Wed905 David T. Nicholson's Wednesday-Night.com/title> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <META NAME="Generator" CONTENT=" NOTESPAD"> <META NAME="author" CONTENT="David T. Nicholson "> <META NAME="description" CONTENT="Wed905.htm Wed #905 July 7, 1999 Air Transport, the Balkans, Economics, Politics and Health Care, Martin Barnes' daughter, Karen , St. Andrew's University, Scotland; Katleen Félix , Haiti. AC flight attendants.. <b>Robin Wohnsigl +1 cent/gallon fuel = $20,000,000.. Dr. Andre Pasternac Nurses' strike.. Kosovo Misha Crnobrnja story ..Barnes is bullish on South Korea "> <META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="Peter Trent, David Nicholson, Diana Nicholson, Wednesday Night, Wednesday-Night.com, Westmount,City of Westmount, Business, Affaires, Community,Communauté, Economie, Government, Gouvernements, Computer, ordinateurs,current events,actualités communautaires, Emerging Markets in Eastern Europe , MBA, McGill University, Gerald Ratzer, Diana Thébaud Nicholson, Haiti " > <link rel=stylesheet type="text/css" href="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/wed.css"> <script src="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/wed.js"></script> </HEAD> <body BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" LINK="#003337" VLINK="#570602" background="images/blue_pap.gif" leftmargin="0" rightmargin="0"> <a name="top"> <img src="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/bluefade.gif" width="99%" height="12" border="0"> <table width="100%"> <tr> <td width="18%"><IMG SRC="images/S_WCRST.jpg" Alt="Westmount City ... great place to live & good reading" border=0 width=50 height=72 align=left hspace=20></td> <td width="64%" align="center" valign="middle"> <b></b></h2><BR> <h1> Wednesday-Night.com <br>Salon Magazine vol 18 </h1><h2>July 7, 1999 </h2></td> <h1><font size=+2 color=red>#905 </font></h1></a> <td width="18%" align="right"><IMG SRC="images/S_WCRST.jpg" Alt="Westmount City ... great place to live & good reading" border=0 width=50 height=72 align=left hspace=20></td> </tr></table> <img src="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/bluefade.gif" width="99%" height="12" border="0"></center> <br> <a name="top"></a> <H5>david.nicholson's</h5> <form><input type = "button" name="blah" value="Previous" onClick="history.back()"> .. <i>Saturday, August 07, 1999 </i> and <SCRIPT Language="JavaScript">  </SCRIPT> <a href=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com> <img src="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/home.gif" width=60 height=23 alt="www.Wednesday-Night.com " border=0 hspace=9></a></form> <P><div id="TSE" style="z-index:5; padding:10; background-color:white; position:absolute; border:4 solid blue; top:0; left:0; visibility:hidden"><img name="TSEchart" src="http://www.tse.com/en/images/charts/newtsehome.gif"></div> <div id="DJ" style="z-index:5; padding:10; background-color:white; position:absolute; border:4 solid blue; top:0; left:0; visibility:hidden"><img name="DJchart" src="http://chart.bigcharts.com/custom/nyt-com/big.chart?sid=1643&time=1dy&freq=5mi&maval=60&uf=8192&lf=1&country=US&type=256&mocktick=1&doChartIV=0&sort=45&start=0&style=1410&size=7&rand=5574"></div> <div id="WX" style="z-index:5; padding:10; background-color:white; position:absolute; border:4 solid blue; top:0; eft:0; visibility:hidden"><img name="WXchart" src="http://www.canada.com/content/weather/namerica.jpg"></div> <a class="m1" href="http://www.reuters.com/" onMouseOver="javascript:showPopup('DJ',1,0)" onMouseOut="javascript:showPopup('DJ',0,0)" target="new">DOW</a> <a href="javascript:openPopWin('http://www.reuters.com/', 675, 450, 'scrollbars,resizable,status');">Reuters </a> <font size=+2><b> <a class="m1" href="http://www.tse.com" onMouseOver="javascript:showPopup('TSE',1,0)" onMouseOut="javascript:showPopup('TSE',0,0)" target="new">TSE</a> <a href="javascript:openPopWin('http://www.reuters.com/', 675, 450, 'scrollbars,resizable,status');"><b><font color=green>Reuters DOW </font></b></a> <a