Happy Opening Day

It may not be recognized as an official national holiday, but baseball fans everywhere are rejoicing as today is Opening Day. Hope springs eternal because on this one day of the year, anything is possible. The season ahead is full of promise and our team hasn't had a chance yet to disappoint us repeatedly. Our hearts haven;t been broken yet. Summer lies ahead and so the possibilities are endless as to what the future holds. All is right with the world because baseball is back.

Why does this game have such a grip on us? This clip sums it up much better than I ever could. It's one of the best written monologues in the history of film. As a bonus, it makes the case that baseball is not just another sport. It is inextricably link to the fabric of America.

Rejoice, America. Baseball is back.

Weekend Playlist: King of Anything

I don't normally link to pop songs but this one is so catchy and has such a great underlying message that it was worthy of linkage here. The song is by singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles and is primarily written from the point of view of a woman who has been in a relationship with a guy who is a control freak. In breaking off the relationship, she poses the question "who died and made you king of anything?" It's an interest point that she makes: too often we try too hard to live our lives pleasing others particularly people that will never be pleased with anything that we do. It can be a stifling way to live. The song is a good reality check for us to ask ourselves if we are really living the way we should or are we allowing others to rule over us in a way that they shouldn't be allowed.

Daily Links 3-28-14

Returning just in time to provide you with some interesting reading for your weekend: where is the next James Madison, choice rather than more spending will fix education, an anniversary surprise, and more.

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Where is the next James Madison? An article well worth reading and thinking about from Erich Bridges.

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Making the case for school choice:

The alternatives to traditional public schools differ in many ways, but they all discard the idea of government dictating where students go to school, how money is spent and what's being taught. 

Instead, students and their parents pick the schools. Money goes with the student. Schools survive and prosper by doing a better job of educating. If they don't deliver, the students will find another school, taking the money with them. 

Students will be better served in private schools run like businesses. There's no reason to shy away from what this means: operating for profit, replacing principals with CEOs, paying good teachers more, firing bad teachers, giving schools freedom to innovate in instruction methods and curriculum, letting new schools enter the market, allowing bad schools to fail, encouraging successful schools to take over unsuccessful ones, getting rid of unions that protect bad teachers and stifle change. 

 Hat tip: Glenn Reynolds, who also wrote a terrific book on this subject.

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Not that there is any doubt in my mind but here's 4 reasons why real books are better than e-books. (via Aaron Armstrong)

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Anyone who is a fan of Sherlock Holmes knows all about his arch enemy Professor James Moriarty. But was he a real person?

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Give the Tampa Bay Rays credit: they know how to help a couple celebrate an anniversary.

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And while we're on the subject of baseball, this book is at the top of my reading list:

Here's an early review of the book. Thanks to the author for the tip.

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Want to become a better writer? Try copying the work of others.

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Some very odd and specific rules from libraries.

Daily Links 3-25-14

In today's edition: what's so special about John Calvin, the biblical meaning of success, a look at The Auschwitz Escape, what we're teaching our kids when we don't know they are watching, and more.

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What's So Special About John Calvin? An interesting look at the famed theologian.

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This might be the best selfie ever. Charles Dickens' great great great grandchildren pose with a statute of their famous ancestor.

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Speaking of Dickens, here's a collection of nine great pieces of Dickens swag.

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Things we are teaching our kids when we don't know they are watching. It's a humbling post.

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This is fun: Seattle's mystery Coke machine.

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One of my favorite novelists is Joel Rosenberg. He has a new historical fiction book entitled The Auschwitz Escape that has just been published. In this article, he provides some insight into what inspired him to write the book. It looks fascinating.

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These are the most ridiculously overdue library books you're likely to ever hear about.

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How the Bible defines success. When you look at this closely you realize what a tremendous lie we have all been told about what success means.

Daily Links 3-24-14

Good morning. Here are some links to help start off the week. In today's edition: features of the New Calvinism, marketing the moon, things we should get rid of to help our kids, and more.

