A student missed the draft submission deadline last Friday. Fine, since many students asked for and were granted extensions (yes, don't doubt me, my fuse has become much longer and more inert these days), I decided to give her an extension by 24 hours to Saturday, 5 pm without her asking for it.
On Sunday just past midnight, I checked the returns against the namelists and realised five students have missed their Saturday, 5 pm deadlines. So I wrote a note to remind them to send in their papers soonest possible. I asked them not to ask for any more extensions but to send in the papers once they receive the email.
Papers streamed in. One girl placed the draft in my school mailbox on Saturday afternoon. Hey, I'm not that well-paid to go there. Another guy did the same late Friday and apologised for his shortsightedness in not sending a soft copy. No problem either.
A second girl explained she misunderstood our conversation regarding her submissions and thought she had a longer extension than that. (Of course, she did not write me the email to confirm, which I didn't bother to point out). I accepted her explanation and granted her an extension to Sunday 5 pm. See, Mr Nicer and Nicer guy, right?
Another guy wrote to say that he's still helping out with his family after his cousin got killed in an accident. Fine, he got an extension to Monday, noon.
And there is Miss Ying YIN Ack Shen, who did not bother to reply to my email. She submitted her draft on Monday at 1 pm and promptly asked to be granted a writing conference since I won't be in school on Thursday. However, on 10 Mar, I already informed the entire class of my absence and the affected students signed up for new conferencing slots! She had her excuses and her story but until she can produce the medical certificates to support her "I was very sick" excuse, I don't think she can escape the penalty for 3 absences. I mean, how sick can one be? No student can claim that s/he/it cannot contact me because my email and cellphone contacts are permanently at the top of the announcements list in the class page on the university network. Anyone, she will likely pay for her irresponsibility; one writing conference counts for 3 presences or absences for the 14-week, 28-meeting course. Good luck to her!
I cannot believe how infinitely more patient I have become but certainly, the limits still exist. Just watch it when I swipe my tail at you.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Updates
The minute the last assignment was graded, the drafts for the next assignment were due in and there was a tonne to grade to prepare for the writing conferences on those drafts.
I tried to grade mostly on softcopies this time. As the number of writing conferences had been reduced from 4 to 3, I no longer have the luxury to play "Joker" when marking. I had better put in the comments and direct the students what to do rather than put my infamous "HUH???" or "???" and explain during the conference. As a result, I spend more time grading. But the track function is really useful and this time around, many of the students who came to me had an inkling what to do and many of them have already started work on the drafts even before the writing conference. Some of the students needed clarifications on the comments but by and large, the outcome was good.
One thing was got my goat though. Students who were due for later conferences were bugging me for their marked drafts. This was immensely infuriating. People who know my know that my work goes out once it is complete, unless there is a good reason for holding back. I am marking my life away trying to make sense of the poor writing and yet, people are chasing for their graded stuff. This is entirely crazy. How would a student, who bugs me for work I'm trying to complete and therefore messes with my mood, be able to get me to work faster? The other thing, if the drafts were any better, I would be able to mark faster too. Alas, the latter instances were rare.
Because it was softcopy grading and I did not have the luxury to be able to hold their hands to teach them how to write, I also did rather extensive re-writing to show the kiddies how the essay should be written. Of course, I remember what I write and I also know if there are mistakes. Those mistakes are for the students to figure out and correct them. I can't be marking and grading my own work. I can surely assist but certainly, the students must put in their fair share of work.
This time around, I expect to see more exciting essays. I thought "Live/Leave" would end up being ethics intensive. But in the end, it's all about human beings. What should you do and why do you think you should/could do it? Can you clear your own moral standards for presenting it? I hope to do a second run of the course come Term 2 2009/2010. Next term, I might be jointly offering a new course - The Art Market.
My area of interets are getting wider and more and more esoteric. Who would have thought I'd be interested in the Art Market? Not me.
Let's see what happens.
I tried to grade mostly on softcopies this time. As the number of writing conferences had been reduced from 4 to 3, I no longer have the luxury to play "Joker" when marking. I had better put in the comments and direct the students what to do rather than put my infamous "HUH???" or "???" and explain during the conference. As a result, I spend more time grading. But the track function is really useful and this time around, many of the students who came to me had an inkling what to do and many of them have already started work on the drafts even before the writing conference. Some of the students needed clarifications on the comments but by and large, the outcome was good.
One thing was got my goat though. Students who were due for later conferences were bugging me for their marked drafts. This was immensely infuriating. People who know my know that my work goes out once it is complete, unless there is a good reason for holding back. I am marking my life away trying to make sense of the poor writing and yet, people are chasing for their graded stuff. This is entirely crazy. How would a student, who bugs me for work I'm trying to complete and therefore messes with my mood, be able to get me to work faster? The other thing, if the drafts were any better, I would be able to mark faster too. Alas, the latter instances were rare.
Because it was softcopy grading and I did not have the luxury to be able to hold their hands to teach them how to write, I also did rather extensive re-writing to show the kiddies how the essay should be written. Of course, I remember what I write and I also know if there are mistakes. Those mistakes are for the students to figure out and correct them. I can't be marking and grading my own work. I can surely assist but certainly, the students must put in their fair share of work.
