posted 09-26-2002 11:17 AM            

W.R. McDougall

'And so it has come to this. Your once-great nation has fallen into madness, an affliction of mass denial that brings shivers up the spines of millions outside your borders. Yours is a sick nation. But most of you carry on as though nothing at all is the matter.

Dark, evil operations run rampant in the secret corners of your government institutions. A dubiously constituted government pursues war at will anywhere on earth, discussing nuclear options that become points for cheerful chatter over lunch. Your military and intelligence agencies employ terrorist tactics around the globe even as they insist that such tactics are necessary in the fight against terrorism.

You have become a nation of monsters, America. Hypocrites. Murderers. Fools.

Your constitution is a shambles thanks to "national security" measures resulting from what might well be U.S.-government-sanctioned terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington,, D.C., covert provocations designed to justify a malevolent, poisonous, oil-based military economy.

Never mind that earth-friendly technology already exists to once and for all end dependence on oil, coal and nuclear energy from huge, out-of-control utilities and corporations. You would rather pay through the nose for your insecure comforts, wouldn't you America, and make others pay with their blood.

At the same time, you stand by as the Israelis' secular Zionists—whom you support through the supply of arms and money—slaughter untold numbers of innocents in the West Bank, then blame the Palestinians for bringing the terror upon themselves. (True, there are abominable Arab suicide bombers in Israel's midst. But are they not driven to madness and desperation by your infernal support of international terrorist politics?)

As I write these words, you support a nation run by a convicted murderer by the name of Ariel Sharon who with impunity is carrying out war crimes as cruel and horrendous as those of other sadistic tyrants in history. And you say, in your utter cynicism, "When will these Palestinians bring this war to an end?"

You recklessly wage combat on other fronts, too. At home, your War on Drugs is a disastrous 30-year folly—a gigantic con game designed to benefit lethal cartels, corrupt politicians and menacing intelligence agencies across the planet. . . . .

With your government's support, crooked multinationals like Monsanto buy up the world's water supplies, and take possession of the world's vegetation through Frankenstein technology already known to cause illness.

Does the FDA care about any of this? It does not. It has long been on the bandwagon to foist genetically altered food on the Guinea Pigs of the country—including every man, woman and child on America's increasingly toxic soil.

You are a nation of suckers, America, to be bled dry of your hard-earned pay through outrageous bank schemes, Wall Street rip-offs and fake government budget grabs. Your Pentagon cannot account for trillions in lost dollars.

Does this bother you? Not in the least.

Your whole economy is controlled by what is for the most part ravenous, international private banking interests in the form of The Federal Reserve, which with your government's consent leads you down the garden path to certain financial ruin thanks to a national debt you will never be able to repay.

How is it that private banks are responsible for issuing your currency? How is it that they are allowed to charge ridiculous interest rates on what they issue? By decree, this was supposed to be the responsibility of your government, which could create its own currency without charging interest.

Do you realize your congress could dismiss these banks in an instant if it so wished? But don't ever count on it. More important matters are pressing. The upcoming election needs investment.

These very same money men are the ones who, through unmonitored and unrepresentative world committees, are driving countries like Argentina into hopeless debt and social upheaval. These greedy overlords are creating strife and suffering on a scale too tragic for words in nation after nation. Just look at Africa.

They've got their sights on America, now, too; disrupting economic stability through so-called free trade initiatives and provisions for special favors and the endless flow of cash to corporate monstrosities like Enron.

Amid all this, where are those who are supposed to represent your interests, America? For the most part, your congressional representatives are nothing but swine gathering at the corporate troughs. Your president is a white-collar thug, a hypocrite who through his actions celebrates war, repression and greed even as he gives lip service to peace, freedom and justice.

George W. Bush deceives you daily, the war monger hiding behind a phony patriotism. He is an Enron buddy boy, a spoiled child lying in his teeth about his past and current dirty deeds.

Does he care about you America? Hardly. This is altogether obvious to those outside your borders who are politically aware and awake to the world around them.

You were never concerned about the disgraceful practices of George's ruthless father, either, a Bin-Laden cohort and friend to criminals and killers in global drug, oil and terrorist enterprises. Iran. Vietnam. El Salvador. Chile. Guatemala. Iraq. And on and on. The never-ending bully-boy story of blood, guns, drugs and money.

