Tag Archives: society

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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‘Res Ipsa Loquitur’: The Thing Speaks for Itself

Posted on December 23, 2022 by JMN

“Zelensky is basically an ungrateful, international welfare queen.” (Donald Trump Jr., quoted at https://www.washingtonpost.com/doonesbury/, 12-22-22) Billingsgate of this sort pervades the lowest rungs of public discourse in America. What’s notable for the student of rhetoric is how, even though the … Continue reading →

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Can We Be Over ‘So’?

Posted on December 10, 2022 by JMN

I think I’ll forfeit my fortitude when the next person who’s asked a question starts his answer with “So.” It’s like answering queries with “Therefore….” — Where are you from? — Therefore I was born in Poughkeepsie, but grew up … Continue reading →

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A Dying Hero’s Own Thoughts and Prayers

Posted on December 8, 2022 by JMN

Vicky Phelan died of cervical cancer last month at age 48 in County Limerick, Ireland. She had been an advocate for fellow victims of botched Pap smears. Her ringing demand for freedom from callous, corrupt leadership has universal application. “I … Continue reading →

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Shades of Ribald Theobald’s Piebald Cow Pies

Posted on November 2, 2022 by JMN

“I don’t know, I find it vaguely therapeutic to express myself on Twitter. It’s a way to get messages out to the public.” (Elon Musk) (John Cassidy, “Elon Musk Just Highlighted His Biggest Dilemma at Twitter,” The New Yorker, 10-31-22) … Continue reading →

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The Birth of Venal

Posted on October 17, 2022 by JMN

… According to Italian law, any use of the country’s publicly owned art to sell merchandise requires permission and payment of a fee. (Angela Giuffrida) Who “owns” reproduced images pulled from Botticelli’s cloying, excessively familiar painting? The presumption to be … Continue reading →

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Wipe It Off, Gray Lady

Posted on September 13, 2022 by JMN

Free expression isn’t just a feature of democracy; it is a necessary prerequisite. (Editorial Board, “Censorship Is the Refuge of the Weak,” New York Times, 9-10-22) No big deal. Just a nicety of style, a peccadillo none but the persnickety … Continue reading →

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Tohu Bohu in the Land of Steak Frites

Posted on September 12, 2022 by JMN

“We have to change our mentality so that eating a barbecued entrecôte is no longer a symbol of virility… If you want to resolve the climate crisis, you have to reduce meat consumption, and that’s not going to happen so … Continue reading →

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Asked and Answered

Posted on September 10, 2022 by JMN

“The American press is infatuated to the point of intoxication with ‘democracy,’ ” [Buchanan] wrote in 1991. To make his point, he compared the Marine Corps and corporations like IBM to the federal government. “Only the last is run on … Continue reading →

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Fun With Man-Words

Posted on August 11, 2022 by JMN

In 2013, 52 Atlantic spotted dolphins migrated from the northern Bahamas to Bimini, 100 miles south, where a community of 120 of their species already lived. The encounter could have gone badly. When groups of social mammals meet, things can … Continue reading →

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