One bite and you'll be hooked

"One of our region's
better tittle dining secrets."

— Danny Raskin

*** Detroit Free Press

nal pathology, the filmmakers offer a
formidable case history of corporate
criminality and abuse of power ranging
from IBM's aforementioned business
dealings with the Nazis to the creation
of prison-like sweatshops in the devel-
oping world, from a list of 42 violations
of the law between 1990 and 2001 by
General Electric to marketing schemes
that are based — literally — on encour-
aging children to nag their parents
more effectively, and make a startling
and frequently hilarious case for an
essential psychopathy at the heart of
this profit-driven institution.
Like a psychopath, the corporation is
oblivious to the needs of others, feels no
guilt or remorse, is driven entirely by
self-interest, making it amoral, callous
and deceitful. But it can mimic such
basic human feelings as empathy and
altruism, even if it is incapable of feel-
ing them. And like a psychopath, the
corporation leaves disaster in its wake in
the-form of exploited workers, a poi-
soned environment and rampant crimi-
nal activities.
Intriguingly, Bakan says that his
Jewish upbringing is an integral part of
what led him into a career as a legal
big-garrie hunter stalking the corporate
predator.
"My Jewish background was crucial
to this kind of work and to the intellec-
tual work I do," he said. "My grandpar-
ents worked in the garment industry in
Manhattan and were very involved in
the International Ladies Garment
Workers Union, and very concerned
about issues of exploitation. They were
also very religious, very observant, and
they were schooled in the Jewish tradi-
tion that emphasizes the good that you
are supposed to do here on Earth, in
your own lifetime.
They were very concerned about
deeds now, not in the afterlife, and very

concerned with trying to ensure that
there is a connection between law and
justice. I think all of that percolates in
my mind and soul and causes me to
have a skeptical view of power."
He also asserts that the sequences of
The Corporation that retell the story of
IBM's relationship with the Nazis are
treated very passionately" for that rea-
son. "I'm sure non-Jewish filmmakers
would have included a similar story, but
I think the passion we brought to it had
a lot to do with our backgrounds," he
said.
Perhaps his Jewish background
informed another key sequence of the
film and the book, although he may
not have been aware of it. One of the
most uplifting stories told in The
Corporation concerns the insidious pri-
vatization of local water systems in the
developing world. The film shows how
local organizers in Cochabamba,
Bolivia, were able, after a long and cost-
ly struggle, to seize back control of their
water from the Bechtel Corporation,
which was even charging them for
water from their own wells and rainwa-
ter.
Watching that extraordinary story
play out in the final hour of the film,
one is reminded that the single qc't in
the Torah that distinguished Isaac as his
father's son and true heir to the
Covenant with God was that he re-
opened the wells that the Philistines
had covered over.
Anyone who views this excellent film
and reads Professor Bakan's book will
feel a desperate need to dig a few wells
of his own. 0

A Sampling of Our New Menu Items...

LAKE SUPERIOR WHITEFISH

Flash fried in Japanese bread crumbs with lemon butter sauce. $13.95

CEDAR PLANK SALMON

Oven baked on a cedar plank and served with tarragon sauce. $15.95

Bring in this ad to receive
your lunch or dinner bill

"

15%-off

(excluding tax, tip and alcoholic beverages)

Offer valid Sunday through Thursday
One coupon per couple

Expires on 8/27/04

L

41 FOM
39455 West Ten Mile Road in Novi • Southwest corner of Ten Mile & Haggerty
Phone: 248.478.9742
www-inoesonten.corn • Same ownership as Leon's FamilY Dining

r

1

1 5% Off

Any Order

with this ad

L

-J

fiellacinoV

Pix.7a & Grinders

29101 Northwestern Hwy.
Southfield, MI 48034

Grinders, Pizza, Salads
& More!

The Corporation opens Friday, July 23,
at Landmark's Main Art Theatre.
(248) 263-2f 11. For more informa-
tion, go to wwvv.thecorporation.com .

■
■
248.358.1600
■
■
■
BUSINESS DELIVERY AVAILABLE
■
■
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
■ ■ ■ ■

- 1111181111111111ENIMISIMINAZIEBRIMERIMEINWVIZIEEMEINOMISININRIE111.110111.11111=81

847020

Dine-In • Carry-Out • Catering

DEC,444IC

Fusion Food ...

Foods from China to Thai

418 S. Washington Ave. • Royal Oak Downtown

248.591.0028

#13

A protestor at the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City demonstrates against
globalization in "The Corporation."

COUPON
ASIAN FLAVOR DINNER

Choose 2 Entrees:
• Samba! Beef • Hunan Beef
•Sweet & Sour Chicken
• Steak Kow • Pad Thai Chicken
• General Tso Chicken
INCLUDES SOUP AND EGG ROLL

ALL FOR ONLY $20

Dine

In or Carry Out Expires 8-31-04

COUPON
Buy One Dinner
get

Monday - Thursday
1 lam - 10pm

Friday
11am - 11pm

Saturday
12noon - 11pm

1/2 OFF

Sunday
12noon - 10pm

Half off lesser priced meal

864260

Second Dinner

I

Dine In or Carry Out Expires 8-31-04