#77 - FEDEX AND USPS - THE LAST TIME I WASTE MY BREATH (OR TYPING ENERGY) ...

Some douchebag emailed me today with a clever subject that was something like "you're wrong". He was some nobody I've never heard of before and I don't recall the name and certainly didn't waste my time with a reply. His message was deleted as fast as spam. Papa always said, "never have a battle of wits with an unarmed man". I did quickly read his message though and it basically stated that people take my word as gospel (well, the gospel is bullshit, so I hope they give me more credit than that ... AND ... I hope people make up their own minds no matter how much they respect my opinion). He argued that I was misleading people by saying that FedEx shipping of tarantulas is legal (my most recent Arachnobored advert stated "legal shipping" just to stir up more shit about USPS shipping). Well, FedEx shipping is legal. ... Technically, at least. Now I know that FedEx prohibits shipping tarantulas and other arachnids because they are venomous, but that doesn't make it illegal. I understand his point that shipping arachnids technically violates FedEx policies. He's right. But ... FedEx is a private company. It is not unlawful to break their rules. They can ban you as a shipper, but they can't charge you with a crime. There is no law saying that you must follow FedEx or UPS or DHL or whatever rules and regulations. The United States Postal Service, on the other hand, is a government agency and federal law applies to their shipping regulations. It IS ILLEGAL to ship via USPS. That's the distinction. It may be splitting hairs, but it is the situation we are left with. I ship via FedEx as an APPROVED REPTILE SHIPPER using Superior Shipping Supplies' service. We are forced to use the only carrier (FedEx) that is willing to have a program for accepting packages of reptiles. We are forced to pretend like we are shipping snakes instead of spiders. The dbag stated that the only legal way to ship venomous arachnids is the same as it is for venomous snakes as tarantulas are considered equal to gaboon vipers. That is, by air freight (e.g. Delta Dash air cargo, which all venomous snake shippers use). His mistake is to use the word "legal" as I have already pointed out. He may be right that expensive air freight is the only method that doesn't break carrier regulations, but there is no crime in shipping arachnids by FedEx. They are just a company. You can't be arrested for breaking the policies of the company I work for and I expect it's the same with your employer. Get it? Actually his other mistake was to email me at all.

I know ... much of the above is semantic and pedantic. Splitting hairs and doing the best we can. It doesn't matter to me. I probably have less than a dozen more boxes to ship in my career. I haven't a fuck to give. But I'm so glad the dbag had the therapeutic experience of telling me I am wrong. I'm only here to help.