The Cold Front

Learning Against the Grain

2009-02-19T17:19:00.007-05:00

Next week, I'll be presenting at UPenn's 30th annual Ethnography in Education Forum. It'll be my third year participating in the forum, and each year has been a lot of fun.

This year, I'll be speaking about some political dimensions of a participatory-action-research project that I collaborated on in a friend's ESL classroom.

I'll post the paper associated with this talk in the link below:
Learning against the grain: Supporting students ‘critical ethical voices’ in and out of the classroom

a new blog

2009-02-19T17:05:00.004-05:00

i obviously haven't been using this blog frequently...

as of recent, i've been writing on a new space, Sociogeny of Sport, to begin documenting my readings, questions, problems, curiosities, and whatever else comes up along the way to writing my dissertation. right now i'm focused on the sociological study of sports across diverse communities. until things solidify a bit, this won't be a public forum-but invite only. so let me know if you'd like to know more... alexgurn@gmail.com

in the meantime, i'm planning to start posting to this blog at least bi-weekly

Obama Inauguration 2009

2009-01-22T11:01:00.006-05:00

Traveled to DC for the inauguration weekend, a bit of a last minute decision and well worth it. The outpouring of optimism was feverish. One couldn't help but get infected by the positive energy.

Posted a bunch of photos to our flickr account

Island Catharsis

2008-08-03T16:05:00.005-05:00

It's been a while since I've thought about posting to the blog. After my dad passed, I needed to disconnect quite a bit and have spent a lot of time reflecting on what's important in my life. Though I get entangled in the pain and suffering that characterizes the human condition, I also deeply appreciate the privileges that I have. We just came off one of those privileged weeks, a beautiful stay in a house on Plum Island with old and dear friends. Lots of time to get lost in thought and tossed by waves. Tough to return to the city, but the loss of seaside peace was tempered by a fantastically sweaty run this morning in the Arboretum...

Robert M. Gurn, librarian and adventurer

2008-06-05T10:37:00.005-05:00

The Buffalo News ran a full obituary on my dad this past Tuesday. My good friend Ben helped us draft the points that would entice the News to write the piece, and then he hounded the staff to pick it up. The article is a nice tribute to a great man. The photo is a laugh, a 22-year-old picture from their archives when they ran a story on his mountaineering and librarianship. Despite the "strict" Buffalo News policy to only use obituary pictures within the last 5-10 years, they published a glam-shot from the 80's. As my mom said, "Bob wouldn't have been caught dead in those clothes today!" But man, he was stylin' back then.

Read the obituary

Mountain Man Forever

2008-06-02T09:43:00.011-05:00

At midnight on May 29th, Bob died after a courageous battle with cancer. He and my mom were sleeping, holding hands, when he passed. The past few months have been the most difficult I have ever experienced, but the outpouring of support and love from expected and unexpected places gave our family strength.

He will be remembered for the countless things that he quietly did with the utmost care, attention, and skill. I now begin a new journey with the memory of a man that I looked to for support, knowledge, and guidance. Though he is gone, what he taught me, what we learned together remain behind to guide me through what is yet to come.

Friends have asked about donations. Our family has suggested:

Burchfield-Penny Memorial Fund
1300 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14222

Hospice Buffalo
225 Como Park Blvd.
Cheektowaga, NY 14227

Thank you, Pops. I love you.

Gettin' High on a Mountain

2008-05-09T12:51:00.008-05:00

In 1979, my father Robert fulfilled his lifelong dream to climb Denali (aka Mt. McKinley) in Alaska. It took 22 days to reach the summit, shown below, which peaks at 20,320 feet.

Shortly before any signs of illness this winter, he shipped off his 35mm slides for digital processing. The cd recently came back. We've been marveling in the pics and talking about the stories, both of which are numerous and rich.

I'll share more as it unfolds...

English HS Wins!!

2008-04-12T12:12:00.002-05:00

Xavier sent the following message after his students won the student news competition. Thank you for everyone who voted and congratulations to the deserving winners.

Daybreak in the fertile farmlands and valleys of King Philips' lands were usually quiet. Grass would gather dew as doe and fawn move freely through the ancient orchards. The King, high in the castle slept soundly, secure in his post.

As the sun arched towards the noon hour the chefs began to prepare the King's lunch- tomato salad, braised dove, and a melange of fruits and berries collected from his humble servants farms throughout his kingdom.

"I say...I say...Am I to do everything around here. Must I stoop to put my own slippers on?"

His tender, pale feet slid into the velvet slippers placed before him by a tidy man who appeared from behind chamber curtains.

"My lord, my King, we have received word from our spies that our plan to commandeer the peasants crops and good in the name of Royal Destiny has angered the people. As you slept I dispatched your royal marching band 'The High Steppers" to quell the masses with music. Unfortunately, they appear to have met with some resistance on the road and...well...I regret to inform you that their horns were used against them in a most disturbing way."

King Philip moved towards the chamber window slowly. His thin hands cluttered with the rings of his fathers fumbled with the rolling curtains until the harsh light burst in face. His land was green and good, but the King only understood the silhouettes posted on the horizon. Blue smoke swirled angrily, 22,000 strong, the people came for justice, for pride, to reclaim what was theirs.

"Man servant...please ready the royal teddy bear and blanky."

_______________________________________

FRIENDS & FAMILY-

What we accomplished yesterday was incredible. Within 45 minutes, our network of partners mobilized and one vote at a time chipped away at King Philip's seemingly insurmountable lead. Supporters from all over the globe flooded Fox's computers with their choice for Best High School newscast and English High School came up with the top spot.

In the 4 years I have been a member of the English High Family I have never seen such inspired camaraderie and resolve as I witnessed yesterday morning. While the recognition for our efforts feels great, the knowledge that we as a collective can overcome great odds is an amazing thing. None will soon forget the day English let its voice be heard.

THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR OUR KIDS!

Vote for English High School on Fox News

2008-04-07T06:45:00.005-05:00

My friend Xavier's class needs your help. His students' television program ETV has made it to the finals of Fox News Best High School Newscast. Now, ONLINE VOTING determines the winners.

You can watch all the videos and vote at www.myfoxboston.com But please, vote for English HS.

Most of his kids don't have Internet at home to vote unlike the suburban schools they are competing with. This is where you come in. PLEASE forward this to everyone. VOTING IS EZ, but just in case, STEP-BY-STEP instructions for voting are below. FYI, you get blocked from voting more than 10 times on any 1 machine...unless you clear your cookies/settings.

ETV is on Youtube as well They've got some serious videos. One of my favorites is Episode 5 with a dance battle in the halls of the high school last year. Dancing starts around 9:30 minutes. Check it out but VOTE FIRST.

Billy Marks ping pong yin

2008-04-02T21:33:00.001-05:00

The Power of Music

2008-03-07T17:21:00.003-05:00

Last weekend I presented at the Ethnography in Education conference at UPenn with my colleague Jocelyn on a documentary video project we've been working on with high school students. Next to our presentation (ha ha), the best session I went to was an after-school hip hop club that included two students and three adult educators from Young Scholars Charter School. They shared music the kids have produced and talked about their motivations and writing process as well as experiences in and out of school. It was a really lively discussion and the students are creating some serious stuff. I bought a CD that's packed with inspiring songs. I got a little inspired myself and hacked together a short video to Lady V's song '1963' about the power of music in the civil rights movement, a struggle that continues today.

Oye

2008-02-14T07:20:00.003-05:00

Recently was going through some old emails, trashing ones that were of no use to make room in my tragically un-gmail inbox. I came across a message to a friend with these inspiring words:

...Malaise is like mayonnaise. It's thick and spreads and is kind of gross if not accompanied by something tastier like roast beef. Be healthy. Smile, God loves you.

