This is a MESTIZO POST, meaning it is mixed. It might be an ajiaco. It could be a curanto. And a cocido madrileño sounds good right now. I should make one, buying ingredients at La Tienda Punto Com. 1. Research Insight A commentator here suggested that the world’s fascination with Barack Obama’s racial mixture bespoke … More Cocido Madrileño
In ceramics, you have to aim for a perfect piece from the beginning, or you will not get one that is good enough. Good enough means that it holds together. If you only aim for good enough at the beginning, you will lower standards too far and the piece will fly apart before the end. … More On Perfection
This comes from a very interesting thread including a conversation on race and racism with Human. I realized that what I could have continued to say in the comments thread merited a post of its own. Now I am writing notes toward that post. I am too tired after four hours of faculty meetings to … More Talking Race With the Emeritus Professor in the Days of Malcolm and Martin
*POOF.* This post was related to my just having been informed by one who should know better that GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ was a “Mexican” writer. Please, everybody, realize that Latin America has many countries. Not every Latin American who has lived in Mexico is Mexican. Not every Latin American whose work has been translated to … More Another Question for English Professors
Calling all English professors! Calling all professors of Comparative Literature! I have various graduate students who want to study “world literature” but only read English. They want to cover many texts from many centuries, continents and countries. What is “world literature” and how does it differ from Comparative Literature? How much should we expect someone … More What Is World Literature?
As we know, it is economic crunch time. And the amount I am required to contribute to the retirement system is now 11% of my monthly check, as opposed to 8% heretofore. And this money goes directly to Wall Street. The cost of groceries has never been a serious factor in my economic problems, but … More Papaya Juice With Orange
I could, but do not have the energy or time, to reproduce my spontaneous speech in class today but it was only the second time I have ever had students applaud and the first time was at the traditional time, at the end of class on the last day. It was in response to certain … More Professor Zero Discusses History
If you had followed me on Twitter today – and I do not “Tweet,” although I do “Facebook” – you would have seen that I: prepared class, gave class, prepared class, gave class, met with students, met with faculty, and did paperwork. All of this took 11 straight hours during which I ate 1/2 of … More Corazonada
I am hitting some real shoals on this piece. It was to have been finished in a few days but this is not possible. Typically I finish one thing and then start the next but I am going to stagger this piece with the next one, but in such a way as not to get … More InaDWriMo Alert
When I first arrived in Bahia I was picked up at the airport by a chauffeur driven Chevette and taken to the house, which turned out to have mango trees and a broad porch with large white columns. On the porch stage center was a matron Velasquez could have painted, holding a small dog, standing … More Visceral Whitemen
coldhearted scientist وداد 