dooms du jour, January/2002
[Commentary] ©2002 Phil Hyde, The Timesizing Wire, Box 117, Harvard Sq, Cambridge MA 02238 USA (617) 623-8080 - HOMEPAGE

1/31/2002 thu
- Phil 'Mr. Timesizing' Hyde was heard on tape
9:15-9:30 am today on 99.7 FM Kansas City talk radio -
timesizing in the news alias glimmers of strategic hope:
• France's 35-hour workweek makes it into new Asterix-Obelix movie
• Timera's EWM software plots OT automatically to help control it
+ today's headlines from heaven alias glimmers of vaguer hope:
• 2 UPsizings - 1700 new jobs as Kohl's Dept. Stores opens in New England
- ?? jobs as 260 new mi. of coal track approved for Dak., Minn. & Eastern RR
• 1 UNbankruptcy - Regal Cinemas emerges from Chapter 11
• Walter Hewlett fronts study proving technology mergers don't work
• GAO chief sues to break Cheney's coverup of energy policy formulation
vs.  doom du jourtm
headlines from hell: • 'pro-work' Bush seeks cuts in job training with no OT-to-training in place
+ 2 downsizings, totaling 1,250 jobcuts + unspecified, cited in NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 11% workforce cut (1250 US, Thai jobs lost) as ReadRite diskparts reacts self-mutilatingly
to a sales drop, instead of just trimming its workweek by 11% (to five 7h7m days for whole
firm including top execs), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training, & keep-
ing everyone together securely working, earning & buying 89% as many hard disks as usual
• unspecified Ohio cuts by Heidelberger Printing Machines
+ 1 bankruptcy: • GlassTech, in Ohio
+ 1 prison story: • Calif. wasting millions on risky heart transplants for inmates

1/30/2002 wed
- Phil 'Mr. Timesizing' Hyde to be heard on tape for 20 mins. some time between
6-9:30 am Thu on 99.7 FM Kansas City talk radio cuz Wed snowstorm -
timesizing in the news alias a glimmer of strategic hope:
• Japanese city governments move into worksharing, via overtime elimination &
4-day workweeks, to provide jobs for city highschool grads
(& more consumers for city businesses)
+ today's headline from heaven alias a glimmer of vaguer hope: • 1 UPsizing -
?? new jobs as Bancorp Rhode Is. hires 15% more & adds 3 branches
vs.  doom du jourtm
headlines from hell: • new wave of fear erupts from Enron & Williams, ImClone, Tyco, Global...
+ 8 downsizings, totaling 1,926 jobcuts + unspecified, cited in NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 1000 jobcuts in Japan by Fujitsu
• 0.4% workforce cut (500 US & UK jobs lost) as Black & Decker Tools cuts jobs over
jobcut costs(!), instead of just trimming its workweek 0.4% (2 mins/day for whole firm
including top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training,
& keeping everyone together working, earning & buying 99.6% as many tools as usual
• 326 global jobcuts by Staples  • 80 Ga. cuts by Elcor  • 20 Minn. cuts by Fallon Worldwide 
• ?? cuts by Native American Preparatory School in NM, • Nissho Iwai, & • Rhodia in France
+ 1 homelessness story: • SIXTEEN federal agencies, their bureaucracies & staffs to 'help the homeless' without just buying apt. bldgs & SOLVING it?!

1/29/2002 tue
- Phil 'Mr. Timesizing' Hyde to be heard on tape for 20 mins. some time between
6-9:30 am Wed on 99.7 FM Kansas City talk radio if no snowstorm -
timesizing in the news alias a glimmer of strategic hope:
• Wash. State moves to legislation vs. mandatory overtime
• Japan Steel moves from limiting worklife to limiting workyear
+ today's headline from heaven alias a glimmer of vaguer hope:
• 1 UPsizing with ?? new jobs:  RWE & VW plan new powerplant in Mexico
vs.  doom du jourtm
5 downsizings, totaling 2,089 jobcuts + unspecified, cited in NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 1900 US jobcuts by Toys 'R' Us  • 189 NY cuts by Graham-Field Health Products 
• unspecified cuts by Charming Shoppes, • Tokyo Electric Power, & • Tobu Railway
+ 1 bankruptcy: • Global Crossing, largest telecom bust, half all-time biggest (Enron)

