| Political background to the CPE protests
We are reposting the following series of articles on the revolt of the French working class in November-December 1995 in the hope that it will help to clarify the political background to the present upheaval in that country. The ongoing revolt by millions of youth and workers is a further response to the effort by the French ruling class to slash or eliminate entirely the social gains made in decades of struggle. In November-December 1995, the working class revolted against efforts by the right-wing regime of Prime Minister Alain Juppé to reform the social security system, just as today the government of Dominique de Villepin is reforming Frances labor laws. In 1995 millions of workers, led by the transport workers in particular, rejected the claims made by the government and the media and recognized the maneuver for what it wasan attempt to shift the burden of the social costs on to the back of the working population.
Matthews unveils Clinton plan to make higher education more accessible
Increasing a tuition tax credit, increasing Pell grants and simplifying the student aid process are a few of the proposals Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton campaign officials unveiled Thursday morning as part of her effort to make college more affordable and accessible.Sen. John Matthews, a state co-chair of the Clinton presidential campaign, presented Clinton's educational plan during a press conference held on the s.jpg of Claflin University's Tingley Memorial Hall.Speaking to about 20 students gathered behind him, Matthews stressed the impact Clinton's plan would have on them and thousands of other college students."If we can reduce your cost to go to college, more of our children will have access and all of us will be better off," Matthews said. "This plan is intended to make sure that lower income students have a chance to compete in this knowledge-based economy by getting a college degree and reducing your burden when you get out of college.
Unconventional wisdom
The flight of jobs that began immediately after World War II was key to the fate of cities like Detroit, as were the racial barriers in employment and housing faced by their black citizens. Sugrue spoke recently to Metro Times by phone on the occasion of a new edition of Origins from Princeton University Press. Metro Times: Your new preface begins with a visit to your fathers childhood home around Chalfonte and Santa Rosa, south of Fenkell on the West Side. .
Dec 28th
Well, it's almost time for me to head off to Australia. Tomorrow, actually, but this might be my last chance to get in a blog before then. I will try to blog while there but won't promise. Christmas is over and it was quite a pleasant one. My son visited from Las Vegas and he said he had a good time. It looks like he is set on going back to college full time to qualify as an accountant. He did one class last semester and got an A, so it looks like he should do OK in that field. He has quite a bit of money coming to him for education from the time he spent in the United States Air Force; at least enough for about two years of college. We spent Christmas Eve morning at my wife's parents then headed to Pensacola Beach, Florida to where my wife's sister and family live. Lots of gifts were handed around and we all ate and drank too much.
the has-been
The Websites for actual front-runners Giuliani, Romney, and McCain are barely above 4 percent, 3 percent, and 2 percent. Why does the Republican second-tier have a Second Life on the 'net? We know it's not the writers. Perhaps, in Huckabee's case, it's the prelude to a genuine, real-world breakthrough. Or perhaps, in the face of grim political realities, escape is just more entertaining. ... 4:20 P.M. (link) Friday, Nov. 2, 2007 Special Favors: This week, Republican leaders officially gave up hope that Larry Craig will ever leave. A day after Craig passed Mr. Potato Head as the most popular Halloween costume in Idaho history, The Hill reported that the GOP has abandoned the last siege engine it had left against him, by agreeing to let the man keep his earmarks.
CHEMISTRY LESSONS: A dying teacher's decision to begin cooking drugs ...
Walt White is a study in ordinariness. His mustache is dull and drastically out of date. His wire-rimmed glasses are the bland rectangles of a dedicated square. Even his drab textured sweaters send the message that this is a forgettable man. Like the rest of middle-aged, middle-class America right now, Walt is struggling to make ends meet, teaching high school chemistry and holding down a part-time job at a car wash. Then, as he turns 50, his life goes from slightly depressing to downright awful when he's diagnosed with terminal cancer. .
A £4bn bridge it is - now let's get on with it
Similarly, the decision to add "multi-modal" capacity adds unnecessary cost for no real benefit. There is already a perfectly good rail bridge which has loads of capacity on it (although some tracks either side need upgrading). Make the new FRB 3 lanes and allow traffic to flow for once. .
Subprime Bailout: Good Idea or 'Moral Hazard?'
Saving wounded financial institutions is good for the economy, some economists argue. But others warn against intervention, lest we fall prey to "moral hazard:" Bail out someone who has engaged in risky behavior and you're likely to encourage that behavior in the future. .
|
