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Fewer help wanted ads (Thursday, 5/31/01)
The Help Wanted Advertising Index declined during the month of April, but the Conference Board, probably best-known for its Index of Leading Economic Indicators, reports that demand for skilled workers has stabilized.

A nurses' strike may be averted (Thursday, 5/31/01)
Thousands of nurses could still strike at various Twin Cities' hospitals, but agreement has been reached at five locations. Speaking of health, fewer retired workers enjoy employer-sponsored health benefits, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute

Workers at South Korean auto company vow to fight G.M. takeover bid (Thursday, 5/31/01)
Troubled Daewoo Motors has been trying to make itself attractive to General Motors, in part by laying off workers. There has been much resistance over recent months, including violent protests. Now, that G.M. is prepared offer a formal proposal, workers at the Daewoo plant in Inchon say they will fight on.

H.I.V. screening ends (Thursday, 5/31/01)
The U.S. Department of State will no longer screen applicants for jobs in diplomatic missions around the world for H.I.V.Here's more from Christopher Marquis of the New York Times.

Attrition declines (Thursday, 5/31/01)
Matt Krantz and Stephanie Armour report that many companies that have been hoping that attrition would reduce the necessity for layoffs are finding that more workers are staying in their jobs. So, more layoffs may be necessary after all.

If you have at least as many years as wheels, you may be able to pilot those big trucks (Thursday, 5/31/01)
The fact that accident is a leading cause of death among young people makes many observers nervous about the idea of allowing 18-year-olds to drive the big 18-wheelers. It's one possible way of coping with a shortage of drivers, and the Department of Transportation will have to decide.

More on the global increases in slavery (Thursday, 5/31/01)
Elizabeth Olson writes from Geneva for the New York Times about the new report from the International Labor Organization on the increase in forced labor over much of the world. Children and women are at greatest risk, according to the ILO.

Consequences of "living wage" laws (Thursday, 5/31/01)
People are happy to be paid enough to live on...if they can keep their jobs at all. However, Barbara Whitaker reports from Santa Monica, California that some jobs are disappearing entirely. About fifty U.S. cities now have ordinances mandating that some workers be paid at a level regarded by some as a "living wage," rather than at a legally determined minimum wage. The "living wage" issue relates to one of the oldest economic arguments. When the state interferes with the setting or prices by a market system, is it likely to do more harm than good to those it is intended to benefit?

The changing nature of retirement in the United States (Thursday, 5/31/01)
Cornell University researchers find that retirement no longer necessarily means the end of work for many Americans. Moreover, with two careers in the family, it means having to deal with and coordinate two retirements. Results of the study appear in the current edition of Social Psychology Quarterly.

Some teens seek more traditional summer work (Thursday, 5/31/01)
Noel Paul reports that more teens are sticking close to home this summer and accepting jobs that may seem less ambitious than some of those during recent summers.

The high cost of employee benefits (Thursday, 5/31/01)
Despite a general slowing of the American economy, the labor market remains relatively tight, and this means that many employers are faced with finding effective ways to hang on to the valuable workers they already have. Employee benefits remain an important tool in this regard, and a new study from the United States Chamber of Commerce finds that benefits add more than a third to the cost of worker wages. The U.S. Air Force has had to findcreative new ways of competingwith civilian employers in order to attract scarce technically-skilled workers as well. Here's more from today's Washington Post.

You're probably being watched (Thursday, 5/31/01)
Hi-tech makes it easy to monitor employee behavior to a greater extent and in ways not possible before, and three-quarters of U.S. employers are taking advantage of the capabilities and are keeping close watch. Eric Auchard discusses the growing privacy concerns.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: A Day in the Life of... (Thursday, 5/31/01)
The Association for Computing Machinery is the first educational and scientific computing society, and was formed in 1947. Crossroads is a student-run publication supported by ACM and offers its readers an opportunity to examine A Day in the Life of...people already working in a variety of roles and types of organizations in order to gain a sense of how they got into their present positions and how they spend their time at work.

Isuzu to cut more than a quarter of its workforce (Monday, 5/28/01)
Japanese truck manufacturer Isuzu Motors will slice 9,700 jobs over the next three years. Here's more from Yuka Obayashi in Tokyo.

Checks will soon be in the mail (Monday, 5/28/01)
One-hundred million taxpayers can expect rebate checks after the President signs the new tax-cut bill into law. The Treasury Department is getting ready now. The new law will offer expanded limits on retirement savings as well.

Dot-coms that are still hot (Monday, 5/28/01)
Reed Stevenson reports that, despite an overall economic slump that has lasted for a decade, Japan is attracting Internet companies looking for revenue following the meltdown in the U.S. But, some American e-commerce sites are continuing to do quite well. For example, sites operated by the U.S. government did $3.6 billion worth of business last year.

Grim commerce (Monday, 5/28/01)
The smuggling of human beings has become a highly organized big business. For instance, thousands of people are pouring into Europe from poorer regions of the world.

Finding a job after you thought you already had one (Monday, 5/28/01)
Some new graduates had accepted job offers which have now been rescinded, leaving them hanging in an uncomfortable position. Here are details from today's Washington Post.

Proactivity during a time of layoffs (Monday, 5/28/01)
Nationally syndicated Chicago Tribune columnist Carol Kleiman says that career experts say you shouldn't wait until you receive the layoff notice before taking action. You need a proactive strategy, and you may be able to make yourself too valuable to fire. Amy Lindgren also passes on some advice on how to achieve a soft landing.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Current Value of Old Money (Monday, 5/28/01)
What would that much be worth today? This is the kind of question that Current Value of Old Money can help with. This site comes from the United Kingdom and provides access to a variety of resources and references.

Bush gets most of his tax cut (Sunday, 5/27/01)
It's been a fairly big news week in Washington, and only in big-time American politics can a $1.35 trillion tax cut be eclipsed by other D.C. news. The President is claiming a political victory, as one might expect, but, as Frank Bruni of the New York Times reports, it's a mixed bag--not only economically, but also politically, considering that Bush's signing of the bill into law marks his party's loss of control of the Senate. The tax cut has been sold by the Administration as a stimulus for the sluggish American economy, but it's heavily back-loaded, so that by the time most of it kicks in, the economy is likely to be in a very different stage anyway. Also, as many as 35 million Americans may not experience the tax saving that they expect because of now being subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax.

Why interest rate cuts aren't having all their intended effects (Sunday, 5/27/01)
The Federal Reserve would like to see the falling cost of renting somebody else's money stimulate more business activity. However, as Hal Mattern of the Arizona Republic reports, many business people aren't in the market for loans right now, whatever the rates. One reason may be the glut of present-generation technology. Businesses are likely to begin investing in tech again when the next generation enters the market, and that will mean more borrowing. It will also mean that the technology sector will come back and give another boost to the entire economy.

Another bubble waiting to burst? (Sunday, 5/27/01)
A stock rally has been going on, but the underlying economic realities don't seem to justify it, according to the Washington Post. Will investors get burned again?

What's behind the conflict involving Twin Cities' nurses? (Sunday, 5/27/01)
Glenn Howatt and Josephine Marcotty report in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune that the essence of the conflict that could lead to a strike of nurses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area is the prevailing patient-staff ratio. Martin Levison says that nurses claim that the staff shortage has raised job-stress to unacceptable levels.

Energy sector becomes more attractive to new business grads (Sunday, 5/27/01)
Energy has gotten less boring to young people leaving universities with business degrees this year. Here's more from Carolyn Koo in New York.

Support improves for Indian immigrants as their numbers increase (Sunday, 5/27/01)
India produces a lot of highly-trained tech experts, and, given the U.S. market for technical skills during recent years, this has meant that many have been attracted to work in the United States. Given the vast cultural differences, many have felt that they have moved to a different planet. However, as their numbers have increased, some are finding a little bit of their home culture in their own American communities. Many immigrants enter the U.S. illegally, as well, but, for the most part, not from India. Eric Schmitt discusses America's ambivalent attitude toward illegal immigration. On the one hand, we encourage them to come and welcome them and we need them. On the other hand, we spend a lot of national treasure trying to keep them out, and, when unsuccessful, to track them down and send them back home. In some ways, it's reminiscent of Lincoln's famous "house divided" speech about a different issue. Sooner or later, it's probably going to have to be all the one way or all the other, although a practical compromise might be in the works.

Free Agent Nation reviewed (Sunday, 5/27/01)
Daniel Pink's book, Free Agent Nation, has been attracting a lot of attention. Here's a look at it from Fred Andrews of the New York Times. The main thrust has to do with something that many people, including us, have been talking about for a number of years. In the new economy, quite a number of people will work for a living but not have jobs, as we've traditionally understood them. Speaking of jobs, David Leonhardt tells how it feels to be laid off, even during a period of relatively high employment. Also, Harold Brubaker of the Philadelphia Inquirer says that you should not expect longevity to protect you from layoff. In fact, if you're no longer all that young and you've been on the job for a long time, your employer may be gunning for you right now. Speaking of older workers, the City of Edmonton has a lot of them, and they're not trying to get rid of them. Still, there will be a lot of retirements within in a short period of time, and the city has the task of replace those people during a time when skilled workers are not easy to find. Here's more from Bill Mah of the Edmonton Journal.

