Daily Links 1-2-14

In today's roundup: zero tolerance and public schools, an update in the war on boys, PEDs in baseball, and more.

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Glenn Reynolds weighs in on new research showing the ability of preschoolers to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Too bad the same can't be said for public school administrators.

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The Washington Examiner weighs in on the war on boys with this editorial:

Lost in all the noise about helping girls achieve their potential is a growing body of evidence that boys are in trouble. It's the real "gender gap." Consider this: A recent study by two MIT economists found that men, not women, are less likely to graduate from high school and finish college. As a result, the study said, "over the last three decades, the labor market trajectory of males in the U.S. has turned downward along four dimensions: skills acquisition, employment rates, occupational stature and real wage levels." 

The authors say the declining economic value of men and the rise in women's achievement contributes to the breakdown of the American family by making marriage less valuable. Then, with more out-of-wedlock births and single-parent households headed by women, the lack of a male role model hurts boys in particular, both economically and academically. 

This isn't a new finding: Multiple studies over the past 40 years have shown that boys suffer more than girls from divorce because they tend to externalize their reactions and act in ways that make them more likely to cause trouble at school or get arrested. Simply put: Boys need fathers to learn how to become men. And too many of them don't have one. 

Read the whole thing.

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Making the argument for voting for players from the Steroid Era for Baseball's Hall of Fame. Their opinion? It's the numbers, stupid. The hard part for me about the steroid debate has always been what distinctive advantage, if any, does use of PEDs give to a player? Baseball is hard game to play and even harder to master. Though I'm opposed to use of PEDs I still remain unconvinced that they give a player a significant edge.

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The polka-dot bomber from World War II:

The full story on why it's painted that way is here. (Hat tip: Neatorama)

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Prince William made the day of a 12 year old girl who was visiting Sandringham on Christmas Day:

In another era, it would have been seen as undignified. But in the newly populist royal family, everyone seems to be getting in on the act. 

After Prince Charles and the Queen set the trend by agreeing to pose for mobile phone photos with members of the public, Prince William has joined in.

And this time it was the royal who actually took the picture. 

William, 31, photographed himself with Madison Lambe, 12, on her phone – because she was too nervous to press the button. The Duke of Cambridge took the snap after she visited the Sandringham Estate on Christmas Day to watch the Royal family walk from their house to church.

Priceless.

Daily Links 11-7-13

How the Internet affects your brain, an update in the war on boys, calling vs. career, and more in this morning's roundup of links.

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How the internet is rewiring your brain. This is both fascinating and scary at the same time. (Hat tip: Stephen Mansfield)

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The latest story in the continuing war on boys via Christina Hoff Somners:

Being a boy can be a serious liability in today’s classroom. As a group, boys are noisy, rowdy and hard to manage. Many are messy, disorganized and won’t sit still. Young male rambunctiousness, according to a recent study, leads teachers to underestimate their intellectual and academic abilities. “Girl behavior is the gold standard in schools says psychologist Michael Thompson. “Boys are treated like defective girls.”

These “defective girls” are not faring well academically. Compared with girls, boys earn lower grades, win fewer honors and are less likely to go to college. One education expert has quipped that if current trends continue, the last male will graduate from college in 2068. In today’s knowledge-based economy, success in the classroom has never been more crucial to a young person’s life prospects. Women are adapting; men are not.

Hat tip: Nancy Pearcey

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John Ortberg on calling versus career:

American society does not talk much about calling anymore. It is more likely to think in terms of career. Yet, for many people a career becomes the altar on which they sacrifice their lives. Benjamin Honeycutt, a historian who specializes in the history of work at the University of Iowa, notes that work has become our new religion, where we worship and give our time. As people’s commitment to family, community and faith are shrinking, they begin to look to their careers to provide them with meaning, connectedness, identity and self-esteem.

A calling, which is something I do for God, is replaced by a career, which threatens to become my god. A career is something I choose for myself; a calling is something I receive. A career is something I do for myself; a calling is something I do for God. A career promises status, money or power; a calling generally promises difficulty and even some suffering – and the opportunity to be used by God. A career is about upward mobility; a calling generally leads to downward mobility.

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A cool collection of Scrabble themed gifts.

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A fascinating list of 10 celebrities who also were spies.

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It's not our job to "police" other Christians:

In my experience as a Christian and Preacher, you would think that any disagreements, arguments, or debates I'd have would be with the non-Christian, the atheist, or those from other religions, but not true. It seems anytime I've had a disagreement with someone over Christianity it is always a fundamental or legalistic Christian who feels it's their mission and life's work to be God's police to the world. 

These types of people make it their personal mission in life to prove others wrong, be right, argue, debate, belittle, name-call, and look down on those who do not line up with them whether doctrinally, theologically, denominationally, or other church or faith issues.  It's a mind-set of either you are for me or against me.  You either agree with me or you are a liberal, heretic, sodomite, watered-down, ignorant, stupid, (add you own description here), I've been called a lot.  The sad thing is I don't like to argue(really!), but some folks can't seem to understand that, their whole faith system is made up of proving others wrong, being right, and making a point to "police" Christians.

Daily Links 9-19-13

Picking worship songs, the despised Nook, and more in today's roundup of links.

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Picking the Right Key For Your Congregation. As any worship leader will tell you, one of the trickiest things is figuring out the right key to sing songs in that will be comfortable for everyone. This article has some good tips for worship leaders to follow.

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Last week's shareholder meeting at Barnes and Noble was not a pleasant affair. Part of the problem is that the Nook is not well liked. One shareholder said this: “Look, no one is happy with Nook, we know we need a new e-reader strategy but it’s not easy when you look at [the competitors] we’re up against.”  (hat tip Book Riot)

For what it's worth, I prefer the Kindle.

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No time for a cup of coffee? No worries. Soon you will be able to spray caffeine on your skin.

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Here's the latest chapter in the ongoing war on boys: how to make school better for boys. Given this is from the woman who wrote the book on this subject it's worthy of your attention.

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The complete guide to making money in your spare time. There are plenty of options depending on how much effort you want to put into it.