Ahh, life

Becca had a very enjoyable weekend in which she did not get nearly enough done.
And now...it's REALLY cold outside. Love and prayers to those who do not have adequate shelter...

Truman Submitted

In a very terrifying move, I have submitted my Truman application to Dr. Symonds, who will send it to the national group from there...
One more thing off the to do list.

Udall Nominee

The good news: I am an MSU nominee for the Udall Scholarship (environmentalism).
The bad news: The scholarship week takes place during three other things I want to do (family camp, which is essentially just out, the White House internship, and the Tikvah Summer Jewish Thought program).

Humph. Time Turner, please?

White House Deadline Extended

The White House internship deadline for Summer 2011 was extended...I got everything in on time. I wonder if this is a sign of low competition? One has to wonder.

Go, econ prof!

Way to go, old white male. Note the pronoun use.
"Capitation payment is too risky for a single doctor (what if a lot of her patients turn out to be very sick?)"

Tunisia Research!

We're assigned countries for my Economics of Africa class...and the professor was kind enough to give me Tunisia. The pressure is on, given the amount of focus globally on this little former French colony. This will be helpful in my thesis as well, as I'll be able to incorporate North Africa a bit more in the food and water security community.

Neville says "Hi!"

It occurred to me that Neville has never made an official appearance on the blog...ladies and gentlemen, Neville says "hi."
(Neville is my lovely Mac laptop, generously provided by Bubba when he got himself a MacAir.)

Believe Out Loud Together Conference

Tonight I leave for Grand Rapids and stay at a nearby farm while planning our Conference for tomorrow. I get to see sheep!! Tomorrow, I'm helping to lead West Michigan's "Believe Out Loud Together" workshops on enhancing LBGT equality and inclusion in the United Methodist Church. We're expecting ~40 people; hopefully the weather stays nice and folks come!

Woohoo!

My Women and Power paper won a competition:

I am very pleased to be able to tell you that your paper "Feminists in Fundamentalism: Orthodox Jewish Women and Empowerment" has won the Mary Anderson award for best paper on women and gender in a global context. The committee was impressed by both your original research and the complex feminist analysis that your applied to your case study. We hope very much that you will be able to attend the GenCen reception on January 28 from 3-5, as we will be announcing your receipt of the award at that time. We also hope that you will be willing to present your paper at our Undergraduate Research Showcase on April 1. Because you are our award-winner, you will not have your paper reviewed for inclusion, but you will need to register for the event. Just let us know whether or not you will choose to present at the conference.

Please email me back, confirming your attendance at the reception and notifying me as to whether you would like to present your work at the conference on April 1st. I look forward to seeing you both soon.

End of MLK

We have hit the end of the official MLK Weekend activities. Jazz concerts have been played, marches marched, service completed, dinner eaten. And now back to the hum-drum (ha!) of everyday life.
: )

MLK Student Leadership Conference!

The MLK Student Leadership Conference successfully occurred! Somewhere between 200 and 300 people were in attendance. All sorts of wonderful folks were there to speak and present.

Schedule for the rest of the weekend:
Saturday:
5 - Dinner with Alec, Boyd, and Judy
8 - Showtyme (Talent Show in honor of MLK)

Sunday:
9 - Church
6 - Conference Call Meeting

Monday:
11:30 - LBGT Educational Panel
3 - MLK Museum Performance
5 - MLK Community Dinner
8 - Collapse in Heap (and then get up to do homework).

Woohoo!

In my inbox tonight:

OneVoice Helps Launch the First Ever Knesset Caucus for the Two-State Solution

OneVoice is pleased to announce the official launching event of the first ever Knesset Two-State Solution Caucus, which it helped conceive.

OneVoice prides itself on being more than a grassroots movement. We are focused on bridging the gap between the people and their leaders--connecting bottom-up with top-down. Envisioning a tomorrow free from violence and conflict is only one part of our Imagine 2018 campaign. The other part lies in recognizing what it will take and not being afraid to act.

