School Sports and Homework in The Atlantic

Time. Despite living in an era with more leisure time than at any time in history, Americans are constantly complaining about how busy they are and how they have no time. For American students, the two primary issues that take up their time are athletics and homework. The debate over the benefits of both sports and homework are endless, and this month magazine version of The Atlantic investigates both topics.

State Concerns about Common Core

60% of Americans have little-to-no knowledge of the new academic standards and expectations that are being implemented in nearly every state across the nation.  The Common Core State Standards are a new set of guidelines for academic expectations that were developed and implemented by a consortium of state governors, education researchers, and business-oriented foundations.  The goal was to guarantee some minimal level of grade-level competence for math and literacy with the intent that no child would be denied access to a quality college prep curriculum as simply a result of geography - i.e.. where he lives.

Of course, this is not without controversy. Conservatives and the GOP - when they're not busy shutting down the government to prevent the implementation of a law - are challenging the Common Core as an unnecessary and unconstitutional intrusion of the federal government into education, which is the business of the state. In fact, the Common Core is not "Obama-Core," as the current administration had nothing to do with drafting or implementing the standards. However, the feds have strongly encouraged adoption of CCSS by linking Race-to-the-Top and NCLB funding to it.

Other opponents are criticizing various components of the new standards, with the teaching of math being the biggest target.  Common Core alleges to move children "beyond computation" to guarantee students understand math on a "conceptual level." However, the practice of that is upsetting many parents and kids, and this issue most recently raised its head with the posting by "South Dakotans Against Common Core."  As you can see in the homework below, a child is given almost no credit and the lowest grade possible because he doesn't display the "conceptual side" of 25 - 6 = 19. As he notes, "he found it out in his head."

Certainly, there is a lot more to the issue worth investigating. And parents and students should have serious interest in understanding the Common Core.

Government Shutdown Should Shut Down Congressional Pay and Benefits

As recent as fifteen hours ago, my students and my son asked me if I thought the government shutdown was going to happen, and I answered no.  My reasoning? They're not that stupid. Alas, Congress proves me wrong again. And, of course, I took to the social media waves when I realized that Congress will still be paid during the shutdown. That is ridiculous. They are federal employees. And if 800,000 other federal employees are locked out of their paychecks, that should extend to those responsible for making it happen. But I will go one step further - Freeze Congressional health benefits immediately. Because this whole ridiculous debacle is related to health insurance, Congress should lose access to health benefits until it is resolved. The Treasury should not pay their premiums and they should shoulder all medical costs out-of-pocket until they open the government's doors. And, to hear the news of Congressman being basically shit-faced drunk during the run-up to the shutdown, they and their livers may be inclined to solve this more quickly.

Ultimately, this attack on the very existence of government is unconscionable, even to those who sympathize with concerns about budgets and government overreach. And no one articulates that better  at this point that conservative blogger Andrew Sullivan.

But there is something more here. How does one party that has lost two presidential elections and a Supreme Court case – as well as two Senate elections  -   think it has the right to shut down the entire government and destroy the full faith and credit of the United States Treasury to get its way on universal healthcare now? I see no quid pro quo even. Just pure blackmail, resting on understandable and predictable public concern whenever a major reform is enacted. But what has to be resisted is any idea that this is government or politics as usual. It is an attack on the governance and the constitutional order of the United States.

It's just sad.

Aloha Plate Wins the Great Food Truck Race

An exciting and fitting end to the latest season of the Food Network's Great Food Truck Race. The boys from Hawaii - Aloha Plate - were the frontrunners for most of the season, so it was only fitting that they should square off against the St. Louisians, TikkaTikkaTaco.  Either team was deserving of the win, and I was not surprised to see the Philly boys go out in the "surprise elimination." They Sambonis are a great group of young men, and they will certainly be successful if they ever do secure their own food truck. But it's nothing compared to the culinary - and cultural - magic worked by the Hawaiian boys on a weekly basis. Their ability to attract and draw an Aloha Crowd in city after city was inspiring, and these young men deserve a business to continue selling great food and spreading the Aloha Spirit. In fact, the finale episode featured footage of the crowds holding a luau and singing Hawaiian songs in front of the truck - and even stopping sales for a few minutes to hold hands and sing a spiritual Hawaiian folk song. It was truly cool and inspiring to see, and it's no wonder these guys are going to be so successful running a food truck. Of course, hats off to the men from St. Louis who hung around for seven weeks, with first place always just out of reach.  Kudos to the Food Network for another great season. This is one of their more entertaining contests, offering great insight into a culinary phenomenon, and borrowing a bit from another great reality show, The Amazing Race.

