Category Archives: Music

False Equivalencies, and Books That Cannot Exist

Posted on 28 September 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Items today: Biden is old, but sane, while Trump is nuts; Headlines about faith, book banning, and the Biden impeachment; On the street push back from Fox News’ claims that big cities are hellholes; What Trump means by “his people”; … Continue reading →

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Scales of the Universe

Posted on 15 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

The 13 scales that define our physical universe; A video that maps the Milky Way onto the United States, where on that scale our sun would fit between the ridges of a fingerprint; Recalling again the famous Powers of Ten … Continue reading →

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Why I Hate Pop Concerts

Posted on 14 August 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s lead article is about those of us who dislike attending pop concerts, even of singers and bands we otherwise admire and adore; Then, about PragerU; the “lost boys” on the American Right; and Lukianoff & Haidt’s book about Coddling, … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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Sinéad O’Connor, and That Small Town Song

Posted on 27 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Recalling Sinéad O’Connor.

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Scientific Reality and Ideological Imagination

Posted on 21 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Reality check about warp drives; Reality perspective about the Kardashev ladder; My evolving ideas about traditional vs. honest science fiction; How the latest conservative panic appears in the new film Sound of Freedom; How House Republicans are openly discriminating against … Continue reading →

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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 →

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About Immigration

Posted on 15 July 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

My own ancestors were immigrants, of course, in the 1800s, just like most of the US population; and recalling “Irish Need Not Apply”; NYT’s David Leonhardt about the global immigration backlash, without wondering why these migrations are happening; Paul Krugman … Continue reading →

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