September 16, 2001
[Note: Some now-dead links have been removed from archived items.]

HOORAY FOR ADS: Reader Charlie Murtaugh writes, "I don't know if you were watching Cheney on Meet the Press this morning, but about halfway through the interview, Tim Russert interrupted him for a commercial break. A commercial break, on network TV! I never thought I'd be so happy to see one..." [Posted 9/16.]

HAPPY SIGHTS: I drove back up to the mall in Plano today, because amid the distractions of the week I'd forgotten to check some of the facts in that D Magazine piece on mall design. What a difference a few days made. I'm happy to report that The Shops at Willow Bend, which opened on August 3, was back to normal, thronging with families. The only deviation seemed to be an unusual abundance of red, white, and blue attire. (If you're going to stock-pick, Tommy Hilfiger might be a good choice.) Plano is what Joel Kotkin calls a "nerdistan," part of the Telecom Corridor. That means it's full of engineers from all over the world. I saw about a half dozen women in Muslim headscarfs, and a lot of immigrants sporting flag-waving clothing. The kids' play area, one of the features that makes the mall's design interesting, was a veritable United Nations—if, that is, the U.N. were buzzing with 40 bare-footed (mostly) pre-schoolers bouncing, running, squealing, and generally having a great time. I bought a new digital camera at the Apple store, which was so busy I had to wait a bit for help, and took some shots. You can see them here. More proof that everything's bigger in Texas. [Photos 9/16.]

BUY ADS: Before Tuesday, journalism was reeling from an advertising depression. Not a day went by without news of mass layoffs, or at the very least early-retirement buyouts, at one media company or another. (As I've previously observed, one of the reasons the economic downturn has gotten such disproportionately gloomy coverage is that journalism has been hit so badly.)

Over the past few days, we have seen journalists at their very best. I am in awe of the ability of reporters to keep their cool, dig up information, write long, detailed articles, and face TV cameras under the circumstances. I'm not sure I could do it. News reporters have mustered a focus and stamina that are simply amazing. And we have all depended on their competence and courage. Tuesday turned regular beat reporters, people who cover nice safe topics from clean offices, into war correspondents surrounded by pulverized bodies and in risk of their own lives. (A couple of good articles on this subject are here and here.) The New York Times has outdone itself with the depth and breadth of its coverage, including many moving details. The Wall Street Journal's coverage is all the more impressive because WSJ headquarters is practically next door to the World Trade Center. (Articles on how the WSJ adapted after evacuating are here, here, and here.)

But it's not just the big guys. Even my journalistic alma mater, The Daily Princetonian's very first issue of the school year was a special edition published the day of the attacks. Those attacks have challenged the resources and resourcefulness of every media organization. (A gallery of more than 350 front pages from around the world is here.)

Unfortunately, the result of this great work has not been economic rewards but, quite the contrary, devastating losses. USA Today has already lost between $3 million and $4 million in ads, according to The Wall Street Journal, and major advertisers like Coca-Cola and Kraft Foods are canceling all their ads. Journalism, like the airline industry, is a business we love to hate (even those of us who are in it). But it is also one on which we depend. And it is in deep, deep financial trouble.

Unlike the airlines, media companies aren't going to Washington to ask for bailouts. But once the adrenaline fades, it's pretty clear what will follow this spurt of great reporting: more bad economic news. So while you're looking for places to spend your money, think about buying ads. Few of us can afford to shore up the WSJ or USA Today, but a week of classified ads in your local paper won't cost much. [Posted 9/16.]

SPEAKING OF ADS: Today's Dallas Morning News contained the following full-page ad:

In the name of the Almighty, the Beneficient, the Merciful

"...And whoever saves a soul, it is as if he saved the entire mankind..." (The Glorious Quran 5:32)

As Americans, we are horrified by the recent senseless acts of cowardice and terrorism.

We share the grief and pain of all who have been affected by this tragedy.

We fully support President Bush and our Congress in their efforts to bring those responsible to justice.

Our hearts, thoughts and prayers remain with the victims and families affected by this tragedy.

