| THIS IS A READ-ONLY ARCHIVE FROM THE SORABJI.COM MESSAGE BOARDS (1995-2016). |
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I can't believe he's dead. what a loss. Damn damn damn damn. I'm pretty upset about this. I love the Ramones. One of the first punk bands I ever started listening to and really helped my guitar playing by showing that you could produce kick-ass songs without having a lot of musical knowledge. THis is not the thing to hear before I go to sleep. damn. |
No----say it ain't so!!!!!!! WHAT HAPPENED???????!!!!!!!!!!! |
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I remember you lying awake at night And thinking just of you But things don't last forever And somehow baby They never really do - from "Leave Home" sick transit gloria mundi. |
"Now I wanna sniff some glue...." RIP Joey Ramone. |
damn. just read it me self. gabba gabba gabba damn |
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You went the way you sounded Fast, furious, and gone in three minutes Leaving a dusty trail of breadcrumbs And now Rockaway beach Is just an empty landfill. |
you'll be missed, joey. |
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how can you be flippant at a time like this? |
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how could you make the joke, the most obvious of all jokes, a joke thats not EVEN funny, that has probably been said by dopes like you...oh im guessing about 1249 times today... though spider is going to have it for me when i say this ( i love it when she scolds me)....coming from a man who dissed the whole genre of rap ("crap") ..... well... you know... you got something coming... im not sure what, but its going to be big... |
Main Entry: flip·pant Pronunciation: 'fli-p&nt Function: adjective Etymology: probably from 1flip Date: 1605 1 archaic : GLIB, TALKATIVE 2 : lacking proper respect or seriousness |
nothing worse that two cali college punks ramble on about something they half assed know about. |
Nathaniel, you might take the "h" out of my name. If you're trying for the word which means "dough not properly baked" it's spelled "doughy". And Patrick, I'm sure we'd all like to hear what a non-dope's poop sounds like on the implications the Ramones had on rock. |
there really is no poop on the ramones. just good rock & roll.....served up like america likes it. im not going to read into anymore than i think they wanted it to be read. |
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you know, keep it simple, and set yourself free. |
i was just messin' with dougie. i've got to start using emoticons. ;) |
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i don't take strangers deaths, no matter who they are, too personally. "No emoticon can possibly describe the way i feel" |
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you've all peeps should know that. |
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referring to in that song... When I think blue, I think Paxil. Or Clonidine. Or....oh, damn, what's the name of that stimulant med? |
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i just got a killer version of "teresa, give me that knife" by nomeansno off of napster. now THAT'S punk rock! |
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Y'know----in an effort to be half-assed diplomatic, I think Joey might have appreciated the flippancy. |
i can't stand when people want to start reading more into it that ever intended. they just wanted to play music. calling him a "punk pioneer" to me is a stretch. He was a part of a whole scene that developed the genre...im not sure anyone particular one of them is entirely responsible. I don't understand how anyone could not like the ramones...which further expands my opinion that dave is retarded....(emoticon) |
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there's a vibe there |
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Because they made people feel like they could go out and form a band without being all serious about it. or without being musical geniuses. I can honestly say that i think the ramones are responsible for most of the acts out there today.. cuz if it wasn't for them, no one wouldda felt confident about getting off their asses and forming a band. So there. |
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I'm not being a smartass or anything here, but is this a good thing or a bad thing for music? I know Oswald mentioned on another thread something along the lines that he's formed a band, but now they have to learn how to play their instruments. Cart before the horse? I mean, anybody can play I IV V IV barre chords, which is all many bands seem to do. I know not everybody's blessed with the chops of Clapton or Jeff Beck or Jimmy Page or Stevie Ray etc., and some of those who aren't certainly have valid musically artistic messages to get across, but doesn't this "not being all serious about it" create much more dreck to wade through to get to the gems, and in general bring down the artistic level of rock? I enjoy the Ramones when they come on the radio -- I get a kick out of hearing them once in a while, and I appreciate their 2 minute songs for what they are, but god, if I was on a desert island and all I had was Ramone cd's, I'd kill myself. |
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one of the core values of punk is expression without having to appease the powers that be...be it labels, bookers, promoters etc. its known as the DIY (do it yourself) spirit, as they say. I could care less if I ever have an audience, as long as i get to play. and enjoy the synergy of the others i play with. if it's good, i'll share it with others....but the most important thing to me is get IT, out of my system, whatever IT may be. |
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So very sad, can't believe he's gone! |
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j....running international errands. |
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Since I got mention by name I will talk about this now. I got talked about in the same thread as Joey Ramone thats an honor. It is not cart before the horse. Not nowadays. This is cause punk changd every thing but befoare that there was DADA and that was around 1916. We beleave in dada. Every person is an artist every person is a musician you do not have to know anything. You only have to DO IT. Like primatave painting you do not have to be Dali to sell a canvas. Well I left my ticket to music school in my othar pants pockets so now I gotta teach my own self. I have these people around me who want to learn how to play so we are doing it togeather. As we learn we write a song. Some tunes may not be good but one could be GREAT you never know and it will not be cause we are great musicians it will be be by divine acideant. If I wait until I am a good player it could be ten years down the road ten years totally fucking wasted that I could have spend with my band playen music. Some of the coolest songs are the simpelest Louie Louie and stuff like that. All I need to do is to write the next three cord hit and I am set. Not the next Ode To Joy but the next Louie Louie. You do not have to be great you just have to be beautiful and sell like a bastard. Boy bands make milions of bux and they can not play shit. My band already is beter than that cause no mater how bad we are at times we play our own shit. Some times it doesnt sound half bad. If you have friends you form a band. Thats just what you do. You will learn as you go along. You dont even have to have friends if you got a 4 track you can play by your self I think every one should play music and draw and write and not worry about what they know. Knowing too much stuff will crippel your art. You can think about music all day long but you will never be a musician until you just jump in there and do it. Its not what you know but what you DO that is impoartant. |
