This man and his wife left so much, and yet today very few recognize his accomplishments. He never failed, and his “word was his bond”. A great story….

I reprinted the book written by Henry O’Melveny on WILLIAM G. KERCKHOFF, and have many photos of his “enterprises”. This story must be told. The mural and openning of the station will be April 19th. We would enjoy your coverage… This inscription on the portals of the “Institute” [Germany]:
“And so it comes about that after a lifetime of endeavor and when success had been attained at last, he devoted the results of his success, with the loyal co-operation of Mrs. Kerckhoff, to the amelioration of mankind, that men and women may have happier lives. Kerckhoff Dome will stand forever; it perpetuates a name but gives nothing. But the gifts to Science and Education build a monument, likewise eternal, through which he still lives, dispensing relief and help to countless generations of his fellowmen.”
[I have made three large displays on Kerckhoff (all donated) and they will be mounted permanently inside the station with well over 30 photos plus text for each photo. This will be an easy story to write.]
Dick Barker, 949.673.7877

So, writing, ackshully, is really now intended only for older people, say 35 and up. Or really old people, like 45 or so. God help those over 50, since texting is about to morph the language in ways we can only speculate. Frank Zappa’s “Valley Girl” was, like, totally peanuts compared to what’s in the pipeline. Technology’s ability to funnel and redirect creative young minds into separate spheres has a divisive effect on generations, but an equal and opposite unifying effect within a cohort. Newspapers are antidisestablishmentairian with regards to their form factor, representing the dead tree and so on, and as such only quasifunctional in reaching younger readerships. When will blogs be texted and skyped?

Dean, nice paper, I checked it out. Is Harlan still up there
at Snow Summit? Long time…

I was the managing editor for the Courier and oversaw what news went into that paper, I’ve worked at number of them since. You’re onto something here by learning how news is compiled and the role blogs, or all online, publications might play in the future of reporting. Warren Swill, former news editor for the PNS, and now the adviser for the Courier just wrote a piece in the PNS Friday on how fast news goes online and that threat, obviously from the bias of a print reporter, but he left a few things out.

The future of news is in investigative reporting, just for the shear fact that it’s a dead art.

Let me say this; forget the citizen journalist, or the idea of disseminating news through a cell phone. If that were the case the “stale blog” itself is dead, and “mo-blogging” is the future. Not so. Live blogging is also, in most cases, incoherent. Speed is not the answer. What the PSN has to do, as goes for all dailies, is make the paper free and give the public nail biting, front page “oh my” news. The gate keepers of the old world press no longer have the keys and now stand dumbfounded at the floodgates of information.

I would also go so far as to say printed blogs might not be so bad, as well. Aaron Proctor, if your listening? I few hundred copies outside the council chambers. We need a fun read waiting until 1 a.m. for public comment.

Free is a hard thing for any newspaper that’s losing subscribers to swallow but think of what their competing with? Themselves, “free” online. D’oh! In a business model do you give away the best you got, or pretend to give it all away? The things killing newspapers, are cragslist and ebay, not blogs or the “24/7” news cycle, anyway. Nobody cares. Good reporting wherever it shines will always be read.

Once print reporters figure this out and stop their whine we can all get back to reporting. I strongly encourage everyone to at least go learn about journalism, and even go write for a newspaper, I can’t say enough about the Courier except it’s an opportunity that ought not to be missed.