Category Archives: Social Progress

Crime in Oakland, Restorative Justice, and Personal Experiences with Crime

Posted on 12 February 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Here’s a local news item of interest on several points. And then my history of being victim of crime. ABC 7 News, 10 Feb 2023: Family of Oakland baker seeks ‘restorative justice’ for her death following robbery

Posted in Personal history, Social Progress | Leave a comment

Rural Rage and Republican Shenanigans

Posted on 27 January 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Paul Krugman responds to Thomas Edsall about the roots of conservative rural resentment, and how their three key perceptions are in fact wrong. Also, the GOP’s 30% sales tax idea; how religion would control or cut off the world; and … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Politics, Social Progress | Leave a comment

Recent Headlines, 7 Sept 2022

Posted on 7 September 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Busy with things including the heat. For now headlines from the past few days, lightly commented. I’ve skimmed them at best; some I will revisit and comment further. About not following your gut; the past 150 years of human history; … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Education, Human Progress, Links & Comments, Narrative, Psychology, Social Progress | Leave a comment

Son of Longtermism

Posted on 22 August 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Some 14 days ago, in this post, I linked and quoted from a NYT guest essay by William MacAskill about valuing the future as much as we value the present. Which struck me as a reasonable position to take, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Human Progress, Humanism, Philosophy, Science, Social Progress | Leave a comment

Links and Comments: Some Good News, and the FBI

Posted on 9 August 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Some recent news is actually quite good.

Posted in Links & Comments, Politics, Social Progress | Leave a comment

Fiddler on the Roof

Posted on 7 July 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Over the past couple evenings we’ve watched the movie version of a musical I had never seen before, in any form: Fiddler on the Roof. I was aware it was a big-hit musical, back in the 1960s or ’70s, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Music, Social Progress | Leave a comment

Musings: The Sky; Living in History

Posted on 18 May 2022 by Mark R. Kelly
Posted in Science, Social Progress | Leave a comment

LQCs: Jonathan Haidt on the Corrosive Effects of Social Media

Posted on 18 April 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

The Atlantic website has a long essay (some 5000 words at an estimate) by Jonathan Haidt, to appear in the May 2022 print edition. The Atlantic, Jonathan Haidt, 11 April 2022: Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology, Social Progress | Leave a comment

LQCs: More about DST and the effects on US states

Posted on 17 March 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

Maps of how DST would affect US states, and commentaries.

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LQCs: Legislating Reality: Redefining “Noon”

Posted on 15 March 2022 by Mark R. Kelly

A bill passed the Senate today to make Daylight Saving [not Savings] Time permanent. This, in effect, would redefine noon, in the US, to be the time of day indicated by 1pm on the clock. This is, in effect, changing … Continue reading →

Posted in Links & Comments, Science, Social Progress | Leave a comment