For The Sycophant James Molinaro Who Bashes DSNY and Supports Lord Mayor

James Molinaro is an ass and he needs to be run back to the South Shore ASAP. This is his theme song and its also my favorite Genesis song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TB6e4IbPZQ

Russia Rages Against The Levine

Well the world conquest continues. Russia is now country #11.

Who DOES NOT belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-Part 1-2006 to 2011

I think the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a sham and a travesty to music fans everywhere. This year, the Hall of Fame inducted probably a real shitty bunch of candidates. Many of my students have argued with me about my opinions, some are warranted but come on, there are so many people who have contributed to music who will NEVER get in.

Maybe if Jann Wenner looked at his list and asked people who they wanted inducted, some of these people would never have made it to Cleveland.

1. Neil Diamond-Come on? Neil Diamond? Barry Manilow or Neil Sedaka are not inducted, neither should the "Jewish Elvis". Sure he wrote some classic songs for others and has been immortalized in the Jason Biggs movie "Saving Silverman" while singing "Dry Your Eyes" at The Band's Last Waltz show but this is not a Hall of Fame for my mother or the over fifty crowd. (Yes, I did take my mom to a Neil Diamond show.)

2. Dr. John-Right Place, Wrong Time is more for a one hit wonder Hall of Fame. He is a purveyor of New Orleans music and a talented musician. Come on? He has not been relevant since the 1970s and when you look back at his career, being a member of Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band does not make you eligible. If it did, Peter Frampton, Men At Work and Billy Squier (That's right, Billy Squier) all belong. (Who doesn't blast the latter's "The Stroke" when its played ad naseum on Q104.)

3. Leon Russell-I'll admit, I have to say that his album with Elton John is amazing but being a piano player that toured with Joe Cocker in 1970 does not gain admission into this sham of a Hall of Fame. This probably will offend my college roommate's parents (Sorry Babs and Big D), but he, too, like Dr. John, needs a new Hall of Fame.

4. Darlene Love-So you sang the vocals for Phil Spector, big deal? You also played Danny Glover's wife in Lethal Weapon. If there was a female musician hall of fame, yes. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, sorry, Pat Benatar is not in, Stevie Nicks, solo, is not in, neither should you.

5/6. ABBA and Madonna-Yes, if this was a popular music Hall of Fame, they belong. Yes, if this was a Homosexual Music Hall of Fame. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is for rock and roll music. Yes, ABBA still has relevance in 2010, Mamma Mia!, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Muriel's Wedding. Yes, ABBA wrote some catchy tunes and are the best thing to come out of Sweden since Volvos, but again, when all is said and done, Cleveland rocks and you should head back to Stockholm. Madonna is an icon. Her catalog speaks volumes to all those who came of age in the 80s and 90s. "Ray Of Light", without a doubt, is an amazing album, but this is a rock an roll hall of fame. (I profusely apologize to my friends Troy Rutman, Dominick Pupa and Mark Bateman but she doesn't belong.)

7/8. RUN DMC/Grandmaster Flash-Weren't they honored for the VH1 Hip Hop Honors? Yes, RUN DMC and their collaboration with Aerosmith brought rap to rock audiences but this brought forth Limp Bizkit and Korn. (I do love Linkin Park.) Grandmaster Flash's "The Message" is used when I teach and its great social commentary but again is rap a genre or off-shoot of rock music....NO! Love rap music but the VH1 Hip Hop Honors does it job, thank you.

9/10. The Ventures/The Hollies-How many 60s groups are inducted already? I would include The Dave Clark Five but they were the second group after those Beatles guys to break through in the British Invasion, so I'll give them a pass.

11. Miles Davis-Yes, if it was a Jazz Hall of Fame. Sure his genre-breaking style would get him the nod but again like ABBA, Neil Diamond, etc., this is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I love Miles Davis but come on?

Finally-If anyone can tell me why Jesse Stone, Otis Blackwell, Bill Black/DJ Fontana (Elvis backing musicians), Wanda Jackson, Little Walter and Spooner Oldham belong, I'm all ears.

Have fun debating this.

Parenting a la Staten Island

Overweight, track suit wearing mother to her pre-teen daughter who did not get her the new Kanye West CD (which is a return for Kanye and is one of the best albums (Remember albums?) of the year.)

If you don't shut the f**k up, I will rap you in the f**kin' face!!!!

ACS? Anyone? Anyone?

Why the South Shore of Staten Island needs to be sawed off?

After nine years of Bloomberg, I think his handling of this snowstorm has cost him his presidential ambitions and an illegal fourth term. He is an arrogant prick, a Marie Antoinette with testicles and just a billionaire (along with Elmer Fudd Molinaro) who needs to be run out of town on his G4 to Bermuda.

However, I overheard this conversation from two South Shore middle aged guidos at my Stop and Shop today....(South Shore because they stated it took them forty fucking minutes to get out of Annadale.)

Guido #1-Maybe I should have voted for Bill Thompson. (Wearing a NYFD hoodie)
Guido #2-If Thompson was mayor, all the "n word" would be looting all the stores. (Wearing a NYPD hoodie)

Just a reminder that full-blown racism exists in Staten Island. I still believe Bloomberg won the 2009 Election based on racism. I "had heard" (for Trish, Michele, Jamie and Tracy-my second floor girls) on numerous occasions from several aging guidos on Staten Island, "Why the fuck do I need a "n word" president, a "blind n word" governor and now a "n word loving, remember Dinkins" for a mayor?"

Yes, Dinkins was unqualified but don't you think a billionaire prick completely out of touch with the middle class populace is just as unqualified?

To anyone who voted Bloomberg in 2009, heckuva job, morons. Give back your ability to vote and your brain.

I plan to post more in the next few days, it took me seven hours to shovel out my car and numerous messages from my soapbox, right Trish?

Merry Christmas and may you all get plowed out soon.

What's New At Perdido Street School?

My friend at the Perdido Street School blog has these posts for you to read...

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/12/dont-be-teacher.html

What the corporate oligarchs don't know is that teacher-bashing has driven more and more people away from once was a noble profession. Nice job Obama, Cuomo, Bloomberg. Keeping the wealth is more important to your oligarchs than educating your future.

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/12/ny-times-educational-differences-are.html

Finally, the NY Times understands that bashing teachers are not the reason my old students can not find a job.

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/12/stand-against-this-mayor.html

Vincent Ignizio is a great councilman who has the cahones to staand up against the accident tax.

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/12/shael-wants-to-bring-us-tests-in-every.html

The future of the DOE, test first, teaching optional. No wonder I tell old students to not teach.

Have a great day! DO SOMETHING to take your nation back from the oligarchs who control it.

R.I.P. Cranial Crunch

It was cancelled last year because Lord Mayor and his crony Klein decided to place the NYS tests in the midst of the season.
I called Time Warner and the woman in charge has not returned my calls, so I guess after 20 years of showcasing the best and brightest kids on Staten Island, there will be no 25th season.
I loved Cranial Crunch, we had a cult following and we had some great teams. IS 61 had made the playoffs seven times, we finished in 2nd three times and we won in 2006.
God do I hope TW changes their mind, but I'm a pessimist.
If you were on Cranial between 2001 and 2009, you were a piece of my history and probably a great kid with a great story. Tell it....

Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Primary Obama So That He Goes

I don't hate Obama for selling out liberals and Democrats for the tax plan. I sure as hell don't want mine to go up. I don't want my friends or family's taxes to go up either.

I will never vote for this bullsh*t artist again. He stressed the importance of public school educators to get my vote and then turns around and buys into the bullsh*t of Arne Duncan, Bill Gates, Michelle Rhee. Mike Bloomberg, Joel Klein and even big fat Oprah.

I know no one in the Democratic Party will "think" about unseating this elitist windbag who promised Randi "We have a seat at the table" Weingarten no big changes in education and then pull a 180 to sell out the AFT/NEA and us hard-working teachers. Job security? Why keep me? I make too much money. Pensions? Screw the public sector. Longer school day? Longer school year?

Obama will NEVER get my vote in 2012. Maybe a more Progressive Democrat (oxymoron) will appear and have the balls to tell Obama to gratify himself in a sexual manner but the Democrats translated into Yiddish means a word that rhymes with wussy.

Obama must go....
http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/12/obama-approval-hits-lowest-point.html

More Bloomberg Nonsense

If you are a middle class, hard working, public sector employee, this article should have your blood boiling. Apparently there is no way we can stop this arrogant, elitist, sham of a mayor from bleeding us all dry. What is next, a $100 fee for a cop to show up at your house for any reason? Is a fee of $300 for sanitation to remove large household goods from your curb.