Sometimes I'm just a fool.

Romney refuses to let terror reign

2008-02-08T08:45:00.000-05:00

Speaking to a group at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Mitt claimed that he was stepping out of the race because delaying a Republican national campaign would help the Democrats -- and aid the terrorists! He is truly unbelievable. I won't go into the twisted logic at work here. Instead, let's just appreciate the world of hurt we are spared, not subject to Romney's antics for the time being. Although, we also won't have a running list of comedy clips to lighten the day. Have you seen Mitt trying to connect with Black voters on MLK Day in DC? Rarely do we see this kind of racism on the campaign trail. He clearly doesn't even know it. Don't miss the part at 2:30 when he comments on a baby's "bling bling"

Josh Robinson's Night of Art, Dance, and Sin

2008-02-06T15:27:00.000-05:00

Eddie Izzard

2008-01-24T08:53:00.000-05:00

Some lego stop action animation to Izzard's comedy sketches. They have me rolling...

Do You Have a Flag?

Death Star Canteen

Cake or Death

New Years Glares

2007-12-31T13:12:00.000-05:00

Stop Media Consolidation

2007-12-19T10:22:00.000-05:00

It happened. Earlier this week, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and his two fellow GOP commissioners approved new rules that will unleash a flood of media consolidation across America. The rules will further consolidate local media markets -- taking away independent voices in cities already woefully short on local news and investigative journalism.

In 2003, the FCC tried to do the same thing, but millions of people demanded that Congress reject the FCC's rules. And they did. It's time to do it again.

We need 100,000 people to get Congress to reverse the FCC's rules right now.

Sign an open letter to Congress to reverse the new FCC policy

Then ask three friends to do the same.

On this day

2007-12-02T09:06:00.000-05:00

On Dec. 2, 1954, the Senate voted to condemn 
Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, for "conduct that tends
to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute."

Art Show and Birthdays

2007-11-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

bed bugs

2007-11-21T09:42:00.000-05:00

Check out the giant bug fossil that scientists found. A US-based biotech homeland-security company is working on engineering the mammoth sea scorpion for (para)military use.

Talkin' Proud

2007-11-21T08:59:00.000-05:00

The other day I was talking to friend from Mexico who's studying at B.C. Knowing where I'm from, he starts telling me how he recently passed through Buffalo on his way to Toronto. "I've got to show you the pictures of me in the cop car." Possible stories are running through my head, none of them ending horribly wrong (after all my friend's recounting the story in the quiet of Chestnut Hill, not in a letter from Albion or Attica), but none of them real pleasant. He goes on about how he flew to Bflo, and rented a car to drive to Canada. On the way back, he drops off the rental downtown Bflo and then needs to catch a bus out to the airport. Not sure where the stop's located, he asks a cop he sees walking by. The guy offers to show him where to get the bus, then hangs around chatting for a while. After about 30 minutes of standing around, he radios in to the station and discovers that the bus isn't coming for a long time, so the Lieutenant drives from the police station and escorts my friend out to the airport. The cops call ahead to the airport to find out the security line is jam packed (I know, that's crazy, right? At the Buffalo airport?) and the Lieutenant gets my friend through security in time for his flight.
That's right. We are the City of Good Neighbors.
I can't wait to get back there, and hang out with some cops.

Pyeng Threadgill

2007-11-20T12:20:00.000-05:00

Went to NYC this past weekend to present at NCTE on the potential and the problems in conducting research with immigrant teens. Good time. Even better, was reconnecting with Tyler Wood, who played a show at NuBlu in a band he recently hooked up with. I got some clips and tossed a few together in video shorts. The image quality isn't great cause I was just using my little digital Cannon under low light, but it ain't terrible. However, whatever I did or did not capture couldn't contaminate the righteous sounds of the Pyeng Threadgill band.

Mailer Dies at 84

2007-11-13T21:39:00.000-05:00

The prolific writer, rhetorical master, womanizer, Norman Mailer, died last week.

I still remember the day he emailed me and told me he had seen the blog and wanted me to know what utter crap I wasted my time with. He suggested I smoke a joint and rethink my writing.

Oh Norm, you crazy devil.

The Last Days of Kayak

2007-10-21T18:02:00.001-05:00

Game On!

2007-10-21T17:47:00.001-05:00

Unlikely Opponents of NCLB ?

2007-10-03T13:33:00.000-05:00

Once NCLB supporters, these conservatives are turning on the law. While they still make strong claims about the value of standards-based reform overall in improving student learning, (claims that I think are wildly exaggerated and unwarranted), they all express desires to reconsider the law and dramatically change the fixation on standardized tests.

Get Congress Out of the Classroom. By

Diane Ravitch

[excerpt] DESPITE the rosy claims of the Bush administration, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 is fundamentally flawed... The primary strategy — to test all children in those subjects in grades three through eight every year — has unleashed an unhealthy obsession with standardized testing that has reduced the time available for teaching other important subjects. Furthermore, the law completely fractures the traditional limits on federal interference in the operation of local schools....
Can This Law Be Fixed? A Hard Look at the No Child Left Behind Remedies. By Frederick Hess and Chester Finn
[excerpt] Whatever the political value of promising to "leave no child behind," the results thus far threaten to undermine two decades of hard-won gains in educational accountability. NCLB's dogmatic aspirations and fractured design are producing a compliance-driven regimen that recreates the very pathologies it was intended to solve. It is time to relearn the lessons of the Great Society, when ambitious programs designed to promote justice and opportunity were undone by utopian formulations, unworkable implementation structures, and the stubborn unwillingness of supporters to acknowledge the limitations of federal action in the American system.

Childrens Do Learn

2007-09-30T08:56:00.000-05:00

In 2000, George W. Bush said, "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"

Now he's got an answer.

In touting the success of No Child Left Behind this past week, he exclaimed, "Childrens do learn." The White House later released a cleaned up version of the transcript changing it to "children." Watch a video clip of the press conference.

A day earlier, a draft of Bush's speech to the U.N. General Assembly was posted to the U.N. Web site by some White House staffer with a good sense of fumor. The speech included a phonetic guide for the names of numerous countries and leaders: "KEYR-geez-stan" ( Kyrgyzstan), "moor-EH-tain-ee-a" (Mauritania), "sar-KO-zee" (French President Nicolas Sarkozy).

This is the education president.

Read the Washington Post article and other dumb s#*t Bush has uttered.

A Message from Tyler Wood

2007-09-26T22:21:00.000-05:00

Greetings Bostonians,
I'm gearing up for a week long tour with Luke Temple, which will bring us back to Cambridge, my old hometown, next Tuesday. It would be wonderful to see all of you. For a taste of the brand new album we just released, please visit the website

Tuesday Oct. 2, 2007
Doors at 7:30PM (we play first)
Middle East Downstairs
@ 427/480 Mass. Ave, Central Square, Cambridge

Foux Da Fa Fa

2007-09-17T07:30:00.000-05:00

A little French lesson to go with that croissant.

Ah non, la gloussement!

Petraeus' Smoke and Mirrors

2007-09-13T08:49:00.000-05:00

Gen. David Petraeus gave testimony this week, citing success stories in Iraq particularly in Anbar province where former Sunni insurgents are fighting side by side with U.S. troops to combat Al Qaeda. Democracy Now aired a report from Anbar by independent filmmaker Rick Rowley that examines how the U.S. is fueling civil war in Iraq by funding and arming the former Sunni insurgents. When the US-backed fighters successfully defeat or push out Al Qaeda from Anbar province, where will the weapons go? What did the US learn since we funded Osama bin Laden Afghan fighters to resist the Soviet Union in Afghanistan?

