Category Archives: Politics

Strategies of Reality Denial

Posted on Friday 5 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

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 →

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The Trembling Present

Posted on Thursday 4 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

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 →

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The Fog of War, Hurricanes, and Cave Man Mentality

Posted on Wednesday 3 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

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 →

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Incoherence

Posted on Saturday 29 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

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 →

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Thanksgiving

Posted on Friday 28 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

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 →

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False Equivalences

Posted on Wednesday 26 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

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 →

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Principles vs. Loyalty

Posted on Tuesday 25 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

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 →

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Getting the Joke

Posted on Sunday 23 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Family in town this weekend, a pre-Thanksgiving get-together to avoid busier plans next weekend. Michael and Honey and baby here; trips to Alameda and Foster City and Berkeley; I put 100 miles on my car in three days, driving back … Continue reading →

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The Retreat from the Enlightenment

Posted on Friday 21 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

The key theme of our age, at least in the US: the retreat from the aspirations of the Enlightenment, both political and scientific. Reverting to tribalism and intuitive superstitions. Actually, these forces have probably never gone away. The difference now … Continue reading →

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Now It’s Calls for Execution

Posted on Thursday 20 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Several Democrats advise the military that they don’t have to follow illegal orders; Trump orders their trials for sedition, punishable by death; More about Trump and Piggy; And more about Trump and the Crown Prince; Items about the CDC reinstating … Continue reading →

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