class="m1" href="http://www.canada.com/weather/forecast.asp?city=Montreal&rg=QC" onMouseOver="javascript:showPopup('WX',1,0)" onMouseOut="javascript:showPopup('WX',0,0)" target="new">Weather</a></b></font> <P> <FORM><INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="Scotia McLeod" onClick="javascript:openPopWin('http://x.wednesday-night.com/cgi-bin/cntclk.cgi?LNK-sm.asp&log&3&4&http://www.wednesday-night.com/sm.asp', 705, 600, 'scrollbars,resizable,status')"> <INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="Quotes & Menu" onClick="javascript:openPopWin('http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/PopQuote.htm', 790, 220, 'scrollbars,resizable,status')"> <br> <br> <a class="m1" href="http://x.wednesday-night.com/cgi-bin/cntclk.cgi?LNK-Gazette&log&3&4&http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette" target="new">Gazette</a> | <a class="m1" href="javascript:openPopWin('http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/GAZ-search.htm', 300, 140, '')">find</a><br>  <a class="m1" href="http://x.wednesday-night.com/cgi-bin/cntclk.cgi?LNK-Gazette&log&3&4&http://www.canada.com/" target="new">Canada.com YZ</a> | <a class="m1" href="javascript:openPopWin('http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/Cda-search.htm', 350, 160, '')">find</a><br> <a class="m1" href="http://x.wednesday-night.com/cgi-bin/cntclk.cgi?LNK-Globecbc&log&3&4&http://www.globeandmail.com/" target="new">Globe &</a> | <a class="m1" href="javascript:openPopWin('http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/Globe-search.htm', 160, 50, '')">find</a><br> <a class="m1" href="http://x.wednesday-night.com/cgi-bin/cntclk.cgi?LNK-NPost&log&3&4&http://www.nationalpost.com" target="new">Nat Post</a> | <a class="m1" href="javascript:openPopWin('http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/NP-search.htm', 390, 140, '')">find</a><br> <a class="m1" href="javascript:sitesearch()">Site Search</a> | <a class="m1" href="javascript:openPopWin('http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/IntraSearch.htm', 300, 140, '')"> #2 </a><br> <a class="m1" href="javascript:openPopWin('http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/McgillSearch.htm', 300, 140, '')"> McGill </a><br> <a class="m1" href="http://www.wednesday-night.com/contact.asp">Contact Us</a><br><br> <br><br> <BR><P> <font size=-1> <A HREF=http://www.bloomberg.com/welcome.html> Dow today Chart</a> <IMG SRC="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/space.gif" alt="37" width="10" height="0" border="0"> <a href=http://www.bloomberg.com/canada/canada.html TARGET=BLANK> <b>Latest TSE 300</b></a> <A HREF="http://www.bloomberg.com/wbbr/live/live1.ram"> Bloomberg Radio</a><br> <A HREF="http://206.190.38.206/cgi-bin/pristine?arch-a">Closing Pristine US Market Comments</a><br></font> <center> <a href=Wed904nurses.htm> <img src=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/back7.gif width=93 height=23 border=0 alt="Wed904nurses.htm " hspace=8 align=middle></a> <a href=http://www.wednesday-night.com/Wed904nurses.htm onMouseOver="window.status=' Wed904nurses';return true" class="body">#904nurses </a> <a href=Wed906Brazil.htm> <img src=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/next7.gif width=93 height=23 border=0 alt="Wed906Brazil next" hspace=8 align=middle></a> <a href=http://www.wednesday-night.com/Wed906Brazil.htm onMouseOver="window.status='Wed906Brazil next .' ;return true" class="body">next Wed 906 Brazil</a> </center> </center> <p> <img src="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/bluefade.gif" width="99%" height="12" border="0"> <table width="100%"> <tr> <td width="18%"><!IMG SRC="http://www.geocities.com/davidnicholson_99/S_WCRST.jpg" Alt="Westmount City ... great place to live & good reading" border=0 width=50 height=72 align=left hspace=20></td> <table vspace=0 hspace=10 border=0 align="right"><tr> <tr><td align="left" width=115> <img src=http://www.geocities.com/davidnicholson_99/877Dee18.JPG alt="Diana Thébaud Nicholson DTN photo 5k" width=115 height=154 border=0><br> <font size=+0><b>Diana Nicholson</b></font></a><br><br></tr> </table> <td