FYI: Randy has a farewell column today explaining how he took a job in Boulder, Colo., with Trout Unlimited. The job is a great combination of Randy’s interests: writing, conservation and fly fishing. “It’s an exciting new challenge and also the realization of a dream for me,” Randy wrote. “From my teenage years on, I’ve regularly plotted my escape to points west to engage in what I’m sure must look to outsiders like a pointless and even daft pursuit.”
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73 Comments
Have fun, Randy. Your loony liberal meme won’t be missed.
See ya! Watch out for the bears.
KSGolfnut
Posted September 19, 2008 at 1:20 pm | Permalink
Have fun, Randy. Your loony liberal meme won’t be missed
———————————-
Three for three:
classless,
small minded,
and petty.
No surprises there!
Beware of culture shock when leaving the plantation behind.
Lucky guy!
The good ones always leave . . .
“From my teenage years on, I’ve regularly plotted my escape to points west to engage in what I’m sure must look to outsiders like a pointless and even daft pursuit.”
On the contrary, it is a relaxing form of art of different challenges.
More real then getting suck up into an existence of high pressure, rush, rush of a pointless and daft pursuit of the industrialized world.
Good luck on your new adventure!!!
Pssst Randy, if you need any help fishin’ give ole ANTI a ring.
I’ve sure enjoyed the ride, Randy! Thank you. I always looked forward to your editorials and can’t remember that you ever disappointed! Good luck in your new adventure. Could you join us here at the blog someday? I will miss you.
Well, Randy, I’ve tweaked you on occasion (as you well know), but by and large you’ve been a thoughtful presence at the Eagle (I’m including your time on the dead-tree version, which I did read when I was in Wichita).
Haven’t been to Boulder in more than 20 years, but, if it’s stil there, do check out “the mall” when you get a chance (it’s not like any shopping mall on this Earth, thank anyone’s god!).
The downside: I’ve heard stories of the same economic disparities hitting Boulder as everywhere else. Do report back when you get a chance.
Later!
Good luck, Randy. You will be missed.
Ditto!
Hey Randy,
Swapping politicians for trout? Shouldn’t you work your way up the evolutionary scale a bit more methodically, say writing about earthworms and then flys before getting to cold-blooded vertibrate fish?
Good luck and have fun!
Jed
Scholfield,you gave them hell
now it’s time
to hit the trail!
Boulder? I thought he’d be heading to Cuba to nursemaid the poor mistreated vermin in GITMO.
Randy,
You may rest assured that the sane folks on this blog and in Wichita will continue to give the Wingnuts hell.
Godspeed and all the best as you head to the uplands from the flatlands.
p,s. Don’t tell anyone you’re from Kansas!
Looks like co-writing that puff book on the joys of Rent-a-Centers has finally paid off for Randy.
Let’s hope he does not meet up with a Grizzly with a taste for liberal meat.
Happy trails to you, until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin’ until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we’re together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.
Happy trails to you, ’till we meet again.
Some trails are happy ones,
Others are blue.
It’s the way you ride the trail that counts,
Here’s a happy one for you.
Happy trails to you, until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin’ until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we’re together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.
Happy trails to you, ’till we meet again.
Perhaps Randy can write home about the disaster that is TABOR.
Ever since Randy Brown left the Eagle’s editorial board to join the faculty at WSU, Randy Schofield’s columns have been the worse examples of elitist civic journalism that promotes exactly what the fascist class of bipartisan politicians, judges, attorneys, businessmen & non-profit agency directors want the supposedly gullible voters to believe. Unlike the stupid drivel written by Rhonda, Phil & Mark, Randy was talented and could have done a lot to help protect the citizens of Sedgwick county. Undoubtedly this is a demotion for Randy and another sign of the impending demise of the Eagle which contineus to lose money, can not be sold and is being managed by 2 incompetent women (Pam & Sherry). I will continue to make phone calls & broadcast e-mails to the Poytner Institute about the failure of the Eagle to investigate rountine civil rights atrocities in Wichita. Bill McKean kiakahahaha@yahoo.com 293-6079
One less flaming Lib. It’s a good day.
While we often disagreed, I wish you the best. Try to leave some trout in the stream, and enjoy.
