text:
If the lack you sense in your family life is harsh bickering, don't wait to take in "Grown Ups," a serio-comedy by Jules Feiffer that opened last night at the Lyceum. It should fill your sorry needs at least through the holidays.
Feiffer can write with humor and a fair degree of accuracy, though neither the lines nor situations in "Grown Ups" rings entirely true. This nagging work is basically concerned with the rotten mess parents make of bringing up children. The family that preys on each other stays together seems to be his credo.
It is a play full of undeveloped themes. But essentially it is the story of Jake (Bob Dishy), a New York Times feature writer who dwells with his wife Louise (Cheryl Giannini) and their eight-year-old daughter Edie (Jennifer Dundas) on West End Ave., and who is writing a book tracing the "disintegration of the American dream" back to the cold war. You can tell he works for The Times because there's no TV in the living room, but an Agatha Christie paperback in use.
When we first meet Jake it is in the kitchen of the New Rochelle home of his housewifely sister Marilyn (Kate McGregor-Stewart), who is entertaining the family. Louise has remained in the city with Edie, but Jake's (and Marilyn's) parents, Jack (Harold Gould) and Helen (Frances Sternhagen), are there. It is suggested that both Jake and Jack have a drinking problem, but that isn't developed. What is developed is a deep-seated feeling of alienation on Jake's part, and to a lesser degree on Marilyn's, toward their parents, who talk in platitudes. Jack is forever asking "What's new?" and Helen is forever chiding. Andrew Jackness' cheery set and Paul Gallo's sunny lighting were evidently felt essential to lighten this dreary scene.
The rest of the play takes place later with Jake having given up drinking (so has Jack, following a heart attack) and with the book now in galley proofs. Jake and Louise quarrel bitterly about their child; she feels he bends to Edie's every whim and he feels she pays too little attention to the girl. The closing scene takes place on the following Sunday when Marilyn and the parents have come to visit. More bickering, building to almost open warfare and, finally, to a couple of declarations by Jake - they're like a one-two punch - that shock the whole family and bring the curtain down rather arbitrarily on an exceedingly untidy, though insistent, piece of playwriting.
While the family is quite evidently meant to be a middle-class Jewish one, the ethnic aspect isn't stressed, either because Feiffer feels the situation is general or because he didn't want to give in to touches of easy humor. Nevertheless, the ethnic humor is latent in much of the play, and might better have been allowed richer expression. As it is, we get some pure examples and some not-so-pure ones (mother to son: "If we gave you all the privacy you wanted, today you wouldn't know a soul").
But beneath the general lack of understanding among these people, and the theme of parents' insufficiency, "Grown Ups" is really a work about several very selfish people, the most selfish of all being Jake, who must somehow feel the need to fulfill himself, even at everybody else's expense. The real play here lies too deep in the background.
Dishy, who created his role in a regional theater production, is quite good as Jake, and Cheryl Giannini, who was also in the earlier production, makes an extremely effective and appealing Louise. Harold Gould is perfectly in character as the haberdasher father, but Frances Sternhagen, though she gives a very assured performance is woefully miscast as the mother. Kate McGregor-Stewart plays the relatively minor part of the sister engagingly, and Jennifer Dundas is that rare commodity, a child actress who is not only unobjectionable but actually likable in a slightly bratty role.
John Madden's direction is obvious but acceptable.
"Grown Ups" shows us how ingrown and vicious family relationships can become, but shows us little else. It is a play full of larger implications shied away from.
One idly supposes that Jules Feiffer writes comedies, although one equally idly suspects that he does not. Perhaps he sees himself as a Neil Simon for grown-ups, although he might well shudder at that thought. Simon is not well-liked in the intellectual set.
Incidentally, Feiffer's new play is actually called Grown Ups. It opened at the Lyceum Theater last night, and despite its supposedly fearlessly frank ending I am confident it is meant to be funny. Indeed there is even one genuinely funny joke - it is about privacy and comes at around 10:05. Better late than never.
Does one have to like characters in a comedy? I think so. From Plautus to Shakespeare to Orton, the comedians have been likeable guys. Now the hero and heroine of Grown Ups are conceivably the theater's most unpleasant duo since the Macbeths. But everyone in the play is someone to be avoided at all costs. They are ugly-hearted cliches.
Now I am not saying that Feiffer did not grow up in a Jewish household exactly like the one depicted here - although if he did it was extraordinarily careless of him. Doubtless in real life people do say: "Am I right, or am I right?" It may even be one of Feiffer's favorite expressions - but it is a joke of debased coinage.
He even treats us to a Philadelphia joke and a Groucho Marx imitation. Not a moment of dog-eared unreality in urban American/Jewish folklore is missed. Half-truths pitter-patter like rain drops.
The hero - so tortured it seems that he can't raise the guts to go to the shrink that surely awaits him - is a reporter on the New York Times. And he is writing a book - approved by David Halberstam and John Kenneth Galbraith, no less - on the "moral and ethical disintegration of the American dream - basically." This guy hasn't got the brains to be a good copy boy - he is a bundle of neuroses tied up with cheap abrasiveness.
The theme of the play is that hoary old monster the generation gap. Jake's life has been ruined by his horribly oppressive parents, Helen and Jack. They are awful. But then it is one of those plays where everyone deserves everyone else.
Now we all know that Feiffer can write good satirical plays - his Little Murders and The White House Murder Case early on marked him out as a dramatic talent with a genuinely barbed taste for political satire. But his attempts to write a parable - Knock, Knock! - and this self-indulgent naturalistic drama have merely a manic, at times splenetic energy that tires rather than enlightens.
John Madden has directed the play entirely on one level of heat, which is probably what the playwright wanted, and the settings by Andrew Jackness - New Rochelle and West End Avenue - resemble nothing so much as backgrounds for TV commercials, which may also have been requested.
As for the actors, all of them highly accomplished, the poor dears have all been given the wrong end of an ethnic shtick and try to run with it as if it were a peculiarly juicy bone. Even some poor young kid playing an emergent, lower-drawer Jewish American Princess is permitted to carry odiousness beyond the rights of the species.
One exception. Don't ask me how he does it, but even when he is mugging with the worst of them, Bob Dishy somehow gives the embattled reporter some crazy vulnerability and a precious touch of credibility. But it is a disappointing play. I mean, when did you last hear a good joke about an enema - I mean a joke that was meant to be funny, not merely descriptive.
''Grown Ups'' is a new play by Jules Feiffer, and, yes, it is funny - savagely funny. That's Mr. Feiffer's way. But the laughter has a different ring this time - about halfway up the throat it turns into a gasp.
This is no exaggeration. No matter how inured you may be to Mr. Feiffer's style, you still may not be quite prepared for the ferocious comedy that opened at the Lyceum last night. In ''Grown Ups,'' Mr. Feiffer has narrowed his focus from the social fabric of modern America to the psychological fabric of one Jewish-American family. And by turning inward, he has written his most moving and provocative work. Mr. Feiffer is out for blood in ''Grown Ups,'' and he won't quit until he gets it. Indeed, this play soon becomes one long piercing cry of rage.
The embodiment of that rage is Jake, a New York Times reporter brilliantly played by Bob Dishy. ''Grown Ups'' unfolds over a year in which he prods his seemingly happy life until it falls apart. What does Jake have to complain about? On the surface, not much. He has a fine wife, a precocious 9-year-old daughter, an immaculate Upper West Side apartment and parents who dote on his every word. His career is in high gear: he's just begun his magnum opus, a book about ''the moral and ethical disintegration of the American dream.''
When we first meet Jake, he is right in the center of that dream. Mr. Feiffer's Act I is set in the New Rochelle kitchen of the hero's sister (Kate McGregor-Stewart) - a sunny, spic-and-span picture of suburban bliss. Jake's family has gathered for a party, and his parents, Helen (Frances Sternhagen) and Jack (Harold Gould), can't get enough of their middle-aged son and his accomplishments. When Jake announces that he is not only writing a book but is also interviewing Henry Kissinger for Esquire, his grasping mother and Willy Loman of a father swoon with joy.
Yet something is wrong, and Jake knows it. No matter how successful he may be, he can never satisfy his parents. When his mother recovers from her swoon, she immediately starts to look forward to the day when ''Henry Kissinger will interview Jake.'' And, as ''Grown Ups'' gathers force, we see that the American dream is not just disintegrating in the world beyond -but within Mr. Feiffer's protagonist. Jake hates himself for having lived by his parents' values - like Helen and Jack, he has pursued success because it is easier to achieve than love.
But what can be done? As the hero half-jokingly tells his sister, he can't escape his parents' legacy by killing them: that's a ''short-range solution.'' Nor can he talk to them; they hear him only when he has a new accomplishment to recite.
As ''Grown Ups'' moves from New Rochelle to Jake's apartment, the hero decides instead to sever every bond in his life. What follows are two grueling battles in which Jake lashes out at his wife, Louise (Cheryl Giannini), and then at his parents. By the end, Jake's storms have kindled a full conflagration: Three generations of a family are locked in an unstoppable round-robin of emotional mayhem - spewing out the previously unarticulated hostilities of five lifetimes at a Sunday brunch.
Mr. Feiffer's Freudian stance is not new, of course: in every miserable grown-up like Jake, there is still the miserable child he can't escape. Nor is the Jewish family of ''Grown Ups'' particularly novel. While the playwright has his own bitter variations, Helen and Jack - products of their own legacy from ''the old country'' - are of a piece with the fearsome parents in the novels of Philip Roth and Joseph Heller.
What gives ''Grown Ups'' its force is its author's ability to construct his exit-less maze of emptiness and guilt in precise, theatrically daring terms. With Strindbergian verve, he strips away exposition and other debris of the conventional well-made play to achieve emotional versimilitude. There are no scenes of ''plot'' or ''character development.'' Instead of tidying up and explaining his protagonist's crisis, Mr. Feiffer plunges into it - demanding that the audience follow, kicking and questioning if need be, behind him.
When his characters fight, the battles are triggered not by story twists but by trivial incidents, as happens in life. It's when Louise gets impatient with a Miss Marple mystery or when Helen gives her granddaughter the wrong Dr. Seuss book that Acts II and III explode. And again as in life, the battles don't build to satisfying climaxes. Even threats of suicide and divorce - or, for that matter, declarations of love - can't resolve a circular argument in which Jake finds it impossible to separate his feelings about his wife from those about his mother. All he can do is scream ''Stop! Stop! Stop!''
In the calmer Act I, Mr. Feiffer makes us listen to the same innocuous anecdote - about a misbegotten dinner party - three times. Why? By changing the storyteller and the listeners each time as the characters drift in and out of the kitchen, he elliptically lays out the emotional geography of the entire family.
So keen is Mr. Feiffer's sense of language that he can create much of his drama by indirection. Characters are often defined by their use of English - or by the manner in which they correct each other's usage - and they rarely say what they really mean. Mr. Feiffer takes the most familiar tribal greetings - ''So what's new?'' or ''When am I going to see my granddaughter?'' - and forces us to see the resentments and hurts that fester underneath. It's when we see the gap that separates such lines from the truth that our laughter curdles.
''Grown Ups'' originated at Harvard's American Repertory Theater, then, as now, under the relentless direction of John Madden. For New York, Jake's parents and sister have been recast. Mr. Gould is superb as Jack - a stooped, avuncular figure until he is provoked to flail about as pitifully as a gored bull. As Helen, Miss Sternhagen tries to keep caricature at bay by masking the mother's venom under a veneer of elegant cuteness. While this adventurous performance sometimes goes overboard, the actress often brings to her role a complexity - and even a glimmer of appeal - that at times is absent in the writing. Miss McGregor-Stewart is perfect as the sister - the forgotten loser in a family that prizes its first-born son.
Mr. Dishy, always a Feiffer drawing made flesh, inhabits Jake so completely that Miss Giannini's sweet but occasionally blurry Louise no longer seems a match for him in Act II. Like the playwright, Mr. Dishy retains his neurotic comic style, but he, too, digs deeper. Time after time, we watch his Jake take a deep swallow to contain his anger - only to look at his face minutes later and find the anger welling up again in his pinched eyes. When it does pour out, his voice rises beyond venom into a bottomless sob.
Mr. Madden's staging reaches a harrowing peak in Act III when Jake and Louise's innocent daughter (Jennifer Dundas) emerges from her bedroom to land smack in her elders' crossfire. Throughout, the director is aided by Andrew Jackness's sets and Paul Gallo's lighting. At first glance, Mr. Jackness's kitchen and living room look realistic to the last detail, but, like the play, they strip reality down to its core. Framed by blackness, the sets have jagged edges, claustrophobic perspectives and raked floors that seem to throw the characters into our laps. Yes, everything may look bright and sunny when the curtain goes up, but don't be fooled: ''Grown Ups'' is poised to slice through the audience like a knife.


