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Who will lose from Enron's collapse? (Friday, 11/30/01)
It's the kind of business failure that can make the earth wobble a little in its orbit, and may turn out to be the biggest bankruptcy in history. While the big energy company's competitors are likely to benefit from Enron's failure, and, in fact, already are moving into its market territory, a great many people will be hurt by the collapse that almost no one saw coming only a few weeks ago. Among these are thousands of people who are watching their 401(k)s evaporate, as well as stockholders and business partners. Richard Oppel and Andrew Ross Sorkin of the New York Times examine the far-reaching international effects of Enron's failure and the exasperation being felt by so many persons, including lawmakers, who are asking how this disaster could occur so quickly and without warning.

Many of Enron's employees are wondering how their affiliation with a corporate catastrophe may affect their ability to find a new job. Many people are also wondering about the security of pension systems generally.

In the U.S., opponents of the partial privatization of Social Security are likely to be saying, "We told you so." As Riva Atlas reports, more and more companies in trouble are being forced to liquidate rather than reorganize, which sometimes can be better for creditors but probably not for employees or persons whose retirement is linked to their company's continuing viability.

Is the glass half full or half empty? (Friday, 11/30/01)
Jeannine Aversa reports from Washington, D. C. on the latest mixed signals that offer something for both optimists and pessimists. Cheryl Juckes writes from London that those who are choosing to be optimistic see signs that the global economy is on the mend, and that it's better not to worry too much about the consequences of Enron's failure.

Hong Kong's economy causes many people distress (Friday, 11/30/01)
Government officials may quibble on technical grounds, but no matter what the statistics say, many people believe that the Hong Kong economy is in recession, and it's hurting. Here's more from Margaret Wong. On the other side of the globe, Argentina has been struggling to avoid the largest sovereign default in history, and the country's economic problems are now complicated further by a flood on the Pampas, according to Diego Giudice in Carlos Casares.

Another unemployment record for Japan (Friday, 11/30/01)
Japan's unemployment rate hit 5.4 percent in October, which is producing not a whole lot of cheer in Tokyo and other regions of the country, according to Yoko Nishikawa.

Thousands eligible for new stock options (Friday, 11/30/01)
Eastman Kodak is offering 61,000 employees an opportunity to swap their old stock options for new ones.

United to ask its employees for help (Friday, 11/30/01)
United Airlines is losing $15 million per day, and, in order to stop the hemorrhaging, is preparing to ask its workers to take pay cuts.

Kroger hit with bias suit (Friday, 11/30/01)
Several employees of the big supermarket chain claim that they have been systematically denied promotions because of their race.

Soon, you'll be permitted to save more for retirement (Friday, 11/30/01)
Tax law changes beginning in January will allow you to make larger contributions to your retirement plan.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Currency Calculator (Friday, 11/30/01)
How much is that in euros or in yen? This currency calculator will help you find out.

Bush tells Congress to get on with it (Thursday, 11/29/01)
The President is asking Congressional leaders to resolve the current deadlock that's been holding up the development of a plan for stimulating the American economy, and, as Curt Anderson reports, Democrats and Republicans have begun to talk again. The President also has expressed opposition to Senate Democrats' farm bill, thinking that the subsidies it would provide would result in over-production and drive farm product prices down.

White House budget director says to get used to deficits again (Thursday, 11/29/01)
It turns out that, after a long period of deficit spending, budget surpluses appeared only briefly. Mitchell Daniels says that deficits can be expected throughout the remainder of President Bush's term. Don't expect surpluses to reappear again until at least 2005. Here's more from Alan Fram in Washington, D. C.

Turkey to get a new loan (Thursday, 11/29/01)
The check will be in the mail. The International Monetary Fund has approved a new $3 billion loan payment to Turkey to help that country regain its balance and continue its economic recovery.

More tech cuts (Thursday, 11/29/01)
IBM has announced that it will cut 1,000 jobs in its microelectronics division. Meanwhile, the leading handheld computer manufacturer, Palm, Inc., will cut 250 jobs. Its main competitor, Handspring, which was founded by people who used to work for Palm and helped develop the popular Palm Pilot device, also has been having difficulties. For a time, there were rumors that the two companies might merge, but those rumors have been denied. Meanwhile, in a different sector, General Motors has decided to match Ford in cutting its pay rate for contract labor. Is this price decline further evidence that the U.S. economy could be entering a deflationary period?

Oil prices should help recovery, or not (Thursday, 11/29/01)
Oil prices are likely to decline even further during the months immediately ahead, and a leading fund manager says this will help lead the world out of the current recession. For the moment, though, things aren't looking too good. The Federal Reserve reports that the American economy worsened during October and November. Across the Pacific, new data suggest that the second half of Japan's fiscal year will see a worse employment situation. Here's more from Tokyo's Asahi Shimbun.

Bias suits under consideration (Thursday, 11/29/01)
Several discrimination suits may be filed against AT&T by approximately 150 employees.

More Northwest pilots to be furloughed (Thursday, 11/29/01)
Northwest Airlines is still cutting back on its operations. Pilots were sent home during September and October, but an additional 47 pilots will be grounded on January 2.

Many boomers face a shocking retirement (Thursday, 11/29/01)
Jim Barlow of the Houston Chronicle says that many in the baby boomer generation now approaching retirement will be surprised to find that the world is not likely to adjust to their needs as has been the case during past years.

The democratic cure for what is ailing the American economy (Thursday, 11/29/01)
Jeff Madrick of the New York Times has been thinking about what has made America such as successful society and what it will take to make it more good as well as more great. The American economy needs even more democracy, he says.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: US Business Cycle Expansions and Contractions (Thursday, 11/29/01)
The American economy has experienced ups and downs for a long time, and economists generally agree that the business cycle is a normal, natural, and expected part of free-market economic activity. Here's a list of the expansion and contraction cycles over the past century and a half or so from the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Consumer confidence surprisingly lower (Wednesday, 11/28/01)
Many experts had expected the Conference Board's measure of consumer confidence to be stabilizing, but, instead, the latest numbers show a decline for the fifth month in a row.

Social Security tax break might break the deadlock (Wednesday, 11/28/01)
Curt Anderson reports from Washington, D. C. on the various ways in which Congressional Democrats and Republicans are attempting to develop a compromise so that a stimulus package can have any hope of becoming law in time to do any good. The latest proposal is to give both employers and employees a month off from Social Security taxes. Chris Lester says that the emphasis should be on stimulating demand, and it would be helpful if people had more money in their pockets for holiday shopping, given that the indications are that this may be a fairly sluggish holiday season in the stores. The top Fed official in St. Louis won't try to predict when the current recession will end, but he thinks it will be fairly soon. But, in a new economy, shouldn't we expect something new about the ups and downs too? Jim Barlow of the Houston Chronicle explains why the recession is different this time.

High Court decides this would be the wrong case (Wednesday, 11/28/01)
The Supreme Court has unanimously changed its mind and will not rule on a reverse discrimination case brought by a white-owned contractor. Opponents of federal affirmative action policies had hoped that a decision would make those policies unconstitutional. The Supreme Court also has decided not to decide on a NAFTA-related case that challenges presidential power to negotiate trade agreements. Speaking of NAFTA, Jenalia Moreno reports from Mexico City that, even though the U.S. economy, because of its size and influence, has been exporting its problems to neighboring Mexico, the unemployment rate for women in that country has been diminishing a bit as the overall unemployment rate increases. Here's an explanation for why some employers are preferring to hire women at the moment.

Diversity training for work in the new economy (Wednesday, 11/28/01)
Su Bacon tells what educators are doing to prepare students to work in the increasingly diverse American workplace and to understand just how diverse the diversity concept has become.

Should basic education be at least three R's and an S? (Wednesday, 11/28/01)
An implication of the knowledge explosion is that most genuine systematically verifiable knowledge of nature, including human nature, is a product of relatively recent years. This means that any randomly selected traditional idea or belief has a high probability of being flat-out wrong, and a large proportion of the population may be falling further behind in most fields, given the difficulty of keeping up, even in a single one.

For instance, an engineer who uses the calculus in his/her work each day knows about its fundamental importance and how the modern world could not exist without it, while most of his/her relatives may have no idea that this, or any other branch of mathematics, has any real practical importance at all. While it might be nice if everybody could know why calculus is important, it probably isn't necessary for everybody to learn to use it.

Of far greater importance for most people might be a fundamental appreciation of basic statistical concepts and principles, given that people in the modern world are surrounded by things which are inherently statistical. Thinking or communicating about these things without statistics is like trying to talk about pharmacy while leaving all the chemistry out.

In fact, if everyone simply knew about descriptive statistics and made use of the ideas, the world would be a different place and our institutions would function differently. That's all it would take, keeping in mind that descriptive statistics is only a small part of the field; the other branch, inferential statistics, is a far greater part of it. Richard Rothstein reports on how students and society generally are victims of the far too meager emphasis given to statistics in the American educational system.

The symbiotic relationship between higher tech and higher ed (Wednesday, 11/28/01)
Increasingly, higher education is making heavy use of high-technology and also trains professionals to work in hi-tech industries. But, as Jeff Bennett reports, the educational institutions are benefiting and benefitting from tech startups as well.

