Author: Serkadis

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Spy Photos, Sedan, Chrysler, Luxury

If you plan on visiting the 2010 Detroit Auto Show when it opens to the public, head to the Chrysler display, specifically the area where they’ve cordoned off the Chrysler Lancia concept. Behind that rebadged Lancia Delta is a large video screen playing a Chrysler promotional video. Nothing special, right? Wrong. The video in question is apparently showing sneak peeks of future Chrysler models. We were too busy asking Chrysler spokespeople why the Lancia was even at the show (to which they offered little insight) to even notice.

While a few different vehicles/concepts are shown in the video, the most obvious and interesting is what could be the next-gen Chrysler 300. From what little we can see of it, the car appears to be a concept version of the next-gen 300 that we may see unveiled in the near future, possibly at the Chicago Auto Show in February or New York Auto Show in April.

While we don’t have the video itself, there is some hand-held footage of the Chrysler Lancia concept on YouTube with the video playing on the wall in the background. That’s after the jump, but you can also view some screen grabs in the gallery below. Thanks for the tip, Joseph!

[Source: YouTube, Picasa]

Continue reading Next-gen Chrysler 300 previewed in auto show video?

Next-gen Chrysler 300 previewed in auto show video? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Emerging from a media firestorm over racially-charged comments he made during the Obama campaign, Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the Senate majority leader, has turned the spotlight back onto passing an effective climate bill. The move comes after nearly a month of post-Copenhagen malaise.

The failure to produce a global agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions seems to have left Congress deflated. On top of that, health care reform still isn’t in the bag, and passing any legislation that could potentially hurt local economies is even less popular in 2010, an election year.

That’s one of the biggest arguments against setting targets for slashing emissions (or capping carbon) — that it will hurt employment and growth in states dependent on fossil fuels and traditional power plants. Just look at Max Baucus (D-Mont.). A moderate Democrat, he still shied away from throwing his weight behind drafts of a climate bill because Montana is a major coal producer.

Even though it has these odds against it, the climate bill may still come to a vote on the Senate floor this spring, at least if Reid has anything to say about it. Not only is he certain that it will make it onto the agenda before the summer, but that it will pass after winning broader bipartisan support. Already, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has been outspoken about the need for emissions reductions.

Strong words from Reid, delivered to geothermal energy supporters in New York, were partially motivated by a new amendment introduced to another bill by Senator Lisa Murkowski (D-Alaska) that would block the Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing any limits on greenhouse gas emissions. In December, during the U.N. climate talks in Denmark, the EPA announced that it had declared emissions a danger to human health, placing them under the jurisdiction of the executive branch. The Murkowski amendment seeks to wrest away this new power.

But Reid isn’t being purely altruistic in his endorsement of a climate bill. He wasn’t speaking in front of a geothermal crowd for nothing. He told the audience that he hopes to include tax credits and federal funds for research for geothermal projects in whatever climate bill finally comes to a vote. His home state, Nevada, is prime territory for geothermal development, which could boost the state’s economy and employment rates.

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Can you really play high-end games on your modest PC, with no downloads?

That’s a multi-billion dollar question. Entrepreneur Steve Perlman wants to make money by giving you a way to do that. Last year, he announced OnLive, a service that lets you play high-end games “on demand,” that is, over the Internet from a conventional low-end PC, and with no download. He has stirred the pot, and we couldn’t be happier that he will be the keynote speaker at our upcoming GamesBeat@GDC conference on March 10 in San Francisco.

Perlman is one of those rare technology pioneers who has stayed in the innovation game for decades, always trying to come up with disruptive technologies. We’ve already announced that John Schappert, chief operating officer of Electronic Arts will speak at a fireside chat at the event.

Perlman’s Palo Alto, Calif. company is still polishing his product — a service where gamers can play high-end games on any equipment that they own. The games are played over a network, with virtually no download required. A bunch of people say this can’t be done. But Perlman, chief executive and founder of OnLive, is betting big time that it can be done. And a number of rivals have surfaced — Otoy and Gaikai — that are pursuing the same dream.

