From Peter Bothum (pbothum@ydr.com):
 
I must give mad props to Captain Goss for his honesty.
 
I have to agree with him that a freaking college degree means jack shit. Am I a better reporter than Goss because I completely b.s.-ed my way through a few more Brit Lit essay exams than he did? No. Do I write with more polished prose because I have a piece of paper in a cracked frame that's sitting god knows where right now? A thousand times no.
 
I also have to agree that you should never lie about your record to score a job. That's lame, low and lazy. That's cowardly. And that's definitely not fitting of the fine line of individuals whose byline and hard work have graced the pages of The Review.
 
After all, a paper that prints April Fool's stories about clowns invading Newark has a reputation to uphold.


From Oakland Childers:
I think Goss makes a good point. This speaks to the whole journalism school vs. no journalism school argument that has raged in the field for so long. Even many those who support the case that you don't need to go to J-school to be a good journalist seem to have some sort of inbred shame about not having a degree in journalism. Personally, I think journalism school is a good idea, but it's no substitute for practical
experience. Scott and myself are good examples. I graduated with a 2.7 or somthing, but had a lot of experience in different areas of journalism. I have never been asked if I graduated, what my GPA was or even where I went to school. It's all about clips. My point, I guess, is that lying about such things is pointless, and honest, as they say, is the best policy. If you're not honest at heart, you have no place in this business. I have hired people to work for me that had no formal training but were wonderful reporters. I have also worked with a person with a masters in journalism that literally did not know how to save her work on a computer and would allow sources to change their quotes after getting nervous about what they had said to her. Be proud of who you are, flaws and all. I would be highly suspicious of any reporter who applied for a job and had a journalism degree, lots of clips, a 4.0 and wasn't a stressed out mess.

From Scott Goss:
i'm a little lazy about checking the blog, so while this freeman business is old hat for everyone else, it's still fresh for me.
 
i believe i may be able to shed some unique light on what freeman did.
 
you see, i too, never graduated from delaware despite six years as a student, four of which were spent destroying my GPA at the review.
 
ive been on dozens of job interviews, submitted hundreds of resumes and even held down a my share of full-time reporter and copy editor jobs. and yet, ive never once lied about my academic past.
 
i have bent the truth, in that my resume would only list the GPA for my majors which cleverly hid the dismal overall GPA. these days i just list professional experiece.
 
but when asked, i have always admitted the truth.
 
ive written too many stories about knuckleheads who did lie on their resume to even consider it.
 
and to be honest, i dont think my failing out has ever factored into my being considered for a positon.
 
after all, any asshole can graduate and get a job. how many assholes do you know who can fail out and still find gainful employment in the field of their choice?
 
i consider it a badge of courage, not something to be ashamed of.
 
that's my cheesy morality speech for the year.
 

Job openings from Derek Harper:
Howdy everybody,

The Press of Atlantic City has a couple of news openings, for those looking for a job. It's 76,000 daily, 95,000 Sundays.

Right now two general news jobs are open in Atlantic County. Another one is available in the Ocean County bureau.

To the best of my knowledge, a position is still open for a health and environment reporter in Atlantic County.

If you want more information, drop me a line: DHarper@pressofac.com.

 

From Oakland Childers:

That's a nice story Ratso.

From Peter Bothum:

Somewhere in Manhattan...
 
Tommy Boy Eric Heisler: H-h-h-ey, Sweet Lew. It's like, what's that up in the sky?
 
Lewis: Come on, Tommy Boy. You know what that is. And if you give me a second to finish up admiring Ace Sr.'s work in the latest Penthouse, I'll tell you: It's the Ayis symbol. He's calling us all back...Don't you know anything?
 
(Just then, Oakland appears out of nowhere).
 
Oakland: What the hell guys? I just got back from Sharon Graber's parents' house on the Island, where I took a shit in her parent's cactus. I saw the Ayis symbol. What the f*ck are you waiting for?
 
Tommy Boy and Sweet Lew: Let's go!
 
