Random

• PEW RESEARCH: "Overall, about a quarter of Americans (27%) see President Barack Obama as black; a 52% majority see him as of mixed race." I think he is both and that regardless of the politics we all win on this particular issue. ~ link

• ASU IS IN THE TOP TIER OF UNIVERSITIES -- #94 in the Academic Ranking of World Universities. We're even higher than the University of Arizona which is ONLY #77. ☺ ~ link

• HOW MUCH DO WE REALLY NEED? "A new survey suggests the wealthy still feel an obligation to give to charity. Those feelings, however, aren’t translating into dollars." ~ more

• WEALTHY PEOPLE seem to enjoy it more when others make money than when they add to their own stash. ~ link

• BRIEFLY, the reasons that the Chile earthquake, though significantly more powerful than the recent Haiti earthquake, inflicted less damage: (1) Chile, which is more affluent and has a more functional government, has building codes which it enforces. (2) The epicenter of the Chile quake was further from the population centers, and (3) was three times deeper into the earth than the quake in Haiti. Magnitude is not necessarily the most critical issue when it comes to earthquakes. ~ link

• A LOOK at the "Strong Clergy Leadership and Strong Lay Leadership" polarity ~ link

• I USE PICNIK for quick and simple photo editing jobs, especially when I'm working from my light and lean Acer One netbook. Picnik is now a part of Google. ~ link

• THE REASON THAT you didn't know there was a tsunami warning for Guam is that the warning sirens, purchased with a $2 million US federal grant, are still sitting in a warehouse. Apparently they've been there for about three years. (I wouldn't be surprised if the equipment is all piled up on the back of the Guam Fire Department's only high rise ladder truck which has been out of commission and in storage for about 12 years -- waiting for parts and someone to install them.) While I really miss Guam I do not miss the daily annoyances related to the extreme misfeasance of the island. ~ link

• ONE OF MY SPIRITUAL FORMATION students on Palau, with whom I've been having an email discussion about baptism, was baptized yesterday. To say that I'm pleased with him and the process is an understatement.