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Is the U.S. Post Office Closed on Election Day?

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Elections happen regularly in the U.S., and many are wondering whether the U.S. Post Office is open on days when elections are being held.

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The Gist:

  • Elections happen at least once a year in the U.S., but the U.S. Post Office is always open on Election Day, as are UPS and FedEx.
  • Election Day isn’t a national holiday, which means that most businesses are open.
  • Some voting rights advocates want to change that so voters have more time to exercise their rights during the day.

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At least once a year, major elections are held across the country. Usually, those elections are held in November, and voters go out to the polls to vote on everything from who will represent them at the local, state, and federal level to new laws that have been proposed and are on the ballot.

Given that elections are a regular occurrence in the U.S., it’s only natural for many people to be curious about what’s open and what isn’t on Election Day. Since the U.S. Post Office is also a federal institution, many naturally wonder whether post offices are closed on Election Day.

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A person standing in front of a voting booth.
Source: Getty Images

Is the U.S. Post Office closed on Election Day?

The U.S. Post Office is always open on Election Day. That remains true no matter what’s on the ballot. So even in presidential years, the U.S. Post Office still accepts mail and you should still receive mail as well. Nothing changes for postal workers on Election Day, which might seem slightly surprising given the importance the U.S. sometimes places on elections and their outcomes.

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In addition to the Post Office, FedEx and UPS also continue to take packages and make deliveries on Election Day. In short, you can continue to send or receive packages and mail on Election Day, even though you should also take some time to go vote.

Election Day isn’t a national holiday.

Although elections are an important part of what makes the U.S. function, Election Day isn’t a national holiday. In fact, Election Day happens in the middle of what are most people’s work week, which is part of the reason so many people in the U.S. see voting as a hassle. Many have to take time out of their day either before or after work to vote, and that’s time they could be spending on something else important to them.

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Because Election Day isn’t a national holiday, the U.S. actually has relatively low voter turnout compared to other democracies. Of 49 countries surveyed by Pew, the U.S. ranks 31st in average voter turnout for national elections.

One of the simplest ways to boost turnout, according to some voting rights advocates, is to make Election Day a national holiday, which would give more people the time they need to vote.

In a 2018 Pew Research survey, the idea of making Election Day a holiday received bipartisan support, with 71 percent of Democrats supporting it and 59 percent of Republicans. Unfortunately, the idea still hasn’t made its way into the law, but advocates still believe that it could at some point.

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What Does an Amish Oil Change Mean on TikTok? Two Meanings

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An “Amish oil change” is the latest term spreading around TikTok, but many are unclear on the meaning behind the phrase and what it refers to.

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The Gist:

  • The term “Amish oil change” has been circulating on TikTok recently, and it has two definitions that are nasty in different ways.
  • The first involves a procedure that ensures that a horse has regular bowel movements, and the second involves performing a sexual act on the animal.
  • Frankly, we would encourage you to avoid trying either definition on your own if you can avoid it.

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While there are plenty of people who know how to change the oil in their cars, even those who are particularly good with cars may be confused by the idea of an Amish oil change. The phrase, which has trended on TikTok, seems to be a paradoxical take on the phase. After all, the Amish quite famously don’t drive cars.

Although the idea of an Amish oil change predates the internet, the phrase has become much more well known in large part thanks to its appearance on TikTok. Now, many people want to know what it means.

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Horses eating hay in a stable with a cat walking down the aisle
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What is an Amish oil change on TikTok?

In a car, oil changes are a necessary part of maintenance. If you don’t change the oil in your car regularly, it won’t work anymore.

The same is true for horses, who are living beings in their own right. They’re also key to many people’s livelihoods, including the Amish. Just like cars, horses need to be taken care of if you want them to carry you from place to place like the Amish do. The Amish also use horses to plow fields instead of using big machinery.

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An Amish oil change refers to a particularly nasty procedure that anyone, Amish or not, who has a horse may have had to do at some point. If a horse is sick and hasn’t been pooping regularly, its caretakers may have to put on a glove that goes all the way up to their shoulder. They reach into the horse’s rear end and unblock it so that it can once again have regular bowel movements.

Suddenly, the dirt required to change the oil on your car doesn’t seem too bad. For many non-Amish horse owners, they would call a veterinarian to come out and treat the horse — Amish oil change included. Although the Amish likely take care of a blockage themselves, most horse owners will pay a professional.

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The term “Amish oil change” came about because it’s a little bit like changing the oil on your car.

It’s a fairly clever turn of phrase that describes a pretty nasty part of animal care. Still, if you’re someone who works with horses regularly, you’re likely familiar with how gross the work can be at times.

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Urban Dictionary has an even grosser definition of the term.

If you’ve seen the term on TikTok, the definition explained above might be the one being used, but it’s also possible that an even grosser definition is the one you’re seeing.

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According to Urban Dictionary, an Amish oil change is “when a woman performs Fellatio on a horse and spits the cum out.”

Welp. Frankly, the less said about that particular definition of the term, the better.

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The Challenge — Where Is Mai Whelan Now?

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Since winning Season 1 of ‘Squid Game: The Challenge,’ Mai Whelan (aka Player 287) has been laying low and spending time with her family.