The great Gordon Moore is retiring (Sunday, 5/27/01)
If you don't know who Gordon Moore is, you may still be using an upright typewriter for much of your work. Mr. Moore is cofounder of Intel Corporation and may be best-known for "Moore's Law." Matt Richtel had an opportunity to ask him a few questions about technology, the acceleration of change, and other topics.

The fine art of lying (Sunday, 5/27/01)
Lawrence Van Gelder says that some of the reasons people offer for not being able to get to work are just, well, entertaining.

That brief EuroAmerican interlude on the Great Plains (Sunday, 5/27/01)
Native Americans occupied the Americas for tens of thousands of years before the arrival of the Europeans. It seemed that life on the Great Plains changed permanently during the latter part of the 19th century as white settlers subjugated the Indians and took control of the land. However, as Timothy Egan reports, vast areas of the Plains are now being largely abandoned by whites, and both Native Americans and the bison are coming back.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Agri-Search (Sunday, 5/27/01)
Agri-Search is a job placement firm specializing in agriculture.

Greenspan was right about the economy's not yet being "out of the woods" (Saturday, 5/26/01)
New data released yesterday by the Commerce Department show that the American economy grew at a slower rate than expected during the first quarter of 2001, and Chairman Greenspan hinted that further interest rate cuts could be coming. Here's more from today's Washington Post.

The various ways to greatly abuse children (Saturday, 5/26/01)
Children are routinely sold into slavery in the Ivory Coast, which government officials acknowledge, but they're saying that child slavery is not common on their cocoa plantations. In Sierre Leone, children have been forced to work as combat soldiers in that country's 10-year civil war. Finally, 600 of them have been released and will be allowed to make an attempt to get on with their lives and do at least some of what children should be able to do. Here's more on the child soldiers of Sierre Leone from today's New York Times.

Boeing hires Russian engineers (Saturday, 5/26/01)
Despite frequent stories about a Russian infrastructure that has been failing or falling apart, in technical circles, Russian engineers have an international reputation for being very bright and creative, as well as for being able to get a lot out of the tools they have had to work with. For example, in the West, fast processors and cheap memory have encouraged the development of a generation of software engineers and programmers who aren't used to writing really tight, efficient code. Not so in Russia where engineers often have to work with computers that many Americans would set out on the curb for trash pickup. Sabrina Tavernise reports from Moscow that many talented Russian engineers are being welcomed with enthusiasm at Boeing.

Media staff reductions (Saturday, 5/26/01)
Disney owns ABC and ABC News is reducing its staff by offering early retirement incentives. Eighty-five people in the news division are accepting buyouts, but they are a small proportion of the 4,000 jobs that the parent company intends to eliminate. Meanwhile, in London, Reuters, the world's largest news wire service organization, is cutting management jobs.

The story isn't real; maybe the actors aren't either (Saturday, 5/26/01)
Computer-generated imaging capabilities are increasing with lightning speed, particularly if you're a Hollywood producer able to throw a lot of money at the screen. "Special effects" are becoming less special and more ordinary, and many sets and props seen on the screen exist only in studio computers. How much longer will human actors be needed?

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Attorney Jobs (Saturday, 5/26/01)
Lawyers can find jobs as well as obtain career guidance and information on attorneyjobs.com.

Death in the desert (Friday, 5/25/01)
Fourteen people have died in the Arizona desert after being misled by smugglers. The smugglers involved in this incident aren't the only ones who apparently believe that human life is cheap. A new report from the International Labor Organization indicates that various forms of slavery are on the increase throughout much of the world.

Gore comes out of seclusion and talks tech (Friday, 5/25/01)
Things can change quickly and people can forget quickly in politics. For instance, suddenly a man from South Dakota whose name most Americans might not recognize is one of the most powerful politicians in the country and in position to be leader of the Democratic Party. What ever happened to Clinton, and what ever became of old what's his name? Al Gore's been notably, and some say, mysteriously silent on environmental issues lately, despite his long identification as an environmental activist and all the attention drawn to these issues by the Bush II administration. And, although he didn't invent the Internet, the former Vice President also has said a lot on technology's role in modern life. Moreover, it appears that he has still more to say. In a speech to technology leaders, Mr. Gore compared current information technology to the invention of the electric motor. Productivity increases depend, not just on the technological advances themselves, but on human organization that takes advantage of the new capabilities. New tools require new ways of doing things, he said.

Too early to relax entirely (Friday, 5/25/01)
The Chairman of the Federal Reserve suggested in a speech to the Economic Club of New York that there may be little or no additional aggressive rate cutting, but that the American economic slump isn't over. The economy is still vulnerable, he suggested, so the Fed and others will be watching closely. Also, Mr. Greenspan indicated that the "wealth effect" isn't well understood, so it isn't clear how falling stock prices will impact on consumer spending.

Med costs on the rise again (Friday, 5/25/01)
American hospitals are collecting more from insurers, and the insurers are passing those higher costs on to employers and consumers. It amounts to the biggest health cost increases in a number of years. Here's more from Milt Freudenheim of the New York Times.

TWA settles harassment suit (Friday, 5/25/01)
Trans World Airlines has been accused of maintaining a hostile work environment at its facilities at JFK International Airport. The airline has not acknowledged liability, but it will pay dozens of women in order to settle the suit, according to the EEOC.

Texas Legislature moving toward increasing some risks for employers (Friday, 5/25/01)
If legislation moving through the Legislature becomes law, Texas companies will still be able to opt out of the workers' comp program, but they won't be able to force employees to agree not to sue them for on-the-job injuries.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: students.gov (Friday, 5/25/01)
There are a great many governmental resources of special interest to students. Here's a gateway which students interested in financial aid, international study, career development, and other issues will find very helpful.

Tax cut passed by the Senate (Thursday, 5/24/01)
In an historic turnaround, by the time you read this, the United States Senate is likely to be under the control of the Democrats, which many observers expect to change nearly everything in Washington. However, in a bipartisan vote of 62-38, the Senate has approved a $1.35 trillion tax cut. The Vermont Senator who is responsible for the historic shift of power in the Congress cast what is likely to be his last vote as a Republican, and it was in favor of the cut. The President is pleased with the Senate vote, and thinks a big tax cut will be the medicine that the ailing economy needs, even though many observers are forecasting an economic acceleration by the end of the year, and much of the tax cut wouldn't take effect until long after that. There are significant differences between the Senate version and the House version, and these must be reconciled before a bill will be sent to President Bush, so stay tuned.

Layoffs in anticipation of a nurses strike (Thursday, 5/24/01)
If no agreement is reached between the Minnesota Nurses Association and Twin Cities area hospitals, a strike could begin on June 1. The Allina Health System plans to lay off 1,000 workers in preparation. In other labor news, an impasse has been declared at American Airlines, and negotiations between the Histadrut Labor Federation and the Israeli Finance Ministry resume today.

Should Canada look to Ireland rather than the U.S. for leadership (Thursday, 5/24/01)
Jay Bryan of the Montreal Gazette says the Chretien government might better try to emulate Ireland's approach to increasing national prosperity.

Tech is cool (Thursday, 5/24/01)
At least, that's what Silicon Valley would like young people to think. Given that part of the job of adolescence is to be rebellious, it shouldn't be a surprise to find that adult values are rejected, at least for a time, and this seems to include the emphasis given to hi-technology by adults and their economy. The caricature of the "geek" leads to a rejection on the part of many young people of some of the most promising career paths in the new economy. What may be needed is a Hollywood hero-geek, according to some.

Growth of giving slows (Thursday, 5/24/01)
Charitable contributions are still increasing, but at a slower rate. Robert Franklin writes about the results of new a new survey.

Maternity leave when you're in charge (Thursday, 5/24/01)
Jilian Mincer says that the Massachusetts governor's recent maternity leave highlights increasingly common special complexities arising in part because of the growing number of women entrepreneurs and executives.

The need for office political skills (Thursday, 5/24/01)
Georgetown University Professor Robert Bies believes that political skills have become an increasingly important part of business leadership in a service-dominated economy. Columnist Diane Stafford has more.

New retiree advocacy group (Thursday, 5/24/01)
The AFL-CIO has formed a new advocacy group made up of 2.5 million retired union members. Steven Greenhouse of the New York Times discusses the implications for public policy.

Making rational severance choices (Thursday, 5/24/01)
Which is more to your advantage--a cash payout or an annuity? Alan Krueger discusses the offer made to Pentagon employees as an example.

The difference a year makes (Thursday, 5/24/01)
Last year's grads found, not only lots of job offers, but very attractive terms. This year's grads will find one of those things, but not the other. Meanwhile, Michael Hinkelman writes in the Philadelphia Daily News that a new study finds a persistent skills gap in the Philadelphia region. Too few people with needed technical skills, and the situation hasn't improved over a year ago, he says.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Long Now Foundation (Thursday, 5/24/01)
Computer pioneer Daniel Hillis and Whole Earth founder Stewart Brand believe that powerful forces have encouraged the use of a very limited time perspective, and that this approach to things is fraught with peril. It's been about 10,000 years since the end of the last ice age, and it has been during this fairly brief period, on a geologic time scale, that all that we refer to as "civilization" has developed. Rather than thinking about the next few weeks, or, at most, the next quarter, at least somebody should be thinking about the next 10,000 years. They're trying to develop a 10,000-year clock, and the prototype has been on display in the Science Museum in London.

