Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with package

So I am now out of a job, but something isn't right

gnash — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:06:20 -0800

Something else isnt right aside from being laid off that is...
Found out that someone w/ equal title / position, employed same length of time, apx. same pay level, was given a package that was over 2x longer than mine (he got 5 months I have received 7 weeks).

Obviously this is a pretty big deal given today's market and timing (Dec and Jan are the worst time of year to look for a job). What is my recourse? Do I have any (aka lawyer up?).

Palenque Package? Cabins? Ayudame!

Admira — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:17:06 -0800

I am going on a trip to Mexico next year and I'd love to go to Palenque. Friends of mine from Mexico recommend getting a package tour. I generally dislike package tours but I'm not sure how to find the best flight price, accommodation in VillaHermosa, trip to Palenque, and accommodation there. Anyone have any tips for how to get there, how to book, how long to stay, where to stay etc? A friend recommended staying on a cabin in Palenque but googling shows every one having extreme reviews of either "Loved it, best place in MY LIFE" or "Never stay here, terrible!".

We've also heard varying advice for how long to stay in Palenque, from 2 days to 7 days.

So I thought I'd ask the hive mind for Palenque travel tips!

How do I get my package that's been "Inbound Into Customs" in NY for 12+ days?

gemmy — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:37:48 -0800

My perfectly boring package from Sweden has been listed as "Inbound Into Customs" since September 4. How can I find out what the problem is? Can I get it cleared somehow? I purchased some Swedish foods (some soft thinbread, a tube of cheese, a box of pearl sugar, a container of baking molasses, and two bags of licorice candy) from an online retailer - a mom & pop type shop that I've used successfully several times before. They shipped the package from Sweden on September 2, and the USPS tracking tool shows it arriving in New York on September 4. Since then, however, the package status has been "Inbound Into Customs" with no further updates. (Compare with my last three orders from them, which got to me in 4-5 days.)

I asked the store if they knew what was up - they say that they have never had this happen before, and their local post office doesn't know why it's been delayed so long. I talked to my postman and to a clerk at my post office, and neither of them had any suggestions or insights. Searching online for others in the same situation, my case seems a bit odd because a) it's taking more than 4-5 days to clear customs, b) the package doesn't contain even possible contraband of any kind, and c) it doesn't contain enough of anything to make them suspect that it's for re-sale.

I'm extra pissed about the whole thing because the bread and cheese would have been fine after five or six days in transit, but will be stale/spoiled now. And I craved it so...

Have you had this happen to you, and if so how did it turn out? Will they send me some sort of form to explain what happened to my package, and if so when? Can I find out what the problem is? Can I get it cleared somehow by explaining the contents? Any idea why this very boring package would be stuck in customs so long? Any help would be appreciated.

Momma needs a brand new phone

bunny hugger — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:29:13 -0800

Boyfriend is getting a phone upgrade and handing over to me (same company). Do I buy Internet package for his account or mine? Phone upgrade question (T-mobile). My boyfriend is offered an upgrade for a new phone at a significantly reduced price if he signs up for another two years. He is going to, so that's not the thing. When he gets the phone upgrade (to a blackberry), he will give it to me (also T-mobile) because he doesn't need a new phone and because he's awesome. I've done this for him before with no hitch. Question is: I will have to upgrade to an plan option with Internet included. But do I do that for his account or mine (since I'll be the one using the phone)? Don't really want to call T-mobile and explain this, since they might have a problem with it. I'm thinking it will just be my account, but just double-checking here. Thanks.

What to put in a care package to Australia, from America?

Xere — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:31:50 -0800

My Australian friend sent me a lovely package of Australian goods (Marmite, Vegemite, Aero, Tim Tams, Jaffa, Violet Crumble, Chokito...), and I'd like to reciprocate. But I'm clueless as to what American things are rarities in Australia. Any suggestions of what I can send? FWIW, my friend is in Newcastle, I'm in Los Angeles.

Anyone know a practical way to get packages forwarded from the US to Canada?

Nish ton — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:13:01 -0800

How can I get a package forwarded to me from the US? This has been a perennial problem for me and I'm sure a lot of other Canadians. Right now I'm looking at a pro hair curler that's $17 on amazon.com, and $80 in my local store. I want to buy a bunch of them, too (I work for a hair salon.)

I have also searched the previous questions here on Mefi, but they all fall short of finding an answer and are out of date.

I have checked out "Mailboxes etc." They only sell US mailboxes to US citizens. The other companies mentioned are for residents of vancouver or something equally ridiculous.... Borderfree.com is useless - there's just a handful of approved retailers.

