Let's talk football, people. | Image courtesy The U.S. National Archive

Welcome to the BU Quad’s live blog of the Super Bowl. As our wonderful host (and die-hard Pats fan) , Julia Butler has put it, “It is Armagedeon.” The match-up–New York Giants vs New England Patriots. Re-match. Chris Walker, our resident sports man, and Allan Lasser, who still thinks he’s watching baseball, are following the 46th Superbowl.

Allan: Patriots won the coin toss and something just happened. This is The Quad’s live blog. Hi, welcome. Happy Superbowl.

Chris: Giants start with the ball and have only recently gotten down field, but have been stuff at the 40 yard line, so they have to punt.

Allan: He aimed for the ground on that one. Either a bad throw or bullshit, according to some football fans.

Chris: After the safety/terribel call, the giants are up 2-0 and currently have the ball at the 35 yard line on 2nd down.

Allan: That player’s name is Bear. Or Bare. Either way, I wish bears played football.

Allan: Where’s all the vuvuzelas?

Chris: First, fact: vuvuzelas are banned at most NFL stadiums. Very sad fact. Just like the Giants are now up 9-0 thanks to a Victor Cruz 2 yard touchdown. Now the Pats are up and need to make it happen.

Allan: I found a real video of bears playing football. Also, as a bonus, here’s bears playing hockey.

Chris: Wes Welker gets the Pats another first down which is woefully wasted on a run, with 50 seconds in the first quarter.

Chris: also, polar bears can show the most dominance.

Allan: BATTLESHIP COMMERCIAL. They didn’t say “They sunk our battleship!” so I hate it.

Chris: GET IT TOGETHER BRADY!!!!!!!!! 9-3 Giants ball

Allan: The guy who just caught the ball in the end zone Tebowed. T-boned?

Allan: A GE/Budwiser commercial where the guy says “turbines” like “turbans.”

Chris: First, very sad I missed that commercial. Second, Giants TE Beckum may have gone down with a knee injury after colliding with a Pats d-lineman, on what could have been a possible fumble. 2nd down Giants ball.

Allan: What’s a d-lineman? Some sort of d-list football player? The Kathy Griffin of football players?

Chris: A d-lineman is a defensive player who directly opposes the offensive lineman and tries to sack the quarterback more at amore direct position. Pats ball, 2nd down, 20 yard line and the Kathy Griffin of football players are the 2nd string kickers. trust me.

Chris: The Giants turn the ball over after wide receiver Mario Manningham bobbles the ball on a long play for a first down. Pats ball.

Allan: Just a heads up everyone, I thought I was invited over for a “Super Smash Brawl” party. I’m still a little sour about it.

Allan: I saw the aerial shot of the stadium—that thing is all indoors! That’s so much ceiling.

Chris: Remind you to tell you about Super Cash Bros. later. And the Pats are putting together some solid moves down field, with 65 seconds left.

Allan: I just saw the a picture of the trophy they win. It’s not even a bowl!

Chris: TOUCHDOWN!!!!! Brady throws a bullet to Danny Woodhead, to take the score to 10-9.

Allan: Everyone was screaming and nothing scary even happened what is this

Chris: Halftime, and Madonna is about to perform but who actually cares? Pats are up by a point and the the tension is going to stay tight all night.

Allan: Time for the super time show. Madonna’s gonna sing “Like a Virgin” and Tebow will run out on stage.

Allan: Dean Elmore, I mean, Cee-Lo Green  is wearing a black bejeweled robe. He looks like the flyest judge in the country.

Chris: Dear Madonna, I am so very sorry for my recent disrespectful remarks about your image. Except for LMFAO, you threw it down. Thank you. 2nd Half coming up next.

Allan: NBC just advertised the Superbowl during the Superbowl.

Allan: Dude with the dreadlocks just put the team on his back

Chris: Aaron Hernandez scores a 12 yard touchdown, sending our host Ms. Butler into epic screams and puts the Pats up 17-9.

Chris: Sterling Moore lays out Mario Manningham, forcing the Giants into a field goal. The score is now 17-12.

Allan: This is violent. Why wasn’t Madonna tackled during the Supertime show?

Allan: Can’t wait until one of these teams put flubber on their shoes to win the game

Chris: The Giants are on the 10 yrd line in scoring position and choose to run it for no real reason, even with three open options.

Chris: Manning gets sacked at the 15, forcing another field goal. Score is now 17-15, Pats ball.

Allan: Patriots are winning but everyone here is still stressed I don’t understand anything

Allan: The Giants steal the ball from the Patriots and get to keep it?! Football IS the American sport. #occupyFootball

Allan: Ninkomvich just got a flag for nincompoopery.

