Category Archives: Commentary

Opinion or analysis concerning whatever’s on my mind.

Poetaster

Posted on August 4, 2018 by JMN

More joy courtesy of Blake Gopnik, “In His Films, Brancusi Takes Flight,” NYTimes. Given all the chestnuts in this show, the challenge is to see if we can still find a way to be astonished by them, as we were … Continue reading →

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Jolly Comeuppance

Posted on August 4, 2018 by JMN

I was a retentive student. I would remember being exposed to the political geography of the kingdom across the English Channel from Europe. I was not exposed to that geography. Yesterday I learned that “Great Britain” consists of England, Scotland … Continue reading →

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“Toot Toot Tutu Toodle-oo.”

Posted on August 2, 2018 by JMN

New words encountered! Courtesy of Roberta Smith, “Painting: An (Incomplete) Survey of the State of the Art,” NYTimes. “gamin” — Ms. Hearne was a gamin performance artist turned art dealer with an audacious eye… [I knew this word from French … Continue reading →

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A Prayer of Sorts

Posted on August 1, 2018 by JMN

I pay more attention than I’d like, for personal reasons, to news coming from a region of ceaseless conflict. Recently, three men attacked a secure place. One breached the gate by killing himself with explosives so that the other two … Continue reading →

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Onward and Upward with the Language

Posted on August 1, 2018 by JMN

I learned a new word today: “derp,” meaning “foolishness or stupidity.” Here’s the context: So that’s why I’m a crypto skeptic. Could I be wrong? Of course. But if you want to argue that I’m wrong, please answer the question, … Continue reading →

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Making Bold

Posted on July 31, 2018 by JMN

They say seek forgiveness, not permission, if you’re bold. I make bold here to respond publicly to a fellow blogger with whom I am enjoying a rewarding exchange of views — one of several bloggers who kindly respond to me … Continue reading →

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Waking the Dogs

Posted on July 31, 2018 by JMN

It’s been a red-letter several days in my quiet life, and I’m afraid it has me sounding off more than I should here on topics that normally I would let lie with sleeping dogs. I have a fear of goading … Continue reading →

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Enough About Me

Posted on July 29, 2018 by JMN

The Supreme Court in its five-four wiseness has ruled that money is speech and therefore protected under the “free” clause. I rule that image is language and therefore commentable under the “thoughts on art and language” clause. And thus I … Continue reading →

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An Inconvenient Perception

Posted on July 29, 2018 by JMN

I read once somewhere that much of the violence inflicted upon the world is at the hands of young men who have never held a job or a girl’s hand. For some reason the comment comes back to me with … Continue reading →

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On Mistranslation

Posted on July 29, 2018 by JMN

When Jerome, the patron saint of translators, rendered the Bible into Latin, he introduced a pun that created one of the most potent symbols of Christian iconography, turning the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (“malus”) into the … Continue reading →

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