When competence just cannot be tolerated
July 14th, 2011 by Steven GardnerOn June 23 there appeared on a rival news site an editorial
written, I assumed, by someone for whom I have a begrudgingly huge
amount of respect. He might have once worked here at the Kitsap
Sun, I’ll have to check. So many times when he (or she, because I’m
doing this with the pretense of not naming him [or her]) would
write something I would find myself insanely, (No, that’s not right.)
profoundly,
(Closer, but not quite there.) somewhat (That’s the one.) jealous
that I didn’t write it myself. Over here, assuming this writer did
work here, there was a byline attached. Over at the rival there was
not on the particular piece I found to be so brilliant that it
merited again my envy.
Example:
“First, be born rich. Not smart, that only leads to problems. And best is if you are rich with money you didn’t earn. In this case, someone else will pay your skyrocketing tuition bill so when you graduate with your anthropology or — heaven forbid — journalism degree and cross your fingers for a job flipping hamburgers, you will be able to spend your paycheck on $300 e-book gadgets to replace $5 paperbacks rather than fending off collection agents.”
At the end you discover the point of the sarcastic (i.e. the author doesn’t really believe people shouldn’t go to college.) treatise. I’ll let you discover it.
The column is especially pertinent today, because the writer in question was just today released from his employment at our rival. He made that paper better and trained some good writers over there, but his reward for a job well done was a heartfelt letter about the publication wanting to go in a new direction. Whatever direction that is not somewhere I want to go.
Good luck Andy.
Tags: Andrew Binion, college costs, Kitsap Sun
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
July 14th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
I could not, not post here. This person was a fantastic, thorough mentor to me and he opened doors for me while warning me about those doors to stay away from for fear their frames may collapse. The certain rival paper was improved immensely under his leadership and I was proud to work with him and enjoyed those times, except those times when we cursed name of certain Sun government reporter for pushing us harder.
Good luck Andy.
-Christopher
July 14th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
Geeze Andy. And I have to say his tongue in cheek editorial is right. Not all people SHOULD clog up colleges to acquire mediocre unemployable degrees and owe so much money they haven’t a hope or prayer to repay it.
I used to be a fan of Suzie Orman. Until I watched a program based on a fellow who kept borrowing money to rack up more degrees and at the point of being on Orman’s show, no one hired him – his degrees were not marketable and he had already filed for bankruptcy BUT the thousands he owed on college loans just kept racking up the interest and are not allowed to be included on a bankruptcy filing. They are never excused.
Well, this fellow apparently didn’t know it and kept going to school getting more degrees in different subjects and adding more to student loans. That was foolish UNLESS he never intended to repay them until he learned he couldn’t get rid of them and couldn’t get a job.
Well, our Suzi said in other words, I am working with a group to change the law. We think the student loans SHOULD be included in a bankruptcy and have the student loan debt go away. NO! Suzi what are you thinking?!
I am not a fan of her wisdom anymore. She lost it somewhere. Tax payers should not get ripped off by lazy deadheads that continue going to college on the taxpayers dime taking no responsibility for making a living and going to school.
Sorry for rambling… I already commented over on his editorial and if anyone is having a party for Andy I want to go – probably at one of the fancy 711′s around town or we can ride around Bremerton on a recumbent trike.
Trouble is Andy is one of those folks born smart – as you, Steve. Makes you guys pretty special – you’d probably want a McDonald Big Mac..with an organic tomato.
Andy – how about a party to celebrate a new life and direction…
July 14th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Macho Nacho salutes a fallen hero. May his musings someday return to the Bremerton Blog.
July 14th, 2011 at 10:41 pm
Is it okay if I write a letter to Andy here, Steve?
Dear Andy,
A million years ago at the suggestion of a wonderful lady from PO, Goody Rose, I wrote down everything I wanted to have in my life five years from then… I was specific with details of everything, lifestyle, car/s, home, I wrote down how I wanted my life to be in five years as though it was that day five years ahead..