Does any of this matter? No, it's simply time to eat.

Go get your ten-billionth burger, America. Fatten your already fat asses with bacteria-and-hormone-ridden meat and do nothing as you sit stupefied before your mind-numbing television sets awaiting the next episode of sad families being humiliated on "Cops."

Few among you are the least bit concerned that no real investigation of 911 has taken place, that no serious investigation of the anthrax attacks is moving forward, that no authentic investigation of Enron, or the murder of one of its top executives, is underway.

How many of you give the slightest damn about the totalitarian measures your government is taking to keep its secret meetings, grubby files and treasonous activities from your eyes?

When did you stop caring, America? Was it after your own FBI and intelligence agencies plotted the murder of President John F. Kennedy? Or is this just the raving lunacy of the conspiracy nut? What does your gut tell you, America? Is something a little amiss here?

Forget about it. Have some Pepto-Bismol.

Today, in futility, your own government goes to court against itself for information you are entitled to by law. But this is hardly deemed vital news in the community. It is a fleeting reference in an electronic sea of meaningless banter. For proof, just look to all the spineless wimps who constitute your mainstream news media.

Today, you excoriate, ridicule and ostracize the brave and true among you. Your best investigative journalists are fired from their jobs and ignored. Congress's few courageous souls are laughed at and dismissed out of hand as crackpots. The most honest and conscientious political leader in the country, Ralph Nader, is a powerless, near-invisible curiosity easily side-lined by hired goons.

America, you are a goddamn shame.

What law matters now in your despicable state? What justice? What truth?

When will you wake up?

If you had your druthers, you would right now gather your courage, take to the streets and march on Washington D.C in the millions. But I know you will do no such thing. The vast majority of you are spiritually, emotionally and intellectually dead.

As I write these words, I can only imagine what additional horrors your shadow government might be planning in what will surely be an attempt to justify militarism and totalitarianism on a universal scale. A nuclear explosion in one of your cities, perhaps? A massive bio-chemical attack?

Or perhaps it will be some Arab terrorist who finally commits the terrible deed, his last thought before death being the promises you made to him before you killed his family.'

posted 09-26-2002 12:54 PM            

the dude is obviously a liberal leftist veggie green...and there's very little truth in that whole article...just a lot of hate...he probably lives in "broward county" FLA. and could not figure out the old voting machine or the new one...lol...

Go get your ten-billionth burger, America. Fatten your already fat asses with bacteria-and-hormone-ridden meat and do nothing as you sit stupefied before your mind-numbing television sets awaiting the next episode of sad families being humiliated on "Cops."

there is some truth to that, now flame broiled burgers eliminate bacteria...tv does suck...if I see brad pitt and jennifer anniston one more time I WILL SCREAM !!!

personally, I buy my meat products whole and grind it myself...no bacteria problems there at all...

man that guy was angry...

posted 09-26-2002 02:02 PM            

congratulations !

posted 09-26-2002 02:32 PM            

I don't know what's worse, to be an irrelevant citizen of the world's only super-power, or an irrelevant citizen of one of its allies, or 'friends' as we are affectionately referred to now, or one of the irrelevant citizens belonging to the rest of the world?

Where does it leave one when the choices of 'with us or against us' are too narrow?

'You have become a nation of monsters, America. Hypocrites. Murderers. Fools.'

But hey, I ain't marching on my capital either. I think it would do little good.

And just what's wrong with 'liberal leftist veggie greens' anyway? Veggie greens are good for you, animal products are the real baddies (but maybe another thread should be started for that one?).

'This is altogether obvious to those outside your borders who are politically aware and awake to the world around them.'

posted 09-26-2002 03:41 PM            

I can understand why that guy is so mad. There IS a lot of truth to that article. The real "terrorists" are the ones who drive people to say those things. People of privelage or power 99.9% of the time could care less about the rest of us or about what will happen tomorrow as a result of their greed. Darwins theory of evolution never included Rush Limbaugh's theory of economics (all for ourselves and the hell with everyone else.)

