Monthly Archives: November 2022

The Day After Election Night, 2022

Posted on 9 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Short version: The Republicans won a few races, but there was no ‘red’ landslide as some, not just Republicans, had predicted. Though of course a few key races are going down to the wire, so control of the House and … Continue reading →

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Election Night, 2022

Posted on 8 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

It’s election day in America, as they say, and for some reason this one feels especially dire. The first national election since Jan. 6th, and with so many conspiracy mongers anxious to detect voter fraud and declare victory by default. … Continue reading →

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Layoff Anniversary

Posted on 7 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Today is the 10th anniversary of my lay-off from the one professional job I’ve ever had, working for the aerospace firm Rocketdyne. November 7, 2012, after 30 years. Details of that life and the aftermath of the layoff on my … Continue reading →

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Reading: Ezra Klein and Pippa Norris

Posted on 6 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

The Ezra Klein Show is a free, semiweekly podcast by Ezra Klein, co-founder of Vox, and author of Why We’re Polarized (my review here), now podcaster and editorial writer for The New York Times, and an all-around very sharp guy. … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Psychology | Leave a comment

Ari Wallach, LONGPATH: Becoming the Great Ancestors Our Future Needs

Posted on 5 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

This is a modest little book with great ambitions to change the way people think. And more power to it if it does. But for anyone who reads science fiction, for example, or is familiar with big issues and long-term … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Culture, Evolution, science fiction | Leave a comment

Significance, and Links

Posted on 4 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

More on yesterday’s post about intuitive morality; the idea of “significance”, and Alastair Reynolds’ new novel; and links and comments.

Posted in Links & Comments, Mathematics, Politics | Leave a comment

Intuitive Justice

Posted on 3 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Reading: Salon, Daniel Sznycer (and Carlton Patrick), 2 Nov 2022: Intuitions about justice are a consistent part of human nature across cultures and millennia Subtitled: “Two professors explain that a moral compass — which appraises right and wrong — is … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Evolution | Leave a comment

G.H. Hardy, A MATHEMATICIAN’S APOLOGY (1940)

Posted on 2 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

In perusing some of the earliest popular books I read about mathematics, including the ones I’ve blogged about here by George Gamow and Krasner & Newman, and then searching around for any other popular mathematical texts from the early 20th … Continue reading →

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That Berkeley Bridge

Posted on 1 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

OK, so maybe I’ll keep posting something every day, just cut back on all the politically oriented links. Maybe just a photo. Maybe a quotation, a passage like the one from Bertrand Russell the other day. And nice photos. More … Continue reading →

Posted in Bay Area, Personal history | Leave a comment