If its technology works, OnLive could give consumers the freedom to play high-end games on low-end machines, eliminating the need to buy expensive PCs or game consoles. And it could help digital distribution take off, giving game publishers an alternative to selling their games in retail stores.

He announced OnLive a day before GamesBeat and the GDC last year, and it became the talk of the show. It’s taking a long time to pull this off, and that’s why some people wonder if Perlman can do it.

He founded OnLive in 2002, built it to more than 100 employees, and has filed thousands of pages of patent applications for it. His backers include AT&T, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Autodesk, Maverick Capital, and Lauder Partners.

Perlman himself holds over 90 U.S. patents and has more than 100 applications pending. Previously, he created startups such as Mova, whose face-capture technology is used to create realistic animated faces in games and movies. (It was used to create the photorealistic computer-generated face of Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). He also founded Moxi, a new user interface for cable TV which was sold to Paul Allen’s Vulcan Ventures. He was the co-founder of WebTV, which Microsoft bought for $425 million. He is known as the developer of Apple’s QuickTime multimedia technology. And he remains the head of Rearden, a technology incubator that does research in a wide variety of fields.

Not all of the businesses were successes. But Perlman always tries to swing for the fences. OnLive is one of his biggest bets yet. And it’s one of the things that makes it so fun. Please be sure to catch his speech at GamesBeat@GDC.

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The U.S. State Department told reporters today that it will deliver a formal statement to the Chinese government in the next few days, denouncing a “highly sophisticated and targeted attack” through which the Gmail accounts of Chinese political activists were tapped. (For a detailed run-down of how the attack worked, see security software maker McAfee’s blog post.)

Google has already threatened on Tuesday to pull out of China, which would mean closing its offices there and shutting down the google.cn website. A new Bloomberg report says Google executives tried unsuccessfully in December to get the heads of other companies to side with Google in calling attention to the attacks. One fund manager told Bloomberg, “The reluctance of companies to join Google in its initial announcement illustrates the pressure on them to protect their business in China, the world’s third- largest economy.”

Now, the U.S. government has gotten involved. Reuters reports that an unnamed senior diplomat met with a Chinese diplomat on Thursday. In the next few days, the U.S. will deliver a démarche — a formal diplomatic communication from one country to another — expressing America’s disapproval of the break-ins.

A State Department spokesman said at a press conference this morning, “It will express our concern for this incident and request information from China as to an explanation of how it happened and what they plan to do about it.”

Separately, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told Bloomberg on Thursday that exiting China is “not something we’re thinking about” at Microsoft.

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The TommyKaira tuning house has taken the Nissan GTR (R35), taught it its philosophy and is now releasing it to the world today at the Tokyo AutoSalon, as gtrblog.com reports.

There are two packages available: one is a complete kit for the whole car while the other only gives the supercar a revised front end. Both of them exclusively consisting of carbon fiber elements.

The first one restyles the front of the car with a new front bumper, front grill cover, front lip spoiler and front unde… (read more)

Filed under: Gaming

NPD: Wii leads video game industry to ‘biggest sales month ever’ originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Want to blast some BRAVIA Internet Video Link content from your PS3 to your million-inch Sony-built 3D OLED TV this year? Well, you’re half in luck. Sony’s bringing the Internet Video Link service to the PS3 (which seems to us to provide little that isn’t already possible on the PS3, but who are we to judge?) but won’t do any new OLED TVs this year. The problem is, naturally, cost, but hopefully 2011 will bring better things in sizes larger than 11-inches — LG won’t have a 30-incher until 2012 at least, and that seems too long to wait. Sony COO Stan Glasgow, in his interview with Sony Insider that turned up these nuggets, also is refreshingly non-bombastic about 3D. He points out that Sony’s doing 3D-capable TVs for essentially zero price differentiation, with separate glasses and emitters that can be bought after the fact, and calls the 3D channel rollout “complex.” But who knows, perhaps he’s just never seen enough of Taylor Swift in 3D to know what he’s missing?

Sony’s COO says no new OLED TVs in 2010, BRAVIA Internet Video Link is coming to PS3 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Desperation time in the Bay State.

