THE COLUMN

Our Blog Has Moved!

2011-08-22T09:42:00.001-04:00

var addthis_pub = "ctforum";We're still blogging - we've just moved to Tumblr! See our more recent posts, here: http://blog.ctforum.org/

Jonah Lehrer to Join Creative Minds Panel!

2011-07-14T13:10:00.001-04:00

Announcing Jonah Lehrer - Journalist, Rhodes Scholar, Author of How We Decide will be a panelist at Creative Minds on Friday, November 18, 2011 Hailed as “an important new thinker” by the Los Angeles Times and “a popular science prodigy” by The New York Times, Jonah Lehrer is the best-selling author of How We Decide, as well as a contributing editor at Wired Magazine,

Former Director of Policy Planning for the State Department Anne-Marie Slaughter Joins Global Affairs Panel!

2011-07-13T13:00:00.000-04:00

The Connecticut Forum Announces: Anne-Marie Slaughter will join Tom Ridge at Global Affairs Saturday, October 1, 2011 A distinguished writer, commentator, and teacher on a wide range of global affairs, Anne-Marie Slaughter is a preeminent voice on U.S. foreign policy and international security. She was the first woman to hold the position of Director of Policy Planning for the United States

First Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Tom Ridge to Join Global Affairs Panel!

2011-07-12T13:00:00.000-04:00

The Connecticut Forum Announces: Tom Ridge to be a Panelist at Global Affairs Saturday, October 1, 2011 Following the events of September 11, 2001, Tom Ridge became the first Secretary of the newly created Department of Homeland Security, heading the largest government reorganization since the Department of Defense was created in 1947. One of the first Vietnam combat veterans to serve in

Eco-Entrpreneur Majora Carter to Join Our Fragile Earth Panel

2011-07-06T10:37:00.018-04:00

The Connecticut Forum Announces:Majora Carter to be a Panelist atOur Fragile EarthSaturday, May 5, 2012Named one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Companymagazine, “The Green Power Broker” by the New York Times, and “The Prophet of Local” by the Ashoka Foundation’s Changemakers.org, Majora Carter is a pioneer in economic as well as environmental sustainability. Carter, who

CT Forum Panelist Paul Bloom Chosen as TEDGlobal Speaker

2011-06-14T16:36:00.005-04:00

Photo taken by Nick CaitoCongrats to Paul Bloom, who has been chosen as a speaker at the TED Global conference in July. Bloom was a panelist at our Glorious, Mysterious Brain Forum in February, where this photo was taken. During one of the highlights of the evening, he spoke about the differences in liberal and conservative brains. var addthis_pub = "ctforum";var addthis_pub = "cMore photos are available on our Facebook page, here.Video from The Forum will be posted soon!var addthis_pub = "ctforum";We're finalizing the topics for our upcoming Forum season, and the subject of the US role in global affairs keeps appearing - in conversations, on the results of our season ballot and in the emails we receive. The issue is divisive in a much less intelligible way than most; in a political landscape galvanized by bi-partisanship, U.S.

The Glorious, Mysterious Brain - Another Mind-Blowing Night!

2011-03-04T13:10:00.016-05:00

Panelist Steven Pinker tries to keep his glorious, mysterious brain in checkWhat a night! From press conference questions about the causes of (and solutions to) pesky "brain freeze" to weighty explorations of the brain's connection to the soul, last week's The Glorious, Mysterious Brain Forum was everything we hoped it would be and more! A sincere thanks to all of our panelists, sponsors,

Feed Your Brain Before our Upcoming Forum!

2011-02-11T12:13:00.000-05:00

var addthis_pub = "ctfor Are you feeling unprepared to be in the company of so many brainiacs at our February 25 Forum, "The Glorious, Mysterious Brain"? We've compiled some related articles so you can read up on the latest research beforehand. If you want more, you can read one of our panelists' popular books - whether it's Steven Pinker's The Blank Slate or The Language Instinct; Temple

Paul Bloom Joins CT Forum Panel on The Brain

2011-01-24T14:38:00.002-05:00

We are excited to announce that Paul Bloom Cognitive Scientist and Popular Yale Professor, Author of How Pleasure Works has joined our panel for The Glorious, Mysterious Brain on Friday, February 25, 2011.He will be joined by Temple Grandin, renowned autism advocate and inspiration to millions, and Steven Pinker, author of The Blank Slate and How the Mind Works. Paul Bloom is a distinguished

Obama's Call for Civility Resonates Here

2011-01-13T13:19:00.009-05:00

var addthis_pub = "ctforum";Last night, President Obama made a speech in Tucson, eulogizing those who lost their lives in the shooting there over the weekend and calling for a new tone of "civil and honest public discourse [to] help us face up to our challenges as a nation..."The speech was powerful because it was more than a memorial, but a call for a better America.The speech resonated with us.

