Class ends on Friday. Considering the large size (35 students), and the dial-up connection on all those three day weekends, it hasn't been bad at all. Of course, there are a couple of students that I expect will email me with requests for an incomplete. That always happens during summer session. I am always inclined to say yes, even though the majority who ask have not done enough work to make it realistic. But, there are occasional exceptions, so I say yes. Problem is, all the students who requested an incomplete last year wound up failing after one extension. I give students with incompletes two chances to finish the class, then I submit whatever grade they had. I would probably give students even more chances than that, if they ever emailed before the deadline to ask for an extension, but that never happens.

My 25th high school reunion is this weekend. Actually, I graduated in 1978 (without looking back), but that was a year early, and the kids I started school with, that I always considered my "cohort," graduated in 1979. I wouldn't go (part of the not looking back sentiment), except that a friend is coming from Buffalo, my "best friend." We met on the first day of kindergarten. We rode bikes together, had tag sales of stuff we pilfered from our mothers, swam, sat on the front porch of the general store, and played with our many pets. We shared a lack of athletic ability. We were sent to different tracks after second grade, but that didn't dampen our friendship. She was there the tragic day my goat Heidi died. We were together the first time we bought Stayfrees. (Or was it Kotex, back then? Can't remember. I moved on...) She didn't graduate from the same high school, but moved to Western New York after eighth grade. That was very traumatic for both of us, especially since we weren't really members of any of the big cliques of friends. But even that move didn't diminish our friendship. Anyway, she really wants to go to the reunion, and I am happy for the excuse to have her visit.

The Times Union is running an interesting series this week on rudeness.  Today's story contains this:

"A similar narrow view can be engendered by "faceless technology" like e-mail and the Internet, said Deborah Smith, an online college professor who lives in Albany. More than once, Smith has felt the smack of a haughty-seeming, disrespectful e-mail from undergrads who probably just didn't think about how their communique might be received.

"Students can get very demanding online. They'll say, 'Hey, I want this,' " Smith said. "There's a loss of eloquence and respect. I bet you dollars to doughnuts they wouldn't speak like that if they were addressing me in person."

In the online class this summer, I have noticed the disrespectful attitudes of a couple of students in the discussion. These are not bad students, but bright, serious ones. I don't think it is intentional. I believe that some people don't understand the subtle differences between electonic and face-to-face communication.

But nothing matches the recent rudeness I experienced on the phone. Because of the Do Not Call list, I rarely get telemarketers calling any more. Since I work from home a lot, this has been great, because I can screen calls less, and instead I usually answer the phone right way when it rings now.

However, I have noticed that telemarketers have become even more sneaky. They can legally call you if you already do business with them. A few weeks ago, a man called and asked me to do a survey about fire safety. I like surveys and research, so I agreed to participate. He asked me about ten simple questions about smoke detectors, extinguishers, and exits, thanked me, and that was that.

A few days ago, a woman called, saying that I had won a $1,500 security system because my survey had been entered in a contest. I patiently waited for an opening while she rattled off the wonderful prize I would get, which included wireless equipment, stickers for my windows announcing to all that the house is protected, $99 installation fee waiver, all generously sprinked with overuse of my first name, and she ended with the inevitable punchline, that my cost would be only $1 per day for the monitoring service. She then took a breath.

Now, there was a time when I would not have picked up the receiver - because the Caller ID said "Out of Area." (Some cell phones come through that way, but who cares? Email me.) Then there was a time when I would have slammed the phone down while she was speaking. But recently I have not been feeling rude - unlike, if the series is true, most others in society - and I understand that working in a hotroom is a horrible job, one that I am blessed to not have to do. "It ain't so far from the diamonds in the sidewalk to the dirt in the gutter," as John Prine sings. (OK, maybe that's a little extreme for this example. But read on, in this woman's case, maybe not.)

She said something like, "I just have to confirm your address, are you the homeowner at...?" I said, "I'm really not interested in this. Thanks a lot." And I prepared to hang up. She responded, "May I ask why not? Is it the $1 per day" So I said, "well, no, actually, I am not interested in having a security system. I think it is kind of paranoid, especially where I live. Plus, I had one where I worked once and it was a hassle. And, I have my security...two dogs."

