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August 1999

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Good news and bad news in Japan (Tuesday, 8/31/99)
The term "jobless recovery" was used in relation to the American economy some years ago. Now, it seems to apply to Japan where output has been increasing again, finally, but the Japanese economy isn't generating new jobs. Among other things, it may be an indication of the increasing efficiencies of the new economy, as Japan makes the transition from the old to the new era. Meanwhile, the American economy continues to surge ahead, but, as Rene Sanchez reports, some regions are being left out. One of these is south central Los Angeles.

More on the legacy of Lane Kirkland (Tuesday, 8/31/99)
E. J. Dionne writes that the noted labor leader was a visionary who understood how the world is reorganizing.

A growing teacher shortage, some places (Tuesday, 8/31/99)
There does appear to be a teacher shortage in the United States, but it's not evenly distributed. Many available teachers either aren't in the right places or the right fields. Here's more from Jacques Steinberg of the New York Times. Speaking of teachers, Detroit's appear ready to strike, and there are 172,000 of them.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: History of Money from Ancient Times to the Present Day (Tuesday, 8/31/99)
If you've ever wondered about money, other than how to have enough of it, you may like to trace its history. Here's a History of Money from Ancient Times to the Present Day by Glyn Davies. The site includes most of the information found in the paperback version, except that the latter has been revised.

Boeing workers to vote on contract Wednesday (Monday, 8/30/99)
Company officials and officials of the International Association of Machinists seem cautiously optimistic that the union's membership will ratify the new agreement. USA Today reports that Boeing will have to find ways to cut costs anyway, given increasingly vigorous competition from Europe's Airbus.

Deregulation and American truckers (Monday, 8/30/99)
There are about a half-million long-haul truck drivers in the United States, and many people, including some of their employers, say they're underpaid. Deregulation has hit them hard, and pay raises have not kept pace. Here's that story from Louis Uchitelle of the New York Times.

Top corporate executives becoming disproportionately better off (Monday, 8/30/99)
The people running companies have always made several times as much as their workers on the front lines, but that multiple has been increasing in recent years. Alice Ann Love says a new study shows that the executive-worker gap is getting larger.

Fourth-quarter hiring expected to remain strong (Monday, 8/30/99)
A Manpower Inc. survey finds many employers expecting to do a lot of hiring during the final three months of 1999.

Investigators continue efforts to follow the money (Monday, 8/30/99)
Some major European banks may also have been involved in what may be the largest money laundering scheme ever. Investigators continue efforts to learn specifically how the looting of Russia has occurred. During recent days, the Bank of New York has been strongly implicated.

The unpopularity of austerity policies (Monday, 8/30/99)
Colombia appears to be heading for a general strike. As many as a million and a half workers from both private and public sectors are calling for the beleaguered government to end austerity measures as the country appears to descend nearer to political chaos. Brazil's overall situation is far stronger, and its economy has been improving, but President Cardoso is experiencing increasing heat because of the political unpopularity of his government's austerity measures, however necessary they may be for Brazil's long-term economic well-being. Mexico has a different kind of problem. Beginning last spring, large numbers of students who objected to their having to begin paying something for their university education began disrupting Latin America's largest university. After months, the student strike continues, but it's not universally popular among students or faculty. Michael Christie reports that the Mexican government is fed up and is threatening to step in.

Has welfare reform been a success so far? (Monday, 8/30/99)
Well, yes and no. Maybe. Pamela Loprest offers some perspective in today's Washington Post.

Hong Kong isn't booming yet, but it seems to be a signal (Monday, 8/30/99)
Here's more on Hong Kong's return to economic growth after a painful downturn. It's additional evidence that the Asian region is on the mend. Nick Edwards reports that IMF officials are saying that an Asian recovery really is under way, but it's not broad enough or durable enough yet, and low interest rates will be needed, among other things. Sheryl WuDunn of the New York Times writes from Japan that many in that country are expecting that a full recovery of the world's second-largest economy will happen because of the new world economy's hi-tech global connections. Incidentally, speaking of Hong Kong, government officials want employers to be able to fire maids if they become pregnant, and that has angered Philippine officials, because a lot of the Hong Kong maids they have in mind are from the Philippines.

Who's responsible for maintaining a safe workplace? (Monday, 8/30/99)
For years, OSHA has required employers to follow complex regulations in order to minimize the chance of accidents and work-related disease. Now, an increasing number of lawsuits say that it's the employer's job to do all that can be done to prevent workplace violence. Diane Lewis of the Boston Globe passes on some advice on how that can be done.

Time for a change in the American military, paper says (Monday, 8/30/99)
Editorial writers think that it's time to retire "don't ask, don't tell," and for the best of reasons.

You're only as old as, well, as you are (Monday, 8/30/99)
Melvin Maddocks doesn't think boomers should be definers of everything, including what old-age is supposed to be like.

An attorney as part of your benefit package (Monday, 8/30/99)
A major proportion of the world's lawyers are located in the United States, and there are far more lawyers in the U.S. per hundred thousand population than there used to be, as America has become among the most litigious societies anyone has been able to imagine. In such a climate, sooner or later, you're likely to need a lawyer, and, in order to attract and hold the kinds of workers they need, an increasing number of employers are offering one as a perk.

Government agency to hire gender advisor (Monday, 8/30/99)
The British Foreign office has been hiring a lot of women and wants some expert advise on how to be sure they're being treated fairly.

The campaign to reduce the exploitation of children (Monday, 8/30/99)
There are almost as many children laboring every day in the world as the United States has total population. Chuck Haga of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports on what some people are trying to do about it, and some of these people are artists.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: By the Sweat and Toil of Children (Monday, 8/30/99)
By the Sweat and Toil of Children is a report on the continuing global problem of child exploitation prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs. It's a complicated issue because in many of the world's poorest countries, the alternative to children working is even less attractive. Recently, attention has shifted more in the direction of the most egregious cases, including various forms of slavery.

Agreement at Boeing (Sunday, 8/29/99)
A last-minute agreement has been reached between Boeing and its largest union. The company had indicated that its "last, best offer" would create the best contract in the industry, and now union leadership seems to agree and is urging its ratification. Here are some details from the Seattle Times.

More on the hemorrhaging of Russia (Sunday, 8/29/99)
David Hoffman of the Washington Post writes about the flight of capital from post-Soviet Russia, why it's happening, and what the consequences are. Nearly everybody agrees that Russia has a world-class economic mess on its hands that is exacerbated by its turbulent and unstable political situation. Nonetheless, the IMF is saying that the Russian economy is in better condition than it expected. Like most statements from political leaders, though, it's difficult to know the extent to which this assessment reflects realities as opposed to being an effort to influence them.

The limitations of retirement calculators (Sunday, 8/29/99)
Nationally syndicated columnist Jane Bryant Quinn says online retirement calculators can be deceptively simple. They can be worth using, but be careful in how you interpret the results, she says. Jonathan Clements of the Wall Street Journal says that old rules of thumb may not be adequate for the kind of retirement you envision. You may find that you'll need as much income after you're retired as you had when you were working full-time, he says. Finally, Richard Oppel writes about the movement toward different kinds of pensions and offers the changes at IBM as an example. Incidentally, many of IBM's workers are not pleased.

The gospel according to U.S. News (Sunday, 8/29/99)
How does your college or university stack up against the thousands of others, according to criteria used by the big American news magazine, and should you care? In affluent American communities, nothing sells like exclusivity, and symbols, however contrived, can easily become more important to some people than substance. Some educators, though, are interested in inclusiveness, rather than exclusiveness. Also, keep in mind that many of history's leading intellectual leaders had no college training at all, and, with sufficient commitment, it's still possible to obtain an excellent education for nothing at the public library. In short, carefully consider how much perfectly good economic resource you're willing to squander on "prestige" as defined by somebody else.

A message from HP (Sunday, 8/29/99)
Hewlett-Packard communicates seriousness about the elimination of glass ceilings by appointing Carly Fiorina to head the company. The New York Times' Reed Abelson tells about who set this movement on its course.

Electrician becomes sales agent in the travel industry (Sunday, 8/29/99)
Shelley Donald Coolidge reports on the interesting career change of Davina River.

Slavery in the Amazon (Sunday, 8/29/99)
If you think that slavery ended with the legal abolition of race-based bondage in the U.S. and some other countries a century ago or so, you haven't heard about the Nazis during the mid-20th century or continuing effort to gain compensation for their victims right up to the present day. In fact, slavery remains a grizzly feature of the new world economy as well, as we have reported for nearly four years. For instance, Michael Astor says it's still a common attribute of the economy in Brazil's Amazon region.