I join GMC and wish the best to Randy. However, I WILL air a beef against the Eagle. With McCaltchy to do nation/world why not have the local staff dig into local news more? I’d LOVE to see some digging into City, County and State issues.
Ben,
Look to the bloggers for real journalism. The paid journalists have all sold out long ago. To Rent a centers, car dealers, the local business community, what have you.
Scholfield’s WEBlog time is done
He wrote good stuff and some to shun
To the mountains, he’s headed now
To fish the streams and tell us how
Good luck Randy.
Randy: I’m adding your name to my list of cheerleaders for the unwanted white elephant ice hockey downtown arena who have fled Wichita to avoid paying the humongous bill.
On the other hand, Randy, I do thank you for your sincere interest in trying to save the Kansas environment from BIG INDUSTRY as it tries to build more coal fired power plants and ethanol plants out in western Kansas. These plants, of course, would suck up the remaining wonderful previously-unused deep underground Ogallala aquifer drinking water.
I have wondered where in the 50 U.S. American states a person should move to, to live in still good environment. Its always great to recognize where ordinary Americans are moving to, to obtain the best parts of the American enviroment and economy.
So good luck Randy Scholfield out there in Colorado’s trout land in your new job.
Does this mean Randy will have to switch horses and be for the Holcomb plant to supply electricity to Co.?
Oh I am so glad reggie has to type it out instead of singing it on line.
I can’t blame Randy for wanting to leave this Wichita dive. Boulder is a lovely, progressive town full of intelligent liberals. So much better than the inbred, meth addicted hicks in this town who look up to Sarah Palin as an intellectual leader.
Maggot,
Why don’t you get the hell out and go to Boulder.
Don’t ever let me talk you out of going.
Good luck Randy…maybe I’ll see you someday, it’s always been our dream to retire in Colorado! You’ll be missed by those of us with rationale thoughts.
Oh, I forgot Maggot, you aren’t one of the “intelligent liberals”, simply a DimLib.
Excuse me Maggot…I’ve lived in Wichita all my life and I resent your generalization. You’re more like the cons that you hate when you make judgemental comments like that. Rise above it.
I envy you Randy. Boulder is wonderful. Who WOULD stay …here if they could go there? I will miss your words in the Eagle.
Next con I send down in flames is for you!
I’ve ALSO lived in Wichita all my life. Maggotpunk was kind in his description.
Oh for God’s sake, JR!!
You’re glass is ALWAYS so half empty…I love Wichita, it’s a great place to live and the people here are down-to-earth, friendly, and helpful.
You don’t get out much do you? Try living in a big city where people are living on top of each other in outrageously expensive apartments where there’s no space to breath…you’ll come to appreciate Wichita. It’s the perfect size city and you can even stretch out your arms without invading someone else’s personal space.
Oh Mary, don’t ask BlueJay to “stretch out your arms”, that’s more work than BlueJay is willing to do on his own, let alone move to Boulder if that’s where he would like to live.
The only way he will ever get to Boulder is if someone picks is lazy butt up and carries it there and has an entitlement check waiting.
And BlueJay,
You’ve never sent a con down in flames except in you own twisted mind. But, whatever makes you feel important….go ahead, we Cons laugh at it.
I don’t think JR is lazy or takes advantage of government entitlements…he just looks at life differently than some of us.
I think you both should try to be less judgemental of those who don’t share your views.
“For communication to take place, you have to fully understand what the other person believes and why.” Amma
“Oh Mary, don’t ask BlueJay to “stretch out your arms”, that’s more work than BlueJay is willing to do on his own”
A salesman is judging MY work ethic? I think I can take that.
For the record? The only reason I stay in Wichita is to help my widowed mother.
Also for the record? The only poster on this blog on government entitlements is of a con persuasion.
“But, whatever makes you feel important….go ahead, we Cons laugh at it.”
Nah, you react to it. Keeps you from gumming up the threads with your own drivel while I jump you through hoops chasing me.
BTH: You said above something to the effect, “With McClatchy (EAGLE’s parent company) covering national and world news, why not have the local EAGLE staff out digging into Wichita, Sedgwick County and state issues?”
Excellent idea. For one thing, perhaps they would finally get it right on the downtown white elephant ice hockey arena editorially call for stopping construction and wrapping it in concertina wire to keep out varmits.