Career change for the religious can mean moving in either direction (Wednesday, 11/28/01)
Maggie Jackson reports that some people are leaving the private sector to answer a call for religious service, while others are meeting them coming back, and neither kind of move may be permanent.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: National Bureau of Economic Research (Wednesday, 11/28/01)
The National Bureau of Economic Research is the independent agency that has declared that the American economy is in its 10th recession since World War II.

It's official (Tuesday, 11/27/01)
The National Bureau of Economic Research has decided, according to their criteria, that the American economy began receding last March, which was the 10th anniversary of the longest expansion in two and one-quarter centuries of American history. The U.S. is now in its 10th recession since the Second World War. The President has responded to the news by asking Congress to speed up the creation of a stimulus bill he can sign, but, as Scott Lindlaw reports, Congressional Democrats and Republicans are divided on who should get the tax breaks. The Administration has claimed that the American economy began sputtering even earlier, sometime during the late summer or fall of 2000. Detroit Free Press columnist Susan Tompor agrees that the need for government action has become more urgent, but, as George Hager of USA Today reports, some experts believe that the economy is beginning its recovery already. Many business leaders don't agree, however.

Bankruptcy procedures for countries (Tuesday, 11/27/01)
When your debts have become too great for you to manage or service adequately, you can easily feel as though you're under siege with creditors nipping at you from all directions, making it even more difficult to get things under control. That's what Chapter 11 bankruptcy is intended to help with. A troubled business, for instance can gain some protection from its creditors so that it can concentrate on getting its debts under control again. Countries can have the same problem, and the International Monetary Fund has developed a plan whereby nations with out-of-control debt can file for bankruptcy in order to gain time and opportunity for restructuring.

More standardization on the European continent (Tuesday, 11/27/01)
The European Union will compel banks in all 12 member nations to charge consumers the same fees for withdrawing euros. John Schmid of the International Herald Tribune says that the issue of cross-border premiums has been an emotional ones for Europeans.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Photographs of Lewis Hine (Tuesday, 11/27/01)
The photographs of Lewis Hine are provided by the Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology in order to document child labor in the United States. A description of the historical context also is provided.

O'Neill is encouraged by Friday's consumer data (Monday, 11/26/01)
Sales on the day after Thanksgiving were 4 percent higher than last year, rather than lower, as many people had feared. The Secretary of the Treasury sees this as evidence that the American economy is beginning its recovery. However, retailers aren't as happy with weekend sales as the Treasury Secretary feels obligated to say he is, and, as Carolyn Koo reports, with the heavy discounting that has been going on, more sales don't necessarily mean more profits. Columnist Jerry Heaster of the Kansas City Star presents his summary of important statistics to come, and says that the one many people will be watching is tomorrow's Consumer Confidence Index from the Conference Board, which is expected to look fairly good. Caren Bohan says that analysts expect the recession to last at least until early next year, but, of course, "early next year" is only a few weeks away.

When will the President get a stimulus bill he will be willing to sign? (Monday, 11/26/01)
Scott Lindlaw tells about the partisan division in Congress that is holding up agreement on a plan to stimulate the American economy.

Impact of September 11 even greater than expected (Monday, 11/26/01)
New York's financial center has been hit very hard by the economic fallout resulting from the destruction of the World Trade Center. Here's more from Michael Powell of the Washington Post.

More cuts at Boeing (Monday, 11/26/01)
The latest round of 2,900 job cuts will bring the total since September 11 to 14,900.

All the predators aren't lurking in the forest (Monday, 11/26/01)
Predatory lenders have been preventing minorities and low-income Americans from receiving their share of the benefits from low mortgage rates, according to one community advocacy group.

Another good reason to adopt a healthy lifestyle (Monday, 11/26/01)
Rising healthcare costs are putting the squeeze on both employees and employers. Costs had stabilized for a while, but have lurched upward again recently, and 2002 may see the biggest increases in nearly ten years. Speaking of squeezes, Jacques Steinberg reports that things have gotten tight for many American schools now that budgets are shrinking along with the economy and tax revenues.

You still have about a month to do yourself some good on April 15 (Monday, 11/26/01)
Gary Klott has suggestions for minimizing the tax bite and what you can still do during the remaining days of 2001.

Becoming an artist while on the dole (Monday, 11/26/01)
Vivian Hutchinson reports in The Jobs Letter from New Zealand that people wanting to become full-time artists will be able to collect public benefits without having to take other employment that can distract from their intended purposes. Meanwhile, Mr. Hutchinson also reports that New Zealand's unemployment rate remains steady.

First, call your creditors (Monday, 11/26/01)
Family finance expert Bobbie Christensen has some advice for getting through tough times if you're laid off. Here are some details from Neil Downing in the Detroit Free Press.

What your employees will appreciate for the holidays (Monday, 11/26/01)
For many people, it's an insecure time, and Joyce Rosenberg says that consultants insist that gifts won't be an effective substitute for recognition and encouragement.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: World Development Indicators from the World Bank (Monday, 11/26/01)
Each year, the World Bank compiles data relating to economic development. This year's World Development Indicators is published in print form, but most of the text and some samples from the 800 indicators presented in 87 tables are available on the web.

The first global recession in twenty years, and don't expect quick recovery (Sunday, 11/25/01)
The New York Times' Joseph Kahn discusses what the experts are saying about the consequences of an increasingly integrated global economy.

Deep discounts may contribute to risk of deflation (Sunday, 11/25/01)
Retailers are making a special effort to get shoppers into the stores, but David Leonhardt says that the longer-term consequences for the American economy may not be positive. Also, while shoppers are in the stores, Anne D'Innocenzio reports that they remain cautious. It costs much less to "rent" money now too, and Louis Uchitelle says the Fed's lowering of interest rates has prevented the relatively mild recession so far from becoming severe.

The majority of major Japanese companies plan to cut jobs (Sunday, 11/25/01)
Mainichi, a major Tokyo newspaper, has conducted a survey of more than 100 major Japanese companies and found that 60 percent of them expect to cut jobs over the next two years.

Made in China (Sunday, 11/25/01)
More and more manufacturers from around the world are setting up shop in China because there's no shortage of labor and it's still cheap.

Australia wants increased population growth (Sunday, 11/25/01)
However, as John Shaw reports from Sydney, voters recently indicated that they also want to limit immigration.

Arab-Americans say they face greater workplace discrimination (Sunday, 11/25/01)
Pam Belluck of the New York Times writes about increasing job bias that many are seeing as a consequence of the September 11 attack.

Bankrupties have been on the increase in Arizona and elsewhere (Sunday, 11/25/01)
Christine Romero of the Arizona Republic reports on the growing number of individuals and businesses going broke in Arizona, but it's not the only place. Meanwhile, Adam Geller writes from New York about how corporate bankruptcies are leaving many retirees high and dry. Finally, Albert Crenshaw reports that many persons are facing complex choices about what to do with their 401(k)s because of layoffs, early retirements, and buyouts. He passes on some advice.

Small business stops hiring (Sunday, 11/25/01)
A new survey by an independent business trade group shows that the September 11 attack has helped to stop small-company hiring in its tracks. Incidentally, if you're thinking of starting your own small business, it's always a good idea to think very carefully and get some expert advice before you leap. This is particularly true right now. David Kaplan says that consultants from the Service Corps of Retired Executives agree that many people who are thinking of starting businesses probably shouldn't.

Working with disabilities (Sunday, 11/25/01)
The Boston Globe's Diane Lewis tells about the many ways in which persons with disabilities can be helped to remain productive in the workplace.

Learning from the world of work (Sunday, 11/25/01)
Brahm Resnik writes about a program that enables students to learn from a combination of classroom and work setting experience.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Econometric Society (Sunday, 11/25/01)
In order to determine what is going on in an economy, measurement and statistics are essential. The Econometric Society publishes the journal Econometrica, among other things.

'Tis the season to be spending, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la (Saturday, 11/24/01)
Consumer spending makes up about two-thirds of the American economy, and a significant proportion of consumer sales occur during the late part of the year as people buy for the holidays. The day after Thanksgiving usually is considered to be the time when large numbers of Americans rush toward the shopping centers, plastic held high, yelling "Charge!," at least metaphorically. Yesterday provided a strong start most places, in part because of particularly attractive discounts and other incentives, although Brian Bakst reports that crowds seemed to be a bit more sparse than hoped at the world's largest shopping mall. Experts are paying close attention, because consumer confidence will have a lot to do with determining how long the present recession will last.

Incidentally, while the "quick-'n-dirty" definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of "negative growth" (translation: shrinkage), the National Bureau of Economic Research has a more complex formula, and, as Jonathan Fuerbringer reports from Harvard-MIT country, the 10th recession since World War II may be officially declared on Monday.

U.S.-led effort to make friends of Afghans and others (Saturday, 11/24/01)
One might hope that the majority of the Afghan people will consider it a favor to be made free of the cruel Taliban regime, even though the current war has involved tremendous bombing and significant civilian casualties. However, millions of Afghans face starvation during a very cold winter unless the West can provide sufficient food and shelter to get them through. It's easier to get massive amounts of assistance into the country now than it was a couple of weeks ago, but getting it to the people who need it still isn't a slam-dunk.