Allan: Fourth quarter, 11 minutes until Boston erupts in drunken riots.

Chris: RIOTSSSSSSSS

Chris: Mario Manningham complains for interference after Sterling Moore bats the ball away, leading to another Giants turnover.

Allan: I’m honestly surprised that people are not drawing hairy penises all over that yellow scribbly football thing

What You’re Really Watching: Superbowl Commercial Liveblog 2011 by Meghan Ross

It’s Alive: Arts Live Comes to BU by Kelly Dickinson

5 Napkin Burger Fails to Live Up to Name by Deb Singer

A rare image of Google caught in its natural habitat. | Photo courtesy of scobleizer via Flickr Commons

Just kidding. Don’t switch to Bing. Google is, all-in-all, the superior product, with its fancy add-ons, filtered searches, and targeted advertisements that let me know that they know about the weird lump on my Achilles tendon about which I just asked the Internet.

But the new privacy policy that the Internet search engine giant announced this week merits at least a glance, because Google’s new information-gathering policies might make you want to change the way you browse.

Google announced this new policy last week. It is to set in on March 1, 2012.

The reasons behind it are, in their own words:

When you share information with us… we can make those services even better to show you more relevant search results and ads, to help you connect with people or to make sharing with others quicker and easier.

It will get this information from information voluntarily entered into the Google profile. More discreetly, it will also gather information from searches, cookies and e-mails. Google also stalks its users motions when they use location-based Google services.

On one hand, it’s a simplification. All the Google services that are in bed together–including GMail, Google+, and yes, even YouTube–are united under this snuggly blanket policy. And actually, not that much has been changed. Google has been giving information to advertisers all along. This policy just consolidates the policies for several services so they’re in one place, and it puts it in language that anyone can understand.

Consequentially, now that everyone can read it, not everyone is happy with it. The Internet shitstorm was inevitably rough. Exactly who can access information, and what happens when it is deleted, are both touchy subjects. And the European Union has even asked Google’s executives to delay the changes. Meanwhile, Microsoft took advantage of the fear this Wednesday by launching a new advertising campaign called “Putting People First.”

Google defended itself on Thursday in front of members of Congress, citing that Google will still give its users options to keep their information from being stored, which are very clearly outlined in the privacy policy (foremost among these:  don’t sign in, or don’t use Google.)

All of this is for the optimization of the Google user experience. The search engine wants to take the data it collects from its users and create profiles of them so it can more accurately cater services to them. For now, it seems Google has a tendency to be wrong (Google thinks that I am an 18 to 24-year-old man who enjoys video games and personal fitness). Eventually, though, it should start to correct itself.

Google’s privacy policy can be dangerous if you’re a cocaine kingpin using Google Maps to make your way to a drug deal, or if you are cheating on your spouse with an OKCupid profile. But it can also be dangerous, if more subtly so, to the average information-seeker. Search engine optimization is a way of showing you only the information you want to see.

So yes, Google is simplifying and consolidating the Internet for its users. But at what cost?

Google’s response to apprehension over the privacy policy

Google’s Letter to Congress

SOPA and the Battle Between Piracy and Privacy by Ian Moskowitz

Op-Ed: Tarif Ahmed on BU’s Drug Policy by The Quad

BU Sexual Health Policy Is Cramping Our Style by Veronica Glab

Tim Heidecker in Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie | Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing

“Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie” is the duo’s deranged, outrageous, and altogether awkward foray into feature-length film. Heidecker and Wareheim play versions of themselves that have been granted $1 billion by the “Schlaaang Corp.” to make a film. When the financiers learn that the production can’t afford to span longer than four minutes due to other expenses like diamond suits and spiritual guidance from the guru Jim Joe (Zach Galafianakis), Tim and Eric must escape vengeful Hollywood executives while trying to earn back the misspent cash. They do so by taking the administrative reins of a struggling mall in “S’Wallow Valley” from its seedy owner (Will Ferrell).

It’s an amusing premise, but the proceeding fiasco is surprisingly mundane. Hunting wolves, stealing children, slicing throats, hosing down vagrants, delivering corporate presentations, taking “brown baths,” and finding true love is somewhat bland in comparison to Tim and Eric’s television material. Cameos from Galifianakis, Ferrell, John C. Reilly, and Will Forte are unexceptional. Jokes feel scripted. The movie seems cramped by its own story and genre.

In the “Awesome Show” world, much of the humor comes from the presentation: a ludicrously drawn-out transition, a freeze-frame of a face mid-sneeze, a poorly delivered line reinforced with subtitles. It’s this calculated shoddiness surrounding the Tim and Eric universe that makes its absurd content so funny. But when strung out over a feature film, even the more bizarre elements of “Billion Dollar Movie” fall flat. Hackneyed tropes (poop jokes, weird voices, wacky names) might be good if they were packaged in their usual camp, detached style. But, unlike in “Awesome Show,” shoddiness isn’t immediately part of the joke.

