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Denmark says "no" to the euro (Saturday, 9/30/00)
Some traditional European animosities have subsided. For instance, despite centuries of conflict, it's inconceivable that France and England would go to war with each other at this point. Still, those who have been dreaming of a really smooth, friendly, cooperative "united Europe" may be forgetting at least a thousand years of European history. Jeffrey Ulbrich says that the results of Denmark's referendum Thursday on adopting the euro can be interpreted as meaning, among other things, that the smaller countries are concerned about being "swallowed up" by Europe's larger, more powerful countries. Alan Cowell of the New York Times writes that Britain's Tony Blair probably hasn't received the news from Denmark with a great deal of joy. He would like Britons to give up their pound, and thinks he can make a strong economic case for doing so. However, many still feel that a Britain without the pound would be like a Britain without Westminster Abbey or Big Ben or the British Museum or Oxford University. It would simply be, well, some other place, and an alien one at that.

Hundreds of thousands of New York children to be taken off federal health care plan (Saturday, 9/30/00)
More than a half-million New York children have been covered by the Children's Health Insurance Program, but up to half of those will be taken off and will have to apply for Medicaid. Here's the original story from Jennifer Steinhauer of the big city's hometown newspaper. Incidentally, in somewhat related news, there has been a decrease in the number of Americans lacking health insurance, but the have vs. have-not gap remains.

American farmers drowning more slowly (Saturday, 9/30/00)
A report from the Federal Reserve says that things have improved a bit for American farmers, but they're still in crisis. America's favorite elderly country Texas hippie, Willie Nelson, invited the presidential candidates to speak at his nationally-televised Farm Aid fund-raiser show near Washington, D.C. earlier this month, and candidates Buchanan and Nader accepted the invitation.

Job cuts at Rockwell and WebMD (Saturday, 9/30/00)
Two companies heavily involved in hi-tech in their respective ways are restructuring and cutting jobs. Three-hundred-fifty jobs will go at Rockwell International, and WebMD will slice 1,100 jobs during the next year.

Tech stocks have taken a big hit during the last couple of days, with Intel and Apple being among the most conspicuous losers. Apple's stock has lost about half of its value since the company officials announced that earnings would fall short because of disappointing sales. Andrea Orr asks what many are asking: After a big come-back under the direction of the brilliant, sometimes eccentric, but charismatic Steve Jobs, is Apple going away again? It's just a "speed bump," Steve says.

Apple has been a technological innovator with many great products since the beginning of the personal computer's history, but, at various times, it has been a perfectly awful BUSINESS, often seeming to lack adult supervision.

During recent years, Apple's Macintosh platform has gone from being a major alternative to being a very minor player in a world dominated by Microsoft's Windows. However, Windows' dominance may be in question for the future, in part, because of the breakup of Microsoft Corporation, if the company doesn't win on appeal, and also, in part, because of a shift away from the desktop computer as the main work focus in favor of the Internet. Those who believe that Windows will be a permanent fixture of the new economy need only remember dBase-II, CP/M, Osborne Computer Corporation, Lotus 1-2-3, Digital Research Corporation, and dozens of other products and companies that once dominated their markets in the volatile hi-tech sector.

Fixing Medicare is likely to require an understanding of what's wrong with it, and that may not be entirely clear (Saturday, 9/30/00)
Editorial writers at the Minneapolis Star Tribune seem to think that the major presidential candidates are being slightly disingenuous when they claim in campaign speeches that they know how to fix the Medicare system. It won't be as easy as it may look, say they. The editorial writers, that is.

Federal appeals court says race-based affirmative action programs are constitutional (Saturday, 9/30/00)
Mike McPhee of the Denver Post reports on a case in Colorado that could have implications throughout the United States. In a separate ruling, a federal judge has said that "cash balance" pension plans do not violate discrimination rules, which is taken to be a victory for employers. Here's more from today's Washington Post.

Leaders of pilots' union keep their jobs (Saturday, 9/30/00)
The board of the Allied Pilots Association, which represents pilots at American Airlines, has decided not to hold a recall election, so the two top officers in the association will not be removed. In other labor news, a tentative settlement has been reached at Raytheon and it should mean the end to a strike that has gone on for a month.

Some thoughts about "the Canadian way" (Saturday, 9/30/00)
Toronto Star columnist David Crane says that a new report from the Conference Board indicates that Canada's quality of life may be at risk. Increased wealth should be a priority, he says, not for its own sake, but in order to strengthen Canada's life quality. Meanwhile, many in the United States have more than idle curiosity about what the U.S. will do with the great wealth that is resulting from its tremendously prosperous economy. Will opportunities for advancing civilization and the quality of life for all Americans be squandered in favor of the forces that always threaten to trivialize precious life?

Promotions will go through now for senior State Department officials (Saturday, 9/30/00)
Two-hundred promotions had been held up because of a security review. Here's more from Jane Perlez of the New York Times reporting from Washington, D. C.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Traditional Employment Interview Questions (Saturday, 9/30/00)
As the two major presidential candidates do prep for the big televised debates, you may be thinking about how you can prepare for that big job interview. Here are a number of Traditional Employment Interview Questions you might want to be ready for.

No Senate committee vote on anti-poverty tax bill (Friday, 9/29/00)
Instead, it's going to the full Senate. If the bill becomes law, it will offer tax breaks to farmers and others, as well. Here's more from Donna Smith reporting from Washington.

Minnesota governor pushing for extension of benefits for state employees (Friday, 9/29/00)
Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura wants the Legislature to clarify the law so that same-sex domestic partners of state employees can received benefits.

No Philadelphia teachers strike for the time-being (Friday, 9/29/00)
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers has decided not to strike in response to new salaries and working conditions imposed by the school district. They're leaving open the possibility of a strike later, though.

Americans live up to their international reputation as meager savers (Friday, 9/29/00)
Jeannine Aversa writes about the latest Commerce Department data that show American incomes increased in August, but savings declined to a record low.

Keeping your bags packed? (Friday, 9/29/00)
One conspicuous attribute of the new economy, compared to the old, is that most people expect to change employers quite often, and, as nationally syndicated Chicago Tribune columnist Carol Kleiman writes, a survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers finds that almost 2/3 of new college grads expect to remain with their first employer three years or less. If you're planning a departure, St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist Amy Lindgren has some advice on how to go about it.

How to become very unpopular on the job (Friday, 9/29/00)
The Washington Post's Kenneth Bredmemeier says there seems to be an epidemic of poor manners in the American workplace.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Graduate Training Programs in Industrial-Organizational Psychology (Friday, 9/29/00)
If you are interested in post-graduate study in I/O psych, here's the year 2000 list of Graduate Training Programs in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, which is Division 14 of the American Psychological Association.

IMF shuts down Prague talks earlier than expected (Thursday, 9/28/00)
Representatives attending the International Monetary Fund summit in Prague have decided to go home early, but they claim that the protesters have had nothing to do with their decision. The protesters themselves, however, have a different view, and are claiming victory. As a result of clashes with police, twenty persons will be charged with offenses, and only two are Czechs.

US wants to wrap up WTO membership issue with China (Thursday, 9/28/00)
China wants to be a member of the World Trade Organization, and the Clinton administration also wants membership for the world's largest country. It hasn't happened yet, though, and there are growing concerns that membership could be delayed. A top U.S. trade official is asking for an opportunity to chat with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji with the hope of moving things along.

Australia chooses not to sign discrimination treaty (Thursday, 9/28/00)
An international treaty intending to protect women from discrimination would have passed with one more signature from Australia, which has decided not to go along. Mark Riley explains the situation as he writes from New York City for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Second-quarter growth greater than expected (Thursday, 9/28/00)
The American economy grew at an annual rate of 5.6 percent during the second quarter of this year, according to new data from the United States Department of Commerce. It's a greater rate of growth than expected. Will it cause the Fed to beginning thinking about possible inflation problems and higher interest rates again? We don't know either.

The lower status of technical workers in the Philippines (Thursday, 9/28/00)
The Philippines contrasts with many other countries when it comes to what it pays its technically-skilled workers. Malou Mangahas has details from Manila.

The cost of compensating farmers and ranchers for weather-related damages (Thursday, 9/28/00)
American Ag Secretary Glickman says the bill will be $2 billion this year to compensate farmers and ranches for their losses.

More snarls on European highways (Thursday, 9/28/00)
"Snarls" may be interpreted as referring to the attitudes of many truckers as well as road conditions at borders connecting Luxembourg with Belgium, France, and Germany. Truckers angry about their long work hours will be trying to get the attention of European transport ministers who will be getting together for a meeting. In the U.S., the argument is in the opposite direction. Truckers are afraid that new regulations will force them to work fewer hours, and, therefore, but into their incomes.

American women and their perceptions of economic opportunity (Thursday, 9/28/00)
There has been an increase in the number of women who believe that there is greater economic opportunity for them now, according to a recent survey. Meanwhile, the EEOC is bringing a discrimination suit against Diamond Offshore Drilling. The suit alleges that the company wouldn't let a woman return to work on an oil rig off the West African coast because of political instability in the region.

