85- 0
Can Men and Women Be "Just Friends" on the Internet?
The proliferation of online chatting between men and women has changed the definition and dynamics of love. People believe that immense geographical distances keep them safe from the allure of romance, but our oxytocin hormone eventually takes control, leading us down perilous pathways.
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What is Paperclipping and Who Does It?
The practice of "Paperclipping" is as old as the history of dating. Although ostensibly a minor irritation, it can be weaponized via the Internet by those who engage in "Honey Trapping," and "Catfishing," to illicitly exploit an unsuspecting victim for financial or other forms of insidious gain.
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Why Colorado Weather is so Unpredictable
Colorado has thousands of micro-climates, alternating between areas of severe turbulence, to pockets of relative calm. The state's lofty Rocky Mountains are largely responsible for the variable nature of the climate, making weather forecasting damnably difficult, compared to places like California.
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What is the Texit Movement and What Does it Mean?
Independence has been a driving force in the Texas psyche since its founding, in 1836. Secession was attempted once by the state during the American Civil War, to no avail. Now, in the 21st century, a second wave of secessionist sentiment sweeps the Lone Star State. What drives it?
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A Eulogy to the Postal 204b
A June, 2023 Postal Service memo announces the impending elimination of the 204b temporary supervisor position, which goes back seven decades. The abrupt end of the 204b arouses mixed feelings about this management mule who was too-often the scapegoat, and too often the brunt of beatings.
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An Introduction to The Smiths - Dad Rock #9
The Smiths were an acquired taste for many Dad-Rockers, such as this author.The lyrics of frontman Morrissey and the music of guitarist Johnny Marr produced a superb synthesis that far exceeds its sum of parts. Causing "Panic" in the 80s, the Smith's legacy remains "a light that never goes out."
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Green Day Bubble Gum Punk Guilty Pleasure - Dad Rock #8
A bowl of Green Day oatmeal is part of a balanced breakfast. Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols called them "sticky tape on a duck's ass." Yet the bubble gum punk band Green Day has sold 75 million records, and something about them still captures unwilling fans today.
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Are Songbirds Disappearing in Colorado, Everywhere, or Is It just Me?
A bad day of birding is not better than a good day at the office anymore. The trees of Colorado are no longer noisy with songbirds. Drought and habitat loss have drastically affected bird life across Colorado and the US, including California, with different birds being slammed for similar reasons.
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2666 Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
2666, by Roberto Bolaño, is a book without an ending. Written by the irreverent poet of the infrarealist school, the novel chases a mirage into infinity, leaving its dark secrets buried in a Mexican dumping ground for murdered women.
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Live's "Throwing Copper" and The Snowtown Murders - Dad Rock #7
Sweet songs are sometimes used for sadistic purposes. The rock band "Live" once had their "Throwing Copper" LP abused as the soundtrack for torture and death, by the fiends who perpetrated the Snowtown Murders in Southern Australia. Is the band to blame, or will sickos just be sickos?
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Cca Survival Ten Years Later - Has the City Carrier Assistant Job Changed, and How?
In 2023, the USPS celebrates ten years of City Carrier Assistants, (CCAs). Technological changes, skyrocketing housing prices, and an unforeseen Covid Pandemic have altered the CCA work environment significantly, in beneficial and detrimental ways. Is the job still worthwhile for a Prospective CCA?
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Pedophilia in 1970s and 1980s Rock and Roll
We may look in nostalgia to the 70s and 80s as a time of lost innocence, but the rock and roll of those years says otherwise. Back then (artists?) like The Cars, Gene Simmons, Ted Nugent, and others sang songs about lusting after underaged women. Disturbingly, state consent laws defended such acts.
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Is Eric Clapton God? - Dad Rock # 6
Eric Clapton is a time-honored guitar hero who was once deified on public walls with bold proclamations of CLAPTON IS GOD. Nowadays his music rings ever more mortal to our human ears, but we must not forget that he was one of the first to cast electric thunder down from the heavens.
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Jack Bruce of Cream, A Too Little, Too Late Tribute - Dad Rock #5
An overdue realization about the rock supergroup Cream leads one author to pen a too-late eulogy to the real driving force behind that band, bassist and lead vocalist Jack Bruce. Eric Clapton typically gets the credit, but Jack Bruce was the true genius behind classic albums like Disraeli Gears.
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CCA Exodus - Why the Postal Service Is Losing Newbie City Carrier Assistants
Postal employment was once coveted and hard to come by, but the times, they are a-changing. Potential City Carrier Assistants are increasingly being mesmerized by rising wages in the private sector, while postal pay remains relatively static. Here are some reasons.
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Bookoo's Bad Day - A Cute Doggy Story
The wise little Dachshund Bookoo discounts and denounces the doom and gloom doctrine of his pack mates, only to discover that even slobbering idiots sometimes win the day, both two and four-legged. Note: This tale by no wise advocates or glorifies cruelty to animals, neither two or four-legged.
