Janie Matrisciano

by JanieM This thread is in memory of people who died of senseless gun violence. Anyone is welcome to add names and stories, whether from recent events or past years. Stories of the wounded are welcome as well; those people are going to have a hard road ahead. No politics, no policy discussion please. I … Read more

by JanieM A “disgruntled employee” killed two Walmart colleagues and wounded a responding police officer Tuesday in far northwest Mississippi, authorities said. RIP: Anthony Brown, of Olive Branch Brandon Gales, of Hernando Both men were managers at the store, family members said. ***** The Gilroy festival victims: Stephen Romero, 6, of San Jose Keyla Salazar, … Read more

by JanieM I’m reading a book called “How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy,” by Jenny Odell. Perhaps ironically, it was brought to my attention via the weekly email newsletter from hello hello books in Rockland, Maine, which is owned by one of our old babysitters. I’m only a little way into the book, … Read more

by JanieM The summer after my sophomore year in high school I bought the junior math textbook, taught myself Algebra II and Trig, and asked if I could take senior math that year. The principal – let’s call him Father S – was reluctant to allow it, but my math teacher, Mrs. W, was supportive. … Read more

by JanieM Unlike Doctor Science, I’m not back from outer space. But here’s something to snack on. 1. Foreign Affairs has a series of essays responding to a Francis Fukuyama piece about identity politics. The Stacey Abrams essay includes this sentence: The marginalized did not create identity politics: their identities have been forced on them … Read more

by JanieM When I was a kid I went through a phase when I wanted to be an astronomer, using the word loosely. What I probably really meant was cosmologist. Odd, then, that I went to a college without an astronomy department. But I thought I could solve the deficiency by majoring in physics and … Read more

by JanieM When I go to Cambridge on the bus or train, I make sure to take some light reading. Literally light: paperback, nothing that will add too much weight to my luggables. But most of the time it’s figuratively light too: mysteries, mostly. This past time I decided to wake myself up a bit. … Read more

by janiem I have a huge topic in mind that maybe someday I’ll boil down into a coherent post. It involves the misuse of technology, community, and each other implied by — the constant barrage of spam email (which requires various kinds of investments, whether time or $, to deflect); — the increasing number of … Read more

by janiem The screenshot below is from boston.com as of this morning (Thursday 4/13). In case the text is blurred in the reproduction, the circled headline reads, “Jury in ex-NFL player’s trial to deliberate for 5th day.” The headline was there for a couple of days before I realized that the ex-NFL player referred to is … Read more

by janiem 1. One weekend, years before I moved here, I was driving around the back roads of Maine with some friends. We came to an intersection, and I gazed out the window of the car as we paused to decide which way to turn. Right next to us was one of those little general … Read more