Weekend Links 12-29-17

A sampling of interesting things I found on the internet this week:

The title of this article is pretty provocative: The World Might Be Better Off Without College for Everyone. What's more interesting is it's written by someone who has spent the past forty years in education. (Hat tip: Acculturated)

Broadway's The Music Man celebrates its sixtieth anniversary this year and is still one of the best musicals ever made. 

As a Cubs fan, I am intrigued by this proposal: Kris Bryant as leadoff man.

There are reasons that Coke tastes better out of the fountain at McDonalds.

The curator of the U. S. Naval Academy Museum recently made a fascinating discovery: flags captured by the Navy during the 19th century.

As the calendar flips to 2018, many folks will make a New Year's resolution to read the Bible. Perhaps they will choose a plan that has them reading all of the Bible in a year. Here are three suggestions on how to read more of the Bible by intentionally reading less.

It's a safe bet that Casablanca couldn't be made today. 

Last week, sportscaster Dick Enberg died at 82 years old. His passing brought to mind an episode of Later with Bob Costas where Enberg appeared with fellow sportscaster Al Michaels to discuss their careers in sportscasting. It's an amazing interview for several reasons. First, both Michaels and Enberg say that the best sport to broadcast is baseball. Second, they both say that part of what made them great broadcasters was that they both started in radio. Finally, they were each asked to name their favorite sports moment they broadcast and then the show cuts to clips of the actual calls. They gave me chills. Take a look.

Christmas Eve, 1968

Nearly fifty years ago, the crew of the Apollo 8 spacecraft did something remarkable by reading from the creation account in Genesis 1 during a live television broadcast on Christmas Eve, 1968. At the time it became the most watched program in television.

What is quickly forgotten is the fact that the crew wasn't supposed to be there at all. The flight was originally scheduled for April 1969 but was moved up once it was determined the Lunar Module would not be ready for the scheduled flight. NASA officials also made the risky decision to leapfrog the established flight schedule and have the crew fly to the moon. It was the first such mission attempted. For their achievements they were named Time Magazine's Person of the Year.

1968 was rough year in America. She had been rocked by the murders of both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Rioting was taking place on a regular basis in the streets of her cities. Yet the simple broadcast of the Apollo 8 crew of Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders was just the uniting event that the country needed.

Weekend Links 12-22-17

Here are some interesting things I found on the internet this week.

Why has "Fixer Upper" been such a success? 

Viewers tuned in to ‘Fixer Upper’ to be reminded that—in spite of all the voices insisting otherwise—maturity, family, and faith are possible. They tuned in for hope.

Read the whole thing.


Classy move: last week the St. Louis Cardinals traded outfielder Stephen Piscotty to the Oakland A's so he could be closer to his mother who is battling ALS.

This is interesting: how It's A Wonderful Life went from box office dud to Christmas classic. It was because of a clerical error.

This past Sunday, Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport, known as the busiest airport in the United States, suffered a power outage stranding thousand of passengers. Chick-Fil-A, which is famously closed on Sundays, sprang into action to feed the stranded travelers.

In light of the recent elections some Christians are reticent to use the term evangelical. An interesting read. Also, a helpful explanation from Tim Keller why there is such hesitation among Christians to call themselves evangelicals.

Christmas time in our house means lots of Hallmark Channel movies. Based on the ratings, we're not alone. Here's the reason why Hallmark movies are such a big deal this time of year. (Hat tip: Acculturated)

When we're not binge watching Hallmark Christmas movies, we are working our way through Season 2 of The Crown. One of the most surprising elements is the emphasis on Queen Elizabeth's faith. Like a lot of other people I am surprised by how popular the series is here in the United States.

This is neat: Russell Moore on how his ministry was twice saved by A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Instead of selling their multi-million dollar mansion and making a profit, Texas Rangers pitcher Cole Hamels and his wife decided to donate the property to underprivileged kids instead.

One of the biggest dilemmas parents face this time of year is whether to tell their kids the truth about Santa Claus.  The best thing to do is not lie to your kids.

Finally, my daughter introduced me to this version of the a Christmas classic this week. It's quickly becoming one of my favorites.

Most Notable Books I Read in 2017

I try to read a lot and on a wide variety of subjects. At last count, I had plowed through 38 books this year which is not a bad pace to be on. I'm hoping to read more in 2018 and expect that my to be read list will be much longer once Christmas is over. Out of all the books I read these stood out for the reasons I will outline below:

The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming of Age Crisis and How to Build a Culture of Self-Reliance by Ben Sasse.

One would expect a book written by a United States Senator would be focused on public policy solutions. However, Sasse, who has a background in history and as a college president before being elected Senator is more concerned about documenting how we got to where we are in America and the current crisis that exists among young adults. Sasse intends the book to be the starting point for conversations about the challenges we face in America. Those solutions he does propose are ones that do not come from the government. An engaging read and a must for anyone who is concerned for America's youth.

Mission at Nuremberg: An American Army Chaplain and the Trial of the Nazis by Tim Townsend

In the aftermath of World War II, the Allied Forces held a war crimes tribunal at Nuremberg to prosecute Nazis for atrocities committed during the war. One of the first things I discovered in reading the book is that the whole concept of war crimes was completely new. The Allies debating long and hard about whether there was even a legal basis for bringing the cases to begin with. Perhaps even more surprising was the fact that the United States Army wanted to make sure that chaplains were available to the prisoners held at Nuremberg. I can't help but wonder if we were faced with a similar scenario today would our military be so concerned about the spiritual warfare of prisoners of war. An interesting account of what took place at Nuremberg from the perspective of one of the chaplains who ministered there.