She shot back, "then why did you waste my time?" Now, I was already in no mood for this. We were out the door to Samsonville, the air conditioner had already been turned off, and it was getting pretty hot. But I went cold. I said, "why did I waste your time?" "Yes," from her, still indignant. As I slammed down the phone, I said, "I was politely listening to you, even though I suspected it was a come on. So why did you waste MY time?"

I should have asked what company she represented - I don't remember her telling me, and of course Caller ID showed nothing - so I could report them to the Do Not Call registry.

Hmmm...did blogger change again?  It looks a little different and I can't seem to make paragraphs. Oh well. Anyway...Ugh. I hate dodgeball. It was a favorite of the gym teacher from h-ll. I always hoped to get "out" immediately, so that I could sit on the side for the rest of the game. Unfortunately, there were times when this plan didn't work - I was an easy target and so the good players preferred to get rid of the true competition first. Which was awful, because being left until last, or nearly last, to be eliminated put me under enormous pressure. My teammates would scream from the sidelines, "get" whatever vicious player was left on the opposing side. Yeah right! The result was always the same, taking a blistering hit - sometimes to the face - picked off by the victor, guaranteeing a loss for the team, and reinforcing their disdain. A few semesters ago, one of my students wrote in his journal that he had no patience for people who fight to have dodgeball banned because it hurts kids self-esteem. He listed off all the wonderful things it teaches and fun it represents. I couldn't resist commenting that although I too question the endless self-esteem promoters, and people interfering over every little thing they don't like, I destest the so-called "sport." I wrote that I believe it is simple laziness on the part of physical education teachers, that they could be teaching something valuable about health and nutrition and exercise and instead they rely on cruel, simple, time-wasting games such as dodgeball, that left me with a lifelong disdain for athletics. I ended with "if dodgeball is abolished, I will host the biggest party ever." The student responded, "be sure to invite me!" (Maybe he thought we should round up one last farewell game?)

This is a heartbreaking story. There still is a well-maintained shrine near the stone wall in front of the farmhouse. I can't imagine what kind of a person would do such a thing, but I think such people are the reason I don't drive.

Last night on the news, the boy's mother was interviewed, and she was talking about "Christopher's Law." Now, I am not really a proponent of the recent trend toward naming laws after victims, but I do think the law should be changed in this case. She said that there is less penalty for leaving the scene of an accident, and being caught later, than for staying there, if the driver is drunk. I think that may be one unintended consequence of the focus on strictly enforcing DWI laws. No way should this creep get away with less punishment than if he had been arrested at the scene. Yeah, it would have been his second DWI, but hit and run under the influence or not should be even worse than that! Maybe the boy would not have died if the driver got help for him right away.

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." --Will Rogers

News I hoped would never come. Hobo died on July 3. He was 8 1/2. Diagnosed with bone cancer a year ago, the disease could not diminish his happy nature, or sunny disposition. He liked everyone, and everyone liked him, even people who do not much care for dogs. He often displayed his affection by backing up and sitting on your lap, with his front feet on the floor. He liked to play with toys, especially empty plastic soda and milk jugs, and plush squeaky toys, which he would promptly eviscerate. All dogs are wonderful to dog lovers, and everyone thinks their own dog is special, but some dogs are extra special. Hobo was one of the extra special ones, handsome both inside and out, and he will be very much missed by all who knew him.

There are a thousand stories, and here is just one. Rudy and Hobo were buddies. A few years ago, before we had a good fence, when Rudy was more active, he escaped, and was galloping around the big field. He does not "mind," which is a combination of my fault (I never taught him), life in a village (he never gets a chance to run in Castleton), and his hound ancestors. I was in a panic. Hobo was asleep on the grass nearby. He was a very obedient dog, always minded. Upon hearing the commotion, he stood up, all serious and observant like a soldier, and without waiting to be told, in a second he was off like a shot, running full tilt to Rudy, where he rounded him up and brought him back to safety, job proudly accomplished.

Before he got sick, he would take a two or three mile daily morning walk with my father. When Hobo could no longer go for long walks, my father would instead drive him to my house in the morning, where he would sniff around, go in the stream, and just generally be a dog. On the weekends, when we were there, he would come inside and visit us for a while too. Even before his illness, during their morning walks, they would stop by. We could always tell Hobo was on his way. In the past, my dogs would spot him coming down the road: prancing at the end of his leash, moving along at quite a pace, headed toward our house. More recently, we could hear him announcing his arrival, barking in excitement in the car, from a quarter mile down the road.

