High tech post office lacks personal touch

Leon Hale writes in the Houston Chronicle that, "There's a sign on the front door of the post office where I get personal mail. It reads, 'Almost anything you can do here you can do online at www.usps.com."

Hale used to like going to the post office.

"I've been going to the post office all my life, and I don't want to stop. Of course, it's not the job of the U.S. Postal Service to elevate our social lives, and sure enough, read the sign, it says stay home and do your "post officing" on the computer. Reduce the traffic. Shorten the lines waiting to do business with a clerk."

He goes on to lament Automated Postal Centers and the absence of the bulletin board which used to have photos of "interesting" criminals wanted by the FBI.

It's just not the same these days.

To read his fun essay on how a trip to the post office once was, click here.