International press reports on life and work in the revolutionary new world economy
				NewWork News Archives
							Home

November 1999

Links included were live and functioning at time of publication.
They may not necessarily remain so, and this is not under our control

Critical WTO meeting starts today under less than tranquil circumstances (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
Negotiators from 135 countries aren't in agreement with each other over what future international trade policy should be, to say nothing of the variety of opinions represented on the streets outside. The principal thing that protesting groups appear to have in common is that they don't like the WTO and what they think it's doing, but the WTO still doesn't know what it's doing because it hasn't decided yet, and substantive agreements are far from certain. The American president will meet with some of the protesting groups, according to the White House. Protesters who have said they will shut down the talks and even shut down the city of Seattle seemed pleased when a bomb scare resulted in the evacuation of the convention center. West Coast docks could be shut down too if workers strike in sympathy with the protesters in Seattle. But, it isn't just the protesters who could derail new trade agreements. The U.S. thinks that Japan might do it, in fact.

Doron Levin writes in the Detroit Free Press that so many people want more free trade because they define prosperity in terms of "more stuff," which is one of the consequences of free trade that alarms the environmentalists who would direct your attention to a new report that says that half of the world's rivers are already polluted, just as a for instance. Meanwhile, the UN Secretary General says that the world's poor countries have reason to be unenthusiastic about the kinds of deals that many of the rich countries seem to want. There is also a good deal of disagreement among member countries about what should be done about agricultural trade.

The WTO meetings are being held in a city that is very much dependent on international trade, as John Burgess writes in today's Washington Post. In fact, the Christian Science Monitor's Dean Paton calls Seattle the "capital of the New Economy." However, Mede Nix of the Fort Worth Star Telegram reports that Fortune magazine has selected Dallas as the best of U.S. business cities.

The upturn in South Africa's economy (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
Ethel Hazelhurst reports in the Financial Mail on the overall improvement of South Africa's economy as essential ingredients come together, but not for everybody. Rachel Swarns writes from Tutterheim, South Africa about the legacy of apartheid and how it has left South Africa's poor far outside the mainstream.

Reality check for executives (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
London's Financial Times reports on the results of a Microsoft/Cranfield School of Management study showing that 73 percent of British executives do not view technology as a "strategic driver." Nonetheless, some companies are encouraging their executives to become web-literate in preparation for an increasingly Internet-based world economy. In the new economy, there is less need for people who insulate themselves from their company's front-line activities. The days when an executive could take pride in the fact that he "doesn't even know how to turn on a computer" are probably over, and any office that doesn't have a computer on its desk probably is the office of somebody who really isn't needed and will soon be "downized" out.

Support for employers willing to hire the high-risk worker (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
Amy Lindgren tells about a government bonding program that can reduce the risk of hiring persons with things in their past that they're not proud of and which may scare the daylights out of employers.

Maybe you could volunteer to load some luggage for the next flight (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
The Los Angeles Times' Stephanie Oakes tells about the challenges in findng a place to exercise when you're traveling, and, if you're a frequent business traveler, it can be a continual problem.

An analysis of Japan's situation from someone who's been there, repeatedly (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
Ronald Bosrock has had long experience doing business in Japan, and he tells about the great difference a few years can make. Can Japan change itself sufficiently to become competitive during the new century?

Budget bill becomes law (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
President Clinton has signed into law the $390 billion bill that includes some of what he wanted, but leaves out other things, such as coverage of the cost of prescription medications for the nation's elderly, for instance. Realistically, he will have to abandon many of his objectives now in the twilight of his presidency, but there may still be time for the prescription medication provision, given that a presidential election is coming up and the nation's elderly have become a powerful political force. For instance, AARP is one of the largest and most influential political action organizations.

Will Social Security change? (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
It's already changing, and, in fact, some of you will have to be 67 in order to collect full benefits, and this change has been in the making for a long time. However, Shannon Buggs writes in the Houston Chronicle about the major changes that seem to be coming fairly soon and what they are likely to mean to you.

Clinton to follow through on his plans for paid parental leave (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
President Clinton wants the states to be able to use unemployment insurance moneys to pay people to stay home for awhile after the birth of a child.

Department of Agriculture hit with another suit (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
Native Americans farmers are suing the United States Department of Agriculture for what they regard as discriminatory practices. The Agriculture Department recently settled a multi-million dollar suit brought against the federal agency by American farmers.

Interns and residents win the right to organize and strike (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
The NLRB has ruled that interns and residents at America's teaching hospitals can form a union . If the idea of students or medical professionals as trade unionists startles you, doctors as entrepreneurs might do so too.

Why many CEOs are having bad dreams (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
The current edition of Business Week contains a cover story on America's unfamiliar and very bold workforce, while the international edition's cover story explains why computer bugs put us all in jeopardy, and it's not just about Y2K. Once you're tired worry about that, here's something else: According to a new report, medical mistakes are killing more people each year than auto accidents and breast cancer, and possibly more than both of these combined. Beware if your doctor is heard to say "Whoops" quite a lot.

Here's an irony for you (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
Hong Kong, which is part of the largest totalitarian state on earth, has the world's freest economy.

Foreign investors turn away from Russia (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
Apparently, Russia's economy has become a less attractive investment opportunity. Foreign investment has declined 30 percent during the first three-quarters of the year.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Asia-Europe Dialogue: Globalization (Tuesday, 11/30/99)
Here's an examination of some of the implications of globalization from the perspective of a foundation closely allied with Germany's Green Party.

The big story may be on the streets (Monday, 11/29/99)
The New York Times' Steven Greenhouse says that the massive organized protests that are greeting the WTO negotiators in Seattle could "steal the show." James Grimaldi and Ross Anderson of the Seattle Times speculate about how President Clinton is likely to make use of the protests in his discussions with representatives of other nations. Among the protesters are representatives of major labor organizations who would like to see the World Trade Organization reach agreements that will protect workers' rights, and Les Blumenthal writes that labor is skeptical of the WTO's objectives. Simple slogans on the street clearly express labor's prevailing attitude. One major United Nations agency wants the WTO to keep the development of core labor standards off the agenda. Even without the protesters and the causes or special interests they represent, Stuart Laidlaw of the Toronto Star says it's going to be difficult for the participants to reach agreement on further trade liberalization. Robert Samuelson of the Washington Post says the big meeting in Seattle this week is pointless and not needed. Toshio Jo writes in Tokyo's Asahi Shimbun that the only result may be simply be a postponement of a new round of trade talks for a couple of years.

What do Buchanan, Hoffa, and Wellstone have in common? (Monday, 11/29/99)
They all oppose China's agreement with the United States as part of its effort to gain membership in the WTO. However, the fact that the Hoffa agrees with Buchanan on this issue doesn't mean that Pat will have Teamsters support in his presidential quest. Meanwhile, Senator Wellstone disagrees with the governors of Wisconsin and Minnesota over "free-market" milk pricing. It would be a way of eliminating the entire dairy industry, according to the Senator.

The new economy produces winners and losers, and Bradley wants to help the losers become winners (Monday, 11/29/99)
Persons whose old-style, old-economy jobs are eliminated by the historic transformations that are going on should get help in qualifying for new-economy jobs, and this should include training, health care, and child care, according to one presidential candidate.

When it should be yes, when it should be no (Monday, 11/29/99)
Columnist Amy Joyce offers some guidance on how telling the difference between being managed and being manipulated as you begin trying to build your career.

Economic tradition under attack in Germany (Monday, 11/29/99)
William Drozdiak tells how the effort last week to preserve two major German companies relates to that country's nervousness about the new economy and what it will mean for Germany.

The Journal does personal finance (Monday, 11/29/99)
Today's Wall Street Journal contains a special section on personal finance. Many articles, all worth reading.

What are the key ingredients for producing strong economic development (Monday, 11/29/99)
Brains and capital can mean the develoopment of powerful technologies, the full and effective use of which can lift an ecomomy toward the stratosphere. Also, don't exaggerate the role of the private sector. Some investments are so large that they can be made only by the society as a whole. As cases in point, Edward Lottermane describes two important new books, one about the inventor of the World Wide Web, and the other about the man whom more money and people in Silicon Valley may be willing to follow right now than anybody else. These remarkable people are Tim Berners-Lee and Jim Clark, respectively.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: OneKnowledge.com (Monday, 11/29/99)
OneKnowledge.com sells books online, but it differs from most of the others in that it specializes in books about doing business in the new economy.

