Life & Arts

In 1999, a group of surfers went out on a trip to the Mentawai Islands off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia to catch some waves and take a break from the daily rigors of life. A chance venture onto the island led the surfers to discover a cache of small graves, and, after inquiring further about their origin, learned that the young local children of the islands were dying of … [Read more...] about Surfers ride waves for cause

In order to make people-watching an extreme sport, one have to go seek out places that act as crazy-magnets. Santa Monica and Venice are both beautiful examples of this. Friday night, I braved Venice’s First Friday and between the hordes of hipsters and mobs of bros, the people-watching was intense. I witnessed a couple DTR-ing on the sidewalk, saw a group of rollerblading … [Read more...] about 10 Seconds of courage: My almost open mic

  Released amid the cacophony of 9/11 murmurs, the newest release by south London trio The xx features an online interactive map that records where the album is streaming, whether Beijing or Scandinavia. The album, titled “Coexist,” was initially shared with only one person and has since reached the modern world through Twitter, Facebook and Youtube. Coexist, indeed. The … [Read more...] about The xx marks a refined progression

Professor Cynthia Struloeff, who publishes under the name Cynthia Hand, had just finished shooting six rounds from a pistol (for research purposes) in her father’s backyard when she received the news that her Young Adult novel, “Hallowed” (the second in a trilogy) had made it to The New York Time’s Best Seller list. They celebrated with champagne, dancing and even a few tears … [Read more...] about Q & A with Cynthia Hand Struleoff

It has been almost 11 years since the world was shocked by the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. One of the few attacks by foreign parties on American soil and killing approximately 3,000 people from various nations, 9/11 is one of the most tragic events in recent history. Many people use it as a historical marker, creating a rift between before and after this … [Read more...] about Students reflect on 9/11 attacks