Daily Links 1-14-14

In today's link roundup: how Malcolm Gladwell returned to faith, what we might not notice while watching Downton Abbey, know your Bible translations, and more.

*****************

Malcolm Gladwell shares his journey on a return to faith while writing his latest book David and Goliath:

When I was writing my book David and Goliath, I went to see a woman in Winnipeg by the name of Wilma Derksen. 

Thirty years before, her teenage daughter, Candace, had disappeared on her way home from school. The city had launched the largest manhunt in its history, and after a week, Candace’s body was found in a hut a quarter of a mile from the Derksen’s house. Her hands and feet had been bound. 

Wilma and her husband Cliff were called in to the local police station and told the news.

Candace’s funeral was the next day, followed by a news conference. Virtually every news outlet in the province was there because Candace’s disappearance had gripped the city. 

“How do you feel about whoever did this to Candace?” a reporter asked the Derksens. 

“We would like to know who the person or persons are so we could share, hopefully, a love that seems to be missing in these people’s lives,” Cliff said. 

Wilma went next. “Our main concern was to find Candace. We’ve found her.” She went on: “I can’t say at this point I forgive this person,” but the stress was on the phrase at this point. “We have all done something dreadful in our lives, or have felt the urge to.” 

I wanted to know where the Derksens found the strength to say those things. A sexual predator had kidnapped and murdered their daughter, and Cliff Derksen could talk about sharing his love with the killer and Wilma could stand up and say, “We have all done something dreadful in our lives, or have felt the urge to.” Where do two people find the power to forgive in a moment like that?

Be sure to read the whole thing.

*****************

Dr. Albert Mohler warns us to not miss the larger story that was taking place during the time of Downton Abbey which is not being fully portrayed on screen.

*****************

A handy graphic guide to Bible translations.

*****************

Word games: 7 words that came about because people kept saying them wrong.

*****************

One writer's list of the 30 best period dramas of the last 30 years. Since we watch more than our fair share of these, here are our favorites from this list  in no particular order (we haven't seen all 30 listed);

Sense and Sensibility
Daniel Deronda
Bleak House
The Young Victoria
Wives and Daughters
Little Dorrit
Pride and Prejudice
North and South

******************

How wealthy was George Washington? Historians at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation try to answer this question.

Random Thoughts

A few stories of interest from the past week....

Earlier this week came the not totally unsurprising news that Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees was tied to a clinic that allegedly provided him with performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). If confirmed this would be the second known instance where he had taken PEDs. He previously admitted to taking the drugs from 2001 to 2003 but when he made the admission in 2009 he proclaimed himself to be clean. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports suggested that A-Rod is finished. I tend to agree. Even if the PED story isn't true it's hard to see how A-Rod will be able to rehabilitate his image. Age and injuries have caught up with the slugging third baseman and his career has nowhere to go but on a continued downward spiral. This might be a good time to consider retiring rather than trying to slog through these allegations any further.

************

This week marked the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Few novels or novelists have  developed such a strong following as Austen or her most famous novel. The BBC has an interesting look at why Americans are drawn to the British author.

************

Speaking of British entertainments, Downton Abbey has been causing quite the stir on the American side of the Atlantic. The Wall Street Journal has an interesting interview with series creator Julian Fellowes that provides some surprising insights into the hit series.

************

Having a daughter about to graduate high school has caused me to think (and read a lot) about the changing face of higher education. Arthur C. Brooks offers some interest insights into the college dynamic in a New York Times column entitled My Valuable, Cheap College Degree. Peter Berkowitz offers 10 Ways Liberal Education Fails Students - and Society. Finally, Mark Cuban boldly declares that Colleges are Going to Start Going Out of Business (language warning).

*************

Robert Epstein, author of The Case Against Adolescence, has a thought-provoking interview with Psychology Today about the problems facing modern teenagers. Among his more interesting assertions is that teenagers spend too much time with other teenagers. He makes several good points in the interview and while I don't necessarily agree with everything he says it's worth a read. (Hat tip: Joe Carter)

*************

Twitter surprise of the week: I am constantly surprised by the people I find on Twitter. This week's great discovery is that Dick Van Dyke is tweeting. He's @iammrvandy and definitely worth a follow.

*************

Finally, the oddest story of the week: A group of men have been playing a game of tag for 23 years.