Weekend Links 5-11-18

A Friday roundup of interesting stuff from the internet. Here are the articles that caught my attention this week:

Brad Meltzer, best selling author of The Escape Artist has a new book in the works. This time he is delving into non-fiction with the story of the secret plot against George Washington.

A profile of the man who invented book selling as we know it.

This is a terrific look at the geniuses behind the Babylon Bee.

Analytics is pretty commonplace now in Major League Baseball but at the college level it is still a novelty. At UNC they are leading the way in adopting analytics into the game.

Many evangelical leaders have not only been outspoken in their support of President Trump but have gone to great lengths to defend his most egregious behaviors. David French has some very frank words for the President's evangelical backers.

Tim Challies poses an interesting question: is your church Christian or Christianish?

10 things you should know about your smartphone.

Nostalgia alert: 10 Fun Facts About Highlights.

The woman who was the subject of one of the most iconic photos to come out of the Vietnam War shares how she came to Christ. It's a powerful testimony.

Baseball America polled its correspondents to come up with a list of the ten best major league parks (excluding Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Dodger Stadium as they are in a class of their own).

This is one of the more interesting stories I have run across this week: How a Coney Island sideshow helped to save thousand of babies.

On an almost daily basis there are new reports of scientific studies reported as absolute fact. But there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of such studies. 

As I visit used book stores in my travels I am always on the lookout for vintage cover illustrations. In fact, I believe that book cover illustration is in many ways a lost art. This collection of pulp covers of classic fiction is fantastic. 

Why the Pro-Life Movement Continues to Grow

In the clip below, Brit Hume makes an eloquent case as to why the pro-life movement continues to grow. Take ninety seconds to watch the most impassioned statement in support of life that you are likely to see.

"Everyone Thought We Were A Bit Mad"

Meet Simon Fitzmaurice, an Irish filmmaker who chose life in the face of certain death:

Ruth Fitzmaurice watched as the consultant, a man they had never met before, entered the hospital room and made his way towards her husband’s bed.

Simon, a talented filmmaker and the father of three small boys, lay there with a tube going down his throat, pushing air into his lungs, allowing him to breathe but preventing him from being able to talk.

They listened as the medic spelled out in no uncertain terms what he expected them to do.

'He basically announced that this was the end of the road,’ explains Ruth. ‘That was it, they had done all they could - that he had phoned Simon’s own consultant in Beaumont Hospital who agreed that ventilation for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is not advocated in Ireland.’

The consultant continued, telling Simon that it was now time for him to make ‘the hard choice’ - to agree to come off the ventilator.

But Simon was not going to give up that easily.

Despite the consultant’s stark and very clear recommendation, Simon refused to grant permission to take him off the machine that was keeping him alive.

‘Simon’s family very much think for themselves, and Simon in particular is a very strong character,’ smiles Ruth. ‘He wouldn’t be fazed by being told what to do by a doctor, he would question things and say: “Hang on a second.”

‘The consultant told us if he stayed on the ventilator that he wouldn’t get out of the hospital. With MND [a degenerative condition that destroys the cells that control voluntary muscles and can affect speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement] it’s like, “where do you think this is going? You’re only going to get worse. Why would you choose to ventilate?” So that’s when we decided to fight.’

Not only did they decide not to take Simon off the ventilator they went a step further by deciding to have more children (they already had three when they received his diagnosis). They ended up having twins.

‘Everyone thought we were a bit mad,’ laughs Ruth. ‘But we felt in the face of death and with everything that had happened, well, kids are the ultimate opposite of all that, they’re life-affirming.’ 

But that's not all. Simon also went on to finish a script that he had been working on for a movie he will direct starting next year.

Rather than accepting a death sentence, Simon has chosen to go on living life to the fullest possible. It's a beautiful picture of what it truly means to choose life. Be sure to read his entire story.

Daily links 10-30-13

In today's roundup of links: an interview with Tim Challies, some cool aerial photographs, the most unusual dress you're likely to see, and more in today's links.

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Joe Carter has an interview with Tim Challies is well worth reading. They are two of the most influential Christian bloggers in the blogosphere today. Before I started the blog I was reading Joe Carter's Evangelical Outpost on a daily basis. His writing had (and still has) a big influence on me. I read Tim Challies' blog often.That should be evident by the number of posts I link to that come from Tim's site. In addition, I typically won't read a book without consulting his site. Tim is one of the most prolific and thoughtful book reviewers I know.