However, right now, more sales of advertising and subscriptions to the EAGLE are needed. So my suggestion is to divide the City and County into quadrants and send the remaining reporters and editorial writers out as salespeople to help keep the EAGLE afloat.
“Buzz, buzz.” (my doorbell rings.) “Hello, I’m Phillip Brownlee dropping by to ask you to sign for an annual subscription to the Wichita EAGLE newspaper? No?”
“Wait JWink, there’s more. If you sign today, we will give you a classified advertisement in our Sunday EAGLE edition. And to clinch the deal, we’ll throw in a giant 1/2 lb. cheeseburger with a large bucket of BBQ fries. Yes? Just sign here.”
Man, JWink, even for you, your last post seemed pretty cynical. While I agree the downtown arena was not well thought out, and I also agree that newspapers are all trying to save their asses, I doubt that the editors were victims to some evil plot by downtown interests. I also do not think puffs of smoke could be seen from the bridge or anywhere else.
It just dawned on me–if Randy goes to the Rockies, he’ll be able to see what the Arkansas River looks like . . . with actual water in it.
Well, looks like Randy was smarter than I thought. Saw the writing on the wall. It must have been tough knowing your job was on the chopping block.
Have fun in Colorado, you liberal nut job. Good riddance.
Mary, good morning and thanks for your opinion.
Your post, “he just looks at life differently than some of us.”, I can certainly agree with you. I can’t even comprehend the bitter, jealous mind I see in BlueJay. As I’ve said before I would feel sorry for him except he seems to enjoy the depressing place he has created for himself.
The one thing I can commend him on is that he cares for his mother…that is praiseworthy, even biblical, if he is sacrificing for her and not using her in someway. I hope he doesn’t stop because I pointed out the biblical admonition to do so.
Mary, I don’t want to dislike anyone on this blog, it is not my nature, nor is it healthy for me, but there are some that I sincerely think have views and attitudes that are destructive to our country, themselves and everyone around them.
BlueJay is one.
By the way BlueJay, your condescending comment about “saleman” and their work ethic shows your complete lack of knowledge of the subject.
Yes I am a medical salesperson, I also have a 4 year degree in business administration and hold an advanced registration with a state license in in one paramedical specialty and another national certification in a completely different medical specialty, all so I can be an effective salesman and a service to my customers.
What do you do that makes you my judge?
Randy will probably not be replaced.
This is a staff reduction at the Eagle.
All print media is cutting back.
Print media depends on advertisers, who are getting tired of the liberal spin.
Print media used to be read, heavily, by conservatives.
Conservatives are in revolt against print media.
Just watch! I doubt they get a replacement for Randy.
Maggots make good fish bate, last time I tried it.
You catch more catfish and bottom feeders. Have not tried Maggots with trout. Trout like things with wings on them.
Maybe when Maggot grows up, he will be a common house fly?
Franklin
Posted September 20, 2008 at 8:46 am | Permalink
Newspapers are OLD technology.
TAX newsprint! Use that tax revenue to subsidize interent access.
TAX newsprint! Use that tax revenue to subsidize methane extraction, from landfills, where all of those newspapers end up.
Newspapers chop down trees.
Gasoline and diesel fuel are used, to transport those trees to the paper mill.
Paper manufacturing uses more energy, and water, and causes more pollution.
The newsprint is transported to the printing presses, using up more fossil fuels.
Ink, and the solvents used in the printing processs, use up energy, and cause pollution.
Then, the finished newspapers require the use of fossil fuels, as they are distributed.
Hauling these newspapers to the dump requires more use of energy!
TAX newsprint!
TAX the Eagle!
Newspapers are OLD, outdated technology.
Lets think about the future!
Good, he should fit in well with those libs. Too bad they all don’t move out there.
Confirmed.
My mother and her neighbor have canceled their subscriptions to the Eagle.
The understanding is the Eagle will gear itself more toward…ugh…business interests.
Who the hell cares about that?
I wish you and your family all the best. A new chapter awaits the new challenges ahead that is coming for you. But I’m sure you are heading towards a career you will love.
Your family at the Eagle and all of your loyal readers will surely miss you.
