Halloween Post: Live, Die, Repeat (by anon)

It seems that about half of the population believes in ghost stories, while the other half believes that the actuality of ghosts is impossible.  When pondering life after death, the word ‘ghost’ always works its way into the conversation.  Life after death is possible because there are ghosts.  Life after death is not possible and there is no such thing as ghosts.  There is more to the subject of life after death than ghosts. An easy way to summarize reasoning for the possibility is, simply, energy.  Life after death is possible because our souls consist of pure energy and energy cannot be created nor destroyed.

For the record, energy can be measured. It can be detected, weighed, and even seen.  We have proof that energy is not a false premise.  Ghosts are a form of energy.  We can detect their presence by the feel of sudden coldness on our skin, a machine detecting energy shifts in a room, and we can record them on video.  Nevertheless, as previously stated, ghosts are not the only factors of the afterlife, just an easy way to start things off.  So, let’s start from the beginning.

When we’re born, at that moment, we are given a life; a soul.  That soul is the essence of our being.  It doesn’t make us who we are, but it provides us our life.  In the womb we are completely dependent on our mothers to provide nutrients, warmth, and life.  It is not until we’re born that we learn to breathe, shout, and see light for the first time.  That’s when our souls unite with our bodies.  When we experience death is when the soul leaves a body.  A body cannot live forever.  Since a soul is pure energy, it needs somewhere to go. 

This brings in the idea of reincarnation.  After our souls escape our body, they need a new place to be housed.  If something relatively near is being born at that time, then that is where the soul will end up.  Whether this new body is a new baby squirrel, another human, or even a little caterpillar, the energy once housed in our body will take up new residency.  Every animal has a soul; a source of energy.  We may not call it a ‘soul’ per say, but that’s what it truly is.

Some people don’t believe in reincarnation; it’s just not possible.  Going back to the ghost factor, imagine that a body has died.  Assuming there is a soul, it is energy, and it needs to be housed somewhere, what if nothing else around this body is happening?  The soul is trapped, and so it will wonder around that area, forever longing to find another body to be housed in.  Now imagine this person’s life ended tragically, still planning on living at least twenty more years.  That soul may not be able to move on to another being, because the first person’s mind has not died along with it.  The soul, now a spirit, will cling to life and hold on to frustrated feelings held from that life; never ready to move on.

In a way that most people are not used to thinking, yes, there is life after death.  It’s hard to wrap your brain around at first, but it’s really the only logical answer to death in general.  What happens when I die?  That is one of the most pressing questions for most people in life.  Well, if you must know, here is your answer.  There is life after death.  It may not be exactly how one is raised to believe or not to believe.  In short, our souls are made of pure energy, the source of our person’s energy, and because of the fact that energy cannot be created nor destroyed, it must transfer from our bodies as we pass, to another’s. 

It's time for a REVOLUTION! (by anon)

Democrats just kick the can down the road and have people deal with it later. Republicans want to burn the place to the ground and pray that God will do it all.

The math is that this country is being extracted through the corruption of the banking system. That's a mathematical fact. I don't want a plan that will start to help the economy in 2017 and screw me and my kids over in the end. And I certainly don't want the government removing every educational support fund to pay for our debt. Both parties over the past 20 years have created this ridiculous economic situation we're seeing right now.

I hate seeing our president trying to be the bigger man attempting to work with congress, I want the president to admit: WE'RE BEING RUN BY A BOUGHT CONGRESS. It is incapable of making an beneficial decision on banking, trade, healthcare, or taxes as long as corporations have the capacity to basically fire a politician by taking away political funding. Our active congress is corruption at it's worst. Yet no politician is grown up enough to man up and do what's moral for the majority and publicly announce how the very people we chose to be in power in our Republic is composed of only self-interested bigots who are prolonging the very corruption they set out to abolish when they first dreamed of being a politician as teenagers. No one is all good or all bad- only self interested; and when it gets to the point where you screw over not only one friend, but an entire nation of over 300 million people is when you are a force truly evil.

Let's also make one thing clear: we apply a democratic concept, but we are no democracy! This is a Republic. We elect officials to represent us and choose for the public, you have no say in what they will do once they're in office. Once they are running for a position, they've got someone with millions of dollars at their disposal to ensure their political victory in exchange for a few favors.

It's sickening to me when I hear everyday-people argue over who has the best economic/political concepts whether its the Democrats' idea, Republicans' idea, Tea party's idea, Libertarians' idea, or your idea sitting at home; while there is no reasonably possible progress we can make in this country while the majority has no say in the matter. The maturity of the masses depends on its ability to recognize its own interests.
Take the money out of politics. That is our demand.

We are the 99% and together we are too big to fail.

