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"Luke Ford reports all of the 'juicy' quotes, and has been doing it for years." (Marc B. Shapiro)
"This guy knows all the gossip, the ins and outs, the lashon hara of the Orthodox world. He’s an [expert] in... all the inner workings of the Orthodox world." (Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff) LATEST POSTS:
- Robert Putnam: The Man Who Counted What America Lost
- W. Bradford Wilcox: The Sociologist Who Tells America to Get Married
- Peter Moskos: The Cop Who Talks to People
- Julius Krein
- Ryan Burge: The Numbers Man in the Empty Church
- Emily Oster: The Economist in the Delivery Room
- The Most Ridiculous Story Ever Told
- Tanner Greer
- Economist Tyler Cowen
- Richard Reeves: A Life in Institutions
- Jake Adelstein: The Reporter Who Became His Story
- Jim Goad (1961-2026)
- Moira Greyland
- Robert Oscar Lopez: The Inconvenient Witness
- Two Ledgers: Decoding the Gurus and the Price of Talk
- The Pervert’s Progress: Costin Vlad Alamariu and the Making of Bronze Age Pervert
- Curtis Yarvin: A Life Against Democracy
- Mark Helprin: Against the Current
- Mark Brandt: The Man Who Asked Who Else Is Prejudiced
- John T. Jost: The Psychologist of Acquiescence
BEST POSTS:
- * The Enlightenment Wasn’t Enlightened (6-23-26)
* Mr. Burge Draws The Line (6-23-26)
* 'Improving on Democracy' (6-17-26)
* People Leak To People Who Are Fun (6-11-26)
* Why Does Australia Produce So Many Great Journalists? (6-11-26)
* Steve Wynn and the Press: Power, Litigation, and the Contest Over Las Vegas (6-3-26)
* Sheldon Adelson and the Journalists (6-3-26)
* The Vigilant Animal: Thinkers Who Reject the Myth of Human Gullibility (6-2-26)
* The Cost of Refusing the Misunderstanding Myth (6-2-26)
* Show Me How It Travels (6-2-26)
* The Norm Explainers (6-2-26)
* Centering Marginalized Voices (6-1-26)
* What would it look like if the Washington Post put its reader first? (6-1-26)
* What would it look like if the Financial Times put its reader first? (6-1-26)
* What It Would Mean for the Los Angeles Times to Put the Reader First? (6-1-26)
* What It Would Mean for The New York Times to Put the Reader First? (6-1-26)
* Why Wembanyama Lives on the Perimeter (5-31-26)
* The Emotional Palettes Of San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco & Sacramento (5-27-26)
* The Administrative Capital: Sacramento Legal Culture (5-27-26)
* San Diego - The Quiet Republic (5-27-26)
* The Quiet Bar: San Diego Legal Culture (5-27-26)
* SF v LA Legal Culture (5-27-26)
* Why Talent Travels Poorly Between San Francisco and Los Angeles (5-27-26)
* San Francisco and Los Angeles as Rival Models of Urban Access (5-27-26)
* Social Cliques in New York, 2026 (5-25-26)
* Social Cliques in San Francisco, 2026 (5-25-26)
* The Rival Courts of Washington (5-25-26)
* The City of Private Rooms (5-25-26)
Tag Archives: orthodox judaism
My Wishes For The New Month
I always do what my teachers tell me and what my rabbis tell me and now I do what my gurus tell me. If their teachings clash, I’ll leave it to God to sort it out. He made me the … Continue reading
Posted in Personal, Yoga
Tagged alexander technique teacher, Beth Jacob, fundamental relationships, kundalini yoga, orthodox judaism, passover seders, spring equinox, Young Israel
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Breaking News Bulletin: I’m Depressed
I think my therapist Dr. Spielvogel (who has a psycho-dynamic orientation) made that diagnosis today. I think he said that I’ve always been depressed and that I currently use yoga, Alexander Technique and Orthodox Judaism to defend against my depression … Continue reading
Posted in Personal
Tagged Alexander Technique, fundamental relationships, news bulletin, orthodox judaism, rabbi, sex vacation, shinola, spielvogel
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The Thing I Love Best About Orthodox Judaism Is How Its Makes You Feel
If you are a normal human being who adopts Orthodox Judaism, you’ll soon feel better about yourself. Practice Orthodox Judaism and you’ll walk around with a swagger. You’ll know who you are. You’ll never proclaim you’re a proud Jew. You’ll … Continue reading
Posted in Conservative Judaism, Orthodoxy, Personal, Reform Judaism
Tagged confusing place, newfangled, orthodox jews, orthodox judaism, secular society, traditional judaism
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Searching For The Big O
This sounds a lot like morning services at my yoga center: At 7 a.m. each day, as the rest of America is eating Cheerios or trying to face gridlock without hyperventilating, about a dozen women, naked from the waist down, … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Orthodoxy, Rabbis, San Francisco, Sex
Tagged dozen women, hyperventilating, jewish couples, orthodox jew, orthodox judaism, sexual adventure, venerable history, waist down, yoga center, zen community
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Orthodox Judaism Vs. Kundalini Yoga
In some ways, these two spiritual paths compliment each other. In other ways, they conflict. I have been studying and practicing Judaism for 20 years. I have been practicing Kundalini Yoga for two months. Here are the most significant differences … Continue reading
Posted in Judaism, Orthodoxy, Yoga
Tagged jewish meditation, man god, orthodox judaism, system of ethics, torah commands, yoga center
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Judged About Their Lack Of Jewishness
Non-Orthodox Jews frequently seem concerned that Orthodox Jews are judging them about their lack of Jewishness. On JewishJournal.com, Jason Lipeles writes: "Although he had a long beard, I wasn’t nervous or thinking that maybe he was judging my lack of … Continue reading
Posted in Conservative Judaism, Orthodoxy, Reform Judaism
Tagged beard, jewish identity, jewishjournal, orthodox jews, orthodox judaism
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‘Losing My Religion: How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America-and Found Unexpected Peace’
Instead of going to shul Shabbos morning (I was exhausted, I have a sore and swollen right knee from doing squats in yoga), I stayed home and read a great new book by former Los Angeles Times religion reporter William … Continue reading
Posted in Christianity, Journalism, Orthodoxy, Religion
Tagged christian journey, clear and present danger, David Berger, orthodox judaism, religion in america, religion reporter, unexpected peace, william lobdell
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Seven Tips For Making New Friends
Orthodox Judaism, yoga and writer gatherings are ways I make new friends. From Slate.com: Ancient philosophers and scientists agree: Strong social ties are the KEY to happiness. You need close, long-term relationships; you need to be able to confide in … Continue reading
Posted in Happiness
Tagged ancient philosophers, long term relationships, new neighborhood, orthodox judaism, social ties, starting a new job
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Anger At Orthodox Judaism
One thing I love about Orthodox Judaism is that it provokes strong feelings in me. A while ago, I was seeing a woman who was raised Orthodox but now hates it. That didn’t bother me. There’s plenty I hate in … Continue reading
Posted in Orthodoxy
Tagged apparent reason, feelings of hate, high intensity, orthodox judaism, Orthodoxy, Reform Judaism
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