Howard LaFranchi of the Christian Science Monitor tells how the U.S. hopes that assisting the cold, hungry, and abused Afghan people will gain it points with Moslems over the globe. That isn't assured, though, even though the movement led by a small group of extremists, including Osama bin Laden, so far seems to appeal to a fairly small minority of the world's approximately 1.2 billion Moslems. Some degree of suspicion and resentment of the West, particularly of the United States, is widely distributed throughout the Islamic world.

Back to work (Saturday, 11/24/01)
Afghan women suffered in many ways under the Taliban regime, including being prohibited from working. Now, many are hoping to enjoy the many benefits of employment again.

Not all of the world is becoming more connected (Saturday, 11/24/01)
We've been speculating for several years about the various potential consequences of a world in which nearly everything is connected to nearly everything else, and, in the developed world, those connections are on the increase. However, many immigrants, including some in the Fargo, N.D. community, are finding it more difficult than before to send money back home to relatives who depend on it. The reasons relate to U.S. efforts to shut down Osama bin Laden's international terrorist network.

ADA suit reinstated (Saturday, 11/24/01)
A federal appeals court has rejected its own precedent from a ruling five years ago and has reinstated a suit brought against Kmart for benefits under the Americans With Disabilities Act. Final resolution of the suit could establish wide-ranging precedent affecting persons with psychiatric as opposed to physical disabilities. Meanwhile, a state court in Texas has ruled in favor of a man in a bias case.

Poverty may be redefined (Saturday, 11/24/01)
What we know depends entirely on how we know it, so definitional criteria are key when setting out to measure some attribute of interest in the population. How many Americans live in poverty? In depends on how poverty is defined, and as Genaro Armas reports from Washington, D. C., new criteria may be adopted.

Finalist in the Grinch sweepstakes (Saturday, 11/24/01)
A woman has lost her job because she took time off during the holiday season to donate a kidney to her mother who would have died without it. Here's more from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Venezuela's president seeks to discourage worry (Saturday, 11/24/01)
Despite the threat of a major strike, the Venezuela is stable, both politically and economically, according to President Hugo Chavez.

How to get the tourists to come back (Saturday, 11/24/01)
Japan could use more tourism, given the state of its economy, but a slump in tourism generally and high prices in Japan aren't helping. One major Japanese politician has a plan, but it's stirring a lot of controversy.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: About Business Travel (Saturday, 11/24/01)
About Business Travel is, well, about business travel. Lots of information, resources, hints, tips, and articles for the frequent business traveler.

Mine disaster in Colombia (Friday, 11/23/01)
Nearly 30 people have died and many more have been trapped by the collapse of an illegal gold mine. Here's more from Juan Forero in Bogota, Colombia.

An official declaration may be coming (Friday, 11/23/01)
The National Bureau of Economic Research may be preparing to declare that the U.S. economy, the world's largest, is in recession. Also, Germany, which has the world's third-largest economy, also is approaching recession, according to Edmund Andrews in Frankfurt, and, as we've been reporting, Japan, which has the world's second-largest economy, is experiencing its fourth recession in ten years.

However, Cheryl Juckes reports from London that it's possible to exaggerate the problems of the global economy, and there are signs that a tentative recovery may already be underway. Meanwhile, in the United States, the Congress continues to wrestle over a stimulus package that may or may not be made law in time to have an effect on the American economy, or, at least, a beneficial effect. David Francis of the Christian Science Monitor says that most Americans don't seem to know too much about the details, so he attempts to reduce the mystery.

Union official concerned about postal workers' safety (Friday, 11/23/01)
The president of the American Postal Workers Union says that members should refuse to work in any setting where there is still any trace of anthrax.

Learning to recognize a bomb (Friday, 11/23/01)
Michael Moss writes about the formidable task faced by the new federal government agency that will be charged with increasing air travel security. Identifying, recruiting, and training the right 28,000 people will be a major part of the challenge.

Supply and demand on Wall Street (Friday, 11/23/01)
Persons seeking employment with New York's financial institutions may be feeling a bit lonely within the crowd. From the companies' point of view, it's a good time to hire, because there are lots of highly qualified people willing to work for less than during the recent boom.

Enron takes retirement plan down with it (Friday, 11/23/01)
Richard Oppel explains why Enron Corporation employees are so angry at the moment. L. M. Sixel says that a suit against the company alleges that workers were mislead as they watched their 401(k)s disintegrate.

Tech visa program abused, critics say (Friday, 11/23/01)
Thousands of people have been brought into the U.S. to work under the H-1B visa program during the same time that hundreds of thousands of American tech workers have been laid off. Here's more from Jube Shiver of the Los Angeles Times. Meanwhile, Sara Terry reports that many former tech workers have been moving from clicks to bricks, literally. The skilled trades are attracting people who not only want to provide themselves with a livelihood, but also many who find meaning in working with tangible things rather than intangible information for a while. Sometimes it's nice to have something solid to hang on to, even if it's just a brick.

Hear that deafening clatter? It's the sound of piggy banks being emptied all over the United States (Friday, 11/23/01)
It appears that the economic slowdown has made people stop hoarding coins, and this means layoffs at the U.S. Mint.

What will be done with your resume? (Friday, 11/23/01)
You've posted your resume on the Internet. Now what? Maybe not what you expect, according to Bob Weinstein.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Consensus Economics (Friday, 11/23/01)
Consensus Economics surveys more than 600 economists each month on macroeconomic activity worldwide.

Afghan women begin to come out into the open (Thursday, 11/22/01)
Hundreds of Afghan women demonstrated in Kabul yesterday, insisting on their right to personal fulfillment as well as to play a key role in the economic and political life of Afghanistan.

Saudi Arabia has growing economic problems, and why you should care (Thursday, 11/22/01)
Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producer in the world, and enormous amounts of money have flowed into the country during recent years from oil-hungry Western economies. In fact, the "small world" department, Osama bin Laden's family became wealthy because it got a lot of the huge construction contracts for building the rich, modern Saudi Arabia.

However, oil prices are down, meaning that less money is pouring into the peninsula during a time when the country already is facing population and economic pressures, as well as more and more evident discontent. The combination is putting the Saudi Arabian economy, and possibly the ruling regime, in some jeopardy.

If you've been getting a bit more sleep lately than you really need, consider a scenario that includes an extremist Islamic government in Saudi Arabia along the lines of the Taliban plus something similar in Pakistan. That would put some of the folks who hate the West most in charge of a major part of the world's oil supply in one place and in charge of nuclear weapons in another. It helps explain why Osama bin Laden, either in life or in death, has been hoping to ignite a broad Islamic uprising throughout the region. Wide awake now?

Bush sends signals on the kind of compromise stimulus bill he would be willing to sign (Thursday, 11/22/01)
For instance, the President has indicated that he would agree to a health benefits subsidy for laid-off workers. Here's more from William Welch of USA Today.

Miners trapped in China (Thursday, 11/22/01)
People trying to rescue fourteen miners trapped following multiple underground explosions are not optimistic that the miners are still alive or can be saved.

How multinationals save on taxes (Thursday, 11/22/01)
Senator Dorgan from North Dakota released a study yesterday which purports to show how multinational corporations have managed to avoid paying $45 billion in U.S. taxes. The study was conducted by researchers at Florida International University.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Global Health Council (Thursday, 11/22/01)
At the very least, "globalization" should mean better health across the global population. The Global Health Council used to be called the National Council of International Health, but it's still based in the U.S. and is still a nonprofit umbrella organization made up of professionals and leaders from academic, governmental, the health service sector, as well as foundations and other nonprofit organizations.

Bipartisan moderates attempt to break Congressional deadlock (Wednesday, 11/21/01)
Curt Anderson reports from Washington that a $75 billion compromise stimulus package which mixes Democratic and Republican ideas may result in a bill that the President can sign sometime before the end of the century after next. Seriously, Congress was generating increasing criticism for taking so long to settle on an air travel security bill following the September 11 terrorist attack. That finally happened, but chances of a stimulus bill that could come in time to make a real difference for the U.S. economy have seemed fairly dim until now. Meanwhile, the OECD thinks that the world's major economies are all standing still at the moment, but should begin to grow significantly again by the middle of next year, led by the U.S. economy.

Efforts to combat poverty (Wednesday, 11/21/01)
Among many other things, global poverty appears to provide an effective breeding ground for terrorism and increases the instability of the world during a very dangerous time. The United Nations will try to use computers in the fight to reduce poverty as well as the global have vs. have-not gap, while Jeffrey Sachs argues for a vigorous resumption of U.S. foreign assistance.

The end of business as usual (Wednesday, 11/21/01)
The common consensus seems to be that a new era of world history began on September 11, and, in fact, it might be said that that day really marked the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st, just as the world of 19th century Europe seemed to end with the First World War. David Ivanovich reports on the many ways in which corporations are doing things differently in the post-911 world. Of course, business as well as daily life have undergone profound change very near the World Trade Center site. Jennifer Lee tells how New York's Chinatown has been affected.

Unemployment claims decline again (Wednesday, 11/21/01)
First-time unemployment claims dipped for the fourth week in a row, suggesting that the wave of layoffs has crested. Here's more from Jeannine Aversa in Washington. Also, Frontier Airlines is experiencing a turnaround that one might hope will spread to the major carriers. Lisi de Bourbon reports that the Conference Board's Index of Leading Economic Indicators rose a bit in October. The Index has proved to be a relatively accurate forecaster of economic activity several months in advance.

