globalization & Pynchon?

[calbert at tiac.net]

KWP:

> Just an example of the "American way": the unemployment rate is in the
> US half as high as in Germany (5 % to 10 %). I'm not speaking about
> the "working poor" (1/3 of your "job wonder" are such jobs)

are there no working poor in Germany?
 Do all your "guest workers" make the median wage?
 How does Germany compute labor statistics regarding
 those who labor there but are not permitted to establish
 citizenship (for want of German blood) or residence, 

 - i want
> to mention another fact: in Germany (it's similar in other EU
> countries with the exception of GB - Mr. Blair was the "little
> brother" of Clinton and now of Bush) we have 80 million people here
> and 60.000 prisoners (roundabout) - in the US 240 mio people and two
> million (!) prisoners. So I'm not astonished why your unemployment
> rate is so low...

That will not explain the difference......but an analysis of labor laws 
and regulations WILL.....

> A-and: I read f. e. Vineland as a very good introduction into the
> history of worker's movement in the us and why socialism didn't break
> out. Prairie's grandma is a good historian.

Read ALL of it, including the stuff about the infighting and pettiness 
of the memebrs of that generation....P includes those descriptions 
for a very good reason.....

love,
cfa