good video on the history and geography of the Spanish language

good video on the history and geography of the Spanish language

The Spanish Language and What Makes it The Coolest - Langfocus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSfCDdTtBn0

Nebraska: 93% farms, running out of water fast

Nebraska is 93% farmland, with one in four jobs related to agriculture. While Nebraskans are nicknamed "Cornhuskers," beef production is actually the #1 agricultural activity in Nebraska and the state is #1 in beef and veal exports. But Nebraska is still the #3 corn producer in the US, and has a major ethanol industry to go with it. Together the cattle-corn-ethanol trio are known as the "Golden Triangle."

44% of Nebraska's farms are irrigated by the Ogallala Aquifer, which, unfortunately, is projected to start running out in some areas in 2045 and be 69% depleted by 2060. One more reason why ethanol and corn subsidies are ill-advised--besides the fact that there are hundreds of important crops besides the handful the US government government oversubsidizes: corn, wheat, cotton, sugar, rice, soy.

Even Without a Drought, We’re Depleting Groundwater at an Alarming Pace
http://modernfarmer.com/2015/07/ogallala-aquifer-depletion/

The Okinawa connection

With US Air Force and Marine bases, the island of Okinawa, Japan has seen a lot of Americans come and go. Many were stationed there for years. Of my past students, one just told me she was moving to Okinawa for three years as her husband was stationed there. A former student from a few years ago spent time as a Marine there, where he met his first wife. He has Japanese-American kids and learned Japanese while over there. And one lady several years ago had grown up as a kid for several years on Okinawa, she chose to do her project on Japan including Okinawa in order to learn more about the place that she didn't understand back then.

Okinawa is a subtropical island, warm, high humidity with palm trees, lots of rocky coasts, and is closer to Taiwan and Shanghai, China than to Tokyo. What an opportunity to travel from there, to the Philippines, Taiwan, China, Korea, SE Asia, and the rest of Japan all close by.

Zebra translocation in Kenya

Great site showing details of how zebra translocation is done in Amboseli National Park, the largest national park in Kenya. Loading and unloading a truck full of zebras, all in a day's work.

Saving Amboseli – Photos of Zebra translocation
http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/2010/03/01/saving-amboseli-photos-of-zebra-translocation/

MexSoaps in Kenya

A couple years ago I did a trip to Kenya, and in my hotel room in Nairobi I flipped on the TV during prime time 9 pm. There was no cable, just national stations. Three different stations, including CitizenTV, were all showing Mexican soap operas and telenovelas dubbed badly into English. Whah?

I looked it up, turns out Mexican soap operas are extremely popular in Kenya and other East African countries like Uganda, etc. Apparently they are on one hand better than local shows, and on the other also cheaper than US shows. Plus they are a huge hit with middle aged women. Who knew? Sombreros in birthplace of the safari.   

New discovery opens up new questions about what Irish and Celtic really mean

A man’s discovery of bones under his pub could forever change what we know about the Irish
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/03/17/a-mans-discovery-of-bones-under-his-pub-could-forever-change-what-we-know-about-the-irish/?hpid=hp_rhp-top-table-main_wonkblog-irish-850am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

Carne Rusa in Miami

I just got back from a short spring break in Miami, a city with lots of sun, lots palm trees and lots of Whole Foods. On the last day, I picked up some natural mango-pineapple juice at "El Palacio de Los Jugos" i.e. The Juice Palace, which is also a deli. Spanish is the only language most of the salespeople speak. I noticed on the counter cans of "Carne Rusa" for sale--"Russian meat."

Cuba had a tight trade relationship with Russia during the USSR era. They imported lots of canned meat from Russia. Miami today is 34% Cuban, and some Cuban-Miamians still have nostalgia for Russian foods and goods, as the article below illustrates. A number of stores in Miami sell Russian products including canned meat, caviar, Russian dolls, tea, and also Russian dolls "muñequitos Rusos."

In addition to imported Carne Rusa that is actually from Russia, there is also Carne Rusa sold in Miami that is actually beef from the US, it is just prepared with the same style and ingredients as the old Russian imported meat and labeled Carne Rusa.

Video: Carne Rusa nostalgia para muchos Cubanos - Univision
http://www.univision.com/miami/carne-rusa-nostalgia-para-muchos-cubanos-video

Article: Miami Cubans have nostalgia for Russian products http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article3936801.html