text:
He is survived by his wife, Lottie F. Stonecipher, of Ooltewah; daughter, Rita Kay Stonecipher of Flat Rock, Ala.; stepson, Jimmy W. Rose of Chattanooga; two grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be held Thursday, June 27, 2013, at 1 p.m. in the chapel of Fike Funeral Home.
The family will receive friends Wednesday, June 26, 2013, from 5 to 8 p.m. followed by a Masonic Service and on Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. at the funeral home.
Complete arrangements will be announced by the funeral home.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Part-Time - Assistant to the Coordinator
Posted On: December 10, 2014
Hours: Part Time
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art seeks a Part-Time Assistant to the Coordinator.
Assisting with organization and review of School of Art hometests, organizing transcripts, applications, portfolios and original work, repacking and returning of hometests.
According to the amount of work needed, hours may fluctuate from a minimum of 15 hours a week to a maximum of 35 hours per week between January 6th, 2015 - April 15, 2015.
This is a unionized position.
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is an AA/EOE by choice
Submit application to:
Human Resources
30 Cooper Square, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10003
Or email to: email@example.com


text:
http://s929.photobucket.com/albums/ad138/bargainsbybodner/Bear Dragon/Furniture/ |
Follow-Up Postings:
Looks like something someone made out of some old recycled wood....it's not antique.,...but the wood may be. Worth? Maybe $25....Maybe $100 in a college town for student use. Looks like it's sturdy and covered in plastic and would make a good crash pad. |
The chair is definitely old, and the style is lovely. That would be the only piece to turn my head cleaned up and restored if needed. |
Going through the whole batch, you've got a lot of pieces that would be worth a bit if cleaned up and refinished. I think Linda you may only have gotten as far as pictures of the first couch. There are several other pieces worth up to a hundred dollars (I don't think anything is worth more, and only one or two would fetch the hundred, most would be in the 25-75 range). That's if they were in good condition though. The condition they're in, they're almost all projects except I think one side table, so if I were interested I would have to be getting them almost for free. I recently went and looked at a dresser almost exactly like the old highboy you've got with the surface carving, in similar condition, and the seller was asking $40. At that it wasn't even worth the trouble to wrestle it into my car and find a space for it. I would have offered 20 if I really wanted it. So it all depends on whether you put in the time to refinish them, or whether the buyers do. Whoever puts in the time gets to keep the money :-) KarinL |
- Posted by joyce_6333 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 11, 11 at 11:20
I'd love that little round antique table...the arts and crafts one. |
And you sell on ebay, too. Is this just a tricky little marketing maneuver? |
Here is a link that might be useful: Bargains by Bodner
The sofa looks exactly like a loveseat I have made by Cargo. They were around in the 80s. There is another brand that makes the same exact thing called ThisEndUp. It's not worth much but you could get around 50 to the right person. I am a fan because you would have to throw in off the third story to break it. |
Oh, good call, ideefixe; and I fell in like an amateur! KarinL |
why is it a marketing maneuver? Why not just a coincidence? The items sold on ebay aren't related... just curious... |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Antiques & Collectibles Forum
Information about Posting
- You must be logged in to post a message. Once you are logged in, a posting window will appear at the bottom of the messages. If you are not a member, please register for an account.
- Please review our Rules of Play before posting.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review your post, make changes and upload photos.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- Before posting copyrighted material, please read about Copyright and Fair Use.
- We have a strict no-advertising policy!
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.
Learn more about in-text links on this page here


text:
Laetitia Sadier on how music and politics go hand in hand, and how to struggle is to live
David Thayer
Laetitia Sadier was the charismatic singer of the influential and experimental Stereolab, a band she started with guitarist Tim Gane after a short stint in the political post-punk band McCarthy in the late '80s. Combining krautrock drones and hypnotic rhythms with a lounge-jazz sensibility and a willingness to make the most out of simple elements brought together to create a rich, cinematic sound, Stereolab was impossible to pin down, and it was a challenge to pinpoint its more obvious influences.
See also: Laetita Sadier at the hi-dive, 10/10/12
Stereolab went on hiatus in 2009, and the following year, Sadier released her first solo album, the critically acclaimed The Trip. While very different from Stereolab in fundamental ways, Sadier's solo work nonetheless benefits from the cool soulfulness of her voice and her ability to speak to specific personal experiences with a poetic depth and capture the human condition in a larger sense.
Sadier's lyrics have always been sharply political, but in the same sense as Gang of Four or Fugazi, they look at the essence of the issues that plague us not only with a critical eye, but with compassion. We recently spoke with Sadier about the loving social critique of Jean Renoir, the importance of silence and the artwork for her latest record, Silencio.
Westword: The song "The Rule of the Game" from your new album was inspired by the Jean Renoir film. Does that song have some resonance with how in 1939 -- the year that film was released -- fascism was already in power, and with what we're going through today?
Laetitia Sadier: Yeah. Alas, there is a big resonance obviously in the fact that the power is in place. I'm not taking my responsibility. They're turning things around -- i.e., it's the people who have to work for the banks and who have to work for the system, rather than establish a system that would work for the people and for most people. So there's a big responsibility there that should be decried, and I am very surprised that it isn't more decried every day considering the absurdity of the situation.
Also, what struck me about this movie is the way it was shot and the way Renoir approaches a very tender subject, which is humans deluding themselves and kind of being corroded by the bourgeoisie or the delusion that one day they can live as bourgeois, you see? I find that really kind of pervasive, you know, that now we've all been brainwashed very deeply, very subconsciously, to act in very irresponsible ways and forget reality.
I think it's getting more and more obvious that the system is not working for a lot of the people on the planet. I think people know that there's enough to go around, even for nine billion people. The planet can support a lot, and it has, and it does, and the only reason why [a sizable] percentage of the people on the planet do not eat when they're hungry... There's enough to house everybody. The only thing that's stopping us from being housed and well-fed is this system.
I think that's quite obvious, but at the same time, it's like, "Why aren't people reacting? Why aren't they shifting the system around?" I think this movie really shows why. It really shows being different, the ghosts, the monsters that don't care and are completely caught up in their fantasies and their little games and their little clothes and whatnot. And they're cut off from their deepest humanity. They're rendered completely selfish, basically.
That really struck a chord with me because I know I suffer from this selfishness and that I'm not out there giving...I don't know what I'm supposed to do, even. But certainly I have concern, but I really feel that on an individual level, we are all implicitly involved in not creating a better world. That made me really cry for two days, because the mirror that was put in front of me was so accurate but also very loving. The guy didn't go, "You asshole and blah, blah, blah." He did it with love, and that [deeply affected me in a way that a more judgmental treatment of the subject might not].
Why do you feel that commercialism and the marketplace overwhelm our ability to go deeper and to disconnect ourselves from our inner selves?
Yes, yeah, yeah, hence the title of Silencio. I think in the press release they talk about "commercialism" and the "marketplace." These are not my words, because I think it's an oversimplification of what's at hand. I don't necessarily want to name things in a narrow way. But, yes, of course, hyper-consumerism makes a big racket, and it's all about the numbing of senses and preventing us from knowing ourselves.
I think someone who knows [herself or himself] is more secure and less fearful, is less malleable. They're less controllable than someone who's insecure, doesn't know, who's fearful; you can make them buy just about any shit, which is what's happening. All this want of conformity, wanting to conform, whilst imagining that one is super-individual and original -- the delusion again.
I think those forces are cynically at work. [Instead of so much] randomly happening, there are people that know exactly what they are doing. On that subject, I saw, years ago, a film back on the Internet called The Century of the Self, a documentary by Adam Curtis. It speaks in a very well-researched way of how these things came about and how the nephew of Freud used the unconscious and learned how to manipulate people through their unconscious. How well it worked! It's phenomenal. Bravo.
I do believe that humans have free will. But it depends on what you develop in life, if you develop yourself into a little zombie following this [or that], or if you develop your stronger self, your higher self. I think this system is about developing the worst in people.
Adam Curtis made another documentary called The Power of Nightmares. I only watched the first half-hour, but he talks about a man who kind of looked at American society in the '50s or something and he thought it was despicable: "They're really selfish. All they're interested in is trimming their hedges and doing a little garden, mowing their little yards and having their car in a very individualistic and materialistic way."
This man saw other things in humans like spiritual aspects. He thought then that Americans were going down a really narrow path. He was a Muslim, and he ended up in a prison, where he was tortured, and there, he realized that the system bred brutality and barbarism. So it's not just about us trimming our hedges. It leads to the worst. We don't experience it firsthand, you and I, but it's never too far from that, particularly in America, where anyone can have a gun.
All social and economic systems affect you in unexpected ways in the overall sense, and it flows down into specific experiences. For instance, Frantz Fanon wrote a book called The Wretched of the Earth, and he talks about what was happening in Algeria in the years leading up to its liberation from France and how the repression was affecting the oppressors and the people they were oppressing in ways deeply psychological that they didn't realize until later.
So we have a lot of awareness to achieve. My record was about that -- in a very small way, of course. But I think that even if it's small, it's there. No matter how tiny, it's there, to reach out for some of this awareness.
Sponsor Content