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whether you like it or not. or not not not. the velvet underground produced the cramps... the ramones produced... greenday? i don't know. |
Art takes pain, love, practice, and if you do it with your soul from your buttbone to your third eye, I salute you. I want everyone to play music, wouldn't the world be a better place? Through learning music, forming a band, recording, and all of the other stuff that music has brought me I have learned about true love (not hollywood), guts, being brave, saying the truth, finding peace, and filling the aching void. I don't care if you play a bucket, a tuba, a drum set or a wash machine, but as one of my favorite quotes goes "Life without art is just stupid." I like 3/4 chord rock. Fuck Steve Vai and all the other weenie waving look at me guitar gods. Hendrix was bad azzz and he never had a music lesson in his whole damn life. Bob Marley learned how to play guitar with a tin can and some string as a guitar. |
i dislike snobbishness & pretense in music. just because some numbnuts attended the state university & picked up a worthless degree in music doesn't mean he's any better than the blind guy on the street corner playing blues (in fact, the blind guy's probably 10 times better & can't read a fucking note). training ultimately doesn't have dick to do w/ it. the one thing training can prepare you for is genre...you can play blues w/o training, but it's damn difficult to play certain types of classical music w/o training. ultimately, though, it's all the same & it's all a matter of individual taste. play shostakovich for the average teenager & they'll wonder how you could possibly listen to that crap when you could be playing korn instead. me, i'd rather listen to hogs screwing than play a korn album, but it's just a matter of individual preference. i can tell you that oswald's into certain types of early american music. he doesn't read "normal" music very well yet but can read early shape-note music that's been around since the 1700s, which means that he's got a skill that would confound most so-called "music majors" in today's universities. it's a bit hypocritical of me, but i think my bass-playing neighbor SUCKS as a musician. he's really quite terrible. i can play circles around him technically. however, there are probably hundreds of guys out there who can play circles around ME & the best of them will, in the final analysis, be equal to the annoying bastard upstairs twanging out one crappy note after another. they're equal in terms of the personal satisfaction they derive from practicing their music. anything beyond one's own personal satisfaction doesn't mean a damn thing. how good a musician is MAY (or may not) matter in terms of how many albums they sell, but ultimately, it all comes down to the personal satisfaction of creativity. |
that VU album, the songs just can't get any more perfect..."What Goes On" , "Pale Blue Eyes"...if I had my way, I'd add "Rock & Roll" and "Stephanie Says" but still....those songs are absolutely withoutadoubt flawless worshipworthy ROCK & ROLL songs....nevermind John Cale's training as a classical musician, Lou Reed's work at a record company cranking out top 40 hits, Mo Tucker's inexperience on the drums or Sterlings......whatever..none of that matters. It's all about the song, the tune....how it makes you feel to hear it, and how it makes you feel to play it. I know VU inspired me to really play music, in 9th grade...thats when i got my first guitar...not necessarily because i thought they were crappy enough to be a success, so why couldnt I, but more out of inspiration.. |
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Kid, great equating Punk with Dada. Stick with Crimson and you'll go far. As far as songs I think I might also go w/Sticky Fingers or Beggars Banquet---or Let it Bleed. Exile, tho----it has this total down to the bone vibe about it----the same vibe I get listening to Robert Johnson or Link Wray. Beautiful trash. I dug "ok computer" but have only heard one VERY WEIRD tune off Kid A....I keep hearing it's like minimalist muzak or something. Radiohead to my mind join Tool as being the Pink Floyd of the present day,,,, We were talking about PF on a previous thread, right? |
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I'm tired of this Jeff Jarett fellow. Joey Ramone could have been 1/2 elephant and one half red fish. I just loved his music. I think after all, that music should transcend racial boundarys don't you. "I don't make music for me, I make music for the people. My life to help many people. If my life not to help many people then me no want it- Bob Marley, true Rasta, who claimed that his people were the chosen people of Jah Rastfari, and though he looked a lot like Jesus, was NOT a JEW. |
Think about it....Songs based on one chord, screaming, music for butt rocking retards, no tuning, and a danger to the audience was all pretty fucking punk, that and the lead singers scary dress. |
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LOU REED is also a JEW YORKER!eh DOH!! Once again, from BOB DYLAN (Zimmerman) to JOEY RAMONE (Hyman), Jews have always been able to exert an influence in every echelon of life! All in spite of comprising just 1/4 of 1% of the world's population!! Therefore, Jews must be acknowledged and singled out as a wise and wonderful people. A people that are so few in number, yet so great in ability! A people that have been persecuted for thousands of years. A people that have lost 6 million in the Holocaust. A people that have been expelled from every country. In spite of all the overwhelming odds against them, JEWS have managed to persevere. JEWS are like the energizer bunny: THEY KEEP GOING AND GOING..AND GOING...eheheh P.S. Where are your Egyptians today!? DOH!! Re-read my post again, until it sinks into that meshuggener head of yours!heh The same head that repeated THE SEX PISTOLS, when I had already mentioned them! You must be related to SALMONELLA, eh!? eheh Change your name to TOMAINE!eheheheheehehehheeeeee |
cherrywood trichogyne screw type man house light longshoreman fickle great swizzle stick turbine freak twist silver steak tongue cement blue gravel tarp stone bastard queasy fishtail germane tap dancer homonymous crossbar squilla snapper redeemer goodly caramel goldfinch cetologist hardwood seagirt peacemaker dispose plastic evangelical supper carnation gallnut risotto pingage pongage tulip gentrified disease nostril pissant spigot foul clam gag factory tweeze finger pink corn bacon impatient page report welcome all way faces us short order picture jump take Maui contents wind around pyre made yoyo gets space these clouds fire wedding breath thanks to surf squaw now fission centrally located stupid queef image quibble fist caramel supported glimpse city twerp past who wind tunnelmatriculate Kodiak bitchfest taupe tongue animal farce pick rattle chocolate up sticks gas fetch burial spot down flour gwirn steersqueak disturb pile water cyclone spouter twirl onomotopoeia fugue state hexagonal wrench fecal olfactory gizzard hiccup city vibration coronagraph exultation isochorous perfective mirror twine gestalt alternation rotator grind spooge pelt monkey digger sprong rib clue aisle drooler sponge maturity bargain rainspout tang pee frisbee chunk steel bull felt enormous belt crop alienist rickety isomorph resentment contribution have comment trip tonsil washing teenager personal show up knowledge gulf years pretzel dysphonia origami anesthesia twinkie gasahol shower storm zit bubble gratification contusion yours fathead digger mat public filth softness |
