Category Archives: Culture

Phone Calls, Denials, and Reading Philosophy

Posted on Saturday 6 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Phone call etiquette; Denial of the Jan. 6 Insurrection, despite receipts; How denial of evolution resembles current efforts to deny democracy; And some thoughts about reading philosophy. Still under the weather; perhaps by Monday I’ll have the energy to get … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Personal history, Philosophy, Politics, The Book | Comments Off on Phone Calls, Denials, and Reading Philosophy

Living in Space; Detox and Cleanliness

Posted on Tuesday 2 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Today some more substantial links from the past week or so. Going into space for art; Why detox treatments are nonsense; Our obsession with cleanliness. There have been thoughts recently about the very plausibility of mankind living in space, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Aesthetics, Culture, Music | Comments Off on Living in Space; Detox and Cleanliness

Leaving Off with 2023

Posted on Monday 1 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

It’s 2024! Let’s see where 2023 left off, based on links I collected over the past week while traveling. Twenty-two items below, including these topics: Thom Hartmann on GOP scams; Roger Rosenblatt on New Year’s Resolutions; Mike Johnson’s alliance with … Continue reading →

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Stupid or Evil?

Posted on Friday 15 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

The dictatorship theme continues. Are Trump supporters stupid or evil? A WaPo piece gives many examples of statements by them, dismissing his dictatorship intentions; then Salon’s Amanda Marcotte deconstructs them; Her take: “Regular readers know I’m Team They’re Evil, in … Continue reading →

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Picking Up Where We Left Off Yesterday…

Posted on Thursday 14 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Why are many Americans thirsty for authoritarianism?; Why well-intentioned campus speech codes should be abolished; Several items on why the GOP is pursing a Biden impeachment inquiry, despite lack of evidence; How Trump is now conflating himself with God; MAGA: … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, conservatives, Culture, Politics | Comments Off on Picking Up Where We Left Off Yesterday…

Link Dump from Recent Days

Posted on Wednesday 13 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Catching up on links from the past week, in no particular order. Subjects are: Another take on why people are pessimistic about their economic futures; Trump’s dictatorship: “History shows that autocrats always tell you who they are and what they … Continue reading →

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Christmas Presents and Consumerism; Beauty in the Universe

Posted on Monday 11 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Christmas presents, consumerism, and Adam Lee’s take on minimalism; The idea of ‘beauty’ in the universe, as another component of science fiction’s “consilience”; First take on the new Peter Gabriel album. Like many people as we get older, when Christmas … Continue reading →

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Bathing, Evidence, Control, Dating, Social Security

Posted on Wednesday 29 November 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Why daily bathing (just like trying to kill every germ in sight) may not be healthy; Items about Republican admissions they don’t have evidence for their claims; how they take credit for what they voted against; how the party of … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Culture, Evolution, Politics | Comments Off on Bathing, Evidence, Control, Dating, Social Security

Last Questions and Possible Answers, 4

Posted on Tuesday 28 November 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

This is my fourth and likely last post, following this one in March and this one in June, and this one eight days ago, in which I consider the John Brockman book The Last Unknowns, in which he gathers deep … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Culture, Human Progress, Philosophy, Religion, Science, science fiction | Comments Off on Last Questions and Possible Answers, 4

Last Questions and Possible Answers, 3

Posted on Monday 20 November 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

This is my third post, following this one in March and this one in June, in which I consider the John Brockman book The Last Unknowns, in which he gathers deep unanswered questions about “the universe, the mind, the future … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Culture, Evolution, Human Progress, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, Religion, Science | Comments Off on Last Questions and Possible Answers, 3