text:
On Thursday, November 29th, the Downtown Alliance hosted the annual Exceptional Leadership Awards breakfast for seven individuals who have "who have helped make life better for residents, workers and visitors in Lower Manhattan."
These New York City leadership awards were bestowed upon the seven civic leaders at a tribute and recognition breakfast held at the Downtown Association (located on 60 Pine Street in the Financial District). This is the 11th year that the Downtown Alliance, New York City's largest and most prominent Business Improvement District organization, has hosted this annual awards event.
The president of Downtown Alliance, Elizabeth H. Berger, acknowledged the importance of the "tireless dedication to restoring Lower Manhattan to the world class neighborhood" of the award winners during her address to all in attendance that morning. She also highlighted the critical nature of such dedication to the neighborhood during the "recent weeks, [when] Lower Manhattan faced significant challenges in the wake of Superstorm Sandy."
The seven 2012 Exceptional Leadership Awards honorees are:


text:
The Oregonian: Going the way of all newspapers?
Is Portland the future for newspapers everywhere? Perhaps. The Oregonian, the pioneer newspaper of the Pacific Northwest, announced Thursday it is reducing its daily print edition and moving more to online. Some print reporters will be replaced in favor of more digital expertise. The paper's news staff has already been savaged by cuts in recent years.
This move has been foreshadowed for most of a year, as the paper's owners, Advance Publications, the former Newhouse family chain, have done surgery on its newspapers in New Orleans and Cleveland. Portland was a stronger market than either of the other cities, but it could not escape a similar fate. As far back as 2009, Crossccut writer Zach Rosenberg forecast troubles for The Oregonian.
The "Big O" as it is known in the trade, will continue to publish daily but papers will be home delivered only on Sunday, Wednesday, Friday and a sports-heavy Saturday paper. Otherwise, readers must rely on the paper's OregonLive.com site or the newsstand. The pattern mirrors what happened in New Orleans and Cleveland. The change takes effect Oct. 1.
What, if anything, does this mean for other large monopoly newspapers, such as the Blethen family-owned Seattle Times? The Hearst Corporation's voluntary euthanizing of the Post-Intelligencer was not a magic bullet for The Times. After the Newhouses killed the Oregon Journal back in 1982, The Oregonian enjoyed a monopoly for more than three decades. Having the city to itself was not enough.
Oregonian Publisher N. Christian Anderson III put an optimistic spin on the paper's announcement this week: "This strategy will allow us to serve consumers in Oregon and Southwest Washington with more up-to-the-minute, robust news and information online and on mobile devices while continuing the strong enterprise and investigative reporting that The Oregonian and OregonLive.com are so well known for."
Enterprise and investigative reporting? By whom? A Friday follow-up story quoted Oregonian Editor Peter Bhatia telling newsroom employees that layoffs would be "significant." He also promised a new newsroom of more than 90 reporters, "which is what we have today." At its peak, during the editorship of Sandra Rowe, the Oregonian employed as many as 400 newsroom staffers.
Friday morning, Willamette Week announced the first of of 35 eventual layoffs, including longtime editorial columnist David Sarasohn, a lonely liberal voice on an increasingly conservative editorial page, and Scott Learn, who has done an excellent job covering the coal-export issue. The terminations of Sarasohn and Learn leave a real gap in the environmental and progressive side of The Oregonian.
If the paper does maintain its present staff size, it reflects the move to digital. There is some irony in this: The Oregonian's strongest suit has been a talented staff of reporters and editors; its weakest link has been its web site, OregonLive.com.
It is not the end of The Oregonian, which has been around since 1850. But it is the end, clearly, of the paper's domination of Oregon news media and of its own "golden age," which began in 1993 with the editorship of Rowe. By the time she left in 2009, the aggressive news coverage she oversaw had already been eroded through staff reductions and the loss of several leading reporters. Rowe's newsroom won five Pulitzer Prizes and she was known for the quality of her hires.
The Oregonian is the oldest and largest continuously published newspaper in the Northwest, with a daily circulation of 185,000 and 263,000 on Sunday. The Oregonian has always been a moderately conservative paper and culture. But the Rowe era was a go-go time when the Big O was widely cited in professional circles as one of the best dailies in the country.
I never worked for The Oregonian, but I grew up with it and knew dozens of its news people. From its founding until the end of World War II, it set the pace for Oregon newspapers. From the 1950s through the 1980s it became a stodgy, predictable product in a state that had much better, yet smaller dailies in Salem, Eugene, Medford and other towns. The Oregonian lost its edge, in part because inadequate pensions forced reporters and editors to stay on the job well past their sell dates. Aggressive reporters for smaller dailies ran circles around complacent competitors from the Big O.
Like what you just read? Support high quality local journalism. Become a member of Crosscut today!
Posted Sun, Jun 23, 8:02 a.m.
I very much enjoyed reading this thoughtful analysis, Mr. McKay. I have noticed a significant decline in the quality of news coming from The Oregonian since Rowe's departure and am truly saddened at the additional changes ahead.
Poynter published a short piece about this, speculating how the other regional news media in the area might benefit.
A daily newspaper that promotes a conservative editorial slant does not serve its predominately progressive consumers well. Just ask The Seattle Times.
I am watching The Columbian with renewed interest: how will this SW Washington daily step up to fill the void?
Posted Wed, Jun 26, 10 a.m.
You will watch a long time to see the Columbian "step up."
Newsroom cuts are significant after its owner over-extended, bought a nice new building before the recession, and then lost it to bankruptcy. This result is significant newsroom cuts and a young, underpaid staff. It is not a metropolitan newspaper, and paid circulation has dropped significantly. My guess is that the Oregonian's paid circulation in Clark County is greater than the Columbian.
In fairness, political reporting has improved. Stephanie Rice, Stevie Mathieu, Erik Hidle, and columnist John Laird, are solid reporters blessed with an abundance of new material. Don Benton. The Clark County Commissioners who hired him for his "people skills." The Republican party taken over by the tea party. Need I say more?
I am thinking the Columbian will soon go the way of the Oregonian.
Posted Sun, Jun 23, 5:41 p.m.
An excellent article. A friend of mine is one of the Newhouse family. She notes that "The organization is not a chain, and its business was always called Advance Publications because Sam's first property was the Staten Island Advance." Here's a passage from the NY Times about the company:
"In 1922 Sam was ready to grow. He used his own savings, borrowed what little he could from his siblings, and persuaded Judge Lazarus to join him in a new venture. For $98,000, Judge Lazarus and Sam bought 51 percent of a much larger newspaper--the Staten Island Advance."
While there are a few other nits to be picked, the piece circles around but does not land on the central question: How is the public to pay for content? It really doesn't matter if the content is delivered via dead trees or a tablet. One way or the other the reporter in Olympia or Salem must be paid. And edited. And allowed the time to grow into the job, get the contacts and experience to do the job at a high professional level.
I'd be happy to pay for online content at the Seattle Times and Oregonian. I'm not willing to pay for the substandard content they now provide. I gladly pay for the NYT because it's good. I won't pay for the current content of just about all local "papers." If these companies show that they are willing to invest in their newsrooms, something that they show an unwillingness to do, I will support them. Otherwise they won't get a dime from me. Consequently, writing this is guilting me to send a contribution to Crosscut!
Posted Sun, Jun 23, 7:48 p.m.
I'm a fan of newspapers, especially good ones, of which there are very few remaining. I suspect that the "Big O" will occupy the same space on the bottom of the bird cage beside the daily "0". Trying to make up the difference via the internet is a hit or miss proposition. In most cases it's more miss than hit.
And another thing, what's with this "Trending Stories" category? I've noticed that some news stories trend on Crosscut with a life expectancy equal to Christmas fruit cake, and several of them started life as stale as one. I used to write this off as lack of good filler, but anymore I'm leaning towards the IT staff has been hitting the bong with more vigor during breaks. Why? Because it seems to happen on a more regular basis since the passage of I-502.
Posted Mon, Jun 24, 8:38 a.m.
As a 31-year veteran of journalism mostly at medium and large metros, we have to look at ourselves and our egos as to why bigger papers are failing while -- surprise - small papers are not just growing but thriving.
Big papers are no longer owned by people but by media groups. They operate more based on a bottom line instead of the pursuit of truth and protection of the Constitution.
(The reason I was drawn to Crosscut is because of its non-profit status which allows the staff to worry about journalism and not profits.)
As for us editorial types, it seems like the bigger the paper I worked at, the less reader-focused we became. While we were sending a dozen reporters to watch The Governator scratch his nose, some guy at a little daily broke Octomom. Same with the city manager in Bell, Erin Brokovich, the American Taliban, Enron...the list goes on.
Since moving to a rural area, I have happily found that people here welcome some real journalism, pretty pictures, a laugh and a lively, balanced op-ed page. My style, as it's always been, is to make the rounds at the coffee benders, coach a ball team, lecture at the schools, teach a journalism classes, walk instead of driving, basically meld into the communities I cover. I found that most real readers could care less about the City Hall and Chamber Crowd. More accurately, they know what's wrong at City Hall and are waiting to tell me about it so I can expose it.
I am also convinced (regardless of oregonlive's ancient-looking site) the conveyance system is not as important as the content, consistency and balance.
Just one veteran's rant.
Posted Mon, Jun 24, 10:37 a.m.
I so agree: quality of content is what matters, not the medium.
I hold news consumers responsible in part for the decline in responsible journalism. If we don't demand better, we get less.
Posted Mon, Jun 24, 10:48 a.m.
A good piece by the highly respected Mr. McKay. While Advance did "kill" The Oregon Journal in 1982, the move ultimately led to a strong newspaper, as many Journal staffers later would say. A lot of talent was put together to produce a better single newspaper than either had been. Certainly, the golden age did begin with Sandy Rowe and her expectation of excellence. She hired Peter Bhatia and any number of fine journalists, and came to appreciate the talent on hand, reporters such as Richard Read being a prime example. (I believe that Rich had to sell his idea for the french fry story, but they did listen.) Those were great time to be a part of The Oregonian. (One correction: The last name is spelled Hortsch, but thanks for the reference and quote.)
Posted Mon, Jun 24, 11:39 a.m.
Dan, I am an appreciative fan of your work at The Oregonian, especially as public editor. The loss of our news ombudsmen and women has contributed to the loss of trust in media reporting, I believe. Good to see your name pop up here. :)
Posted Mon, Jun 24, 2:47 p.m.
Good piece, Floyd McKay.
vlivertarian: As another ranting veteran, I'd say there's some truth to what you say about the failings of bigger newspapers. But the fact is, most smaller papers also now are owned by media chains -- even a preponderance of weeklies here in the Northwest. Most of them are successful (and for that we should be thankful) not because they're the vanguards of truth and free speech, but because they have pooled production resources in monopoly advertising markets. (If you want to get an earful about the "bottom line," talk to any reporter at a small daily owned by a chain, staff cut beyond bone to maintain profit margin.)
Metro dailies have been affected far more dramatically by the advertising market forces that have crippled print media in general. Again, not to contest your descriptions of their failures, but many of them that are failing, or have failed, have readership groups that seem generally happy with their content. Just not willing to pay enough for it.
Posted Wed, Jun 26, 4:37 p.m.
For those of you still following the Saga on Broadway, the Willamette Week's back story--linked to on our Clicker and also available http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-20836-black-and-white-and-red-all-over.html provides some interesting background and comments. My fear is that the Oregonian is where local television news was in the mid-1970s in Portland; on the cusp of being run by consultants who had no experience in journalism. They, too, had measured the audience, sliced and diced it and came up with a way to reach younger viewers. It worked for a while, reporters were "live" (consider the alternative), and we tried gimmicks I shrink to remember. After a while those prized eyeballs went elsewhere, ultimately to social media. Local television news is largely a joke today. Can the Oregonian be nimble enough to follow the trend of the moment among those prized viewers they can pitch to advertisers? From this distance, it still looks like it will depend upon their willingness to add their digital guru to the scrap heap. But wait--the guri is a Newhouse! Gadzooks Batman, that may not be so easy!
Posted Thu, Jun 27, 8:45 a.m.
I read the WW article this week and it adds good information to the big picture of this sad story. There is a real struggle going on to save ethical, responsible journalism and I fear we are losing the battle. We are starting to get a sampling of what our lives are like without it, and I, for one, do not like some of the changes I see.
Capturing and holding the attention of news consumers is a challenge in our social media world. We all are becoming de-sensitized by the increasing presence of sensational reporting and beginning to accept (and demand) so much less from journalists.
Posted Thu, Jun 27, 10:22 a.m.
Boy howdy! It's pretty hard capturing and holding the attention of news consumers who's information IQs are determined by how many Facebook "friends" they have. Ever see the future farce "Idiocracy?" Sure seems like the premise is accurate. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387808/synopsis
Posted Thu, Jun 27, 12:18 p.m.
OOPS!!! That's "whose," not "who's." I think I just got fired. :)
Login or register to add your voice to the conversation.


