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A follow-up on the ice blocks that kept falling from the sky in Spain. I
now hear that similar falls were reported in Italy. An elderly couple in
Sweden also reported the same recently, and never having seen anything like
it, preserved the ice in their freezer. The sky is falling, the sky
is falling... guess old Earth just isn't Y2K compliant after all.
A government decision now allows the Swedish Post Office to divest itself
of its "postgiro" payments transfer operations. Managed since 1925, and lately
a wholly owned subsidiary, profitability has been waning in recent years,
especially after a mediocre attempt to be a quasi-bank (full banking services
were not allowed by govt law).
The PO CEO then declared that the post office as we know it will disappear
-- i.e. all remaining branches (995 after several previous waves of
cutbacks) will close in rapid order. The PO as such will concentrate
on what it knows best, mail transport and delivery. Over-counter services
are not interesting. So, mail delivery to homes and business will continue
(for how long?), but any remaining postal services are to
end up with small, independently run "post modules" set up in filling stations,
food stores, and other places willing to franchise... During the transition
period, services at existing branches will be simplified and replaced by
e-versions.
In related news, the government has signalled that it wants shares of the
"privatized" telecom to be sold ASAP on the open shares market. Currently,
the state owns all the shares.
As Jerry Pournelle
noted, A E van Vogt
passed away. AEvV was a very influential SF writer, and a number of his 50s
thru 70s stories are still remarkably readable for anyone who cares for what
used to be known as hardcore SF. The author link to my books wiki lists a
number of titles that I can recommend.
A couple of intriguing items of science news ...
Isotopic analysis of some famous ancient emeralds from treasure
troves of India has surprisingly revealed that they must have come out of
an emerald field in Columbia, long before mines were established there in
modern times, and long before the Spanish started trading in emeralds from
the New World. Some of those stones must have interesting stories to tell...
The classical taste sensations of sweat, sour, salt and
bitter are complemented with a fifth, newly identified. Called "umami", it
is the taste of a particular kind of seaweed, or as it happens monosodium
glutamate, widely used in Asian cooking. Finally, that elusive taste
is identified!
Swedish industrialist (and archaeologist) Gad Rausing
passed away today, 77. This has some personal interest, in part because I
actually met the man, along with others of that family. The family comes
from Lund, not far from here.
If I mention the family company, Tetra
Pak, more people will see the connection, and perhaps understand
why he was counted as one of the world's richest men. The main product, the
"tetra brik" liquid container, is practically ubiquitous all over the world
(milk, olive oil, wine, water, juice). Historically however, it was the "tetra
pak" or tetrahedron container that once launched the company onto the world
market. Today the TP group is active in many fields, although the mainstay
is still packaging and distribution of liquid goods in consumer packages.
The company, a huge multinational, is something of an anomaly on the Swedish
scene -- although today it is usually considered English-Swiss due to relocations
stemming from some serious disagreements with Swedish tax policies. You see,
the Tetra Pak group is at heart privately owned by the family. The root of
the tax problem was that it had been figured out that the Swedish laws would
result in inheritance taxes totalling over 200% the day one of the brothers
Gad or Hans died and the personal holdings passed to the children. Estimates
of Gad's personal wealth were uncertain, but generally in excess
of USD 1 billion. That kind of fortune is anathema in this country, and the
government was adamant about not making any changes to the tax code, despite
personal requests, so TP moved out of the country. That cost the country
an incalculable loss, in everything from employment, R&D investments,
and who knows what else.
Swedish snoops are now sifting through trash left in and
around recycling containers. Seems there is a serious problem with individuals
and companies simply dumping any and all trash in this way, usually in the
dead of night. Everything from furniture to dead sheep has ended up beside
the green containers. The "detectives" say that people they have traced (based
on names or adresses found in the trash) react just like they would for a
parking ticket -- ranging from outright denial, to embarrassed shame or blaming
their partner/colleague..
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The
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LeufNet