That’s not to say the film isn’t funny in parts. The opening sequence, for instance, had me in stitches — a man named Chef Goldblum (played with hilarious repose by Jeff Goldblum), explains to audience members how to use their “Schlaaang Super Seat” in preparation for the following feature. The chair, he says, optimizes a user’s viewing experience through odorous vapors, widely spread foot stirrups, a handy built-in popcorn machine, and a mystery fluid that’s injected intravenously. Once settled, viewers “synchronize” with the film by staring directly at the screen and blinking their eyes rapidly. Such diversions from story-telling show Tim and Eric at their finest.

Recently, on the social news website Reddit, someone asked the directors how they might direct without any financial or legal constraints. Heidecker responded, “Sometimes censors and budgets are good. They create boundaries that help you define what you do.” The boundaries of a full-length comedy film are clearly much different from a ten-minute spot on Adult Swim. Regrettably, it feels a little bit like Tim and Eric have gone off course in their new setting.

“Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie” is currently available to stream on YouTube, iTunes, and On Demand. In theaters March 2.

‘The Greatest Movie Ever Sold’ Review: The Greatest Review Ever Written? by Monica Castillo

‘Moneyball’ Review: A Sports Movie About Why Math Is Important by Liishi Durbin

‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1′ Review: Taking the Idea of Bad Movie to a New Extreme by Gabriela Fernandez

The player that mattered the most without playing a down: Peyton Manning.

Peyton Manning, still going strong. | Photo courtesy of USMC via Wikimedia Commons

Sadly, the more talented Manning brother was sidelined early in the season thanks to his two neck surgeries in 2011. Although the first was intended to only to keep him out of pre-season and the first few games, Peyton was benched for the entire season after a second operation. This didn’t help the Colts, who earned a 2-14 record, their worst season since 2001. Now they have a conundrum going into the NFL draft—do they stick with Manning, who is still owed $28 million after not playing this past year, or cut him loose and draft Stanford’s Andrew Luck with the #1 draft pick? Everything is still up in the air, thanks to the firing of head coach Jim Caldwell and a respectful, yet non-committal stance on Manning’s future with the team. Only time will tell. Or Rob Lowe will.

Who hasn't heard of Tim Tebow? | Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Beall via Wikimedia Commons

The player who created a cult of fans and brought them to the Sunday Night Lights: Tim Tebow

Who is amazed at the popularity of Tim Tebow? No one. He has easily been one of the most charismatic players in the NFL this year, both on the field and off the field. From the phenomenon of Tebowing to his fourth quarter heroics, good old Tim may have proved that he can play QB at the pro level. Well, maybe. Many of his heroics included him deciding to run instead of giving faith to his receivers and offensive line. He needs to grow out of this terrible habit. Especially when his receivers can do this. Then again, he’s Tim Tebow. He’s got God on his side.

The coach that took a team of scrubs and almost took them to the Super Bowl: Coach Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco 49ers.

There is only one phrase to explain the 49ers this season—better than good enough. And there is only one person to thank: coach Jim Harbuagh. One can argue that the team got better players, but that would be a lie. They had basically the same team, including semi-flop Alex Smith. All Harbuagh did was institute a new offensive scheme, change the locker room attitude, and spin the wheel. How’d that go? Well, the 49ers went 13-3, won the NFC West, and were a couple of lost kickoff returns from a Super Bowl. All in all they had great season, seeing as how they were projected to go 8-8 this year. So good for you, Harbuagh. No, you won’t get made fun of by big brother, John.

Now, for a look at the Super Bowl, a rematch and a chance at redemption. The New England Patriots and the New York Giants have been here before in 2008. On that day, the Giants walked away with the trophy, ruining the Pats’ chance at a perfect season and breaking this writer’s heart. Now, they have a chance at bringing home a fourth Lombardi trophy. For the Giants, this is the chance to prove that they are no fluke, that they didn’t just stumble into the play-offs, and that they earned their right to play. All I know is that February 5 is going to be a big night, and the only person who could really ruin it is Madonna.

The Black Keys Are Back: ‘El Camino’ Puts the Glam Back In Rock by Nee-Sa Lossing

Don’t Forget Those Shower Shoes: How To Avoid Dying During Midterm Season by Patricia Bruce

Movies for the Young at Heart this Holiday Season by Kelly Dickinson

The crowd at a Justice concert. | Photo courtesy of Bertrand via Wikimedia Commons.