text:
Posted by Patric on August 20, 2006 11:32 AM
It's getting pretty hard to find REAL homemade porn that you don't have to pay to see. But there are 2 guys at a blog suite called 2 Twisted Studs who are posting free videos and pics of the two of them or of other guys stroking, sucking and a little fucking. There's also some pissing videos in the June videos.
While some of the videos are pretty short, others are long enough to get pretty involved watching - and I think the amateur feel but good amateur quality of these movies beats what they have on a lot of sites! These guys aren't afraid to be nasty, either. I saw one of the guys shooting cum into his own hand and then licking it up, and in another video cum was being licked off one of the guys after he shot his load.
Brad and Evan are 2 college boys who say they're stranded in the midwest. They sell DVDs of each month's blog including nearly 4 hours of video and 650 pics of them and of other guys in action. Seems like a great way to put yourself through school!
Judging by the number of comments their blog/video page gets, I'd say that 2 Twisted Studs is a pretty popular site with a lot of fans. Why not take a look and check it out? After all, unlike most sites the videos and pics are free and are genuine homemade porn!
Click here to visit 2 Twisted Studs


text: Hey Nicole welcome back. I'm so glad you had a great time with your sister. I know what you mean about the mommy guilt I felt the same way last November when the BF and I went down. But I got over it quick because while we were down there I was planning the kids next trip down. I really hope you get to do it again.


text:
Urgent Actions
Join DJPC at MLK Marade 2014
MARCH WITH DJPC IN THE 29TH ANNUAL DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR, MARADE (MARCH + PARADE) FROM CITY PARK TO THE CIVIC CENTER, DENVER Theme: RENEWED DEDICATION TO HUMANITY. MONDAY, JAN. 20, 2014 MEET DJPC FOLKS AT 11:00 AM AT THE ENTRANCE TO CITY PARK NORTHWEST CORNER OF 17TH AVE. &… »
Please take immediate action on Fast Track! Greetings! Please call your Representative by noon on Wednesday to oppose Fast Track trade authority as the first step in opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement (TPP). DJPC is part of a national coalition concentrating its efforts on Democratic members of the House. (A quick primer on… »
Sign DJPC's Petition to End Human Rights Abuse Committed by Newmont Mining Corporation
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/1-Newmont-Mining/ If you haven't signed our petition please do so by clicking here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/1-Newmont-Mining/ Thanks for your… »
Join DJPC and thousands of others in a RALLY TO SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM at Manuel High School 1700 East 28th Avenue Northeast Denver Wednesday, January 13th, 6:30 – 8:00 PM along with guests: US Senator Michael Bennet, State Senator Michael Johnston, State Representative Joe Miklosi, City Councilmember Doug Linkhart Co-sponsored by: Reform Immigration for… »
DJPC members demonstrate to close the SOA
One of the longest running, largest non-violent movements in the US is the one to close the School of the Americas/WHINSEC, a U.S. Army school that trains Latin American soldiers. Five members of DJPC attended the annual demonstration and vigil at Ft. Benning, GA on November 20-22, the twentieth anniversary of the SOA-led assassination of 6… »
URGENT ACTION: Fear for Safety of Evicted Communities in Guatemala
In early September the members of two indigenous communities in the department of Alta Vera Paz, Guatemala, were forcefully evicted from their homes and land. Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action Appeal on September 25, 2009 urging authorities to allow the evicted members of the communities access to the land from where they were evicted… »
Urgent Action: Human Rights Defenders Threatened in Guatemala
Amnesty International sent out the following urgent action today about death threats against the staff of the Asociacion para el Estudio y Promocion de la Seguridad en Democracia (SEDEM) and the Unidad de Proteccion de Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos (UDEFEGUA). DJPC encourages you to send a letter to Guatemalan authorities requesting the protection of those… »


text:
Buy with confidence
- Money-back Guarantee
- Free shipping on orders $99 and up
- Superb Customer Service
More from Mambino Organics
carthamus tinctorius (organic safflower) seed oil
enothera biennis (organic evening primrose) oil
simmondsia chinensis (organic jojoba) seed oil
rosmarinus officinalis (organic rosemary) leaf extract
*Due to the nature of cold pressed, unrefined oils, this product may have a slight naturally occurring nutty scent
*Made with certified organic ingredients/certified vegan and 100% pure love.
Spray a small amount of oil in your hand and gently apply over face, body and scalp area. For infant massage, warm oil between your hands and massage in gentle strokes to calm a fussy baby and strengthen the bond between parent and child. For cradle cap, rub oil on baby's scalp and leave on for 15 minutes. Then gently brush out the flakes with a soft baby brush. For best results, follow with our Mild Baby Wash & Shampoo.


text:
WPDFD Issue #78 - September 01, 2004
The concepts of absolute and relative positioning in CSS can be quite confusing and are often misunderstood. Absolute positioning puts CSS boxes (divs) at specific pixel locations in the browser window, just like pinning cards on a notice board. Usually, the absolute position is measured from the top left corner of the page but it doesn't have to be, as you will see. For relative positioning, the analogy I often use is that of polystyrene blocks in a swimming pool – they float until they are pushed downwards by another one from above.
Last month, I started examining some of the vital differences between designing for print and for the Web and explained how a Web page has no specific dimensions. Now, we'll look at some other factors that seem equally nebulous but have to be understood and accommodated. Font sizes I covered type and font issues pretty extensively in the July editorial but one important aspect that I didn't go into was font size.
I'm going to review two excellent new CSS books this month. They have a lot in common. Both are by prominent authors in this field and cover similar ground but they are quite different in approach and will appeal to slightly different audiences. Firstly, Eric Meyer on CSS is somewhat of a departure from his previous, more reference-oriented CSS books. This book is a hands-on layout tutorial 'Äě pure and simple.
Every day, someone posts a plea for help on the WPDF Forum or one of the other mailing lists that I frequent. Their new Web page isn't working in some browser or another and they post the URL for people to check it out. The first thing that I do, is go to Chris Pederick's very handy Web Developer Toolbar in Mozilla and call-up a W3C validation of the HTML and CSS. Nine times out of ten, the page doesn't validate.


