http://muffinbottoms.org/?p=223

Or the 16$ iPod sock made out of an actual used sock from just needle, thread and scissors!

Well it’s refreshing to know someone else out there who I’ve never even met is thinking along the same lines.

I usually just link to an image someone else took so much trouble to make but I can only find it on facebook so I’ll download/upload here and give link back to THEIR facebook. I think you want to click /like/ on theirs for sure and see what ideas they come up with next, the really have it going on.

http://www.facebook.com/ImaginationF4U

New London Board of Education meeting at STMHS – Lecture Hall 7 p.m.

Thursday Night, 28feb13.

Each meeting airs live on Channel 22 Metrocast

Marco Frucht http://www.newlondon.org/Default.asp?PN=MeetingSchedule

Tambria Moore Board of education members include Ms. Margaret Mary (Peg) Curtin, Mrs. Delanna Muse, Mr. Jason L. Catala, Mrs. Elizabeth Garcia-Gonzalez, Mrs. Barbara Major, Mr. Bill Morse and Mrs. Sylvia Potter

mayor called on

mayor finizio recognizes boe

proclamation of Mayor designates March BOE month in city of NL

Says he won’t be there for the SOP initiative portion of the meeting as he has another meeting conflicting with this one on the Coast Guard museum

He believes the SOP proposal is good and pledges full support

Student recognition presentations

Isaiah Gomez – STMHS Student of the Month

Haley Brennan (STMHS) – Special Recognition for Exceptional Performance on the 2012 CAPT

Zakkiyya Griffin (STMHS) – Special Recognition for Exceptional Performance on the 2012 CAPT

Corinna Kraemer (STMHS) – Special Recognition for Exceptional Performance on the 2012 CAPT

http://images.pcmac.org/Uploads/NewLondon/NewLondon/Divisions/MeetingSchedule/AGENDA%20-February%2028%20%202013%20(Regular%20Meeting).pdf

deviating from the agenda, michael brown re program for competing for jobs in local economy

A Strategy to Prepare New London CT Students to Compete for Jobs in a Global Economy – Michael Brown..falls under the magnet school agenda item

talking about the foreign trade zone, and history of its formation and abandonment

leveraging of our location and access to global economy

there is an opportunity to grow nl into a center of trade

usa has about 20% of trade in global economy, how to get nl in the picture

port photo shows lumber from germany and other countries. yet not creating businesses around those products in nl

thailand uses our port, copper comes through our port, lumber etc.

we physically lie in the center of the global economy per a slide from Pfizer

highlighting a magnet school for international commerce

would develop skill sets around foreign languages fluency

talking about exportation of gas, coal and need to prepare students for those opportunities.

wanting to see fluency in a second language by middle school

transition nl high school, now perceived as substandard, create a school of international commerce to prepare nl to lead

core curriculum required by state could be enhanced with market place course work

he urges council and boe to seriously look at and consider this as way to create jobs and opportunities

speaks of 7th regiment which resides in nl, nationally ranked 5th in the world

7th regiment mission to prepare youth to maximize their skills and reach full potential

discusses the leadership of the program as degreed and highly specialized in the areas needed around music. it is a center of excellence with leadership – would work with the arts in nl to further nl goals

end of presentation

agenda reports and communications

letter from boe president to cga thanking for use of facilities for training session. for the record

letter from nlea, concerning contract article 24, institute continuing committee

is doing so, appointing herself and ms muse with dr fischer on that committee

report of committee

mrs muse chairs finance, reports as preparing budget 13/14 next tuesday, march 5 committee will meet re central serives 6 pm and march 6, re schools part, public hearing march 7 at this location and then discussion of budget of whole meeting in third flr conference room. budget to mayor by march 15

jason catala meets march 21 at 6 pm discussion of magnet school and academy

parent meeting march 14th at this location

dr fischer. principal of nlhs achieve 3000 program enabled success in improving cap scores

achieve 3000 presentation William Tommy Thompson

design of summer institute

the address the summer slide, reading dips with summer

widens achievement gap

set out to keep students in school longer, strategy to increase reading levels and teacher effectiveness. 100 9th grade entry students and existing as well as 10th grade recruited

goal to achieve one year of growth

also to increase teacher effectiveness

every less was recorded by video

team leaders sat with teachers post lesson to break down the process

pre assessments and post assessment. program company was reluctant to use preassessment and may not do their product justice in twenty day

program had bilingual support 1 to 20 ration

no ac during the summer facility was hot

had a uniform, shows t shirt

work hard be nice get better motto on the back

teachers ate with the student breakfast every morning and talk with them

computer based reading tool re non fiction ap articles of high interest with comprehension questions adapted to level of reader

everyone reads the same topic, at a level adapted to their reading level

goal read 40 articles in 18 days at 70 percent success rate

goal to double lexile growth. 94 percent attendance rate attributed to follow up to pressure kids and trip to ny

bbq and blue men group in ny

robert from achieve 3000 speaks

partner with the district to do one thing and do it well…increase student achievement

condensed one semester of work into 3.5 weeks

came to grade level and a half in that time. 74 lexile points

other cities 80 points, 91, 84 using the program in a year

touches on the prior presentation and the 1300 lexile level of college readiness

lexile levels for career paths available to set a goal

worked with dr fischers team in fall river with similar results

asked principal for feedback from students. one said it changed his life. tommy says he knew as a struggling reader the importance of reading better.

peg asks if students tracked over course of year. yes per tommy

trajectory is upward and plan on doing it again this summer

catala asks about the bilingual use of the program and thinks it would benefit esl students

tommy agrees it does, and any program is only as good as the administrators of it. the summer was a pilot to measure return on investment. return was phenomenal. will continue partnership. now 500 students, including all bilingual and special need students

they can read in article in their language and read the instructions in english, scafolding them into English

catala likes the video taping and coaching of the teachers

asking the student selection process of the 100

tommy looked at map scores, id of students below grade level reading. those are the students they aggressively sought for the program

teachers would come in teach 40 minute class, go to coaching with administrator or aspiring administrator for feedback

effective teaching such as turn and talk after the reading…how to get them to do so is a science, for effective talking

gave the teachers pointers on methods to prompt etc.