1/27-28/2002
- Phil 'Mr. Timesizing' Hyde to be heard taped for 20 mins. some time between 6-9:30 am Wed on 99.7 FM Kansas City talk radio -
weekend roundup per the NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 11 TIMEsizing stories (?? saved jobs)  • 4 UPsizings (775+ new jobs) 
vs. doom of the week:
• 23 downsizings totaling over 21,414 lost jobs  • 7 bankruptcies
• 3 homelessness stories   • 2 prison stories   • 0 work-related suicides
‹{year to date: 43 timsiz +8 upsz (775+=.4%) vs. 89 dnsz (176,240+ jbcts) +21 bkrp ($2.9B+) +10 homlss +4 jail +1 suic}›
- hope of the weekend -
weekend timesizing news: • recent HR survey dubs layoffs
last resort but primitive timesizing only came 2nd last   • more kick against
mandatory overtime in nursing, but campaign mounts to anesthetize idealistic women
vs.  doom of the weekend -
headlines from hell: • lack of confidence in American mgmt
• gender-based pay gap widened during recent (but over) 'boom'
• corporate welfare alive & well during past 'boom' and present bust
• Cheney still keeping Enron papers secret - how much shredding time does he need?!

1/26/2002 sat (re fri biz)
- miss yesterday's? see under Features below -
timesizing in the news alias a glimmer of strategic hope:
• major timesizing corporation Nucor Steel buys bankrupt mill
• for 26% of Hispanic immigrants in U.S., 9/11 cut their hours but not their jobs
• UK railroad unions are implementing a ban on overtime, a primitive first timesizing step
vs.  doom du jourtm
4 downsizings, totaling 1400 jobcuts + unspecified, cited in NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 1100 Mich. jobcuts by Tyson Foods  • 300 Ma. cuts by Microsemi Corp. 
• unspecified cuts by Payless ShoeSource & • Trico steel
+ 1 bankruptcy story: • Trico Steel Co. filed last March but unmentioned in NYT
+ 1 prison story: • Calif. youth prisons haven't improved despite 2 years of complaints & research
+ 1 work-related suicide: • ex-vice chairman of Enron, sued & subpoenaed, kills self

1/25/2002 fri
- miss yesterday's? see under Features below -
timesizing in the news alias a glimmer of strategic hope:
• Mass. Dept. of Welfare uses unpaid leave & reduced hours to avoid further layoffs
+ today's headline from heaven aka a glimmer of vaguer hope:
• 2-in-1 UPsizing with 475 jobs reclaimed: American recalls
400 laid-off flight attendants & America West 75 pilots
vs.  doom du jourtm
5 downsizings, totaling 9734 jobcuts + unspecified, cited in NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 3000 jobcuts by Anglo American Mining in Zambia 
• 16% workforce cut (2250 jobs lost) as Gateway PCs spooks over slumping sales,
instead of just trimming its workweek 16% (to five 6¾ hrs/day for whole company
including top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training,
& keeping everyone together working, earning & buying 84% as many PCs as usual
• 2000 jobcuts by Meiji Life and Yasuda Mutual Life  • 2000 by SBC Communications 
• 484 by Massachusetts' human service agencies 
+ 1 bankruptcy story: • Houlihan's Restaurants goes Chapter 11
+ 2 homelessness stories: • homeless increased 69% in St. Louis over last 3 yrs, 42% statewide
• reader asks 'how criminalize homeless when too few shelters?' but fails to address 'too few jobs'

1/24/2002 thu
- miss yesterday's? see under Features below -
timesizing in the news alias a glimmer of strategic hope:
• France experiences a Day Without Doctors as the healthcare industry squawks
about the onset of the 35-hour workweek without training & hiring to compensate
+ today's headline from heaven aka a glimmer of vaguer hope:
• 1 UPsizing with ?? new jobs: Virgin Entertainment opens store in downtown Boston
vs.  doom du jourtm
8 downsizings, totaling 6885 jobcuts + unspecified, cited in NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 0.7% workforce cut (3000 jobs lost) as Siemens electronics & engineering freaks over falling
demand for phone networks, instead of just trimming its workweek 0.7% (3 mins/day for whole
company including top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training,
& keeping everyone together working, earning & buying 99.3% as much electronics as usual
• 1440 jobcuts by P&G  • 1100 by GE Transportation Systems  • 600 by State of New Jersey 
• 530 by Xereox  • 175 by L.L. Bean  • 40 by Caterpillar 
• ?? jobs lost as Morgan Stanley offers early retirement