If you missed Democracy Now, watch parts of the film as shown on Al-Jazeera.
Report from Anbar Part I
Report from Anbar Part II

Why is Jonathan Kozol Fasting?

2007-09-13T07:17:00.000-05:00

Time and time again, Jonathan Kozol brings to light the things in education that most people would rather forget or ignore...

posted by Kozol to the Huffington Post on Sept 11:
This morning, I am entering the 67th day of a partial fast that I began early in the summer as my personal act of protest at the vicious damage being done to inner-city children by the federal education law No Child Left Behind, a racially punitive piece of legislation that Congress will either renew, abolish, or, as thousands of teachers pray, radically revise in the weeks immediately ahead.

The poisonous essence of this law lies in the mania of obsessive testing it has forced upon our nation's schools and, in the case of underfunded, overcrowded inner-city schools, the miserable drill-and-kill curriculum of robotic "teaching to the test" it has imposed on teachers, the best of whom are fleeing from these schools because they know that this debased curriculum would never have been tolerated in the good suburban schools that they, themselves, attended.

The justification for this law was the presumptuous and ignorant determination by the White House that our urban schools are, for the most part, staffed by mediocre drones who will suddenly become terrific teachers if we place a sword of terror just above their heads and threaten them with penalties if they do not pump their students' scores by using proto-military methods of instruction -- scripted texts and hand-held timers -- that will rescue them from doing any thinking of their own. There are some mediocre teachers in our schools (there are mediocre lawyers, mediocre senators, and mediocre presidents as well), but hopelessly dull and unimaginative teachers do not suddenly turn into classroom wizards under a regimen that transforms their classrooms into test-prep factories. Read more

Tem Blessed

2007-08-31T14:48:00.000-05:00

The challenge is to keep it balanced. Staying sane in this world, Expressing his talents...Temistoclese's new video The Challenge fuses parkours and hip hop to express a philosophy of moving forward, never backward, overcoming one's obstacles fluidly.

La Boda de Kim y Hernan

2007-08-27T17:00:00.000-05:00

Fuimos en Quebec este fin de semana para celebrar la boda de un amigo maravilloso. No conocemos muy bien su esposa pero saber bastantes para ver la es también una persona increíble. Buen suerte y amor fuerte.
MAS FOTOS.

Time To Stop The War

2007-08-23T10:27:00.000-05:00

Looking to have fun this weekend while fcuking up Baby Bushie's vacation plans?

While Bush and other war profiteers dine on lobster and sip wine, Iraq crumbles and festers under the ravages of war. Take a trip to Kennebunkport to stomp, dance, sing, and scream for an end to the occupation of Iraq.

We cannot make it out, but I want to hear how it went if anyone goes. There is a crew going from Boston with tix still available on a bus, $30 roundtrip. Bus leaving at 7:45am Sat Aug. 25 from Jackson Square Station (orange line) and coming back Sat. night. To get tickets, email JPantiwar@yahoo. com or call 203 545 4392

Also check out Franti & Spearhead's video for It's Time To Go Home. If you didn't know, they're coming to Boston on Oct 5. I will definitely be going.

Vamanos a Nueva York

2007-08-14T11:02:00.000-05:00

Fuimos a NYC este fin de semana. Que divertimiento. Pero, NYC es un poco como Red Bull. Tomas una copa para vigorizar, baliar, correr. Seguro, te diviertes pero tu tienes un dolor atroz. Mas fotas aqui.

Madrileños en Boston

2007-08-08T08:37:00.000-05:00

Pasamos Ricissimo. Mira mas fotas.

The Police

2007-08-05T23:05:00.000-05:00

Lost my battery charger so haven't been able to upload the fotos from The Police show a week ago. Here's a few shots from the show. Many video clips that I'll hopefully get up soon. Many thanks for the unexpected invitation, Andrew. You don't have to put on the red light.

Construcción de la Calle Continuemente

2007-08-01T09:34:00.000-05:00

Ayer...

Hoy...

Y mañana otra cosa...

Who Wants To Be An Innkeeper

2007-07-31T07:38:00.000-05:00

We've had a string of house guests this summer. Good fun. At least until you start using cardboard boxes to sleep at night. We've got a basement full of 'em in case anyone needs a place to crash.

What's that Smell? Oh That's Cleveland.

2007-07-24T16:28:00.001-05:00

Doesn't it have a pleasant odor? Well, I seem to think so, but raised in Buffalo I can't help but like Lake Erie and its odiferous cities. We spent a few days and nights in the city that rocks.

Josie and Conor fancied the guest suite with towels tied ina bow, champagne, and a copy of the Buffalo News.

We shopped at a big farmers market in an old train station. Cheap, Plump, and Fresh.

We saw the Legend, that is, the Legendary Grandmaster Flash who was DJ and Master of ceremony at a block party as part of the Igenuity Festival. The festival was about science, technology, and the ingenuity of social animals. As such, Grandmaster Flash dropped some knowledge about the birth of his musical archtectonics, the mining and engineering of break beats...

We checked out the Cleveland Zoo which was big and full of animals and (as all zoos do) made me sad.

Damn, we did a lot...and learned that Cleveland really does rock... and it smells a little too.

8th Annual Third Eye Open

2007-07-16T14:01:00.000-05:00

Come to Buttonwood Park, New Bedford this Saturday to enjoy live hip hop arts and artists with people of all ages and backgrounds.

Performances by Melle Mel of the Legendary Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five Groundbreaking Crew, Busted Fro, & very real and raw talent from NewB

You can hit the courts at the b-ball tourney. Bring the kids. Bring the older folks. It's a community-family affair

Put on by the Youth. This is the Open.

GET DIRECTIONS HERE

Check out a DVD trailor for the Movement, a documentary film from the 7th Annual...

...and a tv news segment on 3rd Eye.

J.P. Jawn

2007-07-15T19:56:00.000-05:00

Playing in Jamaica Plain on a lazy Sunday.
More photos.

Have you been injured in an accident?
Call 1-800-TONY-BLUE.

Jeremy & Jess' Joint

2007-07-15T19:48:00.001-05:00

We checked out their new pad this afternoon, a few stones' throws from Rozzie followed by lunch at the Real Deal for some serious sandwiches and sweets. Peep the rest of the photos here.

Beacon BBQ Revival

2007-07-15T09:55:00.000-05:00

Most of the original gang is back, plus a few newbies

Beacon House Guests

2007-07-12T21:48:00.001-05:00

Antonio, Jenny and Amina are back in Boston! And it's not just a visit. Melissa and I have the good fortune of hosting them 'til they're back on their feet here and it's more fun than a barrell of monkeys.

Antonio's faster at hot hands but I've got a fat ring to turn his hands black and blue. Good times.

Amina's not playing hot hands yet but she's got plenty of other games to keep her busy.

Digging Holes

2007-07-12T09:18:00.000-05:00

The other day we woke up to the sound of a crane cracking through the street and the smell of donuts (from the cop detail). The crew dug about 8 holes on our street and many more throughout the neighborhood. Shortly after digging, they haphazardly filled the holes back up again with asphalt. Later that day, a smaller crew came back and redug some of the earlier holes to refill them again. They've been back at it the last two days. No idea what they're working on other than job security.

Blue Room

2007-07-10T10:47:00.000-05:00

Changing colors to change our mindset from tv room to sea side cove.

