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Showing posts from 2014
Book Review - How to Survive Middle School and Monster Bots
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Author: Ron Bates Print Length: 220 pages Publisher: Zonderkidz (September 16, 2014) “First, before I say anything else, I want to make one thing clear: some of my best friends are machines. Seriously. There’s the clock radio that wakes me up in the morning, the toaster that makes me breakfast, the electric toothbrush that scrubs my braces, the computer that does my homework, and the night light that’s there…” – Howard Boward Introduction Howard Boward is a nerd and proud of it. This much is true despite the painful tribulations it brings from “…angry, oversized, wedgie-obsessed jerks” that makes up a good percentage of the students in his school. Howard also loves robots and spends endless hours tinkering with machine parts. His public robot demonstrations are not without hiccups (in the shape of destruction of family property), but Mum is always at hand to minimise the chaos engineered by these exhibitions as she happens to always know “... where the fire extinguishe
Book Review: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing)
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Author: Marie Kondo Hardcover: 224 pages Publisher: Ten Speed Press (October 14, 2014) …………………………………………………………………………………… “Storage … is the sacred act of choosing a home for my belongings.” – Marie Kondo Introduction The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is a weird book. It is weird because it is written by a peculiar author who is way different from the normal people you meet every day. If you are looking for information that examines how the minds of neat- freaks work, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is the Holy Grail. The book reads like a manual. It is uncomplicated and straightforward in its counsel on how to declutter your life, embrace an organised and clean form of living. It has practical advice about designating spots for each of your items, the advantages of vertical storage, keeping stuff out of the bath and kitchen sink, etc. The Marie “KonMari” Kondo Concept In case you are doubting how much organisation and tidying up means to the author
Eric Metaxas On The Reasons Behind Bonheoffer's Spiritual Stance Against The Nazis
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Attribution: Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-R0211-316 / CC-BY-SA 3.0 When Adolf Hitler came into power in Germany, a German theologian's (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) stance and beliefs put him right in the eye of the storm. Also, his refusal to bend to the machination of the Nazi system, and his encouragement of such mind-set, was a source of irritation to the new government. Eric Metaxas , author of Bonhoeffer Abridged: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy , documents Bonhoeffer's journey and complicated relationship with the German Church and Nazis, a journey made him turn his back on the majority of his contemporaries who were supporters of Adolf Hitler's way of government. Bonhoeffer's strong convictions also lead him to attempt an assassination on Hitler in 1944, an attempt which led to his own death. In Bonhoeffer Abridged , Eric Metaxas tries to peer through the curtain of history and brings us Bonhoeffer's beliefs on the relationship between the Church and the State,
Giving = Warm Feelings?
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I once heard an economist say (on a Freakonomics podcast) that humans give mostly out of the warm feeling they get when they help people and not out of altruism. He concluded that if you are a fundraiser and in search of better fund takings, you will be smart to tap on this human quirk. I got defensive when I first heard this. But what do I know? I mean a large amount of money given to the poor in the name of charity and other good deeds don’t even reach the people they are meant for. An ex-colleague once donated bone marrow to an unknown patient…we heard of nothing else in the office for months but the magnitude of his love, goodness and compassion . (Photo by Glitterchirag )
"Killing Lions: A Guide Through The Trials Young Men Face" by John Eldredge & Sam Eldredge
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Killing Lions is a unique book with insights for young men regardless of their beliefs, upbringing and culture. In ancient Kenya, a young Masai man has to kill a lion as a rite of passage into manhood. That is the tradition. The authors of Killing Lions notice there is no equivalent of this in the modern western world. They lament the lack of a symbolic activity to build up young men's confidence as they enter into the adult world, especially in the area of work and marriage. Killing Lions is written by a father and his son. Together John and Sam Eldredge examine the problems associated with being a young in today’s world, the lack of guidance, myriad of temptations, non-existent work ethic, and a society that promises them much but delivering little or nothing. Killing Lions relays the conversations between a father and his son over a period of time – from college until shortly after his marriage, it seems. The son asks searching questions about life, marriage, caree