I made my detailed list, folded it up and tucked it away in a drawer in a chest of drawers…someplace I rarely went once I put something in one.
Years later, in a different place one of my daughters asked me for something and I began going through those drawers with her, looking for whatever it was she wanted. I forget which of us spotted the folded paper and opened it…probably me because I remember reading it with shock…trying to read and explain what the paper meant. I had forgotten it.
It was probably closer to ten years later when I re-discovered it. I am not a drawer cleaner – too much in a hurry – and I was looking for something for her.
I still feel the same amazement of those moments reading and discovering I had not only met the goals, I had vastly surpassed them in a couple areas.
Scoff if you like – I might if it were anyone else telling you this. It is true.
According to Goody the subconscious does the work once you implant your brain with the goals.
Andy – I could tell you another story of sorrow that set me free to begin again toward a new life. Some fifteen years later I had the opportunity to thank the person who caused the sorrow.
Congratulations Andy – you are free now to discover a new path.
Best wishes and warm regards, Sharon O’Hara
July 15th, 2011 at 8:18 am
I read that editorial and agreed with the editor’s opinion.
The national student loan debt has surpassed 1 trillion dollars and 1 in 3 student loans are in default. Who really considers an 8% loan “aid”? That mercenary lending is all that is standing between low and middle income students yearning for an education and the ivory towers. I have to mention there’s a relatively new break for borrowers in that program. If you still owe on your student loan debt after paying on it for 25 years, the remainder is discharged. 25 years.
Personally, a Washington state university sent out letters in the fall of 2006 advising incoming students of the COA, or cost of attending, which included tuition, housing, transportation. The university calculated the cost to be 11,500, or somewhere in that neighborhood. In the fall of 2010 that figure was 18,500. Talk about moving the goalpost. Asking how much it costs doesn’t even help, you have to ask how much does it cost this year?
I advise people with younger children to chart their own course. Design your own education. Do it with a mix of trade, apprenticeship, online classes, community college, and university studies, if you’re able. I believe the traditional 4-year university experience is going the way of the print newspaper, unfortunately. For the same reasons. Failure to evolve, failure to integrate and use technology effectively and democratically, and failure to meet people where they live.
The knowledge those colleges are selling is free. A person hungry for knowledge can go to Academic Earth and watch professors from elite universities across the country deliver entire semesters of lectures. Kahn Academy is also a good site. Everything you wanted to know about the run and the rise and then some. Kahn has recently started to put up the Singapore math lessons.
As for the newspaper business. I’m with Chris Hedges on that subject. He rues their demise and at the same time scolds them for selling out.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/gone_with_the_papers_20110627/
There’s a good line in that link.
‘Those who insist on reporting uncomfortable truths always try the patience of the careerists who manage these institutions. If they are too persistent, as most good reporters are, they become “a problem.”’
This second link is an excellent and technical blog post about aggregate news sites dated September, 2010. The author sites two of the good ones and then says “on the other end of the spectrum is the Huffington Post.” The Huffington Post has since been sold for 315,000,000.
http://www.mondaynote.com/2010/09/19/aggregators-the-good-ones-vs-the-looters/
August 9th, 2011 at 8:22 am
Thanks for writing this Steven. This post appeared while I was away on vacation in Oregon at the time without internet and I just plain missed it. I just found it today, looking for something else. Andy knows how I feel about him. We have had conversations since that day.
I owe Andy a considerable amount of gratitude. He took a big chance on a small time blogger and gave her, her own column. For the past year and half I have so enjoyed writing that column. Not just for the fun of story writing, but because I was doing it for Andy. I was happy to do it as my way of giving back to him for taking a chance on me.
I knew what he was trying to accomplish as the new editor and I wanted to do everything I could to help support that, whether it was just writing my column and always getting it in before the deadline or suggesting story ideas or helping reporters over there with parent contacts for local stories on education or even having my husband take pictures of local events for the paper that there just were not enough paid staff members to cover at the time.
Now I keep writing for my readers. But I will admit a small piece of my heart is missing without Andy as my editor.
I will really miss you friend.