More on the unrest in agriculture (Sunday, 8/29/99)
Honduran farmers engage in a dramatic protest by cracking a million or so eggs. They feel that competition from farmers in other countries in the region is unfair. Meanwhile, troubled American farmers are facing a new threat in the international market, as Melody Peterson reports. Much of the world is saying it isn't interested in buying genetically altered farm products.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Knowledge and Livelihood: The Global Forces Reshaping Work (Sunday, 8/29/99)
4Work.com is one of the major job sites and their article Knowledge and Livelihood: The Global Forces Reshaping Work is interesting and informative.

One reason why Russia's economy hasn't been doing better (Saturday, 8/28/99)
Occasionally, theorists talk about economic systems as though they can function independently of their contexts. In fact, what we call "economics" and what we call "politics," for instance, are simply abstractions from the same complex social system, and they cannot be isolated from one another. Russian post-Cold War politics, including its nascent legal system, are having a lot to do with the successes and failures of its intended market economy, which, so far, seems to be made up mostly of failures, although it might be possible to exaggerate the overall level of economic catastrophe in Russia.

One of the biggest stories in recent days has to do with the large-scale looting that has been going on, which, unless you have been unconscious for several years, probably won't astonish you. However, the likelihood that a major New York bank has been a participant in what may be the largest money laundering scheme ever may surprise you. The Boston Globe reports that the Bank of New York has fired one of its executives, whose head may be only the first of many American heads to roll in relation to this mess. Mary Kelleher reports that Russian investigators are joining those from other countries in looking into this issue.

One major Russian industrialist who is under investigation himself is pointing at Russian officials, and Emily Schwartz reports the International Monetary Fund officials are acknowledging that they underestimated the challenges involved in trying to help Russia crawl out of a deep hole, particularly considering that most of the money intended to help seemed to be pouring into another deep hole that exits somewhere in Alice's wonderland.

As we've reported during recent days, the scandal could impact on Al Gore's White House prospects, but David Storey reports that American officials are saying it will not change U.S. policy toward Russia. Given Russia's unstable political situation, the U.S. is faced with a range of unattractive choices, but doesn't want to do anything that could further rock the boat in Moscow and lead to a level of chaos that could eventually result in the imposition of an authoritarian nationalistic government that would then control thousands of still-existing Soviet-era nuclear missiles. Take a couple of aspirin and stay tuned

Machinists at Boeing receive company's "final offer" (Saturday, 8/28/99)
Boeing's largest union will have four days to decide on the merits of the company's latest offer. Union leaders say that they're not optimistic about averting a strike, but the Seattle Times' Stanley Holmes reports that there does appear to have been some progress on job security issues. Elsewhere in the airline industry, a strike deadline has been set at US Airways. American Airlines and its pilots have agreed to try a new scheduling policy, following allegations that pilots are often required to fly when they're too tired to stay awake in the cockpit. Also at American, three workers are alleging a racially hostile work climate.

Negotiators will try again in October to agree on amount of compensation for former slaves (Saturday, 8/28/99)
The sides agree on the establishment of a fund to compensate persons who were forced to work as slaves during Germany's darkest 20th century hours, but they haven't been able to agree on the amount. Erik Kirschbaum says officials fear at least a slight laceration in U.S.-German relations if agreement can't be reached.

Greenspan concerned about market's impact on overall economy (Saturday, 8/28/99)
You'll remember Fed Head Greenspan's remarks about an "irrational exuberance" driving the stock market to unprecedented heights. Then, for a time, he seemed to back off a little, thinking, he indicated, that it may really be a new economy with new rules and principles. However, he still has his doubts and fears, apparently, and worries about "bubbles" that could burst. The stock market has more impact on the overall economy than it used to, according to Greenspan, and we might add that there are indications that hi-tech, daytrading, etc., are having quite a lot of influence on the stock market. Despite fears about these things and also about the prospect of future inflation, things are still looking quite good in the American economy. For instance, government data released yesterday show that incomes and consumption are still strong.

Is it time for economists to examine their psychological assumptions? (Saturday, 8/28/99)
Ed Lotterman writes in the St. Paul Pioneer Press that David Ricardo might have to reconsider if he were alive today. Some economic theory assumes a level of human rationality that might make contemporary researchers in psychological science simply giggle. If "rational" means both logical and informed, one need do little more than read the papers regularly to reach the conclusion that people are not fundamentally logical by their nature, and it's easy to exaggerate how much information a lot of people have as well, or how much difference it makes in shaping their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

Economics is intended to be a rational system itself, and, like mathematics, rests on assumptions. Of course, economic theorists can assume whatever they like, but the accuracy of their assumptions will have quite a lot to do with how frequently things work out as they expect in the real world. Economists and legal scholars may share a common contemporary predicament in this regard.

Most genuine systematically verifiable knowledge about nature, including human nature, is a product of recent years, and modern research describes a very different human nature than most persons have assumed for centuries. Clearly, human beings are not fundamentally logical by their nature, although there is in human nature the capacity for working things out logically, given sufficient time, opportunity to learn from mistakes, and so on. If this were not the case, mathematics could not exist, but you'll notice that it took thousands of years for homo sapiens sapiens to develop it, and we've had to find each other's mistakes along the way, and so on. Things like this aren't easy, as anyone who has tried to write even the most simple computer program and get it to run right will understand.

Computers are logical by their nature; i.e., they don't make mistakes unless they're broken, although people quite frequently tell them to do things that make no sense. Humans on the other hand, are BIOlogical by their nature. They're also PYSCHOlogical, SOCIOlogical, ANTHROPOlogical, and probably even economic by their nature, but not logical. Rational conclusions and behaviors aren't easy for us. They don't come naturally or automatically.

Incidentally, economic theorists are perfectly aware of the extent to which their assumptions may not apply in particular cases, but they have to assume something in their formulations. Part of what theorists need to do is decide which things can safely be left out as they try to "capture the essence" of how an economy works. For instance, suppose Mrs. Jones is on her way to the grocer when the heel comes off her shoe. As a consequence, she decides not to go and, thus, misses out on some specials that the store is running that day. An event like this does affect the economy, but economists can safely ignore it and focus on factors that make a greater difference.

The decline of the great American plains (Saturday, 8/28/99)
Greg Burns writes in the Chicago Tribune about the historic transformation that is going on across a large section of the country. Population is declining and considerable fertile land is being turned back to nature. There's never been anything like it, at least during modern times.

Eaton's workers pursued by other retailers (Saturday, 8/28/99)
Eaton's has been a giant on the Canadian retailing scene for a long time, but is now in the process of liquidating. Robert Cribb reports for the Toronto Star that other retailers facing a worker shortage are scrambling to hire many of the persons cut adrift by Eaton's bankruptcy.

The resurrection of Hong Kong (Saturday, 8/28/99)
While a British colony, Hong Kong was one of the modern Asian economic "miracles." Then, it was hit by the "Asian flu" at roughly the same time that it became part of China. Mark Landler reports in today's New York Times that, despite the fact that it's under new and very different political management, Hong Kong's economy appears to be coming back.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: SocialService.com (Saturday, 8/28/99)
If you're searching for a job in social work, mental health, chemical dependency treatment services, or other areas of human service, SocialService.com may be the place to begin looking.

Strike seems imminent at Boeing (Friday, 8/27/99)
Talks have been going nowhere, so the Machinists Union may strike Boeing soon, although the big aerospace company says it will make one last best offer in an effort to avoid a shutdown.

No ratification at Northwest (Friday, 8/27/99)
Flight attendants working for Northwest Airlines have rejected overwhelmingly a tentative five-year contract, despite the enthusiastic support of many key union leaders.

Brazilian reforms seem to be working, but... (Friday, 8/27/99)
Mary Milliken reports that Brazil's performance seems to satisfy the International Monetary Fund, but, as Axel Bugge reports from Brasilia, large numbers of citizens are hurting because of the austerity measures. Sixty-thousand persons demonstrated yesterday.

American economy slows a bit (Friday, 8/27/99)
The latest data from the U.S. Department of Commerce show a slowing of economic growth during the 2nd quarter. Here's more from George Hager of the Washington Post.

A snag in feds' effort to find illegal workers (Friday, 8/27/99)
Barbara Hagenbaugh says that concerns on the part of the Social Security Administration have slowed immigration official efforts to find illegal workers in Iowa meatpacking plants.

More hi-tech layoffs (Friday, 8/27/99)
The fortunes of technology companies can change rapidly. Autodesk in California expects to cut about 10 percent of its workforce.

Will fallout over Russian corruption dim Gore's presidential prospects? (Friday, 8/27/99)
Money intended to help the Russian economy crawl out of its pit has ended up in a lot of the wrong places. The American Vice-President should have known and should have done more about it, according to some of his political rivals.

Atlanta's affirmative action policy under fire (Friday, 8/27/99)
A foundation is suing the city of Atlanta over an affirmative action plan that has been seen by others as a model of what should be. Here's that story from Michael Fletcher of the Washington Post.