Economists worry about deflation, and you should too (Wednesday, 11/21/01)
Lower prices are nice, right? Not always, and noted economics writer Robert Samuelson explains why.

U.S. trends are sometimes simply reflections of global trends (Wednesday, 11/21/01)
At first, it appeared that the increase in single-parent families was a U.S. phenomenon requiring explanation about what may be going on in American society. Then, it became apparent that some of the same kinds of things were happening in many nations across the North Atlantic. Now, as Genaro Armas reports, single-parent households have been increasing in many countries over much of the world.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: International Labour Migration Database (Wednesday, 11/21/01)
One of the largest human migrations in all of history has been going on in recent years. You can track labor migrations across specific countries through the use of the UN ILO's International Labour Migration Database.

Tens of thousands of new government jobs will be created...soon (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
With President Bush's signature, the federal Transportation Security Agency has been created, and this means that tens of thousands of new employees will have to be hired and trained in only a few months.

You can stop worrying about what to with the surplus (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
William Welch reports that budget experts in the Congress are expecting the recession, plus what is likely to prove to be a lengthy war on terrorism, to result in budget deficits that will last for years. The world changed September 11 in many ways, and, among other things, it altered the American political agenda, if for no other reason than that there aren't likely to be funds available for many of the things that official Washington was still arguing about doing on September 10.

Secretary O'Neill thinks he can see common ground (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
At the moment, there appears to be deadlock on a stimulus package in Congress, but the Secretary of the Treasury thinks he can see a possibility for the sides to get together and get it done.

The OECD's view of the American economy (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has issued its annual report, and expects another two million layoffs in the U.S. before the economy starts picking up again around the middle of next year.

Sara Lee decides recipe needs fewer ingredients (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
Sara Lee Corporation will cut about 9 percent of its workforce. Job cuts had been announced earlier, but the company has decided that another 1,000 jobs must go.

Escaping abuse only to be abused again (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
It really isn't quite what the people who wrote the inscription on the Statue of Liberty had in mind. Stephanie Armour describes the reception some immigrants have gotten and how easy it is for people to find work as slaves in American households.

When your workplace is an angry place (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
There are plenty of reasons for people to be stressed or frustrated right now, and, as Jim Barlow reports, this means escalating levels of anger in many work settings. And, if you're a manager, this is one of the things you're expected to manage. He passes on some suggestions from the current edition of the Harvard Management Communication Letter. Boeing has decided to minimize frustrations, if it can, by waiting to announce additional layoffs until after the holiday.

Disability bias suits are on the increase (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
Reed Abelson reports that more persons with disabilities are filing suit because of harassment on the job.

Mechanics may strike at United Airlines (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
Mechanics at United have turned down an offer of binding arbitration and a strike appears to be nearer. Meanwhile, a strike already has happened in Australia at BHP Billiton. More than 4,000 workers walked out for 24 hours in order to protest job cuts at the mining company's facility near Sydney.

Women boomers move on (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
Jilian Mincer tells about the increasing number of people, mostly women in the boomer generation, who have made it in the private sector but who now choose to move to nonprofits.

Finding money for college (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
Karen Thomas of USA Today says that it is possible to locate scholarships online.

This time, China threatens Japan, but in a new way (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
Many older Chinese, as well as many Koreans and other people in Asia, retain some hard feelings about Japan's military dominance and mistreatment of many people throughout the region during the first half of the 20th century. Now, as James Brooke reports in the New York Times, many Japanese workers are watching their jobs move to the Chinese mainland. Can exploitation of Japanese companies' markets by Chinese companies be far behind? China's economy appears to be in its ascendancy, but Japan is in its fourth recession during the past ten years with no substantive relief in sight.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: China Economy (Tuesday, 11/20/01)
Among other things, China appears to be engaging in an historic experiment to see if it is possible to permit a high degree of economic freedom while minimizing political freedom, or, whether, as many in the West believe, freedom is indivisible. At any rate, various observers around the world believe it is possible for the world's largest country to have the world's largest economy by sometime later in the 21st century, and, if that happens, China clearly will be one of the world's most influential powers having a major impact on the course of human history from now on. Both Russia and China have abandoned a 20th century political and economic system based on 19th century Marxist ideas, but they are taking divergent political paths, which helps explain why Russia is now aligning itself with Western Europe and the U.S., while China seems to be going its own direction. Here's what the People's Republic of China has to say about itself on its China Economy site.

Bank of Japan continues to see hard times ahead (Monday, 11/19/01)
The BOJ's latest report adds to the increasingly common view that Japan is in its fourth recession in only ten years. Here's more from Shinichi Kishima in Tokyo. Meanwhile, at the end of three days of meetings in Ottawa, the International Monetary Fund displays considerable pessimism about the global economy, in part because of the impact of the current wave of terrorism. Mark Egan reports from Ottawa that the meetings resulted in cross-national plans for providing additional econoimic stimulus across the globe.

Alcoa cuts thousands of jobs (Monday, 11/19/01)
Alcoa is the world's largest producer of aluminum. It's also the company in which the current Secretary of the Treasury spent many years as a top executive. You may recall the brief controversy over his huge Alcoa stock holdings when he joined the government. Alcoa has announced that it will cut 6,500 jobs, and, as a measure of just how large this company is, that amounts to about 4.6 percent of its workforce.

Statistics from the week ahead (Monday, 11/19/01)
Kansas City Star columnist Jerry Heaster provides a summary of the new numbers that will be out this week, and says that the Conference Board's Index of Leading Economic Indicators to be released tomorrow is expected to forecast improvement during the months ahead. Incidentally, Scott Burns tells what it will take for many consumers to do their part to get the U.S. economy cooking again. Where's the money for additional spending going to come from? He suggests that you restructure your debt to cut what you're routinely paying in interest. The result could be a difference that can really make a difference. Meanwhile, Jim Balloch reports that a new University of Tennessee study finds a fair degree of optimism among American consumers, despite the events of September 11 and their aftermath.

Slavery in American homes (Monday, 11/19/01)
Stephanie Armour of USA Today reports that some immigrants hired to work in private residences in the U.S. are working under what amounts to enslavement.

State education budgets droop (Monday, 11/19/01)
Many states are cutting large amounts from their education budgets because of the economic slump across the United States. Here's more from Greg Toppo in Washington, D.C.

Why California should have it better this time (Monday, 11/19/01)
James Sterngold says that the state whose economy is larger than that of most countries is better prepared for the new recession than for the last one.

American employers intend to bring on few new workers (Monday, 11/19/01)
A survey conducted by Manpower, Inc. indicates that employers intend to hire the smallest number of workers since the last recession. Also, many intend to make further cuts. Here's more from the Kansas City Star.

Thousands deported from Malaysia (Monday, 11/19/01)
The Malaysian government has deported 2,500 persons who had been working illegally in the country. Another 1,700 people will be sent out of the country next month, according to Jalil Hamid in Pasir Gudang

Why women remain in abusive marriages (Monday, 11/19/01)
Money often has a lot to do with it. Jeff Brown reports on the National Endowment for Financial Education's efforts to educate women on the use of money as a weapon that can be turned against them.

Economic security by degree (Monday, 11/19/01)
Many employers use the four-year college degree as a applicant screening device across a wide variety of occupations, so, without one, you may not get past the front door. However, upper-income professional occupations often require far more formal education, according to the latest edition of the Occupational Outlook Quarterly.

Bankrupty can mean the evaporation of retirement benefits (Monday, 11/19/01)
Adam Geller tells what is happening to former employees of Polaroid as well as many other companies in deep trouble.

Religious diversity at Ford (Monday, 11/19/01)
Traditionally, many American communities, with some conspicuous exceptions, have been like Lake Wobegon, where "religious tolerance" has meant finding ways for Catholics and Protestants, mostly indistinguishable and working together throughout the week, to get along on Sundays. However, as American society has become more diverse, so has the American workplace, and, in a growing number of work settings, all of the world's religious traditions are heavily represented, including ones that share no doctrinal or historical roots in common. However, at the moment, much of the awareness has to do with Muslims in America. Danny Hakim writes from Dearborn, Michigan on the effort to achieve mutual understanding at Ford Motor Company where both Christianity and Islam are heavily represented.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: USA Today's Salary Wizard (Monday, 11/19/01)
Insert an occupation and a location in order to get a sense of pay levels in various fields in various communities across the United States with USA Today's Salary Wizard.

O'Neill says the U.S. needs a stimulus package quickly (Sunday, 11/18/01)
The Secretary of the Treasury feels that Congressional delays in meeting agreement on a stimulus package put the American economy at increasing risk, which will influence the global economy as well. The Secretary spoke in Ottawa at meetings of the International Monetary Fund. IMF officials expect the American recession to be mild, with recovery occurring next year, but that prospects for the global economy are uncertain and that major world economies should cut their interest rates further. Meanwhile, representatives of both rich and poor nations meeting in Ottawa have agreed to work together to deprive international terrorists of financial resources.

Chinese miners die in explosion (Sunday, 11/18/01)
Thirty-three miners have died in a gas explosion in a Chinese mine located in Shanxi Province.

