Smarter and Harder

Beloved high school sports writer, Michael Hoffer, has launched his website www.hoffershighschoolsports.com.   He comes to the Smarter and Harder studio to discuss the next phase of his unique and masterful coverage of Maine high school sports.

Tim is excited about the budget...for once.   Eli and Dr. Scallon use big words in their discussion of this year's budget.  

Tim does not like the MPA.  Eli makes some sense of the complicated issue of trans athletes competing in Maine.  

Eli and Tim bounce around a bunch of topics.  From parents behaving badly to Trump turning federal gov't on it's ear, to budget concerns.   Crazy times!

Tim is pissed in this one.  Eli makes his intelligent points.   Is this another case of the district throwing an educator under the bus?   What would you do if you were in Murph's position?

Eli eplains the 1% tax for paid family leave.  

Tim has questions about why we are not prosecuting drug users.  Eli, as always, applies logic to Tim's outrage.  

Eli and Tim respond to a passionate loyal listener who disagrees with the last episode.  Outstanding points and the response.  Also, Trump's cabinet is a ecclectic who's who in entertainment and outrage.  

A little on the presidential election and a lot on Portland politics.    With a clean sweep last week, the DSA is now in control of Portland's politics.

Dr. Ryan Scallon discusses the start of 2024-25 school year, $500k to fix mis-managed retirement money, school re-districting, high school consolidation update.   

Eli breaks down the voting once again. 

Eli and Tim discuss the Iran/Palestine/Israel conflict.  Tim wonders if the Portland City Council will make an official statement about denouncing the inhumane actions of Iran?    Also, Portland Ed Techs are working without a contract...still.   Why are we letting this happen?

Eli goes off and rightfully so.  Portland City Council wastes more time and UNANIMOUSLY alienates the Jews of Portland.  

Eli and Tim recap the summer of absurdities.

A little felon Trump talk.   A lot of talk about the Portland Rent Control Board.  

Dr. Ryan Scallon comes back for another episode to speak to the FY '25 budget for the schools.  Some cuts, some movement but very positive feedback.  He also discusses recent threats to 5 schools that put PHS and other schools on lockdown.  A quick response with some communication gaps that need to be rectified.  Also, bonus material on high school consolidation beginning process.

College campuses in turmoil and taken over by uneducated teenagers.   10% tax increase in Portland.  

Eli brings Tim up to speed on SCOTUS presidential decision.   First glance at the budet seems promising.   You know if has to be a responsible budget when Figdor does not like it.  

Tim and Eli disucss the high school consolidation plan that has begun to form.  The beginning of a 5-year effort to finally unit the high schools in Portland. 

Dr. Scallon discusses budget, snow days and high school placement.  An uneviable task this 2024-25 budget but some nuggets of hope.   

Eli Small breaks free from his prison to call in.   Tim is elated.   Tim's son John has scoured the city's McDonald's and even looked under the rat-infested bridge.  All is well...sorry Neil Turitz.

Eli Small has gone missing so Tim puts out feelers on the darkweb to find his replacement.   Is he busy finding foster homes for Portland's poor rats or has he decided to become wealthy (thanks to Portland's progressive boobs) making time-and-half working at McDonald's in Portland.   Listen to  Portland native and writer/director Neil Turitz' interview for the position of "Even Smarter" of the new(?) Even Smarter and Harder Podcast.  

With so many other issues needing to be addressed in Portland, why did our city councilors waste valuable time with a cease-fire resolution?!   Also, two city councilors equate homeless crisis to slavery....somehow...and post it in the paper.  Pssst - not everything is about race Anna and and Victoria.  Bonus material on Maine's rejection of Trump as a viable candidate.

Eli and Tim discuss the choice process for 8th graders moving into PPS high schools.  Eli schools Tim up on Jewish history revolving around Chanukah. 

Eli and Tim break down the elections 2023

Eli and Tim talk about Victoria Pelletier's comments about the Lewiston shooting being caused by white nationalism.  Also, the amount of anti-semetic behavior in Portland and around the country is alarming.   Lastly, Roberto & Trevorrow want to make homeless encampments legal in Portland.   