Many children slipped through the cracks the last time Americans were counted (Friday, 8/27/99)
Children were heavily over-represented among those not counted in the 1990 census, according to a new report, and the Census Bureau expects the task to be even harder this time around.

Hollywood loses jobs to Canada (Friday, 8/27/99)
Vancouver, B. C. has become a major film production center, and other areas outside the U.S. have been attracting Hollywood producers too. Jennifer Loven reports that advocates of Hollywood workers are trying to get the attention of politicians in Washington, but James Bates of the Los Angeles Times says the statistics are a bit confusing. Some other California workers have something to celebrate today. A new contract has been approved by longshore workers.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Church World Service (Friday, 8/27/99)
Church World Service is a coalition of religious organizations engaged in economic development, among other things.

Former Russian slaves file suit (Thursday, 8/26/99)
The bleak Nazi period continues to cast a very long shadow. Now, Russians who were forced to work as slave laborers, are suing German companies.

Another tech company cuts jobs (Thursday, 8/26/99)
There appears to be an overall shortage of technically trained workers, and many hi-tech corporations are trying to hire as many as they can find, while others are laying off. It's all a measure of how dynamic the technical industries are and how quickly a company can lose ground to competition. Komag is headquartered in Silicon Valley and is cutting about half of its American workforce.

No Gore, but Bradley manages to show up (Thursday, 8/26/99)
Presidential candidate Bill Bradley spoke to the International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades and was well-received. The Democratic front-runner, Al Gore, decided not to appear.

Latest interest rate increase unpopular with some (Thursday, 8/26/99)
Members of the Federal Reserve, including its Chairman Greenspan, are concerned that inflation might begin to reappear, so it raised interest rates a quarter percent earlier this week. Some leaders, including at least one presidential candidate, think it was a mistake.

Women who aren't allowed to wear skirts sue (Thursday, 8/26/99)
For some female prison guards in New York, it is a religious issue. Meanwhile, Ian Fisher of the New York Times reports on the push for equality by female military personnel in Eritrea.

On making it in Chicago (Thursday, 8/26/99)
It's not easy, but some persons are managing to enter the world of the employed with the help of a special training program. Here's more from Michael Weinstein of the New York Times. Meanwhile, Simon Romero writes from San Paulo that Banco do Brasil is having no difficulty filling entry-level positions in an economy that has been undergoing painful reforms.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Texas MBA Program (Thursday, 8/26/99)
For many years, it was assumed that academic excellence, particularly research and post-graduate training, were to be found mostly at the famous private universities, mostly on the east coast, Harvard being the most notable example. However, during recent decades, not only have world-class private institutions developed elsewhere (e.g., Stanford in California), but many state-supported institutions are now regarded as among the top research universities in the world. Among these are universities in the California system, the University of Michigan, and, of course, the University of Texas at Austin. Austin is also the capital of America's second most populous state as well as one of the world's foremost high-technology communities. As a consequence of these factors and others, the Texas school of business has a special relationship to the new economy. As an example, here is the Texas MBA Program.

Fed does what was expected (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
The Federal Reserve yesterday raised two interest rates a quarter percent because of the fear that inflation could return to the American economic scene, now that Asian economies are beginning to improve. Here's that story from Caren Bohan of Reuters with additional details from the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Major banks around the country respond quickly by raising their borrowing rates correspondingly. Among the Asian economies that may finally be arising from its slumber is Japan's, but, as Reed Stevenson writes, it's a wobbly recovery, if it's a recovery at all. However, Todd Zaun writes from Tokyo that growing confidence is reflected in Japan's rising yen.

Labor issues in transportation industries (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
Keith Bradsher reports that Ford Motor Company is most likely to experience strife in its relations with the United Auto Workers Union this year, while things are looking a little more calm at General Motors. Over in the aerospace industry, Martin Wolk reports that a strike is looking increasingly likely at Boeing. Incidentally, speaking of Ford Motor Company, you may recall that we reported recently that Ford's name has appeared on lists of companies somehow involved with Nazi use of slave labor, but it wasn't clear what Ford's role was, if any. Now, it's looking as thought it may simply mean that Ford trucks were used at Auschwitz, not that the company itself used slave labor. Incidentally, there has been a delay in the settlement worked out between the German government and companies that used slaves during the infamous Nazi period. The companies will pay billions of dollars to the former Nazi slaves, but they're still working on the numbers, and won't reach their initial September 1 deadline.

One of the world's largest universities looks for a way out of impasse (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
Higher education had been essentially free for the 270,000 students at the huge National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City until a measure was approved last March to begin charging fees. By April 20, a student strike began shutting down university operations. In recent days, violence has erupted as opposition among some students and faculty to the strike has gained momentum. The university's rector is trying to get all sides together for talks to end the crisis.

Where all that money went (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
It's not an entirely new idea, but the Wall Street Journal reports that an investigation is leading to strong suspicions that money from the International Monetary Fund intended to help Russia out of its deep economic morass ended up in Russian organized crime bank accounts outside the country. They're also wondering whether it found its way to its destinations through U.S. banks, while others wonder if the American Vice-President knew about the looting. In other news relating to the Russian economic mess, new regulations announced yesterday will prohibit foreigners from removing foreign currencies from the country. This apparently doesn't apply to the Russian ruble, which may have more value as a source of heat during the upcoming Russian winter.

Dakota farmers try something else (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
Struggling farmers in the North Dakota have been looking around for new crops to help them stay in business. Many would like to be able to produce hemp, not the kind some people smoke, but the kind from which rope and other products can be made. At the moment, it's illegal, perhaps because of widespread confusion among people who don't distinguish it from marijuana.

New WTO head an advocate for poor nations (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
The World Trade Organization's Mike Moore wants a greater role for the world's poorer nations.

Eaton liquidates jobs as it liquidates itself (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
The once-mighty Canadian retailer says the termination notices are in the mail to thousands of employees. It's a little tricky, though, because the company will need some workers to stay on to handle the process of liquidating their own employer. Meanwhile, thousands of miles to the south, another major retailer is expanding in the hot Dallas-Forth Worth area and will be hiring 1,400 new workers.

Guess who's been engaging in illegal activity (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
The United States Department of Justice is accused of illegally depriving thousands of its workers of overtime pay.

Drug sting at American Airlines (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
Nearly sixty workers at American Airlines are being arrested in relation to a scheme whereby they used their company's planes to smuggle drugs into the United States.

Robertson organization wants Massachusetts towns to comply with ruling (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
The Massachusetts Supreme Court has ruled that live-in partners of public employees are not eligible for health benefits. Pat Robertson and his lawyer colleagues are threateneing suit if Boston does not comply with the ruling.

Too early to celebrate (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
Today's Washington Post says the jury's still out on what the longer-term effects of welfare reform really will be.

Why so many bankruptcies during a good economic period? (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
Walking away from one's debts is no longer particularly taboo in American society, according to economic writer Robert Samuelson, so quite a lot of folks are using bankruptcy as a conscious and deliberate means of managing their overall financial situation, including some people who are fairly well-off. Many credit card companies and lawyers are providing extra encouragement too, if any were needed.

On the gender gap in Australia (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
On average, things have been improving for educated Australian women. The salaries of university-educated women have been increasing faster than those of men. However, the picture isn't an entirely pretty one for graduates. Much depends on one's field of specialty, and a lot of grads are still spending a long time finding full-time employment.

Silicon Prairie needs more tech workers (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune editorializes on Minnesota's need for workers with sophisticated technical skills. The Twin Cities used to appear on most top-ten lists of the leading hi-tech areas in the country, but has lost considerable ground in recent years. During the past year or so, the Twin Cities metro area often has had the lowest overall unemployment rate among cities of a million or more.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: 21 Ideas for the 21st Century (Wednesday, 8/25/99)
From Business Week magazine, here are 21 Ideas for the 21st Century to begin pondering now. They touch on many areas, but life and work in the new economy are represented.

The Fed meets today to decide on interest rates (Tuesday, 8/24/99)
Peter Gosselin of the Los Angeles Times says that, even though the smart money says that another rate increase is coming, the Federal Reserve is faced with conflicting indicators. Also, will one more little boost be sufficient to hold off the inflation that economists but few other Americans seem to be worrying about?

Violence at Mexico's big university (Tuesday, 8/24/99)
Operations on Latin America's largest university campus have been mostly shut down by a protest strike since the end of April, and this condition is not universally popular among students and faculty. Violence has broken out during a counter-demonstration at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City.

Compromise bill gains AMA support (Tuesday, 8/24/99)
Congressional Republicans and Democrats are trying to get together on "patients' bill of rights" legislation, and a compromise has the support of the powerful American Medical Association.

