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Nothing Can Be Obtained Without Strive

The New Global Job Shift :
The next round of globalization is sending upscale jobs offshore . They include basic research , chip design , engineering - even financial analysys . Who wins ? Who loses ?
Three years ago , the Charlotte ( N.C. )-based bank needed IT talent so badly that it had to outbid rivals . But last fall , his entire 15-engineer team was told their jobs " wouldn't last through September " . In the past year , BofA has slashed 3700 of its 25000 tech and back-office jobs . An ad***ion 1000 will go by March .
Corporate downsizings , of course , are part of ebb and flow of business . These layoffs , though , aaren't just happening because demand has dried up . Ex-BofA managers and contractors say one-third of those jobs are headed to India , where work that cost $100 an hour in the U.S get done for $20 .
Cut to India . In dazzing new technology parks rising on the dusty outskirts of the major cities , no one's talking about job losses . Not far away , 26-year-old engineer Dharin Shad talks excitedly about his $10000-a-year job designing third-generation mobile-phone chips , as sun ours through a skylight at the Texas Instrument Inc. research center . Five years ago , an engineer like Shad would have made a beeline for Silicon Valley . Now , he says , " The sky is the limit here " . The designer of 3G chips see no reason to move to Silicon Valley .
Cut agian to Manila , Shanghai , Budapest , San Jose . These cities- and dozens more across the developing world- have become the new back-offices for Corporate America , Japan Inc. and Europe GmbH . Even Bulgaria , Romania , and Shouth Africa , which have a lot of educated people but remain economic backwaters , are tapping the global market for services .
It's globalization's next wave- and one of the biggest trends reshaping the global economy . The first wave started two decade ago with the exodus of jobs making shoes , cheap electronics , and toys to developing countries . After that , simple service work , like processing cre***-card receipts , and mind-numbing digital toil , like writing software code , began fleeing high-cost countries .
Now , all kind of knowledge work can be done almost anywhere . " U will see an explosion of work going overseas " . Europe is joining the trend , too .
The driving forces are digization , the Internet and high-speed data networks that girdle the globe . In India , siad the briefing , you can get " quality work at 50% to 60% of the cost . That's two heads for the price of one " and " a basic business tenet is things go to the areas where there is best cost of production "
" Now U're going to see the same trends in services that happened in manufacturing "
The rise of a globally intergrated knowledge economy is a blessing for developing nations . That it means for the U.S skilled labor force is less clear : at the least , many white-collar workers may be headed for a tough readjustment . Should the West panic ? It's too early to tell . For security and practical reasons , corporations are likely to keep crucial R&D and the bulk of back-office operations close to home . Many jobs can't go anywhere because they require face-to-face contact with customer .
Nothing Can Be Obtained Without Strive
Được and sửa chữa / chuyển vào 14:02 ngày 01/04/2003

Indeed , a case can be made that the U.S will see a net gai from this shift - as with previous globalization waves . No by sending routine service and engineering tasks to nations with a surplus of educated workers , the U.S labor force and capital can be redeployed to higher-value industries and cutting-edge R&D . " Silicon Valley doesn't need all the tech development in the world . We need very good-paying jobs . Any R&D that is routine can probably go " .
To be continued ....
Nothing Can Be Obtained Without Strive

More Aid , But New Strings
U.S President Bush is pushing for a big increase in foreign aid , but new eligibility criteria - which include how long it takes to start a business - may freeze out some needy nations like Indonesia .
Under a complex scroring system proposed by the Bush administration tu judge prospective foreign-aid recipients for a new , expanded aid programme , Indonesia and Vietnam come out much differently . Vietnam , which ranks poorly on civil liberties and political right , comes in below average on spending for primary education , and possesses a bureaucracy that takes new businesses a lengthy 68 days on average to navigate and start operating , is close to a windfall .
Such are two of the vagaries of a new U.S foreign aid proposal that may represent the biggest fundamental change in how U.S aid is dispensed since WW2 . On one hand , the new aid system would signal the reversal of a long slide in U.S foriegn aid , which has declined steadily since the end of the Cold War . The proposal also represents an attempt to remove U.S geopolitical strategic interests from aid decisions .
