Bitchin' Metal Reborn

Watch this interview for Kramer Guitar. (I want to know where they get those wigs...)

Weird, I never wrote anything about 80's metal in my blog... Fred looks like someone totally out of that era, if you ever walked Sunset Strip back in '89. 

Check out my very recent pic.

Anyways. Most of you know, I have such a high regard for the great sense of humor and intelligence combined, even so, when that performance was backed by solid technique or knowledge of the subject. When those elements are executed with finesse and comprehensive package, I can't help but to give respect.

This guy, "Satchel" (The red hair one. lol The blond pretty one is Bass player, Lexxi...)is the lead guitarist of the band Steel Panther, and he can play. Not only that, he is more articulate than most of the music professors or any professors I have seen. Moreover, funny as hell. I don't know how he can manage to go on and on with a straight face, dispatching the act of dumbass hair metal band musicians in such encompassing characterization.
I know he taught in Guitar Institute, so it is no secret that he can actually play, but concocting the whole package of whatever the music and executes in such flawless package cannot be left to luck or the fate.

I am not sure if they fall into the similar category such as Tenacious D or Spinal Tap, but I hope to see them in actual live soon.

What do I write in this statement?

I received this email from classmate on late Friday.


Hey classmates,
friday the professor said that everyone should have “CREATIVE PROJECT STATEMENT” or a set of notes on a person we have to do research on. But I’m not sure what she meant can anyone elaborate. Can that person be anyone?
Email it if you have it.
Thanks.


I replied from my android phone.

Hi 

This is about your end of the semester creative project. The detail is on the packet our professor distributed several weeks ago.
If you don't have that packet, I suggest you contact prof. directly. I can't describe the detail in email.
And No, not just anyone.
It has to be about notable figures from the period we covered, or will cover. 

     So, I'm trying to remember this girl, if she was in the classroom when the assignment was announced. I couldn't remember. I was thinking that she also doesn't know what exactly the creative project is about, which we are going to actually pick one of the art form, essentially to dedicate out art to that historical figure. 

The assignment she already missed (This email was sent after the class on Friday. So, she is, at this point late for the assignment itself.) was just a page statement of which historical figure you chosen with which format you are planning to make an artwork for. 

Each of the artwork format has some examples and descriptions of what was to be expected for the final product, and the process requirements leading to that actual product, for example, the research, journal, bibliography and other additional notes to be documented.

------------------

After my reply, she sent me this.

--------

i just want to know how to write the statement, is it just a few notes about the a person in our books we covered, or will cover? for now. 

that was due today 

--

I'm sort of remembering this idiot. 

She was supposed to contribute to our group, doing research on one of Dostoevsky's literature in regarding to the Russian Realism.  She didn't show up on the presentation day. 

Her loss. Not mine. 

And she is asking me what to write? Obviously she doesn't know what the ultimate assignment (creative project) is about. 

And she says, "For now"?  And I FUCKING know today was the due date, because I did my assignment.

WHO THE FUCK DOES SHE THINK SHE IS!!! 

So I just simply replied :

As far as content of what to write, I cannot tell you because its up to you.

You may still want to include the reason and what format you work on.
Good luck

Then she sent me this :

I saw that some of the students gave her a page or two of notes. If I chose John Milton then I write a few notes about him to show I been doing researcher on him like.

John Milton was born 9 December 1608 and died 8 November 1674. John Milton was an English poet.... etc

++++++++++++

Oh wait a fucking minute... SHE was THERE in the class today? 

And, No, idiot, That is not what you need to write. 

I already told you, you will basically pick a person, which art format you are planning to produce, and maybe add some reason for choosing either. 

NOT what or who this person is. 

And, you know what? 

Most of us haven't even started on research. Haha

(I already have done thorough research in last 6 years or so, so I just construct my journal out of my knowledge and bibliography. )

Good, Bad and Ugly... [Professor edition]

Today, I realized something good about my school. 