Customs and "duty" are not a problem for 99% of consumer stuff - there's a lot of confusion on the topic, but all customs charges is the amount you would have otherwise paid in taxes had you bought the stuff locally. Fact, peoples. I can clarify if anyone wants me to.

I mean it's not exactly complicated. All I need is a company that puts a new address on the parcel and ships it to me, fer cripes sake. It's dead easy money. There's got to be somebody that does it.

finding good flight/hotel packages

waylaid — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:24:04 -0800

Suggestions on finding good air/hotel packages (particularly to Hawaii?) So, I have the benefit of a steady job and some vacation time to burn right now, and I'd like to take advantage of some of the excellent flight/hotel deals, particularly to Hawaii or Mexico.

Normally I travel abroad to developing countries to travel, not sit in one place at a resort, so I've never had to look for flight/hotel package deals before. Where are some of the resources (websites, listservs) that you all use to find good deals? I'm looking for August...

FWIW, I'll be flying out from San Francisco.

Where's my Polish package?

Ms. Next — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:01:53 -0800

A package from Poland is coming my way - now how do I track it? Someone sent me a package from Poland ('high priority', or so they said) by Polish Mail, and they also sent me a tracking number (looking like this: VVXXXXXXXXPL - Xs are numbers). I suppose there's a website where I can track this, right? Could someone please tell me where to look, as specific as possible? I don't speak any Polish at all. I think with the online translators, I'd be able to make some sense out of the information such a tracking website would give me, but I have no idea where to start.

Care Package Recommendations?

nj_subgenius — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 17:01:29 -0800

Help me find some other items to send in a care package to Iraq? Having signed up at AnySoldier.com to send food items, toletries, etc., to a Marine unit in Iraq, I am having trouble coming up with a proper list.I know some basics, like send food in a separate box from toiletries. The list the unit is looking for is and specific enough for the females in the unit, and I've got the food figured out- but there's not much specific for the males (suggestions welcomed).

Can you recommend something else the whole unit would enjoy while in Iraq to help them through their remaining deployment - games - supplies they won't have from a PX- etc?

I've looked at all the prepackaged stuff you can send and would rather pick out, pack and ship myself, so specific suggestions are a lot more welcome than links to prepackaged gifts.

Thanks!

Seeking A Good Remote Computing Software Package

Mckoan1 — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:23:13 -0800

I am looking for a commercial software package that allows me to perform REMOTE COMPUTING while on business trips. About every six months, I travel extensively and then there is a lull to my travels. I do not want to pay a monthly fee; yet I want a REMOTE SOFTWARE package that will perform seamlessly. I want, and I am willing to purchase, a good program that will allow me to connect to my home computer to perform various tasks. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

How long does it take to get a package to Korea from Seattle?

MostHolyPorcine — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:42:38 -0800

How long does it take a package to get from Seattle to Seoul via USPS? So, my mom sent me a package with some rather important documents and other things (probably weighs a kilo or so) from Tacoma, WA to me in Seoul about 2 weeks ago. Still hasn't arrived. In the past it's taken a week or less. At what point do I just consider the thing lost? It was sent the cheapest way possible, first class international, I believe, so no tracking number. (yes, I know I should of got a tracking number...I asked her to get one, she didn't want to spend the extra cash)

Surprise! It's a.....

troika — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:04:55 -0800

What are some interesting, US-specific things I can mail to a friend abroad? A friend in New Zealand and I have started a little exchange - I send him peanut butter m&ms and he sends me a type of hot sauce I can't get over here. I like to include little extras in there - a chocolate-bacon bar, a bottle of Dogfish Head beer, that sort of thing. But I'm running out of ideas! What would be interesting to a kiwi, something they specifically can't find over there. We're both mid-20s, I live in Washington DC.

Green Jobs? Events?

paris2000 — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:43:49 -0800

Looking for Events: So the stimulus package is getting out there. Does anyone know of any events (any where in the US) that are advocating for the money for green jobs? I want to get involved and am looking for some organizations to connect with that can help me get into green collar work. Any one have any connections, ideas or heard of anything? Are there any events to get the money to local businesses, communities for green jobs? Looking to get connected! I want to know how the recovery package can reach me at a local level and I can make something happen and get involved!

Where can I find packaged seven-minute frosting in Alberta Canada?

albertagirl — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:19:35 -0800

Wondering if anyone's familiar with a packaged seven-minute type frosting that I used to be able to find until a few years ago. It came in a pouch and you whipped it with hot water in an electric mixer. The frosting was the marshmallow type you would put on an angel food cake. Availability in Alberta, Canada would be helpful too.

Who gets the jobs?