Boston Welcomes Philly Grunts

2007-07-10T07:37:00.000-05:00

Pat and Steve of Grubstake , the crafty rock duo based in the City of Brotherly Love, made a crash pad out of our apartment this past Friday. They came in late, swung guitars drunkly and smashed what they could. Pat said their manager would take care of the charges. Turns out they don't have a manger. Anyway, by Saturday all was forgotten. They're rockers trying to be stars, I reasoned. Besides, who needs trinkets and china that can't withstand a simple guitar lashing.

...:::you can check out and download Grubstake's new album for pennies here:::...

So we skipped over to the new ICA for some contemporary art, some of which was inspiring like the giant, looming spider and a lot of diCorcia's photographs. Other stuff I wondered what the curators were smoking when they reviewed it, like the room with a projection of multi-colored light on the floor and the burnt wood hanging from the ceiling on fish wire. I guess that's what contemporary art is all about. I clearly just don't understand the stuff I don't understand. maybe I'll try an experiment. Take an artful poop in a bucket to explore the disposability of humanity in our market-driven, consumerist society, and to expose the realization that beneathe the having of things, the authentic self festers and one's ontological self-awareness withers into oblivion. If you know of anyone interested in showing my poo, please contact me.

In any case, the ICA building is fantastic--really worth it. And our company was great. You guys are welcome to trash our apartment in rockstar fashion anytime.

Is it poison ivy?

2007-07-10T07:28:00.000-05:00

Doing some weeding the other day and found this sucker growing. I'm no plant expert, let alone poisonous flora, but as a boy I did learn: Leaves of three, let them be. But what about if they're in your backyard?
So do you think I need some good weed killer?

BBB Train

2007-07-09T08:51:00.000-05:00

So you think you know Jewish music. Maybe for you it's about cantorial and synagogal music. Maybe you're a Shlomo Carlebach fan (I'm a fan of his beard). Maybe you dig on Debbie Friedman. They ain't got nothin' on the Balkan Beat Box. These guys blend mizrahi, klezmer, jazz, reggae, and hip hop in an electronic gypsy hybrid circus. Maybe I don't know what the hell I'm talking about.

Check them our for yourself.

Little Debbie Living Tax Free

2007-07-08T21:48:00.001-05:00

Occasionally my internal clock functions better than the digital devices. This was one of those mornings. The storms must have knocked out power in the middle of the night. I slept like a rock until, well until, I didn't anymore. I woke us up on time to head up north of the river, Gore Street in East Cambridge to be precise, where we greeted our dear friend Deb who was carrying bagels in one hand and coffee in the other. Fuel for weekend-warrior furniture movers, a hobby I've been focusing on recently. Deb's outta town, off to New Hampshire as of today, which is a big deal for us since she was one of the first people Melissa met when she moved to Boston. They lived together and have remained tight for the past nine years. She's moving for a very good reason--it's always a joy when your friends find love in the right places. Mike's a stand up dude, and a stellar snowboarder with an interest like me in carving and riding fast, so they're certain to be getting regular calls from me come wintertime to hang out in the White Mtns.

the darfur wall

2007-07-03T08:56:00.000-05:00

This is the Darfur Wall --- 400,000 numbers
One for each person killed in the Darfur genocide

Since 2003, over 400,000 people have died in Darfur. Millions have been forced from their homes. What has the US and the international community done to stop the genocide? For that matter, what have I done?

Republicans Jumping Bush's NCLB Ship

2007-06-28T07:52:00.000-05:00

The Washington Post reports on growing opposition among former White House aides to the current reauthorization of No Child Left Behind Act. And these are guys who once staunchly fought it. "Wild Gene" Hickok, one of the original architects of the act and political strongarm used to beat people up for talking bad about NCLB. Now he's leading a charge against far-reaching federal intrusion into state and local affairs.

Head Banger Snakes

2007-06-27T10:09:00.000-05:00

Head banging is no longer just an addictive disorder inflicting heavy metal fans. It's now also a sensitive method to detect earthquakes.

Veggie Friendly

2007-06-25T10:40:00.000-05:00

Started hooking up the makings of a green garden on the front porch. With a little luck and tending we won't kill it.

Melissa spotted the pineapple plant which we'd been on the look out for since we passed on one at the rozzie sqaure florist.

Gnarls Theremin

2007-06-25T07:44:00.000-05:00

Last summer's jam to this summer's ethereal jam buster. The Ether and AEther Experiment cover Gnarls Barkley with the Theremin that I first learned about listening to Portishead (see Mysterons). It's the only musical instrument you don't touch and can make some serious sounds.

Brookline, Spain

2007-06-24T09:22:00.000-05:00

Dined out last night with Jen and Jamal at Taberna de Haro on Beacon St. to celebrate Melissa's birthday, who turned 27 for the 5th time. Garlic gambas, calamares, bravas, asparagus wrapped in salmon over blue cheese, braised rabbit. The wine list is like an encyclopedia with vivid descriptions, aromas of peat and springtime rain... its color is black as night...blackberries and raspberries compliment the distinctly earthy tone. We have found a new favorite tapas joint, somewhere to bring our Madrilenos friends when they visit later this summer.
BTW, be careful not to stare directly at the pastey white man on the left. You risk eye damage.

Salamander Jerky

2007-06-24T08:56:00.000-05:00

I repotted our weeping fig tree yesterday. In dire need, the tree really had been weepy, droopy, sagging... a sad sight. I lifted the base of the pot to find a dried out salamader carcass on the floor. Cute little guy. Not much meat to him but he was quite tastey too. Aint wildlife grand.

Light My Fire

2007-06-21T21:02:00.000-05:00

We sat out on the front porch tonight and watched the lightning storm crash down on Boston. Not as impressive as this storm in 1967, but a great way to end the day.

Electric relaxation

Job Hazards

2007-06-19T13:20:00.000-05:00

This fire figher battled a raging fire at a pot dealer's house.
Now you tell me, does his smoke inhalation look accidental?

Erin Go Blog

2007-06-12T13:22:00.000-05:00

Back to the blog again (sort of) after some time away. Across the Atlantic, through rolling green hills, mezmorizing landscapes, unimaginably creamy pints of Guinness, leprechauns causing trouble... travel as usual in Ireland. The trip was to celebrate Melissa and Stephanie's newfound Irish nationality, to visit their grandmother's birthplace, and explore a country with a great deal of personal meaning but no prior contact. At times I felt like we were in the Lord of the Rings, at times in rural Vermont. We toasted pints to everyone (trust me). Hope to have one with folks back home, in of many homes, soon. A few photos are posted below. More, though not all, are available here.

Will Rap For Food

2007-06-02T12:20:00.000-05:00

My man Magmuzzle, aka Magnus, aka Magnamuzzleface, aka Muzzlebone Madison, aka Troy Madison, has recently re-released all the tracks he's recorded since '98 on Soundclick for $7.99. Troy is a starving artist. I say this in all seriousness. He needs your help to put some lettuce on his table. He's also terribly creative and stranger than a mad cow. Check out his music and buy his compilation CD. You will not be unsatisfied--and if you are, you must be a white rapper hater.

Buffalo Takes Manhattan

2007-06-01T15:07:00.000-05:00

Check this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PUSH Fundariser June 9 in Manhattan

Great Chicken Wing Chase

2007-05-24T12:06:00.000-05:00

Somebody's finally making a documentary chicken wing movie. A guy from upstate NY drove from Manhattan to Buffalo with a car full of Slavs (Yes, apparently Slovakia is teeming with chicken wing fans) in search of the world's best Buffalo wing. Real high brow stuff.

They reasoned that the best Buffalo wing would probably be found in New York. I guess they're trying to maintain the appearance of objectivity by not limiting themselves to Buffalo, but they are ending the hunt in our winged city.

