Friday, May 31, 2013

NY Mets Sweep of Yankees in Subway Series – Redemption Is At Hand!

First published as NY Mets Sweep of Yankees in Subway Series – Redemption Is At Hand!

As improbable as it was a week ago when the New York Mets were mired in the worst baseball funk imaginable, the team has redeemed itself by sweeping away the New York Yankees in four games of the Subway Series. With two games played at Citi Field and two at Yankee Stadium, the Mets locked up bragging rights for 2013, and nothing else matters as much to the Flushing faithful the rest of the way this year.

Judging from walking around town today, you could see the joyous Mets fans everywhere resplendent in their orange and blue. It is always a pleasure to see your favorite team’s colors, but when in evidence in such abundance as was witnessed today, it is simply sublime. The usually obnoxious and arrogant Yankees fans are staying low, especially with the Boston Red Sox on the agenda for a weekend series. Adding insult to injury may just be in the Bronx Bombers’ future, and won’t that put even more joy into the hearts of Mets fans everywhere?

collinsdailynewsMets Manager Terry Collins has been patient with his young team, understanding that 2013 has been meant all along to be a “building” year. This year the team’s manifest destiny then, if you will, was to try to keep their heads above water, with even getting to .500 by the end of the season a longshot. However, Collins is more faithful and persuasive than a fire and brimstone preacher who believes in the power of “Ya Gotta Believe” and the essence of the orange and blue as much as any seasoned fan who has lived most of his or her life watching games in Flushing.

Now we have young names like Duda, Harvey, Hefner, Turner, Valdespin, and Davis. Sounding like a fledgling law firm rather than fledgling baseball players to be sure, these young fellows are flashing some skills and turning some heads. Mets pitching in particular is raising a few eyebrows as the starters like Harvey, Marcum, and Gee seem to get stronger and the bullpen, with Bobby Parnell most especially shining brightly, strengthens itself under the direction of pitching coach Dan Warthen.

wright nymetsreportSuccessful Mets teams have always been built around quality pitching – think Seaver, Koosman, Gentry, Ryan, Matlack, Gooden, Darling, Ojeda – and then got some unexpected spark from their platoons of key players and strength from veterans. This 2013 team is being built around veteran team captain David Wright, and now we are starting to see the emergence of young players like Duda, Valdespin, and Turner who could be part of that projected manifestation of a winning ball club.

For now Mets fans must thank Major League Baseball for interleague play this year, for in that usually annoying schedule of distracting games the Mets got their greatest gift: the Damn Yankees. Tickets to the games may have been expensive; the traffic to Citi Field and Yankee Stadium insufferable, but a four-game sweep of the hated Bronx Bombers was simply priceless. Whatever happens the rest of the way in 2013, Mets fans will always have these four games to savor. And for Yankees fans who are crying on their pinstripes, for once we Mets fans can shout, “Wait until next year!”

Photo credits: collins-nydailynews.com; wright-nymetsreport.com

Thursday, May 30, 2013

New Soccer Team to Come to The Big Apple

Article first published as New Soccer Team to Come to The Big Apple on Blogcritics.


There are soccer fans out there in the five boroughs of New York, and some of them follow the New York Red Bulls, a team that plays in New Jersey as part of Major League Soccer. Of course, the Red Bulls are like the football Giants and Jets - they are “New York” in name only. Now here comes New York City FC (Football Club) through a partnership of the New York Yankees and the British Manchester City. They plan for the team to play its games in New York City, so the name will be more meaningful, and the hope is that the fans will come to the games like they used to do years ago for the Cosmos.

Of course, there are still Cosmos fans in New York. One of them, let’s call him Vinnie, spoke to me on the phone earlier and was all excited. “It’s going to come back, and we’ll have the attention just like we did when Pelé was here.”

Okay, with all due respect to Vinnie and those like him, those Pelé days (1977-8) are so long gone that many people do not remember them. Those that do may recall the brief focus on the excitement of soccer in New York, but after the great one retired the sport lost its luster in the city, with the Cosmos eventually moving to – you guessed it – to good old New Jersey. After that the team fell off the radar and that was the end of MLS soccer here.

The Red Bulls can call themselves a New York team, but we all know they are a New Jersey team. Perhaps New York City FC will stoke the fires again for the sport in New York. I would definitely be willing to go to games and bring the kids, and the rumor is that the team is searching for a home (which could even be temporarily Citi Field).

The problem is recognition. Baseball, football, basketball, and hockey all have big stars. They are recognizable names and faces, and that is why when Pelé was here that soccer flourished. If we stopped the average guy on the street in Times Square and asked him to name a big soccer star, would he be able to mention anyone on the Red Bulls or any other MLS team? I’ll bet you might get a few responses of “David Beckham” but, otherwise, you would be at a loss.

So now as MLS announces New York FC as its 20th expansion team, and we know the team will begin playing in 2015, and Man City is wise enough to partner with an organization like the Yankees, the next step is to lure top talent to New York. No organization more than the Yankees knows how to do that – with everyone from Babe Ruth to Reggie Jackson to Alex Rodriguez. This is what will have to happen with New York City FC if it wants to draw fans and succeed in this town.

The amazing thing is that the NY Mets have long opposed the idea of building a soccer stadium near Citi Field. So perhaps Yankees President Randy Levine is just dreaming when he says that the team might play at Citi Field while the new stadium is being built. Also, locals in Queens do not want to see Flushing Meadows-Corona Park lost to a huge complex, especially with Citi Field and USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center already causing plenty of traffic jams; another stadium could become a logistical nightmare.

