# Fuck you, USPS, Royal Mail, UPS, Fed-Ex, etc. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 15, 2002, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804 "2002-11-15T01:59:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/41 "2002-11-16T00:12:11Z")
Oh dear. I opened this thread and am now filled with worry. Why? Because I just ordered _Night Watch_ not 15 minutes ago from [Amazon.co.uk](http://Amazon.co.uk) (even with shipping, it was cheaper than the US site, and yes, the cover is roughly one hundred billion times better than the woodcut wannabe we get over here). Please, please, please tell me I’ll get it by Christmas - I have to, uh, read it to check the content before I give to whom it’s really going to. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/42 "2002-11-16T00:28:33Z")
Terry should insist on Kidby covers. I mean, I can understand why the Kirby covers didn’t translate - they’re very kiddie-like. But Paul Kidby is a genius, and he deserves the covers on every edition in every country. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/43 "2002-11-16T00:49:48Z")
Truly, I feel your pain, **Pfenris**. I asked for a review copy weeks ago, and whaddythink them bastids at HarperCollins are doing, huh huh huhhuhuhuh? They’re not shipping me “Night Watch,” that’s not what they’re doing. Sucky US cover and all. (Actually, amazingly sucky cover, and now the book covers no longer match.) Here I am, willing to sell my tattered and slightly stained book reviewer’s soul for a TP novel, and the chance to praise it to the skies before 150,000 newspaper readers, they blow their noses on it and toss it into the street. Sickos. **I WANT MY FREE BOOK!** I’m crushed. _sniff_ Now I’ll have to buy the thing. Ppesch ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/44 "2002-11-16T00:53:30Z")
Pssht. You just lost a book. The USPS lost me two jobs by losing my reference forms for a week. Feckin’ USPS. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/45 "2002-11-16T01:03:28Z")
(asking for it, I know) Is there a reason you ordered from England & not from Canada? Still have the English covers and titles, but I’ve never had trouble tracking anything from there. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/46 "2002-11-16T01:11:33Z")
A) Because I’m an idiot. :: bangs head on desk :: B) Because, until just this moment, I didn’t know it existed. :: sobs :: Pfenris PS Thanks for the tip, **amarinth** : I’ll remember it for the next UK book I’ve got to order. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/47 "2002-11-16T01:26:54Z")
My copy of _Night Watch_ arrived! Huzzah!. I’m going to read it right now–I’m all set. I just ordered some Mu Shu Pork to be delivered, I have a 6-pack of Old Dominion Stout in the fridge and I have the new Pratchett AND the new Turtledove. Color me happy. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/48 "2002-11-16T01:30:10Z")
Mind you, the UK cover is delicious, with a clever nod to Rembrandt’s _The Night Watch_ and Lu-Tze the Sweeper! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/49 "2002-11-16T01:36:36Z")
You know, Fenris, if you were a little…‘nicer’…to me…I could work something out. Jonathan ‘Postal God and Dad’s an high ranking Fedex Exec’ Chance Do you fear me now? I’m off to look at the insert drawing for my first edition of ‘Time For The Stars’. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/50 "2002-11-16T02:00:04Z")
**Gobear** , I hate you. Nothing personal. I’ve just decided that I hate _everyone_ who has this when I don’t. So until I get it, we’re arch-enemies. And **Jonathan** : I got your obscure movie reference. (Did you know that the novelizations actually were released with the name “Joan Wilder”?) How much nicer can I be? I hope you enjoy looking at your inset drawing for **Time for the Stars** , me? I didn’t think the lizard-creatures looked right and the perspective of the ship floating in the bay was off. Personally though, I’m off to ponder the nuances of my first edition of **Sixth Column** : the Gnome Press edition. Which allegedly has differences in text from all later editions. And when I’m done with that, I may read Heinlein’s unreprinted 50+ page essay “Science Fiction: It’s Nature, Faults and Virtues”. Pfenris Ladies and Gentlemen, next up in this thread: _When Geeks Brag_! ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/51 "2002-11-16T02:19:30Z")
Ok, **Fenris** , now you’re just egging me on \ La, la, la, la, I have Night Watch and \*\*Fenris[/b doesn’t! ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/52 "2002-11-16T02:28:02Z")
Or worse, 41-year-old with Chinese food, microbrewery stout, and the new Pratchett AND the new Turtledove (which I had started today-It’s excellent, of course, but I gots to read Pterry first.) voice ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/53 "2002-11-16T03:24:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\*Ok, **Fenris** , now you’re just egging me on > > \ > La, la, la, la, I have Night Watch and \*\*Fenris[/b doesn’t! \*\* **Yeah** , _but_ I know how to code 😛 pfenris (who admits that mu-shu sounds yummy (although completely incompatable with my dinner of fondue) and intends to have some tomorrow.) ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/54 "2002-11-16T08:43:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by glarGH \* > \*\*no no no, silly **blowero** … > > Those are things you can control if you get off your fat ass and make the effort ^^. Oh, o.k. - let me try again: I hate when I go outside, and it’s one degree too cold. I hate when traffic lights turn red and it takes me 5 seconds longer to get where I’m going. I hate when I turn on the faucet and I have to wait 10 seconds for the water to get hot. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/55 "2002-11-16T11:07:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > \*\* > A2 print? Link? Picture? Cite? Explaination? > > \*\* > > \*\* I picked it up randomly at a poster fair about four years ago. It was the only one they had left, so I snapped it us straight away. Unfortunately, I don’t have a link to where you could purchase one. Nor can I give you a link to a picture of it, seeing as I don’t have access to a scanner/digital camera. Sorry Angua ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/56 "2002-11-16T13:08:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > \*\*I hope you enjoy looking at your inset drawing for **Time for the Stars** , me? I didn’t think the lizard-creatures looked right and the perspective of the ship floating in the bay was off. Personally though, I’m off to ponder the nuances of my first edition of **Sixth Column** : the Gnome Press edition. Which allegedly has differences in text from all later editions. And when I’m done with that, I may read Heinlein’s unreprinted 50+ page essay “Science Fiction: It’s Nature, Faults and Virtues”. > > Pfenris > > Ladies and Gentlemen, next up in this thread: _When Geeks Brag_! \*\* Right. But Fenris…_mine’s signed._ ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/57 "2002-11-16T14:11:18Z")
Hmm…ok…_that’s_ impressive. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/58 "2002-11-16T14:32:59Z")
:: Reread’s **Jonathan** ’s post carefully. :: :: Notes missing bit of info. :: :: suspicously :: Signed by _who_? 😉 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/59 "2002-11-16T15:18:32Z")
What I am dying to know is, what are the text differences in **The Sixth Column**? As a die-hard Heinlein fan I MUST KNOW! _Just as an aside, IESpell has Heinlein’s name in its database, and knew I had spelled his name wrong. Wow._ ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804/60 "2002-11-16T15:29:29Z")
**Will** : as far as I can tell, none. I’d that there were text differences, hunted down the Gnome Press ed, and I’ve never found any. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-usps-royal-mail-ups-fed-ex-etc/136804.md?page=4)