Category Archives: Commentary

Opinion or analysis concerning whatever’s on my mind.

Texas Exceeded Only By Itself

Posted on March 8, 2020 by JMN

Since the US brought back capital punishment in the 1970s, the county has sent 129 men and women to the death chamber, more than any entire state except the rest of Texas. (“Why a Texas county had a radical rethink … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Quotations | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Such Ado About Something

Posted on March 6, 2020 by JMN

Two bits in this opinion piece by Shmuel Rosner have an off ring, one solecistic, the other non-colloquial. But most Israeli voters would support such move. Most of them voted for parties that support such move. “Such” here is an … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Quotations | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Grammatic Breakdown

Posted on March 6, 2020 by JMN

It’s been a big week for what I refer to as “Hermit Tech.” Stock in technology companies that facilitate working from home have soared in a spiraling market otherwise anxious by an impending coronavirus pandemic. [This is where I stopped … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Quotations | Tagged | 1 Comment

The Art of the Dig

Posted on March 6, 2020 by JMN

The first time age was a big issue in a presidential election was back in 1840. William Henry Harrison, the Whig candidate, was 67 and his opponents referred to him as “a living mass of ruined matter.” (Gail Collins, “The … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Quotations | Tagged | 2 Comments

Queen’s English Profaned?

Posted on March 1, 2020 by JMN

“Voters of color will decide if Bernie Sanders or Joe Biden prevail.” (Headline to an article by Steve Phillips at theguardian.com, 3-1-20) There’s only the slightest chance that it should not be “prevails” instead of “prevail,” since the conjunction is … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fake Is Free

Posted on March 1, 2020 by JMN

As my students often remind me, news tends to be behind paywalls, while fake news is free. (Laura Spinney, “Epidemics expert Jonathan Quick: ‘The worst-case scenario for coronavirus is likely,’” theguardian.com, 3-1-20) (c) 2020 JMN

Posted in Commentary, Quotations | Tagged , | 2 Comments

I’m Curious About Something

Posted on February 29, 2020 by JMN

The president makes decisions that affect our lives, our physical safety and that of the planet, and the durability of our democracy. It follows that we should know all that we can about that person’s intelligence, temperament, knowledge, curiosity, stability, … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Quotations | Tagged | 6 Comments

Crooked Finger, Vodka, and Other Shebangs

Posted on February 26, 2020 by JMN

Mr. Huang said the intent of his show was to explore the beauty in body parts that we don’t appreciate — a thesis that stemmed from his feeling of embarrassment about his crooked finger, which he said he always hides … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Quotations | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Lifting Skirt

Posted on February 22, 2020 by JMN

This article is about Catherine Blackledge, author of “The Story of V” (2003), which “explores the vagina from a scientific and historical perspective.” It introduces me to the word and the tradition of anasyrma — “the centuries-old gesture of lifting … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged | Leave a comment

Treading Fashion Pastures

Posted on February 21, 2020 by JMN

It might be nice if schools of fashion were insulated from the culture so as to indulge in questionable tomfoolery on the runway with impunity, but it isn’t so. Every so often a mess is stepped in. Someone in charge … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged , , | 4 Comments