October 24, 2004: Headlines: COS - Panama: Journalism: Shackle: Panama RPCV Charley Stough watches the news

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Panama: Peace Corps Panama : The Peace Corps in Panama: October 24, 2004: Headlines: COS - Panama: Journalism: Shackle: Panama RPCV Charley Stough watches the news

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-141-157-21-111.balt.east.verizon.net - 141.157.21.111) on Saturday, November 06, 2004 - 2:27 pm: Edit Post

Panama RPCV Charley Stough watches the news

Panama RPCV Charley Stough watches the news

Panama RPCV Charley Stough watches the news

STOUGH AND NONSENSE

Texan newspaperman Charley Stough tells us he pronounces his name to rhyme with dough, while another branch of his family tree thinks it rhymes with bough. We wish we had known that two years ago, when we wrote about the plight of people named Hitchmough, Whatmough, Ough and Rough.

We would have been tempted to remark that a newshound named Stough (if the name rhymed with tough) might be an ideal editor for the New Zealand news website STUFF, or the award-winning US website in Atlanta, Georgia, HOW STUFF WORKS.

After Charley read last month's story about the Texan town named Uncertain, he sent us an interesting email, commenting: "Fascinating find! Uncertain is well in keeping with the style of the US Southwest 1850-1950 - before air conditioning brought in hordes of ordinary people.

"My family were Arizona desert folk, probably like those who named and inhabited Uncertain. They tell of a neighbor who lived too far from a road to get a telephone, so he hooked his shack to the back of his Jeep and dragged it closer."

Charley edits Newsgorilla, "a periodical about the news business -- working in it, reading it, defending it, criticizing it, getting dumped on by it, living it," and a blog called BONG (Burned Out Newspapercreatures Guild). Both publications are guaranteed to entertain people like us who have printers' ink in their veins. But he isn't interested only in the written word. He's a man of many and varied talents.

An art dealer's website says: "He has lived in eight states and four foreign countries, and has worked as a steelcutter, brickmason, reporter, artist, editor, photographer and courtroom interpreter. He is known worldwide as a journalist and humorist, and much of his watercolor and acrylic art reflects a subtle humor, a graphic rendering of the writing style of his first career.

"The cartoons on this page are by Charles Stough, a PCV [Peace Corps Volunteer] in Panama 1964-66, who worked with a co-op building Cinva-Ram homes near Juan Diaz.

"After Peace Corps he became a newspaperman and is now in semi-retirement in San Antonio, Texas, where he paints and writes while his wife Alicia, a Panamanian, participates in every festival she can join.

"He did a cartoon every week or so for the PC office in Panama starting in 1965. He says 'I think my technique has improved since then, but these are the authentic drawings.'"

These days, Charley combines art with gardening. His backyard is full of gourd vines. "I'm growing gourds so that they can be dried, carved and painted to form birdhouses and other artsy things," he told us.

"Many gourders' birdhouses are quite attractive, decorated with dainty florals and landscape scenes. I, on the other hand, do a lot with snarling sharks' and bats' faces, especially mouths. They scare off some birds, but are attractive to lawyers."

Finally, we found another website, which said: "If you haven't seen Charley Stough's newsletter, you must. The BONG Bull ... is full of irreverent humor, honed to satisfy a journalist's cynical sensibilities; lots of newsroom yesteryear nuggets; and lately, plugs for Charley's mystery novel, Warm Spit, 'a novel of Texas crime and culture.' He'll tell you to buy it at www.booksamillion.com because of the bookseller's speedy delivery and, of course, because it's a great book."
Links
bullet Photo and bio
bullet Newsgorilla
bullet Paintings
bullet Decorated gourd
bullet Stuff (New Zealand)
bullet How Stuff Works (US)
bullet Names are so Tough for Hitchmough and Rough



Story first posted September 2004

Copyright © 2004


Eric Shackle





When this story was posted in November 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Your vote makes a difference Your vote makes a difference
Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.
Kerry reaches out to Returned Volunteers Kerry reaches out to Returned Volunteers
The Kerry campaign wants the RPCV vote. Read our interview with Dave Magnani, Massachusetts State Senator and Founder of "RPCVs for Kerry," and his answers to our questions about Kerry's plan to triple the size of the Peace Corps, should the next PC Director be an RPCV, and Safety and Security issues. Then read the "RPCVs for Kerry" statement of support and statements by Dr. Robert Pastor, Ambassador Parker Borg, and Paul Oostburg Sanz made at the "RPCVs for Kerry" Press Conference.

RPCV Carl Pope says the key to winning this election is not swaying undecided voters, but persuading those already willing to vote for your candidate to actually go to the polls.

Take our poll and tell us what you are doing to support your candidate.

Finally read our wrap-up of the eight RPCVs in Senate and House races around the country and where the candidates are in their races.

Director Gaddi Vasquez:  The PCOL Interview Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview
PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before.

Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security.
Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention
Governor Schwarzenegger praised the Peace Corps at the Republican National Convention: "We're the America that sends out Peace Corps volunteers to teach village children." Schwarzenegger has previously acknowledged his debt to his father-in-law, Peace Corps Founding Director Sargent Shriver, for teaching him "the joy of public service" and Arnold is encouraging volunteerism by creating California Service Corps and tapping his wife, Maria Shriver, to lead it. Leave your comments and who can come up with the best Current Events Funny?
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Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and can you come up with a Political Funny?


Read the stories and leave your comments.






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Story Source: Shackle

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Panama; Journalism

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