Russian upturn (Sunday, 11/18/01)
The new Russia has been following a difficult and bumpy path toward the development of a viable open market economy since the disintegration of the Soviet Union. However, Michael Wines reports from Moscow that there are now strong signs of growing success.

South Korea loosens restrictions on its conglomerates (Sunday, 11/18/01)
The South Korean government imposed constraints on its conglomerates during the 1997-1998 economic crisis that limited their ability to invest in a wide range of enterprises. Don Kirk reports from Seoul that the big South Korean businesses will soon be granted more freedom.

Immigration issues move back up on the Congressional agenda (Sunday, 11/18/01)
Mark Stevenson reports from Mexico City that Democratic leaders in both the U.S. Senate and the House are pushing for immigration reform again, an issue that had been displaced for a time following the September 11 terrorist attack.

Making it the old-fashioned way (Sunday, 11/18/01)
Abby Ellin reports that a funny thing happened to a large number of ambitious young people who were riding high for a time in the dot-com soufflés of the 1990s.

Emphasizing communication during hard times (Sunday, 11/18/01)
Management's impulse might be to pull the wagons in a circle or run and hide when feeling under siege, but, as Samuel Fromartz reports, more communication, not less, seems to be part of the solution for coping effectively with hard times.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Ecological Economics (Sunday, 11/18/01)
The journal Ecological Economics offers free online access to 20,000 abstracts extending back to 1994.

Airport security workers, unlike their employers, like the bill that's on its way to the White House (Saturday, 11/17/01)
Firms that have been providing airport security personnel under contract with the airlines will be put out of business by the new air travel security bill that will soon become law. However, many of the tens of thousands of individuals who are now working in American airports expect to benefit from additional training and higher pay by becoming federal employees. Here's more from Sam Howe Verhovek in Washington state.

Industrial production falls again (Saturday, 11/17/01)
American manufacturing is experiencing its longest decline since the Great Depression, as Jeannine Aversa reports from Washington, D. C.

Protests greet attendees at financial meeting in Ottawa (Saturday, 11/17/01)
Top officials of central banks as well as rich and poor nations convened yesterday in Ottawa, and were greeted by violent protests. Here's more from Randall Palmer. In related news, Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer calls for a "global Marshall Plan" to help the world's poorest countries. In addition to whatever altruistic impulses some leaders may be feeling, it is thought by many that closing the gap between rich and poor can increase stability in the world and reduce the influence of conditions that help give rise to terrorism, just as the Marshall Plan that helped re-build Western Europe contributed to the long post-war period of prosperity and political stability in a region that had been beset by conflict for centuries.

Not enough saved for a rainy day (Saturday, 11/17/01)
Thomas Fogarty of USA Today reports that states are running low on funds for unemployment benefits.

Nearly 4 percent of Merrill Lynch workers accept incentives and will leave the company (Saturday, 11/17/01)
The big brokerage company is trying to cut costs, and, instead of simply laying off a large number of people, is offering a buyout package, and 2,600 employees have accepted.

No class action suit (Saturday, 11/17/01)
A federal judge has ruled that a discrimination suit against Microsoft will not be accorded class-action status. Meanwhile, John Gallagher of the Detroit Free Press reports that an agreement may be near which could settle two class action suits against Ford.

Leedham concedes to Hoffa (Saturday, 11/17/01)
James Hoffa has won a second term as president of the Teamsters. Members of the big and often troubled union are hoping that he will be able to help them through some rough times. The new recession is hitting the Teamsters particularly hard.

Calming the jitters (Saturday, 11/17/01)
Managers throughout the United States are trying to convince workers that their workplaces are safe, according to this report from Stephanie Armour.

Women-owned businesses continue their increasingly important role (Saturday, 11/17/01)
New research from the Center for Women's Business Research finds a big increase in the number of women-own businesses in the United States between 1997 and 2000.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Overseas Job Scams (Saturday, 11/17/01)
Among the many things that look too good to be true are various "opportunities" to work overseas. The Council of the Better Business Bureaus offers help in identifying overseas job scams and how to avoid getting burned.

Aviation security bill soon to head toward the President's desk (Friday, 11/16/01)
If you've been thinking that one way to save money might be to lay off the members of Congress, because it doesn't appear that they've been getting much done anyway, additional patience may be justified. Jim Abrams reports from Washington that, FINALLY, a bill to increase air travel security may soon be ready for President Bush's signature more than two months after the September 11 terrorist attack. Airport security will be federalized, which is what many prominent Democrats and Republicans have wanted. However, in order to move the legislation along, those who have been preoccupied with whether the federal government's workforce would be enlarged or whether these people might be members of labor unions are being thrown a bone.

For the most part, though, there seems to be increasing agreement that air travel security is a law enforcement function, and anyone who thinks it should be handled by employees from the private sector might reflect on how the war in Afghanistan might be going right now if the U.S. were depending on mercenaries rather than professional American soldiers. On the other hand, lawmakers will go home for the Thanksgiving holiday without passing an economic stimulus bill. Joanne Morrison reports that many economists are saying that they may as well forget it.

State revenues begin to fall short (Friday, 11/16/01)
Robert Tanner reports that a number of states are considering raising taxes.

IMF prepares to provide Turkey with its third rescue in a year (Friday, 11/16/01)
Turkey will have a financing gap unless the International Monetary Fund provides a needed $10 billion loan, and it appears that this will happen. Here's more from Mark Egan and Anna Willard in Washington.

Job losses in New York City (Friday, 11/16/01)
New York City lost 79,000 jobs during the month of October. Here's more from Leslie Eaton in the New York Times.

More cuts, slices (Friday, 11/16/01)
In the hi-tech sector, Yahoo will cut about 10 percent of its employees, while Agilent intends to cut jobs about equivalent to Yahoo's total workforce. But, to keep things in perspective, in the financial sector, Citigroup will cut far more jobs still.

Should you believe the numbers? (Friday, 11/16/01)
Dawn Gilbertson of the Arizona Republic says that available jobs data may be the best we have to go on, but their limitations should be kept in mind.

Hoffa leads in voting (Friday, 11/16/01)
Teamsters President James Hoffa is claiming victory, although about half the vote in the union's presidential election remains to be counted. He has a two-to-one advantage over his opposition so far, though.

How terrorism is changing business behavior (Friday, 11/16/01)
Employers are trying to cut costs and also increase workplace security, according to Adam Geller and Diane Stafford, respectively.

Prepare before you join the rush (Friday, 11/16/01)
Sandra Block of USA Today says that mortgage lenders probably won't have time to chat with you about your purposes and options, so it's best to decide ahead of time why you want to refinance your mortgage. With interest rates so low, it's an idea that large numbers of people are finding to be very attractive, though, so get set to stand in line.

Illegal wage fixing (Friday, 11/16/01)
You've heard that price fixing is illegal, but, as L. M. Sixel reports, so is wage fixing, as some executives who are in hot water are learning.

Another reason to go to school (Friday, 11/16/01)
Additional education or vocational training appears to be associated with lower recidivism for prison inmates, according to new Department of Education research. When prisoners are released, those who have received additional schooling in prison are less likely to return within three years, according to Tamar Lewin.

Two companies accused of discrimination (Friday, 11/16/01)
Bias suits have been filed against Johnson and Johnson as well as Cargill, Inc.

Rewards for being good doctors (Friday, 11/16/01)
Milt Freudenheim reports that several large employers in Florida will offer financial incentives for physicians who meet quality criteria and have high patient satisfaction ratings.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The NBER's Recession Dating Procedure (Friday, 11/16/01)
WHAT we know depends entirely on HOW we know it, as we've said so many times. So, how can we tell if the American economy is in recession? From the National Bureau of Economic Research, here is a description of the NBER's Recession Dating Procedure.

Afghan women can't take anything for granted (Thursday, 11/15/01)
The fact that the Taliban regime inflicted unspeakable abuse on Afghanistan's women doesn't mean that they cannot suffer something very similar from whatever government comes next. Jennifer Seymour Whitaker urges those who will have something to do with developing a coalition government, including U.S. officials, not to forget Afghanistan's women for all the obvious reasons, but also because the Afghan economy will need them.

Agreement...to talk again (Thursday, 11/15/01)
WTO talks fell apart under pressure in Seattle two years ago, so representatives of the more than 140 countries attending the latest meeting in Qatar felt a particular need not to leave empty-handed this time. Agreement has been reached on a broad structure for reducing barriers to trade. Basically, it means that a new round of talks over the next three years has been agreed to. Meanwhile, Dan Ackman of Forbes finds a connection between the talks in Qatar and David Ricardo's theorizing.

Learning how to say "recession" in several European languages (Thursday, 11/15/01)
Edmund Andrews reports from Frankfurt on more evidence from large European corporations that Europe's economies are catching the sniffles and may be in danger of coming down with the flu. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund has downgraded its growth forecast for the American economy. This is not altogether surprising, given that the U.S. economy seems to be shrinking at the moment. Nonetheless, things would be considerably worse, in all likelihood, if it weren't for the big bounce-back of retail sales during the past month or so, and much of that seems to have come from very strong automotive sales in response to powerful incentives, such as no-interest financing.

