Friday Snippets and Soundbites

 If all of this strangeness isn't enough news of the weird for you, check out “Snippets and Soundbites” on page 38 of the May (and every) issue of ec. There's always more crazy-but-true news to go around!

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• Know those guys who dress funny and work as the Pope's security force? Well, comments from the Swiss Guards' new commander have led to spectulation the ranks might someday soon include—gasp!—women. Col. Daniel Anrig, the new commander, told a private television station that he was open to the idea of women serving in the elite, 500-year-old papal security force. His statement flies in the face of the long-held position of his predecessors. He acknowledged there might be logistical problems, since the Vatican barracks housing the Swiss Guards are already crowded. The Swiss Guard, a force some 110-strong, provides ceremonial guard duty, assist at Vatican functions, and protects the Pope. They're known for their jaunty blue and gold uniforms and helmets with bright red plummage. Currently, each recruit must be a Catholic male, between the ages of 19 and 30, have completed mandatory Swiss military service, have an impeccable reputation and agree to sign up for at least two years. The company was formed in 1506 when Pope Julius II assembled the first group to protect him and the Vatican. For more on Anrig's comments, go here or here. For more on the Swiss Guard's history, check out this site.

• If you're in to numbers, this story may be of interest to you. Yesterday, May 7, was an Odd Day. (Well, maybe your's was weird, but that's not exactly what we're talking about.) The date, 5/7/09 is one of only six dates in this century that will feature three consecutive odd numbers. Ron Gordon, a California teacher who champions such math holidays, like Square Root Day, even offered a prize of $579 to those who celebrated the date with the most zeal or who got the most people involved in an Odd Celebration. Our question: what exactly would an Odd Day celebration include? Leave your ideas in the comments section. And read all about Odd Day and its quirky celebrations here.

 • In the not-so-weird, but-interesting news category, we have the story of CCM artist Phillip LaRue. For those of us who've been around awhile, Phillip and his sister, Natalie, produced three albums as the group LaRue. When Natalie got married, they called it a day. Phillip then spent his time producing groups like Over the Rhine and Tenth Avenue North and writing songs, including a hit for Brandon Heath. Phillip released his long-awaited solo album Let the Road Pave Itself on April 7. This week, we heard that he is being featured on AOL Music Main and PopEater in the 'About to Pop' feature and has also been selected as an Artist To Watch in the adult category on iHeartradio.com. The singer/songwriter has had three song placements on television shows "Ghost Whisperer," "One Tree Hill," and "Harper's Island." For more on Phillip, stop by his MySpace page.