This time around, I expect to see more exciting essays. I thought "Live/Leave" would end up being ethics intensive. But in the end, it's all about human beings. What should you do and why do you think you should/could do it? Can you clear your own moral standards for presenting it? I hope to do a second run of the course come Term 2 2009/2010. Next term, I might be jointly offering a new course - The Art Market.
My area of interets are getting wider and more and more esoteric. Who would have thought I'd be interested in the Art Market? Not me.
Let's see what happens.
Friday, March 06, 2009
The Recession in Pictures
Newsweek has done a great article comparing the current recession with past recessions.
Particularly interesting is their use of graphics. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Like graphic porn. Except financial depression pics are kind of "porn-exciting" to innocent bystanders like me, though generally not at all invigorating. The pics make me review my values and my tolerance for risk, which I am not willing to divulge.
In this context, the two pictures "The Recession Rebound", where it attempts to show none is in sight yet, and "Big, Bad Bears", where it compares how the current, ongoing recession is the next worst to the Great Depression, are probably worth two million Diazapam, I mean, jitters. Ok, TF will say "Take two Vicodin and call him tomorrow" but until you put key to lock (still on TF, that is), how can throwing "lousy wood into the fire" put the fire out? Not only do you end up feeding the fire, you choke from the noxious fumes.
Ah, but commonsense has long gone into the Great Depression since... Probligo would be an authority to write on this here.
Anyway, keep your money safe. Keep it in your pillow. Better yet, shred it and keep it in your pillow. And then join the KGB - they'll teach you how to reconsititute shredded papers; their agents successfully stole secrets by doing that during some espionage operation during the Cold War. Al's probably running one big clandestine ops in the deep mountains already.
Man, I'm bored. Time for more shopping?
Particularly interesting is their use of graphics. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Like graphic porn. Except financial depression pics are kind of "porn-exciting" to innocent bystanders like me, though generally not at all invigorating. The pics make me review my values and my tolerance for risk, which I am not willing to divulge.
In this context, the two pictures "The Recession Rebound", where it attempts to show none is in sight yet, and "Big, Bad Bears", where it compares how the current, ongoing recession is the next worst to the Great Depression, are probably worth two million Diazapam, I mean, jitters. Ok, TF will say "Take two Vicodin and call him tomorrow" but until you put key to lock (still on TF, that is), how can throwing "lousy wood into the fire" put the fire out? Not only do you end up feeding the fire, you choke from the noxious fumes.
Ah, but commonsense has long gone into the Great Depression since... Probligo would be an authority to write on this here.
Anyway, keep your money safe. Keep it in your pillow. Better yet, shred it and keep it in your pillow. And then join the KGB - they'll teach you how to reconsititute shredded papers; their agents successfully stole secrets by doing that during some espionage operation during the Cold War. Al's probably running one big clandestine ops in the deep mountains already.
Man, I'm bored. Time for more shopping?
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Banned: Whereby
I banned whereby in my writing class. This ban extends to both speech and writing. Sigh. Someone should compensate me for the trauma.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Grading
Had been grading papers for the past two weeks.
It's been really tough marking papers that were written in the last minute.
If I get a dollar for each mistake I find, I probably am ready to put a 20% downpayment for a condominium already. And make that a District 10 condo!
It's been really tough marking papers that were written in the last minute.
If I get a dollar for each mistake I find, I probably am ready to put a 20% downpayment for a condominium already. And make that a District 10 condo!
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Grandma vs Double Decker
Morning bus to the MRT. Took 89, which was unusual, because it was not my favourite but. I prefer to take 5 or 6 instead.
Stopped at the stop opposite White Sands. There was a surge of passengers getting on the bus as I alighted.
After pushing my way through the zombie crowd either looking at their handphones or finding their momentum after getting out of bed (hey, I'm fast as long as I am on my feet, regardless of the time of day. I don't really know how to walk slowly.)
As I approached the pedestrian crossing, I happened to see a double decker bus stopped right after the bus bay exit. There was a little crowd there. It was but 6.45am and people being people, a crowd was not...
Oh, I see. There was a 60-ish old woman, rather plump, facing down. From the looks of where she lay and where the bus stop, the outcome of the match was pretty evident. Before the lights turned green for me to cross, an ambulance approached.
Hard for me to have any sympathies. She was knocked down three steps from the pedestrian crossing. No reason for her not to use the official crossing. If she decided to dash across the road, then what? I feel sorry for the bus driver though. Perhaps only drivers will have more sympathies for the bus driver.
True, it was an accident which probably could have been avoided, but often, looking at the erratic way residents of my town dash cross roads with minimal warning to the drivers, this is probably an accident waiting to happen, a life waiting to be taken.
I don't know. But maybe she died...
Stopped at the stop opposite White Sands. There was a surge of passengers getting on the bus as I alighted.
