10.02.09
Believing in the green light.
So, as I mentioned on the podder, I went to this 2 hour meeting at which my dear 6pt cheater plead her case, at length, to a jury of her peers and mine. The board members, as they are called, were very impressively non-partisan, and professional, and I came out of the hearing convinced that I could well trust their judgement, but I was not 100% sure of what that outcome would be.
The final report arrived a couple days ago, and, in short, it upheld the original penalty. So, after 4 months of whining, and complaining, and driving everyone concerned a little nuts with her behaviour (everyone who talked to her had meetings that went for at least an hour, every time), 6pt managed to achieve exactly nothing, except that now she has an official “cheater” tag, and has managed to irritate several people. As my Head of Department said, “that will teach her not to paste an essay on a handout for an exam, except it probably won’t.”
The written report of the hearing was very interesting; while for the most part, it was an objective summary of events, there were a couple of points at which the language went from temperate to snippy. It described 6pt as elaborating at length about how she thought what she did was okay, and going on and on and on about how she had no intention to cheat, and then there was the curt sentence “the board deemed that motivation was irrelevant”. The conclusion also betrayed some annoyance, saying that the jury members expected 6pt to appeal the decision as she showed no respect for the process, and did not seem to listen to what was said. FYCL, was my response.
So a win in this battle, but what about the war?
For my part, this experience has added another dead duckism to my course outline, which raises for me some serious issues about expectations. Should I really have to tell my students not to try to sneak prepared essays into an examination? Is it right for me to laugh at the guy who waited 6 weeks before asking what he should do about missing his exam? Ought there to be a pineapple clause, explaining appropriate behaviour when meeting with your professor? Where are these lines?
Sarcastic Bastard suggested that perhaps articulating dead duck rules might be part of the problem; that our students are so used to being told what to do and doing just what they are told that they don’t ever think about the reasons for instructions. One of the jury asked 6pt a couple questions about this, why she didn’t ask herself what my instructions meant, or whether it crossed her mind, while she was standing at the photocopier, whether what she was doing was really within the spirit of the instructions, but she was adamant that it never occurred to her to think about stuff like that.
Of course, the kicker here is that she was in a class about critical reading and writing, where, you know, I was trying to teach her to read critically, and analyse documents, and understand things like what a writer might have been saying beyond the surface of a text. You know, things like “why am I being told not to write on the back of the handout?” Her failure to apply the things she was learning in the course to other situations, related to the damn course, depresses me, because it seems to be indicative of the depth to which snowflakery runs.
I could let this really get to me, or I can do what 6pt refuses to do, and accept it, and learn from it, and wade back into the fray. I choose to beat on, a boat against the current.
09.25.09
FYCL #8 – Embarrassingly Fertile
Dubious advice on fertility, feminism, the semantics of “guys”, plus complaining about colds, cheaters and the weather. Dubious sex toy of the week has a rather fantastical twist, and recommendations include suggestions for other podcasts we like. Besides ours, I mean.
FYCL #8, if you are still doing the old-fashioned-y downloading of each episode, rather than subscribing with our shiny new rss or via iTunes.
Older archived episodes are available to download here, even if they don’t appear on the iTunes site or in the feed.
A veritable cornucopia of linkery for you:
- If you need to catch up on the cheatery saga, here are part 1 and part 2 – I am still on tenterhooks waiting for the report.
- Gloria Steinem’s Supremacy Crimes essay.
- Masculinities and gender on XY.
- NY Times article about the differences between men and guys.
- Dubious sex toy this week from Bad Dragon; as usual, click at own risk, possibly warning your housemates that you may scream when you look at the dolphin penis dildo. Slightly more dubious tentacle dildo, OMG I cannot believe I typed that.
- Cool medieval comic porn at Oglaf.com.
- More comics: Hark a Vagrant, Achewood.
- Deliciously mean fashion commentary on Go Fug Yourself.
- Podcasts we like, all of which you can also find via the iTunes: This American Life, Savage Love, Stuff You Should Know, In Our Time, and Harry Shearer’s Le Show.
Closing music is “Mother of Pearl” by Nellie McKay.
Leave your comments on the use of “guys” or anything else here. You can also email me questions at whatladder at gmail dot com.
09.23.09
Goat update.
I talked my friend V into entering the goat giveaway, so I have to plug her entry, because it is awesome. Please consider giving her your goat vote!
Also, look how nice her fields look.
09.21.09
Overheard in the hallway.
A conversation between two guys, who looked like jocks. One of them had team shorts on.
Guy 1: So, you were travelling over summer? Where did you go?
Guy 2: I spent a month and a half in China.
Guy 1: Toronto?
Guy 2: No, Nanking, China.
Guy 1: I have no idea where that is.
Guy 2: It is near Vietnam.
I love how Guy 2 thought that “Vietnam” would help the guy who hadn’t heard of China.
Other delights from the beginning of semester include the revolving door of drop/add, which means I really haven’t figured out any personalities yet, and the usual fight with the bookstore.
