Daily Links 4-9-14

In today's edition: handling differences online, a spy's toolkit, stop misusing the Bible, a book recommendation, and more.

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How to handle differences online. Generally speaking, the internet is not a place to debate issues but there are some useful tips here to consider.

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Why Wegmans is America's best grocery store. I can say from personal experience that it is far and away the best grocery store I have ever shopped at. It's (almost) worth moving just to be closer to one. It's even better than Trader Joe's (and that's saying a lot).

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I do not think that means what you think it means: five Bible verses you need to stop misusing.

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How Jane Austen's heroines find happiness. Some very interesting thoughts on the character traits of Austen's female characters. (Hat tip: Acculturated)

When it comes to book recommendations, my go-to guy is Tim Challies. It's not because I agree with everything he says (I do often but not always) but because he is such a thougtful, thorough book reviewer. So anytime he recommends a book I take notice. Here's his latest recommendation: Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung.

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This is a neat infographic: the spy's toolkit.

Daily Links 2-28-14

Your weekend roundup of links: cooking with Jane Austen, the cult of the visioneer, perfecting timekeeping, romantic Disney moments, why we sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh inning stretch, and more.

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You love Jane Austen's novels. You also love to cook. This literary cookbook is just for you.

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When wading into the fashion wars with your kids it's best to tread lightly.

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Why Christians should engage with non-Christian art. Good food for thought.

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How often have you heard it said in a church that "God has given the pastor a specific vision and it's up to us to follow it"? That's a very dangerous line of thinking as Todd Pruitt explains. Background on this issue here.

Hat tip: Challies

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Another endorsement for The Gospel at Work. 

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How Omega has perfected the art of timekeeping.

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The most romantic moments in Disney movies.

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What you have to do first before you can agree or disagree with someone (from How to Read a Book).

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Why we sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh inning stretch at baseball games. You can thank Harry Caray and Bill Veeck for this tradition.

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Do the math: there are plenty of reasons to order the bigger pizza.

Daily Links 1-13-14

Good morning! Here is a collection of links to help start your week off right. In today's edition: Brothers Grimm fairy tales come to life, redesigning World War II London, school wasn't canceled in 1882, and more.

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A neat collection of photographs that make you think you've stepped into one of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales:

Photo by Kilian Schönberger 

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Buyer beware: 17 ways stores make you spend more money. Good stuff to keep in mind while shopping.

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Neat History: how wartime London was redesigned to fool German bombers during World War II.

This lamp post was repainted black and white (among other things) to fool German bomber crews.

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10 pieces of cool Jane Austen swag.

Jane Austen coasters

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A story from Laura Ingalls Wilder's These Happy Golden Years (second to last in the Little House series) proves that we have all gone soft when it comes to dealing with cold weather. (Hat tip: Challies)

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Point-counterpoint: Thom Rainer offers 7 tips for introvert leaders while Ed Stetzer responds with his own 3 tips for extrovert leaders.

Daily Links 11-28-13

How music affects the brain, using Monk Mode to increase productivity, a Jane Austen trivia game, and more in today's roundup of links.

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This is interesting: 8 ways that music affects the brain. Personally, I find I am more productive when I have music on in the background while working.

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A half-hour wedding proposal went viral on YouTube. And that's not a good thing.

The problem with trying to turn a marriage proposal into a wannabe Oscar performance is twofold: first, it turns a monumental moment into essentially a creativity competition, the root of which is vanity. (Did anyone notice how the video focuses almost exclusively on the guy making it? It’s not about her, or even them – it’s about him.) 

But more importantly, it turns the focus away from the purpose of the proposal – marriage. Because guess what? The way a man proposes has nothing to do at all with love, commitment, loyalty, or longevity. I hate to bring up America’s 50% divorce rate, but in light of videos like this, I feel somewhat compelled. We can dream up brilliant, creative, unique ways to propose, but all the flash mobs and music videos in the world can’t save a marriage when it’s past this butterflies, pie-in-the-sky phase. If anything, all the hype and hoopla of an over-the-top proposal can distract from the serious, down-to-earth business of making sure that you are marrying the right person.