*********

The Good:

Many of the younger professors are actually very passionate and good. They sincerely wish to help their students. My last English professor, my anthropology professor, my geography professor, and my Italian professor whom I take a current course from. I know many classmates failed their classes, but they were fair, accessible and available as far as I could see. 

My Italian professor started with 35 students like any class, and the semester is half way over, I think the most of them are still in class, and actually seem to want to learn Italian in earnest. 

Her class is not easy, mind you. 

She has homework every single day, four days a week. She requires us to attend cultural events and do many research about Italian culture. We even have to a presentation about Italian culture. 

And each of the students who has participated so far, all actually did a great work. (!!!) I can tell, each individual put some thoughts and time into their choice of subjects. 

My professor was chosen as the instructor of the year, few semesters ago. And now I can see why. 

She is friendly, but not in a coddling way. She is pretty strict about classroom rules and behavior standard. Yet she is always encouraging her students in positive way, and elicit true desire to learn more.  

************

 

The Bad:

Such mean ass professors who calls their students names, uses put down to make themselves sound more important (obviously not knowing they are also making fool out of themselves, but yea) and with subtle mean words, undermining some of the sincere students' desire to learn the subject. 

I posted about this old Russian professor before, and apparently, he is not the only mean professor in this school.

Yesterday, one of my classmates from language class, almost in tears, that her Piano class instructor refuse to answer her question because it is not her day to ask.

I didn't understand this. "Not her day"  - My classmate explains that her instructor seem to allocate certain number of student per day, only allowing them to ask question. According to her, by the time she is allowed to ask, the questions has piled up and the instructor doesn't have time to answer any of them in detail.

I have never heard anyone designate certain number of students per day, and accepting questions from those and reject everyone else. You can only ask question every tenth days of the month?

This student, made an effort to go to the department office and tried to talk to someone there. THAT, I know it will not work, because the workers in that office are one of the most incompetent office workers I have ever seen... since my older son's elementary school administrator.

I have seen those professors before: stupid professor who thinks they are smarter than their students, and they think they can get away with being as bad as the worst students I always bitch about. LOL 

Unfortunately, those ASSHOLE professors are usually the older ones who get paid more. By getting rid of those old assholes, we could probably provide more service to those students who desperately need academic guidance, not more stupidity from their so called instructors.

***********

And the Ugly:

Today, I was talking to one of my friend, and his girlfriend stopped by. 

She told us that her French Professor called her classmate stupid and announced that he can call his students stupid or whatever the name he want, and dared them to go to the department office.

My response to both, my classmate and a girlfriend of my friend.

Girl, go to the office and talk to the department head professor, and file a complaint about their "unprofessional behavior, undermining student's will to acquire education."

Without anyone filing any complaint, school cannot do anything because there are no record of complaints from any student. Once the complaints start piling up, they can ask those mean ass professors to retire early.

***

That way, younger professors who are worthwhile and doing their job, will be able to get paid as much as they rightfully deserved.

***

I really don't care if the younger professors dressed more like some grad students than "professors".  They will probably invest in better set of wardrobe when they get paid like a professional. 

Stupid Student(s) -Day of Exam

I thought the one who asked what would we expect in our exam was stupid. ( Reason: The question was posted   6 weeks ago- No surprises for any of us)

But 2 days later, on Friday, we had exam, and another unbelievable thing happen.

After the "slide identification potion" has ended, which took about 20 minutes, this student came in. He seems to be in shock that the day he was in class (25 minutes late on 50 min. class) happened to be the first exam.
Then, he asked our professor to repeat "slide potion" for him. I applauded that my professor refused this *Speshul treatment.

THEN...

5 minutes later, he, again walked to the professor and start argue that how he was unable to prepare so he should have some sort of ... you guessed it, "speshul treatment". Professor stood her ground and refused but the thing is... she fucking allowed him to distract all of us.

I shushed him loudly, explain that I was taking a (fucking) exam and has to concentrate for constructing my essay.


You know what? I will email my professor today that she should have locked the door after 10 minutes on exam day.

