September 12, 2015

+ Article - "The Coddling of the American Mind" by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt at The Atlantic - Why are we so afraid of disagreement and debate?  Find out here.

+ Video - David Christian: The History of Our World in 18 Minutes by David Christian at TED Talks - Mr. Christian covers history from "the nothing" to the internet in 18 minutes.

+ Website - Big History Project - The Big History Project mentioned in the above video has a website with lessons and timelines.  Check it out here.

+ Essay - "Personality: The Body in Society" by Kevin Simler at Melting Asphalt - Nature vs. nurture?  Does our environment or our rearing make us who we are?  Maybe neither.  Read about it here.

+ Essay - "It Will Change Your Life - A South Africa Mission Reflection" by Monte Miller - My friend Monte went to South Africa this summer and it changed his life.  Read about his experience here and go support Door of Hope.

+ Article - "Inside the Salem Witch Trials" by Stacy Schiff at The New Yorker - The Salem Witch Trails have always fascinated me for some reason.  They were basically the historical equivalent of an internet argument in the comments section of a news article.  Read it here.

+ Article - "I'm a Millennial and I Don't Understand my Peers - Not Even a Little Bit" by Ryan Holiday in The Observer - I really identify with this essay.  "I don’t fear missing out, I worry constantly that I’m being irresponsible." Read it here.  

+ Article - "Here's the Real Solution to Millennial Angst" by Ryan Holiday in The Observer - Our generation is not special or different.  Not even a little bit.  Read it here.

+ Article - "Don't Send Your Kid to the Ivy League" by William Deresiewicz at New Republic -
This is more of an indictment of our entire education system than just one of Ivy League Schools.  Read it here.

+ Essay - "The Top of My Todo List" by Paul Graham - The mistakes that produce regret are often errors of omission.  Find out how to turn that around here.

+ Art - "Untitled" by my friend Josh Hill.

June 25, 2015

+ Article - "What This Cruel War Was Over" by Ta-Nehisi Coates at The Atlantic - This is an excellent and in-depth article that calls bull on all of the revisionist history floating around this week. The Civil War was about slavery and white supremacy in the South.  Period. Read it here.

+ Article - "Equality and the Confederate Flag" by Jelani Cobb at The New Yorker - I take exception with "the flag" as the symbol of Southern pride.  Beyond that, it doesn't matter how I view the flag, or what its original purpose or history were.  Its symbolism and power only matter now because it has been appropriated by people who hate. It is a powerful symbol of prejudice and I believe our citizenship and our faith demand we stand on the right side of this issue.  The flag should come down.  Read it more here.

+ Article - "Millennials are Just as Racist as Their Parents" by Scott Clement - We are not the enlightened generations.  Read it here.

+ Article - "Charleston and the Next Time" by Adam Gopnik at The New Yorker - As a hunter I am currently very confused about my feelings regarding gun control.  Read more here.

+ Article - "Prison Revolt" by Bill Keller at The New Yorker - "Criminal justice reformers like to say that if a conservative is a liberal who has been mugged, a liberal is a conservative who has served time."  Read more here about conservatives leading a charge to reform our prison system.  Its time.

+ Article - "The Joy of Work" by Rashida Jones for Wired - Noting revolutionary here, but the format is awesome and it is an enjoyable read.  Read it here.

+ Article - "There's no Business Like Slow Business" by Philip Delves Broughton - I'd be happy to lead this movement in America.  We are way too busy being busy.  Read it here.

+ Article - "A World Without Work" by Derek Thompson at The Atlantic - These are interesting times.  We automate more and more and yet we are rediscovering the value of things made by hand, or locally grown.  Read more here.

+ Song - "Funny How Time Slips Away" by Willie Nelson - Put this on in your kitchen, grab your one true love, and dance.  You'll thank me later.

+ Art - Artist Unknown.

June 18, 2015

I apologize for the unannounced two week hiatus.  Life sometimes gets in the way.

