Category Archives: Quotations

Things people said.

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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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

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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 →

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Not a Paean to Peons

Posted on February 27, 2020 by JMN

For many traditional liberals, respect for difference is understood as a sacred duty. Consider, for example, Joe Biden’s warm words for his Republican colleagues, or the left’s many peons to the virtues of empathy. (Tim Wu, “Quantifying Liberal ‘Suckerdom,’” NYTimes, … Continue reading →

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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 →

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Sallies and Japes of the Day

Posted on February 20, 2020 by JMN

“Leave It All Behind Ya.” (Slogan printed on photos of himself sitting on the toilet that Louis Armstrong would send to his fans.) Some days everything I read tastes good and I succumb to a shameful quotation binge. “This wasn’t … Continue reading →

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Balanced Learning

Posted on February 17, 2020 by JMN

The “science of reading” approach is based on phonics, which sounds out the letters of words: Bit. Buh! Ih! Tuh! The “balanced literacy” approach believes “exposing students to the likes of Dr. Seuss and Maya Angelou is more important than … Continue reading →

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“Tiepolo Meets Mad Magazine”

Posted on February 15, 2020 by JMN

The 61 works in this exhibition… span the career of an American painter whose art has, for more than half a century, both diagnosed national maladies and been shaped by them. The result is work that’s virtuosically bizarre in style … Continue reading →

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