Widening the gap (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
Some people regard the growing income gap in the U.S. to be a potentially explosive social problem requiring solution, but David Francis reports that tax cuts that may be on the way will tend to exacerbate the problem, assuming that you think it's a problem.

Tradition collides with the new economy (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
People tend to rely heavily on tradition to reduce the feelings of chaos that can easily set in. One of the defining attributes of the 21st century is likely to be powerful forces encouraging rapid change in most areas of life in conflict with traditions that have developed over many centuries. An example is the extent to which Islam and efforts on the part of Saudi Arabia to modernize and diversify its economy are in conflict with one another. Here's more from Howard Schneider reporting from Riyadh.

America is fast becoming a different country, so prepare for different politics (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
The great David Broder of the Washington Post offers one perspective on America's growing diversity and its economic and political implications, particularly the growing political awareness of its most rapidly growing minority. Recent Americans are heavily represented among the "have-nots," but they're organizing, he says.

Discrimination at China's universities (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
There seems to be some confusion in China over what part of the human anatomy is used for thinking. For example, if there is even a slight problem with one of your legs, you might find yourself unable to get into a university. Here are some details from Elisabeth Rosenthal reporting from Hangsha. Meanwhile, students from other countries who have been studying in the United States are fearing some reverse culture shock when they return home. For one thing, like American tourists overseas, they won't be taking the First Amendment back home with them.

The checks may really be in the mail...soon (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
Roger Cohen reports from Berlin that German companies are feeling sufficiently protected from lawsuits that the compensation of Nazi-era slaves will soon begin.

Increase in minimum wage blamed for expected layoffs (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
Members of Israel's Manufacturers Association are not happy with the increased minimum wage, and one official predicts that 4,000 jobs will be lost in the northern part of Israel by the end of this year. Meanwhile, in Ireland, some industrialists are also concerned about increasing labor costs. The head of Intel Ireland is warning the Irish government that the country's hot tech sector, which has been key in making Ireland's economy the envy of much of Europe, could be damaged.

How the feds intend to get more techies (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
The U.S. federal government is experiencing a shortage of computer-security experts, so a new program will provide $8.6 million in scholarships to students who will agree to work for the government once they graduate. Six universities have been selected to provide the education and training. The private sector is prepared to hire tech-savvy grads too, but expect them to cost less this year.

Healthy, wealthy, and wise? (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
Well, at least healthier and wealthier. Jon Hilsenrath reports in today's Wall Street Journal that American retirees are doing better.

You mean you actually want to USE those frequent flier miles? (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
Well, lottsa luck. Keith Alexander finds that many people are encountering various obstacles, but more with some airlines than with others.

Career management in the new economy (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
New rules require new thinking. Michele Himmelberg of the Orange County Register passes on some advice from the experts.

Nike's Knight taken to task (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
San Francisco-based Global Exchange says that Nike hasn't been keeping its promises on the sweatshop issue. Here's more from ABC News.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Family Liaison Office (Wednesday, 5/23/01)
The United States Department of State offers advice and guidance to foreign service workers and their families through their Family Liaison Office. However, the information on the site may be of use to anyone who intends to live and work in a different culture.

Ashcroft acknowledges possible Administration support for "guest worker" idea (Tuesday, 5/22/01)
The United States Attorney General says that the Bush administration is willing to work closely with Mexican officials in the development of a "guest worker" program that would give legal status to foreigners who temporarily come to the United States to work.

More about those trapped miners in China (Tuesday, 5/22/01)
Thirty-nine miners have been trapped in a flooded coal shaft since Friday. Now, it appears that those miners are also convicted criminals. Erik Eckholm discusses the use of prison labor in China.

Lufthansa and its pilots are talking again (Tuesday, 5/22/01)
A strike of Lufthansa's pilots is causing the cancellation of large numbers of flights and costing the airline millions of dollars. Tony Czuczka reports from Berlin that negotiations over pay have started up again. In St. Louis USA, a strike of Boeing's machinists is looking increasing likely at a military aircraft plant.

Manpower sees poor job prospects ahead (Tuesday, 5/22/01)
Manpower, Inc. has conducted a new survey from which they conclude that hiring could decline to levels last seen during the most recent recession ten years ago. However, the Treasury Secretary seems more optimistic, saying that the American economy is no longer slowing down, but, instead, has stabilized. He believes that growth will pick up again during the year ahead. Moreover, from now on, it may be easier to tell just what is happening to the American economy, given measurement changes at the Commerce Department. The old Standard Industrial Classification system has become obsolete, say officials.

A second baby boom (Tuesday, 5/22/01)
The 1990s was a big decade for babies. The growth in the number of children born was greater during that decade than any since the 1950s, according to a new report from Kids Count. And, E. J. Dione of the Washington Post says that, despite common assumptions, the two-parent family isn't on the rocks, according the latest Census data. There are more babies, and fewer of them are growing up in single-parent households.

A new twist on affirmative action (Tuesday, 5/22/01)
The Christian Science Monitor's Mark Clayton says that on some U.S. campuses, "affirmative action" means trying to admit more males.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Political Science Resources on the Web (Tuesday, 5/22/01)
What we call "politics" and what we call "economics" are simply different abstractions from the same complex social systems, so there is no way to divorce the one set of concerns from the other. Michigan State University has put together Political Science Resources on the Web with 20 categories of information covering both U.S. and international politics.

The commander in chief prepares to lead the war on poverty (Monday, 5/21/01)
Speaking at Notre Dame, President Bush outlined his ideas for the next battle in the war on poverty. He wants the private sector to be involved, as well as young people, and, most of all, would like to see the effort be "faith-based." The President is Christian, although he is careful not to say that he wants charities and social services to be put in the hands of Christian organizations, because of a sensitivity to offending Jews.

However, America is a very different country from what it was only a few years ago. It has become far more diverse in nearly all ways, including, not only with respect to ethnicity, but also in matters of "faith." Not only are there dozens if not hundreds of different groups identifying with Christianity, but which, when they get specific, often find that there is little core agreement connecting all groups. Moreover, American Jews don't constitute a monolith either. Then, there are a growing number of Moslems, Buddhists, and Hindus in the U.S.

Is the President willing to expand his understanding of "faith" to include religious traditions with long histories but with little or no connection to the tradition to which he personally subscribes, even those which include no concept of "God?" And how about the "new age" groups? Are they "spiritual?" Do they have "faith?" Do they qualify as "religions," and will they qualify for federal funds to support their works? It would appear that there are not only important issues having to do with state-church separation, but also potential complaints of religious discrimination.

Report from a participant-observer (Monday, 5/21/01)
Author Barbara Ehrenreich has been doing some field work by taking low-pay jobs, and she's learned a lot about being a working "have-not" in mostly rich America. For one thing, she found that "Minnesota nice" may not benefit many people on the low-end of the income scale.

Trade and aid deal reached in Brussels (Monday, 5/21/01)
The world's poor countries hope to benefit from the latest agreement with the rich countries, even though past efforts have been a failure, according to conference participants. Peter Ford reports that rich countries have gotten stingier recently. During recent years, the rich-poor gap has widened overall, but rich individuals haven't been getting richer at quite the rate as before.

Growing androgyny in the workplace (Monday, 5/21/01)
Scholars from Northwestern and Purdue Universities find that women bosses have been getting more like men in American work settings.

CEO contracts (Monday, 5/21/01)
Shareholders curious about the relationship between how well a company and its stock are doing, on the one hand, and how well the big boss is doing, on the other, will find much of interest in CEO employment contracts, if there are any. Here's more from Lorene Yue and Alejandro Bodipo-Memba of the Detroit Free Press.

Fewer Americans are saving for retirement (Monday, 5/21/01)
Fewer are confident that they will have enough to live on when the come to the end of their work lives, according to a new study.

Boeing workers in St. Louis reject contract (Monday, 5/21/01)
Machinists union membership authorizes a strike if talks don't resume.

Globalization's impact on business brains (Monday, 5/21/01)
In the new global economy, it's likely that more business people will be traveling over large areas more of the time. Will jet lag be only an unpleasant inconvenience, or is there more to it than that? New research suggests memory deficits and possible structural brain changes. During the great majority of the time that modern humans have been on the planet, most people have lived their lives within a radius of a few miles.

Job market correction (Monday, 5/21/01)
Today's Washington Post reports that the job market in the D.C. region is beginning to look more like what people have been used to, a condition that is likely to become increasingly typical of other regions as well. New graduates will see the go-go market that welcomed grads of a year or two ago only in the rear-view mirror, but, as Sara Terry reports, job prospects are far from grim for this season's graduates. Meanwhile, Henry Holcomb of the Philadelphia Inquirer tells about jobs available to people nearer the other end of the lifespan. Finally, if you want to hear from economists who expect that the end of the economic slump is beginning to appear on the horizon, Erica Stephens of the Atlanta Business Chronicle says they aren't hard to find.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Texas' Economics Department (Monday, 5/21/01)
Older folks may remember when Texas was known mostly for oil and cows. That's changed. Somewhere along the way, the second-largest U.S. state in terms of area also became the second-largest in terms of population and contains several of the nation's major cities. The Texas economy also has become highly diversified, and has been playing a key role in the hi-tech revolution. Austin, for example, is one of the leading technology areas outside California's Silicon Valley, and the University of Texas, also located in Austin, has become a world-class research university with global impact. In fact, it was in a UT dorm room that a 19-year-old Michael Dell started what now, only 17 years later, is the world's largest manufacturer of personal computers. As you might expect, the University's economics department has been instrumental in all of this, and here is the Department of Economics web site. Among other things, it offers access to a large number of working papers.