For Asia , the new system may herald the return of the U.S as a patron at a time when key donors such as Japan are cutting down . President Bush has proposed a new distribution mechanism that will target a small number of countries that rule justly . invest in their people and implement free-market policies . Under new scheme , recipient countries whould have to achieve a minimum score across a range of criteria , including controlling corruption , protecting political rights , inoculating and educating children and promoting free trade . If the programme implemented today , 4 countries in Asia - Bangladesh , Mongolia , Nepal and Sri Lanka - would qualify for aid in the first year .
Because only a relatively small number of countries woulde qualify for this new money , the winners might get much bigger grants than normal . For example , the four Asiian-aid qualifiers would together receive in the neighbourhood of $400 million ( almost two times the last one ) .
Other than that , countries may fail in some criteria but still qualify as long as successes outnumber failures . Interestingly , cooperation with the U.S in the war against terror , despite Washington's preoccupation with it , is not one of the con***ions .
Vietnam misses by only a single indicator . It is in the cut-off line now but it could qualify in the second year when ad***ion of more countries is expected to lower the bar .
China , however , is expected to take itself off of the list because it does not generally request foreign assistance .
It is also warned that " this new money will only go to a hanful of poor countries , leaving behind many poor in countries that won't qualify " or " if only the best performers are eligible to receive assistance , then aid will go to those who least need it " .
DRAMATIC POLICY CHANGE : Bush says he'll stop using U.S aid aid to further political aims .
Nothing Can Be Obtained Without Strive

Phan Van Khai : A Vietnamese Leader's Vision
The Prime Minister highlights the importance of foreign investment and trade , especially with the U.S and China . He also notes lingering obstacles .
The discussion took place on the eve of a heavily attended Asia Society / Dow Jones conference in Hanoi on Vietnam's business climate . Excerpts :
Interviewer ( Q ) : What are the key areas that you wish to target for investment in Vietnam ?
Prime Minister ( P.M ) : we hope to attach a lot of investment in hi-tech areas , so that high technologies will be incorporated in different industries to be more competitive with foreign companies . We wil ( also ) focus on infrustructure development . Say , for example , electricity . In this sector , during the last few years , demanhd has grown by about 10%-15% per year . This year , we'll have to build a number of hydropower plants and thermal power plants and gas-powered plants as well . Another important area is the cement industry . In 2002 , we had to import 4 million tonnes of clinker ... Also important is the oil and gas sector ... exploration , exploitation as well as processing activities... And we hope to have better cooperation with foreign partners in the production and processing of argicultural products and sea products for export .
Q : is the dispute over catfish in keeping with the spirit of the 2001 bilateral trade accord , or BTA , with Washington ?
P.M : during the two years of implementation of the BTA , the two way trade value has increased substancially ... During the process of strengthening relations in trade and investment , we need to overcome any issues that may arise . We have the good will to settle those issues with the U.S side ... Representatives of the Department of Commerce , of the USTR ( U.S Trade Representative ) and other U.S organizations have been invited to VN to visit fish-farming areas . SOme of them expressd a position that does not reflect goodwill and fairness ... We are ready to cooperate with the U.S partners for the production and processing of catfish for export to the States . I think that would be in the best interest of American comsumers , because our catfish are of good quality and inexpensive .
Q : Is VN dumping catfish on the American market ?
P.M : No , VN is not dumping .
Q : What comes after the BTA ?
P.M : I think VN's next major step will be to prepare for membership in WTO . Our target is 2005 . We submitted our application in Jan 1995 . We also have undergone four rounds of negotiations with the WTO working party . Negotiations on the trade regime of VN have been completed .
Q : What are the biggest problems facing foreign investors in VN ?
P.M : No , I , our administrative procedures are still very cumbersome . There are still many doors we have to go through . You could get approval at the central level , but you still have problems at the local level ... with issues like land . The government would like to pursue the policy of a one-stop system , with all foreign-investment projects only having to work with the Ministry of Planning and Investment ... The second major complaint we receive from investors is about unequal services ( dual pricing systems ) . Telephone tariffs are still very high , with discrimination between foreign and domestic ( firms ) . Air fares are also different for foreigners and it's the same with electricity rates . Reductions have been made several times towards a single-prica system . But our country has recently emerged from war and a centrally planned economy . Therefore we have to take it step by step . Oherwise , it would lead to collapse if we go too fast .