width="64%" align="center" valign="middle"><h1> Wednesday-Night.com <br>Salon Magazine vol 18 </h1><h2>June 30, 1999</h2></td> <h1><font color=red>904<br> </font></h1></a> <td width="18%" align="right"><!IMG SRC="http://www.geocities.com/davidnicholson_99/S_WCRST.jpg" Alt="Westmount City ... great place to live & good reading" border=0 width=50 height=72 align=left hspace=20></td> </tr></table> <img src="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/bluefade.gif" width="99%" height="12" border="0"></center> <br> <blockquote> <br><br><center> <h1>Wednesday-Night July 7, #905</h1> </center> <P><table vspace=0 hspace=10 border=0 align="right"><tr> <tr><td align="left" width=133> <a href="http://www.geocities.com/davidnicholson_99/Wed871Barnes.htm"> <img src=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/905/905KarenBarnes10.jpg alt="Karen Barnes DTN photo " width=133 border=0><br> <font size=+0><b>Karen Barnes</b></font></a><br><br></tr> </table> <table vspace=0 hspace=20 border=0 align="left"> <tr><td align="right" width=97>  <a href="http://pages.infinit.net/westweb/Barnes.htm" target="new"> <img src="http://www.nicholsonfiles.com/images/geocities/97BarnesL.jpg" alt="to St. Andrew's Ball pages" width=97 height=267><br> <font size=+0><b>Martin Barnes</b></font></a><br><br></tr> </table> Wednesday evening July 7 1999 was an evening of experts at the Nicholsons'. The group included specialists in Air Transport, the Balkans, Economics, Politics and Health Care Delivery. None of these special guests was a stranger to the Wednesday Night Salon; what made this evening different was that they were there together in a small, knowledgeable group. <P> Two new guests added youthful perspective to several of the questions discussed. <B>Martin Barnes' daughter, Karen</b>, has returned to Montreal after completing her degree in political science and economics at St. Andrew's University, Scotland; <b>Katleen Félix</b>, originally from Haiti and a graduate of HEC, is a financial analyst with Air Canada. <P><table vspace=0 hspace=10 border=0 align="right"><tr> <tr><td align="left" width=198> <a href=http://www.geocities.com/davidnicholson_99/Wed878end98.htm> <img src=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/905/905KatleenFelix12.jpg alt="Katleen Félix DTN photo " width=198 border=0><br> <font size=+0><b>Katleen Félix</b></font></a><br><br></tr> </table> <P>17/Dec/2000 <b>Aristide's supporters take to street</b><br> By: <i>CATHERINE SOLYOM The Gazette</i> Exactly 10 years after<b> Jean-Bertrand Aristide</b> was first voted in as Haiti's president, Haitian Montrealers took to the streets yesterday to denounce what they say is a concerted effort to discredit the former priest, re-elected Nov. 26.<br> Carrying placards that read "Aristide = Dignity to the People" and "Long Live Haitian Democracy," the crowd of about 250 marched down Rene Levesque Blvd. to CBC headquarters, one of a slew of media outlets they say have become spokesmen for the Haitian opposition. <P>Saturday Dec 15, 2001 <a href="http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/view?/news/2001/12/17/haiti_011217" target="new"><b>ARISTIDE UNHURT IN ATTEMPTED COUP</b></a> cbc <a href="javascript:inFrench('http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/view?/news/2001/12/17/haiti_011217')"><IMG SRC="images/fr.gif" ALT="[Version en français]" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=14 WIDTH=12></a><br>An attempted coup in Haiti has left five people dead but President Jean Bertrand Aristide and his family are safe, according to national radio reports. <h2>AIR CANADA FLIGHT ATTENDANTS' STRIKE</h2> Signs point tonight to a last-ditch settlement with the flight attendants, however it is necessary to put this recent labour dispute into context. Although domestic air traffic has been deregulated, international traffic has not, but passengers do not differentiate between the two. Airline transportation is now a commodity, not a luxury, therefore there is little brand loyalty among the travelling public, making ticket cost the major deciding factor in