Again, maybe Bloomberg runs for President in 2012. He won't win but the horror could be Bloomberg "buys" a fourth term stating he knows what is best for us. When will the average New Yorker see the forest for the trees and get rid of him before we are all broke?

NEVER, New Yorkers love him and that is such a shame.
http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/12/bloomberg-to-charge-accident-victims.html

Another Example Why NYC Teachers Need To Wake Up And Question UFT Leadership

All over the nation, millions of teachers are waking up to find that the policies of the AFT and the NEA are idiotic.

In Chicago, Washington and now in Detroit, AFT-sponsored leaders have found out the hard way-RANK AND FILE teachers will not stand for the dribble coming out of their mouths.

Yet.....

In NYC, Mike Mulgrew wins an election 91% to 9%. How is this possible? That's right, UNITY caucus who prevents any form of dissent against their idiotic policies. I started teaching in 1996 and in the span of 15 years, my profession has been uprooted not by a billionaire mayor, a heartless ex-chancellor, a clueless new chancellor (6100 layoffs coming but Mulgrew supports her) but the dumb policies of Randi Weingarten and now Mike "I'm My Own Man" Mulgrew.

I support the union but these policies have yet to wake up the rank-and-file teacher who seem to believe every word that comes out of Mulgrew's mouth. Why? Look at Unity's record...

2005 contract
No seniority transfers
37.5 minutes extended day
No grieving against LIF

With Bloomberg, Black and Cuomo aiming to abolish seniority, last in first out and pay raise freezes, when will the rank-and-file rage along with me.

NEVER and that is so sad. Electing a Randi-stooge has led us to the point where many veteran teachers like myself will be joining the unemployment lines for making too much money while the leaders at 52 Broadway do nothing more to screw us.

Congratulations to the teachers of Detroit who have the balls to tell Randi to go copulate herself.

http://detnews.com/article/20101204/SCHOOLS/12040395/Detroit-teachers-union-election-fails-to-name-president

While The Mayor Was Starting His Failed Third-Party Presidential Bid-Rage Against The Levine Presents This Week In School Violence

With a 19% approval rating outside of NYC, Lord Mayor decided to start a third-party campaign which will probably put him in the position of buying a forth-term.

As Chancellor Black remains incognito and as the UFT will desperately try to stop the TDR's. As Obama compromises with the GOP and continues his corporate-driven educational bullsh*t sponsored by Bill Gates. RATL presents...THIS WEEK IN SCHOOL VIOLENCE.

There are two links: one is to the TDRs and another link to Lord Mayor's disgusting policy on the homeless.

http://www.accountabletalk.com/2010/12/chancellor-black-and-blue.html
http://chaz11.blogspot.com/2010/12/teachers-are-at-rsk-when-trying-bto.html
http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2010/12/update-on-foiled-backup-for-doe-claims.html
http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/12/theyre-selling-mortimer.html

Enjoy!

Cancer Care Hospital Commercial

There are these commercials for the Cancer Care Hospitals which are located around the United States. I hate them because they are just nonsense and anyone who buys into this horsepoop are stupid fools.

One commercial has this man named Roger Stump. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, checked himself into the Cancer Care Hospital, poked fun at the care at his old hospital and then POOF! He was cured.

OK?

Has this hospital ever seen the data for pancreatic cancer? Hello? McFly? Hello? Uh, no one really survives pancreatic cancer. These idiots have never seen the data for pancreatic cancer I bet.

If pancreatic cancer is curable, why didn't Lustgarden check himself in? Why didn't Patrick Swayze check himself in? Or why didn't the Last Lecture author check himself in? Now that I "had heard" Aretha Franklin may have pancreatic cancer, why hasn't she checked in to have this Roger Stump miracle happen?

I hate phony advertising. I hate this commercial because its just good old fashion American grade A bullsh*t!

Levine Worldwide-Denmark Checks In

Today, I learned from viewing my statistics that someone is raging in Denmark.

That makes ten nations.

Apparently someone in Copenhagen likes me.

This Is The New Education System If Parents, Teachers, Administrators and Students Sit Idly By and Let Political Idiots Buy Into Bill Gates' Philosophy

As a NYC public school parent, I found this on the NYC Parent Blog. This is a second grade class being brainwashed by corporate-driven dribble,

This is what happens when we let corporate-sponsored educrats like Bloomberg, Cuomo and Obama make education policy. Teaching will soon become read the script and value the data. Having creative freedom and the ability to inspire....well, you can check that at the door.

You are the future of this nation my readers, DO SOMETHING, don't let these idiots turn your children and your children's children into educational widgets.

http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2010/12/data-is-fabulous.html

Smart Things That Teen Moms Do on 16 and Pregnant

If you are watching Teen Mom, this intellect of a mother has decided to take her one-month old son horseback riding. I guess there is no such thing as ACS in the redneck south.

MTV once showed videos. Now MTV shows that teen pregnancy is cool and these mothers should be held in the same high regard as Mother Teresa, Hillary Clinton and even Sarah Palin.

Uggghhhh!!!!!

Subcultures of a Staten Island Gym-Part I-Rage Against the Juiceheads

As long as there are gyms on Staten Island, MTV will always find the stereotypical Staten Island "meathead" (If you get the All In The Family reference), oops "juicehead". Gyms on Staten Island are pretty hysterical if you are bold enough to put aside the fact that you are a weak, girly man and have zero expectations to achieve "juicehead" greatness. I'm confident in this statement and will boldly address the Staten Island gym subculture that makes life on Staten Island a humorous experience for us three-digit IQ people.

I started frequenting a gym in 2003 after Ava was born. Michelle stayed home, allowing me to work out in the early morning hours each day I could drag myself out of a warm bed. I went to New York Sports Club, then the JCC and now I frequent Synergy, a 24 hour gym located on Richmond Hill Road, about five minutes from Levine Manor. I joined early in the school year and soon after Michelle followed me into the belly of the beast. Michelle is partly a ghost writer for this blog as two, not one, Levines rage against the gym to provide you, the reader, with the subcultures who frequent these socialization centers found all over the motherland.

First Subculture: The Juicehead. These people you can not miss. Stevie Wonder can't miss these people. They are enormous. They have product in their hair. Their eyebrows are well-manicured. They have a multitude of piercings. (Come on Juiceboy, eight earrings? I waited until I was 18 to even get one and my father went to criticize it by calling me Elton John. I proceeded to have the hole close.) They have tattoos, some have a plethora of them, but the similar characteristic of the juicehead is the South Pacific tribal tattoo that make these steroid-taking monkeys brethren of Troy Polamalu or The Rock. Many of these "animals" have the sleeve tattoo that takes up their arm or leg. They can lift fourteen times their own weight. They grunt and have more vanity then a beauty pageant contestant. I'm psyched to finish a set of ten chest presses (140 lbs without juice) or lat pulldowns (100 lbs.) but I never go over to the mirror and check myself out. The Juicehead does either with or without his fellow man. I never criticize the juicehead to their face, I have the blog, but when these testosterone-run-amuck shmucks look three times at the same muscle, I quote my friend Ross Goodfellow, who would say, "I'm seriously cracking up in your face." However much I laugh, Staten Island girls (whom I affectionately call the Snookies) with IQs no higher than Sean Penn's character in I Am Sam flock to them as if they have tidbits of intellectual knowledge. When you are huge, brains are secondary and to see the mating call of a juicehead-you need a strong stomach and commentary from Marlon Perkins (again, I'm dating myself, so Google him) to appreciate the vanity and to accept the fact that these people are just part of the weirdos that make the rest of the world stereotype the people of Shao Lin as half-brained idiots, which we are not.

Its 9:30, I'm tired, I had an interesting day and will post another subculture soon. To my wife, thank you for helping me sort out the genus and species of the people who frequent our gym and make Staten Island like no place on Earth.

The 1%

99% of my students appreciate me and the job I do on a daily basis. There is the 1% who would want me to go "copulate" myself. Its this 1% that drives even the best teachers bananas. Our hands are tied with these students being ignorant, lazy, disrespectful and just plain dumb. If the mayor had any common sense, he would bring back the old 600 schools rather than having us teachers and administrators write out pages of anecdotals that seem to do nothing more than give us teachers hand cramps. My hands are tied, administrators hands are tied and the deans hands of tied-responsibility is placed on us to do the job parents are supposed to do but in 2010, parents of these 1% are just a by product of a gilded age society that seems to place the blame on schools and let them off without any reprecussions and that is pretty sad.