What is the most important economic issue of all? (Thursday, 9/28/00)
Economist Paul Romer says the most important policy question facing advanced economies is how to increase the rate of productivity growth. Support for hi-tech can help, according to him. Meanwhile, Jeff Madrick advises one of the presidential candidates, and other people, not to underestimate the importance of government in building economic success.

Actors strike continues after nearly five months (Thursday, 9/28/00)
Actors who work in commercials have been on strike the better part of a half year, and talks have broken down. Here's more from Barbara Whitaker of the New York Times.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: European Commission on Education (Thursday, 9/28/00)
Here's an education guide from the European Commission for persons wanting to study internationally in member nations of the EU or EEA.

America's economic tide has been raising all ships from the huge to the tiny, but many of the little ones are still taking on water (Wednesday, 9/27/00)
New governmental statistics show that the rate of poverty in the United States has descended to its lowest level in 20 years, and the median household income exceeded $40,000 per year in 1999. However, despite improvements, the poverty rate was 11.8 percent last year, which includes 32.2 million people, approximately equivalent to the total population of California and larger than the population of a major proportion of the world's countries. Incidentally, while inflation continues to be low in the U.S., the Washington Post reports that a statistical error at the Labor Department has resulted in underestimates of the true rate of consumer price inflation over the past year.

Despite some violent protests, most of Prague is calm (Wednesday, 9/27/00)
Dusan Bucanek reports from Prague that anti-globalization protests have been relatively subdued recently. Great numbers of police have made it difficult for large numbers of protesters to get near the Prague Congress Center where delegates to the IMF and World Bank meetings are holding talks. Toronto Star columnist David Crane says that the new head of the International Monetary Fund says that globalization has to benefit the poor as well as the rich.

First pilots, then baggage handlers, now flight attendants (Wednesday, 9/27/00)
The people who handle baggage for United Airlines in Denver are on strike. Now, 25,000 flight attendants are demanding major pay increases inspired by the increases won by United's pilots.

Transit talks break off in L.A. (Wednesday, 9/27/00)
At least a half-million people are still trying to find alternative transportation in the Los Angeles area as the big transit strike continues. Tom Harrigan reports on the breakdown, for now, of negotiations.

New rules will prevent spouses of foreign workers from coming to Israel (Wednesday, 9/27/00)
The new rules from the Interior Ministry are aimed specifically at nursing care workers who come mostly from the Philippines. Ruth Sinai provides an explanation in today's edition of Ha'aretz.

Surveillance on the Interstates (Wednesday, 9/27/00)
Mary Williams Walsh of the New York Times has more on the controversy over whether electronic devices should be installed in those big commercial trucks to make sure that drivers aren't spending too much time driving and too little time sleeping.

Take care of yourself (Wednesday, 9/27/00)
It's a friendly thing to hear, but not when you're in the hospital. Maura Lerner reports on the shortage of nurses and how one organization has tried to solve the problem by bringing nurses from South Korea, which, apparently, has more than it needs. This hasn't worked well, though, because everybody's has been tangled in red tape. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving nurses which may clarify who's really a supervisor and who isn't. It has to do with the conditions under which workers are exempt from union coverage.

Sprint shuffles workers (Wednesday, 9/27/00)
Sprint will cut 300 jobs but expects to find other work for the affected individuals.

Headhunters no longer hunting dot.com heads so vigorously (Wednesday, 9/27/00)
A new survey finds a decline in the search for talent at Internet companies, which is taken to be in line with the cooling of the Internet sector.

A step toward an economic relationship between the two Koreas (Wednesday, 9/27/00)
North Korea's Kim Jong-il plans to visit South Korea, and an emissary from the North arrived in South Korea today to help make preparations. High-level talks are intended to result in economic relations between two countries that have looked at each other only down the barrel of a gun for 50 years.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Korea: States of War (Wednesday, 9/27/00)
At long last, tensions between North Korea and South Korea have been subsiding lately, and, while it's easy to exaggerate the good news, there is at least contact between the two governments, which may substantially reduce the chances of a second Korean War as a final destructive and self-destructive act on the part of the Stalinist, impoverished North. For perspective on life on the Korean peninsula during the half century since the beginning of the Korean War, here's a special report from CNN: Korea: States of War.

Violent protests in Prague (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
Susan Bucanek reports that protesters and police have collided in Prague where the IMF and World Bank meetings are going on. Here's more on the violence in the streets from USA Today. Meanwhile, Paul Hofheinz writes in today's Wall Street Journal that World Bank economists are urging a broader approach to fighting poverty, and World Bank President Wolfensohn says he shares the "passion" of the protesters and believes that they are asking legitimate questions. .

Machinists vote to strike at Denver airport (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
A machinists' local has rejected a contract offer and the result could be the shutting down of the Denver airport.

More truckers protest in Germany (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
Truckers protesting the high price of fuel have been blocking streets in Berlin.

"Under-employment" down in Australia (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
Job growth has helped many persons who have been working part-time involuntarily. Many are finding full-time jobs now, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Japan's largest dairy products company to cut jobs (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
Snow Brand Milk Products plans to cut 1,300 jobs, which amounts to nearly 20 percent of its workforce. There have been a lot of job cuts in Internet companies too. In fact, in the U.S., job cuts at dot-coms were up 14.6 percent in September, compared to the previous month.

A generous boss who has kept his word (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
A man sells the family company and shares $18 million with his workers. Here's more from Greg Sukiennik reporting from Boston.

The new economy's "always open" (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
It's always time for business someplace in the new global economy, and this is helping to produce a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week culture, according to Shira Boss' report in the Christian Science Monitor.

Privatization of social security in Chile (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
Jim Barlow doesn't think that the privatization of the American Social Security system would be as risky as candidate Gore has been claiming, and offers Chile's experience as evidence. In the U.S., many retirees are among those who can expect to pay higher health insurance premiums, according to a new study. Many workers too, and many small businesses will stop offering health insurance entirely because of the increased costs.

China's government continues to try to control Internet access, but many people are staying ahead of them (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
Newsweek's Melinda Liu and Kevin Platt indicate that the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to maintain a monopoly on power and control the flow of information may not have too much of a future during the Internet age. Meanwhile, President Clinton is expected to sign the China trade bill next week. He seems to believe that China's totalitarian system cannot survive open trade or open communication. The lowly copier and fax machine have been given some of the credit for bringing down the old Soviet Union. Columnist Robert Reno attempts to look at the new trade bill within a broader historical context.

All work and no play may make Jack not only dull, but also dead (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
New data from university researchers reinforces the notion that "workaholism" can be a major health hazard .

A year after President Clinton's "poverty tour" (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
A lot of publicity following the President when he visited some of America's poorest places a year ago, bringing ideas for improvement with him. However, Evelyn Nieves of the New York Times says that most of those people are still poor, still waiting, and still doing their best to cope on their own.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Nordic Forecasts (Tuesday, 9/26/00)
Nordic Forecasts provides research and analysis on economic, political, and business prospects in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

The world still runs on oil (Monday, 9/25/00)
It's a new economy, but at least one important factor, familiar from the old economy, continues to get everybody's attention, particularly when its price goes up. South Africa's Financial Mail has a special report on oil's impact. The current international edition of Business Week also has a special report, and says that Asia may be hit hardest by the highest oil prices in a long time. James Anderson writes in the Fort Worth Star Telegram that the eleven OPEC member states are feeling the heat from lots of countries and could lose their nerve, meaning that OPEC's solidarity might be threatened.

Ron Scherer of the Christian Science Monitor says that the U.S. has been getting credit from other members of the G-7 for moving ahead in efforts to lower oil prices. However, officials in the Clinton administration have been trying not to say that this is what has been intended, asserting, instead, that it is an effort to prepare for a possible fuel oil supply emergency, particularly in the Northeast, if a rough winter lies ahead. Others are saying that the real reason for the tapping of reserves is to elect Al Gore, whose lead in the polls seems to have disappeared for the most part. If you're certain that you know who the next American president is going to be, you have a good chance of embarrassing yourself. A real photo finish seems fairly likely.

Incidentally, quick quiz: Are all of the members of OPEC Middle Eastern nations? No, no, no. An example is Venezuela. And, are all the truckers who are protesting high fuel prices in Europe? Again, no. Australian truckers are tying things up in Melbourne with some of the same complaints.

Child labor laws violated in Israel (Monday, 9/25/00)
Data presented yesterday indicate that the Central Bureau of Statistics' estimates of the number of children working illegally in Israel have been far too low. According to Adi Ben-Ami, more than 20,000 children presently are working in violation of child labor laws.

The Journal looks at the global economy (Monday, 9/25/00)
Today's Wall Street Journal contains one of its ambitious special sections, this time dealing with world business. Many articles, and, unsurprisingly, all worth reading.

The most important companies in the new economy? (Monday, 9/25/00)
Forget IBM, forget Intel, forget Microsoft. Here are the "four horsemen" of the new economy, and Business Week doesn't mean of the apocalypse. Incidentally, the great business mag has been working up a list of what they consider to be the best business schools, and they're ready to tell you about it.

Upcoming stats expected to show growth still moderating (Monday, 9/25/00)
Various statistics will be released during the next several days, and columnist Jerry Heaster says that they are expected to provide additional evidence that the still-strong American economy is cooling a bit.

