NYT obit for Fred Smith, which went up sometime yesterday after I posted.
FedEx was conceived in a paper that Mr. Smith wrote as a Yale University undergraduate in 1965. He argued that an increasingly automated economy would depend on fast and dependable door-to-door shipping of small packages containing computer parts. He got a C.
Today, FedEx employs more than half a million people and operates the world’s largest fleet of cargo aircraft. On an average day, the company ships more than 16 million packages in about 220 countries and territories.
The story about Mr. Smith getting a “C” goes around a lot, but I haven’t seen a reliable citation for it. Wikipedia (I know, I know) has it flagged as “citation needed”. You would think if it was true, the NYT would have more detail.
Gunilla Knutson, model. You probably don’t remember the name, but if you are of a certain age (Hi, pigpen51!) you remember the commercial.
Great and good friend of the blog Joe D. pointed out in comments that Blake Farenthold, former Congressman and Austin BBS personality, has passed away. AP obit.
I remember that commercial very well. I still had to watch the whole thing, and found myself following the singer’s words in my head. Funny how some things just stick in your head.
I think I remember Fred Smith talking about getting a “C” for his proposal on a TV documentary interview. Probably in the 1990’s, 60 Minutes, 20/20, or one of those I think, so that could be a source.