Most of my recent USPS "saver" orders from Amazon ship first via FedEx. In fact, the USPS tracking numbers don't even work on the USPS site until just before delivery. Basically the packages are carried most of the way by FedEx and then, at least the documentation/tracking, is handed off to USPS at delivery time.

Here's an interesting link regarding the recent health care talk...
http://daringfireball.net/linked/2009/08/10/ibd-hawking

I laughed when I first read the Hawking bit. I wish you guys in the US sincere luck and good fortune in this process. Canada isn't without its faults, minor and serious, with its own healthcare systems (my experience being specifically with Ontario's)