March 7, 1999
You Must Remember This. Never Mind. With the end of
When I was a kid a local priest received one of the first heart
transplants. The donor was an executed strangler. The priest started
choking people in the confessional. Only kidding, but this was a tv show
plot about 30 years ago.
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
WANTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER (The actual AP headline)
Linda Burnett, 23, was visiting her inlaws, and while there,
went
to a nearby supermarket to pick up some groceries. Several
people
noticed her sitting in her car with the windows rolled up
and with
her eyes closed, with both hands
I post my grades on my door for two reasons.
1) students can see how they did compared to the rest of the class on a
piece of official looking paper. I don't think they take web site grades
as seriously.
2) Since they are at my office, we can talk about the grade, good or
bad, one on one.
My experience has been that the students who complain the most about
paper or test grades do so because they did very little work in high
school. They have little experience writing more than a one page paper
so the job is overwhelming and they expect a high grade for doing
something. The
You have to try this!!! It is cool!!!
Then explain how it works.
Rip
http://www3.mcps.k12.md.us/users/rsfay/magic/index.html
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Watching the film "Hoffa" made me think of the adjuncts. In many ways,
their situation is very similar to the truckers of the 1930s, no
security, slave wages, no clout. It's time you people unionized. I
would suggest that you lobby the major teaching unions, NEA, AAUP, etc.
Although as a
I find this whole topic funny. Years ago, I was at the home of a friend
of a friend. After dinner, the tv was on and the "villiage people" were
singing YMCA. The hosts kids were swaying to the music, enjoying it as
was my host. I mentioned to the host that they were talking about
finding men,
Just when you thought that you had all the threats to your profession
listed, you find a new one. Evidently, there are organizations called
EMOs for Education Management Organizations that want to do for
education what HMOs did for medicine. They pitch themslves to schools
promising to
Bob wrote:
Gee, Rip, just where is this university? I think we should figure out
some
way to call attention to this travesty.
At 10:42 3/1/99 PST, RICHARD PISACRETA wrote:
Just when you thought that you had all the threats to your profession
listed, you find a new one. Evidently
It occurred to me recently that the bulk of the classic pubs, studies,
theories are from decades ago. Even a new book I received recently
called something like "20 experiments that shook the world" lists work
from 1890 to about 1967. Why aren't there any giants anymore? Major
breakthroughs
John Kulig wrote:
(1) Signal to noise. There is so much published now, we don't notice
the few
outstanding ones.
(2) There was a theoretical vacuum earlier this century that has
disappeared.
When Tolman did some of his cognitive map studies, or J.B. Watson did
Little
Albert, this was
Rob Weisskirch asked:
Are there any younger faculty members out there (born between 1964
and 1974) that have noticed differences in their attitudes or
experiences towards students, teaching or academia, in general?
In response, Sherry Serdikoff asked:
Compared to???
I think he means,
Tom Allaway:
With full respect to the legitimate point Annette is making, my pet
peeve
forces me to point out that one characteristic of science is clear
communication and careful use of language.
I would like to add that some branches of psych are more scientific
than others, in their
It's amazing that we survived as a species.
Life in the 1500's
Dennis Reardon sends some good information regarding the origination
of some of our old sayings.
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath
in May and were still smelling pretty good
RICHARD PISACRETA wrote:
Some of us are starting to list boring subjects for students. Lets stick
to
the important stuff like
out of body experiences
ESP
ghosts
reincarnation
alien abductions
psychic connections
bigfoot
Then we can recommend our students to graduate
My first social security card used to read, "In the event of your death, notify the
nearest social security office immediately."
When I was a kid, you could fill out a form at the post office indicating where you
wanted your mail forwarded to after a nuclear war. Same post office had a "No
TOP 12 THINGS NOT TO SAY TO A COP
1. I can't reach my license unless you hold my beer.
(OK in Texas)
2. Sorry, Officer, I didn't realize my radar detector wasn't
plugged in.
3. Aren't you the guy from the Village People?
4. Hey, you
Aunt Martha's Religious Experience
Got a letter from Aunt Martha the other day. She writes...
The other day I went up to a local Christian bookstore and saw a "honk if
you
love Jesus" bumper sticker. I was feeling particularly sassy that day
because I had just come from a thrilling choir
From: "GORDON A. GOLDER" [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-To: "GORDON A. GOLDER" [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: "Ann Utley" [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Fw: Judging
Date: Wed, 19 May 1999 20:33:17 -0400
Appearance vs. Heart
A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun
CHEVY NOVA AWARDS These are the nominees for the Chevy Nova Award.
