From the monthly archives:

December 2009

LITIGIOUS: excessively or readily inclined to litigate

December 31, 2009

It’s something that has bothered me for years. I’ve watched us become a nation which is addicted to litigation. We are a litigious society. There was a time within my memory when the act of suing someone was more isolated, reserved for only the most serious events. It may be that I was raised in [...]

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IRENIC: tending to promote peace or reconciliation; peaceful or conciliatory.

December 30, 2009

Tea Parties, shouting Senators, Tweets filled with angry words, Becks, Limbaughs, Foxers,cynics,too, Birthers and lemming herds. The fury of these months gone by has weakened…undermined… a nation seeking after change; a nation redefined. The doubts and rumors planted in the minds of frightened folk have blosssomed into warlike thoughts, their hopes gone up in smoke. [...]

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AL QAEDA: a network comprising both a multinational, stateless arm and a fundamentalist Sunni movement calling for global jihad.

December 29, 2009

I have made reference to Al Qaeda numerous times over the past several months. My assumption has been that because the term is used so frequently in the media and in political speeches, people must know what it means. The reality is that some people don’t have a clue what is meant by Al Qaeda. [...]

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RIGHT BRAINED: being more adept at spatial and nonverbal concepts and being more creative and emotional than logical and analytical.

December 28, 2009

I’m not good at math. I mean…I’m really not good at math. In undergraduate school they offered what one might call “Math for Dummies” in order to allow people like me to fulfill the math segment required for graduation. I liked the course so much that I took it three times. Finally I squeaked through. [...]

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: property that results from original creative thought, as patents, copyright material, and trademarks.

December 27, 2009

Artists, writers, poets, and musicians are faced with the issue of protecting their products from theft. They are forced to register their products under a legal process which is called “Intellectual Property Law.” It is not an easy process, and it is not foolproof. It’s hard for such artists to make a living at their [...]

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SUPERLATIVE: of the highest kind, quality, or order; surpassing all else or others; supreme; extreme

December 26, 2009

Frequently I am critical of those who gravitate to superlatives without restraint. Everything is the greatest, the best, or the most wonderful. There are no gradations, no limitations, or no less than outstanding. This is especially true when people talk about their children or their grandchildren. But last night we sat in a restaurant on [...]

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INCARNATION: the Christian doctrine of the union of God and man in the person of Jesus Christ

December 25, 2009

Christmas Eve in New York City was everything I wanted it to be. After a beautiful day on wonderfully-crowded streets, an incredible time in FAO Schwarz watching the magic in the eyes of children and an outstanding dinner at Paola’s on the Upper East Side we found our way to St. Bartholomew’s Church. In yesterday’s [...]

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BIG APPLE: New York City

December 24, 2009

It is 3:30 a.m. and we’re about to throw the bags into the car and head for New York City for several days. Early for you? We have a 10:30 appointment in Manhattan and by the time we drive the four hours to get there, buck the morning traffic, get to our hotel and get [...]

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HOLIDAY: a day fixed by law or custom on which ordinary business is suspended in commemoration of some event or in honor of some person

December 23, 2009

The controversy over what to say to people these days as a seasonal greeting can get silly. Granted, I prefer for people to say Merry Christmas when referring to the December 25 event, but I understand that it is uncomfortable for some. I find that strange, but I’m sensitive to that discomfort. I love to [...]

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SCUPPER: to prevent from happening or succeeding; ruin; wreck.

December 22, 2009

There I was, opening my favorite newspaper, The Martha’s Vineyard Gazette, which had just come in the mail. I love this paper. It is huge, forcing me to extend my arms widely in order to hold it. It is filled with all kinds of great stories written by great writers. But then I saw the [...]

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