Monthly Archives: August 2008

What a crock

JoelOnTheRoad will be back Monday with a concise analysis of  how the University of Michigan screwed up in its season opener against Utah, together with a killer strategy Coach Rodriguez will want to adopt for sure. Then Tuesday, I’ll return … Continue reading

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Why Caesar quit

Joelontheroad will be back with more ’68 Chicago convention reflections next week. [donation] By Joel Thurtell Why would Number Two on the Detroit Free Press factotum pole Caesar Andrews take a buyout? I mean, the guy’s nearly on top of … Continue reading

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Norman, me & the “siege” of Chicago, Part III

By Joel Thurtell If cops start raining billy clubs on your car, don’t yell insults. I learned that on a visit to Chicago’s Loop. Forty years ago. I approached the anniverary thinking I’d write a long essay to run on … Continue reading

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Norman, me & the “siege” of Chicago, Part II

By Joel Thurtell It makes me sad when I think about those two classmates, Tom “Tex” Ford and Lloyd Slack, who were killed in Vietnam. Around the second grade, Tom Ford’s family moved to Texas. When they came back to … Continue reading

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Norman, me & the “siege” of Chicago, Part I

By Joel Thurtell On the 40th anniversary of my beating and arrest by Chicago cops during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, I find myself wondering if the alienation of Hillary Clinton Democrats who lost to Barack Obama in 2008 is … Continue reading

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Adios, Caesar!

By Joel Thurtell One bigshot Detroit Free Press manager isn’t waiting to find out if the paper wins a Pulitzer for its lynch, er, excuse me, coverage of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s travails. He’s Executive Editor Caesar Andrews, a Gannett … Continue reading

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ACLU looks into Wayne court file snafu

By Joel Thurtell The Detroit branch of the American Civil Liberties Union has asked Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett to explain how the public can have access to files of the Wayne County Circuit Court. The court has been operating … Continue reading

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JOTR yanks BOBS from the grave

By Joel Thurtell Last week, I wrote an obituary for the bevy of monthly Detroit Free Press staff awards named after the late Free Press editor, Bob McGruder. They were called the BOBS Awards. Couple weeks ago, staffers received notice … Continue reading

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‘Comm desk’ — What’s that?

By Joel Thurtell I heard a good one the other day. The Detroit Free Press is so frantic to be Internet savvy that they’re reorganizing their Web approach. That would make it the 11,000th time. The link between traditional newsroom … Continue reading

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J school tricks: Making jaundice look ‘balanced’ 1.1

By Joel Thurtell In my lecture today, I’ll show you budding young journalists how to do what might seem impossible to many writers with less skill than you will have once you complete your training here in Joel’s J School. … Continue reading

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