Category Archives: Culture

The Slow Death of Lawns in Deserts

Posted on 13 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Major item today about the slow death of lawns in deserts, especially in the US southwest; Then a few quick items, about the decline of Christianity, and Scientology’s psychological torture; And a musical piece by Ludovico Einaudi. – – – … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Music, Religion | Leave a comment

American Fragility and the Latest Political Hijinks

Posted on 11 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

David Brooks on a kind of American decline, echoing some points of a 2018 book I happen to be half-way through reading; Quick links about slitting throats, Republican credulity, and firing Democrats; John Scalzi on that Ohio ballot measure. Here’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Politics | Leave a comment

Needless Deaths, Groceries, and Trump vs. Jesus

Posted on 10 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

David Wallace-Wells: why do Americans suffer so many “needless deaths” than other nations?; Why groceries are expensive is not an American issue; How some Trump-loving congregants deride Jesus’ teachings as “weak”. And Hans Zimmer’s “Journey to the Line,” from THE … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Economics | Leave a comment

More About Who’s to Blame for Trump

Posted on 7 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

A Slate writer responds to NYT’s David Brooks about how the “elites” are to blame for Trump culture; A David Brin post; Some quick links with comments… Phil Plait on seeing the Milky Way; And George Michael’s “You Have Been … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Culture, Music, Politics | Leave a comment

America’s Dominance and Decline

Posted on 6 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Just one substantial item today, compared to the several posted yesterday. If America is so great by some economic and military standards, why is our quality of life, compared to so many other countries around the world, so poor? Concluding … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Human Progress, Religion | Leave a comment

Vetting Online News Sources

Posted on 1 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

About “critical ignoring”, vetting sources of news before you read them; The distractions of the internet; Today’s back-of-the-envelope timeline, from Savannah/tribal morality to Enlightenment values and now back to Savannah/tribal morality. Here’s a piece, which I probably stumbled upon via … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Psychology | Leave a comment

Doomscrolling Climate Change; and Small Towns

Posted on 30 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

The latest about climate change, and wondering when will the conservative deniers admit there is a problem; More about that vigilante justice country song, and Bruce Springsteen. Perhaps I should cut back on the doomscrolling. I don’t actually scroll looking … Continue reading →

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

Horror and Exasperation

Posted on 26 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

How young people are progressive, a problem for the GOP; Thomas Edsall on Republican and Democratic attitudes about masculinity; Climate experts express “horror and exasperation as global predictions play out”. Sometimes you have to wonder what conservatives are conserving. On … Continue reading →

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

Demographic Shifts

Posted on 25 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Issues with the increasing number of old people in the US; Issues with the fragmentation of evangelical churches. Salon, Mary Elizabeth Williams, 23 Jul 2023: Live long and flounder: An aging expert on the looming crisis of our longer lifespans, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Religion | Leave a comment

They’re Telling Us Who They Are, and What They Will Do

Posted on 17 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Maya Angelou: “When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.” (source and source) How Trump and his acolytes are openly planning to set up an authoritarian government, should he rewin the Presidency; Similarly, Republicans in Ohio … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Culture, Music, Science | Leave a comment