Just out of curiosity... What's up with Community updates? In the past few weeks, it got announced always a bit later, with las weeks arriving around midnight (or was it Sunday?) and now it arrived now, in its original time...
On another note, threads aren't hand-picked nowadays, are they?

In my opinion, non-game related threads do have a place here; they ARE part of community discussions.

most definitely, these are for threads the staff feel stick out.
the 3 word thread is very popular among staffers.

That's what I think is not so; I have an odd feeling that it's not the staff to pick the threads for the update, but an application, using some kind of algorithm.

This is a really lame/weird thread/idea. Kind of like those advertisements for the TV show you're already watching in the corner of the TV show you're already watching. We're already IN the forums, guys. We can see the threads for ourselves. WTF?

These posts are put on the front page. To appeal to people not actively reading the boards.

You're all thinking too much. I'm on the forums often but I still find these useful. :P
Keep non-gaming related stuff, please -- these are my votes.

I agree, non gaming topics are important to the life-blood of a community. We don't want to sound like a bunch of one-trick-ponies. I like the updates, it shows that the place is used and very much alive.

I know for a fact that monkeys select the threads.

In my opinion, non-game related threads do have a place, but in an off-topic thread list... as it's already the case for many many other forums...

Thanks for filling me in. Somehow, I had a strange feeling you leave a bot to do the picking, but I'm pleased to know I was mistaken :-).

Watch out! You're actually speaking to a bot. :p