(Tommy Boy, Sweet Lew and Oakland fly to Newark in Superchum's space ship and arrive at the secret Review layer under the Scrounge, where Jimmy P., Fain, Hickey, Missy T., Rich Jones, Shozda and others are already waiting...where the hell are you?)

From Oakland L. Childers:

My site is live: www.oaklandchilders.com

From Brian Hickey:

We have a position for a full-time copy editor that just opened, pays up to mid-30s. Anybody interested in applying should get in touch with me at the address and phone number below.

Also, cut Freeman some slack. Gotta have a fellow Blue Hen's back, regardless of mistakes made. Particularly when they're man enough to own up to it.


Brian Hickey
Managing Editor/News
Philadelphia City Paper
123 Chestnut St. - Third Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(p) 215.735.8444 x211
(f) 215.875.1811

From Bill Werde:

I didn't think I would post to this board, but Ayis's resurfacing can only mean the apocalypse is nigh and time is short. Someone help me understand a couple of things. What was Freeman thinking? Most people try to hide the fact they graduated from Delaware. And for the love of god, Ayis in medicine? This guy couldn't keep computers running. Now he's working on humans?

Thanks,
Werde

From Cindy Augustine:

whatever happened to josh must've happened to me. my mac froze and i lost all my work. i'll be up all night rewriting .. gee, thanks ayis. way to help me recover a doc.

AAAAYYYYYYYIIIIIIIIISSSS

From Joshua J. Withers:

AYIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think somehow you are making my computer crash from across the country!!!!

Just typing your name made my computer scream old Maelstrom sounds and it then threatened to blow itself up.

AAAAAAYISSSSSSS!!!!!!!

From Ayis Pyrros (ayis@ayis.org):

Somehow, I came across this blog site and was surprised to see so many old familiar names, so I had to write. My name is Ayis, I worked at the review from 1996 to 1999 I think I was supposed to do something like "fix" the computers at The Review. That really didn't happen. Anyways, I finished medical school, now I work as slave labor in a hospital.

Currently I am finishing up my internship at Christiana -- and no I will not prescribe you narcotics. I am going to Chicago this coming June to complete my residency at Northwestern.

From Shaun Gallagher:

"In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness."
-- Mahatma Gandhi

I and my roommmates (Eric "Former EIC" Townsend, Jon "Former Spiritual Advisor" Tracy, Lauren Tracy, and Jessica Walters) recently meditated on these words by Indian passive-resistance icon Mr. Gandi. Clearly, we concluded, what he is saying is that it's time for us to throw another no-stops-left-unpulled party.

These next few months are teeming with holidays to celebrate, like Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observed on January 19; the Chinese New Year on January 22; Groundhog Day on February 2; Valentine's Day on February 14; President's Day on February 16; and the knock-'em-sock-'em combo of Flag Day and Mardi Gras on February 24.

Like a Unitarian-Universalist, we'll be celebrating all these holidays at once on Saturday, February 7, and we'd like to extend an invitation to all of you former Review staffers who might be in the area for business or pleasure.

Here's the low-down on the show-down:

The Pan-Holiday Party
Saturday, February 7
9:45pm until wheneverish
1200 West Creek Village Dr.,
Suite C6, Elkton, Maryland

Directions: http://pressbin.com/directions

And because I know how you kids like your parties extra sloppy, we've even given this party an official theme. We're calling it the "Mardi Luther King Valentine's Pajama Pimp and Highlighter" Party! So come dressed up in a white T-shirt, tank-top, pajama set or pimp suit. Mardi-Gras beads and highlighters will be supplied.

If you feel compelled, you may let us know you're coming by e-mailing RSVP@pressbin.com.

From Eric Townsend (ejstownsend@apexmail.com):

I've spent the past six months as the education reporter for the Cecil Whig, the first rung on the career ladder for many Review alumni. It's my first job out of the University of Maryland's journalism grad program. So let's see...master's from Maryland (Jayson Blair, Jack Kelley) and a bachelor's from UD (Mike Freeman). I'm batting 2-for-2 on the scandal list of schools.
 
