Peninsula Daily News for Sunday, November 28, 2010
Commentary
Page
A10
‘Action Pile’ taught me inaction MY FIRST JOB after college was as assistant to the editor of an alternative newsweekly, much like the Village Voice. This was in the pre-InterMark net glory days when prostiBazer tutes bought countless classified ads because, of course, of their firm belief that only an alternative press could hold our government and the mainstream press accountable. My job was essentially secretarial, but every so often they’d throw me a bone and let me cover something no one else wanted to. Perhaps you’ve read my review of “Operation Dumbo Drop”? Hey, every great newsman has
to begin somewhere, and so do people like me. Anyhow, it was there that my boss, the editor-in-chief, whose work (and sometimes personal) life I was charged with keeping organized, introduced me to the greatest invention known to man — at least prior to the Shark Portable Steam Pocket. He called it The Action Pile. The Action Pile was a stack of papers on my desk where I would put the daily deluge of nonurgent letters, requests, invitations, etc., sent my editor’s way. Then every several months, after gentle prodding by me and after my boss had had a few martinis over lunch, we would attack The Action Pile. We would answer one or two of the most important letters and return a few others to The Action Pile for future consideration. But by the time we looked at the Pile, the bulk of the contents were way past their expiration date — half-baked pitches for
Speaking Out
stories on an election that had since passed, invitations to an opening reception at a restaurant that had since closed, requests for internships from students who had since graduated and started families. Those letters we would throw out. At first, The Action Pile drove me, new and innocent to the working world and official adulthood, crazy. HOW COULD WE BEHAVE SO RECKLESSLY? WHAT IF A PROSTITUTE HAD ACCIDENTALLY SENT US HER PAYMENT FOR HER AD? But over time, I noticed a funny thing happened. Nothing. Nobody ever got into trouble. No lives were ruined. Nobody even called to complain. (Well, one guy kept calling, but I just wrote his messages on those pink While You Were Out
slips and added them to the Pile.) And most important, a solid newspaper came out each week, even when I was entrusted with the review of the movie “Dunston Checks In.” (“The bad news for the talented Dunston,” the 22-year-old me wrote, “is that from now on, he’ll be typecast as an orangutan.”) Today, the recent college grad handling The Action Pile at my old job probably does so online — no longer having to contend with the tragicomic Leaning Tower of Pisa of papers that nearly blocked my view of the rest of the newsroom. But I still like to picture in my mind The Action Pile that I knew, especially when the weight of life’s to-do list threatens to send me into a panic. Then I say a silent thank-you to my old boss, turn on the TV or pick up a book and put off my correspondence for another day,
preferably one before a Collection Agency makes contact. In today’s world — where everyone (yes, right, including me) is clamoring for everyone else’s attention — The Action Pile deserves a place not just in cluttered newsrooms but on every desk in America. And so with the holidays upon us, with the onslaught of solicitations, invitations and other miscellany set to come your way, I am here to ask: Isn’t it time you started one? ________ Mark Bazer is a humorist who hosts “The Interview Show,” a Chicago-based talk show available at www.huffingtonpost.com. He is one of the four columnists who appear here every Sunday. Contact him at mebazer@ gmail.com or at Tribune Media Services, Attn: Mark Bazer, 435 N. Michigan Ave. Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60611.
How upset are you about airport security pat-downs and body screens?
Bobbi Breithaupt
Dave Peterson
Janine Sanford
Dondi Shofstall
Lisa Worthey
Hugh Haffner
R. J. McConnell
Melvin Ashue
Travel agent Sequim
Retired engineer Port Townsend
Truck driver Sequim
Social worker Port Angeles
Para-educator Forks
“I’m not terribly upset. I think this screening is necessary for our security, and I believe it is well worth a little personal inconvenience to be safe.”
“I’m not upset. I think they should do it. Safety first. They can do whatever it takes for safety, especially in this day and age.”
“I’d rather do the full body scan than pat-downs. I just don’t want people’s hands on me. It’s sad to have to do this. Terrorists are probably laughing at what they’ve done to us.”
A Clallam PUD commissioner and retired lawyer, Port Angeles
Accountant Sequim
“I think it’s a good thing they’re doing. I’d rather they find a situation on the ground than at 35,000 feet in the air. It’s OK to take the extra time. Better safe than sorry.”
High school track coach Port Townsend
“Spend the extra time and money on something else. Going through a metal detector is enough. Everyone’s being treated like a criminal because of some bad apples out there.”
“As long as I’m safe, they need to take the extra precautions. I’m not afraid of a full body scan. In fact, I think it would be kind of cool. I never even flew until I was 25.”
“I’m very upset. We’ve made a decision to not fly much. It’s such a hassle and takes a lot of time. We bought a motor home to avoid airports.”
“Doesn’t upset me. The issue is that there is such a probable threat that we have to resort to more stringent measures. It’s a sad thing, but it’s better than doing less.”
