The Washington Post recently published an interesting article about the U.S. refusal of foreign aid to help offset the effects of Hurricane Katrina. I quote from the complete text: [W]hile television sets worldwide showed images of New Orleans residents begging to be rescued from rooftops as floodwaters rose, U.S. officials turned down countless offers of … More Our Government, Ourselves
On May Day, 2007, the LAPD assaulted immigration reform demonstrators in McArthur Park. For Cinco de Mayo I am channeling Benito Juárez. Axé.
Today I spent seven straight hours teaching four different topics, after getting up very early to finish preparing. At noon I had expected to have lunch and pick something up from Interlibrary Loan in the process. Scheduling was off for technical reasons, and there was no time. I was able to eat because a colleague … More A Rather Internalized Whiteman
1. This is the Whoppin’ Blues with band leader Dr. Michael white on clarinet, Bob Wilder on sax, Mark Braud on trumpet, Fred Lonzo on trombone, Steve Blaylock on guitar, Steve Pistorius on bass, and Shannon Powell on drums. Dr. Michael White is a professor at Xavier University in New Orleans. It is my understanding … More Dr. Michael White New Orleans Jazzband
One of the reasons I loathe grading in intermediate courses, and my mood is bleak, is that I have to read too many texts like this: The adoptive mother discovers that her son’s birth parents may still be alive, and may not have given their child up willingly. She makes a great effort to contact … More Things I Would Rather Not Know
1. I would like to endorse this post by Xicano Power and, although I am too tired to write anything very original about the issue, to add my voice to those supporting Kathy Sierra, the blogger who received the death threats, and criticizing the Daily Kos for being dismissive of her situation. I am glad … More On Sophistry
This friend of mine runs and does pull-ups while I race walk and lift weights. We did this the other evening and then drank wine on the porch, having the odd conversation we have each year: his fantasy is to have a Friend With Benefits, and of course we know that friend would be quien … More Oddness of Men, or, Is This Entitlement?
Looking back on my state of mind at the time, I am reminded by analogy of the enormous power of Christianity to convince the believer of his fundamental and never-ending guilt; I also stood (we all stood) before the Revolution and its Party with permanently bosed head, and so I gradually became reconciled to the … More Milan Kundera II
When the Comrades classified my conduct and my smile as intellectual (another notorious pejorative of the times), I actually came to believe them because I couldn’t imagine (I wasn’t bold enough to imagine) that everyone else might be wrong, that the Revolution itself, the spirit of the times, might be wrong and I, an individual, … More Milan Kundera I
Even when it is actually wise, conventional wisdom is oppressive when misplaced, because on these occasions it interdicts further analysis and thought. Repeating it in such instances, is one of the main forms of bullying which exist in academia. Condescension is a principal attribute of this form of bullying. Some of the more famous pieces … More Bane of the Week