These 1% of my students think of school as socialization centers where they can walk the hall, curse at us, grab and manhandle other students while holding the 99% of my students hostage. In 8th grade, many of these students will wake up and find that they are not graduating. The one thing Bloomberg did that was positive was to tell the 1% if you fail one subject regardless of your ELA and Math scores that you are bound for summer school. Last year, the number of students attending summer school jumped dramatically and the number of students held over also increased dramatically. This year, I forecast the numbers will be even higher than last year. Last year, I failed five students and this year (as of today, I have over sixty) that number has increased 1200%.

I don't make it hard to pass my class. 30% tests, 30% homework, 30% projects, 10% classwork. If you fail the tests but you can do the homework and projects, I'll give you a 65. I give extensions up the wazoo. I have a website, a facebook page and three e-mail address but the 1% that occupy a seat in my class, well, that is of no issue to them. "Where's your HW?" I will state. They respond, "F**k you!" "I'm going to call home." "F**k you, my mom don't care."

They are right. The parents of the 1% could care less about their kids. They were probably young and naive. Many of the 1% are in the generation where the father walked out of the house or provide no support. The political demagogues who bash my profession believe that the sign of good schools are good teachers. This is partly true, yet Bloomberg, Cuomo and Obama never seem to place the blame on the parents.

I have made more phone calls (87) this year than at any other time in my career. Many numbers don't work. Many parents make empty promises that never pan out and if they do, it is usually for a day or two. Many parents state the bullsh*t Bloomberg answer, "Ain't my job to teach 'em!"

Really?

Parents are the first teachers of a child's life. Many parents of the 1% treat their kids like puppies and not parents. Some parents are in the idea that they should be friends with their kids and to spoil them. You know what happens...they take this piss-poor attitude that they can do no wrong and walk around schools to hold the 99% of the students who attend my class for an education hostage.

That has to change. Political leaders need to shift the blame from teachers and put more blame on themselves for creating the socio-economic problems found in public schools. They never will and that is a shame of this nation that teachers are asked to do too much while parents get away with a slap on the wrist from Bloomberg, Cuomo and Obama who cowtow to them because they vote.

Maybe one day teachers will be seen in a higher standard than babysitters. If that ever happens, public education in New York will be as great as it was when I went to school and not currently under the billionaire mayor who has done more to screw up the schools than Giuliani, Dinkins and Koch combined.

Hopefully this day comes before my union sells me out for making too much money.

Like A Bonehead

I decided to trim too much of the beard off and now its gone.....FAIL! Back to the drawing board.

At least I'm successful in not using my cell phone anymore at family functions. I went out for German food and left the Droid, which is malfunctioning, at home.

Today, I get to keep it at home again.

1 for 2 on the Bucket List...not meeting standards.

Why the State of Vermont is better than the other 49!

Bernie Sanders is the Senator from Vermont and in my eyes the best thing from Vermont. Sacre bleu, Phish? Ben and Jerry's?

Bernie Sanders is the lone wolf in the US Senate who speaks the truth about the class warfare between Dems and GOP. Our President, the Black bullshit artist, is about to cowtow to the GOP with the Bush tax cuts, but before he does, Bernie Sanders makes this amazing speech which will never change the policies of stupidity forced upon the middle class by the "Democraps" (who should protect our interests but don't) and the GOP (who are just full of shit anyway you slice it).

Someone has to run against Obama before we, the middle class go the way of my six pack abs. If I had my way, I would vote Bernie Sanders considering he's a socialist that campaigns with the "Democraps". If many people had a brain and stopped their political apathy, we could save this nation before we return to corporate feudalism.

That won't happen. We the people is really we the corporations. The middle class needs to rise before its too late. I'm a pessimist, this will never happen in my lifetime. Many of us will watch Dancing With the Stars and let corporations control our lives. That's a shame, I love my country, but the core beliefs of this nation are bought off by the GOP, Wall Street, Obama and the richest 2% of this nation.

It's a God-damn shame we let this happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5OtB298fHY&feature=player_embedded#!

Stop Bill Gates Before He Ruins Public Education

Bill Gates should stick to making computers. As with all education deformers (Obama, Duncan, Rhee, Little Andy Cuomo, Doucheberg, Klein and the super-qualified Cathie Black), he is just full of shit. His intentions are to just destroy public education and allow my children and the generations that follow to be uneducated widgets working long hours with little pay. He claims to value teachers (Randi Weingarten-Why did you let this educational anti-Christ speak at the AFT conference? To all the teachers that applauded Bill Gates at this conference (many from the AFT supported/Unity Caucus of the UFT)-you are a disgrace to the profession. Why would you applaud a man who wants to fire you?

Bill Gates-you are full of shit, stick to Microsoft. There is nothing I would like more than this nerdy jerk to just disappear and take his hordes with him.

Diane Ravitch, who used to bash teachers, takes Bill Gates to task on the things he stands for. This is the same woman who was an undersecretary of Education during the Bush years (Bush 41, that is) and she is masterful in making Gates look stupid in his ideas.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/diane-ravitch/ravitch-answers-gates.html

This Is Very Interesting

My college buddy and fraternity brother, Dom Pupa, has sent me this very freakish link to a ensemble group singing Let It Be.

Enjoy the cameos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8cNHCP3juQ&feature=player_embedded#!

Another Pearl of Wisdom

A grandmother to her five year old grandson crying dragging his coat on the floor, turns and says, "Shut your mouth before I break your face."

The child aghast of what his grandmother says, stops, then returns to crying and dragging his coat on the floor.

Dr. Spock's tips never made it over the Gangplank.

From Nicole LaMorte-Beat Columnist and Mother of Alanna

Charter Schools Do Not Work

Again, my friend Reality-Based educator is spot on. Please read and spread the word. Its time for us to stop believing the bullshit spread by political demagogues and billionaires who need to stay away from schools.(The Black bullshit artist, Governor Bullshit and Lord Mayor Doucheberg as well as Bill Gates and big fat Oprah)

Once people see the forest for the trees and this generation realizes they are being UNEDUCATED-before the Chinese take over, they may do something.

Please read

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/12/instability-at-charter-schools.html

Two Shmucks

First, it was awesome to see that tax-cheat, drop the race card bum Charles Rangel get censured by fellow members of the House. Charlie, its time, LEAVE ALREADY!!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101202/ap_on_go_co/us_rangel

Second, John McCain, its time to join the 21st Century. Although I regret my vote to the Black bullshit artist, McCain would love nothing more than for America to return to its homophobe roots. If he didn't have shit for brains, he would have stated that racial integration cost us Korea and Vietnam.

Admiral Mullen, I applaud you for telling Father Time to go take a long walk off a short pier. I have gay friends and I am proud that regardless of sexual orientation, they are awesome people who I admire greatly.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/mullen-fires-back-at-mccains-dont-ask-criticism;_ylt=AvR33ZihWx_o6OIMT8254WCMwfIE;_ylu=X3oDMTRic21zcjAyBGFzc2V0Ay9zL3libG9nX3RoZWxvb2tvdXQvbXVsbGVuLWZpcmVzLWJhY2stYXQtbWNjYWlucy1kb250LWFzay1jcml0aWNpc20EY2NvZGUDbXBfZWNfOF8xMARjcG9zAzIEcG9zAzIEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawNtdWxsZW5maXJlc2I

John McCain and Charles Rangel-you are truly, as my grandfather would say, TWO SHMUCKS!!!!

Immortal Words Said By Staten Island Parents

Today in Toys R Us, this little tidbit of parental wisdom was uttered by a highly-educated Staten Island parent.

"Ant'knee, if you don't shut da _________ up, I'm gonna rap you upside your ____________ head!!!"

Classic parenting advice brought to you by the wonderful white trash family I was behind today at Toys R Us.

P.S. I spelled Ant'knee correctly. Remember here on Shao-Lin we don't have to spell correctly. Gotta a ___________ problem with that.

Ninth Nation...Italy

Levine Worldwide now in Italy!!!!

Desert Island Discs #4 and #5

Desert Island Disc #4: Iron Maiden "The Number of the Beast" (1982)/Capitol/EMI
Desert Island Disc #5: Judas Priest "Screaming For Vengeance" (1982)/CBS

Personally, both Judas Priest and Iron Maiden deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Metallica is in (rightfully so, even though they sold out years ago) but these groups so deserve to be. Maybe they are not as heralded as Metallica but you can't get to Metallica without hitting British metal from the late 1970s and this is where Maiden and Priest complete the link between Black Sabbath/Led Zeppelin and Metallica.

