In the event that one might think that Alabama is just a backwater commercially, let me assure you that we are right on par with all of the MBA’s running our country’s biggest businesses. Recently, I moved my residence from Auburn to Opelika, a total distance between the two locations of three and a half miles. I went on line and requested a “change of address” with the U.S. Postal Service. I did this on April 1^st. My mail is still being delivered to my old address. Nothing particularly shocking about this as we know the Postal Service is totally screwed up and is beyond redemption. However, I did expect better from the nation’s leading newspaper, the New York Times.

I have been a long time subscriber to the NYT and I read it cover to cover. I again went online and entered my request to change my delivery from Auburn to Opelika. The same carrier serves both cities I was told and the change would take two business days. A week later the papers never showed up in Opelika and were piling up in Auburn. Since may mail continued to be delivered to Auburn, it was a simple matter to get the paper when I got the mail. Besides, I knew that soon both would be coming to my new address.

Each week for the past seven weeks, I have gone by the Post Office and made the request for “change of address” and each week I have been assured that it would be done immediately. I am convinced that postal employees stick their head in their microwaves each day before coming to work, thus erasing their mental tapes. Each day is a new day and there is no level of institutional memory. Again, I don’t expect much from the Post office, and as such, I am seldom disappointed.

As for the NYT, I have progressed up the corporate ladder from customer service representative, to customer service manager, to “customer problem resolution specialists” to some low level wonk in the circulation department’s management staff. My paper is still being delivered to Auburn along with my mail. Somalia probably runs smoother, at least the local warlord could have the circulation manager hacked to pieces with a machete.