Google’s failed plot for world domination


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These days it might seem like Google is a villain in the style of old pulp adventures, plotting to take over the world from its secret lair. Googleplex isn’t an underground, Ken Adams-designed base and CEO Eric Schmidt isn’t Ernst Stavro Blofeld, but the analogy isn’t far off. The Internet and software company has been […]

Microwave cooking not just for freshmen


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Ah, freshman year — when makeshift kitchens consisted of a microwave, mini-fridge and a contraband blender. Hard times indeed but those who resigned to living off of Lean Cuisine and Top Ramen have only themselves to blame. Because when it’s not ruining your gold-rimmed plates or pulsating invisible radiation into the air, the humble microwave […]

Romances that capture the comedy and tragedy of love


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The new film Valentine’s Day, which opens today, offers audiences “a day in the life of love,” but, as most could easily predict, the film will not be offering anything new. Most Hollywood films about romance tend toward the same dull conventions of narrative and form — as is the case with Valentine’s Day. This […]

Valentine’s Day tricks for late planners


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Valentine’s Day is upon us once again, this time with a well-earned three-day weekend. For many students, this means extra wallowing and maybe a one-night stand or two, but, for those who actually have relationships, the weekend holds a bit more significance and a chance for a romantic evening. But for busy college students, planning […]

Chocolate options for every sweetheart


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Valentine’s Day is as good of an excuse as any to dive into the candy jar. If you’re about to hop on the blood sugar rollercoaster, roll past those saccharine Peeps and Sweethearts and go for the good stuff — chocolate. From sweet and creamy to rich and silky, chocolate has as many textures and […]

An indie-rock mixtape for the post-love song soundscape


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When popular music first turned to Tin Pan Alley songs of the 1920s, it was led by songwriting greats such as George and Ira Gershwin composing and penning, respectively, heartfelt ballads like “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “Embraceable You.” They were hopeful, elegant and dripping with uninhibited emotion. This tradition of the love ballad […]

Not just butterbeer for college Britons


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The day has finally arrived when I can legally buy alcohol. No, I didn’t have a birthday, and I’m still only 20 — I’m in Europe. The United States is just one of a handful of countries that bans people from drinking before the age of 21, a move that eliminates not only alcohol consumption […]

Additional nominees a welcome change


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For the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the idea of awarding a single film the coveted title of best picture of the year has always been complicated. Sometimes the right film wins, sometimes the wrong film wins and sometimes the wrong film wins a record number of Oscars. No matter which film eventually […]

Websites foster musical creativity


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You know you have downloaded music from the Internet at some point or another. It’s so easy to get the latest Matisyahu album or the newest single from Lady Gaga with just a click of the button. It’s quick, easy and gives us new music now. Downloading music is something everyone has done and most […]

Student’s fruit-based dessert whips it good


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Maybe it is the icy winds of L.A. winter, but Yogurtland seems a bit lonelier these days. Could it be that frozen yogurt — back from the dead after its ’80s heyday thanks to Korean fro-yo chains — is another fading trend? You needn’t look far to find one potential heir to the frosty throne. […]