"Never let your wife prevent you from buying equipment. A house will not buy a synthesizer, but a synthesizer can buy a house."Yahoo! News reports that singer Marc Cohn, who composed "Walking in Memphis", survived being shot in the head by a would-be carjacker.
Here's a pair of articles on simcha planning:
My Daughter's Bat Mitzvah: What we lose when we try to keep up with the Joneses" and "Simcha Inflation."
Heichal HaNegina notes some audio clips of nigunnim being sung by the late Lubavitcher Rebbe.
Cross-Currents has a close-minded post on Jewish arts.
Today’s Jewish drum bangers, rap singers and modern dancers are all doing the newest, hippest activities—as a pale imitation of what the non-Jews are doing, and everyone knows it. The activities may have changed, but the underlying behavior hasn’t moved an inch. They are trying nothing new—they are following the trends of American culture, which is part of how they got into the problem. Drum groups are part of the problem, not part of the solution.Lipa Shmelczer makes the Mima'amakim Blog in a post about Simcha dancing.
Finally, here's The Upstate Life:
Matisyahu, the Hassidic reggae artist that's been garnering mainstream buzz as of late (dude had a slot at this year's SXSW and is currently opening for Trey Anastasio), will be performing at Sixth and I right here in DC on Saturday, October 9. And ladies, don't worry if you're dressed inappropriately for the show. Matisyahu doesn't wear his glasses while performing onstage, so feel free to arrive hooched up for shul to your heart's content!Oy!