The film crew obviously knows they're not going to find what they're looking for in Massachusetts. People have no idea how to make wings in Boston. I've basically given up. It's a damn shame.

This has gotten me inspired though. Stay posted if you want to dig into my best Buffalo wings. They're not Anchor Bar originals, but I am proud to say I've successfully tempted two vegetarians back to the meat side with my wings. Despite my best attempts, I have not yet converted Melissa but hey, the summer's only starting.

The Wedding Season Begins

2007-05-21T09:07:00.000-05:00

AJ flew into Boston this past weekend to drive down with us to the Jersey shore. Lee and John threw a fabulous party--and a really beautiful wedding.

You must respect a bride who's not afraid of a little crowd surfing...

or belting out a Bon Jovi song...

Both nights featured events that smacked of frat party,
like a 3-foot beer stein for black-tie-style keg stands

And things got a little rowdy

but all ended in smiles

Thank you for letting us to share in the celebration.

Weng Weng

2007-05-17T22:19:00.000-05:00

He should've been a finalist for the new Bond. Weng Weng proves that size really doesn't matter.

Thank You Moms!

2007-05-13T11:29:00.000-05:00

Melissa and I just went for a run through the Arboretum. The lilacs have sprung. The trees are in bloom. And the park is full of families out for a stroll, a picnic under an oak tree, and soaking up the sun. We both wished we had all the mothers in our families here today (and the fathers too of course). XXXOOO

Year One Down

2007-05-13T09:54:00.000-05:00

I just finished the first year of what promises to be a long journey to becoming a PhakeDoctor.

So yesterday, in celebration, I stuffed my face full of cupcakes. I deserve this, I thought. I worked my butt off this year. I deserved it alright. Deserved the stomache ache that followed my gorging too. I guess it was pretty fitting. Much of the year has been filled with mixed emotion. It's a strange feeling to at once be intellectually charged with curiosity and wrought with uncertainty. Sometimes I walk around campus expecting to feel a firm hand on my shoulder. I'll turn around and meet a stern-faced officer of the arm chair police. "I'm sorry, son but you're going to have to come with me," he'll say, and I'll know they've discovered I'm not supposed to be there. The protectors of high brow thought will have realized the blunder they made in letting me in. It could happen anytime. Well anyway, I'm one year closer to potentially obsolete degree... Really, I'm excited about what lies ahead. I must just still be experiencing the sugar blues.

Run Boy Run

2007-05-08T07:30:00.000-05:00

It's a sprint this week to finish up finals. No postings likely. Be back afterwards.

Feeling Frisky, Spidey?

2007-05-04T18:34:00.000-05:00

Scientists in Brazil have found that a highly toxic spider bite causes prolonged erections. Look out Viagra!

The snipet I heard on the radio this morning said they've been doing controlled animal trials. I wonder what they do--inject rats with the spider venom and watch 'em get hard ons? Certainly not an image I've ever conjured up before.

Fresh Graffiti

2007-04-30T21:19:00.000-05:00

Check out Banksy's urban art. He just wants to be non-conformist just like everybody else

Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us

2007-04-23T20:36:00.000-05:00

Melissa just showed me this video, Web 2.0 The Machine is Us/ing Us, from a working group called Digital Ethnography at Kansas State University dedicated to exploring and extending the possibilities of digital ethnography.

It is one of the most provocative digital shorts that I've seen. It's about how digital multi-modal communications are changing the world. It's about the adaptive, hybrid, shape-shifting nature of online digital designs. The machine is using us---The machine is us.

McCain's Theme Song

2007-04-22T11:19:00.000-05:00

Initially, I didn't believe our friend Melissa when she told us about McCain's recent invoking of the Beach Boys song at a campaign appearance. Sounded more like a Saturday Night Live sketch than a press conference. Sure enough, in response to the vomitous question: How many times do we have to prove that these people are blowing up people now, never mind if they get a nuclear weapon? When do we send them an airmail message to Tehran?, John McCain unveiled his gunslingin' presidential campaign theme song: Bomb-Bomb-Bomb. Bomb-Bomb-Iran. Funny guy, at least the audience seemed to think so. Excuse me while I wipe the puke off my chin.

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. 1922 — 2007

2007-04-18T06:35:00.000-05:00

Last week, Kurt Vonnegut died. I have not read him in years, but at one time, he was central to my literature diet. In college I applied for a Fullbright scholarship. When one of the interviewers asked me who my favorite author was, I responded Vonnegut, and he frowned at me. I'm sure that's the reason I got turned down--yeah right. Perhaps Mr. Fullbright gatekeeper couldn't appreciate the way that Vonnegut combined the experiences of misery and fear wih droll humor. Perhaps it was Vonnegut's strong anti-war themes. Whatever it was, that guy was a twit. After my semester's over, I'll go back to him.

In the meantime, those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand.

I'm published

2007-04-11T19:46:00.000-05:00

I'm not opposed to a little shameless self-promotion, and until I get a PR rep, who's going to do it? Anyway, it's my first real publication. Hopefully not the last. For folks outside of education, it may be a better sleep aid than read. But the issues we discuss in here indirectly impact anyone with kids in public school...

A Critical Policy Analysis and Response to the Report of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ)

by Curt Dudley-Marling, Lisa Patel Stevens, and Alexander Gurn, Boston College

While education has long been a political touchstone in the United States, current federal and state legislation and funding initiatives have raised the political stakes to unforeseen levels. The reach of the federal No Child Left Behind Act and accompanying Reading First program is unparalleled, affecting the form and content of instruction in classrooms across the United States. As debates rage about intended and unintended effects of these policies, we take the stance that, at a minimum, educational policies, including position papers and reports, must be closely examined for their representations of education, particularly how educational policies position teachers and students relative to theories of learning and wider political contexts. It is in this spirit that we offer a critique of a recent report on the preparation of teachers of reading produced by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) which concludes that schools of education are not teaching future teachers about the “science of reading” (Walsh, Glaser, & Wilcox, 2006, p. 48). Specifically, we pose questions about the historical relevance of the NCTQ report and explicit and implicit definitions of reading proficiency embedded in the report. We also suggest how informed educational professionals—like NCTE members—can and should engage with policy documents that shape their daily work. We begin by situating the NCTQ report in a broader historical and political context. MORE...

Teaching Kids to Walk

2007-04-07T15:37:00.000-05:00

Standard 1.9-Students will be able to walk for a variety of purposes

Last week Martin Johnson, the deputy general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, a UK teachers' union, suggested the national curriculum be discarded and children taught life skills instead, such as how to walk.

"There's a lot to learn about how to walk. If you were going out for a Sunday afternoon stroll you might walk one way. If you're trying to catch a train you might walk in another way and if you are doing a cliff walk you might walk in another way," Johnson explained.

"If you are carrying a pack, there's a technique in that. We need a nation of people who understand their bodies and can use their bodies effectively."

I suppose Johnson was trying to argue that the national curriculum, with a back-to-basics focus on academic skills and standardized tests is disconnected from actual life experiences and social needs. I tend to agree and might add that the intellectual skils needed to excel in the 21st century are not reflected in a narrowed curriculum with scripted instruction and prescriptive learning goals. Realities outside of school in our global, fast-capital economy call for multimodal ways of thinking, flexibility, and adaptability, while policies governing in-school practices remain focused on stabile, unchanging conceptions of knowledge... Too bad he kept running his mouth. It's rhetoric like this that allows Bush to convince people that he's confronting the "soft bigotry of low expectations" with NCLB.

