on the meaning of success
From today's NYT: To the liberal critique [of the IMF Asia bail out plans], Rubin responded that human rights, workplace issues and the environment, while important, should be not be thrown into the maelstrom of bringing an international financial crisis under control. "To add these three objectives, however important, would vastly complicate this effort and greatly reduce its chances of success," Rubin said. Tom Kruse / Casilla 5812 / Cochabamba, Bolivia Tel/Fax: (591-42) 48242 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
another globalization
"Holy Father, we feel the same way you do about many important issues of today's world," the Cuban leader said in his welcoming remarks [to el Papa] at Jose Marti Airport Wednesday afternoon. "Another country will not be found better disposed to understand your felicitous idea -- as we understand it and so similar to what we preach -- that the equitable distribution of wealth and solidarity among men and peoples should be globalized." Tom Kruse / Casilla 5812 / Cochabamba, Bolivia Tel/Fax: (591-42) 48242 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Mexico and the IMF
Marty, How about: Bob Blecker's: "Will Mexico's Economy Rebound from Reforms" in FORUM FOR APPLIED RESEARCH AND PUBLIC POLICY Spring 1997. Though dated (it compares Mexico to Asia's success before Asia deregualted) - this short article has references to other more in depth material. Best, Ron ** Ron Baiman Dept. of Economics Roosevelt UniversityFax: 312-341-3680 430 South Michigan Ave Chicago, Illinois 60605 Voice: 312-341-3694 ** On Wed, 7 Jan 1998, Martin Hart-Landsberg wrote: Dear Penners, I have recently learned that many progressives in South Korea are seriously misinformed about the Mexican currency crisis in 94/95 both in terms of how the Mexican government responded to it and the impact of the IMF structural adjustment program on the Mexican economy and living and working conditions. Believe it or not there is a feeling among some labor activists in South Korea that the Mexican government coordinated a national dialogue resulting in a social agreement including labor that helped protect working class interests leading to a speedy recovery from the crisis. If you have recommendations on some readings that would be useful for activists there to read to better understand what happened and is contnuing to happen in Mexico I would greatly appreciate you sending them to me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] I will collect them and forward them to my contacts in South Korea. Thanks, Marty Hart-Landsberg
RE: Critiques of NC risk analysis
Jeff, Peter Dorman (long-time and active URPE member - U. Mass Grad) at Michigan State University James Madison College, East Lansing, MI has written much on this stuff including a book: MARKETS AND MORTALITY: ECONOMICS, DANGEROUS WORK, AND THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE Cambride U. Press, 1996 (or 1997) More indirectly, some of my stuff on the irrelevance and non-optimality of Neoclassical surplus value methodology may be of interest. Best, Ron ** Ron Baiman Dept. of Economics Roosevelt UniversityFax: 312-341-3680 430 South Michigan Ave Chicago, Illinois 60605 Voice: 312-341-3694 ** On Thu, 8 Jan 1998, Fellows, Jeffrey wrote: Pen-l'ers: Does anyone know of a good radical critique of NC risk analysis? I am particularly interested in applications to health care, including questions related to estimating risks of illness and injury. Jeff Fellows Nat Center for Injury Prevention and Control Atlanta, Georgia (770) 488-1529 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: David Card's response
Phill, I don't know that this is exactly what your looking for but: John Schmitt in Jan. 1996 EPI Briefing paper: "The Minimum wage and Job loss: Opponents of Wage hike find no effect" offers a detailed response to the Neumark and Wascher Critique and others. There is also a later essay by Springgs and Schmidt: The Minimum Wage: Blocking the low wage path" in RECLAIMING PROSPERITY, Ed. Schafer and Faux, M. E. Sharpe 1996. I have encountered the same with a U. of Chicago consulting group report against the Living Wage here. Scmidt notes that the NM data was supplied by an industry group with astake in the outcome (The Employment Policy Institute backed by maufactureres, resturants and retailers) and includes resturants not in the CK original analysis and that indipendent data collected by WN does not bear out their results. Finally they look at hours instead of numbers of jobs. In terms of income workers would still earn much more even if their small decline in hours worked was accurate and most other studies show no statistically significant effect on jobs from moderate wage floor increases. Best, Ron ** Ron Baiman Dept. of Economics Roosevelt UniversityFax: 312-341-3680 430 South Michigan Ave Chicago, Illinois 60605 Voice: 312-341-3694 ** On Thu, 8 Jan 1998 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Some time ago (a year?) someone posted (Doug?) a response by David Card to the critique that two other economists had given to _Myth and Measurement_. Unfortunately, I did not save the response and now I have need of it to counter claims by a neo-right critique of minimum wages who is claiming that Card and Krueger's work has been discredited. I have tried going back into the Pen-l archives but haven't been able to find it. a. does anyone have it who could e-mail it to me? or b. does anyone remember exactly when it was posted or how I can find it in the Pen-l archives? Please respond to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Paul Phillips, Economics, University of Manitoba
Full translation of Castro speech
Posted at 7:40 p.m. EST Wednesday, January 21, 1998 Translation of Castro's speech The official translation of Cuban President Fidel Castro's statement of welcome to Pope John Paul II: Holy Father, The land you have just kissed is honored by your presence. You will not find here the peaceful and generous native people who inhabited this island when the first Europeans arrived. Most of the men were annihilated by the exploitation and the enslaved work they could not resist and the women turned into pleasure objects or domestic slaves. ... There were also those who died by the homicidal swords or victims of unknown diseases brought by the conquerors. Some priests have left tearing testimonies of their protests against such crimes. In the course of centuries, over a million Africans ruthlessly uprooted from their distant lands took the place of the enslaved natives already exterminated. They made a remarkable contribution to the ethnic composition and the origins of our country's present population where the cultures, the beliefs and the blood of all participants in the dramatic history have been mixed. It has been estimated that the conquest and colonization of this hemisphere resulted in the death of 70 million natives and the enslavement of 12 million Africans. Much blood was shed and many injustices perpetrated, a large part of which still remain after centuries of struggle and sacrifices under new forms of domination and exploitation. Under extremely difficult conditions, Cuba was able to constitute a nation. It had to fight alone for its independence with unsurmountable heroism and, exactly 100 years ago, it suffered a real holocaust in the concentration camps where a large part of its population perished, mostly old men, women and children; a crime whose monstrosity is not diminished by the fact that it has been forgotten by humanity's conscience. As a son of Poland and a witness of Oswiecim, you can understand this better than anyone. Today, Holy Father, genocide is attempted again when by hunger, illness and total economic suffocation some try to subdue this people that refuses to accept the dictates and the rule of the mightiest economic, political and military power in history; much more powerful than the old Rome that for centuries had the beasts devour those who refused to abdicate their faith. Like those Christians horribly slandered to justify the crimes, we who are as slandered as they were, we choose a thousand times death rather than abdicate our convictions. The revolution, like the Church, also has many martyrs. Holy Father, we feel the same way you do about many important issues of today's world and we are pleased it is so; in other matters our views are different but we are most respectful of your strong convictions about the ideas you defend. In your long pilgrimage around the world, you have been able to see with your own eyes many injustices, inequalities and poverty; uncultivated lands and landless hungry farmers; unemployment, hunger, illness; lives that could be saved with little money being lost for lack of it; illiteracy, child prostitution, 6-year old children working or begging for alms to survive; shanty towns where hundreds of millions live in unworthy conditions; race and sex discrimination; complete ethnic groups evicted from their lands and abandoned to their fate; xenophobia, contempt for other peoples; cultures which have been, or are currently being, destroyed; underdevelopment and usurious loans, unpayable and uncollectable debts, unfair exchange, outrageous and unproductive financial speculations; an environment being ruthlessly and perhaps helplessly destroyed; an unscrupulous weapons trade with disgusting lucrative intents; wars, violence, massacres; generalized corruption, narcotics, vices and an alienating consumerism imposed on peoples as an ideal model. Mankind has seen its population increase almost fourfold just in this century. There are billions of people suffering hunger and thirst for justice; the list of man's economic and social calamities is endless. I am aware that many of them are cause of permanent and growing concern to the Holy Father. I have been through personal experiences which allow me to appreciate other features of his thinking. I was a student in Catholic schools until I obtained my bachelor's degree. There, I was taught that to be a Jew, a Muslim, a Hinduist, a Buddhist, an animist or a participant of any other religious belief was a terrible evil deserving severe and unmitigated punishment. More than once, even in some of those schools for the wealthy and privileged -- where I was one of them -- I came up with the question of why there were no black children there; until this day, I have not forgotten the unconvincing answers I was given. In later years, the Second Vatican Council convened by Pope John XXIII undertook the analysis of some of these sensitive issues. We are aware of efforts by the Holy Father to preach and
[Fwd: Indonesia: fears for a renewed crackdown (AI INDEX: ASA 21/05/98]