Amazing Race Returns for Season 23

The longest running and most successful of reality TV shows, The Amazing Race on CBS, returned tonight with contestants setting off from an old western movie set in LA for a "race around the world." Host Phil Keoghan introduced the contestants and sent them off to Chile for the first round.

In terms of contestants, I am impressed with the married ER doctors to begin. And they should have been the big winners this week, had they not broken the cardinal rule of The Amazing Race - always read the clues. Thus, they incurred a 30-minute penalty, which cost them first place and two express passes. It was a pretty big mistake. And I was a little disappointed in "the exes" coming in first. As a viewer I am never a fan of the couples that bitch and nitpick each other week after week.  The NFL players seem to be pretty strong contestants, no pun intended, and the "Afghan-imals" will be amusing, though their schtick may get as annoying as the Sri Lankan twins last season. Not surprised to see the father-daughter team go out early. Those age-difference teams rarely have the stamina to go all the way, though there have been some great families and endearing attempts over the years. The theater actors surprised me with a strong finish, though the physical fitness of one of them leaves me in doubt of their ability to stick around. And the oil rig boys from Nebraska are just not worldly enough to navigate the challenges of foreign travel I fear.  Overall, it looks like a pretty interesting crew, and I'm excited again for a new season and the race to the finish line and "one million dollars."

In a side note, I was a little disappointed to see the Race taking off from Los Angeles again.  Certainly, it's mostly a challenge to predict destination city. However, I would be as interested in the Race choosing a different starting point. The time they left from that beautiful estate on the East Coast was truly memorable, and the producers should consider mixing it up.

The Four-Day School Week

Years ago I was on an alternative scheduling committee for the school where I was teaching, as the school considered changes - to block or modified block or an eight period day or a hybrid - as a way of improving instruction. That was, at least in theory, the only reason for investigating such change - to improve instruction. While no changes were ever made after no evidence could be found for a worthwhile change, I proposed a radical idea - the Four-Day School Week.

While it was a new idea to me, I've learned that many school districts actually function on a four-day week for primarily financial reasons. In fact, as many as 40% of school districts in Colorado only go to school Monday to Thursday. These are almost exclusively mountain and rural districts for which the logistics and savings of not opening the school five days just make sense. However, my four-day week was actually grounded in the idea of college scheduling. Variable schedules for better efficiency. And with a greater emphasis on skills and job training these day, a four-day week would allow - at least at the high school level - greater opportunity for interning and work-study.

I proposed an extended day for Monday-Thursday, and Friday would be an "office hours" day. Clubs and activities could meet on Friday, and sports could offer extended practices. Many meetings such as 504s and IEPs could be conducted on these days, so as not to disrupt classes. And additional staff meetings and professional development could happen as well. Obviously, the plan for office hours and supplemental classes is the heart of the idea to increase student achievement.  The most important aspect is the idea of supplemental learning and academic support opportunities. A chance to "catch up" one day a week could do wonders for student achievement.  And, now it seems the plan is being tested.  The 500-student WACO school district in Iowa plans to shift to a four-day week.

The Great Food Truck Race - Finale 2013

So, Tyler and the folk at Food Network surprised us in the second-to-last episode of the Great Food Truck Race. It's now a two-part finale with a "surprise elimination" along the way. That is, at least for this year, a really nice twist, as any one of these teams deserves to win, though my favorites in order are: Aloha Plate, TikkaTaco, Philly's Finest Sambonis. The Philly boys are actually lucky to still be in it, and if they'd gone out over the inability to sell the Ditka sausages, it would't haven been terrible. This episode featured a great cameo appearance from Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanual, and the Chicago-style pizza challenge was a treat. Personally, I think $1000 bucks for the till was a bit much - but the Hawaiian boys closed that advantage pretty quickly.  On to Maryland.