My introduction to these gods of heavy metal comes through John Molfetta around 1982.

In 1982, I was living on Klondike Avenue. I was entering 7th grade beginning my foray into classic rock when John Molfetta entered my life. My house was pretty much basketball central because my grandparents put in a basketball court and like moths to light, kids started showing up. John and his brothers lived behind my house and one February day, he hopped my fence and he reciprocated by allowing Mitchell and I to go swimming in his pool that summer. Our mothers worked at Shop-Rite and among heavy metal cassettes, they also were responsible for a few other items which I will not post since I'm an upstanding member of society.

It was John who had cassette copies of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and on an old Panasonic cassette deck would be the first time I would hear "The Hellion" and "Electric Eye". John's friend, Carlos Luna (who lived two houses above mine) and his brother Cesar brought over "The Number of the Beast". From these two classic cassettes, we worked backwards, TNOTB led the Lunas to bring over "Maiden In Japan", "Killers" and "Iron Maiden". The Lunas were a bit older and angered that Iron Maiden fired Paul Dianno and replaced him with Bruce Dickinson (smart move) while John and I listened to "British Steel", "Hell Bent For Leather" and "Unleashed in the East".

It was metal karma when Priest and Maiden toured in 1982. My mother decided to allow me to go see Judas Priest and Iron Maiden at the Meadowlands in October. She had figured if we were going in a limo, we would not have to worry about someone getting busted for a DWI. (MADD was not around and the drinking age was still 18) Computers were not around and neither was iTunes so my parents and grandparents would not see what they looked like nor try to decipher the "screaming" sorry singing of Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson.

The parking lot was filled with all the metal stereotypes-long hair, beer, leather coats (emulating Halford) and some of the people I went with had denim jackets with "TNOTB" or "Killers" painted on the back by local artist, Walter Frawley. I wore a Le Tigre shirt and was the target of ridicule but didn't care. I was ready and prepared to hear songs off both albums and both bands didn't disappoint. However young I was, I knew that one thing would be for certain.....and that was......

I got hooked on Iron Maiden. I like Priest but Priest was a show on metal stereotypes a la Spinal Tap. Maiden was more gritty, more street and a lot harder than Priest. Priest had the bigger catalogue but "TNOTB" and "Run To The Hills" would be in any metalhead's top 10-even mine. I would go on and see Maiden on "Piece Of Mind", "Powerslave", "Seventh Son" and then take a twenty year break.

When I went to see Maiden in 2006, 2008 and 2010 (where I would meet up with a Maiden fan named Heather Gershonowitz (an old student)) nothing much has changed. Maiden refuses to be a classic metal band, they put out great music and now as a sextet, they still kick ass and at 40, I still will never miss a Maiden show.

UP THE IRONS!!!!!!

Thank you John Molfetta, Carlos Luna and Cesar Luna for introducing me to two great bands when I was 12. Jesse Lynn, Ross Goodfellow and Ronen Trincher, thank you for dragging me to see Iron Maiden and helping me remember why Maiden really does kick ass and that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame really needs to let them enter their hallowed halls.

Is it me?

Isn't the price of gas supposed to drop after Labor Day? Its $3.19 for 87 octane at the closest station to my house.

Also, why do gas stations charge an extra ten cents for credit cards?

Seriously, if this is any indication of how greedy BIG OIL is, I certainly hope the government would do something to curb our dependence on it.

I'm a pessimist, government is just ball-less to stand up to what we want, they prefer to be bought off by the corporate shills that influence them. GOP House+Democratic Senate+Moron President=

S.O.B-----Same old bullshit!

One Thing I Never Get Tired Of

I love being a dad. I'll admit, I have good and bad days and fortunately, Ava and Sophia don't know the number for ACS....yet.

My girls loved their Hanukah presents and after seven years of being a dad, one thing I never get tired of is hearing my girls telling me, "You're the best dad ever!"

I love being a dad to Ava and Sophia and an educational dad to anyone who sat in my class in my teaching career. What politicians never understand are the bonds teachers forge with their students. I am proud of all my students and still love what I do after 15 years.

Just Some Reading From Perdido Street School

My friend Reality Based Educator runs this blog Perdido Street School that I highly recommend. Its his insightful vision that gets me irate at the political world of the United States and the stupidity that Randi Weingarten and Michael Mulgrew shove down my throat.

Here is one on Mulgrew and Weingarten selling out the AFT and UFT.
http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/12/serving-notice-to-weingarten-mulgrew.html

Here is one on why I will NEVER vote for a black bullshit artist ever again.
http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/11/first-teachers-now-federal-workers.html

Here is what I think of Mulgrew, Weingarten and Obama courtesy of Johnny Cash.


If you are a teacher or a federal worker and are tired that Wall Street corporate scumbags never get what they deserve....RAGE AGAINST THE LEVINE

Mike Mulgrew-If 80,000 teachers had a brain like me....

You would be next. Unfortunately, too many teachers,still drink your Kool-Aid. No raise, not supporting Thompson, loss of the seniority transfer, 6,100 jobs to be cut, you supporting then not supporting and then supporting Cathie Black (Come on, this is Bloomberg-you think that second in command will have any power?) and that really awesome 2005 contract passed by your hero, Randi "We have a seat at the table" Weingarten still makes you a viable leader in the eyes of your rank-and-file?

BULLSHIT!!!!!

I support my Chapter leader, Trish Mezzacappa, who deals with the IS 61 staff issues but when she asks us to go to a rally and stand up, we run to our holes and hope the leaders of the once viable UFT do something. Trish and I may disagree about Mulgrew and Unity but our apathy is a reason we get screwed by the Mayor, the press and we are a laughingstock for every other teacher who actively stands up for themselves and their union.

If more teachers got off their asses and DID SOMETHING our union would be stronger and we would not have another Unity stooge bought off by Bloombucks and the ed deformers who have turned teaching from a creative passion to data and inquiry nonsense. (I, for one, do not trust any statistic on my students, the test was a FRAUD.)

Vote in the next election, call the UFT, call the AFT and spread the word how shitty the DOE just is. It just may make people more aware of our plight rather than sitting on your ass and hoping for the best. We can't wait another three years for Lord Mayor to leave. (He could overturn term limits AGAIN.)

Washington, DC teachers, I applaud you.

http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2010/12/saunders-and-peterson-win-dc-election.html

To my NYC colleagues, I quote Johnny Rotten who once said, "Have you ever had the feeling that you've been cheated?" We can take out Mulgrew, get off your ASS and DO something. 6,100 teachers in 2011, how many in 2012? 2013?

Levine....Worldwide

Not to spoof Doback and Huff's Prestige Worldwide but apparently Rage Against The Levine is viewed in three continents and eight countries.

Canada (Have an idea who the reader is, OP, Class of 2006/IS 61)
Singapore (A certain Morris brother who likes a band named Phish)

Yet now, I'm puzzled....

England (?)
Czech Republic (It's like Wisconsin. Great, I got my ass kicked in Wisconsin. Harold Ramis "Stripes")
Australia (?)
Germany (?)

And the newest nation to pledge allegience to the Levine.....

Croatia (Someone is raging in the Balkans, that's cool.)

Happy Hanukah

Besides the Driedel song, here's a little ditty to get us into the mood.
Happy Hanukah!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrd9p47MPHg

Michelle

Michelle and I went out to dinner and this song came on WCBS-FM. Enjoy this classic 1977 love jam!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HyLZWlJ1e8

For the win, What show did Marilyn McCoo host in the late 70s/early 80s?

702 is 21

My first real teachable class was 702 for the 2001-02 school year. Everyday, period 7, I went to the bathroom and gave the thirty or so kids a great year of lessons. This was the first time I could say that I actually knew what I was doing and that my career choice was the best choice I could make. The year I spent with those kids was special and now that all of them have turned 21, YOU OWE ME A BEER!

702, you were an amazing class and still to this day, I have never said a disparaging word about you. You were all responsible in creating a truly great teacher and I was truly blessed to have taught you when you were all 12.

Don't get FUBAR'd, drink responsibly.

I hope to reunite with you guys and see what you are doing these days.

Much Love,
Mr. Levine

You Don't Have To Be A Ranting New York Jew To Hate Lord Mayor

It seems that there are more of us who hate him then like him. From my friend at Perdido Street School, here is some joyous news concerning a possible Bloomberg presidential bid.