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"A Gentleman in Moscow" Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles, is a book whose perception changes with the seasons, just like the perception of Mother Russia, where it is based, changes with the flavor of government in that bipolar land. In this season of war with Ukraine, can a reader still sympathize with the setting?
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"Earth Abides" Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
1949's "Earth Abides," a novel by George R. Stewart, was talking about the apocalypse before the apocalypse was cool, and before it got trashed by zombies.
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Is the Porn Industry Evil?
Even though it turns women into dehumanized sex objects, the porn industry can't even be called controversial anymore. The San Fernando body-snatchers have stolen free will and even stolen the bullhorn that once denounced their insidious practices.
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"The Bone Clocks" Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
"The Bone Clocks" transcends all genres while including all genres. Simultaneously, the novel demonstrates how fermented genre can sour good cream. The tale's rather eye-rolling, soul-sucking theme also raises the question of whether David Mitchell copied Stephen King's "Dr. Sleep," or vice-versa.
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Postal City Carrier Assistant Vs. Private Sector in the Covid World
It's not your Granddaddy's Post Office anymore - technological innovations and economic calamities have eroded the appeal of postal employment over the last two decades. Now, Covid 19 is bringing private sector wages up to civil service levels. Is the City Carrier Assistant job still for you?
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"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time," by Mark Haddon, is a condemnation of how the label of "autism" can unfairly restrain a wide spectrum of talented people. It is also an adventure story about how one such individual learns to fly, despite the ball and chain of a name.
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"Perfume" Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
Patrick Suskind's "Perfume" is a book that really "stinks." For one of the rare instances in literature, the author literally scribbles smells directly into the reader's head. But is the novel truly about murder, or more about how "normal" people are easily manipulated by an evil genius?
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How to Prevent Future Afghanistans - A Good Sense Guide
The swift Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is another shameful example of how US war-hawk policy never succeeds. Should America have paid heed to the painful lessons of Vietnam and the Little Bighorn, and cultivated unsavory foreign governments, rather than attacking them?
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"Later" Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
Does "Later" prove that Stephen King is just not trying anymore? Is the King of horror scraping bottom by shamelessly copying M. Night Shyamalan, or does this book prove that he is still on top of his game? Are his critics just sucking sour grapes, as the King laughs all the way to the bank?
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How to Write a Thousand Words per Day Without Really Trying
Consistency in writing seems a daunting task, but keeping score using free and accessible tools like Microsoft Excel can help move a writer toward a goal. Explained here is a method that results not only in significantly increased output, but improved writing skills through regular practice.
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"The Left Hand of Darkness" Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
Whether one labels it Science-Fiction, Fantasy, or Other, "The Left Hand of Darkness," by Ursula K. LeGuin, took a hyperspace leap in its time, portending a world where gender distinctions become irrelevant. Did LeGuin possess a crystal ball, or was the novel a self-fulfilling prophecy?
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"El Paso" Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
"El Paso," by "Forrest Gump" author Winston Groom, aims for the epic, but strikes the mundane instead. The novel stands out as a noteworthy endeavor only for its fascinating fictional speculation about author Ambrose Bierce, who disappeared below the border during the Mexican Revolution.
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The City We Became Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
The City We Became, by NK Jesimin, is a five-borough Big Apple bust. Whether digested for 60 seconds or 1800 seconds per day, the worm in that apple produces literary indigestion. Lunchtime Lit ponders uninspiring Avatars here, and other issues.
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Children of Nod - A Response to Jodah's Challenge
Sometimes Steinbeck's "Monsters born to human parents" are literal, not figurative. A response to Hub Page's own Jodah - John Hansen's, latest writing challenge.
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Six Snow Shockers for Former Fair-Weather Mailmen
The California diaspora has dispersed to less than sunshiny climes. Letter carriers are among those depopulating the Golden State in droves. Will fair-weather mailmen and women be able to adapt to frigid conditions? Here are six snow-shockers to help polar-bound posties brace for the ice.
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King Jesus Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
King Jesus, by Robert Graves of I Claudius fame, is a book that can't make up its mind. Does it want to be a "what-if" historical novel, or a dull mythological treatise? Reviewer Mel Carriere's belief suspenders sagged around his ankles reading this one.
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Why I Left California
Californians are fleeing the Golden State at an alarming rate, mostly prompted by the insane policies of Governor Gavin Newsom and his Sacramento cronies. Author Mel Carriere recently joined that Exodus. Here he describes the social, political, and personal reasons he left his home of 36 years.
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The Three Body Problem Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
Though Chinese Author Cixin Liu's The Three Body Problem can be problematic for the Western Reader, both in style, science and the controversies surrounding its creator, the novel ultimately proves satisfying. Can a patriotic reader neglect a book that has the Obama Presidential seal of approval?
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Can CCA Senior Citizens (Post-Fifties) Survive the Post Office?
