Author Archives: Mark R. Kelly

Three Items by Paul Krugman

Posted on Friday 7 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

About why people don’t believe, or understand, that the economy has gotten better; Conspiracy theorists who think the government is simply faking the data about an improving economy; How ‘tech bros’ like Elon Musk are given to reflexive contrarianism and … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Three Items by Paul Krugman

Ignoring Evidence vs Paying Attention

Posted on Thursday 6 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

The hottest day on Earth, as scientists have anticipated; David French on the mindset of MAGA America As the scientists have been predicting for decades. NY Times, 6 Jul 2023: Heat Records Are Broken Around the Globe as Earth Warms, … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Science | Comments Off on Ignoring Evidence vs Paying Attention

Three Profiles of the Modern Republican Party

Posted on Wednesday 5 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

It used to be a respectable party. But even some inside it are questioning its extremists. Three groups of items today. Moms of Liberty, Republican appeals to famous dictators, and their take that apologizing, for anything, is a weakness; DeSantis … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Morality, Politics | Comments Off on Three Profiles of the Modern Republican Party

A Predictable Trend; Ideas about Patriotism

Posted on Tuesday 4 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Two items about the decades-long trend of the decline (even) in the US of allegiance to organized religion, and how this fits into the theme of primitive v. mature moralities; Heather Cox Richardson reflects on the stages of American independence; … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Politics, Religion | Comments Off on A Predictable Trend; Ideas about Patriotism

Ideology vs. Reality, Endlessly

Posted on Monday 3 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Is this the core issue to rule them all? Since the survival of humanity seems to be in the balance? Item’s today: How the Supreme Court’s anti-LGBTQ case should never have been brought; How the rise of the religious far … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Evolution, Human Progress, Music, Politics, Religion | Comments Off on Ideology vs. Reality, Endlessly

Human History and World History: Two Perspectives

Posted on Sunday 2 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Carl Sagan on human history as “a slowly dawning awareness that we are members of a larger group” and how conservatives counter this; Peter Turchin about his theory of world history and how he identifies the US as a plutocracy. … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, History, Human Progress | Comments Off on Human History and World History: Two Perspectives

Conservative “Intellectualism,” and Fear

Posted on Saturday 1 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Today: A long article about “conservative intellectuals”; How my attention to politics, especially to conservative antics, is actually all about science fiction, and its aspirations; A couple items about the Supreme Court case that did not involve an actual gay … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Conservative “Intellectualism,” and Fear

The Supreme Court’s Conservative Rollback

Posted on Friday 30 June 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Topics today: This week’s Supreme Court decisions on affirmative action and discrimination against gays; My wondering why such discrimination against, say, mixed-race couples, and people of other religions, isn’t also OK (or maybe it is?) Republican hysteria about immigrants, whom … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Politics, science fiction | Comments Off on The Supreme Court’s Conservative Rollback

Recent Headlines

Posted on Thursday 29 June 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Let’s round up some recent headlines, with minimal comments and quotes. LA Times, LZ Granderson, 29 Jun 2023: Column: Sure, people are moving to Texas. But not for the reasons Gov. Greg Abbott claims

Posted in Links & Comments, Politics | Comments Off on Recent Headlines

Conceptions of Aging, and of Traveling

Posted on Wednesday 28 June 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

The South Korean tradition of aging is giving way to the tradition of the rest of the world; The many ways traveling is problematic; And the idea of virtual traveling. Here’s a fascinating example of how different cultures think differently … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Travel | Comments Off on Conceptions of Aging, and of Traveling