The business section of today's Oregonian reprints an AP story on the fall of Franklin D. Raines. Two months ago he "swore to Congress that the organization's accounting practices were beyond reproach," says the Big O, and when the dreaded "accounting irregularities" cropped up (they're the business world's analogue to the "irreconciliable differences" of the divorce courts), he resigned on December 21.
The Oregonian tagged the story with the headline, "Collapse of Fannie Mae rising star stuns friends," implying that Mr. Raines -- by all accounts an intelligent and industrious man -- is a wunderkind, advanced beyond his years. How old is he? The article doesn't say, but a few seconds' search of other stories reveals that he will turn 56 in January.
One of our local politicians has said that "Forty is too old to be 'showing promise.'" Congratulations to the Oregonian for disagreeing, and saying that 55 is not too old to be a rising star. There's hope for me yet.