Reviews

In November 2024, I bought a 55-inch Hisense U6 4K Smart TV on sale for $350. It’s been great so far! Definitely an upgrade over our old Samsung. I’m not a TV expert, but I did a fair bit of research and the consensus seems to be that the Hisense U6 series is a great deal for the money. Here are some of the online reviews I found helpful: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-4k-tv/ https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-budget-tvs https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/best/budget (Linked from my Questions page, where I keep track of questions I’m asking and answering.)

I don’t know what it is about mini toolkits, but I love them. Actually, scratch that. I know why. It’s the same reason I love buying tools and books, more generally: the illusion of control. I like how having tools (and a great personal library) makes me feel like I’m ready for whatever life throws at me (ha!). It’s why I liked carrying around a pocketknife as a kid, and it’s why I’m into EDC (everyday carry) and tools as an adult. ...

Are you stepping into the exciting world of software engineering, or considering whether to take that leap? You’re not alone. This field attracts countless individuals worldwide, fueled by an ever-increasing demand for technological solutions, the promise of high salaries, and a keen interest in problem-solving. However, it’s essential to understand that coding and programming skills, while crucial, are just one part of a broader equation. Equally important is the bigger picture of how software development fits into the wider professional and business environment. ...

Tim Challies begins his book, Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Productivity with a bold claim: “I believe this book can improve your life.” However, after reading the book, which is just 120 pages long including endnotes!, I believe that Challies makes good on his claim. As far as explicitly Christian approaches to personal productivity go, Challies’ Do More Better stands alongside Matt Perman’s What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done. While Perman’s book is fantastic and thorough, Challies’ book has the advantage of being MUCH shorter (120 pages vs. 383 pages). ...

Have you ever had a problem finding a reliable resource for recommendations? I have. Certain Google searches are a piece of cake, but the “best resources for ______” ones can be hit-or-miss. And don’t even get me started on the decision fatigue. As a serial over-thinker, I start to hate myself a little bit after reading through the upteenth list of “5 Best ____s.” It makes it so hard to make a decision! Then, when you pick something, you end up doubting your decision. Not fun. ...

I’m not going to lie. My first reaction when I saw the cover of this book? No! Of course you’re not indispensable. What use could this crap possibly be to the Church, or to me – simultaneously a pastor and a pastor-in-training. Then, however, I read the book. And I suggest you do, too! (Note: affiliate link. I get paid if you make a purchase.) Seth Godin, bald marketing extraordinaire, is convinced that a paradigm shift has taken place. I’ll quote from his annotated table of contents (which, by the way, I wish all books had): ...

Over the break between semesters at Beeson Divinity School, I’m reviewing Bruce Waltke’s The Dance Between God and Humanity: Reading the Bible Today as the People of God (old, broken link) and Philip Goodwin’s Translating the English Bible: From Relevance to Deconstruction for Liverpool Hope University’s Theological Book Review. I’ve just finished the latter, and hope to write my review in the next day or two. However, I’d like to share the following quotes on Deconstructive Literalism and The Perfect Translation, because I find the concepts intriguing as a student of Eugene Nida’s dynamic or functional equivalence (when it comes to both NT Greek and modern Spanish), and a newcomer to relevance theory, which Goodwin uses to provide a way forward in the shadow of the KJV tradition. More on that later. In the meantime: ...