Invite for September 2003 Party
SUPERFLY
SEPTEMBER MAGIC
PASSWORD
IS: DECEPTICONS
The first day of school
is creeping upon us, which can mean only one thing: we are free from the
Decepticons for only a few more days. Take advantage of this time by practicing
how not to step on a pair of crispy clean white sneakers on a crowded
subway, and by making the decision as to whether or not you want your
leather jacket stolen.
For those a few years
older or younger than this era, or those who went to fancy schmancy schools
that were not terrorized by gangs, let me take this time to tell you a
little bit about the Decepticons.
The Decepticons, officially
recognized as a youth gang in 1986, is believed to have formed at Brooklyn
Tech High School. Predominantly a Manhattan and Brooklyn gang (there were
some members from other boroughs), they got their name from the cartoon
characters in "The Transformers," which aired on Sunday mornings
on WPIX. The Decepticons had the ability to transform themselves from
trucks and cars into missile-spewing robots. Lucky. Decepticons were characterized
as militaristic, brutal, and lacking in regard for personal freedom. Sounds
like a modern day hooligan to me. Remember the catchy jingle for the Transformers?
"Transformers, more than meets the eye/Transformers, robots in disguise."
According to Sergeant
John Galea, the commander of the New York City Police Department's youth
gang intelligence unit in the 80s, old-style youth gangs based on turf
or ethnicity were in rapid decline. In the early 1970's the city had about
400 gangs with close to 20,000 members. In 1989, there were only 37 known
gangs with about a thousand members. Of course, this could have been a
citywide ploy to make the city look safer - remember, you can';t
believe anything you read. I am making everything up, all the time. The
female Decepticons were known as "Deceptinets." The Decepticons
generally terrorized kids outside of a school, which meant that at my
school, LaGuardia, we were not allowed to hang out on school property.
Instead, gaggles of artsy kids loitered around Julliard and the Lincoln
Center complex. That';s seriously nerdy. According to police reports,
Decepticon violence occurred almost exclusively during the school week;
on weekends, there were rarely any reports.
So it's true,
Brooklyn Tech wasn't just a breeding ground for techies and trekkies.
Brooklyn Technical High School opened in 1922 in a converted warehouse
at 49 Flatbush Avenue Extension with 2,400 students. The current school
opened in 1933, at a cost of six million dollars. The first two female
students were admitted in 1972 (McSorley's Ale House admitted the
first woman in 1970). Following September 11th, Stuyvesant students, who
could not attend classes because the streets were still closed off, attended
classes at Tech until Stuyvesant reopened.
Brooklyn Tech is the
Alma Mater of Harvey Lichtenstein, President of the Brooklyn Academy of
Music (BAM), class of 1946, and Leonard Riggio, Founder & CEO of Barnes
& Noble, Inc., class of 1958. Lou Ferrigno is also rumored to have
been a student there. Good ole Hulky Lou. Let's learn about him, shall
we?
-Brooklyn born Lou
Ferrigno is the youngest body builder ever to hold the "Mr. Universe"
title (age 20) and the only one to win it two consecutive times
-Lou played professional football in Canada
-Weight: 275 pounds
-Chest: 59"
-Waist: 34"
-Bicep: 22-1/2"
-Thighs: 29"
-Neck: 19"
-As an infant, Lou developed an ear infection that caused him to lose
some of his hearing
-He was a personal trainer to Mickey Rourke, Michael Jackson, and Chuck
Norris
-He toured throughout the U.S. and Canada with a starring role in "Of
Mice and Men"
-He has a recurring role in "The King of Queens"
-He played a Security Guard in Ang Lee's "Hulk." Also, LaGuardia's
own Cara Buono played the Hulk's birth mother in the movie
Hey, Central Park
is having a film festival this week - a bunch of flicks that took place
in Central Park will be airing at Rumsey Playfield - midpark at 72nd (where
Summerstage is).
Wednesday, September 3 - ANNIE HALL
Thursday, September 4 - THE PRODUCERS
Friday, September 5 - THE FISHER KING
Saturday, September 6 - GHOSTBUSTERS
Sunday, September 7 - HAIR
You also have a couple
of days left to see The Taking Of Pelham 123 at the Film Forum. Hurry,
it's so damn good.
If you were beaten
up or robbed by a Decepticon, you will get a free drink at this party.
If you still play with Transformers, you will get a free alcoholic beverage,
though you would probably prefer a YooHoo. If you were a Decepticon, I'd
like to hear your side of the story.
Come on by, don't
be shy.
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