bill morse asks them to explain lexile

developed twenty years ago by metametrics to measure student progress in reading.

http://www.lexile.com/about-lexile/glossary/

they can benchmark their progress to take the guess work out of where they are as readers and where to adjust their skills customized to the student

connecticut is a common core state and this is the standard

they are having a student answer a poll question and vote yes or no, common score standards ask students to take a position with a text and then use critical thinking to state why, and summarize what they read

process developed around no child left behind

its about accessing information, do I agree with what I am reading, say in wikipedia.

tommy said students were accessing stuff at weird times on their own…middle of the night, after school…

from the program at home

peg asks if they take their new knowledge and assist their peers. tommy said they liked accessing information on their own, read at their level, set their own pace, etc. gaining confidence. students said they approach regular school year differently as a result

end of presentation

dr fischer no on extracurricular activity and gpa requirement of 1.7 this year and 2. next year

tommy has provided tables of data on impact re fall winter sports

dstrict policy exceeds ciac requirements

students determined ineligible, able to practice with team, received academic support, very few placed on academic probation as imposed by the school. team established an early warning system to id students in need of support, made rapid response team of coaches volunteers and teachers to change that trajectory. camels for whalers provided assistance

ct college

barbara major asks about whether money allocated to hire people was used

yes

dr fischers wife, marie gravel, etc have also helped daily

all area colleges were contacted per fischer. all helping.

businesses, etc as well

even though they offer to pay tutors, challenge to find people at that time of day

may have to move hours

concept to expand to any student below gpa, given the success of the program

students could practice as working to get above the 1.7

football had 6 below, identified during the course of the season

coaches looked at progress every five weeks

in addition to semester grades

if they were at that level and not attending class, looked at closer even

one coach required all such to attend study hall

asked if plan is written

no

they can go to their teacher to see what they need to do

team meetings would occur

catala asks about money allocated for people in place and what recruitment

positions posted, follow those guidelines

bill asks five weeks seems like a long period of time, would they consider three next year

a lot can happen in five weeks

staff at study hall in daily contact with teachers?

tommy said can look into timeline of monitoring, typically a unit exam is at four week mark

fischer says if you go in study hall volunteers walk around asking students about their work and class attendance

bill asks if staff is following up with teacher, and fischer says yes

also can check online, students missing assignments

all students are part of academic support program

bill asks if any remained benched, very few.

no student was benched throughout the sport season

sports and potentially clubs would come under this program

peg thought it had been not just for athletes. Barbara major thought it included clubs on vote. did not include band

barbara major had requested weekly progress report for her child to sign off on, would be helpful for the tutors to have that

ms major not that thrilled with it but glad to see they are getting the help they need. peg is glad she came around

catala concerned about confidentiality and volunteers

health school environment action learning

bdjms programs

ne science and sailing program and their forward thinking bussed to Stonington Borough

the grants are selective and so bdjms principal very proud

invites boe to basket bonanza

renzulli academy

one of three in the district grants is primarily about training staff

sustained funds will follow the student

will not result in school score going down, no…their score remains with their school

the school maintains the benefit of that students performance. looking at newer section of harbor

purpose to challenge gifted and talented based not just on cmt or ct mastery…also looks at non cognitive abilities, teacher recommendations

have a nl resident who put one of these schools together in hartford

second purpose is take what works and bring those activities to the students in other schools.

ms muse said idea at workshop was briefly talked about, she is shocked in reading hartford courant yesterday that it is set to be housed in harbor school. yet boe has not discussed it

extra budget expense, utilities, etc at harbor school cannot see why cant be at a particular school in separate classes like ap courses at high school

does the board vote on this, fischer says money follows the student, unclear how that occurs

audience applause

Peg thinks harbor school location up to city council

fischer says until released, it is school property

harbor school good sight to bring students from out of district

misperception legally where any school property stands

re edgerton school

glad through workshops or committees to discuss

dr adamowski

statute says technically school buildings and property are owned by municipality, under law when built as school and used as school, belongs to school for educational use. has to take specific action to turn it back to the city, formal action

point out much larger issue for nl schools. currently outsourcing 6.5 to educate special ed students. highest percentage in state

lowers per student expenditure by outsourcing

you will need every square inch you have to provide for students in your own district rather than bussing and outsourcing

has been hidden in past by the way these outsourced students were in the budget

lumps special ed, gifted and behavioral needs

major asks re annex building of harbor….fischer says can use as is

harbor school not handicapped accessible, could put special ed there, but not physically or multiply handicapped

some outsource charges include foster care, etc

number of districts have expressed great interest, increasing the dollars from them to us

major understands we outsource for special needs, can boe get idea re renzulli where every they go…couple of hours, all day… what happens

adamowski says small number of students would be all day, some shared time, some after school, some summer. it would be a gifted center

in connecticut gifted is part of special ed, would have a ppt to develop a program

potter asks if special ed would be placed in harbor school

fischer says other programs would be placed separate from renzulli, bringing them back from outsourcing.

outsourced students are all special ed

she says sounds like a plan to separate struggling students

adamowski says some, like autistic are bussed out, some distance. might have three or four class rooms for those students. might have classrooms for behavioral….basically multipurpose building

potter wants to look at this more

adamowsi says a very serious situation with number of outsourced students.

