Ray Mikell
@raymikell.bsky.social
Assistant Professor, Political Science, Jackson State University, MS. Interested most in urban politics and policy, state and local govt. Longtime photo person. Pop culture enthusiast of sorts.
Yes, "1999" was released that year, but I only got deeply into it later. This one I still appreciate as much now as at any time, however. "Hello Baton Rouge. Won't you turn your radio down?"
November 17, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Yes, "1999" was released that year, but I only got deeply into it later. This one I still appreciate as much now as at any time, however. "Hello Baton Rouge. Won't you turn your radio down?"
I feel the same way when it’s 68 and drier out, except that I have THINGS TO DO, kitties. (My cat Galaxy, who came pre-named eight years ago to live around Cosmo, an orange tabby. Both set aside drama to run up to a window I opened around 6:30 am).
September 26, 2025 at 2:22 PM
I feel the same way when it’s 68 and drier out, except that I have THINGS TO DO, kitties. (My cat Galaxy, who came pre-named eight years ago to live around Cosmo, an orange tabby. Both set aside drama to run up to a window I opened around 6:30 am).
Finally received ridiculously loud phone and watch alerts about the 911 outage (statewide in MS and LA), two hours after students told me about it. The Undergraduate Emergency Alert System is vastly more efficient.
September 25, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Finally received ridiculously loud phone and watch alerts about the 911 outage (statewide in MS and LA), two hours after students told me about it. The Undergraduate Emergency Alert System is vastly more efficient.
Share your favorite black-and-white movie.
Night of the Hunter (1955)
Night of the Hunter (1955)
September 24, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Share your favorite black-and-white movie.
Night of the Hunter (1955)
Night of the Hunter (1955)
Shots from a taxi tour of Vancouver BC’s Stanley Pari, much earlier today. Thanks, Harry, for all the environmental, city planning, and infrastructure info!
September 15, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Shots from a taxi tour of Vancouver BC’s Stanley Pari, much earlier today. Thanks, Harry, for all the environmental, city planning, and infrastructure info!
Wall of doughnuts at the APSA Teaching and Learning Conference-Within-a-Conference’s Closing Reception, this evening in Vancouver BC. (I stuck around for 12 1/2 hours today after being wiped out yesterday afternoon, just beat down. Chose a pink doughnut.)
September 14, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Wall of doughnuts at the APSA Teaching and Learning Conference-Within-a-Conference’s Closing Reception, this evening in Vancouver BC. (I stuck around for 12 1/2 hours today after being wiped out yesterday afternoon, just beat down. Chose a pink doughnut.)
Okra in sesame sauce and fried sweet potatoes with green tea ice cream, at Guu Original, a Japanese eatery in Downtown Vancouver. Worth a stop if you’re here for APSA and want to load up on Asian food, like me.
September 13, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Okra in sesame sauce and fried sweet potatoes with green tea ice cream, at Guu Original, a Japanese eatery in Downtown Vancouver. Worth a stop if you’re here for APSA and want to load up on Asian food, like me.
Downtown Vancouver BC, from my hotel room this evening. I can’t get around as much these days, but here that’s not an issue in the spotting beauty dept.
September 13, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Downtown Vancouver BC, from my hotel room this evening. I can’t get around as much these days, but here that’s not an issue in the spotting beauty dept.
Dog doubling as a protest sign against DOGE, at the Hands Off! rally at the Mississippi State Capitol this afternoon in Jackson MS. (I needed assistance in getting up after this shot. But I had to get down at dog level for a good shot!)
April 19, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Dog doubling as a protest sign against DOGE, at the Hands Off! rally at the Mississippi State Capitol this afternoon in Jackson MS. (I needed assistance in getting up after this shot. But I had to get down at dog level for a good shot!)
Reading about Dems being fearful of mass protests this morning. What about mass mockery and satire, then?
From New Orleans’ sociopolitical satire-intensive Krewe du Vieux parade on Saturday, Feb. 15, showing the orange dude and “Capt. Elon” manning a ship named “Dumbocracy.”
From New Orleans’ sociopolitical satire-intensive Krewe du Vieux parade on Saturday, Feb. 15, showing the orange dude and “Capt. Elon” manning a ship named “Dumbocracy.”
February 16, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Reading about Dems being fearful of mass protests this morning. What about mass mockery and satire, then?
From New Orleans’ sociopolitical satire-intensive Krewe du Vieux parade on Saturday, Feb. 15, showing the orange dude and “Capt. Elon” manning a ship named “Dumbocracy.”