Personally, i don't plan on making the likes of McDonalds (the king of min.wage) any richer and for any of the other road kill drive-thrus either.

Mech

Love thy neighbor...
God bless America????

posted 09-26-2002 04:13 PM            

Why is it that only those in America refuse to see that their leaders are evil men, bent on wholesale slaughter of all those who oppose them. They have nearly eradicated all of your civil rights, and yet you still do not sit up and take notice. By the time you do figure it out, it will be to late. Awake now before it IS to late. And you have no rights left to you.

Give me freedom from tyranny or give me death. It is more honourable to die fighting for freedom than kill those who fight for freedom. I would rather live as a free man, in a world full of terrorists, than a slave under a tyrannical super power that promises to protect me from said terrorists, by removing all my rights.

posted 09-26-2002 04:41 PM            

problem with most people is they want things provided for them...IE "limbaugh says all for ourselves" and you should look out for yourself..and your family first...as far as greed goes the only people who complain about greed are poor people...and all 33 million of them are rich compared to other countries...

and they are just poor of spirit...my mom grew up in the great depression, the government did not hand out money or food like today's "lifetime welfare checks as long as you keep having babies", churches and soup kitchens fed the poor...

one more time mech, there is little truth in that article and a whole lotta hate...

sorry about the rant but some of you need to take history and economics again...and eat more meat dammit !!!

posted 09-26-2002 05:08 PM            

"Dark, evil operations run rampant in the secret corners of your government institutions."

Absolutely true

"You have become a nation of monsters, America. Hypocrites."

Absolutely true...Our terrorism is okay but Al Quaida's isnt.

"Never mind that earth-friendly technology already exists to once and for all end dependence on oil, coal and nuclear energy from huge, out-of-control utilities and corporations."

Absolutly true...we don't need the middle east for oil.

You would rather pay through the nose for your insecure comforts, wouldn't you America, and make others pay with their blood.

THAT is absolutely true!

"At the same time, you stand by as the Israelis' secular Zionists—whom you support through the supply of arms and money—slaughter untold numbers of innocents in the West Bank, then blame the Palestinians for bringing the terror upon themselves."

Mostly true

"You recklessly wage combat on other fronts, too. At home, your War on Drugs is a disastrous 30-year folly—a gigantic con game designed to benefit lethal cartels, corrupt politicians and menacing intelligence agencies across the planet. . . . ."

AB $o lute ly True

"Does the FDA care about any of this? It does not. It has long been on the bandwagon to foist genetically altered food on the Guinea Pigs of the country—including every man, woman and child on America's increasingly toxic soil. "

Absolutely true...Yep,,NO labeling on the packages...no longterm study on the environment.

You are a nation of suckers, America, to be bled dry of your hard-earned pay through outrageous bank schemes, Wall Street rip-offs and fake government budget grabs. Your Pentagon cannot account for trillions in lost dollars."

OH GOD...AbSOLUTELY true!!!!BCCI, IranGate..etc.

"Does this bother you? Not in the least."

True...Most Americans shrug it off.

"These very same money men are the ones who, through unmonitored and unrepresentative world committees, are driving countries like Argentina into hopeless debt and social upheaval. These greedy overlords are creating strife and suffering on a scale too tragic for words in nation after nation. Just look at Africa."

Yep True...Argentina is in social chaos thanks to economic neoliberalism.

"They've got their sights on America, now, too; disrupting economic stability through so-called free trade initiatives and provisions for special favors and the endless flow of cash to corporate monstrosities like Enron."

TRUE: WTO, FTAA, FAST-TRACK, GATT..no more need be said.

"George W. Bush deceives you daily, the war monger hiding behind a phony patriotism. He is an Enron buddy boy, a spoiled child lying in his teeth about his past and current dirty deeds."

True, Bush has known ties to Enron

"You were never concerned about the disgraceful practices of George's ruthless father, either, a Bin-Laden cohort and friend to criminals and killers in global drug, oil and terrorist enterprises. Iran. Vietnam. El Salvador. Chile. Guatemala. Iraq. And on and on. The never-ending bully-boy story of blood, guns, drugs and money."