1/23/2002 wed
timesizing in the news alias a glimmer of strategic hope:
• (1/15) last month France's conservative Constitutional Council blocked
funding for the 35-hr workweek, this month they're blocking a ban on layoffs
vs.  doom du jourtm
3 downsizings, totaling 1,437 jobcuts +??, cited in NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 2.2% workforce cut (1100 jobs lost) as Eaton hydraulix spooks over slumping
equipment sales, instead of just trimming its workweek 2.2% (10 mins/day for whole
company including top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training,
& keeping everyone together working, earning & buying 97.8% as many products as usual
• 337 jobcuts by Federated Dept. Stores  • unspecified jobs lost as Microsoft closes UltimateTV unit
+ 2-in-1 bankruptcy story: • 46 Japan credit unions & coops + Ishikawa Bank folded last year

1/22/2002 tue
timesizing in the news aka glimmers of strategic hope:
• French doctors & nurses strike because Jospin didn't
implement overtime-to-jobs conversion before cutting workweek
• Japanese steelmakers are already starting their squawk for
special exemption from any work-sharing systems that may be set up
• John Drake, ex-Drake Beam Morin, extols time-off for family (but
offers only personal-initiative suggestions that haven't & won't be taken)
• (except by CEOs? -) Jeff Papows, ex-Lotus CEO, moved to Maptuit to
leave office at 5 every day & gain chance to help daughter with homework
vs.  doom du jourtm
headlines from hell: • for Enron chief, $200m wasn't enough • Enron was still shredding last week!
• "war" moves back to Philippines
+ 2 bankruptcy stories: • Kmart to go Ch. 11 today
• Japan reaches 2nd-highest corporate banktuptcy level on record 1/20-21/2002
- miss yesterday's? see under Features below -
weekend roundup per the NY Times & Boston Globe:
• record 17 TIMEsizing stories (??saved jobs)  • 1 UPsizing (?? new jobs) 
vs. doom of the week:
• 20 downsizings totaling over 11,373 lost jobs 
• 4 bankruptcies totaling over $600m in debt   • 3 homelessness stories   • 1 prison story  
‹‹year to date: 32 timsiz +4 upsz (?=?%) vs. 66 dnsz (154,826+ jbcts) +14 bkrp ($2.9B+) +7 homlss +2 jail +0 suic››
- hope of the weekend -
weekend timesizing news: • small manufacturers
in Orange Industrial Park in Mass. are cutting hours to avoid layoffs
+ vaguer hope: • 1 weekend upsizing - 300 new jobs at Florida Wal-Mart
vs.  doom of the weekend -
3 weekend downsizing reports, totaling 1,958 jobcuts +??:
• 800 net jobcuts as Thomaston Mills drops 1400 & 3 small firms pick up 600
• 700 cuts as IBM gulps NexTel & Nextel call center gets sold to & gutted by TeleTech
• 458 + unspecified jobcuts as Calif. closes 5 prisons & Ohio, Michigan & Illinois each close 1
+ 1 weekend bankruptcy report: • Thomaston Mills down in the state of Georgia
+ 1 weekend homelessness story: • 4 Boston homeless found dead within 48-hr period
+ 1 weekend prison story: • taxophobia lightens US tantrum vs nonviolent & drug crimes

1/19/2002 sat (re fri biz)
timesizing in the news = a glimmer of strategic hope:
• Japan metalworkers agree to worksharing plan
vs.  doom du jourtm
3 downsizings, totaling 3081 jobcuts, cited in NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 2500 jobcuts by 3M  • 531 by Merck  • 50 jobs lost as Talk Mag closes 
+ 1 homelessness story: • Mayor Bloomberg just wants homeless out of wealthy districts?