From New Orleans’ sociopolitical satire-intensive Krewe du Vieux parade on Saturday, Feb. 15, showing the orange dude and “Capt. Elon” manning a ship named “Dumbocracy.”
I checked to see if Google, as it claims would reflect policy, uses the federal name for what people in nearby Augusta GA and the GA state govt. call "Clarks Hill Lake." No, it turns out. The federal name since the late '80s has been "J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_St...
January 28, 2025 at 1:41 AM
I checked to see if Google, as it claims would reflect policy, uses the federal name for what people in nearby Augusta GA and the GA state govt. call "Clarks Hill Lake." No, it turns out. The federal name since the late '80s has been "J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_St...
In 2019, I was in Tokyo on Day 2 of a 2-week tour of Japan when I saw an exhibit of David Lynch art in Shibuya. Tiny part of a long day. But sitting in a shotgun shack between two middle-aged Japanese ladies & watching Lynch animations of burning figures would end up in my permanent highlight reel.
January 16, 2025 at 11:23 PM
In 2019, I was in Tokyo on Day 2 of a 2-week tour of Japan when I saw an exhibit of David Lynch art in Shibuya. Tiny part of a long day. But sitting in a shotgun shack between two middle-aged Japanese ladies & watching Lynch animations of burning figures would end up in my permanent highlight reel.
Reboot of the late ‘70s terrorism-as-live-TV spectacle, NFL-game-associated thriller from director John Frankenheimer (“The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ronin”) in the works?
“It’s the Netflix blimp! Run for your lives!”
“It’s the Netflix blimp! Run for your lives!”
December 26, 2024 at 12:37 AM
Reboot of the late ‘70s terrorism-as-live-TV spectacle, NFL-game-associated thriller from director John Frankenheimer (“The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ronin”) in the works?
“It’s the Netflix blimp! Run for your lives!”
“It’s the Netflix blimp! Run for your lives!”
Delta hot tamales, a regional delicacy, from Greenville MS’s Hot Tamale Heaven food truck, at the Mississippi Farmers Market in Jackson this morning. (Everything else I bought was sickeningly healthy—well, not counting a strawberry-Nutella croissant.)
December 21, 2024 at 9:30 PM
Delta hot tamales, a regional delicacy, from Greenville MS’s Hot Tamale Heaven food truck, at the Mississippi Farmers Market in Jackson this morning. (Everything else I bought was sickeningly healthy—well, not counting a strawberry-Nutella croissant.)
Galaxy, the more chill and often highly social sister (from another mister) of drama-loving orange tabby Cosmo, sitting atop a chest of drawers and looking stylishly leisurely.
December 18, 2024 at 12:00 AM
Galaxy, the more chill and often highly social sister (from another mister) of drama-loving orange tabby Cosmo, sitting atop a chest of drawers and looking stylishly leisurely.
Not a great weekend, family in hospital (will recover). Still, the diamond croissant with raspberries … (insert segment of Barry White’s “Love’s Theme.”) At the MS Farmers Market, from Just Vanilla Bake Shop of Jackson MS.
December 14, 2024 at 3:09 PM
Not a great weekend, family in hospital (will recover). Still, the diamond croissant with raspberries … (insert segment of Barry White’s “Love’s Theme.”) At the MS Farmers Market, from Just Vanilla Bake Shop of Jackson MS.
Seeing too much about murder in here today. Not about to comment on that. So here’s a photo I took earlier today of my cat Cosmo, after I heard the patio door blinds rattling.
December 8, 2024 at 12:17 AM
Seeing too much about murder in here today. Not about to comment on that. So here’s a photo I took earlier today of my cat Cosmo, after I heard the patio door blinds rattling.
What I made for the family Thanksgiving: Roasted sweet peppers and cauliflower with a miso-Dijon dip. Presentation could be better, but as for taste it’s been rated “fresh” by family.
November 28, 2024 at 6:48 PM
What I made for the family Thanksgiving: Roasted sweet peppers and cauliflower with a miso-Dijon dip. Presentation could be better, but as for taste it’s been rated “fresh” by family.
It only makes sense that Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines should merge, given how close the states are from a cartographic standpoint.
December 4, 2023 at 12:38 AM
It only makes sense that Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines should merge, given how close the states are from a cartographic standpoint.
The gummint just scared the snot out of my cats Galaxy & Cosmo.
October 4, 2023 at 6:32 PM
The gummint just scared the snot out of my cats Galaxy & Cosmo.
Spotted today at Target: Elon and Grumpy Monkey.
September 25, 2023 at 10:03 PM
Spotted today at Target: Elon and Grumpy Monkey.