After more than a thousand years of suspicion, animosity, and armed conflict, how are efforts to integrate Europe coming? (Monday, 9/25/00)
Things could be going a bit better. Efforts to bring about monetary union have been a little rocky. Here's a major report on the euro crisis, and the Sydney Morning Herald says that the recent effort to slow the euro's slide won't be sufficient to accomplish the job. More interventions will be needed, they say. Meanwhile, the Danes aren't sure that they want to join in. A vote is approaching, and it is likely to be razor-thin.

Unseasonable overheating in Spain (Monday, 9/25/00)
The Spanish economy may be overheating. Growth has been strong, but inflation seems to be getting a foothold.

Why many critics of trade with China are concerned about human rights (Monday, 9/25/00)
Americans might be a bit less pleased with the low prices they have to pay for many goods in U.S. discount stores if they knew more about the conditions under which many of those products are produced. Life in Chinese sweatshops seems to differ little from Western medieval visions of hell, according to this report. The U.S. is granting China permanent normal trade status, and supporters of this change in official U.S. policy are hoping that open exchanges with China will lead to more human rights progress than political pressure or efforts to isolate the world's largest country would. Stay tuned.

The rich-poor gap in Hong Kong (Monday, 9/25/00)
John Schauble reports from Beijing for the Sydney Morning Herald that Hong Kong's richest earn 23 times as much as its poorest. Meanwhile, a special edition of Vivian Huchinson's The Jobs Letter from New Zealand examines the gap between rich and poor in the new information economy.

Gays make gains in the American workplace, but... (Monday, 9/25/00)
A new survey of Fortune 500 companies finds that an increasing number are offering health benefits to same-sex partners of employees, but Susan Tompor of the Detroit Free Press says that this can mean a larger income tax bite.

Which country has the highest quality of life? (Monday, 9/25/00)
According to the United Nations, it's Canada, but some who are enjoying it there feel that Canadian life quality is under threat.

Rumors and tips on the Internet (Monday, 9/25/00)
People are sharing information about employers, often anonymously, but you might find it useful if you're considering a job offer. Here's more from columnist Diane Lewis.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: About OPEC (Monday, 9/25/00)
OPEC stands for the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries, and it's been in the news a lot again lately because of concerns about the high price of crude oil. Here's what OPEC has to say about itself.

Negotations resume in L.A. (Sunday, 9/24/00)
The big transit strike continues in Los Angeles, but negotiations are starting up again today.

More hunger expected in North Korea (Sunday, 9/24/00)
North Korea is high on the list of most people as a place they probably wouldn't want to visit and a place where they certainly wouldn't want to live. The political reasons are strong enough. However, the North Korean people, in addition to suffering one of the most demented and incompetent governments in the world, also has been suffering famine that has been exacerbated by natural disasters. Teruaki Ueno, writing from Japan, says South Korea's President Kim expects conditions to get even worse and is urging Japan to send more food to North Korea. South Korea is rich, but Japan is richer, even though the South Korean economy has been recovering nicely and the Japanese economy has not.

There are many countries in the world whose economic problems will not be easy to solve because of reasons inherent in these countries' circumstances. However, there is no essential reason that the North Koreans could not be very prosperous by world standards, and, once reunification occurs, one might expect that the tremendously successful South Koreans will lead their northern siblings to modern industrialization and eventual affluence.

How important is the president's economic role? (Sunday, 9/24/00)
Historically, voters have given either credit or blame to presidents for their economic circumstances, but how much difference can a president really make? Mike Meyers asks some experts. Incidentally, presidents and presidential candidates usually are willing to accept credit or assign blame to others for the nation's economy, because they know that voters often vote in line with their economic well-being. Similarly, when voters are thinking about crime quite a lot, presidential candidates tend to talk about it in their campaigns, even though crime is mostly a local and state issue with the presidency playing a fairly minor role.

Is the market out of whack, or is the world economy simply facing new realities? (Sunday, 9/24/00)
Officials of the World Bank meeting in Prague are saying that there needs to be "collective action" to reduce the volatility of crude oil prices. Here's more from Dirk Beveridge who reports from Prague. Few governmental officials who are sensitive to public opinion in their home nations are saying much about demand, only about supply, which may mean that there is far more followership than genuine leadership among people occupying official positions. Much of the ambiguity about the reality of global warming that still existed a year or two ago has been essentially removed by the results of recent research. Also, writers at the Toronto Star take a look at the people who are in Prague protesting globalization and see that the protesters aren't necessarily the people you might expect, and the Star's David Crane says there are good reasons for the IMF and World Bank to put global poverty near the top of their agendas for the Prague meetings. It's one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, he says.

Women protest discrimination in Beirut (Sunday, 9/24/00)
One of the consequences of worldwide communication and travel has been that women throughout the world have been demanding that the women's traditional position of subservience in most world cultures not continue in the 21st century as it has for centuries so far. Thousands of Lebanese women march in Beirut today to proest sexual discrimination and violence.

Your boss isn't your friend; your boss is your boss (Sunday, 9/24/00)
Loose lips sink careers, or something like that. A correspondent is advised not too share too much with her boss.

The U.S. has twice as many lawyers as only a few years ago, and there's a shortage anyway? (Sunday, 9/24/00)
Many firms are competing for attorneys, and, as Anne Colden of the Denver Post reports, there's also a strong market for legal temps. A large proportion of the world's lawyers can be found in the United States. Among the reasons are not only America's traditional world-class crime problem, but also that Americans sue each other like crazy. However, there may be some question about which is cause and which is consequence. Are there a lot of lawyers because Americans want to sue each other a lot, or are a lot of Americans suing each other because there are a lot of lawyers? We recall the old gag about how if there is one lawyer in town, he starves, but if there are two, they both get rich.

Employers try to tie pay more closely to performance (Sunday, 9/24/00)
A general finding from research in human learning is that we tend to get more of whatever gets recognized or rewarded. In principal, this means that, in a seniority-based system, the ability to take on protective coloring and outlast one's colleagues is what people tend to get very good at. Becoming conspicuous, even creatively or productively so, may be discouraged by the system. Still, "piece-rate" reward systems have not worked well, because we are social creatures. Individuals do not work in a vacuum, but, instead, organize informally and influence one another. Systems such as the Scanlon Plan have tried to build in rewards at individual, group, and total organizational levels, in order to integrate the organization to a greater extent and get everybody singing off the same page. Matt Murray of the Wall Street Journal reports on current efforts to de-emphasize raises in favor of stock options and bonuses throughout the organization, not just for management. See today's Web Tip below.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Employee Involvement Concepts (Sunday, 9/24/00)
The Industrial Revolution resulted in a long period during which Western economies were dominated by adversarial classes. Over time, the various dichotomies have been reduced, and, in some cases, deliberately. Peter Drucker has written about "capitalism without capitalists," pointed out that much of the money that feeds the capitalist engine now comes from worker pension funds, rather than from a few "robber-baron" capitalists, and there has also been a dramatic increase in the overall proportion of the American population who owns stocks. In a technical sense, it's been getting harder to tell the workers from the owners. Within work organizations, there has been an effort to distribute authority and influence more broadly and also to have a greater proportion of the people in the organization sharing both risk and reward, and this has resulted in various efforts to increase worker involvement. Here are some of the common Employee Involvement Concepts.

Tech visa vote next week (Saturday, 9/23/00)
Trent Lott says that the United States Senate will vote next week on the bill that would increase the number of H-1B visas, which would allow more foreign technical experts to enter the U.S. for purposes of work. Silicon Valley companies have been claiming that a shortage of workers with technical expertise threatens the American economy. Critics say that the domestic tech workers shortage isn't as great as claimed, and that American companies simply want to have access to less expensive labor, assuming that foreign workers will be willing to work for less in the U.S. in order to have an opportunity to enter the country with the hope of being able to stay once their visas expire. In Minnesota, a new state law will require welfare and health care workers to report persons who are in the U.S. illegally to immigration officials.

Pilots union still owes American Airlines $45.5 million (Saturday, 9/23/00)
A sick-out on the part of pilots at American Airlines last year caused the cancellation of thousands of flights, and a federal appeals court has upheld $45.5 million in damages that the union owes the airline. That's more than the pilots' union has, so it might be expected that the debt will be canceled as part of a deal for a new contract. However, shortly before the appeals court ruling, the pilots rejected a proposal that would have included cancellation of the debt. In retrospect, that might be seen as a miscalculation, because the court's ruling should provide the airline with considerably more bargaining power as negotiations continue.

G-7 finance officials meet in Prague (Saturday, 9/23/00)
The IMF and World Bank meetings don't begin until next week, but a number of top officials already are in Prague and already talking. Here's more about what they're talking about from Martin Crutsinger. Among other things, perhaps they're comparing vague anxieties, if this Toronto Star article is on target.