sense is it developed overtime and not managed well

skews tremendous amount of money out of district

potter understands that and believes in intermingling students of all kinds in an educational setting

adamowski says these students cannot mix with others, extreme and higher level needs

whether these students are located in district or out, in most cases they are in restrictive environments

adamowski thinks there may be some opportunities to have a restricted class in an operating school for an incremental period of time students could join a regular class

fisher says under individuals with dis act, required to take every step possible to make sure every option is looked at to have all students get prepared for success

proposes board to a workshop on special ed spectrum

some in full time residential programs, some get one hour of services

catala

suggests a field trip to a renzulli school

concerned about the 6.5 mill spent outsourcing

boe had been told in past doing a good job keeping as many students in city as possible, now hearing differently

muse asks about student starting at winthrop, then part of renzulli. asks what amount comes from winthrop. fischer says same as if student leaves the school district

as if the student moved to another town

for some this would be a percentage, for students spending a portion of the education at the renzulli school

fischer says need to talk about how this budget was developed and what it is meant to do

muse cannot understand why cannot accommodate at their particular school like the high school ap coursework

would not be eligible for this grant doing that says adamowski

a different model program is itinerant teachers who come to the school as she describes

over the last several years nl has cut that model dollars

adamowski says you could have a school based program if boe could fund by itself. cannot have magnet gifted and talented…as open to everyone by lottery

morse asks adamowski money connected with renzulli will only be forthcoming if separate program

Yes, it is for replication of the center program model

it could be within a school, yes

our classrooms

morse thinks academy for talented and gifted is a space issue, ties into curriculum k-12. does not like extractions. can look at each building, look at enrollment requirements and boe needs advised on current space use, current avail, and future next year needs

have to consider upgrade of spaces per their uses. not ready to make that decision without space use information and with the magnet vision etc

adamowski says have made decisions on Winthrop and Nathan Hale. to be made include bdjms and renovation of nlhs

adamowski asks, if you build a school, would you build it larger to accomodate.

adamowski says nl will need all space they have and perhaps more

morse says that is why they need a survey of what they are using, its condition, etc so they don’t operate 7 if you need 6. adamowski says the elementary schools are at capacity

liz asks how many are gifted and talents. fischer says envision about 50 students, cmt, noncognitive, recommendations and student work. in any population can be 1-2 percent. some students prefer not to identify as gifted and talented. some want full time some want part time

will bring recognition to district, may bring more funding. more funding can bring more programs. grant money breeds grant money. not intended to isolate kids, intention is to challenge

parents want their kids to have a greater challenge

says people are coming back to nl schools. this is about perception

there are requirements for starting a special ed program they are not necessarily cheap.

sks for submission of questions so they can respond

peg thinks some anxiety in teaching staff of changes that need to be answered

the grant is just for the training, used to train over time. train teachers who will be involved, and train trainers

miriam morales taylor suggested to come in with a workshop

muse asks if continual grants needed. no. once trained you continue to work with and train, even with teachers in other buildings

just as nl does with its math program

morse asks for space presentation prior to workshop

suspensions and expulsions

fischer directs attention to document

significant reduction of suspensions, expulsion not where they want to see it

were experiencing a lot of gang and pre gang stuff at hs

gangs in area have agreed to stop their activity in the hs, in cooperation with police, etc

intervention steps document

high school and middle school efforts to reduce suspensions in and out of school

have to have programs to reduce numbers due to issues and behaviors

trying to increase consistency in responses

consistent expectations

consistent adult presence in hallways

greeting and talking with students

increased communication

school culture to focus on problem solving rather than fighting

looking at programs with miriam morales taylor for in school programs

muse asks if boe can get breakdown of offense

adamowski recommends that be done annually

report policy not being followed per adamowski needs revisions

catala thinks list of interventions taken is a good list

fischer says the best prevention is students. they tell when problems build, they inform and ask for help.

magnet schools

letters from conl and nl harbour towers supporting magnet concept

jeff harris re third letter

opsail ct

part of the continuing presence of opsail would be educational. recommending maritime arts/industry magnet school with nl unique port and history

all three letters received for the record

ten minute break

public comment

mirna martinez

comment about budget 1.5 increase between schools and city only fulfills contractual and still could be cuts to busing. not able to bring back any service cuts.

setting nl up for no aspirations

renzulli – extremely concerned about setting this up in a city with already so many feelings between the haves and have nots

can do this in one setting instead of creating more disparity

the conversation of the 6.5 mill is actually special education services and gifted and talented etc confuses the topic

mongi

thanks parents for coming and teachers

gifted and talented separated into its own school is a bad idea. no business plan in place and considering funding another school

the special master and designation of the state, our priority is closing the achievement gap. we can do both, in the school

its a grant, a hook to buy into this program to establish this program funding it with resources we need to close achievement gaps

likes the achieve 3000. in school. ask the teachers what their problems are, listen to them about reading insufficiency

kathy

as parents they care for their own children, and others children

though of hanging on to harbor school without the finances to maintain them

does not like taking kids out of schools for the renzulli program. could be done inside existing schools

sees little things like the algebra class at benny dover

likes communication efforts, but recently cancelled last one

wants to be part of magnet school planning, renzulli caught parents by surprise

wants boe etc to encourage school governance the opportunity to review the budget as in the requirements

jason

appreciates boe asking questions about the renzulli charter school

says gifted and talented programs are good, but outside of the district as a charter school …a non profit private corp, with high admin overhead

not interested in taking the money out of the district

looks forward to the workshop

as for eligibility. extracurricular activities approve students as a whole. creating a barrier because they are struggling, make it available to everyone including those in sports.

support letters parroted adamowksi and fischer without informed opinion

may be a market interest in nl harbour towers letter writer

natasha

son at ct college childrens program

leery about sending her son to nl public school as her daughter there is not challenged enough. she has no incentive to do more than the norm

considering leaving, daughter has been moved from school to school and may not get into the school she desires due to the selection system of magnet schools

does not understand how we are at capacity in schools we build to attract more students

her daugher would not want to be separated because of her achievements

Tambria Moore society is not separated by how we learn and work differently

adjin

issue with money, administration board has 100k plus salaries, cut that and put it to the kdis

pockets getting fatter while kids are in poor buildings, bussed, nothing getting done

you get a raise from progress, not as matter of practice

william

son goes to nathan after st marys closed

attends pto meetings

son has progressed in math and reading

the magnet school system he has questions

hoping the website has the answers

asking goals, sufficient funds to be competitive in hiring and maintaining best and brightest teachers, guidance counselors for mid and high school. more teachers needed to reduce class size. does it allocate funds for repairs. boe and parents obligated to provide a quality program

regina

achieve 3000 program question 100 students with 16 teachers, class sizes need to be reduced

does not mean they need to be moved to separate school, just restructure to better serve students

comments that all have to set expectations of the students. tommy set expectations and did it.