Get on the Bus

2007-04-05T06:57:00.000-05:00

When I'm not racking up parking tickets in Boston, I like to ride public transportation. The MBTA #51 Bus shuttles me between Roslindale and Boston College. The trip takes at least three times as long as the car, but it's usually way more colorful. Many days, I get face time with a random crazy on the bus ( I wear my sign proudly), but the other night I bumped into a friend. That night, I got to ham it up with a crazy that I know. So if you're reading this, please keep riding the bus, Juanito. I'll look out for you.

National Privatized Radio

2007-03-27T06:51:00.000-05:00

The Smithsonian Institute's Secretary Lawrence Small resigned yesterday. He'd recently come under congressional inquiry for some creative use of the museums' expense accounts.

After an Inspector General's report, the Smithsonian said their found no criminal intent but instead behavior that "might be considered lavish and extravagant." Yeah, like $1.15 million over six months in exchange for using his house for Smithsonian functions. Itemized allowances included chandlier cleaning, pool upkeep, utility bills, and polishing services for his wrinkly, viagra-stuffed nob.

You've probably heard about his extravagance already. Well this morning I was listening to NPR's Morning Edition talk about his resignation. They gave a little background, voiced some of his critics and supporters, typical npr stuff. Then they made an interesting normalizing statement. Apparently, the controversy really boils down to an issue of cultural mismatch. Coming from the private sector, where he was used to gold-plated toilets, company jets, corporate-sponsored servants to wipe his butt, Small wasn't culturally oriented to the penny pinching non-profit world. WTF!?

Whatever. Now that he's gone, my question is who gets to keep his $48,000 office chairs?

SNL wets shorts

2007-03-26T20:40:00.000-05:00

In recent years, SNL has gotten pretty dull, but the shorts and commercial parodies continue to make me wet my pants. The cleanup is a pain but worth it. Check out this weekends shorts: Maraka on TV Funhouse and Peyton Manning schooling kids on the meaning of sportmanship for the United Way.

sun is shining

2007-03-25T16:23:00.000-05:00

It's Spring!?

2007-03-21T10:52:00.000-05:00

Alright so a lot of the winter felt like spring this year, but I'm ready for full blown spring. This may not happen for some time though. I interviewed Jack Frost today. He said the the groundhog got it wrong this year. I interviewed Punxsutawney Phil, he said Jack's an ass.

Happy Pi Day!

2007-03-15T06:27:00.000-05:00

A day late, but like Pi I wasn't feeling very rational yesterday. So, for all you math heads, check out a little song devoted to my favorite transcendental, irrational number.

image found at: www.ime.uerj.br/~progerio/mapa.html

thinking in red today

2007-03-11T17:26:00.000-05:00

California Love

2007-03-10T12:52:00.000-05:00

From Vegas, I jumped a puddle and the Rocky Mountains to Sacramento to visit Gabe and Thourate and Ezra Jai. Bopped around town. Made some home movies. If links don't work below, go to Californimation and Road Trip Home

Vegas weekend

2007-03-10T12:08:00.000-05:00

Check out the puppy Meg, Hector & Sofia got for Buddy to play with. Tigger's his name. Probably the finest chijuajua you would ever meet. Buddy, who did have a bladder control problem for a long time, managed to potty train the pup in less than a week.

Other than rides around the neighborhood on Hector's motorcycle, the weekend consisted mostly of good food, conversation, and relaxation.

Nuntastic

2007-02-28T22:53:00.000-05:00

Lake Effects

2007-02-21T09:16:00.000-05:00

These pictures just got sent my way. They really capture the feel of a lake effect snow storm rolling in.
Damn, I miss Buffalo weather.

It's an Obamanation?

2007-02-16T08:10:00.001-05:00

This recently happened to a friend. Maybe not verbatim but...

The phone rings. Bleary eyes look at the clock. Refocus. 1:15 am.
What's wrong? Something terrible must've happened to him. The worst flashes though her mind as she races to the telephone.
"Oui, Halo?"
Silence, then a click. "Hello," chimes a chipper computer voice, "I'm Mike. I'm calling from California on behalf of the Barack Obama Campaign for Presi--"
"What are you doing? It is 1 in the morning?!" She slams the phone down and harrumphs back to bed. A few minutes later the phone rings.
"Hello?"
"Hello! I'm Mike. I'm calling from California on behalf of the Barack Obama Campaign for President."
"Stop calling me! I'm in Boston. It's 1 in the morning."
A few minutes later the phone rings.
"Hello! I'm Steve. I'm calling from California on behalf of the Barack Obama Campaign for President."
"What is wrong with you guys!? Why do you keep calling me? I am in Boston. It's the middle of the night and I'm trying to sleep. Why do you keep bothering me?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you say you live in Boston. I used to live in Boston. Great city. So, do you think you would vote for Obama?"
Click.

This fake campaign call tactic was perfected by Rove, but who might be using it now? It's pretty early to be starting this kind of sneak attack, isn't it? Or is it?

Customer Service

2007-02-09T10:20:00.000-05:00

The booth at the train station reads:
Customer Service. Do you have a question for Team Charlie?
Find Help Here!

The cutomer cirlced the booth, clutching a five-dollar bill, looking confused after unsucessfully fiddling with the ticket machines. Team Charlie roared with laughter inside the heated booth, regailing in the events of so-and-so from you-know-where. The man stood outside with a hang dog look until Team Rozzie came over to show him how to use the "dang-blasted machine."

Score 1 for the Cold Front. What's up now, Charlie?

Celtics Get Burned By Miami Heat

2007-02-08T08:40:00.000-05:00

The Celtics earned their sixteenth loss in a row last night. That's one loss for each NBA title they hold. So yes, they're really bad this year, even worse than this record shows, but I wonder if people are expecting too much from these boys. C'mon, look at how little they are.

Celtics Up Shite's Creek

2007-02-07T09:26:00.000-05:00

Melissa's morning declaration: The Celtics should just quit playing.

Celtics' front office refused to comment.

Doin' Super Bowl Shuffle

2007-02-05T10:11:00.000-05:00

Last night the Colts outmuscled and outplayed the Chicago Bears to win the Super Bowl. I was rooting for the Bears. Like lots of people I often like the underdog, plus the '85 Bears had a big impact on my interest in football. The Superbowl Shuffle. The trouncing they gave the Pats. What was not to love? Yeah, I was rooting for the Bears last night, but I know many of you want to know what last night has to do with the Buffalo Bills. The Colts' win was a tiny victory for a Buffalo Bills fan, too. With the title, Bill Polian, former Bills' GM who helped take Buffalo from back-to-back 2-14 seasons to dominate the AFC with four straight Super Bowl losses, finally felt what it was like to truly be on the winning team. Four straight Super Bowls, the Bills were no one hit wonder, just a bizarro sado-masochistic nightmare. Now what will Indy's legacy be?

Watch the original Super Bowl Shuffle video. Man, I thought it was the coolest thing back then. Just like Zuboz pants, times have changed.

So I guess You Tube removed the video from the website. May be related to the recent Google takeover. I found it elsewhere though. Super Bowl Shuffle video

Menacing Cartoons Wreak Havoc on City

2007-02-01T13:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Boston was gripped with fear because of a dubious plot by Aqua Teen Hunger Force cartoon characters to blow up the city. It turned out to be an advertising campaign for the late night tv show. Subways, highways, bridges and part of the Charles River were shut down and bomb squads were sent in before authorities realized the bombs weren't bombs but LED circuit boards giving them the middle finger. This apparently sent officials into a tizzy.

The devious cartoons have captivated people's attention for a moment. So while riding the T today, I eavesdropped on this exchange between two women that got on the train together and a man they sat down next to. The conversation quickly turns to "those" terrorist and public fear. An intersting interaction, perhaps emblematic of why most Bostonians do not engage strangers. At this point, the subway car was stopped at the station for a several minutes:

Woman 1 (W1): Watch, they found something on the tracks. I’m serious. They might have a bomb up ahead. I can’t take another day of this shit.

