Category Archives: Politics

Links and Comments: 19 Nov 2022

Posted on Saturday 19 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

About FTX and effective altruism; political examples in the spirit of the recent Borowitz book; examples of how the media covers events; and a perspective on the American economy under Republicans and Democrats. Image here: today’s sunset.

Posted in Human Progress, Politics | Comments Off on Links and Comments: 19 Nov 2022

Andy Borowitz, PROFILES IN IGNORANCE: How America’s Politicians Got Dumb and Dumber (2022)

Posted on Wednesday 16 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

I hesitated reading this book, because I’ve seen and heard for myself over the years the vacuous platitudes of Ronald Reagan, the jejune idiocies of Dan Quayle, the conspiratorial lies of Donald Trump. So what would be gained by reading … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Politics | Comments Off on Andy Borowitz, PROFILES IN IGNORANCE: How America’s Politicians Got Dumb and Dumber (2022)

Post-Election Blue, not Red

Posted on Monday 14 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Context; Where we are; Connie Willis; Christian dictatorships; More MAGA than ever; Russian delicacy; Lagniappes.

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Culture, Politics | Comments Off on Post-Election Blue, not Red

The Day After Election Night, 2022

Posted on Wednesday 9 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Short version: The Republicans won a few races, but there was no ‘red’ landslide as some, not just Republicans, had predicted. Though of course a few key races are going down to the wire, so control of the House and … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Culture, Politics | Comments Off on The Day After Election Night, 2022

Election Night, 2022

Posted on Tuesday 8 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

It’s election day in America, as they say, and for some reason this one feels especially dire. The first national election since Jan. 6th, and with so many conspiracy mongers anxious to detect voter fraud and declare victory by default. … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Comments Off on Election Night, 2022

Significance, and Links

Posted on Friday 4 November 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

More on yesterday’s post about intuitive morality; the idea of “significance”, and Alastair Reynolds’ new novel; and links and comments.

Posted in Links & Comments, Mathematics, Politics | Comments Off on Significance, and Links

One More Round of Links, with no Comments

Posted on Monday 31 October 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Let’s just compile them with minimal comment. Some are worth returning to. Here’s everything I haven’t already posted since the 1st of October.

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Lunacy, Politics, Science, science fiction | Comments Off on One More Round of Links, with no Comments

Dialogues: Democracy’s Enemies; Yuval Noah Harari

Posted on Saturday 29 October 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Two items today are responses to earlier articles or reviews, about the enemies of democracy, and about Yuval Noah Harari. And then my responses to them.

Posted in Politics, Science | Comments Off on Dialogues: Democracy’s Enemies; Yuval Noah Harari

No Plans, Only “Devil Terms”

Posted on Thursday 27 October 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s batch of news and essays about the current political situation in the US.

Posted in Lunacy, Politics | Comments Off on No Plans, Only “Devil Terms”

Change, Delusions, Reality

Posted on Tuesday 25 October 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

New York Times, Michael H. Keller and David D. Kirkpatrick, 23 Oct 2022 (on front page for 24 Oct 2022): Their America Is Vanishing. Like Trump, They Insist They Were Cheated., subtitled “The white majority is fading, the economy is … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Change, Delusions, Reality