Blogging's Been Light

For those checking in and wondering where the content is, I apologize for the lack of updates.  In a new role at work with responsibilities that have been cutting into blogging time. Now, with a day of professional development presentations behind me, there should be some time to organize a better system to my days which allows the creation and posting of content.  Some things that have been on my mind and radar, which should have received coverage are:

The exit of the SlideShow truck on the Great Food Truck Race. Sorry I haven't offered any commentary - though I will quickly note that I like all the teams and am sad to see any lose out at this point.

The question of whether youth football should be ended because of concerns about concussions.

Diane Ravitch's astute and thoughtful challenges to current education reform - especially the data-less implementation of Common Core standards, standardized test, charter schools, and vouchers.

Louis CK's excellent rant on cell phones and why he won't give his kids one.

And, because you want to hear the song after Louis' mention of it, here's Springteen's Jungleland.

Stay with me - there will be more to come.

Bowled and Beautiful Exit the Great Food Truck Race

With nothing but skilled and engaging competitors left on the Food Network's Great Food Truck Race hosted by Tyler Florence, it was bound to be a tough loss for one of the teams. The two teams most likely to fall behind were the ladies from Bowled and Beautiful and Philly's Finest Sambonis. While both these teams were tops in weeks past, it seems they are running out of ways to stay competitive. This week the time ran out for the lovely ladies of Bowled and Beautiful - three single moms with a great concept and hearts of gold. Tyler was certainly troubled by having to take their keys, and a part of me hopes some millionaire investor who is watching the show decides to contact these moms and fund their truck out of the goodness of his heart. Who knows - maybe a millionaire chef like Tyler will decide to do that. In fact, that's how I feel about all these trucks at this point. I hope someone watching decides to take a chance on all these people - because they all seem deserving of a shot at their own food truck. I wonder if that has ever happened before. The Hawaiian boys from the Aloha Plate continue to master the challenges of the Great Food Truck Race, and I am certainly hoping they win. Something as challenging as butchering a buffalo was nothing but fun for these guys - and from the size of their winning margins, I have to say those must be some pretty tasty lettuce wraps. Everything about these guys seems to be a winning formula, and I am pulling for them. However, the St. Louisans from TikkaTikkaTaco also impress me.  And the chefs from the Slide Show definitely deserve a truck. With these great trucks - all manned by seemingly really good people - each week will definitely be a tough challenge for Tyler to send them home.

How to Fix Public Education - Self-directed Learning Centers

So, the problem with education is that young people are not invested in what they're being asked - or "forced" - to learn. If kids could just study what they want to study, then schools would be utopian laboratories of intellectual engagement. Just turn the kids loose to pursue their own natural interests and curiosities, and they will respond with enthusiastic learning.

Right?

Hmmmm.

The lack of engagement in their own learning is certainly at the heart of academic stagnation for millions of young people in this country. And, there's no doubt that people learn more easily when they are engaged and interested in the material. The child-centered approach to education, which is the foundation of Waldorf schools and the Montessori model, is nothing new in the education debate. However, the logistics of adapting that model to large systems is problematic at best.

Peter Gray, an educational researcher at Boston College, thinks we can change that. In several online essays and a new book, Gray argues "Schools Don't Have to Fail." The foundation of his argument - and his new book "Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self Reliant, and Better Prepared for Life"  - is that children will learn if they are allowed to choose their own course of study and basically follow their passion and their own creativity. And, there is certainly a lot of evidence and support to the idea that children are "naturally designed to learn."  That is the basis of much of the work of Sir Ken Robinson and his "creativity movement."

As a parent and educator, I firmly believe that Peter Gray and Ken Robinson are correct. However, as the pragmatic policy student, I have doubts about their theories. While we are naturally inclined to learn, we are also seemingly naturally inclined to waste hours, days, and years pursuing leisure instead. And that tendency is what leads so many astray. That is what requires a rigid requirement of some basics of education.