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/11/heres-some-good-news-on-bloomberg-front.html

With the Cathie Black selection a done deal, Lord Mayor will soon feel the wrath of angry parents, students, teachers and politicians who see him as just another full of shit politician. I went to Syracuse and received two bachelor's degrees and went to Columbia where I attained two master's degrees. To be chancellor of the New York City Department of Education well all you have to do is be a rich friend of the Lord Mayor experience is optional.

Your day is coming Bloomberg, watch out, there are more of us than there are your rich friends and the people you've bought off in the media.

For my friends, call your councilman (Debbi Rose, James Oddo and Vincent Ignizio) and tell them you won't support them unless they stand up for us against the tyrant, non-secular Lord Mayor. Call your State Senators and Assemblymen/women to revoke Mayoral control because its a failure on all levels.

For my colleagues, tell Michael Mulgrew to grow a pair of balls and stop cowtowing to an idiot mayor and his faux chancellor. Stop being apathetic and DO SOMETHING!

R.I.P Leslie Nielsen

Leslie Nielsen, who played Dr. Romanek in Airplane and Lt. Frank Drebin in The Naked Gun, passed away at the age of 84.

For us members of Generation X, Nielsen created two of the greatest roles in comedy history. I still love Frank Drebin. For my friends and I, to this day, can quote Nielsen verbatim, not too shabby for us Gen Xers.

Airplane! is now thirty years old and The Naked Gun is twenty-two years old, they are still just as funny as the first time I saw them way back when. When I mentioned the death of Leslie Nielsen in class, my eighth graders, who were born in 1997, stated that they have seen both movies and proclaimed them to be "funny".

In 2010, its nice to see that 13 year olds have a great appreciation of the classic comedies that I saw when I was younger.

If you know a great Nielsen line, post it, so we all can remember his genius.

Happy Birthday John Sousa

For 26 years, John Sousa has been a great friend of mine. I can say that he has been a concert pal, drinking buddy, groomsman and just one of the most hilarious people I now. He is a great husband, a terrific dad and the best damn programmer at EA Sports.

666!!!!!

Up The Irons! We've hit 666!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlSidenJ5-E&feature=fvst

Movies That Make Me Procrastinate On A Sunday

I always hated William Zabka and its good that Ralph Macchio goes "blood" on him. I'm supposed to be food shopping. Shhhhhh!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWbFWHrJ0CU

The Daily Bloomberg Had This To Say About Lord Mayor

The Daily Bloomberg is a pro-Bloomberg paper where King Mike can do wrong. If I had my way, I'd bring Michael Daly to the 61 lunchroom where the kids could go "blood" on him.

Michael Daly wake the f**k up and realize that Bloomberg is a dictator capable of doing what he pleases. His ideas have ruined the city and affirmed the idea there are two NY, one for the rich and one for the non-existent middle class and poor.

You are an insult to all fair and balanced journalists who try not to drink the Bloomberg Kool-Aid like your colleague Juan Gonzalez.

 http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/11/michael-daly-bloomberg-not-king-except.html

For my readers, Perdido Street School is not me as is NYC Educator. They are two blogs written by ICE/TJC members (I belong to this caucus because Unity, Mulgrew and Weingarten are on the Bloomberg payroll. Perhaps rank and file teachers may wake up and see how badly our union f**ks us and join with a real caucus) who are insightful and usually right 100% of the time.

Enjoy and read their blogs.

Desert Island Disc #2 and #3

Desert Island Disc #2-The River-Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band (1980)-Columbia/CBS
Desert Island Disc #3-Born In The USA-Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band (1984)-Columbia/CBS

This is without question my favorite Bruce Springsteen albums.

The River came out when I was ten and I know what you're thinking, "How did you get the record?" I didn't. I heard "Hungry Heart" on WNBC (say it like Pig Vomit on Private Parts") played on the Captain Frank show. I also saw a cheap video of the song on America's Top 10 with Casey Kasem where the song was played to a three-and-a-half minute concert snippet of "Rosalita" from 1978. It kind of looked like a Kung Fu movie where the character speaks but the words just don't match up. I would drop a quarter in the Golden Dove jukebox when my dad came to take Mitchell and I to Boy Scouts and when it was played at Skate Odyssey (raise your lighters for Skate Odyssey), I would attempt to roller skate, fall on my ass and then in my embarassment, return to the pinball machines to hear the rest of the song.

I bought a CD copy of Born In The USA after I got "Bruce Fever" in 8th Grade. I hopped the Springsteen train in 1984. I was able to see Bruce play one of the shows at the Brendan Byrne Arena before it sold out to become the Continental Airlines Arena, the Izod Center and before that stupid Xanadu Mall (complete with that phallic symbol you can see from ten miles away) swallowed the arena up. He played over three hours and for an impressionable kid like me it was my favorite show (until the Dead and Phish entered) for a long time. He then returned in 1985 to play six shows at Giants Stadium. My friend Jesse Lynn and I went to one show where at 15, we met Leo Da Scalpa. Yes, at 15, Jesse and I scalped our first tickets (before Stub Hub). The plan was to buy three tickets from Leo but Norman backed out. So the two of us meet this guy outside of J&R thinking he would look like Mike Damone from Fast Times. He was a heavy set guy and fortunately Jesse was convincing enough to tell him we were only buying two tickets. He then tells us to walk across Park Row into City Hall Park where he sold us the tickets ($60 a ticket) and did not kick the crap out of us.

A few weeks later we are going to the show at Giants Stadium. Jesse's dad, his mom and sister drive us to the Port Authority. New York in 1985 was a far cry from the oligarchal state that it is now since Rudy and Bloomberg decided to clean it up. Outside the Port Authority, it was Hell's Kitchen (not the Gordon Ramsay show) a festering, gross, Midnight Cowboyesque New York neighborhood where anything could go on. Today, 9th Avenue is a trendy neighborhood of fine dining and overpriced apartments but 25 years ago, well, you could have paid to receive a "good time" from one of the friendly women who would knock on your window to ask if you wanted to pony up the money to have a good time. Jesse's dad drove up to 9th Avenue and 41st Street and at a red light this situation occurred.

Yours truly was looking at one of the women by the Port Authority who looked like a cast off from Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield" video. Scantily clad with high leather boots, I can only guess that she noticed a very, well, over-eager 15 year old staring at her. Maybe she thought I was a baller but the following dialogue occurred between Jesse, Michelle and I. Twenty-five years later, as I type this, I still laugh.....just as it happened one August day in 1985.

Jesse-"Levine, did that hooker just....Holy Crap Levine! Did she just show you her boobs?"
Me-"Jess, shut up, shut up...."
Jesse-"She did, she did, holy s**t! That hooker flashed you."
Michelle Lynn-"Dad, the hooker just flashed Levine!"
Shelly Lynn-"Way to go Levine!"

That's the story, I'm sticking to it. If my friend Jesse is reading this blog, he'll back the story up.

I had the opportunity to see The River and Born In The USA played from start-to-finish in 2008/2009 but after seeing too many Phish shows, I took a pass and regret the decision. A decision I regret still to this day but Bruce Springsteen's The River and Born In The USA are still in my desert island discs not for the above story but for the music.

Best Song on Born In The USA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzFJV3FuOI0

Best Song on The River-My favorite Springsteen song of all-time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46dEVLFvze4

Desert Island Albums-Number 1

If stuck on a desert island, like Staten Island, here are some of RATL's favorite CDs. They are in no particular order or genre.



1. Lifes Rich Paegant (1986)-R.E.M.-I.R.S. Records

Everybody loved Murmur and Reckoning and scratched their head at the disappointing Fables of the Reconstruction album that followed their first two masterpieces. This album marked a turning point where R.E.M. put together a great album where people actually began to understand just what the hell Michael Stipe was singing.

Driver 8 and Can't Get There From Here put R.E.M. on my radar screen then I worked backwards to hear the undecipherable lyrics of Murmur and Reckoning. Sure the first two albums are amazing but sometimes music can paint the image of where you were or what you were like or can just hook you into an amazing band whose music is still relevant in 2010 as it was in 1986.

I was 16, a junior in high school and when this album was released, I walked into Record Town and gave Joe Chebli twenty bucks and bought the first three R.E.M. albums on compact disc (back then, they were packaged in the long boxes, much easier to open then the compact discs of today but with Limewire, that is a thing of the past). Only a few of my friends liked R.E.M.-Norman Eng and Andrew Zito. Jesse and John (who got on board in 1987) were still in their hardcore punk days but now can attest to why this album is on my desert island playlist.

The album has the three songs I want to hear when I see R.E.M.---Begin The Begin, These Days and I Believe. The other songs are good, Fall On Me is an environmental anthem, Cuyahoga was played on Election Day 2004 to protest the Republican bullying in Cleveland, Hyena and Just A Touch were songs that were played on the Murmur and Reckoning tours and Superman, sung by Mike Mills, who was still wearing those nerd glasses.

