The Venting Thread

[smallcleanrat]

In this week's library column in the local paper I mentioned that we had gotten in a large batch of new junior graphic novels.  The editor of the paper, evidently having a bit of extra space available and trying to be helpful, decided to illustrate the column with a graphic novel cover.

He chose Allen Moore's Watchmen.  Which is considered a graphic novel classic and is in our library's collection.  But it is emphatically NOT a junior title.  It's the equivalent of illustrating a column about upgrades to our juvenile mystery section--you know, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, etc.--with a cover of Silence of the Lambs.

If you contacted the editor, do you think he would explain what he was thinking?
*If* he was thinking that is.

[fishbrains]

In this week's library column in the local paper I mentioned that we had gotten in a large batch of new junior graphic novels.  The editor of the paper, evidently having a bit of extra space available and trying to be helpful, decided to illustrate the column with a graphic novel cover.

He chose Allen Moore's Watchmen.  Which is considered a graphic novel classic and is in our library's collection.  But it is emphatically NOT a junior title.  It's the equivalent of illustrating a column about upgrades to our juvenile mystery section--you know, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, etc.--with a cover of Silence of the Lambs.

Maybe he's seeing if anyone still reads the paper anymore. It would be kind of fun to see a letter-to-the-editor complaining about a naked blue guy running around in a kid's book.

[RatGuy]

Jeni's Ice Cream has been hyping their Dolly Parton strawberry-pretzel-pie ice cream for a while now. They've made it clear that it'll be a limited run. They were scheduled to start taking orders today ... but the website is crashing and glitchy. All I'm saying is don't mess with the Dollyverse.

[apl68]

In this week's library column in the local paper I mentioned that we had gotten in a large batch of new junior graphic novels.  The editor of the paper, evidently having a bit of extra space available and trying to be helpful, decided to illustrate the column with a graphic novel cover.

He chose Allen Moore's Watchmen.  Which is considered a graphic novel classic and is in our library's collection.  But it is emphatically NOT a junior title.  It's the equivalent of illustrating a column about upgrades to our juvenile mystery section--you know, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, etc.--with a cover of Silence of the Lambs.

Maybe he's seeing if anyone still reads the paper anymore. It would be kind of fun to see a letter-to-the-editor complaining about a naked blue guy running around in a kid's book.

Oh, people still read the paper.  I just got an e-mail from the editor saying that a reader had asked him to ask us to highlight more science fiction in the column.  Which I'll try to do.  While I was at it, I gently pointed out that the image of Watchmen looked a little odd next to a mention of junior graphic novels.

The editor also suggested another GN that he thought might be good.  I'll probably get it.  But not for the junior GN section.

[fishbrains]

So, even after multiple discussions from people in our semi-rural neighborhood (a row of houses on one side of the street and farmland on the other side), our idiot neighbors down-the-way kept letting their Labradoodle roam the neighborhood unleashed. They describe it as "a neighborhood dog." Ugh. The dog is friendly enough, but dogs around here are generally employed to keep critters away from their yards. Our neighbor two-doors-down the other way finally had animal control pick up the loose Labradoodle, and its owners received some kind of citation.

Suffice to say, hilarity has not ensued, but we have stayed out of it.

This is the second Labradoodle owner in the area that has caused problems because they let their dog run around unleashed and say it's a "friendly dog"--like that explains something.

   

[the_geneticist]

So, even after multiple discussions from people in our semi-rural neighborhood (a row of houses on one side of the street and farmland on the other side), our idiot neighbors down-the-way kept letting their Labradoodle roam the neighborhood unleashed. They describe it as "a neighborhood dog." Ugh. The dog is friendly enough, but dogs around here are generally employed to keep critters away from their yards. Our neighbor two-doors-down the other way finally had animal control pick up the loose Labradoodle, and its owners received some kind of citation.

Suffice to say, hilarity has not ensued, but we have stayed out of it.

This is the second Labradoodle owner in the area that has caused problems because they let their dog run around unleashed and say it's a "friendly dog"--like that explains something.

As if a "friendly dog" won't poop in other yards, dig up gardens, or interact with your cats/dogs/livestock.
My childhood dog was allowed outside unleashed when we were home, but was trained to stay on our property.  And had a very large dog run and garage for when we weren't home.  Ironically, it was my childhood cat that kept the so-called neighborhood dogs off of the property.

