Author Archives: Robert

Jacinto Chiclana

Recently listening to songs from the 1960s Borges-Piazzolla collaboration, especially the great ‘Jacinto Chiclana’. There is an amazing guitar version on Youtube played by Cesar Amaro; if you’ve never heard it sung, there is a lively version by Cuarteto Zupay … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Comments Off on Jacinto Chiclana

The Green Gang and the Blue Villa

Over the last four or five years, I’ve put in many hours looking at the details of Sterling Seagrave’s 1985 book, The Soong Dynasty. The book describes the rise and fall of China’s influential Soong family, and its connections with … Continue reading

Posted in History, Republican China | Comments Off on The Green Gang and the Blue Villa

Another semester goes by …

The grades for the fall semester are now all in. My apologies to my students for the delay! It was a silent semester at rabbit’s warren. Next semester I will be on leave for research so it will also be … Continue reading

Posted in School | Comments Off on Another semester goes by …

End of the semester report

All courses and students now accounted for, 2013-4 is now over. My congratulations to all those who passed and my support to those who did not. One more push next semester and you’ll be over the top. To the graduates: … Continue reading

Posted in School | Comments Off on End of the semester report

Congratulations to David and Eric

Belated congratulations to my students Eric Chan and David Chen, who both successfully passed their MA defenses at the end of June and have now completed all revisions to their theses. Great job! I wish you both equal success in … Continue reading

Posted in School | Comments Off on Congratulations to David and Eric

Google Translate is actually the Necronomicon!

I typed 邪神 (evil god) into Google Translate. Try it and see what it says! That program is just a bunch of junk. What a joke. Wait, that’s funny. It’s typing something by itself!! What IS that?? It’s…it’s… AAAAAAARRGH!!!!

Posted in Translation | Comments Off on Google Translate is actually the Necronomicon!

Xmarks profiles not syncing right

A quick note for myself and anyone else who is having headaches with this. Xmarks is a very useful bookmark synchronizing service, but I have had problems with it lately. If you are using the Firefox version of Xmarks, first … Continue reading

Posted in Software | Comments Off on Xmarks profiles not syncing right

The Death of Phyllis Li

Anecdotes are the opium of popular history. They are the easiest things to add into any historical narrative or description, need few or no connections with the general subject, and are seldom subjected to a hard look by picky reviewers. … Continue reading

Posted in History, Republican China | Comments Off on The Death of Phyllis Li

Spring semester is here!

Looking forward to seeing my students, hope everyone had a relaxing vacation and your grades were better than you expected…

Posted in School | Comments Off on Spring semester is here!

Merry Christmas!

And a happy New Year!

Posted in Quotidiana | Comments Off on Merry Christmas!