Jonathan Martin at POLITICO reports that with about 72 hours to go until the Tuesday special election, Barack Obama will fly to Massachusetts on behalf of embattled Democrat Martha Coakley.

The future of healthcare hangs in the balance. We’re not too surprised.

Read here for more on how Martha Coakley got into this mess.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• How Martha Coakley Blew It
• Massachusetts Democrat Senate Campaign Thug Roughs Up Reporter
• Massachusetts May Drag Feet On Seating Republican If He Wins To Save The 60th Vote On Medicare

Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance Award Recognizes DCEO’s Energy Efforts

Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) honored the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) with its Chairman’s Award at the sixth annual Inspiring Efficiency Awards gala last night.

The 2010 Inspiring Efficiency Chairman’s Award is presented to a member organization that has provided exemplary leadership in energy efficiency and support to MEEA throughout the organization’s history.

DCEO, formerly the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, was one of the founding members of MEEA. The organization has served on MEEA’s Board since its inception in 2000 and has provided oversight and strategic direction to help MEEA grow and flourish.

“The guidance provided by DCEO since MEEA’s formation has been instrumental to the success and continued growth of the organization,” said Wendy Jaehn, executive director for Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.

“We’re proud to recognize DCEO’s commitment to energy efficiency and educating the community and businesses about energy efficiency and other important energy issues.”

Throughout MEEA’s existence, DCEO has consistently sponsored programs including:

• Change A Light, Change the World Campaign,
• Illinois Residential Lighting Program,
• Building Operator Certification Program,
• Lights for Learning™,
• Illinois Residential Market Assessment,
• Regional Refrigerator Rebate and Recycling Program,
• Double Your Savings with ENERGY STAR Clothes Washer Campaign,
• IL Energy Education Outreach Program,
• Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program Development, and
• American Reinvestment and Recovery Act ENERGY STAR appliance program.

Several of these programs served as the foundation for energy efficiency programs prior to the passage of the Illinois electric and natural gas energy efficiency resource standards. DCEO also was instrumental in supporting passage of electric and natural gas Energy Efficiency Program Sponsors (EEPS) in Illinois.

“DCEO is pleased to accept this award from MEEA, an organization that shares our commitment to demonstrating the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy through programs and services,” said Agnes Mrozowski, Deputy Director, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Energy and Recycling.

DCEO’s Office of Energy and Recycling promotes the efficient use of energy resources through a variety of technical and demonstration programs.

The division also teaches residents, students, teachers, and community and business leaders about important energy issues through educational outreach and energy conservation programs.

About Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance – The Source on Energy Efficiency

The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (mwalliance.org) is a collaborative network advancing energy efficiency in the Midwest to support sustainable economic development and environmental preservation.  MEEA bridges the gap between policy adoption and program implementation.

MEEA promotes the market transformation of energy efficiency technologies, processes and best practices within a 13-state area, through policy advocacy, program design and facilitation and piloting of energy technologies.

Energy efficiency is the critical first step in meeting our nation’s myriad energy challenges due to low entry costs, proven and emerging technologies, ease of implementation, fast return on investment and measurable results.

Through our diverse network of members and regional allies, MEEA possesses the practical experience and informed vision to effect positive change today by supporting the region’s stakeholders to achieve their efficiency goals for the future.

“The Biggest Loser Couples” season 9 started with the couples weighing in, but instead of weighing in on the ranch, in front of their competitors, contestants revealed their weights in front of family, friends and neighbors.

• Daris: 346 pounds
• Cheryl: 227 pounds
• Patti: 243 pounds
• Stephanie: 264 pounds
• John: 484 pounds
• James: 485 pounds
• Ashley: 374 pounds
• Sherry: 218 pounds
• Andrea: 298 pounds
• Darrell: 413 pounds
• Victoria: 358 pounds
• Cherita: 277 pounds
• Miggy: 240 pounds
• Migdalia: 265 pounds
• Melissa: 233 pounds
• Lance: 365 pounds
• Koli: 403 pounds
• Sam: 372 pounds
• Sunshine: 275 pounds
• O’Neal: 389 pounds
• Maria: 281 pounds
• Michael (Mike): 526 pounds

After couples weighed in, they headed to the ranch where Alison greeted them. Everyone was raring to go, so Alison led them to the gym.

