Geoffrey Gray's Blog, page 7
November 11, 2011
Elliott Bay Books Anniversary Reading
November 22nd, Seattle, WA.
Elliott Bay Books, 7:00 pm.
1521 Tenth Avenue, 98122
Reading: Elliot Bay
November 22nd, Seattle, WA.
Elliott Bay Books, 7:00 pm.
1521 Tenth Avenue, 98122
More Hijacker Haiku
Presenting 'Enigma,' by Ann Van Alt
You were autumn breeze
Old trees remember you well
They choose not to speak
Yes they do (and no they don't!)
Sweet one, Ann. Any more Cooper haiku? Ballads?
Submit your entries now, and send to gg@huntfordbcooper.com.
November 9, 2011
Poetry Submission Number One
So, the first entry for the official D.B. Cooper poetry contest is in, and comes via Nick Eaton, who churns some mighty fine prose as well, especially here.
Now on to the Eaton's poetry, a hijacker haiku.
D.B. Cooper soars
A pack of cash on his back
Ground approaching fast
Indeed, Nick. See you at the Symposium!
November 3, 2011
Enter….the D.B. Cooper poetry contest
Unlike any other crime in America, D.B. Cooper, the notorious sky pirate, who hijacked a commercial airplane in 1971 for $200,000 and parachuted out the back into oblivion, inspired scores of poems, ballads, and songs, scribbled in his honor.
One feature of this year's D.B. Cooper Symposium, which I am hosting in Portland on November 26th in celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the case, will be a Cooper poetry contest. The winner will read his or her work during the presentations and festivities. Please send all entries to me at gg@huntfordbcooper.com. No restrictions apply.
October 31, 2011
D.B. Cooper Symposium T-Shirt Contest
As one of many features to the upcoming Symposium, there will be a 40th anniversary D.B. Cooper t-shirt design contest.
Days after the hijacking, a slew of Cooper t-shirts appeared, and it was the public's rapid (and commercial) response that initially helped create the Cooper legend.
The upcoming contest will be brief—we are only four weeks away!— but if you have a design for a Cooper 40th anniversary t-shirt, send the images to me at gg@huntfordbcooper.com and the winner will be printed on t-shirts for sale at the Symposium, which to remind everyone is taking place on November 26th in Portland.
There are no restrictions to the designs, front or back. Just let your Cooper fascinations inspire your visions, and send in the images no later than November 15th, so the printer has time to get the order in. The winner of the contest will also have a few minutes to explain his or her vision at the Symposium.
Okay, get sketching.
October 24, 2011
Calling all Cops and Agents, Looking for New Leads
The Cooper Symposium is only a month away, more or less. Already, lecturers and speakers are lining up to give presentations. One part of the program that I would like to address is the area of unknown breaks.
"New Leads," I'm calling it.
If anyone knows of a solid tip in the case—from a new suspect to J.Edgar Hoover's thoughts on Cooper to insights on clip-on ties from J.C. Penney's circa late 1960′s—let me know. If the tip is a legitimate one, I can include it in the Symposium program and discussion for Cooper sleuths to devour.
Help from police officers and FBI agent, retired or active, are most appreciated here.
October 14, 2011
Let the Cooper Rumpus begin
Well, the check cleared. The deposit is in. The official D.B. Cooper Symposium is on.
More details will follow next week, but here is what you need to know. Official headquarters for the Cooper Symposium will be the Portland Hilton, located in downtown Portland. The date of the Symposium will be the morning of and afternoon of November 26th, a Saturday. Many guests are expected to arrive on Friday night for a reception.
After all presentations are made and awards handed out on Saturday (yes, there will be several contests!) we will caravan to Ariel to celebrate the fortith anniversary of the Cooper hijacking at the legendary Ariel Tavern.
Discounted rooms are available at the Hilton (mention the Symposium.) The event is open to the public, and there will be a suggested donation to cover the costs of hosting the event and lunch. If you are interested in presenting material at the Symposium or would like to help host the event as a volunteer, send me a note (gg@huntfordbcooper.com) and be as detailed as possible as to what you would like to present or contribute.
All ideas are welcome, and we should have a screen and project and sound system to accompany the presentations. Thanks for your patience and see you all in Portland!
September 19, 2011
Book it: November 26th.
The official details are forthcoming, but for anyone looking to get a jump on Thanksgiving weekend airfare and travel arrangements, the D.B. Cooper Symposium, held in concert with the fortieth anniversary of the hijacking, will be held on November 26th, a Saturday, in Portland, Oregon.
The location of the Symposium itself will be at a hotel, likely downtown, where there will be discounted rooms. The basic plan is to hold presentations in the morning and early afternoon, then caravan to the Ariel Tavern in Washington for the annual Cooper Days party. There will also be a welcoming cocktail party on Friday night for early arrivals, but more on all the particulars later.
