Identity theft a real concern


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Every other day, it seems, we open the newspaper to read about the ways in which the Internet is affecting businesses and altering industries. Yet one enterprise that’s been largely left untouched are the companies that sell the combination mustache-glasses disguise. You know the ones — bushy eyebrows atop black frames. They’re the kind of […]

Tinder provides more than shallow hook-ups


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Remember the good old days, when you could just collide with a stranger in the frozen food aisle and fall hopelessly in love? Neither do I. You know why? Because real life is not scripted in Hollywood and these serendipitous meetings don’t happen to the majority of the population. That’s also why the modern trend […]

Apple can move on by looking to the past


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Let me start by saying this: Apple is not going under. Even though Apple’s stocks are nearly half what they were worth just a year ago, let’s not forget that earlier this year, Apple disclosed that it currently has $137.1 billion in cash. That’s certainly not chump change. But it’s still hard to think that […]

Remixes give music new life


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Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Charles Colton, a writer as old as the earth and as dead as mixtapes, quipped this fantastic little line way back in the day. But this quote doesn’t just apply to the girl in your film class who decided to purchase the exact same shoes after seeing you […]

Big budget films rely on visuals


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Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad, came to visit USC on Tuesday for the “Writing Presents…” series. Amid amusing anecdotes about actor Aaron Paul (who plays Jesse Pinkman on the show) and pink teddy bears (it’s a long story), he made a point to discuss the change in the movie industry. Gilligan argued what […]

Twitter expedites spoilers


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It’s hard, sometimes, being a fan of television on the West Coast and being on Twitter. Perhaps no night is more difficult than Sunday during the hours leading up to a new episode of Mad Men or Breaking Bad. To put it bluntly — my feed becomes a giant scroll of spoilers. To their credit, […]

Twerking can be a beneficial workout


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There are certain dance moves that distinguish themselves as accomplishments of the human physique: the Charleston, the Twist, the moonwalk, and so on. Other styles remain well-kept secrets of their respective scenes until suddenly they are thrust into the mainstream and appropriated by the masses. One such dance trend is twerking. The word “twerk” boasts […]

Crowdfunding can be a risky proposition


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In just a couple of days, Keiji Inafune, the creator of the original Mega Man series, was able to raise a cool $1.2 million on Kickstarter. Even though his project, which he calls Mighty No. 9, won’t be available until 2015, enough people believe in Inafune’s vision that he’s already raised $300,000 more than his […]

Energetic tunes to help students bounce back


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Back in the day when I was 13 years old and just learning how to use iTunes, I would obsessively burn mix CDs for my friends. Graduation party? Mix CD. Birthday? Mix CD. Sad friend? Mix CD. I was clearly a creative teenager. But honestly, not much has changed, since one of my favorite pastimes […]

Sequels can build on strength of originals


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Have a conversation about the state of movies today, and you’ll soon hit the topic of sequels — right after the words “remakes” and “vampire movies.” The proliferation of sequels is often cited as one of the signs of the decay of the movie industry. It’s an example of the money-obsessed nature of movie studios, […]