German government wants to help (Saturday, 9/23/00)
Truckers and others who have been demonstrating for relief from sky-high fuel prices in Germany will get some help from the German government in the form of tax breaks and subsidies. In the U.S., President Clinton explains why he has ordered a dipping into his nation's oil reserves, which are understood to be intended for disruptions in the oil supply, such as during wartime, and Mark Babineck reports that experts are saying that there won't be any quick fix to the fuel price problem. Critics of the Administration are claiming that Clinton's action is intended more as a quick fix to candidate Gore's potential campaign problem if fuel oil prices have gone through the roof and there is a cold snap around about election day. He needs to be seen as noticing and wanting to do something about it, even though the practical effects of the Administration actions may be minimal. Historically, Americans have tended to vote in line with their perceptions of their economic circumstances and give both credit and blame to presidents, even in those cases where the president has little influence.

The effect of regional accents on job success (Saturday, 9/23/00)
Mary Deibel reports that, while having a regional accent may not be an obstacle to attaining the presidency now, it seems to handicap those who aspire to top jobs in the private sector. Better to have a nondescript homogenized accent like a voice-over network TV announcer who doesn't seem to be from anyplace in particular.

The new economy means more travel at awful hours (Saturday, 9/23/00)
For many business travelers, the "red-eye special" isn't all that special or unusual anymore. The USA Today's Donna Rosato has more.

Who are we after six years of the Internet? (Saturday, 9/23/00)
The Internet began to explode about six years ago, and Sharon Pian Chan of the Seattle Times writes about a new survey that is intended to gauge its effects on us. Incidentally, BraveNewWorkWorld will be six years old next month.

Victim of assault in the operating room is awarded $60,000 (Saturday, 9/23/00)
A plastic surgeon will have to pay a hospital scrub technician $20,000 for mental anguish and $40,000 in punitive damages following an assault in a Park Plaza Hospital operating room in Houston.

The 1-minute pitch (Saturday, 9/23/00)
Selling a business idea to a venture capitalist can be like trying to sell a script idea to a Hollywood producer, and you may have about as much time to do it. Two minutes may be two long. Sheryl Jean reports from Santa Clara, California.

Fewer people aspire to becoming New York City police officers (Saturday, 9/23/00)
Kevin Flynn of the New York Times reports that America's biggest city hasn't been attracting nearly enough police recruits.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Competia.com (Saturday, 9/23/00)
Competia.com can help you with your corporate intelligence, which these folks regard as essential in the new economy. It's not cloak and dagger stuff, though.

UN workers rally in Geneva (Friday, 9/22/00)
About 1,500 United Nations aid workers demonstrated in Geneva demanding greater protection when working in dangerous parts of the world.

You should be concerned about poverty, even if you're among the privileged, according to the World Bank (Friday, 9/22/00)
Global stability is threatened by global poverty, according to World Bank officials meeting in Prague. The meeting has drawn major protests, and editorial writers at the Minneapolis Star Tribune feel that the protesters have it all wrong. Speaking of instability, many of the world's economic leaders have been getting more and more concerned about the weakening euro, so the American Federal Reserve and its counterparts in Europe and Japan have stepped in.

No baggage workers strike at Denver airport (Friday, 9/22/00)
Agreement was reached late last night that averts a strike of the workers who handle United Airlines baggage. In other labor news, striking Raytheon workers will get unemployment compensation after all. Here's more from Ross Kerber of the Boston Globe.

Many choose to be netless (Friday, 9/22/00)
A new study finds that a major portion of American adults aren't on the Internet and don't plan to be. This includes many people who work in positions of major responsibility, such as the head of the Texas AFL-CIO, for instance. Speaking of Texas and the Internet, here are results of a new study that looks at people who work in Internet-related industries and suggests three major Texas cities as good places to work and live if you're a techie.

South Africa's unions losing patience (Friday, 9/22/00)
Ed O'Loughlin writes from Johannesburg for the Sydney Morning Herald that some people give South Africa's labor unions credit for bringing down apartheid, and now those unions are becoming impatient with the African National Congress.

The workplace hazard of high heels (Friday, 9/22/00)
Women working in Nevada casinos are making some progress in a drive to wear shoes better suited for their jobs.

Save-sex benefits under consideration by Minnesota's governor (Friday, 9/22/00)
Governor Jesse Ventura is examining the possibility of extending benefits to the same-sex partners of Minnesota state employees.

Ellison closes in on Gates (Friday, 9/22/00)
If you're following the "richest person in the world" sweepstakes, you may be interested to know that Fortune magazine's latest list shows that Oracle's Larry Ellison now has almost as much net worth as Microsoft's Bill Gates. Larry has gained a lot and Bill has lost a lot during the past year. Depending on what happens with Microsoft stock over the next year, there is a good chance that Mr. Ellison will top the list next time.

Good time to become a financial planner (Friday, 9/22/00)
Columnist Gail MarksJarvis answers a correspondent who wonders about making a career change and becoming a financial planner. Demand and incomes are both strong, is part of the answer.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (Friday, 9/22/00)
Nearly anyone may be able to call him/herself a "financial planner," but not a Certified Financial Planner, because that term belongs to the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards which allows its use only after meeting certain criteria. Among other things, this nonprofit organization is working on a revision of its ethical guidelines for Certified Financial Planners.

Illegal help for getting around in L.A. (Thursday, 9/21/00)
Essentially no progress has been reported in ending the transit strike in Los Angeles. In the meantime, the city's lower-income people are getting to work and back as best they can, and, as Robert Jablon reports, this often means taking an unlicensed "cab." Some low-income folks in L.A. have other problems too, judging from what investigators are saying about the Los Angeles-area garment industry. Compliance with labor laws has declined during the past couple of years, suggesting that self-monitoring isn't working very well. Also, a new report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition indicates that persons earning the minimum wage are having trouble putting a roof over their heads, particularly in a strong economy that has been driving up the cost of housing.

Buffalo school board agrees to mediator's proposal (Thursday, 9/21/00)
The teachers strike in Buffalo, New York may be very near its end. Here's more from Carolyn Thompson who is on the scene. In other labor news, pilots at American Airlines have rejected a plan to extend their present contract for a year, while workers at Bridgestone/Firestone approve their new contract, and an oil workers strike ends in Nigeria.

Who's tired now? (Thursday, 9/21/00)
We've reported a number of times on increasing concern with how fatigue may be making travel either by highway or by air more dangerous, but it isn't just truckers or airline pilots who may be getting a little sleepy on the job. According to the New York Times, mandatory overtime has become a significant labor issue, and Maine is among the states considering putting a limit on it. While mandatory overtime means doing more with fewer people, and that means increased worker productivity, Kimberly Blanton of the Boston Globe says that experts are puzzled, nonetheless, and there is quite a lot to the overall productivity issue. In general, the new economy is demonstrating the inadequacy of conventional economic theory, meaning that we probably haven't understood economic phenomena as well as we once thought and also that some fundamental conditions may have changed.

Many books purporting to be about personal finance also offer condescension (Thursday, 9/21/00)
Some authors of personal finance books aimed at women may be perpetuating stereotypes and misreading their market, according to Sharon Edelson's story in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune.

IMF says Australia wins a silver medal (Thursday, 9/21/00)
Not in the Olympics, in this case, but in the new economy. Australia is investing more in hi-tech than most other leading world economies.

Effects of workplace hazards can persist for years (Thursday, 9/21/00)
People who were exposed to contaminants in a Soviet chemical plant a quarter century ago continue to have record high levels of dioxins in their blood.

More evidence that the American economy is cooling a bit (Thursday, 9/21/00)
The Fed has new data indicating that the hot American economy isn't quite as hot as it was, but that doesn't mean it's getting cold. Along similar lines, first-time jobless benefit claims slipped a bit last week, but, still, are hovering at somewhat higher levels than several months ago.

Big bank merger to cost about 3,000 jobs (Thursday, 9/21/00)
Chase Manhattan is buying J. P. Morgan, and, as the two companies come together, about 10 percent of the combined workforce will be cut loose. Meanwhile, KeyCorp, which markets banking services, will cut about 2,300 jobs over the next year and a quarter.

Greenspan calls for more science and math education (Thursday, 9/21/00)
Given the nature of his responsibilities, the federal government's leading elderly saxophone player may have the long-term well-being of the American economy in mind when he says that science and mathematics education should become a major national priority. However, there are other reasons for Americans to learn more about science as well, given the recent resurgence of superstition in the United States and widespread misunderstanding about the nature of science and its implications for life in general.

Writer unimpressed with UAW's financial prowess (Thursday, 9/21/00)
The Detroit Free Press' Doron Levin recounts a number of examples of what he considers financial fumbling, at the very least, on the part of leaders of the United Auto Workers.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: CampusEngine (Thursday, 9/21/00)
CampusEngine provides technologies and support to enable college and university newspapers to publish online.

American farmers hope to benefit from trade deal with China (Wednesday, 9/20/00)
After a struggle, the House of Representatives passed the bill that would give permanent normal trade status to China, and the Senate, by a wide margin, passed it yesterday. The President will sign it into law. Among those hoping that it will relieve their condition are American farmers. Here's more from Doug Palmer reporting from Washington.

