Random Thoughts 2/7/06

• We had opportunity to see the movie End of the Spear last week. If you're going to see it in the theater, time is running out. After three weekends, it has barely made back its production costs and ticket sales are dropping fast. Many theaters may not run it much longer, so don't miss your chance to see this beautiful film on the big screen. And don't forget the documentary Beyond the Gates of Splendor, available at video rental stores.
  
• Are you interested in seeing that new movie about the Naval Academy, Annapolis? You might want to read this review first. Movies that get all of the details wrong are pretty common, but when they are about the military or something else historical, it's just about unwatchable.
• Your 0-2 Arena League football team, the Kansas City Brigade, play their first home game this Sunday. Good luck with that.
  
• Auctions on eBay are becoming a thing of the past and CEO Meg Whitman likes it that way. More than one third of all purchases on eBay were bought at "buy it now" fixed prices instead of via auction. It turns out people don't want to wait for the auction to end and will pay for the convenience of getting it now. And eBay, as a company, prefers to see you actually buy the stuff you're shopping for, rather than getting sniped, losing your auction, and taking your business elsewhere.
• According to the bracketologists, KU has a 75% chance of making the NCAA tourney and a one-in-three chance of getting a top-4 seed. Texas and Oklahoma both have better odds and only Colorado is even close (60% chance). Unless something changes, the rest of the Big-12 is looking at the NIT or a big cushy seat in front of the TV.
• I had to get a new stereo for home this week. The old one, a ten year old Sony, finally gave up the ghost. I was shocked to see how easy it was to spend $2000-4000 on sound for your living room. We spent $90 and it nearly killed me to do it. That said, I'm quite pleased with it. I watched My Fair Lady last night, and "with a little bit o' luck" it sounded great!