R.E.M. is my all-time favorite band. I saw them play twice at the Felt Forum in November 1986 and have never missed a time or tour since 1986. These links are from the Green Tour where as a freshman at Syracuse University, I stood in the fourth row with my friends Ted Barron and Joanna Lovinger screaming the words and just losing my mind. The Begin The Begin link is from 2004 with Eddie Vedder who could have made a better induction speech for R.E.M when they were inducted into that sham of a hall of fame.

I Believe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyGW6jUGtrM&feature=related

Begin The Begin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XaoF8bDMcM

These Days
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLLibnwtEBI

Bucket List #2

With all my anger being vented at politicians and my union, I have decided to add some heartfelt messages. Many people have liked the Bucket List posting so I present the second addition to my Bucket List.

Bucket List #2-Less Technology and More Talking to Family

I'll admit it, I love technology. Maybe its the testosterone, maybe its the desire to stay on the cutting edge or perhaps its my ego to show my students what I have but only recently I have learned that staying on my phone has well...made me a target for criticism by family. I loved my Blackberry, I love my Droid, I love my Nook (Michelle's 40th birthday present), I love my iPod (the 160gb is cool but am waiting for one the size of my hard drive) and I love my iPad (Mitchell and Sloane, I am so glad you got Dad (nod nod wink wink)) to get my one. For my readers, I told my sister-in-law that I was expecting a Halloween Phish ticket, but I so love my iPad, a lot. In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, "it is so choice".

With technology comes addiction and after my stint with Dr. Drew, Eric Roberts, Janice Dickinson, Brandon Davis and all the junkies on Celebrity Rehab (I, as you know, am the lead singer of the Maroon 5 when I'm not teaching, married to Michelle and raising my kids (biological and educational)), I have come to realize that I WAS ALWAYS ON MY F*****G PHONE! I am now recovering in DA (Droid Anonymous) in a wonderful one step program-the philosophy-DON'T BRING THE PHONE TO FAMILY FUNCTIONS!

My drugs were fantasy football and facebook and every Sunday (which has been my traditional day with my family) that I spent with my family, there I was, DROIDING away-saying hello to far-off friends and ex-students or refreshing my fantasy game to see how far behind or ahead I was for the week. Ignoring my wife, my kids, my extended family seemed to be ok but it took my brother and brother-in-law to lace into me. This, along with my own realization that I was being a "technological jerk" has led me to change my ways now that I'm forty. I'm glad that Craig and Mitchell did tell me this because if not, I probably would have become a persona non grata and never be invited to any family functions ever again.

I'm one month into DA and am now three-for-three on my new way of living. I attended a family dinner with Mitchell, my Uncle Martin and my cousins Larry and Andrew with the phone in my pocket. I spoke, for a long time, about what my grandfather means to me and how much it pains me to see him age. I called Mitchell the next day and told him how much I enjoyed being with him and my cousins. I attended Thanksgiving at my in-laws (I told Craig that I was posting this blog and explained his significance to this post. He was quite pleased) and spoke for a while to my family. Last night, Mitchell and Sloane (I can't believe Sloane can cook all that food.) had a post holiday dinner and admitted to my past problem. Your family is your rock and I'm glad Mitchell and Craig (with occasional rants from Michelle) told me this. I am real happy that I am following this new mantra and instead of being one day at a time, its one family function at a time.

To all my readers, don't be a shmuck like me, talk to your family not on your phone. Makes a world of difference......

Why I Don't Trust My Union?

Mulgrew is a flip-flopper. He is for, then against, now for Cathie Black.

If you are a veteran teacher, this support should scare the bejesus out of you. Mulgrew and Weingarten care little about us and it is so obvious. With Governor Cuomo wanting to end last in first out, the ATRs and then it will be the twenty year teachers, then the eighteen year teachers, then the fifteen year teachers. Guess who is a fifteen year teacher?

http://www.nycteachers.com/profiles/blogs/uft-pres-mikey-mulgrew-backs

I Shudder To Think What These Guys Would Think Of The US Today

"I hope we shall crush ... in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country."
--Thomas Jefferson

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."
-- U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864

STOP BLOOMBERG

To all my friends, fellow students, their parents and TEACHERS,

The granting of a waiver for a non-educator only shows that if we don't mobilize, Bloomberg wins. Please read this and send to as many people that you who know who are teachers and parents. The fact that a true democracy in NYC has been eroded by an oligarchial tyrant is disheartening and sickening. If we DO NOTHING (yes, parents, students and teachers at IS 61 and all over NYC, your pathetic apathy has allowed this to happen) then we have allowed the billionaires and Bloomberg supporters to win this fight. I may never support Charles Barron but in this case he's right. Allowing billionaires with no educational background to run roughshod and make your education a playtoy will cost you and the future of New York City plenty. The DOE is a puppet organization run by a political demagogue who bought an illegal term, raised your property taxes, raised the sales tax from 8.25% TO 8.875%, cut services (6,100 teachers, fire, police, sanitation) eliminated the tax on clothes under $100 and when he leaves (IF HE EVER DOES), his fortune will be $30 billion up from $3 billion when the absolute monarch took office in 2001.

Its almost funny that as a social studies teacher, I have to say that we are a democracy. In NYC, this is so far from the truth. If this does not anger you then sit on your backside and watch the United States become a nation under an oligarchy. We elected three corporate bought politicians, its time to say enough is enough.

http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2010/11/powers-that-be-lesson-for-children-of.html

NYC Parents Blog

As a parent, Bloomberg must go and NOW.....

http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2010/11/tone-deaf-mayor-turns-cathie-black.html

Two words for Bloomberg's "illegal" third term......ED KOCH! Now he is going to cut more services, let's party like its 1977.

My disdain and anger keeps growing the longer our Lord Mayor stays.

Rodney Dangerfield Gets It....

Well with the Koreas about to go to war, just a snippet to why Back To School is still a historically relevant movie.....

Enjoy it and appreciate the comedic legacies of Rodney Dangerfield and Sam Kinison.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bfgrj_62-Y

The NY Times Gets It.....

blogspot.com/2010/11/ny-times-its-not-about-black-its-about.html

I'll Run Regardless of the Fact That I'm Jewish, an Elitist New Yorker and Have Not Been Bought By Corporate Overlords

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/11/45-of-dems-want-to-see-obama-face.html

Voting for Obama in 2008 was single-handedly the most idiotic waste of a vote I ever casted. Sure the old man and his "ruh-tard" sidekick was worse but after two years of this guy I do hope some progressive centrist (Democrat or perhaps the GOP could resurrect my two favorite presidents-Theodore Roosevelt or Dwight Eisenhower) interested in saving whatever is left of the middle class, runs against this top-notch, elitist sham of a leader. Otherwise, the wealthiest 15% will own 100% of the wealth (85% isn't enough). Maybe Russ Feingold or Hillary Clinton (a centrist GOP candidate-Mitt Romney, is a Mormon, which may be worse than me being a Jew) runs and puts his corporate loving backside on an Air Force One trip back to Chicago. Obama is Herbert Hoover, Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter rolled into a lying sack of crap and here's why.

Obama hates teachers, its obvious. He's hired Arne Duncan (who ruined the Chicago schools) to destroy public education through his Race for the Top. However, the AFT and NEA fawned when he promised Randi "Vichy France" Weingarten a "seat at the table". I hope the GOP keeps their promise and makes President Accountability and Transparency a one and done President. The GOP could cave since they hate teacher's unions but their leader Mitch McConnell (R/KY) has made it crystal clear that he wants Obama to be a one term President. Obama applauded the firings of the Rhode Island teachers and supports the Children Last reforms of our Lord Mayor For Life.

Obama's health care plan also affects my life. Rather than protecting public sector unions, Obama, in his infinite wisdom has decided that in 2014, employer-sponsored health care programs will have a 40% excise tax added to their health care plans. I know as a teacher, I do not make a lot, but in 1996, when I started, my co-payments were free and the hospital payment was $100. Today, these payments are now $15 and $300. Many of the top specialists in NYC do not take my plan and God forbid something detrimental should happen, I'm bankrupt. I don't think with a divided Congress this will change but as a breadwinner, I sure as hell hope someone runs who appreciates what the public sector does and not blame us for everything, much like Lord Mayor, Governor-elect Cuomo, Chris "William Howard Taft" Christie do everyday that they are in office.

