Monthly Archives: November 2020

‘Kate Is There in the Shadows’

Posted on November 17, 2020 by JMN

Here is narrative from a 1960 American novel. A character ascends a staircase to the mezzanine of a house to join another person there: There comes to me in the ascent a brief annunciatory syllable in the throat stopped in … Continue reading →

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Minority Reign

Posted on November 14, 2020 by JMN

“The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” (Mitch McConnell, in October 2010) OZYMITCHIASRegnant canker, excrescent knob, coonskingerrymandarin of the scrotal void,inverted rictus of obstructionism,hollowed be thy name! Where laws … Continue reading →

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‘I Cut the Sky in Two’

Posted on November 13, 2020 by JMN

New York-born Jordan Nassar has Palestinian family roots. His show’s title “I Cut the Sky in Two” is from a poem by Etel Adnan, “the distinguished Lebanese-American painter and poet, and a touchstone for Mr. Nassar.” He is best known … Continue reading →

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‘Explicit and Mysterious’

Posted on November 12, 2020 by JMN

I’m a child of ranchers. Because of how misshapen and reactionary mythic cowboy culture is in America, I’m a fool for painting that introduces what Roberta Smith terms the “subversive theme of the gay black cowboy.” And as usual, Ms. … Continue reading →

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Opportunities to Panic

Posted on November 10, 2020 by JMN

Ben Ehrenreich writes: The current pandemic has already given many of us a taste of what happens when a society fails to meet the challenges that face it… The climate crisis, as it continues to unfold, will give us additional … Continue reading →

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Tom, Dick, and Harry

Posted on November 9, 2020 by JMN

There was a fun question in my daily Spanish Quora: ¿Existe en inglés el equivalente a “fulano, mengano y zutano”? The consensus in the answer thread was that “Tom, Dick and Harry” was the closest equivalent. I’m reminded of my … Continue reading →

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The Squat

Posted on November 6, 2020 by JMN

I learned the term “typosquatting” today. Shortly after 2:30 a.m. on October 30, 2020, Twump tweeted the hashtag “#BidenCrimeFamiily” with no other context or link. That extra “i” circumvented Twitter’s efforts to hide the hashtag in search results. Called #typosquatting, … Continue reading →

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Bookshop.org

Posted on November 5, 2020 by JMN

I buy an unconscionable raft of goods from Amazon, but I’d rather get my books from a bookstore. This article brings good news. Bookshop.org allows any independent shop to customise its own online store front, select books to recommend and, … Continue reading →

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Hello, World

Posted on November 3, 2020 by JMN

I’m going into my 9th month of shielding in the Untied States looking forward to a beautiful South Texas winter. I take comfort from the life of the mind — reading, painting, music. I’m grateful for my roof, patio, pets, … Continue reading →

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Joy Hiding in Plain Sight

Posted on November 3, 2020 by JMN

Retired doctor Jeff Kaufman often visits an American elm that escaped the devastation of Dutch elm disease because of its isolation. The 150-year-old tree stands near the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, 95 miles from Egremont, the nearest urban area. … Continue reading →

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