543DoublePlay — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:42:23 -0800

Stimulus package filter. When the money starts filtering down to the state and local authorities that will use the billions to get various projects started, what kind of guarantees are there that new jobs will go to people that need them? I know that the average person will be able to track where the money is being spent on the government websites as part of the promise by the new administration to be totally transparent about all this, but what safeguards will be in place to ensure that any jobs created go primarily to the newly unemployed?

I'm almost scared to pose a question that makes me sound xenophobic or even worse some kind of racist (which I know I'm not), but if projects like fixing roads, building bridges etc call for an unskilled labor force to be recruited, what is to stop companies just employing low wage day laborers or undocumented workers and paying them below market rates in order to boost company profits? Traditionally day laborers and workers from other countries send the bulk of their wages home and that would seem to defeat the object of creating jobs in order to stimulate the economy. Even the possibility of workers from other parts of the USA moving temporarily to where the jobs are being created would do little to help the areas the projects are in, as less money would be spent in those communities but again be sent back to families in other states.

I haven't heard anything mentioned on the subject of who will actually get these new jobs when they are created and wonder why it really hasn't been discussed (or has it and I've just not seen it anywhere)?

Robinson Crusoe

Beardman — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 12:02:59 -0800

We're desperate to escape Toronto for a week, but we don't want to go to a big resort. In fact, we're basically looking for somewhere like the island on "Lost," without The Others. The GF and I have never been on any kind of flight + hotel vacation before, but we'd like to go somewhere in the tropics this reading break (Feb 16-22). We can afford about $1000 CDN each, hence the need (I assume) to get a flight/hotel combo deal, rather than just fly to a small island and pay for accommodations on top of that.

I know there are lots of vacation threads on here, but any advice given our specific needs would be greatly appreciated. We're looking for a vacation like this:

1. Either all-inclusive OR the place needs a kitchenette. Neither of us can drive, so in latter case, we'd need to be walking/biking distance to markets that cater decently to vegetarians. If that was possible, the kitchenette route would be preferable.

2. Very quiet, solitary, and natural (i.e. opposite of Cancun). We don't want to party, we want to collapse under a palm tree on the beach and forget that we ever heard the words "grad school."

Where should we go? Is this kind of thing possible on our budget? And, just as importantly, where can we book a ticket? Most websites seem to deal with big resorts. Should we be talking to a travel agent? If so...is there anyone here you'd recommend?

Parcel from France

gimonca — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:15:50 -0800

Package shipped from France, really should have been sent by Chronopost, instead was shipped surface mail. How long will it take to arrive in the U.S.? Roughly speaking.

See the tear standin' in my eye

TheSecretDecoderRing — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:53:20 -0800

The USPS lost the contents of a media-rate package. Many books within. What are the odds I'll get any of it back? A couple weeks ago I shipped a box, shortly before moving to a new address. Today I got a letter saying the contents were found to be missing, and included the original address slips from the box, and a form letter asking to provide info on the contents, to be sent to a mail recovery center.

I'd thrown a ton of random books in there, but I'll probably be able to figure out most of the titles. All in all, everything's replaceable so it's not a complete nightmare (although I'd like the Calvin and Hobbes one back in particular), but has anyone had success getting their stuff back in a case like this, especially when nothing was personalized or really unique? I've looked around online on the matter, and some have suggested trying to find a number to call the center directly. Whatever I do, I'm kind of skeptical they'll put that much effort into tracking everything down.

Considering two of my other packages seemed to have endured a lot of rough handling, I'd hate to see what actually goes on during the course of the shipment process.

And one of the frustrating things was the letter advising me to, in the future, include contact info within the package itself. Wish I'd thought of that earlier. (slaps forehead)

Stuck in bed for the summer

bahama mama — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 09:16:36 -0800

I just found out my 14 year old niece broke both her femur and tibia and will be in a cast from hip to toe for the next 6 weeks! I want to put together a care package - any suggestions? I don't know her that well, but I do know she is very into sports such as soccer and basketball. She doesn't play video games, so that's out, and I don't know what type of music or tv she likes. Help! What are some things I could give her to occupy her time while she is basically bed-ridden for the summer? Any books that are popular with the teens I should know about? (I checked with her mom but she said "anything" will be appreciated.)

Unzipping Shell Extension and Vista

flatluigi — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:41:10 -0800

Where can I find an unzipping program for Vista that has a shell extension for Explorer? I got a brand-new computer for graduation and it came with Vista x64. I've always used XP, so it's quite a change.

One of the things that I used to have that isn't working now that I've switched is Tugzip's shell extension. Basically, with it installed, I could right-click on a .rar or .zip or other package in Explorer and have a menu in which I could choose to extract the package in the folder. I've searched and I can't find a way to make it work, so now I'm looking for an alternative.

