Netflix is reported to be the largest (more extensive than Blockbuster) online service that distributes DVD rentals all over the United States. I am an avid Netflix user. I enjoy the easy online accessibility that Netflix offers when I just want to simply rent a movie.

Not only does Netflix have a substantial number of videos for Americans to watch, but they also will recommend videos to you if you are unable to make up your mind on what type of movie you would like to rent. You can keep the movies as long as you are a member, but it is better to return them (through the mail in a small square white and red envelope) so that you can rent a different movie.

Another one of Netflix’s perks is that most of their movies have previews (so that you can be certain that the movie you rent is the movie you really want to watch).

With all my enthusiasm over Netflix, then, it should be clear why I would be so nettled to find my Netflix paper-envelope ripped and open when I go to retrieve them from my campus mailbox.

This is a problem. The first few times I noticed my Netflix open (my sophomore year), I thought that it was because the envelope was crammed into my three by five mailbox (and thus, it must squish to fit inside). After about three months, I began to realize that about one out of every four Netflix I received, was damaged. This problem carried over to my junior year when I began to notice one of my weekly magazines had full pages torn out. I understand that I should have said something to the people in the mailroom at this point, but I figured that it wasn’t them and they probably couldn’t help me out with my dilemma. After all, my movies were never damaged (just the packaging) and I could live with having a torn magazine every now and then.

For my senior year, I renewed my Netflix subscription and (much to my dismay) have had the same luck I have encountered the past two years. The envelopes were ripped open. It really is fishy to me because it looks like someone was watching my movies. I do not think, however, that the people employed to work in the mailroom are watching my Netflix movies; I just am curious as to how and why they look like they have might have been tampered with.