Category: Of Random Interest

I just ran across a great article that unpacks some of the differences between the movies and the books, and how it affects Tolkien’s message: The Return of the King: Best Picture, Perhaps, But Not Best Version.

In case you’re curious, we’ve got two other significant entries on Tolkien:
* Splintered Light (from Tolkien’s eleventy-first birthday)
* Saint J. R. R. The Evangelist

On a completely random note–have any of you seen the video of the pilot ejecting right before his plane crashes? (link takes you to a page containing info about the crash and a link to the video).

If you’re a regular visitor to the site, you’ve no doubt noticed the substantial redesign. Play around with the menu (lifted with permission from netscape devedge) and you’ll notice that it’s messed up. I’m going nuts trying to fix it. Argh!

update: the menu is functional, although uglier than I’d like. I’ll try to make it spiffy soon.

The NY Times had a fascinating article on Governor Arnold that included this unique little perspective: Everybody pities the weak. Jealousy you have to earn. (source).

That’s an interesting way to express the nature of ambition, no?

In other news, Pastor Joss Walters (of Kansas City, MO) suggested that we screen Brother Cole more carefully before allowing him to enter the hallowed ranks of Chi Alpha.

I would like to suggest that [Brother Cole] would need to [pass] a test … to establish whether or not he could properly connect with this audience. The test could begin with a Game Cube or PS2 followed by a brief sermon on “WHAT IS MARILYN MANSON SO UPSET ABOUT?” [edited slightly for brevity]

I just learned that Harvard is launching a porn magazine featuring students download boondock saints the .

Harvard students. Nudity. One shudders.

Actually, they’re probably shuddering themselves. It gets cold in Boston.

Seriously, I can’t help but wonder how long it is until someone at Stanford tries to copycat Harvard (consider our copycat mascot as evidence).

Once again for the record, Chi Alpha thinks porn is bad. The fact that Harvard is now complicit only makes it worse!

Stanford has been dominating the world of hoops lately, but for some strange reason Duke is still ranked number one. Sports Illustrated has a really good piece explaining why we ought to be ranked first.

John Stossel did a report on 20/20 that makes for fascinating reading, Lies, Myths, and Downright Stupidity, in which he explodes the most common media-fed rumors that mess up our lives and our society.

Some of the myths he hits: that there’s a relationship between being cold and catching a cold, that we have less free time than we used to (we have a lot more free time than our parents did or than we did growing up), and the idea that money can buy happiness.

It’s good read and will give you fodder for late-night dorm conversations.

From the realm of just plain gross: the BBC reports that scientists have found a way to make mice produce monkey sperm.

Yes, you read that correctly.

*shudder*

That’s just creepy on so many levels I don’t know where to begin.

I just stumbled across a Chi Alpha blogring on Xanga. It’s pretty small now and everyone seems to be from one campus (the one I ministered at previously), but it’s still cool.

If you’re on Xanga sign up!