* News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International * AI INDEX: ASA 21/05/98 20 JANUARY 1998 Indonesia: fears for a renewed crackdown This week's bomb explosion in Jakarta could herald a renewed crackdown on government opponents in Indonesia, as the government grapples with an economic crisis and forthcoming presidential elections, Amnesty International said today. "The culprits responsible for the bomb ought to be brought to justice. However the Indonesian authorities should not exacerbate existing tensions by rounding up peaceful government critics," Amnesty International said. During recent weeks the security forces have made clear their intention to eliminate any opposition to President Suharto being elected to a seventh term. General Feisal Tanjung, the commander of the armed forces, recently told journalists that anti-government groups would be "cut down". The first signs of a renewed crackdown, began with the arrests of Mochamad Faik, Nurussulhi Nawai and three other members of the unofficial opposition party, the Indonesian United Democratic Party (PUDI) when the party's office in Malang, East Java, was raided by security forces. PUDI's leader, the well-known government critic, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, is currently on trial in Jakarta under the draconian Anti-subversion Law for setting up the party. In Indonesia, subversion carries the death penalty or up to life imprisonment. "It looks as if we are about to witness a repeat performance of last year's parliamentary elections, when the authorities gave the security forces carte blanche to detain critics," Amnesty International said. The government has also reacted to criticism of its handling of the current economic crisis with threats and intimidation. Currency speculation and food hoarding have been publicly equated with 'subversion'. Riots which broke out in Jember, East Java have been blamed on the banned Communist Party of Indonesia. The media has been taken to task for its negative reporting and two respected economists have been summoned by the military intelligence services for their outspoken criticism of the government. "This heavy handed approach will only exacerbate tensions in the long run," Amnesty International said. "As Indonesia accepts the need for economic discipline and reform, it should also take steps to relieve political pressures and bring the human rights situation into line with international norms and standards." /ends You may repost this message onto other sources provided the main text is not altered in any way and both the header crediting Amnesty International and this footer remain intact. Only the list subscription message may be removed. To subscribe to amnesty-L, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with "subscribe amnesty-L" in the message body. To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with "unsubscribe amnesty-L" in the message body. If you have problem signing off, contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: on the meaning of success
Tom Kruse wrote, To the liberal critique [of the IMF Asia bail out plans], Rubin responded that human rights, workplace issues and the environment, while important, should be not be thrown into the maelstrom of bringing an international financial crisis under control. "To add these three objectives, however important, would vastly complicate this effort and greatly reduce its chances of success," Rubin said. I suppose this is how Rubin sees the balance of powers in the modern state -- the president's job is to fuck the interns, the IMF does it to the rest of us. Rubin's gauntlet can be more simply translated as: _responsible_ government has no proper role to play in the balance sheet of international finance. It's probably a point too subtle for the debased currency that passes for public discourse these days, but the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury has, in effect, publicly renounced his OATH OF OFFICE -- to defend the constitution and laws of the United States. Of course, it "vastly complicates" any financial transaction to require that it comply with the law. And it "vastly complicates" the exercise of state office to require the officials to enforce the law. Maybe the movie Wag the Dog has it all wrong. The imbroglio over Clinton's sexual indiscretions may be serving to cover up the really impeachable offense: high treason. I say, "Nevermind the prez's bollocks, impeach Rubin." With officials like Rubin, who needs black helicopters? Regards, Tom Walker ^^^ Know Ware Communications Vancouver, B.C., CANADA [EMAIL PROTECTED] (604) 688-8296 ^^^ The TimeWork Web: http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/
Re: From the send key of Richard K. Moore
Dunno what preceded this message, but I thought that Batra was pretty good on two key points: he warned against the effects of deregulation/free trade _and_ he warned against the likelihood of a rampaging capitalism once communism had been laid to rest. Sid Ravi Batra is a poor economist. He's not totally wrong, but his accuracy is outweighed by his self-promotion. in pen-l solidarity, Jim Devine
Video cameras for Human Rights work (fwd)
Global Exchange supports this call from the CHIAPAS MEDIA PROJECT for donations of VHS camcorders to support human rights work in indigenous communities. The presence of cameras with trained users is a proven deterrent to human rights abuses. -- ***CHIAPAS MEDIA PROJECT*** In February, the CHIAPAS MEDIA PROJECT will deliver up to 40 used VHS camcorders to indigenous villages throughout Chiapas. In March, a delegation of Chicago-based youth trained in video skills will join youth in Mexico City and Oaxaca to give a 10-day training in video editing in the community of Morelia. Tom Hansen will lead the delegation to donate the video cameras and teach villagers to use them. To donate your used VHS camcorder: include working batteries, battery charger and, if possible, a camera case. Please send your camcorder to Tom Hansen, 4834 N. Springfield, Chicago, IL, 60625. For more information about the youth delegation, please contact Tom Hansen at 773-583-7728; e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Global Exchange 2017 Mission St., Rm. 303 San Francisco, CA 94110 Phone: 415.255.7296 Fax: 415.255.7498 http://www.globalexchange.org
1000 multinationals will soon meet - action (fwd)
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 1998 21:49:25 +0100 From: Play Fair Europe! [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: 1000 multinationals will soon meet - action **Please help us to distribute this message** Dear friends, The 1.000 most important multinacionals of the world will meet in Davos, Switzerland, from the 29th of this month to the 3rd of February, to take major political decisions that will influence everyone's lives. If you do not like this way of setting the "Priorities for the 21st century" (as they call their meeting) please do one or more of these proposed actions: 1. Sign the declaration attached to this letter and propose other organisations (trade unions, farmers' organisations, environmental, women's and solidarity organisations, church-related groups, etc.) and individuals to sign it and collect more endorsements. Every person is welcomed to sign - the more signatures, the better. However, in order to have more impact in mass media, we especially encourage you to contact well known persons, like intellectuals, writers, professors, singers, football players, actors... The declaration will be used all over the world as press release. 2. If you collect some signatures, please type the reply forms and email them to playfair(asta.rwth-aachen.de by the 28th of January. We will compile all the signatures and email the complete list to thousands of people and organisations all over the world. Please take into account that we cannot type ourselves thousands of names in one day; this is the reason why we ask you to send the names by email. If you do not have access to email, please fax your list before the 27th of January. 3. Once you receive from us the whole list of signatories, please send it along with the declaration to the local and national media (press, television, radio). 4. Please organise a local action between the 29th of January and the 3rd of February and send your own press release along with the declaration, announcing your action and inviting the press. If you do this, you will multiply the chances of the media publishing something, since journalists tend to report about photogenic stories much more than about declarations. Any kind of action that is visual and can be photographed is good, the range is very broad and you do not need many people to catch media attention. Just to give some examples in increasing order of difficulty, you can stand in front of a symbolic building with some banners (the office of any multinational of your choice, the parliament, the chamber of commerce, the city hall, etc.), or perform street theater (like a symbolic bury of the parliament by the multinationals, or two dinner tables, one full of luxuries and with nicely dressed people around it, and the other with some rubbish and very poor people), or organise an event (a public lecture, a panel discussion, etc) or do a direct action (block the entrance of the stock exchange or squat it, occupy the office of a multinational, etc). Please inform us if you are going to do something (unless you do not want to make it publicly known beforehand), since we want to send the list of planned actions along with the list of signatures on the 29th, so that you can use it too for the media work. Thank you for your attention. The Play Fair Europe! Team -- (Place), (Date) Press Release Declaration against the Globalisers of Misery Worldwide opposition to the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos Throughout this week (29th January-3rd February) the World Economic Forum, the club of the foremost 1000 Transnational Corporations, is holding its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. During this period, hundreds of actions are taking place in many different parts of the world to denounce this event (1). This meeting is, in the World Economic Forum´s own words, "the world's global business summit" (2), where "each year, major initiatives are launched...which go far beyond the pure business realm". At the Annual Meeting, "1000 top business leaders , 250 political leaders, 250 foremost academic experts in every domain, and some 250 media leaders come together to shape the global agenda." As they boast, "the World Economic Forum has played a leading role in the economic globalisation process... at the beginning of the eighties it played a major role in launching the Uruguay trade negotiations. The foundation has made a contribution to the process and negotiation of financial services liberalisation." We oppose the accelerating centralisation of political and economic power caused by globalisation, and its gradual shift to unaccountable and undemocratic institutions, such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO). We denounce the role of "informal" business groups (such as the World Economic Forum) in this process,
Re: 1000 multinationals will soon meet - action (fwd)