You are a fifty-something who is thinking about hitching on as a Postal City Carrier Assistant but are worried your advanced age could drag you down. Will your youth blossom anew in the fertile soil of mail delivery, or will you wither on the vine?
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Every Man Dies Alone Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
Every Man Dies Alone, by Hans Fallada, tells the story of what happens when an entire nation is consumed by sketchiness. Being a sketchy himself, author Hans Fallada is able to get into the heads of sketchies in a way that a non-sketchy could not, to more effectively describe the horrors of Nazism.
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Are Postal Mail-Holds Used for Fraud?
Making time-honored postal processes more convenient for customers has also facilitated business for identity thieves. Letter carrier Mel Carriere describes how online mail-holds are being used for mail fraud and how easily he was able to set up a so-called "verified" account.
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Thy Tears Might Cease Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
Thy Tears Might Cease, by Michael Farrell, is set during a particular period of history, the Irish Time of Troubles. All the same, it is not a historical novel, but a Coming of Age (Bildungsroman) tale for all ages, all places, all manner of men.
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CCA Step Savers: How to Minimize Backtracking
Daydreaming can be fun on a slow mail day, but it can also lead to the click-killing practice of backtracking. How can the upstart City Carrier Assistant retract his or her vulnerable head from the buttocks to finish the job on time?
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Legendary Letter Carriers: John Prine, "The Singing Mailman"
John Prine was a Midwestern mailman who was lifted from obscurity into the ranks of revered musical poets. After his recent death from COVID-19, his songs and words were honored by legendary musical luminaries. Prine's history and legacy are celebrated here by a fellow letter carrier.
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The Casual Vacancy Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
The Casual Vacancy, by Harry Potter author JK Rowling, is a visceral exploration into the dark, stinking depths of a muggle town. Mel reveals that a great writer is a great writer, whether dealing with the magical, or the mundane.
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Origin Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
Author Dan Brown utilizes the cookie-cutter approach to fiction, recycling literary devices across novels to create tales where the plot is the same, only the names are changed. Origin slogs through 600 pages of dull dialogue and milquetoast characters toward a "revelation" that does not deliver.
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Is Social Distancing for the Birds? - Urban Avian Life During Covid-19
Homo sapiens influence their surrounding fauna in a multitude of ways, positively for some species, negatively for most. During the coronavirus crisis, how will our disappearance from the urban landscape affect the bird life that benefits from the presence of people?
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A Letter Carrier's Guide to the Coronavirus
The Coronavirus has delivered unanticipated pratfalls to the Letter Carrier's already hazardous occupation. Not only are there new health risks, but bad information, plus a lack thereof, complicates matters. Just how, if anybody really knows, will the virus affect the mailman's daily duties?
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Three Movies That Are Actually Better Than the Book: "Ben Hur," "The Mist," and "Forrest Gump"
"The book is always better than the movie" is an oft-repeated truism. "Ben-Hur," "The Mist," and "Forrest Gump" defy this conventional wisdom.
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Postal Social Media Shaming: Can Online Witch Hunts Destroy Letter Carriers?
Social media shaming, or the exposure of perceived wrongdoers to the public pillory of the internet, is an increasingly popular pastime. The mail carrier who crosses your front porch every day is particularly exposed. Mel Carriere examines the causes and categories of this phenomenon.
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Death Is a Lonely Business Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
Death Is A Lonely Business is a 1985 crime novel by Ray Bradbury, of Fahrenheit 451 fame. Although this book does not share the literary power of that classic, it does explore typical Bradburyesque themes as it creeps through the dilapidated, dreary, foggy environs of Venice, California.
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A Suitable Boy Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
A Suitable Boy, by Vikram Seth, is a travelogue of Indian culture that educates while entertaining - to a degree that makes the reader gasp, cry, and swear. The novel demonstrates, somewhat ruefully, that authors from the Indian subcontinent may be redeeming the pitiful state of English literature.
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Pending US Postal Service Changes for 2020
The United States Postal Service faces many challenges and changes in the new decade—some may be good (delivery vehicles and scanners) but others, including a new Postmaster General and talk of privatization, hang over the organization like a cloud of doom. What will 2020 bring?
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Power in the Blood Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
Power in the Blood by Greg Matthews is a follow up to his highly praised Heart of the Country. Despite being lauded by bestselling horror author Stephen King, Matthews remains reclusive, his life and work shrouded in mystery. Are Greg Matthews and author Torsten Krol the same person?
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Cloudsplitter Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel Carriere
Cloudsplitter, by Russel Banks, renews the debate about John Brown's role in history. Was he an avenging, freedom-fighting angel of the Lord, or a murderous terrorist, evil personified?
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Sins Against the CCA (City Carrier Assistant) and How to Repent—Mel's Holiday Hints
Reverend Mel Carriere, Ordained by the Church of The Perpetually Independent Mind, puts on the collar and preaches a sermon. The subject? Sin. Specifically how you, the Regular Postal City Carrier, can avoid sinning against (bottom-feeding?) City Carrier Assistants (CCAs).