+ Article - "How to Stay Alive" by Jack Seemer at Gear Patrol - Advice on the 10 essentials approach to back-country preparedness.  Read more here.

+ Article - "How to Tie 12 Knots" by Tucker Bowe at Gear Patrol - Video tutorials for a host of useful knots.  Learn em!  Watch here.

+ Article - "Murders in Charleston" by Jelani Cobb at The New Yorker - I had decided that I was going to post nothing but fun links this week because I'm emotionally exhausted.  However, this tragedy can't be ignored.  This is the convergence of the race issues we face as a country AND the fact that its far too easy to be a mass murderer in America.  Read more here.

+ Article - "Always Innovative Toronto Public Library Lets us Check Out Humans as Well as Books" by Paul Gallant at Yonge Street - This is just a really cool idea.  Read about it here.

+ Listen - "Strange Trails" by Lord Huron.  This is a great rock album.

+ Book - "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway - I consistently list this as my favorite book, but I can't really put my finger on why.  I have read it at least once a year since I was in high school.  Order it here.

+ Art - "In the Dust" by Mark Maggiori.  I have really been missing Texas lately and have been staring at these paintings.

May 14, 2015

+ Article - "The Cruel and Unusual Execution of Clayton Lockett" by Jeffrey E. Stern at The Atlantic -  If you read nothing else this week I think you should read this.  If you support the death penalty you definitely need to read this, and then go think long and hard about why you support it.  Read it here, but be warned - it is a tough read.

+ Article - "Home Economics: The Link Between Work-Life Balance and Income Equality" by Stephen Marche at The Atlantic - This article hits a lot of issues and seems to struggle to find a thesis, but is still a great read on a very important topic.  Read it here.  Read this one too...

+ Article - "The President and Poverty" by Paul Elie at The New Yorker - Class segregation is real and is happening all around us.  Read more here.

+ Video - "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Paid Family Leave" from HBO - John Oliver is smart and funny and tackles tough issues with wit and sensitivity.  Paid family leave should exist.  We are basically the only country in the developed world (and much of the undeveloped one) that doesn't offer it.  We can't claim that the family is the foundation of American society while totally ignoring the realities of family life.  Watch it here.

+ Art - Photographer unknown, but I would title this one "Life Goals".

April 23, 2015

+ Song -  "Photosynthesis" by Frank Turner - Listen. This is all you need this week.

March 26, 2015

+ Article - "Don't be that Gen-Y Guy" by Jack Otter at Men's Fitness - This should be required reading for every young man or woman entering the work force.  It is also a great reminder for mentors that a society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.  Read it here.

+ Article - "The Unclassified Laws of Etiquette" by Brett and Kate McKay at The Art of Manliness - Our society would be better off if we paid more attention to courteous behavior.  Read more here.

I did not get a chance to do much reading this week, but I have been listening to a lot of great soul and R&B.  Enjoy.  I accept no responsibility for the consequences of the romantic feelings inspired by these songs.

+ Song - "Sugarfoot" by Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - If you don't dance to this you have no soul.

+ Song - "Call Me" by St. Paul and The Broken Bones - This white boy went to church!

+ Song - "When You're Here" by John Fullbright - So many feelings.

+ Song - "007 (Shanty town)" by Desmond Dekker and the Aces.  Get happy.

+ Song - "Deed I Do" by Ray Charles - Truly a genius.

+ Art - The Kennedys from Shopped Tatoos - Artist Unknown.

February 12, 2015

+Article - "The Horror Before the Beheadings" by RUKMINI CALLIMACHI of the The New York Times - The news desensitizes us to the plight of these captives in many ways.  Read about the human cost here.

+Article - "Obama's War on ISIS, Let the Debate Begin" by John Cassidy of The New Yorker.  We are going to war again.  Read about it here.  

