Author Archives: Mark R. Kelly

We tell ourselves stories in order to live

Posted on Wednesday 17 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Yes, recalling Joan Didion, captured here. I’m not the only one who suspects this is true. Facebook, Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, friends-only post, 16 Jul 2024: I have spent… …a lot of time trying to figure out exactly what is inspiring the … Continue reading →

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Perhaps There Is Only Story

Posted on Tuesday 16 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Now right-wingers are blaming the Trump assassination attempt on women; Those who come out and say that want to impose Christian Nationalism on the nation; Paul Krugman on Project 2025, and it would reverse measures established in the 19th century … Continue reading →

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What Democracy Is For

Posted on Monday 15 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

It’s time for another batch of short items. NYT and LAT (before the assassination attempt) think Trump unfit; items about the Ten Commandments, Fly Me to the Moon, conspiracies, a comment on TV about how democracy should work; and how … Continue reading →

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There Is No Other Place

Posted on Sunday 14 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Cue the Conspiracy Theorists and Projectionists. Items today about yesterday’s assassination attempt against Donald Trump, and which side is the one that actually promotes violence. * Well, I didn’t suspect that so many on the right would blame the *left* … Continue reading →

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More About the NYT List

Posted on Saturday 13 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

First of all, I amended yesterday’s post with those books on that NYT list that I’ve read — 9 of them — and those I have copies of but not yet read — 14 of them. And now I’ll off-handedly … Continue reading →

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The Latest Major Book List

Posted on Friday 12 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

First, about this week’s New York Times list of the best books of the 21st century; Second for today: Paul Krugman on how Republicans think that America is a dystopian nightmare. – – – For no particular reason that I … Continue reading →

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Save the Children?

Posted on Thursday 11 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Never mind homeschooling; now there’s a cult of “unschooling”; Nascent thoughts about conservative morality, children, MAGA, and the return to a simpler past — which would be, childhood; How Oklahoma is letting right-wing figures (including David Barton) run its social … Continue reading →

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Two New Ideas

Posted on Wednesday 10 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Or at least, first sightings by me of a couple ideas that have apparently been floating around for a year or two: Moral ambition, and progressive realism. There are new ideas in the world. Because experience and knowledge accumulate. Big … Continue reading →

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Stories, and Change

Posted on Tuesday 9 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Miscellaneous items today, including a few from a couple weeks ago. Oklahoma, insisting the Bible be taught as an historical document, seems intent on mis-educating its children and ill-preparing them for life in the 21st century; How conservative attacks against … Continue reading →

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So we cheated and we lied and we tested

Posted on Monday 8 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Trump’s dementia; The Heritage Foundation’s threat of violence unless they get their way; And a graphic from Fb: “If you don’t scream, I won’t hurt you”; Trump disavows Project 2025; And a song by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Continuing from … Continue reading →

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