Countdown to Temple Grandin at The Connecticut Forum

2010-12-28T14:59:00.003-05:00

Dr. Temple Grandin will talk about "The Glorious Mysterious Brain" on Friday, February 25, 2011 at The CT Forum. var addthis_pub = "ctforum 2010 was a big year for renowned doctor, professor, best-selling author and autism advocate Temple Grandin. She received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Duke University, had her life story adapted into a movie for HBO, and attended the

A Present for the Holidays

2010-12-22T12:28:00.000-05:00

We were humbled to receive the following poem from a long time member of our Forum Family, someone who attended our Annual Hartford Children's Holiday Party for the first time this year and was deeply moved by the experience. This poem is his gift to us - all of us - and a wonderful reminder about the real meaning of the holiday season. Enjoy! For reasons best not expressedThis season had

Smiles All Around at CT Forum's 18th Annual Hartford Children's Holiday Party

2010-12-14T12:31:00.004-05:00

What a day! var addthis_pub = "ctforum"; Some very happy children holding special gifts and photos with Santa! The Hartford Marriott Downtown was the place to be yesterday! A fantastic group of people - including 300 Hartford elementary school students, 100 CT YOUTH Forum elves, 33 sponsoring organizations, numerous volunteers and one great big Santa Claus - made this our best

The CT Forum's Annual Hartford Children's Holiday Party: It's All About the Kids

2010-12-09T14:55:00.001-05:00

Something magical is happening on Monday, December 13, 2010. Imagine... the expressions on the faces of hundreds of children as they enter the Hartford Marriott Downtown for the first time. Watch... their eyes widen as they are escorted through the hotel's luxurious lobby to what appears to be the tallest escalator in the world. See... smiles expand as they are greeted by Frosty the

Continuing the Education Conversation: CT Business Leaders Gather at Early Childhood Summit

2010-12-06T13:57:00.001-05:00

var addthis_pub = "c As promised, The Connecticut Forum presented the first of several education summits last week to continue the conversation about education started at our November Forum, Our Great Education Challenge.A partnership between The Connecticut Forum and The CBIA Education Foundation, the summit, "Why Business Should Care About Early Childhood Education," focused on the importance

The CT Forum Panelists - In the News!

2010-11-22T13:49:00.001-05:00

Connecticut Forum panelists have been making lots of headlines lately. Here's a round-up of some past and future CT Forum panelists who have been featured in recent national headlines: Kurt Vonnegut: The Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library was recently the recipient of a $100,000 grant that will go towards finishing up the library's downtown Indianapolis space dedicated to the legendary American

Education Showcase and More at "Our Great Education Challenge"

2010-11-09T13:15:00.001-05:00

We'll be holding a special Education Showcase featuring local education groups in the Bushnell theater lobby on Thursday, November 11 as a part of our second Forum of the Season, Our Great Education Challenge. The Education Showcase will be available to Forum audience members beginning at 7pm, during intermission, and immediately following The Forum. The Showcase offers an opportunity to

Exciting Panelist Announcement! Vice President of NEA, the Largest Teachers' Union, Joins CT Forum on Education

2010-10-20T12:31:00.001-04:00

We are thrilled to announce that LILY ESKELSEN Vice President, NEA The largest teachers' union, 3.2 million members will be a panelist atOur Great Education Challenge onThursday, November 11, 2010! As vice president of the National Education Association (NEA), Lily Eskelsen is one of the highest-ranking labor leaders in the country and one of its most influential Hispanic educators. Named

Great Questions Raised at CT Forum on Civility

2010-10-05T17:17:00.003-04:00

From left to right, The End of Civility? panelists David Gergen, Gina Barreca,Connie Schultz (screen), Stephen Carter, & Christopher BuckleyNow that our first Forum of the Season, The End of Civility? is over, it's truly "the end of civility" - in one sense, at least.However, there's no end to the questions we all have about civility. We were inundated with audience questions for the panelists

The Threat of Civility?