As with upcoming record releases, a new semester brings four fresh, action-packed months of concert-going to look forward to. For those who love the arena experience and those who find a packed, sweaty venue is more their scene, Boston has something to offer. Here are my top concert picks for Spring 2012–this is only a tiny taste of the hundreds of acts coming through the city this spring, so get out there and discover the live music Boston has to offer.

2/9/12 – EOTO – House of Blues

The electronic duo puts on a truly unique show–all their live material is completely improvised! They even offer most recordings from their concerts for download, so fans can hear for themselves that their claim is true.

2/10/12 – Die Antwoord – Paradise Rock Club

The rave-rappers just released their highly-anticipated sophomore album, Ten$Ion–and those who thought their 2009 debut, $O$, was the weirdest musical endeavor imaginable are wrong. Ten$ion brings the crazy to a new level (in the best way possible) and is sure to translate into a wild live show.

2/21/12 –  Crocodiles – Brighton Music Hall

3/6/12 – Kaiser Chiefs – House of Blues

3/7/12 – The Black Keys – TD Garden

The Black Keys hit it big in 2011, and are embarking on their first-ever arena headlining tour to kick off 2012. Their December release, El Camino, showed off a new glam-rock influence–a twist on their signature bluesy rock that’s sure to fill TD Garden to the brim.

3/9/12 – Anti-Flag – Brighton Music Hall

3/19/12 – Justice – House of Blues

Even those who “have never heard of Justice” have probably heard of them because of their immense influence on the rest of electronic music. The French duo made their name with hits like “D.A.N.C.E.” and “We Are Your Friends,” and are now touring to promote their latest album, Audio, Video, Disco. As an electronic music lover, seeing Justice live has been on my bucket list for years.

3/21/12 – Odd Future – House of Blues

3/26/12 – Band of Skulls – Paradise Rock Club

3/27/12 – Kasbian – House of Blues

4/3/12 – Nero – House of Blues

4/4/12 – SBTRKT – Paradise Rock Club

4/11/12 – The Horrors – Paradise Rock Club

4/18/12 – 4/19/12– Bassnectar – House of Blues

4/29/12 – Yann Tiersen – Royale

For those who don’t recognize him by name, Yann Tiersen is the genius behind the soundtrack of every hipster’s favorite foreign flick, Amélie. The French-born musician uses piano, violin and accordion to craft his distinctive, yet experimental sound. His low-key vibe is perfect for a mellow night out to de-stress before going into finals in May!

5/9/12 – M83 – House of Blues

5/10/12 – Rusko – House of Blues

5/20/12 – Rancid – House of Blues

Dum Dum Girls Live at Paradise Rock Club by Marry Pivazian

Fences and Uh Huh Her at Paradise Rock Club: A Photo Essay by Marry Pivazian

The Many Faces of Diamond Rings by Meghan Gilligan

Every day that passes, I believe more and more that the Apocalypse is coming. The evidence is all around us. Snooki is rumored to be pregnant. (The suggestion alone is enough to make anyone’s skin crawl.) Newt Gingrich has requested that Brad Pitt play him in any future biopic. (I hope I’m dead before that movie ever comes out.) And every celebrity couple that made me believe that happiness was possible is filing for divorce. Heidi and Seal. Perry and Brand. If Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner split, I’m building a bomb shelter.

And there are signs of our demise on our own campus. Take these tweets from @TheBUBus as an example. A not-so-mild reaction to the newly released Shit Nobody at BU Says video.

YAY SHIT NOBODY AT BU SAYS! YOU'RE ALSO NOT FUNNY!

January 29, 2012 11:56 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@TheBUBus

The BU Bus

THIS MEME SHIT IS SO FUN! ISN'T IT GREAT TO ALL ACT LIKE FUCKING IDIOTS! WE SO COOL WITH THE INTERNETZ?

January 29, 2012 11:57 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@TheBUBus

The BU Bus

WAIT REMIND ME AGAIN WHY HASHTAG #BU AND @BU_TWEETS DIDN'T WIN SOME FUCKING AWARD FOR SOCIAL MEDIA?

January 29, 2012 11:58 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@TheBUBus

The BU Bus

OH RIGHT, BECAUSE NO ONE GIVES A FUCK.

January 29, 2012 11:58 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@TheBUBus

The BU Bus

The BU Bus Twitter account: Their account is fake, but their rage is very real.

TRIPLE AXELS AND TIGHT ENDS

Superbowl 46! 4 monster TV’s, free food and ice-skating! Free for BU students! http://t.co/uju1TD3P Right @DeanElmore ? http://t.co/9NVMlErH

February 2, 2012 12:21 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@theGSU

SAO

The most testosterone-laden day of the year would not be complete without…ice skating?