After pushing my way through the zombie crowd either looking at their handphones or finding their momentum after getting out of bed (hey, I'm fast as long as I am on my feet, regardless of the time of day. I don't really know how to walk slowly.)
As I approached the pedestrian crossing, I happened to see a double decker bus stopped right after the bus bay exit. There was a little crowd there. It was but 6.45am and people being people, a crowd was not...
Oh, I see. There was a 60-ish old woman, rather plump, facing down. From the looks of where she lay and where the bus stop, the outcome of the match was pretty evident. Before the lights turned green for me to cross, an ambulance approached.
Hard for me to have any sympathies. She was knocked down three steps from the pedestrian crossing. No reason for her not to use the official crossing. If she decided to dash across the road, then what? I feel sorry for the bus driver though. Perhaps only drivers will have more sympathies for the bus driver.
True, it was an accident which probably could have been avoided, but often, looking at the erratic way residents of my town dash cross roads with minimal warning to the drivers, this is probably an accident waiting to happen, a life waiting to be taken.
I don't know. But maybe she died...
Monday, March 02, 2009
Thermal Pot
I figured out how to cook really tasty rice in a thermal pot. In fact, I have been using the thermal pot quite a bit since it was bought. The pot was actually on sale at Giant Hypermarket for S$70 depends on the principle of heat conservation to cook your food. Instead of relying on direct sustained heat from the stove for cooking, the pot retains heat and uses it to sustain the high temperature so that food continues cooking the food slowly using the remainder heat.
In a way, this represents a saving in gas consumption. And it also does not let the food burn or boil over. Furthermore, you can leave the food inside the pot for as long as you want and even after 10 hours, the food is still warm enough that it tastes good without reheating.
For the really uninitiated, a thermal pot consists of an external insulation pot and an internal pot. Essentially, you will boil the stuff that you need to cook in the internal pot for no less than 10 minutes. Then you turn off the fire and transfer this internal pot to sit in the external insulation pot. The insulation maintains the high temperature for a long time and a few hours later, you'll actually have great stew.
The important thing is this: the food gets cooked, you save gas and you save time. It's been a good buy so far and most soups and desserts requiring extended boiling times are good when cooked this way.
The only minor adjustments that need to be done are to reduce the quantity of water and increase the quantity of ingredients. After all, the lack of evaporation will have some impact on your food.
Essentially, rice is simple. Boil the rice and the water in the internal pot for about 5 minutes (small amounts) and then lock it in the external pot for 3 hours. My goodness, when you look at those cooked, shiny glistening rice grains, tell me who's appetite won't be whetted.
In a way, this represents a saving in gas consumption. And it also does not let the food burn or boil over. Furthermore, you can leave the food inside the pot for as long as you want and even after 10 hours, the food is still warm enough that it tastes good without reheating.
For the really uninitiated, a thermal pot consists of an external insulation pot and an internal pot. Essentially, you will boil the stuff that you need to cook in the internal pot for no less than 10 minutes. Then you turn off the fire and transfer this internal pot to sit in the external insulation pot. The insulation maintains the high temperature for a long time and a few hours later, you'll actually have great stew.
The important thing is this: the food gets cooked, you save gas and you save time. It's been a good buy so far and most soups and desserts requiring extended boiling times are good when cooked this way.
The only minor adjustments that need to be done are to reduce the quantity of water and increase the quantity of ingredients. After all, the lack of evaporation will have some impact on your food.
Essentially, rice is simple. Boil the rice and the water in the internal pot for about 5 minutes (small amounts) and then lock it in the external pot for 3 hours. My goodness, when you look at those cooked, shiny glistening rice grains, tell me who's appetite won't be whetted.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
What a steal
Got a $98 Seiko Wall Clock for $68. How exciting.
Our old wall clock died. Stopped, short, and never budged ever again. It was a cheapo clock that I paid about $10 for. I've been looking for a clock to replace the old one since it retired. And as I walked in Loyang Point, my regular watch shop has resumed business and it had placed several clocks on sale, two of which are appropriate replacements. I would have bought the Citizen $38 clock (down from $68) if it had a brown frame. But it was in turquoise and I really didn't see how turquoise is going to fit the house purple and wood theme.
Thus, the Seiko clock was selected as it had a wooden frame. Sigh, talk about vanity.
Our old wall clock died. Stopped, short, and never budged ever again. It was a cheapo clock that I paid about $10 for. I've been looking for a clock to replace the old one since it retired. And as I walked in Loyang Point, my regular watch shop has resumed business and it had placed several clocks on sale, two of which are appropriate replacements. I would have bought the Citizen $38 clock (down from $68) if it had a brown frame. But it was in turquoise and I really didn't see how turquoise is going to fit the house purple and wood theme.
Thus, the Seiko clock was selected as it had a wooden frame. Sigh, talk about vanity.
Headphones
Finally decided to let my ears be less troubled by investing in a pair of noise cancelling headphones.
Now I have an iPod Shuffle to go with it.
I should be enjoying myself but somehow I am not. I guess it must be the trama from the grading that makes me want to get retail therapy to console myself.
How I love shopping.
Now I have an iPod Shuffle to go with it.