selecting a carrier. This translates into an extremely competitive market. <BR><BR><BR><BR> <CENTER><TABLE BORDER=5 CELLSPACING=0 WIDTH="80%" BGCOLOR="#F5C43F"> <TR> <TD> <CENTER><TABLE BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 WIDTH="90%" BGCOLOR="#F5C43F"> <TR> <TD> <BR><BR> Editor's note: from Alexander Rose in the National Post for a wry look at the problems </a> <font size=5>Your ticket indelibly defines your value to the airline -- and to society</font><br> <p><font size=+1>Alexander rose</font><br> <font size=-1>National Post</font> </center> <p>On a crowded and cluttered Nelsonic man-o'-war, the width of a seaman's hammock belowdecks was 14 inches. Uncomfortable, you say? Well, fly Economy class nowadays on any airline and your seat won't be much wider than that -- and you'll probably be harnessed into the thing for a good deal longer than a sailor's watch of four hours or so. Consider, as well, what effect the increases in the number of times dry and infected air is recycled in Economy class is having on your immune system. At least press-ganged Jack Tars enjoyed the benefits of fresh air on the high seas. Then again, sailors ate salt pork and knocked back grog to ease the tedium: not that much, it seems, has changed since Trafalgar. <P>Unless, of course, you happen to work for a munificent company that freely dispenses largesse such as Business class travel (the Post is not one of these), or you've recently inherited a wad and want to pick up stewardesses in First Class. If you fall into either category, you're in seventh heaven when you fly nowadays. You've made it. You have emerged victorious in the vicious class struggle consuming air travel today. <P>Flying is the last bastion of blatant class warfare. The major difference, however, with the ideological struggles of the past is that at 30,000 feet pedigree, education, merit or other traditional yardsticks of, as Nancy Mitford might say, who's U, are of no consequence. Today, your class of ticket indelibly defines your value to the airline and envelops you in an enviable aura of upgradeability -- or, that peculiar attribute which used to be known in upper-class circles as being "clubbable." <P>Brandishing a Business or First Class ticket -- a mere slip of paper -- you are treated as a deity, at least for the duration of the flight. In the sky, no one asks about your background, or what your family does, or what school you went to. <P>Occasionally, an inordinately lucky pleb is chosen to enjoy the delights of Business, just as the mediaeval King Henry II raised capable "men from the dust" to the royal court without complaint from the nobles. Nowadays, however, once admitted to the sanctum sanctorum, the poor fool is instantly marked as an interloper owing to his nervous, fawning attitude towards fellow passengers and flight attendants, haughty disdain for those left languishing in Economy and slack-jawed wonderment at the freebies. <P>Apart from these baubles thrown to the salivating crowd, the situation on aircraft is reaching revolutionary temperature. Their senses numbed by the opulent airport lounges and free limos, the aristocrats ensconce in First Class luxury with their seats that convert into beds, and enjoy five-course dinners and 18 channels of inflight entertainment. A vast gulf, primarily of an economic and social nature, separates First from Business -- the home of the grasping aerial bourgeoisie which ruthlessly defends its hard-won privileges from the seething proletarians Behind the Curtin. (Except on Air Canada, where everybody's seething). <P>Every privilege, every perk must be precisely calibrated to keep the proles in their place. Thus, those in Business receive pretty "comfort packs" containing a vast array of cosmetics, feed off china plates, wipe their mouths with linen, and, most priceless of all, are able to tip their sculptured, ergonomic seats back almost all the way. In Economy, by way of contrast, no "comfort pack" is forthcoming, plastic plates and paper napkins are doled out, and the airlines are imperceptibly crushing the seats closer