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John Piper recently spoke at Westminster Seminary and spoke on the features of New Calvinism. Tim Challies has a nice summary of his address. 

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If you are looking for a way to waste time on the Internet, here's the best way I know how.

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On the other hand, here are three ways to get more out of every hour. 

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Marketing the Moon: The Selling the Apollo Lunar Program appears to be a fascinating look at public relations in the era of the Space Race.

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The perfect thing for a book lover: literary greeting cards.

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George Washington didn't lose his temper often but there was one time when it was reported he swore "like an angel from heaven."

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9 things we should get rid of to help our kids. Some very sound advice in this article.

Weekend Playlist: Raincoat

This week's song is another find courtesy of Pandora. Raincoat is one of Kelly Sweet's signature songs. It's easy going, jazzy beat conveys a feeling of hope in spite of hurt. Listen closely to the words and you'll hear the voice of a woman who has been hurt in a relationship but won't let her life be defined by that hurt. In fact, she's ready to start fresh by discarding the things that characterized that prior relationship. That's the real beauty of this song.

Daily Links 3-21-14

Happy Friday! Here are a few links to help start the weekend off right. In today's edition: stop binge watching and start binge reading, an apology from Mark Driscoll, how to get more done, fewer friends are better, and more.

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Change your reading habits by binge reading. This actually makes some sense. I've been trying to be more aggressive about reading more books. The key is not feeling guilty for giving up on a book that is not working for you.

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Baseball season is almost upon us which means ballpark concessions. The Arizona Diamondbacks have unveiled a $25 corndog. Judge for yourself whether you would pay that much for this snack.

The Diamondbaskc are selling this 18 inch corndog wrapped in bacon and cheese with a side of fries for $25.

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Mark Driscoll penned an open letter of apology to his congregation and addressed among other things the recent controversy regarding the promotion of one of his books. This is worth taking the time to read.

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8 films that you may not have known started out as stage productions.

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8 ways to get more things done. These are all very good tips.

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TheMafra National Palace in Portugal is one of the most beautiful libraries in the world (as you can see from the picture below). But is also one of the most unusual: it's guarded by bats.

Photo by Will Pryce (via Book Riot)

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Making the case for fewer friends. In today's social media soaked age, this especially makes a lot of sense.

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C. S. Lewis is one of the most oft-quoted theologians of all time. But he's also commonly misquoted. Here are 7 quotes attributed to him that he didn't say.

Daily Links 3-20-14

In today's edition: achieving work/life balance, how to get better sleep, the idolatry of busyness, marriage and the comedian, and more.

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Achieving the balance between work and life is not about balance at all. Instead, it's about recapturing the natural rhythms of life.

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Praise for the traditional art of shaving. I changed to this "old" style of shaving a few months ago and haven't looked back. I believe it's the best way to get a great shave.

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6 tips for getting better sleep.Some great tips in this article.

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Fun facts to share: 15 interesting things about candy.

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The idolatry of busyness. The problem is that we get caught up in what we do rather than who we are.

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Sure, Play-Doh is fun for kids. But it was originally invented as a wallpaper cleaner. 

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Marriage and the comedian. How marriage has transformed Jerry Seinfeld. The main point of this article is that marriage makes you wiser. I can testify to that.

Recommended Reading: George Washington's Secret Six

I am a huge history buff and particularly interested in the Revolutionary War. The more I read about that period of history the more I come to appreciate the sacrifices that were made so that we could enjoy freedom as Americans today. One of the turning points in the war occurred not on the battlefield but behind enemy lines as a brave group of civilians known as the Culper Ring spied on British forces occupying New York enabling General George Washington to strategically plan his moves and outwit his enemies.

In the new book George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution authors Brian Kilmeade (of Fox and Friends) and Don Yaeger pour through all the available records to shed some light on who these six ordinary Americans were who would risk so much for the cause of freedom.