Sid Shniad forwarded the message, Throughout this week (29th January-3rd February) the World Economic Forum, the club of the foremost 1000 Transnational Corporations, is holding its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. During this period, hundreds of actions are taking place in many different parts of the world to denounce this event (1). Are you going to organise an action? If yes, please describe it in a few words: Yes. My action is called OPENING THE BOOKS ON THE BIG SIX. There are six big multinational accounting firms that provide consultation to business and government and that for all intents and purposes "regulate themselves" as professionals. Two of the big firms, Price Waterhouse and Cooper Lybrand have announced their intention of merging. If the merger goes ahead as planned there will be five big firms. At the Davos Annual Meeting, Price Waterhouse will release the results of its "Global Survey of CEOs". As professionals, the accounting firms MUST heed the issues of social cost accounting, no less than physicians MUST practice of medical hygeine to prevent the iatrogenic spread of bacteria. If they do not, they are guilty of professional malpractice and conspiracy to cover up malpractice on a collosal scale. My action will be to call attention to the role of the accounting profession and the big accounting firms in defining what shows up on the "bottom line" and, more imporantly, what doesn't. It is a lot easier to focus on these six key corporations than on 1000. Price Waterhouse Coopers Lybrand Arthur Anderson Co. Ernst Young Deloitte Touche KPMG PRICE WATERHOUSE, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM TO ANNOUNCE RESULTS OF GLOBAL CEO SURVEY What are the top-of-mind issues among CEOs of the world's leading companies? The Global CEO Survey will reveal those issues, on an annual basis.BR The Global CEO Survey is a new cooperative project of Price Waterhouse and the World Economic Forum, an organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. Each year, the Price Waterhouse Survey Research Center will conduct the survey, collecting the perspective of hundreds of global CEOs on issues of crucial interest to the international business community. The results then will be released at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.BR PThe Annual Meeting is known as the summit of summits. In attendance will be more than 1,000 chief executives and other senior officers from the world's largest corporations, as well as political leaders, scholars, and members of the media. For six days they gather to discuss topics of greatest relevance to world business. The results of the first Global CEO Survey will be released at the World Economic Forum's next Annual Meeting, to be held Thursday, January 29 through Tuesday, February 3, 1998. Watch this website for complete information.BR In addition, the first copies of the new Price Waterhouse book, Straight From the CEO: Global Business Leaders Reveal Ideas That Every Manager Can Use, will be distributed at the 1998 Annual Meeting. The book presents some of the best in current management thinking. A team of Price Waterhouse management consultants interviewed global CEOs who have outstanding track records as change agents. The result of their collaboration is this collection of more than 30 essays, with themes drawn from CEOs' actual experiences. Cumulatively, the essays provide vivid detail about the key ideas and insights these executives are using to lead and drive corporate change from Bangkok to Oshkosh, from Dusseldorf to Dallas. Straight From the CEO will be in bookstores starting next March. To reserve your copy NOW, simply fill out the online form. You will be notified as soon as the book is available for purchase. "mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]"(Let's Talk) Regards, Tom Walker ^^^ Know Ware Communications Vancouver, B.C., CANADA [EMAIL PROTECTED] (604) 688-8296 ^^^ The TimeWork Web: http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/
Re: Full translation of Castro speech
Friends, Wow! Fidel's address to the Pope is amazing. It has great power and emotional weight. Thaks to Louis for posting it. Michael yates
Ellipsis in Fidel speech?
I would add my thanks to Louis for posting Fidel's welcome to the Pope. I used to read Granma years back but have fallen out of the habit; I have forgotten what eloquence is! One question for Louis. There is an ellipsis [. . .] at the end of the first paragraph. Was that intended? Was it in the original, or did you leave something out in transmission to the list? And: what was the source of the text? Thanks. david David Laibman
Re: Full translation of Castro speech
Before you give the Pope too much credit, he is a far cry from Pope John. Also, the rhetoric is not far from that of Solzhenitsin (sp?). The Pope has supported just about every repressive regime around the world. He was the first to recognize the Haitian coup, if I remember correctly. -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Full translation of Castro speech
It is important to keep track of shifts in what the Pope *is saying now*. According to the New Yorker article, Castro claims that the speech at the World Hunger Conference closest in spirit to his own was the Pope's. I am not saying that the Pope has become Ernesto Cardenal, but that if Castro perceived a shift then it is incumbent upon the rest of us to pay more careful attention. Specifically, this means understanding the Cuba trip on its own terms rather than seeing it as a repeat of the trip to Poland. Louis Proyect At 03:48 PM 1/22/98 -0800, you wrote: Before you give the Pope too much credit, he is a far cry from Pope John. Also, the rhetoric is not far from that of Solzhenitsin (sp?). The Pope has supported just about every repressive regime around the world. He was the first to recognize the Haitian coup, if I remember correctly. -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Full translation of Castro speech
--- Forwarded Message Follows --- Return-path: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 22 Jan 98 16:58:28 +800 Thu, 22 Jan 1998 16:52:48 -0800 (PST) [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Fri, 23 Jan 1998 11:46:02 +1000 Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 11:52:19 +1100 Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: bill mitchell [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Full translation of Castro speech In-Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] At 15:48 22/01/98 -0800, you wrote: Before you give the Pope too much credit, he is a far cry from Pope John. Also, the rhetoric is not far from that of Solzhenitsin (sp?). The Pope has supported just about every repressive regime around the world. He was the first to recognize the Haitian coup, if I remember correctly. Yes michael. Before any radical on the left gets too carried away with all this catholic mumbo jumbo they should reflect on the role of the church in countries where people have been brainwashed into believing the nonsense they call their faith. usually pro-capitalist, anti-environment. they tried to expel the liberation theologians. why castro would even have the old bastard in cuba amazes me. kind regards bill ##William F. Mitchell ### Head of Economics Department # University of Newcastle New South Wales, Australia ###*E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ### Phone: +61 49 215065 # ## ### Fax: +61 49 216919 Mobile: 0419 422 410 ## WWW Home Page: http://econ-www.newcastle.edu.au/~bill/billyhp.html Response: I think it was more in the order of a tactical compromise for the purpose of achieving some kind of leverage or authority to help end the social systems destabilization campain and embargo that is creating a lot of misery for the people of Cuba. Personally, I wish that Fidel had mentioned the Ratline (Vatican assistance to fleeing Nazi war criminals), the 1933 Concordat with the Nazis (Pope Pius XI prasing Nazis as "voctors for Christianity and a bulwark against Bolshevism"), high-level elements of the Church supporting fascist regimes/despots while preaching against grass- roots political action and "liberation theology" by rank-and-file Priests and Nuns (and a few higher level elements like Archbishop Romero), the Pope's collaboration with the CIA and the misery caused by destabilization campaigns against Poland and Eastern Europe (while preaching against secular political action by Priests and Nuns), the 1498 Papal Encyclical commanding either conversion or extermination of indigenous peoples, the patronizing patriarchy and patriarchal attitudes toward women, etc etc. Jim Craven *---* * "Who controls the past, * * James Craven controls the future. * * Dept of Economics Who controls the present,* * Clark College controls the past." (George Orwell)* * 1800 E. Mc Loughlin Blvd.* * Vancouver, Wa. 98663 (360) 992-2283 FAX: (360)992-2863* * [EMAIL PROTECTED]* * MY EMPLOYER HAS NO ASSOCIATION WITH MY PRIVATE/PROTECTED OPINION *
Re: Full translation of Castro speech
On Thu, 22 Jan 1998, Louis Proyect wrote: [If the blockade is lifted] socialism will be strengthened. That's a fact. Louis Proyect Louis, My impression is the opposite. I certainly don't oppose Cuba's efforts to lift the embargo, but I'm very doubtful that lifting the embargo will strengthen socialism. The experience of China comes to mind right away. How do you see Cuba going a different route? I'm not saying it's impossible, but I am much more skeptical than you. Steve
Re: Ireland civil rights
In message v01540b0cb0eb0bb7c744@[205.134.235.45], anzalone/starbird [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes What rubbish. Yes, the Sein Fein movement leadership is negotiating with the forces of petty bougie etc and governments who aren't politically correct, etc. US British etc. Negotiations are not collaboration. It's useful to distinguish. Well that would be fine if Sinn Fein were being up-front with their supporters about what was happening. But in fact they have been triumphalist in presenting the talks as a break-through. They have insisted that their position is one of support for Irish independence, whilst negotiating on a quite different basis. ??? Are you sure you have your set tuned to the Sinn Fein/British/Irish negotiations? In the longer discussion articles, Sinn Fein admit that their goals have been redefined as seeking 'parity of esteem' with Unionists. Where once they rejected British rule as part of the problem in Ireland, now they call upon the British to be honest brokers and persuaders to the unionists. Where once Sinn Fein opposed British control over demonstrations, more recently they have called on the Government's parades Commission to regulate protest in the six counties. You mean they have called upon the RUC to stop allowing pogroms to take place under their protection. Where once the IRA saw the police as legitimate targets, Sinn fein have more recently called upon th British to admit former IRA volunteers into teh ranks of a 'civilian' police force. Everybody understands that it just was not possible to sustain a military campaign against Britain indefinitely. There is nothing in principle wrong with seeking negotiation. Duh. But in trying to make a virtue out of necessity, Sinn Fein have ended up putting a positive gloss on the latest in Britain's 'peace' initiatives, which are in content just a new form of British rule in Northern Ireland. You're kidding right? It's hard to avoid the conclusion that Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness have come away with less than even Yasser Arafat settled for. Fraternally -- James Heartfield
RMD980102 Irish news for Thursday/Friday 1/2 January
Sometimes a little slice of (real) life adds to the analysis/judgement.