This is
given out in honor of
the GM's fiasco in trying to market this car in Centraland
South America. "no
VA" means, of course, in Spanish, "it doesn't go".
1. Coors put its slogan,
Once again, miscommunication between women and men
A man staggers into an emergency room with two
black eyes and a five iron wrapped tightly around
his throat. Naturally the doctor asks him what happened.
Well, it was like this, said the man. I was having a
quiet round of golf with my wife
What I have done late in the term is show Pink Floyd's "The Wall" as an
excellent decent into madness film. The students are to take relevant notes,
diagnose him, discuss his relevant life experiences that contributed to his
madness.
Rip
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology,
Ferris
Mercury Rising (Bruce Willis) for Autism (pervasive developmental disorder)
Rain Man PDD/ Autism
Little Man Tate giftedness (btw,that is not how the real OM competition
works)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Jack Nicholson)
Psycho old/new
Dr. Joyce Johnson
Add Roman Polanski's "Compulsion",
I have a pilot's license and on dark moonless nights, or fog conditions, one
must ignore their senses and believe the instruments, regardless of how they
feel. The altimeter will tell you if you are climbing, in steady flighy, or
descending. The air speed indicator will tell you how fast you
Some of you mentioned "The Psychology Place" Is that a website like TIPS?
Can someone provide me the email address? Thanks.
Rip Pisacreta
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I saw a NOVA a few years ago that dated the shroud from 300-400 AD. It could
not be the burial robe of Jesus.
___
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com
Something I didn't see in any of the papers I read from this country...
Abortions cut crime rate in AmericaThe Times of London
August 10, 1999 THE drop in US crime in the 1990s is directly linked to
legalised abortion in the 1970s, according to a highly controversial new
study claiming that
From: "rachel pisacreta" [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: STUPID GUY
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 18:38:08 PDT
Real life "I ain't too bright"
August, 1998, Montevideo, Uruguay
Paolo Esperanza, bass-trombonist with the Simphonica Mayor de
Uruguay, in a misplaced moment of
Stephen wrote:
This discussion (for me, anyway) isn't about metaphysics or theology,
and I certainly don't presume to know what God wants or doesn't want.
But there seems to be a developing myth that science has proven that
religion is good for you. Instead, I believe that only two
propositions
Evolution is a fact, not a theory. Any argument is about the details
only. Sigh.
I must have missed something. Evolution within a species is a fact.
Evolution between species is a theory. I have seen no definitive proof of
one species through intermediate steps becoming a new species.
The Big
Hey, I finally got some status! (according to the Wall Street Journal)I've
been married 18 years. The secret of our marriage's success?
"Don't take yourself so damn seriously."
Rip
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology,
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI 49307
email: [EMAIL
RJ wrote:
On myway home just now I found myself behind a car with a bumper
sticker reading"I stand with Christ against abortion".
Two of my favorites are:
"Guns, Guts, and God. Lets keep all three."
"Jesus was jewish only on his mother's side."
Rip Pisacreta
Such sentiments
I went to that website where schools and profs are evaluated. I joined up
with ficticious information. Now, I could (as a pseudostudent) give my
courses glowing evaluations while slamming the courses of peers that I do
not like, i.e., there is no preventing a person from evaluating a professor
Hey folks:
I have been using Kazdin's "Behavior modification in applied settings" text
for my undergrad bmod course. Can any of you who teach this course
recommend some other text(s) that you prefer? Please respond to me
privately. Thanks.
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology,
A student told me that a teacher told him the following. When we look up at
a clear sky, we can "see" forms that disappear when we blink our eyes. The
teacher said that these images were impurities in the vitrious humor that we
were looking through. According to the student, these impurities
A friend sent this to me. I don't know if its true or not.
Rip
I received a telephone call last evening from individual identifying
himself as an ATT Service
technician who was conducting a test on our telephone lines. He stated
that to complete the test I should touch nine (9), zero (0),
Medical Records and Drivers
Actual sentences that were found in patients medical records
1. She has no rigors or shaking chills , but her husband states she was
very hot in bed last night.
2. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.
3. On the
** Forwarded Message Follows ***
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: RICHARD PISACRETA [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Sun, 03 Oct 1999 10:49:48 -0700 (PDT)
Medical Records and Drivers
Actual sentences that were found in patients medical records
1. She has no rigors
Horney is (imo) one of the more colorful psychologists. As a young girl, she
went on three voyages with her father (a merchant sea captain). She was a
feminist, independent thinker, and had sexual relations with her teachers,
students, friends, other women, and described herself as "addicted
As a member of the experimental wing of Psych, I refuse to take the blame
for the touchy feely crowds achievements regarding "self esteem" and similar
concepts.
