Among Christians, the code employed to express strong disapproval is, “Why would you…?” As in, “Why would you want to discuss an ugly thing like slavery in a class at a university?” So my student gave a presentation on the Brazilian narco-slums and police repression and simultaneous collaboration or even leadership in the narco-gangs, which … More On Christians
In case anyone needs my help to prove we are working, I have been up since five. I graded for Spanish and updated websites from six to ten this morning, after which I taught various Spanish courses for three hours. Then I ate lunch, wickedly spending $8, and went to the bookstore to finally buy … More Midday Report
I cannot believe it. It seems that my university, in what I hear is the ninth most conservative city in the United States, has an official drag show. It takes place in the Student Union, and it has been going on for three years. In my undergraduate days this kind of thing was, if not … More Brave New World
All my students need to be stellar is a good Berkeley T.A. I am one such except that I have lost a key property of the official T.A. from back in the day: we were responsible for only 17-34 students, and we were paid for 20 hours which were dedicated to those particular students. Since … More Needed
Now everyone knows why I am bored with advice to graduate students and junior faculty: I was born knowing some of it, and I got more information on how to work from crack Asian graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty on sabbatical, all in scientific and technical fields, freshman year. I also learned important slacking … More On Slacking
The other thing about working is that if you have the luxury of considering not working out, then you do not have a hard job and you cannot complain, or ask me to devote not only part of my research time but also part of my recreational blog to proving that what you do is … More On Working Out
Graniza tánto, como para que yo recuerde y acreciente las perlas que he recogido del hocico mismo de cada tempestad. No se vaya a secar esta lluvia. A menos que me fuese dado caer ahora para ella, o que me enterrasen mojado en el agua que surtiera de todos los fuegos. ¿Hasta dónde me alcanzará … More Trilce LXXVII
It appears that many people have more flexible schedules than I do, so I am going to leave it to them to protest on the steps of their respective state capitol buildings to point out that what we do is work. One of the reasons I have a less flexible schedule than some of you … More Transgressive Talent
Perhaps the reason the girls who envy the “golden boys” do so because they thought they would be in those kinds of positions one day. I never did, so I do not experience the same kind of resentment. I do envy the girls who are in the kinds of jobs where “golden boys” even exist, … More My Most Wicked Thoughts, Written Out
When was the idea that research was so hard for people with Ph.D.s invented? (I do note that in the mythology, it appears that research is only hard after you get the degree — before that, it is expected. This is symptomatic of the mythical nature of the idea that research is hard, I think.) … More An Idea
coldhearted scientist وداد 