The narrative is fast paced and actually reads more like a novel than a history book. Through their meticulous research they uncover a biographical sketch of five of the six ring members. The lone female of the group remains to this day unidentified the only information available being the number she was assigned by the ring's leader to identify who she was.

With amazing detail, Kilmeade and Yaeger not only uncover the ring's techniques for uncovering information but also demonstrate how the ring's efforts led to several major American victories. In fact, were it not for the Culpers ability to spread misinformation in New York in 1781 American forces might not have been able to catch the British off guard at Yorktown and seal the final victory of the war.

It was not until the end of the book that I discovered that much of what the Culper ring accomplished was so groundbreaking in the field of espionage that the Central Intelligence Agency actually teaches its new recruits about the ring during their initial training.

Anyone who has an interest in the Revolutionary War or even history in general would be well served to read this book. This is a fascinating look at one of the earliest successful spy rings. It is a story that will keep you riveted all throughout the book. I highly recommend it.

Daily Links 3-19-14

In today's edition: once confused now complementarian, amazing arial photos from World War I, how to help a grieving friend, and more.

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Once confused, now complementarian. An interesting insight on the difference in roles between men and women.

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My general rule of thumb when it comes to books is that if Tim Challies recommends a book it's worth consideration. Here's his recommendation for What's Best Next. 

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A collection of aerial photographs from World War I are going up for auction. The images are stunning.

Aerial photo of German positions in the Somme - via Daily Mail

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The story of 5 fascinating vice presidents you've likely never heard of before.

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How to help a grieving friend. Advice from 1954 that stands the test of time.

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10 Pop stars that you probably didn't know were pastor's kids. I think I only knew that about one of the people on this list.

Daily Links 3-18-14

In today's edition: evangelism is like baseball, how to get rid of a telemarketer, what you really need in marriage, and more.

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This is interesting: how evangelism is like baseball. It's a good analogy and one that I think we would do well to keep in mind. I will say that when I was being trained in evangelism I was basically told that anything less than a decision by the other person for Christ was failure. That's a huge mistake to think that way. At least this article helps correct some of that erroneous thinking.

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One minor league team decided to wear uniforms that look like ugly Christmas Sweaters. Not exactly sure what they were thinking.

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Advice on how to get rid of a telemarketer from a telemarketer.

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The story of Wendell Smith, the sportswriter who paved the way for Jackie Robinson's major league debut. Nice quote from my friend Brian Carroll who has written a book on this subject.

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Mark Altrogge shares what you really need in marriage.

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The story of the first person to play on the All-Star team of both the National and American Leagues. It's not who you are likely to think of.

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This is a fun list: 50 things that will turn 50 in 2014.

Daily Links 3-17-14

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Here are a few links to start your day off right: fun facts about the holiday, the flaw at the heart of Let It Go from Frozen, ballparks of the future, and more.

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Here are 15 things that you might not know about St. Patrick's Day.

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20 of the world's most stunning libraries (hat tip: Book Riot)

Radcliffe Cinema, Oxford, England - Photo credit via Shuttershock

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The flaw at the heart of Let It Go from Frozen. I have to say that it's the one big flaw in an otherwise enjoyable movie.

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Stephen King's top 20 rules for writers. Some very good advice in this article.

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What the ballpark of the future might look like.

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You can be sure that this is on my reading list.

Weekend Playlist: Christmas TV

Here's another track from my favorite TV show Chuck. One of the amazing things about the show is the selection of the background music. This particular song played during a beach wedding scene and only enhanced the romance and sweetness of the sequence. Enjoy this track from Slow Club.

Daily Links 3-14-14

Daily links returns after an unexpected hiatus just in time for the weekend. In today's post: how the internet has changed the church, the Great Depression and Scrabble, advice from barbers, and more.

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The internet turned 25 this week. So here are 25 ways the internet has changed the local church.

