Re: state names

[Nora Merhar <merhar -at- ALENA -dot- SWITCH -dot- ROCKWELL -dot- COM>]

Jan said

>  Ok, I can't stand it anymore.  This is not a matter of opinion.

>  Let us, as the sophomores say, define our terms: the zip code set up
>  by the postal service is a 7-character code of 2 alpha and 5 numeric
>  characters. The alpha characters are mnemonics.

>    No, repeat no, abbreviations involved.

>  So, boys and girls, the abbreviations of state names are as they
>  always were, Mich., Wis., N.Y., Calif., Ore., Ariz. ....

>  Therefore, ergo, and to wit, a proper address goes like this:

>         Name
>         [Number Street; box number; building ... appropriate identifier]
>         San Jose, California
>         CA 95125

>  True, the postal service did not do zip codes to benefit people
>  (except indirectly by handling mail faster), nor did they claim so.

>  It is also true that after spending our money ballyhooing the system,
>  they promptly ignored it and required us to use the full address
>  anyway (at least, the snippy postal service around here returns mail
>  that does not have the full address.  They do not offer a reason.)
>  If they really wanted to be efficient, they would change the order of the
>  address to be read from the top down:

>         zip code
>         number and street, or box number, or ...
>         person

Has anybody else ever heard of this? I've been hearing for years that the most
efficient way to address a letter (using my address as an example) is as follows

Nora Merhar
200 South Cass Ave #2
Westmont IL 60559

No periods. No commas (easier to read electronically). And if you know the 4-
code (as in 60559-1963) you should use it.

I've NEVER heard of the stuff Jan is talking about as making any difference.

Sorry this isn't too relevant, but I'm curious.

Nora
merhar -at- alena -dot- switch -dot- rockwell -dot- com