Emil Freireich & Authority
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The statement below was allegedly made by Emil Freireich , one of the pioneers of Modern Oncology, to his students about drugs he helped concoct to make cancer patients better. “One of the consultants at the clinical center was a man named Max Wintrobe,” Freireich said. “He was world-famous because he wrote the first textbook of hematology, and he had written a review of the current state of the treatment of leukemia in children. I have a quotation from him that I show my students to this day. It says, ‘These drugs cause more harm than good because they just prolong the agony. The patients all die anyway. The drugs make them worse, so you shouldn’t use them.’ This was the world’s authority." Gladwell , M (2013): David and Goliath : Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants; Allen Lane . When an authority tells you whatever you are doing is wrong, they are usually right. Most times, that is. But there are few times when they get it wrong. One of the gifts I person
Neoliberalism and its Endpoint
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Paul Verhaeghe wrote in the The Guardian this week that “an economic system that rewards psychopathic personality traits has changed our ethics and our personalities”. Thus he began his attack on neoliberalism and it’s offspring – selfishness, materialism, and cruelty. Paul Verhaeghe’s write-up is a type of article that doesn’t get written often and I recommend a read. However on the issue of neoliberalism, think of it: if you base your economy and way of life on something similar to strong-eat-weak pseudo-freedom style of thinking, what do you get? Animals. No surprise there. What About Me?: Jane Hedley-Prôle, Paul Verhaeghe: Books ISBN : 1922247375 ISBN-13 : 9781922247377 @Original Background Photo by Devianteles
What Is It That You Want?
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Gon: What is it that you want? Ging: I guess its “something” that I can’t see in front of me…I'm enjoying the journey. So if our paths happen to cross in the future...You should enjoy the little detours. To the fullest. Because that's where you'll find the things more important than what you want. Hunter x Hunter, Chapter 338 & 339 Original Background Photo by Arkady Nekozukii Hunter X Hunter, Volume 1: Yoshihiro Togashi: Books ISBN : 1591167531 ISBN-13 : 9781591167532
Greg Darley On Why We Pray So Much, But Do So Little When Occassion Demands It
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Almost everyone gives a praying person a pass. Due to the nature of prayer, we are always apt to give the person praying a benefit of the doubt, even if they are always choosing the wrong life options. In Wasted Prayer: Know When God Wants You To Stop Praying And Start Doing, Greg Darley questions whether prayer is the panacea to all problems in all situations. The book goes into the reasons why Christians seem to pray so much, yet do so little about the issues we pray about, especially when situations demand it. The author states that we sometimes use prayer as an excuse to avoid taking difficult actions, especially when we know exactly what the will of God is. The author points to fear, pride, selfishness, and other reasons for this phenomenon. He proffers solutions on to these negative attributes and shares how we can tackle what needs to be done when we have the clarity of vision.
What I’m Reading – A Time to Kill by John Grisham
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An old classic. Still impresses me a lot with savvy character development, lively descriptions, and plots that hold you by the throat. Superb work. The book was released in 1989 but the issues it describes still exists today. Sad. Recent real life events ( shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri ) makes you wonder how some things haven’t really changed. A Time To Kill: John Grisham: Books
Revelation TV Declares Its Stance on Israel and Gaza
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“Israel & Gaza: Does God takes ‘sides’?” was the title of the Revelation TV blog that came into my inbox this week. In it they lamented about the decision of some of their listeners to unsubscribe to Revelation TV because of its recent declarations on the conflict between Israel and Gaza . They wrote that they believe God should be the judge of wrongdoing, Christians should pray for peace, be watchful, and not be manipulated by the media. More significantly, they urged believers to recognise the importance of standing with Israel due to their historical and prophetical significance to Christians. To be honest, I do support a lot of these sentiments, however I think the nation of Israel had behaved badly on some few issues and standing with them doesn’t mean we should not have the boldness to call them out on some of the bad decisions they took. It is like siding with a fellow Christian, even when he or she has not done well, because they hold a spiritual office. I do
What Am I Born To Do?
