Tone Deaf

So, did you see the Nightly News yesterday? It seems that the "Big Three Automakers" -- Moe, Larry and Curly -- went to Washington, D.C. in private corporate jets (they couldn't even "jet pool!"), to tell Congress that they are broke, and need billions of taxpayer dollars to guarantee that they won't go belly-up.

Talk about tone deaf.

Don't these people know that appearances DO matter? The American Public is feeling the heat from one of the worst economic periods in our history. Everyone is concerned. 401(k) accounts and college savings plan values have been sliced in half. People are justifiably nervous about the future.

So what do the "Big Three" do?

“It’s almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in high-hat and tuxedo,” said Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY).

Here's a note to General Chrysford: We get it. We understand that if you guys go out of business, it will have untold repercussions on the rest of the economy. And while we'll not part with our money cheerfully, we will, in the end, part with it because it's far better than the alternative.

But have a little humility. Come back in a couple of weeks with a PLAN. We want to see a clear path forward that shows us that you "get it," and that you can compete with Toyota. And, for goodness sake, don't come back in three individual private jets. Is it too much to ask that you fly coach for once?

On a side note: We're told over and over again about the millions of people who will be out of work if you guys bite the big one. And usually, we're told that over video B-roll of cars rolling through ROBOTIC ASSEMBLY LINES. Once again, keep in mind that appearances DO matter. You may be proud of your robot assemblers, but nobody cares if THEY are put out of work!

Clueless School Administrator of the Year

Every year we get one of these stories.

It seems that the principal of Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, NJ, Mr. Robert Blake, interrupted the commencement speech of salutatorian Jennifer Chau, had her microphone cut off, and escorted her off the dais. Why? Because it seems that Ms. Chau was about to lambaste the school administration for some perceived wrong.

Leaving aside the question of whether or not this was the appropriate time or place for Ms. Chau to air her grievances (What does she think this is? Festivus?), and also notwithstanding the school administration's prerogative to allow whatever speech they see fit at one of their functions, it seems to me that if Mr. Blake had allowed the young woman to have her say, it would have been a story in, maybe, The Press of Atlantic City the next day. Probably on page C3 or thereabouts.

But no. A story about "the man" silencing the poor young schoolgirl who just wanted to express her perceived First Amendment rights is big news. The story hit the Associated Press, and was carried in newspapers all over the country. And on radio and TV stations. And the story lasted for days.

The lesson? Not every battle is worth fighting OR winning. Had Mr. Blake allowed Ms. Chau to make her point, it would have been a small, local, one-day story -- and he would be getting praise for being a big enough man to allow biting criticism in such an august forum.

So this year's award for Clueless School Administrator of the Year goes to Mr. Robert Blake, principal of Mainland Regional High in Linwood, NJ.