Logitech, Wikiversity, Google Cell Phone, UPS 100th Anniversary, and eBay Seller Tools

What is the best thing to do when your mind is full of thoughts but nothing to write about. Recently exploring the wireless keyboard of Logitech, seem to be satisfied with it. Decent deal from buy.com

Let's talk about my recent acquisitions (on my bookmark toolbar:)
I read the whole article, and wanted to point out some of the discussions.

1) Wikiversity: Word comes from PC World, again.
"Coordinators of Wikiversity, one of the major projects of the Wikimedia Foundation Inc.

Wikiversity is a free learning community, and aims to provide free educational materials and courses online.

Type just about any subject into Google's search engine, including how to do needlework, or build a Web site, and then add the word 'tutorial' and up pop several Web sites offering guides on the subject.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's MIT OpenCourseWare project, for example, offers over 1000 free courses."

By the way, MIT spotlights this news on their website on 6th August, 2007:
"MIT neuroscientists exploring how memory formation differs between children and adults have found that although the two groups have much in common, maturity brings richer memories."

2) Check out Feed The Pig website for some easy solutions how to resolve debt. Some interesting ideas, though not a blast of amazement.

3) Google bringing cell phone to the table.
PC World reports the story from a WSJ article:
"listening to advertisements before being able to make phone calls"
That sounds irritating. Suppose you need to make an emergency call, but you need to listen to one of those GEICO advertisements, telling you '15 minutes can save you 15% on your car insurance.' Can't believe this, it is hilarious!
"Google announced in July it was willing to spend $4.6 billion to buy wireless spectrum in a U.S. Federal Communications Commission auction."
Speaking about Google's rival iPhone, "Apple iPhone was a brand new category in wireless, and it wasn't from a handset vendor and wasn't from a network."

4) UPS Birthday after 100 years. BusinessWeek reports:
"It started out in 1907 as the brainchild of two teenagers in a Seattle basement, whose fledgling messenger service made deliveries on foot or on bicycle. It now is the world's largest shipping carrier -- a $47 billion business with a fleet of trucks, an airline and operations in 200 countries.

Increasing competition for delivery of goods has meant the company has had to broaden its global reach and expand its business beyond small package delivery to shipping heavy freight and providing logistics services for companies.

But even as the Internet has made it easier to send, receive or download items electronically instead of paying a service to deliver them, the breaking down of trade barriers has given shippers like UPS overseas opportunities they haven't had in the past.

Edward Jones analyst Dan Ortwerth described UPS as the "oil that makes the gears go" in the global economy.

"Regardless of whether I want a leather jacket sent to me by UPS because I bought it online, or a factory in any country you'd like to name needs a sprocket to make its machine go, UPS is there to deliver," Ortwerth said.

These days, the U.S. small package delivery market has slowed along with the economy. As a result, UPS has been increasingly looking beyond U.S. borders for business, offering faster delivery to worldwide destinations. International growth has helped the company's bottom line.

A century from now, Chief Executive Mike Eskew expects that delivering small packages will still be an important part of the Atlanta-based company's business, but he isn't sure it will be the largest part. In 2001, the company expanded its services by acquiring the Mail Boxes Etc. chain. Most of the stores were later renamed The UPS Store.

"We're going to transform as the world changes and our customers tell us to change," Eskew said.

Recognized by its brown trucks and uniforms, UPS' lifeblood is its 427,700 employees, who will play a big role in future growth. UPS, also known as United Parcel Service, said that's because customer service -- particularly drivers having contact with customers everyday -- will always be the area that keeps customers coming back.

Contract negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters union, which represents 238,000 UPS drivers and sorters, are currently ongoing. That contract expires July 31, 2008. Pension and health care benefits are major issues.

Linc Dalimonte, a UPS driver from Grand Rapids, Mich., said he recognizes the importance in a highly competitive industry of controlling costs. Dalimonte, who has been with the company since he finished college 15 years ago, said he believes UPS can do that by continuing to emphasize safety, which would decrease accidents and the costs associated with them.

Technology improvements, meanwhile, have led to greater efficiencies.

UPS uses technology to map out the shortest routes for its trucks to reach their destinations. The technology and greater use of alternative fuel trucks have allowed UPS to save on fuel, according to Robert Hall, director of ground fleet engineering at UPS.

In 2006, package flow technology, the software that among other things designs routes with right-hand turns, allowed UPS to save 28.5 million miles of driving off its U.S. fleet.

According to the company, the average UPS driver has been with the company for 16 years. Management turnover runs 5 percent to 7 percent per year. The company says its average driver is paid $75,000 a year, while its average pilot salary is $200,000 a year.

WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?


There was competition even in 1907, when 18-year-old Claude Ryan and 19-year-old Jim Casey opened the American Messenger Company with a $100 loan from a friend of Casey. Working out of their basement headquarters in Seattle, employees -- Casey's brother and a handful of other teenagers -- ran errands and carried notes on foot or on bicycle.

