Three Really Good Books

My reading of ficition and non-religious materials has dwindled in recent years despite my English degree and love of reading. I have read three books,though, in the last year that were fascinating. If you like to ask, "why?" or like behavioral sciences (why people do the things they do) you will enjoy these books. While it is possible to get lost at times in any of the three books, they are generally very readable and actually hard to put down. The subtitles are great, too.
You can click on the titles to find out more about the books.

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
The authors explain, prove and disprove, and suggest all kinds of interesting and crazy things using statistical analysis (math). They were able to prove that teachers in the Chicago area were cheating for the students to get more funding. They were able to prove which Sumo wrestlers were cheating. They have a shocking theory for why the crime rate drastically dropped in the mid-90's. There is a true story of how a graduate student was able to research the financial status of drug-dealing gangs from the inside.


The Tipping Point: How Little Things can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
This book is about epidemics and trends and how they start and continue. There is alot of interesting history about the philosophy and techniques of Sesame Street and how that led to Blue's Clues. There is neat stuff about how when a social unit gets above 200 people, it is harder for things to stay organized and harder for any one individual to keep up with that many relationships (pay attention, mega-churches). Teen smoking is discussed.


Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
This one is about instinct. Some people are really good at making snap decisions and recognizing things that most don't. The book is really about how the mind works and how much the brain does that we are unaware of. One of my favorite chapters was on the effects of marketing and how much we are affected by packaging. It tells the whole story about the New Coke fiasco.
An early chapter is about a researcher who videotaped couples and learned to pick up on problems in the relationship just by watching the couple have a discussion for 15 minutes on whatever they wanted to talk about. (by the way, he lists defensiveness, stonewalling, criticism, contempt as the most telling signs of a shaky relationship, with contempt being the worst). He explains why some are such good "mind-readers" (has more to do with the face).

World Trade Center

Marisa and I left the kids with Granna and went to a matinee. Not sure what to say. I am glad I saw it. Take kleenex if you go. I guess a couple of things stand out about the film.

Two characters were people of faith. One of the two rescued was/is a devout Catholic. He has a vision of Jesus while trapped. I saw an interview with the real man recently and he talked about his faith. Another person/character was a man from CT who left his job to help out. He was a former Marine. There is a scene where in his church building. He is talking to his preacher and says he feels called by God to help. To use his God-given talents to help. According to the film (you never know how much is "based on real events" and what exactly happened) it was this man and another marine who continued searching throughout the night after the authorities had called off the search until the next day. If those two men, both Marines, had not continued to yell and listen for survivors in the rubble into the night, there would probably have been two less survivors. The two men would have likely died from their injuries before the next morning. Only 20 people were found alive.

The other underlying theme of the movie was family. It reminds you of the importance of those who are important and makes you want to hug a loved-one. You see the families waiting together to get word whether their husband/son/father/brother is alive or dead. And you hear these two men trapped among the steel and concrete talking about their wives and children.

It is rough and draining but well-done. Real footage is mixed in. I had never thought about what it would be like to hear the metal buckling inside the two buildings. Powerful stuff.

Critics can be Best Teachers

Nobody likes a critic unless it is a movie critic. But as soon as someone points out flaws in my life, I am likely to get edgy and defensive. The following links are critical of churches of Christ, even referring to us as a denomination and/or cult. Don't get defensive. Don't jump to pat responses and cliches. Consider what they say. Some of the sites have a gentler tone and kinder perspective than others. Some are "working from the inside" to teach and correct, while others may just be bashing. We all need to study and consider what is said. Critics, even if they are biased against, might see our blind spots.

Is the Church of Christ a Cult?

Ex-Church of Christ Support Group

Free to Love Ministries

I don't agree with all that is presented on these pages, but we can learn from all of it, whether it is accurate or only a misperception. Let me conclude with one of my favorite quotes, "I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me." (Dudley Field Malone)

Blogging the Bible on Slate.com

Here is an excerpt from the introduction to a series of blogs on the Bible. I italicized an important and fascinating sentence.

So, what can I possibly do? My goal is pretty simple. I want to find out what happens when an ignorant person actually reads the book on which his religion is based. I think I'm in the same position as many other lazy but faithful people (Christians, Jews, Moslems, Hindus). I love Judaism; I love (most of) the lessons it has taught me about how to live in the world; and yet I realized I am fundamentally ignorant about its foundation, its essential document. So, what will happen if I approach my Bible empty, unmediated by teachers or rabbis or parents? What will delight and horrify me? How will the Bible relate to the religion I practice, and the lessons I thought I learned in synagogue and Hebrew School?

He says some outlandish things. This is not a Christian teaching a Bible class on Sunday morning. It is very postmodern and from a different perspective, yet interesting and at times insightful. He may ask questions and say things that we never would because of our bias or baggage. Worth checking into.

Here is the Intro/Explanation and here is where it begins with Genesis 1.

I Love Words

I love the etymology of words. I love the creativity of the English language. Anyway, maybe I have already blogged this so I will move on to three thoughts about words.

I don't like the word "inextricably". First of all, it is a show-off, ten-cent word. Secondly, and more annoying, is that it only seems to be used in front of the word "linked". Have you used the word? Hopefully not. Have you ever heard it used to modify a word other than "linked"? Doubtful. If a word only has one usage (besides impressing others) it seems very wasteful. We need to do something about this.

I love the expression, "Mouse Potato." Maybe because I am one. I just read it recently for the first time, saw it on the internet (ironically). The couch potato of the 21st century is one who sits in front of their computer surfing the web all day long. Very creative. Punny. Good expression.

This last one is a question. When you say the past tense for "weed-eat," how do you say it? Does anyone ever say, "I weed-ate the grass around the house."? I think I actually say, "weed-eated." And I am pretty sure I have heard others use that expression. Wouldn't "weed-ate" be grammatically correct? Anyway, please comment by clicking below and let me know which form you use. Maybe there is a book with the full conjugation for "to weed-eat."

"weed-ate" versus "weed-eated"

Vote Now! Maybe we can send a letter to either Merriam or Webster.