Ellen Starbird
IRISH NEWS ROUND-UP
Thursday/Friday, 1/2 January, 1998
1. Peace process under attack
2. Family of five escapes murder bid
3. McAliskey's fate in hands of British Home Secretary
4. Sinn Fein TD's six months in Leinster House
5. Analysis: Can they justify 'retaliation?'
Peace process under attack
Two indiscriminate murders by loyalists within five
days coupled with hardline comments by unionist leaders
has led to an outpouring of fear and anxiety over the
future of peace efforts in the north of Ireland.
Britain's governor in Ireland Mo Mowlam today called an
unscheduled meeting of the north's political parties in
Belfast on Monday to discuss the increasingly grave
situation. She strongly criticised the recent murders,
which she described as "nakedly sectarian" and "random
acts of overt bigotry".
On New Year's Eve, two loyalists entered the Clifton
Tavern in north Belfast shortly after 9pm and raked the
pub with gunfire from an Uzi sub-machinegun and a
handgun.
Hijacking a car in loyalist west Belfast, the loyalist
death-squad drove to the nationalist Cliftonville Road
where two members got out and walked casually to the
pub, exchanging banter with locals. On reaching the
door, the two men pulled masks over their heads and
guns from under their coats before firing
indiscriminately. Stunned customers dived behind tables
but most had no time to move.
Eddie Treanor, a 31-year-old father of one just begin
New Year's festivities in his local pub when the gunmen
entered. Eddie was pinned into a window seat and had no
escape. He died shortly after being shot in the head.
Five others were injured, two seriously.
The attack followed another fatal gun attack on the
Glengannon Hotel in Dungannon, County Tyrone at the
weekend. Father of three Seamus Dillon, a hotel
doorman, and three others, including a
fourteen-year-old boy, were injured as masked gunmen
attempted to shoot their way into a hotel ballroom
where hundreds of teenagers were attending a Christmas
disco.
Last night, the breakaway Loyalist Volunteer Force
which is opposed to the peace process claimed the
Clifton Tavern shooting had been carried out by its
"West Belfast brigade". But the LVF has no known
support in west Belfast, and suspicion for the attack
has fallen at least partly on members of the UFF
("Ulster Freedom Fighters"), using the LVF as a cover
name.
One well-known UFF killer did not attempt to hide his
involvement, with eyewitnesses spotting him at the
wheel of the getaway car. The UFF, also known as the
UDA (Ulster Defence Army), is still represented at the
peace talks at Stormont Castle in Belfast. The
organisation has claimed to be adhering to a nominal
ceasefire in order to preserve its position at the
negotiating table, but has come under pressure to be
expelled from the talks following this latest attack.
Speaking at the scene of the New Year's Eve mass murder
bid, a shocked Sinn Fein North Belfast representative
Gerry Kelly expressed his condolences to Eddie
Treanor's family and said his party was determined to
end the conflict through inclusive negotiations.
Mr. Kelly said: "Loyalist attacks on Catholics and
unionist obstruction in the talks process are designed
to subvert the peace process and minimise the potential
for change. Neither the actions of loyalist death
squads nor the behaviour of the Unionist leadership
must be allowed to drag us back into the abyss from
which we have come."
The Sinn Fein negotiator said there was "an onerous
responsibility" on the two governments, but
particularly the British government, to push forward
with the negotiations.
Following the attacks, unionist politicians have loudly
warned of the possible collapse of the peace process in
the absence of gains for their community. Urging the
resignation of Britain's governor in Ireland Mo Mowlam,
Ulster Unionist party leader David Trimble claimed the
two recent loyalists murders were due to a lack of
concessions in the talks, but did not explain ten
others last year.
"There is very great concern within loyalist ranks at
the moment because of the way in which the peace
process has been operating, because they have seen it
as something that operates solely to their
disadvantage," he said.
The UUP leader said there was "diminishing confidence"
in Mo Mowlam and the peace process and urged her to
resign. "I will do nobody any good to simply support
RMD980122 Irish news for Thursday 22 January
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 18:26:02 -0500 (EST) From: RM_Distribution [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RMD980122 Irish news for Thursday 22 January Status: U IRISH NEWS ROUND-UP Thursday, 22 January, 1998 1. Random shootings terrorise Belfast 2. SDLP vote collapses in mid-Tyrone by-election 3. Sinn Fein submission to peace talks 4. Analysis: Scorn the Orange Card 5. Events in England and Ireland 6. U.S. tour schedule of killer British regiment _ Random shootings terrorise Belfast A siege situation is developing in nationalist areas of Belfast as loyalist gunmen roam the city randomly attacking vulnerable Catholics. Another man has been critically injured tonight in a gun attack on a bakery in Glengormley, on the northern outskirts of Belfast. The seventh shooting this week saw two gunmen run down an entry-way to the Catholic-owned bakery this evening and shoot one of the employees. The father-of-two was shot three times in the head and side as he and his brother were closing the premises for the night. The bakery is in an isolated nationalist area close to loyalist strongholds in the north of the city. The gunmen ran back down the alleyway and are thought to have simply run across fields to escape. Locals who rushed to the scene said the victim remained conscious after the shooting, asking bystanders "Why me? Why me?" Following surgery, the man's condition was described as serious, but stable. Tonight's shooting follows the murder of father-of-three Ben Hughes in one of three separate loyalist gun attacks across Belfast last night. Ben was murdered at 6pm as he was leaving the shop jn loyalist south Belfast where he had worked for over thirty years. A lone gunman fired five times, hitting him in the head and chest before running away. In other attacks, taxi driver John McFarland was shot and injured in the north of the city around 9pm after answering a call out to theDownview Avenue area. A masked man approached the car and fired seven shots before running off. Despite receiving a head-wound, Mr McFarland was able to drive himself to the Mater hospital where his condition was described as 'not life-threatening." Two hours later, a third loyalist victim was shot several times in the body in the predominantly Protestant Belvoir [pron. Beever] Park Estate on the outskirts of south Belfast. The shooting of the Protestant man is thought to have possibly been a case of mistaken identity. North Belfast Sinn Fein councillor Danny Lavery said taxi drivers in particular needed to exercise caution. "Mr McFarland believed that he was responding to a legitimate request for a taxi, when in fact he was lured by his would-be killers to an area of their choosing," he said. "Under no circumstances should a driver be asked to enter what might be considered a dangerous area unless the authenticity of a passenger or, as was the case last night, a telephone caller, can be established." The RUC police have finally admitted today that the death-squads of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), represented at peace talks by the Ulster Democratic Party (UDP), are mostly responsible for the ongoing murder campaign in Belfast. After professing ignorance of the origin or motivation for recent killings in the city, RUC Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan moved today to restore some credibility to the force by blaming the UDA for three indiscriminate murders of Catholics in recent weeks. Sinn Fein today suggested the loyalist campaign is an effort by the UDA to prevent political change by building on the strongly pro-unionist peace 'blueprint' published by the British and Irish governments. Said Councillor Alex Maskey: "I think that the paper produced last week by both governments was a reward for the killings and also for the attitude of David Trimble and his [Ulster Unionist] party. So I think the major question does need to be asked, why are these killings taking place?" With pressure growing for the UDP to be ejected from the talks, Maskey said his party would not be seeking their expulsion. "While it would be popular to have the UDP removed from the talks we want to see a totally inclusive process," he said. The UDP had a major responsibility to use whatever influence they had to stop the killings and to establish whether or not the UDA were prepared to countenance change "because that is why these killings are taking place", he added. _ SDLP vote collapses in mid-Tyrone by-election
