Renegade Rip

Issue date: 4/30/04 Section: J-Day

Media Credit: Roger Hornback George Ramos, chairman of the Cal Poly Journalism Department, talks about his university´s program at J-Day.

George Ramos has had 3,000 wives - give or take - which he keeps securely in his back pocket. One at a time of course.

Ramos, who was reporter at the Los Angeles Times for 25 years, finds it crucial to have his spiral-bound Professional Reporter's Notebook with him at all times. Thus, he lovingly refers to his notebook as "his wife."

Even in times of utter chaos, Ramos can be found with his trusted notebook in hand. In 1994, turmoil broke loose in Los Angeles due to the verdict of the Rodney King case. Buildings were being raided and violence erupted everywhere. But Ramos didn't panic. He just wrote everything down.

"I looked up and saw a man with a .22-caliber pistol and he was pointing it at me" said Ramos. "Now what do you do? So I wrote it down in my notebook: 'Man with gun, pointing at me.' I told him I am a reporter, and I am going to continue to do my job."

Now the chairman of the Journalism Department at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Ramos enjoys sharing his experience with young writers.

"I've got no Ph.D., I've got no master's," he said. "I've got 31 years of journalism experience, three Pulitzer prizes, and the best stories you'll ever hear."

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