NARNIA MANIA
A new film based on the popular series of children's books hits theaters

The Missourian article "Release of 'Narnia' film unleashes debate about the movie's message" by Domenica Bongiovanni reports on the Christian undertones of the popular Chronicles of Narnia children's book series and the new film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
I never really got into the series as a kid, but I have seen the 1988 British TV version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. From seeing that, I have never really been under the impression that the story was the least bit Christian. The article features quotes from a pastor and the owner of a religious bookstore, saying how religious the story is. Also quoted is an employee at Slackers, who, like me, never really thought of the stories as religious. The quote from the Slackers employee does not really provide enough to call it a "debate" about the movie's message in the article's headline.

Story Link: http://www.digmo.org/news/story.php?ID=17454

J-SCHOOL GRAD GETS BIG GIG
Elizabeth Vargas will co-anchor ABC's World News Tonight

The Missourian article "MU journalism graduate gets ABC anchor spot" by Jemimah Noonoo reports on Elizabeth Vargas, who attended the University of Missouri's School of Journalism and graduated in 1984. Vargas was named as one of two anchors assigned to replace Peter Jennings, who died earlier this year, on ABC's World News Tonight. Bob Woodruff is the other anchor.
I think it will be interesting to see, down the line, how many of us, out of the people who are in the J-school right now, will be getting these amazing jobs in the field of journalism. Most of us will probably wind up at small-town papers, magazines, radio stations, television stations, or advertising/PR firms. Then again, some of us will be at ABC, CNN, The New York Times, Time, Variety, Entertainment Weekly, or other big companies and publications in the field of journalism.

Story Link: http://www.digmo.org/news/story.php?ID=17388

LIVING, BREATHING ADS
People dress up in downtown Columbia storefronts

The Missourian article "Window dressing" by Emem Offong briefly talks about Columbia's annual Living Windows Festival, where people dressed up last Friday in storefronts to ring in the holiday season. I kind of wanted to see this, but let's just say I was otherwise detained due to schoolwork.
The short article specifically mentions the festive display featured in Maude Vintage's storefront, called "Santa Claus does Christmas with the Martians." In Maude Vintage's "living window," a local father and son dressed up as Santa Claus and a martian, respectively, drawing inspiration from the 1964 movie Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

Story Link: http://www.digmo.org/news/story.php?ID=17364

FACEBOOK TASK FORCE
Group created to warn students about what they put on the site

The Missourian article "Student leader faces scrutiny for photo" by Brittany L. Davis talks about Brooke Moody, MU's student vice-president-elect, who had a picture on her Facebook profile of "Moody bound to a chair by duct tape as someone poured beer into her mouth, with other beer cases strewn around in the background." The main issues with this are that Moody is only 19, and whether or not this took place while she was representing the university.
I think the most interesting aspect of this story is at the end, when Davis mentions the creation of a Facebook task force by MU's Student Legal Services and other student organizations. Is this really necessary? Like I've mentioned before, Facebook is not supposed to be this serious. It was created to help maintain contacts and build a social network between colleges and universities throughout the U.S., not to be scrutinized and investigated for every tiny little thing.

Story Link: http://www.digmo.org/news/story.php?ID=17323

SETTING SOME LIMITS
A Missouri task force examines eminent domain

When I originally heard about eminent domain when it was passed by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year, I thought it was a very dramatic decision. Eminent domain allows the government to seize private property for economic development by saying it benefits the public. Luckily, the Supreme Court left it open for the states to decide how they want to interpret eminent domain, and a Missouri task force has outlined some limits to eminent domain in the state.
According to the Missourian article "Eminent domain limits outlined" by Kathryn Buschman, the task force is looking to limit the seizure of lands to blighted property. The task force wants each landowner to have the right to a hearing that determines whether or not his or her property is blighted.

Story Link: http://www.digmo.org/news/story.php?ID=17329

CONSEQUENCES OF RUSHING THE FIELD LOWERED
Charges dropped from first-degree to second-degree

The Missourian article "Six plead guilty for rushing Faurot Field" by Samantha Friedman talks about six of the 21 people arrested on Oct. 22 for rushing the football field. They rushed the field after Mizzou's big win against Nebraska. The six people who plead guilty received a fine of $250 or 10 hours of community service. One of my friends is one of those six people, and he'll be doing the community service.
The article mentions that the charges were changed from first-degree to second-degree, making the crime an infraction instead of a misdemeanor. The article then goes on to read the text of what makes it a first-degree crime, but nothing about second-degree, which is what they actually wound up being charged with. I thought it was interesting to see what exactly the first-degree charge was, but it might have been more beneficial to see the second-degree text as well.

Story Link: http://www.digmo.org/news/story.php?ID=17326

CHURCHILL REMEMBERED
Westminster prepares a celebration of the man and his infamous "Iron Curtain" speech

Winston Churchill is probably one of the names on the top of the list of the people, dead or alive, that I would most like to meet.
The Missourian articles "Reliving history" by Michelle Felter and "Westminster speech predicted Cold War" by Hugh Welsh report on former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his infamous "Iron Curtain" speech, which was given at Westminster College in Fulton on March 5, 1946.
Westminster houses a memorial to and museum about Churchill, in addition to part of the Berlin Wall on display outside. I have been there at least twice, and I find it very interesting. The museum is currently undergoing a $4 million renovation to add new interactive features. On March 3-5 next year, Westminster is planning to hold a celebration to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Churchill's speech.

Story Links: http://www.digmo.org/news/story.php?ID=17115
http://www.digmo.org/news/story.php?ID=17122