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“What am I born to do?” is an ongoing question we all ask ourselves. Sometimes we find it, then we lose it, then we find it again. It is so crucial to some of us that we are willing to risk everything to find it. For some, it doesn’t seem to matter. However, there is a great difference between those who are seek answers to this question and those who don’t. The difference lies in their inner lives, the nature of their joy and pain. I was privileged to stumble upon Grant Baldwin ’s podcast, “How Did You Get Into That?” about three weeks ago. It has been a God-inspired discovery. No one forwarded the link to me. I have never heard of it. I was just scrolling through a list of available podcast on my phone and happened to select it for reasons I cannot explain. I encourage anyone seeking his or her life’s purpose to check out Grant Baldwin ’s site and listen to at least one podcast. You will find a signpost or two to help you along your way, I guarantee it.
My Fascination with Anime
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Anime Princess (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) I came to the anime arena very late – just about two, three years ago. It has been a wonderful experience, from writer’s point of view. I have a stereotypical view of Japanese as being rigid in attitude and dour in demeanour. I am slowly changing this perspective after watching anime like Togashi Yoshihiro’s Hunter X Hunter , Tite Kubo ’s Bleach, and few others. I think beneath the stereotypical hard Japanese face is a fun-loving, free spirit that creates with abandon and truth. I am thankful for their bravery and creativity.
Book Review: NIV Essentials Study Bible
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Bulky study bibles and commentaries have long been known as the preserve of those who wants to be bible teachers, pastors, youth leaders , etc. The way these books are structured and written favours the academic-brained but a chore for those who love light reading. The NIV Essentials Study Bible doesn’t feel this way, though. It has the simplicity, both in structure and content, to appeal to those who just want to enjoy and assimilate the content for themselves, not because they want to stand in front of people to preach or teach. Even a new Christian will feel very comfortable and not overwhelmed reading NIV Essentials Study Bible. So what makes this study bible unique in terms of structure and content? Firstly, it has a very minimalist outlook, no cluttering and mashing-up of sections. There is enough space between the sections to make sense of what is what without getting confused. Apart from the minimalist look, the language used is simple and in everyday English . There
Book Review - Samantha Sanderson: On the Scene by Robin Caroll
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“…bullies don’t stop bullying . Once they get a target in their sights, they keep on doing it until they’re made to stop,” says Samantha “Sam” Sanderson to Nikki as she vows to find the person who has been sending her nasty messages. Sam loves been a journalist and recent events happening at Robinson Middle School is the opportunity she needs to sharpen her skills. With the help of her computer-whizz friend, Makayla, Sam is determined to shine a light on the evils of bullying and how to deal with it. However things take an unexpected turn as family problems start interfering with Sam’s investigation. Her loyalty to her sources is also put to test when the School Principal demands to know everything Sam knows about the bullying incident. With school suspension in the horizon, Sam has to decide what is most important to her and summon the courage to stand by her decision. “Samantha Sanderson: On the Scene” is the second book of the series. However, you do not need to read the first b
Chains or Threads
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There is a thread linking you with everyone in this world. You actions affect people, their actions affect you. Depending on the forces driving you, this link can easily be transformed into a chain or a remain a thread. Does other’s actions drive you insane, when they talk about you in secret, whispers in dark corners? If ‘yes’, chains. If ‘no’ or ‘not really’, then it’s threads.
