Category Archives: Music

Third Essay of the Weekend

Posted on 21 April 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

An Elizabeth Kolbert essay about the debate about the term “Anthropocene”; And Neil Finn’s beautiful lullaby “Faster than Light”. * This is Elizabeth Kolbert (author of The Sixth Extinction, one of the best nonfiction books of the 21st century; review … Continue reading →

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The Awe of the Solar Eclipse

Posted on 7 April 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Three items today. Addressing a piece that claims that the awe of the solar eclipse, tomorrow, will somehow unite humanity (I think not; it hasn’t before); Another appreciation of Daniel Kahneman, who explained how humans think, and established the idea … Continue reading →

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Emotional Intelligence and Con Men

Posted on 14 March 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Robert Reich on Trump’s stupidity — except for his emotional intelligence, which manifests as his being a con man; Peter Wehner on “Fifth Avenue Republicans”; Tom Nichols about why Trump shouldn’t be given security briefings; Music: Neil Finn’s “Into the … Continue reading →

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Two Thought-Provoking Pieces, and Notes about the Fringe

Posted on 6 March 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Adam Frank on science and the need to account for human experience; How “entropy bagels” and other complex structures emerge from simple rules; Headlines about the fringe: that North Carolina GOP nominee; how Trump is degenerating; his empty pseudo-religion; his … Continue reading →

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Steven Pinker, HOW THE MIND WORKS, post 4

Posted on 26 February 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Chapter 8, “The Meaning of Life,” is the last 45 page chapter of this 565 page (counting only text) book. Here he covers matters of human culture, much as Wilson did at the end of his 1978 book. Given that … Continue reading →

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More on the IVF Brouhaha

Posted on 23 February 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Vox summarizes the issue; Republicans are walking the issue back; they know it won’t win them votes; Amanda Marcotte on how this is about Christians controlling women; Robert Reich on the emerging Republican theocracy; A link to Connie Willis’ latest … Continue reading →

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In her soft wind I will whisper

Posted on 21 February 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Paul Krugman on how people see what they believe, despite evidence, regarding Tucker Carlson and his visit to Russia; Robert Reich on how Trump, and Putin, are not leaders; they’re thugs; About selective memory among conservatives about the economy under … Continue reading →

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Black Shapes Gather in the Distance

Posted on 20 February 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Items from the fringe, many related to my comments at the end of yesterday’s post. How Christian nationalists plan to use a second Trump administration to infuse their policies into all aspects of government; How conservatives claim to “disagree” with … Continue reading →

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Those Who Believe Things that Are Not True, and Those Who Try Not To

Posted on 30 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

There’s a spectrum of people from those who settle into narratives, believing things that are not true, and those who try to escape those narratives and try to perceive the real world; Paul Krugman on how MAGA is not grounded … Continue reading →

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Late Afternoon and the House is Warm

Posted on 22 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Another storm blowing through the Bay Area today. Jets are flying into SFO from the north, a rare circumstance. (I can see them from our balcony.) Our three kitties lie near me in my living room office, to be near … Continue reading →

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