Author Archives: JMN

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About JMN

I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.

“Doesn’t Not” Don’t Mean “Yes”

Posted on March 25, 2020 by JMN

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has publicly corrected or qualified presidential assertions about the coronavirus threat on multiple occasions. Trump was asked why Fauci was absent from Monday’s lengthy press briefing. Trump … Continue reading →

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Living in Interesting Times

Posted on March 24, 2020 by JMN

This essay by Ai Weiwei, published in the NYTimes on January 13, 2020, was translated by Perry Link from the Chinese. (“Capitalism and ‘Culturecide’,” NYTimes). I learn here that Ai Weiwei’s father, Ai Qing, was a poet who was banished … Continue reading →

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Hugs, Not Slugs. Now Bugs!

Posted on March 24, 2020 by JMN

Hugging is the perfect symbol for Mr. López Obrador’s tropical populism. It portrays him as a warm man of the pueblo in contrast with the cold technocrats of what he calls “the mafia of power.” His slogan for trying to … Continue reading →

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Calling Conservative Artists

Posted on March 23, 2020 by JMN

Piotr Bernatowicz is the new director of a leading Warsaw art museum, the Ujazdowski Castle Center for Contemporary Art. For three decades it has exhibited Poland’s leading experimental artists and hosted work by “international stars,” according to this article (Alex … Continue reading →

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“Painter of Disquiet”

Posted on March 23, 2020 by JMN

Roberta Smith remarks that by a certain point in the show “it becomes clear why [Félix] Vallotton is not considered a first-rate painter. Perhaps he was excessively skilled with too many options at his fingertips.” It struck me as a … Continue reading →

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Knotty, Naughty “Not”

Posted on March 22, 2020 by JMN

Americans need leaders who rise to the occasion, not [my bolding] worry about their own pocketbooks. (The Editorial Board, “Did Richard Burr and Kelly Loeffler Profit From the Pandemic?” NYTimes, 3-20-20) I haven’t read this particular article, but my reflexive … Continue reading →

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There Used to Always Be an England

Posted on March 19, 2020 by JMN

Beppe Severgnini reminisced in early January about what he and millions of Continental Europeans have cherished about the United Kingdom. Above all, we were mesmerized by that quaint country, where the citizens had pounds and not kilograms, restaurants served meat … Continue reading →

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Latinx Redux

Posted on March 19, 2020 by JMN

Dr. García Peña has been involved in… the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures’ program in Latinx studies [my bolding]. (Latinx is a gender-neutral term for people of Latin American heritage, used commonly in academia.) (Kate Taylor, “Denying a Professor … Continue reading →

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Note to Self: Research This Mindset

Posted on March 18, 2020 by JMN

Britain is a rich country and may fare better than others. But the N.H.S. is creaking at the seams after years of underfunding [my bolding]. A decade of cuts by successive Conservative governments has stripped the service of resources. Staff … Continue reading →

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Dispatch from the Charwoman

Posted on March 17, 2020 by JMN

I’ve received from a political entity email that closes as follows: James, it’s never been more clear that the work we do at the HDCC matters a great deal. Our Democratic candidates are continuing to fight for health care coverage … Continue reading →

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