Earning the right to compete

Once inside, they were surprised to discover an empty gym. Then the curtains opened to reveal 22 bicycles! Alison told each contestant they had to ride 22.6 miles for their first challenge. It was no surprise that the first challenge would be tough for the couples, but the thing that hit them the hardest was when Alison announced that only nine couples would earn a spot in the house.

Naturally, their mouths dropped open, but when Alison told them the winning couple would receive immunity, it brought a small smile back to some of their faces.

Knowing they had to do their best to guarantee a place on the ranch, they began pedaling as fast as their legs would allow. Halfway through, the couples started feeling the pain but pedaled through it. The green team finished first, followed by the gray team, and then the black and orange team fulfilled their 22.6 miles.

Stopping before her time

“I’ve had two children and I’ve never felt excruciating pain like that,” Cherita said, slowing down. “I don’t care what I have to do. I’m fighting for my life. I cannot give up,” she continued when Dr. H approached her.

Even though Cherita was determined to finish the challenge, her stomach cramps worsened. Her daughter, Victoria, told her to stop and ensured her mom she could finish the challenge on her own. Cherita refused to give up, so Dr. H ordered her to stop.

“No, I can’t stop. I cannot stop,” Cherita cried out in pain.

Against Cherita’s will, Dr. H and another gentleman from the “Biggest Loser” medical team lifted her off the bike.

The pink team finished in fifth place, followed by the red team, and then the brown and white teams. Only one more team would move on, and it was between the purple, blue and yellow teams. Unfortunately, the blue and yellow team finished in the bottom two, which resulted in them being asked to leave the ranch immediately. Their hopes of becoming “The Biggest Loser” were crushed!

An at-home challenge

As the yellow and blue teams got into the limos, they hugged one another and cried. Each of them wondered if they’d be able to lose the weight at home, without Bob and Jillian’s help. But soon their limos skidded to a stop, and the contestants’ tears turned to cries of joy when Bob and Jillian opened their doors.

Bob and Jillian wasted no time in letting O’Neal, Sunshine, Victoria and Cherita in on a secret: their journey wasn’t over yet! The trainers explained to both teams that they would go home for 30 days. Then they’d return to “The Biggest Loser” ranch where the two teams would face off, and the team with the highest percentage of weight loss would be able to rejoin the competition. In addition, Bob and Jillian would be there to help them.

A dubious record

Back at the ranch, the “Biggest Loser” couples were sleeping, but the sound of the fire alarm — which Bob and Jillian pulled — woke them. Instead of rushing out of their rooms to safety, the couples knew it had to be something other than a fire, so they slowly made their way outside where Bob and Jillian were waiting. As soon as Bob saw the contestants he’d be working with this season he said, “We have got to have the biggest group I’ve ever seen.”

“The cast just gets bigger and bigger every year, and it’s not a good thing,” Jillian added.

Fired up and ready to go, the “Biggest Loser” couples headed to the gym for their first workout of the season, but seconds after the workout began, pretty much all of the contestants were throwing up. Some hung out the windows while others made their way outside the gym doors.

“We hadn’t even done anything yet,” Jillian commented through laughter.

It was back to the exercise equipment to try again, but before they started, Jillian stressed how important it was to keep hydrated by drinking water during their workouts.

With water bottles in hand, the workouts began. Jillian joined Cheryl at the treadmill. She told Cheryl she knew she was the one who puts everyone else’s needs before her own. Cheryl informed Jillian that she was right, and Jillian asked Cheryl if she was ready to change. When Cheryl didn’t respond, Jillian screamed,” Are you ready or not!”

“I’m ready!” Cheryl screamed back.

“Say it like you mean it!” Jillian demanded.

“I’m ready,” Cheryl replied with more force.

“Yeah?”

“Yes!”

“That’s better. I believe you. Now get off the treadmill,” Jillian smiled as she placed Cheryl in boxing gloves, and Cheryl put her whole heart into punching the crap out of the punching bag that lay on the floor.

“Cheryl’s a bad a**,” Jillian commented.