So, Friday, I was so riled up, I was so cranky after the exam. Oh my exam was A. I mixed up the title of El Greco's "The Agony in the Garden" as "The garden of Agony", but she gave me a full points anyway.

-----------------
Do you think that was the end of my misery? NO.
(By this time, some of my readers must have been enjoyed too much to see me in constant state of mental pain. No fucking shit.)

So today, Monday, Prof, returned our exam, take home exam, and circulated the student grade spread sheet in the class. 


I was the one of 2 A grade. (It's not surprising. Right? )


17 F.   (!!!!!)
Mostly C or D. 
Rejoice, if you get B. 


How in the  fucking hell is it even possible to get C's and F's, when you have the complete questions at hand for 6 weeks? 


+++++++++
So the prof announced to the whole class that she has to chastise everyone. LOL HAHA
Oh. She added that people who really needs to hear it, are not even the class today.


Good, she acknowledged that she didn't want to scold people who made A grade. (like me) 


But seriously, I feel her pain. 


--
Yes, her class has bazillion assignments. 
Yes, her class discusses highly intelligent subjects that ... I usually rant about it in here.
Yes, it is a survey course, and it is very broad. 


However, 


She makes all the study guides and documents that you can pass the class with A/B grade, even if you lack some common sense knowledge and understandings. 


+++
She should drop all those students, so I can have more discussion time or whatever in class. 


17 F's? I didn't know there are more than 17 students still registered, since I rarely see about 11 students in class. 


Those fucking stupid students don't deserve to be there, I think.


Seriously. 

New Link [College Misery]

My blog list/links on the right side now added [College Misery]-professors contribute to this blog about what they experience in colleges across U.S.

I was visiting my Humanities course professor yesterday, and she also told me that what I have seen so far are not at all unique to me.

Apparently, the experiences are all too common among professors all over the U.S.

I am not sure I should feel better that I'm not the only one, or I should lament the fact that I cannot escape this fate anywhere in the US, either as a student nor as an instructor/professor which I am aspiring to be...


-----------------


So, the stupid student of the week (I should make this a series...) 


Humanities XX2 has page in our college online server where they store the course/class materials and external links.
Because she is an enthusiastic and good professor, she posted all the materials, including complete exam, assignment schedules, reading list and project list, due dates of extra assignments in the first week.

To make everything painless for the students, she also gave us the exam questions in the first week, and all we have to do is study them and submit answers on the day of exam.
Basically, we take the exam at our own leisure, in the comfort of our own home, in the course of 4 weeks or so. 
On the day of exam, we will compose two short essays, which was also given to us in the first week as a study guide material.

She lists two essay questions, and the list of additional materials to prepare.

All the instructions are clearly described.

--- It cannot be more easier and user friendly, methinks.




Then, this student, mister I-act-like-"I'm-actually-literate-and-have-common-sense", asked this question. 


"So, what kind of essay are we going to write next week?" ... and questions about what sort of exam he should expect followed...

... I think he wanted to look like he actually cares about his college education, but it backfired on him, because I actually care about my college education more than he does.


...


Okay, I usually don't act condescending or giving the condemning look in real life, knowing that there are some students with disabilities and attending the classes for occupational therapy, but yesterday, I had to laugh out loud and gave him a look.

And I told him over my shoulder in the coldest tone;

"Dude, professor posted a study guide on the second day (which is near 5 weeks ago for us). Did you even go to <> ?  Answers for everything you just asked are there. "

He replied:
"when did she give us that paper?"
Now, myself and the girl sitting next to me responds in slight amusement:

"Dude, you are supposed to log in and print them out yourself. It is in the syllabus."

----------
The fact is that, everyone has to go to <> to download or view the syllabus. 

I hope he learned the lesson.
(... yeah, I can hear my readers' voice, "He won't")

From what my professor told me yesterday in private, she hardly ever encounter student who actually study her class contents and give a sincere consideration, if even with an academic curiosity...
She told me that it is painful to grade essays written for exams, because many of them can't even make a clear thesis statement and construct an argument of their own.

