It started with a tweet from a designer who showed his disdain for the new generation of web designers who can't even write any HTML code. His tweet grew into an explosion of replies, retweets, blogs, comments, and debate on this subject. Both sides chimed in speaking of how he's right and others on how he's wrong.

I myself subscribe to his beliefs. I can't imagine doing web design without the knowledge that I've amassed in coding and just simply "how things work". I've borne witness to many incidents where a lack of knowledge in code on the part of a designer has ended up making a project into a large mess.

Turn on the news or open any news-related website, and you'll see another article about how the "working man" makes less and less while CEOs make massive paychecks with bonuses and benefits. Many claim endlessly on how unfair it all is and even scream for some kind of "action" to be taken to reign in the compensation many executives receive.

Despite the angst and poor economy on the working class, it's not a simple black-and-white matter when it comes to CEO pay. One can get angry or even jealous when they take home a modest 5-figure salary or less while some suit gets millions per year, even if he runs the company into the ground. I used to be part of the "tax the rich more!" ethos, but I had to realize this isn't so much a Robin Hood ordeal.

It's the dream of many to be their own boss.  To set their own hours.  To make the rules and call the shots when it comes to making your livelihood.  Probably since day one of when I got into Interactive Media friends, family, and even total strangers have asked why I had not just started my own firm?

Granted I sort of did and still use the name "Orpheus Studios" as a "company name" and have tried to be a web design firm in the past.  However, my experiences don't generally match up with the fantasy of sleeping late, doing work in PJs, having 4-6 hour workdays, and making amazing money.

Making the rounds on the internet lately is the story of Kelli Space.  She's 23 years old and a recent graduate of Northeastern University.  What sparked the internet into discussion about her is the fact she ran up around $200,000 in debt to get that bachelor's degree, and yet can't find a job.  Now with creditors breathing down her neck and little hope for change, she decided to try using the internet as a help.  She set up a Tumblr page at twohundredthou.com as a spot to try to get donations to help her pay her debts.

The reaction hasn't been favorable.  Many have trashed on Kelli in that she's worked up way more debt than she could ever pay off based on her major (Sociology) and how her family isn't very well-to-do.  While I do question what she's done to spend $200,000 and not have much value to employers, her story and the reaction reminds me of when I graduated college in 1997 with a Business Administration degree, and how much hell I went through to find a job.  I think many Americans don't understand yet that not only has a college degree become essential, but also we need to rethink how we look at college.

With everything else I do in my life, everything I try to learn, photography came as a shot out of left field for many who know me, but it is a skill I have taken vested interest in since I began to see the connection between photography and graphic design.  I see photography in every element of the trade.  I look at posters, ads, web sites, and I see that a lot of the visual beauty has come from the photograph.  It became imperative that I try to learn more about this aspect of my career field as a Web Designer/Developer.