Overnight Open Thread - From the Manpower Revolution to the Activation Paradigm: Explaining Institutional Continuity and Change in an Integrating Europe Edition [Rajiv Vindaloo]

Tonight's thread examines the origins and evolution of labor market policy in Western Europe, while paying close attention to the OECD and the European Union as proliferators of new ideas. Three phases are identified: (a) a manpower revolution phase during the 1960s and 1970s, when most European governments emulated Swedish manpower policies and introduced/modernized their public employment services; (b) a phase of international disagreement about the root causes of, and remedies for, unemployment, triggering a diversity of policy responses during the late 1970s and 1980s; and (c) I've got some links and stuff and as usual I'm writing this on like one hour's notice because I don't check my email often enough. And I guarantee they'll all be less boring than the opening.

Because You're All Officially Old, It's Actually Possible to Look Back at "Retro" Victoria's Secret Catalogs

And sadly, there's not a lot of oversized boobage or low-end generally sluttastic imagery to be had. Like Abercrombie & Fitch, Victoria's Secret was sorta-kinda upscale back in the day. You know, in a suggestive way; more like soft foreplay than the "when's-my-double-penetration-scene" vibe they give off today.

Underneath this, I am so totally naked for you.

These Aren't the Good Old Days, and Neither Were the Good Old Days

You know how we yearn for the journalism of a few decades ago, which might have been written almost entirely by hardcore liberals, but at least tended to be halfway serious and useful to the public? After the break, an example from 30 years past.

We love 'em medium rare, of course.

TIME Magazine, December 7, 1981. Gee, I can't for the life of me imagine what a good idea for a substantive cover story might have been for December 7, 1981, can you?

Bonus cringe: Check out the byline on the article.

American journalism's been crap for our entire lifetimes. Never forget it.

Fifty Fascinating Things Some Other Dude Has Read Lately

Hey, with a headline like that, how can I not pass it along? Oh, did I mention they're all quotes about economics? Nothing says "fascinating" like economics! Even better, one of them's a quote from Matt "Thank God for Nepotism and Affirmative Action for the Terminally Enraged Leftist" Taibbi. But he's actually quoting someone else so it's okay.

My guess is half the fascinating things being quoted are urban legends, but I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader.

Forgotten '80s Hit of the Night

I checked; they haven't been mentioned on AoSHQ for more than two years, so they're officially obscure. Walter Mondale gets more buzz than these guys.

Pay a Visit to Manhattan's Number One Bar of the Damned

All that really need be said here is "Times Square. The '70s. Plus alcohol." Besides, I can't really improve on the description at the link:

Terminal Bar is a stunning achievement, an evocation of a period in New York City’s history when the streets were wild with life and filled with the stench of garbage, booze, sex and death.

Above: A scene from "Travis Bickle's Day Off."

Speaking of garbage, booze, sex and death, this is the point where you commenters need to start commenting. So get on it, morons.

Notice: Posted by permission of AceCorp LLC. Please send overnight open thread tips to Rajiv; make the checks payable to "Cash". Those word-type tips can go to Ace.

posted by Open Blogger at 10:06 PM

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