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A collection of often misquoted movie quotes.

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Neat History: How one World War II pilot shot down a plane with a handgun.

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If it wasn't for the Great Depression, we wouldn't have Scrabble.

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The basics of tea:

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Four strategies for defeating busyness. I really needed to hear this advice this week.

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Advice on manhood from eight neighborhood barbers.

Daily Links 3-10-14

Here's a collection of links to help start off your week: remembering C. S. Lewis, gifts for grammar geeks, why community is so hard to find, and more.

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Reflections from Douglas Gresham about his stepfather C. S. Lewis.

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A collection of gifts for grammar geeks.

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There's a secret corporation that controls America. Well, not exactly but that's almost right.

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Why do we have such a hard time finding community?

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In praise of long pastorates. I'm of the opinion that pastors should look to plant themselves in a church and stay there. (Hat tip: Challies)

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A collection of kitchen gadgets for the Firefly fan.

Weekend Playlist - Hang on Little Tomato

This week's song is another one of my Pandora finds. I had never heard of Pink Martini or this particular song. However, the more I have listened to it the more it has grown on me. I imagine the song as advice from a parent to a child. Somehow that makes it a little sweeter. It's a song filled with hope. As depressing as sometimes things can seem to be, a song like this can brighten one's day.

Daily Links 3-7-14

Here are a few links to help start your weekend off right: the importance of inerrancy, reading with your eyes shut, more on buying your way onto the bestseller list, and more.

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Dr. Albert Mohler discusses a new book on inerrancy in an enlightening interview. Here's his take on the importance of inerrancy for a robust pulpit ministry:

It makes all the difference in the world. It may not appear at first that it necessarily would, because there are a lot of preachers in this day and age who reject the inerrancy of Scripture and still feel like they have something to say. No doubt, they still have something to say, but that’s really not the issue. The issue is: what are we able to tell people the text of Scripture is and what is its demand upon us? The question is not whether the preacher has something to say, but whether God is going to say something through the preacher and through his Word. And, if the preacher has any question whatsoever about the truth status of the Word of God, it will inevitably shift to the preaching. The shift from “I’m going to preach the Word” to “I’m going to find something in this witness worthy of my attention and preaching.”

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The SAT is about to go through some pretty dramatic changes. The big news is that the essay requirement will disappear. Also the fact that they are willing to partner with Khan Academy to provide free prep materials is pretty big news, too.

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Reading with your eyes shut: a collection of audiobooks for kids. I would also add the following titles to this list: A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (read by Tim Curry), The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer (read by Nathaniel Parker) and Framed by Frank Cottrel Boyce (read by Jason Hughes).

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Good news for bloggers: Getty Images is allowing their library of photographs to be used for free.

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This is interesting: why highly successful people crave mistakes.

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As if I didn't have enough things on the Internet to waste my time on: a website that allows you to virtually play the best golf courses in the world for free.



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Homeschooling for higher education: a proposal that makes a whole lot of sense (Hat tip: Glenn Reynolds)

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A review of the new Roku streaming stick. I don't know how well this works but I love my Roku.

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Following up on yesterday's story, five reasons that it's wrong to buy your way onto the bestseller list. Some good food for thought here.

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Growing up in North Carolina as a Tar Heel fan and as a student at UNC, Dean Smith was a hero to Tar Heels everywhere. His basketball teams were a joy to watch for many reasons. Sadly, Coach Smith is battling dementia. This article at ESPN provides some insight into what life is like these days for the man folks called Coach.

Daily Links 3-6-14

In today's edition: Wasting time on Pinterest, the spouse checklist, the making of a bestseller, spiritual schizophrenia, and more.

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Top 10 Pinterest time wasters - tips that don't work. Good to know that these have already been tested. I can safely disregard them.

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This is fun: 16 signs your sidekick material.