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Titus Alone Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
Although Titus Alone by Mervyn Peake is often considered the red-headed stepchild of the Gormenghast series, it was significant in the creation of the "Steampunk" movement. This last volume was also Peake's final literary creation, before succumbing to the devastation of Dewy Body Dementia.
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Jude The Obscure Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
Jude The Obscure, by Thomas Hardy, is a study in "Pervasive Fatalism," a "Deadly War Between Flesh and Spirit." Mel Carriere explains why the novel's lessons and warnings still ring true today, a century and a quarter after its publication.
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Postal MDD Scanner Tips and Tricks for the New and Frightened City Carrier Assistant and Rural Carrier Associate
The Postal Mobile Delivery Device contains several powerful, under-utilized features that can assist the upstart City Carrier Assistant and Rural Carrier Associate in avoiding Postal sharks that devour the scanning-challenged.
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"Moby Dick" Book Review: Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
Moby Dick, by Herman Melville, is a triple-decker of a book nearly impossible to swallow, even in half hour chunks. Here Mel Carriere describes the novel´s failure in its own time and its continued rigorous reading, though it retains valuable wisdom 170 years after publication.
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"Gormenghast" Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
While its prose can sometimes be ponderous, "Gormenghast" by Mervyn Peake is a captivating story of struggle, both internal and external. Mel Carriere reviews the novel here, as part of his Lunchtime Lit series.
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Postal Vehicle Cameras Exposed! Do Letter Carriers Have an Expectation of Privacy?
The installation of Postal Vehicle Cameras is imminent. This raises the question of whether letter carriers have an expectation of privacy in the previously sacrosanct realm of the driver´s compartment, or can the Post Office snoop with impunity?
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"Red Sorghum" Book Review: Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
"Red Sorghum," a Chinese wartime novel by Mo Yan, has been criticized for the inclusion of "other concerns" not appropriate for its genre. But I find the other concerns to be the best parts of the book. See my review.
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Wuthering Heights Book Review—Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
While Hollywood may have given "Wuthering Heights," by Emily Brontë, an unfair reputation as the forerunner of the Victorian bodice ripper, the novel clearly is not. Here, reviewer Mel Carriere gives his impressions of the book and Brontëś role in literary history.
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How to Avoid Dog Bites - Postal Cca Self Preservation
The root of all dog bites is the activity of two-legged, not four-legged creatures. Here are six broad principles that delve into the daily interactions between letter carriers and dogs, so that Postal City Carrier Assistants can return home unscathed by doggy dentures.
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"Infinite Jest" Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
"Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace is an anti-drug anthem disguised as a postmodern parable. The book's theme goes beyond mere chemical dependency to condemn our age's enslavement to the screen. Wallace's groundbreaking art parallels his own tragic life.
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"Blood Meridian" Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
"Blood Meridian," by Cormac McCarthy, is considered the author's Magnum Opus but has missed out on Hollywood commemoration in film. Here Mel Carriere discusses the novel's terrible beauty and the proper breathing technique required to read it.
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Regular Vs. City Carrier Assistant: Who Makes the Best Postal 204B Candidate?
The subject of Postal 204B Supervisors often arouses intense emotions. Veteran Regular Carriers resent being bossed by newbies with limited experience, but are reluctant to do the 204B duties themselves. Does the City Carrier Assistant deserve a place in the supervisor's chair?
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"The Master and Margarita" Book Review: Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
"The Master and Margarita," by Mikhail Bulgakov, is roundly praised as a 20th-century classic. Lunchtime Lit reviewer Mel Carriere, however, simply does not get it. Is something lost in translation, or is something lost with Mel?
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"The Slynx" Book Review: Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
How does Tatyana Tolstaya's "The Slynx" stack up side by side with her great-uncle Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace"? Lunchtime Lit reviewer Mel Carriere weighs the two books by this historic literary family and finds the scales balance.
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The Day I Quit: The Decline and Fall of a Postal 204b
A former Postal 204b supervisor explains the reasons behind his decision to quit the worst job he ever had.
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The Martian Book Review - Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
The Martian, by Andy Weir, is a novel that seamlessly integrates technological attention to detail into a narrative that is both suspenseful and highly humorous. Mel Carriere reviews the book here, as part of his Lunchtime Lit series.
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"A Confederacy of Dunces" Book Review: Lunchtime Lit With Mel Carriere
"A Confederacy of Dunces," by John Kennedy Toole, is a scathing exposé of neckbeardism in the pre-Neckbeard era. But more poignant, perhaps, is the sad story of the author, whose posthumous fame asks the question of whether the fates that weave destiny are practical jokers.
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USPS Vs UPS - Who Will Survive the Amazon Onslaught?
United Parcel Service and the United States Postal Service have both had a rocky relationship with corporate conglomerate Amazon.com, led by Jeff Bezos. Which company is better equipped to survive the Amazon onslaught, and are they aiding and abetting their own demise?