Strike authorization at Ford (Tuesday, 8/24/99)
UAW negotiators will have the strength of their membership behind them in their talks with Ford Motor Company. Members have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if leaders feel at a later time that it is necessary. No strike is necessarily imminent, however. In another part of the world, though, a strike is underway. Thousands of striking workers have marched through Pretoria, South Africa in what union leaders are calling the largest strike in that country since the end of apartheid.

Enjoyment? Relaxation? What do you mean? (Tuesday, 8/24/99)
"Death by over-work" is an official category in Japan where capacity for work has been legendary. Asako Murakami writes from Osaka for the Japan Times that many people need training on how to enjoy retirement.

You may be paying your employees to waste time on the web (Tuesday, 8/24/99)
A recent survey finds that more than a third of workers report browsing non-work related web sites while on the job.

Global economics and the homogenization of world cultures (Tuesday, 8/24/99)
A greater degree of standardization across cultures seems to be developing, and, as Diana Henriques reports for the New York Times, it's convenient to have standardized holidays in a global economy.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Mint (Tuesday, 8/24/99)
There are few things that most people know less about than economics. Oh, well, okay, there are a lot of things. Nonetheless, if there were a dramatic increase in public understanding of basic economic principles, the world might become a better place. The Mint is presented for secondary school students, as well as their teachers and parents. It comes from the Northwestern Mutual Life Foundation and the National Council on Economic Education.

The cost of renting money is likely to go up tomorrow (Monday, 8/23/99)
Glenn Somerville and many others think it's nearly a done deal. The Fed meets tomorrow and is all but certain to raise interest rates again because of inflation fears. John Cunniff says everybody's talking about inflation, although no one has caught sight of it yet.

Widespread restructuring hasn't helped Latin American workers, says the ILO (Monday, 8/23/99)
The gap between the world's haves and have nots is widening. The UN-affiliated International Labor Organization says in a new report that Latin American workers have been suffering rising unemployment and diminished security in the new economy. In Russia, millions are getting more and more creative at living on less and less, according to Michael Gordon of the New York Times. Among the world's have-nots are millions--make that hundreds and hundreds of millions of Indians. Experts say that India last week became the second country in world history to pass the 1 billion mark in population. In about 1840, total world population finally reached 1 billion after tens of thousands of years. In Mexico, despite its illegality, female job applicants are routinely required to undergo pregnancy tests.

Now about one of the haves (Monday, 8/23/99)
The world's richest man has said for years that he'll eventually give nearly all of his money away, because he doesn't believe that rich people should simply dump it on their children. However, at 43, Bill Gates hasn't felt that it's quite time to concentrate on philanthropy at the expense of business. Ted Turner's announcement some time ago that he would give away a billion dollars helped draw attention to Gates, who has responded by creating the world's largest foundation. Gates has about $100 billion in net worth. If you've got your pencil out, you might want to calculate an estimate of when his fortune is likely to reach the 1 trillion mark. It shouldn't be long. To put things into perspective, the huge Sun Princess cruise ship, on which some of the world's privileged play, was built for a bit more than $300 million dollars a few years ago. Three-hundred million is only about 3/10 of 1 percent of Bill's fortune as it stands today.

Those who would be president listen to Iowa farmers (Monday, 8/23/99)
Rob Hotakainen reports from Des Moines on a big meeting of desperate farmers in one of the world's leading agriculture regions.

Union use of email is giving companies fits (Monday, 8/23/99)
Noam Cohen reports that an increasing number of corporations are trying to restrict the use of email by their unions. It's another example of the extent to which social structure and power relationships are in large part determined by who can talk to whom about what under what conditions, and, as they say, the Internet changes everything.

Hazardous materials in the workplace (Monday, 8/23/99)
You know it's time to clean the refrigerator when you open the door and a green hand reaches out and pulls it shut again. Diane Sears Campbell of the Orlando Sentinel says the typical workplace refrigerator gets no respect.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: An Intellectual Property Law Primer (Monday, 8/23/99)
Web site developers may want to take a look at An Intellectual Property Law Primer from two attorneys who specialize in computers and the Internet.

Negotiator's death may help change UAW's plans (Sunday, 8/22/99)
Officials of DaimlerChrysler AG and the United Auto Workers have been talking, but many experts expect the big auto workers union to focus its negotiations on a different car company.

What to think about the risk of inflation? (Sunday, 8/22/99)
The Fed meets on Tuesday and it could mean another increase in interest rates. Alan Greenspan suspects that the virtual disappearance of inflation from the American economy recently has just been a matter of luck and can't last on its own now that things are beginning to look better in Asia and other parts of the global economy. Sylvia Nasar of the New York Times has some thoughts on the subject.

Report card on welfare reform (Sunday, 8/22/99)
The 1996 welfare reform law has resulted in a great reduction of the number of persons on welfare, but has not increased their household incomes, according to a new study. Here's more from Michiyo Yamada of Reuters and Kathy Sawyer of the Washington Post.

A gathering, but not a celebration (Sunday, 8/22/99)
What do you do when the more you work, the more money you lose? Paul Levy of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports on a gathering of beleaguered farmers to listen to speeches and to talk to each other about the worst crisis in American agriculture in a long time.

Academe begins to catch up with the new realities (Sunday, 8/22/99)
Until recently, most business schools seemed to be operating on the assumption that it's still about 1965 and that "business" means "major business," when, in fact, small business, including family business, has been creating virtually all of the new jobs. Mark Clayton reports on new courses for people who expect to manage a family business, not General Motors.

Sensitivity training will be part of bias settlement (Sunday, 8/22/99)
Pizza Hut will provide racial sensitivity training to thousands of employees as part of the settlement of a discrimination suit. In slightly related news, Mark Sappenfield reports on the increase in the number of racial harassment suits around the country. In other "we-continue-to-be-awfully-hard-on-each-other" news, a major credit card company is being sued by the EEOC for sexual harassment.

School at work (Sunday, 8/22/99)
There have been many charter schools, but this seems to be the first one located in a work setting.

Some advice on your 401(k) choices (Sunday, 8/22/99)
Nationally syndicated columnist Jane Bryant Quinn tells about what's on your 401(k) menu and what should guide your choices. Meanwhile, the Washington Post's Albert Crenshaw reports that the Internal Revenue Service is granting a new tax benefit to some persons who live longer.

The college years have become a financial minefield (Sunday, 8/22/99)
The cost of college plus some bad choices along the way can lock young people into a financial box for much of their working lives. Kathy Kristof says parents should take responsibility for their young family members' financial education, but perhaps this is part of what college should be about too?.

What are your references saying about you, and is it accurate? (Sunday, 8/22/99)
Michelle Cottle advises a troubled correspondent to consider the possibility of error, not just malicious intent on the part of one or more references. Accidents do happen, she says.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Consumer Information Center (Sunday, 8/22/99)
The Consumer Information Center offers full-text versions of hundreds of consumer publications from the government. All free to view on your screen. Printed versions are available for a fee and can be ordered on the site.

Support people at US Airways decide to unionize (Saturday, 8/21/99)
Ticket agents and other workers at US Airways have voted to join a union. Here's that story from today's Minneapolis Star Tribune and Frank Swoboda of the Washington Post.

Bad news for Brazil's currency (Saturday, 8/21/99)
Brazil's real hit a five-month low yesterday, causing doubts and concern about the effectiveness of that country's economic reform efforts.

Changing 401(k)s (Saturday, 8/21/99)
By all indications, the 401(k) has been a resounding success, and, in fact, has come to dominate retirement plan thinking, according to Linda Stern. For this reason and others, changes are in the wind. Speaking of retirement, E. Scott Reckard reports on the settlement of a retirement benefits suit involving Disney.

Presidential candidate supports universal health coverage (Saturday, 8/21/99)
Bill Bradley, who is challenging Al Gore for the Democratic presidential nomination, will soon offer his plan for universal health coverage for Americans.

How to work and be on leave at the same time (Saturday, 8/21/99)
Nationally syndicated columnist Carol Kleiman tells about the Flexible Leave of Absence Work Option at IBM.

Governor Davis' health care reform plan examined (Saturday, 8/21/99)
California Governor Gray Davis has a plan for fixing his state's health care system, but Sharon Bernstein writes in the Los Angeles Times that it would leave a lot of issues as they are presently.

Michigan prisoner work options narrow, and it wasn't intended (Saturday, 8/21/99)
Here's Robyn Meredith's New York Times story on how Michigan's truth-in-sentencing law is resulting in the closing of halfway houses which means reduced opportunities for offenders to work their way back into employment and self-sufficiency, among other things.

One-fifth of Nazi-era slaves are still living (Saturday, 8/21/99)
A new report claims that approximately 2.3 million persons who were forced into slavery by the Nazis are still living. Slavery in its various forms has made a resurgence during recent years, including an international sex trade. William Booth reports on the arrest of 13 persons in Los Angeles. They're charged with bringing young women into the United States and forcing them to work as prostitutes.