STEM to STEAM

The importance of the arts in education should be indisputable, as the humanities were the heart of the classical education that gave our country its earliest great leaders. Yet many continue to approach education as simply a utilitarian exercise focused entirely on potential wages years down the road. This is naive, if not dangerous for a civilization.  A study by a professor at Duke University looking at the degree majors for leaders in 500 companies in Silicon Valley found forty percent were in math, science, or engineering, but 60% were in the arts and humanities

Thomas Pynchon's Take on 9/11

Thomas Pynchon continue to be the one contemporary writer who can scare even the most erudite English professor. Yet, for those willing to wade into the madness and chaos that is a Pynchon novel, the intellectual rewards can be staggering. Now, in the new novel Bleeding Edge, Thomas Pynchon writes a detective novel - as much as his work can be considered via a genre - set against and written with Pynchon's uniquely focused lens on the 9/11 terrorist attack on New York City.

No, You Still Can't Tip a Cow ... Really.

Though I've posted on this before, a recent article on Slate reiterated the hard truth, answering the question that refuses to die: "Is Cow Tipping Real".  The consensus from farmers and scientists and anyone not gullible enough to believe such nonsense is that, in spite all the "rural legends," you can't "tip a cow." Everyone seems to "know someone" who has done it. And, of course, if you could hold a cow's legs lightly in place and stabilize the body while you applied the appropriate force above the center of gravity to "tip a cow," you could do theoretically do it.  But no one has actually done this because it can't in any practical sense be done.  The legend goes that cows sleep deeply standing up and that kids "in the sticks" entertain themselves by getting drunk and then sneaking up on a cow and pushing it over. But this doesn't happen because - for all the reasons the links above provide - you can't tip a cow.

Great Food Truck Race 2013 - Frankenfoota Goes Home

OK, let's face it - they heated up store-bought hot dogs and put toppings on them. Not much impressive culinary talent there. Thus, after slipping by for a couple weeks Mirlinda, Dana, and Victoria - the New York girls competing as Frankenfoota - finally ran out of luck.

In the third episode of the Food Network's Fourth Great Food Truck Race, the contestants found themselves in Pocatella, Idaho serving up their food to people who know the potato well. To make it interesting, host Tyler Florence first limited them from any starch - including potatoes - and then turned the tables requiring them to dig up their own potatoes and feature them as the signature dish.  All teams responded well to these challenges, though some clearly adapt better than others.

Once again the Hawaiian guys from Aloha Plate continued to best the competition. After losing out to the Bowled and Beautiful girls for the second time on race to a prize of extra cash for the till, the Aloha Plate truck still pulled in a huge hall. The thing that makes me love and root for these guys so much is how genuine they are. The comments they make about their heritage - and grandpa teaching them that "fruit is found in the mound - you walk in the trough" - are quite endearing and impressive. They are linked to their food in a very special way, and I would love to see them take a food truck back to the islands.

The other teams are engaging as well, though I feel the Food Network is not giving enough press or air time to the Slide Show truck. These accomplished chefs with a great story - and seemingly tasty food - are a bit of an enigma to me. They regularly sit in the middle of the pack, but I'm not sure why. Perhaps they will make a run to the front, or be dismissed soon. Also, this episode offered some interesting twists, with two teams being fined for "selling out of bounds" which is new one on me, and the Philly boys surviving despite trashing a sign with their truck. Fortunately, they only had to pay a $500 deductible.

So, the girls head back to Brooklyn. And perhaps a hot dog cart will be a good place to start.

Why Was Tim Tebow Cut by the Patriots?

By now the news is out that Tim Tebow did not "make the cut" with the New England Patriots. Thus, Tom Brady's team becomes the third NFL team in eighteen months to "cut ties" with the media darling and NFL quarterback wannabe. There many theories about why New England signed Tebow in the first place - but there's not much doubt about why Tim Tebow will never be an NFL quarterback.