factory tweeze finger pink corn bacon impatient page report yoyo gets space these clouds fire wedding breath thanks to surf snakes now fission centrally located puke squid image quibble fist caramel supported meter pester stupid taupe tongue animal farce pick rattle chocolate upchuck sticks gas fetch burial spot down flour gwirn steersqueak disturb pile water cyclone spouter twirl onomotopoeia smoke fugue state hexagonal wrench fecal olfactory gizzard big piece of pie city vibrator coronagraph exultation isochorous perfective mirror twine fruit basket alternation rotator grind spooge vomit monkey digger sprong rib clue aisle drooler sponge maturity mammalian bargain rainspout tang pee frisbee chunk origami anesthesia twinkie gasahol shower storm zit bubble gratification contusion yours fathead spam digger mat public filth softness |
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It is also about snowboarding at Mount Hotham, taking out a discount home loan, and getting wired to the Web. Depending on your fund, it might even mean tracking down that dream car you have been unable to find or afford by yourself. Australian superannuation funds are getting more creative in their marketing ploys as they seek to capture a bigger share of an ever-expanding market. “Funds are offering a variety of 'add-ons' to make membership more attractive,” said Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia principal researcher Ross Clare. “Funds are getting more sophisticated over time. For some of them, the way forward means offering related or general services, where they can pass on benefits through bulk-buying.” According to Australian Retirement Fund chief executive Ian Silk, these member extras come at the initiative of the funds as they look for new ways to capture or retain market share, and in response to increasingly informed and demanding investors. “The superannuation market is becoming very, very competitive,” he said. “Funds are seeking to provide as full a range of services as possible, in order to market themselves to both current and potential members.” About $490 billion is invested in superannuation nationally. This is expected to grow to $1.7trillion by 2020. And while the increasing pool of savings might mean there is a bigger “pie” for funds to share, it also means Australians are becoming increasingly interested in how their savings are handled, and in any additional benefits they can leverage from their superannuation investment. “There's a direct correlation between the amount of money in accounts and the level of interest in superannuation,” Mr Silk said. Also driving competition is the shift towards greater investment choice and flexibility. “The Federal Government has been promoting its policy of individuals choosing their superannuation fund, and while that hasn't yet passed into legislation, there has been a loosening up, with many employers expanding the choices available to their employees,” Mr Silk said. “Individuals are now more likely to want to make a choice and also to be in a position to make that choice.” Arthur Anderson financial services division consultant Steve Thakur, who regularly provides advice to participants in the superannuation industry, said there had been a steady demand for extra products and services. Mr Thakur groups those benefits into two main categories, the first being "member services" which are directly related to superannuation and include such extras as investment education, investment choice, well-structured default options and accessibility of account information. "For example, as Australia's superannuation industry develops, and the membership becomes more confident and comfortable with super, people require 24/7 (24hours, seven days a week) access to their accounts," he said. The second group, Mr Thakur terms "ancillary services" - these range from mortgage and car-buying deals to cheaper tax and legal advice to discounted travel and shopping. Mr Thakur said there was at least anecdotal evidence to suggest these ancillary services are effective in increasing fund membership levels. Research by clients had "fairly consistently" indicated a positive reaction from investors, he said. "If you are serious about competing in the 200-plus membership market, then you there are some services you have to have - home loans, spouse accounts, allocated pensions, discount products," Mr Thakur said. A William Mercer consultant responsible for advice on industry funds, Russell Mason, said his experience suggested cheaper mortgage products were "critical" in attracting members. When engaged by corporations to consider suitable funds to offer to employees, the clients always asked about the ancillary benefits, he said, with particular emphasis on home loan offerings. An ASFA recent survey into member benefits found that death cover and disability insurance were standard offerings, while close to half of industry funds were also including salary continuance insurance among their deals. Funds offering offering health insurance were in the minority, but this category was growing. And 70 per cent of industry funds were now offering home loans. It is noteworthy in an industry which many still associate with retirees, that a significant proportion of loyalty products and services hold appeal for younger members. Mr Silk said this was partly a reflection that compulsory superannuation was involving more and more investment at an early stage of working life. But it was also a means of making superannuation more relevant to young people. "The older you are and the closer you are to retiring, the more you are focusing on the superannuation fund to provide your retirement benefit," he said. "But for younger people, it is such a remote concept that many of them feel disengaged from superannuation issues. The provision of services is helping to build super into their consciousness." Because of its membership demographics, the Retail Employees Superannuation trust (REST) decided not to follow its peers down the home-loan path. The key issues to be considered in determining appropriate services were their usefulness to members, and the ability to offer favorable terms compared with the broader market, said REST administration manager Damian Hill. For REST, home loans failed to pass both tests he said. The competitiveness of the home-lending industry made it difficult to maintain a market-leading rate, and in addition, REST members tended to have low incomes, and were therefore less interested in home buying. Instead, REST offers discounted skiing holidays at Mount Hotham and Falls Creek - like Australian Retirement Fund, REST has an investment in these resorts and can therefore access competitive deals - and a car-buying service. As the superannuation market grows, funds become a more and more attractive as a potential marketing channel for external service providers. Anne-Marie Darke, chief executive of health industry fund HESTA which has 411,000 members, said the fund was regularly approached as a possible distribution channel. But products and services were only offered to members if research suggested they would be a useful addition, she said. "I think some people think they need to do it (offer more products) at all costs because its something else you can add to your list," she said. "We don't approach it that way at all." Superannuation funds also have to be careful that they do not breach the "sole purpose" test under the governing SIS legislation. While many insurance products are regarded as integral to superannuation and retirement planning, cheap holidays are not. For this reason, many funds have entered into alliances so they act as a conduit to, but not a direct provider of, extra benefits. Health Super, an industry fund for workers in the health and community services fields, has an alliance with Australian Unity and State Trustees, for example. Through this, it offers health and home and contents insurance, funeral bonds, will-making and power of attorney drafting, and tax advice. Mr Mason said he expected the range of services available to fund members would only increase as choice of fund became the norm and competition intensified further. |