I should be enjoying myself but somehow I am not. I guess it must be the trama from the grading that makes me want to get retail therapy to console myself.
How I love shopping.
Chemical Burns
Cleared out the remaining romaine lettuce sitting in my fridge last Sunday after the class gathering last Saturday.
Ate it with an onion, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. And right after, my mouth felt just wrong.
Just saw a doctor after lots of misery. A weeks' worth.
After checking me, doc decided that my bumps, oral dryness (there is lots of saliva produced, no thirst but the skin feels so parched), and the suspect discomfort is a case of chemical burns from food.
Don't ask me. I don't know any better either.
Ate it with an onion, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. And right after, my mouth felt just wrong.
Just saw a doctor after lots of misery. A weeks' worth.
After checking me, doc decided that my bumps, oral dryness (there is lots of saliva produced, no thirst but the skin feels so parched), and the suspect discomfort is a case of chemical burns from food.
Don't ask me. I don't know any better either.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
What is my passion?
In the Straits Times yesterday:
10 months for sex with student
A MARRIED ex-teacher yesterday became the first woman jailed here for having sex with an underage boy.
The 32-year-old mother of two, who pleaded guilty earlier this month, will serve 10 months in jail for being intimate with the boy, then 15, a former pupil of the primary school where she taught.
Her conviction comes a year after the Penal Code was changed to make sex between an adult woman and a boy below 16 a crime.
The slim, bespectacled woman, who cannot be named to protect the boy's identity, listened impassively as District Judge Sarjit Singh handed down her sentence, but broke down at the close of the proceedings.
None of her relatives were in court.
In deciding her punishment, the judge said he took into account the fact that she had to give up her teaching career as a result of her actions.
He also noted that she was the one who went to the police - even if it was only because the boy refused to end the relationship and threatened to harm her and her family.
But the judge said that a 'serious breach of trust' had taken place, so a significant penalty was called for.
The court also heard that the boy, who had no previous history of violent behaviour, was violent when she wanted to end their affair. The details are unavailable.
The woman could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
Source
The new Ministry of Education advertisements for attracting people to join teaching have been spot on: "What is my passion? Children. That's why I became a teacher."
I only wish I could find a copy of the advertisement to put here.
10 months for sex with student
A MARRIED ex-teacher yesterday became the first woman jailed here for having sex with an underage boy.
The 32-year-old mother of two, who pleaded guilty earlier this month, will serve 10 months in jail for being intimate with the boy, then 15, a former pupil of the primary school where she taught.
Her conviction comes a year after the Penal Code was changed to make sex between an adult woman and a boy below 16 a crime.
The slim, bespectacled woman, who cannot be named to protect the boy's identity, listened impassively as District Judge Sarjit Singh handed down her sentence, but broke down at the close of the proceedings.
None of her relatives were in court.
In deciding her punishment, the judge said he took into account the fact that she had to give up her teaching career as a result of her actions.
He also noted that she was the one who went to the police - even if it was only because the boy refused to end the relationship and threatened to harm her and her family.
But the judge said that a 'serious breach of trust' had taken place, so a significant penalty was called for.
The court also heard that the boy, who had no previous history of violent behaviour, was violent when she wanted to end their affair. The details are unavailable.
The woman could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
Source
The new Ministry of Education advertisements for attracting people to join teaching have been spot on: "What is my passion? Children. That's why I became a teacher."
I only wish I could find a copy of the advertisement to put here.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Political cartoon
Wonder if anyone out there would be interested to help me convert whatever is below into a visual cartoon. I wish to send it to NYT and see if I can make the cut as a political cartoonist.
Major bonfire fueled by wood pieces called subprime, Madoff, Lehman, AIA, Auto industry...
Big pot of water being boiled over the fire, name of pot - American Economy
Live frogs in the water, eyes glazed because of the heat, moving limbs as though enjoying the sauna, frog bellies slightly bloated
Tribal chief Obama sits by the fire, tries to keep the frogs alive by adding slivers ice chips (financial aid). There is a leaking cooler box (treasury) beside him, with the lid exposed and shows little remaining ice is inside.
Oh, for dramatic effect, just have the rest of the G7 leaders crowding around looking at Obama conduct the experiment called "The Live but Boiled Frog Paradox".
Honestly, the idea came when I was teaching in class yesterday. I heard that one student has dropped out of college and someone asked if it was due to financial diffuculties. I reflected on why things are that bad now and the image of the frogs being boiled alive came to my mind almost immediately.
We are in a slow meltdown. The whole world is in a mess because no one dares to do anything about it. Take the frogs out of the water and you'll have to contend with the din and their running around. Remove the pot from the fire and you'll stop all activities. Remove the logs from the fire and you'll risk burning yourself.
There is no easy way out and no one wants to face the problem squarely. The aid rendered by various governments so far are just stop-gap measures. In the long run, even if the people don't die, they end up severely burnt and half dead.
I think the best thing to do is to let the market collapse straightaway. Then tell those who are not performing that they have to choose between the prescribed way and the highway. And then expend your remaining money to rebuild.