together. <P>These days, if you measure even half an inch over average height, your knees brush the back of the seat in front, and it will be difficult to pull out from the pocket that laminated safety card (by the way, why do they inevitably show an aeroplane nonchalantly floating in the ocean with those inflated yellow slides, shoeless passengers and plastic lifeboats? Has this ever happened?). Of course, when the person occupying that seat reclines, you must as well, thereby leading to the dread condition known as "the domino effect." And then there's always the clown who forgets to restore his seat to the upright position when dinner is served. <P>I'm not denying the right and duty of airlines to turn a profit, but many cases of "air rage" can be traced to the anger people feel at being excluded (have you ever seen a glossy magazine ad extolling the virtues of an airline's Economy class?), and being crammed into a shrinking space while Business flaunts its wealth. <P>One day, I predict, the dam will break and that hateful curtain -- so ostentatiously drawn closed after takeoff -- will be swept aside and we will have achieved a truly classless society (at least for the duration of the flight).<p><i></i> </td></tr></table><br></td></tr></table></center></center> <P> The airline achieving the lowest seat-mile cost sets the price on any particular route, earning a profit while the competition must set its rates at the same level, earning far less or operating at a loss. Factors leading to large differences in seat-mile costs include <UL> <LI>Labour costs <LI>Operational costs <LI>Age of aircraft <LI>Ability to size aircraft to route. </ul> <P><table vspace=0 hspace=10 border=0 align="left"><tr> <tr><td align="left" width=356> <a href=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/Wed887RobinAC.htm> <img src=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/905/905RobinDee6.jpg alt="Robin Wohnsigl & Diana Thébaud DTN photo " width=356 border=0><br> <font size=+0><b>Robin Wohnsigl & Diana Thébaud</b></font></a><br><br></tr> </table> The cost of fuel is a major factor in determining whether an airline will operate at a profit or loss. A one cent per gallon increase in the cost of jet fuel can translate into a twenty million dollar additional annual cost to an airline the size of Air Canada. <P><p><table vspace=0 hspace=10 border=0 align="right"><tr> <tr><td align="left" width=96>  <img alt="" width=96 border=1 src=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/905/2695805-2695817.jpeg> <font size=+0><b>Lamar Durrett retires at 60.</b></font></a><br><br></tr> <tr><td align="left" width=96> <img alt="" width=96 border=1 src=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/905/2695805-2695816.jpeg> <font size=+0><b>Robert Milton takes over at 39.</b></font></a><br><br></tr> </table> One of the problems in the airline industry is the high rate of unionization. While fulfilling an important function, the union has the ability to bankrupt an employer if it fails to realize that it is but one of three stakeholders, the other two being passengers and shareholders. It is an important task of management to remain totally transparent, working with the union to see that all stakeholders are treated in a satisfactory manner. <P> Saturday 7 August 1999 Air Canada CEO flies coop</a> Fellow Georgian Robert Milton takes controls from Lamar Durrett<I> SHEILA McGOVERN</i> November 2000<br> <table width=68 border=0 align="left"> <tr><td align="middle" width=68><A HREF="javascript:openPopWin('http://micro.newswire.ca/releases/November2000/10/c0000.html/13213-0', 574, 680, 'scrollbars,resizable,status');" onMouseOver="return setStatus('click AC report.')" onMouseOut="return setStatus('Wed980.htm')"> <img alt="Robin Wohnsigl" width=68 src="images/929/929oRobinW-AC11.jpg"><br><font size=-1><b>Robin Wohnsigl</b></font></a> </td></tr></table> <i> "Air Canada has invested in excess of a billion dollars in its technical operations over the years, and has built a strong reputation for quality service, both internally and with third party customers,"</i> said <b>Robert Milton,</b> President and Chief Executive Officer.