Alternative Perspective
 Issue 7, November 6th, 2002
 Compiled byMadhukar Shukla

Introduction: Alternative Perspective is an attempt to widen our awareness about issues related to business, environment, role and influence of media, geo-politics, culture, etc. It aims to share, on a regular basis, some of those pieces of news and information, which do not find place in the highly monopolised mainstream media.
Please feel free to share and/or forward to those who may find it useful.



In This Issue:
  • The Scorecard on Globalisation: 20 Years of Diminished Progress
     At a time, when any debate on Globalisation turns out to be one between faith and fanaticism, here is one of the few empirical studies, which compares the growth rates on parameters such as economic growth, life expectancy, education and literacy, etc., during 1960-80 and 1980-2000. At least prima facie, the report shows that if at all, the impact of globalisation (the IMF/World Bank variety), has been negative for countries... and if you combine it with this report on Impact of Globalisation on Economic Growth, the picture is complete.
    http://www.cepr.net/globalization/scorecard_on_globalization.htm

  • British Telecom Claims IPR for Hyperlinks!!!
    Tim Berner-Lee notwithstanding... Well, why not?... if greed (read, making profits) is a legitimate corporate objective, there is no harm in muscling in a little tax on the internet highway. Read some more of these innovative ways to make money on the Net, which industry is planning.
    http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/2002/02/07/patent-suit.htm

  • Pax Americana?
    If ever there was a Conspiracy Theory to beat all others, here is one... However, given the fact that the term "conspiracy theory" is coined by those who have stakes in espousing a "fair-world theory" - i.e., the world in its present condition is just and fair to all - it is worth considering this point of view.
    - Firstly, this viewpoint is corraboraated by the US military presence across 225 countries [see map], accounting for 255,000 troops based outside US soil.
    - Secondly, it re-inforces the Grand Chessboard thesis proposed by Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Advisor to President Carter.
    - Thidly, the document Rebuilding America's Defenses [pdf copy of original document] was prepared even before GW Bush became the President - in September 2000!!
    - and Lastly, not to forget and ignoree, what has been happening during last couple of years, does follow the Logic of Empire
    http://www.bangornews.com/editorialnews/article.cfm?ID=85247&town=&byline=&cname=OpEd§ion=&tt=3PM

  • Coroprate Subsidies are Out - Economic Incentives are In!
    ... the purpose and results, of course remain the same.
    This 1998 article from The Time magazine makes an interesting reading: at a time, when the neo-liberal economists from IMF/World Bank/US Treasury were advocating and preaching cutting down corporate subsidies to increase competitiveness, the US Federal Governement was shelling out $125bn/year as "economic incentives/ empowerment zones/ corporate welfare"!!! - how do you like this, for instance?... Indiana gives $451 million to United Airlines to build an aircraft-maintenance facility that would employ 6,300 people, thus subsidising $72,000 for each job.
    http://www.time.com/time/magazine/1998/dom/981109/cover1.html

  • Facts of Speeding-Up: Rush to Nowhere
    Of course, change is no longer what it used to be!... but as these statistics show, just as things speeding up, they are also running down [note: there is a large graphic on the top of this page, which takes time to load - just skip it and scroll down to tables]
    http://www.newint.org/issue343/facts.htm


    Archives
    [Your Feedback] [View Guest Book]
    To Subscribe, pl send a blank mail to
    [email protected]
    Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

    1