fierce

I can't not laugh when I watch this clip. tim, ryan, and I have taken been using these phrases so often, I think we are confusing everyone around us. oops.

sister rivalry

oh, how I love getting greater scientific insight into the relationships between sisters.

daft hands

I like bopping about to this song. a bit of a stress relief...hands dancing to 'harder, better, faster, stronger.'



yes, I'm looking forward to a break.

the idiot that represents my hometown congressional district...

is none other than steve king. what an f*n idiot!

fair people of the world, I plea to you, please don't let this elected representative make you think all Iowans in CD 5 are so ignorant. really, they aren't. (I have heard plenty of stupid things said by some residents of western iowa, but really, he is the exception.)

only a small bit of his idiotic rhetoric.

situation in south sudan

when people learn that I study genocide, a question that is often asked is how can genocide be prevented? there are lots of smart people who are working on this question. many recognize that foolproof ways of always preventing mass killings is not possible. but it seems that there are signs that mass violence will break out, that civilians may be caught in conflict. it is these signs that need greater attention and immediate action. this kristof story on south sudan strikes me as one of those cases. maybe all of the attention that has been given to darfur can be used to render action in the southern part of sudan.

ah, premiere gaou encore.

found a version of the video that I think is better. I'm biased, of course, but I love the street scenes and the kids dancing.

premier gaou

with the insistence of my friend sara, I have been going to african dance classes at the university gym for the last couple of weeks. I had forgotten how much dance used to be a part of my identity. it is nice to reconnect with something that reminds me I used to not be identified solely as a political scientist.

after class tonight, the instructor played this song, which I recognized from my time in cameroon. it's such a great dance song and reminds me of long van rides and late nights in a couple of the discotheques. this video is definitely the spruced up version (i.e. not the standard low budget music video that is typically produced.) enjoy!