ResLife, what am I paying for?! (by anon)

My roommate and I pay about $1,700 per semester to live in the dorms. In no way do we expect dorm life to be perfect; however, this situation is getting ridiculous. My roommate and I left the window open with a fan in it the first few days of the semester in order combat the heat. As the days went on we noticed that not a few, but rather swarms of minute bugs were buzzing about our room. Green, brown, black, red; they were all there. After an hour long session of bug genocide, we closed the window to prevent the bugs from coming in. Despite the airplane noise produced by our four fans, it felt like a sauna (and still does). We could not sleep, and we woke up sweaty every day. Naturally, we asked our RA if someone could fix the window. Then we asked him again. And then again. And then we asked the assistant complex director. Each time we were assured that our window would be fixed soon. But it gets better. At one point, when we couldn't take the heat any longer, we gave in to temptation and open the window (instant relief). We noticed that the small bugs did not invade our room for a day or two. Instead, upon returning from our classes one day, we found four hornets aerially ambling throughout our room. After methodically killing them with hairspray and an army knife, we immediately closed the window. The hornets still found a way into our room. This happened three different times. The most recent of which was followed by our demanding that our window be fixed yet again to our RA. He assured us our room would be fixed tomorrow. And guess what? Tomorrow is over as of twenty-three hours ago. Excessive heat. No sleep. Unyielding hornets. No response.

I understand that maintenance must respond to many people. But we have asked over, and over, and over, and over, to the point where our issue was promised an immediate solution. My roommate and I pay good money to live here. It would be nice to be able to actually sleep in the room that we paid for without hornets and excessive heat. Of the $1,700 we pay for housing, it seems absurd that a somewhat speedy response (or a response at all) to a flagrant issue wouldn't be covered. Please, ResLife, show us where it is that all of our money goes so that we can see what exactly we are paying for.

Loneliness (by anon)

A philosopher once said "Why do anything when our ultimate destination is death." I'm beginning to agree with this. It is so fucking hard waking up everyday at this point. I'm in extreme pain over my present life circumstances (not to the point where I'm suicidal so don't worry). Every day throughout my life I've lived alone by myself. During grade school and high school I was placed in a special behavioral school that promoted coping skills since I had very weak ones. Placement in an alternate education has adversely effected my social skills emotional regulation and probably what other potential I've had as well. College for me has been not only been the most miserable time but also a very lonely time. I have not made any friends. At times I go to the library just to randomly talk to people because I crave conversation and human contact which has definitely been withheld from me. Whitewater students are such stuck up pieces of shit that they are offended when I try to initiate small talk. It has literally been high school transplanted all over again. Nothing has changed. Whether I get a degree or not that is more or less not helpful at all.... and i'm experiencing this now as a senior. Something fundamental in my quirky personality has no place in American Society. Its affecting my psyche, my ability to think and my ability to concentrate in class... I'm getting extremely agitated, my attention span is dropping and I'm sick of the routine. It is overwhelming, it's cruel and it hurts me because I'm a human being just like you.

Oh, and I gained about 20 lbs so it is getting harder and harder to fit in my clothes.Graduation is nye but I've lost the perfection, a mess without worlds... everything seems so meaningless. I just want to sleep all day and wait until the day death comes. This guilt, emotional baggage has made it such that I am turning into a true cynic and misanthrope. Are human beings this cruel? Or is it just whitewater college kids? I don't understand modern academia.

I honestly thought that something would change. It looks like my life is headed towards further despair and even more loneliness. I've tried really hard to pour my heart and soul on to other people. I've maybe met one or two older students who have acknowledged my existence. The rest of the community probably chuckles at me.

The sins of religion? Or the sins of a few? (by two anons)

Two posts...

***************
Ignorance really grinds my gears.  Xenophobic people do, too.  I'm tired of being told that I will burn in hell because I don't believe in god and subject myself to him.  The fear some religions invoke in their patrons is abhorrent... they live in terror of an eternal misery because they choose not to follow a god who punishes those who disobey.  If this is truly how you wish your leader to act, requiring you to get on your knees to approach him, and punishing you for following what you believe, then I wish you the best of luck with that.  We each have the ability to make our own decisons... and hopefully we can make decisions that benefit the world, instead of destroying it.

I'm not saying, however, that religion is wrong; I only say that a religious person who is unwilling to respect and accept another for his/her beliefs is wrong.  Literally hundreds of years of wars have been fought over this subject, and those wars have led to unnecessary bloodshed. 

People should be accepted for who they are... no matter their beliefs, sexual orientation, the color of their skin, or whether or not they are male or female.  To address the extremists out there who see the last statement and assume when I mean accept "everybody" I mean tyrants like Hitler, Stalin, and Hussein, I want to let you know that people like those are the epitome of the opposite of a person that accepts people as they are.  When I say accept people I don't mean the ones commiting the most heinous crimes imaginable, because these crimes are commited on the basis of ignornace, prejudice and xenophobias in the first place.