+Article - "No Family Left Behind" by Rebecca Ruiz - An incredibly telling article on America's maternity policy that points out how wrong we are on this issue.  Profits shouldn't be more important than people.  Great quote - “For a nation whose leaders so often talk about valuing families, we do so little to reflect quote-unquote family values in our policies.” Read it here. 

+Article - "This 10-Minute Strategy Can Help You Stop Procrastinating" by Suresh Rathinam of Quora - I'm not sure anything can help, as this blog proves.  Do your best here.  

+Article - "How Young People Can Get Rich Slowly" by William Bernstein from Business Insider - This was terrifying.  Read it here.  

+Song - "When You're Here" by John Fullbright - This guy has an incredible voice and the lyrics are fantastic.  Many thanks to an illustrious colleague for the hot tip.  

+Book - "Deliverance" by James Dickey - Stow your banjo jokes for a moment and go find this book.  Hands down one of the best adventure novels ever written.  Find it here.  

+Art "Doge Enrico Dandolo Recruiting for the Crusade (1621)" by Jean Achille Leclerc.  Seems fitting considering this week's news.

February 4, 2015

+Lecture - "How School Kills Creativity" by Ken Robinson.  Funny and thought provoking.  Watch it here.

+Article - "U.S. Tax Code Travesty" by John Cassidy of The New Yorker - we are a stupid people sometimes.  Read it here.

+Article - "The Common Core has not Killed Literature" by Meaghan Freeman of The Atlantic - the response to last week's article (here).  Read it here.

+Book - “The Modern Gentleman – A Guide to Essential Manners, Savvy, and Vice” – by Phineas Mollod and Jason Tesauro - I've always loved etiquette manuals for some reason and I think being a gentleman is a dying art.  I gave a copy of this one to all of my groomsman and I think that its both interesting and funny.  Buy it here.

+Office - What's in your drawer?  Read this.

+Article - "Fathering With Intentionality: The Importance of Creating a Family Culture” by Brett and Kate McKay - this article really got me thinking about being intentional in how I go about crafting our family culture.  Read it here.

+Listen - "Ode to Viceroy" by Mac Demarco.  This is just good.

+Art - "The General" by Unknown - In honor of Ground Hog Day.

January 29, 2015

+Video - "Here We Go" by Drew Holcomb - I have been watching this video over and over and it makes me smile every time.  Who doesn't like dancing bananas?

+Article - "The Wisdom Deficit in Schools" by Michael Godsey from The Atlantic - I'm not sure how I feel yet about the Common Core, but this doesn't make me feel good about it.  Quote that matters – “The country’s disregard for the institutional transfer of cultural wisdom is evident with this single observation: None of the state assessments has a single question about the content of any classic literature.”  Read it here.

+Article - “Why Did Vaccinated People Get Measles at Disneyland?  Blame the Unvaccinated” by Katie M. Palmer at Wired - Vaccinate your children.  That is all.  Read it here.

+Book - “Triumphing Over Sinful Fear” by John Flavel - This book is the most important book I've read in the last five years, and it was written in the 1600s.  Purchase it here.

+Podcast - Invisibilia, "Fearless" - An exploration of fear and how we might control it.  Listen to it here.

+Article - "Koch Brothers Put Price Tag On 2016: $889 Million"  by Peter Overby at NPR - My boy Teddy R. the "Bull Moose" would lose his mind reading this.  Read it here.

+Article - "The Greatest Lawyer Who Ever Lived, or so says Joe Jamail" by John Spong at Texas Monthly - Recommended by an illustrious friend, any article that begins with the following disclaimer begs reading:  Legal disclaimer: “Salty language” doesn’t begin to describe the words Jamail uses in this piece. If you read on, which we recommend, and find yourself offended, you will have no appeal.  The website has a pay-wall, but pick up your copy off of your coffee table (you all subscribe right?), or find it at your local fine bookstore.  Read a sample here.

+Painting - "Sadak in Search of the Waters of Oblivion" (1812) - by John Martin.

 

January 22, 2015

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