2010-09-23T09:00:00.019-04:00

Is incivility defensible? Special Forum guest blogger Rosanne Thomas of Boston-based Protocol Advisors, Inc. reflects on the uncivil response to Jon Stewart's call for respectful public discourse. Jon Stewart has called for a restoration of respectful public discourse through a "Million Moderate March," scheduled for October 30 in Washington. One cannot argue with the merits of such a pursuit

Jon Schnur Joins Panel for CT Forum on Education

2010-09-22T10:46:00.000-04:00

We are thrilled to share that JON SCHNUR Education Reform Pioneer & CEO, New Leaders for New Schools will be a panelist at Our Great Education Challenge on Thursday, November 11, 2010. He will join fellow panelists Davis Guggenheim, director of the highly anticipated film Waiting for "Superman" and Joel Klein, chancellor of New York City schools. Jon Schnur is CEO and co-founder of New Leaders

I'm Sorry: The Art of the Apology

2010-09-10T11:16:00.000-04:00

Special Forum guest blogger Rosanne Thomas, certified etiquette and protocol consultant and founder of Boston-based Protocol Advisors, Inc., reflects on non-apology apologies and helps us say we're sorry like a pro. Where civility is concerned, a bad apology---and we know it when we hear it--is truly worse than no apology at all. The reproachful, "I'm sorry if you were offended." The

Waiting for "Superman" Director Davis Guggenheim Joins CT Forum Education Panel

2010-09-07T14:46:00.000-04:00

Davis Guggenheim Exciting news! DAVIS GUGGENHEIM Director of the highly anticipated film Waiting for Superman, as well as An Inconvenient Truth will be a panelist at our upcoming Forum, Our Great Education Challenge , on November 11, 2010. He will join fellow panelist Joel Klein, chancellor of New York Public Schools, and other panelists to be announced soon. Davis Guggenheim is an American

Freedom Author Jonathan Franzen Joins CT Forum Panel

2010-08-31T16:30:00.001-04:00

Franzen photo credit Greg Martin (Freedom) We are thrilled to announce thatJONATHAN FRANZENCelebrated Novelist...The Corrections and Freedomwill be a panelist at our Forum Book Club on Saturday, May 7, 2011. He will join fellow panelists Azar Nafisi, author of Reading Lolita in Tehran, and John Irving, author of The Cider House Rules and The World According to Garp. Jonathan Franzen is a

CT Forum "Brain" Panelist Temple Grandin Wins Big at the Emmy Awards - Grandin will Appear in CT on February 25, 2011

2010-08-30T09:38:00.009-04:00

Photo courtesy of The Baltimore SunLast night HBO's Temple Grandin won big at the 2010 Emmys, taking home awards for Best Made for TV Movie and Directing in a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special, as well as Best Actress and Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for Claire Danes and Julia Ormand respectively."I hope this movie is going to educate a lot of people about autism because

The Gift of Listening

2010-08-26T09:54:00.002-04:00

When our views are so polarized, it becomes increasingly difficult to listen...and hear. Special Forum guest blogger Rosanne Thomas, certified etiquette and protocol consultant and founder of Boston-based Protocol Advisors, Inc., reflects on the public response to the proposed Islamic Center in New York and offers tips to help us communicate with respect, despite our differences.Mention the now

A Blow for Civility

2010-08-16T12:28:00.001-04:00

Special Guest Blogger Rosanne Thomas, certified etiquette and protocol consultant and founder of Boston-based Protocol Advisors, Inc., continues the conversation about the recent Jet Blue incident and what it means for civility. In yesterday's New York Times, Benedict Carey wrote of Steven Slater, the Jet Blue flight attendant whose dramatic exit from a plane after an encounter with a passenger

Civility Meets the Unfriendly Skies

2010-08-13T11:28:00.000-04:00

Special Guest Blogger Rosanne Thomas, certified etiquette and protocol consultant and founder of Boston-based Protocol Advisors, Inc., weighs in on the recent Jet Blue incident. Recent events upon a Jet Blue flight have brought into focus the element of "stress" and its impact upon daily lives. According to the vast majority, stress, defined as "an emotionally disruptive or disquieting