text:
Art & Soul
Related Programming
Masterworks from the Beaverbrook Art Gallery
Dalí Up Close
Art & Soul: The Lucid Dream
Saturday, January 31 from 8pm to 2am
Inspired by two exhibits that feature work by Salvador Dalí, Art & Soul: The Lucid Dream will transform the Gallery into a series of dreamscapes, combined with the fantastic entertainment and atmosphere you expect from an Art & Soul party. All proceeds support the WAG. To find out more, visit artandsoul.wag.ca.
Tickets (18+) $55 • Group rate of ten tickets $495 (all ten tickets must be purchased together to be eligible)
Available for purchase online below or in person at the WAG's admission desk. Get yours now while you still can!
Previous Events
- Art & Soul 2014
- Art & Soul: One Hundred 2013
- Birchwood BMW Art & Soul: Après Ski - SOLD OUT! 2012
- Art & Soul 2011
- Art & Soul: Manitoba Overboard! 2010
Gallery Hours
- Tuesday 11am-5pm
- Wednesday 11am-5pm
- Thursday 11am-5pm
- Friday 11am-9pm
- Saturday 11am-5pm
- Sunday 11am-5pm
- Closed Monday
Holiday Hours


text:
All Classes and Events
- Title:
- Breastfeeding
- When:
- 07/17/2012 06:30 pm - 08:30 pm
- Where:
- Women's Wellness Center Classroom - Marysville
- Category:
- New Parents
Cost: $20
Contact: 937-578-2329
There are so many questions when it comes to breastfeeding your newborn for the first time. Is he getting enough? How often should he nurse? Am I doing it right? We understand your anxiety. That's why our experts will help you learn the best techniques and provide helpful tips to help you and your baby feel more comfortable. Support partners are also welcome.
- Location:
- Women's Wellness Center Classroom
- Street:
- 500 London Avenue
- 43040
- City:
- Marysville
- State:
- Ohio
The Women's Wellness Center classroom is located on the lower level, beneath the Miracle Life Center.
EventList powered by schlu.net


text:
Reviewed North Carolina House Ribs
Jan 6, 2012 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"I rate this at 5 stars because i added a little bit of my own spice. I couldnt handle how much vinegar there was so I added KC masterpiece and brown sugar and lowrys. came out WONDERFUL. It is a pain to have to baste so often but it is so worth it.
And remember to use pickling salt!! it will not be to salty then."""


text:
My dad wrecked his car today while I was in school. He was driving drunk and flipped his car over in a ditch full of water. He's all right, he was in the hospital for a little while, but his injuries were minor. He was charged with DUI and his license was suspended. His accident will be in tomorrow's newspaper and is already online. It may even be on the local news.
The sad thing is I felt absolutely nothing when my mom told me about his wreck. In fact, I thought he deserved it for acting so stupid. This sounds unbelievably selfish, but I'm really worried about my peers and teachers at school seeing it on the news or in the newspaper and judging me for it, asking me about it. I don't want the negative attention.
Also, I forgot to report that I had an AMAZING sex dream about Brittany. We skipped class and had crazy, incredible, mind-blowing sex all over the girl's bathroom. It was FANTASTIC. I haven't had many wet dreams, but this was one of them. So awesome.
That is all.
I'm just glad you weren't with him...
That's redick!
My mom has that same fear. He's driven slightly drunk with my sister and I in the car, almost ran us off the road a few times while texting his girlfriend, because she CANNOT wait for his reply until we get to his house safely.
My dad has the logic and common sense of a five-year-old. Luckily his license is suspended, and I won't be going to his house this weekend.
my dad drove drunk alot, never when we were in the car though wrecked regulary to the point NO ONE cared that was alot,
wet dreams about a crush? how well i remember them
i only drink irn bru and the occassional blood of my enemies
Yeah, my dad doesn't really drink in front of my sister and I. He used to pick us up slightly buzzed, but not completely wasted. Recently he's been better...until this happened. My dad has a lot of problems: bankruptcy, depression, alcoholism...he's lost his relationships with his two daughters, he's stuck with a manic bitch for a girlfriend. It amazes me how pathetic his life has become. I wonder what goes through his head at times...
I've only had about four wet dreams in my entire life, this being my fifth, and definitely the best ;)
i think its amazing i can drink alcohol after seeing what it did to him but i dont drink as much still get wasted from time to time, my dads basiclly the same except the gf part
i used to have alot of wet dreams i remember my first actually
i only drink irn bru and the occassional blood of my enemies
Driving under the influence is grossly inconsiderate of others sharing the highway... this notwithstanding the fact that it demonstrates a total disregard for one's own welfare plus that of innocent loved ones! :(
But... I do sympathize with your less-than-ideal circumstances.
If at all possible... please encourage your dad to temper his drinking...
My dad can drink himself into a coma for all I care, just as long as he doesn't get behind the wheel while trying. I'm just glad that the road he was on wasn't a busy one, and no other drivers were involved in the wreck.
Funny thing is, my dad always denies being drunk. He texted me today and told me he'd only drank two beers and wasn't over the legal limit. I didn't reply. He's even dumber than he thought if he thinks I'll believe that. You can't talk to someone about a problem that they won't acknowledge.


text:
According to Maine East football coach Gabe Corey, his son knew right away what was wrong.
As quarterback Alex Corey lay on the ground in Maine East's 2013 opener against Schurz, Gabe Corey asked his son if it was his ACL.
Did it pop?
Alex Corey had a fully ruptured ACL and a second-degree MCL tear in his left leg. Seemingly, his season was gone.
Not so fast.
Less than two months later, he played in the regular-season finale. He'll play again in the Illinois High School Shrine Game in Bloomington on Saturday. Then, he'll play college ball for a rising North Park program.
Didn't he think his football career was over?
"He had that moment, but it wasn't long," Gabe Corey said.
Dr. Stephen Wright of Fort Wayne, Indiana, offered a pathway by recommending that Alex Corey wait 6 to 12 weeks before surgery.


text:
13 April 2012
An influential group of MPs has backed a call by PCS for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to reverse its decision to axe UK embassy posts around the globe.
Nick Clegg was ambushed by a gran waiting to tell him what it was like living on the breadline, reported Daily Mirror.
Transport workers in Swansea have been encouraged to support industrial action against potential cuts and office closures, reported the South Wales Evening Post.
Anti-cuts campaigners are planning to stage a series alternative street parties before the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations and the Olympics to highlight opposition to the government's austerity programme, reported the Guardian.
New employment rules intended to protect temps are having the opposite effect, with fewer companies choosing to hire agency staff, new figures suggest, reported the Daily Telegraph.
This week Midlands TUC has launched a campaign against four local MPs' support for the 'Pasty tax' announced by chancellor George Osbourne in his recent budget, reported the TUC.
The successful two-hour walkout by Department for Work and Pensions contractors demonstrated the strength of support for the 300 Balfour Beatty employees who are facing compulsory redundancy on the lowest pay-off terms allowed by law, reported the PCS website.
Unite asks Queen to intervene on behalf of NHS staff expected to work for normal pay on bank holiday to celebrate jubilee, reported the Guardian.
Chancellor George Osborne says he is "shocked" that some of the UK's richest people have organised their finances so that they pay virtually no income tax, reported the BBC.
Trade unionists and economists joined forces on Monday to demand more action to save jobs following fears that unemployment is set to spiral out of control this summer, reported the Morning Star.
Top-tier Tories have gone back on plans to make ministers publish tax returns following a cabinet revolt, reported the Daily Mirror.
Police cannot restore trust over racism on their own, says chairman of Black Police Association, Bevan Powell, reported the Observer.
Teachers are to step up industrial action in a move that could see co-ordinated strike action with other unions, reported the Union-News website.
Christopher Hird reviewed the book The Cost of Inequality: Three Decades of the Super-Rich and the Economy which chronicles the catastrophe of the capitalism of the last 30 years.
A US-style system of top politicians' tax returns being published could be considered in the UK, George Osborne indicated as the issue of personal finances continued to dominate the London mayoral race, reported the Independent.


