For a long time, I have struggled with how to deal with AI. There are some very valid objections circulating about the new medium, especially as it pertains to minors. But somehow this discussion did not seem to get to the core of the matter. Like AI itself, it lacks depth. I know AI can … Read more
A debate is raging around some Christian rhetoric circulating among conservatives. Liberal critics are saying that right-wing extremists have weaponized particular Christian phrases, which everyone should therefore avoid. The phrase now in the national spotlight is “Christ is King!” The liberal media say that the mere mention of this expression signals Christian Nationalist sympathies, Groyper … Read more
Holy Week ceremonies in Spain are famous worldwide for their beauty and splendor. Every year, magnificent floats with figures from the Passion are carried through the streets of Spain, accompanied by music, prayer and a love of tradition. The modern secular world has always had a problem with this display of popular piety that attracts … Read more
During the eighth and ninth centuries, the Vikings frequently plundered monasteries across Europe because they were isolated, poorly defended and held vast wealth, artifacts and livestock. With prayer and penance, the monks eventually prevailed and converted the Vikings. Today, something different is happening. A new round of sackings is underway. However, no Vikings or barbarians … Read more
Around the Ides of March, a universe ended. It was not a spectacular end-of-the-world event. The exit did not go out with a bang but more like a whimper that barely registered on any radar. In a flash of a nanosecond, it was irrelevant. The universe that failed was the much hyped metaverse—a virtual space … Read more
When the current session of the British Parliament ends this spring, the nation will abruptly bring to a close a 700-year institution. On March 10, the House of Commons voted to abolish the hereditary lords in the House of Lords. The effort ends a process started in 1999 by then-Prime Minister Tony Blair. His Labour … Read more
A tragic and dramatic event passed almost unnoticed in Europe and much of the world. Yet one more, indeed the second, country took the infamous step of enshrining procured abortion into its constitution. On March 1, the tiny duchy of Luxembourg joined France and became the second nation in the world to make abortion part … Read more
The debate over the hiring of Prof. Susan Ostermann as director of Notre Dame’s Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies is over. It triggered a massive uproar that surprised many by its intensity. In the end, the appointment was a carefully managed and measured defeat for the school’s administration, which was forced into damage-control … Read more
Some tragic things are so symbolic that they demand a commentary. Remaining silent is not an option. Such is the case of a new trend among well-heeled women suffering from the pains of divorce. They have taken to making “divorce” rings to celebrate their newfound “freedom.” Wearing one is a form of therapy that helps … Read more
I recently read an article in a local paper about the desperate situation in Venezuela. It told the doleful tale of an economy in crisis with shortages, blackouts and widespread corruption. At a certain point, the article mentioned that the average worker’s wage was about one dollar… a month! I did a double-take at the … Read more