Please join us in sharing concern, caring and compassion for our neighbors in North Texas as our entire country—in all faiths—comes together.

We pray for God's guidance, and the strength, courage and patience to weather this storm.

The American-Muslims of North Texas

No anticipated victimhood and no qualifications. And entirely in the first-person plural. [Posted 9/16.]

FREEDOM TO FLY: Extremely good news out of Secretary of Transportation Norm Mineta's speech and press conference today: One of the three members of the Rapid Response Team on airport security will be Herb Kelleher, the founder and chairman of Southwest Airlines. Kelleher has built a company on the freedom of ordinary people to get around this huge country easily and cheaply. The company's survival also depends on being able to empty and fill planes quickly, with minimal ground time. Southwest, more than any other airline, directly competes with automobile travel. If anyone can protect passengers' interests in avoiding undue delays, he's the guy. [Posted 9/16.]

GOOD JOB: It's becoming clear that I, like many other Americans, was too hard on President Bush for his disappearance on Tuesday. I say this not because I'm convinced that putting the president's safety above a defiant show of bravery was justified (still a debatable point), but because Bush is clearly the one who put an end to the flight from Washington. He understood that while safety is important, it is not the only thing that matters—a lesson that will come up again and again in the wake of the attacks. As David E. Sanger and Don Van Natta report in this detailed New York Times account, the president put his foot down in the late afternoon and "insisted that he return to Washington. Political aides and the communications staff also wanted him to return, but the Secret Service again cautioned that he should not. This time, Mr. Bush insisted that he had to deliver a prime-time television address from the Oval Office, not a bunker."

While I'm saying nice things about the president, here's more. His mixture of calm resolve, plain and simple colloquial speech, easy masculinity, and occasional and unembarrassed tears has been ideal. He has managed to be both a leader and a typical American, hardly an easy combination to pull off. And he has his priorities straight. Unlike many in the chattering classes, he shows no desire to use war to override the American freedoms and joys we must fight to protect. I particularly liked this answer, in yesterday's press conference, to a reporter's lust for sacrifice:

Q: Sir, how much of a sacrifice are ordinary Americans going to have to be expected to make in their daily lives, in their daily routines?

THE PRESIDENT: Our hope, of course, is that they make no sacrifice whatsoever. We would like to see life return to normal in America. But these people have declared war on us and we will do whatever it takes to make sure that we're safe internally. So, therefore, people may not be able to board flights as quickly. Our borders are tighter than they've ever been before. We're taken a variety of measures to make sure that the American people are safe, just as the Attorney General spoke about.

But we hope, obviously, that the measures we take will allow the American economy to continue on. I urge people to go to their businesses on Monday. I understand major league baseball is going to start playing again. It is important for America to get on about its life. But our government will be on full alert and we'll be tracing every lead, every potential to make sure that the American people are safe.

NO ODD LOTS: Do NOT buy stock on Monday. Sit tight. That's the word Dan Gillmor of the San Jose Mercury News is sending from folks who manage the information technology for the stock market. Gillmor is a good technology reporter, and I believe his sources. Millions of tiny transactions could crash the system at the very moment it most needs to work. If you want to show your support by investing, buy mutual funds, not individual stocks. That's better investment advice anyway, and your order can be bundled with others. [Posted 9/16.]

SCHOOL BLACKOUT: Our mutual friend Brian Taylor, who teaches 8th grade social studies in Michigan, responded to Lisa Snell's thoughts on how schools handled Tuesday's attack. With his permission, here's his note to Lisa:

You'll be happy to hear that I had CNN on and was discussing terrorism, freedom, constitutional protections, etc., with my captive group of 8th graders—until the entire school district was ordered to turn off all TVs and not mention what was going on by our super, lest we get the kids too excited or scared. Not even seniors at high school could be trusted with the news.

Apparently it is better for them to run down the halls thinking World War III has started, and that China and Russia had begun bombing major cities—which is what some of them were, in fact, thinking.

[Posted 9/16.]

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