DailyDirt: The Biggest Shipping Days Of The Year

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Tue, Dec 21st 2010 5:00pm — Michael Ho

The biggest shipping days of the year are upon us this week, as brown paper packages tied up with string are flown around the US. All sorts of free shipping deals are encouraging Americans to spend more -- and to send their gifts through the inclement weather via various courier services. This year, over 650 million packages will be shipped by FedEx or UPS between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, and the vast majority of it isn't fondled by the TSA. This all reminds me it's been awhile since I watched Brazil... Oh yah, and here are some interesting stories about shipping stuff:

The biggest drawing on the world was traced out by a package containing a GPS device, sent to specific locations around the globe. It only really works on certain 2D map projections, though, but it's still kinda neat. UPDATE: It would be neat -- if it weren't completely fake, that is. Apparently, the artist didn't actually send anything anywhere. [url]
A guy tracks down why his package never arrives at its destination, using a car alarm. But predictably, he still doesn't get satisfaction from his efforts. [url]
Popular Mechanics puts some sensors in packages to find out which shipping company is the most careful with its deliveries. The winner is USPS, and the sensor data is nice to know (if somewhat anecdotal). [url]
For some extra cash, USPS could take on a side-job of surveillance -- since it already has all these trucks meandering around everyday. Probably not going to happen, but it would be interesting if the USPS vehicle fleet created public road map data. [url]
Forget about trucks and mailmen (mailpersons?) -- just use a series of tubes. Yes, actual tubes. Just gotta lay down a huge network of underground pipes first.... [url]

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Filed Under: holidays, shipping

6 Comments

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RobertH (profile), 21 Dec 2010 @ 5:11pm

The first one reminds me of a package I ordered this Summer. It started in Northern California, went up into Canada, came back through Chicago, down to Texas, and passed me 100 miles to the west. I didn't want to see where it was going after that so I drove a 100 miles and picked it up myself. Sheesh!
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MikeSoja, 21 Dec 2010 @ 5:53pm

Biggest drawing on the world
The guy faked it. A GPS was never taken anywhere.

I blogged about it two and half years ago.

Otherwise, keep up the good work.
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MikeSoja, 21 Dec 2010 @ 6:05pm

big fake drawing
Whoops. Should have given a link, but the "artist" used to have a disclaimer at the bottom of his page. Apparently removed, for some reason.

http://gizmodo.com/393597/gps+tracked-biggest-drawing-in-the-world-is-complete-fake

ht tp://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/05/artist-says-he/
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Michael Ho (profile), 21 Dec 2010 @ 7:44pm

Re: big fake drawing
It's still a neat concept... even though the guy didn't actually do it.
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Rekrul, 21 Dec 2010 @ 10:16pm

Yeasr ago, I sent a small package, maybe 10 inches cubed to my friend at college through the USPS. When the guy at the counter asked me "faster or cheaper", I made the mistake of saying "cheaper". Two weeks later, my friend still hadn't gotten it. A month went by, he came home for break and while he was here, the package was returned to me. When I mailed it, it was a neat, well-packed box. What I got back was ragged and looked like someone had sat on it. Luckily the contents survived unharmed.
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Darryl, 21 Dec 2010 @ 10:48pm

but its wrong !!! :)
The biggest drawing on the world was traced out by a package containing a GPS device, sent to specific locations around the globe.

That is a huge claim, its a shame that true or not its not correct.

If you drew the track of a cruise ship or jet liner, it would draw as a bigger picture, so would if you drew the internet connections globally, that has allready been done..
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