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"The Mountain Shadow" by Gregory David Roberts - Lunchtime Lit With Mel
"The Mountain Shadow," by Gregory David Roberts, pales in every category against its predecessor, "Shantaram," except for meaningless maxims. Lunchtime Lit reviewer Mel Carriere cautions you to avoid this sequel or suffer aphorism asphyxiation.
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Postal City Carrier Assistant Stumbling Blocks: How the CCA Can Move the Mail Better
Postal OJI and web author Mel Carrier provides City Carrier Assistants with advice to simplify their thought processes and daily workflow.
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Burrowing Owl of The Big City Airport - Suburban Birding with Mel
Unexpected life forms emerge in unexpected places, and the presence of the Burrowing Owl at airports and other human-altered landscapes teaches us that bird watchers should neglect no habitat in search of avian wonders.
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Does UPS Surepost Deliberately Sabotage the United States Postal Service?
There is can be little doubt that United Parcel Service (UPS) enjoys being a Big Brown roadblock to the potential success of the United States Postal Service, but would UPS resort to the sabotage of the Surepost product, even at the discomfort of its own customers? Mel investigates.
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Putin as Sith Lord: Review of "The Man Without a Face"
Russia is not a fictional space opera fantasy planet in a galaxy far, far, away, but in Masha Gessen's "The Man Without a Face," Vladimir Putin certainly comes across as a dark Sith Lord.
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What Is a Sense of Urgency? Musings From the Postal Tsunami
Are you a letter carrier with a sense of urgency? Just what is a sense of urgency? Furthermore, is your urgency my emergency? Mel ponders the particulars of postal philosophy on The Postal Tsunami.
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How to Monitor Your Postal MDD Scanner's Battery Drain and Reset Screen Freezes
Your postal MDD scanner has a tendency to freeze at awkward moments and run out of battery power on those long, gloomy postal nights. Here's what to do about it.
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Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman - Lunchtime Lit with Mel
Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman is a book that revolves around Stalingrad, the biggest battle in human history. The novel explores the idea of freedom in a totalitarian society.
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We Deliver Dog Kicks: San Diego Letter Carrier Accused of Punting Pooch
Do letter carriers get their kicks punting pooches? Or are there legitimate reasons why flailing feet sometimes launch furry footballs into orbit? The Postal Tsunami explores a San Diego case.
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Does the Federal Hiring Freeze Affect the Post Office and Why Should Postal Workers Care?
Some career postal employees didn't see Trump's 2017 hiring freeze as a problem, but I foresaw then that it could indicate trouble, and not just for CCAs and PSEs.
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Are Postal Customers Preparing for the Trumpocalypse?
Donald Trump is now President, without the reassuring -elect suffix attached. Are Postal Customers stockpiling, in anticipation of a dreaded Trumpocalypse?
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"Kafka on the Shore": Lunchtime Lit With Mel
"Kafka on the Shore," by Haruki Murakami, contains all the familiar elements his readers have come to expect but still manages to entertain. Mel Carriere reviews for Lunchtime Lit.
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Donald Trump Vs. Andrew Jackson: Populists in Power, People in Peril
Are Donald Trump's campaign promises pure vote-grabbing rhetoric? Or, like Populist Andrew Jackson, is this the start of another tragic Trail of Tears? When Populists speak, we better listen.
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Did We Win? - Early Returns Show USPS Makes Further Breakthroughs in The Parcel Delivery Business
Mel tells some heart-warming holiday stories, then reveals secret statistics that demonstrate how the Postal Service is kicking butt on its competitors. From the pages of the Postal Tsunami.
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Legendary Letter Carriers: Jack Macpherson of Tom Wolfe's "Pumphouse Gang"
In memory of the ten year anniversary of the passing of the legendary founder of the Mac Meda Destruction Company, Jack Macpherson. Mel Carriere eulogizes America's coolest mailman.
- 14
Review of "The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"
"The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy" compiles Douglas Adams' five-volume "trilogy." Reviewer Mel ponders if there is any food for thought here to supplement his five-martini three-martini lunches.
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Capitalism vs. Free Enterprise: Are They Different and Why Does It Matter?
Capitalism and free enterprise are two terms that Americans often swallow as a single pill, but are they different, and are they poison if they both go down the hatch together?
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Answers to Common Questions of Terrified Newbie City Carrier Assistants: The Impending Interview
You are an overwrought potential City Carrier Assistant who is terrified about your impending interview. Relax on Mel Carriere's postal therapy couch. Maybe he can soothe your worried mind, maybe not.
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Clinton and Kennedy Family Conspiracies And what They Mean in America
Are the Kennedy and Clinton family conspiracies real, or just popular American mythology? What does it mean that the Clintons are perceived as assassins, and the Kennedys assassination victims?
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Postal City Letter Carrier Past and Present: Has the Job Changed and Where Is It Going?