kids in poverty can learn

set the expectation early and they will succeed

renzulli comment by fischer to train other teachers with same program within existing schools….why start with separate school.

capacity after magnet implementation or now?

gwen

community organizations with questions re magnet

when is the final decision, what magnets.

survey gone from web

who got to respond, what was the count, how long was it online

there will be a compilation and will be public information

cheryl

to morris, congrats on comment about harbor school and concerns

ill informed boe, you need to ask questions and expect answers.

job for network …is that a new position, why if so why with teacher cuts

if an old position with new description usually means more money

approval of minutes

approval of sop

morris asks if they have considered an international baccalaureate program

have to look at cost, time, resources, or make possible to go to regional existing program at fitch high school

district charter school development question

adamowski says misinformation floating around

says it is operated by the district and money stays here under reform

ufficient questions to take this strategy out and approve the rest

wonderful workshop topics to explore by the boe per adamowski

they need to commit to an improvement plan now

bill moves to strike 1.d from sop

morris

he agrees to a, b and c with three pathways to k-12

looks at redesign of curriculum and use of buildings. should and would rather have public hearings first

boe meeting cut off from cable

end of my blogging

sorry for any name spelling screw ups and of course my usual typos with my dysfunctional keyboard

Marco Frucht wow, about 45 minutes of meeting wasn’t included in the cable broadcast? After 1.d Mr Morse had lots of questions about lots of things and wanted many thing to go before the public for hearing and such. I don’t get the sense he felt very heard after they tried to get many up and down votes back to back and then adjourn the meeting anyhow. The two things I know for sure that passed were Network Administrator position getting filled and changing to a full magnet system, even though there’s no business plan and no timetable.

[ref]=[ http://www.facebook.com/groups/260778357373892 ]

http://www.newlondon.org

]]> http://muffinbottoms.org/?feed=rss2&p=1018 0 http://muffinbottoms.org/?p=1010 http://muffinbottoms.org/?p=1010#comments Mon, 04 Feb 2013 21:32:38 +0000 admin http://muffinbottoms.org/?p=1010 OK,

Beyonce LipSync’d the National Anthem and she sang her medley of perishable non-memorable hits “LIVE.”

Anyone hardly even know what LIVE means anymore??? Yes, she cranked up the mains and left her full-on backing track pumping loudly in her monitors so you mostly heard her, and faintly heard everything she prepared. She really could have just skyped the entire show in but she had something to prove. Back when she was young, she sang a capella on late night shows. She was one of the few artists who didn’t put a rider in their contract refusing all a capella songs, even Happy Birthday. Many artists resented her that. She was very talented. She can sing like a bird, and she often does, but she isn’t very courageous and she most likely never wrote a real song in her life.

Flash forward to the present. She has been singing more and more with the Backing Track dialed in and cranked up to… well to 11. Yupper, she can’t dance OR sing live as well as Madonna. (and that’s not saying much.) Should we compare/contrast her voice with Odetta’s? Aretha? Mario Lanza? Nina Simone. South Park’s Chef even… OK I’ll stop there. As for dancing, right! She’s no madonna, she’s not even a Paula Abdul or a Janet Jackson. In fact can I complain about something as far as dance moves go? Janet and Paula already did all that. I rarely see anything done by anyone that hasn’t already been regimented 15 times already the past 50 years! (except maybe Pink but that’s different)

Who’s going to be the next James Brown, Little Richard, Madonna or MJ? It’s not Nicky Minaj and it’s not Lady Gaga and it darned sure isn’t Ms. Knowles.

So OK, she admitted publicly she lip sync’d the National Anthem, and then belted it out a capella to show the world that she can carry a tune if asked. And then she proceeded to lip sync a medley of potent soundbytes during the Superbowl’s halftime that was so stunningly flawless that she can now forever say she did it “live.” Yup, virtually live. What’s the truth-in-advertising quotient on that one, does it have to be 26% live to call it “live?” Well she nailed it at something like 66% or more. Yay. Happy for her.

Songs that are “not worth lip-syncing!” as many of my friends keep suggesting, I’m serious people. We’re going to remember “Yesterday,” and “Summertime,” “Johnny B Goode” and “Follow The Drinking Gourd” forever, trust me. “Wipe Out,” yes, and the “Hawaii 5-0 Theme song;” but “put a ring on it?” “If I were a boy?” “Me myself and I???” Oh come on. I already attribute “If I were a boy” to little Mimi Sledge of the Sledge Grits band because she does it with just vocals and an acoustic guitar better than Beyonce EVER could.

Well, Pete Seeger, his Grandson Tao and Bruce Springsteen led a civic choir of hundreds in This Land is Your Land. 100% live with a very meaningful song. All the verses to boot! Not a backing track to be found for miles. I would challenge people like Beyonce to write a real song for once or get out of the way so people like Beyonce’s little sister Solange, Frank Waln, Kinnie Starr, Crystal Crow Dog, Wab Kinew and I can make our way up there where we belong.

Idle No More.

That’s all I can say for now.

Pete Seeger sings “This Land Is Your Land” for President Obama’s Inauguration

follow the drinking gourd: (Audio)

Immortalized song Summertime from Porgy and Bess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_db7zHR7cc

Same for Johnny B Goode

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG7UL9NfP8c

http://twcguilds.com/assets/screenplay/django/screenplay.pdf

These are raw notes and I’m not going to bother editing. You get me thinking out loud on many levels from the straight up, straight forward, straight and true, to the anthropological, mythophilosophical and metaforical too. Enjoy!

