Posted on by rjonakait

Snippets

More bad news: Two recent studies conclude that mosquitos are more likely to land on those drinking beer than on other people.

The headline was a frightening thought: “Kissinger Turns 100 With His Brain as Sharp and Wise as Ever.”

Florida is limiting the ability of Chinese nationals to buy property. Should the many Jewish Sunshine State residents worry that they may not have a place to dine on Christmas?

A billionaire hedge fund guy said that a billionaire banking guy should run for president. Bill Ackman said that Jamie Dimon is “extremely smart,” respected by all aspects of the political spectrum, beloved by his employees, and a centrist. Ackman, without further elucidation, said that Dimon is “supportive of well-designed social programs and rational tax policies that can help the less fortunate.” And Dimon “is pro-business and pro-free enterprise.” Ackman did not mention that the natural tendency for business is to manipulate government for its own benefit and to seek monopolies and cartels. Thus, many businesses try hard not to be part of a free-enterprise system. Pro-business and pro-free enterprise seldom, if ever, go together.

Kurt Andersen, in Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America, A Recent History (2020), maintains that the optimal tax rate on high incomes is the rate that raises the maximum possible revenue. He reports, “Economic research shows convincingly that the self-defeating level of taxation is much higher than our highest federal income tax rate has been for the last forty years” or a top marginal rate of at least 48 percent and maybe as high as 76%.

I have heard often of the “undeserving poor,” but never of the “undeserving rich.” Aren’t there a lot in that latter category?

I went recently to Yankee stadium to see my first in-person game of the season. Many kids were also in attendance. After the sixth inning, we all watched what is now a ritual: the grounds crew drags the infield to the song “Y.M.C.A.,” but they stop and drop their equipment at the appropriate moment and do the arm gestures to spell out the song’s title. As I watched many in the stands, including many kids, join in, I wondered if this song is banned at sporting events in the Don’t-Say-Gay State.

The original video by the Village People of “Y.M.C.A.” did not include the movements to spell out the title. One source says they were created by dancers on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand.

Some people maintain that the song was only meant to be about playing sports at a YMCA and nothing to do with gay behavior, but that original video prominently featured the singers in front of a sign for Ramrod, a bar that sought straight members but not a straight clientele.

“In God We Trust” was the decal on the back of the truck. I doubted that meant, as it should have, the driver of the vehicle would never possess a gun for “personal protection.” I thought about the awkward construction of “In God We Trust,” and how it might be blue-penciled into “We Trust in God.” Then I wondered if there is a difference in meaning between “We Trust in God” and “We Trust God.” Sometimes, you must keep your mind occupied on I-80.

Posted on by rjonakait

First Sentences

“To my surprise some years back, I began to hear people outside of my home state, Texas, talk about, and actually celebrate the holiday ‘Juneteenth.’” Annette Gordon-Reed, On Juneteenth.

“When we were new, Rosa and I were mid-store, on the magazines table side, and could see through more than half of the windows.” Kazuo Ishiguro, Klara and the Sun.

“There are silences in American history.” Peter S. Canellos, The Great Dissenter: The Story of John Marshall Harlan, America’s Judicial Hero.

“An entire day had passed since George Walker had spoken to his wife.” Nathan Harris, The Sweetness of Water.

“By any traditional measure, James Buchanan was one of the best qualified men ever to hold the presidency.” Fergus M. Bordewich, Congress at War: How Republican Reformers Fought the Civil War, Defied Lincoln, Ended Slavery, and Remade America (2020).

“Wanda Batton-Smythe, head of the Women’s Institute of Nether Monkslip, liked to say she was not one to mince words.” G.M. Malliet, Wicked Autumn.

“I’ve referred to America as Fantasyland, but it was always also Tomorrowland.” Kurt Andersen, Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America, A Recent History.

“In the wings, behind a metal rack crowded with bundles of cable and silk flower garlands and the stringless lutes from Act 1, two black dachshunds lie in a basket.” Maggie Shipstead, Astonish Me.

“There had seemingly never been a better night for baseball in Cleveland than on August 20, 1948.” Luke Epplin, Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series that Changed Baseball.

“Something was wrong.” Jo Nesbo, The Bat.

“It was the middle of the night.” Lynne Olson, Madame Fourcade’s Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France’s Largest Spy Network Against Hitler.

“Penelope Kite stood at the door of her dream home and wiped her brow with the back of her hand.” Serena Kent, Death in Provence.

“Toward the end, as at the beginning, he lived only on milk.” Edmund Morris, Edison.

“’If there’s one thing wrong with people,’ Paul always said, ‘it’s that no one remembers the shit that they should, and everyone remembers the shit that doesn’t matter for shit.’” Gabriel Bump, Everywhere You Don’t Belong.

“I am a copy editor.” Benjamin Dreyer, Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style.