RMD980122 Irish news for Thursday 22 January
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 18:26:02 -0500 (EST) From: RM_Distribution [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RMD980122 Irish news for Thursday 22 January Status: U isn't it? Unless and until, of course, Mr Trimble can form an alternative arrangement with the SDLP. He's been trying for long enough and I'm sure was fairly optimistic before Christmas that Seamus Mallon was finally going to grant him this wish. I've no doubt that at that point he would have washed his hands of you, and your prisoners also. Maybe you should ask Mr Trimble to detail his party's contribution to the debate on prisoner releases at Stormont as part of the confidence building measures? Seeing as how he feels so concerned for their welfare. I believe he spent most of his time attacking the proposals put forward by the other parties and had nothing to offer from his own party. (They left the rope at home.) I know that sort of conflicts with the image of the high-powered delegation from the UUP which visited the UDA/UFF prisoners in the Kesh ã a delegation that would not have been out of place on the steps of Downing Street. But then, when has inconsistency bothered Mr Trimble? But you see, David, alliances of convenience have a dreadful history of ultimately collapsing. On the other hand, the tactic of 'no claim, no blame' has a shelf life. What then of the UDP? Personally, I sympathise with you if you have to conduct a political analysis of the way forward with those 'whose thinking your party is said to have an insight into'. I thought the mural that Johnny Adair stood under for the cameras summed up their thoughts on the situation, as it was meant to, 'Kill 'em all, let God sort 'em out'. That is their thinking after all, isn't it? You've got a handful on your plate there, David. The problem is, and you should point this out to them (preferably from a distance, for your own safety), they can't kill us all. It's fantasy land. I know that at times like this there is fear in the nationalist community given the random nature of the killings. But there is also anger. More importantly, there is determination, clear thinking, political awareness of what is happening and why, and a conviction that it will not be allowed to succeed. We're not living in the 60s now David, or even the 70s when the Orange Card being played meant the game was over, the takings collected. Now when its produced it's instantly recognised as an Orange Card, and that's no good if you're trying to call a bluff, or ill-prepared for what cards your opponents might hold. There's too many have been playing the game for too long now to be put off by sleight of hand, or mock gestures, or threats. In fact, it has been played so clumsily this time it's almost embarrassing. If we were to avert our gaze for a moment would you retract it? Or should we just rip it up so it can't be played again? _ NOTICES _ Events in England and Ireland SF FUNCTION: Featuring the fabulous Irish Brigade. 9pm Friday 23 January, Blakes Tavern, BLANCHARDSTOWN, County Dublin. T·ille £4. Everyone welcome. Organised by Dublin Sinn FÈin PUBLIC MEETING: On Bloody Sunday. 7.30pm Friday 23 January, City Halls, Albion Street, GLASGOW, Scotland. Speaker from Derry. Organised by the West of Scotland Band Alliance PICKET: Release all POWs. 2-3pm Saturday 24 January, Harold's Cross Bridge, DUBLIN. Everyone welcome. Organised by the Logue/Marley Sinn FÈin Cumann JAMES CONNOLLY EDUCATION TRUST: An Evening of Poetry and Music of 1798. 8.30pm Saturday 24 January, Seomra Cheoil, Connolly house, 43 Essex Street, Temple Bar, DUBLIN. MC: Artist and Actor Jer O'Leary. Refreshments served. Everyone welcome BLOODY SUNDAY COMMEMORATION: Assemble 10.30am Saturday 24 January, John Knox Street, GLASGOW, Scotland. March leaves at 11am. All political parties welcome. Organised by the West of Scotland Band Alliance BLOODY SUNDAY MARCH: Assemble 12pm Saturday 24 January, Highbury Fields, LONDON, England. March leaves at 1pm for rally at Caxton House, 129 St John's Way. Speakers: John McDonnell MP, Dodie McGuinness (SF) and Joe McKinney (Bloody Sunday Relatives Campaign). Social following march and rally. Details on 0171 609 1743 PUBLIC MEETING: To discuss the current peace process. 7pm Sunday 25 January, Camden Centre, Bidborough Street, Kings Cross, LONDON, England. Speakers: Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness MPs. All welcome WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY: In memorial to all innocent
RMD980102 Irish news for Thursday/Friday 1/2 January
Sometimes a little slice of (real) life adds to the analysis/judgement.
Ellen Starbird
IRISH NEWS ROUND-UP
Thursday/Friday, 1/2 January, 1998
1. Peace process under attack
2. Family of five escapes murder bid
3. McAliskey's fate in hands of British Home Secretary
4. Sinn Fein TD's six months in Leinster House
5. Analysis: Can they justify 'retaliation?'
Peace process under attack
Two indiscriminate murders by loyalists within five
days coupled with hardline comments by unionist leaders
has led to an outpouring of fear and anxiety over the
future of peace efforts in the north of Ireland.
Britain's governor in Ireland Mo Mowlam today called an
unscheduled meeting of the north's political parties in
Belfast on Monday to discuss the increasingly grave
situation. She strongly criticised the recent murders,
which she described as "nakedly sectarian" and "random
acts of overt bigotry".
On New Year's Eve, two loyalists entered the Clifton
Tavern in north Belfast shortly after 9pm and raked the
pub with gunfire from an Uzi sub-machinegun and a
handgun.
Hijacking a car in loyalist west Belfast, the loyalist
death-squad drove to the nationalist Cliftonville Road
where two members got out and walked casually to the
pub, exchanging banter with locals. On reaching the
door, the two men pulled masks over their heads and
guns from under their coats before firing
indiscriminately. Stunned customers dived behind tables
but most had no time to move.
Eddie Treanor, a 31-year-old father of one just begin
New Year's festivities in his local pub when the gunmen
entered. Eddie was pinned into a window seat and had no
escape. He died shortly after being shot in the head.
Five others were injured, two seriously.
The attack followed another fatal gun attack on the
Glengannon Hotel in Dungannon, County Tyrone at the
weekend. Father of three Seamus Dillon, a hotel
doorman, and three others, including a
fourteen-year-old boy, were injured as masked gunmen
attempted to shoot their way into a hotel ballroom
where hundreds of teenagers were attending a Christmas
disco.
Last night, the breakaway Loyalist Volunteer Force
which is opposed to the peace process claimed the
Clifton Tavern shooting had been carried out by its
"West Belfast brigade". But the LVF has no known
support in west Belfast, and suspicion for the attack
has fallen at least partly on members of the UFF
("Ulster Freedom Fighters"), using the LVF as a cover
name.
One well-known UFF killer did not attempt to hide his
involvement, with eyewitnesses spotting him at the
wheel of the getaway car. The UFF, also known as the
UDA (Ulster Defence Army), is still represented at the
peace talks at Stormont Castle in Belfast. The
organisation has claimed to be adhering to a nominal
ceasefire in order to preserve its position at the
negotiating table, but has come under pressure to be
expelled from the talks following this latest attack.
Speaking at the scene of the New Year's Eve mass murder
bid, a shocked Sinn Fein North Belfast representative
Gerry Kelly expressed his condolences to Eddie
Treanor's family and said his party was determined to
end the conflict through inclusive negotiations.
Mr. Kelly said: "Loyalist attacks on Catholics and
unionist obstruction in the talks process are designed
to subvert the peace process and minimise the potential
for change. Neither the actions of loyalist death
squads nor the behaviour of the Unionist leadership
must be allowed to drag us back into the abyss from
which we have come."
