I teach at Berkeley but I don't have a PhD (it does happen occasionally!). Jim Martin doesn't either but think he has the typical Jesuit MDiv/MTS. Massimo def has a PhD. If PhD is required maybe Natalia Imperatori-Lee, Nicole Flores, or Anthea Butler (is Catholic but teaches history).

Since I used to get paid to write about these things, yes, there is some growth in Orthodox and trad Catholicism in Gen Z but not enough to offset attrition from religion. But there was, last time I checked, also not much evidence these conversions are permanent. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/u...

The worst part is I get a sentence or two into reading and thinking "wow maybe this book I wrote in 2018 will have a second life if people are just discovering it now!" and then... fuck.

Watching the results come in my thoughts were
1. great
2. great, now New Yorkers will be even more insufferable

I actually saw this Weekly World News Cover in the grocery store checkout line a million years ago and it is still a running joke at my house.

I was trying to illustrate a concept about simple music being more annoying, and this is the most evil example.

You and me both!

I didn't know babies could work as cabin crew!

President of Ireland is mostly a ceremonial gig but one of her main jobs will be visiting foreign leaders which should be fun to watch given she is very critical of the USA.

I really liked this one, but was not as crazy about her Song of Achilles as many others have been.

That's good to know. I do sometimes talk about it to people and watch their faces trying to figure out how to react. It's weird. But there was a time I definitely couldn't hide it.

The impression I got was that they keep their lay members on a very short leash. All the women had 1950s style makeup, high heels (most impractical shoes you can wear in Rome) and they were not allowed to go anywhere alone.

😥 but there's always Magic Mike Live!

I finished Irish and am now onto much more practical Spanish.

So you're saying you want a Labubu for Hannukah? 😜