Like Buddha says, a person should learn about the world around them, then make the most profound effort to help those in the world that need it.

***************
The man who claimed that the world was ending on May 21st has revised the new "end of the world" to October 21st. We're still here, what a surprise!? I understand that we have to allow these idiots to preach bullshit due to freedom of religion, but why have they not been arrested for fraud? They are accepting massive amounts of money and donations, when we all know this man's predictions are BASELESS. I know that we need to uphold freedom of religion, but where do we draw the line? Could this be considered criminal fraud? He is committing a classic case of FRAUD. He has brainwashed and convinced people into believing falsities for monetary gain. Let's lock em up.

Now this dude is PISSED (by anon)

The University is trying to screw me out of credits I should be receiving and giving me a big middle finger as their excuse. At the end of the spring semester last year, I applied for and received a graphic design internship through a design company in Madison. Before I was officially part of their team, I emailed the internship coordinator to request academic credit for completing this internship. Two weeks later, still no word from him. I figured hey, he probably is just taking some time off being as the semester just ended, no big deal, I'll just work things out when he finally gets back to me and continue on my internship in the mean time. I sent him a filled out form for my internship as well as had my boss for the internship call and leave a voicemail for my adviser; I figured this was enough to have myself covered. So I began working on my internship. I designed their website as well their iPad application to go along with it. Over the course of the two months, I put in around 120 hours into the internship. Finally, about 3 weeks later (that's 5 weeks total since I emailed the coordinator the internship form), I receive an email from  him redirecting me to a different internship coordinator. He emails me back saying that internships must be preapproved by the department; otherwise they would not be applicable. Thanks a lot jackass.

While the experience I earned was enough to keep me going to finish the internship, it was an unpaid gig; I was doing this for the credit I should have received. Fast forward a little bit to before the start of this semester. I email my adviser asking that I be allowed a chance to test out of MAGD 270 - Web Development. He told me he would look into it, that it had not been done before. Eventually he tells me since it is a core class, I would not be able to test out if it. Fine, whatever. After the first class period was over and I see that this course was designed for absolute beginners in web development and that I would be wasting my time here, I appeal to my professor to let me test out of this course. Eventually after showing him that I have quite a good deal of knowledge and experience in this subject as well as showing him examples of websites I have created both for my job as well as personal projects, he finds me a way out of the class. Great right? Well, not quite. He tells me that I can get a waiver for the class, but I would receive ZERO credits for the class and would have to take another class (in this major) to replace it. This doesn't make sense in the slightest to me. I know the material, give me a waiver for the class and I have enough credits in other subjects that it shouldn't be an issue. But the University instead says fuck you, we want your money and you need to take even more classes so we can have it.

So I decide to suck it up and I will get my job on campus (in which I am doing EXACTLY what my major is, at a pretty professional level) to apply for internship credits to replace the ones I should have received for MAGD 270; no big deal. Wrong again. I go to my internship coordinator again and request that I be allowed to use my job for internship credit. He then tells me that I have to do my internship at a job off-campus for god knows what reason. I explain to him that I ALREADY FUCKING HAVE done an internship off-campus but I wasn't allowed to get credit for that either. Still no go.

Honestly at this point, I feel as if I am being punished for trying to get ahead of my peers and I can't get credit for anything I try to do, even though everything has been directly related to my major. And this is all forgetting the fact that myself and numerous others in my program have learned absolutely nothing in the classes that are supposed to be training us for our future careers. We learn the most basic concepts that could be learned in a few hours on the internet. I honestly feel as if though I would be more prepared for my career if I would have not gone to college at all and taught myself. I would have saved myself from spending $28,000 on tuition and from the headache that these people are causing me.

My argument is this: The university's main function is to educate its students and to prepare them for their careers; and they are failing. One of their core missions is as stated: "The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is committed to the development of the individual, the growth of personal and professional integrity and respect for diversity and global perspectives. These are met by providing academic and co-curricular programs that emphasize the pursuit of knowledge and understanding and a commitment to service within a safe and secure environment." How am I supposed to be furthering my education when the university, who is supposed to be helping and encouraging me, doesn't give me worthwhile classes, doesn't give me any recognition for my attempts to gain experience outside the classroom, and doesn't seem to care? And they have the stones to mention integrity.  In conclusion, fuck this place. I wish I would have known in advance that I would learn absolutely nothing here and that all they care about is keeping me enrolled as long as possible to give them every dime they can grab.