Trade representatives from all over the globe are arriving in Seattle (Sunday, 11/28/99)
And so are a lot of other people. It's going to be a very diverse assemblage, both within the meeting rooms and on the streets outside. Among the protesters are people concerned about the WTO meeting's impact on labor, on the environment, or a variety of other things. Some arrests have already been made in the streets. The Minneapolis Star Tribune editorial writers thinks that some concerns are exaggerated, while one of Minnesota's Senators continues to appose China's membership in the big international trade organization. With the news filled with stories about the explosive growth of e-commerce, the Clinton administration is promoting free-trade in cyberspace, and American Republicans are supporting him on this issue, maybe with a bit more aggressiveness than the Administration itself.

Schroeder gets help (Sunday, 11/28/99)
The German economy has been getting badly out of balance and the German chancellor has been trying to introduce austerity measures. After some previous setbacks over unpopular belt-tightening, Chancellor Schroeder may be cheered a bit by the support he's getting from the German Parliament which apparently contains a good many people who are also alarmed. About $16 billion in spending cuts have been approved.

Move to strengthen East Asian-Southeast Asian connections (Sunday, 11/28/99)
The ten-member ASEAN has joined with the "big three" East Asian nations to declare closer economic ties in an effort to build prosperity for the entire region. Also, ASEAN representatives have agreed to push ahead with the rapid development of information technology industries in their region, and Japan will provide $500 million to help Southeast Asia develop its workforce.

Israel's Public Housing Law not on cabinet agenda today (Sunday, 11/28/99)
But, Prime Minister Barak will head a special meeting later in the day intended to find a way of implementing the Public Housing Law which had been frozen by the previous government. Ziv Maor of Ha'aretz writes that the housing minister says that the law cannot be implemented because of disagreements about it within the government at the ministerial level.

Tentative agreement rejected at Ohio GM plant (Sunday, 11/28/99)
Negotiations will start up again tomorrow after union membership failed to ratify an agreement at the Lordstown General Motors plant.

It's getting ever so slightly harder to tell the workers from the owners (Sunday, 11/28/99)
More and more companies are using stock options as a way of attracting and holding the employees they need, as well as part of an effort to get everybody working toward the same goals.

Expanding economy is expanding the nonprofit sector too (Sunday, 11/28/99)
Patrick Kennedy and John Oslund report on the growth of nonprofit organizations in one state.

Taking personal responsibility for work-life balance (Sunday, 11/28/99)
Jack Carter discusses the relationship of personal choices and life priorities to questions of "balance." Deborah White writes about how some working parents are getting help in meeting their responsibilities to their sick children, even when job pressures are unremitting.

A major shift in the aspirations of high school students (Sunday, 11/28/99)
A new poll indicates that 70 of the high school students surveyed want to own their own businesses.

Using e-mail in applying for a job (Sunday, 11/28/99)
Marvin Walberg says that it's sometimes a good idea to send your resume by e-mail, but follow up with a hard copy as well.

When nobody wins in a lawsuit (Sunday, 11/28/99)
Other than possibly the lawyers, of course. Juliet Brudney suggests that suing somebody with whom you have a work-related conflict probably should be a last resort. Negotiate, try mediation, nearly anything to resolve the issue without taking it to court.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Capitalism: Frequently Asked Questions (Sunday, 11/28/99)
Someone named Houman Shadab who seems near, but not necessarily affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley makes a case for laissez-faire capitalism while making no effort to conceal a clear point-of-view. Among the suggested references are books by authors such as Ayn Rand and Henry Hazlitt, which, by themselves, might suggest what that point-of-view is. We don't know how frequently these questions are actually asked, but the answers are fairly interesting, and, with free-trade protesters already being arrested in Seattle as representatives from the majority of the world's nations gather for the big WTO meeting, we thought it might be a good time to saunter over very familiar ground. The global economy seems genuinely new in a variety of ways, but many of the arguments about capitalism and free-trade are not.

Asian nations need some slack, says future WTO head (Saturday, 11/27/99)
The events of the past two years will make it difficult for a number of Asian nations to meet commitments they made in previous trade talks, according to Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi. Hong Kong isn't a nation, of course, but its economy may be an exception, given the unexpectedly high growth rates lately. Meanwhile, a very well-known company whose corporate headquarters is near where the WTO talks will be going on wants the Internet to remain a duty-free zone. Finally, when representatives of 134 countries get together in the same place, can we expect a little cloak and dagger activity? Does the sky look blue? Are there any beer trucks in Germany?

Big increase in personal incomes should fuel big shopping season (Saturday, 11/27/99)
Personal incomes in the United States are WAY up, and retailers expect an especially strong holiday shopping season as a consequence, although incomes have been increasing at twice the rate of spending so far. Online shopping is exploding, as both the Detroit Free Press and the Denver Post report today, but so is shopping at the malls. Eventually, the Internet may hurt conventional retailing, but many forecasters think that a complementary or synergistic relationship between the web and the stores may define the future of retailing.

An Asian common market? (Saturday, 11/27/99)
Chris Johnson writes from Manila where the ASEAN meeting is going on that there seem to be tentative steps in that direction. The presence of China's premier, plus what he had to say, helps leave that impression.

European resistance to some American food products (Saturday, 11/27/99)
If it really is true that you are what you eat, you might wonder if eating genetically modified foods might be capable of making you into something that nature didn't intend. Quite a number of Europeans seem to have fears like these and don't want to import "designer genes" for human consumption. There are other outstanding trade issues complicating U.S.-European relationships as well.

China has Canada's blessing (Saturday, 11/27/99)
China takes another step closer to WTO member with Canada's approval.

Eizenstat has some thoughts about the next IMF head's job description (Saturday, 11/27/99)
The next person to head the International Monetary Fund should understand the need for social investments, among other things, according to the Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary. However, Secretary Eizenstat would not indicate who that person should be or from what region of the world that person should come.

When can you discard your financial records? (Saturday, 11/27/99)
David Falum tells a correspondent that you can safely dump some financial records after three years, but that you should hang on to others for the rest of your life. You might want to keep your early rock and roll records even longer, but that's another issue.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: CollegeSkills (Saturday, 11/27/99)
Those who want to get the most out of their time in college may find some help here. CollegeSkills is aimed at current and prospective college students.

Germany's "consensus capitalism" takes a few hits (Friday, 11/26/99)
Europeans have been more inclined than many Americans and Asians during recent years to feel that it's a good idea to intervene in what might otherwise be excessively brutal free-market economics in order to soften the impact on individuals and companies who might be among the losers at any particular time. For instance, the current German Chancellor has advocated a business-labor-government partnership in attempting to make the German economy work for every body while still being able to compete in the new global context. However, as Edmund Andrews reports from Frankfurt, "consensus economics" has hit some major potholes this week.

Incomes up in the U.S. (Friday, 11/26/99)
Personal incomes rose sharply last month, just in time for the big holiday shopping season, which retailers expect to be very strong this year. At the same time, many Americans are finding that it's easier to shop by pointing their mouse at an item on their computer screen. Current online sales, even at $15 billion, still amount to a tiny percentage of U.S. retail sales overall, but are expected to be simply enormous before your shoes wear out; maybe even before you have to change the batteries in your Palm Pilot. If you're in the business of designing new shopping centers, you may want to think careful and possilby even reconsider. EC-experts expect a shifting of the entre retailing landscape. That's "e-commerce experts," and we just made that up.

At least one major trade official may be sleepless in Seattle (Friday, 11/26/99)
European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy is worrying about the WTO meeting in Seattle next week, warning that success is not assured.

ASEAN wants to connect with major East Asian economies (Friday, 11/26/99)
Southeast Asian economic leaders think their countries' success in restoring growth will depend in part on their relations with the economies of China, South Korea, and Japan, while, in turn, Japanese government officials are worrying about what a slump in the American economy could mean for East Asia's tentative recovery, all of which reflects the increasingly integrated nature of the global economy. Meanwhile, the Washington Post economics writer with the famous last name tells what the new trade agreement between the U.S. and China is really all about. It's about creating a new world order for the next century, not just about stimulating new world orders in the global marketplace. Incidentally, for the moment, Japanese officials may be able to relax a bit. The American economy continues its strength, and one measure of its good overall condition is an increase in the number of help-wanted ads in major American newspapers. This, despite the fact that many employers and job seekers are finding each other through online resources now. The Conference Board is predicting an unemployment rate below 4 percent for the first time in 30 years.

Many not making use of the their food stamp eligibility (Friday, 11/26/99)
Leaving welfare doesn't necessarily mean losing eligibility for food stamp assistance, and two reports indicate many persons who qualify aren't taking advantage of these benefits.

A shortage of social workers in Japan, and why it matters (Friday, 11/26/99)
According to Tokyo's Asahi Shimbun, child abuse is a growing program in Japan and available social welfare workers are too thinly stretched over too many cases.

