Going On

This video made a lot of sense to me. It captures really well the way that the Africans I lived among danced. The theme of the video too, this idea that there is a special way to escape one's surroundings to go somewhere else that promises to be better is also very true to the experience of my students in Africa. Many of them talked to me about their dreams of being somewhere else, somewhere unknown, but imagined. Skyscrapers, beaches, snow, other places. I don't think they envisioned a portal in a door that had to be carried to a certain place, but it is true that many of my kids dreamed of escape and freedom, but few found it.

Few Pieces of Eastern Goodness

Here are a couple of slightly strange links, but worthwhile.

I don't know much about this artist, but it's some nice surrealist fare. (There's more on the site where this came from).

And here's a slightly terrifying investigation of some Beijing street food. Serious diversity! Serious gross-out. I've had my share of street food meats in East Africa. They were all a constituent part of some readily identifiable farm animal though, albeit maybe a non-traditional part for an American white boy. Is the place where you eat seahorse and starfish on a stick a place where the white man's dream will die?

Research Paper

The big thing I have to show for my first year of graduate school here at Notre Dame is this 30 page research paper. It's based off of archival research I did in Philadelphia over a few weeks last October and this Christmas break. I'm pretty happy with it's progress so far. The next step will be to revise it so that hopefully it get's published in a journal. But after the jump are the first few paragraphs, let me know if you want to read the whole thing.

Bike to Work Day

May 15th is Bike to Work Day nationwide. I've heard that this year Americans are on track to use 300 million fewer gallons of gas. A good way to use even less is to bike yourself to work as well. Try it tomorrow!

New Hot Chip Video

Us in 50