View this meltdown as a reset button for the economy. Or the snake that leads you back to square one. It is a bitter fruit from our well-cultivated and richly fertilized greed plant. We have no choice but to have to eat what we have grown. It is a bitter pill but since when have medicine tasted good?
We are dragging out the inevitable. We are hoping that we will have enough ice chips to keep the frogs alive to last till the flames go out. Unfortunately, like the Australian forest fires, there are more logs that are waiting to burn. A spark is all that is needed. And we are dangerously low on ice chips.
We the ordinary frogs should not be boiled alive because the people up there are making crap decisions.
Major bonfire fueled by wood pieces called subprime, Madoff, Lehman, AIA, Auto industry...
Big pot of water being boiled over the fire, name of pot - American Economy
Live frogs in the water, eyes glazed because of the heat, moving limbs as though enjoying the sauna, frog bellies slightly bloated
Tribal chief Obama sits by the fire, tries to keep the frogs alive by adding slivers ice chips (financial aid). There is a leaking cooler box (treasury) beside him, with the lid exposed and shows little remaining ice is inside.
Oh, for dramatic effect, just have the rest of the G7 leaders crowding around looking at Obama conduct the experiment called "The Live but Boiled Frog Paradox".
Honestly, the idea came when I was teaching in class yesterday. I heard that one student has dropped out of college and someone asked if it was due to financial diffuculties. I reflected on why things are that bad now and the image of the frogs being boiled alive came to my mind almost immediately.
We are in a slow meltdown. The whole world is in a mess because no one dares to do anything about it. Take the frogs out of the water and you'll have to contend with the din and their running around. Remove the pot from the fire and you'll stop all activities. Remove the logs from the fire and you'll risk burning yourself.
There is no easy way out and no one wants to face the problem squarely. The aid rendered by various governments so far are just stop-gap measures. In the long run, even if the people don't die, they end up severely burnt and half dead.
I think the best thing to do is to let the market collapse straightaway. Then tell those who are not performing that they have to choose between the prescribed way and the highway. And then expend your remaining money to rebuild.
View this meltdown as a reset button for the economy. Or the snake that leads you back to square one. It is a bitter fruit from our well-cultivated and richly fertilized greed plant. We have no choice but to have to eat what we have grown. It is a bitter pill but since when have medicine tasted good?
We are dragging out the inevitable. We are hoping that we will have enough ice chips to keep the frogs alive to last till the flames go out. Unfortunately, like the Australian forest fires, there are more logs that are waiting to burn. A spark is all that is needed. And we are dangerously low on ice chips.
We the ordinary frogs should not be boiled alive because the people up there are making crap decisions.
Teanner on 21 Feb, 3 - 9 pm
Here is the confirmed menu. If you desire to eat tidbits/junk food such as chips or ???, feel free to bring small quantities. New year goodies wise, I think I still have some unopened packets to be eaten. The desired outcome is zero leftovers.
Menu
Homemade pasta with pesto sauce
Sausage buns (I've scored the chipolata sausages. Will get cheese slices, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce on Fri. Everything is settled.)
Desserts
Tiramisu from Da Paolo (courtesy of OKE and Adeline)
Surprise cake (courtesy of Nana and Nigel)
Longan jelly (not the almond type but the Taiwanese version)
Drinks
Teh-C
Kopi-C
Assorted non-alcoholic drinks
Red wine
Menu
Homemade pasta with pesto sauce
Sausage buns (I've scored the chipolata sausages. Will get cheese slices, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce on Fri. Everything is settled.)
Desserts
Tiramisu from Da Paolo (courtesy of OKE and Adeline)
Surprise cake (courtesy of Nana and Nigel)
Longan jelly (not the almond type but the Taiwanese version)
Drinks
Teh-C
Kopi-C
Assorted non-alcoholic drinks
Red wine
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Toes or Toast
Just went shopping with a friend for massage equipment for his school.
For the upcoming Valentine's, the equipment outlet sent out flyers entitling customers to a $50 discount if this flyer is presented.
We went to the shop and then asked if the discount could be extended to two pieces of massage equipment. After all, it is a matter of collecting another flyer. Furthermore, there is a minimum spending condition before the discount can be given. Both pieces of equipment are independently above the minimum cost that qualifies for the discount.
The salesgirl, whose eye lashes were painted like a pigeon just shit over the middle of each eye leaving a white streak, attended to us and we asked if we could have a discount on each piece of equipment. She checked with her supervisor and returned with the news that the discount is applicable.
Then when we asked to buy both pieces, she insisted that the discount is only applicable to one particular item. I pointed out to her that if the discount applies only to a specific item, then it would have stated "Only Applicable to Black Hearted Not Me Scared Scared Non amateur". (Trust me on the random capitalisation.) It would not have gone to state simply, "Minimum Spend (sic!) of $250."
