Daily Links 12-26-13

In today's roundup of links: productivity tips from the book of Proverbs, things Christians should stop saying, being careful about what you share on the internet, and more.

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This is interesting: a list of 22 productivity tips from the book of Proverbs. (Hat tip: Aaron Armstrong)

The Book of Proverbs has a lot to say about productivity. Not only does it teach us how we can be more productive, it teaches how we can be more biblically productive. 

Some of these principles you can find in secular productivity literature today. (Indeed, many of the proverbs can be found in secular ancient Near East literature, verbatim.) But seeing them in God-breathed Scripture reminds us to adopt those principles with a God-centered perspective. Other principles in the list don’t get as much ink or pixels in productivity books or blogs. Let us consider how to incorporate those in our mindset and our workflow, so that we can glorify God all the more in the work that we do. 

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A list of five things that Christians should stop saying. I agree with every single one especially #1 and #3.

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A warning to be careful about what we share on the internet:

It can happen to any of us. It does happen to almost all of us. 

We see a story online that shocks us and seems just true enough. 

Normally, we check things out before we share them, but this is so unbelievable we need to get the news out as soon as possible. 

We post it on Facebook or retweet it. Before we know it, others have shared the story.

Only then do we find out the truth – it was fake.

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Some enterprising Arizona State University students have converted retired food trucks into bookmobiles. What a great idea. (Hat tip: Book Riot)

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Why C. S. Lewis still matters fifty years after his death.

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The delightful love letter from Mark Twain to his wife on the occasion of their sixth wedding anniversary.

Daily Links 12-9-13

In today's link roundup: World War II in color, gift ideas for Star Trek fans, a Nutella bar opens in Chicago, and more.

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Check out these stunning World War II era photographs. The wonders of Kodachrome.

Hat tip: Glenn Reynolds

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The perfect gift for a Star Trek fan:

Hat tip: Boing Boing

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Understanding the meanings of common British slang phrases. This could come in handy in case I ever make it back across the pond.

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This exists. A Nutella bar at Eataly Chicago.

Photo by Marc Much - Eater Chicago

I have to see that the one thing I miss about living in Chicago is the food. There were always an abundance of great places to eat. Can anyone say road trip?

Hat tip: Neatorama

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Inspired by the soon to be published book Letters of Note: Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience (which is an outgrowth of the website of the same name) Flavorwire compiles their list of 12 collections of letters that are worth reading. I love reading letters from writers as it gives an insight into their thoughts. (Hat tip: Book Riot)

Daily Links 10-5-13

Why C. S. Lewis didn't use a typewriter, George Washington's library, the value of writing letters, and more in today's roundup of links.

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C. S. Lewis did not use a typewriter when he wrote. But the reason why is probably not the reason you think. (Hat tip: John Piper)

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One of the best presidential homes has received a fairly substantial upgrade: George Washington now has his own presidential library at Mount Vernon. Here are some fun facts about the new library.

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Matt Lewis poses an interesting question:

Anyone who has seen the trailer for the new movie Don Jon knows that Jon (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), really cares about his porn. Fewer know that his love interest, Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), is likewise addicted to the sappy fairy tales we call romantic comedies.

I like the juxtaposition. Both things can be destructive. But while porn has a bad reputation, those who peddle unrealistic notions about love and marriage and relationships get a pass.

One wonders which of these fantasies have done the most damage to families.

Hat tip: Instapundit

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Meanwhile, a billboard in Nashville is spurring on conversations about pornography:

A billboard in downtown Nashville has many people talking. It's only three words, but the message aims to make a strong point meant to cut down on pornography and sex trafficking.

The sign, which reads 'She's somebody's daughter,' stands above the Hustler store on Church Street.

Nashville songwriter Steve Siler came up with the campaign after he realized several of his friends were addicted to Internet porn and thought it was time for a conversation on the values of our community.

"'Somebody's daughter' is basically our way of asking if pornography would be OK if it were your wife or your sister or your daughter," Siler said. "I think it will make them question and then ask, and sometimes information goes a long way."

Hat tip: Facts and Trends

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A case for reviving the long lost art of writing letters.

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He's 85 and a broadcasting legend yet he works as hard as ever:

Of all the stadiums in all the towns and all the states on the rich final weekend of September in America, please do bring me to a humble dining room without even a view of the field. Bring me to the fifth level of Dodger Stadium, behind the press box, behind the main media dining area, to a room with four little tables done up in blue-and-white, all unoccupied in mid-afternoon save for the one in the back corner.

There, you do find a sight.

There you do find a certain Vincent Scully, seated behind a small swarm of papers and a binder and a highlighter. There you find the reminder, always useful, that even the phenomenally beloved must study. Even a man whose voice can make your ear smile and your day improve must swim amid the nuts and bolts.

He will turn 86 in November. He will start his 65th season as the voice of the Dodgers next April. He lives with the abiding love of a sprawling metropolis. He has gone from Gil Hodges and Duke Snider and Roy Campanella all the way to Yasiel Puig, whom he can cite as "a study all by himself," comparable to none, with "his unbridled joy of playing, his enthusiasm, his recklessness." Yet as another season depletes toward Game 162 and, in this Dodger year, beyond, Vin Scully still totes around a healthy fear of unpreparedness.