BMR Lite

[pumpkinpi]

Goals, objectives, aims, outcomes. When I am writing educational grant proposals, the sponsor always asks for one or more of those. Problem is, from one sponsor to another, they are not clear exactly what they want for each, and sometimes it seems like they don't know the differences between them. For example, I know that in general, the goal is most broad, the objectives are the measurable steps to accomplish the goal, and the outcomes are the specific results. But the one I'm writing currently says this, and I quote, " ....the project statement should include: Major project objectives: overall project aims or goals - i.e., the project outcomes." It looks like they are using four terms to describe one item they want!
This is a government sponsor.

[Thumper]

That's why grant proposal writers are geniuses!

[pumpkinpi]

Yes, that's why we need to hire people who do that and only that, and not rely on astronomy educators to do the writing!

I don't know how it is on the research side. I assume it's just a given part of your responsibilities, and you get the experience along the way starting as an grad student.

[Rommie]

It's interesting because while obtaining money is a HUGE part of research today (basically, forget about tenure in many cases if you can't show you can bring in grants), it's pretty rare to do it at all starting as a grad student. Which is one of many reasons academia is broken, IMO, but that's another story.

[vendic]

I like reading about broken academia stories.

[SciFiFisher]

I like reading about broken academia stories.

That's because it confirms you bias about institutions of higher learning.

[vendic]

It's because the information needs to get out instead of being swept under the rug.

[SciFiFisher]

It's because the information needs to get out instead of being swept under the rug.

So you get two wins.

[pumpkinpi]

I ordered some stamps from the post office. It's funny, they don't have a direct link to tracking of the shipment in the confirmation email. I have to copy the order number, go to their website, and paste it in. Just about every other online order I make will take you direct to tracking!

They are the cool new solar eclipse stamps that use thermochromic ink, which reacts to the heat of your touch. I recommend getting some!

https://store.usps.com/store/browse/pro ... d=S_475304

[Rommie]

Oh cool! Beyond some for myself (gotten really into stamp collecting lately), think I'll have to pick up a sheet for when I write postcards from my eclipse expedition!

[Thumper]

Most of us have been approached by beggars. In fact there have been comments about the issue at times here. I see them all the time. Some passive, some aggressive, some with signs, some with a story. Our offices are not in the best neighborhood in town, though redevelopment and gentrification are advancing out from downtown towards our area. There are almost almost always a couple stationed at the freeway off ramps here. I've seen the shift changes. The guys who have been standing at the bottom of the two ramps get into a car, and their replacements get out and take their stations.
Anyway, today I ordered lunch from a takeout place down the block. It's in a strip mall. There were beggars everywhere, some with luggage and belongings, some with children. I was sitting in my car finishing up a phone conversation when a woman walked up and stood next to my window. It doesn't make a difference but she was wearing sweat pants, a bikini top and only had half of her left arm. I shooed her away while I was talking on the phone. When I got out to walk into the shop, I lied, I told her I was picking up a couple phone in orders and all I had was a credit card. There was another guy stationed at the front door asking most people for money.
I got back into my car and as I was waiting for the green light, I almost started to cry. I felt horrible. I thought, giving those two money today wouldn't solve any societal problems or even their personal problems. If I did it just to make myself feel better or clear my conscience, it wouldn't. So I feel guilty for doing nothing. If I do give in and hand out change, I'll end up considering it as an annoying "tax" to go out in public.

I've made it a no win situation for me and I just feel like dog $hit about it.

[pumpkinpi]

I feel shame for ignoring or lying to people who ask for money, too. But I tell myself this, if I really want to help them:

Give them food, not money--keep something like granola bars in your car.

Donate to a homeless shelter or another organization that helps homeless people.

But don't feel bad about not giving any money--because you can't control what that money is used for. It is quite likely they will not use it for food.

[Thumper]

Yeah, I know that. But it's not like I can brush off a beggar by saying, "Hey I donated money to the Open Shelter last week, so I'm good. Leave me alone." I have given out food before. I have received both grateful thank yous and rude disdain. It was like 'how dare you just offer me a banana.'

But if I'm gonna stand around and whine about MY plight, maybe I should just take the initiative and always travel around with fresh fruit or like you said, granola bars. Unfortunately, we're not often near a vehicle when we encounter or are approached. I'd have to carry stuff around. I know, woe is me...

[SciFiFisher]

The value of donating to a shelter or picking a charity to give to is that you don't feel as if you are not doing anything. For me that's one of the reasons I donate to St Jude's or the USO. I also donate to the Boys Town Charity.

My other reason for rarely donating to the street folks is the iron clad belief that the majority of the money winds up feeding a drug or alcohol habit. While I have no objections to people choosing to do that to themselves I refuse to assist with the self destruction.

