It's pretty if not for the carp on the road
Thursday, 14 November 2019
If you don't buy in...
Sometimes I find it hard to actually study something that I totally dispute. Typically I don't have this problem in history or that other things that deal with evidence and such. But some disciplines don't really concern themselves with facts so much, but with ideology. And there's where the struggle begins.
In so many ways I love the political sociology course. It opened my eyes to all kinds of stuff that I didn't know anything about. It exposed me to thinkers I never even heard of before. That is all cool. But some of the stuff is simply too much to deal with.
As you know, I am an objectives-driven guy. For those who remember 416, my thing is always: what's the objective, how do we get there, prove it to me. Yeah? Shit, that's how you get things done.
So when I read stuff that don't care what the objectives are, or how one might get there, it really bothers me. Take this thing I'm reading about for instance.
It's the Occupy Movement, if you think back a decade or so.
So these articles talk about bottom-up democracy, etc., and how Occupy did not work with the existing political system because they don't believe the end ever justifies the means. And the end? Equality and so on (which I have no problem with, by the way). But they don't seem to consider how this goal of equality is to be reached.
They DON'T FUCKING Care!
So of course NOTHING happened. Surprised? It's sort of like fucking strategic planning at Etown. Nothing meaningful happens, and what happens has nothing to do with achieving whatever goal (which are not articulated anyway).
And somehow these writers talk about Occupy as some triumphant display of democracy. What the fuck! NOTHING HAPPENED! A bunch of morons camped out in tents and peed everywhere, and nothing changed. And somehow that's a good thing?
Anyway, that's an example of the difficulty I have with this course.
Now, when I write an essay exam, or write a paper, I can talk about that at length, and draw references to support my POV (though as an undergrad that's a BIG fucking gamble...see below). But in short answers and MCs, I don't have that ability to challenge the ideology (oh how Gramscian I have become).
So no matter how much I think some of the stuff is crap, I have to study it. Sigh.
OK, I said earlier that if you challenge the dominant logic as an undergrad, even if you are able to cite things to support your POV, it's a big gamble. Why? Well, they don't really expect or even want that sort of thing. So if you don't give them what they want....
I should have remembered that, since I should know to give them what they want instead of what I want. Remember that debacle I had with a history paper last semester? Well, being the contrarian that I am, I decided to write that Churchill was a peacemaker when he made that speech "Iron Curtain Speech." I thought it'd be cool to do that (I didn't actually believe that position, just thought it would be fun). Well, they didn't think so. Haha, bummer.
OK, back to work. I have test next week and two papers due as well. Need to edit the papers some more. Wish me luck!
In so many ways I love the political sociology course. It opened my eyes to all kinds of stuff that I didn't know anything about. It exposed me to thinkers I never even heard of before. That is all cool. But some of the stuff is simply too much to deal with.
As you know, I am an objectives-driven guy. For those who remember 416, my thing is always: what's the objective, how do we get there, prove it to me. Yeah? Shit, that's how you get things done.
So when I read stuff that don't care what the objectives are, or how one might get there, it really bothers me. Take this thing I'm reading about for instance.
It's the Occupy Movement, if you think back a decade or so.
So these articles talk about bottom-up democracy, etc., and how Occupy did not work with the existing political system because they don't believe the end ever justifies the means. And the end? Equality and so on (which I have no problem with, by the way). But they don't seem to consider how this goal of equality is to be reached.
They DON'T FUCKING Care!
So of course NOTHING happened. Surprised? It's sort of like fucking strategic planning at Etown. Nothing meaningful happens, and what happens has nothing to do with achieving whatever goal (which are not articulated anyway).
And somehow these writers talk about Occupy as some triumphant display of democracy. What the fuck! NOTHING HAPPENED! A bunch of morons camped out in tents and peed everywhere, and nothing changed. And somehow that's a good thing?
Anyway, that's an example of the difficulty I have with this course.
Now, when I write an essay exam, or write a paper, I can talk about that at length, and draw references to support my POV (though as an undergrad that's a BIG fucking gamble...see below). But in short answers and MCs, I don't have that ability to challenge the ideology (oh how Gramscian I have become).
So no matter how much I think some of the stuff is crap, I have to study it. Sigh.