Shorter bear markets, such as that of December 1961 through June 1962 (the shortest in the post-World War II period) take place in periods with healthy economies. These tend to be valuation bear markets. They take the air out of extraordinarily high stock prices that have run ahead of even the good economic news of the time. The longer bear markets, such as that of January 1973 through December 1974, combine a correction in stock prices from lofty levels with bad economic news, often exacerbated by some confidence-sapping event in another realm. This one, for example, included a Middle East war, an Arab oil embargo, the Nifty 50 stock craze and Watergate. Destruction in bits and pieces Bear markets don't destroy portfolios in one huge rush. Take another look at that great bear market of 1973 through 1974. The initial plunge took the Dow industrials down from 1,049 on Jan. 12, 1973 to the 200-day moving average of 968 on Feb. 15 -- or about 8%. (For what it's worth, the Nasdaq composite finished last Friday, April 14, just slightly below its 200-day moving average.) From there, the Dow rallied for about a week before heading south again. By July 5, the index had sunk to 870, a 17% drop. For the next three weeks the market rallied again, the Dow climbing almost 7%, back to 934, on July 26. At this point, the Dow industrials were down only 11% from the January high. But this rally wasn't a clue to put money in -- it was investors' last good chance to get out. The Dow moved down in August, and for most months thereafter, until it finally bottomed at 585 on Oct. 4, 1974. Who got hurt worst in this bear market? Anybody who simply held on for the entire period clearly took a beating. A 45% drop is no picnic. Even worse off, though, were investors who took the July 1973 rally as a sign that the bear was over and pumped more money into the market only to see it take both their initial investment and new cash down another 350 points. Worst off, though, were investors who held until almost the end, suffering the bulk of the drop and then selling in the fall of 1974. This is typical of the end of a bear. The bottoms are usually marked by a wave of selling on very high volume as this huge block of investors finally throws in the towel. It's their capitulation that takes stocks down to prices that finally stimulate enough buying to end the bear. What makes this late capitulation so damaging, judging from statistical evidence, is that many of these investors then stayed out of the stock market for the next 15 to 20 years. Tech bears more jumpy So far, I've only written about bear markets in the Dow industrials. Most bear markets in the technology sector correspond to bear markets in the stock market as a whole, although the technology-laden Nasdaq does tend to fall by more than the Dow industrials during a bear period. The big technology decline of 1990, for example, roughly parallels the 20% decline in the Dow from July to October of that year. From July 7 through Oct. 12, the Nasdaq composite fell 29%. But the Nasdaq can enter a bear market all on its own, as it did in 1983. In July of that year, the Nasdaq composite closed at a high of 330. The bottom came 12 months later, in July, 1984, at 225. That's a 32% tumble. During the same period, the Dow industrials lost about 8%. The July 1983 through July 1984 technology bear market followed the typical script. An initial decline of 13%, from July through September 1983, was followed by a rally of about 5% in late September and early October. Then came another 7% drop in November before another 5% rally in early 1984 finally set up the coup de grace as the market fell the last 21% to finish off the bear market -- and many technology investors. Why this bear's staying a while No bear market fits the average profile exactly. The current one, for example, has moved more quickly than average. Starting with the March 10 high, we've already had our first-stage drop to the intraday low on April 4 -- a decline of 28%. Our first bounce-back rally from that April 4 low brought the Nasdaq to a close of 4,446 on April 7 -- a gain of 22%. Last week's drop to 3,321 -- a 25% rout in five trading days -- marked our second sell-off. The total drop from the March high was 34%, as of the close on Friday. And the volatility has been greater than average. The 28% decline to the April 4 intraday low was larger than the average initial decline. The 22% bounce in the three days following that low was also far larger than the average bounce. And so was the size of last week's rout. It's tempting to look at the speed and volatility of this technology bear market and conclude that in 2000, technology stocks will snap back like they did in 1998. That year, the Nasdaq composite dropped from its July 20 high to its October low -- a 29% fall -- and then recovered all the lost ground by end of November. The bear market decline itself lasted just three months. The total time of the round trip from high to new high was a mere four months. I won't consider this drop -- or probably the next one, either -- as a buying opportunity. Prices are likely to go lower from here, even for great stocks. Momentum and sentiment both favor the downside currently. But in 1998, the market sank on fears of a specific event -- the worry that the Asian economic crisis would turn into a world financial crisis. And it recovered so quickly on another specific event -- the pledge from Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and other central bankers to provide as much cash to the world financial system as it needed. Crisis to crisis-averted -- very neat and clean. The technology bear market of 2000, however, has vaguer causes. Valuations for technology stocks were suddenly deemed too high. After months or years of paying up for these stocks despite warnings that they seemed overpriced, investors finally decided to take heed. There are inflation worries, questions about how long the current round of interest rate hikes will go on and an endless and finally overwhelming flood of new and secondary stock issues from technology companies. Most of these causes have a strong emotional component -- as did the justifications for the high valuations before the bear market began. Investor psychology has suffered some very heavy blows in the last few months, and I think it takes longer to repair investor psychology than it does to stabilize the world financial system. The prudent investor will plan for a bear that lasts longer than three months, despite the current extreme volatility. I say that even though this market has packed an entire bear technology drop into one month. It certainly is possible that we'll go down for a few more days, hit 3,000 or 2,900, and put in a bottom. The rally that would then begin in early May would end the bear market and quickly move investors back into technology stocks. It could happen. Institutional investors could be so impressed by earnings this week that they rush in to grab up technology bargains. The Federal Reserve could decide not to raise interest rates in May and issue a clear declaration that the bankers are done with those pesky increases for the rest of the year. Not likely, I'll grant, and I'm not counting on it. But if that happens, I'll say "Hooray!" along with everyone else. Too early to buy Realistically, however, the duration of the average bear market of the past argues against it. The pattern of declines and rallies during the development of a bear market argues that the next surge upward will turn out to be a failed rally within the context of a continuing bear. Moreover, the calendar -- we are entering the traditionally weak summer season for technology stocks -- argues against a quick, lasting rally beginning in May. The recent bad news on inflation, and the continued likelihood of a 25-basis-point interest-rate hike in May also argue against a quick bottom. |