The Sinn Fein negotiator said there was "an onerous
responsibility" on the two governments, but
particularly the British government, to push forward
with the negotiations.
Following the attacks, unionist politicians have loudly
warned of the possible collapse of the peace process in
the absence of gains for their community. Urging the
resignation of Britain's governor in Ireland Mo Mowlam,
Ulster Unionist party leader David Trimble claimed the
two recent loyalists murders were due to a lack of
concessions in the talks, but did not explain ten
others last year.
"There is very great concern within loyalist ranks at
the moment because of the way in which the peace
process has been operating, because they have seen it
as something that operates solely to their
disadvantage," he said.
The UUP leader said there was "diminishing confidence"
in Mo Mowlam and the peace process and urged her to
resign. "I will do nobody any good to simply support
Re: Full translation of Castro speech
Bill Mitchell: why castro would even have the old bastard in cuba amazes me. One important reason is that the Pope has told reporters that he is for ending the US trade embargo. One of the things that is missing in this discussion is politics. The sole criterion that any revolutionary leader has to address is whether a particular intiative like this weakens or strengthens the revolution. If the Pope speaks out against the blockade, it will have tremendous moral force. Right now the gusano community in Miami is going berserk because it views Castro as having the upper hand in all this. Meanwhile the Reuters article that Jim Devine refers to has a tabloid head "Pope Denounces Communism", but the body of the article reports on a rather mild performance by the pope. He says that no ideology should come before the Church. Big surprise. If the blockade is weakened, then socialism will be strengthened. That's a fact. Louis Proyect
Re: Full translation of Castro speech
Louis P. writes: It is important to keep track of shifts in what the Pope *is saying now*. According to the New Yorker article, Castro claims that the speech at the World Hunger Conference closest in spirit to his own was the Pope's. ... Working as I do at a Catholic (Jesuit) University, my feel for the Pope's politics is that even when he is being very progressive about issues like hunger (on which, I assume, he rightly opposed Malthusianism), he is very _paternalistic_ (as is Castro, I might add). We shouldn't be surprised that il Papa's ideas (and those of Pope John XXIII) center on "Father knows best." He would never propose that the oppressed of the world -- marred by original sin as they are, according to RC theology -- rise up and liberate themselves. True liberation comes from accepting and meekly following Jesus, represented by the priest. For a more accurate portrayal of the Pope's line, see todays' Reuters news at the Yahoo site ( http://www.yahoo.com/headlines/980122/news/stories/pope_14.html ). Of course, J2P2 is also _patriarchal_: anti-birth control (not just anti-abortion), against allowing women to act as priests, anti-divorce, etc. In the Reuters story, he also criticized Cuban abortions -- and also the system of schools for youth. in pen-l solidarity, Jim Devine
Re: Ellipsis in Fidel speech?
One question for Louis. There is an ellipsis [. . .] at the end of the first paragraph. Was that intended? Was it in the original, or did you leave something out in transmission to the list? And: what was the source of the text? David Laibman I got it from the Miami Herald Web Page. The ellipsis was there in the original. Louis Proyect
Re: Full translation of Castro speech
Friends, Wow! Fidel's address to the Pope is amazing. It has great power and emotional weight. Thaks to Louis for posting it. Michael yates Thanks, Mike. Once again I urge everybody to pick up the current issue of the New Yorker, which has some absolutely first-rate articles on Cuba. I discussed the one on back-door negotiations the other day. There are a couple of others that are also important. One, is an in-depth background report on how the Pope and Castro finally agreed to the trip written by a Catholic priest who is very astute. He says that the Pope has become extremely disenchanted with changes in Poland since the introduction of capitalism. He is appalled by consumerism and income inequality. Castro, it should be understood, has *never* been an enemy of religion. He went so far as to defend liberation theology during the 1980s in a series of speeches that are contained in the volume "Socialism and Religion" or something to that effect. Also worth reading is a profile on Ricardo Calderon, who is likely to replace Castro. He is an extremely impressive figure, who the New Yorker paints in flattering colors. The best way to describe him would appear to be politically akin to the Sandinistas, during the high point of the revolution. In other words, for social justice but opposed to dogmatism and repression. Louis Proyect
BLS Daily Reportboundary=---- =_NextPart_000_01BD275D.9E62D180
This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. -- =_NextPart_000_01BD275D.9E62D180 charset="iso-8859-1" BLS DAILY REPORT, THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1998 RELEASED TODAY: Median weekly earnings of the nation's 94.4 million full-time wage and salary workers were $511 in the fourth quarter of 1997. This was 2.4 percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 1.9 percent in the CPI-U over the same period Two recent studies reach different conclusions on whether wage inequality increased in the 1990s, according to the December Monthly Labor Review. In one report, "Has Wage Inequality Stopped Growing?," Jared Bernstein and Lawrence Mishel, economists at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., find that earnings inequality continued to grow in the 1990s, Bernstein and Mishel say earnings inequality increased sharply in the early 1980s, tapered off in the late 1980s, and reaccelerated in the 1990s. In another article, "Reassessing Trends in U.S. Earnings Inequality," Robert I. Lerman agrees with the analysis of the early and late 1980s, but says some statistics show that wage inequality has continued at about the same level since the late 1980s Lerman, of American University and the Urban Institute, told BNA he believes the Bernstein/Mishel analysis should not have relied on the March CPI for determining wage inequality in the 1990s BLS changed the CPS beginning in January 1994, which acted as a break in series. Lerman said the new survey has "extracted more income data at the high end than the older procedures" (Daily Labor Report, page A-5). Most parts of the country have begun to feel the effects of Asia's financial problems, with U.S. firms