Seth Godin on Vulnerability
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“My thesis of humanity is that we are not squirrels. If you watch squirrels in the fall, they all do the same thing — they hide the acorns and stuff, they never help each other out, and they don’t do anything non-squirrel-like. They’re just squirrels — that’s their job. We’re beyond that, I would hope. And if we’re spending a lot of time in squirrel-like behaviour, we’re selling ourselves short.” – Seth Godin I love Maria Popova ’s Brain Pickings . It is one of the sites you wish you had created, especially if you love books and art like I do. Well, thank God someone else is doing it and I hope she will be able to keep at it for years to come. The talk below (hosted by Debbie Millman ) below is from Brain Pickings . In it Seth Godin talks about his book, V is for Vulnerable: Life Outside the Comfort Zone . I have listened to the talk and I love it. It is privilege embedding it here on my blog. Whoever you are, please listen and enjoy. V is for Vulnerable: Life Outside t
Video: That’s How You Change The World by Newsboys
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Talk about longevity and consistency, even flexibility. Newsboys has all these and more. With the voice of fan's favourite, Michael Tait , they continue being relevant and strong as a band. That's How You Change the World is their most recent video production. It looks and sound every bit as good as any I expected it to be. Enjoy. Related articles Michael Tait talks Newsboys, Restart, Winter Jam 2014, Nothing but the Blood, God's Not Dead (theglobaldispatch.com)
Nikil Saval On How The Modern Worker Ended Up In A Cubicle
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Do you ever wonder how office cubicles came about? The philosophy behind it? And how has it evolved in purpose from its birth to what it is now, where the present day manager’s work is to oversee us, watching what we do and making sure we are toeing the line. Watch the video below to see a snippet of how Nikil Saval chronicles how office space came to be from big rooms with closed doors to several tiny cubicles in a large hall. You can find a more comprehensive analysis of the modern office phenomenon in his book, Cubed . Cubed: A Secret History of the Workplace: Nikil Saval: Books ISBN : 0385536577 ISBN-13 : 9780385536578
“Selected Shorts” Podcast: Parents and Children
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There are times you listen to something and it leaves an indelible mark on your soul. You daydream about it with a wry smile on your face all week long, replaying your favourite bits over and over again in your mind as you go about your schedule. The podcast below falls into this category. Update: Sorry but the source files has been removed. Apologies, once again. For more performed stories please visit Selected Shorts .
Free Audiobook: Evangelism & the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer
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If God is in control of everything, can Christians sit back and not bother to evangelize? Or does active evangelism imply that God is not really sovereign at all? J.I. Packer shows in this classic study how both of these attitudes are false. In a careful review of the biblical evidence, he shows how a right understanding of God's sovereignty is not so much a barrier to evangelism as an incentive and powerful support for it. J. I. Packer is author of the best selling Christian classic Knowing God. He is Board of Governors Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver. Please download for free at Christianaudio.com Knowing God: J.I. Packer: Books ISBN : 0340863544 ISBN-13 : 9780340863541
The Harlem Fighters (Graphic Novel): Fighting Racism in the Trenches of WW1
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Book Review - The French Promise by Fiona McIntosh
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Luc Bonet, a French Maquisard falls in love with a beautiful British spy, Lisette, during World War 2 . Though, Luc struggles with Lisette’s war “assignment” (a German General named Markus Kilian), he still tries to help her in any way he can. After the war, Luc learns his adopted family died in a concentration camp in Germany. He bemoans the lack of details about their last days and wishes to find out more. He is unsuccessful. As a result of his failure, he becomes depressed and it affects his relationship with Lisette. After few unhappy post-war years, Luc and Lisette decide to move to Australia to start a new life. With two children and a prospering lavender farm after years of hard work, the Luc Bonet, now Ravens, finally seems content with life. However, old war wounds reopen with the letters from Markus Kilian’s son, Max Vogel. Shortly after receiving Max Vogel’s letter, Lisette dies in a swimming accident alongside her son. Lisette’s death devastates Luc so much that he si
Interview: Teju Cole’s “Every Day Is for the Thief”
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The Sovereignty of Quiet by Kevin Quashie
