Tag Archives: miscellaneous

‘The Flag Is Also Waving You’

Posted on January 3, 2021 by JMN

Someone who studies flags is a “vexillologist.” There’s a North American Vexillological Association for persons devoted to this study. In the 18th and 19th centuries, a flag was not so much a symbol as a practical way to tell from … Continue reading →

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Missionary Phallacy

Posted on December 26, 2020 by JMN

Shere Hite (1942-2020) published “The Hite Report” in 1976. It gathered candid feedback from women suggesting canonical sexual congress was not the be-all and end-all prescribed by male-centric orthodoxy. Two more best-selling studies followed in 1981 and 1987. Hite’s work … Continue reading →

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Pictures Matter

Posted on November 30, 2020 by JMN

Richard Frishman is a photographer based near Seattle. You can follow his work on Instagram. (Photographs and Text by Richard Frishman, “Hidden in Plain Sight: The Ghosts of Segregation,” NYTimes, 11-30-20) (c) 2020 JMN

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Cat of Many Names

Posted on November 21, 2020 by JMN

This article reports a sad event, the snatching of a family dog by a mountain lion. That misfortune notwithstanding, it solves a longstanding puzzle for me by clarifying that mountain lions, pumas, cougars, panthers, and catamounts are the same animal, … Continue reading →

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Whiteout

Posted on November 18, 2020 by JMN

Lord Kilclooney, crossbench peer in the UK House of Lords, tweeted: “What happens if Biden moves on and the Indian becomes President. Who then becomes Vice President?” Later he tweeted: “I’m very fond of India myself, I’m a member of … 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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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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