text:
Doctor of Education in Instructional Leadership
EdD in Instructional Leadership: Program Description
WCSU's EdD in Instructional Leadership is the only doctorate of its kind in Connecticut and is one of approximately 16 doctoral programs in the country to focus on instructional leadership. The dynamic curriculum prepares educators, such as teachers, curriculum specialists, counselors, school psychologists, and administrators to create innovative learning environments; to respond to reform at the national, state and local levels and; to transform educational organizations. Graduates of this program will be able to apply advanced curricular systems and strategies in classrooms and schools. The program will prepare teachers to be instructional leaders within their districts, able to assist with many decisions related to academics and assessment. More information can be found at www.wcsu.edu/EdD-Leadership .
Faculty members include Dr. Marcy Delcourt, Dr. Karen Burke, Dr. Nancy Heilbronner, and Dr. Gwen Olmstead. Their profiles can be found at www.wcsu.edu/edd-leadership
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is this an accredited program? This Doctor of Education in Instructional Leadership degree program is approved by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Connecticut Department of Higher Education (DHE), the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Once accepted into the EdD in Instructional Leadership program, students may also enroll in the program to obtain a Certificate in Intermediate Administration and Supervision (Endorsement #092). This certificate program is also accredited by the Connecticut DHE and the CSDE. Additionally, it has received national accreditation from the Educational Leader Constituent Council (ELCC) of the National Policy Board for Educational Administrators (NPBEA) and from NCATE. Please note that as State and national policies change, the programs will be updated accordingly.
2. What types of courses are offered? Based on the reflective practitioner model, all courses are designed to assist doctoral candidates in taking leadership roles to improve the curriculum and instruction in their classrooms, schools, and districts. The EdD in Instructional Leadership at WCSU has three major components:
Leadership Theory and Foundation. In one of our first courses of the program, students participate in a leadership exercise and construct an individualized Leadership Development Plan. This plan acts as a blueprint for the acquisition and enrichment of leadership behaviors and skills. Additionally, students develop individual, group, and organizational competencies throughout the program.
Area of Specialization. Students investigate cognitive-developmental and socio-cultural theories and research-based strategies to design and modify classroom curricula as well as to create professional development experiences in schools.
Inquiry Strategies and Dissertation Sequence. Doctoral students interpret and apply a full complement of in-depth research strategies to educational settings. Students develop skills and extend their knowledge in the areas of evaluation, interpretation, and research implementation.
Courses included in each area are listed below.
Courses in the EdD in Instructional Leadership
Core Courses in Leadership Theory and Foundations |
Area of Specialization |
Inquiry Strategies and Dissertation Sequence |
ED820: Topics in Curriculum and Instruction |
ED860: Quantitative Methods Applied to Educational Research |
ED801: Group Leadership, Group Processes, and Team Building in Education |
ED821: Leadership Assessment and Development |
ED861: Qualitative Methods Applied to Educational Research |
ED802: Emerging Instructional Technologies |
ED822: Talent Development Across the Curriculum |
ED865: Introduction to Educational Research Designs |
ED803: National Standards Current Practices, and Policies in Education (Summer Institute) |
ED823: Models of Creative Thinking |
ED881: Dissertation Seminar 1 |
ED804: Learning, Cognition, and Teaching |
ED824: Diversity Issues in Schools |
ED882: Dissertation Seminar 2 |
ED805: Research and Evaluation in Education |
ED826: Application of Quantitative and Qualitative Methods Applied to Educational Research |
ED883: Dissertation Seminar 3 |
ED884: Dissertation Seminar 4 |
ED885: Dissertation Seminar 5 |
3. How do I apply for the Doctor of Education (EdD) in Instructional Leadership? The application is located online at our website: www.wcsu.edu/EdD-Leadership.
4. What are the admission requirements? The following information is requested:
- Application packet: Status information, specific educational background, personal statement regarding professional goals
- Master's degree in education or a related field from an accredited institution
- Evidence of five years of full-time educational experience in a PK-12 setting
- Résumé
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities
- Completion of the Miller's Analogy Test (MAT) or the Graduate Records Exam (GRE)
- Three recommendations attesting to the candidate's capabilities to complete a doctoral program and to make a contribution as an instructional leader
- Interview with members of the EdD Admissions Committee
5. What is the cost of the program? Costs are set by the Connecticut State University Board of Regents. Graduate tuition and fees are located at http://www.wcsu.edu/registration/grad-tuition.asp
6. Are there any prerequisite courses? Students applying for the EdD in Instructional Leadership must already have completed a Master's degree in education or a related field. There are no specific prerequisite courses, however applicants are asked to indicate their experiences related to the topics of curriculum and instruction, educational technology, foundations of education, measurement and evaluation, and special education.
7. What does it mean to be part of a cohort model? A new cohort is accepted into the program every other year beginning in the fall of 2003. Approximately 20-25 students are in each cohort. Students complete courses together in the same sequence. The model provides the opportunity for candidates to form study groups and to serve as a support system while advancing through the program.
8. How long will it take for me to complete the program? This program is designed for full-time educators to complete a doctoral degree while taking classes on a part-time basis. Participants are accepted into the program every other year (Fall 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, etc.) and may complete all requirements over a 57-month period, or just under 5 years as a part-time graduate student. Students have completed the program in 4 years. Candidates are expected to complete all course work during three academic years, including two summers. After completing the comprehensive exams in the summer of the third year, the dissertation process begins in the fall. An individual may take up to 6 years to complete the program, otherwise an application for an extension is required. The overall sequence is illustrated below.
Program Sequence
Academic Year 1 |
Summer 1 |
Academic Year 2 |
Summer 2 |
Academic |
Academic Year 4 |
Summer |
Academic Year 5 |
Note. SH = Semester Hours. Courses are 3 credits each.
9. What is the sequence of courses and experiences? The timeline for courses is available on our website: www.wcsu.edu/EdD-Leadership. The program is also designed to provide candidates with a variety of experiences including publishing, program evaluation, professional development activities, and conference presentations. Every other year, students and faculty members organize an Instructional Leadership Conference to highlight student accomplishments, activities of educators in local school districts, and pertinent research conducted by colleagues in other institutions.
Course Timeline
Date |
Program Requirement |
Cohort Entry Date- Fall 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, etc. |
Fall 1 |
EdD and Admin. Cert. |
ED800: Foundations of Instructional Leadership |
EdD |
ED821: Leadership Assessment and Development |
Spring 1 |
EdD | ED801: Group Leadership, Group Processes, and Team Building in Education
ED822: Talent Development Across the Curriculum |
Summer 1 |
EdD |
ED802: Emerging Instructional Technologies |
Fall 2 |
EdD and Admin. Cert. |
ED804: Learning, Cognition, and Teaching |
EdD |
ED860: Quantitative Methods Applied to Educational Research |
Spring 2 |
EdD and Admin. Cert. |
ED820: Topics in Curriculum and Instruction |
EdD |
ED861: Qualitative Methods Applied to Educational Research |
Summer 2 |
EdD |
ED824: Diversity Issues in Schools |
Fall 3 |
EdD |
ED865: Introduction to Educational Research Designs |
Spring 3 |
EdD and Admin. Cert. |
ED805: Research and Evaluation in Education |
EdD |
ED823: Models of Creative Thinking |
Summer 3 |
EdD |
Comprehensive Exams |
Fall 4 |
EdD |
ED881: Dissertation Seminar 1 |
Spring 4 |
EdD |
ED882: Dissertation Seminar 2 |
Summer 4 |
EdD |
ED883: Dissertation Seminar 3; Chapters 1, 2 and 3 completed; |
Admin. Cert. |
EDL618: Understanding the Political and Ethical Environment of School Leadership |
Fall 5 |
EdD |
ED884: Dissertation Seminar 4; Data collection completed; Research completed; Chapters 4 and 5 started |
Admin. Cert. |
ED660: Internship & Seminar in Educational Leadership: Theory, Research, & Practice I |
Spring 5 |
EdD |
ED885: Dissertation Seminar 5 |
Admin. Cert. |
ED665: Internship & Seminar in Educational Leadership: Theory, Research, & Practice II |
Summer |
EdD |
Dissertation Defense |
Fall |
EdD |
Dissertation Defense |
Note. Course sequence may be subject to change.
10. What will my schedule look like?
The EdD program includes 60 credits
- 15 courses (45 credits) over 3 years are followed by a comprehensive exam
- 5+ courses (approx. 15 credits) to complete the dissertation process through 5 or more semesterly seminars
- The seminar requirements "chunk" the dissertation process into manageable bits
- A dissertation committee under the guidance of a primary advisor directs the process
Year 1
- 2 courses in the fall, on the same night from 5:00-7:00 and 7:15-9:15 (once/week plus 1 Saturday class/course)
- 2 courses in the spring, on the same night from 5:00-7:00 and 7:15-9:15 (once/week plus 1 Saturday class/course)
- 2 courses in the summer, 1 during evenings in July, 1 the last week in July from 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
Year 2
- 2 courses in the fall, on the same night from 5:00-7:00 and 7:15-9:15 (once/week plus 1 Saturday class/course)
- 2 courses in the spring, on the same night from 5:00-7:00 and 7:15-9:15 (once/week plus 1 Saturday class/course)
- 1 course in the summer, during July
Year 3
- 2 courses in the fall, on the same night from 5:00-7:00 and 7:15-9:15 (once/week plus 1 Saturday/course)
- 2 courses in the spring, on the same night from 5:00-7:00 and 7:15-9:15 (once/week plus 1 Saturday/course)
- Comprehensive Exams, the last 2 Saturdays in July
Year 4
- Fall (proposal), Spring (data collection), Summer (chapters 1-3)
Year 5
- Fall (chapters 4 and 5), Spring+ (revisions/defense)
11. What if it takes me more than 6 years to finish the program? An individual may take up to 6 years to complete the program, otherwise an application for an extension of the 6-year time limit is required. This extension is subject to approval by the Graduate Council.
12. When do I complete my dissertation? The dissertation process begins as soon as you start to think about possible topics for your investigation. This should commence with your first course. Collect ideas, discuss them with your peers and professors, and begin to investigate the feasibility of each by reviewing the literature.
You will formally begin the dissertation process after completing your comprehensive exams, which are scheduled in the summer of the third year of study. This program has been designed to assist you to complete your dissertation by having a series of seminars for each stage of the process. The proposal, proposal defense, data collection process, and chapter revisions are incorporated into the seminars. The dissertation process culminates in the Dissertation Defense.
13. Do I choose a major advisor or is one assigned to me? Your major advisor will be determined according to the topic you choose and the type of research methodology that is best for your study. While a major advisor is assigned by the Program Coordinator, changes might be made as a candidate refines ideas based on research content and procedures.
14. How do I select my doctoral advisory committee? A doctoral committee includes at least three people who have earned doctoral degrees. They will guide you through your dissertation process. With guidance from your major advisor and the Program Coordinator, you will select and contact two individuals to serve as secondary advisors on your doctoral committee. These individuals, in addition to your major advisor, will be your doctoral advisory committee.
15. Is there a residency requirement? This is a part-time program and there is no requirement for full-time commitment to coursework, therefore, there is no residency requirement.
16. Can I transfer in courses? Yes. Up to 9 hours of prior coursework may be transferred into a program of study. These courses can be no older than 6 years when the candidate graduates from the present program, each course must be at the doctoral level, and each course must be equivalent to the course it is replacing. Consult with the Program Coordinator in order to apply to transfer any courses. Both a course description and syllabus must be reviewed in order to make this determination. No course can be transferred if it was a requirement for a formerly completed degree. In the State of Connecticut, Sixth Year Certificate (SYC) programs are considered to be degree programs.
17. May I take courses at other universities? Certain courses may be taken, but only with prior written permission of the Program Coordinator. Before registering for any course outside of the EdD in Instructional Leadership program, an approved form must be filed with the graduate office.
18. Are the courses offered every semester? The courses in this program are offered in a given sequence only. When a cohort is accepted, it is expected that all students enroll in the set sequence of courses. While these courses are offered in a presented sequence, a student seeking any change in the sequence must apply for a change through the Program Coordinator. For example, changes could occur if a student transfers credits from another institution.
19. How do I register for classes? Each semester, registration procedures are handled by the Program Coordinator, who sends the schedule and a list of students/course to the office for the Division of Graduate Studies.
