news-record.com

It was more than a bad hair day for John Edwards when the story broke during his presidential run in 2007 that he was paying $400 to have his locks trimmed. The news made him a target for late-show comedians and tarnished his image as a champion of the poor.

Now it's revealed that it was the Barack Obama campaign that tipped the media. Former campaign manager David Plouffe drops that tidbit in his new book.

Plouffe didn't say how the Obama people found out. Did they have a spy in the Edwards salon?

However it was done, from Edwards' perspective it was an unkind cut. From Obama's, well, all's fair in politics and hair.

A message gone awry

Press the "send" key on your computer and there's no turning back. For better or worse, that e-mail is on its way.

Last week, a civilian employee of the Greensboro Police Department found that out the hard way and now Chief Tim Bellamy will decide if she should be disciplined.

The link on the e-mail, mistakenly sent to media representatives, connects to a photo intended to spoof the president's auto industry bailout. Depending on your politics, it might be considered funny or insulting.

A quick recall of the message and apology followed. Later, the chief offered his regrets and an assistant city manager reaffirmed that such activities aren't condoned.

Truth be known, most employees with access to a computer probably have sent personal messages to co-workers and friends or surfed the Internet on company time.

But if they are found out, the boss has a right and duty to start asking questions. As in, does this person have enough to do? And does such behavior amount to misusing company -- or city -- equipment?

Linking the message with the messenger isn't important. What does matter is whether it is appropriate use of work time. If not, it shouldn't happen again.

Ill-gotten grades

The Goldsboro Middle School principal who approved an ill-fated grades-for-money fundraising policy has taken a leave of absence and will retire at the end of December.

Coincidence? You decide.

Here's the time line:

l Story breaks that Rosewood Middle School will award a student 20 extra test points, 10 points applied to two separate test scores, if the student donates $20. What the heck? she shrugs. Selling chocolates hadn't "generated anything."

l Story breaks that the district has overruled her and canceled the policy.

l Story breaks that the principal, Susie Shepherd, has taken a leave of absence and will retire at the end of December.

The only things more disconcerting than the fact that this scheme got off the ground in the first place is that it came from a parent advisory group (talk about bad advice). And that some schools find themselves so compelled to raise money that they'll try almost any means necessary.

Stop the revolving door

State Treasurer Janet Cowell set a good rule for herself and other top staff: Once they leave office, they can't do business with the Treasury Department for two years. The directive will cut down on so-called "revolving door" practices that invite state officials to trade their influence for lucrative employment in the private sector.

Too bad the rule doesn't apply retroactively. Cowell's predecessor, Richard Moore, now works for a firm called Relational Investors. Last year, just six months before he left office, his department invested more than $500 million from the state employees' pension fund with Relational Investors.

Moore said last week that had nothing to do with the nice position he ended up with at Relational. Certainly not.

But it would be better to avoid the appearance. Cowell's rule was overdue.