Democrats lose one in the Senate (Thursday, 11/15/01)
Will the federal government ever manage to implement a plan to stimulate the ailing American economy? Will the government ever do something to improve airline security? Will these things ever happen in this life? We don't know either, but we're confident they won't happen this week. The latest on the economic stimulus issue is that the Senate Democrats' latest plan is dead, as Adam Clymer reports, and has been killed by Senate Republicans, as Curt Anderson reports.

Mixed jobless news in the U.S. (Thursday, 11/15/01)
Fewer people applied for first-time jobless benefits last week, but more people who are already unemployed are remaining unemployed, suggesting that, while layoffs may be slowing down, job availability doesn't seem to be picking up. Here's more on the latest numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Senator Harkin is ready to compromise on farm legislation (Thursday, 11/15/01)
Fearing that the war on terrorism plus other pressing concerns might result in no action this year on assistance for farmers, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa is ready to make a deal. Philip Brasher reports from Washington that the Senator is willing to abandon his effort to cut payments to large farm operators.

Cut-off jeans (Thursday, 11/15/01)
VF Corporation will cut 13,000 jobs. They're best known by some of their principal brand names, such as Lee, Wrangler, and Jantzen. Novell of Provo, Utah, the well-known networking software company, intends to cut 19 percent of its workforce. Elsewhere in the hi-tech universe, Tokyo's Casio will cut 3,000 jobs. Finally, the Australian airline Qantas will cut 2,000 jobs by the end of the year, if they can make it stick. Unions are appealing to the Prime Minister to call a jobs summit.

UK firm wants to employ children as sales personnel (Thursday, 11/15/01)
London's Phones 4u thinks that very young techies will make a very effective sales staff on the retail floor, but teachers and trade union leaders think it's a terrible idea.

New admissions criteria at the University of California (Thursday, 11/15/01)
The University of California system eliminated affirmative action six years ago. Barbara Whitaker reports on the latest effort to develop a workable replacement that can serve some of the same objectives.

Kinder, gentler layoffs (Thursday, 11/15/01)
Losing your job probably never will be as pleasant as ice cream on a hot day, but, as Diane Stafford reports, it is possible for employers to reduce the pain a bit. Meanwhile, Jodie Snyder reviews the options that laid-off Arizona workers have for keeping health coverage while they're jobless.

Coalition wants Congress to take a very careful look at the 1996 welfare reform statute (Thursday, 11/15/01)
A coalition from labor, women's groups, and other organizations will try to convince Congress of the need to re-do the 1996 law, in part, because they believe that the recession is hitting the poor disproportionately . Here's more from Mary Leonard of the Boston Globe.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Financial Assistance for Grandparent Caregivers (Thursday, 11/15/01)
Many American grandparents are raising their grandchildren. If this applies to you, AARP would like to tell you about the TANF program, which came about as a result of the 1996 welfare reform act.

Deal near at WTO meeting (Wednesday, 11/14/01)
India had been holding up a new trade agreement, but has agreed to abstain, which will allow other conferees go ahead with an agreement intended to boost the global economy and help lift poor countries out of poverty. Here's more from Adrian Croft and Robert Evans in Qatar.

Some strengths in the American economy (Wednesday, 11/14/01)
American consumers haven't lost their nerve, apparently. Retail sales in October increased by the largest amount in one month since those statistics were first recorded. Also, real estate values appear to be holding up, and even the latest air disaster hasn't caused many Americans to change their holiday travel plans.

Some Argentine provinces agree to government austerity plan (Wednesday, 11/14/01)
However, others continue to resist signing on to a plan intended to help prevent the largest sovereign default in world history.

Stalemate in the Senate (Wednesday, 11/14/01)
Americans who have been waiting for the federal government to implement an economic stimulus package as well as new policies to increase airline safety will have to wait a bit longer, it seems. William Welch of USA Today reports that Republicans and Democrats in the Senate are deeply divided over the stimulus plan, and, despite some degree of agreement in the Senate as well as in the Administration on the need for a "summit" to break through barriers and provide the President with a bill he can sign by the end of the month, Republican leaders in the House are rejecting the idea.

When things started going downhill (Wednesday, 11/14/01)
Louis Uchitelle of the New York Times says that several major economists that the beginnings of the recession may be traced back to last March. That may be when the longest economic expansion in American history finally ended.

More fallout from the travel/tourism slump (Wednesday, 11/14/01)
Airlines have been directly affected, and hotels, restaurants, and tourist destinations, including theme parks, have been suffering from the recession generally as well as the cutback in air travel. Rental car companies also are affected when there is a decline in tourist or business travel, and one major one has filed for bankruptcy protection. It's the parent company of Alamo and National.

When anthrax gets into the workplace, who's to blame? (Wednesday, 11/14/01)
Well, the people who put it there, certainly; the terrorists are to blame for their terroristic acts. But how about employers? Michael Greenspon and Neil Irwin of the Washington Post say it's going to be hard to make any claims of employer liability stick.

A strike is authorized at an Ohio Jeep plant (Wednesday, 11/14/01)
The Toledo plan employs nearly 4,000 workers. They've voted to authorize their UAW local to call a strike. Workers are upset over the combination of layoffs plus longer work hours for "survivors," as well as health and safety issues.

Cynicism apparently takes a major hit (Wednesday, 11/14/01)
Patriotism certainly hasn't seemed "square" to many Americans during the past couple of months, and the military, as well as people who serve in it, have gotten to be downright popular. Moreover, cynicism about politicians and government seems to have declined significantly, with ironic smirking slipping from fashion. Martha Raffaele reports that many of the very young are not only becoming actively involved in politics now, but are seeking elective office themselves.

The balance continues to tip away from government help (Wednesday, 11/14/01)
Elizabeth Becker reports from Washington that a new survey shows that more Americans get good assistance from private charities now than from the government's food stamp program.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (Wednesday, 11/14/01)
The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control is part of the government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and, while relevant to issues relating to workplace safety, doesn't confine itself to them.

Another disastrous day (Tuesday, 11/13/01)
Yesterday was another very bad day for New York City. The crash of another American Airlines plane resulted in a additional catastrophic loss of life, which is a disaster, not only for a great many families, but also for the city, the airline, and the airline industry overall. Here's more from Keith Alexander in the International Herald Tribune. It is nearly beyond belief that the plane went down in a neighborhood in which many New York City firefighters live, and that some of the same families who lost members at the World Trade Center were affected yesterday.

New evidence that American consumers haven't lost their optimism (Tuesday, 11/13/01)
Consumer spending makes up about two-thirds of the American economy, and, as David Francis of the Christian Science Monitor reports, a new poll indicates that consumers are feeling fairly good about the American economy's prospects as well as their own well-being, and this could mean that the recession has bottomed out already. Of course, these poll results are from before yesterday's air disaster in New York City. The airline industry accounts for a significant part of the U.S. economy as well, and very much depends on consumers' willingness to fly. The hospitality industry also has been hurt during the period since September 11, and, depending on how yesterday's crash affects travel, hotels, restaurants, and tourist destinations may be hurt further, which probably will depend, in part, on whether it was an accident or another terrorist act. Dana Hedgpeth reports from Washington, D. C. on what one union has been doing to try to help laid-off hotel workers in the nation's capital.

Strike at VW in Brazil (Tuesday, 11/13/01)
Volkswagen has scheduled 3,000 job cuts at its biggest Brazilian factory. Talks with workers have been underway, but have not resulted in a reversal of the company's decision, as workers have hoped. As a consequence, 16,000 VW workers at the plant have voted to go on strike.

Democrats want disaster aid for farmers as part of stimulus plan (Tuesday, 11/13/01)
Philip Brasher reports on some of the details of the bill that passed the Senate Finance Committee last week. Speaking of agriculture, farm subsidies are among the issues holding up agreement at the World Trade Organization meeting in Qatar.

From Bible belt to rust belt (Tuesday, 11/13/01)
David Leonhardt reports on the "new rust belt" in the American South, and its worst slump in twenty years.

Meat packing workers to get back pay (Tuesday, 11/13/01)
IBP has been ordered by a federal judge to pay $3.1 million to 815 people who had not been paid for the time spend preparing to do their jobs and cleaning up afterward. The company says it will appeal. Here's more from Linda Ashton in Yakima, Washington.

Update on welfare reform (Tuesday, 11/13/01)
Ron Haskins believes that the evidence is clear: welfare reform has alleviated poverty in the United States. He offers Census data in support of his assertions.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Aviation Economics and Finance (Tuesday, 11/13/01)
The global airline industry is in crisis and additional bankruptcies are looming. For overall perspective on the economics of the industry, you may want to consult the many resources available online on aviation economics and finance through the National Transportation Library maintained by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The resurgence of ideology in Washington (Monday, 11/12/01)
Despite epithets often hurled in the direction of academics by people who think that daily personal experience is the best teacher, it's hard to think of anything more practical than ideas and what they're based on. If nothing else, the current terroristic threat and the war in Afghanistan should make that point. Sarah McKenzie and Rob Hotakainen report that ideologies continue to make a difference in Washington, D. C. too, particularly when it comes to varying visions of a stimulus plan. Of course, there already have been efforts to stimulate the economy coming out of Washington, most notably the interest rate cuts made by the Federal Reserve. Now that it costs less to "rent" somebody else's money than it has in decades, what are the consequences? Steven Syre and Charles Stein of the Boston Globe say that cheap money is beginning to make a difference.