OK, I said earlier that if you challenge the dominant logic as an undergrad, even if you are able to cite things to support your POV, it's a big gamble. Why? Well, they don't really expect or even want that sort of thing. So if you don't give them what they want....
I should have remembered that, since I should know to give them what they want instead of what I want. Remember that debacle I had with a history paper last semester? Well, being the contrarian that I am, I decided to write that Churchill was a peacemaker when he made that speech "Iron Curtain Speech." I thought it'd be cool to do that (I didn't actually believe that position, just thought it would be fun). Well, they didn't think so. Haha, bummer.
OK, back to work. I have test next week and two papers due as well. Need to edit the papers some more. Wish me luck!
Monday, 11 November 2019
Wednesday, 6 November 2019
Not a bicyclist, but
I don't ride bikes, and if you've been reading the blog, you know I don't care much for bikers. But I must admit, this is pretty cool...
And since crazy Ottawa people ride their bikes even in the winter, well, this is probably a good idea.
And since crazy Ottawa people ride their bikes even in the winter, well, this is probably a good idea.
Tuesday, 5 November 2019
I Don't Get it
Well, some of you may know that the Canadian elections took place, and Trudeau remains Prime Minister but in a minority government.
Out in the western provinces, particularly Alberta and Saskatchewan, the Liberals (Trudeau's party) did not win a SINGLE seat. So all the MPs from those provinces are with other parties. Shows how unhappy folks out west are with the Liberals. Why?
Well, the Liberals are not right wing enough for them, first of all. They also like immigrants, so the right wing bastards don't much like that either. But more importantly, the Liberals don't want to promote oil and gas, and were very reluctant to build those pipelines. Oil and gas, though, is the bread and butter of (esp) Alberta. Get the picture?
Anyway, so in Parliament, these two provinces voted in MPs from mostly the Conservatives, and a couple of small parties. But no Liberals.
And now they are bitching that Trudeau's cabinet won't have any western representation.
Wait, what?
You have fucking spoken! You said fuck you, Liberals! You wanted all your MPs to be from other parties than the ruling one. And now you complain you have no representation in cabinet? Well, FUCK YOU TOO!
I just don't get it. Seriously, I really don't understand all this sense of entitlement that is so pervasive these days.
Out in the western provinces, particularly Alberta and Saskatchewan, the Liberals (Trudeau's party) did not win a SINGLE seat. So all the MPs from those provinces are with other parties. Shows how unhappy folks out west are with the Liberals. Why?
Well, the Liberals are not right wing enough for them, first of all. They also like immigrants, so the right wing bastards don't much like that either. But more importantly, the Liberals don't want to promote oil and gas, and were very reluctant to build those pipelines. Oil and gas, though, is the bread and butter of (esp) Alberta. Get the picture?
Anyway, so in Parliament, these two provinces voted in MPs from mostly the Conservatives, and a couple of small parties. But no Liberals.
And now they are bitching that Trudeau's cabinet won't have any western representation.
Wait, what?
You have fucking spoken! You said fuck you, Liberals! You wanted all your MPs to be from other parties than the ruling one. And now you complain you have no representation in cabinet? Well, FUCK YOU TOO!
I just don't get it. Seriously, I really don't understand all this sense of entitlement that is so pervasive these days.
One More Month to Go!
Heading towards the end of semester now. Another month of classes, then onto finals. Time really flies by. Sometimes it's hard to fathom that this is now the third semester I'm undertaking this undergrad adventure! And it's been fun.
The term paper for one my classes is due this Thursday. Yesterday I overheard this couple of people talking. One had not even started the paper. The other, much more gung-ho, said, "I've written four pages now. I always want to start early." Okay.
Today I'm going back to the dentist to do the follow-up. I hope all is healing well, and that I can get back to my STEAK!!!! Shit, I've had so much cottage cheese and shit for the last week. By the way, DO NOT EVER BUY THAT NESTLE BOOST PROTEIN DRINK. It tastes like muck.
Been two weeks since the political sociology midterm. One essay question and the rest is scantron. And we still haven't it back. I have a feeling that people must have not done well on the scantron bit, that's why the prof hasn't even posted THOSE grades. There were a few questions that I thought were tricky and debatable. So maybe he is waiting to see how we do on the essay before finalizing the grades. Well, that's my theory anyway.
