“There is a Talmudic saying in the ‘Ethics of the Fathers, ‘Don’t judge your neighbour until you can imagine yourself in his place.’ So, my first question when I deal with any issue related to the Israeli-Palestinian issue: What if we were in their place?”—Henry Siegman http://rabble.ca/columnists/2014/07/end-occupation-henry-siegman-speaks-out-against-attack-on-gaza
Nikki Haley, the governor of South Carolina, actually said in an interview on MSNBC, “… we’ve never in the history of this country passed any laws or done anything based on race or religion.” http://mashable.com/2016/01/13/nikki-haley-race-religion/#GZXjJ6cfE8qQ What’s astonishing about her pronouncement is that she simply can’t be lying. Nobody would intentionally tell such an obvious whopper. … More Explaining the Unexplainable
“Fear, also hate, makes for a light finger on the trigger, especially in an atmosphere of rabid nationalism that is deliberately fanned by government spokesmen and the prime minister himself.”—David Shulman “Jerusalem: Why Should Things Not Get Worse?” http://www.nybooks.com/daily/2015/11/04/jerusalem-why-should-things-not-get-worse/
On the face of it, equating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism seems absurd. Many defenders of Israel argue that criticism of Israel becomes anti-Semitic when it calls into question Israel’s right to exist. But how can criticism of specific policies pose an existential threat to any state? Massive opposition to the U.S. war in Vietnam … More Criticism of Israel and Anti-Semitism
“Classic writing, with its assumption of equality between writer and reader, makes the reader feel like a genius. Bad writing makes the reader feel like a dunce.” ― Steven Pinker, The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century http://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/steven-pinker-ian-mcewan-good-writing/
What is wrong with each of the following sentences? Slipping on the ice, my glasses were broken. Having been raised in a barn, it is difficult for him to choose the right fork. Expressing your thoughts clearly impressed the selection committee. People who read grammar columns frequently make fewer mistakes. To get ahead these days, … More Modifiers that Dangle
Of the following twelve sentences, only three are correct. Can you spot the errors? Cats often pester Bruno’s dog, so he always carries pepper spray. Reading often improves concentration. Mildred, along with the other members of the Ti Chi club, were invited to attend the annual Ti Chi hot dog eating competition. My three brothers-in-law’s … More Spot the Errors
“When your last breath arrives, Grammar can do nothing.” ― Adi Shankaracarya
“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people:. –Abraham Joshua Heschel, rabbi and professor
When I was in grade school in the 1950s, it was fairly rare to run into an adult who didn’t smoke. By the time I was in the eighth grade it was getting pretty rare to run into an eighth grade boy who didn’t smoke. The girls seem to wait until high school. The Catholic … More Smoking Cigarettes
No Harm Spilt 