Mark R. Kelly
» Founder in 1997 and site-runner for 20 years of Locus Online (Hugo Award winner in 2002). Founder in 2012 and still site-runner of sfadb.com (Science Fiction Awards Database). Retired in 2012 after 30 years as a software engineer for a certain rocket engine factory.
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» Previous Views from Medina Road (2010-2013)
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- Where We Are, 4 Jan 2026
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- Is Reading a Vice? No.
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Meta
Category Archives: Politics
Nominalism, and Some Cool Maps
The idea of nominalism, from a 77-year-old book, that seems to have inspired MAGA’s arrested moral development; Apocalyptic speculation in science fiction and in speculative maps; Brief items about Trump’s whitewashing of American history, teaching students how to think, and … Continue reading
Posted in Morality, Politics, science fiction
Comments Off on Nominalism, and Some Cool Maps
Human Happiness, and Fonts
Sean Illing and Brad DeLong wonder why, with all humanity’s progress, aren’t we happier? An eternal question; Paul Krugman on how Trump thinks people aren’t properly grateful for his perfect economy; Marco Rubio defeats a woke font; Heather Cox Richardson … Continue reading
Posted in Conservative Resistance, Human Nature, Politics, progress
Comments Off on Human Happiness, and Fonts
Detached from Reality
Would conservatives insist that student papers defending creationism or flat eartherism qualify in science classes, if citing the Bible as evidence? More about Trump’s white supremacist policies; Brief items about Russia, Masculine public hangings, Trump’s “library,” and AI sermons. – … Continue reading
Posted in Conservative Resistance, Politics, Religion
Comments Off on Detached from Reality
Strategies of Reality Denial
Trump’s basic strategy is “deny deny deny”; Why young men turn to Nick Fuentes’ neo-Nazi movement; How Trump is dragging the White House press corps, and perhaps all modern civilization, down into his gutter; How Trump is reviving rules about … Continue reading
Posted in Conservative Resistance, conservatives, Philosophy, Politics
Comments Off on Strategies of Reality Denial
The Trembling Present
Are we on the verge of societal collapse in the US, back into totalitarianism or feudalism, or will this current era pass? Ilhan Omar on Trump’s naked bigotry; Robert Reich on Trump’s mental decline, and the relaxing of inhibitions in … Continue reading
Posted in Conservative Resistance, Lunacy, Politics
Comments Off on The Trembling Present
The Fog of War, Hurricanes, and Cave Man Mentality
JD Vance’s caveman rage against a lesbian stepmom; Heather Cox Richardson about Trump’s decline in mental acuity, and Sen. Mark Kelly on Pete Hegseth; Zack Beauchamp on how Trump is advancing the white nationalist worldview; Hegseth’s misunderstanding of the metaphor … Continue reading
Posted in Conservative Resistance, conservatives, Politics, Religion
Comments Off on The Fog of War, Hurricanes, and Cave Man Mentality
Incoherence
Trump presumes to close Venezuelan airspace, as part of his campaign against drug smugglers, while pardoning a former Honduran president sentenced to prison for drug smuggling; About the new Connie Willis Daily website; The global decline in murder; Short takes … Continue reading
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving with an Asian family; A Facebook graphic about hospitals and who gets the money; Carl Sagan on Who Speaks for Earth? Recalling quotes by E.O. Wilson and Robert A. Heinlein; Don D’Ammassa on humanity’s death spiral; NYT articles on … Continue reading
Posted in conservatives, Narrative, Personal history, Politics
Comments Off on Thanksgiving
False Equivalences
Frank Bruni on people who excuse Trump’s outrageous behavior for the relatively minor sins of the previous administration, unable to tell the difference in magnitude; Briefly noted items about Mark Kelly and Benedict Arnold; NYT on Trump’s fatigue and Trump’s … Continue reading
Posted in Conservative Resistance, Human Nature, Lunacy, Politics, Psychology
Comments Off on False Equivalences
Principles vs. Loyalty
More about the ad that advised soldiers they don’t need to carry out illegal orders, with threats against Senator Mark Kelly; The demise of DOGE, which accomplished nothing; Tom Nichols suggests the Sen. Mark Kelly should be secretary of defense; … Continue reading
Posted in conservatives, Morality, Politics
Comments Off on Principles vs. Loyalty