Emphasizing the attractions of Mercosur (Sunday, 5/20/01)
No, Mercosur is not an island paradise primarily catering to tourists. A three-day economic forum opens today in Buenos Aires, and South American leaders will be doing their best to encourage continued investment in the world's third-largest economic block.

Wild swings on Wall Street (Sunday, 5/20/01)
Not just stock prices, but also employment. Here are some details about the cutting of more than 10,000 jobs.

Peace is hell (Sunday, 5/20/01)
At least 500 members of the Russian military were killed last year, but not in combat. They're killing each other. The remains of what was once the proud Red Army are deteriorating further, and in many ways.

ILO to advise China (Sunday, 5/20/01)
The Chinese government hasn't had much experience relating to free labor unions, or free anything else, for that matter, and they haven't given much indication of wanting to learn. Still, government officials see a need for taking a new approach to dealing with a work force that is utterly enormous and potentially explosive. So, they're going to get advice from people who know quite a lot about worker rights and well-being, the International Labor Organization, an agency that is part of the United Nations but older than the U.N.

Incidentally, it's easy for those of us who have been critical of the Chinese government to assume that all its government leaders are by temperament totalitarian. Still, for purposes of argument, assume for the moment that all the top government leaders in China are closet democrats. How would they go about moving their country from what it is now to what they might like it to be, given China's history during the past couple of centuries and its understandable fear of chaos or foreign domination? It might be interpreted as a classic example of riding a tiger and trying to get off.

Weakening positions (Sunday, 5/20/01)
Tech jobs are a bit less plentiful, but recruiters are also having new difficulties convincing skeptical job candidates that it's safe to join up in a climate of layoffs and bad financial news. Crayton Harrison of the Dallas Morning News reports that new tech grads need to do their job-search homework, but that there are quite a lot of jobs out there still looking for them.

America's unholy relationship to undocumented workers (Sunday, 5/20/01)
Illegal immigrants who enter the United States to work are hunted by the INS, which is trying to deport as many as possible, while, at the same time, some key sectors of the American economy largely depend on them and encourage them to enter the U.S. to take jobs that probably would remain unfilled without them. Then, employers often take advantage of their illegal status and commit illegalities of their own. Andy Furill of the Sacramento Bee describes some of the common abuses in California agriculture, and reports that, despite official assertions, California's Division of Labor Standards Enforcement often doesn't seem to be doing its job.

Never is heard a discouraging "R" word (Sunday, 5/20/01)
John Russell of the Akron Beacon Journal reviews the evidence that the American economy is yet to come close to an actual recession, which is technically defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. In somewhat more plain English, "negative growth" means "shrinkage." Presumably, then, positive growth can be called "negative shrinkage." It's our job to clear these things up.

Cramming for finals (Sunday, 5/20/01)
According to new research, Americans over 55 have been getting healthier, but younger Americans have been getting less healthy. What's going on? Is it that being within sight of the finish line tends to focus one's attention?

One of the "capitals" of the real world? (Sunday, 5/20/01)
Yesterday, we suggested that Las Vegas might be only a slight caricature of American society overall. It's a disturbing thought, particularly considering the new book by Sally Denton and Roger Morris, The Money and the Power. Here's more from Cecil Johnson of the Fort Worth Star Telegram.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Science for the Millennium (Sunday, 5/20/01)
Science is the creation of knowledge; technology is the use of knowledge. Science advances technology, and technology advances science. How is hi-tech influencing research? Visit the University of Illinois' virtual world's fair, Science for the Millennium.

Chinese miners trapped (Saturday, 5/19/01)
Sixty-six coal miners are trapped at two locations in China. Given the dangers inherent in mining, as well as for other reasons, American mines are having more and more difficulty attracting people to the work. Here's more from Craig Savoye of the Christian Science Monitor.

European telecommunications giant cuts thousands of jobs (Saturday, 5/19/01)
Sweden-based Ericsson will lay off 4,000 workers this year. The company announced cuts earlier in response to an earnings slump attributed to slack demand for cellular phones. In the U.S., layoffs continue across various regions and sectors, and, as David Leonhardt reports from Tampa, Florida, the market for temporary workers has gotten quite soft, in great contrast to the situation only months ago.

Africans fail to find better lives, and, instead, find death (Saturday, 5/19/01)
Large numbers of people on the African continent have been experiencing some very bad times which include a widespread AIDS epidemic, natural disasters, civil unrest, poverty, and more. More than a hundred people have died in efforts to move to other regions where they expected economic opportunity. Incidentally, the Washington Post reports today that many of the world's poorer countries are unhappy with trade restrictions imposed by wealthy nations in what is supposed to be an increasingly open global marketplace. The restrictions are keeping them poor, they say.

Continental Airlines sued by workers (Saturday, 5/19/01)
The big airline's employees allege that they were illegally videotaped with a hidden camera in a locker room.

When Americans become simply "Americans" (Saturday, 5/19/01)
Although American citizens, great-grandma and great-grandpa may have referred to themselves as Norwegian or Polish or German or Italian, while the current generation is likely to think of themselves as simply American. However, this process seems to be occurring more rapidly among Americans of Hispanic origin now, many of whom want to be known as just Americans, not as hyphenated Americans and not in terms of their ethnic origins, even if they have arrived recently.

Quality of life in glittery Nevada (Saturday, 5/19/01)
Nevada has significant natural beauty and attraction, but it tends to be best known as the state that contains Las Vegas, and, given the huge contrast between appearances on the Strip and the realities of Nevada life overall, it might be seen as only a slight caricature of much of America, given its tendency to be seduced by powerful forces encouraging people to trivialize precious life. Todd Purdum looks at the grimness and depravity reflected in some of Nevada's statistics.

Another market for foreign workers (Saturday, 5/19/01)
American school districts are looking outside the United States for needed teachers. Here's more from Kevin Sack in Atlanta.

Fuel costs making it a harder row to hoe for many American farmers (Saturday, 5/19/01)
Much of American agriculture has been in a depression during the economic boom of the past ten years. Now, rising fuel prices are further complicating the lives of farmers already struggling to stay in business.

Jobs that eat young lives (Saturday, 5/19/01)
Some of Silicon Valley's hardest workers are very, very young, according to this report from Genevieve Roja.

The cost of employer-sponsored health care coverage state by state (Saturday, 5/19/01)
Hugh Morley of the Bergen Record reports that new data from Rutgers University finds that New Jersey employers are paying higher premiums than most other states.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Oxonian Nobel Laureates (Saturday, 5/19/01)
What's an "Oxonian," you may ask? A citizen of Oxonia? No, no, no. An Oxonian is someone from the world's first English-speaking university, and these are the Oxonian Nobel Laureates. Have any of them received the prize in economics? Yes, seven, in fact, and, if you can name them, you're not only entitled to the NewWork News handshake award, but also our expressions of astonishment and admiration.

Inflation up in Canada (Friday, 5/18/01)
New data indicate that inflation in Canada is at its highest level in 10 years. Also from the Toronto Star today, Risha Gotlieb tells how savvy business people go about surviving an economic downturn, and Richard Brennan says that one key official believes than mandatory retirement is a bad idea and wants to see an end to age discrimination.

Jobless claims drop for second week in a row (Friday, 5/18/01)
There are indications that Americans are becoming somewhat more confident about the U.S. economy, and this is reflected in business activity and employment. First-time jobless claims last week declined to their lowest level since March. The Conference Board's Index of Leading Economic Indicators also rose last month, suggesting good things in coming months. On the other hand, some signs point in different directions. Noam Neusner of U.S. News discusses the uncertainty caused by conflicting information.

Rumsfeld pushing for changed personnel policy (Friday, 5/18/01)
Actually, the Secretary of Defense wants to do a good deal more than to alter policies affecting U.S. military personnel. He has some of the same expensive plans for the Department of Defense that he had the last time he was Secretary a quarter of a century ago. However, since there's no longer a Cold War, Congress remains to be persuaded.

Nurses authorize strike (Friday, 5/18/01)
Nurses at 12 Twin Cities hospitals have voted to authorize a strike. A strike of 7,700 nurses could begin as early as June 1. Government workers in Venezuela have closed own much of the country because of strikes in several sectors.

Why Americans need a tax cut for small business (Friday, 5/18/01)
Jerry Heaster says that American small business growth would be helped considerably by lower marginal tax rates, and that's particularly important because the small business sector contributes a great deal to job growth. Here's more about a study from the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Overcoming gender stereotypes in the work world (Friday, 5/18/01)
Is there any biological reason why doctors should be male and nurses female? None whatsoever, but traditional attitudes persist. Actually, female physicians have become more common than male nurses, but, as L. M. Sixel reports, some people are trying to change that by urging boys to consider nursing as a career.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Hieros Gamos (Friday, 5/18/01)
For much of the information you may be looking for relating to law and government throughout the world, you might want to check Hieros Gamos. It contains millions of links and offers information in 60 languages.