Still, Manchester City has made a huge investment and must be convinced that New York will be the place to make soccer explode in the United States. It could happen if they get top talent and a beautiful new stadium. We can imagine Red Bulls fans are starting to think about a rivalry, and that is always an exciting thing for the city.

Will New Yorkers embrace New York City Football Club? First of all they will have to get used to “soccer” being called “football.” If we can get over that hurdle, the rest of it should be a piece of cake.

Photo credit: majorleaguesoccer.com

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Field Tests To Increase In Schools – Do We Want Our Kids to Be Test Dummies?

Article first published as Field Tests To Increase In Schools – Do We Want Our Kids to Be Test Dummies? on Blogcritics.

Educators everywhere are all tested out; however, it is worse in some states than others where they are forced to administer field tests. “Field tests” are instruments of mass instruction, usually given after other standardized testing and state testing is completed. The goal is to use students basically as test dummies, but instead of putting them into a car and having them crash into a wall at 50 miles per hour, the kids have to suffer through yet another exam. Parents are told it doesn’t count and not to worry. The students are told the same thing, but the bottom line is valuable instruction time is being turned into a destructive practice – more testing in the name of testing to fine tune future testing. Does anyone feel angry yet?

A recent article in The New York Times focused on this issue, indicating the widespread problem that is growing across the United States. On TV we see people worrying about the so-called zombie apocalypse, but in education we are turning our kids into testing zombies. As an educator I can tell you that nothing – and I mean absolutely nothing – dumbs down the classroom environment more than these standardized tests.

What educators are forced to become now is glorified proctors. We hear people banging the drum for the Common Core State Standards (which are sadly and inextricably linked to these assessments), but in the same breath they have no clue how kids are supposed to reach heights suggested by them, especially in classrooms where teachers are unnerved by having to teach to the test. The tests are like a hydra rearing its ugly heads, and this is mainly because the testing in many states is now being tied to teacher evaluations.

What these states are basically saying (and New York State is at the forefront of this) is that teachers need to learn the new standards, teach in a new and more challenging way while they are learning them, make sure that the students grasp everything about them, and also succeed on the state tests. Oh, and by the way, if the students do poorly, you’re probably a bad teacher.

So at this time of year, after students have suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous assessments, now some of them will be selected to sit through field tests. Having been through this process, I can tell you that there is nothing a principal or a teacher can do about it. Your school and grades to be assessed are selected from on high and you get the directive to administer the test. After a long haul of state exams in math, English, and science, this is asking a great deal from those selected schools.

Now should be the time not for field tests but more for field trips. In beautiful spring weather, many learning experiences await students at conservatories, farms, parks, and museums. As a parent as well as an educator, I would rather see our children out in the sunshine learning about something in a vibrant and memorable way than being stuck behind a desk taking an exam that will facilitate the testing companies and the state’s plan for more testing.

This June over a quarter of a million students in over 3,000 schools will be forced to take field tests in English and math. Outraged parents can bang on the principal’s door and ask why, and the principal can only respond that he or she has been directed to do this. Of course, the salient reason is that the alignment of the CCSS is going viral nationwide, and the companies are scrambling to craft a “national exam modeled on the new standards.” Next year more than a million students in 22 states will be subjected to more of this insanity, all in the name of propagation of more and more testing at a school near you.

People everywhere need to stand up to the testing companies and state education departments and demand for an end to this ludicrous waste of school time. It doesn’t take a degree in education to realize that tests do not teach kids anything more than they know; in fact, over-testing like this inhibits true instruction and actually impedes the learning process.

I have always hoped that we would view testing through the less is more lens. I would prefer a more holistic model, one that could involve a wide variety of things to assess knowledge and cognition. I believe students who have to compile artifacts of their own learning into a portfolio over time, who can become the center of learning rather than the object of outcomes, and who can fully and actively participate in their own education will not only become outstanding students but the brilliant leaders of tomorrow.

But now we are caught in the bind of contracts with testing companies and a course that has been set for us. It is as if we are on a ship caught in a flow of water with no oars, sails, or anchors. If there is nothing that can stop the direction we are heading, we are on course for a disaster when we hit the iceberg of inevitability.

Testing is not teaching; it has never been teaching. True educators view testing as a necessary evil in a grade oriented world, but in reality most of us who are in this because we are passionate about our subject matter and love teaching it know that testing only stops the educative process. There are better ways to assess such as portfolios, oral presentations, visual essays, and digital projects. This is the direction education should be heading in because life is heading in this direction. If the goal of the CCSS is to prepare students for the “real” world of work, then taking the over-testing route is by far the most horrendous and eventually detrimental way to go.

Ask your children when they come home from school what they did today. Chances are if they took a test they will grumble, groan, and a short time later forget everything they studied to pass the exam; however, if they had gone on a field trip that day to a farm and learned about irrigation, raising crops, caring for livestock, and bringing goods to market, chances are they will be smiling and happy. There is also an amazing opportunity for retention because they will never forget what they saw on that farm.

Everyday cannot be a field trip, but it also should not be another day to prep for testing. At this time of year especially kids shouldn’t be subjected to field tests in a hot classroom and should have the vibrant experience of meaningful field trips. We are only wasting valuable class time on tests that do not count and mean nothing now or later in our children’s lives.


Parents should rightfully reject these tests and the more extensive testing yet to come. We know our kids are not test dummies, and it is high time that testing companies and education departments across the country know how we feel. We need to fight to get these bloated instruments out of the way in order to get back to the basics of learning, of wonder, and of joy that education can bring into our children’s lives. Teachers do not want to teach to the test. Students shouldn’t have to be subjected to this, and it is up to every parent to make a difference and the time to do that is now.