That said, I ask: Can anyone recommend a free unpackager that supports many different extensions like Tugzip and has such shell extension functionality?

(If anyone has a hack that could make Tugzip work, that might also work.)

B-Day Care Package Ideas?

swiffa — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:32:15 -0800

Unique gift ideas for surprise birthday/care package for female friend in the UK for under $50 (not including shipping)? I'm in the U.S. She's an American student in London. Loves coffee, jam bands, unique art, nature.The combination of memorable b-day gift and fun parcel from the U.S. is so much pressure. I'm coming up clueless. I have some artistic talent(drawing, paint, music) but the pressure is blocking me from creating much. Want to send in the next few days.

I don't live there, give me my package!

Phyltre — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:52:47 -0800

The post office, Google Earth, and all other mapping systems are wrong about my address. Help! I've tried to have a few packages delivered to an admittedly rurally situated house, but they always end up at a house closer to the main highway. I checked a few online mapping services, and indeed, the house is listed well up the street from where it actually is (in fact, the road is shown to dead-end before you reach my house.) Apparently everyone follows this system, delivers to a house up the street, and goes along their merry way.

I'd considered talking to my local post office, but there's no way I can contact all the different services that will be delivering to my house. I shop online a lot and really need to fix the situation, so neighbors (who aren't particularly trustworthy) don't keep getting my packages. What can I do?

What do you do with your cheese?

forallmankind — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 09:07:38 -0800

You bought some cheese - let's say a wedge of brie - that's packaged super-tight with saran wrap and the store item/ weight/ price sticker; and it's now time to eat it. Do you (a) rip off saran wrap/ sticker as best you can and afterwards repackage with fresh saran wrap, (b) rip off saran wrap/ sticker as best you can and afterwards store unpackaged in a cheese tray, or (c) ever-so-carefully peel off the sticker, stealthily unwrap the saran wrap, save it, and then repackage using the same saran wrap and reseal with the store sticker? I do (c). I've always done (c). Last night whilst doing so I understood that this makes me a mental patient. Furthermore, if I'm eating a selection of cheeses, my kitchen table is covered in a selection of opened saran wraps waiting for their, uh, cheese babies to return to the fold.

I am single.

It's just that I like to open things carefully, and the wrap that comes off has a "shape" which matches that of the cheese. And clearly, doing so satisfies some anal region of my brain. That said, it's a royal pain in the ass to do, and oftentimes the wrap rips and then I'm screwed.

Anyway, I'd like to know (a) if I'm not alone, (b) what the consensus is for the best rewrapping/ packaging/ storing technique, and (c) if you do repackage with fresh saran wrap, do you then re-use that?

Bonus points for ingenious unwrapping techniques.

Mail to a hotel?

epersonae — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:09:35 -0800

Can I mail myself stuff to a hotel ahead of time? I'm taking a trip later this year within the US and would like to take as little as possible on the plane. (Air travel makes me crazy as-is, and having stuff...bleh.) Is it possible to box up the stuff I won't need right before the trip and mail it to my hotel?

I'm not sure if this is a crazy question to ask, so I thought it'd be worth bouncing off the worldly-wise MeFites. Thanks!

Lost In Translation (and in the Postal System)

polyester.lumberjack — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:57:22 -0800

Are there any Czech speakers out there who can help me track down the recipients of this Christmas present? Sadly, a Christmas package that a friend mailed to me got damaged, and the contents must have spilled out. The postal service re-packaged things to try and deliver them to their final destination, but things must have gotten mixed up in the process, and I ended up with someone else's gift, and someone else must have ended up with mine. (I'm a little brokenhearted about this, but I'll deal.)

I'd like to track down the intended recipient and get this gift to them. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot to go on aside from three enclosed Christmas cards. The handwriting is in a spider-y, frail cursive style that leads me to believe the gift is from a Grandmother, but I could be wrong. Googling the words on the envelopes, I've come to conclude that the language is Czech. Unfortunately, my further research using an online translator has left me stumped.

What I'd like to figure out is, are these words first names or surnames? The fragile handwriting is so tricky to read, and when I type the words into the translator, they don't translate, so I must be reading it wrong.

The first card reads: "Pepicka a Jenda" on the envelope (two kids' names? Pepicka and Jenda?" The translator returns "Jenda" as "Jack", so maybe a boy's name?).

The second card reads: "Pan (or "Pom" or "Pam") a Pani Jaroslav a Damuska Osecki" (maybe the last name is Osecki? A Google search turned up some people with that as a last name.)

The third card reads: "Pepicka Kalusova" (which also seems to be a last name, as far as Google reveals, but alas, no signs of someone with that full name).

I'm pretty stumped, and am starting to think maybe trying to find these people is ridiculous after all...