<i> "The creation of Air Canada Technical Services will allow us to maximize the value of our investment and enhance shareholder value by competing for profitable third party contracts either directly or through joint ventures."</i> <A HREF="javascript:openPopWin('http://micro.newswire.ca/releases/November2000/10/c0000.html/13213-0', 574, 680, 'scrollbars,resizable,status');" onMouseOver="return setStatus('click AC report.')" onMouseOut="return setStatus('Wed980.htm')"><b> Robin Wohnsigl</b></a> has been named President of the new organization, bringing over thirty-five years of experience in the airline industry including, most recently, three years as Vice President, then Senior Vice President, Technical Operations at Air Canada. He has also held senior positions in aircraft maintenance within the airline industry. <b> For more see <a href="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/FedGovNotes.htm">Fed Gov </a> notes</b> <br><A HREF="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/newsMenu.htm">Links Latest </a> World & other <h2>THE NURSES' STRIKE</h2> <P><table vspace=0 hspace=10 border=0 align="right"><tr> <tr><td align="left" width=79> <a href=http://www.geocities.com/davidnicholson_99/Wed884MarcRoper.htm> <img src=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/905/905AndrePasternac2.jpg alt="Dr. Andre Pasternac DTN photo " width=79 border=0><br> <font size=-2><b>Dr. Andre Pasternac</b></font></a><br><br></tr> </table> On the Nurses' strike, the view was expressed that the government of Québec will have to find a face-saving formula which will satisfy most of the demands of the Nurses without affecting the other parts of the public and parapublic sectors, while permitting the government of Québec to appear to have come up with a solution worthy of Solomon. <P> The nurses continue to have widespread public support, although this could change quickly of there is a death attributable to their strike action. <P> Legislating the nurses back to work was one solution, but refusal by the nurses to obey legislation should have been considered and a Plan-B developed. It appears that the government of Mr. Bouchard has painted itself into a corner with its public insistence on "winning conditions"; this offers too many opportunities for blackmail by any number of interest groups. <h2>SERBIA</h2> <P><table vspace=0 hspace=10 border=0 align="left"><tr> <tr><td align="left" width=81> <a href="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/Wed891misha.htm"> <img alt="Dr. Mihailo Crnobrnja " width=81 height=81 border=0 src="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/891/891DeeMisha17v5.jpg"> <font size=+0><b>Diana & Misha</b></font></a><br><br></tr> </table> <a href="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/Wed891misha.htm">#891 31 Mar 99 Kosovo </a> <p> The situation in Serbia is not satisfactory. On the positive side, <b>Milosevic</b> is weaker than he has ever been in the past, but he still remains quite popular. Because the Serbian opposition is disunited, he could easily survive until the 2001 election and possibly even beyond. Nonetheless, he has made one very big mistake in claiming victory. Milosevic came to power on the issue of <b>Kosovo. Kosovo</b> was only an instrument of the battle of <b>Serbia.</b> <P> If forced to decide between NATO bombing and Milosevic, the Serbs would probably decide for Milosevic. The fact that the actions of Milosevic were appalling does not in itself make the actions of NATO right. It is questionable that <b>Milosevic</b> ever gave orders to kill children, but he has never disassociated himself from the atrocities and therefore remains morally responsible. <p> Predictions: Kosovo will be his undoing.