I can independently verify that the Democrats and Republicans are indeed hard at work raising money for 1998. I know because my union office is now getting political fundraising invites at a rate of one per day. Money scandals be damned! The Federal Election Commission reports that campaign spending for the 1996 Congressional election cycle hit a new record high of $765 million, so if they're going to top that in 1998, I guess they do need a head start. Add to this staggering figure the more than $230 million blown on the Presidential race last year, plus the hundreds of millions of unreported dollars spent by business, lobbyists, rich people, and yes, labor unions — and we just experienced our first multi-billion -dollar federal election campaign. Just the thought of it makes me want to go wash my hands. Organized labor has several reputations around Washington, D.C., and handing out campaign money by the bushel basket is one of them. Members of Congress, the White House, and political job applicants are all keenly aware of this. And if for some reason they don't know about it, they can hire one of the many fundraising "consultants" who infest this city like termites. Pay the consultant. Pay the consultant to ask for money. Cash the checks. Just like the directions on the back of the box. As you might expect, labor gets hit up mostly by Democrats, and Democrats get the lion's share of the members' political money. But sometimes even Republicans get in line for the money. Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte picked up an easy $500 from labor in the 1994 cycle — not too bad when you find out Goodlatte sported a 0% rating on labor issues from the AFL-CIO, and is the leading sponsor of the so-called "right-to work-bill." Maybe some union wanted to get on his good side. Maybe it was a mistake. But what about North Carolina Republican Rep. Cass Ballenger, the sponsor of the overtime repeal bill that passed the House on March 19? Boss Ballenger got a crisp $1000 bill from organized labor back in 1994. I guess his momma didn't raise no dummy! Or take Texas Republican Tom Delay. As a reward for his 0% rating, he got more than $5000 for his 1994 campaign. My favorite is the more than $17,000 in labor union money that found its way into the pockets of Newt Gingrich, just in time for his ascent to Speaker of the House. Newt wasted no time in paying back this favor — by 1995 his labor rating had fallen to zero too. He just took our money, had a laugh, and then helped usher in the most anti-labor Congress in more than 50 years. The fact is, a total of 171 Republican House members received $1,412,896 from labor unions in 1994. Over in the Senate, it was the same deal: Between 1989 and 1994, the zero-rated Bob Dole managed to pick up $10,000 bucks from labor. Good job, Bob! In the same time frame, Sen. Phil Gramm — another labor zilch — got $16,625 of union money. While one could make a case, I suppose, that a few of these Republicans were better than many Democrats when it comes to labor issues, I'll let you answer that question the next time it comes up at your union meeting. Labor certainly gives a lot more to Democrats — nearly $19 million labor dollars went to 192 House Democrats in 1994. Labor money does help elect some halfway decent members of Congress, and even a few good good ones. But, sad to say, many of the Dems who got our money in 1994 had just voted for NAFTA, and went on to get behind Clinton's welfare repeal and tax cuts for the rich. Their support for pro-corporate policies isn't that surprising, when you consider how much more money most of them get from corporations than they do from us. But the real problem with labor's political action isn't money — or lack of it. It's the lack of clear political principle, and a willingness to stick to whatever those principles might be. It's a lack of independence from the corrupt two-party system. It's a lack of courage to face the fact that we will never be able to outspend the enemy. There might be other lessons here too — go ahead and draw them yourself. One lesson I draw is this: If the Labor Party could raise just half of what labor handed to Republicans — Republicans! — in 1994, we could really get down to business. We're inventive — we could do a lot with $700,000! Organizers, office support, publications... tens of thousands of more members. Think about it. And just in case you were wondering what I do with all those invitations that come pouring into my office... Most go right into the recycle bin. But if it's from the White House, or some other name-brand politician, I send them to my folks in Ohio. They like to show them to the neighbors. |
You can find it in an old Penguin publication in black and white, and in English: only he who controls the assumptions can hope to determine the conclusions. What it means, quite simply, is that all diplomacy, particularly when practised by a state, is by definition an activist pursuit. It follows that wait-and-watch diplomacy is an oxymoron. It is the hallmark of a leadership unsure of its mind and on its feet. Post Durban, there are welcome signs that Vajpayee too seems to have realised that. The immediate result is some movement on the negotiations with Pakistan. But can he now build on this phase to evolve and unravel a Vajpayee doctrine? There are several reasons why he is uniquely qualified -- and well placed -- to do so. Like Narasimha Rao and I.K.Gujral, he brings to the Prime Minister's office not only old expertise, but also interest in foreign affairs. But he has many other advantages. First of all, he doesn't have to look over his shoulder to see what a BJP in the Opposition would make of any tactical concessions he seems to be making in negotiating with the rest of the world, particularly Pakistan and the US. Certainly, the Congress will criticise everything he does, but the charge of bartering away national interest is unlikely to stick on a BJP government. Besides, Vajpayee has personal credibility and respect unmatched in our political system. That isn't his only advantage over Gujral and Rao, the two leaders who made activist shifts from our old foreign policy positions. Rao was a scholar, intellectual and visionary but had no mass appeal and, as time passed, less credibility. He was seen as a cynical political manipulator and no leader of men or nations. His politics, or to be fair to him the politics of his era, belittled his intellect.Besides, even his own party, still servile to the Gandhi legacy, was loathe to confer the mantle of statesmanship on a lightweight "pretender" like him. This was Rao's tragedy. And the reason why we have been unwilling to judge him less kindly than the history of India ultimately would. Gujral's was a markedly different case. He was a statesman, intellectual, but totally devoid of mass appeal and politically rootless, a fact confirmed by his subsequent election with the help of the Akali Dal. He had strong belief in himself and his long-held views. Contrary to the image his detractors projected, his understanding of India's neighbours and its interests in the region was quite sharp. It was his understanding of big-power politics that was woolly-headed. Re-member that most forgettable hug with Saddam Hussain, the continuing and abiding faith in NAM, Third Worldism