Mai Whelan (Player 287) won Season 1 of 'Squid Game: The Challenge'
Source: Netflix

The Gist:

  • A whopping 456 players entered Squid Game: The Challenge, but only one will claim victory.
  • Mai Whelan (Player 287) took home the crown and the life-changing $4.56 million prize.
  • Since winning, Mai has enjoyed laying low and relaxing at home with her family.

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Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for the Season 1 finale of Squid Game: The Challenge.

After a thrilling 10 episodes spanning three weeks, Netflix finally unveiled the inaugural winner of Squid Game: The Challenge. The finale saw Sam Lantz (Player 016), Mai Whelan (Player 287), and Phill Cain (Player 451) compete in the final challenges for the life-changing grand prize.

Ultimately, following a series of gripping “Rock, Paper, Scissors” rounds, Mai emerged victorious, securing the record-breaking $4.56 million prize and etching her name into the history books. Months have passed since Mai last sported her green tracksuit, so where is she now? Keep reading to discover her current whereabouts!

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Mai Whelan (Player 287) after winning Season 1 of 'Squid Game: The Challenge.'
Source: Netflix

What is ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ winner Mai Whelan up to now?

Despite bagging an impressive $4.56 million, Tudum noted that “little else has changed” in Mai’s quiet post-victory life. She returned home to Virginia, opting for a low-key life with her husband and their two dogs. Additionally, Mai has been enjoying spending quality time with her 12-year-old granddaughter.

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“It was a relief to go back to normal life and not worry about getting eliminated. I needed that after two and a half weeks of intense go, go, go, and emotional ups and downs,” Mai told the outlet. “But the person that came into [the competition] is me. I’m still Mai, and she hasn’t changed — except that I came out stronger.”

How is Mai putting her ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ winnings to use?

Now, you might be curious: What is Mai doing with her winnings?! Well, as the proud recipient of $4.56 million, Mai treated herself to an intricately beaded, black velvet Ralph Lauren gown, which she flaunted at the Squid Game: The Challenge finale watch party on Dec. 6, 2023, in New York City.

“It’s a beautiful dress. I couldn’t help it,” she said of the purchase. “But that’s about as frivolous as I want to go.”

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Mai Whelan (Player 287) at the 'Squid Game: The Challenge' finale watch party on Dec. 6, 2023 in NYC.
Source: Netflix

Mai Whelan (Player 287) at the ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ finale watch party on Dec. 6, 2023 in NYC.

For now, Mai is using the money to renovate her home, with plans to build a small dock for a boat. However, once her home improvements are complete, Mai’s focus will shift toward making a positive impact on the lives of others.

“My heart is with people, animals, and climate change,” Mai shared regarding how she plans to spend her winnings. “If we continue what we’re doing, there won’t be a future for all the little kids growing up right now.”

Squid Game: The Challenge is now streaming on Netflix.

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Why Did Amazon Drop Venmo? Tech Giant Hasn’t Explained

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Amazon will no longer accept Venmo as a payment option starting in January 2024. Why has Amazon decided to drop the payment service?

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The Gist:

  • Amazon announced that it will no longer be accepting Venmo as a payment method for purchases beginning on Jan. 10, 2024.
  • The tech giant hasn’t explained its decision, but some have speculated that Venmo wasn’t a secure enough payment platform to partner with Amazon.
  • Amazon will still take payment from Venmo debit and credit cards.

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Although Amazon offers its users many things, one of the things it prizes most is convenience. You can order things quickly, and they’ll ship to you almost immediately. Another way that the tech giant has maximized convenience is by allowing you to pay for goods in a huge variety of different ways.

Recently, though, Amazon announced that it will no longer be accepting payments through Venmo starting early in 2024. Now, many want to know why Amazon decided to stop accepting Venmo payments. Keep reading for all of the details.

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Venmo logo with a person on their phone in silhouette.
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Why did Amazon drop Venmo?

In Amazon’s announcement that it will no longer be accepting Venmo payments, the company didn’t explain its decision. The tech giant did emphasize that there are still many ways for users to pay for orders, including using a credit card and through Apple Pay.

Amazon said that the change would be effective on Jan. 10, 2024, and that users would have to switch their payment method before then.

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The company placed a particular emphasis on any subscriptions that might be tied to a Venmo account, as those will be charged automatically and be rejected if the payment information isn’t updated.

Also, Amazon clarified that while payments from Venmo itself will be banned, payments from Venmo credit cards or debit cards will still be allowed, just like most other major credit cards.

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Because Amazon hasn’t explained its decision, all the public can do is speculate about why it may have decided to ban Venmo. Amazon might be launching some sort of rival service, and it wants to preemptively remove Venmo so that users will have to sign up for its service instead. Ultimately, though, we won’t know for sure until Amazon decides to explain the decision.

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Some think that people were using Venmo to scam Amazon.

Another potential reason that Venmo payments are no longer allowed is that Venmo wasn’t a safe enough payment platform, which meant that some users were able to use it to orchestrate scams.

Venmo was created largely to allow people who knew one another to directly transfer cash back and forth without an intermediary like a bank. It wasn’t designed to be used as payment for larger companies.

Although services like Venmo have some pretty obvious perks, there are also some downsides when it comes to things like security. Amazon is one of the largest retailers in the world, and that obviously means that it wants its marketplace to be a safe place for buyers and sellers to do business, even if that means that people who pay with Venmo are out of luck.

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