“D***!” Bob commented as he watched Cheryl.

When Cheryl screamed through her pain, Bob screamed too.

“Somebody wound up that mama and let her just spin like a top up in this gym,” Bob said, looking like an excited kid who got just what he wanted for Christmas.

Sharing stories and workouts

After what appeared to be a successful workout, the “Biggest Loser” couples gathered in the living room to introduce themselves and share their heartbreaking stories of being picked last, not experiencing the love they so desperately want or fearing their weights were going to send them to their graves too soon.

Later, it was back to the gym for a last chance workout. Bob had some of the couples working out in the gym, and Jillian had the others outside. A sudden leg cramp slowed Darrell down, but he fought the pain and completed what he’d started.

The biggest weigh-in

At the “Biggest Loser” couples’ first weigh-in on the ranch, Alison told Mike he’s the first contestant to weigh in at over 500 pounds. When Alison asked Bob what it was like to work with a contestant who weighed over 500 pounds, Bob said it’s daunting, because he and Jillian have some of the biggest contestants they’ve ever had.

Then Alison told James and John that together they’re only 31 pounds away from being half a ton; therefore, they’re the biggest team to ever be on “The Biggest Loser” ranch.

After Alison brought the couples back to the reality of the situation, she began the weigh-in with the team that won immunity.

• Migdalia lost 16 pounds, and Miggy lost 13 pounds. The green team lost a combined total of 29 pounds (5.74 percent).
• Sam lost 18 pounds, and Koli lost 29 pounds. The gray team lost a combined total of 47 pounds (6.06 percent).
• Cheryl lost 14 pounds, and Doris lost 29 pounds. The orange team lost a combined total of 43 pounds (7.5 percent).
• Andrea lost 14 pounds, and Darrell lost 30 pounds. The black team lost a combined total of 44 pounds (6.19 percent).
• Twin brothers James and John both lost 23 pounds, which gave the brown team a combined total of 46 pounds (4.75 percent).
• Melissa lost 19 pounds, and Lance lost 21 pounds. The red team lost a combined total of 40 pounds (6.69 percent).
• Patti became the female with the biggest loss in week one, with her 23-pound weight loss. Stephanie lost 18 pounds. The purple team lost a combined total of 41 pounds (8.09 percent).
• Ashley lost 21 pounds, and Sherry lost 17 pounds. The pink team lost a combined total of 38 pounds (6.42 percent).
• Maria lost 13 pounds, and Mike set a new record for losing more weight in a week than any “Biggest Loser” contestant with his 34-pound weight loss. The white team lost a combined total of 47 pounds (5.82 percent).

Unfortunately, John and James fell below the yellow line. John and James’s fellow competitors knew it would be hard to break up the twins, but they had to, and in the end, they chose to send James home.

Update: James reported that he’d lost 100 pounds in two months by working out at a local gym and no longer eating out.

(By Misti Sandefur for CalorieLab Calorie Counter News)

From the RSS feed of CalorieLab News (REF3076322B7)

Catching up on the new season of “The Biggest Loser” (Couples Season 9 Premiere)

We are all finally back from Michigan after attending the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. All of us have caught up on many lost hours of sleep and have finally had some chance to look back at the show to pick our favorite debuts in Detroit.

Here is a list of what the egmCarTech team liked at the show – make sure you let us know what was your favorite debut from Detroit (one concept, one production).

Omar Rana (Editor in Chief): Production – Cadillac CTS-V Coupe; Concept – Audi e-tron.
Stephen Calogera (Senior Editor): Production – 2012 Ford Focus; Concept – Volkswagen NCCHC.
Kap Shah (Senior Editor – West Coast): Production – 2012 Ford Focus; Concept – Audi e-tron.
Anna Tarasova (Editor): Production – 2010 Bentley Mulsanne; Concept – Audi e-tron.

Hit the jump to see the complete list of concept and production debuts from Detroit.

