32 responses so far ↓

• 1 beerme // Sep 4, 2008 at 11:09 am

  I hope the federal investigators are sorting these strange details out as well as you are Jake. It seems Stiglitz hit the panic button when the Feds came a knockin and was trying to protect herself and Robert at the same time. Could the question can be raised…if she was involved or knew something or at least can be linked to direct conversation with Felner then will she switch to telling all to investigators to protect herself or will she flip on him once she heard about all his other girlfriends. Nothing like a women scorned

• 2 Novena // Sep 4, 2008 at 11:16 am

  “The Phone Rings–and Rings and Rings”

  Jake, this is indeed a strange set of phone circumstances that requires further curious exploration. My guess is that we’re just at the beginning, but–oddly enough–the end might also be nearing for Bobby and friends. On the phone itself, their ears must have been burnin’–so close to dynamite. Besides fishin’ for a lawyer, it was cheaper than searchin’ for a shrink in the middle of the night.

• 3 Give us a break... // Sep 4, 2008 at 11:43 am

  This just gets more and more pathetic, but thanks, Jake, for continuing to dig for the whole sordid story.

• 4 Mike Jones // Sep 4, 2008 at 12:04 pm

  $87,959.00 a year salary–quite an expensive “call girl” wouldn’t you say?

• 5 Soobvious // Sep 4, 2008 at 12:34 pm

  Thanks, Jake. It is so obvious , not only Felner but all his leadership team needs to be investigated. There was some interesting going on between Bobby and Larson. No wonder he promoted her three times during his tenure, as someone mentioned in earlier posts. It seems there is not a one person, but a whole gang is involved in this scandal. Please ask e-mail exchanges between Booby and his leadership team, through open records. I am sure you will find some interesting information.

• 6 Interesting // Sep 4, 2008 at 1:12 pm

  Mike Jones, $87, 959 is not much when Bobby could afford a lot more. Bobby had several angels. Natalie, Jennifer, and Ann, and … who served him in many different ways. Royal Bobby, lover boy!

• 7 Novena // Sep 4, 2008 at 1:14 pm

  “On ‘Academic’ Gangs & Madames of the Night”

  To Soobvious,
  Yes, the “losership” team needs minute, deep investigation. I believe H. L. Mencken’s ghost might be haunting the CEHD. He spoke of gangs of “irresponsible and unintelligent quacks” and “unmitigated scoundrels.” They also remind me of Nixonian pols–cowards and perhaps crooks, who sapped us materially and spiritually. Please make it stop, Lord. Down with the damn mischief-makers before the Ohio flows red.

  To Mike Jones,
  Yes, the call-girl expenses you cite are far more than Senator Vitter or ex-Governor Spitzer paid for their afternoon delights. But, given the gargantuan number of phone calls, Bobby’s were on call far more often.

• 8 blowin' in the wind // Sep 4, 2008 at 2:25 pm

  Given that no one can understand Dr. Berman’s keeping the Daeschner duo of Marty Bell and Bill Eckels as powerful administrators, perhaps the Felner/Stiglitz influence is to blame for their destructive continuing presence in the district. Has anyone talked to Board of Education members?

• 9 Novena // Sep 4, 2008 at 2:48 pm

  “Oh, Say Can You See? No, Francis”

  I just checked the website of the “Civic Literacy Initiative of KY,” the one featuring Ms. Stiglitz; and, being sympathetic to the topic, I was eager to explore it. I must say I was not too surprised at what I learned: Nothing. It seems like more PR gibberish–not a pissant bit of wisdom on civic education. How Bobby’s friends appear to trample on even the most sacred cows of our “participatory democracy” (sorry, Mitch and Anne). Just like the Bobster always spoke, in unblinking solemnity, of his penchant for “equity and social justice.” (Stop pinchin’ me. KK, I’m almost bleedin.’)

• 10 Always Amazed // Sep 4, 2008 at 3:37 pm

  Does Berman really answer the phone number or does someone else? He is surrounded by snakes (MB /BE) don’t forget.