Anderson Cooper Shocked that Miley Cyrus' Twerking Shockingly Shocks People

Something offensive happened at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, and the world was shocked by the audacity of the performance.  Well, not really. In fact, the only people who were shocked at Miley's hand gestures and the "twerking" of Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke are people who, according to Anderson Cooper, "probably shouldn't be watching the VMAs anymore." Truly, it was over-the-top. But what hasn't been at the VMAs?

In all honesty, I was quite ... put off? disappointed? concerned? disgusted? ... at the performance. It was really just too much, and rather sad for a young woman to exhibit such incredibly poor taste and behavior. That wasn't entertainment on the level of Madonna or even Gaga. That was quite simply a young girl trying to garner attention and show she's "the stuff," and instead just embarrassing herself.  People either were truly shocked and offended by Miley's behavior - I won't call it a performance - or they just felt bad for how poorly she portrayed herself.  

E.L James - Getting Rich Writing Fan Fiction and E-Books

In 2009 Erika Mitchell - aka E.L. James, author of popular "mommy porn" Fifty Shades of Grey - had never published a book or even written any fiction at all.  Now, she's near the top of Forbes list of top- earning celebrities, pulling in an astonishing $95 million this year.  Not bad for someone who began writing "fan fiction" after reading the Twilight Series, and then parlayed that into her own erotic novels which she initially self-published as e-books.  While the self-publishing route was long considered the last chance for narcissistic writers who weren't good enough to earn a publishing contract, it's now considered a more respectable avenue of publishing which bypasses the outdated restrictions the industry places on writers.  E-publishing and on-demand print publishing doesn't require huge investment from publishing companies, so there is virtually no risk and all profit. And for writers who find success independently first, the royalties are far superior to the traditional route.  So, how did E.L. James go from unpublished to multimillionaire in a very short time? Well, the story has been well documented numerous times, and it offers a blueprint for many aspiring writers.

Great Food Truck Race - Jersey Girl Goes Home

It will be remembered as the gooey duck episode.

On the night that "gooey duck" - or geoduck as it's formally known - entered the culinary lexicon of the nation, the Jersey girls of the Boardwalk Breakfast Empire lost their way and then lost the competition. The team from New Jersey that was competing to bring a food truck back to the Jersey Shore after losing their restaurant to Hurricane Sandy simply couldn't compete in the town of Portland, Oregon, despite offering some creative and impressive dishes on the second leg of the Food Network's Great Food Truck Race.

It was a mighty impressive win for the Hawaiian boys, cooking food on their truck Aloha Plate.  Despite not winning the token prize - and $500 added to their till -  the young cooks from Hawaii still racked up more than $2000 in sales, which nearly doubled the next closest competitors - the girls from Bowled and Beautiful who also won the contest prize. Tonight's episode and the weekend in Portland was a fairly entertaining and evenly balanced episode. The girls from Frankenfoota managed to hang around again, despite racking up a $60 parking ticket. I am still put off by their food - and their tough girl attitudes - and I won't be surprised when they lose out next week. Just nothing special about their truck.

The big surprise of the night was the poor performance from the Philly boys on truck Philly's finest Sambonis. Having won, walking away last week, the Sambonis had a very weak weekend, and they were in the bottom three with two other trucks that couldn't hold a propane flame to the top trucks. One huge difference between the Sambonis and the hot dog girls can be summed up in two words - french fries. I was completely put off by the Frankenfoota girls purchasing bags of Ore-Ida french fries, and I was quite pleased to see the Sambonis peeling potatoes and offering fresh cut fries. Quality counts, girls.

Overall, an enjoyable episode.  However, it wasn't a complete loss for the team from Jersey, as Tyler and the trucks of the Great Food Truck Race decided to donate the profits from the weekend to Sea Bright Rising, the charity started by the Jersey team to benefit those families struggling to recover from Hurricane Sandy.  For some final thoughts from the Jersey Girl, check out Food Network's site.

Is Tim Tebow "Not Smart Enough" to Play in the NFL?

Despite claims of greatness from supporters like his own brother, Tim Tebow is certainly not making an impact on the pre-season roster of the New England Patriots. In the latest pre-season game against the Detroit Lions, Tebow didn't play a down. Thus, the question remains: is this finally the end of Tim Tebow's NFL career?