2010 Detroit Auto Show – Concepts:

Toyota FT-CH
Fiat 500 BEV
Hyundai BLUE-WILL Concept
Cadillac XTS Platinum
Chevrolet Aveo RS Concept
BMW Concept ActiveE
Mini Beachcomber Concept
Volkswagen New Compact Coupe Hybrid Concept
Volvo C30 BEV
Buick Regal GS Concept
GMC Granite Concept
Lancia based Chrysler

2010 Detroit Auto Show – Production:

2010 Bentley Mulsanne
2010 Bentley Series 51 Continental GTC
2011 Lincoln MKX
2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe
2011 BMW Z4 sDrive35is
2010 Ford Focus
2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet
2011 Honda CR-Z
2011 Audi A8
2011 GMC Acadia Denali
2011 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible
2011 Ford Mustang GT
2011 BMW 740i

You know how when you play someone’s guitar for the first time at a party and one string is way high or low and you start to tune it and find that the guitar is total garbage and can’t be tuned anyway and so you play “Closer to Fine” on an untuned guitar in the corner of the part and people are all like “Who’s the douche playing Indigo Girls in 2010? I think his guitar is out of tune.” Has that ever happened to you? Definitely, right?

Well Polytune tunes all your strings at once. You strum and it tells you which strings are out of tune. You fix those strings, strum again, and then people will never make fun of you again.

The Polytune is shipping in March from TC Electronic and there’s no pricing but I would totally buy this.

via DVICE via Giz

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Ah yes. Nothing better than toting your laptop into McDonald’s and going through a handful of napkins every time you need to type something or move the mouse cursor. The food there is greasy, I guess would be the main takeaway from that sentence.

Wireless internet access is free, starting today, at 11,500 out of 14,000 McDonald’s locations throughout the country. It had previously cost $2.95 for two hours of access — roughly an hour and 45 minutes longer than just about anyone has ever spent inside a McDonald’s.

McDonald’s to start free Wi-Fi at most U.S. stores [Yahoo!/Reuters]

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Former ER doc Noah Wyle and wife Tracy, a makeup artist, have separated after almost 10 years of marriage. While neither has filed for divorce, the couple is currently in mediation.

A rep for Noah and wife Tracy issued a statement saying: “Tracy Wyle and Noah Wyle, who separated in late October 2009 have confirmed they have entered into a mediation process. Tracy and Noah live in separate residences, however their two children (Owen, 7 and Auden, 4) see both parents daily.”

Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Australia, Rumormill, Specialty

As if General Motors hasn’t endured enough turmoil in the last year, Pickuptrucks.com is reporting that GM North America president Mark Reuss is championing the idea of a stateside Holden VE Ute. Pardon us for thinking this issue was dead and buried in 2009, interred in the graveyard of stillborn ideas. Reuss, who ran Holden for GM during the VE’s development, has a soft spot for the admittedly excellent platform that we only shortly knew as the Pontiac G8. While that dalliance was only marginally longer lived than Jay Leno’s move to prime time (the promised G8 Sport Truck was announced and then canceled before birth), Reuss thinks that GMC or Chevrolet could proudly park the Ute in U.S. showrooms.

Rather than let all the hard work done to bring the G8 to fruition go to waste, Reuss is also reportedly looking for a slot for that car, as well. If GM can get the Ute classed as a truck in North America, it might play a significant role in Corporate Average Fuel Economy ratings, and that may be enough reason alone to offer a neo-El Camino. A revised G8 popping up under another GM moniker would be welcomed by the auto punditry, though may still fail to move enough units to make an impact. There’s no denying that niche vehicles such as the Ute and G8 have a following, but we wonder how much focus these efforts are stealing from the pivotal vehicles that must launch and continue to sell without a hitch. As exciting as a Ute might be, a flawless and successfully marketed launch of the new Chevrolet Aveo is likely far more important to GM’s financial health at this point than some hoon sled.

[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

Report: GM’s Mark Reuss ponders return of VE Commodore to U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaders looking for ways to improve learning in urban schools can depend on five key factors which, when working together, have proven to boost student achievement, according to a landmark study that led to a new book, Organizing Schools for Improvement, Lessons from Chicago.

The results emerged from a study of 390 Chicago public elementary schools over a seven-year period following the implementation of a 1988 law that increased decision-making at the local school level.