Don’t let the door hit you on the a*/ on the way out!
So long, farewell
Auf Weidersehen, goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Last one out,
turn off the lights.
The Eagle is closing.
A replacement for Randy? How about Obama’s half-brother living in a hut in Kenya? Then the Eagle would finally have some color on its board, as it hypocritically demands of the GOP, and that guy is probably as far to the Left as Mr. Autodealing Rentacenter fawning Scholfield.
Goodbye Randy your lib newspaper is falling down all around you. Trout fishing is good in CO.
Oh, don’t you all wish it were true?
I never have seen such angry people in my life as the neoconservatives…watching them debate is like watching the Jerry Springer show….insults, name calling, and putdowns is their favorite entertainment.
Few of you can make a point without calling someone else a derogatory name….no imagination and short on intelligence.
Good observation Mary. I bet if Castillo were leaving and we on the ‘left’ were posting such mean-spirited comments they would be all over us for it.
I think I read somewhere that Castillo did leave — took full-time employment elsewhere, but would still be a contributor to the Eagle.
Is anyone worried that a city our size might really be in big enough trouble that we won’t have a newspaper?
We all know newspapers are OLD news, but I have a habit of holding that old news in my hands, reading it wherever I am…
ONLY IF our local newspaper becomes nothing interesting will I quit this long-term habit.
Put down me down as someone who doesn’t cheer the death of newspapers. Even newspapers with an arguably conservative slant.
The reasons are complex: quite frankly, a little too complex for me to blurt out in a quick missive, particularly when I have other pressing things to do. Some cream-of-consciousness text bytes follow.
Internet explosion. Inability to respond to the new model. Media consolidation. Merger-mania. Tabloidization. Profit at any cost. Eyeballs. Bread and circuses. Fear.
Before: It’s a party, and you’re not invited, but we’ll let you watch, when you get bored with Britney and Anna Nicole and Paris.
After: Uhm. . .please stop watching.
Eagle, take heed. I suspect the proles already have, but maybe, just maybe, enlightenment will trickle up.
P.S. I give McClatchy (the former Knight-Ridder) a better chance than most to get that rant, seeing how their national reporters saw what an obvious scam the Iraq war was.
Speaking of McClatchy Corporation, the parent company of the EAGLE newspaper, the Kansas City STAR plus some 30 other newspapers …. does any one on this WE Blog have a list of Wichita EAGLE employees who are leaving or have left already?
I heard some names at the Riverside Cafe this morning but probably gossip, no confirmation. I believe we are seeing a historic meltdown of the newspaper industry in addition to the financial industry that is making national headlines.
The meltdown of AIG Financial Corporation affects me personally because I have a small insurance policy with them that I will most likely cancel soon.
These are tough times for many and others might not see the economic recession train wreck coming towards them yet.
Might be a good time to alter the downtown arena to a giant depression era soup kitchen. Perhaps the ten new $100,000 (each) Zambonis could be used to pull soup kitchen patrons through downtown to the various bus stops.
#
JWink
Posted September 20, 2008 at 7:54 pm | Permalink
Speaking of McClatchy Corporation, the parent company of the EAGLE newspaper, the Kansas City STAR plus some 30 other newspapers …. does any one on this WE Blog have a list of Wichita EAGLE employees who are leaving or have left already?
I heard some names at the Riverside Cafe this morning but probably gossip, no confirmation. I believe we are seeing a historic meltdown of the newspaper industry in addition to the financial industry that is making national headlines.
The meltdown of AIG Financial Corporation affects me personally because I have a small insurance policy with them that I will most likely cancel soon.
These are tough times for many and others might not see the economic recession train wreck coming towards them yet.
Might be a good time to alter the downtown arena to a giant depression era soup kitchen. Perhaps the ten new $100,000 (each) Zambonis could be used to pull soup kitchen patrons through downtown to the various bus stops.
——————–
I guess instead of having ‘hockey moms’ Wichita will have ‘hockey Bums’ wandering around the arena.
Maggotpunk
Posted September 19, 2008 at 8:00 pm | Permalink
I can’t blame Randy for wanting to leave this Wichita dive. Boulder is a lovely, progressive town full of intelligent liberals. So much better than the inbred, meth addicted hicks in this town who look up to Sarah Palin as an intellectual leader.
