Category Archives: Music

Another Nothing-burger Trump Deal

Posted on Wednesday 8 April 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Trump’s ‘deal’ with Iran seems to have accomplished none of his objectives, and is worse than the Obama deal that Trump cancelled; Comments from Robert Reich, Paul Krugman, Media Matters; Which spills over in the contrast between Artemis II and … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Politics, Religion, Space | Comments Off on Another Nothing-burger Trump Deal

TACO and Cognitive Surrender

Posted on Tuesday 7 April 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

The world worries about presidential insanity and nuclear war until Trump backs down, yet again; AI and “cognitive surrender”; With some perspective about electronic calculators and other forms of new technology over the millennia; And how the surrender of critical … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Human Nature, Lunacy, Music, Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on TACO and Cognitive Surrender

Eve of Destruction?

Posted on Sunday 5 April 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Trump’s profane threats to Iran; US politicians respond; Seeing resurrection everywhere, in cycles of life and death; Trump killed easy tax filing software to appease big business; Review of a book about how capitalism conquered the world and may destroy … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, conservatives, Lunacy, Music, Politics | Comments Off on Eve of Destruction?

The New Space Race

Posted on Wednesday 1 April 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s launch of Artemis II, and my background supporting the space program; A revelation about Bill Warren’s KEEP WATCHING THE SKIES! Noting the popularity of Project Hail Mary; Noting a GoodReads list; Radiohead’s The Gloaming. – – – So America’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Politics, science fiction, Skiffy Flix, Space | Comments Off on The New Space Race

Grasping Reality, or Not

Posted on Tuesday 31 March 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Robert Reich on how Trump thinks he’s winning, but isn’t; Matt Gaetz thinks the US Army is engaging in an alien hybrid breeding program; How some pardoned Jan. 6th rioters have engaged in crime sprees; Paul Krugman wonders why Trump’s … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Music, Religion | Comments Off on Grasping Reality, or Not

Education Conservative Style: Robots

Posted on Monday 30 March 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Conservative ideas of education: replace teachers with robots; Takes on Stephen Miller, white supremacists, Trump voters, college Republicans, taking away the car keys, and Pete Hegseth by Tom Nichols and Paul Krugman; Radiohead: “I Might Be Wrong” – – – … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Music, Politics | Comments Off on Education Conservative Style: Robots

Cognitive Health and Reading

Posted on Sunday 29 March 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Cultural norms changed about exercise, and maybe they can change to address the harms of social media — by reading more; How the faithful grasp at straws to find societal reassurance; More about JD Vance and demons; How the government … Continue reading →

Posted in Lunacy, Music, Psychology | Comments Off on Cognitive Health and Reading

Again, No Kings

Posted on Saturday 28 March 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Noting the rallies held today, bigger than those last time; Pieces today about how MAGA is entering the ‘acceptance’ stage of death, and how there’s no way to redeem Trump’s dismal second presidency; Who are the 100 million people Bovino … Continue reading →

Posted in authoritarianism, Human Nature, Music, Politics | Comments Off on Again, No Kings

Reading and Introspection

Posted on Friday 27 March 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Assessing American literacy, and the claim that being able to read a New York Times article puts you into the “hyper-literate educated elite”; How Trump doesn’t read, at all. How powerful tech oligarchs think introspection is dumb; The new homophobia … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Nature, Music, Politics, Psychology, Tribalism | Comments Off on Reading and Introspection

What Is American Exceptionalism, Really?

Posted on Thursday 26 March 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Lydia Polgreen on how the problem isn’t Trump, it’s America; David French wonders if America is so rich, why are Americans so miserable? Faith that climate change isn’t real; Short items: that classic poll against Arabic numerals; how people who … Continue reading →

Posted in Lunacy, Music, Politics, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on What Is American Exceptionalism, Really?