Interviews
Peninsula Voices Teachers’ worth
Finland. Finland has the best The media often equates educational system in the teacher effectiveness to student test scores; “Teach- world, the funding of which is unequivocal top priority. ers’ Degree Bonuses To Education is nurture of Stop? Gates Criticizes Penour children, schools are sions, Seniority, School not corporations, and Bill Budgets,” (Nov. 21 PDN). What such analysis fails Gates is not an educator. Many students have to consider are the beliefs emotional and physical and situational conditions concerns on their minds, of the student that have a primary effect on their aca- not academic achievement. Until these are demic performance. addressed, they will not Students who are neglected, underfed, abused perform well on assess(or abusing) rarely perform ments. When schools provide well academically. adequate psychological Why should such test support for students and scores be equated with potentially for parents as teacher performance? well, then there might be Today’s educators are justification for implying some of the best prepared in the history of the United teacher effectiveness can be measured by test scores. States. Teachers pay an Luci Chambers, average of $50,000 for their Port Angeles education, which includes a master’s degree and takes Bridge name five years to complete. I was happy to hear That educators are not that Clallam County is valued enough to compenreceiving $807,800 for retsate is unconscionable. rofitting the McDonald Teachers work well beyond the stated building Creek Bridge on Old Olympic Highway. hours, completing report Perhaps this would be cards, preparing conferthe appropriate time to corences, attending teacher rect the signage at the meetings, volunteering on creek from “McDonnell committees, etc. Creek” to McDonald Creek? If education were truly Pretty please? important to our society, education would be a Cheryl Hamilton national priority, as it is in Port Angeles
Peninsula Daily News John C. Brewer Editor and Publisher
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This is a complicated matter, said Clallam County Engineer Ross Tyler, and for the county the correct name has to do only with the bridge. Here’s Tyler’s explanation: “The county has the bridge name recorded as ‘McDonald Creek bridge.’ “We have, over the years, received requests to change the name to McDonnell Creek Bridge from those who believe that is the correct name. “However, we have not done so, and I believe that either name could be used. “Between 1990 and 1995, the county road department was approached by noted county historian Harriet Fish, who indicated that the correct name for what was then named the McDonnell Creek Bridge should in fact actually be named the McDonald Creek Bridge, as the creek’s correct name was McDonald Creek. “The county changed bridge name in its records to reflect that correction, and it is currently identified as such. “Some years ago, a reporter on the Sequim Gazette did much research on the history of the McDonald and the McDonnell names and shared with
Our readers’ letters, faxes me that both families homesteaded on the creek. “One was at the mouth, and the other was in the area between the Old Olympic Highway and what is now U.S. Highway 101. “The information contained in the obituary of Joseph McDonnell indicates that he homesteaded at the mouth of the creek. “I believe the indications were that the McDonalds were the first to homestead, hence ‘McDonald Creek.’ “It is not impossible, but is somewhat cumbersome, to change the name of a county bridge due to the fact that this name (McDonald Creek Bridge) has been used as the bridge’s identifying name for many years and is identified as such within the Federal Highway Administration data base.” EDITOR’S ADDITION: The Washington State Board on Geographic Names was charged with establishing the official names of geographic features (lakes, mountains, streams, places, towns) in the state. State residents could nominate names of unnamed places, or name changes, and the board, part of the Department of Natural Resources, would
News Department Main office: 305 W. First St., P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362 ■ Leah Leach, managing editor/news, 360-417-3531 ■ Roy Tanaka, news editor, 360-417-3539 ■ Brad LaBrie, sports editor; 360-417-3525 ■ Diane Urbani de la Paz, features editor; 360-417-3550 ■ General information: 360-417-3527 or 800-826-7714, Ext. 527 News fax: 360-417-3521 E-mail: news@peninsuladailynews.com Sequim office: 150 S. Fifth Ave., Suite 2 (98382) ■ Jeff Chew, Sequim/Dungeness Valley editor, 360-681-2391; jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com Port Townsend office: 1939 E. Sims Way (98368) ■ Charlie Bermant, Jefferson County reporter, 360-385-2335; charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com ■ Julie C. McCormick, contributing freelance reporter, 360-382-4645; juliemccormick10@gmail.com ■ Jennifer Jackson, Port Townsend Neighbor columnist, 360-379-5688; jjackson@olypen.com
by
Dave Logan
and
Steve Mullensky
and e-mail
review them. But in May the board was abolished by Gov. Chris Gregoire as a budget measure. Washington is now the only state in the union without a local names board or naming authority.
rates. I would add that this is true for Medicaid patients as well. Thank you, government, for the unintended (?) consequences. Carol Foss, Port Angeles
Medicare referral
Fishing woes
Is this a look at the future? I am a Medicare patient with a need to see a specialist. I got a referral from my physician. On the subsequent telephone interview, I was asked for my insurance information. I was told that the next available Medicare appointment was in March. Now, this is not an emergency, and I can wait until March. But that is beside the point I wish to make. I was not asked why I needed to see the doctor until after the appointment was set. Aren’t I glad this can wait? We are now seeing rationing of care. Not by the federal government, but by medical care providers who cannot afford to see Medicare patients because of totally unrealistic reimbursement
I can’t imagine doing away with the Snider Creek broodstock program. We need every fish in the river we can get. They are talking about closing some of our hatcheries when we should be building new ones. The state gets all this government money for our fish, and we waste it restoring small streams that don’t even have fish in them. There is nothing wrong with hatchery fish. I have an article from In-Fisherman magazine that says in the 1999 Lake Ontario Derby, it took a 40-pound king to take 10th place. A 42½-pounder took first. These were not wild fish. Larry Breitbach, Port Angeles Turn
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