For those in the know in the NFL, the asking of questions may be the key to Tim Tebow's inability to successfully lead from the pocket.  Apparently, Tim Tebow was an incessant questioner of everyone on the field - practice or game day - from the minute he entered training day. And while asking questions and wanting to learn is often an admirable quality, Tebow's habit more likely indicates that he simply doesn't understand what's going on and lacks the confidence to call plays. Recent reports on Tebow's habit of questioning leaked out of Patriots' practices after reporters learned Tim Tebow was asking Tom Brady too many questions. Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels - who made the shocking decision to draft Tebow during McDaniel's ill-fated attempt to be the head coach of the Denver Broncos - explained "I'm not sure exactly the volume of questions that he asks per day, but I'm sure Tom probably puts a strict limit on that."

Curiosity is certainly a good thing ... in many situations.  But, the real reason Tim Tebow is not playing quarterback in the NFL may be that he's simply not smart enough to handle it. Stories from his playing days in Denver revealed that Tebow had a habit of hearing the play calls, and then repeatedly following up with OC Mike McCoy to make sure he was on the right page and understood the plan. This proved to be a frustrating habit that revealed doubts about Tebow's ability to understand pro offenses and play calling in the NFL.  In the story from ESPN, stories of doubts about Tebow's mental ability to handle surfaced, as even some in his own camp admitted he was probably done as an NFL quarterback.

More troubling for potential employers is that Tebow struggled badly with the mental side of the game, according to a league source. At age 7, he was diagnosed with dyslexia, a learning disability that affects how he reads and processes information, such as a playbook or game plan. Tebow won a Heisman Trophy and two BCS titles and graduated from Florida with a 3.7 GPA. But he scored a below-average (for QBs) 22 on his Wonderlic test. As a kinesthetic learner, Tebow absorbs information better through using flash cards and hands-on repetitive experience than the traditional method of memorizing diagrams, notes and Polaroids from a playbook. That doesn't mean Tebow isn't smart or that he couldn't develop into a brilliant, quick-thinking quarterback. It just hasn't happened yet.

When the Broncos defense was on the field, offensive coaches would often tell Tebow the first series of plays they wanted to run when the team got the ball back. Tebow would nod, and they'd separate. And then, invariably, a short while later he'd ask for the information again. Sometimes this ritual would repeat right up until Tebow had to duck into the huddle and call the play. As a result, despite starting only 11 games in 2011, Tebow was flagged for delay of game an NFL-high seven times. Worse still was the fact that, according to scouts, Tebow almost never audibled because he struggled to quickly and properly read defenses. And of all the deadly sins Tebow committed against quarterbacking, this was the worst: lacking the self-awareness to recognize and fix these shortcomings.

Despite all the excuses from his supporters, the reality is that if Tim Tebow could effectively lead an NFL offense, he would be.

Tesla, Texas, and Elon Musk

If you don't yet know who Elon Musk is, you will soon.

Elon Musk is one of the great innovative minds and entrepreneurs of the past couple decades, and he has quietly gone about changing the world without bothering to ask anyone if he could. From the founding of PayPal to the pursuit of commercial space travel to the first significant and viable electric car of the twenty-first century, Elon Musk is changing the way we think about what's possible. Elon Musk is a man who conceives an idea, and then singlehandedly pursues it to fruition. And he is determined not to fail - so much so that he personally guarantees the resale value of all Tesla cars.  That, in a business sense, is crazy. Yet if anyone can break through on the sale of electric cars, it's a billionaire like Elon Musk.  This guy is an intellectual and technological rock star.

Of course,  some people - or even entire states and industries - aren't so impressed. Or rather they may be impressed, but are too frightened to admit it.  Apparently, the state of Texas has banned the sale of Teslas. This isn't too surprising, considering the state's dependence on oil revenue. However, it has as much to do with car dealerships as it does with the car's energy source. Apparently, Elon Musk's approach to car sales - similar to the way Apple sells computers - is a threat to car dealers who fear a breaking of the franchise rules that give them control of auto sales. The reality is that Elon Musk has built a better franchise system, and he seeks to expose the flaws of the current automotive sales system.