Sitting tight (Monday, 11/12/01)
Shannon Buggs of the Houston Chronicle says that fear is causing both employees and employers to sit tight in an uncertain job market, and, according to USA Today, the same attitude is limiting corporate relocations. Meanwhile, though some forecasters have been saying that a recovery can be expected during about the middle of 2002, the White House's chief economic adviser is a bit more optimistic, saying that at least modest recovery should begin soon after the first of the year.

Not a good time to get sick (Monday, 11/12/01)
Robin Toner reports from Washington on what the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attack and the recession it helped precipitate have done to the health coverage of many Americans. In fact, the safety net for laid-off workers has gotten greatly frayed over all, according to former Labor Secretary Robert Reich writing today in the New York Times.

German chemicals company cuts jobs (Monday, 11/12/01)
Henkel will cut as many as 3,000 jobs. Here's more from Frankfurt.

Ever so slightly better news (Monday, 11/12/01)
Japan may feel a bit like a person who has just been told that the tidal wave heading his way isn't 50 feet high, but, instead, only 48 feet. Nonetheless, given the struggles of the world's second-largest economy over the past ten years, the Japanese probably are willing to take any good news they can get. And, about as good as the news has gotten recently is that the Japanese economy shrank 0.7 percent during the second quarter rather than 0.8 percent.

Planning for the day when there are no longer any tips (Monday, 11/12/01)
Pamela Yip says that the only thing trickier than living off tips may be retirement, which requires a lot of advance planning and discipline.

We ain't seen nuthin' yet, Gates suggests (Monday, 11/12/01)
To say the least, the hi-tech sector, including tech stocks, certainly has lost its glitter lately. However, Microsoft's leading software architect, who also happens to be top boss, says that we can expect far more than we've seen so far from high-technology.

An alternative to working at home where the children are (Monday, 11/12/01)
Candace Goforth of the Akron Beacon Journal writes about at least one new mother who takes her baby with her each day, and her employer thinks it's a dandy idea.

Truth in packaging? (Monday, 11/12/01)
How you're packaged tells something about you, but workplace dress seems to be speaking a somewhat different language now. Here are some details on the changing rules along the generational divide from Liz Doup of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: How to fight a recession (Monday, 11/12/01)
How to fight a recession offers a comparison of monetary and fiscal policy options.

China's finally in (Sunday, 11/11/01)
China has worked for 15 years to gain membership in the World Trade Organization, and that has been achieved. Here's more from Qatar where the WTO has been holding its latest meeting. Taiwan officially will become a member today, which, given that China considers Taiwan to be part of itself and that separate membership doesn't imply that Taiwan and China are separate countries, has required some fancy diplomatic footwork and considerable use of euphemisms and legalistic fictions. Jeremy Gaunt reports on the rich countries vs. poor countries arguments going on at the WTO meeting at a time when the entire world seems to be facing some economic hard times. Of course, in a world where the rich spill more each day than the poor will ever see in a lifetime, "hard times" certainly is a relative concept.

The return of politics to D. C. (Sunday, 11/11/01)
There are cities in the world where political adversaries probably are in greater conflict on a routine basis, but in some of these, the adversaries shoot each other in the streets, rather than slugging it out mostly with words within a democratic institutional structure. Nonetheless, Washington, D. C. continues to be in the political big leagues, even though, since September 11, a truce seemed to be called for a while.

However, if you see everybody apparently agreeing for very long, what you're probably seeing is not a democracy, but a dictatorship. Washington, D. C. is where much energy is concentrated from one of history's greatest representative democracies. Adam Clymer says that Congressional Democrats are starting to act like Democrats again, and Republicans are starting to act like Republicans, particularly when it comes to America's current economic problems.

At the moment, the President is enjoying historically high approval ratings, which means that the great majority of people who voted for Mr. Gore in the election a year ago are supporting President Bush and his approach to dealing with terrorism and his conduct of the war. Any Democrat who would try to oppose him on these issues right now would have to be a closet masochist. Democrats can only be giving thanks in their prayers each night that there isn't a presidential election this month.

However, this doesn't mean that Democrats must roll over and play dead, because the economy does offer some opportunities for people who can be careful about what they say. Many Congressional seats will be up for grabs 12 months from now, and, as they say, a week can be an eternity in politics. Incidentally, what is a more permanent feature of Washington, D. C. than the great army of lobbyists, who have awakened as well. Do they ever really sleep? Glenn Kessler and John Lancaster tell how special interests are shaping the stimulus bill.

Which sector will lead the next expansion? (Sunday, 11/11/01)
A lot of smart people are saying that hi-tech isn't dead, only napping, and that the economy is waiting for the next generation of technology. While tech as a distinct sector may not have the influence it had during the 1990s, hi-tech will increasingly make a difference in all sectors, just as computers have dissolved into much of your environment and slipped out of sight. How many computers do you have? Don't forget the ones in you car, in the microwave oven, and so on. But, so far as distinct sectors are concerned, health care, which accounts for a major chuck of the huge American economy, remains strong and, once recovery begins, is likely to expand faster than other key sectors. Thus, health care make be the American economy's principal driving engine for a while.

Flash! If you have an income, you're more likely to be willing to spend money (Sunday, 11/11/01)
Actually, it is a serious issue. Barbara Hagenbaugh reports on what economists who study consumer confidence are saying about the variables having the greatest influence on spending. The collective good would be served right now if people would increase their spending, but individuals are guided by their perceptions of their immediate personal security. In the longer-term, what is good for the whole may also be good for the part, but not necessarily in the shorter-term. Similarly, America's short-term response to the threats posed by international terrorism is to try to eliminate the terrorists and the terrorist organizations. However, that won't necessarily be a long-term solution to anything. If the conditions which give rise to terrorism persist, the world will just keep making more. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan made that point at the UN only yesterday.

Americans still seem able to keep their minds on what they're doing (Sunday, 11/11/01)
There's plenty to feel insecure about, given the terrorist threat combined with a recessionary economy that is shedding jobs at a furious rate. Still, a new Rutgers University poll finds that Americans feel that they're still productive while at work.

Incentives for your boss to let you work at home (Sunday, 11/11/01)
If you would like your morning commute to consist of simply stopping by the coffee maker on your way to your desk, you may have friends in the governments of Denver, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Houston. These cities are trying to promote telecommuting, even if it isn't full-time, by offering tax breaks to employers who encourage it.

Getting a Harvard M.B.A. without losing your individuality (Sunday, 11/11/01)
John Solomon offers the President and the new Mayor of New York City as evidence that Harvard Biz School isn't a factory that cranks out uniform products.

Linguistic museum (Sunday, 11/11/01)
Think waaaaay back, now. Remember expressions like "8-track," "quadraphonic," "Betamax," "Studebaker," " duck and cover," "Dumont Television Network," "leisure suit," "Y2K," and..."surplus?" Well, okay, the last word may not be extinct, but you may not hear much about it for a while either. Instead, get ready for the return of deficits, and, during a time when the economy requires big-time stimulation, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Here's more from Richard Stevenson of the New York Times.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Interactive Economic Development Network (Sunday, 11/11/01)
Economic development professionals can use the Interactive Economic Development Network to access valuable resources and connect with each other.

China about to enter WTO (Saturday, 11/10/01)
The World Trade Organization meeting is in its second day in tense and heavily guarded Qatar, where China's WTO membership is about to be approved. Delegates from more than 140 countries are in attendance.

Japan's economic contraction (Saturday, 11/10/01)
The Japanese government had been hoping for 1.7 percent growth this fiscal year, but, instead, it now appears that it will see a 0.9 percent contraction instead. This would be the biggest shrinkage of the Japanese economy in twenty years. All this bad news puts Prime Minister Koizumi's intended reforms in doubt, according to Tokyo's Asahi Shimbun.

When lower prices aren't a good thing (Saturday, 11/10/01)
If you're at least middle-aged, concerns about inflation and how it can bend an entire economy out of shape are quite familiar. However, declining prices can cause dislocations as well. Columnist Jerry Heaster explains why you should be concerned about deflationary signs.

Another airline shuts down...for now (Saturday, 11/10/01)
We reported earlier in the week on the bankruptcy of Belgium's Sabeda Airlines. Now, at least for the time being, Canada 3000's planes are on the ground following court-granted bankruptcy protection. Thousands of passengers have been left stranded.

American consumers may be getting a bit more inclined to spend (Saturday, 11/10/01)
The Conference Board's measure of consumer confidence declined sharply last month, but preliminary results from the University of Michigan's measure of consumer sentiment are suggesting a turnaround.

What if lots of volunteers show up? (Saturday, 11/10/01)
An important element of the sort of social cohesion needed for patience and public support of a protracted and costly war is involvement and a sense of participation. As a consequence, President Bush has asked for Americans to volunteer their time. But, as Alison Mitchell reports from Washington, Tom Ridge and the rest of the government don't yet have a specific plan for making use of large numbers of volunteers.

The end of the track could be approaching (Saturday, 11/10/01)
It doesn't appear that Amtrak will meet Congressional deadlines for achieving self-sufficiency, so the railroad has been told to draw up a liquidation plan. This doesn't necessarily mean that there will be no Amtrak anytime soon, however. Here's more from Laurence Arnold in Washington.