__
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
This was an "Actual Question" given on a University of
Washington chemistry
midterm.
"Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs
heat)? Support your
answer with proof."
Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using
Boyle's Law (gas cools
off when it
17 REASONS WHY ALCOHOL SHOULD BE SERVED AT WORK...
1. It's an incentive to show up.
2. It leads to more honest communications.
3. It reduces complaints about low pay.
4. Employees tell management what they think, not what management
wants to hear.
5. It
I asked you folks a few weeks ago if anyone could send me that list of jobs
that students with a BA get. I haven't heard back because I assume that
everyone who kept the list assumed that someone else would send the list.
Please send me the list if you have it. Thanks.
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
I use Hergenhahn Olson in my undergrad class. Prentice Hall. I and the
students like it. It also has a study questions section at the end of each
chapter. I use these for quizzes. The ancillaries are good too.
__
Get Your Private, Free Email
I suppose that the next step would be for someone to sue their graduate
program for not getting a more prestigious job.
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology,
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI 49307
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: "Paul C. Smith"
This reminds me that there
Outrageous it may be, but not as an infringement of academic
freedom,
The latter concerns the _content_ of course material presented,
not the
rigor with which it is taught or graded.
Besides, tell me what grade distributions you want and I'll
write the exams
to give them to you.
PAUL K. BRANDON
Could those of you that offer a minor in psychology answer two questions for
me?
1. How many credits are required for the minor at your school?
2. Do you have core courses that must be taken as part of the minor?
Thanks,
Rip
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology,
Ferris State
At 8:46 AM -0600 12/2/99, Jean Edwards wrote:
Hi Tipsters:
Statistics (and any math for that matter) is not one of my strong points
but
doesn't the normal curve phenomenon apply to large numbers of people?
Then Paul wrote:
At best, and only if they're randomly sampled.
I would guess that
I assure all of you that the world is not going to end soon because I am not
about to retire. The world will end May 17, 2012, the day after I retire.
Worse yet the stock market will have crashed and social security will go
bankrupt three months earlier, wiping out my pension and investments,
A friend sent me this. I am not responsible for its authenticity but I
thought some of you might find it interesting.
Rip
The Origin Of 'The 12 Days Of Christmas'
People often think of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' as the days
preceding the festival. Actually, Christmas is a season of
Complaint of Insensitivity Stops Shipment of Princeton Review Study Guides
The New York Times
December 18, 1999
By MARIA NEWMAN
PASSAIC, N.J., Dec. 17 -- Ralph Briggs was helping his son Sean with his
seventh-grade vocabulary homework on Tuesday, when he asked the boy to use
the word
From a 2-year branch of New Mexico State where our funding is
heavily dependent on enrollment,
Sue
I believe that most of us work at schools where funding depends on
enrollment, especially funding for new buildings, more hires, etc.
However, I believe that we have an obligation to uphold
K Jung wrote on 12/21 2:51 PM
I was astonished to find that approximately 50% of the faculty
here award "W's" (withdrawals) to those students who have
earned an F in the class. The rationale goes something like this:
"F's are punitive." "Students will be prevented from going on
with an F on
I haven't received messages in days which means people are not writing them
or I am not getting them. Hence this test.
__
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
In Deal With TV Networks, U.S. Drug Office Is Reviewing Scripts
The New York Times
January 14, 2000
By MARC LACEY with BILL CARTER
WASHINGTON -- Over the last two years, the White House has reviewed some
scripts and advance footage of such television shows as "E.R." and "Beverly
Hills 90210"
In my classes documentation of all excuses are required before makeup work
is possible.
obituary notice,
receipt from the health center (If you were sick enough to miss class, you
needed medical attention),
copy of the arrest report,
letter from the interviewer,
team coach for out of town
In my classes documentation of all excuses are required before
makeup work is possible.
obituary notice, receipt from the health center (If you were
sick enough to miss class, you needed medical attention),
copy of the arrest report,
^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^
letter from the
Rick wrote
If anyone gets on you about this post not being relevant to
teaching, you can inform them that I, Rick Froman, used your Star
Trek anecdote in class this afternoon in Research Methods as part
of a discussion on how people develop beliefs apart from the
Scientific Method. (In the
Hey folks:
I need a recommendation for an I/O text for non majors- one short on
theory and long on application. Any suggestions? Please include the
publisher, ISBN #
Thanks,
Rip
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology,
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI 49307
email: [EMAIL
Hey Folks:
My I/O text has been discontinued after a publishing Co. merger. They
spend lots of time and money trying to get us to adopt texts but don't
notify us when they are no longer available.