Is retirement bad for your health? (Friday, 11/26/99)
Robert Hershey of the New York Times tells about some of the benefits of staying on the job despite having accumulated a lot of years. Research clearly indicates that change itself can be a major stressor, even good change, and a lot of changes within a brief period seem to add up, making a person somewhat more vulnerable to the development of stress-related diseases.

Fooling Uncle Sam (Friday, 11/26/99)
Federal investigators say that there are probably quite a lot of people collecting workers' compensation benefits who aren't entitled to them.

If you want to have the best chance of getting along anywhere in the world, which language should you be able to speak? (Friday, 11/26/99)
At one time, French was regarded as the nearest thing the world had to an international language, but now, it's clearly English, and the Internet is providing additional reason for persons throughout the world who want to participate in the new economy to build English language skills. The Boston Globe's Sharon Moshavi writes from Tokyo about how the Japanese are responding to global linguistic realities.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Learning Organizations Homepage (Friday, 11/26/99)
A professor at the State University of New York at Albany has put together a good starting point for persons interested in organization development, most particularly the concept of the "learning organization."

Big-time tobacco lawyers take on big-time HMOs (Thursday, 11/25/99)
Class-action lawsuits have been filed against five of the largest HMOs in the United States, which, together, affect 32 million people. Here's the story from Gina Holland in the Arizona Republic and Mike Cleary in the Washington Times.

Newbridge finds hard times in a hot market (Thursday, 11/25/99)
Newbridge is a Canadian firm that manufactures networking equipment but has been having serious problems that are leading to hundreds of job cuts in Canada, as well as in the United States and Europe. They've been losing market share to one of their principal competitors.

Clinton doesn't intend to forget American farmers at the WTO meeting (Thursday, 11/25/99)
The big World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle starts next week, and the American president intends to confer with farmers before the sessions get under way. The Clinton administration favors a reduction of tariffs and subsidies which could help struggling farmers in the U.S. Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune expresses some thoughts about farmers on Thanksgiving Day in the United States. People who eat may have more to be thankful for today than the farmers who provide the food.

Asian entrepreneurs study how Silicon Valley does it (Thursday, 11/25/99)
Asian governments worry that the Internet revolution may destabilize their social and political institutions, but entrepreneurs in those countries are looking to Silicon Valley's business models for guidance on how to bring their countries into the new economy. Ironically, not too many years ago, top American business leaders were traveling to Japan in order to learn how to emulate "Japan's miracle."

Clinton will sign the Child Labor Convention (Thursday, 11/25/99)
Following ratification by the United States Senate, President Clinton plans to sign the international treaty intended to outlaw the most egregious forms of economic exploitation of children.

Airborne accused of discrimination by the American Jewish Congress (Thursday, 11/25/99)
The big freight company is accused of refusing to make deliveries to Jewish settlements in the West Bank for political reasons. Airborne denies the allegations.

American economy expected to keep cookin' (Thursday, 11/25/99)
No slowdown of the American economy is on the horizon, according to experts. The 5.5 percent annualized growth rate during the 3rd quarter was more than expected, and this could mean another interest rate increase early in 2000, because of "overheating" fears. No one seems to be expecting the 5.5 percent rate to continue, though, and, in fact, some forecasters expect the European Union's rate of growth next year to exceed that of the United States.

Uninhibted economist wants to be less inhibited (Thursday, 11/25/99)
The World Bank's Joseph Stiglitz has a reputation for speaking his mind and he will quit his post so that he will be able to speak even more freely. In a somewhat related story, Karen DeYoung reports that the U.S. is sharing a smaller proportion of its vast wealth with the world's poorest people now.

What can one possibly DO with free time? (Thursday, 11/25/99)
Japan has had an international reputation for keeping its "nose to the grindstone," at least until large numbers of Japanese started to be laid off. In fact, Japan may be the only country with an official "death from overwork" category. Americans also spend a lot of time working--far more hours, on average, than their European counterparts, for instance. But, among the world's principal workaholics are the Vietnamese, many of whom are complaining about the recent reduction of the work week to 40 hours.

Exclusivity sells, but maybe not as much as it used to (Thursday, 11/25/99)
Why have excess money if you can't show it off and use it to exclude others? For many years, one way the very well off have expressed their tacit superiority claims is to send their kids to the most expensive colleges, mostly because they're the most expensive. However, things appear to be changing. Kenneth Cooper reports that affluent families seem to be choosing state-supported schools more and more.

Incidentally, those concerned with the growing have vs. have-not gap in the new information economy, which seems relatively unrelated to the overall distribution of smarts, might want higher education to be inclusive, rather than exclusive. For this reason as well as reasons having to do with quality instruction, some of the best places to learn in the U.S., despite the inflated reputations of many other campuses, are some of the community colleges, and they're usually the least expensive too.

Also, you're not likely to find a community college prez making a half-million dollars, but, at some private colleges and universities, presidential salaries seem to have been pumped up to grotesque levels as well, based in large part on the willingness of some families to pay astronomical tuition rates, perhaps. Business is largely about money, but when the most prominent stories about presumed communities of scholars seem be to about dollar amounts, it suggests some betrayal of academe's fundamental values.

Now, now, now, let's not be defensive about it (Thursday, 11/25/99)
They've showed 'em in Missouri, and an exclusive shopping mall doesn't like what it sees. What is sees, apparently, is a big threat from e-commerce. They're trying to build a dike to hold back the expected flood, so far without too much success, apparently. Stores in The Galleria have been told to stop promoting their web sites, but this is likely to work about as well as China's efforts to block the Internet.

Association of Part-Time Professionals shuts down (Thursday, 11/25/99)
Columnist Diane Stafford writes in the Kansas City Star that, after 20 years, the Association of Part-Time Professionals is locking its doors , and, so far, hasn't been able to find another organization to take over its mission. The new economy includes a lot of part-time workers, but opportunities for professionals who want to work 60-hour weeks are more numerous than for those who want to work part-time.

An argument that is at least as old as the Industrial Revolution (Thursday, 11/25/99)
It's a matter of determining what it takes to grow the size of the pie vs. what it takes to produce an equitable distribution of opportunity and wealth. Traditionally, economic "conservatives" have tended to be more interested in the first set of issues, while economic "liberals" have tended to be more interested in the second set of issues. This argument raged during the early days of the Industrial Revolution, and it continues to rage in relation to NAFTA, free trade, and globalization.

Who has the largest payroll of them all? (Thursday, 11/25/99)
In the U.S., at least, Wal-Mart is the largest employer and getting larger. Within a year, the big discount retailer expects to employ a million persons.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Jobs Research Website (Thursday, 11/25/99)
The Jobs Research Website, like its companion publication, The Jobs Letter, is a product of New Zealand's Jobs Research Trust. Both have been designed by vivian Hutchinson, who edits The Jobs Letter, and is one of New Zealand's leading authorities on employment and living standards. The Jobs Research Website is the recipient of the 1999 Media Peace Award from The Peace Foundation of New Zealand.

Third-quarter growth greater than originally thought (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
The American economy surged in the third quarter at an annual rate of 5.5 percent. If you've ever used the old "rule of 72" for figuring the effects of compounding, you might be interested to know that, if a 5.5 percent growth rate could be maintained, it would take about 13 years for the world's largest economy to become twice as large as it is. Yes, yes, there are problems with this analysis, but it's fun to think about anyway. Meanwhile, Paul Ames reports that EU officials expect 3 percent growth next year on the other side of the Atlantic.

What makes a free market economy work? (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
For your garden to grow, the soil must be prepared properly, and there are non-economic preconditions to economic success as well. Here's Nora Boustany analysis with eastern Germany as an example. Incidentally, is the "soil" ready in China? The current edition of Business Week wonders out loud about China's readiness to adopt free trade and all its implications.

One of D.C.'s hometown newspapers looks at regs brewed up across town (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
The Washington Post editorial writers have some thoughts about OSHA's proposed ergonomics rules.

Why some persons simply don't want to retire (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
Some feel that, in order to keep going, you've got to keep moving. Robert Hershey of the New York Times writes about people who fail to see the attractions of retirement.

Feeding Israel's hungry (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
Economically, Israel is an interesting place. To a significant extent, it is making the transition from a largely agrarian to a largely hi-tech economy, while mostly skipping the old industrial stage. But, many Israelis are being left behind, and Prime Minister Ehud Barak thinks his country's Labor Minister has his priorities out of whack. Aluf Benn and Sharon Sadeh write in Ha'aretz today that the PM comments on a "hunger report" just released and suggests that those who have should share with those who have not.

Demographically, America is a place Rip Van Winkle wouldn't recognize (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
Only about a quarter of American households are "traditional" now, compared to nearly half about twenty-five years ago.

Silence at the New York City Ballet (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
Members of the orchestra have gone out on strike forcing cancellation of a performance at the Lincoln Center.

