Mark R. Kelly
» Founder in 1997 and site-runner for 20 years of Locus Online (Hugo Award winner in 2002). Founder in 2012 and still site-runner of sfadb.com (Science Fiction Awards Database). Retired in 2012 after 30 years as a software engineer for a certain rocket engine factory.
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» Previous Views from Medina Road (2003-2013)
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- This Much is Reality… and This Much is Fantasy
- The Anticipation of Unintended Consequences
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- Here’s a New One: Terrain Theory
- A Little Knowledge… Is a Dangerous Thing
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- There Is Always Long Term Progress and Short Term Retreat
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Meta
Category Archives: Politics
We tell ourselves stories in order to live
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
Posted in Conservative Resistance, Human Nature, Politics
Comments Off on We tell ourselves stories in order to live
Perhaps There Is Only Story
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
Posted in conservatives, Narrative, Politics
Comments Off on Perhaps There Is Only Story
What Democracy Is For
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
Posted in conservatives, Human Nature, Politics
Comments Off on What Democracy Is For
There Is No Other Place
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
Posted in conservatives, Culture, MInd, Politics
Comments Off on There Is No Other Place
Two New Ideas
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
Stories, and Change
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
Posted in Conservative Resistance, Politics, Religion, Social Progress
Comments Off on Stories, and Change
So we cheated and we lied and we tested
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
Posted in Conservative Resistance, Lunacy, Music, Politics
Comments Off on So we cheated and we lied and we tested
Media Bias, Against Biden
More people are noticing the main stream media’s bias against Biden, while giving Trump a pass, since his interminable lying is old news: Robert Reich, Connie Willis, Heather Cox Richardson; With an aside graphic of the goals of Project 2025; … Continue reading
Posted in conservatives, Culture, Politics, Tribalism
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Once You See It
How issues in politics 100 years ago resemble those of today; How Republicans and Democrats live in radically different universes; What the “genius” of the American Founders were thinking; Zbigniew Preisner’s film score for Damage Once you see it, or … Continue reading
Posted in Human Nature, Morality, Music, Politics, Religion
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Fear of Fiction
What is fiction, and why are most people attracted to it? This isn’t just about reading books or short stories; what also is the attraction of movies and TV shows that are all about imaginary people facing imaginary problems? Why … Continue reading
Posted in Human Nature, Narrative, Politics, Religion
Comments Off on Fear of Fiction