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A fascinating article on the psychology of language.

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A wonderful slideshow of aerial photos of baseball parks.

Above: Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, September 1932

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According to a new study, homeschooled children are leaner than children who attend public school.

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A British designer made a dress entirely out of chocolate. It's not how it looks. The important question is how does it taste? (Hat tip: Wardrobe Door)

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17 year-old Karrie Brown wanted to be a model. She also has Down Syndrome. Wet Seal made her dream come true. Read her amazing story. (Hat tip: Life News)

Beer Ad Emphasizes Dignity of Human Life

I normally wouldn't call attention to a commercial (certainly not a beer commercial) but this is not an ordinary ad. It is, in fact, most extraordinary because it is so totally unlike any other commercial I have seen. Take one minute to watch this and be astounded at the power of its simple message:

LifeNews explains the power behind the ad:

The one-minute commercial features a group of guy friends –all in wheelchairs– gathered for a competitive and adrenaline-charged game of basketball. The game is aggressive, and no one seems deterred by the precarious possibilities of collisions or falling over (both of which happen during the game). The purpose of the commercial at first seems to convey the message that this kind of dedication is what true athleticism is all about. But that’s not all the advertisement portrays.

It’s clear towards the end that these guys are champs. They’re dedicated and fearless. The last few seconds reveal an unexpected twist. As all of the men except one rise up out of their wheelchairs and effortlessly walk away together, the viewer learns that these are also some of the most committed friends a man could ask for: only one of them is really wheelchair-bound, but that’s no impediment to his team. The commercial closes with a scene of the men enjoying Guinness at a bar after the game as a narrative voice concludes: The choices we make reveal the true nature of our character. Nothing could be truer.

Indeed.

Virginia Senate Votes To Regulate Abortion Clinics

Today's vote by the Virginia Senate makes me proud to be a Virginian:

With the backing of two Democrats and a tie-breaking vote cast by Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, Republicans in the Virginia Senate today won approval of an amended health bill that would require the state's abortion clinics to be regulated like hospitals.

The 20-20 vote on Senate Bill 924, which now heads to Gov. Bob McDonnell, represents a significant victory for anti-abortion activists, who have been trying for years to restrict access to abortion in Virginia, only to have bills killed in the Democrat-controlled Senate Education and Health Committee. McDonnell has indicated he would sign the legislation.

Democratic lawmakers and women's rights advocates decried legislation, which was altered on the floor of the House earlier in the week through an amendment tacked onto an unrelated bill by Del. Kathy Byron, R-Campbell and came to the Senate without being debated or discussed in committee.
They said it would effectively restrict a woman's access to abortion services by forcing the state's 21 clinics to meet standards set by the Board of Health regulating hospitals -- standards that include things like expanded hallways, parking lots and elevators that most clinics could not afford.
Currently, first-trimester abortions are considered medical procedures that can be performed in physicians' offices, similar to medical procedures such as colonoscopies, vision correction surgery, cosmetic surgeryand dental surgery. Abortions in the second trimester or later must be performed in a hospital setting.
The amended legislation would require that any medical office performing more than five first-trimester abortions per month be classified as a hospital and subject to regulations devised by the State Board of Health -- a body that is appointed by the governor.

This is sensible legislation and reasonable in light of recent stories such as the massacre in Philadelphia last month. Hats off to the Senators who had the courage to stand up and do the right thing and protect the cause of life.

UPDATE: The Associated Press claims this is a tactic to force abortion clinics to close:

Virginia took a big step Thursday toward eliminating most of the state's 21 abortion clinics, approving a bill that would likely make rules so strict the medical centers would be forced to close, Democrats and abortion rights supporters said.

Gov. Bob McDonnell, a Republican and Catholic, supports the measure and when he signs it into law, Virginia will become the first state to require clinics that provide first-trimester abortions to meet the same standards as hospitals. The requirements could include anything from expensive structural changes like widening hallways to increased training and mandatory equipment the clinics currently don't have.

While abortion providers must be licensed in Virginia, the clinics resemble dentists' offices and are considered physicians offices, similar to those that provide plastic and corrective eye surgeries, colonoscopies and a host of other medical procedures.