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The Sovereignty of Quiet: Beyond Resistance in Black Culture ( Rutgers University Press , 2012) was written by Kevin Quashie. It is about moving away from what we think about Black stereotypes - the necessity of going beyond our notion of black’s natural “loud” expressiveness to recognise their capacity for introspection, reflection, determination, and thought. The Sovereignty of Quiet: Kevin Quashie: Books ISBN : 0813553105 ISBN-13 : 9780813553108 Related articles Drinking Milk from the Well of Black Motherhood and Breaking Bread Over Black Bodies (africanakaleidoscopes.com) How to use Introspection (robertjrgraham.com)
Free Audiobook: What Happens When Women Say “Yes” to God – Lysa TerKeurst
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“Total obedience to Christ can transform an ordinary life into a remarkable journey. This is the hope found in the liberating message of Lysa TerKeurst--president of Proverbs 31 Ministries. In What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, Lysa shares inspiring stories from her own life along with compelling biblical insights as she describes what it means to partner with God in all decisions and actions. Readers will learn to: discern the voice of God and truly say yes to His call see what wholehearted obedience looks like on a daily basis give themselves to God and let Him affect lives around them. This book reveals how honoring God produces a life of deep joy and great purpose. It is an invitation to seek God and boldly ask for and expect more from the Christian life.” - Download audio file from ChristianAudio.com
Tolkien’s “Beowulf” Bought by Harper Collins
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In a world rights deal, the Tolkien Estate has signed with HarperCollins to publish for the first time Beowulf : A Translation and Commentary by J.R.R. Tolkien . This is truly exciting news! Not only do we get Tolkien's translation of Beowulf and commentary by J.R.R. Tolkien but it will also include "Sellic Spell", an unpublished short story by J.R.R. Tolkien, re-creating the (lost) folk-tale underlying the Norse Hrólfs saga kraka and Tolkien's prose work that was to serve as the background for Beowulf. The original manuscript is held by the Bodleian Library and will now be published for the very first time. This is the first book by J.R.R. Tolkien since the internationally bestselling The Fall of Arthur . Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary will be published by HarperCollins on 22nd May 2014 and in the United States by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt . - http://www.tolkienbeowulf.com/ . Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary, together with
Helen Oyeyemi - Favourite Books
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‘I can say which books have had a significant impact on the way I read (I’d love for them to have an effect on what I write too, but that only seems to happen very slowly, if at all). From the early days, “Little Women” and “Alice in Wonderland.” As a teenager, Poe’s short stories; Sheridan Le Fanu’s “In a Glass Darkly” (which contains “Green Tea” and “The Familiar,” two stories full of some of the most troubling stuff concerning categories of sensory perception I’ve ever read); Ntozake Shange’s “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf”; Zbigniew Herbert’s droll and quietly devastating book of poems “Mr. Cogito”; and Gustav Meyrink’s “The Golem.” I was very struck — still am — by the angle “The Golem” takes on monstrosity. More recently, Dezso Kosztolanyi’s “Anna Edes”; Kelly Link’s “Stranger Things Happen”; Barbara Comyns’s “The Vet’s Daughter”; Aimee Bender’s “The Girl in the Flammable Skirt”; and Jesse Ball’s “Samedi the Deafness.”’ - Helen
Book Review - Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines
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When vampires start disappearing all over the world, they suspect the obvious - the Porters, an order created 500 years ago by Johannes Gutenberg to preserve the secrecy of magic in books, have broken the treaty and were abducting vampires. However, the Porters feel it is the vampires breaking the truce as recent reports confirm that the night-dwellers have been murdering members of the order.On an afternoon in a library, Isaac Vainio, a Porter and an off-field Libriomancer, successfully fights off some vampires with help of an old acquaintance, a dryad called Lena Greenwood. Lena informs Isaac of recent events concerning the Porters and vampires as well as the disappearance of Doctor Zak, a well known doctor among the Porters. Issac and Lena start out to rescue Dr Zak as well as discover what could have caused vampires to attack the Porters. The search took them through forests, abandoned warehouses, and the very heart of the vampire empire. Their adventure eventually leads to
What I'm Reading Now - Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines
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I am presently reading the Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines . The UK mass market edition was available for sale for the first time across bookstores last week (7th March, 2014). The book has a nice concept where the "hero" draws out weapons from books. I am enthusiastic about discovering what the author is going to do with this idea and how strictly he'll adhere to the rules he has set.
How To Build Your Creative Confidence – D. Kelley
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