Carrucan Plantation. My mind wanders to Caracas pretty quickly.

I believe “Field N____” on page 8 of the script is the first use of the ‘N’ word. Spike Lee and others are bothered by what they’re calling overuse of this word but of course the entire movie is about plantation life in the early moments before and after Lincoln’s ever so famous “Emancipation Proclamation.”

It was never clear to me that it was a $20 gold piece to purchase the horse, just a large looking coin. Too easy in today’s society to think maybe it was a Quarter or a Silver Dollar maybe.

Pg 10: King Shultz insists Django name his acquired horse. He has great difficulty agreeing to accept ownership. I wish they would have kept that in the movie. Could have been a great treatment of Indigenous thought versus anglo philosophy.

17: Love the smalll derringer extended from a handshake. Early foreshadowing maybe, of the Three Musketeers references to come.

Umm, afraid to say this out loud but I noticed Quentin Tarantino is not good at a/an with words starting in vowels. “a onion,” “a honest person,” etc. hehehehe

I tend to overthink things now and then, but Town of Daughtry makes the word Husbandry come to mind, like marriage but also animal husbandry, like chattel slavery as well.

THINGS WE MISS in movies that stay in a script:

20: “don’t make any quick movements and let me do the talking,” Django looks at him like, “as if…”

The movie’s signage specified Servant Uniforms I think but I don’t remember seeing “House Negruh,” or “House N___” whereas the script calls for it.

27: A little bit of cognitive dissonance for me in both the movie and the script. Jerry the boy who works with glass. His mama works at the lumber yard. I can’t tell if he’s a white or mixed indentured servant or a kid of a freed slave or what.

Oh Betina ribs Django for wanting to dress in blue Flauntleroy. In the movie he picked it. In the script Shultz made him wear it.

Spyglass the type a Sea Captain might use. Shades of Frederick Douglass maybe.

So “I’m sure he dead,” was an ad lib? Go Jamie Foxx!”

47: “Frankly I’ve never given anybody their freedom before. And now that I have, I feel vaguely responsible for you.”      Wow. I ponder that when looking back at my marriage and divorce. I’ll say no more about that, just that I truly feel like I freed someone who just couldn’t consider herself free and stay married.

54: Django finds Broomhilda, I think in the movie Shultz found out from rumormill or word on the street.

Not sure why the auction complete with bidding was cut out of the film, maybe time constraints?

“A seventy-five year old Indian on a mule makes a bid.” I would’ve wanted Tarantino, someone part Cherokee to expound on that one, that’s for sure.

57: “She climbs into the driver’s seat in more ways than one.” If it can be done, without being too preachy, I would have loved more documentary stuff about free/slave sexuality and also the dynamics and power differentials exploited using ones’ body or someone elses’ body, etc. Is “pony” legit from history? I never read about that before. That’s new to me for sure.

70: “You want me to play a black slaver?? There ain’t nothing lower than a black slaver. Black slavers are even lower than head house N___’s, and buddy that’s pretty F___ing low.”

Mandingo fighting pretty much lines up script and movie both. Even, “He’s just being cheeky…”

Confirmation of Broomhilda’s presence is about the same too.

“Candie gives Django a creepy smile.”  I don’t remember seeing that in the film.

86: “I pay 500 dollars I want 500 fights. So what about my 500 dollars? You gonna reimburse me?”            The whites (except for Schultz) laugh. He’s comfortable with the wider economy of the deep south in Chattel Slavery but not supportive of it ethically or morally. The script shows that well. I’m not sure the movie does. Only mention I remember is in the saloon while asking Django to hire on as his sidekick.

I didn’t catch in the movie that getting emotional and wanting to pay the 500 was a break in character. In the script I see that.

That Django has seen worse doesn’t come to me in the movie either. I think Tarantino expected both Schultz’s and Django’s characters to be more developed at this point than they already are. Time probably didn’t permit but maybe more could’ve been done in the soundtrack or with visuals maybe.

Calvin blinks. Django wins a staring contest I didn’t notice. I’ll want to see the movie again just to see if it happened and I just didn’t see it.

I think a lot about the fact that all this was just 120 years ago or so. Someone alive today could have a grandparent or four who would be children of recently freed slaves. This is not ancient history, and I feel that many of the attacks on Tarantino’s use of the N word or the very mention of slavery in a comprehensive way for that matter, might be misplacing a defensiveness over their own family name. Or guilt by neutrality maybe.

Similar to issues over Native American genocide if you ask me.

I wonder if Tarantino’s treatment of Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) comes along from a desire to get the subject of “house N____” back on the table for discussion; it’s been hushed since whatever year Harry Belafonte called Colin Powell one for his “step n fetchit” obedience to Bush’s Iraq war.

Hahahaha. Stephen only misses Calvin Candie like a rock in his shoe in the script. All the other descriptives must be Samuel L. Jackson ad libbing. Script characters that didn’t make it to the movie, but I won’t belabor those details.

The cruelty to mandingos in the script wasn’t something I particularly missed in the film. Good choice not overdoing that I think.

The interaction between Stephen and Django in the Big House might have been illuminating. Freedmen treating a House N___ as if he’s his owner. Shows a lot of deep south dynamics including contemporary emotional issues I bet. Which brings me back to Harry Belafonte and Colin Powell jousting again.

114: The two weeks in boston joke worked much better in the movie than in the script for me. The southern accent probably did it.

Stephen calling Candie’s Boston joke unfunny shows a closeness between the two of them that’s only shown a little bit in the moive. That could’ve helped develop that relationship I think.

Ace Woody telling Django that with Calvin dead Lara probably won’t care much about Mandingo fighting could get into some dynamics too but was probably superfluous to the film. Quite a bit more torture in the script than the movie. Maybe discussed in group was how to imply it without showing everything. Or even just showing a little and not having to belabor the point.

“Seemed like folks never had a bright idea in their life,” says the script but I’m pretty sure Stephen says “white folks” in the film.