Absolutely true...every word

Go get your ten-billionth burger, America. Fatten your already fat asses with bacteria-and-hormone-ridden meat and do nothing as you sit stupefied before your mind-numbing television sets awaiting the next episode of sad families being humiliated on "Cops."

LOL! Sad but true! Especially "already fat asses"

"How many of you give the slightest damn about the totalitarian measures your government is taking to keep its secret meetings, grubby files and treasonous activities from your eyes?"

I DO!!!!!!!!!!

"Today, you excoriate, ridicule and ostracize the brave and true among you. Your best investigative journalists are fired from their jobs and ignored. Congress's few courageous souls are laughed at and dismissed out of hand as crackpots. The most honest and conscientious political leader in the country, Ralph Nader, is a powerless, near-invisible curiosity easily side-lined by hired goons."

ABSOLUTELY true...Ralph Nader was BANNED from the Presidential debates and threatened with arrest at the republican Convention last election year

"When will you wake up?"

They did wake up..temporarily after some explosions happened.. Some of us realized that what we do in other countries may one day come back and bite us on the ass!

The truth 2002

posted 09-26-2002 05:22 PM            

That's a conservative myth....most people want to be independent.

"and you should look out for yourself..and your family first...as far as greed goes the only people who complain about greed are poor people...and all 33 million of them are rich compared to other countries..."

That's a myth--American quality of life is deteriorating for most of us and most of that disparity comes from sucking capital upwards to the top 3 to 5%.

"and they are just poor of spirit..."

Don't kid yourself

"my mom grew up in the great depression, the government did not hand out money or food like today's "lifetime welfare checks as long as you keep having babies", churches and soup kitchens fed the poor..."

BALONEY!!! The U.S. is one of the most miserly industrial countries in the world if you compare Germany and most of Northern Europe..and we have some of the most productive workers on the planet.

"Lifetime welfare checks"?...Pllllease!

How about Corporate WELFARE for LOCKHEED, MONSANTO, GE, ADM, PROCTOR AND GAMBLE, and giant taxpayer subsidies to keep these dinosaurs and their CEO's supplied with TRILLIONS in cash they REALLY don't need!

The TRUTH 2002

Mech

"The members of the American economics profession, as Arnold contended, performed a vital practical role in maintaining this unique system of corporate socialism American style. It was their role to prevent the American public from achieving a correct understanding of the actual workings of the American economic system. Economists instead were assigned the task to dispense priestly blessings that would allow business to operate independent of damaging political manipulation. They accomplished this task by means of their message of 'laissez faire religion, based on a conception of a society composed of competing individuals.' However false as a description of the actual U.S. economy, this vision in the mind of the American public was in practice 'transferred automatically to industrial organizations with nation-wide power and dictatorial forms of government.' Even though the arguments of economists were misleading and largely fictional, the practical -- and beneficial -- result of their deception was to throw a 'mantle of protection ... over corporate government' from various forms of outside interference. Admittedly, as the economic 'symbolism got farther and farther from reality, it required more and more ceremony to keep it up.' But as long as this arrangement worked and there could be maintained 'the little pictures in the back of the head of the ordinary man,' the effect was salutary -- 'the great [corporate] organization was secure in its freedom and independence.' It was this very freedom and independence of business professionals to pursue the correct scientific answer -- the efficient answer -- on which the economic progress of the United States depended."

posted 09-26-2002 05:27 PM            

that's an op-ed piece and you just happen to agree with most of it and call it true...

looking over it once more I'll give you this one :

your War on Drugs is a disastrous 30-year folly—a gigantic con game

yes very true ok, you got me on that one...

True, Bush has known ties to Enron

so what ? and 50 other elected officials...a lot of folks took money from enron...how about global crossing chief ? terry mcaughlif (sp?) DNC chairman took inside info and had a small investment turn into millions and millions of dollars !!

Bushs' Mom lost money on the enron deal...would you let your Mother loose money if you knew something ?

this whole corporate scam deal is clinton's fault anyway, and so is the terrorism threat...clinton was too busy playing with cigars and getting his "helmut" polished by interns to do his job...

Bush is not a war monger...he's just doing what "klintoon" should have done....

that article has no sourced verification on the "supposed" facts presented...and are very much slanted opinion...of a liberal leftist green...

