
	Friday Fax A Weekly Summary of Polywater^® News of Incredible Importance

Issue #863

Important Notice: effectively immediately, American Polywater has a new mailing address:

AMERICAN POLYWATER CORPORATION
11222 60th STREET NORTH
STILLWATER, MN 55082-9310

This is the same physical address we've had for decades. We have not moved. This is simply a change of mailing address to reflect the closing of our PO Box. Please make sure your records are updated to reflect this change, and help us communicate it to our customers.

Here's the story: Stillwater, MN is a small town with a small-town Post Office. Some 40 years ago Polywater opened PO Box 53 there. It has served us well, but we long ago outgrew it; our daily mail doesn't fit in the box. That was fine with the USPS. They'd set aside our mail in bins, and we'd drive downtown twice a day for pick-up and drop-off. But that's a waste of time and money for us that is no longer acceptable. In researching the services the USPS provides--as in, "How much will it cost us for you to deliver those bins to us at our street address?"--we were surprised to learn that such a service is not offered at any price.

The choice was essentially: "Keep your box and waste the time, or change your address and we'll deliver your mail for free." Apparently the concept of portability hasn't hit the USPS yet. One would think they could sell us an extended delivery service on Box 53 (for a profit) and simply change the number on the little box itself and rent it to someone else for even more money. But no, there are rules.

The Friday Fax Editor's Joke of the Week

The Joke

More Commonly Misused Phrases. 1) Emigrated To -- The verb “emigrate” is used with the preposition “from,” whereas immigrate is used with the preposition “to.” To emigrate is to come from somewhere, and to immigrate is to go to somewhere. “Jimmy emigrated from Ireland to the U.S.” means the same as “Jimmy immigrated to the U.S. from Ireland.” It’s a matter of what you’re emphasizing—the coming or the going. (This explanation is very grating, whether you're coming or going. --Editor). 2) Slight of Hand -- “Sleight of hand” is a common phrase used in magic and illusion, because "sleight" means dexterity or cunning, usually to deceive. On the other hand, as a noun, a “slight” is an insult. (Especially if you tell a guy he is slight of hand. --Editor). 3) Honed In -- Some experts now consider “hone in” a proper alternate version of “home in,” although the latter is generally accepted as more correct. To home in on something means to move toward a goal, such as, “The missile homed in on its target.” To “hone” means to sharpen, as in, “I honed my writing skills.” But you'd likely not say, “The missile honed in on its target.” When followed by the preposition “in,” the word “hone” just doesn’t make sense. (You sayin' I'm wrong, homie? --Editor). 4) Baited Breath -- The term “bated” is an adjective meaning suspense. It originates from the verb “abate,” meaning to stop or lessen. Therefore, “to wait with bated breath” means to hold your breath with anticipation. The verb “bait” means to taunt or lure. A fisherman baits his line in hopes of a big catch. Though clearly correct, the word “bated” is archaic, leading to misuse of “baited.” (When the bobber dips, the fisherman may wait with bated breath, but the fish waits with baited breath. --Editor). 5) Piece of Mind -- This should be “peace” of mind, meaning calmness and tranquility. The expression “piece of mind” suggests actually doling out sections of brain. (Jeffrey Dahmer used it correctly. --Editor).

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American Polywater Corporation -- The world's leading manufacturer of cable pulling lubricants, cable cleaners, sealants, and MRO & construction chemicals.
P.O. Box 53 | Stillwater, MN 55082 USA
1-(651) 430-2270 (Voice) | 1-(651) 430-3634 (Fax)
1-(800) 328-9384 (Toll-Free US/Canada Only)