Crooks in the workplace (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
Kirstin Downey Grimsley reports that a study conducted by National Computer Systems estimates that 1 in 3 workers commits some kind of workplace theft. Whew!

Skepticism about ASEAN's hi-tech plans (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
Many technology industry leaders remain to be convinced that the Southeast Asian region is about to become an important high-technology area.

A history of the tech-90s (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
Dick Satran examines the 1990s, the decade in which hi-tech exploded , in more ways than one, and which may end in a feeble, whimpering sort of way.

The sky seems to be the limit on health-care premiums (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
Up, up, up is the trend. Glenn Howatt has more on the rapidly rising cost of health care coverage. However, Phil Galewitz says that people who have coverage through their employers are finding fewer restrictions.

What to do with all that money (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
Lise Olsen of the Christian Science Monitor writes about those suddenly rich Generation X folks out there in cyberland and how they're not conforming to the stereotypes.

An alternative to affirmative action in Texas higher ed (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
Jodi Wilgoren reports from Austin, Texas, where one of the world's great universities is located, on a new law that seems to improve some minority persons' higher education chances now that affirmative action is out of the picture.

Changes at the top (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
The new economy is forcing a change of attitude and a change of routine on the part of those in charge. Here's more from Brent Bowers of the New York Times. Among other things, it's important for the boss the keep his/her priorities straight.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: People Management (Wednesday, 11/24/99)
The Institute of Personnel and Development has 90,000 members, and, among many other things, published People Management in print and on the web. It's one of the leading publications in the UK for those interested in issues relating to human resources.

ASEAN looks to hi-tech to produce a full revival of economic growth in Southeast Asia (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
Raju Gopalakrishnan writes from Manila on the summit meeting there this weekend and why technology industries will top the agenda. Another region that hasn't been known as an economic powerhouse but could become one in the new economy is made up to three southern U.S. states. Suzi Parker writes in the Christian Science Monitor about the aspirations and concrete plans of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

Big labor federation opposes hostile takeover effort (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
Vodafone wants to acquire Germany's Mannesmann AG, and the AFL-CIO is opposed to the idea, but Vodafone is saying that Mannesmann jobs would be secure.

Planned new OSHA rules stimulate reaction (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
The U.S. Department of Labor says new rules will make the American workplace safer, but employers are unhappy with the proposals and say they will go to court in an effort to block their implementation. The president of the AFL-CIO favors the proposed ergonomics rules, though. Robert Pear of the New York Times offers some perspective on what is likely to remain a controversial issue. Meanwhile, violations of federal rules that led to the death of a worker at an Ohio steel plant has also resulted in prison sentences for two executives who covered it up and lied to investigators.

Military not color-blind, survey respondents say (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
The great majority of minorities serving in the American military say that have experienced racism in one form or another. In a somewhat related story, negotiations aimed at reaching agreement on the size of a financial package to compensate Nazi-era slaves has reinforced a movement in the U.S. to gain compensation for the descendants of far more slaves over a far longer period. Speaking of prejudice and discrimination, corporate America still isn't gender-blind either, according to Eileen Alt Powell whose article appears in the Arizona Republic.

What it's like to work in the new economy (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
The Washington Post looks at the new economy from the perspective of people who are working in it. For example, Mark Leibovich tells about a trucking entrepreneur who spends a lot of time behind the wheel as well as behind a keyboard. Also, Mr. Leibovich describes the work life of people who work for one of the largest e-commerce web site organizations.

Poverty in Israel (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
Hannah Kim of Ha'aret examines the Israeli PM's views on how to relieve the struggle of those at the bottom of the income scale, and finds his ideas wanting. There's plenty of the conventional kind of poverty in Israel, but there's also a poverty of ideas in the Israeli government, according to the writer. Last week, Ehud Barak indicated that he would eventually succeed in reducing poverty and presented three "truisms" to support his assertions, including an economic growth scenario related to resumption of the peace process. However, none of these are rooted in realities, according to Kim.

Glickman optimistic about Seattle WTO talks (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
The big meeting of members of the World Trade Organization beginning in Seattle in about a week won't necessarily be derailed by deep divisions among members states, according to the American Secretary of Agriculture. Meanwhile, the WTO expects a significant overall increase in international trade next year.

Is Venezuela about to turn back the economic clock? (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
David Paulin writes from Caracas that some are claiming that President Hugo Chavez's government has abandoned efforts to move away from a government-dominated economy. Meanwhile, Russia can expect somewhat better times as a consequence of the high price of oil on the world market. Here's Andrew Kramer writing from Moscow.

Compaq tries to re-energize itself through the use of stock options (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
Compaq Computer Corporation is no longer the largest personal computer maker and would like to move back to the head of the line. In an effort to do that, as the Houston Chronicle's Dwight Silverman reports, the company wants 68,000 employees to have a tangible stake in their employer's success. Stock options will be offered to everybody who works at Compaq.

Bad timing: 1,000 tons of food has gone bad (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
Just before Thanksgiving, 2 million pounds of food intended for the needy is found to be contaminated.

Nigeria tries to clean up its act (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
Actually, it is Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo who is trying to make his country best-known for reasons other than being the most corrupt in the world, and, to the astonishment of a lot of people, he really seems serious about it.

Explaining to the folks back home (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
Egyptian authorities and many members of the Egyptian public would like to believe that the crash of EgyptAir Flight 990 did not occur because of errors or deliberate sabotage on the part of its crew. Others aren't convinced quite yet. In other airline news, a holiday strike of flight attendants at US Airways is a growing possibility.

Job cuts at Honeywell (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
As many as 220 jobs will be cut from Honeywell's home and building controls division. Here's more form Roger Yu reporting from Minneapolis, home of the division.

Why you don't want to work along side your kids (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
Taking your daughter or son to work with you for a day so that your absence from home for so many hours becomes less mysterious might be a good idea, and there is reason to believe that children can benefit from opportunities to learn about the adult work world first hand. However, Tara Parker-Pope and Kyle Pope, who share a daughter, say that should be the end of it. It doesn't work to take a child along simply because the babysitter doesn't show up, according to them. Also in the Wall Street Journal, Carol Hymowitz writes about the leap from one line of work to another, and the courage it takes. It can be like jumping from one moving train to another when they aren't necessarily going at the same speed.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Outsourcing Academics (Tuesday, 11/23/99)
Outsourcing Academics is a collection of articles on outsourcing from academic professionals at universities throughout the world.

The Journal looks at e-commerce (Monday, 11/22/99)
Today's Wall Street Journal contains a special section on e-commerce. Many articles, and, as usual, all worth reading. The Journal is available on the web, but for a subscription fee after your free trial period runs out.

Lufthansa to kick in some funds (Monday, 11/22/99)
The Jeruselum Post reports that the German national airline will contribute to the fund to compensate former slave laborers from the infamous Nazi era.

The varied hopes of China's workers (Monday, 11/22/99)
John Leicester reports from Beijing on what Chinese workers hope will result from their country's membership in the World Trade Organization, and their hopes aren't confined to a desire for economic advances.

Bulgaria has a friend in Clinton (Monday, 11/22/99)
Bulgaria's economy needs help, and the country's problems were aggravated by the NATO war against Yugoslavia. American President Clinton is visiting the former Communist country and promises American support and assistance. In Italy, Clinton indicated that the Internet may be the answer to Europe's unemployment problems.

New ergonomics standards coming (Monday, 11/22/99)
With so many people working so many hours on so many keyboards, repetitive stress injuries threaten to become epidemic. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is set to establish new ergonomics standards and this will mean new requirements for employers.

Manpower survey results predict skilled worker shortage next year (Monday, 11/22/99)
Thousands of American companies expect to add new workers next year, if they can. The survey underscores the growing shortage of workers with sophisticated skills, and not just in occupations specifically relating to computers.

More attention is being paid to the mental health of pilots (Monday, 11/22/99)
On average at any particular time, approximately twenty percent of the American population would meet diagnostic criteria for one or more psychological disorders, however mild or severe. The professionals who pilot commercial aircraft are not immune to these difficulties, and speculations surrounding the recent EgyptAir Flight 990 crash has some persons thinking that it might be a good idea to conduct routine clinical assessments of persons who have major responsibility for the lives of many other people, just as screening for eyesight or circulatory problems is conducted.

If not during good economic times, then when? (Monday, 11/22/99)
The Washington Post examines the needs of Maryland's poor during a time of economic strength in that state.

Take a break, or two or more (Monday, 11/22/99)
Genbe Meyer of the Kansas City Star explains why taking out some time from Christmas shopping can make you a happier camper in mid-April. Some tax breaks are highly perishable. Gary Klott agrees and also has some advice for you. His piece comes to you today via the Houston Chronicle. Speaking of deadlines, the Boston Globe's Michael Cohen writes that this is an important month for many workers in New England. It's open enrollment time. If you care about your benefits, don't just toss those papers telling you about your options.