Nurses strike in Washington, D. C. (Wednesday, 9/20/00)
Washington Hospital Center, the largest private hospital in Washington, will be without union nurses for a while. Talks failed, so 1,500 nurses have walked off their jobs. Hospital officials vow to keep the hospital operating. On the other side of the country, Hollywood is hoping to avert a strike of actors and writers that could make the gears of the big film factory largely grind to a halt. Incidentally, this is separate from the strike of actors who work in television commercials which has not gotten too much public attention. Finally, a new labor agreement has been reached at Kaiser Permanente in the Denver area.

Israeli truckers get a deal with Treasury (Wednesday, 9/20/00)
Truckers in Israel called off their protests yesterday after the government agreed to do what it can to calm fuel price fluctuations. From now on, prices will be updated once per month, rather than every two weeks.

Communism's "good old days" (Wednesday, 9/20/00)
During the Cold War, most leaders in the West felt that the world would be better off without European communism, and that people in Europe's communist countries would be better off too. Not all of them, apparently. A new report from the World Bank says that poverty has increased tenfold in the former Soviet block since the collapse of communism. The Washington Post's Robert Samuelson comments on the huge World Bank report on poverty, and says that it leaves the impression, perhaps inadvertently, that there is little that can be done to ease poverty in much of the world. Members of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are gathering in Prague to discuss these and other issues.

This is your pilot speaking, and I may be talking in my sleep (Wednesday, 9/20/00)
Trucker fatigue contributes to highway accidents, according to people who would like to see new federal regulations limiting the number of hours drivers can stay on the road. There are similar concerns about the people who move the big planes around the U.S., and, as Bryon Okada of the Fort Worth Star Telegram reports, at least one organization has a plan for keeping tired pilots out of the cockpits.

More demographic shifts ahead for North America (Wednesday, 9/20/00)
Mexico's population is far smaller than that of the United States, but is growing much faster. Mexico is expected to add nearly another third to its population during the next half-century.

What Canada needs in order to become a leader in biotechnology (Wednesday, 9/20/00)
While the 20th century might be seen as the century of physics, the 21st century is likely to belong to biology and its associated technologies. Toronto Star columnist David Crane thinks Canada can move to the front of what may turn out to be the hottest of hi-tech industries before long, but it will take bigger companies and more governmentally-supported research, he says.

Organized labor seems to have increased confidence and possibly increased clout (Wednesday, 9/20/00)
After some discouraging years, labor organizers have reason for optimism. Peter Grier and Daniel Wood write in today's Christian Science Monitor about labor's comeback, while Glen Fest says labor is changing because the work world is changing, and hi-tech has a lot to do with it.

Universities reach out (Wednesday, 9/20/00)
As additional evidence of "globalization," a number of universities not only are offering courses online, but also are establishing campuses and business programs over a wide region. Here's more from David Leonhardt of the New York Times.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: techies.com (Wednesday, 9/20/00)
If you're interested in where to find technical training as well as statistics about demand for technically-trained people in various American markets, techies.com may be for you.

Third day of L.A. transit strike (Tuesday, 9/19/00)
About a half-million people are without their regular transportation in the Los Angeles area because of the big transit strike there, and it's hitting the community's poor hardest because they have few alternatives.

Pension fund dispute goes to court (Tuesday, 9/19/00)
Israel's Histadrut labor federation is in dispute with the Finance Ministry over new pension fund rules that call for the separation of older funds from newer ones. The dispute could lead to strikes. Haim Bior has an explanation.

Cuts at Dana and Kaiser (Tuesday, 9/19/00)
Automotive parts manufacturer Dana Corporation is slicing 3,000 jobs, while Kaiser Aluminum Corporation will cut 540 jobs.

Government labs not attracting and holding talented techies like they used to (Tuesday, 9/19/00)
Katie Hafner of the New York Times reports that government research laboratories are finding it difficult to hang on to the "best and brightest" now that there are so many lucrative opportunities in the private sector. Meanwhile, the current edition of Business Week reports that South Korea is trying to find sufficient support for its hi-tech sector, and while the country's economy has made a remarkable recovery from its version of the "Asian contagion" of several years ago, elements of the old industrial economy are hampering the technology sector. Along similar lines, a key factor in the old industrial economy still influences the new throughout the world, even though the IMF predicts strong global growth. Energy costs are hitting hard in many regions, and a lot of people don't like it. High fuel costs directly affect the economic circumstances and livelihood of truckers and farmers, among others, and fuel protests have spread across Europe and now into the Middle East. For instance, Anat Cygielman reports in today's Ha'aretz that major highways are likely to be clogged today in Israel, and it won't be accidental or coincidental. Warren Hoge of the New York Times says that the UK's PM, Tony Blair, refused to comply with demands to reduce fuel taxes and he won, for the moment, but is likely to pay a political price, because protesters have had surprisingly broad-based public support, despite the inconveniences.

Western Europe attracts impoverished women from the poorer eastern regions (Tuesday, 9/19/00)
Roger Cohen of the New York Times writes about poor women who are going to Western Europe to work as prostitutes.

Declining labor force participation of men in Europe (Tuesday, 9/19/00)
Both younger and older European men are leaving the workforce in larger numbers than during years past, which will exacerbate the effects of an overall decline in the working-age share of the population.

Harry Poppins (Tuesday, 9/19/00)
USA Today's Gregg Zoroya reports that an increasing number of men are becoming nannies.

Thinking big (Tuesday, 9/19/00)
Women in business are advised to "think big" by consultant Aldonna Ambler. Jilian Mincer of the Kansas City Star reports that a lot of women are already doing that in a profession in which women barely had a presence only a few years ago, and, my, how things have changed. If you can guess which profession that is, you are entitled to the coveted NewWork News handshake award.

How well do you know Mr. Greenspan? (Tuesday, 9/19/00)
For instance, did you know that the Chairman of the Federal Reserve was once a Julliard student and also traveled with a dance band? What instrument did he play? Here's more about Justin Martin's new biography of one of the more complex and interesting people that most Americans really don't know at all.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: JumpStart (Tuesday, 9/19/00)
Kids need the 3Rs, probably a C during the hi-tech era, and certainly an M. That is, they need to know about money. JumpStart can help, and comes to you from the Jumpstart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy.

What happened to that oil surplus? (Monday, 9/18/00)
The balance between supply and demand has shifted and has driven up the price of oil. Increased demand has had a lot to do with it, and economic strength over much of the world is a major reason. Now, as James Flanigan of the Los Angeles Times reports, the global economy has become more vulnerable, and, suddenly, economic leaders are focusing on energy issues again.

Fuel protests spread to Israel (Monday, 9/18/00)
Truckers have been protesting high fuel prices in many European countries by disrupting traffic and fuel supplies. Anat Cygielman reports that similar events may be about to occur in Israel. Also in Israel today, a new report indicates that nearly 2/3 of immigrants from the former Soviet Union during the first half of this year are not Jewish.

Many descendants of criminals may return to their ancestral home (Monday, 9/18/00)
Britain originally settled Australia by sending its criminals there in order to get them out of sight and out of mind. Now, many descendants of those early settlers may be packing to return to the UK, because of a proposed effort to deal with a growing shortage of skilled labor. Sue Quinn writes from London for the Sydney Morning Herald that it could amount to a serious "brain drain" for Australia, as the developed world competes with increased vigor for high-level skills. Meanwhile, Australia's Aborigines see the Olympics as offering an opportunity to attract international attention to their problems, including economic ones, and possibly win support at home

Nearly as much as you may need to know about the telecommunications industry (Monday, 9/18/00)
Today's Wall Street Journal contains a special report on all aspects of one of the more important sectors of the new economy: telecommunications. Many articles, and, as usual, all worth reading.

Suddenly, lots of opportunities for the elderly and persons with disabilities (Monday, 9/18/00)
A tight labor market means many employers are looking for workers in places that have been neglected in the past. Here's more from Glen Fest of the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Also, employers are doing their best to hang on to the technically-skilled workers they already have by offering perks you may not have imagined, and this is true in Canada as well as in the U.S.

Better times for those used to low wages (Monday, 9/18/00)
Columnist Amy Lindgren says that fast-food organizations have been offering higher wages in order to attract the people they need. At a time when the White House is trying to obtain an increase in the federal minimum wage, many persons who might have been earning the minimum a few years ago would not be affected by an increase now. However, if the economy begins to slow, conditions for persons at the lower end of the wage scale are likely to return to more familiar levels.

Another look at opportunities in the new economy (Monday, 9/18/00)
There are opportunities for people who want to be their own bosses, but, as David Leonardt of the New York Times reports, there are new problems for free-agents in the new economy. A closer look is making some persons who have intended to strike out on their own decide otherwise and stay in conventional jobs.

What's the speed limit? (Monday, 9/18/00)
Marjorie Olster writes from Chicago that the Federal Reserve really doesn't know what the maximum sustainable rate of noninflationary growth is for the new American economy. Old guidelines don't seem to apply, and nobody really has any new ones.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Inflation Calculator (Monday, 9/18/00)
According to the Inflation Calculator, what cost $100 in 1940 would have cost $1166.75 in 1999. Plug in your own numbers to satisfy your curiosity about the buying power of the American dollar at different points in recent history.

Some satisfaction for European truckers (Sunday, 9/17/00)
The governments of the Netherlands and Hungary will provide subsidies to offset the high cost of fuel, so truckers and others have gained something from their protests in those countries. Not so in Germany or Britain, though, or, at least, not yet.

