Question by Culture Warrior: Buyer’s Remorse? Since the modern feminist movement began, women report being more and more unhappy?
Is this yet another example of a failed liberal social experiment? Or can something else explain this trend?

“Women’s happiness has been on a downward trend since the early 1970s. According to study after study, women are becoming more and more unhappy. This drop in happiness is found in women across the social and economic landscape. It doesn’t matter what their marital status is, how much money they make, whether or not they have children, their ethnic background, or the country they live in. Women around the world are in a funk.

When you think about all that has happened over the last four decades — with women securing greater opportunity, greater achievement, greater influence, and more money — the decline in the female collective state of mind seems to defy logic, and raises the vexing question: What in the world is going on?”

http://bpp.wharton.upenn.edu/betseys/papers/Paradox%20of%20declining%20female%20happiness.pdf

Best answer:

Answer by avail_skillz
Americans report being more and more unhappy since FDR era regulations were repealed, so what is your point?

Every since outsourcing started Americans have been losing their jobs, it has taken both parents to afford the expenses of raising a family, and morals have declined.

Classic signs of increased stress over financial issues.

nearly everyone who I know has a job and can pay their bills and have money to afford recreational activities are happy. Thos who can’t are not.
There is no need other than partisan drivel to read much more into it.

Add your own answer in the comments!

IndustryMasters Screenshots

Florianopolis, Brazil (PRWEB) November 26, 2008

Tycoon Systems, a provider of web-based business simulations for executive education and MBA programs, today launches it’s Mastering the Economic Crisis simulation. The complex business game simulates how the credit crunch and the current financial crisis affect the real economy, followed by economic recovery. The Mastering the Economic Crisis simulation was for the first time used by IIMA, India’s top ranked business school.

“It was a very good experience for the participating teams,” said Professor Atanu Ghosh, Faculty Coordinator at IIMA. “We are looking forward to using the IndustryMasters simulation game again in 2009, to our knowledge there is no better business simulation.”

For the 3rd year the influential Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has chosen a Tycoon Systems business simulation as the basis for their annual global on-line business competition. During the run-up to IIMA Confluence 2008, Asia’s largest business school summit held from 20th to 23rd November, again more than 1500 students from leading business schools across the globe have participated in a competition based on Tycoon Systems’ IndustryMasters simulation. The 100 best ranked teams were invited to experience the Mastering the Economic Crisis simulation, a new IndustryMasters case study.

“The Mastering the Economic Crisis simulation closely reflects the current economic slump,” said Thomas Lehnert, founder and CEO of Tycoon Systems. “Participants start a company in January 2007 in a growing world economy. In the middle of 2008 a crisis of the financial sector leads to shortages in credit supply for the real economy, which slows down investment, growth and demand. Simulation participants are challenged to find the right strategy for managing their company in such times of uncertainty.”

Tycoon Systems is a business education software company and provides web-based business simulation games for usage in business schools and in executive education – and for individual learning. Tycoon Systems’ flagship product IndustryMasters is a powerful developmental experience for next-generation executives. The simulation develops entrepreneurial and strategic management skills through an exciting learn by playing experience.

Martin Maiburg, Director Marketing & Licensing of Tycoon Systems commented: “We are the first to provide a business simulation that is permanently updated according to changes in real world economic trends and macroeconomic variables.”

About Tycoon Systems

Since 2005 Tycoon Systems provides business simulation technologies with a specific focus on educational business games. It’s founder Thomas Lehnert has been CEO and Chief Developer in the business simulation software industry over the past 16 years. Tycoon Systems Ltd. is a privately-held company based in Florianopolis, Brazil.

About the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA)

Founded 1961 in Ahmedabad, IIMA collaborated with Harvard BS during its formative years. IIMA is widely considered to be the premier institute of management education in India. Over 200,000 people apply each year for admission and compete for about 250 seats.

More ressources:

Tycoon Systems Homepage

IndustryMasters Homepage

###

Related World Economic Trends Press Releases

Question by Savvy Bulge, Relapsed: Why can’t/Can anyone adequately define the motivations and behaviors of “alpha” male?
About a week ago, I asked a Q about whether “alpha male” was a euphemism for selfish or greedy, and nearly all of the 13 answers included some aspiration to one day be an alpha male and a complete denial that our leaders could ever be motivated by greed or self-interest.