Photo credits: testing dummy-testing.gobanana.com; test dummies-roadandtrack.com

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Drunk Driving Blood-Alcohol Level – Nothing More Than Zero Is Acceptable

Article first published as Drunk Driving Blood-Alcohol Level – Nothing More Than Zero Is Acceptable on Blogcritics.

It is the weekend and workers are ready to let off some steam. All across America people leave work on Friday evening and head to “happy hour” at bars and restaurants. They have some cocktails, maybe then follow that with wine at dinner. Perhaps they have an after dinner drink with their desert. By the time the night is over many dig keys out of their pockets or purses and then head out to the car to go home. If this doesn’t shake you up and scare you there is something wrong with this picture.


On Tuesday the National Transportation Safety Board urged states to adopt a new definition of drunken driving – lowering the blood-alcohol level from 0.08% to 0.05%. This recommendation comes as alcohol-related traffic deaths jumped last year to 10,000. Anyone who has lost a friend or loved one to a drunk driver will tell you that even one death is too many, but obviously something is happening to have the figure jump after six years of declining alcohol-related deaths in traffic accidents.

I would argue that the NTSB’s suggested level is too high. Consider that a woman weighing around 120 pounds could drink a glass or two of wine and drive and still not be considered drunk. A man of significantly more weight (let’s say 200 pounds) could consume three to four glasses of wine and still not meet that level. Unfortunately, impairment begins with the first sip, and alcohol affects everyone differently.

I have had the opportunity to be the “designated” driver, and it is amazing how when one is sipping club soda how the effects of drinking become obvious rather quickly. I can say unequivocally that in these moments I have seen changes in my friends even after a few sips of an intoxicating beverage. There is also the matter of whether or not they are taking medication, eating while drinking, and just their individual level of tolerance. In the end, any amount of alcohol could affect a driver’s ability to react in a situation and cause an accident.

As would be expected, a recommendation of a level of 0.05% has the restaurant and beverage industries crying foul. Sarah Longwell, of the American Beverage Institute, said that the recommendation is ludicrous because the prime drunken drivers are not in “the .08 to .05% range” and that authorities should focus on the “biggest boozers” that are well over the .08% level. Isn’t this just what we need in society – more enablers?

As of now Mothers Against Drunk Driving has not endorsed the NTSB’s new proposal, and all along MADD has emphasized that the government should enhance technology (car ignition breathalyzers for instance) and an increase in sobriety checkpoints all across the country. I have great respect for MADD and believe its members have done great work, but I think they are missing a golden opportunity here. They should not only endorse the lower standard but even go further – I believe the most logical and safest of all blood alcohol levels is 0%. There has to be a realization here that drinking alcohol (in any amount) and driving is unacceptable and absolutely illegal.

Let’s look at some statistics from the Department of Health and Human Services. Alcohol is involved in 37% of all traffic deaths of persons 16 – 20 years of age. Considering the drinking age is 21, that is a mind numbing figure; furthermore, 17% of traffic deaths involving children 0-14 years of age were due to an alcohol impaired driver. These numbers are totally unacceptable and are a salient reason that something more needs to be done as soon as possible.

Zero Tolerance Laws (for those drinking under the age of 21) reduce over 1,000 alcohol-related traffic deaths a year. It doesn’t take a long and expensive study to indicate that expansion of “zero tolerance” for all drivers, not just those under 21, would have a profound effect on the number of alcohol-related deaths. Of course, there will always be those who still grab the keys and think they are super drivers, even while drinking. That is why besides zero tolerance even more steps need to be taken.

A quick glance at Effects of Blood Alcohol Concentration should get people thinking differently. Even with a blood-alcohol level of .02% (below the NTSB’s current proposal) impairment is absolutely evident. By the time someone reaches a .05% level, significant impairment is evident. As we go up to the current nationally accepted level of .08%, it is frightening to realize how deeply affected the driver can be.

I think besides lowering the accepted blood alcohol level to absolute zero, we need cooperation from other industries (most notably beverage and automobile) immediately. I believe that every bar, club, and restaurant should have readily available breathalyzers for customers and that it has to be mandatory for each adult to check his or her level upon exiting the establishment. Upon entering the adults should be required to deposit car keys in a secure location. If the adult is found to be impaired, the keys will not be returned and the management should be required to provide a complimentary car service to bring the adult home.

I also propose that every car available for purchase in the United States be equipped with factory installed ignition systems that require an alcohol breath test each and every time a key is put into the ignition. There should be no exceptions, no wriggle room of any kind. Everyone, absolutely everyone, from the President of the United States to the bus driver in NYC to the soccer mom in Connecticut must engage a system to the detect blood-alcohol level before a vehicle can be started.

I know that this will cost money and time and will be an inconvenience, but these would be extremely effective ways to stop drunk drivers in their tracks. Of course, bar, club, and restaurant owners and automobile companies will want to know who pays for all this, and the answer is that we all do. Each time a young driver's car is wrapped around a utility pole, his or her family has to plan a funeral, and we drag the drunk driver into court, we pay. We pay for the children lost when their parents get behind the wheel drunk; we pay in so many tangible and intangible ways that preventative measures should seem inconsequential in the big picture.