Comair makes more cuts (Thursday, 5/17/01)
The continuing pilots' strike will result in the laying off of an additional 400 non-striking workers, according to company officials. Another 20 jets will also be sold. Comair is a regional airline owned by Delta. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the airline industry, flight attendants at American Airlines picket at the company's annual meeting, and talks break down between Germany's Lufthansa and its pilots.

Fewer jobless claims in Britain (Thursday, 5/17/01)
A 25-year low was reached in April, according to the British government's Office for National Statistics.

Protests bring much of Greece to a standstill (Thursday, 5/17/01)
Union members are unhappy with government plans to overhaul its pension system and have taken to the streets, bringing many things to a halt throughout the country.

Less really can be more, or, at least, as much (Thursday, 5/17/01)
Alice Bredin tells about a company that is doing as much work during four days per week as they used to do in five. An extra day off seems to be a sufficiently powerful incentive to stimulate greater efficiencies. More can be less too, according to columnist Diane Stafford. A study conducted by the Families and Work Institute finds that working Americans are getting more and more stressed out and overworked. Increasing worker productivity during recent years has come partly from more effective use of new technologies, but also from doing more with fewer people, and this is expected to have destructive consequences, not only for individuals, but also, in the longer-term, for employers as well. It seems to be a special case of "eating the seed corn."

Cream of Wheat plant closing to cost jobs (Thursday, 5/17/01)
One-hundred-twenty jobs will disappear when Philip Morris closes the 108-year-old Cream of Wheat plant in Minneapolis. Production of the cereal will be shifted to Arkansas and Ontario.

Brief slowdown? Mr. Roach says don't count on it (Thursday, 5/17/01)
The pessimism--or realism--of Morgan Stanley's chief economist is attracting a lot of attention.

Online training for IBM sales personnel (Thursday, 5/17/01)
The Boston Globe reports that Boston University's School of Management has made a deal with IBM whereby the university will provide on-line training for as many as 1,000 salespeople this year and more next year.

Alan's continuing campaign to obtain more and better data (Thursday, 5/17/01)
The Federal Reserve Chairman has remarked numerous times on the inadequacy of available measures and how this limits the government's ability to monitor what really is happening to the American economy and make accurate predictions about its future. Since consumers are known to have a major influence on the overall health of the economy, it would be helpful to know more about household finances, he believes. The Chairman urges Americans to participate in a new national survey.

Special e-commerce report today (Thursday, 5/17/01)
You will find a report on e-commerce in today's Wall Street Journal. Several articles.

Declining use of man as a beast of burden (Thursday, 5/17/01)
The Christian Science Monitor' Scott Baldauf writes from Kolkata, India that rickshaws are in decline and tells why.

The smuggling of human beings is no longer a "mom and pop" industry (Thursday, 5/17/01)
Mary Jordan reports that large syndicates are now in the business of smuggling people into the United States at fees which have skyrocketed in recent years.

The argument for increased levels of international trade (Thursday, 5/17/01)
While some are arguing that globalization is hurting the world's poor, President Bush argues that it is their only hope for a better life. Is it possible that they're both right? While a high level of economic activity tends to produce wealth for its participants, some people may remain outside the system and not benefit. The creation of wealth is one thing; its broad distribution is another, and both are essential. In the United States, at risk of gross oversimplification, Republicans have tended to give higher priority to the former issue, while Democrats have tended to give greater emphasis to the latter. Incidentally, President Bush is in Minnesota today pitching his energy program.

Voluntary Simplicity movement gathers momentum (Thursday, 5/17/01)
Some observers feel that the Administration seems to think that Americans want more, more, and even more, so it seems to be emphasizing increased production as a solution for energy shortages. However, as Janet Kidd Stewart reports, the President may not be noticing that quite a number of Americans are finding that a simpler lifestyle can provide benefits in addition to reducing resource and environmental pressures.

Ad agencies cut jobs (Thursday, 5/17/01)
The overall economic downturn in the United States means a decline in advertising activity, and this affects agencies. Some are laying off workers.

Quick fix specialists (Thursday, 5/17/01)
Carrie Johnson reports that there is a growing market for high-level, very short-term executives.

At least, the boss won't have to wonder where they are (Thursday, 5/17/01)
Many New Jersey employers are still having a great deal of difficulty obtaining the workers they need that they're looking in nontraditional places--in prisons.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Central Banks of the World (Thursday, 5/17/01)
Wharton-trained Mark Bernkopf has worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and at the White House. His Central Banks of the World site can help you find nearly any central bank nearly anywhere.

Dems lose one on education (Wednesday, 5/16/01)
Senate Democrats wanted to send a lot of federal money to states and local school districts for the hiring of a lot more new teachers. Lizette Alvarez reports that Senate Republicans seem to have put a stop to the idea.

Hoffa sends a message to the Democrats who have disappointed, according to him (Wednesday, 5/16/01)
James Hoffa, president of the Teamsters, says that his union will be more nonpartisan from now on, which could offer an opportunity for union support among some Republican candidates in upcoming elections. For one thing, the President's energy plan could produce a very large number of jobs, according to Administration spokespersons, particularly Vice President Cheney.

Why Chad's oil wealth may not flow to the population at large for a while (Wednesday, 5/16/01)
Chad is a very poor country with great natural resources which are about to be exploited. Who will benefit? Here are some facts and thoughts from Norimitsu Onishi and Neela Banerjee who report from the scene.

Wrong approach to fighting poverty, according to U.S. Treasury Secretary (Wednesday, 5/16/01)
Secretary O'Neill isn't satisfied with the World Bank's approach to fighting poverty. Instead of concentrating on the poorest people, they should be trying to help poor countries raise their productivity levels so as to raise per capital income, he says.

New options for Cisco workers (Wednesday, 5/16/01)
Many people have been drawn to hi-tech companies, not just by high salaries, but also by stock options, which, if their companies' stock appreciates significantly, can make salaries seem trivial by comparison. However, when stock values decline, those options can become worthless. When Microsoft's stock value plunged months ago, the company quickly offered new options in an effort to keep key personnel from jumping overboard. Now, Cisco Systems appears to be doing the same thing for some of the same reasons, even though the tech job market has cooled considerably, meaning that alternatives for many Cisco employees aren't likely to be as attractive as they might have been earlier.

Remember "Chainsaw Al?" (Wednesday, 5/16/01)
For quite a while, Al Dunlap had a mythic reputation in corporate circles as one capable of saving almost-dead companies by slicing costs, including large numbers of workers. He said he was cutting "fat," but some people at the time suspected that he was slicing away lots of muscle as well, making it more likely that a company's numbers would look good while he was still on the premises, but that time bombs would go off after his departure. Now, he's in hot water with the Securities and Exchange Commission following an audit of Sunbeam's books.

Russia attempts to prevent its citizens from becoming slaves elsewhere (Wednesday, 5/16/01)
One attribute of the new global economy seems familiar from the old economy as well as the very, very old economy. Americans tend to think of slavery as race-based, because of its 250-year history on the North American continent. However, slavery has existed in various forms since Classical times and before, often because many ancient economies were supported by conquest, and pressing conquered peoples into slavery was one way of obtaining economic value from conquered societies.

Presently, the world's huge gap between rich and poor seems to be encouraging an attitude that the lives of the poor are cheap, and this is supporting the continuation of sexual slavery across international borders. Tens of thousands of Russian women are being attracted to other countries expecting jobs, and, instead, find sexual servitude. The Russian government is trying to do something about it. Here's more from Fred Weir reporting from Moscow for the Christian Science Monitor.

Incidentally, given its catastrophic economy, North Koreans might be vulnerable to sexual slavery elsewhere, if it were not for the fact that they are prohibited from leaving their country. Today's Washington Post reports that North Koreans are reduced to eating grass and roots, given the intensifying food crisis in that country and its growing dependence on outside help simply in order to feed its people. We've reported during recent days on increased food aid from the United States as well as the European Union. North Korean government officials are being uncharacteristically frank for reasons about which we may only speculate. According to official announcements, life-expectancy declined by six years during the 1990s, while incomes fell by 50 percent.

Bad rap on savings (Wednesday, 5/16/01)
Americans have an international reputation for being among the most reluctant savers in the world, but columnist Jerry Heaster says that some of this reputation is undeserved, and he explains why.

Magazine's cover story generates response (Wednesday, 5/16/01)
Marjorie Williams takes off on the National Review's cover story, "The case against working mothers." To put it briefly, she is not pleased. Incidentally, the National Review was founded many years ago by conservative icon William Buckley. However, over the years, he has been troublesome to many conservative ideologues because of his independence of thought. At various times, for instancce, he has advocated that America at least consider the possibility of things like a guaranteed annual income, the legalization of drugs, and so on.