But I got 95% on my European history midterm. Yay! So I'm just missing the sociology one.
I have a second US history test coming up in two weeks though. But that shouldn't be too bad.
I really don't like this daylight savings time stuff. Yesterday I came out of class at 5:20 and it was pitch black outside. Fuck, I thought it was the twilight zone or something. It just gets dark way too early, man.
Remembrance Day coming up next Monday. Haven't even got my poppy yet!
The term paper for one my classes is due this Thursday. Yesterday I overheard this couple of people talking. One had not even started the paper. The other, much more gung-ho, said, "I've written four pages now. I always want to start early." Okay.
Today I'm going back to the dentist to do the follow-up. I hope all is healing well, and that I can get back to my STEAK!!!! Shit, I've had so much cottage cheese and shit for the last week. By the way, DO NOT EVER BUY THAT NESTLE BOOST PROTEIN DRINK. It tastes like muck.
Been two weeks since the political sociology midterm. One essay question and the rest is scantron. And we still haven't it back. I have a feeling that people must have not done well on the scantron bit, that's why the prof hasn't even posted THOSE grades. There were a few questions that I thought were tricky and debatable. So maybe he is waiting to see how we do on the essay before finalizing the grades. Well, that's my theory anyway.
But I got 95% on my European history midterm. Yay! So I'm just missing the sociology one.
I have a second US history test coming up in two weeks though. But that shouldn't be too bad.
I really don't like this daylight savings time stuff. Yesterday I came out of class at 5:20 and it was pitch black outside. Fuck, I thought it was the twilight zone or something. It just gets dark way too early, man.
Remembrance Day coming up next Monday. Haven't even got my poppy yet!
Tuesday, 29 October 2019
Good News and Not so Good News
Been off for a while, so here's an update. First the good news.
Did four midterms recently as you know. Got two of them back so far. 24/25 on one, and 19.5/20 on the other. As former students would say, "I'll take it." Hope to get the other two back soon as well. Curious as to how I did.
Met with the TA (the 19th century history) on my paper. Decided to slightly change the topic. Instead of the charge of the light brigade, focusing on the battle itself, I decided to do it on the Crimean War and its legacy on big power politics. TA said it's fine. Good! 'Cause I have actually finished the first draft! Haha. Not sure if it's good, but at least it's sort of out of the way.
Not so Good news.
Well, the health people are telling folks not to dig up wild mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest. Apparently a number of recent deaths.... Hmm. Glad I'm not doing any of that anymore.
On a different note: had a tooth extracted this morning. Damn thing was broken and all. Don't ask me details. But for now, I am not supposed to have solid food. Fuck! And I was planning on having steak tonight. On the positive side, I was told to not workout for a week. Do I need more incentive to NOT exercise? Haha. Just sit there and eat ice cream all day. What a life! I guess I should go load up on Ben and Jerry's.
Trouble is, this soft food shit makes me hungry a lot. Gotta do something about that. Maybe mashed potatoes with lots of cheese and butter?? Hm, sounds like a plan!
Did four midterms recently as you know. Got two of them back so far. 24/25 on one, and 19.5/20 on the other. As former students would say, "I'll take it." Hope to get the other two back soon as well. Curious as to how I did.
Met with the TA (the 19th century history) on my paper. Decided to slightly change the topic. Instead of the charge of the light brigade, focusing on the battle itself, I decided to do it on the Crimean War and its legacy on big power politics. TA said it's fine. Good! 'Cause I have actually finished the first draft! Haha. Not sure if it's good, but at least it's sort of out of the way.
Not so Good news.
Well, the health people are telling folks not to dig up wild mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest. Apparently a number of recent deaths.... Hmm. Glad I'm not doing any of that anymore.
On a different note: had a tooth extracted this morning. Damn thing was broken and all. Don't ask me details. But for now, I am not supposed to have solid food. Fuck! And I was planning on having steak tonight. On the positive side, I was told to not workout for a week. Do I need more incentive to NOT exercise? Haha. Just sit there and eat ice cream all day. What a life! I guess I should go load up on Ben and Jerry's.
Trouble is, this soft food shit makes me hungry a lot. Gotta do something about that. Maybe mashed potatoes with lots of cheese and butter?? Hm, sounds like a plan!
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