Monthly Archives: November 2025

Because It’s There, and Because We Can

Posted on Sunday 30 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Big Think, Ethan Siegel, 28 Nov 2025: Ask Ethan: What’s the point of exploring the Universe?, subtitled “There are so many problems, all across planet Earth, that harm and threaten humanity. Why invest in researching the Universe?” (My first comment, … Continue reading →

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Incoherence

Posted on Saturday 29 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Trump presumes to close Venezuelan airspace, as part of his campaign against drug smugglers, while pardoning a former Honduran president sentenced to prison for drug smuggling; About the new Connie Willis Daily website; The global decline in murder; Short takes … Continue reading →

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Thanksgiving

Posted on Friday 28 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Thanksgiving with an Asian family; A Facebook graphic about hospitals and who gets the money; Carl Sagan on Who Speaks for Earth? Recalling quotes by E.O. Wilson and Robert A. Heinlein; Don D’Ammassa on humanity’s death spiral; NYT articles on … Continue reading →

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False Equivalences

Posted on Wednesday 26 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Frank Bruni on people who excuse Trump’s outrageous behavior for the relatively minor sins of the previous administration, unable to tell the difference in magnitude; Briefly noted items about Mark Kelly and Benedict Arnold; NYT on Trump’s fatigue and Trump’s … Continue reading →

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Principles vs. Loyalty

Posted on Tuesday 25 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

More about the ad that advised soldiers they don’t need to carry out illegal orders, with threats against Senator Mark Kelly; The demise of DOGE, which accomplished nothing; Tom Nichols suggests the Sen. Mark Kelly should be secretary of defense; … Continue reading →

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Be Careful What You Wish For

Posted on Monday 24 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

What a no-immigration economy looks like; A profound psychological question: why is RFK Jr. so convinced he’s right? A thought for the day about childhood religion; Briefly noted items about an administration of liars; how MAGA is tearing apart following … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Psychology | Comments Off on Be Careful What You Wish For

Getting the Joke

Posted on Sunday 23 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Family in town this weekend, a pre-Thanksgiving get-together to avoid busier plans next weekend. Michael and Honey and baby here; trips to Alameda and Foster City and Berkeley; I put 100 miles on my car in three days, driving back … Continue reading →

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The Retreat from the Enlightenment

Posted on Friday 21 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

The key theme of our age, at least in the US: the retreat from the aspirations of the Enlightenment, both political and scientific. Reverting to tribalism and intuitive superstitions. Actually, these forces have probably never gone away. The difference now … Continue reading →

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Now It’s Calls for Execution

Posted on Thursday 20 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Several Democrats advise the military that they don’t have to follow illegal orders; Trump orders their trials for sedition, punishable by death; More about Trump and Piggy; And more about Trump and the Crown Prince; Items about the CDC reinstating … Continue reading →

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What Meaning Means, and if AI Gods Provide That

Posted on Wednesday 19 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

What the search for meaning actually means; How AI apps fulfill religious needs; Reasons why math scores are falling; Short items about Nick Fuentes, people fired for criticizing Charlie Kirk, Trump and the Saudi crown prince, and RFK Jr.’s miasma … Continue reading →

Posted in authoritarianism, Meaning, Politics | Comments Off on What Meaning Means, and if AI Gods Provide That