"ralph nadar"....

LOL !

posted 09-26-2002 05:32 PM            

More on economics.....

"Economists have become a plague as dangerous as rabbits, prickly pear or cane toads. Economists have become the cultural cane toads of Canberra, oozing over the landscape and endangering myriad indigenous species. Not only the economy but also mental health would be greatly improved if we could lift the fog of obfuscation on things economic. The first step is to take economists from their pedestal and to see them as the curiosities they are. The first step to reducing their power is to reduce their legitimacy. How is this to be achieved? First, economists' outpourings should, as a matter of principle, be met with laughter, derision, benign paternalism. They should cease to be employed as media commentators. In the long term they should cease to be hired. Let them be pensioned off and die out. Extinction is a worthy end for a profession whose brief is rotten to the core."
-- Dr. Evan Jones, Economics Department, University of Sydney

Here is a twelve step program to introduce the laws of thermodynamics to economists, here are the first few steps:

# 1. The candidate economist must go to a library. There he or she will notice spheres sitting on wooden stands. These represent the planet we live on: Earth. Spheres like Earth are by definition finite -- they only hold just so much stuff. Economists are required to memorize this key point and say it over and over, "The Earth only holds just so much stuff because it's a sphere. The Earth only holds just so much stuff because it's a sphere. The Earth only holds just so much stuff because it's a sphere. ..." Economists are required to say it over and over until he or she can remember it without peeking at notes.

Next, the economist is ready for his or her very first BIG scientific experiment! The economist is advised to stay calm, and be sure to get a good night's sleep before attempting the experiment.

# 2. Put a piece of cake on a plate.
# 3. Eat the cake.
# 4. See if you still have the cake.

Economists aren't used to empirical science and will have to do the experiment (#2 through #4) a few times before the implications finally sink in.

Well kids, that's the First Law (the Conservation Law). Isn't science fun!!!

Can any economist tell the rest of the class what he or she has learned? ...Anyone? ... Nobel Laureate Friedman? ... Professor Nordhaus? ... Nobel Laureate Solow? ... Nobel Laureate Samuelson? ... Anyone? ...

Well perhaps we should just move on to the Second Law (the Entropy Law). Gee kids, guess what happened to that cake...

PARTII
MAXIMIZING UTILITY

Once upon a time, Daddy Economist, Mommy Economist, and a litter of little Economists were in a mountain cabin, sitting in front of a small coal-burning stove to keep warm. Although most people know that when coal burns, it's gone forever, Daddy Economist isn't worried because he was trained -- like a mindless robot -- to believe that when the coal is gone, a substitute will magically appear. So when the coal is gone, he looks around, and his furniture pops into view -- just like magic! So Daddy Economist decides to maximize his utility by breaking up his furniture and burning it in the small stove.

Now the Economists must sit on the floor, but heck, it's better than the alternative: dying. Then one day, SURPRISE!!! All the furniture is nearly gone. But Daddy Economist isn't worried because he believes a substitute will magically appear. So when the furniture is gone, he maximizes his utility by ripping the boards off the walls of his cabin and burning them in the stove to keep warm.

Now the Economists must sit on the floor very close to the stove, but heck, it's better than the alternative: dying. Then one day, SURPRISE!!! The Economists' cabin is completely burnt up. But Daddy Economist was trained not to worry. He decides to maximize his utility by pulling the clothes off his family and burning them in the stove to keep warm.

Now the Economists are forced to stand right next to the stove and constantly turn, but heck, it's better than the alternative: dying. Then in a few hours, SURPRISE!!! All the Economists' clothes have been burnt in the stove. But Daddy Economist isn't worried because he is going to maximize his utility by... ( The Sunday Times (London); 1-3-99 CLUTCHING her baby to her, Kim Soon-Hee shuddered as she described the desolation she had escaped in North Korea, a country so severely afflicted by famine that some people have been reduced to eating children to survive...)

PART III
RIVETS FOR SEX

Once upon a time there was a spaceship in which "rivets" were used for currency. Why rivets? Because on this particular spaceship, one could trade rivets for sex!

