I’m off to U of Mich in a half-hour to give a talk at the Center for Japanese Studies there (”U.S. Military Bases as Tourist Sites in Okinawa”). I’ll blog if I have the chance, but don’t expect anything new until Friday. I’m not looking forward to the cold in Michigan right now. I’m sooooooo [...]

Miss Tennessee 2004 visited Safa’s school yesterday. Safa was thrilled (”She wore her tiara!”). The lesson for the class was “respect.” Miss TN even sang that eponymous song. On the backside of this autographed photo is the following:
“Respectful people . ..
Resolve disagreements
Encourage everyone
Stand up for their beliefs
Practice self control
Express themselves without violence or harsh words
Consider [...]