[smallcleanrat]

So, even after multiple discussions from people in our semi-rural neighborhood (a row of houses on one side of the street and farmland on the other side), our idiot neighbors down-the-way kept letting their Labradoodle roam the neighborhood unleashed. They describe it as "a neighborhood dog." Ugh. The dog is friendly enough, but dogs around here are generally employed to keep critters away from their yards. Our neighbor two-doors-down the other way finally had animal control pick up the loose Labradoodle, and its owners received some kind of citation.

Suffice to say, hilarity has not ensued, but we have stayed out of it.

This is the second Labradoodle owner in the area that has caused problems because they let their dog run around unleashed and say it's a "friendly dog"--like that explains something.

As if a "friendly dog" won't poop in other yards, dig up gardens, or interact with your cats/dogs/livestock.
My childhood dog was allowed outside unleashed when we were home, but was trained to stay on our property.  And had a very large dog run and garage for when we weren't home.  Ironically, it was my childhood cat that kept the so-called neighborhood dogs off of the property.

My dog was once attacked by a Rottweiler twice his size. We were on the sidewalk passing a house with an open garage from which the unleashed Rottweiler ran out barking and growling. I ran to the house's front door and pounded on it. When the dog's owner came out, I said, "Please call off your dog, he's attacking mine!" and I pointed to the sidewalk where the dogs were tussling.

The guy looked at the dogs, then looked back at me. Annoyed, he huffily asked, "And who are *you*?"

What was going through his head? I'm the person whose dog is being attacked by his dog. Why does he need any more information than that?

Sometimes people are hard to understand.

[mamselle]

"I'm the person who's going to sue you and send you the vet bills if your dog so much as puts a scratch on mine."

M.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Unrelated.

Listen dumbass, trying to get me in trouble with the Chair for something I didn't do is not making a good first impression with me.

[clean]

Student had a hearing for Academic Misconduct 2 weeks ago.  She did not appear.  Today is the deadline for an appeal.  She claims among other things:
1. She didnt get proper notice of the hearing because it went to her spam. (This MAY cause a retrial).
2.  The penalty (an F for the course) is too harsh for cheating on an exam. (I doubt that this will help because it is in the syllabus and on the exam!)
3.  Student claims that she emailed me that her daughter was hurt and needed to go to the ER, but that I didnt reply in time.
This one pisses me off.
Her email to me at 630 was that her exam was scheduled (with the proctor) at 8, and that she would PREFER to take the exam on another day, but would take her to the ER after the test at 8  (clearly indicating that the broken toe and sprained ankle were not 'bad hurt'.)
I replied at 715 that I hoped that she was already at the ER, that she should take care of her family first, and that while I would not extend the deadline (as she would have to pay for the proctoring again), that I would adjust the weight of the final to replace this exam grade.
She replied at 750 that she had already finished the exam (the proctors let her take it early), but that she STILL had not left to take child to the ER.

Note then that she had 48 hours to schedule the exam in the first place and waited for a slot in the last 4 hours of availability. SHE chose to take the exam earlier, DELAYING her taking her daughter to the ER.  BUT NOW, she is claiming that her crying daughter, in the other room (who can NOT be heard on the recording, but the 4 dogs in the room with her while taking the exam keep wanting to sit in her lap, seem to be the only actual distraction).

Anyway, she is NOW trying to get sympathy because her daughter was 'badly hurt' and her professor didnt reply in time for her to take her to the ER.

None of this has anything to do with the recording of her cheating, but is CCd to my chair associate dean, and a university VP. 

I forwarded her emails to the Academic Misconduct person to refute at least that irrelevant part, and my chair to refute that I DID reply not only quickly but compassionately! 

Some things you can not let go unchallenged! 

It may take a week or more to hear if her appeal is granted. 