We worry about all sorts of things that kill people. We raise money to stop cancer and other diseases, to feed the hungry, to help the homeless, and to bring medical help to the poor. We advocate laws for soda cup sizes, cigarette smoking, wearing seatbelts, and gun ownership. All of these things are ways to protect life and our citizenry, but then why are so many people reticent about regulating the ultimate lethal weapon – the driver of a two to three ton vehicle who is impaired?

I must share a personal anecdote that affects the way I feel about this matter. I recall being at a party with friends as a young man. We were all graduating college and had beautiful futures awaiting us. There was a keg of beer and bottles of whiskey, and a number of people were quite drunk. One of my good friends was so drunk that he could barely stand. As the night was winding down, he took his car keys from his pocket and placed them on the table next to his drink. Another friend and I distracted him with conversation, and I managed to snatch his keys and hide them. When he realized he couldn’t find his keys, he was very upset, but I offered to drive him home and said that he could get his second set of keys and we would come back in the morning.

The next day we learned that three young people from that party never made it home. They were all in a horrific car crash and were decapitated. My friend and I went back to get his car the next morning and we saw the remnants of the crash on the highway. He looked at me and said, “I know what you did; thanks, man.”

All these years later I think about that life altering event. My personal policy is don’t drink and drive – ever. I will not have even a sip of alcohol if I am going to drive. I know that drinking is a personal choice for everyone, but safety has to become always the bigger picture. Those three friends of ours who died are gone for over thirty years now and never had a chance to realize their futures. We can only multiply that by the tens of thousands who have died over that time due to alcohol-impaired drivers. The time to stop this madness cannot be put off until tomorrow; it has to be faced now!

The goal has to be to stop drivers from drinking and driving. We need new zero tolerance laws for all drivers. We need ignition systems on all vehicles, and we must require the essential cooperation of entertainment establishments to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. The only acceptable blood alcohol level for all drivers has to be 0%; the time has come to accept nothing less.

photo credits: breath test-dps.mn.gov ; drinker-hayspot.com ; accident-nydailynews.com

Saturday, May 18, 2013

David Beckham Retiring – He Writes His Own Happy Bending

Article first published as David Beckham Retiring – Writes His Own Happy Bending on Blogcritics.

When I heard the news that David Beckham has decided to retire from soccer, it seemed like one of those watershed moments for all sports. We can arguably say that Beckham is the most famous soccer player ever, though when I mentioned this to someone who loves the game, I was immediately told “One word – Pelé.” I am sure others will chime in with their candidate as well, but it seems obvious that no soccer player ever transcended the sport the way Beckham has.


Whether or not someone is a soccer fan, that person probably knows David Beckham. If you mention his name they recognize him for his model good looks or his marriage to Spice Girl Victoria Adams. I heard someone on sports radio this morning saying that he is better known in this country as a “fashion icon” than as a sports figure, and that could be true more because the United States has never opened itself up to soccer (which everyone else in the world calls football).

As someone who has gone to his daughter’s soccer games for years now, I have a rudimentary understanding of the game. I appreciate it when my daughter scores a goal and her team wins, but my connection to the sport ends when her games do. I believe many Americans have a similar point of view.

I am a baseball-(American) football-basketball fan who invests too much of his time watching teams I have loved all my life (Jets, Mets, Knicks) that continue to disappoint me. I used to be a hockey fan but after the last strike I have stayed away from the Islanders (even if they had a decent season) because I vowed never again and stuck to it. Soccer does not enter the equation because I did not grow up with it, did not play the game, and only watched during the Olympics.

Yet Beckham’s retirement troubles me in that it is another end of an era, and one I only knew in a cursory way. I felt the same way about the TV series The Office, which had its series finale the other evening. It was on for nine seasons and I had never watched one episode. The next day everyone was moaning about it all being over, and I only knew of Steve Carrel from his films and that’s about it, but I still felt that end of the era thing – one that I guess I missed just as with Beckham’s career.

Beckham’s accomplishments are the stuff of a legend. Besides having a film made about him Bend it Like Beckham (2002) and being married to a Spice Girl and appearing in all those sleek advertisements, the man could really play the game. Sepp Blatter (FIFA President) said that Beckham was “one of the most iconic figures in global football.” Proof can be found with his winning championships with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy, and Paris Saint-Germain (his current team). If that doesn’t make him a “global” superstar then I am not sure what would.

Beckham has two games left with PSG and seems to be happy to be going out with a title. He said, “It’s every athlete’s dream, every footballer’s dream to go out on top – on top form or winning a trophy – leaving as a champion.” No one would argue with that, and Beckham also has to be seen as one nice fellow since he has been donating his salary to a children’s hospital. I cannot think of one American athlete in any sport that has done anything like that, and there are many who have amassed so much money that they could for certain.

So, as he retires at a ripe old age of 38, one can only wonder what is next for Beckham. He can be a model with those dashing good looks, or he could go into the movies and be the next Tom Cruise. One can probably safely say “The world is his oyster” and get away with it.


There is one more thing to note about Beckham – he is a family man. Beckham makes it clear that what matters most to him in his life when he says, “I wouldn't have achieved what I have done today without my family. I'm grateful for my parents' sacrifice, which made me realize my dreams.” And he added, "I owe everything to Victoria and the kids, who have given me the inspiration and support to play at the highest level for such a long period."

This is such a great story that it should be made into a film. What about David Beckham starring as himself? Now that would be a happy bending!

Photo credits: beckham-fanpop.com; beckham family-mirror.co.uk

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Angelina Jolie Reveals Double Mastectomy – Will Her Bravery Help Redefine What Is Beautiful?

Article first published as Angelina Jolie Reveals Double Mastectomy – Will Her Bravery Help Redefine What Is Beautiful? on Blogcritics.

