Issue #7
March 2002
 |
 |
 |
Commentary Our March issue continues a series of articles begun last month on changes in the financial industry. These articles are, in some measure, intended to act as a primer for our readers about issues that will be affecting our economy, our politics and our pocketbooks for years to come, and present the thinking of some industry insiders at conferences of the Managed Funds Association, last month, and the Futures Industry Association, this month. (See last month's articles, "Single-Stock Futures", "Disaster Recovery Done Right", and "The Real Enron Secret" if you missed them.)
We are beginning to be concerned that Bill Clinton's "permanent campaign" is beginning to morph into George Bush's "permanent war" as a means of ensuring domestic political dominance. With real military and political successes in Afghanistan falling short of the administration's rhetorical excesses, the impression is getting stronger that elements of the Bush administration are looking for somewhere else, anywhere, that the US military can provide the President with photographic displays of effectiveness to offset the lack off vision and effectiveness that has become obvious in other administration endeavors. A Republican administration that can scare Republicans in Congress bears watching.
Meanwhile, an ice shelf the size of Rhode Island has collapsed in Antarctica. There are those who say that global warming is not real. I wonder what they ascribe this collapse to: vibrations resulting from oil drilling in Alaska, perhaps? Now is the time to consider some serious global warming issues: for example, will the Florida Archipelago resulting from a rise in sea level remain a state, or will we have to demote the loosely connected chain of islands to the status of territory, like Guam or American Samoa? Is now the time to buy beachfront property on the Salton Sea?
Finally, a few words about next month's issue. Although events sometimes overtake our planning and cause us to skip promised articles in place of ones that seem more timely and pressing, we intend to take a close look at the fight between the recording and motion picture industries and those of us who think that when you buy something, you are free to use it as you choose, even if that was not how the manufacturer wanted you to use it. This is not a discussion of intellectual theft and piracy; it is a discussion of how these industries are trying to invade our privacy and hold back the pressures of free-market innovation in order to maintain their monopolies. Our usual gang of columnists will weigh in with their opinions; we invite those of you with opinions on any aspect of these issues to submit articles. The deadline for submissions is April 12.
Click on underlined by-lines for the author’s home page.
New York Stringer is published by NYStringer.com. For all communications, contact David Katz, Editor and Publisher, at david@nystringer.c om
All content copyright 2002 by nystringer.com