Author Archives: Mark R. Kelly

The US Is Becoming a Demon-Haunted World. Not Necessarily Again.

The National Science Foundation abolishes its 37 divisions; Yet another Trump sycophant from Fox gains a top position, as DC’s top prosecutor; Loonies: Loomer on witchcraft, Hegseth on homosexuality; How wacko conspiracy theories are now affecting the highest levels of … Continue reading

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Shades of Baseless Certainty

Sean Hannity thinks the new pope is too liberal, and Hannity (of course) lies about crime; MTG thinks Catholics are evil; how RFK Jr thinks that the new Surgeon General being unqualified makes her a perfect choice; MAGA’s “soft eugenics” … Continue reading

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The Conservative War Against Liberals, and Cat Toys

Trump’s war against Harvard isn’t about anti-Semitism, it’s about a war against being liberal; And how this fits into my running theme on this blog; The US is trying to impose its anti-DEI values on other countries; Crime is down, … Continue reading

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Academic Freedom, Good Citizens, and Moving Forward

Alan Lightman on academic freedom; Alan Lightman and Martin Rees on how scientists can be good citizens; Rewatching Conclave, and recalling two key quotes, about certainty, and moving forward. – – – The very idea of academic freedom, of freedom … Continue reading

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Cory Doctorow on Project 2025 and Long Knives

Cory Doctorow on how the Project 2025 document is an anthology of often contradictory right-wing fantasies; How Europe is recruiting American scientists, since America under Trump doesn’t want them; Short items about tariffs, tariffs on movies made outside the US, … Continue reading

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The Psychology of Trump and His Supporters

Robert Reich channels George Lakoff, about Trump as an abusive parent; More examples about how Trump is a clueless idiot, and wondering why his supporters don’t care; A bit about Linus. – – – Robert Reich channels George Lakoff. Robert … Continue reading

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The Clueless Conservative War on Reality

MAGA’s war science: Ignorance is Strength!; Trump doesn’t understand the separation of church and state; Trump doesn’t understand how trade deficits worth; Trump thinks Veterans Day should be only about veterans who won wars; Trump doesn’t understand even the Declaration … Continue reading

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Conservatives, Conspiracies, and Reality

White evangelicals still see Trump as ethical and honest, which to me calls into question their moral compass; Trump’s 2026 budget is more for the military and less for everything else, a typical Republican proposal; Separation of church and state … Continue reading

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Credulity, Innumeracy, and Alarmism

More about Pam Bondi’s nonsensical claim that Trump has saved 258 million lives by seizing fentanyl; Has it occurred to Red States to extend tariffs to Blue States, and only buy products from other Red States? How would that work … Continue reading

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Timothy Ferris, COMING OF AGE IN THE MILKY WAY

(Morrow, 1988, 495pp, including 107pp of appendices (a glossary and a timeline history of the universe), notes, bibliography, and index) This is the first big substantial nonfiction book I’ve read in a while, especially one specifically about science. Ferris is … Continue reading

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