Students Warned: No Super Bowl Rowdiness, Or Else - WCVB http://t.co/2u0yggmA

February 2, 2012 9:48 am via SNS AnalyticsReplyRetweetFavorite

@BostonUnivNews

Boston Univ News

This sounds like the beginning of Footloose. Where’s Kevin Bacon when you need him?!

PARKERRRRRR, SEEEEEEIVE.

Boston University coach Parker issues statement apologizing for berating referee http://t.co/MKkRri61

February 1, 2012 11:46 pm via SNS AnalyticsReplyRetweetFavorite

@BostonUnivNews

Boston Univ News

The man barely speaks, and when he does, he has to apologize for it. Poor Parker.

THE FLU?! THE FLU IS HILARIOUS

Tuesday night and we've already received 6+ spec scripts for full-length WBB episodes. Let's shoot some and go viral! Like a funny virus!

February 1, 2012 1:05 am via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@WBBtv

Welcome Back Brotter

Which funny virus specifically? THERE ARE TOO MANY!

DUDE.

Who's ready to ball tonight at our rush event in the SAO gym? Kobe!

January 31, 2012 1:55 pm via FacebookReplyRetweetFavorite

@KappaSigma_BU

Kappa Sigma BostonU

Yea, boiiiiiii. Ballerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Up top, broski.

FORCE FED CARBS

The morning after Pasta Potluck... is anyone eating today? #SoFull #YummyDinner #sisterhood

February 1, 2012 11:11 am via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@AEPhiBU

AEPhi BU

Because you shouldn’t be. Water and bananas for the next week. #IJustWantToLose3Pounds

NOT TO TOOT OUR OWN HORN

we're in a trance, can't look away...soooo goooood!! ThanksMT @LauraBellz sliders with mango salsa, perfect http://t.co/vR72iWWu”

February 1, 2012 5:49 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@BUDiningService

BU Dining Services

Can’t stop looking at your own reflection? Exact story of Narcissus. Looks like Harry Agganis isn’t the only Greek on campus.

CHANGE HOW AWESOME YOU ARE (IT MAKES EVERYONE ELSE LOOK BAD!)

Heyyy! Interested in making a change at CGS? General Assembly Meeting @ 5:30 in the CGS Student Government Lounge.. See you there!

February 1, 2012 3:25 pm via FacebookReplyRetweetFavorite

@CGSsga

CGS Government

Change something about CGS?! NEVER. How could you even think that?!

HARRY POTTER – PUTTING NERDS EN VOGUE

Rumor has it the Nargles have their first team practice tonight.... but you can't beat what you can't see. #FLYBUQ #BU

February 1, 2012 7:28 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@BUQuidditch

BU Quidditch

And bullies can’t beat us up if we fly away on brooms! (Or can they?)

SUPER-BOWL WORTHY AD CAMPAIGN

Stop by and grab one of our flyers ! #smg #marketing http://t.co/TDgSQpMU

January 31, 2012 5:44 pm via Camera on iOSReplyRetweetFavorite

@BUMKClub

BU Marketing Club

Maybe it’s because they’re the Marketing Club and they’re professionals…but that tweet was super convincing. I mean, I just NEED a flyer.

BU TweetCreep: January 15th – January 20th by Liz Breen

BU TweetCreep: January 22nd – January 27th by Liz Breen

BU TweetCreep: February 27th-March 4th by Meghan Ross

Poster courtesy of Dhialokaaaa via Wikimedia Commons.

The Contenders:  Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist, Alexander Payne – The Descendants, Martin Scorsese – Hugo, Woody Allen – Midnight in Paris, Terrance Malick – The Tree of Life

The Front Runner: This is a pretty solid bet–Michel Hazanavicius is most definitely the front runner in this category. While there is a lot of love for Hugo, there is no question that The Artist will take home the prize. Even if The Artist doesn’t tick all of the Academy’s boxes for “Oscar Winner” (it is a silent period piece with beautiful costumes that is set in Hollywood’s Golden Age), Hazanavicius has managed to distinguish The Artist from all the other nominees by creating a modern film using bygone methods, one which manages to breathe some fresh air into the category. Hazanavicius also won the Directors’ Guild’s Best Director prize, which is further proof that he will most likely take home the little gold man this February. What’s more, The Artist is the most likely to win Best Picture. Historically, the two categories have been closely linked together.

Worth Mentioning: Even though The Artist will most likely take home the prize, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo is a directorial triumph that has earned its place on the list of nominees. With its lavish and beautifully directed story that manages to intersect childhood fantasy with a melancholic touch, it is a different side to Scorsese that audiences haven’t seen from him. Instead of his usual adult-orientated films, his family friendly fantasy is an intricately designed, almost Harry Potter-esque film that is infused with the Lumière brothers’ whimsical influence. All in all, it is a great film that is worthy of a prize.