20. How is the Administrative Certification incorporated into the program? The Certification for Intermediate Administration and Supervision (Endorsement #092) is an optional program for WCSU's EdD in Instructional Leadership candidates. Four courses incorporated into the EdD program are a part of the course sequence for the accredited administrative endorsement (ED 800: Foundations of Educational Leadership, ED 804: Learning, Cognition, and Teaching, ED 820: Topics in Curriculum and Instruction, and ED 805: Research and Evaluation in Education). Students who wish to obtain this certificate, apply to the "092" program and complete an additional 4 courses. Two of these courses are offered in collaboration with Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) and the other 2 courses constitute the required program internship. Students may complete the courses for the administrative certificate beginning in Summer 2, Summer 3, or after obtaining the doctoral degree.
A schedule for both programs is indicated in the program timeline (www.wcsu.edu/graduate/edd/edd-timeline.pdf). This timeline represents a schedule for beginning the additional administrative courses in Summer 3.21. What else do I need to know? Take some time to read the graduate catalog (www.wcsu.edu/catalogs/graduate/) and the EdD in Instructional Leadership website (www.wcsu.edu/EdD-Leadership ). The catalog contains the basic academic rules and regulations of the university and provides course descriptions, while the program website contains all documents pertaining to the EdD procedures.
22. What are key outcomes of the program? Our greatest outcomes are represented by the accomplishments of our students. Of the 38 candidates who were eligible to defend their dissertations, 34 (89.5%) will have completed their work by August 2011. The national average for dissertation completion is 50%. Candidates are indeed becoming active leaders and researchers in their school communities both before and after they graduate. They influence their local schools and districts by accepting the following roles: Department Chair, School Dean, Principal, Assistant Principal, District Language Arts Coordinator, Mentor Program Director, Grant Director, NEASC Coordinator, Director of Technology, etc. They have also led their schools to becoming award-winning institutions at the state, regional, and national levels.
In order to prepare for an Accreditation Review in Spring 2008, an external consultant, Dr. Dennis Shirley from Boston College, was asked to review all aspects of the program. He reviewed all program documents and held individual and group interviews with faculty members, students, community members, and university administrators. Among other comments, Dr. Shirley made the following two points:
As a professor of education who is well aware that one of the persistent criticisms of schools of education for decades has been that they are excessively theoretical and irrelevant to the concerns of teachers, principals, and superintendents, I found myself admiring the commitment, talent, and vision of the faculty and staff at WCSU who created and are sustaining the Instructional Leadership doctoral program.
Second, the collaborative nature of the instructional leadership doctoral program was evident throughout this site visit. Within WCSU, the program is viewed by students, faculty, and administrators to be internally coherent and well sequenced. Discussants held that the doctoral program is embedded in a broader, university-wide commitment to the improvement of public education that they find praiseworthy and worthy of emulation by other universities. Significantly, local educational leaders on the Advisory Board agreed, confirming that the doctoral program is meeting their needs for highly qualified teachers and administrators.
Dr. Shirley's very positive assessment of the program is reinforced by the following student comments:
The excitement of working with classmates who are experienced practicing educators and faculty members who are dynamic and engaging challenges my thoughts and ideas about education. Frank LaBanca, Oxford Public SchoolsThis doctoral program enables me to not only be a stronger, more knowledgeable leader, but it also inspires me to be a better educator.
Joan McGettigan, New Canaan Public SchoolsI have learned so much about myself as an educator and a leader through participation in this program. Nora Marrinan, Ridgefield Public Schools
I have no regrets about choosing to participate in this challenging program.
Mike Obre, Danbury Public SchoolsI came to WestConn's Ed.D. Program for the education, but I am staying because of the inspiration. Lori Kolbusz, Norwalk Public Schools
Dissertation Topics of Cohort 1
Doctoral Student |
Employer |
Title of Dissertation |
Anekwe, Pat |
Bridgeport, CT |
Characteristics and Challenges of High-Achieving Second-Generation Nigerian Youths in the United States |
Bennett, Nora Graduated May 2010 |
Ridgefield, CT |
The Relation Between Learning Styles and Student Development of Musical Compositions |
Bernstein, Stacy |
Lakeland, NY |
An Exploratory Study of Instructional Practices for Heritage Language Learners in Traditional Middle School Spanish Classes |
Cosentino, Pat |
Bethel, CT |
The Kindergarten Buddy Program and Its Effect on Reading Achievement for At-Risk Kindergarten Students |
Devine, Jessica |
Brookfield, CT |
A Comparison of Teachers' Perceptions of the Leadership Styles of Middle School Principals and Instructional Leaders and Their Relationship to Teachers' Perceptions of School Climate |
Goolkasian, Pauline |
Bethel, CT |
Effects of a Collaborative Teaching Model of Professional Development on New Sixth through Twelfth Grade Teachers' Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and Implementation of Instruction |
Hardy, Deb |
Somers, NY |
Perceptions of School Counselors and School Administrators With Respect to the Roles of School Counselors As They Implement the New York State Comprehensive School Counseling Model |
Kobylenski, Steve |
Naugatuck, CT |
Revelations: A Qualitative Inquiry on Visual Artistic Emergence |
Kolbusz, Lori Graduated May 2008 |
Norwalk, CT |
Contributing Factors Leading to Middle School Suspensions |
Kowgios, Nick Graduated May 2008 |
North Salem, NY |
Effects of Conceptual Assessments Using Test Debate and Test Analysis on Critical Thinking Skills and Literary Analysis |
LaBanca, Frank |
Oxford, CT |
Impact of Problem Finding on the Quality of Authentic Open Inquiry Science Research Projects |
LaValley, Kathy In Process |
Danbury, CT |
An Analysis of Students' Use and Understanding of Internet Sites |
McGettigan, Joan |
New Canaan, CT |
The Relationship Between Writing Achievement, Writing Self-efficacy, Writing Apprehension, and Perceived Value of Writing by Gender for Third-Grade Students in a Suburban School District |
Mitchell, Jen |
Greenwich, CT |
The Effects of Literacy Coaching on Teacher Strategy Use and Student Reading Comprehension |
Obre, Mike Graduated May 2010 |
Danbury, CT |
Art Attitudes of Secondary Level English and Mathematics Teachers in Schools Deemed Successful or In-Need-of-Improvement Under the No Child Left Behind Act |
Salon, Krys |
Brookfield, CT |
Student Perceptions of the Development of Mathematical Self-Efficacy in the Context of the Instructional Setting and Problem Solving Activities |
Shaw, Sue |
Middlebury, CT |
The Effects of Metacognitive Awareness on the Development of Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills in Fourth-Grade Homework Assignments |
Sinatra, Mike |
Wilton, CT |
An Investigation of the Potential Benefits of a Faculty Mentor Program as Related to High School Students' Attitudes, Affiliation, and Self-Efficacy |
Spatola, Annmarie |
Carmel, NY |
The Effects of a Study Skills Program on Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulated Learning Strategies Use |
Velez, Ray |
Norwalk, CT |
The Bard High School Early College Model of Teaching Writing and Its Relation to Higher Order Thinking Skills |
Woodel, Billie Defending July 2010 |
Ridgefield, CT |
Creative Thinking and Learning Styles of Secondary School Students Recognized for Their Artistic, Athletic, and Scientific Talents |
Zelvis, Rima |
Kent, CT |
The Effects of Visual Thinking Strategies on Reading Achievement of Students With Varying Levels of Motivation |
Dissertation Topics of Cohort 2
Doctoral Student |
Employer |
Title of Dissertation |
Barrier-Ferreir, Julia Graduated May 2010 |
Bethel, CT |
The Effect of the LANGUAGE! Literacy Program on the Reading Comprehension and Reading Motivation of Struggling Middle School Readers. |
Boller, Barbara Graduated May 2010 |
Stamford, CT |
Effects of Fast ForWord on Phonological Awareness and Rapid Naming Skills of At-risk Readers |
Colletti-Houde, Heather In Process |
Westport, CT |
A Comparison of Characteristics of Instructional Leaders and Educational Leaders |
Friedlander, Diana Graduated May 2010 |
Ridgefield, CT |
Comparison of the Learning Styles of Students with Autism Versus Typical Elementary-School Students |
Greenwood, Jacob Graduated May 2010 |
Ridgefield, CT |
The Effect of Reflective Portfolio Use on Student Self-Regulation Skills in Science |
Henrichs, Ruth In Process |
Arlington, NY |
An Examination of the Multicultural Sensitivity of Fifth Grade Students |
Jenkins, Melissa Graduated August 2011 |
Norwalk, CT |
African American Adolescents' Perceptions of Their Learning, Instructional and Relational Factors |
Kor, Raina Graduated May 2010 |
Irvington, NY |
Teachers' and Principals' Perceptions of Leadership Characteristics and The Relationship of These Perceptions to School Climate |
Leonard, Timothy J. Graduated May 2010 |
Somers, NY |
The Effects of Reading and Discussing Poetry on Fifth Grade Students' Motivation to Read and Vocabulary Achievement |
Levy, Holli Graduated May 2011 |
Ridgefield, CT |
An Examination of Attitudes Toward Mathematics By Gender, Grade Level, and Parental Perceptions |
Mead, Laura Graduated May 2010 |
Danbury, CT |
The Effects of Using Four Powerful Comprehension Strategies in a Gradual Release Lesson Design and Learning-Style Preferences on Reading Comprehension and Self-Perception of Struggling Readers |
Morgatto, Sara Graduated May 2011 |
Seymour, CT |
Factors that Contribute to the Completion of Eligibility in Division III Women's Intercollegiate Sports |
Samuelson, Teresa Graduated May 2010 |
Fairfield, CT |
An Examination of an Early Intervention Reading Program Focusing on the Progress Monitoring of Literacy Skills and the Reading Self-Concepts of Struggling Readers |
Schullery Corso, Patricia-Ann Graduated May 2010 |
Sherman, CT |
The Effects of an Anti-Cyber Bullying Program on Decreasing the Number of Aggressive Experiences for Students While Using Digital Technology |
Zobler, Ana Graduated May 2010 |
Wilton, CT |
Effects of Listening Strategies Instruction on Listening Comprehension, Oral Proficiency, and Metacognition on Second Language Learners |
Dissertation Topics for Cohort 3
Doctoral Student |
Employer |
Title of Dissertation |
Aldrich, Marguerite Anticipated Graduation 2012-2013 |
Western Connecticut State University |
Daughters of China: An examination of the Home, School, and Community Experiences of Adolescent and Young Adult Chinese Adoptees |
Baratta, Donna Graduated May 2012 |
Yorktown Central School District |
The Effects of Online Professional Development in Technology with Virtual Communities of Practice on Teachers' Attitudes and Content Integration |
Bell, Stephanie Graduated August 2012 |
Rockland BOCES in NY |
An Exploration of the Effects of Student-Directed and Teacher-Directed Inquiry Learning on Creative Problem- Solving, Critical Thinking, and Civic Responsibility |
Cloutier, Andrew Anticipated Graduation 2012-2013 |
Wilton Public Schools |
The Effects of Thematic Social Studies Instruction on Eighth Grade Students' Historical Reasoning Ability and Attitudes Towards Social Studies Related Tasks |
DeBlasio, Gail Graduated May 2012 |
New Haven Public Schools |
An Examination of the Spiritual Intelligence and Social and Emotional Learning Skills of Public School Students in an Urban School District |
Ewings, Stacy Graduated May 2012 |
Guilford Public Schools |
The Effects of Parental use of Learning-Styles Strategies on Parent and Student Attitudes Toward Homework Assistance and Student Academic Self-Perception |
Feinstein, Margaret Anticipated Graduation 2012-2013 |
Beacon City School District, NY |
Summer Literacy Experiences: Children's and Parents' Responses to Multicultural Children's Literature |
Galdo, JoAnne Anticipated Graduation 2012-2013 |
Ridgefield Public Schools |
Literature Response Blogs and Summer Literacy: Exploring Summer Reading Setback and Reading Motivation of 3rd Grade Striving Readers |
Guertin, Susan Anticipated Graduation 2012-2013 |
New Milford Public Schools |
Understanding Teacher use of Inquiry: Catalysts and Barriers |
Higgins, Patrick Anticipated Graduation 2012-2013 |
Region 9 Public Schools |
The Effects of Using a Critical Thinking Graphic Organizer to Improve Connecticut Academic Performance Test Interdisciplinary Writing Assessment Scores |
LeFevre , Jennifer Graduated May 2012 |
Henrick Hudson School District |
An Investigation of How Kindergarten Teachers' Philosophy and Perceptions are Interrelated to the Actual Practice of Play in Their Classrooms |
Longo, Christopher Graduated May 2012 |
Bethel Public Schools |
Effects of n Inquiry-Based Science Program on Critical Thinking, Science Process Skills, Creativity, and Science Fair Achievement of Middle School Students |
Mallozzi, Floria Anticipated Graduation 2012-2013 |
Trumbull Public Schools |
The Effects of Using Interactive Student Notebooks and Specific Written Feedback on Seventh Grade Students' Science Process Skills |
McKinnon, Jason Graduated May 2012 |
Ridgefield Public Schools |
Effects of Scaffolding Higher Order Thinking Questions on Reader Self-Efficacy and Critical Thinking of Sixth Grade Students |
Mumford, Deborah Graduated May 2012 |
Edgemont Public Schools |
An Examination of the Factors Related to Elementary School Classroom Teachers' Self-Efficacy and the Impact of Self-Efficacy Beliefs on Teaching Outcomes in Science |
Priest, John Anticipated Graduation 2012-2013 |
Wilton Public Schools |
The Effects of Cognitive Learning Abilities on Student Attitude, Interpretation, and Integration of Content When Reading Graphic Novels |
Ramos, Emily Graduated May 2012 |
retired from North Rockland Central School District-New York state |
Exito: Factors Contributing to Second Grade Latina/o American Students' Successful Acquisition of the Discources of School |
Reynolds, Amy Graduated May 2012 |
North Salem Central School District |
Attitudes and Beliefs Held by Teachers on Interdisciplinary Teams with Common Planning Time at a Highly Effective Middle School |
Ruggiero, Christopher Anticipated Graduation 2012-2013 |
Lakeland Central School District |
An Investigation of the Role of Empathy in the Leadership Repertoire of Building Administrators |
Rumble, Merle Anticipated Graduation 2012-2013 |
Norwalk Public Schools |
I Too Have a Voice: The Literacy Experiences of Black Boys Engaging with and Responding to African American Literature Depicting Black Males |
Sands, Michelle Graduated May 2012 |
North Salem Central School District |
The Impact of a Peer Leadership Program on High School Students' Social Capital, as Measured by Co-Cognitive Factors of the Renzulli Houndstooth Theory |