Now here’s a girl bemoaning this new “alpha male” BS trend:
“I feel as if I am often the only one who stays away from these types who seem to misunderstand what an “alpha” male is about, and only come across as looking like a douche bag…”

Essentially, “alpha male” has come to mean “douche bag” b/c the Western world, although it’s been dogmatically taught that every average Joe should strive to be a leader (by the gov’t through PSA’s and public schooling for economic superiority and wealth maintenance purposes, as I said before), no one knows what a true leader is made of…which is why we generally despise our bosses (they’re clueless too)–it’s all projection, projected BS b/c “power perceived is power achieved.”

(btw, I had to vote “No BA” on that previous Q, so it’s gone now)
Crone: like I’m buying your line of BS w/a name like that, just another average American taker.

Ladyrosz: That’s the definition of “real man” not “alpha male”

Best answer:

Answer by martin-MP
Because in nature, the alpha male is the meanest, toughest one… So someone who starts fights and picks on people for no reason etc etc, is similar to what an alpha male is. It’s really not the same as a “leader”.

Add your own answer in the comments!

Question by Bob: Will Coleman actually sue Gore, when it will expose him to a countersuit for “abuse of process”?
If you file a lawsuit against someone with no good cause, they can collect damages against you for abuse of process.

Since all these guys agree with Gore, Coleman would seem to be at risk for that.

The National Academy of Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Institute of Physics, the American Chemical Society, the American Geophysical Union, the American Meteorological Association, etc.

Also:

“The overwhelming majority of atmospheric scientists around the world and our own National Academy of Sciences are in essential agreement on the facts of global warming and the significant contribution of human activity to that trend.”

Russell E. Train, former environmental official under Presidents Nixon and Ford

“Our nation has both an obligation and self-interest in facing head-on the serious environmental, economic and national security threat posed by global warming.”

John McCain, Republican, Senator, Arizona
etc.
Gary C – I quote scientists, politicians, business leaders, military personnel, etc., to show the broad based agreement on global warming.

Conservative politicians are particularly useful for exposing the lie that this is a “liberal conspiracy”.

Best answer:

Answer by william8_5
Abuse of Process? what have you been smoking? Of course if you find the right scientist they will agree to Global Warming, you just have to find the right ones So I hope he does get sued because he is abusing his power, and he is a hypocrite. I’m sure I will add more as it comes to me

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

The future of Minnesota’s economy in the context of U.S. and world economic trends: A state perspective (Staff paper / University of Minnesota, Dept. of Agricultural and Applied Economics)

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Suppose you walk into a Mexican restaurant and ask for Beef Wellington and a side of French Toast. Undoubtedly, you would be turned away for the simple reason those items are not on the menu. If you protested loudly, the police would be called and you would be carted away, hungry.

A similar situation exists in Wichita as discussed in Understanding Reality – You Don’t Know What You’ve Lost Till Its Gone.

The choice presented to the Machinist union members at Cessna Aircraft is to accept or reject a 10-year agreement that cuts wages 4.2 percent, replaces the pension plan with a 401(k) plan and increases the share of the cost of health insurance paid by the workers to 30 percent.

The choice is not to ask for Beef Wellington. Yet, several union members working for Cessna have emailed me telling me how unrealistic I am. It may not seem like it but I am trying to help. Moreover, I certainly am not the one who is unrealistic.

Here is my response to “Mary” (name changed to protect the innocent) whose husband works at Cessna.

Mary,

The union needs to understand the gravity of the situation. The union likely has one shot at negotiating a contract. It is possible Cessna has already made preparations and the moment the union rejects the offer, the jobs will leave immediately and permanently.

Whether you like it or not, the union has a choice. The union can accept the contract or reject it. Perhaps there is some room for negotiation but likely not much.

My advice, which I expect not to be taken would be for the union to accept the offer outright or counter by accepting most of what management is asking, perhaps proposing something like 20% of health care costs and a 2.5 percent pay cut.