Some Professors have Unrealistic Expectations (by anon)

Why is it that professors seem to expect us to be perfect students when they themselves don’t follow their own rules?  Why do I have to come to class when I’m obviously very sick and can’t even talk due to coughing all the time, simply because I don’t want to pay a doctor to write me a note that says I’m ill? Some of my professors won’t even accept a note from the university health center! They say I have to go to a real hospital to diagnose me with a minor illness that will probably pass in a day or two. And these same professors will cancel a class due to a common cold! So if YOU are sick then I don’t need to learn but If I’m puking my guts out I better drive myself to a hospital to get a legit excuse or get my butt to class. And you expect me to read 100 pages worth of material for each class? Well I wouldn’t have a problem with this if it didn’t take some professors weeks to grade a simple assignment! If you expect me to work hard in your class, then at least do the same. Yeah you might have 30 papers to read and grade, which I admit can be time consuming, I have 4 other classes that I have to do work in. And you don’t hear me telling my history Prof I didn’t finish my paper because I had to read for political science.  No, I get all my work done on time so I expect my professors to do so too.  I’m so sick of seeing unrealistic expectations from my professors in their syllabi. If you yourself can’t even follow the guidelines you set up for your students then change them. If I can’t a miss a class, then neither should the professor.  If late work isn’t accepted, then you better not forget anything because I will not hear it after the lecture period it was supposed to be said in. Just use common sense people!  Don’t do anything to your students that you wouldn’t want done to yourself.

F**K Feminism: We're better off without it (by anon)

{From the diary of an independent, liberated, college educated, woman of today}

Dear Diary,
       It's so nice being an independent woman. I'm in school, I can be considered for jobs, vote, run for political office, drive a car, own land, buy a house, apply for a credit card, and make my own wages to support it all. I can even talk about things only men used to talk about, like politics and philosophy, and I like feeling smart by being able to partake in intellectual conversations. It’s really nice not needing to depend on a man in my life…except when it comes to my sexual urges. Luckily, that's not a problem these days. Back when women were still dependent on men, if I wanted to have sex, I'd have to either get married first (in case I got pregnant, in which case I would need a husband for support), or I'd be severely ridiculed for having premarital sex. But now, as a woman, I can have sex without having to worry about any of that! For one, I can easily prevent having a kid in the first place by using birth control, condoms, spermicide, the morning after pill, and even abortions (and if I can't afford this stuff on my own, I could just get it for free at Planned Parenthood). And second, even if I did have a kid and became a single mom, I could still qualify for state aid and even get child support from the so-called "father". So it's win-win. I love being so independent. I'm so glad the feminists pushed so hard over the years, just so I could become this independent.

     Ah... but I still think sometimes that it would be nice to have a relationship and even have a family to come home to every day, but I'd need to find a guy who is willing to stay at home and do a good job housekeeping and raising the kids, plus I'd have to be attracted to him. More importantly, he would need to be smart enough to do these things the way I wanted them to be done. That would really make me happy. It'd be kind of like having a servant in a way, but I would still love him and treat him nicely and provide for him, as long as he did what I wanted him to, and didn't argue too much with me. However, if we couldn’t agree on things, and I couldn’t force him to do things my way, I'd probably have to replace him. This could be difficult because some guys might not like that I had kids already, and some guys have careers and plans for a family of their own, and some guys just don't like being bossed around, so my chances of finding the right guy might not be good. Plus, I'd have to find one I was really attracted to. And I don't want to be a single mom (even though I could get state aid and/or child support). Daycare is really expensive (not to mention I don't like the idea of strangers practically raising my kids), and I don't really know anyone personally who could take care of my kids regularly while I'm at work. And I certainly could not sacrifice my career - I'd need it to earn money to support my kids and myself (plus, how would I pay off college loans, and what would college have been for then?).

    Now that I'm thinking about all this... for some reason, I wish I was the one who was being pursued for the needs of someone else, instead of vice versa. What's more is... strangely, I kind of wish I didn't busy myself with things like politics, philosophy, earning money, getting a PhD, building a career, figuring out how to support a family, purchasing a house, or even writing about this. I guess in a way, I wish I could be the so-called “servant” I described above, and as long as I could choose my so-called “master”, and he would vow to love me and treat me nicely by marrying me, I wouldn't mind doing things the way he wanted me to. It'd probably be a simpler, more relaxed, and better life overall for me. I wouldn't have to worry about so much.

