Author Archives: Mark R. Kelly

Ethnic Cleansing and Collective Effervescence

Posted on Thursday 1 January 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

The Department of Homeland Security imagines a future in which 1/3 of the American population is deported; The idea of “collective effervescence”; Brief posts about the dirty 1970s, Trump and aspirin; Florida giving God citations passes; and items from JMG. … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Psychology | Leave a comment

Where We Are, Here at the End of 2025

Posted on Wednesday 31 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

How Trump has made the government smaller, but not more efficient or dependable; Example of shutting down NASA’s library; Example of cuts to science research; How Trump prefers “vibes” to data; New Yorker’s Susan B. Glasser wonders how people let … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Culture, Politics | Leave a comment

Return from Holiday Trip

Posted on Tuesday 30 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

We were in SoCal the past few days, beginning Christmas Day, visiting Sue and Steve, Michael and Honey, Gary and Lynne, Funyun and family, Alan and Ian, Suzanne and extended family; chatting with Vivien and Barry, Alex and Francis, many … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Meaning, Morality, Travel | Leave a comment

Good News, Two Ways

Posted on Wednesday 24 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Progress, and Christmas songs. First, let’s note this. Vox, Bryan Walsh, 22 Dec 2025: 2025 felt like a disaster — but the numbers tell a very different story, subtitled “From a CRISPR baby to a closing ozone hole, 5 actually … Continue reading →

Posted in progress, Religion | Comments Off on Good News, Two Ways

Steady Encroachment

Posted on Tuesday 23 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Quick takes today. Robert Reich, 22 Dec 2025: Farewell to “60 Minutes”, subtitled “It just went the way of the Washington Post’s editorial page” Once you begin surrendering to Trump, he always wants more. You can’t appease a tyrant. David … Continue reading →

Posted in authoritarianism, Lunacy, Politics, Religion | Comments Off on Steady Encroachment

Steven Pinker, ENLIGHTENMENT NOW, post 6

Posted on Tuesday 23 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress” (Viking, Feb. 2018, xix+556pp, including 102pp of notes, references, and index.) Posts about this book: Post 1; Post 2; Post 3; Post 4; Post 5; Post 6. The final chapter considers humanism as the … Continue reading →

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Government Suppression, and Dr. Noc

Posted on Monday 22 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

CBS, now controlled by a Trump acolyte, pulled a story from last night’s 60 Minutes at the last moment; Dr. Noc on Facebook, a new reliable source; Short items about Trump’s favorite excuse, Republicans again taking credit for funding due … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Science | Comments Off on Government Suppression, and Dr. Noc

Steven Pinker, ENLIGHTENMENT NOW, post 5

Posted on Monday 22 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress” (Viking, Feb. 2018, xix+556pp, including 102pp of notes, references, and index.) Posts about this book: Post 1; Post 2; Post 3; Post 4; Post 5. Expanded below. Part I of this book outlined the … Continue reading →

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An Antebellum Constitution, Christianity, and Christmas

Posted on Sunday 21 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Adam Serwer on how conservatives want an Antebellum Constitution; David French on why Christianity is a dangerous faith; Nicholas Kristof and Bart Ehrman on what Jesus would think of Christmas 2025. – – – Undoing progress and dragging us back … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Religion | Comments Off on An Antebellum Constitution, Christianity, and Christmas

Steven Pinker, ENLIGHTENMENT NOW, post 4

Posted on Sunday 21 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress” (Viking, Feb. 2018, xix+556pp, including 102pp of notes, references, and index.) Here are the remaining ten chapters in the long middle section of the book that focuses on Progress. Some of these … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Steven Pinker | Comments Off on Steven Pinker, ENLIGHTENMENT NOW, post 4