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 (2010-2013)
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Meta
Author Archives: Mark R. Kelly
End of Year Summaries
David Brooks’ favorite essays include one about how Trump’s people have no clue about how to fix complex problems, and one about why people believe *true* things; Two pieces from The Atlantic about 77 facts from 2024, and important breakthroughs … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Politics, Science, Social Progress, Technology
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Driving the I5, and Varieties of Dining Experience
Another quick trip from the Bay Area to LA over the past few days of the Christmas Holiday, constrained as usual by work schedules. It’s a 370 mile trip, from our place in Oakland to the West LA area where … Continue reading
Posted in Personal history
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Muddling Through Somehow
Since today is Christmas Eve, yesterday must have been Christmas Adam, right? (First I’ve heard about this.) NY Times, 22 Dec 2024: Behold! ‘Christmas Adam’ Is Born., subtitled “First there was Christmas Eve … and then a new celebration was … Continue reading
Posted in Human Nature, Religion, Social Progress
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The Certitude of the Religious
David French asks and tries to explain why Christians are so cruel; David Brooks writes about his experience of faith; And Kurt Gray about misunderstanding human nature. – – – Of course I’m sure they would deny this. Passing the … Continue reading
Posted in Human Nature, Religion
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Children, Adults Who Think Like Children, and Adults Who Don’t
Trump doesn’t need to keep his promises because he’ll just claim that he has, and blame his enemies when it’s obvious he has not; How the threat of government shutdown reveals the Republicans as the party of “no”, recalling William … Continue reading
Posted in Conservative Resistance, Politics, Psychology, Religion
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So Are We to Live in an Authoritarian Oligarchy?
The un-elected Elon Musk seems to be running the country this week; How the Drone Panic reveals a need to believe, in *something*. So not only is our incipient administration authoritarian, it’s authoritarian and being run by an oligarch! NY … Continue reading
Posted in Conservative Resistance, Politics, Psychology, Religion, Supernatural
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Psychological Underpinnings
The drone panic is about human psychology; So is the fear of vaccines. – – – Once again, the drone panic is not about drones. NY Times, Zeynep Tufekci, 19 Dec 2024: How to Make the Drone Panic So … Continue reading
Posted in Politics, Psychology
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Tim Urban, Out of Left Field
About a writer I’d never heard of, Tim Urban, and his book, and their connection to Luigi Mangione; The psychological motivations of the drone alarmists. – – – NY Times, David Wallace-Wells, 18 Dec 2024: Can Anyone Make Sense of … Continue reading
Posted in History, Psychology, Social Progress
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Notes from Inside the Universe
Vox answers questions about the drones; A piece by Rahm Emanual inspires my own thinking about how much it matters which party is in power, every election cycle; Trump wants to expel immigrants but is happy to hire them; Nancy … Continue reading
Posted in Conservative Resistance, Lunacy, Science
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The Drones! The Drones!
First let’s finish the second Robert Reich item we began yesterday. Then the drones. Robert Reich, 13 Dec 2024: America’s four stories (Part 2)