text:
Aug 1, 2011 9:25 AM by CNN Wire Staff
SEATTLE (CNN) -- It's been nearly four decades since a man calling himself Dan Cooper jumped out the back of Northwest Orient Flight 305, somewhere between Seattle and Reno, Nevada, carrying a parachute and some $200,000 in pilfered money.
It's not known where Cooper landed, or if he even survived the jump. But the case lives on in infamy, what the FBI calls "one of the great unsolved mysteries" in the agency's history.
The FBI "reignited" the case in 2007, releasing for the first time a number of pictures and information on the case. Now, agents are working a new lead and looking at a new suspect in the 1971 hijacking.
The tip, which came from a member of law enforcement, is not expected to be "a big break in the investigation," Ayn Sandalo Dietrich, an FBI spokeswoman in Seattle, told CNN on Sunday.
"We do actually have a new suspect that we're looking at," Dietrich told The Telegraph of London, which reported the development in a story Saturday. "... The credible lead is somebody whose possible connection to the hijacker is strong," she said. "And the suspect is not a name that's come up before."
She told the newspaper agents have sent an item belonging to the person for testing at its forensics lab in Quantico, Virginia. "We're hoping there are fingerprints they can take off of it," she said. "It would be a significant lead. And this is looking like our most promising one to date."
The newspaper said Dietrich refused to name the suspect or even say whether the person is still alive. "Generally, the large majority of subjects we look into now are already deceased based on the timing of this," she said.
On the afternoon of November 24, 1971, Cooper -- the "D.B." apparently was a myth created by the press, according to the FBI -- approached the ticket counter of Northwest Orient airlines in Portland, Oregon, and used cash to buy a one way ticket to Seattle.
"Cooper was a quiet man who appeared to be in his mid-forties, wearing a business suit with a black tie and white shirt," the FBI said in a summary of the case on its website. "He ordered a drink -- bourbon and soda -- while the flight was waiting to take off."
But later, he handed a flight attendant a note saying he had a bomb in his briefcase and asking her to sit beside him. She did as she was told, and the man opened a "cheap attache case" and showed her a mass of wires and red-colored sticks and demanded that she write down what he told her. She wrote a note demanding four parachutes and $200,000 in twenty-dollar bills and walked it up to the captain, the FBI said.
When the flight landed in Seattle, the hijacker exchanged the flight's 36 passengers for the money and parachutes, the FBI said, keeping several crew members on board. The flight took off again after he ordered it to fly to Mexico City.
But Cooper jumped out of the plane on the flight. "The pilots landed safely, but Cooper had disappeared into the night and his ultimate fate remains a mystery to this day," the FBI said.
One clue came in 1980, when a young boy found a rotting package full of $20 bills -- $5,800 in all -- which matched the serial numbers of the ransom money. The FBI returned most of the bills to the boy, named Brian Ingram, and Ingram has since auctioned some of them, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported.
The "D.B." stemmed from confusion in a United Press International newsroom, the Post-Intelligencer said.
"We've run down thousands of leads and considered all sorts of scenarios," the FBI said in 2007. "And amateur sleuths have put forward plenty of their own theories. Yet the case remains unsolved. Would we still like to get our man? Absolutely."
The FBI appealed for help from the public, releasing pictures of Cooper's black J.C. Penney tie -- which he removed before jumping and which later provided authorities with a DNA sample -- along with some of the found money.
The agency reminded the public that Cooper was no expert skydiver. "We originally thought Cooper was an experienced jumper, perhaps even a paratrooper," said Special Agent Larry Carr in 2007. "We concluded after a few years this was simply not true. No experienced parachutist would have jumped in the pitch-black night, in the rain, with a 200-mile-an-hour wind in his face, wearing loafers and a trench coat. It was simply too risky. He also missed that his reserve chute was only for training and had been sewn shut -- something a skilled skydiver would have checked."
Agents also believe Cooper had no help on the ground. If he had had an accomplice, he would have needed to coordinate closely with the flight crew and jump at just the right moment. "But Cooper simply said, 'Fly to Mexico,' and he had no idea where he was when he jumped," authorities said. "There was also no visibility of the ground due to cloud cover at 5,000 feet."
Two flight attendants who were in contact with Cooper gave nearly identical descriptions of him, as did those who encountered him on the ground. He was said to be between 5 foot 10 and 6 feet tall, weighing 170 to 180 pounds with brown eyes."
Carr said in 2007 he believed it was unlikely Cooper survived the jump. "Diving into the wilderness without a plan, without the right equipment, in such terrible conditions, he probably never even got his chute open," he said.
By the five-year anniversary of the hijacking, the FBI said it had considered more than 800 suspects and eliminated all but two dozen from consideration.
Several high-profile suspects have been ruled out over the years. Duane Weber, who claimed on his deathbed to be Cooper, was eliminated by DNA testing, the FBI said. Another man, Kenneth Christiansen, did not match the physical description and was a skilled paratrooper. A third, Richard McCoy, who died in 1974, also did not match the description and was at home the day after the hijacking having Thanksgiving dinner with his family in Utah -- "an unlikely scenario unless he had help," the agency said.
CNN's Stephanie Gallman contributed to this report.
© 2011 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
17 hours ago


text:
Greetings fellow Netrunner players!
A2Z Games is proud to host our monthly Netrunner tournament on Saturday February 9th. We hope to have a Netrunner Game Night kit to give away, but we will have other Netrunner product to give away in the event that the kits are not shipped by then. Please come and enjoy this great game from Fantasy Flight Games. There will be a $5 entry fee with prizes for all participants.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us via email (firstname.lastname@example.com) or call the store (520-989-3455) or here on the fourms.
Thanks and we hope to see you there!
Justin, Owner
A2Z Games
4235 W. Ina Road #111
Tucson, AZ 85741