Q : Have you ben influenced by China's experiences in joining the WTO and attracting foreign investment ?
P.M : In the past , the two countries had a similar economic policy . So , the experiences and lessons from China are very useful for VN , including policies to attract foreign investment , better tap internal resources , develop the private sector and improve the competitiveness and efficiency of state-owned enterprises ... But each country has its own historical circumstances . Our lesson is that if we just copy one foreign model , there's a chance of failure . Therefore , our policy is to study and learn from selected cases .
Q : Do you worry that China's rapid growth might draw potential away ?
P.M : China is a very big market for VNMese products . VN's exports to China have recently increased significantly . Two-way trade by value is estimated to reach $5 billion in the year of 2005 ... VN needs to identify the products where we have the best advantage . Something I always tell VNese enterprises is ( to aim for ) high quality and low pricaes , in order to be competitive .
Nothing Can Be Obtained Without Strive
Được and sửa chữa / chuyển vào 15:05 ngày 03/04/2003

Blair Calls Weapons Expert''s Suicide a Tragedy
By WARREN HOGE
ONDON, July 19 â?" Prime Minister Tony Blair said today that the suicide of the British weapons expert Dr. David Kelly was "an absolutely terrible tragedy," and he appealed for politicians and the press to end speculation about the causes of it while a judicial inquiry proceeded.
Dr. Kelly''s body was found Friday morning on a footpath five miles from his Oxfordshire home. His wife, Jan, said on Friday that he had committed suicide.
The Thames Valley Police announced this afternoon that he had bled to death after cutting his left wrist. They reported recovering a knife and a package of painkilling pills at the scene.
The police would not discuss whether there was any note or other explanation, but his wife said Friday that she had had no indication he was contemplating suicide when he left his home in the village of Southmoor Thursday afternoon, saying he was going for a walk.
Mr. Blair made his remarks in Hakone, Japan, where he was having talks with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
Dr. Kelly, 59, was a former United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq and a senior adviser to the Ministry of Defense on weapons of mass destruction. Accustomed to working behind the scenes, he became caught up in a highly publicized dispute over the vali***y of arms intelligence in a dossier published by the government last September to overcome Britons'' opposition to the war.
Dr. Kelly had been singled out by the government as the likely source for a BBC report in late May that Downing Street inserted a claim exaggerating the threat of Saddam Hussein''s weapons into the document justifying Britain''s push for military action in Iraq.
The government considered the report deeply damaging and has conducted a campaign against the BBC seeking to disprove the account and obtain both a retraction and an apology. The public service broadcaster has stood behind the claim and demanded a government apology.
In early July, Dr. Kelly told his managers in the Defense Ministry that he had met with the BBC reporter in question and might be the anonymous security official cited by the broadcaster as its source. He said he could deny that he had made the claim at the center of the report that the government was responsible for inserting evidence that Iraq had chemical and biological weapons deployable in 45 minutes into the document.
The government apparently saw in Dr. Kelly an opportunity to embarrass the BBC. Dr. Kelly was hauled before a parliamentary committee on foreign affairs where on Tuesday he was subjected to badgering questions that left him visibly uncomfortable.
In an e-mail message to a reporter for The New York Times shortly before he left on his walk Thursday, Dr. Kelly discussed his appearance before the committee and referred to "many dark actors playing games."
Mr. Blair, struggling to contain what is shaping up as a major crisis for his government, appeared grim and tired at today''s news conference. He was questioned about whether the crisis would cause him or any of his top aides to resign and asked if he felt he had "blood on his hands."
He answered: "I hope we can set aside the speculation and the claims and the counterclaims and allow that due process to take its proper course. And in the meantime, all of us, the politicians and the media alike, should show some respect and restraint."
News of the death came a day after Mr. Blair made a speech before a joint meeting of Congress in Washington that aides hoped might still the raging debate here over whether Britain manipulated intelligence files to justify the war in Iraq.
