GROWING SERVICE ONLINE. The Domestic Rate Calculator - which enables customers to calculate a variety of postage rates for domestic mail service - was redesigned to accommodate the June 30 rate changes. For three months prior to June 30, the rate calculator averaged an increased usage of 37% over the same period last year (SPLY). For the three months after June 30, the calculator averaged a 50% increase over SPLY.

Other significant activities at www.usps.com include: 32,846 downloads of the new publication DMM 100, A Customers' Guide to Mailing, from its introduction Sept. 22 through Oct. 4; 514,066 visitors to Postal Explorer in September; more than 2.3 million customers used the Domestic Rate Calculator; 939,407 visitors used the International Rate Calculator; 34,546 to the Business Rate Calculator; and 13,789 visitors to Business Mail 101.

HOLIDAY MAIL. With the holidays fast approaching, mailers are reminded to mail early when sending cards and packages overseas. This year's recommended Christmas mailing deadlines are included in the Oct. 17 Postal Bulletin on www.usps.com.

Surface mail to Africa or the Middle East should be mailed by Nov. 1 to ensure arrival by Christmas. Outside the Western Hemisphere, most other surface mail should be sent by Nov. 6, or Nov. 13 to Europe. Parcel post to military – APO and FPO addresses – should be sent by Nov. 6.

Deadlines for international air letters and cards, air parcel post, military First-Class Mail, Priority Mail and Parcel Airlift Mail are Dec. 4 or later.

OIG BRINGS BACK SUSPECT. A former USPS contractor from Virginia was extradited from New Zealand to face charges of theft of Postal Service property, wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements. Dalma "Mike" Edwards was indicted last year for allegedly stealing $679,700 from USPS. Thanks to efforts by a special agent in the USPS Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Marshals Service, Edwards was brought back to stand trial.