After some exchange with her colleague, she relented that the discount can be given to any item. But now, she cannot allow the discount to be given to both items because her supervisor only allowed the double discount on two Black Hearted Not Me Scared Scared Non amateur non-hand muscle manipulator with negative enthalpy. Oh, come on. If you did not pay attention to our widespread hands pointing to two different items when we asked for the discount, then at least ask us what we want exactly. Don't assume we want two pieces of that equipment. Anyway, neither of us had a package that is protruding excessively between our legs that might attract any attention of anyone, unlike some porn stars. If at all, my paunch would be the attention grabber.
In any case, Miss Shitty Eyed Dumb Ass (or if you prefer the more endearing Miss Dumb Assed Shitty Eyes), it is not as though your Black Hearted products are flying off your shelves that you've hardly had enough to sell to customers like us. Your pathetic company had to offer this discount because its products are dragging ass when it comes to sales!
So, I simply said, "Fine! You are not the only store selling this. We certainly can get them from another shop." And she went, "My supervisor approves all these requests from all the outlets."
"Really? So what? Let's go." Why should I tolerate such nonsense? If I have the cash to buy things, I certainly won't tolerate such "excellent" customer service. For good measure, Watsons at Marina called me when an item I had wanted went on sale. She urged me to pick up my reserved items at the sale price. That is what I call good customer service.
Of course, the person who has to buy from the school has to be more tolerant. I simply walked out of the bloody stupid shop after verbally toasting her.
What's wrong with saying, "Oh, I made a mistake in thinking that you wanted two of Black Hearted Not Me Scared Scared Non amateur non-hand muscle manipulator with negative enthalpy. Let me call my supervisor again and check." I would have let that go. We all make mistakes. If you are interested in my business, you would definitely go out to check it out for me. Who the hell cares if your supervisor is so great? I don't mean to brag but if our consumer dollars all go to the non-Black Heart brands, your supervisor will be approving all your layoffs!
Moral of the story: If you are in sales, be on your toes or you're toast.
For the upcoming Valentine's, the equipment outlet sent out flyers entitling customers to a $50 discount if this flyer is presented.
We went to the shop and then asked if the discount could be extended to two pieces of massage equipment. After all, it is a matter of collecting another flyer. Furthermore, there is a minimum spending condition before the discount can be given. Both pieces of equipment are independently above the minimum cost that qualifies for the discount.
The salesgirl, whose eye lashes were painted like a pigeon just shit over the middle of each eye leaving a white streak, attended to us and we asked if we could have a discount on each piece of equipment. She checked with her supervisor and returned with the news that the discount is applicable.
Then when we asked to buy both pieces, she insisted that the discount is only applicable to one particular item. I pointed out to her that if the discount applies only to a specific item, then it would have stated "Only Applicable to Black Hearted Not Me Scared Scared Non amateur". (Trust me on the random capitalisation.) It would not have gone to state simply, "Minimum Spend (sic!) of $250."
After some exchange with her colleague, she relented that the discount can be given to any item. But now, she cannot allow the discount to be given to both items because her supervisor only allowed the double discount on two Black Hearted Not Me Scared Scared Non amateur non-hand muscle manipulator with negative enthalpy. Oh, come on. If you did not pay attention to our widespread hands pointing to two different items when we asked for the discount, then at least ask us what we want exactly. Don't assume we want two pieces of that equipment. Anyway, neither of us had a package that is protruding excessively between our legs that might attract any attention of anyone, unlike some porn stars. If at all, my paunch would be the attention grabber.
In any case, Miss Shitty Eyed Dumb Ass (or if you prefer the more endearing Miss Dumb Assed Shitty Eyes), it is not as though your Black Hearted products are flying off your shelves that you've hardly had enough to sell to customers like us. Your pathetic company had to offer this discount because its products are dragging ass when it comes to sales!
So, I simply said, "Fine! You are not the only store selling this. We certainly can get them from another shop." And she went, "My supervisor approves all these requests from all the outlets."
"Really? So what? Let's go." Why should I tolerate such nonsense? If I have the cash to buy things, I certainly won't tolerate such "excellent" customer service. For good measure, Watsons at Marina called me when an item I had wanted went on sale. She urged me to pick up my reserved items at the sale price. That is what I call good customer service.
Of course, the person who has to buy from the school has to be more tolerant. I simply walked out of the bloody stupid shop after verbally toasting her.
What's wrong with saying, "Oh, I made a mistake in thinking that you wanted two of Black Hearted Not Me Scared Scared Non amateur non-hand muscle manipulator with negative enthalpy. Let me call my supervisor again and check." I would have let that go. We all make mistakes. If you are interested in my business, you would definitely go out to check it out for me. Who the hell cares if your supervisor is so great? I don't mean to brag but if our consumer dollars all go to the non-Black Heart brands, your supervisor will be approving all your layoffs!
Moral of the story: If you are in sales, be on your toes or you're toast.
Capitalism and Capitalists
There is a rather big, but fortunately sedate, crossfire between a few bloggers whose blogs I read. It is fortunate too that the big pond separates them. I wonder if the two old fogies will end up trading blows if I ever put them together. I can't care two hoots really, so long as they don't rain the blows on me.
But interestingly, both of them are arguing across tangents. It's like trying to get two skew lines to meet. No doubt the cross one another at an angle, skew lines do not meet. Still it is inteersting.
