Ah. I’m not familiar with Fuck Today.
5 Likes
6 Likes
High schools should teach that starting a paper or speech by quoting the dictionary definition of a word (or equivalent) is cliched beyond the pale (which coincidentally is not a racist statement - it refers to ‘pale’ in the same sense as ‘impale’ - stakes of a fence). But schools don’t go that deep before college. I remember a class where a ‘research paper’ was literally expected to be copying an article from an encyclopedia word-for-word. (Presumably because the teacher was brought up on pure rote-learning - both reading and writing it should make people learn about it.)
When I got to college, I had shelves of books about history. It was one of my favorite topics. After my experiences in middle and high school, I was a bit surprised to suddenly be getting Cs and Ds instead of A+s. So were several other people in the class. We started meeting before class as a kind of informal study group and figuring out together how to adjust to what the Prof wanted. Not only did our grades go way up, but the conversations that we had ended up carrying over into class and making the class a lot more fun (and interesting).
I don’t remember what grades I ended up with, (probably a B give or take a + or -), but I do remember that when I signed up for the second year with the same professor a bunch of people were talking about how hard it was to pass his class, but I wouldn’t consider any other. A D in his class would be worth more than an A+ in a class with a teacher like my high school history classes.
5 Likes
That is absolutely awful.
7 Likes
So does the Pale of Settlement. (Term in original language: Cherta Osedlosti)
Not sure why you think it’s racist to reference a time in Jewish history. It’s actually better to acknowledge that’s what you’re referencing rather than pretend “beyond the pale” doesn’t have historic significance. You probably even taught someone here something new!
9 Likes
Sure oral histories need to be put into context and some verifications made, etc (usually through other textual evidence the interviewee can provide - such as uncle Fred’s work papers), but oral histories are a more than acceptable way to write history. History is interpretation of the past, not just a bunch of facts strung together.
4 Likes
Also a time in Irish history
which I think is the direct origin of the phrase “beyond the pale” in English.
11 Likes
I wonder if the tests used by the No Child Left Behind program are all rote rather than critical thinking. Anyone know?
4 Likes
When you send out a three line email, and someone comes back with a “what am I supposed to do?” question that is specifically addressed in the third line of your email.
And you know that they didn’t bother to read it, because when your answer is a literal quote of that line, their answer is “okay, thank you very much.”
I have said it before: there are no stupid questions, but don’t be surprised if the answer is RTFM. (Or, in this case, RTFE).
17 Likes
Wfm?
Lately I’ve started my emails to certain audiences with
TL;DR - < This is your action item >
< Here is the email I want to write that goes into the why and wherefore of what I am asking >
I fully expect someone to bring up that TL;DR is not professional… but neither is not reading the damn email in the first place.
13 Likes
That’s an awesome idea. I might start using that.
As for the professionalism thing, yeah, there seems to be a rule against reminding people they don’t read/don’t listen even when they have a well-established history of doing that. Personally I’d replace TL;DR with Action Item:. Keeps the feelings people happy and had the same effect.
11 Likes
I don’t know what that one line was, but (a) maybe they couldn’t understand that one line, or (b) maybe they couldn’t do that one thing.
I often preface emails, e.g. about trying to schedule an appointment, with an explanation that I have hyperacusis and can’t use phones, yet people instruct me to call a certain number, and when I explain that I can’t use phones, I may be switched to someone else who asks me to call a certain number.
5 Likes
Maybe you should see about getting a TTY phone. You don’t have to be actually deaf to get one.
11 Likes
“I’m getting an error in a script for the lab practical. No, I didn’t attach the script I’m using or the output, nor have I been following the instructions to make regular commits to a revision management system so you can track my progress. Why would you need to see any of those things?!?!”
8 Likes
I grind my own gears…
Had an appointment yesterday so I left work early, the whole way to my appointment I’m thinking, "When I get home, I need to do these 3 or 4 things for work. All things that are easily doable while relaxing with Netflix. Just “stuff that needs to be done”
Of course from when I get home until 10:00 PM, none of it seemed worth doing, so of course I didn’t.
And now, I’m avoiding it for a few more minutes to bitch about not doing it last night.
Once more, Into the Breech
9 Likes
I picked up a refill of my meds. They switched suppliers, so I check the list of ingredients to see if I’m going to be allergic to these ones. I check. I check. Where the fuck is the list of ingredients???
7 Likes
I’ve been in labor for 24 hours. Someone will be by to break my water shortly, but not shortly enough. I still have like 6 hours left of this.
And I’m hungry.
22 Likes
I was about to grumble that it’s been raining all morning. Now I just feel superficial.
Seriously, that sucks. Our firstborn took ten hours to finally make an appearance, and that was bad enough. I hope everything goes well for you.
Needless to say, we expect updates at 15 minute intervals. 
14 Likes