146: “Django is damn convincing.”

Damned straight this inner piece of Tarantino writing is a Tall Tale within a Tall Tale that would make Mark Twain proud.

“Instead of [Gambling] chips they play with “N____ ears,” yes the ears of slaves.” Where on earth did you find this?

162 Closeup of Broomhilda as she watches this.

I would’ve liked this kept in the film. Don’t want to give any spoilers but I’ve wanted four characters developed from beginning to end. Django, Hilda, Stephen, and King Schultz.

A lot can be done with eyes and hands.

Last comment for now. I would’ve wanted the song “Follow The Drinking Gourd.” Maybe Richie Havens’ version, maybe mine, hint, hint…

In two places in this movie, maybe a few other places.

Especially whenever the North Star is mentioned.

More about Django?

http://muffinbottoms.org/?p=990

Comparing Navajo Joe with Django.

Title: ‘Inglourious Basterds’ Was ‘Navajo Joe??’

Well here I’ll do the same, essentially some raw notes after seeing ‘Django’ (the d is silent) twice and then sitting myself down and watching Navajo Joe again.

Navajo Joe callbacks to/from Django Unchained

by Marc Frucht

7:47 Tips over a horse with rider falling to the ground.

of course scalping, letter R on cheek for runaway slave

10:18  Wanted posters. Bounties. Scalps. Corpses

13:11   “no sale.”  Arresting you for murder.

15:10   “you won’t have to run around chasing stinking indians just for a few dollars…”

17:21 the music is very very similar, thank you Ennio Morricone

A lot more hand to hand combat in Navajo Joe than Django, but shooting and shooting into dynomite is similar.

21:35  Posse horseriding up over the crest of the hill has the same feel as the klan riders before they start their argument.

24:06  shoot em ups are much looser in Navajo Joe than anything Tarantino does. Everything seems more calculated and direct in Django Unchained

26:17  rosepetals in the wind. Note the blood spatterings on the cotton in the fields early in Django

Burt Reynolds is a one man vengeance machine killing everyone on his way to doing his nemesis Duncan in; whereas Django is helping a bounty hunter go after a new person each scene.  Although there is the focus on freeing Broomhilda for the entire back 2/3′s of Unchained.

29:30 whistling for the horse to follow a command. Kind of parallel to the victory dance at the end when all of Candyland was destroyed.

31:00 Estella interrupting something important. I’ve forgotten where there were interruptions of conversations throughout Django but I’m pretty sure there are some parallels there too. The womens’ characters are better developed in Navajo Joe than in Django I think. Tarantino kind of makes everyone besides Uma Thurman kind of “flat.”

34:55 I don’t think Navajo Joe has said a word yet, just killed and killed.

35:19 “I brought you a train.” He speaks simple words, but never in an accent making fun of NDNs perhaps because Burt Reynolds is part Cherokee and fought against that.

38:26 “plus the reward that’s posted for Duncan” there’s the bounty hunter.

44:57  ”and one more thing. I’ll need some dynomite.”

49:50 “and his father before him, and his father before him… now which one’s American…”

55:07 No tricks Duncan. Don’t worry you’ll get your half. Safes. Remember the tooth at the top of the Dentist wagon?

56:12  Chester, the NDN has it all. He tricked you.

Dynomite thrown.

Empty rolls to look like sleeping people under the dental wagon?

57:16   Hostage. “I’m gonna kill this woman.” ‘Hilda? “she’s an NDN just like you

58:01 torturing Joe… parallel to the castration scene maybe. (close to the end of Django so I don’t want to give away too much there)

59:10 Spurrs on boots. again at 59:30 on Navajo Joe’s neck. I think in Django they were 5 pointed stars or something, and looked more for show than poking horses’ bodies.

59:47  horsewhip and something resembling eaglebone whistle sounds. very high pitched, maybe piccolo.

1:00:47  String him up by his feet.

1:05:22 gets out of the “string.” I don’t remember how Django gets out of his mask and shackles.

1:14:09 “my revenge” — Duncan.

1L17:05   “navajo joe” on the horse. foiled. it’s Jeffrey symbol carved in his forehead with a longknife.

1:18:10  Dynamite in the saddlebags.

1:25:29 “you won’t escape now, redskin”   — reminds me of “I count 6 shots, nigguh; I count two guns nigguh…”

1:27:32  ”I know you’re a bounty killer, you want to have my bounty.”

this belonged to my woman. do you remember her?

OK, the tomahawk flying through the air into someone’s head has a similar feel to someone flying from one room to the next being shot. I’m avoiding two spoilers there, or I’d say more.

The horse delivering the town their money all by his/her self. Humanizing horses shows up in lots of westerns, not least of which is Django.

I’ll end this essay with a question that’s not rhetorical. I’d love an answer some day. Is Quentin Tarantino a guitarist? I know his stepdad played guitar and piano. But it doesn’t say he plays anywhere. But not only does he have writer credits in many of the songs to the Django soundtrack but I’m noticing that the whole soundtrack is very very guitar driven. Lots of Dm, Gm and Am pieces.

(Another Accidental Guitar Lesson)

by marco frucht

You caught me. It was me all along.

I invented tapping in the middle 1700′s when I was in Paris picking up chicks. There was something majikal about playing the guitar back then. You ended up with scores of wives. I mean before weddings even. They were all willing to call themselves your wife with no strings attached. Imagine a wife in every town taking care of your children with no commitment save for an occasional waltz or sarabande. All you had to do was send a buck or two once in a while or maybe a manuscript to show some progress, and of course you must tell them when you’ll be there performing next; if even a year later!

Oy!

I felt like Mischy Barishokov, I had so many wives. And none of them were formal weddings. So no paternity suits! And all because I could tap. We called it “tokarring” back then.

It was my 35th wife, Elena Sanz, who coined the phrase “tapping.”