What it takes to make a business partnership work (Monday, 11/22/99)
Terri Baumgardner says get it in writing and make sure it is an equitable arrangement or you may be sorry later.

What it will take to retire early (Monday, 11/22/99)
More money over a longer period, basically, and this means saving more starting earlier. Here's what Kenneth Hooker tells a 39-year-old correspondent.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: American Jobs (Monday, 11/22/99)
There are many job posting sites on the web, and American Jobs is one of them. It's a very large site, though. Employers pay to post job openings. Job-seekers post resumes free.

Thousands demonstrate in Seoul (Sunday, 11/21/99)
Approximately 20,000 members of South Korea's largest labor federation marched in Seoul Sunday to protest layoffs resulting from corporate restructuring as well as for a shorter work week.

How are things in Asia, East and South? (Sunday, 11/21/99)
Denver Post writer Roger Fillion says that there are increasing signs of recovery in a number of East Asian nations, even Japan, which has had its most frustrating decade since World War II with a sluggish economy that can't be blamed entirely on the "Asian contagion" of the last couple of years. Thousands of miles away, India's opposition leader pledges support for government efforts to institute economic reforms in the world's largest democracy.

Murphy's Law applies out on the road too (Sunday, 11/21/99)
OAG Worldwide's annual survey finds that complications and unexpected changes seem to be the norm for business travelers. One thing that is going very wrong on a more frequent basis is that travelers are losing their cool on airplanes and taking their frustrations out on airline personnel, which is a very bad type of situation for these kinds of things to happen.

Tom Peters on your future in the new economy (Sunday, 11/21/99)
Tom Peters has been one of the most provocative observers of the American economic scene for nearly twenty years. Here's what he has to say about the future of job security, white collar jobs, and more. Moreover, when you look up "provocative" in the dictionary, if it doesn't say "Peters," it may say "Drucker." Andrew Pollack of the New York Times says that now that the "father of modern management" is a few days into his tenth decade on the planet, you might expect a little slippage. Prepare to have your expectations unfulfilled when it comes to Peter Drucker who says that the corporation will not survive the 21st century. We've been saying to the point of monotony for more than four years: the world is reorganizing economically in the most fundamental ways. Overall, the 21st century is likely to be one of the greatest periods of change in several thousand years. Jane Hull is a person who understands these things, and she's governor of Arizona. Naaman Nickell writes in the Arizona Republic about the Governor's commitment to build a partnership for full participation in the new economy.

Coping with religious diversity in the American workplace (Sunday, 11/21/99)
More and more workers are expecting employers to recognize their religious priorities and work around them. However, in the new economy, things are complicated by increased diversity of most kinds, including religious diversity. Not only are there Jews and many flavors of Christianity, but also persons subscribing to Islam, various Asian ideologies, and more.

How to attract workers to lousy shifts in a hot job market (Sunday, 11/21/99)
If you know how it can be done, there are a lot of employers who might like to hear from you. Maggie Jackson's artcle on the subject appears in the Arizona Republic and many other places. Speaking of odd shifts, Martin Moylan writes about the vast army of technical workers who will be on duty at or around midnight, December 31, and we think you know why.

Court fights over expression on the Internet (Sunday, 11/21/99)
The Internet offers an opportunity for persons to tell their stories to far more persons than they could have in the past, and this includes disgruntled employees. The Boston Globe's Diane Lewis tells about suits and countersuits over worker discontent and its expression on the web. A system that allows nearly everything to be connected to nearly everything else threatens existing structure, including power structure, not only in corporations and other work organizations, but also in societies as a whole. Along these lines, the Chinese government may contain more people who are paranoid about the political implications of the Internet than any other country, but maybe it's just because China contains more people than any other country.

What to do when your children are sick (Sunday, 11/21/99)
Most employers in the private sector don't provide paid leave for parents, but with growing concern about achieving a higher degree of work-family balance within a tight labor market, there are strong movements in this direction, according to Juliet Brudney in the Boston Globe.

Who should pay? (Sunday, 11/21/99)
Nationally syndicated columnist Jane Bryant Quinn says that a growing number of parents are letting their children borrow the big bucks for college. Anyone who has ever seen the same item selling for several times as much at a fancy boutique as at the discount store will be wary of the meaning of high-priced colleges too. Many Americans still seem to think that they can somehow magically add value to themselves by paying more.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: fastSEARCH (Sunday, 11/21/99)
fastSEARCH is a free service to help you locate just the right college scholarship.

Clinton declares victory...again (Saturday, 11/20/99)
The new budget is a victory for the American people, according to President Clinton, even though the Republicans aren't the only ones who didn't get all they wanted. They wanted big tax cuts, and, among other things, he wanted coverage for prescription medications for the elderly, both of which will have to wait until later. The President will have one more chance to twist Congressional arms in order to work up a budget, and it may be possible to exaggerate how much he will be politically disabled because of his "lame-duck" status next year. For instance, there are a lot of older people who vote, and Republicans won't have to be reminded that 2000 is a big election year. Incidentally, here's a summary of the bills Congress has passed as it gets ready wrap up a year's work. Some of these have to do with technology and the new info economy.

Why has the Convention on the Rights of the Child enjoyed only moderate success? (Saturday, 11/20/99)
The Minneapolis Star Tribune thinks one reason may be that the richest, most influential country in the world has not climbed on board the 10-year-old treaty. The head of UNICEF says that 12 million children under five still die each year for reasons that a civilized world is able and should be willing to prevent. A renewed effort is needed, says Carol Bellamy. Meanwhile, one of the richest and most "progressive" states in the U.S. offers child-care subsidies to help lower-income families, but, as Jean Hopfensperger reports, the program isn't fully utilized.

Former Teamsters official guilty on all counts (Saturday, 11/20/99)
The case arose out of the re-election campaign of former Teamsters president Ron Carey.

A lot more people are about to become aware of the WTO (Saturday, 11/20/99)
Michael Doyle and Les Blumenthal write from Washington, D. C. that the World Trade Organization has been fairly obscure until now, but that may be less the case following the big meeting coming up in Seattle. Speaking of Seattle, Boeing will pay $4.5 million to settle a bias suit. And, oh yes, also speaking of Seattle, another of the region's largest employers may not be made into a group of smaller employers after all. A mediator has been appointed to help the feds and Microsoft reach an out-of-court deal, and Richard Posner is not known for liking to break up companies. Here's more on this major story from Microsoft's home-town newspaper.

More news about labor shortages (Saturday, 11/20/99)
Michigan's economy could keep on growing...if employers can find enough workers, that is. Here's what University of Michigan experts are saying about the growing labor shortage in one of the old industrial states that has been doing just fine in the new economy. Another major state that has similar problems is Massachusetts, according to Kimberly Blanton of the Boston Globe. Now, wait a minute. The unemployment rate increased a bit last month in Massachusetts. What's going on? Just a little blip, actually. A record number of Massachusites are working. Keep in mind that the unemployment statistic reflects people who are actively seeking work, and a hot job market sometimes energizes persons who might not otherwise try to enter the labor force. James Flanigan of the Los Angeles Times wonders out loud, rhetorically, how it all happened. How have we managed to get a labor shortage and how increased productivity compensates for the relative lack of workers. One problem a lot of people are having is that they're working so hard that they don't have time to look for a job. Columnist Amy Lindgren has some advice.

When should you break the news to your children that you're rich? (Saturday, 11/20/99)
When they can help decide how to give some of it away might be a good time. Jane Applegate reports on an interesting conference of top women executives recently held in Boston.

The young are thinking more about retirement (Saturday, 11/20/99)
Some because they want to retire very early, perhaps, but others because of a recently interesting stock market and the tendency of employers to sweeten benefit plans in order to attract the workers they need. Many people assume that retirement will mean good health, plenty of money, and lots of leisure time. The first two of those require preparation, and there is a lot that young people can do right now in order to make those two things far more likely during their later years. Lifestyle can have a tremendous impact on health throughout the lifespan. Sixty-year-olds can differ by as much as twenty years in their "biological ages," for instance. An example may be the great Peter Drucker who turned 90 yesterday, but probably is much younger in all ways except chronological. Also, many young people should understand that, with the right investment planning and sticking to that plan religiously, there's no good reason they can't have a million dollars some day, all with minimal risk and without being in the highest income bracket for forty years.

Quick! You can still do five-year averaging (Saturday, 11/20/99)
For many people who either are retired or intending to retire soon, it can result in a major tax saving, but after December 31, it's all over.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: ase.net (Saturday, 11/20/99)
If you're a business traveler, the ase.net search engine can help you find more than 41,000 places throughout the world to lay your weary head at the end of a busy day.

