Michael Kevane
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mkevane.com
Michael Kevane
@mkevane.com

Economics professor, Santa Clara University. Political economy of Burkina Faso, Sudan, and Puerto Rico, university governance, and housing issues in San José, CA. Posts here are strictly personal opinion. Also, libraries and reading: www.favl.org .. more

Agriculture 24%
Economics 19%
Pinned
Proud the FAVL partner in Burkina Faso distributed 1,520 illustrated, locally produced books to 152 students in Maro, Tuy Province. The books cost about $.75 each, so this is about $1200 to produce and distribute. Or $7 per child to get 10 books to read. favl.org/2024/12/02/d...
Distribution de 1,500 livres aux élèves du CEG de Maro
L’association des Amis des Bibliothèques de Villages du Burkina Faso/ABVBF a distribué gratuitement ce 27 novembre 2024, des livres produits au centre multimédia de Houndé/CMH aux élèves du collège…
favl.org
Help mom I’m being bullied by 87 year old novella writer Joyce Carol Oates again can you pick me up

Rapport des activités de la bibliothèque de Humanitas de juillet à septembre 2025, Burkina Faso

Ceci est le rapport des activités de la bibliothèque de l’ONG Humanitas au secteur 21 de Bobo-Dioulasso. Il couvre la période du 1er juillet, jour de sa réouverture, au 17 septembre 2025. Au cours de…
Rapport des activités de la bibliothèque de Humanitas de juillet à septembre 2025, Burkina Faso
Ceci est le rapport des activités de la bibliothèque de l’ONG Humanitas au secteur 21 de Bobo-Dioulasso. Il couvre la période du 1er juillet, jour de sa réouverture, au 17 septembre 2025. Au cours de cette, la gérante Bayala Nebon Blandine, nouvellement recrutée, a mené les activités suivantes au sein de ladite bibliothèque. Le 18 juillet, la gérante a animé une séance de lecture avec seize enfants du primaire.
favl.org

Reposted by Michael Kevane

San Jose State has set up something they call a StoryWalk, with posters around campus w excerpts from their Book of the Year.

Inspired idea to seed student interest in literature.

#SJSU
Trump: "Nobody knows what magnets are."
"After Zohran Mamdani’s victory, Republicans are fearmongering about Democrats turning socialist. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is busy taking stakes in private companies and ordering them around"--my latest column.

www.newyorker.com/news/the-fin...
Socialism, But Make It Trump
After Zohran Mamdani’s victory, Republicans are fearmongering about Democrats turning socialist. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is busy taking stakes in private companies and ordering them around.
www.newyorker.com
I'm going to be very busy this week talking about my new book, The Jesuit Relations: A Biography (published by @mcgillqueensup.bsky.social). Here are two opportunities to listen in online (two distinct talks! Come to one or both!):
Delightful detail from the Roman “unswept floor” mosaic by Heraclitus, showing a mouse nibbling a walnut.

Superb use of darker tiles for subtle shadow effect!

2nd century AD. Vatican Museums www.museivaticani.va/content/muse...

#MosaicMonday
#Archaeology

Animation de la Bibliothèque Mobile Pénélope à l’école B de Houndé, Burkina Faso

0-2944x2954-1-0# Dans le cadre de la promotion de la lecture, l’animateur de la Bibliothèque Mobile Pénélope (BMP) Sanou Adriano, accompagné de celui de ABVBF Boué Alidou, ont effectué le jeudi 23 octobre 2025 une…
Animation de la Bibliothèque Mobile Pénélope à l’école B de Houndé, Burkina Faso
0-2944x2954-1-0# Dans le cadre de la promotion de la lecture, l’animateur de la Bibliothèque Mobile Pénélope (BMP) Sanou Adriano, accompagné de celui de ABVBF Boué Alidou, ont effectué le jeudi 23 octobre 2025 une sortie d’animation à l’école B de Houndé. L’objectif de cette sortie était de rapprocher le livre des enfants tout en les encourageant à lire. Plusieurs activités ont eu lieu avec les élèves pendant cette journée : Les séances de lecture guidée, la lecture par tutorat, les jeux de l’alphabet et le calcul.
favl.org

Spouse went to political
meeting with mainstream California dem state senator…two hours after end all she could say was “it was an hour of platitudes”…these people need to be primaried they are not even trying.