Democrats and abortion rights supporters said the change would put an estimated 17 of the state's 21 clinics out of business. Most of the clinics also provide birth control, cancer screenings and other women's health services.

"This is not about safety for women. This is about ideology, and this is about politics," said Tarina Keene, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia. "The women of the commonwealth are going to be the ones left to suffer."

Abortion rights supporters warned of legal challenges while supporters heralded it as a way to make the procedures safer.

"It is not about banning abortions," said Sen. Jill Vogel, R-Winchester. "It is simply caring for women who are about to have an invasive surgical procedure and creating an environment for them where they have the opportunity to do that in a place that is safe."

No other state requires clinics that provide early abortions to meet hospital standards.

For years, abortion advocates have claimed that they want to make abortions safe. But as opponents of this bill have revealed what they really want is for abortion to be available on demand at any time. Their concern for the health of the woman ends when reasonable regulations to insure a woman's health are introduced. Once again the hypocrisy of abortion advocates is in plain view for all to see.

Pro-Choice Columnist Calls Out Intolerant Left

Few things have caused as much controversy in recent days as Tim Tebow's upcoming pro-life Super Bowl Ad. Abortion advocates have been critical of Tebow and of CBS' decision to air the spot during the upcoming game.

But the most remarkable thing I've seen yet is this column from Washington Post writer Sally Jenkins. Ms. Jenkins takes the abortion advocates to task for their criticism of the young football star:

I'm pro-choice, and Tebow clearly is not. But based on what I've heard in the past week, I'll take his side against the group-think, elitism and condescension of the "National Organization of Fewer and Fewer Women All The Time." For one thing, Tebow seems smarter than they do.

Tebow's 30-second ad hasn't even run yet, but it already has provoked "The National Organization for Women Who Only Think Like Us" to reveal something
important about themselves: They aren't actually "pro-choice" so much as they are pro-abortion. Pam Tebow has a genuine pro-choice story to tell. She got pregnant in 1987, post-Roe v. Wade, and while on a Christian mission in the Philippines, she contracted a tropical ailment. Doctors advised her the pregnancy could be dangerous, but she exercised her freedom of choice and now, 20-some years later, the outcome of that choice is her beauteous Heisman Trophy winner son, a chaste, proselytizing evangelical.

Pam Tebow and her son feel good enough about that choice to want to tell people about it. Only, NOW says they shouldn't be allowed to. Apparently NOW feels this commercial is an inappropriate message for America to see for 30 seconds, but women in bikinis selling beer is the right one. I would like to meet the genius at NOW who made that decision. On second thought, no, I wouldn't.

There's not enough space in the sports pages for the serious weighing of values that constitutes this debate, but surely everyone in both camps, pro-choice or pro-life, wishes the "need" for abortions wasn't so great. Which is precisely why NOW is so wrong to take aim at Tebow's ad.

Be sure to read the whole thing. Hats off to Ms. Jenkins for calling out the intolerant critics on the Left who wish to demonize the Tebows. Though we may not agree on whether abortion is wrong we can at least agree that we can respectfully disagree with each other.

Quick Takes 1-9-09

A new year and time for another new roundup of interesting links.....

Pride and Prejudice as a Facebook page. Very cool indeed. (Hat tip: nosh)

Not just pro-life but pro-woman.

Need a cool nickname? Try this.

I don't think that President-elect Obama will be able to blame Bush much longer for the bad economy. (Thanks to Lorie Byrd)

Name that party. Hint: it's not in the first eleven paragraphs. No news bias here, right? (Hat tip: Hot Air)

America as a celebritocracy. (Hat tip: Jonathan) However, I'm more in agreement with Bill Bennett that the nomination of Dr. Gupta as Surgeon General is a smart move.

Bailout for porn kings? Let's hope not. (Warning: adult content)

Rejoicing in Red Sox Nation: John Smoltz signs with Boston. Assuming he's healthy, that could be a big pickup for the Sox.

John Zeigler meets Sarah Palin and finds her to be a real person.

This story brings a whole new meaning to the term "ugly divorce". (Hat tip: Dave Barry)

January 10th at 9pm Eastern Fox News will feature a special presentation of Gary Sinise's tour of Iraq. You won't want to miss this. Here's a special message from Gary that's worth reading.

With the inauguration almost upon us, it's interesting to look back at the history of prior inaugurations with Jane Hampton Cook:



Have a great weekend.