“My husband can tap like a racehorse,” she was heard saying. And then I was challenged by guitarists all over France, Spain and also Honduras for some strange reason. It wasn’t until I got to Chiapas, in the late 1800′s before I knew that people had been tapping since long before me. Chiapanecas can tap your socks off. I believe Charo was the best at it, even if she wasn’t the first.

Oh, April 1, 1894, I remember that date well. Charo and me tapping by the moonlight until 4 am, maybe 5. But then her father came by with a huge musket and called me a “dirty Castillian tapper” and told me if I didn’t stay away from Charo he’d have my P, I, M AND my A cut off.

Last I knew Charo was married to a cabinetmaker and recorded a dozen or so albums herself. All her children know how to tap. Actually it comes naturally to them.

Tapping was a lost art until the 1960′s. Before that I thought for sure, I was the only one still doing it. Then suddenly Andres Segovia added tapping to his repertoire. And next thing you know, going into his 70′s Segovia’s got newborn babies singing his praises in NY, Boston, Paris, and Honduras just like me. Oh, Andres, Viagra’s got nothing on you, babe.

Everyone knows the story of how Eddie Van Halen learned to tap. He found out about it in a musty old issue of Playboy behind the orange barn in Santa Cruz, CA on a hot september day in 1970. The thirteen year old was reading an interview I gave to George Plimpton where I basically described tapping in full detail.

“You put your pinky here…”

The story was called “Making Her Sing,” but I swear I had nothing to do with the titling. Probably Plimpton’s sick sense of humour.

Eddie (EVH became his nickname, or Vertical Hold for short) couldn’t wait to try it himself. He was doing it in front of television one day and saw a flamenco star named Bertilucci Valderon tapping her little butt off on one of those Brady Bunch type shows and he just knew he had to tap with her.

“Get me Valderon,” he told his agent on the phone. The agent called her, but she wouldn’t return the calls for days. So vertical hold Halen took matters into his own hands. He hopped into his maserati and found out where she’d be driving her mustang. He came to a stop light and speeding up next to her, he tapped into her.

The rest is history. They have 72 children, almost all of them of tapping age, and Eddie gives an occasional tapping lesson at one of the local guitar shops; where he still furthers the myth that he invented the techique of tapping.

Nah, I don’t say anything, because I know who started it.

And besides, who else has to know besides you and me? Oh and my wives.

Tapped In Wisconsin,

marco

http://marcosongs.com

On Thu, 1 Jul 1999, Craig Nelson wrote:

> tapping was a classical technique long before evh or anybody else tried it.

correct.

> Steve Cobham wrote in message

> > On 26 Jun 1999 15:22:37 GMT, (Magicween) wrote:

> > >Give me a specific example to prove me wrong, that guy from Genisis is

> known as “The Father of tap”.

No! What was said, was “that is one tapped daddy.”

> > Harvey mandel before Steve Hackett and before HM some jazz guy, but the name escapes me.

Byrd? Reinhardt?

A free lesson from Marco Frucht:

Not to be too much the complainer; but all four songs in the Mel Bay book work you out on the A string’s ‘C’ note but not the ‘B’ and ‘A’ notes even once.

I’m afraid this might be an oversight that has gone unnoticed by teachers all over the world for something like 65 years now!

I’ve written an Etude in Am that includes all three of those notes as well as everything on the four higher notes that a student has already mastered and worked out on inside of the Mel Bay book, so the learner won’t develop too many bad habits before moving on to the 6th string.

I’ll put up an mp3 of how I play it, for any who wish to work out with it.

[ http://www.reverbnation.com/open_graph/song/15130863 ]

I’ve made Standard Notation of the first two passages so far, and as soon as I’ve done two or three more, I’ll put up a youtube with the same audio and a page of notation to refer to so you can play along fairly easily.

I might propose that this be added to any next edition of this book that has dominated the guitar learning world since 1947.

Sincerely,

Marco Capelli Frucht

http://www.frucht.org

http://www.marcosongs.com

Produced by Marco Frucht

Directed By Andrew W Proctor

DP Alan Smithee

Edited by Andrew W. Proctor

Audio Boom/Mixer Marco Frucht

Additional Boom and Audio / Wife

Alexandria Hellwig

Police Chief White  – Elle

Hitman — Arnet

Capt. Richard Douglass — Andrew W. Proctor

Music by

Marco Frucht – “Revelation 13″

Suicide Dolls – “Drive”

“Want”

Royale Brothers – “Kill Hand”

Written by

Mike Merli

Andrew W. Proctor

Daughter – Stephanie Schmidt

Corpse under sheet – Mike Merli

Prank Caller – Marco Frucht

Big Thanks to Captain’s Pizza and Joey Royale

Here’s a copy/paste blog of my trip to Milwaukee and back for the ISMAs and the Indian Summer Music Festival.

I played on the Potawatomi stage and the Miller Lite stage and had a blast!  So glad I went. Definitely one of the high points of my music career.

Marco Frucht shared a link.

September 6

One work shift, twice as much driving and then a performance in ILLwaukee (Potawatomy stage at Summerfest Grounds,) then an entire weekend of enjoying one of the nicest 26th annual festivals in our whole entire nation.

Listening to ‘Cult of Personaliy’ a a Sonic west of Stroudsberg. This is livin’ !!

I ride a Danville paint /
I ride a Danville paint /
I’ve never used the word aint in a song /
I ride a Danville paint /

In Sandusky stretching out the new knee the army gave me way back when. I don’t remember to do that as often as I should.

Greeting the sunrise in Indiana helps me not care that gas here is 4.39 a gallon lowest price! Also having filled up in Ohio at 3.69 helps me not care either.

http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_14468442

Here’s a live recording of Cody Blackbird guest soloing on my song “Beauty Way” at NDN Summerfest in Milwaukee Wisconsin last night.

I rolled off the bass, and added some light breathiness and hard limiting to the recording but other than that it’s pretty pure and raw. I thought it didn’t come out too badly for having simply placed a stereo mic right onstage near my feet.

High point of my time at NDN Summerfest so far was sharing a stage with seasoned flute player Cody Blackbird I hope someone got pics or video.