My California senators @padilla.senate.gov and @schiff.senate.gov better be furiously objecting to Sen. Schumer's willingness to overlook Trump administration budget lawlessness. They've violated law, and American political traditions, for 10 months now. GOP shut down govt, GOP can reopen anytime.
Trump getting booed at the Commanders game

Reposted by Michael Kevane

FFFA - Festival du Film Franco-Arabe de Noisy-le-Sec - Ed° 2025 - Résumé de la soirée d'ouverture avec Hind Meddeb et Costa Gavras

youtu.be/JH06S193iEc?...
FFFA - Festival du Film Franco-Arabe de Noisy-le-Sec - Ed° 2025
YouTube video by Melissa Chemam
youtu.be
Here is the Newsweek magazine article that led to the song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," marked up to show key passages that Lightfoot borrowed. Short thread at quoted post. Thanks to @bikeguy.bsky.social for reminding me about this. #EdmundFitzgerald50

SS. Peter and Paul Academy students using the Sherigu library for their I.T lessons, Ghana
SS. Peter and Paul Academy students using the Sherigu library for their I.T lessons, Ghana
favl.org
Waiting for a very delayed flight to Atlanta & the pilot (Scott!) has become everyone's best friend, hanging out amongst the people. He's let us know that Atlanta is only allowing 30 flights an hour, when it's usually 120.

Obviously frustrating but also enjoying how much Scott is relishing this.

Update report on Gowrie-Kunkua Community Library electricity disconnection and books presentation, Ghana

From CESRUD Ghana coordinator Amii Clement: I met with the Gowrie-Kunkua Community Library Committee regarding the recent electricity disconnection. The members explained that their meter is a…
Update report on Gowrie-Kunkua Community Library electricity disconnection and books presentation, Ghana
From CESRUD Ghana coordinator Amii Clement: I met with the Gowrie-Kunkua Community Library Committee regarding the recent electricity disconnection. The members explained that their meter is a postpaid one, and for over eight years, NEDCO had stopped issuing bills due to a technical issue. Despite several follow-ups, it was only last month that NEDCO resolved the problem and presented the accumulated bill, which unfortunately became too large for the library committee to settle.
favl.org

Reposted by Michael Kevane

Today in 1957 in the Pacific Ocean, 2 miles south of Christmas Island (Kiritimati)w, the United Kingdom conducted Round C (Operation Grapple X), its first successful H-bomb test. A Valiant bomber dropped an experimental device which exploded at an altitude of ~7,382 feet. The yield was 1.8 Megatons.

Reposted by Michael Kevane

On the upside, I got to talk to the guy that blew the whistle on him. He did it while he was a postdoc! He had every reason to believe this was career suicide, so it was just incredibly brave of him. Good news is he landed well and now has a good position.

Reposted by Michael Kevane

At the Ag Fair & @Uofg has a presence. I was talking to the DNA barcoding people & found out that Steve Newmaster has been effectively banned from teaching & research but still gets his salary. If we can’t fire people for research fraud, what are we doing? www.science.org/content/arti...
This scientist accused the supplement industry of fraud. Now, his own work is under fire
DNA barcoding brought botanist Steven Newmaster scientific fame and entrepreneurial success. Was it all based on lies?
www.science.org

Reposted by Michael Kevane

Just listened to Plain English with @dkthomp.bsky.social, interviewing Matthew Yglesias. I love Thompson but Yglesias really offers nothing. Talks in circles. Ignores realities of modern media.

For example: it doesn’t matter what D’s say, R’s will paint them as radical. How do you not get that?