Budget bill takes a major step toward becoming law (Friday, 11/19/99)
The House of Representatives has passed the budget bill worked out between the Republican-controlled Congress and the Clinton administration. Now, it's up to the Senate. Incidentally, even though the budget is badly overdue, the government will not shut down for lack of operational funds. A special budget resolution to keep things going has been passed by the Congress, and the President, who is in Greece at the moment, will sign it as soon as it catches up with him. It appears that the rhetoric during the budget negotiations was more extreme than the results. Alison Mitchell of the New York Times says that the new budget is remarkable for its moderation.

Society is too tech-tangled, according to a new poll (Friday, 11/19/99)
Americans have become too depend on sophisticated technology which can be wonderful when it works, but which also increases society's vulnerability. Nearly three-quarters of the respondents to a new poll agreed that widespread fear over Y2K reflects a more general problem.

Medicare providers may get a raise (Friday, 11/19/99)
Recently, a large number of hospitals and other Medicare providers have been dropping out of the program, leaving many elderly persons high and dry. Congress and the White House seem to agree that providers aren't getting enough money. A deal has been worked out that would distribute an additional $16 billion to Medicare providers over the next five years.

Will workers' rights be on the agenda for the big WTO meeting at the end of the month? (Friday, 11/19/99)
Reese Erlich writes from Dhaka, Bangladesh for the Christian Science Monitor and discusses the great concern of union leaders that workers' rights be a major topic of discussion when representatives of the World Trade Organization get together in Seattle. Incidentally, Chinese officials are indicating that the deal recently reached by China and the U.S. depends on their being granted permanent normal-trade-relations status, and this depends on the American Congress where there are still a number of influential Republicans who are nervous about the agreement.

Michigan experts expect economic growth to continue for a while (Friday, 11/19/99)
The University of Michigan holds an annual economic forecast conference. This time, experts are saying that the Federal Reserve has been doing a good job of keeping the growth going, and they expect this to continue through 2001 and possibly longer. Meanwhile, a Wells Fargo economist expects Arizona's economy to slow a bit next year . Riccardo Davis of the Arizona Republic reports that the state's unemployment rate didn't change last month and the job market is still strong. Incidentally, speaking of economic forecasts, it's one thing to try to guess how well the overall economy will do, but something else again to predict how particular occupations will fare in the future. Mike Hughlett of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tells how dependent so many organizations are on these forecasts and how fairly inaccurate these forecasts tend to be.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: American Community Network (Friday, 11/19/99)
Want to locate your company in exactly the right community selected according to multiple criteria? American Community Network and its new search engine may be able to help you make the proper selection.

All over but the voting and the signing? (Thursday, 11/18/99)
President Clinton says he won the budget battle, but the agreement finally reached with the Republican-controlled Congress contains a variety of compromises. The House of Representatives gets ready to vote on the bill. Meanwhile, the Washington Post's editorial writers favor Clinton's plan for allowing persons with disabilities to keep their federal medical benefits while going to work. Finally, the White House wants to pay nuclear weapons industry workers who became ill because of exposure to radiation $100,000 each.

Jobless claims down last week (Thursday, 11/18/99)
First-time claims for jobless benefits declined during the most recent week. Here are some details from the latest Labor Department data. The apparent shortage of hi-tech workers seems to be continuing. Among the more stressed-out participants in the American economy are recruiters who are trying to find enough computer experts to satisfy employer demand. Here's more from Matt Richtel of the New York Times.

Why are there still hungry people in the world? (Thursday, 11/18/99)
Pope John Paul II can't see any really good reason for the tremendous number of people still hungry and living in poverty. Not only because the world has food in abundance, but also because of the tremendous power of modern science and technology.

Is it possible that it will be Bradley vs. McCain in November 2000? (Thursday, 11/18/99)
Gore is no longer a sure thing for the Democratic presidential nomination, and, despite the gazillions of dollars raised by George W., he's beginning to look slightly less a sure thing too. Interested persons would probably be well-advised to examine the economic attitudes of at least four major candidates, just in case.

The fat lady hasn't sung yet in China, politically speaking (Thursday, 11/18/99)
The hard-liners in the Chinese government thought they won the 1989 conflict of Tiananmen Square, but reform-minded Chinese intellectuals, who ordinarily have to keep their heads down, see interesting possibilities in their country's membership in the World Trade Organization. The economic changes that must come will make it very difficult to keep things the same politically, they think. What about all those workers in the those old, antiquated, unprofitable state-run factories? They're caught between eras, writes Erik Eckholm in today's New York Times.

Oh, so close, but still short of an agreement (Thursday, 11/18/99)
William Drozdiak reports that the sides seemed to be getting very close to agreeing on an amount to compensate Nazi-era slaves, but no deal has been struck yet, and, while the German companies increased their offer this week, they're saying it's as far as they're willing to go. One thing that is making this so difficult is that no amount of money can provide adequate compensation, because it's not essentially about money. There are some things for which there are no retroactive solutions. Nothing can make something so heinous anywhere near right.

The health plan that looked so good to some Americans isn't looking too good to some Canadians (Thursday, 11/18/99)
The Washington Post's Steven Pearlstein reports that Alberta is challenging Canada's national health care system by arranging for some surgical services with private sector hospitals.

Bush changes direction on affirmative action (Thursday, 11/18/99)
It's not George Bush senior, and, while it is Governor Bush, it's not the one who is running for president, at least not yet. Florida's governor is choosing not to follow through on an agreement worked out by his predecessor with the federal government on affirmative action in higher education.

Is there a teacher shortage in your region? (Thursday, 11/18/99)
Teachers will be in generally short supply in many regions of the United States, given the pressure to reduce class sizes plus the large number of retirements that are taking place. Allie Shah reports on teacher shortages in Minnesota, as an example. Speaking of Minnesota, a lawsuit has been filed against the federal government over Medicare funding. Smaller states are being discriminated against, according to the plaintiffs.

Better economic news from Chile (Thursday, 11/18/99)
Chile's economy grew during September for the first time in nearly a year.

More auditing of the auditors (Thursday, 11/18/99)
Workers at the Internal Revenue Service are about to undergo further scrutiny, according to David Cay Johnson.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Futurework (Thursday, 11/18/99)
There are tens of thousands of so-called "newsgroups" and mailing lists on the Internet. One of the most interesting relating to the new work world is Futurework, which is headquartered at the University of Waterloo in Canada.

Budget deal near, both sides are saying (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
The Clinton administration and the Republican-controlled Congress hope to reach agreement on the overdue budget today. The latest snag has been finding a way to cover $7 billion worth of new spending. A deal has been reached to enable the IMF to cover the cost of cancelling some debt owed by some of the world's poorest countries. Also, chances are looking greater that the next big installment of IMF money to be loaned to Russia may be delayed.

Commerce analysis of Y2K due today (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
How will Y2K affect the American economy? Analysts at the U.S. Department of Commerce have been working on the forecasts, and a report is due out today.

More D.C. students will be able to attend college (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
The College Access Act became law Saturday, and will level the playing field for the District's high school graduates when it comes to gaining access to a college education.

How startups may revitalize the Japanese economy (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
A new law in Japan will encourage startup firms, which some think can be the struggling Japanese economy's savior. Here's the story from Koichi Iitake of Tokyo's Asahi Shimbun. Also, Jun Saio reports on a symposium held in Japan on how both Japan and European countries can open up their economies, de-emphasize the role of government, and still cover the social welfare needs of aging populations. Also, here's news of a Japanese job fair in which new graduates are finding slim pickings. Finally, Shihoko Goto writes about very big job cuts planned at Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation. Big job cuts in New Jersey, USA, as well. Quest Diagnostics will cut 10 percent of its work force, which amounts to about 2,500 jobs.

Deadlock over the amount of compensation (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
The latest round of talks aimed at reaching a settlement on compensating former Nazi-era slaves are not going well.

More on the changes coming to China (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
Membership in the World Trade Organization is likely to transform much of the Chinese system, according to Martin Regg Cohn of the Toronto Star. Today's Seattle Times agrees that upheaval will follow, including massive job cuts. Steven Greenhouse of the New York Times reports that some major American union leaders will try to persuade the American Congress to withhold approval of the new agreement.

The rush to work online (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
The Christian Science Monitor's Shelley Donald Coolidge reports on the attractions of working in cyberspace.

Who spends most time on the job? (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
Americans do, according to a new study, but we already knew that. At any rate, here are some details from Liz Stevens in the Kansas City Star.

More on why American employers need immigrants (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
A new study shows the dependence of the Massachusetts economy on immigrants, while Lynnley Browning of the Boston Globe reports on a new program to help immigrants buy homes.

