Tag Archives: society

Dawn of the ‘Inherently Improbable’

Posted on March 11, 2023 by JMN

For the observer of language, phrases are the news. Today’s newsmakers are “inherently improbable,” “AI persona” and “crypto world.” “Inherently improbable” Florida wants to change the legal definition of actual malice to include any allegation that is “inherently improbable.” The … Continue reading →

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Gender Reveal Vagary

Posted on March 8, 2023 by JMN

The byline for a good essay in The New York Times is “Abraham Josephine Riesman,” tagged as follows: Mx. Riesman is a journalist and the author of a biography of Vince McMahon. It’s my first encounter with “Mx.” in The … Continue reading →

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‘Women Hold Up Half the Sky’

Posted on March 7, 2023 by JMN

“Women hold up half the sky” is a dictum of Mao Zedong cited by China’s current ruler, Xi Jinping, to endorse the equality of the sexes. Here’s his mission statement for the “equal” woman: “The broad number of women must … Continue reading →

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As Sure as Dearth and Texas

Posted on March 3, 2023 by JMN

An old saying for something that’s drearily predictable is, “It’s as sure as dearth and Texas.” Dearth is so prevalent, it’s easier to name things there’s not a dearth of: inequality and bad weather come to mind. Weather can be … Continue reading →

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John Donne and Tate

Posted on March 2, 2023 by JMN

There’s a biography of John Donne I’d like to read. As a preacher he was a crowd magnet in the pulpit of Saint Paul’s in London. He wrote love poems, some laced with misogyny, and later wished he hadn’t. He … Continue reading →

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The Agony of Hamline and Macalester

Posted on February 18, 2023 by JMN

“Art need not defer to religion. If that’s no longer obvious we’ve gone astray.” (Michelle Goldberg) (Michelle Goldberg, “A Left-Leaning College Didn’t Want to Offend, So It Closed Down Her Art Show,” New York Times, 2-13-23) The story of what … Continue reading →

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The Innovation Corrective

Posted on January 14, 2023 by JMN

Generative artificial intelligence is a colossal genie blasting out of its bottle as we speak. A key player in the crowded field is named Altman. Get it? Altman —> Alt + Man —> Alternative Man. I made the name up … Continue reading →

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The Bro Mob: Meta, Not Beta

Posted on January 2, 2023 by JMN

“Last month, Mark Zuckerberg spent hours touting his love of jiujitsu, wrestling and UFC [Ultimate Fighting Championship] on Joe Rogan’s podcast, which is known for its hypermasculinity. Watching TV was not active enough, Mr. Zuckerberg said. “Compared with social media, … Continue reading →

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‘Mystique of Belatedness’: Mything the Point

Posted on December 31, 2022 by JMN

Thank you for your visits to this blog and for indulging its mischief in 2022. More joy and less loss be ahead for each and all! (JMN) “I’m convinced. Eliot finished poetry off.” (Matthew Walther) The problem is not that … Continue reading →

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A Flat-Out Wish for the Season

Posted on December 25, 2022 by JMN

Christmas Eve, Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota. Two groups of young men argue in Nordstrom’s, shots are fired, 19–year-old lies dead, suspects being sought. The site of 500 retail stores and 19 full-service restaurants is closed for the evening. “We … Continue reading →

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