Election day 2010

This was the first time in my life when I walked out of the voting booth and didn't feel great. Normally, win or lose, I like to vote (and in the US voting happens for something or another virtually every year). But this has been the ugliest and the stupidest campaign year ever. It can and will get worse in 2012. Then, I pray, our collective insanity will take a rest.

Michigan Tech Husky Pep Band

Malta has its band clubs. The U.S. has marching bands in the high schools and in universities (and various community bands). Usually the marching bands have colorful but semi-military uniforms. They march in orderly lines. At school sporting events, they play songs and march into different formations. Ohio State University marching band is famous for its "script Ohio" where they spell out Ohio in cursive writing. A Sousaphone player is the dot over the "i." Well, Michigan Tech has a different concept (maybe it's because once upon a time nearly 100% of the students were studying engineering and they needed a break from all that rigor). Anyway, here they are at the Parade of Nations. Tech also has a Wind Symphony, Jazz groups and other musical options for our students. In fact, about 80% of all Michigan Tech students participate in the Fine and Performing Arts.

Parade of Nations 2010

There was a 100% increase in the Malta representatives at the 2010 Parade of Nations at Michigan Tech. Marc Sanko, a major in my department and a Maltese-American, joined me. We had a beautiful, if windy, day.

Classes start next week

Orientation week has begun at Tech. I've met most of our new Social Science majors and some of the transfer students. The "old" ones are filtering back into town for the start of classes on Monday.

This semester I've got public international law, a first year seminar on Great Trials in History, Orientation to the Social Sciences (mostly for advising and getting them to plan out their four years to a degree), and Senior Assessment (to make sure the paper work is done for the graduating students and to help them with grad school/job letters). Busy, especially since I'm working on revising a book and will have a few students to advise on competitive scholarships (at least two for Fulbright!).

So, it begins again. It's my 19th Fall semester at Michigan Tech.

Flower Island, Mainau 2

More photos from that wonderful island.

The flower island, Mainau, in Germany 1

Don and I spent time in Meersburg Germany, on the Bodensee (Lake Constance). I took the ferry to Mainau, which was just a lovely garden. Some photos, more later.

Surfing on a river

While in Munich we took a walk in a park. We discovered people surfing on the river that ran through it. I like the sign that warns about the concrete structure that both causes the wave and bodily damage. The sign has a rule: one surfer at a time. I has a fine suggestion: experienced surfers only. Good idea.

When the cows come home

I can never quite figure out whether I should upload the last photo first or not. but, Below the balcony of our place in Schwangau every day at 5 pm they would come in for milking. So, the one with the woman in the distance is the start and the rest should make sense. I'm going to try starting with the end and see what happens.

Shutter doo-dad in Malta

I have no idea if this stops the shutter from hitting the wall or what. I just thought it was very cute.

Budapest 6: Castle hill

Various pictures looking from Castle Hill on the Buda side, some on top, some looking over to the Pest side and some to the pest. So many photos....

Budapest 5: Bridges

Lots of bridges. Walked over the chain bridge and then the more gothic looking thing had the last bolt hammered in (sorry engineers...I probably have that term wrong) by Franz Joseph in the 1890s.

Budpest 4: Danube flooding

All the rain for the last month in the North (and in Budapest) have caused the Danube to rise. My friend and I were going to go on a cruise of the River, but no boats were allowed out.

Budpest 3: Statues/public art I liked

I think Budapest likes to decorate itself up pretty well. They are not keen on the memorial to when the Soviets pushed the Germans out. The King is of St Stephen who turned the Magyars over to Catholicism nearly 1000 years ago. The guy falling was a 16-year-old freedom fighter in 1956. He did kill some people and when the uprising was crushed he was arrested and tried. They waited until he was 18 and then executed him--and others, of course. The man on the bridge is of Imre Nagy, he was the leader of the effort to get more independence from the Soviets. You can't see it in the photo, but he's looking towards the Parliament building. The colorful thing on a wall commemorates the day in the late 1500s when the Hungarians stopped the Turks--it was after the Maltese stopped them in 1565. It's modern, I believe.

Budapest 2: Art Nouveau

Not much of this architectural style in the US. I like it.