1/18/2002 fri
timesizing in the news = a glimmer of strategic hope:
• Airbus cuts standard worklife & excess workweek to avoid layoffs
vs.  doom du jourtm
5 downsizings, totaling 1858 jobcuts + $??, cited in NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 1200 early retirements by Airbus to avoid layoffs 
• 3.2% workforce cut (300 jobs lost) as Kimball International furniture over-reacts to drop
in customer purchases, instead of just trimming its workweek 3.2% (15 mins/day for whole
company including top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training,
& keeping everyone together working, earning & buying 96.8% as much as furniture as usual
• 300 jobcuts by Plexus  • 58 jobcuts by Tredegar  • unspecified cuts by PPG Industries 
+ 1 homelessness story: • the next Big Thing - the criminalization of homelessness
+ 1 prison story: • inmate serving 2 life sentences for murder stabs counselor to death,
first time for an employee of 19-yr-old biggest private prison-running corporation

1/17/2002 thu
Timesizing in the news, glimmers of strategic hope:
• Japan biz chief sees corresponding paycuts in hours-cutting worksharing system
• Japan's union of unions agrees as long as pay levels restored after crisis
• Sanyo ready to dive into worksharing, & innovation, & new mkts
• karoshi (death by overwork) enters Oxford English Dictionary
• Yahoo prez sees the light, quits to get time for family
+ today's headline from heaven alias glimmer of vaguer hope:
• 1 UPsizing with unspecified new jobs: Calpine to complete 27 new powerplants
vs.  doom du jourtm
headlines from hell: • despite our $15B bailout, airlines report massive losses
• today's whiffs from Enron 'pondscum' Corp.  • latest scares from Argentina
• introducing ripple effect reporting  • 'new' economy, same ol' economix
• NYC welfare back on rise  • UK unemployment too
+ 2 downsizings, totaling 670 jobcuts, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• 4% workforce cut (370 jobs lost) as Gulfstream Aerospace guts a recent acquisition,
instead of just trimming its workweek 4% (19 mins/day for whole company including
top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training, &
keeping everyone together working, earning & flying 96% as much as usual
• 300 jobcuts by Levi Strauss 
+ 2 bankruptcies mentioned: • IT Group hazardous waste mgmt • Harvard Industries autopart mfr

1/16/2002 wed
Timesizing in the news, glimmers of strategic hope:
• Phil 'Mr. Timesizing' Hyde reportedly covered in Bill Press's Crossfire on CNN last eve
• Japan's 3 sectors agree to proceed with some sort of work-sharing system
• Japan grants 1st compensation for karoshi in flexible work situation
• 2 U.S. firms cut hours to limit jobcuts: Riviera Tool and
• Daktronics products for gaming & hospitality industries
vs.  doom du jourtm
headlines from hell: • Enron slime spreads
• Bush interferes with free market to quash union  • Argentinians want out
+ 5 downsizings, totaling 5764 jobcuts, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• 14% workforce cut (4,000 jobs lost) as Marconi telecoms cuts costs (& consumers),
instead of just trimming its workweek 14% (to four 8½-hour days for whole company
including top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training, &
keeping everyone together working, earning & spending 86% their usual amt on telecoms
• 1049 jobcuts by Brandt  • 500 by 3Com  • 120 by Morgan Stanley  • 95 by CMGI 
+ 1 homelessness story: • some stick to one spot, for regularity if not security and responsibility

1/15/2002 tue
Timesizing in the news, glimmers of strategic hope:
• Phil "Mr. Timesizing" Hyde on frontpage Wall St. Journal today, 5th col, 2d item
• Phil also on nationwide talk radio at 9pm, AM700 WLW-Cincinnati & 3pm, AM1370 Toledo
• Japan Labor Minister starts 6-day visit to scope German worksharing
• UK economist pessimistic re Japan but without realizing, mentions solution
• last month France's conservative Constitutional Council blocked
funding for the 35-hr workweek, this month they're blocking a ban on layoffs
vs.  doom du jourtm
1 downsizing, costing unspecified jobs, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• unspecified cuts as Internet Week, née Communications Week, shuts down
+ 1 bankruptcy mentioned: • Globix ISP, with $600m in the red