and the nostalgic trip to "Gandhi's South Africa"? Gujral, however, had the courage of his convictions on foreign policy and was better networkedinternationally than any other Indian leader. He employed all these strengths to create the doctrine named after him. You can love it or hate it. But this is his lasting legacy, despite his short innings and political rootlessness. Look at Vajpayee's advantages in comparison. He is personally respected and trusted in the entire region. His own party cannot hinder him beyond a point, particularly if he is determined to change things around. He did indicate at Durban, following the fiasco of name-calling at Colombo, that he wasn't going to put up with the old South Block doctrine of diplomacy as trench warfare. That is why the mood was so different in New York and that is why the Delhi-Lahore bus service may be underway later this week. It is also reasonable to presume that if this conciliatory mood continues, defying the disturbing headlines on new clashes in Siachen, it must be because Vajpayee does not want to be deflected from the course he has set for his diplomacy. Some contours of a Vajpayee doctrineare, therefore, emerging. He has to chisel these a bit and state his intent more clearly. Three clear elements of his doctrine are already visible. He has engaged the US in the longest and so far the most meaningful dialogue in our post-cold war history. He has stopped all jingoistic trumpeting over nuclear weapons. Ditto on China-bashing. Finally, there is a clear opening out to Pakistan along the same policy axis as Gujral had identified, but this time the movement seems more firm-footed for obvious reasons. Reconciliation with Pakistan will be a long haul. But never have the elements combined so well to create a positive climate. The Rajiv-Benazir honeymoon of 1988 was marred by the fact that Benazir was then merely a bonsai prime minister. The ISI had even bugged the room where she talked to Rajiv and the tapes were later freely used to justify her dismissal. In the Gujral phase, the problem was that two well-meaning leaders were unsure of the political ground under their feet. All that has changednow. Contrary to the usual "Pakistan is going down the tube...the generals are coming" picture that South Block perennially loves to portray, that nation has shown surprising resilience. Further, using some of the tricks from Indira Gandhi's Emergency phase, Nawaz Sharif has emerged as the strongest Pakistani leader since Zia. From all evidence, he too wants to bury the hatchet with India unlike Benazir in her second innings. Since Vajpayee is so self-effacing as to be sometimes almost defeatist, he may be tempted to believe that his lack of a majority would make it an unequal equation with Nawaz. He must junk this entirely fallacious notion. His own credibility and moral standing make him the tallest individual on the subcontinent's political scene. He is armed with a political consensus on de-escalating tensions in a nuclearised South Asia. Besides, given the size and resilience of its economy and the political system today, no one in the world equates India with Pakistan. It is for him now to seize theopportunity, to persist despite clashes in Siachen, the odd bus-bomb and massacre. He has to personally ensure that this is understood at all levels of his government. So nobody in the commerce ministry should be able to slow down movement on trade. The plans to purchase power from Pakistan, if they make so much financial sense for India, should not get caught up in bureaucratic wrangles. MEA should actually begin to issue more visas. And his partymen should help improve the climate for the dialogue and forget their rabble-rousing ways. In short, he should be setting the agenda. Vajpayee, it seems by now, has a pretty good understanding of the conclusion he wishes to achieve. So the time to get a hold of the assumptions is now. |
In search of single, white male, honest, no games, non smoker. If possible Catholic, who likes to go to movies, attractions,walks. fle == Orlando, Florida / Linda / 4890FL active and fun == orlando / glo / 4906FL Looking for activity partner and possible LTR. I am an upbeat attractive young 51 year old who likes the arts, museums, antiques, jazz, golf, travel, animals, learning new things, family, friends & meeting new people. I am a practicing Christian, non-smoker, occasional drinker. Jog and walk. A few extra pounds, but not out of shape. If you are 48-55 years "young" financially secure, in good shape overall, non-smoker and at least spiritual, let's talk. == Orlando, FL / LadyL / 4876FL cute, sweet, nice fun to be with. == panama city / jag / 4716FL WHERE'D EVERYBODY GO?? Classic Cars, Music, Humor- Try me! == Jacksonville / msvette78 / 4196FL A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou I'm a woman of varied interests. I enjoy my home and love to decorate. I created a landscape design and planted every plant in my yard. Have been called goal driven--ambitious, always into a project. The one woman I truly admire is Jackie Kennedy (no, I don't even recognize her m,arriage to Onasis). She was the epitome of dignity. I like good movies and some of my favorites are "9 1/2 weeks," "Out of Africa," "As Good as It Gets," "Good Will Hunting," and Pretty Woman." I love to dance and have had some formal ballroom training. I'm a registered nurse with a BA in Business. I work in public relations and marketing in health care.==Titusville / Peggy / # 003474FL / I'm 5', 110 lbs, dark hair / eyes. NS, soical drinker. I like the out doors. Looking for someone ave. built NS 55 - 65.==Key Largo / Sue / # 002597FL |
Then came the Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, Moors and Crusaders, leaving behind a rich legacy for today's sun-seeking invader to take in on short side trips. This is being written on an idyllic day in February, the eighth day in a row of deep blue skies punctuated only by tiny puffs of white clouds. We're publishing the story now to show how the Algarve Alternative stacks up as a change of pace to Florida and the Caribbean for people now busily planning their escapes from next winter's icy blasts. My wife and I have traded the Gulf coast of Florida for the Algarve for three weeks in each of the past two winters so we now have a pretty good idea of how it compares with Tampa, Sarasota and St. Pete's. If you can't place the Algarve, you're not alone. It's the south coast of Portugal, the one that faces Africa across the eastern end of the North Atlantic. It's noted for its constant winter sunshine and its fine beaches and golf courses. Its extra dimension is the above-mentioned array of ancient monuments left behind by past visitors and by those daring Portuguese sailors who found a sea route to the Orient and "discovered" Brazil. But, there's one thing you should know up front before phoning your travel agent: No place in Europe is as warm as south Florida in winter. The Algarve comes much closer than the rest of the continent, but even here you can expect daily high temperatures to reach into the upper teens Celsius instead of the lower twenties. Still, armed with sun block, several hundred other visitors and I spread our blankets on the beach most days as others head to one of the dozen nearby golf courses. The 11-kilometres-long crescent of golden sand here mostly arcs along under shallow sandstone cliffs. This natural backdrop seems to trap the heat so that it feels like a summer day when you lie on the beach -- even when the breeze at the top of the cliffs has an early spring edge to it. In summer, the beach is chock-a-block in bodies from the edge of the ocean to the base of the cliffs. But in February and March there's plenty of elbowroom. There are only small pockets of mostly foreign