Women saving more for retirement (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
Janet Fix has details from a new study on the closing of a gap. Meanwhile, author and financial consultant Michael Stein says that many people will get a second chance to boosting their retirement savings, and he explains.

Drucker turns 90 on Friday (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
The man who has had as much as anybody to do with determining how modern business organizations are run will soon enter his 10th decade, and he continues to be an influential force in the new economy. Fred Andrews of the New York Times reports on a recent interview with Peter Drucker.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: International Labor Organization (Wednesday, 11/17/99)
The International Labor Organization was a creation of the Treaty of Versailles following the end of World War I, so it predates the United Nations, of which it is now a part. The ILO now has 174 member countries and works to advance humanitarian and economic goals. The ILO was a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969 on the 50th anniversary of its creation.

Interest rates are heading up again (Tuesday, 11/16/99)
The Federal Reserve is still concerned about the prospect of inflation and doesn't want to allow it to get a toehold. So, the Fed is raising interest rates for the third time during 1999. It may be the last time for a while, though.

Efforts resume today to reach a deal on the budget (Tuesday, 11/16/99)
Negotiators from the White House and the Congress met late into the night last night without reaching agreement on the $400 billion budget. Talks picked up again today. As Vicki Allen reports, one of the hang-ups involves the IMF.

Congressional approval is needed to finish China WTO deal, but Barshefsky thinks it will come (Tuesday, 11/16/99)
Charlene Barshefsky has played a key role throughout the negotiations with the Chinese over World Trade Organization membership. She's optimistic that the Congress will approve the agreement, although some Republicans are skeptical, and Republicans control the American Congress. Paul Eckert discusses the radical departure for China that the agreement represents. Here's more about what it all means from John Pomfret of the Washington Post. After a few years in the international open market free-for-all, will the Chinese system remain "Communist" in any meaningful sense at all, and what will these changes mean for its political system? Can we expect it to become more open as well?.

New Ford agreement may set the pace across Britain (Tuesday, 11/16/99)
Ford workers in the UK will get a 15 percent increase in wages and benefits. Labor leaders in other industries have noticed and may follow the lead.

Some economic improvement in two Asian nations (Tuesday, 11/16/99)
Japan's Economic Planning Agency finds some economic improvement in that country, and the Paris-based International Herald Tribune reports that things have improved slightly in Indonesia, a country that was hit very hard by the financial meltdown that afflicted many Asian nations and has experienced a high degree of political turbulence as well. In Thailand, where the "Asian contagion" started, one of that country's biggest financial institutions will cut as many as 6,000 jobs in order to increase its competitiveness in the global economy.

Shhhhhh...the CIA is hiring (Tuesday, 11/16/99)
Wanna be a spy, or, at least, work for one of the world's largest spy agencies? Among those organizations in the market for high-quality workers is the American Central Intelligence Agency.

Where Gore may have picked up his incrementalism (Tuesday, 11/16/99)
The Boston Globe's nationally syndicated columnist, Ellen Goodman, discusses President Clinton's tendency to take little baby steps on policy. Materrity leave isn't the same as being laid off, she says.

Is CBS mostly an old boys' club? (Tuesday, 11/16/99)
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says it has found sexual discrimination at the old Tiffany network and many of its satellite operations. Speaking of which, a new study finds rampant sex bias in the old Eastern bloc nations.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: SEACnet (Tuesday, 11/16/99)
SEACnet illustrates how the web can be used effectively to get students and employers together. It comes from a consortium of twenty-one Southeastern American universities that enroll about 400,000 students distributed over hundreds of courses of study.

Agreement with China on WTO membership (Monday, 11/15/99)
Apparently, those extended late-night meetings in Beijing have paid off. The world's largest economy and the world's largest county have gotten together on China's 13-year bid to join the World Trade Organization. As parts of the deal, China will cut its tariffs and the U.S. will grant China permanent normal trade relations status, if the Republican-controlled Congress agrees, which isn't a sure-thing. Here's more on this major story from today's New York Times. This probably means that China will play some role in the big meeting scheduled for the end of the month in Seattle, but President Clinton says that he's as yet unsure specifically what that role will be.

Analysts are saying that among the beneficiaries of China's membership will be U.S. farmers, to some extent, but particularly U.S. Internet and telecommunications companies.

Speaking of farmers who need all the help they can get from others and themselves, John MacDonald writes about a major self-help organization called Partners in Progress. Senator Wellstone would like to help by having the government call a moratorium on agribusiness mergers, but the Minneapolis Star Tribune believes that, while his heart may be in the right place, it's a bad plan. And, speaking of China, John Pomfret of the Washington Post tells how carrying out the government's plan to reform state-run companies can be life-threatening. Not everybody wants them reformed.

Nurses strike in New South Wales (Monday, 11/15/99)
Judith Whelan of the Sydney Morning Herald reports that officials of the NSW Nurses' Federation expect the strike to spread.

Bradley accuses Gore of a foul as he continues his own full-court press (Monday, 11/15/99)
Overall, the two contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination have been trying to avoid negative campaigning because they feel that American voters are tired of it. It's not all gentlemanly, however. Al Gore says that the Bradley plan for fixing the American health care system could end up hurting the poor, rather than helping them, and Bradley says the Vice President is "resorting to scare tactics."

What to say about "youthful indiscretions?" (Monday, 11/15/99)
Columnist Amy Joyce considers what you might want to do if you're applying for a job and have things in your background that you're not proud of.

Where are the lowest of the low unemployment rates? (Monday, 11/15/99)
Peter Behr suggests that job seekers make a point of targeting the newer suburbs and the older cities.

Haven't read quite enough about technology yet today? (Monday, 11/15/99)
Today's Wall Street Journal contains one of its special reports, this time on technology. Many articles, and, as usual, all worth reading.

What industry REALLY needs immigrants? (Monday, 11/15/99)
Well, yes, hi-tech, apparently, but, according to this report from Kimberly Hayes Taylor, the hospitality industry as well. Incidentally, if you're a business traveler and have discovered that you can make a local call to an AOL number, say, and connect to the Internet, check you email, and do business on the road, hotels have discovered that too. Jane Levere of the New York Times says it's probably going to cost you from now on if you tie up local lines or toll-free numbers for long periods of time. Also, have you attacked your telephone lately? Jon Tevlin writes about "phone rage" which can be set off by encountering those lengthy voice-mail menus rather than the increasingly rare real live person.

You can't judge a book by its cover (Monday, 11/15/99)
Well, yes, you probably can. It's just that your judgment may not be accurate. Still, appearances count for a lot in life, including work life. Here's more from Gerard Seenan writing from Glascow, Scotland.

Okay, here's your first college test (Monday, 11/15/99)
Finding financial aid is a test of perseverance, according to Tracey Wong Briggs of USA Today.

More Americans with disabilities find employment in the hot economy (Monday, 11/15/99)
Many persons with mental disabilities can make important contributions in the work world, and, as Dirk Johnson reports in the Fort Worth Star Telegram, more of them are getting a chance to do so.

The musical chairs metaphor (Monday, 11/15/99)
If you're planning to get out of the job you're in, chances are somebody else would like to move from where they are to where you are. Nationally syndicated Chicago Tribune columnist Carol Kleiman says that half of working Americans would consider making a change and nearly a quarter are quite serious about doing so as early as next year.

The holiday shopping season may be strong, if there are enough people to make the sales (Monday, 11/15/99)
Retailers are facing a major challenge in an economy that offers many opportunities for people wanting to work. Here's how it looks in Detroit and also in Kansas City.

Crime doesn't pay? (Monday, 11/15/99)
By any reasonable standard, the Holocaust qualifies as one of the major crimes of history, and, according to a report to be released today in Berlin, it paid quite well for its perpetrators. Those who forced people to work as slaves during the hideous Nazi period managed to profit to the tune of approximately US$95 billion.

Retrospective on "Chainsaw Al" (Monday, 11/15/99)
Don Knox of the Denver Post tells about Newsweek reporter John Byrne's book about Al Dunlap, who was once the hero of Wall Street but who probably wouldn't be welcome in too many places now.

If you're a foreigner, you can never become Japanese (Monday, 11/15/99)
People from all over the world have become Americans, but it's a much different situation in Japan where a Brazilian has challenged traditional discriminatory practices in the courts. In Japan, ritualistic courtesy doesn't necessarily imply kindness or even acceptance. Speaking of discrimination, some people believe that's exactly what is involved in the U.S. Navy's policy of not allowing women to serve on nuclear-powered submarines. Steven Lee Myers reports on a hot controversy.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Occupational Outlook Handbook (Monday, 11/15/99)
The Occupational Outlook Handbook has long been a staple in academic libraries and college career centers for those wanting to benefit from government occupational forecasts. Now, it's available on-line too, and it comes to you from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor

Progress? Nearing a deal? Hard to tell (Sunday, 11/14/99)
The U.S. negotiating team has delayed its departure from Beijing and talks are continuing, but neither the U.S. nor China is saying whether agreement is imminent on China's entry into the World Trade Organization.