In her extremely honest and well written New York Times Op-Ed entry entitled “My Medical Choice,” actress Angelina Jolie explains the reasons why she underwent a double mastectomy. The bravery involved in an A-list actress doing such a thing is obvious, for all of Hollywood is built on an extremely shaky foundation of so-called beautiful people, many of whom only got that way through artificial means. These enhanced individuals set the tone not only for the tinsel world of spotlights and movie premieres, but also influence young people everywhere who want to be like the false gods who become their idols.

Ms. Jolie could have hidden her “choice” from the public, which would have been her right, but she chose to reveal what she experienced. Her choice not only will be an inspiration to many other women but could also help to redefine, or perhaps create a new category of what is a thing of beauty.

Ms. Jolie goes into explicit detail as to how the procedures took place, and she speaks about her reconstructive surgeries as well. In this way she is letting women know that options include ways to feel whole again.


What was her motivation for taking this path? The fact was that after taking a gene test doctors told her that she had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk for ovarian cancer. Since Ms. Jolie’s mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, died in 2007 at 56 from ovarian cancer, Ms. Jolie (37) took a proactive approach because she had a greater risk of getting breast cancer.

She also mentions that her children were the most important factor in her decision making process. Since only her older children had a chance to know her mother and the others will “never experience how loving and gracious she was,” Ms. Jolie began thinking about her own mortality and her role as a mother, and that impelled her to follow the steps she needed to take.

When she writes, “For any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options,” she is setting the stage for many others to think differently. Unfortunately, the idea of beauty and what is beautiful obfuscates the thinking of not only Hollywood types but all people. Ms. Jolie knows this better than anyone, and we need only look at her film career and understand that it was established in large part because of her physical appearance; however, she also manifested a reputation as a serious actress in various roles and also became a female action hero. She certainly made her mark, but she also settled down and took her obligation to her family as a serious priority.

Not one to seem to be held down by standards, Ms. Jolie is now setting new ones. She writes, “I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.” Clearly there will be people who have feared even getting a breast exam who may now think differently, and it is obviously Ms. Jolie’s hope that by revealing her ordeal that she will help other women.


In Ms. Jolie’s article she also tells of the strong support that she got from her partner, A-list actor Brad Pitt. If you didn’t like this couple before, you may start to think differently about them now. Clearly theirs is not some superficial Hollywood union; rather, it is obviously one based on love, family, and mutual respect. Ms. Jolie notes that Mr. Pitt was there “for every minute of the surgeries.” Hopefully, this will also put men into the right frame of mind as well when and if they learn that their partner has breast cancer.

Ms. Jolie wants women to face facts about their options, especially hoping that they will “get gene tested” in order to ascertain their risk for developing these cancers. If even a few lives are saved, then Ms. Jolie has done a great service through her selfless act of revelation.

I have always thought Ms. Jolie was a beautiful woman, and I have enjoyed the movies that she has been in, but I have to say that now she is even more beautiful than ever. In my mind this is the kind of thing poet John Keats defined as “beauty is truth, truth beauty.” Keats knew, as we should too, that physical beauty is fleeting; however, true inner beauty resides in a place that is unaffected by time’s cruel hand. Ms. Jolie has written about a truth in her life that in the end is a beautiful thing that she has shared with us.

Ms. Jolie is a brave and truly beautiful woman. Hopefully, her words will reach as many individuals – male and female alike – as possible and help them as they deal with this pernicious disease. Now Ms. Jolie has transcended what it means to be a Hollywood star, rising to new heights in the firmament by telling her story. Let’s hope she will be a guiding light for many years to come for people everywhere.

Photo credits: jolie-getty images; bertrand-imdb.com; pitt-people.com

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Tiger Woods Wins Players Championship – Now Destiny Awaits Him

Article first published as Tiger Woods Wins Players Championship – Now Destiny Awaits Him on Blogcritics.

You can arguably say that Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer ever, but almost no one will dispute he is the best here and now. By winning the Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Woods won his fourth event this season and 78th of his career. In doing so he made it resoundingly clear that not only is the old Tiger back but he is ready for more conquests.

Of course, Tiger is not Tiger without some sort of drama, and in this case it involved fellow player Sergio Garcia. The Spaniard accused Woods of trying to mess up his shot by causing a commotion in the crowd as he chose a club. Where I come from in New York City, we street kids used to call for a “Do Over” in cases such as these, but this is the PGA Tour and not some stickball game. Whether you like Woods or not, it seems to be more like sour grapes coming from Garcia, but there will be those who want to believe Woods conspired to throw Garcia off his game.

Later on Woods and Garcia were tied on the 14th hole after Woods’s double bogey, but then Garcia sent two balls to a watery grave and had no one to blame but himself (unless he felt Woods conspired with the wind to blow his shots off course). Woods got more assistance when rookie David Lingmerth missed the birdie on the 18th hole, securing Woods his second Players victory (last one came 12 years ago).