reporting weaker demand for both agricultural and manufactured goods, the Federal Reserve reports (Daily Labor Report, page D-8; Wall Street Journal, page A2). The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services fell in November, as exports decreased less than imports, the Commerce Department reports. The November trade deficit was the smallest since March and better than analysts expected, but most still are predicting the deficit will grow as a result of the Asian financial crisis (Daily Labor Report, page D-1; Wall Street Journal, page A2). Fed survey upbeat on economy. Signs of Asian impact emerge. November trade deficit fell unexpectedly, largely due to reduced oil imports (Washington Post, page E3; New York Times, page D8). DUE OUT TOMORROW: Mass Layoffs in October 1997 -- =_NextPart_000_01BD275D.9E62D180 b3NvZnQgTWFpbC5Ob3RlADEIAQWAAwAOzgcBABYAEQAwBAAxAQEggAMADgAAAM4HAQAW gAEAEQAAAEJMUyBEYWlseSBSZXBvcnQAkAUBDYAEAAICAAIAAQOQBgCMCQAAHQMALgAA AAABvSeGqPvjvQ32kxER0ageACCvnAIwAAAlyf0AHgAxQAENUklDSEFSRFNPTl9E AAMAGkAAHgAwQAENUklDSEFSRFNPTl9EAAMAGUAAAgEJEAEAAAC9BgAA uQYAAM0KAABMWkZ1ZoYGOf8ACgEPAhUCpAPkBesCgwBQEwNUAgBjaArAc2V0bjIGAAbDAoMyA8UC AHCEcnESInN0ZW0Cg24zEwwHEwKDNAPGFYV9fwqACM8J2QKACoENsQtgbvBnMTAzFJALChSSDAGV E5BvFBBjBUBCTAXwIERBSUxZB/BFUABPUlQsIFRIVRRSUxwQWRzQSkFOSFVBUhxQMjIc0DE4OTk4 CoUKhRxwTEVQQVNFRBzgTx1BOl4gBdAJgAcwA6B3CeBr8Gx5IGUKwAMAGbAEIABvZiB0aGUgbihh dGkCICcEIDk0UC40IG0DEGwikSB0ZnUjYC0igAeAIOBhxmciQABwZCBzB0AKwPUhQHcFsGsEkAQg IPAYAMAgJDUxMSALgCITxwIQCHAiICBxdQrAFBAnBcAh8R5RNy4gYFRoVwQAJFEEIDIjEXAEkGP3 CfAFQCiQZyIwBcAiIAOR+GEgeSFhIVIjcASQHNDdBaBtCrEJgCDgaScxKpBmZwtxJ9MuOSlHJoVD 0FBJLVUh4HYqEyJAHyTwJDEpUSKQJNBcJzjUNS4enFQlYCAYACmD/RQAdSCgB5EYAADQJ0AgoM8N 0CXxKaEFoG5jCkAAkP8CICHRINEiMCIhBcAkYwuA9mUnYSNwdCFAC4AFACFgzxHwJNAmhR5RMHMc 0ADQvwWhIKAZsCIQMUAiIkQxcasG0CexTQIhaCExTAGgUQWxUmV2CJB3KFFJNyzBNSAxUXAXoRzQ IkhdKOFXJHI6UDU3UzfgcDspUCTQRwNgA/AZsD8s9iIdgCvTQgSRFAEmgSSyfTlgdzMBKYAF0AQA IjBs2xzQBZFuA3AEAHQEICJwxSITRUAkYyBQBvBBkO8hQDpQFAAsMHUUECZyO5AXP7AhoTfgbhzQ RC5D+i4c0GYLgCTQKkEFQCFn9zUZM1EigG4KUERRMUAJwP89MDZdPiw/lCThIUk1HzYi/z+wCsAL UDWiIhMrAiFAHlD+ODcCAZApUSvxIfAiACaFvwtgQqFMxSSyMlIpgGwEkP9OcTZMOiQAcBtwKgIn 0SXBLDL/IiIAcAdAE/AooSH1TGQkst1OamJCkElCBCBzA3AvEdcBkCKAQlFjWnFoRvFEc/80zhHA BCBGCEDBOXFaES73/0/ALrBJMTXBIkBOLC/kVjRbHNAh8UEHgAUQYwORVT8DAC6xAJA1kSSyIiJV cj5iA5FCN00RBvA+AU5B/ynAIkA4oCsxLrAEICIiPif+L0jlV6dbkSPQJNBRcV0h3y6wMVErMU2R JpRNCsAygf8uQSbhBcANsCehI0Ahklwv/zZqL+Qb0hGxGbBGci4TBfD9OKBnC4BrEyaBPcBGUCUi /R5RNBzQNEBBkCxRG6Bd4vdAoVnwMlFrJnIR8AiBUPK7VjUk8GljREowB+BzCHDDLrBdFCJleHRP 4HDj7wRgJgE1wVqiZCJwKpBAxf8p0iFQREQmlGTBJ7EbUSmAnmQIcAeQPaAv8yhEC3APOTk65Aqw JIFBLTUpfzA9OOAUAHqRACAh1wWgdf8CMCUxaJNuwX1gN9Iy4Ekhr0wjMtEboCHTQQCQYSLB+0Qh AHBjBzF4MgJgFCA3Ef8sI1PjRCBWUDIyOuJrI3Gh/yexDbADgSTQamIG4CxCCcB/QZAj0DHgT+Bn MnUhb6Fm53DReKEk0GdvBHBNAiIx/kYJgE/RAyA5wHIRaLM64odgxXlfemdELTg7O4HvI2A8gQnR BUBKCGFXsXqG/jJ7LiiAY4FT8nTBDbBqkf9EIICgLbOGgySkh+FBkAeR9zLgixEmgU4uoTiSNyEE IP90oIhUBYE19U/ABBEqQwdw94hThtQIUG1h8T9hOFB8cv8HgCmhiDUoUyJAkQaOPSjS/y7zAMAj
Batra
I had written that Ravi Batra is a poor economist. He's not totally wrong, but his accuracy is outweighed by his self-promotion. Sid writes: Dunno what preceded this message, it was an ad posted on pen-l promoting Batra's book. but I thought that Batra was pretty good on two key points: he warned against the effects of deregulation/free trade _and_ he warned against the likelihood of a rampaging capitalism once communism had been laid to rest. Others have warned against these, with better arguments. Batra is the type who trumpets his ability to predict the future (the Depression of 1990) based on a very mechanistic model of cycles (see the book of the same name). He then claimed his prediction was correct, by reinterpreting the recession of 1991 or so. BTW, his cycle model seems to be indirectly based on Hindu religion. His book THE MYTH OF FREE TRADE is filled with hyperbole (or at least it was until I stopped reading). On page 3, for example, he writes "Once again [!] I am privy to knowledge and information crucial to the economic survival of our nation [i.e., the U.S.] as well as our planet." Later, more importantly, he interprets the entire shift from the "golden age" of the 1950s 1960s to the stagflation/slowth of the 1970s 1980s in terms of the move to free trade. FT probably contributed, but I strongly prefer an interpretation in terms of the entire political economy of the U.S. and world economies (the SSA, mode of regulation, whatever) rather than any kind of single-cause explanation. Batra is pushing the idea of "competitive protectionism," i.e., competitive markets within tariff barriers (which I agree was part of the reason for the US's economic success from 1961 to 1945 or so). I doubt that this is what the left wants. in pen-l solidarity, Jim Devine [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://clawww.lmu.edu/1997F/ECON/jdevine.html Academic version of a Bette Midler song: "you are the hot air beneath my wings."
Danish workers promoting 35-hour week
Labor News from Denmark January 21, 1998 40.000 MORE DANISH JOBS IF WORKING HOURS CUT by Anders Fenger, journalist Dagbladet Arbejderen (The Daily Worker), Denmark Struggles in France and Italy for the 35-hour week are encouraging Danish trade unionists to address the same issue. Inspired by the efforts of workers there, a Danish trade union has conducted a study which reveals that the move to a 35-hour work week would create 40,000 new jobs in Denmark. The study, carried out by local union of metal industry workers in the city of Horsens, shows that the move to a 35-hour week would lead to the creation of tens of thousands new jobs. This would address one of the crucial concerns of Danish workers as they approach the 1998 round of collective bargaining: securing a significant number of jobs for Denmark's unemployed. The publication of the study is timed to coincide with an upcoming conference for hundreds of shop stewards and union activists in Denmark's metal industries. Among its results, the study by Metal-Horsens demonstrates that a two hour per week reduction in working hours will have a much greater job creating impact than increasing vacation entitlements by a week. Workers in the small Scandinavian country are not alone in struggling for the 35-hour week with no decrease of wages. Trade unions in the rest of Western Europe are also raising the question. Although Denmark's national federation of metalworkers (Dansk Metal) is not currently planning to raise the question of the 35-hour work week in its upcoming round of collective bargaining, the 200 participants in the conference of shop stewards and trade unionists from the country's metal industries are expected to work actively to make the achievement of the 35-hour week a union priority.