<br> Kosovo, because of its more highly developed political structure, higher levels of education and standard of living, will annex Albania. <P> Serbia will have a civil war. <a href="http://www.Wednesday-night.com/Misha.htm"> <font color=red><b>Kosovo</b></font>[Misha story]</a> <P> Britain and the United States were determined to carry on a campaign that devastated the country as long as there were no fatalities to the NATO forces. This is especially true of the Americans. This ill-conceived policy has resulted in the deaths of too many Serbs and Albanians and a deep distrust of NATO. The Albanians are returning to a pitiful situation. <P> Albanians are essentially tribal; of the seven tribes, four are fighting for Hoxha-type Marxist philosophy. The Americans chose to support the radical faction (KLA) as early as Rambouillet, continuing a long history of supporting the wrong factions (e.g. Afghanistan, Central America, Vietnam, Chiang Kai Shek…) <P> Nor have the Americans the claim to morality. Clinton is not a leader, he is a survivor. The campaign appeared to Americans very much like a real-life giant computer game, where you can kill without risking your own life. <P> Neither can the Albanians have legitimate claim to morality. In order to succeed, it was necessary to paint the Serbs as villains, thereby leaving the Albanians to appear to be the good guys. Europeans have an anti-Muslim bias because of immigration issues. In truth, there do not seem to be any good guys in this campaign. The notion that this was a moral war is absurd. <P> Perhaps, changing national boundaries to coincide with ethnic boundaries might avoid such bloodshed. In this dispute however, Russia's intervention appears to have been strategic rather than ethnic. The Americans played their hand badly and gave Russia a major role which has already caused problems and could cause more. <h2>THE ECONOMY</h2> Asia's recovery continues to look good. Martin Barnes is particularly bullish on South Korea. As to North America: <P> The latest Commerce Department reports indicate that sales and business figures show an easing up of the rate at which business is easing off, which is taken as proof of Mr. Clinton's contention that there is a slow but noticeable slowing up of the slowdown. <P> In order to clarify the cautious terminology of the experts, it should be noted that a slowing up of the slowdown is not as good as an upturn in the down curve, but it is a good deal better than either a speedup of the slowdown or a deepening of the down curve; and it does suggest that the climate is about right for an adjustment to the readjustment. <P> Regarding unemployment, we find a definite decrease in the rate of increase, which clearly shows that there is a letting up of the letdown. Of course, if the slowdown should speed up, the decrease in the rate of increase of unemployment would turn into an increase in the rate of decrease of employment. In other words, the deceleration would be accelerated. But the indicators suggest rather a leveling off, referred to on Wall Street as bumping along rock bottom. <P> This will be followed by a gentle pickup, then a faster pickup, a slowdown of the pickup, and finally a leveling off again. However, it is hard to tell before a slowdown is completed whether the pickup is going to be fast, particularly because of such factors as the strength of recovery in the downturn and the power of the decline in the upturn. (Editor's note: Just checking to see if anyone is paying attention!) <b>QUOTES OF THE EVENING:</b> <I> "When the bombs fall fifty yards from your mother's house and the windows shatter, it is very difficult to remain objective."<br> "Lord, give me words that are kind and gentle because I may have to eat them." <P> Notes by <b>Herbert Bercovitz </b><br> Edited by <b>Diana Thébaud Nicholson </b> <br><br> </center> <TABLE ALIGN=LEFT BORDER=0 vspace="0" hspace="10" > <TR> <TD ALIGN=LEFT WIDTH="136"> <a href="http://www.geocities.com/davidnicholson_99/Gala98.htm"> <IMG SRC="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/897/897aS-E-J1.jpg" ALT="Susan Eyton-Jones click for Gala DTN photo 3k" BORDER=0 WIDTH=136 HEIGHT=178> <B><FONT SIZE=+0> <br>Susan Eyton-Jones</FONT></B></a></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <a name="mega"> <p> <a href="http://www.wednesday-night.com/Wed894Water.htm#mega"><b>Montreal - Mega-city or not?