Tag Archives: style

Tenseness Sought in Firm Times

Posted on March 8, 2020 by JMN

But the president can still be reasonably held responsible for the urgency with which [etc.]… the speed at which [etc.]… the pressure brought to bear [etc.]… and the use of presidential rhetoric [etc.]…. Is it still necessary to point out … Continue reading →

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Pouncing on “Pounded”

Posted on March 8, 2020 by JMN

Many conservatives have gleefully pounded on Project Veritas’s disclosures, including one particularly influential voice: Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son. The gist of this article is that Project Veritas works for conservatives against liberals. I surmise that the writers … Continue reading →

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Queen’s English Profaned?

Posted on March 1, 2020 by JMN

“Voters of color will decide if Bernie Sanders or Joe Biden prevail.” (Headline to an article by Steve Phillips at theguardian.com, 3-1-20) There’s only the slightest chance that it should not be “prevails” instead of “prevail,” since the conjunction is … Continue reading →

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“Pretty Ugly”

Posted on January 16, 2020 by JMN

This tweet contrasts so starkly with the seriousness of the actual situation with Iran,” said Ben Rhodes, a former top national security aide to Mr. Obama. “We are in the midst of a roiling crisis with Iran that is largely … Continue reading →

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When Is Kill Not “Over”?

Posted on September 15, 2019 by JMN

The illustration made me read this essay by Michelle Goldberg (“Margaret Atwood’s Dystopia, and Ours,” NYTimes, 9-14-19). On first glance, the picture’s Dairy Queen Blizzard ™ of cartoon imagery made me grumpy. Whatever it purports to symbolize, I thought, this … Continue reading →

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The Guardian on Relationships

Posted on July 3, 2019 by JMN

“How to tell your best friend you’re in love with them — by those who have taken the plunge” (Sirin Kale, The Guardian, 7-1-19) In days of yore this headline would not invite the interpretation that you love your best … Continue reading →

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New Old Proverb

Posted on July 3, 2019 by JMN

… “Skinfolk,” as the old proverb goes, aren’t always “kinfolk.” (Jamelle Bouie, “Kamala Harris Doesn’t Have to Believe in Joe Biden’s Innocence,” NYTimes, 7-1-19) This old proverb is new to me. It has the virtues of a good proverb: pith, … Continue reading →

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Shooting Stardom: When Teenyboppers Write Subheadings

Posted on June 29, 2019 by JMN

Two of the biggest Spanish-speaking global pop superstars discuss joining forces for the first “Watch the Throne”-style pairing in Latin music. (Joe Coscarelli, “How J Balvin and Bad Bunny Made Their Surprise Album, ‘Oasis’,” NYTimes, 6-28-18) In the universe of … Continue reading →

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“Our Blue-Eyed Girl”

Posted on June 29, 2019 by JMN

… Tourism secretary Miguel Torres Márquez tweeted a video of a pristine Cancún beach with the comment: “We’re looking after Cancún, ‘our blue-eyed girl’ and all the beautiful beaches of the Mexican Caribbean.” (David Agren, Seaweed invasion threatens tourism in … Continue reading →

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Guide by the Perplexed — Triad Tirade

Posted on June 18, 2019 by JMN

“A triad is a simultaneous combination of three notes.” (Ralph Denyer, “The Guitar Handbook,” Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2006) The introductory sentence to the “Triads” section of this useful guide distracts me from triads. I’m drawn off the mark … Continue reading →

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