--------------

What really gets me isn't the stupidity of those students, because that is their shit, not mine. They can fuck up their own life all they want. 


What gets me the most, is that those fuckers are wasting my time and my professors time, and most of all, the taxpayers' money that funds their fucking education that they don't fucking care in the first place. 


So, I know for a fact that some of them are fucking thugs who are trying to revert the attention of their probation officers, but I hope all of my professors have the fucking sense to drop those fuckers early in their college career. 


Seriously, we don't need those fuckers coming back for second semester, clogging the waitlists, (because they are on welfare, meaning that they have FUCKING PRIORITIES in registration... I will talk about that on next time.) and wasting my classroom time with stupid questions about exam date listed in syllabus.

-------------
*this is what I wrote last week.
I had exam on this subject on Friday, and results came back today (Monday).
The tale of stupid students (notice; now in plural form) continued on Friday as well. So I decide to post them separately.

Cowboy Hat Snapshot_028

Cowboy Hat Snapshot_028, a photo by ~ Frӛdӛrїс ₱rέ౪౦ჴᎿ ♋♊~ on Flickr.

Maybe I should reopen my store, Daini Ken Designs again...

Stupidity of Second Life- Joke, the definition

In my book, "Jokes must be witty, or at least, funny." 
If I didn't think your statement-which the person meant as light hearted comment- wasn't funny, I will not laugh at the statement just to be nice. 
(I mean, you have to tell me, it was a joke? That says something.)
But I will respond to your statement or comment, because you expect my response. 


You should know by now, that I may not give a response you want. But I will respond. 


Here's the thing. 
I don't think the person meant to make a joke. I believe that person made an erroneous statement, so I refuted that statement with correct facts or my counter statement.


Then, after a conversation of back and forth, the person excuses he/r self with the words "joke":



"Oh, I'm just joking!"--- (It wasn't funny.)


"Hey, I was just joking, chill."--- (Chill? You are the one tried to stick a square nail in the round hole.)


+++
Do you know what's happening here? They can't take the facts that they did not succeeded in amusing Frederic. 
Well, here is the summary.


First, it wasn't funny AT ALL. (Because it was a statement, not intended to be funny in the first place.)


Second, I gave you a response with the facts that you were not aware of.  Yet, you tried to insist that your statement is a fact. (Okay, that is your stupidity, oh well. Not my fault.)


Third, THEN, you conceded that you were mistaken... (Or not, depends on the person's integrity. But I'm always right.)




AND 


FOURTH, Don't blame me for your lack of wits or your lack of your knowledge.
(And attempt to blame me for not getting your "funnies"?) 




Yea, this is the daily occurrences of SL stupidity. 


HAHA, then, certain people will call me, DICK because I didn't laugh at your erroneous statement. 
They should know, I usually laugh.  (At them.) 

Venus in Furs--- Definition of plagiarism ?

Venus in Furs, a photo by =Marco= on Flickr.

Okay, putting a disclaimer will justify the plagiarism?

Check this out.

Do you think I can get away with painting a picture that are copied from magazine spread in an art class?
Would I be able to receive a passing grade?
Let's see, the idea of an art is not just the finished product. Is the inspiration original? The idea of composition original?
"Venus in Furs" is a book. So the title is not original, but the content of the book has nothing to do with fashion spread.

The virtuosity is not about how you can "re-create" the existing art. Do you know how much does the artist suffers from the pain of creating the original idea? Painting or composing music, no matter the format, when you concoct the original idea of the creation, your work is more than half way done.  The rest is labor.

The art cannot be 100% labor. That become a simple craft. Nothing more.

Crafts men that produce the same chairs everyday are not the artists. The design has been done by someone else, and he simply recreates. The craftsmanship is an important part of the quality of the product, however, that is simply EXPECTED, isn't it?
There are highly skilled craftsmen, who may be able to command a lot of fees... But that isn't the point, either. The fee is paid, only if the quality of the product is met.

It may involve complicated skills, but it never be an art, because the idea of an art MUST be original.



Just a thought.

NY times reports the cell phone incident at NY Phil.

