James Ralston wrote:

> I live in Pittsburgh.  I and many of my friends avoid having anything
> shipped via UPS whenever possible, because UPS packages routinely
> arrive torn, dented, abraded, covered with inks or dyes, and
> occasionally even crushed.  And although I haven't yet had to do it,
> several of my friends have had to return items because UPS damaged
> them in transit.

James, I have to suspect that your local Pittsburgh UPS people are the
problem.  I have never had any problems at all with UPS deliveries here,
regardless of the shipping location, and I do a lot of UPS with shippers all
over the US.  Heavy crates of equipment are routinely delivered inside my
honey-house whether or not I am there, without my having asked for such
service, and never a broken box.  I have no complaints with local USPS
service either, except that it is slower than UPS by a couple of days..

Walter Weller
Wakefield, Louisiana