More meritocracy needed at the top? (Wednesday, 5/16/01)
Corporate investors who aren't very satisfied with earnings or stock values at the moment are wondering why there isn't more of a relationship between how well a company does and how well those who run it are doing. Eileen Alt Powell has more about growing stockholder discontent over executive pay.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Special Report on Executive Pay (Wednesday, 5/16/01)
Here's a special report on executive pay published by Business Week about a year ago when the American economy and corporate earnings were in a somewhat different position.

Fed cuts rates (Tuesday, 5/15/01)
Following the Federal Reserve's action today, the federal funds rate is at its lowest point in seven years. Additional cuts could come.

O'Neill "marginally positive" (Tuesday, 5/15/01)
The Treasury Secretary is relatively optimistic that the U.S. economy will avoid a genuine recession. Today's Wall Street Journal contains a special section on how to survive the slowdown. Look for "Breakaway."

Veep gets labor's attention (Tuesday, 5/15/01)
The Administration's energy proposal could produce hundreds of thousands of jobs, according to what Vice President Cheney has been telling organized labor's leaders.

The aging of America...and other changes (Tuesday, 5/15/01)
The Census Bureau continues to analyze the new year 2000 data, and has found that the median age in the United States is now 35.3 years. The "median" means that half the population is older, half younger. During the late 1960's, the median age was in the late 20s, which, in addition to the social issues of concern at the time, may help to explain the turbulence of that period. While older people may have sufficient energy, younger people often have an excess that they search for ways to vent.

Also, the number of Americans living alone has increased, as well as the number of unmarried domestic partners. In fact, for the first time, fewer than a quarter of American households are occupied by married couples with children. What's driving the increasing median age? It's the huge "boomer" generation. In the 1960's, there were an enormous number of young people. Now, there are an enormous number of people who will soon be among the "near-elderly," and they're the same people. This generation brought about a youth revolution years ago, and, now, as Laurent Belsie writes, they may well redefine aging in the U.S. as well. It's hard to think of those '60s radicals or hippies in quite the same way as grandpa, whatever the chronological ages involved.

Talks to resume at American Airlines (Tuesday, 5/15/01)
American Airlines and its flight attendants will try some more to reach agreement on a new contract. However, the company will not accept a union challenge to "set the clock" toward a June deadline.

Possibly the worst place on earth (Tuesday, 5/15/01)
...Except that there is so much competition. Nonetheless, a German physician reports that circumstances are grim in the Stalinist state that shares the Korean peninsula with a prosperous country that has become increasingly democratic during recent years. North Korea may get assistance from the European Union now that the EU has decided to open diplomatic relations with that regimented country with a catastrophic economy. Just to the south across one of the world's most heavily defended borders, South Korea has had its own economic problems during recent years, but it's the difference between "lightning and the lightning bug," when compared to the problems that the North faces. Don Kirk reports from Seoul that many business leaders in South Korea are unhappy with the government's economic recovery policies.

Desirable certification (Tuesday, 5/15/01)
Columnist Jilian Mincer tells why the "women-owned enterprise" certification can make a practical difference.

Whom Bush's intended tax cut would help most (Tuesday, 5/15/01)
America's wealthy can be divided into three categories: the rich, the very rich, and the...HOLY SMOKE-rich It's the latter group that would benefit most from the Bush tax cut, according to new data reported by David Cay Johnston. Several people in the President's cabinet, as well as the President himself, probably are members of the latter exclusive club. However, a Senate bill that would result in the repeal of the estate tax could end up costing some people more in taxes than they would owe if the estate tax were left in place. Are these stories about oversight or "truth in packaging?" Incidentally, if the rich are getting richer in the United States, they're not alone. There is a similar trend throughout much of the world, according to a new study. The exceptions seem to be Asia and Africa.

Rumblings on the campuses (Tuesday, 5/15/01)
The current generation of graduate assistants seems less willing to work as serfs than previous generations, which included their professors. There are union organization movements on campuses throughout the country, according to Steven Greenhouse of the New York Times. The traditional attitude in the academic culture has been that "everybody has to pay their dues," which makes it all seem like traditional campus fraternity initiation practices. Anthropologists who are interested in studying quaint and alien cultures will not have to look far. In fact, they may want to focus their attention and some of their research efforts on their own campuses.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Social Science Research Network (Tuesday, 5/15/01)
The Social Science Research Network uses the Internet to distribute social science research information throughout the world, and quickly, of course. Tens of thousands of abstracts are available through SSRN.

Agreement at Southwest Airlines (Monday, 5/14/01)
The Transport Workers Union has reached agreement on a new contract with Southwest Airlines. Meanwhile, Isabell Scheuplein reports from Frankfurt that talks between Lufthansa and its pilots are resuming.

Okay, who's responsible here? Who's not spending? (Monday, 5/14/01)
The New York Times' Louis Uchitelle says that it's not reluctance on the part of consumers that has cooled the American economy. Instead, it's the corporate executives who are holding back. Why aren't the Fed's interest rate cuts having the effect of making business more spendy? In an economy largely driven by hi-tech, one of the problems seems to be a glut of technical gear, not necessarily nervousness about the future. Intel's Andy Grove says that the next boom will come from the new technologies, not the old, so stay tuned.

Australia considers women for the front lines (Monday, 5/14/01)
Andrea Hopkins reports from Canberra that the Australian government's announcement that it may allow women to serve in combat without restriction has set off a storm of controversy. The idea of women coming home in body bags is too horrible for some persons to consider. The idea of men coming home in body bags may be equally horrible, but, over long centuries, people have gotten used to it.

Orderliness among the homeless (Monday, 5/14/01)
Japan's safety net is fraying at the edges and, in fact, many people are falling right on through it. The number of homeless has exploded recently, but, even among people who are down and out, at least to the extent possible, life is, well, "very Japanese," which is to say neat, orderly, and with pride and strong efforts to save face.

Twin Cities' nurses and hospitals near end of negotiations (Monday, 5/14/01)
Contract talks have been going on for three months and the deadline nears. Glenn Howatt reports that a strike is possible and would be the first at Twin Cities' hospitals since 1984. Among other things, hospital administrators may have the coming Medicare cuts in mind, which are estimated to cost $1.6 billion in revenues by 2002. Also, H.. J. Cummins reports in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune that an advocacy group would like area employers to share in the cost of fertility treatments. Finally, Summer Miracles has come to Minnesota. Russian orphans and prospective adoptive families will be offered a summer tryout.

Careful of your head (Monday, 5/14/01)
If you're a woman executive in the American auto industry, you're still quite likely to bump into a "glass ceiling," according to Catalyst. Here's more from Detroit.

How choosy can you be for the summer? (Monday, 5/14/01)
Summer jobs will be available for most young people who want them, but, as Leigh Strope reports, they're not going to be as plentiful as during recent summers, and many will have to settle for something less than their dream position. Among other folks who aren't in as favorable a position as recently are San Francisco-area landlords. Suddenly, the failed dot-coms have cleared out, leaving a lot of vacancies.

A funny thing happened on the way to the beachfront home and leisure (Monday, 5/14/01)
Shannon Buggs says that many people who thought they were rich have had a rude awakening with the decline in stock values and are having to give some serious new thought to their retirement plans. It's time for a reality check. Also, Christopher Noble writes from Boston about people who are feeling overwhelmed by the personal responsibilities brought by 401k opportunities, and, for whatever reason, aren't taking advantage of them.

The Internet changes, well, no, not everything...yet (Monday, 5/14/01)
At least, not in some of the areas of life that many people expected. Neil Irwin writes in today's Washington Post about how some predictions apparently went so wrong. Retailing surely hasn't been totally transformed overnight as some expected, and neither have media. Still, throughout most of the 20th century, there has been a tendency to exaggerate shorter-term changes while underestimating longer-term ones. Moreover, change often has been more profound than expected because of a tendency to look in the wrong places while it's going on.

The impact of personal crisis on work (Monday, 5/14/01)
A young correspondent wonders about how being on medical for the treatment of cancer will influence further job prospects, and how much to tell. As it happens, this particular individual has been suffering from testicular cancer, which tends to hit younger men and which also tends to respond well to treatment, but, to many employers, cancer is cancer, and there is still widespread bigotry about it across American society.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: 12 Principles that Every Young Person Should Know (Monday, 5/14/01)
Here are 12 basic financial principles from the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. The list was developed for young people, but anyone who needs to know how to build financial security and avert disaster will qualify, regardless of chronological age.

Proposal rejected at Comair (Sunday, 5/13/01)
The big regional airline's pilots have voted overwhelmingly to reject a proposal that would have ended their strike.

More trade with the mainland called for (Sunday, 5/13/01)
A former Taiwanese premier would like to see stepped-up trade with the Chinese mainland. It might help to reduce tensions and make it less likely that there will be an exchange of missiles instead.

Reconsidering immigration (Sunday, 5/13/01)
Germany has the highest percentage of foreigners of any European country. Roger Cohen of the New York Times reports that a debate is going on about how open the country's borders should be. According to the latest Census, America's rate of immigration is higher than most people have been assuming as well. Some of the people who live and work in the U.S. who were born someplace else are migrant workers, and many of those live in fear and poverty, and their health reflects it.

U.S. to feed some of North Korea's hungry (Sunday, 5/13/01)
The United States government has decided to send 100,000 tons of food to North Korea over the next several months.