  Given that Berman has been living the bachelor life (don’t think wife and kids have moved down here yet) he certainly has plenty of free time to talk at all hours I guess.

  Berman is also operating close to the vest, just like Felner did. Not trying to draw any conclusions here, but now that we know what folks are capable of it makes you want to pay more attention. He hired his buddy from Hudson, Arther Camins, to run a new division of Gheens that is charged with bringing in lots of research dollars.

• 11 Novena // Sep 4, 2008 at 3:42 pm

  “Horace Mann, Where Are You, Man?”

  Further inquiry into “Civic Literacy Initiative” (on Trey Grayson’s website) reveals that it is a “movement” that “has been recognized as a national model.” Of what, it is hard to imagine (at least from its website). Yet I did plug in Trey’s steering-committee ties to the “Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools.” That did have a bit more meat, though it seemed devoid of such not-to-be-mentioned issues as: “who has the power?,” “inequality in the USA,” “25% of our children live in poverty,” “50 million have no health-care coverage,” and the like.
  Sorry, Trey. You do seem to fight the good fight more seriously and sincerely than Bobby, who always spoke of “equity and social justice” while smilin’ and holdin’ a shiv in our backs (the kind he’ll use in prison, no doubt).
  P.S. RR, please release the handle–I’m in excruciating pain.

• 12 blowin' in the wind // Sep 4, 2008 at 4:36 pm

  Always amazed….please leave the new Gheens Institute for Innovation out of this. It is supported by a grant from the Gheens Foundation and they have an outside consultant who monitors it on a monthly basis. (Unlike some other foundations giving grants to school districts and universities.) There’s enough bad stuff around without aiming at the good new stuff.

• 13 Lucky // Sep 4, 2008 at 7:42 pm

  A 23-minute call at 1:06am. What could that mean?

  It is clear at this time Felner was dating Jennifer Turner and Natalie simultaneously. Maybe Natalie was dating both Felner and Berman simultaneously. They were all conscenting adults.

  It was well known Felner and Berman did not dig each other. Maybe Natalie is why. Maybe Natalie is the reason for the poor relationship between Felner and Berman just as Jennifer Taylor got between Felner and Ronau.

  Why would Natalie use her UofL phone to make these late night calls? Why did she get a phone at all? Did anyone else get a phone?

• 14 jake // Sep 4, 2008 at 7:51 pm

  Hate to be a party pooper here, but, it is not well-known that Felner and Berman did not “dig” each other. Evidence in email from Felner points to the exact opposite of that.

  Natalie didn’t get a UofL phone. Her phone was paid for by UofL for a short period of time for whatever reason. The story we got was that she was out of town and ran into phone trouble, so it had to be transferred into UofL’s hands for a short period of time.

• 15 Blowin // Sep 4, 2008 at 8:15 pm

  Jennifer Taylor? Does KK know of her? This is a blog not a newspaper (hi, C-J!Way to go on keeping us informed). Please, do more than give discreet innuendo. Who knew that RR “may have turned in” His Short Lordship due to JT? Not I. Or KK. Or me. Whatever.

• 16 blowin' in the wind // Sep 4, 2008 at 9:16 pm

  Dr. Berman was very impressed with Felner…Felner went out of his way to court him. As Jake has noted, it was NOT well known that Berman didn’t like Felner–it was exactly the opposite!

• 17 elkam // Sep 4, 2008 at 9:43 pm

  I was also a graduate student when Natalie was in the CEHD as a doctoral student the last several years. Her dissertation chairs were Dr. Petrosko and Dr. Larson (formerly, according to what people said, it was Dr. Stringfield).

  Before he left UofL and after Felner fell out at the University, graduate students knew that Felner was no longer overseeing the work of the new-Dr. Stiglitz. In her work at UofL and JCPS, there could be some good reasons for some of these contacts on the phone records; others — not so sure. I’m not sticking up for her, but I’m “just sayin’.”

• 18 Novena // Sep 5, 2008 at 2:21 pm

  “A Death Blow–if True?”