Cuts at Nortel and Exabyte (Saturday, 8/21/99)
Two tech companies cut jobs, Nortel near Montreal and Exabyte in Colorado.

Is Santa necessarily a "he?" (Saturday, 8/21/99)
One woman who lost her job doesn't think so, and she's suing Wal-Mart over the incident.

Finding fun and profit in a late-summer rite (Saturday, 8/21/99)
Several people tell what it's like to work at one of the nation's largest state fairs.

Computers as perks (Saturday, 8/21/99)
Paul Nowell reports on how First Union Corporation is trying to attract and hold workers as well as help itself in other ways by offering an attractive deal on a computer for home use.

Forces encouraging bigness in agriculture (Saturday, 8/21/99)
Not so long ago, America was mostly an agrarian society with a large proportion of its population living on small family farms which were mostly subsistence operations not aspiring to significant business success. In recent years, though, the small family farm has become greatly endangered. In most regions of the United States, farms have become fewer and larger for a variety of economic reasons. However, some of the reasons are also political. Many persons involved in the politics of agriculture play hard ball, and we're not talking about the government. Eric Palmer offers a case in point. In a related story, Minnesota farmer Dean Carlson writes in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on how the movement of families off the nation's farms is affecting rural communities in unexpected ways.

What on earth is a "virtual team?" (Saturday, 8/21/99)
It's a group of people scattered throughout the world who work together everyday and may never meet face-to-face. It's also an increasingly prominent part of the revolutionary new world economy.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Privatization (Saturday, 8/21/99)
If you believe that privatization hasn't gone far enough, you'll probably find some agreement from the folks at the National Center for Policy Analysis headquartered in Dallas. They would like to privatize nearly everything in sight, and their web site offers many reasons why.

Turkey's human loss dwarfs the economic loss, but, nonetheless... (Friday, 8/20/99)
Turkey's economy had been struggling even before the earthquake, but nothing like the struggles it will face from now on. Stephen Kinzer of the New York Times reports that losses will be in the tens of billions of dollars. Currently, though, it's difficult to think of anything other than the historic loss of life which could easily reach tens of thousands of persons, certainly qualifying as one of the worst disasters in modern history if not all history.

Some things get better in both Koreas (Friday, 8/20/99)
South Korea is enjoying some economic growth again after a couple of years of hard times. However, despite the South's problems, the contrast between its economy and that of North Korea hardly could be greater. Still, the North's persistent famine appears to be moderating, in large part because of food aid from the outside.

The Internet continues to change everything (Friday, 8/20/99)
Even down on the farm, Internet use is increasing rapidly. Incidentally, it should be no surprise that American farmers are adopting hi-tech in their businesses in record numbers. One of the biggest success stories in the application of technology this century has been in American agriculture. During a few short years following World War II, farmers transformed their entire industry and pushed productivity to very high levels. Mechanization in agriculture quickly resulted in a situation in which a tiny proportion of the American population could feed much of the world. One of the consequences has been that American farmers have become victims of their own success in their ability to produce farm products in such enormous quantities, thereby contributing to depressed farm product prices. However, at the moment, farmers in some regions have the additional problem of severe drought, and Barbara Hagenbaugh reports that Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusetts and South Carolina have been added to the Clinton Administration's list of states that will receive federal aid. Speaking of agriculture, Poland had a rough night that included quite a lot of violence. Polish farmers are not pleased with their government's agricultural policies.

Big tax battle becomes subdued (Friday, 8/20/99)
George Hager of the Washington Post says that, despite a lot of noise, the battle between the White House and the Republican-controlled Congress over tax cuts isn't likely to amount to much in the end.

An odd twist on workplace violence (Friday, 8/20/99)
The "community of scholars" doesn't appear to be immune to violence in work settings. However, the means might differ a bit. In this case, a worker has deliberately exposed another person to radioactive material.

Stressed women managers in Japan (Friday, 8/20/99)
Asahi Shimbun's Ryutaro Ito reports on new research comparing job stress among male and female managers.

An analysis of welfare costs (Friday, 8/20/99)
In Minnesota, at least, teen parents account for a considerable amount of welfare spending. Here's more from Jean Hopfensperger of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Hard drive company attempts to drive harder (Friday, 8/20/99)
Quantum Corporation intends to cut about 800 jobs, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: International Development Program (Friday, 8/20/99)
The huge gap between the world's industrialized and its third-world nations has been a persistent feature of modern life. However, this gap seems to be widening as the developed world moves ever more deeply into a new globally integrated information economy. Enormous quantitative differences can become qualitative and produce massive social, political, and even military upheavals during the new century. If you are interested in playing a role in helping the third-world to develop, not only so that vast numbers of people will have better life chances, but also in order to make the world a somewhat less dangerous place for everybody, American University's International Development Program may be of interest to you. Incidentally, many people think of Washington, D.C. as a place with a lot of politicians, a lot of bureaucrats, and a LOT of problems, but it also has a lot of world-class higher educational opportunities. For instance, in the District itself, you'll find not only American University, but also Howard University, Catholic University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University. Also, nearby are the University of Maryland the University of Virginia, among others.

IMF to help Turkey (Thursday, 8/19/99)
The latest estimate is that at least 6,000 persons have died in Turkey as a result of the devastating earthquake there, and that number is likely to rise considerably, given the large number of injured persons plus thousands of persons still missing. Turkey will need help of most kinds, including financial, and that's where the International Monetary Fund comes in.

American Airlines set to go ahead on the Reno integration (Thursday, 8/19/99)
The company hasn't been able to make a deal with its pilots, so it intends to continue with the process of integrating recently acquired Reno Airlines into the larger company, despite pilot objections.

How the whole may affect the part (Thursday, 8/19/99)
For sometime now, the American economy has been, not only the strongest in the world, but one of the few very large economies with any strength at all, as both Asian and European economies have continued to struggle. Now, things are beginning to look much better in both regions, and, as Jonathan Peterson reports in the Los Angeles Times, this might threaten the American boom.

Careful about messing with Social Security, says former New Dealer (Thursday, 8/19/99)
After sixty years or so, Bob Ball is saying some of the same things for some of the same reasons, and he's not enthusiastic about individual accounts as an alternative to the current Social Security system.

Army to get help from Hollywood (Thursday, 8/19/99)
For decades, Hollywood has looked to the American military for advise and logistical support in the production of many feature films. Now, the U.S. Army is looking to Hollywood's hi-tech capability to provide more realistic simulations for training purposes.

Bradley favors legal changes to help unions increase membership (Thursday, 8/19/99)
A former big-time basketball star, former Rhodes Scholar, and former U.S. Senator is running for president and would like to have union support in that effort. Bill Bradley spoke to a AFL-CIO convention in Iowa yesterday.

First-time jobless claims up a bit (Thursday, 8/19/99)
The Labor Department's latest weekly data show an increase, but the four-week average paints a different picture. Meanwhile, in Australia, Toni O'Loughlin reports from Canberra for the Sydney Morning Herald on that country's long-term unemployment rate. It's hit its lowest level since 1991.

The remains of the old industrial age economy (Thursday, 8/19/99)
Tim Smart of the Washington Post says that a trip across America makes it easy to see the physical remains of a former economic era and the transition that the American economy has already gone through.

If there were a top female auto executive, what advice would she give? (Thursday, 8/19/99)
As it happens, there IS such an executive. She is Cynthia Trudell and she is president of Saturn Corporation, and here's her career advice for other women.

In California, Hispanics make less (Thursday, 8/19/99)
For many years, there has been a strong correlation between ethnicity and income in the American economy, with most minority groups doing less well, on average, than the majority white population. In California, Hispanics are on the bottom of the salary scale. Here's that story from the Washington Post.

The worker shortage in education (Thursday, 8/19/99)
Expect a growing shortage of teachers in many areas, and we've already reported on the desperate shortage of substitutes. But, how about other workers in K-12 education? Kim Schneider and Yuan-Kwan Chan report on the growing shortage of school bus drivers.

What is the Ford-Auschwitz connection? (Thursday, 8/19/99)
Ford Motor Company's name appears on lists of companies somehow implicated with slave labor and the Auschwitz death camp during the infamous Nazi period in Germany, but the company's exact role is still unclear. Here's that story from the Nando Times.

China is worrying, but not about inflation (Thursday, 8/19/99)
Instead, deflation could become a problem in the world's largest country, so the Chinese government has put new factory development into a deep freeze. Here's more from Seth Faison of the New York Times.