I think your talking about the dying town of Pratt, KS.
Imagine a world without the media. No journalists. Gone because they are too expensive and everything is on line and it is free.
Instead we will just have this blogger or that blogger spouting uninformed opinions or just making crap up. See it enough and it’s the truth to many. And they will only tune into what supports their preconceived biases.
Journalists are needed. They serve as a baseline. Otherwise will we even know what is really occurring? Can lines of disagreement even be drawn?
I fear reality is becoming more and more blurred in this brave new world. The information age. You know what they say about too much information.
Yes, someone has to do the work of Pravda. Who would lie to us if we had no print media?
“Who would lie to us if we had no print media?”
Exploitive employers is my personal experience.
Poor as I am, I refuse to sell my freedom to make someone else money.
Randy, May all your politicians be on ice, and all your trout wild:-)
outlander posted September 20, 2008 at 8:16 pm
“Imagine a world without the media. No journalists. Gone because they are too expensive and everything is on line and it is free.
Instead we will just have this blogger or that blogger spouting uninformed opinions or just making crap up. See it enough and it’s the truth to many. And they will only tune into what supports their preconceived biases.
Journalists are needed. They serve as a baseline. Otherwise will we even know what is really occurring? Can lines of disagreement even be drawn?”
———–
Actually, some blogs are much more informed, credible, and accurate than some of the “journalists”. For example,
http://www.dailyhowler.com
Many journalists are overworked, and don’t have the time to do the needed research. Some others are just lazy.
“See it enough and it’s the truth to many” also applies to falsehoods spread by MSM.
“And they will only tune into what supports their preconceived biases.” = Faux, Rush Limbaugh, et al.
From the farewell column:
“I’ve been laying down lines here for a good stretch, and I’ve enjoyed every minute. It’s time to move on and see what’s around the next bend.”
———
Very well said.
Thank you Mr. Scholfield, for your excellent columns, and blog headers.
Best wishes on your new job, and helping trout conservation.
“Poor as I am, I refuse to sell my freedom to make someone else money.”
Blue jay playing the martyr doesn’t become you.”
I work for someone who makes money off my labor,not a problem. He pays me very well for my work and has never once asked me to give up my freedom.
Your statement is just more proof that you don’t want to provide for yourself and your son. Quit playing the victim and take some personal responsibilty for your situation
“BlueJay’s” rhetoric is a bit over-the-top, but you CONs’ condemnation of his attitude is worse.
“BlueJay” simply expresses the mindset of the entrepreneur.
“I don’t want to work for someone else,” is far from a radical idea. “I want to be my own boss,” is about as American as it gets.
Realistically, anyone engaged in any commerce is beholden to whomever gives you money for what you sell. But regardless of what your employer pays you, s/he’s skimming off the top of whatever you contribute to the business.
Like when I was in the ad biz. I got paid well; something like $50-$75 per hour. My boss billed our clients between $100-150 per hour for my work. That discrepancy afforded me a nice office, rent-free, a nice benefits package, support staff, secure parking, health club membership, a lot of club memberships, built-in credibility from the firm’s reputation (to which I contributed).
As a freelancer I’m a bargain at $100 per hour, but I have to pay for my own insurance, office space, phone, equipment, internet, the other half of Social Security… But as an entrepreneur I can decide when to take the day off and I can turn down a client if I don’t like working with them. (That’s happened only a couple of times, but it’s an incredibly liberating feeling.)
The CONs’ abuse of “BlueJay” reveals the truth of Thomas Frank’s journalism. It’s indicative of the herd mentality of wage slavery; you don’t have to outrun the lioness, you merely have to outrun the slowest wildebeest in the herd.
As the old adage says, “Unless you’re the lead sled dog, your only view of the world is a$$holes.”
MH,
I respectfull disagree. You are an entrepreneur,and to conratulated on you success. I envy your skill,however I’m quite happy doing wehat I do.
The issue I take with Blue Jay is that it’s always someone elses fault and that the government should take money from us to provide him with things he doesn’t have or thinks he needs(health insurance) instead of working for them.
personally I have nothing against him and even admire him for sticking to his guns like he does,but refusing to associate with people who don’t think like him is just sad and very narrow minded