SPACESHIP POLITICS

Those individuals who were best at pulling rivets out of the spaceship hull -- the "Pullocrats" -- had the most political power because they controlled the most sex. As might be expected, "pulling rivets" became the most-talked-about and most-envied measure of personal worth.

GOD REVEALED IN EACH TRANSACTION

Unsure of their moral justification, the Pullocrats employed "Pulling Priests" (or "PPs") to search Holy Scripture for the truth. A careful re-read of the Scripture by the PPs discovered that "pulling rivets" maximizes "utility". Although no one has ever seen or measured "utility", the PPs say that God reveals his preferences in each transaction thereby proving that "utility" is maximized.

So with the circular blessing of the PPs, the doctrine of continuous and unlimited "rivet pulling" became the organizing principle of the entire spaceship. Indeed, nothing else mattered to anyone.

A TINY BIT OF A PROBLEM

In the real world of a spaceship, a tiny bit of air leaks out after each rivet is pulled out of the hull. And while the air supply system was designed to stay ahead of normal leakage, so many rivets have been yanked out of the hull, that at the present rate, the ship's atmosphere will be unable to support life in 12 hours.

A rescue ship is on the way, but it will take 24 hours to reach the ship. The Pullocrats must:

#1. Organize to ignore their PPs, stop pulling rivets out of the hull, and start pounding them back in,

OR

#2. They will die.

posted 09-26-2002 05:44 PM            

that a state run school ?

economics should be learned from those who have actually practiced it...not from scholars on a state paycheck...

what the hell did he say anyway ?

could someone translate that...I don't speak "elite snobbery"...

sorry...

posted 09-26-2002 05:52 PM            

I'll believe a University professor over a wetback patsy like Bush.

"Bush is not a war monger..."

Just who do you think you are kidding?

posted 09-26-2002 06:01 PM            

"humans are meat eaters...or we would not have those "pointy" teeth"

So do Rhinos and Chimps. The pointed teeth are for tearing vegetables and plants. Why don't you have a 4 foot intestine like other carnivores. You have a 20 foot intestine like all herbivores. You're eyes look forward because monkeys needed this to swing from branch to branch.

Meat-Eater
1)Has Claws
2)No pores on skin: perspires through tongue
3)Pointed front teeth to tear flesh
4)No flat back molar teeth to grind food
5)Salivary glands in mouth (not needed to pre-digest grains & fruits)
6)Acid saliva: no enzyme ptyalin to pre-digest grains
7)Strong hydrochloric acid in stomach to digest tough animal muscle.
8)Intestinal tract only 3 times body length so rapidly decaying meat can pass out of body quickly

Plant-Eater
1)No Claws
2)Perspires through pores on the skin
3)No sharp pointed front teeth
4)Flat back molar teeth to grind food
5)Well developed salivary glands, needed to pre-digest grains & fruits
6)Alkaline saliva, much ptyalin to pre-digest grains
7)Stomach acid 20 times less strong than meat-eaters
8)Intestinal tract several times body length (plant foods do not decay as quickly so can pass more slowly through the body)

Human
1)No Claws
2)Perspires through pores on the skin
3)No sharp pointed front teeth
4)Flat back molar teeth to grind food
5)Well developed salivary glands, needed to pre-digest grains & fruits
6)Alkaline saliva, much ptyalin to pre-digest grains
7)Stomach acid 20 times less strong than meat-eaters
8)Intestinal tract several times body length (plant foods do not decay as quickly so can pass more slowly through the body)

posted 09-26-2002 06:11 PM            

ECONOMIC STUDENTS REVOLT!

From: post-autistic economics newsletter
To: pae news
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2000 6:43 PM
Subject: post-autistic economics newsletter, No. 2, October 2000
sanity, humanity and science
post-autistic economics newsletter
No. 2, 3 October 2000
Subscribers in 36 countries

FRANCE
"It was in the beginning," opens the Le Monde article of September 13th, "a modest initiative, almost confidential. It has now become a subject of important debate which has put in a state of effervescence the community o f economists. Should not the teaching of economics in universities be rethought?" www.lemonde.fr/article/0,2320,93489,00.html

The first issue of this newsletter reported on the events leading to this "effervescence". Briefly, they were as follows.

