Author Archives: Mark R. Kelly

New Ideas in the World

Posted on Tuesday 12 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Has a new circulation system been found in the human body that might explain why acupuncture seems to work? Has a new framework been found that explains how the laws of nature varied at the start of the universe before … Continue reading →

Posted in Physics, Racism, Science | Comments Off on New Ideas in the World

Recalling American Life Before Vaccines, Including My Own

Posted on Monday 11 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

A remembrance of America before vaccines; How the DOGE-ing of the Humanities is being reversed, fortunately; Briefly noted: Trump’s intuitive thinking is wrong about vaccines and autism; a Republican who thinks racial discrimination is a thing of the past, as … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Family History, Personal history, Politics | Comments Off on Recalling American Life Before Vaccines, Including My Own

Cooperation Is the Key to Human Advancement

Posted on Sunday 10 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

A counterpoint to zero-sum thinking from Japan, and cooperation; Tennessee shows how to rig an election; Short items on Trump, the Pope, and the Bible; now RFK Jr. is worried about jello; how a Christian conspiracy theorist now admits to … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Human Nature, Human Progress, Politics, Religion | Comments Off on Cooperation Is the Key to Human Advancement

UFOs, Consciousness, Being Savvy

Posted on Saturday 9 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Adam Frank on the new UFO data; Thoughts about being savvy, and reality-literacy, and the lack of evidence for both UFOs and God; Carlo Rovelli denies there is a “hard problem” of consciousness. – – – One more about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Religion, Science | Comments Off on UFOs, Consciousness, Being Savvy

AI, UFOs, Tradwives

Posted on Friday 8 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Two pieces on Richard Dawkins, AI, and Clarke’s first law; Items on the new UFO files being released by the government; Two items about tradwives; Items debunking the so-called religious revival, Trump claiming hantavirus is “very much under control,” and … Continue reading →

Posted in Lunacy, Psychology | Comments Off on AI, UFOs, Tradwives

Sean Carroll on Science and Religion, and Templeton

Posted on Thursday 7 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Sean Carroll on science and religion, and why he doesn’t take money from the Templeton Foundation; Short items on how the Trump administration cutting funding to study the hantavirus, the one now loose on that cruise ship; more blaming Satan … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Religion, Science | Comments Off on Sean Carroll on Science and Religion, and Templeton

Rutger Bregman: MORAL AMBITION

Posted on Thursday 7 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference (2024 in Dutch; Little, Brown, 2025, 285pp, including 53pp of Thanks, Notes, and Index) Here’s the third book by Rutger Bregman, a Dutch historian and thinker. First was UTOPIA FOR … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Human Progress, longtermism, Morality | Comments Off on Rutger Bregman: MORAL AMBITION

Neil deGrasse Tyson, Paul Krugman, Jesse Bering

Posted on Wednesday 6 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Neil deGrasse Tyson on aliens, and his new book; Paul Krugman explains how MAGA will kill many Americans; Jesse Bering on karma; And short items about Trump’s health, aliens, the ballroom, the upcoming cage match, and “low T”. – – … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Human Nature, Science | Comments Off on Neil deGrasse Tyson, Paul Krugman, Jesse Bering

Dealing with Inevitable Change

Posted on Tuesday 5 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

How to deal with long-term population decline; Astrology, sigh; A Christian phone network to block reality; Long essay about how Paul, not Jesus, founded Christianity, as many of us already understand; Short items about Republican censorship, lies, the tests for … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Culture, longtermism | Comments Off on Dealing with Inevitable Change

Humanity and Heartbreak?

Posted on Monday 4 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

A new version of Lord of the Flies, which I think I might watch; The idea of peer review, and my professional background; Cory on Rebecca; What religious tribalists mean by “going against the grain”. – – – I’ve read … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Nature, Science | Comments Off on Humanity and Heartbreak?