The event, taking place this Monday, Jan. 17, coincides with the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Dr. King’s message of hope and peace should inspire the members of the caucus to take the necessary bold steps to resolve the conflict. Leaders around the world are joining OneVoice to support the caucus’ urgent mission.

Make your voice heard by signing a letter of support or submitting comments and questions to the caucus members. See who else has signed.

A Message from Quartet Representative Tony Blair

About the Knesset’s Two-State Solution Caucus

The caucus was conceived and co-created by OneVoice Israel (OVI)--the local arm of the international grassroots movement OneVoice--and MK Yoel Hasson (Kadima), chairman of the State Control Committee and himself a former OVI youth leader. Among its other members are MK Zeev Bielski, Shlomo Molla, Nachman Shai, and Orit Zuaretz.

It’s the first time Knesset members unite under a nonpartisan body to advance a direct political solution with the Palestinians. The caucus is supported by government ministers and Israeli opposition leader MK Tzipi Livni (Kadima). It aims to forge a moderate bloc within the Knesset committed to the two-state solution and keep pressure on the Israeli government to achieve this goal.

OVI is not directly linked with the decisions or actions of the caucus. Both are autonomous, united merely by the shared belief in the two-state solution. OVI will hold the caucus members to account if they fail to wholeheartedly live up to the essence of why they banded together.

OneVoice is an international grassroots movement that aims to amplify the voice of Israeli and Palestinian moderates, empowering them to seize back the agenda for conflict resolution and demand that their leaders achieve a two-state solution.

MC 320

Economics, Politics, and Society in the Third World is going to be a frustrating class…too many people with assumptions and beliefs about the “developing” world. Of which I am, of course, one. lol. But it’s going to be rough. Hopefully no fisticuffs will break out over differences in ideology.

Example:
Becca: “Or maybe they don’t want to be like the US because they want to be themselves.”
Classmate: “No, that’s not true. Everyone wants money.”

Day 3

Welcome to Day 3 of classes. All of my courses have now met at least once. Everything should be good. I made a fool of myself today in African Economics saying Tunisia's Interior Minister was killed - FALSE! Fired, and others died in riots. Becca for the fail. Oh, well. She'll have to forgive me.

EC 498

Economics of Health Care. I have just had a famously successful day. Brought up so many issues, made muffins and brought them to class for a friend, and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
It's going to be a good semester.

First Day!

It is quite the stressful first day...I have one class on Mondays. And the office schedule isn't complete yet, so I don't have to be in the office at all either.
I came into campus a bit early and did a switch of library books. Waiting for the first glorious class session of Econ 414: Economic Analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa and then it's home to bake muffins and rewrite my Truman application once again!

Class Schedule

My classes for Spring Semester 2011:
ANP 491: An Anthropological introduction to Islam in Africa
REL 420: Birth of Christianity
MC 320: Politics, Economy, and Society in the Third World
EC 414: Economic Analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa
EC 498: Economics of Healthcare
WS 403: Women and Change in Developing Countries
PHL 490: Independent Study (with Dick Peterson, Peace and Justice Website)

Ahh, the Semester begins.

And people come back to my previously empty campus. Traffic. It's a bum, man. lol.
However, classes all look very exciting. I'm actually still finalizing my schedule a bit, but all possibilities are very exciting.
Happy "Spring," everyone!

"1776"

Amazon.com is now giving out $5 worth of Digital movies every time you purchase a blu-ray or DVD from them. Thanks to Christmas shopping, I am now the happy owner of "1776" on my laptop (which can also go on my iPod and be listened to while I am running or biking).
My roommates are going to hate me...or at least this movie.

Well, that was nothing short of terrifying

I've just submitted my application for the White House Internship...help.
I will really enjoy my summer, either way, so I suppose I should not panic. Looking forward to working on the "Let's Move!" campaign, potentially, though.