Entries by cbmccull

Family films suffer during the holidays

Movie theaters have hosted many record-breaking blockbusters this holiday season – the most notable being Breaking Dawn II and Skyfall. The Twilight finale was number one its premiere weekend and grossed $43.6 million. Skyfall, thanks to a $50.5 million five-day gross and a $221.1 million total, is not only the highest grossing of the franchise, […]

Holiday tree debate unnecessarily divisive

With the waves of tolerance that have been sweeping this nation off its feet, it’s no stretch to say that times are indeed changing. Ironically, even though tolerance is associated with the crumbling of walls, it also creates conflicts that pit groups against each other, such as the debate over the annual Rhode Island Statehouse […]

Black Friday poses moral and economic threat

The shoppers are at it again. This year’s Black Friday weekend surpassed last year’s record-breaking retail revenue of $52.4 billion, with Reuters recording $1 billion in online sales the first day alone. According to the Los Angeles Times, 247 million shoppers spent a total of $59.1 billion just this weekend—yet another record. As great as […]

Lee headlines Pac-12 awards for Trojans

Sophomore wide receiver Marqise Lee and freshman defensive end Leonard Williams received recognition from the Pac-12 yesterday, with Lee winning Offensive Player of the Year in the conference and Williams taking home the Freshman Defensive Player of the Year award. The awards, in conjunction with All-Conference First Team recognition given to Lee and senior center […]

Students must take responsibility for internet privacy

After the release of personal emails led to national outrage over CIA chief David Petraeus’ extramarital affair, a deluge of doubt has arisen over the security of email, as well as chats, tweets, likes, posts, video calls, and other forms of internet communication. Secrets are no longer secrets when today’s technology is involved, necessitating a […]

Barkley, Lee named Player of the Year semifinalists

USC senior quarterback Matt Barkley and sophomore wide receiver Marqise Lee were named to the Walter Camp Foundation’s 15-player “Watch List” for the Walter Camp Award, which is given to college football’s Player of the Year. Barkley and Lee are two of four Pac-12 players on the list, the most for any conference, along with […]

Sandy shows the importance of community

Hurricane Sandy battered the East Coast with unparalleled ferocity, toppling houses, flooding streets and pulverizing hundreds of miles of coastline. Yet, amidst the brutality of the storm, small acts of kindness have bolstered individual morale to face the challenges ahead. Government action plans are instrumental in disaster relief, but the altruism and warm hearts of […]

Lee named semifinalist for Biletnikoff Award

Marqise Lee, sophomore wide receiver for the Trojans, was named one of the 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award on Monday. The Biletnikoff is given at the end of the season to the top wide receiver in college football. Lee is joined by fellow Pac-12 receivers Brandin Cooks of Oregon State and Austin Hill of Arizona. In […]

Marriage has lost its cultural significance

In light of the recent ballot box victories for same-sex marriage, the archaic definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman is obsolete. Although the legal benefits of marriage make it appealing to tie the knot, the institution of marriage is unnecessary. While the decisions in Maine, Maryland and Washington undoubtedly […]

Metro, Caltrans open toll lanes on 110 Freeway

On Saturday, Metro, in coordination with Caltrans and other mobility partners, began a one-year demonstration to develop solutions for improving traffic flow on the I-10 and I-110 freeways. The prominent component of this demonstration involved converting stretches of carpool lanes on both freeways to express lanes, which are accessible to single drivers for a fee, […]