Carnaval boliviano

I voted, and then danced down the street just like this. It is the weekend, so we will sing; this video was found by Parlancheq, who leads us to further fascinating images of Bolivian carnaval. In honor of Bolivia, a brilliant country, we will also listen to the Kjarkas on Imillitay: Muyuspa muyuspa imillitay korik’entijinay … More Carnaval boliviano

Barack Obama

The Louisiana Democratic primary is tomorrow, Febuary 9. I will be voting for Barack Obama. I am voting for Obama because because of the two candidates left, I believe he has the best shot at defeating the GOP. It is important to beat the GOP for many reasons, but a reason quite as good as … More Barack Obama

Why I Teach

I was not going to do the teaching meme but two posts, one from Lumpenprofessoriat and one from WOC PhD, have moved me to speak. Lumpenprofessoriat addresses the question of “love.” I note that many professors say they are suffering for love (of their fields, or of teaching), and they seem to believe this is … More Why I Teach

Mardi Gras

Yesterday at sunset someone knocked on my door and it was a man selling shrimp he had caught out in the Gulf that morning for $3.25 a pound. I bought twelve pounds for $39, which if it really is twelve pounds is a decent deal. The bags had a lot of water in them, though, … More Mardi Gras

Word to Obama

On January 10 Moody’s, in concert with the other main bond-rating firm, Standard and Poor’s, gave the United States its top AAA credit rating. The terrorist blackmail threat came in the form of a demand by Moody’s that the US government “reform” Social Security and Medicare: “In the very long term, the rating could come … More Word to Obama

Escritura

These are my sentiments, exactly. And when I write academically I often feel engulfed by other peoples’ papers, piled on all sides and high above my head. This is a rich feeling for a beginning, if you are interested in what you are working on. It is a discouraging one if you are not. I … More Escritura

Spanish Literature II

I am having an excellent semester despite certain problems I can see brewing in one class. Part of the reason for this semester’s excellence, however, is that I am again teaching Spanish literature, which works like a charm. By Spanish literature I mean the great, unknown literature of Spain, a country in southern Europe. This … More Spanish Literature II