Are all HMOs above average? (Thursday, 8/19/99)
Michael Weinstein says some are saying that it's too easy for managed care organizations to come out looking good in the ratings.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Charles Babbage Institute of Computer History (Thursday, 8/19/99)
Where did the world's most important industry come from? A look at computing's history must start with the roots of the machines themselves. Many persons going back quite some time can be given some of the credit for the digital computer's fundamental concepts. Among these is British mathematician Charles Babbage and his "analytical engine," which he thought through during the mid-19th century. The University of Minnesota has named its research institute on the history of computing after him. The Charles Babbage Institute is worth a visit.

Deadlock continues at American Airlines (Wednesday, 8/18/99)
The airline and its pilots seem no closer to an agreement about how to bring recently acquired Reno Air into the larger company. Will there be a strike? We don't know either. Meanwhile, at another of the United States' largest airlines, negotiations are starting over how pilots will be paid for flying the new Boeing 767-400. Speaking of Boeing, The U.S. Department of Labor is conducting an investigation into bias complaints, and the company says it wants to cooperate. Here's more on that story from Laurence Zuckerman of the New York Times. Also, speaking of bias charges, Morgan Stanley is hit with a lawsuit from some of its employees.

Will the Federal Reserve increase interest rates? (Wednesday, 8/18/99)
Probably, or, at least, it's what many experts are expecting, given the latest CPI figures and other data. Jeannine Aversa has more from the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Also in the Star Telegram today, D'Ann Mabray Shippy reports that housing construction is slowing in some areas because there aren't enough workers.

What farmers need, according to the USDA (Wednesday, 8/18/99)
Many American farmers who are producing record harvests this year are still in trouble because of the lowest farm product prices in a generation. However, those from other parts of the country who are caught in a very severe drought have a double problem, and they will need cash grants to survive, according to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Loans won't be sufficient for many, he says. Meanwhile, the Secretary is urging local and state government officials to help identify and educate persons who are eligible for food stamps but are not getting them. It isn't just a few persons. Seven to eight million Americans fall into this category, according to Secretary Glickman .

Why foreign investors are attracted to Asia again, despite everything (Wednesday, 8/18/99)
Sandra Sugawara of the Washington Post says that, despite plenty of continuing bad news from many Asian economies, there is some good news too, and investors are noticing.

Why your check may not be in the mail if you live in Israel (Wednesday, 8/18/99)
Jenny Badner and Eli Groner of the Jeruselum Post explain why about 100,000 unemployment checks won't reach their recipients today, and Ms. Badner also writes about what it's like for persons who are counting on that check.

A Boston University professor resists strong pressures to retire (Wednesday, 8/18/99)
Mary Daly is well-known as an authority in her field and also because she won't let men into her classrooms. Now, after trying nearly everything else, the University wants her to retire. Guess what she thinks of that idea?

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Real Truth about Cruise Ship Jobs (Wednesday, 8/18/99)
Should you go on a cruise someday? Definitely. Should you want to work on a cruise ship? Maybe. If you're considering the latter, you may want to consult The Real Truth about Cruise Ship Jobs, which has been put together by a person who has been there, done that.

Remember something called "inflation?" (Tuesday, 8/17/99)
Alan Greenspan hasn't forgotten the meaning of that word, although many other Americans may find it hard to remember when it was a central concern in the United States. The latest numbers suggest that it could be a concern for a lot of people again before long, and also fuel speculation that the Federal Reserve may go ahead and raise interest rates again.

$30 million settlement follows Mexican accident (Tuesday, 8/17/99)
An accident claimed the lives of fourteen Mexican workers and injured a dozen others. Now, their families will receive $30 million from an American clothing company's insurer.

Talks continue at American Airlines (Tuesday, 8/17/99)
The principal issue dividing the company and its pilots union is how to integrate the recently acquired Reno Air's pilots into American Airlines. That is, how will they be paid in relation to current American Airlines pilots? In other airline news, troubled World Airways is preparing to cut some workers' pay. Stock may be offered as an alternative.

Pendulum begins to swing back toward primary care (Tuesday, 8/17/99)
For quite a long time, large numbers of medical students were aspiring to become specialists, and, then, suddenly, there was a growing glut of specialists in many regions. Now, a career in primary care medical practice is attractive for many again, at least at California medical schools.

Kirkland remembered (Tuesday, 8/17/99)
The editorial writers at the Washington Post look back at the career of a major labor leader who passed from the scene last week.

Japan cautiously approaches the 401(k) (Tuesday, 8/17/99)
The 401(k) has become nearly ubiquitous in the United States, but it's still a new and fairly unfamiliar approach to pensions in Japan. Hiroshi Yamagiwa writes for the Japan Times that many companies are getting ready to adopt it, while others are holding back for the time-being. Also in the Times today, news about a new approach to graduate training in business.

Senator faces a tough sell, not only in Congress, but also on the farm (Tuesday, 8/17/99)
Minnesota's Senator Wellstone has some thoughts about how to combat the current crisis in American agriculture, but, as Bob von Sternberg reports, his ideas haven't met with an enthusiastic response from farmers so far.

The latest from the Russian front (Tuesday, 8/17/99)
Russia continues to be an economic basket case with worrisome political instability as well, but Ford Motor Company is sufficiently confident in the country's long-term economic future that it's investing heavily in order to produce cars that few Russians can afford at the moment. Meanwhile, Russia's fifth prime minister in about a year and a half has been confirmed. Will he bother to unpack in an office that seems to have a revolving door? Incidentally, what did Mr. Putin do in the old Soviet Union? He was a KGB official, which may or may not make you nervous.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling (Tuesday, 8/17/99)
Ingrid Becker writes for Women's Wire about Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling and how some women are doing it.

Carter's former Commerce Secretary dies (Monday, 8/16/99)
Philip Klutznick is dead at 92.

Relief in North Korea (Monday, 8/16/99)
Outside food assistance has helped ease the desperate plight of North Koreans. Not that their own government has been too concerned, though. They've been preoccupied with their missile development program.

A major retailer chooses not to accept way out of dilemma (Monday, 8/16/99)
The Minneapolis Star Tribune editorializes about Dayton-Hudson's lack of participation in the sweatshop settlement involving workers in Saipan. Speaking of workplace dilemmas, Jeffrey Seglin asks to whom a manager owes greatest loyalty during a time of layoffs, and Michelle Cottle discusses the difficulties of dealing with the ghost of supervisor past.

Communicating the right image (Monday, 8/16/99)
Columnist Amy Lindgren says nearly everything about the work world has changed during the past 20 years, except a lot of people's resumes. Time to wake up and get with it, Rip.

Some of today's job cuts (Monday, 8/16/99)
About 1,400 jobs will go at Union Bank of California, while British Airways plans to cut a thousand managerial positions.

More men become homemakers, but most aren't bragging about it (Monday, 8/16/99)
Nationally syndicated columnist Carol Kleiman says that "house husbands" are more accepted now, but not necessarily by themselves.

How do you want your pension to pay out? Careful, careful (Monday, 8/16/99)
Kathy Kristof of the Los Angeles Times says it's important to decide carefully, but you won't get a second chance, and it will be for the rest of your life. Meanwhile, Barbara Crossette of the New York Times says that concern about an adequately financed retirement isn't just an American thing.

Who lost Russia? (Monday, 8/16/99)
This is what a lot of Russians are asking. Westerners tend to think of the disintegration of the old Soviet Union as representing a step forward, but, given what has happened in Russia during the years since, many Russians themselves are looking back to the bad old days as the good old days.

Malpractice suits against HMOs have gotten somewhat easier (Monday, 8/16/99)
One after another, judges across the United States have eased constraints against suing HMOs. Here's more from Robert Pear of the New York Times.

Greenspan and the next election (Monday, 8/16/99)
The Federal Reserve chairman has been the focus of political controversy before, writes Richard Stevenson, and his name is likely to come up in the next presidential campaign as well.

Working on a cybercampus (Monday, 8/16/99)
Laura Pedersen-Pietersen of the New York Times tells about the growing number of academic professionals who labor in cyberspace. Incidentally, recent stories have told about the growing number of qualified young people who are choosing careers in hi-tech INSTEAD of going to college, but Barbara Ireland says there has been a drop in the number of Harvard biz grads who pursue traditional career paths now that hi-tech and the Internet are offering such strong attractions to young persons with an entrepreneurial bent. Along somewhat similar lines, Abby Ellin says that the IRS is fully aware of the increasing number of people who are working independently.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Women in Higher Education (Monday, 8/16/99)
Smart, irreverent monthly for Women in Higher Education. It comes from Madison, Wisconsin, the home of the University of Wisconsin, which can be fairly smart and irreverent itself. One of that university's former chancellors has served in the Clinton Administration cabinet. Which one? If you said "Donna Shalala," you are entitled to the coveted NewWork handshake award. Which cabinet post? That's right: Secretary of Health and Human Services. You win again.

