Andrew Sullivan's Blog, page 2589

Can Church Be Hip? Ctd

by Chris Bodenner

A reader writes:

Since you've extended this "Can Church Be Hip" storyline beyond just Christian music, I'd like to point out an absolutely beautiful adaptation of the classic Jewish prayer "Avinu Malkenu (My Father My King)" recorded and frequently performed by Mogwai.  Mogwai is a Scottish 'post-rock' band that has always held a very unique, and revered, place in hipster/indie rock music circles because of their high-brow, atmospheric instrumentals. This particular...

The Network Effect

by Conor Friedersdorf

A reader writes:

Yes, law firms and consulting firms are easy targets when companies pass the buck. Yes, law firms want to be able to say that they have hired a bevy of Ivy-Leaguers to give comfort to their clients that, when they pass the buck, they've passed the buck to a highly-credentialed crew of professionals.  But there is something much more to the choice of Ivy-Leaguers (and their top-tier equivalents).  As much as the credentials that they bring, it is the...

Diamonds, cont'd

by Conor Friedersdorf

Although it doesn't persuade me to end my long-running campaign against diamonds, I've received a note from a reader in the industry who I can't help but admire. If you must buy a diamond, then by all means get it from this commendable woman:

Until recently I shared Conor's view. I had never been a fan of diamonds, much less diamond engagement rings, and couldn't imagine myself purchasing one. Their tragic history, superficiality, and impracticality were major...

Faces Of The Day

Ruth Imes, 19, left, comforts her brother Ariel, 16, at their parents' memorial service. Yitzhak Imes and Talia Imes along with two hitchhikers they picked up, Kochava Even Haim and Avishai Schindler, were shot dead by Hamas militants yesterday evening while driving near Hebron, on September 1, 2010, in Beit Haggai, West Bank.  Washington is preparing to host renewed Middle East peace talks. By Warrick Page/Getty Images.

Hamas - Middle East - West Bank - Hebron - Avishai...

Good Gifts

by Patrick Appel

Marrying the Apatow debate to the costly gifts thread, Culture Channel editor Eleanor Barkhorn points me to an old exchange between Judd Apatow and his wife, Leslie Mann. Money quote:

JUDD

One year, as a present, I got Leslie a trip to Italy. We had never visited Europe together, and it was something I knew she would love to do. So I had a basket made with Italian bread, airline tickets to Rome, a guidebook. Stuff like that. Here is the shocking part: When I gave it to her, she...

Virtual Girlfriends Revive Resort Town

by Chris Bodenner

Tracy Clark-Flory teases a WSJ report:

We've written before about the dating simulator Love Plus and how it brought about the world's first marriage between man and virtual woman, and inspired jealousy among Japanese girlfriends and wives. But Love Plus+, the sequel to the original Nintendo DS game, has brought the insanity to a whole new level. As part of a promotional package deal, more than 2,000 of the game's mostly male devotees have flocked to the resort town...

About My Job: The Teacher

by Conor Friedersdorf

Let's begin with my favorite.

Your children tell me lots of things that would make you cringe from embarrassment, maybe because you didn't want them airing your dirty laundry or they misunderstood the way you said something to them.

Don't worry: I know they come home and misrepresent some of the things that I tell them, too. Let's just trust that maybe half of what they tell us about each other is true. This will save us all a lot of time when your child gets detention...

Protesting Too Much, Ctd

by Chris Bodenner

David Cross' take on "white fright":

A reader writes:

Thank you for posting the video where participants were asked why they were attending the Beck event. I was struck how every participant referenced American exceptionalism in their answer. Even when criticizing Obama (much milder than I expected, btw), they mostly cited how he doesn't appreciate America's unique and exceptional standing in human history. Considering the economy, Katrina, the inability to dispatch, not one...

Counting Vacation Days

by Patrick Appel

Ezra Klein complains that Americans don't get much time off. Reihan adds context:

It's true that American have fewer paid vacations and paid holidays.But the top 80 to 90 percent of U.S. households have more disposableincome than their counterparts in the vast majority of OECD economies.Paid vacation is best understood as a form of non-cash compensation.It's not obvious that we should collectively choose more paid vacationover more pay, and the lack of mandatory paid-vacation...

A Weird Type of Work Ethic

by Conor Friedersdorf

A reader writes "in defense of elites":

There is a reason why successful kids and tough schools get those jobs--because the grade/school attendance ratio is one of the best proxies for long term success on the merits.  The kid interviewing from Duke or Harvard or Stanford law school usually has this profile--(1) studied hard in high school and got very good grades, (2) followed by studying hard and getting average or better grades at a top tier college or getting...