Ciao!

Where've I been?

Has it been so long? What have I been up to? Let's see. Putting things in large boxes, playing Call of Duty, watching some TV, and playing w/ Icovia (some free online design software). That's really about it. Got my new keys yesterday; get my cable & broadband switched Tuesday; start cleaning the old place Wednesday.

Posted by Miguel at 04:19 PM | Permalink

Describe "America"

I'm curious. So here's an open thread. In no more than three paragraphs (brief, please), describe "America". Be creative. A caveat, I don't mean talk about politics or foreign policy or any of that stuff. This is a specific question. Describe, essentially, what living in America is like, specifically, what living in "your" America is like (e.g. what's daily life like in your piece of America?).

Of course, if you've never "lived" in America, this isn't for you.

Posted by Miguel at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Moving prep

In three days, I move into The Parkmont. Until then, I'm packing up my current apartment, starting w/ the living room. And I'm supposed to restore the apartment to my landlady's desired anti-aesthetics. So that's what I'll be doing until Friday night, when I can start moving boxes & furniture from here, to there.

Posted by Miguel at 01:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Bookstore confessions

Went down to a local bookstore today, searching for something to read. Which is when I made an interesting discovery: I no longer have the ability to buy books from a regular ("brick-and-mortar") bookstore. Perhaps it was just the smallish selection at Athena Bookshop, but going into a bookstore w/o a clear title in mind — "just browsing, thanks" — left me unable to make a purchase.

Posted by Miguel at 06:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

Go get 'em, Tiger

I couldn't resist any longer. I ordered Tiger, hoping it arrives Friday. I also decided to toss in a personal copy of Call of Duty. This in lieu of a new laptop (even if I drool for one); Kaneda gets to stick around a while longer.

Posted by Miguel at 11:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Winter, the sequel

Saw my good friend Josh Upson graduate yesterday. The ceremony was as ceremonies are: a little boring, a touch cheesy, and slightly uplifting. I've actually gotten to enjoy watching graduations over the years, especially now that I can count off a few former students (9 this time). Then off to The Crow's Nest for a celebratory dinner w/ the Upsons & a few friends.

Posted by Miguel at 01:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tuesday's show

A few pics from Tuesday's Rocket Star show. Click any image to view larger.

Posted by Miguel at 09:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Done & done

W/ the exception of one student, I'm done grading, w/ final grades reported electronically (if you're a student, you can check them out). And w/ 10 mins before the weekend. I now resume my regularly scheduled life. Too bad it's 40° & drizzly out there.

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FLASH: Online grades are available Tuesday. Sorry. Our OIT isn't what it used to be.

Posted by Miguel at 04:52 PM | Permalink

DPRK (an inside look)

Don't know how T'su Rii finds this stuff, but here's a photo/travelog of a Brit tourist in North Korea. Fascinating.

Posted by Miguel at 09:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Pop in visits

A nice surprise lunch w/ Aparna today. Only in town for a meeting, she's a former WMU grad student, now tenure-track at Cornell College. We met at Safron, an Indian-food lunch buffet, to catch up. Also, I'd many questions about teaching at a small liberal arts school, what salaries are like, etc. Got lots of info, on top of seeing an old friend again.

Then back off to the office for more grading. I've 29 345 papers left to go, which is pretty good. Here's to that.

Posted by Miguel at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Goni in Chicago

On Monday, I had the opportunity to attend two presentation by Bolivia's ex-president, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada (Goni) at the University of Chicago. His first presentation was to a small audience of a half dozen graduate students (mostly anthropologists) who study Bolivia; the second presentation (about 30 mins later) was to a larger university-wide audience of about 70.

Posted by Miguel at 04:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tuesday night music club

First day of finals week office hours went well. Except for the one thing. But the day was broken up by some pleasant visits from students, got to wish them a good summer, and (in most cases) give them some early good news. Also, a gratis review copy of Pippa Norris' Electoral Engineering. That, plus picking up my own copy of Cox & Calvert's Making Votes Count in Chicago should brighten up my post-finals week.

Posted by Miguel at 06:29 PM | Permalink

Goni

Just got back in from Chicago. Were I had the honor to meet Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada (Goni), Bolivia's former president — the one that was ousted while I was doing my fieldwork. He gave a small talk to a group of University of Chicago (he's an alumn) graduate students (plus me), followed by a larger talk to a wider audience. I'll post more later.

Posted by Miguel at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Plagiarism

How do you fight plagiarism when: A tenured Colorado professor has "invented" several academic references? An academic conference accepts a paper of computer generated gibberish? A prestigious medical journal publishes a (debunked) study w/o peer review in order to come out before an election?

What are we telling students? For future reference, WMU's guidelines are here.

Posted by Miguel at 01:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Taxes & citizenship

This year I file my own taxes. Normally, Dad does it. (Yes, I'm an adult. But he's an accountant; it's what he does for a living (and I'm a firm believer in the principle of division of labor)). But he decided, this year, that his sons were on their own — to do our own taxes.

I put it off, of course, since I'm getting a refund. I know a get a refund every year, and I look forward to it. But I never realized until now that I consistently got refunded all the money Uncle Sam takes from my paychecks. So, essentially, aside from Michigan sales tax (6%), I don't actually pay any taxes. In short, I'm not a "taxpayer citizen".

This is forces me to seriously reconsider some of my positions. Because I don't contribute to a state, even as I make policy demands (implicitly, I'm so not a protest type). Not to mention, of course, that I benefit from public goods (roads, police, fire department, education, etc).

One could argue I contribute by spending money, putting it into the economy. But I'm sure most of that's merely rationalizing the fact that I don't actually give the government any money. Interestingly, though, I've donated more money to charities of various types far in excess what the IRS took from me in 2004. Does that count? I'm not sure.

