Articles from January, 2008

opinion 01.30.08 Seven Spectacular Sci-Fi Indie Games

After reading Caitlin’s article on “How to Watch the Entire First Season of ‘Battlestar Galactica’,” Jordan Barber attempts to live out science fiction vicariously through seven independent science fiction games, ranging from arcade shooters, strategy games, and even one where you control an anime girl who shoots psychedelic lasers.
humor 01.28.08 A Crash Course in Bro Culture

Popped collars and plaid pants indicate a subspecies of the human race that still enjoys quoting Anchorman. The Bureau’s resident zoologist Jeff Merrion documents the psyche of bro culture and identifies its favorite dinosaur.
arts 01.25.08 How to Watch the First Season of “Battlestar Galactica” in One Sitting

The new Battlestar Galactica has been widely-recognized as one of the best shows on television. Cylon Caitlin Boersma provides all the Olympic-caliber training necessary for tackling the entire first season in a single viewing.
opinion 01.23.08 Anyone Can Play Guitar: “Rock Band” Makes Videogames Social

And we don’t mean “trash talking through your headset” social. Pseudo-rockstar Kevin Nguyen sees Rock Band, the unofficial, full-band successor to Guitar Hero, as the future direction of videogames: a social activity.
travel 01.21.08 From Tacoma to Santa Fe, Day 1

On his 1,500-mile road trip, Nick Martens finds comfort in LCD Soundsystem and Malcolm Gladwell while battling the frustrations of snowy weather, bad traffic, and Idaho.
arts 01.18.08 The Missing Complexity of “The Golden Compass”

The Golden Compass is not a great movie, but that doesn’t speak to the quality of the book off of which it was based. Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy is a subtle and nuanced series, especially for young adult fiction. eighth grade graduate Drew Gemmer explores the surprisingly mature books, and offers a comprehensive guide on how to kill God.
opinion 01.16.08 An “A” is Doubleplusgood: Grading in America

Can our accomplishments, intelligence, and work ethic be summed up by a single letter? Jordan Barber takes a look at the grading system in our country, discussing its necessity and inherent flaws.
arts 01.14.08 Narcotica: Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To

Psychedelia is the genre of music that evokes the experience of taking psychedelic drugs. But with so many varieties of drugs, you’d think there would be more accompanying musical genres. Teetotaler Jeff Merrion begins to bridge this gap by describing a genre of droney, down-tempo rock: narcotica.
opinion 01.11.08 My Bedroom Wall is Famous: YouTube as the New Form of Communication

The phrase “social networking” brings to mind MySpace and Facebook, but few think of YouTube. Caitlin Boersma takes a look at YouTube’s future potential as a way to keep in touch and make new friends. She interviews Alex Day and Tom McLean, two of the site’s most popular personalities.
humor 01.09.08 Everything You Need to Know About Dating

Known for his “Don Juan” vanity license plate, Kevin Nguyen shares his surefire tips for a successful date.
arts 01.07.08 Why Ringtones are More Valuable than Mp3s

Does the consistent decline in sales of recorded music mean the end of music? Probably not, but clearly the game is changing. Nick Martens contrasts the abstract value of digital music with its more concrete incarnations–concerts, music videogames, and ringtones.