Rewarding Courage & Innovation
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

Judy Woodruff chaired the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Courage in Journalism Awards on Tuesday, which were presented at the Waldorf-Astoria. The winners for 2005 were Sumi Khan, a print reporter in Bangladesh, Anja Niedringhaus, a German traveling photojournalist for the Associated Press, and Shahla Sherkat, a writer and editor in Tehran.
Humorist Calvin Trillin awarded the lifetime achievement award to Molly Ivins. As the lights dimmed for a film of the career highlights of the Texan chronicler, Mr. Trillin opined, “Once they did a movie about Erin Brockovich, I knew it was only a matter of time before they did one about Molly.”
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Who knew that the NYPD is twice the size of the FBI? Manhattan Institute president Lawrence Mone, related this and other facts in introducing Commissioner Raymond Kelly at a luncheon at the Grand Hyatt on Tuesday. The Center for Civic Innovation at the Manhattan Institute presented Mr. Kelly with the Urban Innovator Award.
“New York is setting the standard,” Mr. Kelly said, describing the city’s preparedness to fight crime and success in driving down the crime right.
He spoke about how the NYPD has detectives working in seven foreign countries. He praised the various skills of officers, such as their language abilities. The prior day, he said, in a situation involving an Afghan drug kingpin, “one of our police officers was an interpreter.”
He said the city no longer sees these “flags of urban surrender, the ‘no radio’ sign,” in car windshields. The decline in crime has increased property values, he said, and offered the following example: In one of the boroughs, signs were seen on people’s property saying, “house not for sale,” to keep developers at bay. That, he said, can only happen in a safe environment.
During the question-and-answer session, Mr. Kelly spoke of how the force has been reaching out to retired police officers to build a network of reservists that could be called upon in an emergency.
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Common Good defines itself as a “bipartisan coalition dedicated to restoring common sense to American law.” Diane Ravitch, one of the hosts of Tuesday’s reception for Common Good and its founder Philip K. Howard, said that Common Good was about “changing law to serve people.”
Arthur and Alexandra Schlesinger also hosted. “I’m not Bill Bradley,” Mr. Schlesinger said to laughter, in opening his remarks. Mr. Bradley, another host, was unable to attend.
At the reception, the Knickerbocker spoke with Stephen B. Presser, Raoul Berger Professor of Legal History at Northwestern University School of Law.
Also in the crowd was a man who flew to New York over Lake Michigan, Robert B. Dorigo Jones. Mr. Jones is the president of Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch, a grassroots organization that, among other things, collects and publicizes “wacky warning labels.” One label found on a crib, stating “Don’t Fold With Baby Inside,” will be the title of a forthcoming book next year from Time Warner Books.
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Richard and Lisa Plepler hosted a book party for Abigail Pogrebin’s book “Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish” (Broadway). A major theme, as Ms. Pogrebin told the Knickerbocker, is “Where does Judaism fit in the Jewish immigrant ideal of success?” Mike Wallace, Candace Bergen, Gloria Steinem, Don Hewitt, Mayor Koch, and Kitty Carlisle Hart were among those at the party.
Introducing the author that evening was Mr. Plepler, who spoke of reading the book until 3:30 a.m. and finding only one thing wrong with it: He wasn’t in it.
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NIGHT OF NOTABLES At the Waldorf-Astoria this week, William Shatner, of legendary “Star Trek” fame, was one of 10 inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, which annually honors those who have made significant contributions to the industry. “This evening is a journey on several levels, not least because this is my first time at the Waldorf. As a young actor, I’d walk by this grand hotel and wonder what it was like inside. And now, on my first time entering it, I’m being conferred one of my industry’s highest honors,” Mr. Shatner said.