  It has recently come to my attention that Bobby may well have been a kind of “one-man diploma mill” who gave out real doctorates at his will. I do not have solid evidence of this, but the rumors are apparently rampant–and they involve chubby guys as well as thin, young blondes. Has anyone heard of this? If there is substantial evidence for it, it needs to see the light of day. If true, UofHell might just kiss its accreditation goodbye. Of course, who would want to commit institutional and personal suicide?

• 19 blowin' in the wind // Sep 5, 2008 at 3:28 pm

  Aren’t all dissertations in open files and available? They should be. It would be useful for an outside committee of education professors (preferably not Kentucky at all) to take a look at the dissertations as well as other aspects of any suspect grantees. By the way, what was the topic of Natalie’s dissertation?

• 20 Pimp // Sep 5, 2008 at 4:43 pm

  I got a phone call recently from a reporter that said he’s heard of at least one case of someone who got a Ph.D. through U of L that never set foot on campus. Supposedly this occurred through a collusion of Felner and Ron Atlas. Anyone else heard of this?

• 21 wc // Sep 6, 2008 at 8:03 am

  Yes, I heard the same thing. The story I got was that Felner’s friend is a big-time superintendent who funneled money into Felner’s center. The guy never took a course, never did a residency, and never took comprehensive exams. Anyone ever heard of a situation in which a reputable (ok, ok, UofL is not reputable) insititution awarded a dissertation to someone who only took dissertation hours for one semester? Ronau signed and he is the guy who is supposed to monitor such things.

• 22 blowin' in the wind // Sep 6, 2008 at 10:20 am

  Not at doctoral level, so far as we know, but West Virginia U has had troubles recently over MBAs inappropriately awarded.

  I hope you guys can chase this one down–it’s too important not to see the light of day.

• 23 le gardien // Sep 6, 2008 at 11:53 am

  It used to be that University Microfilms of ann arbor MI cataloged every PhD thesis; as recently as 2003 one was able to go to their site & “google” a name & up comes the title & abstract. I tested it with my name (1973) successfully. I then checked out the names of others. However while i can get to their site, i have been unable to get to any Freebies.

• 24 Interesting // Sep 6, 2008 at 12:17 pm

  I did the same, Le Gardien. It dose not show that Natalie even got doctor’s degree. May be I am not checking correctly.

• 25 Robin // Sep 6, 2008 at 1:30 pm

  Well I don’t know if Natalie actually received her PhD, but she definitely participated in Commencement in May, 2008 and was recognized as having received her PhD.

• 26 Interesting // Sep 6, 2008 at 1:48 pm

  Pimp, if this is true. It must be investigated. Several people who signed this mysterious person’s dissetation should also be held responsible.

• 27 URI // Sep 6, 2008 at 2:56 pm

  What strikes me as odd is that there has been VERY LITTLE (if ANY) attention given to this creep’s URI connections - particularly by the RI press.

  The staff of his former center at URI has been “temporarily” relocated from their offices and dispersed throughout the campus.

  The big question that URI should be asking is: was any of OUR money used to finance his dealings?

  The feds need to pay a little visit to RI…

• 28 Interesting // Sep 6, 2008 at 5:25 pm

  Robin,

  May be it is too early that her name and related information is posted.

• 29 Robin // Sep 6, 2008 at 7:34 pm

  Very possible. If she just finished in May, her dissertation is probably not in the database yet. But may make for an interesting read when it does.

• 30 wc // Sep 6, 2008 at 7:44 pm

  I don’t think late night phone calls like the ones chronicled here are made for anything other than what they seem. I think it was the great poet Billy Collins who said, “If you think they’re doing it, they’re doing it.”

• 31 Wait a Minute // Sep 6, 2008 at 7:46 pm

  Anyone know when the C-J story on the dissertation guy is due?

• 32 le gardien // Sep 8, 2008 at 10:35 am

  I rediscovered how to do a search on UMI. I found my own name (internal check); found felner’s; but not natalie. however, I checked another u of l PhD grad from may 2008 & his disertation is not listed yet. my guess is that may’s dissertations are not in the database…..

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