Woman 2 (W2): Some crazy bastards droppin’ bombs all over the city.

Man (M): Well, did you see what that was yesterday?

W1: Yeah, it was pretty fucking stupid.

M: Light Bright sets.

W1: Like Christmas all over again.

W2: With a big middle finger in your face.

M: Light Brights. I used to play with those things when I was a kid.

W1: That was some fucked up shit.

M: What was fucked up was the police thinking they were bombs.

W2: For real.

W1: Naw, I’m sorry. You gotta take that seriously. Can you imagine if all those bridges had been blown up? What kind of mess would we be in today? That’s why I keep saying you can’t play like that no more.

W2: I just hope they don’t cancel the show. Aqua Teen Hunger Force. That’s my show.

M: They’re not going to take it off the air.

W1: Hell no. They got just what they wanted. Now all these people are gonna tune in to find out what the hell it’s all about.

M: If it had just been an underground ad campaign, maybe some people would have taken notice. But now that it was elevated to a terror hoax, everybody’s wondering what’s up.

W1: The city fell right into the trap. I mean, I see what you’re saying but we live in a different world since 9-11. You can’t go around putting shit on bridges and expect for people not to freak out. They need to put some people in jail.

M: You really think the kids who with some light brights should go to jail?

W2: Maybe pay a fine or something. Did you see the one where Ignignokt—

W1: I’m sorry, I’m not a prejudiced person, but I see somebody looks funny, I don’t trust ‘em. [She glances up and down the car]. I see some dude wearing one of those wraps on his head, I’m getting off the train. [Slaps hands with her friend.]

W2: For real. They have no values.

W1: Oh, they’ve got values, but just messed up ones…a warped sense of reality…and backward ass religion.

M: Truth is, most terrorist attacks inside the country been carried out by crazy white people. You get off the train when you see white folks?

W1: Well, they blended in. The terrorists can look like anybody. People think like they’re all safe. The United States is this and that. We’re all just arrogant. We ain’t safe. They got sleeper cells. They can attack at any moment. That’s why I don’t trust those people.

Cheese Heads Rejoice

2007-01-31T22:13:00.000-05:00

We're psyched about the new cheese cellar in Roslindale. Last Sunday Melissa and I oogled all the cheeses, tasted some manchego and chevre, sipped hot chocolat, sampled the evoo... There was a guy at the cheese counter that was ecstatic, like a little kid in the candy shop... Call us if you're coming. We'll meet you for some cheesy poofs

Smoking Addiction Solved

2007-01-27T09:16:00.000-05:00

Los Angeles, CA - A new study by researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) has shown that damage to a small sacagawea dollar-sized portion in brain may completely erase humans' urges to smoke. Researchers are hopeful the findings will help reveal the mystery behind other addictions and feel confident they have discovered a new way to control them.

"One of the most difficult problems in any form of addiction is the difficulty in stopping the urge to smoke, to take a drug, or to eat for that matter. My early research, which involved duck taping obese people to extremely heavy objects and depriving them of food, showed that addicts will go to some pretty extreme measures to satistfy their cravings. Now we have identified a brain target for further research into dealing with nicotine urges, and these stroke patients have performed radically different in the duck tape scenarios," says Antoine Bechara of USC and the University of Iowa, author of the study.

Brain scans of 69 stroke victims revealed that 19 patients sustained damage to a specific region deep in the brain called the insula. Thirteen of the insula-damaged patients had quit smoking with very little effort.

Since these patients reported losing the urge to smoke so abruptly with little or no effort, the USC team concluded that insula damage reduced the patients' actual urge to smoke. The study suggests brain damage as a possible option for people trying to kick the habit. USC is reviewing plans to open a free clinic to perform outpatient insulotomies.

castro's anus doesn't take

2007-01-22T10:32:00.000-05:00

Castro minions may be looking a little weary these days.

So does Castro. His fake anus operation was unsuccessful.

Ode to Haggis

2007-01-21T14:07:00.001-05:00

Last night, David and Kate threw a smashing Robert Burns Party.
Some of the night's performances were captured on video. If the embedded video below doesn't start, you can watch it on youtube.
Unfortunately, I didn't record Melissa and my poem/"song". Doubt Melissa is sad about that one. We have reprinted it here for your pleasure. Try to contain yourself.

Ode to Haggis
Haggis. Oh haggis. You are truly the ruler of the pudding race.
If you were vegetable, I would eat you out.
But you’re stomach so I can’t even think about.
Please don’t take this the wrong way, we mean no disrespect
But your odor makes us wish we had no sense of scent.

Dave’s haggis comes packed with the spice of kings
Its skin has a lovely pale, creamy texture,
That gives way to a tender oaty mixture,
Just the kind of thing to get the night going.
Our innards start turning and the wine keeps flowing.

Haggis. Oh haggis. You are truly the ruler of the pudding race.
If you were vegetable, I would eat you out.
But you’re stomach so I can’t even think about.

So raise your cup and join us in cheer.
Be it whisky or wine, soda or beer.
Drink and be silly, let us celebrate
For when all is said and done
We hid our haggis in your pocket, mate.

Haggis. Oh haggis. You are truly the ruler of the pudding race.
If you were vegetable, I would eat you out.
But you’re stomach so I can’t even think about.

Eat your heart out Unz. Oh wait, he already did that.

2007-01-18T08:15:00.000-05:00

After years of momentum against bilingual education in the U.S., New Jersey education officials are promoting research that concludes bilingual education methods are superior to English-only methods in teaching English language learners to read. New Jersey is to be the only state to write into its Reading First grant that students with no proficiency in English need to be taught in their native language. (EdWeek article is posted in full below)

N.J. Bucks Tide on Reading for English-Learners
By Mary Ann Zehr (Orange, N.J.)

Taking a position that is unusual these days, New Jersey officials are promoting research that says bilingual education methods have an edge over English-only methods in teaching English-language learners to read.

Recent U.S. Department of Education publications with “research-based recommendations” for teaching English-learners have avoided addressing the same research that Garden State officials are endorsing. And many school districts in Arizona, California, and Massachusetts have abandoned bilingual education after voters approved state ballot measures to curtail the educational approach.

Since 1976, New Jersey has required bilingual education—in which students are taught some subjects in their native language while learning English—for school districts with at least 20 students in the same language group. Over the past three years, the state has added requirements for districts to provide Spanish instruction for several early-reading initiatives, including state implementation of the federal Reading First program.

Now, New Jersey appears to be the only state that has written into its Reading First grant application to the federal government that native-language instruction is required, with some exceptions, for children who arrive at school with no proficiency in English.

Districts in Illinois and Texas, which also have state laws requiring bilingual education, are also using Reading First money for Spanish materials. But those states haven’t required bilingual education in their Reading First applications.

Russell W. Rumberger, the director of the Linguistic Minority Research Institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara, applauded New Jersey officials for taking what he views as an evidence-based approach.

“The research is increasingly supporting the idea that bilingual education is not only not bad, but is beneficial,” he said.

A Blended Approach

At Lincoln Avenue School here in Orange, a gritty suburb of Newark, the state’s push for bilingual reading instruction means that on a recent day, Latino 1st graders who didn’t know much English first read a story about a rat in English, and then followed it up with a different story about a rat in Spanish.

During the 120-minute literacy block, Enid Shapiro Unger, an English-as-a-second-language teacher, and Maria Albuquerque-Malaman, a 1st grade classroom teacher, used the same theme—animals and their homes—to teach in both English and Spanish. Under Reading First, the state requires that at least 30 minutes of that block be in English.