Connie Schultz to Moderate CT Forum on Civility

2010-08-10T13:19:00.002-04:00

var addthis_pub = "ctforum";The Connecticut Forum Announces:Stephen Carter to Join Gergen, Buckley and Barreca at The End of Civility? Saturday, October 2, 2010Recognized by Time magazine as one of the fifty leaders of the next century, Stephen Carter is one of America’s leading public intellectuals.The author of four novels and of seven critically acclaimed

Local Author, Academic and Humorist Gina Barreca Joins Civility Panel

2010-08-04T12:54:00.000-04:00

var addthis_pub = "ctforum";The Connecticut Forum Announces:Gina Barreca to Join David Gergen and Christopher Buckley at The End of Civility? Saturday, October 2, 2010Deemed a “feminist humor maven” by Ms. Magazine and “Very, very funny. For a woman” by Dave Barry, Gina Barreca is most recently the author of It's Not That I'm Bitter: How I Learned to Stop Worrying

Christopher Buckley, Best Selling Author & Satirist, to Join the Civility Forum

2010-08-03T13:00:00.000-04:00

var addthis_pub = "ctforum";The Connecticut Forum Announces:Christopher Buckley to Join David Gergen at The End of Civility? Saturday, October 2, 2010Tom Wolfe has called Christopher Buckley, "one of the funniest writers in the English language." Buckley is the author of 13 books, many of them satirical, including Little Green Men, Supreme Courtship and Thank You For

Azar Nafisi, Author of "Reading Lolita in Tehran," to speak at the Forum Book Club

2010-07-30T09:33:00.000-04:00

The Connecticut Forum Announces: Azar Nafisi, Author of Reading Lolita in Tehran will be a Panelist at Forum Book Club Saturday, May 7, 2011 Azar Nafisi is best known as the author of the national bestseller Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books, which electrified its readers with a compassionate and often harrowing portrait of the Islamic revolution in Iran and how it affected one

Autism Advocate Temple Grandin to join Steven Pinker at The Brain Forum

2010-07-22T16:55:00.012-04:00

The Connecticut Forum Announces: Temple Grandin to join Steven Pinker at The Glorious, Mysterious Brain Friday, February 25, 2011 "If I could snap my fingers and become nonautistic I would not do so. Autism is a part of who I am." - Temple Grandin Temple Grandin's doctors confused her autism with brain damage when she was young, and she didn't speak a word until she was nearly four years

Steven Pinker and "The Glorious, Mysterious Brain"

2010-07-22T13:40:00.018-04:00

The Connecticut Forum Announces: Steven Pinker will join us for The Glorious, Mysterious Brain Friday, February 25, 2011 "If I call myself a psychologist people immediately think of a psychotherapist, but if I call myself a cognitive scientist at least no one knows what the hell that is."- Steven Pinker, The Guardian UK. One of Time Magazine 2004's 100 Most Interesting People. A Harvard

Joel Klein Comes to The Forum!

2010-07-22T13:11:00.012-04:00

The Connecticut Forum Announces: Joel Klein to be a Panelist at Our Great Education ChallengeThursday, November 11, 2010.The Connecticut Forum is bringing renowned educational innovator Joel Klein to Our Great Education Challenge. As New York City schools chancellor, Klein oversees over 1,600 schools with 1.1 million students, 136,000 employees, and a $21-billion operating budget.Joel I. Klein

David Gergen Joins "Civility" Panel

2010-07-22T11:38:00.017-04:00

The Connecticut Forum Announces:David Gergen to be a Panelist at The End of Civility? Saturday, October 2. Few know the political backroom as well as David Gergen. As an adviser to four U.S. presidents and a senior political analyst for CNN, Gergen has made a career of bearing witness to some of the most compelling political figures of our times. In 2000, he published the best-selling book,

Phish's Trey Anastasio at The Forum

2010-06-17T17:39:00.005-04:00

var addthis_pub = "ctforSiSince PhiPhish is in Hartford Phish is in Hartford this weekend -- for those of you who can't make it, I thought I'd share Trey's amazing guitar solo to tide you over. Or, maybe it's just rubbing in what you are missing. If that's the case, I'm sorry!Check out the full Power of Music Forum and lots more clips at TheForumChannel. Today, Forum Music Fest panelist John Legend discussed the nation's Education system on MSNBC's Morning Joe alongside (former CT Forum panelist) Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, Rev. Al Sharpton, Mike Barnicle, and others.Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economyClick here to watch the entire discussionvar addthis_pub

John Legend is Coming to The CT Forum!