I did give a sizable (for me) donation of $10 once to a guy who was holding a sign that said: TOO UGLY TO PROSTITUTE; TOO HONEST TO STEAL . I feel that the laugh I got was worth paying for.

[Thumper]

There are some creative signs.
I don't want to judge, but of course I do. Some of these people begging are smoking away, are all tatted up, and many have phones. I do realize it's possible that someone could have a cheap cellphone plan, use it for part time employment options and still be in need of assistance. But when I pay $250 a month in mobile phone bills, giving $2 to someone that can afford a cellphone because they're "hungry" or "need bus fair" just doesn't sit right.

[SciFiFisher]

There are some creative signs.
I don't want to judge, but of course I do. Some of these people begging are smoking away, are all tatted up, and many have phones. I do realize it's possible that someone could have a cheap cellphone plan, use it for part time employment options and still be in need of assistance. But when I pay $250 a month in mobile phone bills, giving $2 to someone that can afford a cellphone because they're "hungry" or "need bus fair" just doesn't sit right.

There is a free cell phone program for low income and homeless people. The idea is that if they have a way for prospective employers to call them they may be able to get jobs and etc. At least some of the people begging that you see are probably using a government provided cell phone. They usually severely limit the data and the number of minutes the phones have.

But, I do understand what you are saying. When you see people begging for money you really hope they truly need it.

[code monkey]

I still regret not having given money to a man begging in Greenwich village. he said that he wasn't going to give people any nonsense about buying soup; he was out to make the price of a bottle.

when I started working in dc I always kept some money in my pocket as there were a number of panhandlers that i'd pass on my way from the subway to my office. don't worry; I also donated(significantly more) to the local shelters.

[Rommie]

Today was pretty fucking wild this morning going into work- the entire area around our building was cordoned off (excepting the entrance to our building) because behind us is a 14 story building hosting the physics and astrophysics depts, and someone was clinging outside a window on the 13th story. They don't open, and gossip is it wasn't one of our own, but rather some random desperate person who managed to get up there and broke a window.

After over an hour, he went in, thank God. But the reason I'm posting here is of course there's some curiosity when something like this happens, but I was horrified at how many people were sitting around watching outside the cordoned off area like it was a fucking carnival sideshow. Once I saw it, all I could think of was how terrible that poor man's life must be, and going inside as soon as possible lest the worst happen, but there were a few dozen people out there watching and speculating about this and that so far as I could tell.

People suck. I also suspect we've become pretty desensitized to these sorts of things after watching TV.

[SciFiFisher]

Today was pretty fucking wild this morning going into work- the entire area around our building was cordoned off (excepting the entrance to our building) because behind us is a 14 story building hosting the physics and astrophysics depts, and someone was clinging outside a window on the 13th story. They don't open, and gossip is it wasn't one of our own, but rather some random desperate person who managed to get up there and broke a window.

After over an hour, he went in, thank God. But the reason I'm posting here is of course there's some curiosity when something like this happens, but I was horrified at how many people were sitting around watching outside the cordoned off area like it was a fucking carnival sideshow. Once I saw it, all I could think of was how terrible that poor man's life must be, and going inside as soon as possible lest the worst happen, but there were a few dozen people out there watching and speculating about this and that so far as I could tell.

People suck. I also suspect we've become pretty desensitized to these sorts of things after watching TV.

Pretty much. I don't know if it is television though. If you study history they used to make a holiday out of public hangings. People would come from miles around. They would bring lunch. Partly because there weren't any 7-11's or McDonald's back then. They would even bring their kids to watch. Call it a fascination with the mortal frailty of life. I have seen people slow traffic for miles because they were slowing to rubberneck a truck off the side of the road. Not just one or two either. Like miles of cars. And not one of them was stopping to see if the driver was OK, or dead, or in the ditch. Just slowing way down so they could get a good look at the truck. It wasn't on fire. It wasn't upside down. It was just obvious that the driver had (probably) lost control of the vehicle and plowed off the road. I guess it was just a slow day driving through Georgia.

[Thumper]

That doesn't just happen in Georgia.

[pumpkinpi]

That time when you just barely brush by Poison Ivy and already feel it breaking out all over your body...

[Thumper]

That time when you just barely brush by Poison Ivy and already feel it breaking out all over your body...

I call that "Saturdays"

[SciFiFisher]

Is it anything like this? Poison Ivy

[pumpkinpi]

Is it anything like this? Poison Ivy

Late at night when you're sleeping Poison Ivy comes a creepin' around..round..around round.

It hasn't come a creepin' for me yet!

[SciFiFisher]

Is it anything like this? Poison Ivy

Late at night when you're sleeping Poison Ivy comes a creepin' around..round..around round.

It hasn't come a creepin' for me yet!