Earth to Ivory Tower, come in please

"When a good or service is produced more cheaply abroad, it makes more sense to import it than to make or provide it domestically''

The remark that plunged him into a highly-charged political maelstrom sounded a bit less academic:

"Outsourcing is a growing phenomenon, but it's something that we should realize is probably a plus for the economy in the long run."

Mankiw's simple assertions bug me, not least because I find it hard to refute them. Could the soul-crushing upheaval of job loss and the frustration of constant re-training really add up to "a plus"? As a computer programming student, I feel like I've been learning to make toasters for the last two years! When I started school, programming seemed a strong field with a bright future. Now I feel like I should go back and start over, maybe in something medical. Or become a mountain guide, which I'll do if I don't find a decent job within a couple of months of finishing school this spring.

When Mankiw says outsourcing is good for the economy, I hear "outsourcing increases profits." You know, for rich people. Supposedly, they'll take those profits and invest them in job-creating enterprises, so they can make more profits.... But if labor's cheaper abroad, why would they invest domestically?

I also find it hard to believe that Chinese workers are likely to spend much of the income from their 80¢-per-hour jobs on American consumer goods. Wouldn't they instead buy more affordable Chinese goods (to enjoy on their one day off every other week)?

I see a growing U.S. trade deficit, and a growing divide between rich and poor everywhere. For a long time to come. I know things will eventually balance out; overseas salaries will rise—and American salaries will fall—until making stuff (goods) and doing stuff (services) in the U.S. become cheaper again. But that process takes many years, and I'd like a good job this year.

I think.

Posted by Me at 23:23 link

Here We Go Again

Tell your senators to oppose the new energy bill

As you may recall, in November 2003 a bipartisan group of senators successfully halted an earlier version of the energy bill, citing its high cost to taxpayers and a host of anti-environment provisions. But on February 12th the chair of the Senate Energy Committee, Senator Domenici (R-NM), introduced a new energy bill that is just as bad as the old one.

In a calculated bid to pick up a few swing votes, the bill's proponents used accounting gimmicks to make the new bill appear less expensive than the previous version, and are now touting it as a "jobs creation" bill. In reality, however, the bill still would give massive subsidies to the oil, gas, coal and nuclear industries while gutting fundamental environmental laws. What's worse, Senate leaders are vowing to bring the bill to the Senate floor for a decisive vote by the end of February!

If this bad bill passes in the Senate, the House has vowed to add other anti- environment provisions, including even opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.

== What to do ==
Tell your senators to oppose the new energy bill (S. 2095) and to prevent it from leaving the Senate.

== Contact information ==
You can email or fax your senators directly from NRDC's Earth Action Center at
http://www.nrdc.org/action/. If you prefer to call your senators, the Capitol switchboard number is 202-224-3121 (or toll-free at 800-839-5276).

Gavin Newsom, American Hero?

Mayors in Chicago, Salt Lake City and upstate New York spoke favorably of the weddings, but many politicians -- including some liberal Democrats -- are unsettled by the spectacle of more than 2,700 gay and lesbian couples wed over the past week at San Francisco's city hall.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., an outspoken supporter of gay rights, issued a terse statement that offered no praise for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., one of three openly gay members of Congress, suggested Newsom's action could undermine long-term efforts to legalize gay marriage in Massachusetts and fuel support for a federal constitutional amendment banning such unions.

[full article]

Does anyone else find the symbolism deliciously appropriate? Newsom directed the county clerk to begin accepting same-sex marriage applications on the eve of Valentine's Day weekend.

One popular legend of St. Valentine tells the story of a priest in 3^rd century Rome. The Emperor, Claudius II, had decreed that soldiers could no longer marry (single soldiers being more likely to re-enlist); the priest, Valentine, defiantly continued to marry the lovers in secret. There are other legends of Valentine's Day, but I've always liked this one best. Read all about it at the History Channel.

Let's hope Newsom doesn't suffer poor St. Valentine's fate: in all the popular legends, the authorities dealt Valentine a violent death! Newsom probably doesn't have to worry too much about his physical safety, but his bold action clearly jeopardizes his political future.

Doing the right thing despite the risk—sounds like heroism to me.

Posted by Me at 11:02 link

The Bigger Picture

Time Management 101

Those of you with jobs and families — how do you find time for the fun stuff, the stuff you really want to do? I'm sure for some of you, work and family are what you want to do. For the rest of you, especially those who publish a web log, I want to know how you manage it.

For me right now, school is a means to the end of finding a "real" job, family represents a series of time-consuming responsibilities and joys that I take for granted (shame on me!). What I want to do is to climb mountains, and to learn more about climbing mountains. I'd also like to read books regularly, to watch movies, to catch up on my e-mail correspondence — and of course, to blog.

I feel I owe you, my readers, an apology. I know I never promised you a rose garden, or even that I'd blog daily, but for months I did put something up here pretty much every day, and whether or not it was good to read, I put considerable thought, effort — and time — into those entries.

This semester, I struggle just to do all the "have to do's". I'm sure a number of you mastered the art of Managing Time many years ago, and would consider my life a vacation compared to yours. I raise my glass to you! I attend five classes, take care of two dogs and help an elderly relative who doesn't drive (in a town where not driving means not going). This year I renewed and stengthened my commitment to wellness; that means I've put exercise, sleep and healthy eating at the top of my priority list. Every day I spend all my waking hours doing Good Things, and every night around the same time, I collapse into bed physically, mentally and emotionally spent. This satisfies me, but leaves me little time for the "want to do's" that make life fun.

Blogging, for instance.

Last year, I often stayed up disturbingly late researching and writing. This year, if I haven't written something by bedtime, I don't publish that day. Bad for the blog, good for the blogger.

I ask you to bear with me. I will improve my time management skills and get back to publishing quality stuff regularly. I welcome all useful suggestions, tips, and advice.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and do more Good Things before bedtime. Ah, bedtime!

Posted by Me at 23:25 link