Maybe he has a positive social agenda but doubling down in Afghanistan will cost the United States close to a half-trillion dollars in 2014. I know Presidents love to keep the corporate welfare system in place for the Department of Defense ($896 million in spending) but honestly will a superior military find bin Laden, uh, no. As someone who possesses a MA in history, Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires. Has anyone seen the Soviet Union? Next year, we will be in Afghanistan longer than they have but maybe people will see the forest for the trees and scratch their heads saying, "WTF, Obama?"

I love my job but allowing Obama another four years spells the end of the middle class for good. The same middle class that built this country will be a thing of the past, like Betamax, tape decks, the Walkman, the Atari 2600 and my washboard abs.

I thought it was change I could believe in but to me Obama is more of the same b.s. as Bush, Clinton and everyone who has occupied the White House since 1980.

Obama must go....NOW!!!

Comment Du Jour

“Obviously we gotta stand with our North Korean allies."

-Sarah Palin

Things To Eat On Staten Island Before You Leave Or Die

Every year I seem to get into this conversation with my students about pizza and cringe when they state “Yo Mister! Best pizza on Staten Island is (cringing) Papa Johns!” " or “Levine, best pizza is the pizzeria (Albanian owned, yet, Albanian food is influenced by its close proximity to Italy) across the street from school!” or “Dominos!” There is some disparity between what I consider good pizza and what my 8^th graders believe is good pizza.

Best pizza, hands down, Denino’s on Port Richmond Avenue. For anyone who has left the island, no trip back to the motherland should exclude the great pizza found on Port Richmond Avenue. Sure there are others, Joe and Pat’s (Victory Boulevard), Ciro’s (Huguenot Avenue), Lee’s Tavern (Garrettson Avenue/Dongan Hills), Salvatore’s of Soho (Hylan Boulevard) or even Brother’s (Forest Avenue/Port Richmond Avenue) but Denino’s is so good that my brother Mitchell (when he voyages across the gangplank-picks up a pie) and even my Uncle Martin (a devout foodie from Alpine, NJ) have eaten here. Unfortunately, the anti-Staten Island bias has prevented it from ever being considered as a great New York pizzeria.

Denino’s is an institution on Shao-Lin. It’s been on Staten Island since the 1930s and probably will be on Staten Island after I die. Today, Denino’s , much like Ralph’s has expanded into New Jersey where residents of northern Monmouth County line up to reminisce about life in the old country. Fortunately, as its reputation has developed, the renovations have expanded the size of the restaurant where now you can get a table in less than week.

What can I say about the pizza? As my students proclaim, “Yo! It’s mad good!” Who am I to disagree? The paper-thin crust, in my honest opinion, makes everything on top taste better. Even I, can stop being angry, and devour four slices in an epic win of gluttony. My honors class can wax poetic about the “addictive crust”, “the charred bottom from the pizza leaving the wood oven”, “the fresh sauce” and “the cheese”. Whatever the topping is above the crust, my students say, “its mad good!” I don’t get there as much as I would like because of Sophia’s dairy allergy but when I do (Monday night), give me a slice of M.O.R and in the words of my sister-in-law, Jennifer Finklestein, “Yummo!” (That's Rachael Ray but I love Jennifer and everyone knows Jennifer posts that in her facebook statuses.)

Sure there are other items on the menu. The appetizers are basic bar food and there are limited other choices besides the pizza. (Its almost sacrilegious to order something else, its like ordering chicken at Peter Luger or beef at Oceana, yet people do) It may take a while to get a seat but Denino’s is worth the wait. It’s a Shao-Lin summertime tradition to take your family to Denino’s then cross the street and get some Ralph’s.

What are you waiting for? Eat up.

What I'm Thankful For

As bitter as I am, as angry as I am, I do take the time and think about what I am thankful for. Here is the first annual What I'm Thankful For list. If I didn't thank you, thank you, for this list is all the things in my life that I love.

1) I am happy that I have survived forty years on Earth. I haven't had any major health crises, I have started to work out (back in my 30s) and I have cut back dramatically on my vices. I could eat more vegetables, more fiber and perhaps sit down for a breakfast. For however long I last, I'm just glad I'm still here, getting to watch my kids grow, watching my students learn and after seventeen years together, my wife still gets her nightly back rub to fall asleep.

2) My wife, my kids and my family. Michelle, I hope this blog is an indication of how much I love you. After seventeen years together, I still love you as much as the first day I saw you at the Choir Loft in 1993. I never go to sleep angry and have accepted that you are always right. Even the worse days make me a better person as the good days do. Without you, none of this possible and "I love you with all the madness in my soul." Ava and Sophia, my angels, you drive me crazy but when I see you how on Earth can I ever not love you or beat the stuffing out of you. My grandfather, my hero and mentor, everyday you live inspires me to be a great person and at 40, you are still just an awesome person. My parents who have accepted their roles of grandparents willingly and in return have four awesome grandchildren from my brother and I. My brother Mitchell (Sloane, Ethan and Charley, too) who always provides me with some perspective and advice so I don't screw up. I used to get angry but I do see the forest for the trees. My brother was instrumental in me creating this blog to channel my feelings and opinions. The Elias', the Finklesteins, the Levines and the Eichlers (my extended family), I love you. (Jennifer, my sister-in-law, here's a free muuuuaahhh!!!)

I have more thanks to give but the bell is going to ring. Rather than mark some work, I just wanted to thank some of the people who make me, well....me.

Keep On Raging In The Free World

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Wom...Billionaire Cry Baby Mayor Scorned.

North Korea versus South Korea, pish posh. Iraq...fooey. Afghanistan, we will be broke in 2014 when Obama spends 500 million on a war we should have finished in 2002. This is the new war...please read and sign. As a parent of a two minority students in Public School, I care deeply about this because without a public school education, I'm nothing and neither are my Republican friends (who think I'm a leftist leaning Pinko a la Meathead from All In The Family). Bloomberg will push back and call us all idiots, but teachers, parents, administrators and students can stand together and unite.
http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2010/11/our-battle-is-not-over-sign-our-new.html

Here are some tunes to keep us strong.

1. The Hold Steady
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-z5_JVng_w

2. The Ramones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vexjWIvwsVg

3. Public Enemy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WHe5fxS3dA

In eight hours, its Thanksgiving break, so let's have a good day.

Things I Learned Today

After a few disappointing 8th period classes (700/805), I have been blessed with a wonderful class which I affectionately call Table 9-an homage to The Wedding Singer. They never disappoint in things they tell me but I digress. Here are some historical facts that I learned today.

1. Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis and Green Bay are states and not cities in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
2. Hawaii is located right smack in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
3. Bill Clinton's father was the President of the United States before he was. Bill Clinton never knew his father.
4. Barack Obama's father was also the President of the United States before he was. Barack Obama's father was born in Kenya and therefore could not become President.
5. Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt were father and son and they too became President. They were 8th cousins.
6. The Oregon Trail ended in England.
7. The Oregon Trail ended in Mexico.

Questions I Asked
1. Name the six states created out of the Northwest Territory of 1787. (Since many of my students did not learn much in 7th Grade, I dumbed it down to NFL cities, just name the states.)
2. In which ocean can you find Hawaii?
3/4/5-Name the two father/son combinations to become President. (John/John Quincy Adams and George H.W. /George W. Bush)
6/7. Where did the Oregon Trail end?

In another class, they took fifteen minutes to answer: WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE WAR BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO CALLED?

If you old students remember a classic screwed-up answer stated in my class, please feel free to share.

Bob Herbert-New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/opinion/20herbert.html?_r=2

Bob Herbert has an idea what is wrong with American public education. In New York City, he, along with a few other quality journalists, report that mayoral control is not all "sugar and spice" and everything nice.

For my old students, the actions of Lord Mayor will have a detrimental effect on your life, your child's life and all future generations.

Please read the piece and chime in with any thoughts that you may have. Hopefully, a middle class revolution will occur and the richest 20% will stop owning 85% of the wealth and maybe the American dream will survive in the 21st century.

Have A Short Week!!!!

A song which states any administrator, teacher, parent, student and any other working stiff working for a corporate overlord would dig.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwoo2Rp-pww


Have a great abridged week and to my old students who have heard this joke before.....

GET TO WEDNESDAY OR DIE TRYING!!!!!!!

http://www.nysun.com/new-york/public-deserves-full-hearing-on-bloombergs/87139/

Public Deserves Full Hearing on Bloomberg’s Nominee for Chancellor of Schools

How Far Has the City Come Under Mayoral Control?