Anyway, I need a new text for my Industrial-Organizational course. The
students are
I think that a lot of what people said here (see below for example) has
merit when profs make up their own tests. Using test item files provided by
the author is another matter. Depending on the questions that you choose,
you could have five questions in a row where "D" is the correct choice.
Some of our administrators in their collective wisdom are considering the
elimination of the use of animals for instructional purposes, in order to
save $$$. That would mean eliminating the use of rats in our lab course. We
have a major in psych. I need to know if your universities/colleges
RICHARD PISACRETA wrote:
When students took rats home, they brought them back sick because their
homes didn't provide the temp. controls that a lab has.
I interpreted the APA guidelines on animal care to mean that the
institution
couldn't give away the rats (because of the problem
From: "Dr. Barbara Watters" [EMAIL PROTECTED]
TIPSters,
Recent discussions on showing respect for students, feeling
disillusioned with the field, and so forth have prompted me to ask the
following: Shouldn't respect in the classroom flow both ways: from
teacher to students AND from students to
This thread is very interesting. Here's my contribution. My surveys and
students tell me that an alarming number of them do not retain course info
from term to term. Many tell me that they forget much of their Friday
lectures after the weekend. So, what is the point of going to college for
Tipsters:
What do you think of a university president who surveys students with the
following message.
"One of my goals as president is to make the university more customer
friendly. __ University exists for the purpose of helping you succeed in
life. (read that as get a job). Please
From: Paul Brandon [EMAIL PROTECTED]
He is the very model of
a modern University President.
Is that good?
__
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
1. Don't "teach the test". They are supposed to absorb a body of
information, a fraction of which they will be tested on.
2. Don't buy into that "Other teachers." bit.
3. Tell them that this is college, not high school, and they are expected to
act accordingly.
Rip
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Molly Straight wrote:
For those of you teaching 400 level undergrad classes- do you provide
your students with study guides for your exams? My students could buy
the text's study guide for only $5.00. I don't feel too obligated to
do one- not to mention that I do not have time to make
Don:
Here we have a "disruptive student will not be tolerated" policy that I
attach to the syllabus. Tell the student that she is disrupting your class
and must cease immediately or you will have to take action.
As for taping you, it is my understanding that a student must get permission
Rory wrote:
Ann and others,
Honestly I don't know if I can kick someone out of my class. On
the couple
Here we can throw them out. The lawyers have developed a statement that we
attach to our syllabi.
Rip
__
Get Your Private, Free Email at
Barbara wrote:
Then, among the students who were present (about 1/2
of the
total enrollment), several of them were sleeping during class.
I go over and ask him/her if they are ill. "If not, stay awake, or leave. I
take it as an insult if you come to my class to sleep."
I never have to speak
From: Paul Brandon [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Unfortunately, these days most "trade/technical training schools" have
rebranded themselves as colleges or universities.
Perfect example. A converted warehouse near me was converted into a school
that teaches 18 year olds how to cut hair. It's a 6-9 month
Here's a question for you. This was asked by one of my Introductory
Psychology students and thought I would pass it on to the list:
What do you consider to be the biggest problem or challenge facing
psychology today?
Any thoughts?
Rod
Roderick D.
From: "Beth Benoit" [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Also, in America, groups like Poles and Italians were not always
considered
"white."
A few years ago, I was surfing the cable late one night and found a lecture
being given by a high ranking member of the KKK. He was explaining who is
white and who is
From: Jeff Ricker [EMAIL PROTECTED]
A question I am pondering:
Regardless of the subject matter of a course, is there something that
you believe is essential to superior teaching at the undergraduate
level?
Truth, Relevance to them, and Humor. My 2 cents.
Rip
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
From: "Phyllis M. Ladrigan" [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Hi,
On campus we have a trustee-faculty committee whose function it is "to
promote communication between Faculty and Trustees on college matters of
mutual interest. The membership consists of four trustee members and four
full time, tenured faculty
When dogs eat chocolate and get sick, how come conditioned taste aversion
doesn't take place?
Rip
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One afternoon, a wealthy lawyer was riding in the back of his limousine
when he
saw two men eating grass by the road side. He ordered his driver to
stop
and he
got out to investigate. "Why are you eating grass?", he asked one man.
"We
don't have any money for food.", the poor man
From: Nelson Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED]
When people drink alcohol and get sick, how come conditioned taste aversion
doesn't take place?
When dogs eat chocolate and get sick, how come conditioned taste
aversion
doesn't take place?
