted to do was surprise my wife for our anniversary.
    Sargeant: A likely story.

    Suddenly, the sargeant shakes his head, and panics.

    Sargeant: Wedding Anniversary??!! Jumping Dinosaurs!! Today's my own
    wedding anniversary. Officer?? Show this thief that the department has
    a heart, and give him a hand with his anniversary, while I go out and
    buy a present for my own little wife.

    Then, the clincher was: "How could I forget?? Especially when it
    comes on Trash Day!!" <BG>

    88 Fingers Louie was apprehended, and Fred ended up hitching a ride
    on the paddy wagon to the flower shop...but every time Fred had forgot
    the anniversary, Wilma didn't talk to him for a week. :P

    Daryl

    ... I avoid things that make me fat: scales, mirrors, photos.
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  • From Daryl Stout@1:19/33 to JOE MACKEY on Fri Nov 20 00:38:00 2020
    Joe,

    I've been involved with one group or another over the years who sent out a lot of stuff and the return rate was low.

    I'm not sure if they're apathetic, lazy, too busy, or all of these. :P

    I would rather have the e-edition of magazines rather than a hard
    copy.

    So would I. The only reason I still request a print copy of "The Modern Square", the monthly publication of the Arkansas State Square Dance
    Federation, is that I'm the Editor, and I want to be sure data is formatted correctly. Of course, that means I have to set it up right in the first
    place. :P

    And they take up a lot less room on a CD rather than in a hard copy pile.

    That's for sure.

    I gotten some mail where the mailman has used a pen to black out a uncancelled stamp so it couldn't be re-used.

    That's a new one on me.

    There are apps for your printer that will print out not only
    addresses but postage as well.

    I think stamps.com is a website that'll work with that. I ordered a
    bunch of new address labels, with a dachshund inside a hotdog bun (a
    true weiner dog <G>), on the left. 30 sheets with 30 on each, gives me
    900 labels, and my cost was around $42. That'll last me awhile. Plus, the
    self inking stamp would not print the whole thing, if I didn't press down
    on it hard enough...and I'm sure the refills would be messy.

    I've never been very successful at printing envelopes anyway. I
    could with a dot matrix with labels but not since then.

    Every so often, I'll encounter a business that still uses those old dot matrix printers.

    Daryl

    ... You've taken a vow of silence?? Tell me about it.
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