Hugo was great, but it probably won't win. | Photo courtesy of Paulae via Wikimedia Commons

Probably Won’t Win: That just leaves Alexander Payne’s The Descendants, Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris and Terrance Malick’s The Tree of Life. All three are examples of great filmmaking, but on Oscar night they most likely will not take home the prize. Having said that, the directors’ efforts should not be overlooked. Alexander Payne makes his film visually lush with the Hawaiian setting, managing to adeptly capture the natural beauty of the area. Likewise, Woody Allen captures Paris in all its romantic glory, making viewers swoon under the charm of the French capitol. While Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life is not the most conventional of films and at times is even a little confusing, his direction provides the film with visually stunning sequences of the origins of the world.

Snubs Galore: The five directors on the list are all worthy of the Oscar this year, but where are Steven Spielberg, David Fincher and Nicolas Winding Refn? Spielberg is having a tough Oscar year with two snubs, first for being left off of the Best Director list for War Horse, and second for The Adventures of Tintin not making the Best Animated Film category. David Fincher (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) was nominated for a Directors’ Guild Award along with the five Best Director nominees but was ultimately left off of the Oscar list. And what about Nicolas Winding Refn? He won the Best Director award at Cannes and has received lots of positive attention for Drive, so why isn’t he on the list? In a perfect world, there would be more than five nominees in the Best Director category.

Nomination Speculation: Best Picture by Ruth Chan

QuadFilm Picks the Oscars: Best Director by Kelly Gallagher

The QuadCast: Ep. 2: Oscar Predictions by Paul Squire

From television legend David Milch, the creator of such TV heavyweights as NYPD Blue and Deadwood, Luck is a show so focused on texturing its world that many viewers will likely be alienated. As has become the staple of HBO original programming, Luck moves slowly and methodically with a very large ensemble cast. In the vein of The Wire, Deadwood, and most recently Game of Thrones, plot will be secondary to character much of the time. On such shows, the setting of the series pretty much becomes a character in and of itself (as Baltimore was in The Wire).

Dustin Hoffman in Luck. | Promotional photo courtesy of HBO.

Luck’s silent character, then, would be the Santa Anita racetrack and its surroundings, populated by jockeys, horse owners, horse trainers, gamblers, security guards, and veterinarians. Recapping an episode with so many threads and characters would be pointless. Suffice it to say that Luck, on the surface, is about the world of horse racing, but beneath surface level is a story about people working in an industry that isn’t what it once was, all struggling to find a second chance when it seems all the chips are stacked against them. Heading up a very strong cast is a brilliant Dustin Hoffman, who plays Ace Bernstein as kind of an amoral Willy Loman. Hoffman adds a certain gravity to the proceedings that perfectly compliments Milch’s dialogue.

From an aesthetic standpoint, Michael Mann’s direction soars in the pilot. My only experience remotely connected to horse racing is buying the novelization of Seabiscuit and never reading it; however, Mann’s work (both direction and editing) finds the sweet spot of meticulous composition and artistry; I was completely engaged.

Luck’s pilot throws the viewer into the deep end, so to speak, of the horse racing world. If you aren’t familiar with the vernacular of betting and racing, it is likely that some Milch’s dialogue will go completely over your head, but Mann’s direction makes clear all the stakes of each situation when Milch’s words may become too niche for the average viewer.

Luck is a remarkable new TV show on every front. However, it is not for the casual TV viewer. The story is structured to move and develop slowly over the course of the season, with a tight focus on a very large cast of characters.

Luck airs Fridays at 9pm on HBO.

Dumplings and Good Luck by Briana Seftel

Researchers Critical of Pilot Malaria Vaccine by Camilo Pardo

A flavor-packed pasta dish. | Photo by Estefania Souza.

Fettuccine Alfredo is known and served worldwide. Nowadays the variations to the original recipe–which basically just doubled the amount of butter in pasta al burro (with butter)–are endless, just like the amount of calories in one plate. Options are abundant in Boston. There is Bertucci’s Fettuccine Alfredo With Asparagus & Chicken ($13.49, 1200 calories) or CPK’s Garlic Fettuccine ($10, 1386 calories). Local restaurants also offer options, but it’s the Cheesecake Factory’s $15.95 Fettuccine with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes that tops the charts, with a whopping 1830 calories per dish. That’s like eating 6 McDonald’s cheeseburgers! Is it really worth it?

What if there was a way to eat delicious fettuccine Alfredo for about 400 calories at a cost of less than $3 per serving? Well, there is. This recipe for Red Pepper Shrimp Capellini Alfredo takes the original and tweaks it into a healthier pasta without sacrificing flavor–and it comes out to only 411 calories per serving.