I seriously doubt management will budge on replacing the pension plan with a 401(k) plan. I do not know is if Cessna is talking about new employees or existing employees. I suspect a bit of both with grandfathering of accrued benefits.

The one thing I am certain of, is that protests will not help, nor will getting union members fired up with anti-Cessna sentiment.

If the union rejects the contract in some bitter fight as opposed to a genuine meeting of the minds where the union gives in up front on most of what Cessna has offered, it is highly likely the jobs will move to New Mexico, if not Mexico.

The Union’s Choice

1. Accept the offer and the jobs stay for 10 years
2. Reject the offer and the jobs are gone for good
3. Hold out for Beef Wellington in a contentious round of negotiating and protests
4. Counter with friendly negotiations, agreeing to most of what Cessna management is asking, hoping to tweak the percentages a bit more favorably.

I strongly suggest the union go for option #1 or option #4.

Once management says hello “New Mexico” all options will be off the table. That is the reality of the matter.

The union needs to understand the gravity of the situation, the permanency of the result, and how much workers in New Mexico would love to have those jobs at exactly the terms Cessna is offering.

Mike “Mish” Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List

Mike “Mish” Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction.
Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific.

View full post on Mish’s Global Economic Trend Analysis

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The circus in the bankrupt state of Illinois continues unabated. Please consider Legislators feeling sting of Illinois’ deadbeat ways

State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld was in session in Springfield earlier this year when he got a call from the secretary in his district office. She was calling from her cell phone because the district office phones, which are paid for by the state of Illinois, had been disconnected for nonpayment.

“That was the first time,” recalled Luechtefeld, R-Okawville.

His office phones were later cut off again, with the state still months behind in paying for the service. He’s now getting renewed threats from the phone company of a third cutoff. “It’s laughable,” he said, “but it’s not.”

It’s the same story at the district offices of Illinois’ elected legislators across the state: Phone, utilities, garbage and rent payments months behind, prompting a monthly flurry of terse late notices and cutoff threats to offices with the state emblem on the doors.

Of course, in a state where teachers are getting laid off, hospitals are struggling and small businesses are failing because the state isn’t paying its bills, the office budget plight of a relative handful of politicians isn’t going to cause anyone to take to the streets.

But the news of a northern Illinois legislator who was forced to shut down her district office because the state had stiffed her landlord for so long certainly drives home the depth of Illinois’ $13 billion budget crisis

Illinois legislators keep offices in or around the Capitol in Springfield, and also have district offices back home. The state allots $69,409 per year for the district office expenses of each House member, which goes toward salaries for office staff, rent, utilities, supplies and related costs. For senators, who have larger districts and often maintain more than one district office, the annual allotment is $83,063.

Lawmakers have often complained that the annual allotment is too small, given the need for clerical workers, professional office space and other significant expenses. However, the current problem of deadbeat district offices isn’t about the budgeted amount, but rather about the state’s cash flow problems, which stem from a deficit that’s roughly 50 percent the size of the state’s entire regular operating budget.

“We have 220,000 vouchers sitting in our office waiting to be paid, because we don’t have the money to pay them,” said Alan Henry of the Illinois comptroller’s office, which is responsible for cutting the checks. Those backlogged vouchers at the end of August totaled about $4.5 billion in late bills, which are paid as money becomes available to the state from taxes, fees and other sources.

United Steelworkers Tries to Organize Car Washes

The New York Times reports Labor Tries to Organize Carwashes in Los Angeles

The carwashes of Los Angeles would appear to be an unlikely target for a unionization drive. Many of the estimated 10,000 workers in the business here are illegal immigrants, who are too scared to speak out or give their bosses any excuse to fire them. Many carwash companies have just two or three outlets, not 20 or 30, requiring scores of separate organizing efforts. And carwash owners, who invest a million dollars or more in each facility, are fiercely resisting the prospect of being tied down by collective bargaining and union rules.