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson

I became a fan of Erik Larson's work after reading Thunderstruck last year. I had a vague awareness of the history of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago but didn't really know the details. Nor was I aware that there was a serial killer on the loose during the fair. Larson manages to weave a compelling narrative that reads like a thriller. One of the things I appreciate most about Larson's methodology (which he discusses in the end notes) is that he does not do any research on the internet. All of the information he uncovers is from original source material found at libraries, newspapers, and in books. A thoroughly researched and highly enjoyable volume.

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

I read quite a number of mystery novels this year from the likes of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Rex Stout, and Raymond Chandler. But the one that stands out for me that I read this year is The Maltese Falcon. I was familiar with the story having seen the Humphrey Bogart film years ago. But it many ways the original novel was better than the movie. I haven't had a chance to go back and see the movie again but would be willing to bet that Bogart's portrayal of Sam Spade would be very close to Hammett's creation in the novel. It's easy to see why Hammett is often credited as the creator of the hard-boiled detective.

Weekend Links 12-15-17

A roundup of interesting links for weekend reading:

I've been reading a lot of crime fiction lately particularly from the Golden Age of Crime Fiction in Britain (think Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and G. K. Chesterson, for example). Naturally then this book is of great interest to me and appears to be must reading for anyone interested in the genre.

This is surprising: it's a good thing to stockpile more books than you'll ever actually read.

It's time to be honest about men. And about human nature.

Comedy doesn't need to mean anything. It's okay for it to just be silly. 

"We should not assume that doing what is best for one's country is always synonymous with doing what is best." Fascinating insight into the Netflix series The Crown.

This is a fun fact:

Full story here. Video here. 

I can relate to this: Why I Can No Longer Call Myself an Evangelical Republican.

Russell Moore: “American evangelicalism is old and sick and weak, and doesn’t even know it.”

This is fun: 20 Calvin and Hobbes comics to get you into the Christmas spirit.

History lesson: the true story of the women who became codebreakers during World War II.

Finally, a little something you'd probably hear playing at our house this time of year: 

Celebrating "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

Once the calendar flips from November to December it's a safe bet that in our house there will be a constant stream of Christmas movies. Most of them are of the Hallmark Channel variety at least until a few days before Christmas. By that point we get to the ones that are considered "classic" Christmas movies: Elf, A Christmas Story, It's A Wonderful Life, and Eloise at Christamastime (on December 23rd because that's Christmas Eve Eve).

But of all the Christmas related movies and television shows we watch together as a family there is none more special to us than A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Ironically, the show almost didn't get aired. CBS hated the production. Even Charles Schulz was not a fan of the finished product. But on December 9, 1965, half of all households with a television on tuned into the special and made it an instant classic. The jazzy soundtrack became one of best selling jazz records of all time. Yet despite its paltry production budget and limited visual effects it became a family favorite.

The real secret of the show's success has to be its message. No other Christmas program so clearly shares the true meaning of Christmas.  It is perhaps why our family always makes a point to watch it on Christmas Eve - to remind ourselves of why we celebrate the holiday.

Linus' speech manages to sum it all up: Let us never forget why we celebrate Christmas.

Weekend Links 12-8-17

A few items of interest for your weekend reading:

Author Stephen Mansfield explores the reasons why evangelicals so enthusiastically supported President Trump. His analysis is well worth reading. Also related: why Trump and other similar candidates are causing a crisis of faith among evangelicals.

Kevin DeYoung weighs in with Ten Questions to Ask for Voting in a Two Party 
System.

In the wake of recent sex scandals a great reminder that our hope is not in man.

Albert Mohler explains why Christians should support the death penalty. Be sure to read all the way through as his article carefully explains exactly when and why it should be supported.

Is this one of the greatest moments in the history of film? Probably. Now I need to go watch this again.

"Mary Poppins" is a Subversive Critique of Modernity. No, really, it is.

Want to be more productive? Stop doing these three things.

Finally, here is one song that is a must at Christmas:

When Faced With Choosing The Lesser of Two Evils - Choose Neither

As voters go to the polls tomorrow in the Senate special election in Alabama, they are basically faced with two horrible candidates to choose from. In recent years this has increasingly become a problem that Christian voters face. Joe Carter proposes a simple solution: don't choose either one.

Convictional inaction refuses to support any political candidate, organization, or party that advocates for or turns a blind eye to gross immorality and injustice. Every Christian in America would refuse to vote for any candidate—regardless of political party—who supports such gross injustices as abortion or covers up immorality, such as sexual assault.

If every evangelical committed to convictional inaction, politics in American would change within four to five years (about two election cycles). Knowing they were truly at the whim of Christian voters, both parties would be forced to make radical changes. Convictional inaction is a nonpartisan approach that solves our political crisis by literally doing nothing.

The flaw in this approach, of course, is the collective action problem. It would take a majority, or at least a critical mass of convictionally inactive voters to make it functional. And as we see in Alabama, there simply aren’t enough Christians willing to risk letting their political opponents win any temporary victory. 

Still, I hold out hope that this approach will catch on. Politically conservative evangelicals today have been catechized by Fox News and talk radio. But there are a growing number of churches teaching what it means to live as ambassadors of the kingdom of God and not as partisan dupes in our current political cults.

Read the whole thing.

Weekend Links 12-1-17

Some random items of interest for your weekend reading:

There's a reason McDonald's french fries aren't as good as they used to be.

Looking for a unique Christmas gift idea? Try this list of the best board games of the year. We bought Codenames last year based on their recommendation and have loved it.

Productivity matters: maybe it's time to give up on goals. Related: focus on processes rather than outcomes.

Do some parents share too much about their children online?

An interesting interpretation of the new adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express.

Recommended reading: I just finished The Vanishing American Adult by Ben Sasse. It is an excellent read and well worth your time.

If you've ever been to a baseball game, you're likely familiar with "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". But did you know there are actually two verses to the song?

Have a great weekend!