After the victory Woods told reporters that a lot of people thought his career was over and done, but Woods assured the crowd “But I’m not.” That kind of confidence has to be a little unsettling for his opponents now, reminding them that the big cat is back on track and ready to reclaim his kingdom. Consider the following incredible statistics* regarding Woods’s career at this point:

4: Victories in 2013. This is the earliest Woods has ever reached four wins in a season.
7: Victories in his last 21 PGA Tour stroke-play events.
52 of 56: Conversion rate when Woods has at least a share of the 54-hole lead.
78: Career PGA Tour victories. Sam Snead, with 82, is No. 1 on the list.
300: PGA Tour starts (including as an amateur). Woods also won in his 100th and 200th PGA Tour starts.
$5,849,600: Official PGA Tour earnings in 2013.
$106,800,300: Official career PGA Tour earnings.
*USA Today

If these numbers don’t impress you, then I guess nothing will. Obviously, Woods has been chasing Snead and, at 37, it is highly likely that he will overcome that record. Only a year ago people were thinking that Woods was finished and that he would never get back his confidence on a course, and even only last week when he got too well lubricated at the Met Gala after-party in New York, many thought that was a sign he was unraveling. After this victory, we can safely say that Tiger has proven them all wrong.

Watching Woods walk around the course, it is clear that the old confidence is back and more. He stares with (please forgive me) the eye of the tiger, surveying the jungle and keenly observing all. It is also pure poetry to see Woods take a swing, just as it was to watch Tom Seaver pitch a baseball, Hank Aaron hit a homer, Julius Erving (Dr J) sink a basket, Muhammad Ali land a punch, and Joe Namath throw a touchdown pass. In sports poetry lies in the beauty of the moment, the majesty of its effect, and the long lasting memory of its greatness. There is no question that what Woods does on the course is the stuff from which legends are made.

Besides Snead’s record, perhaps the even more elusive and important number is 14 – Woods has been locked on that number of victories in the four majors since 2008. More meaningful to Woods is catching Jack Nicklaus, whose record 18 stands as a golden sports record in a way that Babe Ruth’s 714 home runs once did.

To clarify this record's Mount Everest quality, Snead only won the four majors 7 times. Gary Player and Arnold Palmer, both iconic golfers whose names can be said in the same breath as Nicklaus, won the majors 9 and 7 times respectively. Directly below Woods the late great Walter Hagen stands with 11, a number surpassed by Woods so early in his career that Nicklaus’s record appeared to be easily in reach.
After all his problems, it seemed Woods would never get back on track, but now that record is there for the taking again, and Woods is the only one around with a chance to reach it.

Tiger Woods is the superstar of golf, the reason why people follow the tour and watch on television. He is like a golfing Tom Cruise, and you can bank on his attracting interest and his performance always commands your attention, but perhaps more than ever this season. For now it is clear Tiger is playing like he did a decade ago, and that means all things are possible.

Photo credits: tiger trophy – usa today; tiger with club - getty images

Monday, May 13, 2013

First Mother’s Day Without Dad

Article first published as First Mother’s Day Without Dad on Blogcritics.

In the past I have written about the difficulties of living through Mother’s Day without my mother. This is now my seventh Mother’s Day without Mom, and it is no easier than the first. I think about her, wish she were here, and try to celebrate the spirit of the day for my wife and children's sake; however, there is a noticeable heft in my heart.

When I went to the grave to place flowers there, for the first time I was also placing flowers on my father's grave. As to get the fact into my mind, I traced his newly engraved name on the tombstone with my fingers, and I realized, perhaps for the first time, that he really was gone now.

In the past years since Mom passed away, I always had Dad as a support on this day. After all, we were suffering the loss and got through the day together. That gave me an emotional crutch to lean on, and we would share our stories and it felt as if Mom were there with us. Now with Dad gone, those stories are exclusively mine now.

My sister’s stories are hers and they were shared with them too, but there are those things you share by yourself with your parents, and those get filed in the memory banks as moments no one else is familiar with. Therefore, things that I could have just mentioned to Dad that we three experienced would make him laugh, perhaps something Mom did or said in our presence. Now only I know these things, remember them, and I realize they are lost when I pass on.

I know I am not alone in this; everyone eventually loses his or her parents. Of course, this is a natural progression of things. Now I go on, share what I can with my children, and realize some things do not need to be transmitted. Now if I see something that I could only reference to my parents, I speak to their ethereal presence, and I know that they hear me. More than ever since my father passed on I feel an aura, some spiritual companionship that is fleeting but I know is there.

So on this Mother’s Day I will try to get through the day knowing Mom and dad are together but also with me. They are watching me with my children and wife, and this helps me appreciate what is happening now. One day I will join them when I pass on, and there will be so much catching up to do for me because I believe they will already know everything that happened here.

If you do have your mother in your life, I wish you and her well. I hope you can be together, but if not there are ways you can connect from far away. Do not let the day slip away because one day you will wish Mom was here and you’ll only be able to bring her flowers in the cemetery. Believe me when I say at that time you will feel empty and lost and just wish you could have her back to kiss on the cheek.

Now I must get through my first Mother’s Day without Dad. It’s harder than I thought, but I will get through the day thanks to my own kids. Yes, I know Father’s Day is the next hurdle, but I’ll face that when the time comes. I’m told it gets easier with time but that hasn’t happened for me yet, and I have my suspicions that it never will.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

One World Trade Center – Now Stands a Symbolic 1776 Feet

Article first published as One World Trade Center – Now Stands a Symbolic 1776 Feet on Blogcritics

The final piece of the comeback of 1 World Trade Center was hoisted into place: a 408-foot antenna that now sits atop of the building, making it 1776 feet and the tallest building in the western hemisphere. 1776 connects with the year Americans declared their independence from England, and workers flew an American flag from the railing as the spire went up into the bright blue sky. It is a symbolic message to the world that not only this building but all of New York City stands tall and strong.