1/13-14/2002
- as long as bad news outweighs good, economy's spiralling down -
weekend roundup per the NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 6 TIMEsizing stories  • 1 UPsizing (?? new jobs) 
vs. doom of the week:
• 42 downsizings totaling over 120,394 lost jobs  • 3 bankruptcies   • 2 homelessness stories  
‹‹year to date: 15 timsiz +3 upsz (?=?%) vs. 56 dnsz (143,453+ jbcts) +10 bkrp ($2.3B+) +4 homlss + 1 jail +0 suic››
- hope of the weekend -
weekend timesizing news: • French keep trying, despite
constitutional snags - cut-workweek law last month, cut-layoffs law this month
vs.  doom of the weekend -
headlines from hell: • Argentina $132B under • Turkey going under, begging US for bailout
• US states in red, medicaid faces cuts • rich ranchers beg stadium subsidies from Denver taxpayers
• Andersen says own lawyer OK'd Enron file fires • Dems want earlier primaries??!
• NH wants jobless to repay excess benefits due to Lucent booboo
+ 4-in-1 weekend downsizing reports with unspecified lost jobs:
• ?? jobloss now that Visible Markets, e-reorg, UltraPrice, & SecondaryMarket.com extinct 
+ 1 weekend bankruptcy report: • under-25s hit record 94,717 bankruptcies in year 2000

1/12/2002 sat (re fri biz)
basic Timesizing in the news, glimmers of strategic hope:
• Scottish train engineers refused to work overtime earlier this week
vs.  doom du jourtm
4 downsizings, totaling 36,500 jobcuts + $??, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• 10% workforce cut (35,000 jobs lost) as Ford Motor freaks over competition and slump & alienates
its best boosters, instead of just trimming its workweek 10% (to five 7hr12min. days for whole
company including top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training,
& keeping everyone together working, earning & buying 90% their usual Ford cars & trucks
• 1200 cuts by Deaconess-Waltham Hospital  • 300 by Federal Signal 
• unspecified Miami cuts as feds close down Hamilton Bank
+ 1 homelessness story: • reader very simply states the goal

1/11/2002 fri
basic Timesizing in the news, glimmers of strategic hope:
• Pennsylvania report rips forced overtime for costs and risks
vs.  doom du jourtm
10 downsizings, totaling 7,936 jobcuts, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• 4,000 jobcuts by Burlington Industries  • 2,000 jobcuts by Akzo Nobel  • 700 jobcuts by Equifax
• 14% workforce cut (500 jobs lost) as Imation data disks overreacts to fewer wireless customers,
instead of just trimming its workweek 14% (to five 6hr53min. days for whole company
including top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training, &
keeping everyone together working, earning & buying 86% of computer peripherals
• 450 cuts by Ecolab  • 126 by Forrester Research  • 100 by Continental Airlines 
• 50 by Coliseum Books  • 25 by Markem  • 10 by Playtex
+ 2 bankruptcies mentioned: • Motient and • The Museum Co.
+ 1 homelessness story: • US taxpayers paying $3½ billion a year to
subsidize destruction of refugee homes & creation of homelessness in Gaza

1/10/2002 thu
basic Timesizing in the news, glimmers of strategic hope:
• NYT finally discovers big work-sharing buzz in Japan, but misnames & misspins it
vs.  doom du jourtm
10 downsizings, totaling 37,520 jobcuts + $??, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• 15,000 jobcuts by the German capital city of Berlin
• 2.7% workforce cut (7000 US jobs lost) as Verizon phone co. overreacts to fewer wireless
customers, instead of just trimming its workweek 2.7% (13 minutes a day for whole company
including top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training, &
keeping everyone together working, earning & buying 97.3% of normal phone services
• 6400 cuts by Merrill Lynch  • 3500 by Kotobukiya in Japan  • 2000 by Cigna in US 
• 1300 by Kansai Electric in Japan  • 1200 by Merrill in Japan  • 120 by BP in Alaska 
• unspecified cuts by HomeStyle mag &  • by Excelon

