>There are 'employee owned' businesses (eating establishments, primarily) here and they do ok, as far as I can tell. The usual chain of command is horizontal, not vertical, and the most eloquent employees sort of lead the pack. They are usually the ones with the most education, brought on to do the books, make schedules, etc... Pay rates are not horizontal, though.

That's pretty much how Yugoslav self-management was supposed to work - it included management and market (of products completely, of labor partly, and of money very little), though not actual ownership. And that's what was missing.

Actually, I think that employee-owned business is probably the desirable form, which should prevail in some distant future. At the last phase (after Tito's death and before the wars) there was some campaign for a "socialism with a human character", but it was too late. "Capitalism with a human character" would be better, IMO, as it would bring more justice and reward the work well done.

>You'll find that they are slow for a reason - When they have your money expect 3 to seven days for a 'transaction' to finalize. The longer they can keep your the more interest money they.

That's too obvious. And they get away with that? Our banks were holding your salary for one day, but we had direct payment more than twenty years ago; the bank would get the lump sum from a business, with a list of individual accounts to distribute to. Being fast, they made a good turnover, and most of the people didn't "cash their checks" - they kept the money on their accounts.

The system ultimately failed, but for completely different reasons: the banks were forced to give loans to enterprises which were doomed, but politically important for the sake of keeping social peace. Many of them were bottomless barrels.

>>Feeling of national pride and self-esteem born in a war never lasts long. Been close, haven't done that, and alive to report.
>
>Normally, they would last as long as the war. But, in this case, Bush and congress never actually declared a formal state of war on any individuals, groups or nations responsible for the WTC. So, it will last as long as Americans feel pride in their country and are resistant to negative inputs. We can expect negative inputs from our enemies, but that from our friends is more devistating. It is like being killed with 'friendly fire'.

The friends may be getting pissed off at times. That's where the arrogance (alleged or not) of the foreign policy may play a role, specially with European countries. They all have their history of being important or a major power at some point in the past, and don't like being told what to do. Even Javier Solana, who was the NATO commander-in-chief when we were bombed, was said to have lost lot of nerves while receiving orders from USAF. I am actually still not quite sure why is Britain so compliant.

Of course, I was not a real witness - this is just an impression I am getting reading whatever I can for the last couple of decades.

>From their end of the political spectrum EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING is to the extreme right. It says more about them than those they denigrate.

I think they're what was called "salon-revolutionaries" in the communist circles. And it's also a futile game - they don't have a working class here anymore, don't have a viable ideology which could attract followers. They seem to be an excuse for a real opposition, pretty much like a few parties Milosevic created to dilute and divert the actual opposition. They probably won't change a thing, because it's actually not in their interest.