Crisis Management As Reality Show

District of Columbia Police Chief Cathy Lanier

A crisis nowadays brings out the hardcore working women in positions of leadership. Unfortunately, that’s the only time we really see them in wide media, as they are certainly not pop stars, singers, actors, dancers, and two-bit celebs and such.

Two we met yesterday, via mass media, were District of Columbia Police Chief, Cathy Lanier, and Dr. Janis M. Orlowski, chief operating officer at Washington Hospital Center.

Youths, these are the faces of career women in positions of genuine leadership. Not made-up and styled-up for a TV show or a date-night-out, but caught out doing their jobs. And in a crisis at that.

There’s your reality show.

Atlanta Public Schools Turn To Print When Everyone Else Goes Digital

The above photo displays the dubious fate of a brand new newspaper suddenly being produced (at what cost?) by the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) system. It was taken 4-21-09.

This Vol. 1 newspaper product lists a two-page directory of APS administration names in the back – yet not a single e-mail address is included in that contact information.

Yet APS has spent millions of dollars on technology over the last few years – with some of those seeking technology-related contracts now in jail. More on that issue here:

http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/press_releases/2008/240669.htm

The dubious method of distribution for this new paper product? Kids’ backpacks.

Could this be another example of wasteful contracting in the Atlanta Public Schools? FYI… I put in a call to the (Boston/NY) company contracted (was there a bidding process?) to produce this paper product for APS, and a call to the Communications Dept. for APS. No one has returned my calls as of 4-23-09.

And if there’s a Spanish-language version of Atlanta Educator, I’ve yet to see it.