Will high oil prices make a bust out of the boom? (Sunday, 9/17/00)
The Washington Post's William Drozdiak writes that many economists expect the greatly increased cost of crude oil to bring the world's economic boom to a halt, even though President Clinton said he didn't expect high oil prices to end the boom in the United States. But, of course, what else can he say? It is not possible for presidents to simply describe many kinds of events without influencing them.

Merit-pay for teachers (Sunday, 9/17/00)
Merit-pay for education professionals has been a highly controversial matter for years, with one side arguing that teacher pay should be tied to performance, not ability to take on protective coloring and outlast one's colleagues, and the other side arguing that any merit-pay plan that could be devised would open the door to all sorts of political abuses and unfairness having to do with choice of performance criteria, means of measurement, and the extent to which student achievement is influenced by factors not under the control of educators. Now, however, Cincinnati's is the first public school system in the nation to swtich from a seniority system to a merit-pay system, and the head of the teachers' union supports it.

More H-1B visas may be on the way (Sunday, 9/17/00)
President Clinton is in India where he indicated that legislation to provide more "hi-tech visas" is likely to clear Congress this time and be signed by him. India has a lot of people with hi-tech expertise, and many have come to the U.S. to work. Silicon Valley companies want more.

Shatner still has his job, though (Sunday, 9/17/00)
Actor William Shatner was made famous by his role in the "Star Trek" TV show and films, but he's most familiar currently as a TV spokesman for Priceline.com, which is cutting workers. This should not be interpreted as indicative of trouble, though, according to company officials. Instead, they're intending to control costs and expand further a bit later. Mr. Shatner accepted stock in the company in return for his service in the company's TV commercials.

Get rich slowly (Sunday, 9/17/00)
But, if you can stay on track, it can be pretty much a sure thing. The surest way to become a millionaire is to put some money into a 401(k) every month. At $350 per month and an 8 percent rate of return, it will take you slightly more than a third of a century. Here's more from Kathryn Hopper of the Fort Worth Star Telegram.

The rich vow to help the poor more (Sunday, 9/17/00)
The world's rich nations, which have been getting richer, intend to step up debt relief for the poor nations, which have been getting poorer. Toronto Star columnist David Crane says that everybody has a stake in the world's poverty problem, which influences quality of life for everybody, not just the poor.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Canadian Council on Social Development (Sunday, 9/17/00)
The Canadian Council on Social Development is a nonprofit research and activist organization promoting greater social and economic security for Canadians.

Drivers strike in Los Angeles County (Saturday, 9/16/00)
As we reported yesterday, the transit strike had been delayed for a while in order to give negotiators one last chance to reach an agreement. However, the talks deadlocked, and bus and rail drivers have moved to the picket lines. About 450,000 people who usually ride the busses and trains will be affected.

CPI declines for the first time in 14 years (Saturday, 9/16/00)
Millions of American consumers will welcome news that the Consumer Price Index has declined for the first time since 1986. The CPI is a major measure of inflation, so the latest data strengthen expectations that the Federal Reserve won't find it necessary to raise interest rates again soon, and candidate Gore is likely to welcome this news as well. The Kansas City Star's Diane Stafford writes that the CPI increased by nearly 30 percent during the 1990s, and, while average pay for production workers kept pace, the pay of corporate CEOs increased at a far more rapid rate during that period. Business Week reports that the ratio of top executive pay to average U.S. worker pay is now 475 to 1.

Things will get better slowly for drivers in the UK, but they've gotten a lot worse for many drivers on the European continent (Saturday, 9/16/00)
Warren Hoge of the New York Times writes from London that UK officials are predicting that it will take a couple of weeks before fuel supplies for private vehicles return to normal following the week-long blockade that caused most petrol stations to go dry. However, fuel price protests are causing major disruptions in several other European countries. Demonstrators are trying to persuade their governments to reduce the bottom-line price at the pump by reducing fuel taxes. So far, no governments have agreed.

AltaVista cuts a quarter of its workforce in an effort to become profitable (Saturday, 9/16/00)
For several years, AltaVista has been a familiar search facility on the Internet. Sometime ago, they entered the competition to become a major "portal" and content site, but success in this area has proved difficult for many companies, including Disney. Now, AltaVista has decided to concentrate on its search services and cut 225 jobs. Meanwhile, a New York banking organization has been fighting a hostile takeover attempt and will cut about six percent of its workforce. Robin Sidel has more on the developments at Dime Bancorp.

Teachers who take up the slack at their own expense (Saturday, 9/16/00)
Detroit Free Press columnist Susan Tompor tells about teachers who dip into their own bank accounts in order to provide students with school supplies that they wouldn't otherwise have available.

The Senate will consider the bill that would increase the number of tech visas (Saturday, 9/16/00)
Silicon Valley companies have been pushing for more H-1B visas to allow more workers with hi-tech expertise to enter the U.S. to work. A bill that would do that lost momentum in Congress when President Clinton indicated last spring that increases would have to be connected to more general immigration policies changes. The Senate will focusing on the bill next week, but the partisan battle over immigration policy has not been resolved, so the chances of its becoming law are fairly slim at the moment, unless a deal can be worked out. Meanwhile, this Washington Post story tells about people who have been working the U.S. under H-1B visas with the expectation that they would be able to stay in the U.S. permanently, but, for many time has run out, and they're packing to go back home.

Workers moved out of harm's way (Saturday, 9/16/00)
Offshore oil workers in the Gulf of Mexico are being moved to safety as forecasters predict that a tropical depression will become a hurricane by Monday. Here's more from Andrew Kelly reporting from Houston.

Nicaragua's unionization battle (Saturday, 9/16/00)
David Gonzalez of the New York Times reports that many people in Nicaragua are having to choose between union membership and their jobs.

Aftermath of the Bayh-Dole Act (Saturday, 9/16/00)
Dave Beal writes that the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 made it possible for American research universities to patent research results that have been supported by federally-funded research, and this has led to technology transfer through an array of close relationships between universities and corporations. Incidentally, students of very recent American political history will recognize the authors of that influential legislation. Republican Senator Robert Dole was Senate Majority Leader as well as a candidate for President of the United States. Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana was defeated by Dan Quayle who served in the U.S. Senate before becoming Vice-President in George Bush's Republican administration. It shows that partisan propaganda during a campaign is one thing. Getting the nation's business done is something else, and it is possible for prominent members of both major parties to work together productively.

Health care cost increases hit the feds (Saturday, 9/16/00)
The cost of health care for federal workers is expected to increase by 10.5 percent. Here's more from one of Washington, D. C.'s hometown newspapers.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: EcEdWeb (Saturday, 9/16/00)
EcEdWeb offers a wide range of resources for economic educators at all levels and comes to you from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Transit strike delayed in L.A. (Friday, 9/15/00)
Negotiators representing rail and bus drivers in Los Angeles have decided to give talks a chance for another twenty-hours. A planned strike has been delayed, which means that 450,000 residents of the area will continue to be able to get to work and other places for a while.

Widening fuel protests (Friday, 9/15/00)
As the fuel blockade ends in Britain, fuel supplies, while still short, are increasing, and the country is trying to get back to normal, which is also the case in Belgium, although truckers and farmers see nothing normal about the situation. Protests of high fuel prices have spread to Ireland and Spain, as well as the Netherlands. In the U.S., President Clinton doesn't expect high oil prices to be sufficient to set off a recession.

U.S. and Russia get together on fighting economic crime (Friday, 9/15/00)
Officials of the two countries are meeting in Moscow to discuss ways they can work together to reduce cross-border economic crimes, such as the movement of "economic contraband."

It's possible to be too optimistic too early about North Koreas apparent domestication, writer says (Friday, 9/15/00)
There may be less reason to expect that, in one final irrational paroxysm, the North Korean government will fire missiles into Seoul, which lies within sight of the border between the two countries. Still, while tensions seem to be easing, extreme caution is indicated, according to David Lague, the Sydney Morning Herald's foreign affairs correspondent.

The stress of being a police officer in New South Wales (Friday, 9/15/00)
A large number of NSW police officers are on sick leave with what appear to be stress-related illnesses, and their police association appears ready to take the matter to court in order to claim damages.

Northwest's mechanics want quite a lot more money (Friday, 9/15/00)
Tony Kennedy of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that talks between Northwest Airlines and its mechanics are underway. The AMFA's proposal would more than double the pay of many mechanics, according to company officials.

More about the motivation of entrepreneurs (Friday, 9/15/00)
Research indicates that highly creative people tend to be very independent and self-sufficient, as well as intrinsically motivated. Many entrepreneurs fall into this category, and, according to Neal St. Anthony's report, the experts aren't surprised to find that many people who start successful businesses weren't primarily interested in getting rich. We aren't either. Surprised, that is.

What's so great about having nothing to do? (Friday, 9/15/00)
Many people recognize that work can provide many benefits in addition to livelihood, and a century-long trend seems to be reversing. Glenn Ruffenach of the Wall Street Journal reports that the idea of early retirement has lost its charm for a lot of people.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: growthink (Friday, 9/15/00)
growthink wants to help you with your "digital marketplace" business plan and other matters, for a fee.