Red Pepper Shrimp Capellini Alfredo (adapted from Cook This, Not That)

Makes 4 servings.

• 10 oz. dried capellini
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup fat free milk
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 3/4 cup chopped bottled roasted red peppers
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 oz. peeled raw shrimp
• Salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil; add salt. Cook capellini until al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for a minute or until fully incorporated. Slowly add the milk and half-and-half, whisking to avoid lumps. Add chopped peppers and stir. Turn heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer sauce to blender and purée until smooth. Return to pan over low heat and stir in Parmesan. Add shrimp and stir; season with salt and pepper. Cook sauce for about one minute. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately.
   

   Shrimp and roasted red peppers make this a healthy variation. | Photo by Estefania Souza.

Wishing you ate something healthy for breakfast? Look no more, here is a great alternative.

Post-Thanksgiving Healthy Dinner by Estefania Souza

One Dish Dinner: Chicken Pot Pie by Estefania Souza

Multicolor Pasta Salad by Estefania Souza

Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons

This past Monday night, students of Boston University gathered in the Center for Gender, Sexuality, and Activism for this semester’s first meeting of Fem Co. Fem Co is short for “feminist collective” and the room was nothing if not filled with the energy of empowered young women. At the start of the meeting, students introduced themselves and gave their reasons for attending. The attendees varied in class year and interests, but one sentiment proved common – disgust at displays of misogyny witnessed on campus and around Boston.

While this feeling undeniably united those in the room, a discussion on defining feminism exemplified the lack of a singular definition for the term. All feminists call for equality between the sexes. They notice differences between the treatment of men and women and try to minimize them. There are varying strains of feminism. For those who define themselves as feminists, general areas of interest include socialization of gender, reproductive rights, workers’ rights, and rape culture, which incited particular interest at this meeting of Fem Co.

Rape culture is a climate that minimizes the tragedy of rape and tends to blame the victim (i.e. “she was asking for it”). Unfortunately, as college students in the age of ABC (“anything but clothes”) parties and Boston Barstool Sports, we’re faced with examples of the horrors of rape culture pretty regularly. The collective will take a conversation-and-action approach to topics like these. After passionate discussion fueled by personal experience, the women will answer the question “What can we do about it?” with concrete plans of action. BU sophomore and coordinator of Fem Co, Sasha Goodfriend said, “BU could have a more positive female climate. We should support feminists on campus and promote activism and awareness on feminist issues. Feminism is related to everything.”

The students who comprise Fem Co may believe in varying forms of feminism, but their common passion for feminine equality has the power to shake up the BU status quo. The drunken grope and slurred Allston catcall are fodder for discussion and fuel for action for these justice-hungry students.

Life as a Professional Feminist by Shivani Mathur

Forgo Your Fear of Feminist Fiction by Courtney Federico

Alcohol Task Force Aims to Lead Students Toward Responsible Decisions by Joel Kahn

At 8:00 p.m. last night, two gangs met up near a local school. Witnesses confirm that there was a large, riotous confrontation between the rival groups which ultimately ended with a trip to the hospital. The gangs? Choir groups New Directions and the Warblers. The weapons used? A rock salt-laced slushie and the greatest hits from one Michael Jackson.

Story Overview

Many weeks after their loss at the hands of New Directions, the Troubletones girls find themselves suddenly and randomly infuriated that they did not get to sing any Michael Jackson songs. Thus, the theme for the entire episode is born.

After a sassily snarky confrontation between members of New Directions and Sebastian Smythe of the Warblers at Lima’s only non-Breadstix hangout, the Lima Bean, an all-out musical war is declared. The two groups duke it out in a parking lot where casualties include both the lower registers of many singers and the retina in one of Blaine Anderson’s eyes.

Hell-driven on teenage angst, Artie and Santana lash out in the best ways that they know how: Santana obtains blackmail on Sebastian using underboob, and Artie imagines a long day dream sequence where he can dance.

Three students also find out more information on their futures in the land of higher education. Quinn, after managing to pull off straight A’s all throughout her pregnancy, scores her happy ending in her acceptance to Yale. Kurt receives notification that he’s a “finalist” for NYADA, and Rachel loses her mind because she does not.

Realizing that she suddenly has no future (and apparently she didn’t apply to multiple schools), she decides to grab on to the one thing she does have in life: Finn. She accepts his proposal.

Then she gets the letter a few days later, is accepted, and she immediately questions her engagement decision.

In the next episode, Blaine gets a peg-leg and a parrot. | Photo courtesy of Fox TV.

Characters

There really wasn’t much in the way of character development this week. With nine songs in an episode, that is not too shocking.