1/09/2002 wed
basic Timesizing in the news, a glimmer of strategic hope:
• London rail union will strike Jan. 22-23 for more $ & shorter workweek
• some details of work sharing à la Fujitsu - no breakthroughs yet
+ 1 fragile Upsizing - new Stop & Shop on new turf = New Hampshire
vs.  doom du jourtm
7 downsizings, totaling 34,413 jobcuts, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• 4% workforce cut (1200 jobs lost) as US Postal Service zorches around 15k employees a year
these two years, instead of just trimming its workweek 4% (19 minutes a day for whole company
including top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training, & keeping
everyone together working, earning & sending 96% of normal correspondence via the US mails
• 1600 cuts by Ford in South America  • 1500 by Sears  • 450 by Intourist Hotel in Moscow 
• 154 by Club Med  • 100 by R.H. Donnelley  • 9 by Opta Food Ingredients

1/08/2002 tue
basic Timesizing in the news alias glimmers of strategic hope:
• 12/25, American critic of Japanese worksharing can't make it stick
vs.  doom du jourtm
10 downsizings, totaling 3775 jobcuts +??, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• 1% workforce cut (1200 jobs lost) as Lear autoseats closes 4 plants and consolidates production (&
markets!), instead of just trimming its workweek 1% (5 minutes a day for whole company including
top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training, & keeping everyone
together working, earning & spending 99% their usual amount on their cars
• 700 cuts by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston  • 585 by Clorox 
• 500 by Arguss Communications  • 350 by International Paper 
• 160 by John Hancock Financial Services 
• 100 by Vizzavi  • 90 by Uniroyal Technology  
• 90 by PhotonEx  • unspecified cuts by Morton's Restaurant Group
+ 1 bankruptcy mentioned: • USInternetWorking, with $?? debt

1/06-07/2002
weekend roundup per the NY Times & Boston Globe:
• 9 TIMEsizing stories  • 2 UPsizings (?? new jobs) 
vs. doom of the week:
• 14 downsizings totaling over 23,059 lost jobs 
• 7 bankruptcies totaling over $2.31B in debt   • 2 homelessness stories 
‹‹year to date: 9 timsiz +2 upsz (?=?% of dnsz) vs. 14 dnsz (23,059+ jbcts) +7 bkrp ($2.3B+) +2 homlss +0 jail +0 suic››
- hope du weekend -
weekend timesizing news: • 'free our time!' rabbi, Arthur Waskow, to speak Jan. 19-20
in NYC at Tikkun Conference of Jewish Progressives (all faiths welcome)
vs.  doom du weekend -
1 weekend downsizing report, totaling 250 jobcuts:
• 35% of workforce cut (250 lost jobs) as The Irish Times overreacts to downturn,
instead of just trimming workweek by 35% (to five 5hr12min days for whole firm
including top execs), implementing overtime-targeted training & keeping every-
one employed, earning & buying 65% as much of advertisers' wares as before
+ 1 weekend prison story: • 1500 US troops build jails for 2000 Afghani prisoners

1/05/2002 sat (re fri biz)
basic Timesizing in the news alias glimmers of strategic hope:
• Toshiba chief Okamura is looking to work sharing to guarantee employment (& markets)
• growth flickers in incoming new biz & French services thanks to euro & 35-hr wk
• US uptick reflected in average workweek growth from 34.1 to 34.2 hours
+ today's headlines from heaven alias glimmers of vaguer hope:
• 1 UPsizing, ?? new jobs - Toyota to build truckbed plant in Baja
vs.  doom du jourtm
5 downsizings, totaling 5874 jobcuts +??, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• 5000 jobcuts by AT&T 
• 6% workforce cut (700 jobs lost) as Bausch & Lomb eyecare products spooks over slowing
demand, instead of just trimming its workweek 6% (to five 7½-hour days for whole company
including top executives), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training, & keeping
everyone together working, earning & buying 94% of their usual eyewash etc.
• 150 cuts by Federated Department Stores  • 24 'transfers' in India by Standard Chartered Bank 
• unspecified cuts as Service Merchandise winds up
1 homelessness story: • Indianapolis church holds nightly lottery with, eg: only 9 beds for 29 workers

