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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=234175113-08092006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Mr. Harkins,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=234175113-08092006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=234175113-08092006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>I attended Steve Peterson's presentation to the
Chamber. I expected an objective presentation. It was
not. I believe many others were disappointed including Bill Parks who
expressed dismay about the bias during the meeting. I'm wondering why
Steve or the Chamber didn't disclose that he was hired to do
a pro-Wal-Mart job and why they won't release the data used in his
presentation after he publicly announced that he would.
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=234175113-08092006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=234175113-08092006><FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=234175113-08092006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>I also find it amazing that you express an opinion on
something you didn't attend. That makes me wonder about your other
assumptions. Like your assumption that I agree with y</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
class=234175113-08092006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>ou because I
didn't respond to your long winded essay. Wrong again.
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=234175113-08092006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=234175113-08092006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>B. J. Swanson</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=234175113-08092006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left>
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</DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> Jeff Harkins
[mailto:jeffh@moscow.com] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, September 07, 2006 9:09
AM<BR><B>To:</B> bjswan@moscow.com; vision2020@moscow.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re:
[Vision2020] Wal-Mart impact studies<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>Ms. Swanson, <BR><BR>Since the work by Mr. Peterson was completed as
a consulting project, I fail to see why you would denigrate his services because
he accepted a fee for his work. Do you use similar references for all
professional folks who earn fees for providing services - e.g., lawyers,
accountants, dentists, doctors?<BR><BR>Asserting that his presentation was
"totally biased" is a rather serious indictment. Fortunately, because the
work was completed under the protocols of academic research, it will be
relatively easy to determine whether there was a significant and/or persistent
bias introduced in his model.<BR><BR>Since you posted on a public forum, please
enlighten us as to your assessment of his model. There are a number of
issues that you might have concerns about, including<BR><BR>
<UL>
<LI>Are his assumptions inappropriate?
<LI>Is his econometric model predisposed to an outcome?
<LI>Does he exclude relevant variables?
<LI>Does he include irrelevant variables?
<LI>Does the model suffer from multi-collinearity?
<LI>Does the model suffer from auto-correlation?
<LI>Does he fail to properly interpret the research findings
<LI>Did he fail to note potential shortcomings or limitations of his work?
</LI></UL>Again, please provide some rationale for your assertion of bias - my
instincts suggest that unless you can point to specific elements of bias that
you are invoking the "I don't like the message, so let's kill the messenger"
strategy. <BR><BR>Your charge that Mr Peterson behaved as a "smart alec" is
interesting. I don't know exactly what you mean by that. But I was
not at the Moscow Chamber session and have no first-hand knowledge of that
presentation.<BR><BR>However, I have heard Steve present on numerous occasions
and I have always known him to be polite, knowledgeable, forthright and willing
to answer questions related to his research. Perhaps you could expand on
your assertion of "smart alec"?<BR><BR>Finally, since you did not offer any
additional comments on my contributions to understanding Barry Lynn's writings,
am I to assume that you agree with me that Mr. Lynn is advancing an agenda of
returning the US economy to a more highly-regulated by government state (e.g.,
pre-Reagan era)? And as you ponder that, are you willing to have the US
banking industry return to the level and type of regulation that existed before
the Reagan era?<BR><BR><BR><BR>At 10:23 PM 9/6/2006, you wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><FONT color=#000080 size=2>Mr.
Harkins,<BR> <BR>A deeper meaning of Hack: Economist for
Hire.<BR> <BR>After Steve Petersons totally biased and smart alec
presentation to the Chamber of Commerce on August 23, I think he earned the
title and lost credibility. I hope he can manage to be a bit more
objective when he presents Why is Moscow Growing to the City Council later
this month. <BR> <BR>B. J. Swanson<BR> <BR>
<HR>
<DIV align=center></FONT></DIV><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> Jeff
Harkins [<A href="mailto:jeffh@moscow.com" eudora="autourl">
mailto:jeffh@moscow.com</A>] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, September 06, 2006
10:07 AM<BR><B>To:</B> bjswan@moscow.com;
vision2020@moscow.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] Wal-Mart impact
studies<BR></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times"> <BR>Ms. Swanson,
<BR>One final point - please explain the reference to "The Hack" inserted
between Steve and Peterson. What exactly are you attempting to say with
that moniker? Is it just simple name calling or do you have a deeper meaning
in mind?<BR><BR><BR>At 06:27 AM 9/6/2006, you
wrote:<BR><BR>Steve,<BR><BR>Thanks for posting. I hope Jeff Harkins and
Steve "The Hack" Peterson read<BR>it, too. Here's the
link:<BR><BR> <A
href="http://www.harpers.org/BreakingTheChain.html"
eudora="autourl">http://www.harpers.org/BreakingTheChain.html</A><BR><BR>B. J.
Swanson<BR><BR>------------------<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From:
vision2020-bounces@moscow.com [ <A href="mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com"
eudora="autourl">mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com</A>]<BR>On Behalf Of
Stephen Cooke<BR>Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 2:17 PM<BR>To:
vision2020@moscow.com<BR>Subject: [Vision2020] Wal-Mart impact
studies<BR><BR>fyi,<BR>SCC<BR><BR>Barry C. Lynn<BR>"Breaking the Chain: The
Anti-Trust Case Against Wal Mart:" Harper's Mag.<BR>(July '06).
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