    But those damn feminists... why did I think being independent and having all of these rights was so great and that it was best for me to assert them? I'm so stressed out all of the time, and it's really hard to value both family and my independent lifestyle... I wish I never went to college. I've screwed up my life. But I never knew any better. Everyone told me to go to college. What else was I to do in a society that encouraged women to go to college and said, "If you're smart, you should go to college. That way, you'll earn good money by having a career, and will never have to depend on anyone" ? Because of the society I was brought up in, I believed it would have been a huge mistake not to invest in college, start my own career, and thus, pursue the independent lifestyle. I guess the truth is though, I shouldn't have believed that, because although independence for women used to be a good, progressive thing in my mind... I just don’t think that is truly the case anymore. Independence for women really seems to be regressive and actually has weakened human prosperity overall. I'm pissed about feminism. It hasn't helped me even though I'm a woman. In fact, it fucked up my life more than anything because it created this society that was made to conform to feminist ideas, by deeming any rejection of feminism as "oppressive" or "sexist". Well I think I LIKE sexism. I think patriarchal gender roles have generally worked well for the human race, and they have worked well for a reason, which is Nature. So fuck feminism. Our society doesn't need it. It was created by misguided, headstrong women who were full of pride, selfishness, and jealousy (and probably too much testosterone), and who did not understand what was in their own best interest, and that of future society. I'm convinced we'd be much better off without feminism.

Non-Violent Violence: what's the point?? (by anon)

So the Wall Street protests… They give protester a bad name. When I think of protests, I think of Martin Luther King in the civil rights movement. I picture people being discriminated against and they are showing their counterpart that they are in fact just as good if not better than their oppressors. Protests should be organized with a strong message and have a strong leader or leaders. The Wall Street protests have none of these.

Consider this analogy: which is worse getting punched in the face or having someone follow you around for weeks with their first in your face. They technically haven’t hit you so you can hit them, seems childish. The person wants you hit them so they can cry you hit me. The protesters constantly do this to the cops. The cops should not hit them but I would argue that some of the protesters deserved it. Screaming PEACEFUL and whatever else is kind of hypocritical.  I know their pushing their message, but I’m not clear on what it is. When will these people be satisfied and go home or away or where ever? I get it, people are upset with a lot of things but frankly get the fuck out of my face with it already.

Stop asking me about my religion! (by anon)

Something that has always bothered me is the fact that alot of people try to put a major emphasis on the Christan religion. I mean I respect everyone and their religion but alot of people turn into Christans because  that was the way they were brought up and the were basically forced into that religion but their families or some other outside force. I'm the type of person that likes to find my own religion/way of life and when people ask me about my religion I don't give them a response and they automatically think I'm an atheist and I fee like that's total b.s. just because I don't believe in the same things that they do.  Christians are way too judgemental and that is just wrong.  People should be able to believe what they want to believe.

I love Hyland Hall's design. NOT! (by anon)

In 2009 the University unveiled its first new academic building in 22 years. Hyland Hall cost $41.5 million to build. It's filled with shiny banisters, sleek wood paneling, a cafe and several crippling design flaws that call into question the qualifications of anyone involved in the project.

The North side of the building has a large staircase, able to encompass both lanes of traffic. People can travel up and down without impediment. A problem, however, emerges when one considers that classes are held on both sides of the building, and the southern facing staircase is a sadistic abortion of architecture.

The southern side of the building, like the north, features on staircase. The caveat is that this one is half the size. When classes get out, people instantly bottle neck in the tiny stairwell, backing well down the hallway. The stairs are barely able to accommodate one lane of traffic, forcing people going up and down to grapple for control of their footing. No matter the time of day you try to go up or down the stairs, you will always be stuck by some stooge with a gargantuan tumor of a backpack, forcing them to walk like the hipster equivalent of some some mad scientist's assistant.

Sure, one could take the elevator. But that entails cramming yourself into a metal tube next to Bruno, the hapless muscle head who just ran 8 miles and wore his flimsiest tank top for your aromatic pleasure. These should not be my only two options. I should be able to travel on both sides of the building unmolested.

But there's also a problem with the bathrooms (at least the male ones). Hyland's bathrooms have been equipped with super sleek Dyson Air Blade hand dryers. This is all well and good. The problem is that they have been positioned on the wall adjacent to the door. This means less than a foot. Anytime anyone is drying their hands and someone enters, a strange soggy-handed shuffle must be engaged in. People are squeezing past each other in the most intimate of settings. Some people don't even wash their hands. I don't want to bump into those people. Keep those people away from me.

This could easily be avoided by moving a dryer directly across from the door instead of next to it. At least then one would have their back turned to the door. Or perhaps by removing a sink and putting a dryer in its place. Why are there 3 sinks but only 2 dryers to begin with? This leaves someone waiting awkwardly to dry their hands. Why not have 2 of each? Someone would still have to wait TO wash their hands, but that's better than waiting with damp hands, is it not? I feel like an idiot standing there with dripping hands. You should, too. Everyone looks like an idiot waiting for a dryer. No one knows what to do. You can't put your hands in your pockets - they're wet. There's no getting around it. This is a problem.