Last week, I noticed 3 students, all male, who had brought Mom or Dad with them to the first day of class. I mentioned this to a colleague, who said he had seen a parent escort a student (also male) up to our corridor to meet with another faculty member. The question that crosses my mind is, what kind of event is this? Is this snowflakes who can’t get to uni without being driven by mom or dad, or helicopters who won’t let precious go to school by himself? I shall ponder, and see if I can collect further evidences.
In other news, I am going to YET ANOTHER meeting about 6pt tomorrow. Expect a post-game rant.
09.18.09
FYCL #7 – the interrupted podcast.
FYCL #7, if you are still doing the old-fashioned-y downloading of each episode, rather than subscribing with our shiny new rss or via iTunes.
This week we feature dubious advice on taboos, incestual and internetual; having sex during your period, and finding an academic job. Along with our regularly featured dubious sex toy of the week, we have our very first ever non-dubious sex toy, and, of course, your regular round-up of recommendations.
Here’s your linky goodness, and as always, click responsibly, although je joue’s product does not scream “sex toy” for those of you browsing with possible shoulder overlookage:
- Sasi is a product by je joue, and is sold in the US by Babeland (it looks like Come as You Are is no longer a supplier in Canada);
- Jezebel reviewed the German First Androids, which has high tech sex dolls on a low tech website. The converse is Real Dolls, which are low tech dolls, but with a much slicker aesthetic.
- The story of Zoltan and Alice, and Zoltan’s website.
- Kanye west is a jackass, even Obama says so; Kanye West will let you finish makes fun of him by putting him in pictures, and you can have him pop up on your own website, as well.
- If you aren’t watching Rachel Maddow, why not? You can also get her on iTunes.
- omegle is fun if you can tolerate a sexual harrassment or bores to entertainment ratio of around 25:1; if you would rather observe than participate, there are distilled lulz on zomegle.
Music at the end was Living Doll, by Cliff Richard, which I can’t hear without thinking of the Young Ones.
Special thanks to Kanye, for interrupting SJ’s website.
09.14.09
FYiTunes
FYCL podcast is now available through iTunes. I know! How awesome is that? Episodes #5 and #6 are there, and if any of you paragons of readers would rate us or write a review, I would love you a bijillion. Recording got a bit derailed this weekend, but there are plans to hopefully get an ep out by the end of the week.
If you want to inspire us, leave a question or comment here!
09.13.09
Sunday afternoon trolling Omegle.
For those of you who don’t know it, Omegle is this chat site where you can go to talk to a random stranger. The idea is that you just chat anonymously, and I think it started out as kind of a social experiment. Of course, in practice, the majority of chatters are horny young men hoping to find a girl with a webcam who will then go on MSN. Whether there are any such girls is unknown, but the HYM appear to live in hope.
If you enjoy making fun of strangers, or just being silly, you can troll it fairly amusingly by asking people their IQ, responding only with the titles of Beatles songs or book titles, telling teenagers to watch out for pedobear, or saying you are male and watching how quickly people hang up.
You: Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret.
Stranger: What are you wearing Margaret?
I played around for a while asking people to tell me something they never told anyone else.
Stranger: hi
You: Tell me something you never told anyone else.
Stranger: i had sex with a dog
Stranger: we did it doggy style
You: On the internet, no one knows you are a dog.
Your conversational partner has disconnected.
Basically the fun that is to be had is fairly limited unless you like messing with people (which I do), but occasionally you get a gem.
Stranger: I CAN’T CAST PYROGRAM
Stranger: I’M OUTTA MANA
You: Are you in the right place?
Stranger: WHAT?!
Stranger: OF COURSE I AM!
You: You know, are you standing on a mana source?
Stranger: THIS ISN’T THE MENTHINAL GUILD?!
Stranger: I AM!?
You: Dude, it is so the Den of Sorceresses.
Stranger: *looks down*
Stranger: I’m not a dude >:(
You: Oh, well, then welcome.
You: I was worried I was going to have to demand an offering of blood.
Stranger: Well, actually
Stranger: That’s why I’m here.
Stranger:
You: For blood?
Stranger: Yes.
You: Okay, Unicorn, Troll, or Human?
Stranger: What are you?
You: I am the one who has a supply of blood to sell you.
Stranger: I want yours.
You: Mine?
Stranger: Yes.
Stranger: Please? *gives puppy dog eyes*
You: I offer you unicorn blood, and you want mine?
Stranger: Yes.
Stranger: Yours is the one we need!
You: You need a snake-human hybrid?
Stranger: THAT’S PERFECT.
Stranger: YES.
You: What’s in it for me? And don’t be all “riches beyond your wildest dreams”.
Stranger: Riches beyond your wil–
Stranger: Oh.
Stranger: Uhm…
Stranger: Well, you will give life to the ultimate being
You: I am tapping my foot, I mean, tail, here.
Stranger: and he will grant you whatever you want.
You: No, no, YOU have to give me something.
Stranger: Well, what can I POSSIBLY give you?
