How long does it take to return exams?

For anyone who's reading this, who's ever had me as a prof, you might recall that I ALWAYS return exams and assignments the next class day.  In more than 20 years of teaching, I made that a matter of policy.  And decency.

I took this wretched midterm two weeks ago now.  And so far no word as to when we will get it back or find out how we did.  It doesn't help that I KNOW I screwed it up too.  So the waiting goes on.  And the guy has TWO TAs for the course.  Hell.

On a different, but equally unsettling, matter, some guys in class kept calling me Sir.  Sigh.  Thanks for being polite and all that.  But on a day like today especially, when my knee hurts and my back aches, I really don't need to be reminded of my age.   Oh well.  I'll just think of myself as aged whisky.  😎

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

Watched this in class today. Pretty cool stuff.

https://youtu.be/cZ7LzE3u7Bw

Financial Illiteracy starts early

I think it's common knowledge that people can't write.  Nor can they spell.  Nor do they know the first thing about grammar.
But surely in our money-dependent world, you'd think we'd have SOME financial literacy skills?  Assuredly not.

Take this guy I know in class.  He's not a business major, so at least there's some consolation.  But he's doing some sort of international development thing.  You know, like helping third world countries become economically viable, that kind of stuff.

Somehow he thinks I know something about business things.  Hmm, can't think why.  Anyway, he sent me a desperate massage.  "Help!  I have this assignment due, and I have no idea what to do," he said. 

Well, he didn't exactly use those words.  But you get the point.

So, being the nice guy that I am, I asked him to show me what this crazy-ass problem was.

Here it goes:

Joe has $300 to spend.  He wants to buy some DVDs, which costs $10 each, and he also wants to buy some books, which costs $25 each.   If x is the number of DVDs he buys, and y is the number of books he buys, express his budgetary constraint in the form of an equation.

Part II.  If Joe decides to buy 10 books, how many DVDs can he buy?

OK, my friends.  That's basically the gist of it.  Something to that effect.

How could this become such a difficult task for my friend?  It didn't start at university.  This is something one should have picked up in fourth grade or something.  Seriously.  I did.  It's not his fault that he found this difficult.  It's the education system's fault.  It's the parents' fault.  Life is too easy for kids.

And in the end, they suffer the consequences.

I don't want this yet

I am really not ready to wake up to this yet.  I guess I should put away the shorts for the season.  Finally.  Sigh!

Coffee is in my blood

This is how much coffee ground in one day.... KICKING HORSE 454 Horsepower.  Try it!

Dinner anyone?

These babies are 18 oz each NY strips.  Yum!

Chunski on the war path

Just got a history paper back.  The fucking TA does not seem to know what "received view" means.  And she is in the phd program?
Fuck. I lost points because she is ignorant.  I don't mind losing points because she disagrees with content, or even style.  But when it's because she is a fucking illiterate, that really pisses me off.

Sigh.  I can go and yell at her, and I will win.  But I will also come across as an arrogant bastard (ok, so I am).  Damn moron!