Port workers strike in Valparaiso (Sunday, 8/15/99)
Donald Bradshaw reports on the strike in Chile and how it's affecting the price of copper. Elsewhere in South America, Brazil's underground economy gains prominence as people attempt to cope with hard times.

Kellogg closes Battle Creek plant (Sunday, 8/15/99)
Five-hundred-fifty jobs are lost in what was once the cereal capital of the world.

Cancer claims Kirkland (Sunday, 8/15/99)
Former AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland is dead at age 77. Here's more from today's New York Times.

Forfeiting the right to sue? (Sunday, 8/15/99)
Sherwood Ross reports that some employers seem to be pressuring employees to sign away their right to sue in exchange for money, often when they're most vulnerable, he says.

The psychology of money (Sunday, 8/15/99)
Is simply learning how to feel differently about money the key to personal financial success? Some speakers and authors are making a lot of money themselves by spreading this sort of message. Are they on to something, or are they really snake-oil demagogues? The Washington Post's Michelle Singletary examines this question.

Student loans respond to vigorous competition (Sunday, 8/15/99)
Nationally syndicated columnist Jane Bryant Quinn says competition is benefitting students who are in the market for loans to finance their higher education. Meanwhile, United Parcel Service is helping its employees pay for college, while one of its competitors faces an harassment suit.

"Quality of life" vs. "standard of living" (Sunday, 8/15/99)
With the strongest American economy in a long time, many Americans are able to afford to shift their concerns. Terry Neal reports that "livability" issues could even play a significant role in the up-coming presidential campaign. Those familiar with "Maslow's hierarchy of needs" may find something familiar in all this.

The upside and downside of the big tax-cut bill (Sunday, 8/15/99)
Republicans say that their proposed tax cut would benefit pensions, but Democrats say it would hurt the environment.

Farmers look at the big picture and find that it isn't a pretty one (Sunday, 8/15/99)
American farmers are in crisis because of low farm product prices, and the reasons seem global. William Claiborne writes about why, despite assistance, many face bankruptcy. The pressures are enormous, as columnist David Broder reports, and have become literally a life and death issue for many.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Japan's Official Development Assistance (Sunday, 8/15/99)
Not so long ago, because of their uncanny success, much of the world was looking to Japan for economic leadership, and American companies were sending top executives to Tokyo in order to try to learn "how they do it." During the few short years following the devastation of World War II, Japan's startling recovery and economic "miracle" had become the model for the world. Very recently, though, things have been looking less miraculous, as Japan struggles to emerge from its worst recession in over 50 years. Nonetheless, the Japanese economy is still the second-largest in the world, and the Japanese recognize that it is in their enlightened self-interest to support the development of the larger economic context in which they have to do business. Here's a record of Japan's recent efforts to assist the development of poorer countries.

Clinton wants to talk Medicare (Saturday, 8/14/99)
The Republican controlled Congress has passed a large tax-cut bill, knowing full well in advance, that there is no chance that it will be signed into law by President Clinton. Reason? They want to be able to say, "We tried; it's THEIR fault" to voters in the big upcoming presidential campaign. Both Republicans and Democrats have a vested interest in doing something about the Medicare problem sometime soon, though, so President Clinton has issued an invitation to Republican leaders to have serious discussions next month about fixing the financially troubled program. How about Social Security? It needs to be fixed too, as everyone seems to agree. Given the current political climate and the inevitable shift from substance to rhetoric as the election draws closer, the financially threatened Social Security program probably will have to wait for a new president and a possibly reconstituted Congress. The stakes are high for this election. Not only is the presidency up for grabs, but Democrats feel that they have a realistic chance of reclaiming control of the House of Representatives. Stay tuned.

Adversaries roll up their sleeves at Boeing (Saturday, 8/14/99)
Marathon talks will begin Monday on what both sides hope will be a new three-year contract between Boeing and its largest union. The stakes are high here too, according to this Fort Worth Star Telegram story.

Pakistan's first public grad school for women (Saturday, 8/14/99)
The women's movement hasn't caught on in many Islamic countries, including Pakistan, but this may be a start. Here's more from Celia Dugger of the New York Times.

Teamsters say they're ready to be independent again (Saturday, 8/14/99)
If you've been asleep for several decades, you might think nothing has changed since you dozed off. Richard Daley is mayor of Chicago, and James Hoffa is president of the Teamsters. However, the sons seem significantly different from their fathers. In fact, the long-troubled Teamsters union is saying that, under its new leadership, it's ready to go it alone, without the close government supervision because of earlier Mafia domination.

A nation of spendthrifts (Saturday, 8/14/99)
Savings rates in the United States have been much lower than in many other modern industrial countries during the post-war period. Americans like to spend, and this seems particularly true during the 1990s. Peter Applebome looks at Cornell University economist Robert Frank's new book calling for tax law changes that would encourage public investment instead of an orgy of private spending.

Census Bureau accused of hiring discrimination (Saturday, 8/14/99)
The big 2000 count will require a lot of additional personnel, so the Census Bureau has been doing a lot of hiring. Arab immigrants don't feel they're being included, though.

Flash! Low income makes things harder (Saturday, 8/14/99)
A new study finds that caregiving is harder on the caregiver when there aren't sufficient economic resources.

How to keep the good workers you already have (Saturday, 8/14/99)
Many employers are experiencing difficulty recruiting sufficient numbers of qualified workers in a hot job market. However, many are also having difficulty hanging on to workers who are finding a rich range of options elsewhere. A new Harvard study examines the high turnover rate and what employers can do to persuade employees to stay where they are.

On the stresses of modern life, including work life (Saturday, 8/14/99)
St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist Amy Gage examines new research comparing stress levels among men and women.

Rudeness at work isn't simply annoying (Saturday, 8/14/99)
A major newspaper editorializes on the practical economic consequences of incivility in the workplace.

Texaco exceeds its job-cut forecasts (Saturday, 8/14/99)
Texaco has ended up cutting about 2,500 jobs, rather than the 1,400 announced last year.

California unemployment continues its downward trend (Saturday, 8/14/99)
Don Lee of the Los Angeles Times writes about the lowest unemployment figures in California in a very long time. The 5.2 percent jobless rate last month is the best in nearly 30 years.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Telecommuting (Saturday, 8/14/99)
If you'd like to "phone it in," Gil Gordon Associates offers an information-rich site on telecommuting.

Republican wants government to do more (Friday, 8/13/99)
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman hasn't been doing enough to help drought-stricken farmers, according to the House Agriculture Committee Chairman.

The latest in that nuclear spy scandal (Friday, 8/13/99)
Once upon a time, Los Alamos was best known for the Manhattan Project. During more recent years, it's taken on additional notoriety because it's apparently made the stealing of American nuclear secrets easy. Who's responsible? We don't know either, but, if you want someone to blame, Secretary Bill Richardson can help.

Some jobs move, while others disappear entirely (Friday, 8/13/99)
Pratt & Whitney's reorganization will be Florida's loss and Connecticut's gain. Fifteen-hundred jobs will be affected. And, what a coincidence! That's also the number of jobs that Liberty Mutual insurance intends to cut.

How's "Don't ask, don't tell" been working? Don't ask (Friday, 8/13/99)
The Pentagon thinks new guidelines are needed and they will be in place soon.

Remember that student strike at Mexico's largest university? (Friday, 8/13/99)
It's still going on, and the new academic year is supposed to be getting underway.

This job may make you feel a bit better about your own (Friday, 8/13/99)
We've passed on a lot of information about the hottest jobs in the new economy over the past four years, but here's one of the hottest of all, particularly this time of year.

On the Republican tax bill's childcare provision (Friday, 8/13/99)
It wouldn't be much help, according to today's Washington Post editorial writers.

First, there was God's top-ten list... (Friday, 8/13/99)
Then, there was Letterman's. Now, columnist William Raspberry examines the Urban League President's Ten Opportunity Commandments for reducing the persistent economic gap between white and black Americans.

Send a teacher to camp (Friday, 8/13/99)
There's a growing shortage of full-time teachers in many areas of the country, and this condition will worsen as large numbers retire at about the same time as additional teaching positions are created in an effort to reduce class size. However, there's also a desperate shortage of substitute teachers in many areas. Allie Shah tells about a summer camp for non-educators who want to become subs.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: NetWork: Maximum Access to Career Resources on the Internet (Friday, 8/13/99)
The Internet offers revolutionary possibilities for job-searchers as well as for publishers. Jane Lommel's book breaks new ground in both areas. NetWork can help you make full use of the Internet in finding the job that is just right for you, and, for $14.95, you can download the whole thing right now. A hard copy version will be available in the fall. We expect to do a full-length review of the book early in 2000.

Coach Clinton huddles with his team (Thursday, 8/12/99)
Another interest rate increase may be coming and a struggle with the Congress over budget issues surely is. As a consequence, President Clinton is conferring with his top economic advisors.