Social Security panel begins to present its plan (Saturday, 11/10/01)
Social Security reform has been off the front page during the past two months for fairly obvious reasons, but neither the problems nor the people charged with working out solutions have gone away. Here's the latest on presidential commission's plans for privatizing part of the system as well as dealing with the threat of benefit cuts.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Archives of Women in Science and Engineering (Saturday, 11/10/01)
The Archives of Women in Science and Engineering is maintained by Iowa State University.

Nervousness in Qatar (Friday, 11/9/01)
Delegates who remember the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle a couple of years ago may have been hoping for more serenity at the meeting opening in Qatar. However, recent terrorist attacks in the U.S., the ongoing war in Afghanistan, and a shooting fatality in Qatar itself on Wednesday have made it difficult for the 2,641 delegates to relax. The U.S. has sent 2,100 Marines to the scene in an effort to keep things peaceful.

Massive restructuring at NTT (Friday, 11/9/01)
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation of Japan is in crisis and will respond by transferring 100,000 workers and also cutting many salaries, a move that has union support. Here are details from Tokyo's Asahi Shimbun.

Volkswagen cuts thousands of jobs in Brazil (Friday, 11/9/01)
The big German automaker is set to slice 3,000 people from its payroll in South America's largest economy after failing to reach agreement with its workers on how to cut costs. Meanwhile, next door, Argentina continues to struggle with its economy, including a debt problem that may not be manageable. Argentina has South America's second-largest economy, and the government is frantically trying to avert the biggest sovereign default in all history. Anthony Faiola writes from Buenos Aires about the social consequences of Argentina's economic problems.

The avalanche (Friday, 11/9/01)
Americans are refinancing their mortgages in record numbers now that rates are at their lowest point since many currently expiring 30-year mortgages were first taken out.

Silicon Valley returns to earth (Friday, 11/9/01)
The big American hi-tech corridor between San Francisco and San Jose is experiencing its worst period in a half-century. Here's more on the Silicon Valley slump from Jon Swartz and Jim Hopkins of USA Today. Mr. Swartz also reports that hi-tech executives have been making painful adjustments to the new realities.

Encouraging words from Michigan biz leaders (Friday, 11/9/01)
Brenda Rios of the Detroit Free Press reports on an economic forum sponsored by the Women's Economic Club, Wayne State University, and Ms. Rios' newspaper. Business leaders in attendance seemed fairly optimistic about Michigan's economy and also seem to expect national economic recovery by around the middle of next year. Meanwhile, many people are beginning to wonder if the federal government will be able to respond with a stimulus package in time to do any real good. Curt Anderson reports from Washington that debate in the Congress seems to be getting increasingly partisan and positions may be hardening.

The search for control (Friday, 11/9/01)
During a time when we are reminded that many conditions of life are beyond the control of individuals, people across a variety of occupational categories are trying to do what they can to gain greater control of the things that are under their influence. The Arizona Republic's Janie Magruder tells about one career consultant's experience with clients from many walks of life since September 11.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Nationwide Career Fairs (Friday, 11/9/01)
Nationwide Career Fairs lets you search for scheduled career fairs by region of the country, as well as by general occupational interest.

Jobless claims down last week (Thursday, 11/8/01)
First-time claims for unemployment benefits declined significantly last week, but were still high.

Some of the ways in which this recession and this war are different (Thursday, 11/8/01)
After several years of a new economy, we now have a new kind of recession and a new kind of war. Steven Rattner explains why this war is costing the economy, rather than stimulating it as has been the case with some previous wars. In related news, the World Bank's president says that reduced global economic growth can be expected because of slumps in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Alister Bull reports from Frankfurt that European central banks have followed the American Fed's lead by reducing interest rates.

Some root causes of Islamic resentment of the West (Thursday, 11/8/01)
Virginia Postrel offers some perspective on the history of Islamic societies and how things have gone downhill during recent centuries. During its "golden age," Islamic cultures were prosperous and also contained major centers of learning, in fact preserving knowledge and literature from the Classical period during the centuries that Europe mostly lost touch with much of its own heritage.

Objects of attention (Thursday, 11/8/01)
Many foreign workers in the United States feel as though they've suddenly become conspicuous, simply because of their physical appearance. Here's more from Deborah Kong in Los Altos, California. Former Congressional staffer and host of NBC's "Meet the Press," Tim Russert, recently pointed out on the air how irrational this can be. He told about his feelings when he realized that Timothy McVeigh was an Irish Catholic American, which is what Tim is. However, despite the fact that they shared these attributes in common, so far as he knows, nobody has been suspecting Mr. Russert of being a domestic terrorist, he said.

Layoffs at Waterford Wedgwood (Thursday, 11/8/01)
Brian Lavery reports from Dublin that Waterford Wedgwood will cut 1,400 of its 10,000 employees. The company's roots extend back to the very beginning of modern business. Josiah Wedgwood was one of the creators of the Industrial Revolution in England's Midlands during the 18th century. Meanwhile, Hewlett-Packard is postponing pay raises because of a tight economy.

Supreme Court to hear disability case (Thursday, 11/8/01)
Charles Wolfe writes about a woman who sued Toyota, claiming that they violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. The high Court's decision could have far-reaching implications.

Lots of seasonal workers available (Thursday, 11/8/01)
Last year, there was a general shortage of retail workers for the holiday shopping season. Not so this year, given the large number of layoffs, although demand for seasonal workers may be down considerably too because of the recession and the drop in consumer spending.

Mynamar hasn't abandoned slavery, according to the UN (Thursday, 11/8/01)
The International labor Organization, an agency of the United Nations, says that Mynamar still hasn't given up forced labor, despite its promises.

Why Australian librarians feel they're underpaid (Thursday, 11/8/01)
Most librarians in Australia are women, and, as Geesche Jacobsen reports in the Sydney Morning Herald, this helps explain pay levels.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: The Rich List (Thursday, 11/8/01)
Like America's Fortune magazine, the Times of London compiles a list of the world's richest people each year which also allows examination of the rich by regions, economic sectors, and so on.

Can interest rates go even lower? (Wednesday, 11/7/01)
Jeannine Aversa reports that, even though the federal funds rate is now at its lowest level since early in the Kennedy administration, economists are saying that another rate cut could come next month, which would be the 11th of the year. Floyd Norris reports on the widespread hope that the low cost of borrowing money will make consumers and businesses want to start spending again and give the economy a boost, but this is not an ordinary recession occurring for ordinary and familiar reasons, so old expectations may not apply at this point.

The low interest rates are making a lot of people refinance their homes, though, which can result in major savings on the mortgage payment each month. The government and others are hoping that homeowners will spend this freed-up money rather than stashing it away, but that remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, that big federal stimulus package that both Republicans and Democrats say they want because it's necessary hasn't happened yet, and some in Congress are saying that it's time for the President to step in to settle the haggling and avoid a partisan meltdown.

More hi-tech and airline jobs cut (Wednesday, 11/7/01)
Tim McLaughlin reports from Boston that Hitachi Data Systems is cutting 10 percent of its workforce. We've already reported that Alcatel, the French telecommunications company, will cut jobs, but the latest news is that about 2 1/5 percent of its U.S. workforce will be eliminated, which amounts to about 1,500 jobs. Meanwhile, in the airline industry, Scandinavian Airlines will cut 2,500 workers, while Belgium's Sabena Airlines is declared bankrupt and is shutting down altogether.

Productivity rose during the third quarter (Wednesday, 11/7/01)
An increase in worker productivity means that fewer people are doing more, and, while this can happen because of fuller and more effective use of technology, another reason can be workforce reductions, which seems to be the principal reason for the "good news" in this case.

Another bad year ahead for Japan (Wednesday, 11/7/01)
In the U.S., a recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of "negative growth" or shrinkage of the economy. However, in Japan's case, the economy may shrink during two consecutive YEARS for the first time since the Second World War.

WTO meeting gets smaller (Wednesday, 11/7/01)
James Cox reports on the relocated World Trade Organization meeting in Qatar.

Rapid turnaround (Wednesday, 11/7/01)
Only a few months ago, many employers were willing to offer signing bonuses in order to attract the people they needed in a competitive labor market. Now, some of those same workers are being laid off, and some employers are demanding that the signing bonuses be returned as may be stipulated in the fine print.

Today's NewWork News Web Tip: Journal of Labor Economics (Wednesday, 11/7/01)
The Journal of Labor Economics is published by the University of Chicago press.

Fed makes 10th cut of the year (Tuesday, 11/6/01)
The Federal Reserve has cut short-term interest rates again by a half a point. The federal funds rate will now stand at two percent, its lowest level in just over forty years. Chris Lester says that we should all hope that the Fed's action results in a reguviation of the American economy. If not, we may soon have an unfamiliar problem that, nonetheless, can be socially traumatic and disorienting--deflation.

Grim, grimmer, but not yet grimmest (Tuesday, 11/6/01)
Martin Crutsinger reflects on the deteriorating condition of the American economy as reflected in a number of major statistics.

Tech boom-bust cycle affects American West most (Tuesday, 11/6/01)
Western regions benefitted most from the hi-tech boom of the 1990s and also are being affected more tha