Reposted by Michael Kevane

The film, THE PRESIDENT'S CAKE, directed by Hasan Hadi (Iraq, United States, Qatar • 2025) starring Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Sajad Mohamad Qasem, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, was selected for the 2025 Filmmakers' Fortnight / Quinzaine des Réalisateurs at the Cannes Festival this year.

Journées de sensibilisations sur la lecture et la fréquentation des bibliothèques, Burkina Faso

Dans le cadre d’encourager les élèves à lire et à fréquenter les bibliothèques, l’association des amis des bibliothèques de villages du Burkina Faso (ABVBF) a organisé du 07 au 10 octobre 2025 des…
Journées de sensibilisations sur la lecture et la fréquentation des bibliothèques, Burkina Faso
Dans le cadre d’encourager les élèves à lire et à fréquenter les bibliothèques, l’association des amis des bibliothèques de villages du Burkina Faso (ABVBF) a organisé du 07 au 10 octobre 2025 des journées de sensibilisations sur l’importance de la lecture et la fréquentation de la bibliothèque dans des écoles primaire et secondaire de la province du Tuy. Pour se faire, l’animateur de ABVBF et les gérants de ces bibliothèques sont allés dans les écoles et les CEG des villages de Boni, Karaba et Dimikuy.
favl.org
photos of Trump sleeping through yesterday's Oval Office event via Andrew Harnik of Getty

Résumé du live Une histoire d’œufs

Une histoire d’œufs est le titre du livre écrit par Monique ILBOUDO. Elle est romancière et enseignante à l’université de Ouagadougou. Dans ce livre, l’auteur nous décrit l’histoire d’une petite fille innocente victime de la barbarie de l’excision comme certaine…
Résumé du live Une histoire d’œufs
Une histoire d’œufs est le titre du livre écrit par Monique ILBOUDO. Elle est romancière et enseignante à l’université de Ouagadougou. Dans ce livre, l’auteur nous décrit l’histoire d’une petite fille innocente victime de la barbarie de l’excision comme certaine de sa tranche d’âge. Dès son plus jeune âge, elle a été trahie par sa mère et sa tante. Pour masquer leur complot à la petite fille, on lui a parlé d’un concours de bravoure ou les lauréates seront récompensées par des œufs.
favl.org
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me

Reposted by Michael Kevane

Absolutely tragic weeks for Sudan...

Fighting spreads to North Kordofan as Sudan’s war turns deadlier

rfi.my/CA4A.BS
Fighting spreads to North Kordofan as Sudan’s war turns deadlier
Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are battling the army for control of North Kordofan, opening a dangerous new phase in a war that began in April 2023 and has caused what the United Nations ha...
rfi.my

Don de livres d’auteurs africains à la bibliothèque de Koho, Burkina Faso

L’association des Amis des Bibliothèques de Villages du Burkina Faso/ABVBF dans le cadre ses activités de promotion des bibliothèques et de la lecture a offert un lot d’une vingtaine de livres d’auteurs africains à la…
Don de livres d’auteurs africains à la bibliothèque de Koho, Burkina Faso
L’association des Amis des Bibliothèques de Villages du Burkina Faso/ABVBF dans le cadre ses activités de promotion des bibliothèques et de la lecture a offert un lot d’une vingtaine de livres d’auteurs africains à la bibliothèque communautaire de Koho située dans la commune de Houndé. Le don a été remis à la gérante Yambouyo Nathalie Hanihako le 23 octobre 2025 par Yamboué Hagnilé, chargée de programme à ABVBF.
favl.org

Reposted by Michael Kevane

BREAKING: A man who threw a sandwich at a federal agent in D.C. is found not guilty of a misdemeanor at trial.
Man who threw sandwich at federal agent in D.C. found not guilty of misdemeanor after trial
A man who was charged with throwing a sandwich at a federal agent was found not guilty of one count of misdemeanor assault by a jury in Washington, D.C.
cbsn.ws
Trump to the Novo Nordisk CEO: "Maybe you should give us a piece of the company like I've been asking for."