Better yet, why not have regular towels available, too? After all, there are large garbage bins in there. But they're always empty because there are no towels and thus nothing to be thrown in (spare the occasional candy wrapper). Who designed this? Why did $41.5 million dollars result in such a heinous building that clearly takes joy in regularly impeding my day-to-day operations?

There is no excuse. Hyland Hall has a faulty design. Period.

We know you STUDENTS better than you know yourselves!! (by anon)

I am sick and tired of hearing lame excuses from students about missing classes. 

Here are a few of the classic ones.

I had to attend a funeral.

I was puking all night.

I overslept.

I had to meet with my landlord.

My mother has cancer.

I have to take my little brother to get his braces.

I had a flat.

I ran into a deer.

My baby puked on me.

I missed my ride to campus (student lives on campus)

Had to meet with my probation officer

Had to go to court

broke my foot

Had to chase my dog

Had to search for my cat

Had a doctor's appointment

Had to go on vacation with parents

Had to play sports

Had to meet with my advisor 

We know that most of you are lying, but we give you the benefit of the doubt.  Most professors have heard these type of excuses for years and they usually go in one ear and out the other.  It is not that we are insensitive, we have just heard these excuses countless times. 

I would love it if just for once a student would just tell me the truth. I missed your class because you are a sorry excuse for a professor, your lectures are boring as hell, and its fucking 80 degrees outside, so I elected to spend this time with my significant other sucking on beer rather than hanging out with you discussing a dead Greek dude named Socrates. Wonderful, refreshing and honest.  I can deal with this! 

Another thing that pisses me off is for one of you students to send me an email or come to my office and ask a really stupid motherfucking question. Drum roll please.

“Did I miss anything important in class?” Or a variation of this question. "What did I miss in class today?"

So I am supposed to summarize an entire 75-minute class in a few minutes for your highness.  I really want to say – of course you did not miss anything important, all we did was sit around in a circle chanting Gregorian hymns for 75-minutes. 

So here is the last one that pisses me off.  One of you will inevitably come to class, usually a few minutes before class and request to speak to me in the hall outside the class, and they will ask this really stupid question.  Drum roll please.

Is it alright if I miss class today, I have something really important to do? 

I really want to say to them, you stupid motherfucker, you are already here, so sit your sorry ass down, shut up, and learn something.  Besides, common sense should have told your sorry ass that if you are going to miss class then don’t show up period and if you do show up wrap some bandages around your pin head and fake like you have been hit in the head with the stupid stick. 

I have a few more but these are enough to get the argument going. 

I forgot about this one, it happened again yesterday. let me set the scene. I am wrapping up my lecture now, in the glide scope. I gave it my all today, ready to end, I am very tired and just want to go home and cool off. So in closing I ask the class  - are there any questions. I look around the room but no one says a motherfucker thing, so after this, I am packing up and thinking about sucking on some beer, and inevitably one of you motherfuckers will slowly slide up to the front desk with a got damn question about the lecture I just finished.  I want to say, you silly motherfucker, I just asked you - if you had any damn questions, are you hard of hearing, but I calmly and professionally answer their question while at the same time repressing an urge to slap him across the mug.

So what lies do you tell your loving professors to justify missing class. By the way, here is the best excuse to use - I have to miss class today. That is all you need to ever say to a prof. Most of them will not ask you for the reason. So try being honest!

Politics need more civility, or we're in for trouble (by anon)

Why I am Critically Pissed:

Almost nine months after the horrific assassination attempt of Congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords, it appears we have not learned our lesson. Political violence in America is at an all-time high and Wisconsin is no exception. The party polarization needs to stop.

My philosophy professor has emphasized re-evaluating your beliefs and everything you stand for. I have wrestled with my ideology and principles but I still cannot find moral justification for the ridiculously malicious behavior happening in our state. Frankly, I am ashamed.

Having a family member who is a teacher, I completely understand the resentment for Scott Walker and everything he stands for. This being said, I do not understand the lack of civility in protest of his policies. Seeing signs that state “Don’t retreat, reload,” with an image of crosshairs over our Governor’s face, makes me terribly embarrassed to call myself a Wisconsinite.

I hold strong political beliefs, but I am setting them aside to address this issue. Sadly, many people refuse to do the same, and that is the problem.

Beer has gotten dumped on a state representative, a state judge supposedly choked another official, children have even been harassed because of who their parents are.  Door locks at public schools have been glued shut in order to stop a politician from speaking there.  Houses have been vandalized and threats have been issued. The list goes on and on.

What scares me the most is that our own president is seeking re-election by promoting class warfare. He is making the lower class despise anyone who is successful or makes a decent living. Many corporations and wealthy citizens manage to avoid taxation but violent political rhetoric is not the way to go. Alternatives are available. One possible solution is to the fix the tax code. Class warfare is helping to politically polarize this country. Creating a tense atmosphere and causing severe tension between parties.

