It is worth noting that, in its revised forecasts for GDP growth, the OECD saw fit to raise its 1999 forecasts for most (euro-zone) member-countries, as compared with its June projections, but lowered those for Germany and Italy.

The system is the problem. It's not the people. Whatever we paid them, it would be well worth it to cut them from being subsidized by private interests. It's wrong.

Whether it's 7 percent or 7.3 percent the point remains the same: Growth is really strong and what's obviously an issue is how long this going to continue and what are we going to see going forward for the first few quarters of 2000.

The lofty oak from a small acorn grows.

No American worth his salt should go around looking for a root. I advance this in all modesty, as a not unreasonable opinion.

All signals are that European growth is slowing, however, the euro zone will avoid a hard landing, compared with the U.S., which has a lot of structural imbalances brought on by a boom cycle.