Today, I have an Impromptus column, headed “Taiwan’s dozen, &c.” What’s the deal with that dozen? In 2007, I published a piece titled “Taiwan’s Two Dozen.” At the time, the number of countries recognizing Taiwan had fallen to 24. Last week, it fell to 12.
And it’ll get lower. Which matters.
On that grim note — let’s have some reader mail. In a recent column, I rode a hobbyhorse:
I beg you: There is no such artist as “da Vinci.” It’s “Leonardo” or “Leonardo da Vinci.” Same as we would not say “of Orange” but “William of Orange.”
A reader writes,
When people say “da Vinci,” Jay, I remind them that that would be like calling Him “of Nazareth.” One guy retorted, “I’m not religious.”
Another reader tells me about the “da Vinci Surgical Unit,” in Texas. Oh, dear. The “Leonardo Surgical Unit” would be — a thousand times better, and correct.
But this cause is lostola.
Another hobbyhorse? “The U.S. presidency is not an entry-level political job, unless you’ve won a world war.” I heard Richard Brookhiser say that long ago, and I have repeated it ever since. Of course, the American electorate thought otherwise in 2016.
Anyway, I was writing about this in a column earlier this month. A reader responds,
Non-experience in presidential candidates in the modern era began with Jesse Jackson and Pat Buchanan. For them, there was no downside to running around, acting like a big shot, getting on the debate stage, making the occasional wave.
Many imitators since. Not a good trend.
Last week, I had a typographical note. Someone had said that two spaces — two spaces between sentences — was for old-timers. I wrote, “Two spaces is ordained by Nature.”
A reader says,
Two spaces is indeed ordained by Nature! Thank you for pronouncing on the point. I, too, have a pronouncement: Fully justified type is not Nature-ordained.
Heh. My thanks to all — fully justified and not.