I think I first noticed "shrines" in early 1992, when Bob, my father and I took a car trip to Florida. I spotted them along highways in the South, on the way down. During the past decade, they seem to be everywhere, a floral reminder of the bloodbath that is our favored way of travel. Whenever someone dies in a car crash, a shrine immediately appears. Some, often in the most high traffic areas, quickly disappear; others are there for years afterwards, either becoming forgotten, tattered and forlorn, or they are regularly visited, with new bouquets placed nearby and sometimes even more permanent displays erected.

I wonder at this phenomenon. Is it because increasing numbers of people are cremated, (that is my guess, it has no factual basis) and so do not get interred in cemeteries, and there is no permanent place for mourning? Does the spot where death happened hold some special power? Or is it something about the special horror of car accidents, related in some way to "rubber-necking"?

For famous people, shrines appear at places besides the death site, and even when the death is not accidental. I wrote a bit, sort of on this subject, here.

Bob and I developed a business idea! (Since this site gets little traffic there is no fear it will be stolen...and we'll never do it anyway). Some florists and cemeteries offer services, delivering flowers or a plant to the grave of your beloved, on occasions such as Mother's Day or Memorial Day, when you can't visit yourself. So how about applying the same idea to the many neglected shrines along the roads? Roadside Rememberences. Let us lovingly maintain your dear one's shrine. Special on four times per year package: Easter, Memorial Day, Christmas, Birthday. Prayers extra.

I have been finally been using my digital camera. Here are a few pictures taken recently.



We have four of these hanging from the porch in Castleton. It is a zonal geranium, wave petunia, and vinca in each.



Not a great picture, but new this year, a second vegetable patch in Castleton, down the hill. It has yellow and green zucchini, cucumbers, and green beans.



This is the view from the front of the house in Samsonville.



This is what we have been doing on the weekends. The S'ville kitchen is coming! I faux-painted used cabinets.

The taxation without representation budget fails again. This quote from the board president really burns me up:

"It's not a happy day for the district," said school board President Marino D'Orazio. "It seems this Board of Education has been faced with some issues over which it has no control. ... It's all come together in one place THEY have a say, the school budget vote." [emphasis added]

D'Orazio attributed the defeat to a voter backlash from the town of Olive over so-called "large parcel" legislation that would tax reservoir properties separately, thus raising school taxes significantly in that town, and from the town of Hurley, where voters are upset at the closing of West Hurley Elementary School.

No, the large parcel legislation and closing of the West Hurley school resulted in voters becoming aware that OCS is an incredibly high cost district. Combine those three elements, plus a very arrogant attitude on the part of the board and administration [issues over which the board had no control? Did a little green munchkin decide to adopt the large parcel? And the munchkin's fairy godmother decided to close the school?] and the people had to find their voice.

Something I really don't understand and (despite my education-related PhD and last rant in the newspaper on the subject) I'm not wild about educational budgeting, so I may never find out, but how is it that a austerity budget still involves an increase in spending, an increase in taxes, and yet all sorts of programs have to be cut and people fired?

On another subject, turns out we can't get satellite television. There is no clear path, across the street is a hill with trees, and it blocks the signal. So, we went back to Radio Shack, and swapped the installation for what we intended to buy originally, state-of-the-art rabbit ears. We get eight channels, three VHF: CBS, NBC, ABC and five UHF: public television, Fox, WB, and two small local channels - one is mostly advertising, one rebroadcasts some things from NBC. CBS, public television, Fox, and WB come in just as clear as with cable, the other five are pretty clear, if you play around with the rabbit ears a bit. That should be more than enough TV for anyone, and we are enjoying thinking about the savings.

Update: I lied. I couldn't resist doing a little digging on the school budget. I know the usual line is that teachers' salaries and benefits drive the increase, but I don't believe that really accounts for all of it, and it doesn't explain why OCS is such a high cost district. I mean, other districts have to pay out similar amounts in that category. So I read the 6/22/04 board meeting agenda. The same night as the vote - the trustees could not know the outcome (though they must have suspected it would fail again) and they approve over $200,000 in consultants for 2004-05? Yet they wring their hands and claim that all sorts of things have to be cut due to the austerity budget?