With bilingual education, said Ms. Albuquerque-Malaman, “the transition from the mother language to the second language goes more smoothly” than with English-only instruction.

First-grade teacher Maria Albuquerque-Malaman delivers a counting lesson in Spanish to a small group of students, including Joshua Cespedes, in front of her, and Mauricio Aguilar, to her right, at Lincoln Avenue School in Orange, N.J.

—Emile Wamsteker for Education Week

Not all New Jersey teachers agree. “I feel that bilingual methods hold the students back,” Charmaine Della Bella, the ESL teacher for Norwood Public School, a K-8 school with 650 students that makes up the Norwood school district, wrote in an e-mail message. She said ESL techniques have worked for the 17 English-learners in her school, all of whom are Korean. The district can get a waiver from using bilingual education because of the difficulty of finding teachers who speak Korean.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act, which governs the Reading First program, doesn’t say anything about what language must be used for reading instruction, Chad Colby, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education, noted in an e-mail message.

But regional and national meetings for Reading First paid for by the federal department tend to feature English-only programs as models, said Jeffrey Cohen, the lead consultant for Reading First for the California Department of Education.

California initially wrote in its plan that Reading First money could be used only for English instruction, but the state had to change that stance after losing a lawsuit in 2003 brought by districts that demanded to use the money for Spanish instruction and materials as well. About 10 percent of the state’s Reading First classrooms provide instruction in Spanish, Mr. Cohen said.

Research Cited

In New Jersey, Fred Carrigg, the special assistant for literacy to the state education commissioner, is the engine behind the policy that essentially calls for Spanish instruction for early reading.

In 2003, the state started requiring certain school districts—those with a concentration of Latino English-learners that receive Reading First grants or that get court-ordered extra aid to offset their disadvantages—to provide two years of Spanish instruction in kindergarten through grade 3.

New Jersey’s Reading First application for federal funding provides two exceptions to the general requirement for bilingual education: if districts don’t have enough children to warrant such a program, or if they don’t have adequate teachers or materials to carry one out. Mr. Carrigg said the second exception isn’t valid for Spanish-speaking students.

“Our attitude is that if we are going to accept scientifically based reading research for the general population, we must accept that same research base for children who speak a language other than English,” Mr. Carrigg said.

He cites findings from two reviews of research to back the state’s requirements. The first is Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children, written by a panel headed by Harvard University reading expert Catherine Snow and published by the National Research Council in 1998. The other is Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth, edited by second-language-acquisition expert Diane August and reading expert Timothy Shanahan, and published last year by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.

The National Research Council report says that if appropriate learning materials and bilingual teachers are available, it’s best for children who don’t know English to be taught to read in their native language while acquiring oral proficiency in English. Then they can transfer their reading skills from the native language to English.

The National Literacy Panel report contains a chapter with a review of studies that concludes there is a “small to moderate” advantage for bilingual education over English-only methods.

The federal Department of Education paid $1.8 million for the National Literacy Panel to write that study, but then declined to publish it; department officials said it didn’t stand up to the peer-review process. ("Not for Publication," Aug. 31, 2005.)

When asked why he puts stock in that publication, Mr. Carrigg said that the federal government’s criticism of the study concerned procedures and process, not “recommendations or results.” He added: “We note that fine line.”

Implementation Varies

But elsewhere, some officials have disregarded the literacy panel’s finding that favors bilingual education. Margaret Garcia Dugan, for example, who oversees programs for English-language learners for the Arizona Department of Education and opposes bilingual education, said the federal department’s decision not to publish the study raised “a red flag” for her, pointing to potential questions about its validity.

How New Jersey educators meet the state’s requirements for bilingual education varies.

In the 5,400-student Orange district, Latino kindergartners through 6th graders who are learning English are concentrated in a bilingual track in a single elementary school, in which classes are made up only of Latino children.

In the 1st grade bilingual class in Orange, children sound out words in English and Spanish during each morning’s literacy block.

By contrast, in the 9,900-student Perth Amboy district, teachers generally focus on teaching reading only in Spanish, complemented with instruction only in oral English, for the first couple of years that a child with limited proficiency in English is learning to read.

Meanwhile, the 2,700-student Englewood district has 57 percent of its 290 English-learners in a dual-language program in which children who are dominant in either English or Spanish learn both languages in the same classroom.

As evidence that the state’s policies are working, Mr. Carrigg says 50 percent of English-learners in 3rd grade are scoring at the proficient level or above on the state’s language arts test, which they must take in English. He added that 75 percent of former 3rd grade English-learners are scoring at those levels. Among all 3rd graders, 82 percent scored at least proficient on the test.

Statewide, only 22 percent of 11th grade English-learners are testing as proficient or above on New Jersey’s language arts exam.

The scores aren’t surprising, Mr. Carrigg said, because so many of those students are new to the country. The state’s focus on having students learn to read in Spanish is concentrated at the K-2 level, he added, and thus test scores for 3rd or 4th graders give a good indication of how those efforts are working.

The state’s next steps, Mr. Carrigg says, “are focused on expanding successful practices from the elementary experience” into the middle grades.

At the same time, he said, “New Jersey has not made any efforts to publicize our primary language policies. We are very cognizant of each state having different policies and attitudes about the use of languages other than English.”

Coverage of education research is supported in part by a grant from the Spencer Foundation.

Vol. 26, Issue 18, Pages 1,12

walkabout

2007-01-13T13:47:00.000-05:00

Scams Scams

2007-01-13T13:11:00.000-05:00

Who falls for this crap?  Apparently a lot of people.

DR.SANOU BELLO

Dear SUCKA,

I am the head of Accounts and Audit Department of Bank of Africa,
Ouagadougou . I decided to contact you after a careful thought that you
may be capable of handling this business transaction which i explained
below;

In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of $10.5m US dollars
(Ten million, five hundred thousand US dollars). In an account that belongs
to one of our foreign customer who died along with his entire family in
2001 in a plane crash.

Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his next of kin
to come over and claim his money because we cannot release it unless somebody
applies for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as indicated in our banking
guidelines but unfortunately we learnt that his supposed next of kin(his son and wife)
died alongside with him at the plane crash leaving nobody behind for the claim.

It is therefore upon this discovery that I and other officials in my department
now decided to make this business proposal to you and release the money to you
as the next of kin (We want to present you as his busines asociate)to the deceased
for safety and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for it and we don't
want this money to go into the Bank treasury as unclaimed Bill.

The Banking law and guideline here stipulates that if such money remained
UNclaimed after seven years, the money will be transferred into the
Bank treasury as unclaimed fund. The request of foreigner as next of kin in
this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner
and a Burkinabe cannot stand as next of kin to a foreigner.

We agree that 30% of this money will be for you as foreign partner, in
respect to the provision of a foreign account, 10 % will be set aside
for expenses incurred during the business and 60% would be for me and my
colleagues. There after I and my colleagues will visit your country for
disbursement according to the percentages indicated.

Therefore to enable the immediate transfer of this fund to your account
as arranged,you must apply first to the bank as next of kin of the
deceased customer. Upon receipt of your reply, I will send to you by fax or
email the text of the application. I will not fail to bring to your notice that
this transaction is hitch free and that you should not entertain any atom of
fear as all required arrangements have been made for the transfer.

I expect that you contact me immediately as soon as you receive this letter.

Hoping to hear from you immediately.

Yours faithfully,
DR. SANOU BELLO
Accounts & Audit Department ,
Bank of Africa

Nb.also give me your telephone and fax numbers for easy comunication with you.