A/C discourse, which I will otherwise be avoiding please and thank you, has reminded me of this passage from Norman Malcolm’s memoir of Wittgenstein. Wittgenstein visited Malcom in Ithaca, NY, in the Summer of 1949 (his only visit to the US).

is this one of those scams where anyone who wouldn't see through the initial absurd claim is therefore likelier to hand over their entire life savings

You may recall that the Salt Lake Tribune is, after a lot of planning and inquiry, ditching their paywall so they can reach the entire community as a non-profit. It's a fascinating challenge to meet. www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/salt... For example...

"'What do you want me to do, leave?' Hussein asked Scarborough. 'Yes,' replied the minister." www.texastribune.org/2026/06/15/t...

NEW: Texas middle schoolers could be taught about a Christian revolutionary war movement that never existed. The so-called “Black Robe Regiment” is a favorite myth of David Barton and other Christian nationalists who are leading massive revisions of Texas curricula to focus on US “exceptionalism.”

Scintillating quote from me.

A look at tomorrow's mayoral race in fast-growing Frisco, which has exposed political and demographic fault lines in North Texas, including between Hindu and Muslim residents. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/12/u...

One thing I admire about my laptop is that it is never satisfied with the status quo. It is constantly updating, constantly improving itself even in ways others might never notice and not care about at all. It doesn't matter if someone else is working on a deadline, self-care is URGENT

Wivenhoe Park in 1816, by John Constable who was born on this day in 1776. Great painting that always makes me think of Gombrich.

hey quick question, am I having a stroke

"Those who had identified with one of the 180 eliminated faith groups will have just two options under the new policy: 'no religion' or 'other religions.'" www.nytimes.com/2026/06/05/u...

"Aliens — if there are aliens — don’t possess people, that’s nonsense: Again, it’s demons trying to hide and trying to manipulate and disguise themselves." www.nytimes.com/2026/06/04/u...

Support for gay marriage in the U.S. has declined, to 65% from a high of 71% four years ago, according to a recent poll from Gallup. Republicans are responsible for much of this gravitational pull. Democratic support remains unchanged at 87%. nyti.ms/3PJ0XzQ

some levity: i remembered Ten Cent Beer Night, easily one of the funniest things that's ever happened in the history of Texas baseball www.chron.com/culture/arti...

Heard this on the radio this morning, new to me: Strauss wrote a waltz titled "Morning Papers." www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X_f...

If I were an action hero, this is what I’d say to the bad guy before the kill shot.

"Cool 'Frasier' hat!" — me to a baffled 12-year-old this week who was wearing this hat

As a millennial who does peace and justice stuff with mostly older progressive Catholics, Talarico’s distancing of his theology from his pastor’s is something I recognize. It’s not cynical. It’s common in ministries that operate intergenerationally (most progressive faith-based causes).

James Talarico has put his Christian faith front and center in his Senate campaign. He is a seminary student, his campaign slogan is a Bible reference, and he has injected unusually complex theological arguments into discussions of progressive policy.

Pope Releases Encyclical On Perils Of Disney’s ‘Star Wars’ Strategy

“People are matter-of-factly saying that they are looking to build a machine God. ... They are not saying that ironically or in jest. They are saying it as a matter of fact.” www.nytimes.com/2026/05/26/t...

She died doing what she loved, entering the code displayed in her authenticator app

Highlights from Pope Leo's new AI encyclical, which ends with a wish that "that we may bear witness to the grandeur of humanity, in which God has made his dwelling." www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/u...

"Humanity — in all its grandeur and woundedness — must never be replaced or surpassed." www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

"Living a life that I brought everyone to vanity, trying to make little mini-Kardashians out of everyone, bringing them the products to make them look and feel like they’re part of the celebrity society, is the opposite of what God wants." www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/u...

Hand with a Stick, and Four People Sharing a Meal - 1885 https://botfrens.com/collections/46/contents/13602

Albrecht Dürer's study of a little owl from 1508. Inescapably cute! Dürer was born on this day in 1471.

"For three centuries, the pasta and the pilgrimage have been inexorably connected." Beautiful images of a biannual Catholic pilgrimage on Sardinia (plus: pasta!): www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

I spent yesterday on the National Mall at a rally that many participants viewed as not just a political event, but a spiritual one: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/u...

This painting is everywhere but I never knew its story, which includes an LDS artist from Utah and a Texas investment company now trying to posthumously boost the value of his paintings. Fascinating reporting that gets at big questions: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/a...

Pope:”Reading nourishes the mind, helps cultivate a conscious and well-formed critical sense, guards against fundamentalisms and ideological shortcuts.” Reading is “an antidote to closed-mindedness which manifests in rigid attitudes and reductive views of reality.” www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news...

This turned out to be a glitch but for a moment I felt myself a god among men

The video of the robot’s “ordination” in the story is worth checking out👇 “The robot, at just over four feet tall, is the latest effort by the country’s monks to show the modern relevance of Buddhism.”

Being recognized for a story that honors my nephew Clay and the strength of my family means the world to me. I’m grateful to the Pulitzer Prizes committee, my dear friends, and incredibly talented colleagues at Texas Monthly.💙 @pulitzerprizes.bsky.social @texasmonthly.bsky.social

"We know what it’s like to have no political power and to be ignored. And it wasn’t that long ago for us." www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/n...

Paul Pressler is one of the most influential figures you may have never heard of. The onetime judge remade the Southern Baptist Convention, and helped forge the marriage between the GOP and white evangelical voters. As he did so he also committed decades of alleged abuses. A long look at his legacy:

“I’ve grown so much in my faith. ... I don’t know if I didn’t move to New York City if I would’ve gotten such a calling.” www.wsj.com/us-news/youn...

happy Can Day! ..... sorry, happy MAY Day 🙄

Camp Mystic says it will not reopen this summer: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/30/u...

For Dolly Parton, songwriting is a kind of spiritual practice — “That’s my time with God,” she has said — an entrance into a flow state where time and possibility expand infinitely. Her hits include country, pop crossovers, bluegrass revivals and more. nyti.ms/4tSm7Kk

[new york post voice] NOPE-MOBILE

"Mr. Epstein asked for a design replacing the Arabic word for God with his initials in English." www.nytimes.com/2026/04/29/w...

"Mr. Trump’s latest rhetoric, particularly on matters of faith as the war continues, has, according to polls and religious leaders, threatened to splinter a powerful coalition of religious voters who returned him to the White House." www.nytimes.com/2026/04/28/u...

New from me: President Trump will contribute to a weeklong reading of the entire Bible next week. He recorded his contribution from the Oval Office, a passage from the book of II Chronicles. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/17/u...

"The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is oft not enough to rebuild." www.nytimes.com/2026/04/16/w...

A new poll finds a sharp rise in the share of men under 30 who say that religion is “very important” to them. New from me and Ruth Igielnik: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/16/u...

This is why I go to Dairy Queen, the only fast food chain that supports determinism