Autocracy, Inc. by Anne ApplebaumThis book explains how autocracies around the world are cooperating to defeat democracies and why democracies are an existential threat to them (thus Putin's willingness to expend blood and treasure in his war with Ukraine). For example, they share propaganda techniques (and actual hacker services) for flooding democracies with false information … Continue reading Review of Autocracy Inc.
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Review of The Separation of Church and Hate
Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds by John FugelsangChristian Nationalists have created a Jesus-free version of Christianity that sees Jesus’ virtues (justice, compassion, love your enemy, feeding the poor, and love and care for the stranger in our midst) as undesirable … Continue reading Review of The Separation of Church and Hate
Review of Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7511223557 Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah HarariMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Prof Hararri is one of the world's most influential public intellectuals. He looks at the history of human societies from their beginning through the lens of information networks. He tracks the competition … Continue reading Review of Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI
Review of Twelve Trees: The Deep Roots of Our Future
Twelve Trees: The Deep Roots of Our Future by Daniel LewisMy rating: 5 of 5 starsThis book provides insights on many topics. The chapter on the Ebony tree describes the intricacies of the wood used to make the best guitars and violins in the world. We also learn the intricacies of olive oil, as the … Continue reading Review of Twelve Trees: The Deep Roots of Our Future
Review of On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service
On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service by Anthony FauciMy rating: 5 of 5 starsA wonderful read about a great man, who arguably saved more lives through medicine than any other human being in history.Dr. Fauci is one part compassion (think Mother Theresa), one part brilliant scientist (the Albert Einstein of the immune system), … Continue reading Review of On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service
Kamala’s 2010 run for California Attorney General
The LA Times provided some interesting history. Kamala was running against Steve Cooley, the moderate Republican district attorney of Los Angeles County. Cooley (who always led in the polls and even claimed victory before the counting finished) was endorsed by the LA times, and their endorsement had this to say about Harris: Cooley was endorsed … Continue reading Kamala’s 2010 run for California Attorney General
An elite education is not the problem.
I am a fan of David Brooks, but his June 6, 2024 NYT column "The Sins of the Educated Class" was such a wrong-headed diagnosis of our country's problem that I started composing a reply, but Robert Reich published a great reply (link below) before I could finish. I have a couple things to add.Brooks … Continue reading An elite education is not the problem.
Review of 21 Lessons for the 21st Century
21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah HarariMy rating: 5 of 5 starsCreative insights while looking at the big picture. He expresses them in clear, easy-to-read prose.The best chapters earn 5 stars while a couple didn't do much for me (Meaning, religion).Secularism essay is great. He defines the secular code as enshrining the … Continue reading Review of 21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Review of Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World
Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World by Malcolm Harris My rating: 5 of 5 stars I moved to Palo Alto in 1973 to go to Stanford and lived next to Palo Alto for 45 years. I never knew much of the stuff in this book was going on. Never knew that … Continue reading Review of Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World
Review of A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
I sometimes wondered if the Russian authors thought of all the myriad things for which Mr Saunders gives them credit, or if Saunders brilliance adds some of the luster. Either way, I loved this passage (Russian skaz: story has an unreliable first-person narrator): “If you’ve ever wondered, as I have, ‘Given how generally sweet people … Continue reading Review of A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
David Wilkins Musings 