But I've often wondered whether a state could function primarily on voluntary contributions. Do you think it could? I've no problem giving money away to causes/people I support; I've greater concerns when Uncle Sam's the middle man.

Or am I over-thinking this?

Posted by Miguel at 03:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

If wishes where fishes

Attended the Sam Clark lecture tonight, where Dr. Fred Dallmayr (Notre Dame) spoke on "Empire or Cosmopolis? Civilization at the Crossroads" (certainly an intriguing topic). I left rather unconvinced, though he made some interesting points.

Posted by Miguel at 11:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The Springing of Kalamazoo

My semester's still not quite over, and spring's not yet quite here. I wrapped up my last class (345 final exam review), now I just need to finish all the 105 grading, and wait for 345 take-home finals to start coming in. I also have to file my taxes sometime tomorrow (ouch!).

Posted by Miguel at 04:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Birthdays in Chicago

A belayed birthdays post. The Centellas family gathered in Chicago for the multiy-birthday extravaganza (total birthday years: 91). Saturday afternoon, we joined Mom & Dad at their hotel near O'Hare. Novalí was there, showing off her pink bicycle w/ training wheels, but still a bit shy around so many people. We did the traditional Centellas hotel experience: swimming pool & sauna, pizza & pop, and a movie. Before crawling off into our respective rooms (one for girls, one for boys).

Posted by Miguel at 04:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I'm presenting my MPSA paper (yet again) this Thursday. If you're interested in the kind of stuff I do "for a living" (analyzing election data, talking about Bolivia, etc). Noon, 3301 Friedmann Hall (Political Science Library), free. You can eat while I talk, then ask me questions.

Posted by Miguel at 08:24 PM | Permalink

Bias in the classroom?

Today was the last day of class for 105 (they take a quiz on Wednesday, no final exam). But before the final review (and then the teacher evaluations survey forms), I held a short open discussion (which started 10 minutes before class, actually) on academic bias. Essentially, I wondered if they thought academics were biased one way or another.

Posted by Miguel at 06:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

MPSA roundup

I arrived in Chicago Wednesday night, checked into my hotel, then met K8 for a bite to eat late. Too late to meet up w/ Vanessa, unfortunately, who I'd see the next night. I also didn't go to panels at every opportunity (nobody does), but there were a few really interesting ones I wanna point out (ask if you want more details).

Posted by Miguel at 04:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Back in K'zoo

Back in Kalamazoo after a long, fun, and somewhat tiring extended weekend in Chicago. I'll post a round-up of activity highlights (conference panels, run-ins w/ old friends, Centellas family shenanigans). For now, just sit at the Rocket Star counter, read some comics, before a show at Kraftbräu.

Oh, and clearly my server's back up after being down for some unknown amount of time. Sorry 'bout that.

Posted by Miguel at 06:47 PM | Permalink

Apple Store

Yes, it's dorky. But I'm enjoying my long-delayed first visit to an Apple Store. Now I'm just playing w/ the toys, oohing & aahing.

Posted by Miguel at 05:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Chicago, my kind of town

On the way to Chicago in a bit for a conference, family birthday stuff, visiting friends. Regular blogging to resume Sunday night.

Speaking of Sunday, come celebrate my birthday at Krafbräu w/ Bridge Over River Qua, Viva Voce, Ticonderoga, and Glowfriends. $5 door, 9pm.

Posted by Miguel at 06:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Autonomías & Santa Cruz & referendum

This week, after a long wait & much dramatics, Bolivia's National Electoral Court yesterday verified signatures calling for a referendum on regional autonomies. That virtually guarantees a referendum on whether to grant regions autonomy; Santa Cruz will spearhead the "Sí" campaign. The new 2004 Bolivian constitution allows citizen-initiated referenda.

Posted by Miguel at 08:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Iraq & Lebanon

Watched Voices of Iraq last night. Wow. If you've not yet seen it, I highly recommend it (available on Netflix). Unlike many other documentaries about Iraq, this is one of the few (certainly the only one I know) made by Iraqis themselves.

Posted by Miguel at 03:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

My birthday present

I turn 30 in a few days. If you'd like to get me something, here's exactly what I want: A small donation to the La Vida Robot Scholarship Fund. If you don't know what that is, read the Wired story about a group of Mexican immigrant kids from Arizona who beat college kids — including MIT — in a recent robotics competition. You can donate via PayPal, so even a single dollar is fine (in lieu of buying me a drink or whatever).

I was lucky to have the chance to go to college, too many kids from Saginaw's South Side & Bolivia's sprawling cities didn't. These four amazing kids deserve (probably more than I did) a chance to go to college.

Posted by Miguel at 02:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

† Karol Józef Wojtyła

He was pope for almost as long as I've been alive. And, for most of that time, I didn't even think about him (I've only been Catholic for about five years). I don't know what John Paul II meant to others; I only know what he meant to me.

Posted by Miguel at 03:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

12 political science books

As promised, a short reading list of a dozen influential (in my opinion) books in political science. The list does focus almost exclusively on comparative politics & democratic theory, but I'm just not too familiar w/ Americanist literature. This was much harder than I thought, since my first "short" list came out to 16 titles. I (reluctantly) dropped a few. Each author link sends you to the Amazon.com page for that book.

The list, in no particular order:

Posted by Miguel at 08:53 PM | Permalink

Thought > action

By now, it's hit the wire news services that a Kalamazoo community college student threw caesar salad at Pat Buchanan during his visit to WMU yesterday. Now, I don't like Pat Buchanan either. And I wholeheartedly agree that advertising his visit deliberately to coincide w/ Cesar Chavez Day was in very poor taste. That said, what that kid did was foolish, and I'm disappointed so many people think it was "cool". For several reasons.

Posted by Miguel at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)