2010-03-15T09:42:00.000-04:00

Just Announced!Six-time Grammy Award winning musician and philanthropist John Legend will join Wyclef Jean as a panelist for the Forum Music Fest on Saturday, May 1, 2010!Legend has performed all over the world including the recent Hope for Haiti telethon, The Democratic National Convention, and President Obama's Inauguration Celebration. His music is a blend of pop, soul, and r&b that is fueled

Ever Wonder What's in Bob Woodward's Refrigerator?

2010-03-09T13:02:00.011-05:00

Bob Woodward & Tina Brown at The Connecticut Forum. Photo by Nick Caito.Each Forum, we ask our panelists to fill out a fun questionnaire to help us get to know them a little better. Check out what Bob Woodward, Tina Brown and Connie Schultz had to say!What is your favorite place in the world? Why? Bob: Venice, Italy. It reminds a visitor that time is very old.Tina: The sofa in our house on Long

A World of Change with Bob Woodward and Tina Brown at The CT Forum

2010-03-05T09:45:00.012-05:00

Wow, what an evening!Our Forum last night entitled "A World of Change" featured a conversation between legendary journalist Bob Woodward and renowned author and editor Tina Brown, moderated by Connie Schultz.Check out these behind the scenes photos! All photos by Nick Caito, Nick Caito PhotoThe evening began with the panelist meeting. Here, our panelists meet for the first time, sign autographs,

Resuscitating Healthcare Reform

2010-02-22T11:17:00.006-05:00

Former Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich is talking about it.Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid is talking about it. The NY Times is talking about it. but...what is it?"Reconciliation" is on the lips of many Washington insiders, and now even a few outsiders, as a means of passing some form of healthcare reform. It sounds sort of benign and maybe even positive and uplifting. What it amounts to though

Hartford's Young Emerging Leaders Meet at The CT Forum

2010-02-22T10:43:00.020-05:00

Photos by Nick CaitoLast week we invited a group of young emerging leaders from the Greater Hartford community to come to our office and share their ideas for our upcoming 2010-2011 season. We wanted to know what the under 40 crowd thinks, worries and cares about and what this group in particular would like to see discussed - live and unscripted - at The Forum next season.It felt enlivening to be

Forum Panelist and Urban Farmer Will Allen Appears with Michelle Obama at The White House

2010-02-10T09:44:00.003-05:00

Will Allen, the Milwaukee urban farmer who appeared at the Revolutionary Thinkers Forum earlier this Season, shared a stage with Michelle Obama at The White House yesterday as she launched a new program to combat childhood obesity.Allen founded Growing Power, a nonprofit program that aims to provide healthy, quality and affordable food to people in all communities. At The Forum last October he

Changes to CTForum YouTube page

2010-01-25T11:58:00.007-05:00

You may have noticed that our CT Forum YouTube Channel has a new look. We wanted to take a moment to answer any questions about these changes and give you more details about our new video website, TheForumChannel.TheForumChannel is the new website that is the exclusive place to watch full Forum conversations from the past 18 years. TheForumChannel also has easy-to-use search capabilities for

Wyclef Jean: Hip-Hopping Humanitarian

2010-01-21T12:22:00.008-05:00

As you may know, Hip-Hop Musician and Humanitarian Wyclef Jean will be a panelist at our Forum Music Fest on May 1, 2010. A Haitian native, Wyclef has long been an advocate for the people of Haiti, fighting to bring hope and change to the distressed nation. Since last week's devastating earthquake, Wyclef has been on the ground in Haiti aiding in both rescue and humanitarian efforts. In an

CT YOUTH Forum Members Discuss Race in America on NPR

2010-01-19T12:44:00.006-05:00

Photo by Chion Wolf, WNPRStudents from our very own YOUTH Forum appeared on WNPR's Where We Live yesterday to discuss their views and experiences on race in America in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.var addthis_pub = "ctforum";Check out the audio on WNPR! (click episode audio)

Wyclef Jean Reacts to Haiti Earthquake Tragedy

2010-01-13T12:44:00.014-05:00

Soon-to-be- Forum panelist and Haitian native Wyclef Jean has gone to Haiti to lend aid in his homeland in the aftermath of yesterday's tragic earthquake.In a statement from his blog, Wyclef states:"I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now."