Fuel blockades appear to fail (Thursday, 9/14/00)
The governmetns of Britain, Belgium, and Germany have refused to respond to blockades conducted by truckers and farmers by lowering fuel taxes, and it appears that the governments have won. The UK's PM Tony Blair has demanded that the blockade end, and it sppears that his demands have been heard. Organizers are saying that to have continued would have meant loss of public support. Similarly, Mike Collett-White reports that a blockade in Germany has ended. Not everybody is suffering from the high oil prices, though. Judith Ingram reports from Moscow that Russia's economy is enjoying a boost. In fact, it has experiencing the highest rates of economic growth in recent years. Meanwhile, a labor dispute results in violence at a chemical plant in the Ural Mountains.

North Korea asks its cousin to the south for food assistance (Thursday, 9/14/00)
It just may be that the Korean penninsula is no longer the most dangerous place on earth. Tensions seem to have eased considerably between the two Koreas, one a rich industrial nation becoming increasingly democratic; the other totalitarian, Stalinist, often irrational, and with a catastrophic economy. Now, North Korea is asking South Korea for food, and the North's Kim Jong-il may be visiting Seoul before long.

Bill LIKES Malaysia and goes there often, he says (Thursday, 9/14/00)
Billionaire Bill Gates has been attending the big economic conference in Melbourne, Australia where large numbers of protesters have tried to disrupt the meeting. In fact, riot police had to clear a path for him so that he could get inside the hall to speak. However, he hasn't been attending meetings of MSC's International Advisory Panel, even though he's a member. MSC stands for " Multimedia Super Corridor," Maylasia's version of Silicon Valley.

Sex harassment suit at the White House (Thursday, 9/14/00)
A pastry chef is bringing suit against her boss in the White House kitchen, as well as President Clinton, who is included in the harassment suit because assistant pastry chef Franette McCullouch says he failed to put a system in place for resolving complaints.

Journal asks America about its opinions (Thursday, 9/14/00)
Today's Wall Street Journal contains a special section on American opinion, as it does periodically.

Teachers in Buffalo leave their classes again (Thursday, 9/14/00)
Striking teachers had been out, then back. Now, they're out again. Here's more from Carolyn Thomposin in Buffalo, New York.

Leaders express optimism in Japan (Thursday, 9/14/00)
Japan's leaders are de-emphasizing the possibility that more spending might be necessary to stimulate the Japanese economy so that it will come solidly out of the worst recession since World War II. They're cautiously optimistic, they say.

Not everybody is loving America right now (Thursday, 9/14/00)
The United States is the only remaining military superpower in the world, and it also has an econony that continues unprecedented strength after nearly a decade of contuous expansion--the longerst expansion in all of American history. As a consequence, American influence in the world is also unprecedented, perhaps as great as any state since the days of the Roman Empire. But, as Justin Brown of the Christian Science Monitor reports, not everybody likes this situation, and there is a growing backlash. Incidentally, Alan Krueger says that, while many factors are playing a role in America's economic strength, a lower rate of workplace injuries and illnesses has been helping quite a lot.

What you may have been able to learn from "Survivor" about being a survivor (Thursday, 9/14/00)
Columnist Diane Stafford suggests you might even be able to learn something from television about how to conduct your career in a competitive workplace.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Inter@ctive Week: Management (Thursday, 9/14/00)
Here's the management resource page from the online version of Inter@ctive Week magazine. It's help handling management responsibilities in the new information economy.

Bad day for trying to get from point A to point B in Britain (Wednesday, 9/13/00)
More than 6,000 petrol stations were out of petrol across Britain yesterday, and angry truckers did their best to communicate a strong message about high fuel taxes. In fact, as Lyndsay Griffiths reports from London, they've been personally carrying the message to Number 10 Downing Street. The Prime Minister has vowed that his government will not yield to this kind of pressure, but the UK is in its worst fuel crisis in a quarter century.

Protests arising out of the high cost of fuel have spread over much of Europe. In Germany, the Chancellor also is vowing not to yield to pressure to cut fuel taxes in order to bring the overall cost of fuel down. Despite relatively high gasoline prices and concerns about the cost of heating oil this winter, things have been far less chaotic in the U.S., but one reason may be that Americans have to pay less for fuel than Europeans. OPEC has agreed to increase production somewhat, but a major part of the problem is that consumption has been running very high, in part because of good economic times with more money floating around. If you think that the solution is simply to produce more oil so that more can be consumed, you haven't been thinking much about the growing environmental crisis, including global warming. It's fairly easy to solve PART of a problem.

London workers most stressed in the UK (Wednesday, 9/13/00)
A new survey finds that work is more stressful in London, but more people are happy with their work than unhappy with it.

Big IMF meeting scheduled in Prague (Wednesday, 9/13/00)
Alan Crosby says that 35,000 participants in a major meeting of the International Monetary Fund will find that the Czech Republic is a different place from what it was the when they met there in 1994. The economy is in recession, privatization has stalled, and even the old Communist party is showing new signs of life. Incidentally, the IMF has announced that it is satisfied with Uganda's plans for reducing poverty and other reforms and has agreed to provide a loan of $11.6 million.

Preparing the next generation of workers (Wednesday, 9/13/00)
Participants in a key meeting in Ottawa seem to agree that major investment in children is the key to Canada's economic future, and the government will invest $2.2 billion in early childhood development over the next five years.

The U.S. regularly expels Israeli tech experts (Wednesday, 9/13/00)
Haim Bior of Ha'aretz reports that many Israeli engineers or financial experts are expelled from the U.S. because of failing to comply with immigration regulations.

Job losses would be offset by real estate gains in New York (Wednesday, 9/13/00)
A merger between Chase Manhattan and J. P. Morgan isn't likely to result in major job losses, but it will free up much-need office space in New York City, according to experts. Here's more from Jayson Blair in the New York Times.

Conflict over laid-off workers at Pictsweet (Wednesday, 9/13/00)
Pictsweet is a mushroom farm, and it recently laid off 15 workers. The company and United Farm Workers organizers are in disagreement about why Pictsweet lost a major contract. Here's more from Fred Alvarez of the Los Angeles Times.

Irish unemployment hits another low (Wednesday, 9/13/00)
The unemployment rate in the Republic of Ireland declined to 4.3 percent during the second quarter of this year. Here's more from Arthur Beesley of the Irish Times.

A work still in progress (Wednesday, 9/13/00)
Carla Crowder reports in the Rocky Mountain News that the person who designed Colorado's 1997 welfare reform law isn't satisfied yet. There needs to be follow-up and additional support, he says.

How Danes feel about life in Denmark (Wednesday, 9/13/00)
Denmark is one of the Scandinavian countries that still has high taxes supporting a strong safety net and elaborate social welfare system, but most seem satisfied with the way things are. In fact, as this Financial Review points out, economic growth and employment have been fairly strong in the Scandinavian countries, despite the expectations of those in other regions who have favored smaller government, privatization, and other policies that would largely dismantle the welfare state. At the same time, as we've reported earlier, a variety of different approaches have been working quite well to bring Asian economies back from the "Asian contagion" of three years ago. It all suggests that we don't really understand the new economy very well. Sometimes, nearly anything seems to work, while other times, almost nothing seems to work.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Worldwide Crisis in the Welfare State (Wednesday, 9/13/00)
Here's Michel Camdessus' speech from October 15, 1998 when he was still Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. He called it Worldwide Crisis in the Welfare State: What next in the Context of Globaliazation?

Health care costs on the rise again (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
Managed care caught on in the first place because American health care costs were increasing far faster than the overall inflation rate or most other things. Over the years since, health costs moderated, but there have been many complaints from patients as well as health-care professionals that the U.S. traded a health-care cost crisis for a health-care cris. Now, costs are increasing again too, so the American system may be in the process of developing some of the worst of both worlds. However, a new survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust says that employers, guided by the realities of a tight labor market, aren't passing the increased costs on to their workers.

More conflict at the Economic Forum in Melbourne (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
Two-hundred riot police had to create a path through protesters and a blockade so that delegates to the three-day economic forum could leave the meetings. Earlier, they cleared a path for Microsoft's Bill Gates.

More effort to balance old books (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
Nazi slaves and their descendants will be paid reparations, and there is a movement in the United States, not yet on the front pages at this point, to compensate the descendants of American slaves for their unpaid labor and great misery. Now, former slave laborers have filed a lawsuit against Japan.

Learning online (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
Today's Wall Street Journal contains one of the ambitious special reports for which the great biz mag is famous. This time, it's "back to school," including help in finding the best courses online. Also, David Woodruff writes in the Journal about a taboo that's giving way in Europe: disclosure of executive pay. The Wall Street Journal is available on the web in U.S. European, and Asian editions, but, following a free trial period, there is a subscription fee.

Food chain fined for child labor violations (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
Rainbow Foods in the Twin Cities has been fined $175,000 for violating child labor laws. Two-hundred-fifty-two minors were found to be working at 37 Rainbow grocery stores.