Good luck to him. And good fortune for us.

Great Food Truck Race Returns Tonight in Season 4

For Food Network fans coming down off the disappointing end to the Next Food Network Star reality show competition, there is hope for a more entertaining fix to fill that Sunday evening void. Season 4 of the Great Food Truck Race, hosted by celebrity chef Taylor Florence premieres tonight. The Great Food Truck Race is entertaining and enjoyable precisely because it's real world and real time with no reliance on the subjectivity of judges - which leads to the uneven choices of people like Rodney "Pie Style" Henry. Instead, the chefs and businesspeople manning the food trucks will win or lose based on their ability to successfully market - and actually sell - their culinary products.

If you have never watched the Great Food Truck Race, but you are a fan of culinary shows, then the GFTR is definitely worth your time. The premise is simple - eight food truck teams will compete in various cities across the country to sell their food, and the team that makes the least money in each city, loses and has to head home. In one season, aspiring owners were given a fully outfitted truck and were competing for the right to keep it. In other seasons, it has been established food truck businesses who were competing for cash prizes of up to $50,000 - which would enable them to upgrade and expand the business.

Like any good reality competition, there are unique challenges to each stage which give advantages and challenges beyond the normal practice of selling food off a truck. However, creating and successfully marketing quick, quality food is still at the heart of every episode. Certainly, there have been some disappointing food trucks in the past - and I do believe that on the Food Network with a high end chef like Tyler Florence, the contestants should be people who produce quality food off a truck. Food that is prepared quickly doesn't have to be fast food.

Regardless, the GFTR is an entertaining hour of culinary competition, and tonight's premiere should give us "a good taste" for what's to come.

Bring it on, Tyler.

** UPDATE:

And the first episode did not disappoint. Once again, the show features food truck novices and wannabe owners who are competing to keep their very own food truck and $50,000. While all the contestants have culinary and restaurant experience, they each have unique stories and seem like they will be successful entrepreneurs. Clearly, the opening bios created some favorites and some biases, and my early choices pretty much turned out as the winners.  Not surprisingly, the Philly's Finest Sambonis, selling the classic Philly Cheese Steak were the first leg winners. A cheesesteak is not a tough sell, and I would have a hard time walking past their truck.  I like their ideas and attitudes, and they will be tough competitors.  The women running The Bowled and the Beautiful came in second, and their menu offerings and business savvy have served them well so far. I also enjoyed TikkaTikaa Taco and the men from Hawaii. Not only do they have great stories - like the Hawaiian guy who saved a swimmer and was rewarded by being sent to culinary school - but their menus are unique and inviting. I expect them to go far - though Aloha Plate made some bad location decisions that could cost them if they don't get into a rhythm. The Slide Show - culinary people selling gourmet sliders - are also competitive, and they have the added story of losing a business to unfortunate circumstances.

The rest making up the bottom will struggle to knock off the top four, and it was tough to see the Irish family lose over a simple mistake - not knowing how to operate their propane valve. That is so sad, but hard to feel too sorry for them. If you want to have a food truck business, operating the hardware has to be second nature. And it was amazing that they only lost by $66 when they spent day two selling a pretty weak salad offering because they couldn't cook anything. And that doesn't really bode well for the hot dog girls. The Frankenfoota truck does sort of turn me off anyway. There's nothing special about their food, they aren't serving high quality sausages, and they come off a bit crass and unsophisticated to me. I'm not impressed with the low class trash talking they started the show with. And they can't truly compete with some of the other culinary talent out there.

Overall, a fine looking cast and show, and I can't wait for them to tackle Portland. It should be a great town for food trucks.

Suburban Hip Hop Parenting

In the YouTube era, Andy Warhol's "fifteen minutes of fame" is within the reach of anyone - even the suburban moms and dads who grew up on MTV, but are now about as cool as Crocs with socks. "The Dad Life" video is the viral video by Church on the Move that embraces that suburban shtick to great effect.

Not to be outdone, several other versions of suburban cool have also made the rounds on the web.

Of course, cool is in the mind of the beholder.