The Simpsons Celebrate 20th Anniversary

2010-01-11T14:47:00.005-05:00

The Simpsons celebrated their 20th anniversary with the airing of their 450th episode last night.Check out these great clips from our Forum, Behind the Scenes with The Simpsons featuring Producer Al Jean, writer Tim Long, actor Harry Shearer voice of Mr. Burns, Flanders, Principal Skinner and others and Yeardley Smith, voice of Lisa Simpson (March 4, 2004)For more

Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd on education and technology

2010-01-07T16:05:00.005-05:00

Senator Chris Dodd was a Forum panelist back in 1994 at a Forum titled Children & Education: A Look into the Future. As we think about Dodd's long career as Connecticut's Senator, here's a clip of him at that Forum, talking about education and technology.Although this was nearly sixteen years ago, the issues that he and the rest of the panel addressed that evening

Holidays with Heart: The CT Forum's 17th Annual Hartford Children's Holiday Party

2009-12-29T08:30:00.013-05:00

It's one of the best kept secrets in town.Since 1993, The CT Forum's Annual Hartford Children's Holiday Party has connected people across geographic, economic, social and racial divides to bring joy to children who might not otherwise experience a festive holiday.On Monday, December 14th, dozens of volunteers from national corporations, local businesses, schools and towns - including 100

What are you going to watch?

2009-12-18T11:42:00.003-05:00

Winter, it seems, is here with a vengeance. The temperature when I woke up this morning was a bracing 12 degrees (Fahrenheit for all you international readers). This time of year inspires really only one thing in me, hibernation. For years, my plan for ursine-like-repose has been to set myself down, wrapped in a blanket, (No Snuggies for me, I'm a traditionalist.) and

The Connecticut Forum Announces a New Video Website!

2009-12-11T13:55:00.007-05:00

We are excited to announce the launch of The Forum Channel, a new website showcasing video from our Forum archives! This site is the only place to find full Forum conversations, and also includes hundreds of clips and dozens of past panelists.Visitors to The Forum Channel will have free access to videos of past guests ranging from Phish’s Trey Anastasio to Spike Lee, touching on topics ranging

Geoffrey Canada and The Harlem Children's Zone

2009-12-07T15:14:00.005-05:00

Last night's episode of 60 Minutes featured an interview with Geoffrey Canada about his charter school, The Promise Academy, a part of his Harlem Children's Zone plan. The school offers opportunities to children living in poverty and aims for every child enrolled to make it to college.Canada was a panelist at the Education in America Forum back in 2006; during that

The World Reacts to Obama's Afghanistan Plan

2009-12-02T12:50:00.012-05:00

AP Photo Last night the world tuned in to watch President Obama formally announce that an additional 30,000 troops will be sent to aid in the U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. "I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan...I do not make this decision lightly. I make this decision because I am convinced that our security is at

Behind the Scenes at the YOUTH Forum Press Conference

2009-11-25T13:11:00.009-05:00

A guest blog post from Danielle Joseph, YOUTH Forum Associate. Many of you have heard of the Youth Forum, but do you really know what they do? Sure they have monthly meetings with 200 students, they take trips to colleges, they go to local plays, but one of the most sought-after activities is the opportunity to interview the celebrity panelists before they ever go on stage at The Bushnell, as a

Behind the scenes with Jason Alexander, Samantha Bee, David Javerbaum & Randy Cohen

2009-11-16T10:16:00.012-05:00

Photo courtesy of Nick Caito, Fox 61 NewsCan't get enough of our It's Satire! panelists? Neither can we! Check our their answers to our backstage questionnaire, and stay tuned for more photos and videos from behind the scenes coming soon!What is your favorite place in the world? Why?David Javerbaum: My mother's womb...because I was happy there.Samantha Bee: My cottage in the Catskills is my

Fans & Teammates Remember UConn Football Player Jasper Howard

2009-11-02T14:28:00.006-05:00

Rentschler Field was awash with the number 6 on Saturday afternoon, as teammates, fans and students remembered Jasper Howard, the University of Connecticut football player who was killed on campus two weeks ago.var addthis_pub = "ctforum";Our YOUTH Forum Associate, Danielle Joseph, was there for the pre-game ceremonies and shared her thoughts about the tribute to

Facebook="Highclass"