The issue revolves around capitalism (a neutral concept revolving around money grabbing) and capitalists (a neutral term revolving around money grabbers). The problem is the money grabbers are giving the concept of money grabbing a bad name. At this point, we know that some governments are guided by the money grabbing concept but run by the people who draw their support from the money grabbers. This is what I think the US is mired in now.
In contrast, what we don't have a outright money grabber governments (maybe we can find one or two of these governments, perhaps in the African continent) run by money grabbers.
The problem now is no one knows which is which anymore. In any case, I'll cordially invite the Kiwi and the Texan to drop by and give their two cents if they care to. Hopefully, they can achieve some agreement in this neutral territory while we watch with bated breath how B. Hussein is going to deal with M. Ahmadinejad if the latter says he wants both the money and also to keep his nuclear bombs.
But interestingly, both of them are arguing across tangents. It's like trying to get two skew lines to meet. No doubt the cross one another at an angle, skew lines do not meet. Still it is inteersting.
The issue revolves around capitalism (a neutral concept revolving around money grabbing) and capitalists (a neutral term revolving around money grabbers). The problem is the money grabbers are giving the concept of money grabbing a bad name. At this point, we know that some governments are guided by the money grabbing concept but run by the people who draw their support from the money grabbers. This is what I think the US is mired in now.
In contrast, what we don't have a outright money grabber governments (maybe we can find one or two of these governments, perhaps in the African continent) run by money grabbers.
The problem now is no one knows which is which anymore. In any case, I'll cordially invite the Kiwi and the Texan to drop by and give their two cents if they care to. Hopefully, they can achieve some agreement in this neutral territory while we watch with bated breath how B. Hussein is going to deal with M. Ahmadinejad if the latter says he wants both the money and also to keep his nuclear bombs.
Why do you call that murder?
I teach in a Methodist school where we have a chapel as part of the school premises. We have full-time a pastor here too.
Just last week, some thing helped itself to a whiteboard marker on my table. The markers are dispensed on a one-for-one basis by the school and teachers need to use them to write in the class.
So, I believe some thing stole from me in the house of god.
As I gave the incident more thought, I came to this interesting rationalization. If you take something from another without permission, it is stealing.
If that something is a life, it is stealing too. Why do we charge them for murder and then convict them and pass a death sentence? It is only stealing.
Oh, so it's not stealing? Then why are stealing punishments so light?
Just last week, some thing helped itself to a whiteboard marker on my table. The markers are dispensed on a one-for-one basis by the school and teachers need to use them to write in the class.
So, I believe some thing stole from me in the house of god.
As I gave the incident more thought, I came to this interesting rationalization. If you take something from another without permission, it is stealing.
If that something is a life, it is stealing too. Why do we charge them for murder and then convict them and pass a death sentence? It is only stealing.
Oh, so it's not stealing? Then why are stealing punishments so light?
It's a crime when you can't write
Before you start protesting and hurling abuses at me, please have the basic courtesy to read the following paragraphs. After that, you can decide if you still want to hurl anything at me.
Writing serves many purposes and communication seems to be the most important reason why people write. Regardless of your job, it is important that you are able to write well enough to convey the idea that you wish to convey. If your work requires you to write extensively because the written word is the primary means you use for communication, then it is even more imperative that you write accurately, objectively, fairly, and succinctly.
While most people aspire towards these hallmarks of effective writing, there are people out there who resist learning. I've read pieces from civil servants that are so wordy and bombastic, they put the Marriam-Webster dictionary to shame. I've also read pieces from student writers that are so poorly written, I simply become convulsed with laughter. While the latter group still has time to can brush up on their writing skills, the former writers out there had better get their act together before they make mockeries of themselves.
Writing is becoming a dying skill. Good writers are a dying breed. I am not implying that I write well. I try to be clear but I am human after all. But at least I do not end up writing entire patches of work which you summarize with the infamous "What the ... is he writing about?" or "Huh? Run that by me again?"
We have to write with some consciousness. What does one mean by "He argues that terminally ill patients should be allowed to die after they have displayed their human capacity [sic] to stay alive?" Or "Mercy killing in some cases could have been a result of quality care and compassion for the paitents?" How about "Consider a terrorist who has been caught after bombing a lot of innocent lives...?" One more, "Although death may seem too harsh an option here to society, there are many other beneficial side-effects [sic] to it that we fail to realise. Of course, this has to come around, "Human beings are one of the few species or perhaps, the only specie that is capable of facing the test of death and discovering the significance of life in it."
I should find the quote about the doctors expecting a 99-year-old woman with a hip fracture to operate on another patient.
Can you imagine how writers like these are going to survive in the world out there? I have absolutely no idea but I do know what if anyone writes this way, their bosses are probably not going to be too pleased. Even if their bosses can't write as well, they are in their position by virtue of the fact that they have mastered, if not are reasonably proficient in, reading skills. That is another dying skill and a different blog entry.
