Where's Mr. Blackwell when you need him?

Forbes is great at compiling lists. They publish the 400 richest, the 100 best investments, the 300 Spartans. Oh wait. The latter wasn't a Forbes list.

Regardless, Forbes has just published its list of the 75 most reputable companies in the U.S. There are lots of names you'd expect (Johnson & Johnson, GE and FedEx, for example) as well as a few surprises (Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley). I found the latter two names particularly interesting in light of the sub-prime disaster.

But, enough about the good guys. I'd like to see a list of America's least reputable organizations (a Forbes 500 version of Mr. Blackwell's 10 worst dressed Hollywood stars, if you will).  Who would you put on the least reputable list?

Here's my top 10 (bottom 10?):

1.) Jet Blue - From a reputation standpoint, this airline is a midair collision. And, what's with JetBlue and bathrooms? First, they won't allow passengers to use restrooms during a nine-hour delay on Valentine's Day. Then, more recently, they forced a passenger to fly in a lavatory for an entire flight? (Note to self: use the restrooms before boarding).

2.) The entire airline industry minus Southwest.

3.) ExxonMobil, Shell and their ilk. How much longer before top oil and gas industry executives start fearing for their lives because of astronomically high gas prices?

4.) New York City crane suppliers.

5.) A New York City political infrastructure that allows crane safety standards to go by the boards.

6.) Ford (talk about being asleep at the wheel as the gas/environmental crisis loomed large on the horizon. They've finally begun shutting down assembly plans that make the gas guzzlers).

7.) Chrysler and the rest of the beleaguered American auto industry (imagine losing an 80 percent market share and still being in freefall?)

8.) The New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, inc. (Mr. Wilpon: now, that you've finally fired Willie Randolph, it's time to turn your sights on Omar Minaya. He's the chief architect of this mess. Dump him ASAP and hire a GM who can build a blended team of veterans and up-and-comers.)

9.) The National Basketball Association. The game is a farce. Showboating "what's in it for me?" players sharing the court with crooked referees makes for an NBA that's on a fast break to oblivion (or, if not, at least becoming a legitimate rival to professional wrestling).

10.) The fast food industry. I still think they're part of the problem, not the solution.

Thanks to Rob Longert for the idea.

Comments

[goose]

public tranportation especially NJ transit?
very quippy i loved it :)