2009-10-21T15:08:00.004-04:00

Check out this recent article on NPR. Interesting commentary from Tech Revolution panelist danah boyd.It seems, in the mind of many kids:Facebook is "highclass"Myspace is "trashy"andTwitter is for "old people."Perhaps I can ad from my own anecdotal experience you could rewrite this as:Facebook is for white people.Myspace is for brown people.andTwitter is for(sorry)

Zero-Tolerence for zero-tolerence

2009-10-19T12:19:00.012-04:00

It seems Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace for Tangipahoa Parish's 8th Ward, is not the hopeless romantic we all thought he was. Keith has a standing policy when it comes to justice-of-the-peaceing, no interracial marriages. According to him, they just don't work out and, in the interest of "the children" he figures that mixed race kids are neither accepted by

When Cakes go Bad...

2009-10-15T13:00:00.004-04:00

Here's a recent world-wide-web find that I just had to share...It's Cake Wrecks!It seems all who work in the Cake Decorating Craft are not up to the same level as our Forum Panelist Duff Goldman. Some are...well, you should check out the site.Congratulations Heidi "(in Spanish!)" (now all "together")Glad your "Here" (Are you really?)Way to go Bob (Yeah Bob, way to go.

David Javerbaum Joins Panel for It's Satire! (Who's He?)

2009-10-13T09:57:00.009-04:00

Who is David Javerbaum, you ask?Well, he's the guy Jon Stewart called as a "lifeline" while participating on the TV game show, Celebrity Millionaire.He's won a few (11!) Emmy awards producing and writing for The Daily Show.He's also written for The Onion, Colbert Report, The Late Show & Harvard Lampoon.And perhaps most importantly, he was a finalist on the Jeopardy! 1988 Teen Tournament and its

Revolutionary Trivia: What's in Jessica Jackley's Refrigerator?

2009-10-07T15:07:00.006-04:00

Now that you've gotten to know our "Revolutionary" Forum panelists, it's time for a little quiz!**Hint: All of the answer choices below are the actual responses of our panelists and moderator from Revolutionary Thinkers. **1. What is something Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot can't live without?a). Musicb). Familyc). Conversations with her dadd). Her coat collectione). Darwin2. What is Juan Enriquez's

Some Revolutionary Thinking...

2009-10-05T21:32:00.003-04:00

A taste of some of the the revolutionary thinking going on at the Forum on Friday...Do you have a favorite moment? Want to see more? Let us know!var addthis_pub = "ctforum";

What a REVOLUTIONARY Evening!

2009-10-03T08:28:00.013-04:00

Last night we kicked off our exciting season with Revolutionary Thinkers featuring Will Allen, founder of Growing Power, Jessica Jackley, co-founder of Kiva.org, Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, renowned Harvard sociologist and educator, and Juan Enriquez, futurist and scientist. Award-winning TV and radio journalist Alison Stewart moderated.Here are some behind the scenes photos!Doris and Richard

Six Degrees of Bill Clinton: The Clinton Global Initiative Recognizes Will Allen and Kiva

2009-09-30T22:30:00.013-04:00

Yes, we've heard - you want us to bring Bill Clinton to The Forum. Every year, when we survey our audience, YOUTH Forum members and various community members regarding ideas for our upcoming Season, there are certain individuals who repeatedly appear on your list of desired panelists - names like Oprah, Nelson Mandela, and... Bill Clinton.And we try, we really do. But did you know that two

The Protect Insurance Companies PSA: Some Satire for your Thursday Afternoon

2009-09-24T14:47:00.004-04:00

Sure, the healthcare debate is still in full swing, but it's never too soon to bring on the satire. And I think Will Ferrell gets it right...Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrellvar addthis_pub = "ctforum";

Bob Woodward leaks confidential Afghanistan Policy Report in The Washington Post

2009-09-22T13:08:00.010-04:00

Bob Woodward, known as one of the greatest investigative reporters of our time, has done it again.In a front page article of The Washington Post yesterday, Woodward leaked the details of a confidential 66-page report, in which top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal explains to President Barack Obama that if more troops are not sent overseas, U.S. Military efforts

Jason Alexander to Join Samantha Bee in Hartford

2009-09-15T13:20:00.007-04:00

Yesterday we announced that Jason Alexander (a.k.a. George Costanza from Seinfeld) will be joining our panel for It's Satire on November 14th - a panel that already includes The Daily Show's hilarious and uber-talented Samantha Bee.As if that weren't enough, Randy Cohen, humorist and author of The Ethicist from The New York Times Magazine, will moderate the conversation. But the fun doesn't

Getting to Know our Revolutionary Thinkers

2009-08-31T09:54:00.012-04:00

Ready to be inspired? Meet our Revolutionary Thinkers, some fascinating people who will inspire you to think big!He feeds thousands of people from two acres of inner-city land in Milwaukee. How does he do it?Will Allen is a pioneer in the urban farming movement and the founder of Growing Power. His programs transform the lives of low-income families by working to provide high-quality, healthy

Remembering Teddy.