Eli and Tim interview new Superintendent of PPS, Dr. Ryan Scallon.

Eli and Tim call in a CMP expert , Kelly, to explain the relationship between CMP and the power generation corporations.   Did you know that CMP owns the smaller portion of your bill and is governed by a Govenor-appointed organization in the Maine PUC?   The fat on your bill comes from the non-CMP power generators. 

Eli gives Tim and all of us a lesson in the history of bad blood between Hamas and Israel.   Then Tim tries to wrap his head around how socaialists in the US/Portland are supporting the killing of innocent people.  

Eli and Tim interview City Council Candidates Matt Buonopane from District 5 and Sam Cady from District 4.   

Eli and Tim banter about the prevalence, still, in gun-related disruptions to learning in Greater Portland.  Also, why did we take away cell phones from counselors?  Don't they need those to help kids after school hours?

Eli and Tim discuss the PPS survey questions.  

Eli explains to Tim the encampment situation.   Welcome back to the teachers.  

Justin Costa comes in for an interview with Eli and Tim.  Talk about the biggest issues in Portland right now and how Justin plans to attack them.  

Eli and Tim speak with Mark Dion, Portland City Councilor and Mayoral candidate.  Tae Chong sits in to discuss work with Mark on the council and some of his background.  

Eli and Tim discuss the protests in Portland by asylum seekers regarding the quality of their accommodations and food.  Also, affirmative action gets overturned by SCOTUS.  

Eli and Tim discuss the budget failing and larger number of voters.

Eli and Tim discuss the knife fight at PHS with no SRO's !   What should the punishment?   Cookies and cupcakes?   PPS has a new Superintendent who appears, on the surface, to be fully qualified to lead the district.   School budget final discussion.  

Eli educates Tim on the background and qualifications of each candidate.   Also, discussion about why a junkie made it into King Middle School bathroom to offer drugs to a student.  Poor response from administration.  

Eli and Tim discuss the effect of one PPS teacher's public criticism of another teacher in her hometown for cultural appropriation during an American history lesson.  Too far?  Or appropriate respsone?  Also, final discussions on PPS budget.  

Eli and Tim take a deeper look into the budget and can't help but wonder how we are going to shoulder COVID spending in 3 years if this budget passes.  Now is the time to cut!!  

Eli and Tim tries to make sense of why we took the state's $3million and added back in gardeners.  

Eli and Tim discuss their first read of the PPS budget.  More of the same crap.  How are we increasing our budget by $15million with less students?   Tim is in the camp of shoot it down and let the new Superintendent pick up the pieces.  Eli wants to take a smarter look at the line items.  True to form, Smarter and Harder

Eli and Tim talk '23-'24 school budget and X-man somehow got a nod for the police citizen review committee.  Much to consider on the budget in '23!!

Eli and Tim discuss why a lack of discipline and holding the line is leading to 20 teachers calling out sick.   PPS policies are  failing at teaching our students how to be law-abiding citizens with respect for authority and rules.  

Eli and Tim interview one of PPS' greats, Brian Dodge.  Brian is a math teacher at Portland High School who has been teaching Calculus AB and BC.  

Eli and Tim talk about the focus groups for the Superintendent search committee.   It was not inclusive/equitable in the least.  Instead of getting everybody together in one room to disucss concerns/ideas, people were separated by language.  From the outside, it appeared that they segregated residents by skin color.   Is this how we model inculsive and immersive behavior to our educators?   

Eli and Tim discuss their ideas on the purpose of education as a way to help, perhaps, the hiring committee for the new superintendent of schools.

Eli and Tim record live at Brookside Food & Drink.  Eli explains why $3 million went unpaid for years to MainePers retirement for PPS employees.  Also, there's a new lawsuit coming for PPS from the PDE for favoring affinity groups.  Could this be what gets  the Figdor out of PPS' ass?  

Eli is beside himself.  Xavier somehow finds more money?  He gave $500 bonus' to only two PPS school staffs.  Also, somebody thinks Xman deserves a retirement party.  You can't make this stuff up!

Eli takes Tim to school on making sense of how PPS has decided to tackle Xavier's departure.  Why does it take 2 people to do the job of 1 after all these years?