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Student had a hearing for Academic Misconduct 2 weeks ago.  She did not appear.  Today is the deadline for an appeal.  She claims among other things:
1. She didnt get proper notice of the hearing because it went to her spam. (This MAY cause a retrial).
2.  The penalty (an F for the course) is too harsh for cheating on an exam. (I doubt that this will help because it is in the syllabus and on the exam!)
3.  Student claims that she emailed me that her daughter was hurt and needed to go to the ER, but that I didnt reply in time.
This one pisses me off.
Her email to me at 630 was that her exam was scheduled (with the proctor) at 8, and that she would PREFER to take the exam on another day, but would take her to the ER after the test at 8  (clearly indicating that the broken toe and sprained ankle were not 'bad hurt'.)
I replied at 715 that I hoped that she was already at the ER, that she should take care of her family first, and that while I would not extend the deadline (as she would have to pay for the proctoring again), that I would adjust the weight of the final to replace this exam grade.
She replied at 750 that she had already finished the exam (the proctors let her take it early), but that she STILL had not left to take child to the ER.

Note then that she had 48 hours to schedule the exam in the first place and waited for a slot in the last 4 hours of availability. SHE chose to take the exam earlier, DELAYING her taking her daughter to the ER.  BUT NOW, she is claiming that her crying daughter, in the other room (who can NOT be heard on the recording, but the 4 dogs in the room with her while taking the exam keep wanting to sit in her lap, seem to be the only actual distraction).

Anyway, she is NOW trying to get sympathy because her daughter was 'badly hurt' and her professor didnt reply in time for her to take her to the ER.

None of this has anything to do with the recording of her cheating, but is CCd to my chair associate dean, and a university VP. 

I forwarded her emails to the Academic Misconduct person to refute at least that irrelevant part, and my chair to refute that I DID reply not only quickly but compassionately! 

Some things you can not let go unchallenged! 

It may take a week or more to hear if her appeal is granted.

Did the dogs help her cheat? Sorry...

[the_geneticist]

Student had a hearing for Academic Misconduct 2 weeks ago.  She did not appear.  Today is the deadline for an appeal.  She claims among other things:
1. She didnt get proper notice of the hearing because it went to her spam. (This MAY cause a retrial).
2.  The penalty (an F for the course) is too harsh for cheating on an exam. (I doubt that this will help because it is in the syllabus and on the exam!)
3.  Student claims that she emailed me that her daughter was hurt and needed to go to the ER, but that I didnt reply in time.
This one pisses me off.
Her email to me at 630 was that her exam was scheduled (with the proctor) at 8, and that she would PREFER to take the exam on another day, but would take her to the ER after the test at 8  (clearly indicating that the broken toe and sprained ankle were not 'bad hurt'.)
I replied at 715 that I hoped that she was already at the ER, that she should take care of her family first, and that while I would not extend the deadline (as she would have to pay for the proctoring again), that I would adjust the weight of the final to replace this exam grade.
She replied at 750 that she had already finished the exam (the proctors let her take it early), but that she STILL had not left to take child to the ER.

Note then that she had 48 hours to schedule the exam in the first place and waited for a slot in the last 4 hours of availability. SHE chose to take the exam earlier, DELAYING her taking her daughter to the ER.  BUT NOW, she is claiming that her crying daughter, in the other room (who can NOT be heard on the recording, but the 4 dogs in the room with her while taking the exam keep wanting to sit in her lap, seem to be the only actual distraction).

Anyway, she is NOW trying to get sympathy because her daughter was 'badly hurt' and her professor didnt reply in time for her to take her to the ER.

None of this has anything to do with the recording of her cheating, but is CCd to my chair associate dean, and a university VP. 

I forwarded her emails to the Academic Misconduct person to refute at least that irrelevant part, and my chair to refute that I DID reply not only quickly but compassionately! 

Some things you can not let go unchallenged! 

It may take a week or more to hear if her appeal is granted.

Did the dogs help her cheat? Sorry...

What a mess.  The hurt child, barking dogs, and email issues are all unfortunate, but just secondary points.  The misconduct folks should only be considering whether or not there is clear evidence that she cheated on the exam.

[downer]

I am pretty sick of college emails and web pages that start with a huge banner or picture, where you have to scroll down to find the information they are meant to be giving you. What with that and more and more elaborate acknowledgements of cookies, requiring click after click, and I might start to feel my time is not being valued.

[waterboy]

You've just described our college web page. Many clicks to find anything...if you're lucky.

[arcturus]

Don't leave out the banners that zoom in or out or otherwise appear to be a video. Those make me motion-sick. I have to quickly scroll down on our College and University pages so that I can see non-moving content.