The World Trade Center has been called many things, including Ground Zero because it is here that the worst terrorist attack on American soil occurred. Many have called it a sacred place, and if you go there now and stand near the footprints of the old towers, where water cascades and mist flies, it is hard to not feel the spirituality of the place, to sense that those 2,753 souls lost on 9/11 are never far from there. It is a burial ground, a place where blood and bone mixed with concrete, steel, and earth. It is impossible to separate what happened here and what was lost; they are sacrosanct acres that should be seen as a place of remembrance and reverence.

I lost a family member and friends on 9/11, and in the days after the attacks every time I looked at the skyline the emptiness in that space where the Twin Towers once soared pierced me right into the heart. Not only were loved ones murdered but the physical damage compounded their loss, and as the city stood resiliently against the despicable evil that brought those buildings down, plans almost immediately went into the works to rebuild.

Over the years I heard people rant about this and that. Some called for the towers to be rebuilt just as they had been in their footprints, but the idea of making those voids sacred spaces made more sense. The concept of the Freedom Tower (now One World Trade Center) came into being, and the building would go up floor by floor and eventually defiantly stand out in the skyline, a message to those who would destroy us that we will never be defeated. New York is bigger than all its skyscrapers because its essence is not brick and mortar but flesh and blood.

As the original towers were being built I watched from my roof in Queens, and as they rose against the
skyline I felt like they were New York. Years later when I visited other countries and my friends would get postcards from people visiting America, invariably they would get one with a picture of the Twin Towers on it. They were a symbol of America’s greatness, and it doesn’t take much to understand why the terrorists hit them. They wanted us to break as the buildings did, but they miscalculated our resilience and determination.

So as I stand back and look at my city’s skyline now, I see the gaping space being filled. Now One World Trade Center soars up into the sky like a beacon of hope and strength. Other buildings are going up there too filling in the emptiness, like Two World Trade Center that will be a modest but still impressive 88 stories tall. As things go up we can’t help but remember the day everything came down so dramatically, and we inherently understand that this had to happen in order to get back to where we need to be.

There is also the controversy about the 9/11 museum that is opening next year (it will charge $20 admission fee), and the whole bloated $700 million mess that it became. This is not what families and friends of the victims wanted or deserved, but it was forced upon them. Whatever happens with the museum notwithstanding, millions of visitors from around the world will once again walk around Manhattan and tip their heads upward to see the magnificent new buildings going into place. They will stand close to the footprints and feel the surge of emotion this place causes, and this and the view of the skyline will not cost anything. That is how it should be.

The building is worth more than anything else because it was erected with those lost in mind. It is a monument, as soaring as any one in the world, and it stands tall and powerfully as a message to everyone. Those who would do us harm should take note that this proves they failed. They may have thought they won something but because New York stands taller than ever they lost big time. They just made us stronger, more determined, and showed the world what New York is all about.

One World Trade Center now touches the sky and our hearts. Yes, the pain never goes away, but it can be eased by knowing that what we are back big time. New York is not just the city that never sleeps but one that never gives up. That building is our symbol now and honors those lost in that sacred space and that is forevermore.

Image credits: 1 World Trade Center-ny daily news; workers – getty images

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Age-Old Question: Olivia or Peppa Pig?

Article first published as Age-Old Question: Olivia or Peppa Pig? on Blogcritics.

In my house the age-old question of the moment (with “age” being approximately between 4-12 years old) has to do with pigs, or more appropriately with animated pigs that appear in television shows. Nick Jr. here in the United States currently airs three shows with pigs as main characters, and poor old Porky is not to be found. Instead we have Toot and Puddle, Olivia, and Peppa Pig. For this discussion we are limited to the last two because Toot and Puddle was voted out of it. Therefore, my favorite “pig” show was determined by my kids to be unworthy of examination.

Olivia and Peppa Pig are for younger viewers to be sure, but although there are many similarities, there are distinct differences that set them apart. My son’s (4) favorite is Peppa Pig; my daughter’s (12) is Olivia, though she used to see the merit of Toot and Puddle, two pigs who travel by plane all over the world. In general she’d rather be watching Disney shows like Ant Farm and Shake It Up; however, since my son has no tolerance for “girl” shows, that is not to be when he is in the room.

Since both main characters are female pigs one could assume that these shows are meant for girls, but both feature little brothers (Olivia has two – Ian and William and Peppa has one – George), fathers (Olivia calls hers “Dad” and Peppa calls hers “Daddy Pig”), and male friends. Thus boys will find something of interest here, especially when the brothers are taunting their sisters (Ian is dubbed “my little bother” by Olivia).

My son likes shows that depict families, and in his opinion Peppa Pig has a family that he identifies with quite closely. Being a little brother, he sees the world as revolving around his bigger sister (nothing could be further from the truth), and George basically sees things as all part of Peppa’s world. My daughter likes Olivia more (and she has liked this show for years) because Olivia shares similar interests (plays piano, goes to ballet class, is an actress and born leader). Olivia tries to manipulate situations, and sometimes Ian is an accomplice akin to Ethel to Lucy in the old I Love Lucy sitcom; other times Ian torments her or blocks her plans.


What really sets these two shows apart even more are the worlds they depict. Olivia is a pigs only world. All her friends and acquaintances are pigs, as are her teachers, doctors, mail carriers, and police officers. In this world the painter Degas uses pigs as subjects, and Olivia allows her imagination to run away with her (in sometimes elaborate fantasy sequences) and she becomes famous people whom we know as humans but she envisions as pigs.

In Peppa Pig we have a much more diverse landscape. Peppa’s friends include Suzy Sheep and Danny Dog. There are many other species depicted, and this adds a richness and complexity lacking in its counterpart. Peppa’s world includes her navigating the ins and outs of most childhood dilemmas, but when all else fails she and her family revert to a snort and a dip in a muddy puddle to solve the world’s problems.