Rip
Some do develop an aversion to tequila or whatever it
As a Vietnam veteran, I have no interest in returning there. Especially when
I hear stories from friends such as the following. There is a disco in Ho
Chi Minh City (i.e., Saigon) called Apocalypse Now! Talk about demeaning the
dead on both sides.
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology,
From: Paul Brandon [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Loftus, ethics APA (long)
It should also be noted that Loftus is hardly the only psychologist to
quit the APA because of their drift away from the scientific approach to
the study of behavior. That's the reason for the foundation of
This discussion brings to mind another related issue.
Can anyone name any other field, other than Psychology, that has the
audacity to believe that there is little more to be gained by basic
research? To my knowledge, there are few, or no, doctoral programs left in
the USA that give a Ph.D.
In my 50 minute classes, I just go over the syllabus. It takes almost 50
minutes. Also, with drop/add, I always have 3-5 students show up for the
first time at the second class meeting. In a 3 hr evening class, I obviously
teach the first lecture.
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology,
To avoid this problem, I have 3-4 copies of each of my texts on reserve in
the library, two hour room use only, no checking them out.
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology,
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI 49307
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: "Linda M. Woolf, Ph.D." [EMAIL
Just when I think that I have seen it all...
Chair electrifies US toy market
The Times of London
September 1 2000
BY JAMES BONE
BLOODTHIRSTY American children have graduated from toy guns to a more
horrifying plaything: a miniature electric chair.
Death Row Marv allows children to electrocute
Just when I think that I have seen it all...
Chair electrifies US toy market
The Times of London
September 1 2000
BY JAMES BONE
BLOODTHIRSTY American children have graduated from toy guns to a more
horrifying plaything: a miniature electric chair.
Death Row Marv allows children to electrocute
I found Zimbardo's article to be one of the most candid and refreshing
pieces that I have read in years.
Rip Pisacreta, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology,
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI 49307
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
_
Here is a great article to use in a methods course on research flaws.
Now what's wrong with this study?
Women can spot a cad 'with one glance'
The Times of London
September 7 2000
BY ALEXANDRA FREAN, SOCIAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT
HUMAN beings have an innate and highly reliable ability to
From: Carla Grayson [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I seem to have missed the original posting about this. Could you tell me
where you found the Zimbardo article?
Richard Pisacreta wrote:
I found Zimbardo's article to be one of the most candid and refreshing
pieces that I have read in years
I have never, nor will I ever, grade on a curve. The only exception would be
if the students could demonstrate to me that the lectures were inadequate,
and/or the tests were not valid. We have tutors available for them. I am
available nine office hours a week to explain any difficult material
National delusions:
All high school students should go to college.
All college bound students can do college level work if the teacher is
understanding, caring, (and my personal favorite) understands "the special
needs of our students" Read that as inflated grades, easy tests, grade
curving,
I thought that you people might find this recent email sent to me
interesting.
Rip
From: Bachelors_Masters_MBA_PhD Bachelors_Masters_MBA_PhD
CC: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Bachelors - Masters - MBA - PhD
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 14:46:12 -0400 (EDT)
U N I V E R S I T Y D I P L O M A S
Janice and others:
I didn't receive the message at my TIPS address. It came to my HOTMAIL
address. My HOTMAIL address is RIP_669. It was addressed to every HOTMAIL
address that began with RIP
Rip:
I've received this message a few times, and I'm wondering if someone has
gotten hold of the
There's a discussion going on in one of my classes on the pronunciation of
"buttons" (the "terminal" neuron kind, not the ones on a jacket). Some
have
been taught to pronounce it to sound like "boot-ONS" with accent on "ons,"
while others the same as the clothing item. (I was taught the
For Personality, I recommend Hergenhahn Olson, Prentice Hall.
BMOD, I use Kazdin which is behavioral.
Hi everyone:
I need some recommendations for textbooks for an undergraduate class in
Psychology of Personality and an undergraduate class in Behavior
Modification.
I'm interested in
I got the following ad in my mail. How can anyone believe this?
It must be made by the same company that has been marketing bust enlargement
cream for years.
Rip
ENLARGE YOUR PENIS! 100% Guaranteed Results
No Pumps, No Surgery. This product has just been
Approved for sale. ORDER From
What bothers me is the way its done around here. At my voting place, we face
a liquid crystal display with "touch" technology. You touch the name of the
person that you want to vote for. There is no receipt, punch card,or record
of who you voted, for so a recount is impossible. I don't like
Many (possibly most -- subject to recount ;) of us would regard Jung as of
historical interest only; not a current authoritative source. He said some
wierd things (group mind and all that).
* PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
Where I live, his books are in the new age section
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