After the Giffords incident that left many injured and six dead, including a nine year old girl, the politicians promised for a new era of civility. As you can see, this did not happen. I am critically pissed because no one has learned their lesson, and everyone is at fault. The debate should not be who is to blame, but what we can do to solve the problem. We aren’t in grade school anymore, we should be able to solve problems with maturity and civility so that everyone benefits.

Next time a debate arises, look at both sides. Choose what you think is right, and have substantial reasoning to back yourself up. Argue your point, but stay civil and humane. But most importantly, remember that it’s a win-win-win situation if there is compromise. If everyone can do that, this state and this country would be a lot better off.

Stay out of my vagina! (by anon)

You can’t make this shit up.  Michelle Bachmann proposed a bill last Thursday called the “Heartbeat Informed Consent Act.”  This abortion-deterrent bill isn’t going to go anywhere, especially in the senate, so there’s nothing really to worry about, but it is scary anyway.

This is how it is supposed to work (from the Huffington Post): “The "Heartbeat Informed Consent Act" requires doctors to make the fetal heartbeat visible and audible to the woman prior to the abortion procedure and to describe the ultrasound image to her in detail, even if she prefers not to hear about it. If the woman is between four and five weeks pregnant, the doctor has to perform a "transvaginal ultrasound" in order to hear the heartbeat, which involves a probe and can be physically uncomfortable for the woman.”

That’s right!  If I am four to five weeks pregnant, some doctor is going to UNNECESSARILY stick a probe up my vagina so that I can hear my fetus’ heartbeat as clear as can be.  Having a run-of-the-mill ultrasound that can pick up sound just won’t cut it (even though you can hear that heartbeat damn well that way!).  They’ve gotta shove some probably cold ass metal probe up me.  Nice.  Real nice.  Why not do a rectal exam while they’re at it.  You know, anything to try and get me not to have an abortion.  Let’s do everything we can to bring another mouth into this world which Republicans care nothing about when it’s out of the womb.

Let me say this clearly: STAY THE SHIT OUT OF MY VAGINA!

How can Bachmann ever think to propose such a thing!?!??!?  That is way beyond me.  I thought Republicans were all about getting the government out of our lives as much as possible.  Not for Bachmann.  She wants the government up my vagina!  And let me tell you, the government has no business up there.  I'll choose who goes up there, thank you.

Like I said, this bill will go nowhere.  But why the hell are we electing people to our national political stage who come up with this shit?  We are such stupid people that elect such stupid people.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/07/michele-bachmann-abortion-mandatory-ultrasounds_n_1000561.html 

Occupy Wall Street? Can someone please DE-occupy that crap (by anon)

Occupy Wall Street is so stupid. Like what’s the point? What do the protesters even want to do, or think they are going to do? Erupt with some kind of revolutionary revolt that will actually change the country? And what kind of change do they even want? It seems like they just want communism or something, which is totally impossible (good in theory, but could never work). And how do they think they’re going to get things to change? They have no plan, and no realistic way of achieving whatever “goals” they could even possibly have.

It really just sounds like a bunch of people who are just sitting around complaining about not being successful and not having the luxurious lives of people who actually work hard and receive their just rewards. It’s like the protesters are just jealous or something, and want what they can’t have because they’re too lazy and would rather have a free ride. They expect the government to take care of them.

I have no sympathy for the protesters. The situation is what it is, and they should just deal with it. That’s the way the cookie crumbles. They need to stop crying, go get jobs, take responsibility, and follow the rules like everyone else, because that’s just life.
It’s not like any of these protesters are actually starving or really living with that much hardship. A lot of people are suffering in this economy, but they just need to suck it up and work harder because they sure aren’t getting anything done by just sitting around and camping communally for weeks on end.

I think stuff like this happened some decades ago, and guess what? It went away. Now it’s coming back, but in a new generation with a new style. But it’ll go away again too. Just give it time. The whining will stop and the tears will go away once the heart of every protester finally bleeds dry, and each and every one is forced to face reality once again.

On the lighter side...can I bum a meal off you? (by anon)

The University of Wisconsin Whitewater's maximum meal plan they allow is 24 meals a week.  The meals reset every Monday, by Friday evening i am out of meals.  I usually ask around to bum meals off friends and sometimes random people for the weekend and i feel like a hobo every time i do it.  I eat every two and a half hours and UW-Whitewater needs to accommodate to my eating needs.  UW-Whitewater should come up with a 35 meal plan for individuals who enjoy food and eating as much as me.  Also Esker should be open 24/7 365 because eating burgers and subs everyday gets repetitive.

How about some "Critically Anti-Pissed-O" salad (by anon)

I know here at Critically Pissed we like to talk a lot about things that we think suck about the world. I am not going to do that. I was rereading some older posts about professors and wanted to add my own opinion about an experience with a Prof here on campus.

