"Just because you can..."
Note: Emails are organized in the order received, with first received at the top.
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Jim,
Excellent piece this week. Keep up the good work.
Regards,
Peter Ruschmeier
New York, New York
USA
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Thanks for your nice memories; I'm also interested to know the etymology of Paperitalo (Paper house in English). Finnish ancestors or what?
Cheers,
Taisto Leinonen
Helsinki, Finland
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Taisto--
I lived in Finland for a bit in the 1980's while working for Jaakko Poyry. Paperitalo (pop-err-E-towel-O) has a nice ring to it and you are, of course, correct about the interpretation. I have always admired your country and people. I also relate in thinking the Finns and I are both slightly crazy in similar ways: you make paper out of some of the slowest growing trees in the world, I run an electronic only publishing division in the paper industry! Meanwhile, keep the faith, more daylight is coming for you in less than two weeks.
Jim
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Enjoyed your article in the current Nip Impressions.
Integrity
There was a purchasing agent at an Alabama mill where I worked for 16 years that was the outstanding example of high integrity.
At Christmas time, his office would receive a large number of items from suppliers. These items being boxes of cookies, hams, turkeys (smoked) and all sorts of goodies.
He would instruct his secretary to send back to the company that they came from, all the items that had addresses on them and most did. He would have her include a nice note thanking them for their generosity, but that he would not accept the items.
Those items with no return address, he gave to his staff and would not take any of them for himself.
He was the same way about offers for ticket to shows, ball games etc.
His philosophy was, "I cannot accept these items and remain impartial to these suppliers, so I will not accept them."
He is now retired and is a well-respected member of his community.
Tommy Surles
Pensacola, Florida
USA
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