Instead, with Dr. Kelly''s suicide, the focus of political debate has returned to the subject and to the aspect of it where polls show Mr. Blair''s government is most vulnerable: a reputation for spinning information to its own advantage.
As we go on, we remember all the times we had together
As our lives change, come whatever
We will still be FRIENDS FOREVER

U.S. Resists Entreaties to Send Peacekeepers to Liberia
By CHRISTOPHER MARQUIS
ASHINGTON, July 21 â?" The United Nations secretary general and West African countries implored the Bush administration today to send peacekeepers to Liberia as fighting intensified there and the American Embassy came under mortar fire.
But administration officials resisted the appeals, countering that Liberia''s neighbors should act first in helping stabilize the country. The administration called on rebels and the government of President Charles G. Taylor to respect a cease-fire.
Even as they balked at taking the lead in peacekeeping, administration officials acted to strengthen the American security presence in Liberia. The Pentagon sent a security team to protect the United States Embassy compound, where fewer than 100 Americans remained. An apartment building in the embassy complex was hit by a mortar round, which officials described as "stray," wounding two; a second round exploded at an embassy annex, killing numerous war refugees, officials said.
In recent days, the Pentagon ordered about 4,500 sailors and marines to move closer to Liberia in preparation for possible peacekeeping or evacuation duty, officials said.
Administration policy makers are torn over how to proceed, if at all, in Liberia. Officials indicated after President Bush''s five-day trip to Africa this month that he might be willing to send a peacekeeping force of limited scope and duration. Pentagon officials are the most resistant, while the State Department is more eager to find a solution.
Among the chief reasons cited for the ambivalence: The United States has no vital interest in Liberia; the military feels overextended in Iraq and elsewhere; the last African intervention, in Somalia, ended in a debacle; Pentagon officials, in particular, increasingly chafe at noncombat missions.
Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary general, pleaded for the United States to intercede "before it is too late" and the best opportunity vanishes. "I think we can really salvage the situation if troops were to be deployed urgently and promptly," Mr. Annan told reporters.
Philip Reeker, a State Department spokesman, said today that the administration remained in close consultation with Mr. Annan and West African leaders who brokered a cease-fire, but he said no decision had been made to send troops.
Instead, Mr. Reeker strongly condemned the rebel group, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, for "their continued reckless and indiscriminate shelling" of the capital, Monrovia.
Advocates of American action said the administration''s failure to lead in Liberia was unconscionable.
"There is a major humanitarian crisis on the horizon here," said Princeton N. Lyman, a former American ambassador to Nigeria and South Africa. "For the U.S. not to come in, I think, this would be a significant moral blot â?" right after the president''s trip to Africa."
Over the weekend, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld dispatched a three-ship amphibious group from its position off the Horn of Africa into the Me***erranean Sea. From there, it would take the vessels another 7 to 10 days to get to Liberia, officials said.
The amphibious group, led by the assault ship Iwo Jima, includes 2,000 marines and 2,500 soldiers. Only the marines, and perhaps only some of them, would probably go ashore as part of any American mission, the defense officials said.
The American reluctance to send even a token number of peacekeepers comes just weeks after Pentagon officials signaled that planning had begun for the deployment of 500 to 2,000 peacekeepers. Since then, however, the administration has faced growing difficulties in Iraq, sapping the appetite for a new undertaking of undetermined scope.
Some Africa experts say the administration is risking a historic chance to end the ruinous rebellion that surged in 2000 in a population exhausted by war. The disintegration of the cease-fire two weeks ago was an indication that time was running out, they said.
"A U.S. intervention at this point would be practical and possible and well received," said Joseph Siegle, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, who spent years as a relief worker in Liberia.
James Phillips, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a research institution with ties to the White House, said he opposed sending troops to Liberia. The military, he said, is already overcommitted, with half the Army in Iraq, and training missions elsewhere.
"To undertake another peacekeeping operation would make things worse," he said. "There''s going to be a very unsettled situation."
As we go on, we remember all the times we had together
As our lives change, come whatever
We will still be FRIENDS FOREVER