Tag: riffs
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Riffs On: Shadow Libraries
Last year I read Syria’s Secret Library, and then dug into the reporting behind the book (permalink), a project of love in a time when Darayya – just outside Damascus – was under siege. “In many cases we get books from bomb or shell-damaged homes. The majority of these places are near the front line,…
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How To Grieve a Dog
When I was 10 or 11 I remember my father taking me with him to an animal hospital out in the sticks. The cat, Friday, was in the back seat in its travel trailer. I don’t remember much about the cat other than that we didn’t care for each other very much. It was effectively…
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Riffs on: Reading Well
The current reality: reading isn’t a priority. When newspapers were still a stalwart of our cultural hegemony, even they were written at a 7th grade reading level. After all, everyone needs to know the news. I far the average reading level is far less than that. There is the story about the woman suing because…
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Riffs on Paper
It’s like when you buy clothes: if you find something you like that fits well, buy it in every color. But here, if I find a paper that really sings I’ll stock up however I can.
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Riffs on Grammar
Thoughts on grammar. Why a preposition can end things. And other collected notes.