visitors -- although a larger group seems to congregate around a statuesque young German woman who does her sunbathing topless. Only a few brave souls plunge into the sea, though I watched yesterday as a man lying on a surfboard bobbed along for more than an hour. Price is a major attraction for Algarve visitors in winter. Armacao has a couple of hotels but most visitors are housed in condos whose owners use them in summer and put them in rental pools for the winter. We are here with a couple of old friends sharing a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in a high-rise about 100 metres from the beach. It has a spacious combination living and dining room, a tiny kitchen and three small balconies. It costs us $18 a night per couple. We know this is a bargain because people we talk to on the beach are paying as much as $35. But even that's a steal compared with the best deals available in Florida and the Caribbean. There's an English pub called The Runner situated in the complex of apartments where we stay. We usually go there on Fridays for fish and chips, and on Sundays for the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding special, with potatoes and vegetables and a sweet -- true Brit fare. Both are in the $10 range in Canadian funds. English beers are just a little less than what we would pay in Canada, but a good Portuguese beer costs under $2 for a large mug. We often eat at a white table cloth restaurant called Don Pedro's where a four-course meal, including a glass of wine and a small dessert is also in the $10 range. Usually, we eat breakfast and lunch in the apartment, buying the ingredients at the Saturday and Wednesday market and at a nearby bakery. Oranges are so cheap the merchants often throw a couple in your bag when you purchase fresh eggs, tomatoes or corn. There's a fisherman's beach opposite the narrow streets of the old town. When their brightly painted boats are hauled in from the sea, a bell rings at this same market so that merchants can hustle down to compete for the best of the catch. Prices at the "supermercados" sometimes seem a bit scary. Canned goods are about twice what we would pay at home. But the processed ham in Portugal is especially tasty. Wine, beer and other booze costs substantially less than in Canada. When days are cool, we hop on local buses and go sightseeing to such places as: Sagres, at the southwest corner of Europe and the base for Prince Henry the Navigator's fortress-like school of exploration that pushed Portugal into its Age of Discoveries in the early half of the 15th century; Lagos, the bustling fishing port from which Prince Henry's explorers sailed off to discover new worlds; Portimao, a shopping mecca where you can lunch at the riverside sardine quay; Silves, with its red sandstone castle high on a hill from which the Moors ruled the Algarve; Albufeira, the main destination for tourists. Lots of restaurants, bars, discos and high-rises. Usually there are street entertainers in the town square. When we really want to get away from the beach, we rent a car and head for such places as the walled city of Evora with its cobbled streets and second-century Roman temple. We paid less than $100 for the four-day rental of a four-door car, including insurance. We have stayed on the Algarve in February and March. We prefer March because it's warmer. |
Here's an up: a touching moment when the chief executive officer of South African National Parks, Mavuso Msimang, took time in his blessedly short speech to thank the Kruger's plants and animals as well as its people. Now, a down: the ladies' toilet at Gallagher Estate, Midrand, seized up and we were directed along the length of the ballroom and across the vast exhibition area for light relief. The sensitive chief of parks is Harry Casual in his dress, to the point of informality (cotton black-and-white open-necked shirt with double-breasted dark suit among the penguins). I asked his wife, Ntombi, if she ever persuaded him to wear something a tad more formal. No, she said, she gave up trying soon after they met 26 years ago. Ntombi runs an African restaurant in Pretoria, mainly featuring dishes from this country rather than the rest of the continent. It's a pity this culinary expert didn't wield any influence over the night's menu. This boasted a first course called Vegetable Salad Covent Garden, which seemed to have strayed a long way from home. I'd have thought a Salad Pretoriuskop or Komatipoort might have fitted better. Either way, it remained that triangular gelatinous veggie paté so beloved of local caterers, which I've never come across anywhere else in the world. The main course of lamb - a duo of toughish rack and "red capsicum stuffed with ground lamb" - was tasty, even if it did have a hint of coriander, which, I note with delight, is rapidly becoming last year's herb. But why do menus call peppers "capsicums" and say "ground" instead of minced? Profound pretension, I guess. The evening's entertainment was about as good as it gets in South Africa - the National Symphony Orchestra, which, however much it gets kicked, just refuses to lie down and die (thank heavens). Genial conductor Richard Cock was in fine form and a rather rumpled bright red linen top as he reminded the chattering audience that music was much like the bush: if you keep quiet you hear a lot more. His plea wasn't entirely successful. It was easy listening when you could hear - nothing heavy, just light stuff like Trumpet Voluntary, Thunder and Lightning Polka and St Louis Blues. This last number appealed strongly to one guest, the delightful Joe Mafela of Going Up and fried chicken ad fame. The music began as he was returning from a gossip walkabout and he slow-danced, with arms outstretched as if he had a partner, all the way back to his front-of-the-house table. Other celebs in attendance - apart from VIP businessmen from sponsoring companies - included Jacqui Mofokeng and Basetsana Makgalemele, both wearing black, and Felicia Mabuza-Suttle in a green brocade trouser suit that made her look, to my mind, too thin. Those words "too thin" will, of course, be music to her ears. |
The price tag is based on the $5.56-a-share closing price of Network Commerce's stock Aug. 24, the day the deal was announced. Network Commerce is offering 2.6 million shares for the startup. The 1-year-old Trilogy Software Inc. subsidiary will move its operations and nine employees to Seattle. The startup now is based at Trilogy's campus. UberWorks will be incorporated into Network Commerce, which now operates online shopping malls ShopNow.com, BottomDollar.com, SpeedyClick.com, b2bNow.com, FreeMerchant.com and Ubarter.com. UberWorks was attractive to the company because of its licensed shopping cart technology, Network Commerce spokesman Matt Gillingham says. "What the acquisition of UberWorks does is brings shopping cart technology that works across merchants," he says. "Network Commerce will incorporate the UberWorks technology to sites like ShopNow, as well as in other parts of our business." ... ... On the books. Austin startup eBook-Keeper.com Inc. has closed on $100,000 in seed capital financing from an undisclosed investor. The investment is the first for eBook-Keeper.com, which was founded May 1 and created from Roney Financial ... A Better Bookkeeping Service, a 3-year-old bookkeeping service catering to small businesses and self-employed people. The startup also has teamed up with with Austin's Journyx Inc. to provide online timesheets and is working to provide online payroll, says Patrick Roney, CEO of eBook-Keeper.com. In addition to co-founders Roney and Raj Sundra, eBook-Keeper.com brought in Dale Coleman as chief technology officer. Coleman gradually will phase into the position from his current job as CEO of Austin-based Mr. Notebook Inc. Ken Mehra, the new chief operating officer, will gradually phase into eBook-Keeper.com from his current position as CEO of Stamford, Conn.