Hit the Stores, Jill

There is an advantage, and sometimes a disadvantage to reading newspapers that are perhaps a few weeks old. One advantage is certainly that whatever is being worried about in say a May 20th edition, has already drifted into the background and been replaced by something else, sometimes even something bigger.

Sports as a topic has a quick expiration date. I no longer need to read in depth how the New York Rangers are faring against the Montreal Canadians in their quest to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. I know they beat the Canadians, advanced, and met their comeuppance from the L.A. Kings, who beat them four games to one in the cup final series.

The disadvantage is that I sometimes get to follow the story in reverse. Take the Jill Abramson episode where it was announced that the former New York Times executive editor would be teaching nonfiction narrative at Harvard in the fall. And that she has two tattoos, an 'H' for Harvard and a Gothic-style 'T' for the NYT on her body.

That story didn't tell the reader where the tattoos were on Jill's person. The May 20th edition of the NYT carried a bigger story of Jill's commencement address at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In that story, a student is said to have asked Ms. Abramson if she would now be removing the 'T' from her back, since she had been let go.

The response is what you'd expect from an unflappable New Yorker. "Not a chance. It was the honor of my life to lead the newsroom." Definitely Semper Fi.

The same story goes on to recount a lame reference to a remark that Albert Hunt made, a Bloomberg News columnist, who introduced Ms. Abramson. He noted that perhaps a translator might be needed for listeners to help get them through her strong New York accent.

Jesus. Like the Duck Dynasty folks in North Carolina are more readily understandable than a Jewish New Yorker. The south is still annoyed about the outcome of the War of Northern Aggression.

What I might have hoped someone said to Jill, in private, sotto voce, was, "get some clothes, and some decent shoes."

In the movie 'Wall Street' Gordon Gekko upbraids the Charlie Sheen character for needing a better suit when he comes to business lunches, etc.

In the above picture, Ms. Abramson is clearly seen wearing somewhat dilapidated running shoes with what looks like a striped jogging suit under her academic robe.

Part of her speech made reference to her former employment, and the unemployed position she now finds herself in. "What's next for me? I don't know. So I'm in exactly the same boat as many of you. Like you, I'm a little scared, but also excited."

Jill, get to Bloomingdale's.

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