Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (May 19, 2011)
Page 22 The INDEPENDENT, May 19, 2011 Letters From page 3 valuable minerals from the earth. As societies advance, the intelligent mobilization of money combined with the building of a respected struc- ture of business law tend to be hallmarks of the daily round of economic exchange. Thus, the process of “primitive economic accumulation” ideally gives way to technical efficiency on the part of those in charge of the means of production. There is a complication here, however, which goes to the very root of contemporary con- troversies regarding the ex- ploitation of economic “Periph- eries” by (allegedly) advanced economic “cores/metropoles”. The advanced economies and their production processes con- tinue to require the crops and minerals brought forth by “prim- itive accumulations.” This is a circumstance that implies that certain regions of the earth must, from the point of view of capitalist material self-interest, remain rooted in a rudimentary condition of production. Essen- tially, this is the argument made by Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano in his book “Open Veins of Latin America”. Con- demned by the global economy to being producers of raw ma- terials, Third World countries possess plenty of rich com- modities while being burdened by a multitude of poor people. This dysfunctional (for the Third World) economic para- digm has, if anything, wors- ened in the age of computers, cell phones and other digital devices. The marvellous “in- nards” of these devices contain materials that are mined by some of the most horrifically dangerous methods imagina- ble. Not only that, it is a fact that many high-tech corpora- tions do not bother checking to see if their raw materials derive from “legal” mining operations. The Congo Republic is the site of many such illicit operations. Paradoxically, therefore, the existence of economic efficien- cy and modernity in certain countries draw strength from the continued existence of eco- nomic backwardness else- where. This dynamic is to be witnessed even within the con- text of Europe. A “poor periph- ery” of countries like Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ire- land serves as a reservoir of la- bor, raw materials, and invest- ment opportunities for Europe’s “wealthier” nations. For the United States an equivalent sit- uation exists between it and the countries of Latin America. So what is the solution to problems engendered by this unfavorable global economic dynamic? There is, really, only one so- lution. Somehow or other, ad- vances in economic efficiency and productivity must be com- pletely detached from “inputs” of raw commodities. Until this is done – I have no idea how – raw commodities-producing countries will continue to be “beggars on benches of gold”, to employ Galeano’s phrase. Then, once “raw commodi- ties” no longer must be “in- putted” in production, the fruits of economic efficiency in the First World can be shared by the entire planet. Frank W. Goheen Camas, Washington LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE Public Notice Bids Due 2:00 pm PST, June 7th, 2011 GC), P&C Construction, 2133 NW York St , Portland, Oregon 97210 by the time and date list- ed above. Faxed bids will be ac- cepted. Questions regarding the proposal shall be in writing and directed to Kevin McCall at P&C Construction by fax (503-667- 2565) or e-mail (kmccall@built- bypandc.com). Late bids will not be accepted. The scope of work for this bid package includes, but is not limit- ed to, Structured Cabling for the Voice and Data, Sound and The- atrical Intercom System at the new Vernonia K-12 School in Ver- nonia Oregon. It is anticipated that work on site will commence in September 2011 and must reach Final Completion no later than April 12th, 2012. Beginning on May 24th, 2011, bid documents may be examined at the offices of P&C or obtained electronically by contacting Rosanna Williamson at P&C Construction (503.665-0165 or Please see page 23 Action Ads P&C Construction New Vernonia K-12 School REQUEST FOR BID Bid Package Three (BP-3): Structured Cabling and Sound System Bids for the “VERNONIA SCHOOL DISTRICT – STRUC- TURED CABLING AND SOUND SYSTEM: BID PACKAGE THREE (BP-3)” will be received by the Construction Man- ager/General Contractor (CM/