This article provides a brief history of the last 20 years of the working lives of United States Postal Service City Letter Carriers, with a look into the cloudy crystal ball at the future.
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Your Mountain Is My Valley (Raise Your Expectations) - An Answer to Bill Holland's Writing Prompt
A short story response to Bill Holland's challenge. The truth behind cheap office artwork.
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Pigeon Guillemot - The "Easy" Alcid
The bird family Alcidae evokes images of cold, windswept, ocean escarpments or upwellings miles out to sea. The Pigeon Guillemot, however, is the "Easy" Alcid of tourist traps and public beaches.
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Usain Bolt Stole My Cell Phone (Allegedly) - A Sonnet of Less Than Shakespearean Proportions
A what-if Ode to international athletic glory by a man who was not there, in iambic pentameter sonnet form that barely squeaks off the blocks.
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"The Winter of Our Discontent" - Lunchtime Lit with Mel
"The Winter of Our Discontent," by John Steinbeck, explores key components of American folklore. Are we godlike beings, or angry, feces-throwing monkeys? Mel considers.
- 49
Hub Pages One Hundred Report Card
Mel announces his 100th Hub Pages article, to little fanfare. What has he learned, if anything, and what will he try next?
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Why Do Americans Hate Free Speech?
Americans pay lip service homage to the concept of Freedom of Speech, to a degree that approaches religious reverence. But do we really like it? This author says no, and gives reasons why.
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City Carrier Assistant vs. Regular City Carrier: Is It Worth the Wait?
You're a CCA who just got word you've been promoted to Regular Carrier, but are you ready to sell your soul to the Postal Devil and make this a career? Mel covers the grim and the grins.
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Killing Patton - Lunchtime Lit with Mel
Did Anne Frank really kill famous General George S. Patton? This is just one of several theories bandied about in Bill O'Reilly's book Killing Patton. Mel Carriere gives his Lunchtime Lit Review.
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Harold Schultz: The "Real" Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima
Harold Schultz, a posthumously recognized flag raiser of Iwo Jima, was a man who shunned the spotlight. Until very recently, history completely forgot about him. Here is this postal employee's tale.
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"The Last Temptation of Christ": Lunchtime Lit With Mel
Mailman Mel Carriere reviews "The Last Temptation of Christ," by Nikos Kazantzakis, to see if it floats or sinks. Stoke those book-burning flames; this one may shock your sensibilities.
- 40
My Gradual Disillusionment with the American Two-Party Political System - With Thoughts on the 2016 Election
Has ideological "mental-murder" caused Americans to blindly accept the current two-party political system? Will our disillusionment with the status quo lead to change, or is it business as usual?
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Do Trump and Sanders Signify The Beginning of The End of The Two-Party System?
Except for 1st President George Washington, two major parties have controlled the US Presidency throughout the country's history. Does the popularity of Trump and Sanders mean this is changing?
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Promotion to Postal 204b: A CCA Guide to the Dark Side
As a postal CCA, you've been asked to move up to a 204b supervisor position, and you're pretty full of yourself! Although Mel does not want to burst your bubble, you need to know the grim realities.
- 18
On the Beach Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel
Mel Carriere reviews Nevil Shute's On the Beach, a model of literary aerodynamic efficiency, as part of his ongoing Lunchtime Lit series.
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Ludlow Massacre - Roadsigns to Forgotten Heroes
April 20, 1914, some two dozen men, women and children were massacred at Ludlow, Colorado, by the hired thugs of Colorado Fuel and Iron. What did the disaster mean then, and what does it mean now?
- 22
1Q84 Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel
Digested in easy to chew, half hour chunks, Murakami's 1Q84 is an entertaining, thought stimulating novel. But on a long distance airplane flight would it be more of a sleep enhancer? Mel wonders.
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CCA Tips—How to Follow the Mail When the Mail Won't Move
"Follow the Mail" is a time honored Postal adage used by old timers to get you, the aspiring CCA or RCA, out of their hair. But this seemingly useless advice can work, if you learn how to do it.
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Three Guilty Pleasure Sappy, Stupid Science Fiction Movies - Independence Day, Buckaroo Banzai, and Mars Attacks!
Independence Day, Buckaroo Banzai, and Mars Attacks! may not be legends of the Science Fiction genre, but they serve well for cheap, sappy, feel good entertainment and a few mindless chuckles.
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Political Mass Hypnosis? - Bernie Sanders and Media Manipulation of the 2016 Presidential Race
Candidate Bernie Sanders packs arenas and receives record individual donations, but is ignored by the hypnotizing mass media. Is there a deliberate "Bernie Blackout" by NPR and other news sources?
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City Carrier Assistant (CCA) Mailman Maladies - Charley Horse, Kidney Stones and Inguinal Hernia
The Charley Horse, Kidney Stone, and Inguinal Hernia can be real problems for the upstart City Carrier Assistant (CCA). Here author Mel Carriere gives unsolicited, low quality medical advice.
