FedEx: Ruining the Environment Three Calendars at a Time
This is an update to my post from a week ago. It seems that FedEx, not content to simply take their time, has decided that the environment is disposable. Here’s what I mean:
Now, I’m no expert, but it seems to me that flying—they couldn’t possibly be driving this route… right? um… right???—from Dallas to Los Angeles to Denver to Albuquerque isn’t the best way to get the package from Dallas to Albuquerque. For those unfamiliar with the terrain, allow me to present the map:
They went right past my house to get to L.A.! Look, I’m not the biggest environmentalist in the world. My head doesn’t explode every time I see someone using a standard light bulb instead of one of the new compact fluorescents. This though—this is such a tremendous waste of fuel and such a stupid pollution contribution that I have to wonder who the hell is running things at FedEx. Dallas is a TEN HOUR DRIVE from Albuquerque. It’s practically a straight shot!
All this for what?
A trio of random calendars that I bought for a couple of bucks from woot.com. How ridiculous is that?
Is FedEx Abnormally Slow?
I don’t send or receive a lot of FedEx shipments, so maybe this is normal:
From the 28th to the 3rd (inclusive), I’d expect there to be five working days (28-29, 1-3) and two stop days (30-31). Am I wrong about this? Is the 1st a stop day as well? Is the 29th? Six days from pickup at the vendor to leaving the sort center seems excessive to me, even given the time of year.
Even worse though is that the estimated delivery date is January 12th. I live in a major city about 10 hours away from Dallas. How the hell do they justify another nine days in transit? Hopefully the system is estimating on the very broad side of caution and it will arrive much sooner than that.
Terror in the Air! Christmas Eve Travel
I’m writing this at 22,000 feet in a Southwest plane, heading east.
Prior to takeoff, the flight attendants did their little spiel, and taught us all how to master the super-complicated, high-tech seat belts. Just after takeoff, I was subjected to the most terrifying thing of my own personal aviation history. One of the flight attendants got on the speaker system and sang. She sang! It was horrible… just horrible…
To the tune of “Zippity Doo Dah”:
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah
Zip-a-dee-ay
My oh my what a Southwest day
Plenty of peanuts
Comin’ your way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah
Zip-a-dee-ay
Seriously. I may never be the same.
Just after that, the flight attendant said “if there is anything else that we can do to make your flight more pleasurable, please ask”. I must have had ‘that look’ on my face because I didn’t even get a chance to open my mouth when my wife said, “no, don’t even think about it. That’s not what she meant.”
It’s been an uneventful flight as a result.
Realization of the decade: traveling on Christmas Eve? Not as bad as one might think. Short lines, and the plane not only took off on time, it arrived at the destination early. This was probably the best flight - singing notwithstanding - that I’ve taken in recent memory.
Black Friday: Update
Not only did I not participate in the insanity, I slept until noon. Haven’t done that in years. Felt good.
Can’t wait to see the news reports tonight of people getting trampled in stores trying to get 20% off on a toy. Nothing says Happy Holidays like a few broken bones.
-
Subscribe
-
Search
-
Recently Written
-
Archives by Month
-
Categories
-
Music Reviews
Torman Maxt - The Problem of Pain, Part IIndie prog rock. If there’s one type of music that’s completely hit-or-miss, it’s got to be independent progressive rock.
Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank PlanetIf there’s one thing I both love and hate, it’s discovering that a great band has flown completely under my radar.
Rush - Snakes and ArrowsRush is back with their first album of original material since 2002, Snakes & Arrows. -
Blogroll
-
Admin