One last try (Thursday, 8/12/99)
American Airlines has decided to resume talks with its pilots over the acquisition of Reno Air.

First, fast food, now, groceries (Thursday, 8/12/99)
We reported yesterday on experiments now being conducted by McDonald's to replace humans with machines that will take orders. Now, a major supermarket chain is trying out a system whereby you will be able to do your own scanning.

Settlement of same-sex harassment case (Thursday, 8/12/99)
The Supreme Court last year ruled that sexual harassment in the workplace is illegal even when members of the same sex are involved. Scott Carlson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports on the $1.9 million settlement of a case at a meatpacking company.

Fighting poverty with hi-tech (Thursday, 8/12/99)
The United Nations is working with entertainment stars and private companies on an anti-poverty project called Netaid, and the "Net" part of it refers to what you're thinking.

Jobless claims up a bit (Thursday, 8/12/99)
First-time jobless claims increased very slightly last week, but it appears to be a ripple, not a wave or tide.

Role of temps increases in Japan (Thursday, 8/12/99)
The new economy likes flexibility, including a "just-in-time" workforce. As a consequence, an increasing number of persons in the U.S., Australia, and many other places are attempting to make a career out of part-time, temporary, or contract work as an alternative to old-economy types of permanent jobs, and this can be both good news and bad news for everybody involved. In Japan, as the New York Times' Howard French reports, many are moving to a reliance on temporary work because of the recession's negative impact on overall employment. Once Japan completes its transition to the new economy and begins a new expansion, we can expect that temp work will continue to be important, but for different reasons.

Legal immigration slows (Thursday, 8/12/99)
Legal immigration last year reached its lowest level in a decade. Here's more from Michelle Mittelstadt of the Washington Post.

Native American group changes employment policy (Thursday, 8/12/99)
Most genuinely verifiable knowledge about nature, including human nature, is a product of only the past slim microsecond of human history, relatively speaking. Popular attitudes, on the other hand, are largely a product of momentum built up over thousands of years, and many current attitudes and assumptions have their origins in the early historical or even Neolithic period when even the smartest people on the planet had zero access to modern information.

For one thing, contrary to the assumptions of our ancestors, we now know that people are people. Despite superficial appearances, for the most part, we're all made out of the same stuff. While there are enormous individual differences, differences among groups as defined by race, sex, age, disability, or other common criteria, clearly have been greatly exaggerated throughout history.

In short, we know more about how things work now. For instance, we can better understand why the arrival of the Europeans in the Americas had such a devastating impact on native peoples which continues to this day, and it's not for the reasons that many people like to believe. During the early days, a large proportion of native people were killed by diseases brought by the Europeans or simply massacred by the newcomers. For instance, controversy raged during the late Renaissance and early modern period over whether Native Americans were truly human. If not, they could be slaughtered without guilt. Finally, a Pope ruled that they were human beings, but this didn't convince a lot of people who continued to regard efforts to exterminate native peoples as their moral obligation. This was followed by systematic efforts to destroy traditional native cultures.

Among the lingering consequences of all this has been extreme economic deprivation, including high levels of unemployment. In Minnesota, the Leech Lake Band of Chippewa has been trying to do something about this problem with its Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance, but, as reported in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune, they've decided to change some of its terms as these relate to the employment policies of contractors doing work on the reservation.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Museum of American Financial History (Thursday, 8/12/99)
By most measures, the American economy is the largest, strongest, most vigorous in human history, and, if the U.S. doesn't drop the ball for other reasons, it is well-positioned for playing a major global role throughout the 21st century. An effort to understand how we've reached this point will have to include an examination of the role of America's capital markets in its history. For that, visit the Museum of American Financial History in New York City or right here on-line.

Record unemployment in the UK (Wednesday, 8/11/99)
But it's a record low, at least for most of the past two decades. Britain's unemployment rate has reached its lowest level in 19 years.

Job cuts at SGI (Wednesday, 8/11/99)
Yesterday, we reported that high-end workstation manufacturer Silicon Graphics is undergoing its second restructuring in a year. Now, another maker of sophisticated computers is about to send large numbers of workers home for good. SGI plans to cut about 1,500 jobs.

Doctors watch the life ooze out of their HMO plan (Wednesday, 8/11/99)
A group of physicians in the Twin Cities have been trying to put together their own managed care system, but, as the St. Paul Pioneer Press' Karen Padley reports, the Minnesota Health Department has denied their request.

The farm crisis isn't U.S., it's global (Wednesday, 8/11/99)
Kevin Gray reports from Lobos, Argentina on how farmers in a major South American agricultural economy are being affected. Speaking of agriculture, Tina Kelley of the New York Times writes about the grim housing problems of migrant workers in Washington state.

Will the American boom go bust because of Y2K? (Wednesday, 8/11/99)
A key economist at Deutsche Morgan Grenfell thinks that Y2K will cause a global recession, and he hasn't changed his mind.

McDonald's is testing an automation system (Wednesday, 8/11/99)
Soon, a machine rather than a person may be taking your order at McDonald's. Richard Gibson of the Wall Street Journal reports that the system is being tested now.

A new look at the labor theory of value (Wednesday, 8/11/99)
Erwin Marquit discusses data from his research on the relationship between worker production and worker remuneration.

Bankruptcies decline in the U.S. (Wednesday, 8/11/99)
Americans have been going broke and declaring bankruptcy in record numbers during recent years, but there was a two-percent decline in personal bankruptcies in June compared to a year before.

Testosterone poisoning may be on the increase (Wednesday, 8/11/99)
Evelyne Girardet writes in the Fort Worth Star Telegram that new research shows that about 25% of Americans at work are angry and resentful, and Kate Grossman that rudeness on the job seems to be mostly a guy thing. During recent years, the American popular culture, including popular media, has reflected growing vulgarity, incivility, and cynicism in the population overall, and, when large numbers of persons shift in a particular direction, we can expect that some will go over the top. Thus, the increasing frequency of workplace violence.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Colorado Springs MBA from a distance (Wednesday, 8/11/99)
The number of academic programs from accredited institutions available entirely on the Internet is increasing exponentially. Here's an MBA program from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Thirteen California farm workers die in accident (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
A van has collided with a truck in California, and 13 farm workers have died. In Australia, a trapped worker dies as rescuers watch.

Another presidential candidate acknowledges farm crisis (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
TV commentator Pat Buchanan is running for president again, and has offered his plan for helping American farmers out of their desperate crisis. In addition to American farmers, here's another group of Americans who are not benefiting from the current economic boom.

European powerhouses may be gaining speed (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
John Tagliabue of the New York Times discusses the increasingly strong evidence of recovery in Europe's largest economies. Meanwhile, Thailand's economic woes during the past couple of years have encouraged some to more boldly challenge that country's paternalistic traditions.

More red ink at American managed care organizations (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
The shift toward HMOs was intended as a remedy to the cost crisis in American health care. More than 40 million Americans still lack health care coverage, most HMOs are still losing money, and, one way or another, medical services continue to undergo rationing. The VA health care system is also in a financial bind, according to lobbyists. All this in the strongest American economy in a generation.

More job cuts at Silicon Graphics (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
The hi-tech landscape is littered with the remains of yesterday's leading companies, and once high-flying Silicon Graphics is doing its best to regain its momentum. For the second time in a year, it's reorganizing and cutting jobs. Incidentally, despite strong job creation and low unemployment, including growing labor shortages in many sectors and regions, the rate of job cutting has also been increasing, and July was no exception.

Competition for hi-tech talent escalates (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
The current edition of Business Week describes the increasingly brutal contest for people with sophisticated technical expertise. Also, the Wall Street Journal writes about how executives are making use of the Internet to find jobs that are just right for them.

Some World Bank employees not getting paid (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
It's not because of a shortage of funds, but because of a computer glitch.

Pilots union may try to block merger in court (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
Talks haven't been going well between American Airlines and its pilots, so a lawsuit to block the acquisition of Reno Air may be coming. In other airline labor news, a major carrier will begin offering benefits to employees' same-sex partners.

Class-action suit settled in sweatshop case (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
Much clothing sold by major American retailers is manufactured in Saipan, but often not under greatly humane conditions. Four prominent retailers agree to a settlement of a class-action suit. Here's that story from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the New York Times.

Federal agency pledges to help uranium workers (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
Exposure to uranium has made a lot of workers sick during past years, and the Energy Department is stepping up efforts to find and assist those persons.

Want to increase your Social Security benefits, perhaps dramatically? (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
Kathy Kristof of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tells how many persons are able to do that.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: John Maynard Keynes (Tuesday, 8/10/99)
John Maynard Keynes may be the best-known of 20th century economists and surely is one of the most influential. Here are a brief biography, some quotations, and some references.

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