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Shelby Foote - Authors that Changed My Life
Shelby Dade Foote Jr., was not just a historian, but a brilliant author with narrative skill unsurpassed by those who contribute to the genre. Mel shares his impressions of the man and his work.
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White-crowned Sparrows Sing The Sad Song of Winter
The song of the White-crowned Sparrow is a harbinger of autumn in Southern California. Here are some reflections on the feelings this song evokes.
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Postal Customers From Hell Version 4.0 - Windfall on Wheels
Take Mel's Postal Rorschach test. He sees a mail truck, Postal Customer from Hell sees rolling dollar signs. What do you see?
- 35
Gai-jin Book Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel
Author James Clavell wrote at least one great book, but Gai-jin was not it. Join Mel Carriere for lunch as he reviews this work, and reminds the gentle reader how much he loved Shogun.
- 58
Internet Trolls Beneath The Bridge - Where They Come From, and Should You Head Butt Them?
If you have been active on the Internet, chances are you have been plagued by Trolls. Who are these ogres lurking beneath your Internet bridge - are they passionate advocates or paid mercenaries?
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How to Deliver Mail in the Dark: City Carrier Assistant (CCA) Tips and Tricks
The Winter Solstice is upon us. If you are a letter carrier for the USPS, you are probably already delivering at night. Here are a few dark delivery tips for the fledgling City Carrier Assistant.
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The History of Black Friday and Where Does it End? - A Critical View
"Back in the day" Thanksgiving was considered off limits to retailers, but Black Friday has been steadily encroaching upon its Thanksgiving brother holiday. What does this mean and where is it going?
- 36
Brewer's Blackbird - Unsung Hero of the Parking Lot
The Brewers Blackbird is the reigning avian King of parking lots and food courts across America. Unfortunately, in certain parts of its range the bird's numbers are mysteriously reducing.
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Gary Hart and Ross Perot Political Assassinations - Is Bernie Sanders Next?
Gary Hart and H. Ross Perot are examples of promising Presidential candidates who were victims of ruthless character assassination that forced them out of the race. Is Bernie Sanders next?
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Legendary Letter Carriers: Doug Hansen, the "Mailman" Who Conquered Everest
Doug Hansen from Kent, Washington, was possibly the first and only postal worker to successfully climb Mt. Everest. This article explores his amazing feat and his tragic death.
- 29
CCA Stumbling Blocks - How to Avoid Slips, Trips and Falls in Mail Delivery
Are you an aspiring City Carrier Assistant curious about on the job hazards you will face as a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service? Prepare to take the painful plunge.
- 24
The Wind-up Bird Chronicle Review - Lunchtime Lit with Mel
The Wind-up Bird Chronicle will take you into the deepest, darkest wells of author Haruki Murakami's bizarre imagination. Mel Carriere reports on the book as part of his "Lunchtime Lit" series.
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Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) Vs. City Carrier Assistant (CCA): Which Postal Poison Pill Should You Swallow?
No matter what fancy tag you apply to it, being a USPS letter carrier is grueling work. This article compares the entry level Postal positions of Rural Carrier Associate and City Carrier Assistant.
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"Shantaram" Book Review: Lunchtime Lit
The novel "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts is an epic page-turner but also the subject of much controversy. Is author Roberts a "lying junkie," or is this really his story?
- 32
Meet Doug Hughes - The Rebel Mailman Who Landed on The Capitol Lawn
On April 15th, 2015, Letter Carrier Doug Hughes "tweaked the dragon's tail" when he landed his Gyrocopter on the lawn of Capitol Hill. Is he a madman or a martyr for democracy?
- 36
Creepy Murals in the Denver Airport - Is There Fire Behind the Smoke?
Are the strange murals at the Denver International Airport really part of a New World Order conspiracy, or simply a component of some massive Sociological Pareidolia?
- 29
The Chimp and the River: How Aids Emerged from an African Rain Forest (Book Review) - Lunchtime Lit with Mel
Mel Carriere discusses the implications of David Quammen's The Chimp and the River as part of his lunchtime book review series.
- 41
Have Satchel, Will Travel: The Daily Life of a Postal City Carrier Assistant (CCA)
So you are considering or you've just been accepted as a Postal City Carrier Assistant (CCA) and you are wondering what is in store for you. Warning, results may vary! Be prepared to travel.
- 29
The Stockholm Syndrome in American Business Management - A Postal Scenario
What follows is a study of the Corporate Stockholm Syndrome, a condition arising from the virtual hostage taking that occurs in modern business management, including the United States Postal Service.
- 46
Terrorism Vs. Civil Disobedience - A Scorecard
Civil Disobedience and Terrorism are two different tactics used to fight injustices, real and perceived. Which method is winning? A look at the historical scoreboard.
- 41
Popping Open Pandora's Box:Were We Better Off with or without Saddam Hussein?
