Good morning, Netizens...

In this morning's picture of the day, President George W. Bush embraces his dad, George H. W. Bush at the commissioning ceremony for the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN77), a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in Norfolk, Va. Isn't it grand, having a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier named after your dad during a time when most of the country is sliding down the chute toward bankruptcy?

What is equally interesting from a strategy point of view is that according to Poynter Online (http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45) at least $100,000 of the money that went into furnishing the carrier was paid for by Hearst Corporation, citing a story from the Virginnian-Pilot. (http://hamptonroads.com/2009/01/donors-pay-carrier-bush-commissioning) According to the story, while the carrier George H.W. Bush may be built with taxpayer money, its commissioning and amenities are a privately funded affair, and the entire affair smells like a good scheme on the part of George W. Bush to install certain amenities aboard the ship that never would pass muster with the U.S. Navy.

The Hearst Corporation, of course, gave notice to the employees of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer yesterday that their jobs are in peril, and that if no one can be found to buy the newspaper, a major downsizing, including the possible cessation as as a print newspaper might take place in 60 days. 

Of course, the news of this “contribution” by Hearst Corporation to the USS George H.W. Bush has not appeared in the mainstream news media as of this morning. I wonder if that will change, over time? I wonder what the employees of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer would say if they read about this? 

Dave

 

---

---