Author Archives: Mark R. Kelly

The New Commie Threat

Posted on Monday 6 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Robert Reich on the Commie threat, a tired Republican charge, recalling McCarthy; Lazy Republican thinking about communism and current kids these days; Twisted thinking about religious liberty; A video of Paula White, presidential spiritual advisor; Stephen Miller, divine providence, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, conservatives, Human Nature, Lunacy, Politics, Religion | Leave a comment

Toby Ord, THE PRECIPICE

Posted on Monday 6 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity (Hachette, 2020, 468pp, including 225pp of resources, acknowledgements, appendices, further reading, notes, bibliography, and index.) Here is book about existential risks, a topic on which I have several books, though this one … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Culture, Evolution, Human Progress | Leave a comment

A Muted July 4th

Posted on Sunday 5 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Last night, the DC fireworks being delayed, and the SF fireworks obscured, we were left watching Trump’s July 4th speech. The fireworks shot off the Golden Gate Bridge were yet again shrouded by Pacific fog, as they are almost every … Continue reading →

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The 250th, Patriotism, and the Sin of Pride

Posted on Saturday 4 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Today is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, by the US, to separate itself from English rule. * Some overviews then. Once again, there are always problems, but people typically don’t give credit where credit … Continue reading →

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About the Appeal of Stories

Posted on Friday 3 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

How the great books appeal both to literary standards and our lizard brains; With my speculations about the appeal of science fiction; July 4th. The Guardian on how the US is a global citizen gone rogue; how the stain on … Continue reading →

Posted in Narrative, Politics | Leave a comment

What Is This About Democratic Socialists?

Posted on Thursday 2 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Jonathan Chait thinks they’re bad; Jerry Coyne echoes his animus; Robert Reich sees a different trend, more exciting than democratic socialism; While Paul Krugman thinks “most of us are social democrats”, which seems to exhibit the way these words are … Continue reading →

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Lost Potential

Posted on Wednesday 1 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

The families conservatives want; Heather Cox Richardson on the Republican motives to strike down the Fourteenth Amendment; Brief items about mandating the Bible in class; yet another study finds no link between Tylenol and autism; a conservative wants to sterilize … Continue reading →

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The Conservative Ethos: Tribalistic, Xenophobic, Autocratic

Posted on Tuesday 30 June 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

How the Supreme Court repeatedly gives Trump the license to discriminate (never mind “all men are created equal”); Robert Reich on the Court’s decision to let Trump fire officials in government agencies whenever he likes; Robert Reich on how the … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Culture, Politics, Racism | Leave a comment

Are the Best Years Behind Us? No.

Posted on Monday 29 June 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

The US is better off than 50 years ago, yet people feel worse (another version of this recurring story); Alfred Schnittke’s Concerto Grosso no. 1. – – – Yet another story on this general theme. It’s about human nature, not … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Nature, Music | Leave a comment

Facebook Saves

Posted on Monday 29 June 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Rand Paul and Tulsi Gabbard, still out to discredit Dr. Fauci, only reveal their scientific illiteracy; The difference between science and science’s pretenders, pseudoscience and science denial; A crude but apt characterization of Christian theology; Things theists claim as evidence … Continue reading →

Posted in LIteracy, Science | Leave a comment