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?