By ANDREW WOLF, Special to the Sun | November 14, 2010

http://www.nysun.com/new-york/public-deserves-full-hearing-on-bloombergs/87139/

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Before Cathie Black gets a waiver to come in as Mayor Bloomberg’s schools chancellor, there should be a proper hearing in Albany. It would provide a moment not only to explore whether Ms. Black is the right person for the job but to assess how far the city has actually come under mayoral control of the schools.

The mayor, who fashions himself as a great educational reformer, wants New Yorkers to believe that he has found the magic formula that can be executed by any fine manager, even one who, like Ms. Black, is without any educational experience. But where’s the magic?
The fact is that under Mr. Bloomberg’s formula, New Yorkers have increased the education budget to $21 billion a year from $13 billion but have seen only the tiniest increase in student performance, continuing a pattern of similar (and often larger) gains that were being posted by the old, much maligned and allegedly “dysfunctional” Board of Education.
The “historic gains” boasted of last year, when the mayor won reelection, evaporated this year with the admission by the newly installed State Education Commissioner, David Steiner, that New York State tests in grades 3 through 8 had, for the past few years, been wildly inflated. The extreme nature of this situation has, in my opinion, been largely understated.
This deception — and no one should think that it is anything but — was not to help the children, who are, after all, demonstrably worse off by not having been told the truth, but rather to benefit the adults who run the schools. Beneficiaries included Mr. Steiner’s predecessor, Richard Mills, who boasted of the state’s soaring test scores as proof of his success, and Mayor Bloomberg, who used those scores as part of his $100 million campaign for re-election.
The federal No Child Left Behind law has its critics, but it did force policy makers to try to achieve increased scores, with the unrealistic goal of making all children proficient in math and reading by 2014. It was an invitation to game the system by allowing each state to determine proficiency, resulting in the New York state debacle. This compromised the education of hundreds of thousands of students here, denying many of them essential remediation, while facilitating their unearned promotion to the next grade. The concept of “ending” social promotion, central to the Bloomberg educational program, now lies in tatters.
Just as the academic program is emerging as in need of rethinking comes the fiscal bad news. The full effect of the recession, blunted for a while by the infusion of billions in federal stimulus funds, is now upon us. With billions less to spend, we’ve got to achieve the academic gains that we now know weren’t reached when the cash spigot flowed freely. This is a daunting task.
The first step to fixing a problem is admitting that one exists. That is what Mr. Steiner did at the state level with the test scores in July. I suggest that the solution to creating real, not illusive, academic gains will come from better pedagogy, not better management.
Which brings us to Cathie Black. I fear that the mayor still believes his own 2009 press releases and has told Ms. Black that, as far as academics are concerned, all is well with the city’s schools. All she needs to do as chancellor would then be to follow through on the programs the outgoing chancellor, Joel Klein, and his staff have already put in place. But in the harsh light of the revised test scores, what kind of success has Mr. Klein truly accomplished? Achievement has not dramatically increased, while funding has. New educational programs will need to be developed.
There are those who suggest that the mayor, in total control of the schools, have free reign to pick his chancellor. But the mayor, even within the overly-liberal terms of the renewal of his control of the schools in 2009, has control only within state law. That law clearly enumerates certain pedagogical qualifications for district superintendents, and New York City is the largest school district in the state (not to mention the country). Those requirements, not unique to the city, can be waived only for those possessing extraordinary skills.
There have been three waiver requests in my memory. Mr. Klein, in the euphoria of the initial adding of the school system to the mayor’s portfolio, won such a waiver. But he brought extensive government service to the table, at a time when all of the stakeholders, including the teacher’s union, were supportive. His predecessor, Harold Levy, whom the mayor would dismiss as part of the old “dysfunction,” also won a waiver. He had considerable experience as an education advocate in the private sector and had served on the State Board of Regents.
The third application for a waiver, which was denied, was for Robert F. Wagner, Jr., who was — he has since died — the scion of a distinguished New York political family and who was a widely recognized student of public policy. Many at the time were shocked by Wagner’s rejection. Mayor Koch responded by orchestrating Wagner’s election as president of the Board of Education, where he served with distinction.
In Ms. Black’s case, what would be appropriate would be a public hearing at which Ms. Black would be entitled to testify and face questions from a panel of Regents, state and city legislative leaders, and state education department staffers. This would enable Commissioner Steiner, who knows better than anyone the challenges that lie ahead, to make an informed and transparent decision.
It would also enable Ms. Black, a social friend of Mr. Bloomberg, to prove that she is not the education world’s equivalent of Harriet Miers, the ill-fated Bush nominee to the Supreme Court. Or perhaps give her pause, as with Ms. Miers, to withdraw rather than face questions for which she is ill-prepared to answer.

Bucket List #1

My grandfather has always told me, when my brother and I were younger, to live life to the fullest, never be older than you are and to seek out things that make you happy. I have decided that after 482 months of living to ACTUALLY listen. Before "God" takes me, I plan to make a bucket list, so that forever long I live, my wife, my daughters, my grandchildren/great-grandchildren (I hope I can live as long as my grandfather), my friends and students know that I left happy, just as happy as the day my mother and father were when I was born.

Bucket List Item 1---GROW A BEARD, NOT A NECK BEARD OR GOATEE!!!!

So around 13, I discovered that my neck had three magnificient threads of hair. Incredibly excited, I posed in front of my grandparents mirror wondering, "Should I shave it? Should I leave it alone?" My brother Mitchell, unimpressed by my recent foray into puberty snickered and said, "What am I looking at? The three pieces of hair on your neck, look out!!!" (Mind you this is not a Billy Gibbons/Dusty Hill ZZ Top beard) My grandmother walks into the bathroom and sternly says, "What are you doing with the shaving cream on your face?" I explained to my grandmother that I was planning to boldly go where no other Levine grandson (I am the oldest of the four) would go and that was to shave. "Shave that? Adam, you know this shaving is not a one-time thing. The hair will grow thicker and you'll need to shave more. Have grandpa settle it."

My grandfather walks in and naturally whenever Mitchell and I were about to do something ridiculous, my grandfather's comment was, "Betty, I'll handle it." He was two seconds late. Throwing the door open, he says, "You know wherever you shave first, that part of your face will have the thickest beard."

Thus the birth of neck beard. I did get a rainforest under my lip at 15 and by 17 I had the goatee. Had I listened to my grandfather, I would have had grown a beard in college, my twenties or my thirties. Now at 40, I started growing a beard, to my wife's chagrin but decided to buy a ten-dollar beard trimmer from Rite-Aid. I am two weeks in but once full, I plan to take a picture and then shave it off for then I will be confident that the neck beard will be a thing of the past.

Things To Eat on Staten Island Before You Leave or Die

For nearly 30 years, Heartland Bagels on Richmond Avenue has made the best bagels on Shao-Lin.

My mom bought them for my brother and I every Sunday, everyday that I drove to Wagner, I bought them, and now that the girls are around, I buy them. Maybe when they get older, they will blog about these bagels.

I digress, I have a warm, plain one in front of me with cream cheese and lox, so I got to eat it.

Its just like a Sunday morning on Klondike Avenue @ 1980.

La Isla de Staten

I love Staten Island, honestly I do, for it is a hot bed of comedic entertainment for anyone with a three digit IQ.

Going out to dinner on Staten Island with my wife and the Lederman's tonight was a spectacle of Staten Island couture,

If you are a woman on Staten Island, do me a solid, STOP WEARING YOUR SUNGLASSES AT NIGHT! You are not Stevie Wonder, you are not Ray Charles, you are not Snookie and YOU ARE NOT COREY HART!

The woman I speak of entered Dominick's restaurant while I was eating and for a span of an hour just kept these gigantic Karl Lagerfeldesque glasses draped across her haggard face. Her company just accepted this as if this woman was setting a trend, she wasn't, so I laughed.

The First Post-November 20,2010

I was planning to use my weebly account for this blog but my friend and former student Nick Lettierre told me that blogspot.com was free, so I present the Rage Against The Levine blog.

Rage Against The Levine was designed as a way for me to rage against the political demagogues who believe that I, as a veteran teacher, should be laid off so that two newbie teachers can replace me. After fifteen years of teaching, I still love what I do, I love my students, I love to evolve as a teacher and I am tired of Mayor Bloomberg, Governor "Little Mario Cuomo" and President Obama bashing the job I love. Being a teacher is my calling and in 2010, teachers are the new lawyers. Until then, I will rage until they take the smartboard, the computer and me out of the classroom for a cheap, inexperienced newbie.

Get to retirement or die trying. Enjoy.