Month: August 2005

School has either begun or is about to begin for America’s schoolkids. Two recent stories in the news caught my attention: 1) a real backlash in some states against ever-earlier start dates to the school year, and 2) a call in some quarters to quit the middle school model and go back to the K-8 system.

So, please let me know:

1. When does school start and end in your school district? Do you think it’s too early, too late, or OK?

2. Do you think middle schoolers would be better served by the K-8 model? Why or why not?

3. What did you most like and hate about school as a 12-to-15 year old?

I’ve watched more Little League World Series in the past week and a half than I have in the past five years combined. There’s something about the fundamentals of the game that are so enjoyable at this level. Watching the kids play which reminds me why I love the game. Bunt singles. Running out every hit ball (the Baltimore Orioles’ Sammy Sosa got thrown out at second base this week admiring his home run that ended up NOT clearing the wall this week). Forcing the throw in attempting the extra base.

The Williamsport, PA tournament started with eight U.S. teams and eight international teams. There have been nail biters (usually involving the team from Louisiana, it seems) and blowouts (15-0 four-inning game called because of the application of the 10-run lead rule). Tonight, powerful Hawai’i plays scrappy Louisiana. The winner will play California Saturday for the U.S. championship. Meanwhile, the winner of today’s Guam-Curacao game will play Japan Saturday, assuring that the international champion will be from an island nation. The LLWS finals are on Sunday, and it really will be an an international affair, unlike Major League Baseball, which has its wealth of players from other countries, but only one foreign team, and that one not that far from the U.S. border.

Let me tell you about my Little League experience. I went for a tryout. I was having trouble on the field. I struck out on a 3-2 pitch that I never saw. I never went back. So I am amazed that any 12-year old can hit a 75-MPH fastball.

Former Phillies manager Larry Bowa will be honored Sunday as one of those who played in both the LLWS and in the Major League and displayed character (he is a character).

Last night, Pete Rose was on that damn best sports talk show thing. He seemed very knowledgeable about a lot of sports issues, but perhaps disingenuously surprised that the clock has been ticking not only on his possible reinstatement to baseball, but also his eligibility to be voted into the Hall of Fame by the writers. (In time, IF reinstated, the Hall could allow Rose to be considered by the Veterans’ Committee.) My feeling in that he DID break the fuindamental rules of baseball, and that the late Bart Giamatti did issue a lifetime ban. Here’s my compromise: allow Pete Rose to be considered for the Hall as soon as he is dead. That way, he doesn’t personally profit from his misdeeds, but that baseball recognizes the 17-time All-Star with the most hits ever.

Meanwhile, the Mets beat Arizona last night by two touchdowns. There are five teams competing for the National League wildcard slot, Houston and all of the East teams except Atlanta (Philadelphia, Florida, Washington and the Mets.) This morning, the Mets were tied for third place in the wildcard, 1.5 games back. All the East teams play each other in September, and I suspect the race won’t be determined until the last week of the season. This is the time of year I start getting into the major league game.

It’s not that I don’t have things to write about, it’s that I don’t have time to write ’em.
***
Kelly Brown wrote that “someone from the IRS in Washington, DC has nothing better to do then spend 15 minutes on my blog.” I wrote back that it was because her husband Chris, nicknamed Lefty, was being tracked by the FBI. It’s since occurred to me that the government would want to know what horrors Kelly, who is a teacher, is putting in these young minds. All of that I thought was pretty tongue in cheek.

But then I started reading all of this Cindy Sheehan is a communist stuff (just type in Cindy Sheehan communist in Google to see what I mean.) The most audacious thing I read yesterday was the notion that Code Pink: Mothers for Peace is a pinko front – “Nothing more needs to be said.” – apparently, in part, because of its name. In my bad John McEnroe imitation, I said aloud, “You are not serious!”

And speaking of same, I saw on ABC News last night (and in Greg’s blog) that Pat Robertson wants the U.S. to put a hit on the duly elected President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, because he’s buddies with Fidel. That election was likely more legit than either of the ones involving W. As an American, I’m embarrassed, but as a Christian, I’m appalled.

