Essay 1030

Business as unusual in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• In a not-so-bold move, William Clay Ford Jr. stepped down as CEO and President of Ford Motor Company, handing the roles to Alan Mulally, a top executive of Boeing. Ford retains his title of Chairman and Master of His Universe. And technically, since he gave up his salary in a symbolic gesture last May, the new appointment will obviously cost the struggling automaker more money. Chairman Ford proclaimed, “Our team needs a steady hand from somebody who’s been through turnarounds and knows what it takes and can say, ‘You’re on the right path, stick with it, it’s going to work,’ or ‘This isn’t the way to go, let’s refocus and go somewhere else.’” Spoken like a true and decisive leader. Ironically, the matchmaker behind Mulally’s appointment was Richard Gephardt, a man who’s failed to turn around the country or land the presidency after numerous attempts.

• There will be about 10,500 fewer folks inside Intel, as the chipmaker announced plans to reduce its staff by 10 percent. “They have to go back to their roots, go back to what they know how to do, which is microprocessors for notebooks, desktops and servers,” said one analyst. Let’s hope going back doesn’t involve reviving the obnoxious commercials starring the Blue Man Group.

• The father of Ron Goldman is seeking to get the rights to O.J. Simpson’s name, image and likeness — in an attempt to collect on the $33.5 million judgment awarded in a 1997 wrongful-death suit. “He personally has never paid a dime on the judgment to anyone,” said Fred Goldman. “He has made it very clear over the years that he has no intention of doing so.” Can’t imagine O.J.’s name, image or likeness could amount to $33.50, let alone $33.5 million.

• The digital divide continues, as a new study shows Internet usage gaps between White and minority kids. 67 percent of White kids use the Internet, while the figures for Black and Hispanic students are about 50 percent. “This creates incredible barriers for minorities,” said a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and an analyst on how communications influence civil rights. Not using the Internet “narrows their ability to even think about the kind of work they can be doing. … It doesn’t prepare them for a world in which they’re going to be expected to know how to do these things.” Imagine all the kids being deprived of experiencing MultiCultClassics.