The Republic of Iraq is a seething Pandora's box of conflicting ethnicities that was held together for 30 years by dictator Saddam Hussein. Saddam was evil, but is the world better off without him?
- 55
The Ebola Witch Hunt - Separating the Science from the Scandal
Is the recent Ebola outbreak in the United States truly a severe threat, or just a media smokescreen perhaps exaggerated for political purposes?
- 66
CCA Bootcamp: What to Expect During Your Brief but Brutal Letter Carrier Initiation
Thinking about becoming a Postal City Carrier Assistant (CCA), but want to know if you have the right stuff to get through the training process? Described here are the rigors of CCA Bootcamp.
- 31
What's in Your Mailbox - Mailbox Infestations and More, Part 3 Cold and Clammy
Cold blooded reptiles and amphibians have been a problem in mail delivery from the time of the plagues of Egypt up until the present. Here Mel Carriere explores cold and clammy mailbox infestations.
- 36
Desperation on the Doorstep - Failed US Central American Policy and the Current Immigration Crisis
In honor of Labor Day, 2014, Mel Carriere shares his views on the Central American Illegal Immigration Crisis, brought about by abysmal working conditions. Are we as Americans ultimately responsible?
- 33
What's in Your Mailbox? - Mailbox Infestations and More - Part Two Warm and Fuzzies
From mice to marsupials, warm blooded critters find mailboxes to be convenient places in which to undertake a wide variety of activities having nothing to do with correspondence. Part 2 in a series.
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Reflections on "Going Postal" in Light of, but not Making Light of the Santa Barbara Isla Vista Shooting Tragedy
College campus shootings may be "all the rage" today, but trendy murderous rampages got started in the 80s with a series of "going postal" killings. What does this say about our society?
- 67
What's In Your Mailbox? - Mailbox Infestations and More - Part One Creepy Crawlies
In a multi-part series, Mel Carriere explores mailbox invaders that should make postal customers and letter carriers proceed cautiously before sticking their hands blindly into mail receptacles.
- 38
Serfs Up! Is there a Russian Mindset Against Democracy? - Democracy in Russia from the Czars to Putin
Will the Russian bear ever stop devouring its own young and leave them an equitable spot in the den? The failure of Russian democracy is rooted in ancient historical factors and contemporary events.
- 27
Dancing With the Devil - Life in Postal Management Hell as a 204b
So you think you're ready to take the leap into management hell? Make sure you check your morals at the door. Mel shares some management experiences for postal and non postal people alike.
- 144
So You Want to Be a Mailman: The CCA Experience
Here are four of the biggest roadblocks to happiness encountered as a City Carrier Assistant. Do you really want to subject yourself to this insanity?
- 42
Megalomania in History and Modern Life - Delusional or Deliberate?
Is your boss a bona fide megalomaniac or just some pompous, posturing jerk in a tie? This article analyzes the difference, and discusses some noteworthy megalomaniacs in history, real and perceived.
- 10
USPS Mobile App - Mel's Magnificent Mail Machines
In contrast to its usual inept technological offerings, the Postal Service's USPS Mobile App for iPhone is remarkably user friendly and has extremely useful features for Postal employees and customers
- 305
CCA Survival: How to Make It Through Your Postal Trial by Fire
The City Carrier Assistant (CCA) is a newly created postal position that has been controversial among the ranks of letter carriers. Mel advises the CCA on how to adapt to a hostile postal environment.
- 7
Mel's Misguided Managerial Minions - The 204B Survival Kit, Part One
Ever wonder how the other half lives? If you find yourself at the bottom of the corporate food chain, here are some things you can use to move up and stay, Postal-Service style.
- 13
Mel's Marvelously Memorable Media Mailmen - Famous Mailmen from the entertainment world and what they mean
For being an iconic public servant that most Americans see every day, Mailmen are notoriously underepresented on film. Mel analyzes some of entertainment's most famous mailmen and what they mean.
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Mel's Most Misbehaved Mutts - Six Dog Breeds that Mailmen Must Avoid
This hub is in recognition of the Postal Service's Dog Bite Prevention week of May 19-25th. It deals with the German Sheperd, Pit Bull, Cocker Spaniel, Saint Bernard, Chihuahua, and Mini Doberman
- 7
Mel's Malodorous Mail Machines Memorandum - The Postal Service is Losing the Technological Battle of the 21st Century
This hub describes technology recently implemented by the United States Postal Service and whether this technology is adequate to meet this organization's technological needs.
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The CCA, the Post Office, and Untrue Assumptions About Letter Carriers
Nothing personal, my fellow letter carriers and other postal employees, but the Postal Service thinks that you are stupid. You might find this a rather shocking thing to say, but it is demonstrated clearly by the creation of the new CCA class.
- 7
Mel's Mail Moments - DPS Dance of Death
Many companies employ unethical accounting methods to "cook the books," and the letters that arrived in your mailbox this morning may not have been counted correctly either. Read Mel's opinion.