Last night backstage I got to hang out with old school comedian Charlie Hill quite a bit and at some point he told me that Tito Ybarra is the funniest young man he’s met in his entire career. I can’t wait to tell him that. So this is one of several high points of my trip so far, including seeing Wade Fernandez and Dustin Leeperform again, and getting positive feedback about my CD from my peers and my mentors, but I think the highest point is still sharing a stage with Flute Player Cody Blackbird. Oh, and I have a special announcement coming soon.

OK, I just don’t know how to articulate just how funny this theater troupe were:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQjTBDxz8K4

I got more video but this is all I can put up for now.

Enjoy

This once-a-year ecumenical Church service is the only one that has ever felt just like the one I participated in at the National Cathedral in 1992. Thank you Creator and also thank you, Father Ed!

Wow, Milwaukee must’ve invented the Americano. I’m in Hi-Fi cafe right in the heart of BayView having one that would make any Starbucks barista cry.

Yes, I had some frybread. Yes I also had some wild rice and some buffalo meat. Mmmm. NDN Summerfest was a blast. I don’t think any of my personal friends won an ISMA but of course several FB friends did. And I probably feel the same way they do, bummed a little but just plain happy to have been considered. It was a wonderful weekend. Seeing so many old friends again, both people in and out of the

industry was wonderful, and so was watching the last quarter of the Packer Game with my friends Joel and Mollie and their kids. Lastly I’ll mention that three mornings in a row I was reminded how much I miss the cool lake breeze that keeps you gently air-conditioned until about 10 or 11 am when it starts to get hotter than one of Dante’s chambers. Having lived in Milwaukee for 4 years and Green Bay for 7 will remain a goodly part of my life’s story and returning to NDN Summer each year as often as I can keeps me feeling a part of it all.

Leaving Milwaukee, I’d better quote some Dustin Lee:

It took your city to believe/ You put your heart out there for me/ That’s why I’m sorry, but I’m gonna have to leave/ Oh, Milwaukee, you got the best of me.

Two new places to purchase my CD’s are:

http://www.dryhootch.org/

on Brady Street, Milwaukee and:

Peace Action Wisconsin on East Keefe Avenue

QUANTUM MOMENT: Breezed by Chicago too fast to remember and reflect that their teachers struck this a.m. I’ll have to send them some solidarnos yesterday.

Another reply that belongs a status I think:

I gravitate toward people who write a song or three every day and try to ignore people trying only for grammys or sound exactly like someone else. Ironic, that this is much of the reason many grammy and emmy winners call me “peer” and I call them and many other nonwinners my mentors.

12 dollar toll for gw bridge??

Unreal. Wasnt this bridge paid off back in Benedict Arnolds years???

Thnx exponentially inflated toll booths between ny and mke. You’ve taken one of my best guitar gigs ever and just destroyed my memory of it. Half your lights are not on, the roads are still terrible, and your perpetual construction projects as far as the eye can see are dangerous and a huge bother. I’m simply lining your pockets and I’m left very bitter and resentful.

Here’s a poem I read at the Miller Lite stage called Journal Poem 23, which will be on my upcoming album “Poems 4 Roberta Blackgoat.” The theme this year to NDN summerfest was storytelling, and Joy Harjo, Joe Bruchac, and Denise Sweet and others were there too this year performing spoken word, comedy, poetry, everything too, not just music. Cody Blackbird accompanied me on flute for both poems that I read. I thought it added a lot.http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_14513836

Here’s Nammy winning flute player Cody Blackbird accompanying a native youth fashion show during the NDN Summerfest in Milwaukee last weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic0TJi8fw14

Marco Frucht shared Joel Butler‘s video.

Thursday

Sunday night I watched the last quarter of the Packer game over the house of my friends Joel and Mollie. Their 5 year old, Lucy informed me that she has had “Frybread” in her favorites for a very long time. I played the song live for her, and shortly after that she wrote up some new lyrics to it. Yes, right on the spot. Here’s her rendition right from that moment.

IMG_1896

One more bit of footage from the Aztec dancers. Amazing performers, eh?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lEgBnl4E2w

Here’s more from New Native Comedy Theater out of Minnesota performing a “traditional” hand drum song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6sFTnqJWzQ

Wait, you mean I can add “Award winning filmmaker” to my name? Neat. Thank you 48hour filmfest!

http://www.48hourfilm.com/en/newhaven

Hear Me – YouTube
► 5:21► 5:21	www.youtube.com/watch?v=niLWdYJ8C8oAug 3, 2012 - 5 min - Uploaded by TES4Jones http://www.48hourfilm.com/ Third Eye Productions and Olive You Crew Productions entry to the 2012 New …

Well there goes the neighborhood. A short and to the point video essay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmq-mri2ITw

Copies of Marco Capelli Frucht’s CD Soffty Fasnfftof can now be purchased also at Looney Tunes in Wakefield! So all you URI profs who might remember my dad and students who might remember me… Go get em!

And if you’d like to hear it before purchasing, go to Cool Beans Coffee and ask them to play it for you.

http://www.coolbeanscaferi.com

Why yes it is, and I go, “any relation to Mike Palazzolo?” and they say yes, his brother. Small world. I know Mike pretty well from different bands the past 4 or 5 years around New London County and Rhode Island and stuff, right?

So that’s that, the world is getting smaller, eh?

But wait, there’s more.

So the following January I’m at Namm in Anaheim and I actually get a couple opportunities to meet Bruce Zinky the guy who invented the Smokey amp. I’m telling him the whole story about bringing the guitar to Westerly and seeing the amp in my case, etc., and at some point a guy walks up and says, “Excuse me, could you tell that part about Stonington and Westerly again?” So I backtrack and when I get to the part about “Tony Palazzolo,” he reaches his hand out and says, “Tony Palazzolo, nice to meet you.”

What a trip!!!

Every time I tell this story I can feel the planet shrinking a little more…

That is all I can say for now.