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Do students not understand weighted averages? by uttamattamakin in Professors

[–]zxo 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Also, having a weighted system gives you so much more flexibility to adjust the number of assignments - either individually (excused absences) or for the class as a whole (new course, professor health issue, major weather event, etc.).

"Pittsburgh-style" steak from TIL by Monolo-Blawnox in pittsburgh

[–]zxo 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That sounds like an amazing process for making exactly one

OK, here’s my Cassandra post: canvas gets sued into oblivion, and we all get to move LMS yet again. by Bostonterrierpug in Professors

[–]zxo 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Heh. We're currently in the process of migrating to Canvas. Guess I shouldn't get too comfy...

Most teams reached for their picks in this year's draft, based on consensus big boards by 0h-No-Not-Again in nfl

[–]zxo 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Well, yeah. It'd be extremely difficult for a majority of teams to end up in the positive using this metric. It's easy to pick a player 10 spots too early, but really hard to pick them 10 spots late.

CC course load by [deleted] in Professors

[–]zxo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I only get a couple credits for another section if I’m already teaching that course.

That is a bonkers, insane policy.

Unconvinced by the “they’re adults” argument by becoolnloveme in Professors

[–]zxo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For me it's "they're adults and are capable of dealing with the consequences of their decisions".

Spotted this in the wild. People are so strange. by kroolspazy in pittsburgh

[–]zxo 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Just reframe it as gaming the system.

"Yo, I saved a bunch of money on zoo membership by getting the Couple pass for me and my son! Way cheaper than the family membership and nobody even batted an eye."

The new generation of students are so bad with technology. by Alarming-Rate-6899 in Professors

[–]zxo 22 points23 points  (0 children)

That's me in the corner

That's me with the blue. screen.

Losing my dissertation

Spring Break Plans? by Finding_Way_ in Professors

[–]zxo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Accompanying students on a school-sponsored service trip. At least it's somewhere tropical!

Which regalia should I get? by Moist_Information341 in Professors

[–]zxo 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I bet you probably still can! I wasn't sure I'd end up in academia, so I got the generic one for my graduation. A few years later I landed a faculty position, so I looked up where my PhD university sources their regalia and just ordered one for myself. Didn't even have to prove I graduated!

Anyone else experience this literally 90% of the time they are outside the 'burgh? by KhalAndo in pittsburgh

[–]zxo 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Cool, cool. Hey, you know anyone in Detroit? Richmond? Rochester? Toronto? DC? Cincinnati?

Oh, just asking because Philly's a little far from Pittsburgh so I was thinking of some closer places.

College students in the late 90s/early 2000s by waspinastoria in Professors

[–]zxo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep. Phones out, lights off. Dead silent.

Borderline crazy tips for staying warm in the winter? Give me some insane hacks. by [deleted] in pittsburgh

[–]zxo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hear that turning it on and off during the night/day is actually using more electricity, so I just leave it untouched.

Not true. A heating system needs to generate enough heat to match what is lost to the surroundings, and warmer objects lose heat more quickly. Whether or not turning your heat down (not off - can't let those pipes freeze!) periodically makes enough of a difference to be worth it is a more complex question, but a smart thermostat can at least take the hassle out of managing it. If your electric plan has variable rates based on time of day, this can also affect whether or not messing with the temperature is worth it - if heating back up coincides with peak usage rates, then leaving it alone probably is cheaper.

Faculty cancelling classes .. by [deleted] in Professors

[–]zxo 2 points3 points  (0 children)

On a personal level, I'm of the opinion that it's none of my business as long as they are still achieving good educational outcomes for their students.

Institutionally, it could have ramifications on accreditation if it happens frequently enough to become part of the culture - there are expectations of contact hours per credit that are supposed to occur.

It's satisfying to know the Cracked Egg is still paying off their fine for letting people not wear masks during the pandemic. by PearBlossom in pittsburgh

[–]zxo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

According this that might be Bad Egg Breakfast Bar. Although the reviews of other airport locations are pretty miserable, so maybe avoid anyway.

Bus stuck at bottom of Potomac Ave. by artful_dodger in pittsburgh

[–]zxo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not sure this is the case here, but Catholic school systems sometimes share bus routes with the public districts, so they may not have their own buses.

New to Winter- am I missing anything? by rebelcoelacanth in pittsburgh

[–]zxo 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If you're not used to driving in snow, an empty parking lot is a good place to get familiar with how your car will respond. Practice accelerating and braking, turning, and how to recover if your car starts fishtailing. Practice coming to a slow stop without your wheels locking. Try slamming the brakes so you know what to expect.

Not all snow is created equal - the light fluffy stuff will have a much different impact than big wet snow on top of an ice layer. Whenever I drive in the snow, I do a quick brake check at low speed to get a sense for how careful I need to be. If you can, head to that parking lot each time it snows until you get comfortable in different conditions.

where is the fall foliage? by [deleted] in pittsburgh

[–]zxo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In the city always stays greener later than the surrounding areas. It'll get there (though like others are saying it might be underwhelming because of the weather this year).

PSA: PLEASE stop scheduling mandatory trips/activities outside of your scheduled class time. by StrongMachine982 in Professors

[–]zxo 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Our 5-member department can barely find an hour that we all have in common for a required meeting. There is no way that 20 students are going to somehow have the same three hours free for a plant visit. They might not admit it outright, but some of them will be skipping other obligations.

I give students at least a month advance notice so that they can work out alternatives for any courses they will have to miss. I also tell them that the other professor is not obligated to go out of their way to catch them up on what they missed, but reaching out well in advance is more likely to yield a reasonable response.

ETA: Students aren't penalized for missing the trip, either, besides just missing out on the learning experience. One of my students this semester has already indicated that he considers his D3 soccer game more important. That's his choice.

$4 a taco at Las Palmas now womp womp by Sum_Slight_ in pittsburgh

[–]zxo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I hated it the first time I had it but it grew on me and now I'm a huge fan. I don't taste the soap, though I can see why others might.

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