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Total Film has a roundup of 50 movies that should have won an Oscar but didn't. My personal favorite is Rear Window. (Hat tip: Shrink Blog)

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Monk mode as the key to insane productivity. I don't know if that would be the name that I put to it but I like the idea. There are times I have had to completely shut off everything in order to stay focused on a major project. It's not an everyday thing but it is a strategy that makes sense if you have a big task to focus on. (Hat tip Challies)

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A Kickstarter for a Jane Austen Trivia Game. I have a feeling the women in my household could get behind that.



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Could single-sex public schools be making a comeback? One group in the Bronx is trying to bring all-male public schools back to help young men in New York. The results appear to be promising.

Daily Links 11-8-13

A bookish roundup of links to start off your weekend: a cool bookmark, why you should write in your books, a really neat audiobook you can listen to for free, and more.

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I love this bookmark....

You can find more neat designs here. (Hat tip: Book Riot)

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Here are five reasons you should write in your books. I've never been in the habit of writing in my books but this makes a fairly good case for doing so.

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Although C. S. Lewis is probably best known as a theologian I think his fiction books are his best works. One of my personal favorites is The Screwtape Letters. One of the earliest audio editions was narrated by none other than John Cleese. You can listen to all of it for free here.

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Ernest Hemingway is arguably one of the greatest writers of the 20th Century. Although he never wrote about how to write fiction he did mention the subject in a number of letters, articles, and books. Here are seven of his best tips on how to write fiction.

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Here's a terrific list of books on reading and writing.

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If you live in Copperas Cove, Texas, you better return your books to the library on time or end up in jail:

An ordinance adopted by the City of Copperas Cove could mean an arrest for patrons if they don't return library materials.

A recent case landed one man behind bars for a book he'd had checked out for more than three years.

On Wednesday Jory Enck was booked into jail and released for overdue library materials.

Court documents show he checked out a GED study guide in 2010 and didn't respond to attempts from the library to get the book back.

I have heard of extreme penalties for overdue library books but this seems like a little bit much.

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Fans of Jane Austen beware: there is a new updating of Sense and Sensibility coming to bookshelves soon. While it's a popular thing to attempt, there are several pitfalls writers would do well to avoid.

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Here's a list of 9 books that you should drop everything to read right away.

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This is without a doubt one of the coolest bookstores you're likely to find anywhere. The Dutch really know how to make the most of an abandoned church:

Details (and more photos) here.

Daily Links 8-30-13

Happy Firiday! Here are some links of interest to lead into the weekend:

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Ranking the 21 best Jane Austen films of all time. I haven't seen all of these films but I would say I pretty much agree with the way these were ranked.

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10 Things Christians Should Know About Islam. This is a good quick reference on Islam for those who are not familiar with what Islam is all about.

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Sign me up: The Bacon Weave Breakfast Taco. (hat tip Neatorama)

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Working Harder and Smarter: What Ashton Kutcher and Mike Rowe Have to Teach Us

So as Kutcher and Rowe urge, in the words of the latter, "work smart and hard." But as Kutcher's final point in his acceptance speech makes clear, our work needs to be oriented toward something larger. Kutcher encourages his audience to dream big, to work hard and smart "to build a life" characterized by meaning and significance. Lester DeKoster says there is a deep relationship between the meaning of our lives and our labor, since work is "a glorious opportunity to serve God and our neighbors by participating in God’s creative work through cultivation of the creation order." Work is a channel of preserving, common grace, intended by God to be the primary avenue for meeting our material needs and social life.

If younger generations faced by dour prospects in the marketplace would take the wisdom of Ashton Kutcher and Mike Rowe to heart, the prospects for a flourishing culture and economy would be much brighter. This would mean that there would be a greater recognition of the cultural and economic contributions realized through vocational training, through mentorships, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurs. Rowe, for instance, talks about "hundreds of men and women who loved their jobs and worked their butts off: welders, mechanics, electricians, plumbers. I’ve met them in every state, and seen firsthand a pride of workmanship that simply doesn’t exist in most 'cleaner' industries."

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Friday Tweet Roundup 8-16-13

It's Friday and time for another roundup of links of interest that I tweeted about this week. Be sure to follow me on Twitter for the latest.