One of the great things that both of these shows have in common is a little girl (uh, pig) who dreams big, plays hard, and is not afraid to try new things. Olivia is much more dynamic and determined (perhaps because she is 6 and Peppa is only 4), but Peppa too knows what she wants and tries to get it.

Another especially important thing the shows have in common is cohesive family portrayals. I think my son particularly likes Peppa and family most because he sees the love they share, the fun they have together, and that the little brother gets many things that he wants (like a big dinosaur birthday party). I believe he is a little daunted by Olivia’s independence and her usually victorious outcomes over brother Ian (who is 4). He will watch Olivia and laugh when Ian teases or tortures his sister, but he is not pleased when Olivia comes out on top.

Peppa Pig is a British animated series from creator, director, and producer Astley Baker Davies. It has a distinct British feel with the characters all speaking with accents that my children recognize and enjoy. Olivia is a British-American series based on the books of Ian Falconer (my daughter always notes that his first name is the same as the brother who taunts his sister). Peppa “episodes” are shorts, lasting about five minutes a piece (which may be the main reason why my little one likes it more with his attention span).

Olivia shows are approximately twenty minutes and contain conflict and resolution within that span.
Both shows are family friendly, but Olivia has nice insider jokes that will make parents chuckle while the reference goes over their kids’ heads (Olivia mentions her “blue period” being over as a painter, for example). There is great theme music associated with each, which will keep the kids humming along, and both shows teach a “lesson” along the way, with Olivia being more sophisticated in delivery.

I would be remiss if I did not mention Toot and Puddle one last time. It is my favorite show of the three because the traveling pigs make me believe in anything because these pigs fly. My daughter used to like them but sadly she is on to more important things (like Dancing with the Stars), but perhaps my son will get what’s going on with them when he is a little older. Until then, I’ll be watching Olivia and Peppa and keep thinking, “Where’s Porky Pig when I need him?”

Photo credits: peppa pig-tvrage.com; olivia - newshoppher.sulekha.com; toot and puddle – timeout.com

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Randi Weingarten Tells Truth About Testing and Common Core Standards

Article first published as Randi Weingarten Tells Truth About Testing and Common Core Standards on Blogcritics.

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten has come out swinging against state testing that is aligned with the new Common Core State Standards. Weingarten knows of what she speaks – she has worked as counsel to United Federation of Teachers President Sandra Feldman from 1986-1998, a history teacher at Brooklyn’s Clara Barton High School from 1991-1997, President of the United Federation of Teachers from 1998-2009, and has been president of the AFT since 2008.


Weingarten noted that while the Common Core makes sense in the big picture that it should never have been allowed to be attached to state exams in ELA and Math, ones that will count on students’ records and in teacher evaluations. Of course, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo are all in favor of such a connection because it advances their plans to try to get rid of senior (read that highly paid) teachers. Weingarten rightly objected to such a ludicrous situation, citing how teachers have been poorly prepared for the CCSS, which means that their students will also be unready for them at this time.

This is not music to the ears of the state and testing companies because their lucrative (and dubious) relationship is based on the assessments and making them count. Isn’t it odd that even the NY State Education Department and the New York City Board of Education have expressed that they expect lower (perhaps much lower) test scores this year. So what are teachers, parents, and students supposed to think? Is this is business as usual or monkey business?

What Weingarten is saying is the clear and salient truth. Talk to the teachers whose students took the exams in April, or better yet ask the students how they felt about the tests. It is not surprising that there is an overwhelming voice of concern from those who are most directly affected by the testing. We are talking about students’ records and teachers’ evaluations, so it matters to them most of all. Parents should be outraged that the state and city accepted this situation without educators being adequately prepared.

Weingarten has called for the state and city to wait at least one year before they start using test scores to evaluate teachers; however, both Bloomberg and Cuomo are salivating like dogs over a bone. They are no doubt hoping for disastrous results and that will set the stage for their obvious plans to remove teachers in order to save money on salaries and benefits.

Sadly, none of this is a benefit to students. It is ludicrous to expect teachers to get an entirely new set of expectations in September, give them minimal training during the year, and think that they will have the students ready for the assessments in April. Weingarten’s call for a moratorium for a year not only makes sense but is an equitable way to bring teachers into the new reality of evaluations that are based on testing.

Like taxes, the Common Core is never going away, and teachers, students, and parents need to face the facts about it. There are great online resources like Engage NY that provide a rich resource for anyone who wants to understand the standards and expectations. Also, the goal of the CCSS is a noble one (to make students prepared more deeply and ready to join the workforce), although its connection to testing and testing companies has sullied its reputation for many.

Weingarten’s critics say that she is trying to protect her teachers, but the reality is that she is asking for them to be given a more reasonable amount of time for training. Asking teachers to teach what they do not fully understand is like asking a student in medical school to walk into the operating room and perform surgery. There can be no expectations except for disaster.

Hopefully, Weingarten’s plea will be considered as reasonable and teachers will be given a chance for more professional development, but that will not please those who wish to use these assessments for their own nefarious plans. In reality most of us know that after students teachers are the most important people in our schools. Most of them are on the front lines doing their best to help their charges succeed every day. Weingarten is asking for them to be treated as professionals and given proper training. The stakes are high and we must recognize that teachers should be treated fairly if we want our students to emerge from their classrooms well prepared to take not only the tests but to take on life.

Photo credit: ny daily news