Now if you really need to hurl anything, shoes are fine. Nikes US11.5W any model. If you prefer to throw something larger, Wesco Big Boss Boots US11.5EE are acceptable. Cash preferred though.
Writing serves many purposes and communication seems to be the most important reason why people write. Regardless of your job, it is important that you are able to write well enough to convey the idea that you wish to convey. If your work requires you to write extensively because the written word is the primary means you use for communication, then it is even more imperative that you write accurately, objectively, fairly, and succinctly.
While most people aspire towards these hallmarks of effective writing, there are people out there who resist learning. I've read pieces from civil servants that are so wordy and bombastic, they put the Marriam-Webster dictionary to shame. I've also read pieces from student writers that are so poorly written, I simply become convulsed with laughter. While the latter group still has time to can brush up on their writing skills, the former writers out there had better get their act together before they make mockeries of themselves.
Writing is becoming a dying skill. Good writers are a dying breed. I am not implying that I write well. I try to be clear but I am human after all. But at least I do not end up writing entire patches of work which you summarize with the infamous "What the ... is he writing about?" or "Huh? Run that by me again?"
We have to write with some consciousness. What does one mean by "He argues that terminally ill patients should be allowed to die after they have displayed their human capacity [sic] to stay alive?" Or "Mercy killing in some cases could have been a result of quality care and compassion for the paitents?" How about "Consider a terrorist who has been caught after bombing a lot of innocent lives...?" One more, "Although death may seem too harsh an option here to society, there are many other beneficial side-effects [sic] to it that we fail to realise. Of course, this has to come around, "Human beings are one of the few species or perhaps, the only specie that is capable of facing the test of death and discovering the significance of life in it."
I should find the quote about the doctors expecting a 99-year-old woman with a hip fracture to operate on another patient.
Can you imagine how writers like these are going to survive in the world out there? I have absolutely no idea but I do know what if anyone writes this way, their bosses are probably not going to be too pleased. Even if their bosses can't write as well, they are in their position by virtue of the fact that they have mastered, if not are reasonably proficient in, reading skills. That is another dying skill and a different blog entry.
Now if you really need to hurl anything, shoes are fine. Nikes US11.5W any model. If you prefer to throw something larger, Wesco Big Boss Boots US11.5EE are acceptable. Cash preferred though.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Please See Me
It's the time of the term when the graded assignments make their way back to their owners. It's also the time of the term where student writers get rewarded for good writing or suffer for poorly written work.
I often write "Pls see me" on scripts when I think the writer needs personal attention. My experience tells me that a quick session of 15 minutes with the student achieves more than what a 20 page commentary and analysis on what has gone awry on the paper.
Post-mortem consultation is beginning soon. And there will be some work to be done. And fast.
I often write "Pls see me" on scripts when I think the writer needs personal attention. My experience tells me that a quick session of 15 minutes with the student achieves more than what a 20 page commentary and analysis on what has gone awry on the paper.
Post-mortem consultation is beginning soon. And there will be some work to be done. And fast.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Inauspicious Homonyms
We often say auspicious words to friends and family members when we go visiting during the Chinese New Year. But the financial tsunami has led to a perversion of some terms because of homonymity. Some are really hilarious. Here's some for your reading pleasure.
财源滚滚(裁员滚滚) [cai2 yuan2 gun3 gun3]
Overflowing with riches. (Meaning of homonym: Fervent retrenchments)
招财进宝(遭裁禁饱) [zhao1 cai2 jing4 bao3]
Attracting riches and pocketing treasures (Got retrenched; can't eat till I'm full [not enough food])
万事如意(万市如忆) [wan4 shi4 ru2 yi4]
Everything will be as you wish (All [booming financial] markets are only in your memory)
心想事成(薪饷四成) [xin1 xiang3 shi4 cheng2]
Your heart's wishes (Pay is cut to 40%)
鸿图大展(红屠大斩) [hong2 tu2 da4 zhan3]
Opportunities to flaunt your ambition (A bloody massacre)
财源广进(裁员广尽) [cai2 yuan2 guang3 jing4]
Getting vast riches and treasures (Retrench to the last person)
Now do you know why many Chinese have banned these terms for this Lunar New Year?
财源滚滚(裁员滚滚) [cai2 yuan2 gun3 gun3]
Overflowing with riches. (Meaning of homonym: Fervent retrenchments)
招财进宝(遭裁禁饱) [zhao1 cai2 jing4 bao3]
Attracting riches and pocketing treasures (Got retrenched; can't eat till I'm full [not enough food])
万事如意(万市如忆) [wan4 shi4 ru2 yi4]
Everything will be as you wish (All [booming financial] markets are only in your memory)
心想事成(薪饷四成) [xin1 xiang3 shi4 cheng2]
Your heart's wishes (Pay is cut to 40%)
鸿图大展(红屠大斩) [hong2 tu2 da4 zhan3]
Opportunities to flaunt your ambition (A bloody massacre)
财源广进(裁员广尽) [cai2 yuan2 guang3 jing4]
Getting vast riches and treasures (Retrench to the last person)
Now do you know why many Chinese have banned these terms for this Lunar New Year?
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