26 problems only introverts would understand. Yes, this post speaks to me.

Some good tips on writing and speaking for introverts.

Who knew that churches had spies? They found out some interesting things in looking over churches.

Seven expectations of every church member. If more churches set these expectations of their members they would be a lot healthier.

How the temperance movement almost killed root beer.

Lou Gehrig was called the Pride of the Yankees. By contrast Alex Rodriguez can be called the Disgrace of the Yankees.

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice marks its 200th anniversary. Austen addiction is alive and well. 

Film and fashion collide: The suits of James Bond.

Today marks the beginning of a Michigan man's quest to visit all 30 major league parks in 30 days to raise money for leukemia and lymphoma research. His website is here if you want to support him.

Disney songwriting legends Richard Sherman and Alan Menken reflect on their careers.

Here's a great list of books to read with your child before they are 12 years old.

Did you hear the one about the time a cat was sent through pneumatic tubes? It's a true story

Then there were the time(s) Disney animators plagiarized themselves.

Attention Whovians: you can use Google Maps to view inside the TARDIS.

One thing you never, ever do is run on Yasiel Puig. This throw is insane. What's more amazing is the play at third isn't even close.

That's it. Have a great weekend.

Friday Tweet Recap 8-9-13

Here's a roundup of interesting things that I found on the web and tweeted this week. Quite a boatload of links in today's edition. Be sure to follow me on Twitter for the latest:

A historian makes a case for examining the forgotten presidents.

10 signs you might be a Jane Austen addict. This link should in no way imply that I think any of the women in my household should be classified as addicts.

Two different stories on finding love and both of them are unusual: From Wrong Number to Wedded Bliss and From Hashtags to Holy Matrimony.

For some, college is not worth the debt. More and more, this is something that families have to consider before sending their kids off to school.

"How did you like the sermon?" is the wrong question to ask because sermons are not for liking.

6 Commonly Held Misconceptions about Introverts.

10 reasons parents need a date night (with helpful explanations for the kids).

A fascinating survey of book lovers. Some the stats in this survey are really surprising.

I was sorry to hear this news. I hope they will change their minds.

10 things that "Yahweh" means. I honestly didn't know this.

What strengthens and weakens integrity - it's the small choices that count.

Eric Metaxas argues that cultural elites are the next great unreached people group. He makes a very compelling case.

A controversy has arisen over the word "wrath" in a hymn. Timothy George explains the problem. And Thom Rainer has some insight on what this says about evangelism and the church.

A surprisingly positive New York Times profile of the business practices of Christian companies.

Dispelling 12 common myths about Calvinism.

In honor of the announcement of the 12th doctor, 8 pieces of Doctor Who tea swag.

This is one of the rarest things you will see in baseball: a one pitch strikeout.

Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees received a well-deserved 211 game suspension from Major League Baseball. For those unfamiliar with the story, Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan has an excellent timeline of how this came to pass.

More on Rodriguez: the reason why MLB needs to enforce the rules regarding drug use.

Here's one of the best baseball promos I have ever seen: Vin Scully for ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.

It's been 25 years since the first night game at Wrigley Field. Some recollections from those who were there.

Reclaiming excellence as a Christian virtue.

Some wonderful and weird places for bookstores.

Here's a great case of suburban renewal: abandoned Wal-Mart turned into America's largest library.

That's it. Have a great weekend!

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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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)

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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.

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

Why We Should Read Austen

My wife and daughters are big Jane Austen fans. We watch just about every adaptation of her novels that comes along (although the 1995 Pride and Prejudice (Restored Edition) is our favorite) and the books are frequently read in our house. I must admit I've acquired an admiration for Austen's works over the years myself.

Mark Mitchell, writing at Front Porch Republic, has a great article on why we need to read Austen and how both ladies and gentlemen can benefit from diving into her novels. For example, here's what he has to say about how Austen can help guys to learn to be gentlemen:

Austen’s gentlemen (I’m thinking especially of Darcy here) understand the call of duty; they are committed to family, reputation, propriety, and self-control. To be sure, Darcy takes himself quite seriously, but aren’t these pursuits serious by nature? To neglect one’s duty, to be careless of one’s family and reputation, to ignore the bounds of propriety and to indulge the appetites without restraint are not the actions of a gentleman. They represent, conversely, the behavior of a boor. Or, perhaps equally fitting, they are the actions of a male who has no sense of what it means to be a man. Such characters may be Guys or Peter Pans but they are not men and surely not gentlemen.