In short, Quinn continued to not be crazy, Rachel let her ambition cloud her judgment, Kurt took moral high ground against Sebastian, Santana was devious but ultimately joined Kurt in higher morality, Finn expressed his love for Rachel in song, Mercedes and Sam sang a duet and kissed, Sebastian matches Santana in insulting ability, and nothing at all is surprising.

Songs

“Wanna Be Startin’ Something” by Michael Jackson: Although the song bludgeoned its audience with an overwhelming amount of corny, it was just enough to be encapsulate people in the performance style that is Michael Jackson. Blaine’s singing was pretty good, the dancing was entertaining and the large performance was woefully unrealistic but very much typical of appropriate Glee camp.

“Bad” by Michael Jackson: The song in general was decent and vocally at its peak when Santana was singing. The overall performance was cute, but placing it immediately after another massive group number did the song few favors. It wasn’t as entertaining as the previous song and it wasn’t as fun.

“Scream” by Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson: The performance and choreography for this number was incredible. The wild costumes, Artie and Mike dancing, and the cinematography really made the song amazing. Unfortunately, most Michael Jackson songs don’t always translate perfectly to singers that aren’t Michael Jackson. Especially for Mike Chang. Once you take away the visual entertainment, the song does not have that much left.

“Never Can Say Goodbye” by The Jackson 5: Quinn’s voice is not a showstopper voice like Rachel, Santana or Mercedes’ voices. In turn, this song was not a showstopper, but it did showcase Quinn’s voice pretty well. Her singing to her ex-flings and, by extension, her departing past made a lot of sense with the context of show’s story. It fit a lot better in the overall framework of the episode than several other songs did.

“Human Nature” by Michael Jackson: This song was not at all necessary. Generally speaking, having more than five songs really takes away from any story integrity. In turn, every song above that limit should be vocally excellent and very much relevant to the story. This song was neither. Their secret love was explored nowhere else in the episode, and Sam’s voice spent too much time in the land of falsetto. Mercedes’ voice was nice.

“Ben” by Michael Jackson: This is a less-terrible version of the story for “Human Nature.” In general, the song’s context was slightly more appropriate, but it didn’t make sense in context with the 500 million other songs in the episode. The alternating backup vocals in the song were almost impressive enough to make its inclusion slightly acceptable.

“Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson: If there’s any one moment of this episode that deserves to be re-watched and listened to 200 times over, it’s this performance. Not only is it one of Michael Jackson’s best songs, but it’s also sung by two of Glee‘s smoothest performers. The heated villain vs. villain face-off was delicious, and the cello fight was musically gorgeous. As of this moment, “Smooth Criminal” is #3 on iTunes, and it deserves to be there.

“I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” by Michael Jackson and Siedah Garret: The decision-maker who keeps thinking Rachel and Finn need more love songs should be fired. Finn’s falsetto was terrible and got even worse next to Rachel’s singing. To believe that this song helped change her mind in a marriage proposal is also ridiculous.

“Black or White” by Michael Jackson: In general, I liked this song. It’s another campy Michael Jackson song that fits well with campy New Directions. Two things, however, weaken the overall performance. First, a random song about racism felt very strange in a context that had nothing to do with racism. Second, the impact of the performance is really lessened by the fact that “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” was a better group performance.

One-Liners

“You’re like a modern day eggs Benedict.” – Noah “Puck” Puckerman

“Today’s your lucky day because Auntie Snakes just arrived from the BitchTown Express.” – Santana “Auntie Snakes” Lopez.

“This is clever; I taped it to my underboob.” – Santana Lopez

Overall Score

As awesome as some of the performances were, nothing excuses the fact that nothing really happened. Again. Occasionally a show should be more than just a bunch of singles for rabid fans to download off of iTunes. When nearly 20 minutes of the show’s 43 minutes are song, there’s not much room for any tangible progress.

Don’t get me wrong, “Smooth Criminal” may be one of the best songs this season. “Scream” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” are also quite memorable. That doesn’t change the fact that much of episode felt like a poorly written gimmick.

“Michael:” C+

The Gleecap: “I Kissed a Girl” by Jon Erik Christianson

The Gleecap: “Pot O’ Gold” by Jon Erik Christianson

The Gleecap: “Mash Off” by Jon Erik Christianson

By Evan Caughey

About Skeezics: So. Every week I (Evan Caughey) create a cartoon making fun of something involving politics, world affairs or something moderately related to something else.  In general, they are meant to make the world more bearable by showing that it is a silly place and that there is always something to laugh about.  Unfortunately, they are usually serious things, so you will only laugh until you realize it has to do with something like who your next president will be.  Anyway, enjoy.

Megaupload In Peace by Evan Caughey

Skeezics- DOW(n) by Evan Caughey

New Psychiatry by Evan Caughey