And here I thought Joe McCarthy was dead.
***

Brock Peters died. I always thought he had a wonderfully expressive face. Of course, he was best known for appearing in the movie To Kill a Mockingbird (one of the very few books I was assigned in school that I actually LIKED).
***
My bud David Brickman will be doing his sixth art criticism spot on WAMC (90.3 fm) tomorrow (Thursday) at 9:48 a.m.
The topic will be the Jacques-Louis David show at the Clark Art Institute.
By the way, for the out-of-towners it is possible to listen online at wamc.org (live only – not archived).

NAME: Tony Holt
BLOG NAME: Tony Remembers
NAME OF CD: Tracks From The Radio Station In My Head
NUMBER OF CUTS: 17
RUNNING TIME: 78:28
COVER ART: Nice graphics; also on the CD itself
SONG LIST: Lefty in his post of June 30
ALREADY REVIEWED BY: Gordon on July 21; Lefty
GENERAL THOUGHTS: I liked the first three songs, thought the next four were probably well crafted but not necessarily to my taste, and then really liked most of the rest. A good percentage of enjoyment not found on regular radio.
THINGS I PARTICULARLY LOVED: Bramhall, Manx, L. Williams, Mule, Dread Zeppelin, Jeff Beck, Robert Plant.
ON THE OTHER HAND: Storm started strong then started wearing on me.
OFFICE FRIENDLY: Not Hamell, which Tony kindly noted on the disc.
ONLY VAGUELY RELATED: Though from Syracuse (I think), Hamell played around here (Albany) often enough to be considered “local boy makes good.” I’ve seen Lucinda Williams twice.

NAME: Fred G. (for Guru) Hembeck, comic book impressario, best known as the father of one Julie Hembeck, whose fifteenth birthday is this very week
BLOG NAME: Fred Sez, part of Hembeck.com
NAME OF CD: Ring In the Obscure, Ring Out The Odd
NUMBER OF CUTS: 20
RUNNING TIME: 78:34
COVER ART: Nicely typed

SONG LIST:
1. Sleep That Burns-Be Bop Deluxe
2. Losing True-The Roches
3. Twenty-Five Fingers-Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello (from the McCartney/McManus Collaborations, a bootleg of demos and such, from the My Brave Face era. That song was never officially released, with only the demo available for the fans.)
4. Unwanted Number-For Real
5. Hey St. Peter-Flash and the Pan
6. American UFO-John Southworth
7. What Kind of Fool Are You?-Swing Out Sister
8. Me and My Monkey-Robbie Williams
9. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime-Mandy Patinkin
10. Change the World-Nellie McKay
11. So Says I-the Shins
12. Remember-Air
13. Hurt-Code Blue
14. Dreaming of You-the Coral
15. Colour Slide-the Honeycombs
16. Sleep with Me Instead-Louise Goffin
17. Whispering Your Name-Jules Shear
18. Just One Smile-Gene Pitney (an early Randy Newman number, also covered by the Kooper-led BS&T and by Dusty Springfield)
19. I’ll Be Seeing You-Ann Hampton Callaway (from the original cast recording of the B’way musical “Swing”)
20. Don’t Hang Up-10cc
(Notes by Encyclopedia George)
ALREADY REVIEWED BY: Gordon on July 21
GENERAL THOUGHTS: I’ve gotten more mixed CDs from Fred than anyone I know, so I’m always looking forward to his discs. I found that I liked this more on the second play than the first, and the third more than the second.
THINGS I PARTICULARLY LOVED: The alarm that starts the CD, and the hang up that ends it. Track 15- sounds somewhat like their hit “Have I the Right?” Songs I had all but forgotten in a new context (2 and especially 5). 3, 4, 6, 11, 12, 13.
ON THE OTHER HAND: Maybe a little too romantic at the end, but no big deal. But the big finish on 9 grinds the proceedings to a halt.
OFFICE FRIENDLY: The F-word in “Me and My Monkey”
ONLY VAGUELY RELATED: Nellie McKay is a lot younger than she sounds.