The authors of the study, current and former researchers with the Consortium on Chicago School Research, part of the Urban Education Institute at the University of Chicago, said those five essential supports are school leadership, parent and community ties, professional capacity of the faculty, a student-centered learning climate and a coherent instructional plan.

They were effective in a wide variety of schools, including especially troubled ones. By looking closely at the social context in which schools are embedded, the book provides new insight into why schools in communities with high rates of crime and poverty struggle with improving student outcomes.

These findings are helpful as states vie for billions in federal “Race to the Top” funds designed to spur school reform. They are drawn from the kinds of robust data that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has encouraged states to use in developing their reform plans.

The authors suggest that when looking for ways to improve learning in urban schools, leaders should resist the temptation to look for “silver bullets” and think instead about “baking a cake.” Just as several ingredients are needed in the right proportions to bake a cake, so too are several ingredients ― the “five essential supports” ― required to boost student achievement.

The research team will present their findings to educators on Thursday, Jan. 14 at a symposium at the University’s Gleacher Center, 450 N. Cityfront Plaza Drive.

The study team found some improvements since Chicago decentralized its public school system in 1988. More than 80 percent of the system’s elementary schools showed at least some gains in mathematics, and close to 70 percent gained in reading.

More importantly, schools that were strong in all five essential supports were at least 10 times more likely to show substantial improvement in reading and mathematics than schools that were strong in only one or two of the essential supports. Follow-up studies conducted from 1997 to 2005 validated the findings of the first round of research.

The book, published by the University of Chicago Press, was written by:

• Anthony S. Bryk, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and founding senior director of CCSR;
• Penny Bender Sebring and Elaine Allensworth, interim co-executive directors at CCSR;
• Stuart Luppescu, chief psychometrician at CCSR; and
• John Q. Easton, Director of the Institute of Education Sciences in the U.S. Department of Education, and former executive director of CCSR.

For nearly 20 years, CCSR has built a massive, one-of-a-kind longitudinal data archive on Chicago public schools, and that archive made the research possible.

The CCSR team visited schools, interviewed principals and did extensive surveys of principals, teachers and students to get behind what was leading some schools to progress and others to remain stagnant.

In addition to measuring local demographic characteristics, CCSR investigated community characteristics like community cohesiveness and crime rates to uncover reasons for success or failure.

In taking this approach, which looks at neighborhood effects and the influence of parents, the book draws heavily on the work of other scholars currently or formerly at the University of Chicago.

Sociologist William Julius Wilson, now at Harvard University, did seminal work on poverty at the University of Chicago and coined the expression “the truly disadvantaged” in a book by the same name. James Colemen contributed definitive thinking on the role of social capital in schools to show the value of parents working with teachers to improve learning.

Sociologist Robert Sampson, now at Harvard, and Steven Raudenbush, the Lewis-Sebring Professor in Sociology and chair of the University of Chicago’s Committee on Education, studied the dynamics of Chicago neighborhood interactions to identify differences in dealing with crime and other issues.

In assessing student performance, the team devised a “value-added” approach. Rather than simply looking at the percentage of students in each class who met or failed to meet state standards, the team looked at the progress of each student.

The authors also identified 46 very low-performing schools, serving more than 40,000 students, which they labeled “truly disadvantaged schools.” Even in a school district where disadvantage is the norm, these schools stood apart, serving neighborhoods characterized by extreme poverty and extreme racial segregation.

On average, 70 percent of residents living in these neighborhoods had incomes below the poverty line. The schools had virtually no racial integration.

But demographics tell just part of the story. Moving beyond an analysis of racial and economic descriptors, the authors examined these communities against other social indicators.

They found the communities of truly disadvantaged schools had the highest crime rates and the highest percentages of children who were abused, neglected or living in foster care.

Residents of these communities were the most likely to live in public housing and the least likely to attend church regularly or believe they could bring about positive change in their community.

A small number of these schools improved in reading and math, primarily because they were strong in the essential supports. But nearly half of them proved nearly impervious to systemic reform and had a lack of progress that contrasted sharply with many other schools.

These schools were seven times more likely than racially integrated schools, for instance, to stagnate in math and two times more likely to stagnate in reading.