Snow Crash Humors the End of the World Theory
If Dec. 21, 2012 does indeed signify the end of the world, I’m guessing it won’t be via any natural disaster. No, if our species (or rather, all species) are to conclude their existences within the next 12 months, it will probably be due to some terribly stupid and harmful thing modern man has created. […]
In Case of Zombie Attacks, ‘Shut Up or Nut Up’
Rather than lament on apocalypses or rhapsodize about a bright and shiny bang that leaves all sinners in its wake, this article is a practical guide to a practical movie, which in turn is a practical guide for readers like you. How do we go about surviving the chaos that may result after the world’s […]
‘The Innkeepers’ Raises Horror Film Expectations
For horror fans like me, 2011 saw the decline of remakes, torture porn and slasher films. While the financial pull of these subgenres nosedived, there was an unexpected revival of the paranormal subgenre, with films like “Insidious” and “Paranormal Activity 3” taking in impressive box office figures. It is therefore all the more shocking that […]
A Tribute to Hitchens
Always with the New Year’s beginning are there people who view it as a mark for new and better things to come. We see room to move forward, and we allow the old and worn to fade so the new and fresh can redefine and reshape us. Personally and collectively, most of us envision how […]
Don’t Fake ID Your Way to a Fine
Happy New Year! To start off this year I have a host of new resolutions that I am going to work on. Of course my wife was kind enough to point out that by the time the clock struck 12, I had already broken my “non-smart-ass” resolution three times. As a tip, I recommend keeping […]
Cheers to the New Year!
With the start of 2012 comes all of our new year’s resolutions … work out more, quit smoking, spend more time with family and friends, find a job. This list also includes a few food-related goals: become a vegetarian, stop buying pints of Ben & Jerry’s, consume more locally grown produce, cook at home more […]
Big West Basketball
UC Santa Barbara: Gauchos With lofty expectations set for conference play, the UCSB men’s basketball team is off to a hot start after winning its first two Big West games. The Gauchos (7-5 Overall, 2-0 Big West) opened up by beating Cal Poly on the road before winning its home opener over Cal State Fullerton. […]
Home Is Where the Heart Is, Not to Mention the Hassle-Free Lay
So now that you’ve gotten through the holidays, and hopefully entered into the New Year with a bang (hey, you deserve it!), it’s back to reality. And for some of us, thankfully, the lives we would much rather live. Sure, we all had some sort of reputation in high school, but luckily that persona only […]
Affirmative Action Perpetuates a Colorized America
Few government policies are more counterproductive than affirmative action. Its origins trace back to the presidential terms of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, both of whom sought to curb discrimination and improve the lives of, namely, impoverished blacks. At the time, affirmative action served its purpose. Today, however, affirmative action is outdated and […]
Accountability and Addiction’s Stronghold
I have something called an “addictive personality.” This never felt like news to me. My parents shared this knowledge with us kids repeatedly and casually. “You’re equal parts Irish and German, we hope you one day attend college and you have an addictive personality.” I understand my parents’ decision to equip me with this knowledge, […]