These kind of things can easily prevented.

Mandate No Cell Reception in Concert Halls.


You go to concert because you want to have a few hours of peace, immerse yourself in fragment of humanity left.  Two hours. If you can't afford that two hours, you can't afford to be in the concert hall.

So I dropped that class.

Oh, Two of my professors enthusiastically recommended me to be their each respected subject tutor.

"Fred received the highest score in the class, and poised to be the great tutor for this subject. "

--- it isn't music. It is for one of the science course. Yea, I'm not just a music geek. 

Update of yesterday's subject post:

There is no fucking point in arguing with professor who can't keep the logic straight. so I dropped that course. No point in staying in the class where I will not allowed to be my best. No FUCKING way.

How in the hell is my fault that 35 students missing their first assignment? 

The answer is one of the following.

1. Because I turned in my post 3 days before the due.

2. Because the content I posted was too sophisticated for others. 

3. WHATEVER.

4. Because those 35 who missed the due date were lazy bastards who can't keep their asses organized enough, or had no intention to turn in the assignment in the first place, because they have stupid excuses like... "My dog was using my laptop." 

5. Answer 3. and 4. 

+++++

Anyways, I never heard the excuse, "I didn't turn in my assignment, because one of my classmates were smarter than I am." 

But according to my professor, the depth of my analysis and thorough content is the reason half of her students didn't do their assignment. Yea, really... *rolls eyes* 

Yea. 

This has to be one of the best medals of my fucking life. Maybe I set this in my epitaph.

"Here lies the one, whose wits were too sophisticated for his college classmates."

lame. 

It is just too stupid. 

They can go fuck themselves. srsly.

I can understand some 14 year old can go emo over school, because some educators are actually lame.

This is a real episode...

I am taking 17 full time units this semester, which does not include my two units in Mariachi study. 3 units are online, for music appreciation.

The online class consists of online quizzes, concert reports and discussion board posts. And today, my professor emailed me that I should taking "notch down" my post, so that I don't intimidate other students. She is blaming me that my depth of sophisticated post actually preventing other student to make their own posts. She went out to say that it is probably my fault that half of her students missed first deadline. Really?

She suggested that I should post public version of shorter post in Discussion, and I email my comprehensive version to her.
I told her I don't keep double books.

Okay, my post was thorough, but not offensive by any means. If nothing else, it was still humorous. It was academically insightful, accurate and used the terminology in precise manner, which she actually asked us to do. It was obviously written by someone with the years of experience in music.
And that is bad?
Isn't that the purpose of discussion board, so that you can learn from more experienced students?

I replied to her, I was never asked to dumb down my classroom comments in any courses, and there are always someone with different accomplishment levels, because this is college, not community center hobby class for seniors and toddlers.
If I was to take basketball class or swimming class, as good as I am, I will be still beaten by some 6 foot tall 18 year olds, however I tried. I'll be 48 in 5 months. I can swim 2 hours straight, but I can't finish 100 meters in  90 seconds anymore.
Are they supposed to slow down or miss their 3 pointer shot so the old Japanese elf won't feel so inferior? NO.  So why do I have to?

After that, she said she didn't mean to upset me. I wasn't upset. I was taken aback by her suggestion because it came from someone who knows what the real competitive academic environment is like. FFS, she and her husband has 3 degrees each. Her husband from Juliard, being the most competitive music school in the world. Did any of their professors ever told them to play less musically, so that less talented musicians won't be intimidated? I don't think so.

So she has 45 lazy ass bastards in her class who can't even keep the due date of their first assignment. And the reason is one of the student has posted much more sophisticated contents before anyone did?
Excuse me? Am I hearing this correctly?
I am so turned off by this.

She said we should speak in person, and I told her I agree. See what happens.

I wouldn't be surprised if this came from some elementary school teacher, that I should take down a notch when I'm speaking to a 5th graders about music. I understand that. And I would not have spoken in full academic terminology in the first place.

Not in college, though. She explained that she is worried she is the only one who is getting what I was saying. So what? Others just need to keep up.

