I love the fact that we have Horn grading the Feds. Since a 59% completion rates an F from Horn, I think it is only appropriate for the same standards to be applied to all industries.

Don't we have a teacher somewhere on this board who could pass out the grades? I know we already have an excellent report on most of the Fortune 500s.

Then Diane could send them out to the news media! :)

Well, at least I think it's a good idea . . . . It would definitely get some attention.

Anna

-- Anna McKay Ginn (annaginn@aol.com), December 03, 1998

Answers

Anna, I share my preferred newsmedia grading scale:

F = Whimpy happy face and no problem Y2K reporting and/or TEOTWAWKI doom and gloom woe is me scenarios.

D = Overly alarming Apocalypse Now reporting and TV visuals and/or then sidestepping into the wacko survivalist, lone programmer in the wilderness or fundamentalist get thou ready and prepare thy bunker now for me-and-mine-only journalistic approach.

C = Questioning Is there a problem? Not really not sure, They, our government/leaders could never let it happen, but something is going on here that needs further Y2K homework, A kind of what if something is really wrong tentative Y2K reporting.

B = Good solid balanced TV or newspaper Show them a real problem, but dont cause panic, yet encourage them to start personally preparing for the Y2K unknown and Stay tuned for further installments while we find out more and report back the behind-the scenes Y2K truth approach to reporting.

A = Yin-yang like, balanced and open truthful There is a VERY real Y2K problem here, coupled with These are the creative solutions being tried, and we encourage you, your neighbors and your communities to Y2K prepare and/or This is how individuals and communities are preparing for Y2K in our area and across the nation and the world, and these are things you can personally and in community DO to get Y2K ready. As are only awarded to responsible, humanistic, and yet excellently and clearly written, balanced, identify both a problem AND a solution, investigative journalistic reporting.

Sprinkle the newsmedia grades with a plus + or a minus - depending on your intuition. (Do not subtract for spelling errors. Gets them off Y2K target).

Diane, former high-school teacher, long, long ago

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 03, 1998.