I took an intro to philosophy class during spring 2008 term with prof Howard Ross. I was always curious about philosophy and wanted to learn about it.  The experience I had in the class was nothing short of amazing.  We covered a lot of topics and some of my favorites were Plato’s allegory of the cave, Scepticism, and a brief introduction on Existential thought. He also taught the class with style and brought fourth modern day examples to help make points.  We even discussed the Matrix in class and what is reality.  I remember one class where he asked us why people use drugs. One student remarked that they are curious.  Ross replied, “Curious? Are you curious about drinking bleach?”

                 

There was work to be done in the class and sometimes some of the philosophers were hard to grasp, but our in class notes helped shape the experience. Ross also allowed students to have their own opinions on issues. He always said that he didn’t know when it came to opinion questions and that we should think critically and form educated opinions about the world.  I was so impressed with my time in that class that I became a philosophy minor and spend my large chunks of my own free time reading about philosophy. I am a fan of Nietzsche, Sartre, Socrates, and political philosopher John Stuart Mill.

                 

In conclusion, I think why I made this post is in response to one poster who continually bashes students as beer drinking, lazy, dull, failures. I am just saying not all of us are like that.

Pissed about Whitewater housing? Join the crowd (by anons)

Here are two woeful accounts...

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For some of you this may not matter, but for those of us that still unfortunately live in the dorms it is. I went on the UWW website and tried to do a few calculations to figure out how much it is per semester, for a Wisconsin resident, it is to live in the dorms.The number I got was roughly $3600.00 Now when i did this I said I was an undergrad and that I had between 12-18 credits, which is true. But the reason I am “pissed” is because of the internet and cable issues.

Between saturday morning till now we have not had cable and terrible internet connection. For the amount of money we pay per semester, how is this not fix within 24-48 hours of this happening. I do realize some of this money goes towards cleaning expenses, keeping the building kept up, etc. But, when people are constantly calling, and them telling us that there is an “unbalance in amplifiers” that just sounds ridiculous. Personally, I don't need a reason, but when we call and ask why its not working on the third day, please don't say that you have been trying to fix it, because clearly you haven't.

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Still looking for a place to  live this semester?? Being homeless in Whitewater really sucks!! I returned to UWW after living abroad this summer. I went to DLK thinking no worries they will have a place for me. After all, I did rent from them last semester and even got %100 of my deposit back! Imagine my dissmay when they said sorry we have no rental properties available. I found the same response at Tincher and JJWalton. Im like WTF is going on, NOBODY has a 1bdrm a studio not even a freakin couch!!!

I waited 2 weeks to see if anyone had left the school and not moved into their apt.. This time I spoke to the Management staff in each office and received the same response almost verbatim, "The University overenrolled this semester and they remodeled a dormitory at the same time. As a result we rented or leased over %95 of our available rentals to the University."

Why was there no forewarning via email, Fbook, twitter, cell phone, home phone, skywriting, carrier pigeon of the Universities plan to remodel a dorm. Who counts the number of incoming transfer students and Freshmen? How could the University not see what a cluster F this would cause for students that return from all parts of WI and afar to UWW in the fall. Sure Sure "first come first serve". I tried to leave my deposit last semester before I left and was told "NO we cant do that!" Now Im just plain assed-out! Available housing is no less than 25 miles from the University and that adds another $250 a monthin in gas and maintenance on my 1999 jelopy that I was hoping to nurse until graduation. Now my shit stye apartment jumps from $500 to $750 to account for travel and Im still havent eaten anything or watched one episode of Sports Center!

Oh well eyes on the prize of Higher Education right? Anyone have a couch rug basement floor I can crash on?

What's happening on Wall Street? Who's occupying what and why? (by anon)

If you have not been following the developments on Wall St., you need to check it out.  Even the NY Times has begun to acknowledge it.  700 protesters were arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge, Saturday, October 1, and the protests have already spread to San Francisco and Chicago.  Occupy Wisconsin is planning an event for October 15 in conjunction with protests all over the country on the same day or in the next few weeks.  Some are scheduled for October 7, ten years after the start of the war in Afghanistan.  Ten Years.

What's happening?  Are we breaking away from the mesmerizing spectacle at the back of the cave and beginning to wake up?  Is this a popular uprising that can be sustained?  (Was it inspired by the citizens of Wisconsin who rose up last year?  The Arab Spring?  What should we in Wisconsin, we at UWW, we who value critical engagement (or we wouldn't be reading this blog), what should we be doing?  What about jobs, classes, lives?  What is a person of conscience to do?  Okay, I have thrown out enough questions.  (Pick one!) I look forward to the answers.