Re-thinking productivity (Sunday, 5/13/01)
It appeared for a time that the "new economy" meant productivity increases that would continue to support growth while keeping inflation low and contribute to increases in the overall American standard of living. Now, given the latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor, Wall Street is having second thoughts. Here's more from Marjorie Olster in New York.

America's persistent pay gap (Sunday, 5/13/01)
Research from the Economic Policy Institute finds that a quarter of American workers are living below the poverty line. How can they be helped? Sherwood Ross writes about the pay gap and the skills gap that is largely responsible.

Remember ancient China (Sunday, 5/13/01)
Jim Barlow says it's useful to remember what happened to the trade and technological leader of the world 2,000 years ago and why. Free trade needs to be overhauled, he says.

Dot-com and dot-go: time to think things through (Sunday, 5/13/01)
Adriana Eunjung Cha reports on how some of the laid-off dot-com workers are spending their time.

Honored small biz owners (Sunday, 5/13/01)
President Bush handed out awards to the SBA's top winners at a White House ceremony.

What makes people spend more? (Sunday, 5/13/01)
John Berry tells about a study of people who have plenty to spend but may or may not spend it.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Story of Mother's Day (Sunday, 5/13/01)
Mother's Day in the United States has a history extending over nearly a century, but a much longer past.

Weakness increases (Saturday, 5/12/01)
The Japanese economy continued to weaken for the fourth month in a row, according to government data. Here are details from Jun Saio of Asahi Shimbun and Stephanie Strom of the New York Times. Meanwhile, the American President has expressed confidence in Prime Minister Koizumi's commitment to making the necessary reforms in order get his country's economy going again. Among these is a major change of direction with respect to Japan's system of lifetime employment. He's aiming at the development of two- or three-year employment contracts as an alternative.

Another interest rate cut is expected next week (Saturday, 5/12/01)
Will the Federal Reserve cut interest rates again next week? We'll have to wait and see, but Wall Street seems to think it will happen.

Who benefits from oil revenues in Azerbaijan? (Saturday, 5/12/01)
Michael Lelyveld of Radio Free Europe writes about the growing controversy over wages paid to workers by Caspian oil companies.

Agreement on NAFTA's impact on U.S. jobs (Saturday, 5/12/01)
Well, there isn't any. No agreement, that is. After eight years, the debate rages on. Here's more from Glen Fest of the Fort Worth Star Telegram. And, how is the American economy as a whole doing now? Better? Worse? Well, yes and no, and also maybe. Good to have all these things cleared up. Jeannine Aversa writes about all the conflicting indicators.

A hotbed of young capitalists (Saturday, 5/12/01)
Rick Alm reports on the convergence of 3,000 undergraduates in Kansas City at the Free Enterprise national championships. Today, Kansas City; tomorrow, the World Cup.

More tech job cuts (Saturday, 5/12/01)
Network Access Solutions and Taligent are cutting more than a thousand additional jobs between them.

Who cares about those treaties about working anywhere? (Saturday, 5/12/01)
Europeans have a legal right to work in any of the member countries of the European Union, but, as Suzanne Daley reports, most want to stay home. Exceptions are the young and highly educated professionals.

Re-thinking immigration (Saturday, 5/12/01)
How many immigrants can America absorb on a continuing basis without changing the very things that attract so many people to the U.S. in the first place? Dan Stein of the Kansas City Star says that our immigration policy is a legitimate topic for debate, now that we know from Census figures that immigration has been occurring at a far higher rate than most people have been supposing. Incidentally, an organization in Ireland is claiming that some foreign workers there are being treated as slaves. Here's more from Tom Shiel of the Irish Times.

Air escapes from another balloon (Saturday, 5/12/01)
The big economic boom of the 1990s required an explanation, so a "big idea" was created for that purpose, according to The Economist. It was called "the new economy," but Jeff Madrick writes in the International Herald Tribune that the big idea has deflated considerably. But, what wait--specifically, what does the "new economy" refer to? Research at Harvard indicates that this term has had many different meanings during recent years, and much has been in the eye of the beholder.

A $500,000-per-year job (Saturday, 5/12/01)
The top editor of Parenting magazine has been calculating what the services of a full-time mother might be worth.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: American Memory (Saturday, 5/12/01)
You should not look at the American Memory site unless you are willing to accept some major risks. You risk becoming so engrossed that you might easily neglect your work, your family, and forget to eat and sleep. It is a treasure trove of more than 5 million primary sources on the history and culture of the United States from more than 90 historical collections. Collections from the Library of Congress provide its backbone.

Prescription drug coverage thought to be on its way (Friday, 5/11/01)
Republican Representative J.C. Watts, an influential member of the House of Representatives, expects that a prescription drug benefit will be included in Medicare and that the necessary legislation will pass this year.

Organized labor prepared to withhold support of some moderate Dems (Friday, 5/11/01)
Leigh Strope reports that the head of the AFL-CIO is warning Democrats who have shifted their support away from organized labor and in the direction of Bush administration policies. Remember that an election is coming up before long, he says.

Life among the recently unhired (Friday, 5/11/01)
Columnist L. M. Sixel discusses a trend that is affecting many of this year's seniors who thought that they had jobs waiting from them after graduation. Surprise!

Now...a bursting productivity bubble too? (Friday, 5/11/01)
Recent productivity increases may not be what we've thought, according to Floyd Norris of the New York Times. Jeannine Aversa writes about the recent decline in productivity that has inspired Mr. Norris' remarks.

The hard life of interns in Japan (Friday, 5/11/01)
A medical university hospital is accused of working a young doctor to death.

Careful, Greenspan says (Friday, 5/11/01)
The Chairman of the Federal Reserve is skeptical about proposed changes in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation that insures bank and thrift deposits. The FDIC was established in 1933.

Saudi Arabia to reduce its dependence on foreign workers (Friday, 5/11/01)
Eighty-five percent of the foreigners working in Saudi Arabia will be sent home in order to create more jobs for Saudis. However, the reduction will occur over the next 30 years.

Who will go, who will stay? (Friday, 5/11/01)
The Seattle Times' Kyung Song wonders how many of Boeing's workers will follow the company's headquarters to Chicago.

Seasonal jobs to be filled in Alaska (Friday, 5/11/01)
As usual, Alaska is expecting a flood of tourists this year, and, as Paula Dobbyn of the Anchorage Daily News reports, there will be a need for lots of seasonal workers.

One possible reason fewer audits are occurring (Friday, 5/11/01)
Judi Hasson of Federal Computer Week reports that some employees of the IRS are being busted for surfing in some of the wrong places on company time.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Wharton e-Business Initiative (Friday, 5/11/01)
The Wharton e-Business Initiative comes from one of the world's great schools of business, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Bush budget confirmed (Thursday, 5/10/01)
The Congress has approved the $1.95 trillion Bush budget. Alan Fram has details from Washington.

Some Seattle workers pack their bags (Thursday, 5/10/01)
Many people who have been working at Boeing's headquarters in Seattle are getting ready to move to Chicago, because that's where the headquarters is moving. Many major operations will remain in the Seattle area, though.

President to chat with union leaders about energy (Thursday, 5/10/01)
President Bush is trying to build support for his energy plan, and, toward that end, is inviting union leaders to the White House to talk.

Big German tech company will cut more jobs (Thursday, 5/10/01)
To meet profitability targets, Siemens AG intends to cut another 3,000 jobs. Here's more from James Mackenzie in Frankfurt.

First-time jobless claims decline a bit last week (Thursday, 5/10/01)
The still-high level indicates that demand for workers remains relatively weak, however..

Business schools benefit from downturn (Thursday, 5/10/01)
What do you do if you're laid off? Maybe it's a good time to go earn that MBA in order to prepare for the next economic upturn. Justin Pope reports that lots of people are doing just that. Moreover, one key member of the Administration believes that the rebound will come before too long. Glenn Somerville reports from Honolulu on what the Secretary of Treasury had to say at an Asian meeting.

Presiding over cuts isn't quite enough fun for many (Thursday, 5/10/01)
Being a manager can be a lot less enjoyable when you have to start wielding the ax. Today's Washington Post tells about managers who would rather quit than continue doing the very unpleasant work of firing their employees.

The skills gap (Thursday, 5/10/01)
The new economy requires special skills if you're going to make a good living, and those skills must be continuously updated. Columnist Diane Stafford tells about the growing skills gap.

There are a lot more Mexican-Americans now (Thursday, 5/10/01)
The 2000 Census shows a tremendous increase in the Mexican-American population since the 1990 count. Moreover, gains haven't been confined to Texas and California. Here's more from Christina Ling who reports from Washington, D. C.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Dibner Institute for the History of Science and Technology (Thursday, 5/10/01)
The Dibner Institute for the History of Science and Technology is located at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Its site also give you access to information about the Bumdy Library, which houses a collection of rare books and secondary materials of interest to those studying at the Dibner Institute.

Productivity declines (Wednesday, 5/9/01)
Worker productivity has fallen in the United States for the first time in six years. Here's more from today's New York Times. It's making some experts wonder if the productivity increases that seemed to come as a consequence of more effective use of high-technology will turn out to be a permanent feature of the new economy or just a blip on the graph.