Will there always be a Canada? (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
Some years ago, a well-known political scientist predicted that the western Canadian provinces might very well become part of the United States, given that they are English-speaking and that most of the people who live in them live within a few miles of the U.S. border and have various connections to American life. Columnist David Crane things that Canada will survive, but the real question is whether it will continue to be relevant, and that depends on whether it will innovate, according to him.

Changes for more of Qwest's workers (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
As we've reported earlier, many of the people who thought they would be working for Qwest once its merger with U.S. West was complete have found that they will be among the thousands to be cut. However, many of the survivors will experience some major changes too, particularly if they are not paid union salaries. Martin Moylan writes about merit pay and related topics. Speaking of cuts, Amnon Barzilai of Ha'aretz reports that Israeli defense industries are warning that defense budget cuts in that country could result in the loss of as many as 17,500 jobs by 2008.

How much of Silicon Valley's hi-tech labor shortage is real? (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
Norman Matloff believes that many of America's hi-tech companies, in urging that more foreigners be allowed into the U.S. to work in tech industries, are really looking for cheaper technical labor, not more of it.

Explaining the continued existence of want ads (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
Columnist Amy Lindgren says that, despite much opinion to the contrary, wants ads can work for job-seekers, and she has some advice about how to get the most out of them.

Would it pay as well to stay at home? (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
John Cunniff examines the value of a second income when there are children in the family.

A truck is coming up behind you...fast...so, is the driver awake? (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
The government and various consumer groups would like to see new rules governing how many hours truckers can spend on the road, but truckers themselves tend to oppose the idea. More time on the road means more miles traveled and that means more income during a time when many operators are feeling greatly squeezed. But, many are too tired too, according to some observers, and that can mean accidents.

How do you feel about retirement? (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
Dru Sefton writes that many experts feel that we don't know enough about retirement decisions, despite their great impact on patterns of life. Emotions play a significant role, though, according to this article. USA Today opened a retirement hotline, and here are some of the things people had to say.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Retirement Planning (Tuesday, 9/12/00)
Here are many things about Retirement Planning from the "About Network."

WEF meeting disrupted by protesters (Monday, 9/11/00)
Violence has broken out as protesters have attempted to shut down the World Economic Forum meeting in Melbourne, Australia. About 1,500 demonstrators had gathered as the three-day meeting got underway. Organizers had predicted that as many as 30,000 people would be part of the protest. Security has been very tight, and hundreds of police sealed off the area the night before the start of talks.

Fuel price protests heat up in several countries (Monday, 9/11/00)
The blockade is over in France, but truckers in Belgium, Britain, and Ireland are demanding lower fuel prices and trying to put pressure on their governments to make it happen. What can government do? Lower fuel taxes, truckers say, but they're not necessarily getting a sympathetic governmental ear. Here's more from Gilles Castonguay who reports from Brussels. Meanwhile, if you've been assuming that workers always seem to be shutting things down in France, assume again. The OECD says that France actually loses fewer work days to strikes than the United States.

Teachers return to Buffalo's classrooms without a deal (Monday, 9/11/00)
A strike of teachers in Buffalo, New York resulted in the cancellation of two days of classes, and agreement still hasn't been reached on a new contract. Nonetheless, teachers have returned to their classrooms anyway.

Democrats hope that America's farmers will help them retain the White House (Monday, 9/11/00)
County star and former farmer Willie Nelson, head of the Farm Aid organization, has issued an invitation to presidential candidates to appear at his upcoming Farm Aid fundraising concert which will soon be held in Virginia near Washington, D. C. He believes that farmers may determine the outcome of the presidential election this year, and, according to Charles Abbott, Democratic strategists may agree. American agriculture continues to be experiencing hard times, and family farmers, in particular, may be happy to give their support to whomever they expect will be able to help. Elliott Minor reports that many of those who are managing to stay on the land also have jobs in town to make ends meet.

Trouble spots? (Monday, 9/11/00)
For several years, various pundits have predicted that the strong American economy would run out of gas, but, so far, that hasn't happened. However, Gene Colter says that this might turn out to be almost literally true this time, because high oil prices, combined with other factors, could dampen things considerably. Meanwhile, John Gallagher of the Detroit Free Press writes that a report from the Economic Policy Institute already finds things wrong with the economy, even while it's still strong. They offer a top 10 list, in fact.

Keeping an eye on junior (Monday, 9/11/00)
Because of her own experiences, a woman started a company that sells video over the Internet to working parents so that they can look in on their children. Here's more from Matthew Ebnet of the Los Angeles Times.

A Latin American hi-tech center (Monday, 9/11/00)
In a number of attractive ways, Costa Rica has contrasted with many of its Latin American neighbors for years, including standard of living and quality of life. Now, as Traci Carl reports, an abundance of educated people is attracting hi-tech companies and good jobs. Canada also seems to have made the transition from an economy based on natural resources to one driven by high-technology. Here's more from Ian Karleff in Toronto.

If you're having difficulty attracting workers, it may be because you're in the wrong place (Monday, 9/11/00)
During an earlier, less prosperous time, many people seemed willing to live nearly anyplace if they could have some degree of job security and fairly good pay. Not so for high-demand workers in the new economy, according to Paul Van Slambrouck of the Christian Science Monitor. For many, it's like the real estate business: location, location, location. Many people are making career choices based on lifestyle considerations.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Student Viewpoints (Monday, 9/11/00)
What are students thinking? Student Viewpoints offers an opportunity for them to describe their best and worst higher ed experiences for the benefit of each other and perhaps their colleges and universities as well.

Truckers and farmers let the oil flow again (Sunday, 9/10/00)
The blockade is over in France, but vigorous protests continue in other European countries because of high oil prices.

Candidates discover those in a tight squeeze, despite booming economy (Sunday, 9/10/00)
The American economy has been expanding for nearly a decade now, and, by conventional measures, is in very good shape, to the extent that professor, journalist, and advisor to four presidents, David Gergen, and others, are beginning to expect a "golden age" in America. Still, as Louis Uchitelle of the New York Times reports, many Americans live from paycheck to paycheck and feel as though they're barely making it. Suddenly, these voters have become a major target in the presidential campaign.

If you can't fight it, join it, fix it (Sunday, 9/10/00)
The Toronto Star's celebrated biz columnist, David Crane, says the heads of state who met at the UN last week seem to agree that globalization is here to stay. So, what to do? Fix it, he says.

Executive training vs. executive education (Sunday, 9/10/00)
According to the head of the Carlson School of Management's Executive Development Center at the University of Minnesota, the former deals with "softer" executive skills and is vulnerable to fads. Bill Scheurer's program concentrates on the latter, he says, and here's more from Mike Myers of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Too few Ms. or Mr. Chips (Sunday, 9/10/00)
There is a shortage of computer chip designers, and it's getting worse. Meanwhile, Tom Fowler of the Houston Chronicle says that hi-tech workers in the Houston area are no longer social isolates. Because of growth in the tech sector in America's energy capital, techies are finding other techies to talk to.

A far cry from the kids staying with grandma for a while, but not necessarily better...for the kids or for grandma (Sunday, 9/10/00)
Daisy Whitney of the Denver Post reports that day-care has become a big industry to which big corporate money is now attracted, and Nina Rao says that on-site care has become a major perk at work.

The most "prestigious" occupations (Sunday, 9/10/00)
Americans still look up to physicians and scientists most, according to a new Harris poll, but teachers and military officers have gained status in the eyes of people surveyed.

Apparently, you can relax about going part-time for a while (Sunday, 9/10/00)
Margaret Steen of the San Jose Mercury News says that a new study from Catalyst indicates that part-time work doesn't have to damage your long-term career prospects.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Agricultural Economics Virtual Library (Sunday, 9/10/00)
The Agricultural Economics Virtual Library is a place to begin if you're interested in finding information about a critical and often troubled sector of the global economy.

Layoffs in the Russian military (Saturday, 9/9/00)
Russia will cut about a third of its military, which means that about 350,000 people will be looking for other work. Why has Russia been trying to maintain such a huge military force ten years after the end of the Cold War? Habit, possibly, although the civilian job market has been a disaster the way it is, without adding hundreds of thousands of additional job seekers. Still, this may not represent a startling change for many, because, as we have reported for the past couple of years, many members of what was the once-proud Red Army haven't been getting paid anyway. It gives new meaning to the term "volunteer military."

Meanwhile, the American military, the Red Army's old foe, is in far better condition, but it's always difficult to maintain a military's state of readiness during peacetime, and, in a democracy, it can be difficult to maintain sufficient funding. Justin Brown of the Christian Science Monitor writes that one of the presidential candidates may be at least partly right about one thing: there does seem to be a morale problem in the American military, and increased pay may not be enough to fix it. For one thing, the public doesn't spend much time thinking about those who serve in the armed services when everything seems to be peaceful, just as we don't think much about the fire department until the house is ablaze.

United's pilots get set to vote (Saturday, 9/9/00)
A tentative deal has been reached between United Airlines and its pilots, and now the way is clear for a ratification vote.

Post-merger plans for getting the entire choir singing off the same page (Saturday, 9/9/00)
Verizon Communications is what the merged successor of GTE and Bell Atlantic is called these days, and you will recall that a lengthy strike was settled recently at that company. Now, as Andrea Ahles reports, Verizon has decided to