1/04/2002 fri
basic Timesizing in the news alias glimmers of strategic hope:
• Irish cut overtime to maintain employment, cause tax revenue paradox
+ today's headlines from heaven alias glimmers of vaguer hope:
• 1 UPsizing, ?? new jobs - FiberCore to build $30m factory in Ala.
• Dem calls work best help for poor (but learns zip from makework's flop)
• new parliament lifts Scots out of world's most concentrated land ownership
vs.  doom du jourtm
2 downsizings, totaling 1050 jobcuts, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• 5% workforce cut (650 jobs) as Providian Financial over-reacts to flubbing the credit-card biz,
instead of just trimming its workweek 5% (to five 6¾-hour days for whole company including top
execs), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training, & keeping everyone
together working, earning & making 95% their usual creditcard purchases
• 400 jobcuts by GreenPoint Financial  • unspecified more cuts by Disney
+ 1 general bankruptcy story & 2 specific cases mentioned:
• 2001 had twice 1991's broke public firms & 2000's asset total
• Carmike Cinemas plans to emerge from $650m debt bust of 8/00 
• Anacomp executes plan emergence from $257m debt bust of 10/01 

1/03/2002 thu
basic Timesizing in the news: • 12/27, South Korea moves toward 5-day week
vs.  doom du jourtm
headlines from hell: • contemptible court eases tax shelters
• now Texas wants repeat California's disastrous energy dereg
+ 1 bankruptcy mentioned: • Pillowtex now emerging from $1.1B in red 
+ 12 takeovers totaling $524m reported in NYT & BG, as tracking fades
+ 4 downsizings, totaling 15,310 jobcuts, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• 13000 jobcuts by VF Corporation of N.C.
• 15% workforce cut (1300 jobs lost) as PacifiCare reduces costs (& its own
market), instead of just trimming its workweek 15% (to five 6¾-hour days
for whole city gov't including top execs), re-investing overtime savings
in overtime-targeted training, & keeping everyone together
working, earning & buying 85% as much healthcare as usual
• 780 jobcuts by Pillowtex  • 230 jobcuts by Sykes Enterprises

1/02/2002 wed
- dropping takeover tracking to clinch a timesizing a day, even if recent but not today -
basic Timesizing in the news alias glimmers of strategic hope:
• 12/29, unemployment insurance bennies supplement Canada's work-sharing program
• 12/29, finance minister points out that France is resisting recession better than others
vs.  doom du jourtm
1 homelessness story: • flood of homeless makes Mass. stickler for red tape
+ no takeovers reported in NYT & BG, as 2½ yrs of takeover tracking terminates
+ 1 downsizing, costing unspecified jobs, cited in NY Times (NYT) & Boston Globe (BG):
• 20% workforce cut (?? NYC jobs lost) as Bloomberg, NY's new mayor, trims city gov't (& consumer
base), instead of just trimming its workweek 20% (to four 8-hour days for whole city gov't including
mayor), re-investing overtime savings in overtime-targeted training, & keeping everyone together
working, earning & boosting NY by shopping 80% as much as usual

1/1/2002 tue
- happy new year! - we've survived the rough millennial transition -
basic Timesizing in the news alias glimmers of strategic hope:
• in USA, Mgmt Recruiters Int'l cuts pay & hours to avoid disincentive
• Japanese employers assoc. chairman, Okuda, predicts companies will try
work sharing in the future & sharp rises in unemployment will be unlikely
+ today's headlines from heaven alias glimmers of vaguer hope:
• come-uppance comes to merger advisors and • b-schools
• 300m Europeans try single currency to balance 280m Americans
• downtown Boston church tries geothermal  • Cambodia tries save forests
vs.  doom du jourtm
headlines from hell: • China slumps • Singapore slumps • Argentina verges on collapse
+ 3 bankruptcies mentioned: • 2 Enron telecom units go Chap. 11 with $300m in the red 
• WestAmerica Investment files Chapter 7   • Transit Corp. of Atlanta foes Chapter 11
+ 5 takeovers, totaling $834m + $undisclosed, reported in New York Times (NYT) & BG
+ 2 downsizings, costing 825 lost jobs + unspecified, cited in N.Y.T. & Boston Globe (BG):
• 825 jobcuts by Japan-based Softbank   • unspecified cuts by Israel-based Lumenis lasers