In June a small group of economics students put on the web ( www.respublica.fr/autisme-economie ) a petition protesting against economics' "uncontrolled use of mathematics". This indulgence, it said, creates "a true schizophrenia" because the mathematics has "become an end in itself" resulting in an "autistic science". The petition called for an end both to this and to the repressive domination of neoclassical theory in the curriculum. The students called instead for a pluralism of approaches with emphasis on engagement with economic realities. Within two weeks the student petition had 150 signatures, many from France's most prestigious universities. The students publicized these results. On the 21st of June Le Monde picked up the story. It featured a lengthy and sympathetic article on the students' call for reform.
( www.lemonde.fr/article_impression/0,2322,72463,00.html )

Other French newspapers and magazines, as well as TV and radio, soon followed with the result that the number of signatures on the economics students' petition reached 600.

The perceived seriousness of the controversy increased when at the end of June some professors launched a petition of their own ( www.republica.fr/autisme-economie ), backing the students and offering further analysis and evidence supporting the need for reform. The French minister of education announced that he was looking into the matter. Then in July everyone left for "the long vac".

Now they are returning and Le Monde has reopened the public debate. So too has the national radio network, "French Culture", which on 21 September carried a program on the controversy, featuring two students and a professor from the post-autistic camp. Nor has the government forgotten about it. Le Monde reports that Jack Lang, the minister of education, has informed it that soon he will be announcing "the formation of a commission charged with making an evaluation of the situation and submitting to him some proposals. An economist of renown has been approached about leading this investigation."

Meanwhile the students and the reformist academics are regrouping in preparation for the next stage of the campaign. A meeting of the petition signatories, now 800, is being held at the Sorbonne on October 4th. Student leaders, Olivier Vaury and Gilles Raveaud, report that following the Paris meeting the pluralists will organize and conduct debates in universities throughout France. (The movement which began in the capital is now nation-wide.) These debates will continue through mid-November. Then in December a big national meeting is being planned for Paris. This will include both students and teachers committed to reform and will develop detailed, concrete criticism and proposals. Speaking for the students, Raveaud adds, "and we will claim our place" in the governmental commission that is being set up.

The post-autistic economics movement in France is also looking forward to more coverage in periodicals, including economics journals. The national newspaper Liberation, which featured a full page on the crises in economics in its July 31st issue, is planning another such feature for late October. Vaury reports that "we will have some important articles in TElErama (2.5 million readers) and there will be articles on this issue in L'Economie Politque (November edition)." Another article is scheduled to appear in the journal Alternatives Economiques.

posted 09-26-2002 06:37 PM            

what else would a veggie website say gasman...no bias there...no...no...no...

it's a fact that "true" veggies are living in a protein deprived state...and open themselves up to all kinds of illness...chew on that hippie...

mech, I refuse to read any more cut and paste shit, please just give me your opinion and the link or a brief quote...and we'll discuss things...but this endless cut and pasting by folks is COMPLETELY OUT OF HAND !!!!

I promise I'll look at the link you don't have to ram info down someone's throat...it's offensive...and this endless scrolling is wearing out my mouse !

with luv

posted 09-26-2002 07:03 PM            

Poor baby..get a trackball

Mabey you need to be offended.After all...Us "liberal left greens" frankly are tired of your reaganesque, conservative bs.

posted 09-26-2002 08:16 PM            

mech, I was just trying to be nice, truth is when all you do is cut and paste, it shows how vacant and void your mind is of original thought...

of course that's how theta got his masters...just cut and pasted it under his alleged name...viola' instant masters degree !

posted 09-26-2002 08:27 PM            

Your words....."I was just trying to be nice."

Hows that for a paste?

Everyone has their opinion.

Funny..."all you do is cut and paste"
Bull, if you look through this thread and others there is a varied amount when I spout off. If you don't like it..tough. Come up with a reasonable argument instead of accusations.

Nice insults by the way.

Mech

posted 09-26-2002 08:38 PM            

just in case your still reeling...

"I promise I'll look at the link you don't have to ram info down someone's throat...it's offensive...and this endless scrolling is wearing out my mouse !"

btw, why won't you answer mav's question's...

RU CHICKEN ?

btw, harry truman said it best "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen"