Win One For the Gipper

The 08 Presidential Race is starting to feel like Wolf 359, The Alamo and Waterloo for the Republican Party, so WernerScrews created a patriotic, exciting banner for Mr. McCain. I don’t care for McCain or the Republican Party, but we all pity an underdog. Unless things change, McCain is going to get a butt beatin' in November, but you have to respect a man who willing to face his defeat, his Waterloo. (McCain could win, but the Democrats would have to royally screw-up. Something this website knows a lot about.)

Any Graphic Designer can create high-energy, witty banners for Hillary or Obama. The real challenge is McCain. I looked at CafePress and nothing excited me; all the T-shirt designs made McCain as exciting as three-week old bread bleaching under a Saguaro cactus. My banner “borrows” images off the internet--like stealing votes. The resulting image—yes, not perfect—embodies McCain and the Republican Party. I challenge other Graphic Designers to get off their lethargic butts and come up with similar images and help McCain in his greatest hour of need! If they are still employed and their work hasn’t been outsourced to China or if they still have a home with a computer!

---WernerScrews 10-4

Communist Computerworld and Empty Scrotum Journalism

I have some one-sided news to report! Mr. Donald Broughton of Avondale Partners calls Omaha-based Werner Enterprises "best in class" for its use of information and communications technologies to reduce costs and improve profitability. From a ComputerWorld article.

Naturally, I have two issues.

1. Here is a great quote.

"It's impossible to fudge the numbers. You can't claim you're resting when the truck is moving," says Donald Broughton, a transportation industry analyst at investment banking firm Avondale Partners.

A quote that continually paints a misperception about technology and safety.

Werner Enterprises did, in fact, fudge the numbers. Back in 2002, a Werner truck moving in 5 mph traffic would be logged into non-duty hours. Maybe this has changed, but it doesn't remove the possibility from happening again. After all, Werner Enterprises exploited this loop-hole in 2002 to increase driver hours. Something Mr. Broughton has not stated or is ignorant of.

Did Mr. Broughton research Werner's safety record? Nope.

Had Mr. Broughton researched Werner's safety, he would be surprised that Werner Enterprises is not any safer now with its fancy technology. That is a fact. Pure and simple.

2. The real villain is not Mr. Broughton. It is Computerworld. Several years ago, I called Computerworld a practitioner of "empty scrotum journalism." It seems Computerworld cannot and will not report fairly. The U.S. doesn't teach Communist news reporting. (Not what I learned.) Most journalism colleges--including two outstanding professors I had--instruct aspiring reporters to find two sides to every story. Puppies are cute, but find someone who hates puppies, talk to them and quote them. That is balanced journalism. Something Computerworld neglects.

That's why business pieces like this do more harm than good. Stay safe. Stay away from Werner.

---WernerScrews 10-4