The Mr. Zip
Story In the
early 1960s, the U.S. Post Office was in trouble. They had devised a new scheme
for the efficient delivery of mail, but this system relied on postal customers
adding an  unfamiliar 5-digit number to each address. And maybe you think it's no
big deal to get millions of correspondents to write an extra string of numbers on
every envelope, but the Zip Code was introduced in an era rife with fear that
progress would soon reduce us all to impersonal numbers, and this was looking to
be one tough sale.
Enter Mr. Zip, the wide-eyed
mascot of postal efficiency, and arguably one of the greatest salesmen in
history. With this friendly public servant presenting the Zip Code, the new
program was a stunning success- -so much so that today there is greater than 95%
compliance with the Zip Code Program. | 
 And what became of Mr. Zip? In 1986, he was forced into retirement
without a word of thanks. The Postal Service had by now developed a 9-digit system,
known as Zip + 4 Code, and the Postmaster felt that Mr. Zip was "an
anachronism" and needed to be phased out. Think of it. The only reason the
program succeeded in the first place was through the intervention of the
friendliest little mail carrier this world has ever seen. Now they expect us to
comply with a more dehumanized standard, and while we're down, they kick us by taking away our
old friend, Mr. Zip.
I boycott the use of Zip
code + 4 and I hope you will too. I also hope you will write to the postmaster to
advise him of your intentions, and let him know that you will continue your
boycott until such time as Mr. Zip is returned to active service.
Bring Back Mr.
Zip!!!!!
Take me back to the World o' Fun,
please
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