  If I have to worry about whether my best is too good for a college course, where should I go?  

Life and Style tips from 100 year old lady

Deliciously Fabulous!

I wish I know this woman. She probably has a lot to say, and probably tell you like it is.

She probably uses French perfume that only be worn by grown woman, and her nails are meticulously groomed. In her tips, she says she doesn't wear jeans. And I understand why.

I always thought that the woman in advanced stage of her life should wear reds and bold colors. It takes some balls to pull off the outfit, and her wardrobe should reflect her rich experiences.

When I grow up, I want to be like her.

Assumptions and Facts...

...are not the same thing.

Happy New Year. I'm enjoying my time out from my regularly schedule. lol I hang out in Trans and renew some of my longstanding friendship from old time sake.

Although I have logged in weekly to purge IM and receive notecard, I have not done any shopping, or catching up with the change in SL. One of the big one being mesh and menu/function change.
+++

That is not what I wanted to write today. I wanted to talk about this avatar started to hanging around Trans from not too long ago, I suppose. As my rule of thumb is that, I do not assume anything about anyone, if I can help it. I will be polite, and certainly not going to be abrasive without any reason or provocation.

And there is this avatar. She is probably trying too hard to fit in. Her superficial being just grates my nerve ending every time she opens her mouth.  A couple of days ago, I totally blocked her, so I don't have to suffer the nonsense while I socialize with people who matters to me.

Maybe I should have permanently muted her. For I probably won't miss anything. But open minded person that I am, I unblocked her. And happens again, again, and again.

There she is, she doesn't seem to understand that some jokes are meant for the people who have been known each other for sometime, and not for the random person. You don't have to explain it. Any marginally educated person with average intelligent should be able to tell if it is a right time to say certain things to certain group of people.
I actually tolerate a lot of immaturity if I know the person/persons. It takes a lot to actually upset me. I rant, but most of the time, I rant because its funny. I don't rant because I'm really angry nor because I am affected personally.

---
I was there, because Trans recently(like several month ago. lol) hired sexy German DJ, and I just adore her accents and personality from the first day I saw her.
So, she introduced next song, and with her lovely accent, she commented that its about the BDSM scene and people who belong to that category.  I know a lot of people in Japan that belong to that scene and fetish clubs and the conversation naturally went to that direction.

Arcy was asking me if I was dominant or submissive, I answered I'm inclined to be dominant naturally, but I could switch for the right person. If anyone knows anything about what that means, the next question should be something in the line of ... that is interesting, how so? or that is not something you hear everyday...

Then, boom.

That avatar jumps in and makes following comments.

"I would take you for switcher, too. Fred."

.. if you know me already, you know the awkward silence that followed. And you know why she grates my nerve. It could have been interesting conversation with the DJ, instead, I had to cut her off before she thinks its cool to assume anything about me. Moreover, she should not mistaken her own imagination and assumption for a fact.

"I don't think you know me that well."

It is the truth. I don't know her, and at this point, I don't care to know her.
I only said, I switch for a right person. I did not elaborate why or what, nor explained what I like or what I don't like. I did not define what the dominant/submissive/switch is about, and I did not explicate where I stand as a simple definition of "dominant".
And this avatar went so far to define me as switcher for as far as I know, she has no knowledge of anything.

I may be switch. It is a fact, but her assumption is not based on the fact. It was an inference, or ignorant presumption, not even based on the conversation or what she learned of me from the last few days, watching me.
If anyone is remotely intelligent enough to make a conjecture about my character by a week worth of observation and conversation, she should have known not to make that assumption in the first place.

See? I don't judge people, but those people open their mouth and just give it away.

If she thinks that her assumption is close enough to the fact and therefore it is good enough, I really don't have any value for her opinion either.

Assumptions based on imagination has nothing to do with the fact. Although I accept other people's opinion, if that opinion is not based on facts, then that again, has no value.


Did she make that hypothesis based on her close and objective observation of me?

No.

..................

And again, I tell you like it is. Because you are entitled to my opinion.