Be sure to read the whole thing.


Hat tip: Joe Carter

Book Review: The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview

In Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice, Caroline Bingley has her eyes set on marrying Fitzwilliam Darcy, a handsome gentleman of no small fortune. As anyone who is familiar with the novel knows, Mr. Darcy ends up marrying Elizabeth Bennett and Caroline is heartbroken to see the man she loves marry another woman. But Fitzwilliam has an American cousin Robert who sees Caroline weeping at the wedding. He's immediately smitten but will he be able to win the affection of Miss Bingley?

Click here to read the rest of this article at Blogcritics.

Quick Takes - Friday Fun Edition

I spent the entire day on the road for business and made a point not to listen to talk radio. It was refreshing to have a break from politics for a day. In that spirit, I offer the following politics-free edition of quick takes:

Curt Schilling fills us in on the status of his shoulder injury. Here's the Associated Press version of the story.

Like most parents, we read Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon repeatedly to our kids and even had the whole story memorized at one point. Now there is a sequel that has been discovered in her papers. (hat tip: Instapundit

Tim Ellsworth offers suggestions how to pray for Union University in the aftermath of this week's tornadoes. He also has videos. Be sure to pray for Tim as he's handling all of the media relations for the university.

In the mail this week: two Jane Austen films: Persuasion and Becoming Jane. Reviews of both coming soon. By the way, the casting of Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen is no accident. She did her senior thesis at Vassar on Austen.

Also in the mail to review this week: The Aristocats. This is the last movie that Walt Disney was personally involved in starting (he died during production). It's also the last movie to be scored by Richard and Robert Sherman during their golden years at Disney. They were also responsible for the scores for Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, and Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree among other Disney classics. They'll be the subject of an upcoming documentary entitled The Boys. It's about time as the Shermans rank (at least in my mind) as one of the greatest songwriting teams of all time.

Put me in, Coach! It's John Fogerty singing Take Me Out To The Ballgame.

$1.3 Billion (yes, you read that correctly) for a new Yankees Stadium. Yikes!

This definitely goes to the top of my book wishlist: Culture Shift by Al Mohler. Need more evidence? Check out this entry at Out of Ur in which they present Mohler's argument that it's time for Christians to pull their kids out of public schools. It is time indeed.

DVD Review: Biography - Jane Austen

Jane Austen is easily the most widely read and widely published author of all time. Her six novels (Emma, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey and Sense and Sensibility) have sold hundreds of millions of copies and have been adapted for film and television numerous times. But who was the woman behind what have been called the greatest novels of all time?

We recently picked up the A&E Biography episode on Jane Austen in the hopes that we could find out more about her and what inspired her to write such marvelous stories. While the program did offer a little more insight into her life story, it really focused more on her novels that Austen herself.

Part of the reason that biographical information is so sketchy is that it was not until after her death in 1817 that Austen was identified as the author of her books. During her lifetime, writing was not seen as a fit occupation for a woman and so she published all of her books anonymously.

What little is known about Austen's personality is best reflected in her letters. But as the program points out, most of her letters were destroyed by her sister Cassandra. Still enough of them survived (and a few are excerpted during the program) that we get a sense of her wit and keen observations of society around her.

The program also touches on her two romances. While we were familiar with her relationship with Tom Lefroy (which is dealt with at length in the wonderful movie Becoming Jane) we were less familiar her second relationship that resulted in a marriage proposal from Harris Bigwither. He proposed to her in 1802 when she was 27. Although she initially accepted the offer she broke the engagement the next day after having second thoughts. She would never become involved in another romantic relationship again.

The program goes on to show the wide impact that Austen's novels have had and continue to have on readers all around the world. Nearly 200 years after her death, readers of all ages and backgrounds continue to enjoy her works. This episode of Biography shows that Austen continues to have an impact far beyond what she could have ever imagined.

Biography: Jane Austen is available on DVD from A&E Networks.