Shaun Gallagher is one of my four roommates in Elkton, as well as Jon Tracy, the "spiritual adviser" during my EIC tenure. For those who predated 2000-2001, "spiritual adviser" is a rather loose term. He really should have been called "senior year roommate who hung out at the Review, got drunk with the Review and hooked up with half of the Review."
 
So six months at the Cecil Whig is really six months too long.  Anyone know of newspaper job openings between Richmond and Hartford?
 

From Oakland Childers. Re: Freeman :

I know you're all a little upset about this, but I have a plan: maybe I'll sell him a chicken, with poison interlaced with the meat.

From Ryan Cormier:

More on the Freeman story:

www.editorandpublisher.com

From Peter Bothum:
I don't know Mike Freeman. But he did admit to lying. He didn't "not graduate on time" as Bill Fleischman said. HE DID NOT GRADUATE FROM UD.
 
He needs our support? He's working at the NYT without a college degree. I think he's doing a-ok.
 
He also lied on a resume. Which prof was teaching that in 307 at UD?
 
Freeman explains why he didn't take the Indy job in this note:
 
"Late last month I left the New York Times to take a column position at the Indianapolis Star. While in the process of interviewing for the position, I filled out an application form and stated I was a graduate of the University of Delaware. I also, for the first time ever, stated this fact on my resume."These were lies. I was at the university for four years but in fact did not graduate.

"This was a terrible and unforgivable manipulation of the facts and I have resigned from my newly accepted position as columnist for the Star. It was the only time I have told such falsehoods and no other deceptions have ever appeared in any of my newspaper stories or two books at any time in my 16-years of practicing journalism. Nevertheless, the information I gave the Star was wrong and I will be punished with the loss of my newspaper career.

"There are no excuses or alibis. This is my fault and my fault alone.

"Most of all, I have hurt and disappointed close friends and family, particularly my wife, and for this I am truly sorry. I also want to apologize to the Star, especially Tim Wheatley, the assistant managing editor of sports, who treated me with such respect during the interview
process, and columnist Bob Kravitz, who helped introduce me to Tim and others at the paper."

From Jeff Pearlman:
When I was at The Review, Mike Freeman came to speak to Prof. Fleischman's sportswriting class. After he was done with the lecture, I asked if he'd be willing to critique some of my clips. The next day I sent him, oh, 25 articles, and each one came back with comments, criticisms, compliments, etc. It was above and beyond what you'd expect from a guy covering the NBA for the Times.

Beginning with my years at UD, and through today, I've considered Mike to be not only a friend, but the ultimate example that someone can rise from a small journalism program (like ours) and excel. At The Review, I would dig through the old bound versions to read everything Mike wrote, which was at a really high level. All writers need some sort of inspiration, and his success was mine.

I'm babbling. There's no point here, except that I'm still proud to have been a product of the same journalism program that produced Mike Freeman.

From Bill Fleischman:
Just trying to lend some perspective to Mike Freeman's troubles. We all knew that he didn't graduate on time from UD. I thought I had heard that later he completed work on his degree. I think the Indianapolis Star is overreacting to a mistake that Mike made in his resume.

Mike needs our support now.

From Ryan Cormier:

Does everyone have their degrees handy?

www.indystar.com

From Peter Bothum (pbothum@ydr.com):
 
Candi
Candi
Custard and berry
Candi
Peaches and creme
Candi
Glazing and cherry
Candi
Spicy and sticky
Candi
Chocolate with cheese
Candi
Custard and berry
Candi
Peaches and creme
Candi
Glazing and cherry
Candi
Custard and berry
Candi
Peaches and creme
Candi
Glazing and cherry
Candi
Chocolate with cheese
Candi, Candi
Candi, Candi
 

From Joshua J Withers (josh@joshwithers.com):

Hey gang,

Just letting you all know (if you actually give a damn) that i have relocated to LA. I set up a Digital Imaging studio (photoshop geek department) for a large advertising agency. If anybody should need
photos of anything in the LA area for a story or whatever... I'm always down.

Happy new year!