Category Archives: conservatives

Media, Mystics, and Two Key Republican Obsessions

Posted on 3 November 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Two curious items from Facebook, about learning new media, and scientists as “mystics”; Three items, one by Paul Krugman, about the Republicans’ naked obsession with benefiting the ultra-wealthy; Three items, or maybe four, about Republican obsession with other people’s sex … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Politics, Psychology, Religion, Science | Leave a comment

Dysfunctional American Politics and Speculation About Root Causes

Posted on 22 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Paul Krugman on the decline of Pax Americana; New Republic on why the Republicans are dysfunctional: they have no policy ideas or purpose; NYT’s Jamelle Bouie on how the Republican Party got Southernized; And a note about Jonathan Rauch’s The … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Politics | Leave a comment

Politics and Education

Posted on 20 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Two items about Jim Jordan; Two items about education. —— A couple more items about Jim Jordan (currently still trying to get elected to Speaker of the House). Salon, Amanda Marcotte, 19 Oct 2023: Jim Jordan’s curious rise: A tale … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Education | Leave a comment

San Francisco, according to The New Yorker

Posted on 17 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

A long New Yorker essay about San Francisco, which acknowledges the minuses and the plusses; An ethereal track by Enya: “Exile”. – – – Another piece about San Francisco, a long piece in The New Yorker. Reading it now. Is … Continue reading →

Posted in Bay Area, conservatives, Music | Leave a comment

UBI, Shopping, and San Francisco

Posted on 16 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Another take on the idea of “universal basic income”; About conservative supermarket shopping habits; San Francisco’s ranking among world cities. Another take on the idea of “universal basic income,” the counter-intuitive (and anathema to conservatives) notion than the government simply … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Culture, Economics | Leave a comment

MAGAs and Ukraine; Trust in Science

Posted on 3 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Paul Krugman on why MAGA supports Putin rather than Ukraine; An essay on why Americans increasingly distrust science; And in tribute the late Larry Kramer, the greatest track I heard when he introduced me to the rock band U2. NY … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Music, Science | Leave a comment

Another Day of Examples of Beliefs vs. Reality

Posted on 13 September 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Another example of conservatives retelling history, from PragerU; How those with beliefs in subjective truths are more prone to conspiracy theories; How China is now using AI to sow disinformation to gullible Americans, and wondering how long it will be … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, History, Psychology | Leave a comment

Three More About Vivek

Posted on 31 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

I’m preoccupied with setting up my new laptop — which has no CD/DVD drive for installing old software ! — but will post two or three more pieces about Vivek. Promise to move on to something else tomorrow. Robert Reich … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Politics, reality | Leave a comment