-based Syken Corp. ... ... Just don't do it? In the eyes of the Screen Actors Guild, Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has gone from hero to heartbreaker. Austin's favorite cyclist recently crossed SAG's picket line to film a Nike Inc. ad in Hungary, sources tell Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal, a sister publication of the Austin Business Journal. The ad is set to run in September during the Summer Olympics. Bill Stapleton, Armstrong's agent, didn't return SportsBusiness Journal calls seeking comment. All athletes who appear in TV commercials are members of SAG. The union says athletes who cross the picket line might face fines, suspension or expulsion. On Aug. 11, SAG named Armstrong its Hero of the Week for deciding not to appear in commercials for such sponsors as Nike, Yahoo Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. after winning this year's Tour de France. SAG went on strike May 1 over the pay structure for commercials ... ... Moving up in Cedar Park. Kirk Clennan is the new executive director of the Cedar Park Economic Development Corp. and Community Development Corp. Along with the Cedar Park Chamber of Commerce, those two agencies will be the point of contact for business development, Clennan says. "We want to spread the word that Cedar Park is open for business," Clennan says. Clennan will assume the post in mid-September. He now is executive director of the Lancaster Economic Development Corp. ...Suite and low. Technology incubator/executive suites provider eCitySuites is putting the "down" in Austin's "Digital Downtown" with a lease for the entire basement level of The Scarbrough Building. The Houston-based company is finishing out its new 22,679-square-foot center at the southwest corner of Sixth Street and Congress Avenue. With plans to open Oct. 1 and pre-leasing in progress, the eCitySuites Austin site will offer each client a furnished office, mailing address, email addresses, high-speed Internet access, a phone system, a computer with each seat, Web hosting, e-commerce hosting, and data storage and backup. Although aimed at technology companies, the Austin eCitySuites is taking advantage of its proximity to Gov. George W. Bush's campaign headquarters and leasing space on a weekly basis to journalists covering the presidential race. Rachel Anchor is handling leasing for eCitySuites in Austin ... ... Modem Butterfly. More than 1,500 high tech execs are expected to show up for the first "Ballet Beta Test" event, featuring Ballet Austin's production of Butterfly, a tragic romance based on Japanese themes. The event also includes recruiting by 16 Austin tech companies and a complimentary wine tasting beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at Bass Concert Hall. Ballet Austin's BARRE, a group of young professionals supporting Ballet Austin, is coordinating the event. "Ballet Beta Test" is a collaboration among Ballet Austin, Austin Ventures and The Ad Ranch. Austin Ventures Principal John Thornton covered a total of $500 toward the sponsorship costs for each AV portfolio company. Thornton and his wife, Julie Thornton, donated $1 million to Ballet Austin in March. Sponsors include @hand.com, all.com, AustinBuz, Austin Ventures, AV Labs, Buron Marsteller, Convio, Grape Vine Market, Hire.com, Ineto, Lombardi Software, Lucent Microelectronics, Media Prise, notHarvard.com, Tantau, The Ad Ranch and Vignette Corp. ... ... Austinites go nuts over Brazil. Some recent visitors from the Brazilian state of Parana will be returning the favor when a delegation from Austin heads south Aug. 28. Mayor Kirk Watson, Angelous Angelou of Angelous Economic Advisors and David Gibson of the IC2 Institute will attend the fourth annual Conference on Technology Policy and Innovation-Curitiba 2000. A delegation from Brazil -- co-hosted by Angelou Economic Advisors and the IC2 Institute -- toured Austin area in July to study the "Austin Model" of high tech economic development. The delegates visited 3M Co., Dell Computer Corp., Samsung Austin Semiconductor LLP and Solectron Corp. The Brazilian delegation will be led by Roberto Almeida, executive director of the International Center for Software Technology, and the Austin delegation will be led by Gibson. IC2 graduated a Brazilian software firm, Polo Software, which now is doing business in Brazil. |
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso's chief of staff applauded the "strength of Brazil's economic fundamentals," which helped it rebound swiftly from the collapse of the national currency in 1999. "Brazil's economic situation is very positive," Aloysio Nunes Ferreira said. "We have complete confidence in the strength of Brazil's economic fundamentals." Analysts say the IMF mission will probably not dwell on expected increases in inflation in the third quarter, or on the declining fiscal surplus forecast for the second half of 2000. Instead, the visiting delegation will toast Brazil's stunning comeback and forecast 4 % growth for 2000 after two years of mediocre performance. "Expect a lot of back-patting, a lot of goodwill," said Walter Molano, head of research at BCP Securities. "Right now the IMF needs a hero and that's what Brazil is going to be." Indeed, Brazil's economy has come a long way since officials signed onto a $ 41.5 bn bailout package with the IMF in 1998 to prevent financial mayhem in Asia from spreading to Brazil. The package did not work and Brazil continued to haemorrhage foreign capital until January last year when it was forced to devalue its currency and raise interest rates to a peak of 45 %. But prudent monetary and fiscal policy and a boom in US markets helped nurture Latin America's economic titan back to strength. Central Bank President Arminio Fraga has since stoked Brazil's economic expansion by slashing interest rates to 16.5 %, shaving off 200 basis points alone since late June. Interest rates are now at a level not seen since before Brazil introduced its inflation busting real currency in 1994 to stem soaring price increases. Inflation in the industrial heart of the country, Sao Paulo, has tumbled to just 0.87 % -- the lowest since the Fipe research institute began keeping records in 1939. The bank said it had revised its inflation targets for 2000 and 2001 down 10 basis points for each year. It now forecasts inflation of 5.9 % this year and 4.2 % in 2001. The government had set targets of 6 % and 4 %, respectively, with a tolerance of 2 percentage points. There are troubles on the horizon, but nothing even remotely as worrying as the problems of the past two years. Analysts say foreign investment will continue pouring into Brazil and US interest rate and oil costs increasingly appear benign. If anyone wanted to, however, they could look at some troubling developments for the rest of year, including an expected boost in inflation in the third quarter following an increase in fuel costs. Also, the recent elimination of the CPMF financial transactions tax should hurt fiscal accounts later in 2000, setting the stage for a slimmer end-year surplus than many had hoped for. But all of that is on the back burner for now, analysts say. "From a fiscal perspective, I think this is as good as Brazil gets and its pretty much downhill from here," Molano added. |
funny. |
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"I'm jewish dude, jewish as fucking Tevea" "2000 years of beautiful Jewish heritage from Moses to fucking Sandy Koufax and you want me to just give it up?" "It's fucking somer shabbash...I'm not even supposed to answer the phone!" |
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