Germany recently reduced its compulsory military service to six months. And now the country is considering doing away with the draft all together. The possibility of ending the draft would be a significant change for a country that began universal conscription so it could fight off Napoleon and the French army in the early 19th century.
Click on the following for more details: Germany debates ending conscription | WBEZ
(AP) — An undetermined number of McDonald's employees at a northeastern Ohio franchise received handbills in their most recent paychecks suggesting they vote for three Republican candidates.
The fast food chain's corporate headquarters in Oak Brook quickly condemned the action by the Canton, Ohio, restaurant, saying it was not reflective of the company's position.
Allen Schulman, an attorney representing one of the employees, said Friday he had forwarded the paycheck insert to Canton's city law director, citing an Ohio law against corporate advocacy in elections.
The handbill recommended votes for Republicans John Kasich for governor, Rob Portman for Senate, and Jim Renacci for Congress. It said that employee raises and benefits would continue only if the "right people" were elected
Ohio McDonald's franchise slips voting advice in paychecks | Consumer | Crain's Chicago Business
Great article on what we should learn from Japan—Is there a Republican who read it?
The lesson is that there is a proper sequence for pulling a nation out of a financial crisis,” said Heizo Takenaka, an economist who was the architect of the successful cleanup of Japan’s banking system in the early 2000s. “First, you restore growth before worrying about deficits.”
feature of Japan’s experience that may already be visible in the United States: the paradox of a stagnant economy that is awash in cash
In a healthy economy, banks typically lend out more money than they have on deposit
velocity of money has dropped to about a third the level of the United States, according to figures from the Mizuho Research Institute in Tokyo.
American approach to economic adjustment is “shock treatment,” said Edward J. Lincoln, director of the Center for Japan-U.S. Business and Economic Studies at New York University, while “Japan favors stability and the corporate ocialization of the pain.” …“Deep down inside, as an American,” Mr. Lincoln said, “I tend to think that the United States’ approach makes for a healthier economy in the long run.”
Click on the following to read more: U.S. Hears Echo of Japan’s Woes - NYTimes.com
