Writing

Since writing is therapeutic, I decided to write and write and write and write! :D
Try it some time, it's always fun! :D
If you want to share your opinions about writing, know good blogs one could read, just want to write your opinion, then comment here, you're always welcome!

Cheater

Today I caught a student cheating. The shock was so great that I was prompted to take the action by the other proctor in the room. I knew what was right and I was going to do it but I was delaying doing it because I didn't want to do it. Turning him in meant that the whole semester was cancelled for him and that was hard for me to do but in my mind, I knew the decision that had to be taken and it was set.
What disappointed me greatly was that I didn't expect THIS student to cheat. What disappointed me was that I believe that he has been doing this for quite some time now and I never noticed. What disappointed me was that when confronting him about similar (uncaught) behavior before, he adamantly assured me that cheating was in his past.
I know that they are not my friends nor my family, but they are my students, the students whom I have been trying to instill some values in for some time now. It seems that trying to convince them that this is for their own sake is a huge mistake. They need to be caught, they need to be treated like criminals, they need to be treated like children so they could learn their lessons.
The problem is we are beyond this stage now, they are UNIVERSITY students and they have no ethical boundaries. This means that the next generation has no ethical boundaries, which means that they have no qualms about cheating at all, they don't at least feel guilty about it.
I hope that the student who got caught learnt his lesson but I think – getting back to the real world here – that he is going to blame someone else for his failures or his unethical actions, he is going to blame anyone but himself.

Chess game #1

It was very strange to see our vizier so humbled and ashamed in front of the enemy camp. He was always so powerful, the mention of his name, of his coming out on the chess board meant that all other chess pieces should shiver in fright. He was so fearsome that even I as a pawn on his camp, got uncomfortable knowing that he was out and about. Now it is very strange seeing the same vizier threatened by a pawn, of my stature, on the other camp. We were once at peace with them, we were all in the same chess box, mingling freely, no threats of elimination but suddenly events forced us to be set on a chess board and everything turned upside down.
Now you pass by the enemy and the once then friend becomes an adversary, someone if you can't eliminate then be cautious if dealing with.
I never wanted to be more than a pawn, never looked at other positions on our side wishing it was me. Now, I am more adamant of my position but just waiting for the right time to make my exit with dignity and grace and hopefully without being turned out by the other pieces on the other side.

Working as a Teaching Assistant

Ever since I started working I have been confounded by the sheer amount of stupidity I'm confronted with everyday.
Normally, I don't like offending anyone but their actions, if we care to interpret correctly, question my own intelligence as their teacher.

Case 1
A guy and a girl give me their assignments TOGETHER, the two papers are in the same pen, the same color and the same handwriting.
Normally, I would give them a lecture on integrity and ethics but I was too tired to do that so I tore the papers up and gave them fresh ones to deliver.

Case 2
Cheating!!! Their stupidity is shown in the way they try to cheat. A guy just raises his paper to the person sitting behind them. Another, is taking a look in the notes in his bag. They mouth things to each other and I'm standing there proctoring right in front of them. ?????? What the fuck!

Case 3
"Person X, do you understand? Yes. Person X are you sure? Yes. Person X? No". And I'm faced with the sheepest smile on the universe.

Sigh, it's daunting work. Sometimes I think I shouldn't be complaining, that some people have way worse jobs than mine, but other times, I just feel like it isn't worth it. They aren't interested in learning, why should I bother teaching??

A rambling from a frustrated teacher!

Tomb Chess

A light game that depends more on luck than on thought but it's nice and entertaining all the same.

http://www.freeworldgroup.com/games6/gameindex/tomb-chess.htm

It served as a nice break for me from all the point and click games. Nice graphics too, and that's always a good thing! :D

Enjoy the game!

Electricity

In the past few days it seems people have been turning on their AC's for non stop action because of the heat. This has caused blackouts in the middle of the night, they are short but occur for like three or four times each night. Now, the thing is, this is just the beginning of the summer. This heat wave would be nothing compared to what we are going to face in August. What are we going to do then?
This is a call for us to start saving electricity and be aware of our uses and not just to electricity but to water as well, scratch that, to all natural resources for that matter. We should start caring for our enviornment and try to be more environment friendly.
Most people think that they are not in control of their lives anymore, that we are put in a cycle and we can't get out. But this is in our control. This isn't related to the government. The government doesn't throw garbage in the streets, they don't waste the water (not talking on the individual level, because most probably they do that like the rest of us and basically their policies towards water sanitation sucks - we need to be more active on that), the government does not waste electricity (again, not speaking on the individual level)
We need to take a proactive stance on this issue, otherwise, what have we left for the generations to come? Even worse, what are our lives going to be like in twenty years time?

Speech at the White House Correspondent's Dinner (2006) p1

One of America's funniest presenters, Stephen Colbert, gave a speech in 2006 at the white house correspondent's dinner. The speech was laden with sarcastic comments fired at George W. Bush and his adminstration.
Of course this having happened in 2006 makes this piece of news really old, but it shouldn't stop you from seeing it.
No matter how an adminstration is fucked up in the United States, and how undemocratic it seems, there is someone who could stand up and say what they have in mind without fear of being imprisoned and without fear of even being threatened.
Simply hilarious!

The Strike

Useful or harmful or Useless?

For two days people have been contemplating on whether to join the strike or not. Some see it useful because people will not take shit anymore, they are talking, they are being active citizens who are in dissent of the current situation and they want change to occur.
Participation of this kind has been needed for a long time now. People are now aware of the political situation in the country, they care that they are being oppressed and they are not willing to stomach it any longer.
Others think that this strike is harmful because it is organized by parties and organizations that are working in the shadows for their own political gains. Also because it's chaotic and unorganized and can lead to violence.
This is actually a problem because, it is true that most demonstrations that were meant to be peaceful turned out to be chaotic and not as peaceful as one would have hoped. People are now sending texts to their friends and family asking them to stay at home because violence would occur. It has become a fact. Everyone is afraid of being beaten up, by police forces and demonstrators alike.
The last point is the belief that the strike is useless. The people that hold this belief argue that "okay we went on a strike, now what will the government do? nothing".

Personally, I believe that I should go on a strike that is peaceful, that I should beware of violent acts and that I shouldn't be passive anymore. Even if the government will do nothing, it is time for our voices to be heard.

What do you think?

Civil Disobedience

We are witnessing today the rise of civil disobedience all throughout Egypt. Every day we hear about people from different professions who went on a strike or a peaceful demonstration. Is that a good omen?
I personally believe so!
People are now aware that there are measures that could be taken to further one's cause without perpetuating violence or breaking the law.
Are the coming years bringing forth a new era of civil disobedience and hence a push towards civil rights?
Let's all hope so!
April 6th marks the beginning of an official all civilians' shout, but will everyone hop on board?