On Mon, 14 Apr 1997, Fritz Knorr wrote:
> At 07:47 AM 4/11/97 -0700, Bill London wrote:
> >Here's a message I received that was interesting enough to pass
> on....
> > For the inauguration of UI President Hoover, the UI
> cancelled
> >classes, etc. The total cost of the salaries of those who did
> not work
> >that half-day (without including cost of benefits) was $187,649
> >(according to estimate from payroll office).
> > BL
> >
>
> Wow Bill! That is amazing. What a fantastic fun-filled fact!
> And a real quality piece of journalism, too. You professionals
> really find those facts and check them out closely don't you?
> Gosh, how do I become a professional jounalist, too?
>
> Presumably, there is a reason for ceremonies like the
> inauguration. What would it be?
>
> Of course, the big wig administrators might have been sitting
> around brainstorming on how to waste $188,000. They might have
> bounced ideas off each other for hours, finally deciding that an
> inauguration ceremony would be just the thing. But, I don't
> believe it. I believe that the big poo-bahs actually had a
> purpose in mind.
>
> You can think of it Bill. Remember, if it happened at WSU, you'd
> be FLACKIN' it, not ATTACKIN' it.
>
> Community building. That's the answer. Those dumb old U of I
> administrators think that ceremonies like the inauguration
> actually are academic community building activities. Isn't that
> funny? I'm so glad that I have the fun facts on them now.
>
> So here we have Bill London, the self-proclaimed founder and
> leader of Moscow Vision 20/20, which claims to be interested in
> community building, uncorking his blockbusting investigative
> reporting article, attacking the U of I's attempt at...
> community building.
>
> Is this a turf battle? Did those "suits" start horning in on
> your territory? It's ok if they sit in their offices and push
> numbers around spreadsheets. But if they do any kind of
> community building activities; boy, they better watch out for
> Bill London. That's _his_ turf.
>
> I just hope that you don't have the same sharp-penciled and hard-
> nosed accountant that exposed the FUN FACT look with the same
> jaundiced eye at the cost to the U of I of hosting this
> vision2020 listserver. That community building can be expensive
> stuff, you know.
>
> Fritz Knorr
>
>