Part 1: The Myth of the Lexicographer-Judge What’s a dictionary myth? A dictionary myth is something that people believe about dictionaries (and words as they appear in dictionaries) that simply isn’t true. They can be semi-harmless dictionary urban legends (like the one that holds that antidisestablishmentarianism is the longest word in the dictionary) or they […]
Archive | September, 2007
Lexicographer Erin McKean Guest-Blogging:
I’m delighted to say that Erin McKean will be guest-blogging here this week. Ms. McKean is the Oxford University Press’s Chief Consulting Editor for American Dictionaries; the editor in chief of the New Oxford American Dictionary (2d ed.); the author or coauthor of Weird and Wonderful Words, More Weird and Wonderful Words, Totally Weird and […]
Is Neoconservatism a “Jewish” Movement?:
One thing I’ve noticed roaming around the blogosphere is that most people who use the term “neoconservative” have no idea what it means (or perhaps this means that the word itself is becoming meaningless). I’m especially sensitive to this because as a college student, I for a while considered myself a neoconservative, and I wrote […]
Why Mandatory “National Service” Proposals Target the Young:
One of the most interesting (and in my view sinister) aspects of proposals for mandatory “national service” is that they virtually always target only the young, usually 18-21 year olds. This might be understandable if the proposals were limited to military service. But most current proposals (including those by Charles Rangel, John McCain, Bill Buckley, […]
A Pet Peeve–DC Rabbis Blathering About Politics:
Ilya’s post on rabbis’ (and other clergypeople’s) economic ignorance reminds me of one of my pet peeves, D.C. area rabbis who give overtly ideological sermons on general political topics like gun control, environmental issues (see Sam Kazman’s post My Green Rosh Hashannah), and the like. Put aside the issue of whether such sermons are appropriate […]
TalkLeft on the “Jena 6”:
Over at TalkLeft, Jeralyn Merritt has a very helpful post on what we know — and what we don’t — about the “Jena 6” controversy. Based on her summary, it looks like we don’t yet have clear evidence of racial discrimination in the charging decisions. There were two charging decisions that seem questionable, but we […]
The Threat of Forced Labor Through Mandatory “National Service”:
At the always fascinating Becker-Posner Blog, Richard Posner and Gary Becker each have excellent posts critiquing proposals for mandatory “national service.” As Posner points out: There are perennial calls for drafting all 18 year olds to serve in either the military or some civilian alternative. Congressman Charles Rangel has repeatedly introduced bills in Congress (the […]
Sunday Song Lyric:
In celebration of its 40th anniversary, the American Film Institute has revised its list of the 100 greatest American films (reg. req’d). It has also compiled a series of other lists, including the 100 greatest movie songs. “Over the Rainbow” from the Wizard of Oz tops the list, and it is hard to quarrel with […]
Law and Economics Training for Religious Leaders:
My undergraduate classmate and University of Missouri antitrust scholar Danny Sokol suggests that rabbis who preach on public policy issues could benefit from training in law and economics: Jews around the world have taken tikun olam [the religious duty to “repair” and improve the world] to heart and historically we have been at the forefront […]
Bargain on “You Can’t Say That!”:
As loyal VC readers surely recall, in 2003 the Cato Institute published my book, You Can’t Say That! The Growing Threat to Civil Liberties from Antidiscrimination Laws Some of you probably considered buying it at the time, but thought $20 was a little too steep. Well, now you can get the hardcover for under two […]
Radical Islamism and Frank Herbert’s Dune:
WARNING: This post contains spoilers for Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel Dune. Frank Herbert’s Dune is one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time. And, as famed sci fi writer Orson Scott Card points out, there are many parallels between the plot of Dune and the rise of radical Islamism in the […]
Spotted on the Web: A Remembrance of a First Date at Peter Luger’s.–
Although we receive the New York Times at home (and thus get full access to the Times’ site), with the demise of its pay service, Times Select, all of the Times is more accessible. After reading an old article on the Jews in Spain (which may still be covered by restrictions for some readers), I […]
The Belgian “Breakup” and the Future of Ethnic Federalism:
Both the New York Times and some European observers are predicting that Belgium may soon break up. This circumstance, combined with the persistence of longstanding secession movements in Quebec, Scotland, and elsewhere, have persuaded some, including our own David Bernstein, to doubt the viability of federalist solutions to the problem of ethnic conflict. Belgium has […]
Federalist Society Supreme Court Preview and Lookback:
D.C. readers might want to visit it at the National Press Club Wednesday (Sept. 26) from 12 noon to 2:30 pm. The panelists: Acting Associate Attorney General Gregory Katsas, Texas Solicitor General and former Rehnquist law clerk Ted Cruz (a very smart and articulate fellow whom I know well), Michigan law professor Joan Larsen, Jones […]
An Idea That Never Once Crossed My Mind:
Slate‘s Human Nature — which I always enjoy reading — reports: Men are hiring photographers to surreptitiously record their marriage proposals. Photographers say the practice has been growing for three years. In some cases, the client and photographer arrange the timing and location for picture quality, e.g., where to stand (unbeknownst to the woman) so […]