In 1913, the company acquired its first delivery car, a Model T Ford, renamed itself Merchants Parcel Delivery and shifted its primary focus from messages to packages. Six years later, the company expanded beyond Seattle and renamed itself United Parcel Service.

The company, which moved into its Atlanta headquarters in 1994, went public in 1999. It rebranded itself as just UPS in 2003.

"At some point you think, we all think, it's time to let somebody else do this," said the 58-year-old. "Somebody else might have a different, fresher approach."

As UPS looks forward, Ortwerth, the analyst, said he doesn't believe competition and changing ways of sending goods and services will hurt UPS' growth as long as the company continues to adapt."

5) Vendio Gallery is a free seller tool for eBay sellers. Good service!

Italian Gelato vs. Turkish Ice-Cream (called Maras Dondurmasi)

Today's guest speakers are Gelato and Maras Dondurmasi. It will be the most unforgettable battle after the Italian espresso vs. Turkish coffee :-) First, we are unpacking the secrets of Italian Gelato. I purchased one from Trader Joe's for 2.99$, it is generic brand, or Trader Joe's brand. Tasted good to me. But, what is beneath the mystery of this kind of ice cream?

Let's start off with Trader Joe's Fans website, talking about Ginger Flavor Gelato Classico. Unfortunately, they say the ginger flavor is not available anymore. I never had a chance to try it, and would like to try it, but cannot try it now! What type of marketing is this? Fanny from France is speaking the language of gelato in her Food Beam blog. She is really putting a lot of effort in her blog, a nice job, delicious recipes, and all that. Highly recommended. I am kindly sharing this gelato image on the left with her permission. I hope she won't say no:)

OK, from another highly recommended one, but this one is a food brand, Gelato Classico. They describe the history of Gelato as:

"Legend has it that the Roman emperor Nero invented Italian ice cream, or gelato, by mixing milk with ice brought from the mountains. While it is impossible to pin down the exact origins of this dessert, the oldest known recipe was written by a Roman general in the first Century B.C. By the 16th century, Sorbetto and Gelato had become mainstays of the Italian diet, and the frozen treats quickly spread to the rest of Europe."

Then, what a about the brand, Gelato Classico? Here it is:

"Flash forward to 1976. Starting with a single shop on a San Francisco side street, Gelato Classico quickly became renowned for its dazzling array of flavors. The smooth, silky texture is unlike anything you've ever experienced, and the intense flavors will dazzle your palate. Gelato Classico is truly in a class by itself. Just one taste will prove it. Irresistibly creamy, delicious – and downright decadent – the recipe is a well-guarded secret."

And now, as we have a battle between Italian espresso and Turkish coffee. We have another friendly, delicious battle between Italian gelato and Turkish ice-cream. Oh, it is so yummy even to think about this Turkish ice-cream, Maras Dondurmasi. Although it is from one city of Turkey, called Kahramanmaras, it spread out around the world carrying our flag with it.

Even my friend in Japan said they have stores selling this awesome ice-cream. It has a very nice gummy flavor that it doesn't melt right away, you can actually bite it and chew it. Credits given to Chow, who described Maras Dondurmasi very fine. He says, "it's ice-cream, it's taffy, it is Maras Dondurmasi!" Better article was linked in this Chow post that comes originally from the magazine of Saveur. As Chow blogger says, "Saveur blows the lid off of this exotic sweet by sending one of its writers on a 24-hour journey from San Francisco to Maras, where she hangs out in a dondurmasi shop and proclaims the stuff dense, silky, and subtle."

OK, here I am sharing a nice video show about Turkish ice-cream. See, it is not only served on a plate. You eat it with a waffer cone. And, the ice-cream vendor is supposed to do some tricks while handing in the cone to you. A genuine Turkish vendor is making a show to the local Taiwanese people. The flavor, the show, the taste, and all experience. Now decide, is it gelato or Turkish ice-cream?


According to an article I read in one of the finest ice-cream makers in Turkey, Yasar Dondurmasi, Maras Dondurmasi has a history of 300 years. During the foundation of Maras Dondurmas, Roman Ice-Cream has already been known, and have been reproduced (faked) at many places. However, Maras Dondurmasi cannot be reproduced anywhere else around the world. The main ingredients come from the finely fed local goats' milk and local orchids. Then here comes the unbeatable flavor and aroma.

Welcome to Europe 12.36am Friday Midnight, Counts as Saturday

OK, I told you, though I was late to post this earlier. Still, 40 minutes is not a long time to cross from one country to another.

If you prefer to take the ferry, it might take you less than half an hour.

If you prefer to swim (not allowed, special permit required:)), then it might take I don't know, an 45 minutes?

Welcome to Europe.