Appearances vs. reality (Wednesday, 5/9/01)
The Employment Policy Foundation says that layoff announcements have been exceeding the number of people actually laid off during the past nine months. In fact, six times as many layoffs have been announced as have actually occurred during this period, according to the foundation. Max Jarman of the Arizona Republic reports that 82,000 temp workers were laid off in March, or, at least, the layoffs were announced. We don't know how many of those workers have actually gone home. In Canada, demand for workers has leveled off, according to the Toronto Star. In Israel, it's the young, the single, and the most recently hired that are first to go when layoffs come, according to Haim Bior of Ha'aretz. Finally, Ben Lynfield reports from the West Bank that 120,000 Palestinian workers have been hurting since Israel sealed its borders to keep them out.

Globalization's effect on Brazil (Wednesday, 5/9/01)
Economics writer Robert Samuelson is in Brazil and says that our vocabulary hasn't been keeping up.

Northwest mechanics ratify new contract (Wednesday, 5/9/01)
It means that the mechanics at Northwest Airlines will be the highest paid in their industry. Things aren't going so well at Southwest Airlines, where the National Mediation Board may be asked to provide a 30-day cooling-off period. If a strike comes, it would be the first at Southwest in more than 20 years. Finally, in Germany, Lufthansa's pilots are considering a new offer from management. A one-day strike could come next week. Nearer the ground, 100,000 travelers have had to change their plans in Ireland because of the first of a series of one-day rail strikes. In labor news outside the transportation sector, 1,300 Weyerhaeuser workers strike in Oregon and Washington.

Unpaid leave for reasons other than maternity (Wednesday, 5/9/01)
The Family and Medical Leave Act also insures the right to take time off from work to care for a sick relative. Also, speaking of federal law affecting work, Diane Stafford reports that change is in the wind which could affect the point at which time-and-a-half overtime pay kicks in. Proponents of the changes want to enable more flexible scheduling.

Exporting jobs to places where jobs would not have been exported before (Wednesday, 5/9/01)
Many low-skill, low-pay manufacturing jobs have been moved from the U.S. to less-developed countries. But, now, as famed New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman reports, Africa is given new hope because of hi-tech. For instance, young tech experts are handling the processing of U.S. insurance claims...in Ghana.

What cities are trying to do about the "digital divide" (Wednesday, 5/9/01)
The level of technology use varies greatly by race and class in the United States. Here's what some American cities are trying to do to close the gap.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Find Law: The Microsoft Antitrust Case (Wednesday, 5/9/01)
Find Law may offer access to more than you'll ever want to know about the Microsoft antitrust case. But, then again, maybe not, particularly if you're a lawyer.

More job cuts at Dell (Tuesday, 5/8/01)
Dell Computer Corporation, which is now the largest manufacturer of personal computers, will cut between 3,000 and 4,000 workers.

America's elderly doing better (Tuesday, 5/8/01)
At one time, it was common understanding that America's elderly population was the most troubled and underprivileged demographic group in U.S. society, but that has changed. Economically, the older population is in fairly good shape, and, as Paul Recer reports, in good physical condition as well, with a smaller proportion of the population suffering disability than during earlier years. Milt Freudenheim of the New York Times says that all this adds up to reduced Medicare costs, among other things. Incidentally, what is the most needy demographic group in America now? Children--by far.

Mexico's economy appears to be slowing (Tuesday, 5/8/01)
Mexico's economy seems to be responding to slowing global growth, including an American economy that is growing much slower than it was a year ago. Here's more from Traci Carl in Mexico City.

Home again (Tuesday, 5/8/01)
India has a lot of highly-qualified hi-tech workers, and quite a number have been attracted to good jobs in the U.S. However, with the American slowdown, many are returing home. Incidentally, for a time, most of the layoffs in the U.S. were in the manufacturing sector, as well as failed dot-com's, of course, but Ron Scherer of the Christian Science Monitor reports that layoffs spreading to the service sector now too.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Koch Endowed Chair in Business Ethics (Tuesday, 5/8/01)
The University of St. Thomas in the Twin Cities' second major university and has developed a solid reputation with its Graduate School of Business, including its popular MBA program. The University also invests considerably in programs for the study of business ethics at both graduate and undergraduate levels.

Big cuts at 3Com (Monday, 5/7/01)
Once 3Com Corporation finishes with the cuts, their workforce will be only 0.7 what it used to be. Three-thousands jobs will go, say corporate officials.

Poof! There go a quarter-million jobs (Monday, 5/7/01)
Nearly a quarter million jobs disappeared from the American economy during April alone, and for those hoping that a recession will be avoided, it's not good news. Here's more from Detroit's OTHER major newspaper.

Pass the thesaurus (Monday, 5/7/01)
If you can't call it a recession, what can you call it? Maybe we need some new words. Columnist Susan Tompor suggests a "name the slump" contest.

What to do about American agriculture (Monday, 5/7/01)
There is no chance that Uncle Sam will get out of the farming business. Beleaguered American farmers are going to continue requiring federal subsidies to stay in business, and, despite farm product surpluses and resulting low prices, anyone who eats will want them to stay in business. However, as Charles Abbott reports, the devil's certainly in the details, which neither the devil nor members of Congress have worked out yet.

The growing crisis in nursing (Monday, 5/7/01)
What's the crisis? Well, for starters, there is a shortage of nurses, and, more than that, a large proportion of the nurses presently on the job are greatly dissatisfied with the conditions of their work and are also worried about patient care. Here's more from Bill Bergstrom in Philadelphia on a new study from the University of Pennsylvania. The complete report is in the current edition of the journal Health Affairs.

Help in beating the odds (Monday, 5/7/01)
For people getting out of prison, the odds are pretty good that the transition to life on the outside will not go well, and, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 600,000 Americans will attempt this transition during the next year. Alexandra Marks of the Christian Science Monitor tells how ex-cons are helping ex-cons beat the odds of failure and a return to the slammer.

India's sex slavery (Monday, 5/7/01)
R. David Harden writes from Bombay and explains why you shouldn't expect this wrenching social problem to be solved in the foreseeable future.

How do you look to a prospective lender? (Monday, 5/7/01)
Here's how you can take a look at your credit report. Diana McCabe provides some insights and guidance in today's Detroit Free Press. Also in the Freep today, Lisa Singhania discusses the special problems of finding health coverage if you leave a job and aren't old enough for Medicare. People still on the job may face similar problems before long, given rising health insurance rates and the problems they are causing for employers. Eventually, some employers may be facing the choice of either providing health coverage for their workers at the cost of profitability, meaning losing the reason for being in business in the first place, or maintaining profitability by cutting costs, particularly those associated with health coverage.

Tax advice for new grads (Monday, 5/7/01)
Gary Klott says some new graduates may find that the IRS is ready to give them a break in some ways, but probably not in writing off the cost of finding that first job.

Film production won't be out of the woods until another settlement is reached (Monday, 5/7/01)
The writers have settled, but, so far, the actors haven't. Rick Lyman reports from the big film factory town on how attention has shifted to a new set of negotiations.

Lessons on how to avoid getting the job (Monday, 5/7/01)
Some people in Germany are abusing unemployment benefits by trying to conduct job searches that are intended to fail. Now, the German government wants to do something about it. Here's more from John Schmid of the International Herald Tribune.

The problems with "plug and play" (Monday, 5/7/01)
Employers have learned that they can save on training costs by hiring somebody who has been doing exactly what they need to have done, and, in a loosening labor market offering more choices for employers, this practice is likely to increase. So what's the problem? John Epperheimer of the San Jose Mercury News has some thoughts about what's wrong with this approach, not only for workers, but for employers as well.

How not to drown in a sea of red ink after you've been thrown overboard (Monday, 5/7/01)
Pamela Yip of the Dallas Morning News passes on some advice from experts on how to cope once you've been laid off.

Assessing your life priorities, and why that's important on the job (Monday, 5/7/01)
Assessing your values can be seen as a process of prioritizing when you can't have everything and have to choose. This goes for work/life benefits as well, and more and more employers are offering a choice. Nationally-syndicated Chicago Tribune columnist Carol Kleiman discusses some practical issues having to do with work-life balance.

The relative importance of IT certification (Monday, 5/7/01)
There are now hundreds--yes, hundreds--of information technology certifications, and certification can be important if you want to work in a hi-tech field. However, as Ronald White of the Los Angeles Times reports, a four-year college degree is still noticed by employers, and may be the first thing noticed on your resume.

Help for the military spouse stationed in paradise (Monday, 5/7/01)
If your spouse is in the military and stationed in Hawaii, you may need some help in locating just the right job for yourself. Gregg Kakesako reports in the Honolulu Star Bulletin that the needed help may be available.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Greenleaf Enterprises Quote Archive (Monday, 5/7/01)
Greenleaf Enterprises is a firm headed by some very young entrepreneurs. They've put together a Quote Archive for their own use, and have decided to share it with you.

A "U" rather than a "V?" (Sunday, 5/6/01)
What will be the shape of the current economic slump on the graph? Will it be quick in and quick out, or will the slowdown be prolonged and fairly painful to overcome? Andrea Orr reports that many high-technology executives and academics seem to agree that the latter is looking more and more like a strong possibility. Jamie LaReau reports that job cuts aren't bad for everybody. Employment firms welcome them, in fact, and here are some of the reasons why.

Next step for American agr