Nonetheless, labor organizers have set out to unionize this city’s carwash workers, hoping to improve their paltry pay and end widespread abuses. The unions, led by the United Steelworkers, acknowledge that it is a struggle, but they voice confidence that they can organize the first carwashes in the next few weeks or months, and that this will start a domino effect once other owners realize that unionized businesses can survive and even thrive.

California officials have estimated that two-thirds of the 500 carwashes in Los Angeles violate workplace laws. Many workers say they are paid just $35 for a 10-hour workday — less than half the minimum wage — and some say they are not paid for time during which no cars go through the wash. Others complain that they are not given gloves or goggles even though they often use stinging acids to clean tire rims.

Randy Crestall, owner of Autospa Chevron Hand Wash in Valencia, a Los Angeles suburb, said that law-abiding owners resented their scofflaw competitors.

“They’re a blight on our industry,” said Mr. Crestall, a former president of the Western Carwash Association. “As good operators, we don’t like them to be on the same playing field as us.”

Mr. Crestall said the unionization push would hurt everyone. “Having a union will mean higher wages, and that will lead to higher prices,” he said. “That will mean fewer consumers coming to carwashes, and fewer jobs for these workers.”

The unionization drive calls itself the Clean Carwash Campaign and has created a brigade of former carwash workers, many of whom had been fired for backing a union.

“This is not the type of campaign you win overnight,” said Chloe Osmer, the campaign’s strategic coordinator. “It’s the type of campaign where you have to bring the floor up in the industry before you can really have some unionization success.”

Although no carwashes have gone union, the campaign helped persuade city officials to investigate the Pirians’ carwashes. Last year, the city attorney charged them with a total of 220 misdemeanors that could have meant 120 years in jail. In mid-August, the brothers pleaded no contest to six charges, including grand theft and conspiracy. They were ordered to repay $1.24 million to 54 underpaid workers.

Although I am not in favor of minimum wage laws, enforcing those laws and especially work conditions is a reasonable thing to do.

I happen to agree with owner Randy Crestall who says the effort would lead to fewer jobs.

Indeed, unionization could kill most of the hand wash business. Unions leaders do not care about such things. They want what is good for the union, employees be damned.

Christie to Propose New Jersey Pension Rollback

A spokesman for the Chris Christie says Christie Will Propose New Jersey Pension Rollback

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will unveil legislation that aims to trim a $46 billion pension deficit by scaling back benefits and suspending cost-of-living increases, said a person familiar with details of the proposals.

The measures would roll back a 9 percent increase in pension benefits that was enacted through legislation in 2001, and suspend cost-of-living increases for at least three years, said the person, who declined to be identified because he isn’t authorized to speak ahead of Christie’s announcement next week.

Kevin Roberts, a spokesman for Christie, said the governor will propose pension measures “early next week” and declined to confirm details of the plan.

“It will be a plan to bring solvency to a system that is dangerously on the brink,” Roberts said today in an interview. Any changes Christie will outline are designed to “ensure the system is going to be there in the long-term for those employees that are already here,” Roberts said.

Legislators in 2001 changed the formula used to calculate pensions for new retirees by dividing the number of years worked by 55, rather than 60, which in effect resulted in a 9 percent benefit enhancement. Christie is seeking to reverse that legislation and return to at least 60 for current workers, the person said. Legislators previously rolled back the higher benefits for workers hired after May 22, according to state bond documents.

Cheers for New Jersey, Boos for Illinois

Once again three cheers go to Chris Christie for confronting the pension crisis head on. Actually, Christie did not go far enough, something every state pension plan will find out as soon as the stock market falters.

Three boos go to the state of Illinois which has one of the highest property tax rates in the nation yet we still have a school budget crisis and in fact a budget crisis everywhere one looks.

It is crystal clear Illinois governor Pat Quinn is incompetent and must be removed. Although it is highly unlikely Bill Brady (Quinn’s challenger) will be anywhere as good as Chris Christie, it would be hard to find someone worse for Illinois than Quinn. Fortunately it appears Bill Brady will easily beat Pat Quinn in the upcoming election. Taxpayers have simply had enough.

Mike “Mish” Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List

Mike “Mish” Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction.
Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific.

View full post on Mish’s Global Economic Trend Analysis