My mother and I are growing two types of garlic. One type has scapes - elaborate tops - that should be trimmed so the plant puts more energy into growing the bulb. Tonight I made garlic scape pesto - Yum! It was delicious!

Garlic Scape Pesto

5 chopped garlic scapes (about 3/4 cup)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
3 Tablespoons olive oil

Blend in food processor or blender.

I finally charged the batteries for my camera, and I decided to take some pictures of the garden and flowers in Castleton. I accidentally switched it to black and white mode and didn't realize it until later. So, now I'll have to take more photos of my beautiful flowers. But here is an interesting one of one of my favorites this year, a strawberry pot.



We bought steps for our pool in Samsonville, and yesterday we put them in. As we were carrying the old ladder to the shed, I noticed this stunning little fellow was using it as home (luckily, by this time I had switched the camera back to color):

According to a People magazine interview, Ray Bradbury is mad at Michael Moore for ripping off his book title. That's good enough for me.

We cancelled our cable. Time Warner asked why, and Bob told the representative that DSL is cheaper and faster and we are going to get satellite for the TV. Yesterday we went to Radio Shack, to buy some modern rabbit ears (an oxymoron?) in the hopes of improving the reception on local channels. The young man who worked there was very convincing, and we wound up signing up for Dish, the basic package plus local stations. It will be installed tomorrow. So this is a savings of $360 per year.

And, my latest rant about the taxation without representation district budget is here. It's long, and there are a couple of typos, but all-in-all, I am pleased.

Today, for the first time in a long time, I have no university work. Summer session starts Monday, and I finished up a few details for my course yesterday - also submitted a book review to a textbook publisher. Wow, it feels good to have a few days to do "whatever." Maybe I will play with my digital camera.

This report, all over the news, from Science, should be no surprise to dog lovers. And, on whether it is just "fetching behavior": No. Dogs not only can understand a lot of what people say, they also are capable of communicating in very sophisticated ways. Sophie wrinkles her forehead, tips her head and focuses, trying hard to understand what is said, and to learn new words. Rudy barks sentences, and his meaning is loud and clear. Hobo listens and responds to conversations, even when he is in another room.

It is looking like we will switch to DSL after all. I have been very happy with it during the trial. Time Warner has some worthy competition, they better watch out. Bob is planning to have the cable discontinued when we cancel road runner. We can get the local channels without it, and that plus the DVD player is plenty of TV. If he decides he wants to reconnect after the summer is over, we will get satellite instead.

I am testing Verizon DSL. So far, I notice no speed difference between it and Cable, which is saying a lot - it is $29.95 to Road Runner's $44. I had no trouble connecting - though I have not yet tried it using my hub rather than directly to the ethernet card in my recently crashed, newly back in business computer. Unfortunately - I predict I wind up cancelling it at the end of the trial, not because it isn't a good value or fast, but for reasons I'll call "the hassle factor." I have to install a DSL filter for my kitchen phone - they were included for desk phones, but not for wall phones. I have to try it through the network, on the old machine (which will mean lots of time consuming moving of files). Then, we already have cable television - not that we couldn't keep it and DSL, but satellite is cheaper - seems we should either get rid of the Time Warner bill entirely, or not bother. Packaging up the modem (which is nice) and all the DSL filters and wires involves a bit of a hassle factor - but on balance, it is less. Hmmm. DSL + satellite = $60/month, Cable TV and internet = $90. I was kind of hoping the decision would be easy - the connection wouldn't work or the speed would be awful. So maybe the hassle would be worth it?

I am finally completely done with the Spring 2004 semester. What this means is that I am finished sending each student an email, with some feedback and a breakdown of their grades. No more teaching until Summer Session II, aside from a few course revisions (which will follow updgrading Lotus Notes) and maybe a grade change or two. So far, I have made mistakes in the final grades for six student (out of a total of about 240 students). Not bad, unless you are one of the six, I guess, in which case it is a crisis.

Does this mean I will be posting here more? Probably. I do have a lot of things competing, though, the first being tomato, basil, and pepper plants.

I'M DONE! Submitted grades for seven classes. Making the deadline really was not bad this semester, considering that's four more classes than I have ever taught, and the computer crash in March. Now I can focus on re-installing everything on that machine, testing DSL, upgrading Lotus Notes, being able to print from the network again. (It was really hard to finish up the grades without being able to print lists of students, the grading spreadsheets, etc. I hope I didn't make too many mistakes, the students are sure to email me if I have [or even if I have not]).