</b> do see #894 for more</a> <P><table vspace=0 hspace=14 border=0 align="right"> <tr><td align="left" width=188> <a href="http://pages.infinit.net/westweb/amalgam.htm"><b>amalgamation?</b> <img src=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/891/891mrieTrent5.jpg width=188 height=170 border=0 alt="Mayor Trent DTN photo 2.4k"><br> <font size=-1><b>Peter Trent getting legal</b></font></a></td></tr> </table> See:<a href=http://pages.infinit.net/westweb/amalgam.htm> "Mayors detail new plan"</a> , by <i>Michael Mainville</i>, The Gazette, March 31st <br><br><br> <br><br><br> <a href=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/889/889cynPANv5.jpg>See our first Surround Pan</a> of <font color=green>"la cucina"</font> at 388 Victoria <br><br> <a href=Wed904nurses.htm> <img src=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/back7.gif width=93 height=23 border=0 alt="Wed904nurses.htm " hspace=8 align=middle></a> <a href=http://www.wednesday-night.com/Wed904nurses.htm onMouseOver="window.status=' Wed904nurses';return true" class="body">#904nurses </a> <a href=Wed906Brazil.htm> <img src=http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/next7.gif width=93 height=23 border=0 alt="Wed906Brazil next" hspace=8 align=middle></a> <a href=http://www.wednesday-night.com/Wed906Brazil.htm onMouseOver="window.status='Wed906Brazil next .' ;return true" class="body">next Wed 906 Brazil</a> </center> <br><br> <a href="http://www.geocities.com/davidnicholson_99/Dr.htm">our Medical Web ..Super Hospital</a> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <P><IMG SRC="http://www.wednesday-night.com/images/blue_thin_line_2.gif" HEIGHT=5 WIDTH=50%><B> </B></P> <P> <br><center> <p> <p> </blockquote> <BR> <A HREF="#top"><IMG SRC="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/arrowupgtop.gif" align=right Border=0 width=35 height=30 ALT="top"></a> <TABLE BORDER=5 CELLSPACING=0 WIDTH="2187" BGCOLOR="#8B8B00"> <TR> <TD><br><br> <br><img src="http://www.Wednesday-night.com/images/arrows_bb_RT.gif" alt"Please move for more" width=62 height=37 border=0 hspace=500><br><br> <CENTER> <img src=http://www.Wednesday-night.com/images/905/905pan.jpg alt="Wed 904 DTN Photo 42k" width=2187 hight=257 align=middle border=9> <br></center> <br><img src="http://www.Wednesday-night.com/images/arrows_bb_RT.gif" alt"Please move for more" width=62 height=37 border=0 hspace=200><br><br><br> </td></tr> </TABLE></table></td></tr> </TABLE></table><BR><BR> <BR> <CENTER><P><script>mailadr('dtnicholson','Wednesday-Night.com?Subject=905')</script></P> <P>© 1997 <I>by David T. Nicholson</i> <P> <IMG SRC="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/DeeLaugh.JPG" ALT="Please call Diana Nicholson DTN photo" width=64 height=64 BORDER=3> Please phone (514) 934-0023<BR> <IMG SRC="http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/Mailbox.gif" border=0 ALT="e-mail your thoughts.">or e-mail us your thoughts. <BR><BR> </A></I> <p> <br> > <br> <p><SCRIPT language="JavaScript" src="http://www.geocities.com/addon/gadget-slt-100-100/"></SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT><TABLE BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0> <TR><TD><A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/addon/gadget-slt-100-210/" TARGET="_top"><IMG SRC="http://www.geocities.com/addon/gadget-slt-100-220/" ISMAP BORDER=0></A></TD></TR> <TR><TD><A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/addon/gadget-slt-100-310/" TARGET="_top"><IMG SRC="http://www.geocities.com/addon/gadget-slt-100-320/" ISMAP BORDER=0></A></TD></TR></TABLE></NOSCRIPT> <br> <p> <p> <br> <font size=-2>  Wednesday, August 30, 2000 <P> <img src="http://x.wednesday-night.com/cgi-bin/cntclk.cgi?Wed905&log&x&x&x&0" alt="" width=0 height=0"> <script type="text/javascript"> var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www."); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); </script> <script type="text/javascript"> var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-1039840-1"); pageTracker._initData(); pageTracker._trackPageview(); </script></body> </html>