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The Spouse Checklist:

It dawned on me a few years later when I heard a wise man mention a spouse checklist (hey, I know what that is!), but not one that I'd made for my spouse (oh, guess not), one that I would create for myself (all right, now I'm listening). He suggested a list of requirements to prepare myself to be the person I knew my spouse would need. As I listened to him explain, I felt a small pressure in my chest. Yes, this would have helped me earlier.

So I've begun a different list. This is by no means exhaustive! There's still plenty of room to add more ways to grow as a spouse. Also, for any given couple, some things will come easily in the relationship, and some will feel unnatural or even impossible. I'll share my own spouse checklist along with updates on how things are going — all the while fully acknowledging that no line-item will ever be perfectly complete in this lifetime.

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The dark underbelly of marketing of Christian books: how a marketing company turned a Mark Driscoll book into a New York Times bestseller. Whatever you may think of Driscoll these tactics give one cause for concern.

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Are those Star Trek Federation symbols I see? Maybe.

Hat tip: Neatorama

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Paul David Tripp on the problem of Spiritual Schizophrenia:

I want to write today about something that I call Spiritual Schizophrenia. I can summarize it with a question: does the public persona of your faith live in harmony with the private realities of your life?

Hat tip: Challies

Daily Links 3-5-14

In today's post: why Satan hates your family, who is your lion, reasons to avoid sexual immorality, Reddit saves a bakery, and more.

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Why Satan hates your family. Some good points here about why Satan works so hard to attack families.

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How to write an e-mail that will get a response. Some of these tips will seem a little obvious. However, it amazes me the number of e-mails I get that don't abide by even the simplest of guidelines.

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Who is your lion? Whose lion are you? Or to put it another way: who has had the biggest impact on your Christian walk? And who have you had the biggest impact upon?

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"Dear Soldier -- my dad was a soldier. He's in heaven now."  A heartwarming story about an 8 year old boy who decided to pay it forward with a soldier.

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Hire slow, fire fast. A very unconventional way of thinking about hiring and firing employees. It has a lot of merit.

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10 reasons to avoid sexual immorality. A very sobering list to reflect upon.

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25 motivational Winston Churchill quotes. How we so desperately need a leader like him today.

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Don't doubt the power of social media: how Reddit came to a bakery's rescue. (Hat tip: Food Riot)

Daily Links 3-4-14

In today's edition: avoiding the appearance of evil, John Steinbeck was a spy, how to get an online MBA for free, memorable quotes from Dr. Seuss, and more.

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I've heard it said many times to "avoid every appearance of evil". The source is from 1 Thessalonians 5:22 in the King James Version. The trouble is that the KJV is translating the verse incorrectly. Here's an explanation of how this verse has been so frequently misused.

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A crash course in jazz appreciation from Art of Manliness.

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Did John Steinbeck spy for the CIA? It certainly looks that way. (Hat tip: Book Riot)

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According to Yelp, the best rated restaurant in the country is a shack. I will say this: when I travel I do rely on Yelp for reviews of restaurants. Usually they are fairly reliable. (Hat tip: Neatorama)

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How to earn an MBA online for free.

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Dr. Seuss would have been 110 this past Sunday. Here are ten memorable quotes about his life and work.

Daily Links 3-3-14

In today's post: how Netflix beat Blockbuster, do vaccines cause autism, how not to be a man, the one thing Christians should stop saying, and more.

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Netflix vs. Blockbuster in an infographic:



Source: TopAccountingDegrees.org

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Do vaccines cause autism? This doctor says no.

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19 problems only book nerds would understand.

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Learning how not to be a man from Victor Frankenstein.

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Gut check: the one thing Christians should stop saying. The writer makes some good points.

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How to rock a library book sale. My to be read list is so long that I would have to avoid such sales.

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Interesting history: Welch's grape juice was originally developed as a substitute for sacramental wine. While I knew that many churches who don't use real wine in communion relied on Welch's I had no idea that's how it got started.