Stranger: Good sir.
You: SIR?
You: WHAT?
You: Now I am utterly offended.
Stranger: Madam?
Stranger: It’s hard to tell with your snake head…:|
You: It’s not my head that is the snake half.
You: Haven’t you ever seen a mermaid?
Stranger: Oh my!
Stranger: I have not, good serpent.
You: Well, you have the whole half and half thing a bit upside down.
You: So, back to what you are going to give me for a vial of my blood.
Stranger: A vial?!
Stranger: PAH!
Stranger: I need more than that.
You: Unlikely. One drop is enough for the most powerful of purposes.
Stranger: I don’t believe you.
Stranger: This is not information I was told
Stranger: I was told to take 2 pints.
You: Yes, but you are clearly ignorant, with your whole “I have never seen a mermaid” confession.
You: I bet this is your first heroic quest.
Stranger: IT IS NOT
Stranger: I AM LEVEL 80
Stranger: SPECIES: ELF
Stranger: CLASS: ARCHER
Stranger: DO NOT OFFEND ME
You: You probably still have a wooden sword and a green hood.
Stranger: Excuse me?
Stranger: I sword?
Stranger: A*
Stranger: A SWORD?!
You: You’re right. It is more like a dagger.
You: Or a kitchen knife.
Stranger: I don’t USE a melee weapon!
Stranger: I have a bow.
Stranger: DUH.
You: How do you propose to get these 2 pints of blood out of me, then?
Stranger: Kill you.
Stranger: Plain and simple.
You: What, by hitting me over the head with an arrow?
Stranger: BY SHOOTING YOU WITH IT.
You: Okay, so you turn around and walk 20 paces away from me.
You: With your back turned.
You: Are you going to survive to turn around and shoot?
Stranger: I’m not stupid D:
You: I THINK NOT.
Stranger: I’M ON TO YOU
Stranger: *eyes you*
You: You know, while we have been chatting, I have been entwining my serpentine tail around you.
You: Are you finding it a little hard to breathe?
Stranger: WHAT?!
Stranger: YOU SNEAKY SLITHERY THING
You: I can just flick the tip of my tail, and now there is a leetle bit of poison in your blood.
You: Feeling sleepy?
Stranger: Wha…..-_-
You: I might just grab your heavy purse with my spare hand.
You: Thank you for your custom.
09.10.09
FYRSS
FYCL now has a working rss feed! So exciting!
Here you are: http://fycl.libsyn.com/rss
iTunes coming soon, will let you know when it shows up. If you have a question for tomorrow’s recording, fire away.
09.09.09
A confession…
Sometimes, when I don’t want to tell people what I do, I tell them I am a goat farmer. Usually, I then go on about cheese, rather than spinning or fibre, but it’s always goats.
So, when I saw this awesome goat giveaway, I was totally tempted to write an essay. Sadly, though, I don’t think inner-suburban yuppieville is going to be judged a suitable home for FIVE goats and a shed. And while, in my head I am an awesome goat-carer, I am not utterly sure that I have the necessary practical skills. Instead, I am nagging people I know who DO have acreages to enter the contest, so that I can live vicariously through them.
So, dear reader, if you have the room, and have always wanted goats, I urge you to enter. I will even read a draft of your essay, I so utterly want someone I know to win this. Goat essays, I can do.
Also, look how croot!
09.06.09
FYCL #6 Recorded in our Bathrobes.
FYCL #6, click to listen, etc, you know the drill.
Dubious advice on going back to school, scientific parenting, getting your kids to develop autonomy, advice on how to accept a pizza delivery, dubious sex toy of the week – home-made edition, and our usual round-up of pop culture recommendations.
Here is your linky goodness:
- Katie Roiphe backpedals furiously.
- I am not googling Pizza Boy Porn for you, you can totally do that for yourselves, but here’s DIY Candy Corn dildo. The whole site is worth a browse, if you have a few minutes and some privacy where people will not be looking at you funny for snorting with laughter.
- Youtube as a source of weird non-obvious fetish videos – shoulder-riding, beach ball abuse, balloon popping (which is practically mainstream), beard stroking.
- Dooce kicks some Maytag butt.
Music at the end was “The Milkman of Human Kindness” by Billy Bragg.
Please make use of the comments on this post for questions, suggestions, comments and pizza orders.
It occurs, on reflection, that the pizza business may be somewhat obscure, so let me nutshell it for you. Someone SJ and I know was telling this story about how she had ordered a pizza, and had, for ridiculous reasons, not paid by credit card at the time. So, when the pizza arrived, and she was in her bathrobe, she had invited the pizza delivery guy in and chatted, and given him a glass of water while she called to sort out the order. Subsequently, the pizza boy called to offer her free pizza, possibly with an implication of liking her, and seeing her again, and she had refused rather equivocally, so he had called again a day or two later. This calling, she described to us as “stalking” and “harrassment”; hence some of the hilarity and calls not to be so pathetic. Hope that enlightens those of you who may have been bewildered.