Labour Against MAI-NAFTA 15 April (fwd)
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 21:40:26 -0800 (PST) From: Alan Benjamin [EMAIL PROTECTED] (by way of Michael Eisenscher [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Subject: FINAL CALL FOR APRIL ACTIONS CALL FOR THE APRIL 15-18, 1998, CONTINENTAL DAYS OF ACTION AGAINST THE EXTENSION OF NAFTA, PRIVATIZATIONS AND THE MAI Dear Brothers and Sisters, On November 14-16, 1997, more than 400 trade union and community delegates from 20 countries gathered in San Francisco at the Western Hemisphere Workers' Conference Against NAFTA and Privatizations. The conference was convened by the San Francisco Labor Council and the California Labor Federation (AFL-CIO), and included a keynote presentation by the Western Hemisphere director of the AFL-CIO's Int ernational Affairs Department. Leaders of major national trade union federations throughout the Americas, representing tens of millions of workers, participated. After a rich informational exchange and a wide-ranging discussion of strategy, the delegates unanimously adopted a Final Conference Declaration in which they pledged to mobilize in common action throughout the Americas around four central demands: No to NAFTA! No to the FTAA! No to the MAI! Stop Privatizations and Deregulation! Conference delegates agreed to organize mass protests in mid-April to coincide with the Summit of the Heads of State of the Americas in Santiago, Chile. The stated purpose of this Summit is to begin the process of extending the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to the rest of the continent, beginning with Chile, through the creation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The Western Hemisphere Conference also voted to constitute a Continuations Committee, which will function out of the San Francisco Labor Council, to help coordinate the April mobilization and to facilitate the exchange of information in the effort to build Global Unionism. At the first meeting of the Continuations Committee, it was reported that the official Summit of the Heads of State will take place in Santiago on April 15-18, 1998. It was also reported that a parallel Summit -- the Summit of the Peoples of the Americas -- will be held in Santiago during the same dates. The parallel conference has been endorsed by, among many others, the AFL-CIO and the Inter-Ame rican Regional Organization of Workers (ORIT). Based on this information, the Continuations Committee hereby issues a call to mobilize in every country of the Americas on April 15-18. We propose the following Action Program: April 15: "Building Human Bridges Across the Americas" On the same date as the Western Hemisphere heads of State convene their Summit in Santiago, we encourage unionists and activists to organize cross-border, solidarity human chains/bridges that would symbolically unite people from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego against "free trade" and structural adjustment policies. By working through existing networks and union bodies, activists in countries throughout the Americas can organize people to join hands to form a human chain that will link people across borders. These solidarity chains can be organized at key, visible border crossings, such as those along the Pan-American Highway and other main arteries. The action will have a huge impact if, at minimum, solidari ty chains/bridges are organized at the borders between the United States and Canada and between the United States and Mexico, as well as at the borders with Chile. In many countries, organizing such protests at the borders may not be feasible. There we propose human chains at airports, seaports, and other such arteries, which would also spotlight the massive rejection of the policies being proposed at the Santiago Summit. April 16-17: "Teach-Ins and Educational Forums Against 'Free Trade' and Privatizations" These two days could be devoted to promoting awareness of the disastrous consequences of NAFTA, Mercosur, and the other "free trade" agreements that have been forced on the peoples of the Americas. Central attention could also be devoted to educational activity on the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), a treaty that has been negotiated in secret by representatives of the 29 wealt hiest countries comprising the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) aimed at deepening the attacks on working people the world over. April 18: "Mass Demonstrations Against NAFTA, FTAA, MAI, and Privatizations" On Saturday, April 18, the Peoples' Summit will organize a mass demonstration in the streets of Santiago against the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). We encourage all unionists and activists to hold similar mass actions on this same date in major cities throughout the Americas around the four conference demands. This proposed Action Program is a general guideline for action. Conditions for organizing protest actions vary from
Govt. shoots down cancer study of electronics workers (fwd)
A little article appeared in the Friday, January 16, 1998 USA Today No Cancer Study: A proposal to study cancer and birth defects among 100,000 California electronics industry workers was shelved this week after industry regulators and workers' advocates failed to agree to its merit and methodology. At a meeting of an Environmental Protection Agency-sponsored panel, the industry such a study would be better suited to agencies more closely linked to occupational health. But, says Ted Smith, head of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition in San Jose, the industry characterized the study as a "fishing expedition: and does not want to address the issue. A new proposal may be taken up by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or some other agency. copyright 1998, USA Today Leslie Byster Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition 760 N. First Street San Jose, CA 95112 408-287-6707-phone 408-287-6771-fax [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.svtc.org NOW AVAILABLE AT OUR WEBSITE -- New information about our new book, SACRED WATERS: LIFE-BLOOD OF MOTHER EARTH, Four Case Studies of High-Tech Water Exploitation and Corporate Welfare in the Southwest http://www.svtc.org/svtc/
Re: on the meaning of success
Gotta keep things simple. Sid From today's NYT: To the liberal critique [of the IMF Asia bail out plans], Rubin responded that human rights, workplace issues and the environment, while important, should be not be thrown into the maelstrom of bringing an international financial crisis under control. "To add these three objectives, however important, would vastly complicate this effort and greatly reduce its chances of success," Rubin said. Tom Kruse / Casilla 5812 / Cochabamba, Bolivia Tel/Fax: (591-42) 48242 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: currency fundamentals
Jay, I go by my middle name, Barkley, not by "John". The idiot computer here insists on calling everybody by their first name, no matter what. J. Barkley Rosser, Jr. On Wed, 21 Jan 1998 14:58:15 EST Jay Hecht [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: John, The only model more "add-factored" (i.e. the amount of "fudiging" needed to override the model's "unruly" predictions) are the interest rate equations. Moreover, even with all the fancy GARCH stuff - none of the commercial forecasters use it - they stick to an old tried-and-tried eclectic blend of neo C/Keynesian theory. Jason -- Rosser Jr, John Barkley [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Japan's MoF
I keep hearing that the reason that Japan is incapable of launching an appropriate stimulus package despite 7 years of slump is the fiscal orthodoxy of the Ministry of Finance - that, after bad debt experiences in the 1970s and early 1980s, they're committed to black ink in the budget. Does anyone know more about this? Is it just ideology, or is there something else at work? Doug -- Doug Henwood Left Business Observer 250 W 85 St New York NY 10024-3217 USA +1-212-874-4020 voice +1-212-874-3137 fax email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] web: http://www.panix.com/~dhenwood/LBO_home.html
BLS Daily Reportboundary=---- =_NextPart_000_01BD271B.32181040
This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. -- =_NextPart_000_01BD271B.32181040 charset="iso-8859-1" BLS DAILY REPORT, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20-21, 1998 The number of mass layoff actions by the U.S. firms totaled 978 in the third quarter of 1997, affecting about 183,000 workers, BLS reports. Seasonal work was most often cited as the reason for the layoffs .(Daily Labor Report, Jan. 20, page D-6). The experimental geometric mean version of the CPI kept to pattern in its divergence from the CPI-U, rising 1.5 percent in 1997, according to data from BLS. The official CPI-U rose 1.7 percent in the same period .(Daily Labor Report, Jan. 21, page A-11).=20 Output of U.S. factories, mines, and utilities advanced a solid 0.5 percent in December, with broad-based gains posted in nearly all industries except the automotive sector, the Federal Reserve reports .(Daily Labor Report, Jan. 20, page D-1; Wall Street Journal, Jan. 19, page A2)_Production at U.S. factories, mines, and utilities = rose 5 percent last year over 1996, thanks to strong demand for goods = ranging from computers to trucks The yearly increase was the best since a 5.4 percent increase in 1994 (Washington Post, Jan. 17, page B1). Employers held down health care costs last year by switching to cheaper managed care plans, according to a study of 4,000 employers by William M. Mercer Inc. of New York. Most companies, however, expect higher bills in 1998. The cost of health benefits at public and private employers with more than 10 workers averaged $3,924 per employee in = 1997 (Washington Post, Jan. 20, page E1)_An unexpectedly strong surge of workers into managed care plans last year helped hold the increase in overall medical costs for active and retired employees to just 0.2 percent, according to the survey (Wall Street Journal, Jan. 20, = page B1)_The annual study of 3,900 employers, the largest of its kind, found that 85 percent of workers at firms with 10 or more employees are now enrolled in managed health plans, up from 77 percent in 1996 and 52 percent in 1993 USA Today, Jan. 20, page 3A). =20 USA Today's "Economic Indicators" table (Jan. 21, page 3B) predicts = that the Employment Cost Index for the fourth quarter will increase 0.9 percent, compared with an increase of 0.8 percent in the previous quarter. Immigration may be reducing the wages of the working poor by as much as 12 percent, with minorities most likely to be affected, according to a report released by the Center for Immigration Studies, a non-profit, non-partisan research organization in Washington, D.C. The study found that immigration may be reducing the wages of about 25 million workers in low-skill occupations as much as $1,915 a year, while exerting = little or no effect on the salaries of workers in high-skilled jobs. The wage depression caused by immigration occurs around the country and is not confined to certain cities or states traditionally identified as high-immigration areas, and it affects weekly and hourly wages, the report said. Taking the entire workforce into consideration, immigration appears to reduce the wages of the average worker by about = 5 percent But appearing at a press briefing held by CIS to release = the report, Economic Policy Institute economist Jared Bernstein said wages would be kept low even in the absence of immigration and that the immigrant labor pool plays a much smaller role in what is paid these workers than the study claims The study was based on 1991 data extrapolated from the Current Population Survey (Daily Labor = Report, Jan. 21, page A-2). Temporary staffing companies are expected to punch in smaller profit = and revenue gains for the fourth quarter, due to a slowing economy and a tightening labor supply. With unemployment levels at 24-year lows, temporary workers have demanded higher wages - which some companies = have been unwilling to pay, fearing they wouldn't be able to pass the higher costs to their own customers. A tight labor market makes finding qualified workers difficult, but it can also benefit staffing = companies, an analyst said. "For staffing companies, labor is the product and if this product is scarce, the law of supply and demand holds," she said. "Staffing companies can raise both pay rates and bill rates for hard-to-find skills and the spread between the two widens, resulting in better margins" (Wall Street Journal, Jan. 19, page A9A). =20 The talk of deflation can be easily deflated, says "The Outlook" column in the Wall Street Journal (Jan. 19, page A1) Many economists doing manipulations for their companies find the chance of true deflation = very low Yet the issue of deflation isn't fading away Despite all = the talk, the definition of deflation remains murky. Amid growing overcapacity and rising imports from