Tech skills shortage in Ireland (Sunday, 11/14/99)
The Irish economy struggled for many decades. In fact, vast numbers of Irish left their home country during both the 19th and 20th centuries in order to seek economic opportunity elsewhere. During recent years, however, the Irish economy has been one of the strongest in Europe and has even been attracting many people back to their ancestral home. One reason is that Ireland has become a significant high-technology center. However, like other major hi-tech regions, Ireland is experiencing a shortage of technically-skilled workers. Currently, Irish employers are looking to Wales and Eastern Europe for some of the people they need to keep their economic ball rolling.

Protesters march in Seoul (Sunday, 11/14/99)
Corporations continue to restructure in South Korea and workers are still being laid off. Tens of thousands of workers and students engaged in a protest march in downtown Seoul on Sunday.

Progress in the global battle against hunger (Sunday, 11/14/99)
The United Nations reports significant progress in reducing the number of persons in developing countries who go hungry. Still, the international goal is to cut world hunger in half by 2015, and the Food and Agriculture Organization says that they will have to pick up the pace in order to reach that goal.

Learning to make your own investment decisions (Sunday, 11/14/99)
Michelle Singletary of the Washington Post thinks it's a good idea for employees to learn more about investments so that they can guide their own retirement accounts.

Why both sides should want to reach final settlement on Holocaust reparations (Sunday, 11/14/99)
The Washington Post editorial writers explain why it's so difficult for the sides to reach agreement on reparations for former Nazi era slaves, but why this is a good time to settle it.

Learning how to begin building a nonprofit safety net (Sunday, 11/14/99)
The United States Department of State has arranged for a delegation of Russians to visit Minnesota in order to learn how private charities can help deal with social problems. The Russian visitors are leading a movement in their country to help children and persons with disabilities.

Slight decline in Medicare spending (Sunday, 11/14/99)
It's the first decline in the Medicare program's history. Here's the story from today's New York Times.

New Urban League study finds major progress among African Americans (Sunday, 11/14/99)
The strong American economy has been helping large numbers of African Americans improve their economic status, but there are persistent problems. For instance, Bill Dedman reports on a new study showing that black Americans face special difficulties when refinancing their mortgages in the Chicago area.

Want to improve your "emotional competence?" (Sunday, 11/14/99)
Jill Barshay reports on a novel corporate training program developed by American Express which they're ready to take on the road.

AutoNation cuts workers (Sunday, 11/14/99)
AutoNation is the largest automobile retailer in the United States. They will streamline their operations and lay off 145 workers.

When the going gets tough, the family-friendly programs may be gone (Sunday, 11/14/99)
Nationally-syndicated columnist Carol Kleiman is worried about what may happen to benefits that help workers balance work and family obligations when the economy slows.

Remember that a home office employee will be in your home (Sunday, 11/14/99)
Hire carefully, Alice Bredin of the Boston Globe advises. There are special reasons for care when you're hiring someone to help with your home-office business.

What it means to be a physician in the new health care world (Sunday, 11/14/99)
Managed care has greatly changed the context in which physicians practice their profession, and, as N. R. Kleinfield reports, this is complicating things for people just entering the profession.

A Social Security fix may be getting slightly closer (Sunday, 11/14/99)
The New York Times' Richard Stevenson says that acrimonious partisanship in Washington has made progress on the repair of the Social Security system more difficult than it should have to be, but all is not lost. There have been some promising developments, according to Mr. Stevenson.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: America's Job Bank (Sunday, 11/14/99)
The United States Department of Labor brings its enormous database to the Internet to give employers and job seekers access to each other and to many other resources. The service has been available for a long time, but the America's Job Bank web site is relatively new, and it makes all sorts of additional things possible in the revolutionary new world economy.

Historic changes coming in financial services (Saturday, 11/13/99)
President Clinton has signed a bill that will change the way financial services are marketed in the United States.

Will interest rates go up again soon? (Saturday, 11/13/99)
Experts disagree, and one man who probably knows isn't saying. Speaking of the Federal Reserve, Marjorie Olster reports that many policy makers at the Fed are coming around to the idea that the new economy really is new.

Boom economy creates hard times for discounters (Saturday, 11/13/99)
Filene's Basement Corporation is in Chapter 11. Included in its plan for emerging from bankruptcy is a cut in the number of stores as well as a cut of 900 jobs.

Overnite will appeal (Saturday, 11/13/99)
The NLRB has ruled that Overnite Transportation must negotiate a labor contract with the Teamsters at four of its terminals, but the company will appeal the ruling.

Perspective on UnitedHealth's policy change (Saturday, 11/13/99)
The Minneapolis Star Tribune's editorial writers examine what might appear to be a surrender on the part of a major managed care organization, but really isn't.

Justice delayed much longer will be justice denied to an aging generation of former Nazi slaves (Saturday, 11/13/99)
Pauline Jelinek says that about 2.3 million persons scattered over much of the world are waiting for compensation for their suffering during the infamous Nazi period. However, negotations haven't been going well, and it may be a while before an agreement is reached. For most of the former slaves, there isn't much time. The sides agree that financial compensation should be arranged, but they disagree on the amount. In other news from Germany, DaimlerChrysler plans to close six railroad equipment plants and lay off about 3,000 workers.

Recognition for an influential man who has worked toward greater diversity in the American workplace (Saturday, 11/13/99)
President Clinton has presented a major award to Solomon Trujillo, Chairman of US West.

New government guidelines intended to protect illegal aliens from their employers (Saturday, 11/13/99)
Some employers take advantage of the vulnerable status of illegal aliens and cheat them. Critics of the new government guidelines say they don't go far enough, though.

American Airlines attempts to move toward settlement with its pilots (Saturday, 11/13/99)
The big Texas-based airline and its pilots have been in conflict over the acquisition of regional carrier Reno Air. The company has made a concession in order to try to move things alone. Here's the story from Dan Reed of the Fort Worth Star Telegram. In other airline labor news, Peter Corbett of the Arizona Republic reports that AmWest and its pilots are going to begin negotiating ahead of schedule in an effort to head off trouble.

How Internet executives make their money (Saturday, 11/13/99)
One way to minimize the need for startup capital is to minimize salary commitments, and that can work well if your new company has reason to expect rapid growth. First-rate people may be willing to accept minimal salaries in exchange for stock. Tom Kirchofer writes about a new study that finds that many Internet executives are compensated this way. Studies conducted from Strategis Group and International Data show that more than 100 million American adults are on the Internet now. It is expected that more than 500 million people will be online throughout the world by 2003. Finally, here's what the inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, has to say about his brainchild and its future.

Auto industry attempts to gain the attention of students (Saturday, 11/13/99)
L. M. Sixel of the Houston Chronicle tells how a major auto dealership is getting students to consider career paths that may not have come to mind. When some learn that mechanics can make more than $100,000 per year, many perk up.

The difference that "micro-loans" can make (Saturday, 11/13/99)
Small loans, some of them REALLY small, can make a big difference for entrepreneurs throughout the world. Here's Jane Applegate with the story.

Old is in (Saturday, 11/13/99)
Not so long ago, older workers were presented with incentive plans that encouraged them to make way for younger, less expensive workers. But, when there is a growing shortage of workers throughout the economy, many companies would like to hang on to the workers they have, particularly now that the retirement of the massive boomer generation is on the immediate horizon. One way to do it is the use of phased retirement plans, according to columnist Amy Gage. Ms. Gage also reports today on efforts to find ways to help teachers reduce their stress levels while also increasing productivity.

How the GPI differs from the GDP (Saturday, 11/13/99)
The Gross Domestic Product is a flawed measure of national well-being, because it reflects economic activity of all kinds. For instance, it goes up if there is more money being spent on crime and drug addiction. The Genuine Progress Indicator may provide a more accurate picture of how we're doing, according to the group that developed it.

More advice on how to avoid tripping yourself up on the cost of college (Saturday, 11/13/99)
Gail Marsjarvis tells why December 31 may be important if you have a young person who will be heading for college soon . It has to do with how financial aid will be calculated later.

On the ghost of applications past (Saturday, 11/13/99)
Nationally syndicated Chicago Tribune columnist tells a correspondent about the consequences of appearing unreliable.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Covey Leadership Center (Saturday, 11/13/99)
Among the principal changes in the new work world have been the decline of hierarchy, close supervision, and narrow span of control, as skill levels have increased and professionals more heavily populate front-line work roles. But, what holds a new-economy work organization together? Without close supervision,