We are reposting the following series of articles on the revolt of the French working class in November-December 1995 in the hope that it will help to clarify the political background to the present upheaval in that country. The ongoing revolt by millions of youth and workers is a further response to the effort by the French ruling class to slash or eliminate entirely the social gains made in decades of struggle.

In November-December 1995, the working class revolted against efforts by the right-wing regime of Prime Minister Alain Juppé to “reform” the social security system, just as today the government of Dominique de Villepin is “reforming” France’s labor laws. In 1995 millions of workers, led by the transport workers in particular, rejected the claims made by the government and the media and recognized the maneuver for what it was—an attempt to shift the burden of the social costs on to the back of the working population.

Softball Looks to Get Back On Track at Frost Classic

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (February 28, 2008) - The University of Connecticut softball team heads to the Frost Classic on the campus of UT-Chattanooga this weekend looking to earn their first win of the season. The Huskies will play Indiana on Friday at 9:45 a.m. in the first game of the tournament.

UConn is 0-5 on the year after beginning the season last weekend at the Golden Panther Classic in Miami, Fla. That included two losses to number one ranked Alabama. In the first game, which the Huskies lost 9-1, Connecticut held a 1-0 lead through the first four innings, before the Crimson Tide offense was able to get going. UConn also lost a couple of close games to host Florida International, 5-4 and 4-3. In the first game, they had the bases loaded in the top of the seventh but a game ending double play ended their comeback attempt.

Elephants as art: Somerset considers erecting statues in the public ...

Chicago has cows. Pittsburgh has dinosaurs. Somerset may soon have elephants.Public sculptures of animals, decorated by artists, can be a draw for tourists, said Somerset Inc. Executive Director Stephanie Williams.
"We had been talking about public art for several years and discussed possibly having deer," she said. "Henry Cook suggested elephants. We sat down and discussed it and have applied for a grant."Elephants on Parade is a public art initiative being developed in partnership by the Somerset County Foundation, Somerset Inc., Laurel Arts, the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Somerset County and the International Conservation Center. The groups applied for a $13,000 Somerset County Foundation grant through the chamber to develop two prototype elephant sculptures, one large elephant and one small one.

Your Turn: Budget 2008

I have been following Canadian politics a very long time and this has got to be the worst government Canada has ever had.

Navy serviceman returns from Middle East, greets son at school

HOBART | Joe Negron and his 7-year-old son, Nicholas, wore matching smiles Tuesday as the two were reunited after nearly eight months."It's great to be back," beamed Joe Negron, a Navy serviceman who completed his fourth tour of duty in the Persian Gulf on Friday.Joe Negron's visit to John Wood Elementary School at the end of the day was done to surprise Nicholas, a second-grader, who hadn't seen his father since June."It's super Tuesday for the Negron boys," quipped Cheryl Negron, Nicholas' mother.Joe Negron couldn't fly into Chicago Midway Airport on Monday night as planned because of the fog, said Maryann Reynolds, Cheryl Negron's mother.But Joe Negron arrived in the area Tuesday morning and wanted to surprise his oldest son, who had been bummed out by the delay, she said.The surprise was a hit with Nicholas, who couldn't stop looking at his father and giving him an occasional hug."It's awesome," Nicholas said of his father's return.Cheryl Negron and her sons, Nicholas and Michael, 4, have been staying with her parents, Maryann and Gordon Reynolds, who live in rural Crown Point.The Reynolds family moved there from Lansing, where Cheryl Negron attended high school."This is a wonderful thing," Maryann Reynolds said while videotaping the father-and-son reunion.In coming days, the Negron family plans to get reacquainted by dining out at Joe's favorite pizza place, the Home Run Inn in Chicago, and hanging out at home playing video games.Cheryl Negron said family members have a lot of catching up to do since they didn't spend Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's together."This is very surreal.