2009-08-26T09:04:00.016-04:00

Growing up in middle class Massachusetts, The Kennedy's was as common a phrase as The Sox. My grandmother would often mention Jack n' Jackie, and my mother's bookshelf was filled with books about Camelot. Visions of a strong, white haired man named Teddy, smiling on a sailboat or speaking strongly at a podium were on the news, it seems almost every night. As a young child, I didn't understand

Struggling to Understand Health Care Reform: Some Thoughts From Forum President Richard Sugarman

2009-08-10T10:30:00.001-04:00

The CT Forum staff, along with a few volunteers and one YOUTH Forum member, had an impromptu mini health care Forum in our office last week in an attempt to understand all of what is meant when we talk about health care and the proposed reform. However, when it was all over we still felt like we had more questions than answers. In the days that followed we kept returning to our questions, sharing

Shark Free is the Way to be: Alice Waters Vows to Skip the Shark Fin Soup

2009-08-01T16:42:00.006-04:00

Alice Waters found herself in some hot water following our May 14th Forum, Food for Thought, when she shared that she would like her last meal to be shark fin soup.This surprised fellow Food for Thought panelists Anthony Bourdain and Duff Goldman as Alice is best known as the revolutionary leader of the Slow Food movement. "That's not local," chuckled Bourdain.But,

Beers across America

2009-07-31T23:43:00.007-04:00

So, by now everybody and his uncle who cares about such things saw that Jim Crowley of the Cambridge Police Department, Skip Gates, Joe Biden and Barack Obama (you know, just four regular guys) sat down and had beers. I personally found the scene depicted above rather troubling.Now I'm almost certain that Jim is drinking a Blue Moon. It is definitely a hefeweizen. Nice Jim...nice.Skip reported

Doris and Richard Sugarman Honored by Hartford Magazine

2009-07-28T09:01:00.017-04:00

Doris and Richard Sugarman in May 2009 , Photo by Wayne DombkowskiOur own CT Forum Executive Director Doris Sugarman and Founder Richard Sugarman have been named by Hartford Magazine as two of Greater Hartford's 50 Most Influential People of 2009. This directory of "who's who" in Greater Hartford identifies people who have "helped shape the look, feel, culture and vibrancy of our area in a

Up Against The Wall, Esteemed Professor Gates.

2009-07-22T13:02:00.005-04:00

Today over 150 hours of President Nixon's phone conversations were made public by the Nixon Presidential Library, as part of the National Archives. The tapes, which document 944 private conversations, were recorded by secret microphones in the Oval Office between January and February of 1978.Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economyvar

Jon & Kate Plus 8: The Announcement

2009-06-22T17:04:00.020-04:00

Last night Jon and Kate Gosselin, stars of TLC's hit reality TV show Jon & Kate Plus Eight announced that they are separating.I don't have an eloquent or witty response to my reaction to all of this. It's just makes me really sad.Aside from the fact that I am..scratch that...was an avid fan of the hit show, I am also a child of divorce.When my parents marriage began to deteriorate, I was

Twitter and Iran

2009-06-17T13:54:00.001-04:00

I've been using Twitter for a few months now, but I'm still undecided when people ask me if I like it. It can be as self-indulgent and narcissistic as the haters claim, but it can also be really useful. I follow mostly people / organizations that tell me something about what's going on with things that I care about, and I've found it mostly to be a helpful, self-selected news feed, catered just

Insights into Iranian Imbroglio

2009-06-17T10:06:00.008-04:00

As your high school history teacher - and even college professor(s) if you majored in the subject like me - likely told you many times: In order to make sense of the present we must first look to the past. In that same vein, I thought I'd poke around at past Forum footage to see if any of our panelists had said anything relating to the current election fiasco in Iran