I plan to do some reflecting on the semester, too, some of it here. Some early thoughts, my day class definitely was impacted by my being spread thin this semester. Some of the students were out-of-control (socially) and I was too busy to make changes in my methods, on-the-fly, during the course.

Overall, students viewed the class very favorably, but I didn't think it was a very good experience. I think there were three students in the class who agreed, and who wound up with "B" when in a different environment they may have received B+ or higher, perhaps even A.

Five of the remaining six classes went really well, and a couple were excellent, in my opinion, sorry it's not humble. The sixth course wasn't a true course, it was an independent study that the undergraduate teaching assistants take to get three credits for being TA. I decided to change this to a one per week seminar next semester, since it went OK with minimal meetings, but I think there should be more TA discussions and accountability, and that would help to make the TAs more uniformly excellent. (Many of the TAs didn't like the idea, and some won't be returning next semester for that reason [others are graduating, or have other conflicts], but having new students is OK with me.)

I had my smallest online class this semester, and I really liked the size (16). It supported the idea that if there is to be group work, small groups (2 to 4 students) really work best. I may try out that size in my on campus classes too. This semester I had groups of 5-7, and that may have been another reason for the off-task socializing in class.

Anyway, speaking of accountability, the school budget votes were yesterday. My Castleton district's passed, no suprise or controversy there. In Samsonville, another no surprise, the budget went down to defeat by a huge margin. That is my taxation without representation district, but it looks like the community didn't need my vote to be heard! (Such fun to have time to comment on the paper's story.)

Last time I tried to use the new blogger interface, my post went to never never land. So, I am trying again, but either there is something wrong, or it is significantly less user friendly than that last version. I don't have time to figure out how to make a link, so I'll just put the URL here and fix it later. It seems like a step backwards.

Here are some more photos of Campus Clean Up Day. I am sort of in two of them. I'm the one raking in the background of both 35 and 36...(and I'm not the young blonde)

Update: I fixed it. There definitely was something wrong. It looks nothing like what I was getting when I logged on last week. The interface is pretty nice looking. We'll see.

Another story about a creep abusing a dog.

Decided not to wait until grades are done. I want to be ready to plant the garden on that happy day. So I called IBM, and they will be here with to install a new hard drive on Monday.

Now that classes (not grading) are over, I have been able to take a few minutes to take care of some other pending things. The technical stuff was all irritating, if predictable and as a result, routine.

I think the XP machine needs a new hard drive. I haven't been using it that much, since my schedule has been too hectic to waste time reinstalling only to wind up with data loss again, but I wanted a faster internet experience yesterday (to answer all those emails from students begging for special treatment, and extensions, and faster turn around on grades, and As). I discovered that it now won't boot, and it is worse than last time. So that is project one, after grades are done.

Then, I got an extension on my free month of DSL, since I have not had time to test it (plus the XP is in no condition, and the 98 machine needs to have space made on the hard drive). So that is project two, after grades are done. Then, during bill paying, I discover that Verizon has already been charging me - and $5 more than the deal was pitched to be if I do take the service! More time wasted on voice mail, and email, and hold.

The school budget votes are soon, so I researched whether I qualify for an absentee ballot in Samsonville. I am registered to vote in Castleton, but since I pay taxes in two districts, I can't see why I would not be permitted to vote on the school board and budget in both places. Well, after wading through the State Ed documents, I think the answer is, I can only vote where I have been a legal resident for 30 days, and I cannot be considered a resident of two places.

How annoying. I can understand the government elections being limited - I should not receive double representation in the Congress or two votes for president, but I don't see how that applies to the school. I believe preventing me from voting for the school district stuff amounts to taxation without representation.

Now, maybe just the pleasure of having two houses should be privilege enough...but the truth is my two fairly humble abodes do not add up in size or value to the majority of McMansions -- even the less grand ones -- that I see in subdivisions everywhere, and that are the minimum expectation for a lot of young couples.

After that frustration...I snuck outside and did some yardwork. The weather doesn't care about crashed hard drives, or exhorbitant phone bills, or unrepresentative school policy, or even grade obsessed (but effort challenged) students. When I came back in, I ordered my seeds and seedlings.